Too often, journalists need to be reminded to say no to freebies and perks dangled in front of us. This example in a CNBC story (http://www.cnbc.com/id/31329943) might be a pebble in a canyon, but I think it illustrates the point. The story says Facebook offered certain groups – including a few hundred journalists – a chance to reserve vanity URLs before the public could get them. Vanity what? Facebook users now can insert names in their URLs instead of getting assigned numbers, which is supposed to make it easier to be found. This seems highly insignificant to me, yet someone must think it’s important. OK, but why accept special early registration as a perk and cast even a modicum of doubt on your independence and integrity? Maybe it’s a matter of thinking quickly and not carefully, or not thinking at all.