It may be the ultimate sign of the newspaper times that Editor & Publisher, the publication that tracks and writes about the newspaper business, is itself a reported casualty of the newspaper doomsday.
Thanks to an anonymous poster for providing the link and information for this post.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Reminder: Harold McIntyre's funeral arrangements
The arrangements can be found in an earlier post. Former FJ photographer Jane Hale gave me permission to post a couple photos she took on Harold's last day at the Flint Journal. It's cold here and I have the pictures to prove it
This is mainly for my friends and family who live in warm weather states. Coming home from a school assignment this afternoon I spotted some ice forming on a small lake near the road. Temperatures dropped like a stone today and right now are about 10-degrees outside. These ice formations on dead trees and dead weeds sometimes end up looking kind of cool. (Click on photos for a larger view)A little updated news from the Oregonian
In September, the Oregonian, an Advance publication, announced a buyout offer and we know now that 43 people accepted the voluntary buyout.
Word is that another 30 to 40 folks face lay offs to meet the company's staffing goals. That is supposed to happen soon.
This is huge for the northwest region where the Oregonian is a huge news source.
Word is that another 30 to 40 folks face lay offs to meet the company's staffing goals. That is supposed to happen soon.
This is huge for the northwest region where the Oregonian is a huge news source.
Booth (West) planning big changes Feb. 5?
Folks at Booth properties on the westside of the State are bracing for February 5th, the date of expected "changes."
With the end of the lifetime job pledge, some folks are expecting the worst.
Already this week training to help the copy desk and design functions to be consolidated with the Grand Rapids Press has been going on. Staff at the Kalamazoo Gazette is less than half of the staff there just five years ago.
Named Michigan's "Newspaper of the Year" just this year, the paper's redesign will make it into a clone of the Grand Rapids Press. Most likely to ease its production.
Cookie cutter papers take less time for a small crew to put together, more like plugging items in and out depending on which area.
The Kalamazoo Gazette, which was named the Michigan News Association's Newspaper of the Year a few weeks/months ago, will take on the design of The Grand Rapids Press.
With the end of the lifetime job pledge, some folks are expecting the worst.
Already this week training to help the copy desk and design functions to be consolidated with the Grand Rapids Press has been going on. Staff at the Kalamazoo Gazette is less than half of the staff there just five years ago.
Named Michigan's "Newspaper of the Year" just this year, the paper's redesign will make it into a clone of the Grand Rapids Press. Most likely to ease its production.
Cookie cutter papers take less time for a small crew to put together, more like plugging items in and out depending on which area.
The Kalamazoo Gazette, which was named the Michigan News Association's Newspaper of the Year a few weeks/months ago, will take on the design of The Grand Rapids Press.
President Obama lovers will need to strap on a sense of humor for this one
A friend sent me this overnight. I believe it is photo shopped.
Dad adds a few more household hazard exposures
We father pointed out in an e-mail to me that I didn't explain all the household hazards that he was raised with.
Here in his own words:
"Finally, I omitted our playing with asbestos as children. It is a mineral that we'd get a hold of somewhere and play with it. The fibers were all loose. Let's see, I was also raised in a house filled with cigarette smokers. There were many times when a pall of smoke lay so think it was difficult to see across a room. Hasn't bothered me yet!"
What he didn't mention was that he is in his 80s. Imagine, lead toys, playing with mercury, general aviation pilot, second hand smoke, asbestos exposure and he's still here.
Here in his own words:
"Finally, I omitted our playing with asbestos as children. It is a mineral that we'd get a hold of somewhere and play with it. The fibers were all loose. Let's see, I was also raised in a house filled with cigarette smokers. There were many times when a pall of smoke lay so think it was difficult to see across a room. Hasn't bothered me yet!"
What he didn't mention was that he is in his 80s. Imagine, lead toys, playing with mercury, general aviation pilot, second hand smoke, asbestos exposure and he's still here.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
A dangerous toy from my past forgotten
My father wrote in this morning to remind me that he purchased a 22-caliber, single shot rifle for my brother and I to shoot back in the 1950s. This obviously was in response to the toy safety item I wrote yesterday.
OK, it was not really a toy as the headline says, but my father taught us the safe way to use a gun and we had many wonderful hours of enjoyment with it.
The use of that rifle was strictly supervised by my father, but often involved "plinking," which was the shooting of green, plastic "army" men, jeeps and tanks in remote areas of a beach or field.
How I forgot that I don't know, but I do remember we never shot "American" army men, they were usually Germans and the occasional Japanese green, plastic army men. This was still a time in the shadow of World War II so I hope that's understandable, even if politically incorrect.
Green plastic men who were decapitated or left limbless by our "plinking" were given a proper disposal.
My father also remembered that he and his brothers often played with lead toys some that ended up in mouths. Dad has lived to a ripe old age and is reasonably sane, so it does not appear he suffered from any lead poisoning.
"Plinking," I believe is the sound of a 22-caliber bullet when it is fired.
OK, it was not really a toy as the headline says, but my father taught us the safe way to use a gun and we had many wonderful hours of enjoyment with it.
The use of that rifle was strictly supervised by my father, but often involved "plinking," which was the shooting of green, plastic "army" men, jeeps and tanks in remote areas of a beach or field.
How I forgot that I don't know, but I do remember we never shot "American" army men, they were usually Germans and the occasional Japanese green, plastic army men. This was still a time in the shadow of World War II so I hope that's understandable, even if politically incorrect.
Green plastic men who were decapitated or left limbless by our "plinking" were given a proper disposal.
My father also remembered that he and his brothers often played with lead toys some that ended up in mouths. Dad has lived to a ripe old age and is reasonably sane, so it does not appear he suffered from any lead poisoning.
"Plinking," I believe is the sound of a 22-caliber bullet when it is fired.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Zhu Zhu pet gets reprieve, safe after all
I was relieved to hear today that the Zhu Zhu pet had gotten a clean bill of health from the government. The Zhu Zhu pet was on its way to a civil lethal injection after a do-gooder group discovered it had trace amounts of a metal that was supposedly going to hurt kids.(Update: I received a comment to this story that included a website that the poster indicated was a contest for a free Zhu Zhu pet. Before posting that comment - and later rejecting the comment - I went to the website and it seemed a little odd to me so I did not post the comment on the concern that the website might not be safe for computer users. It is only about the fifth time I have had to reject a comment)
But the government (nice to know they have time for this) stepped in and said the Zhu Zhu pet met all government standards and was safe. The do-gooders now admit they used the wrong test.
My wife and I were just talking about how toy safety testing was done when we were kids. Well, actually toy safety testing wasn't done, we just had parents who decided whether we should, or should not have a certain toy.
I begged and pleaded for a b-b gun, but like the famous movie was told I couldn't have it because I could lose an eye. Parents were pretty good back then at deciding what toys were safe and which weren't.
Today, I guess we need the government to decide whether toys are good or bad.
It's a miracle I'm still alive based on what is considered toxic and dangerous today. As a kid my friends and I used to look for old or discarded mercury thermometers to break open so we could play with the mercury.
We used to shine up our dimes with the stuff using our bare hands. We would break up the beads of mercury and then put it all together again. Do that today and they'll clear your neighborhood, call out the fire department and the environmental clean-up company that employs the men in the moon suits and then bill you thousands of dollars for the clean-up.
Not ranting, just noting how things have changed. No one wants children harmed and if we can keep them safe good, but parents, in my opinion, are still the best arbiter of what is dangerous or safe for their children. But I do recognize some parents have slipped through the cracks.
I was kidding with my wife the other day that my father, a frequent visitor here, in today's world might be in big trouble for letting me ride on his lap and steer the car on some back street, without a seat belt.
My brother and I were spanked and although I can't say I liked it at the time, I'm a better man for it today.
Global climate change: Just to put your mind at ease
Are we heating up or cooling down? Here's a 1974 Time Magazine article that tried to scare us.
Here's my favorite paragraph from that story and the reason why I shut out the noise about the current global warming debate:
"Whatever the cause of the cooling trend, its effects could be extremely serious, if not catastrophic. Scientists figure that only a 1% decrease in the amount of sunlight hitting the earth's surface could tip the climatic balance, and cool the planet enough to send it sliding down the road to another ice age within only a few hundred years."
That's what many scientists believed just 35 years ago. Pssst! Here's a little secret from me to you, they don't know what is happening. They are just guessing. I'm all for saving energy and recycling, etc., but don't do the scare stuff, it's silly. Remember Y2K? Another media scare that fizzled.
Besides I enjoy driving my gas guzzling Chevrolet Tahoe. When Al Gore gives up his private jet and energy inefficient home, I'll think about down sizing my travel mode.
Here's my favorite paragraph from that story and the reason why I shut out the noise about the current global warming debate:
"Whatever the cause of the cooling trend, its effects could be extremely serious, if not catastrophic. Scientists figure that only a 1% decrease in the amount of sunlight hitting the earth's surface could tip the climatic balance, and cool the planet enough to send it sliding down the road to another ice age within only a few hundred years."
That's what many scientists believed just 35 years ago. Pssst! Here's a little secret from me to you, they don't know what is happening. They are just guessing. I'm all for saving energy and recycling, etc., but don't do the scare stuff, it's silly. Remember Y2K? Another media scare that fizzled.
Besides I enjoy driving my gas guzzling Chevrolet Tahoe. When Al Gore gives up his private jet and energy inefficient home, I'll think about down sizing my travel mode.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Inside Out is back with some fresh Booth info, video
The Inside Out blog is back with some new stuff on editor changes on the Booth management merry-g0-round and a cute video "Copy Editor's lament." Stop over and check it out.
Funeral arrangements posted for Harold McIntyre
From Swanson Funeral HomeObituaries
Harold McIntyre
(May 29, 1947 - December 4, 2009)
Guest Book Sign Guest Book Send Private Condolences
Send Flowers
Mr. Harold McIntyre-62, passed away Friday, December 4, 2009 at Brians House. Family and Friends will gather in the sanctuary of Second Friendship M.B.C., 6046 Clio Rd., Mt. Morris, on Monday, December 14, 2009 at 10:00 AM with services starting promptly at 11:00 AM, Pastor Rodney Williams, Officiating. Interment Great Lakes National Cemetery. He may be viewed on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at Swanson Funeral Home from 1-6PM.
Cover the Legislature: $15 an hour
A lot that is currently wrong with journalism can be found in this posting from Illinois.
Computer skills helpful (no mention of journalism skills, although it would be helpful if you understood the legislative process). Sheeesh. The comments are delicious too.
Thanks to Omar Sofradzija, a Facebook friend, for the link.
Computer skills helpful (no mention of journalism skills, although it would be helpful if you understood the legislative process). Sheeesh. The comments are delicious too.
