ECO-TERROR
US soldiers in Iraq asked to pray for Bush: Thousands of marines have been given a pamphlet called "A Christian's Duty," a mini prayer book which includes a tear-out section to be mailed to the White House pledging the soldier who sends it in has been praying for Bush.
"I have committed to pray for you, your family, your staff and our troops during this time of uncertainty and tumult. May God's peace be your guide," says the pledge, according to a journalist embedded with coalition forces.
Iraqometer
31 março 2003
ECO-TERROR
Advisors of Influence: Nine Members of the Defense Policy Board Have Ties to Defense Contractors
Of the 30 members of the Defense Policy Board, the government-appointed group that advises the Pentagon, at least nine have ties to companies that have won more than $76 billion in defense contracts in 2001 and 2002. Four members are registered lobbyists, one of whom represents two of the three largest defense contractors.
Advisors of Influence: Nine Members of the Defense Policy Board Have Ties to Defense Contractors
Of the 30 members of the Defense Policy Board, the government-appointed group that advises the Pentagon, at least nine have ties to companies that have won more than $76 billion in defense contracts in 2001 and 2002. Four members are registered lobbyists, one of whom represents two of the three largest defense contractors.
.DE!
[é a isto que se chama vantagem competitiva?] 'Time-Traveler' Busted for Insider Trading: Federal investigators have arrested an enigmatic Wall Street wiz on insider-trading charges - and incredibly, he claims to be a time-traveler from the year 2256!
Sources at the Security and Exchange Commission confirm that 44-year-old Andrew Carlssin offered the bizarre explanation for his uncanny success in the stock market after being led off in handcuffs on January 28.
"We don't believe this guy's story - he's either a lunatic or a pathological liar," says an SEC insider.
But the fact is, with an initial investment of only $800, in two weeks' time he had a portfolio valued at over $350 million. Every trade he made capitalized on unexpected business developments, which simply can't be pure luck.
"The only way he could pull it off is with illegal inside information. He's going to sit in a jail cell on Rikers Island until he agrees to give up his sources." [para quem quer ficar com dúvidas, leia a história completa...]
[é a isto que se chama vantagem competitiva?] 'Time-Traveler' Busted for Insider Trading: Federal investigators have arrested an enigmatic Wall Street wiz on insider-trading charges - and incredibly, he claims to be a time-traveler from the year 2256!
Sources at the Security and Exchange Commission confirm that 44-year-old Andrew Carlssin offered the bizarre explanation for his uncanny success in the stock market after being led off in handcuffs on January 28.
"We don't believe this guy's story - he's either a lunatic or a pathological liar," says an SEC insider.
But the fact is, with an initial investment of only $800, in two weeks' time he had a portfolio valued at over $350 million. Every trade he made capitalized on unexpected business developments, which simply can't be pure luck.
"The only way he could pull it off is with illegal inside information. He's going to sit in a jail cell on Rikers Island until he agrees to give up his sources." [para quem quer ficar com dúvidas, leia a história completa...]
CONTAMINANTES
Un toubib contre Big Pharma...: Une étude socio-économique de l'université de Montréal réalisée à partir de données de la décennie 1991-2000 établit que lors de cette période les neuf multinationales du médicament de l'échantillon ont dépensé 316 milliards de dollars (autant d'euros) en frais de marketing. Dans le même temps, elles n'allouaient que 113 milliards de dollars pour couvrir leurs frais de recherche et de développement.
Un toubib contre Big Pharma...: Une étude socio-économique de l'université de Montréal réalisée à partir de données de la décennie 1991-2000 établit que lors de cette période les neuf multinationales du médicament de l'échantillon ont dépensé 316 milliards de dollars (autant d'euros) en frais de marketing. Dans le même temps, elles n'allouaient que 113 milliards de dollars pour couvrir leurs frais de recherche et de développement.
VITAMEDIAS
What can you show? As debate continues over which war footage is too gruesome for television, three TV news bosses reveal their rules [Nick Pollard, head of Sky News; Richard Sambrook, BBC director of news; Chris Cramer, president of CNN International Networks]:
With the prisoners of war, there are two questions. One is identification. We [BBC] have agreed to check with the Ministry of Defence about whether families know before we broadcast them. Second, there's the Geneva convention issue, which I think is specious. The Pentagon is arguing that we are complicit if we show the pictures. The convention is clear - it applies to countries not broadcasters. [...]
There is no textbook for broadcast news editors in covering the war against Iraq. [...]
In this war, TV editors are facing minute-to-minute decisions as, despite our misgivings, CNN's embedded teams and the pool reporters travel and work alongside military units. [...]
As we do our best to cover this war, we could do well to remember that editorial prowess is never defined by how many gratuitous images can be transmitted, but by the accuracy of our journalism, and the tone of our coverage.
What can you show? As debate continues over which war footage is too gruesome for television, three TV news bosses reveal their rules [Nick Pollard, head of Sky News; Richard Sambrook, BBC director of news; Chris Cramer, president of CNN International Networks]:
With the prisoners of war, there are two questions. One is identification. We [BBC] have agreed to check with the Ministry of Defence about whether families know before we broadcast them. Second, there's the Geneva convention issue, which I think is specious. The Pentagon is arguing that we are complicit if we show the pictures. The convention is clear - it applies to countries not broadcasters. [...]
There is no textbook for broadcast news editors in covering the war against Iraq. [...]
In this war, TV editors are facing minute-to-minute decisions as, despite our misgivings, CNN's embedded teams and the pool reporters travel and work alongside military units. [...]
As we do our best to cover this war, we could do well to remember that editorial prowess is never defined by how many gratuitous images can be transmitted, but by the accuracy of our journalism, and the tone of our coverage.
VITAMEDIAS
NBC, MSNBC terminate Arnett: NBC and MSNBC on Monday said they had terminated their relationship with Peter Arnett after the journalist told state-run Iraqi TV that the U.S.-led coalition’s initial war plan had failed and that reports from Baghdad about civilian casualties had helped antiwar protesters undermine the Bush administration’s strategy. [...]
Arnett apologizes for the interview he gave to Iraqi TV, saying he made a "stupid misjudgement."
NBC, MSNBC terminate Arnett: NBC and MSNBC on Monday said they had terminated their relationship with Peter Arnett after the journalist told state-run Iraqi TV that the U.S.-led coalition’s initial war plan had failed and that reports from Baghdad about civilian casualties had helped antiwar protesters undermine the Bush administration’s strategy. [...]
Arnett apologizes for the interview he gave to Iraqi TV, saying he made a "stupid misjudgement."
VITAMEDIAS
The Other Air Battle: Al-Jazeera is to the Iraq war what CNN was to the 1991 gulf war - the primary source for news worldwide. From the Middle East to Asia to South America, its video feeds are used by scores of networks that need raw, often graphic footage and don’t much care what Donald Rumsfeld has to say about it. This renders many of the decisions made on what to air in the United States less relevant. At least two of the families of American POWs learned of their loved ones’ fate from satellite dishes that picked up foreign-language broadcasts using Al-Jazeera or one of the four other Arab satellite channels.
The Other Air Battle: Al-Jazeera is to the Iraq war what CNN was to the 1991 gulf war - the primary source for news worldwide. From the Middle East to Asia to South America, its video feeds are used by scores of networks that need raw, often graphic footage and don’t much care what Donald Rumsfeld has to say about it. This renders many of the decisions made on what to air in the United States less relevant. At least two of the families of American POWs learned of their loved ones’ fate from satellite dishes that picked up foreign-language broadcasts using Al-Jazeera or one of the four other Arab satellite channels.
.DE!
Concurso da TVI oferece empregos: A TVI estreia em Maio o concurso «Grande Oportunidade», cujo prémio é um emprego. A estação de Queluz optou por, em vez dos habituais automóveis, electrodomésticos, dinheiro ou viagens, possibilitar aos vencedores levar um emprego para casa. Com apresentação de Júlia Pinheiro, o programa irá para o ar todos os dias, ao final da tarde, demonstrando a competição dos participantes por uma oportunidade de trabalho.
Concurso da TVI oferece empregos: A TVI estreia em Maio o concurso «Grande Oportunidade», cujo prémio é um emprego. A estação de Queluz optou por, em vez dos habituais automóveis, electrodomésticos, dinheiro ou viagens, possibilitar aos vencedores levar um emprego para casa. Com apresentação de Júlia Pinheiro, o programa irá para o ar todos os dias, ao final da tarde, demonstrando a competição dos participantes por uma oportunidade de trabalho.
VITAMEDIAS
Weblogs meet a global need: If the last Gulf war was a triumph for live television, the current conflict belongs to the web. For the first time since the internet was widely adopted in the late 1990s, its power is being concentrated on an international war. The result is almost impossible to catalogue; tens or even hundreds of thousands of weblogs - known as blogs - have been established or adapted to chronicle or comment upon the conflict. An audience of hundreds of millions surfs between them.
Bloggers’ Delight: Will the war become the breakthrough Webloggers have been waiting for?
So while the war in Iraq might only be beginning, the pundits of the Blogosphere can already register a victory. It’s a bloggers’ world. We only link to it.
Weblogs meet a global need: If the last Gulf war was a triumph for live television, the current conflict belongs to the web. For the first time since the internet was widely adopted in the late 1990s, its power is being concentrated on an international war. The result is almost impossible to catalogue; tens or even hundreds of thousands of weblogs - known as blogs - have been established or adapted to chronicle or comment upon the conflict. An audience of hundreds of millions surfs between them.
Bloggers’ Delight: Will the war become the breakthrough Webloggers have been waiting for?
So while the war in Iraq might only be beginning, the pundits of the Blogosphere can already register a victory. It’s a bloggers’ world. We only link to it.
28 março 2003
ECO-TERROR
Bush Jr. Ataca. Iraque, ONU e UE
Um pirata, três papagaios.
Os quatro cavaleiros que tomaram o lugar da ONU
Bush Jr. Ataca. Iraque, ONU e UE
Um pirata, três papagaios.
Os quatro cavaleiros que tomaram o lugar da ONU
ECO-TERROR
Guerra é fábrica de terroristas: Para Mário Soares esta invasão só podia ter sido cometida por um homem que está desequilibrado e que pensa estar acima dos restantes. "O Presidente Bush é um fanático, ele próprio o diz, é um fanático puro que se converteu tardiamente, por causa dos azares que teve na vida. Era drogado e bêbado, ele próprio o diz, mas este homem está agora convencido que está iluminado por Deus e disse isso inclusivamente ao delegado do Papa", acrescentou incrédulo.
O interesse da indústria do armamento e do petróleo são os motores da acção segundo a interpretação do eurodeputado. "Ele está convencido que está a fazer uma missão para salvar a humanidade. Mas salvá-la com bombas e artilharia, e depois das bombas vêm logo os negócios do petróleo!", explicou.
[Bolas, Soares não precisava de ir buscar o passado do homem mas até parece que lê o Contrafactos]
Guerra é fábrica de terroristas: Para Mário Soares esta invasão só podia ter sido cometida por um homem que está desequilibrado e que pensa estar acima dos restantes. "O Presidente Bush é um fanático, ele próprio o diz, é um fanático puro que se converteu tardiamente, por causa dos azares que teve na vida. Era drogado e bêbado, ele próprio o diz, mas este homem está agora convencido que está iluminado por Deus e disse isso inclusivamente ao delegado do Papa", acrescentou incrédulo.
O interesse da indústria do armamento e do petróleo são os motores da acção segundo a interpretação do eurodeputado. "Ele está convencido que está a fazer uma missão para salvar a humanidade. Mas salvá-la com bombas e artilharia, e depois das bombas vêm logo os negócios do petróleo!", explicou.
[Bolas, Soares não precisava de ir buscar o passado do homem mas até parece que lê o Contrafactos]
VITAMEDIAS
É a isto que se chama a "glocalização" ou um exemplo da chefia de redacção instalada em Washington para notícias emitidas em Portugal?
A Sic Notícias abre o telejornal das 17 horas dizendo que há quatro militares americanos desaparecidos. Três ou quatro "factos" depois, refere-se finalmente que há jornalistas do JN e da Antena 1 detidos na fronteira turco-iraquiana. Não é por serem jornalistas - é por serem portugueses!!!!
É a isto que se chama a "glocalização" ou um exemplo da chefia de redacção instalada em Washington para notícias emitidas em Portugal?
A Sic Notícias abre o telejornal das 17 horas dizendo que há quatro militares americanos desaparecidos. Três ou quatro "factos" depois, refere-se finalmente que há jornalistas do JN e da Antena 1 detidos na fronteira turco-iraquiana. Não é por serem jornalistas - é por serem portugueses!!!!
VITAMEDIAS
War Watch: Claims and counter claims made during the media war over Iraq
"Fog" is beginning to be the watchword of this war, with the lines between fact and propaganda being blurred on a daily basis.
The demands of round-the-clock news means military claims are being relayed instantly to millions without being confirmed or verified only to be refuted later by reporters on the ground or by fresh military updates. [Obrigado, Carlos]
War Watch: Claims and counter claims made during the media war over Iraq
"Fog" is beginning to be the watchword of this war, with the lines between fact and propaganda being blurred on a daily basis.
The demands of round-the-clock news means military claims are being relayed instantly to millions without being confirmed or verified only to be refuted later by reporters on the ground or by fresh military updates. [Obrigado, Carlos]
VITAMEDIAS
Expat Bloggers Big in Japan: The most active bloggers in Japan seem to be expats writing about what it's like to be an expat in Japan, but Japanese bloggers are slowly getting into the act. [...]
With the ubiquity of digital cameras here, pictures are almost a blog requirement.
Expat Bloggers Big in Japan: The most active bloggers in Japan seem to be expats writing about what it's like to be an expat in Japan, but Japanese bloggers are slowly getting into the act. [...]
With the ubiquity of digital cameras here, pictures are almost a blog requirement.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Bootleggers, Roll Your DATs: Search "official bootlegs." For $10 to $20 you can download Pearl Jam and Phish shows on sanctioned sites. Wanna bet how long before they hit unsanctioned sites?
Website offers new view of music: A website that acts as your personal music adviser has been set up by a student
Bootleggers, Roll Your DATs: Search "official bootlegs." For $10 to $20 you can download Pearl Jam and Phish shows on sanctioned sites. Wanna bet how long before they hit unsanctioned sites?
Website offers new view of music: A website that acts as your personal music adviser has been set up by a student
ECO-TERROR
Gulf war syndrome research reveals present danger: What the soldiers have not been told is that about one in 10 of them are almost as sensitive to nerve agents as the pigeons. There is now mounting evidence that exposure to minuscule amounts of these chemicals can cause permanent brain damage in susceptible people, and that is exactly what happened 12 years ago when thousands of troops returning from Kuwait started to complain of debilitating symptoms.
Repeated surveys find 30 per cent more sick people among Gulf veterans than in comparable groups who did not serve. But the official position in Britain, Canada and the US is that Gulf war syndrome is not a specific medical condition.
Gulf war syndrome research reveals present danger: What the soldiers have not been told is that about one in 10 of them are almost as sensitive to nerve agents as the pigeons. There is now mounting evidence that exposure to minuscule amounts of these chemicals can cause permanent brain damage in susceptible people, and that is exactly what happened 12 years ago when thousands of troops returning from Kuwait started to complain of debilitating symptoms.
Repeated surveys find 30 per cent more sick people among Gulf veterans than in comparable groups who did not serve. But the official position in Britain, Canada and the US is that Gulf war syndrome is not a specific medical condition.
VITAMEDIAS
AOL Time Warner to Limit Magazines Online: Starting Monday, AOL Time Warner Inc. will end free online access to some of its highest-profile magazines as part of a previously announced effort to help its troubled America Online unit.
The restrictions initially apply to People and Entertainment Weekly magazines, which will only be available on the Web to America Online subscribers or people who buy the magazine.
A dozen other Time Inc. publications, including Real Simple and In Style, are expected to follow suit by mid-May. Sports Illustrated and Time magazines are not on the initial list.
AOL Time Warner to Limit Magazines Online: Starting Monday, AOL Time Warner Inc. will end free online access to some of its highest-profile magazines as part of a previously announced effort to help its troubled America Online unit.
The restrictions initially apply to People and Entertainment Weekly magazines, which will only be available on the Web to America Online subscribers or people who buy the magazine.
A dozen other Time Inc. publications, including Real Simple and In Style, are expected to follow suit by mid-May. Sports Illustrated and Time magazines are not on the initial list.
27 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
World and America watching different wars: In fact, American audiences are seeing and reading about a different war than the rest of the world. The news coverage in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, reflects and defines the widening perception gap about the motives for this war. Surveys show that an increasing number of Americans believe this is a just war, while most of the world's Arabs and Muslims see it as a war of aggression. Media coverage does not necessarily create these leanings, say analysts, but it works to cement them.
"The difference in coverage between the US and the rest of the world helped contribute to the situation that we're in now,'' says Kim Spencer, president of WorldLink TV, a US satellite channel devoted to airing foreign news. "Americans have been unable to see how they're perceived."
For example, most Americans, watching CNN, Fox, or the US television networks, are not seeing as much coverage of injured Iraqi citizens, or being given more than a glimpse of the antiwar protests now raging in the Muslim world and beyond.
In the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia, by comparison, the rapid progress made by US led troops has been played down.
