Grumpy Editor

Most editors nix putting GOP debate on front page

Considering American voters are seeking input on the next person to occupy the White House, Grumpy Editor checked a number of large and small daily newspapers yesterday and grouses that most did not run a front-page story on the prior night’s 90-minute debate that spotlighted 10 Republican presidential contenders.

Among major newspapers frowning on page 1 coverage or even running a “refer” to an inside page:  Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News, Chicago Sun-Times, Des Moines Register, Courier-Journal (Louisville), Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, Detroit News, Miami Herald and USA Today.

The Seattle Times ran one sentence under its Newsline at the bottom of the front page, with reference to the debate story on page A6.

It wasn’t a problem of being too close to deadline (the debate ended at 10:30 p.m. Eastern) because page 1 stories ran in both the Washington Post (above the fold) and Washington Times (below the fold).

Biggest play came from where the debate occurred:  Columbia, S.C.  There, The State, featured an across-the-page photo of the 10 contenders with “GOP Rivals Mix It Up” material spanning half of the front page.

Associated Press, by the way, summed up the occasion with a listless account that took up no more than 11 inches in print.

BusinessWeek cover story cites consumer rip-offs

A splendid cover story, “The Poverty Business,” in the May 21 issue of BusinessWeek illustrates how gullible some consumers are in buying computers and used cars from high-interest-rate operations plus getting stuck with lofty fees with tax preparation services and subprime credit cards. 

BW writers Brian Grow and Keith Epstein focus on some borrowers’ lack of sophistication and how some U.S. companies take advantage of them.  Especially affected are the working poor.

Grumpy Editor grumbles that educators, concerned with other topics in classrooms, and federal agencies drag feet in warning about major rip-offs that affect millions of Americans.   

Even with complaints, federal action is slow.  For example, the writers cite the Federal Trade Commission has accumulated 8,000 pages of consumer complaints about BlueHippo, which pitches “get a new computer with no credit check” on its Web site.   They point to an Atlanta patron who was slated to pay $1,347.66 over nine months for a computer (vs. a faster model for $800 offered at a major electronics store).   The customer, who later cancelled after tallying the steep cost, paid $124 toward the never-received computer.  Yet, despite the volume of complaints, the story reports, “The FTC is investigating whether the company has engaged in deceptive practices.” 

In another example, the writers mention how an Albuquerque woman in late 2005 selected a 1999 Saturn with 103,000 odometer miles at a purchase price of $7,922 and a hefty 24.9 percent interest rate from a J. D. Byrider Systems facility.  The story points out the used car dealer is not like traditional dealers --- prices aren’t posted.  Rather, salesmen calculate the maximum a person can afford to pay, then set the total price, down payment and interest rate.  The woman who drove off with the Saturn thought she was to pay $150 a month.  Not so.  Paperwork showed $150 was due every other week.  After $900 in payments, she had to return the vehicle.

Phony reporter in China goes to jail over bribes

These days when acceptance of freebies --- from dinners to sports tickets --- by American news staffers is frowned on, China overlooks such practices.  “It is not unusual in China for reporters to make deals to write positive stories or to suppress negative news in return for bribes or promises to buy advertising,” according to an Associated Press report from Beijing.

In China, though, posing as a reporter means big-time trouble.  Such was the case last week when a court sentenced a man to life in prison for taking the equivalent of $490,000 in bribes while pretending to be a reporter --- and sometimes an editor.

Now if he had been a legitimate reporter, chances are he wouldn’t be going behind bars.

Grumpy Editor points out such unethical behavior is rare in the U.S.  However, some U.S. print media hint that advertising by a company or a service, especially in smaller markets, paves the way for mention in news columns.  In fact, advertising in some special sections assures some “news” coverage in those same sections.  Larger publications have policies that bar advertising staffers from setting feet in newsrooms.  But favorites still exist and some heavy advertisers continue to reap favorable mentions.

Las Vegas Sun editorials omit paper’s casinos link

Two Las Vegas Sun editorials, on Friday and Sunday, took strong positions against Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons’ plan to take a portion of funds collected via a 9 percent hotel-casino room tax and channel the money to improving highways.

