E-reader News Edition - 01/12/10 http://www.LibertyNewspost.

com

Lady Gaga, WikiLeaks and :’(

Deborah Zabarenko (Front Row like ‘Lady Gaga’ … erase the what … im just me … really”
Washington) music … then write a compressed A far cry from the outrageous,
Submitted at 11/30/2010 11:21:56 AM split file … no-one suspected a dress-to-be-noticed Lady Gaga.
thing. listened and lip-synched to Photo credits: REUTERS/Laszlo
Washington has been buzzing for Lady Gaga’s Telephone while Balogh (U.S. pop singer Lady
days about Bradley Manning, the exfiltrating possibly the largest Gaga performs on stage during
2 3 - y e a r - o l d U . S . A r m y data spillage in american history,” her concert in Budapest
intelligence analyst at the heart of M a n n i n g w r o t e i n t h e November 7, 2010)
the investigation into the leak of a uncapitalized, lightly punctuated REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (A
quarter-million State Department style of a webchat. woman reads U.S. newspaper
d i p l o m a t i c c a b l e s b y t h e “pretty simple, and unglamorous front pages about the latest
w h i s t l e b l o w e r w e b s i t e … weak servers, weak logging, Wikileaks document release
WikiLeaks. weak physical security, weak outside the Newseum in
And then there’s the Lady Gaga counter-intelligence, inattentive Washington November 29, 2010)
connection. signal analysis … a perfect storm” This entry passed through the
Manning said he listened to the “funny thing is … we transferred Full-Text RSS service — if this is
flamboyantly-dressed singer’s so much data on unmarked CDs your content and you're reading it
“Telephone” as he pulled the … everyone did … videos … emoticon :’( to signal how he felt. chores that seem far outside the on someone else's site, please read
documents off a military server in movies … music … all out in the “i cant believe what im confessing Iraq war zone: our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
Baghdad, according to a transcript open” to you :’( i’ve been isolated so “ran a barbecue … but no-one content-only/faq.php
of online chats Manning had with For those who ask, reasonably long … i just wanted to be nice, showed up … threw a lot of food Five Filters featured article:
a former hacker, Adrian Lamo. enough, how an Army private and live a normal life … but away” Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
The chats, which occurred earlier apparently got access to this kind events kept forcing me to figure “regularly ignored … except Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
t h i s y e a r , w e r e p o s t e d b y of government data, this looks out ways to survive … smart when i had something essential … Catastrophe.
Wired.com on June 10. Lamo like one possible answer. enough to know whats going on, then it was back to ‘bring me
confirmed details of the chats to Beyond the Gaga link, the but helpless to do anything … no- coffee, then sweep the floor’”
Reuters. transcript offers a picture of a one took any notice of me :’(” “im not sure whether i’d be
“i would come in with music on a lonely, unappreciated person, who When he wasn’t at the computer, considered a type of ‘hacker’,
CD-RW labeled with something several times used a teary-faced Manning was doing various ‘cracker’, ‘hacktivist’, ‘leaker’ or
The Worn-Out Heart
Helen Vendler (The New Canti Jonathan Galassi
Republic - All Feed) By Giacomo Leopardi (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 498
Translated and annotated by pp., $35)
2 Headline/ E-reader News Edition

Washington Extra – Pirate justice

Simon Denyer (Front Row from Somali pirates, but failed to Fed nominee Diamond: Limit tax
Washington) drum up any business. cut extension
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:36:43 PM They may not have caught any Federal Reserve Board nominee
pirates but the New York Times Peter Diamond says extending
The U.S. government would reports that practices on-board the Bush-era tax cuts for the
surely love to get its revenge on vessel were “little improved from wealthiest Americans would be
Julian Assange, and the Justice the days of Blackbeard.” One the wrong medicine.
Department says a criminal former crew member, caught For more of this story by Mark
investigation has already begun. drinking during a port call to Felsenthal, read here.
But specialists in espionage law Jordan, was apparently “placed in Senate rejects proposal to ban
tell us that peculiarities of i r o n s ” , w h i c h m i g h t s o u n d earmarks
American law make it virtually appealing in an evil sort of way The Senate rejected a proposed
impossible to bring a successful until you learn it amounted to ban on the pet spending projects
case against Assange, even if he being handcuffed to the towel known as earmarks that have
were to set foot on U.S. soil. rack. Meanwhile, I am officially become a symbol of wasteful
Evidence would be needed that banishing from my mind any spending for many voters.
defendants were in contact with thoughts of Dick Cheney, cutlass Republicans in the House and
representatives of a foreign power in hand, forcing Assange to walk Nominees for official office, Drawbaugh and Donna Smith, Senate have adopted a voluntary
and intended to provide them with the plank into a shark-infested especially those facing tough read here. ban, but their unity will be tested
secrets, evidence that has not yet sea. confirmation votes, usually go to Obama, Republicans agree to as eight broke with the party to
surfaced. More seriously, Republican ground, but Diamond is clearly negotiate on taxes vote against giving that ban the
S o a l t h o u g h t h e l e a k e d leaders were almost purring today cut from a different cloth. The President Obama said he still force of law and several have
documents may make intelligence after emerging from their meeting Nobel laureate told Reuters disagreed with Republicans on indicated that they may continue
sharing harder in the future, and with President Barack Obama, Insider Television the U.S. whether to extend Bush-era tax to seek earmarks next year. Most
may make foreign governments apparently confident they have the economy needed more fiscal cuts for the wealthiest Americans, Democrats also voted against the
reluctant to trust the U.S. with upper hand over the question of policy support but added that but the two sides agreed to measure, which would have lasted
sensitive information, retribution extending the tax cuts. Both sides extending the Bush-era tax cuts negotiate a deal in the coming until October 2013.
could be tough. said the meeting had been for the wealthiest Americans days. Obama said appointed Tim For more of this story by Andy
Former Arkansas Governor Mike positive, but in the end there was would be the wrong medicine – a Geithner and budget director Jack Sullivan, read here.
Huckabee took aim at whoever little sign – yet — of common view that could cost him the Lew to work with Republicans Senate passes overhaul of US
leaked the documents, saying they ground. Obama cut a much more s u p p o r t o f s o m e w a v e r i n g and Democrats to come up with a food safety system
should be tried for treason and defensive figure after the meeting, Republicans. compromise. “We should work to The Senate has passed the largest
“executed.” Others might yearn stressing the disagreements more Here are our top stories from make sure that taxes will not go overhaul of the food safety system
for a bit of pirate justice, for both than the idea of a possible Washington today… up by thousands of dollars on hard in decades, a response to massive
Assange and the leaker. bipartisan accord. The two sides U.S. deficit panel postpones vote -working middle-class Americans r e c a l l s . T h e H o u s e o f
Talking of which, one gem from have agreed to negotiate further, on plan come January 1, which would be Representatives backed a different
t h e l e a k e d c a b l e s w a s t h e but even though they are to set up A presidential commission disastrous for those families but version in July 2009. With their
revelation that the world’s most a working group, the maneuvering looking for ways to slash the also could be crippling for the post-election session due to end
controversial private security continues. Democrats are now budget deficit has postponed by economy,” Obama told reporters. by mid-December, lawmakers
company had reconfigured a 183- promising a vote in the House on two days a vote on its final plan, For more of this story by Jeff have just weeks to resolve their
foot boat into a pirate-hunting Thursday on just extending the commission co-Chairmen Alan Mason, read here. differences and send legislation to
vessel. Blackwater had apparently cuts for the middle classes. Simpson and Erskine Bowles For scenarios of how the tax President Obama.
offered its services to shipping Finally, hats off to Fed board said. battle could play out, by Kim
companies seeking protection n o m i n e e P e t e r D i a m o n d . WASHINGTON page 3
For more of this story by Kevin Dixon, read here.
E-reader News Edition
WASHINGTON
continued from page 2
For more of this story by Charles
Abbott, read here.
One U.S. military network cut off
from cables
The State Department has cut off
a military computer network from
its database of diplomatic cables
after WikiLeaks obtained more
than 250,000 such cables, a senior
official said. The official said the
system was believed to have been
the source for the cables obtained
by the whistleblower website,
which have been a severe
embarrassment to the government
because they contain candid,
critical assessments of foreign
leaders. But Defense Secretary
Robert Gates has sought to play
down the significance of the
leaks. “Is this embarrassing? Yes.
Is it awkward? Yes.
Consequences for U.S. foreign
policy? I think fairly modest,” he
told reporters at the Pentagon.
For more of this story by Arshad
Mohammed and Ross Colvin,
read here.
Military study gives green light
to end gay ban
The Pentagon has unveiled a
study that played down the impact
of ending the military’s ban on
gays, but worries among generals
about the fallout on troops
fighting abroad could delay
action. The study dismissed or
minimized concerns raised in
Congress and some quarters of the
military about President Obama’s
The Charnel Continent
Istvan Deak (The New Republic
- All Feed)
plans to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” — hopefully by the end of
the year.
For more of this story by Phil
Stewart and Ross Colvin, read
here.
Obama urges Senate approval of
START nuclear pact
President Obama reiterated his
call for the Senate to ratify a new
nuclear arms control treaty with
Russia, calling it “absolutely
essential” to national security.
The president has pledged to
make ratification a top priority for
the remaining weeks of the
current session of Congress, but
Republican opponents have
shown no sign of removing
obstacles that stand in the way.
For more of this story, read here.
US proposes broadcast airwaves
for wireless use
Telecommunications regulators
proposed freeing up more
airwaves for wireless services to
meet the expanding use of
handheld devices. The FCC voted
unanimously to seek public
comment on the proposals that
include the use of some broadcast
television airwaves for wireless
devices. “The explosive growth of
mobile communications threatens
to outpace the infrastructure on
which it relies,” FCC Chairman
Julius Genachowski said.
For more of this story by Jasmin
Melvin, read here.
Senator group opposes extending
Bloodlands: Europe Between
Hitler And Stalin
ethanol tax break
A bipartisan group of senators
called for an end to a tariff on
ethanol imports and subsidies to
ethanol blenders, saying the
program is too expensive and
increases dependency on foreign
oil. The ethanol industry is
fighting to have a lame-duck
Congress extend the tariff and
subsidy for blending ethanol into
gasoline before they expire at the
end of December.
For more of this story by Tom
Doggett, read here.
TSA says airlines providing more
passenger data
All passengers on flights to, from
and within the United States are
being checked against
government security watchlists,
the TSA said. TSA said all of the
nearly 130 international carriers
flying to and from the U.S. have
begun collecting new data from
passengers, including their full
name, date of birth and gender,
which are then checked against
the lists, a program known as
Secure Flight.
For more of this story by Jeremy
Pelofsky, read here.
What we are blogging…
Lady Gaga, WikiLeaks and :’(
Washington has been buzzing
about Bradley Manning, the 23-
year-old Army intelligence
analyst at the heart of the
investigation into the WikiLeaks
leaks. And then there’s the Lady
By Timothy Snyder
(Basic Books, 524 pp., $29.95)
Business/ Politics-Left/
Gaga connection. Manning said
he listened to “Telephone” as he
pulled documents off a server in
Baghdad, according to his online
chats with former hacker Adrian
Lamo, who confirmed details of
the chats to Reuters.
For Deborah Zabarenko’s full
post, read here.
From elsewhere…
Oxford English Dictionary
relaunch online version
The Oxford English Dictionary’s
(OED) online version has
relaunched, a decade after it first
appeared on the internet. The new
version contains 600,000 words,
three million quotations and
covers more than 1,000 years of
the English language, organizers
said.
For more of this story, read here.
Photo credit: Reuters/Valentin
Flauraud (Assange holds news
conference in Geneva on Nov. 4)
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Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Catastrophe.
3
Steven Rattner: Here's
How We Bring Down
Our $1.3 Trillion Deficit
William Wei (Business Insider)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:45:00 PM
How can we bring down our
country's massive $1.3 trillion
budget deficit? Former "car czar"
and Quadrangle co-founder
Steven Rattner thinks that the
Bush tax cuts eventually have to
expire – still leaving us with the
historically low tax rates created
by the Clinton Administration.
"We have to make tough choices,"
Rattner told us. "You cannot have
this level of taxes and this level of
spending and ever close the gap."
This interview is part of our
Driven Leaders series.
Watch Steven Rattner's Full
Interview HERE >
Sponsored by:
Produced by Will Wei &
Kamelia Angelova.
Watch More Highlights:
• Steven Rattner: President
Obama Has Done A Very Good
Job
• Individuals Investing In The
Market On Their Own Are Insane,
Says Steven Rattner
• Here's How TARP Saved The
Country
• STEVE RATTNER ON THE
KICKBACK SCANDAL: It's The
Most Painful Thing That's Ever
Happened To Me
Join the conversation about this
story »
4 Headline/ Business/
Can Obama launch “peace talks” with Republicans
at Camp David?
Caren Bohan (Front Row
Washington)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:59:48 PM
Nov 30, 2010 17:59 EST
Camp David may be getting
ready for another round of peace
talks – of the domestic variety.
President Barack Obama is
emphasizing bipartisanship after
the midterm election shellacking
dealt by Republicans and today
decided to wave a olive branch —
the possibility of a summit wiith
congressional leaders early next
year at the presidential retreat.
He offered the invite at a White
House meeting with leaders of
both parties where they discussed
tax cuts, the START treaty, and
other issues Obama wants to see
resolved during the remainder of
the “lame duck” session of
Congress.
An invitation to Camp David is
considered an honor. In
fact, Obama said Senate
Democratic leader Harry Reid
mentioned to him that despite 28
years in Congress, he had never
been to Camp David.
“And so I told him, well, we’re
going to have to get them all
up there sometime soon,” Obama
said.
Obama has long cast himself as a
bridge builder but the post-
election call for bipartisanship has
been greeted skeptically on both
the right and the left. The
president himself acknowledged
that a “hyperpartisan”
environment could make any
effort to work across party lines
extremely difficult.
He also said even the idea of
bipartisanship can fall victim to
insincerity and showmanship as
each side tries to “win the news
cycle instead of solving
problems.”
“A lot of times coming out of
they remained far apart on issues
like taxes, though they agreed to
put the debate over the Bush-era
tax cuts on a fast track. A working
group that will include Treasury
Secretary Timothy Geithner,
White House budget director Jack
Lew along with key lawmakers
will convene to try to strike a
deal.
As difficult as the tax cut issue
will be to resolve, the Camp
David meeting is likely to deal
with issues that are broader and a
lot more challenging. Those
include finding a way to jumpstart
the economy and rein in the huge
U.S. budget deficit.
Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Reed
(Obama after meeting with
these meetings, both sides claim congressional leaders)
they want to work together, but This entry passed through the
try to paint the opponent as Full-Text RSS service — if this is
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cooperate,” he said. on someone else's site, please read
T h e h u r d l e s i n c o n v e n i n g our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
Tuesday’s two-hour meeting content-only/faq.php
underscore the challenges. Five Filters featured article:
Obama had initially proposed a Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
meeting on Nov. 18 that would Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
have included a working dinner, Catastrophe.
but that fell through when
Republicans cited scheduling
conflicts.
Both sides called Tuesday
morning’s session productive but
E-reader News Edition
Trina Solar Under
Pressure After
Earnings Report
Steven Mallas (BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:00:00 PM
Filed under: Earnings Reports,
Trina Solar ADS (TSL),
Technology Trina Solar Limited (
TSL) is having a little trouble this
session getting a bid. Actually, it's
having a lot of trouble. At the
time of this writing, the
company's American Depository
Shares (ADSs) were down 7% to
$22.21. Significant volume
accompanied the sell-off.
Earlier today, the maker of solar
photovoltaic items reported
results for the third quarter.
According to Reuters, sales went
up over 100% to $508 million.
Net income of $1.08 per ADS
beat the consensus estimate by 21
pennies. The gross margin
experienced an improvement on a
year-over-year basis. Seems like a
data set that should be bought,
right?
Continue reading Trina Solar
Under Pressure After Earnings
Report
Trina Solar Under Pressure After
Earnings Report originally
appeared on BloggingStocks on
Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST.
Please see our terms for use of
feeds. Read| Permalink| Email
this| Comments
E-reader News Edition Business/ Technology/ 5

REMINDER: Here Are The "Sex Crimes" Interpol

Afro Chic Campaigns -
Wants Julian Assange Arrested For The 'Peep Toe' Spring
2010 Lookbook is Fierce
Henry Blodget (Business At least as the Sydney Herald's
Insider) Asher Moses tells it, there's not and Fro-Licious
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:06:00 PM much in the stories about forced (GALLERY)
sex or "molestation" or politically
It was initially assumed, when -driven hit jobs. Mostly it's about (TREND HUNTER - The Latest
the molestation and rape charges Trends)
two Julian Assange fans annoyed
were filed in Sweden against that the rock star Wikileaks Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:56:03 PM

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange founder charmed their pants off

a couple months back, that they and then bolted. ( TrendHunter.com) The 'Peep
were a political hit job--an The rape charges have since been Toe' Spring 2010 campaign
attempt to silence him for dropped. The "molestation" showcases the Australian shoes
publishing stuff that powerful charge is outstanding. brand's sophisticated and retro
people don't want to see And now Interpol has issued a stiletto styles for the coming
published. warrant for Assange's arrest... season. Photographed by
Then the stories underlying the Join the conversation about this Christopher Ferguson, redheaded
charges were published, and it story » model Juliana Forge...
seemed something else was at See Also:
work. (Women scorned). • Watch This Bizarre Interview,
But now Wikileaks has published Where Swedish Prosecutors
a whole new trove of documents,
it, they're complaints from two them on back-to-back evenings. Claim Rape Charge Against
causing US politicians to howl
women annoyed that they let One was annoyed that, after Wikileaks Founder Was Normal
that Julian Assange should be
Assange seduce them. seducing her in a movie theater, Procedure
arrested for espionage.
The two women who filed the he spent the 45 minutes in the cab • WHOOPS: Swedish
And now Interpol has issued a Prosecutors Drop Rape Charges
original charges had sex with riding from a movie to her
warrant for Assange's arrest on Against Wikileaks Founder
Assange on successive nights. apartment "tweeting and texting
the sex charges! • C o n g r e s s m a n Calls For
Both seemed pissed that he a n d r e a d i n g s t o r i e s a b o u t
What are those sex charges, Wikileaks Whistleblower To Be
charmed them into bed and then himself." Both said he preferred
anyway? Executed
never called them again. Both not to wear a condom. One said
Assuming they're the same
were mortified to learn, after the he seemed to have an aversion to
Swedish sex charges, to hear the
fact, that he had had sex with the word "no." And so on...
Sydney Herald's Asher Moses tell

Run Haskell on Xen - No Operating System Required!

Klint Finley (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:30:00 PM
Galois has released the Haskell
Lightweight Virtual Machine
today. The VM, released under a
BSD license, allows users to run
Haskell programs in Xen "on bare
metal." Users will boot right into
the Haskell application.
Sponsor
From the company's
announcement: What might you
do with a HaLVM? Pretty much
anything you want. :) Explore
designs for operating system
decomposition, examine new
notions of mobile computation
with the HaLVM and Xen
migration, or find interesting
network services and lock them
inside small, cheap, single-
purpose VMs.
The seems similar to the Mirage,
which we previously covered
here. Mirage is based on
Objective Caml instead of
Haskell, but has a similar goal:
creating an ultralight OS layer for
cloud applications.
Galaois is an information
assurance company based in
Portland, OR. Discuss
6 Business/ Technology/ E-reader News Edition

Sahara Solar Project Aims to Power the Planet With Sand

Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:37:25 PM
Desertification, or the
degradation of land in dry and
arid areas, is a nasty byproduct of
climate change. But deserts can
help our planet too--just ask the
University of Tokyo researchers
behind the Sahara Solar Breeder
Project, an initiative that aims to
produce 50 percent of the planet's
electricity using sand by 2050.
The key is silica, a material found
in Sahara sand and the raw
material for silicon. The initiative
leaders imagine that silicon
manufacturing plants built
throughout the Sahara could turn
sand into silicon, which could
then be used to manufacture
silicon solar panels. Some of the
panels could be used to power the
manufacturing plants.
There are just a few problems
with the project: no one has ever
tried to transform desert sand into
silicon before, and the team only
has a budget of $2 million for the
next five years--hardly enough to
complete world-changing
research, let alone build a series
of manufacturing plants. So the
team has planned more modest
goals for the short term: While we
develop technology for using
must be cooled with liquid
nitrogen in a tropical climate. So
for the time being, the goal of
this research will be to obtain data
on issues such as how deep the
superconducting pipeline must be
buried to minimize temperature
fluctuations.
This isn't the only solar-powered
project planned for the Sahara.
The Desertec Foundation hopes to
generate 15 percent of Europe's
electricity by 2050 using solar
desert sand to make just one ton And we will obtain basic data for plants in the region.
of silicon per year, or actually s o l v i n g t h o s e p r o b l e m s . [youtube UdO6T1TIDzQ]
build just one power plant in the Regarding superconductors, to Ariel Schwartz can be reached on
desert, all sorts of problems, connect the power supply from Twitter or by email.
such as sandstorms, will arise. the desert to the world, the cables

Can Starbucks Really Recycle Its Cups?

Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company) The key will be convincing mills Summit-Structured
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:11:56 PM that it makes economic sense to Schools - Feld72
adopt the fiber recycling process. 'Kindergarten Terenten'
Starbucks has the ambitious goal "Our goal is to prove that there's a
of making 100 percent of its cups market value for our cup stock,
Natural Learning
(one billion used each year) and for the recycling community Environment
recyclable or reusable by 2015. and paper manufacturers to see (GALLERY)
We started documenting the monetary value in that," Jim
coffee giant's quest for a better (TREND HUNTER - The Latest
Hanna, Starbucks' director of Trends)
cup in a recent issue of Fast environmental impact, recently
Company, but Starbucks has explained to Fast Company. Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:32:02 PM

made some progress since then.
The company announced this
week that it finished a six-week
pilot project demonstrating that
Starbucks cups' liquid-proof
interior coating isn't a roadblock
to recycling.
The project, completed as part of
a partnership with International
Paper Company and Mississippi
River Pulp, gathered up 6,000
pounds of old Starbucks cups
from 170 storefronts in the
Toronto area and shipped them
off to the Mississippi River Pulp
mill, where they were recycled
into new cups.
There's a hitch, though: the
Mississippi River Pulp mill is the
only pulp mill in the country with
the capacity to perform the
recycling process that turns used
Starbucks cups into high-quality
fiber for new cups. In order to use
the process on a larger scale,
Starbucks would have to persuade
other pulp mills to get on board.
Next up for Starbucks: testing the
cup-to-cup recycling process in
larger cities. And after that,
expanding the process even
further--hopefully by 2015.
Ariel Schwartz can be reached on
Twitter or by email.
( TrendHunter.com) New methods
of teaching and learning are
cropping up throughout the
Western world like the Feld72
'Kindergarten Terenten' project.
The Alps-inspired structure links
architecture to nature, providing
a...
E-reader News Edition
Morgan Stanley Jacks Christmas iPhone Serious Money: AIG
Sales Expectations: 16 Million Is New Takeover by Fairholme
Estimate (AAPL, NOK, GOOG)
Dan Frommer (Business
Insider)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:33:59 PM
Morgan Stanley just jacked its
Q4 smartphone forecast to 99.4
million units, up from its previous
estimate of 88.2 million units,
analyst Ehud Gelblum writes in a
note.
• Specifically, Gelblum now
thinks Apple will sell 16 million
iPhones in the December quarter,
up from his previous estimate of
13.2 million, and up from 14
million shipments last quarter.
• Gelblum also expects Nokia to
ship 31.1 million smartphones, up
from his previous estimate of 28.9
million, and up from 26.5 million
last quarter.
• He expects 28 million Android
devices sold in Q4, up from 5.2
million in Q1.
Top 100 Trends in November 2010 - From Surreal Suspended
Photography to Hypnotic Hood Photography (COUNTDOWN)
(TREND HUNTER - The Latest
Trends)
Business/ Technology/ 7
Capital?
Sheldon Liber (BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:30:00 PM
Filed under: Microsoft (MSFT),
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A),
McDonald's (MCD), Amer Intl
Group (AIG), Chasing Value[TM]
Perusing through the 13D filings
in Barron's November 29 issue I
came across news reported by
Prior to "my pal Warren" (Buffett)
InsiderScore.com regarding making an offer to acquire the
American International Group,
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Inc. ( AIG). It was noted Railroad for Berkshire Hathaway
that"Fairholme Capital raised its
( BRK.A) it only owned 23% of
holdings to 39,990,099 shares the outstanding shares.
(29%), by buying 1,765,900 Continue reading Serious Money:
shares from Nov. 5 to Nov. 16 at AIG Takeover by Fairholme
• Gelblum expects 112 million Join the conversation about this prices ranging from $41.72 to Capital?
Android shipments in 2011, story » $43.59."
Serious Money: AIG Takeover
versus 47 million iPhones, and 28 See Also: I do not usually make mention of by Fairholme Capital? originally
million Windows Phone units. • 10 Things We Love And Hate such things but owning 29% of a
appeared on BloggingStocks on
About Apple's New MacBook Air company capitalized at $5.6 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST.
G e l b l u m n o w t h i n k s t h e • 10 Fascinating Things We billion dollars is a lot. I would Please see our terms for use of
smartphone market will grow to Learned About Netflix On Quora even go as far as to say that in feeds. Permalink| Email this|
297 million devices next year, up • Here's What Next Year's iPad some circumstances that might Comments
62% year-over-year. Will Look Like equate to controlling interest.
Don't miss: Mary Meeker's
Awesome Presentation About The
State Of The Web
( TrendHunter.com) For the include Surreal Suspended Sensual Shoots. The rankings are
month of November 2010, these Photography, Photoshop based on millions of views...
are the Top 100 trends, which Schadenfreude and Solitary
8 Business/ Technology/
Brain Drain: Google's Green Guru is Latest to Step
Down
Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:09:11 PM
The latest big brain to leave
Google is Dan Reicher, the
company's director of climate
change and energy initiatives for
the past four years. No matter
how hard it tries, Google just isn't
as lithe and entrepreneurial as it
was in its early days. It's hard to
keep the startup atmosphere in a
company of 23,000 people (up
from 5,000 five years ago). Even
the company's " 20 percent time"
for employees to work on their
own projects hasn't been enough
to retain top talent like Reicher.
Reicher made an impressive
impact at Google--he helped
create the company's RE>C goal
(making renewable energy
cheaper than coal), oversaw the
development of grid-connected
Ford Escape and Toyota Prius
hybrids, and developed the
proposal that led Google to invest
in an underwater transmission
grid off the Atlantic Coast of the
U.S.
Now the former Googler is
heading to Stanford, where he will
oversee the new interdisciplinary
Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy
Policy and Finance as executive
director. Reicher will also serve as
a professor at the Law School and
lecturer at the Graduate School of
Business.
No word on who will take over at
Google, but it's safe to say that the
replacement will have many of
the same grand alternative energy
ambitions as Reicher.
Ariel Schwartz can be reached on
Twitter or by email.
E-reader News Edition
Reeder for Mac
RSS client
reaches beta
Michael Rose (TUAW)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:30:00 PM
If you're a fan of Reeder on the
iPad and you're looking for a new
RSS client on your Mac, heads
up: the first public beta of Reeder
for Mac is now available for
download. The free testing
version is decidedly incomplete --
no downloads, no feed
management and no search yet,
according to developer Sivio
Rizzi -- but it's still worth a look.
The feed reader integrates with a
slew of third-party services like
Instapaper, Twitter and Pinboard,
and it maintains the sleek,
minimal interface of the iPad and
iPhone apps. Everyone's always
looking for the ultimate Google
Reader local client, and if you
crave simplicity Reeder may be
for you.
Reeder for Mac RSS client
reaches beta originally appeared
on TUAW on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
22:30:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Source| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
E-reader News Edition
Closing Bell: Stock Losses
Becoming Normal, Again (BEZ,
ABB, GLD, STX, DECK, BAC)
Jon Ogg (BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:00:00 PM
Filed under: Bank of America
(BAC) The ups and downs and
the panic monitoring of the
European Union is getting
tiresome. Now we know how
European portfolio managers felt
in late-2007 through early-2009
when the only news that mattered
was U.S. banking woes.
Consumer confidence was higher
and regional business surveys
showed an increase as well. That
trumped lower housing prices
today. Markets tried to come back
again today but slid lower late in
the day as few investors want the
overnight risk.
Here were today's unofficial
closing bell levels:
Dow Jones 11,006.02 -46.47 (-
0.42%)
S&P 500 1,180.54 -7.22 (-0.61%)
Chinese PMI Comes In Hot At
55.2, Door Open For More
Tightening
Gregory White (Money Game)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:01:00 PM
Headline Number: 55.2
Expectations: 54.80, a small rise
on October's 54.70.
Analysis: Chinese PMI came in
hotter than expected at 55.2.
The higher than expected number
Nasdaq 2,498.23 -26.99 (-1.07%)
Top Analyst Calls
Top Biotechs of 2010
Continue reading Closing Bell:
Stock Losses Becoming Normal,
Again (BEZ, ABB, GLD, STX,
DECK, BAC)
Closing Bell: Stock Losses
Becoming Normal, Again (BEZ,
ABB, GLD, STX, DECK, BAC)
originally appeared on
BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov
2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see
our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink| Email this| Comments
could lead to more domestic
tightening measures within China
to control inflation. But it wasn't
too hot, so it's unlikely we will see
any drastic moves from Chinese
officials, while they wait for more
November data.
Join the conversation about this
story »
Business/ Top News/ Economy/ 9
South Korea plans new drills as China
avoids blaming North (Reuters)
(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed) to push the U.N. Security Council resumption of so-called "six-party
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:29:58 PM to condemn North Korea's nuclear talks" it walked out of two years
program and the attack on ago.
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea Yeonpyeong was on the verge of North Korea has conducted two
plans more military drills after collapse because of China's nuclear tests to date and is
U . S . w a r s h i p s l e a v e o n unwillingness to apportion blame, believed to have enough fissile
Wednesday, Yonhap news agency envoys said. material from its plutonium-based
said, a move likely to add to The reason for the virtual program to make between six and
tension on the divided peninsula breakdown of talks on two 12 bombs.
after last week's attack by the s e p a r a t e S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l It is also seen as a proliferation
North. statements to rebuke Pyongyang risk, accused by the West of
T h e i s o l a t e d N o r t h ' s o n l y was China's demand for removal supplying Syria, and possibly
powerful ally, China, protected of key words such as "condemn" Iran, with nuclear know-how.
Pyongyang from censure by the and "violation." South Korea's Foreign Ministry
U.N. Security Council for last The United States and South said on Tuesday the North's
week's deadly bombardment of Korea are pressing China, which nuclear program, last week's
the South's Yonpyeong island, an has not blamed North Korea for attack on Yeonpyeong and a
attack many analysts believe was the island attack, or for the Chinese proposal for emergency
an attempt by the impoverished sinking of a South Korean naval talks would be raised at meeting
state to grab attention and force vessel in March, to do more to of foreign ministers in
the resumption of international rein in its ally. Washington in early December.
negotiations that could bring it President Lee Myung-bak, South Korea, Japan and the
aid. widely criticized at home for a United States, three of the six
As the nuclear-powered USS perceived weak response to the countries involved in the on-off
George Washington heads out of North Korean attack, has twice disarmament talks, will attend.
Korean waters back to Japan, w a r n e d t h a t a n y f u r t h e r (Additional reporting by Louis
South Korea is planning further provocation would be met with Charbonneau at the United
artillery drills, "including waters force.
close to the Yellow Sea border Outgoing Defense Minister Kim
Nations; Editing by Jonathan
Thatcher)
(with the North)" starting on Tae-young told lawmakers on This entry passed through the
Monday, Yonhap said. Tuesday that there was an "ample Full-Text RSS service — if this is
The Defense Ministry would not possibility" the North may stage your content and you're reading it
comment on the report. Such another provocation after the joint on someone else's site, please read
d r i l l s a r e c o m m o n a n d t h e maneuvers end. our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
e x e r c i s e w o u l d b e w e s t o f THREATS AND BOASTS content-only/faq.php
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defense readiness posture against of all-out war and its boasting on Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
a n y p o s s i b l e a d d i t i o n a l Tuesday of huge nuclear advances Catastrophe.
provocations by North Korea," it are aimed at holding the world's
said, quoting officials. attention as it seeks aid and other
An attempt by France and Britain economic sweeteners with the
10 Top News/ Culture/
Nigeria: Anti-graft agency seeks Shell comment (AP)
(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:27:51 PM
LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigeria's anti-
graft agency wants to question the
local managing directors of Royal
Dutch Shell PLC and oil service
firm Halliburton over allegations
they bribed authorities in Africa's
most populous nation, an official
said Tuesday.
The investigation by the nation's
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission comes after U.S.
authorities found those firms and
others encouraged massive
corruption within the troubled
Nigerian Customs Service and
elsewhere. The U.S. cases
uncovered that Shell and other oil
firms paid millions of dollars in
bribes to customs officials to
circumvent import rules for
offshore rigs, ships and other
equipment coming into the
nation's notoriously slow ports.
However, officials in oil-rich
Nigeria, a major source of easily
refined crude for the U.S.'
gasoline demand, have been slow
to launch their own investigations
into the allegations.
"It will always start from
somewhere," said Femi Babafemi,
a spokesman for commission.
"Since it started there, it is
necessary for us to take actions on
our own part. It is a different thing
Guess Which Shirtless Guy Is on the Beach With a Baby?
PopSugar (PopSugar)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:00:15 PM
(than) if we have the information
and we look the other way."
The requests to speak with Shell
and Halliburton come from two
different cases brought forward in
the U.S. under the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act. That law
makes it unlawful for companies
doing work in the U.S. to bribe
foreign government officials or
company executives to secure or
retain business.
The Halliburton case involves its
former subsidiary KBR, a major
engineering and construction
services firm based in Houston. In
February 2009, KBR pleaded
guilty in U.S. federal court to
authorizing and paying bribes
from 1995 to 2004 for contracts in
Nigeria, an OPEC-member
nation.
KBR split from Halliburton in
2007. It agreed to pay more than
$400 million in fines in the plea
deal.
In the Shell case, U.S. authorities
accused the oil firm of bribing
Nigerian customs officials with
$3.5 million to quickly process
needed equipment for its offshore
Bonga field. That field can
provide Shell and its partner, the
state-run Nigerian National
Petroleum Corp., with 225,000
barrels of oil and 150 million
cubic feet of gas a day.
As part of a U.S. plea deal, Shell
It's a special edition of guess
who! Good luck! Question 1 of 7
Who's holding onto a baby at the
agreed to relinquish about $18
million in profits and interest. In
addition, Shell Nigerian
Exploration and Production Co.
Ltd. agreed to pay a $30 million
criminal fine.
Babafemi said Tuesday that his
agency had been in contact with
Halliburton and Shell, but did not
know whether the top country
officials will submit to
questioning by investigators.
Shell spokesman Tony Okonedo
said the company's Nigerian
subsidiary "will cooperate with
any investigation local authorities
will undertake," but declined to
comment further.
Houston-based Halliburton
spokeswoman Cathy Mann said
the managing director of the
company's Nigerian subsidiary
did appear Tuesday before the
agency. However, Mills said
Halliburton employees had no
part in the KBR project.
Last week, anti-graft
investigators raided Halliburton's
offices and arrested 12
employees, as well as 11
employees of a Panalpina World
Transport (Holding) Ltd.
subsidiary. U.S. court documents
claim Panalpina bribed officials
with $27 million from 2002 to
2007 in Angola, Brazil,
Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Russia to
bypass customs rules.
beach? Matt Damon Lance
Those arrested included two
expatriates working for
Halliburton and four working for
Panalpina, Babafemi said. The
spokesman said Tuesday all had
been released on bail.
Shell and Halliburton aren't the
only companies accused in U.S.
court documents. Oil service
firms Pride International Inc.,
Noble Corp., Transocean Inc. and
GlobalSantaFe Corp., as well as
shipping company Tidewater Inc.,
also were accused of bribing
Nigerian officials.
Babafemi declined to say
whether his agency would launch
investigations into the other
companies.
"We are not only alarmed by the
fact that government officials are
involved, but we are also alarmed
by the rate at which multinational
companies are coming to Nigeria
to perpetrate this kind of crime,"
Babafemi said.
Questions also remain over
whether the customs officials who
accepted the bribes will face
charges or discipline. Analysts
and watchdog groups routinely
label Nigeria as one of the world's
most corrupt countries, with
officials from government
ministers to local policemen
shaking down bribes from passers
-by and those hoping to do
business in the country of 150
Armstrong Tom Brady Ryan
Phillippe
E-reader News Edition
million people. The investigations
also come after U.S. authorities
concluded their investigations and
the companies involved made plea
agreements.
Customs service spokesman
Wale Adeniyi did not respond to a
request for comment Tuesday.
___
Online:
Halliburton: http://
www.halliburton.com/
Royal Dutch Shell PLC: http://
www.shell.com
Panalpina World Transport
(Holding) Ltd.: http://
www.panalpina.com
(This version CORRECTS
Corrects name of Halliburton
spokeswoman to Mann instead of
Mills in 12th paragraph. This
story is part of AP's general news
and financial services.)
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E-reader News Edition Top News/ Technology/ Food/ 11

Cable: US ambassador praised ex- Google expects to launch

Gitmo inmate (AP) e-books sales soon
(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed) made the case for accepting the file, which he described as a (CNET News.com) books on Google's servers.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:04:28 PM Guantanamo detainees. kind of vindication for a man who Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:55:32 PM Google hasn't revealed who or
Stroum seemed impressed by was held among people labeled as how many partners it has in the
L O N D O N – T h e U . S . what she described as Begg's "the worst of the worst" by then We may get to check out effort. But traditional revenue-
ambassador to Luxembourg " a r t i c u l a t e , r e a s o n e d " U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Google's long-anticipated entry sharing models could be upset by
praised a former Guantanamo Bay p e r f o r m a n c e . Rumsfeld. into the digital book sales market the fact that customers wouldn't
detainee for lobbying European "Rather than stressing past American officials have "never before the end of the year. actually have their own copy of
governments to accept former injustices, he focused on what to come out and apologized to any ofGoogle Editions, which was the books they purchase.
inmates of the American military d o n o w , " s h e s a i d . " H e the Guantanamo guys," Qureshi announced in spring and expected Amazon is the dominant player in
prison, according to a leaked acknowledged that he lives with to launch in summer, is expected
said. "Here, what you have really the e-book sales, claiming to
diplomatic cable. the past, but that he now wants to for the first time is to be available in the U.S. by the command upward of 80 percent of
One of more than 290 cables be part of the solution, and is acknowledgment of the human end of the month, Google the market. However, in an
posted so far to the Internet by working to convince Luxembourg side of these men." spokeswoman Jeannie Hornung apparently effort to stave off
secret-spilling website WikiLeaks and other governments — and WikiLeaks says it has received told CNET today. In September, defections to rival e-book sellers,
quotes Ambassador Cynthia their populaces — to want the around 250,000 leaked diplomaticHornung talked with CNET about Amazon recently announced plans
Stroum as saying that former same." cables. some of the difficulties in to give newspaper and magazine
Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam "It is ironic that after four years of ___ launching the ambitious project, publishers a greater share of the
Begg was "doing our work for us" imprisonment and alleged torture, Online: saying "The real answer is, we'll revenue it collects.
by pressing European officials to Moazzam Begg is delivering the WikiLeaks: http:// launch the service when it's Google is no stranger to digital
take in those interned at s a m e d e m a r c h e t o ( t h e cablegate.wikileaks.org/ ready." books; he Internet giant
Guantanamo — a key priority of government of Luxembourg) as Cageprisoners: http:// Google Editions is expected to announced plans in December
P r e s i d e n t B a r a c k O b a m a ' s we are: Please consider accepting www.cageprisoners.com/ open up a new distribution 2004 to scan, digitize and make
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , w h i c h h a s (Guantanamo) detainees for This entry passed through the channel for digital-book searchable the collections of five
s t r u g g l e d t o c l o s e t h e resettlement." publishers and give Amazon and
Full-Text RSS service — if this is of the largest libraries in the
controversial prison. Begg was attending an event late Apple a new competitor in the
your content and you're reading it world. However, the effort
Begg, a Briton who says he was Tuesday and wasn't immediately booming digital-book market.
on someone else's site, please read quickly became embroiled in
mistreated while at Guantanamo, available for comment, according our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/However, a key difference lawsuits and negotiations over
was in Luxembourg in January to to colleague Asim Qureshi, the content-only/faq.php Google's "buy anywhere, read copyright issues.
press the case for the resettlement e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r o f Five Filters featured article: anywhere" approach, which This entry passed through the
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cable describes his interactions group which works to highlight Reporting of Falluja's Cancer titles accessible exclusively your content and you're reading it
with Foreign Minister Jean the plight of around 170 inmates Catastrophe. through a Web browser, instead of on someone else's site, please read
Asselborn, as well as a question- still being held in Guantanamo. through an online store, as our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
and-answer session in which Begg But Qureshi said Begg has seen Amazon and Apple customers do. content-only/faq.php
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12 News Wire/ Culture/ E-reader News Edition

Rare 'Star Spangled Banner' Edition on Auction Friday

(Epoch Times | All headlines) specialist for the auction house unknown. Years later the tattered attack could be passed to the known drinking tune written by
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:48:42 PM “…identified them as two elderly album was purchased by the American defenders, Key was English composer John Stafford
Pennsylvania antique dealers. In present owner in a small detained. He spent the night on Smith (1740-1846).
NEW YORK—"Oh! Say can you 1989, when the couple purchased Pennsylvania auction. the deck of the flag-of-truce ship, Capitalizing on the great
see…" the words are familiar to their copy of the Banner, it was It was common during the early which gave him a sweeping view popularity for the song, the
every American ear, but their included in an album of 50 pieces 19th century to collect sheet of the dramatic scene. He watched enterprising Baltimore music
b i r t h i n t o t h e A m e r i c a n of sheet music that had been music in musical families. The anxiously as British naval cannon- publisher Thomas Carr (1780-
consciousness had its humble bound together. The couple, not Banner is in good condition due to fire rained onto the American fort. 1849) quickly engraved and
beginning too. knowing what they had found, it’s being bound into the album. During the shelling, the early printed words and music together.
Now a very rare first edition of purchased the entire book for $50 "In musical families, sheet music American flag flying from the It must have been a rushed job,
the lyrics and music of the Star — or $1 per song.” would be in a big messy stack, fort's ramparts was clearly visible, because there are many typos in
Spangled Banner by Francis Scott "They got a bargain," Coover told and at some point, someone giving heartening evidence that the first edition. The most glaring
Key, which is the only privately- The Baltimore Sun, adding that would gather it all up and take it the fort's defenses were still intact. mistakes were that he left out the
owned copy of the eleven existing proceeds from the sale will fund to a bookbinder. The fact that it But, when the bombardment name of the poet, Francis Scott
first editions on record, will be on the couple's retirement. was bound into this album of 49 unexpectedly ceased, the Key, and the heading proclaimed
sale Friday, Dec. 3 at Christie’s Music Album The song was other examples was probably American flag was obscured and the song to be A Pariotic Song.
New York. discovered in a young woman's what saved it from being Key was heart-sick. Had the fort This is how Christie’s could tell
The sale of America's National music album. discarded, damaged or destroyed. been forced to surrender? they’d discovered the real thing.
Anthem is part of the Fine Printed The album belonged to a young It's in wonderful condition," At dawn, when the smoke of the It was not until 1931 that the
Books and Manuscripts including girl named Mary Barnitz, who Coover explained in The shelling lifted, Key saw the flag song was officially recognized as
A m e r i c a n a a u c t i o n , a n d i s was part of the prominent Barnitz Baltimore Sun report. again and his patriotic emotions the national anthem, although it
estimated to fetch $200,000- and Spangler families of York Grand Inspiration According to were powerfully stirred. was often used as such before that
300,000. County, Pennsylvania. According Christie’s, Francis Scott Key's Shortly thereafter, Key's first date.
The other known originals of the to research by Christie’s, the famous patriotic verses were draft of the anthem was written at This entry passed through the
Star-Spangled Banner are all in family members fought in the inspired by a shipboard vigil on sea on the back of a letter. Over Full-Text RSS service — if this is
institutions or university libraries, Revolutionary War and the War the night of Sept. 13-14, 1814, the next few days he would also your content and you're reading it
including the Library of Congress, of 1812. Mary Barnitz (1793- when a British naval flotilla complete the final version of the on someone else's site, please read
the New York Public Library, the 1886) was a young girl when the bombarded Fort McHenry for song on the back of the same our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
White House and the University S t a r - S p a n g l e d B a n n e r w a s hours prior to a secretly planned letter, according to Christie's. content-only/faq.php
of Michigan. It will be interesting published in Baltimore. It and the full-scale assault. Key, a young Key's inspiring song mirrored Five Filters featured article:
to see who wins the bid for this other sheet music in the album lawyer, and a colleague had gone Americans' patriotic zeal at the Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
copy and where it will end up. were probably bound into a book on board a British ship under a time. The verses swiftly circulated Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
The identities of the current about 1820, and it is likely to have flag of truce to secure the release in newspapers under the title The Catastrophe.
owners isn’t being officially been used in impromptu musical of an American physician held as Defence of Fort McHenry. The
released, but in a report by The gatherings of this very musical a prisoner. runaway popularity of the song
Baltimore Sun, Chris Coover, a family. To ensure that no military gained real momentum when
senior book and manuscript Its subsequent ownership is information on the impending Key's lyrics were set to a well-

How Well Do You Know Your Taylors?

