Karolygate I

THOSE good at sums, which the Professor is not, will probably get quite a lot out of this Climate Audit post concerning the paper recently "withdrawn" by the Parkville Asylum's chief catastropharian David Karoly, his carbon-fighting sidekick Joelle Gergis and several other up-and-coming climateers, including blonde academic Ailie Gallant, whose previous and best-known contribution to science was shouting obscenities in a very expensive rap video paid for by the ABC.

For those with only a limited grasp of statistical regression and standard deviations -- that term has no know relevance to Craig Thomson, by the way --  these emails obtained under an FOI request by Climate Audit supporter Mike Kottek make fascinating reading all the same. Just to whet the appetite, know that they are the formerly private emails between Karoly, Gergis and sundry other settled scientists, reporters, publicists, spinners and editors of scientific publications, all passing this way and that as the researchers' claim that Australia has never been hotter fell very publicly to pieces.

This particular .pdf, one of five, takes ages to download and the presentation of the emails in contains is somewhat chaotic, with one even presented upside down. But after an hour's perusal the initial impression at the Billabong is that quite a few people need to be asked some very hard questions. The emails make it clear that we cannot expect impartiality from reporters, who figure as sympathetic players in several notes, so the investigation should probably be conducted by a Senate committee or somesuch, preferably with the power to exact sworn testimony.

There is much to be learned in these emails of the way the Climate Establishment works. The greater number of eager eyes picking through them, the more comprehensive the resulting picture will be.

So if you have the time, dig in. There is a stack of good, shocking stuff.