They say Ronald McDonald is the cousin of Joe Camel

[purplerabbits]

I couldn't agree with this more if I tried with both hands for a fortnight. It is absurd to try to learn about trends in child obesity from the story of one extremely fat boy Also - "The Today programme has a sodding cheek hectoring McKeown about her nutritional know-how, when this is their McNugget version of current affairs." Well, quite.

I feel very uncomfortable with the coverage of both obesity and binge drinking in the meeja - and not, I suspect, just because I'm morbidly obese and like a tipple. But one thing that bugs me is that I feel I can't comment (at least to normal people) because it feels like I'm defending my own feckless burger and alcopop guzzling ways (I don't consume either burgers or alcopops, but that's not the point.)

Is it even possible to have a civilized debate about these things?

Comments

job

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

The subject matter is fantastic. Getting stuff done (or rather, getting other people to get stuff done) is somewhat more frustrating.

Would you be interested in working 1,2, or 3 days a week? Any relevant experience? [thinks of how you could explain your PhD thesis as relevant...]
Looks like we have more funding for the next financial year and will be looking for more people.

Re: job

[xxxlibris.livejournal.com]

OMG!! Prob 1-2 days a week, not sure any more would be do-able (and definitely not until I finish my PhD, which will be a few months yet).

Re experience - well, I've done a bastardload of research in various areas of science policy, technology development, and public understanding of science. My PhD thesis is on socio-cultural-economic aspects of knowledge exchange (ie. could be *how* various socio-economic groups get their info/share their info on food). And my MSc thesis (in Science and Technology Policy) was on perceived risks of organic food, from the perspective of farmers, policy makers and the general public...

But nothing until I finish the damn PhD!!