That got me thinking. The whole deal about these kinds of deceptions are that someone or a small group of people are trying to make their organizations look more successful than they really are. The idea is that popular things sell. If a stock offering looks strong, people want to buy it more. The company is better able to get bankers to finance them. The public perceives the company as more worthy, and they tend to purchase its products and services more.

This brings back the issue of internet shills. The same thing happens here on the internet, when the bloggers boost a company or when they put it down. If it's an honest article, that's one thing. But when it's a faceless bunch, there is too much room for shills and sockpuppets. That's why we run into this kind of thing in discussion boards, where shills and sockpuppets roam the net pluging their companies or putting down their competitors.

The radio host talking about Krispy Kreme this morning was less sensitive to fraud when it didn't seem important enough to him. It's like he was saying fraud is forgiveable on the little stuff, but there's a threshold there where you cross the line. Some are just little white lies. Of course, if a deceptive competitor gains an unfair advantage or if you or your company is harmed, it isn't a "little white lie" to you. But maybe if it's entertaining enough, or "just under the radar" and doesn't get the attention of say an Enron or a Worldcom, maybe the public is willing to overlook a certain amount of deception.

What say you?

• Krispy Kremed

• Muffin Man

(This is the central scrutinizer.)

This kind of reminds me of a poll/story I once read concerning stealing. Kind of went something like this. If your neighbor was paying you to do some work around his/her house and when he/she paid you for the work they made a mistake and over paid you in cash by $50.00 Would you give the money back? Most people said yes. But if you were in Walmart and the cashier by mistake gave you $50 too much would you give that money back. A lot of people said no. They justified this by the fact that Walmart was a big company that could eat the $50 mistake. I think this is similar to the excuses given for illegally downloading music? A big industry so it's not really stealing if it's only a small percentage of what the company makes.

So my point is this. If it's a small enough amount people don't consider it stealing for some reason. I am no Saint for sure but I think stealing is stealing whether it's a $1 or a million.

Seriously, I think there is some merit to the arguments of archival copies verses illegal distribution copies. I also think there is something to the distribution for airplay, like on radio stations, and the benefits of the free advertising it brings. That's a different matter than setting up a pirate record label and selling stolen stuff.

But I'm with you on the idea. I'm not mister morality or anything, but I do see some BS on the messageboards that I can do without. What I'd like to remind people here is that when a guy shills his stuff on internet messageboards, it is unfair competition against the one who doesn't. When a place is run amok with sockpuppets, it's not only an entertainment or an irritant, depending on your position.

It's fraud.

As I said I am no Saint myself. But I do know right from wrong.

I'll leave this here. No desire to debate further.

That "other audio web site" as you know, is rampant with this kind of thing. The end result is it ruins the discussion board for the real posters. You can't trust anyone to give you correct advice if you need it. It might be a shill or a sockpuppet. It's a real shame. I don't know of anyway to prevent it either.