SubscribeCriticism of Wikipedia is all the rage now, after a number of damaging scandals involving political staffers and other vested interests editing articles. Wikipedia has taken a number of steps to fix these problems, but some people still like to ride the wave.
Sam Vaknin is one of those people. Imagine my surprise when I saw his latest article picked up by the unprestigious American Chronicle. What does Vaknin have to say?
It is a question of time before the Wikipedia self-destructs and implodes. It poses such low barriers to entry (anyone can edit any number of its articles) that it is already attracting masses of teenagers as “contributors” and “editors”, not to mention the less savory flotsam and jetsam of cyber-life. People who are regularly excluded or at least moderated in every other Internet community are welcomed, no questions asked, by this wannabe self-styled “encyclopedia”
Six cardinal (and, in the long-term, deadly) sins plague this online venture. What unites and underlies all its deficiencies is simple: Wikipedia dissembles about what it is and how it operates. It is a self-righteous confabulation and its success in deceiving the many attests not only to the gullibility of the vast majority of Netizens but to the PR savvy of its sleek and slick operators.
Go ahead and read the whole thing: I can’t in good legal standing blockquote the whole thing, but it’s all deliciously insipid and ridiculous like that. This is the same sort of argument that opponents of open-source software make: “You can’t just let anyone make contributions to your code! Why, that’s ridiculous! It’ll never be any good!”
But of course it’s not that simple. As I said, Wikipedia has taken a number of steps to insure that content is messed with as little as possible—they always have, but it’s gotten even more strict as of late.
But don’t take my word for it: why don’t you watch a Wikipedia user destroy his arguments?
In conclusion…
Almost all of Sam’s comments are invalid, badly thought through or flatly wrong. Wikipedia is not opaque and does not encourage recklessness. Wikipedia is not an anarchy. Wikipedia does not lack quality control by design. Sam provides us with no evidence to back up his assertion that Wikipedia rewards quantity over quality, and he is unable to show how we are not an open source effort. Wikipedia, despite what Sam says, is an encyclopedia and this is backed up by the definitions contained in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, Microsoft’s Encarta and the 6th edition of Columbia Encyclopedia. Further, Wikipedia does not make anyone use Wikipedia as their exclusive mode of research, and in fact encourages them to look elsewhere when doing research for university or school. Finally, Wikipedia deals with libel through the Wikimedia Foundation and Office Actions; it also has a designated agent who can deal with copyright issues, along with a mechanism for the community to catch copyright violations before it gets to that point.
But that’s not all there is. A little bit of research into Sam Vaknin reveals a pretty funny story in and of itself. You see, Sam Vaknin is so wonderfully ironic that I can hardly communicate it. He’s got an awful little website, you see, in which he hawks the book he wrote called Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited about a personality disorder called “Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)” Yes, you’re probably thinking the same thing: a man clearly in love with himself proffers his “expertise” on Narcissism. It’s just as awesome as it sounds. In fact, Vaknin was diagnosed with NPD in 1996, while serving a prison sentence in Israel.
“Just what is Sam Vaknin’s expertise in psychology?” you might ask. Well, it just so happens that Sam himself answers this question in the following manner (helpfully blockquoted for emphasis):
I am NOT a mental health professional – read the DISCLAIMER
Aye, there’s the rub. According to Vaknin’s own biography, his education goes something like this:
- “Graduated a few semesters in the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa”
- Technion appears to be an accredited institution. I wonder, however, about Vaknin’s wording. Did he mean that he graduated in a few semesters? Or did he mean that he completed only a few semesters? He certainly doesn’t say what in.
- Ph.D. in Philosophy (major: Philosophy of Physics) – Pacific Western University, California, USA.
- Pacific Western University is a “distance-learning” university that is not accredited. Vaknin apparently earned a doctorate, although they don’t even appear to offer a doctoral program anymore. I don’t even want to think what kind of academic rigor they must have applied. Note, too, that his field is philosophy and not international business or psychology.
- “Graduate of numerous courses in Finance Theory and International Trading”
- This appears to answer my earlier question: Vaknin uses “pass” and “graduate” interchangeably, which means that he likely never completed any undergraduate program at Technion, and makes me further wonder how much his “doctorate” is worth. Apparently, having taken “numerous courses” in business, he considers himself an expert—indeed, pimps his role as economic advisor to Macedonia (this is oft-cited, but I’ve been unable to discover in just what capacity he served).
And that’s it. Oh, but wait, I forgot that he’s
- Certified E-Commerce Concepts Analyst by Brainbench.
- Certified in Psychological Counselling Techniques by Brainbench.
- Certified Financial Analyst by Brainbench.
Now, when Sam Vaknin uses the word “certified,” he means it in the same way that he “graduated courses.” Brainbench doesn’t offer certification of any sort. It’s a website with online tests that strive to offer a prediction of employee success. Saying that BrainBench “certifies” you is like saying that Quizilla can “diagnose” you. Vaknin isn’t actually certified in anything—at most, he’s reasonably well-informed in these particular issues.
Thus, it’s no surprise that an admitted narcissist and meagre-but-prolific journalist would take such a stance against Wikipedia: his stereotype of the “anonymous Wikipedian (statistically, an obese and schizod [sic] teenager with no life and grandiose compensatory fantasies)” routinely outdoes Vaknin’s own efforts, and he’s mad this his own contributions to Wikipedia were undone by an astute editor, despite Vaknin’s claims that he has never edited any articles. He claims there’s “no proof,” though my guess is he is unaware of such things as IP addresses and other such footprints. Banning abusive users is old hat at Wikipedia, Vaknin: you’re hardly the first undereducated troll that’s been kicked.
Craig
/ Wednesday, March 18th, 2009I don’t understand this quote from the article putting Vaknin down:
"and he’s mad this his own contributions to Wikipedia were undone by an astute editor"
The person who wrote that lengthy Wikipedia article is not clearly identified, but he should proofread his own text before posting.
2HellAndBack
/ Wednesday, April 1st, 2009I have to add to this discussion (and no, I’m not affiliated with Vaknin, and don’t condone any of his wrong doing.).
Vaknin’s site was practically a bible to me while rescuing myself from a nightmare relationship. Having learned all these negative things about him today doesn’t change the help he provided.
If you thoroughly read the site, he claims to be a Narcissist upfront. He also desribes how Narcissists want the glory, without getting the professional credentials. So he broadcast what he was capable of, then fulfilled it. So I’m not shocked. It just confirms what he says.
I like Vaknin because he shares the motivations of his dark mind. Think of him like Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs. A man capable of doing horrible things. But one of the few criminals articulate enough to learn from.
A professional therapist gave me warm support during my escape from my Narcissist ex (which was like escaping a mind-control cult.) But when I tossed and turned in bed at night, rehashing all the horrible things my ex said and did to me, the only thing that gave me comfort was reading Vaknin’s site. He described my ex’s behavior perfectly. Which confirmed that my ex was the sick one, not me. And even if Vaknin’s a fraud, I’m thankful his words were there for me.
I have the highest respect for professionals. And those who get their degrees by going to legitimate colleges (not through mail-order like Vaknin.) But they need to go out in the field and tangle with the real subjects. And if they’re expecting a tidy controlled situation while learning about a Narcissist, it just won’t happen. (I read something today about how Vaknin played mind games with the filmmaker who made the Psychopath documentary about him.) You have to learn about these people at your own risk. Even if you have credentials. Your university degree is not a protective charm that will shield you from a Narcissist’s manipulation.
Life is not tidy. And we think we can put everything in a box. And stamp it with a PhD approval. And everything will make sense. But it won’t. And after being controlled, manipulated, lied to, and abused by a Narcissist, the last thing we need is more attacks. So if Vaknin’s site helps someone heal, let it. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. And please, be kinder. We’re not enemies here. I’m sure we’re all exhausted from the constant conflict we’ve endured from Narcissists. I’m tired of being attacked.
Lilly
/ Tuesday, April 21st, 2009Now that was a great post. I totally get it because my ex is a sociopath. At least Vaknin comes out and said he is a Narcissist so….he is up front. Yep qualifications are one thing and field experience is everything where these twisted individuals are concerned.
