Media headlines show ignorance about cliffs

The NZ Herald today has a headline “An Auckland cliff is showing signs of collapsing.” In the context of rain from “Cyclone Debbie” – they must mean “remnants of Cyclone Debbie”. Anyway, back to the cliff. A rational statement would say “all cliffs anywhere on planet earth (including Auckland) are the sites of past, present and future collapse”. The rate of collapse can be varied by factors such as wave action, rain, runoff, earthquakes and river meandering.
Why is society so ignorant of earth science 101.
https://i2.wp.com/www.warwickhughes.com/agri16/nzh5apr17-cliff-collapsing.jpg?w=474

9 thoughts on “Media headlines show ignorance about cliffs”

  1. Are you sure this wasn’t published on April 1, Warwick?

  2. > “Why is society so ignorant of earth science 101 ?”

    … and Physics/Chemistry/Zoology/Botany/Maths 101.

    Most people much prefer feeling to thinking, that’s why.

  3. This is no laughing matter, they just had their worst flood in 500 years, or perhaps its the sort of flood one can expect every 500 years.

    Too early to say if this unusual flooding is a regional cooling signal, it might only be an unusual localised weather event.

  4. > “This is no laughing matter …”

    Any “laughter” here is directed at the ignorant idiocy of the newspaper report, not the tragedy of the floods.

    Your usual non-sequitur, Gordy old chap.

  5. Thought the NZ Herald maybe part of Fairfax (the NZ division edits much of Age and SMH) but it seems it a new group from a demerger of APN which I think maybe News Ltd.
    Maybe the NZH acquired some of the useless reporters form Fairfax which is reducing staff and may close down altogether in a few years (then what will all the luvvies read!)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.