Update from the comments: The Guardian have removed some critical comments mentioning George’s involvment with the Campaign Against Climate Change, which indulges in similar practices. (my three never got past pre-moderation)
These astroturf libertarians are the real threat to internet democracy – Guardian
As I see in threads on my articles, the online sabotaging of intelligent debate seems organised. We must fight to save this precious gift
George must have forgotten that he is Honoury President of the Campaign Against Climate Change………
……and they send out Skeptic Alerts to do just this to man made global warming sceptical blogs and newspaper comments sections, including the Bishop Hill blog, James Delingpole and Christopher Booker at the Telegraph.
There are a number of people commenting at CiF, that have been allowed to point out about the CaCC ‘astroturfing’, presumably the moderators at CiF have a sense of humour after all to allow this. I am currenly still pre-moderated out of existance at the Guardian…..
Yet a ‘luke warmist’ (in the nicest, best possible description) has risen to the apparent hypocracy of the article, given the evidence that has been supplied and been allowed to comment.
So a big thanks to Jane Basingstoke, who is presumably the same Jane that I have crossed (politely) keyboards with at the BBC – Richard Black’s Earthwatch over many months. The BBC being a rare and treasured ‘warmist’ place where the moderators allow both sides of the debate in the comments. Jane has been allowed to post these links at The Guardian in the comments section in George Monbiot’s article.
http://www.campaigncc.org/node/384
http://joannenova.com.au/2010/04/newsflash-the-fightback-campaign-against-sceptics/
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2010/4/19/skeptic-alerts.html
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2010/11/29/cacc-notices-bishop.html
http://www.campaigncc.org/sceptics
http://thegwpf.org/who-we-are/board-of-trustees.html
(Note, trustees using the titles “Lord”, “Baroness”, or “Rt Rev” are all in the Lords)
(Note, Right Reverend Peter Forster is under C for (Bishop of) Chester rather than F for Forster)
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/
http://www.campaigncc.org/whoweare
—————————–
My Pre-Moderated – Guardian Comment (still missing)
How best to describe George Monbiot…
I do hope the CiF Guardian moderstors will have enough of a sense of humour to allow this comment (I’ll copy it to Bishop Hill, Delingpole blogs as well)
Some evidence of astroturfing from a group that George Monbiot is Hon President of…..
The last three days worth of the Campaign Against Climate Change – Skeptic Alerts – below:
Sunday, 12 December, 2010 15:27
From: “Campaign against Climate Change aggregator” <************.org>
Add sender to Contacts
To: *******************
Climate Change sceptic blog alerts
——————————————————————————–
•Bishop Hill: Cancun deal
•Christopher Booker: Social workers’ cruel game with children in care continues
•Christopher Booker: Chilcot inquiry: the real shocks are still to come
•Christopher Booker: Student fee ‘savings’ will fund windmills in Africa
•Christopher Booker: Climate change: the warmist demands heat up as ‘green’ costs soar
Climate Change sceptic blog alerts
Saturday, 11 December, 2010 15:21
From: “Campaign against Climate Change aggregator” <************.org>
Add sender to Contacts
To: ********************.com
Climate Change sceptic blog alerts
——————————————————————————–
•Bishop Hill: Climate Resistance on Cox
•Bishop Hill: Josh 62
•Bishop Hill: Holland on TV
Climate Change sceptic blog alerts
Friday, 10 December, 2010 15:09
From: “Campaign against Climate Change aggregator” <**********.org>
Add sender to Contacts
To: ************.com
Climate Change sceptic blog alerts
——————————————————————————–
•Bishop Hill: Josh 61
•Bishop Hill: Snow fun at all
•Bishop Hill: Chasing Rainbows
•James Delingpole: Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide now!
•Bishop Hill: +++Check this out+++
http://www.realclimategate.org/2010/11/bishop-hill-targeted-sceptic-alerts/
George Monbiot is behind another Hall of Shame as well..
(not just his Guardin Royal Flush picture cards one)
http://www.campaigncc.org/hallofshame
There are many other comments at the Guardian (at the moment) mentioning Skeptic Alerts and George’s involvement with the Campaign Against Climate Chnage, maybe the moderators at Comment is Free have a sense of humour after all.
James Delingpole wrote about this a while back:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100035167/get-your-trolls-off-my-lawn-monbiot/
Unsettled Climate 
Another comment in the Guardian (just after one by George)
I wonder if this will be there tomorrow….
http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/comment-permalink/8795441
bananachips
13 December 2010 8:58PM
George the only organised campaign I am aware off on the web as far AGW is concerned is ‘ Campaign Against Climate Change skeptic alerts email’. one where people are encourage to reply on blogs to those that dare to express AGW sceptical views. So I am looking forward to you taken on the actions of that organisation, and because I feel like being a helpful here is the person to talk too ‘George Monbiot, honorary president’
But I am sorry you feel that way , your record of infinitely insults and attack articles is there for all to see, I would recommend the one where you chose to attack the local press for the mistake of not report the news you wanted it to , but as a highlight , even better than the one where you liken AGW sceptics to Holocaust deniers, has to be your attacking those who fly as being like paedophiles , the best part of course being shortly after writing this article you went off on a NORTH AMERICAN book selling tour.
the comment has been removed as expected
/Mango
Thanks for keeping a watch on that….
Don’t forget either that Guardian eco-editor James Randerson is on record as stating
“The Guardian’s editorial line is that global warming is happening and caused by human actions”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/comment-permalink/1528134
The question is of course HOW MUCH….
As the scare predictions fail to materialise and all the climate alarmist poster childs fall away. The Guardian will be looking rather exposed as they apparently bet the farm investing in the Environment team.
Should AGW prove to be worth a few tenths of a degree in the next century, which would very hard to isolate a human signature from the natural climate anyway. Will they apolgise for being part of a cultural delusion that has wasted and is projected to waste billions and trillions of ounds/dollars on CO2 reduction, that a fraction of could have been spents saving the world’s poor from povery and misery now. AND solve the REAL man made and other environment problems.
MODERATION:
“…Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes. It is used to ensure normality throughout the medium on which it is being conducted. Common uses of moderation include:
* A moderator may remove unsuitable contributions from the website, forum or IRC channel they represent in accordance with their moderation system…”
Or so says Wiki.
The Guardian has discovered the wonder of moderation. With it you can control the course of a conversation.
But beware. The people that you keep out of your comment stream have the ability to create their own blog.
And can refuse to let you in…
The problem with everyone creating their own blogs is that it’s already a fulltime job keeping up with the present ones. The danger is we all end up talking to ourselves, just like the Green activists.
Congratulations to Barry for setting this one up. I hope he’s still trying with CiF though, since it’s a way of getting the message out of our own circle. I’ve been banned three times, though I have close friends who continue to relay our common opinions.
PS to Barry, any comment mentioning moderation policy is automatically moderated. You need to split the message into separatee sections.
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You don’t quite get it do you?
Astro Turfing is the practice of inventing false personas through which to create an impression of a tide of opinion.
Organisation can be the practice of alerting others to something they may wish to argue against.
The CaCC does not have the funds or the technology to do Astro Turfing. Oil companies do.
Do you want me to go through that again but slower?
Let’s see if this one gets an airing.
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