E-reader News Edition
com
Private Companies Need Ticker Symbols Too
Fred Wilson (Business
Insider)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:27:30 AM
When you want to look up
information on publicly traded
companies, it helps to know the
ticker symbol. Microsft's ticker
is MSFT, Google's ticker is
GOOG, Apple's ticker is AAPL.
Every publicly traded company
has a ticker.
But private companies don't
have tickers. And as more and
more private companies are
attaining status and drawing the
attention of mainstream media
and the investment community,
it is time for that to change.
Yesterday Stocktwits and
Second Market proposed a set of
tickers for popular privately
held companies. The proposed
list of tickers is here.
I'd like to see services like
Tracked.com(a portfolio
company of ours), Google
Finance, Yahoo Finance,
Crunchbase, Wikinvest, and
their competitors adopt these
tickers. If everyone supported
the TWIT symbol for Twitter,
the FBOOK symbol for
- 28/08/10 http://www.LibertyNewspost.
Stocktwits and Second Market
gains traction with the other
web services that aggregate
information on private and
public companies. I'll do my
part by tweeting with these
tickers (using the $ticker
standard set by Stocktwits)
This Week's
when I talk about private
companies on Twitter. I hope Awesome
others will do the same.
Fred Wilson is a partner at
Union Square Ventures. He
Mobile Apps
Kyle VanHemert and Casey
writes the influential A VC, Chan (Business Insider)
where this post was originally
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:40:00 AM
published.
Join the conversation about this In this week's rootin' tootin'
story » roundup: Gmail, pushed!
See Also: Don Draper, emulated!
Facebook, and the SKYPE datasets. It is a critical service
• VC Deal Syndication Is Great, Phantasy Star II, had on your
symbol for Skype it would make f o r l a r g e b a n k s , b r o k e r s ,
But Someone Needs To Own iPhone!
it a lot easier to aggregate accountants, consultants, law
The Deal Pets, rescued!
financial and other information firms, and other knowledge
• Entrepreneurs: Show Off Your Netflix instant queue,
on these companies. driven industries.
Your Startup To VCs At The chewed through at any and
I have been an investor and on Unique identifiers are so
Web 2.0 Expo In NYC every moment!
the board of a company called helpful when you are trying to
• How To Know Whether To And much, much more!
Alacra for over ten years. We make sense of large amounts of
Go After Angel Investors Or Click here to see the newest
made the investment in the data. It is particularly helpful in
VCs awesome iPhone and Android
Flatiron partnership. One of the case of company specific
A l a c r a ' s m o s t s u c c e s s f u l information and it is also apps
Join the conversation about this
services is called Concordance. expected in the investment
They manage symbology for community. story »
large enterprises with large So I hope this effort by
2 Headline/
Washington Extra — Beck, Bernanke and baseball
Simon Denyer (Front Row
Washington)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:33:46 PM
An “American miracle” or an
“exercise in self-
aggrandizement on a
Napoleonic scale”?
No, I am not talking about
Reuters Washington Extra, but
Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor
rally which is due to take place
on the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial on Saturday. Beck,
never one to hide his light under
a bushel, has described
tomorrow’s event as “a
defibrillator to the heart of
America”, “the Woodstock of
the next generation”, and “the
turning point” in American
history. Eugene Robinson in
today’s Washington Post was
less optimistic about the rally
and its “egomaniacal” host, who
will be speaking a few steps
down from where Martin Luther
King gave his “I Have a Dream”
speech on the same day in 1963.
Washington Extra is not taking
sides.
Ben Bernanke’s speech at the
Federal Reserve conference in
Jackson Hole was considerably
less dramatic than Beck’s is
likely to be, but does merit a
quick mention too. The Fed
chairman said the economic
recovery had weakened more
than expected but downplayed
concerns that it might slip back
into recession. The Fed, he said,
was ready to act if needed to
spur growth and said the central
bank still had ammunition left.
He at least is not reaching for
the defibrillator yet.
Finally, commiserations to all
you Nationals fans after the
news that rookie pitcher Stephen
Strasburg could miss at least a
year and perhaps the whole
2011 season with a significant
ligament tear in his right elbow.
I will be wearing my Nationals
T-shirt this weekend in
sympathy.
Here are our top stories from
today…
Bernanke says recovery softer,
Fed to act if needed
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Bernanke said the economic
recovery has weakened more
than expected and the Fed
stands ready to act if needed to
spur slowing growth. Bernanke
downplayed concerns that the
economy might slip back into
recession, predicting a modest
expansion in the second half of
this year with the pace picking
up in 2011.
For the full story by Mark
Felsenthal, click here.
Imports stifle second quarter
growth, spending up
Economic growth was revised
down to a 1.6 percent annual
rate in the second quarter,
pointing to an even softer
performance in the third quarter.
The Commerce Department
report showed gross domestic
product, the measure of total
goods and services output
within U.S. borders, was
dampened by the largest
increase in imports in 26 years.
Nonetheless, growth was not
quite as weak as anticipated.
E-reader News Edition
For more of this story by Lucia
Mutikani, read here.
Panel offers Obama ideas on
tax overhaul
An expert panel named by
President Barack Obama spelled
out ideas to simplify the
byzantine tax code, including
pre-filled-out returns for some
individuals and reducing the
corporate tax rate while cutting
loopholes. The panel’s report
stops short of specific
recommendations but will likely
play into an already bitter tax
debate in Washington ahead of
the November elections.
For more of this story by Kim
Dixon, read here.
Strasburg could need major
surgery on ligament tear
Washington Nationals rookie
pitcher Stephen Strasburg has a
significant ligament tear in his
right elbow and will probably
need major surgery that could
sideline him for a year, the team
said on Friday. The promising
right-hander will seek a second
opinion before the Nationals
make a final decision on
whether surgery is needed, the
team said on its website.
For more of this story, read
here.
And for what we are
blogging…
Laura Bush says every
president faces unfair criticism
Former first lady Laura Bush
says every president is unfairly
WASHINGTON page 4
E-reader News Edition
Top Democrat dismisses Beck’s ‘non-political’ rally as blatant
politics
Thomas Ferraro (Front Row
Washington)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 4:07:23 PM
A Washington rally that will be
hosted by Fox TV’s Glenn Beck
and feature conservative power
broker Sarah Palin drew the
wrath on Friday of the chairman
of the House Democratic
campaign committee.
Chris Van Hollen rejected
organizers’ assurances that the
“Restoring Honor Rally” —
expected to draw thousands of
members of the conservative
Tea Party movement — would
be “non-political.”
In fact, Van Hollen predicted
the rally would be partisan and
could turn off many voters.
The event, to be held on
Saturday on the National Mall
— between the U.S. Capitol and
Lincoln Memorial — is billed as
an opportunity to “celebrate
America by honoring our
heroes, our heritage, our future.”
But with Beck and Palin on
stage before a crush of
enthusiastic followers, the rally
seems ripe for partisan bashing.
“Let’s call it what it is. It’s a
blatant political effort,” Van
Hollen told reporters at the
National Press Club where he
also said his party would prove
many analysts wrong and retain
control of the House in the Nov.
2 election.
“You’ve seen Glenn Beck and a
lot of the talk show hosts on Fox
News out there talking about
this election for the last 15
months,” Van Hollen said.
“Since the day President Obama
was elected president, we’ve
had a constant a tirade against
the president, against the
Democratic efforts to get the
economy turned around.”
Van Hollen said such talk can
backfire.
“Americans are going to be
turned off by the sort of just
outrageous rhetoric on the right
— conspiracy theories, rants,”
Van Hollen said.
“There’s certainly an element of
the electorate that is charged up
by that,” Van Hollen said. “But
again, I think it’s a turnoff to the
sensible center and the people
who constitute the key
independent voters in these
swing districts” who will be
crucial on Election Day.
Van Hollen brushed off as
“premature” reports of the
demise of House Democrats and
the return to power of House
Republicans, who he said are
already popping champagne
bottles in celebration.
“It is very clear that that
Democrats will retain a majority
in the House,” Van Hollen
Headline/ 3
insisted.
He said Democrats are better
financed and, compared to
Republicans, have mainstream
rather than far-right candidates.
Van Hollen also said
Americans voters want to keep
moving ahead and not return to
Republican policies that he said
put the nation in an economic
hole.
While public opinion polls
show Republicans heading
toward big gains in the House,
perhaps enough to take control,
Van Hollen said it’s still early.
“Most of the activity in the
campaign is going to happen in
the next nine and one-half
weeks,” he said.
For more Reuters political
news, please click here.
Photo credits: Reuters/Kevin
Lamarque (Tea Party supporter
stakes out a spot for Saturday’s
“Restoring Honor” rally);
Reuters/Chris Keane (Beck at an
NRA meeting in Charlotte May
15)
4 Business/ Top News/ E-reader News Edition
WASHINGTON Danielle may bring
continued from page 2

criticized and it comes from born in 2009, down 2.6 percent

Options Update: dangerous rip
both friends and foes.
For Toby Zakaria’s full blog,
from the 2008 estimate.
For the full story, click here. Occidental Petroleum currents to US (AP)
(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed)
click here. For more stories from our
From elsewhere…
Economy giving women pause
Washington correspondents visit
www.reuters.com and stay
Volatility Flat Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:03:12 AM

about motherhood? informed. Paul Foster (BloggingStocks) 3PAR for $30 per share in cash. MIAMI – Hurricane Danielle
U.S. birth rates in 2009 Photo credit: Reuters/Chris Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:30:00 PM PAR options were active on remains far out over the
declined for the second straight Keane (Beck at an NRA 190K contracts according to Atlantic, but the Category 2
year, a sign the economy may be meeting in Charlotte May 15) Filed under: Hewlett-Packard Track Data, suggesting larger storm is still expected to bring
causing some women to think (HPQ), Options Occidental price movement. Paul Foster dangerous rip currents to the
twice about having children, Petroleum ( OXY) closed up Options Update is by Stock U.S. East Coast.
health officials said. $3.19 to $75.42. WTI Crude S p e c i a l i s t P a u l F o s t e r o f Danielle's maximum sustained
Estimates from the Centers for futures closed up 2.73% to t h e f l y o n t h e w a l l . c o m . winds were near 110 mph (175
Disease Control and Prevention $75.36 according to Bloomberg. Options Update: Occidental kph) on Saturday. It is about 330
show 4,136,000 children were September put option implied P e t r o l e u m V o l a t i l i t y F l a t miles (530 kilometers) southeast
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E-reader News Edition Business/ 5

Is Chinese Consumption Much Lower Than We Thought?

Michael Pettis (Business financing won’t be an issue for Wednesday’s South China it is a very interesting attempt to illegal income, when asked by
Insider) the US Treasury, it is too much Morning Post already has the estimate the real size of the strangers representing the
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:16:25 AM foreign financing that the US Japanese financial authorities Chinese economy, Chinese government – I am not sure how
must worry about. As if to threatening intervention because household income, and Chinese comfortable I am with the idea
On August 8 Credit Suisse prove the point, the Financial the rising yen is hurting exports savings and consumption rates that having friends ask the same
published a study they had Times had an article Wednesday — although apparently it is not by eliminating some of the questions eliminates biases.
commissioned by Professor with the title: “Foreigners flock just PBoC buying that is forcing biases in the NBS surveys. As Maybe it just creates a different
Wang Xiaolu of the China to buy US Treasuries.” I am up the yen. they explain it: bias – I suspect we are likely to
Reform Foundation. A lot of pretty sure they will continue The second of those two things The purpose is to try to correct overstate our income when we
readers have asked on- and “flocking” for many more years. is happening, in other words, the understatement of income in discuss it with friends.
offline me to discuss this study Second, even the small moves and to prevent it from the official household survey by Still, that aside, the numbers
in light of the entry I posted two into won and yen are causing continuing, Japan will resort to the National Bureau of Statistics seem plausible, at least to me,
w e e k s a g o a b o u t C h i n e s e consternation in Japan and the first. As an aide, it was not (NBS). Basically, the study but not everyone agrees.
consumption – and especially to Korea. For example, Saturday’s that long ago when the japanese assumes that while respondents According to an article in the
explain whether this study Financial Times has this: were arguing that US attempts understate their income during the China Daily:
would cause me to retract any of Japanese prime minister Naoto to force up the yen were the survey of NBS (for reasons Officials from the National
the things I said. Kan on Friday said he was ready misguided because Japan’s trade like worrying that such Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said
Before I get into that, I suppose to take “decisive” action on the surplus had nothing to do with information will be passed to tax on Wednesday that the figures
by now everyone has noticed yen, and urged the Bank of the undervalued currency. Now, authorities, etc.), they have no in the report, which was
that China is trying to diversify J a p a n t o i m p l e m e n t apparently, it seems that the incentive to understate total published by an independent
its reserve holdings and is “expeditious” monetary policy value of the currency does spending, particularly the group in July, were unreliable.
reported to be buying more measures. matter after all. percentage of food consumption “There are many flaws in the
Japanese yen and Korean won, …The government is under Expect a lot more of this. As to total spending (the Engel’s report, such as how the samples
and perhaps other currencies. In increasing pressure to stem the the US deficit surges as a coefficient). were chosen and calculations
my entry six weeks ago, I rising yen, which threatens the consequence of the combination Based on this assumption, the made, and the final result is
argued that the fear that China country’s economic recovery. of collapsing trade deficits in survey employs interviewers’ significantly higher (than the
could disrupt the US Treasury His remarks suggested that the Europe and expansionary trade- questions about income, actual level),” said Shi Faqi, an
market by dumping dollars was c e n t r a l b a n k c o u l d s o o n related policies in China, spending and food consumption official with the NBS, in an
totally unreasonable. The latest introduce additional easing Germany, Japan and other trade from the 4,000 plus respondents article on the bureau’s website.
news support my argument, I measures to tackle the waning surplus countries, surplus whom they know personally. At any rate according to the
think. First, it is pretty clear economy. countries may implicitly or The assumption is that as the study there is enough hidden
from the recent performance of I pointed out in my piece six explicitly try to relieve pressure interviewer knows the and grey income in China, more
the market that the vigorous weeks ago that if the PBoC on the US by forcing deficits respondent personally, the than estimated by the NBS, that
attempt to diversify PBoC switches from dollars to some onto their neighbors, but no one respondent will feel more China’s real GDP might be
holdings has had no disruptive other currency, one of two wants them. In the 1930s this comfortable and willing to understated by 10% relative to
affect on the US Treasury things must happen. Either the was called beggar-thy-neighbor. disclose their “true” income. official numbers. In 2008,
market. recipient country buys dollars to I discuss it in an OpEd piece for While I agree that having China’s official GDP was RMB
It cannot. The world has a keep its currency from surging, the Financial Times on Monday. strangers ask questions about 31.4 trillion. According to
problem of too many countries in which case the US gets the Chinese income is higher than income may introduce biases in Wang it really was RMB 34.6
eager to increase their export of money anyway, or the US trade we thought people’s response – we’re trillion.
savings and too few increasingly deficit will be transferred to the But enough on the awfully probably more likely to Chinese household income, the
reluctant countries importing recipient country, which will gloomy subject of trade. To get understate our income, CHINESE page 8
savings. Too-little foreign cause trade tensions with China. back to the Credit Suisse study, especially if it includes grey or
6 Business/ E-reader News Edition

Blockbusted: A Netflix Knock-Out, Bad Metaphors on the

Path to the Movie Monster's Bankruptcy
Austin Carr (Fast Company)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 6:30:04 PM

The Blockbuster age is fading,

and at last the company is
preparing for bankruptcy. In the
past two years, the shrinking
video-rental store has struggled
to stay afloat with $920 million
in debt, drowning all the while
in revenue losses of $1.1 billion.
The LA Times reports that
Blockbuster executives and
senior debt holders have entered
discussions with major movie
studios for a "pre-planned"
bankruptcy mid-September.
But for everyone other than
Blockbuster's sunny faced spin
masters, bankruptcy was about
as surprising as another Rocky
comeback. Blockbuster's brick-
and-mortar business was
unviable in the digital world,
and competitors Netflix and
Redbox took every advantage to
pick apart the dinosaur's carcass.
The company's numbers have
signaled extinction, too, with service has revolutionized the models," Keyes answered. Blockbuster's demise? That Just last week, Blockbuster's
value withering from $8.4 video-rental business. But "There is a wonderful role for blindfolded answer head of digital strategy Kevin
billion when Viacom purchased according Blockbuster, Netflix Netflix service in the market demonstrates how unaware the Lewis told Fast Company that
it in 1994 to total market value had nothing to do with its place, but it’s very different company may have been he's confident, despite all the
of $24 million today. troubles. from ours. I think we co-exist (willfully or otherwise) to its money woes. "To be clear, we
Continuing the Mesozoic In our May interview with quite well with Netflix." competitors. have a long way to go, but I'm
metaphor, here's why Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes, I But isn't Blockbuster's financial Delusional Optimism really proud of what we've
bankruptcy hit Blockbuster like asked, Do you ever see a way troubles due in part to Netflix's When a company is limping accomplished, and at the end of
a surprise asteroid. that Netflix could overtake success? "No, I don't know along with shares trading at 11 the day, we're strategically
Netflix Who? Blockbuster as the global where that comes from," Keyes cents, how optimistic can better positioned than almost
Netflix continues to dominate. market leader? "I don’t even-- said. executives be? How can they
Its by-mail and streaming we have such different business Netflix had nothing to do with sell the company to investors? BLOCKBUSTED: page 7
E-reader News Edition
BLOCKBUSTED:
continued from page 6
anybody out there," Lewis
explained. "Could things have
gone faster or better? You can
always say I wish I did X and
not Y. But if you asked me in
2009 whether we'd be the only
one in the mobile space selling
movies other than Apple and
whether we'd have Blockbuster
On Demand--never in my
wildest dreams would I have
aimed this high."
Perhaps the company should've
aimed a bit higher. Lewis also
said that he's not sure in "what
form" the company will be in
the future, suggesting
Blockbuster will look
dramatically different after
bankruptcy.
This is a Marathon! We're
Rebuilding! And Other Odd
Metaphors
"We do not look at this as a
sprint, we look at this as a
marathon," argued Keyes, of the
company's aim to transform its
business in the long-term.
However, there was always the
nagging possibility that the
company wouldn't survive long
enough to complete that
marathon. "We are going to
move at the fastest pace
possible," he promised. "It takes
time and resources, but we
believe the outcome will be
better."
Lewis also spoke in the long-
term. "Blockbuster has a slightly
challenged financial picture," he
said. "But Blockbuster has a
long and attractive future."
And what exactly was
Blockbuster racing toward?
Rebuilding. Will it work?
"How does it not work?" Keyes
told me a few months ago.
"Look, we are completely
rebuilding house from scratch,
and we’re living in the house!
You might think, This looks
terrible! Well, yes, no kidding!
We’re in the middle of
remodeling. But what we’re
modeling is a house with a
garden, and a studio, and a
media room--and I’m out there
saying, Listen, wait until we
finish, but this is going to be
really unique. It’s different than
the other house--why wouldn’t
you want to live here?"
Maybe it needed a yoga studio.
Technology? How About a
Samsung Blu-ray Player?
The biggest cause of
Blockbuster's demise was the
company's failure to adapt to the
digital age. Lewis, who heads up
the team's digital strategy, said
he was determined to be
"everywhere that you would
imagine there should be movies.
Our mantra is: No channel left
behind, no title left behind."
While that bold goal and
mantra may have impressed
investors, unfortunately, due to
conflicts with Blockbuster's
business model, the company
left myriad channels behind.
Unlike Netflix, Blockbuster isn't
available on the Nintendo Wii,
Sony PS3, Microsoft's Xbox
360, the iPhone, iPod Touch, or
iPad. And that's not to mention
the Mac. In response to whether
Blockbuster's business model
was interfering with its digital
strategy, Lewis waffled, saying,
"Look, it's not that our business
model is challenged--again, I'm
amazed at how little [our
competitors] do for their
consumers and how for-granted
they take their consumer
relationships."
Of course, not being on the
Nintendo Wii wasn't too much
of a problem for Blockbuster's
CEO. "I don't have to figure out
how to get [movies] from my
Nintendo machine to the
screen," he said. "I know I can
do it, but I don't want to--it
makes my head hurt to think
about it!" Compared to Netflix,
Keyes believed the Blockbuster
experience was "a lot easier than
trying to route movies through
my Xbox or Nintendo."
Even Lewis echoed Keyes's
hardships. "Our job is to
simplify the process," he said, of
Keyes's confusion over the Wii.
"You shouldn't have to learn all
this crazy stuff."
And the best technology
Blockbuster touts? Samsung Blu
-ray players.
During any given interview
with a Blockbuster executive,
you'll hear about Samsung Blu-
ray players, which are connected
to Blockbuster On Demand, the
company's pay-per-view
service. "Do you have Samsung
connected Blu-ray player?"
Lewis eagerly asked me, within
the first minutes of our
interview. Keyes too would
bring up the Samsung player as
if it were some magical solution
to the company's frail digital
offerings--it was the "ultimate
convenience," as Keyes said. On
more than one occasion, he
urged me to buy the device so I
could experience Blockbuster in
all its glory. "I wish you'd try
it," he said. "You've got to try
us."
Deny Deny Deny
I've asked Blockbuster CEO
Keyes at least five times point-
blank about the company's
potential bankruptcy. To get this
straight, Blockbuster will not go
bankrupt? "It is not our
intention," Keyes answered in
May. "We’re doing a lot of
things at the same time, and we
have to spend a lot of money to
build our future. What we
couldn’t have anticipated was a
complete financial meltdown in
2009. If you had to refinance a
home last year, imagine what
would’ve happened to you? The
bank might’ve said that they’ll
give you a mortgage, but the bad
news is that you have to pay it
back in five years instead of 20
years. Ouch."
Again, is Blockbuser going
bankrupt? "We've had two
successful refinancings in the
last 18 months, and we continue
to work on finding the right
capital structure to facilitate the
business itself," he said in June.
7
So Blockbuster is not going to
file for bankruptcy protection?
"As I've said, we're looking at
all of the various options to
refinance and recapitalize the
company. I've said repeatedly
that the company's objective is
to seek out-of-court solutions
with strategic investors to
recapitalize, and we've been
exploring a number of those
alternatives," he said.
So much for that.
If Steve Jobs Did It, We Can
Too!
Blockbuster is the next Apple,
right? Keyes believes so. "We're
in the process of
transformation," he once told
Fast Company. "Think about
Apple 10 years ago. Steve Jobs
came back and did a masterful
job. But it wasn't an overnight
success. It took him a number of
years to reengineer Apple and
turn the company from what it
was--basically a PC provider--
into what it is today. I don't
know if you recall, but there
were questions about the long-
term viability of that company,
and look at the success that they
have today. But it took many
years."
He even called Blockbuster On
Demand the equivalent of the
iMac.
"This is a pattern we see over
and over," he said, of the many
parallels he could draw to
Blockbuster's financial troubles.
BLOCKBUSTED: page 9
8 E-reader News Edition
CHINESE
continued from page 5
study claims, has also been
understated and, with it, Chinese
household consumption. The
study argues that Chinese
household income was about
30% higher than the estimates of
the NBS.
The response of most analysts
and the press to the report was a
little puzzling to me. Professor
Wang’s study, many people
seemed to argue, proved that
either China didn’t have an
under-consumption problem, or
else it proved that the problem
was much less serious than the
worriers had claimed because
both consumption and income
may be higher than we think. A
more sophisticated variant was
the claim that the study proved
that China had much greater
potential for consumption
growth than previously
imagined.
Under-consumption is easy to
prove
The first two statements are
simply wrong. They confuse
absolute consumption with
relative consumption. To say
that the Chinese under-consume
does not mean not that Chinese
households have failed to
consume at a certain nominal
level. It means that the
consumption share of total
production is very low. In that
sense China most certainly has a
serious under-consumption
problem, and Professor Wang’s
study actually suggests that it is
worse than any of us has
imagined.
The third statement is probably
true, but only to the extent that
the worse the under-
consumption problem, the more
potential there is for
consumption growth. This may
be arithmetically correct, but it
also suggests that unlocking that
consumer potential is likely to
be harder than expected.
How do we know that China
has an under-consumption
problem? To answer that
question it is unnecessary even
to look at the consumption
statistics. All you need to know
is that China has a very high
investment rate (perhaps the
highest in the world) and a huge
trade surplus.
Every country produces goods
and either consumes or invests
those goods. This is not quite
an accounting identity, but it
becomes one if you take into
account the trade balance.
Why? Because if it produces
more than it consumes or
invests, it must run a trade
surplus. If it produces less, it
must run a trade deficit. In
other words by definition what
ever you produce is equal to
what you invest plus what you
consume plus or minus the trade
balance.
China has an extremely high
investment rate, perhaps the
highest ever recorded for a
medium or large economy.
Countries with high investment
rates should normally run trade
deficits, since there is so little
left over of their production for
them to consume that they must
import the balance. This is what
happened, for example, to the
US during most of the 19th
Century.
But China has probably the
highest trade surplus ever
recorded. This means that an
extraordinarily large portion of
its production is invested, and
another extraordinarily large
portion is exported. So what
about consumption? The only
way a country can run an
extraordinarily high investment
rate and an extraordinarily high
trade surplus is if consumption
is extraordinarily low.
So almsot by definition we
know that consumption in China
is extraordinarily low as a share
of its total production. It is
unnecessary to check
consumption statistics to prove
this.
In fact official statistics do
prove it. They show that
Chinese households consumed a
little less than 36% of total GDP
last year. This is an
unprecedented number, much
lower than the 65-70% typical
of the US and Europe and even
far below the 50-55% typical of
other low-consuming Asian
countries.
More income inequality
But Professor Wang’s study
suggested something very
worrying. He claims that nearly
two-thirds of the missing
income belongs to the wealthiest
10%. Most of the rest went to
households in the top half of the
income scale. Poor people in
China were far less likely to
have hidden, grey, or illegal
income.
So, according to Professor
Wang, Chinese household
income is distributed far more
unequally than any of us had
suspected. This is worrying
enough for reasons of social
equity, but what does it have to
do with consumption?
A lot. It turns out, not
surprisingly, that the rich
consume a much smaller share
of their income than do the poor.
For example, according to
Professor Wang’s numbers,
households that earn more than
RMB 400 thousand save 63% of
their income, while households
that earn RMB 75-400 thousand
save 51%. At the other extreme
households that earn RMB 7-10
thousand save only 9% of their
income and households that earn
less than that dis-save (by 23%)
So while Chinese household
income might be significantly
higher than we thought, most of
that additional income goes to
the high-savings rich. The
Chinese savings rate,
consequently, is also much
higher and the Chinese
consumption rate much lower
than the official numbers
suggest.
How low? Here the number is
a shocker. Credit Suisse
estimates that last year Chinese
household consumption was just
over 31 percent of GDP –
although I am not sure even they
completely believe this number.
Still, it suggests that the real
consumption rate may be
between 31% (their number)
and 36% (the official number).
Either number is completely off
the charts.
So isn’t this good news for
consumption as far as its
implications for the economic
imbalances? Consumption is so
low that it has no choice but to
surge, right? Perhaps, but I am
very uncomfortable with this
argument. It seems to me that
the only way consumption can
be so low is if there are some
very severe structural
impediments that distort
consumption growth, and I think
there is no reason simply to
assume or hope that these
impediments will dissolve and,
as they do, consumption will
explode. Rather than proclaim
that Professor Wang’s adjusted
consumption rate is more
evidence that consumption must
surge, it seems more reasonable
to wonder how any country can
have such a massive imbalance.
And how can Beijing unwind
this imbalance?
--------------
This guest post previously
appeared at the author's blog >
Join the conversation about this
CHINESE page 9
E-reader News Edition Business/ 9
BLOCKBUSTED:
continued from page 7

"If a company is not able to

keep up with the changing needs
of its customer, it will become
irrelevant," he said.
Ultimately, it was these words
which may have saved the
company. Blockbuster was not
able to keep up with the
changing needs of its customers.
Blockbuster has become
irrelevant.
Give your say on the topic in
our open thread: Why is
Blockbuster going bankrupt?

