CBS-19 got an anonymous, unauthenticatable comment on their website from somebody claiming to be in on these random attacks around downtown, with the pseuodnym “Chaos.” A useless lead from a random kook? No, a useless lead from a famous random kook: CBS-19 did a story about it. They even showed the missive to police, who had no comment…but still they ran the story.
If I comment on their site with a goofy nickname, claiming that I kidnapped the Lindbergh baby, maybe they’ll do a story about that, too.
I was told by someone who might be considered “connected” to a reliable source that these fights are a competition between two groups to see which can get the most media attention. This Chaos character might not have been a part of this at all, just be claiming involvement for his group.
Regardless, I think CBS is entering NBC’s territory with their alarmist, sensational reporting on this one.
Can’t we all just get along?
Waldo, you’re not old enough to have kidnapped the Lindbergh baby, you’ll have to come up with something better than that. Maybe you sent George Allen a tape with “Maccaca” playing subliminally in the background over and over? :).
A prime candidate for most poorly thought-out story of the year.
And not to pile on the newsplex, but I must note that it was fewer than two weeks ago that they ran a story claiming that a vandalized campaign sign in Greene County was “raising new questions” (by who?) about gang activity in the area.
Silly.
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/home/headlines/8771087.html
Reading through “Chaos”‘s e-mail, it seems obvious that it wasn’t written by an illiterate gang member, but by a rather well educated person trying to perpetuate a hoax. Note that all the words save for “ya’ll” (a common mistake) are spelled correctly and even the “ain’t”s are properly contracted. The hoaxter was too clever by half, although not for the Plex.
NBC ran the text of the “letter” last night. What a joke. Whomeever wrote it sounded like an idiot.
” anonymous, unauthenticatable comment ”
Did “19” phrase it that way?
Oops – I mistyped. I meant to say “Whoever” – my bad. I issue this correction so that I do not sound like an idiot. :)
Gangs can have literate wannabe members. The letter could be real but it’s not news unless the Newsplexers or 29’ers go to the neighborhoods and ask if there really is a Calif. vs. NY thing going on. And if so, they’d be irresponsible to inflame it by airing the actual messages instead of describing the contents. Same thing goes for CNN reciting kidnappers’ or bombers’ letters.
They said it was submitted through their website and came from a cell phone.
Sounds like a hoax to me. In any case, I’m sure CBS doesn’t need to be fanning the flames. I don’t understand what publicizing this letter was supposed to do for the community? It’s just giving whoever wrote tis what they want. Publicity.
I must be stupid.
I just read the story and I have to make a few points as a parent. Why would anyone not want to know about any possible gang threats that may be taking place in the city that they live in? In reading the story it never says that police make no comment. It says that police have no comment on this aspect of the case but the “gang experts” who I’m assuming is also police, unless CBS is in with gang members, did make comments, just not on camera. The “gang experts” are the ones claiming that there could be a West Coast influence in Charlottesville. Until I read the story I didn’t know that 6’s and capital C’s are Crip related. And if it is a hoax, which I think is a wild conspiracy theory, then the fact that someone out there would actually make a joke of this situation is appauling. I want my child to be safe and if there is info out there that may suggest that she may not be, I want to hear about it.
Dear Concerned,
You are naive when you write “the fact that someone out there would actually make a joke of this situation is appauling”. The fact that you don’t realize that someone would make a joke out of almost anything these days is appalling.
I am also a concerned parent and citizen but I would prefer to get information from our local media that is factual and not potentially something being presented to increase viewership and ratings.
This particular “story” should not have been presented in this manner – even if it has been checked and verified by “gang experts”. This is irresponsible reporting at its worst.
If the Charlottesvill Police are involved and have confirmed that the email is “real”, then I expect Chief Longo will be on the news tonight to address this issue.
I missed where on their website it said it came from a cellphone. If it was texted in from a cell phone it should include their number. Why not call them back?
Lisa,
Come on. Are you serious? So it’s not appauling that someone would make a joke out of this? Really? And yes I’m am naive because I don’t think anyone would make a joke about this. I hope you detected the sarcasm there. Maybe you should read the post again because it’s obvious that you’re missing the point. So you only want the facts. If gang experts from the police department say that we have potential gang influences in the Charlottesville area you really don’t want to know about it? Really? That’s not a story. So I suppose if there were a potential terrorist threat in Charlottesville you wouldn’t want to know about it either unless you knew exaclty who was involved and when they planned to strike. That’s just ignorant. And despite the fact that these gang experts say that gangs pose a REAL threat you still don’t want to hear about it unless you have the actual person that wrote the email. The entire story suggests that there MIGHT be a connection and that suspicion is confirmed by the concern of gang EXPERTS that work for the police department. So let’s just wait for someone from a gang to attack someone who doesn’t want to accept that there perfect little town isn’t so perfect before hearing that there might be a serious threat in our area. Ignorant.
