3 ms·

> DHS spokesman Dave Lapan said Kelly "hasn't made a decision but we continue to evaluate the threat environment and have engaged in discussions with airline re

by nhebb 9y ago

> DHS spokesman Dave Lapan said Kelly "hasn't made a decision but we continue to evaluate the threat environment and have engaged in discussions with airline representatives and other stakeholders about the threat." So, our homeland security department has acknowledged that there is a threat and will discuss it with the airlines. This has been transformed into "likely" by the writer, and the "some EU" countries part has been expanded to "Europe" in the headline. This is why I'm skeptical about so many things I read in the news.

matt4077 9y ago
From the article: [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. [...] Six U.S. and European officials said they expect the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make an announcement but declined to say when. This makes pretty clear that the article isn't based on the single-sentence comment by the spokesman. This is why journalists think so many of their readers lack the skills to read the ingredient list for bottled water.
- nhebb 9y ago
  > [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. In context: > is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. "reviewing" is the key word. > [...] make an announcement But we won't know what the policy will be until they make the announcement. There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. > This is why journalists think so many of their readers lack the skills to read the ingredient list for bottled water. That was petty.
  - matt4077 9y ago
    In even more context: "The Trump administration is likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries, but is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday." That means, literally, that officials said: "['We are' or 'The Trump administration is'] likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries" The uncertainty expressed by 'likely' is just that: uncertainty. It's not speculation by the journalist, who is actually just repeating what his sources told him. To criticise such reporting means you will never hear about any policy until it becomes law. That would mean nobody would ever get a chance to weigh in until after the fact. > There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. What's even more important is what's outside those two paragraphs: namely the name "Reuters", and the authors' byline: "Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson". The are institutions/people, and to a certain extend the whole system is build on the idea of trust, in the same way that you trust the neighbour you've known for years to water your plants when you're away.
joatmon-snoo 9y ago
Except that's the public position, not the insider position - and I think as anyone who's ever been on the inside of a headline knows, the public position is "don't give away information until we announce".
ghaff 9y ago
>by the writer In all fairness, more like by some editor. Writers often don't write the headlines (or they have them changed into something more attention grabbing even if less nuanced).

by nhebb 9y ago

matt4077 9y ago

From the article: [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. [...] Six U.S. and European officials said they expect the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make an announcement but declined to say when. This makes pretty clear that the article isn't based on the single-sentence comment by the spokesman. This is why journalists think so many of their readers lack the skills to read the ingredient list for bottled water.

nhebb 9y ago
> [...] officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. In context: > is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. "reviewing" is the key word. > [...] make an announcement But we won't know what the policy will be until they make the announcement. There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. > This is why journalists think so many of their readers lack the skills to read the ingredient list for bottled water. That was petty.
- matt4077 9y ago
  In even more context: "The Trump administration is likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries, but is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on Wednesday." That means, literally, that officials said: "['We are' or 'The Trump administration is'] likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries" The uncertainty expressed by 'likely' is just that: uncertainty. It's not speculation by the journalist, who is actually just repeating what his sources told him. To criticise such reporting means you will never hear about any policy until it becomes law. That would mean nobody would ever get a chance to weigh in until after the fact. > There is nothing in those two excerpts to indicate that this isn't speculation by the writer. What's even more important is what's outside those two paragraphs: namely the name "Reuters", and the authors' byline: "Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson". The are institutions/people, and to a certain extend the whole system is build on the idea of trust, in the same way that you trust the neighbour you've known for years to water your plants when you're away.

joatmon-snoo 9y ago

Except that's the public position, not the insider position - and I think as anyone who's ever been on the inside of a headline knows, the public position is "don't give away information until we announce".

ghaff 9y ago

>by the writer In all fairness, more like by some editor. Writers often don't write the headlines (or they have them changed into something more attention grabbing even if less nuanced).