QUALITY OF INFORMATION: The Mars-Moon HOAX

Posted:  26 Aug 14

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OR... FACT-CHECKING IS TODAY'S WAVE OF THE FUTURE!

(and yesterday's and tomorrow's)

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1.  Well, friends ---

I was really looking forward to it -- until I checked.  Tomorrow was supposed to be the BIG night!

But this article says it all: http://www.iflscience.com/space/no-mars-will-not-appear-large-full-moon-night-sky

And, Wikipedia reaches back and shows us that this hoax has been in play, at least since 2003.  Here, see for yourselves.

And, of course, Google chimed in with 117 million results -- I didn't check them all, but the first page was consistently certain that this is a hoax.  I'm satisfied.

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2.  Just saying...

It seems a dreadful waste of human energy to concoct and spread these quite-often harmful hoaxes and rumors -- both for the few senders who do the mischief and for the busy, unwary multitude of receivers who have mud pointlessly thrown in their faces.  

I find it to be a full-time job, just managing good information.  Sorting out the bad stuff compounds the complexity and deters people from doing what they might otherwise have done with the same energy and time  That can't be a typically good thing to do.  How does that help anyone better themselves -- pursue their rightful well-being?  It doesn't.  IT HINDERS FELLOW HUMANS. 

Therefore, it's immoral. Quite so!

Oh well, human nature is human nature until we figure out how to discipline its harmful excesses.  Add another social duty to our to-do list, good citizens!

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3.  While we're on the subject...

If you are not aware, there are at least THREE excellent, easy-to-reach, basic fact-checking tools -- worthy of any conscientious power-user's toolkit -- to help us screen garbage out and stop its spread, dead in its tracks:

Snopes.com is a reliable, excellent fact-checker that seems to quickly dispel almost every "urban legend."  They're that good, well-connected, and powerful.  Never heard of Snopes?  Here are some reviews.  I testify that I have used this magnificent free service for years and it hasn't let me down yet.  And, if Snopes doesn't know something, chances are, other fact-checkers may have something to contribute.  I see them as a fine, public-spirited team.

A simple set of Google searches, that ask better and better questions -- until the right answer can be made to appear -- is a very effective way to get a pretty good handle on most any subject.

And, of course, never, never underestimate the Wikipedia blessing.

There are thousands, no, MILLIONS of good-hearted souls out there who are more than able and willing to FREELY (or at lowest possible cost) help us maintain the purity of the precious human knowledge base (HKB) -- while not exploiting our vital dependence on good information "insurance."   

TO DO THE BEST GOOD, WE NEED THE BEST INFORMATION WE CAN GET.  The truism "garbage in, garbage out" is an irrefutably invaluable and simple and imminently practical guideline.

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4.  I respectfully submit that it's everyone's job to keep that awesome human treasure -- that HKB -- uncontaminated and useful.  

We're all "supposed" to be 

FACT-CHECKERS and HKB-protectors.

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David Nelson



All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.

SCAM ALERT! "Work-From-Home" Scam

1.  9/21/12 - Update:  Computer security remains a major point of criminal entry into private lives -- creating much personal havoc and destruction and social productivity loss.  It still seems that not everyone believes they can better their lives without ruining others.  They are changing the way we have to deal with our "Internet miracle."   So be it. 

A foremost recommendation is to change our daily routines.

It is becoming imperative to check on-line bank and credit accounts, 
EVERY DAY (or more), so that criminal activity can be detected promptly and dealt with.
Sooner is always better in this case.

Two other blog articles, here, have touched on the subject of computer/financial security, as follows:

• COMPUTER SECURITY!!! Lock Down Your Facebook Profile
• INTERNET SECURITY -- Protecting Bank and Facebook Accounts
• More will surely follow

2.  First published: 2/12/12 -- Editor's Note --  The below article is, by far, the most popular one on this blog.  As long as demand remains so high, I will keep it near the top of the "bulletin board."  I hope it is doing as much good as it seems to be doing.

THE SCAM
Interested in checking on other scams? try ConsumerAffairs.Com AND this Google Search

THE STORY

1.  Purpose.  This posting is to caution you about a MALICIOUS email that has been circulating for quite a while -- on which evidence is now CONCLUSIVE that this is much worse than a hoax.  You should be wary -- for you stand to be harmed!

2.  Background. Over the last few months, versions of this highly "suspicious" email have reached me, identical to the examples contained in this "Internet Patrol" site article, which evaluates the exact version of the email I received.

THE MALICIOUS MATERIAL IS VERY WELL DONE AND LOOKS ENTIRELY GENUINE -- AND EVEN CLEVERLY TAILORS ITSELF TO YOUR CITY . (e.g., "Rebecca Schwartz, a mom from Antioch, CA says....")

