The Senate Intelligence Committee failed to reach final agreement on Thursday on a proposal that would expand the Federal Bureau of Investigation's powers to demand records and monitor mailings in terror investigations, but officials said they were confident that the committee would come to a consensus on the issue.
The committee met in private for two and a half hours amid continuing complaints from civil liberties advocates and some Democrats that the proposal would give federal investigators too much power to conduct "fishing expeditions" in pursuing terrorism leads. Senate Republican leaders and the Bush administration, who are backing the proposal, say it provides the F.B.I. with essential tools in fighting terrorism.
The above is from Eric Lichtblau's "Little Progress in Bid to Extend Patriot Act" inside this morning's New York Times.
That's an A16 story. On the front page we get some lifestyle-trend stories (surrogates having children for same-sex couples which is hardly breaking news for this decade, the last decade or the one before) and the rise in home entertainment (ditto). (Note to Laura M. Holson and the Times, everytime you do another story on the 'collapse' of the box office, you only negate your efforts to, for instance, kiss David Geffen's ass as you attempt to get that toe hold in Los Angeles.
If Holson knows her subject -- big if to many -- she needs to start noting the economy in these type of stories if she must run them. But not even Entertainment Weekly would run a "health at the box office" series on Memorial Day weekend.)
So what does it matter when lifestyle and trend stories make the front page?
Gina Kolata is a front page survivor. On April 20th, her article "Some Extra Heft May Be Helpful, New Study Say" appeared on the front page. Which of course means it was picked up by NPR (Morning Edition -- and became the source of the kind of ha-ha morning chat you'd expect from one of the television networks, not NPR). Kolata did note that it was a study (one) and that the findings were preliminary (e.g. no peer based review).
But why did that story ever appear on the front page to begin with?
One study and the Times front pages it? They're still dealing with that story. For instance, over a month later, today they run "Study Tying Longer Life to Extra Pounds Draws Fire." This is also by Gina Kolata and here's an excerpt:
The study under attack was published last month by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. It concluded that people who are overweight but not obese have a lower death risk than people of normal weight. The scientists also reported that being very thin increased the risk of death, even if the thinness was longstanding and not due to illness.
In a seminar and news conference yesterday at the public health school, in Boston, the critics said other studies, including their own, had found that the death risk from excess pounds increased continuously from normal weight to overweight to obesity.
What goes on the front page gets attention. This topic, originally, made the front page. A single study with no peer review made the front page. Now the peer review is coming and the paper buries the story inside.
Maybe the answer is to move away from putting lifestyle and trend stories on the front page?
Now let's note Thom Shanker's "Inquiry by U.S. Finds 5 Cases of Koran Harm:"
An American military inquiry has uncovered five instances in which guards or interrogators at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba mishandled the Koran, but found "no credible evidence" to substantiate claims that it was ever flushed down a toilet, the chief of the investigation said on Thursday.
All but one of the five incidents appear to have taken place before January 2003. In three cases, the mishandling of the Koran appears to have been deliberate, and in two it was accidental or unintentional, the commander said, adding that four cases involved guards, and one an interrogator. Two service members have been punished for their conduct, one recently.
Billie e-mails to note Anne Kornblutt's "Treasurer of Texas Group Is Fined Nearly $200,000:"
A Texas judge ruled on Thursday that the treasurer of a political action committee formed by United States Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, broke campaign finance laws as the group propelled the party into power in the Texas House in 2002.
The judgment awarded nearly $200,000 to five Democrats who were ousted by Republican candidates backed by Texans for a Republican Majority, the political committee founded by Mr. DeLay to help win control of the Legislature.
This story (and the one on Koran abuse)? Front page or inside the paper? If you guessed inside the paper, you are correct.
Laura M. Holson can tell you about Matthew Khalil, "a senior at" UCLA, who prefers his popcorn and movies at home on the front page. Actual news (and Holson has no grasp of the cycles of the box office so the half-baked story can't be justified that way) is shoved inside. The result is tongues wag about Holson (with jokes about her trolling around UCLA) and real news doesn't get attention.
