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4/17/08
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American
economy is in rough shape, says Fed survey
Economic
conditions have weakened across the U.S., says Fed regional survey; consumer
spending has fizzled out, job market conditions are worsening, manufacturing
activity is treading water, and inflation is heating up.
You must follow
orders, America. You must shop more.
The World
At least 50 killed in Iraq suicide bombing of funeral
BAGHDAD - A
suicide bomber struck the funeral of two anti-al-Qaida Sunni tribesmen in a town
north of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 50 people and wounding dozens,
police said.
Despite bombing, Iraqi leader says al Qaida nearly beaten
BAGHDAD — Iraqi
Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki told European lawmakers Wednesday that his
administration is closer than ever to defeating al Qaida-allied Sunni Muslim
extremists, a day after bombings attributed to the Iraqi version of the militant
group killed about 60 people and wounded 120 north of the capital.
US eases security rules for diplomats in Baghdad
The State
Department is easing security restrictions on diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in
Baghdad that were imposed during a recent spate of rocket attacks in the Green
Zone that killed four Americans. Embassy employees were told in a Wednesday
notice obtained by The Associated Press that they are no longer required to wear
body armor, helmets and protective eyewear while outside and that restrictions
on movement inside the Green Zone have been lifted.
Govt removes army and police commanders in Basra
The Iraqi
government has removed the top military and police commanders in the southern
city of Basra.
The move come weeks after a botched attempt to crack down on the Mehdi Army
militia, which has widespread influence in the oil-rich city.
Iraq's Biggest Aid Agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & Co.
For Um Wissam, a
small office packed with food aid in Sadr City is a lifeline. With her son
killed two years ago, the widow has nowhere else to turn for support. "They're
really great," she said. "They give us whatever they possibly can." "They" are
fervent anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army. A new report
from Washington-based Refugees International says that Muqtada and his Mahdi
Army are the largest "unofficial" aid agency in the country.
Carter meets Hamas delegation in Cairo
CAIRO - Former
President Carter is meeting with a Hamas delegation from Gaza, part of a series
of talks with the Islamic militant group that has drawn sharp criticism from
U.S. and Israeli officials.
Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel
The Israeli
newspaper Ma'ariv on Wednesday reported that Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu
told an audience at Bar Ilan university that the September 11, 2001 terror
attacks had been beneficial for Israel. "We are benefiting from one thing, and
that is the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, and the American struggle in
Iraq,"
Ma'ariv quoted the former prime minister as saying. He reportedly added that
these events "swung American public opinion in our favor."
Ahmadinejad casts doubt on 'suspect' Sept 11
Iran's
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday reaffirmed his doubts about the
accepted version of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the
United States,
describing the strikes as a "suspect event". This was the third time in just
over a week that Ahmadinejad has publicly raised doubts about the September 11
attacks on New York and Washington. Ahmadinejad did not say who he believed was
behind the September 11 attacks.
Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel
Syrian President
Bashar Assad has said that Syria is preparing for war with Israel as a real
possibility, Hezbollah's TV station Al-Manar reported on Thursday. Assad noted,
however, that he did not expect a conflict between the two states to break out
under the current circumstances, speaking at a conference in Damascus.
East Timor's Ramos-Horta returns home to warm welcome
DILI (Reuters) -
East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta arrived home on Thursday to a cheering
crowd of thousands after more than two months of treatment in Australia for
injuries sustained in an assassination attempt in February.
Home Secretary announces 300 new terror police
Jacqui Smith, the
[British] Home Secretary, today announced an extra 300 police officers to fight
terrorism and radicalisation within communities. Miss Smith said that the new
officers work to prevent young people being drawn into extremism. The Government
is trying to build support for controversial plans to extend the time limit for
holding terror suspects without charge to 42 days.
Minister accused of poll rules breach over terror announcement
The Home
Secretary Jacqui Smith was accused of breaching election rules today by making a
major anti-terrorism announcement during the run-up to local polls.
Bardot on trial for allegedly inciting anti-Muslim hatred
PARIS - Brigitte
Bardot is back on trial in France, facing charges of fanning discrimination and
racial hatred against Muslims.
Defense requests Berlusconi testimony in CIA kidnap case
Lawyers for a
former Italian intelligence chief requested Wednesday that Premier-elect Silvio
Berlusconi testify in the trial of 26 American and
Italian
suspects charged with kidnapping a terror suspect during a CIA operation.
US, Britain outline steps to boost African peacekeeping
UNITED NATIONS (AFP)
- The United States and Britain on Wednesday outlined steps to make African
peacekeeping missions more effective, in talks on security ties between the UN
and the African Union.
Tsvangirai: Mugabe could face justice for Zimbabwe abuses
JOHANNESBURG,
South Africa - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may be forced to face justice
by a citizenry that has run out of patience with his regime's abuses, his main
rival said in an interview Thursday in
South Africa.
South Africa shifts on Zimbabwe and calls for result
HARARE (Reuters)
- South Africa's government, in a major change of stance, called on Thursday for
the rapid release of results from Zimbabwe's presidential election, saying it
was concerned by a delay that has increased fears of violence.
