presence
03-11-2013, 08:06 PM
Posted by: JeffMasters (http://classic.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html), 5:14 PM GMT on March 09, 2013
Greedy Lying Bastards (http://greedylyingbastards.com/) is a documentary film on the politics of global warming, playing in theaters this weekend.
As it's rather provocative title suggests, this movie is all about exposing the bad guys--the fossil fuel industry, the private climate change denial "think tank" groups that they fund, and the politicians and media outlets sympathetic to the fossil fuel industry. The movie features several hero climate scientists, who focus on the political efforts to suppress climate science, rather than the science. Other "heroes" (http://www.exposethebastards.com/heroes) featured include politicians such as U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, several environmental journalists, and environmental activists such as Kert Davies of Greenpeace. The movie is produced by actress and climate activist Daryl Hannah and directed by filmmaker and political activist Craig Rosebraugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZdCfoDiMDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTZ1iai3_s
The movie is at its strongest when it traces the history of organized climate denial efforts in the United States. We learn through engaging and detailed 3-D graphics how tens of millions of dollars have flowed from the fossil fuel industry to organizations active in climate denial efforts. The movie spends a lot of time exposing the anti-climate science efforts of billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who jointly own majority stakes in Koch Industries, a large oil, gas and chemicals conglomerate based in Kansas. Through 2012, the Koch brothers spent $67 million to fund organizations engaged in climate science denial efforts, compared to $27 million spent by ExxonMobil on such efforts. Unfortunately, the movie was not able to mention the new power player in this game of thrones, Donor's Trust (and the affiliated Donors Capital Fund), whose influence has come to light only in past few months. Corporations who want to hide their contributions to climate science denial organizations can now launder them through Donor's Trust, who will keep the source of the funds secret. It's a charity, so this is all tax-deductible. According to mediamatters.org (http://mediamatters.org/print/blog/2013/02/28/how-the-dirty-energy-money-funding-climate-inac/192829), "Between 2008 and 2011, Donors Trust doled out over $300 million in grants to what it describes as 'conservative and libertarian causes,' serving as 'the dark money ATM of the conservative movement.' Donors Trust enables donors to give anonymously, noting on its website that if you 'wish to keep your charitable giving private, especially gifts funding sensitive or controversial issues,' you can use it to direct your money." The following chart created by The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/14/funding-climate-change-denial-thinktanks-network), based on data from Greenpeace, shows that as ExxonMobil and the Koch Foundations have reduced traceable funding for these groups, donations from Donors Trust have surged:
Greedy Lying Bastards (http://greedylyingbastards.com/) is a documentary film on the politics of global warming, playing in theaters this weekend.
As it's rather provocative title suggests, this movie is all about exposing the bad guys--the fossil fuel industry, the private climate change denial "think tank" groups that they fund, and the politicians and media outlets sympathetic to the fossil fuel industry. The movie features several hero climate scientists, who focus on the political efforts to suppress climate science, rather than the science. Other "heroes" (http://www.exposethebastards.com/heroes) featured include politicians such as U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, several environmental journalists, and environmental activists such as Kert Davies of Greenpeace. The movie is produced by actress and climate activist Daryl Hannah and directed by filmmaker and political activist Craig Rosebraugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZdCfoDiMDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTZ1iai3_s
The movie is at its strongest when it traces the history of organized climate denial efforts in the United States. We learn through engaging and detailed 3-D graphics how tens of millions of dollars have flowed from the fossil fuel industry to organizations active in climate denial efforts. The movie spends a lot of time exposing the anti-climate science efforts of billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who jointly own majority stakes in Koch Industries, a large oil, gas and chemicals conglomerate based in Kansas. Through 2012, the Koch brothers spent $67 million to fund organizations engaged in climate science denial efforts, compared to $27 million spent by ExxonMobil on such efforts. Unfortunately, the movie was not able to mention the new power player in this game of thrones, Donor's Trust (and the affiliated Donors Capital Fund), whose influence has come to light only in past few months. Corporations who want to hide their contributions to climate science denial organizations can now launder them through Donor's Trust, who will keep the source of the funds secret. It's a charity, so this is all tax-deductible. According to mediamatters.org (http://mediamatters.org/print/blog/2013/02/28/how-the-dirty-energy-money-funding-climate-inac/192829), "Between 2008 and 2011, Donors Trust doled out over $300 million in grants to what it describes as 'conservative and libertarian causes,' serving as 'the dark money ATM of the conservative movement.' Donors Trust enables donors to give anonymously, noting on its website that if you 'wish to keep your charitable giving private, especially gifts funding sensitive or controversial issues,' you can use it to direct your money." The following chart created by The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/14/funding-climate-change-denial-thinktanks-network), based on data from Greenpeace, shows that as ExxonMobil and the Koch Foundations have reduced traceable funding for these groups, donations from Donors Trust have surged: