Grumpy Editor

TRUST IN MEDIA REPORTING NEWS DROPS: GALLUP

Gallup finds Americans' trust in media to report news fully, accurately and fairly has dropped from last year, notes Grumpy Editor.

The pollster says trust fell to 36 percent, four percentage points below 2020.

Gallup reports a slim seven percent of adults have "a great deal" and 29 percent "a fair amount" of trust and confidence in newspapers, television and radio news reporting.

Combined, that puts it four points above Gallup's 32 percent record low in 2016.

These findings,  from a Sept. 1-17 poll, are the latest in Gallup's tracking of the public's confidence in key U.S. institutions that began in 1972.

 

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WILL HOLLYWOOD BECOME GHOST TOWN?  A strike looms for Hollywood’s major industry as its key union --- representing more than 150,000 behind-the-scenes entertainment workers --- approves a strike if negotiations over working conditions and pay break down.

 TEXAS HOUSING COSTS APPEAL.  A key reason Texas is one of the fastest-growing states is housing costs, finds a University of Texas, Austin, study.  Most homes cost under $200,000.  In California. as comparison, about 58 percent of houses cost more than $500,000. 

N.Y. LIBRARY LATE FEES GONE.  Libraries in New York City no longer will charge late fees and will waive existing fees for overdue books and other materials.

 

RARE DISH SELLS AT AUCTION.  A rare 16th century dish depicting the biblical tale of Samson and Delilah sells at auction at more than $1.7 million.  Discovered in a drawer at a Scottish house, the plate measures 11 inches in diameter and is believed to have been made by Nicola da Urbino around 1520-23.

 

RETIRED AIRCRAFT CARRIERS SELL FOR ONE-CENT EACH.  The USS Kitty Hawk and the USS John F Kennedy, warships from the Vietnam and Gulf wars, are sold for one cent each to a scrap metal dealer in Texas.

SMALL HOUSE PRICE TAG DRAWS INTEREST.  In the Boston suburb of Newton, where the median home price is more than $1 million, interest is focused on a $449,900 property for sale.  But it’s only 251 square feet, yet features a loft bed, kitchenette, skylight, room for storage in the basement and a large driveway. 

SQUIRREL STORES WALNUTS IN VEHICLE.  Bill Fischer of Fargo, North Dakota, says he removed about 42 gallons of walnuts from his Chevy Avalanche pickup truck parked outside his home, after a red squirrel selected the vehicle as its winter storage area.

ANTARCTICA ENCOUNTERS VERY DEEP FREEZE.  While this year’s summer set records for heat in the U.S., Antarctica was in a very deep freeze.  Average temperature at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station between April and September was minus 78 degrees, coldest on record, dating back to 1957.

BASEBALL GAME LENGTH GROWS.  Baseball games are getting longer.  Average time of a nine-inning Major League Baseball game this season is a record 3 hours, 10 minutes, 7 seconds.  Perhaps it’s time to speed up pitchers action from the mound.

REP. OMAR GRABS ATTENTION OF PRINT/BROADCAST MEDIA

With 535 members of Congress --- 100 in the Senate and 435 in the House of Representatives --- one member gets heavy coverage just about every day, observes Grumpy Editor.

That’s Rep. Ilhan Omar, a far-left, first-term Democrat from Minnesota’s 5th congressional district.

 

In her latest controversial comments, as reported  by CNSNews, she blames the U.S. for the problems in Venezuela.

 

"A lot of the policies that we have put in place has kind of helped lead the devastation in Venezuela,” says Omar.  “And we’ve sort of set the stage for where we’re arriving today. This particular bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people of countries like Venezuela, and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States."

In response, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says “for a member of Congress, who, frankly, one who sits on an important national security committee, to make a statement blaming America first in this way, it’s not only ignorant, it’s disgusting."

The problems in Venezuela, adds Pompeo, “have been years in the making. It has been a socialist regime, first with Chavez, now with Maduro.”

 

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WORKERS' EFFICIENCY JUMPS.   Labor Department reports U.S. workers’ efficiency increased over the past year at the best pace in nearly a decade, pointing to stronger wage growth and further economic expansion.

POLL SHOWS BEST DAYS AHEAD.  The latest Rasmussen Reports survey finds 54% of likely voters say America's best days are in the future --- the first time a majority of voters has expressed this sentiment since November 2006.

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN MILITARY RISES.  The Defense ‘s Department’s 2018 report on sexual assault in the military finds 20,500 servicewomen experienced sexual assault within the past year, up 38% from 14,900 in fiscal year 2016.

SNAKE WITH EXTRA EYE.  Northern Australia wildlife authorities discover a three-eyed snake found on a highway.  Nicknamed Monty Python, the baby carpet python died weeks after it was found .  The snake's third eye was on top of its head.

WORSHIPERS FADE.  Gallup finds the percentage of Americans who belong to a church, synagogue or mosque is at an all-time low, averaging 50% in 2018. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade, adds Gallup.

HISPANIC UNEMPLOYMENT HITS RECORD LOW.  National seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for Hispanics and Latinos in the U.S. labor force falls to a record low of 4.2% in April, finds the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Last month, unemployment rate for Hispanics and Latinos, age 16 and up, was 4.2%, down from 4.7% in March.

IT'S TUITION OR DINNER.  A survey by Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community and Justice indicates 45% of student respondents from over 100 institutions say they have been food insecure in the past 30 days.  Paying off student loans is taking much of their funds.

SINCLAIR BUYS SPORTS NETWORKS.  Sinclair Broadcast Group, in a deal valued at $10.6 billion, plans to buy 21 regional sports networks from Walt Disney Co.

KELLOGG SALES SINK.  Kellogg Co., with lofty prices for cereal boxes, reports first quarter North America earnings decline 36.5% on weaker demand.

 

 

MEDIA SHOULD REFRAIN FROM NAMING MASS SHOOTERS, SAY EXPERTS

Grumpy Editor agrees with the growing movement for print and broadcast media to refrain naming mass shooters because it fuels celebrity-style coverage that encourages more violence.

Too many news outlets go into detail with biographical material on trigger-happy gunmen, often anxious to see that information along with photos that sometimes go back to high school days.

A recent Associated Press story by Lisa Marie Pane, mentions Adam Lankford, a criminologist at the University of Alabama who studied the influence of media coverage on shooters, saying it’s vitally important to avoid focusing excessive attention on gunmen.

“A lot of these shooters want to be treated like celebrities," adds Lankford. "They want to be famous. So the key is not to give them that treatment."

The criminologist argues attackers are trying to outdo previous shooters with higher death tolls and media coverage encourages copycats.

James Alan Fox, a professor at Northeastern University who has studied mass shootings, tells AP's Pane that naming shooters is not the problem but it's over-the-top coverage that includes details about the killers, such as their writings and their backgrounds, that “unnecessarily humanizes them.”

Fox adds, “We sometimes come to know more about them --- their interests and their disappointments --- than we do about our next-door neighbors."

Pane reminds that “late last year, the Trump administration’s federal Commission on School Safety called on the media to refrain from reporting names and photos of mass shooters. It was one of the rare moments when gun-rights advocates and gun-control activists agreed."

 

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MARINES MIXED TRAINING ENDS.  The Marine Corps experiment integrating female recruits into an all-male unit in boot camp ended Friday.  It lasted three months.

MANY SPORTS EDITORS SNUB BASEBALL.  While many newspaper sports pages curb baseball coverage with the season opener Thursday, the Wall Street Journal on Friday runs a four-column front-page photo spotlighting the Milwaukee Brewers - St.Louis Cardinals game, with additional baseball coverage inside the first section.

DODGERS BELT EIGHT HOMERS IN GAME.  Speaking of baseball, first game of the season sees Los Angeles Dodgers players belting eight home runs, setting a major league record for opening day in a 12-5 thrashing of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

TAXPAYERS FOOT $25 MILLION PROBE.  The two-year probe by special counsel Robert Mueller that finds President Donald Trump and his campaign did not collude with the Russians cost American taxpayers $25 million.

SCHUMER CALLS TRUMP UNIFORMED.  CNSNews notes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) on the Senate floor calls President Donald Trump "the least informed president we have ever had in American history."

WHITE REPORTERS BANNED BY CHURCH.  Breitbart reports white members of the press barred from entering the Bolton Street Baptist Church for a community event highlighting black mayoral candidates in Savannah, Ga.  Sign on the church door: "No media (T.V., Radio, etc.). Black Press Only!" 

IWO JIMA BATTLE REMEMBERED.  A dozen of the dwindling number of U.S. World War II veterans of the February 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima are among those allowed onto the island last week for an annual remembrance ceremony.

MEMOIR ON TRACK TO SET RECORD.  Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" sells nearly 10 million copies around the world since its November release.  It could set a sales record in its genre.

MELTED SNOW LEAVES OFFENSIVE SHAPE.  A Tennessee woman claims her homeowners association is fining her $100 because heat from her parked car's engine melted snow underneath resulted in "displaying offensive images or slogans."

NATIONAL MEDIA OVERLOOK UNVEILING OF VETERANS MUSEUM

Most national media, preoccupied with tomorrow's election, overlooked a newly-opened national museum that pays tribute to U.S. military veterans, observed Grumpy Editor.

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum opened to the public Oct. 27 in Columbus, Ohio, with a ceremony featuring Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and former Secretary of State retired Gen. Colin Powell.

Architectural Digest called the $82 million, 53,000-square-foot spiral-like structure one of “the 12 most anticipated buildings of 2018.”

"This museum pays tribute to all our veterans of all generations --- all of us who are willing to make the sacrifice our founding fathers made in 1776," said Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "They gave us a responsibility to protect this beloved country of ours and make it an inspiration to the rest of the world, to make sure we are a democracy and looked upon all around the world as a place of hope.”

Goal of the museum, in downtown Columbus and designated as a “national” site, is to tell veterans’ individual stories, as well as focus on their shared experiences throughout history.

“You’re not going to see tanks here, or planes hanging from the ceiling,” said Amy Edwards Taylor, chief operating officer of the Columbus Downtown Development Corp. “What you are going to see and hear are the stories: Why did someone decide to serve?  What was it like to take the oath, serve in combat?  What was it like to come home?”

“For us, this museum is all about transformation,” added Taylor, hoping it becomes an anchor for a national conversation about what it means to serve.

President Donald Trump made official the “national” designation last June.

 

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MEDIA CITED IN DIVIDING NATION.  Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of registered voters said the national news media have done more to divide than to unite the country, compared to 56 percent who said President Donald Trump has done more to divide than unite since taking office, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll.

VETERANS DAY SPLIT.  Be aware that the federal government’s observance of Veterans Day falls on Nov. 12 this year while others observe the day on Nov. 11.

GOOD SAMARITAN SAILOR KILLED.  Curtis Adams, a 21-year-old active duty sailor based in San Diego, stopped to help what he thought was a stranded motorist on Interstate 15 in Southern California early Saturday.  As Adams exited his car, he was shot and killed by the motorist who got back in his car, then drove south.  Police later captured the suspected shooter.

TEETH-DROPPING FIND. Construction workers, knocking down a wall in an old building in Valdosta, Georgia, were surprised to find about 1,000 human teeth spill out.  A researcher for the Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum, said the building was once occupied by a dentist. 

 

AFGHANISTAN BATTLE LINGERS.  Think U.S. participation in World War II, 1941 to 1945, was lengthy?  U.S. battling in Afghanistan is in its 18th year — with few signs of progress.

 

YOUNGSTERS BREATHE POLLUTED AIR.  Children's health is being threatened around the world by air pollution, according to a new World Health Organization report that said more than 90 percent of youngsters are breathing polluted air.

 

L.A. MAYOR'S SECURITY DETAIL COSTLY.   Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s security detail has cost taxpayers nearly $450,000 in travel costs since 2015 as Garcetti visited other parts of the U.S. and foreign countries, according to figures released by the city.

 

DRIVER SPENDS SIX DAYS ON TREE.  A 53-year-old woman survived the Arizona desert for six days after she lost control of her vehicle on a rain-slicked road near Wickenburg, Ariz.  Rescue workers said her car dropped 50 feet, landing on a mesquite tree.  She was airlifted to a hospital. 

 

 

        Grumpy Editor reminds:  Vote tomorrow.

POLITICAL DEBATES, ADVERTISING GET LOW MARKS, FINDS SURVEY

A Rasmussen Reports national survey finds 68 percent of likely U.S. voters get most of their information about a political candidate from news reports, 13 percent get most of their information from debates, while seven percent rely most on political advertising or family and friends, notes Grumpy Editor.

Rasmussen also finds 46 percent of likely voters have watched candidate debates this midterm campaign season, while 49 percent have not watched any, adding "they’re split on whether those debates carry any value for them.” 

 

For the survey, Rasmusen contacted 1,000 likely voters Oct. 15-16.

 

Grumpy Editor adds that even with unlisted telephone numbers, the campaign season triggers an upswing in unwelcomed political calls morning, afternoon and night left on answering machines.

 

Since the calls are not requested, the candidates plugged mostly get a negative reaction, defeating the purpose of reaching into homes and businesses

 

Another way political candidates attempt to get the word out is via literature that fills up mail boxes --- and usually gets tossed into trash bins.

 

 

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DETAILS UPCOMING ON MISSING JOURNALIST.  Look for Turkey's president to provide details tomorrow on the investigation into missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UP IN STATES WITH POT.  A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds traffic accidents are rising in states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

WHERE'S THE NATIONAL GUARD?  In Florida, armed looters are targeting homes and businesses that remain without electricity after being ravaged by Hurricane Michael earlier this month.

