Good, Bad, and Ugly
Reader reaction to Reuters news
Offending the hackers?
Microsoft releases biggest patch on record
It said six of the patches were high priority and should be deployed immediately. The patches — which update software to write over glitches — are designed to protect users from hackers or malicious software downloaded from the Internet.
The word you are looking for is “crackers” NOT “hackers”. There is a huge difference, and it is quite offensive to use the incorrect term.
Please modify your article to reflect the correct usage, and any articles that you may publish in the future.
Man in Scary Mask
As someone who loves words, I’m unhappy when they get hijacked and given a new meaning for no good reason. However, I’m afraid trying to preserve the original meaning of hacker is just a lost cause.
To quote the Associated Press Stylebook, which is recognized by most U.S. media: “In common usage, the word has evolved to mean one who uses computer skills to unlawfully penetrate proprietary computer systems.” GBU Editor
The secret dreams of presidents?
Obama has honor, and burden, of Nobel award
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Every U.S. president secretly harbors dreams of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
I saw the headline about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The reporter writing about the event starts off the article with pushing out his own opinion, that every U.S. president secretly longs to win a Nobel Peace prize.
How does he know this? He writes about it as if it is fact but it is totally unsubstantiated. Maybe he should back up that claim with interviews from every one of America’s past presidents saying “I want a Nobel Peace Prize”
Arthur
Sorry, but I have no problem with that statement. The piece was clearly labeled as Analysis, which means a certain amount of opinion is to be expected. I think it is perfectly reasonable to presume practically anybody who knows what the Nobel Peace Prize would want to win one.
Besides, if we backed up the statement as you suggest, with interviews with past presidents saying they wanted the prize, then these would no longer be secret dreams, would they? GBU Editor
Why is this columnist worried about the dreams of the Presidents. It is on record that Mr. Barack Obama never even thought of his nomination, then why all this issue. I think that the Nobel Peace Prize is in advance for the Thorny International Issues which he has to address being a President of USA. All Peace Loving People where ever they are must give their lending hands for this purpose.
Animated objection?
Marge Simpson makes cover of Playboy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “D’oh!” doesn’t even start to cover it. Marge Simpson — the blue beehived matriarch of America’s most loved dysfunctional family – is Playboy magazine’s November cover, the magazine said on Friday.
Simpson, tastefully concealing her assets behind a signature Playboy Bunny chair, is the first cartoon character ever to front the glossy adult magazine, joining the ranks of sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford.
The article says of the Marge Simpson character that she “is the first cartoon character ever to front the glossy adult magazine.”
This is incorrect. Leroy Neiman’s “Femlin” cartoon character has been featured on the cover of Playboy several times . Here is one example from August 1960:
Holy Smokin
Your article claims this is their first cover to feature a cartoon character. I believe that honor goes to Jessica Rabbit for their November, 1988 issue.
Useful information, but wrong…
Redskins’ season threatens to unravel after loss to Lions
The author states that London Fletcher is a two time Pro Bowler. In fact, he has been an eight time alternate while never actually having been elected or sent to the Pro Bowl.
I am not sure where the author got this information, possibly Wikipedia as it lists this incorrect information as well.
Alex P.
We corrected. A useful cautionary tale for journalists. There are a number of online sources presenting this as fact, when it is not: GBU Editor
Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher in 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Eric Miller
Old story reappears
McChrystal tries to calm Afghans after air strike
Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:31pm EDT
YAQOUBI, Afghanistan (Reuters) – The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan flew on Saturday to the scene of a deadly air strike by his forces, trying to cool anger that threatens his strategy of winning hearts and minds.
Afghan officials say scores of people were killed, many of them civilians, when a U.S. F-15 fighter jet called in by German troops struck two hijacked fuel trucks before dawn on Friday
Didn’t this airstrike happen some weeks ago?
Read the article…it implies it happened Friday. How irresponsible! Talk about stoking the flames!
Print an explanation immediately.
Tea parties…
How is it that America had thousands of Tax Protests yesterday and you don’t have anything listed in your “Top Stories” section?
If there were thousands of individual protests across the county speaking out about war you would have been all over it. But when average American Citizens gather peacefully you act as if it didn’t happen?
Chris
Not one article online about the tea parties. If this had been done during the previous administration your reporters would have been falling all over themselves covering it. What a biased left wing organization. I won’t read your crap again.
S.A.
I have to say supporters of yesterday’s protests certainly did a good job of getting people to complain about our coverage.
