Tuesday, October 2, 2018

4/7 The ugly side, an environmentalists journey to self delusion. Jim Steele's LandscapesandCycles

The Situation:
The disconnected-from-physical-reality GOP attacks on climate science (a.i.) have reached horrifying levels with the Trump Administration.  Yet science loving rationalists, pluralists, progressives, liberals, Democrats still haven’t developed effective messaging for directly confronting the most childish of Republican arguments.  Why?  Seems to me, mainly because rationalists rather sidestep that Me First driven willful ignorance.  This acquiescence to nonsense has been a fatal error for the national dialogue.

Engaging and arguing with contrarians should not be seen as an exercise in futility, they are teaching moments.  Air the false claim, explain why its wrong.  Dissect deceptions, expose them, how else can you break the power these childishly contrived memes continuing holding over political action?

Always remember the onlookers, and appreciate by making the effort to explain some of the science, you’re doing homework that invigorates your own understanding.  

When you’re challenged with things you haven’t learned about, making the effort to do the research, enriches you with a better understanding.  Seems to me it’s a win win.  …  (continued at ...

In this segment it’s time to face your fear of engagement.  Using the example of Jim Steele I dissect and document a contrarian's scam.  This was done for my own and your edification.  Leaving these people unopposed is a gross sin against future generations.


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(Sd1) Revisiting Jim Steele's LandscapesAndCycles Fraud 
            An index of past research - Steele debate #1

(Sd3) Mr.GOP don't buy Jim Steele's Fraud - LandscapesAndCycles
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JULY 22, 2018
(Sd1) Revisiting Jim Steele's LandscapesAndCycles Fraud - first an index of past research - Steele debate #1

Steele has parlayed his general environmental studies background to travel around the world learning about various wildlife studies with an eye towards finding errors to exploit, that is, to use as "proof" that global warming is a hoax.  A most bizarre train of logic indeed.  

I've tried debating with him numerous times, but Jim isn't interested in a serious constructive debate where learning is the goal; where opponents' words / evidence are honestly represented; and where objective physical truth and facts carry the day.
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By way of setting the stage:

Sunday, April 5, 2015
Is misinformation about climate science criminally negligent? 
by Lawrence Torcello

Sunday, January 25, 2015
Dear Mr. Steele, regarding your 1/7/15 WUWT post - an open letter...

Saturday, February 7, 2015
Jim Steele watt's up with your venomous self-indignation?

Dear Jim Steele,

With time to reflect, I'm confused by your display of moral outrage in that January 7th WUWT broadside? Come on, lighten up, you should recognized the Shakespearian overtones and appreciate we were made for each other.  

Besides, it was you who jumped into my lil climate change sparing camp over at SkepticForum back last spring.... you were the big shot daring anyone to dispute your nonsense.  Did you really think I was going to allow your Republican/libertarian "hey no worries, it's all a hoax" challenge to go unanswered?  Then in your IEEE 'climate science horror' series and LandscapesAndCycle you're the one that told folks to check original sources.  

Well, I have and I've received responses including many full texts of published studies from:
Dr. Ainley,
Dr. Breckner,
Dr. Fretwell,
Dr. Guillaume,
Dr. Jenouvrier,
Dr. Kaiser,
Dr. Kato,
Dr. La Rue,
Dr. Tate,
with a couple still in the pipeline.

Be happy!  Here we are, "Citizenschallenge" vs. "LandscapesAndCycles"

You the defending champ of "NoWorries - it's a hoax" 
vs. 
Me the advocate for "Learning about our Global Heat  and Moisture Distribution Engine"  
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{note 8/3/18 - as I've had the chance to go back and reread a few of these, I'll admit some are rather ponderous and I extend my apology, still others I feel good about.  Wish I had the time to clean it all up, but life's too short, too busy and too precious.  I'm doing my best to continue improving with the writing.  Hopefully the upcoming articles reflect the added experience.}

A virtual debate with Jim Steele based on his interview at Heartland Institute:  

Heartland Daily Podcast - H. Sterling Burnett  interviews Jim Steele | January 27, 2015 

