First Thing We Do, Is Kill All the Newspapers

Craig Stoltz wrote what appears to be a slightly tongue in cheek diatribe about the impending death of print media and what journalists (or all of us) should do to encourage it.

Kill All the Newspapers

But donating 50 cents at a time to slow that change down is actually mean-spirited, like pulling the legs off a spider so it suffers longer. It’s like keeping a brain dead patient alive on the heart-lung machine not because there’s hope, but because you loved him. Time to pull the plug, administer morphine, have the cremation and get on with the cycle of life. Life, as Thorton Wilder has taught every sixth grader via Our Town, is for the living. Newspapers are not living.

- Craig Stoltz

Today, every journalist who cares about news should put 50 cents in a street box, pull out all the papers, and throw them in the trash. Repeat daily until you get caught by the cops. Spend your night in jail, and have colleagues organize rallies and press conferences on your behalf when you are released.

You were only breaking a small law to make a big point, they’ll tell the assembled press. (What did you destroy, $6.50 in property, retail?) You were trying to save an institution vital to the democratic process. You had to turn to extralegal means only because conventional channels blocked civic progress, they’ll explain. Put the press conference clips on YouTube, and game Digg to make sure it gets circulated widely.

Journalists have done jail time to protect the First Amendment before, and that’s what they need to do here. If journalists don’t band together to preserve journalism in the digital world immediately, the marketeers, bloggeurs, real estate developers and technotweak gazillionniares will fill the news gap by creating “online newspapers” in communities everywhere. It is, of course, happening already.

If you think the paper barons of today don’t understand the value of real journalism, just wait until these clowns take over.

There will be no responsible press in the near future unless the folks who love it and believe in it force it into the new era as soon as possible. This push will not come from newsroom management. It will have to come from The People.

- Craig Stoltz

Malaysian Blogger Lawsuit Quotes – Bloggers United

Malaysian Blogger Lawsuit Quotes

‘In general, writing in a blog does not give you immunity from being sued,’

-Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, a top lawyer and MP.

Bloggers Declare War on NST

‘There must be space on the blogosphere for free and fair comment, which is anathema in the mainstream media where important national issues and prominent personalities are concerned.’
- OPPOSITION CHIEF LIM KIT SIANG

‘This could be a litmus test for our digital media as they need to sort out conventional laws from our cyber laws.’
- DATUK RUHANIE AHMAD, a former senior Member of Parliament and blogger of eight months

More on the Lawsuit

Jeff Ooi

Rocky’s Bru

Bloggers United

Arizona National Guard Overrun At Border By Mexican “Gunmen”, Forced To Retreat

Famous Quotes from International Incident

Arizona National Guard Overrun At Border By Mexican “Gunmen”, Forced To Retreat

The U.S. Border was breached Wednesday night along Arizona’s border with Mexico prompting local residents to flee for their lives.

An Entry Identification Team site was also overrun Wednesday night along Arizona’s border with Mexico.

Original “Mexican Gunmen” Post

According to the (most likely satirical article at The 800lb Gorilla) these Famous Quotes were uttered related to the Incident:

“We Got Wetbacks In The Wire!”
- National Guardsman Sergeant 1st Class Butch Malone

“They were everywhere, man! “We were just minding our own business, playing hearts, and all of a sudden – BOOM! – all hell broke loose. We never even had a chance.”
- Private 1st Class Anthony Davis

An actual news article from a slightly less reliable source appears here:

Gunmen force Guard troops to flee post near border

According to that article the incident occurred in the west desert corridor between Nogales and Lukeville in the vicinity of Sasabe and these famous quotes were reported in that version of the incident.

“We don’t know exactly how many because obviously it took place in the dark.” “Nobody was able to get an accurate count.”
- National Guard Sgt. Edward Balaban

“We don’t know if this was a matter of somebody coming up accidentally on the individuals, coming up intentionally on the individuals, or some sort of a diversion,”
- Rob Daniels – spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector.

The reliability of the second source is somewhat suspect, considering the quality of political coverage normally found there.

Several of these quotes are probably fraudulent or misquotations but we will say no more about that without further investigation.

Perhaps a congressional committee can be appointed?

Steve Irwin Quotes – The Crocodile Hunter Quotes

Quotations from Steve Irwin who was know as The Crocodile Hunter.  He was killed Monday while filming a TV show about the dangers of the ocean. He was fatally stabbed in the chest by a stingray’s barb which appears to have pierced his heart.

Animal Quotes

I am optimistic globally. So many scientists are working frantically on the reparation of our planet.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter

I believe sustainable use is the greatest propaganda in wildlife conservation at the moment.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter

I believe our biggest issue is the same biggest issue that the whole world is facing, and that’s habitat destruction.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter

But I put my life on the line to save animals.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter

Every cent we earn from Crocodile Hunter goes straight back into conservation. Every single cent.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter

I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message.
- Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter