That's how former UPI reporter, now columnist, Helen Thomas has been described by someone whose job I would like to have. I generally don't read her columns, because they're mostly useless at best and a steaming pile of dung at worst. This week's column is somewhere in the middle -- it's useless crap. A tsunami […]
A degree from Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism, that is. I understand it's a prestigious institution, but I'm having a hard time figuring out why -- especially after having read this comment by the school's dean regarding the New York Times' deal with Columbia University to slant its coverage. The dean of Columbia’s Graduate School […]
The lawyer for Ward "Little Eichmanns" Churchill has invoked the famous Internet rule on Nazi analogies in his defense of his client. (Apparently the irony of it all is lost on the lawyer.) A lawyer for the professor whose remarks about Sept. 11 victims touched off a firestorm wants officials to clarify how they intend […]
If the facts of the case are as presented here, and I have no reason to believe they are not, then I just went from calm to very angry. In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to […]
A commentor in this post, challenged me to make a correction. The Washington Post's Mike Allen reports today that the legal counsel to Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, was the author of the memo. Well, no correction from me -- basically because the gist of my post is still valid: If a reporter requests […]
Someone needs to remind The New York Times of the basics of Journalism 101. From today's Times corrections column: An article yesterday about the Arab Human Development report of the United Nations Development Program asserted that its release had been delayed by Bush administration pressure on the agency to change language critical of the United […]
Romenesko's MediaNews column published the following letter yesterday. From MATTHEW HOY, Metro designer, San Diego Union-Tribune: I don’t believe CJR’s dart should be aimed across campus, but directly at The New York Times. I’m never surprised by the efforts of some sources to shape news coverage, so Columbia University’s less-than-noble action could’ve been expected. If […]
Today's New York Times includes an "Editors' Note" atop the regular list of corrections, major and minor. A front-page article on Thursday described a report by a committee at Columbia University formed to investigate complaints that pro-Israel Jewish students were harassed by pro-Palestinian professors. The report found "no evidence of any statements made by the […]
A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that those pesky waivers that parents are so often asked to sign so their kids can play sports are useless -- apparently unless the kid signs them too. Yep, that's right, pre-teen children need to sign a legally-binding document too. The 2-1 majority in Hojnowski v. Vans Skate […]
There was quite a bit of uproar as the Congress acted to give the federal courts jurisdiction in the Terri Schiavo case when a "GOP talking points memo" was allegedly distributed on the Senate floor touting political benefits to be gained from supporting the legislation. You can find a plethora of links on the subject […]