We wait with baited breath, Michael Mann’s response to Tim Ball’s discovery requests in Mann’s British Columbia Supreme Court action. Mann had been counting on Ball caving in and publishing a retraction over his accusation of a cover-up at Penn State in relation to Mann’s famous Hockey Stick Graph data. Now if Mann wishes to proceed with the action his is going to have to produce the data (r-squared correlation coefficient numbers) which he has so desperately tried to hide from the ‘sceptical’ scientific community since the ‘hockey stick’ graph was debunked.
Now Mann, clearly a glutton for punishment has begun legal proceedings against ‘The National Review’s’ Mark Styne. Again any thought that Styne will roll over in the face of legal proceedings have been quickly disabused. Mann, if he had any sense, should cleave to the maxim, ‘If you are in a hole, stop digging’. But I am so glad that he would appear to have an unlimited number of shovels. I know I am being overly optimistic to think that Mann will actually produce the data. No, he will take the hit, pay Ball’s costs, (after all he is not short of a bob or two with all that research grant money) and slink back behind the veil of secrecy which has been his defence since he was caught out ‘Hiding the decline’.
The Septic Sceptic 
July 27th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Dr. Mann’s data is published on the Internet for years. Where did you get this gibberish about a hockey stick” r-squared correlation coefficient?
Please explain what you are talking about and provide evidence that Ball’s lawyer has asked for this information.
July 28th, 2012 at 11:31 am
As you are aware, Dr. Mann’s Hockey Stick graph does not allow for the existence of the Medieval warm period nor the little ice age. The data he used to produce this graph as you correctly state is public knowledge. This is not at issue. What is at issue is the mathematical method he used to generate the flat section of the graph which excluded these two significant temperature deviations. It is this information that Dr. Mann will be required to produce as part of the discovery process involved in his libel action against Dr. Ball. The contention in my blog is that Dr. Mann will not wish to reveal this information and will, consequently, discontinue the action.