Education

More Spin for the Span

by Diane Farsetta — March 19, 2008 - 4:25pm

After the tragic collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis last August, the state wants to "restore the image of the beleaguered Minnesota Department of Transportation." So Minnesota is paying the public relations firm Himle Horner at least $550,000.

Main Source: 
Star Tribune (Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota), March 16, 2008

Teaching College Kids to Lie

by Sheldon Rampton — March 16, 2008 - 5:37pm

Additional details have surfaced about the story we mentioned last month regarding a corporate-sponsored hoax at Hunter College. The college receives donations from the Coach Corporation, a manufacturer of handbags, shoes and other women's accessories.

Main Source: 
Inside Higher Ed, March 3, 2008

Global Warming Hurts Our Feelings

by Sheldon Rampton — March 16, 2008 - 5:05pm

"A pair of agriculture groups has temporarily suspended about $1.5 million in grants to the University of Minnesota to protest a controversial study by U scientists earlier this month about biofuels and global warming," reports Tom Meersman.

Main Source: 
Minnesota Star Tribune, February 25, 2008

Teacher Warns Students About War Propagandist John Rendon

by John Stauber — March 13, 2008 - 7:53am

Steve Runge, an instructor at Northeastern University in Boston, is raising a red flag about a controversial lecturer. "John Rendon of the Rendon Group will be addressing the College of Business Administration Thursday afternoon.

Main Source: 
The Northeastern News, March 13, 2008

Canada's Groupthink Tanks on Afghanistan

by Diane Farsetta — February 27, 2008 - 10:27am

As the debate over Canada's military mission in Afghanistan continues, the country's "Department of National Defence is ... spending millions of dollars sponsoring think tanks and scholars to offer up agreeable commentary," writes University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran. "Take the Conference of Defence Associations, a think tank that got $500,000 from DND last year. ...

Main Source: 
The Globe and Mail (Canada), February 21, 2008

Fake vs. Fakes

by Sheldon Rampton — February 21, 2008 - 7:48am

In a Youtube video, "Heidi Cee" lamented the loss of her Coach handbag, compared product counterfeiting to ter

Main Source: 
Ben Kessler's blog, February 19, 2008

Microsoft Tells Students: We Have Rights Too, You Know

by Diane Farsetta — February 14, 2008 - 10:17am

"Education is the key to stemming illegal downloads of music and other content," concluded a new study.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), February 13, 2008

Why Don't We Talk About Smoking and Celebrity Deaths?

by Anne Landman — January 25, 2008 - 1:48pm
  • Topics: Arts / Culture, Education, Secrecy, Tobacco

    • Actress Suzanne Pleshette's recent death from "respiratory distress" was sad. Most of the articles about it briefly mention that she had been fighting lung cancer, but fail to mention that she had been a cigarette smoker in the past. Cigarette smoking is the single biggest cause of lung cancer.

    It is rarely discussed, but tobacco has taken an extraordinarily heavy toll on Hollywood. The list of beloved celebrities killed by smokers' diseases is huge, and growing: George Harrison, Johnny Carson, Dana Reeve, Yul Brynner, Lucille Ball, Walt Disney, Nat King Cole, Joe DiMaggio, Michael Landon, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, Betty Grable, and Babe Ruth to name just a few. Despite this, the failure to mention a person's smoking history in obituary columns is the norm in celebrity deaths. In just one glaring example, a four page obituary about the 2005 death of prominent news anchor Peter Jennings published by his own network, ABC, fails to mention the contribution that smoking made to Jennings' tragic and untimely death. A CNN's column about Jennings' death didn't mention it either. Something is up when major news organizations omit any mention the single most prominent cause of the death of a renowned news anchor.

    New Participatory Project: Classroom Propaganda of Yesteryear

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 1, 2008 - 11:45am

    "Capitalism", a Coronet film, explained the American economy through the story of a corner grocer and kids buying supplies for a wienie roast.

    We've

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