Chgo Sun-Times Columnist Quits, Says Newspaper is ‘Dying’ and ‘Can’t Compete on Web’
August 29, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging, Democrats/Leftists, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Technology, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
- By Warner Todd Huston
Jay Mariotti, a firebrand sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, announced he is quitting the print biz loudly proclaiming that newspapers are “dying” and that he didn’t want to go down with the ship of the struggling industry. Naturally, the management of the Sun-Times is not amused.
Mariotti told Chicago’s CBS 2 news that newspapers are in serious trouble and he wanted out before he was forced out. “It’s been a tremendous experience, but I’m going to be honest with you, the profession is dying,” Mariotti told CBS 2, “I don’t think either paper [Sun-Times or Chicago Tribune] is going to survive.
How the FCC Comcast Decision Limits Net Neutrality
August 29, 2008 | Filed Under Business, Google, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Scott Cleland, Society/Culture, Technology | No Comments
-By Scott Cleland
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the FCC’s order on Comcast’s network management practices, reined in the net neutrality movement much more than it advanced their agenda. The old adage is true here, be careful what you ask for — FreePress/Public Knowledge.
At its rawest level, the chest-beating petitioners got the FCC to reiterate what the FCC has long said it would do, and also order Comcast to do what Comcast already publicly committed to do. When the dust settles and the rhetoric cools, the petitioners will better understand the old adage: be careful what you ask for.
In this instance, they hoped to advance their agenda for sweeping net neutrality legislation and regulation, and what they ended up with was the expert agency taking much of the wind out of their sails.
How does the FCC Comcast decision limit Net Neutrality?
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Another Time Mag. McCain Computer Smear
August 20, 2008 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Technology, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
I thought this whole McCain as Computer illiterate meme had finally faded, but Time Magazine comes to the rescue of this pointless attack once again. The last time we saw this attack it was by the chief geek over at PCmag.com, Lance Ulanoff. This time it is Lev Grossman from Time Magazine in one titled “The Off-Line American.” Painting McCain as “behind the times” and “way behind” Grossman also takes the occasion to link McCain with “recently indicted Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.” Lots of slams yet much ado about nothing. But, anything to try to make McCain look bad, of course.
First of all, it is a bit humorous that Time and Grossman’s goal is to make it look like McCain is Internet illiterate, yet with the very first use of the word, in the first sentence of the very first paragraph of the story, Internet is misspelled by splitting it into two words.
It’s hard to tell exactly how much or how little John McCain knows about the Inter net.
Time publishes an article about the Internet, calling it the “Inter net,” and they have the gall to make fun of McCain, or President Bush for saying “The Google”? Now THAT is irony.
Important FEC Ruling for Blogger Freedom…
August 15, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, The Heritage Foundation, The Law | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Apparently the FEC just made a good ruling for our side. The Heritage Foundation has the report…
Bloggers and web site operators may support, oppose, link to, and work cooperatively with federal political candidates. This freedom was reaffirmed when the newly re-constituted Federal Election Commission released its first two enforcement cases August 12.
The Commission’s refusal to regulate blogging and internet sites is not new, but it is notable is that the pro-blogger decision was made within a week or two of the new Commission taking office. Of the scores of items on its docket, the new Commission chose to address this one first: quite likely because they wanted to send a signal to that bloggers are free to engage in politics
Specifically, the Commission said that Gordon Fischer, a former state political party chairman, did not violate election law when he maintained a web site and blog (Iowa True Blue) promoting Barack Obama and criticizing Hillary Clinton. (Our friends at CCP note that the complaint was filed by a Clinton supporter: observing that all too many FEC complaints are filed for political harassment
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Is Warner Todd Huston a Mythical Creature?
August 7, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging, Democrats/Leftists, Entertainment, Inernet, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
Well, is this Warner Todd Huston fellow a myth? Is “he” really just a pen name for several writers from that vast right-wing conspiracy circling the web in their black helicopters?
