Time Online

Just like I love The New York Times, I also love Time magazine. I don’t think it’s a prestige thing. My vocabulary is all right, but I am far from the erudite New Yorkers that read the Sunday Times book reviews.

            After reading the latest issue of Time at the gym ( I need to personally thank the patron that drops the magazines off and saves me subscription costs), I decided to check out their Web site. I was immediately impressed. In fact, it might be my new first stop for online news. Maybe, I do love the Times.

            The top horizontal navigation bar offers: U.S., World, Blogs, Business & Tech, Health & Science, Entertainment, Multimedia, Magazine and Specials. There was a rotating. There is a prominent rotating photo displaying the top 5 photos with a blurb below on the top right, and on the top left there are the main headlines. Blogs, the poll and the quote of the day are prominently featured below. There are also thumbnails for featured articles. Like most Web sites, time.com has a Most Popular and Most Emailed section. The most popular article today was Facebook: More Popular Than Porn, a blog post I think you would all find humorous. 

            Blogs are a prominent part of time.com. Blog topics range from politics to nerdworld and provide an enjoyable read. Multimedia is also prominently featured. The pull-down menu offers photos, graphics, podcasts, and videos. Time’s photos are, as always, amazing. The rest of it’s multimedia isn’t shabby either.

            However, Time.com does not display a correction policy. I searched but no policy was found. What’s more is there Contact Us is in teeny tiny font at the very bottom of the page. You also had to go through several steps to get to the Feedback section.  They clearly haven’t been doing their Journalism 491 assigned readings.

What is a Blog?

What is a blog? It seems like everyone is asking this question nowadays. Before I sought to answer this question, I was sure to read The Draft Blogger’s Code of Conduct and the Pew Internet study Bloggers: A portrait of the Internet’s new storytellers. Then I went to my favorite place, The New York Times, which provided Blogs 101 written by Rich Meslin. Meslin recommends that to understand blogs, you must read them. Surprise surprise.  That happens to be the same thing everyone says (i.e. all of our class readings). Meslin suggests exploration of many of the same blogs we’ve heard about before- Technorati, Cyberjournalist.net, BoingBoing, Gawker and many more. Like a true blogger, Meslin does a good job of interacting with his readers. At the end of his post, he provides an embedded link, requesting that users send along their favorite blogs. Way to set an example on encouraging reader feedback!

Then, I looked at the recommended blogs, and more. There are a few things that I am sure of. A blog is a Web site arranged in chronological order, with the most recent posts first. Blogs have archives and most allow comments. A blog is written in a more personal, direct and relaxed style. Good blogs engage the reader and allow (and encourage) user commentary. Good blogs also have links, and lots of them, preferably embedded within the text. Good bloggers use these links to back up what they write. I also think blogs are better when they are specialized and focus on a particular topic or realm, such as technology. Good bloggers gain readership by establishing themselves as experts in a field and gaining credibility by supporting what they write.

Marc Fisher’s blog Raw Fisher lacks specificity and leans toward weird new. I don’t doubt the possible popularity of the blog based on the weird and entertaining things he blogs about. Fisher embeds links to the news he is referring to, establishing credibility. He also ends many of his posts with a direct question, such as “What do you think?” or an open ended statement. This is done to engage the reader and promote discussion. 

David Pogue, The Times technology blogger, provides little support for his statements, which often include facts and figures, in his technology blog. Pogue’s blog averages about one link per post, based on my observations. This surprised me because one would think The Times would be all about keeping its credibility high. Pogue does include photos and emoticons within his post, amusing, but not exactly credibility-enhancing. Maybe I’m just not into technology, but I’m sad to say I was unimpressed.

           Boing Boing looks like a blog. It does a great job engaging the reader, the first item on the top navigation bar is Suggest a Link and the fourth is Subscribe. At the end of each blog post there are three key options: Link (to the story discussed in the post), Discuss (read and write user comments) and Favorite This. Like most good blogs, Boing Boing references blog discussion by embedding links to other stories both on and off the Boing Boing site. To the right of the Web site there is a descending Recent Comments section, followed by Latest Gadgets and Latest Episodes.  

