Why the media suffers from the perception of fake news

I'm hoping the forensic analysis of the following article from BBC news will serve as an example.

The government has now announced that the church will be shut for good, with the Botswana Gazette obtaining a letter informing management the "registration" had been cancelled.
The newspaper further reports it was the church's use of "miracle money" - promises of money appearing as if by magic - which broke the country's laws.
Mr Bushiri - who has more than 2.3 million likes on Facebook and filled Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on New Year's Eve - and his church have yet to respond publicly.
The church leader is known as much for his lavish lifestyle as for his successful ministry, which stretches across Africa.
He came under fire last year after it emerged he was charging between 1,000 and 25,000 rand ($80-2,000; £60-1,500) to attend a gala dinner with him, South Africa's News24 reported.

The article isn't detailed in a way the would inform the reader beyond generalities as to what problem the government of Botswana might have with this man of god and his church. There's a mention of exorbitant fees for dinners, but hey, that's de rigueur in the US, certainly nothing illegal that I know of. If people are stupid enough to spend that kind of money on nonsense then they deserve any hardship they might endure as a result. Sometimes it takes a painful experience to foster growth in our lives.

Well there's that bit about "miracle money". God does work in mysterious ways, I must admit. He can make money appear from nowhere but needs you to donate 10% on Sunday. That's an inconsistency worth exploring I'd say.

There was the one other thing worth mentioning. This Pastor can walk on air. I know right? That's some good stuff. It's a miracle! And we have a "video" to prove it Better yet, the video is a feature of this article. From BBC. That's the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Here's a series of stills from the video:

Coming down the spiral stair, hands open, no funny business here manner. There are no apparent wires above him.
Then the shot pans left and then right, pay close attention to the lighting and the door on the right.

You'll see there aren't any shadows anywhere on the landing, just a small grotty carpet, which in hindsight I'm sure they wished were turned sideways before filming.

And now the tah dah moment...

When you watch the video listen for the patter of burly man feet and the door closing, but not enough.

This is what passes for objective journalism these days. That a major news organization would purport this obvious fraud as the truth is scandalous.

You can find the video here.






 

Survey Sez

I'm a sucker for surveys, personality tests, and the like. Here's the latest one I found.

They're a good icebreaker. I'm not going to answer all the questions, but here are some I can.

They're a good icebreaker. I'm not going to answer all the questions, but here are some I can.

#3: I've got nothing but bad habits. I can't pick a favorite. I should introduce you to an ex. I bet THEY could pick one.
#4: It depends on what you call a "date". If you mean inviting someone to a social occasion, then I've had more than I can remember. Probably thousands.
#5: My tastes have changed over the decades.  "My World and Welcome to it" comes to mind. Or "Please Don't Eat the Daises". Recently, BBC programming like Sherlock Holmes.
#5A: This question begs an addendum. I have a new favorite movie.  “The Madwoman of Chaillot" with Katie Hepburn. I'd thought I'd watched all her movies, this one released in 69, and again in 92 escaped me until now. You simply MUST watch this movie if you haven't. I realize Ms. Hepburn is an acquired taste for some, but who can resist those hats? Simply magnificent!
#6: "Forever"
#7: No.
#8: Yes. No. Well, if I'm having it, I'm talking about it. But you lot? Ask your Mom.
#9: Yes!
#10: I'm fond of animals generally, but cats win the day.
#11: I have. There are better ways of enjoying it than smoking now.
#12: On top of my head. Since before the great migration to my ears and back.
#13: A good friend. I call him the Nutty Professor.
#14#: Like the TV shows, time has a way of working on you. If I'm in a mood to cut my own ear off, nothing but Leonard Cohen will do.
#15: Single
#16: Gay
#20: A good wine with dinner is rarely amiss.
#25: Empathy, intelligence, a good listener. Oh and patience, because I have none.
#29: No. I don't have a moral objection to being a vegetarian, and the bulk of what I eat is not meat but I'm not dogmatic about diet.
#30: I think life is possible anywhere the conditions will allow it. Little green/grey men, not so much.
#34: The Mariana Trench
#38: Twitter. I've never had a FB account.
#40: No. We may not know for a time what the explanation for something is, but not once in the history of mankind has there ever been a supernatural one demonstrated to be true.
 

Go All The Way

                                     "Go All The Way"