In article on new climate change data, Washington Post takes a shot at its own columnist.
In article on new climate change data, Washington Post takes a shot at its own columnist.
In February, Washington Post columnist George Will wrote a column calling global warming a “hypothetical” calamity. Among the various uninformed claims he made in his column, Will argued that because global sea ice remained near its 1979 levels, that global warming was not occurring. Despite Will’s widely documented errors, Washington Post’s editorial page editor, Fred Hiatt, did not believe Will’s column merited any corrections. Today, however, in an article regarding new Arctic sea ice data released yesterday by NASA, Washington Post reporters Juliet Eilperin and Mary Beth Sheridan attempted to correct the record:
The Arctic sea ice cover continues to shrink and become thinner, according to satellite measurements and other data released yesterday, providing further evidence that the region is warming more rapidly than scientists had expected. [...]
The new evidence — including satellite data showing that the average multiyear wintertime sea ice cover in the Arctic in 2005 and 2006 was nine feet thick, a significant decline from the 1980s — contradicts data cited in widely circulated reports by Washington Post columnist George F. Will that sea ice in the Arctic has not significantly declined since 1979.
Will’s specious claims were specifically about “global sea ice,” not Arctic sea ice. Yet, the overarching point is still true: Will is woefully uninformed about the science of climate change.
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George Will…you have outlived your usefulness. Please shut shut your pie hole PRONTO!!
April 7th, 2009 at 10:49 amI can’t believe that george will would deliberately twist data to fit the beliefs of a small number of people that know that scientific facts are simply liberal lies designed to seduce the young people. This whole thing must be a mistake.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:50 amGeorge Will should go play with Robert Novak.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:51 amIt’s just amazing how the right is so in denial about “global warming” [with sound proof facts] all in the name of profits for fossil fuel.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:52 amGeorge Will is woefully informed, period…..about EVERYTHING!
April 7th, 2009 at 10:53 amuninformed not informed.
sorry about that.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:53 amGlobal warming won’t happen because that’s science, and everyone knows that prayer will overcome science, which is just another theory. Why, when I ran out of ice at my party last weekend, I prayed and prayed and sure enough, there was more ice in the ‘fridge.
Some claim it’s some science thingy called an ‘ice maker.’ Can you imagine? It doesn’t even sound real…besides, Jesus is the original ‘ice maker…’
April 7th, 2009 at 10:57 amWhen a right winger lies and makes up facts to further his or her own personal cause, that’s not news. Hence the lack of follow-up by the media…..
snark
April 7th, 2009 at 11:08 amNow the Post is calling Will to the carpet? Too little, too late. They have no credibility.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:08 amConservatives and those on the right (like George Will)are NOT “woefully misinformed” about the issues. To think so severely underestimates them and overlooks Republican playook tactics that we have become accustomed to. They are very well informed on the issues and understand that they have no logical, factual basis for their stance. That is why they will never operate using facts, logic, or reason. Instead, they CHOOSE to spout misinformation knowingly, purposefully, and repeatedly. They have no need for facts when emotion-stirring, rapid fire, fear-generating rhetoric is more powerful than any truth.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:11 amThis whole issue about whether climate change is real reminds me a lot of the South Park episode where Kyle renounces his own Judaism. He comes to a sudden realization that if Christians are wrong in their faith, there’s no consequence. They just die and that’s the end. But if the Jews are wrong, they burn in hell. That, he concluded, was totally unfair.
Here’s the analogy. If we who believe in climate change are wrong, there’s no consequence. We end up with more efficient sources of energy like solar and tide, and we spur a new economy. But that’s about it. If the deniers are wrong, global crops fail, coastal cities are flooded, we continue to see extremely harsh winters and extremely hot summers, and we still eventually run out of oil. I just don’t see why they’re so focused on proving that global warming is a myth. Is it just a “told you so” thing with them?
April 7th, 2009 at 11:11 amWhy would people pay money to read something that’s misleading? Because it’s what they want to hear.
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
April 7th, 2009 at 11:15 amMore Will-full misinterpretation by the Post. Is this really that unbelievable? I think not.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:19 amYesterday Georgie’s column was all about how waiting a minute for your compact flourescent to get to full brightness was way too much trouble. Also once in a while they fail. So apparently we should forget all about this ecology stuff and besides why bother if there is global cooling not warming going on anyway. And he is the nerdy rational thoughtful conservative guy. You can tell by his bow tie. Also I understand he is a big baseball expert, and that’s the Great American Pastime or something.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:27 amFluorescent bulbs are like an economy car George, they dont get you up to speed as fast as a Corvette but they save you money in the long run. Isnt that what being conservative is supposed to be about instead of this Orwellian Mammonist version popularized by floaters? [Think Tanks]
April 7th, 2009 at 11:38 amGeorge Will also feeds the fear about the mercury in CFLs. They actually have less mercury per bulb than the old fluorescent tubes which have been in use for decades longer. I doubt you’ll find any old George Will articles decrying the mercury in the industrial light fixtures used in all of our schools, hospitals, factories, office buildings, government buildings, etc.
