The Portland Press Herald should have higher standards than M.D. Harmon for paid commentary on science matters. The content of Harmon’s columns regularly indicates he doesn’t even understand the scientific method. He doesn’t write on the subject of climate change to inform readers or thoughtfully “comment” on climate change science, he writes in a misdirected effort to protect his free-market ideology. If gravity were in the way of this ideology, he would trash gravity.

Press Herald readers have repeatedly written letters to the editor to point out Harmon’s apparent lack of science knowledge, errors, poor use of and choice of source materials, and prejudicial motives.

A reader recently took Harmon to task for citing the London Daily Mail, which is not recognized as a good source of objective and accurate science reporting (“On evolution, creation and the existence of a higher power,” Feb. 6)

Instead of apologizing, Harmon chided the reader. His “defense” was to inaccurately state that he wasn’t citing “the Daily Mail’s views,” but those of NASA official Gavin Schmidt. Harmon then goes on to quote the Daily Mail words, not Schmidt’s!

It doesn’t surprise this reader that M.D. Harmon makes this type of mistake. It does surprise me that the Press Herald doesn’t improve its standards for paid commentary. Press Herald readers deserve better.

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