http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...1202-k4ji.html

The chief of a prestigious British research centre caught in a storm of
controversy over claims that he and others suppressed data about climate change
has stepped down pending an investigation, the University of East Anglia said.

The university said in a statement that Phil Jones, whose emails were among the
thousands of pieces of correspondence leaked to the internet late last month,
would relinquish his position as director of Climatic Research Unit until the
completion of an independent review.

The university's Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research Trevor Davies said the
investigation would cover data security, whether the university responded
properly to Freedom of Information requests, "and any other relevant issues".
The statement said the specific terms of the review will be announced later in
the week.

Jones has been accused by sceptics of man-made climate change of manipulating
data to support his research. In particular, many have pointed to a leaked email
in which Jones writes that he had used a "trick" to "hide the decline" in a
chart detailing recent global temperatures. Jones has denied manipulating
evidence and insisted his comment had been misunderstood, explaining that he'd
used the word trick "as in a clever thing to do".

Davies said there was nothing in the stolen material to suggest the
peer-reviewed publications by the unit "are not of the highest-quality of
scientific investigation and interpretation".

But the correspondence from Jones and others - which appears to include
discussions of how to keep critical work out of peer-reviewed journals and
efforts to shield scientists' data and methodology from outside scrutiny - have
been seized upon by those who are fighting efforts to impose caps on emissions
of carbon dioxide as evidence of a scientific conspiracy.

Senator James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican and a vocal sceptic of global
warming, called on Tuesday for Senate hearings on the emails. In a letter to
Senator Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the environment
committee, Inhofe said the emails could have far-reaching policy implications
for the United States. Both Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency are
taking action to curb global warming based on a report that uses data produced
by the Climate Research Unit.

A House committee has scheduled a hearing on Wednesday on the status of climate
science. Two prominent Obama administration scientists - White House science
adviser John Holdren and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
administrator Jane Lubchenco - are expected to be questioned about the emails.

Davies defended Jones and his colleagues, saying the publication of their emails
"is the latest example of a sustained and, in some instances, a vexatious
campaign" to undermine climate science. The sentiment was echoed by Nicholas
Stern, a leading climate change economist, who said the person or people who
posted the leaked emails had muddled the debate at a critical moment.

"It has created confusion and confusion never helps scientific discussions,"
Stern told reporters in London on Tuesday. "The degree of scepticism among real
scientists is very small."

Governments are in the final days of preparations for Copenhagen conference,
which is due to outline a new climate change agreement. Stern said the stakes
were very high, explaining that if countries did not manage to reach agreement,
world temperatures could rise by five degrees Celsius by the end of the century,
making much of the world uninhabitable.

"We have a moment now when we could get a strategy agreed," Stern said. "If it
were to dissolve in disarray it would not be easy to put this momentum back
together again."

--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipvdBnU8F8
- KRudd at his finest.

"The Labour Party is corrupt beyond redemption!"
- Labour hasbeen Mark Latham in a moment of honest clarity.

"This is the recession we had to have!"
- Paul Keating explaining why he gave Australia another Labour recession.

"Silly old bugger!"
- Well known ACTU ****pot and sometime Labour prime minister Bob Hawke
responding to a pensioner who dared ask for more.

"By 1990, no child will live in poverty"
- Bob Hawke again, desperate to win another election.

"A billion trees ..."
- Borke, ****ed as a newt again.

"Well may we say 'God save the Queen' because nothing will save the governor
general!"
- Egotistical ****head and pompous ****wit E.G. Whitlam whining about his
appointee for Governor General John Kerr.

"SHUT THE **** UP YOU DUMB ****!"
- FlangesBum on learning the truth about Labour's economic capabilities.

"I don't care what you ****ers think!"
- KRudd the KRude Rat at his finest again.

"We'll just change it all when we get in."
- Garrett the carrott