In the Loop: April 2008 Archive

Mesabi Daily News: Playing along on April Fools (and is there anything wrong with that?)

Posted at 10:55 AM on April 1, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (4 Comments)

I posted last week about a fake PR campaign from Ely, MN, threatening to move to Canada. It's dated April 1. While it's a clever idea, well executed, I think I ended the post with something like "God help any small-town newsroom that chases this."

(Courtesy of Jennifer Weismann)

An Iron Range paper, the Mesabi Daily News in Virginia, has a substantial write-up (free reg. required) on the story today -- not about the PR campaign, but parroting the April Fools story itself: "Canada eying purchase of Ely, eh?"

The reporter, Angie Riebe, adds her own material to the press release:

Ely Mayor Chuck Novak was stunned by the chamber's incredible announcement. "I'm not really sure whether it's real or not," he said. "I've had several phone calls from a lot of people inquiring about a potential offer to buy the city, but I have no document at City Hall."

Novak said he was awaiting the next delivery of mail to see if anything official had arrived. "Until then, I don't know what to do." He said he would seek the advice of council members and "walk around and ask our citizens" for their input. "We have to figure out what position to take as a City Council," Novak said. "I don't think anyone on the council would entertain the position to sell the city."

(Local businessman Blayne) Hall said his customers have been concerned about the situation. "Everybody's been calling to find out if they need to change their money before coming up and if they need passports."

The online article is followed by some reader comments that suggest they get the joke (and complimenting Riebe on her article).

Here's the good news: The Mesabi News wasn't bamboozled by a PR campaign. The worst-case scenario is that some understaffed newsroom misses the April Fools angle, gets Punk'd themselves and just runs the release. (Anybody seen this happen?)

But this brings up some of the same issues April Fools raises for journalists all over. Once a year, we take the same faith we work to build with our readers/listeners the other 364 days and abuse it, mostly for internal chuckles. (This year NPR's was a story about portable zip codes.)

I'll admit, I've always been a little uncomfortable with it. And I can tell you there are vast differences of opinion within the journalistic world. Then again, does the audience really mind? Are some of us pumping too much importance into our sacred trust?

The Mesabi Daily News example adds an additional wrinkle: What's it say when your April Fool's joke is served up by a PR firm? It says the PR folks have you right where they want you. (I did say it was a clever campaign. They've even got folks like me and the Pioneer Press writing about it as a meta-thing.)

Readers, weigh in.

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Mission to Mars: Is it even worth it?

Posted at 11:06 AM on April 2, 2008 by Sanden Totten (1 Comments)

For those of us already giddy over the thought of the world's largest particle accelerator going live, yesterday's announcement that Google has teamed up with space pioneers Virgin Mobile to plan a future colony on Mars practically made us fall out of our seats. That is of course, assuming you first fell for the press release.

Okay, so it's a joke. But Mars exploration isn't. In fact, NASA plans to launch another red rover to our planetary neighbor in 2009. And folks, this one is a "mega rover", which in my mind means it will be able to drill for core samples, stream live video and have sweet tail fins and a custom paint job.

But lacking the financial capital of a Google or Virgin Mobile, NASA is struggling to pay for this project. Not surprising when you consider it's $2 billion price tag. And to make matters worse, it looks like sending humans to Mars may be a suicide mission. Experts are now realizing that cosmic radiation and solar storms could wipe out any explorers before they even touch down on Martian soil.

I love the idea of colonizing Mars. It's one of my top science fantasies, right up there with seeing dinosaurs brought back to life. But you got to ask, is it a dream worth pursuing? Between an ailing economy and the threat of global warming, I'm starting to wonder if $2 billion is too much to ask for something Hollywood managed for only 1 million.

But I could be convinced otherwise. To rove or not to rove: what's your take on it?

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News Flash: MySpace preparing to take on iTunes

Posted at 2:58 PM on April 2, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (1 Comments)

Not seeing it anywhere else on the web yet, but the wires just flashed an exclusive little item from Reuters:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp's MySpace, the world largest social networking site, will unveil a joint venture with at least three major music companies within 5 days, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Called MySpace Music, the service will be integrated with MySpace.com and is being touted as a rival to Apple Inc's iTunes online music store. It will offer music streaming, MP3 downloads, concert tickets, ringtones and merchandising, the sources said. News Corp, Warner Music Group Corp, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group will each have a stake in the venture, the sources said. It is not clear if EMI Group, the fourth largest music label, will be involved.

(Update: Reuters has now posted the news item on its web site.)