U.S. Aid Insufficient for 4 million Iraqi refugees and Syria struggles to cope

There are currently 4.2 million Iraqi refugees, resulting in a growing humanitarian crisis.  The United States is the biggest aid donor. But, experts say aid from the U.S. and other Western nations is not enough to stabilize the largest Middle East refugee crisis since the end of World War II. The United Nations refugee agency reports that 60,000 Iraqis leave their homes every month, and only half remain within the country’s borders

The regions primary host countries, Jordan and Syria, hold more than 2 million refugees and struggle to sustain them. Billions of dollars in aid is needed for the countries to deal with the strain.

Syria, home to more than one fourth of displaced Iraqis, reinstated restrictions on refugees from its neighboring country. Although war affects everyone, Syria will allow only desirable refugees. The country, which now requires visas, welcomes only business people, scientists, and academics.

It seems the Syrian government wants to be seen as a good guy. It initiated the restrictions September 10, but lifted them days later because of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. And, the government continues to work with the UN agency for refugees.

The country is having difficulty coping with a 10% increase in population. Rather than entering refugee camps (there aren’t any), Iraqi immigrants tend to go directly into the poor districts of Damascus.

So, now that Ramadan is coming to an end (October 12) the restrictions have been reinstated.

Many say war knows no limits. But, for Syria, the limit is a matter of class. The government wants to ensure it receives only the best of those seeking refuge from violence.

I’m not the only one who’s Superficial.

All right, I admit it. After I check The New York Times every morning, I check TheSuperficial.com. Ok, sometimes, I even check the Superficial first.  But only if I am having a really rough day and I need a good chuckle. 

I’m embarrassed by my admission for a couple reasons. For starters, the Superficial is an online celebrity gossip site. The site’s full title is The Superficial: Because You’re Ugly. Like its rival celebrity gossip site Perez Hilton, the Superficial’s writer, also a witty young male, incessantly mocks celebrities. But the superficial blogger goes above and beyond Perez. He is both lude and crude. And, he’s certainly more clever. The Superficial guarantees daily laughs at the expense of promiscuous young princesses (think Lindsay, Paris, Britney and Nicole).

The site is set up like a blog, with short daily stories accompanied by numerous celebrity photos. If you want a play-by-play of who the paparazzi stalked that day, this is your site.

But the greatest thing about the Superficial is the titles, which bring laughs before you even read the posts. The titles alternate between two types. The first style, in true journalistic fashion, is simple, honest and direct, such as “Eva Longoria wears a bikini.” The second are clever and satirical, such as “Paris Hilton is beacon of repentance.” The accompanying story features Paris Hilton dancing at a nightclub. Earlier that day, she announced she would make a humanitarian trip to Rwanda. 

Refugees flee violence in Myanmar

Hundreds were killed by government forces today in Myanmar, previously Burma, during the second week of protests begun by tens of thousands of monks protesting the restrictive junta.

The junta came to power in 1988 and enacted a highly restrictive police state that is known to use violence and to infringe upon the human rights of its people. The junta canceled the results of a democratic election in 1990, won by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and placed Mrs. Kyi under house arrest, where she has been since 1991.

Protest of the government has reached an all-time high, leading to extremely violent measures taken by the junta. Things got started when small groups of students protested high fuel prices in August 2007. Things took a more serious turn when highly-respected Buddhist monks joined in.  By Sept. 23, more than 100,000 people joined a procession led by monks chanting “Release Suu Kyi.”

Despite the arrival of a U.N. envoy Saturday, the Burmese government continues to persecute protestors, arresting, confining and killing numbers that are difficult to estimate. The Democratic Voice of Burma, a nonprofit journalism organization, estimates that 6,000 demonstrators, including at least 1,400 monks, are being held in makeshift detention centers. And that’s because the jails are filled with 1,100 political prisoners. Myanmar will not allow journalists or officials into the country to measure the death toll. Furthermore, because Burma is a Buddhist state, the dead will be cremated, making identification impossible.

Because of Myanmar’s dangerously hostile policy toward journalists, most of the reports on the current situation are coming from Bangkok, the capital of the friendlier neighbor, Thailand.

