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General discussion

TECH JOURNALISTS GONE WILD!!!!!

Jun 26, 2010 1:54AM PDT

The following article pretty much sums up my disgust with the state of tech "journalism" on the web. The hysterical iPhone 4 antenna dustup is just the latest manifestation of this pile-on-and-pass-it-on impulse amongst the tech blogosphere. The problem is much deeper than Apple hate or love. They just happen to be the latest targets. Google may currently be the tech world's darling but they will be next, and it will be then someone else and so on and so on. Rinse lather repeat. Sensationalism requires a constant supply of fresh red meat.

http://www.thomas-fitzgerald.net/2010/06/26/about-that-iphone-4-reception-problem-and-the-bigger-issues-in-technology-journalism/

Discussion is locked

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(NT) ahh yes, "iGotcha eJournalism"
Jun 26, 2010 9:08AM PDT
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At least iGotcha journalism might require some effort.
Jun 27, 2010 1:20AM PDT

This is just lazy "me too" reporting for the sake of page hits and juicy headlines.

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iGotcha eJournalism?
Jun 29, 2010 12:14PM PDT

I remember Sarah Palin coining the phrase "Gotcha Journalism", but I never expected anyone in this level of thinking to use Palin as a reference. This place has gone down a few notches.

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oh c'mon, lol
Jun 30, 2010 12:01PM PDT

I guess I didn't realize the ppl here had no sense of humor either... Wink

-k

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Notch this...
Jun 30, 2010 10:24PM PDT

Are you really saying that people who frequent here must be Democrats/Liberals/progressives, or they lack critical thinking skills? I'd suggest you 'rethink' that, because that's how some might interpret it.

Of course, the best option would be to avoid political drive-by's in the tech forum.

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Are you
Jul 1, 2010 10:14AM PDT

Really defending Palin? Wink

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LOL
Jul 1, 2010 1:02PM PDT

Would I defend her over your socialistic philosophy? You betcha! Happy

"minimalist" and I have our different points of view, but I'm pretty sure he's a capitalist. Not sure I could say the same for you, Nicholas, lol.

All I'm really saying is that it's best to avoid the political shots here. Those kinds of comments are gratuitious, in my humble opinion.

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Excuse me?
Jul 1, 2010 4:21PM PDT

I'm not a socialist!

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OK
Jul 1, 2010 9:24PM PDT

Maybe I was confused by your position on copyrights and intellectual property in past discussions. My apologies. Anyway, I've said my piece. And this thread isn't about Sarah Palin! Movin' on.

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Not touching this with a 10 foot pole.
Jul 4, 2010 12:47AM PDT

But I will say that regardless of your political leanings, quoting Sarah palin is as unwise as quoting Ted Stevens.... that is if you want your position to be taken seriously. There are lots of intelligent conservative thinkers out there. That woman is not one of them.

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But you did...
Jul 5, 2010 1:36AM PDT

First, Robstak was just making a funny. Are there rules now about who can be quoted or whose comments adapted? That's pretty sad, if true. I mean, we're not talking about Hitler here. If this is going to be a contest over what inane things have been said by politicians, I'll be sure to throw out my list. Trust me, there's tons made by those on both the left and right.

The funny thing about Palin is that the rather elitist dismissals of her (from those on both sides of the aisle) fly in the face of what she's been able to achieve. Just take a look at the latest election results and the candidates she supported, as well as the money she's been able to raise for politicians, and HERSELF.

I'm no card-carrying member of the Sarah Palin fan club. I no fan of any particular politician. But "take seriously"? I take results seriously, so poke fun all you want, and she'll be laughing all the way to the corner bank, and the political bank. There's probably nothing more perilous than underestimating one's opponent -- in politics and life in general.

But to the larger issue of who can/can't be quoted in a tech forum (in a jocular way, no less), come on...let's not go there.

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Don't be so sensitive.
Jul 5, 2010 11:05AM PDT

Believe it or not i'm just making funny too. Sarah Palin is freaking hilarious. You know just because you are a conservative you don't have to defend every wingnut in your party. Liberals have them too and im the first to laugh at them as well.

