In this photo taken Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, Yin Yusheng poses for a photographer in Beijing, China. Yin hopes to craft a new kind of journalism in China, where the industry is widely seen as state-controlled and corrupt. He wants to make his readers the boss - and that includes paying his salary. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
In this photo taken Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, Yin Yusheng poses for a photographer in Beijing, China. Yin hopes to craft a new kind of journalism in China, where the industry is widely seen as state-controlled and corrupt. He wants to make his readers the boss - and that includes paying his salary. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
In this photo taken Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, Yin Yusheng poses for a photographer in Beijing, China. Yin hopes to craft a new kind of journalism in China, where the industry is widely seen as state-controlled and corrupt. He wants to make his readers the boss - and that includes paying his salary. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
BEIJING (AP) — From his temporary home on a friend's sofa, Yin Yusheng hopes to craft a new kind of journalism in China, where the industry is widely seen as state-controlled and corrupt. He wants to make his readers the boss — and that includes paying his salary.
Once users pledge 5,000 yuan ($800) — half his monthly pay when he worked for a business daily — he takes a story up. He has completed one piece since beginning his experiment in crowdfunding in September, appealing to those who are "tired of the praises sung by the state-run media."
Journalism in China is held in low esteem by many members of the public, not just because virtually all media is state-controlled and toes the government line, but also because of dirty practices dating back to the 1990s. Journalists regularly demand money from companies or individuals not to report a negative story about them, and expect a "red envelope" with cash to report a positive development or to turn up at a press conference.
Yin, who lost a reporting job at a magazine earlier this year when it changed from a weekly to a monthly, wants to be beholden only to the news-reading public, and is testing whether crowdfunding from online donations can give him a stable income.
In an online mission statement, he says crowdfunding can make a product successful, save a company and bring donations to the weak and vulnerable. "In the same way, it can give us the truth," he writes.
There already are several self-styled citizen journalists in China publishing online reports on their own websites. Yin said he wants to bring a professional standard to this kind of reporting and thinks colleagues in the industry may follow his lead because such reporting "enjoys a little more sliver of freedom" than working in the state-controlled industry.
Yin, 43, has advertised his story ideas on China's two largest microblogging sites and the online marketplace Taobao.
The crowdfunded investigative piece he has completed was about Chen Baocheng, a Beijing reporter detained during a protest over a land demolition in his hometown. Yin's pitch attracted the required funding within 24 hours. A week and a half later, he uploaded the finished piece onto two Twitter-like microblogging sites, Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo.
State media stories on the case tended to focus on police and lawyers' reactions, but Yin's vivid report was based on more than 20 interviews with police, lawyers, witnesses, local officials and some of those who had been detained. Some reports alleged that Chen doused an excavator operator in gasoline, but Yin's report found that he had arrived only after others had already poured the fuel.
Yin also tweets from the scene. "I am on the scene, meaning you are on the scene as well," his promise to readers goes.
His plan came from discussions with friends who, like him, entered print journalism from backgrounds in computer science or online media, and who began to see the Internet's power to usurp traditional media.
"We began to ask ourselves the question: Why do we have to confine ourselves to one specific media outlet? Many of us had already become quite influential, so publishing an article online might have more public impact," he said in an interview at a Beijing cafe.
In the U.S. and Europe, journalists and activists have used crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter to find money for one-off creative projects, like a first book or a documentary. A number of sites also have experimented with such financing for journalists in the past few years, especially in the United States, said George Brock, a journalism professor at City University London.
"I don't think it's going to be the central plank or pillar of a new business model for journalism, but the experiments that have been done in it have shown that projects that catch people's imagination, whether they be Web or print or film, really can raise money," Brock said.
Yin set his limit at 5,000 yuan, which is also slated to cover his expenses, in hopes of discouraging the notion that a big spender could control his agenda. He uploaded details on the 1,955 yuan he spent covering his first report, including photos of bus and train tickets and other receipts.
He is saving money by staying in a friend's apartment, which he says might also make it more difficult for officials to track him down.
