back to article Climategate witchhunt fingers scientist

Police have questioned a scientist at the University of East Anglia in connection with the leak of emails from the University's Climatic Research Unit. Paul Dennis, Head of Stable Isotope and Noble Gas Geochemistry Laboratories at UEA, has produced studies in support of Global Warming, but this didn't stop him falling under …

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  1. John G Imrie
    WTF?

    Answer to number 20

    Fuck yes, I live in the 21st Century.

  2. Ian Michael Gumby
    Boffin

    Huh?

    "18) WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE?"

    That doesn't make sense. Its like asking 'what's your stance on oxygen?' or having an opinion on the color red.

    Sorry, but climate change *is* a fact of life and there's historical evidence which shows that it constantly occurs.

    I mean you could have answered #18 in the following manner:

    A) I hate it.

    B) Change is good.

    C) I agree with change, but only if its for the better.

    I'm sorry but if you ask a stupid open ended question, you should expect equally stupid and open ended responses.

    If they had asked 'What do you think about the cause of the climate's change' then they might get a better handle on things.

    I mean you could blame it on the fact that the moon is slowly moving out of orbit which is causing a slight change in the tides. Or the moon could also have an influence on the earth's magnetic sphere. This could have a greater significance on the change in climate than man made pollution. Not that I'm saying that cleaning up our environment isn't a good thing, but that jumping to conclusions based on fudged data? Not a smart thing, no?

    -G

    1. Il Midga di Macaroni

      Not quite...

      A stance on climate change might be "Climate change is the direct result of anthropogenous CO2 emissions", or "Climate change is a natural cycle unrelated to atmospheric carbon levels", etc.

      1. rciafardone
        Boffin

        Not quite...

        I think you mean that climate change is natural and not related to human activity... since a relationship within CO2 and Climate does exist since higher temperatures wield larger amounts of CO2, or so the records show.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    The only scientific method

    to determine if someone is a witch is to compare then to a duck. If they weigh the same, you have found a witch.

    And then you build a giant, wooden badger....

  4. Elmer Phud
    Coat

    Ducking stool?

    No need for the ducking stool - if they deliberatley miss a question they are ducking out of it and we all know that ducks float and must be made out of wood and wood burns like wot witches do so they are obviously guilty.

    Sorted

    apols to Python, gets coat

  5. kosmos
    Grenade

    Question 19.

    Do you weigh the same as a duck?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Sergeant Detritus would be proud

    "Is it you wot done it?"

    "It was you wot done it, was it not?"

    "I know it was you wot done it, fess up!"

    <repeat until someone breaks down due to damage to the inner ear>

    Impressive...

  7. JShel

    The Denialists

    turned the ice cap into a newt!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      but...

      it got better...

      Python DVD and case of beer... I'm gone.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Ausweis Bitte?

    Hmm so now we know where the Stasi went, Westminster....given every parties obsession with sticking their noses into peoples lives, asking stupid questions and trying to revoke "innocent till proven guilty"

    And to think that things seemed to be improving in the first couple of new labour years....then the whole seem to have went batshit insane and power mad....sad sad sad.

    Really wondering if a retreat to Canada would be a good idea....then again their current PM (Stephen Harper) has less charisma than a boil on a bison's arse and uses an army of bloggers to post pro Harper comments on Canadian news sites (every comment reads the same almost word for word), as well as stuff like "opposition politicians should shut up and let the government do what it wants"....hmm thought debate was the point of democracy.....

    At least Brown hasn't prorogued parliament yet (basically shut parliament down) (Which Harper has done twice in less than a year, both times to avoid a vote of no confidence which would bring down his government)....then again now I have said that he might just try it on the advice of Mandelson...

  9. Fr. Ted Crilly Silver badge

    Which way up am i?

    cant help feeling given the tenor of the ahem, questionnaire that Inspector Knacker is still nowhere closer getting an 'in' on the case than months ago.

    paris.... cos she'd look natty with a British police hat on

  10. Stevie

    Bah!

