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« Yorkshire goes unconventional | Main | Vulture Capitalism - Josh 376 »
Saturday
May212016

Still going slow

As readers can probably tell, I'm still struggling to get back in the blogging groove - a combination of being busy earning a living and a distinct lack of anything to say.

No idea whether the situation will change any time soon. I survey the news every morning and can't think of anything to talk about. Perhaps I just need a break.

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Reader Comments (62)

Take a break, but don't quit, this is probably the best blog of its kind!

May 21, 2016 at 1:01 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan the Brit

Alan the Brit

+1

No worries Bish, relax, life is too short!

May 21, 2016 at 1:09 PM | Registered CommenterGreen Sand

Maybe you just need an hiatus, a pause, a plateau in your much appreciated efforts.

May 21, 2016 at 1:18 PM | Unregistered CommenterDon B

Verity took a break from Digging in the clay, but now has an interesting post about the similarities between the sugar/fat debate and cagw. https://diggingintheclay.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/the-error-of-our-ways/#more-4632

May 21, 2016 at 1:19 PM | Unregistered CommenterBloke down the pub

"Maybe you just need an hiatus, a pause, a plateau in your much appreciated efforts."


I stole the idea from Tom Fuller....

Start of the Next Hiatus
Posted on April 20, 2016 | 7 comments
Well, I’m not referring to global average temperatures…

https://thelukewarmersway.wordpress.com/

May 21, 2016 at 1:23 PM | Unregistered CommenterDon B

What about a piece on mathematical probability theory?

Climate scientists via the IPCC used to express High Levels of Confidence in their predictions of doom.

I am now fairly confident about predictions of doom for climate science. Is there a computer generated model for this? Climate scientists used to shoot themselves in the foot, but their aim is deteriorating, and this may degenerate via Circular Firing Squads, and Russian Roulette into Mutually Peer Reviewed Destruction.

May 21, 2016 at 1:31 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Understandable. If you have a blog, you have a tiger by the tail.

Maybe invite some guest posters.
It works for Jo Nova and Anthony Watts.

May 21, 2016 at 1:33 PM | Unregistered CommenterLevelGaze

Are you implying that imminent catastrophic climate change leading to a 6m rise in seal level isn't stimulating enough for you ? Did you know that by 2050, 26 major US cities will face an “emerging flooding crisis.”

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/10/scientists-predict-huge-sea-level-rise-even-if-we-limit-climate-change


If so, think of the poo wittle Marshall Islanders who will be too stoopid to move away from their beloved, ancient, tribal international airport as it disappears beneath the waves and will certainly drown


“I’m the oldest — I can’t leave my parents,” he said. “But I don’t want my kids to drown here.”

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/02/world/The-Marshall-Islands-Are-Disappearing.html?_r=0

May 21, 2016 at 1:34 PM | Unregistered Commenteresmiff

Thanks for the update. Don't feel you have to fill space by re-cycling posts from other blogs - which seems to be rife at present.

May 21, 2016 at 1:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterVictoria Sponge

Well I've done a lot of counselling in this area and my advice is always snap over it, get out of it, pull your lips up, put on a stiff upper sock and don't go bothering Matron - you won't find any creative juices there.

Hope that puts your mind at rest, young Montford.

May 21, 2016 at 2:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan Reed

My blogging pace is a leisurely once a week, but after a few years, you do feel the need to take a time out.

Pointman

May 21, 2016 at 2:31 PM | Unregistered CommenterPointman

"combination of being busy earning a living"

Time to hit The Tip Jar. Thanks for the great site.

May 21, 2016 at 2:36 PM | Unregistered CommenterArild

Could you get funding from the Green Blob for helping to decontaminate environmental sciences? They are in danger of disappearing within a toxic miasma of their own manufacture.

May 21, 2016 at 2:47 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Well, here am I to the rescue! Have you read this article? http://gizmodo.com/the-world-s-largest-solar-plant-just-torched-itself-1777767880
If not you, Josh....
Sorry for my bad English

May 21, 2016 at 2:58 PM | Unregistered Commenterjorge C.
May 21, 2016 at 3:05 PM | Registered CommenterPaul Matthews

Do you think that this might be a problem that you share with Nigel Farage?
He seems to have very little to say in the run up to the referendum and to have developed a fear of appearing on television .