An Associated Press story set in Ohio (I'm finding it hard to believe Albert Salvato was too busy to cover this for the Times -- maybe the paper's waiting to dispatch Tom Zeller Jr. to mock and insist it's all "tin foil hat time" again?), "Trouble Over State Investment in Coins Is Deepening in Ohio" captures Zach's attention if not the Times'. From the article:
The focus of the investigation is Tom Noe, a private coin dealer and Republican donor who led the coin investment. Democrats have alleged that Mr. Noe was awarded the state's business in return for campaign contributions to Republicans, who control most of state government.
Officials do not know what assets are missing or where those items are supposed to be, said a bureau spokesman, Jeremy Jackson. Investigators went into Mr. Noe's coin shop under a court order issued Thursday morning, but were not able to remove coins from their cases to inspect them and verify their authenticity, Mr. Jackson said.
The bureau had made $15.3 million from the investments, while Mr. Noe has collected about $3.8 million in commission.
Trevor e-mails to note Jim Yardley's "A Crescent of Water Is Slowly Sinking Into the Desert:"
In this desert oasis where East once met West and that is home to one of the world's greatest shrines to Buddhism, the water is disappearing. Crescent Lake has dropped more than 25 feet in the last three decades while the underground water table elsewhere in the area has fallen by as much as 35 feet.
[. . .]
"I would call it an ecological crisis," said Zhang Mingquan, a professor at Lanzhou University who specializes in the region's hydrology. "The problem is the human impact. People are overusing the amount of water that the area can sustain."
Francisco e-mails to suggest that, on the topic of the Bolton blockage, we read the entry at A Winding Road. Here's an excerpt from "Senate Dems Delay (ie Filibuster) Bolton Confirmation:"
Well, the Democrats are doing something right, at least. Today they blocked a final vote on John Bolton's confirmation as Ambassador to the United Nations. They aren't pledging to filibuster the nomination for good, unfortunately, though they really should be. The filibuster is intended for exactly this sort of situation, in which a dominant majority is trying to confirm someone who is grievously wrong for the job.
What they are doing, though, is filibustering Bolton (though they're not actually using the F word!) until the State Department comes through with crucial documents it's been withholding from the Senate. These documents are directly related to Bolton's suitability for the job that Bush has nominated him to and by withholding them, the State Department is attempting to thwart the Senate's very real responsibility to Advice and Consent.
Ben e-mails to note Douglas Jehl's "Democrats Force Senate to Delay a Vote on Bolton:"
The move put off until at least June 7, when the Senate returns from its Memorial Day break, any decision on Mr. Bolton's nomination, and it set Democrats and Republicans in the Senate at odds once again just three days after they reached a compromise intended to avert filibusters on judicial nominations. Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, described himself as "very, very disappointed" by what Senator Harry Reid, the top Democrat, conceded was the "first filibuster of the year."
Kelli wonders if this will lead the Bully Boy to make a recess appointment.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
Friday, May 27, 2005
NYT: "Plan to Gather Student Data Draws Fire" (Michael Janofsky)
As the Senate moves to complete the spending bill for the Higher Education Act next month, a growing number of organizations concerned about privacy rights are fighting a Department of Education plan that would require colleges and universities to place personal information on individual students into a national database maintained by the government.
If included in the spending measure, the plan would radically change current practice by requiring schools to provide personal information on all students, not just those receiving federal aid.
The above is from Michael Janofsky's "Plan to Gather Student Data Draws Fire" in this morning's New York Times.