Thursday, April 2, 2015
#1 Mtn warming? - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
#2 Fear of Debate - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
#3 global temperature fallacy - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Saturday, April 4, 2015
#4 Temperature Homogenization - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Sunday, April 5, 2015
#5 Prof Trenberth stifling "sceptics" - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Sunday, April 5, 2015
#6 Moose and the NWF - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Tuesday, April 7, 2015
#7 Penguins, butterflies and consensus - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Sunday, April 12, 2015
#8 Mangroves, Dr. Cavanaugh, NPR's Joyce - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles debate
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Thursday, April 16, 2015
#9 Steele's heat waves and the AGW fallacy - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Saturday, April 25, 2015
#10 Heartland in their own words - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Sunday, April 26, 2015
#11 Questions for Heartland's Burnett, re Dr. Mann and more - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
#12 "Pushing this global climate alarmism" - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
#13 Critical Thinking and "keep the debate alive" - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Thursday, April 30, 2015
#14 Considering Malicious Falsehoods vs Right to Learn - CC/Steele Landscapesandcycles Debate
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Regarding Mr. Steele, dishonest sniping and about as close was we got to a direct debate.

June 9, 2015
Clarifying Landscapesandcycles Dishonest Internet Sniping #1
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June 10, 2015
Clarifying Landscapesandcycles Smears and Internet Sniper #2
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January 9th 2015
How climate science denialists employ the "Serenge Strategy"
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January 26, 2015
Regarding the question of USHCN homogenization 
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Monday, December 1, 2014
Jim Steele, why you "cleansing" YouTube comments? W.U.W.T.?
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Steele's Yosemite Nat'l Park mystery temp graph? W.U.W.T.?
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Saturday, December 13, 2014
What's it mean to be an honest skeptic?
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Monday, December 15, 2014
A blast from the past May 16, 2014 Steele's Arctic Ice Horror story
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Monday, December 22, 2014
Mr. Steele, time for a reality check.
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Tuesday, November 4, 2014 (IEEE Video 1a)
#A Jim Steele's IEEE Presentation: Climate and Drought: Landscape Changes vs CO2, examined
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Wednesday, November 5, 2014 (IEEE Video 1b)
#B Jim Steele's IEEE Presentation: Climate and Drought: Landscape Changes vs CO2, examined
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Monday, November 17, 2014
Considering the demarcation between valid science and pseudo-science
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Friday, November 28, 2014 (IEEE Video 2)
Droughts and Heatwaves: Ocean Oscillations vs CO2 by Jim Steele - examined
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Wednesday, December 3, 2014 (IEEE Video 3a)
Recovering Whales, Ocean Acidification the Jim Steele Horror Story - reviewed
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Wednesday, December 10, 2014 (IEEE Video 3b)
Steele's Ocean Acidification Horror Story, a closer look.
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Sunday, December 28, 2014 (IEEE Video 4a)
Steele's penguin "climate horror story" YouTube series, Video 4a
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Sunday, December 28, 2014 (IEEE Video 4b)
Appendix Steele's penguin "climate horror story" YouTube series, Video 4a
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Friday, January 9, 2015
Steele's climate horror story, drowning chicks. Who says?
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Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Rejected? Request for Steele's CA temperature graphs provenance
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Yesterday I became aware of a shocking, misinformation laced at Anthony’s  "Watts Up With That" blog post written about me January 7th by our good Mr. Steele. 

Sunday, January 25, 2015
Dear Mr. Steele, regarding your 1/7/15 WUWT post - an open letter...
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Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Peter Miesler Helps Expose USHCN Homogenization Insanity - WUWT
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Friday, January 30, 2015
Mr. Jim Steele, Can you clarify your argument?
A) That wildlife biologists working in extreme conditions and over continental landscapes make mistakes?

B) Disputing that Anthropogenic Global Warming with it's profound changing climate driven landscapes alterations causes adverse cascading consequences for wildlife and eco-systems (read our biosphere)?  

Can Mr. Steele come clean and explain what his fundamental thesis is?
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Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Possessed by the idea of catastrophic climate change?
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Saturday, February 7, 2015
Defamation and lies are unacceptable part of the AGW 'debate' !
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Monday, February 9, 2015
LandscapesAndCycles blinded by belief - The straight poop on penguins indeed ¶1/6
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Recalling the early days with Mr. Jim Steele and pals.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Fabricating Climate Doom: looking at Jim Steele’s deception
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Friday, March 21, 2014
Of Recursive Fury, SkepticForum.com and science denialist's strategy of harassment
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Friday, March 28, 2014
Just the science of Fabricating Climate Doom: Parmesan's Butterfly Effect
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Sunday, March 30, 2014
Fabricating Climate Doom - Steele's Extreme Weather Extinctions Enron Style - examined
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Friday, April 25, 2014
Jim Steele Exploiting Human Misery and Distorting Science
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Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Years of Living Dangerously the creepy side of the internet debate
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Sunday, May 11, 2014
Anthony Watts' Dog Whistle, re Sea Level Rise
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Friday, May 16, 2014
Jim Steele this is 2014 !
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Sunday, October 19, 2014
Catmando Does Jim Steele

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Some fundamental background:

CO2 Science: Pruitt, it's certain as certain gets! 
It's the physics! Don't you know???

