Tips on engaging your readers
Malik, publisher of the blog The Struggle Within, offers a post today that I highly recommend. He titles it "The Top 5 Things I’ve Learned from Blogging." Looking for advice on how to attract readers to your site and keep them engaged? Click here.
Malik's site also offers what he calls the "MP3 of the Day." Two recent audio selections can be found under the headings Proud Plug and A Creation Story. The latter features "A Poem for Vincent." The poem, written by Malik, illustrates how this excellent essayist has mastered still another art form.
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Writing, Internet, The Struggle Within, Media by Sistrunk
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
Offbeat news
Headlines you might not see
Ronald MacDonald Charged in Wendy's Theft (Associated Press)
You'd think that just working at a Wendy's restaurant would be difficult for Ronald MacDonald. Now, the 22-year-old MacDonald — no relation to Ronald McDonald, the clown — has been charged with stealing money from a safe at the Wendy's.
Lingerie Store Window Has Live Models (Associated Press)
A lingerie store called Spellbound is grabbing attention with live models in the window.
Cemetery Offers Annual Holiday Deal (Associated Press)
It's that time of year for the annual holiday special at Greenwood Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum - half price on a cemetery plot and deals on vaults and markers.
Inmates to Process Moose Meat for Charity (Associated Press)
Alaska inmates at a prison work farm are taking on a new assignment: butchering the meat of moose struck by trains each winter along 68 miles of track.
With thanks, as always, to The Associated Press.
Ronald MacDonald Charged in Wendy's Theft (Associated Press)
You'd think that just working at a Wendy's restaurant would be difficult for Ronald MacDonald. Now, the 22-year-old MacDonald — no relation to Ronald McDonald, the clown — has been charged with stealing money from a safe at the Wendy's.
Lingerie Store Window Has Live Models (Associated Press)
A lingerie store called Spellbound is grabbing attention with live models in the window.
Cemetery Offers Annual Holiday Deal (Associated Press)
It's that time of year for the annual holiday special at Greenwood Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum - half price on a cemetery plot and deals on vaults and markers.
Inmates to Process Moose Meat for Charity (Associated Press)
Alaska inmates at a prison work farm are taking on a new assignment: butchering the meat of moose struck by trains each winter along 68 miles of track.
With thanks, as always, to The Associated Press.
Shopping 'til fingers drop
Welcome to "Cyber Monday"
Last Friday, dubbed "Black Friday" by retailers, shoppers jockeyed for parking spaces and started near-riots in some stores - all in an effort to snag holiday shopping deals.
Today, "Cyber Monday," promises to be a quieter, gentler buyer's experience, as shoppers click their way through the information highway in search of similar bargains.
Amazon.com, with its fulfillment center pictured above, is just one of thousands of retailers ready for the deluge of customers. More than one in three people say they'll be using their fast-access work computers this year for holiday shopping. That's more than 51 million people logging on at work.
Mellody Hobson offers some great tips for online shopping on ABCNews.com.
Tags: Holiday Shopping, Cyber Monday, Internet, Technology, Culture, Media by Sistrunk
Game consoles to let parents control access
PlayStation 3 is the latest to restrict children's access to violent video games
Sony will place parental controls on its forthcoming PlayStation 3, according to the Entertainment Software Association. That will mean all three major video-game console makers are promising parents help in restricting children's access to violent video games.
Microsoft has parental controls in its new Xbox 360, which debuted last week. It also offers parental controls on the company's Xbox Live online gaming service, limiting whom their children can interact with.
Earlier this month, Nintendo announced similar plans for its next-generation machine, Revolution, due 2006.
Related: AP/Miami Herald, Techtree.com
Tags: Games, Gaming, Technology, PS3, Media by Sistrunk
Sony will place parental controls on its forthcoming PlayStation 3, according to the Entertainment Software Association. That will mean all three major video-game console makers are promising parents help in restricting children's access to violent video games.
Microsoft has parental controls in its new Xbox 360, which debuted last week. It also offers parental controls on the company's Xbox Live online gaming service, limiting whom their children can interact with.
Earlier this month, Nintendo announced similar plans for its next-generation machine, Revolution, due 2006.
Related: AP/Miami Herald, Techtree.com
Tags: Games, Gaming, Technology, PS3, Media by Sistrunk
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Media week in review
New media is in, longtime newsman says good-byeTIVO TAKEOUT
The News
On Monday, TiVo, the maker of digital video recorders, announced that its subscribers will be able to transfer recorded television programs onto their Apple video iPods and Sony handheld PSP game machines. The new service builds on the company's TiVo to Go feature, which allows some subscribers to transfer shows to a laptop or personal computer.
Behind the News
The television networks have yet another reason to hate TiVo, which first encroached on their turf by offering viewers the ability to watch television shows when they wanted, without the commercials.
Now, TiVo could hurt the networks' attempts to develop another revenue stream by selling shows by the episode. For instance, ABC plans to sell downloads of "Desperate Housewives" on Apple iPods for 99 cents. But why pay, when you can download from TiVo for free?
X-GAMES BEGIN
The News
Microsoft released its Xbox 360, its next-generation game machine, at midnight on Tuesday. Buyers lined up for hours to be among the first to purchase it.
Behind the News
Industry analysts said the early buzz around the Xbox 360 might not mean much in the long run. The real question is whether the 360 can outsell Sony's next-generation game console, PlayStation 3, which is not due out until spring.