Israeli military experts assess the U.S.-led invasion: There has never been a war with such a high level of disinformation about what exactly is happening on the battlefield as the present conflict in Iraq, according to Israeli researchers and senior military officers.
World and America watching different wars: In fact, American audiences are seeing and reading about a different war than the rest of the world. The news coverage in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, reflects and defines the widening perception gap about the motives for this war. Surveys show that an increasing number of Americans believe this is a just war, while most of the world's Arabs and Muslims see it as a war of aggression. Media coverage does not necessarily create these leanings, say analysts, but it works to cement them.
"The difference in coverage between the US and the rest of the world helped contribute to the situation that we're in now,'' says Kim Spencer, president of WorldLink TV, a US satellite channel devoted to airing foreign news. "Americans have been unable to see how they're perceived."
For example, most Americans, watching CNN, Fox, or the US television networks, are not seeing as much coverage of injured Iraqi citizens, or being given more than a glimpse of the antiwar protests now raging in the Muslim world and beyond.
In the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia, by comparison, the rapid progress made by US led troops has been played down.
Israeli military experts assess the U.S.-led invasion: There has never been a war with such a high level of disinformation about what exactly is happening on the battlefield as the present conflict in Iraq, according to Israeli researchers and senior military officers.
VITAMEDIAS
Al-Jazeera wins anti-censorship award: The Qatar-based channel won the award for the best circumvention of censorship at Index on Censorship's third annual Freedom of Expression Awards last night.
The judges, including the former Channel 4 news presenter Sheena McDonald and the Daily Mail's veteran foreign reporter Ann Leslie, said: "Al-Jazeera's apparent independence in a region where much of the media is state run has transformed it into the most popular station in the Middle East."
Defence chiefs demand al-Jazeera stops screening film of dead soldiers: British defence officials last night asked the Arab broadcaster al-Jazeera to stop screening footage of two dead British soldiers and two alleged coalition prisoners of war.
Al-Jazeera wins anti-censorship award: The Qatar-based channel won the award for the best circumvention of censorship at Index on Censorship's third annual Freedom of Expression Awards last night.
The judges, including the former Channel 4 news presenter Sheena McDonald and the Daily Mail's veteran foreign reporter Ann Leslie, said: "Al-Jazeera's apparent independence in a region where much of the media is state run has transformed it into the most popular station in the Middle East."
Defence chiefs demand al-Jazeera stops screening film of dead soldiers: British defence officials last night asked the Arab broadcaster al-Jazeera to stop screening footage of two dead British soldiers and two alleged coalition prisoners of war.
ECO-TERROR
Scorecard for the War: How will we know if we are winning in Iraq? Here are six things I am watching for:
(1) Have we occupied Baghdad - without leveling the whole city?
(2) Have we killed, captured or expelled Saddam?
(3) Have we been able to explain why some Iraqi forces are putting up such a fierce fight?
(4) Have we won this war and preserved the territorial integrity of Iraq?
(5) Has an authentic Iraqi liberal nationalist emerged from the U.S. occupation to lead the country?
(6) Is the Iraqi state that emerges from this war accepted as legitimate by Iraq's Arab and Muslim neighbors?
Scorecard for the War: How will we know if we are winning in Iraq? Here are six things I am watching for:
(1) Have we occupied Baghdad - without leveling the whole city?
(2) Have we killed, captured or expelled Saddam?
(3) Have we been able to explain why some Iraqi forces are putting up such a fierce fight?
(4) Have we won this war and preserved the territorial integrity of Iraq?
(5) Has an authentic Iraqi liberal nationalist emerged from the U.S. occupation to lead the country?
(6) Is the Iraqi state that emerges from this war accepted as legitimate by Iraq's Arab and Muslim neighbors?
VITAMEDIAS
Pro-War Media Bias Seen by US Antiwar Viewers: A majority of Americans who favor the war with Iraq believe media coverage of the conflict has been excellent, while most critics of the war disagree
Polls Suggest Media Failure in Pre-War Coverage: In a Jan. 7 Knight Ridder/Princeton Research poll, 44% of respondents said they thought "most" or "some" of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers were Iraqi citizens. Only 17% of those polled offered the correct answer: none.
Bombarded by War on TV: Reports from Gulf War II battlefields are riveting, horrifying, surreal -- and hardly informative. Would less be better?
I never thought I'd be saying this, but I think all TV directly broadcast from the battlefields of Iraq is an abomination. Normally I'm an absolute proponent of free speech, but now my vote would be to turn off all the cameras. [...]
The net result of all this viewing and listening is that I still have no real idea of how the war is going. What I do have is a sick feeling in my gut.
L’information «américaine» fonctionne comme un «accélérateur» de l’anti-américanisme: Pour le spécialiste des médias Dominique Wolton, la guerre échappe par nature à toute notion d'information juste.
Pro-War Media Bias Seen by US Antiwar Viewers: A majority of Americans who favor the war with Iraq believe media coverage of the conflict has been excellent, while most critics of the war disagree
Polls Suggest Media Failure in Pre-War Coverage: In a Jan. 7 Knight Ridder/Princeton Research poll, 44% of respondents said they thought "most" or "some" of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers were Iraqi citizens. Only 17% of those polled offered the correct answer: none.
Bombarded by War on TV: Reports from Gulf War II battlefields are riveting, horrifying, surreal -- and hardly informative. Would less be better?
I never thought I'd be saying this, but I think all TV directly broadcast from the battlefields of Iraq is an abomination. Normally I'm an absolute proponent of free speech, but now my vote would be to turn off all the cameras. [...]
The net result of all this viewing and listening is that I still have no real idea of how the war is going. What I do have is a sick feeling in my gut.
L’information «américaine» fonctionne comme un «accélérateur» de l’anti-américanisme: Pour le spécialiste des médias Dominique Wolton, la guerre échappe par nature à toute notion d'information juste.
ECO-TERROR
E já que tanto se fala da propaganda iraquiana, porque não ler:
White House prepares to feed 24-hour news cycle: Before the attacks began, Suzy DeFrancis, deputy assistant to President Bush for communications, outlined the daily media relations hand-off that was about to begin.
"When Americans wake up in the morning, they will first hear from the (Persian Gulf) region, maybe from General Tommy Franks," she said. "Then later in the day, they'll hear from the Pentagon, then the State Department, then later on the White House will brief."
Before anyone goes on air, however, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer will set the day's message with an early-morning conference call to British counterpart Alastair Campbell, White House communications director Dan Bartlett, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, Pentagon spokesperson Torie Clarke, and White House Office of Global Communication (OGC) director Tucker Eskew - a routine that mirrors procedure during the conflict in Afghanistan.
Who Lied to Whom? Why did the Administration endorse a forgery about Iraq’s nuclear program?
Dear Mr. President: it has become incontrovertibly clear that a key piece of evidence you and other Administration officials have cited regarding Iraq's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons is a hoax.
The Nuclear Whodunit, Part 3: CIA analysts do a CYA, telling the press, Don't blame the phony nuke docs on us!
The story behind the forged documents and how they made their way from the United States to U.N. inspectors is important because it suggests the Bush administration is 1) incompetent; 2) stupid; 3) corrupt; or 4) all of the above.
E quanto a secretismos:
Bush Orders a 3-Year Delay in Opening Secret Documents: President Bush today signed an executive order that will delay the release of millions of government documents and make it easier for presidents and their administrations to keep historical records secret.
Release of Documents Is Delayed: The Bush administration last night issued an order delaying the release of millions of government documents and giving the government new powers to reclassify information.
The order, rewriting a Clinton administration directive, allows the government to delay until the end of 2006 the release of documents that otherwise would have been out by April 17 under a program of automatic declassification after 25 years. The government now has more discretion to keep information classified indefinitely if it falls within a broad definition of national security.
E já que tanto se fala da propaganda iraquiana, porque não ler:
White House prepares to feed 24-hour news cycle: Before the attacks began, Suzy DeFrancis, deputy assistant to President Bush for communications, outlined the daily media relations hand-off that was about to begin.
"When Americans wake up in the morning, they will first hear from the (Persian Gulf) region, maybe from General Tommy Franks," she said. "Then later in the day, they'll hear from the Pentagon, then the State Department, then later on the White House will brief."
Before anyone goes on air, however, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer will set the day's message with an early-morning conference call to British counterpart Alastair Campbell, White House communications director Dan Bartlett, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, Pentagon spokesperson Torie Clarke, and White House Office of Global Communication (OGC) director Tucker Eskew - a routine that mirrors procedure during the conflict in Afghanistan.
Who Lied to Whom? Why did the Administration endorse a forgery about Iraq’s nuclear program?
Dear Mr. President: it has become incontrovertibly clear that a key piece of evidence you and other Administration officials have cited regarding Iraq's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons is a hoax.
The Nuclear Whodunit, Part 3: CIA analysts do a CYA, telling the press, Don't blame the phony nuke docs on us!
The story behind the forged documents and how they made their way from the United States to U.N. inspectors is important because it suggests the Bush administration is 1) incompetent; 2) stupid; 3) corrupt; or 4) all of the above.
E quanto a secretismos:
Bush Orders a 3-Year Delay in Opening Secret Documents: President Bush today signed an executive order that will delay the release of millions of government documents and make it easier for presidents and their administrations to keep historical records secret.
Release of Documents Is Delayed: The Bush administration last night issued an order delaying the release of millions of government documents and giving the government new powers to reclassify information.
The order, rewriting a Clinton administration directive, allows the government to delay until the end of 2006 the release of documents that otherwise would have been out by April 17 under a program of automatic declassification after 25 years. The government now has more discretion to keep information classified indefinitely if it falls within a broad definition of national security.
ECO-TERROR
Onde Pacheco Pereira insiste em ver as imagens que faltam de um lado mas não faz o mesmo para o outro, só resta a memória.
Onde Pacheco Pereira insiste em ver as imagens que faltam de um lado mas não faz o mesmo para o outro, só resta a memória.
26 março 2003
ECO-TERROR
Net Censorship Debate Rages as POW Pictures Pulled: A Florida-based Web hosting company knocked a small news site off-line after it posted controversial photos of captured American soldiers, stoking accusations that private firms are censoring free speech.
Net Censorship Debate Rages as POW Pictures Pulled: A Florida-based Web hosting company knocked a small news site off-line after it posted controversial photos of captured American soldiers, stoking accusations that private firms are censoring free speech.
VITAMEDIAS
Hey, Let's Be Careful Out There! One might think that maintaining a weblog is not a risky proposition. Speaking as a lawyer, I have to offer a lawyerly, "That depends."
Hey, Let's Be Careful Out There! One might think that maintaining a weblog is not a risky proposition. Speaking as a lawyer, I have to offer a lawyerly, "That depends."
.DE!
Legal Weirdness at Work: No. 9: THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT WORK
The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas ruled that Jerry Ormsby's habit of sleeping on the job - even if he was prohibited from leaving the site - did not qualify as work for purposes of overtime pay. The court found that COF Training Services Inc., a halfway house in Osage City, Kan., had no obligation to compensate Ormsby for the "sleep time" when he was performing no routine duties. Gosh, whatever happened to an hour's sleep for an hour's pay?
Legal Weirdness at Work: No. 9: THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT WORK
The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas ruled that Jerry Ormsby's habit of sleeping on the job - even if he was prohibited from leaving the site - did not qualify as work for purposes of overtime pay. The court found that COF Training Services Inc., a halfway house in Osage City, Kan., had no obligation to compensate Ormsby for the "sleep time" when he was performing no routine duties. Gosh, whatever happened to an hour's sleep for an hour's pay?
VITAMEDIAS
Iraq Blog: Hubbub Over a Headlock: In the last couple of days, however, parody photos appeared where the site's legitimate images should have been displayed, atop mock captions indicating either that Iraqi TV was showing images of the Photoshopped tussle between the two presidents or that the image portrayed "demonstrations in Iraqi cities."
Some site visitors wondered whether Dear Raed had been hacked for political reasons, but the image swap was actually carried out by the angry owner of a service that stores photos for some blog creators.
Taylor Suchan, who runs Industrial Death Rock and Pyxz.com out of Texas, said he redirected the links from Dear Raed's original photos to the parody image out of frustration. According to Suchan, the tremendous traffic to the Baghdad blog since Friday has essentially used up all his available bandwidth, making other sites that Industrial hosts inaccessible.
Iraq Blog: Hubbub Over a Headlock: In the last couple of days, however, parody photos appeared where the site's legitimate images should have been displayed, atop mock captions indicating either that Iraqi TV was showing images of the Photoshopped tussle between the two presidents or that the image portrayed "demonstrations in Iraqi cities."
Some site visitors wondered whether Dear Raed had been hacked for political reasons, but the image swap was actually carried out by the angry owner of a service that stores photos for some blog creators.
Taylor Suchan, who runs Industrial Death Rock and Pyxz.com out of Texas, said he redirected the links from Dear Raed's original photos to the parody image out of frustration. According to Suchan, the tremendous traffic to the Baghdad blog since Friday has essentially used up all his available bandwidth, making other sites that Industrial hosts inaccessible.
VITAMEDIAS
Anti-war Reporting Banned in UK Papers: Sir Ray Tindle, the editor in chief of over 100 weekly newspapers across Britain has informed all his editors that they can no longer report any anti-war stories in their newspapers. Sir Ray, who has been knighted for his services to the newspaper industry, wrote:
"Everyone knows that Tindle family newspapers have no political bias. Our columns are free. When British troops come under fire, however, as now seems probable, I ask you to ensure that nothing appears in the columns if your newspapers which attacks the decision to conduct the war in which those men are involved, nor, of course, anything which attacks the troops themselves".
Anti-war Reporting Banned in UK Papers: Sir Ray Tindle, the editor in chief of over 100 weekly newspapers across Britain has informed all his editors that they can no longer report any anti-war stories in their newspapers. Sir Ray, who has been knighted for his services to the newspaper industry, wrote:
"Everyone knows that Tindle family newspapers have no political bias. Our columns are free. When British troops come under fire, however, as now seems probable, I ask you to ensure that nothing appears in the columns if your newspapers which attacks the decision to conduct the war in which those men are involved, nor, of course, anything which attacks the troops themselves".
VITAMEDIAS
HELP! I Can't Stop Watching the War: Now for millions of viewers, the non-stop news of the wounded, dead, captured or advancing troops that pours out of Iraq has practically become an addiction. [...]
The fear of missing something important is the whip that drives the news addict. [...]
It might be too soon to say if the need to watch war news constantly is a true addiction, says Eric D'Entrone, 28, the program manager of a hospital-based substance abuse program in Brooklyn. [...]
"In this case watching non-stop news may help soothe viewer's anxieties or give them a sense of control in an increasingly chaotic world," he says.
HELP! I Can't Stop Watching the War: Now for millions of viewers, the non-stop news of the wounded, dead, captured or advancing troops that pours out of Iraq has practically become an addiction. [...]
The fear of missing something important is the whip that drives the news addict. [...]
It might be too soon to say if the need to watch war news constantly is a true addiction, says Eric D'Entrone, 28, the program manager of a hospital-based substance abuse program in Brooklyn. [...]
"In this case watching non-stop news may help soothe viewer's anxieties or give them a sense of control in an increasingly chaotic world," he says.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
The processed book: The "processed book" is about content, not technology, and contrasts with the "primal book"; the latter is the book we all know and revere: written by a single author and viewed as the embodiment of the thought of a single individual. The processed book, on the other hand, is what happens to the book when it is put into a computerized, networked environment. To process a book is more than simply building links to it; it also includes a modification of the act of creation, which tends to encourage the absorption of the book into a network of applications, including but not restricted to commentary. Such a book typically has at least five aspects: as self-referencing text; as portal; as platform; as machine component; and, as network node. An interesting aspect of such processing is that the author's relationship to his or her work may be undermined or compromised; indeed, it is possible that author attribution in the networked world may go the way of copyright. The processed book, in other words, is the response to romantic notions of authorship and books. It is not a matter of choice (as one can still write an imitation, for example, of a Victorian novel today) but an inevitable outcome of inherent characteristics of digital media.
The processed book: The "processed book" is about content, not technology, and contrasts with the "primal book"; the latter is the book we all know and revere: written by a single author and viewed as the embodiment of the thought of a single individual. The processed book, on the other hand, is what happens to the book when it is put into a computerized, networked environment. To process a book is more than simply building links to it; it also includes a modification of the act of creation, which tends to encourage the absorption of the book into a network of applications, including but not restricted to commentary. Such a book typically has at least five aspects: as self-referencing text; as portal; as platform; as machine component; and, as network node. An interesting aspect of such processing is that the author's relationship to his or her work may be undermined or compromised; indeed, it is possible that author attribution in the networked world may go the way of copyright. The processed book, in other words, is the response to romantic notions of authorship and books. It is not a matter of choice (as one can still write an imitation, for example, of a Victorian novel today) but an inevitable outcome of inherent characteristics of digital media.
ECO-TERROR
Leaderless resistance today: Leaderless Resistance is a strategy in which small groups (cells) and individuals fight an entrenched power through independent acts of violence and mayhem. The cells do not have any central coordination - they are leaderless - and they do not have explicit communications with one another. As a result, causes that employ Leaderless Resistance are themselves resistant to informers and traitors.
