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KT Lowe

The Fight Against Fake News Begins with Me

critical thinking, fake news, good information, KT Lowe March 31, 2020 outreach mdilwort

A first person account of the battle for accuracy from a rather unattractive couch I have tried very hard to be a Nerd of Trust. To me, accurate and timely information is a critical need for daily life function, and since 2016 I have worked tirelessly to promote good information literacy while combating fake news. As someone who has built a reputation of trustworthiness among colleagues, family and friends through fact-checks, online posts about false information and a relentless attack on fake news stories, I’ve earned my Nerd of Trust credentials. The COVID-19 pandemic was an ideal situation for fake news purveyors. Through the rise of social media, many Americans have fallen prey to medically-oriented misinfodemics – floods of false … Continued

(Some of) the curious cultural history of women in chocolate

chocolate, KT Lowe, Programs, women March 9, 2020 Programs, Research mdilwort

Chocolate is one of the most widely beloved foods in the world today, used in a variety of dishes from chocolate pasta to mole sauces to, of course, decadent brownies. However, much of what we know about chocolate is fairly recent and limited in context. Let’s open up a bit of that history and take a look at chocolate through the lens of women. For much of the 20th century, women have been closely associated with chocolate – mostly by craving it. While this is a stereotype, it is rooted in a small bit of truth. Chocolate is in fact the most desired food in the US, and while there is little consensus as to whether or not that desire … Continued

New Year’s Resolution: No More Memes

fake news, good information, KT Lowe, memes January 6, 2020 Research mdilwort

Angry women and smug cats. Tiny green Jedis. Gummi bear challenge. 2019 was full of memes both irritating and ingratiating, and as usual we as a public could not get enough of them. Easily shareable, graphically enticing, sometimes inspirational, memes spread rapidly across all social media platforms. For something so fun and silly, what could be the harm? Well, it turns out those memes may not be entirely innocent. According to the work of Clemson University professors Patrick Warren and Darren Linvill, those memes may be the work of Russian trolls. The Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA) played a role in the 2016 election by promoting false information on social media. While fake news stories remain a major problem mostly … Continued

The American myth of Stagolee

african american history, folklore, history, KT Lowe, music, myth making December 9, 2019 Website mdilwort

On the evening of December 25, 1895, “Stag” Lee Shelton was doing the 19th century version of a bar crawl when he entered the Bill Curtis Saloon in St. Louis. He took a seat next to William Lyons, and they talked about a number of different things. But when the subject switched to politics, Lyons and Shelton, who whipped up support for opposing parties, began hitting each other’s hats as a form of retaliation. Shelton ultimately broke the crown of Lyons’ derby hat. Lyons asked for five bits (about $1.25) to replace it. When Shelton refused, Lyons took Shelton’s Stetson hat. Shelton promptly shot Lyons, took his hat back and walked out of the bar. Lyons died of his injuries only hours later. … Continued

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