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19 Jun 2009 15:55

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Biz, Politics: Thoughts on the news industry in light of a recent crisis

  • What happened? A group that our site has personal ties with, the Society for News Design, lost its president in an ugly and public way. Other sites have covered it much better than we can and will, but suffice it to say, a professional newspaper organization with a long, storied history and thousands of members will struggle to regain its formidable swagger. And honestly, it sucks.
  • Why is this? Ultimately, SND’s problems are a microcosm for the rest of the news industry. They’ve lost members in the wake of massive news-industry layoffs, and many former members complain that the organization focuses too much on big picture surface details at the loss of its rank and file. News companies do the same thing; they’re laying off their future right now.
  • What happened? A group that our site has personal ties with, the Society for News Design, lost its president in an ugly and public way. Other sites have covered it much better than we can and will, but suffice it to say, a professional newspaper organization with a long, storied history and thousands of members will struggle to regain its formidable swagger. And honestly, it sucks.
  • Why is this? Ultimately, SND’s problems are a microcosm for the rest of the news industry. They’ve lost members in the wake of massive news-industry layoffs, and many former members complain that the organization focuses too much on big picture surface details at the loss of its rank and file. News companies do the same thing; they’re laying off their future right now.
  • What do we change? Ultimately, SND – and the news industry in general – has to function with the Internet instead of around it. Most newspapers are organized around themselves. The Internet doesn’t cluster to walled gardens – it clusters to smart little ideas here and there. Find ways to play inside the new rules. The old rules don’t work. The structure of news needs a redesign.

19 Jun 2009 15:16

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Politics, World: Iran presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi: Cancel the vote

  • Accept the Iranian nation’s will by canceling the vote and guarantee the establishment’s survival.
  • Mehdi Karoubi • An Iranian presidential candidate who was the only cleric to run. He, along with high-attention opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi and other guy Mohsen Rezaie, will meet with the Guardian Council tomorrow to consider complaints. Keep in mind, though, that they’ll be talking to this guy. And this guy is transparently in favor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. So, this will be a tough day for these three dudes. • source

19 Jun 2009 15:02

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U.S.: Roland Burris is giggling like a little schoolgirl right now

  • Dude won’t be facing perjury charges. Ah, Roland. The only guy who’s a bigger joke than you in this whole Illinois Senate mess has a nest for a haircut and a near-unpronounceable last name. And he’s probably going to jail eventually. You, on the other hand, probably won’t. The prosecutor behind the case didn’t have enough evidence to pin any wrongdoing on you. The Senate will still investigate him, but no senator has been removed since the Civil War era for wrongdoing. You’re made of Teflon, Roland. source

19 Jun 2009 14:47

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Biz, U.S.: Line up ten Californians. More than one of them is jobless.

  • 11.5% of Californians don’t have jobs; that’s a record source

19 Jun 2009 10:21

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World: The guy in charge of the Iran recount is in Ahmadinejad’s pocket

  • A hard-liner, he has called for America’s destruction multiple times, as well as George W. Bush’s decapitation. He formally endorsed Ahmadinejad, and he will run the Guardian Council’s election recount.
  • The New Republic • In their description of Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati Massah, the man in charge of the Guardian Council, who’s recounting votes and ensuring they’re kosher with Islamic law. We’re not rocket scientists here, but this guy should not have anything to do with this election. • source

19 Jun 2009 10:10

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World: Iran opposition leader Mousavi’s support on Facebook is exploding

  • 2,500 Number of friends Mir Hossein Mousavi had a month ago source

19 Jun 2009 10:06

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Offbeat: Lawnmower racing: A sensation that’s taking over the nation

  • This in-progress documentary, called “On Your Mark, Get Set, Mow!” isn’t just about racing grass-cutting things – it raises awareness for Huntington’s Disease. These racers are a cut above when it comes to class.source
 

19 Jun 2009 09:52

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Sports: Dirk Nowitzki’s ex has a bun in the oven. He wants sole custody.

  • Our only focus in this case is to ensure the laws of the state of Texas are complied with to protect any and all rights Taylor has in delivery [of the baby] and her rights as a mother.
  • Scott Renick • Lawyer for Crystal Taylor, the ex-girlfriend of Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki. Taylor is currently pregnant, and if that child proves to be his, Nowitzki wants it as his and his alone. That sounds like a very strange minefield to wade through, by the way, fraught with drama. • source

19 Jun 2009 09:42

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Tech: Reminder: Today is iPhone New Year’s. (WWDC was iPhone Christmas)

  • eight countries get the new iPhone 3GS today, including the U.S. source

19 Jun 2009 09:33

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Biz, U.S.: Everybody’s favorite ponzi schemer, R. Allen Stanford, in custody

  • He surrendered to FBI agents while hanging at hs gf’s place. Stanford, who’s on the hook for $8 billion in freaking fraud, was arrested last night in the case. According to his attorney, Dick DeGuerin, here’s how it went down: “Federal agents in black SUVs surrounded his girlfriend’s house this afternoon, and just sat there. I told him to walk out and introduce himself. So he did, and he asked them, ‘If you’ve got a warrant, take me into custody. If you don’t, I’m going to Houston.’ And they did, so they arrested him.” He’ll be in court today. source