Leaderless resistance today: Leaderless Resistance is a strategy in which small groups (cells) and individuals fight an entrenched power through independent acts of violence and mayhem. The cells do not have any central coordination - they are leaderless - and they do not have explicit communications with one another. As a result, causes that employ Leaderless Resistance are themselves resistant to informers and traitors.
ECO-TERROR
Bush urges Congress to approve spending bill for war: Figure covers 30 days of combat
Calling on Congress to "act quickly and responsibly," President Bush on Tuesday outlined a $74.7 billion emergency spending request that he called "directly related to winning this war." [São 74,7 mil milhões de dólares para um mês de guerra!!!...]
The estimate for the supplemental includes nearly $63 billion for military operations, based on a Pentagon estimate of 30 days of combat, according to administration and congressional sources.
It also includes:
• About $8 billion for assistance to countries affected by the war, including $2.5 billion for relief and reconstruction of Iraq. Countries that would receive aid include Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Colombia. [Filipinas e Colômbia afectadas pela guerra?...]
• Roughly $4 billion for homeland security.
Congressional aides and lawmakers said the administration's request will likely be the first of several.
Secret Bids: Weeks before the first bombs dropped in Iraq, the Bush administration began rebuilding plans. [...]
Normally, USAID puts out contracts on the Internet, and any company can bid. But to move this through quickly, the agency said it went to firms with track records and security clearances. It asked seven - about half the number that normally would have sought the business - to bid.
Among the companies believed to be bidding are Bechtel, Fluor, Parsons, the Washington Group and Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's old firm.
All are experienced. But in addition, all are generous political donors - principally to Republicans. [...]
British troops are serving alongside U.S. troops in Iraq. But the closed process blocked British companies, as well as any foreign firm, from bidding.
USAID: Reconstruction Activities in Iraq: The U.S. Agency for International Development has issued eight solicitations to date for reconstruction activities in Iraq.
Portugal disponível para participar na reconstrução do Iraque: O primeiro-ministro Durão Barroso afirmou ontem à noite que Portugal está disponível para participar na reconstrução do Iraque, no âmbito da ONU, e no esforço de ajuda humanitária.
Durão Barroso disse que "não está nada decidido nessa matéria", adiantando que Portugal terá direito a participar no processo de reconstrução dada a sua condição de membro das Nações Unidas.
O primeiro-ministro falava no final de uma cerimónia promovida pela Câmara de Comércio e Indústria Luso-Alemã
Rewiring and Upgrading Iraq: While fighting continues to rage in Iraq, the race for the post-war spoils already is entering a frenzied pace. When Saddam Hussein's regime is removed from power, the entirety of Iraq's economic infrastructure - from communications systems to public works projects to oil fields - will need some level of reconstruction, and firms worldwide are hawking their services.
Study: War could crimp IT spending: The survey of 100 CIOs - 75 in the United States and 25 in Europe - suggests that the roadblocks to tech spending are "structural problems in the economy and technology" rather than the instability caused by war.
France Seeks Big Role in Post-War Iraq: Worried it could be shut out of business deals in postwar Iraq, France is drawing up plans to win French companies access to lucrative oil and reconstruction contracts, officials said Tuesday.
The government is determined that French companies will be part of rebuilding Iraq, despite President Jacques Chirac's vigorous opposition to the war, a Finance Ministry official said.
Bush urges Congress to approve spending bill for war: Figure covers 30 days of combat
Calling on Congress to "act quickly and responsibly," President Bush on Tuesday outlined a $74.7 billion emergency spending request that he called "directly related to winning this war." [São 74,7 mil milhões de dólares para um mês de guerra!!!...]
The estimate for the supplemental includes nearly $63 billion for military operations, based on a Pentagon estimate of 30 days of combat, according to administration and congressional sources.
It also includes:
• About $8 billion for assistance to countries affected by the war, including $2.5 billion for relief and reconstruction of Iraq. Countries that would receive aid include Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Colombia. [Filipinas e Colômbia afectadas pela guerra?...]
• Roughly $4 billion for homeland security.
Congressional aides and lawmakers said the administration's request will likely be the first of several.
Secret Bids: Weeks before the first bombs dropped in Iraq, the Bush administration began rebuilding plans. [...]
Normally, USAID puts out contracts on the Internet, and any company can bid. But to move this through quickly, the agency said it went to firms with track records and security clearances. It asked seven - about half the number that normally would have sought the business - to bid.
Among the companies believed to be bidding are Bechtel, Fluor, Parsons, the Washington Group and Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's old firm.
All are experienced. But in addition, all are generous political donors - principally to Republicans. [...]
British troops are serving alongside U.S. troops in Iraq. But the closed process blocked British companies, as well as any foreign firm, from bidding.
USAID: Reconstruction Activities in Iraq: The U.S. Agency for International Development has issued eight solicitations to date for reconstruction activities in Iraq.
Portugal disponível para participar na reconstrução do Iraque: O primeiro-ministro Durão Barroso afirmou ontem à noite que Portugal está disponível para participar na reconstrução do Iraque, no âmbito da ONU, e no esforço de ajuda humanitária.
Durão Barroso disse que "não está nada decidido nessa matéria", adiantando que Portugal terá direito a participar no processo de reconstrução dada a sua condição de membro das Nações Unidas.
O primeiro-ministro falava no final de uma cerimónia promovida pela Câmara de Comércio e Indústria Luso-Alemã
Rewiring and Upgrading Iraq: While fighting continues to rage in Iraq, the race for the post-war spoils already is entering a frenzied pace. When Saddam Hussein's regime is removed from power, the entirety of Iraq's economic infrastructure - from communications systems to public works projects to oil fields - will need some level of reconstruction, and firms worldwide are hawking their services.
Study: War could crimp IT spending: The survey of 100 CIOs - 75 in the United States and 25 in Europe - suggests that the roadblocks to tech spending are "structural problems in the economy and technology" rather than the instability caused by war.
France Seeks Big Role in Post-War Iraq: Worried it could be shut out of business deals in postwar Iraq, France is drawing up plans to win French companies access to lucrative oil and reconstruction contracts, officials said Tuesday.
The government is determined that French companies will be part of rebuilding Iraq, despite President Jacques Chirac's vigorous opposition to the war, a Finance Ministry official said.
25 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
Wartime Oscar Ratings Hit Record Low: The wartime Academy Awards telecast on ABC Sunday night was the least-watched Oscar ceremony since Nielsen Media Research began keeping records in 1974.
An estimated 33.1 million people watched "Chicago" win best picture, Nielsen said on Monday, down sharply from the 41.8 million who watched the Oscars last year.
War costs TV nets 200M in ad sales: The TV networks have been shaken by the war - but the toll to their bottom lines so far has been less brutal than expected.
As advertisers cancelled commercials, or were forced off the air to make way for war coverage, the TV business lost between $150 million and $200 million in the first days of the conflict, media analysts said yesterday.
Wartime Oscar Ratings Hit Record Low: The wartime Academy Awards telecast on ABC Sunday night was the least-watched Oscar ceremony since Nielsen Media Research began keeping records in 1974.
An estimated 33.1 million people watched "Chicago" win best picture, Nielsen said on Monday, down sharply from the 41.8 million who watched the Oscars last year.
War costs TV nets 200M in ad sales: The TV networks have been shaken by the war - but the toll to their bottom lines so far has been less brutal than expected.
As advertisers cancelled commercials, or were forced off the air to make way for war coverage, the TV business lost between $150 million and $200 million in the first days of the conflict, media analysts said yesterday.
VITAMEDIAS
[Censuras:] Too Painful to Publish? A number of major newspapers refused to run Iraqi pictures of American prisoners of war yesterday, even as several television networks dropped their earlier reticence and aired at least a few seconds of the chilling videotape.
The New York Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe and USA Today were among those declining to run photos from an al-Jazeera videotape of the captives. But the verdict was hardly unanimous, and the POWs stared out from the front pages of the Washington Times and New York Daily News. The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times used photos on inside pages.
Air Raid: MTV Europe has banned a bunch of videos it thinks it would be "insensitive" to air in a time of war.
New York Stock Exchange Bars Al-Jazeera Reporter: The New York Stock Exchange banned an al Jazeera reporter from its trading floor on Monday, saying it was restricting access to "responsible" networks, as the Arab satellite television channel faces criticism in the United States for its coverage of the war in Iraq.
[Censuras:] Too Painful to Publish? A number of major newspapers refused to run Iraqi pictures of American prisoners of war yesterday, even as several television networks dropped their earlier reticence and aired at least a few seconds of the chilling videotape.
The New York Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe and USA Today were among those declining to run photos from an al-Jazeera videotape of the captives. But the verdict was hardly unanimous, and the POWs stared out from the front pages of the Washington Times and New York Daily News. The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times used photos on inside pages.
Air Raid: MTV Europe has banned a bunch of videos it thinks it would be "insensitive" to air in a time of war.
New York Stock Exchange Bars Al-Jazeera Reporter: The New York Stock Exchange banned an al Jazeera reporter from its trading floor on Monday, saying it was restricting access to "responsible" networks, as the Arab satellite television channel faces criticism in the United States for its coverage of the war in Iraq.
ECO-TERROR
U.S. Wins Appeal on Domestic Spy Powers: The Supreme Court refused Monday to be drawn into a dispute over the boundaries of a law giving the government broader surveillance authority after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations wanted the justices to consider when the government should be allowed to monitor someone's telephone conversations and e-mail, then use the information to prosecute them.
The Bush administration has argued the surveillance, and a special court that oversees sensitive domestic espionage tactics, are indispensable tools in the war on terror.
U.S. Wins Appeal on Domestic Spy Powers: The Supreme Court refused Monday to be drawn into a dispute over the boundaries of a law giving the government broader surveillance authority after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations wanted the justices to consider when the government should be allowed to monitor someone's telephone conversations and e-mail, then use the information to prosecute them.
The Bush administration has argued the surveillance, and a special court that oversees sensitive domestic espionage tactics, are indispensable tools in the war on terror.
VITAMEDIAS
'Webloggers,' Signing On as War Correspondents: For all the saturation coverage of the invasion of Iraq, this has become the first true Internet war, with journalists, analysts, soldiers, a British lawmaker, an Iraqi exile and a Baghdad resident using the medium's lightning speed to cut through the fog of war. The result is idiosyncratic, passionate and often profane, with the sort of intimacy and attitude that are all but impossible in newspapers and on television.
Web Logs Tell War Stories, Unfiltered and in Real Time: Soldiers and citizens in the war zone are publishing in real time on their own Web sites. Families are posting on the Web the e-mails sent home by relatives in the service. And free-lance reporters - not subject to restrictions by the Pentagon or large media outlets - are writing online for a new world-wide audience.
Baghdad calling: There are dozens of journalists and TV cameras in the Iraqi capital. But the most vivid account of the build-up to war and the start of the bombing has appeared on the internet - on the weblog of an unknown Iraqi writing under the name Salam Pax. But who is he?
Iraqi Uses Web to Chronicle a City Under the Bombs
A Live Report From Baghdad
On the Ground, and Above It, in Baghdad: If you want to know what it felt like to be living in Baghdad in the days before and after the start of the bombing, you'd do well to turn off the constant prattle of TV talking heads and read [Jon Lee Anderson, the New Yorker's veteran war correspondent] wonderfully nuanced and humane "Letter From Iraq."
Pausing the warblog, for now: I've been asked to suspend my war blogging for awhile.
But I don't want let you down - I'm chronicling the events of my war experiences, the same as I always have, and hope to come to agreement with CNN in the near future to make them available to you in some shape or form, perhaps on this site.
[act.:] Blogging: the new journalism?: Perhaps one attraction of blogging lies in its unmediated and dynamic quality. Without an agenda, editorial stance or pedantic sub-editor standing between the writer and reader, blogging can provide reportage in a raw and exciting form.
'Webloggers,' Signing On as War Correspondents: For all the saturation coverage of the invasion of Iraq, this has become the first true Internet war, with journalists, analysts, soldiers, a British lawmaker, an Iraqi exile and a Baghdad resident using the medium's lightning speed to cut through the fog of war. The result is idiosyncratic, passionate and often profane, with the sort of intimacy and attitude that are all but impossible in newspapers and on television.
Web Logs Tell War Stories, Unfiltered and in Real Time: Soldiers and citizens in the war zone are publishing in real time on their own Web sites. Families are posting on the Web the e-mails sent home by relatives in the service. And free-lance reporters - not subject to restrictions by the Pentagon or large media outlets - are writing online for a new world-wide audience.
Baghdad calling: There are dozens of journalists and TV cameras in the Iraqi capital. But the most vivid account of the build-up to war and the start of the bombing has appeared on the internet - on the weblog of an unknown Iraqi writing under the name Salam Pax. But who is he?
Iraqi Uses Web to Chronicle a City Under the Bombs
A Live Report From Baghdad
On the Ground, and Above It, in Baghdad: If you want to know what it felt like to be living in Baghdad in the days before and after the start of the bombing, you'd do well to turn off the constant prattle of TV talking heads and read [Jon Lee Anderson, the New Yorker's veteran war correspondent] wonderfully nuanced and humane "Letter From Iraq."
Pausing the warblog, for now: I've been asked to suspend my war blogging for awhile.
But I don't want let you down - I'm chronicling the events of my war experiences, the same as I always have, and hope to come to agreement with CNN in the near future to make them available to you in some shape or form, perhaps on this site.
[act.:] Blogging: the new journalism?: Perhaps one attraction of blogging lies in its unmediated and dynamic quality. Without an agenda, editorial stance or pedantic sub-editor standing between the writer and reader, blogging can provide reportage in a raw and exciting form.
VITAMEDIAS
Paid content slowly winning converts: Consumers are warming to the notion of paying for online content, but that isn't likely to translate to a significant source of revenue for Internet companies anytime soon, according to a new study.
Paid content slowly winning converts: Consumers are warming to the notion of paying for online content, but that isn't likely to translate to a significant source of revenue for Internet companies anytime soon, according to a new study.
VITAMEDIAS
Shock, Awe and Razzmatazz in the Sequel: A decade or so after the Vietnam War ended, in the wake of a legion of Vietnam movies, some veterans put bumper stickers on their cars that read, "Vietnam was a war, not a movie." They did not want people to forget the losses that they and their comrades had sustained during the war. They did not want people to relegate their memories of that bloody and divisive war to flickering images on the silver screen.
With the new engagement in Iraq, however, the Pentagon and television news coverage are blurring the lines between movies and real life as never before, turning viewers into 24-hour couch voyeurs.
Shock, Awe and Razzmatazz in the Sequel: A decade or so after the Vietnam War ended, in the wake of a legion of Vietnam movies, some veterans put bumper stickers on their cars that read, "Vietnam was a war, not a movie." They did not want people to forget the losses that they and their comrades had sustained during the war. They did not want people to relegate their memories of that bloody and divisive war to flickering images on the silver screen.
With the new engagement in Iraq, however, the Pentagon and television news coverage are blurring the lines between movies and real life as never before, turning viewers into 24-hour couch voyeurs.
VITAMEDIAS
RTP, SIC e TVI dizem que "as guerras são mesmo assim", reagindo a eventuais críticas à exibição de violência e declarando que rejeitam "transformar a guerra num jogo de computador". [Importam-se de repetir?... Muito pouco do que fazem não segue a lógica de um jogo de computador: bons de um lado, maus do outro, certas imagens num momento, outras noutro, eliminação do passado/memória pela motivação no avanço da própria lógica do jogo, sempre em busca de atingir o objectivo final...]
A propósito, algumas questõezinhas sobre o assunto:
* porque só vejo mortos e conversas com as respectivas famílias do lado americano-aliado e não se faz o mesmo com os iraquianos - eles não têm famílias e os soldados não morrem por serem iraquianos? [act.: ver no Público "Duas Televisões, Dois Mundos, a Mesma Guerra"]
* porque não vejo a população das cidades iraquianas felizes pela "libertação" do "infame ditador", como insiste em lhe chamar um canal de TV nacional, à semelhança de outras guerras? [ver também Doubts and Questions: Slow Aid and Other Concerns Fuel Iraqi Discontent Toward United States]
* porque se salienta a crueldade nas imagens de soldados iraquianos a disparar contra a margem do rio Tigre, tentando atingir supostos soldados americanos ali escondidos, e se omitem comentários sobre os gritos de alegria quando os americanos acertam num edifício iraquiano com um míssil?
* porquê o aviso de que se vai ver imagens chocantes quando vão mostrar corpos mortos em guerra - quando o mesmo não sucedeu noutras guerras?
* porque se riem nas conferências de imprensa com os generais aliados? A guerra não é um assunto sério?...
* porque se vêem mais imagens de canais americanos e ingleses e menos dos canais árabes (quando a própria CNN recorre à televisão do Abu Dhabi depois de os seus repórteres terem sido expulsos de Bagdad)? Nestes dias, a Iraq TV ou a Al-Jazeera são menos fiáveis do que a CNN ou a BBC? [ver Satellite Network Al-Jazeera Launches Web Site in English]
* palavras que faço minhas, quando vi as reclamações da Convenção de Genebra por um lado sem que o mesmo fosse referido pelo(s) outro(s): Os Ventríloquos do Pentágono: O Presidente dos Estados Unidos veio clamar a aplicação da Convenção de Genebra sobre os prisioneiros de guerra aos soldados americanos capturados pelas tropas iraquianas, coisa que logo foi garantida pelo Governo do Iraque, como era sua obrigação. O que causa espanto é que se prevaleça da protecção do direito internacional quem agride outro em flagrante violação desse mesmo direito internacional, ainda para mais quando se recusa a aplicar o mesmo estatuto de Genebra às centenas de prisioneiros capturados pelos tropas americanas no Afeganistão e que continuam em Guatanamo há mais de um ano, com violação dos mais elementares direitos humanos. [act.: ver também Prisoners of Hypocrisy]
* porque não é a sigla do programa das Nações Unidas "Oil for Food" OFF?
