Since I started looking at the source data behind numbers reported by the media, quoted in studies, and referenced by writers, podcasters and the public, I’ve seen the same manipulative tactics used repeatedly. Today, I’m talking about Stack Ranking. If something is presented in a stack rank, the purpose is to shock the audience into…
Word Salad
On podcasts this week, guests included a congressman from Arizona and an Assistant Attorney General in the US Antitrust Division. What stood out to me was that in each podcast, the guests avoided answering tough questions by using what I think of as “marketing speak”, “double-talk” and “word salad”. The congressman stuck to tired party-lines…
Drug Commercials
For the past week I’ve been watching a TV series from the 2010’s on Amazon Prime Freevee. The show has a palatable plot, a decent cast and is mildly entertaining. Unfortunately, Freevee has commercials during the show which will eventually get me to quit watching. Some of the commercials promote other Amazon Prime shows. Those…
In The Bubble
When outsiders opine about the Federal Gov’t and the reporters who cover it, they frequently talk about DC politicians, lobbyists and media as being “In the bubble”. They say that people in DC are concerned with their own little world – DC politics, government policies, procedural minutiae and the like which has nothing to do…
“My Mom Was So Excited”
A podcaster I listen to brought his “behind-the-scenes” producer on camera for a guest interview this week. After he introduced the producer he asked her what she thought of being brought on camera. She said, “My Mom was so excited!“ The producer is 25 years old. On a different podcast, the host frequently talks about…
Mass Depersonalization
My insurance agent retired this year and sold his accounts, including me, to another agent. I only learned about this from a mass email he sent out telling us about this after the fact. I’m cool with that. Even though I’ve been his customer for nearly 8 years, I never met him and have only…
Winter Weariness
OK, I’ll admit it. It’s January 29th and I’m officially sick of winter. Aside from a record breaking cold spell that broke my furnace over Christmas, it hasn’t been brutal cold here in Raleigh. But it’s been gray, overcast, rainy and generally blah quite a bit. Most days have lows in the 30s and highs…
Snuff Films
The headlines this weekend breathlessly teased the upcoming release of two videos: 1) Paul Pelosi getting attacked with a hammer and 2) Five cops beating a man to death in Memphis. News programs and websites led with both stories, predicting there would be protests “around the country” after the beating video was released. I refuse…
Breaking Some Eggs
Ever since the pandemic, egg prices have skyrocketed. At first, it was simply a supply vs. demand situation. People stuck at home bought up all the eggs for baking projects, family breakfasts and general panic buying. I had to get to the store at the crack of dawn (pun intended) to find any eggs at…
Jealous Interlude
The retired swim coach who I see at the pool most days was telling me about his son this week. His son has worked at Google for 17 years. The coach calls him “The Oligarch”. He earns close to $1M a year. He owns a mansions in San Francisco and another on the beach in…