Russian troll factory paid US activists to help fund protests during election

Russian trolls posing as Americans made payments to genuine activists in the US to help fund protest movements on socially divisive issues, according to a new investigation by a respected Russian media outlet. On Tuesday, the newspaper RBC published a major investigation into the work of a so-called Russian “troll factory” since 2015, including during the period of the US election campaign, disclosures that are likely to put further spotlight…

Donald Trump’s chilling escalation of his war with the media

A journalist’s response to President Trump’s early morning caps-imbued assault on the FAKE news media. Let’s be clear about what Trump is suggesting here. He wants the Senate intelligence committee to open an investigation into the “Fake News Networks” to get to the bottom of why so much of the news is “just made up.” He offers no evidence of this claim. And yet, the President of the United States…

On the Ethics of Rebranding a Former Trump Administration Official as an Amusing TV Personality

It’s also a disservice to readers to report on Spicer’s post-White House life and not mention how unusual and controversial his tenure was. This is a guy famous for meeting with reporters near the bushes on White House grounds, for coining the phrase “Holocaust centers,” for creating the necessity for courtroom sketch artists in the White House briefing room, for defending the detention and vetting of a five-year-old Iranian immigrant. Events like these defined Spicer’s…

New Handout on Surviving Group Projects in College

I posted a new handout with tips on surviving group projects in college. Employers value applicants with group work skills precisely because, in the real world, few people work alone…. Your assigned partner may be slow to respond because he or she is dealing with a family crisis, temporarily overwhelmed, or working a night shift. (On the other hand, maybe your partner is just slacking off.) What can you do to…

An apology to Donald Trump, from the “fake news” media

A good example of the power of satire. Trump used Tuesday night’s rally to denounce the “fake news” media for being mean, dishonest, bad, America-hating and an all-around pain in his keister. […] After spending 15 or so minutes complaining about the media, he said of the media: “For the most part, all they do is complain. … These are really, really dishonest people and they’re bad people and I…

As Trump ranted and rambled in Phoenix, his crowd slowly thinned 

The journalist chose to spotlight a little girl who’s both a Trump supporter and an aspiring journalist. This is how journalists can be creative — by choosing what details to focus on. “What happened in Charlottesville strikes at the core of America,” Trump said, appearing to read from the teleprompters placed on stage. “And tonight, this entire arena stands united in forceful condemnation of the thugs who perpetrate hatred and…