I hope Umbongo will forgive my posting his comment here, but it’s rather good. The glee with which criticism of The Great Global Warming Swindle was publicised by the BBC was noted, for instance here on EURef. Little wonder then that this point of view is amplified and repeated, just in case we missed it (actually, I think we did fail to mention it “up top” so to speak…), today on the BBC:
For her the “closely argued” and consensually accepted truth of the Gore film (although she admits that in a court of law – ah you see where she’s coming from – some of the “facts” were found to be . . . er . . lies) is contrasted with the outpourings of a “vocal tiny minority” through the Channel 4 documentary. She doesn’t claim that any of the facts contradicting AGW in the “Swindle” were lies but relies on the finding that the warmist scientists quoted/interviewed were misled into taking part in a polemic. She likes polemics but not if they contradict her “truth”. So we have on TV a simulacrum of (to her) the discredited English system of getting at “legal” truth opposed by her preferred “false but accurate” argument of the BBC impartiality mind-set of which she is such an enthusiastic proponent. She closed the programme by wondering if the vocal non-consenting minorities should (a la Hansen) be silenced – if not prosecuted – for daring to oppose the consensus.
Lisa Jardine is the daughter of Jacob Bronowski. The final image of Dr B, in his “Ascent of Man”, standing in the mud at Auschwitz is implanted in my brain. He wept and said that Auschwitz and, by implication, all the other hell-holes constructed by Man, is the unavoidable destination reached by the denial and silencing of truth. Were he still alive I don’t think Dr B would be proud of his daughter.”
A D in A-Level Physics is not the same as a Ph.D., University of Cambridge, Palaeontology, and
B.Sc. (Hons), University of Otago, Geology. So when it come to believing Milliband or Professor Bob Carter – there is no contest.
And if you don’t know who Bob carter is watch this
We are discussing whether a Minister in the UK’s government would have the ability to comprehend the rudiments of the science involved in climatology if he ‘achieved’ a grade ‘D’ in his physics A-level. Let us be clear: a grade ‘D’ is less than 50% so Miliband failed and therefore is unlikely to have the scientific background. The fact that he did PPE at Oxford (aka the bluffer’s degree) means that he thinks that he knows more about the science than the scientists which is even more dangerous.
Allan@Oslo:
“Let us be clear: a grade ‘D’ is less than 50% so Miliband failed ..”
You don’t seem to be able to accept the FACT that Miliband’s Grade D in Physics was a PASS. Ask him to show you the certificate.
Well, if you say so. I really can’t be too bothered about this distinction other than to accept the value of accuracy of fact. I for one am happy to accept the word of one evidently expert in the ticking of boxes.
But it really is a sweet metaphor for life today.
‘But it can’t have collapsed… he got a D and that’s a PASS… with a certificate and everything!’
So… in critical areas of science/engineering endeavour first the grades get rigged any which way so fewer products of our education system look like failing, then the Uni entrance requirements get adjusted so more can enter higher education and, one presumes, get ‘given’ degrees on a similar basis. Then they can use these to go into positions of responsibility and power (though not accountability, obviously) to talk with authority on the basis of, well… a certificate that is printed on some paper of questionable value, that really is only accepted in certain career paths that are not too rigourous or demanding on actual ability or relevant qualification, such as politics.
Those we seek to compete with on the basis of real talent must be laughing all the way to the bank. Oh… they are.
If you have a spare $10k, you can get it in a tad more detail, but the summary is still worth a gander:
The Media’s Key Role in ‘Greenwashing Washout’
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/08/04/the-medias-key-role-in-greenwashing-washout/
‘…consumers express more distrust of the media, underscoring the importance of communicating only the most meaningful, memorable and relevant environmental news to have the best chance of regaining consumer trust.’
I would probably add ‘balance’ to that mix. Certain media… take note. You know who you are. That is, if you really care about helping people make their own minds up in ways that might actually make a tangible, positive difference to our own kids’ futures rather than pushing certain agendas from pedestals in the belief that the public is not qualified to understand ’emerging truths’ and need nudging the ‘right’ way no matter what.
It tends to backfire.
The pass mark for ‘A’ levels has always been about 40%.
David Miliband’s grades were BBBD. That was fairly typical for members of his Oxford college (Corpus Christi) at the time he was there.
Doing well in the college admission exam and interview was more important than ‘A’ level grades.
He got a First in PPE.
I agree with Allan@Oslo that PPE is a bit of a bluffer’s degree.
Other Oxford PPE graduates are:
David Cameron
William Hague
David Willetts
Alan Duncan
Nigel Lawson
Ewdwina Currie
Ann Widdecombe
Edward Heath
Tony Benn
Harold Wilson
Roy Jenkins
Shirley Williams
Michael Foot
Hugh Gaitskell.
All bluffers!
Arthur Dent:
One grade above an “F”.
Ha!
Yes, that post didn’t quite come out as I meant it to. Damn Haloscan for not allowing edits.
“F” for me on that one. Guess that qualifies me for the Nu-Lab cabinet!
Though firing up the improbability drive might take me to a place where a “D” is one place up from an “F”