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Local Media Savages Pawlenty Over Flood Relief

By Joe Bodell | 09.09.07 | 8:19 am

[Commentary]

A somewhat valid complaint about statewide news coverage in the traditional media, as well as in the blogs, is that sometimes we lose focus on the real issues behind the news — namely, the individuals, families and communities affected…

Limbaugh on Darfur: Racism on Steroids

By Abdi Aynte | 08.29.07 | 10:56 am

Aynte MugshotRush Limbaugh is known for uttering creepy stuff, but what the nationally syndicated radio host said last week about the genocide-stricken Darfur region of Sudan was categorically bigoted and once again proved his disqualification to weigh…

The ‘Elephant in the Room’

By Abdi Aynte | 08.25.07 | 1:09 am

Aynte MugshotYou don’t appreciate what you have until you meet the have-nots. That’s how I felt Thursday when I visited a Lake Street shopping complex known for its bustling Latino businesses. In addition to seeking a comment for…

This Year, August is the Cruelest Month

By Jeff Fecke | 08.20.07 | 5:54 pm

Jeff FeckeThis has not been a good month for Minnesota.

Two weeks ago, the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge collapsed, killing 13 and injuring dozens.  And this past weekend, at least six died in flooding in southeastern Minnesota.

The…

The War of Words

By Abdi Aynte | 08.18.07 | 1:22 am

Aynte MugshotOnly days after he was ushered in as Britain’s new prime Minister, Gordon Brown embarked on a fresh battle in the war of words against terrorists, instructing his cabinet to drop the use of such terms as…

Watching Westboro: Does News Coverage of Phelps Help the Haters or Serve the Community?

By Paul Schmelzer | 08.10.07 | 3:44 pm

Fred Phelps is coming!

Fred Phelps is coming!

Fred Phelps… didn’t come.

After the collapse of Interstate 35W, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., dashed off a pair of news releases announcing members of…

When Opinion Polls are Manipulated

By Abdi Aynte | 07.25.07 | 10:30 am

Aynte MugshotIn a Newsweek poll last week, 60 percent of Americans said they oppose mass detentions against Muslim-Americans if another 9/11 style attack were to occur. Twenty-five percent supported such a move.

In an attempt to downplay…

Drugs, Campaigns and the Media

By Joe Bodell | 06.28.07 | 10:34 am

You’re a news reporter for a daily newspaper.  So what do you do when allegations surface regarding a political candidate’s past drug use and that leader’s “evolution” on drug-related issues?

Post it on a blog and wait for an opposition…

Our Alcohol vs. Their Khat

By Abdi Aynte | 06.08.07 | 8:07 pm

Aynte MugshotAs any reasonable person would, a friend of mine asked me the other day: “Abdi, why is the Somali community up in arms about our alcohol, a legal commodity, and yet want to legalize their drug, khat?”…

Is Minnesota’s Mainstream Media Missing Important Stories?

By Leigh Pomeroy | 05.08.07 | 11:30 am

Happy newspaperLook on the web for a story about Veterans Affairs administrators getting bonuses of up to $33,000 while the Veterans Affairs Administration faces budget shortfalls and lengthy service backlogs, and…