VA State Climatologist skeptical of global warming loses job after clash with Governor: 'I was told that I could not speak in public'
Excerpt: Gov. Kaine had warned Michaels not to use his official title in discussing his views.
"I resigned as Virginia state climatologist because I was told that I could not speak in public on my area of expertise, global warming, as state climatologist," Michaels said in a statement this week provided by the libertarian Cato Institute, where he has been a fellow since 1992. "It was impossible to maintain academic freedom with this speech restriction."
Less Visibility in Store After Boss's Departure
Global Warming Views Drew Criticism
By Jackie Spinner Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 29, 2007; Page B03
Maybe Patrick Michaels should apply to Soros for funding to protect free speech!?
Just to be clear here, I have always been in favor of the State Climatologist Program, and have always said that it should be a fully funded program run by NOAA. What we got now is a bunch of folk jackassing a program by scratching up support when and where they could find it. In this case, as could easily have been predicted, when UVa was forced to pony up the funding, they said no thanks, see you later. This has a lot more to do with the sorry state of base science funding in the US than with Pat Michaels.
If you want to see my views on this you can in comments 14, 24, 29, 34, 47, 52, 60 and 64 on RP Sr.'s blog (now just an archive)
climatesci.colorado.edu/2007/06/23/more-on-the-suppresion-of-climate-change-views/
Quote: However, there are many places where the State Climatologist was simply appointed by a university Department Chair, often someone who managed to scare up the funding. Very often there are ad hoc arrangements. To the extent that State Climatologists represent themselves as speaking for an agency of the state on a policy matter they are bound by the policy of the state.
Another Quote: As for the State Climatology program IEHO it was a bad mistake for NOAA to have defunded it in the seventies. AASC would be a very good thing if, together with NOAA, it results in a unified data reporting system leaving enough room for special state interests.
You know, practically no one there, including RPSr. was at all interested in fully funding the State Climatology offices except yours truly.
As a side comment, some formatting would be useful here
Halpern is just relying the History of Michaels. No claims as to his authority on AGW.
Mr Rabett -- Josh Halpern the chemist, turned laughable thermodynamics/climate pretender is your prosecutor? You obviously don't know much about the subject if this source is a reference for you.
Think for yourselves little ones -- quoting this mistake prone hack without thinking just strains your nose as the ring in it gets yanked.
Woody
he is a liar. I wondered who was behind that claim in "State of Fear". Now I know, Michaels. Read Luke's links.
I've seen left-wing alarmists give accolades to editorial cartoon writers for their brilliant insights into global warming. I suspect that a State Climatologist has to have a little more training on climate issues than someone who can draw cute cartoons, yet the left seems to claim otherwise.