This is just among a string of bad judgement by young journalists and their managers. CBS 19 doesn’t get an audience but this type of reporting doesn’t bode well for them making a dent on 29 in the near future. They are not alone though. 29’s series of irresponsible fear stories on the downtown assaults and the Hook’s choices of reporting from gossip just doesn’t generate any faith that we have proper journalism being encouraged in Cville.
So let’s just wait for someone from a gang to attack someone who doesn’t want to accept that THEIR perfect little town
excuse the use of their. might proofread next time.
SO. Anyone can email a TV station and put forth a threat? Unconfirmed? No source? No informant? No proof? I could email 29 from an untraceable email and say the downtown mall has bombs planted all over it? Are we so beaten down with fear that we run for cover from all the nutjobs out there? The cops can’t just investigate the email to figure out if it is true or a hoax? Is it really necessary to put it out to the community before it was determined by the professionals to be a real threat? Then if it seemed plausible of course warn the community. Personally I’m not going to quit going to work downtown because of some wannabe fake gang kids who write emails to TV stations to act all tough and gangsta types.
How about just catching these kids?
Concerned: Comparing possible gang activity with terrorism is over the top. And I’m pretty surprised that anyone would think that it is possible gang activity that makes Charlottesville a less than perfect town: isn’t it rather the conditions of prejudice and discrimination on the basis of race and class that create gang activity in the first place that make Charlottesville a less than perfect town?
isn’t it rather the conditions of prejudice and discrimination on the basis of race and class that create gang activity in the first place
Um. No.
Concerned — you seem a little hysterical. I think the critique being offered by most posts on this board is a critique of irresponsible journalism. It doesn’t do the community any good to publicize what are possibly fake emails about a real and serious situation. If it turns out that the emails are genuine, then it’s news, it’s a real story, but until then, it looks like sensationalism.
Someone, gang member or not, got smart to the media play of the kids attacking people on the street. The tv stations were hyping it, and so this is the response. And, it seems to be working, if you are prone to become hysterical about vague threats that you, individually, cannot do anything about. Meanwhile, if the media needs to stop promoting panic over unsubstantiated, useless information. If you feel that you are in a dangerous place or situation, do something about that, but don’t promote hysteria.
Alison: I think that primarily, gangs are about promoting violent behavior for power and influence over people or territory. Feeling marginalized for whatever reasons might be a reason to join a gang, but it is not the purpose of the gang’s activity, which is to show up other gangs.
Thank you Cecil. I was trying to see if this string could get back to the the beginning (so to speak). Did some of you miss the Lindbergh baby comment?
My comments have been trying to address the sensationalism aspect of this particular story and the way it has been presented and the potential ramifications of airing a story like this without solid evidence and facts. For those of posting comments without actually listening to the broadcast, you could scroll back to the very top of this page or click here:
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/home/headlines/8953517.html
Review it and then tell me if you don’t have some questions or concerns about WCAV and Lisa Ferrari after hearing what has been broadcast.
“They were written by someone who calls himself Chaos and were sent in response to stories that were posted on our web channel. Now the writer does not come out and say he is a gang member but does indicate he is part of the Crips.”
Lisa Ferrari continues:
“Now we showed our emails to gang experts. They declined to comment on camera but tell us the use of capital “c’s” and the “b’s” written as “6’s” indicate the letter was written by a member of the Crips.”
Who are these so-called “gang experts”? That would be helpful to know since my best friend in college actually considered herself a “shark expert” since she had watched Shark Week on the Discovery Channel at least three times.
If any one reading this would like to be considered a “gang expert”, spend about 20 minutes online (as I just did) and see what you can learn. Here are just a few of the many sites that will help you too write a gang member email:
http://www.rapdict.org/Crip
http://www.rapdict.org/Bloods
http://street-gangz.com/crip-gang-knowledge.php
http://www.gangsorus.com/
http://www.streetgangstyle.com/gangs_gangster_quotes.php
http://www.hiphopgalaxy.com/rap-dictionary-hip-hop-2099.html
“Concerned” mentions twice that this information has been confirmed by the police department. If that is true, can someone please point me to a place where that can be verified.