Is this the iTunes killer? I'll admit, as a huge user of subscription services (Rhapsody has changed my life) I have been hugely frustrated to watch an inferior product and delivery model (iTunes) so dominate the scene.

(Seems like a nice time to bust out this snarky little graphic I made a couple years ago when I did an episode of Future Tense about this:)

The fact that the MySpace product will offer "streaming" suggests to me there will be some embrace of the subscription model (even if they'll still offer up paid MP3 downloads for the suckers whose heads explode at the thought of not shelling out a per-song fee).

Anybody else as anxious as I am for more iTunes competition? Does MySpace have what it takes? Here's a poll on the matter:

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Coming this summer: Battle of the stupid celebrity circus shows

Posted at 10:50 AM on April 3, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (4 Comments)

Evidently this is not fresh news, but I caught a passing reference in the newspaper this morning to one of the brilliant TV programming moves in store for this summer.

NBC plans to hit us with Celebrity Circus. Details are sparse, but I imagine former child stars and washed-up WWF wrestlers ("Chyna" is reportedly one of the first to sign on) riding unicycles, falling off of high-wires, and (dare we hope?) cleaning up elephant poop.

Wait. There's more.

ABC is working on its own C-list-celebrity big top: "Circus of the Stars." Evidently it's a revival of some 1980's show that was so popular I've never heard of it.

NBC's line-up also includes a new show called "Shark Taggers:"

"...a one-hour reality series that follows daring marine biologists as they track down the ocean's top predators and hand-tag them with cutting-edge satellite transmitters..."

...and a Thursday night version of Saturday Night Live.

There's so much other good stuff on TV these days. I don't know whether to laugh or cry about what's in store.

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"Ely sale to Canada" hoax: The stats are in

Posted at 2:05 PM on April 4, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

For April Fools this year, the little Iron Range town of Ely circulated a fake news release threatening a sale of the town to Canada (and ran fake-newscast radio spots that simulated a bidding war among Nebraska, Uzbekistan, and a tycoon with a private island).

Did anybody buy it? Evidently so. By the numbers:

* 580 calls about it on April 1 and 2 to the Ely Chamber of Commerce
* 1,100 signatures on the chamber's (fake) petition to save the town

Some of the questions callers asked:

- What can we do to keep Canada from pursuing this?
- How much time do you think I have to get a passport?
- If Ely is sold to the Canadians, would the residents of Ely become Canadian citizens and lose their American citizenship?
- Will we be allowed to have dual citizenship and double our walleye limit?

And some other comments collected:

- "Do not sell out to Canada!!! ...I can not go to Canada because I had a DWI 12 years ago. I hope Ely is not dumb enough to complete this transaction!"
- "I just sent this to my son in Baghdad. It's 15:30 over there. I told him he needs to hurry home and save Ely!"

(According to a follow-up release from the PR firm behind the campaign.)

No more "Simpsons" in Chavez's socialist paradise

Posted at 4:20 PM on April 8, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (6 Comments)

Venezuela's "Televen" TV network is pulling The Simpsons from the air because of listener complaints. And perhaps presidential decree....

Apparently it has been deemed inappropriate for children by the national communications regulatory agency.

Well, we all know that. What's troubling is that it has been replaced with Baywatch. Does that really make more sense in an 11 a.m. slot?

The official Associated Press version makes no mention of it, but other news outlets (such as The Times of London) suggest that President Hugo Chavez ordered the show removed.

Bet he was mad he had not yet been given a cameo.

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Do your funny pages need a remix?

Posted at 1:10 PM on April 11, 2008 by Sanden Totten (1 Comments)

I am a huge fan of comics. When the Sunday paper arrives I go straight for the funny pages. But I have to admit, I haven't been laughing like I use to. Am I getting older? Are the writers getting burnt out? Am I always grumpy on Sundays because I usually have a hangover?

Well, whatever the reason, have no fear. The internet is here to fix things. There's a booming industry of folks who re-imagine many of the classic newsprint comics.

Is Marmaduke not working for you? Check out Marmaduke Explained. This blog will make sure you understand. The explanations are hysterical.

Does the Family Circus seem too cheerful for your tastes? What if someone synced the images up with quotes from Frederick Nietzsche? The Nietzsche Family Circus. Strange and profound.

How about Ziggy? Does it seem funnier to you if someone draws a nipple on his nose? Try Ziggynipples.

And then there is Garfield. What happens when you take the cat out of the equation? Garfield Minus Garfield will show you. What's left is a sad and lonely man talking to himself. Some how far edgier and funnier than before. And my personal favorite: Lasagna Cat. I'd try to explain it, but, here just see for yourself:

Ahh Garfield. Your antics never cease to amuse. What are your favorite weekend comics?

