# Dear Morons: VET YOUR GODDAMN SOURCES **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 15, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841 "2012-04-15T14:41:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/1 "2012-04-15T14:41:32Z")
_sigh_ > [@From Another Forum](#): > > [teapartytribune.com](http://www.teapartytribune.com/2012/04/13/obama-lawyer-admits-forgery-but-disregards-image-as-indication-of-obamas-ineligibility-damage-control/) > > After a six month forensic examination, Obama’s long form birth certificate (originally shown to stop the debate over his real birthplace) has been confirmed to be fake. > > Obama’s lawyer, Alexandra Hill, has admitted that it’s a forgery, but has still claimed that since it dosn’t directly say that he’s not a natural born citizen, the forgery is essentially irrelivant to his placement on the ballet. > > Personally I think that if this is still being legitimately argued over after all these years, it’s probably because he wasn’t born here. Such a silly controversy should have been done away with long ago… if it wasn’t true. You know, if there’s anything that pisses me off, it’s people who swallow whatever they hear from more or less untrustworthy sources whole. It doesn’t have to be birtherism, but this is just a great example of someone not actually paying attention. Case in point: I could find absolutely no connection between Alexandra Hill and Obama beyond the one cited in this article. Google pulled up, quite literally, that post in the first few results. It doesn’t take a genius to look at a story of this magnitude, see that _only_ fringe sites like Tea Party Tribune and FreeRepublic have taken it up, and say, “Huh, you know, maybe I shouldn’t make a thread about this story taking it seriously”. But some people are too stupid to make sure that sources that agree with them aren’t completely and utterly full of shit! Please, guys, if you’re going to make a citation, make sure the source is _somewhat_ serious, or at least getting its information from a primary source that’s trustworthy. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/2 "2012-04-15T15:59:11Z")
Never let facts get in the way of a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/3 "2012-04-15T16:02:51Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Please, guys, if you’re going to make a citation, make sure the source is _somewhat_ serious, or at least getting its information from a primary source that’s trustworthy. The only news source I find reliable and trustworthy is _The Onion._ ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/4 "2012-04-15T16:35:25Z")
And it’s not just on stories from the political right side of the spectrum. MSNBC did a whole story about how Apple and Microsoft were begging the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) to boycott them because it’s boosted sales for Starbucks. [The problem is that they were lifting the story from a satirical column by Scott Wooledge on the Huffington Post’s HUMOR sidebar.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/04/1080727/-Oops-MSNBC-reports-my-fictional-satire-piece-as-real-news) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/5 "2012-04-15T16:39:13Z")
Science Reporter Peter Hadfield, once again points at what people can do nowadays that there is something called the internet: Find out where the news come from and check it yourself. In this example anti-vaccine yahoos at Natural News claimed on a “news break” that CDC hided the mercury connection in the latest reports. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/P0ZZTjChW4o/hqdefault.jpg "Health, vaccinations and junk science") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ZZTjChW4o) Sure, ignore how the evidence shows that there is no connection with thimerosal with mercury and autism and the study referred in the misleading bit of news actually shows that the removal of thimerosal did nothing to stop\*\* the observed increase \*\*of autism cases after removing that substance from vaccines. Cause and effect could bite them in the ass and they would still get it wrong, morons do not read the research of proper experts because they can not handle that their “beautiful” theories are shot down by ugly facts. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/6 "2012-04-15T16:46:07Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And it’s not just on stories from the political right side of the spectrum. MSNBC did a whole story about how Apple and Microsoft were begging the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) to boycott them because it’s boosted sales for Starbucks. > > [The problem is that they were lifting the story from a satirical column by Scott Wooledge on the Huffington Post’s HUMOR sidebar.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/04/1080727/-Oops-MSNBC-reports-my-fictional-satire-piece-as-real-news) Oh yeah, the right wing doesn’t have a monopoly on this either, but they certainly have a leg up, at least in the science department. This stuff can come from anywhere, and the ability to vet ones sources is _fucking important_! Why can’t anyone figure this out? > [@GIGObuster](#): > > Science Reporter Peter Hadfield, once again points at what people can do nowadays that there is something called the internet: Find out where the news come from and check it yourself. > > In this example anti-vaccine yahoos at Natural News claimed on a “news break” that CDC hided the mercury connection in the latest reports. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_detailpage&v=P0ZZTjChW4o#t=119s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=P0ZZTjChW4o#t=119s) > > Sure, ignore how the evidence shows that there is no connection with thimerosal with mercury and autism and the study referred in the misleading bit of news actually shows that the removal of thimerosal did nothing to stop\*\* the observed increase \*\*of autism cases after removing that substance from vaccines. > > Cause and effect could bite them in the ass and they would still get it wrong, morons do not read the research of proper experts because they can not handle that their “beautiful” theories are shot down by ugly facts. I _deify_ Potholer54. And yeah, he has just great advice in his videos, and it mostly really boils down to “CHECK THE SOURCE YOU MORONS”. This stuff comes from all over the place, and I’m constantly astounded by retarded monkeys who can’t take ten seconds to check where their news source is getting their info. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/7 "2012-04-15T17:54:21Z")