This won’t make me any friends at CBS 19, but publicizing that letter is beneath even my standards, and I’m a blogger.
I think that “Concerned” is conflating the PD’s confirmation that indeed there is gang activity in Charlottesville with the idea that they have confirmed the validity of this email from “Chaos” as well as the accuracy of Chaos’ claims. The PD has confirmed the former — there is gang activity in Cville — but has not confirmed anything having to do with the Chaos email.
And honestly, if indeed the recent beatings in Cville have been part of dueling groups trying to top one another in terms of media attention, has CBS 19 just handed one of the dueling parties the biggest plum yet, in getting this email publicized?
Lisa, I had the same question about the “gang experts” — why can’t they be named? Usually when you want to assert an authoritative opinion, you let the authority’s credentials be known. Otherwise the expert could be your Uncle Louie, or your dog.
Bruce, what does lead to gang activity, in your opinion? Naturally-occurring evil?
Come on. I just read this story. I have about a ounce of journalism in my whole body and I know this was a horrible judgement call. Get another leader “newsplex” or at least a reporter with some common sense.
Concerned, you really are putting way too much stock in absolutely nothing. When we talk about the letter being a potential hoax, it’s not like this would be your next-door neighbor or something. It would be some bored kid who thinks that your credulity and concern are hilarious and irrational.
Why are you putting so much faith in anonymous ‘gang experts?’ Who are these experts? We don’t have a single name, let alone any sort of credentials. What exactly are the qualifications for calling one’s self a ‘gang expert?’ I have no idea and neither do you.
On so many different levels, this so-called news article is like something out of the Weekly World News. Some random, anonymous person says something which is completely unverifiable, which is presented as fact by the ‘reporter,’ and then to round it out and look like a story written by grown-ups you have these ambiguous ‘experts’ agreeing that it is a possibility. And then to put the cherry on top, ‘police will not comment at this time.’ These are pretty much the same elements behind headlines like ‘Space Alien eats Madonna’s Cat By Mistake.’
This is the biggest steaming pile of horse crap that I have ever seen posing as journalism in Charlottesville in the 15 years that I have lived here. My high school newspaper (go Murray!) had higher standards than this.
next on cbs-19…we’ve received an anonymous, unauthenticated email from a person known only as “seymore butts” who claims to have prince albert in a can. could this be a ransom attempt, or possible regicide? police have no comment.
find out more at 11!
My Lord, you people are nuts. Take a pill and get ouver yourselves!
Wow we have some delusional conspiracy theorists here don’t we. So CBS’s gang experts are just people that read some stuff on the internet? So you think they ran the story based on the intelligence and suspicions of gang experts who aren’t really experts? Yes I think that’s what they did. Because that wouldn’t have any ramifications. And Waldo it’s below you to post a letter sent to the newsplex but you have no problem posting links to video that shows crowds of people gathered around fighting? Where was the public outcry when NBC showed clips of kids fighting in places that “appear” to be in Charlottesville? Showing those clips doesn’t publicize violence and help to spur whoever is shooting the videos to continue? Get over your double standards and really try to think about the issue here….and yes maybe you all should take a pill.
What pill would that be? Check out this new drug: http://thememoryartist.wordpress.com/2007/06/06/is-normal-everyday-living-still-holding-you-back/
:)
You’re confused. Allow me to explain.
The problem with this letter is…well, for starters, it’s not a letter. It’s a blog comment. But the problem is that it was presented as news. This comment left on a blog by a stranger that purports to present inside information, a comment that was not authenticated and probably is not authenticatable. It lacks legitimacy, yet it is the job of the media to filter through information and present to us only that information that is legitimate. CBS 19 failed in this regard on this occasion.
Your objection to the video of the fights is where you start get confused. By putting the word “appear” in scare quotes, I think you’re attempting to raise doubt as to whether the videos were recorded in Charlottesville. There’s really not much question there, what with the, y’know, video of Charlottesville. There was no serious question of its legitimacy. You’re conflating two entirely unrelated things.
You then go on to complain about the videos being shown at all, which is a 180° change from your original comment on this topic, in which you wrote:
Which is it? Do you want to have any shred of information, no matter how dubious, about this case? Or are you offended by my posting the videos?
I find it amusing that you are absolutely certain that the video showed fights in Charlottesville. I wonder then why in your original posting you said that they certainly appear to be in Charlottesville. You didn’t seem absolutely certain then but now “there is no question of its legitmacy.” Right.
But I am glad that NBC did the report because it makes me more aware of the possible real threats in our community.
