Hat tip to reader Nanakwame for this one. It may be 10 years since she competed in the Olympics, but gymnast Dominique Dawes is thrilled about the new medal she will soon add to her collection. Dawes and her teammates were given the bronze after China was stripped of their 2000 Olympic bronze medals because they fielded an underage competitor, Dong Fangxiao. Ms. Dawes, who has worked with Yahoo! Sports for the past two Olympics, heard the good news from another reporter. "I got calls from fellow reporters before receiving an email from the [Gymnastics International] Federation," she said. "I also got a call by my coach, Kelli Hill, to congratulate me on the medal."
Ms. Dawes said that getting the medal puts a positive ending on an Olympics that had been disappointing for Team USA, which had been shut out of medals. "It was very difficult not just for the gymnasts, but the coaches as well. When we got to Sydney, we didn't have gold medal on our minds, but we knew there was a possibility for us to get on the podium. It is good to know that now, 10 years later, we did achieve the goal that we had set out to do."
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Raiders minicamp news, notes
News, notes and quotes from the first day of the Raiders’ mandatory minicamp Friday:
– Coach Tom Cable acknowledged things went much smoother than they did a year ago, when the first minicamp practice was punctuated by fumbled snapped, dropped passes, and disorganization.
“We had two weeks before we did that minicamp, there was kind of a lull in there and that was a reason for doing it right after the draft,’’ Cable said. “I think it’s reflected in that the ball’s not on the round and we don’t look like the Keystone Cops out there.’’
– Whose who didn’t practice included quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, whose left arm is in a sling after pectoral surgery, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, dealing with general soreness, and wide receiver/return specialist Nick Miller, who has shin splints.
Miller was troubled by shin splints last year, only to later have it called a broken fibula. He spent 16 weeks inactive on game day while still on the 53-man roster.
Linebacker Ricky Brown is expected to practice once a day as he recovers from ankle surgery.
– Cable said he hoped Richard Seymour’s contract would be finalized this weekend.
“We’re trying to get it done so he’s all ours,’’ Cable said.
– Fullback Oren O’Neal, who never recovered from a serious knee injury in 2008, was waived.
– It was a mixed bag for quarterback Jason Campbell, getting accustomed to his yearly task of learning a new offense.
“I’ve been through about 10 of them, so somewhere along the like I’ve run a lot of these plays, trying to find the rhythm, get used to the guys around me and get back into the groove,’’ Campbell said.
Campbell, under the watchful eye of Willie Brown during his press session much the way Eddie Anderson monitored JaMarcus Russell, backed well off his NFL Network declaration that he considered himself the starting quarterback.
“I’m just here to work. Just here to work, get better every day,’’ Campbell said. “ I’ll let coach Cable make that decision and Mr. Al Davis. My job is to come out here every day and compete, keep working on things and try to improve the offense.’’
When Charles Woodson was a rookie, the Raiders went through the charade of listing him behind James Trapp until well into training camp.
With middle linebacker Rolando McClain, there was no such pretense.
“The day after they drafted me, I called to ask for a playbook and some DVDs to look over,’’ McClain said. “I didn’t waste any time.’’
McClain was flanked by Kamerion Wimbley on the strong side and Trevor Scott on the weak side as the defense played almost exclusively 4-3 for the first practice.
– The first minicamp practice contained little or none of the potentially exotic looks hinted at by Cable at the post-draft press briefing. No surprise, really.
“I was looking at the playbook and there are some things that we didn’t do last year.,’’ Asomugha said. “Like always, it’s a matter of how well we do it at this time of the year and then in the summer as to whether we actually play it. So it’s going to depend on us and then how comfortable the coaches feel.’’
– No longer serving as play-caller and offensive coordinator, Cable found himself with more information than usual following the first practice.
“I had a lot more notes from practice on a broad area of things, from what I saw on special teams and with the DBs, to something with the linebackers,’’ Cable said. “I kind of walked off the field feeling really good about what I saw and was anxious to look at it on film and crosscheck myself.’’
Cable on the quarterback rotation of Charlie Frye, JaMarcus Russell, Jason Campbell and Kyle Boller: “It means nothing. Don’t look anything into that. If you do, you’re wasting ink.’’
Or blog space.
– Fourth-round draft pick Bruce Campbell, who played exclusively on the left side at Maryland, lined up as the right guard with the second team. Cable said putting him at guard will give him more second-team reps.
Third-round pick Jared Veldheer was the second-team left tackle behind Mario Henderson.
“My first time looking at the playbook, I looked at it and the different language and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Now that I actually got a practice under my belt, I was like, OK, it’s not that bad,’’ Campbell said. “It’s just getting used to the game speed and basically staying low on the inside.’’
Campbell had false starts on consecutive plays during one sequence and was in some battles with defensive tackle Chris Cooper that probably went beyond the scope of a “non-contact’’ practice.
– Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, No. 85, looked much smoother catching the ball in drills and in team sessions. He did have two drops, although neither was a particularly easy catch, one over his head and the other at his feet.
– The following undrafted free agents were announced as signed: DE Alex Daniels, DT Kellen Heard, RB Chane Moline, TE John Owens, G Alex Parsons, DB Joey Thomas and RB Manase Tonga.
– Cornerback Stanford Routt signed his first- and third-round tender and practiced with the team.
– Coach Tom Cable acknowledged things went much smoother than they did a year ago, when the first minicamp practice was punctuated by fumbled snapped, dropped passes, and disorganization.
“We had two weeks before we did that minicamp, there was kind of a lull in there and that was a reason for doing it right after the draft,’’ Cable said. “I think it’s reflected in that the ball’s not on the round and we don’t look like the Keystone Cops out there.’’
– Whose who didn’t practice included quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, whose left arm is in a sling after pectoral surgery, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, dealing with general soreness, and wide receiver/return specialist Nick Miller, who has shin splints.
Miller was troubled by shin splints last year, only to later have it called a broken fibula. He spent 16 weeks inactive on game day while still on the 53-man roster.
Linebacker Ricky Brown is expected to practice once a day as he recovers from ankle surgery.
– Cable said he hoped Richard Seymour’s contract would be finalized this weekend.
“We’re trying to get it done so he’s all ours,’’ Cable said.
– Fullback Oren O’Neal, who never recovered from a serious knee injury in 2008, was waived.
– It was a mixed bag for quarterback Jason Campbell, getting accustomed to his yearly task of learning a new offense.
“I’ve been through about 10 of them, so somewhere along the like I’ve run a lot of these plays, trying to find the rhythm, get used to the guys around me and get back into the groove,’’ Campbell said.
Campbell, under the watchful eye of Willie Brown during his press session much the way Eddie Anderson monitored JaMarcus Russell, backed well off his NFL Network declaration that he considered himself the starting quarterback.
“I’m just here to work. Just here to work, get better every day,’’ Campbell said. “ I’ll let coach Cable make that decision and Mr. Al Davis. My job is to come out here every day and compete, keep working on things and try to improve the offense.’’
When Charles Woodson was a rookie, the Raiders went through the charade of listing him behind James Trapp until well into training camp.
With middle linebacker Rolando McClain, there was no such pretense.
“The day after they drafted me, I called to ask for a playbook and some DVDs to look over,’’ McClain said. “I didn’t waste any time.’’
McClain was flanked by Kamerion Wimbley on the strong side and Trevor Scott on the weak side as the defense played almost exclusively 4-3 for the first practice.
– The first minicamp practice contained little or none of the potentially exotic looks hinted at by Cable at the post-draft press briefing. No surprise, really.
“I was looking at the playbook and there are some things that we didn’t do last year.,’’ Asomugha said. “Like always, it’s a matter of how well we do it at this time of the year and then in the summer as to whether we actually play it. So it’s going to depend on us and then how comfortable the coaches feel.’’
– No longer serving as play-caller and offensive coordinator, Cable found himself with more information than usual following the first practice.
“I had a lot more notes from practice on a broad area of things, from what I saw on special teams and with the DBs, to something with the linebackers,’’ Cable said. “I kind of walked off the field feeling really good about what I saw and was anxious to look at it on film and crosscheck myself.’’
Cable on the quarterback rotation of Charlie Frye, JaMarcus Russell, Jason Campbell and Kyle Boller: “It means nothing. Don’t look anything into that. If you do, you’re wasting ink.’’
Or blog space.
– Fourth-round draft pick Bruce Campbell, who played exclusively on the left side at Maryland, lined up as the right guard with the second team. Cable said putting him at guard will give him more second-team reps.
Third-round pick Jared Veldheer was the second-team left tackle behind Mario Henderson.
“My first time looking at the playbook, I looked at it and the different language and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Now that I actually got a practice under my belt, I was like, OK, it’s not that bad,’’ Campbell said. “It’s just getting used to the game speed and basically staying low on the inside.’’
Campbell had false starts on consecutive plays during one sequence and was in some battles with defensive tackle Chris Cooper that probably went beyond the scope of a “non-contact’’ practice.
– Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, No. 85, looked much smoother catching the ball in drills and in team sessions. He did have two drops, although neither was a particularly easy catch, one over his head and the other at his feet.
– The following undrafted free agents were announced as signed: DE Alex Daniels, DT Kellen Heard, RB Chane Moline, TE John Owens, G Alex Parsons, DB Joey Thomas and RB Manase Tonga.
– Cornerback Stanford Routt signed his first- and third-round tender and practiced with the team.
iPad 3G video downscaled, blocked over AT&T network
In our early testing, iLounge has learned that some video delivery applications act differently over the 3G network than they do on Wi-Fi. The iPad’s built-in YouTube application strips both standard and HD videos to a dramatically lower resolution over the cellular data connection, something that iTunes Store video previews notably do not do, instead staying at a higher quality and consuming a greater amount of data. Other third-party applications, such as the ABC Player, refuse to work at all over the cellular connection, producing a notification pop-up that states, “Please connect to a Wi-Fi network to use this application. Cellular networks are not supported at this time.”
