Conspiracy theories

Obligatory disclaimer...

I, through my blog, have already been accused of being a promoter of "conspiracy theories" in regards to AGW. I'm told that, because I don't agree the global warming is caused by people (though I do believe we're causing damage that we need to deal with), and that I don't believe that CO2 is a pollutant, etc., that I believe there's a conspiracy about AGW.

For the record, I don't believe there's a conspiracy. I believe that, while there are certainly individuals and organizations who are taking advantage of the fears of others and deliberately causing and manipulating those fears through exaggerations and falsifications of facts, I do NOT believe that there's some vast conspiracy to do so. I believe that most of the people involved are well meaning, honest people who truly believe in AGW. That I disagree with them doesn't mean I don't respect their beliefs - until they start accusing me of conspiracy theories and start equating me to holocaust deniers!

So it's interesting to read about Newsweek's front page story about how anti-AGW proponents are all part of a vast conspiracy funded by Exxon. I found this rebuttal by Noel Sepphard does an excellent job of challenging the article. If you want to read the Newsweek article, there's a link to it near the beginning of the rebuttal.

Oh, a recently found out just why Exxon is so frequently singled out as the most evil corporation in the world by environmentalists. It turns out the Exxon is the only fossil fuel company that doesn't donate to the many environmental groups that are out there.

Or, as the writers of Taken By Storm put it, they didn't pay the protection money.

The environmental groups won't go after companies that help fund them, even if they are involved with fossil fuels. Funny, when you think that any time someone writes a story that doesn't agree with their views on global warming, etc., they are automatically accused of being in the pockets of "big oil," - which is always Exxon/Mobile.

Suddenly, it makes sense.