And again you’re missing the point. CBS didn’t say that the letter implied that it was not a gang member, nor did the station say that it wasn’t authentic. The news appears to have been corraberated by gang experts who I assume work for the police department. Do you question their assessment because in the story they sure seem to think it’s authentic.
And as to why someone working on a gang task force wouldn’t want to appear on camera or have their identity revealed..well I think if you think about that one you can figure it out.
And finally to your question “Which is it?” I never said I was offended by CBS’s posting of the message and I never said that I was offended by the videos that you posted. I am merely pointng out the fact that you seem to have a double standard as to what YOU consider offensive and not offensive. I find both stories to be very similar in what they are trying to get across but I only see public outcry concerning this one.
Hoax or not I rather have the information in front of me so I can make the assessment and if POLICE think that it is a real threat and that it could be a CRIP writing the message then I want to know about it. I put far more stock in their opinions than I do any of yours. If you would like to continue thinking it’s a hoax that should have never been reported, then go right ahead.
Concerned, why are you so passionately championing this shoddy piece of poorly-sourced “scare” journalism?
I always think it’s silly when people accuse anonymous local media defenders of in fact being employees of the outfits they defend, but in this case, I can think of no other explanation.
Concerned-
I’m really concerned about you being so damn concerned all the time. Look, they sell Star Weekly on aisle three…Why don’t you wander on down over there, grab a few copies and tack them all over the inside of your home so you can live in the world of fantasy you so badly wish the world would provide you?
You sound kind of like the German Auntie I had who used to tell me that Hitler wasn’t really all that bad of a guy. She thought he was “the greatest speaker” she had ever heard and tried to convince me that he was only trying to save Germany from the invading infidels. I’m not sure if the jewish community in berlin was throwing any C’s or 6’s around at the time but I’m sure I could find a “gang expert” to tell me.
It seems the third reich had a great way of causing panic in the streets of Berlin by creating fake stories about “the devil jews taking over our countryside” and by orchestrating the publishing of dozens of anonymous letters to the editor of major newspapers that were printed as fact and as much led to the holocaust as anything that I can see.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels
You know Concerned, I like to think we live in a country that doesn’t follow the tactics of fascist empires but lately I’m not so sure…The government, The press. Arent we better then this?
I’d be willing to bet that you voted for that W guy didn’t you? Was it because he’s going to protect you from those big bad terrorists in Irag? I weep for you.
I for one welcome our new scare tactic, un-authenticating pseudo-journalist overlords.
OK, I couldn’t resist.
But seriously, what’s the deal with concerned. We get a bit of bad journalism with the wacko blog entry. Funny to see the ch.19 take it and run with it. A bit sad too. And then we get someone defending the bad journalism. I’m concerned for concerned. Hmm, perhaps a ch. 19 employee.
Waldo, I always suspected it was you who took the Lindbergh baby.
I do? When did I say I was offended by something? I’m really, really tough to offend — it’s a word that I very rarely use.
I’m not sure you’ve actually read the story in question. The police don’t think it’s a real threat or, if they do, they haven’t said so. That’s the whole point of this exercise.
So comparing the story to warnings about terrorist attacks is over the top, but comparing someone who has a different opinion to a Nazi is okay? I didn’t realized disagreeing with the majority (at least on this website) was not tolerated in America… I feel like I’m watching The O’Reiley Factor where there is only one correct opinion, and anyone who has the nerve to express a different point of view is automatically an idiot
Does no one else have a problem the Chaos is threatening police? Or, because we all know for a fact (with no evidence) that this email is a hoax, we aren’t concerned with that.
On a different subject, did anyone catch 29 make a very quick mention about Chief Longo saying the fights caught on camera are not a part of the random attack investigation. I believe that happened just a couple days after they ran their dramatic story about how the videos could be a big piece of the puzzle for solving the attacks.
Just curious
Curious/Concerned: The analogy was to fear-mongering by the Nazi’s about Jews, not to suppression of different opinions. Fear mongering about gangs has been going on for a long time. When it’s white folks, it’s a “feud”, when it’s African Americans, suddenly it’s a “gang”. Personally, looking at the DOJ website on crime statistics and from which demographic I am most vulnearable to a stranger on stranger homicide, I continue to be hypervigilant when middle aged white men lose their jobs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_Law
“Godwin’s Law (also known as Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies) is an adage that Mike Godwin formulated in 1990. The law states:
“As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.”
Come on Waldo,
“Our gang expert says this threat to police is real, but the bigger threat is going to the violence between the two rival gangs.”