CHINESE
continued from page 8

story »

Facebook Suit: Teens Too Young to Like

Austin Carr (Fast Company) products--a violation of the "Like" button. the case frivolous. "We believe
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:50:01 PMCalifornia law--via its "Like" "We believe it is a clear case of this suit is completely without
button. Under the state's law, exploitation of children for the merit and we will fight it
Do you "like" Facebook? But minors cannot endorse products sake of profits," attorney John vigorously," responded
really, do you "like like" or services without consent from Torjesen of John C. Torjesen & company spokesman Andrew
Facebook? A new lawsuit filed a parent or legal guardian. When Associates, a party to the suit, Noyes, who pointed out that
may soon end adolescents young users of the social told the AFP. The lawyers are Facebook profiles for users
ability to "Like" things online. network hit the "Like" button, seeking cash damages for two under 18 won't appear on public Open Thread: Why
How will the teens ever survive their profiles are updated with
without "Like," a word so this interest for all the publc to
L.A. teenagers, who they say search engines. Is Blockbuster
unwittingly broadcast In other words, Facebook didn't
crucial to their vernacular and see. endorsements of products and "Like" the lawyers' claims. Going Bankrupt?
awkward flirting habits? Lawyers argue that this is Facebook itself to friends on the Hopefully, Mark Zuckerberg got Austin Carr (Fast Company)
The suit, filed today in Los tantamount to an endorsement, social network and through permission from his parents to
Submitted at 8/27/2010 6:05:06 PM
Angeles County Court, accuses and that underage members search engines, which mine data say so.
Facebook of using the names must obtain permission from a from Facebook.
and images of minors to endorse legal guardian in order to use OPEN page 10
Predictably, Facebook called
10 Business/ Culture/
OPEN
continued from page 9
How can the company remake
itself to rival Netflix?
Today news surfaced that
Blockbuster was preparing for a
mid-September "pre-planned"
bankruptcy. To many of us, this
may have been predictable. To
others, like Blockbuster CEO
Jim Keyes and chief digital
strategist Kevin Lewis, the
move may have come as more
of a surprise.
What happened to the
company, which was once the
dominant player in video rental?
In 1994, it was acquired for $8.4
billion; now, it's valued at a
mere $24 million. Where did it
go wrong?
Many believe the company's
brick-and-mortar business
hobbled its success. Others point
out that its late-to-the-game by-
mail and kiosk services lost out
to Netflix and Redbox. And
some theorize that its slim
digital offerings, focused on pay
-per-view rather than
subscription streaming, sealed
the company's fate.
Ultimately, the company was
simply doing too much. As I
once phrased it to Jim Keyes, it
almost felt like Blockbuster was
boxing an octopus: battling
Netflix for subscribers, Redbox
for kiosks, and Apple and
Comcast for on-demand service.
How could they ever hope to
win?
What do you think? Why is
Blockbuster going bankrupt?
Moreover, when the company
files for Chapter 11, how should
it restructure? Should
Blockbuster become an all-
digital service? Should it focus
on kiosks? Should it close down
all of its physical stores?
As Blockbuster's head of digital
strategy Kevin Lewis explained,
Blockbuster has a "long and
attractive future," but in "what
form"?
E-reader News Edition
Paris Hilton Arrested For
Cocaine Possession
PopSugar (PopSugar) Paris was searched as well,
Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:21:54 AM leading to the discovery of
cocaine. She has already
Last night in Las Vegas Paris l a w y e r e d u p a n d i s n o w
Hilton was arrested for drug claiming the purse wasn't hers.
possession after cocaine was She was released without bail
found in her purse. She was in and home in time to watch
the passenger seat of a car that Family Guy and tweet her
Cy Waits, who operates a night followers a sweet dreams
club at the Wynn, was driving. message.
He was booked for a DUI and

Next Contender for High-Speed Rail -- Los Angeles or

Fresno?
Jenara Nerenberg (Fast the state that is sorely lacking in explains the focus on Central High-Speed Rail in California,
Company) user-friendly mass transit. But California. With the University says, "Just as the Interstate
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:38:02 PM the real shocker? The writers of of California's newest addition Highway System transformed
the report suggest that most of to the system, UC Merced, the way Americans lived and
New transit plans focus on the the money should be used to California has been trying to where they worked in the
exciting, vibrant farmlands of link Bakersfield and Fresno, in make something of its forgotten 1950's, high-speed rail has the
Central California. Central California, an area that region for some time now, same transformative potential
A new report, Thinking Ahead: is mostly farmland and less beyond farming. (High density today."
High-Speed Rail in California, densely populated than most of development can't hurt the And the same sprawl-and-mall
from the Center for Urban the state. property tax rolls, right?) dangers, we might add.
i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , d e t a i l s t h e California is to receive a$2.34 Obama has already announced
benefits of building a mass inter billion investment to boost its is that where there are hubs for his national railway plans and
-city high-speed rail system for e c o n o m y a n d u r b a n transportation, those same cities echoing his sentiments, Sarah L.
Southern California, an area of development plans and the idea become economic hubs, which Catz, author of Thinking Ahead:
E-reader News Edition
Check Out The Amazing Place In China That Inspired The
"Floating Mountains" In Avatar
William Wei (Business Insider)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:15:55 AM
Avatar has raked in over$2.7
billion worldwide in the box
office due to its groundbreaking
technology and beautiful
scenery.
What most people don't know is
that much of Pandora's
landscape was modeled after a
real place – Zhangjiajie in the
Hunan province of China.
The gorgeous quartz-sandstone
pillars of Zhangjiajie
(specifically, the 3,544 foot high
"Southern Sky Column")
became the basis for the floating
"Hallelujah Mountains" of
Pandora.
The Zhangjiajie government
then went so far as to rename
the "Southern Sky Column" to
"Avatar Hallelujah Mountain."
However, this proved to be a
very unpopular decision and the
government went on to deny
ever renaming the pillar. "We
only added a way to call the
mountain. The previous name is
not abolished," says a
Zhangjiajie tourism official via
Reuters.
Business/ 11
At any rate, the real-life scenery Totals
in Zhangjiajie is breath-taking • Avatar Producer: We 'Have
and we have the pictures to To' Make A Sequel
prove it. Flip Through Pictures • What Do People REALLY
Of Zhangjiajie And Compare Think Of 3D TV?
Them To Avatar >
Join the conversation about this
story »
See Also:
• It's Official: Titanic Sinks
Under Avatar's Box Office
12 Business/ Technology/ Culture/
Comfort Zone
Investing: How Much
Money Is Enough?
Ted Allrich (BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:30:00 AM
Filed under: Comfort Zone
Investing
When John D. Rockefeller was
asked how much money was
enough, he replied: "A little bit
more." If you're looking to make
a little bit more on your
investments, here are places to
find extra cash. Unfortunately,
rates are very low and the
emphasis has to be on "little"
rather than "more."
Please note: none of these
stocks or funds are
recommended as buys. They
may, however, be a good place
to start research.
Continue reading Comfort Zone
Investing: How Much Money Is
Enough?
'LOL is this you?' spam spreading via Facebook chat
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 7:53:23 PM
Facebook on Friday afternoon
was investigating what appeared
to be a new spam scheme that
results in users getting messages
from friends over Facebook chat
Intel: Should You Be a
Bull or a Bear on the
Stock?
Steven Mallas
(BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 6:00:00 PM
Filed under: Intel (INTC),
Technology
Let's be honest: it's getting hard
to remain bullish on Intel
Corporation ( INTC). I've been
Comfort Zone Investing: How pretty positive on the company
M u c h M o n e y I s E n o u g h ? so far this year. But we all know
o r i g i n a l l y a p p e a r e d o n how Wall Street can play havoc
BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Aug with the emotions. No matter
2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see whether you're a long-term
our terms for use of feeds. investor or a short-term trader,
P e r m a l i n k | E m a i l t h i s | price action can shake you up.
Comments The chip maker's recent price
BloggingStocks- Investment- action has been terrible. Even
John D. Rockefeller- Money- worse, the fundamentals have to
Comfort Zone Investing: Build b e q u e s t i o n e d a s w e l l .
Wealth and Sleep Well at Night According to this source, third-
quarter guidance took a hit.
that have malicious links. error message and his account
The messages say "LOL is this sent the spam out to at least one
you?" and are accompanied by a of his friends, he said.
link that looks like it leads to a The spam was also reported on
video on Facebook, one victim Twitter, but at this point the
told CNET. In his case, clicking outbreak seems to be minor.
the link directed to a Web page A Facebook spokesman said the
with a "404-Page Not Found" company is looking into the
Continue reading Intel: Should
You Be a Bull or a Bear on the
Stock?
Intel: Should You Be a Bull or
a Bear on the Stock? originally
appeared on BloggingStocks on
Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST.
Please see our terms for use of
feeds. Permalink| Email this|
Comments
Intel Corporation-
BloggingStocks- Wall Street-
Business- Company
matter.
The spam message is similar to
ones used in several phishing
attacks on Twitter in February.
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Who Writes Pro-Cable
Internet Legislation?
Cable Does
Nate Anderson (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:35:00 AM
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Five Filters featured
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
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E-reader News Edition Top News/ 13

PC industry's woes could mean bargains this fall (AP)

(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed) sales. canceled their orders with Intel Systems Inc., the world's largest $18.37, amid a general lift on
Submitted at 8/27/2010 6:13:36 PM Dell's chief financial officer, during the quarter, reflecting the maker of computer networking Wall Street.
Brian Gladden, called the back- lower demand they're bracing gear and another important Analyst Craig Berger with FBR
SAN FRANCISCO – If you're to-school shopping season "a for in the coming months. barometer of technology Capital Markets said that PCs
looking for bargains on personal little weaker than we would PCs already have low profit spending, said in early August might be "just the first shoe to
computers, bad news from the have expected." Todd Bradley, margins, and the recession that the company was seeing drop," and that troubles could
industry could be good for your head of HP's PC division, squeezed them further by signs that the global economic spread to other chip-makers,
pocketbook. complained of "softness" in forcing price cuts to entice recovery is slowing down. He such as those that focus on
C o m p u t e r m a k e r s a r e consumer laptops and said back- shoppers. The strategy worked, said Cisco is getting "a large communications, industrial and
scrambling for ways to goose to-school shopping was off to a but dipping demand could mean number of mixed signals" from automotive sectors. He added
faltering consumer demand after late start. that prices will fall even more. customers about their spending that Intel's main rival, Advanced
a weak start to the back-to- Barclays Capital analyst Ben Reitzes said the computer plans. Micro Devices Inc., is also
school shopping season. That Reitzes said another factor could maker with the biggest potential Intel's warning comes a month likely being hurt.
could mean deeper price cuts cause PC makers to cut prices: for revenue growth in this after the company reported its Intel is scheduled to report
and other promotions beyond In the past few months, the market is Apple Inc., whose biggest quarterly profit in a results on Oct. 12 and plans to
the incentives that the industry prices for parts such as hard disk iPad is seen eating into laptop decade. update its fourth-quarter and full
dangled in front of shoppers to drives and memory have fallen sales. PC makers such as HP, But those results were fueled by -year outlook then.
lure them into stores during the — to their lowest levels of the Dell and others, he said, face a a rebound in technology The company has benefited
worst of the recession. year in August. That gives PC different question in needing to spending at corporations, many from a recovering PC market for
The latest sign of trouble came makers the freedom to lower balance aggressive pricing with of which held off replacing about a year and half. In April
Friday when Intel Corp. lowered prices while maintaining profit generating profits. older computers during the 2009, Intel CEO Paul Otellini
its forecast for the third quarter, margins. Consumer spending on recession. proclaimed that PC sales
saying demand for consumer "This component environment discounted computers was Intel's downgrade to its "bottomed out" and had started
PCs has been weaker than could potentially now allow instrumental in helping buoy the guidance wasn't entirely a recovering — a forecast that
expected. companies to invest in more industry over the past two years, surprise. Many investors simply even the major PC makers
Because Intel's microprocessors aggressive pricing to stimulate while businesses cut way back. didn't believe that Intel would wouldn't immediately get
are used in 80 percent of the demand into next year," he That trend is now reversing. be able to hit the higher behind, but proved to be true.
w o r l d ' s P C s , i t s f o r e c a s t wrote in a research note Friday. Consumers aren't spending on numbers because of signals Now, it appears the market is
essentially speaks for the health Intel said it now expects technology as freely as they from other PC-industry starting to dip again.
of the entire PC industry. Plus, revenue of $10.8 billion to $11.2 were. Uncertainty about jobs is suppliers that PC sales were ___
its orders are based on how billion for the fiscal third keeping their spending in check. collapsing. AP Business Writer Andrew
many computers the world's q u a r t e r , w h i c h e n d s i n Meanwhile, businesses have Those fears were the main Vanacore contributed to this
biggest PC makers expect to September. That compares with freed their budgets a bit. It's not reason why Intel's stock has story from New York.
make in the coming months, so a previous forecast of $11.2 necessarily because they're more fallen about 13 percent since This entry passed through the
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flags last week about what is The forecast cut means that PC spending is rocky as well. shares rose 19 cents, or 1 INDUSTRY'S page 14
normally a robust season for makers suddenly scaled back or John Chambers, CEO of Cisco percent, to close Friday at
14 Top News/ Culture/ E-reader News Edition
INDUSTRY'S
Evangelical Megachurch Pastor Defends Support continued from page 13

article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets

for Glenn Beck an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
(Society) raised in a Catholic home, has exact words,” Garlow recalled everyone’s theological
Submitted at 8/27/2010 2:48:35 PM become increasingly popular in a five-page memo released understanding is off and that
among social conservatives for this past Tuesday. “Few people only the most arrogant would
Around 2,000 ministers and his political commentaries but use the term atonement. Glenn say that its 100 percent perfect.
religious leaders are expected to has not been so easily embraced did. “ “Here is my question: if your
attend Glenn Beck’s “Divine b y C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g i c a l Garlow also credited Beck for theology is off slightly, but you
Destiny” event Friday night c o n s e r v a t i v e s w h o r e g a r d laying out “the clearest still trust exclusively in Jesus
ahead of the television and radio Mormonism as heresy or, at explanation of the crucifixion Christ’s death on the cross for
personality's more publicized best, non-Christian. and the resurrection that I have your salvation, and in his
“Restoring Honor” rally on Before deciding to stand by ever heard on national TV” resurrection, are you still saved?
Saturday. Beck, evangelical megachurch about a month ago. Going to heaven? Yes,” Garlow
Beck will hold Friday’s faith- pastor Jim Garlow said he had Even prominent Southern argued.
based event at the John F. to do a lot sorting and watched Baptist leader Richard Land was “How far off might your
Kennedy Center in Washington Beck as closely as he could. reportedly surprised to hear the theology be – and yet still trust
t o r a l l y c o n s e r v a t i v e s o f “I have listened and watched Gospel so clearly on secular exclusively in Jesus Christ’s Britney and Beyonce
different faiths around their very carefully regarding clues to television. death on the cross for your
shared values, principles and Glenn’s spiritual condition,” “I have interviewed persons salvation, and believe in his
Bikinis, Angie, LL, and
strong belief that faith can play said the lead pastor of Skyline who have talked specifically resurrection – and still be saved? More in This Week in
an essential role in reuniting the Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, with Glenn about his personal Is it 10% or 15% or 20%? Or Pictures!
country. Calif. salvation – persons extremely what?” Continue »
“Whether we care to believe it “I have interviewed several PopSugar (PopSugar)
well known in Christianity – and This entry passed through the
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For the event, Beck spent the his own personal salvation,” he Garlow reported. “He please read our FAQ page at Knowles soaked in end of
past year trying to reach out to added. understands receiving Christ as fivefilters.org/content-only/ Summer rays on vacation in
some of the biggest names in And according to Garlow, Beck savior.” faq.php their bikinis while other stars
faith – an effort he says “has has said “unequivocally” that Still, Garlow made it clear that Five Filters featured got to work. Drew Barrymore
been extraordinarily difficult that he relies on the atonement he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets continued her Going the
because of my faith and because of Jesus on the cross for Beck on a number of things, an Easy Ride in the Distance press tour and
of who I am.” forgiveness for his sins. including theology. But the Independent. Angelina Jolie met with officials
Beck, a Mormon who had been “[A]nd those are almost the megachurch pastor noted that in Bosnia before announcing her
new film project. Lindsay Lohan
was released from rehab, but
This Week's Most Popular Posts [Highlights] that's not all that happened this
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(Lifehacker) our favorite, must-have Android than—well, you know—and the biggest stories and best
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E-reader News Edition
Putin visits site of Russia's new
launch center (AP)
(Yahoo! News: Most Viewed)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:16:33 AM
MOSCOW – Russia will launch
its manned space missions from
a new center in the Far East in
2018, Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin said Saturday, as the
country seeks greater
independence for its space
program.
Putin made the comments as he
inaugurated the start of
construction for the new
cosmodrome at the former
missile defense base of
Vostochny, outside the town of
Uglegorsk, some 3,600 miles
(5800 kilometers) east of
Moscow, and a few hundred
miles away from China.
Russia currently uses the Soviet
-built Baikonur launch facility
in Kazakhstan for all of its
manned space missions and
other commercial launches as
well as a smaller center in
northern Russia for military
satellite launches.
Russia has a lease on Baikonur
until 2050 and has paid around
Online Features - September 2010
(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
Sorry, Readability was unable
to parse this page for content.
$115 million to Kazakhstan in
rent since the agreement in
2004.
Putin stressed the "strategic"
need for Moscow to have "an
independent access to the
space." Although Baikonur is
located in a "friendly state," it is
still owned by another country,
he said.
Russia's prime minister said on
state-run Rossiya channel that
Vostochny, will host all
launches of Russian-manned
spacecraft beginning in 2018.
Launches of first unmanned
spacecraft from the new center
are expected in 2015.
Putin described the construction
as "one of the biggest and
ambitious projects of modern
Russia" which "gives
opportunity to thousands of
young professionals to use their
talent."
Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Sergey Ivanov was quoted by
Russian news agencies as saying
that the first stage of the
construction will take more than
24 billion rubles ($779 million).
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Like Baikonur in Kazakhstan,
Russia's Amur Region in the Far
East, where the new center is
being built, is sparsely
populated. New technologies
will allow the new launch pad to
be ten times smaller compared
to what Baikonur occupies in
the Kazakh steppe, said Russia's
space agency chief Anatoly
Perminov.
Windfall from oil revenues over
the past years have allowed the
Kremlin to spend more on
Russia's space program, which
had suffered in the post-Soviet
economic meltdown.
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article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
Top News/ Technology/ Food/
Kokoro shows off its
latest android Actroid F
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:00:00 AM
Geminoid F, the uncannily
lifelike fembot we saw in April,
is back in a new PR vid from
Kokoro, a Tokyo-based
entertainment company that
collaborates with Osaka
University's Hiroshi Ishiguro in
the creation of androids both
feminine and creepy.
Geminoid F was so named
because it's a nearly exact
replica of a human female
model, seen here. In the new
video, the robot calls itself
"Actroid F," as it has joined the
ranks of other Actroid robots
produced by Kokoro.
The air servo-powered fembots
can be rented for trade shows
and other events. While Actroid
F can move its eyes, mouth,
head, and back, it can also act as
a telepresence robot. Cameras
and face-tracking software
follow a remote operator so
facial expressions and head
movements are reproduced in
the robot in a master-slave
relationship via Internet link.
Actroid F has minimal
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
15
servomotors to save on cost, and
it can't walk. But Kokoro
reportedly announced plans to
sell 50 units to museums and
hospitals for some $110,000
apiece, aiming for them to serve
in roles such as receptionist,
patient attendant, or guide. The
company has said patients have
reacted favorably in a hospital
trial.
ATR Intelligent Robotics and
Communication Laboratories,
backed by the government,
companies, and academia, also
collaborated in Actroid F's
development, one of many robot
projects Japan has funded as it
tries to develop next-generation
machines to meet social needs.
(Via Plastic Pals)
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16 News Wire/ E-reader News Edition

China seeks fresh nuclear talks as Kim eludes cameras

(Reuters: Top News) "We don't want to restart six- source added, but did not know China's envoy, Wu, proposed a no doubt North Korea torpedoed
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:46:12 AM party talks for the sake of talks," if the Kims were among the three-stage process to restart the the ship, but Pyongyang denied
the South Korean diplomatic guests. multilateral talks aimed at it was responsible.
A vehicle believed to be source said. "North Korea "They sang 'The song of coaxing Pyongyang to give up Aug 28, 2010 1:04am EDT
transporting North Korean should change its attitude and General Kim Il-sung' in Chinese its nuclear weapons in return for North Korea is an atheist state,
leader Kim Jong-il, the only s h o w s e r i o u s n e s s i n and Korean. It's the school aid and other assurances, the however…. how can they have a
vehicle in his convoy that is d e n u c l e a r i z i n g . " song," the second source said. South Korean diplomatic source “holy war”?
heavily tinted and armoured, China's regional lobbying, and There had been no conclusive told Reuters. Aug 28, 2010 1:12am EDT
travels towards Nanhu Hotel in courting of the reclusive Kim, sightings in China of Kim, who Former U.S. President Jimmy Any country capable of a
Changchun city, where Kim is highlight the pressures that has appeared frail and gaunt Carter returned home from nuclear attack who threatens a
rumoured to be staying with his North Korea -- isolated, poor since reportedly suffering a Pyongyang on Friday with an nuclear attack, needs to be
son, August 28, 2010. and with a brace of primitive stroke in 2008. American who had been nuked first.
Credit: Reuters/Aly Song nuclear bombs -- has brought to Neither source wanted to be sentenced to eight years of hard Aug 28, 2010 1:14am EDT
By Benjamin Kang Lim and bear on northeast Asia, home to identified because of the labor for illegally entering North I smell another Iraq on our
Brett Cole the world's second and third political sensitivity of the trip. Korea. The North's state media horizon.
BEIJING/SEOUL| Sat Aug 28, biggest economies and a big The two neighbors do not said number two leader, Kim Aug 28, 2010 2:08am EDT
2010 9:46am EDT U.S. military presence. disclose much information about Yong-nam, had told Carter that This dog has got it right ;)
BEIJING/SEOUL(Reuters) - Kim, 68, and his son and heir Kim's travels, and then only Pyongyang wanted the nuclear http://rubygocrazy.com/crazy/
China is lobbying neighbors to apparent, Kim Jong-un, were in after he has left for home. talks resumed. nuclear+wars
sign up to a road map for China to visit the school of DIPLOMAT'S WARNING China has sought to defuse Aug 28, 2010 2:55am EDT
renewed nuclear disarmament senior Kim's father and founder On Friday, a North Korean confrontation by hosting six- N Korea likes to use the
talks with North Korea, whose of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, a diplomat brandished the party nuclear disarmament talks communist ploy of threats and
leader Kim Jong-il is visiting source with knowledge of the possibility of nuclear war with since August 2003. But last talks and treaty’s yet they have
China amid conciliatory words secretive trip told Reuters. South Korea and the United April, North Korea quit the talks absolutely no intentions of ever
and threats of "holy war." "Trust me, it's 100 percent both States. and reversed "disablement" keeping them. It would do no
The details of Beijing's plan for are here," the source said, "If Washington and Seoul try to steps intended to cripple its good to drop a nuke on them
restarting stalled six-party declining to give details when create conflict on the Korean chief reactor complex, unhappy and bomb them back to the
nuclear talks came from a South asked. peninsula we respond with a with implementation of an stoneage, they already are in the
Korean diplomatic source, who Kim Il-sung attended the Yu holy war on the basis of our initial disarmament agreement stoneage. Sort of right up there
spoke on Saturday after Wen High School in the nuclear deterrent forces," North reached in 2007. with Iran and Hugo Chavez and
discussion in Seoul with Wu northeastern Chinese city of Korea's ambassador to Cuba, North Korea has been retreating Castro. So as long as these
Dawei, China's top envoy in the Jilin in the 1920s. The school Kwon Sung-chol, said in from its earlier public antisocial personalities continue
talks. houses a memorial hall to Kim Havana, according to a report renunciation of the talks. South to rule with iron fists, sort of
But the source, as well as a which is not open to the public. from there by China's official Korea and Washington say like Pelosi and Reid, the world
Japanese official speaking in The museum was renovated Xinhua news agency. resuming the talks will be has no other recourse but to be
B e i j i n g , s t r e s s e d t h a t b i g recently ahead of a visit by a North Korea staged nuclear test impossible until Pyongyang also prepared to go to war at any
obstacles remained, even if the g r o u p o f N o r t h K o r e a n blasts in 2006 and 2009, faces up to their conclusion that time. Obama, however, will
secretive Kim's trip to China dignitaries, a second source drawing international it was behind the sinking of a have sold the US down the river
yields another vow of North said. condemnations and U.N. South Korean navy ship, the by destroying any and all
Korea's willingness to sit down Classes were suspended on sanctions backed by China, the Cheonan, in March. capability to respond to any
and discuss a dormant deal to Thursday amid tight security biggest economic and South Korea lost 46 sailors nuclear attack or to impose
scrap its nuclear weapons in and a school choir performed for diplomatic backer of when the Cheonan sank. Seoul CHINA page 20
return for aid. the dignitaries, the second Pyongyang. said an inquiry found there was
E-reader News Edition
Obama says Iraq war is ending, his promise is kept
(Reuters: Top News)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 5:07:12 AM
A U.S. Soldier takes down the
vehicle numbers of humvees
loaded up on a trailer as they
prepare to leave Iraq at Balad
Base 80 km (50 miles) north of
Baghdad August 27, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Thaier al-
Sudani
By Jeff Mason
VINEYARD HAVEN,
Massachusetts| Sat Aug 28,
2010 6:07am EDT
VINEYARD HAVEN,
Massachusetts(Reuters) -
President Barack Obama said on
Saturday Iraq could "chart its
own course" and told Americans
the drawdown of U.S. troops
helped fulfill a promise he made
during the 2008 presidential
campaign.
Obama, who is vacationing on
the Massachusetts island of
Martha's Vineyard, declared in
his weekly radio and Internet
address that "the war is ending"
and pledged to take care of
troops who are returning home.
The U.S. military recently cut
its strength to under 50,000
troops in Iraq, helping to make
good on Obama's promise to
end the war launched 7-1/2
years ago by his Republican
predecessor, George W. Bush.
Obama's Saturday remarks may
be a preview of a rare, televised
address the president plans on
Tuesday evening from the
White House Oval Office about
the troop drawdown.
"On Tuesday, after more than
seven years, the United States of
America will end its combat
mission in Iraq and take an
important step forward in
responsibly ending the Iraq
war," Obama said.
"As a candidate for this office, I
pledged I would end this war.
As president, that is what I am
doing."
The White House is trying to
emphasize Obama's
accomplishments ahead of
November elections to bolster
fellow Democrats, who are
likely to lose seats and possibly
majorities in one or both houses
of Congress.
With economic growth slowing
and unemployment still near
double-digit levels, the White
House hopes the fulfillment of a
foreign policy promise will help
offset the economic pain at the
forefront of voters' minds.
Obama said the United States
had brought home more than
90,000 troops since he became
president and Iraqis had taken
the lead in security operations in
many parts of the country.
"In the months ahead, our troops
will continue to support and
train Iraqi forces, partner with
Iraqis in counterterrorism
missions, and protect our
civilian and military efforts," he
said.
"But the bottom line is this: the
war is ending. Like any
sovereign, independent nation,
Iraq is free to chart its own
course. And by the end of next
year, all of our troops will be
home."
Obama highlighted measures
his administration is taking to
help military veterans and urged
Americans to express their
gratitude to returning troops.
(Editing by Eric Beech)
Aug 28, 2010 7:53am EDT
The drawdown of forces in Iraq
was an agreement negotiated
and signed by President Bush.
Obama was legally bound to this
drawdown timetable by the
SOFA signed during Prtesident
Bush’s administration. But now
Obama is taking credit for
something he had nothing to do
with. He should man up and
give credit where credit is due.
Aug 28, 2010 8:26am EDT
bush made these agreements
when still in office—-whats
obama want??? a medal for
following what he had to do?
he’s on his way out ?? no matter
what he does!!!!troups r coming
home from iraq but mor r in
affganistan!!!??? we need to get
out of all these countries and let
them fight among their selves
—they will never change —we
don’t need to be involved !!!!
Aug 28, 2010 8:35am EDT
President Bush laid the
groundwork for the
withdrawal and now the current
president
is taking credit for that
action???
We are sorry to say, that the
only
campaign promise, that was
kept involved
taking his wife out to dinner
and a
broadway show in N.Y. at our
expense!!!
Good luck, America.
Aug 28, 2010 9:26am EDT
Hmmm …….. what was “the
war” all about? A sovereign
country was deemed to have
weapons that were never found
or even proved to have existed.
Was invaded and thousands of
innocents killed and maimed. So
ummm, where does the U.S. get
off with taking the high ground?
I’m neither a christian or
moslem; even I can see that this
whole pseudo exercise was
never what it seems and neither
is this political manoeuvre. In
the meanwhile the U.S. has an
ally Sadi Arabia, who has
people who’s mindset is,
hammer nails into the servants
because they are not of the
faithful?
Saddam was a despot …….
without doubt along with the
whole clan. One which was
placed and supported by the
U.S. So, one has to wonder
about the Bin-Laden, Bush
connections? The profit made
from this debacle and by the
whole damn charade.
War is made profitable by
fanning the flames of emotion
through attacks like that. So, it
is given that the profit to be
made by it; is now guaranteed to
News Wire/ 17
pour in.
Aug 28, 2010 9:30am EDT
Anyone who thinks we are
actually pulling out of Iraq is
foolish… Mercenaries &
Privatized military contractors.
Obama just hired tens of
thousands of mercenaries.
Aug 28, 2010 10:21am EDT
OK Bobama, everything that
goes wrong during your reign of
terror is Bush’s fault.
Everything that goes right, even
though it was through Bush’s
efforts, you take credit for. For a
man who hates his country you
sure are proud of yourself. We
never have had a two year old
running our nation. Please don’t
break this precious nation
through your arrogance and
incompetents.
Aug 28, 2010 10:42am EDT
We need to asset ownership of
some percentage of Iraqi oil
sales to pay us back for the $3
trillion we spent over there
Aug 28, 2010 10:43am EDT
Thank You, Mr. President, God
bless you!!
*We welcome comments that
advance the story directly or
with relevant tangential
information. We try to block
comments that use offensive
language or appear to be spam
and review comments frequently
to ensure they meet our
standards. If you see a comment
that you believe is irrelevant or
inappropriate, you can flag it to
OBAMA page 20
18 News Wire/ E-reader News Edition

NATO forces fight off Taliban attacks on Afghan bases

(Reuters: Top News) attacks around Afghanistan in a were found near the camps, identified as private security Poor security is one of the main
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:52:16 AM bid to topple the government ISAF said. It said four ISAF contractors. concerns for Afghans before
and force out foreign troops. soldiers were wounded. "It is believed that the private parliamentary elections on
An Afghan security personnel More than 2,000 foreign troops Zabihullah Mujahid, a security contractors were September 18, a milestone after
walks past the body of an have been killed, most of them spokesman for the Taliban, said returning fire against the same fraud-marred presidential polls
insurgent attacker in Khost Americans, since the conflict about 30 fighters had attacked insurgents who had just last year and with U.S. President
province August 28, 2010. began. the bases. They included suicide previously attacked the coalition Barack Obama planning a
Credit: Reuters/Stringer Hundreds of civilians have also bombers and others armed with vehicle, and had increased their strategy review in December.
By Elyas Wahdat been caught in the crossfire, rockets and machine guns, speed to break contact," ISAF (Additional reporting by Hamid
KHOST, Afghanistan| Sat Aug with civilian deaths up by 31 Mujahid told Reuters by said. Shalizi in Kabul; Editing by
28, 2010 10:52am EDT percent in the first six months of telephone from an undisclosed Also on Saturday, 48 Afghan Paul Tait and Jon Hemming)
KHOST, Afghanistan(Reuters) this year, according to a United location. schoolgirls were taken to (For more Reuters coverage of
- Foreign and Afghan troops Nations report. Khost police chief Abdul hospital after a suspected poison Afghanistan and Pakistan, see:
killed 24 insurgents as they The NATO-led International Hakim Ishaaqzai said the bodies gas attack on their school in the here) (paul.tait@reuters.com;
fought off pre-dawn attacks on Security Assistance Force of 24 insurgents were found capital, Kabul, the Ministry of Kabul Newsroom, +93 706 011
t w o b a s e s i n e a s t e r n (ISAF) said air support was near the two bases. Reuters Public Health said, the second 526)
A f g h a n i s t a n o n S a t u r d a y , called in after the bases came Television pictures showed such attack in the past three (If you have a query or
officials said, with the Taliban under attack by small-arms fire, some were wearing Afghan days. comment on this story, send an
saying suicide bombers the rockets and rocket-propelled police or army uniforms. Thirty-nine were released after e m a i l t o
fighters. grenades at about 4 a.m. (8:30 Ishaaqzai said two civilians treatment, while nine were kept news.feedback.asia@thomsonre
The attacks targeted the U.S. p.m. EDT Friday). were also killed. Though ISAF for observation or further uters.com)
military's Forward Operating Similar attacks against foreign said the attacks had been treatment. *We welcome comments that
Base Chapman and nearby military bases and Afghan repelled, residents said The Taliban banned education advance the story directly or
Forward Operating Base Salerno government buildings in the east intermittent shooting and for girls when they ruled with relevant tangential
in Khost province near the have been made in the past year. explosions could still be heard Afghanistan from 1996-2001 information. We try to block
eastern border with Pakistan, ISAF said in a statement later several hours later. but have condemned similar comments that use offensive
where U.S. and other foreign on Saturday that about 15 CONTRACTORS KILLED attacks in the past. They have, language or appear to be spam
forces have been stepping up insurgents were killed at Salerno ISAF also said its forces had however, set fire to dozens of and review comments frequently
operations against a resurgent and another six at Chapman. mistakenly killed two private schools, threatened teachers and to ensure they meet our
Taliban. Two insurgents were able to security contractors after a attacked schoolgirls in rural standards. If you see a comment
Seven Central Intelligence breach the perimeter into patrol came under fire from areas. that you believe is irrelevant or
Agency officers were killed by a S a l e r n o b u t w e r e k i l l e d insurgents in an attack in The suicide attack on Forward inappropriate, you can flag it to
suicide bomber inside Chapman i m m e d i a t e l y , i t s a i d . Wardak province, west of the Operating Base Chapman on our editors by using the report
last December, the second-most Also, an insurgent from the al capital. December 30 last year abuse links. Views expressed in
deadly attack in CIA history. Qaeda-linked Haqqani network A car approached the patrol at highlighted the insurgency's the comments do not represent
Despite the presence of almost and two other fighters were speed on a highway in the reach and coordination, those of Reuters.
150,000 foreign troops, violence killed in an air strike called in Maidan Shahr district of particularly in their strongholds This entry passed through the
across Afghanistan is at its when they were seen driving Wardak on Friday and men in the south and east. Full-Text RSS service — if this
worst since the Taliban were away from the attack, taking the could be seen shooting out of A similar attack was launched is your content and you're
ousted by U.S.-backed Afghan total killed to 24. the vehicle's windows, ISAF this month on the main foreign reading it on someone else's site,
forces in late 2001. Five insurgents were captured said in a statement. base in southern Kandahar, the please read our FAQ page at
Taliban-led insurgents have and a car bomb and another The patrol fired on the vehicle, spiritual homeland of the NATO page 20
launched increasingly brazen vehicle carrying ammunition killing two people inside later Taliban.
E-reader News Edition News Wire/ 19

