DICK WOLF; Glad they help!

I'm not sure what you're driving at with your: "...If you want to put your marbles on the line based on info from one of the whack job conspiracy sourses...", but here's my "TAKE" on gathering INTEL:

The MORE SOURCES you acquire, and the BROADER the spectrum of opinions & angles of view,(perspectives), the MORE chance you have of GLEANING a fair picture of the REALITY.

For me, "WHACK JOB CONSPIRACY SITES" are those that publish either TOTALLY UNCONFIRMABLE[such as "FEMA CONSENTRATION CAMPS ALL OVER...10 Yrs. ago] "INTEL", (usualy can be confirmed that the "story" originated at a poker game, from a "friend"), OR they publish rather emotionally imballanced tirades against "precieved"{USUALLY you're expected to 'understand' whose being accused} "enemies" & accusatory pieces that border on, (or cross over into) racism, ethnic preferences, or Religious bigotry.

BUT! Just because a "Site" is rather "sensationalist" in it's presentation, doesn't rate it "whacko"...(Alex Jones & Tex Marrs for instance).

I ALWAYS JUDGE ON QUALITY, & CONFIRMABILITY. And, I ALWAYS WORK ON THE BASIS OF: "supported" or "multiple source agreement" criteria, before I accept an Article or a Site as LEGITIMATE INTEL.

Until I can CONFIRM & find MULTIPLE SOURCES that AGREE, with a site's declaration, I consider the site, but I place NO TRUST in it's material, & RARELY quote it. (The FEMA "Consentration Camps EVERYWHERE" was one of my most frustrating examples of an Article {in this case, several} that just didn't have confirmed evidence for a LONG TIME...especially the "...white trains with mancles..." report. It drove me NUTS! And, to a degree, STILL DOES, as the "proof photos" that I HAVE SEEN, are NOT conclusive, but SUGGESTIVE.} So, I don't mention those "CAMPS" much, or often.

BUT! Even groups like the "FREEMEN", (tho CLEARLY BIASED & [to my way of thinking], imbalanced, I NONE THE LESS, listened & learned what I could.

It's paid dividends over the years. And, (in their case), it taught me that this Nation is NO WHERE NEAR "FREE"...and, therefore, I learned what happens to "FREEMEN", when they declare that they ARE "free"!

A little "WISDOM" in dealing with the BEAST is helpfull. "Wise as serpents, & harmless as doves"...?

"KNOW THY ENEMY"..."He who fails to learn from History, is doomed to repeat it's errors"..."For we wrestle not against flesh & blood..."..."Quitters NEVER win, & winners NEVER quit!"