Bullshit News vs. Real News: A User’s Guide

Ken at Popehat takes advantage of the revelation that the outrageously outrageing story of the mom giving her 8-year old beauty pageant daughter Botox treatments was a complete hoax to put forth a helpful guide for discerning between real, actual journalism and bullshit.  Ken lists 8 themes which, if present, virtually guarantee the story is either fake, knowingly blown out of proportion or “plucked from deserving obscurity.”  He also lists several themes which, if present, are virtual guarantees that the story is true, but these themes can be adequately summed up as “If a five-year old wouldn’t be able to understand it, then it’s probably true.”