I am not sure anyone who has actually read Vaknin’s site will be at all suprised he is a psychopath. And the big deal is exactly?
Also the film producer should have known better. Perhaps he learnt soemthing in he process himself because I think he (his research staff) played mindgames when interviewing victims about Vaknin too. Perhaps both individuals were tanished with the N brush in different ways.
francis
/ Sunday, April 19th, 2009You should watch the documentary “I M A PSYCOPATH” produced in deutschland about Vaknin’s life
He’s not a doctor (he bought his degree on the internet)
He’s not much narcissic. He is diagnosed psychopath
He’s a fraud. Just another saddistic con artist
Primo
/ Monday, April 27th, 2009Dr Vaknin may be a sociopath and yes a narcissist. The point he is trying to illustrate is to BEWARE! The contribution he has provided to the field of mental health and behavioral science is quite profound. Yes, he has stood on the backs of other, better credentialed social scientists, to provide society with this book. The cogent way he has analyzed and presented this material is what is so striking. In crystal clear summation he defines and conceptualizes this personality disorder for all to understand. His writing style is full of sophistry, yet it is because he writes so eloquently that his book is found to be so fascinating and compelling. The fact he graduated from Pacific Western University is used by others to impugn and discredit his academic pedigree. How sad. Jean Piaget, one of the greatest developmental psychologists of the last hundred years never possessed an earned degree in psychology. He received a Ph.D. in zoology, as he studied freshwater mollusks and invertebrates, while at University in Switzerland. He kind of chanced into the study of human behavior especially children, because he needed to make some money while looking for a curatorial position in France.For a few francs, he baby sat small children and chronicled there behavior for a number of psycologists who were professors at the Sorbonne. As time went on he became enthralled with the developmental aspects of the children and decided to pursue this endeavor full time. The rest we shall say is history. Should we now discredit the scholarly, erudite work of Piaget because he didn’t even possess an undergraduate certificate in the field of psycology? Coincidentally, PWU is a state approved school in California. The school continues to provide education to students in California and abroad. One man’s diploma mill is another man’s outstanding education. Nobody said PWU was Stanford, yet they are and always have been a legal,valid degree granting instituion. If you don’t like Dr. Vaknin’s presentation don’t buy his literature and stop cruising his web-site. Coincidentally, John Grey graduated from Columbia Pacific University, a true DIPLOMA MILL! that is no longer in existence. He has written “Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus”. Why don’t you hack on him for awhile and leave give Dr. Vaknin a rest….
Zed
/ Saturday, May 2nd, 2009Primo,
You are either Sam Vaknin or a complete idiot…or…conceivably both…
Sam Vaknin is a conman by trade and a diagnosed psychopth by nature.
Pacific Western is a mail order degree mill by his own, on camera, admission.
He has spent the past 12 years using the internet to play as many seriously twisted games, with as many people as possible.
Psychopathy is a sickness. Consciously allowing a psychopath define your perception of any part of the world around you is another sickness again.
The only thing Sam Vaknin ever has, ever intends, or ever will “contribute” to the world is damage.
Live with it.
Primo
/ Sunday, May 3rd, 2009Zed (?) You are the fool. Just because he is an admitted narcissist does not mean that he is unable to define or articulate the disorder in a way that is not only entertaining but informative. No! I am not Sam Vaknin. How many PH.D.’s in Psychology have the personality disorder of narcissism and/or sociopathy? You are the deluded one my friend. Many, yes many learned behavioral scientists are as fucked up as Dr. Vaknin, so please spare me the mumbo-jumbo that he is a sociopath and a graduate from a diploma mill. You sound like a deluded blowhard and pompous ass. I would like to see how you score on Dr. Hare’s Psychopathy check-list. Coincidentally, how do you know that Dr. Vaknin has a clinical diagnosis of sociopathy/psychopathy? Me thinks you protest to strongly. Sounds to me like a primitive defense mechanism is at work in your presentation. You seem to be suffering from some serious anger and probable envy over the good doctor’s ability to market his literature and himself. Coincidentally, you should see how many graduate programs in psychology are using his monograph on NPD, to educate tomorrow’s social and behavioral scientists. Deal with it Zed!
