begin oe_protect.scr
Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> Yahoo partners with Reuters on eyewitness pictures
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Yahoo, in partnership with Reuters, is inviting the public to
>| contribute eyewitness photos and videos of news events, in the
>| latest move to turn spectators into on-the-spot journalists.
> `----
>
> http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6140353.html
>
> People ought to control the media, not companies who own the media.
>
The BBC have been doing this for ages - just look at their websites.
>
> Related:
>
> http://newassignment.net - an already-prominent experiment in Open Source
> journalism.
>
>
> Bias in journalism:
>
>
> If you're shopping, remember the Xbox 360
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| By Ken Smith
>| MSNBC contributor
>| Updated: 1:21 p.m. ET Nov. 17, 2006
>|
>| SEATTLE - While you're out looking at video game consoles this
>| holiday season, don't forget to check out Microsoft's
>| Xbox 360.
>|
>| (MSNBC is a joint Microsoft - NBC Universal venture.)
> `----
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15757514/
>
>
> Microsoft Xbox to Join the Battle for Video Downloading
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Editors' Note: November 10, 2006, Friday An article in Business Day
>| on Tuesday described a decision by Microsoft to offer movies and
>| episodes of television shows for downloading through its Xbox Liveo
>| nline service in the United States.
>|
>| The article quoted Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle
>| Group, discussing the features that set Xbox Live service apart
>| and its position in the market.
>|
>| But the article did not note that Mr. Enderle had Microsoft as a client,
>| a fact later pointed out by a reader. Mr. Enderle does consulting work
>| for several of Microsoft's product groups, though not for the one
>| developing the Xbox; still, had The Times known of Mr. Enderle's work
>| for Microsoft, it would not have sought out his opinion on the product.
> `----
>
> http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50713F83A5B0C748CDDA80994DE404482
> http://tinyurl.com/y3avsv
>
>
> Corporate Propaganda Still On the News: Study Finds Local Stations
> Overwhelmingly Fail to Disclose VNRs
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| A new study by the Center for Media and Democracy says Americans are
>| still being shown corporate public relations videos disguised as news
>| reports on newscasts across the country.
> `----
>
> http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/14/1518200
>
>
> Wrong Yesterday Wrong Today Wrong Tomorrow
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| I just got through watching a segment on the Today Show on NBC
>| highlighting the launch of the Microsoft Zune.
>|
>| First of all, I thought journalists were suppose to reveal their
>| affiliations with any product if such an affiliation exists.
>| Microsoft owns a stake in NBC ie MSNBC News Network.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| Second, all the side by side product comparisons showed 4th Gen iPods
>| with monochrome screens with no song selected or playing, while the
>| Zune was playing a video.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| This isn't the first time NBC has misled its morning viewers with
>| puff pieces about the Zune.
> `----
>
> http://fixyourthinking.com/2006/11/wrong-yesterday-wrong-today-wrong.html
>
>
> Bill Gates lends cash to buy newspapers
>
> $350 million to MediaNews
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Gates involvement has been very behind the scenes. In fact many of
>| those involved in the deal didn'teven know he was one of the investors.
>| It was carried out through the Gates Foundation, the world's largest
>| philanthropy outfit.
> `----
>
> http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33849
>
>
> Should MSNBC really be "reviewing" (Microsoft's) Gears of War?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| MSNBC recently reviewed Gears of War, calling it the Xbox 360's first
>| killer app.... Nowhere on the page is any indication of the possible
>| ethical issue MSNBC is "Microsoft-NBC", and the site is hosted as a
>| subdomain of msn.com (a major Microsoft portal). Is this really balanced
>| journalism?
> `----
>
> http://www.thisisby.us/index.php/content/should_msnbc_really_be__quot_reviewing_quot__gears_of_war_
>
>
> Other biased in media, studies, etc. follows.
>
>
> Has Demetri Martin Jumped the Shark by Getting Into Bed with Microsoft?
> Clarification on "Clearification" Marketing Campaign
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| When I first saw the Clearification website, I just thought it was
>| Demetri's new project. But I did wonder why the videos were of such
>| high production value. Turns out that Microsoft is footing the bill
>| to not only this site, but are also underwritting his current tour.
> `----
>
> http://www.themodernage.org/2006/11/12/demetri-martin-bring-clearification-to-the-web/
>
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3PO07901AXTUK/ref=cm_cr_auth/104-9104859-6343141
>
> Someone has pointed out that this guy systematically rates everything
> XBox/Microsoft positively (5/5).
>
>
> http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/gizmos/2005/11/2_grassroots_an.html
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| "Some years back, Microsoft practiced a lot of dirty tricks using
>| online mavens to go into forums and create Web sites extolling the virtues
>| of Windows over OS/2. They were dubbed the Microsoft Munchkins, and it
>| was obvious who they were and what they were up to. But their numbers
>| and energy (and they way they joined forces with nonaligned dummies who
>| liked to pile on) proved too much for IBM marketers, and Windows wont
>| he operating-system war through fifth-column tactics"
>|
>| Mr Dvorak wonders if Microsoft is today using reverse-dirty-tricks
>| to promote the Xbox 360: pay people to create Web sites that slam the
>| gaming computer in order to provoke a barrage of defenders.
> `----
>
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing
>
> Recent examples
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| In 2001, the Los Angeles Times accused Microsoft of astroturfing
>| when hundreds of similar letters were sent to newspapers voicing
>| disagreement with the United States Department of Justice and its
>| antitrust suit against Microsoft. The letters, prepared by Americans
>| for Technology Leadership, had in some cases been mailed from
>| deceased citizens or nonexistent addresses.
