Springfield Intruder - See Above

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- BD

Not According to Plan

This event happened last August, 2007, but I had such a good time watching it that I wanted to share it with the folks who stop by here.

It's a video of "Dateline" associate producer Michelle Madigan getting escorted out of a DefCon gathering [hacker conference] after she was outed while trying to work undercover there (complete with hidden video cam). Here is a link to a ZDNET blog that goes into further detail about the incident. Madigan was given every opportunity to remain at the event - as long as she put on press credentials, which she repeatedly refused to do (kind of ruins the "secret operative" effect). Finally, the event staff got up on stage and announced to the crowd the start of a new game, entitled, "Who Can Spot the Undercover Reporter."



Follow this link to a transcript of Madigan's ordeal.

LESSON TO BE LEARNED: Never try to "out-tech" a tech conference.

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Anonymously Speaking - Part 3

Over at the website of WHMP radio's "Morning News," with Chris Collins & Tom Vannah, I found a podcast from an episode recorded this past November where Collins goes off on anonymous posters at Masslive who have insulted him and Tom on the "TV and Radio" forum.

My feelings on anonymous posters has already been documented. Collins more-or-less reiterates the common complaint us "known" posters have - that anonymous posters are generally abusive and insulting because they are "somebody else" when they're online, and don't have to be concerned about paying any social (or legal) consequences for their words/actions.

Collins mentions that the Masslive folks do a good job of patrolling the threads looking for slanderous or libelous material, which they do. I just sometimes wish they would deliver the editorial sword to some of the more childish and abusive posts. But I guess drawing the line between poor taste and poking fun can be a difficult one.

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