Hard News by Russell Brown

Thank you Russell

I so so wish I could go, but I'm on a plane to somewhere interesting that day. Will there be any transcription or recording or liveblogging or something for posterity?

Something odd I've noticed in the last couple of years is Goldacre being cited favourably by people making the exact same mistakes in interpreting science that he highlights (eg this). I'm really interested to see whether that comes up here.

people making the exact same mistakes in interpreting science that he highlights (eg this).

Ye gods! I have a mental image of that poor journalist being burned to a crisp.

Is this the same weekend as the Big Screen Symposium in Auckland (Sept 24-25)? I wonder if I can do both.

Thanks Russell. I won't even try getting you to post tree bits to Sydney, much as I'd like the latest book. Our library will get it eventually.

We did look at going to his talk here, but as you point out it's kinda pricey. The hassle of going out at night to see someone who seems better in print than in video bears on that, but mostly I just look at $200 and think "is this really the best I can do"? I'd rather drop $50 in his tip jar online, in the end.

Is this the same weekend as the Big Screen Symposium in Auckland (Sept 24-25)? I wonder if I can do both.

It is indeed.

Why is this event so expensive?

I was really surprised at how pricey it was. When I first heard about it, I thought that'd be great to take the kids to. But when I found out it was triple the price I was expecting, I decided to flag it.

I kinda reassured that I'm not the only one who decided it was too expensive. I'm not sure what makes him cost so much to have speak, but I'm looking around at other authors and $20-$50 seems to be the norm. For $100-$150 I've been to gigs by Tracey Chapman and Sarah Mclachlan... with their bands. I can see Joelistics perform for $35... and no offence to Dr Goldacre, but he's not as good a performer as Joelistics. Oh dear, time to play some Joelistics.

I agree. The ticket prices suggest they are flying Bob G out to NZ on a private jet but he is doing three talks in Oz and it would cost bugger-all to fly him across the Tasman. I recently had an 'exchange' with the Australian-based Think Inc whose is behind this venture, about the inflated prices they were charging to listen to Steve Wozniak in Auckland and they did not provide a convicing case.
It is probably wiser and cheaper to buy a couple of Bob's books from a good bookshop (sorry, Russell!)

Perhaps they think the audience in NZ are well paid clinicians or corporate types?

Even cheaper would be to read Ben’s column archive at badscience.net
(which contains drafts and extracts from the first book, and also forms the bulk of the third book, which is basically a retrospective).
Similarly, there’s enough of Ben’s talks online now that a speech would have to contain something spectacularly new to justify that ticket price.

One thing to spend money on, when it eventuates, is his long-planned fourth book, on trialling social policy.

(N.B. I have bought the first three books.)