Skewed Priorities
Sunday night, I felt like I was part of something great. Despite battling a migraine earlier in the day, when I realized that Curiosity's landing on Mars was at only 10:30 Arizona time, I knew I had to stay up to see it. And once I was sucked into the glorious geek-fest on Twitter, I was wide awake and grinning. When the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab scientists hugged and cried and rejoiced, I felt like dancing along with them--which I didn't do, because that wouldn't have been healthy for my iPad.
I was eager to look at the Arizona Republic Monday morning. Maybe there were new photographs from the rover! I scanned the first page. The feature photograph and article were about the Cardinals football team--the Sikh temple shooting was in a side column. I saw no mention of the Mars landing at all. Maybe it had already gone to print when Curiosity came down? I read on, and on page A7 I found a tiny little article on the subject.
Way to go, Republic. Football, huh? Higher priority than the deaths of multiple people? Higher priority than NASA landing a rover on Mars and nailing it down to the minute?
Today's paper wasn't much better. A picture of the rejoicing scientists at NASA rated a thumbnail-sized picture at the bottom of the first page, leading into an article deeper in the A-section.
Is it any wonder why Arizona is almost last place in the nation with its students? The main bastion of daily literature in the state can't even prioritize one of the greatest scientific achievements of this century. It makes me sad.
I was eager to look at the Arizona Republic Monday morning. Maybe there were new photographs from the rover! I scanned the first page. The feature photograph and article were about the Cardinals football team--the Sikh temple shooting was in a side column. I saw no mention of the Mars landing at all. Maybe it had already gone to print when Curiosity came down? I read on, and on page A7 I found a tiny little article on the subject.
Way to go, Republic. Football, huh? Higher priority than the deaths of multiple people? Higher priority than NASA landing a rover on Mars and nailing it down to the minute?
Today's paper wasn't much better. A picture of the rejoicing scientists at NASA rated a thumbnail-sized picture at the bottom of the first page, leading into an article deeper in the A-section.
Is it any wonder why Arizona is almost last place in the nation with its students? The main bastion of daily literature in the state can't even prioritize one of the greatest scientific achievements of this century. It makes me sad.
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