CO2 Science - Pruitt, proof is in the pudding! 
Impossible Modern Marvels.

Is Faith-based Thinking: God or EGO?
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(Sd3) Mr.GOP don't buy Jim Steele's Fraud - LandscapesAndCycles
My FourCornersFreePress column wasn’t the place for a line by line response, but I did want to write one up to help me gather my thoughts before composing my column.  I’m sharing it here, because this version gives me another opportunity to share all sorts of valuable supporting evidence.  I’ll be posting the FCFP column itself in a week or so.

Climate Science isn’t Settled, by Mr. GOP 
Four Corners Free Press - Letters to the Editor, March, 2018 

Mr.GOP takes issue with “We need real dialogue about climate” by Peter Miesler. 
  1. Mr.GOP: It seems that the "science" is settled.  
Damned straight, the fundamentals are as settled as the promise of tomorrow morning's sunrise!   I wonder what the scare-quotes are for?

The fundamentals of our global heat and moisture distribution engine and society’s influence are well understood!  The explainable known physical certainties far outweigh the remaining uncertainties!  

Tragically the well understood certainties are constantly being deliberately ignored or lied about by contrarian types, thus our Mr. GOP winds up profoundly ignorant of down to Earth physical processes. Here’s a sampling of that climate science.

‘Climate models are unproven’ ?    
Actually, GCM’s (Global Circulation Models) have many confirmed successes under their belts.  
By Coby Beck on Nov 20, 2006

In 1988, James Hansen of NASA GISS fame predicted [PDF] that temperature would climb over the next 12 years, with a possible brief episode of cooling in the event of a large volcanic eruption. He made this prediction in a landmark paper and before a Senate hearing, which marked the official “coming out” to the general public of anthropogenic global warming. 

Twelve years later, he was proven remarkably correct, requiring adjustment only for the timing difference between the simulated future volcanic eruption and the actual eruption of Mount Pinatubo. …
Putting global surface temperatures aside, there are some other significant model predictions made and confirmed:

 •  models predict that surface warming should be accompanied by cooling of the stratosphere, and this has indeed been observed;

 •  models have long predicted warming of the lower, mid, and upper troposphere, even while satellite readings seemed to disagree — but it turns out the satellite analysis was full of errors and on correction, this warming has been observed;

 •  models predict warming of ocean surface waters, as is now observed;

 •  models predict an energy imbalance between incoming sunlight and outgoing infrared radiation, which has been detected;

 •  models predict sharp and short-lived cooling of a few tenths of a degree in the event of large volcanic eruptions, and Mount Pinatubo confirmed this;

 •  models predict an amplification of warming trends in the Arctic region, and this is indeed happening;

 •  and finally, to get back to where we started, models predict continuing and accelerating warming of the surface, and so far they are correct. …    (Read the full article for the details)

2)  Mr.GOP: The author has used one pro-global warming expert.

This is pure political nonsense.  

To say Dr. Trenberth’s talk, or my column, is one person’s opinion denies the truth that we are sharing the collective understanding of a global community of experts.

Dr. Trenberth was describing the distillation of the combined work of many generations and tens of thousand of scientists world wide.

“Pro” global warming?  Mr. GOP’s unhinged politics is showing.  Please GOP, get real!  Nobody with any appreciation for this climate monster we have unleashed is “Pro warming.”  

Dr. Trenberth and the community of scientists are Pro Science!  Science is about Pro Truth and Pro Learning by assessing the data to the best of their understanding and abilities.


Published on Aug 24, 2015
Prof Alley discusses the motivation of scientists.
Climate change is real, so why the controversy and debate?

3)  Here’s my expert for rebuttal: Landscape & Cycles: An Environmentalist’s Journey to Climate Skepticism, by Jim Steele.

Amazing, “here’s my expert,” Jim Steele.  Seriously?  Jim?  Expert?  Boy would I like to hear GOP’s definition of what an expert is.  Anyone who says what one wants to hear, is an expert?  Is that how it is?