> `----
>
> A new Microsoft-commissioned anti-Linux study debuts
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Microsoft seemingly has backed off from trumpeting its "Get the
>| Facts" studies, as of late. But that doesn't mean the company has
>| ceased commissioning research outfits to perform its anti-Linux dirty
>| work.
>|
>| On September 25, Mercer Management Consulting released a new
>| Microsoft-backed study. The study is entitled "Driving Lower TCO and
>| Rapid ROI through UNIX Migrations." The synopsis: "Microsoft Windows
>| the preferred choice for UNIX migration when IT organizations migrate
>| servers as part of a focused effort to improve business processes,
>| deploy critical applications or restructure their IT architecture."
> `----
>
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/index.php?p=12
>
>
> IDC pronounces Linux unimportant to European economy
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| A recent IDC white paper on the economic impact of Microsoft's super
>| soaraway new Vista operating system seems to be lacking one crucial
>| ingredient -- other operating systems.
> `----
>
> http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34542
>
>
> ToorCon ("Firefox security is a mess") sponsored by Microsoft
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Lately, I read the headline: "Open Source browser Firefox is so
>| critically flawed that it is impossible to fix, according to two
>| hackers." Further on, in the ZDNet article I read: "The hackers claim
>| they know of about 30 unpatched Firefox flaws. They don't plan to
>| disclose them, instead holding onto the bugs."
>|
>| Since that sounds suspicious, I decided to start searching for
>| connections with MS. Easy enough, here it is...
> `----
>
> http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/70873/index.html
>
>
> Getting Paid To Write A Blog Post - Is This The Future?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| I just saw over on TechCrunch that PayPerPost has raised $3 million
>| in venture funding. What PayPerPost does is allow advertisers to buy
>| a blog post ? often referred to as a paid plug. Instead of buying
>| normal banner advertising, the advertiser would pay the blogger to
>| write about their product or service. This of course raises manye
>| thics and credibility issues.
> `----
>
> http://www.johnchow.com/index.php/getting-pay-to-write-a-blog-post-is-this-the-future/
>
>
> Microsoft Traps and Hunts for Bloggers in India !!
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Microsoft has announced the "Microsoft BlogStars" contest, to Hunts
>| for Developer Bloggers in India. After feeling the power and increase of
>| the Bloggers community in India, Microsoft tries to trap and hunt Bloggers
>| in India to buildup the blogging community, for writing blog posts
>| supporting towards Microsoft Technologies.
> `----
>
> http://i5bala.blogspot.com/2006/10/microsoft-traps-and-hunts-for-bloggers.html
>
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Could there be more bad news? Of course! Even Paul Thurrott isn't
>| impressed with the Zune, calling its pricing strategy the "makings of
>| a disaster." Misery! Not only has the Zune suffered a horrific wreck of
>| a product introduction, but Annie Wilkes is at the foot of the bed saying
>| she doesn't approve of how things are going.
>|
>| If your number one fan is sending you hate mail, you have a problem.
>| So what's with all the Zune related web sites carefully repeating the
>| same talking points? It's called astroturfing.
>|
>| Instead of inspiring actual interest in a grassroots fashion, Microsoft
>| has resorted to spreading fake grass, crafting each site to suggestt
>| he appearance of something other than the advertisement it is.
>|
>| This is similar to the scam Microsoft pulled with its own imitation of
>| Apple's Switchers ad campaign. Titled "Confessions of a Mac to PC
>| Convert," the ad portrayed a professionally dressed woman complaining
>| about her Mac, but ended up being a canned picture pulled from stock
>| photography and voiced by a professional writer.
>|
>| Similarly, Greenpeace staffers have assigned to post astroturf comments
>| on websites saying "I'm a Mac user and gosh darn it I think that
>| Greenpeace is alright with all their concern about the ecology!" More
>| on that scam later!
>|
>| One would expect a certain level of interest and excitement out of
>| Microsoft's own users, but that isn't really happening. Nearly every
>| Zune site on the web is carefully stepping around the piles of problems
>| to spend a lot of time on Microsoft supplied bullet points, including
>| the "celebration of music," the slightly larger or at least
>| stretched display, and how wireless DRM sharing is such a
>| brilliant idea.
> `----
>
> http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Home/9F60D74A-0E27-4F5F-B88D-835974628809.html
>
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Long before it employed bloggers to do the job for it, Microsoft hired
>| sympathetic members of the public to make its case in online forums,
>| posing as disinterested citizens. Things got much more professional as
>| the antitrust trial unfurled. After hiring DCI in the late 1990s,
>| Microsoft created two new trade groups, the Association for Competitive
>| Technology (ACT), and the Americans for Technology Leadership (ALT),
>| and marshaled campaigns such as "Freedom to Innovate" - encouraging
>| Windows users the chance to make spontaneous gestures of support for
>| Chairman Bill.
>|
>| These weren't always too successful. A campaign in 2001 to petition 17
>| state's Attorney Generals - who had pooled resources to bring their
>| own antitrust action against Microsoft - resulted in supportive letters
>| being written by dead people.
>|
>| And the astroturf taint continues today.
>|
>| Most recently, a spoof video portraying Al Gore as a Penguin was reported
>| to have originated from a computer registered to the DCI Group, although
>| the lobby group said it did not fund or approve the video.
> `----
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/14/google_lobby/
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
I've always considered statesmen to be more expendable than soldiers.
|
|
