The headline you won't be seeing

This one:
General: Press Doing "Great Disservice" To Nation

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez’ speech and Q&A session at the Military Reporters & Editors convention has unleashed a whirl of major media coverage and commentary.... All are focused on his criticism of the Bush administration for inadequate strategy and prosecution of the war. However, neither the New York Times or Associated Press mention that over 40% of Sanchez’ speech severely took the major media to task. The Washington Post merely mentions it, and then underplays it at the end of its report, giving it 67 out of about 850 words in its coverage. [Story links in original, highlighting mine - o.g.] -- Democracy Project

Maybe it's because there are some things we're not meant to know.

Elsewhere:

• Captain's Quarters: Sanchez' Message
  
• Daily Pundit: And now you know the REST of the story
• Power Line^[1]: A Tree Falls In the Forest
• Ace of Spades: The Deciders have Decided

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^[1] In which John Hinderaker offers two less-temperate headlines. I'd add another: General Says Soldiers Must Be Supported at All Costs.

Posted by: Old Grouch in The Press at 17:09:42 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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We can always go back to listening to the radio

Not the best of news about a new technology:

Nine out of 10 consumers are confused about high-definition [television and movies], and more than 40% of people who already own an HDTV are still in the dark about HD.

• Four in 20 people did not [understand they need to have] an HDTV... to enjoy high-def content.
• 44% of respondents did not know they needed HD programming or an HD antenna.
• 52% did not know they needed HD cables^[1]...
• More than half... said they had only budgeted for [the HD television], thinking that would be enough to be viewing in high-def.
• 52% of respondents who already own an HDTV said they would be unwilling to admit their HD set-up was wrong after showing the system to friends.
• Only 11% of all consumers said they feel they completely understand high-def, compared to 19% of HDTV owners.

[Results of] a survey [by retailer Best Buy]... of 1,012 adults in the continental United States. -- Home Media Magazine: Best Buy Survey Prompts HD Education^[2]

Given all the misconfigured HD systems I've seen, including demonstration systems in stores, can't say I'm surprised. 

And remember, standard-definition television is scheduled to go away in February 2009.

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^[1] That's that expensive HDMI encrypted-interface cable that is required if you want to get real HD video out of your HD tuner or HD-DVD player. Thanks a bunch, Hollywood!
^[2] No link. Story found in hard copy (September 30-October 6, 2007: Page 10).

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 15:07:40 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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Could have driven it faster

Glenn Reynolds flies from New York to Knoxville:

Thursday, October 11, 2:22 pm: AIR TRAVEL SUCKS (CONT'D): Flight to Knoxville is currently showing a one-and-a-half hour delay.
Thursday, October 11, 4:29 pm: YES, WE'RE STILL STUCK AT LAGUARDIA: The Delta folks are now claiming that our 3:25 flight to Knoxville will depart at 6.
Thursday, October 11, 6:01 pm: FLIGHT CANCELLED. No more flights until tomorrow. No airport hotels available.
Remind me not to fly again.
Thursday, October 11, 7:48 pm: WELL, THE POPULAR MECHANICS FOLKS FOUND US A HOTEL, so we're set up... On a trip where we actually only spent one day doing what we came to do, we'll have been in airports on four separate days...
Friday, October 12, 9:45 am: GETTING READY TO BOARD THE FLIGHT: Wish us luck.
Friday, October 12, 2:10 pm: PROGRESS: We're in Atlanta.
Friday, October 12, 4:58 pm: MADE IT HOME IN ONE PIECE: Today Delta got us everywhere on time, with no hassle.

Total time, first post to last: 26 hours 29 minutes.
Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas distance for Knoxville, TN to New York City, NY: 734 miles.
Average speed = 27.7 miles per hour.
Next time take the bus!

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 14:31:39 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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Nice gumball machine. You-uh wouldn't wanna have anything... um-HAPPEN to it?

Three Dover [New Jersey] officials say they’ve found a serious homeland security threat to chew on: gumballs.

They worry the colorful round treats could be poisoned by an enterprising terrorist who sees them as bait for unsuspecting targets — young kids.

...The three aldermen are in the middle of a nine-month inspection of Dover’s coin-operated gumball and candy machines. Thus far, they have surveyed 103 local businesses about their machines.
...
Already they say they’ve discovered more than 100 unlicensed coin-operated machines in town — many filled with gumballs, jawbreakers and other candies they call perfect for potential terrorists.

The security threat should be “looked at seriously in light of what has happened so far,” said [Alderman] Poolas. “Someone who wanted to do harm really could.” -- The Star-Ledger

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be a day go by that we don't get another report of poisoned gumballs and jawbreakers. Why, we've got people keeling over left and right!  It's horrible, horrible, I tell you!

Sure, guys.

