Media hyperbole in a microcosm
An item on the BBC website caught my eye. It’s under the headline “Giant palm tree puzzles botanists“, and is an interesting little piece about an obscure species of palm tree that literally kills itself in the act of flowering. It’s a floral form of autoerotic asphyxiation. Quite mad.
But the silliness isn’t restricted to the behaviour of the tree (surely destined to become a cautionary tale for monks all over the world), but extends to the caption that the BBC have added to the image… “The plant is said to be so big it can be seen on Google Earth”. Wow. Just think about that for a second. So big, it can be seen on Google Earth. Seen from space! It must be fricking enormous!
Well. No, actually. It can be seen from space alright. But only with the aid of a very powerful telescope. This makes it like every other tree on the surface of the earth. Here, for instance, is the tree in the grounds of Trinity College, under which I sit and have lunch when the weather’s fine.
So big it can be seen on Google Earth!
The phrasing’s pretty mad too: “The plant is said to be so big it can be seen on Google Earth”
i.e “local legend has it that…”
I mean, they didn’t even check!
February 6th, 2008 | 5:49pm
by Larry Teabag
Truly, there’s a Blackadder routine for every occasion:
Percy: You know, they do say that the Infanta’s eyes are more beautiful than the famous Stone of Galveston.
Edmund: Mm! … What?
Percy: The famous Stone of Galveston, My Lord.
Edmund: And what’s that, exactly?
Percy “Well, it’s a famous blue stone, and it comes… from Galveston.”
Blackadder “I see. And what about it?”
Percy “Well, My Lord, the Infanta’s eyes are bluer than it, for a start.”
Blackadder “I see. And have you ever seen this stone?”
Percy “No, not as such, My Lord, but I know a couple of people who have, and they say it’s very very blue indeed.”
Blackadder “And have these people seen the Infanta’s eyes?”
Percy “No, I shouldn’t think so, My Lord.”
Blackadder “And neither have you, presumably.”
Percy “No, My Lord.”
Blackadder “So, what you’re telling me, Percy, is that something you have never seen is slightly less blue than something else you have never seen.”
February 7th, 2008 | 10:56am
by john b
Next time I fly over Trinity College, I shall know exactly when to vomit :o)
February 8th, 2008 | 2:03am
by pmm
[Can you open the thread on “The Host” post, please? I’m itching to comment…]
February 12th, 2008 | 11:49am
by Larry Teabag
No idea how comments got turned off on that one, Larry. But they should be open now.
February 12th, 2008 | 1:50pm
by Jim Bliss