Was Free Newspaper Content a Mistake? Walter Isaacson Thinks So

Walter Isaacson of Time magazine thinks newspapers made a mistake by putting everything on the Internet for free. It's this type of backward thinking that has many print publications in trouble.

The time has come for some major news organizations to take the bold step of trying to return to a system of getting paid by users for the journalism they produce.

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Isaacson suggests various ways to monetize the content to offset the ever-growing costs of print publications, including revenue-based rewards for reporters. That sounds like the examiner.com model to me.

The key for attracting online revenue is coming up with easy, quick micropayment methods. We need something like digital coins or an E-Z Pass digital wallet – a one-click system that would permit impulse purchases of a newspaper, magazine, article, blog, application or video for a penny, nickel, dime or whatever the creator chooses to charge.

But John Stewart has other ideas for backtracking: making newspaper print physically addictive. Hey, it worked for tobacco companies, right?

On a more serious note, once something has been done one way, it requires a more complex compensation model to undo what's already been done. Readers have been getting this content for free on a free medium. So why should they foot the bill for mistakes made by short-sighted editors and publishers who believed that the Web was a cute fad that would disappear?

In the end, Isaacson comes full-circle to realize what many have already noticed: readers are tired of being lectured to and want to engage in a conversation.

The best way to guarantee the independence and integrity of all forms of media – new and old – would be to go back to a business model that depends on revenue from the users as well as from advertisers.

Related talkers, watchers and readers:
Walter Isaacson: People should pay for news
Video: Walter Isaacson on The Daily Show

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Schapelle Corby Living Every Traveler's Worst Nightmare

Schapelle Corby is living every traveler's worst nightmare -- convicted in 2005 of smuggling marijuana into Indonesia, the 30-year-old Australian is serving a 20-year sentence in a cramped prison.

A new documentary film series featured on HBO goes behind the scenes at the dramatic trial that gripped Australia, initially strained ties between the neighboring countries and left people asking: "Did she really do it?"



"Australians became so besotted with the case," said "Ganja Queen" Director Janine Hosking. "She doesn't look like how we would imagine a drug trafficker to look; she looks like the girl next door."

"People will speculate forever on this case," Hosking told Reuters last June. She began filming shortly before the trial began -- after Corby had already spent five months behind bars in a country that imposes the death penalty on drug traffickers.

Indonesia regularly ranks among the world's most corrupt countries, a problem its government is trying to overcome.

Here's the official synopsis published on www.hbo.com: http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/ganjaqueen/index.html

Bali, Indonesia. Schapelle Corby, a 27-year-old Australian woman, languishes in Kerobokan Prison for a crime she insists she didn't commit. Shapelle had flown to Bali in October 2004 to join her sister Mercedes (married to a Bali man) for a two week vacation at the beach. Among her luggage was an unlocked boogie-board bag. When she arrived in Bali and was asked by customs officials to open the tote, she discovered a ten-pound bag of cannabis flattened next to the board. Though she says she knew nothing about the marijuana, Shapelle was immediately arrested, never imagining the firestorm that would ensue.

GANJA QUEEN explores the origins and outcome of this sensational case through in- prison interviews with Schapelle Corby, footage and interviews of her family (mother Rosleigh, father Michael, sister Mercedes, brother-in-law Wayan, and half-brother James) both in Bali and at home in Australia, flashback footage of Shapelle's arrest, and footage taken in and outside the courtroom during Schapelle's incendiary trial. As the sympathetic heroine at the center of the cauldron, Schapelle faces an unknown and unforgiving judicial process that could, potentially, have her executed (by firing squad) if found guilty. For Shapelle and the Corby family, the stakes could not be higher. For the media, in both Bali and Australia, the story could not be more compelling. Schapelle's comings and goings from her prison cell to a variety of meetings and interrogations make front-page headlines for months, with the public jostling nearly every day for a peek at Schapelle as she is hustled by authorities through a gauntlet of reporters and protesters (both pro and con).