3.  Reviews of this suspicious EMAIL-TYPE, by the reputable fact-checking site, Snopes.com, produces over 100 different versions of this money-stealing ATTACK on victims.  Apparently, this vicious scheme works well enough for others to copy in order to victimize the unwary.

4.  What should you do about this?  It's still a sad truth that "what sounds too good to be true," usually isn't true -- and desperation often makes us take chances we shouldn't. (Who isn't greedy about trying to make the most of life?  We just have to be REALISTIC in our expectations -- and keep on fact-checking == BEFORE GRABBING FOR A LIFE-RING THAT TURNS OUT TO BE AN ANCHOR.)

Note: Interested in checking on other scams? try ConsumerAffairs.Com AND this Google Search

FOR FURTHER "HOAX-Insurance" -- before believing and/or passing along interesting emails, purporting to be factual, it is very important to "fact-check" them.

• A leading, highly reputable fact-checker website (within the fact-checking industry and the public, at large) is Snopes.com.  They conduct factual analyses -- first showing some of the various ways the suspicious information is presented; then examining them, point-by-point; and then concluding with recommendations as to whether the material is false or true or mixed.
• Be especially leery if the suspicious material is presented to you "unsigned," (i.e. with no clear indication as to who authored it).  Even if signed, it doesn't hurt to have a habit of checking with Snopes -- can usually be done in just a few minutes.
• Then, if found to be bad information, you can properly (1) not send the garbage any further or (2) send it along -- WITH a warning of your findings.  The second option is preferable, since this enables others to be served with good and helpful information, should they ever be confronted with the material again (and they probably will be).

HELP PROTECT THE PURITY & UTILITY
 OF THE HUMAN KNOWLEDGE BASE!

Tag: "Scams, Fraud"

454

DANGEROUS DRUG ADVISORY!!! Strawberry Meth

The Case in Point
A Pittsburg FaceBook friend brought the following clip to my attention, triggering this fact-checking investigation:

Purposes of this Fact-Check Report

• To address a long-circulating and alarming truth-claim and help place it into perspective with reliable information.

• This also helps to define, develop, and test more features and functions for this City-Journal, to better serve the community.

Rationale
Since the quality and impact of our decisions and subsequent actions depend heavily on the information which influences them, it is worthwhile to try to discover truth-values -- especially on matters of significant potential impact on the actions and peace of mind of the community.

Findings

• According to Snopes.Com (a leading fact-checking site), this case-in-point came to public attention in 2007, and has been circulating, via emails and FaceBook, ever since.  Here's their analysis, which cites evidence which refutes the idea that drug dealers are targeting children with the coloring.  

• Another leading fact-checker, Hoaxslayer.com also considers the claims exaggerated.  

• However, this matter alarmed Senators Feinstein and Grassley enough for them to introduce legislation, in 2007, to deal with the threat.

Conclusions

• Analysts have found elements of both truth and fiction present.  However, it's hard to predict future impacts of this public discussion on criminal behavior.  

• It is undeniable that the potential look of the "product" also has great potential to appeal to childish curiosity and love of sweets -- as can be seen at this Google link. 

• It seems reasonable to presume that even if this were not a present criminal strategy, there is nothing to say that it won't become so.  The whole idea of this could be easily turned into a reality.  

• The idea might even become more prone to being realized, since it can now serve as a convenient suggestion for criminal action.  Also, since it has been publicly refuted, it may NOW be a usefully confusing cover for exploitation.

Ramifications

• Our public enemies are extremely industrious and callous in their efforts to enrich themselves by poisoning the less sophisticated among us -- and damaging human destiny, by destroying as many souls as they can.  

• This whole case helps elevate the awareness of a harmful drug and its potential for camouflaged delivery.

• The stakes are high -- and forewarned is  forearmed .

• You'll have to ultimately decide on the relevance of this matter -- but appropriate warnings to children and adult vigilance seem in order.

Tag:  "Dangerous Drugs," "Hoaxes"

LET'S SOLVE THE "TELEMARKETING PROBLEM"

Posted:  1 May 12

RELIEF FROM UNSOLICITED TELEMARKETING CALLS

A.  PURPOSE

1.  To convey phone and web access to the "National DO NOT CALL Registry," which allows citizens to "opt out" on receiving unwelcome marketing calls (see paragraph D., below).

2.  To offer one analysis of the "National Telemarketing Problem," and how that problem might be resolved to everyone's satisfaction -- more or less.

