Much to my despair...

[James Deuce]

Even the BBC website has the journalistic integrity of a pre-school newsletter written by the pre-literate inmates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4576623.stm

One word in this report needs a (sic) after it, because the scientist being quoted has used the wrong word to denote the transition of Voyager 1 from the Solar System to interstellar space. The word he's used usually denotes a journey with the same start and end point. If Voyager 1 manages to exist for an infinite amount of time, he may well be right. But given that the eventual collapse of the Universe has been disputed of late it looks unlikely that the Dr Edward Stone is unlikely to have his heinous mutilation of an apparently simple concept fixed for him by lucky happenstance.

So am I right in assuming that a fundamental disrespect for clear and effective communication is now de rigueur?

It's OK to display ignorance openly because everyone else says it is?

Bah, humbug.

[Skyryder]

Even the BBC website has the journalistic integrity of a pre-school newsletter written by the pre-literate inmates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4576623.stm

One word in this report needs a (sic) after it, because the scientist being quoted has used the wrong word to denote the transition of Voyager 1 from the Solar System to interstellar space. The word he's used usually denotes a journey with the same start and end point. If Voyager 1 manages to exist for an infinite amount of time, he may well be right. But given that the eventual collapse of the Universe has been disputed of late it looks unlikely that the Dr Edward Stone is unlikely to have his heinous mutilation of an apparently simple concept fixed for him by lucky happenstance.

So am I right in assuming that a fundamental disrespect for clear and effective communication is now de rigueur?

It's OK to display ignorance openly because everyone else says it is?

Bah, humbug.

Is this what you are talking about.

"Voyager 1 has entered the final lap on its race to the edge of interstellar space," said Dr Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, US.

If so then according to my definition of lap Voyager 1 has been there before.

Skyryder

[James Deuce]

Is this what you are talking about.

"Voyager 1 has entered the final lap on its race to the edge of interstellar space," said Dr Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, US.

If so then according to my definition of lap Voyager 1 has been there before.

Skyryder

You're onto it mate.

It's a small thing, and yes languages change over time, but from a linguistics perspective that type of omission is viewed as decadent laziness, not natural evolution.

[XTC]

:whocares: (10 karackters) :)

[James Deuce]

:whocares: (10 karackters) :)

Yes, quite.

[Hitcher]

If Mrs H worked for the Beeb she would have sorted it!

[Skunk]

:whocares: I suppose that answers your question completely, doesn't it Jim?

[Waylander]

Umm, exactly what does this have to do with the price of rice in china?

[StoneChucker]

Umm, exactly what does this have to do with the price of rice in china?
Screw the rice in Chine mate!


It's the avocados in New Zealand you have to worry about!

[MacD]

The one that bugs me is when (American) pilots announce that they are going to land "momentarily"!

Arrgghhhhhhhh. :brick:

[MrMelon]

If the BBC can't even get it right, we're all doomed!

[Clockwork]

The phrase "Final lap" is a common enough metaphore, maybe even a cliche. Whats the problem?

[James Deuce]

The phrase "Final lap" is a common enough metaphore, maybe even a cliche. Whats the problem?

A lap has the roughly the same start and finish point. Lap indicates a closed circuit.

[James Deuce]

The one that bugs me is when (American) pilots announce that they are going to land "momentarily"!

Arrgghhhhhhhh. :brick:

I feel your pain. I always expect a screaming vertical dive with a vicious flare onto the runway after that comment.

[badlieutenant]

i know bugger all about this but could the scientist be referring to voyager's orbit around the sun? I could google it but Im too tired to find out. Im guessing that old voyager has been looping around planets which would, Im guessing, mean it also followed a rough course around the sun, a few times now. Which would be like doing laps as it leaves out solar system. maybe..........

[badlieutenant]

ok I did look. It appears the craft takes a helical exit out of our solar system. Which makes sense if I had thought about the velocities required to loop our solar system in ever increasing circles.........looks like they might be able to send data for a few more years 2030 or so, making that a 60 year mission.
stupid scientist cant use good england :no:

[Sniper]

Screw the rice in Chine mate!


It's the avocados in New Zealand you have to worry about!

Really? Oh hell, no wonder I have had the shit (too much info Doh :puke: )

[Clockwork]

A lap has the roughly the same start and finish point. Lap indicates a closed circuit.

Agreed, thats its litteral meaning but the phrase was being used metephorically.

[James Deuce]

Agreed, thats its litteral meaning but the phrase was being used metephorically (sic) .

Uh no it wasn't. It was a poor choice of word for an educated man. There are a great number of metaphors for a transitional stage and "final lap(sic)" isn't one of them.

[Lou Girardin]

He has to dumb it down for his audience. The real question is, how dumb is it going to get?
Homer dumb?
It used to be that totalitarian regimes kept the population docile by not educating them, now they feed them mental garbage. Has the same effect, but maintains the pretence of an educated population.

[MSTRS]

He has to dumb it down for his audience. The real question is, how dumb is it going to get?
Homer dumb?
It used to be that totalitarian regimes kept the population docile by not educating them, now they feed them mental garbage. Has the same effect, but maintains the pretence of an educated population.
witchutorkinboutwillis

[Skunk]

witchutorkinboutwillis
Oh my god. :whistle:

[Lou Girardin]

witchutorkinboutwillis

QED
Thank you

[Lou Girardin]

We may get to the point where eligibilty to vote will depend on IQ.

