Climategate - the scandal that keeps on giving, even here in Austin

Sitting here in Barbara Jordan Terminal, waiting for my plane home and surfing the net, I came upon yet more Climategate/Glaciergate news from the the superb ongoing Telegraph coverage. Now they reveal the UN IPCC’s head climate honcho Rajendra Pachauri has hired the very scalawag who lied to us for years that the Himalayan glaciers were receding, the very “finding” from which Pachauri has suddenly been trying to distance himself. (Two weeks ago it was just the opposite. Don’t we all wish we had Pachauri’s bank account?)

So it goes. Anthropogenic Global Warming is rapidly morphing into the greatest scandal in the history of science since the belief in a flat earth – and people had a lot more excuses for that. Not that the Obama administration is even beginning to acknowledge it. Who knows what they say to each other behind the scenes? They have enough to worry about.

But speaking of climate scalawags, how about my Congressman Henry Waxman of Waxman-Markey fame? The reified liberalist lifer undoubtedly is incapable of understanding the science for himself – in fact he admitted as much in front of his committee, saying he “relied” on scientists for that – but it would be funny to watch if and finally they do make a public rollback on this nonsense. Fortunately for sclerotic Henry, this will probably be avoided, since virtually no one is making noises about the risible cap-and-trade legislation any more. And Al Gore appears to have conveniently vanished from the public eye, a John Edwards of climate. (Actually, I’m surprised Gore hasn’t turned up in Haiti to do “pro bono” work to resurrect his reputation.)

Anyway, got to make my flight now. A final word about Austin: it’s a great place and I’d love to come back. Red State cities like Charleston, N’Awlins and Austin are the most fun in today’s America. Walking down Sixth Street here last night, free-beating all the music, was, as we used to say, a “trip.” Beats anything in LA. But could I live here or one of those other Red State cities? I’d like to, but I doubt it. I know I just couldn’t take the summer heat.

But I am taking a bit of Austin back with me – a brisket from The Salt Lick for dinner tonight. Hope the vacuum packing works.