Truth, Fact, and Fake News: Who is Really Telling the Truth?

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Republican President Trump claims he coined the term “Fake News” but that is a lie, a mistruth, an inaccurate statement, a fabrication, a misnomer, an untruth, purposeful misinformation, and plain old bullshit.

Who coined the term Fake News? Buzz Feed’s Craig Silverman. So what would happen if we just stopped lying, embellishing, and running fake news like it’s the truth? We would have a far more honest world with a lot of people confused.

What would it look like if we all told the truth and what would it look like in our daily life dealings in the business world? A little like this:

Wine Critic/Winemaker/Your wine snob friend:

Fake: “This is an approachable yet precocious wine with depth and hints of pencil shavings, blackberry notes, and hard driving tannins.”

Real: “This stuff tastes good and gets me drunk”

Car Salesman when you are in their office negotiating a deal:

Fake: “I’m going to need to speak with my manager about your offer.”

Real: “I already know the price of the car I’m just trying to sweat you by playing ‘Good Cop-Bad Cop.’

Doctor suggesting medication that will help you sleep at night:

Fake: “You’ll need help sleeping and I have just the thing for that”

Real: “I’m getting paid by big Pharma to push these pills and I get paid really well to do it.”

A cop’s first question after pulling you over for speeding:

Fake: “Do you know why I pulled you over?”

Real: “Of course I know why I pulled you over you were speeding and I have a quota to fill.”

Your girlfriend when she asks you where you are going:

Fake: “Is Johnny going to be there?”

Real: “I’m going to call Johnny’s girlfriend to make sure he’s actually meeting you at the bar.”

What Next?

So, the next time you are hearing something you think is fake then consider what the truth would sound like. Does it make sense? Is it not likely or does it not match what you know about the source? Think about it – now is the time to really think.

COVID-19 Changes Everything from Day 1

The announcement of COVID-19, March 16, 2020, shelter-in-place orders for California will live in infamy as the most impactful event our collective lifetimes.

A treacherous virus, mysterious to our world health community, COVID-19 (CV-19) hit us with such rapid effect that our “normal” way of life has been changed forever.

All of the data about this worldwide pandemic was delivered to our Republican led White House in Q4 of 2019. Yet President Trump did not act to protect America but instead he buried the vital information in hopes of protecting the economy and his bid for reelection.

The president then accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of sitting on the information too long and he placed blame on WHO for the current national health crisis we are in today.

As a follow through, the president (this week) cut all funding to WHO – an unheard of and unbelievable action.

The Facts We Know About COVID-19

• 100,000+ deaths exceeding the casualties suffered in the Viet Nam and Korean Wars
• 1,500,000+ positive diagnosis with the number growing in every state
• Less than 2% of the US population has been tested for COVID-19
• Victims from age 18-90 with all age ranges susceptible
• Multiple symptoms including loss of taste and smell, low grade fever, and the most alarming symptom a full on attack of the respiratory system leading to organ shutdown
• No national testing protocol
• No national collection of data
• No Federal leadership with states left to drive all action against the pandemic on a hyper local level
• Hospital and health workers are undermanned, exhausted, and without the proper PPE masks gloves, testing swabs and other supplies critical to our and their survival

Future COVID-19 Predictions-Scenarios

The White House original predictions of 25,000-50,000 deaths was woefully miscalculated. With premature openings of state economies and businesses through the end of shelter-in-place orders there is a very real possibility, according to doctors and scientists, of a second more deadly wave of infections leading to deaths.

Conclusion

There is no conclusion to this tragedy. With the current lack of testing and people’s unwillingness to social distance and stay in place, the recovery period and back to “normal” can’t be predicted.

What can be predicted is that without a cure, vaccine to COVID-19, we will continue to go in and out of shelter-in-place periods until a solution is available. My prediction? 2022.