FAKE NEWS!

Webster defines "fake" as:  Not true, real, or genuine.

I'm sure over time many politicians, celebrities, and others have called unflattering stories written about them "fake".  Occasionally they were right, and they sued for defamation, and were awarded millions of dollars in damages.  National Enquirer-type grocery store tabloids are notorious for this.  Occasionally articles are published that are simply satirical.  Stories in The Onion fall into this category.  (Tom Cruise did not have a love child with a three-headed alien.)  The editorial page is by definition not news, but opinion.  The two should not be confused.  And occasionally photos are mislabeled....John D. Smith might be referred to as John B. Smith, and an apology and a correction are later published.  Mistakes happen....meh.
 
Today President Donald Trump has made "FAKE NEWS" his battle cry, and his supporters buy it, no questions asked. I contend there is virtually no fake news these days, but only slanted news.  If a media outlet such as FOX News on the right or MSNBC on the left uncovers 10 facts about someone, but only reports on the 5 that support their view, that doesn't make those 5 facts "fake".  You can't label what they report as not true, real, or genuine.  They just aren't reporting those facts that give credit to something that doesn't further their bias.  Their coverage is simply "slanted".

If the media makes up a story with no basis in fact, they can be sued and they'll lose their shirt.  That's why they corroborate everything they publish.  The next time you hear President Trump say a report about him is fake news, ask him why he doesn't file suit and make them prove what they say is true?  Put up or shut up.

I have great admiration in general for American journalism.  Without them and their investigative talents, evil-doers would run roughshod over us.  I might disagree with them sometime, but I respect them.

I guess you could say, ironically, that a blanket claim of "fake news" is itself fake news.  That's the "virtual" caveat I mentioned.  That's kinda funny, huh?

S

Those crazy Brits seem to get all the best news stories....

I've really got to hand it to the Brits....they have a 'nose' for finding REAL news stories.  While US journalists are following up on silly stories about Secret Service agents who can't keep their pants on, the BBC gets the scoop on hard-hitting stories like this:

Red Square Naked Man Faces Charges

A naked performance artist who nailed his scrotum to Red Square as a political protest may face up to five years in prison.

Or this:

An al-Qaeda affiliated rebel group in Syria is reported to have asked for forgiveness after beheading a fellow rebel (L) in a case of mistaken identity.

And not far behind are the German media.  Today they featured a story titled, Five Reasons Stupid People Make More Money Than You.

1.  Beginning life with a healthy trust fund opens lots of doors, even for idiots.  ESPECIALLY for idiots.

2.  Beautiful, tall people will make $230,000 more during their working life.

3.  Men who score low on the "agreeableness" scale make 18% more than their more pleasant colleagues.  (Five percent more for snarky women.)

4.  "Brown nosers" win big.

and 5.  God apparently loves really stupid people judging by the way He bestows excessive "luck" on them.

So today I've learned I apparently come from the loins of indentured servants, am uglier (and shorter) than Danny Devito, am far too nice, have no concept of "sucking up", and couldn't hit the floor if I fell off a barstool.

  

Now that right there is some damn fine journalism.  It explains a lot.  ;)

S