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Scientists using "brain enhancing drugs"?

Posted at 10:21 AM on April 15, 2008 by Sanden Totten

It's not just athletes that are juicing.

Wired's science blog threw up a story about a recent survey that found that 20 percent of polled scientists admitted to using "brain enhancing drugs". Drugs like Ritalin, Provigil and Propranolol. Drugs that increase concentration and productivity.

One in every five scientists are getting a brain boost. That's a pretty shocking number. I'm not sure how sound this study is but it's likely there is some truth to it. Given that one in five college students are taking psychostimulants, it makes sense that the trend would continue after graduation.

But science isn't sports. These folks are competitive, sure, but is it really a bad thing if scientists are "enhancing" their abilities? If the goal is to advance the field overall, does it matter if some scientists are taking pills? Maybe we'd be better off if there was a race of super-enhanced brainy scientists solving all of the worlds problems . . . or maybe not.

Northwest: A listener eulogy

Posted at 2:37 PM on April 15, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

A little while back, anticipating this whole Delta-Northwest thing might happen, we asked our listeners to contribute their "eulogies" for our hometown carrier. Since the takeover will mean no more Northwest name (and no more headquarters in the Twin Cities), it seemed appropriate.

A number of folks got back to us, and now that the big news has broken, In The Loop's friend Terri Bly (pictured) delivered hers on All Things Considered this afternoon:

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A short while ago, we also posted a song from listener Chris Kemp.

And guess what? We're re-opening the call for eulogies. Act fast -- we'd love to get some more on the air this week!

Is your diet Republican or Democrat?

Posted at 10:00 AM on April 17, 2008 by Sanden Totten (4 Comments)

You vote what you eat?

That's what some analysts are saying. The New York Times dished up this article about how marketers are looking at what people buy and how they vote. Now this isn't hard science (duh) but here are some of their findings:

"Snacks that skew McCain are Sun Chips and PowerOne bars. Clinton snacks are Newman's Own pretzels and the Luna Bar. Obama snackers would prefer Kettle Chips and the vegan Lara Bar. Cereals fall this way: Fiber One, McCain. Kashi GoLean, Clinton. Bear Naked Granola, Obama."

Bear Naked Granola? I wanted Obama to tell me: "Yes we can have cookies for breakfast! Yes we can have Cookie Crisp!"

Another interesting note - Obama supporters, known for their embrace of different cultures and ideas, apparently "intensely dislike vanilla wafers." Too traditional? Too boring? What do you think?

Oh, and it seems I drink like a Republican (red wine and bourbon) rather than a Democrat (white wine and gin). What about you?

(Photo by ShutterCat7 via Creative Commons)

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"To gently ease the Red Tail on into eternity..."

Posted at 4:08 PM on April 17, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

One more great Northwest Airlines eulogy for you. This one comes alllllll the way from Japan, and listener Betsy Anderson.

Betsy's father has worked for Northwest for 25 years, and her poem reflects a genuine affection for the airline -- even though we might not have loved the red tail every moment.

It's pretty short -- just over a minute. Give it a listen:

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The poem is read by our MPR colleague Joette Poehler. Here's a download link.

Here are the other creative listener eulogies we've put up so far:

A great commentary from Terri Bly that manages to be both sincere and tongue-in-cheek all at once.

"Airplane to the Sea," a song parody from listener Chris Kemp.

Oh, yeah. The Chinese got the media all figured out

Posted at 11:05 AM on April 18, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

This week, in the category of "Officials say the darndest things:"

I got a laugh from a New York Times story that showed just how little some Chinese officials "get" the way media work in countries with a free press.The article was ostensibly about something else: "Construction Halted Ahead of Games." But what stood out to me were the embarrassingly smug, presumptive statements from a mid-level official:

If Beijing's air remains unacceptably sullied in the days leading up the Games, officials said, they would take "stringent steps" to curb polluting industries, although they declined to say what those might be. "We will do everything possible to honor the promise," Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the city's Environmental Protection Bureau, told reporters. "Just tell everybody they don't have to worry."

Oh, OK. You don't share any details, and we'll just tell our readers it's all going to be fine. The official was talking here to a roomful of foreign reporters, but speaking to them (I guess) as if he's giving orders to state-owned news agency. Here's another:

Even on a day when the horizon was notably hazy and the fumes from idling cars undeniably acrid, Mr. Du urged a roomful of reporters to tell the public how much better Beijing's air had become in recent years. "Please assure all the athletes," he said.

