Re: [OT] Columbia

On Sun, 2 Feb 2003 20:41:30 -0800 (PST), John Leary
<john_t_leary@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>These folks are taught to read what is on the 
>prompter (sort of), not to think or make 
>rational comments!
>Rather good at their job, aren't they!

As I pointed out, they have to fill the gap with sometimes nothing. So,
they
ask the same questions the average person is asking (sometimes they
sound
inane to those of us who follow such things and have better knowledge)
but
they are the sort of questions I hear from friends and family who know
little
about it. They also want to keep people glued to _their_ channel, not
hopping
around.

Remember, too, that many of these talking heads know more than they
appear,
but they are taught to keep the technical stuff down for the average
viewer.
Miles O'Brien said a couple of stupid things on the weekend, but I saw
him at
a NASA briefing. He asked a question that shows he has a fair bit of
knowledge
in this area. His question was technical, and was not fluff by any
means. 

Let's face it, folks, the people on this list are generally _not_ the
target
audience. 

Allan Goodall		       agoodall@hyperbear.com
http://www.hyperbear.com

"We come into the world and take our chances
 Fate is just the weight of circumstances
 That's the way that Lady Luck dances
 Roll the bones." - N. Peart