Ms. information!
20/9/10 17:41![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
meus-ovatio.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
talkpoliticsRush Limbaugh is always a good topic, and our new weekly topic is a good topic, so it is quite fortunate that we have this to talk about! How serendipititiousamentic!
Basically, Rush Limbaugh's crew reads something on Wikipedia, uses it, and gets burned. Evidently, the federal judge in question is more like the proverbial petunia-grower than a Palinesque bear-hunter. But hey, confirmation bias is a tricky and bastardy thing. (Holy crap, "bastardy" is actually a word!)
This article underscores a lot of old lessons, but it is good to review them:
1)Wikipedia is subject to misinformation and vandalism, most especially when it comes to current events and peoples.
2)Talk radio continues to be a trash outlet for trash.
3)Confirmation bias is sneaky and always present, even when you're on guard for it.
4)Rush Limbaugh remains a tool.
But will it matter? Of course not. We all know that corrections are about as useful as an eye-dropper in a four-alarm fire. I fully expect to hear this particular strain of misinformation in the coming weeks from various people, family and friends. And I will try and correct them, and they will just look at me weird, because they heard it on the radio, and things you hear on the radio are true.
Basically, Rush Limbaugh's crew reads something on Wikipedia, uses it, and gets burned. Evidently, the federal judge in question is more like the proverbial petunia-grower than a Palinesque bear-hunter. But hey, confirmation bias is a tricky and bastardy thing. (Holy crap, "bastardy" is actually a word!)
This article underscores a lot of old lessons, but it is good to review them:
1)Wikipedia is subject to misinformation and vandalism, most especially when it comes to current events and peoples.
2)Talk radio continues to be a trash outlet for trash.
3)Confirmation bias is sneaky and always present, even when you're on guard for it.
4)Rush Limbaugh remains a tool.
But will it matter? Of course not. We all know that corrections are about as useful as an eye-dropper in a four-alarm fire. I fully expect to hear this particular strain of misinformation in the coming weeks from various people, family and friends. And I will try and correct them, and they will just look at me weird, because they heard it on the radio, and things you hear on the radio are true.
(no subject)
Date: 20/9/10 23:52 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 05:43 (UTC)Bastardly: adj like a bastard.
Both are words. :)
(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 06:04 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 06:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 07:55 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 08:02 (UTC)You jump on the mushroom right after the double pipe, then shoot a couple of turtles with your flying boomerang and there you are - standing at the gates with the guardians. But there's a secret passage...
Damn, I miss Super Mario.
(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 15:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 14:38 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/9/10 11:32 (UTC)2)Talk radio continues to be a trash outlet for trash.
1) That's why most intelligent people check to see if there's footnotes and, if there are, verify that they match what the article says. Looks like someone on Limbaugh's staff dropped the ball.
2) Are you including NPR in that statement? If not, maybe you should amend your OP.
(no subject)