Former CJ associate editor Paul Chesser notes the trend in coverage of the debate over rising sea levels at the N.C. coast:
At the top of nearly every news report journalists bemoaned the fact that North Carolina has been “mocked” worldwide because of its ignorance.
The sources of the mockery are undoubtedly among the foremost minds on the planet, right? Well, decide for yourself. The first is a blogger for the Scientific American website, Scott Huler, whose scientific credentials are nonexistent, but whose bio boasts that he’s “written on everything from the death penalty to bikini waxing, from NASCAR racing to the stealth bomber… .” Another dreaded mocker is The (U.K.) Guardian, unfamiliar to most Americans but which ideologically sits on the political spectrum where The Nation, Mother Jones, and MSNBC reside. And perhaps worst of all for the eco-conscious mavens and media, Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert parodied the N.C. legislation – oh, the Tar Heel humanity!
But seriously, folks, follow the money:
But activists with science degrees also weighed in support of the environoiacs’ 39-inch claim. The one who spoke on their behalf at a Senate committee hearing last week is Robert B. Jackson, director of Duke University’s Center for Global Change. As if that position wasn’t enough to betray his prejudice, his bio explains “his quest for solutions to global warming.” He also directs the Department of Energy-funded National Institute for Climate Change Research for the southeastern U.S., receiving at least $28,000 per month for the project. In other words, he gets paid to find such problems. You can be certain he isn’t paid to identify whether other natural influences such as the sun and clouds might affect global temperatures and sea level.
Kinda like a consultants’ report stating a downtown performing arts center would have a positive economic impact. Or a report from a former FBI agent stating a convicted felon deserves a new trial —paid for by the group that’s been working tirelessly for years on the felon’s behalf. You don’t get paid to deliver the wrong answer.
