The real story, and Associated Press' story

The real story: Chavez is nationalizing the mining industry. Let's look at three headlines:

CNN correctly states Venezuela 'taking control' of mines".

The IHT couches the seizure of property by citing the environment minister: Environment minister says Venezuela is asserting national interest in mining sector. At least they have the delicacy of attributing the propaganda to a Venezuelan government official.

But leave it to Associated Press to put a real gloss on the pig's lipstick: Venezuela puts nation's interests first in mining. They don't need to attribute the propaganda to any environment minister; they can do a propaganda job on their own, thanks. Those are the folks that, if you quote them, will have you go through the toll booth.

Good luck on that, AP.

Related
AP's confused.



Share on Facebook

The AP tollbooth

The AP keeps getting sillier:
AP sets up a toll booth for bloggers citing its stories:

The pricing scale for excerpting AP content begins at $12.50 for 5-25 words and goes as high as $100 for 251 words and up. Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions enjoy a discounted rate.

Jim Lynch calls it A la carte pricing.

At the same time, AP has no problem quoting Patterico. His check from AP is in the mail, of course?



Share on Facebook

AP guidelines? We don't need no stinkin' guidelines, says Jeff.

I have been known to post in the past about Associated Press Deficit Disorder (APDD), and its corollary, Associated Press Truth Deficit Disorder, and so have many many other bloggers. We all have used direct quotes from numerous AP reports.

Well, Associated Press is not taking it well: The Associated Press to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs. Basically they want bloggers to summarize their words, not to quote their stories directly.

Oh boy.

Are they trying to be controlling, or are they really that clueless?

Don't they realize that you can go on the internet to the actual websites in the countries reporting the news as they take place?

Memeorandum has a long list of blog reactions, but I went straight to my guru on these matters, Jeff Jarvis, who put it this way, AP, hole, dig. Jeff has A link ethic proposal for AP:

I propose to the Associated Press that it immediately begin linking to all its sources for stories, especially to members' original journalism because:

* This will support journalism at its source. As I've written here, it is vital that we link to original journalism so it can receive traffic, audience, branding, credit, conversation, and advertising.

* This will provide a better service to readers and clients, enabling them to find, read, and link to original reporting.

* This will be an act of transparency that everyone in journalism should be practicing. As they say in the math test, we should show our work. The AP can provide an example that other news organizations should follow.

This comes out of the ethic of the link and quote that I have learned from blogs. It says to our readers: Don't take my word for it, go see for yourself. And: Here's what the source said; I won't rephrase it but I will quote it directly so you can see for yourself.

In addition to original reporting from sources in the actual countries where the news take place (such as Noticias 24), I will be relying on Bloomberg, Reuters, and, on Latin American stories, al-Jazeera (which provides surprisingly good reporting from locations in South America).

UPDATE
Brian form SnappedShot has more at Pajamas.



Share on Facebook

Associated Press Truth Deficit Disorder

A couple of years ago I coined the term Associated Press Deficit Disorder (APDD)

the innatention of Associated Press and other news agencies to the actual words said by a person who doesn't fit what AP wants to hear.

Add to that Associated Press Truth Deficit Disorder, since AP is now into full fabrication mode: Gateway Pundit has the details, Busted!!... Iraqi Press Denies AP Report On Ayatollah Sistani

Iraqi Press: Sistani DID NOT issue a fatwa declaring it OK to kill US Soldiers!

Yesterday, the Associated Press released a shocking report about how moderate Ayatollah Ali Sistani was "quietly issuing religious edicts declaring that armed resistance against U.S.-led foreign troops was permissible."

This was completely out of character with the previous fatwas and religious edicts by the moderate and popular Iraqi Ayatollah.

Today, Iraqi Nibras Kazimi at Talisman Gate, who has met Ayatollah Sistani before, countered the AP report.

Go to Gateway Pundit for links and details. In the meantime, Doug Ross has the sign:



Share on Facebook

Fidel's running? Yeah, right, whatever...

