The programs today are stacked up, one after another, 30 min. apiece. As a result, there's not much opportunity to blog about them -- I'm struggling just to take notes.

Two quick observations:

I expected, coming to this, that it would be an opportunity for CEOs to robotically repeat talking points programmed into their heads by their PR departments. This has, thus far at least, not been true. Immelt, Scott Jr., Liveris, Rogers -- they've all been relaxed and surprisingly frank. It's clear they feel comfortable here and are sharing what they really think.

Their business models and practices are what they are, but at least on a personal basis, they're all quite real and quite likeable. Surprisingly B.S.-free.

Secondly: Myron Ebell looks just as pinched, arrogant, and stupid in person as you would imagine from reading his writing.

More later.

UPDATE: Speaking of Ebell, his panel is up next, and he's pacing back and forth next to me, like a boxer preparing for a fight. I want to do something to rattle him. Maybe trip him? Ideas in comments.

UPDATE: It has come to my attention that the pinched, pudgy man pacing next to me was not Myron Ebell of CEI, but Steve Milloy of junkscience.com. Ebell actually looks, to the naked eye, fairly normal, though the hackishness emerges rather quickly when he opens his mouth. Milloy, however, has that classic paste-eating high-school reject look, the kind who's still working out his adolescent resentments on a bigger stage. I still think I shoulda tripped him.