Climate denier Prof Ian Plimer ripped to shreds on Australian TV

The Australian geologist and businessman, Prof. Ian Plimer's lies are exposed in a debate with journalist George Monbiot.

The dynamics of the interview / debate, which appeared a couple of nights ago on Australian ABC Television are pretty strange.

It appears as if Plimer wanted to be the interviewer rather than the interviewee, even though he was the one who wrote the book that was the topic of discussion. Yet, he refused to answer straightforward questions regarding the accuracy of statements he made in the book - even though these questions tend to cast the pages of his book in the light of used toilet paper.

He would constantly revert to the tactic of answering a straight question about his own book with some random balderdash.

He was snafu'd most blatantly of all on his contention that volcanoes produce more Co2 than human beings. This is like a piece of gospel for climate deniers. It's a claim that I have seen repeated dozens of times by deniers.

It was pointed out that the U.S. Geological Survey found that humans actually produce 130 times more Co2 than volcanoes. After numerous attempts to change the subject, Plimer then goes on a lengthy explanation that 85% per cent of volcanoes are under the oceans. At this point, Monbiot submits that the U.S. Geological Survey had been specifically asked by a U.K. journalist about this point and that the response was that undersea volcanoes had been included in the USGS calculations. Plimer was just totally exposed for the fraud he is.

It may all be moot at this point. As Copenhagen nears the end, still no hope for a deal is in sight, with U.S. President Obama scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Canada's role has been little more than an embarrassment.

Admittedly, Canadian emissions are not really a factor, even though we are the world's 8th highest Co2 emitter and have the dirtiest project on Earth, the Alberta Tar Sands, right here in our ownback yard.

The major polluters - primarily the U.S.and China, are the ones that have to change their positions in order to achieve an overall different result.

However, a Canadian move could put a little more pressure on the U.S. and China to act. As it stands, Canada's image as the oil-rich, snotty-nosed, spoiled brat is still deflecting a lot of attention from China and the U.S. If we were to move our camp thataways, it would leave China and America more exposed to the bos and arrows from the rest of the world.

Doesn't seem likely though. Our entire country's agenda is now being run by one province, Alberta. And I think it is Harper who will ultimately be forced by Obama to budge a tiny bit, just in order to save face. Up until that time, Stevie will be happy to take a few journalistic arrows in the service of big oil profits.

That's if he isn't late for the meeting...

(and I do hope I'm wrong about this and Harper turns out to be a real leader)