OPINION/COMMENTARY

The Gods Are Angry with Michael Crichton

The gods are angry with Michael Crichton. "State of Fear" has left global warming only marginally cooler than tossing virgins in volcanoes or serving parboiled PETA directors as hors d'oeuvres. But what's really put Gaia on Prozac is seeing science sacrificed on the altar of media hype. The latest Earth Day burnt offerings are the New York Times / Discovery Channel's "Supervolcano" and PBS's "Strange Days On Planet Earth". They round out a quadraphonic post-Tsunami barrage of volcanic doom and gloom on educational and cable TV. It includes every eruption you've ever heard of, ranging from Thera to Tambora by way of Pompeii. Why is this 12-hour Gotterdammerung rally hogging PBS and Discovery Channel prime time? The programs use frightening special effects to make a visceral point: environmental change kills, so don't even think about changing the environment....

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