CBS, MSNBC Websites Promote Earthquakes' Tie to Global Warming

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An article at CBSNews.com and MSNBC.com utilizes the claims of a scientist with some very questionable ideas and theories. In this case it's "seismic activity is five times more energetic than 20 years ago" and the reason is due to -- you guessed it -- global warming.

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 analysis of more than 386,000 earthquakes between 1973 and 2007 recorded on the US Geological Survey database proved that the global annual energy of earthquakes on Earth began increasing very fast since 1990.

Dr. [Tom] Chalko said that global seismic activity was increasing faster than any other global warming indicator on Earth and that this increase is extremely alarming.

Who exactly is this Dr. Tom Chalko? And how precisely are earthquakes related to global warming? The blog SansPretense has done a pretty thorough job dissecting Chalko's claims, as well as investigating some of Chalko's other "research." For example, Chalko contributes to a "scientific" journal that's ... not what many would consider scientific. It's called the NU Journal of Discovery -- the "NU" standing for Natural University. There's just one problem: There is no Natural University. Take a look at the "university's" website to see what I mean:

• NU is a University in which there are no professors, only Autonomous Individual Intellects that respect each other's Freedom of Choice.
• NU is a University in which everyone is a perpetual STUDENT and everyone learns from everyone else.
• NU is a University in which there are no secrets, no project is ever banned and information is always open for discussion for those who can comprehend it.
• NU is a University that accepts anyone who has enough motivation to develop his/her individual intellect, regardless of age, gender, nationality, belief system and social status.
• NU is a University in which the study of the limitations of the material reality will be only a part of exploring the Universal Law and the Purpose of Existence.
• NU is a University in which there is nothing to steal, simply because knowledge is given away free to start with.
• NU is a University that is nowhere in particular and yet everywhere on Earth.
• NU is a University that will never be referred to as a building or a business.
• NU is a University that will be impossible to close down.
• NU is a University in which the distribution of information will resemble the fractal distribution of the information in the entire Universe, so by studying any fragment in sufficient detail you can eventually learn the lot
• NU is a University whose Purpose precisely coincides with The Purpose of the entire Universe - maximizing the satisfaction from conscious existence.

So, Chalko is a professor, er, um, "facilitator of knowledge" (since Natural University has no professors) at a university that doesn't exist/yet exists everywhere. Right. Got it.

Some of Chalko's other "scientific" interests/workshops are the study of "auras" which includes "How to see your own Aura," "Meaning of the Aura and its colours," "Amplifying your Aura vibration," and "Matching your Aura with the environment." Then there's "Healing and Consciousness" which includes the "Role of Aura, bio-energy and chakras," the use of "colour to enhance your well-being," and "Choosing garments, decorating home and office."

MSNBC's version of the article lists [another of] Chalko's "credentials" at bottom -- he is "Head of Geophysics Division at Scientific Engineering Research, Mt Best, Australia." If you visit the site, it appears to be nothing more than Chalko's own webpage (or one of his webpages). There are no other individuals listed at the Division that I could find; in other words, Scientific Engineering Research is Tom Chalko, and Tom Chalko is Scientific Engineering Research.

But Chalko's claims in the CBS/MSNBC articles are tame compared to the assertions in one of his papers linked to at the SER: The Earth could explode as a result of global warming! I kid you not. Funny how, as the blog SansPretense points out, the planet didn't explode long ago when the planet was much hotter than it is now. In addition, SansPretense provides links to two articles that refute Chalko's overall thesis about earthquakes.

Is this what the MSM has come to? Are they so determined to enforce the cult of global warming that they'll use anybody's research, however questionable?

UPDATE: CBSNews.com has yanked the story from their website. But the blog Quake n'Bake has a screen capture for your viewing pleasure.