B.  PROBLEM

As you may have noticed, in addition to land lines, CELL PHONES are also being called, uninvited and often at inconvenient times, by telemarketing companies, often at our personal expense.  It's one thing if the calls are for altruistic causes, but quite a different matter for the rest of them.  This whole thing contains a taste of unjust victimization -- and can be quite disruptive.

C.  ONE INTERPRETATION

1.  MANY BUSINESSES HAVE LITTLE CHOICE.  
I understand that telemarketing is an important tool for helping businesses to grow --- and growth of honorable business is a good thing for all of us.  Many businesses probably have no choice but to use this tool, if they hope to compete in a tough marketplace.  That's where government comes in.  It levels the playing field.  So, this is not to cast aspersions on any business' sense of honor.  

2.  CITIZENS HAVE VIRTUALLY NO CHOICE.  
It's just that citizens need relief, too, so we aren't distracted, unnecessarily, from doing our part for society.  This strains and drains our scarce personal resources with unpleasant disruptive emotions -- and, collectively, hurts our productivity and readiness for life's more pressing challenges.  Our homes are sacrosanct and undisturbed tranquility is essential for self-renewal.

There is virtually no limit to the number of unsolicited calls a citizen can receive in any given day.

3.  A WIN-LOSE or WIN-"MAYBE-WIN" IMBALANCE.  
The present practice seems a most UNFAIR arrangement and feels like an aggressively indifferent squandering of social resources.

It's ALMOST like saying: "We're going to intrude ourselves on as many lives as we can -- at a moment we know, without a doubt, will be most inconvenient (with information that PROBABLY won't even be needed or wanted). But we're going to have to force others to  pay something (time & expense), involuntarily, for our numbers game.  And, we don't (or can't) particularly care if we disrupt tranquility and steal precious time, to which we are not entitled -- we have a lottery to win -- and that's that."  

4.  A REGRESSIVE "NON-GOVERNMENTAL TAX."  
Seems to me (and a lot of others), this is a problem in need of a better solution -- but not at our unfair and random expense.  Aren't we already paying, pretty much, our fair share in keeping things running and improving?  Don't "tax" us this way -- while leaving us nothing (or little) to say about it.  It must be clear that this is a terribly undesirable way to go about needful things.  The government seems to agree and has given us a remedy that seems to be working, fairly well.

D.  MAKING IT STOP

Citizens can "block" these discourteous-feeling calls by enrolling each of our individual phones with the "National DO NOT CALL Registry" (and, we can "fix" ALL of our phones at the same time there).  

Again, many businesses are caught up in this "wave," and can't make it stop on their own -- if they hope to survive.  They all must stop or none can -- if just a few try to stop, they risk "going under," for their trouble.  THEREFORE, WE CITIZENS HAVE TO CLOSE THIS DOOR FOR THEM.

And, the alert are always spotting and exploiting "loop-holes" in the law.  A call or email to Local, State and Federal legislators may help toward dealing with this, long-term, but may or may not offer immediate relief.

E.  ONCE AND FOR ALL

Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. 

And, if someone is violating your expressed wishes -- you can do something about that, too -- to at least place more of the expense where it belongs.

F.  IF ENOUGH OF US DO THIS 

With determination, maybe we can cure this little, but costly, social distraction, so we can focus more on the ills that really need our attention and scarce energies.

Read more about it and take action at: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm.

G.  MEANWHILE

1.  A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE.  
Not to tell anyone their business, but what if telemarketers tried to convey this idea -- quickly?

"We're so sorry to have to inconvenience you with this unexpected call from the ____ Company.  But this is the only way we have to learn if we might be of service.  May we have 30 seconds to tell you enough (or to give you our web address), so you can decide whether we may contact you, in a manner of your choosing, to tell you a little more about us?  We might have something you need and want." 

2.  TIMING IS ALMOST EVERYTHING.  
I think I, for one, could live with something like that -- but within a reasonable "window," say, before and after presumed dinner hours, but no later than the first most popular TV show (say, during "working hours" till 6 pm AND between 7 and 8 pm. (but, no different, please -- or domestic tranquility risks damage -- we simply must get the house quieted down))

3.  HOW I THINK I'D REACT.  
If it's convenient, at that moment, I think I'd be willing to hear more -- I wanna help 'em succeed, if possible -- they're just trying to make a lawful living -- by conveying things that might prove valuable -- and that's a good thing.  And, their very tough dilemma is, how to make themselves known to us.  

4.  BECAUSE FAIR'S FAIR == AND A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS!!!
I'm willing to give them a break, if they're willing to give me one.

Just ruminating on the problem.  Ideas and advice are welcome.

David Nelson

Tags: "Telephone Numbers," "Scams," "Discourtesies"