In a move that caught many around the world by suprise, Pope Benedict announced he was stepping down. Joining Tony from Rome this morning with insight is CBS News' Sabina Castlefranco.
A reporter for the New York Times, Matt Richtel covers technology and telecommunications from the San Francisco Bureau, and in THE CLOUD (January 29, 2013) he masterfully weaves a well-documented and authoritative call to action into the slick vernacular of a thriller. In THE CLOUD, Richtel ups his game with a story of a late-night accident on a San Francisco subway platform… or was it even an accident?
Disoriented and bloodied after a near-fatal fall onto the subway tracks, freelance journalist Nat Idle discovers that a beautiful stranger has come to his aid… and that the man who barreled into him had intended to do Nat harm. What he doesn’t know is why—and his quest for answers leads him to uncover a handful of mysterious deaths, and a bizarre neurological disorder plaguing Bay Area children, as he ventures ultimately into the Cloud.
The Cloud is where we store data, secrets and dreams. But it is more than that—the Cloud has the power to change not just how we interact with the world, but our behavior and our brains. Nat, in his search for the truth, finds himself lost in a psychedelic maze, discovering things that cannot possibly be, and realizing there is no one and nothing he can trust… not even his own mind. At its core, THE CLOUD is a deeply personal story with a powerful, emotional twist that you won’t see coming.
Underlying THE CLOUD is a sweeping call for responsibility among technology producers, a pulp version of The Jungle for the digital age. And Richtel is not alone in these fears—Silicon Valley itself has begun to express reservations about the addictive power of technology of late.
Matt Richtel is an author, journalist, and cartoonist. He was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving and how heavy technology use impacts attention. Matt makes most of his living as a New York Times reporter, covering technology and telecommunications from the San Francisco bureau. He began at the paper as a freelancer in 1996 and joined the staff in 2000. Recently, he’s written the series “Your Brain on Computers” and “Grading the Digital School,” which raised questions about how schools spend money on technology and its importance as a teaching tool. Currently, Matt is a reporter for the “How We Live Team,” focusing on how technology use impacts how we live our lives and takes time to talk with Tony.
At this year's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Mumford & Sons has won Album of the Year with "Babel." Record of the Year goes to Gotye featuring Kimbra, with "Somebody That I Used to Know." And Fun. has received awards for New Artist and Song of the Year with, “We Are Young." CBS News' Steve Futterman is in Los Angeles and talks with Tony.
President Obama is set to deliver the "State of the Union Address" tomorrow night. What can we expect? Tony talks with CBS News Political Analyst Dottie Lynch.