PopSugar (PopSugar) know the differences between assess the Taylors - Swift, three-years-old? Swift Lautner
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:00:00 PM some of our favorite same-named Lautner, and Momsen. Good luck! Momsen
celebrities! You already tried the Question 1 of 10 Which Taylor
We're testing to see how well you Emmas and Roberts, Jennifers and Ryans, so now it's time to landed a national commercial at
E-reader News Edition News Wire/ Finance/ 13

Short on votes, deficit panel delays decision

(Reuters: Top News) Barack Obama's mandate for the consider tax increases. the the bipartisan panel was received much more in benefits
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:20:54 PM commission. Most budget experts say both will seeking through an endless array than they put in.
Bowles vowed at a press be needed to seriously tackle the of spending cuts and new taxes. But it was the mothers of the past
President Barack Obama leaves conference to stick close to the huge federal deficit. The taxes were never needed generations that gave up their
the lecturn following remarks draft plan he and Simpson first 14 VOTES NOT THERE- except to satisfy the rich and the children to fight and oftentimes
speaks about federal worker wage unveiled on November 10. SCHAKOWSKY ideologues who want to “starve” die for our country in World War
f r e e z e s i n t h e E i s e n h o w e r "It's not going to be some watered Democratic Representative Jan the government. U.S. tax rates are II, the Korean War and the
Executive Office Building near -down version. ... That I can Schakowsky told Reuters Bowles historically low and the President Vietnam War. And I do not lose
the White House in Washington, guarantee you," said Bowles, and Simpson were still seeking needs to lead rather tha to any sleep with our country’s
November 29, 2010. formerly chief of staff for support for the plan and that 14 continue to compromise with largess, as I believe it well
Credit: Reuters/Jason Reed Democratic President Bill votes had not been nailed down. those who see compromise as a deserved.
By Kevin Drawbaugh and Donna Clinton. A vote on the plan had "I don't see that, no, at least not pne-way street running in their The question is how to close the
Smith previously been expected on right now," she said direction. The whole deficit issue deficit caused by our
WASHINGTON| Tue Nov 30, Wednesday. Representative Jeb Hensarling, a is a “tar baby” that will keep the government’s past generosity:
2010 7:20pm EST The White House said it Republican commission member, President from doing what he Should the Social Security deficit
WASHINGTON(Reuters) - A supported the commission's told Reuters on Tuesday any should have done in his first two be closed by cutting benefits for
presidential commission looking decision to postpone the vote by budget-balancing plan was better year–create jobs for ordinary future Social Security recipients,
for ways to slash the budget two days to build more consensus. than none but that he was Americans, not just the Wall or by raising the Social Security
deficit postponed final action on After months of meetings and disappointed because the Street bankers and investment tax, or by taxing people on their
Tuesday on a bold fiscal austerity debate, the commission has commission's plan recommends wizards who caused the world- ability to pay (i.e.; progressive
plan after it was unable to gather painted a harsh picture of the tax increases. wide economic meltdown of income tax), or simply printing
enough support among panel fiscal choices ahead for the "We do not favor tax increases," 2008. Trooth wrote: more money (Federal Reserve
members. United States, while showing how said Hensarling, echoing the And these are the people we want quantitative easing)?
In a stark display of deep difficult it is to achieve bipartisan message of most conservative to make life or death decisions for This entry passed through the
political divisions over tax and consensus on facing up to them. Republicans. our healthcare. Tuco_bad wrote: Full-Text RSS service — if this is
spending issues, the 18-member The Bowles-Simpson draft plan Simpson, a former Republican President Barack Obama’s deficit your content and you're reading it
panel led by co-chairmen Alan called for sharp spending and senator and veteran like Bowles commission recommended cuts in on someone else's site, please read
Simpson and Erskine Bowles put benefit cuts and a major tax code of Washington's long-running Social Security benefits to lessen our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
off until Friday a final vote on overhaul to achieve $4 trillion in deficit wars, said he expects the the projected future Social content-only/faq.php
their plan, which is expected to be deficit reduction over 10 years. final plan to draw sharp criticism Security shortfalls. However, my Five Filters featured article:
unveiled on Wednesday. The two have been working from from all sides. PMW wrote: demographic group and future Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
The delay underscored the that draft, but broad support has Given the bitter and destructive groups are putting in as much Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
difficulty Bowles and Simpson been elusive. partisanship with its fanatical money into Social Security as we Catastrophe.
face in nailing down 14 votes of Liberals want to protect benefit resistance to any tax increases, will be taking out. The Social
support, a threshold that would programs like Social Security, President Obama should let all of Security deficit is due to our
trigger a congressional vote on Medicare and Medicaid from deep the Bush tax-cuts expire. This government’s generosity to past
their plan and fulfill President cuts, while Republicans refuse to alone will provide the $4 trillion generations of Americans that
13 Ways to Avoid Holiday Overspending
nospam@example.com with the best of budget intentions: festive spirit kicks in, though, it's
(Redbook) (Financiallyfit on You'll buy modest gifts (or even tough to stick to that…
Shine) hand-make them!), keep the
Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:47:13 PM entertaining low-key, and stick to
out from the basement. Once the
You start out the holiday season decorating with whatever you pull
14 News Wire/ E-reader News Edition

Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens Clash for First in AFC

North
(Epoch Times | All headlines) at the end of the game," Flacco much defensively from the last
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:33:39 PM said to reporters after the game. meeting.
We were fortunate to get the ball “I think you carry pretty much all
RIVALRY RENEWED: The back." of it in there as far as a game plan
Pittsburgh Steelers travel to And fortunate they were. situation, because they ran their
Baltimore to face the Ravens in a Pittsburgh was in control late in offense. It was just Charlie
battle for first place in the AFC the fourth quarter, but 30 yards in Batch’s version of their offense,”
North on Sunday night. (Larry penalties over the final two Harbaugh said Monday evening.
French/Getty Images) Eight minutes, including a critical “They still ran the same plays. We
weeks ago, the Baltimore Ravens holding call when punting with know Ben. We know how he
and Pittsburgh Steelers left Heinz 1:08 to go, put Baltimore in applies the offense; we’ve seen it
Field in Pittsburgh with identical position to go 40 yards to erase now since he’s been back.”
3–1 records after the Ravens the four point deficit they faced. In another roster move, Baltimore
downed the Steelers 17–14. Penalties An area of focus this added Jason McKie to their roster
Sunday evening in Baltimore, the week for the Steelers has to be late Monday evening, a move to
AFC North powerhouses will penalties. counteract the possibility that
walk out of M&T Bank Stadium After two defensive penalties fullback LaRon McClain will not
with different records. One side enabled Baltimore to drive the Harbaugh’s team in a position to attacks will again be the decisive play again this week.
will fall out of first place in the field for a last second field goal to see less yellow this season, which factors. Sunday’s contest will decide first
North and drop to 8–4, while the end the first half, Pittsburgh they have. They are now ranked No Change to Defense for place in the AFC North, and the
other will improve to 9–3 and sole committed six more penalties in 25th in total infractions. Ravens Roethelisberger returns to atmosphere will be playoff
possession of first place. the second half, which allowed Penalties were a key element in face Baltimore this time around, worthy, said Harbaugh.
The Steelers will also have their Baltimore back in the game. the team’s first matchup, and the but Baltimore also has All-Pro “There is a lot at stake. Whoever
s t a r t i n g q u a r t e r b a c k , B e n Meanwhile, Baltimore has been ability for both team’s to stay out safety Ed Reed back in the wins this game does take control
Roethlisberger, for Round 2 of penalized much less this season of penalty trouble, especially late, secondary. Reed sat out the of the division. The other team
this fierce rivalry. compared to any other during will be vital again this Sunday. team’s last meeting. will have to catch up with them in
He missed the first four games of head coach John Harbaugh’s The running game will also be an “We all know what the presence some form or fashion.”
the season, including the first tenure, something the coach has area of focus for both teams this of Ed Reed means, proceed with Greg Pickel is a freelance writer
meeting between Baltimore and noticed. week. caution when attacking him from Harrisburg, PA. He can be
Pittsburgh in Week 4 due to “I think there are a lot of things Baltimore held Pittsburgh to less vertically down the field,” said reached at gpic92@gmail.com.
suspension. that go into it [having fewer than 100 yards rushing for the Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin F o l l o w h i m o n
The Ravens won the first penalties]. It’s not just as simple 10th time in 11 meetings, but the in his weekly press conference on T w i t t e r @ G r e g P i c k e l
matchup between these two hard- as saying you’re playing smarter. rushing attack still resulted in two Tuesday. This entry passed through the
hitting teams back in October, I think there are a lot of factors TDs for Rashard Mendenhall. “Time and time again he shows Full-Text RSS service — if this is
using a last minute comeback to that go into it,” Harbaugh said in On the other side of the ball, that he’s capable of making plays, your content and you're reading it
secure the victory. his Monday news conference. B a l t i m o r e m o u n t e d j u s t 5 9 game changing plays. This is an on someone else's site, please read
Joe Flacco’s 18-yard touchdown Baltimore led the league in rushing yards from their two- unselfish, top-notch, and quality our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
pass to T.J. Houshmanzadeh with penalty yardage last season, and headed attack of Willis McGahee playmaker. So we have to reckon content-only/faq.php
just 32 seconds left on the clock finished third in total infractions. and Ray Rice. with him.” Five Filters featured article:
led Baltimore to their first win in However, a year of offseason With both defenses capable of Baltimore head coach John Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Heinz Field in five tries. focus on better technique to lessen bottling up the run, the aerial Harbaugh doesn’t plan to change PITTSBURGH page 15
"We put two great drives together penalty infractions has put
E-reader News Edition News Wire/ Culture/ 15
PITTSBURGH
BofA may be next WikiLeaks target continued from page 14

Reporting of Falluja's Cancer

(Reuters: Top News)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:47:35 PM
People stand at a Bank of
America ATM (automated teller
machine) in Santa Monica,
California, October 18, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina|
Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:47pm EST
CHARLOTTE, North
Carolina(Reuters) - Bank of
America Corp's shares declined 3
percent on Tuesday amid investor
fears the largest U.S. bank by
assets may be at the center of
WikiLeaks next document release.
On Monday, Julian Assange,
founder of the WikiLeaks, said his
group plans to release tens of
thousands of internal documents
from a major U.S. bank early next
year, according to an interview
BofA's share price "continues to
be driven by sentiment and not
hard numbers," said Dick Bove,
bank analyst with Rochdale
Securities in a research note to
clients.
In an October 9, 2009 interview,
Assange told Computerworld that
the group had obtained five
gigabytes of data from a Bank of
America executive's hard drive.
"Now how do we present that? It's
a difficult problem. We could just
dump it all into one giant Zip file,
but we know for a fact that has
limited impact. To have impact, it
needs to be easy for people to
dive in and search it and get
something out of it," Assange told
Computerworld.
(A link to the Computerworld
story may be found here: bit.ly/
hJnRMe)
not been contacted by the group
or seen proof it possesses any of
the bank's information.
Bove said in his note to clients
that he rates Bank of America's
stock as a buy and "considerably
undervalued."
Bove said many of the bank's
problems from the financial crisis
have been sorted through, and
once investor fears subside,
BofA's share price will rise.
U.S. authorities are conducting
an intensive criminal investigation
into WikiLeaks release of
government documents.
The U.S. State Department said
on Tuesday it had cut off a U.S.
military computer network from
its database of diplomatic cables.
WikiLeaks says it is a nonprofit
organization funded by human
rights campaigners, journalists
underplay, the underhand dealings Catastrophe.
and the manipulations, is every
body’s right. Specifically it
should pertain to the interest of
the public. Claiming privacy for
rigging is atrocious. mward1921
wrote:
More or less about 100,000
pages. PeterMelzer wrote:
“Bove said many of the bank’s
problems from the financial crisis
have been sorted through, and
once investor fears subside,
BofA’s share price will rise.”
I wonder whether he included
Countrywide in this statement. I DoubleTwist Adds the
bet there is still a bit of ’sorting
through’ left in that business.
Slickest Wireless Sync
Read more here: Solution We've Seen for
h t t p : / / Android [Downloads]
brainmindinst.blogspot.com/2008/ Kevin Purdy (Lifehacker)
09/subprime-lending-truthiness-
delusion-of.html Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:01:00 PM

posted online by Forbes
Magazine.
He declined to identify to Forbes
which bank would be the subject
of the release, but expected the
leak to spawn investigations.
The statement came just one day
after Assange's group released
250,000 U.S. government
diplomatic and military
documents on November 28, and
analysts said the timing spooked
investors.
Mark Stephens, a London lawyer
who represents Assange, said that
Assange could not be immediately
reached for comment on whether
the bank documents he told
Forbes about were the same Bank
of America documents he talked
to Computerworld about just over
a year ago.
A Bank of America
spokeswoman said the bank is
aware of WikiLeaks' claims that it
has company data, but said it has
and the general public. Launched
in 2006, it promotes the leaking of
information to fight government
and corporate corruption.
Previously, WikiLeaks had made
public nearly 500,000 classified
U.S. files on the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
(Reporting by Joe Rauch; Editing
by Tim Dobbyn) meenas17 wrote:
Right of information ,is a liberty
that every one should be
accredited with. To know, the
This entry passed through the
Windows/Mac and Android: Just
Full-Text RSS service — if this is
a few hours after Winamp
your content and you're reading it
released its own wireless sync
on someone else's site, please read
solution, media management app
our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
doubleTwist comes out with a
content-only/faq.php
smooth, seamless solution for
Five Filters featured article:
getting music, videos, and photos
Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
to and from your Android device.
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
And it looks nice. More »
Catastrophe.

"Wild Kingdom" Videos

(HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 1:00:56 PM
You're Watching: Playlist | Wild
Kingdom Videos Playlist | Wild
Kingdom Videos Check out all 66
wild kingdom videos in this
playlist. There are 66 videos
tagged "Wild Kingdom" most
recommended videos
• Destroyed In Seconds Videos
• Emeril Green Videos
• One Step Beyond Videos
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Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Catastrophe.
16 News Wire/ Technology/ Culture/ E-reader News Edition
George Clooney Takes
Obama, Republicans agree to negotiate on taxes a Break as He Gears
(Reuters: Top News) meeting since the November 2 of Americans to rise. by gains in the elections, argued it Up For Dateline
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:01:55 PM congressional election, Obama That vote is seen as a gesture to would be better for the economy
and Republicans stuck to their liberal Democrats, who want to go if tax cuts for all Americans were Lindsay Miller (PopSugar)
President Obama speaks to the divergent positions but the on record opposing an extension extended. USblues wrote: Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:30:22 PM

press in the Eisenhower Executive president said they agreed the for top earners. If the measure Why do Republicans hate
Office Building near the White issue must be resolved by the end passes the House, it will likely die working folk so much? Why do George Clooney had another
House, November 30, 2010. of this year. in the Senate, where Democrats they only seem interested in lining lunch meeting with his buddy
Credit: Reuters/Jason Reed "We agreed that there must be would not have the votes to make their pockets at public expense? Grant Heslov yesterday in LA.
By Jeff Mason some sensible common ground, so it law. Why is it they only think their job The actor's back on the West
WASHINGTON| Tue Nov 30, I a p p o i n t e d m y T r e a s u r y Knowing that, the president may is to shill for corporate interests at Coast after a trip to NYC, where
2010 8:01pm EST Secretary, Tim Geithner, and my have to agree to extend cuts for the expense of the middle class. he and girlfriend Elisabetta
WASHINGTON(Reuters) - budget director, Jack Lew, to Americans of all income levels Why do they want to blow open Canalis attended a dinner in
President Barack Obama and work with representatives of both for one to three years -- an the deficit to give a break to those support of human rights. George
Republican leaders sought to parties to break through this onerous option to many who have gotten the biggest has devoted himself to many
break a "logjam" over the fate of logjam," Obama said. Democrats but one that may be breaks for the last decade? Why charitable causes lately, raising
Bush-era tax cuts on Tuesday, If no agreement is reached, all tax the most likely outcome if the two do republicans want to help only funds for autism research and
forming a new panel the White -paying Americans could see sides agree on anything at all. themselves and those that already meeting with President Obama
H o u s e h o p e s w i l l r e a c h a higher bills next year, giving But many analysts are not have the most and never those in about Sudan. He'll further share
compromise within days. Republicans a chance to score optimistic. need? Why are republicans so his political passions on Friday by
O b a m a n a m e d T r e a s u r y politically by making tax cuts Charlie Smith, chief investment unethical? taking Dateline viewers on a tour
Secretary Tim Geithner and their priority when taking control officer at Pittsburgh-based Fort This entry passed through the of the war-torn African country.
budget director Jack Lew to work of the House of Representatives in Pitt Capital Group, said there was Full-Text RSS service — if this is Beyond his philanthropic efforts,
with congressional Republicans January. less than a 50 percent chance that your content and you're reading it George also has plenty of film
and Democrats on a deal to Finding common ground before the tax cuts will be extended. on someone else's site, please read projects in the works. He's
prevent broad tax increases from then will be tricky. WIDE DIFFERENCES our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ teaming up with Steven
hitting middle-income Americans Chris Van Hollen, a top Obama said he and many content-only/faq.php Soderbergh again for a big-screen
next year. Democrat in the House of Democrats continue to believe it Five Filters featured article: revamp of a classic TV show and
The working group will also Representatives, said the chamber would be "unwise and unfair" to Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- planning to direct a thriller with
tackle the issue that most divides could vote on Thursday to extend spend $700 billion to extend tax Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Ryan Gosling as the star.
the two political parties: what to lower tax rates on income levels cuts for the wealthiest Americans Catastrophe. View 2 Photos ›
do about extending tax cuts for up to $200,000 for individuals or while also trying to bring down
the wealthiest Americans. $250,000 for couples, allowing the U.S. deficit.
At their first White House rates for the wealthiest 2 percent Republican leaders, emboldened

DIY Death Star Holiday Tree Ornament

Chris Burns (SlashGear)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:05:06 PM
Aww, isn’t that cute? Lego
superstar Chris McVeigh (aka
powerpig) has created an
ornament with which your lego
obsession can command the tree
galaxy. Unless of course, If you wish, please feel free to the full instructions over at Chris’
somewhere on your tree is an x- create this masterpiece in honor of blog Mint in Box. Furthermore,
wing with Luke Skywalker in it. our recently departed friend Irvin you can purchase other ornaments
Watch out for that. You can Kershner, director of the only created by Chris over at Creations
follow all the steps as provided by original Star Wars movie without for Charity if you do so wish.
powerpig through his own site, or a Death Star, The Empire Strikes [ Via Brothers Brick]
check out the list of parts needed to figure it out yourself! Back. Check out the list of legos
to make this battle station and try you’ll need here, then check out
E-reader News Edition
Kinect Is a Hit, Has Sold 2.5 Million
Units
(Epoch Times | All headlines)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:56:49 PM
Kinect, the sensor device for
Microsoft's Xbox gaming system,
is seen on a shelf at Best Buy
during the month of November.
More than 2.5 million have been
sold since it made its debut earlier
this month. (Joe Raedle/Getty
Images) Kinect, the sensor device
for Xbox, has sold 2.5 million
units already since it was
launched just less than a month
ago, Microsoft announced in a
press statement released on
Monday.
The gadget, which allows for
controller-free gaming and allows
for body motion and spoken
controls, flew off the shelves
during Black Friday and Cyber
Monday as Microsoft seeks to
keep with strong demand.
“We are thrilled about the
consumer response to Kinect, and
are working hard with our retail
and manufacturing partners to
expedite production and
shipments of Kinect to restock
shelves as fast as possible to keep
up with demand,” Don Mattrick,
president of Microsoft’s
Interactive Entertainment
News Wire/ Technology/
8 Predictions for IT in
2015 From Gartner
Klint Finley (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:30:00 PM
Gartner today announced eight
predictions for IT in 2015. Last
week, we looked at the broad
trends Gartner and two other
analyst firms expect to shape the
future of IT. This latest
announcement makes some more
specific predictions about changes
the firm's analysts expect to see
by 2015 or earlier. For example,
the firm predicts that 80% of
enterprises will support tablets by
2013 and by 2014 90% of
organizations will support
Business, said in a statement. commands for Xbox games and e n t e r p r i s e a p p l i c a t i o n s o n
Microsoft hopes to hit the 5 the display of other media such as p e r s o n a l d e v i c e s .
million mark this holiday season, m o v i e s a n d T V . I t c o s t s Sponsor
The predictions are as follows:
Mattrick added. The Kinect was a p p r o x i m a t e l y $ 1 5 0 .
especially popular at Target This entry passed through the • By 2015, a G20 nation's critical
infrastructure will be disrupted
stores, which will get deliveries of Full-Text RSS service — if this is
the device throughout December, your content and you're reading it and damaged by online sabotage.
• B y 2 0 1 5 , new revenue
Nik Nayar, vice president of on someone else's site, please read
merchandising at Target, said in a our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ generated each year by IT will
d e t e r m i n e t h e annual
statement. content-only/faq.php
Kinect for Xbox, which is Five Filters featured article: compensation of most new Global
available at more than 60,000 Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- 2000 CIOs.
stores in 38 countries worldwide, Reporting of Falluja's Cancer • By 2015, information-smart
businesses will increase
uses a 3D camera and microphone Catastrophe.
to detect body movements and recognized IT spending per head
voices, turning them into
17
by 60%.
• By 2015, tools and automation
will eliminate 25% of labor hours
associated with IT services.
• By 2015, 20% of non-IT Global
500 companies will be cloud
service providers.
• By 2014, 90% of organizations
will support corporate
applications on personal devices.
• By 2013, 80% of businesses
will support a workforce using
tablets.
• By 2015, 10% of your online
"friends" will be nonhuman.
The second prediction, that
revenue generated by IT will be a
CIO compensation factor, is the
most interesting to me. It assumes
IT will be a profit-center instead
of a cost-center for most Global
2000 companies by that time.
What do you think of these
predictions? Safe bets? Wishful
thinking? A mixture of both?
Discuss
18 Technology/ Culture/ E-reader News Edition

Google (Temporarily) Blocks AppNexus From Its

Ad Exchange
Jason Kincaid (TechCrunch) gave us this statement: supply, AppNexus has been in
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:17:38 PM To protect users and publishers, continuous contact with Google to
the Ad Exchange has extensive, resolve this issue. At present,
There was a big shakeup in the widely-published policies for a Google’s position is to require all
online advertising world last range of issues including ad AppNexus buyers accessing Ad
w e e k e n d : G o o g l e c u t o f f quality, ad content and malware.
working with Google directly they Exchange inventory to have a
Use Temporary Credit
AppNexus from its ad exchange, We have technologies to detect Card Numbers to Avoid
may also switch to its demand direct contract with Google in
forcing the startup to direct its violations, and when a customer is order to restore access. To be
clients to purchase ad inventory in breach of our policies, we take
side platform as well. Repeat Billing [Saving
H e r e a r e t w o e m a i l s t h a t clear, this will not impact your Money]
directly from Google. The move a c t i o n , i n c l u d i n g p o t e n t i a l
AppNexus sent to its clients, ability to use AppNexus as your
comes only a few weeks after s u s p e n s i o n f r o m t h e A d
which seem to indicate that it had RTB platform for buying Google MyTQuinn (Lifehacker)
AppNexus raised a huge$50 E x c h a n g e . inventory, but simply means that
no idea this was coming. Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:00 PM
million round, which included a Google declined to discuss any you will in the future remit
Dear Client,
big chunk from Microsoft. And further details, but the statement
Beginning at 7:00 PM ET / 12:00 payment for media purchased on Whether you want added security
the timing couldn’t be worse for suggests that AppNexus has
AM UTC, our monitoring alerted DoubleClick Ad Exchange to for your online purchases this
AppNexus — because of the huge somehow violated its terms.
us to the fact that our real time bid Google directly, rather than to holiday shopping season or you
surge in shopping, last week was We’ve reached out to the startup
requests from Google’s AdX had AppNexus. simply want to avoid getting
among the busiest, if not the to see if it has anything it can Your account manager will billed after signing up for a free
dropped to zero. We are
busiest, time of the year for these share about the issue. contact you tomorrow with details trial, reader MyTQuinn has found
investigating on our side and are
platforms. Faced with no other choice, on how to proceed with restoring that temporary, "safe shopping"
also working with our contacts at
AppNexus offers, among other AppNexus has directed its clients a c c e s s to DoubleClick Ad credit card numbers work great.
Google. Currently we have no
things, a real-time platform for to purchase inventory directly E x c h a n g e. More »
ETA for a resolution. We will
purchasing ad inventory from ad f r o m G o o g l e ’ s e x c h a n g e . We thank you for your continued
update you as more details
exchanges — the largest of which AppNexus can still make money patience and support as we work
become available.
is Google’s. One industry expert off of these transactions though through this.
Thank you for your patience,
I s p o k e w i t h g u e s s e d t h a t fees, but it can take weeks for Regards,
Steve
Google’s exchange could account these clients to establish a Michael Rubenstein CrunchBase
——————————
for 50% or more of AppNexus relationship directly with Google. Information Google AppNexus
Important Update:
inventory, so this is a very big And Google offers its own
Further to the notification below I n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d b y
deal for the company and its competing platform through its
regarding the disruption of access C r u n c h B a s e
clients. acquisition of Invite Media earlier to DoubleClick Ad Exchange
Reached for comment, Google this year — if clients begin

Body Works: Human Body Quiz

(HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 1:00:56 PM
You remember a little ditty about
the thigh bone being connected to
the hip bone, which was in turn
connected to the backbone. But
what else do you remember about
human anatomy? The answers to
this quiz are all inside of you --
literally.
Earn a point for every right
answer! Save your score at the
end of the quiz.
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E-reader News Edition
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm to be Released Midnight,
December 6th 2010 at (all?) Hastings Entertainment Locations
Chris Burns (SlashGear)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:31:02 PM
Festivities at this chain-wide
super nerd party will begin at
10PM and end after Warcraft:
Cataclysm goes on sale at
midnight (at which point everyone
will calmly exit the building, run
at full speed back to their houses
and apartments, and promptly
play for a week straight.) At the
party before midnight, however,
people just chilling out will be
able to enjoy 30% off basically
everything in the used category:
CDs, books, video games, and
movies.
And bonus! Though nothing
compares to actually buying the
game, running home at full speed,
and playing it for a week straight,
there are a couple more things.
One, customers who purchas
Cataclysm at midnight will get a
free video game rental coupon,
and two, those same customers
will get a $5 off coupon for the
strategy guide (uh yeah right who
would buy such a thing! Me.)
Check out the full press release
below:
Remains of the Day: Kinect Hacking Makes for
Minority Report-Style Browsing [Video]
Arvin Dang (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:00:00 PM
Kinect hackers put together a
AMARILLO, Texas, Nov. 30,
2010 /PRNewswire/ — Hastings
Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq:
HAST), a leading multimedia
entertainment superstore retailer,
has announced its plans for chain-
wide midnight release parties for
the new World of Warcraft:
Cataclysm video game. Fans are
encouraged to join their local
Hastings for a midnight release
party on Monday, December 6.
Minority Report-style web
browsing tool, Google's rumored
social network is rumored to
launch next year, and people drink
Festivities for the night will begin
at 10:00 pm and will end after the
video game goes on sale at
Midnight.
Fans enjoying the festivities and
awaiting the release of the game
will be able to take advantage of
special promotions, including
30% off all used CDs, books,
video games, and movies during
the release party. Customers who
purchase the game at the party
a lot of coffee at conferences.
Technology/ Culture/
will also receive a free video
game rental coupon and $5 off the
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
strategy guide.
To find out more about the World
of Warcraft: Cataclysm midnight
release party in your area, visit us
online atwww.goHastings.com or
contact your local Hastings
superstore.
About Hastings
Founded in 1968, Hastings
More »
19
Entertainment, Inc. is a leading
multimedia entertainment retailer
that combines the sale of new and
used books, videos, video games
and CDs, as well as trends and
consumer electronics
merchandise, with the rental of
videos and video games in a
superstore format. We currently
operate 146 superstores,
averaging approximately 25,000
square feet, primarily in medium-
sized markets throughout the
United States. We also operate a
new concept store, Sun Adventure
Sports, in Amarillo, Texas.
We also operate
www.goHastings.com, an e-
commerce Internet Web site that
makes available to our customers
new and used entertainment
products and unique,
contemporary gifts and toys. The
site features exceptional product
and pricing offers. The Investor
Relations section of our web site
contains press releases, a link to
request financial and other
literature and access our filings
with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
20 Technology/
Spread Christmas cheer with Angry
Birds
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:47:50 PM
A festivus for the rest of us: First,
Angry Birds Christmas
ornaments, and now an Angry
Birds Christmas edition.(Credit:
NickandChapin Channel/
YouTube)
Everyone's favorite finch-flinging
frolic is going festive for both iOS
and Android devices (just try
saying that five times fast after
downing a glass of egg nog).
Rovio Mobile's next big update
for Angry Birds, which celebrates
Christmas, has been hinted at,
detailed, and screenshotted, and
now the company has made it
official, though we don't have an
exact release date yet.
Angry Birds Christmas will be
free if you purchased the 99-cent
Angry Birds Halloween edition
for iOS devices. Rovio had
initially tweeted that the
Christmas title would only be
coming to the iPod Touch,
iPhone, and iPad, but today
posted a message that it's flying
onto Android too.
Now we're just waiting to hear if
Angry Birds fans with MeeGo,
WebOS, and Symbian devices
comment for Christopher
MacManus, you can submit it
here. However, because our
editors and writers receive
hundreds of requests, we cannot
tell you when you may receive a
response.
will see their Yuletide cheer turn Crave freelancer Christopher
into jeer this holiday. MacManus is editor of the Sony
Angry Birds has steadily been Insider blog and has covered the
growing into a phenomenon company on various Web sites of
(being No. 1 in most mobile app his own for nearly a decade. He
stores for a while can do that for has a keen eye for technology
you), and Rovio is riding the trends, mostly due to countless
wave with an official Angry Birds hours spent online daily, reading
Day scheduled for December 11. about the consumer electronics
Nearly a thousand people in 65 industry. In his free time, he
countries have already signed up enjoys cycling, FPS gaming and,
for the meetups, which Rovio is at the request of his girlfriend,
flavoring as a celebration of trying to figure out how to dance.
popping 3 trillion piggies, and the Christopher is not an employee of
chance to meet, play, and C B S I n t e r a c t i v e . E - m a i l
compare scores with Angry Birds C h r i s t o p h e r .
fans. This entry passed through the
I'm pretty decent at Angry Birds, Full-Text RSS service — if this is
and have had many three-star your content and you're reading it
rounds, if I may brag for a on someone else's site, please read
m o m e n t . C o m p a r i n g s c o r e s our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
a g a i n s t o t h e r s m i g h t b e content-only/faq.php
intimidating, though. I fear the Five Filters featured article:
grand master of Angry Birds in Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
my area would probably show up Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
and school everyone. Catastrophe.
If you have a question or
E-reader News Edition
Apple Buys HP’s Old
Campus, HP Buys The
Twitter Ads For #Apple
MG Siegler (TechCrunch) group of rotating tweets they’re
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:47:23 PM promoting, but all point to sales
they are having at the HP online
Last week, MercuryNews.com store — a store which couldn’t
revealed that Apple made a look more different from Apple’s.
massive land purchase near their This kind of rivalry targeting is
current headquarters in Cupertino, done all the time on Google and
CA. They actually bought the old other search engines, but it seems
HP campus, which the electronics to becoming more of a norm on
giant announced they were Twitter as well. A few weeks ago,
moving out of to consolidate their we saw competing ads on Twitter
offices in nearby Palo Alto. So from Microsoft and Google for
perhaps it shouldn’t be too mobile.
s u r p r i s i n g t h a t H P b o u g h t I wonder how newly prolific
something of Apple’s today: their Twitter user and Apple executive
hashtag on Twitter. Phil Schiller likes them apples?
Okay, Apple doesn’t technically Update: As Steven notes in the
have any rights to a hashtag comments, HP bought the Twitter
containing their name on Twitter. ads for#mac as well. Nice.
In fact, maybe HP is targeting Update 2: And as Kevin points
people tweeting about the fruit. out below, they bought#macbook
Yeah, right. as well!
As you can see here, the HP [thanks Kevin] CrunchBase
Official Store has paid to promote Information Apple Hewlett-
tweets with links to computer Packard Twitter Information
sales they’re having to people provided by CrunchBase
searching for Apple. They have a
E-reader News Edition
Mac lands a Flock, gets Chromium
bump
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:07:47 PM
Flock shifted gears from its
Mozilla-powered core to
Chromium 6 earlier this year, but
only for Windows users. Today
the company released a
Chromium 7-based version for
Mac users, as well as updating its
Windows version to Chromium 7.
Flock 3.5 is built on Chromium
7, but it's still behind the most
recent version of the Chromium 8
-based Google Chrome.(Credit:
Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/
CNET)
Available for Windows and Mac,
Flock 3.5 adds LinkedIn support
and include a refined login
system. If you log in to a social
networking site that Flock
supports the browser itself is
automatically logged in to it, too.
Updating to Chromium 7 also
pushes Flock ahead of its social
networking competitor RockMelt,
and the update includes all the
security fixes and performance
enhancements that Google
Chrome received when it revved
to version 7. Flock is still behind
Chrome, which is now based on
Chromium 8. The security fixes
are substantial, so if you do use
Flock 3 it's absolutely worth
updating. Pre-existing users are
expected to receive the update
automatically, as Chrome users
do.
Flock is concurrently developing
the original Mozilla Gecko-based
Flock, now up to version 2.6.1 for
Windows and Mac users. It
supports more social networking
services, but is noticeably slower
as well. While the social
networking browser isn't for
everybody, both versions of Flock
are in Facebook's top 10 list.
If you have a question or
comment for Seth Rosenblatt, you
can submit it here. However,
because our editors and writers
receive hundreds of requests, we
cannot tell you when you may
receive a response.
Seth peers into the deep, dark
corners of software so that you
don't have to. He has yet to suffer
a single nightmare about OS/2.
This entry passed through the
Full-Text RSS service — if this is
your content and you're reading it
on someone else's site, please read
our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article:
Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Catastrophe.
Black Friday sees lots of
new devices, record app
downloads this year
Mike Schramm (TUAW)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:00:00 PM
Flurry's analytics blog has a new
post up about the bump that the
App Store got last weekend. As I
said in last week's talkcast, app
developers have noticed that the
holiday shopping season not only
brings a slew of new iPod touches
and iPhones into the mix (and this
year, the iPad as well), but a
resultant flood of customers
seeking to buy and try out new
apps. According to Flurry, new
devices jumped on Black Friday
by 57%, and total growth over the
entire weekend was 31%. App
downloads were also big over the
weekend, but surprisingly the
biggest day of downloads was on
Thursday, which would hint that
most of the jump in downloads
came from sales to already-owned
devices, not the devices picked up
Technology/ 21
on Black Friday.
At any rate, there was a lot of
money made on the App Store last
weekend, and there's more to
come: even more than the Black
Friday weekend, app store
developers have found that the
few days after Christmas are even
bigger for app sales, as everyone
goes onto iTunes and spends gift
cards and buys new apps for the
devices found under their
Christmas trees. So look for more
sales to pop up then, and even
higher revenue numbers to appear
as well.
Black Friday sees lots of new
devices, record app downloads
this year originally appeared on
TUAW on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
21:00:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Source| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
22 Technology/
JSON vs. XML
Klint Finley (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:00:00 PM
James Clark published a blog
post today about the perceived
competition between JSON and
XML. Twitter and Foursquare
both recently dropped support for
XML, opting to use JSON
exclusively. Clark doesn't see
XML going away, but sees it less
and less as a Web technology. "I
think the Web community has
spoken," Clark concludes. "And
it's clear that what it wants is
HTML5, JavaScript and JSON."
Clark cites a few particular
reasons why JSON is winning the
hearts and minds of web
developers.
Sponsor
• JSON provides better language-
independent representation of data
structures
• JSON has a simpler spec
• JSON handles mixed content
adequately
Diablo 3 Barbarian QcK Mousepad Released by SteelSeries
Chris Burns (SlashGear)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:49:42 PM
People still use mousepads?
Wait, what’s that, people still use
a mouse to click things on their
computer screen? Man, it’s been
so long since I’ve used a desktop
• XML seems "enteprisey"
Clark, however, laments the fact
that the web community will be
missing out on the power of
XML. He suggests that the best
way forward for XML in the near
future is improving XML's
integration with HTML5.
What do you think? Do you
prefer XML or JSON, or do you
use different ones for different
purposes? What future does XML
have? Discuss
for anything day-to-day that it
threw me for a loop seeing this
SteelSeries QcK Diablo 3
Barbarian Edition mousepad. It’s
the latest in what I’d call a very
limited promotion of Diablo 3, the
game that’s been on all Diablo 2
fanatics minds for what seems
E-reader News Edition
Adobe announces 10.2
beta of Flash Player What TechCrunch
Michael Rose (TUAW) onto the GPU to alleviate most of
Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:00:00 PM the CPU load. Staffers Want Yammer to
The new version also improves Spend that $25 Million on
For those who crave being on the text rendering and, for dual-screen
bleeding edge of browser plugin machines, allows full-screen
(TCTV)
Sarah Lacy (TechCrunch)
technology, this is your lucky day playback on one monitor while
-- Adobe's Flash Player 10.2 beta allowing you to work on another Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:57:36 PM
is now downloadable for the Mac, m o n i t o r . A d o b e ' s f u l l
It’s no secret that we like
as well as for Windows and Linux announcement post is here; if you
Yammer here at TechCrunch. We
machines. want to download the plugin, you
gave the company the top
The big advance in this build is can get it here and then check out
TechCrunch50 honors a few years
preliminary support for Stage the Stage Video demo clips.
back, we use the product pretty
V i d e o , t h e n e w p l a y b a c k [via CNET MacFixit]
obsessively for in-house
infrastructure that is intended to Adobe announces 10.2 beta of
communication, and Mike even
f u r t h e r r e d u c e F l a s h ' s Flash Player originally appeared
uses it as a reporting tool.
performance impact while playing on TUAW on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
b a c k v i d e o c o n t e n t . W h i l e 22:00:00 EST. Please see our But we could like it a lot better…
previous versions of Flash Player terms for use of feeds. In part two of our interview with
10 leveraged GPU acceleration Source| Permalink| Email this| David Sacks we ask him what
for video decoding, 10.2 offloads Comments WHAT page 23
nearly all the video pipeline tasks
few years. specifics for a serious gaming
I t d o e s s e e m l i k e a n i c e experience – sure, why not?
mousepad though when you look [ Via SteelSeries]
at it, yes? Smooth cloth surface,
non-slip rubber base, medium
size, terrifyingly bulky barbarian
like decades. Perhaps this graphic. Is it worth $15? If you’re
portends a release inside the next wild enough to get down to such
E-reader News Edition Economy/ 23
WHAT
continued from page 22

he’s going to spend that new $25 over there?” As he said in the first
million in venture capital on, and part of our interview, the Yammer
we oh-so-humbly suggest a few feed is like looking in a corporate
things we’d like for him to spend mirror.
it on. (Spoiler alert: Jason Kincaid CrunchBase Information
is going to be the happiest.) Yammer Information provided by
I forgot to make my request, CrunchBase
which is for a “dislike” button. I
asked Sacks over email and he
said, “You want to tell people you
dislike them? What kind of
operation is Arrington running

Effect of Housing and Trade with China on Durable Goods

Shipments 1994 to October 2010
noreply@blogger.com (Michael shipments fell off the scale to pre- h t t p : / /
Shedlock) (Mish's Global 1994 levels and in spite of a big globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.
Economic Trend Analysis) rally, shipments are still below com
Submitted at 11/30/2010 11:52:00 AM 1994 levels. Click Here To Scroll
I n q u i r i n g m i n d s m a y b e Those looking to bash China will Thru My Recent Post
interested in a chart of the dollar note that the US and China signed List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a
value of durable goods shipments an agreement for China to enter registered investment advisor
1994 to October 2010 in nominal the World Trade Organization representative for SitkaPacific
and real (inflation-adjusted) (WTO) right at the inflation- Capital Management. Sitka
terms. adjusted peak in durable goods Pacific is an asset management
click on chart for sharper image shipments. firm whose goal is strong
The chart is courtesy of my However, China did not join the performance and low volatility,
friend Tim Wallace. WTO for another two years and regardless of market direction.
The trends tell two distinct besides, correlation does not Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com
stories. In nominal terms note the imply causation (although other /account_management.html to
housing boom-bust story. During evidence such as trade deficits Inflation Expectations situation is unlikely to change and learn more about wealth
the recession, shipments plunged does suggest a relation). Regardless of whether you see it is stirring up protectionist management and capital
all the way back to 1997 levels Moreover, many see falling falling prices as good or bad, sentiment in Congress and the preservation strategies of Sitka
and have since "recovered" to prices as a good thing. Others China has been a deflationary administration. Pacific.
2005 levels. don't. For a discussion, please see force when it comes to Trade wars are not a good thing.
In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, Miracle of Survival and Falling manufactured goods. That Mike "Mish" Shedlock
24 Economy/ E-reader News Edition

Google to Offer Groupon $5-6 Billion; From Startup to

Megabucks in 2 Years; "Grouponicus" Holiday Deals
noreply@blogger.com (Michael untapped market it has been Groupon’s founder, Andrew
Shedlock) (Mish's Global trying to get into, most recently Mason to see who would be
Economic Trend Analysis) by promoting Marissa Mayer to willing to " Live Off Groupon"
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:15:00 PM oversee the local business and for an entire year, with no help
It's not easy to to go from startup attempting to buy Yelp, the local from family.
to $6 billion in two short years. review site, last year. Could you live off Groupons for
That Groupon is about to do so is The average Groupon deal offers an entire year?
testimony as to just what can 50 to 90 percent off retail goods The premise is simple: No cash.
happen when a good idea goes and services, from restaurant The Groupawn (customer chosen
viral. certificates to skydiving lessons. to Live Off Groupon) has nothing
Certainly Groupon had the right I t h a s g r o w n b e y o n d l o c a l but a year’s supply of Groupons
idea in these cost-conscious times: merchants to encompass retailers good for the best things to eat, do,
super-deals on goods and services l i k e G a p , w h i c h o f f e r e d a see and buy across the country.
that people want. nationwide deal this summer. On From skydiving and upscale
Groupon hooks up buyers with the day of the Gap promotion, cuisine to body waxing and
sellers at fantastic prices, but only Groupon sold 440,000 units and foreign language classes, Groupon
if enough people sign up. Sellers generated $11 million in revenue. deals will shape the Groupawn’s
determine how big the group of Groupon’s success has helped daily life. He will need to rely on
buyers need to be in advance, and turn the company into a cash- the kindness of strangers for
how many offers they wish to generating machine, signing up social niceties (like tax and tip)
make. more than 12 million registered and basic human needs (like
That simple idea will now net users and reaping more than $350 Rihanna's newest album LOUD, actually has to buy something somewhere to sleep and a ride to
Groupon a reported $5-6 Billion million in estimated annual available for only $5. It marks the within 72 hours for anyone to get any of Groupon’s 60 cities.)
deal with Google. revenue."Grouponicus Deals" first time that the social buying $10. The entry page warned, “Who
Please consider Google Is Said to Techland reports Groupon Starts site has attempted to distribute It's a catchy system. People shouldn’t apply!? Probably
Be Poised to Buy Groupon "Grouponicus Deals" Series For digital music. Some of the other getting all their friends to sign up, everyone shouldn’t apply. We
Google is near a deal to acquire Holiday Season If you're one of offers will include popular deals Groupon gets free names, and few want to be honest from the
Groupon, the pioneering online the people who like taking that people might have missed the ever collect $10 in Groupon b e g i n n i n g : t h i s w i l l b e a
discounter, for as much as $6 advantage of Groupon's deals, f i r s t t i m e , G r o u p o n ' s C E O bucks. catastrophic disruption to your
b i l l i o n , p e o p l e w i t h d i r e c t your holiday is about to get better. Andrew Mason told the Wall My aspiration of accumulating a life. But you will have zero
knowledge of the matter told In addition to posting a deal of the Street Journal. Refer Friends and mountain of Groupon bucks is expenses for a year. You’ll get to
DealBook on Monday. day, Groupon will also post Get $10 "Groupon Bucks" thus now shattered, but if you are travel across the country trying all
At that price, Groupon — known Grouponicius offers, additional Groupon has a referral program going to join anyway (it's free), the cool stuff we feature on
for its daily discounts — would be items that would make great gifts i n w h i c h p a r t i c i p a n t s c a n you may as well use my ID to Groupon. And you might get
o n e o f G o o g l e ’ s l a r g e s t for the season. accumulate $10 Groupon Buck Sign Up For Groupon Offers For $100,000…in money.”
acquisitions, dwarfing its $3.1 There will be a total of 650 deals for each referral. Your City. But Josh Stevens stood out from
billion purchase of DoubleClick, throughout this season, according A few months back I had the idea After having done so, you can " the pack, displaying creativity and
the display advertising giant, in to TechCrunch.Unlike the typical of accumulating the biggest pile Embrace Grouponicus" a will to do anything (like
2007. deals that are done at the end of of Groupon Bucks ever (although Is it Possible to Live Off hitching a ride on a mail truck
The deal would also be Google’s the day, Grouponicius offers will I have no idea what I would do Groupon Alone for a Full Year? during the semifinal interviews in
boldest foray in local business last from three to five days. The w i t h t h e m ) . A l a s s o m e o n e It began with a challenge from GOOGLE page 26
online advertising, a large and first deal is a download of
E-reader News Edition Economy/ 25

"Portugal Insolvent" says Citigroup Chief Economist; Why

Ireland Will Default
noreply@blogger.com (Michael financial system is de facto that investors have begun to some ground recently is a Brady no haircuts. That's why nothing of
Shedlock) (Mish's Global insolvent.” This means “either the disgorge some of their positions plan for indebted European merit gets done.
Economic Trend Analysis) unsecured non-guaranteed in Belgium, Italy and even economies. The plan was recently Moreover, the current scheme is
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:33:00 PM creditors of the banks, and/or the Germany. put forward by a former Treasury guaranteed to blow sky high.
Citigroup's chief economist, just creditors of the sovereign may The recent bond market attacks secretary, Nicholas F. Brady, who Here's why: Ireland has to pay an
threw fat in the Euro-fire with his eventually have to accept a on Ireland and other weak led an effort in 1989 to help average interest rate of 5.8% for
statement‘Insolvent’ Portugal restructuring.” Europe Debt Fears European debtors set off as soon Mexico and other Latin American the loans while shrinking its
Needs Loans Soon Hit More Secure Countries as the German chancellor, Angela economies restructure their debt deficit from 30% of GDP to 3%
Portugal is “insolvent” and will As long as we are tossing fat in Merkel, broached the idea of — requiring bondholders to take a of GDP.
probably need soon to join the the fire let's discuss the fact that requiring bondholders to take a loss of 30 percent in exchange for It is impossible for Ireland to
emergency-loan program from the Europe Debt Fears Hit More share of the loss. They gathered new, longer dated debt grow enough to pay back interest
E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d t h e Secure Countries speed this week when it became instruments that had lower rates on the loan. Ireland will default.
International Monetary Fund Fears among European clear that Ireland, as well as and were backed by 30-year Mike "Mish" Shedlock
that’s available to Greece and bondholders spread Tuesday from Greece, would have to pay a still- United States zero-coupon bonds. h t t p : / /
Ireland, according to Willem the weakest members of the euro steep 5.87 percent interest rate on Much criticized at the time, the globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.
Buiter, Citigroup Inc.’s chief zone to other countries, including their loans — a tacit plan is now seen as the first step com
economist. Italy and Belgium, spurring a acknowledgement on Europe’s of Latin America’s recovery. Click Here To Scroll
“The market’s attention is likely stepped-up search for a solution to part, analysts say, that even with “The key was getting banks to Thru My Recent Post
to turn to Portugal’s sovereign, a crisis that is increasingly putting its bailout package Ireland write down their debt and accept a List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a
which at current levels of interest political as well as financial strain remains a significant default risk. new security,” Mr. Brady said registered investment advisor
rates and growth rates is less on Europe’s decade-old monetary “We have created more doubts during an interview. “Why don’t representative for SitkaPacific
d r a m a t i c a l l y b u t q u i e t l y union. than existed before,” said Paul De people get to work and get Capital Management. Sitka
insolvent,” Buiter wrote in a Despite the commitment of 200 Grauwe, an economist in Brussels something done?” Why Don't We Pacific is an asset management
report dated yesterday. “We billion euros, or $260 billion, in who advises the president of the Get Something done? firm whose goal is strong
consider it likely that it will need bailout funds to Europe’s two European Commission, José Gee. That's a good question. Let's performance and low volatility,
to access the European Financial most stricken nations — Greece Manuel Barroso. “The interest ask Christian Noyer, governor of regardless of market direction.
Stability Facility soon.” and Ireland — institutional rate now being charged for the Bank of France, and ECB Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com
“Despite the recent drama, we investors were unimpressed with Ireland is a vote of no confidence president Jean-Claude Trichet. /account_management.html to
believe we have only seen the the rescue effort this weekend of for the package and it has Noyer said "As far as I'm learn more about wealth
opening act, with the rest of the Ireland and continued to sell bond obviously been inspired by a concerned, I exclude that there management and capital
plot still evolving,” Buiter wrote. holdings in the weaker euro-zone notion that we should punish our will be haircuts in the future" preservation strategies of Sitka
“Accessing external sources of economies. sinners. If we don’t succeed in (yes, that's a real quote). Pacific.
funds will not mark the end of But what is worse for the containing this thing it could lead Trichet said warned German
Ireland’s troubles. The reason is E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d a n to a disaster in terms of the euro’s Chancellor Angela Merkel not to
that, in our view, the consolidated i n c r e a s i n g l y s t r e t c h e d survival.” "unsettle bondholders".
Irish sovereign and Irish domestic International Monetary Fund is Another idea that has gained The ECB wants a free lunch but
26 Gaming/
GOOGLE
continued from page 24
Chicago.) We confiscated his
wallet, sublet his apartment and
put his belongings in storage. He
is ours.
Josh began his journey on May
10, 2010 – if he lasts until May
10, 2011, he will earn $100,000.
The Rules
NO CASH
Only five people allowed to visit
Josh once during one year
No overnight visits from friends/
family
No care packages unless
approved by Groupon
No performing jobs for goods or
money
Bartering Groupons for goods or
services is allowed
Must be an exemplary Groupon
customer at all times / polite,
excellent tipper
About Josh- The Contest Winner
Josh Stevens is a 28 year old man
from Chicago, Illinois, who
applied for Live Off Groupon in
between applying for grad school.
He sports two arms, two legs, a
lot of height and a jolly demeanor.
He considers himself a foodie, a
night owl and a Rockband
enthusiast, but above all else, he is
the Groupawn. One Brave Soul
Lives Off Groupon
It's now 200 days in. "Groupawn"
Josh Stevens is still going strong.
You can follow him at Live Off
Groupon.
Back in August I had a few
questions for Groupon. My
questions were promptly
answered by Groupon's Julie
Mosser.
I had intended to do an article on
Groupon back then. For some
reason it just never happened.
Here are my questions as they are
still pertinent.
Contest Questions
• How can someone live off
Groupons, be a generous tipper
and not use cash? It seems
physically impossible. Even
without the tipping factor and
“unlimited Groupons” the deals
all have a cash price. Even a
helicopter ride for $70 and a
savings of $200 or whatever, still
costs $70.
• Can you please explain how
“unlimited Groupons” can
possibly cover all costs including
tipping?
• Other Josh Stevens with an
“unlimited” amount, what is
largest amount of Groupons
anyone has?
• What percentage of the time so
far, is Josh Stevens living in a
hotel vs. other offers.
Groupon Replies
Hi Mish
Thanks for your interest in
Groupon! All good questions...
Josh has been provided with
unlimited Groupons that he didn't
have to pay for, so even if the deal
"still costs $70," Groupon gave it
to him.
Groupons do not cover tax or
gratuity, which is what makes the
program such a smart marketing
vehicle - Josh has to reach out on
h i s b l o g
(www.liveoffgroupon.com)
Twitter, and Facebook in order to
find complete strangers willing to
help him.
To date he has found people
willing to donate lodging, plane
tickets, etc....but he can only
accept them if there's some sort of
barter or trade.
It's difficult to say what's the
largest amount of Groupons
someone has because they're
constantly redeemed - it's not
unusual for our best customers in
each market to have a 'bank' of 40
-60 that they're constantly using
and replenishing.
Although we have Marcus Hotels
and the Fairmont West Coast
collection, Josh has spent less
than half his time in hotels.
Let me know if I can get you
anything else.
Julie Mosser There you have it.
"Groupawn" Josh Stevens is
sailing for $100,000 and the story
of a lifetime. The Groupon
owners are sailing for $6 billion
and the deal of a lifetime. Dreams
are still possible and it can all
start with the simplest of ideas.
Best wishes to both Josh Stevens
and Groupon.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock
h t t p : / /
globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.
com
Click Here To Scroll
Thru My Recent Post
List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a
registered investment advisor
representative for SitkaPacific
Capital Management. Sitka
Pacific is an asset management
firm whose goal is strong
performance and low volatility,
regardless of market direction.
Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com
/account_management.html to
learn more about wealth
management and capital
preservation strategies of Sitka
Pacific.
E-reader News Edition
Fight Night:
Champion has
a story to tell
David Hinkle (Joystiq)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:30:00 PM
Sure, once the bell rings, Fight
Night: Champion comes down to
punching dudes and punching
dudes alone. But don't
underestimate the power of
promotion, er, "human drama"
woven through the punches. Enter
the new single-player Champion
mode: Spin the tale of aspiring
pugilist Andre Bishop.
Continue reading Fight Night:
Champion has a story to tell
Fight Night: Champion has a
story to tell originally appeared on
Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
21:30:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
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E-reader News Edition Economy/ Gaming/ Culture/ 27