RTP, SIC e TVI dizem que "as guerras são mesmo assim", reagindo a eventuais críticas à exibição de violência e declarando que rejeitam "transformar a guerra num jogo de computador". [Importam-se de repetir?... Muito pouco do que fazem não segue a lógica de um jogo de computador: bons de um lado, maus do outro, certas imagens num momento, outras noutro, eliminação do passado/memória pela motivação no avanço da própria lógica do jogo, sempre em busca de atingir o objectivo final...]
A propósito, algumas questõezinhas sobre o assunto:
* porque só vejo mortos e conversas com as respectivas famílias do lado americano-aliado e não se faz o mesmo com os iraquianos - eles não têm famílias e os soldados não morrem por serem iraquianos? [act.: ver no Público "Duas Televisões, Dois Mundos, a Mesma Guerra"]
* porque não vejo a população das cidades iraquianas felizes pela "libertação" do "infame ditador", como insiste em lhe chamar um canal de TV nacional, à semelhança de outras guerras? [ver também Doubts and Questions: Slow Aid and Other Concerns Fuel Iraqi Discontent Toward United States]
* porque se salienta a crueldade nas imagens de soldados iraquianos a disparar contra a margem do rio Tigre, tentando atingir supostos soldados americanos ali escondidos, e se omitem comentários sobre os gritos de alegria quando os americanos acertam num edifício iraquiano com um míssil?
* porquê o aviso de que se vai ver imagens chocantes quando vão mostrar corpos mortos em guerra - quando o mesmo não sucedeu noutras guerras?
* porque se riem nas conferências de imprensa com os generais aliados? A guerra não é um assunto sério?...
* porque se vêem mais imagens de canais americanos e ingleses e menos dos canais árabes (quando a própria CNN recorre à televisão do Abu Dhabi depois de os seus repórteres terem sido expulsos de Bagdad)? Nestes dias, a Iraq TV ou a Al-Jazeera são menos fiáveis do que a CNN ou a BBC? [ver Satellite Network Al-Jazeera Launches Web Site in English]
* palavras que faço minhas, quando vi as reclamações da Convenção de Genebra por um lado sem que o mesmo fosse referido pelo(s) outro(s): Os Ventríloquos do Pentágono: O Presidente dos Estados Unidos veio clamar a aplicação da Convenção de Genebra sobre os prisioneiros de guerra aos soldados americanos capturados pelas tropas iraquianas, coisa que logo foi garantida pelo Governo do Iraque, como era sua obrigação. O que causa espanto é que se prevaleça da protecção do direito internacional quem agride outro em flagrante violação desse mesmo direito internacional, ainda para mais quando se recusa a aplicar o mesmo estatuto de Genebra às centenas de prisioneiros capturados pelos tropas americanas no Afeganistão e que continuam em Guatanamo há mais de um ano, com violação dos mais elementares direitos humanos. [act.: ver também Prisoners of Hypocrisy]
* porque não é a sigla do programa das Nações Unidas "Oil for Food" OFF?
24 março 2003
CULTURAS IN VITRO
How Wim Wenders got the blues: Paris, Texas made him the hotshot director of his day. Now he's been fired from his own company and his latest film doesn't have a release.
How Wim Wenders got the blues: Paris, Texas made him the hotshot director of his day. Now he's been fired from his own company and his latest film doesn't have a release.
ECO-TERROR
Attack Was 48 Hours Old When It 'Began': When President Bush huddled with his senior national security team Wednesday afternoon to consider fresh CIA intelligence that President Saddam Hussein and other key members of the Iraqi leadership were spending the night at a complex in southern Baghdad, the Bush team was aware of another, perhaps even bigger secret.
Under the official war plan, designated "OPLAN 1003 V" and approved by the president, the war with Iraq had already begun.
Attack Was 48 Hours Old When It 'Began': When President Bush huddled with his senior national security team Wednesday afternoon to consider fresh CIA intelligence that President Saddam Hussein and other key members of the Iraqi leadership were spending the night at a complex in southern Baghdad, the Bush team was aware of another, perhaps even bigger secret.
Under the official war plan, designated "OPLAN 1003 V" and approved by the president, the war with Iraq had already begun.
VITAMEDIAS
Protesters blast news media coverage of events in Iraq: Protesting what they called the broadcast media's uncritical coverage of the Iraq war, thousands of anti-war protesters streamed through the streets of Hollywood on Saturday, on their way to CNN's Los Angeles high-rise. [...]
"We feel that CNN and all the major broadcasters act as the information ministry for the government," said James Lafferty, a lead organizer and executive director of the National Lawyers Guild.
Critics Say Coverage Helped Lead to War: Critics of the war against Iraq are not reserving their anger exclusively for President Bush. Some also blame the news media, asserting that they failed to challenge the administration aggressively enough as it made a shaky case for war.
Live TV War Cover Pulls in Viewers Worldwide: Round-the-clock live television images of the war in Iraq are mesmerizing viewers across the world, but not all are happy with what they see.
U.S. and British broadcasters such as CNN, Sky and the BBC are pumping out coverage of the U.S.-led invasion, and even media in countries not involved in the conflict have cranked up their programming to feed a surging public appetite for news.
Many viewers are gripped by what one London radio station has called "war porno" -- live television feeds of desert firefights or spectacular fireballs on the Baghdad skyline.
"The 24-hour multi-channel coverage of operations in Iraq is even more surreal than coverage of the Gulf War in 1991," columnist Darrel Bristow-Bovey wrote in South Africa's Sunday Independent newspaper.
"What's worse, with 10 years of reality TV conditioning...it becomes increasingly difficult not to treat the coverage as another species of entertainment, an unfolding saga with twists and turns and unexpected surprises." [ver Viewers Turn to Entertainment on Second Night of War]
Papers can filter the facts, friction: For the democracies, modern war is a test not only of men and women but of media.
No conflict in human history has been reported with as much immediacy and from as many angles as the one now underway. So, three days into this second Gulf War, how are the U.S. news media doing?
Magazine war coverage: Time is the enemy: the challenge to monthly magazines is much greater. Most are closing their June issues now, editing stories that came in before the war began and that probably will hit newsstands long after this leg of the conflict is over.
Protesters blast news media coverage of events in Iraq: Protesting what they called the broadcast media's uncritical coverage of the Iraq war, thousands of anti-war protesters streamed through the streets of Hollywood on Saturday, on their way to CNN's Los Angeles high-rise. [...]
"We feel that CNN and all the major broadcasters act as the information ministry for the government," said James Lafferty, a lead organizer and executive director of the National Lawyers Guild.
Critics Say Coverage Helped Lead to War: Critics of the war against Iraq are not reserving their anger exclusively for President Bush. Some also blame the news media, asserting that they failed to challenge the administration aggressively enough as it made a shaky case for war.
Live TV War Cover Pulls in Viewers Worldwide: Round-the-clock live television images of the war in Iraq are mesmerizing viewers across the world, but not all are happy with what they see.
U.S. and British broadcasters such as CNN, Sky and the BBC are pumping out coverage of the U.S.-led invasion, and even media in countries not involved in the conflict have cranked up their programming to feed a surging public appetite for news.
Many viewers are gripped by what one London radio station has called "war porno" -- live television feeds of desert firefights or spectacular fireballs on the Baghdad skyline.
"The 24-hour multi-channel coverage of operations in Iraq is even more surreal than coverage of the Gulf War in 1991," columnist Darrel Bristow-Bovey wrote in South Africa's Sunday Independent newspaper.
"What's worse, with 10 years of reality TV conditioning...it becomes increasingly difficult not to treat the coverage as another species of entertainment, an unfolding saga with twists and turns and unexpected surprises." [ver Viewers Turn to Entertainment on Second Night of War]
Papers can filter the facts, friction: For the democracies, modern war is a test not only of men and women but of media.
No conflict in human history has been reported with as much immediacy and from as many angles as the one now underway. So, three days into this second Gulf War, how are the U.S. news media doing?
Magazine war coverage: Time is the enemy: the challenge to monthly magazines is much greater. Most are closing their June issues now, editing stories that came in before the war began and that probably will hit newsstands long after this leg of the conflict is over.
.DE!
Holy visions elude scientists: Does the biological structure of our brains program us to believe in God? Recent advances in "neurotheology" have even prompted some scientists to propose they can induce the kind of holy visions of prophets, even in those who have never experienced religious belief.
Dr Michael Persinger of Laurentian University, Canada, has devised a special helmet that uses electromagnetic fields to induce electrical changes in the brain's temporal lobes, which are linked with religious belief.
Holy visions elude scientists: Does the biological structure of our brains program us to believe in God? Recent advances in "neurotheology" have even prompted some scientists to propose they can induce the kind of holy visions of prophets, even in those who have never experienced religious belief.
Dr Michael Persinger of Laurentian University, Canada, has devised a special helmet that uses electromagnetic fields to induce electrical changes in the brain's temporal lobes, which are linked with religious belief.
VITAMEDIAS
Entrevista com Richard Zimler, escritor e professor norte-americano radicado no Porto
- Acha possível, hoje, um norte-americano comum saber o que se passa realmente no mundo?
Possível é, mas é difícil. A maioria das pessoas não quer pesquisar um assunto para ter informações certas, prefere comprar o jornal. Só uma pequena minoria vai à Internet procurar informações alternativas, mas elas existem. Hoje em dia, felizmente, podemos aceder a uma infinidade de sites que nos dão perspectivas diferentes sobre um mesmo acontecimento.
- Até que ponto essa perda de diversidade nos media tradicionais alastrou ao resto do mundo ocidental?
Basta pegar no exemplo da CNN. É ali que se estabelece a ordem do dia para muitos outros media.
- Pode dar-se o caso de, na guerra contra o Iraque, estarmos a acompanhar quase uma ficção?
Eu não diria uma ficção, mas uma construção da realidade.
- Feita ao serviço de quem?
Os jornalistas dizem que é ao serviço do público. Eu diria que grande parte é ao serviço dos publicitários e dos donos de empresas que detêm jornais, televisões e rádios. [...]
- É apologista de uma troca dos media tradicionais pela Internet?
Não. O que eu acho é que todos os alunos, em todos os países, deviam ter desde cedo - não sei qual é a idade ideal - uma formação de decifração do jornalismo e da comunicação social. Deviam ler jornais com o professor e decifrar o que está dito entre as linhas dos artigos ou das reportagens, falar sobre quais são outras possibilidades de encontrar informações diferentes, o que está a ser omitido e por aí fora. Se tivéssemos gente formada, não acreditaríamos em tantas informações idiotas. Por exemplo: Bush e Blair estão fartos de dizer que têm uma grande solidariedade para com o povo iraquiano; ora, se alguém dissesse aos alunos que esta gente já matou, segundo as estatísticas da ONU, 700 mil crianças com o embargo, eles poderiam ter uma ideia mais exacta do que significa essa solidariedade.
Entrevista com Richard Zimler, escritor e professor norte-americano radicado no Porto
- Acha possível, hoje, um norte-americano comum saber o que se passa realmente no mundo?
Possível é, mas é difícil. A maioria das pessoas não quer pesquisar um assunto para ter informações certas, prefere comprar o jornal. Só uma pequena minoria vai à Internet procurar informações alternativas, mas elas existem. Hoje em dia, felizmente, podemos aceder a uma infinidade de sites que nos dão perspectivas diferentes sobre um mesmo acontecimento.
- Até que ponto essa perda de diversidade nos media tradicionais alastrou ao resto do mundo ocidental?
Basta pegar no exemplo da CNN. É ali que se estabelece a ordem do dia para muitos outros media.
- Pode dar-se o caso de, na guerra contra o Iraque, estarmos a acompanhar quase uma ficção?
Eu não diria uma ficção, mas uma construção da realidade.
- Feita ao serviço de quem?
Os jornalistas dizem que é ao serviço do público. Eu diria que grande parte é ao serviço dos publicitários e dos donos de empresas que detêm jornais, televisões e rádios. [...]
- É apologista de uma troca dos media tradicionais pela Internet?
Não. O que eu acho é que todos os alunos, em todos os países, deviam ter desde cedo - não sei qual é a idade ideal - uma formação de decifração do jornalismo e da comunicação social. Deviam ler jornais com o professor e decifrar o que está dito entre as linhas dos artigos ou das reportagens, falar sobre quais são outras possibilidades de encontrar informações diferentes, o que está a ser omitido e por aí fora. Se tivéssemos gente formada, não acreditaríamos em tantas informações idiotas. Por exemplo: Bush e Blair estão fartos de dizer que têm uma grande solidariedade para com o povo iraquiano; ora, se alguém dissesse aos alunos que esta gente já matou, segundo as estatísticas da ONU, 700 mil crianças com o embargo, eles poderiam ter uma ideia mais exacta do que significa essa solidariedade.
VITAMEDIAS
Le sentiment illusoire d'une guerre en temps réel: Très encadrés, 600 journalistes sont «incorporés» dans des unités. Pour les indépendants, il est difficile de travailler.
Car tous les journalistes, pour obtenir leur «incorporation», doivent s'engager, par écrit, à rester aussi flous que les images saccadées et pixélisées souvent retransmises par vidéophone. «Il est notamment proscrit, parmi la liste d'une cinquantaine d'obligations, de préciser le lieu, l'heure et les circonstances précises des images filmées», rappelle une journaliste tchèque. La liberté d'action est réelle («on peut interviewer sans relâche les militaires, filmer les avions, etc.», rappelle une embedded), mais encadrée. Des embedded ont d'ailleurs décidé de quitter les rangs de leur affectation. Car ils sont soumis à un embargo et doivent faire valider, en principe, leurs reportages avant de les transmettre. «Quand nous, presse écrite, devons faire valider un papier avant de l'envoyer, les télés, elles, envoient en direct par satellite, analyse un journaliste du Financial Times. Cette guerre consacre plus que jamais l'écrasante domination des télévisions.» [...]
Les autres journalistes, ceux qui n'ont pas pu ou pas voulu être «intégrés», sont badgés unilatéral. Indépendants, donc. Pas question de leur faciliter leur entrée dans le sud de l'Irak. Officiellement, pour des raisons de sécurité. C'est encore plus vrai depuis samedi et la dramatique disparition d'une équipe de la télévision anglaise ITN, qui n'était pas embedded (lire ci-contre).
«Vous risquez votre putain de vie si vous passez la frontière», rappelait samedi au Koweït un porte-parole de l'armée britannique. Et de sermonner : «La guerre n'est pas un jeu. C'est dangereux, très dangereux.» Samedi soir, un porte-parole de l'armée américaine s'est quasiment emporté : «Si vous croyez que le rôle de l'armée américaine est, comme aujourd'hui, d'aider des journalistes pris entre deux feux, vous vous trompez !» Pas moins de quatre équipes auraient «appelé à l'aide» la seule journée de samedi.
No quiet on the western front: Media coverage of the current war will be more comprehensive than ever before. But it's not that governments don't want to halt the flow of information [...] - just that they can't
Le sentiment illusoire d'une guerre en temps réel: Très encadrés, 600 journalistes sont «incorporés» dans des unités. Pour les indépendants, il est difficile de travailler.
Car tous les journalistes, pour obtenir leur «incorporation», doivent s'engager, par écrit, à rester aussi flous que les images saccadées et pixélisées souvent retransmises par vidéophone. «Il est notamment proscrit, parmi la liste d'une cinquantaine d'obligations, de préciser le lieu, l'heure et les circonstances précises des images filmées», rappelle une journaliste tchèque. La liberté d'action est réelle («on peut interviewer sans relâche les militaires, filmer les avions, etc.», rappelle une embedded), mais encadrée. Des embedded ont d'ailleurs décidé de quitter les rangs de leur affectation. Car ils sont soumis à un embargo et doivent faire valider, en principe, leurs reportages avant de les transmettre. «Quand nous, presse écrite, devons faire valider un papier avant de l'envoyer, les télés, elles, envoient en direct par satellite, analyse un journaliste du Financial Times. Cette guerre consacre plus que jamais l'écrasante domination des télévisions.» [...]
Les autres journalistes, ceux qui n'ont pas pu ou pas voulu être «intégrés», sont badgés unilatéral. Indépendants, donc. Pas question de leur faciliter leur entrée dans le sud de l'Irak. Officiellement, pour des raisons de sécurité. C'est encore plus vrai depuis samedi et la dramatique disparition d'une équipe de la télévision anglaise ITN, qui n'était pas embedded (lire ci-contre).
«Vous risquez votre putain de vie si vous passez la frontière», rappelait samedi au Koweït un porte-parole de l'armée britannique. Et de sermonner : «La guerre n'est pas un jeu. C'est dangereux, très dangereux.» Samedi soir, un porte-parole de l'armée américaine s'est quasiment emporté : «Si vous croyez que le rôle de l'armée américaine est, comme aujourd'hui, d'aider des journalistes pris entre deux feux, vous vous trompez !» Pas moins de quatre équipes auraient «appelé à l'aide» la seule journée de samedi.
No quiet on the western front: Media coverage of the current war will be more comprehensive than ever before. But it's not that governments don't want to halt the flow of information [...] - just that they can't
VITAMEDIAS
Improved Tools Turn Journalists Into a Quick Strike Force: Reporters covering the war in Iraq are at one with their technology as never before. Television reporters are toting hand-held video cameras and print journalists have traded the 70-pound satellite phones of the 1991 Gulf War for svelte models that can be held up to their ear. High-speed Internet lines in the desert and more satellites in the sky mean journalists can make a connection almost anywhere. As the conflict unfolds, they are tapping into the global communications grid regularly.
News gatherers say the smaller gadgets and bigger bandwidth have broadened their reach in a way that is sure to change how people perceive the war. Just as television forced the world to confront graphic images of war for the first time during the Vietnam War, today's digital devices are beginning to provide a more intimate and multifaceted view of the war in Iraq than would have ever been possible before.
Improved Tools Turn Journalists Into a Quick Strike Force: Reporters covering the war in Iraq are at one with their technology as never before. Television reporters are toting hand-held video cameras and print journalists have traded the 70-pound satellite phones of the 1991 Gulf War for svelte models that can be held up to their ear. High-speed Internet lines in the desert and more satellites in the sky mean journalists can make a connection almost anywhere. As the conflict unfolds, they are tapping into the global communications grid regularly.
News gatherers say the smaller gadgets and bigger bandwidth have broadened their reach in a way that is sure to change how people perceive the war. Just as television forced the world to confront graphic images of war for the first time during the Vietnam War, today's digital devices are beginning to provide a more intimate and multifaceted view of the war in Iraq than would have ever been possible before.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Oscar Winners [e, apesar dos pedidos em sentido contrário, vários dos vencedores falaram sobre a guerra...]
Oscar Winners [e, apesar dos pedidos em sentido contrário, vários dos vencedores falaram sobre a guerra...]
22 março 2003
ECO-TERROR
Breaking News: The British Broadcasting Corporation has apologized to the White House for its broadcast Wednesday night of a live Oval Office feed showing President George W. Bush preparing for his speech announcing the start of the Iraqi war. Administration officials are apparently steamed because Bush was seen having his hair primped and readied by a female stylist armed with a comb and hairspray.
Best War Blogs
Student T-Shirts Censored in Time of War
Breaking News: The British Broadcasting Corporation has apologized to the White House for its broadcast Wednesday night of a live Oval Office feed showing President George W. Bush preparing for his speech announcing the start of the Iraqi war. Administration officials are apparently steamed because Bush was seen having his hair primped and readied by a female stylist armed with a comb and hairspray.
Best War Blogs
Student T-Shirts Censored in Time of War
21 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
Reuters Staffers Cry Foul Over CEO's $1M Bonus: Reuters Chief Executive Officer Tom Glocer is under fire from angry employees after he took a bonus of nearly $1 million in the wake of massive layoffs and losses at the company.
Glocer steered the company to its biggest pre-tax loss in its 151-year history last year and laid off more than 3,000 employees.
Reuters Staffers Cry Foul Over CEO's $1M Bonus: Reuters Chief Executive Officer Tom Glocer is under fire from angry employees after he took a bonus of nearly $1 million in the wake of massive layoffs and losses at the company.
Glocer steered the company to its biggest pre-tax loss in its 151-year history last year and laid off more than 3,000 employees.
VITAMEDIAS
Outrage at Sun Chirac jibe: The Sun hit Paris yesterday to show the world our disgust at the cowardice of President Jacques “The Worm” Chirac for wriggling out of his responsibilities to the West.
We took copies of a French edition of our newspaper labelling Chirac as Saddam Hussein’s whore.
Describing his actions as those of a “Paris harlot”, The Sun argued he was as big a threat to the civilised world as Iraq’s tyrant.
Outrage at Sun Chirac jibe: The Sun hit Paris yesterday to show the world our disgust at the cowardice of President Jacques “The Worm” Chirac for wriggling out of his responsibilities to the West.
We took copies of a French edition of our newspaper labelling Chirac as Saddam Hussein’s whore.
Describing his actions as those of a “Paris harlot”, The Sun argued he was as big a threat to the civilised world as Iraq’s tyrant.
VITAMEDIAS
Blawgs: More Than Just Fluff
The number of Web logs - called "blogs" or, in the legal field, "blawgs" - has grown dramatically in recent months. Personal Web pages, formatted to resemble online journals, range in content from introspectively personal to pungently political.
But many bloggers see themselves as a kind of new journalist, reporting and commenting on current events in a single stroke. This is true of many of the lawyers with blogs, some of whom have built up loyal followings of readers who look to them to report current developments in a field and, at the same time, to provide perspective.
Blawgs: More Than Just Fluff
The number of Web logs - called "blogs" or, in the legal field, "blawgs" - has grown dramatically in recent months. Personal Web pages, formatted to resemble online journals, range in content from introspectively personal to pungently political.
But many bloggers see themselves as a kind of new journalist, reporting and commenting on current events in a single stroke. This is true of many of the lawyers with blogs, some of whom have built up loyal followings of readers who look to them to report current developments in a field and, at the same time, to provide perspective.
CONTAMINANTES
Who shot the president? A possible explanation for conspiracy theories: humans have an innate tendency to try to link major events with major causes.
Who shot the president? A possible explanation for conspiracy theories: humans have an innate tendency to try to link major events with major causes.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
No Dia Mundial da Poesia, a Câmara de Sintra perde livros, com uma grande acção de "bookcrossing" que consiste em deixar algumas centenas de livros de poesia "perdidos" em cafés, restaurantes, lojas, carruagens da CP, etc. Cada livro terá uma etiqueta que diz: "A Câmara Municipal de Sintra perdeu este livro com o apoio da respectiva editora. Roga-se a quem o encontrar que o leia e o dê a ler a outra pessoa." [grande ideia e boa disseminação da ideia do "bookcrossing", embora hoje seja também o Dia Mundial da Floresta :-( ]
No Dia Mundial da Poesia, a Câmara de Sintra perde livros, com uma grande acção de "bookcrossing" que consiste em deixar algumas centenas de livros de poesia "perdidos" em cafés, restaurantes, lojas, carruagens da CP, etc. Cada livro terá uma etiqueta que diz: "A Câmara Municipal de Sintra perdeu este livro com o apoio da respectiva editora. Roga-se a quem o encontrar que o leia e o dê a ler a outra pessoa." [grande ideia e boa disseminação da ideia do "bookcrossing", embora hoje seja também o Dia Mundial da Floresta :-( ]
20 março 2003
O que há para dizer num dia destes?...
Iraq Coverage Resources
Great Iraq Conflict Coverage Gallery
Iraq (War on Terrorism)
Resources Related to the Current Iraq Crisis
Iraq Body Count Database
Iraq Coverage Resources
Great Iraq Conflict Coverage Gallery
Iraq (War on Terrorism)
Resources Related to the Current Iraq Crisis
Iraq Body Count Database
19 março 2003
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Music companies fear new 100-hour discs: The music industry this week condemned the launch of two recording systems that will let people copy between 30 and 100 hours of music onto a single disc. The launches, from electronics giants Sony and Philips, are being seen as a potential pirates' charter.
Music companies fear new 100-hour discs: The music industry this week condemned the launch of two recording systems that will let people copy between 30 and 100 hours of music onto a single disc. The launches, from electronics giants Sony and Philips, are being seen as a potential pirates' charter.
ECO-TERROR
Anybody Using This First Amendment?
Q: I want to ask about two more topics: Venezuela and then...
A: Now, you're not supposed to ask about Venezuela. You've already made a mistake. With the USA Patriot Act, you're not supposed to look at anything but Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, which is the Weapon of Mass Distraction. And while you're supposed to be hypnotized by Iraq, don't watch that man behind the screen, Otto Reich in the White House, who is doing his level best to overthrow the elected government in Venezuela. So, I'm trying to write this story, but you can't get the true reports out for nothing. The New York Times runs a front-page picture of thousands of Venezuelans marching against Hugo Chavez. The same day, I'm photographing it myself, more people are marching for Chavez, but they don't show the others. It's more devastating than fabrication, because a picture makes you think, "That must be real." It's terribly sad, because the story of Venezuela is about oil. It is about crushing a dissenter to the new globalization order.
It's hard to tell the real stories because it requires investigation. It requires work. And it requires being able to say that official sources like the State Department are full of shit, that they are fabricating this stuff out whole cloth for the purpose of scrambling your brain, and that our media outlets buy it.
I can't tell you to how many reporters I've said, "Where do you get this stuff?" And they say, "Well, it was in a State Department press release," as if that's an acceptable source.
Anybody Using This First Amendment?
Q: I want to ask about two more topics: Venezuela and then...
A: Now, you're not supposed to ask about Venezuela. You've already made a mistake. With the USA Patriot Act, you're not supposed to look at anything but Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, which is the Weapon of Mass Distraction. And while you're supposed to be hypnotized by Iraq, don't watch that man behind the screen, Otto Reich in the White House, who is doing his level best to overthrow the elected government in Venezuela. So, I'm trying to write this story, but you can't get the true reports out for nothing. The New York Times runs a front-page picture of thousands of Venezuelans marching against Hugo Chavez. The same day, I'm photographing it myself, more people are marching for Chavez, but they don't show the others. It's more devastating than fabrication, because a picture makes you think, "That must be real." It's terribly sad, because the story of Venezuela is about oil. It is about crushing a dissenter to the new globalization order.
It's hard to tell the real stories because it requires investigation. It requires work. And it requires being able to say that official sources like the State Department are full of shit, that they are fabricating this stuff out whole cloth for the purpose of scrambling your brain, and that our media outlets buy it.
I can't tell you to how many reporters I've said, "Where do you get this stuff?" And they say, "Well, it was in a State Department press release," as if that's an acceptable source.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Filmmakers Showcase 'Tiny Screen' Films for Phones: An X-ray of a yellow pepper, a man falling down over and over again and a dog eating a roast chicken might not qualify as Hollywood movies, but one production company is hoping these films, made for mobile devices, will find a place in the entertainment industry.
Closely-held company BigDigit Inc. sponsored the "World's Smallest Film Festival" here on Tuesday at the annual Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association wireless conference to showcase films made specifically for mobile phones.
"This is a new medium, and we want to explore what the new rules and the new content are going to be," said Beau Buck, chief executive of BigDigit. "We were interested in finding out what would be the most effective way to stimulate sales of mobile telephones."
Filmmakers Showcase 'Tiny Screen' Films for Phones: An X-ray of a yellow pepper, a man falling down over and over again and a dog eating a roast chicken might not qualify as Hollywood movies, but one production company is hoping these films, made for mobile devices, will find a place in the entertainment industry.
Closely-held company BigDigit Inc. sponsored the "World's Smallest Film Festival" here on Tuesday at the annual Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association wireless conference to showcase films made specifically for mobile phones.
"This is a new medium, and we want to explore what the new rules and the new content are going to be," said Beau Buck, chief executive of BigDigit. "We were interested in finding out what would be the most effective way to stimulate sales of mobile telephones."
18 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
The paranoia of the left: One of the most familiar tropes in these e-mails is: "Why is no one in the media reporting that . . .?" Well, you know, if no one in the media is reporting it, where did you find out about it? Are your sources inside Halliburton or the British Parliament or the SEC that good? Or are you just repeating something that someone wrote, someone who alleged that the media wasn't reporting Shocking Fact X, unaware that in the act of writing, that person became the media?
The paranoia of the left: One of the most familiar tropes in these e-mails is: "Why is no one in the media reporting that . . .?" Well, you know, if no one in the media is reporting it, where did you find out about it? Are your sources inside Halliburton or the British Parliament or the SEC that good? Or are you just repeating something that someone wrote, someone who alleged that the media wasn't reporting Shocking Fact X, unaware that in the act of writing, that person became the media?
ECO-TERROR
Saddam, Bugging, and the U.N.: Let he who is without wiretaps cast the first stone.
Now Bush has a third reason, one that's breathtaking in its hypocrisy: Saddam's regime must be toppled because he bugged the United Nations. [...]
Bush is any position to condemn Iraq for wiretapping U.N. officials in light of the Observer's March 2 scoop that the Bushies wiretapped the home and office phones of U.N. Security Council representatives in New York.
The Observer story, which was based on a leaked memo, got appallingly little coverage in the United States, even though it was confirmed by the subsequent arrest of a British intelligence employee for violating the Official Secrets Act.
Saddam, Bugging, and the U.N.: Let he who is without wiretaps cast the first stone.
Now Bush has a third reason, one that's breathtaking in its hypocrisy: Saddam's regime must be toppled because he bugged the United Nations. [...]
Bush is any position to condemn Iraq for wiretapping U.N. officials in light of the Observer's March 2 scoop that the Bushies wiretapped the home and office phones of U.N. Security Council representatives in New York.
The Observer story, which was based on a leaked memo, got appallingly little coverage in the United States, even though it was confirmed by the subsequent arrest of a British intelligence employee for violating the Official Secrets Act.
VITAMEDIAS
Notícias sem filtro: Em Espanha, as manchetes mais sensacionais da economia e da política já não saem na primeira página dos diários e revistas, mas nos chamados «confidenciales» da Internet, um fenómeno que faz furor no país vizinho.
Espicaçados pela curiosidade e pela necessidade de estar a par das «últimas», a primeira coisa que políticos ou empresários espanhóis fazem quando chegam ao seu gabinete é visitar sites como Elconfidencial.com, ElSemanal Digital, Hispanidad ou PRNoticias para saber «o que é que realmente se passa» nos bastidores da política e da economia - exactamente o que os «media sérios» já não contam, por prudência deontológica ou dependências e conivências.
Notícias sem filtro: Em Espanha, as manchetes mais sensacionais da economia e da política já não saem na primeira página dos diários e revistas, mas nos chamados «confidenciales» da Internet, um fenómeno que faz furor no país vizinho.
Espicaçados pela curiosidade e pela necessidade de estar a par das «últimas», a primeira coisa que políticos ou empresários espanhóis fazem quando chegam ao seu gabinete é visitar sites como Elconfidencial.com, ElSemanal Digital, Hispanidad ou PRNoticias para saber «o que é que realmente se passa» nos bastidores da política e da economia - exactamente o que os «media sérios» já não contam, por prudência deontológica ou dependências e conivências.
VITAMEDIAS
Semantic Blogging for Bibliographies: The central idea is to apply ideas, techniques and tools from the semantic web and apply them to blogging. Our intuition is that semantic principles can be applied to enrich and extend the blogging metaphor. [...]
The project deliverables so far are:
- A short framing document, in which the context for HP Labs' demonstrators is set out
- A selection document, in which we survey pre-existing RDF applications, assess potential demonstrators, and settle on this one
- A requirements document, in which we present the requirements for this demonstrator. This document also contains an extensive survey of blogging, bibliography management & standards, and a short user study
Semantic Blogging for Bibliographies: The central idea is to apply ideas, techniques and tools from the semantic web and apply them to blogging. Our intuition is that semantic principles can be applied to enrich and extend the blogging metaphor. [...]
The project deliverables so far are:
- A short framing document, in which the context for HP Labs' demonstrators is set out
- A selection document, in which we survey pre-existing RDF applications, assess potential demonstrators, and settle on this one
- A requirements document, in which we present the requirements for this demonstrator. This document also contains an extensive survey of blogging, bibliography management & standards, and a short user study
VITAMEDIAS
Media Are Split On Keeping Staff In Baghdad: NBC and ABC pulled their correspondents and crews yesterday, saying the safety risk had become too great. Meanwhile, CBS and CNN remain and say they are monitoring the situation.
Among print journalists, New York Times Co.'s flagship paper has directed its staff in Baghdad, one reporter and one photographer, to leave "immediately," a spokeswoman said. Reporters for Newsweek and the Washington Post, both published by Washington Post Co., remain, but the company is following the situation closely. Reuters Group PLC, which has 18 correspondents in the city, mostly local residents, largely plans to stay put.
Wary news crews abandon front lines as Iraq war looms: The BBC will keep an eight-member crew in Baghdad, moving from the Official Ministry of Information - a potential target - to a low-profile hotel.
Intent on "humanizing" the war, Britain's ITV has asked a local Baghdad family to keep a video diary and will allow viewers to phone in questions to front-line ITV correspondents.
World journalists issue "don't target media" appeal as war looms: Journalists and media workers in Baghdad must not be targeted by the military on either side, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest journalists organization, today.
"Military leaders must make sure that journalists and media are not in their sights as they prepare for war," said Aidan White, general secretary of the IFJ.
News Units to Share Baghdad Video: The five major U.S. television news organizations have struck an agreement that any video that can be uplinked out of Baghdad in the first 24 hours of the U.S. attack on Baghdad will be shared by ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC/MSNBC.
Media Are Split On Keeping Staff In Baghdad: NBC and ABC pulled their correspondents and crews yesterday, saying the safety risk had become too great. Meanwhile, CBS and CNN remain and say they are monitoring the situation.
Among print journalists, New York Times Co.'s flagship paper has directed its staff in Baghdad, one reporter and one photographer, to leave "immediately," a spokeswoman said. Reporters for Newsweek and the Washington Post, both published by Washington Post Co., remain, but the company is following the situation closely. Reuters Group PLC, which has 18 correspondents in the city, mostly local residents, largely plans to stay put.
