WorldNetDaily Errors - not bias

SkepticalScience · 26th March 2005, 06:35 AM

Anyone have any stories off hand that show off ERRORS of WorldNetDaily stories??

Not necessarily Bias but errors. I am having a debate with a friend who claims, "So what if WorldNetDaily has bias - the liberal media is biased all over the place. Find meone article where WND has been wrong?"

Any help guys!

Mycroft · 26th March 2005, 07:03 AM

Sorry, I'm with your friend.

If its important, why not read it for a week and do some fact checking?

SkepticalScience · 26th March 2005, 07:07 AM

Thanks MyCroft - that was my plan.

I have no idea what WND is all about - but I did once remember going to the site, and seeing a headline claiming that Jesus was coming - or something along those lines.

So that kind of turned the site off to me - but I really don't know anythign else about it.

I asked the question in case some other readers have noticed ERRORS - not bias.

If they really do report factually, but just with spin, then I'd agree with my friend too.

SS

aerocontrols · 26th March 2005, 08:50 AM

This one seems ripe for fact-checking.

1) Did China put 70,000 'troops and prisoners' in Sudan to protect its oil interests? ('troops and prisoners' morphs into just 'troops' later in the article)

2) Did the Clinton administration give a 21-gun salute to the butchers of Tiananmen Square?

3) Did Bill Clinton ask the Chinese "help America with our human rights problems?" (I've seen this claim appear more than once at WND)

4) Are we giving China billions in loans? (I rather thought it was the other way 'round)

5) Did UK police brutally beat peaceful protestors of Chinese human rights abuses?

6) Does China control the Panama Canal?

7) Did George Bush Sr. send 300 CIA agents to South Africa to accelerate the Communist takeover of that country?

8) Was (is?) China trying to arm black gangs in the US with AK-47s?

9) Has China deployed anti-satellite mines in space that are just waiting to destroy our military satellites when the time comes?

10) Does China force Catholic priests into vats of acid in work camps?

It's possible that some of these things are actually true, or that some of them are true in some sense. (such as the panama canal claim) There are quite a few other implausible items in that article that I didn't list. The point is that the entire article is detached from reality. Or the author is right, and I'm detached from reality, and correcting me will require "a total re-education process the likes of which Western Civilization has never seen."

I wonder which...

MattJ

hgc · 26th March 2005, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aerocontrols
... and correcting me will require "a total re-education process the likes of which Western Civilization has never seen."..

Oh goody! Just like the Cultural Revolution ... in China.

aerocontrols · 26th March 2005, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hgc
Oh goody! Just like the Cultural Revolution ... in China.

Nah... ours will have more Jesus.

corplinx · 26th March 2005, 10:41 AM

I remember worldnetdaily running several flatout untrue stories after 9-11 and after the invasion of Iraq. Some were so bad they were pulled from their website (i remember one last for 4 hours).

The thing is responsible journalists publish retractions! Left/Right you are still supposed to admit when you goof up.

26th March 2005, 06:35 AM	#1
SkepticalScience Thinker Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 225	WorldNetDaily Errors - not bias Anyone have any stories off hand that show off ERRORS of WorldNetDaily stories?? Not necessarily Bias but errors. I am having a debate with a friend who claims, "So what if WorldNetDaily has bias - the liberal media is biased all over the place. Find meone article where WND has been wrong?" Any help guys!
SkepticalScience Thinker Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 225

26th March 2005, 07:03 AM	#2
Mycroft High Priest of Ed Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 16,108	Sorry, I'm with your friend. If its important, why not read it for a week and do some fact checking?
	__________________ Surely Israel is the party to blame? -a_unique_person I do have Mycroft on ignore, he is pretty much the Matt Giwer of your side. -a_unique_person Palestinian Refugees

26th March 2005, 07:07 AM	#3
SkepticalScience Thinker Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 225	Thanks MyCroft - that was my plan. I have no idea what WND is all about - but I did once remember going to the site, and seeing a headline claiming that Jesus was coming - or something along those lines. So that kind of turned the site off to me - but I really don't know anythign else about it. I asked the question in case some other readers have noticed ERRORS - not bias. If they really do report factually, but just with spin, then I'd agree with my friend too. SS
SkepticalScience Thinker Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 225

26th March 2005, 08:50 AM	#4
aerocontrols Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,445	This one seems ripe for fact-checking. 1) Did China put 70,000 'troops and prisoners' in Sudan to protect its oil interests? ('troops and prisoners' morphs into just 'troops' later in the article) 2) Did the Clinton administration give a 21-gun salute to the butchers of Tiananmen Square? 3) Did Bill Clinton ask the Chinese "help America with our human rights problems?" (I've seen this claim appear more than once at WND) 4) Are we giving China billions in loans? (I rather thought it was the other way 'round) 5) Did UK police brutally beat peaceful protestors of Chinese human rights abuses? 6) Does China control the Panama Canal? 7) Did George Bush Sr. send 300 CIA agents to South Africa to accelerate the Communist takeover of that country? 8) Was (is?) China trying to arm black gangs in the US with AK-47s? 9) Has China deployed anti-satellite mines in space that are just waiting to destroy our military satellites when the time comes? 10) Does China force Catholic priests into vats of acid in work camps? It's possible that some of these things are actually true, or that some of them are true in some sense. (such as the panama canal claim) There are quite a few other implausible items in that article that I didn't list. The point is that the entire article is detached from reality. Or the author is right, and I'm detached from reality, and correcting me will require "a total re-education process the likes of which Western Civilization has never seen." I wonder which... MattJ
	__________________ Misunderestimated in 2000. Unredefeated in 2004. My dog does his tricks. My roomate's dog tries to escape the kitchen. We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honour, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling's, and trading with interest. Source

26th March 2005, 09:02 AM	#5
hgc Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 13,028	Quote: Originally posted by aerocontrols ... and correcting me will require "a total re-education process the likes of which Western Civilization has never seen.".. Oh goody! Just like the Cultural Revolution ... in China.
	__________________ Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse assail him and wail him with monster truck force. - Cake, The Distance Was there a second singer on the grassy Knowles? - Stephen Colbert

26th March 2005, 09:05 AM	#6
aerocontrols Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,445	Quote: Originally posted by hgc *Oh goody! Just like the Cultural Revolution* ... in China.** Nah... ours will have more Jesus.
	__________________ Misunderestimated in 2000. Unredefeated in 2004. My dog does his tricks. My roomate's dog tries to escape the kitchen. We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honour, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling's, and trading with interest. Source

26th March 2005, 10:41 AM	#7
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944	I remember worldnetdaily running several flatout untrue stories after 9-11 and after the invasion of Iraq. Some were so bad they were pulled from their website (i remember one last for 4 hours). The thing is responsible journalists publish retractions! Left/Right you are still supposed to admit when you goof up.
corplinx JREF Kid Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,944	__________________ In the tradition of "Stop Silvia!" Stop Hal Bidlack: http://skepticalcommunity.com/forums...hp?f=1&t=28671