Emerging Markets Consumer

ETF Surpasses $100M In Assets
Under Management (ECON)
Benzinga (Money Game) and China (9.4%).
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:44:44 PM The top-five industry weights are
automobiles & parts (16.6%),
EGShares announced that its b e v e r a g e s ( 1 4 . 8 % ) , m e d i a
newly minted Emerging Global (12.4%), travel & leisure (12.2%),
S h a r e s E m e r g i n g M a r k e t s and food makers (12.0%).
Consumer Titans Index Fund ECON has an expense ratio
(NYSE: ECON), a 30-stock ETF 0.85%.
focused on emerging markets This article is by The ETF
consumers, has surpassed $100 Professor. It originally appeared
Treat yourself
m i l l i o n i n a s s e t s u n d e r at Benzinga and is republished
management. here with permission. to a Ghost
That's an impressive haul Join the conversation about this
considering the ETF has been story »
trading for just about 10 weeks. See Also:
Will A New Chinese Gold Trick demo
JC Fletcher (Joystiq)
EGShares has $340 million in • No, The GLD ETF Is Not
assets under managements across Overdue To Buy 200 Tons Of ETF Give The Gold Bull Run Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:30:00 PM

its emerging markets ETF lineup, Gold

the company said in a statement. • The Truth About ETFs: They Another Gigantic Leg Up? Back in March, we linked a
Japanese-language demo for
ECON tracks the Dow Jones Were Designed By Serious Joe Weisenthal (Money Game) fund the first of its kind for Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective.
Emerging Markets Consumer Traders For Serious Traders mainland China, according to a Now, you can play that Flash
Titans 30 Index and its top-five • And Now Presenting "The Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:04:00 PM statement posted on the Shenzhen d e m o i n E n g l i s h , n o t o n l y
country weights are Mexico Vitamin Of Modern Industry" Today's surge in gold is being fund provider's website. allowing you to experience the
(20.4%), Brazil (16.5%), India attributed to this news. Seems possible that this will introduction to the DS puzzle
(16.4%), South Africa (14.9%), WSJ: create some buying power. adventure, but to know what the
Gold prices jumped Tuesday, as Bear in mind, though, that the hell you're experiencing!
Le Truc 'Bustaurant' interest in gold ETFs could be
strong from China, where
impact of the original SPDR Gold Continue reading Treat yourself
Trust "GLD" ETF has been to a Ghost Trick demo

Seats 12, Sells Out Fast investors face negative real

interest rates on bank deposits
and want to hedge against
overblown-- short version: the Treat yourself to a Ghost Trick
introduction of the fund in late demo originally appeared on
2004 didn't lead to any historical Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
Allison Davis (Wired Top tricked out with copper grills.
Stories) inflation. obvious distortions in the price -- 22:30:00 EST. Please see our
Instead of food truck standards
Lion Fund Management Co. so don't assume this is a chip-shot. terms for use of feeds.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:29:00 PM like tacos and sausages, Le Truc
received permission to invest in Join the conversation about this Permalink| Email this| Comments
is serving up locally sourced,
exchange-traded gold funds story »
SAN FRANCISCO — For his seasonal menus out of the 66-
outside the country, making the
new “bustaurant” called Le Truc, p a s s e n g e r v e h i c l e . T h e
chef Hugh Schick has transformed unconventional eatery might be
a yellow vehicle designed for housed in a 1983 Ford school bus,
hauling schoolchildren into a TRUC page 30
gleaming, black mobile eatery
28 Culture/ E-reader News Edition

Interpol Issues 'Red Notice' for Arrest of WikiLeaks Leader

Kevin Poulsen (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:45:00 PM

The international police

organization Interpol has issued a
Red Notice for the arrest of
WikiLeaks’ founder Julian
Assange, in connection with a sex
crime investigation in Sweden.
A Red Notice is kind of
international wanted poster
seeking the provisional arrest of a
fugitive, with an eye towards
extradition to the nation that
issued the underlying arrest
warrant. Interpol transmits the
notices to its 188 member
countries, including Britain,
where Assange is believed to be
located. Interpol has no authority
to compel a subject’s arrest. It
issued 5,020 Red Notice last year
for a variety of crimes.
A terse extract of Assange’s
notice appeared on Interpol’s
website Tuesday, without a of Appeal, but lost. Assange filed broke. he unveiled nearly 400,000 leaked unprecedented move against a
photograph, reporting that the 39- a new appeal Tuesday to the Assange has denied any U.S. Army documents from the journalistic organization.
year-old Australian is wanted for Swedish Supreme Court. wrongdoing, and hinted that the Iraq war. In a statement earlier this month,
“sex crimes” by the International The investigation stems from complaints are the result of a U.S. On Sunday, he outraged top U.S. Assange’s British counsel said
Public Prosecution Office in separate encounters Assange had “smear campaign” targeting officials and sent shock waves that his client repeatedly offered
Gothenburg, Sweden. with two women during his WikiLeaks — leading some through the world of global to cooperate with local
A Swedish judge on Nov. 18 August visit to Sweden, where he supporters of the group to diplomacy when he began rolling investigators while he was in
ordered Assange “detained in was applying for Swedish publicly investigate the two out a leak of a quarter-million Sweden, and has offered to
absentia” to answer questions in a residency and attempting to women and their families. U.S. State Department diplomatic answer questions remotely from
rape, coercion and molestation secure the protection of Swedish Wikileaks founder Julian cables that revealed the private Britain since then.
investigation in Stockholm. A free-press laws for his secret- Assange takes his seat during a views of U.S. diplomats towards “All of these offers have been
court approved an international spilling website. According to press conference in Geneva, Nov. foreign leaders around the world. flatly refused by a prosecutor who
arrest warrant for the ex-hacker local news reports, the women 4. Photo: Keystone, Martial The Obama administration is is abusing her powers by insisting
two days later, at which point told investigators the sexual Trezzini/AP After the exploring possible criminal that he return to Sweden at his
Sweden reportedly applied to encounters began as consensual, investigation began, Assange left charges against Assange under the own expense to be subjected to
Interpol for the Red Notice. but turned non-consensual. One Sweden with the permission of Espionage Act, The Washington another media circus that she will
Assange’s lawyer appealed the woman said Assange ignored her the government, and then turned Post reported Monday— in what
detention order to the Svea Court appeals to stop when the condom up in London in October, where would be a virtually INTERPOL page 30
E-reader News Edition Culture/ 29

Secret of Big Caves Revealed by Math

Alexandra Witze (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:45:00 PM

Spelunkers look at a cave and

wonder how to explore its deepest
reaches. But physicists look at it
and wonder how it got there in the
first place.
A new mathematical analysis
solves a longstanding cave-
formation puzzle: how a trickle of
water laced with carbonic acid
manages to quickly dissolve rock
to create massive conduits. The
trick, it seems, is that fluid flow
focuses rapidly in certain
channels, which grow at the
expense of others and allow the
acid to penetrate deeply.
“Most of the models in cave
formation today don’t have this
mechanism at all,” says Piotr
Szymczak, a physicist at the
University of Warsaw. He and his
colleague Anthony Ladd, a contains some carbon dioxide, mechanism, says Szymczak. of focused flow in limestone was The researchers next want to look
chemical engineer at the making it a weak acid that can eat The researchers showed how the first proposed, says Harihar into what happens when engineers
University of Florida in away at the calcium carbonate in equations describing fluid flow in Rajaram, a hydrologic engineer at inject liquid carbon dioxide from
Gainesville, lay out their new limestone. The question is how the rock always contain a the University of Colorado at power plants deep underground,
equations in a paper to appear in that dissolution can happen fast mathematical instability. The fact Boulder. The new work, says in an attempt to keep the carbon
Earth and Planetary Science enough to produce deep that this instability exists means Szymczak, builds on that from entering the atmosphere.
Letters. penetration and allow long cave that very soon after a fracture foundation by showing that the Image: This simulation shows
The work could improve systems to form. The longest opens, fluid flow begins to focus instability always exists in the how fluid flow (in this case, from
understanding of the safety of known system in the world is along tiny ripples and build some math, no matter what materials left to right) can lead to deep
dams, waste storage sites, or Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, bigger channels at the expense of are involved. penetration in a rock. At first
anywhere else fluid might be with at least 580 kilometers of others. “This mechanism of The work, he adds, could help (panel at left) channels begin
seeping through the ground. passageways. channeling speeds your explain why caves sometimes developing almost equally, but
For more than a century, Earlier work had suggested that dissolution time quite a lot,” says form faster than expected beneath over time (right) certain channels
researchers have known the basics the rate at which rock dissolved Szymczak. “That’s what allows it dams. The equations might also gain in size at the expense of
of how limestone caves form: A could speed up dramatically when to penetrate so deep.” help improve modeling of how others. Credit: Piotr Szymczak
tiny fracture opens in the rock, the fluid is nearly saturated with The mathematical analysis is fluid seeps through rocks, a ke See Also:
perhaps due to some internal carbon dioxide. But the new study likely to bring new insight into question raised about the once- This entry passed through the
stress, and water begins can explain cave formation ideas that have been circulating planned nuclear waste repository
percolating through it. Most water SECRET page 30
without invoking such a since the 1990s, when the notion at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
30 Culture/
TRUC
continued from page 27
but with a gourmet kitchen,
skylights and indoor seating for
up to 12, Schick says he designed
his rolling restaurant to be a
destination dining spot that just
happens to move.
Thanks to the semipermanent
location — you can find the truck
parked at the corner of Fourth and
Brannan streets in the city’s South
of Market district — Schick and
his business partner, Blake Tally,
won’t have to rely on Twitter to
notify would-be customers of
their location the way other food
trucks do.
Instead, followers will be first to
find out when Schick is pulling
fresh cookies out of the oven or
when sliders are discounted. By
using Twitter in this way, the
restaurateurs hope to appeal to the
demographic in their SOMA
location. “We want to attract the
recent college graduates to 35-
years-olds that love street food,”
said Schick, a former private chef
and restaurant consultant.
A natural extension of the food
cart boom under way in places
like Portland, Oregon, Le Truc is
for the foodie-techie crowd that
INTERPOL
continued from page 28
orchestrate,” wrote attorney Mark
Stephens. “Pursuing a warrant in
this circumstance is entirely
u n n e c e s s a r y a n d
disproportionate.”
See Also:
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wants great grub in a spot without
a dress code — good thing you
can wear what you want in a
Wells Fargo bank parking lot.
Diners should appreciate the
inclusion of an outdoor credit card
kiosk — no more scrounging for
crumpled bills and free-floating
change to pay for a bacon-
wrapped hot dog.
Le Truc has developed a point-of
-sale system similar to those in
some upscale convenience stores
and gas stations: Rather than
overwhelming the kitchen staff
with questions and orders, patrons
sidle up to the kiosk outside the
bus, browse the menu according
to dietary specifications, and
order their food electronically. An
online version allows orders from
computers or mobile phones —
when the food is done, the system
sends a text.
Le Truc’s computer brain also
recognizes repeat customers —
when you swipe a card, it
remembers what you last ordered.
Big Brother might be watching,
but he gives you loyalty
discounts.
The Le Truc bus opened
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Tuesday, serving up savory
sandwiches made with ingredients
like grilled Portobello mushrooms
and ground-chicken meatballs
(mom’s recipe). The technology is
still in beta but the food is not.
Currently, Le Truc’s operators
are lobbying to serve alcohol for
food/beer pairings. They also plan
to set up for dinner (and maybe al
fresco movies) in a second
location a few blocks away near
San Francisco’s South Park
neighborhood, home to many dot-
com startups over the years.
Somewhere down the line, beer
freak Schick is hoping to brew his
own ales. The planned Le Truc
Artisan Beer Works will be a
collection of sour, saison brews
flavored with elements from the
menu (like chanterelle
mushrooms and Japanese yuzu).
As if that weren’t ambitious
enough, the Le Truc crew has
been working with the city’s
planning department to gain a
spot in the mobile food truck
Narnia that is the Upper Market/
Castro area.
“Street-food people are crafty,”
said Dan Sider, ombudsman for
San Francisco’s planning
department. “Le Truc has got
something that’s pretty unique.
They worked with the planning
commission and lobbied for a
particular set of rules that would
allow for their bus to exist.”
Tuesday’s debut went well, with
the bustaurant quickly making its
mark on the SOMA food scene.
“The first day was awesome,”
said Tally. “We sold out of almost
everything.”
Photos and additional reporting:
Jon Snyder/Wired.com
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Catastrophe.
10 Tips for
Staying on
Budget
(HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 1:00:56 PM
-
You have a big expense coming
up. You need a better car, or a
bigger home, or you w-ant to go
back to college. What do you do?
Borrow, borrow, borrow -- right?
Well, maybe not.-
-If you've created a budget, you
know exactly how much money
you have coming in, and how
much is going out. You can make
some plans concerning that big
expense. But if you don't have a
budget plan, you probably don't
have a very good picture of your
finances, and you may be tempted
to borrow more money rather than
TIPS page 31
E-reader News Edition
TIPS
continued from page 30
squeezing all you can from your
income. It's definitely better in the
long run -- for you and for your
money -- to have a budget.
Creating a budget can be a
frustrating task. Staying on budget
can be even harder. Once you've
created your budget, it's important
to stick to it.
-It's easy to understand how
careful budgeting can improve a
financial situation. And we all
know that fewer financial
problems mean less stress. But
here's one of the best benefits:
Working together on a budget can
help your marriage. With money
arguments being one of the largest
causes of divorce, managing your
budget can relieve financial stress
on your marriage and make your
life better all around-.
But we know that always being
Facebook Visigoths
Rochelle Gurstein (The New
Republic - All Feed)
Submitted at 11/29/2010 11:00:00 PM
How, I asked my husband as
much in disbelief as in
indignation, do the guards at the
Louvre allow this? I wasn't
referring to the hordes of
chattering tourists of all
description who, when they visit
the museum, apparently think it is
a good idea to press and elbow
and jostle against one another in
order to get into position to snap a
picture—blinding flashes from
every direction—of the long-
suffering, overexposed Mona
Lisa. Nor was I speaking about
practical, careful and responsible
can be overwhelming. In this
article, we'll explore 10 tips for
staying on budget, without losing
your sanity.
Read on to find ways to save
money and prepare for a major
purchase on a tight budget.-
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that other sizeable group of
tourists who are in too great a
hurry or are simply too restrained
to do what is needed to gain a
clear view and instead, as if it
were the most natural thing in the
world, raise their phones or
cameras above their heads and
aim blindly, again using flash, in
the direction of the Mona Lisa as
they make their way through the
crowds and out the door of the
newly modernized Salle des Etats
without ever laying eyes on
Leonardo's masterpiece or, for
that matter, on any of the
FACEBOOK page 32
TV/ Politics-Left/ 31
Top Chef: All-Stars: Producers Break
Down Who Was Chosen and Why
Denise Martin (TVGuide.com:
Breaking News)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:39:00 PM
Top Chef - Season 8
And you thought creating
appetizers out of vending-
machine snacks was hard. Or
preparing a meal out of the food
found in a single grocery aisle.
Those challenges, tested out in
previous seasons of Top Chef, are
nothing compared to the tasks
producers have whipped up for
the contestants chosen to compete
the show's first all-star
edition(premiering Wednesday at
10/9c on Bravo.)
PHOTOS: Who made the cut? tearing down the dish of one And watch this video below to
Casting Top Chef-All Stars contestant in harsh, Bourdain hear several of the all-stars talk
"The degree of difficulty has fashion — and that contestant will about competing for their chance
increased a lot," executive
producer Dan Cutforth tells
confront him head-on in
Wednesday's premiere. Says
at redemption.
This entry passed through the
TVGuide.com. "We felt like if Cutforth, "He was pretty mean, Full-Text RSS service — if this is
these guys are the all-stars, they but when does Tony ever mince your content and you're reading it
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and in more challenging Get the rest of today's latest news our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
conditions." So, which of the more than 100 content-only/faq.php
None of the contenders won their former competitors was up to the Five Filters featured article:
seasons, so going home will hurt challenge? Cutforth and fellow Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
twice as bad. Top Chef executive producer Jane Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Also upping the ante this season? Lipsitz reveal who was chosen Catastrophe.
Fierce critic and newly installed and why. Read up about their
regular judge Anthony Bourdain. decisions in our Top Chef: All-
( Spoiler alert: He wastes no time Stars photo gallery.
32
FACEBOOK
continued from page 31
spectacular, breathtaking Titians
and Veroneses and Tintorettos
that surpass the Mona Lisa and
dwell in the same lofty,
unadorned hall.
I wasn't asking my husband about
this familiar out-of-control scene
at the Louvre because crowd
control in the vicinity of the Mona
Lisa has long been a losing
proposition. I had read
somewhere that 90 percent of the
six million tourists who visit the
Louvre make the Mona Lisa their
first and sometimes only
destination. Given the magnitude
of the onslaught, the guards,
whom one rarely sees until
closing time when suddenly they
appear, apparently energized by
the prospect of escorting foreign
stragglers out of their museum,
have long given up on enforcing
the restrictions against flash
cameras and no longer make even
the feeblest attempt to "shush"
anyone. Who can blame them?
I was asking my husband about a
kindred and one would suppose
more manageable guardly duty.
We had just entered the gallery
that is home to some of Ingres's
most fully realized visions of
ideal beauty and as we
approached with anticipation one
of his most magnificent
canvasses, The Bather, we found
our path blocked by a young
Japanese woman who thought
nothing of positioning herself just
to the side of the painting and
then aping the elegant, sinuous
pose of the nude figure while
turning her head and covering her
eyes in a pantomime of faux
though obscene modesty as her
friends, giggling and
gesticulating, immortalized the
moment using flash. It was
then—and again later that evening
when we witnessed further
enactments of this same kind of
warped prurient modesty/prudery
in front of imposing ancient
sculptures of male nude gods and
mythic heroes—that I asked my
husband, as much in disbelief as
in indignation, how do the guards
allow this?
As we waited, dumbfounded, for
the little troop of perverted
innocents to move on, I recalled
Henry James's disgust with the
tourists of his day. When he wrote
about his travels in Venice in
1881, he could already complain
that "the barbarians are in full
possession and you tremble for
what they may do. You are
reminded from the moment of
your arrival that Venice scarcely
exists any more as a city at all;
that she exists only as a battered
peep-show and bazaar." And then
my husband whispered to me that
all this intrusive posing and
picture-taking was a kind of
graffitti in reverse: instead of the
old barbarians carving "Kilroy
was here" on a marble sculpture
or Corinthian column, the new
narcissistic ones "send" all their
"friends" in their "Facebook"
photos of themselves obliviously
ruining a long-admired
masterpiece by their very
presence. We agreed that when
compared to the vandalism of old,
today's virtual mode was less bad
in that it left no indelible,
disfiguring marks on the work of
art itself, even as we could not
help worrying about the damage it
would surely do to our memories,
not to mention our future
imaginings, of Ingres's exquisite
Bather and the grand marble
Hercules.
The next day, at the Cathedral in
Rouen, we found ourselves in an
aesthetic atmosphere that could
not have been more different from
the mindless, frentic one of the
Louvre. I had long wanted to visit
this place because a writer
extremely important to me,
Ruskin, offered a tiny carved
Gothic figure decorating one of its
doorways as the famous climax of
his argument about why the world
looks the way it does in his Seven
Lamps of Architecture and
because another writer beloved to
me, Proust, who in his youth
adored Ruskin, made a pilgrimage
to Rouen Cathedral after Ruskin
died to pay homage to the carved
"little man" and then wrote some
intensely moving words about it
in the preface to his translation of
Ruskin's Bible of Amiens. But
now that we were actually
standing in front of the soaring
Gothic cathedral—every inch of
its massive stone surface incised
with lace-like flamboyant tracery;
stack upon stack of sculpted
angels, saints, apostles, prophets,
kings barely contained within
their towering stone balconies and
porches; ornamented pinnacles,
gables, canopies in dazzling
profusion—I experienced
firsthand the psychic chaos
represented in the homely
expression of looking for a needle
in a haystack. How, I asked my
husband, would we ever find
Ruskin's "little man"?
I knew from reading Proust that
the object of our pilgrimage was
located in a place called "the
Bookseller's Porch." We bought a
guide and after navigating past a
great deal of scaffolding (restorers
busy at work), we found it, an
elaborately decorated doorway
into the north transept of the
cathedral. As we approached the
doorway, I thought I knew what
we were looking for; I had read
Ruskin's description many times,
having taught The Seven Lamps
of Architecture repeatedly over
the years:
There is an evidence in the
features of thoughtfulness and
fancy which is not common, at
least now-a-days [the year was
1849]. ... The fellow is vexed and
puzzled in his malice; and his
hand is pressed hard on his cheek
bone, and the flesh is wrinkled
under the eye by the pressure.
[Ruskin's emphasis]
I had made a xerox of this
passage and of Ruskin's etching of
the figure before we left on our
trip. But, again the reality of the
Gothic structure outstripped
anything I had been led to expect.
On either side of two giant rust-
colored doors, we were faced with
hundreds of small, weather-
beaten, crumbling quatrefoiled
panels containing roughly carved
bas reliefs, some at eye level but a
great many more at a height
reaching at least double my
husband's. I felt overwhelmed and
E-reader News Edition
remembered that Proust, too, had
initially lost heart when he first
entered the Bookseller's Porch.
Luckily we had binoculars;
equally lucky, the light was
streaming in from the north, cool
and even, the kind of perfect
viewing light that artists have
always sought in north-facing
studios. And being the only
people there, we had the luxury of
taking our time undisturbed.
As we contemplated the
individual panels, an exuberant
bestiary of mythical animals and
hybrid monsters began to emerge.
We saw a dragon with a hooded
human head, a sow suffering from
a toothache, a goat ringing a bell
... But Ruskin's vexed and puzzled
fellow was nowhere to be found.
Time and weather had defaced
many of the stone panels as
efficiently as any iconoclast might
have done. I asked my husband if
he thought Ruskin' "couchant
figure" with its "gloomy and
brooding" eye (his further
description) had disappeared in
this way. He asked me for the
xerox of Ruskin's drawing and
took up the search again. After
much sustained looking and
comparing, he realized that we
had been on the wrong track. The
panel Ruskin had drawn, he
informed me, was a composite of
three separate, unrelated figures.
We would never find "the little
man" in the center of one of the
quatrefoiled panels; instead he
was located in the very cramped
space in the corner of the panel,
FACEBOOK page 33
E-reader News Edition
FACEBOOK
continued from page 32
the space at the edge of the four-
lobed geometric foliation that
enclosed the mythical animals.
Once we knew what we were
looking for, our attention became
riveted on each of the four tiny
corners of each panel, areas that
just a few moments before
literally had no existence for us.
Now we could see nothing else.
We were completely absorbed by
the multitude of strange, contorted
hybrid angel/man/animal/serpent
creatures, just slightly longer than
my husband's index finger, whose
poses were made to conform to
both the circular angle of the
quatrefoil and the 90-degree angle
of the edge of the panel.
Then, miraculously, out of the
hundreds of nearly
indistinguishable stone figurines,
my husband found the one we
were looking for. We were now
standing in the very same place
where Ruskin, over a century and
a half earlier and Proust 50 years
after him, had stood, looking with
wonder and delight at the same
rather coarsely carved, though
touching figure. For the first time
that day my experience was in
accord with what I had anticipated
from reading Ruskin. I felt the
force of his argument about why
the world looks the way it does.
The "vexed and puzzled" little
fellow, in all its raw
expressiveness and vitality, was
the physical embodiment of the
stone-carver's joy in his labor; for
why else, as Ruskin pointed out,
would the carver have taken the
time and care to indicate, rough
line by rough line, the wrinkles
under the figure's eye as his cheek
rested on his hand? After all, we
are talking about a face of a figure
smaller than my thumb that is a
mere filling of an interstice on the
outside of a cathedral gate, a
figure that passionate pilgrims
like my husband and myself failed
to notice even when we were
looking directly at the carved
panel on which it reclines.
Having now seen the tiny Gothic
figure that had occupied such a
large place in my imagination, I
could only wonder at the depth
and range of Ruskin's sensibility
contained in that observation.
And, I began to realize, I was
equally if not more astounded by
Ruskin's acute vision. With
thousands of sculpted figures of
all sizes and description to fill
one's eye and mind, how hard he
must have looked to see that
particular tiny, obscure figure, for,
unlike us (or Proust), Ruskin had
no guide. Instead, my husband
ventured, his mind must have
been prepared, his eye alert, his
attention intensely concentrated in
ways that few of us are capable of
today. As I felt the page in my
hand of Ruskin's etching, we
began to speak of the way
cultivated travelers used to
memorize and preserve the details
of beloved paintings, sculptures,
buildings, and landscapes they
visited by drawing them or
painting watercolors—and in
Ruskin's case, by making his own
etchings of his drawings for his
books. We thought of the time
and mindfulness and care that the
handmade world required, how
radically opposed it was to today's
automaton picture-taking and
instant, disposable "messaging."
As we left the Bookseller's Porch,
I recalled the joy Proust felt in
finding "the little man" that
Ruskin had rescued from
oblivion. I had read his words on
the train to Rouen:
He made a drawing of it; he
spoke of it. And the harmless and
monstrous little figurine will have
come back to life, against all
hope, from that death which
seems more total than others,
which is the disappearance into
the midst of infinite numbers and
leveling down of similarities, but
from which genius quickly
rescues us.
Throughout his life, Ruskin was
anguished by the terrible harm
wrought on the things of the
world he loved by the division
and degradation of labor, by
thoughtless industrial pollution,
by misguided restoration. "Venice
is disappearing at the rate of a
sugar cube in a cup of tea," he
lamented in a letter to his parents
as he was writing Seven Lamps of
Architecture in 1848, a book
devoted to saving both in words
and in etchings magnificent
Gothic edifices that were
undergoing "restoration." "The
most useless book I ever wrote,"
he would announce in the second
edition published in 1880. "None
Food/ 33
of the buildings still remain."
After having read Proust's
beautiful description of his
pilgrimage to Rouen, I couldn't
help thinking that Ruskin might
have been heartened by the
picture of Proust searching for
that particular figurine among the
crumbling stone multitudes and
finding it and having a most
Hawaiian
Ruskinian moment of recognition
and, in it, saving the world, at
least during that fleeting interval,
Oxtail Soup
(Simply Recipes)
from the destruction of forgetting
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:36:51 PM
or indifference, and then for much
longer by recording his own Oxtails! My oh my how I love
thoughts, which are kept alive oxtails. We grew up with oxtail
every time they enter a reader's stew, a deeply rich, hearty stew
consciousness: "I was moved to perfect for cold days. You don't
find the figurine still there find them that often in the market,
because I realized then that so when they appear I'll usually
nothing dies that once has lived, pick up a few pounds. The oxtail
neither the sculptor's thought, nor is the tail of a steer, usually cut
Ruskin's." into segments. It is a flavorful,
Rochelle Gurstein, a monthly tough cut, perfect for slow
columnist for The New Republic, braising in stews or soups, well
is the author of The Repeal of marbled with fat, and here's the
Reticence: America's Cultural and best part, the bones have a ton of
Legal Struggles over Free Speech, collagen, so good for making a
Obscenity, Sexual Liberation, and gelatinous stock.
Modern Art. She is currently Continue reading "Hawaiian
writing a book on the history of Oxtail Soup" »
aesthetic experience tentatively
entitled Of Time and Beauty.
For more TNR, become a fan on
Facebook and follow us on
Twitter.
34 TV/
Hawaii Five-0 Adding a New Series
Regular — Cast It!
Kate Stanhope (TVGuide.com:
Breaking News)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:08:00 PM
James Wolk
Can you imagine Lone Star's
James Wolk or Battlestar
Galactica's Katee Sackhoff under
the Hawaii Five-0 sun, playing an
old CIA buddy of McGarrett's? It
could happen. A new casting
notice says the CBS drama is
looking to add a series regular to
tentatively debut in the 17th
episode of the season,
TVGuide.com has learned.
According to the official casting
call, the character will be
somewhere in his or her late 20s
to early 30s, a wise-cracking,
multilingual Asia expert recruited
into the CIA right out of Harvard.
The new addition also has a deep-
rooted connection to McGarrett (
Alex O'Loughlin), having taken a
bullet for him years ago. And it's
still there, lodged next to the
spine.
Catch up on today's latest news
So who would you cast in the
role? Would Lost alum
Evangeline Lily or House guest
star Amber Tamblyn be the best
choice to help Grace Park mix up
the boys' club? Or should CBS
grant a new chance to recently
unemployed actors like Outlaw's
Jesse Bradford, Undercovers'
Boris Kodjoe or Rubicon's James
Badge Dale?
Share your thoughts and your
suggestions in the comments
below!
Hawaii Five-0 airs Mondays at
10/9c on CBS. Related Links
Videos: Watch Full Episodes of
Hawaii Five-0 Other Links:
House, Lost, Amber Tamblyn,
James Badge Dale, Jesse
Bradford, Boris Kodjoe,
Evangeline Lilly, Katee Sackhoff,
Battlestar Galactica, Grace Park,
Alex O'Loughlin, Hawaii Five-0,
Outlaw, Undercovers, Lone Star,
James Wolk, Rubicon Tags:
Breaking News, CBS, Casting
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Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Catastrophe.
E-reader News Edition
Bob Saget Talks 'Strange Days,'
Being Like Danny Tanner,
Loving 'HIMYM' & More
Maggie Furlong (TV Squad)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:00:00 PM
Filed under: Celebrity Interviews,
The Show Girl Bob Saget is one
of those guys that's kind of hard to
pin down. He rose to fame on'Full
House' as clean-cut, aw shucks
single dad Danny Tanner,
followed by a stint
hostng'America's Funniest Home
Videos.' Not long after, he got
back to his stand-up roots and
shocked a lot of people with his
curse-filled rants and borderline
inappriate stories about the Olsen
twins, his former TV daughters. Nov. 30, 10PM ET on A&E), a
Then came a bit part reality series following Bob on a
on'Entourage,' playing "Bob bucket list full of crazy
Saget," a fictitious (or is it?) adventures.
portrayal of himself. The cleanest I caught up with Bob Saget the
thing on his recent resume is his nice guy, Bob Saget the teller of
heard-but-never-seen role as jokes (from the corny to the
the'How I Met Your Mother' dirty), Bob Saget the motorcycle
narrator. So what's the real Bob club member and Bob Saget the
Saget like? dustbuster to hear more about it.
We'll get to see glimpses of that Permalink| Email this| Linking
on his new show'Strange Days Blogs| Comments
with Bob Saget'(premieres Tues.,
E-reader News Edition TV/ 35

David Cassidy Pleads Not Guilty and

More Celebrity News from PopEater
Elena Cox (TV Squad)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 1:00:00 PM

Filed under: Celebrities and

Gossip Want to know what's
going on with your favorite TV
stars when the cameras aren't
rolling? Check out the latest
celebrity news from our friends at
PopEater.com.
o. Former '70s heartthrob David
Cassidy vowed to fight DUI
charges from his arrest earlier this
month, and kept his promise by
pleading not guilty in a Florida
court today.
o. Kim Kardashian is among a
awareness and money for Keep A
Child Alive.
Thanksgiving together in Cabo.
o. Amber Portwood welcomed
Oprah Winfrey to
long list of celebs playing dead
for a good cause -- a new
o. Eva Longoria's divorce hasn't
even been finalized yet and she
already has men lining up. Rumor
her daughter back into her home
on Monday after domestic abuse
charges caused Indiana authorities
Announce Next Book
campaign to raise awareness for
World AIDS Day and Keep A
Child Alive. Each will make a
has it that ladies man John Mayer
is very interested.
to make Leah a ward of the state.
Permalink| Email this| Linking Club Pick on Monday
o. Jennifer Aniston and Blogs| Comments Natalie Abrams (TVGuide.com: Franzen's first novel, The
"Digital Life Sacrifice," wherein comedienne Chelsea Handler are Breaking News) Corrections, was selected for the
they stop using Twitter and new besties. The two spent book club in 2001.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:13:00 PM
Facebook in an effort to raise Winfrey plans to continue the
Oprah book club when she launches
Fran Drescher Shows Off Her Oprah Winfrey will announce her
latest book club selection on
OWN, Winfrey's new network
debuting on New Year's Day.

Haircutting Chops (VIDEO) Monday.

Harpo Productions also
announced Tuesday that the
This entry passed through the
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your content and you're reading it
TV Squad Staff (TV Squad)
episode will feature Winfrey's on someone else's site, please read
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:07:00 PM
latest book club author, Jonathan our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
Filed under: TV Replay'The Fran Franzen. content-only/faq.php
Drescher Show'(weekdays, Check out the rest of today's Five Filters featured article:
syndicated on Fox) has begun its news Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
three-week trial run in six markets In mid-September, Winfrey Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
(Los Angeles, New York, chose Frazen's Freedom as the Catastrophe.
Philadelphia, Phoenix, newest addition to the book club.
Minneapolis and Orlando) and in trademarkFRAN
New page
York36
accent and
addition to featuring the actress'
36 Products/ E-reader News Edition
FRAN
continued from page 35

wild laugh, the show is supposed
to highlight her outspoken
opinions on politics, Hollywood
and whatever else comes to her
wacky mind.
In a segment on Tuesday's show,
Drescher challenged one of Jean
Paul Mitchell's top stylists to a
haircutting contest, dubbing it the
"First Fran Cut-Off Competition."
"The last time I cut hair I charged
$5 a haircut," Drescher announced
at the outset, "so it's been awhile
since I've done it." But since her
audience was to determine the
winner by applause, we kinda
think the deck was stacked.
What do you think?
Permalink| Email this| Linking
Blogs| Comments

Subaru offers TomTom navigation on 2011 Forester, Impreza

Consumer Reports Shopping from a modern navigator at a design, a replacement would be a nice advantage to be able to
Blog (Consumer Reports) price well below those of typical, likely include the double-DIN swap in the latest device midlife.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:26:20 PM in-dash systems. cradle, as well. — Jeff Bartlett Next Steps
Given the long, multi-year Subaru is not the first to explore • GPS Buying Advice:
S u b a r u o f f e r s T o m T o m development cycles that cars this strategy. Toyota offered a • Types of GPS|
navigation on 2011 Forester, have, an automaker would be 4Runner with similar integration, • GPS Features|
Impreza challenged to keep up with the and Suzuki offers a flip-up • GPS Brands
Portable navigation companies pace of the GPS market, where a Garmin in the SX4. We wouldn't
are fast becoming original new generation product is be surprised to see this trend All GPS Ratings Subscribers can
equipment suppliers, providing introduced about every six T o m T o m u n i t r o u t e s a u d i o continue, and our talks with major view and compare all GPS
software and/or hardware to car months. In fact, even though it through the car speakers, and it navigations providers suggest it Ratings. Recommended GPS
companies looking to offer w e n t o n s a l e t h i s f a l l , t h e mutes the stereo system when will. Look at the ones that we chose as
contemporary route guidance at TomTom Go 720 that is the basis issuing navigation guidance. Plus, I continue to hope for a time the best of the best. Subscribe
an attainable price. Subaru is now f o r t h i s s y s t e m c o u l d b e it adds Bluetooth connectivity and when units can be easily traded now!
offering integrated TomTom considered two generations old, audio input. It remains a portable, out. As we have seen in our S u b s c r i b e t o
navigation devices on the Forester with a newer Go 730 taking its removable unit, and with an testing, GPS technology moves so ConsumerReports.org for expert
and Impreza. This strategy hands place and the impressive Go 2405 available mount and power cord, quickly, that after two to three Ratings, buying advice and
navigation development to an taking over as the latest flagship the TomTom device could be years, there can be real benefits to reliability on hundreds of
industry expert, leaving Subaru to portable navigator. Both devices used in another car. However, it trading up to a new device. Given products. Update your feed
design in a cradle, power supply, retail for $299. (See our GPS cannot be readily replaced in the that new cars are typically owned preferences
and audio system connections. In ratings and buying advice.) vehicle with a newer TomTom for five years, and for many
the end, the customer benefits The integrated, 4.3-inch device down the road. Due to the households, much longer, it would
E-reader News Edition Products/ Technology/ 37

JVC Everio External USB DVD Burner

Woot (Woot! - One Day, One I’m telling you, Martha, I’ve • W o r k s w i t h t h e G Z - Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-
Deal) really begun embracing this new M G 2 7 , 3 7 , 5 7 , 7 7 , 5 0 5 , 1 3 0 , ROM, CD-DA, CD Extra, Video
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:15:54 PM technology when it comes to party 155,255,and 555 CD, Mixed CD, CD-R, CD-RW
planning. Just wait until you see • Writing: DVD-R, DVD-RW
Oh What A Lovely Party the USB Flash Drive wine glass Specifications:
Harriet, these personalized media charms I’ve got in store for the WITH SD EVERIO: Hardware Requirements:
coasters are just darling! And so Holidays! • Interface: High-speed USB2.0 • Compatible OS: Windows® XP Google TV
shiny! How ever did you make Warranty: 90 Day Woot Limited • Compatible Disc Formats Home Edition / Professional;
them? Warranty (excluding 2-layer and 8cm Windows® 2000 Professional
receiving an updated
Why, I am so glad you asked, Condition: Refurbished d i s c s ) : D V D - R , D V D - R W SP4(pre-installed) Netflix app?
Martha! You know, I’m always JVC CUVD10US Everio Share ( e x c l u d i n g 6 x D V D - R W ) • CPU: Intel® Pentium® III, Richard Lawler (Engadget)
looking for new and exciting Station DVD Burner: • Recording Format: DVD-Video 800MHz or higher; Pentium® 4,
things to make our get-togethers Photos: • Recording Time (per 4.7GB 2GHz or higher recommended Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:12:00 PM

more memorable. So when John • JVC CUVD10US Everio Share media): Minimum approximately • RAM: 128MB or higher
One of the many gripes about
brought home his JVC Everio Station DVD Burner 30 min.* (For 60 min. Video in (256MB or higher recommended)
Google TV so far has been the
Share Station DVD Burner, I • Accessories ULTRA mode) • Interface Cable: USB Cable
ancient version of Netflix's Watch
thought to myself, ‘Harriet, this is • Rear Connections • Interface Cable: Bundled USB (Bundled with Everio)
Instantly app it shipped with, but
a perfect opportunity to combine • Packaging cable • Dimensions (W x H x D): 9.33”
Scott Greczkowski from Satellite
your love of entertaining with x 6.33” x 2.28” (L x W x H)
Guys appears to be the first to
your utter hatred of sweat rings on Features: WITH PC: • Wall Plug: 77” (length)
receive a new version on his
the furniture!” • Connection with Everio G • Interface: High-speed USB2.0/ • Weight (Approx): 3.1lbs.
Logitech Revue. Pictured above,
They were so simple to make, • Easy DVD-Video disc creation 1.1 • Input: 100 – 240V/1.5A
it seems to reflect one of the (
too! All I had to do is connect the • Easy JPEG data disc creation • Data Buffer Capacity: 2MB • Output: 12V/4A
many) versions of the PS3 Netflix
Share Station to my PC via USB • N o P C R e q u i r e d w h e n
app, with queue management and
and it did most of the work for connected to the JVC Everio G Data Transfer Speed (With In the box:
search functions available.
me. It took me more time to C a m c o r d e r ( C a m c o r d e r n o t USB2.0) (excluding 2-layer • JVC Everio CUVD10US Share
Android Central notes that the last
choose just the right photos, i n c l u d e d ) discs): Station DVD Burner
update arrived less than a week
videos, and music to put on each • DVD burning operation is • Reading: DVD-R: 8x (5x for • AC Adapter
after the date of the build and this
DVD-R or DVD-RW disc than it controlled by Everio. Choose finalised discs); DVD-RW: 5x • Power Cord
one is marked November 22 so
did to burn them thanks to the 8x from pre-registered events and (4x for finalised discs); CD-R/ • Interface Cable
hopefully it should arrive any day
Writing speed and included playlists or by manual control CD-RW/CD-ROM: 10x; DVD- • Software CD-ROM (CyberLink
now, until then check out the
software. Now, not only does • View recorded DVDs via the ROM: 5x Power2Go 4)
video (embedded after the break)
everyone have a place to put their Everio LCD or Everio Video Out • Writing: DVD-R: 8x
or more pics at the source link.
drink, but you also get a lovely • Can also be used as a standard (Recommended discs, others: Discuss this product
Continue reading Google TV
little keepsake made just for you. DVD burner with your PC 4x); DVD-RW: 4x
receiving an updated Netflix app?
I could even choose to hunt down • Will convert Everio’s .mod files
Google TV receiving an updated
a JVC Everio G Camcorder for to standard MPEG 2 for easy Compatible Disc Formats:
Netflix app? originally appeared
more thrilling possibilities! DVD playback • Reading: DVD-ROM, DVD-
on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
21:12:00 EDT. Please see our
terms for use of feeds. Permalink
Android Central| Satellite Guys|
Email this| Comments
38 Products/ E-reader News Edition

Ashley Spectrum Custom Strat Electric Pegasus Padded Laptop

Guitar & Mini Amp Case
Woot (Woot! - One Day, One effort will be met with a shrug • 1 volume, 2 tone controls and 5 Woot (Woot! - One Day, One As you’d expect from a demi-
Deal) from critics. The same reporter way pickup selector switch Deal) god, the Pegasus Padded Laptop
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:13:24 PM who basked in the glory of your • Includes adjustable strap, Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:42:55 PM Case has a lined interior, plenty
genius won’t even return your strings, picks, guitar cable, of compartments, handles and a
This is it. calls for an interview about your cleaning cloth and Bonus Mini Greeks Are Freaky People, You removable shoulder strap, plus
This is where it all begins. recovery from drug addiction and Amp Know? self-repairing zippers. What do
No more sitting around various new leaves you’re • Mini Amp plugs directly into H e y , y o u t h o u g h t t h e you think? Pretty hot, isn’t it?
daydreaming about it. You are t u r n i n g . your guitar, separate volume & SEVENTIES were wild? Try Wait, did we say hot? Oh, man,
taking a step towards your Eventually, hack comedians on distortion, MP3 input & reading Bullfinch’s Mythology! Zeus better not be online right
destiny as a music legend. This is VH1 will ridicule the success you headphone jack (operates on 9- So this Zeus cat, he was a party now. We sure don’t want him
the guitar you’ll keep forever, once enjoyed. The populace will Volt Battery - Not Included) MACHINE! One night, so the getting our website pregnant.
enshrining in a glass case on your decide you deserve it just for story goes, he got drunk and came Warranty: 10 Year Randa
wall of fame. One day a reporter making one amazing album and Additional Photos: down from the sky in a shower of Condition: New
from Rolling Stone will ask, n o t m a k i n g 1 0 m o r e . O n e • Package Contents gold, and hooked up with some Pegasus Laptop Case Features:
“ W h a t ’ s w i t h t h e A s h l e y amazing album more than any of • Mini-Amp hottie with a trust fund. Nine • High quality, durable, easy care
Spectrum Custom Strat Electric those drooling idiots will ever • Packaging months later? BOOM! Demi-god! fabric
Guitar? And did it come with that make in all their pathetic lives Or how about this? Zeus is off, • Compartments for cell phone,
Mini Amp?” combined. In the box: just hangin’, and he sees this pencils, and ID cards
“Yeah,” you’ll say, “that’s the You should probably get some • (1) Ashley AIL-89BW Spectrum really amazing cow. No, we’re • Laptop friendly
guitar that started it all. Picked it lessons or something. Custom Strat Elec Guitar not being sexist here, a real cow, • Carry handles and removable
up from Woot one day. The Warranty: 1 Year Ashley • (1) Mini Amp like, moo moo moo. And he’s a shoulder strap for extra comfort
article will paint you as an artistic E n t e r t a i n m e n t • (1) Adjustable Strap wild man, so she’s like “why buy • Fully lined interior
god, as you’ll be at the height of Condition: New • (6) Strings the milk” if you follow what • Self repairing nylon coil zippers
your popularity. They’ll talk Features: • (2) Picks we’re sayin’ here. Wham, Bam, • Hanging ID holder with each
about how all it took was a credit • Custom PRO Series solid body • (1) Guitar Cable Beef-Not-Ham, nine months piece
card and a knack for deal-a-day full size black electric guitar with • (1) Cleaning cloth later? Minotaur! • External zippered pocket
websites. Thousands of kids will white pickguard So it shouldn’t surprise anyone • Dimensions: (L) 16” x (W) 12”
be inspired to take up instruments • M a p l e n e c k a n d m a p l e Discuss this product that, nine months ago, Zeus was x (D) 3”
of their own. fingerboard with jumbo frets and looking for some luggage, and he
Two years later your sophomore adjustable toss rod saw this really sweet Gucci In the box:
handbag. And he was all WHOA • Pegasus Laptop Case (Black/
BABY I GOTTA HAVE ME White/Gold)
SOMEA THAT LEATHER and
then, nine months later? Here we Discuss this product
are with a Pegasus Padded Price: $6.99 I want one!
Laptop Case!
E-reader News Edition Products/ 39

BBB cries foul over Dutch Boy paint's Video: 2011 Honda Insight
odor-eliminating claims adds entry-level model,
Consumer Reports Shopping
Blog (Consumer Reports)
elimination of odors. Sherwin-
Williams agreed to modify the new features, and ESC
Submitted at 11/30/2010 1:36:43 PM claim, though added that “it is Consumer Reports Shopping $23,265, and it includes Bluetooth
disappointed that the panel did not Blog (Consumer Reports) and navigation with voice
BBB cries foul over Dutch Boy agree as to the scope of the Submitted at 11/30/2010 12:47:27 PM recognition, points of interest, and
paint's odor-eliminating claims message conveyed by the steering wheel controls. The
More and more paint 'eliminates household odors' Video: 2011 Honda Insight adds prices above do not include the
manufacturers are touting low- phrase." entry-level model, new features, $750 destination charge. The
odor formulas. In the Consumer Dutch Boy Refresh paint is and ESC Insight is a versatile hatchback
Reports paint labs, where we're among the paints we are currently Honda has announced a new with excellent fuel economy and
currently testing the latest batch not release the odors ... The odor testing. Stay tuned for the results. entry-level model for the 2011 reliability, but road noise, clumsy
of products, Martha Stewart elimination life span depends on While they won't indicate the Insight hybrid line that will start handling, a stiff ride, and poor
Living and Olympic both say their the concentration of the odors, the paint's ability to fight odors, they at $18,200—$1,600 less than the visibility hurt its performance in
paints are "low-odor," Benjamin frequency of exposure and the will tell you what kind of LX, the previous base model. our testing.
Moore's Natura claims "virtually amount of surface area you cover. c o v e r a g e i t p r o v i d e s , i t s Another notable addition is The entry-level 2011 Insight goes
no odor", and Freshaire Choice The more surface area you paint, smoothness, and how well it standard stability control across on sale today.
says its Home Depot line has "no the better the odor eliminating resists stains and mildew. Need all trims, which was previously See our Honda Insight model
chemical odor." But the Sherwin- technology works!" paint now? Check our current only available on the Insight EX. o v e r v i e w p a g e f o r p r i c i n g ,
Williams Company went too far N A D ' s r u l i n g f o l l o w e d a Ratings of more than 50 products, The new model simply called reliability, road test, and more.
in stating that its Dutch Boy challenge by PPG Architectural many of which are available at "Insight" includes remote entry, — Liza Barth
R e f r e s h p a i n t " e l i m i n a t e s Finishes, which also took issue paint suppliers or home centers. fabric seating, and a base two- See our guide to fuel economy
household odors," according to with Sherwin-Williams' claim that —Daniel DiClerico Subscribe speaker AM/FM/CD stereo. for advice on saving gasoline.
the National Advertising Division Dutch Boy Refresh paint is the now! Starting at $19,900, the LX adds Learn about future technologies
of the Council of Better Business "first and only paint with Arm & S u b s c r i b e t o cruise control, two speakers, USB in our guide to alternative fuels.
Bureaus (NAD). H a m m e r O d o r E l i m i n a t i n g ConsumerReports.org for expert audio interface, center armrest Subscribe now!
The Dutch Boy web site offers T e c h n o l o g y " a n d t h a t i t Ratings, buying advice and storage, floor mats, and a security S u b s c r i b e t o
this explanation of how this new "continuously eliminates odors r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f system. ConsumerReports.org for expert
product works: day after day." Those two claims products. Update your feed The EX with MSRP of $21,490 Ratings, buying advice and
"Through natural airflow, the odor were allowed by NAD, since they preferences adds steering wheel mounted r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f
vapor molecules come in contact only imply odor reduction. But audio controls. The EX with products. Update your feed
with the walls and are captured the council ruled that Sherwin- navigation package will start at preferences
and locked within the paint film. Williams could not provide
Scrubbing the painted surface will reasonable evidence supporting an
40 Sports/ E-reader News Edition

