Serious question for somebody on HN with a journalism background: why didn't they just make the headline "Gov't to Restore Deleted Climate Data After Farmers Sue"? The sentence "So The Government Will Put It Back." seems like an answer to the question "Why Did The Farmers Sue The Government?" that the headline did not ask. As written it would make more sense as a single clause. At the very least couldn't they have omitted the "So" or replaced with "Now" in order to make the whole thing flow better? I'm sincerely puzzled. The headline reminds me of one of those SAT English questions that has the taker choose the best rewrite of an awkward sentence; surely I'm missing something.
1659447091•9mo ago
The way I read it is that the farmers (considered part of the admins base) wanted the data enough to sue -- so -- the government will put it back for them. Making the distinction that had any one else sued for the data, the gov would tell them to kick rocks.
recursivecaveat•9mo ago
I think it is just to put the most dramatic and eye-catching part first. The "so" presumably to firmly establish a cause-and-effect?
xnx•9mo ago
In addition to other explanations offered, NY Times AB tests its headlines.
qaz_plm•9mo ago