Yeah, sure. With a naive attitude like this, it's no wonder the torch relay has turned into such a P.R. disaster. China needs to figure out how the free media works, and fast.

Blogging from the polygamy beat

Posted at 3:30 PM on April 21, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (3 Comments)

For a show this week, we're preparing to interview Brooke Adams, who may be the only reporter in the country to exclusively cover the polygamy beat.

She reports for the Salt Lake Tribune and, not surprisingly, her paper quickly dispatched her this month to Eldorado, Texas, where the removal of 416 children from the compound of a polygamist sect is creating one of the major news events of the moment (at least if you watch CNN, which seems to have an update every five minutes or so).

Brooke has been blogging from Texas, and it adds a fascinating new dimension to the coverage. While the newspaper articles explore the big ins-and-outs of the court case and broken community, the blog allows for pulling out threads like:

* What's with the bed in the temple?
* What's with the clothes? And is it right that we even care?
* Why, despite objections from Mormons, are these groups called "fundamentalist" Mormons?

The best thing about the blog is that each item becomes a true conversation. Outsiders and insiders weigh in with opinions and the more-than-occasional helpful fact.

We're told Brooke rarely if ever does media interviews, so we're lucky to talk more with her about her unusual assignment.

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Frankenfoods are on the rise!

Posted at 10:50 AM on April 23, 2008 by Sanden Totten (3 Comments)

Remember that tomato that scientists mixed with fish genes? The one that was made to stay fresh longer, look better and bounce like a tennis ball when dropped? That tomato freaked out a lot of people, myself included.

But to be honest, I almost never stop to check if my tomatoes are natural or one of these genetically modified "Frankenfoods". In the U.S. there is no mandatory labeling of GM veggies so being picky about my produce takes time and money. I'm usually short on both.

And it looks like I'm not the only one.

Global food shortages have forced many previously picky countries to start importing modified crops. Japan and South Korea have been using GM corn for soda and other products. Even Europe, who has been a long time protester of modified crops, is talking about deregulating the Frankenfoods. All this after the FDA recently approved the sale of food derived from the offspring of cloned cows.
There is a strange upside to all of this. It might be good for the US economy. We're one of the top producers of these crops and a boom in the market is a boon to our farmers.

Still, the idea of a genetically enhanced diet leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But I guess I better get use to it. In the future, genetically engineered food will probably be old hat. I'm sure we'll have a whole new set of ethical quandaries to worry about.

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Forget the primary, Clinton and Obama lay the smackdown on WWE!

Posted at 11:10 AM on April 22, 2008 by Sanden Totten (1 Comments)

We knew it would come to this. Forgoing the complicated primary process with it's delegates and super-delegates, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama decided to finish this race the old fashioned way . . . with a dropkick to the head. Check it out:

I guess the pundits were right. This long campaign left no democratic candidate standing. But none of them could have seen this guy coming.

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Miami gets foam, we get more snow

Posted at 5:05 PM on April 25, 2008 by Sanden Totten

On this dismal Minnesota day I thought I would post something pretty and happy to cheer us all up. Where better to turn to than Sony's latest epic advertisement? Watch Miami get foamed.

This ad follows in the footsteps of the breathtaking "Balls", "Paint" and "Play-Doh" commercials.

Truthfully, I'm not even sure what they were selling in some of these. I've been told that the Bravia is a high definition television but the first time I saw the "Balls" ad, I thought they were hyping a color printer.

Which leaves me wondering, is all the effort worth it? I recently found out that the balls commercial was pretty pricey, but actually cost less than a $40 million dollar Chanel ad featuring Nichole Kidman. But then again, by making a commercial people will seek out on YouTube, e-mail to friends and even post about on their blogs . . . maybe it's worth it.

Does anybody here know what the average dollar to dollar return on an advertisement is? How do commercial companies know when their ad does a good job selling a product and when it's just entertaining eye candy?

Stimulus checks: Botox, blow it at the casino...but mostly savings

Posted at 10:44 AM on April 30, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (7 Comments)

We already had one round of this when the President signed the bill, but the media (Associated Press, for example) today is taking another run at the "What will people do with their checks" question.

If $600 - $1,200 worth of impulse shopping at Wal-Mart sounds attractive, the big blue behemoth is offering to cash people's checks for free. (For many people, though, the "check" will actually be a direct deposit right into your bank account. Wal-Mart, however, will still be happy to take their money.)

Seems like, hmmmm, In The Loop already took a run at this question a couple months ago. But media momentum impels me to revive our contribution to the conversation:

Now that the grand moment is almost upon us, what'll you do with yours?

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