First Evidence That Social Bots Play a Major Role in Spreading Fake News

Shad and co say bots play a particularly significant role in the spread of fake news soon after it is published. What’s more, these bots are programmed to direct their tweets at influential users. “Automated accounts are particularly active in the early spreading phases of viral claims, and tend to target influential users,” say Shao…

Judge orders Montana congressman who assaulted a reporter to be formally booked on assault charge, months after his election

A judge has ordered Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte to be photographed and fingerprinted for assaulting a reporter in May, opening the door for the congressman’s mug shot to be plastered in opponents’ campaign ads in next year’s election. […]  The day after the assault, Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist in the special election to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke…

Shakespeare on Eclipses

Prepping for tomorrow’s first meeting of my Shakespeare class. In 1598, during Shakespeare’s lifetime, England experienced a total solar eclipse, with the path of totality tracking from Cornwall in the southwest up to Aberdeen in Scotland. As we in the twenty-first century prepare for the Great American Eclipse on Aug 21, let’s look at three of the…

Verify or Duck! Journalists should confirm all details they didn’t witness.

New instructional web page — Verify or Duck! Confirm all details you didn’t witness. #fridaynight #partylikeaprofessor.   Similar:Lawyers who won Happy Birthday copyright case sue over “We Shall Overcome” “We Shall Overcome,” a song that was the…BusinessA lost generation of news consumers? Survey shows how teenagers dislike the news mediaMore than half of the teens surveyed bel…CultureOpinion…

My English major skills crushed the girl in Bananagrams.

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Faculty/staff orientation begins @setonhilluniversity

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Laying out our anti-socialization defenses & cleaning out the penitence shack for another year of homeschool.

Visiting Fort Ligonier. When the girl sat at this table in the officer’s barracks, I started humming the “Bilbo writing at Bag End” music. “Stop that,” she said. “You’re making me cry.” Similar:When He Clicked the Link, You Won't Believe How Disappointed He WasAuthors of overhyped link text are like …CybercultureVideo-Game Violence Is Now a…