History's Garbage Dump - TANSTAAFL

This morning Mike Gallagher discussed a story about a blogger successfully sued for defamation, with a $1M+ judgement. Mike has frequently described bloggers as geeks blogging from basements, wearing nothing but boxer shorts (I, personally, would never go anywhere near Sen. Boxer's shorts. Unless I could work a Kerry deal for the big bucks.), bathrobes, and pocket protectors; insufficiently educated and trained to participate in anything resembling journalism. When he called for input from bloggers, I immediately seized the opportunity to try to correct some of Mike's ideas. As has been my experience with Mike and other media types, I wasn't able to get too many words in. I find that when one doesn't give the desired response, one doesn't get much air time.

My talking points, a couple of which I got out before the cutoff (his show, his control of the mic):

• Yes, one should be held accountable for one's speech and actions. Attribution should be given when you use another's words or work.
• Facts should be documented to the extent possible; one should sift as many sources as possible to arrive at veracity. This is the responsibility of the reader as much as the writer. When, as a lad, I listened to the shortwave radio (ask your grandparents), I would perform the same sifting with radio news. Oddly enough, at the time the BBC was the most accurate and balanced.
• Opinion should be noted as such. Many blogs are simple diaries, and make no pretense to be otherwise.
  
• Most of us live in the meat world. We hold jobs, raise families, go off on missions or deployments, pay bills, and get dressed for the day. Blogging may be a passing interest, a hobby, or a raging passion. Only a relative few have the good fortune to make enough money at it for it to be called a job.
• Many of us are educated. I learned English in a time and place where elements of the Winnetka Plan were still in use. After half a century, I find that spelling and grammar are no longer in fashion. This sometimes leaves me uncharacteristically unsure of proper spelling or phrasing, but what the hey. My Primary education also included familiarization with basic elements of reportage, such as who, where, when, what, why.

Mike is supposed to attend a meet-and-greet at a local tavern tonight. While I find him woefully ignorant in some areas in which I can claim expertise or experience, I do for the most part enjoy his show. I'm looking forward to meeting him.

BTW- a sift of wire services and FindLaw.com have so far failed to find the case Mike cited. Help, anyone? UPDATE: here's the link-$11.3M

UPDATE 2330:
Met Mr. Gallagher; pic to follow. He asked for a link to this post. Looking at it several hours later, I do regret the "woefully ignorant" remark. We all have our areas of expertise, and there are certainly a couple of gaping holes in my education. I also may have been a bit off about the "desired response"- Mike seemed to think it was a great call. Sorry, Mike.