Bishop Hill Jo doesn't love Lew
Oct 7, 2012 Climate: other Lewandowsky's use of funding from the University of Western Australia to fund the propagation of his political views has rankled for many weeks now. Today, Jo Nova reports on an attempt to bring this abuse of taxpayer largesse to the attention of the university authorities.
Michael Kile (see below) has gone a step further and has raised the issue at the last UWA Convocation meeting on Sept 21 to put it on the official document trail. The Vice Chancellor was in attendance. The Chairman, who is Warden of Convocation, also happens to be on the board of the blog: ShapingTomorrowsWorld, where Lewandowsky writes. Hmm.
It may be purely coincidental, but since this meeting Lewandowsky has not posted anything on his blog.
The academic as publicly funded political campaigner is a problem that is surely rife in other countries too. I'm sure readers can think of examples.
Reader Comments (10)
Bish writes:
Well, here's an example from this reader: Canadian publicly funded modeller-advocate Andrew <AR4 will show that climate change is a barrage of intergalactic ballistic missiles> Weaver has recently been acclaimed as a Green Party candidate in the forthcoming British Columbia spring 2013 provincial election.
Considering that Weaver is one of the anointed Lead Authors for AR5 Ch12, one wonders when the IPCC will declare his Green-striped political advocacy is in contravention of their various and sundry processes, policies and protocols.
I could be wrong (it has been known to happen) but I'm rather inclined to suspect that all we shall hear from the IPCC regarding Weaver's blatant green tinted bias and lack of objectivity is the IPCC's favourite tune in response to any questioning of their highly dubious claims of objectivity and lack of bias in their reports: "Sounds of silence".
It isn't just academics who use public funds to push a political point of view. Think of all the programmes that the BBC has produced which have trumpeted a particular view point on CAGW.
"It may be purely coincidental,etc."
Probably is coincidence; it's not 'his blog'. He's one of many contributors to STW. Someone has been moderating and commenting the blog since the 'coincidence'. Not Lewandowsky?
Why is a publicly-funded academic not allowed to be a publicly funded campaigner,again? Sounds a bit Soviet Union to me...
"The academic as publicly funded political campaigner is a problem that is surely rife in other countries too."
Particularly in South Wales.
Nick
It's very simple.
If he wants to campaign for or against anything let him do it on his time and with his money; not on my time (as a taxpayer) and with my money.
Only in the public sphere do people seem to think that the normal rules of behaviour and employment do not apply to them (cf James Hansen). You do not use your employer's time or his assets to further your private causes or interests.
If you think that idea sounds a bit Soviet Union then I suggest a trip to Planet Reality, aka the Real World, would not come amiss.
"Why is a publicly-funded academic not allowed to be a publicly funded campaigner,again? Sounds a bit Soviet Union to me..."
Is John cook paid for his services running the blog
I was watching a video of this guy and what struck me was just how smarmy this bugger was. Full of his own self importance so it's easy to see why this guy would think anyone that didn't agree with him must be mentally deficient.
Mailman
The academic as a publicly funded campaigner is certainly a problem in/for some regimes.
Perhaps the inherent process is bit like the gastropods then:-
'Torsion occurs in two mechanistic stages. The first is muscular and the second is mutagenetic. The effects of torsion are primarily physiological - the organism develops an asymmetrical nature with the majority of growth occurring on the left side. This leads to the loss of right-paired appendages (e.g. ctenidia (comb-like respiratory apparatus), gonads, nephridia, etc.). Furthermore, the anus becomes redirected to the same space as the head.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastropoda
"The academic as publicly funded political campaigner is a problem that is surely rife in other countries too. I'm sure readers can think of examples."
I would point to James Garvey, the author of 'The Ethics of Climate Change'. He is alos the guy tried to justify Gleick's actions on the Guardian with the bold ethical argument that the end justifies the means.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/27/peter-gleick-heartland-institute-lie
According to his bio he works for the Institute of Philosophy and he never rests.
http://jamesgarveyactually.wordpress.com/about/