Union of Concerned Scientists: Exxon Purposefully Misled Public on Global Warming

Yeah, yeah, dog bites man, I know. And the accusations being made by UCS are not new. But the report released Wednesday focuses the criticism and highlights some of the falacies and specious research.

For instance, UCS points out that research funds were directed to the Advancement of Sound Science Coalition, “which had been covertly created by the tobacco company Philip Morris in 1993 to manufacture uncertainty about the health hazards posed by secondhand smoke.” Everyone knows that ASSC is a corporate-created spin-machine. No serious scientist associates with them, and the scientists who do associate with them are cranks, not published in any peer-reviewed journals, never actually successfully casting doubt on the reality of Global Warming. Think about that - they peddle it as serious research but their results are not duplicable upon peer review so they are not published in serious, peer-reviewed, professional journals.

Fortunately, business is more reality based than conservative ideologues. Witness Goldman-Sachs joining forces with the World Resources Institute to curtail greenhouse gasses and the attendant climate change.

The UCS report follows the money, and connects the money donated by Exxon-Mobil to scientists in groups that question the extent to which humans are contributing to climate change. And even though they can't even successfully cast doubt on the anthropogenic nature of the undeniable phenomenon, their unfounded position has found traction among an administration headed up by Texas oilmen. How much reality can you afford?