So: The University of Minnesota hopes to drum up some attention for itself by giving Al Gore an honorary degree for his work in climatology. The article quotes a spokesperson for the University offering two reasons for the offer: “He’s in the news and is a legitimate expert on a pressing issue of global concern, climate change.” Hmm, let’s see… “in the news” or “legitimate expert”—I wonder which of those two reasons is more pressing for the university?

Of course, the students get it. The article quotes one freshman shrugging off the rumor by saying, “It’s mainly a publicity thing”—a pretty accurate description, I think, of much of Gore’s global warming shtick.