Ground Zero Muslim center may get public financing

(Reuters: Top News) available. Aug 27, 2010 4:13pm EDT your right to say it” -Voltaire. absolutely disgusting!! When
Submitted at 8/27/2010 2:58:14 PM The proposed center, two Who cares N.Y. City should Aug 27, 2010 4:37pm EDT history is settled and the dust
blocks from the Trade Center have a fence around it and be a How is this not the government settles from the next world war,
A demonstrator who supports site in lower Manhattan, has penal colony anyway along with establishing Islam as a religion? with islam, history will reveal
the proposed Muslim cultural caused a split between people Chicago. Do Christian churches qualify islam to be the ‘4th Reich’
center and mosque Park51 who lost relatives and friends in Aug 27, 2010 4:14pm EDT for tax-exempt bond cap? I Aug 27, 2010 4:42pm EDT
stands with a sign in front of the t h e a t t a c k , a s w e l l a s Adding insult to injury. don’t think they do… Wasn’t there an Episcopal
site in New York August 25, conservative politicians, and If you don’t like to pay for this We’re allowing political church that was destroyed on
2010. those who support the project. abomination, the Ground Zero correctness to dictate policy September llth, 2001? Why isn’t
Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson Among those who support it are mosque, go and vote in instead of common sense. IT eligible for free public funds
NEW YORK| Fri Aug 27, 2010 the mayor, civic and religious November. We the People can Supporters of the mosque are to rebuild it?
3:58pm EDT groups, and some families of and must vote out all supporters apparently too stupid to know *We welcome comments that
NEW YORK(Reuters) - The victims. of the project, regardless of their when someone is peeing in their advance the story directly or
Muslim center planned near the The mosque's backers hope to party affiliation (hint: Ron Paul, faces. The Imam is laughing all with relevant tangential
site of the World Trade Center raise a total of $70 million in tax the darling of Libertarians and the way to his Al Queda information. We try to block
attack could qualify for tax-free -exempt debt to build the center, GOP congressman, is one). And meeting. comments that use offensive
financing, a spokesman for City according to the New York don’t forget the most prominent Aug 27, 2010 4:37pm EDT language or appear to be spam
Comptroller John Liu said on Times. Tax laws allow such supporter, BHO. His turn to get “I may disagree with you and review comments frequently
Friday, and Liu is willing to funding for religiously affiliated kicked outta the office will holding a knife to my throat, but to ensure they meet our
consider approving the public non-profits if they can prove the come in 2012. I’ll defend to the death your standards. If you see a comment
subsidy. facility will benefit the general Aug 27, 2010 4:24pm EDT right to do it!” that you believe is irrelevant or
The Democratic comptroller's public and their religious After we fence NYC, we should -Another G’damn idiot. inappropriate, you can flag it to
spokesman, Scott Sieber, said activities are funded separately. fence ALL sanctuary cities. Aug 27, 2010 4:37pm EDT our editors by using the report
Liu supported the project. The The bonds could be issued Then meet illegals at the border Whoa! What happened to all abuse links. Views expressed in
center has sparked an intense through a local development and give them their choice of the liberal howls about the the comments do not represent
debate over U.S. religious corporation created for this which they prefer to be bused to. separation of church and those of Reuters.
freedoms and the sanctity of the purpose, experts said. Aug 27, 2010 4:26pm EDT state??? This entry passed through the
Trade Center site, where nearly The Islamic center would have The 1st Amendment of the Utah can’t erect secular crosses Full-Text RSS service — if this
3,000 perished in the September to repay the bonds, which likely United States Constitution to honor patrolmen killed on is your content and you're
11, 2001 attack. would be less expensive than guarantees freedom of speech, duty and veterans are told to reading it on someone else's site,
"If it turns out to be financially taxable debt. including freedom of worship, remove a cross in the middle of please read our FAQ page at
f e a s i b l e a n d i f t h e y c a n New York City's Industrial to all of its citizens. It should the desert because it offended a fivefilters.org/content-only/
demonstrate an ability to pay off Development Authority could not be publicly funded nor park ranger; but NYC can faq.php
the bonds and comply with the not issue debt for the center should construction be provide public subsidies to build Five Filters featured
laws concerning tax-exempt because the state civic facilities prohibited. Sometimes freedom a Mosque??????????? article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
f i n a n c i n g , w e ' d c e r t a i n l y law, which governed this type of of speech means people are I feel like I’m in the twilight an Easy Ride in the
consider it," Sieber told Reuters. financing for non-profits, was going to say something you zone. Independent.
Spokesmen for Mayor Michael allowed to expire about two disagree with, or worship a god Could we have some
Bloomberg, Governor David years ago. that you do not worship. “I may consistency in our government
Paterson and the Islamic center (Reporting by Joan Gralla; disagree with what you have to please.
and were not immediately Editing by Dan Grebler) say but I’ll defend to the death Aug 27, 2010 4:40pm EDT
20 Technology/ Culture/
CHINA
continued from page 16
military action if he remains in
office. Perhaps his goal is to join
the despots.
Aug 28, 2010 4:29am EDT
now that the north thinks the
international community thinks
the north koreans
have nuclear bombs so
everyone better beware in case
the north really
blast it off. i believe this is a
sickening threat that should be
eliminated.
Aug 28, 2010 4:48am EDT
This sad country and its
dysfunctional leadership is
propped up entirely by China
who use it as a pawn and
bargaining chip. Besides, the
last thing our Chinese friends
need is another successful
OBAMA
continued from page 17
our editors by using the report
abuse links. Views expressed in
the comments do not represent
those of Reuters.
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Learn the Science Behind Glow
Sticks by Making Your Own [DIY]
Whitson Gordon (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:00:00 AM
It doesn't matter how old you and the science behind them is
are, glow sticks are always cool, even cooler. DIY web site
competitor on their doorstep.
Aug 28, 2010 10:40am EDT
Is that the Chinese version of
the Mercedes Benz? Cuz if it is,
then u know what i’m trying to
say..
Aug 28, 2010 10:40am EDT
Is that the Chinese version of
the Mercedes Benz? Cuz if it is,
then u know what i’m trying to
say..
*We welcome comments that
advance the story directly or
with relevant tangential
information. We try to block
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and review comments frequently
to ensure they meet our
standards. If you see a comment
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Five Filters featured
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Independent.
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E-reader News Edition
NATO
continued from page 18
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Five Filters featured
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
Apple says goodbye to
design firm that helped
develop some Apple products
Mel Martin (The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW))
Submitted at 8/28/2010 7:00:00 AM
The New York Times reports
that Apple and SurfaceInk have
parted ways after the small
Silicon Valley developer
showed off a tablet design to
some potential clients. Apple
obviously didn't like one of its
partners demonstrating a
product that could become a
competitive threat, so out the
door they went.
some Apple products originally
The Times quotes founder and
appeared on The Unofficial
Chief Executive Eric Bauswell
Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat,
as saying that SurfaceInk and
Apple had "gone separate
directions."
28 Aug 2010 07:00:00 EST.
Please see our terms for use of
feeds.
SurfaceInk was founded in
1999, and has worked for Apple,
Hewlett-Packard and Palm.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
TUAW Apple says goodbye to
design firm that helped develop
E-reader News Edition
The Online Video Debate: Size Versus Quality
Guest Author (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 7:00:18 AM
Editor’s note: The following
guest post is by Ashkan
Karbasfrooshan, the CEO of
WatchMojo, a producer and
distributor of premium video
content. Follow him on
T w i t t e r @ a s h k a n
o r @ W a t c h M o j o
Last week, Erick posted an
article on TechCrunch titled
“Industry Insiders Say Online
Video Advertising Is Reaching
A ‘Frenzy Point.’” It was a
surefire way to get online video
entrepreneurs excited, right?
Not so fast.
The article quoted two CEOs of
large online video
businesses—namely Keith
Richman of Break Media and
Jason Glickman of Tremor
Media—whose basic argument
was as follows:
It very well may just be the big
ad networks and properties like
Hulu that are seeing the vast
majority of new ad dollars.
“If you are not in the top 10 on
comScore you will have a tough
time” notes Break CEO Keith
Richman, “money goes to the
guys who are big,”
That led Erick to summarize
and wonder:
Video is definitely shaping up
to be a large and growing
business for the bigger players
and ad networks, but will those
advertising dollars trickle down
to the smaller guys as well?
While one might think that the
top 10 firms in a given industry
will prevail, it’s important to
think of legendary General
Electric CEO Jack Welch’s rule
that a company should be either
No. 1 or No. 2 in a particular
industry, or else leave it
completely.
Online video frequently draws
comparisons to search, which
today has become a two-horse
race between Google and
Microsoft. Considering that the
high-profile and defunct Veoh
was a perennial top-10
competitor in video, one
wonders: is anything other than
No. 1 or No. 2 in video really a
winning a strategy?
It depends.
Size vs. Quality
Indeed, as with everything, size
matters. But seeing how history
repeats itself, it’s helpful to
think of how the frenzy around
large ad networks on the web
fizzled and made room for
something else: quality.
Increasingly, marketers have
grown wary of focusing solely
on size (as measured by
reach). A few years ago,
marketers would pick up the
phone and place one or two
orders allowing them to reach
100 million uniques while
paying rock-bottom CPMs.
Today, many are paying more
attention to where the ad
placements reside (and how the
ad views are being
counted). This is why after the
Technology/ 21
company focuses on, the
following table is useful to
understand who is doing what in
the online video space:
CONTENT
DECA, DBG, Eqal, Fora.tv,
Funny or Die, Generate,
Howcast, Katalyst Media,
Machinima, Mania TV, Next
New Networks, Revision3,
VideoJug, WatchMojo.
TECHNOLOGY
Adobe, Apple, Avid, JumpCut,
Sorensen, On2, blip.tv,
Brightcove, Feedroom, Justin.tv,
KIT Digital, Livestream/
Mogulus, O oyala, Maven,
Permission TV, Qik, uStream,
StudioNow, VMIX, Akamai,
BitGravity, Edgecast, Grid
Networks, Limelight Networks,
Panther Express.
ADVERTISING
Adap.tv, Auditude, Brightroll,
Broadband Enterprises,
Freewheel, Overlay.tv, Panache,
acquisitions of ad networks who have size. Scanscout, Tidal TV, Tremor
Right Media and Blue Lithium, The Four Pillars of Online Media, Video Egg, Yume.
the frenzy around online ad Video DISTRIBUTION
networks has waned a bit, and In fact, while both men have 5Min, AOL, Break,
some ad networks (namely b u i l t s t r o n g a n d v a l u a b l e DailyMotion, Hulu, Kaltura,
AdConion and Valueclick) have businesses, in their prognosis, MSN, Metacafe, Nabbr, Revver,
even begun to diversify to boost they omit a major strategic Vimeo, Yahoo!, YouTube,
their offerings of quality (via consideration. While online Blinkx, Cast TV, Clicker,
content). v i d e o c o m p a n i e s t e n d t o Clipblast, Dabble, Everyzing,
W i t h o u t a d o u b t , C E O s specialize in one of seven areas, G o o g l e , M e f e e d i a , P i x s y ,
Glickman and Richman are right ultimately they end up choosing T r u v e o .
t h a t s i z e i s a m a j o r o n e o f f o u r : T e c h n o l o g y , While Technology, Distribution
consideration. But that doesn’t Distribution, Advertising or and Advertising firms have a
mean that smaller or mid-sized Content. binary, winner-takes-all, zero-
video companies will fail, While incomplete and not a sum outcome, Content firms can
especially if they can play the d e f i n i t i v e b r e a k d o w n o r
quality card and leverage those categorization of where each ONLINE page 24
22 Technology/
Canon recrafting supertelephoto lens lineup
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:00:00 AM
Canon prototype 500mm and
600mm F4 lenses(Credit:
Canon)
Just after Canon announced
second-generation 300mm and
400mm telephoto lenses for its
SLRs, the Japanese camera
maker also said Friday it will
show prototypes of revamped
supertelephoto lenses with
500mm and 600mm focal
lengths.
The two prototypes, officially
called the EF500mm f/4L IS II
USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II
USM, are second-generation
successors to the current
products introduced in July and
September 1999, respectively.
They'll be on display at the
Photokina show in Cologne,
Germany later in September, at
which the spotlight shines
brightly on high-end gear.
The new Power Focus (PF)
mode on Canon's 300mm and
400mm f2.8 lenses is designed
to ease video focusing.(Credit:
Canon USA)
Canon was characteristically
reserved about the prototypes,
saying release dates and
specifications haven't been
decided, but Canon appears to
be applying the similar revisions
that it brought to the 300mm
and 400mm lenses: better image
stabilization, better image
quality, and lighter weight.
"The EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM
E-reader News Edition
Also for videographers, the
image stabilization system in the
300mm and 400mm lenses is
quieter to intrude less in audio.
The IS function thus far often
makes a noticable buzzing or
ticking noise on Canon lenses.
Of use to all photographers is
lighter weight. In part by
dropping two ultra-low
dispersion glass elements and
one fluorite element in favor of
two fluorite elements, the new
300mm and 400mm lenses are 8
percent and 28 percent lighter
and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM d i s t a n t w i l d l i f e w i t h o u t lenses is the inclusion of what than their predecessors. That's a
are being developed as L s p o o k i n g t h e m . the company calls Power Focus big deal for photographers who
(Luxury)-series lenses equipped C a n o n h a s c a t e r e d t o (PF) mode. When it's switched must both carry these lenses and
with a high-performance image professionals for decades, but on, the playback ring usually also handle them.
stabilization system," Canon t h e r e ' s a n e w t w i s t n o w : used to move the lens to a preset Other changes include a sharper
said. "Employing fluorite and v i d e o g r a p h e r s a n d focus point instead adjusts focus i m a g e , l e s s c h r o m a t i c
other special optical materials to cinematographers who want the --smoothly and silently, Canon aberration, better contrast,
c o r r e c t f o r a v a r i e t y o f image quality and low-light said. That helps with higher-end C a n o n s a i d - - o p t i c a l
aberrations, the lenses aim to performance available with new video setups when the camera is improvements at the heart of
realize high-resolution, high- SLR video. Canon's first video mounted to a rack; moving the any lens. New lens coatings also
contrast imaging performance in SLR, the EOS 5D Mark II ring farther changes the focus are added: oil- and water-
a lighter-weight body design." introduced in 2008, came with from a low-speed to a high- repellent fluorine on outside
This major overhaul of the video as something of an speed change. surfaces, and sub-wavelength
telephoto line demonstrates afterthought, but the growing The move is significant, given s t r u c t u r e c o a t i n g ( S W C )
Canon's desire to retain its clout use by low-budget moviemakers how lenses traditionally have internally to reduce ghosting
with professional photographers a n d o t h e r s i s o p e n i n g a b e e n d e s i g n e d f o r s t i l l and flare that can mar images
in the face of significant significant new higher-end photography. The Canon EF 24- taken when the lens is pointed
competitive threat from the market beyond photojournalists 105mm lens, for example, toward bright light sources.
other SLR giant, Nikon. The and studio photographers to travels somewhat awkwardly What hasn't improved is the
3 0 0 m m a n d 4 0 0 m m Canon. through its zoom range if its price--more than a reasonable
supertelephoto lenses are Canon's new 300mm and focal length is adjusted during used car at about $7,000 and
t y p i c a l l y u s e d b y s p o r t s 400mm lenses are substantially video. And Canon's 100-400mm $11,000, respectively, for the
photographers who need to lighter in part through use of lens, which gets longer as it n e w 3 0 0 m m a n d 4 0 0 m m
shoot close-ups of moving fluorite optical elements.(Credit: extends to 400mm, also is all models. The new 500mm and
athletes with fast shutter speeds; Stephen Shankland/CNET) but guaranteed to wobble 600mm lenses are in the same
the 500mm and 600mm models One interesting feature in the significantly if it's zoomed ballpark; to see one reason why,
often are used to photograph EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM during video capture. CANON page 29
E-reader News Edition
Silicon Valley’s Dark Secret: It’s All About Age
Vivek Wadhwa (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:00:19 AM
An interesting paradox in the
technology world is that there is
both a shortage and a surplus of
engineers in the United States.
Talk to those working at any
Silicon Valley company, and
they will tell you how hard it is
to find qualified talent. But
listen to the heart-wrenching
stories of unemployed
engineers, and you will realize
that there are tens of thousands
who can’t get jobs. What gives?
The harsh reality is that in the
tech world, companies prefer to
hire young, inexperienced,
engineers. And engineering is an
“up or out” profession: you
either move up the ladder or
face unemployment. This is not
something that tech executives
publicly admit, because they
fear being sued for age
discrimination, but everyone
knows that this is the way things
are. Why would any company
hire a computer programmer
with the wrong skills for a
salary of $150,000, when it can
hire a fresh graduate—with no
skills—for around $60,000?
Even if it spends a month
training the younger worker, the
company is still far ahead. The
young understand new
technologies better than the old
do, and are like a clean slate:
they will rapidly learn the latest
coding methods and techniques,
and they don’t carry any
Technology/ 23
“technology baggage”. As well, nationality are not important.
the older worker likely has a So whether we like it or not, it’s
family and needs to leave by 6 a tough industry. I know that
pm, whereas the young can pull some techies will take offense at
all-nighters. what I have to say, but here is
At least, that’s how the thinking my advice to those whose hair is
goes in the tech industry. beginning to grey:
Professors Clair Brown and • Move up the ladder into
Greg Linden, of the University management, architecture, or
of California, Berkeley, design; switch to sales or
analyzed Bureau of Labor product management; or jump
Statistics and census data for the ship and become an
semiconductor industry and entrepreneur ( old guys have a
found that salaries increased huge advantage in the startup
dramatically for engineers world). Build skills that are
during their 30s but that these more valuable to your company,
increases slowed after the age of and take positions that can’t be
40. At greater ages still, salaries filled by entry-level workers.
started dropping, dependent on • If you’re going to stay in
salaries, so they look for who was Senior Vice-President
the level of education. After 50, programming, realize that the
motivated, young software and Chief Technical Officer at
the mean salary of engineers deck is stacked against you.
developers who will accept Microsoft, told me in 2008 that
was lower—by 17% for those Even though you may be highly
minimum wage in return for h e b e l i e v e s t h a t y o u n g e r
with bachelors degrees, and by experienced and wise,
e q u i t y o w n e r s h i p a n d t h e workers have more energy and
14% for those with masters employers aren’t willing or able
opportunity to build their are sometimes more creative.
degrees and PhDs—than the to pay an experienced worker
careers. Companies like Zoho But there is a lot they don’t
salary of those younger than twice or thrice what an entry-
c a n a f f o r d t o p a y m a r k e t know and can’t know until they
50. Curiously, Brown and level worker earns. Save as
salaries, but find huge advantage gain experience. So Microsoft
Linden also found that salary much as you can when you’re in
in hiring young workers. In aggressively recruits for fresh
increases for holders your 30s and 40s and be
2006, Zoho’s CEO, Sridhar talent on university campuses
of postgraduate degrees were prepared to earn less as you gain
Vembu, initiated an experiment and for highly experienced
always lower than increases for experience.
to hire 17-year-olds directly out engineers from within the
those with bachelor’s degrees • Keep your skills current. This
of high school. He found that industry, one not at the expense
(in other words, even PhD means keeping up-to-date with
within two years, the work o f t h e o t h e r . D a v i d
degrees didn’t provide long- the latest trends in computing,
performance of these recruits acknowledged that the vast
term job protection). It’s not programming techniques, and
was indistinguishable from that majority of new Microsoft
much different in the software/ languages, and adapting to
of their college-educated peers. employees are young, but said
internet industry. If anything, change. To be writing code for a
Some ended up becoming that this is so because older
things in these fast-moving living when you’re 50, you will
superstar software developers. workers tend to go into more
industries are much worse for need to be a rock-star developer
Companies such as Microsoft senior jobs and there are fewer
older workers. and be able to out-code the new
say that they try to maintain a of those positions to begin with.
For tech startups, it usually kids on the block.
balance but that it isn’t easy. An It was all about hiring the best
boils down to cost: most can’t SILICON page 30
old friend, David Vaskevitch, and brightest, he said; age and
even afford to pay $60K
24
ONLINE
continued from page 21
leverage others in those three
segments. Thinking back to
Jack Welch’s mantra, I’d argue
that you have to be #1 or 2 in
Technology, Distribution and
Advertising (think of the search
engine industry) but not
necessarily so in Content
(hence, the four TV networks,
for example).
Enter YouTube
Of course, talking about all of
this without mentioning the
eight-hundred pound gorilla is
foolish.
Today, YouTube retains 44%
of the online video audience. Its
parent Google accounts for the
lion’s share—roughly 65%
market share—of the search
market, which in turn garners
40% of the online advertising
pie. It then uses its $30 billion
war chest to fund forays into
new tech and media areas.
As a result of this major reality,
companies who operate in the
Technology, Distribution and
Advertising spheres are
handicapped because they are
fighting for 56% of the total
online video market (less, when
you consider that the No. 2
player in the market, Hulu, is
equally protective of its domain
and doesn’t let just any
company operate in its
sandbox).
E-reader News Edition
In other words, without content producers will will face “Platform” of All, Maybe companies, YouTube absorbs
Google’s blessing, an uphill battle convincing One company that has been expensive bandwidth costs and
• a video Advertising or marketers that they are worthy overlooked as a potential reduces marketing costs by
Technology firm’s product of their request for proposals platform for other startups to providing a targeted and captive
cannot gain traction on (RFPs) and ad dollars. build a business on remains audience, leaving them only
YouTube; So long as this is the reality, YouTube, which Google with the third major cost:
• and a Distribution video then indeed, Content companies acquired for $1.65 billion in content production itself.
company is competing head-on are just as much at the mercy of 2006. As such, while it’s true that size
with the No. 1 and No. 2 search GooTube as Technology, Facebook, Twitter and and reach are going to be a
destinations online (with Distribution and Advertising YouTube are fundamentally major hindrance for small and
YouTube being the second firms are, albeit in a different different: developers build apps mid-sized video companies,
largest search engine) and the way. on Facebook and Twitter’s regardless of whether they’re in
No. 1 video site online. The Power of the Platform platform; content producers Content, Technology,
A couple of years ago, VCs create videos and distribute Distribution or Advertising, I’d
One can cling to the fact that tripped over one another to fund them across YouTube – but still rather be producing quality
unless you’re a Top 10 player Facebook-ecosystem start-ups. conceptually, all three provide content. Whereas the Content
according to comScore you’re Facebook itself launched the the backbone that helps firms (small, medium or large)
doomed, but I would argue that fbFund, but recently admitted monetize the creators’ can leverage the strengths of the
if you operate in Technology, that the fund was dead. Playing brainchild. other three to build valuable
Distribution or Advertising, in Facebook’s sandbox was Why? One word: Advertising businesses, in Technology,
unless you’re name is Google or challenging at best and daunting Video—which is what Distribution and Advertising,
YouTube, you might not be at worst. constitutes YouTube’s DNA—is unless you are No. 1 or No. 2,
spared, either. Yes, Zynga built a powerful a natural canvas for advertising then you won’t have the
An Uphill Battle company by leveraging to flourish. It’s important to gunpowder to stay in the game.
Meanwhile, Content companies Facebook, but diplomacy ran its note that social networking Photo credit: Flickr/Paulo
c a n l e v e r a g e Y o u T u b e ’ s course. For every Zynga there (Twitter, Facebook or Brandão. CrunchBase
platform as they pose no threat are hundreds of companies Foursquare’s DNA) is the latest Information Ashkan
to the GooTube machine. They whose fate turned of a dime. form of communication, and Karbasfrooshan YouTube
a u g m e n t i t b y p r o v i d i n g Take, for example, Offerpal communication tools like email, Information provided by
p r o f e s s i o n a l c o n t e n t f o r who laid staff off after Facebook instant messaging (and now CrunchBase
marketers to advertise alongside threw itself into the arms of a tweeting) have rarely proven to
of within YouTube. This being competitor. Countless others be money makers in an ad-
said, they are not completely never even made it into the supported ecosystem.
immune either. So long as limelight to begin with. It Ironically, yet fittingly, the fact
Google doesn’t break down wasn’t just Facebook; Twitter that Google owns YouTube has
individual content producers on and Foursquare have all been proven to be a larger hindrance
YouTube for comScore and cast as the flavor du jour. to technology companies than
Nielsen reporting, most of the YouTube Remains the Biggest media companies. For media
E-reader News Edition
Weekly Wrap-up: Digg 4 Takes a Dive, Reddit Founder Was
"Terrified," Diaspora Update, And More...
Abraham Hyatt
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:00:00 AM
This week's top story was a no-
brainer: the spectacular
implosion of Digg's attempted to
create a newer, better version of
the site. We also continued our
exploration of the significant
Internet trends of 2010: We
found 10 videos about the
Internet of Things; augmented
reality took a trip to the
mountains; and Google tested
real-time, as-you-type search
results. Read on for more.
Sponsor
Top Stories of the Week
• Digg 4 Goes Live-ish to the
Public
• Where the Startups Are, By
Zip Code
• Why Large Hadron Collider
Scientists are Using CouchDB
• Why Reddit's Founder was
"Terrified" to Launch New
Startup, Hipmunk
• Only Burning Man Stands
Between Diaspora, the Open
Source Facebook, and Its Public
Launch
"Man Foods" Lightened
(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
Sorry, Readability was unable
to parse this page for content.
Technology/ Food/ 25
More coverage and analysis ReadWriteStart • Why Large Hadron Collider
from ReadWriteWeb Our channel ReadWriteStart, Scientists are Using CouchDB
Check Out The ReadWriteWeb sponsored by Microsoft • How to Improve IT Worker
iPhone App BizSpark, is dedicated to Morale
We recently launched the profiling startups and • What the Intel/McAfee
official ReadWriteWeb iPhone entrepreneurs. Merger Means for Enterprise
app. As well as enabling you to • Where the Startups Are, By Security Managers
read ReadWriteWeb while on Zip Code
the go or lying on the couch, • Why Reddit's Founder was ReadWriteBiz
we've made it easy to share "Terrified" to Launch New Our channel ReadWriteBiz is a
ReadWriteWeb posts directly Startup, Hipmunk resource and guide for small to
from your iPhone, on Twitter • What Does Your "About Us" medium businesses.
and Facebook. You can also Augmented Reality Page Say About Your Startup? • Google Launches Setup Guide
follow the RWW team on • New Augmented Reality App for Small Businesses
Twitter, directly from the app. Brings Luxury to Your Car for ReadWriteCloud • What Facebook Places Means
We invite you to download it $2.99 Our channel ReadWriteCloud, For Small Businesses
now from iTunes. • "What Mountain is That?" sponsored by VMware and Intel, • InDinero Adds Automated
Real-Time Web New App Takes Augmented is dedicated to Virtualization F i n a n c i a l F o r e c a s t s f o r
• Twitter in Real Time: Reality Outside the City Limits and Cloud Computing. Businesses
TweetDeck Opens User Streams • How to Use Amazon Web
Preview to All More Augmented Reality Services to Make a Video on Enjoy your weekend everyone!
• Google Tests Streaming, As- coverage Demand Service Subscribe to the Weekly Wrap-
You-Type Search Results Mobile Web • A View Into How Apple up
• The Great Big Spreadsheet of Develops APIs You can subscribe to the
More Real-Time Web coverage All Known Android Devices • When K-12 Moves to the Weekly Wrap-up by RSS or by
Internet of Things Everywhere Cloud email below.
• Top 10 YouTube Videos • Android Mobile Web Use Up RWW Weekly Wrap-up Email
About Internet of Things 400% in Q2, Outpacing Apple ReadWriteEnterprise Subscription form:
• 3 Sensor Data Platforms to & BlackBerry O u r c h a n n e l Discuss
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26 Technology/
What Mafia II says about the Gaming Industry
Don Reisinger (SlashGear)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:13:14 AM
For the past week, I’ve been
playing Mafia II. Like most
people, I like the idea of playing
a title that offers a rich story,
gives me opportunities to do
more than one thing, and lets me
enjoy a GTA-like experience.
But as I play the game, I
continue to have an unnerving
thought: it represents everything
that the gaming industry has
become. And by doing so, it
properly illustrates the issues
that old-school gamers like
myself find with the gaming
business.
See, Mafia II is a fine game.
It’s fun, it’s entertaining, and for
the most part, I think the
average gamer would like it. But
it’s mediocre in every way.
[Image: Sleeping Gamer by
Adam Reeder]
The game’s graphics are good,
but not great. There are bugs
that will annoy even the most
laid-back gamer. The storyline
is so-so. And the action, while
fun, can become derivative over
time. Taken as a whole, Mafia II
is a solid, but flawed experience.
As I look beyond Mafia II and
consider all the other so-called
“major releases” over the past
few years, I’m struck by how
similar its experience is to all
the others. The gaming industry
has been inundated with
mediocre titles in 2010, and just
as many heartbreaks have made
their way to store shelves in the
past few years.
Take, for example, Battlefield:
Bad Company 2. Is it fun? Sure.
Is it unique? In some ways, yes.
But its storyline is somewhat
shallow, and the average player
will likely turn the game on only
when they want to have
mindless fun. It’s decidedly
solid, but it’s flawed.
The same can be said for Heavy
Rain. I know that, like
Battlefield: Bad Company 2, it
gets all kinds of props from
gamers, but the controls are
atrocious in Heavy Rain. And
only the gamer that is fine with
little action will understand
what all the allure is about with
that title. It is, once again, a
solid, but flawed game.
Although the list could go on, I
think the aforementioned
releases speak to the issues
developers are having. On one
hand, they want to create the be-
all, end-all for games, and they
have the ability to do so. But
they’re ruled by development
budgets, time constraints, and a
pushy publisher that wants to
get games out for as cheap as
possible to reap the biggest
reward.
The only problem is, that’s not
necessarily possible. So,
publishers and developers have
decided upon a middle ground.
That middle ground allows the
developer to create a worthwhile
game that will do just enough to
captivate audiences, while the
publisher can capitalize and turn
a quick profit.
Of course, there are some
exceptions to that rule. As
mentioned Mass Effect 2, Red
Dead Redemption, and even
E-reader News Edition
God of War 3 show that with the
right vision, a near-perfect game
can be developed. But they are
few and far between. And they
represent the “old school” of
gaming where quality mattered
more than sales.
But maybe we shouldn’t
complain. As 2010 has shown
us, there are a lot of really great
franchises in the gaming space.
And those franchises have
helped push the industry
forward from a niche to an
entertainment medium.
But I’m sick of solid games. I
want more epic adventures that
push game-development
forward. I’m looking for the
Citizen Kane of games that
changes everything. But so far,
we’ve been given Mafia II.
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
• Gaming industry booms
despite sagging economy
• Gaming industry surging
amongst downtrodden economy
• Nintendo Wii becomes
highest-selling current-
generation console
• Infogrames wants Atari all to
themselves
• Pandora hopes to usher in a
new era of portable gaming
E-reader News Edition
Ex-Googler and Ex-Facebooker Start Invite-Only Workspace
Sunfire Offices
Alexia Tsotsis (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:01:22 AM
A unique spin on the concept of
co-working space, Sunfire
Offices was started three months
ago by ex- Google engineering
manager Niniane Wang and and
ex-Facebook engineering
manager Yishan Wong. While
there are plenty of other co-
working spaces in downtown
Mountain View, like Hacker
Dojo and Plug In Play, Wong
and Wang, not satisfied with the
available options, decided to
create a co-working space of
their own.
They found an office space and
got funding from a number of
angel investors including Keith
Rabois and Justin Calbeck, who
completely sponsored Sunfire
Offices, meaning that Wong and
Wang were then able to offer
space rent free to other startups
and individuals working on
personal projects,“Our goal was
to build a co-working space
focused on top-tier talent.”
(They shied away from talking
about a future business model.)
While it does incorporate
incubator type qualities, the two
emphasize that invite-only
Sunfire Offices is not a
incubator,“ We’re optimizing
Technology/ 27
shops or at home can be very
lonely and unmotivating,” says
Wang.
Wang also brings up the
example of a Nextstop engineer
who didn’t want to move to
Facebook when Facebook
acquired Nextstop — preferring
to stay at a startup.
“ We invited her to come work
at Sunfire, during which time
she worked on a small project
of her own while talking with
various companies associated
with our sponsors and network.
And just last week, she
accepted a position at one of
those companies as their first
full-time engineer.”
A visit to the offices reveals an
amazing view and a lot of
people hard at work on some
secret and not so secret projects
for the quality of people, since attend a weekly mixer where G o o g l e a n d F a c e b o o k including YouTube co-founder
they’re what really matter in a one of the sponsors’ portfolio connection is strong,“due to our Jared Karim, former astronaut
start-up,” says Wong. They companies does a pitch or demo. backgrounds, we are able to and Google Manager Ed Lu, and
wanted to“avoid the problem This benefits Sunfire sponsors source from a very high-quality c o - f o u n d e r s o f i T e l e p o r t
often associated with incubators: because they end up getting first pool – Niniane knows all the Jahanzeb Sherwani and Vishal
the theory that stronger startups look at potential companies and great early engineers at Google, Kapur.
don’t need an incubator so the Sunfire residents because they and I know everyone from You can get an invitation to the
startups that apply to incubators g e t e x p o s u r e t o p o t e n t i a l PayPal and Facebook.” Sunfire weekly mixer (and
tend to be weaker ones, investors and recruiters. Aside from free rent, office maybe even to Sunfire) by
resulting in incubators naturally Looking for “aggressively residents gain the being around contacting office manager (and
selecting for poorer startup productive individuals” as intelligent people/environmental former Googler) Elaine Yu or
performance.” residents, Wang emphasizes that aspect of working at a giant tag along vicariously as they eat
Unlike most incubators, the applicant pedigree doesn’t company while still maintaining their way through Castro Street.
only obligation at Sunfire is to matter. But the the inevitable a small scale.“Working in coffee
28 Technology/ E-reader News Edition

