Baked Boingboing
No, that isn't a new desert. It refers to another example of one of the Boingers going off half-cocked. Here's a link to the entry (Video: apparently-baked biz school prof who was soon fired). Look quick, god knows what it'll say by the time you get there.
Jardin quotes the reader who sent in the story idea. He writes, "It appears from the content of this video that this University of Florida professor -- whom everyone has to take in the business school -- got REALLY REALLY REALLY HIGH before one of his classes."
Well, I guess Jardin can say "apparently" and the reader does say "appears." They sure don't say he was fried, but you better believe they think he was. Here was the last paragraph when the entry was first written:
Looks like the lecturer's name is Howard J. (John) Hall, and he remains listed on the faculty of the University of Florida, Warrington College of Business. Video of his September 5, 2006 lecture: Link 1, and Link 2. He does ramble, but he's far more entertaining than any of the business school professors I ever sat through.
I'll agree he was a bit entertaining. But there is no way I would claim he was "baked," even "apparently" unless I called someone at the school, or the professor, for a statement.
Later, Jardin must have decided to back pedal. After 9 a.m. edt she, without changing the blog post time or adding "Update", added a new lead sentence, "Now this is what I call higher education." and a new final paragraph:
And as hilarious as the notion of a professor doing bong hits, then delivering a business school lecture may be, we don't know the truth here. Was he sick, and on medication? Maybe he's using medical marijuana to treat a serious condition? Perhaps there's a not-funny story behind the videos.
"We don't know the truth here." Well, duh. That would require a little leg work. Or, in this day an age, a simple phone call. At least get a "no comment" from the university.
I've said it before. If you are one of the busiest sites on the web you owe it to your readers to not go off half-cocked. I said something about Cory Doctorow that I need to now say about Jardin, "She's an editorialist pretending to be a journalist on an entertainment site pretending to be a blog"
I have screenshots. Let me know if you want to see them.
Update: Now they're using update. UF took down the video. This is from boingboing (about 19:44 pdt): "Update: University of Florida has taken the original videos offline. Many BoingBoing readers yearning for a hit of the Baked Biz Professor have written in requesting mirror site urls. We'll post them if you'd like to point us to them."
Update: Sep 30th 6:23 am pdt Well, it seems Jardin has something more to say. Here's a snip:
Earlier this week, I posted links to videos of a University of Florida professor delivering a very loopy lecture to business school students -- apparently, while really really really high. We're told he was subsequently fired. I don't know the story behind the videos (perhaps he was using marijuana or some other medication to treat a serious illness), but they do make for very interesting viewing. UF pulled them from their webserver, but a number of BB readers who've become fans of the Apparently Baked Professor's delivery style have pointed us to new locations.
I love how she still says "apparently" -- apparently so she can later say "Well I never said he was baked! I said apparently.
And who told her he was subsequently fired? Did that come from the university? The professor? A rumor from the janitor?
I also love how she's backpedeled even further....now maybe he was baked because he was treating a serious illness? Well, if so, wasn't that sweet of you to put it before thousands of strangers?
