Thursday, the New York Times published a piece that discussed the ways, and more specifically, the percentage that specific nations aim to reduce emissions in response to climate change.
The discussions will take place among the world's leaders who will meet in Copenhagen, Germany Dec. 7-18.
The piece goes on to discuss how individual countries--the United States, Korea and so forth will go about making these reductions; it also lists the percentages that these nations will reduce their emissions by: 17, 30 percent etc.
The trouble, is that the author of the piece doesn't really place these numbers in context. Thirty percent is a fairly large number, but how does Korea's 30 percent compare to other countries?
To illustrate in further detail, here is a quote: "This week, South Korea said it would cut emissions by 30 percent from “business as usual” by 2020. Russia’s president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said his country would try to reduce emissions by 25 percent by then, instead of 15 percent as announced earlier. Last week, Brazil promised reductions of about 40 percent below current projections by 2020."
So I have a laundry list that sounds good; helping the earth, reducing greenhouse emissions, but supplementary context should really be used if the reporter really wants these numbers to mean something to his readers.
Additionally, the paper fails to report how they came up with the numbers. While the piece does quote the number given by each country, the reader has no idea how these readers were computed, and whether they are really reliable.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Son objects to moving Camus' remains
According to the New York Times on Sunday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to transfer the remains of the writer Albert Camus to one of the most hallowed burial places in France, "but the plan has run into opposition from the Nobel laureate’s son, who does not think his father would have wanted the honor."
New Outlet telegraph.co.uk has also picked up the story, notes the story is a blow to the French President who already has rocky relation's with the country's "literary elite."
The honor was intended to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Camus, author of The Stranger. Camus died in a car crash on January 1960 just south of Paris along with his publisher.
According to the Times, "Camus’s son, Jean, says interring his father’s remains at the Panthéon, the Paris monument to some of the great men and women of France, would be contrary to his father’s wishes and does not want to have his legacy put to work in the service of the state, Le Monde quoted an unidentified intimate of Mr. Camus’s as saying."
His daughter, however, manages his estate and plans to give approval for the plan to move the remains.
Though the decision is not final, the President has reportedly been in touch with the family to go on with his proposal.
New Outlet telegraph.co.uk has also picked up the story, notes the story is a blow to the French President who already has rocky relation's with the country's "literary elite."
The honor was intended to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Camus, author of The Stranger. Camus died in a car crash on January 1960 just south of Paris along with his publisher.
According to the Times, "Camus’s son, Jean, says interring his father’s remains at the Panthéon, the Paris monument to some of the great men and women of France, would be contrary to his father’s wishes and does not want to have his legacy put to work in the service of the state, Le Monde quoted an unidentified intimate of Mr. Camus’s as saying."
His daughter, however, manages his estate and plans to give approval for the plan to move the remains.
Though the decision is not final, the President has reportedly been in touch with the family to go on with his proposal.
Man drives car into local physician's office
On Friday, local station WCCO reported that a man who drove his truck into a university building was actually aiming for a Minneapolis FBI building.
According to WCCO, the driver, James Kromer, 36, "told police he was angry about a "computer type device" that was located inside the building and was sending signals to his head and read his thoughts, according to the complaint."
The Star Tribune also covered the story, reporting Kromer smashed his 1996 Dodge pickup truck into the three-story glass atrium of a building belonging to Physicians & Surgeons Capital Corp. at 1100 Washington Av. S. about 6 p.m. Thursday.
The damage to the building reportedly exceeds $20,000.
According to the Star Tribune, Kromer has a history of drug and drinking-related criminal offenses, and his mental health is currently being evaluated.
According to WCCO, the driver, James Kromer, 36, "told police he was angry about a "computer type device" that was located inside the building and was sending signals to his head and read his thoughts, according to the complaint."
The Star Tribune also covered the story, reporting Kromer smashed his 1996 Dodge pickup truck into the three-story glass atrium of a building belonging to Physicians & Surgeons Capital Corp. at 1100 Washington Av. S. about 6 p.m. Thursday.
The damage to the building reportedly exceeds $20,000.
According to the Star Tribune, Kromer has a history of drug and drinking-related criminal offenses, and his mental health is currently being evaluated.
Oprah announces the end of her talkshow
On Thursday, the New York Times and media outlets across the country reported network mogul Oprah Winfrey will end her talk show, Oprah, in 2011 to reportedly try her had at a cable station of her own.
CNN also confirmed the report on Thursday, noting, "Winfrey's show has often been that national voice. When she covered the topic of mad cow disease, the nation's dairy farmers watched sales plummet; when she selected James Frey as an author to watch and later admonished him, the nation went right along with her."