 

ALMOST HALF BILLION DOLLARS FOR PET COSTUMES.  More than 30 million people will spend about $480 million treating their pets to costumes on Halloween.  That's more than double the $220 million spent on pet Halloween costumes in 2010 when the National Retail Federation began tracking pet costumes.

 

UNWELCOMED BANK DROP-IN.  A slithering 6 1/2-foot python finds its way into the ceiling of a bank in China and spooks staffers during a meeting when it falls from the ceiling.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS BLOOM OFF-SEASON. In Tokyo, some of Japan's famed cherry blossoms bloom unexpectedly this month, raising eyebrows.   The pink and white flowers usually bloom two weeks in the spring.  Experts say a series of typhoons could have contributed to the phenomenon. 

PETA SUPPORTERS GO NAKED.  Animal rights activists, supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and covered in "bloody body paint," demonstrate topless on Thursday in New York City to protest outfitter Canada Goose over the treatment of coyotes and geese.

MARINE RECEIVES MEDAL OF HONOR.  Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John Canley, from Oxnard, Calif., gets applause in the White House when he is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump.  Now 80 years old, he "fought with unmatched bravery" at the start of one of the Vietnam War's longest and bloodiest battles.

A HOME RUN THAT WASN'T.  Houston Astros are convinced that Major League Baseball robbed the team of a two-run home run by Jose Altuve when a fan reached out in an attempt to grab the ball. 

 

 

TRUST IN NEWS MEDIA FADES, SURVEY FINDS

A new survey finds trust in news media is going downhill, notes Grumpy Editor.

First off, for comparison, an older Gallup poll in asking about “the mass media, such as newspapers, TV, and radio” finds while 72 percent of Americans trusted the media in 1976, that went down to 32 percent in 2016.

Newer data comes from Simmons Research which describes itself as a leading source of cross-channel consumer intelligence, measures consumer psychographics, preferences, attitudes and media behaviors.

Simmons two months ago surveyed 2,009 Americans, asking them whether or not they trusted 38 different news organizations.

The chart, below, answers that question.

Leading the list is The Wall Street Journal, grabbing 57.7 percent in trust.

It is followed by ABC News, CBS News, BBC News (getting British into the act), Forbes and NBC News.

At the bottom is Daily Caller, with 22.5 percent.

A gloomy finding by Simmons:  13 percent of Americans say they find none of these news outlets trustworthy.  

 

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OTHERS DO IT, ADMITS N.Y. TIMES.  Noted in a much-covered New York Times story, topped with three bylines, on Donald Trump’s wealth as a self-made billionaire — and taxes, or lack of:  “The wealthiest Americans rarely pay anthing close to full freight.  The Trump tax maneuvers met with little resistance from the IRS, the Times found.”

 

TOY CHAIN MAY REAPPEAR.  Toys R Us, which liquidated its U.S. assets earlier this year, may be making a comeback.  An investor group, made up of secured lenders, says its scrapping plans for an auction of the toy outfit, believing it stands a better chance on its investment by reviving the chain.

 

TRONC BECOMES TRIBUNE AGAIN.  Owner of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, New York Daily News and others, is changing its name back to Tribune Publishing Co. from Tronc Inc. effective tomorrow.  Tribune switched its 150-year old name in June, 2016, in favor of Tronc, a contraction of  Tribune Online Content.

 

BOOKSELLER MULLS BUYOUT OFFERS.  Barnes & Noble’s board of directors is reviewing the bookseller’s future after several parties express interest in acquiring it.

 

STORM-BATTERED U.S. FLAG SELLS.  A U.S. flag, shredded on live television last month as Hurricane Florence hit Wilmington, N.C., is bought at an E Bay auction for $10,900.   The unidentified person with the winning bid competed with two dozen others.

 

AMONG FIRST SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS IN NEW TERM.  Missed by media in focusing on other Supreme Court activities is its split over a potential habitat for endangered dusky gopher frogs in Louisiana timberland.

 

AND ON IT GOES.  North Korea warns Washington that ending the Korean War — still open since 1953 — shouldn’t be seen as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks.  Meanwhile, a South Korean official says North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons.

 

NAVY SHIP SWITCHES VISIT TO SINGAPORE.  The USS Wasp, earlier denied a normally routine Hong Kong port visit by the Chinese in Beijing, makes a stop in Singapore.