Zed
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Considering Vaknin actually admitted, on camera, that his degree is from a “degree mill”, and was diagnosed as a Psychopath (PCL-R SV), again, on camera, by a qualified Professional…which was confirmed by a seperate MRI scan…
I don’t think you have a leg to stand on there my friend…
Don’t worry, the world is full of gullable people.
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Zed, The fantasyland you live in must be marvelous to behold. I would love to see the “professional”, that made a diagnosis of sociopathy based on an MRI scan. You are pretty sure of the nonsense you sling. I am not saying he is not a sociopath/psychopath, he may be. The point I am trying to illustrate is that based on an organic study while alive it is impossible for someone to be diagnosed as a sociopath. Also, it would be impossible to actually diagnose a person with alzheimer’s definitively until they are dead. An autopsy would need to be performed on the actual gray matter, as well as for sociopathy. The fact that Vaknin claims he graduated from a diploma mill is irrelevant. The Bureau of Private Posrsecondary education in the state of California has licensed and approved this school, going back to the 70’s. Many would disagree with his admitted statement that he attended a “diploma mill”. Also, many people consider Capella and Thomas Edison diploma mill’s also, and they have regional accreditation. Granted, the school he graduated from is not great, amybe not even good, but they are still around and conferring legal, valid degrees. You are not only gullible, but remain misinformed about this school and the ability to diagnose sociopathy based on an MRI scan. If Vaknin contends that this is how he was diagnosed as a sociopath, he is using this to market himself and his books. Who is really the gullible one, Zed?
Ben
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009What’s your definition of a “legal, valid” degree? I can give “legal” degrees out of my backyard, but that doesn’t mean they carry any sort of weight. Being “licensed” and/or “approved” by the BPPE (if indeed that’s the case) still doesn’t have anything to do with the worth of a degree from PWU.
Zed
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009The diagnosis was made by award winning Prof. Niels Birbaumer, Professor of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Tübingen, Germany using the PCL-R-SV (the universally accepted diagnostic tool for psychopathy)…the MRI scan with a real time neural feedback loop to observe brain reactions and emotional regulation to stimulus was only used for further confirmation.
As a matter of fact, it would be considerably more challenging to perform an MRI scan of brain activity on a dead person…owing to the fact that there doesn’t tend to be any…brain activity that is…
Pacific Western has permission to operate from the Bureau of Private Postsecondary education in the state of California (kinda like a restaurant licence for schools) but no accreditation whatsoever…in addition, they never offered a PHD in “Philosophy of Physics” that Vaknin claims to have, and there is, thus, the possibility of a double bluff.
…and even without all that, you only have to look at the mischievous, amateur rubbish the man purveys…it’s just a nasty little game he is playing with the world…for kicks and, exceptionally modest profit…and it shows…and only a veritable fool would try to claim otherwise.
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Ben, legal and valid means that the school has oversight. The oversight is from the BPPE. If you produce diplomas’s out of your garage there is no oversight. They are not legal and certainly not VALID! In the state of California, many licensed clinical therapists are graduates of state approved schools, just like PWU. I am not saying they are accredited, just legal and valid. In fact, one of my very best friends is a graduate of this school and is a supervisor and has a very prominent state government job. She is just one of many who possess degrees from small state approved proprietary schools. Just because they are far cheaper than RA schools does not mean they are not solid schools. If they were as deplorable and “less than wonderful” as you and Jed believe, I wonder why they have not been shut down in the state of California. In fact, they remain a state approved and licensed school, and are legally authorized to confer diplomas upon students who complete their degree programs. Hacking on PWU at this point seems meaningless, irrelevant and so PLAYED! If you don’t believe they are state approved call Sacramento and find out, you will be so surprised. Ben, you need to wipe,flush and move on …….
Zed
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009The schools are state approved as fit for the purpose, the qualifications they hand out are, however, not accredited…
People buy these degrees to try and improve their resumes, that is how they make their money, sometimes nobody is any the wiser and they get the job, but plenty of people have been disciplined and even dismissed when the truth came out.