Nothing but bad news for Woods
CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Finally, all the talk about Tiger Woods was mostly about his golf.
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Associated Press
Tiger Woods, who shot 7-over-par 79 on Friday in the Quail Hollow Championship, gets 'thumbs down' signs from two fans in the gallery.
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And it was more bad news.
In a shocking meltdown Friday at the Quail Hollow Championship, Woods missed the cut for only the sixth time in his career with a performance that was incomparable for all the wrong reasons.
He shot 7-over-par 79, his worst score on American soil as a pro and the second-highest of his career. He matched his highest score on nine holes with a 43 on the back nine, and that was with three solid pars on the tough closing stretch. His 36-hole score of 153 was the highest in his 14 years on the PGA Tour.
Rust? Mechanics? Distractions from a personal life in turmoil?
"It is what it is," Woods said. "Whatever it was, it wasn't good enough."
Not even close.
He missed the cut by a whopping eight shots -- and he was 17 shots behind 36-hole leader Billy Mayfair -- and headed back to Florida as speculation mounts that being caught in rampant extramarital affairs has tarnished more than his image.
Making the performance even more surprising is that Woods was coming off a tie for fourth at the Masters Tournament three weeks ago, a remarkable result considering it was his first competition since a five-month hiatus created by his crisis at home.
Woods couldn't make a putt, and he didn't make any excuses about whether his private life is affecting his golf.
"Every day I do media, I get asked it, so it doesn't go away," he said. "Even when I'm at home paparazzi still follow us, helicopters still hover around. Does it test you? Yes, of course it does. Is that any excuse? No, because I'm out there and I have the same opportunity as everybody else here in this field to shoot a good number. And I didn't do it."
Woods is to compete next week at The Players Championship.
Mayfair birdied his last hole for a 68 that gave him the halfway lead at 8-under 136. He led by one shot over two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, who had 67.
* Comments (3)
* Bookmark and Share
* Photos
Associated Press
Tiger Woods, who shot 7-over-par 79 on Friday in the Quail Hollow Championship, gets 'thumbs down' signs from two fans in the gallery.
Advertisement
And it was more bad news.
In a shocking meltdown Friday at the Quail Hollow Championship, Woods missed the cut for only the sixth time in his career with a performance that was incomparable for all the wrong reasons.
He shot 7-over-par 79, his worst score on American soil as a pro and the second-highest of his career. He matched his highest score on nine holes with a 43 on the back nine, and that was with three solid pars on the tough closing stretch. His 36-hole score of 153 was the highest in his 14 years on the PGA Tour.
Rust? Mechanics? Distractions from a personal life in turmoil?
"It is what it is," Woods said. "Whatever it was, it wasn't good enough."
Not even close.
He missed the cut by a whopping eight shots -- and he was 17 shots behind 36-hole leader Billy Mayfair -- and headed back to Florida as speculation mounts that being caught in rampant extramarital affairs has tarnished more than his image.
Making the performance even more surprising is that Woods was coming off a tie for fourth at the Masters Tournament three weeks ago, a remarkable result considering it was his first competition since a five-month hiatus created by his crisis at home.
Woods couldn't make a putt, and he didn't make any excuses about whether his private life is affecting his golf.
"Every day I do media, I get asked it, so it doesn't go away," he said. "Even when I'm at home paparazzi still follow us, helicopters still hover around. Does it test you? Yes, of course it does. Is that any excuse? No, because I'm out there and I have the same opportunity as everybody else here in this field to shoot a good number. And I didn't do it."
Woods is to compete next week at The Players Championship.
Mayfair birdied his last hole for a 68 that gave him the halfway lead at 8-under 136. He led by one shot over two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, who had 67.
News director Melville is latest to leave NECN
Tom Melville, the news director at New England Cable News, has resigned from the 24-hour news cable outlet.
Melville, who has overseen the newsroom for over a year, told the station’s staff yesterday. His last day will be Wednesday.
“After 17 years at NECN, I feel it is time for me to try something new,’’ Melville said in a statement.
NECN officials declined to comment on Melville’s departure but said in a statement: “He is the consummate professional, and we wish him the very the best as he takes on new opportunities.’’
Melville is the latest high-ranking executive to leave the station since Comcast Corp. took full ownership of network last summer from Hearst Corp., which had co-owned NECN. With that move, NECN’s general manager and president, Charles J. Kravetz, was replaced by Bill Bridgen, who also oversees Comcast SportsNet based in Burlington. Last month, Iris Adler, NECN’s longtime documentary division editor, left the network to be an executive producer at WBUR 90.9 FM, a National Public Radio affiliate.
The changes come as Comcast has rebranded NECN with expanded programming and new graphics in the past year. This week, the station officially launched a 4:30 a.m. newscast — the earliest of Boston TV stations. Called “First Thing in the Morning,’’ the program features anchors Mike Nikitas and Karen Swensen and meteorologist Danielle Niles.
Melville, who has overseen the newsroom for over a year, told the station’s staff yesterday. His last day will be Wednesday.
“After 17 years at NECN, I feel it is time for me to try something new,’’ Melville said in a statement.
NECN officials declined to comment on Melville’s departure but said in a statement: “He is the consummate professional, and we wish him the very the best as he takes on new opportunities.’’
Melville is the latest high-ranking executive to leave the station since Comcast Corp. took full ownership of network last summer from Hearst Corp., which had co-owned NECN. With that move, NECN’s general manager and president, Charles J. Kravetz, was replaced by Bill Bridgen, who also oversees Comcast SportsNet based in Burlington. Last month, Iris Adler, NECN’s longtime documentary division editor, left the network to be an executive producer at WBUR 90.9 FM, a National Public Radio affiliate.
The changes come as Comcast has rebranded NECN with expanded programming and new graphics in the past year. This week, the station officially launched a 4:30 a.m. newscast — the earliest of Boston TV stations. Called “First Thing in the Morning,’’ the program features anchors Mike Nikitas and Karen Swensen and meteorologist Danielle Niles.
Twitter: More a News Medium Than Social Network
While Twitter tends to get lumped in with other social-networking sites, a group of Korean researchers has analyzed how people use the service and found that it more closely resembles a traditional news media outlet.
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In other words, think of Twitter not as a truncated Facebook, but as a speedy news site where anyone can be a reporter but the dispatches must be no more than 140 characters long.
Haewoon Kwak, one of the researchers, presented the work Friday at the WWW2010 conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Kwak listed the ways that Twitter differs from other social-networking sites, and then described the mathematical analysis the researchers performed to show how people share information differently on Twitter than they do on other networking sites.
For the study, the research team gathered information on 41.7 million user profiles. They pulled 106 million tweets and followed 4,262 trending topics, identified through hash tags.
Unlike with most social-networking sites, a Twitter user does not need to get the permission of another user to follow that person's missives. With Twitter, anyone can follow anyone else (as long as that person makes his or her tweets public).
This approach, Kwak said, is closer to that of blogs, which can be subscribed to via an RSS feed. This led the team to wonder if Twitter was more of a news medium than a social-networking site.
The numbers backed up their idea. The team found that only 22 percent of "follows," where one person chooses to include another's tweets on their page, were reciprocal. This is far lower than the reciprocal rates of typical social media sites, such as Flickr (68 percent) and the popular Koran service Cyworld (77 percent).
And like other forms of media, including news outlets, Twitter has its stars. About 40 Twitter accounts have more than a million followers. The data indicates that amassing this level of popularity cannot be achieved simply by tweeting as much as possible. Rather, all the most popular Twitter accounts belong to celebrities, who are famous in channels other than Twitter.
The messages themselves more closely resemble those of a news dissemination medium as well. Of the tweets registered, more than 85 percent were news-related in some way.
The newsy aspect of Twitter is reflected in the question its users are now asked when posting tweets -- "What's happening?" -- as opposed to the earlier question, "What are you doing?" And many people use the service to search for up-to-the-second information about unfolding events, such as a football game or a natural disaster.
The researchers compared how often Twitter contained the first mention of a breaking news event to how often the CNN Headline News site got the scoop. While CNN broke the news first more than half the time, news appeared on Twitter before CNN a considerable number of times as well.
The question of whether Twitter is a social-networking service or a media outlet, albeit a new form of media, is a pertinent one, especially given Twitter's decision to start interspersing mini-advertisements in its search results.
On the April 15 edition of the Slate "Disrupters" business podcast (episode #4), Matthew Yeomans, a founder of the Web 2.0 consulting firm Social Media Influence, pointed out that people have different expectations with news media sites than they do with social media sites, especially in terms of privacy and level of acceptance of ads.
"If [Twitter] was to grow into a pure-play social network, then the acceptance of advertising would be a lot harder by the Twitter community than if Twitter just becomes a hardcore way of people getting information," he said.
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In other words, think of Twitter not as a truncated Facebook, but as a speedy news site where anyone can be a reporter but the dispatches must be no more than 140 characters long.
Haewoon Kwak, one of the researchers, presented the work Friday at the WWW2010 conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Kwak listed the ways that Twitter differs from other social-networking sites, and then described the mathematical analysis the researchers performed to show how people share information differently on Twitter than they do on other networking sites.
For the study, the research team gathered information on 41.7 million user profiles. They pulled 106 million tweets and followed 4,262 trending topics, identified through hash tags.
Unlike with most social-networking sites, a Twitter user does not need to get the permission of another user to follow that person's missives. With Twitter, anyone can follow anyone else (as long as that person makes his or her tweets public).
This approach, Kwak said, is closer to that of blogs, which can be subscribed to via an RSS feed. This led the team to wonder if Twitter was more of a news medium than a social-networking site.
