Comments on: MSM tackles the need to explore… and gets it very right

By: Wzrd1

Wzrd1 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 04:46:48 +0000

Brian Too, one can approach this from another aspect that sells today all too disturbingly well.

Fear, fear, FEAR!
Fear the unknown!
The best defense is a strong offense!
Defend against the unknown!
Study and learn the unknown and defeat it!

By: Skydaddy

Skydaddy — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:06:50 +0000

As noted in an ancient Middle Eastern book of wisdom…

“For He is the living God
and He endures forever;
His kingdom will not be destroyed,
His dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
He performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.”
–Daniel 6:26-27

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their measuring line goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world. ”
–Psalm 19: 1-4

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:40:35 +0000

Good stuff. Did anyone else notice that they never once mentioned how much ALMA costs? I sorta liked that. In an overview piece to the general audience, they chose to spend their broadcast time on what motivates people to make such a thing. Start talking about costs and the discussion can so quickly devolve into “there are starving children in Africa” sort of directions.

By: Alan Boyle

Alan Boyle — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:11:54 +0000

Some of the comments here suggest that it was a good move to rebrand MSNBC.com as NBCNews.com. MSNBC the website was very different from MSNBC the cable channel. The website served and continues to serve as the online home for MSNBC on cable, but it also has lots of other news from NBC and other sources. The video we’re talking about here, for example, aired on “Rock Center” on NBC. We’re in the process of transitioning from the msnbc.msn.com URL to nbcnews.com … so stay tuned for more changes ahead.

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:40:40 +0000

@19 Gunnar: Thanks!! I just went back and read through it a bit. I can’t believe I put that much energy into a film review! That doesn’t sound like (lazy) me.
Of course, like most blogs, I wandered off and forgot about it after a few months. I should really try to resurrect it. The only thing I’m worried about is that as the election approaches it will become nothing but political rants. In fact, they might not stop at the election. In which case I should really re-title the blog “Astro-Snarker” or something along those lines.

By: Jay29

Jay29 — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:43:03 +0000

Awesome stuff, definitely a breath of fresh air to see a segment like this on a network news show. Love seeing a clip of “Cosmos” in there. I just finished watching it for the 2nd time (it’s free on Hulu, people!). This world would be such a better place if everybody watched that series once.

“If we do not destroy ourselves, one day we will venture to the stars.”

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:31:48 +0000

I agree with Joseph G and Stephen Colbert that scientific reality has a very strong liberal bias. The older I get and the more I learn about science, history and religion, the more obvious that becomes to me.

Joseph G, I like your blog, BTW!

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 10:08:32 +0000

Fantastic!
And to those who claim that MSNBC is slanted to the left, I would reply, as Stephen Colbert so elegantly stated, that reality has a well-known liberal bias. The sort of approach that most Fox news viewers would label as flaming leftism is (to most of the rest of the 7+ billion people on this planet) common-sense centrism.

By: kat wagner

kat wagner — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 07:01:46 +0000

O, that was so cool! And to think it’ll be done in a year! This piece reminds me of Pioneer Cabin, a hiking destination in the Sawtooths that has a big sign painted on its roof that says “The Higher You Get, the Higher You Get.”

Tom, what the heck? MSNBC has the courage to speak the truth. In arguing facts verses fiction, truth wins out every time.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 05:59:42 +0000

I remember going to a talk a few years ago about the ALMA Observatory. Nice to see it’s almost finished. One thing I remember about the altitude. The astronomers would have liked to build it higher, but the Chilean workers charge extra if they have to work above a certain altitude.