LIBRARY DOWNLOAD
The News
Google gave $3 million to help the Library of Congress build a World Digital Library on the Web. For the project, the National Library of Egypt has already agreed to digitize documents of Islamic science from the 10th century.
Behind the News
Google's gift may be good public relations. The Library of Congress emphasized that Google's gift comes with no strings attached and no copyright problems. That would be welcome news for Google, which has faced copyright issues because of its Book Search project, a book- scanning effort in partnership with five research libraries.
GOOD NIGHT, TED
The News
On Tuesday, Ted Koppel, the anchor of "Nightline" ended his 25-year reign as late night's Mr. Serious.
Behind the News
Will "Nightline" survive? Under Mr. Koppel, it has struggled in the ratings, generally falling behind NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman." Now, three anchors will replace Mr. Koppel, and it's unknown how quickly ABC expects ratings success.
Source: New York Times
Tag: Media by Sistrunk
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Offbeat news
Headlines you might not see
Japanese Firm Sniffs Out New Opportunities on the Internet
(Agence France Presse)
Moving beyond the monopoly of sight and touch in the computer world, a Japanese company is offering a service to download aromatic scents at a click of a button.
Friday Work Meetings May Mask Love Trysts (Reuters)
Employers be warned: workers who schedule Wednesday meetings are potentially going to a job interview and regular Friday afternoon meetings could be an excuse for a rendezvous with their lover.
Cabbie Finds $350,000 in Diamonds (Associated Press)
Haider Sediqi didn't give much thought to the small, zippered pouch that a passenger forgot in his taxicab when he got out at Los Angeles International Airport.
With thanks to Agence France Presse, Reuters and The Associated Press.
Japanese Firm Sniffs Out New Opportunities on the Internet
(Agence France Presse)
Moving beyond the monopoly of sight and touch in the computer world, a Japanese company is offering a service to download aromatic scents at a click of a button.
Friday Work Meetings May Mask Love Trysts (Reuters)
Employers be warned: workers who schedule Wednesday meetings are potentially going to a job interview and regular Friday afternoon meetings could be an excuse for a rendezvous with their lover.
Cabbie Finds $350,000 in Diamonds (Associated Press)
Haider Sediqi didn't give much thought to the small, zippered pouch that a passenger forgot in his taxicab when he got out at Los Angeles International Airport.
With thanks to Agence France Presse, Reuters and The Associated Press.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Holiday shopping frenzy begins
Some early shoppers get into brawls in stores; others await "Cyber Monday"Bargain shoppers, many facing frigid temperatures, woke up before dawn Friday to snap up specials on items from cashmere sweaters to flat-screen TVs and digital music players as the holiday shopping season officially got under way.
Things got out of hand at a Wal-Mart store in Orlando, Fla., where a man who allegedly cut in line to get a discounted laptop computer was wrestled to the ground, according to a video shown by an ABC affiliate, WFTV-TV. The store's manager referred questions to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., where officials had no immediate comment.
There was trouble at another Wal-Mart in Renton, Wash., south of Seattle, where extra police were called to control crowds of zealous shoppers who shoved their way into the electronics department, pushing some counters out of position as they tried to get their hands on a limited supply of laptop computers, KIRO-TV reported.
Meanwhile, U.S. online holiday sales are expected to hit nearly $20 billion this year and should take off on Monday, when consumers return to work and their fast Internet connections after the long Thanksgiving weekend. "Cyber Monday," the term coined for the Monday after Thanksgiving, comes on the heels of the busy "Black Friday" shopping day when many brick-and-mortar retailers begin turning a profit.
The good news for online shoppers this year, is that "Cyber Monday" is becoming the Web shopping equivalent to "Black Friday" when retailers launch major sales and discounts to drive traffic.
Which do you enjoy the most - the excitement of getting up early and fighting the crowds at your favorite store - or checking out the best online deals?
Related: Associated Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, AXcess News
Tags: Holiday Shopping, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Internet, Technology, Culture, Media by Sistrunk
Offbeat news
Headlines you might not see
100-Pound Woman Wins Turkey-Eating Contest (Associated Press)
America's Thanksgiving holiday is known for massive feasts that produce bloated bellies. But one group of serious eaters took it a step farther - engaging in a pre-Thanksgiving turkey-eating contest that challenged all to shove as much bird into their mouths as they could manage in 12 minutes.
Suspected Bank Robber Found in Dog House (Associated Press)
A suspected bank robber was arrested after officers assisted by canines found him hiding in a dog house.
Two 'Wives' Fight Over Sergeant's Remains (Associated Press)
The final resting place for a retired sergeant may be determined by a judge as two women battle over which was his wife at the time of his death.
Man Leads Police on Slow Lawnmower Case (Associated Press)
Bad idea: fleeing from police in a stolen car. Terrible idea: fleeing in a stolen lawnmower. But that's what police say a "happy drunk" did, a decision that landed the suspect back in prison for violating his parole.
With thanks to The Associated Press.
100-Pound Woman Wins Turkey-Eating Contest (Associated Press)
America's Thanksgiving holiday is known for massive feasts that produce bloated bellies. But one group of serious eaters took it a step farther - engaging in a pre-Thanksgiving turkey-eating contest that challenged all to shove as much bird into their mouths as they could manage in 12 minutes.
Suspected Bank Robber Found in Dog House (Associated Press)
A suspected bank robber was arrested after officers assisted by canines found him hiding in a dog house.
Two 'Wives' Fight Over Sergeant's Remains (Associated Press)
The final resting place for a retired sergeant may be determined by a judge as two women battle over which was his wife at the time of his death.
