Rupert Murdoch does not like Google News

(From Media Chow)

Just to show you how stupid the news business is, I'd like to present to you the case of Rupert Murdoch, who built himself quite the empire in information. Fox News, a plethora of newspapers (including the Wall Street Journal) and MySpace. In other words, he's probably burning actual stacks of money to keep his mansion warm. Anyways, seeing Google News (which it is not) as a stealer of information, Murdoch is now contemplating blocking his newspapers from Google News and similar features from Bing and Ask.

Google has argued that its news aggregator simply points users to content online and actually helps drive traffic to news sites. Murdoch was not impressed by Internet traffic and said he was more interested in finding loyal readers.

"What's the point of having someone ... who likes a headline they see in Google, come to us?" he asked. "The fact is, there's not enough advertising in the world to go around to make all the Web sites profitable. We'd rather have fewer people coming to our Web site but paying."

At this point, users can see the first paragraph of most articles in the Wall Street Journal, but to read the rest of the story online, they must sign up for a subscription. Murdoch was not sure that that is the approach he'll take with all his publications.

One thing Murdoch is touting is the subscription-based service as opposed to an ad service for the money-making model on his newspapers websites. Problem is, with the subscription-based service, any schmuck can come along with a subscription and then post it for free online and then people will go and read that instead of your actual newspaper site. At least Google drives traffic to your site, as opposed to just copying and ignoring the source altogether.

If Murdoch blocks his newspapers, something tells me Google News will just go to other places.

CNN last in the ratings

News giant CNN is having some issues with competiting networks. In fact, they're losing to them all in the ratings race, including their own sister network HLN. Execs can't be too thrilled about this one.

CNN, which invented the cable news network more than two decades ago, will hit a new competitive low with its prime-time programs in October, finishing fourth – and last – among the cable news networks with the audience that all the networks rely on for their advertising.

The official monthly numbers will be finalized at 4 p.m. Monday and will include results from Friday. CNN executives conceded that will not change the competitive standing for the month. CNN will still be last in prime time.

That means CNN’s programs were behind not only Fox News and MSNBC, but even its own sister network HLN (formerly Headline News.) Three of its four shows between 7 and 11 p.m. finished fourth and last among the cable news networks. That was the first time CNN had finished that poorly with its prime-time shows.

Maybe Anderson Cooper could start hosting "Who's the daddy?" episodes like Maury Povich or start yelling a berating guests on his show? Hey, it works for Bill O'Reilly!

Reasons why you're still single... Fox News

You were watching Fox News when a country singer, who's lone performance before appearing on television was a gig at Hooters, proudly belted out "Proud to be an American" - added words and all for a national audience of three people.

Congrats, the three of you were single. So is that country singer since he stole Alanis Morissette's voice.

Climate change caused by burping worms?

Our cars aren't the only thing emitting CO2 into the atmosphere and basically screwing up the earth's temperate balance.

Burping worm's are to blame as well, according to Fox News.

Aquatic animals that feed on lake and stream bottom sediments burp out small amounts of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, a new study finds.

While the biological emissions from these critters pales in comparison to the nitrous oxide emitted by fossil fuel burning, their contribution could increase as more and more nitrogen-rich fertilizer runs off into lakes, streams and seas, the authors of the study said.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is more commonly known to anyone who has sat in the dentist's chair as laughing gas.

In the atmosphere it is a powerful greenhouse gas, packing about 310 times the punch as the same weight of carbon dioxide (though carbon dioxide is still the bigger driver because there is much more of it).

So not only should we not be driving as much but we should also be fishing a lot more often to kill off this evil and gas-creating worm population. Leave it to Fox News to get to the bottom of things here. 

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go firebomb a bait shop to save the Earth.

Watching Bill O'Reilly while I workout

So strangely enough, when I go to my gym in North Spokane, they have "The O'Reilly Factor" always playing on their central television in front of all the exercise bikes and treadmills. And since I really don't want to look down and see how much time I have left in my workout - which is just disheartening - I find myself watching Bill to pass the time.

Obviously different people have different opinions about the guy and there's a couple things that strikes me about the show. I don't think that they're even trying to promote the fair and balanced crap anymore, it seems pretty straight forward, this is Bill's show and he's going to say what he wants. There's nothing wrong with that but if you use it as your sole source of news, you're dumb.

Secondly, the man is almost promoting his latest book or website gimmick, and considering the large amount of viewership he gets, this is capitalism at its greatest. Make a bunch of people angry or get them to agree with you and make butt loads of money.

And say what you will about his views, opinions and urge to yell all the time, the guy is pretty successful by any standards. Casey and I have yet to get our primetime show on Fox News but perhaps if we could pitch an idea of dancing penguins and midgets to the network, I think we might be well off. So that considered, I really can't judge the guy's intelligence. He's a genius. Some of the stuff he says is intentionally earmarked to get you riled up and think about the issues.

Now that's not saying that I agree with Mr. O'Reilly, far from it. I'm what you would call a socialist-republican with a tad bit of college liberal hippie in me, and then throw in some small-town background ideology and you have the biggest f-ed up mind in the country. But hey! At least I'm not Obama's pastor. However, the man does command my attention while I'm on the exercise bike and he does bring up points of discussion - sometimes really petty and stupid things - that I think about.

So love him - hate him - he does provide some good TV. Oh an by the way... WE'LL DO IT LIVE!! Okay just had to get that out of my system.

If I become Lance Armstrong, I'm going to thank Mr. O'Reilly for keeping me on that exercise bike. 

(PS - How the hell is Tony Danza an political analyst on "Hannity", seriously how did he get that gig? Did anyone see "Who's the Boss" ... what political undertones were there?)

Why I'm Communist

No, I'm actually a pretty moderate American, but here's a couple things about the elections that bug me.

- Saturday Night Live only gets funny around this time.
- College students complaining about how politicians talk out of their butt, and then the same college students talk out their butts about politics.
- College Republicans/Democrafts... aka... one step below people who play WoW.
- Obama's skinny legs.
- Fox News declaring McCain the winner last week.
- CNN declaring Obama the winner last week.
- The New York Times endorsing Obama for supreme chancellor.
- No Ross Perot on the ballot.
- Canada

But other than that... get out and vote!