Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Here are highlights from today's World Championship Road Race in Austria. The winner gets to wear the rainbow jersey for the next year.

To the editor:

“Witch hunt,” “Russia hoax,” “deep state,” “fake news” and “no collusion.” These are a few of the terms that are constantly in the news. These terms can be heard on television, read in the newspaper, observed on social media and seen on the internet.

In 1977, a study was conducted that showed that if something is repeated often enough, people will eventually believe it whether it is true or false. This phenomenon is called illusory truth effect, validity effect or reiteration effect. The study showed that repetition, saying something over and over again, would breed agreement whether it is true or not. Exposure to false information changes the perceived truthfulness of information and the actual truth is lost.

Notice how often you hear or see these or similar key terms mentioned above again and again. Additional terms that are often seen or heard include “enemy of the people,” “fake news media,” “alternative facts,” “failing New York Times” and “totally legal.”

Not only are these terms misleading, but their repetition is also dangerous to our democracy and leads to further division of our country.

— David Mihevc, McHenry

Here are the latest rankings. Stanford stumbled.

Wow! Just starting to hear the Democrats, who are only thinking Obstruct and Delay, are starting to put out the word that the “time” and “scope” of FBI looking into Judge Kavanaugh and witnesses is not enough. Hello! For them, it will never be enough – stay tuned and watch!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2018

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To the editor:

President Trump has every right to brag about his accomplishments to the U.N. General Assembly. Just look at what he has done in two years.

He has damaged the environment, given tax cuts to the rich, insulted our allies, cozied up to authoritarians, maligned the free press, put down women, increased the national debt to its highest level ever, lied constantly, polluted the air and water with coal ash, continued an assault on insurance for all, dehumanized the LGBTQ community, made our foreign policy a laughing stock, and made hypocrisy a hallmark of his administration.

Thomas Lawson, Long Beach

Just started, tonight, our 7th FBI investigation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. He will someday be recognized as a truly great Justice of The United States Supreme Court!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 29, 2018

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Spirit (1968). This song is 50 years old. It was supposedly stolen by Jimmy Page, who turned it into "Stairway to Heaven."

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