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Science Journalism ( astronomy): I can't take it anymore!!!



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 1st 12, 05:58 PM posted to sci.astro
DWIII
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default Science Journalism ( astronomy): I can't take it anymore!!!

The latest bit of science so-called journalism from NBCNEWS.com's very
own Tariq Malik (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50031629/ns/
technology_and_science-space/#.ULosdoZ8NHY):

"In the 1990s, the European Space Agency's star-mapping Hipparcos
satellite determined the 434 light-year distance to Polaris, while
other studies suggested the star could be closer to the sun. One light-
year is the distance light travels in a single year, about 6 trillion
miles (10 trillion kilometers)."

I predictably stopped reading at that point (will follow it up later
on Wikipedia) and violently cursed at my computer screen for the nth
time running.

Oh, please, must every single ***CENSORED*** astronomy story in the
***CENSORED*** public media have to ***CENSORED*** explain to me what
a ***CENSORED*** light-year is??? I'm reading an astronomy story,
right??? What could be more ***CENSORED*** basic to elementary
astronomy than how long a light-year is??? , Do these ***CENSORED***
science "journalists" never cease to think that we (who regularly read
up on the latest scientific discoveries) are that ***CENSORED***
uninformed??? Imagine if every football story in the sports section
contained something like the following:

"The Jets took the lead by scoring a touchdown in the last minute of
regulation. A touchdown counts for six points; the following kick, if
successful, is worth one additional point."

Sports journalists, business journalists, political journalists,
weather journalists, entertainment journalists, and so on generally do
not insult their readership with such patronizing awfulness. American
science journalists do nothing but insult their readership by
repeatedly spouting facts which (to us followers of science) are
common knowledge.

Oh, well, enough ranting for now...
  #2  
Old December 1st 12, 11:35 PM posted to sci.astro
Lord Androcles, Zeroth Earl of Medway[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 74
Default Science Journalism ( astronomy): I can't take it anymore!!!

"DWIII" wrote in message
...

The latest bit of science so-called journalism from NBCNEWS.com's very
own Tariq Malik (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50031629/ns/
technology_and_science-space/#.ULosdoZ8NHY):

"In the 1990s, the European Space Agency's star-mapping Hipparcos
satellite determined the 434 light-year distance to Polaris, while
other studies suggested the star could be closer to the sun. One light-
year is the distance light travels in a single year, about 6 trillion
miles (10 trillion kilometers)."

I predictably stopped reading at that point (will follow it up later
on Wikipedia) and violently cursed at my computer screen for the nth
time running.

Oh, please, must every single ***CENSORED*** astronomy story in the
***CENSORED*** public media have to ***CENSORED*** explain to me what
a ***CENSORED*** light-year is??? I'm reading an astronomy story,
right??? What could be more ***CENSORED*** basic to elementary
astronomy than how long a light-year is??? , Do these ***CENSORED***
science "journalists" never cease to think that we (who regularly read
up on the latest scientific discoveries) are that ***CENSORED***
uninformed??? Imagine if every football story in the sports section
contained something like the following:

"The Jets took the lead by scoring a touchdown in the last minute of
regulation. A touchdown counts for six points; the following kick, if
successful, is worth one additional point."

Sports journalists, business journalists, political journalists,
weather journalists, entertainment journalists, and so on generally do
not insult their readership with such patronizing awfulness. American
science journalists do nothing but insult their readership by
repeatedly spouting facts which (to us followers of science) are
common knowledge.

Oh, well, enough ranting for now...
============================================
Yeah, well, every time Einstein's name comes up so does E= mc^2.
Never mind that the stupid **** also wrote
http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einst...ures/img11.gif
that the journalist never heard of.
Never mind that the arsehole never passed a math exam in his life.
"the velocity of light in our theory plays the part, physically, of an
infinitely great velocity" and Einstein plays the part, physically, of Bozo
the clown in Barnum and Bailey's circus.
You are right, science journalism is crap.

-- This message is brought to you from the keyboard of
Lord Androcles, Zeroth Earl of Medway



  #3  
Old December 3rd 12, 02:27 AM posted to sci.astro
Yousuf Khan[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,692
Default Science Journalism ( astronomy): I can't take it anymore!!!

On 01/12/2012 11:58 AM, DWIII wrote:
The latest bit of science so-called journalism from NBCNEWS.com's very
own Tariq Malik (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50031629/ns/
technology_and_science-space/#.ULosdoZ8NHY):

"In the 1990s, the European Space Agency's star-mapping Hipparcos
satellite determined the 434 light-year distance to Polaris, while
other studies suggested the star could be closer to the sun. One light-
year is the distance light travels in a single year, about 6 trillion
miles (10 trillion kilometers)."

I predictably stopped reading at that point (will follow it up later
on Wikipedia) and violently cursed at my computer screen for the nth
time running.

Oh, please, must every single ***CENSORED*** astronomy story in the
***CENSORED*** public media have to ***CENSORED*** explain to me what
a ***CENSORED*** light-year is??? I'm reading an astronomy story,
right??? What could be more ***CENSORED*** basic to elementary
astronomy than how long a light-year is??? , Do these ***CENSORED***
science "journalists" never cease to think that we (who regularly read
up on the latest scientific discoveries) are that ***CENSORED***
uninformed??? Imagine if every football story in the sports section
contained something like the following:


Of all of deficiencies in science journalism, and your biggest complaint
is that they explain what a light-year is too often?!?

Yousuf Khan
 




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