Thanks to Omar Sofradzija, a Facebook friend, for the link.
Pete Hamill on writing and newspapers
Syracuse.com has a good interview with Pete Hamill with lots of stuff about newspapers and their demise.
Pete talks about the "old" days in newspaper journalism and offers some opinions about the future. He makes a really good point about the eventual destruction of newspaper libraries and what that will mean to historians.
When I first started at the Journal it had a Class A newspaper library. While many of those files remain, I'm not sure what attention is being paid to its maintenance.
Here's a couple snippets I liked from the fairly long Q&A.
"The Huffingtonpost.com does not pay its writers. Tina Browns’ thedailybeast.com does pay its writers. You have to be paid because this is not a hobby. You have to keep that standard. You can’t ask grandpa to loan you money because you have to go to Afghanistan. I walked the picket line for that to continue. "
"I’m so concerned with morgues and libraries of the newspapers. I know from writing historical novels, one of the great sources is bound volumes (of newspapers). They tell you all the detail that historians don’t. How much was a pair of shoes. What did a guy pay to go to the ballpark in 1934 during the Depression. How many people where there? The detail, you could find in the morgues, the bound volumes that have the advertising. At the very least there ought to be grant money somewhere to scan every page of it."
Pete talks about the "old" days in newspaper journalism and offers some opinions about the future. He makes a really good point about the eventual destruction of newspaper libraries and what that will mean to historians.
When I first started at the Journal it had a Class A newspaper library. While many of those files remain, I'm not sure what attention is being paid to its maintenance.
Here's a couple snippets I liked from the fairly long Q&A.
"The Huffingtonpost.com does not pay its writers. Tina Browns’ thedailybeast.com does pay its writers. You have to be paid because this is not a hobby. You have to keep that standard. You can’t ask grandpa to loan you money because you have to go to Afghanistan. I walked the picket line for that to continue. "
"I’m so concerned with morgues and libraries of the newspapers. I know from writing historical novels, one of the great sources is bound volumes (of newspapers). They tell you all the detail that historians don’t. How much was a pair of shoes. What did a guy pay to go to the ballpark in 1934 during the Depression. How many people where there? The detail, you could find in the morgues, the bound volumes that have the advertising. At the very least there ought to be grant money somewhere to scan every page of it."
Health Care debate's open process: Not so much
"What I am convinced of is if we actually hope to pass universal health care this time around we have to bring Republicans and Democrats together," said Obama. "We have to have an open and transparent process so that the American people participate in the debate and see exactly what we're doing."
On another occasion during the campaign President Obama mentioned that C-SPAN would be in the room during the health care deliberations so the American public would be party to the "open" process.
Over the weekend, Obama met privately with Democrats only to strong arm health care.
I turned to C-SPAN and guess what, couldn't find the broadcast anywhere. I get that he has given up on Republicans to cooperate, but he could still invite C-SPAN to the meeting as he promised.
Predictably, this thing has turned into a giant "Let's Make A Deal" where hold out senators and congress representatives will demand their little pork to get their vote for a bill that does not provide universal health care coverage.
I am angry (again) at both parties for not seeking a real solution, but rather a stridently partisan one.
And if you believe that the bill proposed by Congress right now will somehow save us money, make sure you put cookies out for the big man in a red suit on Christmas Eve.
There are so many lies flying around (on both sides) about this process that it would be great if someone in the media would actually break it all down. Instead of reporting on the ball game, do a little of your own inside calculations and reporting and get to the truth.
Riiiight, now it's me that will have to leave cookies out for Santa.
On another occasion during the campaign President Obama mentioned that C-SPAN would be in the room during the health care deliberations so the American public would be party to the "open" process.
Over the weekend, Obama met privately with Democrats only to strong arm health care.
I turned to C-SPAN and guess what, couldn't find the broadcast anywhere. I get that he has given up on Republicans to cooperate, but he could still invite C-SPAN to the meeting as he promised.
Predictably, this thing has turned into a giant "Let's Make A Deal" where hold out senators and congress representatives will demand their little pork to get their vote for a bill that does not provide universal health care coverage.
I am angry (again) at both parties for not seeking a real solution, but rather a stridently partisan one.
And if you believe that the bill proposed by Congress right now will somehow save us money, make sure you put cookies out for the big man in a red suit on Christmas Eve.
There are so many lies flying around (on both sides) about this process that it would be great if someone in the media would actually break it all down. Instead of reporting on the ball game, do a little of your own inside calculations and reporting and get to the truth.
Riiiight, now it's me that will have to leave cookies out for Santa.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
For Harold
This is for our departed friend, Harold McIntyre. This is "Il Silencio" trumpet solo that is a vague variation of "Taps" I had never heard before. In honor of Harold's military service I'm posting this here today. It may not be "Taps" but it is just as beautiful.
For some more information on the connection of "Il Silencio" to the more common military "Taps" I found this reference.
For some more information on the connection of "Il Silencio" to the more common military "Taps" I found this reference.
'I believe'
My friend Drew, who I have known since high school in La Crescenta, California, is a priest and sent these to me in an e-mail. I'm sure he got them from someone else, but I think all, or at least most of us can find hope, comfort and understanding in all of them.
I Believe
A Birth Certificate shows that we were born. A Death Certificate shows that we died. Pictures show that we lived! Have a seat . .. . Relax . . . And read this slowly.
I Believe... That just because two people argue, doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, doesn't mean they do love each other.
I Believe... That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I Believe.... That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe... That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I Believe.... That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe... That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I Believe... That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe.... That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I Believe... That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I Believe.... That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe... That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I Believe... That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I Believe... That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time.
I Believe... That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe... That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe... That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them.....and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I Believe... That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I Believe... That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I Believe... That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I Believe... That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.
I Believe... Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I Believe... That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I Believe... That even when you think you have no more to give, if a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I Believe... That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe... That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
Here's a little more wisdom.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.
Thank you God for all the wonderful people who help us throughout the journey of life. May Angels guard you and guide you.
Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!!!
I Believe
A Birth Certificate shows that we were born. A Death Certificate shows that we died. Pictures show that we lived! Have a seat . .. . Relax . . . And read this slowly.
I Believe... That just because two people argue, doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, doesn't mean they do love each other.
I Believe... That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I Believe.... That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe... That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I Believe.... That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe... That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I Believe... That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe.... That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I Believe... That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I Believe.... That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe... That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I Believe... That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I Believe... That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time.
I Believe... That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe... That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe... That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them.....and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I Believe... That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I Believe... That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I Believe... That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I Believe... That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.
I Believe... Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I Believe... That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I Believe... That even when you think you have no more to give, if a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I Believe... That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe... That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
Here's a little more wisdom.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.
Thank you God for all the wonderful people who help us throughout the journey of life. May Angels guard you and guide you.
Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!!!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Harold McIntyre, RIP
Harold McIntyre, a former colleague at the Flint Journal, died today. Harold, I believe was in the second group of buy out employees (my group) and retired about the same time that I did.
I understand he had been ill in recent weeks, but don't know the details of how he died. (Sometime this afternoon another former FJ colleague sent me two additional photos of Harold, I thank him).
No one who worked with Harold will forget his kind and gentle nature and his always present smile during those years he worked the desk in the lobby of the Flint Journal.
According to his Facebook page (just now when I went to look up his page his picture flashed on my home page asking me to suggest friends for Harold) he was 64. He was married and had a daughter.
A few years ago he posed with me and several other military veterans for a photo of Flint Journal veterans, he could still get into his uniform (back row, second from the left).
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Swanson Funeral Home in Flint. When the arrangements and obituary are available I will post them here.
I understand he had been ill in recent weeks, but don't know the details of how he died. (Sometime this afternoon another former FJ colleague sent me two additional photos of Harold, I thank him).
No one who worked with Harold will forget his kind and gentle nature and his always present smile during those years he worked the desk in the lobby of the Flint Journal.
According to his Facebook page (just now when I went to look up his page his picture flashed on my home page asking me to suggest friends for Harold) he was 64. He was married and had a daughter.
A few years ago he posed with me and several other military veterans for a photo of Flint Journal veterans, he could still get into his uniform (back row, second from the left).
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Swanson Funeral Home in Flint. When the arrangements and obituary are available I will post them here.
Three big huge, tragic and fiery inferno cliches in one day
Just had to vent about hearing several news cliches in one day on broadcasts.
No. 1: There have been several "fiery infernos in this neighborhood tonight." I guess that's in contrast to a non-fiery inferno.
No. 2: "Big, huge." in reference to Christmas sales. Which I guess is different from "small, huge."
No. 3: "A tragic murder." As opposed to the non-tragic ones. Only one worse is the "brutal murder" sticker put on by some reporters. Is there a murder that is not brutal?
And while I'm on the subject, the word tragic is often used incorrectly. Not finding a popular Christmas toy or even losing your home is not really tragic. Some things are horrible and awful, but if you walk away alive, it was probably not tragic. Nothing should be tragic unless someone loses a life.
When I hear more, I'll share again. If you are guilty of using these, in the name of all that is journalism, please stop.
No. 1: There have been several "fiery infernos in this neighborhood tonight." I guess that's in contrast to a non-fiery inferno.
No. 2: "Big, huge." in reference to Christmas sales. Which I guess is different from "small, huge."
No. 3: "A tragic murder." As opposed to the non-tragic ones. Only one worse is the "brutal murder" sticker put on by some reporters. Is there a murder that is not brutal?
And while I'm on the subject, the word tragic is often used incorrectly. Not finding a popular Christmas toy or even losing your home is not really tragic. Some things are horrible and awful, but if you walk away alive, it was probably not tragic. Nothing should be tragic unless someone loses a life.
When I hear more, I'll share again. If you are guilty of using these, in the name of all that is journalism, please stop.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Every newspaper journalist will love this cartoon
I'd love to post the cartoon right here on my blog, but the cartoonist sells them and I don't want to violate the copyright. But apparently the artist doesn't mind people stopping by to look so here is a link to a very apt cartoon.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
An inside view of the newly departed Detroit Daily Press
(Update: Just to be clear this column was written by James Briggs and is posted on his blog - link on headline. This was not written by Jim Smith the author of this blog. I agree that it is very well written and completely describes the love and passion we all have/had for the business. If you have direct comments for Mr. Briggs please head over to his blog and make them there.)
The Detroit Daily Press was fool's gold
by James Briggs
I’ll remember my week at the here-today-gone-tomorrow Detroit Daily Press as the week I didn’t see my wife.
Hired to cover the Lions and Red Wings for the Daily Press, I logged (well, that’s probably not the right word, since my hourly count held no relation to payment) about 80 hours, not counting the mandatory pro bono work prior to Nov. 19, and filed 14 articles. I was not scheduled for a day off at the time of the Daily Press’ demise.
