feedThe News Is
In Spokane, the news is that "these people bought their diplomas rather than earning them." Outside Spokane, the news is apparently "the newspaper in Spokane published these names evn though the U.S. Department of Justice refused to release the names."
A newspaper has published the names of nearly 10,000 people it says bought bogus college degrees from a Spokane diploma mill.
The names include people working in military, government and education fields.
The list, which the U.S. Department of Justice had refused to release to the public, was posted Monday on The Spokesman-Review's Web site.
[From Local News | Paper posts names of those it says bought degrees | Seattle Times Newspaper]
Of course I go for the absolutely smallest semantic detail from the story and chuckle... "ha, look, the Seattle Times doesn't even think we're worth a journalists loaf of bread... they reblogged an AP Story and went back to bed."
I think I need to get me something more interesting to read. Any suggestions?
Spokesman Staff Infection
When a high-profile business in a mid-size city with a "struggling business model" lays off 30 employees, where do you expect to find that news in the newspaper? Apparently, when the high-profile business is the mid-size city is the newspaper itself, you find it on A8.
The Spokesman-Review intends to lay off about 30 employees and has offered early retirement incentives as the newspaper fights a struggling business model. [From SR.com: S-R plans to cut staffing ]
To be fair, A8 is actually the front of the business section, but it's still sitting in a single column pushed off to the side like the bastard nephew of your third cousin's sister's boyfriend at the family home-brew fest and picnic. Alas, this appears to be one of "Good Paper's" great eye-brow-knitting troubles... where to put news about itself...
Maybe I'm wrong, but personally I find A8 kind of insulting to S-R readers. Or, at the very least, insulting to me.
Labels: news, Spokane, Spokesman-Revew
Bye Bye Sony ImageStation
I'm bummed. I've been an ImageStation member for a heck of a long time, in part because their service (to me) has been tremendous.
Often I would order a Christmas present from them (for instance) too late for Christmas shipping, So what does ImageStation do? They automatically upgrade my order to overnight shipping and it gets there on time and I am so impressed. You know, I suppose they contributed just a little bit to my laziness, but it certainly didn't help that I could always count on them to do as they said they would do. Sigh. Here's the thing I found on their front page this morning.
The ImageStation service is closing on Feb. 1st, 2008. [From Sony ImageStation ]
What's a poor boy to do? They're asking people to move to Shutterfly, and that's fine. But I will miss my ImageStation. Blessings on those folks.
And, as always, blessings on you.
Mayor Hession's Son Works for Living
Call in the ethics committee! Call in the crack investigative reporters! (Oh. They were laid off? Okay. Then put Morlin on it.) Send in the clowns!
Patrick Hession is working as a paramedic in Spokane, where AMR has an exclusive contract to provide ambulance service within the city, AMR regional manager Art McKiernan confirmed Tuesday. [From SR.com: Hession's son paramedic for AMR ]
I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe the news in this news story is that the mayor's son has a ... (*gasp*) ... a job!
Damn him for not being a layabout like the rest of the mayoral sons in this country. Did he get the letter? Doesn't he have any sense of duty? Of responsibility?
What is this city coming to. First beekeeping, now this. Honestly.
Still no word on whether the mayor's son had saved any lives while "taking people to the hospital and talking [sic] care of the sick."
Also no word from the Review on what they've been able to dig up on Verner (or her pets) should she capture the job in November.
Labels: news, Spokane, Spokesman-Revew
City of Spokane Considers Legalizing Beekeeping
Oh my heart.
What will they legalize next? Crack cocaine? Circus geeks? Reading in the park?
The horror.
[From SR.com: City considers legalizing beekeeping ]
PYT PIA NYT!
WTG:
Story Collections by Robin Romm and Pia Z. Ehrhardt - New York Times: "The collection’s most successful story, “The Longest Part of the Day,” moves between the point of view of 15-year-old Jilly, who goes missing when she takes a ride with Jimmy, the grocery bagger from Piggly Wiggly, and her mother, who is having an affair with her ex-husband’s brother. Ms. Ehrhardt deftly captures the repercussions of a narcissistic mother caught in the undertow of her own desires, and the unexpected tenderness that surfaces between Jimmy and Jilly. It’s quite amazing what Ms. Ehrhardt accomplishes in a mere 24 pages. It is, in short, a great story."Today, apparently, I will be so happy for Pia I will utter only three-letter gibberish. Until just now. When I don't. As I told y'all before, Pia rocks. And you will buy her book post haste.
BTW: NYT= New York Times; PIA=Pia; PYT=Pretty Young Thing [no arguing this, please].
Labels: book, book review, New York Times, news, newspapers
Charlie the Dog Drives Impala into Pend Oreille River
I don't think anything I say will have any bearing on this story from the Spokesman-Review this morning:
Dog Drives Car Into DrinkSo I guess nobody was injured, right? And they pulled the car out of the river. And I'm thinking, still, you know, it simply won't be fair if they take that dog's license away after the first accident.The sweet-looking black lab from Sagle totaled his owners’ ride Wednesday after knocking the car out of gear and into the Pend Oreille River.
... Charlie jumped into the car through an open window.
“He somehow got the car into neutral,” Ewing said. “My car just went boom, down an incline and into the drink.”
Charlie leapt back out the window as the car went downhill.
“There’s nothing weirder than looking at your car cruising down your driveway when you’re not in it and seeing your dog jump out and then watching your car go splash,” Ewing said.
