The News Today

Good afternoon, everyone!

I really should be studying for an econ exam...but here I am, blogging. Procrastinating, really. But I just had to post about something.

First off, have you heard about the poisoned cookies someone sent to the Supreme Court last year? How bizarre is this? Barbara March of Connecticut sent hateful letters along with the poison-laced treats to the Supreme Court, FBI director Robert Mueller, and several other federal officials. She's been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison...but that probably won't stop her "poison pen" letters.

Sorry for the bad pun.

Another thing that has me going is today Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke out against federal judges who called the warrantless wiretap program unconstitutional back in August. Gonzales says they are "defining freedom in a way that presents a grave threat to U.S. security." Gonzales apparently was just repeating what Dick Cheney said yesterday--the judges' decision is "an indefensible act of judicial overreaching."

Really. Overreaching? Hmmm.

And my favorite news story of the day also comes from CNN, though there is no mention of it on their website. I've been watching the channel on and off this afternoon and keep seeing footage of the celebrations at Fort Benning, GA, which also happens to be the headquarters of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA). Every year at this time, people from all over the country travel to Fort Benning to protest the SOA because of its reputation as a training ground for assassins, torturers, and "banana republic" dictators. I guess they are celebrating the troops and their sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, from what I can gather from the reporter, they are trying to rally support from the public in order to draw attention from the protesters.

The official story about the SOA is this. The SOA (actual name the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) was formed in 1946 in Panama to teach nation building in Latin American countries. The very next year, however, after the United States signed its own National Security Act (which, by the way, formed the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency), the US became even more involved in Latin American affairs. Classes at the school were taught in Spanish by the US Army. The school was eventually moved to Fort Benning, GA, in 1984.

The controversy comes from stories from graduates and alleged documents (namely torture manuals) being leaked from the school. The school is also accused of advocating human rights violations, and many of its known graduates have gone on to become part of some of the worst regimes in the hemisphere.

Some graduates of the SOA include:

Manuel Noriega--de facto military leader of Panama, 1983-89

Leopoldo Galtieri--de facto President of Argentina during the country's "dirty war"; during his leadership thousands of Argentinians were disappeared--the desaparecidos.*

Hugo Banzer Suarez--dictator of Bolivia, 1971-78; President of Bolivia, 1997-2001

Roberto D'Aubuisson--Salvadoran politician and military leader, also known as "Blowtorch Bob" by his foes; thought to have been one of the masterminds of the murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero

"Because many of its students have been associated with death squads, and coups in Latin American countries, the school's acronym is occasionally reparsed by its detractors as the 'School of the Assassins.'"--from Wikipedia

Some links of interest:

SOA Watch

Just the Facts--the pro-SOA side

History of the SOA

Excerpts from a CIA "torture manual"

CNN's Special Reports article on the SOA

What's your take?

*For more info on the "desaparecidos":

Wikipedia article

Project Disappeared

The Vanished Gallery

Anderson Cooper Keeps it Positive

I really enjoyed last night show. Who can control Robin Williams! Anderson just let it flow. I have never saw him laugh that much, and the idea of Gloria Vanderbilt walking around Manhattan with a Burka almost kept me up laughing all night. She must be so much fun. Still so active and alive at the young age of 82. I hope her new art exhibition, opened November 18 at the Andre Zarre Gallery, will be a total success.

From the Buffalo News

Keep it positive
Perhaps a little intimidated by having to follow the Dalai Lama's opening act, Anderson Cooper got some expert coaching for his own appearance last Saturday in the second installment of the University at Buffalo's Distinguished Speaker Series.
Taking the podium, first-time visitor Cooper pulled out a BlackBerry and read off an e-mail received a couple hours earlier from CNN colleague Wolf Blitzer, a UB alum.
Blitzer's advice on things for Cooper to remember was, more or less, this:
Go Bills. Go Sabres. Wings. Beef on weck (Cooper confessed to being puzzled by that one). And don't tell any snow jokes - they're sensitive about that.
Cooper obviously is a quick study. There were no snow jokes thereafter.

It's Good to Laugh...

Watching Cooper laugh and nearly fall out of his seat during the Comic Relief interview is good medicine for everyone. Check out these shots from last night's show. I'm going all fangirl for a moment (it is Saturday after all) but he's adorable. Okay, I'm done. Enjoy your Saturday!

Thanks to our friends at Anderloads for the screencaps.

Anderson Cooper, Comic Relief and Katrina...

"Tonight's break was sponsored by Anderson Cooper. CNN. Watch out O'Reilly, Anderson is much macho. – Robin Williams on "Anderson Cooper 360"

Looks like Anderson isn't live for tonight's show, but the next best thing is hearing that man laugh, so one hour of the show tonight is "It Helps to Laugh" an exclusive "360" interview with Robin, Whoopi and Billy – should prove to be a very funny hour.

Where there is laughter...there is hope.

Comic Relief is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. Founded originally as a benefit to help the hungry and the homeless, this year's fundraiser will benefit the families and victims of Hurricane Katrina. It will be aired on both HBO and TBS, live from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Saturday evening beginning at 9pm (EST). To donate online click here.

Screencap courtesy of Stillife.

Wounds That Haven't Yet Healed...

KARACHI, PAKISTAN – "Mariane, I'm sorry ... I didn't bring your Danny home."

With these words and tears in his eyes, a Pakistani police investigator told Mariane Pearl that her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was dead. The lines are from "A Mighty Heart: the Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Daniel Pearl," a harrowing tale of Mr. Pearl's murder by Al Qaeda militants in 2002.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie started filming the screen version of "A Mighty Heart" here in July, with Mr. Pitt as coproducer and Ms. Jolie cast as Mrs. Pearl.

The celebrity couple says it hopes their film, to be released in 2007, can heal wounds. But depending on how it handles new information revealed by President Pervez Musharraf, the film may reopen old wounds and reframe perceptions about what happened to Pearl.

Already, the movie is becoming part of the controversy it seeks to depict, some observers say.

Daniel Pearl's murder, although nearly five years old, is hardly solved. The most recent stir erupted in September, when President Musharraf revealed for the first time in his memoir, "In the Line of Fire," that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (identified by the US 9/11 Commission Report as the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks) either killed Pearl or played a leading role in the planning of his murder. Musharraf says he confessed under Pakistani interrogation. Mr. Mohammad is currently being held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and has never been tried in connection with Pearl's murder.

Prior to Musharraf's book, none of Pearl's murderers have been publicly identified. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has been convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping with the intent to murder Pearl. But he has always insisted he was not present at Pearl's killing.

Lawyers here say that Musharraf's revelation - suggested by Pakistani sources but never before confirmed - casts doubt on who killed Pearl and what role Mr. Sheikh might have played beyond the kidnapping.

"I'm going to submit an application that [Musharraf's] book be used as a piece of evidence. The head of state has exonerated them," says Rai Bashir, a Lahore-based lawyer who represents Sheikh and two of his accomplices.

Was Sheikh a convenient scapegoat or deeply involved? How the movie treats this new development in the case could shape public perceptions and the outcome of his appeal.