Wary news crews abandon front lines as Iraq war looms: The BBC will keep an eight-member crew in Baghdad, moving from the Official Ministry of Information - a potential target - to a low-profile hotel.
Intent on "humanizing" the war, Britain's ITV has asked a local Baghdad family to keep a video diary and will allow viewers to phone in questions to front-line ITV correspondents.
World journalists issue "don't target media" appeal as war looms: Journalists and media workers in Baghdad must not be targeted by the military on either side, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest journalists organization, today.
"Military leaders must make sure that journalists and media are not in their sights as they prepare for war," said Aidan White, general secretary of the IFJ.
News Units to Share Baghdad Video: The five major U.S. television news organizations have struck an agreement that any video that can be uplinked out of Baghdad in the first 24 hours of the U.S. attack on Baghdad will be shared by ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC/MSNBC.
17 março 2003
CULTURAS IN VITRO
'And best screenplay by a computer goes to...': You don't need characters or a plot to pen a screenplay. Just $299.99 for software.
'And best screenplay by a computer goes to...': You don't need characters or a plot to pen a screenplay. Just $299.99 for software.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Can pop music make the Arab world love us? In any case, the State Department needs to recognize that Arab culture is predominantly an aural one. This is largely due to the Quran itself, which institutionalized the sovereignty of the spoken word.
Can pop music make the Arab world love us? In any case, the State Department needs to recognize that Arab culture is predominantly an aural one. This is largely due to the Quran itself, which institutionalized the sovereignty of the spoken word.
VITAMEDIAS
Good men and true? Jurors' deliberations have long been conducted in the utmost secrecy. But as more stories emerge of bizarre goings-on in the jury room, [...] is it time for some media scrutiny?
Good men and true? Jurors' deliberations have long been conducted in the utmost secrecy. But as more stories emerge of bizarre goings-on in the jury room, [...] is it time for some media scrutiny?
VITAMEDIAS
Contributo para definição de weblog (a partir da iniciada pelo António Granado: um weblog é uma página com entradas datadas que aparecem pela ordem inversa em que foram escritas), actualizada: weblog é um espaço com conteúdos do seu autor ou de outros. Porquê?
1) Não é uma página; são várias páginas (ou não havia arquivos e era um "lençol");
2) as entradas podem não ser datadas, basta remover essa função, e
3) a ordem cronológica em que foram escritas pode ser modificada (ao inserir um "post" para eliminar outro anterior, por exemplo, ou ao actualizá-lo), pelo que o tempo não é crucial na definição.
Nas questões de tempo, forma/tecnologia e conteúdo, nenhuma aguenta uma definição "forte" para weblog:
Tempo - pode ser ajustado ou aldrabado (ver a loucura dos sites de "breaking news" que adiantavam o relógio dos "posts" para aparentar serem os primeiros a dar a notícia);
Tecnologia/Forma - o que diferencia uma página/sítio na Web com textos pessoais de um weblog, de um colectivo de comentários via telemóvel ou de certos "zines" em papel? Não há "template" definido.
Conteúdo - deixando de lado a tarefa objectiva de saber se é jornalismo (factual e/ou opinativo) ou diário pessoal, o lado subjectivo de ter ou não qualidade é uma discussão infindável.
Assim, estamos no início. A redefinição diária de blogs só pode garantir que são um produto em evolução da criatividade humana.
De um ponto de vista social, parece a ocupação humana de um espaço virtual e intelectual. Tal como no faroeste ou no espaço, uma tentativa de ir mais longe colectivamente através de iniciativas individuais.
Ver também Weblogs II
Contributo para definição de weblog (a partir da iniciada pelo António Granado: um weblog é uma página com entradas datadas que aparecem pela ordem inversa em que foram escritas), actualizada: weblog é um espaço com conteúdos do seu autor ou de outros. Porquê?
1) Não é uma página; são várias páginas (ou não havia arquivos e era um "lençol");
2) as entradas podem não ser datadas, basta remover essa função, e
3) a ordem cronológica em que foram escritas pode ser modificada (ao inserir um "post" para eliminar outro anterior, por exemplo, ou ao actualizá-lo), pelo que o tempo não é crucial na definição.
Nas questões de tempo, forma/tecnologia e conteúdo, nenhuma aguenta uma definição "forte" para weblog:
Tempo - pode ser ajustado ou aldrabado (ver a loucura dos sites de "breaking news" que adiantavam o relógio dos "posts" para aparentar serem os primeiros a dar a notícia);
Tecnologia/Forma - o que diferencia uma página/sítio na Web com textos pessoais de um weblog, de um colectivo de comentários via telemóvel ou de certos "zines" em papel? Não há "template" definido.
Conteúdo - deixando de lado a tarefa objectiva de saber se é jornalismo (factual e/ou opinativo) ou diário pessoal, o lado subjectivo de ter ou não qualidade é uma discussão infindável.
Assim, estamos no início. A redefinição diária de blogs só pode garantir que são um produto em evolução da criatividade humana.
De um ponto de vista social, parece a ocupação humana de um espaço virtual e intelectual. Tal como no faroeste ou no espaço, uma tentativa de ir mais longe colectivamente através de iniciativas individuais.
Ver também Weblogs II
VITAMEDIAS
Media Watchdogs Caught Napping: the run up to a conflict in Iraq, foreign news websites are seeing large volumes of traffic from America, as U.S. citizens increasingly seek news coverage about the coming war.
"Given how timid most U.S. news organizations have been in challenging the White House position on Iraq, I'm not surprised if Americans are turning to foreign news services for a perspective on the conflict that goes beyond freedom fries," said Deborah Branscom, a Newsweek contributing editor
Journalistes dans les bras de l'armée: Incorporés dans les forces américaines, ils en seront aussi dépendants.
Media Watchdogs Caught Napping: the run up to a conflict in Iraq, foreign news websites are seeing large volumes of traffic from America, as U.S. citizens increasingly seek news coverage about the coming war.
"Given how timid most U.S. news organizations have been in challenging the White House position on Iraq, I'm not surprised if Americans are turning to foreign news services for a perspective on the conflict that goes beyond freedom fries," said Deborah Branscom, a Newsweek contributing editor
Journalistes dans les bras de l'armée: Incorporés dans les forces américaines, ils en seront aussi dépendants.
ECO-TERROR
Morais Sarmento e Valente de Oliveira "Deviam, no Mínimo, Ter Pedido Desculpa ao Parlamento": A instituição de um padrão de comportamento em que faltas ao rigor e à verdade dos factos na gestão dos negócios públicos não é apontada, antes é tida como normal, é criticada fortemente por Luís de Sousa, investigador do ISCTE.
"A omissão de matérias no Reino Unido dá demissão", afirma Luís de Sousa sustentando que quer Morais Sarmento quer Valente de Oliveira "deviam, no mínimo, ter pedido desculpa ao Parlamento". Isto comentando o caso de o ministro das Obras Públicas, Valente de Oliveira ter protelado o envio à Assembleia da República do acordão do Tribunal Constitucional que ilibava o líder do PS e seu antecessor na pasta, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, de qualquer responsabilidade no incidente do Metro do Terreiro do Paço, em Lisboa.
Mas Luís de Sousa referia-se também o tipo de comportamento assumido pelo ministro da Presidência, Nuno Morais Sarmento, quer em relação às duas versões diferentes e contraditórias sobre as condições em que foi aprovada a Lei da Televisão - lei que foi dada como aprovada pelo Conselho de Ministros, depois de ter sido dito que este não tinha discutido o assunto, mas que aparece assinada pelo primeiro-ministro, que não participou nessa reunião -, quer em relação às declarações que prestou ao Parlamento sobre as despesas da RTP, em particular do programa "Acontece".
Morais Sarmento e Valente de Oliveira "Deviam, no Mínimo, Ter Pedido Desculpa ao Parlamento": A instituição de um padrão de comportamento em que faltas ao rigor e à verdade dos factos na gestão dos negócios públicos não é apontada, antes é tida como normal, é criticada fortemente por Luís de Sousa, investigador do ISCTE.
"A omissão de matérias no Reino Unido dá demissão", afirma Luís de Sousa sustentando que quer Morais Sarmento quer Valente de Oliveira "deviam, no mínimo, ter pedido desculpa ao Parlamento". Isto comentando o caso de o ministro das Obras Públicas, Valente de Oliveira ter protelado o envio à Assembleia da República do acordão do Tribunal Constitucional que ilibava o líder do PS e seu antecessor na pasta, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, de qualquer responsabilidade no incidente do Metro do Terreiro do Paço, em Lisboa.
Mas Luís de Sousa referia-se também o tipo de comportamento assumido pelo ministro da Presidência, Nuno Morais Sarmento, quer em relação às duas versões diferentes e contraditórias sobre as condições em que foi aprovada a Lei da Televisão - lei que foi dada como aprovada pelo Conselho de Ministros, depois de ter sido dito que este não tinha discutido o assunto, mas que aparece assinada pelo primeiro-ministro, que não participou nessa reunião -, quer em relação às declarações que prestou ao Parlamento sobre as despesas da RTP, em particular do programa "Acontece".
ECO-TERROR
European Union collapse looming, says new book: The book explains in detail, and with numerous examples, how the European institutions function – or more precisely how they do not function.
No person or institution is singled out for the failures and malfunctioning of the European Union.
European Union collapse looming, says new book: The book explains in detail, and with numerous examples, how the European institutions function – or more precisely how they do not function.
No person or institution is singled out for the failures and malfunctioning of the European Union.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Art That Transfigures Science: what science can offer art is that most subtle quality of all, the way that scientists think, the way they live in the world, or what one might call the mind of science. Science and art have different ways of thinking, and those differences, when explored and portrayed, can enlarge both activities.
Art That Transfigures Science: what science can offer art is that most subtle quality of all, the way that scientists think, the way they live in the world, or what one might call the mind of science. Science and art have different ways of thinking, and those differences, when explored and portrayed, can enlarge both activities.
15 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
La Fiebre de los «Weblogs»: Cada vez son más los famosos que cuentan su día a día en la red. ¿Promoción o exhibicionismo?
La Fiebre de los «Weblogs»: Cada vez son más los famosos que cuentan su día a día en la red. ¿Promoción o exhibicionismo?
14 março 2003
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Clear Channel Plans Music Data: A unit of Clear Channel Communications Inc. will begin offering radio stations data about the popularity of songs on peer-to-peer Internet networks, a move that will sharply raise the profile of activity on the controversial online services.
Clear Channel Plans Music Data: A unit of Clear Channel Communications Inc. will begin offering radio stations data about the popularity of songs on peer-to-peer Internet networks, a move that will sharply raise the profile of activity on the controversial online services.
ZITE
Quizilla! A place for those who like to take quizzes and especially for those who like to make them.
Quizilla! A place for those who like to take quizzes and especially for those who like to make them.
VITAMEDIAS
Reporter Takes His Weblog to War: Sporting a cameraman's vest and lugging a satellite phone, Christopher Allbritton may be no match for heavy artillery. But he's apparently got enough guts to be the Web's first independent war correspondent.
Allbritton, a former New York Daily News reporter living in the East Village, plans to file stories directly to his weblog, Back to Iraq 2.0, next month as part of an independent news-gathering expedition to Iraq.
Ver também o Kevin Sites blog: First-person account of a news correspondent's life on the front lines & Reporting team brought home: The Fayetteville Observer has brought home its reporter and photographer team from Kuwait after reporter Tanya Biank became engaged to an Army major in the unit she was covering.
Reporter Takes His Weblog to War: Sporting a cameraman's vest and lugging a satellite phone, Christopher Allbritton may be no match for heavy artillery. But he's apparently got enough guts to be the Web's first independent war correspondent.
Allbritton, a former New York Daily News reporter living in the East Village, plans to file stories directly to his weblog, Back to Iraq 2.0, next month as part of an independent news-gathering expedition to Iraq.
Ver também o Kevin Sites blog: First-person account of a news correspondent's life on the front lines & Reporting team brought home: The Fayetteville Observer has brought home its reporter and photographer team from Kuwait after reporter Tanya Biank became engaged to an Army major in the unit she was covering.
VITAMEDIAS
O problema dos comentários - episódio 2: U.S. Foodservice Threatens Action Against Web Site: Robert S. Brennen, an attorney for U.S. Foodservice, faxed a letter Wednesday to [Steve Hoschler, who has operated www.foodservicerumors.com for five years] requesting that he remove several unidentified postings on the site that contain "statements that are false and defamatory."
O problema dos comentários - episódio 2: U.S. Foodservice Threatens Action Against Web Site: Robert S. Brennen, an attorney for U.S. Foodservice, faxed a letter Wednesday to [Steve Hoschler, who has operated www.foodservicerumors.com for five years] requesting that he remove several unidentified postings on the site that contain "statements that are false and defamatory."
VITAMEDIAS
Where America's Papers Now Stand on War: Looking at the papers' most recent editorials from the past week, we found that 18 newspapers support war now while 24 want to give diplomacy more time. Seven did not editorialize on the war this week. The Boston Globe still has not made up its mind.
Of that cautious group of 24, 11 support extending the deadline for war for a short period, while 13 believe that inspections deserve much more time.
Mag readers go for the light side: Despite concerns about terror at home and war in Iraq, the numbers show that many readers just want to have fun, or at least escape the bad news.
Where America's Papers Now Stand on War: Looking at the papers' most recent editorials from the past week, we found that 18 newspapers support war now while 24 want to give diplomacy more time. Seven did not editorialize on the war this week. The Boston Globe still has not made up its mind.
Of that cautious group of 24, 11 support extending the deadline for war for a short period, while 13 believe that inspections deserve much more time.
Mag readers go for the light side: Despite concerns about terror at home and war in Iraq, the numbers show that many readers just want to have fun, or at least escape the bad news.
VITAMEDIAS
Acreditem, é verdade, segundo a Lusa: Dois jornalistas do semanário "O Crime" foram acusados de espionagem por um tribunal militar por, em Outubro de 2001, terem tirado fotografias, na via pública, às instalações da NATO em Oeiras e arriscam-se a ser julgados por isso.
Apesar de serem civis, o redactor Luís Fontes e o fotógrafo Ricardo Guilherme foram constituídos arguidos em Dezembro do ano passado e já ouvidos por um juiz de instrução criminal militar, depois de o tribunal de Oeiras ter apreciado o caso e ter concluído que não haveria matéria criminal ao abrigo do Código Penal.
Um despacho do juiz de instrução criminal no processo [...], refere que "indiciam suficientemente os autos a prática pelos arguidos [...] de um crime de espionagem, previsto e punido pelo artigo 63º, alínea B, do Código de Justiça Militar (CJM)".
E o que diz o CJM? Não procure no Ministério da Defesa, que facilmente apresenta a Lei do Serviço Militar (venham, venham...) mas não o CJM (fujam, fujam...).
O tal "crime de espionagem" punido pelo artigo 63º, alínea B" diz: "Será condenado a presídio militar de dois a quatro anos aquele que, em qualquer tempo [...]
b) Sem autorização competente, fizer levantamentos, trabalhos topográficos, hidrográficos, fotográficos ou equivalentes na proximidade de pontos de interesse para a segurança militar;
E já que estamos nisto da defesa nacional, a mesma pena recai sobre quem (alínea C do mesmo artigo 63º), "por quaisquer meios, obtiver ou diligenciar obter quaisquer documentos classificados que interessem à defesa nacional ou à segurança militar, não estando autorizado a tomar deles conhecimento." Obviamente que isto não se refere às matérias sensíveis que passam pelo correio electrónico da Inspecção-Geral da Defesa Nacional (igdn.mdn@esoterica.pt), da Polícia Judiciária Militar (secgerpjm@mail.telepac.pt) e, embora menos sensível, do Instituto de Acção Social das Forças Armadas (iasfa@net.vodafone.pt), todas elas em servidores de "email" de entidades privadas.
Acreditem, é verdade, segundo a Lusa: Dois jornalistas do semanário "O Crime" foram acusados de espionagem por um tribunal militar por, em Outubro de 2001, terem tirado fotografias, na via pública, às instalações da NATO em Oeiras e arriscam-se a ser julgados por isso.
Apesar de serem civis, o redactor Luís Fontes e o fotógrafo Ricardo Guilherme foram constituídos arguidos em Dezembro do ano passado e já ouvidos por um juiz de instrução criminal militar, depois de o tribunal de Oeiras ter apreciado o caso e ter concluído que não haveria matéria criminal ao abrigo do Código Penal.
Um despacho do juiz de instrução criminal no processo [...], refere que "indiciam suficientemente os autos a prática pelos arguidos [...] de um crime de espionagem, previsto e punido pelo artigo 63º, alínea B, do Código de Justiça Militar (CJM)".
E o que diz o CJM? Não procure no Ministério da Defesa, que facilmente apresenta a Lei do Serviço Militar (venham, venham...) mas não o CJM (fujam, fujam...).