In addition to chronicling the public and behind-the-scenes maneuvering by Corby, her family and legal team in the days, weeks and months leading up to her trial, the documentary explores numerous explanations for the appearance of the drugs in Corby's bag. Did this seemingly average young woman actually commit the crime for which she is accused? Did one of her family members put the marijuana in her bag without (or with) her knowing? Was there a connection to the Australian neighbor who grew pot on his property? Or was Schapelle simply the unlucky victim of a domestic drug-running operation? Indeed, with regard to the latter hypothesis, several intriguing developments arise during Schapelle's incarceration. In one report, we learn that Corby's flight occurred on the same day as a large shipment of cocaine was shipped out of the airport by a drug ring involving corrupt baggage handlers. In another, an Australian prisoner named John Patrick Ford comes forward to testify that he overheard a conversation in prison between two men in which they discussed planting the marijuana in Corby's boogie-board bag. Both pieces of news raise hopes for Schapelle's acquittal, as do reports that the marijuana bag had not been fingerprinted, and that baggage-handling security cameras in Sydney had not been working the day of her trip. One thing is certain: The evidence against Corby is sketchy, and most likely wouldn't rise to the level of "guilt beyond a reasonable doubt" required in U.S. or Australian courts. Explaining why she might put a huge amount of marijuana in an unlocked bag, Corby scornfully asks, "Do you think somebody can be that stupid?"

Among Shapelle's most ardent advocates is Ron Bakir, an entrepreneur known to TV viewers for a series of outrageous commercials selling cell phones. Explaining that a nerve was struck when he saw an emotional Schapelle for the first time on TV, Bakir becomes one of her most vocal supporters, and pumps his own money into her defense. However, Bakir ends up crossing the line when (without consulting with her attorneys) he accuses the prosecution team of seeking a bribe to reduce the requested sentence - an unfounded allegation that might cost her the court's sympathy, as well as a more lenient penalty.

Ultimately, Shapelle's fate boils down to the opinion of a triumvirate of judges. Following an explosive trial, delayed when Schapelle collapses at one point in the courtroom, the verdict is finally carried live on television both locally and in Australia. Following the shocking sentence (not to be divulged in this summary), the Court orders the evidence - both the boogie-board bag and the marijuana - burned on a pyre. As a gaggle of police officers smile in the background, we see smoke rising up into the clear Bali sky.

CREDITS: Written, Produced and Directed by: Janine Hosking; Producer: Robin Eastwood; Editors: Janine Hosking and Stephen Hopes; Consulting Editor: Geof Bartz; Director of Photography: Ian Pugsley, A.C.S.; Music: Matt Walker. For HBO Documentary Films: Supervising Producer: Sara Bernstein; Executive Producer: Sheila Nevins.

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LAPD Approves Benelli M4 Tactical Shotgun for Officers

While civil-rights activists are up in arms, after two years of testing, Los Angeles Police Department officials approved the Benelli M4, a semi-automatic entry-type weapon, which greatly improves officers' ability to do their job effectively, according to a report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police's Firearms Committee.

The LAPD has over 9,800 sworn officers and is the 3rd largest Police Agency in the United States.

The Benelli M4 is a semi-automatic weapon capable of handling a variety of shot shell loads, from the lightest training rounds to the heaviest duty rounds. No manual operation of the M4 is required to cycle the rounds.

Continue reading more from Law Enforcement Examiner Jim Kouri

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FAA Releases Transcript From Hudson River Landing

The Federal Aviation Administration released on Thursday the flight tapes for U.S. Airways Flight 1549 that crash-landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. The tapes reveal a calm piolot in Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger moments before he ditched the aircraft into the river. All crew and passengers survived the crash.

FAA Air Traffic Control communications for USAirways 1549, January 15, 2009: Listed below are the air traffic communications for LaGuardia tower (LGA), Teterboro tower (TEB), and the New York Tracon (N90) in the time period surrounding the accident available at www.faa.gov/

• New York Tracon Audio (MP3, 18.77 MB)
  
  
  New York Tracon Transcript (PDF, 309 KB)
  

• Teterboro Tower Audio (MP3, 40.85 MB)
  
  
  Teterboro Tower Transcripts Local Control (PDF, 533 KB)
  
  
  Teterboro Tower Transcripts Area Supervisor (PDF, 116 KB)
  

