That’s a slightly better apology

segregated

Tim Hunt was chastised by his hosts at the Korean meeting of the World Conference of Science Journalists, and he replied with a slightly better apology.

The federation asked for an apology. And got one almost immediately. Hunt wrote that he regretted his “stupid and ill-judged remarks.” He added: “I am mortified to have upset my hosts, which was the very last thing I intended. I also fully accept that the sentiments as interpreted have no place in modern science and deeply apologize to all those good friends who fear I have undermined their efforts to put these stereotypes behind us.”

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The Nobel is not a get-out-of-jail-free card

Nobel-Prize

Poor, poor pitiful Tim Hunt. He’s now complaining about his treatment as a victim of the “savage power of Twitter”.

I am finished, he says. I had hoped to do a lot more to help promote science in this country and in Europe, but I cannot see how that can happen. I have become toxic. I have been hung to dry by academic institutes who have not even bothered to ask me for my side of affairs.

He does not make a convincing argument. His wife takes his side; he’s a good cook and has a nice garden; he was just being totally jocular, ironic (which is an odd thing to claim when even in his apology he said he meant it). Oh, and of course, it was just part of his upbringing. He went to a single-sex school in the 1960s, because no one ever escapes the harm done to them in their childhood, unless it’s sexual abuse, in which case they should just grow up and get over it. It’s basically a cry that everyone is being so mean to him…which is a bit ironic, given that he’s relatively wealthy, has a nice home, has international prestige, and has a Nobel prize.

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I think someone confused “traumatizing” with “informative”

There’s a book from the 1970s that’s being called The Most Traumatizing Kids Book Ever. All of the pages are viewable online, and I read the whole thing — it’s short — and it’s just a straightforward description of sex and childbirth, with cute simple pictures.

OK, the smiling jazz-hands baby is a bit inaccurate, but that’s why it’s an un-traumatizing children’s book.

jazzhandsbaby

The real thing would have more screaming and blood and slime and bear more of a resemblance to the chest-burster scene in Alien. But otherwise, if I’d known about in the 80s and 90s when I had young kids, I’d have had it around the house for them to learn about sex, with no embarrassment at all.

Cutting off their noses to spite their faces

marriage

Nick and Sarah Jensen have announced that they will get a divorce if marriage equality is allowed in Australia, which is simply the most childish, spiteful response to the situation that I’ve heard of yet. It’s like, if stupid people were allowed to marry, I’d have to top Jensen by divorcing my intelligent wife and tearing up my Ph.D.

The logic behind their decision is inane.

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Removing sexism strengthens academia

Tim Hunt, the sexist pig, has has been retired from his honorary position at UCL.

UCL can confirm that Sir Tim Hunt FRS has today resigned from his position as Honorary Professor with the UCL Faculty of Life Sciences, following comments he made about women in science at the World Conference of Science Journalists on 9 June.

UCL was the first university in England to admit women students on equal terms to men, and the university believes that this outcome is compatible with our commitment to gender equality.

Note: this was an honorary position, he was not paid, he didn’t have any duties, but was just expected to show up for the dog-and-pony shows. This resignation represents no significant loss to scientific progress. His primary employment is at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London, but he also has had appointments at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory and the University of Cambridge. Don’t read too much into a resignation from one honorary position; he’s not hurting, except in his pride.

And also, this was a handy move to feed the narrative: political correctness gone mad! Tragic loss to science as Nobel prize winner is hounded into retirement!

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Most importantly, we found something that shuts Hannity up

I never thought I’d take Keith Ablow’s side (he’s the pet conservative doctor on Fox News), but there you go — he gets into a shouting match with Robert Jeffers, the Duggar family defender. Jeffers goes ballistic at the criticism of the Duggar’s parenting. Ablow is dismissive of the quality of parenting when you’ve got 19 kids, finds their stories naive and unbelievable, and calls the Duggars “bizarre” for refusing to allow their kids to hold hands on dates until they are engaged. Watch Jeffers begin to lose it around the 6 minute mark.

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