Another day, another fatuous ‘fact’ check from Reuters. This time the news agency accuses the Daily Sceptic of “cherry-picking” Arctic sea ice extent data to provide a “misleading” story. Being accused of “cherry picking” by an outfit that funds a course for journalists that encourages them to pick a fruit such as a mango and discuss why it isn’t as tasty as the year before due to climate change is beyond ridicule. Taking lectures on responsible journalism from a Net Zero-obsessed operation that has promoted a course speaker who has suggested “fines and imprisonments” for expressing scepticism about “well supported” science is laughable, if also a tad sinister.
One of the activists called to admonish the Daily Sceptic with a ‘straw man’ argument was Walt Meier, a research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre, who said: “Comparing two specific years is not an indicator for or against long-term changes”. The Daily Sceptic did not do that. Interestingly, this would appear to be the same Walt Meier whose comments on ”mind blowing” low winter levels of Antarctica sea ice last year made headlines around the world. Meier claimed at the time that it was “outside anything we have seen”. Happily, the Daily Sceptic was able to remind Meier that he had been part of a team a decade ago that cracked open the secrets of early Nimbus weather satellites and found a similar sea ice low in 1966. At the time, Meier commented that the Nimbus data show there is variability in Antarctica sea ice “that’s larger than any we have seen” since 1979.
This latest fact check was similar to the failed attempt made recently by the BBC statistical programme More or Less. In both cases, exception was taken to our reporting that on January 8th this year, Arctic sea ice extent had soared to its highest level for 21 years. This was factually correct as both the BBC and Reuters confirm. Since the article went viral on social media, the attack focused on a claim of “cherry picking”, despite the article clearly placing the statistic in the context of long-term changes in Arctic sea ice. In the third paragraph it was noted: “We must be careful not to follow alarmists down their chosen political path of cherry picking and warning of climate collapse on the basis of individual events.”
The article featured the work of Danish scientist Allan Astrup Jensen who observed that the summer Arctic ice plateaued from 1979-97, fell for 10 years and then resumed a minimal downward trend from 2007. We also noted the work of climate journalist Tony Heller who used a four-year moving average, shown below, that revealed that the Arctic sea ice extent at its minimum level in September has been stable for over a decade.
None of this material appeared in the Reuters hit-job, although the criticism of the earlier BBC fact check was made available to the authors ahead of publication. What it did of course was cherry-pick the year 1979, when Arctic sea ice was at a probable 100-year high, and draw a line straight down to the present day. It is not in dispute that Arctic sea ice is currently at a lower level than the 1979 high point, which happened to coincide with the arrival of consistent satellite data. But Reuters used the testimony of an “expert in the modelling of the sea ice”, Miguel Maqueda of Newcastle University, to state: “There is no evidence nor reason to believe that the downward trend in winter sea ice extent in the Arctic is coming to an end.”
Despite the article fairly explaining the cyclical long-term trends in Arctic sea ice, a subject ignorned in most current mainstream media for political purposes, Reuters saw fit to headline its article: ‘Climate change sceptics use misleading Arctic ice data to make case.’
That, more or less to coin a phrase, sums up the blinkered approach that keeps climate catastrophists and their mainstream messengers focused on the fear-mongering prize. There is plenty of evidence in the historical record to show that Arctic sea ice is cyclical and the recent trend points to recovery and a possible upturn. After all, you don’t need a climate model to work that one out, just look at the data. Not to point this out is, how shall we put this, ‘misleading’. Those less charitable might prefer a considerable harsher verdict.
As we have seen in past editions, Reuters is up to its neck in Green Blob attacks on independent climate journalism. So-called ‘fact checks’ from operations like Reuters are frequently used by malevolent players attempting to destroy the possibility of competitors receiving online advertising revenue. In effect they are a form of trade protection warfare.
The mango nonsense, meanwhile, is promoted in the six-month study sabbatical offered to journalists around the world by the Oxford Climate Journalism Network. Immersion in the correct political narrative surrounding climate collapse, the ludicrous idea of ‘settled’ science and the need for extreme Net Zero measures, whatever the cost, is the order of the day. The obvious aim is to insert fear mongering stories into all sections of the media. Current attendees include BBC ‘disinformation’ reporter Marco Silva. The course is run by the Reuters Institute and funded by the Thompson Reuters Foundation. Direct funding has been provided by the Laudes Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. The latter operation is heavily supported by past Extinction Rebellion paymaster Sir Christopher Hohn.
Reuters is also one of the partners of Covering Climate Now (CC Now), a billionaire-backed offshoot of the Columbia Journalism Review. This operation claims to feed over 500 media operations with free, pre-written climate catastrophising stories.
Guaranteed, no doubt, to be spared a ‘fact check’.
Chris Morrison is the Daily Sceptic’s Environment Editor.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
This tragedy occurred in Bradfordistan yesterday. What’s unusual is that they’ve named the attacker and even stated his ethnicity. Sadly, what isn’t unusual is that as far as stabbings go, much like sexual assaults, it’s the usual suspect, yet to be apprehended;
”Police are hunting a suspect after a young mum was stabbed to death in a busy city centre.
The victim, a 27-year-old woman, was killed ‘in broad daylight’ in Bradford on Saturday afternoon while pushing a pram.
Locals say the victim was stabbed four times in the neck and left to die in front of her baby boy.
