March 28, 2006
Total Eclipse of the Facts
Sheesh. The Associated Press can't even get simple, well-known, scientific facts right.
AP's Kwasi Kpodo describes the "path" of tomorrow's eclipse thusly:
The moon is expected to first begin blocking out the sun in the morning in Brazil before the eclipse migrates to Africa, then on to Turkey and up into Mongolia, where it will fade out with the sunset.
Huh? Yuh!
But Kwasi isn't the only floater in the pool. Check out this graphic that accompanies the article:
"A total eclipse will occur Wednesday, beginning in Brazil, before crossing over Africa and Asia."
Heh. Heh heh. **snort** BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
In truth: The eclipse will begin and end at sunrise in Brazil and will **gasp** (say it with me now) si-mul-tan-e-ous-ly begin and end at sunset in Mongolia. The total eclipse only lasts for a few minutes, fercryin'outloud. It ain't gonna begin in Brazil and "cross over" Africa and Asia. If it did then, amazingly, the Sun would be moving across the sky from west to east tomorrow.
They seem to have a somewhat talented graphics team, but could they hire some better copy editors? Like, maybe, people that are at least as bright as my elementary school-aged nephew?
This is almost as amusing as the news babe who said during a live TV report: "The president wont be landing in Air Force One, he'll be arriving in, oh, 'Helicopter One' I suppose we can call it."
I don't expect everyone to know everything, of course. But, I mean, these are the folks who are supposed to be giving us info'mation and I think it oughta be morer accurater.
"Helicopter One". Crikey. I expect even CBS to get that one right.
