Discussions In Digital: The Perils Of YouTube Journalism YouTube video by East Haven Public Television (ETV)

Check out the panel discussion in which I participated last night. (Fast-forward to the 5:25 mark for the start.)

youtube.com/live/P9ZzgApUYmc

Discussions in Digital: The Perils of YouTube Journalism YouTube video by East Haven Public Television (ETV)

Interested in the state of journalism? Watch this event life in Tuesday (April 21):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XtlEmQs2sQ

Having Amused Itself to Death, America Is Now an ‘Idiocracy’ “Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue…

From before Trump was elected:

“America is no longer a country to be taken seriously.”

Read “Having Amused Itself to Death, America Is Now an ‘Idiocracy’“ by Barth Keck: Musings on Medium: medium.com/@barthkeck/having-amused...

Opinion | The Trump Administration Is in a Psychotic State

“There is no precedent or category for the institutional psychosis of the second Trump administration. Precisely because the psychotic state is so unpredictable, setting up systems to manage it will not work.”

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/opinion/trump...

Cognitive dissonance helps explain why Trump supporters remain loyal, new research suggests A new study explores how supporters of Donald Trump maintain their loyalty despite serious allegations. The findings suggest psychological discomfort drives voters to deny accusations, prioritize poli...

“When people (Trumpers) face info that conflicts with deeply held beliefs, they reduce mental discomfort by denying allegations or claiming other politicians commit similar acts.”

www.psypost.org/cognitive-dissonance-hel...

Opinion | It’s Hard To Imagine A 'YouTube Journalist' Starring in 'All the President’s Men' | CT News Junkie Columnist Barth Keck says the recent attention on All the President’s Men is more than a mere nostalgic indulgence; it’s a paean to the journalism of yesteryear in the  face of a current information l...

My latest:

“The attention on ‘All the President’s Men’ is a paean to the journalism of yesteryear in the face of a disinformation, social-media influencers, and vacuous videos.”

ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/04/13/opinion-its-h...

In A First, Renewables Beat Natural Gas On US Grid Last Month | CT News Junkie Just look at what happened last month: Over the course of March, the nation got more electricity from renewables than it did from natural gas, which is typically the single-largest source of energy on...

"Over the course of March, the nation got more electricity from renewables than from natural gas, which is typically the single-largest source of energy on the U.S. grid -- the first time renewables have bested the fossil fuel in the U.S. across an entire month."
ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/04/10/i...

Great idea! Before Trump’s war with Iran, the strait was open and free to pass through. Now, Iran controls it and wants to charge a $2m toll. Trump, of course, wants a piece of the action. So where’s that leave American citizens? Paying even MORE for gas, fertilizer, produce, etc. Are we great yet?

The iPod is coming back, thanks to second-hand sales:

“It’s fueled in part by young people interested not just in its retro looks but a desire to listen to music in a focused way and with playlists not determined by algorithms.”

Football Chronicles 2026: Geno’s Legacy Will Not Be His Rant, But the Lessons Coaches Learn from It Author’s note: This is the 5th installment of “The HK Cougar Football Chronicles” for the new year (2026). As an assistant coach, I share…

Some thoughts about the "Geno Incident" from my latest Medium essay:

"What I find particularly disappointing about this entire story is how it became the focus after the game rather than the positive stories within the game."
medium.com/@barthkeck/f...

The man continues to provide evidence for my previous op-ed:

“The man is a cruel and selfish boor unfit to lead any country in the world, let alone the United States of America.”

ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/02/09/opinion-the-m...

Good point about Hegseth and the profanity. At this point, it really doesn’t matter who originally writes each post. They all appear under his name, so he owns all of them.

Happy Easter, from the President of the United States!

The theory could be questioned, of course. But it’s rather intriguing.

The years of practice responding to ridiculous online comments definitely help. 😆 I've found that focusing on just one or two glaring pieces of misinformation or fallacious logic helps me to focus on FACTS and TRUTH. But as you imply, it's a constant struggle.

Opinion | Social Media Is Sending Us Back To Our Ancient Roots | CT News Junkie Columnist Barth Keck says that today, social media, while still based on the written word, is taking us back to ancient Greece, as it shares significant traits with Homer’s tales. Weisenthal calls it ...

