How a rumor becomes “reported,” then becomes “true” through repetition. Anonymous sources aren’t automatically fake. Sometimes anonymity is necessary. People can lose jobs, face retaliation, or put themselves in real danger by speaking publicly. But anonymity has a side effect that bad actors love: It lets a rumor climb a ladder. And the higher it … Read more
Headlines are supposed to summarize the story. Today they often summarize the emotion the editor wants you to feel. A headline used to do one job: tell you what the article is about. Simple. Today, headlines often do a different job: trigger a reaction—anger, fear, smugness, tribal satisfaction—so you click, share, and argue before you’ve … Read more
In 2010 at the ripe old age of 60 I hung up my regular gig as a golf packager at a golf resort in Scottsdale, Arizona (official title: PVP – Personal Vacation Planner) and semi-retired, relocated from “the Valley of the Sun” and moved up to Payson, Arizona — White Mountains, tall pines, high country … Read more