- Alternative health center accused of brainwashing – “An alternative healing centre based in London has been accused of “brainwashing†one of its clients into making donations totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds.” From Katherine.
- Hadron collider to begin being used – Best subtitle ever: Black hole fears are “baloney”
- Scientists receive death threats over Hadron collider – Pass out the tinfoil hats and umbrellas. Thanks Rav.
- Scientology ‘faces French trial’ – “The Church of Scientology in France will be tried in court for “organised fraud”, according to legal sources.” From Christian.
The funny/sad part is that, in ten years time, people will be enjoying the benefits of LHC science without being aware of it, all the while claiming that the LHC is a huge, useless waste of money. People still have this romantic (and wrong) notion that every innovation comes from some solitary genius working in his attic.
And sure enough, someone will be crying doomsday over something else.
As Isaac Asimov put it:
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”
“pressurized?” It that British English or just poor usage?
And Isaac Asimov had it right. Not only is it true that “science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom,†but there is a major disconnect between science and the public’s appreciation of what science does for them in their daily lives.
While I appreciate having another article about the LHC, I continue to be frustrated by poor journalism.
The title of the article is “Scientists receive death threats over Big Bang experiment from critics who fear end of the world”, but there are only two sentences about that topic:
Scientists who are preparing to ‘switch on’ the most powerful particle accelerator ever built, have received death threats from critics who fear it could destroy the Earth.
***
But some of those working on the LHC have received threatening emails and worried phone calls from members of the public, who fear it could create a devastating black hole.
How many people were threatened? Are the authorities taking these threats seriously? What do the anti-LHC loonies have to say about the threats?
Do I have to start my own news service to get well researched, well written articles?
That scientology article was a disappointment. I thought they were going to have a kissing contest.
I’ve been colliding with hadr-ons for well over a decade now and the earth hasn’t been swallowed up yet. I don’t think we have to worry about black holes. Pink holes on the other hand…
My baloney has a first name, it’s L-A-R-G-E
My baloney has a middle name, it’s H-A-D-R-O-N
My baloney …
You know, it sounded funnier in my head …
@exarch:
I love to eat it every day and if you ask me why I’ll saaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy………
(I can’t believe I’ve sunk this low this early in the morning)
Only you guys could make the LHC and particle physics sound so wrong and funny.
Making the baby bring you booze already? ;)
@Amanda:
How much more wrong is it if I told you that I only thought about it because of watching an interview with Pamela Anderson on BBC1 last night, where she said Tommy Lee sang just the first line to her when they first met.
I don’t know about being “brainwashed” although the clients of the “alternative” health center were certainly swindled. Strangely, the article makes them sound a bit like Scientology.
@durnett: “Do I have to start my own news service to get well researched, well written articles?”
Yes.
@Amanda:
It’s about time they reversed the roles.
@exarch:
She said “booze” not “boobs”
@Amanda:
“Hey Moose, why don’t you be a good boy and Irish-up Mommy’s coffee?”
Re: Scientology headline –
Is it just me or does “French Trial” sound sort of like a euphemism?
In fact, if “French Trial” IS a euphemism for some unspeakable and depraved act I can’t say I’d be entirely opposed to scientology facing one (or several).
Also: I wonder if I’m alone in the world in being, on the whole, apathetic about whether or not the LHC brings DOOOOOM. I don’t believe it will, at all, but then when I hear all sorts of awful stories in the news every day, part of me says “And if it DOES… is that such a bad thing?” ;)
@Nicole: Your avatar is officially my favorite.
The Co$ story would be more interesting if the court was actually calling it to task for their ridiculous tenets, rather than simply indicting them for essentially being a commercial enterprise. I mean, one could stretch that rationale to cover a lot of organized religions.
@Expatria: Well, if a black hole does come about, I think the experience of spaghettification could give us all something to think about!
You know, what I don’t understand is how the non-credible people always get more peoples’ attention than the experts. For example:
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/27/823924.aspx
This guy Warren has so litttle credibility that it’s painful yet he continues to be taken seriously by people all ove rthe world.
The LHC paranoia is getting old… (at least for me).
I just overheard a bunch of people talking about LHC would make black holes and how scientists are “censoring” the fact. Can’t people think skeptically anymore?
This beats baloney-jokes
@Elyse:
So you haven’t been giving your baby anything to drink at all?
On the upside, that’s a good way to develop a dry sense of humour.
Freiddie, you’re guilty of assuming that most people think skeptically to begin with. I’m not sure that’s true.
“Spaghettification”… makes me think that this would hte the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s way of eliminating all the non-believers…sort of like a pasta-rapture experience. ;-)