“I did my own research”!
“I did my own research”!
“I did my own research”? No. You didn’t. You can’t!
science
New Year. Good News.
This one goes out to all those good people running round like their hair’s on fire.
Has the EU failed during COVID-19?
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s blog
For global governance organisations, this is an important moment. This is the chance for them to demonstrate their worth and coordinate the response. In many ways how these structures respond becomes more important than the response of nation-states. This also is where the deficiencies and shortcomings of such organisations become very apparent. The noise coming from the EU in the last 48 hours is far from reassuring.
Power and Knowledge.
We say that knowledge is power…
The Mariana Trench Fix.
The Mariana Trench is pretty huge. And deep. And if the idea is to fill a hole in the ground with ‘stuff’, then it’s a fair sized hole to be filling, right?
The parties on science
There’s an interesting piece by Peter Griffin over at Sciblogs on various parties’ positions on science in NZ. Not many Kiwis vote on the basis of science – and that’s one of our problems.
March for Science
“We, the people, march for science and knowledge to be reaffirmed as fundamental to the democratic decision making that supports society in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We add our voices to the chorus supporting US and international scientists who oppose recent political events that damage and undermine science and its use in the public interest.”
A message for our anti-science government
Here’s some more science for the government to hate on: “Paris climate agreement cannot be met without emissions reduction target for agriculture”.
Silencing scientists integral to National’s anti-science DNA
“It’s gone too far. The spin and message control has got stronger. They are less willing to put scientists out there to talk to the public because of the inability to control the message” – Shaun Hendy.
Not all research is created equal
A recent “research” report on alcohol, funded by brewing company Lion, has been in the news lately. Sadly, not everything that purports to be research is honest research.
Portugal
This is going to end well…
Let them drink beer
Health Minister Coleman provides another salient example of the surreal lengths that National will go to in order to avoid facing up to truths that they don’t approve of.
NRT: An empty strategy
I/S at No Right Turn on the government’s National Statement of Science Investment . (Meant to repost this earlier in the week!)
Dear John Roughan
Dear John Roughan – I don’t think you’re a stupid person, but sometimes you use your platform in The Herald to say stupid things.
Generous welfare makes people more likely to want to work
Evidence on levels of welfare and willingness to work suggests that yet another nasty right-wing myth is wrong. Reality and its well known liberal bias strikes again.
North of 2
The international energy agency’s (IEA) view on climate change is that we are “on track for a 3.5°C rise by 2040” (i.e. 4.2°C relative to pre-industrial).
Fatih Birol – IEA chief economist said (3 years ago)
When I look at this data, the trend is perfectly in line with a temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius, which would have devastating consequences for the planet….we have 5 years to change the energy system – or have it changed
PM’s science award winners on the sell-off
“The Government’s continuing attempts to divest itself of state housing overlook the enormous benefits to society which these homes produce in alleviating severe housing shortages. They were built up by successive generations of New Zealanders, and to “sell them off” under the pretence of efficiency is a disservice to all of us, whether we’re homeowners or renters.”
Nats’ selective science
Dita De Boni in the Herald takes the Nats to task for their selective use of science, and Sir Peter Gluckman proposes gagging scientists.
Lowly science
I’m sure it’s true, but…
Idiots, Cowards and Bastards.
When they write about it at all, the media tends to produce a lot of smash on the issue of global warming, and I’ve had enough of the crap. I apologise for both the length of this post and the number of data chewing links (pdfs and video). I’m hoping to write a number of posts looking at global warming from a variety of perspectives, and hopefully, it’ll be possible to keep others somewhat briefer than this one.
NRT: National’s “innovation” agenda
No Right Turn on National’s science funding scam. Read it in conjunction with this piece in Stuff today on falling numbers of senior students following National’s axing of the postgrad student allowance. Welcome to the Brighter Future.
Sunday Reading
My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week: The Olympics, some interesting science on inequality and performance pay, and what does history look like when it’s not the propaganda of the victor?
John Key: Evidence please!
John Key prefers his gut to real evidence, and it means that the policies he is implementing aren’t the ones that are best for our country.
Also: Steven Joyce & the Rail Loop.
Twin peaks
We have all heard of the peak oil crisis that is already manifesting itself in fuel prices. Now, consider peak food, the point […]