Category Archives: Popular Culture

Something Wicked This Way Comes

A woman sits in jail, accused of no crime. She does not have an attorney or a trial date. She is not allowed visitors, except for the soulless guards who watch her and the nameless interrogators who taunt her. This woman is not unique or alone. There are hundreds, possibly thousands more women and menContinue reading “Something Wicked This Way Comes”

Something Wicked This Way Comes

A woman sits in jail, accused of no crime. She does not have an attorney or a trial date. She is not allowed visitors, except for the soulless guards who watch her and the nameless interrogators who taunt her. This woman is not unique or alone. There are hundreds, possibly thousands more women and menContinue reading “Something Wicked This Way Comes”

Some Journalists Still Waiting to be ‘Free at Last’

Nosir Zokirov, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Uzbek Service in Uzbekistan, is serving a six-month prison term for allegedly insulting a security officer. According to Radio Free Europe, Zokirov was tried without defense counsel or examination of witnesses. Ching Cheong, chief correspondent for China at Singapore daily newspaper The Straits Times, was arrestedContinue reading “Some Journalists Still Waiting to be ‘Free at Last’”

Some Journalists Still Waiting to be ‘Free at Last’

Nosir Zokirov, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Uzbek Service in Uzbekistan, is serving a six-month prison term for allegedly insulting a security officer. According to Radio Free Europe, Zokirov was tried without defense counsel or examination of witnesses. Ching Cheong, chief correspondent for China at Singapore daily newspaper The Straits Times, was arrestedContinue reading “Some Journalists Still Waiting to be ‘Free at Last’”

Worst Job Ever: PR Spokesperson for Pat Robertson

Working for crazy people has to be tough. In my old line of work we called these crazy people “editors,” which is honestly the nicest thing an editor has ever been called. But today I want to offer my thoughts and prayers to Angell Watts, spokesperson for Christian broadcaster, former Presidential candidate and the craziestContinue reading “Worst Job Ever: PR Spokesperson for Pat Robertson”

Slow Down, You Move to Fast, You’ve Got to Make the Credibility Last

All parents say that their kids grow up too fast. This isn’t true, of course. Parents live too fast, which is why one day your daughter is riding in the car seat and the next day she’s asking you for the keys. I was going to resolve to slow down in 2006, which if youContinue reading “Slow Down, You Move to Fast, You’ve Got to Make the Credibility Last”

1,000 Ghosts: Voices from Death Row Still Echo

Early this morning North Carolina executed Kenneth Lee Boyd, making him the 1,000th person to die since capital punishment resumed in 1977 after a brief moratorium. In a couple weeks, California Death Row inmate Tookie Williams is slated to become number 1,001. I wrote a book about the death penalty years ago, and while theContinue reading “1,000 Ghosts: Voices from Death Row Still Echo”

Journalism Next: The Three (or Four) Branches of the New News Media

The online world – for all its vastness, connectivity and influence – is insulated. That’s not a problem for most people, considering that the online world often makes more sense. But unlike your typical EverQuest player, I have to live in the real world, too. I was in the real world over the weekend –Continue reading “Journalism Next: The Three (or Four) Branches of the New News Media”

Pat Robertson Damns Dover for Not Bending Over to Religious Extremism

I try to keep my comments to the subjects of modern media, communications and the evolution of news, not the evolution of life on Earth. But I feel I owe it to the people of Dover, Pennsylvania, to warn them that the end is nigh. Pat Robertson says Dover residents will not get any helpContinue reading “Pat Robertson Damns Dover for Not Bending Over to Religious Extremism”

Connie Loves Maury, Newspaper Subscriptions Sour and Media Companies Go with the Wind

Couple-casters Connie Chung and Maury Povich will host a morning network news show. Not to worry — the show is on Saturdays on MSNBC, so no one will ever see it. According to a story by the Associated Press, the average weekday circulation at U.S. newspapers fell 2.6 percent in the six month-period ending inContinue reading “Connie Loves Maury, Newspaper Subscriptions Sour and Media Companies Go with the Wind”