Deconstructing myths – another challenge to you in 2017

By Alec Hogg

Thanks for the incredible response to the "I have a dream" series. We're going to keep running them for a while yet, but staggering publication so the dreamers don't overwhelm the site. No deadline. Send yours to alec@biznews.com.

Another initiative we're focusing on this year is the deconstruction of myths. Since the first gossipmonger infested caves of our ancestors, myths have been created and promoted by those who want to keep fellows ignorant. Sprinkle in a few truths and they quickly take on a measure of credibility.

Take the myth of white BIC lighters being cursed. The story goes that they were found on the bodies of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain – all of whom died at 27 years of age. Actually, BIC only started producing these lighters after three of the 27 Club had died and police photographs of Cobain's possessions show a pink lighter in his pocket and a multicoloured one in his heroin case.

Other myths are just as easily deconstructed with a little research. Why not make this one of your 2017 Resolutions? Or at the very least make a habit of regularly visiting "fake news" killer Snopes.com. As I do.