My house uses CFLs almost exclusively. We have a few tube fixtures, both circular and straight. We’ve been replacing the older fluorescent fixtures with newer pin-based fixtures that are even more energy efficient. I think I’ve had one broken bulb in the last three years here. And, precious few bulbs I’ve had to replace.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:46 amYglesias says: “Why would you expect anyone to pay money to read a newspaper that publishes willfully misleading information?”
Exactly — and that’s why I cancelled my subscription right after the first erroneous George Will column spinning his non-truths. WaPo has taken a noticeable turn to the right in the last several years, giving Will, Krauthammer and even Bill Kristol more newsprint to spin their load of crap. If I wanted FauxNews in print, I’d subscribe to the Washington Times…
April 7th, 2009 at 11:46 amWill never got his impish nose out of a book, therefore, he has no real life experience and doesn’t have creditability. Will’s a theory guy, that’s all he is, a conservative theory guy. George all those theories may sound good on paper (invading Iraq, we will be greeted with flowers and candy), but things are a little different in the real world. If Will ever had a job where he had to deal with real-world problems, he’d never find a conclusion…he’d be worthless, pretty much like his opinions!
April 7th, 2009 at 12:16 pmSome of them, like the phony “scientists”, are actually on the payroll of big oil, funded through organizations like the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
But, for most conservative Republicans this is an ideological issue. First of all, they resist any kind of change, and they do not really believe that the external world ever changes very much. That is also why many of them still do not even believe we will ever run oil of oil. That would be a change. Therefore, it is unlikely.
Secondly, they worship power and money. Since the multi-national oil corporations are extremely rich and powerful, so they are the object of slavish devotion, and unquestioned authority by conservatives. Upstart little wind and solar energy companies are worthy only of derision and ridicule by these reactionary authoritarians.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:17 pmGeorge Will has devolved over the years into an ideologue who writes the truth only as he imagines it. His decline as a serious intellectual is remarkable.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:35 pm4httr, you just described the Republican Party.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:50 pmWill Hiatt continue to believe Will needs no corrections?
Will Hiatt instead correct his other reporters?
Hiatt ought to think about relegating Will to the sports page — baseball season is starting — and he can pontificate as much as he’d like from the sports box.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:51 pmGreen jobs or black hole?
http://www.juandemariana.org/pdf/090327-employment-public-aid-renewable.pdf
What do you expect?
April 7th, 2009 at 2:03 pmBut Will doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:33 pm*
RE: “Why would you expect anyone to pay money to read a newspaper that publishes willfully misleading information?”
MY COMMENT: To alter some lyrics by Marilyn Manson – …Everybody’s looking for something
April 7th, 2009 at 4:53 pmSome of them want to mislead you
Some of them want to get mislead by you…
SWEET DREAMS!
April 7th, 2009 at 5:00 pmWow Dickerson, you must be just a kid. I’m going to date myself, but that’s the Eurythmics.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:47 pmRight wing = Ignorance and Stupidity!
April 7th, 2009 at 8:18 pmTo put on my tinfoil hat:
Ever notice how the repub climate-change-deniers are on the older end of the spectrum.
They can make their money now and die before the earth roasts.
April 7th, 2009 at 8:42 pmHaven’t the democrats taken my advice yet and moved to Canada? They already have social healthcare and higher taxes. Plus, in 10 years when America is a burnt desert, Canada will become much more cozy. Go on, get out of here and stop trying to push your wacked out agenda on the rest of us.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:48 amIts amazing how obtuse some reporters can actually be. Thankfully some sources are reporting the stories that count. Business Week Online is giving their award for outstanding social businesses for 2009. This award is for businesses that dedicate their work to making an impact that changes the world around them. ImpactMakers (of Richmond,VA) is one of those businesses who is making a difference. Their health care business works with other organizations to help bring quality health care and prescription drugs to their community. For more info got to business week to vote for your favorite business and to see the other businesses who are up for this award.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:56 pmOK Pat obviously senile dementia has set in. Time to see the nice young men that will need to take care of you soon.burun estetigi rent a car arac kiralama
April 18th, 2009 at 5:57 amsac ekimi