Musharraf raises other intriguing questions by suggesting that Sheikh was recruited by MI-6, the British intelligence agency, while he was attending college in Britain. Some Western journalists who have investigated the case have said Sheikh was a member both of Al Qaeda and of Pakistan's intelligence wing.

The filmmakers wouldn't comment on the storyline. A statement released by Jolie says, "This is not a film about terrorism or conflict, it is a story of people of all faiths working together to find the truth."

This summer, the moviemakers suffered a setback when the Pakistani federal government shut down preliminary filming in Karachi, citing a lack of permission. Representatives of Paramount Vantage, which is distributing the film, insist they obtained proper documentation to shoot the film.

Publicists for the film won't comment on this, but some analysts here speculate the Pakistani government stopped filming because it wants to keep the Pearl episode, which brought international infamy to Pakistan, out of the limelight.

"The temptation would be there to stop something which puts Pakistan in a bad light," says Ayesha Siddiqa, an independent analyst in Islamabad.

Displaying the same determination as Pearl's wife, and Pearl himself, the film hardly skipped a beat, however, and changed locations to Pune, India.

But moving the shoot to India hasn't stopped the controversy here.

Pearl's kidnappers, including Sheikh, are now in jail. Their lawyers say the film, once released, could severely damage an appeal they have pending.

"[The movie] will prejudice the minds of the judge and jury. This amounts to interfering with the process of the law," says Abdul Waheed Katpar, a lawyer in Karachi who represented Sheikh throughout his trial.

Even some of those who played a central role in hunting for Pearl are not without their misgivings.

Mir Zubair Mahmood, the Karachi policeman who headed the Pearl investigation, is known as "Captain" in "The Mighty Heart." He risked his life and reputation.

On the one hand, the current attention makes Mr. Mahmood proud. But five years later, he still has concerns about how the film will be received here. "I did something good and have recognition for that. But it brings a threat to me; it compromises my security," he says. "There are so many who don't like me, who think I'm a traitor - because I arrested one of their good friends."

But in the spirit of the film, Mahmood says he won't be swayed by fear. Instead, he hopes that in highlighting the efforts of his investigative team, the film can create a positive impression of Pakistan. "The movie will bring a good name to my country in a way."

Jameel Yusuf, a Karachi businessman who also played a central role in the investigation, says police received death threats from Al Qaeda linked terrorists long after Pearl was killed. "We gave our moral support to Mariane. I hope they show that part," he says.

New gay 'outings' sign of gossip culture

These people are far from civil rights champions, they are simple blunt opportunists that makes profits from other's private life and pain. Parasites. Ill intentioned. Mean spirited people that strive on the humiliation of their targets. The only thing that they want to improve is their ego and checking accounts.

By JOCELYN NOVECK,

AP National Writer1 hour, 13 minutes ago
When the comedian Bill Maher went on "Larry King Live" and alleged that some top Republican operatives were gay, it was too much detail for CNN, which edited the remarks out of later broadcasts and off the transcript on its Web site.
But the remarks couldn't be edited out of cyberspace, where they remain available, along with virtually everything else these days.
Maher's comments last week, and a series of recent coming-out announcements by Hollywood figures responding to persistent rumors, show just how much the Internet has changed the rumor mill, and consequently the process of "outing" celebrities.
Where anti-gay sentiment used to fuel these revelations, these days they are more likely to be merely a byproduct of a voracious Web-based gossip culture where no part of a celebrity's life is off limits — or, in the case of politicians, an attempt by one side or the other to score political points.
Either way, the information, true or not, is out there for everyone to see.
"The reality is that the kinds of gossip and celebrity rumors that used to spread by phone, around the water cooler or over dinner are now ending up online where anyone can see them," says Glennda Testone, senior director of media programs for GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "It doesn't mean that they're more credible, just that more people can see and spread them."
In the recent political case, Maher was arguing that a number of "people who run the underpinnings of the Republican Party" are gay, even though they don't support pro-gay positions. He said he wasn't going to name names, but then began to.
Despite CNN's actions to remove the remarks from circulation, several versions were available — including on Youtube.com, the repository of all events in our culture.
Many major gay rights groups oppose outing, saying it's a personal choice and should remain so. But there is a difference of opinion when it comes to the idea of outing political figures perceived as harming gay interests.
"When someone is in a position of power and they are using that power to hurt gay people ... it's perfectly appropriate that they be outed," says Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "We don't do it, but we have no problem with it."
Foreman notes that the type of "outing" happening these days shows, in one way, that social progress has been made. "The stigma around being gay is gradually diminishing," he says. "At one point it was a huge scandal to say someone was gay." Now, he says, what fuels "outings" is something else: "It's not, 'This person's gay.' It's, 'This person's gay and can you believe what they're doing with their power?'"
Or, in the case of the entertainment world, merely a prurient interest in every aspect of a celebrity's life, from where they get their coffee to the results of their pregnancy tests to what baby clothes their kids are wearing.
"I don't think it comes as a surprise to see gossipmongers speculating about celebrities' sexual orientations," says Testone, "particularly when there's little about celebrities' private lives that these folks don't gossip and speculate about." She adds that truth is often a casualty: "When it comes to some of these Web sites that thrive on celebrity gossip, the rumor is often all that's needed."
Rumors are what prompted three recent Hollywood figures to come out publicly, all to People magazine. The most recent was Neil Patrick Harris, the former title character of "Doogie Howser, M.D." and now starring on the CBS comedy "How I Met Your Mother." Earlier this month he told People's Web site he was gay, saying he was responding to "speculation and interest in my private life and relationships."
A few weeks earlier it was "Grey's Anatomy" actor T.R. Knight, who said he was addressing "any unnecessary rumors that might be out there." Knight made it clear he would have preferred to keep his personal life private, and added he hoped "the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."
And before that it was Lance Bass, the former 'N Sync star, telling People he'd decided to "speak my mind" because rumors about his sexuality were starting to affect his daily life.
While gay groups applaud anyone's decision to come out, they are critical of the pressure on them by purveyors of gossip to do so.
"Celebrity outing can be very problematic," says Damon Romine, entertainment media director of GLAAD. "While this kind of gossip and speculation about a celebrity's orientation might lead some people to come out of the closet, it may drive others even further in."
"Ultimately," he added, "coming out is a personal process, one that ideally happens when celebrities make the decision not out of fear or intimidation but because they want the fuller, richer life that that openness provides."

How Much Would CNN Pay For Anderson Cooper?

(Screencap from Anderloads.)

Anderson Cooper is obsessed with OJ Simpson. I can't believe that eleven years later we are still talking about this person! I seem to recall that his fifteen minutes of fame were used up a very long time ago.

This kind of media attention from Cooper surprises me. It should also answer any question about how much control he has over a show which bears his name. After hearing say the media spends too much time on "missing blondes" and that he prefers not to interview celebrities, hello Kenny Chesney!, we are left with over half the show with a freakin' call-in segment about a man that is regarded by most as a violent killer who walked free. These contradictions are the enigma that is Anderson Cooper.

In my opinion, this was not one of his better shows. But, I guess we can't always get what we want. Now for some real news...


FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
Fox News reporters
freed for $2 million
Terrorists used cash for arms to 'hit Zionists,'
payment said to encourage more abductions

Editor's note: The Drudge Report posted a memo from Fox News President Roger Ailes alleging Aaron Klein falsely accused Fox News of paying $2 million to free its abducted employees. WND Editor Joseph Farah responds to that claim in this statement.

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Steve Centanni of Fox News

JERUSALEM – Palestinian terror groups and security organizations in the Gaza Strip received $2 million from a U.S. source in exchange for the release of Fox News employees Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, who were kidnapped here last summer, a senior leader of one of the groups suspected of the abductions told WND.

The terror leader, from the Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees, said his organization's share of the money was used to purchase weapons, which he said would be utilized "to hit the Zionists."

He said he expects the payments for Centanni and Wiig's freedom will encourage Palestinian groups to carry out further kidnappings.

Officials associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party and its security organization, the Preventative Security Services, confirmed to WND money was paid for the release of the Fox News reporters.

A senior leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, the declared "military wing" of Fatah, said the group received a small percentage of the $2 million, which all parties interviewed said was transferred in cash.

Centanni and Wiig were released last August after being held hostage by terrorists in Gaza for nearly two weeks. Shortly before their release, a video was issued showing the two dressed in beige Arab-style robes and appearing to convert to Islam. Wiig, a New Zealand citizen, gave an anti-Western speech, with his face expressionless. Centanni later explained he and Wiig were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint.

One week after the abduction WND broke the story a clan from the Gaza Strip which leads terror cells of the Popular Resistance Committees were prime suspects in the kidnappings. Senior Palestinian officials told WND their investigation into the abductions led them to the Dugmash family, based in Khan Yunis and Gaza City. They said they have "evidence" the clan was "heavily involved."

Members of the Dugmash clan lead the "Saladin resistance department" of the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella of Palestinian terror groups which previously carried out anti-U.S. attacks, including the bombing in 2003 of a U.S. convoy in Gaza in which three American government contractors were killed. The Committtees is also responsible for scores of anti-Israel shooting attacks and bombings and for a large number of rocket attacks against Jewish communities near Gaza.

Cameraman Olaf Wiigont>

The senior leader of the Committees, speaking to WND on condition of anonymity, would not say whether members of his group carried out the Fox News kidnappings, but he admitted the Committees received money for "aiding" in the release of Centanni and Wiig.

The terror leader said $2 million cash was transferred to the Preventative Security Services, the main Fatah security forces in Gaza, for distribution to various parties.

He said the largest portion of the money was provided to the Committees' Dugmash clan, which Israeli security officials say is heavily involved in the smuggling of weapons and drugs into Gaza and which openly has led anti-Israel terror attacks on behalf of the Popular Resistance Committees. The Committees leader would not provide the exact sum transferred to the clan, but said it exceeded $1 million.

Smaller sums of cash were given to select members of the Preventative Security Services, officially to pay them as "private citizens" for working overtime to free Centanni and Wiig, the terror leader said. He said most of the Security Services members who were paid are associated with elements of the Dugmash clan. A member of the Security Services confirmed the cash transfers.

A sum of about $20,000 was provided to the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, the Committees leader said, explaining the organization was paid to avoid conflict with militants from Abbas' Fatah party. The Committees is closely associated with Hamas, while the Brigades is a member of the rival Fatah party.

A leader of the Brigades in the northern Gaza Strip confirmed the money was received but maintained his group was not involved with the kidnappings.

The Popular Resistance Committees leader said aside from the large cash transfer to the Dugmash section of his group, the Committees as an organization received about $150,000.

He said the money was used to purchase weapons.

"We used 100 percent of the money for one precise goal – our war against the Zionists," the Committees leader said.

He said weapons purchased included rockets.

"Regarding the others (the Dugmash clan of the Committees) who received the money, I can tell you one thing is very clear – this went also to be used against the Zionists. I can't say every cent went to buy bombs, maybe it also went to pay for salaries, smuggling, buying shelter."

The Committees leader said he "knows" the money came from the U.S. as part of a deal to free Centanni and Wiig but could not identify exactly which organization or government entity transferred the cash.

Fox source says it's possible

A spokeswoman for Fox News Channel told WND she could not provide an official statement about whether Fox was aware of money paid to free its two employees.

A source at Fox told WND many parties were involved with the freedom of Centanni and Wiig, including the U.S. government, and that it was possible money was paid.

A State Department spokesman said his agency did not pay for the release of the Fox News employees.

The senior Committees leader and members of Fatah's Preventative Security Services told WND that as part of the cash transfer, leaders of the Security Services pledged to ensure against further kidnappings of Americans in the Palestinian territories.

But the Committees leader balked at the promise.

"This is just so the Americans can turn the affair into a beautiful thing by saying they have a pledge," said the terror leader.

"Maybe the Preventive Security Services took the promise but we didn't. They have no way of enforcing it. The Palestinian groups can still kidnap Americans. Maybe for a short period the groups will not kidnap Americans to show respect for the promises, but if there is an escalation, we will not hesitate to kidnap Americans."

The leader spoke three days after his organization and three other Palestinian terror groups signed a statement warning the U.S. is officially a target for Palestinian attacks, both in the region and abroad.

He told WND the cash transfers for the release of Centanni and Wiig likely will embolden Palestinian terror groups to carry out further abductions.

"This does encourage people to continue kidnappings," said the terror leader.

Weekly Video Post

These are from Marie, our Resident Videographer:

First up, the Shot:



Congratulations to Erica and her family! When you
return, don't forget to bring some baby pictures to
show us!

And "Foley and the Blogger":



Your mother was right...you just never know who is
watching...

Thanks, Marie!

Baby Steps, Big Leaps!

It's been a bumpy ride - may I said wild - since we started the FreakSpeaker project. As the new kids in the play yard we knew it was going to get rough and nasty sometimes. But the satisfaction is huge, checking our visitor's statistics, seeing those numbers growing and growing and more interestingly from where they are coming! Steady visitors from the domains of CBS.com, CNN's parent company Turner.com, troops from Iraq and friends and readers from all over the world, THANK YOU ALL!

Last week we had our biggest accomplishment so far. We were linked to one of the most prestigious online magazines www.time.com! I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the email announcement. I stared in total disbelief; I knew we were getting a lot of attention, but we really didn't expect this so soon. And then again, thank you for your support!

"Subject: Your blog is linked from Time.com

Hi, I
wanted to give you a heads up that your blog has a link from Time.com's web site, powered by Sphere. To see your featured post, go to www.time.com and look within the story: "Behind Rumsfeld's Fall: The Perils of Hubris." Then, look for the orange sphere it! logo and click on it. You should see your post in the first two pages of results.

Sphere is working with Time and other publishers to get great blogs like yours in front of more people. We think this is pretty cool and a great way for people to discover blogs as well as introduce a broader, more mainstream audience to great blog content like yours. If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to contact me at xxxxx@xxxx.com.

We'd like to offer you a Sphere featured blogger badge. You can choose one here:
xxxxxx

Keep on blogging!

Best,
xxxx "

LINK

We were sure of the path we wanted to take, and we have stayed our course. Informative, original and complementary content for world issues and news.