May 21, 2016 at 3:11 PM | Unregistered Commenterroger

How refreshing to hear someone invoke the aphorism,"If you have nothing to say, say nothing." The hard of thinking can't bear silence. In evidence I submit any celeb/sports commentator/BBC presenter with a microphone in front of them.
Quality not quantity Bish.

May 21, 2016 at 3:34 PM | Unregistered CommenterSteve Jones

Re: May 21, 2016 at 3:11 PM roger

Nigel Farage is saying plenty, he is out campaigning hard. It is our pro-Remain MSM that refuses to broadcast common sense that is the issue.

May 21, 2016 at 3:37 PM | Unregistered CommenterSteve Jones

Bishop, here's my rule of thumb—I never write about something until I can't stand not writing about it.

I have no doubt that when that time arises you'll uncap your electronic pen. Until then, let the silence enfold you, let the sun warm you, and enjoy a cup of tea with those you love in some well-earned spot of harmony.

My best to you and yours,

w.

May 21, 2016 at 7:04 PM | Unregistered CommenterWillis Eschenbach

To brighten up your day here is a quotation from the Irish Times ( a fellow travelling newspaper of The Grauniad:-

1.11 -Degrees by which April 2016 was warmer globally than average Aprils from 1951 to 1980, making it the hottest April on record.

Honestly you could not make this stuff up!!

Take it easy your Eminence - although we do miss you

May 21, 2016 at 7:39 PM | Unregistered CommenterGlebekinvara

I value this blog enormously but it should be something you want to do Andrew. Do take a break if you're feeling a bit stale.

May 21, 2016 at 7:40 PM | Unregistered Commentermike fowle

Lots of people keep an eye on politicians.

No one keeps an eye on Civil Servants

We really need someone who understands the secretive world of Government Climate plotting to uncover it a bit....

May 21, 2016 at 7:54 PM | Unregistered CommenterDodgy Geezer

Oh come on Bish, you don't need to work. Surely like me, you must be raking it in from big oil and Big wind. I just hope that big frack doesn't get going or there will be an embarrassment of riches for all of us that put sceptical pen to paper.

Tonyb

May 21, 2016 at 8:22 PM | Unregistered CommenterTonyb

Take a break while you can. Everyone's concentrating on the EU Brexit now anyway. How is that GWPF temperature record adjustment statistical audit coming along?

May 21, 2016 at 8:36 PM | Registered CommenterPharos

I think that part of the problem is that time is on the side of those who are sceptical about the notion of extra CO2 caused dangerous runaway global warming.
As the years go by with less and less evidence to support this alarmism the public at large is getting less and less interested.in the topic. Sites like this together with other top quality sites like climate audit have done such a good job that there is very little more to say.

. . Ted Swart . .

May 21, 2016 at 8:58 PM | Unregistered CommenterTes Swart

It sounds like Anthony Watts is feeling a bit the same way and I suspect that warmists are in the same boat too. There aren't many new issues to discuss. Elections are dominating and everyone has got bored of all things climatish. It's hard to maintain enthusiasm when the best you can hope for is politicians mentioning climate change less and less and eventually pretending that they were never sucked in. It seems that a lack of money is most likely to smother climate enthusiasm.

Doing something else and/or visiting some of the other blogs for a bit seems like a good thing for all of us. It'll be a long wait for the effects of the La Nina to show.

May 21, 2016 at 9:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterTinyCO2

Take a break and relax. You'll feel better, and then one day you'll see something that will get you really fired up, and have you back, blogging with a vengeance. The readers won't go away, we'll all be here to welcome you back, and to enjoy your new-found fire in the belly.

May 21, 2016 at 10:27 PM | Unregistered Commenterrubberduck

Bish I suggest respectfully

Transfer the Blog over to Briebart let Dellingpole run a dedicated Big Green / Climate Skeptic Section

Got Trump and Hilary and the U S Presidential Election and the E U Referendum and Briebert is where the battlefield is.

