[Lancey Howard]

This might be interesting although any connection to Berkeley could undermine it.

That's for sure.
Also:

As far as I know, no government or industry funds are involved -- at least at this stage. According to the Project's website www.berkeleyearth.org, support comes mostly from a group of charitable foundations.

"Charitable foundations" are sometimes known to push political causes and expect, for their money, the same kind of results government bureaucrats expect when they approve "grants". For example, I believe George Soros controls a number of "charitable foundations". Plenty of communist and left-leaning Democrat millionaires do.

The full makeup of the scientists involved in this new project must include as many skeptics as alarmists, or the results will again lack credibility.

[neverdem]

"Charitable foundations" are sometimes known to push political causes and expect, for their money, the same kind of results government bureaucrats expect when they approve "grants". For example, I believe George Soros controls a number of "charitable foundations". Plenty of communist and left-leaning Democrat millionaires do.

I trust S. Fred Singer, which violates my general rule of being suspicious of those who don't use their first name. He's on the side of the honest scientists.