Man Leads Police on Slow Lawnmower Case (Associated Press)
Bad idea: fleeing from police in a stolen car. Terrible idea: fleeing in a stolen lawnmower. But that's what police say a "happy drunk" did, a decision that landed the suspect back in prison for violating his parole.
With thanks to The Associated Press.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Chilled tunes excite researchers
Scientists discover "singing" icebergThe sound may not quite be music to most people’s ears, but scientists working off Antarctica’s southern Atlantic coast have released details of an astonishing discovery - a singing iceberg. The remarkable findings made by the German Alfred Wegener Institute for polar and marine research in 2002 have only now been published in Science magazine.
The institute’s research team had been tracking earth movements and recording seismic signals in Antarctica when they detected some unusual noises. The source was found to be a 50 by 20 kilometer chunk of ice which had collided with an underwater peninsula.
“Once the iceberg stuck fast on the seabed it was like a rock in a river,” scientist Vera Schlindwein said. “The water pushes through its crevasses and tunnels at high pressure and the iceberg starts singing.”
At a frequency of around 0.5 hertz, the sounds waves are too low for the human ear. But sped up, the iceberg sounded like a swarm of bees or an orchestra warming up, the scientists said.
“The tune even goes up and down, just like a real song,” Shlindwein added.
More from ABC Science Online.
Tags: Science, Antarctica, Technology, Media by Sistrunk
Offbeat news
Headlines you might not see
Man Seeking Taxi Hops Into Police Car (Associated Press)
A night of drinking left a man so disoriented that he hopped into a police patrol car thinking it was a taxi.
Girls Trash Kansas School Art Room (Associated Press)
Police in Salina say two students dumped paint, crayons, body lotion and glue in a school art room.
About 56 Cats Recovered from D.C. Home (Associated Press)
About 56 cats were recovered from a Northeast Washington home where authorities said the animals were being hoarded.
Pardoned Turkey Is Going to Disneyland (Associated Press)
President Bush maked his traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey. But this bird didn't head to some petting zoo. It's going to Disneyland.
With appreciation to The Associated Press.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Man Seeking Taxi Hops Into Police Car (Associated Press)
A night of drinking left a man so disoriented that he hopped into a police patrol car thinking it was a taxi.
Girls Trash Kansas School Art Room (Associated Press)
Police in Salina say two students dumped paint, crayons, body lotion and glue in a school art room.
About 56 Cats Recovered from D.C. Home (Associated Press)
About 56 cats were recovered from a Northeast Washington home where authorities said the animals were being hoarded.
Pardoned Turkey Is Going to Disneyland (Associated Press)
President Bush maked his traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey. But this bird didn't head to some petting zoo. It's going to Disneyland.
With appreciation to The Associated Press.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Joystick U.
Video games are their major
"Killers act like predators," the teacher explains. "And like any ecosystem, if you increase the number of killers and facilitate them, you decrease the number of achievers and socializers."
This is the conversation you might hear in a class on game design. Thirty years after bursting into pool halls and living rooms, video games are taking a place in academia. A handful of relatively obscure vocational schools have long taught basic game programming. But in the last few years a small but growing cadre of well-known universities, from the University of Southern California to the University of Central Florida, have started formal programs in game design and the academic study of video games as a slice of contemporary culture. Details from the New York Times.
Tags: Games, Gaming, Technology, Education, Media by Sistrunk
FEMA extends housing subsidies for storm victims
More than 46,000 families now have until Jan. 7 to move out of hotels
Stung by complaints it was pushing hurricane victims out before the holidays, FEMA has extended its hotel housing program to hurricane victims in 10 states. More than 46,000 families now have until Jan. 7 to move out of hotels and into travel trailers, mobile homes or apartments until they find permanent homes. Katrina and Rita victims are getting a reprieve in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, California, Tennessee, Arkansas and Nevada. Evacuees in all other states are facing a December 15th deadline. Details from the Washington Post.
Related: Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, FEMA, Homeless, Media by Sistrunk
Stung by complaints it was pushing hurricane victims out before the holidays, FEMA has extended its hotel housing program to hurricane victims in 10 states. More than 46,000 families now have until Jan. 7 to move out of hotels and into travel trailers, mobile homes or apartments until they find permanent homes. Katrina and Rita victims are getting a reprieve in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, California, Tennessee, Arkansas and Nevada. Evacuees in all other states are facing a December 15th deadline. Details from the Washington Post.
Related: Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, FEMA, Homeless, Media by Sistrunk
Offbeat news
Headlines you might not see
Man Hit in Head by Train for Second Time (Associated Press)
A man who was struck in the head by a train in Poughkeepsie was also hit in the head by a New York City subway car three years ago.
Man Charged with Allowing Child to Drive (Associated Press)
An elderly man accused of allowing a 7-year-old girl to drive his pickup has been charged in a two-count complaint.
Elvis Presley Holiday Coffee Hits Market (Associated Press)
Elvis Presley Enterprises has green-lighted four limited-edition holiday coffees so consumers can brew a cup of the King.
With thanks to The Associated Press.
Man Hit in Head by Train for Second Time (Associated Press)
A man who was struck in the head by a train in Poughkeepsie was also hit in the head by a New York City subway car three years ago.
Man Charged with Allowing Child to Drive (Associated Press)
An elderly man accused of allowing a 7-year-old girl to drive his pickup has been charged in a two-count complaint.
