Climate-Gate Fallout, Black Friday Sales and Hunger at the Holidays
United Nations officials deny that the “Climate-Gate” science scandal has biased their predictions of global warming.
Retail stocks drop after a disappointing performance by post-Thanksgiving “Black Friday” sales.
New York shelters serving the homeless are forced to throw away donated food because of the city’s ban on serving trans fats.
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1. ENVIRONMENT
United Nations officials deny that the “Climate-Gate” science scandal has biased their predictions of global warming.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis on how the scandal strikes at the heart of the scientific process:
“Skeptics have been accused of waging a ‘war on science’ because they frequently question the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) interpretation of the rapidly expanding field of climate change research. But science is not a set of dogmas certified by government-funded bodies….science is fundamentally an ‘adversarial process’ whereby competing scientists attempt to reproduce — that is, invalidate — each other’s results. This process absolutely depends on each combatant allowing the others to examine his data and methods. Tactics designed to hide data and methods are anti-science even if — nay, especially if – those resorting to such tricks are big-name scientists.”
2. BUSINESS
Retail stocks drop after a disappointing performance by post-Thanksgiving “Black Friday” sales.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Journalism Fellow Ryan Young on the economics of Black Friday:
“Which brings us to Black Friday’s most important economics lesson: not all costs are measured in money. Yes, the discounts to be had can be great. But you pay a price for them. The price can be waiting outside in the cold. It could be the crowds, the parking, or the long checkout lines. In rare cases like today’s Wal-Mart near-riot, safety becomes an issue. For some people, Black Friday’s pomp, circumstance, and sales are a cultural experience. They’re worth all the trouble. For other people, they’re not. Wherever you stand, non-price costs should be factored into your shopping habits. Otherwise you just might be getting ripped off.”
3. FOOD
New York shelters serving the homeless are forced to throw away donated food because of the city’s ban on serving trans fats.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini on the science behind the ban:
“These regulations are certainly extreme and unnecessary. There is some evidence that high levels of trans fats are not healthier than saturated fats as was once believed, but their risks have been greatly overstated. While individuals, particularly those with heart issues, might want to limit trans fat, tossing food needed to feed hungry people is really criminal. What next? Are we going to deny food to the poor because it has too much salt, sugar, or calories. What about food that comes in plastic containers – like bottled water? Don’t be surprised. That just might happen.”
Listen to LibertyWeek, the CEI podcast, here.