There is talk that Dennis Jensen is putting up his hand for the Science portfolio in the new Abbott government. They say that people get the government they deserve but I really don't know what appalling sins the Australian people could have committed that would make them deserve such a thing.
Dennis Jensen denies science
Dennis Jensen in the Australian Federal Parliament 20 September 2011 couldn't be more clear:
I do not accept the premise of anthropogenic climate change, I do not accept that we are causing significant global warming and I reject the findings of the IPCC and its local scientific affiliates.
Dennis Jensen instead espouses the "teachings" of an eccentric entertainer
Dennis Jensen rejects science and follows the ramblings of an eccentric (being kind) entertainer from England, Monckton:
"Most of the stuff [Lord Monckton] says is entirely reasonable," Dr Jensen said.
Wow! Just wow. Here is a HotWhopper list of articles on Monckton's idiocy. And click here for many more examples from Barry Bickmore. And of course, SkepticalScience has been pointing out his silliness for years now. Monckton even went too far for right wing blogger Andrew Bolt, in line with the Laws of Monckton.
Dennis Jensen demonstrates his ignorance of climate science
These tweets from Jensen are more examples of his ignorance. In this first one Jensen demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the field, his notion about "models" is back to front. The science isn't based on the models, it's the models that are based on the physics. Science describes global warming without the need for models - including the physics of greenhouse gases and paleoclimatology. The models are built to explore the complexities and to better explain what the long term future will bring under different scenarios.
@josh1782 @razhorses Only argument for AGW is models, nd they have not predicted stasis in last decade. So models falsified
— Dennis Jensen MP (@DennisJensenMP) June 14, 2013
Jensen is a run-of-the-mill average ordinary science denier of the "climate has always changed" flavour.
Lots more here and here.
Dennis Jensen is an engineer not a climate scientist
Dennis has a PhD in materials engineering on ceramics, Going by the above tweet, Dennis hasn't heard of paleoclimatology, nor about the greenhouse effect. Back to school for you, Dennis! Although evidence suggests that if he's a dyed in the wool engineering denier there's not much hope for him as far as scientific understanding goes. If he's both an engineering denier and an ideological science denier, then there's even less hope.
Dennis Jensen rejects the physics of the greenhouse effect
@GregRudd1 @OakeyMP Not at all. However, some theories have more rigorous supporting evidence than others. AGW models not supported by dataOh no? More evidence that Dennis denies the science. All the evidence supports the fact that it is the increase in greenhouse gases that is causing global warming.
— Dennis Jensen MP (@DennisJensenMP) June 3, 2013
Dennis Jensen campaigns with conspiracy theorists
Dennis Jensen is an avowed "skeptic" and spoke at a fake sceptic event organised by conspiracy theorist "JoanneNova", which was also attended by Monckton - archived here from the JoanneNova website.
"JoNova" and her partner David Evans are conspiracy theorists of the one world government, fiat currency, Agenda21 type - along with "organisations" like Malcolm Roberts' Galileo Movement (which even Andrew Bolt disavows). Western Australia has more than its fair share of cranks. These people are every bit as nutty as Christopher Monckton.
Dennis Jensen proudly denies science on facebook
If you want to see just how ignorant Jensen is about climate science, have a gander at his new "update" on his facebook page. Hopefully it's enough to put an end to any hopes he might have had for the science portfolio. On the other hand, the LNP had, of all people, anti-science Sophie Mirabella as its shadow Minister for Science! So you never know.
Will the Australian "government" become the laughing stock of the world?
Dennis Jensen comes across as just another nutter. If he is ever appointed to the Science portfolio you can guarantee that if it wasn't already (given the election of Tony "climate change is crap" Abbott), Australia will be the laughing stock of the world.
"what appalling sins the Australian people could have committed that would make them deserve such a thing" - They elected the numbskulls, for one. And they will pay dearly (and happily) because the numbskulls have a habit of killing economies, and Australian economy has some bad vulnerabilities. Quote me.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, cRR Kampen, I agree with you about vulnerabilities. Our economy is probably not as strong as it was, given our reliance on China especially - for mining exports. However our dollar has dropped a bit, which is in our favour for exports generally.
DeleteThe Abbott government is already showing signs of backtracking from it's "get rid of the deficit" policy, probably because some people in the new government would be aware of how badly it would hurt the economy.
We'll have to wait and see if there are sufficient informed people in the LNP to stop the extremists from wrecking the economy and the environment. The party contains a wide spectrum of views. They are not all as right wing or ridiculous as the new PM. Nor are they all anti-environment.
It will take a while to see how things pan out.
Roger that Sou. So perhaps the swing isn't as bad as it seems.
DeleteRelying on China for exports is not a bad thing at all, of course. Did a lot of good voor DU.
The Emperor Caligula making his horse a consul springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteAs for Jensen's comment that the "Planet survived in the past", someone should quote back George Carlin: "The planet is fine. It is the people who are f*cked."