Elvis Presley Holiday Coffee Hits Market (Associated Press)
Elvis Presley Enterprises has green-lighted four limited-edition holiday coffees so consumers can brew a cup of the King.
With thanks to The Associated Press.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Microsoft pursues the X-factor
Xbox 360 premieres TuesdayWith Microsoft's much-anticipated Xbox 360 making its formal debut Tuesday, look for the battle for control between the new video game console and Sony's Playstation machine. Industry watchers and gaming fans are looking to see if the new release will take a bite out of Sony's market dominance in the $30-billion US video gaming industry.
Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is ambitious about his new product and is taking an active role in the new release. According to Gates, Xbox 360 is at the center of a strategy that will also eventually tie in elements of Microsoft's new online initiative, called Windows Live. More from the Associated Press/L.A. Times and Forbes.
Relevant: L.A. Times Review, How Xbox 360 Works
Tags: Games, Gaming, Technology, Xbox, Media by Sistrunk
Probing the information highway
Is the Internet at risk?Last week's summit on expanding Internet access around the world ended with a firm promise to narrow the digital divide. However, that promise lacks little in government funding to make it happen.
The World Summit on the Information Society originally was conceived to raise consciousness about the divide between the haves and have-nots, and to raise money for projects to link up the global village, particularly Africa and Asia and South America.
But instead, it was overshadowed by a lingering resentment about who should oversee the domain names and technical issues that allow people from Pakistan to Peru surf Web sites for information, news and consumer goods.
Take a look at two points of view - an editorial in the Washington Post and a CNN News report.
Relevant: ICANN, Basque News and Information Channel, CNN/Reuters
Tags: Technology, Internet, Media, Media by Sistrunk
Friday, November 18, 2005
Offbeat News
Headlines you might not see
Repo Man Drives Off with Toddler in Car (Associated Press)
An Ozark woman says a man repossessing her Jeep Grand Cherokee took the vehicle while her 3-year-old son was asleep in the back seat and didn't come back for 45 minutes, after she had called 911.
Teen Sells Mom's Camera (and Porn Tape) for $200 (Canadian Press)
A teenager sold more than her mother's video camera for $200. She didn't know her mother's home video was in the camera.
Man Robbed Stores Using HIV Threats (Canadian Press)
Police have arrested a man who allegedly robbed a string of convenience stores by threatening employees with a syringe he said was infected with HIV.
Pastor Camps on Church Roof for Turkeys (Associated Press)
A pastor said he will camp on his church's roof until he collects 500 donated turkeys for needy families.
With thanks to The Associated Press and the Canadian Press.
Repo Man Drives Off with Toddler in Car (Associated Press)
An Ozark woman says a man repossessing her Jeep Grand Cherokee took the vehicle while her 3-year-old son was asleep in the back seat and didn't come back for 45 minutes, after she had called 911.
Teen Sells Mom's Camera (and Porn Tape) for $200 (Canadian Press)
A teenager sold more than her mother's video camera for $200. She didn't know her mother's home video was in the camera.
Man Robbed Stores Using HIV Threats (Canadian Press)
Police have arrested a man who allegedly robbed a string of convenience stores by threatening employees with a syringe he said was infected with HIV.
Pastor Camps on Church Roof for Turkeys (Associated Press)
A pastor said he will camp on his church's roof until he collects 500 donated turkeys for needy families.
With thanks to The Associated Press and the Canadian Press.
Hurricane survivors face holiday eviction
Katrina victims voice frustration with FEMA housing decisionBureaucracy seems to be creating a new tide of trouble for hurricane victims. With this week's announcement that FEMA will soon stop paying hotel bills for Katrina survivors, a housing crunch may be on the horizon.
"We feel like we are citizens of the United States who are nearly forgotten," Democratic Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said yesterday. "It is a very frustrating thing. People are weary. They want to move on ... It's going to take us a while. And we still need help from Washington."
Federal and state officials are trying to ease fears that thousands of Louisiana hurricane families in Texas would be left homeless again after Dec. 1 when FEMA has said it will stop paying their hotel and motel bills.
"We are finding longer-term housing for all evacuees," said Russ Knocke, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. "That's really a top priority, working with families to help them find some long-term housing options.
"Our top priority is meeting the needs of evacuees, making sure they receive the benefits and assistance for which they're eligible. FEMA assistance is going to continue after Dec. 1 for evacuees," Knocke added.
Texas is pushing FEMA to extend the aid deadline beyond Dec. 1. Houston Mayor Bill White, in an angry letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, said the deadline was unreasonable given the huge numbers of evacuees still in hotels. He also said that the requirement that evacuees be moved to apartments with three-month leases a rare find was never part of the city's negotiations with the federal government.
White also criticizes FEMA for its decision to close down a housing voucher program for Katrina survivors -- launched just three weeks ago -- for anyone who hasn't signed a lease by Dec 1. FEMA now says the vouchers will be available for three months, not 12 months as originally planned.
Katrina families living in New York will not be put out in the cold if FEMA goes ahead with a plan to cut off hotel payments on Dec. 1, according to city officials. The city has unveiled plans to fund a one-month extension of hotel stays for evacuees actively looking for permanent housing, while helping them move into apartments.
Still, many hurricane victims fear they will soon be out on the streets. More from the Fort Worth Star-Telegraph and the San Jose Mercury News.
Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, FEMA, Homeless, Media by Sistrunk
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Offbeat News
Headlines you might not see
'Underneath' Blog on Judges Is Prosecutor (Associated Press)
The author of a sassy blog about the federal judiciary, "Underneath Their Robes," is no longer cloaked in mystery, and it turns out it's a federal prosecutor.
