Re: press trickery of the worst kind

["Tomas L. Byrnes" <tomb () byrneit net>]

It was, perhaps, a bit hyperbolic. I've run into a few decent ones as
well, but I've found that the overwhelming majority of journalists,
especially those from old media or the blogosphere, are activists with
an agenda, who will twist whatever is said to suit their viewpoint; or
out and out hacks with no understanding of technology who are just
looking for sensationalist pieces to sell ad space.

Unfortunately, I've been burned, and I've seen others I respect and care
about (including my father) badly burned.

If you can find a journalist who isn't a shill for an ideology or a
platform, who is actually willing to take the time to do their research,
then they are a diamond in the rough.

I've found that all the ones I've talked to who write for the IEEE pubs
fit that description.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Kaminsky [mailto:dan () doxpara com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:32 AM
> To: Tomas L. Byrnes
> Cc: Gadi Evron; funsec
> Subject: Re: [funsec] press trickery of the worst kind
>
> This is a bit of an overreaction. Anyone on this list gets an inquiry
> from someone they're wondering about, ping me privately. There's some
> good eggs out there.
>
>
>
> On Jul 15, 2009, at 2:30 PM, "Tomas L. Byrnes" <tomb () byrneit net>
wrote:
> > I only speak to writers for IEEE technical publications, at peer
> > conferences, write my own pieces, or do first-person, live
> > interviews on
> > TV for this reason.
> >
> > "Clear writers assume, with a pessimism born of experience, that
> > whatever
> > isn't plainly stated the reader will invariably misconstrue." - John
> > R.
> > Trimble
> >
> > I guess a modern paraphrase would be:
> >
> > "Clear speakers assume, with a pessimism born of experience, that
> > whatever
> > Can be twisted and misconstrued will invariably be so."
> >
> > Journalist:(n) One without the literary talent or credibility to
write
> > their own prose or be believed on their own, but the ability to twist
> > others' beyond comprehension to suit their purposes.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: funsec-bounces () linuxbox org [mailto:funsec-
> > > bounces () linuxbox org]
> > > On Behalf Of Gadi Evron
> > > Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 10:42 PM
> > > To: funsec
> > > Subject: Re: [funsec] press trickery of the worst kind
> > >
> > > Update:
> > > Mr. Harris sent me an email stating he sent in a correction
> > > recommendation. Let's see what happens with it.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Gadi Evron wrote:
> > > > I spoke yesterday with one David Harris--I shouldn't have. He is a
> > > > reporter for a Chinese publication and was writing a story on
"cyber
> > > > war" in the middle east. He was referenced by a friend so I was
> > > > happy
> > > to
> > > > help him.
> > > >
> > > > I mentioned how whenever there are political and ethnic
> > > > tensions--anywhere, cyber after-math follows. This often consists
of
> > > > silliness such as kids attacking with defacement and DDoS attacks.
I
> > > > also mentioned "warfare" is buzzword, hyped, over-kill which
> > shouldn't
> > > > be used lightly.
> > > >
> > > > At no point did I speak of Israel as a state. I told the reporter
> > that
> > > I
> > > > don't work for the Israeli government these days and that I can't
> > > > comment anyway as I know nothing about what Israel does or doesn't
> > do.
> > > > Here is what he wrote:
> > > >
> > > >    "Gadi Evron, a private consultant formerly responsible for
> > > security in
> > > > Israeli government's non-military computer system, does not deny
> > > > that
> > > > his country has a large-scale activity using the Internet to
disrupt
> > > > enemy activities. He just tends to err when it comes to talk of the
> > > more
> > > > grandiose plots. "
> > > >
> > > > Even if I forgive him for calling me a consultant...
> > > > I called the guy, and he said: "well, you did not deny it".
> > > >
> > > > Of course I did not deny it, how can I deny something I know
nothing
> > > > about? He may as well have said I didn't deny the Roswell landing
> > > > and
> > > > alien abductions.
> > > >
> > > > Immediately after what is referenced to me without quoting, he
> > > > puts a
> > > > quote which claims this even more vehemently. He then attributed it
> > to
> > > > someone else at the end of the paragraph almost as an
after-thought:
> > > >     "While it is clear Israel has successfully used cyber-tactics
> > > > against its enemies, it is harder to know to what extent Israel has
> > > been
> > > > hit, according to Dahan. "
> > > >
> > > > I don't know where Dahan comes up with his facts, but I my alarm
> > bells
> > > > should have ringed when the repoter, Mr. Harris, asked me about
> > > > silly
> > > > rumored conspiracy theories against the US government--they were so
> > > > ridiculous I don't even remember what they were.
> > > >
> > > > Was this reporter just looking for a hit story, no matter if
> > > > unsubstantiated and unprofessional, or is this some sort of agenda?
> > > >
> > > > This is trickery of the lowest sort, and yellow journalism if I've
> > > ever
> > > > seen such. Unless it was an honest mistake on the reporter's part--
> > > > in
> > > > which case I hope this is fixed soon.
> > > >
> > > > You can find his article, here:
> > > > http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/15/content_11709201.htm
> > > >
> > > >    Gadi.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Gadi Evron,
> > > ge () linuxbox org.
> > >
> > > Blog: http://gevron.livejournal.com/
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
> > > https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
> > > Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
> > https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
> > Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.

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