Monday, November 3, 2014

Corroboration?

 

Link

Inspiring or whatever you want to call it, what is to be noted is that the article doesn't cite any corroboration.

Don't want to sound like an insensitive prick (although I am one), but in light of recent events (P.V Arun bullshit), it would make sense if reporters would cite some references other than the family and friends of the person they are praising.

Please note, I am not saying that this story too is made up shit. I am merely stating that when publishing an article, it should be mentioned that the story has been corroborated / verified / substantiated OR not.


For those of you not familiar with the P.V Arun bullshit (I found out only recently. Thanks Surya), here it is:

17-09-2012 - The Hindu - In search of extraterrestrial life  - A boy from Kerala will soon be joining those elite scientists in their search for the existence of extraterrestrial life, working from his own workstation at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S.

P.V. Arun is thrilled at being accepted as a research scientist at NASA as he spoke to The Hindu about his achievements on the sidelines of a felicitation programme organised by the Institute of Human Resources Development here on Tuesday. An alumnus of the College of Engineering, Poonjar, under the IHRD, he has secured admission to a research programme at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), U.S. He will be joining as a research scientist at the NASA to explore, in his own words “extraterrestrial elements with the use of remote sensing.”

19-09-2012 - Indian Express - His dreams make a contact with ETs - It is a much-coveted achievement anyone could dream of, but few can reach. At the young age of 25, Arun P V is all smiles, for he has materialised the biggest of his dreams, an admission to the Research Programme at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a foreign scholar, and a placement at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US as a research scientist.

07-10-2014 - Telegraph - Patriot Nasa boy turns hero - A young Nasa researcher from Kerala whose patriotic stand had prompted the US space agency to relax a citizenship rule was surprised to find himself the toast of New Delhi during a visit last month.

Arun’s Nasa assignment required him to accept American citizenship at a later date. Since that would have meant losing his Indian nationality, Arun declined.

True to its professionalism, Nasa realised his worth, acknowledged his concerns and took him on board without pressing the citizenship clause. It could not be confirmed whether Nasa had made a similar concession for anyone else before.

30-10-2014 - Deccan Chronicle - Police, family confirm ‘NASA’ fraud - The police has confirmed that claims made by Arun P V that the US space research agency, NASA, had relaxed a citizenship rule for giving him a job were fake. After verifying Arun's documents and passport, police found that Arun has no connection with NASA.

30-10-2014 - Telegraph - Report on youth unsubstantiated - Doubts have been expressed about the authenticity of a claim by a Kerala youth that Nasa, inspired by his patriotism, had relaxed appointment rules for him.

…Since then, reports have emerged that doubted the claim of the youth who has not been able to substantiate his version with documentary proof till now. A reader also wrote to this newspaper, pointing out that the information in the report could not be verified.

Subsequent inquiries have been unable to find evidence that establishes Arun was associated with the US space agency. Kerala police had also conducted independent inquiries and concluded that the claims of Arun appeared to be unfounded.

Under the circumstances and in the absence of documentary proof, The Telegraph is constrained to classify the contents of the report as unverified and unsubstantiated.

This newspaper had published the report after speaking to the youth who requested that he be not quoted. But the information was not verified with either Nasa or the other persons mentioned in the report — a mistake that goes against established journalistic norms.

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