“Climategate” deflated, but the damage is done

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“A lie can get halfway around the world while the truth is still putting its boots on.”

Some media outlets have finally come around to admitting their mistake in the “Climategate” fiasco, but it may be too little, too late.  After the computer break-in that revealed supposedly damaging emails from scientists at the East Anglia Climate Research Group, much of the media perpetuated the same mess of errors and misrepresentations, mostly cherry-picked quotes taken out of context and spun to support the anti-science crowd’s suspicions of the “Global Warming Swindle.”

“Sharp eyed investigators began to apply a seldom used analytical technique: they actually read the email.”

Since then of course, the scientists involved have all been cleared and people who actually read the emails and took the time to understand the context have revealed “Climategate” for the shameful spinfest that it was.  Of course, that hasn’t stopped the deniers, and unfortunately the damage done is not so easily undone.

I’ve been following a really great series on YouTube, Greenman3610’s Climate Denial Crock of the Week with Peter Sinclair.  Sinclair does a great job of taking apart the “Climategate” claims in the following short set of videos, and has some fun doing it too.  Be sure to pass these around to the deniers in your life.