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If you only knew...
Jul 6, 2010 3:33AM PDT

My preferred candidate in the last presidential season didn't make it to the finals. She wasn't "perfect", (no one is), but she seemed like the smartest choice of those running from both parties. She's smart (although her campaign could have been smarter!) and fairly centrist, relatively speaking. She knew how to work across the aisle to get things done. That was my assessment. Surprised?

I'm a pragmatist, with some "conservative beliefs" and some "liberal" beliefs. I try to vote for the person, not the party --and I'm not affiliated with any party.

I don't like to see money wasted on ridiculous programs that have no accountability and don't emphasize self-reliance, and I also think it's absurd that gay marriage isn't legal (hey, they can screw up marriage just like everyone else, right?), nor do I want anyone telling me what my "morality" should consist of.

I'd say my positions pretty much alienate me from the mainstream of both parties, wouldn't you say?

So much for labels, eh? Try again...

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Well good for you.
Jul 6, 2010 4:50AM PDT

Which means you should know when to take a joke about a cynical, politically opportunistic woman who deserves the mockery she brings on herself. There are plenty of thoughtful, well reasoned candidates out there on both sides of the political spectrum that deserve our respect regardless of whether we agree with them or not. But that populist hack isn't one of them.

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But seriously...
Jul 6, 2010 6:01AM PDT

Your definition of her can pretty much be applied across the spectrum. I find [most] politicians by nature to be "opportunistic", egotistic, etc., etc., etc. My only point about her is that as much as she is mocked, she still gets results, both politically and financially.

So, in the end if her opponents think it's safe to just mock her and write her off, they do so at their own peril. Otherwise, I couldn't care less about her fortunes. I'm just trying to say that I have no dog in her fights. I just think it's foolhardy to think that she can't deliver for her "team". I wouldn't bet against her that way if I were a decision maker in the DNC.

It's almost (not quite, but almost) like the nerds in school who were constantly taunted, teased, shunned, and endured any and all kinds of social insults. And then, come high school reunion time, you find out they are the multi-millionaires with the pretty wives or significant others out saving the world, while you're the run-of-the-mill workaday hack who was voted most likely to succeed because you played football. Mock her all you want, but for now, anyway, her star power hasn't been diminished. Come November, you might find out it's high school reunion time all over again.

Anyway, I hope I've clarified where I'm coming from. Now, about those tech journalists...

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Spammers, snake oil salesmen, and infomercial kings also
Jul 7, 2010 3:30AM PDT

"get results". That doesn't mean we should admire them or celebrate them. Palin isn't being teased as a nerd in high school. She is being criticized for being a money grubbing, cynical hack right here, right now.

If you truly base your voting decisions on the candidate, their positions and their qualifications then you should pretty much loath everything this woman stands for regardless of what party she claims to represent. She has no coherent positions nor is she qualified to do much other than recite platitudes that appeal to whatever niche demographic she happens to be talking to at the moment.

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Great advances in high tech
Jul 7, 2010 5:15AM PDT

Definitely we don't know wich way is taking technology, hope take care of the health of the planet!

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Hehe yeah
Jun 26, 2010 9:20AM PDT

It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't repeating out half truths most of the time.

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Sadly, even BOL isn't immune to this impulse.
Jun 27, 2010 1:30AM PDT

I thought Molly's rant about the iPhone antennae was more than a little unhinged the other day.

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Interesting comments by Ed Koch
Jul 8, 2010 10:55PM PDT

I'm loathe to stay on the Palin topic, but since it's so timely to our own discussion, I give you this link:

http://freedomslighthouse.net/2010/07/06/democrat-ed-koch-says-fellow-dems-are-nuts-if-they-think-sarah-palin-is-dumb-audio/

Koch is no fan of Palin and even once exclaimed that she scared him. But he makes the same points I do: Democrats who write her off as dumb or dismiss her with other snarky descriptions do so at their own peril!

It's not about whether her positions are right or preferable. It's about her ability to drive voters to her causes. On a pragmatic level, that's how I judge her current effectiveness, which is not unlike how I judge our current President's effectiveness in his own election effort. He succeeded.

(Koch is a former liberal mayor of NYC for those who might not be familiar.)

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She is dangerous. That doesn't mean she deserves respect
Jul 9, 2010 3:15AM PDT

or admiration.