Anyone following the “climategate” scandal and the subsequent scandals surrounding the now defamed “hockey stick” graph is familiar with the infamous quote in an email from IPCC lead climatologist Phil Jones regarding recent (last 40 years) temperature records. To refresh your memory here’s the statement unearthed in the climategate emails–

I?ve just
completed Mike?s Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for
the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) amd (sic) from 1961 for Keith?s to
hide the decline.

But what decline is actually being referred to and how is it being hidden. This article over at JunkScience.com lays it all out about as neatly and as understandably as possible. It is a must read for anyone who really wants to get what the scandal is about.