UPI's "NewsTrack" is re-editing News stories for anti-Democrat websites!

[Up2Late]

Here's the problem. As I'm sure most of you have noticed, their seems to be a bunch of anti-Democrat, anti-science, and just plain angry RW websites out on the web now. I've been trying for a while to figure out where all the "news" was coming from, and I think I found it. UPI's "NewsTrack" <http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/>

"NewsTrack" is all secondhand news that they take from a respectable newspaper, pull out a few quotes and a few facts which they attribute to a respectable newspaper or news agency, and re-write the story to fit a RW agenda.

These reports are never carry a "By line" or give enough information to actually understand the problem or issue, and I've even found a few that are cases of un-deniable plagiarism.

In most cases, these extremely re-edited stories are re-branded as UPI and almost immediately picked up by dozens of shady web "news" sites like "NewsMax," "ScienceDaily," "BigNewsNetwork" etc., were these "news" stories spread like a virus to anti-Democrat websites.

Now, when I say plagiarism, I'm not talking about the debatable type, where you "borrow" an idea or a phrase or two, I'm talking cut and paste, edit out the information and quotes you don't like, plagiarism.

See this post for an example I found this weekend: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1966363&mesg_id=1967657>

The "NewsTrack" version is still at this link: <http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051203-094414-4342r>

That, I hope, is a rare and extreme example.

Here's what they normally do. Take this story about Illinois Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush who, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, just "resolved" two mortgage problems he was reported to have:

<http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-rush07.html>

Rep. Rush no longer facing foreclosure

December 7, 2005

BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter

Just as quickly as they were filed, a pair of mortgage foreclosures against Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) have been "resolved."

Rush was just days from losing his Michigan condo and was also facing being kicked out of his Chicago home because he hadn't been paying his monthly mortgage.

But in an e-mail, a spokeswoman for Washington Mutual said "we consider the situation with Congressman Rush's mortgage to be resolved."

Likewise, a Michigan lawyer -- set to sell Rush's condo on the steps of a courthouse Thursday -- indicated the foreclosure action there "has been closed."

<http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-rush07.html>
(continues at link above)

Here's the UPI "NewsTrack" version:

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051207-021817-4555r>

Illinois congressman puts houses in order

CHICAGO, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush reportedly has put his financial affairs in order after facing foreclosure on two home mortgages.

The Democrat, a one-time Black Panther turned preacher, was just days from losing a condominium he and his wife own in a private gated community in Buchanan, Mich. The condo was to have been auctioned this week.

The Chicago Sun-Times said Rush also was behind on the mortgage on his South Side Chicago residence but that both foreclosure actions apparently had been resolved.

Rush borrowed nearly $550,000 in two mortgages in 2001 and used much of the money to start and support a church he pastors, "Beloved Community Christian Church," the newspaper said.

Rush said through a spokesman he made personal sacrifices to launch the church, WGN-TV, Chicago, reported.

The Sun-Times said Rush's Chicago home had been subject to a series of county and federal tax liens.

This one from today, December 7, 2005, is UPI's headline conclusion that comes from a 2004, 37 page, Academic "Discussion Paper" that is "...published in the latest issue of the Journal of Human Resources...":

<http://www.williams.edu/wpehe/DPs/DP-66r.pdf>

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051207-123435-2513r>

Higher education affordable, says study

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A study by a Williams College professor says many leading private colleges tailor prices to students' financial means.

The findings should help well-qualified low- and moderate-income students who want to go to some of the nation's top private colleges and universities.

The study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Human Resources, says the tuition and other costs are structured to allow some students to pay only a fraction of the schools' high "sticker prices."

"We asked what students at different income levels actually pay at the leading private colleges and universities in the United States," said the study's co-author Dr. Gordon C. Winston, a professor of economics at the Williamstown, Mass.-based college.

"We found that very consistently, these wealthy, high-quality schools give large discounts to low-income kids. On average, the ultimate net prices are well under the prices of public colleges."

In the 2001-02 academic year, the schools' average "sticker price" was $33,831, yet the average amount paid by students who received financial aid was 47 percent of that amount.

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051207-123435-2513r>

Seven sentiences, from a 37 page academic paper, all wrapped in a semi-credible UPI label. I'm including them in full, because these don't stay at the UPI page for very long, but you will probably find these all over the internet in a few hours. I'm not sure how long the links the will be good either.

There are lot's of other examples at the "NewsTrack" site (linked below) with plenty to outrage for just about everyone. Let me know if you have any questions, I'm still researching this, and I'm sure I forgot a bunch of stuff.

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/>

[Trillo]

1. Isn't this allowed under "fair-use"? nt

[Up2Late]

2. I don't think so, under fair use, you can't change the meaning of...

...of the original. These edited articles clearly do

[missouri dem 2]

3. Good catch.

Orwell rises again.

[bananas]

4. It seems these fake news stories are all missing a by-line

[Up2Late]

5. Exactly, that's always the first clue, without a "by line" who can you...

...hold to account for the "dis-info?"

Plus, they always seem to credit the original newspaper or news agency at some slightly hidden point within the article, so if they get caught in spreading lies, they can always blame someone else.

[Up2Late]

6. UPDATE: Here's another from today, for the Democrats hate Jesus sites

Here's a new, and even MORE shocking example from today.

NOTE: For some reason, web published papers add double spaces between each sentence. I guess most newspapers do this make to it easier to read at their web site? I think it makes it more difficult to read here at DU, so I'm taking some of them out. Also, you'll see what the different colors are for below.

This was yesterday's article from the Houston Chronicle, below that is the "NewsTrack" hack job, and then below that is an annotated version that points out all that was manipulated.