The tea parties are just a beginning! As more and more people get hit in the wallet by wasteful government spending, everyday citizens are getting more and more tired of politician\’s promises. More and more people are waking up to the fact that government is not the solution and is the cause of our financial woes!
You can fool some of the people some of the time but this will quickly turn against these officials who blame America first, try to kiss up to proven murderous dictators and spend our hard earned taxes while \”guilt-tripping\” us that we need to pay our fair share! We are more than paying our fair share and the politicians on both sides of the aisle will be getting the message that wasteful government needs to be reigned in!
If you are in a high tax state with ridiculously high property taxes, check out a solution at http://www.hometaxguide.com
Wasteful government spending has had its day in the sun! We will turn this country around! Only a fool wants us to turn into Europe where all the incentives to work and produce have been eliminated with taxes that penalize people who want a better life for themselves and their families!
Tim Law
York, PA
Political bias?
Why don’t your rename your site the Obama’s election site? I did not know who to vote for but all the news media is pushing Obama so I will vote for McCain.
Mick I.
I visit your site many times every day and hace been doing so for several years. It is clear that you have decided to back the Republican candidate for President. My question is why would you drive millions of users away from your site and the many products & services it features?
Robert Q.
Hang on. Maybe you guys should talk to each other. These e-mails arrived about an hour apart: GBU Editor
Barack Obama photo: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
Obama calls Americans back to the can do spirit of the Nations founders??? What does he mean “back to”. This country has that spirit now, in the present. Americans have never lost that spirit. Some Polititions seem to have lost it, OBAMA AND HIS WIFE.
Jim
A story in two minutes?
Side effects mar Elan, Wyeth Alzheimer’s trial
CHICAGO, July 29 (Reuters)- Keenly awaited details on Elan and Wyeth’s new Alzheimer’s drug bapineuzumab show it raised the risk of a potentially serious side effect, especially in people with a genetic risk of the disease, the companies said on Tuesday.
I have thought long and hard about how Reuters released this story at 5:02 p.m. when the data itself were released at 5:00 p.m. This was a deeply complex clinical study, and the results have a myriad of implications.
Obviously, the story was scripted before the data release and published with an already established angle.
Steve O.
We did not do the story in two minutes, nor did we do it ahead without knowing the results.
On a complex story of this nature and importance, reporters are often given the information ahead of time under what is known as an embargo. That way, when the results are released publicly, we have an accurate story ready to go instantly.
Reference to Gore
Gore likely to star at Democratic convention
WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) – Al Gore, long mocked as an exaggerating bore, seems certain to land a lead role at the Democratic National Convention as an internationally recognized defender of the Earth.
Excuse me, but when an article begins with “Al Gore, long mocked as an exaggerating bore…”, I think it should be labeled as an editorial and not a news story.
Cyber Nut
If this was an opinion piece, I would understand the statement, but as a news piece, this is a very sad example of biased editorializing. Most of the mocking and claims of “exaggerating” come from highly partisan opponents, and should be identified as such.
Overall, starting this article on such a negative tone degrades the professional integrity of Reuters as a legitimate unbiased media resource.
D.C.M.
I am not a critic of Gore nor even an American.But Reuters was accurate in saying Gore is (not has been, as he continues to be) mocked as a BORE and as a person who exaggerates.Anyone who has heard him speak,and not just republicans or critics,soon concludes that Gore is an exaggerating bore.So no inaccuracy,nor implied criticism from Reuters,just FACTS,which is as it should be.And that is why Reuters in its answer has nothing to retract or amend.
The wrong publication?
New Hunter S. Thompson film focuses on writings
The documentary examines Thompson’s works, including his first piece for Rolling Stone magazine about the Hells Angels motorcycle club and his books “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ” and “Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail.”
I’m pretty sure it was for the National Observer, and it subsequently came out in book form (1967). But it very definitely was not for Rolling Stone.
Robert W.
Apparently it was actually for The Nation. We corrected: GBU Editor
Where in the He** were these fools trying to send Karl Rove to jail when Robert McNamara admitted he had serious reservations about Vietnam and was aware that the Johnson Administration had made many serious mistakes which got 55,000 soldiers killed.
Why do these guys run and hide over that issue?
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Resident Mediafile Expert
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Sure, hackers have the knowledge to do some hugely constructive things, but the very fact that all they do is create mischief in order to show off their vainglory, designates them as being very obviously psychologically unstable. They are too pathetically antisocial for any positively creative work. That is WHY no one has yet, or will, ever bother trying to harness this ability.