From: "aimcompute" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: State of Science -- more interesting but OT stuff...
> Hi Bill,
>
> Not enough time to comment in depth. I've been reminded already how far OT
> this is.
>
> You make many good points. I agree with virtually all of them. You are
> correct, it is the sensationalism I am objecting to... when a member of the
> scientific community is quoted however, I also reserve the right to decide
> (in my mind) whether they are speculating Vs. speaking science.
Yeah, right. I've been quoted by the media before too. If you stop insisting on
listening
to the media, and stop being so damned accepting of the accuracy and context of their
quotes, you may, just may learn something. The point is: stop listening to the pig tell
you what the horse said. Get your information from the horse's mouth. You stand there
ready to make a judgment on a significant portion of the scientific community based on
hearsay. I certainly don't want you on my jury!
> My comments seem to have implied to many that I may have doubted the
> existence of extra-solar planets, or the evidence thereof. That is not the
> case. It is more the tone in which the announcements are made. The media
> as you say, may be to blame for that. OTOH, the scientific community uses
> the media as their mouthpiece, do they not?
Sometimes, but generally no. Much of what you get in the way of science is gleaned from
journals and reports not made to or intended for the media. The various wire services
have
science writers who's job it is to read the material and then turn it into copy that
will
sell - translate as glue your eyeball to the tube. You are naive. The media's ONLY
goal is
to make money through advertising. This is the ONLY way they make money. The more
listeners or readers, the more they can charge per minute or inch. They are not about
to
report the mundane. Beyond the media's only goal (money) there are the personal (and
very
large) ego's involved and a very real desire to wield power. It's time for you to get
over
the quaint idea that the "news" is about giving you news. It's time for you to stop
sitting around on your arse accepting what you are spoon fed and denigrating entire
professions (or significant portions thereof) based on your personal interpretation of
this pabulum.
Regards,
Bob...
-------------------------------
"In the carboniferous epoch
we were promised perpetual peace.
They swore if we gave up our weapons
that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed they sold us,
and delivered us, bound, to our foe.
And the gods of the copybook headings said,
'Stick to the devil you know.' "
--Rudyard Kipling
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