The numbers backed up their idea. The team found that only 22 percent of "follows," where one person chooses to include another's tweets on their page, were reciprocal. This is far lower than the reciprocal rates of typical social media sites, such as Flickr (68 percent) and the popular Koran service Cyworld (77 percent).
And like other forms of media, including news outlets, Twitter has its stars. About 40 Twitter accounts have more than a million followers. The data indicates that amassing this level of popularity cannot be achieved simply by tweeting as much as possible. Rather, all the most popular Twitter accounts belong to celebrities, who are famous in channels other than Twitter.
The messages themselves more closely resemble those of a news dissemination medium as well. Of the tweets registered, more than 85 percent were news-related in some way.
The newsy aspect of Twitter is reflected in the question its users are now asked when posting tweets -- "What's happening?" -- as opposed to the earlier question, "What are you doing?" And many people use the service to search for up-to-the-second information about unfolding events, such as a football game or a natural disaster.
The researchers compared how often Twitter contained the first mention of a breaking news event to how often the CNN Headline News site got the scoop. While CNN broke the news first more than half the time, news appeared on Twitter before CNN a considerable number of times as well.
The question of whether Twitter is a social-networking service or a media outlet, albeit a new form of media, is a pertinent one, especially given Twitter's decision to start interspersing mini-advertisements in its search results.
On the April 15 edition of the Slate "Disrupters" business podcast (episode #4), Matthew Yeomans, a founder of the Web 2.0 consulting firm Social Media Influence, pointed out that people have different expectations with news media sites than they do with social media sites, especially in terms of privacy and level of acceptance of ads.
"If [Twitter] was to grow into a pure-play social network, then the acceptance of advertising would be a lot harder by the Twitter community than if Twitter just becomes a hardcore way of people getting information," he said.
Obama: Economic Uptick Isn't Mission Accomplished
April 30) -- There are two U.S. economies: the one measured by businesses's output of goods and services, and the one felt by Americans as a sense of family financial security.
It is that second, emotional take on the economy that President Barack Obama had in mind today when he refrained from trumpeting the picture of recovery painted by a new Commerce Department report on gross domestic product for the first three months of the year.
U.S. President Barack Obama during a Rose Garden event at the White House April 30 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee, Getty Images
President Barack Obama comments on the economy during an event Friday in the White House Rose Garden.
According to the government's initial estimate, U.S. economic output grew at an annual rate of 3.2 percent. It was slower than the 5.6 percent rate clocked in the fourth quarter of last year -- which economists knew was unsustainable -- but marked a tremendous turnaround from the 6.4 percent decline in the first three months of 2009.
"What this number means is that our economy as a whole is in a much better place than it was one year ago," Obama said in the White House Rose Garden, a few hours after the GDP numbers were released. "The economy that shrank for four quarters in a row has now grown for three quarters in a row.
"But I measure progress by a different pulse, the progress the American people feel in their own lives, day in, day out," he added, noting the country is still struggling to recuperate from 8 million jobs lost. "While today's GDP report is an important milepost on our road to recovery, it doesn't mean much to an American who has lost his or her job and can't find another.
"For millions of Americans -- our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens ready and willing to get back to work -- 'You're hired' is the only economic news they're waiting to hear."
The president's remarks underline how the jobs market overshadows any broader economic story in public life, and how closely Democrats and Republicans alike will pay attention to the employment report released by the government on the first Friday of each month between now and the midterm elections in November.
Economic insecurity is almost as politically resonant now as terrorism-related security fears were in the early years of President George W. Bush's administration. And even as he takes credit for putting the economy back on its feet, Obama has no wish to declare "mission accomplished" when so many Americans feel the economic battle is far from won.
One recent Associated Press-GfK Poll indicated that only 21 percent of Americans feel the economy is in good shape. Unemployment is at 9.7 percent, and that's not counting the more than 2 million unemployed people the Labor Department didn't include in the workforce last month because they weren't looking for work anymore.
Republicans know this too.
Speaking on National Public Radio today, House Minority Leader John Boehner pointed out that "the American people are asking the question: Where are the jobs? When are we going to get the economy going again?"
Economic insecurity also explains why the White House has effectively treated Wall Street executives as its biggest political nemesis -- much more than Republicans -- for the past five months. The financial crisis, even if over, still looms politically.
There is genuine good news in the GDP report. Consumer spending, the biggest engine of U.S. economic growth, improved at a healthier annual rate of 2.55 percent in the quarter, with Americans showing an increasing willingness to buy durable goods like refrigerators, appliances and cars. Recovering sales for American automakers -- as seen in the recent quarterly results from General Motors, Chrysler and Ford -- played a big part.
The report also indicated that inflation remained tame, giving the Federal Reserve more leeway to keep interest rates and the cost of borrowed money low for some time to come.
But with both the Fed and the White House predicting weak job growth into next year, that is the economic and political issue expected to remain at the fore.
It is that second, emotional take on the economy that President Barack Obama had in mind today when he refrained from trumpeting the picture of recovery painted by a new Commerce Department report on gross domestic product for the first three months of the year.
U.S. President Barack Obama during a Rose Garden event at the White House April 30 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee, Getty Images
President Barack Obama comments on the economy during an event Friday in the White House Rose Garden.
According to the government's initial estimate, U.S. economic output grew at an annual rate of 3.2 percent. It was slower than the 5.6 percent rate clocked in the fourth quarter of last year -- which economists knew was unsustainable -- but marked a tremendous turnaround from the 6.4 percent decline in the first three months of 2009.
"What this number means is that our economy as a whole is in a much better place than it was one year ago," Obama said in the White House Rose Garden, a few hours after the GDP numbers were released. "The economy that shrank for four quarters in a row has now grown for three quarters in a row.
"But I measure progress by a different pulse, the progress the American people feel in their own lives, day in, day out," he added, noting the country is still struggling to recuperate from 8 million jobs lost. "While today's GDP report is an important milepost on our road to recovery, it doesn't mean much to an American who has lost his or her job and can't find another.
"For millions of Americans -- our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens ready and willing to get back to work -- 'You're hired' is the only economic news they're waiting to hear."
The president's remarks underline how the jobs market overshadows any broader economic story in public life, and how closely Democrats and Republicans alike will pay attention to the employment report released by the government on the first Friday of each month between now and the midterm elections in November.
Economic insecurity is almost as politically resonant now as terrorism-related security fears were in the early years of President George W. Bush's administration. And even as he takes credit for putting the economy back on its feet, Obama has no wish to declare "mission accomplished" when so many Americans feel the economic battle is far from won.
One recent Associated Press-GfK Poll indicated that only 21 percent of Americans feel the economy is in good shape. Unemployment is at 9.7 percent, and that's not counting the more than 2 million unemployed people the Labor Department didn't include in the workforce last month because they weren't looking for work anymore.
Republicans know this too.
Speaking on National Public Radio today, House Minority Leader John Boehner pointed out that "the American people are asking the question: Where are the jobs? When are we going to get the economy going again?"
Economic insecurity also explains why the White House has effectively treated Wall Street executives as its biggest political nemesis -- much more than Republicans -- for the past five months. The financial crisis, even if over, still looms politically.
There is genuine good news in the GDP report. Consumer spending, the biggest engine of U.S. economic growth, improved at a healthier annual rate of 2.55 percent in the quarter, with Americans showing an increasing willingness to buy durable goods like refrigerators, appliances and cars. Recovering sales for American automakers -- as seen in the recent quarterly results from General Motors, Chrysler and Ford -- played a big part.
The report also indicated that inflation remained tame, giving the Federal Reserve more leeway to keep interest rates and the cost of borrowed money low for some time to come.
But with both the Fed and the White House predicting weak job growth into next year, that is the economic and political issue expected to remain at the fore.
AP News for iPad a missed opportunity
Having made most of my living in the news business, I'm pretty much a news junkie. As a result, I've loaded my iPad up with a lot of news applications so I can keep up throughout the day.
I'd taken some pretty strong issue with the failings of the AP News app for the iPhone, but the iPad version hits a new low in design and function.
Let's start at the beginning. When you launch the app, you are presented with a screen that has little strips of news on what appears to be a cloth background. Each strip is a story. You can get about six of these strips on the iPad screen. That's pretty silly, since the screen is so large and the strips are so small. You would think the people that designed this app would use the extra space for more content, but that isn't the case. The home screen also has a large window which is a gateway to AP photos, and another window that leads you to video.
When you click on a story, it expands, but again, doesn't use the full screen space. There is a sidebar that lets you select a story to send as email, send it to Twitter or Facebook, or enlarge the fonts. You can also save the story locally.
There is also a ridiculous feature that lets you rate the story. This feature is also in the iPhone version. I said it then, and I'll say it now: What the heck do I care how someone else rated a story? I'm going to read what I am interested in, not a bunch of other people. This is a baffling decision by the AP, and is, I guess, some misguided attempt to be "hip."
If you use the app, you'll often see the same story is listed more than once. It is exactly the same story, with the same text and transmit time. You'd think the software would be smart enough to stop two identical stories from appearing on the same page, but it amounts to another case of bad decisions and another waste of screen space.
Let's move on, quickly, to the photo feed. The AP is a world photo leader in photography, with a lot of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos to be proud of. In the app you click on a picture and you guessed it. It doesn't come up full screen. It enlarges a bit, but is still pretty small. The pictures can also be mailed, Twittered and sent to Facebook.
How about the video feature? Well, it works, but that's about it. The video window is very small, and each video starts up with an ad. The same ad. Over and over, for each video you watch. Today it was an ad for men's deodorant. If it wouldn't ruin the iPad and void my warranty, I'd spray it all over this app.
It's hard to understand what the AP is thinking. I want to get the news. I have an iPad because the larger screen appeals to me. Games and photos, look great on this device. This app fails to use the extra screen space at every opportunity.