Colorado Rockies agree to seven-year megadeal with shortstop

Troy Tulowitzki
ESPN.com news services I know he's happy but at the same million, six-year contract he promised him he won't have to next year, $8.25 million in 2012
(ESPN.com) time, this is where I want to be." agreed to in January 2008. carry the load by himself. and $10 million in 2013 as part of
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:15:30 PM Tulowitzki's 10-year contract is Asked about the characterization The Rockies are hoping to have his previous contract, which
the eighth-highest in baseball that the Rockies ownership hasn't these kinds of big contract contained a $15 million team
Updated: November 30, 2010, history, trailing two of Alex been committed to winning, announcements regarding ace option for 2014 with a $2 million
9:15 PM ET Rodriguez's deals ($275 million O'Dowd said: "I will say this, that Ubaldo Jimenez and star slugger buyout.
DENVER -- Troy Tulowitzki and and $252 million) and agreements we're not committed to winning at Carlos Gonzalez in winters to Under the new deal, he receives
the Colorado Rockies are looking for Derek Jeter($189 million), Joe all costs." come, although it could prove an $16 million in 2014 and $20
ahead with 2020 vision. Mauer($184 million), Mark "Maybe there's a perception we're insurmountable challenge to keep million yearly from 2015 through
The sides agreed Tuesday to a Teixeira($180 million), CC not committed to winning because both of them in purple pinstripes 2019. He will have a $14 million
new contract that pays Tulowitzki Sabathia($161 million) and we don't go out and do the Mike beyond 2014, when they would base salary in 2020, which could
an additional $134 million over Manny Ramirez($160 million). Hampton and Denny Neagle thing become free agents. increase by as much as $6 million
seven seasons through 2020, a The genesis of the extension was anymore, but if you didn't notice The Rockies are close to securing in escalators based on his 2019
deal that means Colorado has a heart-to-heart talk with general that didn't work out too well," prized left-hander Jorge De La performance -- for example, if he
guaranteed the All-Star shortstop manager Dan O'Dowd in his O'Dowd said of Colorado's Rosa for a couple years, keeping makes the All-Star team or wins a
$157.75 million in the next office at season's end. colossal contracts that blew up in one of the most sought-after arms Gold Glove. Colorado gets a $14
decade. "They were just discussions about the franchise's face in the early on the open market from leaving million option for 2021 with a $4
"I'm really lucky," Tulowitzki life," O'Dowd said. "The maturity 2000s. "And so we are committed Denver. O'Dowd said there were million buyout.
said. "I can't wait to be here my of understanding the continuity to try to hold on to our own still some issues to be ironed out, Tulowitzki has finished fifth in
entire career." and stability of things and what internal players before we hold on such as getting De La Rosa from MVP voting the past two seasons.
A Rock-Solid Investment? he's trying to become as a man led to anything external." his native Mexico to Denver for a "I want to be the best player in
The Rockies are paying a me to say to our owner, 'I think Both sides are taking risks: physical. this game," Tulowitzki said.
premium to make sure shortstop maybe we should explore this Tulowitzki will be 35 by the time "De La Rosa was a huge But more than that, he wants to
Troy Tulowitzki sticks around right now.'" the contract expires and he could acquisition for us," Tulowitzki win a World Series, and now he's
Denver. The Stats & Info Blog A second chat in O'Dowd's have some monster years during said. "You're talking about a guy got 10 more chances to do it in
looks at the numbers to determine office, this time with team owner that time. that we had that has top-notch Colorado.
whether the Rockies spent wisely. Dick Monfort sitting in, got the Despite missing 33 games with a stuff. A lot of teams were after "It's an important day for our
Blog ball rolling on the deal. broken wrist last season, him but at the end of the day he franchise," O'Dowd said, "but
Tulowitzki wanted to be like his "I said it definitely is a possibility Tulowitzki won his first Gold kind of realized like I did that you hopefully we have a lot more
idol, Cal Ripken Jr., who played I want to be here my whole Glove and NL Silver Slugger don't get what you get here in important days in front of us."
in just one city, and not his career, but there's a lot of things awards after hitting .315 with 27 every place. Information from ESPN The
mentor, St. Louis Cardinals that have to work out, such as homers and 95 RBIs. "He loves playing here, I know Magazine's Buster Olney and The
slugger Matt Holliday, whose money, such as a commitment to "They felt like they had a guy that. He wanted to be a part of this Associated Press was used in this
departure from Denver a couple winning," Tulowitzki said. "And they wanted to be the face of the for the next two or three years. I'm report.
years ago after spending 11 years all the answers I received from the franchise and they came after sure he turned down some money This entry passed through the
in the Rockies organization beginning stayed on a straight him," Tulowitzki said. "And on to stay here and that's what it's all Full-Text RSS service — if this is
deeply affected him. line. They never veered off. And my side, I love the game and that's about. If you want to make a your content and you're reading it
"I didn't want that to happen to they sold me." more than enough money than I'll commitment, do it. If you don't, on someone else's site, please read
me," Tulowitzki said. "I wanted to And the Rockies paid him. ever need in my entire lifetime." go and get the top dollar, but you our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
stay here for my career and not Tulowitzki, 26, had already been Tulowitzki said he believes the might not be the happiest," he content-only/faq.php
deal with all the other stuff. I'm g u a r a n t e e d $ 2 5 . 7 5 m i l l i o n Rockies are on the cusp of said. COLORADO page 41
sure he's in a great place now and through 2013 under the $31 something big and that ownership Tulowitzki receives $5.5 million
E-reader News Edition Sports/ 41
COLORADO
Frank Gore of San Francisco 49ers has broken hip, continued from page 40

Five Filters featured article:

out for season Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Associated Press (ESPN.com) Gore's 24 100-yard rushing games Brian Westbrook and Dixon. Westbrook began this season Catastrophe.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:30:25 PM are the most in 49ers franchise We'll just have to see how we do having rushed for 5,995 yards and
history. that." 37 touchdowns on 1,308 carries in
Updated: November 30, 2010, Losing him is a big blow for San Westbrook, who sustained two eight NFL seasons, all with the
6:30 PM ET Francisco, which at 4-7 is only a concussions last season, had the Eagles, and also caught 426
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Frank game out in the NFC West despite most yards and carries -- in fact passes for 3,790 yards and 29 James Harrison of
Gore's season is over -- and what an 0-5 start. the fourth-most rushes of his TDs.
a hit for the San Francisco The 49ers actually hid Gore's career -- against the Cardinals "I used to choose the Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers fined
offense. helmet from him on the sideline since Dec. 7, 2008, when he had whenever I played Madden for hit on Buffalo Bills
The 49ers placed their star because he wanted to stay in the 33 carries for 131 yards against Football, just so I could be Brian QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
running back on season-ending game. the Giants. Westbrook," rookie offensive
injured reserve Tuesday. Gore San Francisco also placed wide Associated Press (ESPN.com)
"I saw him a couple of times on lineman Anthony Davis said after
fractured his right hip during the receiver Dominique Zeigler on IR the sideline, and he gave me a Monday's game. Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:42:19 PM

Niners' 27-6 win at Arizona on with a torn anterior cruciate couple of ideas of different things Also Tuesday, Singletary
Monday night and was scheduled ligament in his left knee. to do," Westbrook said of Gore's declared kicker Joe Nedney Updated: November 30, 2010,
to undergo further tests to Gore influence. "Frank is a competitor. healthy and ready to return from a 6:42 PM ET
determine the severity of the For now, Brian Westbrook and He wants to be out there." right knee strain and bone bruise. PITTSBURGH -- Steelers
injury. The team made the rookie Anthony Dixon will be So does Westbrook, who came to San Francisco waived his two- linebacker James Harrison was
announcement less than two hours called upon to carry a bigger load San Francisco for a fresh start. week fill-in, Shane Andrus. fined $25,000 on Tuesday for his
after Mike Singletary's weekly as the 49ers make a quick The 31-year-old Westbrook was The 49ers promoted safety Chris penalized hit on Bills quarterback
news conference, then released a turnaround to play at Green Bay released by the Philadelphia Maragos and running back Ryan Fitzpatrick.
statement from the coach. on Sunday. Westbrook had all of Eagles in February after an injury- DeShawn Wynn from the practice Harrison has four fines this
"It is unfortunate that we had to 10 touches this season before filled 2009 season. He wound up squad and released tackle Xavier season totaling $125,000.
place Frank on IR," Singletary carrying 23 times for 136 yards with the 49ers after talking to Fulton from the practice squad. Harrison drew a roughing-the-
said. "He is not only a great Monday, though Singletary wants several coaches from various Copyright 2010 by The passer penalty for hitting
football player, but a tremendous to be cautious not to overwork franchises. Associated Press Fitzpatrick helmet-first during
leader. He plays with such passion Westbrook and risk injury. Westbrook led the NFL with This entry passed through the Pittsburgh's 19-16 overtime
and desire, two traits that will "Frank is a big part of what we do 2,104 yards from scrimmage in Full-Text RSS service — if this is victory Sunday.
serve him well as he recovers -- heart, soul, everything he brings 2007, but missed eight games last your content and you're reading it "James Harrison was fined
from the injury." is what you want," Singletary season with a pair of concussions on someone else's site, please read $25,000 for roughing the passer,
Singletary said he wasn't sure said. "But thankfully, Brian and an ankle injury while scoring our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ specifically he made helmet
when Gore got hurt. The two-time W e s t b r o o k i s a m a t u r e , only two touchdowns. content-only/faq.php contact to the chest of the Buffalo
Pro Bowler, in his sixth NFL experienced leader and we just Singletary said 23 carries could Five Filters featured article: quarterback, who was in a
season, ran for 853 yards and have to be careful about how we be too much of a load for Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- defenseless position at the time
three touchdowns this season and use him and how much exposure Westbrook at this stage of the Reporting of Falluja's Cancer the contact was made," the NFL
also caught a team-leading 46 we allow him to see. I think there season even considering he hasn't Catastrophe. said in an e-mail Tuesday to The
passes for 452 yards and two TDs. will be a good mixture between had much time on the field so far. Associated Press.
After the game, the three-time
Pro Bowl linebacker said the play
didn't warrant a fine. He
JAMES page 42
42 Sports/ Daily Word/ E-reader News Edition
JAMES
continued from page 41

compared it to his Nov. 21 Harrison defended Harrison, and Tomlin

Bruce Pearl Takes Swipe
roughing-the-passer penalty
against Raiders quarterback Jason
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin
declined Tuesday to debate
told his players he doesn't want
the league's stance to affect the at Lane Kiffin
Campbell that did not draw a fine. whether Harrison should have way they play. Rooney also said Evan Hilbert (FanHouse Main)
"I'm not expecting a fine," been fined for the Fitzpatrick the league was wrong for Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:00:00 PM
Harrison said. "It's the exact thing play. But Tomlin suggested disciplining players for what he
as last week. It was the same Harrison needs to alter his felt were legal hits, including the Filed under: Tennessee, Coaches
exact hit. I hit him [Fitzpatrick] tackling style to conform to the Harrison hit on Massaquoi. When you're Bruce Pearl and your
the same way I did the NFL's stricter enforcement of Copyright 2010 by The desire to win is rivaled only by
quarterback from Oakland and I dangerous hits -- a toughened Associated Press your desire to be in the spotlight,
got the same flag but I didn't get a stance that was prompted, in part, This entry passed through the having a mammoth ego to share
fine. ... I'm expecting the same by the Massaquoi hit. Full-Text RSS service — if this is that spotlight with can be a
thing on this." "Obviously he does because the your content and you're reading it blessing or a curse. A curse, of
Harrison previously was fined league doesn't agree with him," on someone else's site, please read course, when the other guy is
$75,000 for a helmet hit on Tomlin said. "My opinion doesn't our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ getting all the attention.
Browns wide receiver Mohamed matter." content-only/faq.php But sometimes, when you want
Massaquoi, $20,000 for a helmet- Tomlin also was asked if it's fair Five Filters featured article: to slink away from the headlines
to-the-back hit on Saints that the league keeps singling out Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- and bury yourself beneath the
quarterback Drew Brees and Harrison for large fines. Reporting of Falluja's Cancer bluster of a fellow wind-bag, that that some other dumbass would
$5,000 for a hit on Titans "Man, life isn't fair," Tomlin said. Catastrophe. other guy is perfect interference. get on the front page and take me
quarterback Vince Young. "I'm not concerned about fairness. Lately, Pearl has needed the off the hook,'' Pearl said. "I miss
On Monday, the league rejected I'm really not. I'm concerned latter. After being slapped with a Lane Kiffin.''
Harrison's appeals of the $75,000 about preparing for the Baltimore round of NCAA infractions for The uproarious laughter showed,
and $20,000 fines, although the Ravens" on Sunday. lying to investigators and an if anything, that the Vol faithful is
Steelers supported Harrison's Earlier this season, Tomlin and embarrassing preseason loss to the behind their coach regardless of
appeal. Steelers President Art Rooney II University of Indianapolis, the any transgressions, so long as he
embattled Tennessee coach has maintains his loyalty to the
2 Peter 3:10-11 (11-30-10) been craving a similarly
mammoth personality to, well, do
university. It doesn't hurt, either,
that Pearl is fresh off a trip to
(Verse of the Day) Thoughts on Today's Verse... hearts, and minds to do his will something imprudent. New York City following a
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:00:00 AM H o l i n e s s i s t h a t f o r g o t t e n and reflect his character. My Speaking to around 100 people at victory over No. 12 Villanova and
character virtue that is the Prayer... Holy and Righteous the Knoxville Quarterback Club an NIT Championship.
The day of the Lord will come Christian's reflection of God, his Father, teach me to do your will Monday, Pearl half-apologized, "We needed that," Pearl said. "It
like a thief. The heavens will or her holy and righteous Father. and reflect your character while half-yearned for the days of yore felt good to get back to normal."
d i s a p p e a r w i t h a r o a r ; t h e In a day when grace is so easily offering your grace to others. May when a certain ex-Vol football No. 17 Tennessee faces Middle
elements will be destroyed by fire, cheapened, when anything goes the movements of my heart, the coach and enemy No. 1 in the Tennessee State Tuesday night
and the earth and everything in it just as long as we want to be thoughts of my mind, and the state would somehow find his before a date at No. 3 Pittsburgh
will be laid bare. Since everything buddies with Jesus, Peter's words actions of my life be pleasing to name above the fold. Dec. 11.
will be destroyed in this way, should shock us into reverence - you and reflect your holiness and "I've made mistakes, I clearly did,
what kind of people ought you to the holy commitment to set our grace. In Jesus' holy name I pray. but what I was hoping for was
be? You ought to live holy and lives apart from the evil and Amen.
godly lives. satanic sludge that defiles our
— 2 P e t e r 3 : 1 0 - 1 1 ( N I V ) world and to offer our bodies,
E-reader News Edition
ACC-Big Ten Challenge 2010: Ohio
State Beats Florida State in Defensive
Struggle
Matt Snyder (FanHouse Main)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:35:00 PM
Filed under: Ohio State, ACC,
Big Ten, Florida State Last time
Ohio State visited the state of
Florida, the Buckeyes blew away
the Florida Gators with an
unstoppable offense. This time,
they would have to deal with the
tough defense of Florida State.
The No. 2 Buckeyes were
versatile enough to fight through
it and come away with a 58-44
victory.
Ohio State led nearly throughout
the entire game, and pushed the
lead into double-digits a few
times, but never was able to fully
pull away from the pesky
Seminoles, who continually kept
their deficit in the high-single
digits to mid-double-digits range.
The Buckeyes even had to battle
through limited minutes due to
foul trouble from starting guard
William Buford.
No matter, as Ohio State
continues to assert itself as one of
the elite teams in college
basketball early in the season. The
Buckeyes can slow it down or
speed it up. Against the tough
FSU defense, it was certainly a
grind. The talented and well-
rounded roster for OSU was able
to pull away a bit at the end.
Ohio State shot just 32.2 percent
from the floor and were only 4-of-
20 from three-point range. The
Buckeyes did outrebound FSU 39
-30 and win the turnover battle by
seven.
Senior guard Jon Diebler led a
balanced scoring effort with 12
points (though he was only 3-of-
12 from the floor), followed by
freshman big man Jared
Sullinger's 11 pionts (the power
forward added 13 boards). David
Lighty was the third Buckeye in
double figures with 10.
Sports/ Gaming/ 43
Square Enix working on a
Final Fantasy trading card
game (not Triple Triad, sadly)
Griffin McElroy (Joystiq) include a promotional card.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:00:00 PM Though a handful of samples have
been revealed (pictured above),
Square Enix has already proven the actual rules of the game
itself entirely capable of creating haven't been detailed. We're going
compelling collectible card games to assume that you have to play it
within the virtual worlds of its over and over and over again until
Final Fantasy franchise -- in fact, you're strong enough to win. Also,
occasionally, those mini-games playing summon cards will take
became more engrossing than the three to six minutes, depending on
adventures which surrounded the strength of said summon.
them. That's why we can't wait to Also, Chocobos have gots to be
s e e w h a t S q u a r e a n d C C G up in the mix.
manufacturer Hobby Japan can do Square Enix working on a Final
with the recently announced Final Fantasy trading card game (not
Fantasy Trading Card Game when Triple Triad, sadly) originally
it launches February 25, 2011. appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30
Potential players can start Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please
bolstering their collections by see our terms for use of feeds.
picking up the Japanese version of Permalink| Email this| Comments
The 3rd Birthday, which will
44 Sports/ Featured/ E-reader News Edition

Lenny Wilkens Wants to Bring NBA WinerLinks and outliners

(Scripting News)
Franchise Back to Seattle Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:13:43 AM
4. Dr Pepper.
5. Coca Cola.
3. Fresca.
Chris Tomasson (FanHouse
Main) I'm pretty sure the Times 6. 7Up.
implementation of WinerLinks If you mouse-over the permalinks
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:08:00 PM doesn't have the all-important above you'll see that they're out of
feature of allowing the author to order. That's why this works.
Filed under: SuperSonics, insert, delete or move paragraphs There are outliners that work in a
Summer League, Thunder, NBA without breaking external links. browser, so you don't need to use
Coaches, Sports Business and This is just a guess, but I am an external tool, it could be
Media Lenny Wilkens might be inferring it based on: 1. The embedded in your browser-based
73, but he knows nothing about paragraphs have numbers like p1, blogging environment. But to
the word retirement. p2, p3 etc. There's no evidence of make this work, WordPress itself
The Hall of Famer as both a reorganization, which would look will have to advance, I don't think
player and a coach isn't slowing like this: p12, p3, p4, p9. In other you can do this in plug-ins (could
down these days. He just got back words, there would be no relation easily be wrong). No matter what
from Guangzhou, China, after between the visual order of they will have to store two bits of
serving as a consultant during paragraphs and the permalinks. 2. text for every post: 1. The "source
South Korea's run to an Asian crown in 1978-79. but said he wasn't at liberty to They use WordPress, and its c o d e " w h i c h c o n t a i n s t h e
Games silver medal. And he's Wilkens played for Seattle from identify others involved in the model can't support invariant
paragraph-level metadata. 2. The
working on trying to bring the 1968-72 and had two stints as effort to bring hoops back to paragraph IDs, because you're
HTML rendering. I hope the
NBA back to Seattle. head coach there, from 1969-72 Seattle. e d i t i n g H T M L s o u r c e , n o t source code is OPML, and they
The SuperSonics bolted in 2008 (as player-coach) and from 1977- Regardless of whether it's an s t r u c t u r e s o f p a r a g r a p h s .
permit external editors like mine
for Oklahoma City, and Wilkens 85. He also was in the team's front expansion or an existing team, My content system can do it
to be used to edit the posts. I
was heartbroken. Wilkens, a office in 2006-07. Wilkens said it's clear what it will because I use an outliner to edit asked Matt for a feature that
Seattle resident who ended his 32- "Yeah, I've been talking to some take for an NBA return after my blog posts. Screen shot.
would allow a bit of XML text to
year NBA coaching run in people that I know,'' Wilkens said Seattle's 41-year run ended with Each paragraph is a separate
be stored in WordPress alongside
J a n u a r y 2 0 0 5 , d i r e c t e d t h e in a telephone interview Tuesday, the move to Oklahoma City. entity. It gets a unique ID when the HTML. I don't think he
SuperSonics to their only NBA it's created, when I press the understood the application at the
Return key while typing. That ID time. This is the application (and
does not depend on where it is in there will be others as well,
the outline. I can reorganize as separating source from rendering
much as I want and the paragraph is basically a good way to gain
IDs won't change. The permalinks leverage).
stay the same no matter where the BTW, here's the source code for
paragraph has been moved to. this post. I store it in my CMS
As a demo, here's a list that has alongside the HTML rendering. If
been reorganized: you change the extension from
1. Pepsi. .html to .opml you'll get the
2. Ginger ale. source.
8. Orange soda.
E-reader News Edition Featured/ Politics/ 45

I'd love to buy a podcast player Palin Gives over $500k to

(Scripting News)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:59:13 AM
they changed the UI, and when
I'm out and about there's nothing
dumber than having to stop on the
Candidates, Causes
(Newsmax - Inside Cover) new book, "America By Heart,"
I find the iPod software too side of the street for five minutes
cumbersome for listening to to get the software to behave Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:06:56 PM and is giving signed copies to
podcasts. I want something lighter itself. I had one moment where donors who give $100 or more.
with features that make sense for Tuesday, 30 Nov 2010 09:06 PM He said a similar effort, with
the iPod told me it had to rebuild
1-hour-long programs, as opposed JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Sarah Palin's first book, "Going Rogue,"
something and I should be patient.
to 4-minute-long songs. Palin gave at least $507,000 to was a huge fundraiser.
I was standing in the middle of
Nowadays the functionality I candidates and political causes in November was a big month for
Houston Street with traffic all
want could be done in software, 2010 as she earned a reputation as Palin. More than 50 of the 81
around me, and the programmers
either for Android or the iPhone. I kingmaker and raised her profile candidates she endorsed won their
back in Cupertino programming
carry both all the time. But I'd still ahead of a possible presidential r a c e s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e
want me to be patient. Hello.
prefer to carry a medium-size run. endorsement list kept at
I used a Sony Walkman for a
device just for playing podcasts. The biggest chunk of that money, organize4palin.com. Also, her
while and loved it. It does almost
In case someone is interested in about $306,500, was doled out in travelogue series, "Sarah Palin's
all of the items on my list, but not
making this product, here's how it the month leading to the Nov. 2 Alaska" premiered, she started a
the crucial one --#4-- picking up
would work. general election by her political tour to promote her new book,
where I left off on multiple
1. The device plugs in through putting more programs on the podcasts. This is a big feature. I action committee, SarahPAC, and her daughter, Bristol, made
the USB port as a hard drive. I device, or leave it there in case I can read three books at the same filings with the Federal Election the finals on "Dancing With The
copy the MP3s into a folder which want to listen to it again (I don't time, there's nothing so weird Commission show. Stars."
can then be played through the UI think I've actually done this even about wanting to "read" three Her latest filing Tuesday showed All this comes as speculation
of the device. If this is iPhone once, in six years of podcast podcasts simultaneously. The contributions of nearly $465,000 continues to build whether Palin,
software, I create a playlist in listening). between Oct. 14 and Nov. 22. the former Alaska governor and
Kindle does this admirably. Hey
iTunes that contains all my 6. If it's a standalone device, I maybe Amazon should make an During that period, Palin gave vice presidential nominee, will
podcasts. don't want to pay more than $30. $ 2 4 4 , 0 0 0 t o c o n s e r v a t i v e run for president in 2012. She has
audio book reader? Thinking out
2. At any time there are a bunch Apple's players are way too loud. candidates, state Republican said she's considering the idea.
of programs in the podcast queue. expensive, so are Sony's. parties and ballot fights. © Copyright 2010 The Associated
BTW, the Walkman that I love
3. I can hit the pause button on a Ideally I'd like this to be a device, crapped out on me. It's stuck in a Palin gave $5,000 each to Renee Press. All rights reserved. This
podcast, and it remembers the not an app, because even though loop rebuilding its library. Ellmers successful recount effort material may not be published,
position. I can then skip to the both platforms claim to do multi- I know people are going to tell in a North Carolina U.S. House b r o a d c a s t , r e w r i t t e n o r
next one, or choose the next one t a s k i n g , t h e y b e h a v e me about products that kind of do race and Joe Miller's legal fight in r e d i s t r i b u t e d .
from a list. unpredictably. I shot a movie the Alaska's still-disputed U.S. Senate This entry passed through the
some of what I want, or do
4. When I come back around to other day while listening to a something completely different. I race. Full-Text RSS service — if this is
the one I just paused the playback podcast, and the podcast stopped, think there's a $30 sweet spot out For the year, she raised more than your content and you're reading it
picks up where I left off. and when I resumed I had to start $3 million. She ended the latest on someone else's site, please read
there that everyone is missing.
5. When I make it to the end of a over from the beginning. On the Music and podcasts are very reporting period with nearly $1.3 our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
show, it goes in the trash. I can original iPod I knew how to fast- different forms and require million on hand. content-only/faq.php
empty the trash later when I'm forward to a new location, but different approaches. PAC treasurer Tim Crawford said Five Filters featured article:
h e w a s p l e a s e d w i t h t h e Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
fundraising. He said the PAC also Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
purchased 5,000 copies of Palin's Catastrophe.
46 Politics/ E-reader News Edition

After the White House Summit: Towel-Snapping Partisanship

Lives On
Walter Shapiro (Politics Daily) said, "It was interesting that both Things -- broad national themes -- "In bringing up so many different votes during the lame-duck
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:37:00 PM Democrats and Republicans not obscure House votes yanked issues in this lame-duck session, session to do it.
understood what the American out of context by day-of-doom the Democrat leadership of the This kind of politically motivated
Senior Correspondent Nothing is people had to say on Election narrators in 30-second attack ads. Senate is insisting on an encore gimmickry is what voters hate
as cloying as political Washington Day." Television commercials that are for a concert that drew a lot of about Washington and Congress.
on its best behavior. The mood The truth is that both parties have out of step with the national mood boos." They accept ideological
was marzipan after Tuesday's misread the lessons of Campaign no longer work -- as the It is all so parochial. Voters could differences on questions of
bridge-over-troubled-tax-cuts 2010. This was the wave election Republicans discovered in trying grow angry over what is passed in principle, but they recoil at locker
White House smile-button summit t h a t d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t to localize the 2006 elections (it the lame-duck session, but few -room, towel-snapping over
with the congressional leadership congressional races now and didn't work; Pelosi became will flock to the barricades partisan trivia. Cynical over being
of both parties. Senate Minority forever have been nationalized. speaker) and the Democrats waving banners that read, "TOO suckered, most voters accept that
L e a d e r M i t c h M c C o n n e l l No longer will incumbents be learned to their dismay this year. MANY ISSUES." Also, every bipartisanship is beguiling myth
reflected the new accentuate-the- excoriated in 30-second spots for Somehow this obvious message time a prominent Republican rather than a realistic expectation.
positive spirit when he said, "I voting the wrong way on minor has been lost on the congressional painfully says "Democrat Party," But what they do not understand
think we all agree there's no pieces of local-interest legislation leadership of both parties. They it suggests that he learned English is the unending rancor and vitriol
particular reason why we can't like, say, the Kumquat Reform remain obsessed with short-term as a second language. that defines Washington except at
find areas of agreement and do Act. Two of the architects of the tactics and purportedly clever House Democrats this week are that those rare Pollyannaish
some important things for the 6 3 - s e a t R e p u b l i c a n H o u s e gimmicks designed to dominate plotting ways to force a vote on moments when the bipartisan
American people over the next landslide -- Brad Todd and Mike the cable TV news cycle for as legislation only extending the congressional leadership makes a
two years." Shields -- underscored in a long as three hours. Does anyone Bush tax cuts for those earning pilgrimage to the White House.
Gone was the rancor of the recent revealing how-we-won article in believe that the Democrats will less than $250,000. This was the Tagged: Barack Obama, bush tax
election during which Barack P o l i t i c o t h a t c o n g r e s s i o n a l win a single vote anywhere by White House position as well cut extension, Bush tax cuts,
Obama talked about how the GOP c a m p a i g n s a r e n o l o n g e r endlessly talking about "hard- until Team Obama went into a Campaign 2010, John Boehner,
had driven the car of state into a individual contests: "Democrats working American families" as fetal crouch after the election. lame-duck Congress, lame-duck
ditch and the Republicans hinted wanted an unconnected series of Obama did Tuesday? (Doesn't the Nancy Pelosi and Company know session, Mitch McConnell, Nancy
that the president's patron saint local elections...But we wanted president understand that this version of the tax bill will not Pelosi, obama, Pelosi
was Karl Marx. In its place was every race to be a choice about members of lazy American pass, but they fantasize about This entry passed through the
the rhetoric of togetherness. "The the national agenda...It just took families also vote?). embarrassing the Republicans Full-Text RSS service — if this is
American people did not vote for less money to make the case that Even worse is the Republican with a roll call that puts them your content and you're reading it
gridlock," Obama said after the Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo.) had obsession with dropping the last squarely on the side of the on someone else's site, please read
White House social. "They didn't voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi two letters in Democratic Party. wealthy. The problem with this our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
vote for unyielding partisanship. (D-Calif.) -- a subject already on Lamar Alexander, the Senate short-term gambit is that no one is content-only/faq.php
They're demanding cooperation voter's minds -- than to litigate Republican whip, offered Tuesday apt to remember this particular tax Five Filters featured article:
and they're demanding progress." local issues." a classic example of political -cut vote by the 2012 elections. Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
A tad more smugly (and who What this means is that attack language that sounds The GOP may indeed be tarred as Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
could blame him?) incoming congressional campaigns of the peculiarly detached from ordinary the party of millionaires, but it Catastrophe.
House Speaker John Boehner future will revolve around Big American life when he snapped, will take far more than a few stray
E-reader News Edition Politics/ 47

Secret Cables Show Deep U.S.-Pakistan Clashes Bill Clinton

Expects Leak of
Over Strategy Files to Cost Lives
Luisita Lopez Torregrosa nuclear bomb. In the cable dated unpopular civilian government in Biden Jr. that he was afraid the (Newsmax - Inside Cover)
(Politics Daily) May 27, 2009, Patterson said the Pakistan while the real power military might "take me out." Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:23:51 PM
Submitted at 11/30/2010 5:51:00 PM Pakistani government was not there is in the hands of the army Though Americans found
moving quickly to remove the and intelligence agenc y, whose Zardari, who became president Tuesday, 30 Nov 2010 10:23 PM
NEW YORK -- Secret cables to material. The fuel is still there. cooperation the Americans need after his wife, Benazir Bhutto, GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) —
Washington from the American The documents, obtained by to fight the militants holed up in was assassinated in December Former President Bill Clinton said
a m b a s s a d o r i n I s l a m a b a d , WikiLeaks and released to The the Pakistani-Afghanistan border. 2008, sympathetic to U.S. goals, Tuesday he expects people to lose
Pakistan, expose deep divisions New York Times, The Guardian The cables show the depth of they say he lacked the power to their lives over this week's
over strategy in the Afghanistan i n B r i t a i n , D e r S p i e g e l i n U.S. skepticism that Pakistan will face opposition and resistance massive leak of diplomatic
war on issues like Pakistan's Germany, Le Monde in Paris and engage fully in that fight. In one from his military and intelligence documents but doesn't believe the
support of the Taliban as well as El País in Spain, are part of a message, Patterson, who left forces."Pakistan's civilian founder of the website that is
concerns about the country's trove of secret cables from 2006 Islamabad in October after three government remains weak, posting the files has succeeded in
nuclear fuel, The New York to the end of February this year years there, said more money and ineffectual and corrupt," evading U.S. authorities.
Times reported Tuesday. One released this week, setting off a military assistance would not help Ambassador Patterson wrote on "I'll be very surprised if some
cable, sent shortly after President worldwide diplomatic furor.(On persuade the Pakistanis."There is Feb. 22, 2010. "Domestic politics people don't lose their lives,"
Obama declared in 2009 that the first leg of an overseas trip, no chance that Pakistan will view is dominated by uncertainty about Clinton said in a speech in North
Pakistan's nuclear materials"will Secretary of State Hillary Rodham enhanced assistance levels in any the fate of President Zardari." Carolina. "And goodness knows
r e m a i n i n m i l i t a r y h a n d s , " Clinton faced questions during an field sufficient compensation for This entry passed through the how many will lose their careers."
Ambassador Anne W. Patterson appearance on Tuesday at a abandoning support for these Full-Text RSS service — if this is Clinton's wife, Secretary of State
i n I s l a m a b a d s e n t a s e c r e t university in Astana, Kazakhstan. groups, which it sees as an your content and you're reading it Hillary Clinton, has argued that
message to Washington indicating Though some students treated the important part of its national on someone else's site, please read the website WikiLeaks acted
she was worried about that very leaking of the cables as a joke, security apparatus against India," our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ illegally in posting the sensitive
issue. A stockpile of highly Clinton did not take it lightly. She she wrote. content-only/faq.php files. Bill Clinton said after the
enriched uranium, stored for years reiterated her condemnation of the Like the other cables published in Five Filters featured article: event that it's clear that
near an old research nuclear release of the cables, saying it the past three days, the Pakistan Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- WikiLeaks founder Julian
reactor in Pakistan, was her would threaten human rights documents paint an unflattering Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Assange is trying to evade the
concern. There was enough activists, religious leaders, and picture of foreign leaders. Catastrophe. reach of American law because he
material to build several "dirty journalists.) The Pakistan cables President Asif Ali Zardari, for BILL page 48
bombs" or possibly an actual reveal U.S. efforts to support an one, told Vice President Joseph R.

Gibbs: Obama Backs Report on Gay Troops

(Newsmax - Inside Cover)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 11:59:29 AM
Tuesday, 30 Nov 2010 05:59 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
White House says President
Barack Obama agrees with a
Pentagon survey that overturning
the military's ban on gay service
members would not disrupt unit
cohesion.
Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs
said Obama continues to believe
that the "don't ask, don't tell"
policy is divisive and should be
overturned through the legislative
process.
Gibbs says the repeal of "don't
ask, don't tell" was discussed
during Obama's meeting with
bipartisan lawmakers Tuesday.
Gibbs says Obama believes the
ban on gays in the military can be
repealed in the lame-duck session
of Congress.
The White House is expected to
release a statement from Obama
on the Pentagon report later
Tuesday.
© Copyright 2010 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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Catastrophe.
48 Politics/ Science/
BILL
continued from page 47
knows what he did was criminal.
"That doesn't mean that he did
succeed in evading the reach of
American law," Clinton said.
Interpol has put Assange on its
most-wanted list after Sweden
issued an arrest warrant against
him as part of a drawn-out rape
probe involving allegations
Assange has denied.
Clinton's wide-ranging speech
was part of a lecture series hosted
by Guilford College in
Greensboro. He pushed
Democratic leaders to quickly
clarify the financial landscape that
businesses will be facing in the
future so that companies currently
sitting on piles of cash will be
willing to spend.
"We just need to get in and clean
that up," Clinton said. "I'd figure
out what it would take for them to
start lending again. If it wasn't
GOP Senators Targeted in Six-Figure DREAM Act Ad Buy
Christopher Weber (Politics
Daily)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 6:39:00 PM
Correspondent A coalition of
labor and advocacy groups has
launched a "six-figure" ad
campaign aimed at Republican
senators whose votes are needed
to pass the DREAM Act before
the current session of Congress
runs out.
The AFL-CIO said Tuesday that
the ads will run in print
publications and on radio all this
illegal or immoral, I'd do it."
He didn't delve into specifics but
said at one point in the speech that
the health care law pushed by
President Barack Obama should
be changed but not repealed. He
later said that some companies
appear concerned about the
recently passed Wall Street
reform bill and by health care
costs — two issues that were at
the center of the Democratic
Congress over the last two years.
"We haven't done what is
necessary to clear up their
uncertainties," Clinton said.
"That's something that the
Democratic administration needs
to do."
Clinton is the first U.S. president
to take part in Guilford College's
Bryan Series. Other former heads
of state who have participated in
the talks include Mikhail
week in Maine, Boston, Miami,
Houston and Las Vegas.
The GOP lawmakers being
targeted are: Florida Sen. George
LeMieux; Maine Sens. Susan
Collins and Olympia Snowe;
Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown;
Nevada Sen. John Ensign; and
Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay
Bailey Hutchison. Most of them
voted for the DREAM Act three
years ago and advocates hope
they will again. expected to come up for a vote
The Development, Relief and before the end of the year. The
Education for Alien Minors Act is measure would offer a path to
E-reader News Edition
Gorbachev of the Soviet Union in
2004 and Mary Robinson of
Ireland in 2006.
© Copyright 2010 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Catastrophe. Swarms of Robot Soldiers Could
Make Better Decisions Than Human
Leaders on Data-Strewn Battlefields
Clay Dillow (Popular Science -
New Technology, Science SWARMS page 49
citizenship for undocumented America's Voice.
immigrants who were brought to Listen to the Boston-area ad:
the U.S. as children age 15 or This entry passed through the
younger. Those who meet certain Full-Text RSS service — if this is
conditions -- such as a U.S. high your content and you're reading it
school diploma or GED -- would on someone else's site, please read
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loans, in-state tuition rates, content-only/faq.php
military service and, ultimately, Five Filters featured article:
citizenship. Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Helping the AFL-CIO pay for the Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
ad campaign are SEIU, the Catastrophe.
Campaign for Community
Change, the Reform Immigration
for America Campaign and
E-reader News Edition
SWARMS
continued from page 48
Robot Troops of the Future Robo
-Soldier wants to execute (an
efficient, well-calculated plan).
Patrick Swint via Wikimedia
Modern warfare relies
increasingly on robotics for
intelligence gathering and
increasingly for strike capabilities,
but the decision-making capacity
still rests solely in the hands of
human commanders. But British
defense company BAE systems is
testing a way to turn over
battlefield decisions over to robot
troops as well.
ALADDIN (Autonomous
Learning Agents for
Decentralised Data and
Information Networks) is BAE's
response to the overload of
sensors and data now confronting
battlefield commanders who now
have UAV observations, soldier-
based sensors, satellite data, and
reams of other intelligence
washing over them in such
volumes that, as Air Force Lt.
Gen. David A. Deptula puts it,
they'll be "swimming in sensors
and drowning in data." The
system allows a network of robot
soldiers to quickly collect and
exchange information and then to
bargain with each other to
determine the best course of
action and execute it.
The robots are armed to the teeth
with algorithms employing a
range of models - game theory,
probabilistic modeling,
optimization techniques - that let
them predict outcomes and
allocate battlefield resources far
more quickly and efficiently than
humans trying to process the same
amount of data. All that should
help troops - both robotic and
otherwise - keep stay afloat in the
data deluge.
But does it work? ALADDIN
hasn't seen any trigger time yet,
but BAE and university
researchers collaborating on the
system have put it through
simulated natural disasters
(another potential application).
Disasters, they theorize, are
similar to warfare in their chaotic
nature, and therefore the
simulations are a good analog.
And in disasters the system
operates well: Robots gather data
on the various casualties in
different areas, objectively assess
where a limited number of
ambulances can have the greatest
possible impact, and execute a
strategy quickly without egos or
human emotions or errors
clogging up the machinery. It's
Science/ 49
like an auction for resources
based on need, and while it may
sound insensitive to auction off
life-saving help to a bunch of
machines, when this resource
auction was eliminated from some
simulations, some of the
ambulances weren't used at all
because the system couldn't figure
out where to send them.
BAE is building what's known as
"flexible autonomy" into
ALADDIN which will keep the
higher decisions in the hands of
humans (decisions like "go to
war" and "don't go to war," for
instance). And the idea of being
able to crunch sensor data, raw
intel, crowdsourced info from the
Hydronalix EMILY
(Popular Science - New as any swimmer.
Web, and other data sources to Technology, Science News,
make good decisions quickly Propulsion comes from an
The Future Now) electric motor and a Jet Ski-type
could prove invaluable. So while
idea of robot armies with decision Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:00:11 PM impellor that pulls water in and
-making capabilities is terrifying Hydronalix EMILY Courtesy ejects it out the back, generating
to some, the allure of such high Kimball Hall Photography The enough thrust to safely tow a
efficiency - be it in warfare or robot lifeguard struggling swimmer back to
disaster response - is difficult to O c e a n r i p t i d e s d r o w n a n shore. Lifeguards remotely steer
deny. estimated 100 people every year the craft to its target and use an
[ The Economist] in the U.S. They can sweep a onboard camera and speaker to
swimmer out to sea at up to eight c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h v i c t i m s .
feet per second, outpacing even Manufacturer Hydronalix has
the strongest lifeguard. EMILY, successfully tested EMILY at
t h e E m e r g e n c y I n t e g r a t e d more than 20 beaches nationwide
Lifesaving Lanyard, is a four-foot and next year plans to introduce a
-long remote-controlled rescue version that can navigate on its
buoy that can zip across choppy own using sonar.$3,500.
waves at up to 26 mph, reaching a
drowning victim 10 times as fast
50 Science/ Food/ E-reader News Edition

In Flyby of Saturn's Moon Rhea, Cassini Probe Gets

First Whiff of Non-Earthly Oxygen
Clay Dillow (Popular Science - gasses on Rhea come from is
New Technology, Science uncertain, though it's suspected
News, The Future Now) that they might originate from
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:01:57 PM collisions between high-energy
Saturn's Moon Rhea NASA particles and water ice on Rhea
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has itself, which is thought to be made
taken a breath of oxygen while nearly entirely of ice.
passing over the icy surface of Rhea's atmosphere is far too thin
Saturn's second-largest moon, - and the moon is far too distant
marking the first time a spacecraft
has directly sampled oxygen in
and cold - to have any near-term
implications for space missions
Food Lover's
the atmosphere of another body.
Cruising just 60 miles above
beyond the usual unmanned
variety. But the discovery is Shopping
Rhea, one of more than 60 moons significant in that it proves that
orbiting Saturn, Cassini found an chemistry involving oxygen
extremely thin atmosphere of w a s t h e r e a t a l l ( o t h e r per cubic meter, matched by 20 occurs naturally elsewhere in our
Guide
(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
oxygen and carbon dioxide likely atmosphere's have been detected billion carbon dioxide molecules. own solar system, and could be
sustained by high-energy particles and studied from afar by tools like Rhea and it's larger brother Titan quite common outside of it as
slamming into the moon's frozen the Hubble Space Telescope). are the only two of Saturn's well. Food Lover's Shopping Guide
surface. Our editors give their top picks
According to Cassini's onboard moons with enough mass to [ Guardian] for the foodies in your life.
Rhea's isn't the only other science instruments, Rhea's maintain atmospheres, but Titan's
atmosphere in the universe, but it atmosphere contains something is largely composed to nitrogen Housewares
is so thin that Cassini had to fly like 50 billion oxygen molecules and methane. Exactly where the FOOD page 51
through it just to confirm that it

Revamped Holiday Dishes

(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
The Reader: Lucy Kaiser, Eau
Claire, Wisconsin, registered
nurse
The Recipe: Pumpkin–Honey
Beer Quick Bread
The Story: An avid baker, Kaiser
was immediately intrigued by this
pumpkin bread recipe made with
honey-flavored beer. She often
prepares quick breads to pack in
lunches, and this recipe, with its
combination of mildly sweet
pumpkin, flaxseed, and warm
spices, became an instant favorite.
The Dilemma: With one cup
canola oil, three cups sugar, and
four eggs, each hearty slice
contained a hefty 240 calories and
10 grams of fat. Although only
one gram of fat was saturated, the
total fat was nearly one-sixth of
the daily amount recommended
by the American Heart
Association (AHA) for a 2,000-
calorie diet, and the calories were
high for a quick bread.
The Solution: First we reduced
the amount of oil by one-third,
which shaved nearly 25 calories
and three grams of fat per slice.
We replaced two eggs with egg
substitute, halving the amount of
saturated fat and cholesterol.
Incorporating one teaspoon of
pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of
cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and
cloves) with the original amount
of cinnamon enhanced the
delicate pumpkin taste. With less
fat to mellow such potent flavors,
we cut three tablespoons of
assertive flaxseed.
The Feedback: Kaiser thinks the
lightened version is every bit as
good as the original. She also
notes the bread is pleasantly moist
and has a “well-balanced” flavor
with the revised spice
combination.
Before | After
Calories per serving
241 | 194
Fat
10.2g | 6.5g
Percent of total calories
38 percent | 30 percent
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E-reader News Edition Health/ 51
FOOD
continued from page 50

Our editors share their favorite Holiday Gifts

little luxuries and thoughtful gifts
that will help you show just how
much you care.
Tabletop and Decor
These decorative touches and
serving essentials will give a
certain pizzazz to any table.
Food and Wine
These delectable gifts will be just
as enjoyable to give as they will
be to devour.
Books
Any burgeoning culinary library
will happily welcome the addition
of these editor picks.
Spread the season's good tidings
and cheer with these holiday gifts.
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Catastrophe.

Psych Yourself Up for the Gym

(Mensfitness.com) "Bracing" is a technique where
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:00:00 AM you tense your muscles, clench
your teeth, and slap yourself on
by Corey Crane, C.S.C.S.| Print the thighs, shoulders, and arms to
Article| Email to Friend increase arousal. It stimulates the
Sometimes it's hard to get in the central nervous system and
zone, especially when you need to specifically improves lifting
lift heavy or push yourself extra strength. Related articles:
hard. Heck, sometimes it's even Build a Bigger Chest
tough to get to the gym. Next time How to Bench Better Now
you're feeling unmotivated, try Sculpt Her 5 Favorite Body Parts
one of these mind boosters. [on Facebook, Digg, Reddit and
Talk It Out more]
Repeat your specific goal—in This entry passed through the
your head and aloud. "I will squat Full-Text RSS service — if this is
X pounds," you tell yourself. your content and you're reading it
Write it down and post it on your associates shades of colors with buddies to join you at the gym. on someone else's site, please read
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locker. The more you say it and a n d b l a c k s u b c o n s c i o u s l y look foolish) will boost your content-only/faq.php
see it, the more you'll believe h e i g h t e n r e a d i n e s s a n d intensity. Having family or Five Filters featured article:
it—and achieve it. excitement. Dull lighter colors, friends cheer you on helps you Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
Color Me Bad well, think about it. draw strength the way a team does Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
Put on something that's either Bring Guests from its fans. Catastrophe.
bright or black. The brain often Ask your girlfriend or a group of Brace Yourself
52 Health/ E-reader News Edition

The 29er
(Mensfitness.com) allow you to descend faster and features you want, without the pro
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:00 AM with more control—it almost feels -level price.
like cheating," he adds with a TOP OF THE LINE: Giant
by Brion O'Connor| Print Article| laugh. Anthem X 29er 1
Email to Friend Versatility $3,675 @ giantbicycles.com
O n A m e r i c a ' s b i k e t r a i l s , Big 29-inch wheels make rear Custom, one-off Avid brakes and
treadheads are eschewing the suspension a luxury, not a a limited edition Fox fork with
standard 26-inch-diameter bike necessity—reducing a bike's four inches of suspension travel
tires they've all been riding for w e i g h t a n d s i m p l i f y i n g are all the proof you need to see
years in favor of oversize 29-inch maintenance. "A hardtail [front this 29er doesn't skimp on high-
wheels. Turns out bigger is suspension only] 29er can smooth end specs. Giant took one of their
definitely better, whether you've out rough terrain almost as well as most popular 26-inch mountain
got years in the saddle or you're a a 26-inch full-suspension bike bikes and redesigned it from the
mountain-biking rookie. Here are while retaining the simplicity, ground up with a new frame and
five reasons why 29ers rule: stiffness, and handling of a specially selected components to
Better Ride hardtail," Wells says. ensure this big-wheel rig handles,
"The larger wheels provide better Greater Stability brakes, and accelerates with the
cornering traction and help For years, some racers avoided aren't the only ones who benefit brakes, a light-weight aluminum best of 'em. Related articles:
smooth out rough terrain," says 29ers because they didn't excel on from the big wheels," Wells says. frame, and a SR Suntour fork with Bike Off the Pounds
29er convert Jeremy Horgan- supertight, twisty, single-lane "The U.S.'s Willow Koerber 100mm suspension of travel that Top Five Urban Bike Paths in the
Kobelski, 31, a veteran mountain trails. Recent design refinements piloted her 29er to a bronze medal you can lock out for a stiffer, U.S.
biker with the Subaru/Gary Fisher have corrected those problems. at the World Championships last faster ride make the Marlin a great Training Advice From Cyclist
team and five-time national cross- "Now the rider sits more between year—and she's 5'2". way for a trail-riding newbie to Ned Overend
country champ. "Those are big the wheels as opposed to on top of Interested in trying out a 29er? test his mettle on a 29er. [on Facebook, Digg, Reddit and
confidence boosters when you're them—so cornering stability is a From entry level to pro, here are MID-LEVEL: Kona Kahuna more]
riding fast or on a trail you're not lot better than it used to be," our picks for the best 29-inch $1,000 @ konaworld.com This entry passed through the
that familiar with." Wells says. "The bigger wheels bikes on the market: Spend a little more, get a little Full-Text RSS service — if this is
More Speed provide a more stable platform ENTRY-LEVEL: Gary Fisher more—Kona's Kahuna is a great your content and you're reading it
"You hold momentum much when going downhill; it's harder Marlin bike for a novice trail rider that on someone else's site, please read
better than with a 26er," says two- to accidentally crash and flip over $599 @ trekbikes.com you can grow into as your skills our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
time Olympian Todd Wells, who the handlebars with them." You don't have to spend a grand improve. With Shimano hydraulic content-only/faq.php
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Specialized Stumpjumper with the Just because the bike is bigger game—Gary Fisher's Marlin is a frame, and a RockShox Dart 3 Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
larger wheels last year. "The bike doesn't mean you have to be. smooth single-track ripper that's fork with up to 80mm of travel Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
excelled in fast conditions with Design tweaks keep the bikes easy on the wallet but big on that can be easily adjusted, the Catastrophe.
lots of transitions and sweeping accessible to all riders, not just performance. Mechanical disc Kahuna is full of the performance
turns. The bigger wheels also those built like Shaq. "Tall people
E-reader News Edition Health/ Religion/ 53

Can Sports Drinks Improve Endurance?

