Would you challenge a poster who you suspected was lying?

[ohiosmith]

On very rare occasions, I will see a thread or post that doesn't ring true. If it's a subject that interests me I usually challenge the poster. If it's not, I typically ignore it. What do you do?

[amazona]

1. usually i'll humor them and play along depends on my mood

...and it also depends on the perceived purpose of the fib.

I think we can be pretty sure that the poster who went to Vegas didn't place a single bet on roulette of $35,000 but it's a harmless entertainment, so why not play the game. I'll be going to Vegas very soon, and many of my contacts are already there. I'll let you know if a $35K roulette bet was recently placed but, honestly? It would already be in the news. It just takes a lot of huff and guff to get table minimums raised these days, and casino managers expect to get publicity out of it unless it really is a repeat high level player who gives them enough action of his own.


On another forum, a poster claimed that eggshell thinning in Brown Pelicans was caused by researchers studying Brown Pelicans, which is pretty much beyond the bounds of believability that this statement is just an innocent mis-remembering or mistake rather than an outright lie to persuade people that DDT is A-OK. And it wasn't humorous enough to be excused as an entertainment or satire post. So (I hope nicely) did confront on that issue. I might have ignored it except that there's pretty much an Astroturf campaign all over the internet to get DDT back into our environment and into our birds, and sometimes you just have to stand up and call B.S. on people like that.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[ohiosmith]

9. The $35k bet is in fact what prompted this post. I live in Vegas.

According to a friend who manages a strip casino, any winnings in excess of $1,200.00 or so require a filing with the IRS prior to the monies being given to the player. The player is obligated to show current photo ID and complete the necessary documentation while in the casino.

[Heidi]

2. I might question someone's assertions . . .

but I wouldn't call anybody out. I think that's against DU's rules, isn't it?

[amazona]

4. right

Critique the claim, not the person making the claim. Try to keep personalities out of it.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[miss_kitty]

3. it depends on the lie

sometimes I can't resist.

:evilgrin:

[tjdee]

5. Honesty is the best policy--dammit!

If someone's lying, there are lots of lurkers here who may not know that. And, maybe they aren't lying, but have themselves been given wrong information.

I try to correct as gently as possible though--lots of people have corrected me, and there's no reason to be mean about it unless the person is blatantly being of the ass variety.

[LynneSin]

6. I'll tell you who I'll change (and they make me angry too)...

...people who call any democrat they don't like a "DLCer".

You know, check out the list at http://www.ndol.org/new_dem_dir.cfm before you go spouting your mouth.

[Modem Butterfly]

7. It depends on the situation

I was once on a atheist discussion board (NOT DU's) and we had an Xian right-wing troll who was trying to argue based on his experience as an MD. He claimed to have gotten his Medical degree at my own Alma Mater which does not have a med school, and hasn't since before WWII. I busted him hard. But other than a situation where there is an obvious troll in a demonstrable lie, I'd probably let it go.

[bleedingheart]

8. You know..you are giving me an idea...!!!

I could have a much higher post count if I just made stuff up!!!

:evilgrin: