A timely Times correction from 1969

Earlier today, Mathew Ingram, communities editor of the Globe And Mail, sent out this tweet:

ingramtweet

He was referring to this notable Times correction from July 17, 1969:

spacecorrection

 

Report an Error Report an error

  • harrisj

    Here is the original editorial that sparked the correction: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=…

  • patriciabee

    Should have figured this'd be here already. Very cool. That's some serious newspaper, that NY Times.

  • Pingback: popurls.com // popular today

  • http://coldacid.net Chris Charabaruk

    I love that the correction states that the working of rockets in a vacuum confirms Newtonian physics, which I'm judging the 1920 editorialist knew nothing of.

  • skylights

    So even in 1920, know-nothing know-it-alls were railing against the experts. I guess this type of anti-intellectual, anti-elitism has always been with us.

  • stochasticity

    I fortunately I didn’t save it so I can offer any details, but one of my favorite corrections was actually a correction of a correction that ran in the LA Times 2-3 years ago.

  • Pingback: Twitted by redwingedblkbrd

  • worrieddad

    I guess they figured that the 1957 Sputnik launch was just done in some Soviet movie studio…

  • http://repealthe17thamendment.blogspot.com/ JohnJ

    Skylights: “So even in 1920, know-nothing know-it-alls were railing against the experts. I guess this type of anti-intellectual, anti-elitism has always been with us.”

    Then, as now, the know-nothing know-it-alls were the experts.

  • krmcn

    Lexington, KY, Herald Leader, 4 July 2004:

    “It has come to the editor's attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement,” the clarification read. “We regret the omission.”

  • jebblount

    Wonderful. Corrections should not be looked on as something horrible. We learn new things all the time. Good journalists seek out the facts from competing and sometimes hostile sources and sometimes, despite their best efforts, get it wrong. Corrections are only “bad'' when people are lazy, and then making people correct, correct promptly and explain to their editors why they made the mistake is the best course of action. I'm no longer with Bloomberg News. I was a reporter there for 12 years. Whatever I feel about the company today, I must say their policy on corrects was far better than most publications and news agencies. Corrections were published as such and reporters required to explain to their bosses, and ultimately the editor in chief, why they made the mistake, however small. Sometimes it hurt like crazy and sometimes you couldn't really figure out why you made the error, but admitting to it, like a good baskeball player admits a foul, make you careful, made you check, made you try to follow the old Chicago City News Bureau dictate: “If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out.'' Too many papers, agencies and other news outlets try to hide or equivicate. Don't. I hated admitting I was wrong at first, but I learned to call those who pointed out the errors (or sometimes were responsible for them) and correct my errors quickly. Many times the reader or Bloomberg client or Internet reader became a source. They liked it that people admitted mistakes and tried to learn from them. They liked it that Bloomberg took their complaints seriously. Of all the good and bad I got from Bloomberg in the last 12 years, their correct policy and their insistence on admitting error and explaining why mistakes were made was one of the finest qualities of that wonderful, crazy and sometimes impossible agency. If everyone followed their policy, journalism wouldn't be in as bad a place as it is now. I'm surprised that so few journalism commentators have commented on Bloomberg's correct policy. Look into it. It's the right policy. I'm no longer with Bloomberg, but I hope that I will live up to that standard as I move on. Cheers, Jeb Blount, Blount's Brazilian Oil News, Rio de Janeiro

  • Pingback: Twitted by javelinabomb

  • http://www.scoutmagazine.ca/ Andrew Morrison

    Now they tell me.

  • http://xyvector.blogspot.com/ Agitstus Pharminocio

    When I was 10 I remember the Apollo missions were taking place. The lady in the appartment downstairs from us did not believe in them. When I tried to explain the concept of space flight in a vacuum to her, she still did not believe it, nor could she grasp the concept.

  • Pingback: Washington Planner » Friday required reading

  • Pingback: Twitted by semachhi

  • Pingback: Instant Health Fitness » Blog Archive » There are 9 errors in this picture. Can you spot them all?

  • billshempp

    So What else is new and true at the Times?

    Bill Shempp Rocketeer Retired

  • Pingback: To That Effect | the web « –TTE–

  • Pingback: More cool Apollo links « A Record: My Time at MIT

  • Craig Silverman

    Great comment, Jeb. Thanks.

  • Pingback: dispatches from TJICistan » Blog Archive » NYT retraction

  • leppy

    <script>alert(“I love you Payden”)</script>

  • Pingback: Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 11 (August 2009) « Quaerentia

  • http://www.world-graffiti.com/ jim

    haha that’s brilliant, i wonder how the dude who said that felt after being so sarcastic!

  • jsdixon

    Man if the Times make mistakes that big I guess I don't have to feel so bad when I mess up!

  • Pingback: Spacevidcast 2.24 Newsathon | Spacevidcast | Space Video Clips

  • jvg

    robert goddard is from worcester MA where i am from :)

  • Pingback: Pick N Mix – Week Starting 17 August 2009 | Cupcakes and Mace

  • rockymeet

    Hello everyone i am completely new to this forum.
    Interested in learning many new things. Hope we all will share our
    knowledge and talk about different concepts in this forum.
    —————-
    mls listings

  • rockymeet

    Hello everyone i am completely new to this forum.
    Interested in learning many new things. Hope we all will share our
    knowledge and talk about different concepts in this forum.
    —————-
    mls listings

  • http://www.naturalk9supplies.com/Brand/purebites.aspx Pure Bites Dog Treats

    That's brilliant, i wonder how the dude who said that felt after being so sarcastic!

  • http://www.naturalk9supplies.com/Brand/purebites.aspx Pure Bites Dog Treats

    That's brilliant, i wonder how the dude who said that felt after being so sarcastic!