Guardian On "Expert Witness" Michael Crichton's Senate Testimony

[hatrack]

EDIT

But despite his critique of what is commonly regarded to be one of the first - and most important - studies on the history of global warming, he said it was not his intention to debunk the theory of global warming. "In closing, I want to state emphatically that nothing in my remarks should be taken to imply that we can ignore our environment, or that we should not take climate change seriously. On the contrary, we must dramatically improve our record on environmental management. That's why a focused effort on climate science, aimed at securing sound, independently verified answers to policy questions, is so important now."

Not all senators were uniformly impressed. Hillary Clinton was the first to try to cut him down to size. "His views on climate change are at odds with the vast majority of climate scientists; it also appears in a work of fiction," the senator for New York said dismissively. "I think that the topic of this hearing is very important but organised in a way to muddy sound science rather than clarify it," she added, before thanking the other four witnesses who attended, but not Crichton. Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer joined in. "We are here to talk about sound science - a worthy and important subject. We are not here to talk about plays, novels, art or music - although as a member for California I do appreciate the focus on the arts."

"A lot of people are being maligned here, I take great offence at that, they are not here and they are being maligned," she said, asking if she could put on record a letter from one of the aforementioned maligned scientists. By the time Crichton and the other four panellists had finished their opening statements, most of the senators, including Mrs Clinton, had left to attend another Senate hearing on the ramifications of Hurricane Katrina. (ed. - emphasis added)

Outside the committee room, Peter Saundry, executive director of the National Council for Science and the Environment, said he was bemused by Crichton's apparent position. "If you read his book, you are left with the impression that environmentalists are only one step up from the sort of people who will cross the road to murder your children, but then you get to the author's note at the back and he makes this statement saying he is not a climate change denier. It's hard to know what his position is."

EDIT/END

http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1580590,00.html

Crichton - Assclown. Inhofe - Father of all Assclowns.

[Trillo]

1. Well, I can't help but wonder HOW MUCH MONEY

he made writing that book. I suppose it might make a difference had he been a first time novelist whose book had been snatched up, but since he was not, the cozy relationship between his publishers and him could be suspect with MONEY as the motivating factor. Was this story line his entirely, or was it suggested to him as one that would represent a market that could be capitalized upon?

If someone else suggested it, it might explain why he contradicted himself later.

Perhaps he's just a whore. Perhaps not.

[theboz]

2. It's too bad Douglas Adams died

I'm sure that Congress would have liked to bring him in as an expert on space travel for NASA so they can make use of his intricate research on "Improbability Drives". Maybe they can bring in whoever writes the "Hardy Boys" books to give a lecture to the FBI on how to conduct proper investigations of crimes.

[asjr]

3. Don't forget Nancy Drew!

[hatrack]

4. You forgot Encyclopedia Brown!

:toast:

[Viking12]

5. Ohh man, does that bring back some memories....

I was a huge Encyclopedia Brown fan in elementary school. In fact I often got myself kicked out of class intentionally because they would send me to the library and I could just read all day. I remember the story where he was fishing and rigged up a glowing bait from phosphorous he gathered from the forest floor. As an avid angler that uses glow tech today, I recognize EB as someone well ahead of his time.

I've got to find those stories for my kids.

:toast:

[jpak]

7. Or maybe Erich Von Daniken

:evilgrin:

[phantom power]

6. The Big Question about this is...

Why, with hundreds of actual climate scientists to choose from, did they waste even a single second on the testimony of a fucking science fiction author??

[hatrack]

8. With the Father of all Assclowns running the show, you need to ASK?

:toast: