Thursday, February 16, 2012

Follow The Real Money, Mr Cubby

IT’S FUNNY the things that get Fairfax journalists in a tizz. Forget the past three Question Times, each a ding-dong exercise in red-blooded democracy and not bad theatre, either. A Prime Minister who won’t answer questions, a sleazebag Speaker bestowing favourable rulings on his government patrons, the PM-in-exile who can barely suppress his smile while upstaging his replacement at the Dispatch Box – that has been spectators’ delightful daily fare. Even as we pay our political class for the pleasure of watching it confect the means to relieve us of cash and liberty, this week in Canberra must be acknowledged for its sweet compensation of superb entertainment.

Well that is one Bunyip’s opinion, but not that of the Phage’s chief eco-warrior Adam Morton, who is greatly saddened by the hubbub in the House.

One is inclined to urge poor Morton to look away, lest the spectacle of so many scandals worth investigating brings on a nervous collapse. Already anxious at the prospect of climate change's encouragement of bushfires, floods, cold weather and hearing-impaired clownfish, the very idea that the architects of the carbon tax might soon be out of office could push the poor boy right over the edge.

Fortunately, Silly colleague Ben Cubby is made of sterner stuff, keeping his advocate's eye on both the ball and all the latest catastropharian talking points. While he paid scant attention to the Climategate emails, except to dismiss them, no such restraint is evident in his immediate coverage of a warmist front’s revelation that its enemies raise and distribute funds in the name of encouraging public debate. As Andrew Bolt points out, Cubby has shown no interest in looking at the vast sums supporting the alarmists he endorses. That wouldn’t be quality journalism, which apparently demands reporters present only information which concurs with their preconceptions and personal points of view.

Still, if Cubby were to engage in unauthorised curiosity, he might put a few questions about funding to some people much closer to home than James Cook University's Bob Carter.

He could, for example, ask Adam Morton if he received a per diem for playing straight man to the preposterous David “Mr Mega-Grants” Karoly in this wince-making video?

Or he might ask his employer’s chief financial officer if Morton’s colleague, Melissa Fyfe, drew her standard salary plus expenses while jogging for several weeks down the length of Australia’s east coast to “raise awareness” of climate change.

And while he has the big bean-counter on the phone, why not ask about Fairfax Media’s part-ownership of Earth Hour? If Cubby cannot get a comprehensible answer on that one, not to worry.  Boy On A Bike – not, fortunately, a quality journalist – has unearthed all the details.

If Cubby finds the answers embarrassing, no problem. He can deep six them, along with all those un-put questions about Climategate and its local players.

That’s quality journalism, folks, just in case you hadn’t noticed.

UPDATE: The Heartland Institute says the documents the ardent Cubby has re-broadcast are of dubious provenance. "One document, titled “Confidential Memo: 2012 Heartland Climate Strategy,” is a total fake apparently intended to defame and discredit The Heartland Institute. It was not written by anyone associated with The Heartland Institute. It does not express Heartland’s goals, plans, or tactics. It contains several obvious and gross misstatements of fact."

Expect Cubby and his Fairfax climate crew to go the full mea culpa in tomorrow's paper. All he need do is admit to being gulled once again -- an announcement few readers would have trouble accepting.

UPDATE II: The Silly has just updated its story to make mention of theHeartland Institute's objections, linking to the relevant press realease. At the foot of its story, however, it persist in providing a direct link to the disputed documents.

Funny, that. Can anyone recall Fairfax providing a hot link to Climategate I and II?

14 comments:

  1. A cautionary tale...

    The paranoia is paralysing:

    At a cabinet meeting after the ban was imposed, Environment Minister Tony Burke pulled up then cabinet minister Kim Carr after he noticed Senator Carr taking notes.

    One government source said Mr Burke was addressing cabinet when he stopped and said: “I see notes are being taken”.

