Kara Mason

Writing about health, art, law. Previous bylines: @sentinelcolo, @pulpcolorado, @colo_politics, @ccdr. Pueblo is always home.

[Eric Levitz @EricLevitz]

The most puzzling AI-ism to me is probably the "Not x. Not y. But z."

Not the em-dashes (an essential piece of punctuation). Not "That isn't x, it's y" (a useful if inelegant way to clarify an argument). But consecutive examples of what your subject isn't -- conveyed in fragmentary, staccato sentences -- before a declaration of what it is.

Feel like this is an inherently irritating rhetorical device. And I don't recall regularly coming across it in pre-AI writing. So, I don't understand why LLMs are so in love with the template

[talmon joseph smith @talmonsmith]

human reporters > AI
✊🏾

[Aaron Blake @AaronBlake]

Tina Peters was notably not prosecuted by the Biden administration; she was prosecuted by Mesa County, Colorado.

[Kyle Clark @KyleClark]

May we all find a friend as loyal as the Denver Post editorial board is to Governor Polis

Backed Polis' Prop HH (voters defeated it by 20 pts)

Backed Polis' Bridge to Nowhere (94% in Polis' own online poll opposed it)

Backed Polis' clemency for Tina Peters (results TBD)

[Ted Alcorn @TedAlcorn]

With data from @nytimes API, I analyzed all national+local coverage since 2000—224K articles— to see which topics in each state get covered out of proportion to the rest of the country. A portrait of how the paper of record sees America, one state per tweet, alphabetical. 👇

[Tyler McBrien @TylerMcBrien]

🚨 NEW TOOL for U.S. legal journalists ⚖️

I turned @allyjarmanning's incredible crowdsourced Google doc on accessing state court records into an interactive map.

Check it out and let me know about any errors, missing information, or ways I can improve this thing (link below)

[Andrew Orlowski @AndrewOrlowski]

“Newsrooms integrating AI” is going about as well as you would expect

[APStylebook @APStylebook]

In addition to big changes including healthcare, Stylebook Editor Anna Jo Bratton shared some smaller AP style updates at the ACES conference:
* “Couple of” always means two.
* It's kerfuffle, not kerfluffle.
* RSVP is acceptable in all references.
* Use “petted” not “pet” for past tense.

[Sara Fischer @sarafischer]

More than one-third of the 2026 @PulitzerPrizes for journalism were awarded to local news outlets yesterday
https://t.co/ZFunqqfs9H

[n. collins 🦇 @nathannotforyou]

my mentor told me good reporters are hard to manage because they’re not good at listening to authority.

and she’s right. to expect a reporter not to be defiant is like expecting to get records back immediately after requesting them.

it ain’t going to happen.

[Kara Mason @karanormal]

I love that Aspen is a two newspaper town. But it would be REALLY fun if the horoscopes were opposite. Stir the pot a little.

[Peter Sterne @petersterne]

HUGE NEWS for editors: the AP has changed its style guide. It's now "healthcare" (not "health care") and "childcare" (not "child care") https://t.co/189NypUkyo

[Kristin Merrilees @kristnmerrilees]

Exciting Opportunity! News Outlet Is Hiring for Position It Fired Everyone From Two Days Ago

[Kara Mason @karanormal]

I served many SPJ board terms alongside Fred. I’m lucky to be able to say that! His dedication, spirit, and expertise were inspiring. Every Colorado journalist should want to be like Fred Brown.

[SPJ ColoradoPro @SPJCOLO]

We at SPJ Colorado Pro have lost our brother, our mentor, our ethical soul. We mourn the passing of longtime SPJ leader Fred Brown. Our hearts go out to Fred's wife, Mary, and all who knew and worked with him. Our chapter will have more to share soon.
https://t.co/P79eMdwefw

[Chris Bianchi @BianchiWeather]

Number of 80°+ days in March in Denver:

1972-2025: 7 days
2026: 8 days

#COwx

[IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE ME @solomonmissouri]

The Washington Post

[Kara Mason @karanormal]

Wild times in Walsenburg, where the mayor has said getting an immigration detention center would be a "godsend."

Now, a 36-acre AI data center is on the way, and it seems nobody in local gov knew that was the case.

https://t.co/3NBBno7T0Y

[Denver Westword @denverwestword]

"This is my 43rd edition of the Best of Denver; it's also my last Best of Denver: On July 1, after 49 years(!), I’ll be retiring as editor. Know that Westword will be left in excellent hands."

Read Westword Editor Patricia Calhoun's full article: https://t.co/hgLjEWO3iF

[CU Anschutz School of Medicine @CUMedicalSchool]

Statistically, patients with endometriosis have an increased risk of stroke and heart disease. But why? Researchers with the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine are working to find out ⬇️
https://t.co/XgP7wKjiRK

[Kara Mason @karanormal]

Pueblo isn’t swingy just for the sake of it.

[Kara Mason @karanormal]

The median income for Pueblo is $52,000. Almost half of the Colorado median income.

1. Gas prices truly matter here 2. Trump made economic promises, and many folks are desperate for any kinda help.

What will play out in Pueblo is important to watch.

[Kyle Clark @KyleClark]

Pueblo is Colorado's swing county - only county in the state to go Obama-Trump-Biden-Trump