Cop May Lose Job for Dressing As a Woman (Associated Press)
You can't call this top cop a plainclothes policeman - not after he appeared on television in a canary-yellow dress, sporting dark red lipstick, matching nail polish and a nose ring.
Burglar Tries to Hide in Oven (Associated Press)
A former employee who attempted to burglarize a Speedway Restaurant apparently didn't know any good hiding places.
Selling this stuff will be like swimming upstream (Reuters) - For beverage connoisseurs tired of turkey-and-gravy or green-beans-and-casserole flavored sodas, there's a new choice being offered this year by specialty U.S. soda maker Jones Soda Co.: salmon.
With thanks to The Associated Press and Reuters.
'Underneath' Blog on Judges Is Prosecutor (Associated Press)
The author of a sassy blog about the federal judiciary, "Underneath Their Robes," is no longer cloaked in mystery, and it turns out it's a federal prosecutor.
Cop May Lose Job for Dressing As a Woman (Associated Press)
You can't call this top cop a plainclothes policeman - not after he appeared on television in a canary-yellow dress, sporting dark red lipstick, matching nail polish and a nose ring.
Burglar Tries to Hide in Oven (Associated Press)
A former employee who attempted to burglarize a Speedway Restaurant apparently didn't know any good hiding places.
Selling this stuff will be like swimming upstream (Reuters) - For beverage connoisseurs tired of turkey-and-gravy or green-beans-and-casserole flavored sodas, there's a new choice being offered this year by specialty U.S. soda maker Jones Soda Co.: salmon.
With thanks to The Associated Press and Reuters.
FEMA pushing Dec. 1 hotel check-out for 53,000 hurricane families
Critics urging FEMA review on hurricane housing deadlinesMany U.S. families forced to leave their homes by devastating storms have been told that funding for accommodation in hotels will be cut by Dec. 1.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in charge of the relief effort, has paid evacuees some $274 million since hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Almost 54,000 families are still living in hotels and motels in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. FEMA wants people to move to temporary accommodations before finding new homes.
"There are still too many people living in hotel rooms, and we want to help them get into longer-term homes before the holidays," said David Paulson, acting director of FEMA. "Those affected by the storms should have the opportunity to become self-reliant again and reclaim some normalcy in their lives."
Starting Dec. 1, most families staying in hotels will either have to pay the bills themselves or cover the costs with FEMA housing aid. FEMA granted exceptions to evacuees in hotels in Louisiana and Mississippi, where a housing shortage exists. Evacuees in those states have until Jan. 7 to find homes.
Katrina hit on Aug. 29, followed by Rita on Sept. 24. In Houston, Mayor Bill White demanded that FEMA grant a similar extension to the city as it moves 19,158 evacuees out of city hotels.
"We have moved more evacuees out of hotels than any other city has ever had in hotels," White said in a statement. "So we encourage those new to it to ask us, not tell us, how to do it."
Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on a House panel that oversees housing issues related to the hurricane, said FEMA was not giving the families enough warning.
"Two weeks' notice is outrageous," Frank said. "These are not people who can easily find alternative accommodations."
Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire calls the plan "a cruel injustice" to thousands of evacuees currently living in the state.
"This is devastating news to people who have already been through too much," Gregoire said in a statement. "As governor I must protest in the strongest terms."
Housing advocates said FEMA has not given evacuees enough time to find homes and sign leases - a process that can take months in rental markets already nearing capacity.
Relevant: Washington Post, Houston Business Journal
Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, FEMA, Homeless,
Media by Sistrunk
Monday, November 14, 2005
Hurricane Katrina nominated as Time's Person of the Year
Six-member panel invited to make suggestions
Any number of dignitaries, politicians and other people of note would make formidable candidates as Time magazine's 2005 Person of the Year. However, a nominee of a different sort may grace the coveted cover. A committee suggests that this year's award go to Hurricane Katrina. Details from The Associated Press via Newsday.com.
Tags: Media, News,Hurricane Katrina, Media by Sistrunk
Any number of dignitaries, politicians and other people of note would make formidable candidates as Time magazine's 2005 Person of the Year. However, a nominee of a different sort may grace the coveted cover. A committee suggests that this year's award go to Hurricane Katrina. Details from The Associated Press via Newsday.com.
Tags: Media, News,Hurricane Katrina, Media by Sistrunk
Bloggers: Building bonds of philanthropy
Blogs Tackle Big Topics, Small Causes
For years, bloggers have been building bonds with their readers by sharing everything from their opinions on Iraq to pictures of their cats. Efforts now are using that trust toward a higher purpose.
Alan Nelson has put together a new blog coalition, Strengthen the Good, to focus attention on microcharities. Other bloggers are following Nelson's lead, taking on a variety of causes. The New York Times has the details on this new form on philanthropy.
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Philanthropy, Charity, Fundraising, Media by Sistrunk
For years, bloggers have been building bonds with their readers by sharing everything from their opinions on Iraq to pictures of their cats. Efforts now are using that trust toward a higher purpose.
Alan Nelson has put together a new blog coalition, Strengthen the Good, to focus attention on microcharities. Other bloggers are following Nelson's lead, taking on a variety of causes. The New York Times has the details on this new form on philanthropy.
