# What would happen if we put an X on CNN? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 28, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069 "2005-11-28T16:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/41 "2005-11-28T18:28:56Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Well, they were busted allowing military PsyOps folks to “sit in” or be “interns” or whatever. I hadn’t heard of this. Got a cite? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/42 "2005-11-28T18:31:29Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Since the OP has been pretty well debunked, can I just comment on this from the OP link: > > “Kevin Finn said, “The Vice-President is a symbol of the United States, much like the American flag. For CNN to desecrate the image of the Vice President is the same as the Iranians burning the U.S. flag at a rally staged for the whole world via television. It is a slap in the face to all those who serve and have served in the armed forces”.” > :rolleyes: Honestly. While this wasn’t in fact a “desecration” of anything (and it would have been inapprproriate for CNN as an organisation to do so) the “desecration” of public officials (objecting to, ridiculing, not treating as sacred) is one of the things the flag stands for. No, I think we need a Constitutional amendment banning vice-presidential desecration. Once passed it would become illegal to refer to the vice-presidency as being worth “a warm bucket of spit” or to mention Spiro Agnew or Dan Quayle in any context whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/43 "2005-11-28T18:36:07Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Since the OP has been pretty well debunked, can I just comment on this from the OP link: > > “Kevin Finn said, “The Vice-President is a symbol of the United States, much like the American flag. For CNN to desecrate the image of the Vice President is the same as the Iranians burning the U.S. flag at a rally staged for the whole world via television. It is a slap in the face to all those who serve and have served in the armed forces”.” Isn’t it one of the points of democracy that we _don’t_ worship our leaders? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/44 "2005-11-28T18:36:18Z")
Speaking from the ad biz, video place holder screens are standard practice, and they are made so the techs can tell by a glance what they are. And they fade out 3-5 seconds before the video content kicks in. Not only is this a glitch, if you know what to look for, CNN does it all the time. Mostly you’ll just hear the audio cue beep, which happens just as the place holder fades out, and then there will be a couple second pause before the video kicks in. They do pretty good since they are live 24/7, but I see it often. And I would be suprised if the phone bank folks are even in the same state as the video production folks. Those are two such disperate arms of the operation that I doubt their paths ever cross. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/45 "2005-11-28T18:46:40Z")
Anyone know why **Clothahump** starts a thread like this and then doesn’t respond back for an extended period. I know he was still on the dope after the first 6 or 7 replies. I think he enjoys the attention these dumb Ops are getting. I submit [I pit the liberal media. Just another day at the office,right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340131) last month. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/46 "2005-11-28T18:54:51Z")
You lot do realize, don’t you, that here in the rest of the world (where we don’t have those oh-so-reliable voting machines you use) we choose our preferred electoral candidates by … marking the ballot paper with a cross? An X, in fact. Clearly, this is the act of an international _right_-wing media conspiracy, saying, subliminally, “Vote for Cheney”! ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/47 "2005-11-28T19:15:47Z")
It turns out the tech involved in the glitch used to work for Family Fued. _survey says!_ ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/48 "2005-11-28T19:24:12Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Anyone know why **Clothahump** starts a thread like this and then doesn’t respond back for an extended period. > I know he was still on the dope after the first 6 or 7 replies. > > I think he enjoys the attention these dumb Ops are getting. > I submit > [I pit the liberal media. Just another day at the office,right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340131) last month. > > Jim Y’know, I was just reading through this thinking “ **Clothahump** started a liberal media bashing thread. Again. What a shocker.” If some of the well reasoned posts in the thread you linked didn’t sink through the first twenty or so layers of bone, I very much doubt the well reasoned replies in this thread will do any better. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/49 "2005-11-28T19:25:52Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > . > Obviously the work of Ted Turner trying to bring down Cheney’s approval rating even further. :rolleyes: I think he’s doing that aaaaall on his own. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/50 "2005-11-28T19:27:29Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Y’know, I was just reading through this thinking “ **Clothahump** started a liberal media bashing thread. Again. What a shocker.” > If some of the well reasoned posts in the thread you linked didn’t sink through the first twenty or so layers of bone, I very much doubt the well reasoned replies in this thread will do any better. I am very afraid you are correct. I would be ashamed to make an OP like this and more so a month after my other ill conceived OP that was blatantly wrong. I think he is channeling Emily Litella but forgetting the punch line. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/51 "2005-11-28T19:32:44Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Anyone know why **Clothahump** starts a thread like this and then doesn’t respond back for an extended period. I think the OP is way overblown and said as much, but really, saying someone has been away for an extended period when the OP isn’t three hours old is going a bit far. We can’t dictate other people’s schedules, you know. If he hadn’t posted in days, you’d have a point. Right now you don’t ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/52 "2005-11-28T19:34:12Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Anyone know why **Clothahump** starts a thread like this and then doesn’t respond back for an extended period. I will most certainly be accused of having no legitimate argument against this brilliant OP since I’m resorting to ad hominem attack, but I would posit it’s because he’s a meathead and an asshole of the highest order. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/53 "2005-11-28T19:45:15Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > I think the OP is way overblown and said as much, but really, saying someone has been away for an extended period when the OP isn’t three hours old is going a bit far. > > We can’t dictate other people’s schedules, you know. > > If he hadn’t posted in days, you’d have a point. Right now you don’t What you say is fair, but as I pointed out, he was still on line and on the Dope after 6-7 responses and possibly longer. I would personally consider some response to a pit thread started over a blog to be worthy of revisiting before signing off. If he wasn’t still logged on to the Dope, I wouldn’t have seen it as a problem. Jim ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/54 "2005-11-28T19:45:38Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > I hadn’t heard of this. Got a cite? Sadly, I may have misremembered the validity of the report, although given the exremely sensitive nature of the subject, it may be one of those “third-rail” stories for mainstream media. The first few pages of google hits are from sources which appear to be biased towards anti-war, leftist, and conspriacy-theory websites. Not a good sign. However, the Freepers also reported on it, so it’s not a total left-wing job. [Here’s](http://www.counterpunch.org/cnnpsyops.html) a [counterpunch.org](http://counterpunch.org) story. I could have sworn this story was real; I’m going to dig further and find a more reasonable source. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/55 "2005-11-28T19:59:24Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > What you say is fair, but as I pointed out, he was still on line and on the Dope after 6-7 responses and possibly longer. I often leave the Dope on my screen and walk away, then come back and click it closed without checking for any updates. Which is probably all this thread deserves anyway. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/56 "2005-11-28T20:07:08Z")
> [@furt](#): > > I often leave the Dope on my screen and walk away, then come back and click it closed without checking for any updates. > > Which is probably all this thread deserves anyway. Ok, I will concede this. I was wrong to give \*\*Clothahump \*\* a hard time on this point. Hopefully this doesn’t distract \*\*Clothahump \*\* from cross checking his OPs in the future. \*\*Clothahump \*\*: If you read this far, I apologize for an unfair post above. I also hope you will consider checking your facts a little before starting a pit thread. **furt** : I don’t know what your computer environment is, but after what happened to Hal and the sheep, I would say it is dangerous to leave the Dope open. 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/57 "2005-11-28T20:10:17Z")
What if we put three Xs on CNN? Then we’d have CNNXXX, which wouldn’t sound so bad until you get to naked Larry King and Wolf Blitzer. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/58 "2005-11-28T20:12:00Z")
I’m going to suggest it was just A Bad Apple. If it happens a couple dozen times more, feel free to come back and bitch. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/59 "2005-11-28T20:12:38Z")
Ah! [Here’s a short blurb from NPR](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1072763) about how they discovered they had Army PsyOps personnel working as “interns” at NPR and CNN. [Here’s CNN’s response to FAIR.org](http://www.fair.org/activism/psyops-response.html) with the usual disclaimers. There’s also a story from that year (2000; maybe early 2001) about the top ten stories you won’t get from the mainstream media, and I believe it was #3. So I think there’s something to it, even though both NPR and CNN vehemently deny that the Army PsyOps Interns were up to no good or had any influence on their reporting. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069/60 "2005-11-28T20:26:05Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > Did it work? His mouth kept moving, so apparently not. But I did receive word that Cheney’s pants burst into flames. **Clothahump** , I don’t know if you’re trying too hard or not trying at all. Either way, in your next attack, don’t try the same amount you’re trying now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-put-an-x-on-cnn/333069.md?page=4)