Perhaps that should have been a clue that the Daily Press wouldn’t appear on anyone’s best-places-to-work list. But to the extent that I was responsible for the startup newspaper’s success, I reasoned, I’d take a paper route if the paper needed me to (apparently it did).
I received word via Facebook that the Daily Press had ceased publication on Friday, while I was at Ford Field for a high-school football state final. My initial reaction was not horror – that came later – but rather relief. I called my wife and told her I’d get to spend the rest of Thanksgiving weekend with her.
Daily Press photo editor Rodney Curtis expressed similar relief in his blog, saying:
It seems my family is happy to have me back. Even if I’m not adding money to the coffers. Christmas won’t be, how shall we say, overly extravagant this year but the crazy enigmatic smile on my daughter’s face when she heard the paper closed after only five days of publication said it all. There was good and bad in that smile. Mostly good though. She just didn’t want to overly show how gleeful she was that Mr. Grumpy Puss had gone into hibernation and possible extinction.
What went wrong with the Daily Press?
The most commonly cited reasons for the paper’s failure have been advertising (there wasn’t any) and distribution (ditto). Reporter Wendy Clem has written a piece suggesting intimidation from outside influences led to circulation problems.
She might be right. But even if she is, it doesn’t matter.
At the end of the day, the Daily Press arose with neither the technological nor human infrastructures in place to get the job done. The newspaper chewed up its staff like a piece of gum and spit it out when the flavor had subsided. I think the paper turned out well for five days, but we wouldn’t have had the stamina to keep it up.
You could argue these words come from a jilted employee, and you’d be right. Almost immediately after I gave up a job I liked at AnnArbor.com, the broken promises began. “Give your previous employer whatever they need” became “we need to be your priority now.” A promised five-day work week became a joke – the Daily Press couldn’t fill its sports section unless I worked from morning until, well, the next morning.
While I might sound angry at the newspaper, I’m not. I’m angry at myself in the same way you might get angry if you fell for a Nigerian scam. You knew it was too good to be true, but you let greed take over and wash away common sense.
You vividly remember the last possible moment you could have backed out, when all your analytical instincts were screaming at you to walk away, and you want that moment back. But you – I – didn’t listen, and the moment passed. Now, all that’s left is getting over the embarrassment and moving on.
When I first heard about the Detroit Daily Press, I said it had no chance. Yet, when the paper offered me a job, I drowned my logic and dove for the scam. All of us who came on board made up reasons to believe this newspaper somehow would persist when all evidence suggested the battle was hopeless.
That’s how it is when you’re addicted to something. And I’m more convinced than ever that print journalism is a drug for those who love it.
Some of my colleagues remain hooked on the drug, believing the presses will roll again in January. But the Daily Press isn’t coming back. If you can’t sell advertising the week of Thanksgiving, how will you do it in January, the worst month of the year in terms of newspaper revenue?
The Detroit Daily Press was fool’s gold for dozens of people clinging to the hope that newspapers could still succeed in these-here hills, long after the hills had proved barren.
I gave up a job and poured every ounce of energy into dredging up that fantasy, and walked away with a check for $344 and the promise of another soon-to-come check.
On the plus side, I suppose that’s more than anyone ever recouped from a Nigerian scam.
The Detroit Daily Press was fool's gold
by James Briggs
I’ll remember my week at the here-today-gone-tomorrow Detroit Daily Press as the week I didn’t see my wife.
Hired to cover the Lions and Red Wings for the Daily Press, I logged (well, that’s probably not the right word, since my hourly count held no relation to payment) about 80 hours, not counting the mandatory pro bono work prior to Nov. 19, and filed 14 articles. I was not scheduled for a day off at the time of the Daily Press’ demise.
Perhaps that should have been a clue that the Daily Press wouldn’t appear on anyone’s best-places-to-work list. But to the extent that I was responsible for the startup newspaper’s success, I reasoned, I’d take a paper route if the paper needed me to (apparently it did).
I received word via Facebook that the Daily Press had ceased publication on Friday, while I was at Ford Field for a high-school football state final. My initial reaction was not horror – that came later – but rather relief. I called my wife and told her I’d get to spend the rest of Thanksgiving weekend with her.
Daily Press photo editor Rodney Curtis expressed similar relief in his blog, saying:
It seems my family is happy to have me back. Even if I’m not adding money to the coffers. Christmas won’t be, how shall we say, overly extravagant this year but the crazy enigmatic smile on my daughter’s face when she heard the paper closed after only five days of publication said it all. There was good and bad in that smile. Mostly good though. She just didn’t want to overly show how gleeful she was that Mr. Grumpy Puss had gone into hibernation and possible extinction.
What went wrong with the Daily Press?
The most commonly cited reasons for the paper’s failure have been advertising (there wasn’t any) and distribution (ditto). Reporter Wendy Clem has written a piece suggesting intimidation from outside influences led to circulation problems.
She might be right. But even if she is, it doesn’t matter.
At the end of the day, the Daily Press arose with neither the technological nor human infrastructures in place to get the job done. The newspaper chewed up its staff like a piece of gum and spit it out when the flavor had subsided. I think the paper turned out well for five days, but we wouldn’t have had the stamina to keep it up.
You could argue these words come from a jilted employee, and you’d be right. Almost immediately after I gave up a job I liked at AnnArbor.com, the broken promises began. “Give your previous employer whatever they need” became “we need to be your priority now.” A promised five-day work week became a joke – the Daily Press couldn’t fill its sports section unless I worked from morning until, well, the next morning.
While I might sound angry at the newspaper, I’m not. I’m angry at myself in the same way you might get angry if you fell for a Nigerian scam. You knew it was too good to be true, but you let greed take over and wash away common sense.
You vividly remember the last possible moment you could have backed out, when all your analytical instincts were screaming at you to walk away, and you want that moment back. But you – I – didn’t listen, and the moment passed. Now, all that’s left is getting over the embarrassment and moving on.
When I first heard about the Detroit Daily Press, I said it had no chance. Yet, when the paper offered me a job, I drowned my logic and dove for the scam. All of us who came on board made up reasons to believe this newspaper somehow would persist when all evidence suggested the battle was hopeless.
That’s how it is when you’re addicted to something. And I’m more convinced than ever that print journalism is a drug for those who love it.
Some of my colleagues remain hooked on the drug, believing the presses will roll again in January. But the Daily Press isn’t coming back. If you can’t sell advertising the week of Thanksgiving, how will you do it in January, the worst month of the year in terms of newspaper revenue?
The Detroit Daily Press was fool’s gold for dozens of people clinging to the hope that newspapers could still succeed in these-here hills, long after the hills had proved barren.
I gave up a job and poured every ounce of energy into dredging up that fantasy, and walked away with a check for $344 and the promise of another soon-to-come check.
On the plus side, I suppose that’s more than anyone ever recouped from a Nigerian scam.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A bedtime fairy tale: Once Upon a Time there was the Detroit Daily Press
It was understandably upsetting to staff members of the Detroit Daily Press that the experiment lasted less than a week.
But a former staffer, Wendy Clem, has written a fairy tale about what was behind the collapse of the venture.
I'm not going to go line-by-line, but I'm sure that any prudent printer would have demanded cash up front (most do for new customers). Printing a newspaper involves a huge investment of paper (not cheap) and labor so you certainly couldn't fault a printer for wanting money up front for printing.
From what I understand the issue with distributing the newspapers at CVS involved the refusal (or ignorance) of the DDP in knowing they would have to put a universal code on each product.
So I read Wendy's tome with an air of understanding that it must have hurt to put all that time in and have it collapse so quickly, but her assertions of a big media "mafia" is absurd. The paper collapsed because it was not well financed and not well planned.
And her other assertion that all employees have been paid is bunk. I know one of them and so far, no check.
But a former staffer, Wendy Clem, has written a fairy tale about what was behind the collapse of the venture.
I'm not going to go line-by-line, but I'm sure that any prudent printer would have demanded cash up front (most do for new customers). Printing a newspaper involves a huge investment of paper (not cheap) and labor so you certainly couldn't fault a printer for wanting money up front for printing.
From what I understand the issue with distributing the newspapers at CVS involved the refusal (or ignorance) of the DDP in knowing they would have to put a universal code on each product.
So I read Wendy's tome with an air of understanding that it must have hurt to put all that time in and have it collapse so quickly, but her assertions of a big media "mafia" is absurd. The paper collapsed because it was not well financed and not well planned.
And her other assertion that all employees have been paid is bunk. I know one of them and so far, no check.
Monday, November 30, 2009
A good column on the current state of journalism
Michael Gerson of the Washington Post has some decent thoughts on the current state of journalism and newspapers.
More Tiger nonsense from my Dad
My father's mind is in overdrive (pun intended) over the Tiger Woods accident.
"Thinking of Woods as the professional golfer he is, I wonder when he drove out of his driveway, did he swerve to the left taking out the fire hydrant and hitting the tree? This would be classified as a hook, something he does frequently with drives on the golf course. Maybe he swerved to the right and created a slice?"
"It is apparent to me that Tiger has awesome talent in driving golf balls, driving a car is an entirely another matter!"
"Thinking of Woods as the professional golfer he is, I wonder when he drove out of his driveway, did he swerve to the left taking out the fire hydrant and hitting the tree? This would be classified as a hook, something he does frequently with drives on the golf course. Maybe he swerved to the right and created a slice?"
"It is apparent to me that Tiger has awesome talent in driving golf balls, driving a car is an entirely another matter!"
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Let's hope no one pays White House party crashers a dime
Celebrity in today's America is a fleeting thing. People want it so badly they will pretend their small child hitched a ride on a weather balloon, will make people eat disgusting bugs and most recently bring an uninvited couple to a State Dinner at the White House.
Now comes word that the White House party crashers are shopping around their story to various networks.
A pox on the news company (and you know someone will find a way to pay these idiots) that sacrifices its ethics for a one-time spike in ratings.
There's a lot wrong with this story, especially the appalling lack of security for the President and his guests, but rewarding these two for this hoax would be the topper.
The biggest punishment for this couple would be the agreement by all news outlets that the couple's name is never used in any future stories. Now that would be punishment.
Now comes word that the White House party crashers are shopping around their story to various networks.
A pox on the news company (and you know someone will find a way to pay these idiots) that sacrifices its ethics for a one-time spike in ratings.
There's a lot wrong with this story, especially the appalling lack of security for the President and his guests, but rewarding these two for this hoax would be the topper.
The biggest punishment for this couple would be the agreement by all news outlets that the couple's name is never used in any future stories. Now that would be punishment.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Tiger Woods 'caught' driving an Escalade
My father, one of the best copy editors ever, picked up this little detail in all the inane coverage of Tiger Wood's little accident in Florida. I know it's news, but this has been headlining the news, come on.