Perhaps you didn’t read the story. Now this is still under the assumption that the gang experts work for the police. There really is no reason to be smug. I can see why this issue is controversial and I can even see your arguements.
The fact that no one can even fathom that there may be a legitamate problem in the area means that all of you have already made up your minds which I think defeats the purpose of even trying to have an intelligent back and forth. Could it be a hoax? Yes I will absolutely concede that. Could it be real? That is my point. This time really read the article. If this is corraberated by a gang expert that just read something on the internet about gangs then it’s shoddy reporting. I will concede that. But which is more probable. Really? Is it unreasonable to think that this information came from the police, just not on camera?
And as for you not being offended. When you said that posting the messages sent to the station were below even you, I took that as someone being offended. I may have read in to that statement too much but I don’t think that was an unreasonable assumption.
I know this will certainly make some of you upset but this will be my last post. Whenever someone starts mentioning Hitler and Nazis then I know there will probably be no more hope for intelligent debate. You have every right to your opinions, but don’t be unreasonable if someone disagrees.
P.S. I’m not CURIOUS, but you probably won’t believe me anyway.
Hey, maybe it was the gang members who trashed the Washington Park pool. There’s too much “heat on the street” so they had to try something new. Who knows? There just seems to be a lot of these type of incidents lately that are just getting written off as random “hooligans” or “youthful indiscretions”. Hey, trash your pool, and then you can’t go swimming on the hottest days of the year. That makes sense!
That’s the problem. Assumptions, assumptions, assumptions. This whole story is based on assumptions, without a scrap of evidence. Now you’re building on that by making assumptions about their assumptions. There’s no reason to assume that an unsourced expert works for the police?
Maybe this threat is real, maybe it’s bullshit. Maybe the “gang expert” works for the police, maybe s/he doesn’t. The point is that we don’t know, and w/r/t to the meat of the story, neither does CBS 19. That’s their failing here, and there ain’t no getting around that.
Goodness gracious! You all are crazy. Stop the Monday morning quarterbacking and get some work done to make the problem better. If you can’t do that, then STOP HATING!
If by “Monday morning quarterbacking” you mean “critically discussing the events of the day” then I suggest you not read any blogs. Ever. You’ll find them upsetting.
This whole story is based on assumptions, without a scrap of evidence.
don’t worry waldo. some of us get it. when a news story poses more questions than answers, it’s really not a news story at all. i’m just shocked no one has pondered whether or not these attacks are “terror-related” or if there’s a “link to al quaeda” somewhere.
I stil think Waldo kidnapped the Lindburgh (sp) baby.
Bruce, what does lead to gang activity, in your opinion? Naturally-occurring evil?
It’s not that simple.
It has little to do with racism, though; plenty of white kids join gangs too. Gangs were with us long before there was an African-American urban underclass.
And as for poverty, how many dirt-poor people are living in Lake Monticello? If there’s any causal relationship there, it’s just as likely to be the other way around – gang kids aren’t in gangs because they’re poor, they and their families are poor because they perpetuate the same sorts of traits that lead many of them into criminal (including gang) lifestyles.
Concerned/Curious/My Last Post, you wrote
“The fact that no one can even fathom that there may be a legitamate problem in the area…”
Can you please point to a single post from anyone on this board that shows someone not fathoming that there may be a legitimate [gang] problem in this area? Preferably a post from one of the principals involved in this thread? Note: not a post that critiques CBS19 for waving the possibly spurious email around in a sensationalistic manner — I mean a post that shows someone denying that there are any problems in the area.
I guess it needs to be said again: the critique in this thread has to do with what seems to be sensationalistic journalism. I don’t know anyone who posts regularly (under a consistent name, by the way) on this board who doesn’t understand that there are gang-related problems locally. Critiquing sloppy journalism does not equal denying there are problems in the area. I’m concerned/curious that you can’t seem to grasp this distinction.
How can you “critically discuss the events of the day,” when you have no clue how they transpired. Discuss facts, not conspiracy theories and this blog will be much more palatable.
Mary Loo, I see that I must remind you that the very thesis of this discussion is the enormous importance of discussing facts, not conspiracy theories. CBS-19 is guilty of something rather like the latter here, and my criticism is that they would do well to stick to the former. We are in agreement on this.
I love the Godwin’s Law reference. Mary Loo’s comments, and perhaps others, also reminds us that if there are enough blog entires to a story, some people will be confused and get things turned around. For example, telling Waldo to keep to the facts in a blog about bad journalism where he’s complaining people are not keeping to the facts.
