Echo of: Scientist links cancer to nuclear power

[Chuck Cooper <cooperc@TELEPORT.COM>]

Jerry Cohen wrote:



>So who are the "bad guys" in this story?

>Sternglass and his ilk are just fuctioning in the great American tradition

>of the snake oil salesman and other con artists who inhabit our history.



There are no bad guys here and I don't think Sternglass is a con artist. His

views seem to have gelled during a period of history when there was great

secrecy and manipulation of information. I also don't consider him a

scientist or an expert based on his behavior and views in the light of

current knowledge.

It's too bad we can't withdraw the "Dr." title in this situation, it would

take away the credibility he depends on. Science has a strict set of rules

about what is truth and what is still unknown, culture at large follows a

much more diverse set of constructs. As one who often has to professionally

mediate between the two I have learned to embrace both (or go crazy).



>What bothers me the most about his apparent success is that those in

>the profession of journalism who report this nonsense must be totally

>illiterate in areas of  science and technology. Just a few well placed

>questions would reveal  the absurdity his positions. But alas, who

>is there in our mass media structure to ask these questions?



It's difficult for a journalist given the broad range of topics they cover to

be even remotely well versed in all but a few. In this story it appears that

Mr. Reedy was only reporting what was said, the editors decide what makes

good copy and sells papers. I do think journalists should at least attempt to

check

the credibility of people who appear as experts, 5 min  on Google would have

revealed the credibility

controversy around Sternglass. The result of not at least noting the

controversy is that the less

sophisticated readers my take what he says as truth potentially damaging our

cultures ability to make

informed decisions, and creating a liability issue for the paper?



I will say that in my experience in front of the media, some can twist

stories till you hardly recognize what the story was originally about just to

get something interesting and controversial out of it. Television is very

prone to this IMHO. Unfortunately the media is the primary driver in our

culture and their standards often fall well below the standards I would hold

them to in my world.



Chuck Cooper

Dir. EH&S

Portland State University



(Who has nothing to personally gain by writing this and accepted no pay, the

opinions are personal in nature but might have been inflenced by my

professional role. I also want to admit that I do contribute to National

Public Radio :-)



Oh... the Daily Show's on, gotta go get my news fix!





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