Tuesday, December 17, 2013 Published Weekday Mornings   To see the full version of today's cartoon, click on the preview graphic of the cartoon (below the Commentary) to be taken to the full version in your favorite web browser. The Spying Game Federal Judge: NSA's collecting of phone records is likely unconstitutional New ruling threatens the legal foundation of the NSA's phone records program Ed Kilgore: NSA Loses One In the Courts The Most Important Paragraph In The Court Decision Against The NSA Edward Snowden now offering spying help to Brazil in exchange for asylum Michael Kelly: Snowden To Brazil? Think Again. Here's Why Snowden's Not Going Anywhere Anytime Soon White House says Snowden should still face charges in U.S. Media Fail '60 Minutes' Crumbling Credibility: Fluff Piece effectively Claims NSA Good, Snowden Bad Journalists Rip Apart 60 Minutes for 'Embarrassing' and Uncritical NSA Report '60 Minutes' reporter claims she didn't want NSA story to be 'a puff piece' The Four Questions '60 Minutes' Forgot To Ask The NSA Greg Mitchell: The Sad Decline of '60 Minutes' Continues With This Week's NSA Whitewash Lara Logan & producer to return to '60 Minutes' in 2014 Liz Sidoti, Associated Press Political Editor, Joins BP As Head Of PR White Santa, Black Eyes: Stewart Lampoons Megyn Kelly, Media Focus on 'Knockout Game' Here's The Deal Budget bill moves toward likely final passage in Senate In budget deal, a secret reward for Democrats Economic Inequality Paul Krugman: Conservative Wonks, Conservative Politicians, and Recessions Josh Barro: Conservatives Have No Idea What To Do About Recessions Ryan Cooper: The GOP's Insane Great Depression Agenda Jared Bernstein: The Impact of Inequality on Growth Faith & Belief Salvation Army bell ringer punched for saying 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas' Pope Replaces Conservative U.S. Cardinal on Influential Vatican Committee Pope Francis invites homeless people to join him in his birthday breakfast 'The Advocate' magazine names Pope Francis its person of the year The Fight To Vote Study Confirms: Voter-Suppression Laws Aim To Disenfranchise Black People Hearing for North Carolina Election Law Challenge Set For July 2014 Energy, Climate & Environment Keystone XL pipeline loses support from major U.S. customer Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Makes Progress On Killing Corn-Based Ethanol Mandate Surge Seen in U.S. Oil Output, Lowering Gasoline Prices USS Ronald Reagan sailors report cancers after Fukushima rescue mission Nations In Turmoil More than 100 dead in Aleppo airstrikes; United Nations warns of 'terrifying situation' developing UN makes $6.5 billion appeal for Syrian refugees Scores killed in Iraqi bloodshed ahead of Shi'ite holy day Second day of deadly clashes in South Sudan The War Over There Two Guantanamo detainees sent home to Saudi Arabia Afghan aircraft crash kills six US soldiers International News Merkel sworn in again as German chancellor India-U.S. row escalates over diplomat's arrest Midwest Roundup GOP field for 2014 Nebraska governor race grows to six with Slone candidacy Last Keystone XL pipeline holdouts are in Nebraska Iowans lobby GOP Gov. Branstad on state budget, policy priorities during public hearing New wind turbine purchases to create hundreds of jobs in Iowa Piles of Unnecessary Fluff As most ethical people in America today who understand modern media know, just because a topic has become something "everyone is talking about" doesn't mean the topic has to have any serious substance or value. Just look at the recent furor over Megyn Kelly's ridiculous comments about white Santa and white Jesus, or the exaggerated and near apoplectic weather reports from major national sources last weekend, about the blustery but generally meager few inches of snow that fell in the U.S. Northeast - in December. The old news media trope has always been, "If it bleeds, it leads." If the only goal of a newspaper, website, TV or radio station is to get people's attention, sadly that rule is still often true. That doesn't mean the bleeding news maxim is ethically correct. It also doesn't guarantee the next hackjob media outlet down the street can't start an even bigger and more pointless rhetorical fire - all while missing the very crucial details of a very important story. Take the NSA leaks exposed through the theft of government secrets by Edward Snowden. Those leaks are making the news again today, in large part due to the ruling of a Federal judge on Monday, who determined the widespread bulk collection of telephone metadata by the NSA is likely unconstitutional. That the lawsuit against the Federal government was filed by an extremist right-wing nutjob, with a questionably racist and anti-Obama history shouldn't matter. That the suit involves information leaked by Edward Snowden, a man who broke Federal laws and that the Obama Administration believes should still face Federal charges shouldn't matter... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for December 17, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy U.S. Industrial Production Hits Prerecession Peak G.M. to Invest $1.3 Billion to Upgrade 5 Midwest Factories Unemployment Benefits Are Still Ending for 1.3 Million Americans. Kathleen Geier: Worse than you thought - What science says about the impact of unemployment Wall Street Watch Many Detect End of Line for Stimulus by the Fed FHFA May Cut Its Presence in Supporting Mortgages In 2014 Matt Taibbi: Rumored Chase Bank-Bernie Madoff Settlement Is Another Bad Joke Ryan Cooper: How Democrats can stop financial sector abuse Health Care Checkup GlaxoSmithKline Says It Will Stop Paying Doctors to Promote Drugs Insurers Fighting Hospitals' Ability To Pay Premiums For The Poor Secretary Sebelius: Obamacare Opponents Also Trying To 'Stifle' Navigators Five myths about the future of Obamacare | Approval Ratings for ACA and President Obama Climb In Latest ABC News Poll Sarah Kliff: A guide to Obamacare's ever-changing deadlines Paul Krugman: The Big Money Is Betting on Obamacare To Win Sarah Kliff: Twenty-three states still aren't expanding Medicaid. Here's who they're leaving behind. Ethics & The Media FCC Withdraws Proposal to Relax Media-Ownership Rules Good News: Boston Globe Reporter Tweets Incredible American Dream Story Media Matters USA Today plans nationwide expansion by adding reporters locally CNN Films pushing further into documentary films with addition of Acquisition Unit And now, for your Weekly OK Gazette Toon preview for December 17, 2013  (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Top tech executives to meet Tuesday with President Obama to push for limits on surveillance White House celebrates quieter holiday season with low-key parties Obama suffers most from year of turmoil, poll finds News From Capitol Hill Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid fills up Senate schedule before Christmas break Senate Confirms Jeh Johnson to Head Homeland Security Dept. Gallup Poll: Congress Bottoms Out in New Honesty and Ethics Ratings On The Left Sahil Kapur: How Patty Murray Kept Democrats In Line For The Budget Deal Jonathan Bernstein: Let's kill off this myth about second-term presidents Noam Scheiber: Democratic Schism Over Bankers vs. Reformers is Real Josh Eidelson: Worst corporate handout ever - How the government funds abusive tycoons On The Right The GOP Civil War: Conservative group claims Boehner declared war on them E.J. Dionne: Hypocrisy, Government, & "Family Values" Brian Fung: Even if Republicans catch up on data, they'll still be behind on talent Ed Kilgore:Can The GOP Unite Behind An Electable Candidate In 2016? Other Notable News Gallup Poll: Honesty and Ethics Rating of Clergy Slides to New Low | Linda Ronstadt, Nirvana, KISS among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! Paul Fell Shawn "Smith" Peirce Paul Fell Cartoons, Inc.