The pond is full to the gills of Murdochian nonsense.
So what a great idea for the Fairfaxians to present Tim Minchin's foreword to The Best Australian Science Writing 2013, under the header Science inspires, so don't let your art rule your head.
It's an apology for science which refuses to apologise, and instead makes lots of points about the "Colin the chicken" lovers who infest fluoride free Portland (and Queensland and many other parts of the world), though he might have also made many of the same point about the commentariat "Colin the chicken" and climate science haters who infest the world of Murdoch.
Minchin might be known as a comedian, but he was also the son of a surgeon, and his writing is sharp and incisive.
It turns out that there's more to life than the world of Rupert Murdoch. Who'd have known, but thank the long absent lord for that ...
There are all sorts of pieces in the collection - some of them are noted here - including one by noted climate scientist Chris Turney - you can catch his web presence here.
The pond doesn't usually do puff pieces, but there are times when puffery is needed.
Yes, you can imagine the nausea that tweet produced, with Abbott talking of showcasing Australian scientists, while at the same time refusing to appoint a Minister of Science ...
Of course Abbott had a problem.
Dennis Jensen put up his hand to be the Minister, and Jensen is a notorious denialist, who in recent times has had to pull in his denialist horns and support the coalition's official policy which purports to take seriously climate science and its conclusions.
Appointing Jensen to the role would have been a step too far even for a dog whistler like Abbott.
Remember the good old days?
CHRIS UHLMANN, POLITICAL EDITOR: They certainly did, Leigh, and two issues consumed Question Time: the carbon tax and the riots at Christmas Island's detention centre. In some ways the Coalition probably felt a bit spoilt for choice on which to attack first, but it settled on the carbon tax given it's been such a diabolical problem for Labor. Perhaps ministers should take a leaf out of Liberal Dennis Jensen's book. He proved today that when explaining difficult concepts, it helps if you have some props.
DENNIS JENSEN, LIBERAL: Does anyone know what that is? Charcoal, also known as carbon. If you notice when I let it go, it doesn't float into the air. .... All of those little bubbles there, it's the same stuff that you breathe out. This government has managed to actually tax the air that we breathe.
And you can still catch the vision of Jensen clowning with a lump of carbon and a can of coke on the ABC here.
Well Jensen left Abbott with a major dilemma - you can't dogwhistle if you have a barking mad clown for a science minister - and so he ducked the challenge, seeing as how the coalition back bench is littered with denialists and luddites:
Jensen is such a complete doofus, he couldn't get his head around why he didn't get the nod.
Western Australian Liberal Dennis Jensen's criticism came as the country's peak science bodies expressed concern over Mr Abbott's new ministry, which has omitted a dedicated science minister for the first time in more than 50 years.
Dr Jensen, who had publicly put himself forward as a potential science minister, said on Tuesday the omission of a specific portfolio was incoherent.
"I'm somewhat confused about what happened to the science portfolio," he told ABC News 24. (here, forced video at end of link)
He's somewhat confused? Why doesn't he have another drink of coke? It's full of life-giving air ...
Jensen is on record as saying that most of the things Lord Monckton has said are "entirely reasonable", which led to this bit of questionnaire comedy, here.
Australia has had a science minister in the federal government since 1931, and it has now been shoved off to two portfolios, with most of it, including the CSIRO, under the minister for industry, Ian MacFarlane.
The pond now has the ideal solution. Give Tim Minchin the job. After reading his preface, there's no doubt he'd do it better than the clowns in the government, not least Jensen, who still doesn't understand how his Moncktonish ways are too rich even for Tony Abbott ...
Oh yes, send in the re-tweeting clowns, and there's a lot more by way of amusing tweets and good links at A Science Denying Fan of Monckton as Science Minister?
When you meet an Australian scientist, remember to say how sorry you are for their plight, and hope with them that things will get better ...
My goodness me. I used to read the Spectator until they introduced the colonial edition so I am familiar with James Dillingpole. I had no idea however than he is so batty. He was completely out of his depth. And Jensen? The Liberal Party are full of loons.
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