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patgund(Cross-posted from my article at Yes to Democracy. And thanks for the patience - this got way out of hand)
(Note: When I wrote this, I didn't realize it was going to be so involved - or take up so much time. I had the luck to jump in about the point the pond got riled up again. I'll occasionally post updates from this point, but quite frankly I'd like to discuss other things. I think we've presented enough evidence by now to show that "TexasDarlin" and the rest of the wingnuts contributing to this myth are either knowingly pulling a smear campaign, or are so far around the bend that they're twisting everything to try and make their bet theory fit. In either case, it's only some PUMAs and some tinfoil hat brigade cranks that are believing it - everyone else thinks it's a joke.)
4 August - "TechDude" makes an offer of a free trip to Vegas if someone can produce the supposed "original name" on the COLB. I suspect he knows his challenge is safe, because there IS no such "original name". (Betcha a bag of M&M's that it will "just happen" to be either Maya Soetoro, Sen. Obama's half-sister, or her daughter, also born in Hawaii)
What's funny is that "TechDude kinda coyly hints about is name being "Adam", saying "A 3rd party finding the same information - particularly one who does not know me from Adam (teehee) - would be the final nail in the COLB’s coffin." I do suspect he's right when he says "I am not some sort of genius".
It really sets off my bullshit detectors when something as important as they CLAIM it is is being treated like some sort of parlor game. The only reason I can think of why they're acting coy and treating it as a game is that it IS a game to them.
4 August - "TechDude" suffers a 1-2 bodyslam.
The first is from "Koyaan", who does an analysis of "TechDude's" exclusive and comments that the "evidence" he sites is actually all over the graphic in question, looking more like artifact noise than a "smoking gun". At this point, the "smoking gun" is looking more like a leaky water-pistol.
Soon after that, Dr. Neal Krawetz weighs in. And by "weigh in" I mean "rips to tiny pieces". In an article called "BAD SCIENCE: HOW NOT TO DO IMAGE ANALYSIS", Dr. Krawetz looks at "TechDude's" methods, claims, and even claimed credentials. And he's not happy.
Some highlights of Dr. Krawetz's findings:
Conclusion - "(TechDude's) analysis combines a selective bias with misinterpreted artifacts and false data. His analysis is a work of fiction."
Critics - "Since (TechDude) won't give us his name, can he provide the names of his professional reference who are not also anonymous? Saying "some people have vetted me" is like saying "My mother says I'm smart". To be properly vetted, we need professional references and not vigorous handwaving with anonymous citations."
Credentials - "...assuming he has the credentials as he stated, I strongly recommend that the courts review each of the cases where TechDude has played any role. If he has shown this kind of biased, misleading, and false analysis in other cases, then each of those cases should be declared a mistrial."
Dr. Krawetz makes a VERY valid point. If "TechDude" is so serious about his efforts, then he needs to establish his bona fides and submit his evidence for peer review. The fact he (and "TexasDarlin", et al) are playing games like "trip to Vegas" and only dribbling out bits and pieces tends to lead people to suspect one thing....
The fraud is not on the part of the COLB, but the people promoting this increasingly wild-assed claim.
4 August - Okay, remember my comment that I would bet money that the "mystery name" supposedly found on the COLB that "TechDude" claims would be Sen. Obama's half-sister Maya Soetoro??
Well, "TexasDarlin" somehow mysteriously feels the need to reprint a post from 19 July because of it's "possible relevance to current stories" (supposely some "conflicting information" about Maya's birthdate - which, amazingly enough, happens to be in the time frame "TechDude" claims he "found" on the COLB.)
Hmmmm.....that bet is looking more and more likely.
4 August - Well, someone on Craigslist is fishing too....
"Date: 2008-08-04, 9:34AM HST
Trying to find anyone that can clarify what their parent's race is listed as on their Hawaiian birth certificate or Certificate of birth from the early 60s.
• Location: honolulu
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 782834334"
4 August - And over in the formerly sane "NoQuarter" Larry Johnson himself weighs in on "TechDude's" supposed "mystery name". The fact his guess is ALSO Maya Soetoro should come as NO surprise......
Also it's interesting to note that Larry Johnson is now using "Barack “Barry Soetero” Obama" as well. Echo chamber anyone?
5 August - Damn. I hate being right sometimes.
Just as I predicted, "TechDude's" supposed "find" in the COLB was indeed Maya Kassandra Soetoro. The "attack the entire family" strategy is now in play. And it's really freaking transparent - someone "just happened" to discover it and "just decided" to tell "TechDude" to use the Vegas money to " help retire Hillary’s debt". And "TexasDarlin" is gushing over her supposed exclusive, telling her rabid readers that "Judah Benjamin, our resident historian and researcher, will be discussing these questions in the coming days."
And the comments are very much in feeding on their own mode - PUMA Joesph Cannon of Cannonfire dared question "TechDude", and the politest comment he got back was:
They are very, very much pimping the "Barry Soetoro" line, claiming "He did not want his legal name and Indonesian identity to be known.". You know, this could be useful - if the person who's telling you the latest Obama tale calls him "Barry Soetoro", you know for sure they're a complete and total fruitcake and not to bother trying anything like logic and common sense.