The Nation
Bush, big White House crowd greet pope on his birthday
WASHINGTON -
President Bush and Pope Benedict XVI agreed Wednesday that terrorism is an
unacceptable weapon for any cause or religion, standing strongly united on that
issue but divided on others during a day of substance and symbolism at the White
House.
As Pope Calls For Treating Immigrants With ‘Dignity,’ Bush Administration
Carries Out Raids In Five States
(Think Progress)
Pope Benedict XVI has been a vocal supporter of
U.S. immigrants, regardless
of their legal status. On his flight between Rome and Washington yesterday, the
pope made clear that discussing the treatment of Latino immigrants would be a
priority during his meeting with President Bush…Unfortunately, the Bush
administration also chose today to carry out immigration raids, arresting more
than 280 undocumented workers employed at Pilgrim’s Pride plants in five states.
Bush Library ‘Will Rely Chiefly’ On Design Firm Rather Than Historians To
Showcase Policies
(Think Progress)
Continuing to ensure that partisan praise of Bush will trump academic
scholarship in the [George W. Bush presidential] library, advisers now say they
“will rely chiefly” on the design firm PRD Group, rather than historians, to
showcase Bush’s policies as president. The Dallas Morning News reports: “…Some
who’ve studied presidential centers say the lack of independent voices in the
design-exhibit process risks turning the library into little more than a
promotional venue.”
That would make
it no different from anything else Bush has done—it has all been for promotional
purposes, and never any substance. Besides, he can’t use historians, because
most of them think he’s the
worst president ever.
Bush sets climate change goal; scientists say it's too little
WASHINGTON —
President Bush set a new target date Wednesday for stopping the growth of U.S.
greenhouse-gas emissions by 2025, presenting a strategy that the scientific
community says is too little, too late, to prevent dangerous global warming.
Pentagon records detail prisoner abuse by US military
WASHINGTON
- Military interrogators assaulted Afghan detainees in 2003, using investigation
methods they learned during self-defense training, Pentagon documents released
Wednesday show.
Contract Fraud Loophole Eliminated
A
multibillion-dollar loophole has been removed from a proposal to crack down on
government contract abuse. The loophole would have shielded abuse of overseas
contracts. Documents show the loophole was closed following complaints and
concerns that it would hinder efforts to curb contract fraud in government
projects outside the United States.
Feds to collect DNA from every person they arrest
The government
plans to begin collecting DNA samples from anyone arrested by a federal law
enforcement agency. Using authority granted by Congress, the government also
plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have
been charged or not. The DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, Justice
Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Wednesday. That would be a departure from
current practice, which limits DNA collection to convicted felons.
Lawmakers Want FBI Access to Data Curbed
Groups in
Congress are pressing to place new controls on the FBI's ability to demand
troves of sensitive personal information from telephone providers and credit
card companies. Proposals to rein in the use of secret "national security
letters" will be discussed over the next week at hearings in both chambers.
Scientists voice missile-shield doubts
Prominent
scientists who have been critical of missile defense plans told lawmakers
Wednesday that a system being built by the United States cannot protect the
country.
Judge declares second mistrial in Miami al Qaida case
After 12
difficult days of deliberations, a federal jury on Wednesday deadlocked on
whether a Miami group plotted with al Qaida to overthrow the
United States.
Executions to resume after high court OK's lethal injections
WASHINGTON
- U.S. executions are
all but sure to resume soon after a nationwide halt, cleared Wednesday by a
splintered Supreme Court that approved the most widely used method of lethal
injection.
Supreme Court ponders death for rapists of children
WASHINGTON
— Supreme Court justices wrestled Wednesday with whether states can execute
those who rape children even in cases where the children survive.
Court upholds NYC’s rule requiring calories on menus
A federal judge
has turned aside a challenge from New York restaurants and upheld the city’s
rules requiring calories to be posted on some menus. Judge Richard Holwell says
in a ruling the law is a reasonable approach to the city’s goal of reducing o
Compensation for 'bumped' airline passengers to double
WASHINGTON
— Airlines will be required to double the maximum compensation they pay
passengers involuntarily bumped from scheduled flights under measures announced
Wednesday by the Department of Transportation.
Economy & Finance
Wall Street treads water on earnings, data
NEW YORK
(Reuters) - Stocks were little changed on Thursday as disappointing earnings
from Pfizer and cautious outlooks from eBay and United Technologies offset
higher-than-expected results from
Weekly jobless claims rise after big fall in previous week
WASHINGTON - The
number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits
increased last week after a big decline in the previous week.
U.S. Housing Starts Fall 7.8% in March to 1.96 Million Rate
April 18
(Bloomberg) -- Builders started work last month on the smallest number of new
houses in a year, as rising mortgage rates and record inventories of unsold
homes discouraged new projects.