(Mensfitness.com) content, and may actually provide
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:00:00 AM more calories than are needed to
adequately recover from many
by Lisa Freedman| Print Article| workouts." Meaning, you don't
Email to Friend necessarily have to drink back all
The premise: Sports drinks have the calories you lost. Though she
been getting a lot of bad press wouldn't recommend one specific
lately, due to their high amounts drink, Ferguson-Stegall points
of sugar. But some studies have
found that carbohydrate-
containing beverages do actually
out: "It's important to know that
you can extend endurance GetReligion
effectively with a supplement that (GetReligion)
increase endurance exercise contains fewer calories and
performance, compared to water carbohydrates, and has the added GetReligion
and placebo drinks. "Previous benefits of protein, which is "The press . . . just doesn't get
studies have demonstrated further important for mediating muscle religion." -- William Schneider
improvements with the help of damage and tissue repair as well 2010-12-01T02:30:12Z http://
supplements that contain both as the post-exercise adaptation to www.getreligion.org/feed/atom/
carbohydrates a n d athletes were given a standard was 45 minutes with the low-carb the exercise stimulus." Related WordPress Sarah Pulliam Bailey
p r o t e i n — c o m p a r e d t o carbohydrate supplement. On the plus protein beverage, while the articles: http://www.getreligion.org/
c a r b o h y d r a t e o n l y , " s a y s other ride, they received a low- group drinking the standard Sports Drinks vs. Water ?p=48831 2010-12-01T02:10:07Z
researcher Lisa Ferguson-Stegall. carbohydrate supplement with 1.2 beverage lasted only 35 minutes. Sports Drinks: The Facts 2010-11-30T21:55:48Z
But what happens if the level of percent added protein. The The researchers concluded that a The Lowdown on Energy Drinks Occasionally we’ll see stories
carbs is reduced? Along with her beverages were given out in 275- lower carbohydrate-containing [on Facebook, Digg, Reddit and where video games and religion
t e a m , F e r g u s o n - S t e g a l l ml doses every 20 minutes. drink with a moderate amount of more] collide, where a game might
h y p o t h e s i z e d t h a t a l o w - The results: The average time to p r o t e i n l e a d s t o i m p r o v e d This entry passed through the feature religion or a country might
carbohydrate beverage with extra exhaustion was 26 minutes with endurance performance in trained Full-Text RSS service — if this is ban certain games if deemed
protein would continue to extend the standard supplement and 31 long-distance cyclists. The low- your content and you're reading it religiously offensive.
time to exhaustion. minutes with the low-carb plus carb drink increases performance on someone else's site, please read For instance, one of my favorite
The set-up: To test their theory, protein supplement. The biggest despite containing 50 percent less our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ stories includes one from last year
the experts monitored 15 trained difference was found among the total carbohydrate and 30 percent content-only/faq.php about how a company hired a
endurance cyclists while they athletes exercising at or below fewer calories relative to a higher Five Filters featured article: group to protest Dante’s Inferno,
performed two long rides: A three their ventilatory threshold (VT), carbohydrate beverage. Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- paying them to hold signs such as
-hour ride and an intense ride that the point at which breathing starts Which drink should you choose? Reporting of Falluja's Cancer “Hell is not a Video Game” and
pushed the cyclists to 85 percent to become increasingly difficult. "There are a lot of products out Catastrophe. “Trade in Your PlayStation for a
of their aerobic capacity (VO2 For the eight cyclists in this there," says Ferguson-Stegall. PrayStation.” Believable, right?
m a x ) u n t i l t h e y r e a c h e d group, average time to exhaustion "Some have a really high calorie Read more on Got news? Islamic
exhaustion. On one ride, the games rating system…]]>
Occasionally we’ll see stories
where video games and religion
collide, where a game might
feature religion or a country might
ban certain games if deemed
GETRELIGION page 54
54
GETRELIGION
continued from page 53
religiously offensive.
For instance, one of my favorite
stories includes one from last year
about how a company hired a
group to protest Dante’s Inferno,
paying them to hold signs such as
“Hell is not a Video Game” and
“Trade in Your PlayStation for a
PrayStation.” Believable, right?
Now we have a case where a
group is trying to rate games for
an entire religious body. Kotaku,
a video game blog in the Gawker
network, posts this interesting
tidbit about how a group in the
Middle East has launched a
ratings system for games based on
the tenets of the Islamic faith.
This makes it a world first, a
system aimed at transcending
national borders and laws and
appealing directly to the parents
and guardians of Muslims all over
the world, regardless of which
country they live in or which laws
they live under.
The ratings body is called the
Entertainment Software Rating
Association, and “rates the
content of…games based on
parameters such as violence,
promoting tobacco or drugs,
sexual diversity [and] nudity”,
according to a release issued by
the group. As a result, “the rating
system is designed based on the
culture, society and the special
values of Islam”.
What’s unclear is how these
ratings will differ from the
Entertainment Software Rating
Board. For instance, when I look
at the back of Mass Effect 2, it
says that it’s rated Mature for
blood, drug reference, sexual
content, strong language and
violence. The post’s author Luke
Plunkett notes this and explains
how it might differ.
“The approach of Islam is based
on Human being innateness “Al
Fitra”, and the most important
innate trends are truth, virtue,
benevolence, excellence tendency,
innovation and creativity” he told
attendants at the Dubai World
Game Expo yesterday. “That’s
why we made sure that ESRA
team are proficient in these areas;
Religion, Psychopathology,
Educational psychology, Social
psychology, Sociology of the
family, Family Sociology,
Emotional Psychology, Family
therapy and Educational
technology.”
As a freshly-launched initiative,
there’s little other information on
ESRA, though you’d imagine that
it will mainly operate as an online
reference for Muslim parents.
That said, if ESRA ratings can be
printed off on stickers and handed
out to retailers in the relevant
regions, there’s no reason it
couldn’t also be used on game
boxes not just in Islamic
countries, but in any area there
would be enough Muslim
customers to make it worth their
while.
The National, a government-
owned newspaper in Abu Dhabi,
published a report with a few
examples of how it will assess the
minimum age for each game: 6,
12, 15, 18 or 25.
Several games have fallen foul of
regional moral standards in recent
years. The Grand Theft Auto
series, for example, was banned
because it depicted prostitution,
gambling and alcohol.
Dr Minaei said there were games
that depicted Muslims as
terrorists, while others were
frightening for younger players.
He said the top age bracket was
necessary because “there is a
difference between an 18-year-old
Muslim and a 25-year-old”. The
latter, he said, “is more than likely
married and some games are more
suitable towards married people”.
After a little searching, it appears
that the Entertainment Software
Rating Association has been
around for a few years now as the
governmental rating system used
in Iran. So is this group trying to
branch out beyond Iran and
become the definitive ratings
system for all of Islam? Perhaps
other reporters might do a little
digging and find out whether this
might have any impact on the
gaming industry.
Cultures are sensitive to games,
so occasionally you might see a
game altered for a specific
context. For instance, the use of
the name “brahmin” was banned
in India from Fallout 3. A few
years ago, millions of copies of a
game called Little Big Planet were
withdrawn from warehouses after
portions of the Koran were found
in the accompanying music. As
tmatt previously noted, “It does
appear that ideas, yes, and beliefs,
often have consequences—even
in the digital world of virtual
reality.”]]> 0"/> 0"/> 0 Mollie
http://www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48828
2010-12-01T01:40:42Z 2010-11-
30T19:59:28Z Last year when late
-term abortion provider George
Tiller was killed inside his church,
the media devoted many stories to
late-term abortions. One of the
things that I noted at the time was
that I erroneously believed there
were only three men in the
country willing to abort late-term
and full-term fetuses: Tiller,
LeRoy Carhart and Warren Hern.
This was based on the claims of
the men themselves, which were
repeated by many in the media.
Read more on Late-term abortion
number jumble…]]> Last year
when late-term abortion provider
George Tiller was killed inside his
church, the media devoted many
stories to late-term abortions. One
of the things that I noted at the
time was that I erroneously
believed there were only three
men in the country willing to
abort late-term and full-term
fetuses: Tiller, LeRoy Carhart and
Warren Hern. This was based on
the claims of the men themselves,
which were repeated by many in
the media.
So, for instance, the Los Angeles
Times’ Robin Abcarian wrote:
Tiller had been the only abortion
provider in Wichita, Kan., and his
family’s decision to close the
facility leaves only two other
clinics in the country that perform
late-term abortions.
The story repeated the claim. The
Washington Post handled it better,
I thought, by citing a 2001 survey
of a few states saying that only a
handful of abortion clinics and
doctors were willing to perform
E-reader News Edition
late-term abortions.
Today the same reporter — Rob
Stein — has a story about one of
these doctors offering his services
for women whose unborn children
are closer to birth in Germantown,
Maryland:
A Nebraska doctor who is one of
the few in the country to perform
abortions late in a pregnancy is
planning to begin offering the
controversial procedures at a
clinic in Germantown, Md., an
official said Tuesday. …
Only a handful of doctors
perform abortions in late
pregnancy, and Carhart has been
the target of antiabortion protests.
I had happened to read a link to a
much more recent survey than the
2001 cited by Stein in his reports
last year. It appeared at the pro-
life news site LifeNews. It cited a
2008 report, based on 2005 data,
from The Guttmacher Institute.
That institute used to be Planned
Parenthood’s research arm,
although it’s now independent of
the country’s largest abortion
provider. Anyway, the 2008 study
indicates that they found 1,787
abortion doctors. Only 20 percent
offer abortions after 20 weeks
gestation, and only 8 percent offer
abortions after 24 weeks. I think
the earliest a baby has survived is
around 21 weeks gestation.
Here are the goods from the
Guttmacher Institute report:
Gestational limits. Most
providers have lower and upper
gestational limits for abortion
services, and some women may
GETRELIGION page 55
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 54
have difficulty finding a provider
if they seek an abortion too early
or too late in pregnancy. For
example, some providers will not
perform an abortion if they cannot
see the gestational sac on an
ultrasound scan, which usually is
not possible until 4-5 weeks after
a woman’s last menstrual period.
Forty percent of providers in
2005 offered abortions at four or
fewer weeks since the woman’s
last menstrual period, about the
same proportion as in 2001
(37%). The proportion of
providers offering services
increases with gestation and
peaks—at 96%—at eight weeks.
Sixty-seven percent of facilities
offered at least some second-
trimester abortion services (13
weeks or later). Twenty percent of
providers offered abortions after
20 weeks, and only 8% at 24
weeks; comparable figures for
2001 were 24% and 13%,
respectively.
So that means that some 350
doctors perform abortions after 20
weeks and more than 140 perform
after 24 weeks.
LifeNews notes:
Mary Balch, an attorney who
handle state legislation for the
National Right to Life Committee,
says the numbers are important
because mainstream media outlets
have attempted to make it appear
there are very few practitioners
willing to do late or late-term
abortions.
“In an interview with Colorado
abortionist Warren Hern
published online November 5,
2010, Time Magazine perpetuated
the prevalent myth that there are
few, if any abortionists who
perform abortions late in
pregnancy,” she told
LifeNews.com. “The Washington
Post’s Rob Stein also furthered
the myth in a November 10 piece
saying that Carhart is ‘is one of
the few in the country to perform
abortions late in pregnancy.’”
“The truth is, abortions in the fifth
month of pregnancy and later are
widely available,” she added.
It does seem odd. If you have
more than 350 doctors performing
abortions after 20 weeks and
another 140-plus doing it after 24
weeks, that should be mentioned
in news stories. And if reporters
are using “late-term” to refer to
babies who are even closer to
birth, that should be clarified, too.
I’ve heard of “late-term” referring
to abortions after 20 weeks but
also to abortions after 12 or 16
weeks. I’m not familiar with it
being used to describe abortions
on even older fetuses. Anyway,
the abortion debate can get
awfully euphamistic and it helps
to be absolutely clear about what
gestational age we’re talking
about.]]> 9"/> 9"/> 9 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48743
2010-12-01T02:30:12Z 2010-11-
30T16:02:37Z Yes, I know, I
know, I know.
I am a horrible Christian
traditionalist ( Eastern Orthodox,
actually) who cares about
liturgical traditions that are not
good for the global economy. I
get spooked or even angry when I
hear a reggae-musak version of
“Here Comes Santa Claus” over
the speakers in a hamburger joint
and it isn’t even Nativity Lent
(think Advent) yet.
Read more on 12 days of
whatever, whenever…]]> Yes, I
know, I know, I know.
I am a horrible Christian
traditionalist ( Eastern Orthodox,
actually) who cares about
liturgical traditions that are not
good for the global economy. I
get spooked or even angry when I
hear a reggae-musak version of
“Here Comes Santa Claus” over
the speakers in a hamburger joint
and it isn’t even Nativity Lent
(think Advent) yet.
And then there’s THIS. It’s
brilliant, but also kind of sad.
So I recognize that the following
Associated Press business report
is inevitable and, in fact, it’s an
annual event. The question, for
me: Why is the Los Angeles
Times running this it on Nov. 29?
Here is the oh-so-familiar
opening of the report:
In the unlikely event that your
Christmas list this year includes
every item mentioned in“The 12
Days of Christmas,” be prepared
to pay nearly $100,000.
Buying the 364 items repeated in
all the song’s verses — from 12
drummers drumming to a
partridge in a pear tree — would
cost $96,824, an increase of
10.8% over last year, according to
the annual Christmas price index
compiled by PNC Wealth
Management.
So you might want to try for just
one of everything. That would
cost $23,439, or 9.2% more than
last year.
The 27th annual holiday index
has historically mirrored the
national consumer price index,
but not this year. The Christmas
index grew 9.2% from last year,
compared with just a 1.1%
increase in the much broader
consumer index.
Much of this is due to surging
gold prices, yada, yada, yada. And
the cost of hiring nine ladies
dancing — presumably these are
unionized dancers — is up to
$6,294.03. Couldn’t you just get
nine ladies to volunteer from your
trendy local parish’s liturgical
dance team?
But here is what I want to know
from GetReligion readers,
especially the newsroom
professionals: When are the 12
days of Christmas, the real ones?
Does anyone know? Does this
basic fact even matter? (We are
talking, by the way, about the
Western calendar, not
observances in, oh, Russia or
parts of the Middle East. I’m not
asking an Orthodox question,
here.)
Yes, I realize that some media
outlets are already throwing the
term around. I think some cable
channel started 12 holiday movies
in a row, like “Elf,” before
Thanksgiving. Ignore that, please.
In an AP story such as this, does
the reporter even need to mention
the real 12 days? What about
media coverage of alleged “12
days” events that do not take
place during the real 12-day
Christmas season? Do the facts
matter at all?
55
Oh, one more thing. Please feel
free to send us, during the next
month or so, any really good or
really bad stories that you see
about the 12-day Christmas
season.
What’s a bad story? You’ll know
it when you see it. No “War on
Christmas” stories, please, unless
some mall decides to arrest people
for caroling during the actual
Christmas season.]]> 16"/> 16"/>
16 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48742
2010-11-30T02:45:06Z 2010-11-
29T22:45:39Z Last month
Southern Baptist Seminary
President Albert Mohler reviewed
The Subtle Body: The Story of
Yoga in America. While he gave
the book a favorable review, he
used the review as an opportunity
to discuss how Christianity and
Hinduism differ and why that’s
important. Peter Smith at the
Louisville Courier-Journal
highlighted Mohler’s review and
it created a bit of a firestorm. The
Associated Press even ran a story,
which I dinged for failing to quote
any Hindus on the matter, much
less Hindus who agree with
Mohler that yoga is a Hindu
practice.
Read more on The subtleties of
yoga…]]> Last month Southern
Baptist Seminary President Albert
Mohler reviewed The Subtle
Body: The Story of Yoga in
America. While he gave the book
a favorable review, he used the
review as an opportunity to
GETRELIGION page 56
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 55
discuss how Christianity and
Hinduism differ and why that’s
important. Peter Smith at the
Louisville Courier-Journal
highlighted Mohler’s review and
it created a bit of a firestorm. The
Associated Press even ran a story,
which I dinged for failing to quote
any Hindus on the matter, much
less Hindus who agree with
Mohler that yoga is a Hindu
practice.
Paul Vitello at the New York
Times mentioned the controversy
in his length report headlined “
Hindu Group Stirs a Debate Over
Yoga’s Soul.” Here’s how the
article begins:
Yoga is practiced by about 15
million people in the United
States, for reasons almost as
numerous — from the physical
benefits mapped in brain scans to
the less tangible rewards that New
Age journals call spiritual
centering. Religion, for the most
part, has nothing to do with it.
But a group of Indian-Americans
has ignited a surprisingly fierce
debate in the gentle world of yoga
by mounting a campaign to
acquaint Westerners with the faith
that it says underlies every single
yoga style followed in gyms,
ashrams and spas: Hinduism.
The campaign, labeled “Take
Back Yoga,” does not ask yoga
devotees to become Hindu, or
instructors to teach more about
Hinduism. The small but
increasingly influential group
behind it, the Hindu American
Foundation, suggests only that
people become more aware of
yoga’s debt to the faith’s ancient
traditions.
That suggestion, modest though it
may seem, has drawn a flurry of
strong reactions from figures far
apart on the religious spectrum.
Dr. Deepak Chopra, the New Age
writer, has dismissed the
campaign as a jumble of faulty
history and Hindu nationalism. R.
Albert Mohler Jr., president of the
Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary, has said he agrees that
yoga is Hindu — and cited that as
evidence that the practice
imperiled the souls of Christians
who engage in it.
The question at the core of the
debate — who owns yoga? — has
become an enduring topic of
chatter in yoga Web forums,
Hindu American newspapers and
journals catering to the many
consumers of what is now a
multibillion-dollar yoga industry.
You can read Mohler’s rather
more nuanced argument here. The
Indian-American group is called
the Hindu American Foundation,
which can be found here.
I love that the Times is covering
this and not mocking the Hindus
or others who discuss the debt
yoga owes to Hinduism. I’m
almost inure to the treatment that
folks like Mohler receive at times
like this but thought the short
shrift to Hindus who advocate for
yoga as a Hindu practice was a
lost opportunity.
The article explains the origins of
the viral debate about how much
yoga owes to Hinduism. One of
the readers who submitted the
story thought the choice of
“experts” arguing against yoga’s
Hindu origins were a bit weak.
They were, in fact, a Brooklyn
yoga instructor and Deepak
Chopra. We’re told that some
religious historians think that
yoga originated “in the Vedic
culture of Indo-Europeans who
settled in India in the third
millennium B.C., long before the
tradition now called Hinduism
emerged.” But we’re not given
any religious historians who agree
with this. What’s more, the Vedic
culture is strongly related to the
origins of Hinduism, so some
clarification about exactly where
the argument differs would be
helpful, too.
The reader notes:
Chopra is well-known author and
spiritual leader, but is he the best
person to comment on the origins
of yoga? He’s an endocrinologist
and self-help author, not a
historian. Given his leading role
in the “spiritual not religious”
movement, doesn’t he have a
vested interest in making sure that
yoga is too closely associated
with a specific religion?
Of course, the same conflict of
interest might be argued for HAF.
And the story is really about
Chopra and the HAF’s conflict,
and HAF’s campaign. I thought
this was some great context:
Loriliai Biernacki, a professor of
Indian religions at the University
of Colorado, said the debate had
raised important issues about a
spectrum of Hindu concepts
permeating American culture,
including meditation, belief in
karma and reincarnation, and even
cremation.
“All these ideas are Hindu in
origin, and they are spreading,”
she said. “But they are doing it in
a way that leaves behind the
proper name, the box that
classifies them as ‘Hinduism.’”
The debate has also secured the
standing of the Hindu American
Foundation as the pre-eminent
voice for the country’s two
million Hindus, said Diana L.
Eck, a professor of comparative
religion and Indian studies at
Harvard. Other groups represent
Indian-Americans’ interests in
business and politics, but the
foundation has emerged as “the
first major national advocacy
group looking at Hindu identity,”
she said.
I was going to say that the article
should probably note HAF’s
Hindu Nationalist approach but
Chopra is quoted arguing just that.
Perhaps a bit more than a note
would be helpful should Hindu
identity get the additional
coverage it deserves. Still, nice to
see this article and the context it
provides.]]> 11"/> 11"/> 11
Bobby http://getreligion.org http:/
/www.getreligion.org/?p=48745
2010-11-29T22:39:44Z 2010-11-
29T19:30:08Z
Three weeks ago, we enjoyed an
interesting“Got news?” discussion
concerning Florida Sen.-elect
Marco Rubio’s religious
affiliation.
That post delved into questions
concerning a Roman Catholic
politician who attends — and
contributes tens of thousands of
dollars to — a megachurch
affiliated with the Southern
E-reader News Edition
Baptist Convention.
Read more on Rubio’s church
life? It’s complicated…]]>
Three weeks ago, we enjoyed an
interesting“Got news?” discussion
concerning Florida Sen.-elect
Marco Rubio’s religious
affiliation.
That post delved into questions
concerning a Roman Catholic
politician who attends — and
contributes tens of thousands of
dollars to — a megachurch
affiliated with the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Regular GetReligion reader and
Tennessean religion writer Bob
Smietana earned “Quip of the
Month” honors (or should have)
with this response to that post:
This is the perfect American
religion story. Here’s a candidate
who says he’s Catholic but goes
to a Baptist church which doesn’t
have Baptist in its name.
After the GetReligion post,
religion reporter David Gibson
wrote a compelling piece for
Politics Daily. Still, it surprised
me that none of the major dead-
tree news organizations picked up
the story, especially given
Rubio’s high-profile status as a
freshman senator-elect already
mentioned as a potential
presidential candidate.
Over the weekend, though, New
York Times religion writer Mark
Oppenheimer stepped into the
fray with a “Beliefs” column
headlined“Marco Rubio: Catholic
or Protestant?” In terms of the key
question itself, Oppenheimer’s
GETRELIGION page 57
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 56
column fails to deliver a definitive
answer, instead relying — out of
necessity — on the now-standard
response from Rubio’s
spokesman:
Marco Rubio, the charismatic
senator-elect from Florida, is in
many ways similar to other Cuban
-American politicians from his
home state: conservative,
Republican and a “practicing and
devout Roman Catholic,” in the
words of his spokesman, one who
“regularly attends Catholic Mass”
and “was baptized, confirmed and
married in the Roman Catholic
Church.”
But while Mr. Rubio, 39,
presented himself on his Florida
Statehouse Web site and in
interviews as a Roman Catholic,
bloggers and journalists have
noted since his election that he
regularly worships at an
evangelical megachurch whose
theology is plainly at odds with
Catholic teaching.
While the Times offers no new
insight on how Rubio himself
views his dual Catholic/Protestant
allegiances, the piece does an
excellent job of explaining why
the distinction is important — and
why it isn’t.
Why is it important?
Oppenheimer highlights precise
reasons and lists specific
unanswered questions:
Christ Fellowship, which has five
campuses and draws about 6,000
worshipers on a typical weekend,
is affiliated with the Southern
Baptist Convention, and its beliefs
include several that are alien to
Catholicism.
Southern Baptists practice adult
rather than infant baptism, for
example. They do not recognize
the authority of the pope. And the
Christ Fellowship statement of
beliefs says the bread and wine of
communion are merely
“symbolic,” thus do not become
Christ’s body and blood, as
Catholics believe.
As for Mr. Rubio’s involvement
with Catholicism, his spokesman
did not respond to questions about
whether the senator-elect gives
money to the Archdiocese of
Miami; whether he agrees with
Catholic teachings that suggest
Protestants are in error; and
whether he belongs to a Catholic
parish, as most observant
Catholics would.
Why isn’t it important? Again,
Oppenheimer offers relevant
analysis (and for copyright
reasons, I’ll refrain from copying
and pasting all of it, but do be
sure to read the whole thing):
Fernand Amandi, whose Florida
firm, Bendixen & Amandi,
specializes in Hispanic opinion
polling, says that among the
population, few seem to care that
Mr. Rubio is partaking of two
religious identities.
“I don’t think there is any such
consciousness of it at all,” Mr.
Amandi said. “If he came out as
an atheist, there would probably
be a huge backlash,” but within
Christianity “the Hispanic
community is respectful enough
of diversity that I don’t think this
matters.”
A 2008 study by Trinity College,
in Hartford, found that from 1990
to 2008 the proportion of
American Hispanics identifying
as Catholic fell substantially, to
60 percent from 66 percent. The
study also found that the longer a
Hispanic has lived in the United
States, the less likely he or she is
to be Catholic. And the non-
Catholics are more likely to
identify as Republicans.
Oppenheimer packs a bunch of
facts and context into a relatively
short space (an 850-word
column). Short of the Times
snagging an interview with Rubio
himself on his faith and religious
beliefs, this is a nice step forward
in the (until now, scant)
mainstream media narrative.
My only qualm with the Times
piece: In the final paragraph,
Oppenheimer wraps up the issue
in an easy little package and ties a
bow on it:
It may never be clear whether
Mr. Rubio is more Catholic or
Protestant. The question itself
reduces a complex experience,
human religiosity, to simple
terms. What may be clear from
this story — call it The Case of
the First Catholic Protestant
Senator — is that in America,
religious distinctions matter less
all the time.
It’s a column, so Oppenheimer is
entitled to his point of view. But
this statement struck me: In
America, religious distinctions
matter less all the time.
A fair statement? Or wishful
thinking? What say ye,
GetReligion readers?]]> 12"/>
12"/> 12 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48726
2010-11-29T17:02:08Z 2010-11-
29T16:30:13Z Of all the subjects
that I write about for the Scripps
Howard News Service, columns
about trends in worship
consistently generate some of the
most intense responses from
readers.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to say
when a few anecdotes about
changes in a few major churches
constitute an actual news trend. If
the Catholic Church revises the
missal, that’s news. Change the
Book of Common Prayer and
that’s news. But how does one
cover the diverse, sprawling
world of megachurch
Protestantism? How many high-
def video screens and rock-show
lighting systems does one need to
create a national news story?
Read more on Organist jobs die
in worship wars…]]> Of all the
subjects that I write about for the
Scripps Howard News Service,
columns about trends in worship
consistently generate some of the
most intense responses from
readers.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to say
when a few anecdotes about
changes in a few major churches
constitute an actual news trend. If
the Catholic Church revises the
missal, that’s news. Change the
Book of Common Prayer and
that’s news. But how does one
cover the diverse, sprawling
world of megachurch
Protestantism? How many high-
def video screens and rock-show
lighting systems does one need to
create a national news story?
57
But CNN.com recently served up
a legitimate story about a major
worship trend, a story linked to
the“worship wars” debates that
have been growing for several
decades.
There are all kinds of issues to
debate about this story — which
only shows that the subject is
quite complex. But let’s not miss
the fact that the story needed to be
written in the first place. Here’s
the top of the report:
No one has touched the organ at
First United Methodist Church in
Oakland, Neb., since last January.
That’s when 80-year-old Pat
Anderson played her last note as
the small-town church’s volunteer
organist, a post she held for 18
years.
“It was time for me to retire,” she
said. When she did, there was
nobody to step in. Two young
women have taken over the
musical duties for the 190-
member congregation, but they
play a digital piano — not the
organ.
“There are some people who wish
we had the organ still, but they
face the reality that it just isn’t
going to happen,” said the Rev.
Richard Karohl.
First United’s struggle is
indicative of a nationwide plight:
There aren’t enough organists to
fill all of the open church
positions. Many of the stay-at-
home moms who once
volunteered as organists are
working now, and fewer young
people are studying the organ.
GETRELIGION page 58
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continued from page 57
Those who are training to be
professionals aren’t interested in
playing for small churches where
the music program is limited to
Sunday services and the pay is
minimal — if there’s pay at all.
Once you’ve read the story, note
that this issue is framed as a
problem within the nation’s more
liberal mainline Protestant
churches. This is a story with
roots. About two decades ago,
there were stories about how
many urban churches were losing
their skilled organists and
musicians because of the AIDS
crisis.
Now, other factors are at play —
including money. Many small
mainline churches are getting
even smaller, for a number of
reasons. The people in the pews
are also aging, which means that
the audience for traditional church
music is declining with the
membership decline. The World
War II era faithful are passing
from the scene.
There are skilled musicians out
there. But who can afford them?
“There’s a great supply [of
organists] for the right kind of
jobs,” said James Thomashower,
executive director of the 18,000-
member American Guild of
Organists. Compared to 30 years
ago, there are fewer trained
organists — but they’re chasing
fewer attractive positions. It’s a
buyers’ market for churches with
ambitious music programs.
“There are many, many highly
qualified organists who would
like to have a fine job on a fine
instrument that pays a good
wage,” Thomashower said.
That wage, according to the
Guild, should be between $63,000
and $83,000 a year, including
benefits, for a full-time organist
with a bachelor’s degree in organ
performance or sacred music.
This, in an era in which many
mainline churches are struggling
to even pay a decent salary-and-
benefits package for a pastor. Is it
easier and cheaper to use a piano,
a volunteer “praise and worship”
band or some other compromise?
But pop/folk service music in
aging mainline churches? That’s a
recipe for, yes, worship wars.
So this story represents a good
start in covering a major story.
What’s next? For starters, CNN
needs to fill the gaping hole
caused by the lack of information
about finances and membership
issues in mainline churches. In
other words, where did the jobs
go?
Meanwhile, note that this report
does not address what is
happening in the new American
mainline, which is the world of
independent evangelical and
Pentecostal churches. That’s
where the numbers are, today.
And, trust me, there are worship
wars stories in those flocks, as
well. Go for it.
P h o t o : F r o m
GovernmentAuctions.org]]> 5"/>
5"/> 5 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48730
2010-11-28T21:13:48Z 2010-11-
28T21:13:46Z Twitter has its
faults but it’s an amazing way to
follow major world events in real
time. Take the situation in the
Koreas. North Korea shelled
South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island
a few days ago, in a deadly
artillery attack. The United States
and South Korea took up position
in the Yellow Sea today for joint
military exercises. Journalists
have been told they should leave
the island. North Korea has
threatened another “merciless”
attack.
Read more on Ghosts in Korean
conflict?…]]> Twitter has its
faults but it’s an amazing way to
follow major world events in real
time. Take the situation in the
Koreas. North Korea shelled
South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island
a few days ago, in a deadly
artillery attack. The United States
and South Korea took up position
in the Yellow Sea today for joint
military exercises. Journalists
have been told they should leave
the island. North Korea has
threatened another “merciless”
attack.
As soon as the initial attack
happened, news spread on Twitter
long before it was broadcast on
cable outlets. Still, it’s great to
have a full-length article that
explains the context and larger
issues surrounding the latest
conflict. This Associated Press
report, for instance, reminds
readers that North Korea killed 46
South korean sailors earlier this
year when it attacked a warship.
Here’s how the article ends:
Hours earlier, the rattle of new
artillery fire from North Korea
sent residents, journalists, police
and troops scrambling for cover
on Yeonpyeong Island. None of
the rounds landed on the island,
military officials said, but the
incident showed how tense the
situation remains.
Saying they could not guarantee
the journalists’ safety, South
Korea’s Defense Ministry sent a
ship to ferry them off the island
but bad weather forced them to
cancel the evacuation. About 380
people, including 28 islanders and
190 journalists, remained on
Yeonpyeong on Sunday, officials
said.
A similar burst of artillery fire
Friday occurred just as the U.S.
military’s top commander in the
region, Gen. Walter Sharp, was
touring Yeonpyeong Island. No
shells landed anywhere in South
Korean territory.
Calls for tougher action made
way Sunday for pleas for peace
among about 150 South Koreans
who turned out for a vigil Sunday
evening in a Seoul plaza, huddling
with candles in paper cups and
chanting, “Give us peace!”
“It was very shocking,” said Kang
Hong-koo, 22, a student. “I’m
here to appease the souls of the
people who were killed in the
North Korean attack. I hope the
current tense situation is
alleviated quickly.”
As the reader who submitted this
story notes “Wow, is there
enormous ghost dropped into our
laps at the end of this story.” And
he’s right. What religious
tradition is the student referring
to? Was the vigil for that
particular religion or was it
interfaith? And it also suggests all
E-reader News Edition
sorts of other angles to explore.
For instance, what are the
religious differences between
North and South Korea? And do
they play any role in the conflict
here?]]> 4"/> 4"/> 4 Mollie http:/
/www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48698
2010-11-28T02:25:20Z 2010-11-
27T20:37:17Z It’s been quite a
few years since I read William
McGowan’s Coloring the News:
How Political Correctness Has
Corrupted American Journalism.
It was a surprisingly popular book
considering the book does nothing
more than discuss some of the
basics of modern media bias.
Read more on All the analysis
that’s fit to print?…]]> It’s been
quite a few years since I read
William McGowan’s Coloring the
News: How Political Correctness
Has Corrupted American
Journalism. It was a surprisingly
popular book considering the
book does nothing more than
discuss some of the basics of
modern media bias.
McGowan was editor of
Washington Monthly and has
been published at the Washington
Post and the New York Times
Magazine, among other places.
He’s conservative but speaks
about journalism as someone who
loves journalism. This made his
critique much better than a lot of
what passes for media criticism.
So his last book was about how
many in the media approach news
gathering with political
correctness in mind. This is why
GETRELIGION page 59
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continued from page 58
it’s not uncommon to see a
journalist seek help on a story by
asking if anyone knows of a
Hispanic woman with a college
degree who is struggling to get a
business off the ground while
managing a healthy work-life
balance. I always think, when I
come across such requests,
“Aren’t we supposed to report
first and frame the story later?”
But these things happen all the
time and, sad to say, I don’t think
McGowan’s book did anything to
stop it. At least people are more
informed about how political
correctness can bias the news.
Anyway, McGowan is out with a
new book focusing on coverage
problems at the New York Times.
It’s titled Gray Lady Down: What
the Decline and Fall of the New
York Times Means for America.
The Daily Caller ran a brief
interview with him. McGowan
begins by saying journalism is
one of America’s most important
democratic institutions, that the
Times is central to our policy
debates and our common culture,
that it used to represent the gold
standard of American journalism,
but that it’s been tarnished. He
says his book seeks to understand
what policies and personalities are
responsible:
3. Is there an individual or a
group of individuals who deserve
the lion’s share of the blame for
the decline of the New York
Times?
I think the current publisher,
Arthur Sulzberger Jr., who has
been in control now for almost 20
years bears the most
responsibility. Granted, in the last
few years, he and other news
executives, at the Times and in
the news industry at large, have
been dealt a bad hand with loss of
revenues from the competition of
the Internet. But Sulzberger has
played that hand quite badly,
allowing ideology to subtract
from the paper’s credibility and
gravitas. And unfortunately, the
rot at the top is not going away
short of a change of leadership.
Yes, the Times has made efforts
at reform, especially since the
Blair scandal and other
institutional embarrassments. But
like a recovering addict who
pledges sobriety, they’ve fallen
off the wagon with too much
regularity and its reform
initiatives have had only spotty
success.
4. What are the greatest problems
you see with the New York
Times’ coverage of issues today?
And is there a particular area
where they are especially bad?
The Times has been particularly
bad on race, immigration, the
growth of Islam in America, gay
rights (especially gay marriage),
the War on Terror and the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. The
common thread is a mentality
defined by a kind of “punitive
liberalism” which holds that
America at its core is somehow
morally tainted and needs to atone
— to “reclaim its soul” as one of
its op-ed columnists put it.
It’s not news that the paper has
had trouble with coverage of gay
rights. Years ago the paper’s
public editor brutally referred to
the coverage as “ cheerleading.”
But it is interesting to see
criticism of the coverage of Islam.
In later questions, he says the
Times is too ready to make
accusations of “Islamophobia”
when discussing the “War on
Terror” and too resistant to report
on some aspects of Islamic
culture, particularly those dealing
with women, that are at odds with
progressive American culture.
So what do you think? Has your
view of The New York Times
changed over the years? What you
think is best and worst about the
Times? Do you still think it’s the
gold standard of American
journalism? Why or why not?
And what do you think about its
overall coverage of Islam?]]> 16"
/> 16"/> 16 Bobby http://
getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48667
2010-11-26T06:10:47Z 2010-11-
26T14:30:15Z
If you’re a college football fan,
you’re familiar with Cam
Newton: He’s the star Auburn
quarterback who — for now—
leads most Heisman polls. This
afternoon, his unbeaten, second-
ranked Tigers face the No. 11
Alabama Crimson Tide in an Iron
Bowl with national title
ramifications.
Read more on Holy Heisman, the
Newton saga…]]>
If you’re a college football fan,
you’re familiar with Cam
Newton: He’s the star Auburn
quarterback who — for now—
leads most Heisman polls. This
afternoon, his unbeaten, second-
ranked Tigers face the No. 11
Alabama Crimson Tide in an Iron
Bowl with national title
ramifications.
You also know, though, that
Newton has been making
headlines for more than his on-
field prowess. And not in a
positive way. As ESPN.com’s
excellent college football
columnist Ivan Maisel noted:
Newton may be the best player in
the country, but in the last month
Newton and his father have had
their reputations sullied by
accusations that Cecil Newton
shopped his son’s talent for
money. That’s the kind of snack
on which opposing fans feast.
Now you may be wondering —
especially if you haven’t followed
the news concerning the NCAA
investigation — what in the world
this has to do with religion. Oh,
we need a GetReligion angle?
Even on the day after
Thanksgiving? Tough crowd.
But since you asked: The
quarterback’s father is the pastor
of a small Pentecostal church.
Over the past few weeks, the
church has figured into news
reports on allegations that Cecil
Newton sought $180,000 for his
son to play football with
Mississippi State. Those
allegations raise the issue of
whether the father received any
financial incentive for his son to
sign with Auburn, which would
be a major violation of NCAA
rules.
ESPN.com reported earlier this
month:
Cecil Newton said the family
received a letter from the NCAA
59
“about a month ago” asking for
financial statements. He said he
submitted bank statements and
records for the church where he is
pastor, Holy Zion Center of
Deliverance in Newnan, Ga.,
along with other records.
The church has been in the news
in Coweta County, Ga., often in
the past year. According to stories
in The Times-Herald newspaper,
Cecil Newton’s church was in
danger of being demolished by
order of the Newnan City Council
in 2009 for failing to meet the
city’s building code. One story
said Cecil Newton told the
council last September the
building would be brought to code
“inside of six months.” After
numerous delays, extensions and
compromises from the council,
renovation work began last spring
and The Times-Herald reported
last week that the church is in
compliance with Newnan’s
building requirements.
“If you’ve ever seen our church,
you’d know we don’t have any
money,” said Cam Newton’s
mother, Jackie. “We have
nothing.”
Questions about the church
prompted an NBC Sports blogger
— perhaps in need of GetReligion
remedial training — to remark a
few days later:
Aside from the fact that the
church name sounds like a cult,
there would seem to be nothing
spectacular about Cecil’s
establishment.
The blogger’s comment gave me
GETRELIGION page 60
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 59
the distinct impression that he’s
never read that headline-grabbing
Pew Forum study from a few
years ago on the rising tide of
Pentecostalism. (That was an
attempt at humor, by the way.)
Seriously, though, the remark sent
me on a Google search for any
mainstream media coverage of the
church. I was curious about the
church and wanted to know more
about its role in this. At the time
— a couple of weeks ago — I
couldn’t find anything beyond
bare-bones mentions.
So I was pleased this week when
the Old Gray Lady herself ran a
piece with this headline:
Church Has Role In Newton
Inquiry
From The New York Times’
story:
Newton, 50, is the bishop
overseeing five small Pentecostal
churches in Georgia, including the
church here, where he is also
pastor, and another in Savannah,
which is led by his sister-in-law,
Gail Norwood.
“He’s a very caring, very loving
bishop,” Norwood said Sunday
after a weekly service at her
church, Holy Zion Holiness,
attended by a dozen adults and a
handful of children. “Bishop
Newton and my sister, Jackie,
have all our support.”
Newton took over as bishop of
the churches about 10 years ago,
after the death of Talmadge
Wilder, who was the founder of
their small denomination and
Newton’s father-in-law. On
Sunday, Norwood asked the
congregation to pray for Cecil
Newton and his family. After the
service, she said the controversy
had not disrupted the
congregation. “We are at peace,”
she said.
For relevant details, that’s a start.
Unfortunately, that’s as deep as
the story goes concerning
Newton’s church and
denomination (does it have a
name?). The reference to an
interview after a weekly service
makes it appear that the reporter
was present, but no observations
or scenes from the service are
included. Overall, this is just an
extremely vague report that
provides no real insight into what
Newton or the churches he
oversees believe.
Mainly, the story runs down what
is known so far about the NCAA
investigation, with bits and pieces
concerning the church’s dealings
with the city and the cost of its
repairs sprinkled in. That
information is important, but it’s
not enough.
Want to know what the church
itself is like? Readers must settle
for this kind of detail:
Blandburg called the
congregation close-knit. “To me,
it feels like more of a family than
any church that I’ve ever been
to,” she said.
Oh, there’s also this:
Cecil Newton Sr. has proved to
be a good role model for his
children and others in the
congregation, Blandburg said.
“The kids that come from here are
doing well.”
A very loving bishop. A close-
knit church family. A good role
model.
I give the Times credit for
recognizing a key angle — the
church — in the Newton saga. I
just wish the paper had dug a
whole lot deeper. This story
produced a few positive yards, but
it fell short of the end zone. Way
short.]]> 6"/> 6"/> 6 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48575
2010-11-25T17:17:37Z 2010-11-
25T17:17:34Z Every now and
then, your GetReligionistas whine
a bit when mainstream news
publications publish stories that
are full of religious reference, yet
contain almost no facts about
religion at all. Yes, I’m still
thinking about this one at the
moment, care of the Washington
Post.
Read more on Heavenly vision at
his bedside…]]> Every now and
then, your GetReligionistas whine
a bit when mainstream news
publications publish stories that
are full of religious reference, yet
contain almost no facts about
religion at all. Yes, I’m still
thinking about this one at the
moment, care of the Washington
Post.
Some GetReligion readers like to
suggest that, by leaving the
religious elements of the story
foggy, the editors believe that
they are reaching out to readers
who might not be comfortable
with the religious specifics. You
know, vague religion for an era of
vaguely religious people.
Well, I can see the logic in that,
sort of. We do live in a vaguely
spiritual age.
But this is something like saying
that the mainstream press should
avoid the details of political
stories, since we live in an era
when an increasing number of
Americans are not interested in
the fine details and many have
cynically tuned out politics
altogether. Why mention the
names and doctrines of the
political parties anyway? Why get
into the details of court decisions
and all of those thick bundles of
legislation?
I have always suspected that, for
many editors, the fine details of
religion are especially threatening
and suspicious. After all, religion
is supposed to be a totally private
matter, so that editors can focus
on important issues in the real
world — like politics and sports.
And we also know that religion is
all about feelings and emotions,
unlike the calm, logical, rational
and factual world of political life.
Yeah, right.
Why do I bring this up? Please
read the following Seattle Times
story, which I think is rather
amazing. Then again, I have
always been interested in the
study of near-death experiences
and related matters. Here’s the top
of the story:
It would take an unusual man to
decide, in a split second after
witnessing a car crash, to crawl
into the Subaru that had erupted
into flames 8 feet high to try to
save a little girl and her dad.
A week ago … that is what
Kenny Johnson did. … Johnson,
40, was pulling out of the
driveway, he says, when he saw a
E-reader News Edition
Ford Fusion heading north on the
arterial at more than 60 mph.
Then, there was the crash into
cars waiting at a stoplight.
Johnson remembers seeing other
witnesses hurry to the scene. But
nobody went into the flames.
“Everybody was kind of frozen,”
he says.
He remembers talking to himself
as he went into the Subaru: “Oh,
my God, this car is gonna blow up
and I’m going to be in it. Well, if
does blow up, I guess I’m going
straight to heaven because I’m
trying to save that little girl.”
The little girl lived. The father —
37-year-old Andy Kotowicz —
died three days later.
There are many crucial details
that you need to read linked to the
wreck and the father’s work with
a company called Sub Pop. But
eventually we reach the calmly
reported details at the end of the
story.
Days passed, and Johnson went
back to his routine. That is, until
Tuesday morning around 6, he
says.
“My wife is next to me in bed.
She’s sleeping. Everything is
where it’s supposed to be,” says
Johnson. “Then there is this man
standing right by the bed. He says
he needs help with a few things. I
say, ‘OK.’
“Now, I know it’s him (Kotowicz)
even though the only time I had
seen him was at the accident,
when he didn’t look, you know,
normal. He says he wants me to
give a message to his wife and to
GETRELIGION page 61
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 60
his daughter. That’s private, so I
can’t tell you about that message.
“He also tells me to talk to the
people at Sub Pop, he wants to let
them know not to be mad at the
driver that caused the accident.
That’s his message.”
Johnson says that later that day,
he went to the Sub Pop website,
and there it was, a memorial
photo of the man who had stood
by his bed: Kotowicz.
Read it all, but you won’t learn
anything else about that vision.
You also will learn zippo about
the faith of the man who received
the vision or that of the deceased
father who offered the message to
his grieving family and offered
words of forgiveness for the
driver who killed him.
Details, details. Who needs
them?
Is the story stronger without
those few additional words that
would have provided some
context? What think ye?]]> 13"/>
13"/> 13 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48628
2010-11-25T16:33:10Z 2010-11-
25T01:53:23Z Thanksgiving is all
about family traditions. And what
could be more traditional than a
GetReligion look at a Roman
Catholic Womenpriests story? So
everyone pull out the blankets and
cuddle by the fire as we look
through the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution’s recent entry for the
Best Worst Roman Catholic
Female Priest story. If you look at
the headline — “ Newnan woman
challenges Catholic church: Diane
Dougherty pushes to allow
women to be deacons” — you’ll
see that there’s no way this is the
best worst entry.
Read more on Not the best worst/
female priests story…]]>
Thanksgiving is all about family
traditions. And what could be
more traditional than a
GetReligion look at a Roman
Catholic Womenpriests story? So
everyone pull out the blankets and
cuddle by the fire as we look
through the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution’s recent entry for the
Best Worst Roman Catholic
Female Priest story. If you look at
the headline — “ Newnan woman
challenges Catholic church: Diane
Dougherty pushes to allow
women to be deacons” — you’ll
see that there’s no way this is the
best worst entry.
But, as the reader who sent it in
notes, it’s fittingly described as
public relations more than
journalism, filled with praise for
the woman challenging church
teaching and unquestioning
acceptance of her claims. Here’s
the less-than-balanced lede:
Diane Dougherty lives in a neat,
white house that she shares with
her cats, Pete and Gypsy Rose.
She teaches second grade in
Fayetteville. She smiles a lot, her
eyes flashing with intellect.
She hardly looks like someone
flouting centuries of tradition,
challenging the Roman Catholic
Church.
Dougherty, 65, wants to be a
deacon. But in the Catholic
Church, the position of deacon —
like that of priest and bishop — is
held by men only.
The Newnan resident is in the
forefront of a movement that
seeks to change all that. In
ordination ceremonies in the
United States and across the
world, nearly 200 Catholic
women have declared themselves
deacons, priests and bishops. A
male priest whose support of
ordaining women drew a rebuke
from the Vatican calls the issue
“unstoppable.”
Her eyes blaze with smartness! I
love that.
The article goes on but you get
the point. Guess who the “male”
“priest” who supports female
ordination is: Roy Bourgeois.
Here’s how they describe his
discipline:
The Rev. Roy Bourgeois, whose
support of ordaining women has
placed him at odds with the
Vatican, thinks it’s only a matter
of time before women take a place
in Catholic pulpits.
A priest, Bourgeois attended the
ordination of a female priest two
years ago in Lexington. He
received a letter from the Vatican
asking him to recant his support
or face excommunication, said
Bourgeois. Bourgeois said he has
not recanted.
He didn’t just attend, but
participated in the ordination
service. He’s the guy in the
picture accompanying this post.
Anyway, Bourgeois has since
publicly acknowledged his
excommunication, which the
Vatican views as automatic if you
flout church teaching in the
manner that Bourgeois did.
Read the whole thing if you want.
Sometimes I joke that these
articles attempt to paint women
seeking ordination as Rosa Parks
archetypes. This article literally
includes that reference. Still, the
competition for the best worst is
fierce and the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution will have to include
more errors and cliches if they
want to be a serious contender.]]>
17"/> 17"/> 17 Sarah Pulliam
Bailey http://www.getreligion.org
/?p=48595 2010-11-
24T20:13:47Z 2010-11-
24T19:13:34Z Doing a story on
abortion doctors must be terribly
challenging, since it would be
impossible to create a sweeping
generalization of religious,
political, ethical views and
backgrounds. The Toronto Star
tackles this challenge in a lengthy
piece exploring the dimensions of
trying to be an abortion provider.
The hook is really fascinating: it
begins with a gay doctor, Dr.
Evan James, who never wavered
in his determination to become an
abortion provider.
Read more on Gay abortion
doctor who wants to adopt…]]>
Doing a story on abortion doctors
must be terribly challenging, since
it would be impossible to create a
sweeping generalization of
religious, political, ethical views
and backgrounds. The Toronto
Star tackles this challenge in a
lengthy piece exploring the
dimensions of trying to be an
abortion provider. The hook is
really fascinating: it begins with a
gay doctor, Dr. Evan James, who
never wavered in his
determination to become an
61
abortion provider.
He found that he enjoyed the
work and was not put off by a
woman’s tears or the tissue he
extracted from her womb.
Nor did he fear the
violence—bomb threats,
stabbings, sniper shootings—that
for years has stalked abortion
doctors in North America.
Only when his personal life was
thrust up against his professional
beliefs was his firm stance on
abortion shaken.
James and his partner desperately
wanted to adopt a child.
The story goes on to say that
James “began to see shades of
grey instead of just black and
white.” There really is a lot to like
in this piece by Megan Ogilvie.
There’s some basic info, like how
about one in four Canadian
women will have an abortion in
her lifetime. Telling a story
through one doctor’s unusual
situation makes it even more
interesting.
However, you can guess
GetReligion’s complaint. There
isn’t a single mention of religion
or faith. Since people’s views on
abortion are often connected to
their religious beliefs (or lack
thereof), you would think that
could make the article even more
interesting.
As James’s desire to have a
family deepened, he began to
think an uneasy thing: how could
he terminate pregnancies when
each abortion meant there would
be one less child for adoption?
GETRELIGION page 62
62
GETRELIGION
continued from page 61
He also wondered how he would
explain what he did for a living to
his adopted child. After all,
wouldn’t his son or daughter have
been born because the birth
mother had not chosen abortion?
The writer shows how the
decision to become an abortion
doctor can be quite challenging
for some. “They must also find
ways to reckon with the ethical
and personal dilemmas that can
accompany their work,” she
writes. We’re left wondering what
those ethical dilemmas are with
little explanation.
James remembers feeling a gentle
shock each of those first few
times [watching an abortion]. But
even after viewing a second-term
abortion, he was not haunted by
what he saw.
“During the direct examination,
you might see an arm or an
umbilical cord or, even, the body.
It doesn’t all come out in one
piece. With your imagination, you
can see that it resembles a human.
“I could understand how some
people would be turned off by that
or very moved by that.”
The writer paints most of the
downsides to being an abortion
doctor is being targeted by violent
groups. Perhaps she could have
quoted some doctors who chose
not to be an abortion doctor for
ethical reasons. Further, are there
emotional or perhaps financial
disadvantage to being an abortion
doctor? For example, an earlier
New York Times magazine piece
suggested that malpractice
insurance costs $10-$15,000 a
year.
The story later describes what
takes place during an abortion
procedure, which seems pretty
rare but needed in a story like this.
It’s clear that second-trimester
abortions are more disturbing to
this doctor than first-trimester
ones.
But James, who knows only one
young doctor in Ontario who
intends to do second-term
abortion, is not troubled by this.
He focuses his attention on the
woman in front of him.
“The biggest risk factor for a
second-trimester abortion is lack
of referral for a first-trimester
abortion,” says James. “I see
second-trimester abortion as a bit
of a tragedy, because to me it
means the medical system has
failed. Then it becomes our job to
fix it.”
The story’s tension continues
until we find out that he has
decided to remain an abortion
doctor.
One year after questions started
to swirl through his mind, he has
made his choice.
James will be an abortion doctor.
Not only that, but James plans to
do second-trimester abortions as
part of his practice. He will step to
the very front line, the place
where there is greatest need—and
greatest risk.
We’re left feeling pretty warm
and fuzzy about James’ decision,
even though it was supposedly
tough.
More questions might come to
him, and doubts may again creep
into his mind. Already he wonders
whether he should be open and
proud of being an abortion doctor.
James accepts that he has tough
road ahead.
He hopes his child will be proud
of him for taking it.
The slightly one-sided look story
still offered some good
information and an intriguing
hook. We’re still left wondering
whether his faith (or lack thereof)
play any part in what he sees as
ethnical or unethical and why
being an abortion doctor is so
complex for him.]]> 15"/> 15"/>
15 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48563
2010-11-23T19:39:55Z 2010-11-
23T19:39:47Z Here at
GetReligion, we respond to the
news of the day. Sometimes that
means we don’t get a chance to
reflect on broader themes. We
spent a lot of time discussing how
the mainstream media handled the
Vatican sex abuse crisis earlier
this year. The Ethics and Public
Policy Center hosted a gathering
of journalists from mainstream
secular outlets to reflect on what
went right and what went wrong
with that coverage.
Read more on Reflections on the
Vatican 2010 sex abuse
crisis…]]> Here at GetReligion,
we respond to the news of the
day. Sometimes that means we
don’t get a chance to reflect on
broader themes. We spent a lot of
time discussing how the
mainstream media handled the
Vatican sex abuse crisis earlier
this year. The Ethics and Public
Policy Center hosted a gathering
of journalists from mainstream
secular outlets to reflect on what
went right and what went wrong
with that coverage.
It sounds like it was a fascinating
discussion. Veteran Vatican
reporter John Allen, who we’ve
been mentioning a bit this week,
was one of the facilitators of the
discussion and he wrote up a
report for the National Catholic
Reporter.
The conversation ranged from the
Vatican’s poor state of crisis
communications to whether the
news media got the story right.
Among the reporters present was
Laurie Goodstein, whose New
York Times work on the matter
fueled much of the controversy.
George Weigel was the other
facilitator for the conversation. He
laid out seven “flawed
assumptions” that permeated this
year’s coverage. These were: a
notion that the papacy wields total
control over Catholic life, that the
Roman Curia is highly competent,
that there is a will to deceive at
the highest levels of the Vatican,
that the church has
institutionalized hypocrisy, that
Catholic priests have a higher-
than-average sex abuse rate, a
lack of skill in reading church
documents, and confusion over
who is and is not a reliable source.
Weigel also noted that the church
has two chronic problems —
communications and the lack of a
mechanism for dealing with
incompetence — or worse —
from bishops.
Allen talked about the paradox of
Benedict — regarded by insiders
as the great reformer on the sex
E-reader News Edition
abuse issue and yet painted as the
global symbol of the problem:
Measured not against the
sweeping programs for reform
that some critics of the church
have advanced, but against what
was realistically possible,
Ratzinger moved the ball farther
and faster than most people
anticipated, often against strong
internal opposition.
If that’s so, then why did a
handful of cases from decades
ago, which came to light earlier
this year, cause such an
earthquake in public perceptions?
He suggests two additional
factors that impeded the Vatican
from making a better case: The
first case that came to light was
the worst; when it broke, the
Vatican’s instinct was to protect
Benedict rather than empathize
with the victims and restate what
reforms had taken place. The
other issue is that the Vatican may
have been hampered in pointing
out Benedict’s record because it
would indict other senior Vatican
officials or have the effect of
tainting the memory of Pope John
Paul II.
Okay, so let’s get to the juicy
part. Goodstein said that when she
began reporting, she accepted the
“Ratzinger the Reformer” idea:
Yet, she said, the 2010 stories
upended that narrative, which
placed the responsibility entirely
on bishops for the failure to report
and remove abusers. This year we
learned of one case after another,
she said, in which bishops were
GETRELIGION page 63
E-reader News Edition
GETRELIGION
continued from page 62
pleading urgently with the
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith under Ratzinger to
laicize a known molester, and the
CDF rejected those requests. And,
she added, we were always told
that the CDF had nothing to do
with these cases until 2001, but
that turned out to be false also. In
fact, they were handling them all
along.
As a footnote, Goodstein said
that much of the reporting was
based on documents — though
she didn’t add this herself, usually
documents obtained from victims’
lawyers. Those documents, she
said, are the most revelatory
evidence we have. The documents
come from attorneys, she said,
because the church sure is not
handing them over.
Allen said that the additional
2010 reporting didn’t
fundamentally alter his views on
how the Vatican reformed. He
explains some of the specific
reasons why and adds:
One can certainly argue that his
awakening came late, and that not
enough has yet been done —
perhaps especially in terms of
matching the new accountability
for priests with similar
accountability for bishops. The
fact remains, however, that the
Vatican is today more committed
to a “zero tolerance” policy
because of Ratzinger’s impact,
both before and after his election.
If that point sometimes got lost
earlier this year, it’s probably one
part a media failure to keep the
whole picture in focus, and one
part the Vatican’s inability to
project a different narrative.
There’s a lot more, if this type of
conversation interests you. Weigel
gets into some nitty gritty about
the end of John Paul II’s time in
office. The group also discussed
why there never seem to be
consequences when someone in
Rome screws up.
These reporter insights that Allen
mentions are also interesting:
One [journalist] said that while
such insider scoop is interesting,
it’s of limited journalistic value.
Editors won’t tolerate sticking in
four paragraphs of “Vatican
context” into stories to explain
every statement or decision that
comes down the pike, this reporter
said, because it smacks too much
of apologetics — i.e., trying to get
the Vatican off the hook.
Another reporter made the point
that when it comes to the crisis,
media outlets have a limited
appetite for nuance, because of
the stark moral nature of the
underlying issue — the sexual
exploitation of vulnerable
children. In that regard, this
reporter said, the media can be as
“unchanging and relentless as the
church.”
Allen says the take-away is that
unless the Vatican wants a
perpetual war with the press, it
needs to become better at
explaining its culture to the
outside world.]]> 14"/> 14"/> 14
tmatt http://www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48372
2010-11-23T17:04:11Z 2010-11-
23T17:03:19Z Late last week, I
was visiting the Washington Post
newsroom with some of my
students and the professionals
there were — justifiably —
buzzing about a news feature that
dominated that day’s front page. It
was one of those mood-of-the-
nation pieces in which one
person’s story is used as a
metaphor for the lives of many.
Read more on Mysterious faith,
the WPost, the American
dream…]]> Late last week, I was
visiting the Washington Post
newsroom with some of my
students and the professionals
there were — justifiably —
buzzing about a news feature that
dominated that day’s front page. It
was one of those mood-of-the-
nation pieces in which one
person’s story is used as a
metaphor for the lives of many.
The setting is Fort Myers, Fla.
The person is single-mother
Chrissandra Walker ( photo
feature here). The headline is a
quotation that says, ”‘A storm in
my life’— Woman goes from
American Dream to nothing after
losing high-income job.”
Here is a healthy chunk of the
story, starting with the symbolic-
detail lede:
Chrissanda Walker’s bourbon-
glazed chicken is just out of the
oven. The bread pudding is
finished. The collard greens worry
her, though; she doesn’t want to
overcook them. Walker looks at
the clock. It’s 10 a.m. She’s been
on her feet since 6.
Walker used to make $100,000 a
year as a nursing home executive
until she lost her job a year and a
half ago. Unable to find a new
one, she shed her business suits
and high heels and put on an
apron and soft-soled shoes. This
year, she and her daughter are
living on $11,000: her
unemployment benefits plus
whatever she can earn selling
home-cooked dinners for $10
apiece.
Her American Dream has taken a
punch to the gut. “I never thought
I’d be in a situation like this,” she
says, smoke from the cooking
swirling about her. “My friends
say to me: ‘Listen to the Lord,
Chris.’ I say, ‘No, I have to have a
paycheck.’ “
And the larger picture? The
reason readers are meeting this
woman on A1 in a major national
newspaper?
The Census Bureau recently
reported that the poverty rate in
the United States rose to 14.3
percent last year, the highest level
in more than 50 years. Texas and
Florida saw the most people fall
below the line. In Florida alone,
323,000 people became newly
poor last year, bringing the state’s
poverty total to 2.7 million.
The numbers tell another tale as
well: Nationwide, in black
households such as Walker’s,
income plunged an average of 4.4
percent in 2009, almost three
times the drop among whites. The
number of blacks living below the
official poverty line — $21,756
for a family of four — increased
by 7 percent in just one year.
It’s a gripping story. If you read
down to those gut-punch
statistics, is almost impossible to
stop until you reach the end. It’s
the kind of profile that editors
63
want to see in their newspapers,
combining hard news and real
human emotions. And, of course,
religion plays a major — but
completely mysterious — role in
this story.
At the top of the story, above the
main photograph, was the
following pull quote. Let’s read it
again:
“My friends say to me: ‘Listen to
the Lord, Chris.’ I say, ‘No, I
have to have a paycheck.’ “
The first time I read that, I
thought to myself, “What a quote.
No wonder they pulled up top.”
But then I read it again. Then I
read the whole story. Twice. Then
I read the quote again.
Truth be told, I still have no idea
what that quotation means. The
implication, I guess, is that there
is something that God wants
Walker to do or there is
something that God wants her to
learn from this experience of
suffering. However, this
hardworking mom and fervent
believer wants to keep seeking a
paycheck, after losing her high-
paying job as an executive in a
local nursing home.
Say what? God is against her
being employed?
Here’s the big problem. Strong
references to faith are woven
throughout the feature, but we
never are given any details about
her faith or her community of
faith that frame these words, that
help them make sense. Could a
clergy person explain that
mysterious quote about the
GETRELIGION page 64
64
GETRELIGION
continued from page 63
mysterious voice of God? It
appears not.
The photo essay includes a
picture of Walker sitting in a
church office using the
congregation’s computer, with the
implication that this is where she
searches for work since she
cannot afford an Internet
connection of her own.
OK, I have some questions. What
is the name of this church? What
role does it play in her life? In
another picture, she appears to be
taking part in worship. Again,
what is she hearing in this church?
How is it helping her to wrestle
with this crisis? What does her
pastor have to say about her
plight? The members of her
Sunday school class, if she is part
of one? Is there a support group
for single mothers?
Later on we read:
In 20 months, she had gone from
flourishing American Dream to
Down to Nothing.
“There have been some painful
days,” Chrissanda Walker says. “I
should have been back working
by now. I’ve had to hold on to my
faith. I’ve gone on job interviews.
I know I’m qualified. My record
speaks for itself.”
She sighs and drops her head.
Readers also meet a friend —
Christine Rahmings — who
describes Walker’s attempts to
pay the bills by cooking meals for
others. Now, Rahmings and these
other women that we meet in the
story, are they part of this there-
but-not-there church?
A short while later, Walker
started making meals. During the
Depression, many American
women, trying to stave off ruin,
went to their kitchens and
emerged selling dinners - from
their porches, windowsills, back
yards. “It reminded me of the
black women who used to sell
dinners to help build churches,”
Rahmings says. “Chris was
selling dinners, though, to pay her
utilities, or to get something for
Ravean. You’ve heard that
expression: ‘By any means
necessary.’ ”
Here’s another strong faith-based
quote from a Friday night high-
school football game, in the voice
of Kelly Newson, one of Walker’s
high-school classmates from long
ago:
On the field, Fort Myers High is
falling behind. Kelly Newson, an
old high school classmate of
Walker’s, takes a seat behind her.
He starts right in: “You find a job
yet?” Walker shakes her head no.
Riverdale scores again.
Newson goes on: “If God wants
you to go North, you go North.
You can’t go Northwest if he
wants you to go North, my sister.”
Walker nods, not sure about the
cryptic counseling. “I had a
relative in the nursing home Chris
was at,” Newson begins again,
“and she was really happy there.
Chris took care of the place. It
was clean. I just can’t understand
why she can’t get a job.”
The religious references are
everywhere, from her supporters
getting “prayed up” to, literally, a
prayer balloon that drifts toward
heaven in the final lines.
It’s clear that there is a faith
community in this woman’s life
and that it is a source of support,
prayer, advice and friendship.
There is evidence of that
community everywhere in this
story. One might even claim that
it is the context of this woman’s
story.
That is, this faith community is
everywhere except IN THE
STORY.
This is most strange.]]> 6"/> 6"/
> 6 Bobby http://getreligion.org
http://www.getreligion.org/
?p=48436 2010-11-24T00:33:41Z
2010-11-23T15:29:47Z
The e-mail came across my
computer screen last week. The
title of the note from Debra
Mason, the highly respected
executive director of the Religion
Newswriters Association, was
cheery enough:
Read more on Taking one for the
team (updated)…]]>
The e-mail came across my
computer screen last week. The
title of the note from Debra
Mason, the highly respected
executive director of the Religion
Newswriters Association, was
cheery enough:
New contests expand recognition
Mason wrote:
In a time when the religion beat
is challenged, adding new
contests may seem
counterintuitive. After all, fewer
journalists are covering religion
full-time and fewer media outlets
pay the contest entry fees.
Yet, in times like these, we need
more recognition and reward for
quality religion news, not less.
Examples of poorly written
religion news — nearly always
produced by general assignment
or non-specialist reporters — are
easy to find. But as an association,
we need to shine the light on the
journalistic jewels that may get
little notice, despite their
creativity, eloquence and
accuracy.
The RNA Board, after
recommendations from the
Contest Committee, this fall
approved the largest expansion of
contests in RNA’s history. We are
growing from eight contests last
year to 19. More importantly,
we’ve added significant
categories that were missing in
past years, such as blogging,
documentaries, books, TV news
magazines, magazines design,
online only publications and other
categories.
Up until that point, Mason’s note
made perfect sense. Journalists
love contests. What we lack in
salary and benefits, we make up
for in certificates and plaques.
Our brother-in-law can keep his
fat Christmas bonus. We
journalists are perfectly happy
with a box of candy canes and
fifth place in third-day spot news
coverage of weekend natural
disasters in Division 15 of the
state press contest. (I say this,
tongue firmly in cheek, as
someone who both enters his fair
share of contests and has served
the last few years as a judge for
the Sigma Delta Chi Awards.)
But the next part of Mason’s note
surprised me:
The contests for the first time
open up the awards to a
E-reader News Edition
classification of members who
were in recent years eligible as
active members but ineligible for
our contests, namely, members at
publications that only cover
religion (but which are for-profit
commercial ventures or otherwise
financially independent of any
denomination or religious group).
Now Christian Century, Tricycle,
Tikkun, The Forward, Islamica,
Christianity Today and hundreds
of other publications are eligible
for the magazine category
contests.
Read that again. It’s a significant
development. And not necessarily
a positive one for those of us,
such as your GetReligionistas,
who value the secular Godbeat
and consider it crucial.
What that change tells me (and I
could be wrong) is that the RNA,
which long has prided itself on
being an organization for religion
journalists, not religious
journalists, no longer can support
itself on mainstream journalism
alone. Rather, it must hold its
nose and take one for the team by
inviting certain less-offensive
religious publications to pay its
contest fees and keep the
organization going.
Now, just to be clear, this is no
criticism of the publications
suddenly eligible for RNA
contests. I write freelance stories
for Christianity Today, and my
fellow GetReligionista Sarah
Pulliam Bailey serves as CT’s
online editor. In my experience,
CT’s editors are every bit as
GETRELIGION page 65
E-reader News Edition
GETRELIGION
continued from page 64
committed to quality journalism
as my editors in my Associated
Press days — and every bit as
talented and professional.
The journalism produced by
religious publications matches
and sometimes exceeds that in
mainstream newsrooms. My own
publication, The Christian
Chronicle, competes with
Oklahoma’s major dailies in the
Oklahoma Society of Professional
Journalists’ annual contest and
does quite well, especially
considering the tiny size of our
staff.
Maybe I’m wrong and this isn’t
about the money at all. Maybe
this change reflects a belated
recognition by the RNA of the
excellent caliber of journalism
produced in the religious media.
Somehow, though, I doubt it.
If that were the case, RNA would
open more than just the magazine
category to such journalists. It
would let my friend Robin
Russell, managing editor of the
United Methodist Reporter,
compete in the prestigious
newspaper categories. It would
open up the entire hen house to all
journalists who write about
religion and let the work stand on
its own, rather than make
statements about the funding
mechanisms of certain
publications. (I should note that I
have no idea whether Russell
would want to compete in RNA. I
just brought up her name because
she is an example of someone
doing excellent journalism in the
denominational press and
someone honored by RNA during
her secular reporting days.)
As its website notes, RNA was
founded in 1949 to advance
the professional standards of
religion reporting in the
mainstream media and to create a
support network for religion
reporters. It’s difficult to do that if
you don’t have the membership
base or funding to survive.
Sometimes, you hold your nose
and take one for the team.
Updated: RNA’s Debra Mason
responds to this post. Be sure to
see her comment below.]]> 16"/>
16"/> 16 GetReligion
"The press . . . just doesn't get
religion." -- William Schneider
2010-12-01T02:30:12Z http://
www.getreligion.org/feed/atom/
WordPress Sarah Pulliam Bailey
http://www.getreligion.org/
?p=48831 2010-12-01T02:10:07Z
2010-11-30T21:55:48Z
Occasionally we’ll see stories
where video games and religion
collide, where a game might
feature religion or a country might
ban certain games if deemed
religiously offensive.
For instance, one of my favorite
stories includes one from last year
about how a company hired a
group to protest Dante’s Inferno,
paying them to hold signs such as
“Hell is not a Video Game” and
“Trade in Your PlayStation for a
PrayStation.” Believable, right?
Read more on Got news? Islamic
games rating system…]]>
Occasionally we’ll see stories
where video games and religion
collide, where a game might
feature religion or a country might
ban certain games if deemed
religiously offensive.
For instance, one of my favorite
stories includes one from last year
about how a company hired a
group to protest Dante’s Inferno,
paying them to hold signs such as
“Hell is not a Video Game” and
“Trade in Your PlayStation for a
PrayStation.” Believable, right?
Now we have a case where a
group is trying to rate games for
an entire religious body. Kotaku,
a video game blog in the Gawker
network, posts this interesting
tidbit about how a group in the
Middle East has launched a
ratings system for games based on
the tenets of the Islamic faith.
This makes it a world first, a
system aimed at transcending
national borders and laws and
appealing directly to the parents
and guardians of Muslims all over
the world, regardless of which
country they live in or which laws
they live under.
The ratings body is called the
Entertainment Software Rating
Association, and “rates the
content of…games based on
parameters such as violence,
promoting tobacco or drugs,
sexual diversity [and] nudity”,
according to a release issued by
the group. As a result, “the rating
system is designed based on the
culture, society and the special
values of Islam”.
What’s unclear is how these
ratings will differ from the
Entertainment Software Rating
Board. For instance, when I look
at the back of Mass Effect 2, it
says that it’s rated Mature for
blood, drug reference, sexual
content, strong language and
violence. The post’s author Luke
Plunkett notes this and explains
how it might differ.
“The approach of Islam is based
on Human being innateness “Al
Fitra”, and the most important
innate trends are truth, virtue,
benevolence, excellence tendency,
innovation and creativity” he told
attendants at the Dubai World
Game Expo yesterday. “That’s
why we made sure that ESRA
team are proficient in these areas;
Religion, Psychopathology,
Educational psychology, Social
psychology, Sociology of the
family, Family Sociology,
Emotional Psychology, Family
therapy and Educational
technology.”
As a freshly-launched initiative,
there’s little other information on
ESRA, though you’d imagine that
it will mainly operate as an online
reference for Muslim parents.
That said, if ESRA ratings can be
printed off on stickers and handed
out to retailers in the relevant
regions, there’s no reason it
couldn’t also be used on game
boxes not just in Islamic
countries, but in any area there
would be enough Muslim
customers to make it worth their
while.
The National, a government-
owned newspaper in Abu Dhabi,
published a report with a few
examples of how it will assess the
minimum age for each game: 6,
12, 15, 18 or 25.
Several games have fallen foul of
regional moral standards in recent
years. The Grand Theft Auto
65
series, for example, was banned
because it depicted prostitution,
gambling and alcohol.
Dr Minaei said there were games
that depicted Muslims as
terrorists, while others were
frightening for younger players.
He said the top age bracket was
necessary because “there is a
difference between an 18-year-old
Muslim and a 25-year-old”. The
latter, he said, “is more than likely
married and some games are more
suitable towards married people”.
After a little searching, it appears
that the Entertainment Software
Rating Association has been
around for a few years now as the
governmental rating system used
in Iran. So is this group trying to
branch out beyond Iran and
become the definitive ratings
system for all of Islam? Perhaps
other reporters might do a little
digging and find out whether this
might have any impact on the
gaming industry.
Cultures are sensitive to games,
so occasionally you might see a
game altered for a specific
context. For instance, the use of
the name “brahmin” was banned
in India from Fallout 3. A few
years ago, millions of copies of a
game called Little Big Planet were
withdrawn from warehouses after
portions of the Koran were found
in the accompanying music. As
tmatt previously noted, “It does
appear that ideas, yes, and beliefs,
often have consequences—even
in the digital world of virtual
reality.”]]> 0"/> 0"/> 0 Mollie
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http://www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48828
2010-12-01T01:40:42Z 2010-11-
30T19:59:28Z Last year when late
-term abortion provider George
Tiller was killed inside his church,
the media devoted many stories to
late-term abortions. One of the
things that I noted at the time was
that I erroneously believed there
were only three men in the
country willing to abort late-term
and full-term fetuses: Tiller,
LeRoy Carhart and Warren Hern.
This was based on the claims of
the men themselves, which were
repeated by many in the media.
Read more on Late-term abortion
number jumble…]]> Last year