May 21, 2016 at 10:40 PM | Unregistered CommenterRespectfully Jamspid

Bishop Hill is a legend along with Bishop Montford, we will pray for the second coming ^.^

May 21, 2016 at 10:41 PM | Registered CommenterDung


Transfer the Blog over to Briebart let Dellingpole run a dedicated Big Green / Climate Skeptic Section...
That would be accepting that the climate debate is political at its root.
The policy debate is political.
But the root of the problem is the biasing of scientific institutions.
It's about defending the scientific method and prioritising observation over ideology.

Breitbart aren't the people to fight for that.

And if The Bishop is tired then nor is he.
Sometimes we have to focus on our own needs.
I often miss half a week entirely because I work for a living. That's why I don't blog.

It was good while it lasted. But it's not everything.

May 21, 2016 at 11:00 PM | Registered CommenterM Courtney

Take it easy Andrew, you have done a lot.

I quite like the idea of a BH meet up. Somewhere where we can sit out, look at the hills/mountains, and chew the fat over a beer

May 21, 2016 at 11:17 PM | Unregistered CommenterEternalOptimist

Please don't rest for too long.
The Lord rested on Sunday and just look at the pricks that sneaked in on that Sunday.
Some of them finished up as Prime Ministers, German Chancellors and US Presidents.

May 21, 2016 at 11:58 PM | Unregistered Commentertoorightmate

Good advice from Willis above. Meanwhile, some guest posts could maintain momentum and perhaps provide inspiration for ways forward too. It would mean you'd have to sift submissions over your cup of tea though, nothing comes for free.

May 22, 2016 at 12:37 AM | Unregistered CommenterAndy West

Bish conserve your energy you'll be needed some time meanwhile Paul Homewood has taken up the baton admirabley

May 22, 2016 at 3:44 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

You could "pause" and then deny it happened....

May 22, 2016 at 8:49 AM | Unregistered Commentermike fowle

Here's a more positive approach. What you need is a 'Blog Writing Engine'. It won't help with the moderation or witty titles but could self-generate daily posts for the commentariat to thrash around.
This model uses the daily newsfeed that you probably read anyway and flows it into a reactive blog form.

MCourtney's Blog Writing Engine version 0.1
A) Title
B) Link to a story and say where it was and what it was about. (One or two sentences).
C) Answer all of the Yes/No questions listed below.
D) After the questions add a justification for each Yes. (One or two sentences).
E) Summarise, “This paper / news story / tweet is reasonable / unreasonable”.

The questions I would use should identify pseudo-science and so are something like the following:
1) Does the article report facts that are known to be wrong? (Yes/No)
2) Does the article ignore the null hypothesis? (Yes/No)
3) Does the article confuse correlation with causation? (Yes/No)
4) Does the article make unexplained leaps from evidence to conclusions? (Yes/No)
5) Does the article ignore whether the sample size has a significant power for the conclusion? (Yes/No)
6) Does the article ignore alternative hypotheses? (Yes/No)

I’m sure that questions like this could be applied to all environmental and science journalism. And they would find everything is unreasonable. But much will be good enough for the time limits. This could be a positive tool for influencing the weakness in the media that we all get frustrated with.

And this might make blog writing easier.

May 22, 2016 at 8:50 AM | Registered CommenterM Courtney

As has been said attention is concentrated on the EU referendum and the US Presidency at the present. Thus a good time for a pause (La Nino is coming !) Can I suggest a quick scan through some of the other sights may give an alternative narative and stimulate more investigation and comment e.g. NoTricksZone, Tallblokes Talk Shop. I am dissapointed the Climate Hussel has not been on general release as the Brexit the Move has ? Above all keep faith the battle is not yet won. P.S. an update on the work of Jasper Kirkby who has been very quiet of late.

May 22, 2016 at 10:45 AM | Unregistered CommenterRoss Lea

Now here is some real balanced honest science:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDo7saKaEys

by Jasper Kirkby.

May 22, 2016 at 11:13 AM | Unregistered CommenterRoss Lea

M Courtney, nice idea but the global warmists are already ahead on this one, with Computer Generated Climate Nonscience Rapid Response Teams already up and running. Part of their duty is to post on blogs blaming CO2 for everything, and deny alternative explanations.

