DECONSTRUCTING the USA TODAY Front Page Article.

[Land Shark]

original link to USA TODAY thread: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x419246>

OK, Let’s deconstruct USA Today. The message is: NOTHING HAPPENED OTHER THAN LACK OF HUMAN EDUCATION, AND WHATEVER IT WAS IS JUST A PROBLEM WITH NEW TECH GENERALLY; IT IS BEING MANAGED.

THE UNDER THE RADAR INFERENCE IS (AND THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL ONE BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK THEY THOUGHT OF IT THEMSELVES SINCE IT IS NEVER STATED OUTRIGHT IN THE ARTICLE):

THESE PROBLEMS WITH HUMANS USING NEW TECH SHALL PASS, AND SOON.

ok, the paragraph by paragraph breakdown showing how often this theme of "blame the humans" and "new tech goes through a phase" are repeated:
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USA TODAY'S HEADINE: Primary voting-machine troubles raise concerns for '06

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The USA Today article starts with this sentence:

Quote: “WASHINGTON — Problems using voting machines in the Texas and Illinois primaries this month have reinforced fears that the 2006 elections may be beset with glitches.”

TRANSLATION: Humans have problems, that lead to fear of neutral blameless “glitches” which may occur in the future, namely in Fall 2006 elections. Also, "beset" means "to have" but without attributing to a reason, just like "glitch" gives us no reason.

Next step: An Expert is then quoted that new tech often has problems. “Evidence” is connected to “fears” in the quote, not connected to malfunctions, and those fears are future-directed, not even admitting that they are fears attaching to present or past glitches, only future ones.

We then see the Repetition of “new” or synonyms of the concept of "new" including recent dates repeated no less than 5 times in two paragraphs in reference to voting machines. The Graphic is on huge NEW money for voting machines.

Then the article Cites trouble spots: Chicago: problem attributed to humans not trained for judging, jams and lost cartridges probably also human problems. Orr quote repeats the theme “expect it with new stuff”

Texas: contesting election again because of problems “using” the machines. Only one paragraph in the entire article arguably directly refers to machines, and I repeat it in full:

Quote: “In Fort Worth, an initial ballot count showed about 150,000 votes even though there were only one-third that many voters, says David Rogers, campaign manager for the candidate, Steve Smith. And in San Angelo, balky new equipment and a close local race led to a recount that was halted after it appeared some votes were missing.”

But, that paragraph is followed directly by another expert saying “human factors” are to blame “for any glitches”. ( ! ) “and they have been fixed.” (You mean the humans who caused glitches have been neutered?) (FIXED, so citizens need to do nothing)

What was our theme again, in case you forgot?? Oh yeah, another quote: Quote: "Anytime you are using a **new** system, officials have to get used to it," he says. "Our biggest focus now is to increase **training**." (Emphasis added to original)

What do we need to do to the humans?? Oh yeah, in case you forgot the next sentence helps us out again on what the humans need:

Quote: “The next test: 10 states hold primaries in May, including Pennsylvania, which is scrambling to **train** voters and poll workers.”

Is this training a problem? Heroic John Gideon is said to be from a “skeptical” organization and says it’s a “disaster waiting to happen” but we nevertheless close with a final note of reassurance from the masters of technology, again emphasizing the theme started at the beginning that new tech has problems but they are readily solved:

Quote: “The task is **manageable**, counters Michelle Shafer of Sequoia Voting Systems, an equipment maker that has customers in Pennsylvania and 19 other states. "We have **seen this coming** and have ramped up as best we can," and will be ready by November, she says.”

In conclusion, the article says Americans can all go back to sleep now, even if you read a local Chicago paper in the last few days. It's all about dumb humans and new tech.

The real message, which is never expressly stated because then it would be examined by the intellectual portions of the readers' brain is: "This too, shall pass. Don't worry." And besides, it's the elections in FALL 2006 that matter, not these piddly rehearsals!!!

Just a couple days ago, i wrote "Glitches as Bait": <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=418342&mesg_id=418342>