Blockbuster's Bankruptcy Could Be Top-rated reviews of the

the Beginning of the End for DVDs week (photos)
Chris Cameron devices, gaming consoles, and (CNET News.com) adding more memory; no
(ReadWriteWeb) networked BluRay players. Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:00:00 AM support for EPUB book files; no
Submitted at 8/27/2010 9:00:00 PM While Blockbuster users have Nook-like lending feature; no
the ability to swap discs in Here's our weekly roundup of protective carrying case
For as long as I can remember, stores, the inability to stream the new products CNET included; battery is sealed into
Blockbuster Video has been the any content has long been a reviewers liked best. the device and isn't removable.
nation-wide go-to spot to rent thorn in the service's side. Amazon Kindle (3G/Wi-Fi, The bottom line: The third-
movies. Some of my earliest stores and hopes to soldier on in DVDs are going away. This graphite) generation Kindle's winning
movie experiences as a child 2011 with some of it's nearly $1 already happened with music. Editors' rating: 4 out of 5 combination of noteworthy
involved movies my family billion in debt recouped. One day that vast majority of us The good: Slimmer, more upgrades--an improved screen,
rented from Blockbuster. When Blockbuster's decline can be will no longer buy physical compact design than previous better battery life, lighter
the popularity of online music partly blamed on the rise of copies of movies and keep them Kindle; improved screen with weight, and lower price--vaults
downloads began shuttering online rent-by-mail services like on a shelf. Netflix realizes this - higher contrast and faster page it to the top of the e-book reader
music stores, the world realized Netflix and Gamefly. Other which is exactly why they want turns; native PDF support; large category.
that Blockbuster's days were services, like Redbox which lets to get out of the expensive rent- library of hundreds of thousands Read CNET's full review
similarly numbered. Now it users rent DVDs at $1 a night by-mail business and completely of e-books, newspapers, Price: $189
seems that number is quickly f r o m c o n v e n i e n t l y p l a c e d focus their efforts online with magazines, and blogs via Photo by Sarah Tew/CNET
approaching zero as the Los kiosks, have equally eaten away streaming content. Blockbuster, Amazon's familiar online store; Caption by
A n g e l e s T i m e s r e p o r t e d at the retail giant. Blockbuster by failing to make the move to built-in free 3G wireless This entry passed through the
yesterday that an impending has tried to react to these online streaming, will inevitably "Whispernet" data network, plus Full-Text RSS service — if this
bankruptcy could be as close as competitors, launching both go down with the ship as fewer Wi-Fi; built-in keyboard for is your content and you're
a few weeks away for the video online and kiosk-based rental and fewer people purchase notes; with 4GB (3.3 usable) of reading it on someone else's site,
and game rental giant. service, but it clearly hasn't done physical media. internal memory, it's capable of please read our FAQ page at
Sponsor enough to help plug the leaks in However, until broadband storing 3,500 electronic books; fivefilters.org/content-only/
According to "several people t h e s i n k i n g s h i p t h a t i s speeds improve to handle full eight fonts available, including faq.php
familiar with the situation," B l o c k b u s t e r . streaming at BluRay quality, two new extra-large sizes; Five Filters featured
Blockbuster executives met with The major advantage Netflix there will still be lingering excellent battery life; displays article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
the six major Hollywood studios has over Blockbuster is its business for physical disc image files, and plays MP3 and an Easy Ride in the
to warn them of a "pre-planned" online streaming capabilities. renters and sellers. Blockbuster AAC audio. Independent.
bankruptcy the company plans Netflix subscribers can stream a hopes it can eventually pull The bad: No expansion slot for
to enter sometime in September. continuously expanding library itself out of bankruptcy and
The company intends to file o f m o v i e s a n d T V s h o w s continue to survive for a bit
Chapter 11 in order to escape directly to any of a number of longer. Discuss
leases on underperforming devices, including the iOS
E-reader News Edition
CANON
continued from page 22
check this Canon video showing
painstaking manual labor
assembling the current 500mm
F4 lens.
Canon also introduced two
other lenses of note this week--
both new additions to the
premium L-series lineup with
features such
weatherproofing and a durable
as
design.
Canon's EF 8-15mm f/4L
Fisheye USM lens(Credit:
Canon USA)
First is the EF 8-15mm f/4L
Fisheye USM lens. On a full-
frame camera, the higher-end
models with sensors the
24x36mm size of a frame of
35mm film from days of yore,
this lens will cover a full 180-
degree circular view. On a more
mainstream crop-frame camera
with a smaller sensor and
narrower field of view, the 180-
degree span only is reached
from one corner to its diagonal
opposite, Canon said.
Fisheye lenses let people
photograph extremely wide-
Stream Audio to Your Airport
Express Speakers in Linux [Linux]
Whitson Gordon (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:00:00 PM
If you dual boot OS X and
Linux (or you just think Apple's you may be looking for a way to
AirPort Express is awesome), stream music wirelessly through
angle views with a curved
perspective that bows parallel
lines outward. Previously Canon
had a 15mm fisheye lens, but it
had a fixed focal length and
wasn't an L-series model. The
new model will cost about
$1,400 when it goes on sale in
January.
Second is the EF 70-300mm f/4
-5.6L IS USM lens, which
covers a broader range than
most higher-end telephoto
zooms. However, its aperture is
a narrow f5.6 when fully
zoomed out, somewhat limiting
the amount of light that reaches
the image sensor. This model
will cost about $1,500 starting
in October.
Canon's EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L
IS USM lens(Credit: Canon
USA)
Finally, Canon introduced two
third-generation telephoto
extenders, which multiply a
lens' focal length by a factor of
1.4 and 2.0 at the expense of
reducing light by one or two f-
stops, respectively. Canon said
Technology/ Culture/ 29
the new models, in addition to
getting the easy-cleaning
fluorine coating and rubber
gaskets for weatherproofing,
provide better image quality.
That's something of a bugaboo
for telephoto extenders, which
can worsen chromatic
aberration.
Again, though, the new gear
London newspaper City
doesn't come cheap: the Canon
Extender EF 1.4x III & Canon
Extender EF 2x III will cost
A.M. coming to the iPad
Michael Grothaus (The next few months. The iPad will
about $500 when they go on Unofficial Apple Weblog
sale in December, Canon said. include a digital reader with an
(TUAW)) exact replica of the print
This entry passed through the
Full-Text RSS service — if this Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:00:00 AM product, as well as html news
If you aren't a Londoner, this updates." It's unclear at the
is your content and you're
news probably won't excite you moment if the City A.M. iPad
reading it on someone else's site,
that much. However, if you app will be free like the print
please read our FAQ page at
make the daily commute on the edition or a paid app. Either
fivefilters.org/content-only/
tube like the five million rest of way, now fellow Londoners will
faq.php
us (well, 4,999,999. I work from never have to be worried about
Five Filters featured
home), a regular part of your missing an issue -- or using the
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
morning is browsing though the print edition as an umbrella on
an Easy Ride in the
City A.M. newspaper -- a staple those rainy mornings.
Independent.
of daily London business news. TUAW London newspaper City
I've been reading the paper A.M. coming to the iPad
daily for the last three years, and originally appeared on The
I get irked when I walk to a tube Unofficial Apple Weblog
stop and find the City A.M. bin (TUAW) on Sat, 28 Aug 2010
empty. Well, no more! A little 03:00:00 EST. Please see our
birdy told me that City A.M. is
hard at work on a full-blown
terms for use of feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
iPad edition.
"We're working on a series of
Comments
your house with Linux. How-to a p p s , i n c l u d i n g f o r t h e
blog MakeUseOf shows us how. iPad...should be ready in the
More »
30 Technology/ Culture/ E-reader News Edition
SILICON
Hardware Acceleration is Coming to continued from page 23

to manage their technical

Chrome - Try it Now My advice to managers is to
consider the value of the
careers. Perhaps it is time to let
students know what lies ahead.
Frederic Lardinois Chrome and the two installs experience that the techies Editor’s note: Guest writer
(ReadWriteWeb) generally don't interfere with bring. With age frequently come Vivek Wadhwa is an
Submitted at 8/28/2010 2:52:55 AM each other. wisdom and abilities to follow entrepreneur turned academic.
By installing Chromium, you direction, mentor, and lead. He is a Visiting Scholar at the
Google just confirmed that will also get a chance to test Older workers also tend to be School of Information at UC-
Chrome will soon support GPU Google Chrome Labs. You can more pragmatic and loyal, and Berkeley, Senior Research
hardware acceleration. find more information about this to know the importance of being Associate at Harvard Law
Developers can speed up the feature here. team players. And ego and School and Director of Research
rendering of complex pages by Once installed, you need to run arrogance usually fade with age. at the Center for
offloading a lot of the the application with the--enable- During my tech days, I hired Entrepreneurship and Research
processing to a computer's accelerated-compositing flag. several programmers who were Commercialization at Duke
graphics card, which - after all - To do so, you can either run the over 50. They were the steadiest University. You can follow him
acceleration for displaying some
was specifically designed for program from the terminal and performers and stayed with me on Twitter at@vwadhwa and
content. Now that the basic
these tasks. As browser set this switch by hand, or - in through the most difficult times. find his research at
infrastructure is in place,
developers continue to try to Windows - check the properties Finally, I don’t know of any www.wadhwa.com.
however, the Chromium team
increase the responsiveness of for the executable and append university, including the ones I
expects to move "even more of
their applications, hardware the flag to the target in the t e a c h a t , t h a t t e l l s i t s
the rendering from the CPU to engineering students what to
acceleration is the natural next properties dialog.
the GPU to achieve impressive
place to look for performance Chances are that you won't expect in the long term or how
speedups." In the long run,
gains. Microsoft is also working notice too much of a difference
on hardware acceleration for the
Google will likely also use this
same infrastructure to offer
right now, though you will From the Tips Box: iTunes Auto-
next version of its browser. The probably notice some speed-ups
company plans to unveil the first
support for accelerated 3D
while viewing highly complex Add, Dock Magnification, and
graphics in the browser. Give it
complete build of Internet
Explorer 9 next month. Mozilla,
a Try
pages. More Technical Details
If you are interested in the exact
Shopping Lists [From The Tips Box]
To try Chrome's built-in GPU
too, offers support for GPU d e t a i l s o f h o w G o o g l e ' s Whitson Gordon (Lifehacker)
acceleration, you need to run a
acceleration in the latest beta h a r d w a r e a c c e l e r a t i o n i n Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:00:00 PM
cutting edge version of Chrome
version of Firefox 4 for Chrome works, have a look at
(even more cutting edge than the
Windows. this design document Google Readers offer their best tips for
canary builds). You can find installing applications on OS X,
Sponsor also just published. Windows without Apple
recent build of Chromium- the
Vangelis Kokkevis, one of the Tip of the hat to Conceivably organizing your music library, Software Update. More »
open source project behind
engineers behind the Chromium Tech for spotting this new and installing QuickTime on
Chrome - here. You can easily
project, notes that Chrome feature first. Discuss
install Chromium parallel to
currently only uses hardware
E-reader News Edition Technology/ 31

StreamTV Elocity A7 tablet packs Tegra 2 and Android 2.2,

coming to Amazon for $399 in September
Joanna Stern (Engadget) facing 1.3 megapixel cam on the they'll be including an HDMI
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:25:00 AM left bezel. We actually got to cord and wireless keyboard in
make a quick Fring video call to the box -- all for $399. It all
We can't say we'd ever heard of one of the other tablets in the sounds rather promising, but so
StreamTV, but all the company room, though it was rather do all these future Android
had to say was " Tegra 2 lagging since we were running tablets!
Android Froyo tablet" to get us over it all 3G. Gallery: StreamTV Elocity
to meet up with them in NYC Surrounding the tablet is an SD Continue reading StreamTV
earlier today. The Philadelphia card slot along with USB and Elocity A7 tablet packs Tegra 2
start-up is planning to bring its HDMI ports, the latter of which and Android 2.2, coming to
Elocity A7 -- essentially a re- d i d c o m e v e r y h a n d y f o r Amazon for $399 in September
badged Compal's NAZ-10-- to hooking up the tablet to a 22- StreamTV Elocity A7 tablet
an Amazon order page near you, inch HDTV and watching an packs Tegra 2 and Android 2.2,
and from what we saw during extremely smooth 1080p clip. coming to Amazon for $399 in
the hour-long demo it may just (Thank you 1GHz Tegra II-720 September originally appeared
be a contender for your stashed CPU!) Speaking of, we also got see for yourself after the break shipping 2.2-running units come on Engadget on Sat, 28 Aug
away $399. The 7-inch tablet to play a racing game, Asphalt and in the upcoming episode of October and with a 2010 08:25:00 EDT. Please see
has an extremely responsive 800 5, on the device, though the the Engadget Show-- but the supplemental GetJar app store our terms for use of feeds.
x 480 resolution, capacitive accelerometer steering was a bit unit we saw was running since it cannot preload Google's Permalink| | Email this|
touchscreen -- yes, multitouch flaky. Besides that, we've got to Android 2.1. The SteamTV's Marketplace because of Comments
worked in the browser and say the entire tablet experience CEO says they'll only be restrictions. He also tells us
photo gallery -- with a front- was pretty smooth -- you can

Griffin confirms PartyDock iPad/iPhone peripheral is on the

way
Chris White (The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW))
Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:00:00 AM
If you're familiar with the
Scene It? franchise for the Xbox
360, PS3 and Wii, you've
probably never thought of
having a similar model work on
an iPhone or an iPad. If you're
like me, you may have an "of
course" moment when you first
see the Griffin PartyDock.
Thanks to the FCC posting the
PartyDock filing from Griffin
earlier this week we're now
getting our first look at a very
cool new product. The
PartyDock will let up to four
people play a game together
with four individual remotes on
a single iPhone 4 or iPad
connected to your TV. Griffin
has confirmed that party, family
and casual games will be
available via the App Store, but
they will need to be designed or
adapted specifically to work
with the PartyDock.
Griffin will be shipping three
mini-games and one full game
along with the device. The
photos on Griffin's product site
show what appears to be a
Battle of the Sexes port from
Imagination Games, but it may
or may not be one of the games
included in the bundle.
TUAW Griffin confirms
PartyDock iPad/iPhone
peripheral is on the way
originally appeared on The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW) on Sat, 28 Aug 2010
10:00:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
32 Technology/ E-reader News Edition

Paul Allen Sues Google and Apple,

Other High-Profile Companies
Evan Selleck (SlashGear) that this is not only important to
Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:28:28 PM him, personally, but to the
technology involved, and to the
When it comes to patents, researchers who created the
making sure that yours are kept technology being used. As for
up to date, and that other the other companies being
companies aren’t using the same named in the suit? You may
technology that you have heard of a few of them:
incorporated in them is a prime eBay, Facebook, YouTube (a
directive. Even patents that subsidiary of Google), AOL,
aren’t necessarily as high-profile
as some others, they still need to
be defended. And that’s exactly
and Netflix. There’s no telling
where this will go from here, but
we’re sure this will get even
Apple to increase
what Paul Allen, Microsoft co-
founder, is doing. In a new
more interesting soon enough.
[ via TUAW]
frequency of pay for
report that came to the surface Relevant Entries on SlashGear
today, it looks like Allen is
suing Google, Apple, and a slew
• Apple opposes anti-gay
marriage prop; donates
iOS developers
of other high-profile companies s p e c i f i c a l l y , s e a r c h t o o l s . $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 Keith M (The Unofficial Apple give them a better understanding
Primarily, one patent focus on • Paul Frank’s line of Verizon Weblog (TUAW)) of how sales are doing.
in a patent dispute.
While none of the companies the way that sites suggest new accessories Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:00:00 AM Right now there's no word on
named in the suit were able to and updated items to a search • Sony and Apple sued by what the pay threshold and
be reached for comment, it result. While another, one that Japanese couple over laptop Are you an iOS developer frequency have been changed to,
seems that Allen is going for we see used every day on sites battery who's been pained by the but the quicker earnings make
some unknown amount in all around the Internet, focuses • Universal Sues Video Sharing t h r e s h o l d a t w h i c h A p p l e their way to developers' pockets,
damages. As far as the patents on the way that “related stories” Websites – YouTube is Next? decides to send payment out for the better. Are you a developer,
go, it looks like four are are found, based on a particular • Paul Frank HP Dragon Laptop your hard-earned app sales? and have you been hoping for
primarily named. They are story being search, or read at sold for charity Well, Apple has a bit of good such a change?
integral to the way e-commerce any given time. news for you on that front. [via Macworld]
w o r k s , a n d e v e n m o r e A spokesperson for Allen says Along with a new reporting TUAW Apple to increase
module within iTunes Connect, frequency of pay for iOS
Apple has decreased the amount developers originally appeared
developers must accumulate o n T h e U n o f f i c i a l A p p l e
from sales before payment is Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 28
issued, along with an increase in Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please
the frequency at which those see our terms for use of feeds.
payments are made. Not only Read| Permalink| Email this|
will this decrease the amount Comments
spent on bank fees for
developers, but the reports will
E-reader News Edition
Eucalyptus and Amazon - A Twist Forms in the
Open Cloud
Alex Williams
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 1:52:32 AM
In the past few days we have
seen two new initiatives that
involve companies known for
their open-source roots.
Red Hat announced it is open-
sourcing its Deltacloud API.
Eucalyptus is teaming with New
Scale, rPath and MomentumSI
to provide a self-serve cloud
deployment service.
Earlier this summer, Rackspace
open-sourced its cloud
infrastructure and teamed with
NASA to create OpenStack.
Sponsor
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
is the clear leader in the cloud
infrastructure market. To
counter its dominance, open-
sourcing technology or forming
alliances is about the only
choice for these companies.
That is unless you decide to
align with Amazon like
Eucalyptus is doing. Eucalyptus
uses the AWS API for
Which Magazine Will You Pick Up This Weekend?
PopSugar (PopSugar)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:00:00 AM
The weekend's here, which
means it's time to curl up with
the latest magazines. People has
the exclusive sit down with Elin
companies to set up their own
private clouds.
That move mixes up the game a
bit. Eucalyptus CEO Marten
Myckos believes that AWS is
now the standard. But there's
more to this story, too.
Eucalyptus had previously been
aligned with NASA before the
U.S. aerospace agency decided
to build its own cloud
computing infrastructure. As
The Register reports, the
Nordegren, while Us has all the
inside details on Anna and
Stephen's Malibu wedding.
InTouch claims Angelina and
Brad's mom are butting heads, breast implants. So tell us –
and Heidi Montag tells Life & which of these magazines are
Style she's ready to remove her you planning to read over the
scuttlebutt has been that NASA
dropped Eucalyptus because the
service did not scale:"But
Mickos says that such rumors
should be laid to rest - though he
acknowledges that the platform
may not be appropriate for the
sort of epic cloud NASA intends
to build. Eucalyptus is meant for
use within the enterprise."
NASA is now aligned with
Rackspace on OpenStack.
The moves in the market
Technology/ Culture/ 33
HTC Branded Device
with 8MP Camera
Unveiled, Heading to
Verizon
Evan Selleck (SlashGear)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:49:49 PM
Usually when a device makes
an appearance on the Internet, a
name of some kind follows suit.
This time, though, we aren’t so
i l l u s t r a t e s A m a z o n ' s lucky. Thanks to one of Boy
commanding lead. Rackpsace Genius Reports Ninjas, we’ve
and Red Hat are going the open- got a first glimpse of some
source route to make gains. unknown HTC manufactured
Eucalyptus still acts like an open device, with the upper-class
-source provider but for a few look of the Nexus One, and the
exceptions. For one, it has a size of the HTC EVO 4G. And,
c o m m e r c i a l o f f e r i n g t h a t as you might have already
leverages the Amazon API. imagined (if the title didn’t give
That's a twist. Discuss it away), it’s apparently heading
towards Verizon.
HTC page 34
weekend? Brad's mom really Team Jen?
Which Magazine Will You Pick Life & Style– Catching up on
Up This Weekend? People– It's the latest Heidi news is my
high time Elin got to share her guilty pleasure.
side of the story. Us– I'm so
glad True Blood led to true love
for these two! InTouch– Is
34 Technology/ Food/
HTC
continued from page 33
According to the tipster, the
device features a 4.3-inch
touchscreen, has a brushed
aluminum chassis, and “it makes
the Droid 2 look like a kid’s
toy.” As the picture clearly
shows, the device has an 8MP
camera on the back, and dual
LED flash. There’s a kickstand,
which is apparently becoming
cool enough to put on
mainstream devices again, and
there’s 3.5mm audio jack
(probably at the top). And, if
that’s not enough? There’s
apparently a front-facing
camera, too. Looks like Square: The Perfect Solution
Verizon’s finally ready to jump
For Tricky Drug And
into the video chat market. As
5-Ingredient Sandwiches Prostitution Transactions?
(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
Sweet and salty are a great pair
in sandwiches, and this recipe
has intensely flavored salty
prosciutto paired with candylike
fig preserves. Three minutes of
grilling and pressing makes the
fontina nice and gooey and the
whole sandwich crispy and
warm.
Pantry Checklist:
• Chicago-style Italian bread
• Prosciutto
• Fontina cheese
• Baby arugula
• Fig preserves
soon as more details come our
way, we’ll let you know.
[ via Boy Genius Report]
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
• Samsung Intensity II lands at
Verizon
• Verizon DROID Eris gets
cheaper for Christmas at Best
But Mobile
• Pantech Jest headed to
Verizon
• HTC Incredible snapped in
Verizon livery
• Verizon announces dirt-cheap
ZTE Salute slider
Prep: 7 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
View Recipe: Prosciutto,
Fontina, and Fig Panini Next
Grilled Pork Sliders with Honey
BBQ Sauce
This entry passed through the
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please read our FAQ page at
fivefilters.org/content-only/
faq.php
Five Filters featured
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
Michael Arrington
(TechCrunch)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:11:15 AM
One of the big problems with
drug and prostitution
transactions is that they tend to
involve a lot of cash, and cash is
hard to launder. Taking credit
card payments has never been
easier via Square, which lets
anyone swipe credit cards with
their iPhone.
Sure, it leaves one heck of a
paper trail, but you have to
wonder if at least a few of those
person to person transactions
aren’t being done via that sexy
startup. I certainly have.
Founder Jack Dorsey has told
E-reader News Edition
Wii Balance Board-
controlled robot a hit
with toddlers in Ithaca
(video)
Joseph L. Flatley (Engadget)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 6:35:00 AM
How could we resist a story
involving robot-powered
babies? The Ithaca College Tots
on Bots project aims to mobilize
infants with physical disabilities
by setting them atop a "mobile
robot" equipped with a Wii
Balance Board to let the young
operator steer by leaning --
which, it turns out, works pretty
well. Additionally, the vehicle
me that exactly zero drug or uses sonar to avoid nasty
prostitution transactions have crashes and a remote control
been completed through Square. that an adult can use to take
I believe he believes that, but I control. Further study has to be
wonder how he really knows for made before any long term
sure. developmental benefits can be
Anyway, I came across this ascertained, but in the meantime
very funny spoof video by Chris it does look like a lot of fun. See
OConnell that just dives right in it in action after the break.
to exactly what I’ve been Continue reading Wii Balance
saying. Says Chris:“So I got my Board-controlled robot a hit
blow, and I got my 19 year old with toddlers in Ithaca (video)
hooker. Life couldn’t be much Wii Balance Board-controlled
better thanks to Square.” robot a hit with toddlers in
Trust me, you’ll want to watch I t h a c a ( v i d e o ) o r i g i n a l l y
this: appeared on Engadget on Sat,
C r u n c h B a s e I n f o r m a t i o n 28 Aug 2010 06:35:00 EDT.
Square Information provided by Please see our terms for use of
CrunchBase feeds. Permalink Switched|
Cornell University| Email this|
Comments
E-reader News Edition
LaCie Rikiki Go external
HDD features 1TB storage,
new and improved monkey
Joseph L. Flatley (Engadget)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 4:40:00 AM
How do you differentiate one
portable HDD from the next?
Well, let's see: You can bump
the storage capacity up to 1TB.
Or you can give the monkey a
mohawk. Yep, that's pretty
much it! The Rikiki Go supports
USB 2.0, sports an aluminum
case, and is available now (with
1TB capacity) for $150. There is
also a 500GB version that's not
yet in stock, but will be at some
point for $90. PR after the
break.
Continue reading LaCie Rikiki
Go external HDD features 1TB
storage, new and improved
monkey
LaCie Rikiki Go external HDD
features 1TB storage, new and
Charlize Theron Teams Up With Orlando Bloom For Uniqlo
PopSugar (PopSugar)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:00:00 AM
Charlize Theron made a pit stop
to refuel her black SUV in LA
on Thursday. She displayed her
improved monkey originally
appeared on Engadget on Sat,
28 Aug 2010 04:40:00 EDT.
Please see our terms for use of
feeds. Permalink Engadget
Spanish| LaCie| Email this|
Comments
long legs and toned abs in the
September issue of Russian Elle,
and she'll be showing more of
her fashionable side in the
coming year. She and dad-to-be
as international spokesmodels
Orlando Bloom were just named
Technology/ Culture/ 35
15 Awesome
With Imation Link 5112 WUSB Daft Punk
A/V streamer, KerliGirl13 can Digital Artworks
Eugene (Featured Blog Posts
finally have her own TV show - My Modern Metropolis)
Joseph L. Flatley (Engadget) and whatnot for $150. PR after Submitted at 8/27/2010 7:00:00 PM
Submitted at 8/28/2010 11:15:00 AM the break.
Continue reading With Imation Anyone who has been to a Daft
Punk concert can tell you that it
Unlike lots of other media L i n k 5 1 1 2 W U S B A / V
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this one is pretty straightfoward: have her own TV show
the USB dongle plugs into your With Imation Link 5112 WUSB show featuring insane beats and
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PC or Mac, the receiver plugs A/V streamer, KerliGirl13 can
into your TV's HDMI input, and finally have her own TV show with their musical productions.
Their music breaks language
what you sees and hears (on originally appeared on Engadget
your computer) is what you gets on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:15:00 barriers and speaks to the entire
(on the TV). The Wireless USB EDT. Please see our terms for world. As a tribute to the
connection will stream video up use of feeds. Permalink Wired| electronic music duo, here are
to 720p and still images up to | Email this| Comments 15 awesome Daft Punk digital
1080p, as well as stereo sound. artworks.
Available now from Amazon
for the Japanese retailer Uniqlo. and Jason Reitman flick, Young
Since turning 35 earlier this Adult.
month Charlize's been kicking View 5 Photos ›
back enjoying the Summer with
relaxing activities but soon she'll
start work on the Diablo Cody
36 Economy/ E-reader News Edition

Is Chinese Consumption Much Lower Than We Thought?

Michael Pettis (Money Game) the US Treasury, it is too much Morning Post already has the estimate the real size of the strangers representing the
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:16:25 AM foreign financing that the US Japanese financial authorities Chinese economy, Chinese government – I am not sure how
must worry about. As if to threatening intervention because household income, and Chinese comfortable I am with the idea
On August 8 Credit Suisse prove the point, the Financial the rising yen is hurting exports savings and consumption rates that having friends ask the same
published a study they had Times had an article Wednesday — although apparently it is not by eliminating some of the questions eliminates biases.
commissioned by Professor with the title: “Foreigners flock just PBoC buying that is forcing biases in the NBS surveys. As Maybe it just creates a different
Wang Xiaolu of the China to buy US Treasuries.” I am up the yen. they explain it: bias – I suspect we are likely to
Reform Foundation. A lot of pretty sure they will continue The second of those two things The purpose is to try to correct overstate our income when we
readers have asked on- and “flocking” for many more years. is happening, in other words, the understatement of income in discuss it with friends.
offline me to discuss this study Second, even the small moves and to prevent it from the official household survey by Still, that aside, the numbers
in light of the entry I posted two into won and yen are causing continuing, Japan will resort to the National Bureau of Statistics seem plausible, at least to me,
w e e k s a g o a b o u t C h i n e s e consternation in Japan and the first. As an aide, it was not (NBS). Basically, the study but not everyone agrees.
consumption – and especially to Korea. For example, Saturday’s that long ago when the japanese assumes that while respondents According to an article in the
explain whether this study Financial Times has this: were arguing that US attempts understate their income during the China Daily:
would cause me to retract any of Japanese prime minister Naoto to force up the yen were the survey of NBS (for reasons Officials from the National
the things I said. Kan on Friday said he was ready misguided because Japan’s trade like worrying that such Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said
Before I get into that, I suppose to take “decisive” action on the surplus had nothing to do with information will be passed to tax on Wednesday that the figures
by now everyone has noticed yen, and urged the Bank of the undervalued currency. Now, authorities, etc.), they have no in the report, which was
that China is trying to diversify J a p a n t o i m p l e m e n t apparently, it seems that the incentive to understate total published by an independent
its reserve holdings and is “expeditious” monetary policy value of the currency does spending, particularly the group in July, were unreliable.
reported to be buying more measures. matter after all. percentage of food consumption “There are many flaws in the
Japanese yen and Korean won, …The government is under Expect a lot more of this. As to total spending (the Engel’s report, such as how the samples
and perhaps other currencies. In increasing pressure to stem the the US deficit surges as a coefficient). were chosen and calculations
my entry six weeks ago, I rising yen, which threatens the consequence of the combination Based on this assumption, the made, and the final result is
argued that the fear that China country’s economic recovery. of collapsing trade deficits in survey employs interviewers’ significantly higher (than the
could disrupt the US Treasury His remarks suggested that the Europe and expansionary trade- questions about income, actual level),” said Shi Faqi, an
market by dumping dollars was c e n t r a l b a n k c o u l d s o o n related policies in China, spending and food consumption official with the NBS, in an
totally unreasonable. The latest introduce additional easing Germany, Japan and other trade from the 4,000 plus respondents article on the bureau’s website.
news support my argument, I measures to tackle the waning surplus countries, surplus whom they know personally. At any rate according to the
think. First, it is pretty clear economy. countries may implicitly or The assumption is that as the study there is enough hidden
from the recent performance of I pointed out in my piece six explicitly try to relieve pressure interviewer knows the and grey income in China, more
the market that the vigorous weeks ago that if the PBoC on the US by forcing deficits respondent personally, the than estimated by the NBS, that
attempt to diversify PBoC switches from dollars to some onto their neighbors, but no one respondent will feel more China’s real GDP might be
holdings has had no disruptive other currency, one of two wants them. In the 1930s this comfortable and willing to understated by 10% relative to
affect on the US Treasury things must happen. Either the was called beggar-thy-neighbor. disclose their “true” income. official numbers. In 2008,
market. recipient country buys dollars to I discuss it in an OpEd piece for While I agree that having China’s official GDP was RMB
It cannot. The world has a keep its currency from surging, the Financial Times on Monday. strangers ask questions about 31.4 trillion. According to
problem of too many countries in which case the US gets the Chinese income is higher than income may introduce biases in Wang it really was RMB 34.6
eager to increase their export of money anyway, or the US trade we thought people’s response – we’re trillion.
savings and too few increasingly deficit will be transferred to the But enough on the awfully probably more likely to Chinese household income, the
reluctant countries importing recipient country, which will gloomy subject of trade. To get understate our income, study claims, has also been
savings. Too-little foreign cause trade tensions with China. back to the Credit Suisse study, especially if it includes grey or CHINESE page 38
financing won’t be an issue for Wednesday’s South China it is a very interesting attempt to illegal income, when asked by
E-reader News Edition Economy/ 37

