...and fact checkers. Reid had seen an article on Mongolia in which the reporter referred to a statue of Jengiz as being of "Khan". He snapped: " I love how the idiot reporter refers to the statue of "Khan" as if it's Genghis Khan's last name. Where do they hire these people?"
I commiserated-- and remembered something that happened to me a few years ago. I responded to my co- bloggers:
"That's what you get today-- and if you correct them, they'll think YOU are wrong.
"True story: a few years ago I was asked by the National Geographic to fact- check a short photo story by Dave Edwards on the eagle hunters-- I had been recommended by both Dave and the archivist at the World Center for Birds of Prey. They had two questions: did Mongolia have a modern road system (Dave and I said no-- only 400 km of pavement in a country 1800 miles wide, and that in such bad repair that most drivers prefer the dirt tracks or open steppe) and did eagles scream for food (both of us said yes--- mostly they are imprints, and call constantly for food and attention.)
"They then looked at an atlas, saw the Soviet era network of "roads-- ie, dirt camel tracks passing for highways; asked a birder about eagles---
"And rejected the statements of the two people who had been there."
I should add that a few magazines still retain their standards. When I wrote for The Atlantic I had to be ready with a stack of books and an hour or more free when it was time for the fact- checker to call.
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