Fresh Loaf

I <3 U 2, Rick.

(Screenshot from Sanchez’s Facebook profile)

Bookmark It

When it comes to characterizing the way Georgia might swing in tomorrow’s presidential election, the state alternately has been depicted as sure-fire red, demure pink, ever-ambiguous gray, wishy-washy yellow and half-assed red-striped.

How close do you think it’s gonna be?

a) Toss Up

b) Leaning McCain

c) Strong McCain

d) Leaning Obama*

*Not pictured, ’cause I couldn’t find a map with Georgia painted baby blue

Bookmark It

The students of Atlanta’s Ron Clark Academy keep true democracy in mind with their remix of T.I.’s “Whatever You Like.” It gets a little hard to figure out the “arguments” toward the end, but I’d want to be in this class. CNN captured the video.

Bookmark It

Rick Sanchez, the lantern-jawed CNN anchor who dominates Twitter, somehow came across my Tumblr posting in which I said a photo illustration that depicted Barack Obama as a white man looked like a “vegetarian Rick Sanchez.” (For those of you unfamiliar with the online services, Twitter is a microblogging/social network service, Tumblr is somewhat the same, although it allows you to “follow” others and post a variety of photos, videos, songs, etc.)

This comment sent the anchor’s mind a-spinnin’.

He says he’s going to show it on the channel at 3 p.m. If you ever wanted to see my tumblr on national television — which I know you have because I’ve read all your diaries — tune in then to CNN.

Bookmark It

In September, I signed up to have CNN send breaking news to my cell phone via text message.

Since signing up, I have received 14 text messages labeled “CNN Breaking News”.

Seven have been about the nation’s financial crisis. Two were about John McCain’s campaign suspension stunt.

The remaining five: Paul Newman’s death, the location of stunt-aviator Steve Fossett’s remains, O.J. Simpson’s conviction on robbery and kidnapping charges, the safe recovery of a missing boy in Las Vegas, and a report this morning about actress Jennifer Hudson’s nephew.

To say that I’m disappointed with the service is an understatement.

No offense to any of the celebrities or the missing child, but their personal tragedies are not among the 14 most important breaking news stories of the past two months. Where were the news alerts telling me about millions of Texans without electricity after Hurricane Ike, the U.S. raid in Syria, the failure of the U.S. and Iraq to reach a status of forces agreement, the third Presidential debate, etc?

I’ll keep it until the election. After that, I’ll unsubscribe unless they start sending me actual news.

Bookmark It

Ever had to reject someone’s advances in less than 140 characters? CNN anchor Don Lemon has.

Over at Atlanta’s homegrown 24-hour news channel, it seems like everyone is on the microblogging service. Rick Sanchez, whose Facebook updates once confused the hell out of us, uses Twitter to field show suggestions. Lemon, the host of the afternoon “CNN Newroom,” uses it to interact with viewers.

And God would I love to know what provoked this update from the anchor:

(Hat tip to Christa at PecanneLog and Wonkette)

Bookmark It

Where is blog? That bastard was supposed to bring me coffee 20 minutes ago! Get in here, Blog!!!

(Screenshot from my Facebook status updates page)

Bookmark It

Watch Atlanta alt-fuel hero Rob del Bueno deliver a hypnotic sales pitch to CNN on the merits of biodiesel, the production of which he oversees for Refuel Biodiesel.

I swear, del Bueno could sell water to a well. Good thing the product he’s touting — non-petroleum fuel made from recycled cooking oil that’s siphoned from local restaurants — helps reduce our carbon footprint and our reliance on foreign oil. Oh, and it’s WAY cheaper than regular diesel .

Bookmark It

Power to the people. With video cameras.

The primaries wrapped up yesterday, but the voting fun continues with CNN’s latest user-generated endeavor, the iReport Film Festival. Last year CNN added YouTube Q&As to its presidential debate coverage. This year, the iRFF is set up as a short-film competition for the masses to “document this year’s presidential campaign from their personal vantage point, whether they are volunteering for a campaign or have compelling stories about this election they want to document creatively.”

Winners will be announced Thurs., Nov. 13 on “Anderson Cooper 360°”, but you don’t have to win to be featured on the small screen. According to the CNN press release:

Each Tuesday leading up to the announcement of the festival winners, one of the videos will be featured on Anderson Cooper 360°. Additionally, Headline News will showcase submissions Wednesday mornings on Morning Express with Robin Meade, Friday evenings on Showbiz Tonight, and over the weekend on News to Me.