A week ago, while looking at the "Castro hints at retirement" news, I said, "Don't count on that anytime soon."

Yesterday this popped up in the news,
Raul Castro Seeks Support for Fidel Bid

HAVANA (AP) - Raul Castro said Monday that Communist Party leaders support his brother Fidel's re-election to parliament, saying he is exercising two hours daily and gaining weight while keeping his mind healthy with reading and writing.

A seat in parliament is the first step in a process that would allow Fidel to retain his post atop the Council of State, Cuba's supreme governing body.

Communist Party leaders ``defend him running again'' Raul Castro said of his brother's candidacy for re-election to the Cuba's National Assembly, or parliament, on Jan. 20.

And this, Castro 'well enough for election'

The "possible run" is discussed as if the Cuban public had any say in it:

Speaking of Cuba's electoral system, Raul Castro noted that U.S. democracy pits two identical parties against one another, and joked that a choice between a Republican and Democrat is like choosing between himself and his brother Fidel.

"We could say in Cuba we have two parties: one led by Fidel and one led by Raul, what would be the difference?" he asked. "That's the same thing that happens in the United States ... both are the same. Fidel is a little taller than me, he has a beard and I don't."

Henry has the The Lemming Report on Media Metooishness (emphasis added):

Today we'll be touching on the topic of fidel and his possible "run" for president in Cuba's sham elections. Cuba is a communist state where only one political party is legal. There is virtually no division between the communist party and the Cuban government. As a result voters have a choice of exactly one candidate for each and every position they "vote" for. raul castro, tyrant Jr., even joked about this recently. The international news media never notes these facts when it produces a story about Cuba. To an uninformed observer Cuba is a functioning democracy.

Just chalk it up to more Associated Press Deficit Disorder: it fits the narrative.



Share on Facebook

Associated Press Deficit Disorder and those inconvenient stringers uncovered by Jawa...

Powerline: The AP Reports on Itself

Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi stringer who has taken many photographs for the Associated Press, some of which are in evident collaboration with Iraqi terrorists... has been held for 19 months in Iraq after being captured in the company of two terrorists. Now, the AP reports that new evidence has emerged against Hussein, on the basis of which a criminal case is likely to be pursued against him.

AP is suffering from its chronic Associated Press Deficit Disorder, claiming that this is a "sham of due process."

But it's not a sham.

As you can see at the Powerline post, there are very strong indications that Hussein had to have been collaborating with terrorists. According to the BBC article (click on Hussein's photo above), he was "sheltering strangers" at the time of his capture.

Bruce Kessler explains,

Actually, quite a bit is known about Bilal Hussein. Michelle Malkin presents a useful summary, with Hussein's "convenient" photos, and John Hinderaker at Powerline neatly asks, “How stupid does the Associated Press think we are?” Bob Owens provides further information about the legal process and AP grandstanding.

Jawa Report was involved in the capture of Hussein:

He had been sitting in Abu Ghraib for a month, and nobody realized that he was the AP photog who had snapped dozens of staged photos with al Qaeda fighters. The reader was in Abu Ghraib as an investigator working on an unrelated case when he saw Bilal Hussein and recognized him from the extensive coverage we had on The Jawa Report.

He reported it up the chain of command and within days Bilal Hussein was transferred to a different facility, NCIS got involved, and eventually a criminal investigation opened on him.

as Jawa said,

So, the blogosphere helped bring to light the outrages that the MSM considers standard operating procedure. Helping produce and disseminate terrorist propaganda is just showing "both sides of the story" to the MSM.

They call it journalistic ethics, we call it treason.

And if it weren't for the blogs, it would go uncovered.


Share on Facebook

Ahmadinejad goes to Bolivia and Venezuela; Spacey goes to Venezuela and Cuba

Continuing his triumphal grand tour, after leaving the US and being celebrated by fellational journalists and others, 'Jad went to Bolivia.

