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The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

influencehacks.com

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Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#11
post #10
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I second this. This isn't some internet troll that should simply be ignored. If left completely unchallenged, the base assumption by many not familiar with the context will be to take it at face value.

On the contrary, I think publications like Venturebeat are, quite literally, the professionalized form of internet trolls. If I'm right, it's definitely not a good strategy to engage with them.

Well...there are many that might not see them like that. I, didn't view them as that. Partly because I don't pay much attention to them, but when an interesting article that they wrote appears on HN I would read it.

But now, I am much more likely to read it with a skeptical eye - and possibly not even read it altogether.

This cuts to the heart of journalism.

It's the equivalent of the WSJ or NYT writing a hit piece on either campaign, just to find out that the author's wife/husband is a top advisor for the candidate - without them explicitly stating that in the piece.

The most ironic thing about the VB piece, is that the title is: "Paul Graham’s ‘lowball’ accusation of Google Ventures may hide an ulterior motive".

How ironic that allegations surface that may hide an ulterior motive for VB.

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#12
If the two photos of Graham come from the same source image, then it looks like the microphone on the first image (http://5.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/paul-graham.j...) was airbrushed out (http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pg-lowball.jp...). (Unless a microphone was airbrushed in for the first image.) Just thought that was curious, in addition to the desaturation...

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#14

I recently read the book: "Trust Me, I'm Lying" which talks about how these types of blog posts. Now it's so obvious when I see this kind of stuff. Here's the book: http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Me-Lying-Confessions-Manipulator...

Which blog post are you referring to, the original or the debunking?

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#15
post #12

If the two photos of Graham come from the same source image, then it looks like the microphone on the first image ( http://5.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/paul-graham.j... ) was airbrushed out ( http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pg-lowball.jp... ). (Unless a microphone was airbrushed in for the first image.) Just thought that was curious, in addition to the desaturation...

The shadow of the mike's been left on the cheek and there's some fairly obvious photoshopping of the wire on the ear and the t-shirt.

They've also removed the red-eye and spruced up his eyes.

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#16

I recently read the book: "Trust Me, I'm Lying" which talks about how these types of blog posts. Now it's so obvious when I see this kind of stuff. Here's the book: http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Me-Lying-Confessions-Manipulator...

Which blog post are you referring to, the original or the debunking?

the original: http://venturebeat.com/2012/09/07/lowball/

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#17
post #12

If the two photos of Graham come from the same source image, then it looks like the microphone on the first image ( http://5.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/paul-graham.j... ) was airbrushed out ( http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pg-lowball.jp... ). (Unless a microphone was airbrushed in for the first image.) Just thought that was curious, in addition to the desaturation...

The second one has shadows by the neck that were blurred to hide the mic shadow.

This seems like a lot of image manipulation for a "honest" journalist.

Re: The stunning hypocrisy of VentureBeat's attack on Y Combinator

#18
post #12

If the two photos of Graham come from the same source image, then it looks like the microphone on the first image ( http://5.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/paul-graham.j... ) was airbrushed out ( http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pg-lowball.jp... ). (Unless a microphone was airbrushed in for the first image.) Just thought that was curious, in addition to the desaturation...

Here is the photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jolieodell/4525127286/in/photos...

The link from the article links directly to that, and yet they heavily manipulated it and call it journalism.

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