Gas prices pass $3.40 a gallon, are expected to rise higher
NEW YORK
- Retail gas prices pushed past a record high $3.40 a gallon Thursday,
fulfilling expectations that they'll keep climbing toward $4 as the summer
driving season approaches.
Leading economic indicators up slightly
NEW YORK
- A private business groups says that its index of leading economic indicators
rose Friday, reversing five months of decline. But the indicators are down
significantly from a year ago, leaving recession fears festering.
FBI home mortgage probe now targets 19 firms
The FBI's probe
of potential fraud in the U.S. home mortgage industry now encompasses 19
companies, up from 17 a month ago, agency director Robert Mueller told Congress
on Wednesday.
Wall Street Winners Get Billion-Dollar Paydays
Hedge fund
managers, those masters of a secretive, sometimes volatile financial universe,
are making money on a scale that once seemed unimaginable, even in Wall Street’s
rarefied realms. One manager, John Paulson, made $3.7 billion last year. He
reaped that bounty, probably the richest in Wall Street history, by betting
against certain mortgages and complex financial products that held them.
Media
Permanent link to MTA daily media news
Undecideds Give [Wednesday Night’s] Debate To HILLARY
(by alegre at MyDD)
Reviews are in and Hillary rocked in tonight's debate. We'll get to those after
the jump. But first, Hillary's camp put up a video on YouTube of a clip from
Channel 6 news in
Philadelphia. Take a
look - Hillary was the overwhelming choice among WPVI's focus group of undecided
Democrats.
Even the
mainstream media give Clinton good marks for last night’s debate. Click through
to watch the video of the Channel 6 report, and to read some of the headlines.
Obama Asked About William Ayers in Tonight’s Debate
(by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
Tonight, in the Pennsylvania debate less than one week before the Keystone
State’s primary, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Barack Obama about his long
relationship with terrorist William Ayers — who has admitted setting a bomb in
the Pentagon and whose Weather Underground girlfriend was killed while making
bombs… To this day, William Ayers expresses no regret. Ayers told a New York
Times reporter, in an interview published on September 11, 2001, that ”I don’t
regret setting bombs.” He said, ”I feel we didn’t do enough.”
Click through to
watch the video of that part of the debate.
Just How Soft has Obama's Coverage Been
(by Taylor Marsh)
Marshmallow soft. Down pillow soft. Baby's bottom soft. So no one should be
surprised that Obama had a nightmare night. He finally got real questions for
which he should have had ready answers. Over the last year Barack Obama has
gotten a complete pass on his record, his life and everything associated to his
political rise. In fact, if Senator Obama had been subjected to the scrutiny
that Hillary Clinton has been subjected to he would have turned to ash by now.
So forgive me if all the blogospheric bellyaching permeating Democratic circles
is not impressing me much. In fact, it's a laugh out loud moment.
Midwestern economics (by
Paul Krugman)
One thing that doesn’t seem to have gotten much scrutiny in the “bitter”
controversy is the suggestion that the past 25 years have been an era of
continuous economic hardship for the American heartland. If we’re talking about
the decline of industrial cities, there’s some truth to that picture. But if
we’re talking about incomes and employment, the Clinton years were pretty good
for middle-income Americans — and especially good for middle-income
Midwesterners.
Post-Parsing Fools
(by Turkana at The Left Coaster)
Here's how it works. Bill Clinton is quoted: “’I think there is a big reason
there's an age difference in a lot of these polls,’ he said. ‘Because once
you've reached a certain age, you won't sit there and listen to somebody tell
you there's really no difference between what happened in the Bush years and the
Clinton years’” Boston reporter Scott Helman interpreted it thusly: “Older
voters gravitate to Hillary Clinton because they're too wise to be fooled
by Barack Obama's rhetoric…” Of course, Clinton didn't say anything about people
being fooled…. Then, the Huffington Obama Post turned it into this:
And, inevitably, this
framing showed up on the Daily Kos Obama Recommended List… I have no
problem with partisan support of favored candidates. There are plenty of valid
reasons to prefer Obama to Clinton, just as there are plenty of valid reasons to
prefer Clinton
to Obama. But I do have a problem when partisan support causes deliberate
dishonesty. Particularly from a prominent website. And I do consider those who
fall for such deliberate dishonesty to be foolish. You can quote me on that.
QUOTE OF THE DAY....
(by Kevin Drum at Political Animal, The Washington Monthly)
[H]ere's David K. Shipler, writing in the LA Times today about the racial
overtones of being tagged elitist: “’Elitist’ is another word for ‘arrogant,’
which is another word for ‘uppity,’ that old calumny applied to blacks who stood
up for themselves.” I'd really like to see this silliness stopped. Racism is a
serious problem that deserves serious treatment, and this kind of desperate
word-mongering does nothing but trivialize it. Republicans have tried to brand
as "elitist" virtually every Democratic presidential candidate for the past 30
years (at least), and they've done it regardless of race or background. Read
Nunberg. This is a conservative thing, not a racial thing.
Uppity can also
be an insult to women. Oh, I forgot. In the so-called progressive media, you
CAN’T insult a woman, no matter what you say about her. You’re just exercising
your right to free speech.
