Global warming increases earthquake intensity

This obviously dubious (idiotic) story published by the Globe and Mail was also reported by a number of other gullible mainstream news outlets:

New research compiled by Australian scientist Dr Tom Chalko shows that global seismic activity on Earth is now five times more energetic than it was just 20 years ago.

The research proves that destructive ability of earthquakes on Earth increases alarmingly fast and that this trend is set to continue, unless the problem of "global warming" is comprehensively and urgently addressed.

[...]

The story is completely debunked and mercilessly ridiculed by Climate Audit and its readers. Ross McKitrick makes the following outstanding observations:

Worst science reporting on global warming since… all the other science reporting on global warming.

It’s fun to pile on about this particular fiasco, but in the end it only differs in degree, not in kind, from what we have grown used to. Years of credulous repetition of increasingly alarmist chicken-little garbage in the mainstream press, the exquisite media and academic silence about the countless inaccuracies and falsehoods in Al Gore’s speeches and movie, etc., etc., have created a situation in which any drivel, no matter how obviously nonsensical, gets uncritical headline hype in the world’s press, as long as it promotes public terror about global warming.

Up until now the mainstream press has set the needle at 9, as regards reporters’ willingness to pass along worthless BS for the good of the cause. This guy pushed the needle to 9.01, and suddenly everyone’s acting shocked and appalled. We can only hope that there will be a few science reporters out there who will look in the mirror and take stock of what has become of their profession.

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