Hoax derides climate stance of U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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Tom Cohen
CNN
Strange but not true. A purported statement Monday that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had dropped its long-standing opposition to climate change legislation was revealed to be a hoax when a real Chamber official disrupted a news conference and called a fake Chamber official a fraud.
The fake news release and equally fake news conference at the National Press Club duped some news organizations into reporting the unlikely policy shift by one of the strongest opponents of energy bills before Congress.
While erroneous news reports were quickly corrected, the hoax succeeded in sowing confusion and forcing the Chamber of Commerce to reaffirm its rejection of climate change proposals being pushed by President Barack Obama and most Democrats.
Some Chamber members, including Apple and Pacific Gas & Electric, already have quit the business advocacy group over its opposition to energy reforms intended to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
A statement issued by ThomsonReuters, which reported the fake news release and then quickly corrected it as a hoax, said the new organization "has an obligation to its clients to publish news and information that could move financial markets, and this story had the potential to do that."
"Once we had confirmed the release was a hoax, we immediately issued a correction, and in keeping with Reuters policy, the story was subsequently withdrawn and an advisory sent to readers," the statement said.
Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 10/19/09
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Tonight, the new allegations surrounding the balloon boy story . Police say it was all a hoax and the family could face criminal charges. Plus, the new reality for men and women in the workforce and much more.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
Weigh in: Who hurts working women more, men or other women?
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Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent
For many years, some of the smartest, hardest-working women I know have whispered a quiet complaint on the job: They find other women, in general, harder to work with than men. I don’t know if it’s just the kind of women I am friends with, or if they are telling me that because I am a man, or if they are just inadvertently repeating and reinforcing a stereotype about women on the job.
But as we prepare a hefty portion of AC360° tonight to address a new study about women in the workplace, I started researching this notion and ran across some relatively recent studies suggesting that this is a common belief; women are more likely to bully other women on the job, and interfere with the prospects of other women being rewarded with higher pay, better positions, or even praise.
The problems that men have caused for women on the job are well-documented, everything from sexual harassment to sexism in promotions. But I am truly wondering what to make of this question of how women treat women at work.
Do you think men or women present more challenges to women on the job, and would you rather work for a male or female?
Send us your H1N1 questions!
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AC360°
As more people are getting sick from the H1N1 flu virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that the production of the H1N1 vaccine is slower than expected.
The CDC had hoped that about 40 million doses of H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine would be available by the end of October. But due to manufacturing delays, "we think at most it will be 10 to 12 million doses less," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, CDC's director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
Do you have questions about the H1N1 virus and the vaccine? Let us know! We'll have answers tonight.
Richard Heene proposal for reality show
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Editor's Note: Gossip blog Gawker posted an exclusive interview with Richard Heene's former researcher and collaborator, Robert Thomas. Below are a few excerpts from proposals Thomas says he and Heene were working on for a potential reality science television program. Check out the full list of proposals here.
AC360°
We found this on Gawker.com.
Prior to the Balloon Boy Hoax, Richard Heene was shopping a science-based reality show to anyone who would listen. Robert Thomas, a former collaborator of Mr. Heene's, was compiling a detailed list of proposals he and Heene worked on for each of the show's 52 weekly programs. Originally obtained by Gawker on Saturday one of Heene's proposals included plans for a "homemade flying saucer." Check out a few excerpts from Gawker's list:
"16. Can we attract UFO's with a homemade flying saucer? We will modify a weather balloon, so that it resembles a UFO and will electrically charge the skin of the craft (Biefield-Brown Effect). We will capture the footage on film, and will utilize the media as a means with which to make our presence known to the masses. This will not only provide us with incredible footage, but will also generate a tremendous amount of controversy among the public, as well as publicity within the mainstream media. This will be the most significant UFO-related news event to take place since the Roswell Crash of 1947, and the result will be a dramatic increase in local and national awareness about The Heene Family, our Reality Series, as well as the UFO Phenomenon in general."
"30. Laser signal to the International Space Station: We will contact NASA regarding a controlled experiment with high-powered lasers and the international space station. Basically, the crew of the ISS will be informed that we will be shining a bright green laser at the space station, at nighttime when it passes overhead. The ISS crew will report whether or not the green beam was visible from their orbiting vantage point. The laser we will be using has a range of over 500-miles, so the result has the potential of being successful. This will also be a tremendous opportunity for the kids to talk to NASA astronauts who are actually in space."