For Chris Matthews, misogyny pays
(by Eric Boehlert at Media Matters)
For me, there were two key takeaways from the Times opus [about Chris Matthews].
The first was that Clinton-bashing -- and specifically, misogynistic
Hillary-bashing -- pays off in the form of magazine cover stories. And second
was that political journalism is a farce. It's
a farce because Matthews has clearly been crowned the Hot Journalist of this
election cycle… Chris Matthews has been anointed a media star…
It's
just so sad. Remember when campaign cycles generated Hot Journalists who
actually accomplished something? Who actually practiced the craft and helped
change journalism for the better by providing us with a deeper understanding of
unfolding campaigns, who painted vivid portraits of the players involved?
I have to say,
Eric, no. I don’t remember those days at all. Since I started really paying
attention to media, it’s been all ridiculousness. But then again, I guess
that’s why I started paying attention.
No Mirrors Handy?
(by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
Josh Marshall ridicules MoDo [Maureen Dowd] for having kind words for Hillary:
“You know she's got it bad when she has the bit so firmly in her teeth that she
even finds herself saying good things about Hillary.” Indeed, I doubt we will
ever again see the day when Josh Marshall has a kind word for Hillary. The lack
of self awareness is truly astonishing. Is he not aware that he is now on the
frontlines of the Hillary Hating blogs?
Political Psychology: Obama, Sexism, and the Infantile Id
(by Paul Lukasiak at Corrente)
The last thing that Obama supporters want is for people to start thinking
seriously about how he really got where he is, and what that means for November.
Raising “gender” issues is a threat to them, because it means that people might
start thinking about how dependent upon the “Hillary-hatred” that springs from
sexism and misogyny Obama’s “success” really is – and it they start thinking
about that, they’ll start thinking about everything else. So when the subject of
gender issues is raised, it must be changed, and the messenger attacked.
It’s
the reaction of the infantile Id to the certain knowledge that it will be told
“no.” They want their Obama, not a Clinton or a McCain, and just like an infant
that is being denied, they are going to make everyone’s life a living hell
unless and until they get what they want, or they run out of energy and finally
fall asleep… And what worries me is how we progressives often tend to spoil our
kids.
Click here for more of this cartoon.
Clinton sketches agenda for first 100 days as president
(AP) Democratic
presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton is sketching an agenda for her first
100 days in office that includes the beginning of a troop withdrawal from
Iraq
and signing legislation that President Bush vetoed. The
New York
senator said Tuesday, "In short, starting from Day One, the Bush-Cheney era will
be over in name and in practice." Looking beyond the competitive race for the
Democratic nomination, she also said that within 100 days of becoming president,
she would ask Congress to reverse some of Bush's tax cuts, tackle global warming
and urge Canada and
Mexico to renegotiate NAFTA.
Clinton calls for limited talks with Iran
WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton on Tuesday called
President George W. Bush's Iran policy "a loser" and recommended low-level talks
with a country the United States has labeled a sponsor of terrorism.
ACTION: Seventy-seven Cents
(by Alegre at No Quarter)
Today, the Clinton
campaign launched a week-long effort, “Make Change Count,” to educate voters on
the wage gap and Hillary Clinton’s leadership in addressing pay equity. Voters
can calculate their wage gap on the “Make Change Count” calculator, access a
“toolkit” to educate others, and read daily blog posts from prominent national
leaders beginning with Rep. Hilda Solis (CA) today [link]…
Reports show that gaps in wages between women and men persist 45 years since the
Equal Pay Act was signed, which was meant to eliminate such disparities. The
campaign’s focus on pay equity will continue through Equal Pay Day on April
22nd.
Clinton picks up union endorsement
WASHINGTON
- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has won the endorsement of a union representing
plasterers and cement masons in the construction industry.
Salsa Heavyweight Willie Colon Endorses Hillary
(by Taters at No Quarter)
Trombonist, bandleader, singer, arranger, composer, artist, actor, political
activist, innovator, environmentalist and producer … believes Sen. Hillary
Clinton is best qualified for the White House. The legendary Bronx-born Puerto
Rican and American cultural icon stated, “Hillary has been on the side of our
families for over 35 years - she has been with us from the very beginning. I
want a President who I can count on, someone who in tough times will be there
for me - that’s why I’m supporting Hillary Clinton.”
From mistakes, Clinton has learned, adjusted
(by Linda Feldmann, Christian Science Monitor
Interviews with people who have worked with Clinton throughout her career – from
her days as chairman of the board of the Children's Defense Fund to her two
terms as first lady of the
United States to her
seven-plus years in the Senate – reveal a woman who has evolved from an advocate
to a politician, learned from her mistakes, and had experiences unlike any other
presidential candidate in
US
history. Central to Clinton's argument that she should be the next president is
her experience as first lady of the United States, a role that the Clintons
treated as a top advisory position – equal, especially early on, to the vice
president.