A few other items: This app frequently crashes on launch. It's already had one update, but the crashes continue. More than once it has lost the news category choices I've made, and just has the default categories. Selecting your own categories is a festival of obfuscation. It isn't obvious that you have to drag and drop the categories to a list. There is no onscreen guidance or help of any kind.
There is an option for local news. I set it to my home town, and I got a smattering of fairly stale news from my local paper. The app also displays my local forecast and current temperature on the main page. You can have multiple locations set, but when I switched to another, I did not get weather from that location. When I deleted my original location, it still insisted on giving me the weather for Arizona, instead of the new location.
In the final analysis, this app is a train wreck. The AP is among the biggest and finest news operations in the world. They could have done this right. I'm taking it off my iPad to join the legion of rejected apps that don't belong on it.
For a look at news done right, check the Editor's Choice app from the New York Times, The BBC News app, the USA Today app, or the the News Pro app from Thomson Reuters. All these apps are superior to the AP News app in design and function.
Is my review too harsh? I don't think so. I just read the comments on AP News at the app store. It's pretty ugly over there.
The Associated Press can do better than this. I hope they will. It's time to replace the team that designed this and let the next version go to programmers who actually read the news. Now that's a concept.
I'd taken some pretty strong issue with the failings of the AP News app for the iPhone, but the iPad version hits a new low in design and function.
Let's start at the beginning. When you launch the app, you are presented with a screen that has little strips of news on what appears to be a cloth background. Each strip is a story. You can get about six of these strips on the iPad screen. That's pretty silly, since the screen is so large and the strips are so small. You would think the people that designed this app would use the extra space for more content, but that isn't the case. The home screen also has a large window which is a gateway to AP photos, and another window that leads you to video.
When you click on a story, it expands, but again, doesn't use the full screen space. There is a sidebar that lets you select a story to send as email, send it to Twitter or Facebook, or enlarge the fonts. You can also save the story locally.
There is also a ridiculous feature that lets you rate the story. This feature is also in the iPhone version. I said it then, and I'll say it now: What the heck do I care how someone else rated a story? I'm going to read what I am interested in, not a bunch of other people. This is a baffling decision by the AP, and is, I guess, some misguided attempt to be "hip."
If you use the app, you'll often see the same story is listed more than once. It is exactly the same story, with the same text and transmit time. You'd think the software would be smart enough to stop two identical stories from appearing on the same page, but it amounts to another case of bad decisions and another waste of screen space.
Let's move on, quickly, to the photo feed. The AP is a world photo leader in photography, with a lot of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos to be proud of. In the app you click on a picture and you guessed it. It doesn't come up full screen. It enlarges a bit, but is still pretty small. The pictures can also be mailed, Twittered and sent to Facebook.
How about the video feature? Well, it works, but that's about it. The video window is very small, and each video starts up with an ad. The same ad. Over and over, for each video you watch. Today it was an ad for men's deodorant. If it wouldn't ruin the iPad and void my warranty, I'd spray it all over this app.
It's hard to understand what the AP is thinking. I want to get the news. I have an iPad because the larger screen appeals to me. Games and photos, look great on this device. This app fails to use the extra screen space at every opportunity.
A few other items: This app frequently crashes on launch. It's already had one update, but the crashes continue. More than once it has lost the news category choices I've made, and just has the default categories. Selecting your own categories is a festival of obfuscation. It isn't obvious that you have to drag and drop the categories to a list. There is no onscreen guidance or help of any kind.
There is an option for local news. I set it to my home town, and I got a smattering of fairly stale news from my local paper. The app also displays my local forecast and current temperature on the main page. You can have multiple locations set, but when I switched to another, I did not get weather from that location. When I deleted my original location, it still insisted on giving me the weather for Arizona, instead of the new location.
In the final analysis, this app is a train wreck. The AP is among the biggest and finest news operations in the world. They could have done this right. I'm taking it off my iPad to join the legion of rejected apps that don't belong on it.
For a look at news done right, check the Editor's Choice app from the New York Times, The BBC News app, the USA Today app, or the the News Pro app from Thomson Reuters. All these apps are superior to the AP News app in design and function.
Is my review too harsh? I don't think so. I just read the comments on AP News at the app store. It's pretty ugly over there.
The Associated Press can do better than this. I hope they will. It's time to replace the team that designed this and let the next version go to programmers who actually read the news. Now that's a concept.
Top 10 News Items
Here is a recap of the top news items from this week on Wall Street:
1. News that an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is turning out to be much larger than expected dominated wires this week, causing traders to short the stocks of those companies involved, mainly BP (NYSE: BP), Transocean (NYSE: RIG) and Cameron International (NYSE: CAM). BP has estimated that several leaks at the site are causing the oil company to lose up to 5,000 barrels of oil per day, pushing clean-up costs already into the tens of millions just several days after troubles were initially seen. The Governor of Louisiana has declared a state of emergency in the state as the massive oil sheen is expected to hit land sometime this weekend. Shares of BP tumbled 13% this week, Transocean, which BP leases the rig from, fell about 16% and Cameron, which makes the cap that was supposed to stay sealed upon blow-out, fell about 18%.
2. Unsustainable levels of debt in European countries made their way back to the front of trader's list of worries this week as S&P downgraded its ratings on not only Greece but also Spain and Portugal. While some would argue that such an event was also priced into these markets, others point that the real damage could come from the contagion of these debt concerns: EU countries are tied so closely together that downgrades could get the ball roll for other countries to be downgraded. Against the dollar, the euro has not been to such low levels since mid-2009.
3. Shares of Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) fell about 7% this week as execs were grilled on Capitol Hill and then, later in the week, the SEC referred its fraud case against the firm to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. While much of Wall Street cheered Lloyd Blankfein's snappy responses to an onslaught of questions, Main Street rejoiced as Carl Levin "stumped" other execs with "meaningful" interrogation tactics aimed at exposing the corruption within the US financial industry.
4. Dendreon (Nasdaq: DNDN) shares surged almost 27% on Thursday of this week, and another 9% on Friday as its Provenge cancer treatment was approved by the FDA. Full treatment with the product will cost patients $93,000. A parade of analysts rushed to raise their price targets on the momentous stock.
5. Finally giving solace to many speculative traders that like to play the M&A market, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) announced that it has made an offer to buy Palm (Nasdaq: PALM) for $1.2 billion, or about $5.70 per share. Shares of Palm surged more than 26% on Thursday.
6. The Fed held rates unchanged this week, also leaving in its "extended period" language. Also unchanged from previous FOMC meetings, Thomas Hoenig remained the lone dissenter.
7. The earnings season is now mostly behind us although a few stragglers still remain. This week we saw earnings from the likes of Ford (NYSE: F), Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN), DuPont (NYSE: DD), 3M (NYSE: MMM), Visa (NYSE: V), First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR), ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU).
8. The second reading on Q1 GDP came in this week, showing a 3.2% rise in economic growth. Economists had been looking for a rise of 3.3%.
9. Shares of Hertz Global (NYSE: HTZ) and Dollar Thrifty (NYSE: DTG) jumped 14% and 10%, respectively, on Monday of this week as the two company's apparently have been in talks for Hertz to buy Dollar Thrifty for $1.17 billion in cash and stock. The deal values Dollar Thrifty at $41 per share.
10. The U.S. Treasury issued a press release on Monday morning related to the sale of its 7.7 million shares of Citigroup (NYSE: C) common stock. Citi shares fell more than 10% on Monday and Tuesday following the news, but bounced about 5% on Wednesday and Thursday.
1. News that an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is turning out to be much larger than expected dominated wires this week, causing traders to short the stocks of those companies involved, mainly BP (NYSE: BP), Transocean (NYSE: RIG) and Cameron International (NYSE: CAM). BP has estimated that several leaks at the site are causing the oil company to lose up to 5,000 barrels of oil per day, pushing clean-up costs already into the tens of millions just several days after troubles were initially seen. The Governor of Louisiana has declared a state of emergency in the state as the massive oil sheen is expected to hit land sometime this weekend. Shares of BP tumbled 13% this week, Transocean, which BP leases the rig from, fell about 16% and Cameron, which makes the cap that was supposed to stay sealed upon blow-out, fell about 18%.
2. Unsustainable levels of debt in European countries made their way back to the front of trader's list of worries this week as S&P downgraded its ratings on not only Greece but also Spain and Portugal. While some would argue that such an event was also priced into these markets, others point that the real damage could come from the contagion of these debt concerns: EU countries are tied so closely together that downgrades could get the ball roll for other countries to be downgraded. Against the dollar, the euro has not been to such low levels since mid-2009.
3. Shares of Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) fell about 7% this week as execs were grilled on Capitol Hill and then, later in the week, the SEC referred its fraud case against the firm to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. While much of Wall Street cheered Lloyd Blankfein's snappy responses to an onslaught of questions, Main Street rejoiced as Carl Levin "stumped" other execs with "meaningful" interrogation tactics aimed at exposing the corruption within the US financial industry.
4. Dendreon (Nasdaq: DNDN) shares surged almost 27% on Thursday of this week, and another 9% on Friday as its Provenge cancer treatment was approved by the FDA. Full treatment with the product will cost patients $93,000. A parade of analysts rushed to raise their price targets on the momentous stock.
5. Finally giving solace to many speculative traders that like to play the M&A market, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) announced that it has made an offer to buy Palm (Nasdaq: PALM) for $1.2 billion, or about $5.70 per share. Shares of Palm surged more than 26% on Thursday.
6. The Fed held rates unchanged this week, also leaving in its "extended period" language. Also unchanged from previous FOMC meetings, Thomas Hoenig remained the lone dissenter.
7. The earnings season is now mostly behind us although a few stragglers still remain. This week we saw earnings from the likes of Ford (NYSE: F), Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN), DuPont (NYSE: DD), 3M (NYSE: MMM), Visa (NYSE: V), First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR), ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU).