------
HT: Michelle, and especially commenter see-dubyah, who spotted that key word.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 22:19:36 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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Oh, those crazy artists

All you can do is shake your head...

Three women have been hurt by falling into Tate Modern's latest installation - a crack in the floor.

At 548 feet long, up to three feet deep and 10inches wide, it zigzags the length of the Turbine Hall and has been described as a highly original work of art.-- The Daily Mail

Installation and construction cost came in at just under $600,000.

The crack is said to represent the division problem of integrating immigrants into European society.

Well, OK then.

Via: Kate

Posted by: Old Grouch in Linkage at 16:24:54 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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Quote of the Day

We’re also told that  [mortgage] lenders are “tightening” their standards. Possibly this mean they no longer accept mortgage applications from people who write down Gill Bates as their name, “King of Jupiter” as their job and stated income as “Six Squilion Quatloos.”

Lileks, of course.

Posted by: Old Grouch in Linkage at 22:31:52 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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Censorship problem fixed

After enduring a week in the spotlight (and, most likely, after realizing that the issue wasn't going away), AT&T has issued a patch for its Terms and Conditions:

Specifically, the adjusted language will read:

"5.1 Suspension/Termination. AT&T respects freedom of expression and believes it is a foundation of our free society to express differing points of view. AT&T will not terminate, disconnect or suspend service because of the views you or we express on public policy matters, political issues or political campaigns..." - [highlighting mine - o.g.]

Via: Slashdot

Elsewhere:

• Ars Technica: AT&T relents on controversial terms of service

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 16:30:36 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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How to kill that Snap popup - dead!

If you surf many blogs at all, you've probably run into the Snapshotsâ„¢ preview popup:

This "feature," which turned up at the beginning of the year, has the annoying habit of jumping up in front of the page you're reading should your mouse cursor innocently stray across any Snap-enabled link. If you're on a dialup the problem is worse: The popup locks up while its content loads. Some blogs apply Snap sensibly, by enabling Snap selectively and by putting a little icon that controls the popup adjacent to the enabled links.  Unfortunately, most of them, including all blogs hosted at WordPress, enable it by default

The "recommended" ways of blocking Snap are to (1) disable javascript or (2) give Snap a cookie. Each method has its disadvantages. But there's a third way to nuke the Snap function once and for all, one that doesn't require losing functionality or giving up privacy. 

If you add an entry to your hosts file, it will block all access to the site that delivers the Snap javascript. Since the code never gets loaded, the popups don't appear.  In the case of the Snap code, it all comes from the server spa.snap.com.

So the magic entry is:
127.0.0.1   spa.snap.com

Note: Once you've done this, you won't be able to access the address spa.snap.com even if you type it in your browser's address box... it's just like the site doesn't exist.

Detailed instructions, and an explanation of how it works, after the jump.

Elsewhere:

• Lorelle on WordPress: WordPress.com, please stop using Snap preview
  
• Lorelle on WordPress: How to turn off Snap preview on WordPress blogs
• Performancing.com: Three reasons why Snap Preview is ruining your blog, and hurting your readership
  

more...

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 01:19:14 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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The case of the Cascading Consensus

Mr. Bingley notes Insty's pointer to John Tierney's NYT Column^[1] about the scientific+publicity bandwagon that wrongfully connected fat in diet with heart disease, drowned out dissenting voices, and affected decades of public policy. Seems "scientific independence" isn't quite independent when the situation is uncertain and the initial voices are loud.

Tierney:

Meanwhile, there still wasn’t good evidence to warrant recommending a low-fat diet for all Americans, as the National Academy of Sciences noted in a report shortly after the U.S.D.A. guidelines were issued. But the report’s authors were promptly excoriated on Capitol Hill and in the news media for denying a danger that had already been proclaimed by the American Heart Association, the McGovern committee and the U.S.D.A.

To which, Bingley:

I found it exceedingly interesting that the author never even hints at the 800 pound Gorezilla in the room, as instructive as this story is relative to the current Global Warming climate.

...which was the first thought that came to my mind, too.


Late Link (added 071017 17:36):  Sissy Willis offers more commentary.
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^[1] Based on (and acknowledged) material in Gary Taubes's book Good Calories, Bad Calories

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 17:08:49 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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The horror! The horror!

Mickey Kaus examines the possibility of Prius ringtones.

If the government requires that Toyota Priuses and other quiet electric vehicles make a noise to warn pedestrians to get out of the way, won't that create a lucrative market for Prius ringtones?
And what kind of noise would be a) distinctive enough to identify the presence of a car, yet b) quiet enough to make a crowd of Priuses tolerable--yet c) not drive Prius owners insane? Get Brian Eno on the case right now. [link in original - o.g.]

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OT- Hey Mickey, do you supposed you could talk Slate into giving you the budget for some permalinks?

Posted by: Old Grouch in Linkage at 14:51:30 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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