When Lies Become Truth

Sarah Palin is going to invade Egypt. Rush Limbaugh is taking over the country. Global warming really exists. The real estate market won’t recover and the NYSE is flat lined.
Recently, MSNBC aired a segment where Rachel Maddow slammed conservatives citing a fictional story on ChristWire.org. The story was of an American-led invasion spearheaded by Sarah Palin. The site also highlights states who have sinned against God, turtle masturbation and how the Xbox Kinect is a terrorist training tool.


Yet, the story about Sarah Palin aired on the news as true. It’s crazy to me that even journalists don’t look beyond what is on the printed page – or Web site, in this matter. Do people think for themselves anymore?


I can see how it happens, to be the devil’s advocate. I was neck-deep in the housing drama, following housing trends, reading what the “experts” had to say would happen next. I watched the three-year fixed mortgage rates, the Adjustable Rate Mortgages and how many houses went into foreclose each day.


I was a real estate junkie. I needed an intervention. I needed to be snapped back into reality.
Thankfully, my real estate agent helped put a stop to the insanity. She reminded me people are still buying houses. People are still working. And, unbelievably, tomorrow, everything would be okay.


I wanted to argue with her. I pointed out the trends, the steep decline of my houses’ value, the fact that my husband was laid off. All the signs pointed to the apocalypse. The end was near. The earth was going to fall off its axis and we were all going to die.


All because the housing market wasn’t doing well.


Couple that with the fact that Britney Spears wasn’t a pop princess anymore. Michael Jackson was dead and large companies were outsourcing work to India. Could it be any worse?

See how ridiculous this can get?


Mixing truth with fiction can be a dangerous game. It results in panic, fear and bad decision-making. It’s time to slow down speculation and remember the supply and demand theory. Check out Five Secrets for Surviving a Real Estate Market Turndown.



Best of all, don’t go it alone. A good real estate agent can help navigate the choppy waters of these turbulent times. In fact, find one clever enough, and that person can find ways to make it work for you. My real estate agent did. She worked out a short sale and got us out of our house before foreclosure.


Sarah Palin might be leaving the annual Iditarod to invade Egypt while Al Gore focuses on saving the polar bears instead of national security, but at least we have truth.


Don’t let lies become truth. Search out your own answers and consult help when needed. The truth will go a long way in keeping life out of the gutter of sloppy news days and false stories.




Staci Dennis lives in Norfolk, VA, is married to Eric, who is awesome, and has a fat cat and two cute Puggles. She has been published in various newspapers and magazines across the nation, and worked as a reporter for 12 years. She is a contributor for Nexxt, educationjobsiteblog.com and armedservicesjobsblog.com.