Schwarzenegger on Public Pensions and the Cost of the

"Protected Class"
noreply@blogger.com of retirement debt. even passed a law permitting
(Michael Shedlock) (Mish's The cost of servicing that debt government employees to
Global Economic Trend has grown at a rate of more than purchase additional taxpayer-
Analysis)
15% annually over the last guaranteed, high-yielding
Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:31:00 PM decade. This year, retirement retirement annuities at a
Now that Schwarzenegger is a b e n e f i t s — m o r e t h a n $ 6 discount—adding even more
certifiable lame duck (dead duck billion—will exceed what the retirement debt. It's as if
may be a more appropriate term) state is spending on higher Sacramento legislators don't
Schwarzenegger sees fit to take education. Next year, retirement want a government of the
on public unions in a major way. costs will rise another 15%. In people, by the people, and for
It's too late now (for him) even fact, they are destined to grow the people, but a government of
as he speaks the truth. so much faster than state the employees, by the
Please consider Public Pensions revenues that they threaten to employees, and for the
and Our Fiscal Future by Arnold suck up the money for every employees.
Schwarzenegger. Recently some other program in the state For years I've asked state
critics have accused me of budget. legislators to stop adding to
bullying state employees. At the same time that retirement debt. They have
Headlines in California papers government-employee costs refused. Now the Democratic
this month have been screaming have been climbing, the private- leadership of the assembly
"Gov assails state workers" and sector workers whose taxes pay proposes to raise the tax and
"Schwarzenegger threatens state for them have been hurting. debt burdens on private
workers." Since 2007, one million private employees in order to cover
I'm doing no such thing. State j o b s h a v e b e e n l o s t i n rising public-employee
employees are hard-working and California. Median incomes of compensation.
valuable contributors to our workers in the state's private Much needs to be done. The
society. But here's the plain sector have stagnated for more Assembly needs to reverse the
truth: California simply cannot than a decade. To make matters massive and retroactive increase
solve its budgetary problems worse, the retirement accounts in pension formulas it enacted
without addressing government- of those workers in California 11 years ago. It also needs to
employee compensation and have declined. The average prohibit "spiking"—giving
benefits. 401(k) is down nationally nearly someone a big raise in his last
Thanks to huge unfunded 20% since 2007. Meanwhile, the year of work so his pension is
pension and retirement health- defined benefit retirement plans boosted. Government employees
care promises granted by past of government employees—for must be required to increase
g o v e r n m e n t s , a n d a l s o t o which private-sector workers are their contributions to pensions.
d e c e p t i v e p e n s i o n - f u n d on the hook—have risen in Public pension funds must make
accounting that understated value. r e t i r e m e n t a c c o u n t t h e y inflation-protected check of truthful financial disclosures to
liabilities and overstated future Few Californians in the private guarantee to public employees $3,000 for the rest of their lives. the public as to the size of their
investment returns, California is sector have $1 million in who opt to retire at age 55 and In 2003, just before I became
now saddled with $550 billion savings, but that's effectively the are entitled to a monthly, governor, the state assembly SCHWARZENEGGER page 39
38
CHINESE
continued from page 36
understated and, with it, Chinese
household consumption. The
study argues that Chinese
household income was about
30% higher than the estimates of
the NBS.
The response of most analysts
and the press to the report was a
little puzzling to me. Professor
Wang’s study, many people
seemed to argue, proved that
either China didn’t have an
under-consumption problem, or
else it proved that the problem
was much less serious than the
worriers had claimed because
both consumption and income
may be higher than we think. A
more sophisticated variant was
the claim that the study proved
that China had much greater
potential for consumption
growth than previously
imagined.
Under-consumption is easy to
prove
The first two statements are
simply wrong. They confuse
absolute consumption with
relative consumption. To say
that the Chinese under-consume
does not mean not that Chinese
households have failed to
consume at a certain nominal
level. It means that the
consumption share of total
production is very low. In that
sense China most certainly has a
serious under-consumption
problem, and Professor Wang’s
study actually suggests that it is
worse than any of us has
imagined.
The third statement is probably
true, but only to the extent that
the worse the under-
consumption problem, the more
potential there is for
consumption growth. This may
be arithmetically correct, but it
also suggests that unlocking that
consumer potential is likely to
be harder than expected.
How do we know that China
has an under-consumption
problem? To answer that
question it is unnecessary even
to look at the consumption
statistics. All you need to know
is that China has a very high
investment rate (perhaps the
highest in the world) and a huge
trade surplus.
Every country produces goods
and either consumes or invests
those goods. This is not quite
an accounting identity, but it
becomes one if you take into
account the trade balance.
Why? Because if it produces
more than it consumes or
invests, it must run a trade
surplus. If it produces less, it
must run a trade deficit. In
other words by definition what
ever you produce is equal to
what you invest plus what you
consume plus or minus the trade
balance.
China has an extremely high
investment rate, perhaps the
highest ever recorded for a
medium or large economy.
Countries with high investment
rates should normally run trade
deficits, since there is so little
left over of their production for
them to consume that they must
import the balance. This is what
happened, for example, to the
US during most of the 19th
Century.
But China has probably the
highest trade surplus ever
recorded. This means that an
extraordinarily large portion of
its production is invested, and
another extraordinarily large
portion is exported. So what
about consumption? The only
way a country can run an
extraordinarily high investment
rate and an extraordinarily high
trade surplus is if consumption
is extraordinarily low.
So almsot by definition we
know that consumption in China
is extraordinarily low as a share
of its total production. It is
unnecessary to check
consumption statistics to prove
this.
In fact official statistics do
prove it. They show that
Chinese households consumed a
little less than 36% of total GDP
last year. This is an
unprecedented number, much
lower than the 65-70% typical
of the US and Europe and even
far below the 50-55% typical of
other low-consuming Asian
countries.
More income inequality
But Professor Wang’s study
suggested something very
worrying. He claims that nearly
two-thirds of the missing
income belongs to the wealthiest
10%. Most of the rest went to
households in the top half of the
income scale. Poor people in
China were far less likely to
have hidden, grey, or illegal
income.
So, according to Professor
Wang, Chinese household
income is distributed far more
unequally than any of us had
suspected. This is worrying
enough for reasons of social
equity, but what does it have to
do with consumption?
A lot. It turns out, not
surprisingly, that the rich
consume a much smaller share
of their income than do the poor.
For example, according to
Professor Wang’s numbers,
households that earn more than
RMB 400 thousand save 63% of
their income, while households
that earn RMB 75-400 thousand
save 51%. At the other extreme
households that earn RMB 7-10
thousand save only 9% of their
income and households that earn
less than that dis-save (by 23%)
So while Chinese household
income might be significantly
higher than we thought, most of
that additional income goes to
the high-savings rich. The
Chinese savings rate,
consequently, is also much
higher and the Chinese
consumption rate much lower
than the official numbers
suggest.
How low? Here the number is
a shocker. Credit Suisse
estimates that last year Chinese
E-reader News Edition
household consumption was just
over 31 percent of GDP –
although I am not sure even they
completely believe this number.
Still, it suggests that the real
consumption rate may be
between 31% (their number)
and 36% (the official number).
Either number is completely off
the charts.
So isn’t this good news for
consumption as far as its
implications for the economic
imbalances? Consumption is so
low that it has no choice but to
surge, right? Perhaps, but I am
very uncomfortable with this
argument. It seems to me that
the only way consumption can
be so low is if there are some
very severe structural
impediments that distort
consumption growth, and I think
there is no reason simply to
assume or hope that these
impediments will dissolve and,
as they do, consumption will
explode. Rather than proclaim
that Professor Wang’s adjusted
consumption rate is more
evidence that consumption must
surge, it seems more reasonable
to wonder how any country can
have such a massive imbalance.
And how can Beijing unwind
this imbalance?
--------------
This guest post previously
appeared at the author's blog >
Join the conversation about this
story »
CHINESE page 39
E-reader News Edition
SCHWARZENEGG
continued from page 37
liabilities, and they must use
reasonable projected rates of
returns on their investments.
The legislature could pass those
reforms in five minutes, the
same amount of time it took
them to pass that massive
pension boost 11 years ago that
adds additional costs every
single day they refuse to act.
...
All of these reforms must be in
place before I will sign a budget.
I am under no illusion about the
difficulty of my task.
Government-employee unions
are the most powerful political
forces in our state and largely
control Democratic legislators.
But for the future of our state,
no task is more important.
Schwarzenegger Washes His
Hands
Schwarzenegger drones on and
on about who is to blame. He
also acts as if he was fiscally
responsible.
That is far from the truth. In
Turn out the lights California,
Citi: Sentiment Is Panicked And Valuations Are Cheap
Vincent Fernando, CFA
(Money Game)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:33:00 AM
The latest PULSE Monitor
product from Citi highlights the
potential for a stock market rally
in Q4, based on the fact that
valuations have become
particularly cheap on a relative
basis to U.S. government bonds
Economy/ 39
CHINESE
continued from page 38
the party is over I blasted Well here we are, 9 months share of the blame.
Schwarzenegger's fiscally later and the $4.1 billion reserve Mike "Mish" Shedlock
reckless proposals. went to a $14 billion deficit in h t t p : / /
Flashback March 2, 2007: the last 4 months. Thank God globaleconomicanalysis.blogspo
Schwarzenegger wants $500 Schwarzenegger did not get t.com
billion to rebuild California what he asked. Click Here To Scroll Thru My
Sound Bites Now in massive revisionist Recent Post List Mike
history he attempts to take credit "Mish" Shedlock is a registered
• $42.7 billion in general for being fiscally conservative. investment advisor
obligation bonds issued last year Please, let's stop the charades. representative for SitkaPacific
is " only the foot in the door, to While there is some truth he Capital Management. Sitka
whet the appetite." wanted concessions from Pacific is an asset management
• It will take $500 billion to " unions, unlike Governor Chris firm whose goal is strong
rebuild California the way it Christie, he never fought for performance and low volatility, Stocks Surge, And
ought to be". them very hard. Only now is he regardless of market direction.
• $500 billion is " too big for saying "All of these reforms V i s i t h t t p : / / Bonds Get Crushed:
people to digest, so you don't must be in place before I will w w w . s i t k a p a c i f i c . c o m / Here's What You Need
talk about that" even though he sign a budget." account_management.html to To Know (DELL, HPQ,
is talking about it. He should have said that in learn more about wealth
• California needs $500 billion 2009, 2008, and 2007. He is management and capital
PAR, SPY, INTC)
even though it has " done saying that now that he is a lame preservation strategies of Sitka Joe Weisenthal (Money
tremendously with the revenue duck. While I commend the Pacific. Game)
increases". idea, the problems he was Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:00:07 PM
• California will not issue less elected to fix are more broken
debt even if the economy slows. than ever. The word of the day: reversal.
• California " could face lower It will be interesting to see how But first, the scoreboard:
tax revenues" but he opposes tax this budget battle plays out, but Dow: +163
hikes. no amount of hand-washing can STOCKS page 40
absolve Schwarzenegger of his
and that investor sentiment has metrics now shows the S&P 500 months.
fallen further. to be more than 30% Even if you aren't sold on the
Citi's Tobias Levkovich: undervalued. strength of the recovery, this
Our model using Baa yields Sentiment just gets uglier: could still be viewed as a
instead of the 10-year Treasury Our Panic/Euphoria climbed trading call.
shows the market is undervalued remained in panic territory. This Join the conversation about this
at 3.36 standard deviations week’s Panic/Euphoria reading story »
below the mean. was -0.35; versus last week’s
Valuations using 10-year revised number of -0.31,
versus A-rated bonds. Our most
average earnings show stocks generating a high probability of
highly correlated valuation
being relatively inexpensive a rally over the next six-to-12
40 Economy/ Food/
STOCKS
continued from page 39
NASDAQ: +34
S&P 500: +17
And now, the day's top stories:
• The whole week was one
giant came of anticipation for a
90 minute stretch this morning -
- from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
ET -- during which we got
revisions to Q2 GDP and a
ridiculously overhyped speech
from Ben Bernanke. Markets
rallied somewhat in the early
going. A strong UK GDP report
helped lift stocks on the other
side of The Atlantic, and there
was an upward bias to begin the
US trading day.
• Pre-market there was great
drama when Dell raised its bid
for 3PAR(and then later in the
day, HP raised its bid... again).
• At 8:30 Q2 GDP came in
solidly better than expected,
although because the number
5-Ingredient Chicken
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dish meal that will satisfy a
craving for comfort food.
Follow with a classic comfort-
food dessert (with a twist):
Strawberry-Banana Pudding.
Pantry Checklist:
• Baking potatoes (6)
(1.6%) was still a major revision
from the initial Q2 GDP
estimate of 2.4%, the headlines
"GDP REVISED DOWN" won't
really be favorable to consumer
confidence or politicians
preying for a recovery. Still,
stocks rallied nicely on the
news, and the safe havens du
jour, Treasuries and the Yen got
smacked.
• Then at 10:00 AM ET... the
speech! And Bernanke basically
said nothing of note. He really
didn't. Yes, he opened the door
to more quantitative easing, yet
at the same time, he also
outlined why any future policy
options might not work.
• And just at the same time as
Bernanke came out, I ntel
dropped its revenue guidance,
sending stocks into a tailspin.
• Sour cream
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Prep: 5 minutes
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This entry passed through the
Full-Text RSS service — if this
E-reader News Edition
• But bearish sentiment has
been building up to a ridiculous
level, what with all the talk of
the Hindenburg Omen and such.
And so the bears -- despite
strength in numbers -- couldn't
sustain the selling, and stocks
jerked back to the black pretty
fast. And that continued
throughout the day, and even
accelerated as the day went on
for the solid gains stocks ended
up with. Bonds, which had been
riding an amazing wave, got
crushed. The 10-year yield,
China's 11-Day Traffic Jam
which had been hovering around
2.4% this week, is now above Was Insane... But Here's
2.6%.
Why More Will Happen
Join the conversation about this Vincent Fernando, CFA The Economist:
story » (Money Game) Beijing is set to spend 80
billion yuan ($11.8 billion) on
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:18:54 AM
transport infrastructure in
You probably heard about 2 0 1 0 — b u t i t m a y n o t b e
China's recent 11-day long enough. In recent years rising
traffic jam, which was 100 vehicle ownership has outpaced
kilometers at one stage, as it the growth of China's express
made international headlines. highway system by a distance.
Thing is, while hard to imagine China's new motoring class may
and shocking, more gargantuan have to get used to spending
is your content and you're traffic jams could easily happen many more hours behind the
reading it on someone else's site, in the future, due to the fact that wheel than they might otherwise
please read our FAQ page at the amount of Chinese vehicles intend.
fivefilters.org/content-only/ has grown far faster than the Join the conversation about this
faq.php amount of highways, as shown story »
F i v e F i l t e r s f e a t u r e d below.
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
E-reader News Edition
Sony's Newest Android Phone Is a High Dose of
Can-Do
Christopher Null (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 4:00:00 PM
With the kinks ironed out of
early versions of its latest
smartphone and custom Android
skin, Sony Ericsson's Xperia
X10 finally reveals itself to be a
contender in the blood-soaked
gladiator floor of the
smartphone world. And this
model should have substantial
appeal for a younger, socially
focused demographic.
Primary among those fixes are
massive improvements in
performance and battery life that
turn the X10 from a clunky
brick into a surprisingly capable
handset.
The X10 marks Sony Ericsson's
big push into Android, skinned
with two features called
Mediascape (for managing your
music collection) and
Timescape (for managing your
social network updates and
more). Mediascape is just an
overblown music manager, but
Timescape is more ambitious, a
bit reminiscent of what
Microsoft tried to do with the
KIN. Basically it puts
everything you do into a
chronological stack, whether
that's photos you've snapped,
Twitter updates or phone calls.
It takes a little getting used to,
but it quickly becomes an
enjoyable way to skim through
your recent past, provided
you're not a compulsive update
junkie.
Other features on the phone are
compelling. The X10's 8.1-
megapixel camera is as good as
any you're likely to find on a
mobile phone (and the
selectable "photo light" — don't
call it a flash! — is useful when
you're up close to your subject),
call quality and audio playback
are both quite good, and the
display is exceptionally bright.
The tall screen (big at 4 inches
diagonally) is great for wide-
screen content, but Sony
Ericsson does nothing with the
format when it comes to input.
Data entry is certainly this
phone's greatest weakness:
Touch typing is erratic and
almost impossible to get right
without going embarrassingly
slow despite the available space.
Your iPhone-touting friends will
be giggling as you try to tap out
a text only to end up with
something illegible for your
trouble. (Hint: It's actually
easier to type in portrait, even
with the narrow, baby-tooth
sized keys.)
All told, the fun and promise of
Timescape mostly outweigh the
problems with the phone's
interface. And with upgraded
battery life that now tops 6 ½
hours, the X10 now at least has
enough power to enter the realm
of usability for a full day of
work. Or play, more likely.
WIRED Nice camera, even
including face recognition and a
variety of camera modes.
Impressive audio quality and
Culture/ 41
loudness, if you're one of those
people that still talks on his
phone.
TIRED Troubling data entry
problems. Sony skin can get
overwhelmed for heavy
Facebookers and Twitter
friends. Ancient Android
version (1.6) installed. Still
suffers from a few performance
stutters here and there.
• Style: Touchscreen
• Operating System: Android
• Manufacturer: Sony
• Price:$150
•
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Independent.
42 Culture/ E-reader News Edition

Friday Bake-Off: Strawberry The Unlikely Inspiration

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• Home Organization a n E a s y R i d e i n t h e hit by Barbra Streisand and body lotion, shower gel, and
Independent. Barry Gibb—was the actual body shimmer—will arrive in
• Lifestyle • Don't Miss This: What’s your musical inspiration behind the department stores nationwide by
patchouli-based “scent of mid-September.
defiance.” Frida Giannini, the —EMILY HEBERT
visionary creative director at Photo: Courtesy of Gucci
Gucci, was reportedly struck
with the fragrance concept when
E-reader News Edition Culture/ TV/ 43

Ethereal Installation of a Thousand Bells (10 pics)

alice (Featured Blog Posts -
My Modern Metropolis)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 7:30:00 PM
Can you imagine walking into a
room, looking up and seeing a
thousand heavenly bells
sparkling above you? Brazilian
visual artist Laura Belém has
created this very experience for
us in The Temple of a Thousand
Bells, a new installation that's
part of Liverpool's 2010
Biennial. The work features a
thousand hand-blown glass bells
and an accompanying
polyphonic soundtrack inside
the Oratory beside Liverpool
Cathedral in St. James
Cemetery.
The story of the clear,
translucent glass bells are told
through loudspeakers in the
room, unveiling an ancient
legend about a temple of a
thousand bells that was built on
an island. Over the centuries, the
island sank into the ocean, and
with it, the temple. As the story
unfolds, it reveals the attempts
of a sailor to hear the music of
those bells. The narrative is
interspersed by specially
composed music and sound
effects.
The bells are meant to evoke
water, notions of spirituality,
fragility and evanescence. They
also suggest lyricism, dreams
and imagination.
Artist Laura Belém says, “My
intention is to show a work that
creating other levels of
perception of a public space for
people in Liverpool.”
Come see the Oratory and this
installation now until September
17. The Oratory is not normally
open to the public: this
commission represents an
unusual opportunity for the
public to gain access.
Liverpool Biennial and Art in
LiverPool
can touch the viewer’s ‘inner
self’ – heart and soul –
something we share universally
and that transcends geographic
and cultural boundaries. I am
also interested in altering or

Keck's Exclusives: True Blood's Gran is Mom to Desperate

Housewives' Tom
William Keck (TVGuide.com: Tom's home to help son Tom ( moms to the Housewives Magazine now!
Breaking News) Doug Savant) get over a unique characters, including Carol This entry passed through the
Submitted at 8/28/2010 12:27:00 AM case of male postpartum Burnett(as Bree's stepmom) and Full-Text RSS service — if this
depression. Polly Bergen(as Lynette's boozy is your content and you're
Lois Smith Want more Desperate mama). reading it on someone else's site,
Let's hope she fares better in Housewives scoop? Subscribe to Cherry describes Allison as "a please read our FAQ page at
Fairview than she did in Bon TV Guide Magazine now! very traditional homemaker fivefilters.org/content-only/
Temps. "I was really excited to get Lois; whose ideas of what women faq.php
After being brutally butchered I've been a fan of her work for should be to their husbands Five Filters featured
in True Blood's first season as years," says Housewives creator really smacks right against article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
Sookie and Jason Stackhouse's Marc Cherry, singling out her Lynette's more modern views of an Easy Ride in the
Granny Adele, veteran actress p e r f o r m a n c e s i n M i n o r i t y womanhood." So far, Lois is Independent.
Lois Smith is headed to Wisteria Report and a TV production of slated for two episodes.
Lane. Lois, 79, will debut in Grapes of Wrath. "One of the Lois joins is an impressive Who was your favorite
Desperate Housewives' fifth perks of this job is that I get to roster of actresses who have Desperate Housewives guest
new episode as Allison Scavo, work with these wonderful breezed through Fairview as parent?
who moves in to Lynette and actors from time to time." Subscribe to TV Guide
44 Culture/ TV/
Mortal Engine by Living Walls: The City
Chunky Move (6 pics + Speaks (5 pics)
video)
wishNYa (Featured Blog
Posts - My Modern
Metropolis)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 9:56:30 PM
Mortal Engine is a dance-video-
music-laser performance using
movement and sound responsive
projections to portray an ever-
shifting, shimmering world in
which the limits of the human
body are an illusion. Crackling
light and staining shadows
represent the most perfect or
sinister of souls. Kinetic energy
fluidly metamorphoses from the
human figure into light image,
into sound and back again.
Choreography is focused on
movement of unformed beings
in an unfamiliar landscape
searching to connect and evolve
in a constant state of becoming.
Veering between moments of
exquisite cosmological
perfection and grotesque
evolutionary accidents of
existence, we are driven forward
by the reality of permanent
change.
via POS1T1ON
Eugene (Featured Blog Posts
- My Modern Metropolis)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 10:30:00 PM
Peruvian street artist M. Sueño
created this incredible wheat
paste mural on the streets of
Atlanta, Georgia. It appears as
though Sueño really poured his
heart and soul into the piece, as
the central theme is his rich
Peruvian culture.
E-reader News Edition
Soap Round-Up: Sonny
Jailed for Shooting
Johnny on 'GH' ... and
More
Allison Waldman (TV Squad)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:00:00 AM
Filed under: Recaps Welcome
to the Soap Round-Up, our
weekly recap of all the soap
action this past week. Each
Earlier this month, the city was week, we sum up all the best
transformed into an all-out open stories from each and every
air gallery for more than 50 soap, from'All My Children'
graffiti artists, hailing from all to'The Young and the Restless.'
over the world. The event, If you don't want to know what
named "Living Walls: The City aired already, consider this a
Speaks," was a conference that SPOILER ALERT. ... Oh, one
focused around street art and last thing, please comment and
urbanism. join the conversation.
Marco Sueño For instance, Sonny was
Living Walls: The City Speaks arrested for shooting Johnny on '
General Hospital,' which was
legitimately in self-defense.
However, is he heading for
prison this time or will be get
off again? What do you think?
Permalink| Email this| Linking
Blogs| Comments
E-reader News Edition Politics-Left/ 45

Bishkek Blunder
Gregory Feifer (The New instead, prodding journalists in dusty capital Bishkek is a low lead the country, and they set Uzbek neighborhoods” and
Republic - All Feed) the room who had voted in favor sprawl of mostly Soviet-era the date for the constitutional “failed to provide appropriate
Submitted at 8/27/2010 11:00:00 PM to raise their hands. "See," she buildings. Ancient Mercedes referendum in June. protection to the Uzbek
concluded, wrinkling her nose and Toyotas ply the cracked But the new government's community.” However,
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan—Smiling as hands went up, "let's just say asphalt roads of a city that control never fully extended to government officials don’t want
in a conference room of her it was a positive result." appears largely destitute. But in Bakiyev's stronghold in to talk about Uzbeks being
aging Soviet-era office suite, As it happened, more than 90 recent years, many restaurants southern Kyrgyzstan, where he murdered or the accusations that
Roza Otunbayeva appeared percent of people who cast and nightspots have opened fled before eventually taking some of their own forces may be
confident—possibly for the first b a l l o t s v o t e d “ y e s . ” B u t around town, including a brand- refuge in Belarus. When partly to blame. In an interview
time in her short presidency. It Otunbayeva's optimism about new lounge-bar with a plush violence exploded in the south in June, Almazbek Atanbayev,
was only two weeks after June the vote and her government's terrace that looks more suited to in June, Otunbayeva and her the dapper deputy prime
10, when ethnic violence had prospects in general, regardless Manhattan than where it stands allies were ill-prepared to deal minister of Otunbayeva's
begun engulfing the south of her o f w h a t h a r d d a t a w e r e across from a crumbling old with it. interim government—who has
country, but Kyrgyzstan's available, flew in the face of the circus. On the streets, young Officially, the government since stepped down to lead his
diminutive leader, a great odds facing her women wear matchstick jeans claims Bakiyev's relatives Social Democratic Party in
bespectacled former diplomat impoverished Central Asian and dye their hair blond. colluded with the Taliban and p a r l i a m e n t a r y
with a bob cut and the good- country, once part of the Soviet Much like its capital, other Islamist movements to elections—insisted the
natured manner of a high-school U n i o n . T h e p r e s i d e n t ' s Kyrgyzstan stands out in Central provoke fighting between ethnic government has plenty of proof
principal, announced that the confidence also belied her own Asia—a region arbitrarily Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, which the that the violence was a well-
b l o o d s h e d h a d f a i l e d t o government's refusal to admit or carved into states by Josef Stalin organizers hoped would disrupt funded campaign (“not even
d i s c o u r a g e p e o p l e f r o m adequately investigate the real in 1924—for its relatively open the coming referendum and close to ethnic cleansing”). It
participating in a nationwide causes of, and possibly its own and vibrant society. It doesn’t destabilize the new government. just doesn’t want to publicize
referendum. Its single yes-or-no c o m p l i c i t y i n , t h e r e c e n t suffer under the kind of Most of those killed—officially the information for fear of
question asked voters to keep violence between Kyrgyz and despotism plaguing Uzbekistan almost 400 and up to 2,000 by stoking more violence.
her in office until the end of minority Uzbeks. and Turkmenistan, and its some accounts—or forced from The lack of a credible, evidence
next year and to approve a new Beyond the understandable people have twice unseated their their homes were Uzbek; more -based explanation from the
constitution that would make blundering of an inexperienced country's leaders. The first time than 1,000 burned and looted government for what really
Kyrgyzstan a parliamentary authority, that serious failure is was in 2005, when longtime Uzbek houses and shops stand happened has helped feed a
republic. Otunbayeva said it f u e l l i n g a d a n g e r o u s dictator Askar Askaev was ruined in the southern city of wave of conspiracy theories.
would transform the country mythologizing of events that ousted in what’s known as the Osh, the epicenter of the Djildiz Djildosheva, vice
from a corrupt autocracy into a threatens the country's fragile Tulip Revolution, which violence, and upwards of president of a non-governmental
prospering democracy. democratic experiment—an brought President Kurmanbek 400,000 Uzbeks fled across the organization called the
Otunbayeva, who has been in extraordinary first in a region of Bakiyev to power. However, border to refugee camps in Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
power only since April, when authoritarian regimes. "It's a Bakiyev’s rule grew steadily Uzbekistan. Friendship Society, propounds
s t r e e t p r o t e s t s f o r c e d h e r question of responsibility," says more corrupt and authoritarian, But in contrast to the the most common theory:
predecessor from power, called Khadyr Malikov, a political and he was overthrown this government’s version of events, Uzbeks—who own many
it an historic moment. But she expert who advises Otunbayeva. April, after his guards fired on numerous witnesses say police businesses and hold significant
l a c k e d a c r u c i a l p i e c e o f "That's the government's main political demonstrators outside and national military units were influence in the south—were
information: how many people problem. The risks are huge and the presidential administration among the attackers. On August incited to violence by unknown
had actually voted for the no one can say how it will all building. Members of the 16, Human Rights professional mercenaries
measure. That number hadn’t end." feuding opposition who Watch(HRW) reported that wearing black T-shirts. "Local
been tallied. So Otunbayeva Lying in the shadow of snow- suddenly found themselves in government security forces BISHKEK page 47
offered her own informal survey capped mountains, Kyrgyzstan’s power picked Otunbayeva to “facilitate[d] attacks on ethnic
46 Politics-Left/ E-reader News Edition

It’s the Politicking, Stupid!

