Comments for Martin Robbins

Comment on About Me by Stehleuchten

Stehleuchten — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:05:00 +0000

The initial cost for these LED bulbs is high but they will pay back your investment
within a few months. 4 (blue) – to enhance wisdom and imagination,
emotions, calm the anger. These chips directly convert electricity to light
without the use of a filament or glass bulb.

Comment on The Department of Culture’s secretive meetings to define ‘small blogs’ by krisjones1

krisjones1 — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:16:54 +0000

I used to work for DCMS in the 90s and was responsible for several consultation exercises. For each exercise we had to publish a list of respondents, which included those invited to informal talks during such exercises. This was under Open Government principles, which preceded freedom of information legislation. We followed guidance on consultation that was issued and made public by the Cabinet Office. I would therefore suggest checking to see what current government guidance says. You could then ask DCMS how their attitude squares with that guidance. I would also suggest you make a direct FoI request.

Comment on The Department of Culture’s secretive meetings to define ‘small blogs’ by mjrobbins

mjrobbins — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:05:17 +0000

It wouldn’t make much sense for me to be invited, since I write for editors already in the ‘process’; but the point is they shouldn’t have been inviting *anyone* – it should be an open and transparent consultation. Well, if it’s going to happen at all – my ultimate view is that the exercise of trying to define ‘small blogger’ is a farce in the first place.

Comment on The Department of Culture’s secretive meetings to define ‘small blogs’ by Another

Another — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:33:37 +0000

You’re just jealous they didn’t invite you.

Comment on The Department of Culture’s secretive meetings to define ‘small blogs’ by _MrMustard

_MrMustard — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:32:40 +0000

There must be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of bloggers doing their own thing across the country. Here in Barnet we have 10+ bloggers who write mainly about the local council or politics and most will be unknown to the authorities (some of Barnet’s bloggers have been referenced in a speech by Eric Pickles MP but that doesn’t translate into going onto official invite lists).

A reply that starts with “We have made it clear..” usually means exactly the opposite and every person who writes a phrase like that should be put to proof.

I think I would ask the question again as FOI. Technically any question asking for facts is an FOI although I wouldn’t be pleased if a Press Office turned every question into an FOI in order to delay it. Journalists could hopefully come to an understanding with their regular press offices that questions would be submitted to the Press office in time honoured fashion for their early response or sent to the FOI section if a formal reply was required.

Comment on Is the Geek Movement bad for science? by NeuroWhoa

NeuroWhoa — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:35:38 +0000

@mjrobbins Not at all a response to regret. It was very well articulated and accurately stated.

Comment on Is the Geek Movement bad for science? by NeuroWhoa

NeuroWhoa — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:34:42 +0000

Not at all a response to regret. Very well articulated and accurately stated.

Comment on Is the Geek Movement bad for science? by Science is not political, except when it is | Science Blogs and News

Science is not political, except when it is | Science Blogs and News — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:04:32 +0000

[...] Several articles appeared, including two on these pages by Rebecca Higgitt and Jack Stilgoe, this by Peter Coles, and a provocatively trite little blogpost (author’s own words) which was dissected by Martin Robbins here. [...]

Comment on Is the Geek Movement bad for science? by endless_psych

endless_psych — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 13:06:32 +0000

One of the oft repeated things you hear from science communication types is that there are multiple publics and that each of these needs to be interacted in different ways.

Yet a grassroots movement doing a form of science communication is derided and dismissed as putting a monolithic public off science. Ignoring a rather glaringly obvious thing: SitP and the Geek events so derided in posts such as this are, in the main, run by volunteer members of the public. They are representative of and meet the demands of one aspect of the publics need for science communication.

It seems somewhat hypocritical for a discipline supposedly sensitive to and concerned with engaging multiple publics and audiences to turn to one section, one audience, one public and tell them they are doing it wrong.

Comment on Is the Geek Movement bad for science? by tomwphillips

tomwphillips — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 12:33:01 +0000

Responses to @HCDayantis’ blog post are thoroughly amusing. Everyone’s so ANGRY! Really struck a nerve, e.g. @mjrobbins http://t.co/ov1ZvsD3