July 4th, 2009
Have been watching and listening all afternoon to some
very interesting and troubling news stories today via
Britain's Channel Four, while trying to get some work
done on some overdue emails and the blogs, before
heading up to Hollywood Beach later for their fireworks,
since Hallandale Beach cut them out this year on
account of costs.
If you watch these news stories, you'll see why I make
a point everyday of trying to find time in my schedule
to watch Channel Four's newscasts,
video, as they all feature top-notch reporters that know
how to tell a compelling story and first-rate production
graphics, maps and visual cues to assist them in this
effort.
(Meanwhile, when a small earthquake hits an area
on the sparsely populated California-Nevada border,
the American cablenets inevitably put an oversize
map of the American West Coast on-screen.
One that shows Washington State, which is only
nowhere near the site of the quake, which while
the focus of the story, is represented by a dot.
What big city that we might've ever heard of is
closest to the area?
We never know, because 15 seconds later, they've
moved on to the next story.)
I'll soon be posting some things I've been working on
the past month about Westminster's expanding
and embarrassing expense scandal, which has a lot
of resonance for me because of the very compelling
CBS4 I-Team investigation stories by Stephen Stock
on the Miami-Dade Commission's discretionary funds,
and the difficulty in finding anything like it in the rest
of the United States.
Yet another "Only in Miami" story.
I should also mention that if you start with the first video
of the U.K.'s Channel Four, they will continue on to the
next news segment unless you pause or stop it.
Let it roll so you can see how they do things, and hear
how much better-written and edited their telecasts are
compared to what we've become used to here.
See old newscasts here:
Important historical changes in the U.K. on rules regarding
double jeopardy finally bear fruit as career criminal finally
gets convicted.
As the result of the direct testimony at Old Bailey of a
victim that refused to die and keep quiet, a man has now
been convicted and sentenced to Life in Prison after
previously being found not guilty of manslaughter in the
death of his former girlfriend, Cassandra McDermott,
and now convicted of that crime and the attempted
murder of a subsequent girlfriend, model Kara Hoyte,
who was initially paralyzed and suffered brain damage
as a result of the heinous attack.
Shocker- his behavior is nothing new, as he had
a long track record of abusive behavior towards
women.
Comes up at 4:04 in this news segment and runs
thru 6:40.
URL link:
Skin Deep
Racial identity in apartheid-era South Africa is the
subject of a compelling new film called "Skin,"
based on the sad but true story of Sandra Laing.
It stars the always excellent Sam Neill as her father,
Sophie Okonedo as Sandra and South African-born
actress Alice Krige as her mother, whom you may
know better as the Borg Queen.
The real Sandra Laing and the director of the film
about her, Anthony Fabian, are interviewed after
some clips of the film, which come out in the U.K.
at the end of the month.
See also: Fighting for acceptance
URLK link:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1529573111?bclid=27494662001&bctid=28486886001
Rogue oil trader Steve Perkins unauthorized moves
cost his company $10 million.
Moral: Irresponsible speculators are likely responsible
for more than 50% of costs of oil?
Length 3:57
Preview of coming Obamacare?
That one in ten patients entering the hospital in Britain
and Wales are suffering serious harm as a result of
the NHS government-run health care, possibly including
death, is just one of disturbing conclusions of an MP's
report saying bureaucratic targets gets preference over
patient care.
Includes interview with Health Secretary Mike O'Brien,
and argument over wide cleavage over desired principals
and actual practices at these facilities.
This particular story ends at 7:20
URL link:
FYI: At 14:20 of the last segment, we get a LIVE stand-up
at the Old Bailey following Kara Hoyte's brave testimony,
with Cassandra McDermott's family lending their emotional
support to her. It's very touching.