Wally e-mails to note Julia Preston's "Judge Says U.S. Must Release Prison Photos:"
A federal judge in New York told the Defense Department yesterday that it would have to release perhaps dozens of photographs taken by an American soldier of Iraqi detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
The judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein, said at a hearing that photographs would be the "best evidence" in the public debate about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib. The hearing, in Federal District Court in Manhattan, came in a Freedom of Information Act suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union to obtain material about military prisons in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In other Iraq court news, note the Associated Press story entitled "Solider Charged In Iraqi Killing Is Acquitted" and John DeSantis' "Marine Accused of Murder In Iraqis' Deaths Is Cleared" (both of which appear on A17).
Kara e-mails to note Raymond Bonner's "U.S. Embassy in Indonesia Closes as Web Site Plots an Attack:"
The United States Embassy was closed here on Thursday because of what officials would describe only as an unspecified security threat. But a Western counterterrorism official and a private security analyst said the decision had been made after a diagram of the embassy and details of how best to carry out an attack were posted on a Web site.
The diagram, which was posted on www.Istimata.co.nr by a group calling itself the Brigade Istimata International, showed the location of the ambassador's office, surveillance cameras and heat detectors.
[. . .]
Despite the embassy closing on Thursday, counterterrorism officials say that the threat of a terrorist attack has diminished here.
Seeming to underscore this, the Jakarta International School, which most American students attend and which has been a potential terrorist target in the past, remained open on Thursday, as did the American Recreation Club, where embassy personnel and their families swim and play tennis.
Kara notes that if Bonner's in the Friday paper, that "just leave Scott Shane to save us from the Attack of Lifestyle Stories in Saturday's paper."
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
If included in the spending measure, the plan would radically change current practice by requiring schools to provide personal information on all students, not just those receiving federal aid.
The above is from Michael Janofsky's "Plan to Gather Student Data Draws Fire" in this morning's New York Times.
Wally e-mails to note Julia Preston's "Judge Says U.S. Must Release Prison Photos:"
A federal judge in New York told the Defense Department yesterday that it would have to release perhaps dozens of photographs taken by an American soldier of Iraqi detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
The judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein, said at a hearing that photographs would be the "best evidence" in the public debate about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib. The hearing, in Federal District Court in Manhattan, came in a Freedom of Information Act suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union to obtain material about military prisons in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In other Iraq court news, note the Associated Press story entitled "Solider Charged In Iraqi Killing Is Acquitted" and John DeSantis' "Marine Accused of Murder In Iraqis' Deaths Is Cleared" (both of which appear on A17).
Kara e-mails to note Raymond Bonner's "U.S. Embassy in Indonesia Closes as Web Site Plots an Attack:"
The United States Embassy was closed here on Thursday because of what officials would describe only as an unspecified security threat. But a Western counterterrorism official and a private security analyst said the decision had been made after a diagram of the embassy and details of how best to carry out an attack were posted on a Web site.
The diagram, which was posted on www.Istimata.co.nr by a group calling itself the Brigade Istimata International, showed the location of the ambassador's office, surveillance cameras and heat detectors.
[. . .]
Despite the embassy closing on Thursday, counterterrorism officials say that the threat of a terrorist attack has diminished here.
Seeming to underscore this, the Jakarta International School, which most American students attend and which has been a potential terrorist target in the past, remained open on Thursday, as did the American Recreation Club, where embassy personnel and their families swim and play tennis.
Kara notes that if Bonner's in the Friday paper, that "just leave Scott Shane to save us from the Attack of Lifestyle Stories in Saturday's paper."
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Friday, May 27th, 5:00 p.m. DC Anti War Network (DAWN) and CodePink demonstrate outside Georgia Avenue miltary recruiting station
??? e-mails Zachary Lown's "Demonstration to Expose Recruiter's Lies in Silver Spring Friday"
from DC Indymedia:
On May 27th
at 5pm
the DC Anti War Network (DAWN)
in conjunction with Code Pink
will demonstrate in front of the Georgia Avenue military recruiting station
to expose the lies and predatory aims of military recruiters.
(Please see below for directions.)
For those of us in DC who are parents or students, for those of us who have family members or friends in the military or know someone who is thinking about joining, we have a responsibility to unmask these military salesmen as they attempt to lure DC’s youth into an unjust and illegal war. All are encouraged to join us in this action.
