[general_re]

Precisely so. The authors have done a good job of exposing the appeal to authority inherent in many testimonials. Lord knows, we're swamped by celebrity endorsements these days - Barbara Streisand telling us to vote for Clinton, Woody Harrelson telling us to legalize hemp, Sean Penn telling us that war in Iraq is a bad idea, or whatever the cause du jour is among the vacuous Hollywood set. Babs and Woody and Sean have no special competence in those areas, or, generally speaking, any special competence outside of their chosen professions. Once they step out of their fields, they are perfectly ordinary people just like everyone else, and lacking any special insight, just like everyone else.

[Swordmaker]

Lord knows, we're swamped by celebrity endorsements these days

How about Meryl Streep being invited to testify before Congress on the status of farm women because of her experience of having PLAYED one in a movie? Policy is made on such twaddle.