Clinton changes course on Obama's electability
PHILADELPHIA -
Hillary Rodham Clinton said emphatically Wednesday night that Barack Obama can
win the White House this fall, undercutting her efforts to deny him the
Democratic presidential nomination by suggesting he would lead the party to
defeat.
I disagree.
The rubes and the elites
(by Michael Lind, Salon)
By calling small-town Americans "bitter," Obama has deepened a long-standing
rift in the Democratic base. The party's success in November depends on healing
it.
Barack Obama rips Jimmy Carter, tries to reassure Jewish voters
(Chicago Sun-Times)
PHILADELPHIA — Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday criticized former President Jimmy
Carter for meeting with leaders of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas as he tried
to reassure Jewish voters that his candidacy isn’t a threat to them or U.S.
support for Israel.
As we know, Obama
has already
flip-flopped on his previous commitment to Palestinians.
For Obama, bipartisan aims, party-line votes
Washington
- It
was an unusual choice for a candidate seeking the Democratic presidential
nomination. But in the first television ad of his campaign, Barack Obama let a
Republican, a colleague from his days in the Illinois Senate, do most of the
talking.
Obama tied to lobbyists, but boasts of not taking money
(USA TODAY)
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama often boasts he is "the only candidate who isn't
taking a dime from Washington lobbyists," yet his fundraising team includes 38
members of law firms that were paid $138 million last year to lobby the federal
government, records show. Those lawyers, including 10 former federal lobbyists,
have pledged to raise at least $3.5 million for the Illinois senator's
presidential race. Employees of their firms have given Obama's campaign $2.26
million, a USA TODAY analysis of campaign finance data shows.
Bruce Springsteen endorses Obama for president
WASHINGTON - Rock
star Bruce Springsteen endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president
Wednesday, saying "he speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the
past 35 years."
Yes, he does
indeed SPEAK about that, Bruce.
Obama reports income of $4.2 million in 2007 tax returns
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, made $4.2 million last year
as widespread interest in the presidential candidate pushed the sales of his two
books. In tax returns the campaign released Wednesday, the Obamas reported a
significant jump in their income from the previous year as profits from the
books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" accounted for some $4
million. The Obamas paid federal taxes of $1.4 million and donated $240,370 to
charity.
Click through for
more details.
Murtha says McCain too old to be president
WASHINGTON
- Democratic Rep. John Murtha says Republican Sen. John McCain is too old to be
president.
Well, so much for
the presumption that no one would bring up the age issue against McCain.
AP-Yahoo poll shows McCain winning back unhappy Republicans
WASHINGTON -
Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the White House. To pull
that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and
even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.
Kohlberg Kravis Hires Former G.O.P. Chairman for Public Affairs Post
Ken Mehlman, the
former chairman of the Republican National Committee, is the latest high-profile
hire by the private equity giant as it prepares to go public.
Media Matters for America headlines
• McCain: "I'm very pleased with the relationship that I've had with the media over many years"
• ABC's Gibson aired McCain's criticism of Obama, but did not mention Obama's response
• WSJ echoed McCain's dubious defense of vote against Bush tax cuts
AP photographer freed by US military
BAGHDAD - The
U.S. military has released Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein after
holding him for more than two years.
China wants CNN to apologize for Cafferty's "vicious remarks"
CNN's Jack
Cafferty said of the Chinese government: "I think they're basically the same
bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." China wants CNN to
apologize "to the whole Chinese people."
China defends anti-piracy efforts
BEIJING (AP) -
Officials defended China's efforts to stop rampant copying of movies and other
goods, saying Thursday that 4,322 people were convicted of product piracy last
year and promising special efforts to protect Olympics-related trademarks.
TV Executives Warn FCC Against Mandating Cable a la Carte
(TV Week)
Executives of ESPN, Disney/ABC, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Turner Broadcasting
and Fox are taking the unusual step of publicly warning Federal Communications
Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin about any attempt to force a la carte
programming distribution on cable providers, calling it “troubling” and
“devastating to consumers.”… The executives were reacting to reports that Mr.
Martin was considering regulations that would allow cable providers to remove
from basic packages any channel demanding major price hikes in negotiations and
offer it separately to subscribers.
Survey: 61 Percent Of Americans Want Indecency Rules For 'Net Radio
(Radio Ink)
CHARLESTON, SC -- April 15, 2008: American Media Services has released more
findings from its "Radio Index" survey, reporting that 61 percent of American
adults would like the government to regulate the use of obscenities and
profanity on Internet radio. Fifty-one percent of men surveyed favored
regulation, compared to 70 percent of women, while 78 percent of those over age
65 want the government to watch over 'Net radio, compared to 34 percent of
18-24s.
Blogger at fundraiser part of new journalism
(by Joe Garofoli, San Franscisco Chronicle)
Mayhill Fowler changed more than the presidential campaign this week when the
Oakland resident and volunteer Huffington Post blogger posted comments Sen.
