Brad on Marc the amateur

Love the topic, and it dovetails nicely with a previous book recommendation you provided Marc, FARK. I'll say a career in the intelligence community has made you quite a conspiracy theorist. First off I want to start by saying that the mere suggestion that this should be your last post amounts to familial treason and I will hear none of it. Now that we have that out of the way...

I have some general thoughts on the conclusions you highlighted. I realize this is like a telephone game, so if my commentary is off the marc (intended) because I misunderstood the details behind your bullet list, I'm sorry about that. But in the interest of provoking thought (since Marc likes that so much)...

The idea of confusion about sources of information and credible news goes far beyond the Internet. I'll give you 2 examples:

#1 example - THEY. Nobody knows who THEY are but THEY are commonly referred to as distributors of knowledge or facts. THEY said its the most snow we've gotten since the 40s. THEY say anal glands in german shorthair pointers are worse than in vizlas. Examples are irrelevant, listen for the trusted source of information in your next conversation, the all-knowing THEY.

#2 example - "real" news outlets. I challenge anyone to find a news outlet that isn't slanted towards something. FoxNews - Fair and Balanced...not so much. CNN - the most trusted name in news...hardly. 60 Minutes, 20/20, Dateline - pure propaganda and scare tactics to get people to watch so they can sell Viagra and Levitra to their viewership (sorry Dad, everything Ann Curry says is NOT the gospel).

Now part of me feeling that way is because "news" is so damn negative. Accordingly, my new favorite show and credible information source is CBS Sunday Morning. Check it out, great show.

Part 2: I think there is a place for Wikipedia which is broad, general knowledge. You can type "wine" into Wikipedia and find out some basics about wine, choosing wine, and purchasing wine that can prevent you from looking like a buffoon when you go to the next dinner party. If you are writing a college paper based on Wikipedia then you should first go back and get your GED. Of note: Upper Iowa, a University for whom I teach, specifically references Wikipedia in their "do not use" list of resources. It is mandatory language for all syllabus'.

Part 3: YouTube. Pure entertainment baby. Has anyone notice the incredible things they can do in movies and make them look real? Yea, well about 90% of those tricks are available to the common video amateur. That's what THEY say anyway...

Part 4: Down with the Facebook! I'm not on it and I don't care what airport terminal in Dallas you are going to the bathroom.

Part 4a: Down with the Twitter! I also don't care that Paris Hilton just got a bikini wax.

Part 5: Down with Pampers!

Part 6: Down with Russia!

Part 7: Down with Kevin Bacon!

Sorry I got a little carried away...