Today’s Randy’s Random Meme is My Take on recent headlines, like “Disregarding Health Warnings, Arizona Lawmakers Move Forward On Vaccine Exemptions For Kids” and “Texas Lawmaker Hays He’s Not Worried About Measles Outbreak Because of ‘Antibiotics’” and “Measles Returned To Costa Rica After Five Years By French Family Who Had Not Had Vaccinations” — which are all recent.
Obliviots/Idiots
Make Truth Matter Again
There has been a significant update in a story from this week’s issue (12 August 2018). Let’s start with my original story:
“…But You Can’t Make Them Think.”
Yesterday, I created a fun True News, or Fake? quiz (“5 questions, not easy. 🙂 ”), and introduced it in the free edition of the newsletter this way:
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:
The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity
In recent reading, I’ve stumbled on a paper by Carlo M. Cipolla. An Italian, Cipolla taught economic history at the University of California at Berkeley.
Jay Jay is Cray Cray
Sometimes it’s fun to poke at obliviots — especially when they’re truly oblivious to their idiocy.
“Ridiculous Reactions”
Nick in Arizona recently re-subscribed after an absence. He wrote:
Dangerous in the Wrong Hands
Some Readers Seem to Want to top recent examples of “Stupid Reasons for Protest Unsubscribes”.
Can’t Cure Obliviocy
Every Month, There’s a Tagline Challenge in the Premium edition — an extra story without a tag at the end, and readers can submit their best ending for the story. This month, the story was about a robbery that went bad at a drug store: the obliviot managed to defeat himself by pepper-spraying …himself.
A Pride of Obliviots
MSgt USAF (retired) Joe Ohio inquires, “As a multi-decade reader I find readers’ comments almost as entertaining as the stories. This brings me to my question. Being an English major I would like to know what the collective is for ‘obliviot’?”
“Never-Ending Pledge-Week”
After years and years on this distribution, Jeff in Virginia unsubscribed last week, complaining there were “too many ads for the premium edition — it like [sic] a never-ending pledge-week on PBS.”
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.
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.)
Don’t Forward That Warning!
Old jokes clogging your inbox are bad enough. Stupid “warnings” about the most unlikely hazards are worse: they irritate the smart people and panic the dumb ones. Now and then, when someone forwards an urban legend to a bunch of people, they really pay a big price.
His Motto
Another classic story that is so nicely served by the photograph referenced in the story. From True’s 15 May 2011 issue.
I Want to Complain, But…
It happens once in awhile that someone really wants to whine at me for something, but doesn’t have the guts to sign their name. Normally, such complaints are summarily trashed: if they can’t even sign their name to their opinion, then really, what’s that opinion worth?
Fighting the Good Guys
There always has to be at least one idiot in the crowd. The people who fight against the fight against zero tolerance and zero thought, and create more problems for victims — like the girl I told you about last week who was raped at school.
Animals Love Him, Too (Nom Nom Nom)
Last week, quite a few readers wanted to report an “error.” Here’s the story, from the 10 October (10/10/10!) issue:
“Stupid” is Written All Over His Face
I just have to tell you the story of David Winkelman. The event that first brought him to my attention occurred in the year 2000, but it was when he sued over what he did that got him featured in This is True — in the 23 June 2002 issue. Here’s the story:
FloriDuh
People often try to tell me California is the weirdest state in the union. No way, I always reply: Florida is. By far.