Anyway my father points out that after years of taking millions to promote Buick, the news is reporting that he wrecked in an Escalade. Still American, but not much loyalty to a brand that brought him lots of dough.
Anyway my father points out that after years of taking millions to promote Buick, the news is reporting that he wrecked in an Escalade. Still American, but not much loyalty to a brand that brought him lots of dough.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Detroit Daily Press suspends publication, vows to start up again
Gotta wonder what kind of plan, or lack thereof, the owners and managers of the Detroit Daily Press had that caused them to close up shop after just five days.
As I mentioned previously there was great hope and optimism for this venture, but clearly starting a print newspaper at this time is like shoveling sand against the tide.
Although the announcement said the closing was due to "circumstances beyond our control" that rings a little hollow because the original launch had already been delayed for months.
If I had a guess I suspect they were trying to put this together without risking a lot of money up front. That probably meant employees working for free, printers hoping for payment and truck drivers anxious to get paid.
Frankly, if you can't put together an advertising package the week of the start of Christmas shopping, there is little hope of making a go of it after the first of the year, which is the new supposed start date of the paper.
I wouldn't hold my breath that we will ever see another copy of the Detroit Daily Press. Too bad as many good people were hoping for a second chance at journalism.
As I mentioned previously there was great hope and optimism for this venture, but clearly starting a print newspaper at this time is like shoveling sand against the tide.
Although the announcement said the closing was due to "circumstances beyond our control" that rings a little hollow because the original launch had already been delayed for months.
If I had a guess I suspect they were trying to put this together without risking a lot of money up front. That probably meant employees working for free, printers hoping for payment and truck drivers anxious to get paid.
Frankly, if you can't put together an advertising package the week of the start of Christmas shopping, there is little hope of making a go of it after the first of the year, which is the new supposed start date of the paper.
I wouldn't hold my breath that we will ever see another copy of the Detroit Daily Press. Too bad as many good people were hoping for a second chance at journalism.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanks!
It has been a tough year. On the first day of the year, my younger brother Michael died. In April, Joan's mother had a severe stroke and in July, her father died. We have also lost other family and friends this year.Today we will be visiting Joan's mother and eating a special Thanksgiving in her new home, Father Baker Nursing Home in Orchard Park, New York. Despite all that has happened this past 11 months we remain thankful for the many blessings we have and continue to receive.
We both are in good health. We are both retired (me, sort of) and we have been blessed with four great children, William, Timothy, John and Elin. In recent years we have added a daughter-in-law, Nicole and three grandchildren, Brittany, Addisen and just this October, Griffen, our first grandson.
We thank God for all the blessings we enjoy and we also are very thankful for our many, many wonderful friends and family.
So today, this will be the only posting, with a wish that anyone passing by and reading today will stop and give thanks for the blessings in their lives.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Heard on the TV news
On the local Buffalo news tonight (yes, we are back in Buffalo) the anchor teased the 11 p.m. newscast with the following.
"A Buffalo Police officer was forced to dodge two bullets tonight....."
Oh, really? That will come news to a lot of police officers that you can actually "dodge" bullets.
There's a saying in police work: "You never hear the bullet that hits you." Only in movies can you duck and dodge bullets.
"A Buffalo Police officer was forced to dodge two bullets tonight....."
Oh, really? That will come news to a lot of police officers that you can actually "dodge" bullets.
There's a saying in police work: "You never hear the bullet that hits you." Only in movies can you duck and dodge bullets.
Geography by Americans
Found this on Facebook and loved it. I think it was Jon Stewart who said that it was wars that taught Americans geography. (Click to enlarge map above)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Detroit News on the Detroit Daily Press
Here's the Detroit News article on the Detroit Daily Press. Also don't you love the new advertising gimmick of putting links to ads (the ones in this article lead to a Staples ad) inside the editorial copy?
This kind of stupidity is available only in newspapers
Right on the heels of my stupid holiday stories comes this from the Detroit Free Press via the Associated Press.
Only an editor desperate to fill space would have thought this a worthy story for a holiday week.
Let's do the logic. If you are close enough to a person to kiss them on the cheek, you are likely close enough to spread a virus to them whether or not you kiss them on the cheek or mouth. Or, perish the thought, shake their hands! All this, and I'm not even a doctor.
You can't walk 10-feet anymore without some hand sanitizer dispenser available to rub on your hands.
We all need to get a grip. This hysteria over viruses is stupid, in my humble opinion of course. Want to avoid getting a virus, stay home, avoid contact with all people, never leave your house and use hand sanitizer hourly.
Otherwise, get out, meet people, kiss them on the mouth and cheek and, yes, maybe get sick, develop an immunity and live your life. I think I heard my mother tell me once that when one kid got chicken pox the mothers would have a "party" bring all the children together so they would get the disease and get it behind them.
We are raising a generation of weenies.
And just in case you meet me sometime soon, I'm still sneezing into my hands, can't get into that blowing snot and spit into my sleeve thing. (Besides, according to the article in the Free Press they want everyone to touch you on your upper arm or shoulder instead of shaking hands. They need to get their sneezing etiquette straight.
Only an editor desperate to fill space would have thought this a worthy story for a holiday week.
Let's do the logic. If you are close enough to a person to kiss them on the cheek, you are likely close enough to spread a virus to them whether or not you kiss them on the cheek or mouth. Or, perish the thought, shake their hands! All this, and I'm not even a doctor.
You can't walk 10-feet anymore without some hand sanitizer dispenser available to rub on your hands.
We all need to get a grip. This hysteria over viruses is stupid, in my humble opinion of course. Want to avoid getting a virus, stay home, avoid contact with all people, never leave your house and use hand sanitizer hourly.
Otherwise, get out, meet people, kiss them on the mouth and cheek and, yes, maybe get sick, develop an immunity and live your life. I think I heard my mother tell me once that when one kid got chicken pox the mothers would have a "party" bring all the children together so they would get the disease and get it behind them.
We are raising a generation of weenies.
And just in case you meet me sometime soon, I'm still sneezing into my hands, can't get into that blowing snot and spit into my sleeve thing. (Besides, according to the article in the Free Press they want everyone to touch you on your upper arm or shoulder instead of shaking hands. They need to get their sneezing etiquette straight.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tis' the season for Santa's helper to come early
Anytime soon, we should start to see the annual river of Christmas news cliches.
Look for the lede "Christmas came early for (insert name of lucky person/family/agency) when...(insert name of benevolent or lucky act).
Or "Tis the season for (Christmas thieves to prey on shoppers/for car thefts at the mall/or name your favorite Christmas malady).
And finally, there will be a story or two how a Good Samaritan became a "Santa" to some poor unfortunate family or individual.
Also, sometime this week, some person or family will be saved from some tragic, or less than tragic event and the story lede will include something like this:
The Smith family will have something to really be thankful for when they sit down to their Thanksgiving table Thursday.....
Seasonal news cliches are the worse and they make an appearance every year starting about now. I'd love you to share those that you find or add your own favorite seasonal cliches here.
We've all done them, although after a few years of doing them you realize they are not only tired, but really bad writing.
Perhaps my favorite revenge on an editor came back in the 1980s when I was given my third straight Thanksgiving Day story to write. One year I interviewed a Native American family about how they celebrated Thanksgiving (a really bad assignment from an editor). Another year I did something about what some prominent leaders were thankful for (presumably their undeserved re-elections). But finally when I was told at the last minute to come up with my third straight Thanksgiving Day story I got my revenge.
Another reporter had failed to produce a Thanksgiving Day story and the editor turned to me on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and told me to come up with something for Thanksgiving Day. So I found a local turkey farmer and talked to him about turkeys and then wrote a first person story from the point of view of the turkey.
I handed the story in just before I left about 4 p.m. Wednesday and the editor thought it was the worse thing she had ever seen. It may have been one of the worst stories I ever wrote, but I avoided any further such assignments when Thanksgiving rolled around the next year. Bad, or not, the story ran on Page 1 the next day. There was a paper to fill, after all.
Our only consolation in writing those trite stories was the realization that most people only picked up the Thanksgiving Day newspaper for the pile of sales advertisements and that few would actually read the trite little stories we wrote for those days.
Look for the lede "Christmas came early for (insert name of lucky person/family/agency) when...(insert name of benevolent or lucky act).
Or "Tis the season for (Christmas thieves to prey on shoppers/for car thefts at the mall/or name your favorite Christmas malady).
And finally, there will be a story or two how a Good Samaritan became a "Santa" to some poor unfortunate family or individual.
Also, sometime this week, some person or family will be saved from some tragic, or less than tragic event and the story lede will include something like this:
The Smith family will have something to really be thankful for when they sit down to their Thanksgiving table Thursday.....
Seasonal news cliches are the worse and they make an appearance every year starting about now. I'd love you to share those that you find or add your own favorite seasonal cliches here.
We've all done them, although after a few years of doing them you realize they are not only tired, but really bad writing.
Perhaps my favorite revenge on an editor came back in the 1980s when I was given my third straight Thanksgiving Day story to write. One year I interviewed a Native American family about how they celebrated Thanksgiving (a really bad assignment from an editor). Another year I did something about what some prominent leaders were thankful for (presumably their undeserved re-elections). But finally when I was told at the last minute to come up with my third straight Thanksgiving Day story I got my revenge.
Another reporter had failed to produce a Thanksgiving Day story and the editor turned to me on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and told me to come up with something for Thanksgiving Day. So I found a local turkey farmer and talked to him about turkeys and then wrote a first person story from the point of view of the turkey.
I handed the story in just before I left about 4 p.m. Wednesday and the editor thought it was the worse thing she had ever seen. It may have been one of the worst stories I ever wrote, but I avoided any further such assignments when Thanksgiving rolled around the next year. Bad, or not, the story ran on Page 1 the next day. There was a paper to fill, after all.
Our only consolation in writing those trite stories was the realization that most people only picked up the Thanksgiving Day newspaper for the pile of sales advertisements and that few would actually read the trite little stories we wrote for those days.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Volunteer journalists, the new wave
Liz Vozz who has done some good work chronicling the new world of journalism has this from yesterday. It's about how many out-of-work writers are working for free. It mirrors a little the post I put up yesterday about blogging.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Two years and still blogging
It's hard to believe, but it has been two years to the day that I started "Free From Editors" with this post. On December 1st it will be a full two years that I retired from the reporting job I truly loved.
For me, and most writers, we have to write. It's not an option, it's how we breathe and live. So whether or not I get paid for it, I will always have a desire to write. Some people like talking on the phone, others like to sit on a bar stool and talk, but for a writer there is simply only one satisfying, and sometimes frustrating outlet, and that is at a keyboard.