The best is still to come!

We are already working with new exclusive features and the interview series will be starting pretty soon! What other surprises do we have for you? That, my dears, is top secret... but we can assure you we are working hard and that you will all enjoy it.

And again, Thanks for your visits and support!

If you are interested in receiving our newsletter send us an email to info@freakspeaker.com and we will add you to our mailing list!

Anderson Cooper Talks Katrina and Iraq at SMU

Media Credit: John Schreiber

CNN news achnor Anderson Cooper delivers the Jones Day Lecture of the Tate Lecture Series last night in McFarlin Auditorium.

Anderson Cooper gave advice to young journalists and discussed current events at the Jones Day Lecture of the Tate Lecture Series.

Cooper said he had no idea of what he wanted to do when he graduated with a liberal arts degree from Yale. When he asked his mom, Gloria Vanderbilt, for advice, she told him to "follow your bliss."

At the time, Cooper thought the advice was too vague, but now he appreciates what she told him.

After winding his way through jobs at Channel One and ABC News, Cooper was hired at CNN. He currently hosts "Anderson Cooper 360�."

Cooper said his show differs from other cable programs because he tries to present both sides of the story. He said almost anyone could get a cable show now if they are opinionated enough.

"I'm not like most anchors�I don't like to hear myself speak, unlike most, like Lou Dobbs," Cooper said.

He said the cable networks should stop trying to appeal to people's partisanship and instead focus on the facts.

"It seems we're encouraged to see things through our own views," Cooper said.

Cooper, along with NBC's Brian Williams, has become associated with coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

Cooper said he tries to keep the story in the public consciousness by hosting his show from New Orleans periodically.

More than a year later, he says, the Lower Ninth Ward is "like a time capsule of incompetence."

Cooper discussed the saga of trying to get New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to sit down for an interview. Nagin continued canceling on Cooper until one night when CNN found out Nagin was in a bar after telling the network he couldn't go on air due to an emergency meeting.

After that incident Nagin finally sat down, but Cooper said the interview wound up not working out.

"I thought I got a good interview, but when I sat down to log it, it turned out I had nothing," Cooper said.

The situation in Iraq took up the rest of Cooper's time, with him saying each time he goes back the scene on the ground gets worse.

"Iraq is the hardest story to tell right now because it's difficult to travel and get around," he said.

Cooper said planes that land at the Baghdad airport must land in a corkscrew formation, in which the planes get in the airspace and make tight circles down until they land.

When Cooper gets off the plane he said he is taken to a private compound outside the green zone that CNN owns. The network pays for its own guards who are former British special forces members.

Reporting is difficult, Cooper said, because getting to talk to real people is nearly impossible.

"If you are in a neighborhood for more than 15 minutes, the insurgents find out and word spreads and you have to get out," he said.

Earlier in the day, Cooper spoke before one of the largest crowds in Student Forum history. Six hundred students were in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom and nearly 500 were in the Hughes-Trigg Theater watching a simulcast.

The final Tate Lecture of the fall semester is during final exams on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Malcolm Gladwell of The New Yorker will be speaking.

In the News

John King filled in for Anderson Cooper last evening on "AC360". He is always a welcome substitute instead of the "other" John. John King makes my heart skip a beat and I liked his personal observations last night as well. Oh, and nice haircut John!

Also, People magazine announced the Sexiest Man Alive and the winner is....George Clooney. There is only one other salt-n-pepper haired man I would love to see on the cover. Good Morning America weatherman and local NYC favorite, Sam Champion, was among the runner-ups in his category. No signs if Cooper made the cut again this year. Pick up your copy on newsstands Friday.




And this from our good friend Brian Williams at NBC, who spoke at Time's Person of the Year panel discussion yesterday in NYC.

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams made an impassioned case for Time's Person Of The Year during a luncheon today at the Time Life building, and in doing so, positioned himself as an anti-YouTube, anti-iPod, anti-Wiki, anti-blogger evangelist old media guy who loathes what many say has revolutionized the news business: You. "We're choosing cat videos over well thought-out, well-reported evening newscasts," said Williams.NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams made an impassioned case for Time's Person Of The Year during a luncheon today at the Time Life building, and in doing so, positioned himself as an anti-YouTube, anti-iPod, anti-Wiki, anti-blogger evangelist old media guy who loathes what many say has revolutionized the news business: You.

"We're choosing cat videos over well thought-out, well-reported evening newscasts," said Williams. "Look at the shows that do well that don't include dancing ... If we're all blogging, what aren't we reading?"

"I believe it is tearing us apart," Williams said.

Williams called Wikipedia "something that was invented because we feared our existing encyclopedias were too accurate," adding that "civic journalism" — something he loathes — is a "test to the Stengel era."

Fellow panelist Emilio Estevezrong>, who brought a mock Time Person of the Year cover featuring a collage of people to the luncheon, agreed: "It's the best of us, it's the worst of us" and in many ways has "dehumanized" us.

Williams, who helms NBC's Daily Nightly blog, extended his argument to another cultural institution favored by NBC pages: the iPod. "[On the way to work we] put in earbuds to listen to music we already know we love," he said.

Cat video crack aside, Williams came down on YouTube for what would seem to be legitimate uses, such as war video uploaded to YouTube from troops in Iraq.

"I shot video [from Iraq] I would never dream of putting on the air," Williams said. "I think about [those images] when I go to sleep at night."

"Look at the shows that do well that don't include dancing ... If we're all blogging, what aren't we reading?" "I believe it is tearing us apart," Williams said. Williams called Wikipedia "something that was invented because we feared our existing encyclopedias were too accurate," adding that "civic journalism" — something he loathes — is a "test to the Stengel era." Fellow panelist Emilio Estevez, who brought a mock Time Person of the Year cover featuring a collage of people to the luncheon, agreed: "It's the best of us, it's the worst of us" and in many ways has "dehumanized" us.

Williams, who helms NBC's Daily Nightly blog, extended his argument to another cultural institution favored by NBC pages: the iPod. "[On the way to work we] put in earbuds to listen to music we already know we love," he said. Cat video crack aside, Williams came down on YouTube for what would seem to be legitimate uses, such as war video uploaded to YouTube from troops in Iraq. "I shot video [from Iraq] I would never dream of putting on the air," Williams said. "I think about [those images] when I go to sleep at night."

Arabic News Empire Broadcasts in English

Voice of Arab world goes global

Al Jazeera network launches English offshoot, British veteran David Frost to host the flagship talk show

Nov. 14, 2006
MITCH POTTER, MIDDLE EAST BUREAU

AMMAN - After months of false starts, fine-tuning and a protracted in-house battle for the very soul of the channel, Al Jazeera unveils itself in English for all the world to see.

All the world, that is, except North America, where only those with high-speed Internet access can log on to a live video stream of what the often controversial Arabic news empire has put together in its quest to take a global run at the likes of CNN, Fox and the BBC.

With no major carrier yet in the United States and having not even knocked on the door for broadcast approval in Canada, the world's richest English-speaking market would seem a steep uphill battle for Al Jazeera International. At least one group, the conservative watchdog Accuracy in Media, has launched a campaign to ensure it never makes it to air.

