At the Reference Desk this weekend, a women runs up and wants to know how she can print an article from the computer. This is a question we get a lot, so I get up to help her. She begins to tell me, in a very concerned voice, about this horrible and scary thing that is happening (it involves international politics, and I won't get into it here). She is offering to make me copies of this article, and how no one seems to know what is happening, and it is so scary, and on and on. A partial quote is, "Can you believe this? I found it on the Internet!"
When I get to her computer, her and her husband are pointing, enraged, at this article. It has a cute orange "B" logo in the upper right corner, and the web address is blankyblank.blogspot.com. It's a blog. Someone, like me, is sitting somewhere writing whatever they want and posting it. It's a very simple process really, and there is absolutely no policing, editing, or verifying the content.
Aliens are attacking.
Fact? No. But according to many of my patrons, since it is in print, on the Internet, it MUST be true.
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2 comments:
WHAT! In 2009 this woman (and her hubby) STILL don't know how to print things off a computer?
Perhaps when we blog, we do so to be believed. We want to be the, finally for all to read and see, the source of "truth"?
One day we too might have people devotedly reading my blog, having librarians helping them print my typed scribbles, and sharing the tree-ware copies with family and friends over breakfast at Denny's.
I need to figure out that spelling thing first, but it could happen. I too could become quotable. You might get there first. Please keep the flat panel warm for me.
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