The Washington Post has published an article about the new virtual battleground of spies and terrorists. The headline seems to imply that a battle is being waged for our security and safety in virtual worlds such as "Second Life" and others. However, buried in the article is the following statement:

One intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had no evidence of activity by terrorist cells or widespread organized crime in virtual worlds.

So, there really isn't a battle going on yet, but that's not what sells the news, so I guess the Post needed add a little more juice to the story, especially the headline.

I understand that this is a potential risk and that officials need to be aware, but for the Post to run an article in this manner is simply misleading and dishonest.

Now, if the Post will do this with this article, ask yourself, how many other articles are they juicing the sell the news and is the Post the only media outlet stooping to these tactics? In other words, we need to stop letting the media lead us around by our noses.

Spies' Battleground Turns Virtual

Actually, if you Google "'Second Life' terrorism" , you'll see that a number of blogs and entries have been examining this issue for months.
Since ad revenue alone doesn't pay for newsprint, something has to, and that's become increasingly difficult for all types of media. Titillation and innuendo seems to help the bottom line, at least temporarily...

As I have stated before, all news is reported with a bias, an underlying objective or perspective. It may be to draw in more readers and sell more advertising or it may be to sway people into believing a particular theory or political stance.

Therefore, IMO, "legitimate news story" is an oxymoron, like "military intelligence" (to borrow from Mr. Carlin).

Sadly, most people believe that it must be true to be printed and that is never the case. Newspaper writers and editors have become very savvy to the laws and can write a negative story with a hint of fact and keep from being sued because they never really said anything, they just "hinted".

What I want to know is ... how is the world could terrorist activity inside a computer generated game affect me or the real world? I mean, if the terrorists are scaring on the computer, turn it off. If the boogie man is hiding in your closet, stop watching scary movies.

Let's get a grip, people!

Nice to see you back Bugs...

how many other articles are they juicing the sell the news

Bugs, are you from this planet? Even if you are not, the Post non-news juiced or not, is just now reported by you as sort of a personal epiphany – darn, the new could be juiced!

WOW, Bugs – what a shocker – it was shocking back in the 60’s and every year since that time. Welcome to the jungle and I hope that you are fully ready to handle life in the slow lane, on this planet.

Yes, I am.


You spend too much time in the slow lane, don't you, Doc? You really should try to control your brain slippage. Not that it's offensive, I just worry about you sometimes. That's all. You should pay more attention to what I post. I could help you gain some perspective in your faulty approach to sound thinking, my boy.


Talk about the slow lane. Go back to your Walter Wanderly records. Your practice of allowing your brain dump to soil yourself is getting a little embarrasing, son. I like you better when you rail against meat-eaters.

Here, have a carrot on me.

I would imagine that the intelligence officials discussed in the story would not want to elaborate on this for the same reason that it's a bad idea to discuss security precautions in a public forum.

Thanks for the input, Bugs. Although you've pulled a Hillary on me by avoiding the original question, we are discussing your ability to comprehend what's real and what's not real in the news. It seems, from your original post that you thought that the news was not misleading and dishonest - oh let's say biased, up to now and this shocking, extraordinarily shocking revelation from an anonymous source that the headline may not be true is worthy of noting and sharing with the coolie squadron.

What would you have us do, Bugs? Perhaps, write our congress person, our Senator, perhaps the POTUS and all the candidates for POTUS. Is your discovery of juicing in the news equal to the use of steroids in sports, do you also believe that no one knew about sports juice until, oh let’s say – yesterday?

Keep posting your epiphanys, Bugs - they are entertaining or at least confirming of what it's like in your world.

X,

Why do you want to abuse Bugs like that?

By the by, if you want people to think you are as smart as you think you are, you should spellcheck your posts. Also, you structure your sentences poorly. Your repetitive use of "oh let's say" shows a lack of imagination.

MJ

X, sonny boy, this topic is not about the elections. You have real trouble with getting your two-track mind of meat and elections, don't you? (You are so sad, and even worse, you are boring. Sometimes I miss Paragon. He was much more interesting.)

I realize that the news is slanted. Why would I begin this thread if I did not? You're obviously not getting enough animal protien and it's affecting you in ways you have yet to realize or understand, son.

I'll say this again out of courtesy for you lack of mental capcity: Stop writing whatever happens to dump out of your brain. You're soiling yourself and it's not doing you, or your low sense of self-esteem any good. Get help.

Abuse? I'm just trying to understand his posts.

So, if you understand that the news is biased, did you post this thread thinking that coolies don't understand? That sounds like some form discrimination against the coolie population.

I don't understand the soiling and low self-esteem part - does that come out of your world? Is it some sort of mirror for your life? I'm just not getting it, but I'm here to help, it's what I do and do well.

Oh no! You found me out. I'm discriminating against BOL Watercooler users. Your mind is so amazing. Your powers of logic put grasshoppers to shame. I stand in awe of you! (You've slipped so much over the past couple of years, it just makes me sad.)


Of course you don't, Grasshopper. Of course you don't. But don't feel bad. It's not that important anyway. Just keep on smilin' and you'll come out OK in the end.


Nope. Not mine...


If you don't get it, my boy, you're the one who needs help. That's why interacting with you is so sad these days. I think it's time for you to bank some more karma, kiddo.

Thanks!

Your mind is so amazing

Every so often you run into the truth, Bugs - good job. You should stop when you hit the truth as you are not witty enough to be sarcastic. It just isn't working. It's sort of like Hillary trying to be funny.

Kiddo

You are a guy, right Bugs? - guys don't use "Kiddo" with other guys - except in SF! Shape up Bugs and thanks for playing today, you make a great target for target practice.