Sigh. Here we go again.

aaarg

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
176
Entomologist my a$$
To be fair, he's an excellent photographer and has a great blog. I don't think there's anything wrong with his post at all, I just don't understand how it was picked up in so many online news outlets.
 

telepatella

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
155
^news cycle. If there's one thing that gets me stupid angry it is media phenomena - thoughtless and capricious. Phenomena in general... ach du libe:( do not reflect what I would hope sensible people were like:( Too much to say here. The media are usually wrong as hell and virtually unaccountable. Sigh indeed...
 

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon
Active Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
759
To be fair, he's an excellent photographer and has a great blog. I don't think there's anything wrong with his post at all, I just don't understand how it was picked up in so many online news outlets.
it's not the photography for the most part that upsets me. it's the accompanying "news" story about it. there are several problems with it. as far as the photos go though, the forced perspectives combined with the article content only serves to fuel the irrational fear of most people have of tarantulas in general. It's not good PR for the hobby and it's not good for the hobby or the spiders in general. We need to try to EDUCATE, not incite fear.
 

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon
Active Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
759
Puppy sized spider? like what.. a newborn chihuahua?? yes... soooo fearsome. ppfftt
 

aaarg

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Messages
176
it's not the photography for the most part that upsets me. it's the accompanying "news" story about it. there are several problems with it. as far as the photos go though, the forced perspectives combined with the article content only serves to fuel the irrational fear of most people have of tarantulas in general. It's not good PR for the hobby and it's not good for the hobby or the spiders in general. We need to try to EDUCATE, not incite fear.
Again, the news articles are not written by the original photographer and author. His blog is full of great information educating people about awesome animals, not fear-mongering. I just feel like your anger is a bit misplaced - sure, be pissed off at HuffPo and Yahoo! and Foxnews (of course!) and whatever other crummy outlets turned a great blog-post into a misunderstood frenzy.
http://thesmallermajority.com/2014/10/08/the-sound-of-little-hooves-in-the-night/
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,496
there are several problems with it. as far as the photos go though, the forced perspectives combined with the article content only serves to fuel the irrational fear of most people have of tarantulas in general.
Yeah, that forced perspective trick is so tiresome. and was the first thing I noticed. It's like the "OMG! Look at this 14-foot rattlesnake they killed" posts, in which the photo displays a normal sized rattler held on a stick and shoved three feet closer to the camera than the person holding the stick is standing.
And "Puppy-sized tarantula" is sensationalistic as well, I think. Though I suppose depending on the breed of the puppy it might not be totally inaccurate.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,044
Well, we are at least doing our part. For those who want the real deal and go looking, do an honest search, will eventually find their way to AB where they can get the real low down and honest perspective. Those who contribute to these discussions contribute their fair share to the overall understanding of animals.

Sorry about the sensationalism, Blondi. We hope you and yours won't suffer unduly.
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
3,346
I don't get it. Why the incredulity? Big arachnid. Check. Fear of the uninitiated. Check, but nothing out of the ordinary. Guyana - not a typical tourist destination = not much opportunity to squash this beloved beast. And since when did Huff, Fox, etc. have any credibility? Geez, let's choose our battles, eh?
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,496
Eh, it is partly the principle of the thing, I think. But as far as the credibility of those places, you are seriously overestimating the public. Still, when you look at the big picture, I guess you are right. It will have little bearing on anybody that matters. Why should we care what Billy-Bob passes on to his equally uninformed friends? I fight the ignorance when I can on FB, but recognize that it's a losing battle.
 

Ghost Dragon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
27
What ticked me off about the Fox News report was the older anchor, third from right, stating that the species was POISONOUS. VENOMOUS, dip :poop:, not POISONOUS. And is it my imagination, or do these kind of mornings shows pay their anchors by how many words they speak? Is that why they are constantly talking over each other? Shows like The View seem to be the same way.
 

jigalojey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
206
These photos are ancient and the hand reference next to the spider is deceptive as hell, looks about 9 inches max "this spider sports a pair of 2 inch fangs" Damn nothing like a pair of rottweiler fangs, takes a business degree to be a scientist today it seems.
 

Beary Strange

Arachnodemon
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
670
Well, at least it continues to demonstrate that a degree does not make one intelligent or capable of reason, especially when arachnids are involved. Doctors assuming any bite is a brown recluse bite, "scientists" making wild claims about a T.blondi...
 

Storm76

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
3,797
^news cycle. If there's one thing that gets me stupid angry it is media phenomena - thoughtless and capricious. Phenomena in general... ach du libe:( do not reflect what I would hope sensible people were like:( Too much to say here. The media are usually wrong as hell and virtually unaccountable. Sigh indeed...
...which usually accounts to the stupidity of the editor in general (I guess) "Get me someone with knowledge of X" - "Hey, I know just THE guy..." - and voila: That guy is just someone they picked up on the street, or maybe some acquaintance (murdered the spelling there I think...) of the reporter or whatnot. In any case - totally agree!
 

jigalojey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
206
...which usually accounts to the stupidity of the editor in general (I guess) "Get me someone with knowledge of X" - "Hey, I know just THE guy..." - and voila: That guy is just someone they picked up on the street, or maybe some acquaintance (murdered the spelling there I think...) of the reporter or whatnot. In any case - totally agree!
You spelled it correctly.
 
Top