As the United States government finds itself sinking increasingly deeper into a classic colonial quagmire in Iraq the ranks of the soldiers being used to occupy the country are continuously thinning. With military recruitment down the US is desperate to get more boots on the ground. This has increased pressure on military recruiters who will lie and manipulate young people so as to draft them into the army.
Young people are being targeted as never before as military recruiters are invading public schools, shopping centers and playgrounds. Yet even as their sales pitch rises to a crescendo military recruiters are being confronted by students across the country. From Seattle to Connecticut high school and college students are chasing recruiters off of their campuses in a movement that has come to be known as "counter recruitment."
On January 20th at Seattle Central Community College over 300 students surrounded a military recruiting stand forcing the recruiters off campus. Jorge Torres and Darrin Hoop from Students Against War in Seattle describe the event, "The hapless recruiters tried to act as if the crowd wasn’t bothering them and continued to pass out their literature. Students ripped it up in their faces and threw it in the air like confetti. Others tore off their tablecloth and pounded on the table. After fifteen minutes the recruiters were escorted off campus. The crowd followed behind, chanting 'Don’t come back!', and 'You should be ashamed!'" Students are reporting similar actions in places like the University of Texas in Austin, City Community College in New York, and Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts.
[. . .]
The station is located three blocks from the Silver Spring Metro at the intersection of Silver Spring Ave. and Georgia Ave. From the South Side Metro Exit, walk one block east on Bonifant St. to Georgia Avenue, then right 2 blocks to the recruiting station. Driving on Georgia Ave. from DC, the recruiting station is on the left, about two blocks past East-West Highway (Rt. 410).
See also:
http://www.dawndc.net
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
from DC Indymedia:
On May 27th
at 5pm
the DC Anti War Network (DAWN)
in conjunction with Code Pink
will demonstrate in front of the Georgia Avenue military recruiting station
to expose the lies and predatory aims of military recruiters.
(Please see below for directions.)
For those of us in DC who are parents or students, for those of us who have family members or friends in the military or know someone who is thinking about joining, we have a responsibility to unmask these military salesmen as they attempt to lure DC’s youth into an unjust and illegal war. All are encouraged to join us in this action.
As the United States government finds itself sinking increasingly deeper into a classic colonial quagmire in Iraq the ranks of the soldiers being used to occupy the country are continuously thinning. With military recruitment down the US is desperate to get more boots on the ground. This has increased pressure on military recruiters who will lie and manipulate young people so as to draft them into the army.
Young people are being targeted as never before as military recruiters are invading public schools, shopping centers and playgrounds. Yet even as their sales pitch rises to a crescendo military recruiters are being confronted by students across the country. From Seattle to Connecticut high school and college students are chasing recruiters off of their campuses in a movement that has come to be known as "counter recruitment."
On January 20th at Seattle Central Community College over 300 students surrounded a military recruiting stand forcing the recruiters off campus. Jorge Torres and Darrin Hoop from Students Against War in Seattle describe the event, "The hapless recruiters tried to act as if the crowd wasn’t bothering them and continued to pass out their literature. Students ripped it up in their faces and threw it in the air like confetti. Others tore off their tablecloth and pounded on the table. After fifteen minutes the recruiters were escorted off campus. The crowd followed behind, chanting 'Don’t come back!', and 'You should be ashamed!'" Students are reporting similar actions in places like the University of Texas in Austin, City Community College in New York, and Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts.
[. . .]
The station is located three blocks from the Silver Spring Metro at the intersection of Silver Spring Ave. and Georgia Ave. From the South Side Metro Exit, walk one block east on Bonifant St. to Georgia Avenue, then right 2 blocks to the recruiting station. Driving on Georgia Ave. from DC, the recruiting station is on the left, about two blocks past East-West Highway (Rt. 410).
See also:
http://www.dawndc.net
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
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