E.J. Dionne Jr. (The New e x c e p t i o n a l — a n d Obama's mistake is captured by the long run. mainstream conservative
Republic - All Feed) d i f f i c u l t — t i m e s . that disdainful reference to He and his party are often opponents. He has thus left
Submitted at 8/29/2010 11:00:00 PM Yet the challenging nature of "politicking." In a democracy, defensive when it comes to himself and his Democratic
the times does not explain all separating governing from saying what they really believe: allies with weak defenses
W a s h i n g t o n — P r e s i d e n t the president's struggles. It's true "politicking" is impossible. that government, well-executed, against a tide of economic
Obama's address to the nation that his accomplishments will "Politicking" is nothing less is a positive good; that too much melancholy.
on Iraq this week underscores h a v e i m p o r t a n t l o n g - t e r m than the ongoing effort to economic inequality is both It is too late to turn this election
the agony of his presidency, and effects, even if they have not persuade free citizens of the dysfunctional and unjust; that into a triumph for the
its core political problem. resolved the country's central merits of a set of ideas, policies capitalism has never worked administration, but not too late
Seen from the inside, the c o n c e r n : t h e c o n t i n u i n g and decisions. Voters feel better without regulation and a strong to salvage his party's
administration is an astonishing sluggishness of the economy. about politicians who put what dose of social insurance. They congressional majorities. Given
success. Obama has kept his But Obama and his party are they are doing in a compelling no longer dare talk about public dismal Democratic expectations,
principal promises and can take also in a hole because the context. Citizens can endure enterprise, a phrase my friend that would now be rated as a
credit for achievements that president has chosen not to setbacks as long as they believe Chris Matthews reminded me of victory. But doing so will
e l u d e d h i s D e m o c r a t i c engage the nation in an extended the overall direction of the recently, visible in our great require Obama to think anew
predecessors. dialogue about what holds all government's approach is right. state universities, our best public about what "politicking" really
He pledged to have all combat his achievements together, or Franklin D. Roosevelt was a schools, our road and transit means, to pick more than
troops out of Iraq by the end of w h y h i s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d genius at offering such systems, and in the research and tactical fights with his
this month and, as Obama will government makes more sense reassurances, which is why his development that government adversaries, and to lay out,
remind us on Tuesday, he's than the scattershot conservative fireside chats are the stuff of finances in areas where there is without equivocation or
accomplished just that. attacks on everything political legend. Ronald Reagan no immediate profit to be made. apology, where he is trying to
C o n g r e s s e n a c t e d a Washington might do to never stopped campaigning for The Obama press office, I move the country. It's just too
comprehensive health care bill i m p r o v e t h e n a t i o n ' s l o t . his conservative vision because know, can send me speeches bad he didn't start earlier.
and a sweeping reform of how There was a revealing moment he was determined to leave where he has made some of E.J. Dionne, Jr. is is a
the financial system is regulated. in early August when Obama behind a thriving conservative these points. But the president's Washington Post columnist, a
His rescue of the American auto told an audience at a Texas movement. Roosevelt and efforts to lay down a consistent senior fellow at the Brookings
i n d u s t r y w o r k e d , f o i l i n g fundraiser: "We have spent the Reagan both changed the rationale, argument and Institution, and a professor at
predictions that he'd run GM last 20 months governing. They country's underlying philosophy have been sporadic. Georgetown University. He is
and Chrysler as if they were s p e n t t h e l a s t 2 0 m o n t h s philosophical assumptions. He has created a vacuum, filled the author of, most recently,
arms of Chicago's Democratic politicking." Referring to the Despite occasional forays into by the wild charges of Glenn Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith
machine. There are many other impending elections, he added: this realm, Obama has created Beck, the disappointment of and Politics After the Religious
legislative and administrative "Well, we can politick for three the impression that he is taking progressives who emphasize Right.
a c t i o n s t h a t , i n n o r m a l months. They’ve forgotten I things one decision at a time, what he hasn't done, and the (c) 2010, Washington Post
circumstances, would loom know how to politick pretty without a passion for how he tired "government is always the Writers Group
larger if these were not such good." would like the country to look in problem" rhetoric of his
E-reader News Edition
BISHKEK
continued from page 45
Uzbeks told us they were armed
in advance and instructed to take
to the streets," Djildosheva says.
"They were led to a university
dormitory, where they brutally
raped and killed Kyrgyz girls."
That version of the story,
broadcast by state media, has
helped shape the overwhelming
public view that Kyrgyz began
murdering Uzbeks only after the
latter attempted to seize power.
But a handful of people say the
government is allowing fiction
to spread in order to hide its
own involvement in the
violence. Among the doubters is
opposition leader Omurbek
Suvanaliyev, the head of the Ata
-Jurt Party and a widely
respected former interior
minister who temporarily acted
as police chief in the Osh region
after the violence broke out.
"There's all sorts of talk about
Muslim extremists and
mercenaries," he says, "but
that's all fantasy." Instead of
getting to the bottom of the
truth, Suvanaliyev says, the
government invented a "third
force" to conceal its own
responsibility.
One of the real triggers of the
violence, he says, took place in
May, shortly after Bakiyev fled
Bishkek. When his supporters
stormed a local administration
building in the southern city of
Jalal-Abad, the government,
threatened with a regional revolt
and unable to rely on the local
authorities, appealed to Uzbek
leaders help put down the
insurrection. Human rights
activist Aziza Abdurasulova
says she feared reprisals against
Uzbeks at the time and appealed
to Omurbek Tekebayev, a
deputy prime minister of the
new government, to call off the
plans. "I was crying and
pleading in his office," she says,
"but when Tekebayev finally
picked up the phone, all he did
was request them to stop. The
government was exploiting the
ethnic tensions, and it had no
right."
Abdurasulova and others have
been unwilling to speak out
publicly for fear of undermining
the country's fragile
government, which remains
Kyrgyzstan’s best hope to
emerge from the
authoritarianism that shackles
Central Asia. Yet Abdurasulova
says she has been accused by
the government's human rights
ombudsman of providing
"unproven information" to
Human Rights Watch, and that
she now fears for her safety.
Although the mass killings and
displacement have ended,
violence is still ongoing. Critics
of the government say its
version of what happened in
June is encouraging dangerous
Kyrgyz nationalism. Uzbeks in
the south say they face sporadic
threats and shows of force, some
carried out by rogue government
security officers, a claim even
the United Nations has cited
publicly. There are stories of
forced confessions, removal of
fingernails, burning with
cigarettes, and beatings. And
people across the country are
increasingly unhappy with the
government's lack of control.
"They’re upset nothing has
changed, that there's still
corruption and a struggle for
power,” says analyst Malikov.
Many observers, including
supporters of the government,
say any hope that Kyrgyzstan
will emerge from these turbulent
months as an established
democracy depends on a
credible investigation of the
violence. But so far,
Otunbayeva has declined to host
an independent inquiry into
what happened, and instead
appointed a government
commission that includes
politicians and human rights
activists. Political analysts say
they doubt the commission will
be seen as truly independent. Its
chairman has already criticized
the recent Human Rights Watch
report, saying Uzbek and
Kyrgyz leaders in the south are
equally responsible for the
violence.
Signs that the government will
change course aren't
encouraging. Otunbayeva’s
allies are splintering as her
opposition gains strength.
Earlier this month, police
arrested an ultranationalist
leader they accused of trying to
stage a coup d’etat after
thousands of his supporters
rallied in Bishkek. And the
powerful mayor of Osh, a
onetime close ally of Bakiyev,
has announced that government
directives have no legal power
in the south. Inevitably,
Otunbayeva is feeling pressure
to present an image of her
government as the good guy
working against nefarious forces
47
out to undermine the state. That
means she's unlikely to address
the country’s growing ethnic
tensions or expose how the
government's ranks may have
exploited them.
Despite Otunbayeva's optimism
about her country's future, her
government's stalwart silence is
likely to work against it as the
south continues to seethe.
"There will be a permanent
crisis in the south," says a
political analyst named Mars
Sariyev, "that could flare up any
time." A new crisis would be
proof too late that Kyrgyzstan’s
democratic experiment is
already failing.
Gregory Feifer is a senior
correspondent for Radio Free
Europe in Prague. His book The
Great Gamble: The Soviet War
in Afghanistan was released in
paperback in January.
For more TNR, become a fan
on Facebook and follow us on
Twitter.
48 TV/
Simon Cowell Orders X-Factor
Changes After Auto-Tune
Complaints
Kate Stanhope
(TVGuide.com: Breaking
News)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 6:59:00 PM
Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell has ordered a
major overhaul of the U.K.-
based The X-Factor to remove
all Auto-Tune technology from
future episodes of the singing
competition series, according to
The Hollywood Reporter.
"People have got to be able to
trust The X-Factor— we are not
faking anything," Cowell told
the British press Friday. "People
love this show, millions watch it
every week and we absolutely
respect that. We never take it for
granted."
Simon Cowell's X-Factor
confesses to Auto-Tune use
Cowell's comments come days
after the show admitted that
Auto-Tune, an audio processor
that corrects a singer's pitch and
tone. Producers must now re-
edit the upcoming audition
shows to remove all voice
modifying technology and allow
viewers to hear the contestants'
authentic voices.
A spokesman for the show said
that Auto-Tune was used to
"deliver the most entertaining
experience possible for viewers"
and that the judges never
critiqued contestants based on
the "corrected" versions.
American Idol producers: We
do not use Auto-Tune
Hundreds of The X-Factor fans
complained about that the
contestants' voices had been
altered after the show aired on
Saturday night. American Idol
producers say they have never
and will never use such
technology.
Cowell is working on a U.S.
adaptation of The X-Factor,
E-reader News Edition
The Stars of 'V' Talk
Red Skies, Dream Guest
Stars (VIDEO)
Maggie Furlong (TV Squad)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:00:00 PM
Filed under: Celebrity
Interviews, The Show Girl'V'
had one of those first seasons
that most shows can't quite
recover from -- wonky
scheduling, showrunner
shuffling, the works -- but by
finale time, with an entire future
generation of Vs wiped out and
the sky turning red, the show
had found its footing and earned
a second season.
With the season 2 premiere Jane Badler.
(November on ABC) comes an I caught up with stars Elizabeth
which is scheduled to debut on explanation of the bloody Mitchell, Morena Baccarin,
Fox in the fall of 2011. atmosphere and the introduction Scott Wolf, Joel Gretsch, Morris
This entry passed through the o f a f e w n e w c h a r a c t e r s , Chestnut and Laura Vandervoort
Full-Text RSS service — if this including Bret Harrison as and boss man Skeeter
is your content and you're evolutionary biologist Dr. Rosenbaum to hear all about
reading it on someone else's site, Sidney Miller and Anna's what comes next.
please read our FAQ page at mother, Diana, who'll be played Permalink| Email this| Linking
fivefilters.org/content-only/ by the original Diana from the Blogs| Comments
faq.php early '80s mini-series and show,
Five Filters featured
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
E-reader News Edition
Paris Hilton Arrested on Cocaine
Charge, Police Say
Kate Stanhope
(TVGuide.com: Breaking
News)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 9:29:00 AM
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton was arrested on
cocaine possession charges in
Las Vegas, The Associated
Press reports.
The 29-year-old was booked
into the Clark County Detention
Center early Saturday and
released on her own
recognizance a few hours later,
Las Vegas police spokesman
Marcus Martin told the AP.
Man arrested on suspicion of
breaking into Paris Hilton's
home
Hilton was in a car driven by a
friend when it was stopped late
Friday after police officers
detected what they thought to be
marijuana smoke coming from
the vehicle, Martin said.
During the stop, police found a
substance on Hilton that later
tests showed to be cocaine,
Martin said. It is unknown how
much was found.
The person driving the car was
arrested on charges of driving
under the influence of drugs.
Paris Hilton questioned in
South Africa for alleged
marijuana possession
Hilton's rep did not
immediately return request for
comments.
Earlier this week, Nathan Lee
Parada was charged with
attempted burglary on suspicion
of breaking into Hilton's Los
Angeles home.
In July, she was arrested on
suspicion of possession of
marijuana at the World Cup in
TV/ 49
Keck's Exclusives:
Debra Monk Signs On
to Brothers & Sisters
William Keck (TVGuide.com:
Breaking News)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 12:31:00 AM
Debra Monk
Veteran actress Debra Monk,
who suffered through Andy
Sipowicz's drinking on NYPD
Blue as his put upon wife and
mothered George O'Malley on
Grey's Anatomy, has signed on
to Brothers & Sisters as a rival
for Sally Field.
Debra will debut in episode five
of the new season as Alexandra
South Africa. The charge was
Kirby. When Nora is offered a
later dropped.
job as the host of an Ask Mom
This entry passed through the
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50 TV/ Sports/ Products/
Paris Hilton Arrested on Cocaine
Charges
PopEater Staff (TV Squad)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 6:00:00 AM
Filed under: Celebrities and
Gossip What happens in Vegas
doesn't always stay in Vegas, as
Paris Hilton learned when Las
Vegas police pulled over the car
she was in just before midnight
and allegedly found a white
powder in her purse that, upon
testing, proved to be cocaine.
The celebutante was then
a r r e s t e d o n s u s p i c i o n o f She was soon released on bail.
possessing cocaine, and booked The socialite, 29, was in the
into the Clark County detention passenger seat of a car driven by
center, according to ABC News. a male thought to be her
Sources: Jamal Crawford to ask Atlanta Hawks for a trade
Chris Broussard (ESPN.com)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 8:24:52 AM
Updated: August 28, 2010, 9:24
AM ET By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
Archive
Frustrated the Atlanta Hawks
have not offered him a contract
extension, Jamal Crawford will
ask the club to trade him,
according to sources with
knowledge of the situation.
Crawford, who is in the final
year of a contract that will pay
him $10 million this season,
approached the Hawks the first
week of July about an extension.
Hawks general manager Rick
Sund has not made Crawford an
offer, a source with the
organization told ESPN.
The sides are scheduled to meet
next week and if the Hawks do
not make Crawford an offer he
considers reasonable, he will ask
to be traded, according to
sources. Crawford is looking for
a three- or four-year extension
worth about the same annual
amount he will make this
season, sources said.
Crawford, the NBA's reigning
Sixth Man of the Year, told the
Hawks that if they don't want to
extend his contract, they should
trade him, sources said.
The Hawks offered Joe Johnson
boyfriend, nightclub owner Cy
Waits. Why was Hilton pulled
over near the Wynn Hotel and
Casino in the first place? Las
Vegas police spokesman Marcus
Martin told the Associated Press
cops thought they smelled
marijuana coming from the car:
"Officers noticed a vehicle
leaving a smoke trail of a
controlled substance [and] made
a stop based on that." He added
that a crowd gathered to witness
the police stop after Hilton was
recognized by passers-by.
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an extension last year, but Sund
does not typically give
extensions, preferring instead to
let players complete their
contracts. Crawford is expecting
Sund to take that approach in
their meeting, sources said.
But with a potential lockout
looming and the next Collective
Bargaining Agreement expected
to be less favorable to the
players, the 30-year-old
Crawford, who averaged 18
points last season, wants
security.
Crawford is the latest in a
growing chorus of top players
this summer to express a desire
to be traded. In July, Chris Paul
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told the Denver Nuggets that he This entry passed through the
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Though Johnson led the team in article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
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Hawks' second-round sweep at
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Johnson averaged 12 points a
game against the Magic;
Crawford led the team with a 17
E-reader News Edition Gaming/ 51
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52 Sports/ E-reader News Edition

Stephen Strasburg of Washington Nationals has torn ligament;

surgery probable
Associated Press changeups, but the biggest -Tommy John Careers to be able to grow a lot as an Stephen Strasburg pitched 123
(ESPN.com) punch to the gut is to a Stephen Strasburg will have individual and as a baseball 1/3 innings this season, more
Submitted at 8/28/2010 1:31:28 AM Nationals franchise that had started only 12 games when and player." than any in his career. Stephen
made the young phenom the if he has reconstructive elbow Strasburg said that on Saturday Strasburg Innings Pitched Since
Updated: August 28, 2010, 2:31 centerpiece in their plans to surgery, a routine procedure in he plans to write down on a 2006 2010 123.1 Minors/Majors
AM ET climb out of perpetual last-place recent years. How others have piece of paper everything he's 2009 109.0 San Diego St. 2008
WASHINGTON -- Stephen irrelevancy. fared afterward: thinking and look at it again a 97.1 San Diego St. 2007 37.0
Strasburg had to get through a "There's no words that I can put Strasburg could hardly believe year from now. He's said he's San Diego St. * 2006 62.1 West
few hours of anger, confusion in place here that would indicate the bad news, especially because doing it he knows his mind Hills H.S.* As reliever
and certainly a few more we could possibly replace his arm has felt fine all week, might "get a little jumbled" as But he has had medical
volatile emotions before he was S t e p h e n , " m a n a g e r J i m certainly good enough to keep he goes through rehab and that setbacks despite the team's best
ready to accept the sobering Riggleman said. "But we have pitching. he wants to remember efforts to be as cautious as
n e w s e x p r e s s e d i n t h r e e to do it a different way, different "I didn't take a matter of everything he needs to focus on. possible. He was placed on the
disheartening words. names, different staff members minutes" to sink in, he said. "I And as far as trying to figure disabled list a month ago
Tommy John surgery. who will go out there and fulfill took definitely a few hours. I've out why this has happened to because of inflammation in the
The Washington Nationals the rotation until Stephen comes got great support all around me, him? He's done with that back of his right shoulder. He
rookie sensation is done for the back." and they reminded me of question. was making his third start since
season -- and maybe next season Strasburg grimaced, grabbed everything I should be thankful "If I keep looking for an returning from the DL when he
a s w e l l - - a f t e r t h e t e a m and shook his wrist after for, and they put everything in explanation, it's just going to eat had to leave the game against
announced Friday that he has a throwing a 1-1 changeup to perspective for me. Bottom line, at me, and I've got to let it go," the Phillies.
torn ligament in his right elbow. Domonic Brown in Philadelphia this is a game. I'm very blessed he said. "I've just got to move "The player was developed and
He will travel Saturday to the on Saturday. It turned out to be to play this game for a living. on, and that's what I'm doing. cared for in the correct way, and
W e s t C o a s t f o r a s e c o n d his last pitch of the year. The It's a minor setback, but in the Everything happens for a things like this happen," Rizzo
opinion, but the 22-year-old Nationals initially called the grand scheme of things it's just a reason, and this is obviously said. "Pitchers break down,
right-hander has accepted the injury a strained flexor tendon in blip on the radar screen." going to be a test for me." pitchers get hurt and we
fact that he will need the the forearm, but an MRI taken Strasburg is an intense, The No. 1 overall pick in the certainly are not second-
ligament replacement operation Sunday raised enough questions competitive man. He wants the 2009 draft, Strasburg signed a guessing ourselves. ...
that requires 12 to 18 months of for the Nationals to order a more ball. He was disappointed when record $15.1 million contract a Frustrated? Yes. But second-
rehabilitation. extensive MRI in which dye was he had to start the season in the year ago. He struck out 14 guessing ourselves? No."
"It's a new challenge," Strasburg injected into the prized right minors and wasn't exactly batters in an amazing major Rizzo said doctors believe
said. "I want to be the best at arm. thrilled with the restrictions the league debut in June and was Strasburg tore the ligament on a
everything, and right now I want Strasburg had the exam on Nationals have placed on him. quickly drawing huge crowds particular pitch -- perhaps the
to be the best at rehabbing and Thursday and was informed of Now he faces something he's everywhere. He went 5-3 with a changeup to Brown -- as
getting back out here." the diagnosis later that night, but never experienced in his 2.91 ERA and 92 strikeouts in opposed to a gradual
It's a blow to Strasburg, of the Nationals chose not to baseball life: surgery on his arm 68 innings with the Nationals, deterioration over a long period
course, and to a baseball world announce the news until Friday and the realistic prospect of not who kept him on strict pitch of time. When Strasburg
that has spent the summer because it would have upstaged pitching again until 2012. counts and had planned to shut grimaced in game at
gasping in awe at his 100 mph t h e i n t r o d u c t o r y n e w s "It's a new challenge," he said. him down once he reached Philadelphia, he told the team he
fastball, bending curves and conference for 2010 No. 1 draft "It's going to be a learning about 105 innings. By The
w i c k e d b a t t e r - f r e e z i n g pick Bryce Harper. Notable Post experience. I feel like I'm going Numbers STEPHEN page 55
E-reader News Edition Sports/ 53

Tiger Woods struggles to 2 over at Barclays; Phil Mickelson

misses cut
Associated Press first playoff event. a bad day for Woods meant an Senden -- and yes, even Woods and a wedge in his hand. Woods
(ESPN.com) "I just tried to stay as patient as early tee time on the weekend. -- as it relates to the FedEx Cup. went 40 feet long, left his first
Submitted at 8/28/2010 1:30:40 AM possible, and it just kind of fell He still was only four shots Laird and Senden were just putt six feet short and made that
in my lap, which was really behind and at least takes this inside the top 100 in the to escape with par.
Updated: August 28, 2010, 2:30 good," he said. with him into the weekend: He standings, knowing that only the That set the tone for the rest of
AM ET Woods Blames Putting Woods didn't so much lose his has missed only two fairways in top 100 advance to the second his round.
George Smith on Tiger Woods' patience as much as his putting two rounds, although he never round next week outside Boston. Posing over his tee shot on the
(+2) second round at The stroke. Part of that was playing hit driver one time in the second Woods, at No. 112, is virtually par-3 second, it sailed over the
Barclays Tags: Woods Blames in the afternoon on greens that round. assured of making it through to green and left Woods a tough
Putting became bumpy under foot "You play around here and post next week. chip. As he started his swing, a
PARAMUS, N.J. -- Jason Day traffic and a day of blazing sun, good numbers, you'll move up Also at stake this week is the photographer took a series of
can't get a straight answer from as Woods expected. the board," he said. "The guys Ryder Cup, at least in pictures.
doctors on the mysterious health He wasn't planning on missing aren't going to be tearing this auditioning for the European "Not in my swing," Woods said
issues sapping away at his a 20-inch par putt on the fifth place apart." and U.S. teams. Padraig as he made contact, sending it
energy. He at least knows hole or failing to make a single Streelman sure did. Harrington of Ireland has to rely 25 feet long for his first bogey.
exactly where he stands after birdie on the easier front nine. Two years after narrowly on a captain's pick, and he shot The real damage came on No.
two rounds of The Barclays. "I didn't hit it bad at all," Woods missing a playoff at Ridgewood 68 to join the group at 5-under 5, the 291-yard hole where
A tournament that once looked said. "I hit it really good. As I Country Club, Streelman ran off 137 that includes Adam Scott Woods hit driver to 15 feet in
as though it might belong to said, I didn't putt really well. I six birdies in a seven-hole and Ben Crane. the opening round. With the pin
Tiger Woods shifted late Friday hit it as good as I did yesterday. stretch for a 63 that will put him Europe's team -- including the close to the front, he would have
to the hands of the 22-year-old If I don't make putts, I don't in the final group Saturday. three picks -- will be decided had to take something off a
Australian, who showed some of score." Clearly, this is no ordinary place Sunday. driver, so he opted to lay up.
his great promise with three late He wound up with a 73, eight for him. Streelman's "The last thing I wanted was to The plan worked fine until
birdies for a 4-under 67 and a shots worse than his opening grandparents are buried in a come here and miss the cut or Woods putted to just inside two
one-shot lead. Sobel: Putting r o u n d . T h e B a r c l a y s cemetery beyond the seventh play poorly here," Harrington feet from the fringe and then
Pitfalls Leaderboard hole. His parents live in the said. missed the par putt.
Tiger's second-round 73 proved 1. Day (-8) area. These are his roots. Woods wants to play on the "Ball was sitting in a hole,"
to be a microcosm of his life the T-2. Taylor (-7) "It's like a special home for me, U.S. Ryder Cup team as a Woods said. "I could see it. I
last nine months. Fortunately for T-2. Streelman (-7) a special place," he said. captain's pick -- the American was trying to hit up on it and
Woods, he still has 36 holes to T-4. Senden (-6) Stewart Cink raised his Ryder selections won't be announced hook it like I normally do. I
earn his first win of 2010, writes T-4. Laird (-6) Cup hopes with a 69 that put until Sept. 7 -- and the desire didn't do it."
ESPN.com's Jason Sobel. Blog T-4. Cink (-6) him in a group at 6-under 136 alone makes him a worthy Day, meanwhile, is feeling
Nine players had at least a share • Complete scores with Ryder Cup hopeful Stewart candidate. His game is starting rested. He feared he would need
of the lead at some point during The good news for the world's Cink (69), Martin Laird(67) and to show plenty of promise, too. sinus surgery until another
the second round until Day's late No. 1 player -- he will stay atop John Senden, who reached 9- Woods went to 8-under when doctor tested him and thought he
surge. He was at 8-under 134, the world ranking for at least under until he stumbled badly he hit his approach to five feet might have mononucleosis.
one shot clear of Kevin another week after Phil down the stretch, taking a for birdie on the 18th. Heading "I can't get a straight answer,"
Streelman(63) and Vaughn Mickelson missed the cut, and double bogey from the shrubs to the front nine, the easier of Day said with a smile.
Taylor(70) going into the h e ' s s t i l l v e r y m u c h i n on the 16th. Senden shot 69. the two nines at Ridgewood, he
weekend of the FedEx Cup's contention. Most times this year, It was a great start for Laird and had only 93 yards to the hole TIGER page 57
54 Sports/ E-reader News Edition

Bruce rips 3 HRs as surging Reds beat Cubs

Associated Press here."The Reds got knocked out
(ESPN.com) of first place in the NL Central
Submitted at 8/27/2010 10:38:54 PM when the St. Louis Cardinals
came to town and swept a series
Game Information Stadium Aug. 9-11. They've pulled
Great American Ball Park, themselves together quickly,
Cincinnati, OH Attendance going 10-3 since then. They've
36,219 (85.6% full) - % is based led the division for the last 13
on regular season capacity days, sparking thoughts of their
Game Time 2:14 Weather 82 first playoff appearance since
degrees, clear Wind 6 mph 1995.The way things are going,
Umpires Home Plate - Scott why not? Johnny Cueto(12-4)
Barry, First Base - Greg Gibson, got his first win since serving a
Second Base - Brian Knight, seven-game suspension for
Third Base - Sam Holbrook kicking a couple of Cardinals
Associated Press during a brawl in their series.
CINCINNATI -- Five pitches, The right-hander gave up a run
three homers. Jay Bruce had one and six hits in eight innings,
of those career nights that forced striking out eight without
him to think all the way back to walking a batter."Today was
Little League for an apt one of the best days I've pitched
comparison. The Reds? They're in the big leagues," Cueto said,
doing a flashback to 1995. through a coach serving as
Bruce Almighty translator.Bruce's first three-
• Since 1900, one Reds player homer game since Little League
had hit three home runs in a left him with 16 this season.
game out of the leadoff spot He's the 26th Reds player to hit
prior to Friday: Pete Rose April three in a game -- no one has
29, 1978. more. Cincinnati's Drew Stubs
• It was the sixth three-homer also hit three against the Cubs at
game for the Reds since 2000. Wrigley Field on July 4.It was
• The Reds' last three-homer Chicago's first loss since
game was Drew Stubbs' on July manager Lou Piniella retired on
4, 2010. Sunday and was replaced by
• The last player to hit three Mike Quade. The Cubs were
homers from the leadoff spot: coming off a three-game sweep
Andrew McCutchen, Aug. 1, in Washington.The Reds are 11-
2009. 3 against the Cubs this season,
• The last to hit three homers their best mark against Chicago
homered in three consecutive at- Chicago Cubs 7-1 to keep its and continue doing what we're
from the leadoff spot against the since they went 12-5 in 2002.
bats Friday night, matching his two-week playoff surge going doing because we're doing
Cubs: Davey Lopes, Aug. 20, Thousands of blue-shirted Cubs
career high by driving in five full speed."I just want to great," Bruce said. "We've got
1974. BRUCE page 55
runs, and Cincinnati beat the continue doing what I'm doing, something pretty cool going on
-- Elias Sports Bureau Bruce
E-reader News Edition
BRUCE
continued from page 54
fans were sprinkled among the
crowd of 36,219, but spent most
of the night listening to the
home fans scream
"BRUUUCE!"The Reds lead the
NL in batting, hits and runs, but
had to make do without leadoff
hitter Brandon Phillips,
sidelined by a sore right hand.
Phillips was hit by a pitch
Wednesday and is expected
back in a day or two.No
problem at all.Bruce took his
place at the top of the order --
the first time he batted leadoff in
two years -- and hit a solo
homer for a 2-0 lead in the third
off Tom Gorzelanny(7-8). He
also homered on the first pitch
from the left-hander in his next
at-bat, a three-run shot in the
fifth.Chris Valaika, who made
his big league debut on
Tuesday, followed Bruce's
homer with his first in the
majors. Valaika started at
second base in Phillips'
place."Nothing worked for me
today," Gorzelanny said. "I
made bad pitches, got behind
guys. A bad outing, a real bad
outing."Gorzelanny was
finished after five innings.
Bruce kept going.He hit the first
pitch from Scott Maine in the
seventh, rounded the bases and
got a curtain call."A power
hitter winds up in the leadoff
spot and he does that," Quade
said. "Bunt the ball or
something, would ya?"The 24-
year-old Cueto was at the
epicenter of the brawl with the
Cardinals on Aug. 10, kicking
pitcher Chris Carpenter and
catcher Jason LaRue with his
back against the netting behind
home plate. Cueto lost that
game 11-3 and was the only
player suspended as a result of
the fight.He returned in Los
Angeles last Saturday and got
hit hard, giving up a career-high
four homers and five runs in
only three innings of an 11-4
loss. He was back in form on
Friday."After that suspension, I
was feeling too strong," Cueto
said. "We worked between starts
in the bullpen, and I had my
rhythm back."Game notes
Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano is
expected back on Saturday.
After his start last Tuesday
night, Zambrano flew to
Venezuela to spend a few days
with his critically ill 11-year-old
nephew. ... It was Bruce's third
multihomer game this season
and the eighth of his career. ...
The Reds put rookie RHP Mike
Leake on the 15-day DL with a
tired pitching shoulder, but
expect him back next month.
RHP Aaron Harang, sidelined
since July 6 because of back
spasms, is expected to start a
game next week.
Copyright by STATS LLC and
The Associated Press
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Johnny Cueto throws against the
Chicago Cubs in the first inning
of a baseball...(AP Photo/Al
Behrman)
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STEPHEN
continued from page 52
had felt something similar at
San Diego State and had
continued to pitch through it.
Doctors have decided that what
happened in college was
unrelated to the ligament tear.
The injury is the last thing the
woebegone Nationals needed.
The franchise is on pace for its
fifth last-place finish in six years
since relocating from Montreal.
Attendance has been
disappointing at Nationals Park
since it opened in 2008, but
Strasburg generated rare sellouts
in his first few home starts.
Coincidentally, Thursday's
game marked the return of
Jordan Zimmermann, another
promising Washington pitching
prospect who had Tommy John
surgery a year ago. Strasburg
and Zimmermann are supposed
to form two-fifths of a rotation
that will lead the team to
respectability.
"It's still going to happen,"
Riggleman said of the Strasburg
-Zimmermann combo. "It's just
going to be another year before
it happens." LA Sports Live
Now pitching for the
independent league Orange
County Flyers, former big-
league phenom Mark Prior
relates his journey to that of
Nationals rookie Stephen
Strasburg, who will now miss
12-18 months with a torn ulnar
collateral ligament in his
pitching arm.
More Podcasts »
55
Strasburg has already received
advice from Zimmermann and
can draw inspiration from the
dozens of major leaguers who
have successfully returned from
the surgery that was first
performed by Dr. Frank Jobe on
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher
Tommy John in 1974.
"That's the modern miracle of
what doctors can do to put
people back together,"
Minnesota Twins manager Ron
Gardenhire said recently after a
game that featured Tommy John
returnees Francisco Liriano and
Tim Hudson. "We all know the
arm takes a beating. Goodness
gracious, we saw two guys who
were both throwing the ball 90-
plus mph with sliders and stuff.
That's because some doctors did
some really good jobs."
Copyright 2010 by The
Associated Press
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56 Sports/
Jurgen Klinsmann, Sunil Gulati
Reportedly Discuss US Coaching Job
Rich Zuckerman (FanHouse
Main)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 10:46:00 PM
Filed under: Soccer Posts, US
Soccer, U.S. Men's National
Team, United States The future
of U.S. national team coach Bob
Bradley remains unclear, but
that apparently has not stopped
U.S. Soccer officials from
pursuing a potential high-profile
replacement.
Former German national team
and Bayern Munich head coach
Jurgen Klinsmann has met with
U.S. Soccer president Sunil
Gulati about the U.S. head
coaching job, according to an
ESPN.com report. Klinsmann is
interested in the job, according
to a source with knowledge of
the discussions cited in the
report, but the source gave no
other details.
The news of Klinsmann's talks
with Gulati comes on the heels
of Gulati's Thursday meeting
with Bradley in Los Angeles, as
first reported by The
Washington Post. The two
E-reader News Edition
in an interview with the BBC.
U.S. Soccer previously targeted
Klinsmann as a candidate for the
job when seeking a replacement
for former coach Bruce Arena
following the 2006 World Cup,
in which Klinsmann led
Germany to a surprise semifinal
appearance. Klinsmann,
however, passed on the job,
which ultimately went to
Bradley. Since then, Bradley has
Debut of Female High
compiled a 38-21-8 record
reportedly discussed Bradley's during his tenure, highlighted by School Football Coach Is a
coaching status, but no decision the team's historic run to the
was made on Bradley's future final of the 2009 Confederations
with U.S. Soccer.
Loss
Cup and Round of 16 finish in David Steele (FanHouse whom clearly had shown up to
Bradley, who guided the U.S. to South Africa. Main) witness a milestone that had
the knockout stage at this Nonetheless, it appears that
Submitted at 8/27/2010 11:02:00 PM shone a positive light on the
summer's World Cup, has been Klinsmann, out of coaching
school.
drawing foreign interest since since being fired by Bayern Filed under: High School "I've seen Coolidge lose before,''
the tournament's conclusion, Munich in April 2009, could Sports said principal Thelma Jarrett,
first as a candidate for the head again have a chance to claim the WASHINGTON -- It wasn't the who was instrumental last
coaching job at Fulham FC, job if he wants it. Unlike most f a i r y - t a l e e n d i n g r e s u l t spring in making the 30-year-
which ultimately went to Mark top flight European coaches, the everybody had hoped for. old Randolph one of a handful
Hughes, and more recently as a legendary German striker has Natalie Randolph's first game as of women ever to coach varsity
candidate for vacant job at ties to the U.S. as a longtime head coach of the Coolidge high school football. "But they
fellow English Premier League Southern California resident and High School football team was a lost with pride tonight. I'm
club Aston Villa. Bradley former technical adviser with 2 8 - 0 l o s s t o n e i g h b o r i n g proud of them, either way you
admitted his interest in the the LA Galaxy. Archbishop Carroll High on look at it. That's what I thought
Aston Villa job earlier this week Friday night. But that only would happen when we hired
s l i g h t l y d a m p e n e d t h e her, that she would make us
enthusiasm of the overflow proud and this team would make
crowd at Coolidge's field in us proud.''
Northwest Washington, most of
E-reader News Edition
Tommy John Surgery: Strasburg and All the
Other Cool Kids Are Doing It
Kevin Blackistone (FanHouse
Main)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 7:09:00 PM
Filed under: MLB
This year of the pitcher won't
turn into a decade, let alone an
era.
That truth was underscored on
Friday with the sobering
announcement from the
Nationals that their rookie
pitching sensation, Stephen
Strasburg, won't throw the rest
of the season. He most likely
won't throw any of next season,
either.
As feared, the pain he felt in his
right arm after throwing a pitch
last Saturday, which turned his
face to a grimace and stomachs
in Washington and across
baseball upside down, was the
tearing of the ulnar collateral
TIGER
continued from page 53
He rested well last week,
although he hardly practiced, so
he was pleasantly surprised to
be leading.
Mickelson followed an opening
72 with a 3-over 74 and he
missed the cut by four strokes.
It was the third time this year
Mickelson has missed the cut --
two of them were tournaments
sponsored by Barclays, one of
his top endorsement deals -- and
ligament in his elbow. Before he
can pitch again, he'll need
Tommy John surgery, baseball's
famous procedure where the
torn elbow ligament is replaced
with a tendon from the forearm,
hamstring, knee or foot.
Recovery and rehab will keep
the ninth time he failed in a bid
to replace Woods at No. 1.
He left the course without
speaking to reporters.
Copyright 2010 by The
Associated Press
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Strasburg sidelined maybe a
year and a half.
Strasburg is 22. He's one of the
new breed of young arms in
baseball -- a larger group than
ever before -- who regularly
throws closer to 100 mph than
not, and every now and then
faq.php
Five Filters featured
article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
faster. His brethren is a large
part of the reason this season
that there has been a rash of no-
hitters, near no-hitters, and 1-0
games, and that batting averages
are lower and home runs are
fewer.
"I think the resurgence of the
power arm is why," Angels
broadcaster and former major
league pitcher Mark Gubicza
told The Associated Press last
month. "Outside of [Oakland's]
Dallas Braden, who doesn't have
overpowering stuff but spots the
ball pretty well, you can see an
overwhelming majority of
pitchers now that have plus
fastballs in the 93-96 [mph]
range and sometimes top out at
98."
DEVILS
continued from page 57
Bargaining Agreement. The
league's decision was reaffirmed
in an arbitration hearing
between the NHL and the NHL
Players Association.
Early reports have speculated
that the new Kovalchuk contract
is expected to be in the range of
15 years and $100 million. If
true, a long month of squabbling
led to Kovalchuk's annual salary
cap hit being reduced by less
DEVILS page 58
Sports/ 57
Devils Submit New Ilya
Kovalchuk Contract for
NHL Approval
Christopher Botta (FanHouse
Main)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:20:00 PM
Filed under: Devils, NHL Free
Agency The New Jersey Devils
may finally, officially, have star
right wing Ilya Kovalchuk in the
fold for the rest of his NHL
career. After a month of starts
and stops -- and a mid-July
press conference that turned out
to be premature -- the Devils
submitted a new Kovalchuk
contract on Friday for approval
by the National Hockey League.
The league has five days to
approve or reject the deal. NHL
deputy commissioner Bill Daly
told FanHouse, "There is no
timeline at this point" for a
ruling.
In recent days Devils
management met with league
officials to create a framework
for a contract acceptable to the
league for the six-time 40-goal
scorer. Last month, the NHL
rejected a 17-year, $102 million
dollar deal that it said
circumvented the Collective
DEVILS page 57
58 Gaming/
DEVILS
continued from page 57
than $1 million.
Lenovo spin-off announces Kinect-inspired eBox
console for China
Andrew Yoon (Joystiq)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:00:00 AM
There is a huge untapped
market for console
manufacturers: China. While
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo
struggle to deal with Chinese
government regulations, one
company is seeking to create a
new console specifically for the
territory. Lenovo is prepping the
"eBox," a new console that has
Kinect-esque functionality in
mind. With 120 million families
as "potential buyers" in China,
it's certainly a lucrative
opportunity for the company to
pursue.
A team of 40 Lenovo engineers
are now working at a spin-off
firm called Beijing eedoo
Technology, and although the
company has been in operation
for less than a month, it seems
confident in what the eBox can
do. "We are the world's second
company to produce a controller
-free game console, behind only
Microsoft," eedoo's Jack Luo
told China Daily. Although
there's no mention of a playable
prototype, or finalized design,
the eBox is expected to be
available as soon as the first
quarter of 2011, with a price
higher than the Wii, and
possibly lower than the Xbox.
Like the Wii, eBox won't be
designed to have "exquisite
game graphics." Instead, it will
serve to "inspire family
members to get off the couch
and get some exercise" -- a
mantra that has served Nintendo
well this generation. With eedoo
claiming 16 "global video game
developers" working on content
for the eBox, it won't be long
until China will be able to get its
share of yoga, pilates and
dancing video games.
Lenovo spin-off announces
Kinect-inspired eBox console
for China originally appeared on
Joystiq on Sat, 28 Aug 2010
03:00:00 EST. Please see our
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Comments
E-reader News Edition
Cryptic not yet sure
about pricing plan for
new Neverwinter title
Mike Schramm (Joystiq)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 10:00:00 AM
You D&D buffs out there were
undoubtedly excited to hear that
a new Neverwinter game is
coming to life, but just like the
real D&D, it might end up
laying a critical hit down on
your wallet.
In an interview at Gamasutra,
Cryptic CEO Jack Emmert
admitted that the game doesn't
have a business model nailed
down yet, and that all options
are still on the table, from a
"free-to-play with
microtransactions" model to a
"pay-by-the-minute" one.
Emmert makes the point that
asking for a subscription is still
a viable way to run an MMO --
he fully expects BioWare to
charge subscriptions for The
Old Republic-- but that requires
meeting a very high standard in
terms of its content and quality.
Of course, Neverwinter is
described more as a "co-op
experience" than an MMO, and
Emmert says it is indicative of a
"new direction for Cryptic."
CRYPTIC page 59
E-reader News Edition Gaming/ Politics/ 59
CRYPTIC
continued from page 58