Most writers knew from early on that writing was in their blood. My stepdaughter Elin has a gift and I hope she continues pursuing it. I'm the lucky one who gets to read the chapter proofs of her novel.
Most newspaper reporters will get what I'm going to talk about next.
While some people have a gift for writing, others of us, me included, have to work at that part. I liked writing, but it was work. Finding the right word, phrase, or proper organization was always difficult for me. For others it came easy.
Others have a different gift, the one that endears you to sources, gets them to tell you things they are not supposed to tell you and then lead you to others who will flesh out a story. If I had a gift, it was in this area. People found it easy to tell me things and they trusted me to tell it honestly and straight.
While I sometimes failed, it was not because I didn't try. And I proudly can say I never betrayed a confidence, not even to a demanding editor. I have scrapped stories rather than reveal a source, even to my editor. I always felt a promise, was a promise.
When certain editors demanded I give them source cellphone or contact phone numbers, I ignored them. I didn't tell them I was ignoring them, but I did ignore them. I wasn't sharing those hard won numbers with anyone.
Good editors didn't ask, the bad ones weren't smart enough to figure out that the numbers that I did supply them were the same numbers they could have gotten themselves - out of a phone book.
The dirty little secret is that reporters are often lone wolves, which is an apt description on a number of levels, and good editors honored them by turning them loose to hunt. Bad editors tried - and mostly failed - to domesticate and leash them, which is frankly impossible.
So while I admit to pretending to go along with some editor stupidity during my last few years, I did so just to survive and when I was out of eye and earshot, I returned to the wild.
This blog has had a pretty narrow focus, although I occasionally stray into non-journalism areas, and therefore a pretty narrow readership, about 22,000 different individuals have stopped by.
On any given day there will be between 350-500 people stopping by to check in. On my highest day, the day last March I broke the news about the Flint Journal, Bay City Times and Saginaw News dumping the daily product for the three-day-a-week product, more than 2,000 individuals stopped by during a 24-hour period.
Ultimately, this is my blog and so far it has earned me $29.42 in ad revenue and nothing else. But it has kept me writing and for that I'm grateful. To the extent that some of you enjoy the blog, I get pleasure from that. And thanks to all of you for stopping by and being part of the conversation, even when it was to disagree.
Hopefully, we'll keep on, keeping on.
For me, and most writers, we have to write. It's not an option, it's how we breathe and live. So whether or not I get paid for it, I will always have a desire to write. Some people like talking on the phone, others like to sit on a bar stool and talk, but for a writer there is simply only one satisfying, and sometimes frustrating outlet, and that is at a keyboard.
Most writers knew from early on that writing was in their blood. My stepdaughter Elin has a gift and I hope she continues pursuing it. I'm the lucky one who gets to read the chapter proofs of her novel.
Most newspaper reporters will get what I'm going to talk about next.
While some people have a gift for writing, others of us, me included, have to work at that part. I liked writing, but it was work. Finding the right word, phrase, or proper organization was always difficult for me. For others it came easy.
Others have a different gift, the one that endears you to sources, gets them to tell you things they are not supposed to tell you and then lead you to others who will flesh out a story. If I had a gift, it was in this area. People found it easy to tell me things and they trusted me to tell it honestly and straight.
While I sometimes failed, it was not because I didn't try. And I proudly can say I never betrayed a confidence, not even to a demanding editor. I have scrapped stories rather than reveal a source, even to my editor. I always felt a promise, was a promise.
When certain editors demanded I give them source cellphone or contact phone numbers, I ignored them. I didn't tell them I was ignoring them, but I did ignore them. I wasn't sharing those hard won numbers with anyone.
Good editors didn't ask, the bad ones weren't smart enough to figure out that the numbers that I did supply them were the same numbers they could have gotten themselves - out of a phone book.
The dirty little secret is that reporters are often lone wolves, which is an apt description on a number of levels, and good editors honored them by turning them loose to hunt. Bad editors tried - and mostly failed - to domesticate and leash them, which is frankly impossible.
So while I admit to pretending to go along with some editor stupidity during my last few years, I did so just to survive and when I was out of eye and earshot, I returned to the wild.
This blog has had a pretty narrow focus, although I occasionally stray into non-journalism areas, and therefore a pretty narrow readership, about 22,000 different individuals have stopped by.
On any given day there will be between 350-500 people stopping by to check in. On my highest day, the day last March I broke the news about the Flint Journal, Bay City Times and Saginaw News dumping the daily product for the three-day-a-week product, more than 2,000 individuals stopped by during a 24-hour period.
Ultimately, this is my blog and so far it has earned me $29.42 in ad revenue and nothing else. But it has kept me writing and for that I'm grateful. To the extent that some of you enjoy the blog, I get pleasure from that. And thanks to all of you for stopping by and being part of the conversation, even when it was to disagree.
Hopefully, we'll keep on, keeping on.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Mammogram decision just the first for rationed medical care
So a government panel now says routine mammograms are not necessary for women 40-49.
My late mother, who died at 59 after a 15-year battle with breast cancer would completely disagree if she were still around to hear the news.
So this is how the government will save money for its managed government health program. It will just scale back life-saving tests and procedures.
The only reason my mother had a few extra years was the early diagnosis of her breast cancer about 1972.
Before the onset of the beloved government health care option we're already seeing that the government can't deliver enough flu vaccine and now this insane advice to women. Stay tuned, it will only get worse.
My late mother, who died at 59 after a 15-year battle with breast cancer would completely disagree if she were still around to hear the news.
So this is how the government will save money for its managed government health program. It will just scale back life-saving tests and procedures.
The only reason my mother had a few extra years was the early diagnosis of her breast cancer about 1972.
Before the onset of the beloved government health care option we're already seeing that the government can't deliver enough flu vaccine and now this insane advice to women. Stay tuned, it will only get worse.
Detroit Daily Press: How to subscribe
If you live in the three county Metropolitan Detroit area the Detroit Daily Press will deliver a daily newspaper - 7 days a week (what a concept) - beginning November 30. To subscribe go here.
I'm hoping they have a strong start and build on it.
I'm hoping they have a strong start and build on it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
AnnArbor.com offers free Internet, comfy couches
Made my monthly stop over on AnnArbor.com and found out they now have free Internet and comfy couches available. Apparently, it has been slow so far. The comments on the article are pretty brutal.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Something light for the weekend. Thoughts to ponder
A friend sent me these thoughts to ponder (with my comments in bold italic):
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer's history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (Maybe my favorite of the whole bunch)
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (A pet peeve of mine too)
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories. (True fact)
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day. (Never happened to me ;) - Riiiiight!)
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. (Whats Blue Ray?)
13.. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to the ten-page paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever. (Guilty)
15. I hate it when I miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (I don't do this)
18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with a Budweiser than Kay.
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer's history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (Maybe my favorite of the whole bunch)
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (A pet peeve of mine too)
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories. (True fact)
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day. (Never happened to me ;) - Riiiiight!)
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. (Whats Blue Ray?)
13.. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to the ten-page paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever. (Guilty)
15. I hate it when I miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (I don't do this)
18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with a Budweiser than Kay.
It's official: Detroit Daily Press debuts November 23
A couple very familiar names among those hired. I knew one for several weeks, but couldn't say. Crain's has a story from the press conference today.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Media got shooting info wrong, again: Editor and Publisher
Editor and Publisher has a pretty harsh criticism of the coverage of the Fort Hood shootings last week.
First the uncorrected (for hours) report that the shooter had been killed and then the complete refresh of the information crediting the woman police officer with shooting the suspect when it was actually an African-American police officer.
The E&P article hints at a possible racial reason (the woman police officer was white) for the mistake, I really think E&P has gone over the edge on this one.
Clearly, news organizations were relying on military reports in the early hours and the blame for the misinformation falls to the the military. It is highly unlikely reporters had access to the scene or any of the witnesses in those early hours so it is hard to fault the media for quoting military sources for the info.
First the uncorrected (for hours) report that the shooter had been killed and then the complete refresh of the information crediting the woman police officer with shooting the suspect when it was actually an African-American police officer.
The E&P article hints at a possible racial reason (the woman police officer was white) for the mistake, I really think E&P has gone over the edge on this one.
Clearly, news organizations were relying on military reports in the early hours and the blame for the misinformation falls to the the military. It is highly unlikely reporters had access to the scene or any of the witnesses in those early hours so it is hard to fault the media for quoting military sources for the info.
New Detroit Daily Press close to hitting the streets
Editor and Publisher is announcing a press conference for tomorrow, Friday, November 13th, for some important new information about the launch of The Detroit Daily Press.
I know one of the reporters hired for the new paper and he's a great choice to begin the nucleus of a reporting staff.
While it might seem a little like shoveling sand against the tide to start a daily paper when so many are going the other way, I have to admit I really, really want this to work. If the new owners believe they can make a living with a daily product with a 150,000 readership, I don't think that will be hard to reach.
Anyway, I love people who take on a great challenge and I wish them well.
I know one of the reporters hired for the new paper and he's a great choice to begin the nucleus of a reporting staff.
While it might seem a little like shoveling sand against the tide to start a daily paper when so many are going the other way, I have to admit I really, really want this to work. If the new owners believe they can make a living with a daily product with a 150,000 readership, I don't think that will be hard to reach.
Anyway, I love people who take on a great challenge and I wish them well.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thank you veterans!
Today is the day that we honor veterans. My father, a World War II veteran, wrote to me this morning that his plans for this day are to get his ears roto-rootered so he can hear again. He is shunning the free meal offerings, but I want him to know that I and others appreciate his World War II service.As readers of this blog will know it has been a sad year for me, my younger brother Mike, a Vietnam veteran, died on New Year's Day. My father-in-law Red, a member of the 75th Division in World War II died July 7th and my former father-in-law Walt, a member of the Army's 10th Mountain Division, died in October.
My uncle Bill, a World War II veteran died in 2008, and my stepfather Ray, a Navy pilot in World War II, died about 20 years ago.
In reality, I might not be here today except for the connection my grandmother, Ethel Tyson, and grandfather, Ray Smith, made at an Army base in Battle Creek, Michigan where my grandfather was stationed during World War I. I know he was a sergeant and don't know if he was headed to Europe at some point, but from what I understand he never left the States.
I could be wrong about this, and I'm sure my father will correct me if I am, but family lore has it that Ethel and Ray met at a dance at or near the base somewhere around 1918. The rest as they say is history.
So this day has special meaning for me. My father reminded me in an e-mail this morning that he recalled that during Vietnam when my brother and I returned home from our service there that we avoided wearing our uniform off the base because of the nasty reaction we got from folks. (We lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is not known for its patriotic fervor). People held veterans in disdain in those days. When I went back to college, I avoided mentioning my service so as not to complicate my studies and grades with very liberal professors.