Ahmadinejad bolsters Iranian ties with Bolivia and Nicaragua. I have no idea why the IHT headline mentions Nicaragua and not Venezuela, but here's the text of the article (emphasis added):

On a trip to strengthen ties with leftists in Latin America and roll back U.S. influence, the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has pledged to invest $1 billion in Bolivia and reaffirmed relations with the Venezuelan president with a declaration that "no one can defeat us."

Promises, promises.

'Jad and Evo go back a long time:


But the promises don't come for free:

The investment in Bolivia, to be made over the next five years, would help the country tap its vast natural gas reserves, extract minerals, generate more electricity and finance agricultural and construction projects.

After La Paz, 'Jad flew up to Caracas, where the love flowed:

Chavez greeted the Iranian leader warmly on a red carpet in front of the presidential palace, where they both stood before microphones and let loose with rhetoric challenging Washington.

The BBC states, "The Iranian and Venezuelan leaders see themselves as brothers, with similar political aims."

You know things are screwed up in Venezuela that pro-democracy students are asking Ahmadinejad to serve as intermediary with Chavez so Hugo will grant them the right to ask questions regarding Venezuelan-Iranian relations.
---------------------------------------------------------
In other Latin American celebrity travel news, Actor Kevin Spacey met with Chavez looking for oil money to produce movies, since Hugo Chavez Funds State-Run Film Studio and already gave Danny Glover a few million $$$.

I wonder if Hugo and Kevin were pondering another sequel to The Karate Kid, but maybe it was just a regular dinner-and-a-movie kind of date:

Neither Spacey _ who has won Academy Awards for roles in "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty" _ nor Chavez spoke to the press after the nearly three-hour encounter in the presidential palace in Caracas. They shook hands warmly on the red carpet as Spacey left after a dinner with Chavez.

We'll never know for sure.

The AP story claims that "Details were not released about the rest of Spacey's itinerary." Maybe the AP reporter should have spent some time watching Venezuela's government-controlled TV newscasts, because in this video (via Jeremayakovka) the reporter (in Spanish) says that after Caracas Kevin was heading to Cuba.

Chalk it up to Associated Press Deficit Disorder, because Kevin indeed went to Cuba after leaving Venezuela.

Marc Masferrer links to the article, El actor estadounidense Kevin Spacey se pasea de incógnito en Cuba (American Actor Kevin Spacey Travels Incognito Through Cuba).

Other recent visitors to Cuba listed in the article include Michael Moore, Benicio del Toro, Steven Soderberg, Sean Penn, Joseph and Ralph Fiennes, Gael García Bernal and Fernando Trueba.

I don't believe any of them asked about Martha Beatriz Roque, Elizardo Sanchez, or much anyone else who is not a celebrity.

Update: GM follows up.
---------------------------------------------------------
Update 2:
Totten's turn;


Digg

Share on Facebook

Bullsh*t headline of the day: "Venezuela's aid to Latin America exceeds that of U.S."

The AP's Natalie Obiko Pearson and Ian James got the bullsh*t by the horns, and they're tooting Hugo's "charismatic-leader-helping-the-poor-offering-free-health-care-education-adult-literacy-and-job-training-initiatives-that-help-millions-of-[insert country name here]" fantasy (emphasis added):

Bolstered by windfall oil profits, Chavez's government is now offering more direct state funding to Latin America and the Caribbean than the United States. A tally by The Associated Press shows Venezuela has pledged more than $8.8 billion in aid, financing and energy funding so far this year.

Promises, promises.

After whetting our appetites, however, AP has a brief reality check:

While the most recent figures available from Washington show $3 billion in U.S. grants and loans reached the region in 2005, it isn't known how much of the Venezuelan money has actually been delivered. And Chavez's spending abroad doesn't come close to the overall volume of U.S. private investment and trade in Latin America.

Or the billion$$$ in remesas (private money transfers) the legal and illegal immigrants to the USA are sending their relatives in Latin America daily.

