Bad Weather and Eclipse Plans, December 2 (#2)

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception:  How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation."  In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information.  They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1.  Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2.  Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs.  Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3.  Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp.  Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4.  When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5.  Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.  

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source:  Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Note:  Today is a rare day in which I’m sending out two posts.  This is the second of the two.

We’re cruising southwestward toward the South Orkney Islands.  A fast-moving storm system is causing us to seek out shelter in a protected bay there and likely attempting to view the eclipse from there as well.  Instead of being smack dab in the middle of the Totality path, the Captain and the Polar Latitudes staff have decided to err on the side of caution and opt for perhaps a less spectacular look at the eclipse in a place out of the path of 13-foot swells, higher than those that we experienced today.

The boat will be fine.  The decision to seek shelter is more for the safety of the passengers and crew.  The pitching and rolling ship could result in falls and broken bones while walking around the ship to meals and activities.

Cruise Director Hannah Lawson while delivering news that all lectures and presentations will be moved from Deck 7 (bow) to the Lounge on Deck 5 (stern) and the elevators will be closed tomorrow morning, was hilarious.

She encouraged everyone to walk like a penguin and shuffle slowly from side-to-side.  In encouraging us not to let gravity get us going too fast, Hannah reminded us to remember that “every downhill has an uphill.”  In other words don’t jog the downhill when the ship tilts that way, but wait for the uphill before proceeding “up the hill.”

When she suggested crawling to the bathroom on all fours, the whole room burst into laughter when she suggested that there was no need to be stuck being bi-pedal!

There is a new quote each day on the shipboard TV.  Today’s was:  “I now belong to a cult of mortals, for now I have seen the Albatross.”

Bruce