My peeve along these lines are the jerks who send out glurge with a line at the bottom - “Confirmed by Snopes!” No, it isn’t. I went to Snopes, and it was not confirmed. Not only are you forwarding stupid glurge, but you’re stupid and irresponsible, too. Hey, let’s start some really juicy stuff - if people read it on the internet, it must be true! About eight or 10 years ago, I was vacationing in the Rockies in a small town called Radium Hot Springs, and I saw a couple there together, obviously having an illicit weekend - the couple was Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama! I couldn’t believe my eyes! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/8 "2012-04-15T18:00:01Z")
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine.” --Abraham Lincoln 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/9 "2012-04-15T18:08:49Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > My peeve along these lines are the jerks who send out glurge with a line at the bottom - “Confirmed by Snopes!” No, it isn’t. I went to Snopes, and it was not confirmed. Not only are you forwarding stupid glurge, but you’re stupid and irresponsible, too. > > Hey, let’s start some really juicy stuff - if people read it on the internet, it must be true! About eight or 10 years ago, I was vacationing in the Rockies in a small town called Radium Hot Springs, and I saw a couple there together, obviously having an illicit weekend - the couple was Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I seem to recall **RickJay** trying to start a false rumour to see how long it got back to us in a different form, and it taking not all that long. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/10 "2012-04-15T18:18:44Z")
From your quote: > [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > … the forgery is essentially irrelivant to his placement on the **ballet**. I had no idea that our president was into ballet, but I agree that his birth certificate should be \*irrelevant \*to his dancing position. ---
**Author:** ![Stelios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Stelios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stelios)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/11 "2012-04-15T19:02:05Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > “The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine.” --Abraham Lincoln > > 😛 Nice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/12 "2012-04-15T21:33:14Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > From your quote: > > I had no idea that our president was into ballet, but I agree that his birth certificate should be \*irrelevant \*to his dancing position. Just shows how he’s a tool of the Chicago Machine. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/13 "2012-04-15T21:52:29Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Please, guys, if you’re going to make a citation, make sure the source is _somewhat_ serious, or at least getting its information from a primary source that’s trustworthy. How about if we look at the Birth Certificate directly? Is that primary enough? Upon close examination we do see several issues with the provided document. First, official birth certificates from the state of Hawaii have included a water mark of the major islands since 1953. This document does not seem to carry one. Second, the state seal that appears on the form is the alternate seal, which did not appear on Hawaiian birth certificates until 1964 - three years _after_ the document was supposed to have been generated. Lastly, and perhaps most telling, is that the certificate does not include the mother’s full name, which has been required for all birth certificates in every state of the Union. You can view it [here](http://deathby1000papercuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/spoof-obama-birth-certificate.jpg). I am not saying that it is definitely a forgery, but I believe these questions need to be addressed. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/14 "2012-04-15T22:10:11Z")
…Oh you have got to be kidding me. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/15 "2012-04-15T22:13:24Z")
Click the link, dude. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/16 "2012-04-15T22:30:14Z")
I have to admit, my first reaction to **MWAG** ’s post was “I don’t remember him being insane…when did that happen?” Then I clicked the link. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/17 "2012-04-15T23:29:00Z")
This one time, at not-band camp, I made up a complicated, spooky and Totally Absolutely True story about how the house where we were staying was haunted, to scare my housemates. The next summer someone told it back to me, as Totally Absolutely True. That was when it hit me that ‘someone says so’ isn’t actually good enough. I’m not saying I don’t fall for dumb shit occasionally, but I do at least have the principle in my head. If I can figure it out at fifteen, grown-ass adults should have it down. I’m gonna send my kid to the same camp, when she’s old enough, to see if someone tells the story to her. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/18 "2012-04-15T23:46:18Z")
A “friend” of my wife’s forwarded her an email with the subject “CBS News: Confirmed: Obama’s Birth Certificate Not Authentic.” Which included a link to some dipshit’s blog, which did in fact have a video clip of CBS News—or more accurately, a local CBS news affiliate in Phoenix, AZ, running (credulously) a story about Joe Arpaio’s “investigation” into Obama’s birth certificate. I hesitate to provide the link, but [here it is](http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=68518) if you’re feeling masochistic. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/19 "2012-04-15T23:48:00Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > How about if we look at the Birth Certificate directly? Is that primary enough? Upon close examination we do see several issues with the provided document. First, official birth certificates from the state of Hawaii have included a water mark of the major islands since 1953. Cite? That’s interesting, since Hawaii wasn’t a state until 1959. > [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Second, the state seal that appears on the form is the alternate seal, which did not appear on Hawaiian birth certificates until 1964 - three years _after_ the document was supposed to have been generated. Cite? > [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Lastly, and perhaps most telling, is that the certificate does not include the mother’s full name, which has been required for all birth certificates in every state of the Union. Cite? That’s the trouble with birther arguments. They make up unsubstantiated rules and then complain when the evidence doesn’t fit them. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-morons-vet-your-goddamn-sources/618841/20 "2012-04-15T23:55:48Z")
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