It's not just the CRU having a few problems

One of the limiting factors—in terms of the lack of impact that the CRU document leak has had on anthropogenic climate alarmists—is the simple fact that there are other temperature reconstruction projects.

In this regard, one of the main research centres is NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) which is led by the egregious James Hansen. Those of us who have taken an interest in such things have, of course, been maintaining that the GISS temperature reconstructions are extremely dodgy too, e.g. see here, here, here and here for starters.

However, via Bishop Hill (who is fast becoming the go-to man in these matters), I see that someone else has noticed that there are more than a few extra problems with the GISS records too.

One of [those looking at other institutions] is EM Smith who runs a blog called Musings from the Chiefio. Like Climate Audit, it's pretty hard going sometimes but as the first outsider to actually get NASA's GISSTEMP global temperature index running, it's very important. Fortunately, the Chiefio has written a layman's introduction to what he has found.

It's all disturbing, but his comments on "The Great Thermometer Dying" are simply astonishing.

Since about 1990, there has been a reduction in thermometer counts globally. In the USA, the number has dropped from 1850 at peak (in the year 1968) to 136 now (in the year 2009). As you might guess, this has presented some “issues” for our thermal quilt. But do not fear, GIStemp will fill in what it needs, guessing as needed, stretching and fabricating until it has a result.

Like His Ecclesiastical Eminence, I can only urge you to go and read the whole thing—it is simply mind-boggling...

Source: The Devils Kitchen