8. The second reading on Q1 GDP came in this week, showing a 3.2% rise in economic growth. Economists had been looking for a rise of 3.3%.
9. Shares of Hertz Global (NYSE: HTZ) and Dollar Thrifty (NYSE: DTG) jumped 14% and 10%, respectively, on Monday of this week as the two company's apparently have been in talks for Hertz to buy Dollar Thrifty for $1.17 billion in cash and stock. The deal values Dollar Thrifty at $41 per share.
10. The U.S. Treasury issued a press release on Monday morning related to the sale of its 7.7 million shares of Citigroup (NYSE: C) common stock. Citi shares fell more than 10% on Monday and Tuesday following the news, but bounced about 5% on Wednesday and Thursday.
AP Top News at 2:28 p.m. EDT
MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER — Oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico oozed into Louisiana's ecologically rich wetlands Friday as storms threatened to frustrate desperate protection efforts. The White House put a hold on any new offshore oil projects until safeguards are in place to prevent rig explosions like the one that caused the spill. Boats patrolled coastal marshes early Friday looking for areas where the oil has flowed in, the Coast Guard said, and the state of Louisiana diverted thousands of gallons of fresh water from the Mississippi River to try to flush out the wetlands, though that effort was being hampered by wind.
LeBron James will be named MVP
You knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time, but you knew. Kind of like how we all know that "Furry Vengeance" is going to be a really great movie, we're all aware that LeBron James is this season's Most Valuable Player.
Now, according to Waiting for Next Year and confirmed by Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, it's official.
LeBron James will become the 10th player in NBA history to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards when results of the nationwide voting are announced Sunday, sources told The Plain Dealer.
James is expected to have a press conference at The University of Akron and accept the Maurice Podoloff Trophy and the Kia car that comes with the honor. Last season when James won for the first time, he accepted at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in his hometown.
NBA Commissioner David Stern is expected for formally give him the trophy before Monday's Game 2 against the Boston Celtics at The Q.
While James will be the 10th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs, he'll be the first to do so in a season that included an off-hand free throw in the final seconds of a playoff game. Quite the honor.
There's no word yet on whether LeBron was a unanimous vote for MVP, but odds are he wasn't. Remember, he sat out a few games at the end of the season and some people think that means he shouldn't be the Most Valuable Player, despite the fact that he had one of the best statistical seasons of all-time and was somehow better than last year when he took home his first trophy. Silliness.
Like I said, considering LeBron's dominance this year, it's exactly zero percent surprising that he'll be getting another MVP. Heck, like Stan Van Gundy says, he could win the next 10. But what is surprising is that as of Sunday, LeBron James will own two Kias.
Now, according to Waiting for Next Year and confirmed by Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, it's official.
LeBron James will become the 10th player in NBA history to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards when results of the nationwide voting are announced Sunday, sources told The Plain Dealer.
James is expected to have a press conference at The University of Akron and accept the Maurice Podoloff Trophy and the Kia car that comes with the honor. Last season when James won for the first time, he accepted at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in his hometown.
NBA Commissioner David Stern is expected for formally give him the trophy before Monday's Game 2 against the Boston Celtics at The Q.
While James will be the 10th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs, he'll be the first to do so in a season that included an off-hand free throw in the final seconds of a playoff game. Quite the honor.
There's no word yet on whether LeBron was a unanimous vote for MVP, but odds are he wasn't. Remember, he sat out a few games at the end of the season and some people think that means he shouldn't be the Most Valuable Player, despite the fact that he had one of the best statistical seasons of all-time and was somehow better than last year when he took home his first trophy. Silliness.
Like I said, considering LeBron's dominance this year, it's exactly zero percent surprising that he'll be getting another MVP. Heck, like Stan Van Gundy says, he could win the next 10. But what is surprising is that as of Sunday, LeBron James will own two Kias.
News from the track: Richmond
Want to hear what Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have to say about each other after having a week to cool down? We do, and we'll have it for you, along with whatever else goes on at Richmond International Raceway on Friday in preparation for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400. Hang here all day while we bring you the news and notes from Friday's press conferences and happenings on the track. Check back often to keep up with the latest.
Here are some notes to get us started:
• Qualifying will start at 5:30 ET.
• At this point last season, Kyle Busch had two wins. He's winless so far this season.
• In 10 races at Richmond, Busch has eight top-five finishes.
10:45 a.m. ET: Jeff Burton says he feels he's performed "as well as anybody," they just aren't getting the results to match how they are running.
"It's bizarre to run the way we've run and post the finishes we've posted."
10:57: Burton was asked about Brad Keselowski's win in the Nationwide Series at Talladega in which Keselowski's car failed post-race inspection. Keselowski was penalized points, but kept the win.
11:00: Burton was asked if he will run for political office when he retires.
"I have not served my country, and that's something I think we all need to do and I have not done that." He doesn't know what form it will be - volunteering, political office - but said he will do something to serve his community when he retires from racing.
Burton said some penalties warrant taking the trophy and taking the points, and some penalties don't. "There's minor infractions and there's major infractions."
He added that he understands how that might look from the outside looking in, but there are small infractions that won't impact the performance of car. However, if they do impact the performance, Burton said there should be discussion about whether or not to take the win away.
11:34: Denny Hamlin said he's feeling more relaxed than ever coming to Richmond, his home track, mostly because he finally won there last fall.
11:39: Telling comment of the day so far, Hamlin talking about relationships with teammates: "It's tough at times to have a conversation with Kyle [Busch], but we make it work."
11:45: Hamlin said "everybody races Jimmie [Johnson] a little bit different."
"When you have the success he's had, people don't want to give him anything. People actually race him harder and harder. It's something he's going to have to deal with.
"Even though he doesn't rough anyone up on racetrack, I'm still going to race him hard because I want to take his spot in the sport."
Hamlin added that he thinks the so-called feud between Johnson and Jeff Gordon is based on frustration from Gordon having not won this season.
"You always want to be the leading team guy. The 48 [Johnson] has been that guy for awhile; the 24 [Gordon] wants it."
1:25 p.m.: Jamie McMurray is pacing the way in the first practice session. He's followed by Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch.
1:30: The first practice session is complete and McMurray hangs on to the top spot (at 122.466 mph). Rounding out the top 10 are: Bowyer, Logano, Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, Mark Martin and Kevin Harvick.
1:48: The big news of the day so far is that Chad Knaus and Alan Gustafson have signed extensions to remain crew chiefs for the 48 and 5 cars, respectively. Knaus' deal goes through 2015 - the same as Jimmie Johnson. Gustafson's deal is for four years.
3:30: Kyle Busch was fastest in the final practice session (124.889 mph). He was followed by David Reutimann, Joey Logano, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon. Rounding out the top 10 were Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Scott Speed and Jeff Burton.
4:13: Jimmie Johnson said he was surprised by Jeff Gordon's pointed words following last week's race at Talladega because "it wasn't an intentional situation where I was trying to like crash him. I mean, heck, I was doing what you do in the draft which just go down and block a lane and then try to have that lane push you. I misjudged it a little bit in the mirror with the closing rate and he had to go out of bounds to not run into the back of me. In that respect, yes. But he was definitely frustrated with what had been going on from the week before."
And Johnson had this to say about racing Gordon differently: "I think from my perspective there's a point where I've got to race people how they race me. If people are pushing and showing me out of the way, I've got to do the same thing back. I've been very gracious with teammates where I've taken more lumps than I've passed out. That's what the Texas thing was about. I just got to a point where I said enough. But last weekend at Talladega was merely an accident on my behalf. I just misjudged the closing speed."
5:06: Dale Earnhardt Jr. had this to say about the recent National Enquirer story about him: "We've been in there a lot. I don't know why we keep popping up in there. I guess we are relevant in some realm. You learn a lot of new stuff about yourself that you never knew before."
And: "There is no truth to that particular story or any of the other ones for that matter if we want to set the record straight."
And: "The Enquirer is pretty creative. I have to hand it to them."
Here are some notes to get us started:
• Qualifying will start at 5:30 ET.
• At this point last season, Kyle Busch had two wins. He's winless so far this season.
• In 10 races at Richmond, Busch has eight top-five finishes.
10:45 a.m. ET: Jeff Burton says he feels he's performed "as well as anybody," they just aren't getting the results to match how they are running.
"It's bizarre to run the way we've run and post the finishes we've posted."
10:57: Burton was asked about Brad Keselowski's win in the Nationwide Series at Talladega in which Keselowski's car failed post-race inspection. Keselowski was penalized points, but kept the win.
11:00: Burton was asked if he will run for political office when he retires.
"I have not served my country, and that's something I think we all need to do and I have not done that." He doesn't know what form it will be - volunteering, political office - but said he will do something to serve his community when he retires from racing.
Burton said some penalties warrant taking the trophy and taking the points, and some penalties don't. "There's minor infractions and there's major infractions."
He added that he understands how that might look from the outside looking in, but there are small infractions that won't impact the performance of car. However, if they do impact the performance, Burton said there should be discussion about whether or not to take the win away.
11:34: Denny Hamlin said he's feeling more relaxed than ever coming to Richmond, his home track, mostly because he finally won there last fall.
11:39: Telling comment of the day so far, Hamlin talking about relationships with teammates: "It's tough at times to have a conversation with Kyle [Busch], but we make it work."
11:45: Hamlin said "everybody races Jimmie [Johnson] a little bit different."
"When you have the success he's had, people don't want to give him anything. People actually race him harder and harder. It's something he's going to have to deal with.
"Even though he doesn't rough anyone up on racetrack, I'm still going to race him hard because I want to take his spot in the sport."
Hamlin added that he thinks the so-called feud between Johnson and Jeff Gordon is based on frustration from Gordon having not won this season.
"You always want to be the leading team guy. The 48 [Johnson] has been that guy for awhile; the 24 [Gordon] wants it."
