Why the current fixation with starting a sentence with "so" are these people really followers of a fashion?

I see and hear it everywhere on the tv, radio, bus, street.

Doubtless SOme SO-called celebrity or SOap opera participant talks that way, SO the more gullible copy.

Yes I tend to agree it'll be some z list celeb probably that cretin Beeber

So ...........there you are then

Followed with an Australian accent that makes every sentence that sounds like a question

The East German engineer I was working with (and his minder) both
began their sentences with "So"

So what?

The one that annoys me is the Australian 'Look!' at the start of a sentence which is like a teacher saying "pay attention...."

Wow, that's Awsome.

ABSOLUTELY

Mara Liasson reported from the Kerry campaign in Missouri. There are a few clips in the report from recent speeches by Kerry; here's the part from one of those clips that made me do a double-take:

I'm asking you to trust our nation, our history, the world, your families, in my hands. And I understand that it's a big ask. And it's a tough judgment you have to make.

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagel...ves/001331.html