OFF: Fwd: More Metallica/Napster

[MissileCommand]

>
> laser printer to spit blood???").  Similarly, in the case of the "open
> letter from Metallica," a quick visit to their WWW site would be another
> easy way to try and assess its legitimacy.  (Surprise, surprise, it
> doesn't appear on there.)

but take into account that I did not even know it was part of a letter to begin
with. I recieved it from a friend who is constantly reading music (spec. metal)
related news and know that he wouldn't just make something up to defame metallica
as much as he hates them. He's since discovered that the original source IS a
letter written as a joke, but the point I'm trying to make is that there's no
need to get pissed off and gripe about how careless people are in believing
anything they read. You can be sure that I would question any information that
could lead to a critical decision, but in this case I really don't see what the
big deal is. I would have laughed at Metallica's expense even if I knew it was a
joke to begin with.
The lack of  "critical literacy" is also not just confined to the internet. Look
at newspapers. they print almost anything.

>
> Maybe I should make up a fake press release, "Hawkwind backs Metallica
> Napster fight to the hilt: Brock vows to 'take a bullet' for Lars!" and
> post it here?  I'm sure it would be similarly as relevant.  No need to
> screen it for credibility.

I totally admit the post was just a waste of bandwidth, but I did not think it
was fake that at the time (nor did I claim to have gotten it from a legitimate
source). While it's immediately a fake to your eye (you also saw it in its
original form), many intelligent people were fooled by it since it is definitely
not outside the realm of possibility. Just read some metallica interviews or
watch them on MTV- they're often that full of s***, and they do insult their
fans.

> => > It just goes to show that critical literacy is alive and well and living
> => > somewhere other than the Internet...
> =>
> => Perhaps subjects such as Metallica are not to be taken seriously
> => enough to demand a critical analysis of the material before
> => posting. sheesh! I mean, my mind is usually elsewhere and I'm glad
> => of it.
>
> Yeah, and I guess unsubstantiated rumours do have their plus
> sides: after all, one did prompt the "OPEN FORUM WITH DAVE BROCK" on
> here not so long ago! :-)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Paul.
>
> e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu
>
> "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
>  deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
>         --- Frank Vincent Zappa