Police are still trying ‘to locate and arrest the man responsible’ after he was said to run from the scene in Bradford and have now named Habibur Masum as a suspect.”
https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/07/woman-27-stabbed-death-broad-daylight-killer-loose-20600506/
Good grief.
Enoch was right.
So was Nick Griffin, Tommy Robinson, Paul Weston and Sir Winston Churchill.
Paul Weston arrested for quoting Winston Churchill’s words on Islam | Daily Mail Online
Weston quoted Churchill:
‘Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
‘Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the faith: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
‘No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.
Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.’
Churchill was far too restrained when describing Islam, or maybe he wasn’t fully aware of the horrors that can be imposed, particularly on women, by conservative/fundamentalist Muslims. As just one example, last month the Taliban reintroduced death by stoning for women convicted of adultery. It seems like “adultery” actually means any sex outside of (forced) marriage, including by consenting young women. However we’re all meant to respect Islam and under Sir Kneel Starmer will be guilty of a criminal offence for criticising the “religion of peace”.
True, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Little did Sir Winston imagine that only a few decades after he wrote those words, an Englishman would be arrested for quoting him.
I note the Mail sidebar quotes a longer piece which includes that your quoted.
“‘How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries!,’ wrote Churchill.
‘Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.
‘The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
‘A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.
‘The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
‘Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the faith: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
‘No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.'”
while I know and have worked with many Moslem who have risen above this, I cannot disagree that this tenet remains valid amongst the majority. I wouldnt mind betting the woman who reported Paul Weston ( a former frequent and informed contributor to Kathy Gyngell’s far right* Conservative Woman) to the police is some liberal leftwinger who is completely ignorant of the veracity of this summary. I will endeavour to remember it.
*=
Winston obviously got closer to the truth than the abridged part of his speech suggests. The bit about slavery is particularly apt. Domestic slavery is bad enough, but young women/girls in forced marriages are also sex slaves as under Islamic law they can’t choose not to have sex with their husband. There’s a Hadith that says that a woman should always be sexually available to her husband, even on the back of a camel (but this Hadith won’t be displayed at Kings Cross).
Is there any point saying more on this subject as I’m pretty sure the vast majority of DS commenters know the full facts about Islam. It’s how to get the rest of the population to see the truth that’s the real challenge.
Thanks for that wonderful extended quote. One sentence is particularly striking, and sums up the real difference between Christianity and other religions worldwide, including satanism:
“A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.”
I was surprised to read somewhere the honest view of an Indian immigrant to the USA, who said that the reason he left India was to get away from Indians, because all they cared about was sex and money, whereas Ethnic Europeans (= white people) were interested in so many other things.
And I’ve just watched one of Katie Hopkins’ newest videos. I forgot to add her to the List of Honour above, which should be Enoch Powell, Nick Griffin, Tommy Robinson, Paul Weston, Katie Hopkins & Sir Winston Churchill, among many other brave people.
Katie Hopkins: how long before the UK has an ‘Islam Party’ approved by the Electoral Commission? (youtube.com)
Reverend Simon Sideways made the point that maybe people will have to embrace Christianity — Just like with the Orange Order, not all will believe in it but they march as one because they know what is at stake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjJE-vA7IgE
Thanks for that link, with some great comments agreeing with you, such as this from SparkyAlan1411:
“I’m a 60 year old white English man and have been atheist since birth. I am seriously thinking of going to church regularly and all atheists need to consider the same. We were brought up with Christian values that hark back hundreds of years. It is part of our islanders DNA. We should support those values before they are taken over by inferior religious ideas that have no place in the Northern Hemisphere…a show of strength and unity that once made Britain great and its inhabitants revered.”
Some of us have been quietly doing this for decades and been scoffed at for following our Sky-pixie. Not sure the founder of the faith would be too chuffed with people using it for purposes of ‘up-yours, Mohammed- ness’.
I suppose those converting to Islam in jail are about as earnest in the endeavour as the lying so-and-so’s declaring their intention to follow Jesus if it will get them granted asylum.
We need more jails, prison staff, and a more punitive penal system.
Well done to Richard Eldred for highlighting Jonathan Hall’s report.
Jonathan Hall KC: at last an honest judge who actually strives for Justice,
a King’s Counsel who tells the truth to the public, thereby serving the people and the monarch.
Not really a surprise when Islamification of Britain seems to be a policy for both Labour and Tories.
I am not a pedant do mot mean to detract from this important piece but to grow to 15,584 from 3,681 is an increase of 4 times so it is 423% of (this equates to “times”) 3,681.
Thank you all for your contribution and quotes by Churchill. Aren’t you afraid the police will knock on your door too? LOL. Now I know we have entered a state of totalitarianism where anyone can report ‘hate’ to the police and the latter does act on it; it is beyond belief or common sense.
“Ministry of Justice figures recently revealed there were 15,584 Muslim prisoners in England and Wales last September compared to just 3,681 in 1997.”
———
In 1997 there were between 1.2 and 1.4 million Muslims in the UK.
In 2022 there were 3.87 million, which means there are probably about 4.5 million now.
So the increase of 3.1 million Muslims has resulted in an increase of 11,903 prisoners; and that’s at a time when sentencing deters incarceration.
Perhaps that is why we saw a call for criminals to be sentenced differently, depending on their level of “deprivation.”