But AJI has the patience to match its pocketbook, and the pockets of this iconic television brand are nothing if not deep — as deep as the natural gas reserves of Qatar, whose royal family has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Al Jazeera since its launch 10 years ago.

Though the burgeoning Al Jazeera empire has yet to turn a profit, money seems inconsequential to its royal backers, who have elevated the clout of their tiny emirate on the back of what is now without question the pre-eminent news voice of the Arab world.

Now that money is spilling over to the English side, which launches its operation in high-definition television, replete with a staff of more than 500, including journalists from more than 30 countries feeding to four state-of-the-art broadcast hubs in London; Washington; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and its headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

British broadcaster Sir David Frost is among the marquee talent enlisted for a flagship talk show. Others in the stable include former ABC Nightline journalist Dave Marash and ex-CNN International anchor Riz Khan. Canadians in the mix include former Global anchor Kimberly Halkett, ex-CBC sportscaster Brendan Connor and veteran ABC News correspondent Richard Gizbert.

But Al Jazeera's ambitions to expand globally in English come with in-house growing pains that appear far from resolved. As the new hires rolled in, many of them refugees from U.S. and British networks, the veterans of Al Jazeera's Arabic flagship began to cry foul, fearing the sister station would become nothing more than a CNN retread at the expense of the staunchly Arab perspective on the world.

"It is silly to pretend there were never any disagreements or controversy. It has taken a year of discussions and soul-searching with the staff of the existing Arabic news channel and the new employees to figure out what we want to be," said Lindsey Oliver, the broadcaster's commercial director."What we came to is (a) global channel that will take the spirit of Al Jazeera to the entire world, with the main mission to be the voice of the unheard. That means a focus on reporting not just Middle East issues, but Africa, South America and many parts of Asia."

"The editorial values will be to look under stones for the stories not told, the people not heard, particularly in areas not covered by Western news media in sufficient detail." Oliver pointed to the establishment of 12 news bureaus in Africa alone as proof of AJI's editorial commitment.

India, Pakistan and parts of Europe are expected to be AJI's points of deepest penetration at the outset, although Oliver was reluctant to give details on specific arrangements with broadcast carriers. The biggest challenge will be the United States, where Al Jazeera is battling its most negative stereotypes.

"Some Americans have an almost demonic image of Al Jazeera in their heads, complete with misconceptions and myths that are absolutely not true. The Arabic channel has been accused of showing beheadings, for example, although it never has and it never would," she said. "All we are asking for is to be given a fair hearing. Give us a chance and you will be surprised."

Lawrence Pintak, a former CBS News Middle East correspondent and now director of the Adham Center for Electronic Journalism at the American University in Cairo, has watched Al Jazeera far closer than most. He too thinks the new English channel deserves a chance."Al Jazeera journalists do not wake up every morning and ask themselves, `How can we screw the North Americans today.'

They report from an emphatically Arabic perspective, they are sensational, they use loaded language at times and they do show the kind of graphic images you don't see on North American TV," Pintak told the Star."The analogy is to Fox (News) , in that they present as clear and overt an Arabic perspective as Fox is American."But it should also be noted that they have reduced the sensationalism and rhetoric in recent years. Al Jazeera today has a much greater awareness of the need to do things in a more responsible and balanced way."

Pintak points to coverage of last summer's Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, during which Al Jazeera dropped the word "martyr" in describing civilians killed in the fighting. The decision triggered a backlash from many viewers. Pintak said Al Jazeera's shift toward more responsible journalism was all the more striking given what he called the "bizarre, frustrating and over-hyped" efforts of U.S. cable news outlets to cover the same conflict.

He singled out high-wattage celebrity correspondents Anderson Cooper and John Roberts as emblematic of a fly-in press corps staring across the border into Lebanon, woefully ill-equipped to convey a sense of the nuance on the other side."Lost in the fog of hype and self-aggrandizement on the cable segments was much of the subtle complexity of the conflict," said Pintak. "Instead, it was too often reduced to the black-hat, white-hat characterization that has guided U.S. policy toward the region."Whether AJI will attain better journalistic altitude, Pintak said, remains to be seen."They have a lot of relatively senior Western journalists and I suppose the real test will come when the shit hits the fan. When they step on somebody's toes in a big way, we can watch how they react and that will give us a sense of their perspective on things."

Whether Canadians will eventually be able to tune in remains to be seen as well. AJI's Oliver said the new channel's strategy is to wait until after tomorrow's launch to present an application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. But Al Jazeera headquarters is mindful of the controversial CRTC 2004 ruling that has effectively kept the Arabic flagship off Canadian airwaves.

Though technically the licence was approved, the permission came with a caveat that required carriers to monitor Al Jazeera on a time delay to prevent the dissemination of "abusive" rhetoric.The ruling balanced off objections from the Canadian Jewish Congress. "As a Canadian I am embarrassed by this ruling," said Gizbert, the London-based former ABC News correspondent who will host Listening Post, an independently produced media show. "Basically they gave Al Jazeera the Don Cherry treatment, but they did so knowing full well that no cable carrier in the country would take on a channel knowing it would have to staff there 24 hours a day monitoring in Arabic."

Jesus Doll Rejected

Since we are getting closer to that time of year, I thought I'd share this article with you. As many of you might know, the Marines support a program called "Toys for Tots," which gathers and distributes toys for underprivileged children. The organization is not religious based.
*****

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A talking Jesus doll has been turned down by the Marine Reserves' Toys for Tots program.

A suburban Los Angeles company offered to donate 4,000 of the foot-tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season. The battery-powered Jesus is one of several dolls manufactured by one2believe, a division of the Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., based on Biblical figures.

But the charity balked because of the dolls' religious nature.

Toys are donated to kids based on financial need and "we don't know anything about their background, their religious affiliations," said Bill Grein, vice president of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, in Quantico, Va.

As a government entity, Marines "don't profess one religion over another," Grein said Tuesday. "We can't take a chance on sending a talking Jesus doll to a Jewish family or a Muslim family."

Michael La Roe, director of business development for both companies, said the charity's decision left him "surprised and disappointed."

"The idea was for them to be three-dimensional teaching tools for kids," La Roe said. "I believe as a churchgoing person, anyone can benefit from hearing the words of the Bible."

According to the company's Web site, the button-activated, bearded Jesus, dressed in hand-sewn cloth outfits and sandals, recites Scripture such as "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." It has a $20 retail value.

Grein also questioned whether children would welcome a gift designed for religious instruction. "Kids want a gift for the holiday season that is fun," he said.

The program distributed 18 million stuffed animals, games, toy trucks and other gifts to children in 2005.
*****

Did the Marines make the right decision?

ABC's Elizabeth Vargas Meets Photoshop

How long before we start seeing photos of other various anchors doing things at their desks?

(DRUDGE REPORT)–MARIE CLAIRE Magazine publishes a fake photo of ABCNEWS anchor Elizabeth Vargas -- who appears to be breastfeeding her new baby boy at the anchor desk!

The controversial photo accompanies a Q & A with Vargas in the December issue.

A source close to the anchor says Vargas' is disappointed but has a sense of humor about the whole thing.

