Skip Navigation

The Daily Dish - 2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan

« Previous Daily-dish | Next Daily-dish » Email Email Print Print

Not Rocket Science

By The Daily Dish

Dec 11 2008, 8:21 AM ET

By Patrick Appel
A reader writes:

Dr. Chu is a Nobel Laureate, a biochemist, and an experimental physicist -- but he's not a rocket scientist!  I am a rocket scientist, and my wife is a biochemist, so please believe me on this: rocket science is much simpler than either of those fields.  I know that you were reusing Ambinder's headline, and that the phrase has become a throwaway synonym for "smart guy", but surely "Nobel Laureate" or "Accomplished Researcher" would serve as well and be more accurate.  Secretary Rice is an accomplished concert pianist, but I hope nobody would abbreviate that to "rock star".



Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Why Israel Might Believe Attacking Iran Is Worthwhile Why Israeli Leaders Might Believe Attacking Iran Is Worth the Effort
The Weakening of Nations: How Tax Work-Arounds Undermine Our Society Those Cayman Islands Accounts Will Undermine Our Society
What Do Republican Voters See in Rick Santorum? What Do Republican Voters See in Rick Santorum?
A Brief History of the to-do List and the Psychology of Its Success A Brief History of the To-Do List and the Psychology of Its Success
Whitney Houston Has Died Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits
Special Report
The Civil War National Portrait Gallery The Civil War
A 150th-anniversary commemorative issue, with Atlantic work by Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and others. Read more ›

Correspondents

View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

The Civil War, Part 3: The Stereographs

Feb 10, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)