Hardest hit by the proposal to “reallocate $420 million from room taxes,” as the Sun put it, would be the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority “whose operations include promoting area hotels.” 

Grumpy Editor notes the Greenspun Corp. --- which owns the Sun, among other Las Vegas publications plus a TV station, Web sites and a third interest in a cable channel along with real estate developments --- also has interests in three major Las Vegas area hotel-casinos.  But the dual editorials failed to disclose the hotel-casino links in the same family.

While the Sun and state Assembly Democrats favor tax increases aimed at the public (not hotel-casinos), the Republican governor has made it clear he will veto any tax hike sent to his desk.

The Greenspun operation has a 50 percent stake in the upscale Green Valley Ranch Station hotel-casino in Henderson, an almost 7 percent interest in the celebrity-attracting Palms, an off Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino, and a 50 percent position in Aliante Station, another upscale hotel-casino under construction in North Las Vegas.

Greenspan gives using the ‘R’ word another shot

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, recycling his recession comments of 10 weeks ago, today told an investor forum in Singapore that he still believes there is one chance in three that the U.S. economy would slip into a recession before year end.

His remarks, transmitted by satellite from Washington, are in contrast to those of current Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The last time Greenspan uttered the “R” word (to a business conference in Hong Kong), the Dow Jones closed down 15.22 points that day.  But the next day the Dow tumbled 415.86 points.

Grumpy Editor notes that while his comments were made before the U.S. markets opened today, the Dow industrials shot up more than 100 points in the morning before settling back in early afternoon trading. The Dow rebounded, closing at 111.09.

Newspapers' abbreviated stock lists bring mumbles

The Chicago Tribune cuts stock listings further tomorrow in its weekly recap, the third trim since early last year.  It adds to the growing move of condensing or eliminating stock statistics in print editions of daily newspapers’ business sections.  It comes in a period when more folks are investing.

That action triggers further controversy between stubborn editors and unhappy readers at a time when publishers are concerned about ebbing circulation. 

Readers’ cries to retain full daily stock tables, even in The Wall Street Journal, fall on deaf ears now.  Editors claim more people track stocks on the Internet.

But Grumpy Editor, no novice at the computer, cites it’s much handier, and often quicker timewise, to follow --- and compare --- individual stocks and mutual funds, along with prices, via newspaper listings rather than going on the (not always convenient) Internet, seeking (not always known) stock symbols, then typing them in.

Visiting the “water closet” without a handy hard-copy version, for example, can be rather cumbersome for some to see how the previous day’s closing IBM stock price compares with Microsoft.

It’s a lot easier, too, with the print tally in front of a reader sipping coffee at the breakfast table.

Publishers should take early-morning drives to note how many of their newspapers remain longer in driveways or at doorsteps these days.

Must be a reason.

TV pushes Bush gaffe, passes on Obama mistake

Television news programs ran and reran footage of President Bush’s Monday tongue-twisting gaffe alongside Queen Elizabeth II that involved garbling dates.  A day later, TV folks ignored Barack Obama’s campaign speech gaffe when he remarked the Greensburg, Kan., tornado resulted in 10,000 deaths --- in a town of 1,400 residents.

Grumpy Editor cites these as examples of TV media bias (and that includes Fox News Channel, which some consider the voice of the GOP).

In a ceremonial welcome for the queen and Prince Philip outside the White House, Bush said the queen visited the U.S. “in 17--- in 1976” to mark the 200th anniversary of independence from Britain.  Democrat presidential candidate Obama at a fundraiser mentioned the Kansas tragedy where “ten thousand people died --- an entire town destroyed.”

An Obama spokesman later said the Illinois senator meant to say “at least 10” instead of 10,000.

Latest tally puts the Greensburg death toll at 11.

More people, less refineries behind gas price shock

As average gasoline prices continue to edge toward the $4 a gallon mark nationally, more grumbling is heard at the pump --- and now in the halls of Congress.

