The frightening Chelsea bombing on Saturday night has prompted an interesting metalinguistic linguistic foray among our Mayor, Governor, and….likely most of us. Was it “terrorism”? Saturday night Mayor DeBlasio stated “Here is what we know: It was intentional, it was a violent act, it was certainly a criminal act, it was a bombing — that’s […]
Readers are drawn to dynamic (moving) pictures. So the dynamic map on the Miami Herald site caught my eye. Problem – it’s hard to work with. It took me a while to figure out that I could pause the timeline. But the real challenge comes when you have to “guess” how the […]
I’m not a toxicologist, and I don’t have time to become one this week.But I am following the Zika outbreak and I’m trying to make informed choices. If I were living in Miami ( or not) I know I’d be very focused on Zika.But I’d also be worried about what I don’t know about the […]
You wake up this morning and you hear that there is a travel warning from the federal gov’t (CDC specifically) warning pregnant women “should not travel to this area.” Here’s just some of what you’re likely to hear from average folks today: WOW! Look at that. I wonder why the mosquitos picked that neighborhood? They […]
Unfortunately just about every scientist, public health expert and media source. Problem with referring to Zika as “mosquito-borne” is: 1. linguistically complex – a highly deleted, passive form-one of the hardest grammar constructions for people to make sense of, especially if less educated. A mosquito […]
Suppose scientists had initially called “global warming” “global heating”; health insurers had called “managed care” “restricted care”; historians called the “holocaust”, “ murder”, or the European Union called Syrian and Pakistanis denied access into Europe,” refugees” instead of “migrants”? “Splitting hairs” ? “Word-smithing?” Not so much. To some degree, we all see these words […]
A total act of randomness, my TV clicker landed on NBCs TheVoice just as Jordan Smith was singing SIA’s “Chandelier” He blew the judges’ minds one by one as they turned their chairs to see who this amazing voice was. He changed their perceptions thoroughly. Jordan Smith – a young man, cherubic faced, overweight, plaid shirt and cardigan, glasses. […]
With New Yorkers (especially in the Bronx) on edge about Legionnaires Disease, there’s no room for sloppy media coverage. During an outbreak, where dread is in play and the likelihood of half-right information spreading quickly, public health officials take every opportunity to communicate what is known. We’re hearing some residents say “I’m not going […]
Surprise, surprise. This is one of the photos that made it into the online NYC Channel 4 coverage of Legionnaires’ Disease. I have no more to say about this one! —————— My blog has moved to Healthliteracylab.com
I might be overstating just a tad, but somethingABCNews online did today does its part in misleading the public about a breaking news health issue in New York, and undermining the good work of public health officials and providers. I’m talking about their online coverage of the Legionnaires Disease incidence in the Bronx. The ABC […]
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