The Inconvenient Truth About Gore's British Challenge

Rob Marciano and conservative global warming skeptics from here to the U.K. rejoiced at a judge's ruling that required schools to warn viewers that the film has "inaccuracies." Well just as Woodward and Bernstein were told to follow the money when investigating Watergate, so should we in this case. It turns out that the money trail has a lot to do with the "little guy" that brought the case to trial.

From The Guardian:

The school governor who challenged the screening of Al Gore's climate change documentary in secondary schools was funded by a Scottish quarrying magnate who established a controversial lobbying group to attack environmentalists' claims about global warming.

Stewart Dimmock's high-profile fight to ban the film being shown in schools was depicted as a David and Goliath battle, with the Kent school governor taking on the state by arguing that the government was 'brainwashing' pupils.

(snip)

The Observer has established that Dimmock's case was supported by a powerful network of business interests with close links to the fuel and mining lobbies. He was also supported by a Conservative councillor in Hampshire, Derek Tipp.

Dimmock credited the little-known New Party with supporting him in the test case but did not elaborate on its involvement. The obscure Scotland-based party calls itself 'centre right' and campaigns for lower taxes and expanding nuclear power.

Well isn't that interesting? Stewart Dimmock may be a concerned parent, but the most concerning thing is where the money came from to fund the trial. Kudos to the Guardian and Observer for doing their due diligence.

CNN's Rob Marciano Ridicules Al Gore

First of all who is Rob Marciano? He got his B.S. from Cornell (that is impressive) and worked his way through little TV newscasts to get to CNN. Where he gets off giving commentary on climate change is besides me. Meteorology is not climatology and he does not have a good background to discuss such things as climate change and global warming. Nevertheless he took a pot shot at Al Gore yesterday.

From RawStory:

CNN reported on Thursday that a British judge has called Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth unfit for schools "because it is politically biased and contains scientific inaccuracies and sentimental mush." British schools may now have to preface any showing of the film with a warning.

CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano responded to this story by applauding and saying,"Finally, finally," before commenting sarcastically that "the Oscars, they give out awards for fictional films as well."

Marciano said he objected in particular to the film's claim that global warming causes stronger hurricanes, noting that the current hurricane season has only been average.

That statement shows Marciano's ignorance about climatology. When it comes to climate change, not every year is going to have record breaking statistics. Even though there were a few so far in 2007. Just because there isn't a storm that every year that punishes the U.S. on Katrina levels, it doesn't mean we have a problem with global warming.

Also, just because a judge in Britain said something about how school should be taught across the pond does not give Rob the right to do or say anything on air in that fashion. Shame on you Marciano.

Mandatory Al Gore

Bush may have claimed a mandate on 51%, but Al Gore might be mandated into New York schools. Assemblyman Rivera of the Bronx was so impressed by "An Inconvenient Truth" that he wants all kids to see this important documentary.

From The Empire Zone:

“It should be common sense to include our children in the discussions on the important scientific data presented in this documentary,” the Assemblyman said in his press release. “We can not waste any more time in engaging everyone capable of helping to solve this planetary crisis.”

Left unclear is whether Kindergarteners are considered capable of helping solve this planetary crisis. The headline of the press release says the Assemblyman wants “all K-12 students” to see the movie, while the body of the release says the legislation will mandate that the documentary be shown to all students in grades 1 through 12.

Despite the discrepancy between K-12 and 1-12, the legislation would do well to pass up in Albany. The children are the future as we all know and they have the right to know what is happening to the planet they will inherit one day. So far this generation hasn't done much collectively, especially with the Bush Administration at the helm. The more people know about the conditions of our planet regardless of age, the better chance we have at turning the dire situation around.

Crazy Frosty Hardison

I still can't get over the fact that a man named Frosty fought against Al Gore's movie from being shown in the Seattle schools. This interview by Jason Jones of the Daily Show utterly destroys this man's credibility and facade of sanity.

Olbermann Debunks Right-Wing Smear of Gore

The swift boaters for mistruth are at it again. Within a couple days of Vice President Al Gore winning an Academy Award for his documentary the attacks began. Baseless allegations of using too much energy himself popped up. Wingnut sites began carrying the news after it appeared on the Drudge Report. He got it from a think tank in Tennessee that doesn't even get web traffic. Another attack exposed from the wingnuts that attack liberals as much as possible.

Global Warming, Politics and Oscars

Last night Al Gore's incredible documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth' won two Academy Awards at the Los Angeles ceremony. One went to Melissa Etheridge for best song and the other for best documentary. The crowd cheered for him and I even clapped while waiting for my flight back to New York. Al was invited up before with Leonardo DiCaprio to talk about 'greening' the Oscars and how to fight global warming in every facet of life. His film showed the world what is happening to the planet we live on and in my opinion, we owe the Vice President an immense amount of gratitude for his eloquent presentation of those now famous powerpoint slides.

Unfortunately the orchestra started drowning him out while on stage as he talked about the issue. It seemed that to the show's producers, keeping the Oscars on schedule trumped what Al had to say about the environment. Despite the music, everyone kept hinting towards Mr. Gore that if he wanted to make an announcement that this would be the time. Instead he stuck to his message, an important message that society deems inconvenient. When SUVs look as hot as they do, many people care about their looks over the MPG rating of their cars. Of course that isn't true for everyone, so hopefully not all is lost yet.

Putting 'Condoms' and 'Al Gore' in the same sentence

I never thought that the time would come when I would have to fuse those two words in a sentence. Leave it up to a free-speech-hating conservative bookDVD-burner to make some news out of Seattle this week. People For The American Way's (PFAW) Right-Wing Watch caught this piece from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

"Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher," said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old. "The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD." Hardison's e-mail to the School Board prompted board member David Larson to propose the moratorium Tuesday night.

And you thought these people didn't exist anymore? They are alive and well (not mentally however) espousing their horrid beliefs that fly in the face of reality and sanity. After hearing Hardison's complaints, the Federal Way school board did not choose the logical decision of dismissing the loon. Instead the banned An Inconvenient Truth. No, I don't have to repeat that, you can read it again and again if you like.

Hardison's wife is off her rocker as well, listen to this crap:

"From what I've seen (of the movie) and what my husband has expressed to me, if (the movie) is going to take the approach of 'bad America, bad America,' I don't think it should be shown at all," Gayle Hardison said. "If you're going to come in and just say America is creating the rotten ruin of the world, I don't think the video should be shown."

Well isn't she a good wife, supporting her man. You believe what you are told dear and everything will be just fine. Geez, this reminds me of the scene in 'Field of Dreams' at the PTA meeting when Annie Kinsella smacks down the woman in favor of banning books. So I ask you Mr. Hardison, Mr. Failed-City Council-Candidate, are you in favor of the constitution?