Just in case people think we are a bunch of ignorant hicks down under, people voted out Labor more than voting in the Liberals. There was a swing of only 1.4% to the Liberals and only 0.7% to their coalition partners the National Party. Which is hardly anything at all.
ReplyDeleteLabor on the other hand had a swing against them of 4.2%.
The Labor Party behaved very badly over the past few months overall. They did some very good things (eg pricing carbon) but there was way too much in-fighting. They couldn't present a united front, what with constantly changing leaders etc. Very unstable.
I can only speak for myself, but I see this. We've had similar self-immolations aplenty here in the UK, on both sides of the House. It's a depressingly familiar sight.
DeleteSo Jensen is proud of being compared to Delingpole?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say....
Medical research scientists have recently been investigating articles by Lord Christopher Monckton, Third Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, and have discovered a new phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteThey have named this phenomenon “Monckturbation”.
The predominant symptom is the deliberate pleasuring of oneself and followers, by the systematic misrepresentation of Climate Data with the aim of convincing the ignorant and/or gullible that Anthropogenic Global Warming resulting in Climate Change is not taking place.
Allegations of scientific fraud (found to be baseless) against Climate Researchers are also commonplace, along with claims of Left Wing Political conspiracy via “Agenda 21”.
Other symptoms include the hurling of abuse and insults (known as the “ad hom”) at those who question these misrepresentations, along with threats of legal action which ultimately are never initiated.
A tendency talk in dead languages, Latin for example, is also apparent. It is believed this is to garner an air of intellectual superiority amongst the ignorant and/or gullible and encourage them to take up the habit of Monckturbation.
Delusional behaviour is also apparent in the form of claims of membership of the House of Lords. Repeated statements of “I really am a member of the House of Lords, my lawyer says so” are often made. This delusion is also manifested in the form of a Portcullis displayed prominently on Graphs and Data presented at lectures by Lord Monckton. It is believed the purpose of the Portcullis is to further impress the ignorant and/or gullible that these claims are in fact legitimate.
Schizophrenia is also noted as a symptom. Lord Monckton has been known to speak at presentations in the genuine belief that he is actually someone else. (Ref: Doha 2012).
Erroneous claims of a cure for HIV and other diseases are often made and are supported by extremist Right Wing Political Parties (ie UKIP) on their website.
Monckturbation is not readily contagious however, the ignorant, gullible or just plain stupid are the most prone to infection.
Research indicates that those holding an IQ of 40 or above are immune to Monckturbation.
The infected are collectively known as Monckturbators.
Research continues.
Dennis Jensen has been diagnosed as a Monckturbator.
Sou, you say that the drift to Liberal was 1.4% and away from Labor was 4.2%, demonstrating that people voted Labor out rather than Liberal in.
ReplyDeleteProbably true enough, but I'm concerned at the drifts in the minority parties, which show the opposite - that we are indeed a bunch of ignorant hicks. Most elections have a healthy trade in minor parties picking up protest votes (for non-Australians: votes to a fringe party that has little to no chance of winning the seat, with the voters preference ultimately being directed to one of the major parties). The Greens benefitted from this at the last election, bumping up from around 8% to nearly 12% - the 4% growth was probably about 1% actual growth and 3% "I'll preference Labor, but I'll not put them first on the ticket". Previous elections have seen the Democrats and One Nation benefit in the same way.
Labor's 4.2% drop is against a low vote last time due to protest votes for the Greens. But this time around, the Greens also took a hit, dropping back to 8% so the combined left-wing vote fell some 8%. As you observe, those votes didn't go to the Liberals, but to a variety of right-wing parties whose policies make Abbott, Mirabella and Jensen look half-way sensible.
The clear third party in a dozen seats in SE Queensland is now Clive Palmer's Monster Raving Loony Party. I find that vastly more disturbing than the rise of Abbotts Liberals. Not a single sensible policy was put forward, it was all "I'm Clive Palmer, I'm a billionaire, so trust me!" yet 600,000 people voted for this nonsense.
The Gruen Nation saw parallels between Palmer and Putin, but there are plenty of other comparisons that could be made - just none with any representative in a functioning democracy.
FrankD
The Palmer vote is not good, I agree, Frank.
DeleteI'm no political pundit so anything I say has to be taken with a big pinch of salt. Would it be fair to say he wouldn't have got those votes except for the money he spent? Is it like the One Nation vote of a few years back? Katter didn't do so well I believe so Palmer probably picked up a lot of what he might have otherwise got. I haven't really looked into that side of things though.
Some sections of Australian society voted the other way. I guess this too reflects the priorities expected of this incoming government.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI guess after being used to crayons mastering a keyboard is a bit of an ask.
DeleteThis site has a comment policy. That one was removed because it came under the category of trolling and extreme abuse.
Deletehttp://blog.hotwhopper.com/p/comment-policy.html
Should we lobby to get him to answer Readfearn's questionnaire?
ReplyDeleteIf we ever need a Minister for Dunning-Kruger he'd be an ideal choice.