Comments on: Rentokil make dodgy claims about imaginary bugs http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/ Ben Goldacre's Bad Science column from the Guardian and more... Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:24:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TheLancashireman http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-32302 TheLancashireman Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:52:50 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-32302 It seems to me that what the bascientists have discovered here is the maximum possible number of said pests that can possibly exist on any bus or train under any circumstances. I find their figures comfortingly low ;-) It seems to me that what the bascientists have discovered here is the maximum possible number of said pests that can possibly exist on any bus or train under any circumstances. I find their figures comfortingly low ;-)

]]> By: kylemcinnes http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-32141 kylemcinnes Sun, 04 Apr 2010 03:19:00 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-32141 Consider a pointlike bus in a vacuum, radiating bugs isotropically... Consider a pointlike bus in a vacuum, radiating bugs isotropically…

]]> By: wwdlu101 http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-32041 wwdlu101 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:13:04 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-32041 yes,the <a title="juicy couture bikini" href="//www.shopoingjuicyjewelry.com/juicy-couture-bikini-c-16.html" rel="nofollow">juicy couture bikini</a> the <a title="juicy couture t shirts" href="//www.shopoingjuicyjewelry.com/juicy-couture-t-shirts-c-20.html" rel="nofollow">juicy couture t shirts</a> good the <a title="juicy couture sunglasses" href="//www.shopoingjuicyjewelry.com/juicy-couture-sunglasses-c-19.html" rel="nofollow">juicy couture sunglasses</a> the <a title="juicy jewelry" href="//www.shopoingjuicyjewelry.com" rel="nofollow">juicy jewelry</a> the <a title="juicy charm" href="//www.shopoingjuicyjewelry.com" rel="nofollow">juicy charm</a> yes,the juicy couture bikini
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]]> By: waveydavey69 http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31931 waveydavey69 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:19:14 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31931 I worked on buses for about 3 years, servicing, repairing and MOTing I have never seen a cockroach on a bus, inside, outside or underneath. I once saw a cockroach on the same day I had worked on a bus maybe that would count as relevant data! my cat scratched it's ear which may have been a flea on the same day I worked on a bus etc.. I worked on buses for about 3 years, servicing, repairing and MOTing I have never seen a cockroach on a bus, inside, outside or underneath. I once saw a cockroach on the same day I had worked on a bus maybe that would count as relevant data! my cat scratched it’s ear which may have been a flea on the same day I worked on a bus etc..

]]> By: johnnye87 http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31910 johnnye87 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:43:06 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31910 Hah, brilliant. "2,000 cockroaches? My God, they must never clean those buses!" "Ah. Actually, that figure is based on a hypothetical model that assumes they never clean the buses." "..." Hah, brilliant.

“2,000 cockroaches? My God, they must never clean those buses!”

“Ah. Actually, that figure is based on a hypothetical model that assumes they never clean the buses.”

“…”

]]> By: Guy http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31867 Guy Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:10:34 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31867 Interesting the way Rentokil run their website. I posted the following comment on their blog- "As a shareholder of Rentokil I suppose I should be pleased at the publicity. I’m not so sure though that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Slagging off some of the major companies you hope to work for by falsely saying that public transport is filthy could be an own goal. If I was awarding contracts for treating buses or trains then Rentokil would be the last people I would now approach. I suspect that world isn’t entirely made up of uber-cynical PR types who don’t care anything for truth." This was posted 4 days ago but hasn't appeared and has had 7 comments added after it but mine is being delayed whilst moderated. Strange sort of censorship. Interesting the way Rentokil run their website.

I posted the following comment on their blog-
“As a shareholder of Rentokil I suppose I should be pleased at the publicity. I’m not so sure though that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Slagging off some of the major companies you hope to work for by falsely saying that public transport is filthy could be an own goal. If I was awarding contracts for treating buses or trains then Rentokil would be the last people I would now approach.

I suspect that world isn’t entirely made up of uber-cynical PR types who don’t care anything for truth.”