My latest op-ed:

“Social media is sending humans back to their ancient roots—at least when it comes to communication. Think of Homer, reciting the tales of Odysseus, Achilles, and the Greek gods.”
ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/04/02/opinion-socia...

Ex Infowars Producer Says Work Included Fabricated Videos And Lies - News Facts Network WASHINGTON, D.C. — A former video editor for Infowars says he helped create misleading and

I'm shocked -- SHOCKED! -- at this revelation:

Headline: "Ex Infowars Producer Says Work Included Fabricated Videos And Lies" newsfactsnetwork.com/news/ex-info...

Christine Palm is our former state representative. She's awesome.

Opinion | Wherefore, Cesar Chavez? | CT News Junkie Guest columnist Christine Palm says the progressive activist in her is shocked. But the woman in her isn’t. She says the woman in her knows that despite his greatness, Cesar Chavez is just the latest ...

"Here’s what makes our minds, hearts, and souls glad: we still believe in his work, although we no longer believe in him. Unlike Trump’s minions, we have the ability to understand that the power of our movement lies with its people, and not with one leader."
ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/03/31/o...

Poll: Increasing Number Of Americans Use AI, But They Don’t Trust It | CT News Junkie According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, just over half of Americans have used AI to research a topic they are curious about, up 14 points from April 2025 (37%).

“The contradiction between use and trust of AI is striking. 51 percent say they use AI for research, writing, work, and/or data analysis. But only 21 percent trust AI-generated information.”

ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/03/31/poll-increasi...

‘You’re done. You’re done’ — Teens Tell CT Senator Of Treatment by DHS Agents | CT News Junkie Fernando Hernández García, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, said he has been living on his own and separated from his family since his younger sister, Sara, who is also...

“Officers grabbed and ripped my shirt. One officer put me in a chokehold. The officer told me, ‘You’re done. You’re done.’ His grip was so tight that I wondered if I would make it out alive.”
ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/03/30/youre-done-yo...

I Let AI Plan My Seaside Break and Wound Up Swimming in the North Sea — The Wall Street Journal With a bot as my travel agent, I traveled to the little-known, but quaint English town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea

You mean life’s challenges aren’t as easily met as the ChatGPT TV ads claim?
https://apple.news/AYgXFfnKoTbi99CWKfFNZfQ

The Horrors That Could Lie Ahead if Vaccines Vanish Researchers at Stanford University modeled how many people could die or be disabled in 25 years if vaccines for polio, measles, rubella or diphtheria were no longer available.

"Their model shows that at current vaccination rates, the nation is already teetering on the brink of an explosion in measles cases — one that would be virtually wiped out with just a 5% increase in vaccination."
projects.propublica.org/childhood-va...

Meta, YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction trial A Los Angeles jury awarded $3 million in compensation to a young woman who alleged she had become addicted to the platforms as a child.

“A Los Angeles jury awarded $3 million in compensation to a young woman who alleged she had become addicted to the platforms as a child.”

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/25/me...

“A federal judge has blocked at attempt by the Trump administration to pressure healthcare providers into ending care for youth with gender dysphoria, according to Attorney General William Tong, who was part of a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia to challenge the effort.”

Therein lies the irony.

Thanks, Pete!

How much is the Iran war costing taxpayers? Here's what estimates show According to an estimate the Pentagon shared with Congress, the U.S. used up billions of dollars in munitions in the first two days of the war.

“At least $11.3 billion spent in the Iran war's first days surpasses funds allocated to the National Cancer Institute – $7.4 billion. It nearly reaches the $12.4 billion spent on Head Start.”

www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026...

Opinion | The Vaccine Debate Must Include Discussions Of 'The Common Good' | CT News Junkie Columnist Barth Keck asks the critical question about a bill that would give Connecticut's public health commissioner more latitude with vaccine standards: What about the common good?

My latest op-ed:

“When parents deny children vaccines, they’re putting others at risk. They’re ‘free riders’ – citizens whose selfish actions disregard the negative impact on the majority.”

ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/03/20/opinion-the-v...

U.S. Encourages Flow of Iranian Oil While It Battles Iran

“Iran will likely profit from these sales, thereby providing more money to fund its regime, the war and its proxies.”

US war strategy: “D’oh!”

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/politics/i...