• LaGuardia Tower Audio and Transcripts
  
  
  Clearance Delivery Position Audio (MP3, 19.46 MB)
  
  
  Clearance Delivery Position Transcript (PDF, 74 KB)
  
  
  
  Ground Control Position Audio (MP3, 25.85 MB)
  
  
  Ground Control Position Transcript (PDF, 1.04 MB)
  
  
  
  Local Control Position Audio (MP3, 24.14 MB)
  
  
  Local Control Position Transcript (PDF, 1.17 MB)
  
  
  
  Class Bravo Airspace Position Audio (MP3, 42.33 MB)
  
  
  Class Bravo Airspace Position Transcript (PDF, 100 KB)
  
  
  
  Cab Coordinator Position Audio (MP3, 37.73 MB)
  
  
  Cab Coordinator Position Transcript (PDF, 1.03 MB)
  
  
  
  Air Traffic Information System (ATIS) Audio (MP3, 2.71 MB)
  
  
  Air Traffic Information System (ATIS)--No transcript available
  

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Rasmussen Survey Finds Stimulus Support Fading

A new Rasmussen survey finds diminished and fading support for the economic stimulus bill currently making its way through Congress. By a 45-34 percent margin, more lawmakers favor a plan that includes tax cuts only. In addition, only 50 percent say the final plan likely to gain approval in Congress may end up doing more harm than good.

Now: 37% favor, 43% oppose
1 Week ago: 42% favor, 39% oppose
2 weeks ago: 45% favor, 34% oppose

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Psychobilly: Cramps Frontman Lux Interior and Punk Pioneer Did 'Tear It Up'

Lux Interior, co-founder and lead singer of the Psychobilly punk band The Cramps, died on Tuesday at age 60 of a pre-existing heart condition. In performances, Interior was thrilling: the tall, pale, gaunt zombie-like frontman often appeared shirtless with low-slung black pants as he crawled, writhed and howled his way across the stage.

The Cramps were a part of the late 70s early punk scene and were best known for a bluesy, trebly sound and creepy live shows at Manhattan clubs like CBGB. The band never featured a bass guitarist, a style that resonates in modern minimalist groups like the White Stripes and the Black Lips. The Cramps based their style on '50s rockabilly music to invent a unique, demented sound that fused familiar chords and progressions into something totally new.


This video clip is a great example of their hard-core sound is featured below in the 1981 concert film Urgh! A Music War.

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'Zombies Ahead': Hackers Hijack Highway Construction Sign

Two electronic signs intended to warn motorists of construction were changed by computer hackers. The hijacking of signs occurred near the University of Texas campus at the intersection of Lamar and Martin Luther King Boulevards in Austin, Texas.

While the message was only displayed for a few hours, the stunt is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, an Austin Public Works spokeswoman told the AP.

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White House Jobs Plan Aims to Create or Save 3-4 Million Over Two Years

The White House on Tuesday night released a report that details the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in each state. President Barack Obama has set a central goal that this plan will create or save 3 to 4 million jobs over the next two years in a range of industries from clean energy to health care, with over 95% in the private sector.

"We need to immediately jumpstart job creation and President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will help those who have suffered the most during this economic crisis," National Economic Council Director Larry Summers said. Our economy is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis and we need to act now."

The table below outlines the projected impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan on employment by state. (View more detailed report -- PDF)

Employment Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan

State Estimated Effect
Alabama 55,000
Alaska 9,000
Arizona 74,000
Arkansas 33,000
California 421,000
Colorado 63,000
Connecticut 44,000
Delaware 11,000
D.C. 13,000
Florida 218,000
Georgia 113,000
Hawaii 17,000
Idaho 18,000
Illinois 158,000
Indiana 79,000
Iowa 39,000
Kansas 35,000
Kentucky 51,000
Louisiana 53,000
Maine 16,000
Maryland 70,000
Mass. 83,000
Michigan 116,000
Minnesota 70,000
Mississippi 32,000
Missouri 73,000
Montana 12,000
Nebraska 24,000
Nevada 36,000
N.H. 17,000
New Jersey 106,000
New Mexico 23,000
New York 228,000
N.C. 111,000
N.D. 9,000
Ohio 142,000
Oklahoma 42,000
Oregon 46,000
Penn. 152,000
R.I. 13,000
S.C. 54,000
S.D. 10,000
Tennessee 75,000
Texas 286,000
Utah 33,000
Vermont 8,000
Virginia 99,000
Washington 80,000
W.V. 21,000
Wisconsin 74,000
Wyoming 8,000


