Editorial – Page 3 of 13

How Dare I Assume Readers are Open Minded?

Posted June 18, 2023July 2, 2021 in Editorial, Reader Feedback38 Comments

I Read A Lot, and it occurred to me a few weeks back that I should share a link in each newsletter to something I found interesting. I describe what it is so that readers can decide if they might also find it interesting, but I sure didn’t expect one reaction from this week’s “plug” of an article, from Vox’s “Recode” sub-publication, which is about “Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.”

The title: “Why Some Biologists and Ecologists Think Social Media Is a Risk to Humanity”. Sounds like important stuff!

The Pulitzer Prize & This is True

Posted June 11, 2021June 11, 2021 in Editorial, Explainer, True Business25 Comments

When muckraking New York newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer died in 1911, he left a $2 million endowment to Columbia University. To this day, Pulitzer’s name is best known for the resulting Pulitzer Prizes, given each year in multiple categories by the university.

This year, This is True was under consideration for the Prize in three categories.

The Strange Case of Doctor Heiney

Posted July 16, 2023May 24, 2021 in Crime, Editorial, Lawsuits/Lawyers, Medical, Obliviots/Idiots, Update15 Comments

While looking for something else, I found an update for a story (and follow-up) from 2016 and 2017, and it’s fairly unbelievable …yet This is True!

Facebook Accused Me of Hate Speech — and I Appealed (Twice!)

Posted June 20, 2021May 16, 2021 in Editorial, Explainer, Media, Online Life, Politically Correct, Rant66 Comments

I Am Guilty of posting “Hate Speech” on social media …according to Facebook’s algorithms and whoever (or whatever) reviewed that declaration when I appealed.

Time for Fax Machines to Die

Posted March 29, 2021March 29, 2021 in Editorial, Medical, Technology23 Comments

It’s time for us to move beyond fax machines, which are still in wide use in healthcare. If you’re an American who has been prescribed a drug in the past several years, it’s extremely likely your doctor sent that prescription to the pharmacy via fax “technology.”

The Year of Covid

Posted November 11, 2022December 27, 2020 in Editorial, Major Headlines, Medical, Obliviots/Idiots, Special8 Comments

“Thought-Provoking Entertainment” isn’t just a This is True slogan, it’s an illustration of my mission in life: to promote more thinking in the world. If thinking was truly valued by society, the U.S. wouldn’t have had such a struggle with the pandemic.

Covid: Think for Yourself (Dammit!)

Posted February 4, 2024November 16, 2020 in Editorial, Explainer, Major Headlines, Medical, Rant110 Comments

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After seeing this morning’s Randy’s Random post about Covid-19 (reproduced below), I got this comment by email from an old friend, Terry in Colorado:

Political Hypocrites and Other Silliness

Posted January 20, 2021October 9, 2020 in Editorial, Politics, Rant, Reader Feedback29 Comments

For many, many years now, some readers have complained I must be a “heartless conservative” …while some other readers have complained I must be a “bleeding heart liberal.” And here we are again, with one side whining that I hurt their widdle biddy feewings because I didn’t give their side a pass: I let some of their party officials speak for themselves by (gasp!) quoting them.

Florida Man On Wheels: Marco Mazzetta Sets
Bar, Michael Popper Accepts Challenge

Posted March 19, 2023October 5, 2020 in Crime, Editorial, Explainer, Guns, Obliviots/Idiots26 Comments

Florida Man Marco Mazzetta is an absolute obliviot, so why would anyone want to follow his example? Well keep reading, because Florida Man Michael Popper followed Mazetta like he was a recipe. [Jump to that 2022 Update]

DiMezzo’s Trap

Posted November 11, 2022September 21, 2020 in Editorial, Politics, Publicity Stunt36 Comments

I Hadn’t Even Geared Up to write (or edit the stories from the guys) when I got an email from Premium reader Mike in New Hampshire: “OK, this is just a perfect example of results that can happen when you just vote the party line without thinking,” he said, and included a link to an article on Fox News. As soon as I saw it I understood his “perfect” comment, and went right to work on the story, finding a second source and more details. As soon as I was done, I knew it was not only the lead story for this week’s newsletter, but it would also be the sharable “Story of the Week” — and here it is:

Kill the Messenger

Posted January 5, 2022August 10, 2020 in Bureaucracy, Editorial, Education, Kids/Teens, Online Life25 Comments

An item in this week’s newsletter is the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper problem: how bureaucrats so love to kill the messengers. First that item, from the 9 August 2020 issue — the Headline of the Week:

Is It ‘Too Much’?

Posted January 20, 2021August 3, 2020 in Editorial, Major Headlines, Reader Feedback19 Comments

Long-time Premium subscriber Michelle in Ohio writes: “I realize that the … assorted obliviots provide lots of grist for your mill, but with all the news about Covid-19, seeing more of it in True adds to my depression. So if possible, could you back off from [it]? (Oh, and if you don’t accede to my request, I’ll manage to survive; you ain’t gonna get rid of me that easily. This is still the best seven bucks a month I’m spending.”)

Fixing Georgia

Posted January 5, 2022May 18, 2020 in Bureaucracy, Editorial, Explainer, Government, Medical, Politics, Update17 Comments

A story in this week’s issue needs a lot more room for explanation, not to mention a full-sized copy of the graph involved. First, let’s start with the story, from True’s 17 May 2020 issue:

A Just War

Posted January 20, 2021May 11, 2020 in Editorial, Guest Post, Military16 Comments

A story by True contributor Mike Straw this week uses a powerful quote as a tagline. Mike, a retired career U.S. Air Force officer, posted a Twitter thread about his research for the tagline, and it was so good I thought I’d have him expand his introduction just a bit so it can be posted here. First, the story from True’s 10 May 2020 issue:

Stay Put

Posted January 5, 2022March 30, 2020 in Editorial, Education, Major Headlines, Medical11 Comments

Business owners pressured government officials to let them open back up…. Theater owners even descended on Mayor Mills’ office to demand he ease up on restrictions that were costing them $50,000 per week.

Every Day is International Women’s Day

Posted January 5, 2022March 9, 2020 in Editorial, Guest Post, Military, Work8 Comments

No, this isn’t a trendy “International Women’s Day” post (but I love one tweet I saw: “There is absolutely no symbolism more perfect than International Women’s Day being 23 hours long.” —Elaine Filadelfo. Thanks, Daylight Saving Time!)

When an idea needs a special “day” to recognize it, and otherwise the topic is essentially ignored, then a “day” isn’t enough. For me, every day is International Women’s Day.