Saturday 25 December 2010

Hair today, deported tomorrow

The Association of British Science Writers' story of the year brings together bad science, immigration and human rights into a horrifying mess. John Travis of "Science" has written one of the journal's best award winning articles this year.

The UK Border Agency, under instructions to cut down on immigration are planning to test the origins of applicants using untested methods which experts have described as "horrifying" and "scientifically flawed".

The article is available here. And if you would like more info on the issues involved try No Borders.

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Because I can...

I would just like to quickly proclaim my support for pupils and students in occupation across the country and highlight a couple of groups;

UCL Occupation - who have so far won their legal battle against eviction by university management.

Open Birkbeck - because mature and part time students matter! (and the fee rises are likely to disproportionately affect them)

Raising fees and discouraging students from going to university now could affect individuals and the country for years to come.

Drugs Policy without Science

I woke on Monday to the news that the views of scientists were going to be removed from decisions on drug policy.

This is a further undermining of the role of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), last year Prof. David Nutt, the then chair, was sacked by then Home Secretary Alan Johnson for criticising the Labour government's stance on cannabis. Following this a number of further council members resigned and their jobs were only recently up for grabs.