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Philanthropy, Charity, Fundraising, Media by Sistrunk
Tagged by Dr. Deborah Serani
Ten things I recently learned about myself
1. I enjoy blogging.
2. I prefer the company of like-minded, positive people.
3. I don't miss sugar.
4. Every once in a while, I must have chocolate cake (baked with Splenda).
5. I need more time alone to recharge.
6. I need to make time for more recreational reading.
7. I am in the process of reinventing myself again.
8. For me, friendship knows no geographical boundaries.
9. I have the ability to write that book.
10. I always want God to be the center of my life.
1. I enjoy blogging.
2. I prefer the company of like-minded, positive people.
3. I don't miss sugar.
4. Every once in a while, I must have chocolate cake (baked with Splenda).
5. I need more time alone to recharge.
6. I need to make time for more recreational reading.
7. I am in the process of reinventing myself again.
8. For me, friendship knows no geographical boundaries.
9. I have the ability to write that book.
10. I always want God to be the center of my life.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Maureen Dowd: 'Are Men Necessary?"
See the girl with the red dress onThe author's first words are flirtatious: "For men. Friends and more, past, present and future. You know who you are."
Maureen Dowd's new book has immediate retro appeal. Just take a look at the cover. It features a stereotypical blonde in a knockout red dress - the focus of leering male eyes on a subway train. The subtitle of the book suggests even more: "When Sexes Collide."
Dowd, the popular New York Times political columnist, has now collected and expanded on her opinions about another topic that appears to hold great interest for her : the never-to-be-resolved sexual conflict between men and women. Check out Kathryn Harrison's review.
Tags: Books, Literature, Reading, Culture, Media by Sistrunk
Friday, November 11, 2005
Woman building high-end home out of old 747
And in environmental news . . . .
Francie Rehwald wanted her mountainside house to have its own special look. Her architect had an idea: Buy a junked 747 and cut it apart. Get the rest of the story about Rehwald's environmentally friendly home from the Wall Street Journal (via azcentral.com).
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Francie Rehwald wanted her mountainside house to have its own special look. Her architect had an idea: Buy a junked 747 and cut it apart. Get the rest of the story about Rehwald's environmentally friendly home from the Wall Street Journal (via azcentral.com).
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Strange news
In the headlines
Pair of Toddlers Sneak Out, Trash Nearby Residence (Canadian Press)
Two boys wandered away from a home in a town north of Stratford and carved a path of destruction through another.
Cat Survives Traffic, 70-Foot Fall, 600-Foot Swim (Associated Press)
A cat is resting up at an animal shelter in Washington state after leaping from a pickup, scampering through traffic, plunging 70 feet into the chilly Columbia River and swimming 600 feet to shore.
Woman Steals Parrot by Hiding It in Bra (Associated Press)
A woman has been arrested for padding her bra — with a stolen rare parrot.
Women May Enjoy Humor More, If It's Funny (Associated Press)
The difference between the sexes has long been a rich source of humor. Now it turns out, humor is one of the differences.
With thanks to the Canadian Press and The Associated Press.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Pair of Toddlers Sneak Out, Trash Nearby Residence (Canadian Press)
Two boys wandered away from a home in a town north of Stratford and carved a path of destruction through another.
Cat Survives Traffic, 70-Foot Fall, 600-Foot Swim (Associated Press)
A cat is resting up at an animal shelter in Washington state after leaping from a pickup, scampering through traffic, plunging 70 feet into the chilly Columbia River and swimming 600 feet to shore.
Woman Steals Parrot by Hiding It in Bra (Associated Press)
A woman has been arrested for padding her bra — with a stolen rare parrot.
Women May Enjoy Humor More, If It's Funny (Associated Press)
The difference between the sexes has long been a rich source of humor. Now it turns out, humor is one of the differences.
With thanks to the Canadian Press and The Associated Press.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
In Step with "Life Is Hilarious"
Jaimie, the nice girl with an edgeThere is something about Jaimie, writer of "Life Is Hilarious," that draws you into her world immediately. She's a great storyteller. Lord only knows how Jaimie comes up with these tales! But there's always a twist to them - something unexpected - especially from a laid-back, California blogger - an teacher with impeccable manners. Her philosophy is simple: "Laugh. Live. Learn."
Need to take a break from the craziness of the day? Deadlines got you down? Spend a few minutes hanging out with Jaimie as she talks about her fifteen minutes of fame(?).
Tags: Life, Humor, Media by Sistrunk
Could books be the chink in mighty Google's armor?
Critics of online books fire backGoogle has done something uncharacteristic - stumbled. The search giant's rush to digitize the world's books, offering that information to its legion of searchers, has attracted competition and possibly tarnished Google's spotless business image.
Many in the U.S. publishing community have accused Google of breaching copyright rules through a plan to put university libraries online. American publishers of academic journals and scholarly books claim the project has financially troubling consequences for publishers and authors by undermining sales.
Last week brought about a flurry of book-related announcements. Yahoo and Microsoft's MSN got into the act quickly. Amazon, too, has shown its need to be a key player in the rush to establish online libraries. In the name of competition, and in a concerted effort to undercut Google's project, these companies took a different tack and appear to have some muscle behind their efforts.
As a result of the backlash, Google took a self-imposed break from scanning--a process that it resumed last week with out-of-copyright books. The argument still seems headed to the courtroom. Details from Forbes and BBC News.
Tags: Google, Online Library, Books, Technology, Media by Sistrunk
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Katrina Update: FEMA speeds hurricane relief
Property owners and renters to receive as much as $26,200
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun notifying 60,000 renters and property owners in nine Louisiana and Mississippi parishes and counties that they will immediately receive as much as $26,200. That's the most Congress has authorized for individual households battered by Katrina. The Washington Post has details.
