It's well-known that the press often uncritically repeats false information, particularly when the "fact" is colorful and helps to tell a simple story that is easily understood. Nonetheless, the scale and pervasiveness of these errors can be stunning. For example, in the debate over the California recall, reporters and pundits from across the local, regional and national media, egged on by a number of political figures, have consistently distributed misinformation about the size of the state budget deficit, falsely claiming that it was $38 billion after a July budget deal. (Read the whole column.)