Facebook leads Myspace

Well, according to Compete.com:

This may be the first survey we've seen that puts Facebook ahead of the News Corp.-owned MySpace in U.S. traffic. It also puts Twitter as the third-biggest social-media site in the country by total page views, with only about six million unique visitors but a whopping 54 million views.

I could never get into Myspace with its cartoonish aesthetic.  More importantly, some studies have shown that Facebook features a membership that has more education and higher incomes. If you're going to blow an evening posting photos of yourself and discussing the minutiae of your life (as I have done), you might as well do it with people who have money.  

Blame the media!

The Society of Saint Pius X, a fringe Catholic organization in a state of suspension (I won't bore you with the technical details), has as one of its bishops a nut named Richard Williamson. Recently, Williamson sat for an interview with Swedish television, and during the interview, made it clear that he is essentially a Holocaust denier. Obviously, these views are very unpopular for good reason, but the Society's response was to blame the media:

It is shameful to use an interview on religious matters to introduce secular and controversial issues with the obvious intention of misrepresenting and maligning the activity of our religious society.

Yes, clearly the fact that Williamson was exposed as a fool was all the media's fault. The TV station could have asked Williamson about his thoughts on anything under the sun and Williamson, who is not a child, could have simply refused to answer questions on matters not related to religion. Yet Williamson, who obviously wanted to talk about the Holocaust, did not refuse, and forged ahead with his anti-Semitism. The fact that Williamson is both anti-
Semitic and stupid is not the TV station's fault, but the fact that Williamson is allowed to remain a member of the Society is the Society's fault.

Have you seen my plane and my sweet wheels?

Marcus Schrencker, the Indiana investor who jumped out of a plane and faked his own death, once apparently thought that posing for this photo was a good idea:



This is the file photo used by MSNBC for some of its articles about Schrenker. It probably doesn't do much to win him sympathy among the public, or more importantly, among the members of the jury that will decide his fate in the future.

His clients who lost millions due to Schrencker's mismanagement also probably don't appreciate the high level of class necessary to take a photo with one's high-priced possessions.

Greatest. Spokesman. Ever.

Today's Rocky carries an article penned by David Milstead that says that the Post is surreptitiously borrowing funds from the Denver Newspaper Agency to cover payroll. Whatever the merits of the story (which the excellent Michael Roberts covers here), the Denver News Corp. executive, Joseph Lodovic, who acted as spokesman, provided some excellent examples for how not to respond to media inquiries.

"Who cares who owes what? Money goes back and forth all the time. All the balances will get wiped out altogether in the end."

Brilliant! Just don't tell the Justice Department, since anti-trust laws governing the DNA stipulate that the Feds do in fact care who owes what.

And my favorite:

"The issue is too complicated. It's irrelevant. Who cares?"

Beautiful.

The Post likes the give the impression that it's doing spectacularly well, but in reality, it is deeply in debt and it just had its bond rating downgraded about six weeks ago.

A few seconds of the Mortgage Line9

Here is a short video of what the Mortgage Line9 at Channel 9 looks like. It's not of terribly great import, but somewhat interesting (to me).

Lame comment by me

In a recent article in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel about foreclosures, I said: "It’s a totally different situation for Mesa County," said Ryan McMaken, spokesman for the division. "You guys are nowhere near in the same boat as some of the metro areas."

"You guys"?! How horrific.

We should all be categorically opposed to the use of the word "guy" to refer to anyone other than a male chum, although it turns out the word itself is quite interesting.

The word was originally used as a term to describe someone who was grotesque or very odd in some way. It comes to us by way of Guy Fawkes, the hero of the Catholic restorationists who was captured while attempting to blow up Parliament with gunpowder.

So the term, originally used to describe an effigy of Guy Fawkes that was traditionally burned by Protestants to commemorate Fawkes's execution, has its roots in anti-Catholicism and British nationalism.

Whatever its origins, my folksy use of "you guys" is no good.

Here's the article (edited down):

Mesa County foreclosures not near Front Range levels

By ANNA MARIA BASQUEZ
Saturday, December 20, 2008

A recent [CDH] foreclosure report paints Mesa County in a better light than the rest of the state.

The report tallied completed foreclosures, or foreclosures that went to sale, rather than the number of filings.

As of the end of September, there had been one completed foreclosure for every 749 houses in Mesa County. The ratio in Adams County is one in 58 houses, in Denver County one in 78 and in Pueblo County one in 102 houses.

