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Unsigned and untrue
Don’t believe all the information on the Internet
By Bill Hartman
We’re hopeful one day soon readers will return to form and say, ”I know it’s true because I read it in the newspaper.”
There’s an entirely new generation we are vying for that has been electronically reared and programmed, and if they see it on the Internet, it must be fact.
I, too, like the Internet, but with unsigned essays, columns and blogs, I trust its veracity about as far as I can throw Minute Maid Park.
In our business, we are taught from an early age to be suspicious and careful taking unsubstantiated items as gospel.
As you might imagine, we see a bushel of “think” pieces every day. Too many people accept them without proof. It’s easy to do.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve gotten some good examples.
I bet I’ve received 20 copies of a letter about Darrell “Shifty” Powers, a fascinating military hero. The letter was supposedly written by Charles (Chuck) Yeager, former U.S. Air Force brigadier general and famed test pilot.
There’s no denying “Shifty” was a true hero. His character appears in the HBO series Band of Brothers. He also appears in the final show as himself.
As the story goes, Yeager saw a man in the Philadelphia airport several years ago with a “Screaming Eagle” emblem on his hat, signifying his spot in the 101st Airborne.
Yeager says “Shifty” was on his way home from a reunion of World War II veterans and the two struck up a conversation.
Yeager learned the veteran was a paratrooper who jumped into Normandy and later into Holland. This guy was a first-class hero, no question, and Yeager thanked him.
The letter goes on to say “Shifty” died on June 17 and there was no ceremony or parade or news coverage. It was being saved for the feeding frenzy of Michael Jackson a week later.
Yeager encouraged e-mailers to send his letter to their friends and have an on-line memorial for “Shifty.”
Problem is Yeager did not write the letter. The letter is true and “Shifty” did die June 17 at age 86.
But, a fellow named Mark Pfeifer met “Shifty” in the airport and all the data is correct. He said he had no idea the e-mail would develop a life of its own and he doesn’t know who added the Yeager twist.
He is happy, however, that “Shifty” is receiving the notoriety he deserves.
Story No. 2 deals with a “cancer update” from Johns-Hopkins Hospital, really a scare newsletter on the dangers of drinking bottled water from a plastic container left in automobiles.
“Heat reacts with chemicals in the plastic and releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin found in breast cancer tissue,” quotes a would-be doctor.
The urban legend says this same information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
This warning actually got its start in Hawaii in 2002, and the quote was from a PhD.
A real, medical doctor at Johns-Hopkins, Dr. Rolf Halden of the school of public health, says heating “anything” can increase the likelihood of pulling
chemicals out, but if you follow cooking instructions, you should be safe.”
The fact a plastic bottle has been sitting in the car doesn’t increase the odds anymore than freezing the same bottle of water. “There are no dioxins in plastic,” Dr. Halden said.
The moral of this yarn is, I don’t like what a lot of newspapers do in today’s times. But at least we know the names of newspapers, and how to track them down.
Too many Internet pieces, for the most part, are unsigned, unaccountable and untrue.
Bill Hartman can be reached at bhartman@hartmannews.com.
There’s an entirely new generation we are vying for that has been electronically reared and programmed, and if they see it on the Internet, it must be fact.
I, too, like the Internet, but with unsigned essays, columns and blogs, I trust its veracity about as far as I can throw Minute Maid Park.
In our business, we are taught from an early age to be suspicious and careful taking unsubstantiated items as gospel.
As you might imagine, we see a bushel of “think” pieces every day. Too many people accept them without proof. It’s easy to do.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve gotten some good examples.
I bet I’ve received 20 copies of a letter about Darrell “Shifty” Powers, a fascinating military hero. The letter was supposedly written by Charles (Chuck) Yeager, former U.S. Air Force brigadier general and famed test pilot.
There’s no denying “Shifty” was a true hero. His character appears in the HBO series Band of Brothers. He also appears in the final show as himself.
As the story goes, Yeager saw a man in the Philadelphia airport several years ago with a “Screaming Eagle” emblem on his hat, signifying his spot in the 101st Airborne.
Yeager says “Shifty” was on his way home from a reunion of World War II veterans and the two struck up a conversation.
Yeager learned the veteran was a paratrooper who jumped into Normandy and later into Holland. This guy was a first-class hero, no question, and Yeager thanked him.
The letter goes on to say “Shifty” died on June 17 and there was no ceremony or parade or news coverage. It was being saved for the feeding frenzy of Michael Jackson a week later.
Yeager encouraged e-mailers to send his letter to their friends and have an on-line memorial for “Shifty.”
Problem is Yeager did not write the letter. The letter is true and “Shifty” did die June 17 at age 86.
But, a fellow named Mark Pfeifer met “Shifty” in the airport and all the data is correct. He said he had no idea the e-mail would develop a life of its own and he doesn’t know who added the Yeager twist.
He is happy, however, that “Shifty” is receiving the notoriety he deserves.
Story No. 2 deals with a “cancer update” from Johns-Hopkins Hospital, really a scare newsletter on the dangers of drinking bottled water from a plastic container left in automobiles.
“Heat reacts with chemicals in the plastic and releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin found in breast cancer tissue,” quotes a would-be doctor.
The urban legend says this same information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
This warning actually got its start in Hawaii in 2002, and the quote was from a PhD.
A real, medical doctor at Johns-Hopkins, Dr. Rolf Halden of the school of public health, says heating “anything” can increase the likelihood of pulling
chemicals out, but if you follow cooking instructions, you should be safe.”
The fact a plastic bottle has been sitting in the car doesn’t increase the odds anymore than freezing the same bottle of water. “There are no dioxins in plastic,” Dr. Halden said.
The moral of this yarn is, I don’t like what a lot of newspapers do in today’s times. But at least we know the names of newspapers, and how to track them down.
Too many Internet pieces, for the most part, are unsigned, unaccountable and untrue.
Bill Hartman can be reached at bhartman@hartmannews.com.
COWBOY BILL wrote on Jul 26, 2009 12:15 AM: