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POPSGeorgians tell of ethnic cleansing But a dozen interviews with those who fled the fighting, and a trip through seven Georgian villages just south of the fighting, indicated the killing this month was not that systematic, nor on that scale — based on what is known so far.
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POPSVladimir Putin Dictator for Life. The word "democracy" may be preserved as a nod to world opinion, but the weight falls entirely on the adjective, "sovereign," which in this case is clearly a euphemism for "we'll do things our own way, and don't butt in." As prime minister Putin controls Russia's government. His new job gives him sweeping powers over the Duma, Russia's lower house, where United Russia has 315 out of 450 seats, as well as over regional legislatures, also dominated by the party. Analysts say Putin's longterm strategy is to return as president in 2012, and by becoming party chairman, Putin has made himself virtually unsackable.
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POPS Russian's Break Agreement As Usual 14.08.08 13:19 Declaration of U.S. support to Georgia has increased the aggression of Russia and instead of pulling out from the city of Gori, they have reinforced their positions there, ousted Georgian police and journalists from the city. Reporters say they are hearing explosions from the entrance of the city; Ossetian gunmen have abducted several vehicles of various TV crews, reportedly, Niva, Jeep and Mercedes type cars. Russians did not stop the robbers. Ossetian militant was even threatening the reporter of the Rustavi2 with a gun. Despite numerous evidences of various reporters, Russian general denies the abduction. Georgian Security Secretary, who was waiting for the settlement of situation in the city, and the team of reporters have been evacuated from the city. Russian general says he is no responsible for the security of journalists and says no exact date when Russian will leave the city.
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POPSThe Russians Have Always Favored Overkill Vladimir Putin had ordered the assassination of Russian journalists and capitalists before Litvinenko, of course. But the Litvinenko murder defined him for the world -- or at least the sane and sensible fraction of the world --- just as Don Corleone in the Godfather ordered the decapitated horse's head to be placed in Jack Woltz' bedroom. Like the bloody horse head, Polonium poisoning signaled a public but deniable threat to Putin's enemies: Defy me, and I can use the rarest poison in the world to kill you anywhere I choose. And I will get away with it, because everybody else is cowed. Which is exactly what happened. Putin never paid a price, and in the manner of bullies everywhere, he was emboldened when the Brits failed to respond to Litvinenko's assassination in the middle of London. That is why Putin's invasion of the small, free, and democratic Republic of Georgia was predictable. Today the Russian threat to the Ukraine is just as obvious.
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POPSNo questions, please People afraid to answer questions. In the www era, information seems to be freer than ever. Is this really true? Read this. May sound like something so far from us, another planet from our "western" world. But it is not.
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POPSConvention Overkill Jack Shafer of Slate, whose Press Box column I never miss, argues that the conventions are covered way too much. As we wrote last week (and Shafer mentioned us, so he gets bonus points), some news organizations go all out, even as they're budgets are breaking: http://www.forbes.com/media/2008/08/12/newspapers-media-conventions-biz-media-bw_jz_0812newsbiz.html
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POPSJacks: The Future of Journalism Call 'em what you will: one man bands, SoJo's (for solo journalists) or journalism jacks (of all trades), this is likely a large part of the future of reporting, especially in far-flung corners of the world.
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POPSgeorgia left high and dry by us tough situation. if america/nato want to get their hands dirty out in these ex-soviet democratic revolutions, how responsible are we/they to come running to help when russia decides to stop letting these little countries play democracy?
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POPSEmbedded reporters or Republican activists? Cont.... "It's unremarkable to send reporters with thin journalistic credentials to Iraq, or to promise that journalists with a known political bias will report "objectively." Conservative and liberal publications send their preferred reporters to Iraq all the time, and their representatives come home, unsurprisingly, with differing conclusions. But what about sending political activists and GOP operatives to Iraq in the guise of journalists, with the cooperation of the U.S. military and on the taxpayers' dime, so that the activists can come home and proselytize for the Republican presidential candidate's position on the war?"
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POPSWho Picked China for the Olympics? According to the AP, “earlier this year, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said it had disrupted two plots to attack the Olympics. It claimed one group had been planning to kidnap athletes, foreign journalists, and other visitors, while a second had been manufacturing explosives and was plotting to attack hotels, government offices, and military targets in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities….” Just yesterday we heard about sixteen Chinese policemen who were killed in an attack on a border post in the Muslim region of Xinjiang.
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POPSHamdan Gulty. Guilty as Sin. The small fry is guilty. Now let's try the masterminds. Thanks to the hapless democrats, we can't frog march these monsters out and shoot them. No, thanks to liberals, these mass murderers have all the rights afforded American citizens. Lunacy.
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POPS Kosovo lives: Between two worlds An interesting story of an English teacher....it is very difficult for outsiders to fathom what (caste/religion notwithstanding) people in the region have been through...
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POPSPoynter Online There are still writers and journalists out there willing to tell the story clearly. Very well written piece.
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POPSAnthrax Mystery, In-Depth Podcast Must hear podcast. McCain tied the Anthrax attacks to Iraq in 2001 on the David Letterman show, to justify war, as did Bush (knowing there was no evidence to say such--lying). In-depth interviews here on Democracy Now podcast trace the clear evidence that whoever sent the letters engaged in purposeful propaganda to push the "War on terrorism" (Middle East regime change) and Homeland Security (fear-based) agendas. Also details about the suicide suspect Ivins by a person who knew him and the FBI's suspicious handling of the entire case. Alot of facts that the MSM is not covering while they parrot everything from the FBI without any investigation of their own former stories. (Interview in podcast follows headlines, etc...fast forward).
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POPSChina's Olympic Terror Plot -Was Another Munich in Progess? Wu also provided further details on a second group arrested in January, alleging they had been manufacturing explosives and were plotting to attack hotels, government offices and military targets in Shanghai, Beijing and other cities. Wu said the gang had been acting on orders from a radical Islamic Xinjiang independence group, East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
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POPSIt's Too Hot For Them Dawgs "One might observe that when it comes to important issues like human rights in Tibet, Chinese leaders don’t seem to care what the rest of the world thinks, yet when it comes to dietary niceties, they kowtow to the most irrational foreign prejudice."
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POPSDr. Zack Overlooked as Anthrax Suspect This article is worth reading in its entirety. While dated 2002, it may have well been written yesterday, substituting the "suicided" suspect for what back then was Hatfill. The facts are relevant and suggestive. Dr. Zack seems to fit the profile of motive, means, and opportunity (access) , upon reading, then the now deceased. He is also a dual Israeli citizen with an obvious prejudice and gripe against Arabs, even if American citizens with whom he worked. Do not miss the anonymous letter to the FBI that called his Arab co-worker a "bioterrorist", which the FBI considered a hoax after investigation, and how close that sounds to the Anthrax hoax letters that said "Allah is great".
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