May 22, 2016 at 11:36 AM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Meanwhile, this looks like the work of Fast fingers, claims it is a bad year for skeptics and temperature rise is accelerating.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/global-warming-is-accelerating-2016-5

May 22, 2016 at 11:40 AM | Unregistered CommenterMick J

Maybe it is like playing music. I was told to give the rests as much clarity as the notes.

May 22, 2016 at 11:56 AM | Unregistered Commenterjferguson

jferguson, climate science has no real notes, and the original unsuccessful tune, has proven to be as memorable as the Belgian National Anthem.

May 22, 2016 at 3:12 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Not to worry Bish its just a warmist dastardly plan to stop shouting we're all gonna fry and coin in the grants by the backdoor without the need to publicly justify the BS.

May 22, 2016 at 3:20 PM | Unregistered CommenterMartyn

Well with a British General predicting all out Nuclear War with Russia in 2017 it makes climate predictions rather pointless.
What with these hard times and mass emigration by the millions into Europe soon to be followed by Turkey Islamists Sharia law does not seem so far away.

In fact the rather mild worries of the warmists seem almost quaint.

Factor in the prophecies of St Malachy that this is the last Pope coupled with the worries of the Torah that when a Jewish State is re-established that the end time has arrived

On the other hand..........

May 22, 2016 at 5:03 PM | Unregistered CommenterBryan

Cheer up, Bish. I think this means you've won...

May 22, 2016 at 5:51 PM | Unregistered CommenterUncle Gus

Respectfully M C
The Law on Abortion isn't decided by Doctors but by politicians.

Everything is about politics in the End
Ed Milliband destroyed the British Steel Industry
Obama destroyed the U S coal industry
Trump will get Pennsyviania Coal Miners their jobs back.

Interesting how Brexit attracts both right and left wingers
Climate Skeptism other than Patrick Moore and Spiked only seems to attract Conservative right wingers.
Wish there were more Left wing Climate Skeptics give our movement more energy.
The left should be naturally Climate Skeptic and out protecting traditional working class manufacturing Industries and their surrounding Communities.

Briebart is making all the scopes and breaking the stories and grabbing headlines for itself.Two biggest stories on Briebart at the moment is a idolised Anti Fascist Moslem Selfie Queen who is actually Anti Sememtic and Oscar Winning Leonardo clocking up eight thousand Carbon Spewing Air Miles in his luxury private jet partying with Super Mdels at the Cannes Film Festival and then off collecting Enviromental Awards why cant our Leonardo accept the award from the UPS delivery driver and do his acceptance speech on Skype.

May 22, 2016 at 6:50 PM | Unregistered CommenterRespectfully Jamspid twice

It's burnout, if you have a relentless sense of duty it will weigh in heavier. Don't worry, the propaganda juggernaut never cease and there will always be a rich source of material to debunk.

The climate scam is just a subset of a greater and more serious problem, but I've stayed with climate because it's winnable, the laws of physics aren't up for auction.

What you need to do is get some little helpers who will do some posts and perhaps introduce a little more variation.

Bishop Hill is a gem of a site with a slant towards the political side, the nucleus of every day commenters is the best, perhaps it's time to consider more variation or more helpers.

May 22, 2016 at 7:30 PM | Unregistered CommenterTim Spence

"the laws of physics aren't up for auction.

There're already sold, and have been for many years!

May 22, 2016 at 8:28 PM | Unregistered CommenterMartyn

Martyn, I thought Climate Scientists had repealed the Laws of Physics, to make everything they say possible.

May 22, 2016 at 10:11 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

"That would be accepting that the climate debate is political at its root." - MC

Unfalsifiable from top to bottom, inside and out, side to side and by definition relentlessly political. It imposes by diktat and defies reasoning. It is little wonder that The Bishop is wearied. Any sane person would be.
My sincere thanks BH for your extraordinary work. Some tactical R&R and then a strategic relaunch?

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"
Marcus Aurelius Augustus

May 23, 2016 at 3:01 AM | Unregistered CommenterManfred

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