And of course, the formerly sane "NoQuarter' is just orgasming with delight over this suppposed story.
As I said, it was transparently obvious who the "mysterious name" was going to be. Never mind "TechDude" could have claimed to have discovered "Mouse, Mickey" on that COLB, it would have been JUST AS VALID as anything else he found. But this way they can try for a double-header - attack Sen. Obama's sister AND pretend she's another woman that Sen. Obama "has thrown under the bus".
The people pimping this myth are either delusional, or a pack of liars. I used to think delusional. Now, I'm completely convinced they're a pack of liars. The sad part is the audience that is so desperate to believe their lies.
And with that comment, I'm wrapping up part 6 of what started to be a 3 part series. I may do the occasional update, but for the most part I'm done with what I set out to do.
It's been interesting, but there's something I discovered along the way:
Everytime I came out of researching the PUMA sites pimping this conspiracy, I feel like I just waded though an open sewer. A VERY dirty open sewer, filled with very dirty people.
They're not the type of internet nutter you can point at and laugh. After a while, you discover it's the type of internet nutter that makes you more and more angry. Doesn't matter if you're left-wing or right-wing, (there are right-wing blogs taking the Birth Certificate nutters apart as well).
It's the type of insanity and unclean feel one feels when reading the "Westboro Baptist Church" or simular website. There's not much difference between the Fred Phelps of the world and the "TexasDarlin" types. The only difference is what the focus of their hatred is.
And it's a type of insanity that threatens to draw you into it. Until the idea of fighting it becomes as much an act of insanity as believing it.
I choose not to fall into that well of crazy. The people who want to believe it WILL believe it, despite all the evidence you find to prove them otherwise. I've proved to my satisfaction - and others - that there's absolutely no credible proof or evidence to support their theory, and I will leave them to their insanity.
(Note: When I wrote this, I didn't realize it was going to be so involved - or take up so much time. I had the luck to jump in about the point the pond got riled up again. I'll occasionally post updates from this point, but quite frankly I'd like to discuss other things. I think we've presented enough evidence by now to show that "TexasDarlin" and the rest of the wingnuts contributing to this myth are either knowingly pulling a smear campaign, or are so far around the bend that they're twisting everything to try and make their bet theory fit. In either case, it's only some PUMAs and some tinfoil hat brigade cranks that are believing it - everyone else thinks it's a joke.)
4 August - "TechDude" makes an offer of a free trip to Vegas if someone can produce the supposed "original name" on the COLB. I suspect he knows his challenge is safe, because there IS no such "original name". (Betcha a bag of M&M's that it will "just happen" to be either Maya Soetoro, Sen. Obama's half-sister, or her daughter, also born in Hawaii)
What's funny is that "TechDude kinda coyly hints about is name being "Adam", saying "A 3rd party finding the same information - particularly one who does not know me from Adam (teehee) - would be the final nail in the COLB’s coffin." I do suspect he's right when he says "I am not some sort of genius".
It really sets off my bullshit detectors when something as important as they CLAIM it is is being treated like some sort of parlor game. The only reason I can think of why they're acting coy and treating it as a game is that it IS a game to them.
4 August - "TechDude" suffers a 1-2 bodyslam.
The first is from "Koyaan", who does an analysis of "TechDude's" exclusive and comments that the "evidence" he sites is actually all over the graphic in question, looking more like artifact noise than a "smoking gun". At this point, the "smoking gun" is looking more like a leaky water-pistol.
"What’s interesting is that the length of this “very small vertical line” is 8 exactly pixels. What makes this interesting is that the JPEG algorithm processes an image in 8 pixel by 8 pixel blocks.
So is this really a remnant of a line? Well, if it is, then using the same criteria, there are a number of other remnants of small vertical lines very near to the small vertical line that Techdude points out.
Why are these excluded?
The short answer is that they have to be excluded in order for Techdude to make his case."
Soon after that, Dr. Neal Krawetz weighs in. And by "weigh in" I mean "rips to tiny pieces". In an article called "BAD SCIENCE: HOW NOT TO DO IMAGE ANALYSIS", Dr. Krawetz looks at "TechDude's" methods, claims, and even claimed credentials. And he's not happy.
"Intentionally misleading research offends me. Real researchers strive to create the best work possible and are willing to have it put up to peer-reviewed scrutiny. They list their methods and provide enough information for other researchers to replicate the experiment. And good science should be able to draw the same conclusion with different analysis methods. In contrast, fake researchers intentionally doctor their data to support their theories. They do not provide their methods and their conclusions are not repeatable. While it is important to understand how real research is done, it is equally important to analyze and understand fake research."
Some highlights of Dr. Krawetz's findings:
Conclusion - "(TechDude's) analysis combines a selective bias with misinterpreted artifacts and false data. His analysis is a work of fiction."