[Biff]

You're absolutely spot on there Jim.

But I'd like to broaden this out a little if I may. IMHO it is often taken for granted that well educated and highly intelligent individuals are very articulate and capable of wrapping mere mortals around their little fingers linguistically. But, based upon my experience, I think that this is an incorrect assumption.

Case in point - I have a gentleman, sitting very close to me as I type this, that holds PhD in not one, but two subjects. He was a Professor back in the UK in a very technical field, and a very distinguished and well respected individual. Yet he is one of the most inarticulate people I have ever met and his written English is terrible, as is his spelling. Incidentally, it took him something like 8 or 9 attempts before he passed his driving test. But the guy is a genius and a walking encyclopaedia. This guy isn’t the first brain box I’ve worked with who has had these sorts of problems. A rather famous guy I once worked for (he invented the GSM air interface) couldn’t string a sentence together without fluffing up, let alone write anything legible. The company I worked for had to hire a PA who sat next to him all day, taking notes and editing his documents.

The problem is that to many people pre-judge other people by their inability to spell, write clearly or articulate their views succinctly, and as a result form a negative opinion about them.

Apologies for shooting off at somewhat of a tangent. But it's lunchtime and my lunch buddy has disappeared, so I'm bored and fancied waffling. Sorry.

[James Deuce]

You're absolutely spot on there Jim.

But I'd like to broaden this out a little if I may. IMHO it is often taken for granted that well educated and highly intelligent individuals are very articulate and capable of wrapping mere mortals around their little fingers linguistically. But, based upon my experience, I think that this is an incorrect assumption.

Case in point - I have a gentleman, sitting very close to me as I type this, that holds PhD in not one, but two subjects. He was a Professor back in the UK in a very technical field, and a very distinguished and well respected individual. Yet he is one of the most inarticulate people I have ever met and his written English is terrible, as is his spelling. Incidentally, it took him something like 8 or 9 attempts before he passed his driving test. But the guy is a genius and a walking encyclopaedia. This guy isn’t the first brain box I’ve worked with who has had these sorts of problems. A rather famous guy I once worked for (he invented the GSM air interface) couldn’t string a sentence together without fluffing up, let alone write anything legible. The company I worked for had to hire a PA who sat next to him all day, taking notes and editing his documents.

The problem is that to many people pre-judge other people by their inability to spell, write clearly or articulate their views succinctly, and as a result form a negative opinion about them.

Apologies for shooting off at somewhat of a tangent. But it's lunchtime and my lunch buddy has disappeared, so I'm bored and fancied waffling. Sorry.

That is a fair point, but that wasn't my original argument. The BBC had a responsibility to point out that the wrong word had been used. They didn't bother.

[Biff]

That is a fair point, but that wasn't my original argument.

I know - but I was wearing my waffle hat at the time. :D

[James Deuce]

I have my Arse Hat on.

[T.I.E]

will it make my bike go faster????

i'm givin it all she's got captain

[SPman]

The one that bugs me is when (American) pilots announce that they are going to land "momentarily"!

Fuck that - I want my plane to stay on the ground long enough for me to get off with all full appropriate slothness, thank you very much!
Its a bit like the airline announcement.." flight xyz is preboarding at gate 57"
What! You get on before you get on?
Bah humbug!

[Biff]

I have my Arse Hat on.

Best we don't get out hats mixed up then. No offence, but your arse on my head doesn't sound too appealing.

[Mooch]

Even the BBC website has the journalistic integrity of a pre-school newsletter written by the pre-literate inmates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4576623.stm

One word in this report needs a (sic) after it, because the scientist being quoted has used the wrong word to denote the transition of Voyager 1 from the Solar System to interstellar space. The word he's used usually denotes a journey with the same start and end point. If Voyager 1 manages to exist for an infinite amount of time, he may well be right. But given that the eventual collapse of the Universe has been disputed of late it looks unlikely that the Dr Edward Stone is unlikely to have his heinous mutilation of an apparently simple concept fixed for him by lucky happenstance.

So am I right in assuming that a fundamental disrespect for clear and effective communication is now de rigueur?

It's OK to display ignorance openly because everyone else says it is?

Bah, humbug.

Jim2 ,
The BBC are having massive strikes at the moment , BBC channels 1 -3 had live feeds from Parliment most of the day . It could be that the jurno's are worried about jobs , etc . They are going to cut staff from 11,000 to 7000. I'd say it'll only get worse.

[Pixie]

Uh no it wasn't. It was a poor choice of word for an educated man. There are a great number of metaphors for a transitional stage and "final lap(sic)" isn't one of them.
Who says he's edjumacated??
Maybe he's a journalist.

There was a BBC presenter in Rome for the recent Pope-a-rama.
Who, when refering to the flue the holy smoke was to rise from,kept calling it a "Chimbley"
I kid you not!!

[James Deuce]

Jim2 ,
The BBC are having massive strikes at the moment , BBC channels 1 -3 had live feeds from Parliment most of the day . It could be that the jurno's are worried about jobs , etc . They are going to cut staff from 11,000 to 7000. I'd say it'll only get worse.
Blimey. Oh well, I know where their buildings are.