Population Estimates: U.S. Department of Commerce. Population Division: U.S. Census. Bureau. "Estimates of the Population by Selected Age Groups for the United States." July 1, 2007. Release Date: May 1, 2008. Employment Data: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics. 2007 Annual - Employment, Hours, and Earnings - State and Metro Area. 2008. Stimulus Employment Projections: Romer, Christina and Jared Bernstein. "The Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan." January 9, 2009.

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Obama Announces Salary Caps for Bailout Executives

President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced on Wednesday a plan to cap salaries for executives whose firms receive government financial rescue funds. Obama set limits at $500,000 and firms that want to pay executives above that mark would have to offer compensation packages that include stock options that cannot be sold or liquidated until they pay back the government funds.

In addition, the administration will also propose to Congress long-term compensation restrictions for companies that don't receive government assistance. These include:

• Requiring top executives at financial institutions to hold stock for several years before they can cash out.
  
• Requiring nonbinding "say on pay" resolutions - that is, giving shareholders more say on executive compensation.
  
• A Treasury-sponsored conference on a long-term overhaul of executive compensation.

Banks and other financial institutions that receive capital infusions, but are considered healthy, could waive the salary cap and the stock restrictions under the new Obama rules. But the companies would have to disclose the compensation and submit the pay plan to shareholders for a nonbinding vote.

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With Daschle Out, Obama's Shine Begins to Fade

President Barack Obama is beginning to look a little less shiny as so many of his cabinet nominees begin to fade into the backlight. The announcement of Tom Daschle's decision to withdraw his nomination for HHS secretary due to "tax issues," the pressure grows on an administration that faces a lot of work in the days to come.

Additionally, the number of candidates with lobbyist ties only adds fuel to the fire of Congressional Republicans. Here's a look at four of the recent nominees facing scrutiny:

• William Lynn, a former lobbyist for a defense corporation, whom Obama nominated for as deputy defense secretary.
  
• Mark Patterson, former representative of Goldman Sachs chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
  
• Timothy Geithner, who came in with his lack of paying federal taxes from 2001 to 2004.
  
• William V. Corr who lobbied for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids as deputy health and human services secretary.
  

Add Nancy Killefer to that list: she was nominated to become the nations first "chief performance officer". In that role, Ms. Killefer was to be responsible for improving efficency and stamping out governmental waste.

Looking back to a November 12 announcement by the Obama transition team to set ethics rules for lobbyists that were described as the "strictest and most far-reaching" in history. Here are the rules:

• Federal Lobbyists cannot contribute financially to the transition.
  
• Federal lobbyists are prohibited from any lobbying during their work with the transition.
  
• If someone has lobbied in the last 12 months, they are prohibited from working in the fields of policy on which they lobbied.
  
• If someone becomes a lobbyist after working on the Transition, they are prohibited from lobbying the Administration for 12 months on matters on which they worked.
  
• A gift ban that is aggressive in reducing the influence of special interests.

When you compare the rules to the people now coming into the administration, we now begin to see some additional cracks in the foundation beginning to form.

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Phelps Bong Photo Makes a Big Splash

A picture (View photo here) of Michael Phelps inhaling from a bong wound up in the British tabloid News of the World, on Sunday forcing the Olympian to publicly apologize. Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the authenticity of the picture. The images of Phelps with a marijuana pipe left an embarrassing mark on his brand name and forced his handlers to deal quickly with sponsors who are likely very unhappy about the swimmer's choices away from the pool.

While the newspaper did not directly state that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the water pipe is generally used for that purpose. Additionally, the tabloid's report included an anonymous quote from the party that claimed the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there."

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."

News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, according to various news souces, Phelps attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.

For more information:
Read the original story

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