 

AMAZON’S PAY RAISE INCLUDES CATCH.  Widely-covered news that Amazon increases its minimum wage to $15 an hour came with a catch:  the company is dumping monthly bonuses and stock awards for hourly workers.  Meanwhile, Reuters reports FedEx is offering retirement-age pilots between $40,000 and $110,000 to keep flying through the holiday shipping season, rather than retiring, indicating how FedEx is being strained by pilot shortages and rising cargo demand. At the same time, UPS is trying to recruit hundreds more pilots.

 

 

CHINA’S POLLUTION TRIGGERS DEATHS.  Air pollution in China causes, on average, 1.1 million premature deaths a year, according to a study from the University of Hong Kong, reveals South China Morning Post.  Researchers say pollution could be wiping $38 billion from the Chinese economy each year, due to those premature deaths and impacts on food production.   

 

AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY?  California Gov. Jerry Brown signs into law making the Golden State first in the nation to require publicly-traded California-based companies to have at least one woman on their boards.  The new law will ramp that up to three women by the end of 2021, depending on the board size. 

 

HAT’S OFF NEXT TIME.  Television reporter James Bunner, of NBC affiliate KTTC in Austin, Minn., is fired for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat while covering President Donald Trump's rally in Rochester, Minn.

 

 

 

 

NORTH KOREA DISMANTLES NUCLEAR TEST SITE, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER HIDDEN IN MOUNTAINS?

Grabbing major television and print coverage by worldwide media was North Korea’s demolition of what it claimed “its only nuclear test site” in Punggye-ri.

But Grumpy Editor --- with a raised eyebrow --- asked, with tricky North Korea, how do we know that no other test site exists in a country spanning 46,541 square miles topped with remote mountains and uplands that cover about 80 percent of the country's land area.   

Much fanfare along with transporting foreign journalists to the scene of last week’s demolition set the stage for heavy coverage.

Caution was hinted by Britain’s Independent with:  “The North did not invite international inspectors to the ceremony, which limits its value as a serious concession.” 

Explosions deep in the northeast mountains were focused on three tunnels and a number of observation towers in the surrounding area.

Many foreign journalists, including eight from South Korea, took a long, rugged trip to get to the site where they spent nine hours.

Getting to the scene involved a dozen hours on a train, followed by several hours on a bus over bumpy dirt roads and then an hour hike to the site.

Meanwhile, a White House team over the weekend headed to Singapore for a possible summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who said he’s still ready to sit down with Trump regarding “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

 

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SCENTED STAMPS COMING.  The U.S. Postal Service, starting June 20, will issue scratch-and-sniff stamps, saying they “would add the sweet scent of summer” to letters.

OBAMAS TURN TV PRODUCERS.  Former White House occupants Barrack Obama and Michelle Obama have been signed by Netflix to a multiyear deal to produce television shows and documentaries.  That development put Netflix under fire over its content deal with the Obamas.  Some Netflix customers say they will cancel subscriptions over what they see as a political move by the streaming service, reports Fortune. 

WOMAN LEADS NYSE.  For the first time in its 226-year history, the New York Stock Exchange is led by a woman.  Stacey Cunningham, who started as a NYSE trading floor clerk, on Friday became the 67th president of the Big Board.

AIR FORCE HOPES TO LURE UP TO 1,000 PILOTS. With a pilot shortage, the Air Force is seeking the return of up to 1,000 pilots, combat system officers and air battle managers for up to 48 months active duty.

NETFLIX EDGES COMCAST.  Netflix Inc., the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 this year, beats Comcast Corp. in market value, highlighting the rise of video streaming over traditional television.

TESLA’S MUSK TAKES ON CRITICAL JOURNALISTS.  Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk says journalists are critical of the electric car maker because oil and traditional auto companies are some of the biggest print and TV advertisers, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Meanwhile, Musk doesn't like how media reports on his cars' accidents.  So he plans to create a Yelp-style site where people can rate the credibility of news organizations and their journalists

CONSUMER REPORTS READIES INITIAL AD CAMPAIGN.  Consumer Reports magazine is launching its first advertising campaign, using the tag line “Keep it Honest,” reveals Chris Roush, Talking Biz News.

MANY HOUSEHOLDS STILL FACE TOUGH TIMES.  A Federal Reserve survey finds many U.S. households remain in a precarious financial position despite unemployment falling to the lowest level in years.

MEDIA LEAST TRUSTED INSTITUTION GLOBALLY, FINDS EDELMAN

For the first time, media have become the least trusted institution globally, finds the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, notes Grumpy Editor.

