Some online conspiracy-spreaders don’t even believe the lies they’re spewing

  There has been a lot of research on the types of people who believe conspiracy theories and their reasons for doing so. But there’s a wrinkle: My colleagues and I have found that there are a number of people sharing conspiracies online who don’t believe their own content.

  They are opportunists. These people share conspiracy theories to promote conflict, cause chaos, recruit and radicalize potential followers, make money, harass, or even just to get attention.

  There are several types of this sort of conspiracy-spreader trying to influence you.

Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse - The Shorty Price story

  Since this is Alabama vs. Tennessee week, allow me to share the story of Shorty Price.

  Alabama has had its share of what I call “run for the fun of it” gubernatorial candidates. The most colorful of all these perennial “also ran” candidates was Ralph “Shorty” Price. He ran for governor every time. His slogan was “Smoke Tampa Nugget cigars, drink Budweiser beer, and vote for Shorty Price.”

How do you spot a witch? This notorious 15th-century book gave instructions – and helped execute thousands of women

  Books have always had the power to cast a spell over their readers – figuratively.

  But one book that was quite popular from the 15th to 17th centuries, and infamously so, is literally about spells: what witches do, how to identify them, how to get them to confess, and how to bring them to swift punishment.

How Columbus, of all people, became a national symbol

  Christopher Columbus was a narcissist.

  He believed he was personally chosen by God for a mission that no one else could achieve. After 1493, he signed his name “xpo ferens” – “the Christbearer.” His stated goal was to accumulate enough wealth to recapture Jerusalem. His arrogance led to his downfall, that of millions of Native Americans – and eventually fostered his resurrection as the most enduring icon of the Americas.

Is weight loss as simple as calories in, calories out? In the end, it’s your gut microbes and leftovers that make your calories count

  Is the adage “calories in, calories out” true? The short answer is yes, but the full story is more nuanced.

  From the moment food touches your tongue to the time it leaves your body, your digestive system and gut microbiome work to extract its nutrients. Enzymes in your mouth, stomach, and small intestine break down food for absorption, while microbes in your large intestine digest the leftovers.

As Yelp turns 20, online reviews continue to confound and confuse shoppers

  For the past 20 years, Yelp has been providing a platform for people to share their experiences at businesses ranging from bars to barbershops. According to the company, in that time, the platform has published 287 million user reviews of over 600,000 businesses.

  There’s a reason review sites like Yelp are so popular. No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on a dud product, or fork over cash for a bad meal. So we’ll seek advice from strangers and use various clues to judge if a particular review is authentic and reliable.

Why we don’t get actual presidential campaigning in Alabama

  Donald Trump’s appearance in Tuscaloosa last month was less a campaign stop than an extended cameo. He appeared before thousands of Crimson Tide fans in a tie with the red of the University of Georgia; he left before halftime. As far as I can tell, he said nothing public about the campaign or plans for Alabama.

  That’s what happens in our state during presidential elections. We’re lucky to get a hand wave from the national campaigns.

  But there was one exception.

Prepare your social media for the election − 3 tips to stay sane and connected without being overwhelmed

  As the presidential election approaches, the race is ramping up – including on social media. Although Meta reported in 2022 that only about 3% of the content on Facebook is political, Americans have already begun bracing themselves for a deluge of political news stories, ads, AI deepfakes, and arguments on their feeds over the next few weeks.

  Elections are stressful, and they tend to exacerbate Americans’ adverse mental health symptoms. For some people, social media can amplify political stressors.

Frequently asked questions about Project 2025

  Project 2025, officially titled Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, is an extremist blueprint crafted by the Heritage Foundation to guide a far-right presidential administration. This 900-page manifesto outlines sweeping policy proposals that would upend nearly every aspect of American life. At its core, Project 2025 seeks to unravel the system of checks and balances that has been foundational to American democracy for nearly 250 years.

Not everyone in need has a brick

  A successful man known for his philanthropy was driving his new car through a poor part of town. He’d driven the route hundreds of times before on his way home.

  A young boy tried to flag him down. The man was in a hurry and didn’t want to get involved, so he pretended he didn’t see him. The traffic signal turned red, though. As he slowed for it, he heard a loud thud. The boy had thrown a brick at his car!