In days gone by, a staple brief in the New York Times used to be the "bus plunge" story, like Haiku, a specialized form of writing with some defining rules. Slate's Jack Shafer on why the art form died.

From Democracy Now!

Corporate propaganda on the six o'clock news --- A new study by the Center for Media and Democracy says Americans are still being shown public relations videos disguised as news reports on newscasts across the country. The fake reports are called Video News Releases, or VNRs. They're produced by marketing firms hired to promote products or political messages.

If this story sounds familiar, it's because dozens of stations have already been caught in the act. As we reported on Democracy Now! in April, the Center for Media and Democracy identified seventy-seven stations using VNRs in their newscasts. The findings led to an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission.

Well, despite the controversy, ten of those stations are still airing VNRs today, for a total of forty-six stations in twenty-two states. Most of the VNRs have aired on stations owned by large media conglomerates, such as News Corp., Tribune, and Disney. They've also been sponsored by some of the country's biggest corporations, including General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline, and Allstate Insurance.

In all but six cases, the television stations failed to identify where the VNRs came from. In twelve cases, television stations even edited out disclosures included in the original fake report. And in four cases, the television stations failed to disclose the reporters on the screen were actually publicists.

From the BBC:

Pakistani religious parties have warned of protests if they deem attempts to revise controversial laws, including those on rape, to be "un-Islamic".

Ruling coalition members have told the BBC that parliament will debate the revised legislation on Wednesday.

The bill was tabled but withdrawn this summer in the face of angry protests.

Under current legislation women alleging rape must produce four male witnesses. If they do not they can face prosecution for adultery.

The revised bill which was withdrawn would have allowed alleged rapists to be tried under civil as well as Islamic law.

The religious parties say they will mount a "nationwide campaign" against the Women's Protection Bill if it is not to their liking.

Fire as a suicide tool is growing in Afghanistan. It's been used by women who suffer difficult lives, either through really bad marriages or chronic abuse.

Entertainment Weekly has the 10 worst Bond girls, the 10 best, a review of the Bonds and a puff piece on the new Bond, Daniel Craig (h/t to John Gushue).

The best and worst Bond girls in those lists will come as no surprise.

Al-Jazeera is trying to duplicate the success it had in the Arab world with its launch of the English-language Al-Jazeera International.