By the time you read this, I’ll probably already be there, but I’m “Goin’ to Chicago” for the Heartland Institute’s 4th International Conference on Climate Change.
That link to the famous blues song is to the classic Jimmy Rushing/Count Basie version, but maybe it should have new lyrics: “Goin’ to Chicago…. Sorry but I can’t take Al!”
Yes, this is largely a climate skeptics’ event. Not that Al couldn’t have come. A long list of notable climate “alarmists” – among them Gavin Schmidt, James Hansen, Michael Mann, Phil Jones and William Schlesinger – were invited to the Chicago conference, yet declined. Are they “runnin’ scared,” as they used to say in New York City politics? Or maybe Al was too busy fixing up his new nearly nine-million dollar ocean-view manse in Montecito. When you have nine bathrooms, that’s a lot of plumbing to check… and carbon credits to be exchanged.
But not to worry. PJTV and PJM will be there. Starting Sunday evening, we will be live streaming the keynote addresses to the Internet here. And Heartland has lined up some speakers we thought would be quite worth bringing to you live: They include former astronaut Harrison Schmitt, the man who started it all – ClimateAudit’s Steve McIntyre, Cato’s Patrick Michaels, former Virginia governor and energy activist George Allen, MIT’s brilliant meteorologist Richard Lindzen, Heartland’s climate director Jay Lehr, former NASA scientist and author Roy Spencer, and last but not least, frequent PJM contributor Lord Christopher Monckton (who needs no introduction).
The times (subject to change) of these keynotes are available at the new PJTV CLIMATEGATE 2010 MICROSITE. This microsite is the same URL at which you can view the streamed speeches themselves. Also available at the site are other PJTV videos and PJM articles on the subject.
We will also be doing our own interviews of the scientists, economists, policy experts and bloggers at the conference, who constitute something of a who’s who of the skeptics’ movement. These interviews will also be available at the microsite, although some will be for subscribers only. It is PJTV/PJM’s aim to be a kind of place-of-record for ClimateGate, although we bow deeply to such blogs as Watts Up With That that have done such important work in the area. I’m not even beginning to mention everyone I think has contributed, because I don’t want to forget anyone. But if they are at the conference, we would be pleased to interview them. And give full credit where due.
Because the fight for an honest scientific evaluation of climate may only be beginning. As they say in The Godfather, just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in. And now it’s John Kerry and (be still) Joe Lieberman doing the pulling with re-upped cap-and-trade legislation coming before Congress, legislation that will have a powerful effect on the city holding the conference, home of the curiously-connected Chicago Climate Exchange.
PJTV and PJM will be checking into the CCX too. So maybe I should be revising those lyrics one more time. I’ll be “Goin’ to Chicago… Sorry but I can’t cash in.”
One more reminder – all our video coverage (streaming and otherwise) will be at the PJTV CLIMATEGATE 2010 MICROSITE. Join us for the fun. Who knows… Al may return that Oscar yet!
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PJTV/PJM crew for Chicago: Richard Pollock (Washington Bureau Chief), Charles Martin (Science & Technology Editor), Libor Janicek (camera), Andrew Bridgewater (camera), Hahn Choi (technical director), Tom Kise (public relations)
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