Research by Edelman Intelligence, a global insight and analytics consultancy, says in 22 of 28 countries surveyed, media are now distrusted.

“The demise of confidence in the Fourth Estate is driven primarily by a significant drop in trust in platforms, notably search engines and social media," points out Edelman. “Sixty-three percent of respondents say they do not know how to tell good journalism from rumor or falsehoods or if a piece of news was produced by a respected media organization.”

“Lack of faith in media,” adds Edelman “has also led to an inability to identify the truth (59 percent), trust government leaders (56 percent) and trust business (42 percent).

“The United States is enduring an unprecedented crisis of trust,” mentions Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman.

The Edelman “barometer” also reveals trust in the U.S. suffered the largest-ever-recorded drop in the survey’s history among the general population, falling nine points to 43, placing it in the lower quarter of the 28-country Trust Index.

Collapse of trust in the U.S. is driven by a staggering lack of faith in government, which fell 14 points to 33 percent among the general population, and 30 points to 33 percent among the informed public, adds Edelman.

And what are the most trusted U.S. industries?

Technology (75 percent) remains the most trusted sector followed by education (70 percent), professional services (68 percent) and transportation (67 percent) while financial services (54 percent) is once again the least trusted along with consumer packaged goods (60 percent) and automotive (62 percent), according to Edelman.

 

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ROUGH TIMES AT THE TIMES.  Along with other newsroom turmoil at the Los Angeles Times, Kimi Yoshino, business editor for four years, is abruptly ushered away from her desk and out of the office and not allowed to turn off her laptop or collect her belongings.

THE LAST STRAW?  Ian Calderon, Democrat majority leader in the California State Assembly, introduces a bill to stop sit-down restaurants from offering customers straws with their beverages unless they are specifically requested. Under Calderon's law, a waiter who serves a drink with an unrequested straw would face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 because “we need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans."  

INFLIGHT MAGAZINE LOSES WEIGHT.  United Airlines finds a way to save 170,000 gallons of fuel a year costing $290,000:  By cutting one ounce in printing each copy of Hemisphere, its inflight magazine.

TRAIN-LOVING DOG TAKES THREE-HOUR TRIP ALONE.  In Britain, a Doberman takes a three-hour train trip, even changes trains by himself at a station before being found wandering around Birmingham New Street station on his own.  While microchipped, there was no contact number.  His owners are being sought.

MINNIE MOUSE MAKES WALK OF FAME.  Minnie Mouse finally makes it to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame --- 40 years after Mickey Mouse received a gold star.

REPORTER GETS A SHOCK.  A reporter who raced to a Benton, Ky. high school shooting that left two students dead and 21 injured is shocked to learn the 15-year-old boy suspect is her son, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal.

HOLD THOSE BYLINES.  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writers are withholding their names from  articles they write in a protest with management, citing their treatment over the past 12 years.

MARRIED VETS FACE GREATER SUICIDE RISK: STUDY.  Veterans who are married or in a live-in relationship have a higher risk of suicide than their single counterparts, according to a study from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Connecticut, reports Stars & Stripes.

AWARDS SEASON INCLUDES TRUMP'S 'FAKE NEWS' LIST

With the “awards season” in full force, President Donald Trump last week reveals via Twitter the winners of his self-proclaimed ‘Fake News’ awards, observes Grumpy Editor.

GOP.com, which ran the list, notes “studies have shown that over 90 percent of the media’s coverage of President Trump is negative” and called 2017 “a year of unrelenting bias, unfair news coverage and even downright fake news.”

Topping the list is New York Times columnist Paul Krugman who predicted  the stock markets would never recover from Trump’s election.

It is followed by ABC News’ Brian Ross for his bungled report that Trump advised former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to make contact with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign.

Among others on the fake news list:

CNN falsely reporting the Trump campaign had early access to hacked documents from WikiLeaks.

A Time magazine report that Trump removed a Martin Luther King, Jr. bust from the Oval Office.

The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel tweeting that a December rally in Pensacola, Fla. wasn’t packed --- when supporters were lined up outside waiting for doors to open.

CNN footage suggesting Trump overfed fish in Japan during a visit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

A Newsweek report that Agata Kornhauser-Duda, Polish first lady, did not shake Trump’s hand.

A New York Times story that the Trump administration hid a climate change study.

 

Trump declares Russian collusion "is perhaps the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people.  THERE IS NO COLLUSION."

 

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 "SNOW CAR" LOOKS LIKE THE REAL THING.  A Montreal man neatly crafted a fake car made from snow and it looked real enough that when police came around to look for cars parked on the side of the road during snow-plowing hours, they wrote a ticket and left it under a real windshield wiper.