Thailand isn’t just getting journalists; it’s getting refugees, and lots of them. As expected, when political persecution and violence occur in a country, refugees flock to its neighboring states.

More than 155,000 currently crowd nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. Refugees began arriving in 1984 as the junta entered the Karen state. Aid workers at the camp have estimated that 500-600 refugees arrive from Myanmar each month.

Thailand’s Mae La Camp is home to 50,000 people, mostly from Myanmar’s Karen ethnic majority, a group terrorized by the military junta by forced labor, murder, and crop destruction.

Aside from limiting necessary resources, overcrowding in the camps has led to social ills such as alcoholism, domestic violence and drug abuse that result from a feeling of hopelessness, aid workers say.

The situation in Myanmar is not only dangerous and hostile for who remain inside the country, but it has created desperate situation for those lucky enough to have fled.

The Twin Cities Green Guide

When I lived in rural Plymouth, Minn., as a child, I often visited the Twin Cities with my family. However, it was not until return visits during my teen years that I was able to appreciate the eclectic mix of peoples and culture that existed in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Whether it’s downtown or trendy uptown, the city has an indie-urban “granola” feel that would surprise many a visitor.

This is why I was not surprised when I stumbled across The Twin Cities Green Guide when I was aiming for National Geographic’s The Green Guide. (Type in .org instead of .com and you’re there).

            I almost wish I lived in the Twin Cities solely so that I could use this amazing internet tool.  Arriving at the home page I feel like I do when I walk into Urban Outfitters, trendy and fun. The Web site covers a plethora of topics: food, goods and services, house and home, gardening, do-it-yourself, health, family, community, arts, transportation, recreation, environment, business, citizen action, media and education.

            Wow, that was a mouthful. But they really leave nothing to be desired. The topics are laid out on the home page and you can browse by category. Upcoming Green events in the Twin Cities area are also listed. There’s even a directory of local green businesses and organizations, aptly titled the Green Pages.

In short, the site provides everything you need to have a sound, healthy and eco-friendly existence in body and mind.  The Twin Cities Green Guide gives locals everything from tips on how to make your office green to local political movements. Whether you want want to listen to the best alternative radio station on your eco-friendly trip to work or to start a cultural revolution in the Twin Cities its Green Guide tells you how.  

Dubai aids Palestinian Refugees

Despite its location on the Persian Gulf, Dubai is often considered a very “westernized” state. The state, part of the United Arab Emirates, is known for its tolerance of other cultures and beliefs. It is also known for its liberal policies, which often create tension with neighboring countries, such as Iran. Then again, anyone who has a positive relationship with the United States seems to be an enemy of Mr. Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

Like other Middle Eastern countries, Dubai has amassed wealth from oil exportation. The UAE boasts a high standard of living and Dubai attracts tourists from around the world to its ritzy hotels and trendy night clubs. (See The New York Times travel article below).

The government of Dubai is using its wealth and liberal policies for positive global change with its Dubai Cares program. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the UAE, launched the program to contribute to the U.N.’s Second Millennium Development Goal, which seeks to achieve universal primary education. The Dubai Cares plans to educate one million children in poor countries.

The Sheikh announced Sunday that the program would finance the education of 10,000 Palestinian children living in refugee camps in northern Lebanon. The financial aid is the Sheikh’s response to a worldwide appeal made by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on behalf of the 5,5000 children displaced from the Nahr El- Bared Camp to the Al-Baddawi Camp.

And they’re not messing around. This funding will get things done: it will cover everything from installation of pre-built school buildings, reparation of old buildings, appointment of social workers and psychologists, transportation for students and a multitude of other scholastic necessities.

Karen Koning Aby Zayd, UNRWA Commissioner General, said in a press release: ‘We have found a solid partner in Dubai Cares to assist refugees with their educational needs. The first generous contribution will enable UNRWA to cover the full education requirements in northern Lebanon.”

BBC Country Profile: The United Arab Emirates: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/737620.stm

The New York Times: Dubai on a Budget, No It’s Not a Mirage:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/travel/11pracdubai.html

 Dubai Cares: http://www.dubaicares.ae/eng/aboutus/default.asp 

Press Release from Dubai Cares Program: http://www.ameinfo.com/133477.html

Read the Guide: It Actually Helps

Every day I am more and more aware of the impact my lifestyle has on the environment. Thankfully, more and more resources are making my decision to be more eco-friendly a little easier. Living green has become undeniably necessary and trendy. Green is the hot new color. And it should be, because anyone who doesn’t know what global warming is must be living under a rock.