    After the old retirement funds were cleaned out by four successive financial fiascoes and my career path led over what I now call the Cliffs of Inevitable Sidelining into Obscurity and Boredom, all I had left in life was my pride in my Alma Mater. You can keep on, I would tell myself during my darkest hours, you *can* live, because come what may you have a degree from UEA and that means something.

    *sob*sob*heart-rending sob*

  11. unitron
    Coat

    18) WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE?

    A: No more often than 4 times per year, please.

    (mine's the all-season one)

    alternate answer

    A: I live in Eastern North Carolina, it happens every 15 minutes.

  12. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    FAIL

    I think they are trying to populate the NIR.

    No police officer with more than 10 working brain cells can beleive this kangaroo court style invasion of privacy is goint to catch anyone.

    The most they can hope is someone gives a different view on their questionaire than their publically know stance.

    I smell Fail.

  13. Chris 3
    Coat

    Congratulations Andrew...

    Firstly,

    Well done on allowing comments on this story. I always thought it was a strange aberration that your stories were commentless - could someone explain what happened to make that so.

    As for the story itself - I only have one question. You suggest that the guy was interviewed since he had "apparently shown signs of aberrant or 'denialist' behaviour." That makes sense if he is the only scientist interviewed. If not, you might be accused of paranoia. Do you know know that he is the only white-coated-one that plod has pulled in?

    /obligatory white coat.

    1. Sillyfellow
      WTF?

      denialist behaviour?

      denialist behaviour? what rubbish.

      do these scientists understand that 'science' requires questioning and testing everything, in different ways?

      it is supposed to be that scientists drill down to the basics of things, and verify these things.. and they very often disagree with each other, which is normal. they can't oust one because he/she doesn't have the same view. that's just ridiculous.

      a real scientists doesn't accept anything without thorough research, testing, and reasoning through. yes a laborious process often.. but nevertheless, ensuring that facts are accurate is essential.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Of course all UK police are familiar

    with the works of Einstein, Newton, Kant and Leibniz, we certainly don't have uneducated or ill educated police in this Nation of change. And I am sure they can grasp the many different facets and perceptions of time and hence change.

    The UK police are a shinning example of intellectualism and I often look forward to police lectures on the pattern of temperate climates: how the atmospheric pressure, vegetation, fauna and other factors combine to create climate in particular areas at particular moments. It is absolutely fascinating how well they can describe and explain such a complicated system, with no logical fallacy, no umms, and no ahhs. These people, of the chunky line, are orators and gentlemen of vision, scholars par excellence.

    Just take any police person off the street, they will be able to stand in front of a TV audience of 6 billion and be able to speak wisely and for at least a couple of hours on the intricacies of, what is sometimes simplistically termed, climate change. You will feel you are truly in the presence of a great mind. Their universal ability to take the complex and produce informed, simple and cited information, at the drop of a hat, is just awe inspiring.

    I think they are truly marvellous, the Police are willing to work for no money, willing to repay all monies taken from the people, willing to be subject to the exact same laws that everyone else is subject to, they are willing to make their way in the world without public aid or benefit of any kind, and still uphold the law.

    The Police are a shining example to us all, and we should all follow this example. The Police don't want our tax money, they want a society that is just, they don't want a society of control or a society that is forced to pay them.

    Have you ever seen the Police strike or protest over lack of funds, no, because these people are self sufficient, they don't need to abuse the law to make a living. The only time you will see the police strike or protest is if an unjust law is put on the books, these are people of courage, fortitude, self reliance and democracy.

    -- message from a parallel universe.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coffee/keyboard

      Re: Of course all UK police are familiar

      Genius, Pure Genius.

  15. Andrew Taylor 1
    Flame

    Hmmmmm

    The Head of UEA CCU gets caught breaking the Freedom of Information Act and the Police are looking for the Whistleblower, I thought the Police in the UK were there tohelp prevent crime not assist in its cover up. Silly me.

  16. Milo Tsukroff
    Flame

    That's _innocent_ if they drown

    That's _innocent_ if they drown. Get it right!

    (I am a former Connecticut resident - where many witches were executed, although several passed the water test.)