I'm grateful that the country has reached out to veterans, even when they disagree with the war the military service people are serving in. It is right to honor their service today and to say "Thank You."
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Old friends, wasted talent
Was conversing online with a former colleague who is also recently out of a newspaper job. After I disconnected and had a chance to think, it seems so sad and wasteful that so many talented people (and I'm not talking about myself here because I would have been retired now and there are plenty more talented people than me) floating around out there without a beat to cover.
Politicians and others who need serious watching must be reveling in the thought that the field is now open for them to play their games with only a small chance of being caught.
Many of the folks left behind in the business are more than capable and talented of doing the work, but with so few of them I can't help but believe a lot is going to go unreported.
With some of our difficult family issues starting to settle a little, I hope to start back at looking at my former career and the careers of others and live up to the title of this blog and start writing again.
Politicians and others who need serious watching must be reveling in the thought that the field is now open for them to play their games with only a small chance of being caught.
Many of the folks left behind in the business are more than capable and talented of doing the work, but with so few of them I can't help but believe a lot is going to go unreported.
With some of our difficult family issues starting to settle a little, I hope to start back at looking at my former career and the careers of others and live up to the title of this blog and start writing again.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Ezra Kornscabble weighs in on AnnArbor.com
The Daily Derelict blog has some recent insights on AnnArbor.com.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Washington Post "mess"
Thanks to a frequent reader for this column about a recent Washington Post column that was the victim of tighter deadlines and likely less editing.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Walt Brown, Rest in Peace
My former father-in-law, Walter "Walt" Brown, died Saturday at home in Addison Township. He was 92.
During the time I was married to his daughter, Susan, Walt and I spent many hours together. Because I worked nights in Flint, my days were free and Walt loved to cut wood, do projects around his and our house and generally kept himself busy. It was my joy and honor to spend all those many hours with him outdoors.
I learned more from Walt in those few years about wood working, tree-cutting, cement mixing, roofing and life than pretty much the sum total of all my years in school. He was a reservoir of common sense in a world where it is very scarce. There's a morning room built on to the back of my house today that is a testament to what I learned from Walt about carpentry and roofing.
Like all three of my father-in-laws, my father and stepfather, he was a survivor of the Depression and World War II. For Walt the Depression was the defining time of his life. He was a believer in not paying for something unless you could pay cash for it and he conserved energy by burning the wood available to him for free.
He taught me the importance of checking the wind before falling a tall tree and the ins-and-outs of a chain saw. He taught me that sharp was safer than dull and that you always "measure twice and cut once." He taught me that a man was judged by the neatness of his woodpile.
Walt also taught me that there was no such thing as a mistake, but just "errors." He also told me that a good spoken "sonofabitch" would fix most carpentry problems. Well, that and a well timed and aimed hammer stroke.
If he spoke the word "politician" it came out sounding like a curse word. He had no use for those who couldn't relate to people who worked hard and broke a sweat to make a living.
He built Susan's house with his own hands, each nail lovingly driven in by himself. Once after the house was more than 10 years old, we called after one of the windows fogged up during a cold snap. The call was made not to ask him to fix it, but just in passing the time of day.
About 1/2-hour later (this was about 8 p.m. at night) we heard Walt's truck pull into the driveway and he emerged with his toolbox and came into the house and fixed the air leak that caused the fogging.
Walt joked that not many builders would come back and fix the house they built ten years after it was finished. But then not many builders were Walt.
At one time he worked for Mrs. Wilson of Dodge-Wilson at the Meadowbrook Mansion in Rochester Hills. it is now a tourist attraction but he remembered the days that Mrs. Dodge-Wilson would call out for "Walter" to fix this or that.
During the time I knew him he was only rarely without his beloved retriever by his side. That dog followed him everywhere and it was rough when I had to ride in his truck to a woodlot because Jesse didn't like sharing the front seat with anyone but Walt.
He and his dog shared his lunch and his love. I've never met a man with a closer touch to nature than Walt. He loved animals. He had the rare ability to coax a wild chipmunk into his hand the first time he saw it.
But he also loved to hunt deer. Although it was more about the sitting in nature than it was in the taking of the deer. I recalled this story recently about one of Walt's hunting "trips."
Susan and I lived on 7-8 acres in Oxford Township. The back lot was a stand of pine trees - all planted by Susan and Walt, by the way - and when they were mature enough he would make a deer blind in the back and during hunting season it was not uncommon to hear his military truck pull into our driveway and head back to the woods about 5 a.m.
While Susan was at work during the day I usually did chores around the property, but when I knew Walt was back "hunting" I stayed up near the house so as not to spook the deer.
One day, I was watching out our back picture window when I saw a big 10 to 12-point buck that Walt had been eyeing for months, walk to the pile of corn and apples in the back lot. I watched for several minutes waiting for the inevitable blast that would take down this prize buck. It never came.
A little while later I heard the truck driving up the path next to our horse pasture and met Walt in the driveway as he headed home for lunch.
"Why didn't you shoot that buck?," I asked him
"Please don't tell me the buck was there, I fell asleep for a while," Walt said. We both had a good laugh about the 'one that got away.'
Like so many of his kind, Walt is in that disappearing group of heroes from World War II. During his youth around Rochester, Walt made a name for himself ski jumping and he had the newspaper clips to prove it.
When World War II came those skills were in demand in the Army's 10th Mountain Division, which Walt proudly served both in Europe and the Pacific. He came home and never left after the war. He was married to his childhood sweetheart, Eva, for 68 years. She used to kid that he loved his dog and spent more time with it than her, but she was wrong.
You can read the whole obituary here. There's a nice photo of Walt there as well.
He once told me a story about a German soldier that was shot in the heel someplace in Italy and when they approached him with guns drawn the German spoke in good English, "don't shoot, I'm from Detroit."
In recent years he made one of the "Honor Flights" to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., one of the very rare times he left his home.
There are many great stories he told that would fail in my telling here because they were good because of the way he told them.
Walt, you will be missed.
During the time I was married to his daughter, Susan, Walt and I spent many hours together. Because I worked nights in Flint, my days were free and Walt loved to cut wood, do projects around his and our house and generally kept himself busy. It was my joy and honor to spend all those many hours with him outdoors.
I learned more from Walt in those few years about wood working, tree-cutting, cement mixing, roofing and life than pretty much the sum total of all my years in school. He was a reservoir of common sense in a world where it is very scarce. There's a morning room built on to the back of my house today that is a testament to what I learned from Walt about carpentry and roofing.
Like all three of my father-in-laws, my father and stepfather, he was a survivor of the Depression and World War II. For Walt the Depression was the defining time of his life. He was a believer in not paying for something unless you could pay cash for it and he conserved energy by burning the wood available to him for free.
He taught me the importance of checking the wind before falling a tall tree and the ins-and-outs of a chain saw. He taught me that sharp was safer than dull and that you always "measure twice and cut once." He taught me that a man was judged by the neatness of his woodpile.
Walt also taught me that there was no such thing as a mistake, but just "errors." He also told me that a good spoken "sonofabitch" would fix most carpentry problems. Well, that and a well timed and aimed hammer stroke.
If he spoke the word "politician" it came out sounding like a curse word. He had no use for those who couldn't relate to people who worked hard and broke a sweat to make a living.
He built Susan's house with his own hands, each nail lovingly driven in by himself. Once after the house was more than 10 years old, we called after one of the windows fogged up during a cold snap. The call was made not to ask him to fix it, but just in passing the time of day.
About 1/2-hour later (this was about 8 p.m. at night) we heard Walt's truck pull into the driveway and he emerged with his toolbox and came into the house and fixed the air leak that caused the fogging.
Walt joked that not many builders would come back and fix the house they built ten years after it was finished. But then not many builders were Walt.
At one time he worked for Mrs. Wilson of Dodge-Wilson at the Meadowbrook Mansion in Rochester Hills. it is now a tourist attraction but he remembered the days that Mrs. Dodge-Wilson would call out for "Walter" to fix this or that.
During the time I knew him he was only rarely without his beloved retriever by his side. That dog followed him everywhere and it was rough when I had to ride in his truck to a woodlot because Jesse didn't like sharing the front seat with anyone but Walt.
He and his dog shared his lunch and his love. I've never met a man with a closer touch to nature than Walt. He loved animals. He had the rare ability to coax a wild chipmunk into his hand the first time he saw it.
But he also loved to hunt deer. Although it was more about the sitting in nature than it was in the taking of the deer. I recalled this story recently about one of Walt's hunting "trips."
Susan and I lived on 7-8 acres in Oxford Township. The back lot was a stand of pine trees - all planted by Susan and Walt, by the way - and when they were mature enough he would make a deer blind in the back and during hunting season it was not uncommon to hear his military truck pull into our driveway and head back to the woods about 5 a.m.
While Susan was at work during the day I usually did chores around the property, but when I knew Walt was back "hunting" I stayed up near the house so as not to spook the deer.
One day, I was watching out our back picture window when I saw a big 10 to 12-point buck that Walt had been eyeing for months, walk to the pile of corn and apples in the back lot. I watched for several minutes waiting for the inevitable blast that would take down this prize buck. It never came.
A little while later I heard the truck driving up the path next to our horse pasture and met Walt in the driveway as he headed home for lunch.
"Why didn't you shoot that buck?," I asked him
"Please don't tell me the buck was there, I fell asleep for a while," Walt said. We both had a good laugh about the 'one that got away.'
Like so many of his kind, Walt is in that disappearing group of heroes from World War II. During his youth around Rochester, Walt made a name for himself ski jumping and he had the newspaper clips to prove it.
When World War II came those skills were in demand in the Army's 10th Mountain Division, which Walt proudly served both in Europe and the Pacific. He came home and never left after the war. He was married to his childhood sweetheart, Eva, for 68 years. She used to kid that he loved his dog and spent more time with it than her, but she was wrong.
You can read the whole obituary here. There's a nice photo of Walt there as well.
He once told me a story about a German soldier that was shot in the heel someplace in Italy and when they approached him with guns drawn the German spoke in good English, "don't shoot, I'm from Detroit."
In recent years he made one of the "Honor Flights" to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., one of the very rare times he left his home.
There are many great stories he told that would fail in my telling here because they were good because of the way he told them.
Walt, you will be missed.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Will Northwest Airlines add a charge for 'longer' flight
My father, my resident expert of all things aviation, wondered in an e-mail to me about the recent 'extended' Northwest flight from San Diego to Minneapolis.In case you hadn't heard, a pilot and co-pilot overshot the Minneapolis airport by more than 150 miles when they were otherwise occupied (some say sleeping, some say arguing and today they said they were reading on their personal computers) and simply missed their airborne exit ramp.