This was posted 4 days ago but hasn’t appeared and has had 7 comments added after it but mine is being delayed whilst moderated. Strange sort of censorship.

]]> By: Shareholder http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31782 Shareholder Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:47:18 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31782 I heard you on the radio today. Not only is the railway carriage story a scam, the main reason for their email announcement is also untrue. There is nothing new about killing insects with heat, these people have been using the same method for the past 18 years! http://www.thermokil.co.uk/ I heard you on the radio today.

Not only is the railway carriage story a scam, the main reason for their email announcement is also untrue. There is nothing new about killing insects with heat, these people have been using the same method for the past 18 years!

www.thermokil.co.uk/

]]> By: kimaldis http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31774 kimaldis Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:51:45 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31774 I began to suspect that Rentokil were idiots when they charged me two grand to wreck two rooms in my house in a humungously botched attempt to prevent what they said was rising damp but that actually turned out to be falling damp. We had a proper damp company fix it for us for half the price. Morons to the bitter end. I began to suspect that Rentokil were idiots when they charged me two grand to wreck two rooms in my house in a humungously botched attempt to prevent what they said was rising damp but that actually turned out to be falling damp. We had a proper damp company fix it for us for half the price. Morons to the bitter end.

]]> By: lasker http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31773 lasker Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:11:20 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31773 I find it difficult to believe they had a "model" at all. Whilst many of the figures seem high, surely the figure of 500 dust mites is vastly low. I reckon all these figures were just made up after a liquid lunch. I find it difficult to believe they had a “model” at all.
Whilst many of the figures seem high, surely the figure of 500 dust mites is vastly low. I reckon all these figures were just made up after a liquid lunch.

]]> By: timheyes http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31769 timheyes Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:52:16 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31769 At the risk of starting a flame war.... Replace Rentokil with IPCC and bugs with catastrophic climate change. How is it that you can be so insightful on the one hand and so blind on the other, Ben? At the risk of starting a flame war….

Replace Rentokil with IPCC and bugs with catastrophic climate change. How is it that you can be so insightful on the one hand and so blind on the other, Ben?

]]> By: philbo http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31768 philbo Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:34:40 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31768 They should have said there were bugs in their modelling software ...sorry They should have said there were bugs in their modelling software

…sorry

]]> By: phayes http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31767 phayes Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:39:50 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31767 @Hadenuff Would something like this http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/4175 help? @Hadenuff

Would something like this userscripts.org/scripts/show/4175 help?

]]> By: Hadenuff http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31766 Hadenuff Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:59:38 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31766 I use the "Bad Science" blog to inform/educate/.entertain my 11- 18 year old students, as a small contribution against the intellectual pollution to which they are constantly exposed. I can't do this if people leave comments such as Synchronium's "Neil's Yard fuckup". More than my jobs worth, etc. A plea to keep it "clean", so I can continue to show it in school. I use the “Bad Science” blog to inform/educate/.entertain my 11- 18 year old students, as a small contribution against the intellectual pollution to which they are constantly exposed. I can’t do this if people leave comments such as Synchronium’s “Neil’s Yard fuckup”. More than my jobs worth, etc. A plea to keep it “clean”, so I can continue to show it in school.

]]> By: MK01 http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31764 MK01 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:18:12 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31764 Rentokil used to be a client of mine when I was a banker a few years ago. Every time I had to visit their HQ (then a ridiculous stately home-type place in Sussex), I would have to traipse outside across the mud in my high heels to go and see the "rat pen" - a wire mesh enclosure where they bred rats to practise extermination techniques on. They were a very odd bunch of people! and horrible to have as a client - very much a bullying culture; if something goes wrong, make sure someone gets royally bollocked, at fault or not. Culture *might* have changed since those days...... Rentokil used to be a client of mine when I was a banker a few years ago. Every time I had to visit their HQ (then a ridiculous stately home-type place in Sussex), I would have to traipse outside across the mud in my high heels to go and see the “rat pen” – a wire mesh enclosure where they bred rats to practise extermination techniques on. They were a very odd bunch of people! and horrible to have as a client – very much a bullying culture; if something goes wrong, make sure someone gets royally bollocked, at fault or not. Culture *might* have changed since those days……