when late-term abortion provider
George Tiller was killed inside his
church, the media devoted many
stories to late-term abortions. One
of the things that I noted at the
time was that I erroneously
believed there were only three
men in the country willing to
abort late-term and full-term
fetuses: Tiller, LeRoy Carhart and
Warren Hern. This was based on
the claims of the men themselves,
which were repeated by many in
the media.
So, for instance, the Los Angeles
Times’ Robin Abcarian wrote:
Tiller had been the only abortion
provider in Wichita, Kan., and his
family’s decision to close the
facility leaves only two other
clinics in the country that perform
late-term abortions.
The story repeated the claim. The
Washington Post handled it better,
I thought, by citing a 2001 survey
of a few states saying that only a
handful of abortion clinics and
doctors were willing to perform
late-term abortions.
Today the same reporter — Rob
Stein — has a story about one of
these doctors offering his services
for women whose unborn children
are closer to birth in Germantown,
Maryland:
A Nebraska doctor who is one of
the few in the country to perform
abortions late in a pregnancy is
planning to begin offering the
controversial procedures at a
clinic in Germantown, Md., an
official said Tuesday. …
Only a handful of doctors
perform abortions in late
pregnancy, and Carhart has been
the target of antiabortion protests.
I had happened to read a link to a
much more recent survey than the
2001 cited by Stein in his reports
last year. It appeared at the pro-
life news site LifeNews. It cited a
2008 report, based on 2005 data,
from The Guttmacher Institute.
That institute used to be Planned
Parenthood’s research arm,
although it’s now independent of
the country’s largest abortion
provider. Anyway, the 2008 study
indicates that they found 1,787
abortion doctors. Only 20 percent
offer abortions after 20 weeks
gestation, and only 8 percent offer
abortions after 24 weeks. I think
the earliest a baby has survived is
around 21 weeks gestation.
Here are the goods from the
Guttmacher Institute report:
Gestational limits. Most
providers have lower and upper
gestational limits for abortion
services, and some women may
have difficulty finding a provider
if they seek an abortion too early
or too late in pregnancy. For
example, some providers will not
perform an abortion if they cannot
see the gestational sac on an
ultrasound scan, which usually is
not possible until 4-5 weeks after
a woman’s last menstrual period.
Forty percent of providers in
2005 offered abortions at four or
fewer weeks since the woman’s
last menstrual period, about the
same proportion as in 2001
(37%). The proportion of
providers offering services
increases with gestation and
peaks—at 96%—at eight weeks.
Sixty-seven percent of facilities
offered at least some second-
trimester abortion services (13
weeks or later). Twenty percent of
providers offered abortions after
20 weeks, and only 8% at 24
weeks; comparable figures for
2001 were 24% and 13%,
respectively.
So that means that some 350
doctors perform abortions after 20
weeks and more than 140 perform
after 24 weeks.
LifeNews notes:
Mary Balch, an attorney who
handle state legislation for the
National Right to Life Committee,
says the numbers are important
because mainstream media outlets
have attempted to make it appear
there are very few practitioners
willing to do late or late-term
abortions.
“In an interview with Colorado
abortionist Warren Hern
published online November 5,
2010, Time Magazine perpetuated
the prevalent myth that there are
few, if any abortionists who
perform abortions late in
pregnancy,” she told
LifeNews.com. “The Washington
Post’s Rob Stein also furthered
the myth in a November 10 piece
saying that Carhart is ‘is one of
the few in the country to perform
abortions late in pregnancy.’”
“The truth is, abortions in the fifth
month of pregnancy and later are
widely available,” she added.
It does seem odd. If you have
more than 350 doctors performing
abortions after 20 weeks and
another 140-plus doing it after 24
weeks, that should be mentioned
in news stories. And if reporters
are using “late-term” to refer to
babies who are even closer to
birth, that should be clarified, too.
I’ve heard of “late-term” referring
to abortions after 20 weeks but
also to abortions after 12 or 16
weeks. I’m not familiar with it
being used to describe abortions
on even older fetuses. Anyway,
the abortion debate can get
awfully euphamistic and it helps
to be absolutely clear about what
gestational age we’re talking
about.]]> 9"/> 9"/> 9 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48743
2010-12-01T02:30:12Z 2010-11-
30T16:02:37Z Yes, I know, I
know, I know.
I am a horrible Christian
traditionalist ( Eastern Orthodox,
actually) who cares about
liturgical traditions that are not
good for the global economy. I
get spooked or even angry when I
hear a reggae-musak version of
E-reader News Edition
“Here Comes Santa Claus” over
the speakers in a hamburger joint
and it isn’t even Nativity Lent
(think Advent) yet.
Read more on 12 days of
whatever, whenever…]]> Yes, I
know, I know, I know.
I am a horrible Christian
traditionalist ( Eastern Orthodox,
actually) who cares about
liturgical traditions that are not
good for the global economy. I
get spooked or even angry when I
hear a reggae-musak version of
“Here Comes Santa Claus” over
the speakers in a hamburger joint
and it isn’t even Nativity Lent
(think Advent) yet.
And then there’s THIS. It’s
brilliant, but also kind of sad.
So I recognize that the following
Associated Press business report
is inevitable and, in fact, it’s an
annual event. The question, for
me: Why is the Los Angeles
Times running this it on Nov. 29?
Here is the oh-so-familiar
opening of the report:
In the unlikely event that your
Christmas list this year includes
every item mentioned in“The 12
Days of Christmas,” be prepared
to pay nearly $100,000.
Buying the 364 items repeated in
all the song’s verses — from 12
drummers drumming to a
partridge in a pear tree — would
cost $96,824, an increase of
10.8% over last year, according to
the annual Christmas price index
compiled by PNC Wealth
Management.
So you might want to try for just
GETRELIGION page 67
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one of everything. That would
cost $23,439, or 9.2% more than
last year.
The 27th annual holiday index
has historically mirrored the
national consumer price index,
but not this year. The Christmas
index grew 9.2% from last year,
compared with just a 1.1%
increase in the much broader
consumer index.
Much of this is due to surging
gold prices, yada, yada, yada. And
the cost of hiring nine ladies
dancing — presumably these are
unionized dancers — is up to
$6,294.03. Couldn’t you just get
nine ladies to volunteer from your
trendy local parish’s liturgical
dance team?
But here is what I want to know
from GetReligion readers,
especially the newsroom
professionals: When are the 12
days of Christmas, the real ones?
Does anyone know? Does this
basic fact even matter? (We are
talking, by the way, about the
Western calendar, not
observances in, oh, Russia or
parts of the Middle East. I’m not
asking an Orthodox question,
here.)
Yes, I realize that some media
outlets are already throwing the
term around. I think some cable
channel started 12 holiday movies
in a row, like “Elf,” before
Thanksgiving. Ignore that, please.
In an AP story such as this, does
the reporter even need to mention
the real 12 days? What about
media coverage of alleged “12
days” events that do not take
place during the real 12-day
Christmas season? Do the facts
matter at all?
Oh, one more thing. Please feel
free to send us, during the next
month or so, any really good or
really bad stories that you see
about the 12-day Christmas
season.
What’s a bad story? You’ll know
it when you see it. No “War on
Christmas” stories, please, unless
some mall decides to arrest people
for caroling during the actual
Christmas season.]]> 16"/> 16"/>
16 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48742
2010-11-30T02:45:06Z 2010-11-
29T22:45:39Z Last month
Southern Baptist Seminary
President Albert Mohler reviewed
The Subtle Body: The Story of
Yoga in America. While he gave
the book a favorable review, he
used the review as an opportunity
to discuss how Christianity and
Hinduism differ and why that’s
important. Peter Smith at the
Louisville Courier-Journal
highlighted Mohler’s review and
it created a bit of a firestorm. The
Associated Press even ran a story,
which I dinged for failing to quote
any Hindus on the matter, much
less Hindus who agree with
Mohler that yoga is a Hindu
practice.
Read more on The subtleties of
yoga…]]> Last month Southern
Baptist Seminary President Albert
Mohler reviewed The Subtle
Body: The Story of Yoga in
America. While he gave the book
a favorable review, he used the
review as an opportunity to
discuss how Christianity and
Hinduism differ and why that’s
important. Peter Smith at the
Louisville Courier-Journal
highlighted Mohler’s review and
it created a bit of a firestorm. The
Associated Press even ran a story,
which I dinged for failing to quote
any Hindus on the matter, much
less Hindus who agree with
Mohler that yoga is a Hindu
practice.
Paul Vitello at the New York
Times mentioned the controversy
in his length report headlined “
Hindu Group Stirs a Debate Over
Yoga’s Soul.” Here’s how the
article begins:
Yoga is practiced by about 15
million people in the United
States, for reasons almost as
numerous — from the physical
benefits mapped in brain scans to
the less tangible rewards that New
Age journals call spiritual
centering. Religion, for the most
part, has nothing to do with it.
But a group of Indian-Americans
has ignited a surprisingly fierce
debate in the gentle world of yoga
by mounting a campaign to
acquaint Westerners with the faith
that it says underlies every single
yoga style followed in gyms,
ashrams and spas: Hinduism.
The campaign, labeled “Take
Back Yoga,” does not ask yoga
devotees to become Hindu, or
instructors to teach more about
Hinduism. The small but
increasingly influential group
behind it, the Hindu American
Foundation, suggests only that
people become more aware of
yoga’s debt to the faith’s ancient
traditions.
That suggestion, modest though it
may seem, has drawn a flurry of
strong reactions from figures far
apart on the religious spectrum.
Dr. Deepak Chopra, the New Age
writer, has dismissed the
campaign as a jumble of faulty
history and Hindu nationalism. R.
Albert Mohler Jr., president of the
Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary, has said he agrees that
yoga is Hindu — and cited that as
evidence that the practice
imperiled the souls of Christians
who engage in it.
The question at the core of the
debate — who owns yoga? — has
become an enduring topic of
chatter in yoga Web forums,
Hindu American newspapers and
journals catering to the many
consumers of what is now a
multibillion-dollar yoga industry.
You can read Mohler’s rather
more nuanced argument here. The
Indian-American group is called
the Hindu American Foundation,
which can be found here.
I love that the Times is covering
this and not mocking the Hindus
or others who discuss the debt
yoga owes to Hinduism. I’m
almost inure to the treatment that
folks like Mohler receive at times
like this but thought the short
shrift to Hindus who advocate for
yoga as a Hindu practice was a
lost opportunity.
The article explains the origins of
the viral debate about how much
yoga owes to Hinduism. One of
the readers who submitted the
story thought the choice of
“experts” arguing against yoga’s
67
Hindu origins were a bit weak.
They were, in fact, a Brooklyn
yoga instructor and Deepak
Chopra. We’re told that some
religious historians think that
yoga originated “in the Vedic
culture of Indo-Europeans who
settled in India in the third
millennium B.C., long before the
tradition now called Hinduism
emerged.” But we’re not given
any religious historians who agree
with this. What’s more, the Vedic
culture is strongly related to the
origins of Hinduism, so some
clarification about exactly where
the argument differs would be
helpful, too.
The reader notes:
Chopra is well-known author and
spiritual leader, but is he the best
person to comment on the origins
of yoga? He’s an endocrinologist
and self-help author, not a
historian. Given his leading role
in the “spiritual not religious”
movement, doesn’t he have a
vested interest in making sure that
yoga is too closely associated
with a specific religion?
Of course, the same conflict of
interest might be argued for HAF.
And the story is really about
Chopra and the HAF’s conflict,
and HAF’s campaign. I thought
this was some great context:
Loriliai Biernacki, a professor of
Indian religions at the University
of Colorado, said the debate had
raised important issues about a
spectrum of Hindu concepts
permeating American culture,
including meditation, belief in
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karma and reincarnation, and even
cremation.
“All these ideas are Hindu in
origin, and they are spreading,”
she said. “But they are doing it in
a way that leaves behind the
proper name, the box that
classifies them as ‘Hinduism.’”
The debate has also secured the
standing of the Hindu American
Foundation as the pre-eminent
voice for the country’s two
million Hindus, said Diana L.
Eck, a professor of comparative
religion and Indian studies at
Harvard. Other groups represent
Indian-Americans’ interests in
business and politics, but the
foundation has emerged as “the
first major national advocacy
group looking at Hindu identity,”
she said.
I was going to say that the article
should probably note HAF’s
Hindu Nationalist approach but
Chopra is quoted arguing just that.
Perhaps a bit more than a note
would be helpful should Hindu
identity get the additional
coverage it deserves. Still, nice to
see this article and the context it
provides.]]> 11"/> 11"/> 11
Bobby http://getreligion.org http:/
/www.getreligion.org/?p=48745
2010-11-29T22:39:44Z 2010-11-
29T19:30:08Z
Three weeks ago, we enjoyed an
interesting“Got news?” discussion
concerning Florida Sen.-elect
Marco Rubio’s religious
affiliation.
That post delved into questions
concerning a Roman Catholic
politician who attends — and
contributes tens of thousands of
dollars to — a megachurch
affiliated with the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Read more on Rubio’s church
life? It’s complicated…]]>
Three weeks ago, we enjoyed an
interesting“Got news?” discussion
concerning Florida Sen.-elect
Marco Rubio’s religious
affiliation.
That post delved into questions
concerning a Roman Catholic
politician who attends — and
contributes tens of thousands of
dollars to — a megachurch
affiliated with the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Regular GetReligion reader and
Tennessean religion writer Bob
Smietana earned “Quip of the
Month” honors (or should have)
with this response to that post:
This is the perfect American
religion story. Here’s a candidate
who says he’s Catholic but goes
to a Baptist church which doesn’t
have Baptist in its name.
After the GetReligion post,
religion reporter David Gibson
wrote a compelling piece for
Politics Daily. Still, it surprised
me that none of the major dead-
tree news organizations picked up
the story, especially given
Rubio’s high-profile status as a
freshman senator-elect already
mentioned as a potential
presidential candidate.
Over the weekend, though, New
York Times religion writer Mark
Oppenheimer stepped into the
fray with a “Beliefs” column
headlined“Marco Rubio: Catholic
or Protestant?” In terms of the key
question itself, Oppenheimer’s
column fails to deliver a definitive
answer, instead relying — out of
necessity — on the now-standard
response from Rubio’s
spokesman:
Marco Rubio, the charismatic
senator-elect from Florida, is in
many ways similar to other Cuban
-American politicians from his
home state: conservative,
Republican and a “practicing and
devout Roman Catholic,” in the
words of his spokesman, one who
“regularly attends Catholic Mass”
and “was baptized, confirmed and
married in the Roman Catholic
Church.”
But while Mr. Rubio, 39,
presented himself on his Florida
Statehouse Web site and in
interviews as a Roman Catholic,
bloggers and journalists have
noted since his election that he
regularly worships at an
evangelical megachurch whose
theology is plainly at odds with
Catholic teaching.
While the Times offers no new
insight on how Rubio himself
views his dual Catholic/Protestant
allegiances, the piece does an
excellent job of explaining why
the distinction is important — and
why it isn’t.
Why is it important?
Oppenheimer highlights precise
reasons and lists specific
unanswered questions:
Christ Fellowship, which has five
campuses and draws about 6,000
worshipers on a typical weekend,
is affiliated with the Southern
Baptist Convention, and its beliefs
include several that are alien to
Catholicism.
Southern Baptists practice adult
rather than infant baptism, for
example. They do not recognize
the authority of the pope. And the
Christ Fellowship statement of
beliefs says the bread and wine of
communion are merely
“symbolic,” thus do not become
Christ’s body and blood, as
Catholics believe.
As for Mr. Rubio’s involvement
with Catholicism, his spokesman
did not respond to questions about
whether the senator-elect gives
money to the Archdiocese of
Miami; whether he agrees with
Catholic teachings that suggest
Protestants are in error; and
whether he belongs to a Catholic
parish, as most observant
Catholics would.
Why isn’t it important? Again,
Oppenheimer offers relevant
analysis (and for copyright
reasons, I’ll refrain from copying
and pasting all of it, but do be
sure to read the whole thing):
Fernand Amandi, whose Florida
firm, Bendixen & Amandi,
specializes in Hispanic opinion
polling, says that among the
population, few seem to care that
Mr. Rubio is partaking of two
religious identities.
“I don’t think there is any such
consciousness of it at all,” Mr.
Amandi said. “If he came out as
an atheist, there would probably
be a huge backlash,” but within
Christianity “the Hispanic
community is respectful enough
of diversity that I don’t think this
matters.”
A 2008 study by Trinity College,
in Hartford, found that from 1990
E-reader News Edition
to 2008 the proportion of
American Hispanics identifying
as Catholic fell substantially, to
60 percent from 66 percent. The
study also found that the longer a
Hispanic has lived in the United
States, the less likely he or she is
to be Catholic. And the non-
Catholics are more likely to
identify as Republicans.
Oppenheimer packs a bunch of
facts and context into a relatively
short space (an 850-word
column). Short of the Times
snagging an interview with Rubio
himself on his faith and religious
beliefs, this is a nice step forward
in the (until now, scant)
mainstream media narrative.
My only qualm with the Times
piece: In the final paragraph,
Oppenheimer wraps up the issue
in an easy little package and ties a
bow on it:
It may never be clear whether
Mr. Rubio is more Catholic or
Protestant. The question itself
reduces a complex experience,
human religiosity, to simple
terms. What may be clear from
this story — call it The Case of
the First Catholic Protestant
Senator — is that in America,
religious distinctions matter less
all the time.
It’s a column, so Oppenheimer is
entitled to his point of view. But
this statement struck me: In
America, religious distinctions
matter less all the time.
A fair statement? Or wishful
thinking? What say ye,
GetReligion readers?]]> 12"/>
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12"/> 12 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48726
2010-11-29T17:02:08Z 2010-11-
29T16:30:13Z Of all the subjects
that I write about for the Scripps
Howard News Service, columns
about trends in worship
consistently generate some of the
most intense responses from
readers.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to say
when a few anecdotes about
changes in a few major churches
constitute an actual news trend. If
the Catholic Church revises the
missal, that’s news. Change the
Book of Common Prayer and
that’s news. But how does one
cover the diverse, sprawling
world of megachurch
Protestantism? How many high-
def video screens and rock-show
lighting systems does one need to
create a national news story?
Read more on Organist jobs die
in worship wars…]]> Of all the
subjects that I write about for the
Scripps Howard News Service,
columns about trends in worship
consistently generate some of the
most intense responses from
readers.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to say
when a few anecdotes about
changes in a few major churches
constitute an actual news trend. If
the Catholic Church revises the
missal, that’s news. Change the
Book of Common Prayer and
that’s news. But how does one
cover the diverse, sprawling
world of megachurch
Protestantism? How many high-
def video screens and rock-show
lighting systems does one need to
create a national news story?
But CNN.com recently served up
a legitimate story about a major
worship trend, a story linked to
the“worship wars” debates that
have been growing for several
decades.
There are all kinds of issues to
debate about this story — which
only shows that the subject is
quite complex. But let’s not miss
the fact that the story needed to be
written in the first place. Here’s
the top of the report:
No one has touched the organ at
First United Methodist Church in
Oakland, Neb., since last January.
That’s when 80-year-old Pat
Anderson played her last note as
the small-town church’s volunteer
organist, a post she held for 18
years.
“It was time for me to retire,” she
said. When she did, there was
nobody to step in. Two young
women have taken over the
musical duties for the 190-
member congregation, but they
play a digital piano — not the
organ.
“There are some people who wish
we had the organ still, but they
face the reality that it just isn’t
going to happen,” said the Rev.
Richard Karohl.
First United’s struggle is
indicative of a nationwide plight:
There aren’t enough organists to
fill all of the open church
positions. Many of the stay-at-
home moms who once
volunteered as organists are
working now, and fewer young
people are studying the organ.
Those who are training to be
professionals aren’t interested in
playing for small churches where
the music program is limited to
Sunday services and the pay is
minimal — if there’s pay at all.
Once you’ve read the story, note
that this issue is framed as a
problem within the nation’s more
liberal mainline Protestant
churches. This is a story with
roots. About two decades ago,
there were stories about how
many urban churches were losing
their skilled organists and
musicians because of the AIDS
crisis.
Now, other factors are at play —
including money. Many small
mainline churches are getting
even smaller, for a number of
reasons. The people in the pews
are also aging, which means that
the audience for traditional church
music is declining with the
membership decline. The World
War II era faithful are passing
from the scene.
There are skilled musicians out
there. But who can afford them?
“There’s a great supply [of
organists] for the right kind of
jobs,” said James Thomashower,
executive director of the 18,000-
member American Guild of
Organists. Compared to 30 years
ago, there are fewer trained
organists — but they’re chasing
fewer attractive positions. It’s a
buyers’ market for churches with
ambitious music programs.
“There are many, many highly
qualified organists who would
like to have a fine job on a fine
instrument that pays a good
wage,” Thomashower said.
That wage, according to the
Guild, should be between $63,000
and $83,000 a year, including
benefits, for a full-time organist
with a bachelor’s degree in organ
performance or sacred music.
This, in an era in which many
mainline churches are struggling
to even pay a decent salary-and-
benefits package for a pastor. Is it
easier and cheaper to use a piano,
a volunteer “praise and worship”
band or some other compromise?
But pop/folk service music in
aging mainline churches? That’s a
recipe for, yes, worship wars.
So this story represents a good
start in covering a major story.
What’s next? For starters, CNN
needs to fill the gaping hole
caused by the lack of information
about finances and membership
issues in mainline churches. In
other words, where did the jobs
go?
Meanwhile, note that this report
does not address what is
happening in the new American
mainline, which is the world of
independent evangelical and
Pentecostal churches. That’s
where the numbers are, today.
And, trust me, there are worship
wars stories in those flocks, as
well. Go for it.
P h o t o : F r o m
GovernmentAuctions.org]]> 5"/>
5"/> 5 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48730
2010-11-28T21:13:48Z 2010-11-
28T21:13:46Z Twitter has its
faults but it’s an amazing way to
follow major world events in real
69
time. Take the situation in the
Koreas. North Korea shelled
South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island
a few days ago, in a deadly
artillery attack. The United States
and South Korea took up position
in the Yellow Sea today for joint
military exercises. Journalists
have been told they should leave
the island. North Korea has
threatened another “merciless”
attack.
Read more on Ghosts in Korean
conflict?…]]> Twitter has its
faults but it’s an amazing way to
follow major world events in real
time. Take the situation in the
Koreas. North Korea shelled
South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island
a few days ago, in a deadly
artillery attack. The United States
and South Korea took up position
in the Yellow Sea today for joint
military exercises. Journalists
have been told they should leave
the island. North Korea has
threatened another “merciless”
attack.
As soon as the initial attack
happened, news spread on Twitter
long before it was broadcast on
cable outlets. Still, it’s great to
have a full-length article that
explains the context and larger
issues surrounding the latest
conflict. This Associated Press
report, for instance, reminds
readers that North Korea killed 46
South korean sailors earlier this
year when it attacked a warship.
Here’s how the article ends:
Hours earlier, the rattle of new
artillery fire from North Korea
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sent residents, journalists, police
and troops scrambling for cover
on Yeonpyeong Island. None of
the rounds landed on the island,
military officials said, but the
incident showed how tense the
situation remains.
Saying they could not guarantee
the journalists’ safety, South
Korea’s Defense Ministry sent a
ship to ferry them off the island
but bad weather forced them to
cancel the evacuation. About 380
people, including 28 islanders and
190 journalists, remained on
Yeonpyeong on Sunday, officials
said.
A similar burst of artillery fire
Friday occurred just as the U.S.
military’s top commander in the
region, Gen. Walter Sharp, was
touring Yeonpyeong Island. No
shells landed anywhere in South
Korean territory.
Calls for tougher action made
way Sunday for pleas for peace
among about 150 South Koreans
who turned out for a vigil Sunday
evening in a Seoul plaza, huddling
with candles in paper cups and
chanting, “Give us peace!”
“It was very shocking,” said Kang
Hong-koo, 22, a student. “I’m
here to appease the souls of the
people who were killed in the
North Korean attack. I hope the
current tense situation is
alleviated quickly.”
As the reader who submitted this
story notes “Wow, is there
enormous ghost dropped into our
laps at the end of this story.” And
he’s right. What religious
tradition is the student referring
to? Was the vigil for that
particular religion or was it
interfaith? And it also suggests all
sorts of other angles to explore.
For instance, what are the
religious differences between
North and South Korea? And do
they play any role in the conflict
here?]]> 4"/> 4"/> 4 Mollie http:/
/www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48698
2010-11-28T02:25:20Z 2010-11-
27T20:37:17Z It’s been quite a
few years since I read William
McGowan’s Coloring the News:
How Political Correctness Has
Corrupted American Journalism.
It was a surprisingly popular book
considering the book does nothing
more than discuss some of the
basics of modern media bias.
Read more on All the analysis
that’s fit to print?…]]> It’s been
quite a few years since I read
William McGowan’s Coloring the
News: How Political Correctness
Has Corrupted American
Journalism. It was a surprisingly
popular book considering the
book does nothing more than
discuss some of the basics of
modern media bias.
McGowan was editor of
Washington Monthly and has
been published at the Washington
Post and the New York Times
Magazine, among other places.
He’s conservative but speaks
about journalism as someone who
loves journalism. This made his
critique much better than a lot of
what passes for media criticism.
So his last book was about how
many in the media approach news
gathering with political
correctness in mind. This is why
it’s not uncommon to see a
journalist seek help on a story by
asking if anyone knows of a
Hispanic woman with a college
degree who is struggling to get a
business off the ground while
managing a healthy work-life
balance. I always think, when I
come across such requests,
“Aren’t we supposed to report
first and frame the story later?”
But these things happen all the
time and, sad to say, I don’t think
McGowan’s book did anything to
stop it. At least people are more
informed about how political
correctness can bias the news.
Anyway, McGowan is out with a
new book focusing on coverage
problems at the New York Times.
It’s titled Gray Lady Down: What
the Decline and Fall of the New
York Times Means for America.
The Daily Caller ran a brief
interview with him. McGowan
begins by saying journalism is
one of America’s most important
democratic institutions, that the
Times is central to our policy
debates and our common culture,
that it used to represent the gold
standard of American journalism,
but that it’s been tarnished. He
says his book seeks to understand
what policies and personalities are
responsible:
3. Is there an individual or a
group of individuals who deserve
the lion’s share of the blame for
the decline of the New York
Times?
I think the current publisher,
Arthur Sulzberger Jr., who has
been in control now for almost 20
years bears the most
responsibility. Granted, in the last
few years, he and other news
executives, at the Times and in
the news industry at large, have
been dealt a bad hand with loss of
revenues from the competition of
the Internet. But Sulzberger has
played that hand quite badly,
allowing ideology to subtract
from the paper’s credibility and
gravitas. And unfortunately, the
rot at the top is not going away
short of a change of leadership.
Yes, the Times has made efforts
at reform, especially since the
Blair scandal and other
institutional embarrassments. But
like a recovering addict who
pledges sobriety, they’ve fallen
off the wagon with too much
regularity and its reform
initiatives have had only spotty
success.
4. What are the greatest problems
you see with the New York
Times’ coverage of issues today?
And is there a particular area
where they are especially bad?
The Times has been particularly
bad on race, immigration, the
growth of Islam in America, gay
rights (especially gay marriage),
the War on Terror and the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. The
common thread is a mentality
defined by a kind of “punitive
liberalism” which holds that
America at its core is somehow
morally tainted and needs to atone
— to “reclaim its soul” as one of
its op-ed columnists put it.
It’s not news that the paper has
had trouble with coverage of gay
rights. Years ago the paper’s
public editor brutally referred to
E-reader News Edition
the coverage as “ cheerleading.”
But it is interesting to see
criticism of the coverage of Islam.
In later questions, he says the
Times is too ready to make
accusations of “Islamophobia”
when discussing the “War on
Terror” and too resistant to report
on some aspects of Islamic
culture, particularly those dealing
with women, that are at odds with
progressive American culture.
So what do you think? Has your
view of The New York Times
changed over the years? What you
think is best and worst about the
Times? Do you still think it’s the
gold standard of American
journalism? Why or why not?
And what do you think about its
overall coverage of Islam?]]> 16"
/> 16"/> 16 Bobby http://
getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48667
2010-11-26T06:10:47Z 2010-11-
26T14:30:15Z
If you’re a college football fan,
you’re familiar with Cam
Newton: He’s the star Auburn
quarterback who — for now—
leads most Heisman polls. This
afternoon, his unbeaten, second-
ranked Tigers face the No. 11
Alabama Crimson Tide in an Iron
Bowl with national title
ramifications.
Read more on Holy Heisman, the
Newton saga…]]>
If you’re a college football fan,
you’re familiar with Cam
Newton: He’s the star Auburn
quarterback who — for now—
leads most Heisman polls. This
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afternoon, his unbeaten, second-
ranked Tigers face the No. 11
Alabama Crimson Tide in an Iron
Bowl with national title
ramifications.
You also know, though, that
Newton has been making
headlines for more than his on-
field prowess. And not in a
positive way. As ESPN.com’s
excellent college football
columnist Ivan Maisel noted:
Newton may be the best player in
the country, but in the last month
Newton and his father have had
their reputations sullied by
accusations that Cecil Newton
shopped his son’s talent for
money. That’s the kind of snack
on which opposing fans feast.
Now you may be wondering —
especially if you haven’t followed
the news concerning the NCAA
investigation — what in the world
this has to do with religion. Oh,
we need a GetReligion angle?
Even on the day after
Thanksgiving? Tough crowd.
But since you asked: The
quarterback’s father is the pastor
of a small Pentecostal church.
Over the past few weeks, the
church has figured into news
reports on allegations that Cecil
Newton sought $180,000 for his
son to play football with
Mississippi State. Those
allegations raise the issue of
whether the father received any
financial incentive for his son to
sign with Auburn, which would
be a major violation of NCAA
rules.
ESPN.com reported earlier this
month:
Cecil Newton said the family
received a letter from the NCAA
“about a month ago” asking for
financial statements. He said he
submitted bank statements and
records for the church where he is
pastor, Holy Zion Center of
Deliverance in Newnan, Ga.,
along with other records.
The church has been in the news
in Coweta County, Ga., often in
the past year. According to stories
in The Times-Herald newspaper,
Cecil Newton’s church was in
danger of being demolished by
order of the Newnan City Council
in 2009 for failing to meet the
city’s building code. One story
said Cecil Newton told the
council last September the
building would be brought to code
“inside of six months.” After
numerous delays, extensions and
compromises from the council,
renovation work began last spring
and The Times-Herald reported
last week that the church is in
compliance with Newnan’s
building requirements.
“If you’ve ever seen our church,
you’d know we don’t have any
money,” said Cam Newton’s
mother, Jackie. “We have
nothing.”
Questions about the church
prompted an NBC Sports blogger
— perhaps in need of GetReligion
remedial training — to remark a
few days later:
Aside from the fact that the
church name sounds like a cult,
there would seem to be nothing
spectacular about Cecil’s
establishment.
The blogger’s comment gave me
the distinct impression that he’s
never read that headline-grabbing
Pew Forum study from a few
years ago on the rising tide of
Pentecostalism. (That was an
attempt at humor, by the way.)
Seriously, though, the remark sent
me on a Google search for any
mainstream media coverage of the
church. I was curious about the
church and wanted to know more
about its role in this. At the time
— a couple of weeks ago — I
couldn’t find anything beyond
bare-bones mentions.
So I was pleased this week when
the Old Gray Lady herself ran a
piece with this headline:
Church Has Role In Newton
Inquiry
From The New York Times’
story:
Newton, 50, is the bishop
overseeing five small Pentecostal
churches in Georgia, including the
church here, where he is also
pastor, and another in Savannah,
which is led by his sister-in-law,
Gail Norwood.
“He’s a very caring, very loving
bishop,” Norwood said Sunday
after a weekly service at her
church, Holy Zion Holiness,
attended by a dozen adults and a
handful of children. “Bishop
Newton and my sister, Jackie,
have all our support.”
Newton took over as bishop of
the churches about 10 years ago,
after the death of Talmadge
Wilder, who was the founder of
their small denomination and
Newton’s father-in-law. On
Sunday, Norwood asked the
congregation to pray for Cecil
Newton and his family. After the
service, she said the controversy
had not disrupted the
congregation. “We are at peace,”
she said.
For relevant details, that’s a start.
Unfortunately, that’s as deep as
the story goes concerning
Newton’s church and
denomination (does it have a
name?). The reference to an
interview after a weekly service
makes it appear that the reporter
was present, but no observations
or scenes from the service are
included. Overall, this is just an
extremely vague report that
provides no real insight into what
Newton or the churches he
oversees believe.
Mainly, the story runs down what
is known so far about the NCAA
investigation, with bits and pieces
concerning the church’s dealings
with the city and the cost of its
repairs sprinkled in. That
information is important, but it’s
not enough.
Want to know what the church
itself is like? Readers must settle
for this kind of detail:
Blandburg called the
congregation close-knit. “To me,
it feels like more of a family than
any church that I’ve ever been
to,” she said.
Oh, there’s also this:
Cecil Newton Sr. has proved to
be a good role model for his
children and others in the
congregation, Blandburg said.
“The kids that come from here are
doing well.”
A very loving bishop. A close-
knit church family. A good role
71
model.
I give the Times credit for
recognizing a key angle — the
church — in the Newton saga. I
just wish the paper had dug a
whole lot deeper. This story
produced a few positive yards, but
it fell short of the end zone. Way
short.]]> 6"/> 6"/> 6 tmatt http://
www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48575
2010-11-25T17:17:37Z 2010-11-
25T17:17:34Z Every now and
then, your GetReligionistas whine
a bit when mainstream news
publications publish stories that
are full of religious reference, yet
contain almost no facts about
religion at all. Yes, I’m still
thinking about this one at the
moment, care of the Washington
Post.
Read more on Heavenly vision at
his bedside…]]> Every now and
then, your GetReligionistas whine
a bit when mainstream news
publications publish stories that
are full of religious reference, yet
contain almost no facts about
religion at all. Yes, I’m still
thinking about this one at the
moment, care of the Washington
Post.
Some GetReligion readers like to
suggest that, by leaving the
religious elements of the story
foggy, the editors believe that
they are reaching out to readers
who might not be comfortable
with the religious specifics. You
know, vague religion for an era of
vaguely religious people.
Well, I can see the logic in that,
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GETRELIGION
continued from page 71
sort of. We do live in a vaguely
spiritual age.
But this is something like saying
that the mainstream press should
avoid the details of political
stories, since we live in an era
when an increasing number of
Americans are not interested in
the fine details and many have
cynically tuned out politics
altogether. Why mention the
names and doctrines of the
political parties anyway? Why get
into the details of court decisions
and all of those thick bundles of
legislation?
I have always suspected that, for
many editors, the fine details of
religion are especially threatening
and suspicious. After all, religion
is supposed to be a totally private
matter, so that editors can focus
on important issues in the real
world — like politics and sports.
And we also know that religion is
all about feelings and emotions,
unlike the calm, logical, rational
and factual world of political life.
Yeah, right.
Why do I bring this up? Please
read the following Seattle Times
story, which I think is rather
amazing. Then again, I have
always been interested in the
study of near-death experiences
and related matters. Here’s the top
of the story:
It would take an unusual man to
decide, in a split second after
witnessing a car crash, to crawl
into the Subaru that had erupted
into flames 8 feet high to try to
save a little girl and her dad.
A week ago … that is what
Kenny Johnson did. … Johnson,
40, was pulling out of the
driveway, he says, when he saw a
Ford Fusion heading north on the
arterial at more than 60 mph.
Then, there was the crash into
cars waiting at a stoplight.
Johnson remembers seeing other
witnesses hurry to the scene. But
nobody went into the flames.
“Everybody was kind of frozen,”
he says.
He remembers talking to himself
as he went into the Subaru: “Oh,
my God, this car is gonna blow up
and I’m going to be in it. Well, if
does blow up, I guess I’m going
straight to heaven because I’m
trying to save that little girl.”
The little girl lived. The father —
37-year-old Andy Kotowicz —
died three days later.
There are many crucial details
that you need to read linked to the
wreck and the father’s work with
a company called Sub Pop. But
eventually we reach the calmly
reported details at the end of the
story.
Days passed, and Johnson went
back to his routine. That is, until
Tuesday morning around 6, he
says.
“My wife is next to me in bed.
She’s sleeping. Everything is
where it’s supposed to be,” says
Johnson. “Then there is this man
standing right by the bed. He says
he needs help with a few things. I
say, ‘OK.’
“Now, I know it’s him (Kotowicz)
even though the only time I had
seen him was at the accident,
when he didn’t look, you know,
normal. He says he wants me to
give a message to his wife and to
his daughter. That’s private, so I
can’t tell you about that message.
“He also tells me to talk to the
people at Sub Pop, he wants to let
them know not to be mad at the
driver that caused the accident.
That’s his message.”
Johnson says that later that day,
he went to the Sub Pop website,
and there it was, a memorial
photo of the man who had stood
by his bed: Kotowicz.
Read it all, but you won’t learn
anything else about that vision.
You also will learn zippo about
the faith of the man who received
the vision or that of the deceased
father who offered the message to
his grieving family and offered
words of forgiveness for the
driver who killed him.
Details, details. Who needs
them?
Is the story stronger without
those few additional words that
would have provided some
context? What think ye?]]> 13"/>
13"/> 13 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48628
2010-11-25T16:33:10Z 2010-11-
25T01:53:23Z Thanksgiving is all
about family traditions. And what
could be more traditional than a
GetReligion look at a Roman
Catholic Womenpriests story? So
everyone pull out the blankets and
cuddle by the fire as we look
through the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution’s recent entry for the
Best Worst Roman Catholic
Female Priest story. If you look at
the headline — “ Newnan woman
challenges Catholic church: Diane
Dougherty pushes to allow
women to be deacons” — you’ll
see that there’s no way this is the
best worst entry.
Read more on Not the best worst/
female priests story…]]>
Thanksgiving is all about family
traditions. And what could be
more traditional than a
GetReligion look at a Roman
Catholic Womenpriests story? So
everyone pull out the blankets and
cuddle by the fire as we look
through the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution’s recent entry for the
Best Worst Roman Catholic
Female Priest story. If you look at
the headline — “ Newnan woman
challenges Catholic church: Diane
Dougherty pushes to allow
women to be deacons” — you’ll
see that there’s no way this is the
best worst entry.
But, as the reader who sent it in
notes, it’s fittingly described as
public relations more than
journalism, filled with praise for
the woman challenging church
teaching and unquestioning
acceptance of her claims. Here’s
the less-than-balanced lede:
Diane Dougherty lives in a neat,
white house that she shares with
her cats, Pete and Gypsy Rose.
She teaches second grade in
Fayetteville. She smiles a lot, her
eyes flashing with intellect.
She hardly looks like someone
flouting centuries of tradition,
challenging the Roman Catholic
Church.
Dougherty, 65, wants to be a
deacon. But in the Catholic
Church, the position of deacon —
like that of priest and bishop — is
held by men only.
E-reader News Edition
The Newnan resident is in the
forefront of a movement that
seeks to change all that. In
ordination ceremonies in the
United States and across the
world, nearly 200 Catholic
women have declared themselves
deacons, priests and bishops. A
male priest whose support of
ordaining women drew a rebuke
from the Vatican calls the issue
“unstoppable.”
Her eyes blaze with smartness! I
love that.
The article goes on but you get
the point. Guess who the “male”
“priest” who supports female
ordination is: Roy Bourgeois.
Here’s how they describe his
discipline:
The Rev. Roy Bourgeois, whose
support of ordaining women has
placed him at odds with the
Vatican, thinks it’s only a matter
of time before women take a place
in Catholic pulpits.
A priest, Bourgeois attended the
ordination of a female priest two
years ago in Lexington. He
received a letter from the Vatican
asking him to recant his support
or face excommunication, said
Bourgeois. Bourgeois said he has
not recanted.
He didn’t just attend, but
participated in the ordination
service. He’s the guy in the
picture accompanying this post.
Anyway, Bourgeois has since
publicly acknowledged his
excommunication, which the
Vatican views as automatic if you
flout church teaching in the
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manner that Bourgeois did.
Read the whole thing if you want.
Sometimes I joke that these
articles attempt to paint women
seeking ordination as Rosa Parks
archetypes. This article literally
includes that reference. Still, the
competition for the best worst is
fierce and the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution will have to include
more errors and cliches if they
want to be a serious contender.]]>
17"/> 17"/> 17 Sarah Pulliam
Bailey http://www.getreligion.org
/?p=48595 2010-11-
24T20:13:47Z 2010-11-
24T19:13:34Z Doing a story on
abortion doctors must be terribly
challenging, since it would be
impossible to create a sweeping
generalization of religious,
political, ethical views and
backgrounds. The Toronto Star
tackles this challenge in a lengthy
piece exploring the dimensions of
trying to be an abortion provider.
The hook is really fascinating: it
begins with a gay doctor, Dr.
Evan James, who never wavered
in his determination to become an
abortion provider.
Read more on Gay abortion
doctor who wants to adopt…]]>
Doing a story on abortion doctors
must be terribly challenging, since
it would be impossible to create a
sweeping generalization of
religious, political, ethical views
and backgrounds. The Toronto
Star tackles this challenge in a
lengthy piece exploring the
dimensions of trying to be an
abortion provider. The hook is
really fascinating: it begins with a
gay doctor, Dr. Evan James, who
never wavered in his
determination to become an
abortion provider.
He found that he enjoyed the
work and was not put off by a
woman’s tears or the tissue he
extracted from her womb.
Nor did he fear the
violence—bomb threats,
stabbings, sniper shootings—that
for years has stalked abortion
doctors in North America.
Only when his personal life was
thrust up against his professional
beliefs was his firm stance on
abortion shaken.
James and his partner desperately
wanted to adopt a child.
The story goes on to say that
James “began to see shades of
grey instead of just black and
white.” There really is a lot to like
in this piece by Megan Ogilvie.
There’s some basic info, like how
about one in four Canadian
women will have an abortion in
her lifetime. Telling a story
through one doctor’s unusual
situation makes it even more
interesting.
However, you can guess
GetReligion’s complaint. There
isn’t a single mention of religion
or faith. Since people’s views on
abortion are often connected to
their religious beliefs (or lack
thereof), you would think that
could make the article even more
interesting.
As James’s desire to have a
family deepened, he began to
think an uneasy thing: how could
he terminate pregnancies when
each abortion meant there would
be one less child for adoption?
He also wondered how he would
explain what he did for a living to
his adopted child. After all,
wouldn’t his son or daughter have
been born because the birth
mother had not chosen abortion?
The writer shows how the
decision to become an abortion
doctor can be quite challenging
for some. “They must also find
ways to reckon with the ethical
and personal dilemmas that can
accompany their work,” she
writes. We’re left wondering what
those ethical dilemmas are with
little explanation.
James remembers feeling a gentle
shock each of those first few
times [watching an abortion]. But
even after viewing a second-term
abortion, he was not haunted by
what he saw.
“During the direct examination,
you might see an arm or an
umbilical cord or, even, the body.
It doesn’t all come out in one
piece. With your imagination, you
can see that it resembles a human.
“I could understand how some
people would be turned off by that
or very moved by that.”
The writer paints most of the
downsides to being an abortion
doctor is being targeted by violent
groups. Perhaps she could have
quoted some doctors who chose
not to be an abortion doctor for
ethical reasons. Further, are there
emotional or perhaps financial
disadvantage to being an abortion
doctor? For example, an earlier
New York Times magazine piece
suggested that malpractice
insurance costs $10-$15,000 a
year.
The story later describes what
takes place during an abortion
procedure, which seems pretty
rare but needed in a story like this.
It’s clear that second-trimester
abortions are more disturbing to
this doctor than first-trimester
ones.
But James, who knows only one
young doctor in Ontario who
intends to do second-term
abortion, is not troubled by this.
He focuses his attention on the
woman in front of him.
“The biggest risk factor for a
second-trimester abortion is lack
of referral for a first-trimester
abortion,” says James. “I see
second-trimester abortion as a bit
of a tragedy, because to me it
means the medical system has
failed. Then it becomes our job to
fix it.”
The story’s tension continues
until we find out that he has
decided to remain an abortion
doctor.
One year after questions started
to swirl through his mind, he has
made his choice.
James will be an abortion doctor.
Not only that, but James plans to
do second-trimester abortions as
part of his practice. He will step to
the very front line, the place
where there is greatest need—and
greatest risk.
We’re left feeling pretty warm
and fuzzy about James’ decision,
even though it was supposedly
tough.
More questions might come to
him, and doubts may again creep
into his mind. Already he wonders
whether he should be open and
73
proud of being an abortion doctor.
James accepts that he has tough
road ahead.
He hopes his child will be proud
of him for taking it.
The slightly one-sided look story
still offered some good
information and an intriguing
hook. We’re still left wondering
whether his faith (or lack thereof)
play any part in what he sees as
ethnical or unethical and why
being an abortion doctor is so
complex for him.]]> 15"/> 15"/>
15 Mollie http://
www.getreligion.org http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48563
2010-11-23T19:39:55Z 2010-11-
23T19:39:47Z Here at
GetReligion, we respond to the
news of the day. Sometimes that
means we don’t get a chance to
reflect on broader themes. We
spent a lot of time discussing how
the mainstream media handled the
Vatican sex abuse crisis earlier
this year. The Ethics and Public
Policy Center hosted a gathering
of journalists from mainstream
secular outlets to reflect on what
went right and what went wrong
with that coverage.
Read more on Reflections on the
Vatican 2010 sex abuse
crisis…]]> Here at GetReligion,
we respond to the news of the
day. Sometimes that means we
don’t get a chance to reflect on
broader themes. We spent a lot of
time discussing how the
mainstream media handled the
Vatican sex abuse crisis earlier
this year. The Ethics and Public
GETRELIGION page 74
74
GETRELIGION
continued from page 73
Policy Center hosted a gathering
of journalists from mainstream
secular outlets to reflect on what
went right and what went wrong
with that coverage.
It sounds like it was a fascinating
discussion. Veteran Vatican
reporter John Allen, who we’ve
been mentioning a bit this week,
was one of the facilitators of the
discussion and he wrote up a
report for the National Catholic
Reporter.
The conversation ranged from the
Vatican’s poor state of crisis
communications to whether the
news media got the story right.
Among the reporters present was
Laurie Goodstein, whose New
York Times work on the matter
fueled much of the controversy.
George Weigel was the other
facilitator for the conversation. He
laid out seven “flawed
assumptions” that permeated this
year’s coverage. These were: a
notion that the papacy wields total
control over Catholic life, that the
Roman Curia is highly competent,
that there is a will to deceive at
the highest levels of the Vatican,
that the church has
institutionalized hypocrisy, that
Catholic priests have a higher-
than-average sex abuse rate, a
lack of skill in reading church
documents, and confusion over
who is and is not a reliable source.
Weigel also noted that the church
has two chronic problems —
communications and the lack of a
mechanism for dealing with
incompetence — or worse —
from bishops.
Allen talked about the paradox of
Benedict — regarded by insiders
as the great reformer on the sex
abuse issue and yet painted as the
global symbol of the problem:
Measured not against the
sweeping programs for reform
that some critics of the church
have advanced, but against what
was realistically possible,
Ratzinger moved the ball farther
and faster than most people
anticipated, often against strong
internal opposition.
If that’s so, then why did a
handful of cases from decades
ago, which came to light earlier
this year, cause such an
earthquake in public perceptions?
He suggests two additional
factors that impeded the Vatican
from making a better case: The
first case that came to light was
the worst; when it broke, the
Vatican’s instinct was to protect
Benedict rather than empathize
with the victims and restate what
reforms had taken place. The
other issue is that the Vatican may
have been hampered in pointing
out Benedict’s record because it
would indict other senior Vatican
officials or have the effect of
tainting the memory of Pope John
Paul II.
Okay, so let’s get to the juicy
part. Goodstein said that when she
began reporting, she accepted the
“Ratzinger the Reformer” idea:
Yet, she said, the 2010 stories
upended that narrative, which
placed the responsibility entirely
on bishops for the failure to report
and remove abusers. This year we
learned of one case after another,
she said, in which bishops were
pleading urgently with the
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith under Ratzinger to
laicize a known molester, and the
CDF rejected those requests. And,
she added, we were always told
that the CDF had nothing to do
with these cases until 2001, but
that turned out to be false also. In
fact, they were handling them all
along.
As a footnote, Goodstein said
that much of the reporting was
based on documents — though
she didn’t add this herself, usually
documents obtained from victims’
lawyers. Those documents, she
said, are the most revelatory
evidence we have. The documents
come from attorneys, she said,
because the church sure is not
handing them over.
Allen said that the additional
2010 reporting didn’t
fundamentally alter his views on
how the Vatican reformed. He
explains some of the specific
reasons why and adds:
One can certainly argue that his
awakening came late, and that not
enough has yet been done —
perhaps especially in terms of
matching the new accountability
for priests with similar
accountability for bishops. The
fact remains, however, that the
Vatican is today more committed
to a “zero tolerance” policy
because of Ratzinger’s impact,
both before and after his election.
If that point sometimes got lost
earlier this year, it’s probably one
part a media failure to keep the
whole picture in focus, and one
part the Vatican’s inability to
project a different narrative.
There’s a lot more, if this type of
conversation interests you. Weigel
gets into some nitty gritty about
the end of John Paul II’s time in
office. The group also discussed
why there never seem to be
consequences when someone in
Rome screws up.
These reporter insights that Allen
mentions are also interesting:
One [journalist] said that while
such insider scoop is interesting,
it’s of limited journalistic value.
Editors won’t tolerate sticking in
four paragraphs of “Vatican
context” into stories to explain
every statement or decision that
comes down the pike, this reporter
said, because it smacks too much
of apologetics — i.e., trying to get
the Vatican off the hook.
Another reporter made the point
that when it comes to the crisis,
media outlets have a limited
appetite for nuance, because of
the stark moral nature of the
underlying issue — the sexual
exploitation of vulnerable
children. In that regard, this
reporter said, the media can be as
“unchanging and relentless as the
church.”
Allen says the take-away is that
unless the Vatican wants a
perpetual war with the press, it
needs to become better at
explaining its culture to the
outside world.]]> 14"/> 14"/> 14
tmatt http://www.tmatt.net http://
www.getreligion.org/?p=48372
2010-11-23T17:04:11Z 2010-11-
23T17:03:19Z Late last week, I
was visiting the Washington Post
newsroom with some of my
E-reader News Edition
students and the professionals
there were — justifiably —
buzzing about a news feature that
dominated that day’s front page. It
was one of those mood-of-the-
nation pieces in which one
person’s story is used as a
metaphor for the lives of many.
Read more on Mysterious faith,
the WPost, the American
dream…]]> Late last week, I was
visiting the Washington Post
newsroom with some of my
students and the professionals
there were — justifiably —
buzzing about a news feature that
dominated that day’s front page. It
was one of those mood-of-the-
nation pieces in which one
person’s story is used as a
metaphor for the lives of many.
The setting is Fort Myers, Fla.
The person is single-mother
Chrissandra Walker ( photo
feature here). The headline is a
quotation that says, ”‘A storm in
my life’— Woman goes from
American Dream to nothing after
losing high-income job.”
Here is a healthy chunk of the
story, starting with the symbolic-
detail lede:
Chrissanda Walker’s bourbon-
glazed chicken is just out of the
oven. The bread pudding is
finished. The collard greens worry
her, though; she doesn’t want to
overcook them. Walker looks at
the clock. It’s 10 a.m. She’s been
on her feet since 6.
Walker used to make $100,000 a
year as a nursing home executive
until she lost her job a year and a
GETRELIGION page 75
E-reader News Edition
GETRELIGION
continued from page 74
half ago. Unable to find a new
one, she shed her business suits
and high heels and put on an
apron and soft-soled shoes. This
year, she and her daughter are
living on $11,000: her
unemployment benefits plus
whatever she can earn selling
home-cooked dinners for $10
apiece.
Her American Dream has taken a
punch to the gut. “I never thought
I’d be in a situation like this,” she
says, smoke from the cooking
swirling about her. “My friends
say to me: ‘Listen to the Lord,
Chris.’ I say, ‘No, I have to have a
paycheck.’ “
And the larger picture? The
reason readers are meeting this
woman on A1 in a major national
newspaper?
The Census Bureau recently
reported that the poverty rate in
the United States rose to 14.3
percent last year, the highest level
in more than 50 years. Texas and
Florida saw the most people fall
below the line. In Florida alone,
323,000 people became newly
poor last year, bringing the state’s
poverty total to 2.7 million.
The numbers tell another tale as
well: Nationwide, in black
households such as Walker’s,
income plunged an average of 4.4
percent in 2009, almost three
times the drop among whites. The
number of blacks living below the
official poverty line — $21,756
for a family of four — increased
by 7 percent in just one year.
It’s a gripping story. If you read
down to those gut-punch
statistics, is almost impossible to
stop until you reach the end. It’s
the kind of profile that editors
want to see in their newspapers,
combining hard news and real
human emotions. And, of course,
religion plays a major — but
completely mysterious — role in
this story.
At the top of the story, above the
main photograph, was the
following pull quote. Let’s read it
again:
“My friends say to me: ‘Listen to
the Lord, Chris.’ I say, ‘No, I
have to have a paycheck.’ “
The first time I read that, I
thought to myself, “What a quote.
No wonder they pulled up top.”
But then I read it again. Then I
read the whole story. Twice. Then
I read the quote again.
Truth be told, I still have no idea
what that quotation means. The
implication, I guess, is that there
is something that God wants
Walker to do or there is
something that God wants her to
learn from this experience of
suffering. However, this
hardworking mom and fervent
believer wants to keep seeking a
paycheck, after losing her high-
paying job as an executive in a
local nursing home.
Say what? God is against her
being employed?
Here’s the big problem. Strong
references to faith are woven
throughout the feature, but we
never are given any details about
her faith or her community of
faith that frame these words, that
help them make sense. Could a
clergy person explain that
mysterious quote about the
mysterious voice of God? It
appears not.
The photo essay includes a
picture of Walker sitting in a
church office using the
congregation’s computer, with the
implication that this is where she
searches for work since she
cannot afford an Internet
connection of her own.
OK, I have some questions. What
is the name of this church? What
role does it play in her life? In
another picture, she appears to be
taking part in worship. Again,
what is she hearing in this church?
How is it helping her to wrestle
with this crisis? What does her
pastor have to say about her
plight? The members of her
Sunday school class, if she is part
of one? Is there a support group
for single mothers?
Later on we read:
In 20 months, she had gone from
flourishing American Dream to
Down to Nothing.
“There have been some painful
days,” Chrissanda Walker says. “I
should have been back working
by now. I’ve had to hold on to my
faith. I’ve gone on job interviews.
I know I’m qualified. My record
speaks for itself.”
She sighs and drops her head.
Readers also meet a friend —
Christine Rahmings — who
describes Walker’s attempts to
pay the bills by cooking meals for
others. Now, Rahmings and these
other women that we meet in the
story, are they part of this there-
but-not-there church?
A short while later, Walker
started making meals. During the
Depression, many American
women, trying to stave off ruin,
went to their kitchens and
emerged selling dinners - from
their porches, windowsills, back
yards. “It reminded me of the
black women who used to sell
dinners to help build churches,”
Rahmings says. “Chris was
selling dinners, though, to pay her
utilities, or to get something for
Ravean. You’ve heard that
expression: ‘By any means
necessary.’ ”
Here’s another strong faith-based
quote from a Friday night high-
school football game, in the voice
of Kelly Newson, one of Walker’s
high-school classmates from long
ago:
On the field, Fort Myers High is
falling behind. Kelly Newson, an
old high school classmate of
Walker’s, takes a seat behind her.
He starts right in: “You find a job
yet?” Walker shakes her head no.
Riverdale scores again.
Newson goes on: “If God wants
you to go North, you go North.
You can’t go Northwest if he
wants you to go North, my sister.”
Walker nods, not sure about the
cryptic counseling. “I had a
relative in the nursing home Chris
was at,” Newson begins again,
“and she was really happy there.
Chris took care of the place. It
was clean. I just can’t understand
why she can’t get a job.”
The religious references are
everywhere, from her supporters
getting “prayed up” to, literally, a
prayer balloon that drifts toward
heaven in the final lines.
It’s clear that there is a faith
75
community in this woman’s life
and that it is a source of support,
prayer, advice and friendship.
There is evidence of that
community everywhere in this
story. One might even claim that
it is the context of this woman’s
story.
That is, this faith community is
everywhere except IN THE
STORY.
This is most strange.]]> 6"/> 6"/
> 6 Bobby http://getreligion.org
http://www.getreligion.org/
?p=48436 2010-11-24T00:33:41Z
2010-11-23T15:29:47Z
The e-mail came across my
computer screen last week. The
title of the note from Debra
Mason, the highly respected
executive director of the Religion
Newswriters Association, was
cheery enough:
Read more on Taking one for the
team (updated)…]]>
The e-mail came across my
computer screen last week. The
title of the note from Debra
Mason, the highly respected
executive director of the Religion
Newswriters Association, was
cheery enough:
New contests expand recognition
Mason wrote:
In a time when the religion beat
is challenged, adding new
contests may seem
counterintuitive. After all, fewer
journalists are covering religion
full-time and fewer media outlets
pay the contest entry fees.
Yet, in times like these, we need
more recognition and reward for
GETRELIGION page 76
76 Politics-Right/
GETRELIGION
continued from page 75
quality religion news, not less.
Examples of poorly written
religion news — nearly always
produced by general assignment
or non-specialist reporters — are
easy to find. But as an association,
we need to shine the light on the
journalistic jewels that may get
little notice, despite their
creativity, eloquence and
accuracy.
The RNA Board, after
recommendations from the
Contest Committee, this fall
approved the largest expansion of
contests in RNA’s history. We are
growing from eight contests last
year to 19. More importantly,
we’ve added significant
categories that were missing in
past years, such as blogging,
documentaries, books, TV news
magazines, magazines design,
online only publications and other
categories.
Up until that point, Mason’s note
made perfect sense. Journalists
love contests. What we lack in
salary and benefits, we make up
for in certificates and plaques.
Our brother-in-law can keep his
fat Christmas bonus. We
journalists are perfectly happy
with a box of candy canes and
fifth place in third-day spot news
coverage of weekend natural
disasters in Division 15 of the
state press contest. (I say this,
tongue firmly in cheek, as
someone who both enters his fair
share of contests and has served
the last few years as a judge for
the Sigma Delta Chi Awards.)
But the next part of Mason’s note
surprised me:
The contests for the first time
open up the awards to a
classification of members who
were in recent years eligible as
active members but ineligible for
our contests, namely, members at
publications that only cover
religion (but which are for-profit
commercial ventures or otherwise
financially independent of any
denomination or religious group).
Now Christian Century, Tricycle,
Tikkun, The Forward, Islamica,
Christianity Today and hundreds
of other publications are eligible
for the magazine category
contests.
Read that again. It’s a significant
development. And not necessarily
a positive one for those of us,
such as your GetReligionistas,
who value the secular Godbeat
and consider it crucial.
What that change tells me (and I
could be wrong) is that the RNA,
which long has prided itself on
being an organization for religion
journalists, not religious
journalists, no longer can support
itself on mainstream journalism
alone. Rather, it must hold its
nose and take one for the team by
inviting certain less-offensive
religious publications to pay its
contest fees and keep the
organization going.
Now, just to be clear, this is no
criticism of the publications
suddenly eligible for RNA
contests. I write freelance stories
for Christianity Today, and my
fellow GetReligionista Sarah
Pulliam Bailey serves as CT’s
online editor. In my experience,
CT’s editors are every bit as
committed to quality journalism
as my editors in my Associated
Press days — and every bit as
talented and professional.
The journalism produced by
religious publications matches
and sometimes exceeds that in
mainstream newsrooms. My own
publication, The Christian
Chronicle, competes with
Oklahoma’s major dailies in the
Oklahoma Society of Professional
Journalists’ annual contest and
does quite well, especially
considering the tiny size of our
staff.
Maybe I’m wrong and this isn’t
about the money at all. Maybe
this change reflects a belated
recognition by the RNA of the
excellent caliber of journalism
produced in the religious media.
Somehow, though, I doubt it.
If that were the case, RNA would
open more than just the magazine
category to such journalists. It
would let my friend Robin
Russell, managing editor of the
United Methodist Reporter,
compete in the prestigious
newspaper categories. It would
open up the entire hen house to all
journalists who write about
E-reader News Edition
religion and let the work stand on
its own, rather than make
statements about the funding
mechanisms of certain
publications. (I should note that I
have no idea whether Russell
would want to compete in RNA. I
just brought up her name because
she is an example of someone
doing excellent journalism in the
denominational press and
someone honored by RNA during
her secular reporting days.)
As its website notes, RNA was
founded in 1949 to advance
the professional standards of
religion reporting in the
mainstream media and to create a
support network for religion Radical-in-Chief
reporters. It’s difficult to do that if Frontpagemag.com (FrontPage
you don’t have the membership Magazine » FrontPage)
base or funding to survive.
Submitted at 11/29/2010 10:40:18 PM
Sometimes, you hold your nose
and take one for the team. [Editors' Note: Below is a speech
Updated: RNA’s Debra Mason given by Stanley Kurtz about his
responds to this post. Be sure to new book, Radical-Chief, at the
see her comment below.]]> 16"/> Restoration Weekend event
16"/> 16 hosted recently (November 18 -
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Full-Text RSS service — if this is Freedom Center in Palm Beach,
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on someone else's site, please read Part 1
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Five Filters featured article: Introduction by David Horowitz:
Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- Welcome to the 16 th Annual
Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Restoration Weekend, which
Catastrophe. began, actually, as the Dark Ages
Weekend in 1994, a creation of
Laura Ingraham and Jay
Lefkowitz, with the Center as a
silent partner at the time. We
changed the name because the
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF page 77
E-reader News Edition
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF
continued from page 76
Republicans said they would
boycott the event. They couldn’t
take the joke, or the joke was too
politically dangerous for them.
So we came up with the
Restoration Weekend idea.
The program we’ve arranged for
this weekend is to analyze,
interrogate and celebrate the year
of unintended consequences.
Actually, it’s three years of
unintended consequences.
The American people in 2008 did
not intend to elect the most
radical, anti-capitalist, anti-
American President in the history
of this country. And then, the
radicals certainly did not intend to
destroy the Democratic Party two
years later. It sort of goes to
validate Lincoln’s famous
statement that you can fool some
of the people some of the time
and some of the people all of the
time, but you can’t fool all of the
people all of the time.
There are people, and certainly
lots of conservatives, who would
be disturbed — or some
conservatives maybe now, since
people are waking up — to hear
Barack Obama described as a
radical anti-capitalist. And that’s
because — well, if he was a
radical anti-capitalist, if he was a
Marxist, he would have taken
over the means of production
already. But this underestimates
the deviousness and intelligence
of our opponents.
When my parents were members
of the Communist Party, and
Joseph Stalin was the revered
leader, the slogan of the American
Communist Party was, “Peace,
Jobs and Democracy.” Leftists
are not dummies. They are
religious zealots. They’re very
intelligent people, but they are a
cult phenomenon. So they
understand that if they tell you
their agendas, that would be the
end of them.
Actually, that’s the most
redeeming feature of my radical
generation of the ‘60s. I mean,
we said we were revolutionaries
and proud of it. And that’s why
we got nowhere.
But because it’s a religious
calling, being on the Left, a lot of
leftists continued. I mean, it’s
like the millennialists who think
the end of the world is coming on
a certain day. Then, when it
doesn’t, they reconstitute
themselves, which is what
happened after the ‘60s.
And our speaker this morning,
Stanley Kurtz, has written an
indispensable book called “
Radical-in-Chief.”
To me, his take on the President
was obvious, because I’ve spent
so many years on the Left. I
understand the mentality. And it
didn’t take me two seconds to
understand that a man who sat in
the church of Jeremiah Wright —
and it’s more than that; this was
his confidant for 20 years — and
who was friends with Billy Ayers,
was a communist. I use that term
with a small C. And by that, I
mean that they saw the world the
way we saw it, the way my
parents saw it — that America is
ruled by evil corporations,
America’s the dominant corporate
power in the world. And the
solution is a socialist
transformation.
But unlike me Stanley is not and
never has been a leftist. He
wasn’t brought up in the Left, and
this is not part of his mentality.
So his book actually benefits from
that, in that it is a search actually
to try to understand the forces that
shape Barack Obama. In the
process of completing this search
he has reconstituted a picture of
the Left that I was a part of after
the ‘60s. And he’s done a
remarkable job of this.
And if you read this book, you
will get an understanding of
Obama and of the people around
him. Because he’s surrounded,
and his whole career was
engineered, by people from the
radical Left, and actually, the
worst part of the Left. When I
was a ‘60s radical — and
would’ve described myself, if you
had met me, as a Marxist
revolutionary — I despised Bill
Ayers because he was such a
shallow narcissist and so
destructive. And yet, this is a
man who’s worked for 20-odd
years side-by-side with Barack
Obama.
Stanley is a National Review
writer; And here he is.
Stanley Kurtz: Thank you.
Well, first let me just follow up
on what David just said. You
know, I’ve been reading, as
background for coming down
here, Radical Son, David’s
extraordinary memoir. And you
really ought to pick up that book.
And I’ve been reading Ron
Radosh’s memoir, Commie s.
And I really have been struck,
reading through these things, how
everything that David and Ron
experienced really is a kind of
variation on the world Obama
lived in and the world I expose in
this book.
So I know exactly what you’re
saying, David. And as for me,
yeah, I had a standard-issue
liberal American upbringing,
nothing super leftist. But I am by
training an anthropologist. So I
actually approached this project as
an anthropologist. To me, it was
a strange, unfamiliar world that I
had to somehow unravel and
explain from the ground up. And
that’s what I try to do in the book.
So the book is called “ Radical-in
-Chief: Barack Obama and the
Untold Story of American
Socialism.” As you will glean
from what David said and from
the title of the book, I argue that
Barack Obama really is, literally,
a socialist.
Now, that is not something I
expected to be arguing when I
began my research for the book.
It’s not that I had been shy during
the political campaign of 2008
about discussing Obama’s
radicalism. I did the research.
We’ll get into this a little bit. But
you may have heard about Bill
Ayers during the 2008 campaign,
and about the organization
ACORN. So some of the research
I did helped to inject those issues
into the 2008 campaign. So I was
hardly shy about calling Obama
someone from the far left, even
calling him a radical.
But even though I didn’t think he
77
was literally a socialist — and
frankly, I didn’t even want to
think that he was a socialist
because it’s just not a respectable
kind of argument to make, even
among many conservatives — but
the tiny little problem is that
Barack Obama is a socialist. And
so as I ran across all of this
evidence, I really had no choice
but to be loyal to that evidence.
So let me talk about the
beginning of the book. And this
is the evidence that first pulled me
onto the trail. At the beginning of
the book, I describe in a couple of
chapters the Socialist Scholars
Conferences that Barack Obama
attended when he lived in New
York City between about the
years 1983 and 1985.
Now, Barack Obama was a
senior at Columbia University
during the first of these
conferences. And this was the
exact moment that Obama
decided to become a community
organizer. And going through all
of this in the book in the manner
of a detective story, I argue that
Obama really discovered his
vocation as a community
organizer at this first Socialist
Scholars Conference at the
Cooper Union in New York City
in 1983.
And if you read Obama’s
memoir, you really see that he’s
explaining everything; he’s just
leaving out the socialism part.
But we can find that part because
of little admissions that Obama
makes in disguised ways in his
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF page 78
78
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF
continued from page 77
book and because I was able to
get into the archives of the
Democratic Socialists of America,
which put on these conferences;
found his name on a signup sheet,
and such. And you can read all
the evidence in the book.
So what went on at these
conferences? Well, the overall
theme of these conferences was
that community organizing is the
way to turn America socialist.
That’s what community
organizing is really all about,
although you’ve probably never
heard that until now, because
community organizers make a
point of keeping the socialist story
hidden.
Now, how is it that community
organizing would make America
socialist? David already alluded
to this when he said people pooh-
pooh the socialism idea by saying,
Well, is Obama nationalizing all
the industries? Well, this was the
1980s, and Ronald Reagan was
President of the United States.
Now, it’d be very difficult to run a
nationalization strategy by Ronald
Reagan.
And of course, by the early ‘80s,
the dreams of the socialists for
revolution had collapsed.
Through the ‘60s, through the
early and even mid-‘70s, there
were still hopes among the
members and then ex-members of
the SDS that they could spark a
revolution. And I followed the
story of their socialist groups after
the ‘60s. No one really followed
the history of American socialism
after the ‘60s.
And for awhile, the veterans of
the SDS and other socialists in the
United States still thought that
America was heading for a kind
of giant economic collapse and
socialism was just around the
corner. Well, it wasn’t just
around the corner. Ronald
Reagan was finally elected.
And so they came up with a new
strategy, and that strategy ran
through community organizing.
The idea was to go out into local
communities and to build
socialism from the bottom up.
How? Well, you’ve heard of this
group ACORN. ACORN
confronts banks, uses intimidation
tactics to force banks to make
subprime loans to people with
risky credit histories. That
actually, at this conference, was
touted as a kind of strategy for
socialism. You create a de facto
public ownership — not by
formal nationalization from
above, but by pressure from these
community groups from below.
Another strategy was to get
community organizers represented
on the boards of directors of
various companies.
So this is the strategy that
entranced Obama. And it was at
these Socialist Scholars
Conferences he would’ve first
heard about organizations, like
ACORN and Project Vote, that he
spent his entire lifetime working
with. These socialist conferences
also laid out strategies —
strategies to turn the United States
socialist. I’ve already talked
about one of them — this ground-
up notion.
Another focal strategy was the
socialist realignment strategy.
What that means is that there was
an effort to polarize the
Democratic and Republican
Parties along class lines. How do
you do that? You do that by
attacking business interests and
driving them out of the
Democratic Party and into the
Republican Party. Now, that
might sound crazy — why would
anyone want to drive anyone out
of their party, especially people
who are donors, have money and
all of that? It seems crazy. I
mean, I’ll get to this, but just
think about what Obama’s been
doing lately with the Chamber of
Commerce and whatnot.
But in fact, the idea is that once
you attack these business interests
and drive them out of the
Democratic Party and into the
Republicans, you jumpstart a
populist, anti-business movement
of the Left. And all of those
people pour into the Democratic
Party. And then, presto, the
country has been polarized
between the haves and the have-
nots. And the thought of the
socialist strategists who mentored
Obama was that over time, the
party of the have-nots would
inevitably gravitate toward
socialism, if you could just make
class the underlying issue of
American politics.
And Project Vote, for example,
was part of this strategy. Because
the thought was that the poor and
minority individuals who don’t
vote in large numbers need to be
registered, they need to pour into
the Democratic Party; and that
will help in this process of pulling
the Democrats to the left and
polarizing the country along class
lines.
So all of Obama’s years of work
with groups like ACORN and
Project Vote was understood by
him from the start as part of this
larger socialist strategy. And
another crucial theme at these
early Socialist Scholars
Conferences was that the electoral
route to socialism will be led by
minorities in the United States.
And the inspiration here was the
mayoral campaign of Harold
Washington, which occurred just
at the time of this first Socialist
Scholars Conference, when
Obama embraced community
organizing. Harold Washington
managed to defeat the machine in
Chicago. He created an alliance
with the community organizations
run by socialists, which are very
powerful in Chicago. And this so
excited the socialists that they saw
it as a model for how to turn
America socialist.
Now, Harold Washington never
said out loud, “I’m a socialist.”
He did work with socialists a little
more openly than mayors in most
cities would have. And that was
enough for the Democratic
Socialists of America in 1983.
And if you read Obama’s memoir,
you’ll see that Harold Washington
was his model and his idol.
Again, Obama tells you a great
deal. Obama — well, actually, –
I was going to say Obama doesn’t
lie. Actually, Obama does lie,
and my book lays out lie after lie.
So let me revise that. But Obama
E-reader News Edition
often tells the truth, but he does it
in ways that are limited and
disguised, so he can protect
himself, to say, “Well, I said
that.” And so, once you go and
you see what happened at these
socialist conferences, and you
plug it into his memoir,
everything adds up.
Now, let me mention one last
thing about these early Socialist
Scholars Conferences. One of the
most remarkable things — and
this is what first caught my eye,
by the way, when I was doing this
research — one of the most
remarkable things Obama
would’ve learned at these early
Socialist Scholars Conferences is
that a new alliance had been
struck up between black liberation
theology and socialism.
Reverend Wright, of course, was
a follower of black liberation
theology. And Reverend
Wright’s mentor, James Cone,
who was the founder of black
liberation theology, had just
formed an alliance in the early
‘80s with Michael Harrington of
the Democratic Socialists of
America. So James Cone spoke
at one of the socialist conferences
Obama attended, and so did a
prominent follower of Cone speak
at several of the conferences that
Obama attended.
So even before Obama got to
Chicago, he would’ve understood
that Reverend Wright and his
theology were part of this same
socialist world, which was also
the world of community
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF page 82
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 79

