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Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

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Alan H
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Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#1 Post by Alan H » June 28th, 2010, 1:06 pm

You may have missed this, but Guardian journalist, Simon Jenkins, expounded his views on science on Friday. Unfortunately, he has little understanding of science and he has been ridiculed for his idiotic statements.

The inimitable Prof Steven Curry, who blogs at nature.com, has been part of a campaign to create spoof Simon Jenkins blog posts. His contribution is here and there is another by Jenny Rohn with a list of other spoof articles at the bottom.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
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ludite
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#2 Post by ludite » June 28th, 2010, 1:42 pm

I hadn't read the article but having now done so one thought came to my mind 'pillock' its because of evil money grubbing scientist that problems of the past are solved. The end of polio in most of the world and many other killers is just one of the reasons to support science.Oh by the way the spoofs were far more interesting than the article.

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Dave B
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#3 Post by Dave B » June 28th, 2010, 1:47 pm

What a total twat!

He has not only no understanding of science but I don't think much of his journalism either. Had a bit of trouble telling which was the spoof.

Surprised that The Gruaniad ran such a piece but then I only ever read it about once every third hospital appointment so I am no expert on their current policies.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
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grammar king
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#4 Post by grammar king » June 28th, 2010, 3:25 pm

It's all over twitter as well, IIRC the hashtag is #spoofjenks.

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Dave B
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#5 Post by Dave B » June 28th, 2010, 3:27 pm

Wonder if he is enjoying the (in)fame(y)?
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
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jdc
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#6 Post by jdc » July 2nd, 2010, 6:10 pm

I dashed off a quick spoof and I was a bit surprised to see it mentioned in the Guardian's round-up - http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/ ... of-science

I quite liked standupmaths -
If only science could look out of its underground lab and see that in the real world we have things like aeroplanes, computers, cars and hospitals that need power, not science.
Cf Jenkins -
Thousands of scientists buried under a Swiss mountain might have been better employed on energy research.
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Dave B
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#7 Post by Dave B » July 2nd, 2010, 6:28 pm

jdc, are you (possibly) falling into the same trap as Jenkins - and many others. There are so many scientists working in so many fields of research and only a few are "picked on" by the media and held up as representing the whole.

So, a few scientists (thousands?) are buried under the French/Swiss frontier - how does that compare with the global team working on alternative energy systems? One to one or one hundred thousand to one? I would guess the latter is more accurate.

Anyone who takes the media seriously, and that may include the scientific media, is not getting an unbiased picture. Everyone has an axe to grind when it comes to protecting their own little bit of territory. Even some scientists with a life long career of honesty and integrity have been known to be a little less than objective when it comes to their pet theories.

Part of the problem may be that a lot of the energy research is carried out by the energy companies themselves. Thus they are not going to announce anything until it is commercially viable and they are going to keep everything secret from their competitors. Thus is is the university research teams that attract all the media attention. And the media usually loves it when such make mistakes. This does science no favours.

BTW, I very much liked your quote from Rutherford.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

jdc
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Re: Simon Jenkins, the Guardian's non-science journalist

#8 Post by jdc » July 2nd, 2010, 7:51 pm

Dave B wrote:jdc, are you (possibly) falling into the same trap as Jenkins - and many others. There are so many scientists working in so many fields of research and only a few are "picked on" by the media and held up as representing the whole. [...]
Just on this point: I actually think that this is something I've been guilty of in the past. I've tended to write about crap journalism, cos that's what I'm interested in (and I think that's fair enough) but I also made too many general remarks about journalists and journalism and failed to mention many of those that were getting it right. I sort-of acknowledged this in a recent blogpost:
because not all articles in the mainstream media are bad (however much I criticise the MSM), here is an article from Adam Rutherford* in the Guardian on the appointment of Tredinnick to the Parliametary Select Committee.
People like, say, Mark Henderson do a really good job and never to mention that would mean presenting a distorted picture of sci journalism in this country.


(*Another Rutherford! Don't know if they're related.)
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