So my father wonders, what with all the new airline fuel and baggage fees, if Northwest will now bill the passengers on the flight for the extra fuel used in the sightseeing flight over Wisconsin. You know, with all the airlines bad public relations, it wouldn't really surprise me if they tried.
By the way, my father is a docent (and a darn good one) at the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport near D.C. He gives a great tour. My father served in the Army Air Corps in World War II and was a general aviation pilot during my formative teenage years.
Unfortunately for him I never got the 'flying' bug and when he asks me what kind of aircraft I flew on during a trip, he gets very frustrated when I say, "a big one with two or three engines." Not that I don't love flying, my favorite assignment remains the assignment and story on my flight on the B-24 "Liberator" bomber that visited Flint.
He wants details and I give him, well, not details. Above is a photo of my Dad during a tour he gave my wife and I at the museum. Its a great museum with some really great exhibits. One of my favorites is the Enola Gay, the bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Story outlines former Mayor's "access" fee
The brief item on Mlive.com isn't written very clearly, but it is an interesting take on former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's "access" fees.
Oakland Press gains readers from Free Press, News and Flint Journal
Give the Oakland Press credit for pursuing the daily newspaper readers abandoned by the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News and Flint Journal when they shrunk publication of the printed version to three days a week.
New numbers show that the OP picked up several thousand readers (not a great coup for sure) but at least they went up, and not down in circulation.
Thanks to a frequent reader for the link.
New numbers show that the OP picked up several thousand readers (not a great coup for sure) but at least they went up, and not down in circulation.
Thanks to a frequent reader for the link.
The real loss of beat reporting
Since my retirement I have been working part time doing public relations work. Last week I went to a public information officer conference in Saginaw.
During one of our break out sessions I was talking to a public relations person for a non-profit organization in Grand Rapids. She related the frustration of the new reality of newspaper reporting.
The hospital she works for had for years had a dedicated health reporter that covered it. Things went along well and with the relationships that built up stories were done that were accurate and timely.
Not so anymore, she said. Now, it's a roll of the dice that on a day-to-day basis the hospital will even know who is responsible for health coverage. Often they get a different reporter each time there is a story, she said.
That has created a situation where there have been many errors in stories, both online and in print. Corrections are made online, but without any mention of the previous error.
The woman said she has had a number of conversations with the editor of the Grand Rapids Press, but there seems little hope that it will be better any time soon.
During one of our break out sessions I was talking to a public relations person for a non-profit organization in Grand Rapids. She related the frustration of the new reality of newspaper reporting.
The hospital she works for had for years had a dedicated health reporter that covered it. Things went along well and with the relationships that built up stories were done that were accurate and timely.
Not so anymore, she said. Now, it's a roll of the dice that on a day-to-day basis the hospital will even know who is responsible for health coverage. Often they get a different reporter each time there is a story, she said.
That has created a situation where there have been many errors in stories, both online and in print. Corrections are made online, but without any mention of the previous error.
The woman said she has had a number of conversations with the editor of the Grand Rapids Press, but there seems little hope that it will be better any time soon.
Where's the vaccine? Can you say Hurricane Katrina all over again
OK, so last April the panic over the Swine flu began. Everyone predicted that it would come roaring back in the fall and winter and all the flapping gums expressed a need for an expedited vaccine.
So, where is it? People are starting to get sick in flocks and there is an inadequate supply of vaccine for folks who want it.
This is FEMA and Katrina all over again. The government simply does not have the capability to respond to disasters of the moment or the ones that they know are coming months in advance.
So President Bush rightfully got blasted for Katrina and when will the press start putting the blame on the new Adminstration for its failure to secure and expedite the H1N1 vaccine.
The press needs to be all over this. President Obama has declared it a National Emergency and yet with six months planning, we are dreadfully short of the vaccine. By the time it is ready, the crisis will be over.
Yeah, keep pushing that government option for health care.
So, where is it? People are starting to get sick in flocks and there is an inadequate supply of vaccine for folks who want it.
This is FEMA and Katrina all over again. The government simply does not have the capability to respond to disasters of the moment or the ones that they know are coming months in advance.
So President Bush rightfully got blasted for Katrina and when will the press start putting the blame on the new Adminstration for its failure to secure and expedite the H1N1 vaccine.
The press needs to be all over this. President Obama has declared it a National Emergency and yet with six months planning, we are dreadfully short of the vaccine. By the time it is ready, the crisis will be over.
Yeah, keep pushing that government option for health care.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
A little fun for Saturday
My brother-in-law and I are headed out in a couple hours to East Lansing for the MSU vs. Iowa football game. My brother-in-law is an Iowa graduate and I went to MSU so it should be a fun night.
But my sister gave me this funny re-do on the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine. I hope you enjoy it.
Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Updated
Someone sent me a copy of Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First" broadcast
from the 1930's. Now fast forward to 2008 and try to imagine Abbott and
Costello trying to buy/sell a computer. If you never heard Abbott &
Costello's "Who's on first" I feel really sorry for you, because you were
obviously deprived not only as a child, but as an adult too. You have to be
old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY
understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who
sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch,
'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT.
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Hello. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about
buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can
track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right . What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on 'START'
But my sister gave me this funny re-do on the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine. I hope you enjoy it.
Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Updated
Someone sent me a copy of Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First" broadcast
from the 1930's. Now fast forward to 2008 and try to imagine Abbott and
Costello trying to buy/sell a computer. If you never heard Abbott &
Costello's "Who's on first" I feel really sorry for you, because you were
obviously deprived not only as a child, but as an adult too. You have to be
old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY
understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who
sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch,
'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT.
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Hello. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about
buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can
track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right . What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on 'START'
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Put me in the Libertarian column - a rant for a Wednesday
As frequent readers of this blog knows I have little or no use for the two party system. In my opinion the American political system is broken and the roots of that brokenness have everything to do with the trap of a two party system.
Democrats = Republicans and vice versa. You can make all the arguments you want about the differences, but in the end the one thing they have in common is they live and survive for their own self interest. The public and doing the right thing for the Country is lower on the priority lists of the two parties than doing what is politically expedient. Period.
I know this is not a great revelation. It is simply obvious. Neither will do anything to support the other, even if it is the right thing for the country.
My contempt for the politics of the 1970s, 80s, 90s and through today has little bounds.
With the death of my father-in-law and the placement of my mother-in-law in a nursing home that contempt has only magnified the anger and frustration with what I feel is a government out-of-control.
My father-in-law saved carefully all his life. He invested wisely and was prudent. Now, after paying his taxes for his entire life the government has created a situation where they and the nursing home will confiscate most of his wealth in just a very short time.
Medicare rules and nursing home requirements are currently draining about $10,000 a month from my in-laws carefully constructed nest egg to care for her in a 10 X 20 room. For $10,000 a month you could reserve a room on a cruise liner and live there in luxury, but laws written by Republicans and Democrats are seeing to it that what was so carefully collected over 50 years will be gone in less than two years.
Trust me, the government will not get my nest egg, because I'll make sure it is gone before I am, or I'll hide it where they'll never find it.
If you haven't been through this event - the placement of an elderly parent in a nursing home - you will not have an appreciation for the labyrinth of rules and regulations drawn up by legislators to make sure they squeeze every dollar from every citizen before they die. This from citizens who have been lifelong taxpayers.
The rich - and the legislators - would never have to face this because they would have been able to afford the lawyers and crooks that would have sheltered the money.
To navigate these laws and regulations you are forced to hire an elder care attorney - not a cheap option - and spend even more money to salvage something, anything, for my surviving mother-in-law. Just spending two months watching this has me longing for a new 1776 revolutionary spirit. Of course the money you spend on lawyers is exempt from all the other regulations. Republican and Democrat lawyer-legislators made sure of that.
People ask me why I don't support the public health care option. It's easy, because I don't trust the government and I hold them in utter contempt. I don't need any more reason than that.
Living through this government induced horror for my mother-in-law and her savings has more than convinced me that it is time to throw ALL the bums out, President Obama included.
And don't offer me any Republican or Democrat as a substitute either.
Consider just a few recent examples:
A Democrat who helps write tax laws, doesn't pay his own taxes.
Another Democrat congressman scoffs at the idea he should ACTUALLY read the health care bill.
A Republican governor preaches family values and then flies to Argentina for a weekend with his mistress.
President Bush convinced Congress to act quickly to pour billions into a broken financial system to save the corrupt bankers and insurance companies who created the crisis. Did things get better? No, they got worse.
President Obama enters office and immediately repeats the mistake, promising that by doing so unemployment will stay under 8 percent. Wrong again! Unemployment is approaching 10 percent with little indication it will drop any time soon.
For you young people who support these policies just remember that the trillions in new debt being rung up by the past and current administration - aka Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum - will be on your backs to pay in a few years.
While some think all this money being handed out is "Obama money," it is really "your money" and you will be responsible for paying it back, with big interest. Remember that someday when you are trying to smile and say "Yes, we can."
We have a sleeping media. We have media on the right that attacks everything and a media on the left that acts as a cheerleader. For an old newsman it is beyond frustrating to watch.
It's past time for serious questioning and investigation and frankly, it may be too late.
If someone will boil the tar, I'll be happy to bring the feathers. I actually wrote this last Sunday and slept on it for two days and actually toned down some of what I previously wrote, but I don't want anyone to try and tell me that the government is the answer for anything except providing a great military defense and law enforcement.
If you're a Republican or Democrat politician and you're reading this, well, you probably owe everyone an apology.
Democrats = Republicans and vice versa. You can make all the arguments you want about the differences, but in the end the one thing they have in common is they live and survive for their own self interest. The public and doing the right thing for the Country is lower on the priority lists of the two parties than doing what is politically expedient. Period.
I know this is not a great revelation. It is simply obvious. Neither will do anything to support the other, even if it is the right thing for the country.
My contempt for the politics of the 1970s, 80s, 90s and through today has little bounds.
With the death of my father-in-law and the placement of my mother-in-law in a nursing home that contempt has only magnified the anger and frustration with what I feel is a government out-of-control.
My father-in-law saved carefully all his life. He invested wisely and was prudent. Now, after paying his taxes for his entire life the government has created a situation where they and the nursing home will confiscate most of his wealth in just a very short time.
Medicare rules and nursing home requirements are currently draining about $10,000 a month from my in-laws carefully constructed nest egg to care for her in a 10 X 20 room. For $10,000 a month you could reserve a room on a cruise liner and live there in luxury, but laws written by Republicans and Democrats are seeing to it that what was so carefully collected over 50 years will be gone in less than two years.
Trust me, the government will not get my nest egg, because I'll make sure it is gone before I am, or I'll hide it where they'll never find it.