Is There a Right to Know?

Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:38 AM
For that reason, the Obama government officials having the libertarians and devotees of the common good, the public interest.
administration implored the power to decide what gets “living Constitution” see the First Thus, to the extent there is a
The question at the heart of the Times not to publish the materials suppressed. The Times wants that Amendment as an “aspiration, to public “right to know,” there must
WikiLeaks scandal. -- since, despite the fact that the power for itself. be given meaning over time,” as also be limitations on that right,
W hy redact anything? That is the entire cache of documents is Should a newspaper, or any the University of Chicago’s fixed in accordance with the kind
question that springs to mind in available online, having the paper media outlet, have that power? Geoffrey Stone has put it. of country the public wants the
reading the self-justification of record provide a reading guide That depends on whether you There is surely something to this. United States to be. If we are
offered by the New York Times to them greatly extends the think there really is a public right Yes, the conceit that we all have a serious about preserving our
for lending its megaphone to damage done by their disclosure. to know. The Times’s claim of right to our opinion is written into nation against enemies who would
Wikileaks. The Gray Lady has largely such a right is disingenuous, but the American DNA, and the destroy us, we must be able to
The paper is now publishing rebuffed the president, except for the concept is a serious one. Our notion that we are also entitled to punish the communication of
breathless reports, accompanied an accommodation here and there. government, after all, is supposed our own facts is a staple of sensitive information to those
by verbatim excerpts, drawn from The paper explains its rationale to be our servant, not our master. modern political discourse. enemies. If we want to win wars,
about a quarter-million sensitive this way: “As daunting as it is to The government was created by Nevertheless, the reality is that we must punish those who assist
U.S. government documents. This publish such material over official the American people, not the Congress has enacted numerous our enemies. And if we want to be
dump is much like the tranche of o b j e c t i o n s , i t w o u l d b e other way around. The federal laws abridging speech and a dominant player on the world
intelligence files leaked in presumptuous to conclude that government was, moreover, quite publication since the stage, we must punish those who
October to the Times and other Americans have no right to know intentionally designed with severe Constitution’s adoption. Despite make it perilous or impractical for
reliable media -- “reliable” in the what is being done in their name.” limitations, not least the First the First Amendment, many important international actors to
sense that Wikileaks’ anti- Yet, it turns out the Times is Amendment’s command that categories of speech have always cooperate with our government.
A m e r i c a n f o u n d e r , J u l i a n plenty presumptuous. Its mawkish Congress “make no been thought subject to It sounds simple, but it’s not. The
Assange, was confident these invocation of the public “right to law#...#abridging the freedom of regulation. Furthermore, the same trade-offs can be excruciating. Of
outlets would publish information know” comes only after the speech, or of the press[.]” Constitution has always made course we want to preserve our
whose revelation embarrasses the editors pat themselves on the back So how could it be that aiding and abetting enemies of the nation, but those who would like
United States and endangers those for what they’d have you see as government may tell people what United States -- such as by the to destroy us may not always be a
w h o c o o p e r a t e w i t h o u r their admirable restraint in they are at liberty to speak about, passing them information in realistic threat. Of course we want
government. withholding “information that or tell a newspaper what it may wartime -- punishable as treason. to win wars, but our war aims are
#ad#Assange’s leaks are intended would endanger confidential publish? The answer to this #ad#Free speech, like every other not always so clear -- many
to be thematic. The first focused i n f o r m a n t s o r c o m p r o m i s e question is political, not legal. right, does not exist in a vacuum. Americans who want to defeat al-
on American combat operations in national security.” Of course, the Because we are conditioned to It coexists with, and must make Qaeda are indifferent or opposed
Iraq. The new burst targets administration’s precise point in think of politics as dirty and every necessary accommodations to, to “Islamic outreach” and nation-
American diplomacy and is thus pleading for nondisclosure is to problem as a legal issue, this is other rights and privileges. These building in Islamic countries,
more wide-ranging. But each protect U.S. informants and more difficult for us than it ought include our national security, policies the government has
instance elucidates that our security -- and it knows far better to be. But it is simply a fact that without which the protection of conflated with war-fighting. As
government, regardless of who is than the Times could what the legal niceties here are very speech and the press are not worth for dominance on the world stage,
steering it, must operate in a revelations are likely to trigger unsatisfying. the parchment on which they are Americans right and left are
d a n g e r o u s w o r l d w h e r e , threats. #page#From its inception, the guaranteed. Accommodation is increasingly skeptical: desirous of
particularly in Islamic countries, The point, though, is that despite First Amendment has never been the business of politics, in the best security from foreign threats in an
there are bastions of virulent anti- its self-serving blather about your understood to mean what it says -- sense of the term -- the sense that increasingly dangerous world, but
Americanism. Our friends -- be s u p p o s e d r i g h t t o k n o w just ask the Times, a notorious honors individual liberty but mindful of George Washington’s
they regimes, spies, well-wishers, everything that government does champion of speech-stifling imposes limitations essential to well-founded caution against too
or allies of convenience -- in your name, the Times isn’t campaign finance “reform” as the common good, subject to much foreign entanglement.
cooperate with U.S. officials at o p p o s e d t o s u p p r e s s i n g well as “hate speech” restrictions. change by the American people
great risk to themselves. information. It is opposed to Where speech is concerned, civil based on their sense of the THERE page 82
80 Politics-Right/
Obama’s Other Nuclear Headache
Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:35 AM
In negotiating civilian nuclear-
cooperation agreements, the
administration must stick to its
“gold standard” of
nonproliferation conditions.
I n the heat of the running debate
over New START, it’s easy to
assume that partisan politics has
overwhelmed good will when it
comes to the issue of nuclear
controls. It also would be wrong.
In the matter of another nuclear
headache -- how to spread civilian
nuclear technology, which many
countries want, without spreading
the means to make bombs -- both
liberals and conservatives are
worried that President Obama is
about the make the wrong call.
The issue at hand is whether or
not two proposed U.S. civilian
nuclear-cooperation agreements --
one with Jordan, the other with
Vietnam -- should be conditioned
upon these states’ forswearing the
making of nuclear fuel (a
procedure that can bring states to
the very brink of acquiring
bombs) and opening up their
facilities to intrusive nuclear
inspections to help verify that
they are adhering to their pledge.
#ad#This question is now all the
more salient given news that
North Korea’s uranium-
enrichment program is actually up
and running, ready for possible
export to other states. Since the
Obama administration has
publicly argued that all states
have a right to make nuclear fuel,
it certainly will be difficult to
dissuade other countries from
following North Korea’s example
(or even seeking its help) unless
we can get them to forswear
making nuclear fuel in the first
instance.
This possibility certainly was a
key reason why President Obama
insisted on these conditions last
year when he finalized a U.S.
civilian nuclear-cooperation
agreement with the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) that the Bush
administration had negotiated. At
the time, Obama officials
proclaimed the UAE conditions as
a new nonproliferation “gold
standard.” Without those
conditions, it is doubtful that
Congress, which has long
complained about the UAE’s lack
of export controls to Iran, would
have allowed the agreement to
come into force. Now, just a year
later, it looks as if the
administration is willing to trash
the standard that it heralded.
Over the summer, word leaked to
the press that State Department
diplomats had initialed deals with
Vietnam and Jordan that lacked
the UAE nonproliferation
conditions. Hill staffers on both
sides of the aisle were livid. They
had gotten their bosses to carry
water on the UAE deal on the
basis of the conditions’ being a
new standard for U.S. nuclear-
cooperation agreements. Now
they were being played for
chumps.
We didn’t claim it was “the gold
standard,” one State Department
official explained. “It’s just ‘ a
standard.’” An intriguing theory,
but if the U.S. backs off applying
the standard in case of Vietnam or
Jordan, it pretty much kills the
standard altogether. Jordanian
officials, it is reported, have
already complained that if the
U.S. drops the conditions in its
agreement with Vietnam but
insists on them for Jordan, it is
simply conveying its distrust of
Muslims.
Yet, if the administration says
yes to Vietnam and Jordan
without the UAE conditions, it’s
unclear how it can refuse Seoul’s
demands that South Korea be
allowed to recycle its spent fuel (a
fuel-making process that would
enable a state to separate out
plutonium, which can be made
into bombs). More important, the
deal with the UAE stipulates that
if the U.S. reaches a nuclear-
cooperation agreement with any
other Middle Eastern state that
has more generous terms than the
one struck with the UAE, then the
UAE has the right to renegotiate
the deal to secure equal treatment.
Stray from demanding the UAE
nonproliferation conditions in any
future agreement, then, and you
pretty much transmute the gold
standard into lead.
#page#Some, of course, will
argue that the U.S. cannot afford
to insist on the higher
nonproliferation conditions since
it risks losing U.S. reactor sales
and the influence that would come
with them. However, the chance
that such sales would ever be
realized is slim to none. American
nuclear vendors are not about to
expose themselves to liability for
damages in the case of a reactor
accident on foreign territory.
Foreign states, meanwhile, are
unwilling to absolve them of such
liability. The bottom line is that
the U.S. has more to lose from not
trying to get other states to follow
its nonproliferation lead than it
ever might gain from promised
reactor exports.
#ad#That’s why the chairman and
the ranking member of the House
Committee on Foreign Relations
have announced that they intend
to introduce legislation that would
force the White House to secure a
clear majority in both Houses of
Congress before proceeding with
any nuclear-cooperation
agreement with a state that does
not yet have nuclear weapons if
the agreement lacked the UAE
nonproliferation conditions.
That is also why 17 of the
nation’s leading nonproliferation
experts urged President Obama in
a letter dated November 15 not to
approve federal energy-loan
guarantees to any foreign nuclear
suppliers trying to expand their
business in the United States
unless the president first secures
their promise to promote the UAE
nonproliferation conditions in any
future agreements they
themselves may strike with non-
weapons-holding states.
It turns out that the nuclear firms
E-reader News Edition
of AREVA and EDF, both owned
by the French government, want
to expand their nuclear business
in the U.S. on the backs of the
American taxpayers. They have
nuclear contracts with the U.S.
Department of Energy worth
billions of dollars and are seeking
billions more in federal loan
guarantees to build more power
reactors and nuclear-fuel plants
here. The Russians, meanwhile,
are said to be planning to build a
large commercial nuclear-fuel
plant in the U.S. and will be
seeking licenses and loan
guarantees of their own. Holding
these nuclear suppliers’ expansion
plans hostage to their following
America’s nonproliferation lead is
hardly unreasonable.
Of course, this only puts a greater
burden on President Obama. Most
experts are hoping he won’t blink.
Certainly, if he is serious about
moving the world toward fewer
nuclear weapons, he should be in
no rush to back off the gold
standard his administration
created.
— Stephen Rademaker served as
deputy assistant secretary of state
for arms control and
nonproliferation under President
Bush (43). Henry Sokolski is
executive director of the
Nonproliferation Policy Education
Center in Washington, D.C., and
served as Defense Department
deputy for nonproliferation policy
under President Bush (41). Henry
Sokolski Stephen Rademaker
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 81