Deadline is midnight, Sun., Oct. 12. More details at www.ireport.com/filmfestival.

Bookmark It

Mike Boettcher, a Peabody Award-winning journalist who’s covered conflicts in the Middle East and Africa for NBC News and CNN, is launching a Web venture called NoIgnoring. He’s channeling the ghost of Ernie Pyle and venturing off to Iraq and Afghanistan to tell soldiers’ stories from the warzones.

“We have 200,000 U.S. men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has seemed to have forgotten about them. We talk about the war, but we’ve forgotten the soldiers and what they are doing,” Boettcher said.

He’s not traveling solo, either — Boettcher’s 21-year-old son Carlos will join him. The two plan to embed with the Fourth Infantry Division and mimic their tours — 15 months in the field, 18 days at home — and post blogs and video reports to the site. The reports will be free for television stations to post on their websites, Boettcher says.

According to various blog posts about the venture, father and son left in late May or June. Interesting fact: Boettcher filed one of the first reports for Ted Turner’s 24-hour news network.

Full disclosure: Boettcher is a friend of mine, but I haven’t spoken with him in months. I googled his name for kicks the other day and came across this news. I wish him and Carlos all the best and look forward to their work.

Bookmark It

OBAMA: Getting snarkier, outspending Clinton 2-to-1 on TV ads in Pa. on Primary Eve.

GRACE UNDER FIRES: Okefenokee Swamp open, still recovering from last year’s forest fires; boat tours survey remaining damage.

A NICE METH YOU’VE GOTTEN ME INTO: CNN reporter arrested in Central Park with meth in his pocket while returning to his hotel room with friends.

THE TRIALS OF ABRAHAM: Smitten DOT commish to announce today whether she plans to stay in her post, will then be voted in or out by the board.

KATHRYN JOHNSTON SHOOTING: Jury selection for Arthur Tesler’s trial begins today.

THE NEGOTIATOR: Jimmy Carter gets Hamas to agree to hypothetical peace deal, gets snubbed by Israelis.

HAWKS: Lose Game 1 handily.

JUNK FEUD: NBA players LeBron James and DeShawn Stevenson hold proxy feud via rappers Jay-Z and Soulja Boy.

Bookmark It

Creative Loafing columnist and firebrand preacher John Sugg was on CNN last night.

Here he is sitting next to Neal Boortz discussing the college student who asked Chelsea Clinton a question about Monica Lewinsky last week.

Bookmark It

I’ll brave the storm disaster zone tonight to serve as a guest on CNN Newsroom with Rick Sanchez. The show starts at 10 p.m. They said they invited me because they want me to talk about politics. Inside sources tell me it’s because I’m s-o-o-o good lookin’. Please watch this groundbreaking television.

Bookmark It

Eve Carson’s shooting death yesterday was horrible and sad. But is her death really one of the most important news story in the world today? CNN seems to think so.

Here’s CNN.com’s front page this morning:

My heart goes out to her family and friends.

My heart also goes out to the families and friends of murder victims who were not as pretty, not as blond, not as white, and therefore not as worthy of CNN’s attention.

Bookmark It

ATLANTA PRESS CLUB PANEL: Everyone is excited about the Internet.

Last Thursday at the Atlanta Press Club, the Honeycomb Hideout of Atlanta journalism, four local masters of political webitude participated in a panel discussion on how electronic media are affecting political campaigns.

Former AJC-er and current Southern Political Report-er Tom Baxter noted how the Web allowed for a proliferation of political news outlets such as Politco and the Huffington Post. The entire panel — which included CNN.com’s John Helton, Shelby “Shelbinator.com” Highsmith and James “Griftdrift.blogspot.com” Williams — agreed the electronic media allow both facts and bullshit to go further and faster than ever, and for average people (be they bloggers, YouTubers or idiots who think Sen. Barack Obama is Muslim) to shape political debates in ways that were, until 10 years ago, limited to people with access to TV studios or printing presses.

So how are electronic media affecting campaigns? They are changing the tools, the tactics and speed without necessarily changing underlying principles.

Bookmark It