GOOD READING.  For writers, especially those who focus on books, just released is the free quarterly Writers Tricks of the Trade written by writers for writers and produced by veteran author Morgan St. James.  See it at https://joom.ag/aErL

BRIEF DEMOTION FOR SCHUMER.  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a page one story on government shutdown in some editions of Friday’s Wall Street Journal is incorrectly identified as House minority leader.

L.A. TIMES PUBLISHER TAKES LEAVE.  Los Angeles Times publisher and chief executive Ross Levinsohn, hired five months ago, agrees to take an unpaid leave of absence while allegations of workplace misconduct at prior jobs are investigated.

TAXPAYERS HAPPY WITH ECONOMY.  A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds Americans satisfaction with the economy reaches a 17-year high and support for the Republican tax law is growing.

BETTER LOOK FOR WIDE TREES.  With the federal government shutdown, many national parks remain mostly open.  However, public restrooms are closed.

ANIMAL PROBLEMS IN AIR.  Facing a jump in problems with animals in cabins, Delta Air Lines is calling on passengers to provide more documentation for service and support animals.

AMAZON CUTS SECOND HQ LIST.  Seattle-headquartered Amazon narrows its list of a possible second headquarters city to 20.  The new facility could employ up to 50,000 workers, compared with 67,000 full timers in Seattle.

SUDDEN JUMP IN VEGAS SHOOTING EVIDENCE.  After almost four months with scant evidence available to media in the Oct. 1 Las Vegas massacre that resulted in 58 people killed and hundreds injured, a Metro Police report over the weekend says the killer left an enormous amount of evidence for investigators to go through. 

TECH GIANT SQUEEZES SUBSCRIBERS.  Amazon hikes its monthly Prime fee by 18 percent to $12.99 a month. Subscribers get free two-day shipping service. 

NEWS FEED CUT.  Facebook Inc. is cutting the amount of news in its news feed, saying it is prioritizing information from publishers that are deemed most trustworthy.

GLOBAL WARMING A FACTOR?  CNN reports "a substantial amount of snow" fell in Ain Sefra, a desert town in Algeria known as the "Gateway to the Sahara.”  The location is one of the world’s hottest places. 

BAD YEAR AT THE BOX OFFICE.  Movie attendance last year is down by 92 million, compared to 2016, but average ticket price is up 3.7 percent since 2016, reports the National Alliance of Theater Owners.

 

 

 

STORM REPORTING NOT EXACTLY LIKE 'SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN'

 

Grumpy Editor notes TV hurricane reporters, on camera fighting strong wind and rain, constantly remind viewers in the storm’s path that: “You shouldn’t be out here, but I am.”

It’s a bit different than the happy script and long-popular title song in the 1952 film, “Singin' in the Rain," starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

Instead of braving the risky elements in storms, often standing in knee-high water and dodging downed power lines, reporting on latest weather conditions and events could just as well be done --- perhaps even better ---  in the confines of a dry, safe and windless TV studio.

But standing out in the elements with microphone in hand is the way severe weather reporting has been conducted for years.  News editors figure that’s the way to go.

“Reporters out there make me sick!,” tweets an ABC viewer who was watching the network’s wet and wind-blown storm reporter in Naples, Florida describe the “suction” force of the gale. “Go home, be safe and stop grand standing,” adds the viewer.

Another mentions, "God Bless our intrepid reporters, but have you never heard the expression hadn't got enough sense to come in out of the rain?”

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

WEATHER COOLING IN CALIFORNIA?  California’s Sierra Nevada mountains experiences snowfall a month earlier than usual last week.  Snow plows had to be called.  But global warming (er, climate change) folks are silent on this meteorological development in the Sunshine State.

HOLLYWOOD AWARDS SHOWS GET POLITICAL.  TV viewers tune into awards shows to check out winners and be entertained, not to hear chatter reserved for political programs — which is a sure way to see audiences dwindle.

TOUGH TALK SHAKES UP SOME MEDIA.  President Donald Trump, in his United Nations speech, disturbs some in media after vowing to destroy North Korea should the communist country attack the U.S.  Trump referred to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man” and said he was  on a "suicide mission" in advancing the country's nuclear weapons development. Trump mentions the U.S.,“if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” An example of media reaction: an Associated Press reporter says, “Rocket Man" may get headlines, but the president of the United States just threatened to eradicate a nation of 25 million people."

