The British-based Tipping Point Group, hosted by the Columbia Climate Center, ran an unusual but very interesting event here last Sunday and Monday. It was invitation only I'm afraid which is why it was not widely publicized, but it was targeted at bringing the art world and the climate science world together - trying to catalyze interactions that would stimulate the creation of new art targeted at communicating climate science in new and unique ways. I attended only a few hours
myself - but it was a very well organized activity and included a very posh reception at the British Consul General's penthouse residence downtown on Monday night.
I spent way too much time in the city this week. Earth Institute meetings on Monday and Thursday and on Wednesday we held a very successful Advisory Board Meeting at the newly renovated Columbia Club down on 43rd Street. And in between all this dashing around, I wore out my writing hand signing hundreds of Holiday cards. I really like our card this year - it has VEMA under full sail on the front...
Speaking of Holiday cards, thanks to Robin Bell we have achieved something of a coup - President's Bollinger's official card - that will go out to literally thousands - features one of Robin's beautiful photos of Antarctica, and, very importantly, a short 'blurb' about Lamont and how wonderful we are. A small thing perhaps - but it will bring a lot of good exposure to the Lamont name with a very exclusive group of folks.
If you have been following the frenzied debate about the stolen emails from the University of East Anglia Climate Centre, I recommend to you the lead editorial in the December 3rd edition of Nature - the best piece of reasoned prose on the topic I have seen to date. And I believe the warning (contained in this article) that our community needs to prepare itself for more attacks of this general nature is an unfortunate reality.
I surmise that a fair fraction of Lamont will be migrating west to San Francisco this weekend (as I am) - I hope to see many of you at our reception on Tuesday evening (and again I regret that it is a cash bar this year - just no alternative given the financial climate). As ever the AGU program is frustratingly full of unavoidable schedule conflicts. It will be a frenzied week.
Have a great weekend and safe travels to those who are headed to San Fran.
Mike