"Elizabeth was more than happy to sit for the interview but was disturbed that the magazine would set aside basic journalistic standards to photoshop her head onto a fake image. Vargas did joke that her real baby is cuter, that she is proud to breastfeed her newborn but wouldn't do it at the anchor desk and that she wouldn't be caught dead in that ugly gold blouse!"

A MARIE CLAIRE spokesperson counters: "There isn’t a working mother who can’t relate to this image and immediately identify with the very real dilemma Elizabeth Vargas wrestled with. We do not believe anyone seriously thought she would nurse and report the news the same time! This is an image illustration and is stated so with the byline of this story. We only want to make the point that women choosing between their career and being a parent is a tough decision that we are very sensitive to. We at MARIE CLAIRE think that Vargas is a great journalist and we look forward to watching her on 20/20. We are also grateful for her interview, which we hope reaches the many women who can relate to this serious topic."

Quote of the Day

"It's not that we 'could be' the weaker sex - we are the weaker sex. Even when men and women have the same disease, we often find that men are more likely to die."

– DR. ROBERT TAN, geriatrics specialist in Houston.

Chimp News Network?

We all know how Anderson Cooper loves animals and chimps were at the top of the list last night. Snarky Anderson, my favorite, slams MSNBC...but in all reality they'll take the idea and run with it. Things these days are tough at 30 Rock.


COOPER: All right. Randy, time for "The Shot" today. And we have an unusual newscast out of Japan. We spotted this, of course, on YouTube. You know, they say TV news is so easy even a trained monkey could do it? Well, in this case, it's a chimpanzee. Take a look.

KAYE: Oh, my.

(VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: That's right. It's Chimpanzee News Channel or CNC. It's from Japan. It's a newscast for animals by animals. The anchor is a chimp. His co-anchor is a camel named Pierre Rodriguez, which makes sense. Japanese celebrities come on the show.

A Japanese comedian, of course, is the voice for the chimp. And I just hope the idea doesn't catch on here. Actually, I heard, and I don't know if this is true, Randy. I heard MSNBC is experimenting with this format.

KAYE: Oh, really? Because you know we would never do that here. It's got to be across the street.

COOPER: Yes. Well, you know, they're constantly looking for new programming. So that's what they're onto now.

KAYE: Very nice. I'll leave it there.

COOPER: Probably best.

Thanks to Stillife for the screencap.

Anderson Cooper and the homeless veteran.

I have never been pro military organizations, but with this war I just can't get over the injustifiable sacrifice these men and women are asked to do under false premises and political lies. They are getting killed, wounded and those who make it back home sometimes it is just impossible to get their lives back. Many soldiers are from underpriviledged poor minorities that see the military as their only way out to improve their life and those of their families. When they return, the things they have to face are far from helping them improve their situation and ways of life.
Last Friday's story just broke my heart. It was great watching AC doing this feature, and much better that CNN actually could help this veteran getting his benefits. Contrary to the hatred that veterans from the Vietnam war faced back in the '70s, this time around most people understand the stupidity of the Bush / Cheney / Rumsfield, and I trully hope they will face international law courts for their crimes. Because it is not only the desicions they make on a day by day for the war, but it is the lack of proper equipment for their troops, and how they turn their back to them when they return.



Video Credit: Marie
And for more information you can check out Eliza's blog AC360 review in our link section

No Rights

By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago


WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said Monday that Guantanamo Bay prisoners have no right to challenge their detentions in civilian courts and that lawsuits by hundreds of detainees should be dismissed.

In court documents filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Justice Department defended the military's authority to arrest people overseas and detain them indefinitely without access to courts.

It's the first time that argument has been spelled out since President Bush signed a law last month setting up military commissions for the thousands of foreigners being held in U.S. prisons abroad.

Bush hailed the law as a crucial tool in the war on terrorism and said it would allow prosecution of several high-level terror suspects.

Human rights groups and attorneys for the detainees say the law is unconstitutional. Prisoners normally have the right to challenge their imprisonment.

The Justice Department said Monday that the detainees have no constitutional rights. Giving military detainees access to civilian courts "would severely impair the military's ability to defend this country," government attorneys wrote.

"Congress could have simply withdrawn jurisdiction over these matters and left the decision of whether to detain enemy aliens held abroad to the military," the Justice Department wrote.

Instead, the new military commission structure established "unprecedented" levels of review for detainees, the attorneys wrote.
****

I love watching my government trample other people's human rights.

According to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

No rights, eh?

(Go here for the rest of the UN's Declaration.)

Anderson Cooper Headed to Iraq?

The word on the street is that CNN's Anderson Cooper is headed to Iraq in the next couple of weeks. Hey, I was fine sending John Roberts...not so down with sending Coop. Although, that might mean more face time for Michael Ware and I do love his reporting...

Reporters in Iraq face snipers, roadside bombs and kidnappings

By DAVID RISING
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) _ Western journalists covering the war in Iraq face sniper fire, roadside bombs, kidnappers and a host of other dangers. Their Iraqi colleagues must cope with even greater risks, including families attacked in retribution for sensitive reporting, and arrest on suspicion of links to the violence journalists cover.

At least 85 journalists -- mostly Iraqis -- have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 -- more than in either Vietnam or World War II. The security situation is getting progressively worse, and 2006 has been the deadliest year yet, with at least 25 journalists killed to date.

Gunmen carried out the deadliest attack yet on the media on Thursday. Some two dozen armed men, some in police uniform, stormed the downtown Baghdad headquarters of a new satellite television station, killing the board chairman and 10 others.

The motive for the attack on Shaabiya TV was not clear, though there were signs it was carried out by Shiite militiamen. Sunnis say the militias often have help from police. In its few short broadcasts, the station played nationalist music against the U.S. occupation, perhaps prompting militiamen to assume it sympathized with Sunni insurgents.

"Iraq is the most dangerous assignment in the world right now for journalists," said Joel Campagna, head of the Mideast desk of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based media rights group that keeps the count.

"There really aren't any battle lines. The danger begins right outside your door," he said.

Covering any war is dangerous, and journalists have been killed or wounded in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Bosnia and other recent conflicts -- in addition to 66 in Vietnam, 17 in Korea and 68 during World War II.

Western journalists have been targeted in Iraq by insurgents who consider them little different from combatants. Baghdad's Palestine Hotel -- where many media organizations, including The Associated Press, have been based -- was attacked several times including in a triple suicide vehicle bombing last October claimed by al-Qaida in Iraq.

On Wednesday, the body of a Kurdish radio reporter was identified at the Baghdad morgue. Azad Mohammed Hussein was abducted Oct.3 in Baghdad while on his way to Dar al-Salam radio headquarters, and his body was found dumped on Tuesday.

One of Iraq's best-known television journalists, Atwar Bahjat, and two of her colleagues were abducted and slain while reporting on an explosion in February at a mosque in Samarra.

Not all the threats faced by Iraqi journalists come from the insurgents.

In September, Kalshan al-Bayati, whose reporting had been critical of security forces in Tikrit, was arrested twice by the Iraqi army for alleged terrorist links, and remains in custody.

AP photographer Bilal Hussein was detained in April and remains in U.S. custody without any charges against him.