Jan, I’m with you on the baby angle. In fact, I think he did it as part of a gang initiation ritual. And, he was wearing a white shirt. Channel 19 can quote me on that.
I must say, I had the unfortunate occurrence of living in Charlottesville for two years. I have lived a lot of places in my life and this place had the snottiest,most pretentious people out of any of them. People’s opinions of Cville, even if it is considered America’s most desirable place to live (make me puke), was very overrated. That leads me to the thought that people who live in that area can’t fathom that there might be a problem, like gang activity, in Jefferson’s beloved hometown.
I had no problems with Lisa’s story. The experts she talked to, I’m sure, are knowledgeable and connected. The police department, just like everyone in Charlottesville, dodge any type of hard questions for fear that they are going to look like they are not doing their jobs. Some times in the journalism field, you get better information from people by talking, rather than interviewing.
The bottom line is deal with the problem, don’t just bash the journalists who uncover them.
Bravo G-man! What a refreshing blast of fresh air regarding C’ville.
You fail to understand the point that I’ve made repeatedly and very clearly here. I assume that you simply haven’t read the comments that preceded yours. So I’m going to put this in bold, just so it’s not missed.
It doesn’t matter how knowledgeable or connected that this anonymous expert is. CBS 19 cannot authenticate the blog comment, and they have absolutely no means of determining whether it’s a prank or for real. Thus everything else in the story is irrelevant, the fruit of the poisoned tree.
I did not “bash” the reporter, and she did not “uncover” a problem. This news station took an pseudoynmous blog comment and, without verifying its validity, turned it into a news story.
It has become very apparent that despite the point of the original posting and the desire of many of us posting in response to the issue (suggested synopsis: “media responsibility”) that there is a group of people out there that refuse to accept or understand the very important issue that we truly should be discussing.
Much of the above dialogue leads me to the conclusion that there are enough people out there that really do trust the media – or at least believe that what they hear and read. Because if it wasn’t true, how could it possibly be on the television?????
Lord help us all.
Lisa — depressing cases in point: WMD & the Al-Qaeda/Saddam [non]connection.
AND that Saddam Huessin was responsible for 9/11. Our fourth estate has really gone down the tubes. But THE saddest thing is folks watch Faux Noise and think it is real news.
Lord help us is right.
To GMan
Journalists have a responsibility. They have ethics rules they are supposed to live by. They are supposed to report provable truth, emphasis of fairness, and respsonsible judgement. None were exercised in this case. It doesn’t matter that we live in a small community, her managers are in charge of what goes on the air. In this case they made a big mistake. This blog is not about Charlottesville it is about journalistic integrity. Stick with the subject. The truth will set you free.
This entire stream has given me much more than what I would call a headache. But, there is some good news that came out this “discussion- for me personally anyway. :)
Colfer:
Thanks for the mention of Godwin’s Law. It is always a trip when you think someone is making a joke and you end up learning more than you ever imagined.
Alison:
Thanks for the link to Fukitol. I am happy to say that I am already taking Havidol. Mary Loo seems to be a proponent of pills so I think she must be taking it too.
joeblowcville:
You are right that the truth will set you free. It will also make you crazy. But when you finally go crazy, you always have Havidol.
Waldo:
How in the world do you put up with the insanity of this?
You are the best.
Don’t forget Damitol for the men in your life Lisa :). I’d write more but I need to go take my nightly dose of Fukitol…I can’t recommend it highly enough for those of us who have the tragic malady of addiction to reality.
You know, some of these blog entires should be studied by Anthropologists/Sociologists/Ethnogrophers as they are quite interesting to see how the subject goes in different dirctions, and to see the missunderstandings, etc. Perhaps if you study enough of them you can get a better glimps of what’s happening in our society. So to that end, I’ll do my part:
And while we’re way off topic :-), G-Man brings up an interesting way off topic (could hardly get more off topic) issue of the snobbery in C’ville. I’ve heard from various people of the blue-blood, and polo, and fox hunting type crowds in this town. I haven’t really run into them personally, but I’ve heard some stories. They sound very interesting (like visiting the zoo sort of way). Perhaps worthy of some interesting stories in their own right. Maybe we could have a tour were we can watch the snobbs in their natural habitate sort of thing.
And speaking of drugs, mmm, drugs. My drug of choice, as it is for most americans, is speed in it’s various forms: coffee, sodas, etc. Don’t get in my way when I need coffee, that’s all I can say.