Gustavo Coronel explains how Hugo Chavez’s Big Splurge: Buying Few Real Friends. Of course, Ian hasn't read that one.

Ian's the guy that did the puff piece on Hugo and Sean's Excellent Adventure earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Ian's way behind the times: The NYT is starting to wake up They've noticed a change

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has taken over from Fidel Castro the mantle of Latin America's leading opponent of the United States, which remains the largest customer for Venezuela's oil.

And they're not happy:

Mr. Chavez's claim that he is increasing "participatory democracy" by giving voice to Venezuela's disenfranchised poor rests on gestures like the proposal to create grass-roots governing councils with executive authority over a range of issues. In fact, they would further erode democratic checks and balances by stripping power from state and local governments, where opposition parties retain some vestigial power, and giving it to entities dependent on the central government.

Indeed, Mr. Chavez's plan to allow himself to run for re-election as many times as he wants - to achieve his stated goal of governing until the 200th anniversary of Venezuelan independence in 2021 - could lock Venezuela in the grip of an all-powerful strongman for years to come. It's participatory democracy in which only Mr. Chávez and his friends get to participate.

But the AP's notoriously gullible: Notice how they say, Castro Signs Essay Amid Health Rumors, as if they had witnesses to that action.

Over in Bolivia the coca leaves, the production over which Evo's union leader, re making predictions: the coca leaves predict Castro will recover.

I kid you not.

I fully expect Ian and Natalie to have faith in Evo and his coca leaves.

The Bolivians, however are not as enthralled over the Bolivian politcal situation. Indeed, they're in the midst of a political crisis.


(Re the use of bullsh*t on the headline: Long-time readers of this blog know that I strive to keep a certain level of discourse. However, words have meaning, and the meaning really applies in this situation.)
-----------------------------------------------------------
In a somewhat related item, when I posted about Hugo and Sean's Excellent Adventure, I applauded Maria Conchita Alonso.

Maria Conchita became a naturalized American citizen last week, and has declared herself an enemy of populist governments (link in Spanish).

Unfortunately she forgot her panties (link in Spanish). Let's hope she finds her way.

Associated Press Deficit Disorder, this time on ammo

The AP version:

Troops training for and fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are firing more than 1 billion bullets a year, contributing to ammunition shortages hitting police departments nationwide and preventing some officers from training with the weapons they carry on patrol.

The fact-checked, talked-to-the-ATK's Ammunition Systems Group-largest-ammunition-manufacturing-body-in-the-world Confederate Yankee version:

According to two spokesmen for the world's largest ammunition manufacturer, which runs the military's ammunition manufacturing plant and separately, is a major supplier of law enforcement ammunition, it is a massive and unexpected increase in law enforcement ammunition demand that is causing delays in law enforcement ammunition delays, not the war.

Any questions?

First there were Bing and Bob, now we have Sean and Hugo

In a PR piece worthy of Old Hollywood, AP's Ian James has come up with this beaut (pay attention to the lovely text - emphasis added):

On the road with Sean Penn and Chavez

LA GRITA, Venezuela (AP) — Aboard the presidential jet, a grinning Hugo Chavez put a hand on Sean Penn's shoulder, praised his acting and added: "And he's anti-Bush!"

The Venezuelan president reveled in his role as host to the Hollywood star as they flew across the country Friday and traveled through the countryside in a military jeep with Chavez at the wheel, stopping to greet cheering supporters.

Can you spell Potamkin Village, Sean?

But let's not spare the anti-American rod, lest it spoils the child, since there are poorly-veiled threats to make,

Enlivened by his conversations with Penn, the socialist president lambasted the U.S. government for "destroying the world" with war and warned of brewing economic troubles, saying Washington should do much more for its own poor.

"There could be a revolution there," Chavez said. "We'll help them. The United States must be helped because the United States is going to implode."

But back to feeling the loooove,

Penn's star power was eclipsed by Chavez, who honked to flag-waving admirers along the road through a mountain valley and stopped to kiss children and clasp hands with screaming women.

