Mumbai blitz attack coverage

The very day of the attacks in Mumbai, India a Google map of the attacks was posted by Al Jazeera, Flickr photo collections were uploaded by bystanders, and even the self-proclaimed gunmen called into a news TV station to explain the motive behind the attack.
The news was moving faster than the media and citizens — [...]

the tragedy of too much stuff

In a capitalist society obsessed with things — the latest, the highest-tech, the coolest — we are been taught by corporations to be hoarders. That dirty label is not longer saved for crazy cat-ladies with bulging rooms of knick-knacks and depression-scarred lunatics.
This piece on Weekend America about the tragedy that is our junk and the [...]

Buy Nothing Day sails over press’ heads

While people are being trampled by customers in the wee hours of the morning on this Black Friday, many are confronting the control consumerism has on Western culture by rejecting that frenzied need to buy, buy, BUY.
Unfortunately, even independent National Public Radio is jumping on the buy-bandwagon with reports almost harrowing shoppers as heroes in [...]

NewsTrust: teasing out good journalism

Unfortunately you really do have to dig around, and sometimes deep, for some quality journalism. With so much of the news thriving on updates and infotainment, it’s nice to see an admittedly small group of news junkies coming together to point out the good stuff so we all can savor it, rate it and pass [...]

Newspaper Endorsements: (it’s not a horse-race bet)

Let’s bring back the meaning of endorsement.
Get back to the real thing, here: It is not a prediction and it is not a popularity contest. This endorsement is not in favor of the guy who is bound to win anyway. It is a return to the public policy-oriented version that should bring topics to the [...]

Can Gov. Patrick keep promises in economic crisis?

As the New Americans’ Program suffers budget cuts, immigrants and refugees fear less support
CHELSEA, Mass. — Last week, in the darkened auditorium of Chelsea High School, just outside of Boston, there was an awkward collision of good intentions and the stinging reality of an economic crisis. The gathering, which drew about 200 people, was supposed [...]

U.S. down to 36th for press freedom

Reporters Without Borders came out with their 2008 freedom of the press rankings and the U.S. is down considerably from last year. The 50 states received 36th place out of 173 countries of the world, but including the U.S.’s territories it was a low 119th.