Over the weekend news broke that The Climate Science Coalition (made up of climate change sceptics and members of the extreme-right Act Party) are suing New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) over NIWA’s temperature record showing warming.

Poneke Blogs:

“But it is absurd to try to get a court to declare what is correct science. Science is a system where hypotheses are put forward and tested by evidence that proves or disproves them. To try to have a court declare the country’s temperature is hot or cold is just a stunt.”

When I see this action two things come to mind. The first is the most famous incident involving science vs the church vs the courts: Galileo. While the church won that battle in the short term, in the long term Galileo was shown to be correct and changed the face of science.

The second is how many other pieces of modern science could be challenged by political lobbyists and religious nutcases?  Within the field of computer science an emerging area of research in artificial intelligence is in the use of genetic algorithms to breed artificial agents in order to naturally select and improve their abilities. Are those people who don’t believe in evolution going to sue the scientists for using evolution in their research? How absurd can things get?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10427931

A woman who called Napier police this morning to report a burglary became so upset she broke down in tears – although the police communications officer who took the initial call couldn’t stop smiling.

The call left senior sergeant Mal Lochrie shaking his head as he explained that the woman had called to report the theft of three marijuana plants which she had growing in pots outside.

She also bitterly complained that it was the fourth year in a row someone had sneaked on to her Ahuriri property and made off with her marijuana plants.

Mr Lochrie said the woman told the communications operator she was a good person and was sick and tired of “low-lifes” stealing her things.

“The community constable is going around to see her later to have a bit of a chat,” Mr Lochrie said.

- HAWKE’S BAY TODAY