National Geographic created a user-friendly and convenient Web site for the eco-friendly citizen that is based on its magazine, The Green Guide. On the top tool bar the user finds clearly-marked navigation tools: Home, Current Issue, Tips & Tools, Green Home, Archives, Subscriber Services and Search. Oddly enough, the site is green.

I found the July/August issue to be both helpful for the concerned housewife and exciting for the trailblazing hipster. The Green Guide provides articles on “How To Talk To Your Children About Global Warming” and “Grass Roots: Easy Organic Lawn Care,” which are useful for families. For the younger audience, there was a great article on rock music’s support for the green movement. The Green Home is an entire section that teaches homeowners how to become eco-friendly.

The Green Guide’s Tips & Tools provides advice I use daily: the correct organic brands to buy, an A-Z list of eco-friendly consumer products, product reports, weekly tips, and a question-and-answer section. If all guidebooks were as helpful as this one, I’d never skip reading the instructions.

Israel aids Sudanese Refugees

Israel, a country beset with plenty of its own problems, has been troubled by incoming Sudanese refugees. The Israeli government announced Sunday that 498 refugees from the Darfur region who crossed into the country illegally through Egypt, will be allowed to stay. While this gesture demonstrates Israel’s contribution toward the crisis in Darfur, the country remains determined to deport all other African refugees. Like the Sudanese refugees, many come to Israel from dangerous parts of Africa via the Egyptian Sinai. Not only does the Israeli government want all other African refugees out, it wants them out quickly.  Prime Minister Enud Olmert met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak early this summer to establish a policy of ‘hot return’ under which illegal refugees are deported quickly across the Sinai border.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Olmert in a talk with ministers as saying, “I hope that people who cross into Israel illegally are not given permission by the courts to stay. Most of those arriving are migrant workers and we all know what the social implications would be if we allowed such people and their children to remain.”

However, the United Nations wants to ensure that deported refugees will not be endangered by being sent home. Representatives from Israel’s Interior and Defense Ministries will consult with representatives from the UN High Commission on Refugees before enacting deportations. We’ll see if policy and action work together to meet the desired ends

The Jerusaleum Post Story:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1189411468301&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

     

The Christian Science Monitor:  Darfur Conflict Spills Into Chad

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0925/p06s02-woaf.html

  

The Washington Post: Nomads Describe Persecution in Chad

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/23/AR2007092301178.html

 

The Refugee Crisis

More than 200,000 people have been killed in a holocaust that has lasted four years in Darfur, a region in Western Sudan. Militant Arab nomads known as the janjaweed are responsible for the recurring genocide, which has displaced 2.5 million people. What’s worse is that the Sudanese government is accused of initially supporting the janjaweed. Despite peacekeeping efforts by United Nations and African Union forces, the genocide continues. The United Nations Human Rights Council reported today that there has been little improvement in Sudan during recent months.

            Israel is beset with killings and suicide bombings as Arabs and Israelis continue a century-old struggle over religious sovereignty and territories including Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.  Religious extremist groups, such as the Palestinian Hamas, continue to take desperate actions killing dozens on a far-too-regular basis.

            The death toll in Iraq continues to climb, affecting not only the Middle East but the United States and many European countries as soldiers continue to die.

             

            In addition to the sheer horror felt by the fact that genocide and war are occurring at this very moment, one must also consider the political and economic implications on other countries. Victims fleeing the various war-torn regions have created a refugee crisis that impacts many countries, regardless of whether their governments previously sought to provide aid to the countries in crisis or not.

The New York Times: UN Rights Experts: No Progress in Darfur

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-UN-Darfur-Rights.html

Times Topics: Iraq

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iraq/index.html?8qa

Information on the Darfur Genocide:

www.darfurgenocide.org/ 

Save Darfur:

www.savedarfur.org/  BBC Country Profile: Israel and Palestine Territorieshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/803257.stm