Barack Obama made about "bitter" voters at a $1,000-a-head fundraiser in San
Francisco. The 61-year-old blogger tore the curtain from the front window of a
longtime political refuge - the high-end fundraiser - and the ensuing tumult
from her story about the closed-to-the-press event shows how coverage of
campaigns continues to be rewritten in the digital age… What Fowler did was
commit an act of journalism," said Marc Cooper, her editor at the Huffington
Post and a professor of journalism at the University of Southern California.
Fowler recorded an event, put it in context and distributed it to a wider
audience, Cooper said. "So does that make her a blogger or a journalist or what?
I don't know. The old labels and tags don't apply."
Journalism as a control point
(by Jeff Jarvis)
Citizens can listen. Citizens can talk. Citizens can share. Citizens can
publish. When they hear something newsworthy, citizens don’t need to go running
to flacks to make sure it’s OK to repeat what they heard. In that case, I’d
prefer to have citizens telling me what happens. They are less beholden than
journalists. They don’t care about the rules. They care about the news. That’s
what happened in Off the Bus’ story. If it had been a journalist hearing what
she heard, would she have run to the flack to get a cleaned-up version, as
Tomasky suggests? Would she have kept it secret because that’s what his rules
said? Or would she have reported it, as Off the Bus did?
Glaser: Paying bloggers based on page views damages a site
That method of
compensation puts the onus on the writer to get traffic and takes away from
their main job of research and writing, says Mark Glaser. "Yes, we as freelance
journalists should create work that has an audience, that people want to read,
that resonates with the public. But there's only one result of paying writers by
page view: They will pander, sensationalize and go for short-term gain over
long-term value. And it does damage the site's reputation."
Papers Tailor Online Content to Increase Audience, Ad Sales
(Associated Press)
WASHINGTON With classified revenue dwindling, the news industry must get better
at tailoring articles and display advertising to online readers, several
newspaper executives said Tuesday. Papers must more aggressively "slice and
dice" content to readers' particular interests, Leon Levitt, vice president of
digital media for Cox Newspapers Inc., said during a panel discussion at the
annual conference of the Newspaper Association of America.
Hear the Six Best Minutes of Tim Robbins' Controversial NAB Speech
Actor Criticizes
Broadcast Industry Focus on the Tawdry and Demeaning
The Blog Report
Your guide to the political blogosphere – left, right and everywhere.
Wired plots a new style for Web journalists
(Market Watch)
NEW YORK (MarketWatch)
-- For decades, journalists have relied on such time-honored books as the
Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style. But if these
well-thumbed arbiters of language and grammar seem a tad too 20th century for
your tastes, enter Wired.com. The technology-centric publication plans to unveil
a stylebook that will not only modernize its popular decade-old version but also
provide a fresh, sophisticated look at current issues facing online media… The
updated stylebook will highlight such current Web-publishing issues as anti-spam
techniques, online community standards and ways to increase rankings on Internet
search engines like Google.
Editors at ASNE Confab Explode at AP's Curley Over Rates
A recent dispute
between numerous newspaper editors and the Associated Press over rate structures
and other practices erupted again Wednesday morning during a heated session of
the Capital Conference media convention here. One top editor likened the AP
decision-making to the "Politburo."
A Name to Herald Its Merger: Thomson Reuters
As Thomson
officially completes its takeover of Reuters, the company will be unveil its new
log and name: Thomson Reuters.
Zell works to avoid capital gains taxes in Newsday deal
Sam Zell is
reportedly structuring a possible sale of Newsday in a way that could save him
hundreds of millions of dollars in capital gains taxes, reports Ellen Yan. She
says the idea of a non-cash asset swap has been swirling about talks with
suitors for Newsday, including Rupert Murdoch and Mort Zuckerman. In structuring
any type of deal to avoid more financial liabilities, Zell may be able to save
upward of $175 million on the capital gains tax and possibly more than $245
million.
Dismissal Rejected for Buyout Suit
A Texas court has
rejected a request by several banks to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to force them
to finance a $20 billion buyout of Clear Channel Communications.
New data reveal online video views are soaring
LAS VEGAS (AP) -
New data released Wednesday show online views of videos soared 66 percent in the
U.S. in February from a year earlier, with TV networks grabbing just a pittance
of those eyeballs.
New music video Web site features major label artists
LOS ANGELES (AP)
- A company backed by investors including Will Smith and major record labels has
launched a new Web site offering 10,000 free, high-definition music videos.
Universal Music Group announced Wednesday that it has joined EMI and Sony BMG in
backing Santa Monica-based PluggedIn.
Fox, Paramount Testing New-Release Downloads At iTunes
(Paid Content)
Something unusual happened for iTunes users when Juno made its DVD debut this
week: the Fox movie was also for sale as an iTunes download for $14.99 as the
News Corp unit tests downloads of new releases. It's not a wholesale change—Fox
told Variety more movies are likely to follow but on a title-by-title basis and
Juno won't be available for iTunes rental until May 14… Meanwhile, as Variety
reports, Paramount
is experimenting with new-release download sales on iTunes.
