| Scripps Launches Interactive Forum for Diverse Political, Cultural ...
RedBlueAmerica is a free online service that delivers timely political news, provides subscribers with an e-mail service and conducts a daily public opinion poll on selected topics. The site also will include a feature called "Truth or Not" that will challenge, among other things, the veracity of factual claims made by high-profile newsmakers and others. "RedBlueAmerica.com is a place for people interested in what the other half thinks on the important and interesting issues of the day," said John Temple, founder of the Web site, and vice president of news for The E. W. Scripps Company's newspaper division. "It's a place where they'll always find the best thinkers on their own side stacked up against the best thinkers on the other side; a place for a lively and civil conversation about the topics people are talking about -- or should be talking about." The public debate on RedBlueAmerica will be moderated by two experienced online journalists, each providing perspective on either the conservative (Red) or liberal (Blue) viewpoint.
Belgacom and Nokia Siemens IPTV contract extension
Shares in Premiere slumped as it emerged its former owner Leo Kirch had won the rights to market Bundesliga football for the next six years. Kirch, now aged 81, saw his media empire implode in 2002 in Germanys then largest bankruptcy. Kirch is still suing Deutsche Bank for E1.6 billion over the collapse of his business. Premiere said it was still keen on bidding for the rights to the most popular sport in Germany. The DFL, the German football association, is expecting to earn E3.45bn from the next six seasons an increase of about a third on what it receives at the moment. Kirch, who through his company, Sirius, will only market but not transmit the matches, has promised minimum revenue of E3 billion over the timeframe from selling the rights in Germany. Shares in Premiere fell 12 per cent.
Brotherly love lost as UB40 frontman quits
They have spent the past three decades advocating the virtues of love, relationships and the sweeter things in life through their feel-good reggae music. But the spirit of UB40, one of the most successful British bands, has been soured by an acrimonious split that has pitted brother against brother. On the eve of their latest world tour Ali Campbell, the frontman, walked away from the group with a parting shot at his older brother, Robin, the lead guitarist. The remaining members of the band told The Times of their shock and disappointment at his behaviour, complaining that he had used a solicitor to announce his departure. James Brown, the drummer, said: "You would think after 30 years of working together as a family unit that you could at least have talked through these issues." Campbell, 48, cited intolerable management difficulties when he quit last week because of a dispute with DEP International, the band’s label, over financial issues.
PERSONAL FINANCE: Where credit is due
Bob Friedrich always pays his bills on time . . . well, almost always.
Three years ago, he sent in his monthly mortgage payment as usual, but it got lost in the mail. He thought the problem was history after he paid the overdue balance the following month. But when he got his credit report last month, he found the single late payment with a note that it was negatively affecting his credit score. Friedrich, 53, an accountant who lives in Glen Oaks, wasn't happy, even though his score was still an impressive 790 out of 850.
"I think it was improper," said Friedrich, who contested the blemish and hopes it won't appear on future reports, which he checks yearly. "It was a single late payment that wasn't my fault. It was the post office's fault."
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Public record
10:05 a.m. -- Theft from a vehicle at Paraclipse, satellite radio, briefcase and battery charger pack stolen, $400 loss.Jan. 238:01 -- Dispute at the county jail, Ismael Martinez and Rubben Alejos of Columbus both cited for assault on a confined person.11:58 a.m. -- Theft at 4623 68th St., mailbox stolen, $50 loss.11:58 a.m. -- Criminal mischief at 4621 68th St., mailbox damaged, $50 loss.3:42 p.m. -- Traffic complaint at mile marker 371 on U.S. Highway 30, Jose Macias, address unknown, cited for speeding and no operator's license.Fire DepartmentJan. 211:18 p.m. -- Silent fire alarm in the 3000 block of Howard Boulevard.6:44 p.m. -- In the 3000 block of 23rd Street, no transport.10:54 p.m. -- In the 3400 block of 27th Street, medical.Jan. 2212:18 p.m. -- In the 100 block of 30th Street, medical.12:35 p.m.
U.S. Government Delays Nanotechnology Safety Measures
With a credit card and Internet access, you can. But is the U.S. government doing enough to ensure the safety of these materials and the hundreds of other nanotechnology commercial and consumer products currently on the market? The answer is a resounding "no," says Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies chief scientist Andrew Maynard. "The materials safety data sheet for carbon nanotubes-which provides workers and safety personnel with information on proper handling procedures-treats these substances as graphite, the material used in pencils. But carbon nanotubes are as similar to pencil lead as the soot on my barbeque grill at home is to diamonds." According to Maynard, "This is just one example of the yawning knowledge gap between the nanomaterials entering commerce now and their safety.
Japanese sushi lovers shrug despite high tuna mercury levels
Despite the absence of any restrictions on mercury in tuna, officials periodically check the fish, which is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. The country consumes some 450,000 tons of it a year, making it the world's largest consumer, according to the Organization for the Promotion of Responsible Tuna Fisheries, a Tokyo-based industry group. A Health Ministry survey in 2005, for instance, found an average of 0.7 ppm of mercury in blue fin tuna, and the highest concentration found was a startling 6.1 ppm _ more than 15 times the limit for other types of seafood. The government has issued advisories warning pregnant women and young children to limit their consumption of tuna, but mercury _ the Minamata tragedy notwithstanding _ does not seem to be a high priority for officials.
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