Critics - "Since (TechDude) won't give us his name, can he provide the names of his professional reference who are not also anonymous? Saying "some people have vetted me" is like saying "My mother says I'm smart". To be properly vetted, we need professional references and not vigorous handwaving with anonymous citations."
Credentials - "...assuming he has the credentials as he stated, I strongly recommend that the courts review each of the cases where TechDude has played any role. If he has shown this kind of biased, misleading, and false analysis in other cases, then each of those cases should be declared a mistrial."
Dr. Krawetz makes a VERY valid point. If "TechDude" is so serious about his efforts, then he needs to establish his bona fides and submit his evidence for peer review. The fact he (and "TexasDarlin", et al) are playing games like "trip to Vegas" and only dribbling out bits and pieces tends to lead people to suspect one thing....
The fraud is not on the part of the COLB, but the people promoting this increasingly wild-assed claim.
4 August - Okay, remember my comment that I would bet money that the "mystery name" supposedly found on the COLB that "TechDude" claims would be Sen. Obama's half-sister Maya Soetoro??
Well, "TexasDarlin" somehow mysteriously feels the need to reprint a post from 19 July because of it's "possible relevance to current stories" (supposely some "conflicting information" about Maya's birthdate - which, amazingly enough, happens to be in the time frame "TechDude" claims he "found" on the COLB.)
Hmmmm.....that bet is looking more and more likely.
4 August - Well, someone on Craigslist is fishing too....
"Date: 2008-08-04, 9:34AM HST
Trying to find anyone that can clarify what their parent's race is listed as on their Hawaiian birth certificate or Certificate of birth from the early 60s.
• Location: honolulu
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 782834334"
4 August - And over in the formerly sane "NoQuarter" Larry Johnson himself weighs in on "TechDude's" supposed "mystery name". The fact his guess is ALSO Maya Soetoro should come as NO surprise......
Also it's interesting to note that Larry Johnson is now using "Barack “Barry Soetero” Obama" as well. Echo chamber anyone?
5 August - Damn. I hate being right sometimes.
Just as I predicted, "TechDude's" supposed "find" in the COLB was indeed Maya Kassandra Soetoro. The "attack the entire family" strategy is now in play. And it's really freaking transparent - someone "just happened" to discover it and "just decided" to tell "TechDude" to use the Vegas money to " help retire Hillary’s debt". And "TexasDarlin" is gushing over her supposed exclusive, telling her rabid readers that "Judah Benjamin, our resident historian and researcher, will be discussing these questions in the coming days."
And the comments are very much in feeding on their own mode - PUMA Joesph Cannon of Cannonfire dared question "TechDude", and the politest comment he got back was:
"Joseph Cannon’s marching orders from his beloved Messiah is to try to discredit any attempt to get to the truth behind his COLB by claiming that he could not reproduce the results put out by TD or to try to attack the messenger by attacking his use of a pseudonym. Watch him turn up the volume subsequently and become even more repetitive and boring in hopes that if repeated long enough, his accusations will become more believable."
They are very, very much pimping the "Barry Soetoro" line, claiming "He did not want his legal name and Indonesian identity to be known.". You know, this could be useful - if the person who's telling you the latest Obama tale calls him "Barry Soetoro", you know for sure they're a complete and total fruitcake and not to bother trying anything like logic and common sense.
And of course, the formerly sane "NoQuarter' is just orgasming with delight over this suppposed story.
As I said, it was transparently obvious who the "mysterious name" was going to be. Never mind "TechDude" could have claimed to have discovered "Mouse, Mickey" on that COLB, it would have been JUST AS VALID as anything else he found. But this way they can try for a double-header - attack Sen. Obama's sister AND pretend she's another woman that Sen. Obama "has thrown under the bus".
The people pimping this myth are either delusional, or a pack of liars. I used to think delusional. Now, I'm completely convinced they're a pack of liars. The sad part is the audience that is so desperate to believe their lies.
And with that comment, I'm wrapping up part 6 of what started to be a 3 part series. I may do the occasional update, but for the most part I'm done with what I set out to do.
It's been interesting, but there's something I discovered along the way:
Everytime I came out of researching the PUMA sites pimping this conspiracy, I feel like I just waded though an open sewer. A VERY dirty open sewer, filled with very dirty people.
They're not the type of internet nutter you can point at and laugh. After a while, you discover it's the type of internet nutter that makes you more and more angry. Doesn't matter if you're left-wing or right-wing, (there are right-wing blogs taking the Birth Certificate nutters apart as well).
It's the type of insanity and unclean feel one feels when reading the "Westboro Baptist Church" or simular website. There's not much difference between the Fred Phelps of the world and the "TexasDarlin" types. The only difference is what the focus of their hatred is.
And it's a type of insanity that threatens to draw you into it. Until the idea of fighting it becomes as much an act of insanity as believing it.
I choose not to fall into that well of crazy. The people who want to believe it WILL believe it, despite all the evidence you find to prove them otherwise. I've proved to my satisfaction - and others - that there's absolutely no credible proof or evidence to support their theory, and I will leave them to their insanity.