Cartoon Network taking time with multiplayer game
LOS ANGELES
(Hollywood Reporter) - They are two ends of the video game spectrum: the tiny,
personal-sized casual game on one end and, on the other, the complex, massive
multiplayer online game (MMOG) which can support thousands of players
simultaneously. Rarely, if ever, do the twain meet. Until now.
Google adapts copyright-ID technology for child-porn fight
NEW YORK
- The fight against child pornography is getting an assist from technology
designed by Google Inc. to help identify copyright-protected clips on its
YouTube video-sharing site.
Alexa Changes Rankings, Goes Beyond Dreaded Toolbar
(Mashable)
The folks at Alexa have announced that their ever so popular (but, many might
argue, often inaccurate) ranking system for web sites has been altered. The
official word on the changes is slightly vague: Alexa claims “better rankings,”
and “improved methodology,” but doesn’t go into detail.
U.K. Broadcasters Try Themed Ad Breaks
Home Show to
Feature Spots by Marketers Proud of Their Design Sense
U.K. Online Spending to Surpass TV in '09
IAB Says Economic
Slowdown Fueling Web Spending
Ad Networks, Confusion Grow on Web
(Wall Street Journal)
The business of brokering ads across clusters of Web sites has become one of the
most popular -- and overcrowded -- niches on the Web. The result is a glut of
networks competing with each other, confusing media buyers and guaranteeing that
some sort of shakeout is inevitable.
Google Sees Weakness In Clicks on Search Ads
(Wall Street Journal)
ComScore released new data late Tuesday estimating that U.S. consumer clicks on
Google search ads in the first quarter declined 9.3% from 2007's fourth quarter,
and rose just 1.8% from the 2007 first quarter. That compares with the 30%
increase in fourth-quarter clicks from the year before that Google reported in
January and a roughly 50% average increase during the previous four quarters.
This "paid click" volume matters because Google gets paid for the small text ads
it shows on Web search results pages only when a user clicks on one of them.
Technology & Science
No lie: polygraph exams go portable
Employers and law enforcement use polygraphs as a screening tool, but if you
have about $400 to spend, you can use this service, too.
Evernote: Software to help you remember everything, forever
By photographing
and saving all that you encounter, you can build a search engine for your life.
Pretty soon, we
won’t need our brains at all.
EBay Chief Says Change Isn’t Over
John Donahoe, the new chief of the Internet’s largest e-commerce site, wants
eBay to operate less like an unruly flea market and more like a strip mall.
Patient-Controlled Health Records Could Change Future of Research
Used wisely, they
may spur discoveries, but some warn privacy needs regulation
Tiny magnets used in anti-cancer gene therapy
LONDON (Reuters)
- Tiny magnets have been used to deliver anti-cancer gene therapy in mice in a
development that could make the treatment much more effective, scientists said
on Thursday.
Mice Can Sense Oxygen Through Their Skin
Finding hints of
new treatments for anemia, other diseases that affect red blood cells.
Molecule Prompts Blood Stem Cells To Help Repair Heart Damage In Animal Model
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have for the
first time used drug-treated blood stem cells to repair heart damage in an
animal model, results that might point to methods for healing injuries from
heart attacks or disease.
Mouth Swab May One Day Diagnose Lung Cancer
It offers
prospect of quick, noninvasive identification of the dangerous disease
Physical Activity Is Natural Pain Reliever For Arthritis
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — It may seem counterintuitive to exercise when suffering with
joint pain, but physical activity is actually a natural pain reliever for most
people suffering from arthritis.
Your Belly Fat Could Be Making You Hungrier
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us
hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat.
Men More Likely to Develop Cognitive Problems
They face greater
risk of losing memory and thinking skills, study finds
Antidepressants Account For Only 10% Of Fall In Suicide Rates Among Older People
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — The use of antidepressants is likely to account for only 10
per cent of the fall in suicide rates among middle aged and older people,
suggests a large study.
Earth's hum still sounds mysterious
Earth gives off a
relentless hum of countless notes completely imperceptible to the human ear,
like a giant, exceptionally quiet symphony, but the origin of this sound remains
a mystery.
Largest telescope would be out of this world
A telescope on the far side of the moon could probe the "dark ages" of the
universe while blocking out the radio-wavelength noise of Earth civilizations.
Drifting Star Discovered: Implications For Star And Planet Formation Theory
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — By studying in great detail the 'ringing' of a planet-harbouring
star, a team of astronomers using ESO's 3.6-m telescope have shown that it must
have drifted away from the metal-rich Hyades cluster. This discovery has
implications for theories of star and planet formation, and for the dynamics of
our Milky Way.
Physicists Renew Claim, in New Experiment, of Detecting Dark Matter Particles
A team of Italian
and Chinese physicists renewed a controversial claim that they had detected dark
matter particles.
Environment
German minister: Bush climate speech shows 'losership not leadership'
Berlin - German
Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel launched a scathing attack Thursday on
US President George Bush's policies to combat climate change, calling them
losership instead of leadership.
