http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2829295.htm

A lengthy article, but worth reading.  The story here is of increasing pressure on those whose search for the truth may have worrisome implications for vested interests.  The threat must seem very real.  Originally, I thought the severity and persistence of the response excessive until I realized that perhaps trillions of dollars are at stake over the long run.

The big fusion projects, as well as Bill Gates newly trumpeted plan to advance nuclear fission, all have timelines so long that ample time has been set aside for gleaning the last dollar from existing energy resources.  The powers-that-be seem placated by this.  However, any novel advancement which would rush that timetable significantly might not be entertained happily by these folks.  This could affect, say, small innovative fusion projects.

It might pay to exercise caution and emphasize the extended and bumpy path to success.  Whenever a wolf comes hunting, it pays to look like a poor mouthful.

I find it interesting that Gates and Obama started actively supporting nuclear about the same time. And we are Nuc 2.0 .

A good blog from down under highlighting the opposition to progress on the environment. Fortunately the numbers of people who agree with the assessments of scientists regarding the dim prospects of global warming is large, and they’re from all over the world. The environmental movement has faced fierce opposition for years as entrenched corporate power has gone outside the law to dodge safe standards. Karen Silkwood was an example from the past. The recent West Virginia coal mine disaster show’s what happens when there is callous disregard for safety regulations. We go on fighting for change, despite those pressures, though. A relative of mine recently passed away after writing one last research paper on acid rain (George Tomlinson). He was 98 years old! The issues that are out there for us to resolve require long term efforts and resolve against opposition. The Obama administration has this on the White House website: “Closing the Carbon Loophole. By stemming carbon pollution through a market-based cap, we can address in a systematic way all the energy challenges that we face: curbing our dependence on foreign oil, reducing our use of fossil fuels, and promoting new industries right here in America.” We need to hold them to that statement and prevent the forces of the denialists from achieving their goals, imho. Focus Fusion is a benign solution to our energy problems and a viable alternative to fossil fuel burning or fission nuclear power generation.

Those who attempt to evade challenges to data integrity, transparency, replicability, and mathematical rigor by mis-appropriating the term “Denialists” from the Holocaust discussion are beneath scientific contempt. Highjacking the planet’s economy is undoubtedly a big prize for them, though, so I don’t expect them to stop until their abuse of public funding is challenged and broken legally.

On the other hand where it is easy to see clear misrepresentation of facts, misinformation, data-manipulation, paid-propaganda and outright lies it seems appropriate to invoke the term Denier.
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2009/05/moncktons-deliberate-manipulation/

Happy Monday! 

This thread is now officially capped, per our new GW Policy.