Just ponder that question for a minute. Seriously, who has time to write two, three even four full opinion editorials a day? Who can appear on up to 15 websites or more daily? Who can be in Der Spiegel Magazine in Germany one day, the Washington Tmes the next, and then The New York Times? Who is able to have his work noted on the Air by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Neil Bortz, Michael Savage, and countless other radio hosts across the country? Who is one of the most prolific writers on NewBusters.org?
Well, it seems that at least one of the fellow travelers on NewsVine thinks that this WTH is not a real person! NewsViner Joseph Caligiuri has a theory, you see:
Samuel & Mike, it has been my contention for months now that there is no such person as warnertoddhuston Mike as you seem to notice his many articles? I have figured that for the past 5 months it has averaged 2 a day. Its line is always bull and condescending to the Repubs. No insult will get you a reply and how on earth could one person seed, clip, and post on such a clock work basis. Call me Paranoid or call me left but in reality I am the retired Vietnam vet in your neighborhood who’s kids played with yours and my real name is joe caligiuri, With a smile and a grain of salt, Joe
Now I might be a little afraid for the kids in his neighborhood, but… you know.
Now surely you can trust Mr. Caligiuri’s conspiracy. After all, he has such levelheaded, and thoughtful articles on his main NewsVine page that his opinion must be unassailable. Important articles such as “Are YOU One of the 8 Million Targeted for Roundup by US Govt?,” and “Is A Complete Economic Meltdown Just Around the Corner?” grace his personal collection. He also features a nice poster called “Fascism - You really think it’ll be this obvious?” that features a double line of Star Wars Storm Troopers on the march down an inner city street.
Well, let me assure you, this guy — me — is a real person. I am not a myth or a figment of some right-wing conspiracist’s imagination.
OK, stop it with the silly conspiracy theories. It’s me, WTH (and no that doesn’t stand for What The H _ ll) I’m just an average American Joe that is interested in politics, philosophy, and fostering American exceptionalism at home and abroad.
There is no conspiracy. Many have met me in person. I have two goldfish, three sons (one in the Army), a wife whose patience I seriously and continuously tax on a daily basis and an extended family that I love dearly.
Sometimes I spell things wrong, sometimes my grammar is questionable. I have no staff and no editor — and some may think that’s painfully obvious, ha, ha. I’m just a work-a-day guy with a big mouth and more to say than anyone will listen to! I read too much history, watch little TV, and argue way too much with my coworkers. I like walks on the beach and an occasional pina colada…. or a beer.
Anyway, I just thought that this NewsVine reply was hilarious and that some of you out there might get a laugh out of it, too.
What 3Q earnings tell us about Google-Yahoo Antitrust Review
July 30, 2008 | Filed Under Business, Democrats/Leftists, Google, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Scott Cleland, Society/Culture, Technology | No Comments
-By Scott Cleland
GOOG-YHOO earn ~100% of profits
With the 3Q08 earnings releases by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft in the last few days, DOJ antitrust investigators of the Google-Yahoo partnership now get their first fresh look at the most recent revenue and profit market shares for this market.
While many, including myself, have focused on the proxy market share measures of searches from ComScore, Nielsen and Hitwise to track Google’s relentless taking of share on a monthly basis, antitrust investigators will likely look past proxy search shares and focus on the truer and more accurate measures of market share–actual, reported revenues and profits.
There are strong reasons why antitrust investigators will shift from the market’s obsession with the monthly search share proxy figures to real financial numbers.
First, users do not pay for search, advertisers and website publishers do; this makes search share an indirect and less relevant measure of true market power.
Second, all searches are not equal, some lead to clicks and some clicks are dramatically more valuable than other clicks.
Third, the search shares are third-party proxy estimates based on samples; they are not auditable and accountable as publicly-reported financial data are; moreover, SARBOX requires CFOs/CEOs to personally sign that the finances are accurate, subject to severe penalties if they are proven to be fraudulent.