This is the sort of technology that causes the military to shit their pants with glee. No risk to personnel, easy targeting of less technologically advanced adversaries, and the fun of a video game for the operators. In addition, in light of the Milgram experiments, this scenario is the one in which the most subjects would be willing to follow orders to kill a helpless victim solely because they are told to by an authority figure. The disconnect provided by the remote control allows the operators to not feel and experience the actual horror that they are delivering.

First, I would bet that the responses were edited so only humorous or ignorant responses were included.

Second, the selection was not random; the interviewer may well have selected the people based on some criteria (consciously or not).

But it's almost certainly true that most people don't differentiate the terms very well, as it's not necessary for the use of their computers. They simply learn methods for doing particular tasks that they are interested in.

Good point - ignorance is bliss

What's up with all this talk about teabagging? Is that legal?

It is hilarious.

Apart from the fact that countermeasures are effective with a polygraph, there is no way one can detect "truth" if the subject truly beliefs what they say is true. Martha Farah has done a number of studies on false memories; neither a polygraph or fMRI lie detection is going to find the "truth" in these situations.

rychan - I upvoted your comment. I continue to be astonished at how many people really believe these hoaxes. I think the camera should have shown what's under the table. Why did the lid need to be tilted and come close to the table top?

Even if such an inane law had been passed by the legislature in OK, I would think it would be found unconstitutional if ever taken to court, as it is clearly a suppression of free speech. First amendment protections are to be most vigorously defended when the speech in question is offensive or controversial, as I recall the gist of previous adjudications on the matter....

HA! That was funny. I think he was hoaxin' the hosts, otherwise it's the blind leading the blind.

Irrelevant, arrogant, self-aggrandizing bitch. I think she's cracking...

I think it's worse than Rodney King. Shorter, but worse.

There is no way to do this in 20 msec as he claims.

As I recall, the context is in a program about a cafe in the Southwest called "Heart Attack Cafe", or some such, in which the waitresses dress up like nurses. They serve "quadruple bypasses" and the like. A nurses organization took them to court, I believe, about disparaging nurses, when they dress up in the cafe but aren't really nurses. So Stossel is interviewing the spokeswoman for the nurses organization, asking her if she really believes that people confuse the waitresses with real nurses; like they might confuse Dr. Pepper with real doctors, and if the real doctors should be upset about it. FYI.

Ditto what Retroboy said; I was thinking what a trip it would be for Bach himself to be able to hear this. I bet he would be impressed with the arrangement and the capabilities of modern instruments.

I guess the English are easily amused....