Instead of worrying about MMO Neverwinter title originally

standards and traditions, he appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28
says, Cryptic wants to "just Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please
make great games." see our terms for use of feeds.
Specifically, that means "no Permalink| Email this|
more 75 Metacritic scores," he Comments
jokes at the end of the interview.
"My heart just can't take it
anymore."
Cryptic not yet sure about
pricing plan for new

Telltale teases Penny Beck Says US Has 'Wandered in

Arcade, Strong Bad, TF2, Darkness' Too Long
Sam and Max mash-up (Newsmax - Inside Cover)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 5:35:54 AM
gazed out at his audience
Saturday, he said he was
humbled.
reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
Griffin McElroy (Joystiq) We could spend the rest of the
fantasizing about the manner in Saturday, 28 Aug 2010 10:35 He said "something beyond This entry passed through the
Submitted at 8/28/2010 11:00:00 AM
which these four properties AM imagination is happening." And Full-Text RSS service — if this
Well, this is certainly ... could be blended, but we won't From the steps of the Lincoln he began his rally on a religious is your content and you're
unexpected. Telltale Games have to wait long for the actual Memorial, broadcaster Glenn theme, saying that "America reading it on someone else's site,
recently uploaded a brief teaser e x p l a n a t i o n - - t h e t r a i l e r Beck has told a crowd of tens of today begins to turn back to please read our FAQ page at
trailer(posted below) for an promises more info on the thousands of people gathering God." fivefilters.org/content-only/
unannounced title featuring a untitled project will be released on the National Mall that their Some civil rights leaders are faq.php
few cryptic messages, as well as next Thursday, September 2. country has "wandered in staging a rival rally Saturday in Five Filters featured
the line-up seen above. Fans of Continue reading Telltale teases darkness" for too long. Washington on what is the 47th article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
adventure games (and, uh, team- Penny Arcade, Strong Bad, TF2, He says it's now time to anniversary of Martin Luther an Easy Ride in the
based shooters) will recognize Sam and Max mash-up concentrate on the good things King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Independent.
the silhouettes pictured therein Telltale teases Penny Arcade, about the United States. speech.
as Tycho from Penny Arcade Strong Bad, TF2, Sam and Max As the conservative Fox News © Copyright 2010 The
Adventures, Max from Sam and mash-up originally appeared on commentator and talk show host Associated Press. All rights
Max, the Heavy from Team Joystiq on Sat, 28 Aug 2010
Fortress 2 and Strong Bad from 11:00:00 EST. Please see our
Strong Bad's Cool Game for terms for use of feeds.
Attractive People. That's in Permalink| Email this|
order from left to right, in case C o m m e n t s
you're really unfamiliar with the
aforementioned games.
60 Politics/
USS Cole Bomber May Get Civilian Trial
(Newsmax - Inside Cover)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:46:11 AM
President Barack Obama's
Justice Department has quietly
abandoned the long-delayed
prosecution before a military
tribunal of suspected USS Cole
bomber Abd al-Rahim al-
Nashiri, signaling that a civilian
trial may be in the works – but
not to be revealed until after the
November elections.
The Washington Post reported
Thursday that “In a filing this
week in the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of
Columbia, the Justice
Department said that ‘no
charges are either pending or
contemplated with respect to al-
Nashiri in the near future.’”
The Post quoted a “military
official” anonymously, who
charged, “It’s politics at this
point,” adding that “he thinks
the administration does not want
to proceed against a high-value
detainee without some prospect
of civilian trials for other major
figures at Guantanamo Bay.”
Appearing in National
Review’s The Corner, former
U.S. attorney Andrew
McCarthy, who successfully
prosecuted the 1993 Twin
Tower terrorists, provided a
conjecture: “If I were Attorney
General Holder and President
Obama, and I were hell-bent on
giving the top al-Qaeda
terrorists civilian trials,”
McCarthy said he would “add
the terrorists involved in both
the 9/11 and Cole attacks” to the
civilian prosecution of Ahmed
Ghailani, charged in the 1998
U.S. embassy bombings in
Kenya and Tanzania, a case
being handled by Manhattan
Federal District Court Judge
Lewis Kaplan.
Kaplan earlier this year
dismissed a Ghailani motion to
have the charges against him
thrown out on the basis that he
was denied the constitutional
right to a speedy trial. This
tough judge, appointed to the
federal bench by President Bill
Clinton in 1994, could be the
key to the Obama administration
successfully using the civilian
legal system to convict terrorist
prisoners that the Bush
administration kept at
Guantanamo Bay in a state of
legal limbo.
Obama could then take credit
for bringing al-Qaida terrorists
to justice using the same legal
system to which ordinary
American citizens are subject –
a system former President
George W. Bush clearly
distrusted in regard to dealing
with foreign terrorists.
Some 17 U.S. sailors were
killed in 2000 when suicide
bombers cruised a small craft
alongside the Cole at a harbor in
Yemen. Nashiri was secretly
delivered from a CIA foreign
“black site” to Guantanamo in
2003, on board the same
unmarked government jet as
three fellow high-ranking al-
Qaida members.
Not just Cole plotter Nashiri
but even 9/11 mastermind
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
could end up before Judge
Kaplan. Both men were
waterboarded, and as Bush
White House speechwriter Marc
Thiessen notes in the book
“Courting Disaster,” the CIA
inspector general found that
after undergoing enhanced
interrogation techniques, Nashiri
“provided information about his
most current operational
planning.”
The wrong civilian judge could
rule that Nashiri and other al-
Qaida defendants cannot be
convicted because of
unconstitutional offenses
committed against them by CIA
or other U.S. personnel.
McCarthy wondered if Obama
would delay announcing a
civilian trial for these al-Qaida
operatives “until after the
November elections because of
the uproar it would cause and
the hot seat on which it would
put Democrats already
beleaguered in their re-election
bids.”
Commentary magazine’s
Jennifer Rubin similarly warned
of a post-election announcement
of a civilian trial for the two: “a
final decision on KSM has also
been delayed, it is widely
assumed, so that the
administration need not disclose
its intentions before the
election,” Rubin blogged Friday.
“In an administration with
plenty of both, this ranks near
the top when it comes to
hypocrisy and politicizing the
administration of justice.”
Only two Gitmo cases are
currently underway, both sent to
trial during the Bush
administration. Defense
Secretary Robert Gates, who
stayed on as Pentagon chief
when Obama became president,
in January, 2009 ordered that no
further cases be referred to
military commissions for trial.
Gates’ order remains in effect.
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Independent.
E-reader News Edition
Ginsburg: TV Has
Changed High
Court Hearings
(Newsmax - Inside Cover)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 2:06:50 AM
Saturday, 28 Aug 2010 07:06
AM
Supreme Court Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsburg said television
has profoundly changed
confirmation hearings but
declined to say Friday whether
she'd oppose televising
arguments.
Ginsburg told a Colorado
judicial conference that TV has
made Supreme Court
confirmation hearings much
longer because senators posture
for cameras.
"The people on the Senate
Judiciary Committee have all
that free time" to stump for the
audience, Ginsburg said.
Ginsburg demurred, however,
on the question of televising
arguments before the high court.
She talked about former justices
who opposed cameras.
Without naming anyone
currently on the court, Ginsburg
said, "When you're sitting on a
collegial bench, if there is any of
you who would be extremely
discomforted ... you would defer
to that colleague."
Ginsburg talked to several
hundred judges gathered for a
judicial conference of the U.S.
10th Circuit Court. The justice
GINSBURG: page 61
E-reader News Edition Politics/ Religion/ 61
GINSBURG:
continued from page 60

delivered a speech written by
her recently deceased husband,
Martin Ginsburg. Martin
Ginsburg, a prominent lawyer in
his own right, was originally
scheduled to address the
gathering and prepared the
remarks before his death from
cancer in June.
After reading the speech, she
Ginsburg joined the chief jurist
of Canada's Supreme Court,
Beverly McLachlin, in a
question-and-answer session.
Nina Totenberg, who covers the
Supreme Court for National
Public Radio, asked the justices
about the growing acceptance of
women on the bench. Both said
the legal profession, and society,
has made great strides on gender
equality since they started their
careers. Ginsburg and
McLachlin both said it wasn't
easy to be a female lawyer when
they started.
Ginsburg told a humorous story
about having a young son while
teaching law school at Columbia
University in New York. When
her rambunctious boy acted up
in class, she would get frequent
calls from his school.
"One day, I was particularly
wary, and I said, 'This child has
two parents. I suggest you
alternate calls,'" Ginsburg said.
After that, she recalled, the
school called less often — more
hesitant to disturb a man at work
than to disturb a woman at
Ghosts in the D.C.
work.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was in
the crowd but didn't join
school woes
Ginsburg on stage. Sotomayor
was to speak to the judges In a
closed-door session Saturday.
© Copyright 2010 The
Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
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Independent.
A frequent and, page
GHOSTS in my62opinion

Palin: Reject Calls to 'Fundamentally' Change US

(Newsmax - Inside Cover)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 6:05:28 AM
Saturday, 28 Aug 2010 11:05
AM
Sarah Palin says the way to
honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s
legacy is to honor those men
and women in the military who
protect the United States.
The potential 2012 presidential
candidate says those who fought
at Bunker Hill and Gettysburg
protected the freedoms that
allowed thousands of people
gather on the National Mall in
Washington on the 47th
anniversary of King's "I Have a
Dream" speech.
While broadcaster Glenn Beck's
rally isn't billed as a political
event, Palin says voters must
reject calls to "fundamentally
transform America." Instead,
she says "we must restore
America."
Palin, whose son served in Iraq,
says the country is at a perilous
moment.
© Copyright 2010 The
Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
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an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
62
GHOSTS
continued from page 61
often logical, criticism of this
website is that we tend to stretch
logic while seeking out the
religion “ghosts” that we believe
are hidden between the lines in
important stories in the
mainstream press.
Stop and think about this for a
minute.
Sometimes we have to do a bit
of stretching, a bit of creative
connecting of the dots, in order
to see the religion-news angles.
After all, we are trying to point
out connections that other
people are not seeing. We see
them. That’s why we do what
we do. In particular, that’s why
I’ve been pounding my head on
the newsroom wall for 30-plus
years, talking about the need for
improved coverage on this beat.
So, here I go again. However,
let me state right up front that I
am talking about a ghost that I
have seen talented professionals
miss several times in
newsrooms in which I have
worked.
The Washington Post ran an A1
news story today that has
absolutely no religion in it
whatsoever. The headline on
this report — a local story, but
with national implications —
was depressing, in part because
it could have been written last
year, or the previous decade, or
the decade before that. It
proclaimed: “Progress slows in
closing achievement gaps in
D.C. schools.” Here’s the top of
this story, which focuses on a
major issue of social justice in
this nation:
After two years of progress,
Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee’s
effort to narrow the vast
achievement gap separating
white and African American
students in D.C. public schools
has stalled, an analysis of 2010
test score data shows. …
Data that Rhee released this
week show that the difference in
the percentages of white and
black students who score at
proficiency levels on the annual
D.C. Comprehensive
Assessment System tests had
narrowed from 2007 to this
year. The most significant
improvement was in secondary
schools, where the spread in
math achievement dropped more
than more 18 percentage points,
from 70 to 51.4 percent. But
year-to-year results show that
progress has slowed markedly.
After narrowing from 2007 to
last year, the gap in secondary
math proficiency widened by
slightly less than 2 percentage
points. Secondary reading
scores show the same flattening
trajectory.
The District’s struggle to close
academic divides based on race
and ethnicity is playing out in
school systems across the
country, where progress has also
stagnated.
A key element of the story is its
relentless attempt to frame this
story completely in elements of
race and, between the lines,
political clout. That is
understandable. In addition to
look at the gap between black
and white, the study also
included statistics about trends
among Hispanic students. The
numbers were depressing there,
too.
So you read and you read and
the story gets more and more
frustrating. I cannot imagine
how painful this must be for
people who have devoted their
lives to fighting for this cause.
At the very end of the report,
another theme makes a brief
appearance:
Bruce Fuller, a professor of
education and public policy at
the University of California at
Berkeley, said that although
good schools and good teachers
can make a difference in the
lives of poor children, the
persistence of the achievement
gaps may also suggest that there
is a limit to their reach.
“Part of this hitting the wall may
be the troubling fact that we
may need to somehow attack
family poverty before we see
greater progress in closing
achievement,” Fuller said.
Without a doubt, poverty plays
a hellish role in this drama.
Thus, it may help to ask, “What
has been the most consistent
cause of urban poverty in recent
generations?”
So here is my leap of logic. On
two different occasions I have
been in newsrooms that
attempted to research large news
projects linked to the welfare of
young people and, in particular,
discovering what makes them
successful in the classroom and
in life. Both times, I learned
about these project after work
had already begun to frame the
issues, develop the survey
materials and even lay out the
day-to-day flow of the coverage.
After all, I was the religion
reporter. The key elements were
sure to be race, politics and
money. Correct?
In both cases, I noted that —
when the survey numbers came
in — they would find that, at the
very top of the list of factors
predicting success (and, thus,
factors that in their absence
would help predict failure)
would be (a) whether the
students came from intact
homes, especially homes
containing a father, and (b)
whether the students were active
in positive, constructive
activities outside the home —
especially if those activities
were rooted in religious
congregations or organizations.
Why did I make these
observations?
During my studies in American
history I had been exposed to
the writings of that great leader
in the Democratic Party, Daniel
Patrick Moynihan — especially
his controversial 1965
report“The Negro Family: The
Case For National Action ( text
here),” for the United States
Department of Labor.
E-reader News Edition
As it turned out, family
structure turned out to be
directly linked to poverty — a
fact that is so obvious now that
people hardly argue about the
subject these days. Yes, I know
that discussing this topic raises
troubling moral and even
religious questions. That’s the
point.
Still, in these studies of the
Washington, D.C., schools, has
anyone factored family structure
into the equation alongside the
race factor? How do African-
American and Hispanic students
fare when they are from intact
homes, in contrast to the
numbers seen in homes that are
broken or in homes in which
marriages never formed in the
first place?
In the studies I have seen in the
past, students have fared better
when they are reared in homes
strong in religious faith (and, of
course, reading). Were
researchers allowed to ask about
this?
In Denver, I once asked an
editor if anyone thought to
compare the success of Hispanic
students in public schools with
those in religious private
schools, when taking into
account issues of family
structure and income. In other
words, how did a child from a
single-parent, low-income home
fare in a public school in
comparison with a child from
GHOSTS page 63
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 63
GHOSTS WHY
continued from page 62 continued from page 63

the exact same background who
was attending a Catholic school
in the same neighborhood.
The editor’s response was a
classic. That would not be a fair
comparison, he stressed,
because the mothers (since most
single parents are female) who
sacrificed and worked and
scrapped to enable their children
to attend the parish school
would almost certainly be much
more committed to the welfare
of their children than the other
mothers. They would also might
have the advantage of having
their religious faith as a
motivation, helping them
promote more discipline in the
home. This would help them
work in cooperation with their
teachers and school
administrators, too. They might
have been educated in Catholic
schools, themselves.
Precisely. As it turned out, the
overwhelming majority of the
region’s most successful
Hispanic leaders (from single-
parent homes, as well as homes
with two parents) in a variety of
fields came from Catholic
schools. This factor received
little coverage in the package,
since no one had thought to
include it. The religion factor
did not fit into a news template
that was based on, yes, race,
politics and money.
Can you see the ghosts?
Like the Berkeley professor
said, good schools and good
teachers are important. But there
are other factors at play in the
classrooms of many American
schools. However, to look for
these factors one must be
willing to admit that they might
exist in the first place. Written
by: tmatt on August 27, 2010.
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lived.
Nor does it seem to matter that
Rauf’s project is an exercise in
self-absorbed indignation.
Claiming to “build bridges,”
Islamists demand that their First
Amendment right to religious
freedom (which no one has
denied) be deferred to while
urging that your First
Amendment right to free speech
be smothered by governmental
scolds -- including a preening
president, a demagogic mayor,
and a House Speaker who wants
to use her public office to
investigate the project’s
opponents (i.e., 70 percent of
the public). The anticipated
“tangible manifestation” in
question not only divides a
nation still under jihadist siege;
it deeply wounds the 9/11
families, the remains of whose
slaughtered loved ones are still
being retrieved from the vicinity
of Ground Zero.
Still, even Kringle’s desultory
case for the mosque paled in
comparison with his adamant
refusal to answer the question,
“Is Hamas a terrorist
organization?” You can watch
the short debate for yourself
here. There are long pauses,
shucks, jives, and gibberish --
but no answer:
Asman: Do you believe Hamas
is a terrorist organization?
Kringle: [Pause] I would, um --
[pause]
McCarthy: That’s not a hard
WHY page 64

Why They Can’t Condemn Hamas

Submitted at 8/28/2010 3:00:00 AM
ready-to-travel-on-your-dime terrorists are terrorists. “I try to Scoreboard, a Fox Business with Islamists is that they want
“moderates.” That same State avoid the issues. The issue of Channel program, to debate the to apply the principles of Islam -
Rauf and his friends employ Department has branded Hamas terrorism is a very complex proposed mosque with Dawood - which are far from limited to
different methods, but they are a terrorist organization, and we question.” Avoid the issues? Kringle, a prison imam who is a “spiritual principles” -- to
on the same team. can’t even get it to say that You don’t say! perfect fit for the correctional everyone’s lives. It never seems
H amas is a shibboleth. If you about the Taliban, the guys #ad#But it is not a complex system in Michael Bloomberg’s to register with Imam Rauf’s
want to know whether an we’re fighting in the overseas question, no more complex than New York City. Like the mayor, apologists that we already have
ostensible Muslim “moderate” is contingency operation formerly “Does Derek Jeter play for the Imam Kringle knows and thousands of mosques and
really moderate, ask him if known as the War on Terror. Yankees?” It is a admires Imam Rauf, so it’s only Islamic centers in the United
Hamas is a terrorist During a WABC radio straightforward question that natural that he supports the States, and no one is suggesting
organization. interview, Aaron Klein three Islamists complicate with clever Ground Zero mosque. He these should be shut down, even
It is really not a hard question, times pressed Rauf to admit that casuistry, carefully designed to reasons, in his best Rauf-speak, though many of them are
even if Feisal Rauf can’t -- or H a m a s i s a t e r r o r i s t ring all the right chimes for our that it would be “a tangible hotbeds of rabidly anti-Western
won’t -- answer it. Rauf, the organization. Rauf bobbed and opinion elites and their media manifestation and demonstration ideology that have not proved to
w o u l d - b e i m a m o f t h e weaved in classic Islamist style. pitchmen. of the spiritual principles of be reassuring “tangible
controversial Ground Zero “I’m not a politician,” he TWISTING THE RELIGION Islam as applied to everyone’s manifestations” of how Islam is
mosque, is also a stud in the replied, as if only politicians WITH POLITICS? lives.”
State Department’s stable of trouble themselves over whether WHY page 63
On Tuesday, I appeared on Exactly: The main problem
64
WHY
continued from page 63
question.
Asman: [To McCarthy] Hold
on a second.
Kringle: No, no, no. I --
Asman: Is Hamas a terrorist
organization? A simple
question.
Kringle: I believe that there’s
people, uh, connected with
Hamas that are, uh -- advocate
terrorism --
Asman: Is Hamas, though, a
terrorist organization, as the
State Department says it is?
Kringle: I believe that the
people -- that people that, uh,
that, uh, exist on the fringe of
there -- Hamas is a political
party that, uh, that grew out of,
uh, out of, uh, what happened
to, uh, Palestine. Obviously,
there’s going to be people that
are, uh, that are going to twist
up, uh, the religion to serve their
political agendas.
This is just counterfactual bunk.
It is served up by the imam and
many likeminded apologists as
though Hamas did not have a
richly documented history, and
as though Islamists did not
reject the very premise that
religious and political agendas
can be distinguished.#page#
THE CHARTER
The name “Hamas” is derived
from the Arabic phrase for
“Islamic Resistance Movement”
( Harakat al-Muqawamah al-
Islamiyya). It was established in
late 1987, at the start of the
Intifada, for the singular purpose
of waging a violent jihad that,
Hamas pledged, would continue
until Israel’s annihilation. This
is not my opinion. It is an
undeniable fact -- regardless of
how often denied. Set aside its
decades of barbaric attacks, its
celebration of a death culture in
which streets are named after
“martyrs” and children are
garbed in mock suicide belts at
summer camp. Hamas
proclaimed its existence in a
formal charter that could not be
more emphatic:
The Islamic Resistance
Movement erupted in order to
play its role in the path of its
Lord. In so doing, it joined its
hands with those of all Jihad
fighters for the purpose of
liberating Palestine. The souls of
its Jihad fighters will encounter
those of all Jihad fighters who
have sacrificed their lives in the
land of Palestine since it was
conquered by the Companion of
the Prophet, be Allah’s prayer
and peace upon him, and until
this very day. This is the Charter
of the Islamic Resistance
(Hamas). . . . Our struggle
against the Jews is extremely
wide-ranging and grave, so
much so that it will need all the
loyal efforts we can wield, to be
followed by further steps and
reinforced by successive
battalions from the multifarious
Arab and Islamic world, until
the enemies are defeated and
Allah’s victory prevails.
Self-consciously, Hamas cast
itself as an Islamist alternative
to Yasser Arafat’s
comparatively secular/socialist
Palestinian nationalism.
Consistent with Islamist
ideology, it rejects the
separation of mosque and state,
because its political objectives
are Islamic imperatives:
“Nothing is loftier or deeper in
Nationalism than waging Jihad
against the enemy and
confronting him when he sets
foot on the land of the
Muslims,” the charter decrees.
Jihad is an obligation of Islam to
spread the faith until it is
universally dominant. For
Islamists, “Palestine” is “the
land of the Muslims” -- never
mind that Israel was the Jewish
homeland before there were
Muslims. Thus, the charter
explains, jihad -- savage, bloody
jihad -- “becomes an individual
duty binding on every Muslim
man and woman.”
So unabashedly committed to
violence is Hamas that it rejects
peace negotiations and
diplomatic settlements as a
matter of principle. The charter
avers:
The so-called peaceful
solutions, and the international
conferences to resolve the
Palestinian problem, are all
contrary to the beliefs of the
Islamic Resistance Movement.
For renouncing any part of
Palestine means renouncing part
of the religion; the nationalism
of the Islamic Resistance
Movement is part of its faith, the
movement educates its members
to adhere to its principles and to
raise the banner of Allah over
their homeland as they fight
their Jihad.
Nor could it be clearer that the
jihad is to continue until every
last Jew has been killed or
disappears. On this point, the
charter asserts: “Hamas has
been looking forward to
implement Allah’s promise
whatever time it might take. The
prophet, prayer and peace be
upon him, said: The time will
not come until Muslims will
fight the Jews (and kill them);
until the Jews hide behind rocks
and trees, which will cry: O
Muslim! There is a Jew hiding
behind me, come on and kill
him!”
#ad#With due respect to Imam
Kringle and Islam’s other
American cheerleaders, this
neither “twists up the religion to
serve a political agenda” nor
“hijacks” Islam. Hamas, to the
contrary, accurately quoted
Islamic scripture. As the scholar
Andrew Bostom observes, the
pronouncement by Mohammed
about Muslims killing all
remaining Jews on the Day of
Judgment comes straight from a
canonical hadith, Sahih Muslim,
Book 41, No. 6985. Hadiths are
collections of the prophet’s
words and deeds, and the one in
question flows seamlessly from
the Koran itself, from verses
like Sura 2:61, which condemns
Jews for purportedly rejecting
E-reader News Edition
Allah’s signs and “slaying his
Messengers.” That indictment,
reiterated in Sura 3:112, is
echoed in the Hamas charter’s
opening passages: “They have
incurred anger from their Lord,
and wretchedness is laid upon
them. That is because they used
to disbelieve the revelations of
Allah, and slew the Prophets
wrongfully.” Thus, the charter
warns, “Israel will rise and will
remain erect until Islam
eliminates it as it had eliminated
its predecessors.”
THE BROTHERHOOD
This is why Imam Rauf and his
friends get so tongue-tied when
it comes to Hamas. Like many
of Rauf’s principal supporters in
the United States, Hamas is part
of the Muslim Brotherhood; in
fact, it is its Palestinian branch.
Don’t take my word for it.
Here’s what Hamas itself says,
in the charter:
Article Two: The Link between
Hamas and the Association of
Muslim Brothers: The Islamic
Resistance Movement is one of
the wings of the Muslim
Brothers in Palestine. The
Muslim Brotherhood Movement
is a world organization, the
largest Islamic Movement in the
modern era. It is characterized
by a profound understanding, by
precise notions and by a
complete comprehensiveness of
all concepts of Islam in all
domains of life: views and
WHY page 66
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 65

Ground Zero Mosque: It’s Not the Location, It’s the Sharia
Submitted at 8/29/2010 11:00:34 PM
We will pray every day to was a flaming, smoking ruin -- communities more leeway to pants that women are caught
condemn the souls of September Rauf told CBS’s 60 Minutes: “I judge among themselves, wearing. “It’s my obligation as a
What’s most worrisome is 11’s 19 evil perpetrators. May wouldn’t say that the United according to their laws.” Sharia leader to help the people so they
Imam Rauf’s dedication to they roast in Hell forever, each States deserved what happened, relies on the Koran, Hadith, and won’t suffer in the afterlife,”
Islam’s repressive laws. morning hotter than the last. but the United States’ policies other Islamic texts to punish West Aceh regent Ramli
L ocation, location, location. We will pray every day for the were an accessory to the crime offenders, too often with Mansur said in August 18’s
So far, the Ground Zero r a p i d d e f e a t o f a l - Q a e d a , that happened.” sentences that stink of the 7th Jakarta Globe. “Besides, when
mosque controversy has focused Hamas, Hezbollah, and other • Rauf said in 2005 that “the century A.D. women don’t dress according to
excessively on its proximity to v i o l e n t , I s l a m i c - e x t r e m i s t United States has more Muslim • A Saudi sharia court is seeking sharia law, they’re asking to get
the scene of the September 11 t e r r o r i s t g r o u p s . blood on its hands than al-Qaeda a hospital to enforce its penalty raped.”
massacre. The Park51 Islamic We will pray every day for has on its hands of innocent non against an unidentified man who • Once a Muslim, always a
center would stand 560 feet Islam to be a faith equal -- but -Muslims.” Never mind the paralyzed Abdulaziz al-Mutairi, Muslim, according to sharia.
from that revered site. Would not superior -- to other religions millions of Muslims whom 22, in an assault with a meat “Muslim jurists are unanimous
moving it 5,600 feet away calm that people freely may choose to America has liberated, or at cleaver. Under sharia’s “eye for that apostates must be
this storm? practice. least tried to rescue from an eye” principal, Judge Saoud punished,” the Muslim
Perhaps, but far more important We will pray every day for the tyranny, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, bin Suleiman al-Youssef wants Brotherhood’s influential
is what would happen inside this freedom, equality, and longevity Iraq, Lebanon, and Somalia. to paralyze the attacker by spiritual leader, Sheik Sheik
m o s q u e . T h a t o u g h t t o of every human being -- America assisted millions more severing his spinal cord. To Yusuf al-Qaradawi, declared
determine if it should be even regardless of belief, gender, or Muslims after the 2004 Indian their credit, Saudi doctors so far about Islamic converts to other
closer to Ground Zero, or if it sexuality. Ocean tsunami and is aiding have refused to cooperate in this faiths. The Qatari said these
even should open anywhere in We invite Jews, Christians, non Muslims today in flood-ravaged carnage. “apostates must be executed.”
America. -believers, and everyone else to Pakistan. #ad#• Under Iran’s Islamic law, • Even snacking can be deadly
#ad#Imagine if the mosque’s join our efforts. And we humbly • Rauf has repeatedly refused to the Guardian reports, twelve under sharia. In November
imam said this: ask to pursue them adjacent to identify Hamas as a terrorist women and three men face 2004, a 13-year-old Iranian boy
Our mosque will be the world where radical Islam committed group. death by stoning for adultery. violated the Ramadan fast. He
headquarters of a new Islam that its greatest modern atrocity. #page#• Most worrisome, Rauf After international criticism, received 85 lashes, which killed
is at peace with the 21st century May the light of our example embraces sharia, the Iranian jurists recently him.
and that strives to do for Islam drive the darkness from that fundamentalist Islamic law announced that several of these Does Imam Rauf embrace such
what Martin Luther did for day. responsible for too much of individuals instead would be brutality? Who knows? But the
Christianity in 1517. That’s If this mosque’s imam preached Earth’s totalitarian barbarism. hanged. fact that he wants the U.S. to be
when he nailed his 95 Theses to these sentiments, many -- and “What Muslims want is to • Since Muslims implemented “sharia compliant” rather than
t h e d o o r o f W i t t e n b e r g , perhaps most -- Americans ensure that their secular laws are sharia in northern Nigeria in sharia-free should worry every
Germany’s Castle Church, would agree that his antidote to not in conflict with the Quran or 2000, at least twelve people liberty-loving American.
l a u n c h e d t h e P r o t e s t a n t al-Qaeda’s poison could stand the Hadith, the sayings of have received death sentences While America battles militant
R e f o r m a t i o n , a n d h e l p e d 56 feet from the scene of its Muhammad,” Rauf wrote in an for homosexuality and adultery. Islam, should a pro-sharia
Catholicism correct its excesses. most heinous crime. Instead, April 24, 2009, Huffington Post Most of these, however, have mosque be allowed on our soil?
We will pray every day to save d o u b t s g r o w a b o u t t h e essay titled “What Sharia Law Is been commuted to mere jail The First Amendment may
t h e 2 , 7 5 2 i n n o c e n t s o u l s moderation of Imam Feisal All About.” Rauf added: “What time. permit sharia advocacy, much as
slaughtered at the World Trade Abdul Rauf’s voice. It seems Muslims want is a judiciary that • Since January, women in West counseling Marxism-Leninism
Center in the name of a militant more likely that the words above ensures that the laws are not in Aceh, Indonesia, must wear remained legal even as
Islam that we wholeheartedly would leave him tongue-tied. conflict with the Quran and the long skirts rather than jeans or Americans shivered through the
r e j e c t a n d e n d e a v o r t o • Just 19 days after September Hadith.” He also has written that trousers. Police enforce this GROUND page 69
overcome. 11 -- while Ground Zero still he wants to give “religious rule, sometimes by cutting the
66
WHY
continued from page 64
beliefs, politics and economics,
education and society,
jurisprudence and rule,
indoctrination and teaching, the
arts and publications, the hidden
and the evident, and all the other
domains of life.
Again: no separation of the
spiritual and the temporal, of
Islamic and civil law. They are
one. And, it turns out, the top
priority of Rauf’s Cordoba
Initiative is the Sharia Index
Project, which is designed to
plant and expand Islamic law in
every country. Wonder of
wonders, that just happens to be
the Muslim Brotherhood’s top
priority -- the installation of
sharia being the necessary
precondition to the Islamicizing
of a society. And, lo and behold,
Rauf’s partners in the Sharia
Index Project include Jamal
Barzinji and his International
Institute of Islamic Thought
(IIIT).
#page#As Zeyno Baran recounts
in an essay for the Hudson
Institute’s invaluable series,
Current Trends in Islamist
Ideology(available here, scroll
to page 78), Barzinji is a pivotal
figure in the construction of the
Brotherhood’s American
network. Barzinji formed IIIT as
a think tank geared toward the “
Islamicization of knowledge.”
Later, perceiving the need to
establish an “umbrella
organization” for Islamist
groups in the United States,
Barzinji forged the creation in
1981 of the Islamic Society of
North America. ISNA later
funded Hamas, using its Illinois
headquarters to house the Holy
Land Foundation for Relief and
Development (HLF) -- an
ostensible “charity” set up by
the Brotherhood to underwrite
Hamas’s operations. Thereafter,
when the Brotherhood created
the Council on American-
Islamic Relations (CAIR) to be
its public-relations arm
(disguised as a civil-rights
organization), seed money came
from HLF.
In late 2008, IIIT and ISNA
republished Rauf’s book,
What’s Right with Islam, under
the new title, What’s Right with
Islam Is What’s Right with
America. The book had been
released in Malaysia, in 2004,
under the more ominous title A
Call to Prayer from the World
Trade Center Rubble: Islamic
Dawa in the Heart of America
Post-9/11-- “dawa” being the
stealth form of jihad by which
the Brotherhood promises to
“conquer America,” according
to its spiritual leader, Sheikh
Yusuf Qaradawi, a figure
admired by Rauf. Barzinji
personally chaired the meeting
that launched the republication
of Rauf’s book, and the IIIT
subsequently hosted Rauf at a
December 2008 event. ISNA
and CAIR, meantime, have
become leading advocates for
the Ground Zero mosque. Both
groups are enjoying a
resurgence in the era of
Obama’s “outreach” to Islam,
notwithstanding their
designation by the Justice
Department as unindicted
coconspirators in the recent
HLF prosecution, in which
several defendants were
convicted for financing Hamas.
#ad#Barzinji has been involved
in large-scale American mosque
projects before. He is a founder
of the Dar al-Hijra mosque and
Islamic community center in
Virginia (about which I’ve
written here). His co-founders
included Ismail Elbarasse,
another Brotherhood
heavyweight who helped his
former business partner, Mousa
abu Marzook, run Hamas from
Virginia in the early Nineties.
(Deported from the United
States in 1994, Marzook is now
the No. 2 Hamas official.)
Besides being a hub of Hamas
support, the Dar al-Hijra center
is now infamous for having
retained al-Qaeda recruiter
Anwar al-Awlaki as one of its
imams, as well as for
ministering to some of the 9/11
hijackers, the Fort Hood
assassin, and an al-Qaeda
operative now serving a life
sentence for plotting to murder
Pres. George W. Bush.
ONE-STATE SOLUTION
In repeatedly refusing to
condemn Hamas during the
WABC radio interview, Rauf
took pains to offer the caveat
that “the targeting of civilians is
wrong. It is a sin in our religion.
Whoever does it, targeting
civilians is wrong. I am a
supporter of the state of Israel.”
Nonetheless, the interview was a
public-relations disaster.
Attempting to contain the
damage, Rauf’s office put out a
statement: “Imam Feisal has
always condemned terrorism
(see his . . . hundreds of
speeches). Hamas is both a
political movement and a
terrorist organization. Hamas
commits atrocious acts of terror.
Imam Feisal has forcefully and
consistently condemned all
forms of terrorism, including
those committed by Hamas, as
un-Islamic.”
These are clever assertions.
They give Rauf’s admirers
ammunition to plead his case
but leave his Brotherhood
friends pacified. Yes, Rauf now
appears, finally, to concede that
Hamas is a terrorist
organization. Yet it is one he
cannot bring himself to
condemn because, voila, it’s
also a “political movement”
(just like the Muslim
Brotherhood!). Rauf condemns
“terrorism” in the abstract, but
don’t ask him to condemn
specific terrorists. Being against
“terrorism” is safe: The
Brotherhood does not consider
attacks by Hamas to be
“terrorism” -- they are
resistance(as in “the Islamic
Resistance Movement” --
Hamas). Rauf declares that
E-reader News Edition
“targeting civilians is wrong,”
but when it comes to Israel, a
country fighting for its survival,
Brotherhood ideology
emphasizes that all Jewish men
and unmarried women are
drafted into the armed forces,
and most remain in the reserves
for years thereafter; therefore,
most Jewish Israelis are not
considered civilians by Hamas.
But wait a second, you say:
Didn’t Rauf declare outright that
he is a “supporter of the state of
Israel”? He certainly did, but he
was careful not to say in what
form. In fact, he supports a state
of Israel stripped of its Jewish
character. Earlier this week, a
2005 speech was uncovered in
which Rauf explained that he
sees Israel, with its growing
Arab sector, becoming “post-
Zionist,” “secular,” and
“multicultural.” He perceives its
“identity” as a Jewish state
having “shifted enormously”
since its founding.
Consequently, he rejects the so-
called “two-state solution” -- the
American government dream of
a Jewish state and a Muslim
state, co-existing side-by-side in
peace. Instead, Rauf concluded,
“My own personal analysis tells
me that a one-state solution is a
more coherent one than a two-
state solution.”
One state, no longer a Jewish
state, stretching from the
Mediterranean to the Jordan
WHY page 68
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 67

Boehner’s Pro-Growth Message

Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:39:05 PM
and aggressive case for a true businesses.” In other words, and all TARP bailouts. be aggressive in changing the
economic-growth and jobs extend all the Bush tax cuts. To He bemoaned the fact that no statist, government-planning,
Is a mighty stock rally next? agenda now, in 2010. this end, Boehner quoted former one in the White House has any socialist-lite agenda of President
I t’s a bit too early for House The stock market, for example, President John F. Kennedy: “An business experience, chiding Obama, Majority Leader Harry
Republican leader John Boehner has known for months that the economy constrained by high Obama by saying, “We’ve tried Reid, and House Speaker Nancy
to measure the drapes and pick GOP will capture the House. tax rates will never produce 19 months of government-as- Pelosi. It sounds like the new
out new wallpaper. But the But investors are not yet enough revenue to balance the community-organizer. It hasn’t Republican party intends to end
Intrade pay-to-play prediction confident that the GOP will budget, just as it will never worked. Our fresh start needs to the ongoing war against private-
markets are now showing a 76 focus on GDP, instead of mere create enough jobs.” begin now.” capital investment,
percent chance of a GOP House ambiguous generalities, trying And Boehner was just getting He called for a freeze on federal entrepreneurial rewards, free-
takeover in November, along to be all things to all people. started. pay and hiring. He noted that, market incentives, and private
with a 60 percent probability Indeed, if the Republicans #page#He called for an Obama on average, federal employees business that is plaguing the
that Republicans will capture at borrow heavily from the tea- pledge to veto any lame-duck now make more than double economy and sapping the
least seven new Senate seats. party “Contract from America” - congressional actions that would what private-sector workers take strength of the recovery.
So Boehner’s lengthy broadside - and its call for constitutional damage the economy, including in. In a little over two months, the
attack on Obamanomics at the limits to government, tough the union card-check bill and a He cited Wisconsin election will take place. In a
City Club of Cleveland this spending restraint, free-market national cap-and-trade energy congressman Paul Ryan’s plan little over four months, the 2003
week takes on special meaning. reforms, and supply-side tax tax. for $1.3 trillion in specific tax cuts will expire. And in just
Headlines following the speech policies -- stocks could mount a He called for the repeal of spending cuts. He called for a few weeks, congressional
were all about Boehner’s call for mighty rally in the weeks ahead. Obamacare’s job-killing 1099 strict budget caps. And he Republicans will presumably
the resignation of Obama policy Well, Mr. Boehner’s speech mandate that would require argued for pro-growth tax put more meat on the bones of
generals Larry Summers and was a very promising beginning small-business paperwork to reform that would get rid of “the their new platform. John
Timothy Geithner. But the more to all this. show any purchases of more undergrowth of deductions, Boehner’s Cleveland speech
substantive question is this: Near the top he said, “Right than $600. credits, and special carve-outs in was a very encouraging
What might a newly ascendant now, America’s employers are #ad#He slammed Obamacare in order to bring simplicity and beginning. Now let’s see if the
c o n g r e s s i o n a l R e p u b l i c a n afraid to invest in an economy general, noting the creation of certainty, instead of transfer Republican’s next step will truly
majority actually stand for? stalled by ‘stimulus’ spending more than 160 boards, payments to the favored few.” provide some much needed
#ad#Republican leaders are and hamstrung by uncertainty. bureaucracies, programs, and And he spotlighted the fiscal optimism to the economy and
expected to publish a governing The prospect of higher taxes, commissions, and the 3,833 restraint of governors Bob body politic.
agenda next month, probably an s t r i c t e r r u l e s , a n d m o r e pages of new regulations McConnell of Virginia and -- Larry Kudlow, NRO’s
updated version of the bold and regulations has employers already in place. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Economics Editor, is host of
successful Newt Gingrich/Dick sitting on their hands.” He called for an aggressive elected Republican officials who CNBC’s The Kudlow Report
Armey “Contract with America” His first proposal to break that spending-reduction package that balanced their budgets by and author of the daily web
of 1994. John Boehner is a key uncertainty? Boehner said, would rollback non-defense throttling spending instead of blog, Kudlow’s Money Politic$.
alumnus of that effort. But folks “ P r e s i d e n t O b a m a s h o u l d discretionary expenditures to raising taxes. Larry Kudlow
around the country are waiting announce he will not carry out 2008 levels, before the stimulus All this is good. Very good.
t o s e e i f c o n g r e s s i o n a l his plan to impose job-killing plan was put in place. Instead of playing it safe, it
Republicans will make a strong tax hikes on families and small He said he wants to end TARP looks like Republicans intend to
68 Politics-Right/
Why is Obama Letting Non-Citizens Get Away with Voting?
Hans von Spakovsky (The
Foundry: Conservative Policy
News.)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 5:00:30 PM
Posted August 27th, 2010 at
6:00pm in Protect America,
Rule of Law Print This Post
As Matt Mayer vividly
describes in a new Heritage
Web Memo, the Obama
administration is implementing
a de facto amnesty that will
allow the vast majority of illegal
aliens to remain in the United
States without being disturbed
by the Department of Homeland
Security or any attempts to
deport them. We can now add
one more general amnesty that
the administration is apparently
extending – no prosecution of
illegal voting by noncitizens and
a green light to becoming a
citizen even if you have violated
federal law.
FOX News is reporting that
DHS was informed by the
county elections administration
in Putnam County, Tennessee,
about an immigrant in the U.S.
on a work visa who registered
and voted in the 2004 election.
This immigrant has now applied
to become a citizen. The only
interest that DHS seemed to
have in this information from
Putnam County was asking the
WHY
continued from page 66
River -- you know it’s funny: — Andrew C. McCarthy, a most recently, of The Grand McCarthy
That just happens to be Hamas’s senior fellow at the National Jihad: How Islam and the Left
plan. Review Institute, is the author, Sabotage America. Andrew C.
E-reader News Edition
immigrant to submit evidence laws and apparently no interest
that he has been removed from in prosecuting aliens who
the voter rolls. The letter also register and vote in violation of
asks the immigrant, in an federal law, stealing and
amazing example of devaluing the votes of legitimate
bureaucratic incompetence, to American voters. And
explain when he “discovered” committing such voter fraud
that he was “not a United States will apparently not bar you from
Citizen.” This would be funny if applying for and being granted
it did not illustrate such a citizenship by the Obama
profound lack of common sense. administration. As the County
Let me try to provide some Election Administrator of
advice to DHS that they don’t Putnam County rightfully said,
seem to be getting from their in- “this frightens me for my
house lawyers: registering and country. Why would you let
voting in elections when you are someone who committed voter
not a citizen is a felony under fraud become a citizen? That’s
federal law. 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) what they’re doing.”
makes it illegal to claim you are I could not have said it better
immigration advocates claiming It is pretty difficult to believe
a U.S. citizen in order to register myself.
that illegal voting can be an that a noncitizen would not
to vote for any election, This entry passed through the
honest mistake. The director of realize that they can’t vote when
punishable by up to five years in Full-Text RSS service — if this
the Immigration Advocates they are asked to confirm they
prison; fraudulent registration is your content and you're
Network says that “a lot of are citizens twice on the voter
and voting is also a felony under reading it on someone else's site,
people are truly very unaware registration form used in every
the National Voter Registration please read our FAQ page at
about not being eligible to state. The question in the DHS
Act. 18 U.S.C. § 611 prohibits a fivefilters.org/content-only/
vote.” Really?! The official letter asking the immigrant
noncitizen from voting in an faq.php
federal voter registration form when they knew they were not a
election where there is a federal Five Filters featured
available, here, asks you at the U.S. citizen is also completely
candidate on the ballot. False article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
top of the form in its very first ridiculous – anyone here
claims of citizenship in general an Easy Ride in the
question (even before you fill in illegally and even noncitizens
are also felonies under federal Independent.
your name): “Are you a citizen here legally who went through
law, 18 U.S.C. § 911,
of the United States of the visa application process
punishable by up to three years
America?” In the signature know they are not citizens.
in prison. For more on this, see
block on the form, it specifically But this administration
the Heritage paper The Threat of
asks you to “swear/affirm that: I seemingly has no interest in
Non-Citizen Voting.
am a United State citizen.” enforcing federal immigration
The FOX story cites
E-reader News Edition Politics-Right/ 69
GROUND
Government Alters Stimulus Sign Policy, Raising continued from page 65

Cold War. Nevertheless, there is

More Propaganda Questions no excuse for leaders like
Gotham mayor Michael
Tina Korbe (The Foundry: ranking member of the House signs should be smaller and less c o n t r a c t o r ’ — t h e p a r t y B l o o m b e r g a n d P r e s i d e n t
Conservative Policy News.) G o v e r n m e n t O v e r s i g h t prominent than [the] ARRA completing the work of the Obama (before his spectacular
Submitted at 8/27/2010 4:00:25 PM Committee, asked the DOT P r o j e c t S i g n , ” t h e F R A project — to post the signs. flip-flop) to applaud a mosque
inspector general to look into stipulated. “An ARRA Project Because contractors typically t h a t w o u l d e n s h r i n e t h e
In the 18 months following the administration’s use of the Sign must be located adjacent to p r o d u c e w o r k t o t h e grotesque and deadly doctrine of
approval of President Obama’s signs. That request was part of a each placement of such a specifications of their clients, it sharia. Even 5,600 miles away,
s t i m u l u s p a c k a g e , t h e larger investigation into White secondary project sign.” is unclear in what situation such such a facility would not be far
Department of Transportation House propaganda use. Then, too, if the signs were ‘strong’ encouragement would enough from Ground Zero.
required recipients of T h e i n s p e c t o r g e n e r a l m e a n t s o l e l y t o e n h a n c e result in the signs not being --- New York commentator
government funds to post r e s p o n d e d l a s t w e e k : transparency, why relax the built.” Deroy Murdock is a columnist
placards touting the economic “According to DOT officials, r e q u i r e m e n t s n o w ? T h e But, even if the policy shift with the Scripps Howard News
recovery. As a result, signs posting signs is consistent with inspector general’s report effectively matters little, it still Service and a media fellow with
p r o m i n e n t l y f e a t u r i n g t h e [ A m e r i c a n R e c o v e r y a n d doesn’t provide an answer. provides important insight into the Hoover Institution on War,
recovery act logo appeared R e i n v e s t m e n t A c t ] … Ultimately, the recent policy the original intention behind the R e v o l u t i o n a n d P e a c e a t
everywhere — by the side of the transparency and accountability change will not alter the impact s i g n s . A s a n e x p l a n a t i o n , Stanford University. Deroy
road, in public transportation requirements as it allows the of the signs. As Johnathan “transparency” falls a little flat. Murdock
stations, as bumper stickers on public to immediately identify Strong of the Daily Caller M u c h m o r e p r o b a b l e t h a t
government vehicles. how Recovery Act funds are pointed out in an Aug. 19 government agencies placed the
Then, abruptly, on July 15, the being used.” article, much of the stimulus signs to promote the president
Department of Transportation In other words, the signs aren’t funding has already gone out the and a questionable economic
relaxed its requirements. No propaganda; they’re a part of the door — and the effect of strong policy.
l o n g e r w o u l d g o v e r n m e n t president’s promised open e n c o u r a g e m e n t f r o m t h e This entry passed through the
agencies require grant recipients government. But the original government will quite probably Full-Text RSS service — if this
to mount the by-then-familiar requirements didn’t simply be equivalent to the effect of a is your content and you're
signs: They would simply mandate the presence of a sign requirement. reading it on someone else's site,
encourage them to do so. The — they also discouraged the “Although agencies are for the please read our FAQ page at
White House website was presence of equally prominent first time relaxing requirements fivefilters.org/content-only/
updated to reflect the change — signs. to build the signs, some of their faq.php
and, seemingly, to give the T a k e F e d e r a l R a i l r o a d still-standing ‘encouragement’ Five Filters featured
impression that signs had never Administration requirements as comes pretty close,” Strong article:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
actually been required. an example. wrote. “Under the rules of the a n E a s y R i d e i n t h e
It might just have been a “Grantees may elect to have a F e d e r a l A v i a t i o n Independent.
coincidence, but, shortly before secondary project sign which Administration, recipients of
the shift in policy, on June 24, identifies other project partners airport grants are ‘required’ to
Rep. Darrell Issa (D-Calif.), … but such secondary project ‘strongly encourage the prime
70 Politics-Right/
No Federal Bailouts for State and Local
Government Pension Problems
David John (The Foundry:
Conservative Policy News.)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 3:00:17 PM
There is bad news and worse
news for state governments
faced with underfunded pension
promises. First, a new academic
study shows that not only is the
total gap between the pensions
that state governments have
promised to pay their employees
and the available resources
much larger than previous
estimates, but that gap cannot be
closed with easy changes to
those promises.
Using the usual method of
calculating the cost of pension
promises, the study estimates
that 116 major pension plans
sponsored by the 50 states have
assets of about $1.8 trillion to
pay pension promises of
between $3.6 trillion and $5.2
trillion. This leaves a gap of
between $1.8 trillion and $3.4
trillion.
Unfortunately, fixing this
problem won’t be easy.
Increasing the retirement age by
a year would reduce pension
promises by only 2–4 percent;
keeping future cost-of-living
adjustments (COLAs) 1 percent
below the actual increase in cost
of living would reduce those
promises by only 9 to 11
percent. Even uniformly
increasing the retirement age to
74, eliminating COLAs
altogether, or similar moves still
leaves a total deficit of over $1
trillion.
To make matters worse, solving
the problem will be even harder
because nine states have
constitutional provisions that
appear to prohibit those states
from reducing pension
promises, while other states’
ability to change state and local
pension promises are limited by
a history of court cases. Thus,
while Colorado, Minnesota, and
South Dakota limited COLAs
earlier this year, all three states
have been sued by state
employees and retirees seeking
to block those reductions.
Not all state and local pension
plans are in trouble. Many are
properly funded and
conservatively managed, but
among those that are in the most
trouble, the situation is
becoming dire. For instance, at
least five statewide Illinois
pension plans have had to sell
off about 10 percent of fund
assets in order to pay benefits
after the state government failed
to make its full contributions to
the plans.
The size of the underfunding
combined with the complexity
of reducing benefits will
inevitably result in calls for a
federal bailout, perhaps
combined by an override of state
constitutional language limiting
the restructuring of pension
promises or other federal
involvement. Congress has
voided parts of state
constitutions in the past.
A federal bailout would be the
E-reader News Edition
worst possible outcome—even
if it were accompanied by
reform measures. Taxpayers in
states or cities that have been
responsible should not see their
tax dollars used to relieve those
states that have been
irresponsible. States and local
governments must resolve their
own problems, or many will
simply make cosmetic changes
and then come back for another
federal solution when things
deteriorate again. Real change
will happen only when they are
forced to confront the full
consequences of their past
actions.
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:"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets
an Easy Ride in the
Independent.
E-reader News Edition Social Media/ 71

The Emmy Awards Get Social

Christina Warren (Mashable!) Fans can send messages using Starting today, celebrities will By making the show live
Submitted at 8/27/2010 11:19:05 PM the site or the #imontheemmys be posing for pictures from the nationwide and tapping into
hashtag along with a presenter’s yfrog Photo Booth; those social media to bring more of
The 2010 Emmy Awards are name and a comment about him images will instantly be the experience to fans at home,
this Sunday, and NBC is using or her. Fallon may use some of delivered via Twitter. NBC might just see its ratings
the ceremony to embrace social these tweets as part of his On Sunday, Ryan Seacrest will increase.
media in a big way. introductions for these be streaming his red carpet As for us, well, we’ll be
NBC is using services such as presenters during the live show. pictures and videos live and watching not just because we
Twitter, yfrog and Ustream to NBC is also taking red carpet showing behind-the-scenes love award shows (we do), but
b r i n g a m o r e r e a l - t i m e question requests for stars on its shots of the E! crew hard at because if Conan wins for Best
experience to the event. These message boards. Live-Streamed work. Late Night show for the The
services will also let fans and Backstage Show With a Twist Yfrog is also aggregating Tonight Show, we really want to
viewers interact with Emmy On Sunday night, red carpet (side note: if you ever want to images and videos tagged see what he says about NBC in
presenters using social media. arrivals will be streamed live on see brilliance in live directing, #Emmys and is offering live his acceptance speech.
Due to time-shift viewing and a N B C . c o m , U s t r e a m . c o m , watch this channel), the green streams of tweets from Emmy Contractual rules be damned, we
growing number of viewing AccessHollywood.com and room, makeup and the press nominees. Will This Work? want fireworks!
alternatives via cable or the Emmys.com. Red carpet live room. NBC has a lot riding on the What do you think of the social
Internet, network television streaming has become a pretty We actually think this is pretty Emmys this year. General campaign the Emmys are
ratings are in a period of standard online affair for award innovative, as it provides a nice Electric is currently working launching this year? Reviews:
decline. Award shows, which shows. What’s new for the compliment to the live telecast. towards closing a deal to sell Internet, Twitter, ustream
are historically considered Emmys, however, is that during What we really like about this NBC-Universal to Comcast, a More About: award shows,
tentpole events, haven’t been the show itself, a live backstage approach is that this isn’t just deal that has caught the interest emmy awards, Emmys,
immune to this trend, either. show will be streamed online the press room, which would be of the FCC and the Justice television, twitter, ustream,
In 2010, the Golden Globes via NBC.com, Emmys.com and the easy approach. By showing Department. yfrog
were broadcast live nationwide Ustream.com. many aspects of the backstage The network has maintained For more Entertainment
(without the standard tape Not dissimilar to what CBS did process, fans and viewers can h i g h r a t i n g s t h r o u g h t h e coverage:
delay), and the resultant ratings with the Grammy Awards this become more invested in the summer, but Sunday night will • Follow Mashable
boost is just one reason that the y e a r ( w h i c h m a y h a v e show itself. Real-Time, Red b e a n i m p o r t a n t t i m e t o Entertainment on Twitter
2010 Emmys will also be airing contributed to the show’s higher Carpet Photo Sharing advertise its new and returning • Become a Fan on Facebook
without delay. Tweet to the Host ratings), NBC will be having a Twitter service yfrog will also slate of shows. Bringing in a • Subscribe to the
To play into this “live for backstage show with multiple be participating in real-time fun large audience for the Emmys Entertainment channel
everyone” angle, NBC has a cameras that fans can view from with the award show. Yfrog has could help the network get off to • Download our free apps for
special website set up for fans to the Internet. its own page that will be a solid start once the fall iPhone and iPad
send tweets to host Jimmy These locations include the bringing fans photos and videos television season officially
Fallon. producer’s table, control room in real time from the event. starts.
72 Social Media/ E-reader News Edition

Survey Says Facebook Feeds “Photo Memories”

Narcissism [STUDY] Coming to Facebook
Jolie O'Dell (Mashable!)
Submitted at 8/28/2010 1:38:05 AM
use images in their self-
promotion, uploading content
that “include[d] revealing,
Places?
Jolie O'Dell (Mashable!)
In a rather small survey flashy and adorned photos of
conducted by a young their physical appearance.” Submitted at 8/27/2010 8:12:31 PM

psychologist, Facebook was The researcher notes that this

shown to have some interesting While checking into a
study is intended to be a
correlations with self-esteem Facebook Places location
preliminary look at nonynous
and narcissism in young adults. recently, one Mashable reader
social networking, a fairly new
In a survey of 100 college noticed a new tab: Photo
field for academic scrutiny. As
students, young people with Memories.
we abandon the fake avatars and
narcissistic personality traits We’ve been unable to duplicate
cryptic usernames of years past
were shown to exhibit Facebook The study postulated that and begin associating our online the same tab ourselves, which
activity that was distinctly more narcissists would show more identities with our real-world means Facebook may be testing
self-promotional. These people overall Facebook activity than lives, our online activities begin this feature with a small number
had “About Me” sections that average users and that their to have more relevance to our of users first before committing page would fit nicely into how
referred to their intelligence and activity would be more self- true personality traits. to a larger roll-out. But this Facebook has positioned Places
photos that were more about promotional, either descriptively We’ve talked before about how offering is consistent with how so far.
displaying the user’s physical or superficially. The survey’s social media relates to self- Facebook has presented its We’ve reached out to Facebook
a t t r a c t i v e n e s s t h a n a b o u t results showed “significant centered behaviors. Do you newest feature. for confirmation that this feature
c a p t u r i n g m e m o r i e s w i t h positive correlations between think that Facebook is overused At its launch, Facebook’s Vice is, in fact, being tested and may
friends. narcissism and self-promotional by the more self-promotional of President of Product, Chris Cox, come to all users soon; we’ll
Narcissism is defined in this content in the following areas: your friends? Let us know your described Places as a digital update you as soon as we hear
study as “a pervasive pattern of Main Photo, View Photos , opinions in the comments. repository for all your location- back from the company.
grandiosity, need for admiration Status Updates and Notes.” [ img credit: novembering] based memories. He described a Photo Memories would further
and an exaggerated sense of self People who scored higher on Reviews: Facebook couple’s children being able to pit the social networking giant
-importance.” the study’s narcissism test also use Facebook Places data to against startups such as
More About: facebook,
For the average narcissist, spent more time on Facebook narcissism, researchs, tudy pinpoint the spot of their Brightkite, which offers a core
Facebook “offers a gateway for and checked it more times each parents’ first kiss, for example. feature of uploading images
For more Social Media
h u n d r e d s o f s h a l l o w day than their less narcissistic c o v e r a g e : But a large part of how we store about places. And a Facebook-
relationships and emotionally counterparts. our memories on Facebook and driven, Places-based photo
• Follow Mashable Social
detached communication.” More Male narcissists were more self Media on Twitter on the larger web is via images feature would also one-up
importantly for this study, social -promotional in their “About • Become a Fan on Facebook and photographs. Imagine not startup such as Foursquare,
networking in general allows the Me” descriptions, using this • Subscribe to the Social Media only being able to get textual which has yet to include a
user a great deal of control over section as an opportunity to channel clues about that first kiss but to multimedia facet in its checkin
how he or she is presented to highlight their intelligence and • Download our free apps for also see images of your parents’ process.
and perceived by peers and w i t . F e m a l e u s e r s w i t h iPhone and iPad first date. While we’re sure that Facebook
other users. narcissistic tendencies tended to We can imagine that tagging will continue to add core
images with a given location or features, such as photo and
uploading images of a specific “PHOTO page 73
location to that location’s Places
E-reader News Edition
Cheezburger Network Head Offers to
Buy Reddit Via Twitter
Jolie O'Dell (Mashable!)
Submitted at 8/27/2010 8:45:43 PM
We’ve seen marriage proposals,
political protests, high-profile
resignations and daring escapes
executed via Twitter; here’s a
new one for the list of bizarre
and significant tweets.
Ben Huh, founder and CEO of
the Cheezburger Network and
meme mastermind, has offered
to buy link-sharing site Reddit
for an undisclosed sum.
After approaching a few Reddit
staffers privately about his
desire to acquire the struggling
site, he made the offer publicly
via The Daily What and then
tweeted his intentions for all the
world to read.
Reddit is currently owned by
Condé Nast, publishers of print
publications from tech-focused
Wired to fashion rag Vogue.
The site went freemium just last
month after its staffers found
themselves in financially dire
straits — an odd circumstance
given the stature of the parent
company. At that time, Reddit’s
admins had been given a fixed
budget for the site, and their
Condé Nast-imposed bottom
line was not being met. After
around 6,000 Reddit members
donated, the site was deemed
“saved.”
It’s that sense of community
that’s inspired Huh to make a
bid for the site. “I’ve tried
before,” he wrote to us in a
private Twitter exchange, “and
been told a flat out ‘not for
sale,’ hence the public version.”
In Huh’s public offer, he wrote:
I believe that Reddit is one of
the best communities I have
seen on the Internet. I also
believe that Reddit would
benefit from more resources and
less corporate interference. We
can offer all of the above. And
we’d love to buy Reddit and all
Social Media/ 73
“PHOTO
continued from page 72
video support, over its Places [hat tip: Rob Gonda] Reviews:
location framework, we’re
equally certain that the company
Brightkite, Facebook,
Foursquare
those pesky, troublesome users will leave many other features More About: facebook,
that we love so much. — including potentially money- Facebook Places, Photos, places
Condé, we’ll be waiting for a making ones such as social For more Social Media
call. gaming — to third-party coverage:
Reddit’s traffic profile and d e v e l o p e r s . • Follow Mashable Social
meme-surfacing abilities fit Are you seeing the “Photo Media on Twitter
b e a u t i f u l l y w i t h t h e Memories” section appearing in • Become a Fan on Facebook
Cheezburger family, we have to Facebook’s Places pages yet? • Subscribe to the Social Media
admit. And if anyone knows Let us know in the comments channel
about printing paper, financially what you think of the feature, • Download our free apps for
speaking, based on memes and a n d f e e l f r e e t o s e n d u s iPhone and iPad
critical masses of web traffic, screenshots if you see any new
it’s Huh. ways the images are being
But after being turned down in i n t e g r a t e d w i t h l o c a t i o n
the past, do you think Huh will t e c h n o l o g i e s .
make an impression on Condé
Nast with his tweeted offer? Let
us know what you think in the
comments. Reviews: Internet,
Twitter, reddit.com
More About: Ben Huh,
Cheezburger, conde nast, reddit
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