Tags: Media, News,Hurricane Katrina, FEMA, Louisiana, Mississippi, Media by Sistrunk
Friday, November 04, 2005
Strange news of the day
Headlines of the weird
Baggy Pants Trip Up Suspected Thief (Associated Press)
A man suspected of stealing discs from a video store was tripped up by his baggy pants, falling twice before police captured him.
House with Bride for Sale for $600,000 (Associated Press)
For $600,000, a 40- to 60-year-old man can buy a house in a trendy Denver neighborhood that comes complete with a bride.
Good Samaritan Has Run-In with Demon (Associated Press)
A good Samaritan had a run-in with a demon after stopping to help a vampire.
Thanks, as always, to AP.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Baggy Pants Trip Up Suspected Thief (Associated Press)
A man suspected of stealing discs from a video store was tripped up by his baggy pants, falling twice before police captured him.
House with Bride for Sale for $600,000 (Associated Press)
For $600,000, a 40- to 60-year-old man can buy a house in a trendy Denver neighborhood that comes complete with a bride.
Good Samaritan Has Run-In with Demon (Associated Press)
A good Samaritan had a run-in with a demon after stopping to help a vampire.
Thanks, as always, to AP.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Amazon.com to sell portions of books online
Even single pages will be available
Amazon.com is offering new online programs it says will be good for publishers and authors. The bookseller plans to launch Amazon Pages and Amazon Upgrade next year. One of the programs will allow customers to buy portions of books, even a single page. Details from The Associated Press via Forbes.
Relevant: CNET News.com
Tags: Books, Publishing, Amazon.com, Media by Sistrunk
Amazon.com is offering new online programs it says will be good for publishers and authors. The bookseller plans to launch Amazon Pages and Amazon Upgrade next year. One of the programs will allow customers to buy portions of books, even a single page. Details from The Associated Press via Forbes.
Relevant: CNET News.com
Tags: Books, Publishing, Amazon.com, Media by Sistrunk
Katrina update: Michael Brown's e-mail surfaces
Flip messages by ex-FEMA boss exposedAs Hurricane Katrina ripped into the Gulf Coast, the government's emergency management chief was making flippant remarks about his responsibilities, e-mails show. "Can I quit now? Can I come home?" former Federal Emergency Management Director Michael Brown wrote on the morning of the hurricane to the agency's deputy director of public affairs. The e-mails, posted by Democrat Rep. Charlie Melancon, are a sampling of more than 1,000 provided to the House committee assessing responses to Katrina by all levels of government. CNN has the story.
Tags: Email, Media, News, Hurricane Katrina, FEMA, Media by Sistrunk
Kids and blogging
Online teens create, consume Web content
Some 19 percent of actively online teens create blogs and 38 percent read them; of those, 62 percent read solely friends' blogs and 36 percent read those of friends and others, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Girls age 15 to 17 are the most active bloggers, with one-fourth of those online in that age group creating blogs, compared with 15 percent for boys of the same age.
"For young people it's about reinforcing and keeping relationships, not reading opinions of strangers," says Pew senior research specialist Amanda Lenhart.
But many more teens do more than just blog, according to the Pew study, "Teen Content Creators and Consumers," based on surveys of 1,100 U.S. teens (age 12-17). Details from ClickZ.
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Internet, Technology, Teenagers, Media by Sistrunk
Some 19 percent of actively online teens create blogs and 38 percent read them; of those, 62 percent read solely friends' blogs and 36 percent read those of friends and others, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Girls age 15 to 17 are the most active bloggers, with one-fourth of those online in that age group creating blogs, compared with 15 percent for boys of the same age.
"For young people it's about reinforcing and keeping relationships, not reading opinions of strangers," says Pew senior research specialist Amanda Lenhart.
But many more teens do more than just blog, according to the Pew study, "Teen Content Creators and Consumers," based on surveys of 1,100 U.S. teens (age 12-17). Details from ClickZ.
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Internet, Technology, Teenagers, Media by Sistrunk
Media news at a glance
NBC launches "Sleuth" channel; Google tells writers and booksellers not to fear new project
NBC Universal Cable is launching a new 24-hour cable network in January devoted to crime, mystery, and suspense, Mediaweek reports. The new network, Sleuth, will draw on NBC Universal's library of film and television titles and will be available, at least initially, to Time Warner Cable's 5.2 million digital subscribers.
Meanwhile, Google is reaching out to writers and booksellers who are suspicious of the Internet giant's new print project. Google wants to scan all the books in the stacks of several of the world's major research libraries to make these books searchable online. But lawsuits are threatening to shut the project down. Forbes has the latest on the showdown.
Tags: Google, Books, Publishing, Writing, Internet, Technology, Television, Entertainment, NBC, Media by Sistrunk
NBC Universal Cable is launching a new 24-hour cable network in January devoted to crime, mystery, and suspense, Mediaweek reports. The new network, Sleuth, will draw on NBC Universal's library of film and television titles and will be available, at least initially, to Time Warner Cable's 5.2 million digital subscribers.
Meanwhile, Google is reaching out to writers and booksellers who are suspicious of the Internet giant's new print project. Google wants to scan all the books in the stacks of several of the world's major research libraries to make these books searchable online. But lawsuits are threatening to shut the project down. Forbes has the latest on the showdown.
Tags: Google, Books, Publishing, Writing, Internet, Technology, Television, Entertainment, NBC, Media by Sistrunk
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Strange news
In the headlines . . . .