<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3510678.html>

Dec. 7, 2005, 11:32PM

Purpose of Bible display debated

Judge questions whether memorial at courthouse was erected with religion in mind

By POLLY ROSS HUGHES
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - A federal appeals court judge Wednesday asked whether a local politician pledging to return religion to government had "hijacked" a Harris County courthouse Bible display 10 years ago for political purposes. "It was in effect taken over for political purposes," 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge E. Grady Jolly said during oral arguments in the case, asking whether a reasonable person would conclude that "politics hijacked this monument."

Jolly was referring to former state District Judge John Devine who had campaigned to "put Christianity into government," and led the 1995 effort to restore the monument after it fell into disrepair. But Jolly added that recent politics surrounding the Bible display must also be weighed against its primary purpose when erected by the Star of Hope Mission 30 years ago as a memorial to a local, Christian philanthropist.

Last year a trial court in Houston ordered an opened King James version of the Bible removed from the restored monument outside the Harris County Civil Court Building, saying it signalled government endorsement of religion.

(clip)

Former Star of Hope President Carloss Morris testified in district court that the Bible in the memorial represented the Christian faith of late Houston businessman and mission supporter William S. Mosher. He also asserted that this is a Christian nation and the monument shows "we've got a Christian government," Staley's attorneys pointed out in a brief to the appeals court. "If everyone in Harris County ... accepted Christ as their savior, we would be better than if they were all Hindus," the brief quotes from Morris' testimony.

<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3510678.html>
(More of the uncut version of the original story is at the link above)

(this is the "NewsTrack" edited version below)

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051208-022504-3750r>

Appeals court to decide Bible display

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court is deciding whether a monument at the Harris County courthouse in Austin, Texas, is religious or a secular tribute.

A lower court judge ordered an open copy of the King James Bible removed from the display, initially erected in the 1950s to honor Christian philanthropist William S. Mosher. Harris County is appealing the decision.

Appellate Judge E. Grady Jolly of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals indicated during oral arguments Wednesday politics might have "hijacked this monument," the Houston Chronicle reported.

"I think it's very clear that the reason the Bible was out there was for a religious purpose," Houston real estate lawyer Kay Staley said. The lower court ruled the Bible signaled a government endorsement of Christianity.

"If this case goes against me, there's going to be jillions of monuments that are going to have all these kinds of Bibles that go up," she said.

Carloss Morris, former president of Star of Hope, the group that erected the monument, testified in the lower court case: "If everyone in Harris County ... accepted Christ as their savior, we would be better than if they were all Hindus," briefs filed in the case said.

Here's the annotated version of the "NewsTrack version of a Houston Chronicle article from yesterday.

Note the Houston Chronicle headline was "Purpose of Bible display debated," At UPINewsTrack, it becomes "Appeals court to decide Bible display."

Not so bad yet, until you see all the qualifying statements the they left out and even shifted some the words of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge that actually distorts the meaning of what the Judge said.

Note how they distorted the meaning of the original article it credits:

Appeals court to decide Bible display

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court is deciding whether a monument at the Harris County courthouse in Austin, Texas, is religious or a secular tribute. (No, the court was asked "...whether a local politician..."hijacked" a Harris County courthouse Bible display 10 years ago for political purposes)

A lower court judge ordered an open copy of the King James Bible removed from the (*fact removed) display, (UPI removed that it was the restored monument) initially erected in the 1950s to honor Christian philanthropist William S. Mosher*(*info deleted "...a Christian philanthropist who helped the poor rather than promoting religion....). Harris County is appealing the decision.* (*more info left out, "....Harris County appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by focusing on the Bible and not the context in which it is displayed)

Appellate Judge E. Grady Jolly of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals indicated* during oral arguments Wednesday politics might have (words added) "hijacked this monument," the Houston Chronicle reported. (*word changed from asked to indicated)

"I think it's very clear that the reason the Bible was out there was for a religious purpose," Houston real estate lawyer Kay Staley said. The lower court ruled the Bible signaled a government endorsement of Christianity. (NO, this last sentence is a distorted, cut and paste, merging of two different sentiences from the original article. Also, qualifier removed "...said Staley, 63, who describes herself as a humanist who earned an A on a law school paper on church versus state issues....")

"If this case goes against me, there's going to be jillions of monuments that are going to have all these kinds of Bibles that go up," she said.

(There was so much rearranging and deleting in this last paragraph, created from 3 separate sentiences, I'm going to color each sentence below and mark each section in it respective color as it actually read in the original article above)

Carloss Morris, former president of Star of Hope, the group that erected the monument, testified in the lower court* case: (2)*(edit) "If everyone in Harris County ... accepted Christ as their savior, we would be better than if they were all Hindus," the brief quotes from Morris' testimony.
(*edited out "...He also asserted that this is a Christian nation and the monument shows "we've got a Christian government," Staley's attorneys pointed out in a brief to the appeals court....") (2)(changed from district court to lower court, and also edited out was "...district court that the Bible in the memorial represented the Christian faith of late Houston businessman and mission supporter William S. Mosher....")

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051208-022504-3750r>

So, as I said in the Original post, after these edited articles spread like a virus, the original usually disappears, or their is confusion as to which came from first. tricky huh?

[Up2Late]

7. CORRECTION: a link on one of my previous posts is wrong

In the Original post, I linked back to an article that UPINewsTrack had, in my opinion, plagiarized by doing a "Cut and Paste" editing of the original Sunday Times Article about Tamaflu. The post is at this link:

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1966363&mesg_id=1967657>

The link, at the bottom of "The Sunday Times" article that I show how much qualifying info was left out goes to the wrong article.

This is the correct link: <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1903144,00.html>

and the link to the UPINewsTrack article, which completely distorts the meaning of the original article is at this link: <http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051203-094414-4342r>

I hope this clears up any confusion.