Two Good Questions: Human Sacrifice & Global Warming

This is an account on the Chicago Tribune website of Justice Samuel Alito's good question in a case involving videos of animal cruelty--are they protected by "free speech"? That wasn't his question, but what the court is deciding. Alito's question to the lawyer defending the man convicted of selling dog-fighting videos: "You think it is unconstitutional for Congress to forbid the 'Human Sacrifice Channel'?"

Second, a story seems to be breaking ever so slowly about possible cooked data on global warming. We'll start with this cautious telling of the tale at Examiner.com, which will lead you to other links. There's this from Commentary.

Comments

[Don]

"...Global warming." Great links. I posted an excerpt from Watt's page at a Christian environmental blog "hub" called SustainLane.com.* Got a single comment and an email from a Christian friend (and blog sparring partner) who was upset that I'd link to such "denierist" stuff.

Would that the children of God were as committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they were the ruminations of climatists.

*http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/the-end-of-the-hockey-stick/9AKMRPOY2IA3QBJXCPOQITPMW9H7

[FourAndOut]

Proof of the man-made global warming sham exists in profusion--and has since 2004. It was scientifically refuted about 5 years ago when the vaunted 'hockey stick' data was acknowledged by NASA--NASA--as resulting from a Y2k glitch. More and more reputable scientists are starting to speak out, because they value science and truth. Many, however, are in denial because they've staked their reputations on false data and don't need to look like asses in the face of the people who've been paying them big salaries all these years. In addition, politicians are using it for their own ends.

[Matt]

>>Proof of the man-made global warming sham exists in profusion--and has since 2004. It was scientifically refuted about 5 years ago when the vaunted 'hockey stick' data was acknowledged by NASA--NASA--as resulting from a Y2k glitch.<<

Fourandout: Nobody at NASA, except perhaps the janitor, would support this claim. There is clear empirical proof of a recent spike in global temperatures. Also literally hundreds of proxy studies of global temperatures resulting in the hockey stick graph. The "Y2K glitch" story is an old one used to try to dismiss all sorts of evidence. It is untrue.

James Kushiner: In the interests of truth and charity, it is now clear that Keith Briffa did not "cook" his results. He used a small set of available tree cores for specific reasons and this is clearly stated in his study. Broader studies using a more complete set of data produced essentially the same results. Briffa's proxy study is one of hundreds of others that show the same trend. In fairness to all involved, this needs to be clarified and insinuations retracted.

[YaknYeti]

Matt,

If you can link to any articles that would back up your assertion, I would appreciate it.
Steve McIntyre has not conceded to his critics, and the issue seems far from settled to me. But McIntyre's points seem reasonable, and any scientist who cherry-picks his data points as Briffa did has a heavy burden of proof to justify his choices.