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Fortunately we don't get a lot of this kind of carry-on being performed by Kiwis but it seems that one supposedly reputable organisation has just tried its hand at cybersquatting and I for one am not impressed.

Take a look at the website at www.climatescience.org.nz which is the *genuine* thing, a site designed to challenge the widely accepted concept of man-induced global warming.

Perhaps a little naively, the founders of this site felt it most appropriate to register in the .org.nz namespace because they're a not-for-profit organisation.

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The site itself is somewhat unremarkable and it's a bit disappointing to see so much PDF material there (this is the internet folks -- HTML lives here!)

Now take a look at www.climatescience.co.nz.

Spot the difference?

Well apart from the fact that the site-design is vastly more professional and you don't have to load up proprietary software to view its contents - the most important part of this site is right at the bottom, deceptively hidden in a very low-contrast gray, where it says "©2006 Greenpeace Aotearoa NZ".

That's right -- the .co.nz name redirects you to a site operated by Greenpeace which boldly supports the theory that global warming is a man-made thing.

Was it just coincidence that Greenpeace registered the same domain name in a different second-level space as the NZ Climate Science Coalition?

Of course it wasn't -- Greenpeace's actions were nothing more than a very nasty attempt to pass-off their utterings for those of the Coalition.

Quite frankly I expected better ethics from Greenpeace and am very disappointed that they now fall into the same category as those spammers, phishers, crackers and other Net-undesirables.

I don't care who's right in this argument over global warming but I do care that such underhanded techniques are being used to "trick" internet users.

What's the matter Greenpeace, are you worried that the NZCSC might be onto something and that your science doesn't quite stack up? Why else veer away from an ethical, responsible airing of your views and evidence?

There was at least some ironic justice in force this morning when I found Greenpeace's own website to be inaccessible.

Right now I'm sure all the tofu-crazed, tree-hugging, sandal-wearing, VW Kombi-driving greenies are outraged at what I've said and will claim that Greenpeace are doing us all a service by using whatever tactics are necessary to alert us to the devastating effects we're having on the planet.

Well that's just fine and dandy -- but given the choice between living on a planet wreaked by global warming and one in where the "holier than thou" amongst us feel it's fine to use underhand and quite possibly illegal tactics to prevent the free speech of others -- I'll take the former thanks.

I'll admit that I did have some respect for Greenpeace and the work they've been doing to highlight the the issue of global warming -- but much of that respect has been blown to hell after this little example of bad behaviour.

Sorry guys, you've shot yourself in the foot on this one. Maybe it's time to register "saveourfeet.org.nz"?

But this is just one man's opinion isn't it?

What's your take on this? Is it fair to resort to underhand tactics in order to effectively suppress the publication of opinions that differ from your own?

Are Greenpeace guilty of passing-off? (it sure looks like it to this untrained but rather experienced set of eyes)

Is there blood on Greenpeace's sandals after this little demonstration of bad ethics?

Is it time to nuke all the unborn baby black gay whales for Jesus?

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