Comments for Understanding Government

Comment on SHOULD WE BLAME GOVERNMENT OR INDUSTRY? by virginian

virginian — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:08:41 +0000

The finger actually should be pointed at Congress - the reason for the standards loophole can be traced back to Capitol Hill. Why is no one reporting that story?

Comment on 10,000TH REPORT CONFIRMS TOXICITY IN FEMA TRAILERS by a UG reader says

a UG reader says — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:20:34 +0000

But wasn’t it the GOP that pressured agencies to regulate less? Wasn’t the primary basis for Pres. Bush’s appoinments to regulatory agencies that they didn’t believe in government regulation because it interfered with free market capitalism? And didn’t the GOP further that objective by reductions in regulatory agency budgets?

Comment on PROPAGANDA WE CAN BE PROUD OF by Ender

Ender — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:26:47 +0000

Hampton, I think you make a good point. And if you’re right, then Al-Hurra needs a good house cleaning.

Comment on HUNTING FOR THE FACTS by Edward Hodgman

Edward Hodgman — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:56:24 +0000

It’s hard to judge by just a few e-mails, but the ones highlighted by Glanz and Oppel show a definite willingness on the part of State Dept. staff in Iraq to help Hunt (re the other significant development/construction projects they could be involved in). It also sounds like these officials were either trying to curry favor with Hunt…(future job potential?) or make nice with Hunt because the company was influential with the boss back in Washington…in any case it looks like nothing you want to see coming from a government employee.

Comment on GETTING LEFT BEHIND: A DIFFERENT TAKE ON PREVENTIVE JOURNALISM by hampton

hampton — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:33:45 +0000

Score one for Understanding Government! It was great to see the full report in your blog. However, I couldn’t help wondering why some of our Upstate New York cities have low carbon footprints, while their neighbors do not– despite no particular differences in economies (all bad!), car use, etc. Curious.

Comment on PROPAGANDA WE CAN BE PROUD OF by hampton

hampton — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:24:39 +0000

The failure to “tell our story” on Al Hurra probably has occurred because the service doesn’t believe in what the government has been doing lately: faint words and weak presentation are more likely when one doesn’t believe in the message to begin with.

Comment on PROPAGANDA WE CAN BE PROUD OF by Ender

Ender — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:36:02 +0000

Winning hearts and minds starts with eyes and ears. Al-Hurra represents a terrific cost-effective opportunity to do so without people getting killed in the process. “The Free One” is an inspired choice for the network’s name. It behooves us to now have inspired content that lives up to it.

Comment on MINNESOTA MEANS MEDIA by Jean Dallas

Jean Dallas — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:27:08 +0000

Thanks for the mention of Hometown Focus, Ned. The media conference in Minneapolis was a great opportunity to meet individuals doing innovative and important things in this topsy-turvy world of journalism and reporting. Good luck to you!

Comment on CHICKEN LITTLE WAS RIGHT by RSBP

RSBP — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:48:04 +0000

Hmmmmm. Why not comment on the U.S.’s building of a major telescope in the southern hemisphere and its deployment of scientists to watch the approach of a very large space rock via infra-red technology. First reported in 1984 in U.S. News and World Report, the government continues to deny the approaching planet while all the while monitoring it. Mainstream media laughs at the “conspiracy” theories surrounding Planet Nirubu or Planet X as it’s called, but there are more legitimate scientific explanations for how it is causing solar flares which are in turn causing global warming. As much as Al Gore would like to think man is destroying the planet - it’s something much larger and much more uncontrollable.

Comment on YOUR MONEY AT WORK: TEXAS AG SPENDS $1.4 MILLION TO TARGET ELDERLY VOTERS by Ned Hodgman

Ned Hodgman — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:57:10 +0000

I’m not sure what you mean by mailing a letter. The idea that people would be prosecuted for dropping envelopes from registered voters in a mailbox is a little insane in itself. But maybe you are referring to the idea that the whole act of mailing a letter is protected in some way?