The network will be named after her, Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN.
According to the times, the show will end with the completion of Oprah's 25th season on air, but the talk show will likely move to her new network.
The times also reported, "In a statement, CBS Television Distribution said, '“We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterwards as well.”'
Both pieces went on to venerate the "passion" and "invigoration" of Oprah's work within the United States and elsewhere, mentioning her success and philanthropic spirit.
CNN also confirmed the report on Thursday, noting, "Winfrey's show has often been that national voice. When she covered the topic of mad cow disease, the nation's dairy farmers watched sales plummet; when she selected James Frey as an author to watch and later admonished him, the nation went right along with her."
The network will be named after her, Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN.
According to the times, the show will end with the completion of Oprah's 25th season on air, but the talk show will likely move to her new network.
The times also reported, "In a statement, CBS Television Distribution said, '“We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterwards as well.”'
Both pieces went on to venerate the "passion" and "invigoration" of Oprah's work within the United States and elsewhere, mentioning her success and philanthropic spirit.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Investigative Journalists in Puerto Rico uncover lapse in inspections and the government's blind eye
Friday, the IRE posted the collaborative story of a freelance journalist in Puerto Rico, and .
The journalists, Mc Nelly Torress, and Omaya Sosa Pascual, of El Centro Periodistico Investigativo de Puerto Rico, uncovered and reported "decades of environmental violations, financial distress and neglect behind the company that owns the refinery where the Oct. 23 deadly explosion took place in Puerto Rico" According to the IRE website, the stories, a collaboration between journalists in Miami and Puerto Rico were written in Spanish and English and published in El Nuevo Herald and the Miami Herald.
Both the Spanish and English translations exhibit heavy reporting done by the authors of the piece.
The story begins: "For years, federal regulators have cited Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) multiple times for serious environmental violations and levied $1.3 million in penalties and fines for discharging hazardous waste to water, air and soil, showing disregard for residents’ health and safety.
Yet local and federal government agencies have allowed the company to operate interrupted for more than 50 years and have not been diligent in oversight to guarantee a safe operation, an investigation has found. Government’s carelessness includes no federal occupational safety inspections in almost a decade and failing to establish an emergency plan for disasters with the communities as required by law.
The facility at the Luchetti Industrial Park in Bayamon, where an explosion 14 days ago produced a toxic fire that took firefighters over two days to extinguish, and caused fuel leakages into neighboring waterways, had not been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration since 2000."
So if we examine these first few graphs, the reportage is quite evident. Specifically in the last few sentences, we see the reported would have gone through the public files of the country's Occupational Safety and Health Administration; finding evidence to support their case, the reporters then note a lapse in the inspection system since 2000. This lapse, is evidence of the suspected flaw mentioned in the first part of the paragraphs above.
In order to make such heavy claims on their local government, the two reporters must have ensured their facts were not only correct, but warranted such a grave uncovering in the aftermath of penalties. The reporters seem to point the cause of the toxic fire two weeks ago to the neglect of the inspection agency.
These reports would have required the skills to navigate heavy indexes that denote company files as well as official records of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. In addition to indexes, they would have had to navigate large search engines and been able to utilize specific Boolean logic to point them toward the documents they were looking to find. Certainly they would not have read through every document put out by the agency between 2000 and 2009.
The journalists, Mc Nelly Torress, and Omaya Sosa Pascual, of El Centro Periodistico Investigativo de Puerto Rico, uncovered and reported "decades of environmental violations, financial distress and neglect behind the company that owns the refinery where the Oct. 23 deadly explosion took place in Puerto Rico" According to the IRE website, the stories, a collaboration between journalists in Miami and Puerto Rico were written in Spanish and English and published in El Nuevo Herald and the Miami Herald.
Both the Spanish and English translations exhibit heavy reporting done by the authors of the piece.
The story begins: "For years, federal regulators have cited Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) multiple times for serious environmental violations and levied $1.3 million in penalties and fines for discharging hazardous waste to water, air and soil, showing disregard for residents’ health and safety.
Yet local and federal government agencies have allowed the company to operate interrupted for more than 50 years and have not been diligent in oversight to guarantee a safe operation, an investigation has found. Government’s carelessness includes no federal occupational safety inspections in almost a decade and failing to establish an emergency plan for disasters with the communities as required by law.
The facility at the Luchetti Industrial Park in Bayamon, where an explosion 14 days ago produced a toxic fire that took firefighters over two days to extinguish, and caused fuel leakages into neighboring waterways, had not been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration since 2000."