G8 business groups promote innovation to fight global warming
Tokyo - Business
groups from the Group of Eight (G8) member countries called Thursday on their
governments to push for innovation to fuel the fight against climate change.
GOING, GOING, GONE? New Satellite Images Reveal a Shrinking Amazon Rainforest
Washington, D.C.-
Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon may be on the rise, according to
high-resolution images released by an agency of the Brazilian government. The
images suggest an end to a widely hailed three-year decline in the rate of
deforestation and have spurred a public controversy among high-level Brazilian
officials, writes Tim Hirsch, author of "The Incredible Shrinking Amazon
Rainforest" in the May/June 2008 issue of World Watch magazine.
Researchers: UN panel should be created to safeguard ecosystems
Stockholm -
Scientists from a broad range of disciplines as well as politicians Thursday
agreed on the need to set up a UN panel on ecosystem sustainability, citing
threats from human development and climate change.
Mediterranean forest fires set to become 'norm': green group
ATHENS (AFP) -
Greece's lethal forest fires of last year are set to become the norm across the
Mediterranean
thanks to climate change, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) warned Thursday.
Businesses in Bay Area May Pay Fee for Emissions
Air quality
regulators in the San Francisco Bay Area appear set to begin charging hundreds
of businesses in the region for their emissions of heat-trapping gases.
Dying China oil town a warning to Beijing
YUMEN, China
(Reuters) - Dying towns are rare in booming China, but the expanses of rubble
and abandoned homes that ring the once-wealthy oil centre of Yumen mark it out
as one of them.
Wind Turbines Now Spinning On Bahrain World Trade Center
This is a quick
post to let you know that the Bahrain World Trade Center has turned on all three
of its huge wind turbines simultaneously. The three massive turbines, measuring
29 meters in diameter, are supported by bridges spanning between the complex’s
two towers. Through its positioning and the unique aerodynamic design of the
towers, the prevailing on-shore Gulf breeze is funneled into the path of the
turbines, helping to create power generation efficiency.
Click through to
see a photograph.
New study advances method to make energy from farm waste
ST. LOUIS
- Washington
University
engineers using imaging technology have found that vigorous mixing helps
microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy.
U.S. ethanol industry favors corn, but other alternatives may be better
WASHINGTON — The
nation's new energy law means that corn is likely to rule the U.S. ethanol
industry for years, but soaring food prices and questions about whether
corn-for-fuel can reduce global warming have sparked a debate about whether the
United States is going down the wrong road in the search for alternatives to
fossil fuels.
Brazil: Biofuels are not at the root of hunger crisis
BRASILIA, Brazil
- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made an impassioned defense of biofuels,
denying that their production contributes to food scarcity and rising global
prices.
A Drought in Australia, a Global Shortage of Rice
The collapse of
Australia’s rice production is one of several factors contributing to a doubling
of rice prices in the last three months.
Dell Applies Energy-Efficiency Measures to Rhode Island Town
ROUND ROCK,
Texas, April 17, 2008 -- North Kingstown, R.I. will start a wholesale conversion
of its government computers to more energy efficient systems in an effort to
save money and reduce its environmental impact.
Green Innovator: William McDonough
From Vanity
Fair’s annual green issue, a fascinating look at a designer influencing the
influencers — his high-profile projects include a green roof covered in native
grasses for The GAP in San Bruno, Nike’s energy-effective European headquarters,
and a new project with Google that’s looking big.
Illinois Promotes Light Bulb Switch for Earth Day
SPRINGFIELD,
Illinois—To lighten the planet’s load of greenhouse gases in observance of Earth
Day, Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott is encouraging state residents to switch
from traditional incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs.
Millions Of Pounds Of Trash Found On Ocean Beaches
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 17, 2008) — Ocean Conservancy released its annual report on trash in the
ocean with new data from the 2007 International Coastal Cleanup the most
comprehensive snapshot of the harmful impacts of marine debris. The mission of
Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is to engage people to remove
trash from the world’s beaches and waterways, to identify the sources of debris
and to change the behaviors that cause pollution.
BigBelly Solar Trash Receptacle
Upon first glance
you may think that a solar trash can is an extravagance municipalities can
certainly do without, but perhaps we need to take a closer look. The BigBelly is
a self-powered compacting trash receptacle. Instead of drawing electricity from
the power grid this trash can uses solar power for 100% of its energy.
Study: Elephants thought extinct may have survived
KUALA LUMPUR,
Malaysia - Borneo's pygmy elephants may be descendants of an extinct Javan
elephant race, saved by chance by an 18th century ruler, according to a new
study released Thursday.
Throw the big ones back, fishing study suggests
Commercial and
sport fishing destabilizes fish populations by targeting the biggest, oldest
fish and leaving younger fish to proliferate too wildly, U.S. researchers said
on Wednesday.
Watchdog: Organic baby formula uses banned ingredients
WASHINGTON
- A Wisconsin group claims organic baby formula commonly uses ingredients that
are prohibited by federal regulations and wants the government to stop the
practice.