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Jed, try to control your satisfaction at this wonderful piece of fluff you claim to support. I can find innumerable therapists in the field of psychology, psychiatry and neurobiology who would not support this procedure or it’s alleged outcome! No empirical proof is there to support the claim that a diagnosis of sociopathy can be made on a living person, through an MRI! You are in fantasyland. It would be more easy to diagnose based upon the behavior and personality traits that the individual displays throughout there childhood adolescence and adulthood. Please provide me with the link that states that sociopathy(a non-organic disorder), can be diagnosed based upon an MRI, while the client is living. The good German doctor may believe this, I can find many who would challenge this. Please provide me with the link to view this German doctor’s treatment modality and diagnostic procedures. Once I view it, I am certain I will find it more than amusing. Almost as amusing as Dr. Vaknin getting everyone’s goat on these blogs……….
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Jed, just as an aside I found a few websites that describe much of the work and clinical outcomes of Dr. Neils to be nothing more than advanced quackery. By the way, was Dr. Vaknin the patient who underwent the MRI by the “good doctor”? If so, please let me know where I can find this Dr. Frankenstein procedure, performed by the adroit hand of Dr. Birnbaumer, on the internet. I do so love the “carnival”…………
Zed
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/wilddocs/2009/psychopath/
In terms of getting hold of a copy you are on your own. For the THIRD time:
*He was diagnosed as a psychopath only using the PCL-R-SV – a standard diagnostic technique for psychopathy
*The MRI scan with a real time neural feedback loop just showed additional conformation of brain activity similar to that usually observed in psychopaths
*An MRI scan of a dead person would show no brain activity to diagnose at all
*He was also found to be something of a “looney otherwise unspecified” using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
All of this was on camera, and has now been broadcast in several countries.
Please provide links that show Prof Niels Birbaumer’s work to be “noting more than advanced quackery”, because all I can find are sites stating that he has won the Albert Einstein World Award for Science and a singularly impressive Resume:
http://www.mp.uni-tuebingen.de/mp/index.php?id=62
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Jed, if he is a sociopath, he is a sociopath. I am not trying to defend his NPD or probable sociopathy. Because he is a sociopath does not mean he is unable to contribute to the discipline of behavioral science. If you are looking for data on the quackery of Dr. Neils, type in the good doctors name and “quackery” and voila! My desire to share in this blog was twofold. One-whether or not Sam Vaknin is a conman is somewhat irrelevant. He is a published author and based upon peer review his monograpf is SOLID! So what if he graduated from PWU! Jean Piaget never graduated with an earned degree or certificate in psychology yet he is regarded as one of the greatest developmental psychologist’s in the history of this fascinating, yet somewhat inexact science. I have an MA in Management anf Psychology, and in no way impugn or pooh-pooh the book that Dr. Vaknin has written, because he went to PWU. I wonder if he actually even attended this school, as he alleges. He is clearly an intelligent man, probably brilliant. He unfortunately has a kind of destructive brilliance, which makes sense in light of his NPD and sociopathy. Are you a book editor or a student of Psychology? I am sure DR. Birbaumer has as many detractors as he has supporters. Most cutting edge, brilliant scientists due. In his case the proof is in the pudding. Root around on the internet, I have found a few web pages that blast the “good doctors” avant garde approach to diagnosing this personality disorder. I feel the jury is still out and probably will be for awhile. sorry if I hacked on you a little harshly.
Ben
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Wrong! Prove it. To my knowledge, there is zero literature that confirms Vaknin’s “published” work.
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Coincidenatally Jed, Dr. Birbaumer has been cited in “Quackwatch” and a few other websites. do your own investigation, I had to……..
Zed
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009No he hasn’t…and if you want to go on insisting that he has, I suggest you prove it.
Primo
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Ben, you really dislike this Sam Vaknin boy- oh- boy! Dr. Mengele emeritus of the University of Paraguay ,my alma mater, found his work to be compelling and fascinating. Substantively it is a little shallow, but it presents the disorder in a way that strikes a visceral chord in most readers. Many websites post a number of peer reviews and citations attesting to the validity and authoritative quality of the monograph. Check it out Ben.
