Category: formulaic news writing

Ah, the temptation and elixir of a steady paycheck in trade for weasel words, scare quotes, inane facts, Wikipedia rewrites, irrelevant one-sentence paragraphs, and random quotes for balance!  People, one imagines but cannot name names in public because one of them may have been a friend of mine or even me on occasion (not that I remember it), have made good livings as science writers making quick deadline while relying heavily on such recipe.

For laughs, tears, or an ouch, read:

• Guardian (The Lay Scientist blog) Martin Robbins: This is a...