O tal "crime de espionagem" punido pelo artigo 63º, alínea B" diz: "Será condenado a presídio militar de dois a quatro anos aquele que, em qualquer tempo [...]
b) Sem autorização competente, fizer levantamentos, trabalhos topográficos, hidrográficos, fotográficos ou equivalentes na proximidade de pontos de interesse para a segurança militar;
E já que estamos nisto da defesa nacional, a mesma pena recai sobre quem (alínea C do mesmo artigo 63º), "por quaisquer meios, obtiver ou diligenciar obter quaisquer documentos classificados que interessem à defesa nacional ou à segurança militar, não estando autorizado a tomar deles conhecimento." Obviamente que isto não se refere às matérias sensíveis que passam pelo correio electrónico da Inspecção-Geral da Defesa Nacional (igdn.mdn@esoterica.pt), da Polícia Judiciária Militar (secgerpjm@mail.telepac.pt) e, embora menos sensível, do Instituto de Acção Social das Forças Armadas (iasfa@net.vodafone.pt), todas elas em servidores de "email" de entidades privadas.
.DE!
A Sic Notícias no seu melhor: depois da "derrota a zero" do FCPorto, há um "consenso unânime" sobre nem sei o quê... E quem quer saber?!?!? Bom, no sítio Web pode ainda conhecer "um pouco mais sobre todos os porgramas da SIC Notícias" (sic)! Sick!
A Sic Notícias no seu melhor: depois da "derrota a zero" do FCPorto, há um "consenso unânime" sobre nem sei o quê... E quem quer saber?!?!? Bom, no sítio Web pode ainda conhecer "um pouco mais sobre todos os porgramas da SIC Notícias" (sic)! Sick!
13 março 2003
VITAMEDIAS
Reading Other People's Mail - Lynne Cheney v. WhiteHouse.Org ou o problema dos comentários nos blogs: Some of these comments are so over the top and full of visceral hatred that they can't seem real - surely they're invented. But I've received such comments and I know that I didn't invent them. That's the reason why I turned off my comments feature. I realize that criticism is one of drawbacks of expressing an opinion, but at least on my own blog, which I pay for, I'll get the last word. Dialogue would be nice - but it's almost impossible over the internet when there are such diametrically opposed positions. It's easier to have constructive, respectful debate with somebody face to face - when people can't so easily ignore the other's humanity.
Reading Other People's Mail - Lynne Cheney v. WhiteHouse.Org ou o problema dos comentários nos blogs: Some of these comments are so over the top and full of visceral hatred that they can't seem real - surely they're invented. But I've received such comments and I know that I didn't invent them. That's the reason why I turned off my comments feature. I realize that criticism is one of drawbacks of expressing an opinion, but at least on my own blog, which I pay for, I'll get the last word. Dialogue would be nice - but it's almost impossible over the internet when there are such diametrically opposed positions. It's easier to have constructive, respectful debate with somebody face to face - when people can't so easily ignore the other's humanity.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Proposed Balancing Amendment to DMCA: the text of the proposed "Benefit Authors Without Limiting Advancement or Net Consumer Expectations" ("Balance") Act (I'm serious, that's the real name of the Bill).
Proposed Balancing Amendment to DMCA: the text of the proposed "Benefit Authors Without Limiting Advancement or Net Consumer Expectations" ("Balance") Act (I'm serious, that's the real name of the Bill).
VITAMEDIAS
The What, Who, Why of Blogs: While bloggers aren't constrained by the policies and schedules of big media organizations, they also aren't bound by traditional journalistic standards, or necessarily trained in the craft. Also, their work doesn't benefit from the professional editing and fact-checking that a first-class newspaper or magazine provides for its reporters. So, a blog is only as good as the blogger.
'Bloggers Are Becoming Influencers': the Internet is the first medium owned by the audience and, yes, that means that this medium gives them a voice. The wise media entity - newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station - will use it to listen to that audience, to find out what they care about and what matters to them and what they have to say. This creates a new and powerful relationship with the audience.
Blogging Goes Corporate: A company's decision whether or not to deploy Weblogs may hinge more on policy than on technical issues related to software deployment. More conservative companies may see Weblogs as too informal and too uncontrolled to justify the risk.
The What, Who, Why of Blogs: While bloggers aren't constrained by the policies and schedules of big media organizations, they also aren't bound by traditional journalistic standards, or necessarily trained in the craft. Also, their work doesn't benefit from the professional editing and fact-checking that a first-class newspaper or magazine provides for its reporters. So, a blog is only as good as the blogger.
'Bloggers Are Becoming Influencers': the Internet is the first medium owned by the audience and, yes, that means that this medium gives them a voice. The wise media entity - newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station - will use it to listen to that audience, to find out what they care about and what matters to them and what they have to say. This creates a new and powerful relationship with the audience.
Blogging Goes Corporate: A company's decision whether or not to deploy Weblogs may hinge more on policy than on technical issues related to software deployment. More conservative companies may see Weblogs as too informal and too uncontrolled to justify the risk.
VITAMEDIAS
La face cachée de "La face cachée du Monde": Avant d'être un simple journaliste puis un "enquêteur écrivain", Pierre Péan exerça ses talents de conseiller politique auprès de décideurs africains. [...]
Les précautions de Péan sur sa bio valent également pour son co-auteur [Philippe Cohen] qui se présente seulement comme "journaliste" alors que son activité d'homme politique, au service de la tentation qualifiée par Le Monde de "nationale républicaine", occupe l'essentiel de son temps. Ainsi, lors de la dernière campagne présidentielle, en sa qualité de conseiller politique de Jean-Pierre Chevènement.
La face cachée de "La face cachée du Monde": Avant d'être un simple journaliste puis un "enquêteur écrivain", Pierre Péan exerça ses talents de conseiller politique auprès de décideurs africains. [...]
Les précautions de Péan sur sa bio valent également pour son co-auteur [Philippe Cohen] qui se présente seulement comme "journaliste" alors que son activité d'homme politique, au service de la tentation qualifiée par Le Monde de "nationale républicaine", occupe l'essentiel de son temps. Ainsi, lors de la dernière campagne présidentielle, en sa qualité de conseiller politique de Jean-Pierre Chevènement.
.DE!
House cafeterias change names for 'french' fries and 'french' toast: The cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings changed the name of "french fries" to "freedom fries," in a culinary rebuke of France stemming from anger over the country's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.
Ditto for "french toast," which will be known as "freedom toast."
[Aparentemente as batatas fritas tanto podem ser belgas como francesas, segundo a "Secret History of French Fries". Mas como ambos os países se opõem aos Estados Unidos neste caso, lembrem-se de pedir "freedom fries" nos States...
Ainda em termos de alimentação, qual será o nome das futuras saladas no McDonald's?]
[act.:] She has bones to pick with France: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, plans to introduce a bill today proposing that the families of the thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen buried in France and Belgium be allowed to dig up their remains and have them shipped home.
House cafeterias change names for 'french' fries and 'french' toast: The cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings changed the name of "french fries" to "freedom fries," in a culinary rebuke of France stemming from anger over the country's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.
Ditto for "french toast," which will be known as "freedom toast."
[Aparentemente as batatas fritas tanto podem ser belgas como francesas, segundo a "Secret History of French Fries". Mas como ambos os países se opõem aos Estados Unidos neste caso, lembrem-se de pedir "freedom fries" nos States...
Ainda em termos de alimentação, qual será o nome das futuras saladas no McDonald's?]
[act.:] She has bones to pick with France: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, plans to introduce a bill today proposing that the families of the thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen buried in France and Belgium be allowed to dig up their remains and have them shipped home.
ECO-TERROR
Disinfopedia: a collaborative project to produce a directory of public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests.
Disinfopedia: a collaborative project to produce a directory of public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests.
CONTAMINANTES
Was Light Faster in the Past? Este João Magueijo está mesmo na ordem do dia:
A par com uma entrevista na New Scientist (não disponível online mas encontra-se na edição de 8 de Fevereiro, onde se aborda também o impacto do trabalho noutras disciplinas), na qual "bate" no sistema de "peer review", no sistema financeiro das instituições científicas inglesas ou na "string theory", fala-se dele ainda em "Bang goes that theory" a propósito do seu livro Faster Than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific Speculation.
O Público falou com ele em Janeiro e a Economist criticou o livro. Um extracto: The first half of his book, a broad primer, is riddled with cliché and self-regard. The author cannot get through a discussion of Einstein's special theory of relativity without a reference to his own precocity. In the second half of his book, Mr Magueijo purports to provide, among other things, a behind-the-scenes picture of how physics is done. The attempt fails because most physicists are not as professionally bitter as Mr Magueijo. They do not typically deride each other in print or claim, for example, that the editors of scientific journals suffer from penis envy. If, as Mr Magueijo claims, he wanted us to take the diatribes that litter his book as jokes, they fall crashingly flat.
[act.:] At the Speed of Light: What if Einstein was wrong?
Was Light Faster in the Past? Este João Magueijo está mesmo na ordem do dia:
A par com uma entrevista na New Scientist (não disponível online mas encontra-se na edição de 8 de Fevereiro, onde se aborda também o impacto do trabalho noutras disciplinas), na qual "bate" no sistema de "peer review", no sistema financeiro das instituições científicas inglesas ou na "string theory", fala-se dele ainda em "Bang goes that theory" a propósito do seu livro Faster Than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific Speculation.
O Público falou com ele em Janeiro e a Economist criticou o livro. Um extracto: The first half of his book, a broad primer, is riddled with cliché and self-regard. The author cannot get through a discussion of Einstein's special theory of relativity without a reference to his own precocity. In the second half of his book, Mr Magueijo purports to provide, among other things, a behind-the-scenes picture of how physics is done. The attempt fails because most physicists are not as professionally bitter as Mr Magueijo. They do not typically deride each other in print or claim, for example, that the editors of scientific journals suffer from penis envy. If, as Mr Magueijo claims, he wanted us to take the diatribes that litter his book as jokes, they fall crashingly flat.
[act.:] At the Speed of Light: What if Einstein was wrong?
VITAMEDIAS
The Way We Were: Wired's 10th anniversary
UnWired: Wired has concluded that there just aren't enough months in the year.
So it's producing what it's calling a 13th issue. The special 60-page issue, which will be devoted to Wi-Fi technology, will be called UnWired and will come packaged inside the magazine's May edition for Wired's 460,000 subscribers and for newsstand sales. Wired also will print an extra 300,000 copies of the issue for free distribution in airports, hotels and other places; some issues will be sold separately at $4.95 each.
The Way We Were: Wired's 10th anniversary
UnWired: Wired has concluded that there just aren't enough months in the year.
So it's producing what it's calling a 13th issue. The special 60-page issue, which will be devoted to Wi-Fi technology, will be called UnWired and will come packaged inside the magazine's May edition for Wired's 460,000 subscribers and for newsstand sales. Wired also will print an extra 300,000 copies of the issue for free distribution in airports, hotels and other places; some issues will be sold separately at $4.95 each.
VITAMEDIAS
The myth of interference: There's a reason our television sets so outgun us, spraying us with trillions of bits while we respond only with the laughable trickles from our remotes. To enable signals to get through intact, the government has to divide the spectrum of frequencies into bands, which it then licenses to particular broadcasters. NBC has a license and you don't.
Thus, NBC gets to bathe you in "Friends," followed by a very special "Scrubs," and you get to sit passively on your couch. It's an asymmetric bargain that dominates our cultural, economic and political lives - only the rich and famous can deliver their messages - and it's all based on the fact that radio waves in their untamed habitat interfere with one another.
Except they don't.
"Interference is a metaphor that paints an old limitation of technology as a fact of nature." So says David P. Reed, electrical engineer, computer scientist, and one of the architects of the Internet. If he's right, then spectrum isn't a resource to be divvied up like gold or parceled out like land. It's not even a set of pipes with their capacity limited by how wide they are or an aerial highway with white lines to maintain order.
The myth of interference: There's a reason our television sets so outgun us, spraying us with trillions of bits while we respond only with the laughable trickles from our remotes. To enable signals to get through intact, the government has to divide the spectrum of frequencies into bands, which it then licenses to particular broadcasters. NBC has a license and you don't.
Thus, NBC gets to bathe you in "Friends," followed by a very special "Scrubs," and you get to sit passively on your couch. It's an asymmetric bargain that dominates our cultural, economic and political lives - only the rich and famous can deliver their messages - and it's all based on the fact that radio waves in their untamed habitat interfere with one another.
Except they don't.
"Interference is a metaphor that paints an old limitation of technology as a fact of nature." So says David P. Reed, electrical engineer, computer scientist, and one of the architects of the Internet. If he's right, then spectrum isn't a resource to be divvied up like gold or parceled out like land. It's not even a set of pipes with their capacity limited by how wide they are or an aerial highway with white lines to maintain order.
ECO-TERROR
CMVM insiste em revelar salários dos executivos: A Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários (CMVM) vai consultar de novo o mercado no sentido de tornar obrigatória a revelação das remunerações individuais dos elementos dos conselhos de administração das instituições cotadas. Às remunerações pagas pela cotada, os administradores teriam de juntar os rendimentos recebidos de outras sociedades em situação de domínio.
Esta é a segunda vez que a autoridade reguladora insiste numa questão considerada melindrosa e que deixa muita gente de cabelos em pé. Há cerca de dois anos, a CMVM colocou em consulta pública a obrigatoriedade da divulgação destes valores, mas a reacção foi tal modo negativa que o organismo de supervisão acabou por recuar.
A legislação actual obriga as empresas a revelar apenas o valor agregado das remunerações dos seus administradores, discriminado nas suas componentes fixa e variável.
[Nota anterior: não detenho acções bolsistas. O assunto interessa-me em termos de transparência empresarial, política ou jornalística, em que uns e outros devem divulgar o seu portfolio bolsista quando agem ou escrevem sobre empresas (ou suas concorrentes) nas quais têm acções.
Disto isto, é incrível que a CMVM ainda insista em "consultar" o mercado se deve ou não divulgar os vencimentos dos quadros de empresas cotadas! A CMVM é uma entidade reguladora em termos da sensibilidade do mercado?...
Querem saber quanto ganhou anualmente nos últimos três anos o homem mais rico nos Estados Unidos, Bill Gates, fundador e presidente da Microsoft (a partir de dados públicos, igualmente disponíveis para outras empresas cotadas)?
em 2002: 547,500 dólares de salário e 205,810 de bónus;
em 2001: 494,992 dólares e 171,762 dólares de bónus;
em 2000: 439,401 dólares e 200,000 dólares de bónus;
Por comparação, quanto ganhou o Chief Executive Officer da Microsoft, Steven Ballmer?
em 2002: 547,500 dólares, 205,810 dólares de bónus e 5,500 dólares noutras compensações;
em 2001: 494,076 dólares, 171,444 dólares de bónus e 5,100 dólares noutras compensações;
em 2000: 428,414 dólares, 200,000 dólares de bónus e 5,100 dólares noutras compensações.
Se isto não é transparência, tente-se obter os dados relativos aos CEOs nacionais...]
CMVM insiste em revelar salários dos executivos: A Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários (CMVM) vai consultar de novo o mercado no sentido de tornar obrigatória a revelação das remunerações individuais dos elementos dos conselhos de administração das instituições cotadas. Às remunerações pagas pela cotada, os administradores teriam de juntar os rendimentos recebidos de outras sociedades em situação de domínio.
Esta é a segunda vez que a autoridade reguladora insiste numa questão considerada melindrosa e que deixa muita gente de cabelos em pé. Há cerca de dois anos, a CMVM colocou em consulta pública a obrigatoriedade da divulgação destes valores, mas a reacção foi tal modo negativa que o organismo de supervisão acabou por recuar.
A legislação actual obriga as empresas a revelar apenas o valor agregado das remunerações dos seus administradores, discriminado nas suas componentes fixa e variável.
[Nota anterior: não detenho acções bolsistas. O assunto interessa-me em termos de transparência empresarial, política ou jornalística, em que uns e outros devem divulgar o seu portfolio bolsista quando agem ou escrevem sobre empresas (ou suas concorrentes) nas quais têm acções.
Disto isto, é incrível que a CMVM ainda insista em "consultar" o mercado se deve ou não divulgar os vencimentos dos quadros de empresas cotadas! A CMVM é uma entidade reguladora em termos da sensibilidade do mercado?...
Querem saber quanto ganhou anualmente nos últimos três anos o homem mais rico nos Estados Unidos, Bill Gates, fundador e presidente da Microsoft (a partir de dados públicos, igualmente disponíveis para outras empresas cotadas)?
em 2002: 547,500 dólares de salário e 205,810 de bónus;
em 2001: 494,992 dólares e 171,762 dólares de bónus;
em 2000: 439,401 dólares e 200,000 dólares de bónus;
Por comparação, quanto ganhou o Chief Executive Officer da Microsoft, Steven Ballmer?
em 2002: 547,500 dólares, 205,810 dólares de bónus e 5,500 dólares noutras compensações;
em 2001: 494,076 dólares, 171,444 dólares de bónus e 5,100 dólares noutras compensações;
em 2000: 428,414 dólares, 200,000 dólares de bónus e 5,100 dólares noutras compensações.
Se isto não é transparência, tente-se obter os dados relativos aos CEOs nacionais...]
VITAMEDIAS
Media Companies Brace for War: The threat of war and a lingering weak economy will continue to paralyze acquisition and expansion investments for all but a few lightly leveraged, well-financed players.
On The Eve Of War, CNN Begins An Upfront Battle: CNN sales execs said they’ve already developed an array of contingency plans for dealing with advertising during the war. The current plans call for no commercials during the first few days of battle, followed by a “modified” commercial break schedule after that.
