Fox News report on Space Ship One

[Astronot]

Good Astronomy

While riding up the elevator to my office this morning, I was watching Fox News coverage of Space Ship One. They were doing a basic story on the ship, comparing it to an airliner and the space shuttle as far as altitude and propulsion systems. Very good so far.



Bad Astronomy

Then when pointing out that compared to the shuttle SS1 was sub orbital, which meant, they said, that it was still within the influence of earths gravity.


Cool Astronomy
Though they did have video from the inside of the ship as is was doing its rolls showing the pilot correcting maneuvers.

Bad Comparison
Unfortunately, my elevator ride reached its apogee at about that time and I didn’t get to see all of the story.

[Glom]

Argh! There is a reason why I hate the media.

[Humphrey]

Argh! There is a reason why I hate the media.

Because they show their programs in elevators or because they have to dumb down their science to the absolute lowest common denominator?

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Argh! There is a reason why I hate the media.

Because they show their programs in elevators or because they have to dumb down their science to the absolute lowest common denominator?

Eh

Why can't it be Both?

[Humphrey]

CNN so far is prety good. Miles O'Brien actually knows alot of what he is talking about and does not dumb it down too much. He does sometimes but hes been prety faithfull to showing nearly everything and a decent running commentary.

[Eta C]

Indeed, I always seek the most "media free" area of an airport or other waiting area. I especially hate the doctor's waiting room where the year old Reader's Digest has been replaced by CNN (or equivalent) in your face. I'll watch the news when I want to watch the news. I don't need it wherever I go.

As to the astronomy misconception, it's par for the course. As I've said many times before, the only good science journalism is done by scientists with some jounalism training, not by a journalist whose last science course was in high school.

[Demigrog]

Indeed, I always seek the most "media free" area of an airport or other waiting area. I especially hate the doctor's waiting room where the year old Reader's Digest has been replaced by CNN (or equivalent) in your face. I'll watch the news when I want to watch the news. I don't need it wherever I go.

I'm just amazed at an elevator with a TV in it. We only have one or two buildings over 12 stories here, and I've never been in them.

[ToSeek]

My current doctor has a TV running constantly in his waiting room. I'm thinking about changing doctors for that reason alone.

I was on jury duty a couple of years ago and sitting in the jury lounge waiting to be called. There was, of course, a TV on, showing the execrable stuff that clogs up the airwaves during daylight hours. Several of us agreed that they did this so that people would want to be picked for a jury.

[jfribrg]

It's been years since I was called for jury duty. I still recall having to endure 1 hour of Phil Donahue. The topic of the day was "ladies underwear commercials". If only I knew how tame that would be when compared to the more recent garbage.

[Humphrey]

I suggest next time you go to the doctors office have some fun. Go to a electronics store and buy one of those cheap "Universal" remotes. Then figure out the code to the tv and just change the channels while the secretary is not looking. Not only can you watch what you want, you can have some fun to. :-)

I have yet to be in a Doctors office where the tv has a "Do not change challel" button on it. Just a "Do not touch". You never touched the tv, so how can they find fault? :-P

[Candy]

My current doctor has a TV running constantly in his waiting room. I'm thinking about changing doctors for that reason alone.

I was on jury duty a couple of years ago and sitting in the jury lounge waiting to be called. There was, of course, a TV on, showing the execrable stuff that clogs up the airwaves during daylight hours. Several of us agreed that they did this so that people would want to be picked for a jury.

My Vet plays classical music via a television broadcast in the examining room. The TV's are flat screens.

The doctor is very very good, so I don't mind paying the extra cost compared to the quack vet I had before.

JURY duty: Just do what I do, tell them your sister had spent time in prison. It works everytime. Of course, you might want to have a bad sister like I do.

[AliCali]

I was on jury duty a couple of years ago and sitting in the jury lounge waiting to be called. There was, of course, a TV on, showing the execrable stuff that clogs up the airwaves during daylight hours. Several of us agreed that they did this so that people would want to be picked for a jury.

There's a saying, "If you want to retire, take a week off and watch daytime television."

[Astronot]

I'm just amazed at an elevator with a TV in it. We only have one or two buildings over 12 stories here, and I've never been in them.

It’s pretty common here to have some entertainment in the elevators. We moved into the building a few months after it opened. Initially the elevators had CNN, that was soon changed. For all of Fox News’ problems, at least I don’t have to see Larry King.

The funny thing is that when the cable TV is down, the people that ride the elevator will still stare at the screen as if it were on. I don’t mind TV in the elevator, my ride is short and some news during the day is helpful. But I am with the rest of the folks that can’t stand the TV in the doctors office or blaring at me from all corners of the airport.

[Humphrey]

How long are your elivator rides?

My Dentist will play a DVD of your choice while you are in the chair. That and i have alot of fun joking around with the assistants, it makes the experience something i look forward to.

[TheGalaxyTrio]

I was on jury duty a couple of years ago and sitting in the jury lounge waiting to be called. There was, of course, a TV on, showing the execrable stuff that clogs up the airwaves during daylight hours. Several of us agreed that they did this so that people would want to be picked for a jury.

I brought my Powerbook to my last jury duty. I sat in a corner of the jury pool room with headphones on and chucked away to MST3K episodes.

I think they might have a wireless access point in there now.

[tracer]

While riding up the elevator to my office this morning, I was watching Fox News coverage of Space Ship One. They were doing a basic story on the ship, comparing it to an airliner and the space shuttle as far as altitude and propulsion systems. Very good so far.

But was it Fair and Balanced?