Matharu's Rants and Raves » Bad Science

Ben Goldacre on Boris Johnson’s misuse of statistics

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:33:50 +0000

“How can you tell when a politician is lying? When you see their lips move!”. Old old joke. And perhaps topical.

Ben Goldacre calls Boris Johnson to task for the misuse of statistics. Goldacre goes on to state “…the contempt with which politicians hold evidence and statistics.”.

Boris Johnson gets upset when he’s not allowed to misuse statistics. That tells a story.
http://bengoldacre.posterous.com/boris-johnson-gets-upset-when-hes-not-allowed

Boris Johnson promulgates bad science and, by implication, attacks reason.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

Errors with Statistics

Kulvinder Matharu — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:03:36 +0000

Errors with statistics:

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

BBC Horizon – Science Under Attack

Kulvinder Matharu — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:32:09 +0000

I was going to post something about the recent BBC Horizon episode “Science Under Attack” but I held off as I needed to calm down after witnessing, in my humble opinion, the bizarre behaviour of Daily Telegraph journalist James Delingpole. Well, I’ve calmed down now and have seen that richarddawkins.net has some commentary on this so I’d recommend people to go there and contribute to a very interesting discussion.

I would just like to add that, after slagging off the general state of Horizon a while ago, I was most impressed with this week’s episode “Science Under Attack”. It looks as if someone at the BBC has been putting some hard work into making Horizon a premier science documentary again. Well done BBC.

The main point about “Science Under Attack” is that the scientific community needs to become a bit more media-savvy. This is especially important when cranks and kooks, with their siren songs of unreason, get equal or more air-time than true science. And, as Ben Goldacre so wonderfully explains in his book Bad Science, the public have a warped idea of what a scientist is and this is reinforced by the behaviour of the media such as when a newspaper reports “scientists have come up with an equation that indicates that your best chance to meet your most compatible partner is on the first Friday after a public holiday” or other such nonsense. Science is not decided by journalists; there are established processes, the scientific method, presentation of evidence, peer review, etc. It isn’t done in the headlines of a newspaper. But at the same time, science needs to be more inclusive of the general populace. And that’s a real challenge.

The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

- Carl Sagan

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

No place for critical thinking at Oprah Magazine

Kulvinder Matharu — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:43:52 +0000

Article by Harriet Hall on the failed experiment in bringing real science and critical thinking to “O, The Oprah Magazine”:

Write for Oprah? Wrong for Me
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=6721

Ben Goldacre’s book “Bad Science” and website www.badscience.net details the misuse and abuse of science by the media; Harriet Hall’s experience would seem to validate a lot of that.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Boris Johnson harming kids?

Kulvinder Matharu — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:07:58 +0000

Having read Ben Goldacre “Bad Science” book and blog, and having read other websites dedicated to the need for evidence-based decisions and the need for proper trials, I agree with Ben Goldacre’s article “Boris Johnson and his innovative trial methodology” that Johnson may be harming our kids with his “tacit” endorsement of the Centre for Policy Studies hair-brained idea for a competition between schools to determine if “phonics” as a teaching aid works. I say “tacit” as, although Johnson talks about “controls” in his forward, I’m afraid that any “controls” will be meaningless in such a competition.

If Johnson allows this “competition” to determine the future of education then he is risking educational harm to a generation or more of children. C’mon Johnson, enough with the political short-termism; drum up support for long-term and large-scale randomised trials. It’s the ethical thing to do. Read “Bad Science” and understand; become a better Mayor, and champion for our kids future.

As for the Centre for Policy Studies, well, I’m not sure that such an organisation has demonstrated much competence here. What were they thinking?

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Bad Science libelled

Kulvinder Matharu — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:03:46 +0000

Ben Goldacre of “Bad Science” fame posts an article on Gillian McKeith’s accusations and, from the information provided, McKeith’s attempts to hide the evidence. A TwitterGate!

And then I was incompetently libelled by a litigious millionaire
http://www.badscience.net/2010/07/and-then-i-was-incompetently-libelled-by-a-litigious-millionaire/

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

The deceptions of Dr Andrew Wakefield

Kulvinder Matharu — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:30:02 +0000

The deceptions, immorality and, I would add, criminal acts of discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield laid bare at http://tallguywrites.livejournal.com/148012.html “The Facts In The Case Of Dr. Andrew Wakefield”.The media doesn’t come out looking good either. Neither does Jim Carrey. Or Jenny McCarthy.

Remember, there are a lot of misguided, ignorant and evil people around. A lot of people got hurt. So be careful out there.

Thanks to Bad Astronomy.

Other background information at:

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Chiropractors – shameful, vile?

Kulvinder Matharu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:29:55 +0000

Further to my recent article Chiropractor’s back off! at http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/04/15/384.html regarding the British Chiropractic Association on their dropping the libel case against Simon Singh, I’ve came across an article from the excellent Ben Goldacre at http://www.badscience.net/2010/04/british-chiropractic-association-drops-shameful-libel-case-against-science-writer-who-criticised-them/ which goes into a bit more depth. Well worth a read.

There is another excellent article from Stuff and Nonsense at http://jdc325.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/simon-singh-and-the-british-chiropractic-association/

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Ben Goldacre’s continuing story on LBC’s harassment and misinformation

Kulvinder Matharu — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:42:23 +0000

Thanks, Ben. http://www.badscience.net/2009/03/christ-i-need-a-haircut/

Related information at http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/02/09/187.html

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2009

Fish oil to snake oil…the Durham Council Story

Kulvinder Matharu — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:20:31 +0000

I’ve been following this story for some time now, and it’s got real interesting recently with articles on the current situation over at Bad Science and Holford Watch.

Basically, this is about the infamous fish oil “trial” and Durham Council’s claims on the positive effects of fish oil. But with no real evidence offered and what appears to be flawed “trials”, questions have to be adequately answered and accountability given. Instead we get smokescreens and other face-saving misdirections from Durham Council.

“Quack Quack!”

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