“It’s a totally different situation for Mesa County,” said Ryan McMaken, spokesman for the division. “You guys are nowhere near in the same boat as some of the metro areas.”

McMaken said he used the number of completed foreclosures because it does not duplicate households that may have filed for foreclosure on two different mortgages, and because many foreclosure filings are stopped before going through the entire process. Sales figures were not available to use before, McMaken said.

“That number is telling me that we had a lot more lenders that withdrew the foreclosures,” Brown said. “They did not want us to take the homes to sale. They cured or withdrew and renegotiated the sale.

Year-to-date, the number of foreclosures filed in Mesa County is 445, which is more than the total for 2007, Brown said. He predicted it will reach between 450 and 460. The number of completed foreclosures will be about 101, he added.

Counties nearby are in a similar situation in terms of the number of completed foreclosures, McMaken said.

“Housing’s so tight in Garfield County that if you can’t make payments, you just sell your house, and it goes in a month,” he said. “Moffat County is the other lowest place. Where mining activity is happening, there’s just nobody foreclosing.”

When you think of foreclosures, think of the Hotline

This is nice. The Hotline is now routinely mentioned as a resource every time a news outlet does a story on a topic related to foreclosures. In this story about evictions from December 17 on Channel 4, the news team discusses the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline at the end of the story. This has happily become a trend.

The more popular McMaken

My uncle Herb is a Real Santa. Real Santas are men with bona fide long white beards who get paid premiums to be "Santa's Helpers" at stores and events. There is a listing of them at RealSantas.com. The good malls all have Real Santas.

Herb was Santa recently at the Orange County Market Place. According to the Newport Beach Daily Pilot:

The beginning of the Holiday shopping season at the Orange County Market Place is heralded each year with the arrival of Santa Claus.

This year Santa was helped by Anaheim resident Herb McMaken, who arrived in a red 1929 Model A roadster Saturday morning at the swap meet, waving to holiday shoppers and children.

The kids lined up to sit on Santa’s lap this year are still asking for the same stuff they always have, despite a less-than-cheery economic climate — they want toys, video games and ponies, McMaken said.

“Santa’s not worried about the economy,” McMaken said. “He still has plenty of toys.”

If Santa isn’t worried about the economy, the vendors at the swap meet are. This holiday shopping season has been slower than in past years for sellers at the Orange County Market Place, who come each week to sell everything from flip flops and T-shirts to handmade quilts.

I'm a man on the street...

...since I'm not a political or business leader.

See me at the bottom of this list from the Rocky (December 4)

Reaction from local political and business leaders and people on the street Thursday to the announcement that the Rocky Mountain News is for sale:

* Gov. Bill Ritter: "I spoke earlier today with Scripps President and CEO Rich Boehne about the sale and told him I hope Colorado's oldest newspaper and longest continually operating business can survive the worst economic crisis this country has seen in decades.

Newspapers around the nation have been particularly hard hit for years, and this downturn is impacting newspapers as badly as any industry, but nobody should be writing the Rocky's obituary just yet. I have the highest regard for the Rocky's Pulitzer-prize winning journalists and for Editor/Publisher/President John Temple's involvement and leadership in the community, and I'm hopeful the community will continue to benefit from the Rocky for years to come."

* Mayor John Hickenlooper: "We have great respect for the reporters, staff and management of the Rocky Mountain News and appreciate that these are difficult economic times for many. It's hard to imagine Colorado without the Rocky. We sincerely hope there is a solution to its financial challenges."

* Sharon Linhart, managing partner of Linhart Public Relations: "It is a tough time in the newspaper business, but I hope the new owner will find a way to keep the newspaper operating. The Rocky is an outstanding newspaper with a legendary history. We are blessed in Denver to have two daily newspapers, and I hope that will be the case long into the future."

* Wendy Aiello, president of Aiello Public Relations and Marketing: "I'm devastated. We knew something was going to give, but to actually see it happen . . . it's like your foundation is crumbling. The newspaper is the soul of our city. As a public relations professional, it's certainly not good news on a very selfish basis. We've all worked in this community together for so long. We've watched this happen all over the country and have it finally hit so close to home, and in such a vibrant media market. It's such a tragic thing to see.