He risks becoming a target in the government's intensified crackdown on online expression. In recent months, China's leaders have clamped down on what they call online rumors and efforts to erode the rule of the Communist Party through lies and negative news. Their targets have included celebrity bloggers that call attention to social injustices.
Even if the government does not detain Yin, it could scrub his reports from the Internet.
"The key point here is the distribution question" and whether Yin's reports will be censored, said David Bandurski, a researcher with the China Media Project at Hong Kong University. "All Internet is China is in a recent period of extreme intensification of control and he's dealing — presumably if he's doing investigations — with sensitive issues."
___
Follow Louise Watt on Twitter at twitter.com/louise_watt
"Los Angeles police responded to a report of shots fired Friday morning at Los Angeles International Airport," reports NBC Los Angeles. It is webcasting its coverage.
At least some parts of the airport have been evacuated.
We'll keep an eye on the news and update.
Update at 1 p.m. ET. At Terminal 3:
"Airport officials confirm police incident began at 9:30 a.m. @ Terminal 3 at LAX. More info to come," the airport says. According to the airport's website, the airlines using that terminal are: AirTran, Alaska, Horizon, JetBlue, Spirit, Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic.
If you've flown into Los Angeles International Airport anytime in the last 50 years, the final segment of your journey may have taken you down a long hallway featuring a gorgeous color-blocked tile mural. Well, on your next flight to L.A., you can wear the socks to match it.
I just can't stop looking at how the drops carve the water, one after the other, making a hole in it. The experiment was captured by the Brigham Young University's Splash Lab. Here's their description of what's happening:
The Xbox One will stream media from your home network and play audio CDs, Microsoft tells Penny Arcade Report. In that way, the One is much like the Xbox 360. When it comes to MP3 playback, however, it's a little trickier. The Xbox One is a Play To device that supports Redmond's PC and mobile ecosystem, but not much else. This comes just days after Sony released its massive FAQ that said, among other things, that the PlayStation 4 wouldn't do any of the above. If you're looking for a new do-all device for your A/V rack, the Xbox One could be it.
Durbin, University of Illinois announce $25 million federal grant
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
1-Nov-2013
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Contact: Phyllis Picklesimer p-pickle@illinois.edu 217-244-2827 University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Money will increase Africa's food supply through soybean research
URBANA, Ill. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) announced today that the university has received a $25 million federal grant to lead a consortium of universities and non-governmental organizations working to increase the food supply in Africa by improving soybean yields in five countries on the continent. The five-year grant is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and will be led by University of Illinois agricultural economist Peter Goldsmith, who has 13 years of experience conducting research in similar latitudes in South America. The project is part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative.
"Over the years, it has been my privilege to support the research that has made the University of Illinois a national leader in soybean study," said Durbin, who has secured over $5.2 million in support of soybean research at the university. "This $25 million grant will allow U of I and its partners to improve crop yields and increase the food supply in a part of the world that badly needs it. U of I is an international leader in researching and developing the next-generation crops that will help feed burgeoning populations across the world, and today's grant solidifies and further strengthens the role the university plays in fighting hunger across the globe. I congratulate U of I on this award and look forward to the benefits it will bring to the people of Africa."
"The people living in the poverty band in the lower latitudes of Africa struggle with low-productivity crops, isolation from markets, and access to low-cost sources of protein and oil," said Goldsmith. "There has also been a research void in soy production among developing countries. We've already seen soy as an economic engine creating agro-industrial growth in developing countries. That's the beauty of a highly productive commercial crop such as soybean. This research will work to find answers to questions about soy in these protein-deficient countries from selecting the best seeds for that area and climate to establishing markets and environmental sustainability."
The consortium, officially named the Feed the Future Innovation Laboratory for Soybean Value Chain Research, will provide replicable research to identify, adapt and deploy soybean germplasm, educate current and future breeders, define best practices for production and seed management, and identify barriers to adoption, especially for women. The group will conduct its research in the sub-Saharan African countries of Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, and Ethiopia.
Because soy must be processed, one aspect of the research Goldsmith said will get a special focus is soy's value chainfinding ways to connect growers with processors and markets. Poor infrastructure and distance to markets plagues many regions of the developing world.
The USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection at the University of Illinois will be leveraged to identify new high-yielding soybean varieties that are adapted to low-latitude environments. Researchers will also work to develop cultivars that are resistant to rust and bacteria pustule, can more efficiently fix nitrogen, can better tolerate the low phosphorus commonly found in tropical soils, and can be easily processed for household as well as livestock consumption.
"There is a high demand for poultry and animal feed in developing countries," Goldsmith added. Soybean's primary use is as a high quality protein source for livestock. "That's another aspect of this research that fits the legacy of the University of Illinois. Illinois crop and animal scientists were instrumental in developing a nutritious corn/soy diet for pigs and poultry," he said.
Goldsmith said that poultry in these sub-Saharan regions are typically fed non-nutritious grain waste and the chickens consequently have very slow growth, which in turns provides low returns to farmers. A second phase of the project would focus research on poultry nutrition so that producers can raise healthier chickens and provide an opportunity to scale up their poultry operation. For example, Goldsmith said that one option might be the use of small-scale extruders, working like a local grist mill where small farmers can bring their soy to have it processed and blended with maize and micronutrients for chicken feed.
The University of Illinois' National Soybean Research Laboratory has been a global leader in the use of soy for human nutrition in developing countries. "There are already established traditions for starchy foods such as cassava, rice, and maize, as well as for native legumes such as cowpea and chickpea," Goldsmith said. "People know how to grow and cook with the native legumes, but the productivity, versatility, and quality and levels of protein are low when compared to soy.
U of I's Brian Diers and Randy Nelson will lead the breeding portion of the research. Dan Reynolds at Mississippi State will develop and lead the regions first soybean field station to provide much needed agronomic research. Kathleen Ragsdale and Lindsey Peterson, also of Mississippi State will head up the project's research into the impact of soybean on gender equity. Jill Findeis and Kristin Bilyeu of the University of Missouri will lead, respectively, the economic and grain quality research areas. Craig Gundersen and Bridget Owen of the National Soybean Research Laboratory will lead the human nutrition effort. Rita Mumm of the University of Illinois will lead the breeder training and education component and Jeremy Guest also of the University of Illinois will lead the research program on environmental impacts of soybean. The research relies on key partnerships with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Catholic Relief Services, Technoserve, and the International Fertilizer Development Council. Mike Lacy of the University of Georgia will lead the livestock nutrition program, and the partnership will also feature the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and Delaware State University as additional key partners.
"This research-for-development design will provide the research foundation that can readily be adopted by the development community to boost soybean production and improve the nutrition and market linkages for small holder farmers, which in turn will raise incomes, increase food security, and improve household nutrition," said Robert Hauser, dean of the College of ACES at the University of Illinois.
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Durbin, University of Illinois announce $25 million federal grant
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
1-Nov-2013
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Contact: Phyllis Picklesimer p-pickle@illinois.edu 217-244-2827 University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Money will increase Africa's food supply through soybean research
URBANA, Ill. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) announced today that the university has received a $25 million federal grant to lead a consortium of universities and non-governmental organizations working to increase the food supply in Africa by improving soybean yields in five countries on the continent. The five-year grant is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and will be led by University of Illinois agricultural economist Peter Goldsmith, who has 13 years of experience conducting research in similar latitudes in South America. The project is part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative.
"Over the years, it has been my privilege to support the research that has made the University of Illinois a national leader in soybean study," said Durbin, who has secured over $5.2 million in support of soybean research at the university. "This $25 million grant will allow U of I and its partners to improve crop yields and increase the food supply in a part of the world that badly needs it. U of I is an international leader in researching and developing the next-generation crops that will help feed burgeoning populations across the world, and today's grant solidifies and further strengthens the role the university plays in fighting hunger across the globe. I congratulate U of I on this award and look forward to the benefits it will bring to the people of Africa."