1:25 p.m.: Jamie McMurray is pacing the way in the first practice session. He's followed by Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch.
1:30: The first practice session is complete and McMurray hangs on to the top spot (at 122.466 mph). Rounding out the top 10 are: Bowyer, Logano, Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, Mark Martin and Kevin Harvick.
1:48: The big news of the day so far is that Chad Knaus and Alan Gustafson have signed extensions to remain crew chiefs for the 48 and 5 cars, respectively. Knaus' deal goes through 2015 - the same as Jimmie Johnson. Gustafson's deal is for four years.
3:30: Kyle Busch was fastest in the final practice session (124.889 mph). He was followed by David Reutimann, Joey Logano, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon. Rounding out the top 10 were Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Scott Speed and Jeff Burton.
4:13: Jimmie Johnson said he was surprised by Jeff Gordon's pointed words following last week's race at Talladega because "it wasn't an intentional situation where I was trying to like crash him. I mean, heck, I was doing what you do in the draft which just go down and block a lane and then try to have that lane push you. I misjudged it a little bit in the mirror with the closing rate and he had to go out of bounds to not run into the back of me. In that respect, yes. But he was definitely frustrated with what had been going on from the week before."
And Johnson had this to say about racing Gordon differently: "I think from my perspective there's a point where I've got to race people how they race me. If people are pushing and showing me out of the way, I've got to do the same thing back. I've been very gracious with teammates where I've taken more lumps than I've passed out. That's what the Texas thing was about. I just got to a point where I said enough. But last weekend at Talladega was merely an accident on my behalf. I just misjudged the closing speed."
5:06: Dale Earnhardt Jr. had this to say about the recent National Enquirer story about him: "We've been in there a lot. I don't know why we keep popping up in there. I guess we are relevant in some realm. You learn a lot of new stuff about yourself that you never knew before."
And: "There is no truth to that particular story or any of the other ones for that matter if we want to set the record straight."
And: "The Enquirer is pretty creative. I have to hand it to them."
Friday, April 16, 2010
Kyrgyzstan's Ex-President Responds to Ultimatum
(April 13) -- Responding to a demand from Kyrgyzstan's new self-declared leaders that he surrender, ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said he would relinquish his post only if the new interim government guarantees his safety and that of his family.
For almost a week, Bakiyev has been hiding out in his home region in Kyrgyzstan's south, after a brief but bloody revolution ousted his regime from the capital Bishkek last week. At least 83 people died in fierce clashes between protesters and police. Parliament was dissolved and a new opposition-led government now claims control of the Central Asian nation, promising elections within six months.
Sergei Grits, AP
Kyrgyzstan's ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev gestures to his supporters before a rally in southern Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday. The country's self-declared government says Bakiyev must return to the capital or face arrest.
Leaders of the new interim regime, who claim the allegiance of the country's police and military and of Russia, have demanded that Bakiyev return to the capital or face arrest. The interim security minister, Azimbek Beknazarov, said today that the new government has issued a decree revoking Bakiyev's presidential immunity.
"We can see that the president does not want to step down voluntarily and instead is issuing calls for actions against the people," Beknazarov told reporters in the capital. "We have opened a criminal case against the former president. If he does not show up today... we will hold an operation to detain him."
Bakiyev responded to that ultimatum from his home in the southern village of Teyyit. "I am not afraid of any special operation because I know what my people are capable of," he said, flanked by armed guards in camouflage. "Any operation against me can create fury."
Bakiyev was elected in 2005, promising greater democracy and transparency in the poor former Soviet state. But since then he's been dogged by the same corruption he vowed to eradicate. Opponents accuse him of gross human rights violations, repression and of filling key government posts with his relatives.
So far he's remained defiant after last week's revolt, which also cast doubts over the future of a key U.S. air base supporting the fight in neighboring Afghanistan. The interim government has so far said it will honor the previous regime's agreements and leave the American base on Bishkek's outskirts intact.
About 5,000 supporters of Bakiyev turned out today in his southern power base Jalalabad to urge him to return to power. The demonstration followed a similar but smaller one Monday in his home village, where Bakiyev challenged the new government to try to arrest him.
"My power is in the people, not in me," Bakiyev told today's crowd.
At first, interim leaders offered Bakiyev safe passage out of Kyrgyzstan if he agreed to resign and hand over power peacefully. But their position seems to have hardened in recent days, as the beleaguered president gathered supporters around him in the country's south.
It's unclear what interim leaders have in store for Bakiyev if he does decide to surrender to them in Bishkek. But he dismissed their demand, telling The Associated Press, "I don't recognize such actions."
He also said he was willing to negotiate with the government's new leaders, but didn't elaborate on which issues might be included. Still, the atmosphere among his supporters in Jalalabad was peaceful, and Bakiyev urged them to avoid violence.
"The whole world is looking at us. We must preserve stability," he said in a half-hour speech.
The standoff raises concerns of more violence in Kyrgyzstan -- the only country in the world to host both U.S. and Russian military bases. Both Cold War rivals are monitoring the situation closely.
Washington is sending a high-ranking diplomat to the region this week to assess the situation. Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs, said Monday that he would meet representatives with of the new Kyrgyz government. The U.S. is offering Kyrgyz leaders support to "stabilize their political and economic situation," he said.
The U.S. air base at Manas, near Bishkek's airport, is a vital cog in the supply chain for NATO's mission in Afghanistan. Around-the-clock flights to and from the base carry troops and supplies for the 120,000-strong foreign force there. About 50,000 troops passed through Manas last month alone
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tiger Woods's wife, Elin, makes first public appearance since scandal broke
MIAMI — Tiger Woods's wife, Elin, made her first appearance at a public event Friday since scandal engulfed her husband in late November, visiting the Sony Ericsson Open tennis outside Miami with her son Charlie.
Woods sat with her one-year-old son and watched the game between American Andy Roddick and Spain's Rafael Nadal in club seating wearing large sunglasses, a black top and white trousers.
A witness said she had entered the Key Biscayne tennis centre with two bodyguards and had also watched the late-night women's match on Thursday between Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
Tiger Woods is due to return to competitive golf next week at the Masters in Augusta
Monday, April 12, 2010
Mickelson's victory classic Phil
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The man he still calls "coach" was doing his best not to jump out of his chair and scream at the television.
Steve Loy, Phil Mickelson's long-time agent, tried to remain calm. After all, a bit of decorum is required inside the Augusta National clubhouse. But how do you hold it in?
The player he recruited as a teenager to play golf at Arizona State, then later went to work for, was involved in a riveting back nine Sunday, a major championship at stake.
And then, like the rest of the world, Loy could not believe his eyes. There was Mickelson in the pine straw on Augusta's par-5 13th hole, thinking about firing a shot through an opening in the trees.
As caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay tried to talk Lefty out of it, Loy gulped. There was nothing left to do but watch and hope as Mickelson rifled his 6-iron, nearly catching one tree with his follow through, and the ball landed on the green and came to rest 3 feet from the cup.
After winning his third Masters and fourth major championship overall on Sunday at Augusta National, Phil Mickelson stopped by for a hug with wife Amy, who's been undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Fans surrounding the green went crazy, Mickelson pumped his fist and Loy could only sit back in his chair in disbelief.
"This hair used to be blond, not gray," Loy quipped as he held his hand over his heart, shaking his head.
It was the shot of the tournament, of the year, and maybe of Mickelson's career.
And doesn't that define Phil the Thrill?
He won his third Masters, this one by 3 strokes over Lee Westwood, shooting a 5-under-par 67 with a series of great par saves and clutch shots.
But none was better than the 207-yard 6-iron that set up a birdie -- and should have been an eagle -- at the 13th.
Nobody would have blamed him had he laid up to a manageable yardage and tried to make a birdie with a phenomenal short game. We can all think of a few instances in which such a play didn't work out. But this time it did, and there were grins all around.
"You can't print it," laughed Butch Harmon, Mickelson's coach, when asked what he was thinking as the decision unfolded. "I was praying he would lay up. I'm sure Bones was doing the same thing.
"But he made a great explanation. He had to go through the same gap to go for the green as he did to lay up. So why not go for the green? With all the birdies they were making in front of him, he figured he needed to make birdie. You know how confident he is on those kind of shots."
Had Mickelson converted the eagle putt, the shot to set it up would have gone down as one of the greatest of all time.
Somehow, Mickelson missed the hole with the 3-footer, giving himself a longer birdie putt coming back. He made it, a crucial development as he kept a 2-shot advantage over Westwood that he never relinquished.
"It's one of the few shots, really, that only Phil could pull off," said Westwood, who was also playing his second shot from the trees. "I think most people would have just chipped that one out. That's what great players do ... pull off great shots at the right time."
Asked for a better shot he's seen, Westwood was stumped.
"Not around here," he said. "It was something special."
And it helped seal an emotional victory that had tears flowing from the 18th green all the way down to Rae's Creek. Mackay, for one, basically lost it when he saw Mickelson's cancer-stricken wife, Amy, emerge just from behind the green, the first time she has attended a tournament since last year's Players Championship just weeks before the Mickelsons announced her diagnosis.
Somewhere in the crowd were both Mickelson's and Amy's parents, their three children and of course an adoring audience that cheered golf's feel-good story of the year.
"I was a bit of a mess there at the end," Mackay said. "It was an incredible week, obviously. I have to think down the road, at least for me, it will mean way more than any other victory he's had."
Mackay has been there since the beginning, since before Mickelson turned pro in 1992. He has been on the bag for all 38 PGA Tour victories, all four major championships. And he knows the reputation Mickelson has acquired, one of a player who gambled too much on the golf course for his own good.
"The biggest reason he won this golf tournament was because of how aggressive he played," Mackay said. "He played incredibly aggressive all week. You can make the argument that over the years a couple of things haven't worked out for him when he played aggressive, but he would not have won this tournament if he had not done some of the things he did."