ARMY BRASS PUT IN SPOTLIGHT.  The U.S. Army plans a series of mental health, counseling and career management programs which it hopes will shape stronger, more ethical leaders, focusing more on building character than on berating bad conduct. The move comes as an effort to help deal with an embarrassing number of misconduct and behavior problems among senior officers. 

PC TO STRANGLE COMEDY?  Society's "stupidly politically correct" sensibilities will lead to the "death of comedy," veteran comedian Mel Brooks, tells BBC.  He adds that political correctness is becoming a stranglehold on comedians.  “It's not good for comedy. Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks.”

BUDGET HITS ANOTHER COLLEGE NEWSPAPER.  University of Louisville campus newspaper, the Cardinal, will stop getting funds from the university by the end of next year’s spring semester.  The university blames the end of funding on the school's $48 million budget shortfall.

WORLD WAR I SUB LOCATED.  An intact German World War I submarine containing the bodies of 23 sailors is found in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium.  The UB II-type dive boat is described as 88 feet long, 20 feet wide and about 90 feet below the surface.

Media focus on ‘Russia’ as other events overlooked

Russia. Russia. Russia.

That seems to be the monotonous key word heard in most broadcast stories relating to President Donald Trump, especially with almost wall-to-wall coverage on MSNBC and CNN, notes Grumpy Editor.

Now, seven months after the election, Russia continues to grab air time and print space with mainstream media.

That includes consistent mentions of meeting with a Russian banker and a Russian ambassador --- before Trump entered the White House.

Imagine, meeting with a banker and an ambassador.

Now think about that.

As Kimberley A. Strassel points out in her Friday column in the Wall Street Journal: “The country is no better informed about exactly how Russia interfered in the election than it was in October, when intelligence agencies issued a statement expressing their belief that Moscow had helped hack emails. Not a single useful fact has since been added, nor a single investigation completed, not a single official report produced. Until those inquiries are completed, we will have no new real facts. Yet every day a new Russia story.”

With the heavy focus on Russia, newsworthy stories from around the U.S. and elsewhere are being sidetracked.

While Russia is on the minds of most media, what is being overlooked by most editors is the potential threat of North Korea and its loony leader Kim Jong-un with efforts of sending a missile toward the U.S.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday warns that North Korea is a “clear and present danger.”

Through the weekend, Russia chatter abated somewhat with a new (yet old) subject grabbing attention: climate change.

Meanwhile, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell says a MRC campaign will focus on informing the public and corporate advertisers about leftist shows and on-air personalities who use their programs to spread vicious lies and hate.

“We are putting the radical left on notice that we are on to them. We know the inside-outside game that radical organizations are playing with their leftist allies in the ‘news’ media,” adds Bozell.

“Every network and cable news channel is today on notice that the MRC will be closely monitoring their leftist opinion programs and informing their advertisers and the American public when these programs and hosts go beyond political commentary and engage in smear, hate and political extremism,” continues Bozell.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

Despite mainstream media attempts to inject negative news, the U.S. economy last month added 138,000 jobs and on Friday U.S. equities rose to record levels as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all soared to new highs.

Interesting to observe contrasting headlines from the Washington Post and New York Times.

From the Post: U.S. jobs market stumbles in May, adding just 138,000 jobs.

From the Times: Unemployment at 16-year low as U.S. adds 138,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, newspaper circulation and advertising revenue ebb. Estimated total daily newspaper circulation (print and digital combined) at 34.6 million for weekday and 38 million for Sunday, represents an 8 percent drop from 2015. Weekday print circulation sinks 10 percent while Sunday decreases 9 percent. Estimated newspaper industry advertising revenue for 2016 was $18 billion, 10 percent below the 2015 level.

 

The New York Times offers buyouts aimed at cutting the number of editors in the newsroom. Along with that, The Times is eliminating the position of public editor, an accountability role the paper created in 2003…In a Donald Trump tweet, “covfefe” is labeled “a mysterious term” by media and gets much air time and print space over the past several days.   Example from one news agency: “The White House is keeping the U.S. and the world guessing about the meaning --- if there is any.”…City officials in Gardendale --- a town near Birmingham, Ala. --- say teenagers wishing to mow lawns for extra summer cash will have to show a city-issued license (cost: $110) before cutting grass…Berkeley, Calif. continues its war on plastic as officials introduce an ordinance that would ban straws that aren’t biodegradable…Hot cash. Would-be ATM thieves in Everett, Wash. thwarted their own burglary attempt by using a blowtorch in an attempt to access the cash box. The only problem --- they accidentally set the money on fire.

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of 1944’s D-Day in World War II.  Usually, media emphasize important anniversaries.

So will that famous event (or Russia ) grab media attention?