According to CPJ, at least eight journalists have been detained for weeks or months by Iraqi and coalition forces. They include employees of CBS News, Reuters, the AP and Agence France-Presse among others. At least four of the detentions have exceeded 100 days, Campagna said.

In the early months of the war, Western journalists could move about in relative safety in cities like Baghdad, Mosul and even Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit armed with nothing more than a notepad and a pen.

Before the resumption of commercial flights, most journalists arrived in Baghdad by car, either traveling north from Kuwait or east from Jordan along a route that took them near current insurgent hotbeds such as Ramadi and Fallujah.

All that changed in 2004 with an increase in violence, kidnapping and slaying of Westerners. Journalists from the United States, Poland, Japan, Italy and France were kidnapped or killed.

In January, Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll was abducted by Sunni extremists and freed unharmed 82 days later.

With security in a free-fall, news organizations have taken on extra measures to protect their staff while still reporting as best they can on a complex and violent conflict.

Some journalists, including most freelancers, have left the country. Those news organizations that remain use a handful of U.S. and other Western staffers and rely heavily on their Iraqi reporters, who venture out to the scenes of bombings, suicide attacks and gunfights at great risk.

"The Western reporter has some training on how to cover events in hot areas -- he has better knowledge on when to appear and when to vanish, when there is a danger while covering the news," said Qais al-Azawi, chief editor of Baghdad's al-Jareeda newspaper.

"Moreover, the Western reporters have better protection equipment such as flak jackets. The Iraqi reporters do not have such privileges," he said.

Western journalists, including those from The Associated Press, often live and work in guarded compounds, most outside the U.S.-controlled Green Zone. They venture out to report but usually with armed security escorts.

Security measures to protect staff have driven up costs.

Dexter Filkins, who spent nearly three years covering Iraq for The New York Times, said in a recent talk that his newspaper goes through money like "jet fuel" to protect its reporters in Iraq.

With travel sharply limited, many news organizations, including the AP, periodically embed reporters with U.S. military units. But the number of embeds has waned in recent months from hundreds at a time in the early months of the way to an average of 15 over recent weeks, according to Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a U.S. military spokesman.

Out in the field, non-embedded journalists are often at scenes of violence and are regularly among the first people there, which can lead to confusion, Johnson said. Insurgents are also known to take videos and pictures of their own attacks to use as future propaganda, and Johnson said soldiers are well within their rights to detain people at the scenes of violence to ensure that they are truly journalists.

"It's a very, very difficult environment and we would rather have our troops be safe by detaining and questioning somebody on why they are there, than let them go and find out they were complicit," Johnson said.

Al-Azawi, the chief editor of al-Jareeda, said in a telephone interview from Paris he is spending more and more time at his home in France for his own safety.

"The warring factions in the country do not respect any law that calls for the protection of the journalists," he said. "Journalism is the most dangerous occupation in Iraq now."

Univ. of Buffalo Welcomed Anderson Cooper. Who Wouldn't?

Full circle with Anderson Cooper

REBECCA REEVES AND BRIANNA SIEBER - News Editor and Staff Writer, The Spectrum

The host of the award-winning, self-titled CNN news program "Anderson Cooper 360˚" took a break from the teleprompter this Saturday to offer insight on political and world affairs as part of UB's 20th Annual Distinguished Speaker Series.

Cooper joked that he didn't know what to talk about, so he sent UB alumnus Wolf Blitzer an e-mail message asking for ideas. Pulling out his Blackberry, Cooper read Blitzer's response, including "go Bills," "go Sabres," chicken wings, beef on weck and Bocce's pizza. It ended with "avoid all jokes about snow, they're very sensitive."

Then delving into his background and drive as a reporter who has covered atrocities in Somalia, Darfur, Rwanda and Iraq — "propelled to expose the world's dirtiest truths," in his own words — Cooper made a quick transition from punch lines to headlines.

In addition to his overseas reporting, the CNN anchor also spoke on catastrophes faced here in the US, specifically Hurricane Katrina. Politicians called it an unpredictable disaster, but Cooper disagreed, explaining that the constant praise that politicians gave each other in the aftermath was frustrating and difficult to those affected by the devastation.

"Reporting is more important now than ever," he said, citing alleged corruption surrounding New Orleans as a primary reason.

Cooper said that although victims were told that the Civic Center had food, water and medical attention, when people arrived there was no help for them. He then went on to tell the story of a young man who had brought his mother in a wheelchair to the Civic Center, where the 91-year-old woman had "survived the storm, only to die in its aftermath."

While people are appreciative of his coverage on Hurricane Katrina, Cooper said people still stop him in the street and beg him not to let the world forget about New Orleans.

"In many ways it is like a time capsule," he said. "I hope none of us ever forgets what happened there."

Calling out politicians on their response to Hurricane Katrina, Cooper said that even today they still do not accept blame for their mistakes or give answers to the burning questions to which the public needs answers.

"Politicians give responses, not answers," Cooper said.

He then discussed tactics of presidential candidates during elections, joking that every time Kerry said the word "Vietnam," college students took a shot, and each time Bush used the phrase "flip-flop," they put back two. He also, however, emphasized that voter apathy is a serious issue.

"Voting is the key," he said. "Unless you vote, nobody's going to care."

During a question and answer session, a volunteer of the Peace Corps asked why Cooper didn't cover more stories on the overwhelming problems of HIV and AIDS in Africa.

Cooper responded that while he personally believes it is a crisis that needs to be addressed, the only stories that get reported on are those that people will watch. Unfortunately, Cooper said, people in the US aren't interested in these topics and won't watch shows on them.

Sophomore psychology major Stella Kanchewa came to see Cooper speak due to what she said was his impartial and straightforward reporting.

"I came because I respect his objective news casting," Kanchewa said. "I feel like a lot of the news that's given to us is partisan and one-sided, and we deserve better than that."

When asked who the top three people he would most want to interview would be, Cooper fell back on the wit that made him popular early in his career — his response was "K-Fed." Then — after quickly explaining who "K-Fed" (Kevin Federline, husband of pop star Britney Spears) was — Cooper recalled an interview he had done with an African woman who was gang-raped in front of her children and then forced to leave her home when her husband learned of the incident.

The anchor said it was people like this woman that he would want to interview, to find out how she was doing now.

Karen Flaig, a sophomore speech and hearing science major, was thrilled by Cooper's speech.

"He was absolutely wonderful, funny, intelligent and very humble," Flaig said. "He was far more inspiring than the Dalai Lama, I really want to go out and make a difference."

Keeping Memories Alive

This article was sent to me from a kind reader. Thank you for your submission! As always, we welcome any input from our audience.
****

The event described in this article took place this afternoon.

Operation Photo Rescue: Keeping Memories Alive for Katrina Victims

by Steve Cannizaro

Dave Ellis, a photo editor with a newspaper in Fredericksburg, Va., helped start up a non-profit group to try to restore photographs after he saw a picture of someone trying to clean a photo damaged in Hurricane Katrina’s flood water.