The 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot is a good starting point for the second guessing. Mickelson was on the verge of winning his third straight major title when he stepped to the 18th green with a 1-stroke lead and peeled a poor drive off into the left rough.
He was universally assailed for his decision to hit driver, but the second-shot decision to go for the green was far worse. Mickelson thought he could cut a shot around a big tree and get it up on the green. He could have laid up and tried to win by getting up and down for par -- at the very least been in a playoff -- but he went for it and paid the ultimate price. The ball found a tree and the result was a double-bogey and a crushing 1-shot defeat to Geoff Ogilvy.
Mickelson's famous quote afterward: "I am such an idiot."
Aside from last year's U.S. Open, where Mickelson tied for second, he had not given himself many chances in majors since that debacle.
And if that shot catches the tree on Sunday, who knows?
But it worked beautifully, despite Bones' pleas for the safe play.
"I tried to talk him into laying it up," he admitted. "And he said no. Then we found out [K.J.] Choi had made [bogey] 6 [playing the hole ahead]. I went at it again with him. I tried again. He said definitely no.
"All he basically said is there's an opening in the trees and it's a 6-iron. 'All I have to do is execute. It's not like I have to hit a big hook or a big cut on a big ol' green.' Fair enough. So I got out of the way and you guys saw what he did."
Mackay noted that Mickelson's aggressiveness actually helped him the day prior, when he fired a 7-iron onto the same green to set up an eagle.
"That turned his tournament around," he said. "That eagle on 13 gave him so much momentum. It's a pin you can't really get to. He makes eagle there and then the ball goes in on 14 [for an eagle] and then in a sense you're feeling like, gosh, this could be our week."
Of course, for the longest time Sunday, it wasn't looking that way at all. A stamen somehow fell from the sky and landed right in Mickelson's line as he putted for birdie on the second hole. Sure enough, the ball hit it and went off line.
He didn't make his first birdie until the eighth hole, then had to get up and down for pars at the ninth, 10th and 11th holes. It wasn't like Mickelson was knocking down flagsticks, which is why the play at No. 13 will long be remembered.
"The gap wasn't huge, but it was big enough, you know, for a ball to fit through," Mickelson said to laughter. "I just felt like at that time, I needed to trust my swing and hit a shot, and it came off perfect.
Steve Loy, Phil Mickelson's long-time agent, tried to remain calm. After all, a bit of decorum is required inside the Augusta National clubhouse. But how do you hold it in?
The player he recruited as a teenager to play golf at Arizona State, then later went to work for, was involved in a riveting back nine Sunday, a major championship at stake.
And then, like the rest of the world, Loy could not believe his eyes. There was Mickelson in the pine straw on Augusta's par-5 13th hole, thinking about firing a shot through an opening in the trees.
As caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay tried to talk Lefty out of it, Loy gulped. There was nothing left to do but watch and hope as Mickelson rifled his 6-iron, nearly catching one tree with his follow through, and the ball landed on the green and came to rest 3 feet from the cup.
After winning his third Masters and fourth major championship overall on Sunday at Augusta National, Phil Mickelson stopped by for a hug with wife Amy, who's been undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Fans surrounding the green went crazy, Mickelson pumped his fist and Loy could only sit back in his chair in disbelief.
"This hair used to be blond, not gray," Loy quipped as he held his hand over his heart, shaking his head.
It was the shot of the tournament, of the year, and maybe of Mickelson's career.
And doesn't that define Phil the Thrill?
He won his third Masters, this one by 3 strokes over Lee Westwood, shooting a 5-under-par 67 with a series of great par saves and clutch shots.
But none was better than the 207-yard 6-iron that set up a birdie -- and should have been an eagle -- at the 13th.
Nobody would have blamed him had he laid up to a manageable yardage and tried to make a birdie with a phenomenal short game. We can all think of a few instances in which such a play didn't work out. But this time it did, and there were grins all around.
"You can't print it," laughed Butch Harmon, Mickelson's coach, when asked what he was thinking as the decision unfolded. "I was praying he would lay up. I'm sure Bones was doing the same thing.
"But he made a great explanation. He had to go through the same gap to go for the green as he did to lay up. So why not go for the green? With all the birdies they were making in front of him, he figured he needed to make birdie. You know how confident he is on those kind of shots."
Had Mickelson converted the eagle putt, the shot to set it up would have gone down as one of the greatest of all time.
Somehow, Mickelson missed the hole with the 3-footer, giving himself a longer birdie putt coming back. He made it, a crucial development as he kept a 2-shot advantage over Westwood that he never relinquished.
"It's one of the few shots, really, that only Phil could pull off," said Westwood, who was also playing his second shot from the trees. "I think most people would have just chipped that one out. That's what great players do ... pull off great shots at the right time."
Asked for a better shot he's seen, Westwood was stumped.
"Not around here," he said. "It was something special."
And it helped seal an emotional victory that had tears flowing from the 18th green all the way down to Rae's Creek. Mackay, for one, basically lost it when he saw Mickelson's cancer-stricken wife, Amy, emerge just from behind the green, the first time she has attended a tournament since last year's Players Championship just weeks before the Mickelsons announced her diagnosis.
Somewhere in the crowd were both Mickelson's and Amy's parents, their three children and of course an adoring audience that cheered golf's feel-good story of the year.
"I was a bit of a mess there at the end," Mackay said. "It was an incredible week, obviously. I have to think down the road, at least for me, it will mean way more than any other victory he's had."
Mackay has been there since the beginning, since before Mickelson turned pro in 1992. He has been on the bag for all 38 PGA Tour victories, all four major championships. And he knows the reputation Mickelson has acquired, one of a player who gambled too much on the golf course for his own good.
"The biggest reason he won this golf tournament was because of how aggressive he played," Mackay said. "He played incredibly aggressive all week. You can make the argument that over the years a couple of things haven't worked out for him when he played aggressive, but he would not have won this tournament if he had not done some of the things he did."
The 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot is a good starting point for the second guessing. Mickelson was on the verge of winning his third straight major title when he stepped to the 18th green with a 1-stroke lead and peeled a poor drive off into the left rough.
He was universally assailed for his decision to hit driver, but the second-shot decision to go for the green was far worse. Mickelson thought he could cut a shot around a big tree and get it up on the green. He could have laid up and tried to win by getting up and down for par -- at the very least been in a playoff -- but he went for it and paid the ultimate price. The ball found a tree and the result was a double-bogey and a crushing 1-shot defeat to Geoff Ogilvy.
Mickelson's famous quote afterward: "I am such an idiot."
Aside from last year's U.S. Open, where Mickelson tied for second, he had not given himself many chances in majors since that debacle.
And if that shot catches the tree on Sunday, who knows?
But it worked beautifully, despite Bones' pleas for the safe play.
"I tried to talk him into laying it up," he admitted. "And he said no. Then we found out [K.J.] Choi had made [bogey] 6 [playing the hole ahead]. I went at it again with him. I tried again. He said definitely no.
"All he basically said is there's an opening in the trees and it's a 6-iron. 'All I have to do is execute. It's not like I have to hit a big hook or a big cut on a big ol' green.' Fair enough. So I got out of the way and you guys saw what he did."
Mackay noted that Mickelson's aggressiveness actually helped him the day prior, when he fired a 7-iron onto the same green to set up an eagle.
"That turned his tournament around," he said. "That eagle on 13 gave him so much momentum. It's a pin you can't really get to. He makes eagle there and then the ball goes in on 14 [for an eagle] and then in a sense you're feeling like, gosh, this could be our week."
Of course, for the longest time Sunday, it wasn't looking that way at all. A stamen somehow fell from the sky and landed right in Mickelson's line as he putted for birdie on the second hole. Sure enough, the ball hit it and went off line.
He didn't make his first birdie until the eighth hole, then had to get up and down for pars at the ninth, 10th and 11th holes. It wasn't like Mickelson was knocking down flagsticks, which is why the play at No. 13 will long be remembered.
"The gap wasn't huge, but it was big enough, you know, for a ball to fit through," Mickelson said to laughter. "I just felt like at that time, I needed to trust my swing and hit a shot, and it came off perfect.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The impact of blogs on the news industry
The topics in limited to blog and news industry. News industry publish various subject in newspaper and news media - similarly blogger publish on web various subjects.
News industry is not only newspaper and magazine. News in TV, Satellite TV Channel and Blogs site are also a news industry. Newspaper, magazine and TV channel can be said a Primary source storage or source of news. Blogs writer get knowledge and information from primary source and then write blog in his own manner. So, there is no much harmful impact on news industry, moreover, news industry is getting wide circulation through blog if written from news sources either newspaper or TV.
To write blog there must have a source. Newspaper or TV news is that source. Blog reader may not read the newspaper or see the TV from where blog writer getting the first knowledge of his/her blog. But blog reader he is getting the news reading blog. So, Blogger can be considered as one type of journalist or newsman. Websites or organization bringing the opportunity to write for the Blog writer can be defined one kind of news industry.
Besides news based blogs, many other subjective blogs writer getting knowledge reading also newspaper, magazine and watching TV programs.
So there should not be a debate that "BLOGS site not a news industry" or it can be said that BLOGS site can be said a news industry. Similarly blogs writer can be said as "Freelance Journalist"
News industry is not only newspaper and magazine. News in TV, Satellite TV Channel and Blogs site are also a news industry. Newspaper, magazine and TV channel can be said a Primary source storage or source of news. Blogs writer get knowledge and information from primary source and then write blog in his own manner. So, there is no much harmful impact on news industry, moreover, news industry is getting wide circulation through blog if written from news sources either newspaper or TV.
To write blog there must have a source. Newspaper or TV news is that source. Blog reader may not read the newspaper or see the TV from where blog writer getting the first knowledge of his/her blog. But blog reader he is getting the news reading blog. So, Blogger can be considered as one type of journalist or newsman. Websites or organization bringing the opportunity to write for the Blog writer can be defined one kind of news industry.