As it turns out, Ian did two versions of the same skit, since we all know that two are better than one: Sean Penn takes back seat on Chavez tour, but the loooove flows all over the place,

It was a familiar scene for Chavez, who grew up poor in a small town in rural Venezuela, and who loves to show visitors what his government is doing for everyday Venezuelans.

I've been quoting that very phrase out of a Venezuelan government ad that ran in the NYT in December 2005:

charismatic-leader-helping-the-poor-offering-free-health-care-education-adult-literacy-and-job-training-initiatives-that-help-millions-of-Venezuelans,

Luckily there is a star who's got the eggs to stand up to Venezuela's Communist-in-chief:

Cuban-born actress Maria Conchita Alonso, who grew up in Venezuela, said Penn's visit lends support to a "totalitarian" leader who wants increasing control of society—a charge Chavez denies. Speaking by phone from her home in Beverly Hills, California, Alonso said she respects Penn as an actor, but hopes he "comes to his senses and he realizes that he's being used."

Too bad they don't give Oscars for integrity.

Update, Monday 6 August
Via Jeremayakovka, Sean's gun trouble



Share on Facebook

The tall story

Yesterday Taranto (scroll down to Political Tall Tales h/t Larwyn) posted on the AP anti-American propaganda story that asserts,

just as it has in so many other arenas, America's predominance in height has faded.

Like Taranto, I wondered,

What are the "so many other areas" in which "America's predominance . . . has faded"? AP reporter Matt Crenson never gets around to telling us.

However, as Americans born and raised in Puerto Rico, my siblings and I have been doing our part towards "America's predominance in height": my brother is 6', his daughters are 5'8' and 5'9", my sister and I are 5'10", her husband (also born and raised in PR) is 6'4, their son is 6'6", and their daughters are 5'7" and 5'10". The Husband and our son, born and raised in the continental US, are also over 6'.

Not only are we working towards continuing "America's prominence in height", we're doing our share towards supporting all sorts of related industries, such as longer mattresses, cars with more leg room and head room, and longer skirts, trousers and shirts.

And when my siblings and I were growing up in PR, we didn't have health insurance, either.

We are, however, fortunate to have been born from a long line of tall ancestors.

Crenson goes on to say,

Tall people are healthier, wealthier and live longer than short people.

I forget who it was that asked, If Michael Bloomberg was taller, would he be mayor of a better city?

On the other hand, the Indians (the ones from India, not the ones from Cleveland) are finding out that

Six feet is still a good height, it is still a respectable height, but it is no longer a commanding presence.

But I digress. As Taranto points out, Crenson's ideology shines through and through.

The AP story ends in yet more propaganda:

"In some ways it gets to the fundamentals of the American society, namely what is the ideology of the American society and what are the shortcomings of that ideology," Komlos said. "I would argue that to take good care of its children is not part of that ideology."

Whether that's true is debatable; the height gap doesn't measure how much Americans love their children. But at a minimum it does indicate - in raw feet and inches - whether the nation is giving its youngsters what they need to reach their full biological potential, or selling them short.

What it doesn't say is how tall is Matt Crenson, its author.



Share on Facebook

Confederate Yankee = APDD antidote

Updated, Wednesday 11 July
A while ago I defined Associated Press Deficit Disorder as

Associated Press Deficit Disorder: the innatention of Associated Press and other news agencies to the actual words said by a person who doesn't fit what AP wants to hear.

This week's antidote to Associated Press Deficit Disorder? Confederate Yankee

Go read his posts
When Does a Massacre Matter?
A Hunting We Will Go
Associated Press Prints Immediate Correction
AP Responds to DecapiGate
AP: Screw the Facts, Protect the Narrative

Forget about AP.
Go read the guys who are there now, or who have been there recently:
Michael Yon in Iraq
Matt Sanchez in Iraq now, and Afghanistan
Michael Totten, who is heading to Iraq right now.
Michael Fumento is back from Afghanistan

Read their articles, look at their pictures, get the real story. And please, contribute to their blogs through PayPal if you can.