Ellis is co-president of a group, Operation Photo Rescue, which has been to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and to Jefferson Parish. But on Sunday from 2-5:30 p.m. representatives of the organization will be in Chalmette to gather storm-damaged pictures from the public for free restoration. The event will be held at 2010 West Beauregard Street, behind the First Baptist Church which is in the 300 block of East St. Bernard Highway.

OPR makes digital copies of damaged originals which are restored by some 900 volunteer members of a network that now spans 25 countries, Ellis said.

Once completed, the restoration is printed out and sent back to the image owner. This service is provided completely free of charge. OPR will take up to five photos from each individual or family. There is a limit to what level of damage can be restored, Ellis said, so residents are encouraged to bring what they can. The most salvageable images from each individual or family will be copied for restoration.

To date, he said, OPR has collected over 2,500 images from more than 500 victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Ellis said that as a photo editor in Virginia he saw a picture of a Hurricane Katrina victim trying to clean a damaged photo and he and others decided to put together a network where people with the computer skills to restore photos to try to help others.

“I looked at it as a way to use my skills to pitch in and help,’’ Ellis said. “Our slogan is insurance doesn’t restore memories gut we do.’’The most rewarding part of doing the restoration is being able to meet people and hear their stories, he said, although there are times it is emotional when the only photos someone has are damaged beyond restoration.

For more information, the group’s website can be reached here. Ellis can be reached at dellis@operationphotorescues.com or by cell at 540.834.8050.

Respecting Privacy Guidelines

By Bob Steele

When does the free flow of information that serves the public good outweigh the rights of individuals to personal privacy? That is a balancing act journalists regularly face.

Sometimes that question is applied to public officials who are accused of wrongdoing that involves their personal behavior.

Sometimes the privacy issue involves celebrities who seek media attention and bask in the spotlight, only to reject news coverage when it might tarnish their images.

And sometimes the privacy concerns apply to average citizens who are suddenly caught in the news by virtue of a tragedy or their connection to an otherwise newsworthy event.

The decisions individual journalists and news organizations make on these matters can have profound consequences. The challenge for journalists is to be professionally skilled and appropriately aggressive in seeking meaningful information that serves a legitimate public need to know, while being respectful and compassionate to those whose personal privacy may be intruded upon.

Journalists should ask themselves some important questions as they balance this public need to know with an individual’s right to privacy.

What is my journalistic purpose in seeking this information? In reporting it?
Does the public have a justifiable need to know? Or is this matter just one in which some want to know?
How much protection does this person deserve? Is this person a public official, public figure, or celebrity? Is this person involved in the news event by choice or by chance?
What is the nature of harm I might cause by intruding on someone’s privacy?
Can I cause considerable harm to someone just by asking questions, observing activity, or obtaining information even if I never actually report the story?
How can I better understand this person’s vulnerability and desire for privacy? Can I make a better decision by talking with this person?
What alternative approaches can I take in my reporting and my storytelling to minimize the harm of privacy invasion while still fulfilling my journalistic duty to inform the public? For instance, can I leave out some "private" matters while still accurately and fairly reporting the story? Or can I focus more on a system failure issue rather than reporting intensely on one individual?

About the Author:

Nelson Poynter Scholar for Journalism Values and Senior Ethics Faculty

Leads the Institute’s initiative in strengthening sound values in the practice of excellent journalism. Teaches practical applications to values challenges. Advises media leaders and coaches journalists on real-time values and ethics dilemmas. Connects Poynter with senior executives on issues of journalism and business values. Facilitates strategic thinking and planning sessions.
Directed Poynter's ethics programs for 14 years. Led ethics, values, and critical thinking workshops for more than 75 newspapers, television stations, and media groups. Researches, reports, and writes about values issues and the tough choices faced by media leaders. Author of numerous articles, columns, case studies, guidelines, and book chapters on journalism ethics and on values and leadership. Co-authored discussion guides and ethics workbooks for ASNE and RTNDF. Ten years of experience as reporter, executive producer, and news director for television stations in Maine and Iowa. B.A., economics, DePauw University; M.S. television-radio, Syracuse University; Ph.D., mass communications, University of Iowa, with dissertation on journalism ethics.

CNN'S 'Gay' Slash

CNN has censored their transcripts...again. Bill Maher 'outed' RNC Chairmen Ken Melman on Larry King Live last week.

And before we start throwing words like 'slander' around, let's remember that this wasn't the first time Melman had been outed. He was outed in an issue of Esquire magazine last year, and has made public statements that dispute his alleged lifestyle and referenced no less than three stories in six months that drew speculation to his sexuality.

While not a fan of speculation, I'm even less of a fan of censorship. CNN has a history of changing the record. After allegedly making a reference to his own questionable sexuality, CNN supposedly changed the transcript of an Anderson Cooper interview that he conducted with Jerry Falwell. As we've seen with several republicans in the last few months, my position of where there is smoke, there is fire stands on Melman and others.

Here is the original transcript and the complete story below:

Bill Maher: A lot of the chiefs of staff, the people who really run the underpinnings of the Republican Party, are gay. I don’t want to mention names, but I will Friday night...

Larry King: You will Friday night?

BM: Well, there’s a couple of big people who I think everyone in Washington knows who run the Republican...

LK: You will name them?

BM: Well, I wouldn’t be the first. I’d get sued if I was the first. Ken Mehlman. Okay, there’s one I think people have talked about. I don’t think he’s denied it when he’s been, people have suggested, he doesn’t say...r>
LK: I never heard that. I’m walking around in a fog. I never...Ken Mehlman? I never heard that. But the question is...

BM: Maybe you don’t go to the same bathhouse I do, Larry.

November 11, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - Comedian Bill Maher's malicious snipe on the "Larry King Show" that Republican Party boss Ken Mehlman is gay was pulled from CNN when it aired in later time zones and expunged from transcripts.

After telling King Wednesday night that the GOP was secretly run by hypocritical gays, Maher turned his tongue on Mehlman - after a little prodding from King, who asked for the names of the homosexuals to whom Maher was referring. </p>

"Ken Mehlman, OK, there's one I think people have talked about. I don't think he's denied it when people have suggested it," Maher said.

Viewers on the East Coast saw Maher's slap, but his comment was edited out when the program aired in later time zones.

And CNN's transcript of the interview wipes out the line, saying: "A portion of this transcript has been removed."

The blogosphere erupted over Maher's smackdown on Mehlman, drawing kudos from liberals and a rebuke from conservatives.

Mehlman, who stepped down as Republican boss yesterday in the wake of his party's landslide defeat on Election Day, could not be reached for comment.

A spokeswoman for King's Los Angeles-based program did not return a call from The Post.

Video clips of Maher's quip were posted on YouTube.

Maher's slap at Mehlman came at the end of a diatribe accusing the GOP of hypocrisy for gay bashing.

"A lot of chiefs of staff, the people who really run the underpinnings of the Republican Party, are gay. I don't want to mention names, but I will on Friday night," Maher said.

"There's a couple of big people who I think everyone in Washington knows who run the Republican Party," Maher said, before King interjected and asked if he'd name them.

"Well, I wouldn't be the first. I'd get sued if I was the first," he said, and then pivoted to Mehlman.

Only the two sentences directly targeting Mehlman were edited out and pulled from the transcript.