ABC To Start Web-Only News Service: With television-news competition escalating as a possible war with Iraq approaches, Walt Disney Co.'s ABC News plans to launch today a 24-hour news service that will be available only to broadband Internet users.
Casualties of War: Ad agencies are scrambling to make sure spots scheduled for the Academy Awards on March 23 won't offend potential customers around the globe if the U.S. is at war.
Some American companies are afraid that anti-U.S. foreigners will hold it against their products if they are too closely identified with the United States.
Media Companies Brace for War: The threat of war and a lingering weak economy will continue to paralyze acquisition and expansion investments for all but a few lightly leveraged, well-financed players.
On The Eve Of War, CNN Begins An Upfront Battle: CNN sales execs said they’ve already developed an array of contingency plans for dealing with advertising during the war. The current plans call for no commercials during the first few days of battle, followed by a “modified” commercial break schedule after that.
ABC To Start Web-Only News Service: With television-news competition escalating as a possible war with Iraq approaches, Walt Disney Co.'s ABC News plans to launch today a 24-hour news service that will be available only to broadband Internet users.
Casualties of War: Ad agencies are scrambling to make sure spots scheduled for the Academy Awards on March 23 won't offend potential customers around the globe if the U.S. is at war.
Some American companies are afraid that anti-U.S. foreigners will hold it against their products if they are too closely identified with the United States.
ECO-TERROR
Italian reportedly commits suicide after child porn allegation: The "child pornography" issue became a major topic for lawmakers and politicians when most of them "discovered" the internet. So a true crusade full of hypocrisy has been started against the "illegal content" and in favour of the "moralisation" of the net especially by the most conservative parts of right wing politicians and roman catholic priests. […]
The result is a substantial breach in the civil right and free speech protection. That are threatened and damaged thanks to the use of child-pornography as trojan.
Another “witchhunt” in Italy: A “witchthunt” has started again in Italy. The perpetrators are a few magistrates (especially a megalomaniac in Torre Annunziata near Naples), a priest in Sicily leading a band of vigilantes... and Microsoft. Plus several politicians exploiting the issue – and most of the mainstream media. […]
The current witchhunt is being largely exploited by the media for “sensationalism”, by several interests to promote censorship on the net, and by police authorities to increase their (already large) control powers.
Judges Attack Online Child Porn Crackdown: Two federal judges have dealt a potentially crippling blow to a nationwide Internet child pornography crackdown, saying the FBI recklessly misled judges to get search warrants that were used in making more than 100 arrests.
Italian reportedly commits suicide after child porn allegation: The "child pornography" issue became a major topic for lawmakers and politicians when most of them "discovered" the internet. So a true crusade full of hypocrisy has been started against the "illegal content" and in favour of the "moralisation" of the net especially by the most conservative parts of right wing politicians and roman catholic priests. […]
The result is a substantial breach in the civil right and free speech protection. That are threatened and damaged thanks to the use of child-pornography as trojan.
Another “witchhunt” in Italy: A “witchthunt” has started again in Italy. The perpetrators are a few magistrates (especially a megalomaniac in Torre Annunziata near Naples), a priest in Sicily leading a band of vigilantes... and Microsoft. Plus several politicians exploiting the issue – and most of the mainstream media. […]
The current witchhunt is being largely exploited by the media for “sensationalism”, by several interests to promote censorship on the net, and by police authorities to increase their (already large) control powers.
Judges Attack Online Child Porn Crackdown: Two federal judges have dealt a potentially crippling blow to a nationwide Internet child pornography crackdown, saying the FBI recklessly misled judges to get search warrants that were used in making more than 100 arrests.
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Two Dutch Museums Offer Fresh Angles [on the] 150th anniversary of van Gogh's birth on March 30
Two Dutch Museums Offer Fresh Angles [on the] 150th anniversary of van Gogh's birth on March 30
ECO-TERROR
Leaky battleships: 'The whole government leaks - from the White House, State, Defence, and even the CIA and FBI - like a broken water main…'
So wrote an American journalist in October 2002, as yet another leak about US foreign policy made its way from the White House (this time) to the media. According to the UK Observer, in the run-up to the clash with Iraq, officials at the Pentagon, the State Department and the UK Ministry of Defence have been leaking 'liberally', secretly revealing everything from invasion strategies to troop numbers to postwar plans.
At the same time, some in the American and British elites who are concerned about the coming conflict have been leaking info that they think undermines the case for war. [...]
In earlier times of war, states kept sensitive information about their plans and ambitions to themselves. And internal concerns about a conflict and its consequences would have been expressed privately, if at all. Now, in the words of one US commentator, we can 'read all about it' - 'how many troops are going to do what to Iraq', and who supports it and who doesn't - in our morning papers. What's going on?
Leaky battleships: 'The whole government leaks - from the White House, State, Defence, and even the CIA and FBI - like a broken water main…'
So wrote an American journalist in October 2002, as yet another leak about US foreign policy made its way from the White House (this time) to the media. According to the UK Observer, in the run-up to the clash with Iraq, officials at the Pentagon, the State Department and the UK Ministry of Defence have been leaking 'liberally', secretly revealing everything from invasion strategies to troop numbers to postwar plans.
At the same time, some in the American and British elites who are concerned about the coming conflict have been leaking info that they think undermines the case for war. [...]
In earlier times of war, states kept sensitive information about their plans and ambitions to themselves. And internal concerns about a conflict and its consequences would have been expressed privately, if at all. Now, in the words of one US commentator, we can 'read all about it' - 'how many troops are going to do what to Iraq', and who supports it and who doesn't - in our morning papers. What's going on?
CULTURAS IN VITRO
Beyond the CD: A Bid to Burnish Records' Sheen
The discs in question are not in the 20-year-old CD format but in two more advanced forms: SACD (for super audio compact disc) and DVD-Audio. Both contain music remastered in high-resolution digital audio, often in cinematic surround sound, like DVD movies. Although the two formats have been around for several years, such discs were priced much higher than normal CD's and tucked into specialty racks found only in larger record shops. Figuring out what machines could play them has generally been confusing, or at least obscure.
But now the record industry is giving new priority to these feature-rich audio discs.
Beyond the CD: A Bid to Burnish Records' Sheen
The discs in question are not in the 20-year-old CD format but in two more advanced forms: SACD (for super audio compact disc) and DVD-Audio. Both contain music remastered in high-resolution digital audio, often in cinematic surround sound, like DVD movies. Although the two formats have been around for several years, such discs were priced much higher than normal CD's and tucked into specialty racks found only in larger record shops. Figuring out what machines could play them has generally been confusing, or at least obscure.
But now the record industry is giving new priority to these feature-rich audio discs.
VITAMEDIAS
The Pentagon has threatened to fire on the satellite uplink positions of independent journalists in Iraq, according to veteran BBC war correspondent, Kate Adie.
The Pentagon has threatened to fire on the satellite uplink positions of independent journalists in Iraq, according to veteran BBC war correspondent, Kate Adie.
11 março 2003
ECO-TERROR
Democracies and Their Spies: Are secrecy and democracy inherently incompatible? Not necessarily.
Democracies and Their Spies: Are secrecy and democracy inherently incompatible? Not necessarily.
VITAMEDIAS
'The valley is going to save the valley' (Marc Andreessen co-founded Netscape Communications around the Mosaic technology and saw Netscape's 1996 initial public offering ignite an investor mania for Internet stocks. America Online paid $10 billion for Netscape in 1999. Since then, Andreessen has struggled to get back to the top, first with Web-hosting company Loudcloud, and now as chairman of a spinoff, Opsware, a data-automation software firm whose stock is trading at less than $2 a share.)
Q - Do you blog?
A - No. I have a day job. I don't have the time or ego need.
[via pointblog]
'The valley is going to save the valley' (Marc Andreessen co-founded Netscape Communications around the Mosaic technology and saw Netscape's 1996 initial public offering ignite an investor mania for Internet stocks. America Online paid $10 billion for Netscape in 1999. Since then, Andreessen has struggled to get back to the top, first with Web-hosting company Loudcloud, and now as chairman of a spinoff, Opsware, a data-automation software firm whose stock is trading at less than $2 a share.)
Q - Do you blog?
A - No. I have a day job. I don't have the time or ego need.
[via pointblog]
VITAMEDIAS
A declaration of bloggerdom
01. We are bloggers.
02. We are individuals.
03. We are not for sale
04. We are not a target market.
05. We link to sites because we find them interesting, not because we think we'll get free goods or money out of our links.
06. If we have a relationship with a product/company/service/person we link to, we will disclose it in the same post.
07. We believe in contributing.
08. We believe in truth.
09. Our writing is our own. Our words are our own.
10. Like them or not, our opinions are our own, too.
[Cinismo: durante quanto tempo?...]
A declaration of bloggerdom
01. We are bloggers.
02. We are individuals.
03. We are not for sale
04. We are not a target market.
05. We link to sites because we find them interesting, not because we think we'll get free goods or money out of our links.
06. If we have a relationship with a product/company/service/person we link to, we will disclose it in the same post.
07. We believe in contributing.
08. We believe in truth.
09. Our writing is our own. Our words are our own.
10. Like them or not, our opinions are our own, too.
[Cinismo: durante quanto tempo?...]
VITAMEDIAS
Confidence in institutions In answer to the question "How much confidence do you have in the following institutions in your country? A great deal - Quite a lot - Not very much - None at all". [arrumado por ordem decrescente relativamente a Portugal]
Category: All (Portugal)
- A great deal
Marriage: 38% (27%)
Postal Service: 14% (24%)
The Church: 14% (22%)
The Euro: 14% (20%)
Armed Forces: 14% (14%)
Radio: 13% (12%)
The European Union: 8% (11%)
The Police: 13% (9%)
National Government: 6% (9%)
Television: 9% (7%)
Public Transport: 9% (7%)
Trade Unions: 4% (4%)
The Press: 6% (3%)
International Companies: 2% (2%)
- A great deal/quite a lot
Radio: 74% (73%)
The Euro: 53% (67%)
Marriage: 73% (64%)
Armed Forces: 59% (57%)
The Church: 46% (57%)
The European Union: 45% (54%)
Television: 62% (50%)
Public Transport: 53% (46%)
The Police: 59% (45%)
The Press: 47% (44%)
International Companies: 35% (31%)
National Government: 33% (31%)
Trade Unions: 31% (26%)
Results for The Press [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Spain: 15% (63%)
Finland: 13% (72%)
Netherlands: 8% (64%)
Sweden: 8% (58%)
France: 6% (53%)
Germany: 6% (47%)
All: 6% (47%)
Belgium: 5% (60%)
Italy: 5% (49%)
Hungary: 5% (48%)
Poland: 5% (42%)
UK: 5% (35%)
Norway: 4% (55%)
Switzerland: 4% (44%)
Austria: 4% (41%)
Portugal: 3% (44%)
Czech Republic: 2% (28%)
Slovakia: 1% (31%)
Russia: 1% (20%)
Results for Television [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Finland: 22% (82%)
Sweden: 14% (83%)
Austria: 12% (66%)
Czech Republic: 11% (62%)
Norway: 10% (77%)
Spain: 10% (55%)
UK: 9% (68%)
All: 9% (62%)
Germany: 9% (60%)
Hungary: 7% (62%)
Portugal: 7% (50%)
Netherlands: 6% (71%)
Belgium: 6% (67%)
Poland: 6% (64%)
Slovakia: 6% (62%)
Switzerland: 6% (60%)
France: 5% (47%)
Italy: 4% (39%)
Russia: 1% (36%)
Results for Radio [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Finland: 27% (86%)
Spain: 25% (84%)
Sweden: 20% (87%)
UK: 18% (81%)
Norway: 16% (85%)
Switzerland: 16% (78%)
Austria: 15% (74%)
Germany: 14% (74%)
Czech Republic: 14% (71%)
All: 13% (74%)
Slovakia: 12% (78%)
Portugal: 12% (73%)
Hungary: 10% (72%)
Belgium: 9% (78%)
Italy: 8% (70%)
Poland: 8% (70%)
Netherlands: 7% (77%)
France: 7% (60%)
Russia: 4% (45%)
[Comentários: Portugal acredita mais no casamento (o que sucede igualmente com os outros países neste inquérito a três anos), nos correios, na igreja, no euro e nas forças armadas antes do primeiro meio de comunicação social (a rádio, por inesperado que seja). Depois da União Europeia, polícia e governo, lá surge a televisão, seguida dos transportes públicos e dos sindicatos para finalmente aparecer a imprensa! Significa que os portugueses ouvem mais rádio do que vêem televisão e, depois de andarem nos transportes e se queixarem aos sindicatos, finalmente lêem os jornais?... Só 3 por cento acredita muito nos jornais!
Quando se passa para muita ou bastante confiança, a rádio continua a liderar, a televisão surge depois das forças armadas ou da igreja (sinais dos tempos actuais?) e os transportes públicos conseguem agradar a mais do que a imprensa, embora esta fique à frente do governo (seja lá o que isto queira significar...). Desdramatizemos: a culpa é do inquérito :-(
Quanto aos "rankings" internacionais na imprensa, TV e rádio, é a tristeza do costume. Nada a acrescentar, compare-se o país com o líder de cada lista!]
Confidence in institutions In answer to the question "How much confidence do you have in the following institutions in your country? A great deal - Quite a lot - Not very much - None at all". [arrumado por ordem decrescente relativamente a Portugal]
Category: All (Portugal)
- A great deal
Marriage: 38% (27%)
Postal Service: 14% (24%)
The Church: 14% (22%)
The Euro: 14% (20%)
Armed Forces: 14% (14%)
Radio: 13% (12%)
The European Union: 8% (11%)
The Police: 13% (9%)
National Government: 6% (9%)
Television: 9% (7%)
Public Transport: 9% (7%)
Trade Unions: 4% (4%)
The Press: 6% (3%)
International Companies: 2% (2%)
- A great deal/quite a lot
Radio: 74% (73%)
The Euro: 53% (67%)
Marriage: 73% (64%)
Armed Forces: 59% (57%)
The Church: 46% (57%)
The European Union: 45% (54%)
Television: 62% (50%)
Public Transport: 53% (46%)
The Police: 59% (45%)
The Press: 47% (44%)
International Companies: 35% (31%)
National Government: 33% (31%)
Trade Unions: 31% (26%)
Results for The Press [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Spain: 15% (63%)
Finland: 13% (72%)
Netherlands: 8% (64%)
Sweden: 8% (58%)
France: 6% (53%)
Germany: 6% (47%)
All: 6% (47%)
Belgium: 5% (60%)
Italy: 5% (49%)
Hungary: 5% (48%)
Poland: 5% (42%)
UK: 5% (35%)
Norway: 4% (55%)
Switzerland: 4% (44%)
Austria: 4% (41%)
Portugal: 3% (44%)
Czech Republic: 2% (28%)
Slovakia: 1% (31%)
Russia: 1% (20%)
Results for Television [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Finland: 22% (82%)
Sweden: 14% (83%)
Austria: 12% (66%)
Czech Republic: 11% (62%)
Norway: 10% (77%)
Spain: 10% (55%)
UK: 9% (68%)
All: 9% (62%)
Germany: 9% (60%)
Hungary: 7% (62%)
Portugal: 7% (50%)
Netherlands: 6% (71%)
Belgium: 6% (67%)
Poland: 6% (64%)
Slovakia: 6% (62%)
Switzerland: 6% (60%)
France: 5% (47%)
Italy: 4% (39%)
Russia: 1% (36%)
Results for Radio [arrumados por ordem decrescente de "A great deal" e "A great deal/quite a lot"]:
Country: A great deal (A great deal/quite a lot)
Finland: 27% (86%)
Spain: 25% (84%)
Sweden: 20% (87%)
UK: 18% (81%)
Norway: 16% (85%)
Switzerland: 16% (78%)
Austria: 15% (74%)
Germany: 14% (74%)
Czech Republic: 14% (71%)
All: 13% (74%)
Slovakia: 12% (78%)
Portugal: 12% (73%)
Hungary: 10% (72%)
Belgium: 9% (78%)
Italy: 8% (70%)
Poland: 8% (70%)
Netherlands: 7% (77%)
France: 7% (60%)
Russia: 4% (45%)
[Comentários: Portugal acredita mais no casamento (o que sucede igualmente com os outros países neste inquérito a três anos), nos correios, na igreja, no euro e nas forças armadas antes do primeiro meio de comunicação social (a rádio, por inesperado que seja). Depois da União Europeia, polícia e governo, lá surge a televisão, seguida dos transportes públicos e dos sindicatos para finalmente aparecer a imprensa! Significa que os portugueses ouvem mais rádio do que vêem televisão e, depois de andarem nos transportes e se queixarem aos sindicatos, finalmente lêem os jornais?... Só 3 por cento acredita muito nos jornais!
Quando se passa para muita ou bastante confiança, a rádio continua a liderar, a televisão surge depois das forças armadas ou da igreja (sinais dos tempos actuais?) e os transportes públicos conseguem agradar a mais do que a imprensa, embora esta fique à frente do governo (seja lá o que isto queira significar...). Desdramatizemos: a culpa é do inquérito :-(
Quanto aos "rankings" internacionais na imprensa, TV e rádio, é a tristeza do costume. Nada a acrescentar, compare-se o país com o líder de cada lista!]
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