The Cock Bucket » bad numbers

BBC expenses non-cockbucket

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:34:20 +0000

The Guardian in a clear bout of Torygraph-envy have tried to whip up a scandal about the BBC’s expenses. After 200 “so what” comments they deleted it and re-filed it. The original is here. To the same effect. Private Jet? £100 champagne for Bruce? National big yawn.

I’ll come clean here. I’ve worked at the BBC, and I’ve never worked with a bunch of people more conscious of their public service remit and attempting to do the best they can for their audience.

Auntie is doing the best she can.

The World Health Organisation also may be making up numbers

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:32:49 +0000

The Climate Resistance guys are pissing in the wind, nay the gale, of the thundering Juggernaut of the green movement. I like to read their stuff, it challenges the orthodoxy and provokes my cynical skeptical glands.

Here, they thoroughly take apart the “150,000 deaths attributable to climate change”.

Whatever you think, having global influencers just throwing numbers into a bucket is a tad off.

The music industry uses made-up numbers?

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:40:08 +0000

Slightly late to the game with this one, but a nice number-demolishing piece from our Sainted Ben Goldacre. See, I’ve worked in the music business and am of the opinion that music should be free, musicians should get paid. And many do, just not at the obscene levels they were used to and are having to find other outlets for their work.

Maybe the problem is that the music “industry” has stood in the way of making music reasonably priced so we don’t feel ripped off. Many established artists are able to circumvent the old ways with innovative models. Maybe they’re just hanging onto their doomed jobs?

Still, enjoy Ben’s Piece.