The climate blogosphere is full of interesting and quirky characters and one boisterous, prolific example has lately gone absent. Don Monfort is a big (6' 4"), rich (apparently from investments) Vietnam Veteran. He's been very active on the presidential discussion threads at Judith Curry's Climate Etc. touting Donald Trump. In Presidential Discussion Part 4 he got in some very heated arguments with commenter Dump Trump Now. Things got very nasty with macho challenges to meet at a prescribed place and time and legal threats. A lot of comments have been deleted. As of this writing, the Presidential Discussion threads are up to part seven and Monfort hasn't been seen since.
When I first ran across Don Monfort a few years ago he impressed me as a pompous blowhard. But as I read more of his comments, I found him to be intelligent, knowledgeable and an eloquent defender of a lot of conservative economic and political positions that I hold. I can see where his "in your face" style might put some people off and find it understandable why someone might not want him on their blog. His comments often get snipped and I'm sure many do not get past moderation.
He has a very interesting life story. He is a white man from Detroit who knew many Motown artists, most notably David Ruffin and Tammi Terrell. He got in trouble when he was young and was offered the choice of military service. Now I realize people have a tendency to embellish and exaggerate. For all I know he could be four foot six, live in his parents' Royal Oak basement and spend all day playing Code of Honor and watching reruns of Soul Train. But who would make up a history like that? Who would be creative enough to think it up? Climate commenter Al Neipres (aka Pokerguy) has often commented on how all the good writers are on the skeptic side.
As I've said, I can understand a blogger not putting up with his abrasive style and I have not seen most of what has been snipped or deleted. Deep down, I'm glad that someone is getting into the face of these climate loons. As Tom Fuller says, they act like Ayn Rand villains. And Fuller is a liberal and no fan of Rand's novels, saying, "the politics in that books [sic] are as functional as first generation climate models and the characters make Marvel Comics look like Dostoevsky". Anyway, if Don Monfort never shows up in the comments again, I think the climate blogosphere will have lost something.
Links:
https://judithcurry.com/
https://judithcurry.com/2016/03/23/u-s-presidential-discussion-thread-part-iv/
https://judithcurry.com/2016/05/06/u-s-presidential-election-part-vii/
https://judithcurry.com/2015/02/09/berkeley-earth-raw-versus-adjusted-temperature-data/#comment-673855
https://thelukewarmersway.wordpress.com/
https://thelukewarmersway.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/obama-publicly-humiliates-kevin-trenberth/
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