"The people living in the poverty band in the lower latitudes of Africa struggle with low-productivity crops, isolation from markets, and access to low-cost sources of protein and oil," said Goldsmith. "There has also been a research void in soy production among developing countries. We've already seen soy as an economic engine creating agro-industrial growth in developing countries. That's the beauty of a highly productive commercial crop such as soybean. This research will work to find answers to questions about soy in these protein-deficient countries from selecting the best seeds for that area and climate to establishing markets and environmental sustainability."
The consortium, officially named the Feed the Future Innovation Laboratory for Soybean Value Chain Research, will provide replicable research to identify, adapt and deploy soybean germplasm, educate current and future breeders, define best practices for production and seed management, and identify barriers to adoption, especially for women. The group will conduct its research in the sub-Saharan African countries of Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, and Ethiopia.
Because soy must be processed, one aspect of the research Goldsmith said will get a special focus is soy's value chainfinding ways to connect growers with processors and markets. Poor infrastructure and distance to markets plagues many regions of the developing world.
The USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection at the University of Illinois will be leveraged to identify new high-yielding soybean varieties that are adapted to low-latitude environments. Researchers will also work to develop cultivars that are resistant to rust and bacteria pustule, can more efficiently fix nitrogen, can better tolerate the low phosphorus commonly found in tropical soils, and can be easily processed for household as well as livestock consumption.
"There is a high demand for poultry and animal feed in developing countries," Goldsmith added. Soybean's primary use is as a high quality protein source for livestock. "That's another aspect of this research that fits the legacy of the University of Illinois. Illinois crop and animal scientists were instrumental in developing a nutritious corn/soy diet for pigs and poultry," he said.
Goldsmith said that poultry in these sub-Saharan regions are typically fed non-nutritious grain waste and the chickens consequently have very slow growth, which in turns provides low returns to farmers. A second phase of the project would focus research on poultry nutrition so that producers can raise healthier chickens and provide an opportunity to scale up their poultry operation. For example, Goldsmith said that one option might be the use of small-scale extruders, working like a local grist mill where small farmers can bring their soy to have it processed and blended with maize and micronutrients for chicken feed.
The University of Illinois' National Soybean Research Laboratory has been a global leader in the use of soy for human nutrition in developing countries. "There are already established traditions for starchy foods such as cassava, rice, and maize, as well as for native legumes such as cowpea and chickpea," Goldsmith said. "People know how to grow and cook with the native legumes, but the productivity, versatility, and quality and levels of protein are low when compared to soy.
U of I's Brian Diers and Randy Nelson will lead the breeding portion of the research. Dan Reynolds at Mississippi State will develop and lead the regions first soybean field station to provide much needed agronomic research. Kathleen Ragsdale and Lindsey Peterson, also of Mississippi State will head up the project's research into the impact of soybean on gender equity. Jill Findeis and Kristin Bilyeu of the University of Missouri will lead, respectively, the economic and grain quality research areas. Craig Gundersen and Bridget Owen of the National Soybean Research Laboratory will lead the human nutrition effort. Rita Mumm of the University of Illinois will lead the breeder training and education component and Jeremy Guest also of the University of Illinois will lead the research program on environmental impacts of soybean. The research relies on key partnerships with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Catholic Relief Services, Technoserve, and the International Fertilizer Development Council. Mike Lacy of the University of Georgia will lead the livestock nutrition program, and the partnership will also feature the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and Delaware State University as additional key partners.
"This research-for-development design will provide the research foundation that can readily be adopted by the development community to boost soybean production and improve the nutrition and market linkages for small holder farmers, which in turn will raise incomes, increase food security, and improve household nutrition," said Robert Hauser, dean of the College of ACES at the University of Illinois.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
That was fast -- mere hours after the FAA said it would allow the use of personal electronics during takeoff and landing, airlines have begun flying under the relaxed rules. Passengers on both Delta and JetBlue aircraft are now free to use their mobile gadgets at nearly every stage of flight. Other ...
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That was fast -- mere hours after the FAA said it would allow the use of personal electronics during takeoff and landing, airlines have begun flying under the relaxed rules. Passengers on both Delta and JetBlue aircraft are now free to use their mobile gadgets at nearly every stage of flight. Other ...
Source: