[ExI] NASA space probe proves Einstein correct

[Tom Nowell]

Einstein's jewishness has about as much do with his theories as Steven Hawking's disability does with his. However, New Scientist (the source of the article) is a relatively mainstream British publication, and falls prey to the same journalistic conventions that a lot of British magazines do. They feel the need to mention these things in the same way that they have to use adjectives like "wealthy" or "permanently tanned" to describe Simon Cowell, as if there's a person left in the country who hasn't seen him on TV or heard about how much he earns.

 Likewise, mentioning which school or university our senior politicians went to doesn't really comment on their ability to do the job but does help act as a class signifier - so the chancellor of the exchequer's expensive education is always mentioned, just as his opposite half on the opposition is always labelled "former postman" or "trade unionist".

Tom