Ben
/ Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Wrong. It’s basic college-level writing, Primo. Provide me with a References section—APA, MLA, &c…. you pick—instead of vague promises of the multitude of smart people who support your viewpoint. This is not complicated debate; it’s basic, secondary-school rhetoric. If you can’t so much as offer that, you probably shouldn’t bother to comment.
Zed
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009“Strikes a visceral chord” is just another way of saying “aims for a *knee-jerk* reaction”.
Vaknin just aims to manipulate his readers, and, unfortunately, succeeds with a few of the more vulnerable or gullable ones.
He has spent the past 12 years using the internet to play as many seriously twisted games, with as many people as possible.
Psychopathy is a sickness. Consciously allowing a psychopath define your perception of any part of the world around you, let alone psychology or abuse, is another sickness again.
The only thing Sam Vaknin ever has, ever intends, or ever will “contribute” to the world is damage.
Primo
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Ben and Zed, Please refer to Dr. Anthony Benis M.D. of Mount Sinai Hospital. He is a board certified Psychotherapist as well. He states the book is credible, worthy of analysis and will become the ‘tome’, for years to come regarding the insidious disorder of NPD. Dr. Nili Raam, and I’m paraphrasing-”vast, serious and thorough. “It gives a first hand account of the disorder of NPD”. Dr. Lerner and Dr. Honeycutt state”This is a profound and moving read”. Should be in the reference library of all mental health workers and therapists”. I can go on and on. Why don’t you do some of this homework. maybe you have……….
Primo
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Zed, Get onto “Qwackwatch”, and read it yourself, also I have found two links supporting the possibility that Dr. Neils is a freaking quack! You can use the internet, I am sure you have read what I have. Don’t play the prove it to me game! I have proven it, you can’t handle the truth. Coincidentally, when you get published and write a multimillion dollar best-seller you can talk. You need a hobby sport!
Zed
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Primo,
So far all you have “proven” is your own ignorance.
Primo
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Zed, My girlfriend who recently received her M.S. in Psychology from the UC System , told me that her professor urged her to purchase this book prior to her graduation, in fact while she was still a student. Her primary interests are treatment modalities of personality disorders. She is most fond of CBT and some Gestalt, she thanked her professor on the “Malignant Self Love” book and has found it to be very insightful. Many, many professors and psychotherapists have a copy of this book, I am a behavioral scientist as well and find much of Dr. Vaknin’s writing to be engrossing. I don’t think anyone is going to assign him to the ranks of Albert Ellis or Rollo May, yet his contribution is noted by many. By the way, what is your hangup with this guy Vaknin? He seems to press your hot button. You and Ben seem to have a lot of rancor toward this “sensationalist”. Me thinks he likes to press your buttons…………..
Primo
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Zed, just as an aside Dr. Frankenstein a.k.a., Dr. Birnbaumer(?), didn’t need to perform an MRI or the frontal lobe analysis to confirm the fact that Vaknin is a dangerous and deluded individual. The fact that he is an admitted thief, who is a convicted felon establishes the fact he has ASPD. His entire behavioral and cogntive presentation proves this without equivocation. Sam Vaknin is a “white collar” psychopath, nothing more. Somewhere along the way he put his adroit literary skills to use and produced a “nifty” little book that has sold many copies. Love him or loathe him, Sam Vaknin is a shrewd marketer of himself.
Zed
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Just out of interest Primo…
Can you tell me what an MRI scan actually is?
Primo
/ Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Zed and Ben, I am curious. Is this blog devoted to the slamming of Sam vaknin. Your efforts would be better served in trying to disprove the fact that PWU is a diploma mill. If you believe that a school is a diploma mill because it is not regionally accredited, than it might fit the bill. By definition it does not fit the criteria as a diploma mill. It has oversight, is state approved and has many thousands of graduates worldwide according to its literature. In fact, I think they are seeking accreditation as we speak. What you mean by a diploma mill is a web site that sells diplomas of any kind for a price, with little or no course work. These schools jump from state to state, one step ahead of the authorities, with new web pages popping up all the time. PWU has been inexistence for over thirty years and they ain’t going anywhere!