blastLincoln

Noddy Rides Again:

[Letter in the Rasen Mail, refuting Mr Briggs’s claims to “scientific” objectivity]:

The Faldingworth explosions man, Mr Briggs, wrote in the Rasen Mail last week. As well as implying our MP is a liar, he made several untrue claims (no you haven’t been turned away from any residents meetings in the last 12 months, Mr Briggs, though you were invited to several, particularly last Thursday in Faldingworth when 150 angry people wanted a word with you). Mostly what he did, though, was tell us yet again how “scientific” he is.

He hasn’t worked out that “science” involves being unbiased, which means you can’t just take your own measurements, particularly when you don’t know what you’re doing. As I’ve pointed out several times recently, Mr Briggs may be a whizz at making things go bang, but his grasp on acoustics and seismology is zero. Mr Briggs will have none of it, however. He quotes a throwaway comment of mine where I suggested that he has the seismological skills of Noddy.

“All I have to do”, he says, “is switch the machine on and read the result. I assume even Noddy could do that.” Why yes, Mr Briggs, that’s exactly what I’d expect Noddy to do, probably with his thumb in his mouth.

Meanwhile, up on the Wolds are some people interested in aftershocks from the earthquake. They are digging elaborate holes and calibrating complex equipment. They don’t just “switch it on and take a reading”. They know what they’re doing. They do not have their thumbs in their mouths.

I’m pleased to see Mr Briggs acknowledge that yes, he does have exactly the scientific skills of Noddy. I’m sure the little blue cap and bell will be very fetching. But it would be nice if he’d remember that he’s messing up our lives with his antics, and this is a rather more grownup matter.

David Humpage