When Carolina Journal publishes a parody, we do so on the back page, and clearly label it as satire.
Not the News & Observer, apparently. How else to explain the front-page story in today’s paper by Seth Borenstein of The Associated Press, headlined “It’s time to adapt to the heat,” and opening up with this hilarity:
With the world losing the battle against global warming, experts are warning that humans need to follow nature’s example: Adapt or die.
That means elevating buildings, making taller and stronger dams and seawalls, rerouting water systems, restricting certain developments, changing farming practices and ultimately moving people, plants and animals out of harm’s way.
Uh, excuse me. Anybody heard of Climategate? Nowhere does Borenstein even acknowledge the e-mail scandal centered around East Anglia University, which has already led to the suspension of one of the perps, the investigation of a second, the firing of the leader of Australia’s Liberal Party (he backed carbon taxes), and the cancellation of Al Gore’s appearance at the forthcoming Copenhagen Climatefab.
To be sure, the print edition of the paper directs readers to an inside story about Climategate. But by publishing this item on the front page, the editors look downright clueless. And that’s being generous.