North Korea, Without Illusions

Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:28 AM
This all sounds grimly familiar. Pyongyang’s finances. Just a few that nuclear weapons are the list North Korea as a terror
Once again, Pyongyang has days before the Yeonpyeong ultimate guarantor of its sponsor, reject a new round of six
B ehold the unique power of resorted to barbarism in hopes of attack, the U.S. Treasury existence. Having ruined North -party talks (which would be a
North Korea: A small, hopelessly intimidating its neighbors and Department froze the assets of Korea’s economy, it survives pointless distraction at best), and
isolated prison-state that suffers extracting economic concessions Korea Daesong Bank and Korea through Chinese aid and a host of inform China that its continued
from perpetual food shortages, from the West. Once again, the Daesong General Trading illicit enterprises, such as drug support for Pyongyang is forcing
crushing poverty, Zimbabwe-style U.S. is being urged to “do Corporation, both of which have trafficking, weapons proliferation, the U.S. to strengthen its
inflation, and a cartoonishly something” about the Korean links to the North Korean and counterfeiting. (The latest partnerships with the Japanese,
severe electricity problem, is threat. Once again, China is government. WikiLeaks document dump offers the South Koreans, and others.
nonetheless able to summon the resisting further sanctions against We applaud the new sanctions new evidence of Pyongyang’s The ongoing naval exercises in
rapt attention of the United States its client state and is counseling and encourage the Obama missile sales to Iran.) It wants to the Yellow Sea should become a
whenever it chooses. Pyongyang’s restraint on all sides. And once administration to strangle North bully the U.S. and its allies into permanent feature of the East
latest act of headline-grabbing again, America’s practical options Korea’s cashflows however providing economic assistance Asian security landscape, and we
belligerence was an unprovoked are depressingly scarce. possible. But we are under no and accepting its status as a should reject China's demand that
artillery assault on the South Some conservatives have argued illusion that sanctions will topple nuclear power. those exercises take place more
Korean island of Yeonpyeong, that the Yeonpyeong attack was a the dictatorship. For that matter, #page#Short of launching a than 200 miles from its coast. We
which is home to both a military d i r e c t r e s p o n s e t o U . S . neither rigid sanctions nor military strike, there is nothing must convince Pyongyang and
b a s e a n d a q u i e t f i s h i n g “weakness.” In fact, the Obama generous concessions are likely to that the Obama administration can Beijing that the U.S. response to
community. The attack killed four administration has been relatively spur a real change in North do to force immediate regime North Korean bellicosity will no
South Koreans, including two tough on Pyongyang -- much Korea’s strategic thinking. change in Pyongyang. America longer consist of temporary
civilians. It came less than a week t o u g h e r t h a n t h e B u s h Pyongyang conducted its first does not possess a silver bullet for measures.
after the world learned of a new administration was during its final nuclear test in October 2006, after solving the problem. At this point, As many analysts have noted,
N o r t h K o r e a n u r a n i u m - two years, when economic the Bush administration had sanctions should not be viewed as North Korea won’t change its
enrichment facility. sanctions were loosened and started cutting it off from the an instrument for deposing the approach to the outside world
#ad#Thus far, the responses from North Korea was removed from world financial system with its Kim regime or “ending” its until China changes its approach
Washington and Beijing have the State Department’s list of ruling on $25 million in accounts nuclear program. Instead, they to North Korea. Without Chinese
been predictable. The U.S. has terror sponsors. Go back and read at Banco Delta Asia. The eventual should be viewed as a means of food and fuel, the Kim
fiercely condemned the atrocity secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s release of those assets -- a reward slowing the nuclear program, government would likely crumble.
and is now conducting massive remarks at the July 2009 ASEAN for hollow North Korean limiting North Korea’s ability to Unfortunately, Beijing prefers the
naval exercises with South Korea Regional Forum in Thailand. A disarmament promises -- was proliferate, and maximizing status quo to the potential
in the Yellow Sea; meanwhile, hawkish former Bush official followed by the Pyongyang’s America’s (minimal) leverage consequences of a North Korean
American officials are pushing to describes that speech as “the best second nuclear test, in May 2009. over the ruling government, regime collapse -- namely, a
beef up sanctions against the statement on North Korea strategy The lesson? Americans need to which is currently in the midst of refugee mess and a unified, pro-
North. China, by contrast, is in the past 20 years.” The Obama stop treating Pyongyang’s a leadership transition, with 27- American Korean democracy.
refusing explicitly to blame team -- led by Clinton, secretary behavior as a function of U.S. year-old Kim Jong Un (the son of Perhaps one day China’s
Pyongyang for the incident and is of defense Robert Gates, and State policy. “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il and calculations will be different.
urging a resumption of the futile Department Asia hand Kurt The Kim Jong Il regime is not grandson of “Great Leader” Kim Until then, the U.S. should
six-party talks that collapsed in C a m p b e l l - - h a s b o l s t e r e d your typical aggressive autocracy. Il Sung, who died in 1994) being unapologetically pursue a strategy
April 2009 when North Korea America’s alliance with South It is a cult-like gangster groomed for the top job. of vigorous sanctions and robust
announced it would no longer Korea and championed muscular government that espouses a racist, #ad#In addition to boosting Asian alliances. The Editors
attend the negotiations. sanctions aimed at squeezing totalitarian ideology and believes sanctions, the U.S. should also re-
82
RADICAL-IN-CHIEF
continued from page 78
organizing. And my jaw really
dropped when I first saw the
program of this Socialist Scholars
Conference Obama attended, and
I saw James Cone’s name was on
it. That’s when I knew I had to
take the socialism issue seriously.
Now, let me skip ahead a bit.
Okay, we’re fine for time.
Skipping ahead a bit to another
part of the book, a very important
part of the book where I discuss a
remarkable community organizer
training institute in Chicago called
the Midwest Academy. The
Midwest Academy.
Now, the Midwest Academy was,
in a sense, the ultimate
embodiment of the socialist
community organizing strategy
touted at these conferences in
New York City. The organizers
who ran the Midwest Institute
were not only socialists; they
were among the most prominent
socialists in the United States of
America. But they didn’t believe
that you should tell the people you
organize about your socialism.
You keep your socialism secret.
You use your socialism to devise
your larger long-term strategy.
But you advertise yourself as a
populist, or a communitarian.
And of course, Obama frequently
uses populist and communitarian
language. Ordinarily, one
wouldn’t think anything of it. But
when you realize that all of his
training were from socialists who
believed in using populist and
communitarian language as a kind
of screen for socialism, it gets a
little scarier. Now, the socialist
community organizers who ran
the Midwest Academy trained
Obama, they funded Obama and,
most remarkably, they sponsored
Obama’s political career.
Another one of these amazing
moments that hit me when I was
doing my research — I was going
through the Midwest Academy
archives. And you file through all
of these papers here, read all these
names. And then I stumbled upon
the name of Alice Palmer. Alice
Palmer.
Alice Palmer was a state senator
from Hyde Park, an Illinois state
senator from Hyde Park. She held
the post of state senator that
Obama took over. She actually
anointed Obama as her successor.
Why did she do that? What made
her have confidence to choose
Obama as her successor? We’ve
known that she did this at a party
at the home of Bill Ayers and
Bernadine Dohrn, with various
other socialists present.
But what emerges from my
research is the fact that Alice
Palmer could well have known
Obama for years. But even if she
didn’t, her colleagues had worked
directly with Obama for years.
Her socialist colleagues had
worked directly with Obama for
years. They were in a position to
know and understand his political
views more deeply than anyone
else.
So why would the socialists of
Chicago, who had control of this
state senate seat, let it go to
someone who didn’t also share
their views? It seems pretty
obvious that Alice Palmer chose
Obama because he was part of her
socialist community organizing
world.
And when you study the Midwest
Academy, you really learn
remarkable things about the
Obama Administration. The
Midwest Academy, for example,
virtually invented the idea of the
public option. The public option.
Now, in those days, it wasn’t
about healthcare; it was about
energy. The Midwest Academy’s
socialist organizers ran a kind of
front coalition, which they called
populist, on energy issues. And
their big idea was to create a US
energy corporation to “compete”
with private energy companies.
Now, of course, if the government
is competing with private
companies, it’s really no contest,
because the government controls
the power of taxation and the
power of regulation. Obviously,
they can drive private companies
out of business. And over time,
that’s what they’ll do.
So the Midwest Academy’s
socialist organizers came up with
this idea of a public energy
corporation as a slow-motion way
towards socialism. They even had
a theoretical word for it that came
from the work of a Marxist
theorist from France named André
Gorz.
Gorz’s idea — and this was a
favorite idea of all of Obama’s
community organizing buddies —
his idea was to sponsor non-
reformist reforms. Non-reformist
reforms. What does that mean? It
means that you advertise a change
as just a tweak to the system.
Hey, this is just another
company. A public energy
corporation’s going to compete
with other companies.
Competition. It’s practically
capitalist. But of course, over
time, a non-reformist reform is
designed to undermine capitalism
and move you to a different
system.
E-reader News Edition
THERE
continued from page 79
Wherever there is an obvious
public interest, it is a fact of life
that government officials will be
apt to exploit it as a pretext for
suppressing information that
ought to be part of the debate over
what exactly is in the public
interest. Here’s the problem: The
New York Times is just as apt to
use that needed debate as a pretext
for publishing information whose
disclosure undermines the
obvious public interest.
In the scheme of things, though
neither is desirable, harming the
public interest is worse than
warping the debate. Furthermore,
for all the venality of government
-- for all the officials who want to
suppress information because its
disclosure will be embarrassing,
rather than harmful -- government
is at least accountable.
Prosecutions against those who
compromise national secrets are
open to public scrutiny. Congress
can convene hearings to demand
answers from executive agencies
that withhold information and to
expose scandals. Both the
president and Congress answer to
the voters, who can remove them
if they their abuse power or abide
its abuse.
To whom does the New York
Times answer?
— Andrew C. McCarthy, a senior
fellow at the National Review
Institute, is the author, most
recently, of The Grand Jihad:
How Islam and the Left Sabotage
America. Andrew C. McCarthy
E-reader News Edition
‘Do it for Dmitry’ Is Poor Policy
Ariel Cohen (The Foundry:
Conservative Policy News.)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 4:00:13 PM
In his latest Los Angeles Times
article, Doyle McManus identifies
President Obama’s attempts to
sell New START, the nuclear
arms reduction treaty between the
U.S. and Russia, to the
Republicans in the Senate as
“increasingly desperate.”
Indeed, the Administration’s
arguments for ratifying the treaty
have evolved from claiming that
the accord is a modest treaty that
will enhance U.S. security to
asserting that the consequences of
rejecting New START will be
dire. Most recently, the President
has shifted his argument to one of
obliging his favorite Russian
leader, Dmitry Medvedev.
In a statement at the NATO
summit in Lisbon, President
Obama said, “President
Medvedev has made every effort
to move Russia in the right
direction. It’s also important that
we don’t leave a partner hanging
after having negotiated an
agreement like this.”
This notion is severely flawed.
First, as WikiLeaks documents
published in Reuters demonstrate,
U.S. diplomats correctly
described Medvedev as playing
the second fiddle to his mentor,
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,
who is calling the shots on the
major policy issues.
Second, in an outburst of a Cold
War–style rhetoric, Medvedev, in
his State of the Federation speech,
just threatened the U.S. with a
new arms race if the Obama
Administration will not merge the
NATO missile defenses with
those of Russia—something the
Kremlin demands.
Although the U.S. and Russia
have ostensibly “reset” relations,
this new bilateral Cold War–style
arms control treaty is detrimental
to U.S. national
security—specifically, nuclear
deterrence and missile defense.
First, there are concerns about the
inadequacy of the New START
verification regime: The degree of
verifiability is lower than in the
treaty’s predecessors; and there
are U.S. State Department
classified and open source reports
that testify to prior Russian
violations of arms control
agreements.
Secondly, New START fails to
account for Russia’s 3,800-strong
tactical nuclear arsenal, giving
Moscow a tremendous war-
fighting advantage in Europe.
Thirdly, the New START treaty
is likely to limit our missile
defense options that are critical to
countering the emerging ballistic
missile threats in Iran and North
Korea. Moscow feels that in the
long run, U.S. missile defenses
would limit its deterrent
capabilities.
From the American perspective
however, a missile defense system
limited by a treaty with Russia is
Politics-Right/ 83
President Nicolas Sarkozy
following its 2008 war with
Georgia. Moscow recently
extended the lease of the Gyumri
military base in Armenia until
2044 and made commitments to
protect Armenia’s borders against
Azerbaijan and Turkey.
A recent Russian book on the
Georgia war describes Gyumri as
a staging area for an attack on
Tbilisi, Georgia. The
Russian–Armenian protocol
makes Russia the dominant power
in South Caucasus, as the U.S.,
NATO, the European Union and
the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe are
unwilling or unable (due to the
Russian veto) to commit to a long
-term military presence there.
So, New START is a complex
treaty in a complex security
environment. The “Do it for
Dmitry” ratification argument
fails to take this into
account—and makes a disservice
to the serious debate about U.S.
national security.
detrimental not only to the U.S. complex too dilapidated, to This entry passed through the
but also to our allies that benefit maintain its current nuclear Full-Text RSS service — if this is
from our security umbrella. weapons levels. your content and you're reading it
As we argued elsewhere, the But there is more. Moscow’s on someone else's site, please read
“reset button” in fact, needs to be assertive policy in its “zone of our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/
reset again. The resetting of privileged interests along the content-only/faq.php
bilateral relations has allowed imperial periphery” (the so-called Five Filters featured article:
Russia to pursue its own interests, “near abroad”) has gone virtually Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-
some which come at the expense u n c o n t e s t e d b y t h e O b a m a Reporting of Falluja's Cancer
of U.S. security, as is the case Administration. For example, Catastrophe.
with New START. Russia is too Russia has violated the cease-fire
poor, and its military-industrial agreement negotiated by French
84 Politics-Right/ E-reader News Edition

WikiLeaks Reveals an Isolated Iran

Ryan Mauro (FrontPage program, by whatever means
Magazine » FrontPage) necessary.”
Submitted at 11/29/2010 10:45:45 PM Bahrain has good reason to want
to stop Iran. It is a Shiite majority
WikiLeaks’ release of 250,000 country, and the ruling Sunni
diplomatic cables is a shameful government must worry about an
act that will discourage countries uprising from its people. The
from sharing information with the country is very susceptible to
U.S. and officials from having
frank discussions. In the shadow
of this disgrace, however, one
Iranian manipulation, and should
the regime aim to create a
Hezbollah-type force there, the
Criminal
kernel information may rise above
the subversions and deliver an
government could very likely be
overthrown. The country has been Leaks
unexpected benefit: the world, targeted by terrorists trained in Rich Trzupek (FrontPage
including the Iranian regime, now Syria, and so, King al-Khalifa is Magazine » FrontPage)
knows that many Arab states are right to feel that he is seen by the Submitted at 11/29/2010 10:47:43 PM
secretly entreating the U.S. to Iranians as prey.
strike Iran. The leadership of the United When WikiLeaks released
In March, a member of Israel’s Arab Emirates is also very vocal hundreds of thousands of
parliament claimed that a “wall to in their support for attacking Iran. classified documents involving
wall coalition” of Muslim states Like the Saudis, the Foreign the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
WikiLeaks show that King same page as the Israelis. The
had secretly informed the Jewish Minister explicitly told the U.S. in in October, the Obama
Abdullah “frequently exhorted the director of Mossad, Meir Dagan,
State that they’d be behind February 2009 that the rest of the administration condemned Julian
U.S. to attack Iran.” He has told was recorded imploring the U.S.
whatever action was necessary to region would be forced to build Assange’s rogue organization for
the U.S. that if Iran gets nukes, in August 2007 to support regime
stop Iran’s nuclear weapons nukes if Iran is not stopped. The putting the lives of the military
the rest of the countries in the change in Iran by supporting the
program. The files released by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh personnel and important
Middle East, his own in democracy movement and restive
WikiLeaks show that the MP was Mohammad bin Zayed told the informants at risk. While the
particular, will follow suit. King minorities like the Kurds, Baluch,
not bluffing. The Sunni Arab U.S. that “I believe this guy is alleged source of the leak, Pfc.
Abdullah went so far as to tell the and Azeris. The cable says that
states are petrified of the prospect going to take us to war…It’s a Bradley Manning, was taken into
Iranians in March of 2009 that Dagan was “sure” the regime
of a nuclear Iran, and an matter of time. Personally, I custody, there was no push for
they had one year to change their could be toppled.
unofficial alliance of necessity cannot risk it with a guy like punitive action against WikiLeaks
approach. It is not clear from the The cables show that Bahrain is
between Israel and the Arab states Ahmadinejad.” He even asked the itself. Now Assange has stepped
documents what Abdullah also part of the coalition. “The
has been forged. U.S. if “all locations of concern” over the line: he’s embarrassed
planned to do after that deadline. danger of letting it [Iran’s nuke
Saudi Arabia, despite its could be hit with air strikes and the diplomatic corps and the
In a meeting in April 2008 program] go on is greater than the
promotion of anti-Semitism and suggested that ground forces be politicians behind it. Sunday’s
between General Petraeus and the danger of stopping it,” King
Wahhabism, was reported, on used if they could not be. The release of over 250,000 State
Saudi ambassador to the U.S., the Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa was
several occasions, to have offered UAE position isn’t news — the Department documents sent the
ambassador said, “He [Abdullah] recorded communicating to the
Israel its air space to carry out an country’s ambassador to the U.S. administration and politicians on
told you [Petraeus] to cut off the U.S. In November 2009, the U.S.
attack. Exercises to simulate such said in July that Iran should be both sides of the aisle into a
head of the snake,” a remark that ambassador to Bahrain reported
an event have taken place. The attacked if sanctions don’t work frenzy.
could be interpreted as meaning that King al-Khalifa had “argued
Saudis deny that any agreement and that it would be worth the “This disclosure is not just an
the Saudis support regime change forcefully for taking action to
exists, but the private cost to his country. attack on America’s foreign
in Iran. If so, then they are on the terminate [Iran's] nuclear
communications revealed by
CRIMINAL page 86
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 85

Death Tax and Democracy

Hannah Sternberg (The the meantime, it severely restricts
Foundry: Conservative Policy the ability of regular families
News.) without the resources to pay for
Submitted at 11/30/2010 2:00:39 PM expensive estate planning,
Posted November 30th, 2010 at especially those with small
3:00pm in Entitlements Print This businesses, to pass along the
Post business accomplishments of their
The fate of small, family-owned lifetime to be built upon by the Don’t Tread On
businesses hangs in the balance as next generation. The death tax is
Congress decides whether or not even worse than entail because
Me! What it Means
to finally put the crippling 55%
death tax in a coffin. The toll the
the government confiscates the
hard-earned returns of families.
for Foreign Policy
death tax takes on family-owned At least under entail the Marion Smith (The Foundry:
businesses has been clearly Conservative Policy News.)
government didn’t benefit
documented as has its infeasibility directly. What better Submitted at 11/30/2010 3:00:03 PM

as a federal budgetary tool. But discouragement to the

just as important as these entrepreneurial spirit of the The bold letters of the Gadsden
c o n c e r n s i s t h e e r o s i o n o f aristocratic. Flag have become the slogan of
other words, he has governed his middle and working classes than America’s 21 st century Tea Party
individual liberty that this tax The “aristocratic” laws that de constituents’ personal fate as to ensure that the fruits of their
presents. movement and a symbol of the
Tocqueville refers to specifically intimately as he possibly could. hard work and ingenuity can’t be unique American spirit. Most
Alexis de Tocqueville recognized are the Old World laws of entail, Liberals constantly argue that the passed on to the next generation?
the role of inheritance laws in a which, as any fan of Jane Austen death tax is necessary to prevent The death tax is more than minor resurgent patriots intuitively grasp
free society in his Democracy in knows, were laws that restricted the concentration of wealth in a point of squabbling between the essence of American
America: exceptionalism, but not all
the ability of landowners to split limited number of families. The economic policy wonks. Resisting understand what it means for U.S.
Through [inheritance laws] man up their estates, requiring them truth is the exact opposite, the return of the death tax means
acquires a kind of preternatural instead to pass complete estates to however. The death tax is actually protecting a critical element of foreign policy.
power over the future lot of his the oldest son or closest male a stern government mandate on personal liberty. The distinct yellow flag was
fellow-creatures. When the relative. Not only did this legacies that erodes the freedom This entry passed through the designed by Christopher Gadsden
legislator has regulated the law of concentrate wealth and freeze of society. Like the law of entail, Full-Text RSS service — if this is who led the Sons of Liberty in
inheritance, he may rest from his class distinctions, it also severely it hardens economic distinctions your content and you're reading it South Carolina prior to the
labor. The machine once put in restricted personal liberty, as de by making it more difficult for on someone else's site, please read American Revolution. His design
motion will go on for ages, and T o c q u e v i l l e s e e m s t o h a v e families to make their legacies our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/ called for:
a d v a n c e , a s i f s e l f - g u i d e d , perceived by remarking that when mobile and flexible, leaving that content-only/faq.php an elegant standard, such as is to
towards a given point. When a legislator has exercised power privilege only for those wealthy Five Filters featured article: be used by the commander in
framed in a particular manner, this over a person’s ability to control enough to hire the expensive Beyond Hiroshima - The Non- chief of the American navy; being
law unites, draws together, and his own estate after death, “he estate lawyers and accountants Reporting of Falluja's Cancer a yellow field, with a lively
vests property and power in a few may rest from his labor”—in necessary to protect their funds. In Catastrophe. representation of a rattle-snake in
hands: its tendency is clearly the middle, in the attitude of
going to strike, and these words
underneath, “Don’t Tread on
Me!”
The sentiment of the Gadsden

DON’T page 86
86
CRIMINAL
continued from page 84
policy interests. It is an attack on
the international community —
the alliances and partnerships, the
conversations and negotiations
that safeguard global security and
advance economic prosperity,”
Secretary of State Clinton said.
White House Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs called the release “a
crime,” and Attorney General Eric
Holder said the Justice
Department had launched “an
active, ongoing, criminal
investigation” into WikiLeaks
activities.
Assange’s willingness to disclose
state secrets is reprehensible in
any form. But, should a peek into
the misty backrooms of
international diplomacy cause
more outrage than putting the
lives of Americans serving in
uniform, and the brave Iraqis and
Afghans who help them, at risk?
Such is the world we live in and
perhaps we should be grateful, if
the administration is finally
serious about going after
WikiLeaks in some meaningful
way. Representative Peter King
suggested that WikiLeaks should
be designated a terror
organization and, under the old
rules, it would be hard to argue
against King’s point. The Bush
Doctrine said that anyone who
knowingly harbors or aids
terrorists would be treated as an
enemy. “You’re either with us or
against us,” Bush said, and
viewed through that simple lens,
there’s no doubt which side
WikiLeaks comes out on.
Unfortunately, the Obama
administration, parroting the
progressive point of view, cannot
abide such a clear line of
demarcation. The president has
effectively added a third category:
you’re with us, you’re against us,
or you’re a misguided soul
engaged in criminal mischief that
might seem a little like terrorism
but really shouldn’t be handled
that way.
Yet, labeling this latest document
dump a crime is at least a step in
the right direction for this
administration, although hoping to
drag Assange and his cronies into
court falls far short of the kind of
aggressive action needed to end
the national security threat that
WikiLeaks represents. It is
perhaps more interesting to
consider what about this particular
round of disclosures caused the
administration to up the ante.
Could it be that many of the
documents reveal that the Obama
administration is inept and
disingenuous when it comes to
managing foreign affairs?
We now know, for example, that
the Obama administration put
pressure on Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad to stop arms
shipments to Hezbollah. Assad
promised action, but delivered
none, and Hezbollah continues to
grow in power as a result. We also
know that Saudi Arabian King
Abdullah, who is very worried
about what would happen in the
region if Iran gets the bomb,
urged the president to bomb
Iranian nuclear facilities. On the
other hand, the documents
confirm what has long been an
open-secret: that wealthy Saudis
remain the chief financiers of
Sunni jihadists, including al-
Qaeda.
DON’T
continued from page 85
Flag can be traced to the founding
of the United States, as can its
implications for American
statecraft. Among these are a
strong military, a foreign policy
that is unencumbered by
international institutions which
undermine its political
independence, and a diplomacy
that reflects America’s political
principles.
Today, the Gadsden Flag has
become, once again, the symbol
of American independence,
justice, and strength. But some
conservatives had wondered if the
surge of the Tea Party movement
would lead to calls for a more
isolationist foreign policy.
Progressives too had claimed that
the Tea Party should join with
them to slash U.S. military
spending in order to restore fiscal
discipline. Happily, however, it
appears that most Tea Party
activists understand the foreign
policy parallels of America’s
political traditions and, as Colin
Dueck has noted, are not tempted
to advocate for an isolationist
foreign policy.
America’s unique role in the
world depends not only on the
strength of its political principles,
but also on its material
capabilities. George Washington,
in his Farewell Address to
Congress in 1796, noted the
importance of military preparation
and political independence in
E-reader News Edition
order to allow America to “defy
material injury from external
annoyance” and to “choose peace
or war, as our interest, guided by
justice, shall counsel.” Only in
this position of strength, is
America able to stand for liberty
and protect its interests in a
complex and often dangerous
world.
The Tea Party movement and the
2010 midterm elections will most
assuredly have ramifications for
U.S. foreign policy, but it
promises to be a return to the
statecraft of the Founding
Fathers—who were themselves
far from isolationist. As engaged
citizens seek to make their
government more accountable and
transparent, we must not forget
the principles and traditions of
American foreign policy, which
may be summed up as “peace
through strength”.
This entry passed through the
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on someone else's site, please read
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Five Filters featured article:
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E-reader News Edition Social Media/ 87

Motorola Splits, Makes Mobile WikiLeaks Founder

Division a Standalone Company Julian Assange Wanted
Jolie O'Dell (Mashable!)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:45:24 PM
In fact, the Android platform has
been a huge boost to Motorola’s
success ever since the original
By Interpol
Ben Parr (Mashable!)
In a bold restructuring move, Droid launched almost one year
Motorola is giving mobile ago, when the company moved a Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:24:32 PM

technology a new emphasis in the healthy quarter of a million units

company’s present and future. The International Criminal Police
during the first week of sales.
Effective January 4, 2011, Organization, better known as
Motorola hadn’t had a device that
Motorola, Inc. will become two Interpol, has added WikiLeaks
big since the pre-smartphone Razr
separate companies: Motorola Founder Julian Assange to its
from 2004. With its robust and
Solutions, Inc. and Motorola wanted list.
successful line of Android devices
Mobility Holdings, Inc. Following The notice, issued earlier today,
— and who knows, possibly a
the split, the company’s current co targets Julian Paul Assange, listed
tablet or two in the future —
devices. as a 39-year-old male from
-CEOs, Greg Brown and Sanjay we’re looking forward to what
A split like this has been in the Townsville, Australia, for sex
Jha, will head up Motorola Motorola Mobility will deliver in
works since at least 2008. crimes. The warrant for his arrest
Solutions and Motorola Mobility, 2011. discussions surrounding Pakistan
We’re going to make a wildly that sparked the Interpol listing
respectively. More About: Mobile 2.0, relations, a plan of action for
speculative guess and suggest that comes from the International
This company restructuring Motorola North Korea, and the hacking of
the blockbuster success of the Public Prosecution Office in
comes along with a stock For more Business coverage: Google’s servers by China’s
Motorola Droid has had Gothenberg, Sweden.
restructuring. Current • Follow Mashable Business on Politburo that caused an
something to do with the The warrant stems from
shareholders will get one share of Twitter international uproar.
company’s growth in the mobile accusations of sexual assault
Motorola Solutions stock per • Become a Fan on Facebook For his part, Assange has been
sector. made earlier this year by two
seven Motorola, Inc. shares and • Subscribe to the Business unusually quiet, given the recent
Various models of the Droid have women he met in Sweden during
one share of Mobility stock per channel release of the diplomatic cables.
been so popular they’ve been hard a WikiLeaks-related trip. When
eight shares. Motorola Solutions • Download our free apps for According to The Guardian,
to find in stores. Over the the more serious charge of rape
will be home to the infrastructure Android, iPhone and iPad Assange is laying low somewhere
summer, the company’s Android- was dropped, he called the
businesses while Motorola outside of London with his
powered devices were selling accusions a smear campaign.
Mobility will be the one focused supporters. Reviews: Australia,
faster than they could be built. However, the case against
on mobile phones and consumer Google, Wikileaks
Assange was reopened and upheld
More About: Interpol, julian
by an appeals court. Swedish
assange, trending, wikileaks
authorities intend to interrogate
For more Social Media coverage:
the WikiLeaks founder and have
• Follow Mashable Social Media
issued an EAW (European Arrest
on Twitter
Warrant) to get him.
• Become a Fan on Facebook
WikiLeaks has been the center of
• Subscribe to the Social Media
media and political attention for
channel
its recent leak of the Afghan War
• Download our free apps for
Diaries and sensitive U.S.
Android, iPhone and iPad
diplomatic cables. The result has
been an unprecedented look into
U.S. diplomacy, including
88 Social Media/ Technology/ Finance/ E-reader News Edition

Will Groupon’s Fate Be Decided iOS 4.2 supports new tech to

Tomorrow? reduce network congestion,
Ben Parr (Mashable!)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 7:56:55 PM
Andrew Mason.
While we bet there will heated
Nokia Siemens says
debate tomorrow whether or not Chris Ziegler (Engadget)
The chatter surrounding Google’s to accept Google’s money, it Submitted at 11/30/2010 8:48:00 PM
$5.3 billion offer to acquire doesn’t necessarily mean that they
Groupon continues to grow as the will actually vote on the standing One of the world's top suppliers
group buying service’s board of offer. Still, if a consensus does of cellular infrastructure, Nokia
directors prepares to decide the arise during tomorrow’s meeting, Siemens, has dropped some juicy
company’s fate. we might be hearing from Google knowledge today that Apple's new
The rumor mill has been out of and Groupon very, very soon. iOS 4.2 update supports a
control. Most media outlets now Reviews: Google technology called network-
agree that Google has submitted a More About: acquisition, Google, controlled fast dormancy that
$5.3 billion acquisition offer for groupon better optimizes how the phone
based company could be decided connects to the network. The
Groupon with an additional $700 For more Business coverage:
as soon as tomorrow. company touts that it's a win-win -
million earnout based on • Follow Mashable Business on
Groupon has nine directors on its - better battery life, less
performance. It would be by far Twitter
board: Peter Barris of New unnecessary network utilization --
the search giant’s biggest • Become a Fan on Facebook
Enterprise Associates, Kevin and also points out that Nokia
acquisition to date. • Subscribe to the Business
Efrusy of Accel, Jason Fried of implemented the technique in all
Today’s report from The Wall channel
37signals, former AOL vice of its smartphones starting earlier
Street Journal doesn’t reveal a lot • Download our free apps for
chairman Ted Leonsis, John this year. Since network-
of new details, save for one: Android, iPhone and iPad
Walter of AT&T, Harry Weller of controlled fast dormancy is a
Groupon’s board “will meet by companies early and often as
NEA, and Groupon co-founders feature that benefits the network
conference call Wednesday to these baseband updates come
Eric Lefkofsky (its initial itself as much as it benefits the
decide how to proceed.” In other together -- particularly as it seeks
investor), Brad Keywell and individual user, knocking out two
words, the fate of the Chicago- to keep a tight lid on the very
power players like Nokia and
congestion issues that network-
13 Ways to Avoid Holiday Apple (over half of new
smartphone sales, NSN points
out) should make a big dent.
controlled fast dormancy is
designed to help eliminate. Either

Overspending Interestingly, NSN seems to have

arrived at this discovery through
way, it's interesting to see how
quick Nokia Siemens was to
probe for the change this time
(Financiallyfit on Shine) tough to stick to that budget. 1. "We sometimes host recipe "tests" it conducted, not by
But listen up: This year can be parties. We provide the home, the w o r k i n g w i t h A p p l e o n around.
Submitted at 11/30/2010 10:47:13 PM
different. You don't have to spend atmosphere, the main dish, and implementing it. Sure, we don't iOS 4.2 supports new tech to
You start out the holiday season a lot to have a meaningful beverages, and then each person p r e t e n d t o k n o w a l l t h e reduce network congestion, Nokia
with the best of budget intentions: c e l e b r a t i o n . W e a s k e d brings a side dish or dessert with a interactions that occur between Siemens says originally appeared
You'll buy modest gifts (or even REDBOOK readers like you for handful of copies of their recipe. manufacturers, carriers, and on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
hand-make them!), keep the their best money-saving tips for We keep a master cookbook with s u p p l i e r s d u r i n g a p h o n e ' s 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our
entertaining low-key, and stick to all things holiday — from gifts photos of the parties we've had development, but it certainly terms for use of feeds. Permalink|
decorating with whatever you pull and family activities to decorating through the years." Nokia Siemens Networks blog|
seems to us that Apple would
out from the basement. Once the and entertaining — and here are Email this| Comments
WAYS page 89 benefit by engaging infrastructure
festive spirit kicks in, though, it's the all-stars.
E-reader News Edition
WAYS
continued from page 88
—Diane Graham, 44, Allentown,
PA
Related: Simple Tried-and-True
Tips for Saving Money
2. "We skimp on outdoor lights
to keep our electric bill down.
Instead, we replace some of our
inside lightbulbs with colored
ones, which adds a festive touch
without hiking up our electric bill.
Also, gifts in my family are for
kids only. Each gal in my circle
has a signature baked yummy, and
we exchange those. My sister-in-
law makes zucchini bread, I make
fudge, and my best friend makes
pecan pies. We all end up with
lots of goodies!" —Jen Horton,
33, DeLand, FL
Related: The Most Outrageous
Holiday Light Displays
3. "Board games make great
family gifts: one gift for four
people! I once gave Scrabble to a
family, and they loved it because
they began spending a lot more
time together. Monopoly is
another classic."
—La'Tonya Hocker, 34, Bowling
Green, KY
4. "Last year I made a great
calendar for my mom on
snapfish.com that cost less than
$25. I included pictures of the
whole family and added
wonderful quotes to accompany
each photo. Everyone got a
picture on their birthday too! It
was an awesome gift!"
—Laura Weaver, 44, Columbus,
OH
Related: 16 Great Homemade
Gift Ideas
5. "My family always does a
potluck-style party, and each
relative takes a turn hosting the
event. That way we get to see
everyone's holiday decorations as
well, which is always fun!"
—Val Willis, 27, Dubuque, IA
6. "I use all natural decorations
inside and outside. I collect
pinecones throughout my
neighborhood in order to make
wreaths, and I trim branches off
holly and evergreen trees to
decorate my home. Because my
husband and I are from different
religious backgrounds, we
compromise by planting a
Christmas tree outside — it's
really nice to watch the spruce
grow all year, and I like that we
don't have to toss a perfectly good
tree after the holiday.
Related: Make Your Own
Holiday Table Decorations
7. "I shop sales all year round for
the best prices— and then save
my bargains for holiday gifts. For
instance, I know Victoria's Secret
has a big sale in the summer, so
I'll buy holiday gifts for my sister
and sister-in law then."
—Vanessa Weestrand, 30,
Cornwall, NY
8. For gifts we have a family
exchange with a $25 limit. The
adults each bring just one gift and
put it in a pile, and then we play
Yankee Swap: Each person picks
a gift, then the person to the right
of her can either steal that present
or choose another, and so on."
—Mary Talalay, 43, Baltimore
Related: The Best Family Gift
Ideas
9. "Our extended family used to
do a big holiday gift swap, but my
husband and I would end up
having to buy presents for
relatives we'd met once — or
never at all! Eventually, we
decided to stick with getting gifts
just for the immediate family;
with the other relatives, we get
together each summer for a family
barbecue instead. It's so much
nicer to catch up, enjoy each
other, and strengthen our
relationships in person each year
rather than giving a random gift to
someone we don't see."
—Victoria Pottschmidt, 30,
Richmond, VA
10. "I look for new ways to reuse
old decorations. I had an old
artificial Christmas tree that I
dismantled and made the branches
into pine swags for my outside
windows.
—Kathy Jo Pollack, 47, Natrona
Heights, PA
Related: All-Etsy Handmade Gift
Guide
11. "I used to hit the mall on
Black Friday, but now I find that
stores are having Black Friday
specials online. So I sit at my
computer in my pj's to shop, I
have all the presents delivered to
my office, and then it's done and I
never even had to leave my
house!"
—Dawn Palaia, 45, Folcroft, PA
12. "I buy sets of things and
break them up. Last year on QVC,
Valerie Parr Hill was selling sets
of holiday candles that came with
gift bags, tissue, and tags. I
bought a set of five and broke
them up into five individual
gifts."
—Denise Gaylord, 55, New Bern,
NC
Related: Festive DIY Gift
Wrapping Ideas
13. "My best technique for saving
money for the holidays happens in
April when I get my tax refund: I
immediately set that money aside
into a holiday club account for
Hanukkah spending. Then I set a
specific budget for each person,
and I stick to it."
—Sheryl Hausman, 38, Kew
Gardens, NY
Related: Gift Ideas for the Hard-
to-Shop-For Husband
How are you planning to keep
your budget in-check this holiday
season?
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Technology/ 89
Delta expands
WiFi access to
select regional jets
Joseph L. Flatley (Engadget)
Submitted at 11/30/2010 9:53:00 PM
Good news, frequent (and not so
frequent) fliers. In addition to
offering free Goggle-sponsored
WiFi on its long-range flights this
holiday season, Delta has
announced plans to expand Gogo
internet access to many of its
regional jets, beginning in
January. The company says that it
should have this next wave of
upgrades done by the end of 2011.
This will definitely come as a
relief to those of us who will be
enjoying hours-long "regional"
flights in the new year, either on
Delta planes or those of its
regional partners (including
Shuttle America, Comair, and
Atlantic Southeast). The
expansion will apply only to
aircraft with a first class cabin --
you know, the spacious
compartment you pass through
before being herded into the back
with the rest of us schlubs.
Delta expands WiFi access to
select regional jets originally
appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30
DELTA page 90
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DELTA
continued from page 89

Nov 2010 21:53:00 EDT. Please

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