Bolshevik, or not?

Top Russian spy defects after betraying ring in U.S.

“We know who he is and where he is,” the unidentified official was quoted as saying. “Do not doubt that a Mercader has been sent after him already.”

Ramon Mercader was the Russian agent who murdered exiled Bolshevik Leon Trotsky with an ice axe in Mexico in 1940.

Your article incorrectly described Leon Trotsky as an “exiled Bolshevik”, when in fact, following the Second Party Congress when the divide between Bolshevik and Menshevik became apparent, Trotsky identified as a Menshevik and several years later as a “social democrat.”

Palin’s opinion…

Palin tells Bernanke ‘cease and desist’-report

WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin on Monday weighed in on the global debate over the Federal Reserve’s $600 billion plan to buy up government debt, suggesting Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke should “cease and desist.”

Why would Reuters, a fist class news reporting organization, run an article featuring Sarah Palin’s opinion about this?

Though some political persons may enjoy her time in the headlines, I hardly believe that most Americans really care what she believes when economic methods are the topic…Reuters is not Wonder Wall… right?

Giving thugs a bad name?

Gay rights march in Belgrade triggers violent riots

BELGRADE (Reuters) – A gay rights parade in Belgrade erupted in violence on Sunday as thousands of police deployed to protect marchers clashed with anti-gay protesters, who rioted and attacked the headquarters of the ruling parties.

Pushed back from the parade area by 5,000 police in riot gear, protesters turned to other targets, breaking into the lobby of the state television network, scaling scaffolding to try to enter parliament, smashing windows at the Austrian embassy and burning a car in front of the French embassy.

Back to civics?

FACTBOX-Twelve U.S. Senate races to watch

COLORADO – Democrat Michael Bennet was the Denver public school superintendent when Obama appointed him to the Senate last year to succeed Ken Salazar, who became Interior secretary.

We have a proposition for you…

Californians see green in climate law: poll

At the same time it is embarking on an environmental plan from setting alternative energy targets to building a system for industry to trade the right to emit greenhouse gases.

Voters on November 2 must decide whether to put the plan on hold with the measure known as Proposition 19.

In a story appearing in the New York Times yesterday, your writers misidentified the pending ballot proposition to suspend California’s landmark environmental law as Prop. 19.

Erroneous beliefs?

Analysis: Lack of national Muslim leader seen in NY furor

One potential beacon could be President Barack Obama, the country’s first black president and the son of a Muslim father. But Obama suffers politically from the erroneous belief by some Americans that he was born outside the United States and that he, a Christian, is really a Muslim.

You need to remove the word ‘erroneous’ from this paragraph. It’s not proven one way or the other!

L.A.S.

Obama isn’t a Republican

President Barack Obama (R) takes his seat after an awards ceremony at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, May 1, 2010 Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

When I hovered over the image of the President, it showed his name, and then (R), signifying he is a Republican. I think you may need to correct this.

Facts

How often is often?

Race issues beset Obama’s ‘post-racial’ presidency

Conservatives had linked the tape to the NAACP asking the conservative “Tea Party” political movement to denounce racism by some of its members. Images such as Obama with a bone through his nose and the White House with a lawn full of watermelons are often displayed at Tea Party rallies.

What exactly constitutes ‘often’ in this sentence? To most, it implies that these images are seen at a majority of the rallies. This has never been shown to be the case. That would make it a false statement and should be retracted.

I encourage you to retract that statement, or at the very least, alter the verbiage to give it some factual basis.

Altered photo?

Your Sara Palin photo is altered.

The one where she is sitting with arms back, chest protruding, big scowl on her face is fake. It’s easy to see poor job of pasting on lower jaw with square on her neck. I wont ask about the boobs.

If you need help spotting fakes I’m available.

Draconian policies?

US, China set 2011 rights meeting in “candid” talks

Chinese officials did not make public comments on the talks, which Posner said also covered U.S. issues, such Arizona’s draconian new policies on illegal immigrants, racial relations and the problems of Muslim Americans.

Please be more careful when publishing opinion pieces like this one. I was unable to find where it was noted to be an opinion piece. When a journalist writes statements such as “draconian new policies,” it is pure opinion, not news.

Joseph O.