So if we examine these first few graphs, the reportage is quite evident. Specifically in the last few sentences, we see the reported would have gone through the public files of the country's Occupational Safety and Health Administration; finding evidence to support their case, the reporters then note a lapse in the inspection system since 2000. This lapse, is evidence of the suspected flaw mentioned in the first part of the paragraphs above.
In order to make such heavy claims on their local government, the two reporters must have ensured their facts were not only correct, but warranted such a grave uncovering in the aftermath of penalties. The reporters seem to point the cause of the toxic fire two weeks ago to the neglect of the inspection agency.
These reports would have required the skills to navigate heavy indexes that denote company files as well as official records of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. In addition to indexes, they would have had to navigate large search engines and been able to utilize specific Boolean logic to point them toward the documents they were looking to find. Certainly they would not have read through every document put out by the agency between 2000 and 2009.
New Law prevents misuse of genetic information
Sunday, the New York Times reported a new law was the most important anti-discrimination law in the last two decades. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will go into effect next week.
According to the TImes the law will be, "prohibiting employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions."
But perhaps of higher interest during these heated times of health care debate is another piece: "The act also prohibits health insurers and group plans from requiring such testing or using genetic information — like a family history of heart disease — to deny coverage or set premiums or deductibles."
Reuters also reported on the new GINA law.
According to the news outlet, Former President Bush signed GINA into law in May 2008.
Under GINA, companies are prohibited from using genetic information in employment decisions, and from intentionally acquiring genetic information. When in possession of genetic information, employers must adhere to strict requirements and store the data in separate health-related files.
Nina Slattery, division manager of GovDocs, spoke with Reuters. "With each generation, labor law evolves to meet new challenges, in this case,innovations in science and health care. When it comes to hiring practices, guidelines for dismissal, or terms and conditions of employment, employers and the workforce now have a clear direction on their rights and responsibilities."
According to the TImes the law will be, "prohibiting employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions."
But perhaps of higher interest during these heated times of health care debate is another piece: "The act also prohibits health insurers and group plans from requiring such testing or using genetic information — like a family history of heart disease — to deny coverage or set premiums or deductibles."
Reuters also reported on the new GINA law.
According to the news outlet, Former President Bush signed GINA into law in May 2008.
Under GINA, companies are prohibited from using genetic information in employment decisions, and from intentionally acquiring genetic information. When in possession of genetic information, employers must adhere to strict requirements and store the data in separate health-related files.
Nina Slattery, division manager of GovDocs, spoke with Reuters. "With each generation, labor law evolves to meet new challenges, in this case,innovations in science and health care. When it comes to hiring practices, guidelines for dismissal, or terms and conditions of employment, employers and the workforce now have a clear direction on their rights and responsibilities."
Obama visits China
Sunday, the Associated Press reported the President's first visit to China.
According to the New York Times, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be discussing, various issues, "including North Korea, terrorism, the environment, human rights and the fragile state of the global economy."
The two and their advisors will remain in Beijing for three days.
According to AP, who is updating by the minute, "Obama arrived in Shanghai late at night, in a driving rain, hustling through a phalanx of umbrella-holding dignitaries to reach his limousine. On Monday, the president is holding talks with local politicians and, in one of the marquee events of his weeklong Asian trip, conducting an American-style town hall discussion with Chinese university students."
The New York Times reported that the President will have his first glimpse into a country whose economy is likely to grow by about8 percent, by far the best performing major economy, accounting for much of the world’s economic growth this year. The country’s real estate and stock markets are once again booming, and hot initial public stock offerings are luring frenzied investors to play in the financial markets.
But China's exports have suffered from a slow down of more than 20%, when a year ago the country was garnering a huge trade surplus when compared to the rest of the world.
According to the New York Times, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be discussing, various issues, "including North Korea, terrorism, the environment, human rights and the fragile state of the global economy."
The two and their advisors will remain in Beijing for three days.
According to AP, who is updating by the minute, "Obama arrived in Shanghai late at night, in a driving rain, hustling through a phalanx of umbrella-holding dignitaries to reach his limousine. On Monday, the president is holding talks with local politicians and, in one of the marquee events of his weeklong Asian trip, conducting an American-style town hall discussion with Chinese university students."
The New York Times reported that the President will have his first glimpse into a country whose economy is likely to grow by about8 percent, by far the best performing major economy, accounting for much of the world’s economic growth this year. The country’s real estate and stock markets are once again booming, and hot initial public stock offerings are luring frenzied investors to play in the financial markets.
But China's exports have suffered from a slow down of more than 20%, when a year ago the country was garnering a huge trade surplus when compared to the rest of the world.
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