Mythbusters
For quite a while we had the most basic cable possible. We paid $12 a month, and since having cable gave us $10 a month off the high speed internet it functionally only $2 a month. Then my work started paying for my internet, we we decided to go back to a more complete cable package. This was necessary not only so that I could watch the Tour, but just as much because I was tired of people talking about MythBusters all the time without being able to share in it.
Well that was many moons ago and since then with the help of several Discovery Channel Mythbuster Marathons and a schedule that demands I always have Wednesday free I think I'm mostly caught up, though last night I did see one I hadn't seen before. One of the myths they were tackling was whether there's some secret device or additive or invention that would allow your car to get vastly better gas mileage. Of course the subtext of this myth, which they used for humorous effect many times, is that through some collusion between oil companies and auto makers these miracles are being kept from the public. Presumably in the service of EVIL.
I really like it when they bust these sorts of myths (opps, did I spoil the ending?) Because while finding out if it the right mix of herbicides can make your pants flammable (the other myth they examined) or whether a sufficiently powerful bomb can save someone falling from an airplane without a parachute, is interesting. Busting a myth like the gas mileage one is a real public service. Of course this is based on the naive assumption that people who might have otherwise bought this snake oil are dissuaded from it, which is far from certain.
Definitely in the service of EVIL
Well that was many moons ago and since then with the help of several Discovery Channel Mythbuster Marathons and a schedule that demands I always have Wednesday free I think I'm mostly caught up, though last night I did see one I hadn't seen before. One of the myths they were tackling was whether there's some secret device or additive or invention that would allow your car to get vastly better gas mileage. Of course the subtext of this myth, which they used for humorous effect many times, is that through some collusion between oil companies and auto makers these miracles are being kept from the public. Presumably in the service of EVIL.
I really like it when they bust these sorts of myths (opps, did I spoil the ending?) Because while finding out if it the right mix of herbicides can make your pants flammable (the other myth they examined) or whether a sufficiently powerful bomb can save someone falling from an airplane without a parachute, is interesting. Busting a myth like the gas mileage one is a real public service. Of course this is based on the naive assumption that people who might have otherwise bought this snake oil are dissuaded from it, which is far from certain.
Definitely in the service of EVIL
posted by DireKobold at 10:56 AM
2 Comments:
So it looks like the oil companies and auto makers have paid off the guys from Mythbusters to continue the lie ... I see.
Check out their message boards on Discovery.com Some of the running debates/counterpoints are pretty interesting (I haven't checked out the gas mileage one, though).
Post a Comment
<< Home