* Pasquale "Pocky" Maranzino, president of advertising agency Karsh & Hagan: Maranzino's connections to the paper go way back. He worked as a paperboy for the Rocky, and his father was a columnist for 33 years. Karsh & Hagan did the advertising for the Rocky from 1995 to 2000 and later for the Denver Newspaper Agency: "The Rocky Mountain News is 150 years old and is part of our society in Denver. As a Denver native, I'm saddened at the thought. I'm hoping it will continue to exist and that there will be a buyer for it.

On the other hand, I understand the economic concerns for Scripps and what's happening with the evolution in our information society. The Rocky has a great personality and, because it's a tabloid, fits into people's lifestyles better than the competition - no offense to the Post. I think there's a niche of readers, people who are segregated by their age, who really can't function without reading their daily newspapers."

* Doug Jones, owner of Jones Realty Group: "The Rocky has been synonymous with the news, growth and the voice of Denver since its birth. Hopefully, it will continue. It does suggest the magnitude of the downturn."

* Denver native Gerry Armstrong, 67, said he first started reading the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post in the sixth or seventh grade, especially enjoying the general news, commentary and business.

"I got to read it after Dad," said Armstrong, a real estate investor and shareholder rights advocate. He especially remembers examining the 1952 election results with his grandfather.

Armstrong said he would miss the Rocky Mountain News if it folds - "competition drives better quality" - but he also said he believes the newspapers aren't what they used to be.

"I read both newspapers regularly. Both are getting so light on the number of pages, more condensed than I like."

* Curtis Kennedy, attorney for the Association of U S West Retirees, said he has read both local newspapers since moving to Denver in the early 1980s. He often proudly tells friends from other states that Denver is fortunate to have two newspapers.

He said he believes two newspapers provide a more balanced view of a community, with readers often getting two sides or different dimensions to the same story.

"I can tell you from my experience living in big cities with two newspapers that every time they'd go down to one, it was the worst thing that could happen for an informed public. It's a death knell for the informed reader."

* Gary Bauer, independent real estate broker: "I'm not surprised Scripps is selling something, but I'm surprised it is the News. I would think they would be selling other assets first. It will be interesting to see if Phil Anschutz wants to buy it. He would seem to be one logical purchaser."

* Marty Jones, a devout newspaper reader and publicist for craft brewer Oskar Blues Brewery, was stunned when told of the Rocky's sale: "Oh my gosh! That's terrible news," he said on the phone.

"I feel awful for all of the staffers there who got this news, especially right before the holidays," Jones wrote in a follow-up e-mail.

"When I moved here 13 years ago, one of the biggest attractions of Denver was its rare status as a two-newspaper town," Jones said.

"That makes for a great and well-informed city. I hate to see it end, big loss for the town and our culture."

* Ryan McMaken, spokesman for [CDH]: "If the PR industry here knew what was good for it, we'd all just put together some kind of joint stock company and buy the News. I'm just going to pray that at the VERY least, the News continues as some kind of sleek online news source."

Old-school clipping: higher education vouchers

Once upon a time, the organization I headed became embroiled in a massive overhaul of higher education which eventually produced the "College Opportunity Fund." The fund is not without its critics although it seemed like a fairly decent idea at the time. Here is a report on the event from the days of yore. I hadn't looked at this in a while, and I'm quite surprised at how candid I am in my comments.

Twitter's role controversial

Alexander Wolfe of Information Week notes that the police were concerned that the Tweeters might be giving away strategic information. Wolfe doubts that any info of use was given away.

The most important piece of information to come out of all of the Tweeting is that "official" journalism is no longer the best source for breaking news of this kind:

I'd add that Mumbai is likely to be viewed in hindsight as the first instance of the paradigmatic shift in crisis coverage: namely, journalists will henceforth no longer be the first to bring us information. Rather, they will be a conduit for the stream of images and video shot by a mix of amateurs and professionals on scene.

Mumbai Attack Aftermath Detailed, Tweet by Tweet

The Wired blog has a great post on how social media is providing some of the best current coverage coming out of the Mumbai massacres.

I'm often asked even by technophiles what purpose Twitter serves. This is just one example if its use in crises. I recently read that the American Red Cross also uses Twitter to provide updates to its network of volunteers.

I'm reminded of how in 1991 when Gorbachev was deposed in a temporary coup d'état, Internet Relay Chat, aka "IRC", was used to relay information on the crisis since all television and radio in Russia had been shut down.