There has been a significant update in a story from this week’s issue (12 August 2018). Let’s start with my original story:
Crime
Podcast 041: I Learned There Are No Boxes
In This Episode: A This is True reader was shown Uncommon Sense — and adopted the practice for himself. A profoundly moving episode that shows how even terrible humans can change. John’s story is one of the most powerful ever told by a reader.
Originally posted 19 July 2018
Cosmic Comeuppance
This Week’s Newsletter (dated 1 July 2018) is the first in True’s 25th(!!) Year. It’s a solid issue with tragedy and comedy, and this blog post has examples of both. While you may seethe at the first story, you’re almost guaranteed to laugh by the end of this page. Let’s start with some outrage, remembering … Continue Reading
Originally posted 2 July 2018
Podcast 033: Don’t Say You Haven’t Been Warned
In This Episode: Whether you “need” a monkey (wait… what?!) or “want” something for nothing, scammers are eager to take your money from you. And what’s No Longer Weird this week.
Continue ReadingPodcast 033: Don’t Say You Haven’t Been Warned
Originally posted 8 March 2018
Podcast 030: What ‘Mandatory’ Means
In This Episode: A home-town story has a notable parallel to a national story, and they both hinge on men in power taking advantage of the young — while other supposedly responsible adults failed to do their legal, and “mandatory”, duty. It was a tough one to record, and it’ll be tough to listen to, but it’s an important, and thought-provoking, issue: what would YOU do?
Originally posted 8 February 2018
When “Reporting” Just Isn’t Enough
I’m taking a quick break from writing the stories for this week’s issue to tell you why I’m rejecting a story, even though it’s mind-boggling in its implication. The story’s lead (or, as they say in the news biz, “lede”) paragraph: “The driver of a Department of Transportation snow plow was charged Monday with driving … Continue Reading
Originally posted 28 January 2018
A Very Bad Gamble
I have a little bit to say about a story this week, so let me start with that story — from the 26 November 2017 issue: Bad Gamble When a lone armed robber hit a Chase bank branch in Chicago, Ill., she was pretty clear on what she wanted the tellers to do: “Let’s go … Continue Reading
Originally posted 27 November 2017
Podcast 015: That’s Legal Now
In This Episode: A complaint about last week’s featured story, which leads to why prices online end in “77” (vs “.99” offline), another segment of No Longer Weird, and how to be so stupid you can get busted for possession of marijuana in Colorado — where pot is legal! Plus: why Uncommon Sense doesn’t have “sponsors”.
Originally posted 20 October 2017
Podcast 008: A Little Bit Brighter
In This Episode: A “new” term is introduced to be the contrast to “obliviot” — and something else really bright (or is that dim?) from Real Life this week: Randy is at a loss for words trying to describe the total solar eclipse.
Originally posted 24 August 2017
Podcast 007: A DUI-What?
In This Episode: We talk about two stories: the new “DUIE” law in Washington state, that was the subject of last week’s “Story of the Week” (right: click to see larger), and this fairly amazing story also from last week, about a minor slap on the hand for an apparently long-term sexual predator.
Originally posted 17 August 2017
Why People Die in Gun Free Zones
I Think Alexander Went Too Easy on the schools in a story this week. First, let’s start with the story, from True’s 23 February 2014 issue:
Originally posted 24 February 2014
Walmart Hostage Situation
A tagline on a story this week was designed to provoke. I even talked about the tagline and said it was to provoke. Yet it still brought complaints and “disagreement” — even though it’s impossible to agree or disagree with my thoughts, since the tag didn’t reveal my thoughts.
But I still made a huge mistake!
Originally posted 16 March 2013
Thinking about Newtown
Is it guns? Is it violent TV shows, movies, or video games? Is it crazy America?
Originally posted 14 December 2012
Fair, or Unfair?
A story — or, really, the tagline on that story — by Mike Straw brought some bristling feedback. “Unfair!” But was it? Let’s start with the story, from the 18 November 2012 issue:
Originally posted 21 November 2012
What Nightmares Are Made Of
The first and last stories from this week’s issue (7 October 12) are posted here: the first because you’ve got to shudder at the thought of the poor kid trying to escape a kidnap attempt …when you see the guy’s mug shot. And the last because I want to talk about how the tagline came about — and give you a place to politely discuss the story, if you wish.
Originally posted 8 October 2012
Another Week, Another Pack of Clueless School Officials
Two stories this week deserve some follow-up: one that’s pretty light-hearted, and the other …much less so.
Let’s start with the comedy; both stories are from True‘s 13 May 2012 issue:
Continue ReadingAnother Week, Another Pack of Clueless School Officials
Originally posted 14 May 2012
The Worship of Joe Paterno
I posted this on Facebook on Sunday. The response was amazing:
Originally posted 23 January 2012
The Nigerian “419” Scam
If someone — probably a friend — sent you to this page, read it carefully! This is a true story, from This is True’s 15 January 2012 issue.
Originally posted 16 January 2012
Fix-a-Flat
It’s another story that absolutely demands the accompanying illustration — in this case, a mug shot. But trust me: read the story first! It’s from True‘s 20 November 2011 issue:
Originally posted 21 November 2011
Seeing Red
Another story where you just have to see the accompanying photo — an instant classic!
(Warning: It looks a bit intense, but it’s fake: the woman is not only not dead, she’s not at all injured.)
Originally posted 24 October 2011