If you haven't been through this event - the placement of an elderly parent in a nursing home - you will not have an appreciation for the labyrinth of rules and regulations drawn up by legislators to make sure they squeeze every dollar from every citizen before they die. This from citizens who have been lifelong taxpayers.
The rich - and the legislators - would never have to face this because they would have been able to afford the lawyers and crooks that would have sheltered the money.
To navigate these laws and regulations you are forced to hire an elder care attorney - not a cheap option - and spend even more money to salvage something, anything, for my surviving mother-in-law. Just spending two months watching this has me longing for a new 1776 revolutionary spirit. Of course the money you spend on lawyers is exempt from all the other regulations. Republican and Democrat lawyer-legislators made sure of that.
People ask me why I don't support the public health care option. It's easy, because I don't trust the government and I hold them in utter contempt. I don't need any more reason than that.
Living through this government induced horror for my mother-in-law and her savings has more than convinced me that it is time to throw ALL the bums out, President Obama included.
And don't offer me any Republican or Democrat as a substitute either.
Consider just a few recent examples:
A Democrat who helps write tax laws, doesn't pay his own taxes.
Another Democrat congressman scoffs at the idea he should ACTUALLY read the health care bill.
A Republican governor preaches family values and then flies to Argentina for a weekend with his mistress.
President Bush convinced Congress to act quickly to pour billions into a broken financial system to save the corrupt bankers and insurance companies who created the crisis. Did things get better? No, they got worse.
President Obama enters office and immediately repeats the mistake, promising that by doing so unemployment will stay under 8 percent. Wrong again! Unemployment is approaching 10 percent with little indication it will drop any time soon.
For you young people who support these policies just remember that the trillions in new debt being rung up by the past and current administration - aka Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum - will be on your backs to pay in a few years.
While some think all this money being handed out is "Obama money," it is really "your money" and you will be responsible for paying it back, with big interest. Remember that someday when you are trying to smile and say "Yes, we can."
We have a sleeping media. We have media on the right that attacks everything and a media on the left that acts as a cheerleader. For an old newsman it is beyond frustrating to watch.
It's past time for serious questioning and investigation and frankly, it may be too late.
If someone will boil the tar, I'll be happy to bring the feathers. I actually wrote this last Sunday and slept on it for two days and actually toned down some of what I previously wrote, but I don't want anyone to try and tell me that the government is the answer for anything except providing a great military defense and law enforcement.
If you're a Republican or Democrat politician and you're reading this, well, you probably owe everyone an apology.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
What this guy said
Unfortunately the embed on YouTube.com is disabled, but here's the link to one of the great philosophers of our time. I could not agree with this guy more. Stay tuned for a rant from me on why our stupid government is completely out of control. Start boiling the tar and feathers.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Inside Out: Newspaper changes near and far
Inside Out has a good accounting of all the recent local changes in the news biz.
Speaking of AnnArbor.com
While I was in the land of pineapples and grass skirts Mgoblog reported the lead story on AnnArbor.com on one day in September was actually a four-year-old story out of another newspaper.
Ooops.
Don't bother with the link to the AnnArbor.com article, it has been removed.
Ooops.
Don't bother with the link to the AnnArbor.com article, it has been removed.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Things may be looking up at the FJ
Either the bottom line is floating up from the bottom or Booth is making a last gasp effort to right the ship.
Some good news yesterday with word that a former sports writer has been rehired to the staff. My previous complaints about poor local golf coverage may be over. Also Brendan has long covered the local IHL team - the Flint Generals - and is a writer that fans either love, hate, or love to hate.
It's good news for Brendan and for the paper that he's back.
You can check out some comments from yesterday, but it sounds like employees are going to get dinged for their health coverage and the rumors are persistent that there may be an additional publication day added to the schedule.
Also from first and second hand accounts there is word that the circulation department is calling up former subscribers - subscribers that the PAPER cancelled - and asking them if they would be interested in coming back if they re-established some of their rural routes.
That's going to be a tough sell as folks tell me they are now over the daily newspaper habit.
Went over to AnnArbor.com last night for the first time in six weeks. Yaaaaawn!
Some good news yesterday with word that a former sports writer has been rehired to the staff. My previous complaints about poor local golf coverage may be over. Also Brendan has long covered the local IHL team - the Flint Generals - and is a writer that fans either love, hate, or love to hate.
It's good news for Brendan and for the paper that he's back.
You can check out some comments from yesterday, but it sounds like employees are going to get dinged for their health coverage and the rumors are persistent that there may be an additional publication day added to the schedule.
Also from first and second hand accounts there is word that the circulation department is calling up former subscribers - subscribers that the PAPER cancelled - and asking them if they would be interested in coming back if they re-established some of their rural routes.
That's going to be a tough sell as folks tell me they are now over the daily newspaper habit.
Went over to AnnArbor.com last night for the first time in six weeks. Yaaaaawn!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
E-mail box full of rumors
Plenty of rumors made their way to my e-mail in the past month. Many have to do with rumblings that there may be some added print days at one or more of the papers who had their print days reduced to three days a week.
Also some information that printing at the Flint plant will end as soon as the current contract with the printer's union expires.
I noted that there has been a changing of the guard in my former column - Off Beat.
It does my heart good that the column that I started without prompting or encouragement by any editor in 1990 remains a feature in the Flint Journal nine years after I stopped writing it and two years after I left the paper.
My best wishes to the guy who replaced me and now the woman who replaced him.
Also some information that printing at the Flint plant will end as soon as the current contract with the printer's union expires.
I noted that there has been a changing of the guard in my former column - Off Beat.
It does my heart good that the column that I started without prompting or encouragement by any editor in 1990 remains a feature in the Flint Journal nine years after I stopped writing it and two years after I left the paper.
My best wishes to the guy who replaced me and now the woman who replaced him.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Blogging to resume - soon, but first, meet Griffen Harry
Sorry for the blogging hiatus, but returning from our trip left me scrambling at work and at home. Not to mention that it took me several days to catch up on my sleep from our long flight home.I'm sorting through e-mails and information and I'll post some of that information on Sunday night.
There has been a little excitement here as well with the birth of Griffen Harry, our third grandchild and first boy at 12:21 p.m. Friday, 10-09-09. Griffen (the "en" continues the tradition that started with Addisen) checked in at 9 pounds, 1 ounce.
He has blondish, red-hair which could be traced to his recently departed great-grandfather, Red.
Mother, baby, father and Big Sister Addisen all doing fine and very happy. As I did with Addisen I introduced myself to Griffen wearing my Michigan State sweatshirt. It's important to start the indoctrination early.
Life is good.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
More philosophy from Red
In honor of my father-in-law his two daughters and sons-in-laws wore special t-shirts to the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor last month. The t-shirts were designed and made by my step-son, John. The color red was picked because of my father-in-law's nickname and the KB2FME lettering was his HAM radio call sign, so a tip to his favorite hobby. The picture was taken in the room where the names of the dead sailors are inscribed on the wall.Also, while we were gone, the other daughter, Patty, continued her quest through his many journals. Here's the latest installment. Many of these are from before the time he was sick.
"I don't worry much, but i fret much more"
"Opposites attract but are not compatible"
"Every day you learn something new about yourself"
"Make yourself happy, for the moment"
"Everyday is a good day as long as you are breathing"
"Aging is when your farther from the beginning and closer to the END."
"The older I get, the more Philosophic I get"
"Parents ruin more children than any other source"
"What I need most in life I never got" (Perhaps a reference to his mother leaving him when he was just a baby)
"I don't know where I'm going but I sure know where I'm going to end up"
"All the problems of life are man made"
"Time alone is to please no one but yourself"
"By the time you smartin' up, you're dead"
"I'll survive until I die"
"Dont' wake up mad, it's a long day"
"Being a nothing, I wish I never existed"
"I whine because the Beer isn't Cold"
"If you look at twins, one always looks older than the other"
"Money is only a problem when you don't have it. Relations are only a problem when you have them"
"Patience is a virtue. Patience is also virginity"
"It all has to do with nothing"
"If you can't remember it, forget it"
"The reason most comics get divorced is because their wives laugh at them"
"Dieing is no way to live"
"God, self and others"
"If I wake up, I hope it's 6AM"
"It's locust time for the politicians"
"We're all an island onto ourselves"
"Life is never dull, we make it so"
"Willie wouldn't be Willie if he wasn't"
"God made man, then he goofed"
"Tis easier to receive than transmit" (A HAM reference)
"What am I doing? Reneging food for thought"
"That person's seen both sides of the dam. That person's been on both sides of the dam."
"What don't work, I shall try again"
"People go from one bad habit to the next"
"I have been, so I am eternal"
"It's almost impossible to get to be 60 years old and not enjoy some parts of life"
"Why Criticism? Criticism is a compliment: it shows that you have done something too important for a critic to ignore."
"Diane fainted- she was shot from the shot" (flu shot story reference)
"Peace is the time, when the kids go to bed and before the parents go to bed"
More to come.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Someone in the Newhouse chain is still doing well
The list of the Forbes 400 richest includes a Newhouse at No. 38. My bad, the Newhouse reference was from 2006 here is the latest, he has slipped to No. 52.
Here's the final: Samuel Newhouse.
And Donald Newhouse.
Here's the final: Samuel Newhouse.
And Donald Newhouse.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Back from Hawai'i
Just a quick note to let you know that we are back from our trip and that blogging will resume very soon.
Only five comments posted in my absence and I have put them up this morning. See you all soon! Hope you enjoyed the World War II posters.
Only five comments posted in my absence and I have put them up this morning. See you all soon! Hope you enjoyed the World War II posters.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Anagram fun!!
Anagrams use the letters of words to make other words.
Here's some fun Anagrams
PRESBYTERIAN: BEST IN PRAYER
ASTRONOMER: MOON STARER
DESPERATION: A ROPE ENDS IT
THE EYES: THEY SEE
GEORGE BUSH: HE BUGS GORE
THE MORSE CODE: HERE COME DOTS
DORMITORY: DIRTY ROOM
SLOT MACHINES: CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY: IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS: LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS: ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S
A DECIMAL POINT: I'M A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES: THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO: TWELVE PLUS ONE
AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:
MOTHER-IN-LAW: WOMAN HITLER
Here's some fun Anagrams
PRESBYTERIAN: BEST IN PRAYER
ASTRONOMER: MOON STARER
DESPERATION: A ROPE ENDS IT
THE EYES: THEY SEE
GEORGE BUSH: HE BUGS GORE
THE MORSE CODE: HERE COME DOTS
DORMITORY: DIRTY ROOM
SLOT MACHINES: CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY: IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS: LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS: ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S
A DECIMAL POINT: I'M A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES: THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO: TWELVE PLUS ONE
AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:
MOTHER-IN-LAW: WOMAN HITLER
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