  17. JohnG

    Thought crime

    Question 18 seems to infer that having an incorrect view concerning climate change is some kind of thought crime and not the sort of thinking that would be accepted in employees of the University of East Anglia or possibly, society in general.

  18. My Alter Ego
    Stop

    Holy fucking shit

    This questionnaire actually exists? I thought this was just tongue in cheek until I <insert favourite search engine>ed one for the questions.

    Stop, do not pass go, do not speak, do not even think. If you do, you may be committing a crime.

  19. ratfox
    Big Brother

    My God

    21) What is your opinion on thought police?

    Surely a Big Brother Icon is needed here if it ever was...

  20. ph0b0s

    Same protction for these type of hackers as for whistle blowers

    Aren't there protections for whistle blowers under the law? see http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ResolvingWorkplaceDisputes/DG_10026552 And when the expeses scandel was broken by journalists that was ok, why do hackers revealing stuff constituet a whitch-hunt.

    Should hackers who expose things in the public interest be not also excepted from reprisals, like dumb police investigations.

    Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all hacking should get a pass. When it is malicious or designed to disrupt systems, then these cases should be prosocuted to the full extent of the law. I just think where in cases, like this, the hacking exposes info that is in the public interest the police should leave it alone and use the resources being wasted here to solve serious crimes.

    Oh and hacking famous peoples voicemail accounts is not classed as in the public interest. Unless you catch one admitting they murdered somebody....

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    re: AC "-message from a parallel universe"

    ...Certainly proving the old postulate that parallel paths will never meet.

    I like the late Michael Crichton's views on "Global Warming", but mine could be expressed as follows:

    While I don't really believe we have nearly enough evidence that Global Warming is occurring, that if it is, anything we've done has caused it, or anything we do can effect it, it's certainly of benefit to not do things that we think may make things worse. Or "Don't shit where you eat"

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Terminator

      Indeed

      Furthermore regardless of Global Warming the environmental problems we face by using toxic chemicals to fuel transport, etc etc are still there whether you believe they are affecting the climate or not. Just because Climate Change might not be right doesn't mean mass extinctions, toxic environments, overpopulation and corporate greed and power disappear as well....

      But then people are notoriously thick.

  22. Andrew 19

    Don't we have enough REALLY good reasons to cut pollution?

    ...like habitat destruction, waterway despoilment, deformed babies, dead animals, wrecked soil, smog, health problems, etc etc etc?

    Why do we need to be sold some Roland Emmerich rubbish about the end of the world on top of all that?

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Public interest

    Our definition or theirs? Inventing evidence to justify your cause will ultimately only harm it, be that WMD to invade a rogue nation, or CO2 affecting the atmosphere to force a move from hydrocarbon dependancy.

    FACT: The climate is always changing. FACT: We are running out of oil and gas and make some deals with some pretty shady countries to try to secure continuing supplies. That CO2 from burning hydrocarbons is the primary cause of currently observed accelerated climate change - hmmm, well that depends on whose figures you read and whether you can trust them. I am more worried about the erosion of trust between us and 'them' than I am about climate change. They should be worried that there are obviously more of us...and that we are not as stupid as they first thought.

  24. Graham Dresch

    Denier ?

    I would rather be called a denier than a collaborator

  25. John Lodge
    Big Brother

    He's safe

    If the Essex Boys in Blue are investigating this then the lad is safe. Most can't read and none of them would be able to find a bottle up their own arse.

    My stance is firm denier (isn't that a measurement of stocking density? perhaps it should be denyer) - as usual it's all to do with tax and limited hydrocarbon supplies and bugger all to do with saving the planet.

  26. Gfranty
    Dead Vulture

    Denier, question mark indeed.

    Denier, or denialist?

    Headstone, because understanding is dead and buried.

  27. John F***ing Stepp

    It seems to be 1984 all over again.

    And I feel fine.

    Yes I do.

    No global warming here; it is snowing.

    (In fact I would say that I give up my hopes of an alligator farm in northern Indiana; obviously this is not going to happen.)

    I think that covers everything.

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