Do you remember the article in Brisbane’s Courier Mail on December 3rd last year:
White Possum said to be first victim of global warming
SCIENTISTS say a white possum native to Queensland’s Daintree forest has become the first mammal to become extinct due to man-made global warming.
The white lemuroid possum, a rare creature found only above 1000m in the mountain forests of far north Queensland, has not been seen for three years.
“It is not looking good,” researcher Steve Williams said.
It is a big one, and a big one to bang the drum over. It is equally as shocking as losing an iconic marine species like a whale or the dugong.
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At the time Agmates awarded the Courier Mail a Bullshit award for this article. Just 4 months later the entire story has been exposed as a complete global warming hysteria beat up.
In fact just 8 weeks ago the Courier mail rehashed the whole sorry article: -
Rare white possum may be first local climate change victim
That facts are the entire story is a beat up. From the Australian this week:
Reports of white lemuroid ringtail possum’s extinction premature
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A RARE possum said to be the first Australian species wiped out by global warming appears to be clinging to survival.
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Hang on, it was just 4 months ago that James Cook University researcher Steve Williams and the Courier Mail were saying:
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It is a big one, and a big one to bang the drum over.
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Another piece of global warming hysteria trashed. We should be hoping that this type of sham will put red faced scientists and environmental reporters on the job endangered list . The story at the time gained international press coverage.
Of course there is no sign of a correction article in the Courier Mail.
When does the ‘boy who cried wolf’ parable cut in with these people? How can either Williams (odd they both have the same last name) have any credibility left after this disgraceful beat up?
END
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Have Your say!
March 30, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Hey, thanks Steve. Matter of fact, I’ve just been writing a bit on the V8′s for one of the papers up here. Just a couple of awesome facts: This sport (V8 Supercars) is now HUGE, with just shy of 290,000 fans turning up for the Clipsal 500 at Adelaide and 286,000 for the GP manufacturers challenge at Albert Park. (Not much of a challenge really: Fords 1856 points to Holdens 1574.)
Ok I suppose a few thousand of Sue M’s “skinny decaf soy late” crowd actually turned up for the GP race.
We all know the GP drivers can count at least six zeroes on their pay cheques but the top V8 boys now also reportedly earn up to $2 million a year, with not a single drunken binge or pack rape allegation to spoil their image.
(Excuse the NRL dig, I’m just a born stirrer).
March 30, 2009 at 2:58 pm
G’day john,
I hope you liked the link to the Herald Sun coverage of the Australian F1 GP and Super Car that i put on the News Forum – just for you and the other agmates rev heads
Its fantastic coverage.
March 30, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Haha, yep, warts ‘n all
March 30, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Yes John Mikko,
:-$
As I pointed out to FHTSFTKS – how many warthogs do you hear about being affected by Climate Change?
It’s using emotional blackmail to raise awareness that these organisations want funding, and they use the cute, perceived cuddly animals (don’t try cuddling a polar bear!!!) as symbols.
Suppose we could always start a “Save the warthog from extinction caused by Man Made Climate Change” Fund, or World Wide Fund for Warthogs (WWFW)
March 30, 2009 at 1:59 pm
No you won’t see any retractions for crap like that and if anyone complained they would probably say they were quoting a scientist and the information was believed to be correct at the time. Or more likely they would probably just ignore it.
Meanwhile, as somebody else has pointed out, the climate change beat-ups always concentrate on cute cuddly things. You’re not going to read about any rainforest giant, hairy, venemous bird-eating spider being threatened or exterminated by our naughty CO2 emissions any time soon.
March 29, 2009 at 4:19 pm
There, now you see the true colours of Climate Change, at least in hallowed halls of learning, followed by the hordes of papparazzi who want disaster headlines.
Spruik a disaster “White lemuroid possum made extinct by Climate Change”
Next paragraph – FUNDING to combat Man Made Climate Change.
Bet there’s not much in the way of retractions – most likely relegated to to a small entry on the bottom of page 56
March 29, 2009 at 3:52 pm
’The story at the time gained international press coverage ’ – they get away with it tooooooooooooooo often with all sorts of stories. News seems too often to be entertainment or brainwashing.
The possum has been another useful creature like the polar bear both being unlike the warthog which is NOT useful for global warming.
March 29, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Now I think that’s funny and appropriate.
Did you notice in the link to the Courier Mail article Steve Williams calling for more funding for research into the impacts of climate change on the little cute white possum.
If there was any accountability at James Cook University he should instead be dusting off his resume.
March 29, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Below that article in the “tags” list is a title ‘Climate Prophets of Doom.’
Surely that’s a grammatical error, shouldn’t that read:
Climate Profits of Doom :-$
March 29, 2009 at 3:09 pm
“Job endangered list”
Just love it, should be more of it in some circles!
March 29, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Yes Agmates,
See -
It wasn’t Climate Change at all, it was just a change in weather, so the poor little white possum fella came back from his holidays.
Next line from the MSM will be “but it will become extinct by 2015, unless you pay your indulgences (ETS) and drive a Prius.” O:-)
Sorry, shouldn’t try to be sarcastic on a Sunday arvo.