    “Gillard said, `That’s right, there’s no need for taking notes’,” the source said.
    (from Andrew Bolt Blog)

    As you seem to be a prolific note-taker Professor...(gulp)...Oh.My.God....
    lock your door at night, especially in the wee hours.
    At my age...and perhaps yours...that is the wee-wee hours.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.February 16, 2012 at 11:34 AM

    'unauthorised curiosity'. A wonderful new term Prof for genuine quality journalism. Could it be too much to hope that we will soon see some of it emerging from the Canberra Press Gallery?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Professor, this is off topic, apologies, however I wanted to draw your attention to this article by Chris Bowen. I'm convinced he is attempting an 'Alene Composta' on the general public at large.

      http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/coalition-loses-all-credibility/story-e6frgd0x-1226272140800

      Delete
  3. "reporters present only information which concurs with their preconceptions and personal points of view"
    Best example of Pot and Kettle in a long time.
    Take a bow, Bunyip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You really are an unintelligent little zombie, Numbers. Bunyipitude is a commentary blog. The Phage and the Silly laughingly refer to themselves as “newspapers”. Both are so excruciatingly stupid they think that people of average intelligence can’t see the way they’re opinionising the news and creating truckloads of literally unbelievable bias in their “reporting”. If you hang around here long enough, you may find yourself making a miraculous recovery from your tragic brain damage.

      Delete
    2. Tom - there's no need for that level of personalisation. Of course, Numbers, is making a very silly (no pun intended) comparison but having imbibed the Kool-Aid means the critical faculty has been dulled and appropriate discriminations are difficult.

      More to be pitied than scorned.

      Delete
    3. Judging by the consistently pathetic standard of offerings typed by this ridiculous little pedant, no recovery is possible. Miraculous or otherwise.

      Delete
    4. Next best example is that Numbers would appear to be the illegitimate offspring of Pol Pot and Ma Kettle, named numbers so that it would not forget to change hands at 99.
      By the way the Silly Morning Tribune have closed comments on Cubbyhouse's article very quickly. Anything to do with the fact that most are less than supportive of young Scoop?

      Delete
    5. Number-Boy is a pedagogue, which means he cannot be taught, and he is incapable of being untaught; he is special.

      Cheers

      Delete
  4. What's more interesting is that Cubby colluded with serially pwned warming delusionist Graham Readfearn who posted this fact free BS on the Crappy site the day before.

    Readfearn, believing he didn't get nearly enough audience traction on Beecher's execrable webshite, gave Cubby the 411 to regurgitate his laughable gotcha to a marginally bigger SmAge audience.

    Hilariously Readfearn slabbed his copy from an earlier article in renowned bipartisan publication: the UK Guardian.

    And then - like an errant La Nina hopped up on mescal - it all imploded for the proselytic plagiarists.

    The congratulatory tweets between this troika of twits makes for hilarious consumption.

    Amidst pulling for a Pulitzer, all are convinced their exposure efforts are as damaging - if not more so - than the Climategate I & II scandals in toppling the Evil Denialist Empire.

    Three tools owned for the price of one is a bargain not even Bunnings can top.

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    Replies
    1. And Readfearn is at it again.

      This time banging on Aunty's Drum.

      Blair's Law in action.

      Delete
  5. I saw this SMH headline and was rather hopefull
    "Cubby house blood leads to swamp search ", but alas.....

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  6. Professor, you will be proud of me - I gritted my teeth and watched all 25 minutes and 17 seconds of the video in which Adam Morton "interviewed" David Karoly in Feb 2009, in which they furiously concluded in complete agreement that we're all stuffed and completely doomed, all due to climate change.

    David Karoly at about 16.48:

    "What that means is, in terms of sea level rise, in terms of monitoring temperature changes, and in terms of rainfall changes in parts of the world that are already dry like southern Australia, the Mediterranean and south west of the United States, we can expect semi-permanent decreases in rainfall for 500 or more years".

    WE CAN EXPECT SEMI-PERMANENT DECREASES IN RAINFALL FOR 500 OR MORE YEARS!!!! - yes, that's what David Karoly said, Professor! And he should know - he's a Scientist! (Oooooooooooooh! A Scientist!)

    Oh dear - how I laughed!

    Pity about all the floods in 2010 / 2011 / 2012: Who wooda thunk!

    This classic video MUST be retained so that we know who to fling rotten vegetables at in the not-too-distant future.

    He would be better employed as an encyclopaedia salesman – even now, given the internet and all.

    ReplyDelete