"42. The Weightless Guinea Pig: Scientists have already successfully demonstrated that creatures such as frogs and grasshoppers levitate within a diamagnetic levitation chamber. Thus far, they have yet to levitate a guinea pig. Fortunately for us, we have a cute and willing participant named Gizmo, who has agreed to be the Guinea Pig in this experiment (pun intended). Gizmo will be equipped with a custom space suit (complete with a bubble helmet) and will be the first Guinea Pig in history to experience the feel of a true spacewalk. No animals will be harmed in this experiment, but we can't guarantee that Gizmo will still find her exercise ball entertaining after the fact."
Evening Buzz: Flu Facts; Get Your Questions Answered
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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
Across the country, health officials are reporting more cases of both seasonal flu and the H1N1 swine flu. Tonight we'll give you the facts you need to stay healthy. A doctor will be in the studio to answer your questions. Click here to submit your questions.
There's another twist to the flu fight. Tests confirm a pig in Minnesota is the first in the U.S. to get swine flu. But officials stress there's no danger to humans. We'll dig deeper into that part of the story.
Also tonight, see how women and men compare in the work place. The raw data might surprise you. For example, new research shows 40 percent of women are now the primary earner in their home. That's because three-quarters of the jobs lost in the recession were held by men. All this comes with more responsibility for women. We'll have the numbers.
Join us for these stories and more starting at 10pm ET. See you then!
Documents: Application for ABC's Wife Swap
AC360°
What exactly are the qualifications for ABC’s Wife Swap? Check out the application right here for the full guidelines and details and questions like “Who wears the pants and why?”
Tomorrow: Anderson interviews Eva Longoria
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AC360°
By 2050, the U.S. Latino population is expected to nearly triple. Next week, CNN's 'Latino in America' explores how Latinos are reshaping our communities and culture and forcing a nation of immigrants to rediscover what it means to be an American.
Don't miss this special on October 21 and October 22 at 9pm (ET) to watch interviews with Eva Longoria, George Lopez, and Latinos across America to examine issues from immigration to education and the American dream.
On Tuesday, Anderson will speak to Longoria about 'Latino in America,' Hispanic Heritage Month and the role of Latinos in Hollywood. Longoria is also the commissioner for the National Museum of the American Latino. Tune in to hear her thoughts on health care, immigration and worker's rights. Tomorrow, AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.
Beat 360° 10/19/09
Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to third and fourth graders during their lunch period at Viers Mill Elementary School October 19, 2009 in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
UPDATE BEAT 360º WINNERS
Staff:
Adam Noboa
"Absolutely no hoax. Next question"
Viewer:
Cameron Cox, Winnipeg, Canada
"Today's lesson: Balloons are for birthdays."
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A lifesaver out of reach, for want of a profit
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Jim Dwyer
The New York Times
Scrambling to get 60 seconds out of every minute, Katie Meacham finally got the boyfriend to take her for a carriage ride in Central Park. He hated it, she reports. “He said, ‘You know this is a pity ride, don’t you?’ ” she said, laughing.
Even though she is just 26, her days and time are at a premium. Ms. Meacham lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, but she is also a citizen of another country: cancer land. She has a kind of aggressive lymphoma, a disease that ruins the blood.
Her journey is worth a moment or two of reflection. For Ms. Meacham and thousands of others with similar illnesses, the best chance for a cure would be a transplant of cells from the bone marrow of a living person, or from the umbilical cord blood of a newborn. One way to sign up as a possible donor for Ms. Meacham or others is through the Web site of the National Marrow Donor Program, at join.marrow.org/4katie.
Every few months, stories like Ms. Meacham’s are broadcast on television and radio, or appear in newspapers. This year, a drive was held to recruit potential donors for Jasmina Anema, a 6-year-old girl in Greenwich Village who has leukemia. Perhaps 40,000 people a year come down with blood cancers.
As much as their personal struggles engage us, they also tell us about the hard limits of market-based medicine.
There is no easy way to make money from the cures to these diseases. Millions of people are willing to donate cells from their bone marrow, but commercial blood banks are not interested in bearing the cost of figuring out who wants to do it or in tracking them down when they are needed.
