Here is the link to the CNN article and an excerpt of it below for the reader to digest:
How web journalism can make people seem hateful
By Gregory Ferenstein, Special to CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/08/16/internet.journalism.politics/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn
"The flurry of finger-pointing, both of prejudice against Palin and Breitbart, and the counterclaims of conspiracy against the "liberal media," misses the hidden puppet master causing the scandals: a powerful psychological tendency for ideologues unwittingly to distort facts to fit their preconceived biases.
These tendencies have been exaggerated by the internet, whose polarizing sites -- the Drudge Report and The Huffington Post, just to name a few -- give citizens the option of sealing themselves inside an echo chamber of their own beliefs.
On the web, ideologues are both journalist and pundit. Indeed, with the rise of investigative blogging, we should expect a long future of biased, inflammatory "evidence" -- on both sides of the political spectrum.
The official psychological term for this behavior is "motivated cognition" -- a tendency to bias our interpretation of facts to fit a version of the world we wish to believe is true. For instance, one study found that college basketball fans, viewing the same video of a game, were likely to believe the rival team committed at least twice as many fouls as their own.
Political beliefs are even more susceptible. Research has found that when psychologists confront political partisans with facts contradictory to their opinions, they become even more convinced of their existing beliefs.
.....
Unless critical thinking, the psychology of misinterpretation and proper research skills are given priority in education, our children can look forward to years of finger-pointing online news."
My Comment: Ironically (since I am known to be fairly progressive), this article is based two incidents where blogs attacked conservatives unjustly in terms of twisting facts to paint a picture that really wasn't there in these two cases. To what extent have you the reader seen this on other websites and perhaps even on this website as well. Feel free to comment. I am entirely cognizant of the fact that at times my judgement is based on my preconceptions and assumptions.
For additional reading on cognitive bias got to wikipedia to get started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_bias ◦

Guest II · 760 weeks ago
Self-flagellation is often unnecssacary and aways painful !
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
Sent from my iPhone
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
Sent from my iPhone
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
He is calling you a harpy. I guess that I am your "familiar", whatever that means. So much for his alternate screen name. I knew that he could not stay under his rock for too long. Obsequious pompous ass-hats seldom can.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
Kurt- can you confirm this is the same Guest II as before. It's entirely believable to me that it's not.
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
I know who you are too and would have continued to hold my posts until you didn't.
Have a nice night.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
He is either on t sauce tonight or has sauce for brains. I have no clue who the f he is, but he seems to have some pretty weird issues.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
The big question should be why you are posting instead of Tony. His absence has certainly been noticed by me. I can only guess that the pathetic hanger-on probably has orders to muzzle it b/c his big fat mouth, his stupidity and sleazy self is doing nobody any good and severely damaging the campaign he is supposed to be managing. Personally I think he is mangling it. And I can understand why he is following his orders to the letter. The man understands that he is nothing without the backing of those in power. His credibility, his positions on various boards, his position on the Lenz campaign & his political future all depend on the crumbs his betters toss in his direction. Those crumbs could easily be tossed in the direction of someone else and if that happens then Tony's power trip comes to a screeching halt. So here you are acting as Tony's proxy because he has been grounded and can't come out & play any more. How pathetic.
And it looks like you are pulling another of Tony's favorite stunts by posting under multiple names on the same site. Now that the gig seems to be up w/ this name and whatever other name you use, I am guessing you will quickly switch names so you can abandon your tarnished online image. I think I've got a new name for you that would be just perfect. How about you pick the name TBSSB. That would be short for "Tony's Bad Sewer Smelling Breath". I chose that name b/c you are basically the foul odor coming from Tony's big fat lips. He may not be typing away at the keyboard but it is pretty obvious that almost all your posts seem come at Tony's direction. Tell Tony we miss him and we hope that Lenz & Zimmer stop grounding him and let him post online soon ;-)
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
I changed names at Kurt suggestion and only went back to Guest II because Katie reverted to being Katie and attacking me. As usual Katie tends to make up things when she gets upset.
if you actually read what I posted i did not defend Tony Soares just asked Katie to provide facts and not just being well Katie and I agreed with Mayor Zimmer's statement of one appointment per person. I just didn't agree with the tome of Katie's attacks.
So please try to be civil and try to avoid the name calling as it may boost the comment count but it doesn't really accomplish anything.
Have a good night.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
I'm sure this means you'll get another name, as many people know who Hobbs is, but I can't wait for Tony and Mike to know you're Hobbs. Maybe Tony can focus on badmouthing you all around town instead of me for a minute. Ha!
That's right, Tony is STILL trying to get people to shut me up (even when I'm not discussing him). He likes to ask other people to calm me down or get me to quit it b/c they owe him for this or that. So far, no one that I associate with in real life has asked me to, but a few have let me know he's trying to find someone.
In fact, the working theory by many is that Tony was complaining to Hobbs, who is apparently a "really nice guy" in real life (not believing that anymore) and Hobbs is trying to help his buddy out and come after me. . .despite the fact I haven't picked on Hobbs/Guest II at all or said much about Tony since he disappeared on Saturday (not sure I've said anything after I thanked him for being the gift that keeps on giving).
But I can say with 100% certainty that yesterday I made fun of Timmay and Beth Mason quite a bit. No mention of hobbs/guest II and no mention of Tony until Hobbs/Guest II came back. . .
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
You didn't switch your name b/c of Kurt. You switched it b/c of WHY Kurt suggested you switch it. Kurt understands that your online identity is based on how the people who read your posts perceive you. Your Guest II posts came across as garbage so your online identity as Guest II is the same. Now we are all going to stop pretending Guest II and Hobbs are 2 different people, your Hobbs identity is now just as tarnished as your Guest II one. Your desire to have some minimal level of credibility with us is why you switched names and it is the same reason why people like Tony do the exact same thing. Right now you have negative credibility so I'd be willing to bet you will change your name again so you can have a fresh start.
What really disgusts me is the complete dishonesty with which people like you post when you start swapping names. I understand posting anonymously in order to protect yourself from the wack jobs out there who will use personal information to possibly go after a poster in real life. Tony seems to be trying to go after KS right now in a very roundabout and subtle way and others have pestered her in the past in far more intrusive and threatening manner. I personally don't want to be bothered and I have made sure it will be incredibly difficult for some asshat to figure out who I am or where I live. But I also believe that it is important to be honest when you post and part of being honest means maintaining a consistent online identity. If you can't be honest enough to stick w/ 1 alias on a blog and you need to swap from one alias to the next just to not look like a fool when you post then maybe the problem is your posts just aren't worth reading. Guest II/Hobbs have gotten to that point IMO and that is nobody's fault but your own.
Now do us all a favor. Grow up already and give KS an apology already. You owe her one for yesterday AND for the last time you crawled out from under that rock you've been hiding under.
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
Guest II · 760 weeks ago
See it is easy to be a cyber bull
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
Anonymity isn't a problem, the dishonest and sleazy way in which some people cloak themselves behind the shield of anonymity is the problem.
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
I was just describing an incident I heard about when referring to an orange big toothed person who spent way too much time under the sunlamps and once did that in this town ;-)
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
Agreed, agreed, agreed.
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
Furey · 760 weeks ago
But I also think that if you took everyone here, put them into a room together, you wouldn't have half the **** being said offline that is said online. People are cowards and it is easy to be an internet tough guy.
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
I'd love to meet Hobbs/Guest II and show him the evidence I had all along (just unreleased).
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
I started to change screen names, but realized that it just wasn't worth it.
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
:)
chopped liver · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
p1ywood 98p · 760 weeks ago
Boink · 760 weeks ago
the obscure.
FYI this guest is not the same guest as the previous guest and more than likely will not be the same guest
in the future. Best to avoid confusing guests since you may not be an invited guest next time you meet the real guest as a guest of a guest at the next soiree.
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
My website does allow a wide berth for political commentary but sometimes it goes to far here and I am not singling anyone out but lets face it the word pussy is incendiary as much as the phrase you are a stupid idiot or such things like that. Let us try to focus on the issues going forward. With that said while I did find the TBSSB acronym amusing, it is not constructive not to single RR out or anything. I am trying to grow traffic so I want newcomers to feel welcome and not get hit over the head for simply disagreeing. Not every new poster is a shim. Try to keep that in mind. My search engine traffic and word of mouth is drawing in new readers albeit slowly.
The multiple ids is a big issue and I am trying to figure out how best to handle it. In the meantime I would ask all of you to show a little restraint and agree to disagree and withhold the name calling. Otherwise moderation could be in store and I don't like moderation. This is a part time blog and that is all I can give.
Thanks for participating in the lively conversation but I do ask you kindly to tone it down for a while and let everyone take a breather.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
That being said, Tony may be the face of the problem, but make no mistake, Mike didn't put Tony up for the position for any reason other than Mike wanted to. It's not like Tony held a gun to his head and said "Give me two boards or else." So, while Tony is just an annoyance online and the face of the problem, the problem really is Mike's ego and unwillingness to do what the voters/reform movement wants if it is not what Mike wants. IMO of course.
As for Guest II/Hobbs. I didn't start with him, I certainly don't know what he's smoking when he says otherwise, and I have no problem living & let live. That's exactly what I said the other day when he was brought up by another poster. Apparently live and let live isn't in his vernacular.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
I am not so sure if Mike is the less bad candidate. It might be worth having Mike lose to Timmay to encourage a decent candidate to come forward in 2011. Mike wins and that may not happen. And I'll say right now that if the prank calls are at all connected to Mike, Tony or Guest II, then I 100% believe Mike is not the less bad candidate.
Find out who the idiot is. You can do it for a few bucks. Then tell us all. I think some public humiliation is in order and it has been more than earned.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
Found out the identity of the account owner. Not sure that I want to particiapte in an "outing" on a forum, as that is what many of us despise. I think it is good enough that that your caller knows that the jig is up. Very embarassing, potentially.
deleted5542758 83p · 760 weeks ago
I assure you that I won't publicly out the person unless I get the information from another source (in other words, I won't out them on your information).
Ask around, I have integrity and keep my end of bargains.
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
khoboken · 760 weeks ago
No more ass hat comments. I swear.
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
[youtube 3jKf7cI-9oE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jKf7cI-9oE&feature=related youtube]
Kumbaya People!
Gardiner4Hoboken 90p · 760 weeks ago
[youtube FHlopjHepEw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHlopjHepEw&feature=related youtube]
I hope everyone gets my point.
Katie_Scarlett · 760 weeks ago
deleted8670214 100p · 760 weeks ago
Cheap Server Hosting 52p · 168 weeks ago