But, as with other government numbers (which tend to lag or play down a trend), the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said yesterday it expected gasoline prices to peak at $3.01 a gallon in the summer.

It’s already surpassed that figure in many U.S. regions.  On the same day, television reports on soaring prices flash images of unhappy motorists filling up at prices well over $4 a gallon at the pump.

Congress finally is focusing on the price jump.  The House yesterday announced six hearings on gasoline are scheduled over the next three weeks.  Meanwhile, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee yesterday passed a bill raising car and light truck fuel-efficiency standards to an average of 35 miles a gallon by 2019.

Publicly-announced reasons for the higher gasoline prices:  The EIA cites refinery outages and seasonal demand.  A CBS News report declared, “The only solution is less driving.”

Grumpy Editor finds those are the same, old tired lines heard when gasoline prices are hiked and points to other reasons nobody wants to talk about:

First, the U.S. population has jumped to the current 301.8 million (plus millions of illegals) from 281.4 million seven years ago, 248.7 million in 1990 and 226.5 million in 1980.  That means more vehicles on the road and more gasoline consumption.  That’s it. Period.  Furthermore, with the boom in people and vehicles, the number of oil refineries has dwindled to about 150, less than half the 315 in operation 30 years ago.  A key solution:  More refineries --- which take years to build.

Cite the above paragraph in messages to your representatives in Congress.

‘Bomb explosion’ at a Vegas casino triggers confusion

Reports of a bomb exploding from a backpack in a two-level parking garage at the Luxor hotel and casino, part of the MGM Mirage family, on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip brought commotion --- and media confusion --- yesterday, notes Grumpy Editor.

It resulted in one man dead, originally identified as a casino employee, and another injured. Initial reports hinted at a possible terrorist plot.  The backpack continued in the news past the noon hour (Eastern).

Then, as details slowly emerged, the backpack angle faded and the fatality was mentioned as not an employee.  Police said the explosion came from “a small device intended for one person,” placed on the roof of the victim’s car in a parking area, which was closed off for hours for an investigation.  The 4 a.m., local time, “terror incident” became a murder investigation.  But it still attracted representatives from Homeland Security, the Joint Terror Task Force and ATF.

More action occurred mid-day.  Nervous visitors and employees were evacuated from the casino’s Sports Book section after someone became alarmed at an unattended bag.  That situation later was brought “under control.”

A police spokesman said, "There has not been a threat to the Luxor, it's business as usual there, it appears that the victim in this event was the intended target."

Parking area security cameras were in operation.  Look for a tape to bring a clue on placement of the device.

Dobbs disputes leprosy figures cited on ‘60 Minutes’

Figures relating to leprosy, a contagious skin disease, linked to illegal aliens were questioned on last night’s CBS’ 60 Minutes profile of CNN’s Lou Dobbs. 

Lesley Stahl, who interviewed the CNN anchor, said a Dobbs report on illegals carrying diseases into the U.S. mentioned there have been 7,000 cases of leprosy in the U.S. in the past three years.

Stahl, attempting a “gotcha,” said “60 Minutes checked that and found a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, saying that 7,000 is the number of leprosy cases over the last 30 years, not the past three. The report also says that nobody knows how many of those cases involve illegal immigrants.  We went to try and check that number, 7,000. We can’t.”

Dobbs replied, "Well, I can tell you this. If we reported it, it’s a fact.”

Siding with Dobbs, Grumpy Editor in three minutes’ research uncovered a detailed article, “Illegal Aliens and American Medicine,” by Madeline Pelner Cosman, Ph.D, in the spring 2005 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.  Citing three sources, she wrote:

“Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, was so rare in America that in 40 years only 900 people were afflicted. Suddenly, in the past three years America has more than 7,000 cases of leprosy. Leprosy now is endemic to northeastern states because illegal aliens and other immigrants brought leprosy from India, Brazil, the Caribbean and Mexico.”

The 60 Minutes staff should have noted that information rather than putting a cloud over Dobbs’ figures.

As Dobbs told Stahl:  “We don’t make up numbers, Lesley."