Lets do an experiment, Go ahead and Google Jim Steele and see what comes up, then try Dr. Kevin Trenberth.  Ah ha, right at the top, http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/staff/trenbert/

Kevin Trenberth’s education:
Sc.D Atmospheric Science/Meteorology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1972
B.Sc HONS First Class Mathematics, University of Canterbury, 1966

Research topics include:
  • Interannual variability of climate and El Niño
  • Climate change and global warming
  • The heat and energy cycles
  • The water cycle and atmospheric moisture budget
  • The mass of the atmosphere
  • Datasets and reanalysis
  • The global climate observing system
  • Hurricanes and climate change
One area of greatest impact has been in resolving outstanding issues concerning the global heat and energy budget of planet Earth. He has improved estimates of heat, energy and water transports within the atmosphere to a point where, when combined with top-of-atmosphere observed radiation, they now provide estimates of ocean heat transports as a residual that agree well with directly observed values. …

Kevin Trenberth’s Publications:
The total from November 2016 is 62 books or book chapters, 257 journal articles published, 4 submitted, 23 technical notes, 120 proceedings or preprints, and 81 other articles, plus 4 videos, for a total of 543 publications plus 4 videos and many blogs. 

On the Web of Science, there are over 29,160 citations and an H index of 78 (78 publications have 78 or more citations). On Google Scholar, there are over 61,255 citations and an H index of 103 ( or 68 since 2012) …

Now try “Jim Steele - scientist", hmmm, nothing.  Jim Steele the wrestler, no, the British Officer, no, at Wiki, nothing.  Oh wait, here we go.  

Jim Steele, the ex-camp director for the San Francisco State College’s Sierra Nevada Field Camp, bingo.  A trail guide for college students, a bird watcher of some local repute, a general biology education, nothing of distinction.  Though he makes much of his "instructor emeritus" status.

Repeated searches at Google Scholar for Jim Steele show nothing, because it seems he’s never done real science, though I know he’s read a bunch, as have I, but than I don’t claim to be smarter than the experts.  

If anyone claims Jim has a peer reviewed paper in a real science journal, please do share a citation in the comments.  

So my question: By what sort of standard does Mr. GOP equivocate this scientific nothing Steele, with Dr. Trenberth, a man of proven extraordinary intelligence who’s accomplished outstanding pioneering science in an incredibly complex scientific field?

{Incidentally  "Landscape & Cycles" was GOP's spelling, a simple but revealing oversight.  From his other words I suspect Mr. GOP's appreciation for our planet's complex biosphere doesn't get any deeper than the film on a soap bubble, so that "Landscape", "Landscapes", makes no difference.  Tragic.}

4)  Mr.GOP: Excellent book with ample references to support his arguments.

Hmmm, considering “expert” means nothing to Mr. GOP, it’s no surprise “excellent” is equally misused.  Jim does weave many good yarns, I’ll give him that.  It’s the disregard for truth and hiding the complete story that I find contemptible.

In a nutshell, Jim Steele proposes that landscapes and natural cycles are more powerful drivers of global warming than our insulating atmosphere and humanity’s profligate fossil fuels burning that continues adding extra GHG insulation at a frightening rate. 

Jim’s intellectual underpinning is his self-certain, yet never explained opinion rejecting CO2 science. He maintains it's a hoax with political underpinnings. Something his Republican audiences want to hear, so he never needs to explain his super-natural assertion.

Steele has parlayed his general environmental studies background to travel around the world learning about various wildlife studies with an eye towards finding errors to exploit.

5)  Mr.GOP: Long story short, the science is not settled. 

Please think about what a nonsensical sentence that is.  
Of course the science is not settled.  

Uncertainties definitely exist.  Get real GOP, nothing in our lives has ever, or will ever, be “settled” - we do the best we can with what we know.  That's why our only smart choice is to HONESTLY learn about the learned expert opinion.

Before his untimely passing, Dr. Stephen Schneider give an excellent talk, it’s quite different from the shrill denunciations of the GOP crowd and as timely today as the day it was given.Tr


Climate Change: Is the Science “Settled”?
(February 4, 2010) Stephen Schneider, professor of biology at Stanford and senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, unpacks the political and scientific debates surrounding climate change.
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Science is about learning, its about gathering and processing evidence.  
Resolving scientific puzzles has always resulted in understanding more details, even as those details also reveal a whole new suite of questions worth asking.

The Relativity of Wrong
By Isaac Asimov, 
The Skeptical Inquirer, Fall 1989, Vol. 14, No. 1, Pp. 35-44

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