It's amazing how some stories make their way to the news wires. I hate to use this tired cliche, but sometimes life is stranger than fiction. Here are a few gems about people not like you and me, thanks to The Associated Press and the Canadian Press.
Man Spends 12 Weeks in Bed in the Name of Science
(Associated Press)
Stephen Snitzky's feet touched the ground for the first time in 12 weeks. Snitzky isn't lazy or sick. He was on months of bed-rest in the name of science.
Treating Bear Like Family Has Men Facing Charges (Associated Press)
For nine days, Rocky and Jonathan Perkett heard a lone black bear cub wail from its hiding spot in a Coos County logging site.
Man Tries to Sell Pawn Shop Owner His Own Stolen Stuff
(Canadian Press)
A pawn shop owner, whose home was hit by burglars, says he was shocked when a dim-witted crook wandered into his store one day and tried to pawn the purloined merchandise.
Man Kills Buck with Bare Hands in Bedroom (Associated Press)
It looked like a crime scene, but no charges will be filed after Wayne Goldsberry killed a buck with his bare hands in his daughter's bedroom.
Burglar Makes Pizza, Flees with $3,000 (Associated Press)
A pizza parlor burglar paused to make a pizza before fleeing with $3,000.
Via: Snopes.com
Caution: The news links may not last long, so you'll probably want to read the stories within the next couple of days.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
It's amazing how some stories make their way to the news wires. I hate to use this tired cliche, but sometimes life is stranger than fiction. Here are a few gems about people not like you and me, thanks to The Associated Press and the Canadian Press.
Man Spends 12 Weeks in Bed in the Name of Science
(Associated Press)
Stephen Snitzky's feet touched the ground for the first time in 12 weeks. Snitzky isn't lazy or sick. He was on months of bed-rest in the name of science.
Treating Bear Like Family Has Men Facing Charges (Associated Press)
For nine days, Rocky and Jonathan Perkett heard a lone black bear cub wail from its hiding spot in a Coos County logging site.
Man Tries to Sell Pawn Shop Owner His Own Stolen Stuff
(Canadian Press)
A pawn shop owner, whose home was hit by burglars, says he was shocked when a dim-witted crook wandered into his store one day and tried to pawn the purloined merchandise.
Man Kills Buck with Bare Hands in Bedroom (Associated Press)
It looked like a crime scene, but no charges will be filed after Wayne Goldsberry killed a buck with his bare hands in his daughter's bedroom.
Burglar Makes Pizza, Flees with $3,000 (Associated Press)
A pizza parlor burglar paused to make a pizza before fleeing with $3,000.
Via: Snopes.com
Caution: The news links may not last long, so you'll probably want to read the stories within the next couple of days.
Tag: Strange News, Media by Sistrunk
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Mice can sing, scientists learn
And the Grammy goes to . . . .
According to a neurobiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, the ultrasonic chirps of male mice are songs. This conclusion, based on a new study, allows mice to join whales, bats, insects and birds in the select club of animals that sing.
But the chirps are eight octaves above middle C on a piano - about two octaves too high for humans to hear. So a researcher makes the songs audible by shifting the pitch with software or by slowing down the playback, like spinning a 45 rpm record at 33 rpm. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch covers this beat.
Tags: Science, Technology, Music, Mice, Media by Sistrunk
According to a neurobiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, the ultrasonic chirps of male mice are songs. This conclusion, based on a new study, allows mice to join whales, bats, insects and birds in the select club of animals that sing.
But the chirps are eight octaves above middle C on a piano - about two octaves too high for humans to hear. So a researcher makes the songs audible by shifting the pitch with software or by slowing down the playback, like spinning a 45 rpm record at 33 rpm. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch covers this beat.
Tags: Science, Technology, Music, Mice, Media by Sistrunk
Seabees touched by Katrina help Pakistanis
Navy unit overcomes personal losses to provide quake relief
A convoy was greeted by waving crowds as it wound through the narrow, bustling streets of devastated Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. The earthquake-ravaged city is slowly taking on a semblance of normality, with people peddling food, spices, shoes and watches amid the ruins.
Members of the Navy's Civil Engineer Corps, based in Gulfport, MS, lost nearly everything in Hurricane Katrina. But that didn't stop them from making their way to Pakistan to provide some much needed help. More from The Associated Press via ABC News.
Tags: Earthquake, Pakistan, South Asia, U.S. Navy, Seabees, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi, Media by Sistrunk
A convoy was greeted by waving crowds as it wound through the narrow, bustling streets of devastated Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. The earthquake-ravaged city is slowly taking on a semblance of normality, with people peddling food, spices, shoes and watches amid the ruins.
Members of the Navy's Civil Engineer Corps, based in Gulfport, MS, lost nearly everything in Hurricane Katrina. But that didn't stop them from making their way to Pakistan to provide some much needed help. More from The Associated Press via ABC News.
Tags: Earthquake, Pakistan, South Asia, U.S. Navy, Seabees, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi, Media by Sistrunk
In step with Creativity+
Hamilton combines stunning photography with poignant musingsTowering toadstools. Gladiators. Magical monarch moment. These are the titles of just some of the posts on Creativity+. This blog mixes fascinating images with succinct, well-crafted commentary. If you're looking for a place to kick back and chill, visit this blog. Creativity+ features the thoughtful work of Timothy Hamilton (pictured above), who describes himself as "less ethnocentric and less U.S.A. centered than most people."
Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Internet, Creativity, Media by Sistrunk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)