How to lose your credibility as a lecturer in front of a critical academic audience, part 1:

Speak about the Internet. Adopt the vernacular and performing style of a Southern Baptist preacher. Quote Bill Gates. Explain the use of the quote by saying that such a rich man cannot be wrong. Use Gates's comment to construct the argument that the Internet has created a positive revolution in civil society. Emphasise that websites, e-mail, and the Internet in general are free media. Express no qualms about the association of Microsoft with the principles of free access, free choice, political radicalism, and democratic grass-root level participation. To conclusively prove the power of the net, talk about the success of the Howard Dean campaign. 03:26