Thursday, March 4, 2010

Science in the daily news: protecting astronomy funding

Ever since Senator Joe McCarthy referred to Harlow Shapley as an astrologer, if should have remained clear to us that funding for astronomy must be protected from idiots in high office.
The BBC online reports that Britain may try protecting funding for astronomy and physics research.
This report comes at a time when BBC online is undergoing some changes to reflect the interests of their current viewers/visitors.

Until now, BBC has been distinctive for having a news category of "Science and Environment" and that category is distinguished from "Technology".  American services, pandering to the anti-science right-wing Christians, have moved from "Tech and Science" to "Technology".  After all, science news is a form of entertainment and available elsewhere for those who feel the need (a tiny minority of skepticks.)
But now the BBC is changing the rubric to "Science and Nature".  You see, Nature is something that appeals to all of us - especially to Deists and is almost o-kay with theists.  And as Palin has taught Americans, man does not affect nature.  God created nature.  It's His design.  Part of His plan.  "Environment" is a word cooked-up by liberals!  The people want "raw Nature".  With more pictures (nature is never obscene or pornographic unlike those "animal rights" doctored snapshots!)  Nature abhors a hoax.  "Environment" is the holy whore of scientism!

Of course pictures are alright.  But how many people REALLY want to see the Hubble picture that demonstrated gravitational lensing?  That relativity stuff - it's just a theory!  It has critics, just like that theory of evolution!  Big Bang? Heck no! That theory is about to go POOF!

And what about errors in measurement? The longest-standing NASA research project was Gravity Probe B and they have been given months just to squeeze out of the data what they want!  It's "climate change" all over again!  Errors on top of more errors!  CLIMATE_GATE!  We know, we just ran another viewer poll ... once Hawking's gone, fizzle, pip.  That hole Black Matter business, sucked down the tubes.

FLASH:  BBC reports that American science "journalists" have been denying global viewers regular updates on the advocates of Hidden Variable Theory!  By relying on the unreliable statistics of a Bell curve and some known inequalities, the real alternative to foaming quantum space-time has been denied us!  Bring back unpasteurized Pilsner!  They are gamma-irradiating our ale!  Warning: some opinion always colours the reporting of most facts.  It's a fact.  Some opinion is added for colour to hold the attention of you, our viewer, during tedious factual reporting until the next advert. and that lovely advert's more colourful facts of new technology and those trusty old no-interest payment plans!

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