Besides news based blogs, many other subjective blogs writer getting knowledge reading also newspaper, magazine and watching TV programs.
So there should not be a debate that "BLOGS site not a news industry" or it can be said that BLOGS site can be said a news industry. Similarly blogs writer can be said as "Freelance Journalist"
News Media Vs Internet Media
National and local newspapers across the world are facing their most radical restructuring in history; scores are folding as advertisers migrate to online advertising. Cutbacks have led to hundreds of journalists being invited to clear their desks. Falling circulation and higher production costs are making matters worse whilst increasing numbers of readers save time and money by reading their favourite newspaper online.
Very little news content today is gathered by reporters; most of what we read is downloaded free from court and local authority reports. Much is editorial-advertising and product reviews. Why pay a journalist when you can charge an advertiser? Another threat to traditional reporting is posed by citizen journalists; freelances who offer their services in return for lead gathering opportunities.
Few doubt the superiority of online newspapers compared to hard copy. The online edition of the average daily newspaper carries so much information and advertising; a builder's labourer could not hope to carry it in a wheelbarrow if it went to print. It is not the Internet that threatens journalists' careers; it is the nature of the change. They too are learning to adapt.
The Internet News Revolution
News organisations are still profitable but their proprietors have seen the writing on the wall. As High Street retailers morph into Internet shopping the newspaper industry knows that street vendor and newsagent distributed newspapers, subsidised by online profits, will follow typewriters into obscurity. The dilemma facing the industry is how best to profit by charging browsers who access their online editions.
Print and distribution costs are crippling news print editions; costs for online copy are comparatively low. Online newspapers do not have a space problem and deadlines are not an issue. The news is almost immediate and rolled out 24/7. However, in a click-driven competitive market online news media increasingly rely on challenging and investigative journalists, columnists and event analysts.
Rupert Murdoch
If a charge is imposed the trick will be to prevent each newspaper's readership migrating to free online editions. Under the radar discussions are already taking place. Heading the agenda is the quest to discover the most practical means of getting readers to pay for their PC screen content without losing them. News magnate Rupert Murdoch already charges a subscription to access the Wall Street Journal's insider information copy. He says: "People reading news for free on the web; that's got to change."
Recently it was announced that the tycoon has won a concession from Google to limit access to free news reports. It is called slamming the stable door before the horse bolts. Head of Associated Press, Tom Curley agrees: "The readers and viewers are going to have to pay more." Others argue that viewers will simple not pay. The truth is no one knows as no one has been there before.
A Spanish Journalist Shows the Way
One online media hopeful is Arcadi Espada, a Catalan journalist. He is certain that print journalism does not have a future. His online Factual will be accessed by a 50EUR annual subscription. With characteristic forthrightness Espada says: "A journalist's work is not free; nothing in life is free. We have to re-invent the business."
According to one poll 60 percent of newspaper proprietors are considering ways to charge for online access. A quarter of them are ready to take the plunge. Those who gather their daily news and information from online newspapers now stand at 30 percent.
Hot off the Press
Of the UK Times and Sunday Times 20 million plus users, 500,000 are now dependent upon their online edition and the gap will close further. Plans are already in place to charge for the privilege of reading the Times online editions. Freelance journalist, Sandy Collins, doesn't see a problem or fear for his job. "Some of my best stories have been blue pencilled out by hard copy newspapers because with limited space available the advertiser is king. Online publishing is a no-brainer. Everyone wins."
He adds: "Newspaper proprietors' costs are cut and their readership reaches a worldwide audience potential. As a journalist I now send my stuff to my online editors, knowing that if it is not published, it was not a space problem. If work is accepted according to merit then of course this must improve news quality. It must also improve opportunities for writers."
Very little news content today is gathered by reporters; most of what we read is downloaded free from court and local authority reports. Much is editorial-advertising and product reviews. Why pay a journalist when you can charge an advertiser? Another threat to traditional reporting is posed by citizen journalists; freelances who offer their services in return for lead gathering opportunities.
Few doubt the superiority of online newspapers compared to hard copy. The online edition of the average daily newspaper carries so much information and advertising; a builder's labourer could not hope to carry it in a wheelbarrow if it went to print. It is not the Internet that threatens journalists' careers; it is the nature of the change. They too are learning to adapt.
The Internet News Revolution
News organisations are still profitable but their proprietors have seen the writing on the wall. As High Street retailers morph into Internet shopping the newspaper industry knows that street vendor and newsagent distributed newspapers, subsidised by online profits, will follow typewriters into obscurity. The dilemma facing the industry is how best to profit by charging browsers who access their online editions.
Print and distribution costs are crippling news print editions; costs for online copy are comparatively low. Online newspapers do not have a space problem and deadlines are not an issue. The news is almost immediate and rolled out 24/7. However, in a click-driven competitive market online news media increasingly rely on challenging and investigative journalists, columnists and event analysts.
Rupert Murdoch
If a charge is imposed the trick will be to prevent each newspaper's readership migrating to free online editions. Under the radar discussions are already taking place. Heading the agenda is the quest to discover the most practical means of getting readers to pay for their PC screen content without losing them. News magnate Rupert Murdoch already charges a subscription to access the Wall Street Journal's insider information copy. He says: "People reading news for free on the web; that's got to change."
Recently it was announced that the tycoon has won a concession from Google to limit access to free news reports. It is called slamming the stable door before the horse bolts. Head of Associated Press, Tom Curley agrees: "The readers and viewers are going to have to pay more." Others argue that viewers will simple not pay. The truth is no one knows as no one has been there before.
A Spanish Journalist Shows the Way
One online media hopeful is Arcadi Espada, a Catalan journalist. He is certain that print journalism does not have a future. His online Factual will be accessed by a 50EUR annual subscription. With characteristic forthrightness Espada says: "A journalist's work is not free; nothing in life is free. We have to re-invent the business."
According to one poll 60 percent of newspaper proprietors are considering ways to charge for online access. A quarter of them are ready to take the plunge. Those who gather their daily news and information from online newspapers now stand at 30 percent.
Hot off the Press
Of the UK Times and Sunday Times 20 million plus users, 500,000 are now dependent upon their online edition and the gap will close further. Plans are already in place to charge for the privilege of reading the Times online editions. Freelance journalist, Sandy Collins, doesn't see a problem or fear for his job. "Some of my best stories have been blue pencilled out by hard copy newspapers because with limited space available the advertiser is king. Online publishing is a no-brainer. Everyone wins."
He adds: "Newspaper proprietors' costs are cut and their readership reaches a worldwide audience potential. As a journalist I now send my stuff to my online editors, knowing that if it is not published, it was not a space problem. If work is accepted according to merit then of course this must improve news quality. It must also improve opportunities for writers."
Telecom receives more bad news
Telecom may have to pay back millions of dollars it received from rival telecommunications firms including Vodafone after receiving a double whammy from the High Court in Wellington.
The court upheld a claim by Vodafone that the Commerce Commission made a mistake when it calculated the reasonable costs Telecom incurred providing phone services to uneconomic customers, by not considering the impact of new technologies on its modelling.
The High Court set aside the commission's calculations of the Telecommunications Services Obligation (TSO) levy in 2004-05 and 2005-06 and ordered the commission to reconsider them. Vodafone said the commission might have to revise down the charges in other years also.
Vodafone corporate affairs manager Tom Chignell said it was willing to work with the commission and Telecom to "agree a commercial solution".
In a separate judgment, the High Court threw out an appeal by Telecom, which claimed the commission had underestimated the costs Telecom faced providing phone services to uneconomic customers by applying an appropriate return on capital in its calculations that was too low. Had its appeal been successful, the TSO levy could have been revised upwards.
Telecom group general counsel Tristan Gilbertson said it was surprised by both rulings and believed the issues could be looked at again by the Supreme Court. "The judgment in favour of Vodafone appears to be inconsistent with the recent Court of Appeal decision in a related TSO case on efficient past investments."
That case was being appealed to the Supreme Court and Gilbertson said there was merit in having "all TSO matters heard together in the Supreme Court at the same time".
The TSO levy is set to be abolished in June and replaced with a new industry levy to pay for rural broadband. Craigs Investment Partners analyst Geoff Zame said Vodafone had paid Telecom about a $100 million under the TSO and would be hoping to claw back some of that money.
The court upheld a claim by Vodafone that the Commerce Commission made a mistake when it calculated the reasonable costs Telecom incurred providing phone services to uneconomic customers, by not considering the impact of new technologies on its modelling.
The High Court set aside the commission's calculations of the Telecommunications Services Obligation (TSO) levy in 2004-05 and 2005-06 and ordered the commission to reconsider them. Vodafone said the commission might have to revise down the charges in other years also.
Vodafone corporate affairs manager Tom Chignell said it was willing to work with the commission and Telecom to "agree a commercial solution".
In a separate judgment, the High Court threw out an appeal by Telecom, which claimed the commission had underestimated the costs Telecom faced providing phone services to uneconomic customers by applying an appropriate return on capital in its calculations that was too low. Had its appeal been successful, the TSO levy could have been revised upwards.
Telecom group general counsel Tristan Gilbertson said it was surprised by both rulings and believed the issues could be looked at again by the Supreme Court. "The judgment in favour of Vodafone appears to be inconsistent with the recent Court of Appeal decision in a related TSO case on efficient past investments."
That case was being appealed to the Supreme Court and Gilbertson said there was merit in having "all TSO matters heard together in the Supreme Court at the same time".
The TSO levy is set to be abolished in June and replaced with a new industry levy to pay for rural broadband. Craigs Investment Partners analyst Geoff Zame said Vodafone had paid Telecom about a $100 million under the TSO and would be hoping to claw back some of that money.
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