Author: tom

Good old days, revisited

Cynthia Cott enthuses over three of the towering news people of the 20th century: Ed Murrow, A.J. Liebling and Mary McGrory. A nice read, but just once I’d love one of these homages to times past to concede that the…

WiFi on the Mall

I’m talking about the National Mall, in Washington, D.C. It now has a wireless access point. So, next time you’re there you’ll know why all those geeky-looking people with laptops are gathered behind the Capitol — most likely a violation…

Gotta love those lawsuits

Joe Adams, Florida’s numero uno open-records guru, shares the oft-told advice that there’s no telling what you can unearth by poking around in the local courthouse’s civil lawsuit files. For instance: Documents obtained by Ray Parker of the Naples Daily…

The annoyance that amuses

I’m speaking, of course, of the beloved Banned for Life list, where new nominees arrived this morning. A fave: “Friends and family are searching for answers tonight after Wile E. Coyote was crushed by a falling anvil.” Thanks to Charley…

Leave them to their grief, please

A second-day story in the St. Pete Times opens with a description of a man breaking down because he’s arrived at the place where his 16-year-old daughter died the day before when her SUV swerved out of control, flipped and…

Went to a Giants game

Results, with pictures, here. First thing I noticed was that even if you wanted to use the wireless network at SBC park, you’d never want to take your laptop along to the ballgame. Well, if you expected to enjoy the…

Google IPO skepticism

Whole bunch of it at this blog. Naturally, I’m skeptical about the the company and its founders, who stand to make oodles of extra free money if the IPO price is suitably high. Yet I’m also skeptical of the skeptics:…

Iraq declared irony-free zone

U.S. general, quoted in the New York Times. “Clearly we will not tolerate the presence of foreign fighters,” Abizaid said.

Why things must be great…

… on the desk at the Dallas Morning News: A memo about the “Revolution” in the newsroom there mentions the copy desk only once, in regards to the boss of the copy desks now ruling the design/visual realm as well.…

An item for your spring Brides section

This guy got more than 3 grand for his ex-wife’s wedding dress. All he had to do was pose in it. (Link via Mme. Paquin) Update: More on the seller, thanks to Sheila Lennon’s blog.