Monthly Archives: May 2012

My publisher will match every pledge to send a Geek Manifesto to MPs

Posted on May 30, 2012 by markgfh

In The Geek Manifesto, I wrote about how skeptics had begun to use a website called Pledgebank.com to assemble a critical mass of people to complain about quacks making unsupported claims. I was delighted when Dave Watts decided to use … Continue reading →

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An interesting set of Geek Manifesto reviews

Posted on May 26, 2012 by markgfh

Several reviews of the book have hit the papers and the blogs today. James Wilsdon, in the Financial Times, concludes: The Geek Manifesto is the most compelling, engaging and entertaining account I’ve read of the relationship between science and politics. … Continue reading →

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The Geek Manifesto on GM crops

Posted on May 24, 2012 by markgfh

On Sunday, an anti-GM crop group called Take the Flour Back is planning a “day of mass decontamination” at the site of a trial of GM wheat run by Rothamsted Research — a public sector agricultural research organisation. The aim … Continue reading →

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An interestingly critical review

Posted on May 21, 2012 by markgfh

The Geek Manifesto was always written “on the understanding that not all geeks will agree”. And now it’s been published, that disagreement is starting to come through. To which I say brilliant. If the book provokes plenty of constructive thinking … Continue reading →

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Let’s send the Geek Manifesto to every MP…

Posted on May 21, 2012 by markgfh

In the book, I cover the way skeptics such as Simon Perry have used an online tool called Pledgebank to aid their campaigning — in Simon’s case, against dodgy claims made by alternative medicine practitioners. The idea is that you … Continue reading →

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Twitter’s reaction to the Geek Manifesto launch: a Storify

Posted on May 20, 2012 by markgfh

The reaction on Twitter to the launch of the Geek Manifesto last weekend was pretty amazing. Here are some of my favourite tweets collected into a storify… [View the story “The Geek Manifesto launch” on Storify]

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The Geek Manifesto: media roundup

Posted on May 19, 2012 by markgfh

Some great coverage for The Geek Manifesto in the media this week. Here are a few highlights, plus links to a couple of pieces by me. David Aaronovitch gave the book, and the ideas behind it, a fantastic write-up in … Continue reading →

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Gordon Brown and cystic fibrosis, Tony Blair and MMR

Posted on May 14, 2012 by markgfh

Rebekah Brooks’s appearance at the Leveson inquiry on Friday has renewed attention on The Sun’s decision, under her editorship, to reveal that Gordon Brown’s son Fraser has cystic fibrosis. It was, I felt at the time and continue to feel … Continue reading →

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An Office for Scientific Responsibility?

Posted on May 12, 2012 by markgfh

One of the ideas for improving political use of science and evidence that I suggest in the book is the creation of an Office for Scientific Responsibility. This would work rather like the Office for Budget Responsibility set up by … Continue reading →

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Published!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by markgfh

I came up with the idea for The Geek Manifesto in summer 2010. I wrote the proposal that autumn, and signed my contract with Transworld (Bantam Press) just before Christmas. I wrote the book in the first nine months of … Continue reading →

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