UPDATE, Wednesday, 11 July
Laws, Sausages and Journalism, and Second Chances
And Security operations in Basra, the second largest city in Iraq, soon to be transferred to Iraqui forces

Presidential style

For $12, a guy can get his hair cut at the Great Clips at the Princeton Shopping Center. OK, make that $15 including tip.

For $15, they wash and cut your hair, comb it, and you come out looking like the good Calvin.

For $1250, "I try to make the man handsome, strong, more mature and these are the things, as an expert, that's what we do."

Woody, writing at GM Roper's blog, has more on the populist Adonis
---------------------------------------------------------
Continuing on a theme of politics as a beauty contest,

Another Reason Why Hillary Won't Run Well (via Larwyn, who's hot)
---------------------------------------------------------
You know that the left is feeling threatened, when they have already started trying to tear down Fred Thompson. And he isn't even in the race yet....

Analysis: Potential US presidential candidate Fred Thompson's strength is his style

They describe Thompson as having a laid-back, guy-next-door nature that puts people at ease and makes anyone feel comfortable around him. At the same time, they say he has a commanding presence with his imposing 6-foot-5 (1.95-meter) frame, his unmistakable deep voice and his straight-talking way.

That's the kind of style I like. (On the hair department, I'm sure Fred's not spending $1250 to coif whatever little hair he's got.)

The AP's out on left field (all puns intended) when they say Fred lacks substance. more on that some other time. But it's not surprising that AP would say that.

After all, they're still saying it about Ronald Reagan.

Update, Saturday 7/7/7
Does Susan Saulny qualify as a trophy reporter?
---------------------------------------------------------
Another Republican candidate with great style is Duncan Hunter. Solid, manly looks with impeccable suits that don't look too overstyled.
---------------------------------------------------------
Across the world, Wretchard, who also has great style, posts about Sarko's sport
---------------------------------------------------------
Update
To those who emailed asking,




Share on Facebook

Jogging suit photo-ops continue

While paying lip service to the environment Hugo's doing his best to enlarge his carbon footprint, and the jogging suit photo-ops continue:

Chavez pays 'surprise' Cuba visit

Mr Chavez has visited his friend and ally several times since his illness
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has made a surprise visit to Cuba at the invitation of its convalescing leader, Fidel Castro, Cuban state TV reports.
He was greeted at the airport by Vice-President Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque.

Mr Chavez is expected to meet Mr Castro and his younger brother Raul, who has been acting president since he underwent intestinal surgery in July.

The visit is Mr Chavez's sixth since Fidel Castro fell ill.

The 80-year-old Cuban leader has been recovering at an undisclosed location.

Of course he is.

He and Hugo even discussed energy issues and a regional trade pact during an emotional visit. Anita Snow says so.

Anita's today's winner of the "No Sh*t, Sherlock" Award for Obvious Journalist Statements:
Castro a Key Influence for Chavez

Here we have the only two self-declared Communist rulers in Latin America, Hugo's been Fidel's Mini-Me for years now, and it's taken her this long to realize it.

But then, she has to pimp pump up the pair so Hugo will grant her exclusive interviews:

Chavez, 52, spoke fondly of his friend during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. He brought up memories of their many conversations, recalled greeting crowds of supporters together in Venezuela and also talked about Castro while condemning as unjust the execution of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

As is customary with her, here comes the excellent Cuban healthcare system obligatory soundbite^tm

"In Cuba there is no child that isn't in school, no sick person who isn't tended to," Chavez said.

Unless the child's pulled away from school doing mandatory service in el campo, while the sick are tended in the customary way:


All the same, Hugo took her for a ride:

During the four-hour drive, Chavez abruptly broke away from his motorcade at one point, saying he wanted a glimpse of the Apure River swollen by rains - "a magic river," he called it.

That's the kind of reporting Associated Press Deficit Disorder gets you.


Share on Facebook