]]> By: Bexley http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31760 Bexley Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:46:39 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31760 @14 Clive Thompson went on to head Farepak after leaving/getting fired from Rentokil. He was in charge when Farepak collapsed. @14

Clive Thompson went on to head Farepak after leaving/getting fired from Rentokil. He was in charge when Farepak collapsed.

]]> By: Doc_Daneeka http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31759 Doc_Daneeka Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:07:43 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31759 adambanksdotcom Your comment has appeared, but appears to have the last para missing: "You can hardly blame anyone for wondering: is London Underground paying you £200m to kill real bugs, or imaginary ones?" adambanksdotcom

Your comment has appeared, but appears to have the last para missing:

“You can hardly blame anyone for wondering: is London Underground paying you £200m to kill real bugs, or imaginary ones?”

]]> By: RogerMexico http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31758 RogerMexico Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:36:18 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31758 If anyone does find the urtext Press Release, it'll be interesting to see if the Mail's ridiculously low number of 500 dust mites are on it. If they are, it shows the details haven't been anywhere near anyone who knows what they're talking about. If not it'll be an almost unique example of the Mail making up something that underestimates a (not very) scary number. If anyone does find the urtext Press Release, it’ll be interesting to see if the Mail’s ridiculously low number of 500 dust mites are on it. If they are, it shows the details haven’t been anywhere near anyone who knows what they’re talking about. If not it’ll be an almost unique example of the Mail making up something that underestimates a (not very) scary number.

]]> By: Andy Mabbett http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31757 Andy Mabbett Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:53:06 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31757 I've submitted an FoI request about this, to TfL: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/rentokil_bug_infestations I’ve submitted an FoI request about this, to TfL:

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/rentokil_bug_infestations

]]> By: Jeesh42 http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31756 Jeesh42 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:18:33 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31756 Great! Rentokil badmouths London Transport with made-up data and then has the cheek to blackmail them into becoming a major client. What an exceptionally nasty way to do business. Great! Rentokil badmouths London Transport with made-up data and then has the cheek to blackmail them into becoming a major client. What an exceptionally nasty way to do business.

]]> By: markus.readus http://www.badscience.net/2010/03/rentokil/comment-page-1/#comment-31755 markus.readus Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:53:29 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/?p=1553#comment-31755 Great post Ben, thanks! My research rests very heavily on the use of modelling and simulation to investigate immunology. Simplifying assumptions are an integral part of the process. Appreciating how to relate the results of your abstraction of the real world back to the domain of interest is important, though difficult. And communicating the limitations of your work (since it is an abstraction) is a fundamental part of using it in a real scientific context. From what I gather the model created would have been useful for entirely nothing, other than a PR stunt. The people who created this model, and then blasted the media full of complete b*llocks should be ashamed of themselves: not only does it demean the hard work of the modelling and simulation community who are trying to make these techniques an integral part of scientific research, but announcing such spurious results out of context is (in my book) equivalent to "lying", and is hence immoral. Great post Ben, thanks!

My research rests very heavily on the use of modelling and simulation to investigate immunology. Simplifying assumptions are an integral part of the process. Appreciating how to relate the results of your abstraction of the real world back to the domain of interest is important, though difficult. And communicating the limitations of your work (since it is an abstraction) is a fundamental part of using it in a real scientific context. From what I gather the model created would have been useful for entirely nothing, other than a PR stunt. The people who created this model, and then blasted the media full of complete b*llocks should be ashamed of themselves: not only does it demean the hard work of the modelling and simulation community who are trying to make these techniques an integral part of scientific research, but announcing such spurious results out of context is (in my book) equivalent to “lying”, and is hence immoral.

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