A Wealth of Support

Thanks to everyone who has sent warm wishes to me after hearing about the verdict. As you might have heard, Avista will mostly likely continue with the trial. They're not a group who will just go down without a fight obviously. You can bet that the hacks are pumped about the idea of a longer trial, it gives them more to write about. But I'm still going to take the high road on this and will abide by the judge's decision for now.

A friend of mine who sent her regrets also showed me an internet post that says that a new internet site wants to hire me as a joke. They want me to be their unpaid intern. That shows you what kind of class these internet hacks have. All they can do is report on things that other people do and kick people when they think they are down.

If I was going to work for any new internet blog, it would be Kramer's MinnPost. I've already got the experience managing almost all those reporters, and if I worked there I wouldn't have to pay for any benefits or retirement when they all retire in the next five to eight years. The bottom line would be golden and they could go back to writing the same stories that they have been writing for the last twenty years.

Thanks again to the people who have sent cards and notes and have called. You're the best.

That Pervert Larry Craig

Kate published her article today on how the Star Tribune missed the fact that a United States senator was having sex with other men in the bathroom at the airport. I've got something to add. Stroke of bad luck #3: Reporters sit around. I'm glad we're paying these guys so much to come into the office every once and awhile to make a few phone calls and write up ten stories apiece on the state fair. No wonder Avista wants me to keep hacking away at our bloated labor costs.

And what in the world was going through Larry David's head? It's one thing to get a hot hooker if he's staying over night at the Graves or something. But having some dude give you a BJ in the airport bathroom is gross and wrong. That's something that is obviously going to come back and get you in the ass, if you know what I'm saying.

Did you see what he said, too? "I'm not gay, the people who I have sex with are." No, dude. Having sex with guys makes you gay. At least bisexual. And cheap. Just fork over the cash for some privacy, that way you won't be arrested by some rent a cop and the story won't be covered like three months after the fact.

Screenplay Idea

It's been pretty hectic around the Star Tribune since the 35W bridge collapsed. I haven't really been able to update my internet blog with all the chaos. We've been updating the website and sending out reporters to cover the bridge and working the numbers on maybe some more resizing of the staff. The bridge collapsing also affected traffic downtown by our building. Anyway, it's been busy.

Today is the first day that I've had some free time to myself. Remember when I mentioned that I might want to write a screenplay? I think I might start to work on it. Here's the idea.

A young manager works for newspaper in a mid-sized city. Maybe Philadelphia because it's gritty. The manager finds out that one of his reporters who is working on an explosive story goes missing and the manager discovers some clues to the disappearance on the reporter's work computer. While he's investigating the clues, he runs into an editor from a rival paper who is also working on the same explosive story. She's also smoking hot, but really smart. The manager and the hot editor form a team and try to find the missing reporter. Along the way you can feel the tension between the two and the suspense as they get deeper into the investigation.

That's what I've got so far. There also needs to be some comedy in there somewhere, like some comic relief. And I'm not sure who would play the danger loving manager, but someone like Elle MacPherson could play the competing editor that falls in love with the manager and defects to his paper.

I also need to think of a title.

C.J. Is A Cover Girl

The new issue of Minnesota Monthly has a profile on C.J., a reporter at the Star Tribune. It's a great article. It really shows you how hard C.J. works to get her stories. Her work pays off, too. She's the most popular columnist we have, even more popular than Kersten.

After I found out about C.J. being on the cover of the magazine, I sent her a note to congratulate her. I would have sent the same note to any of the reporters who were featured on the cover of a magazine, but let's face it we don't have that many reporters who are that well respected. Maybe Sid, but that's it. Of all the reporters that we wanted to buy out, the management team was really hoping that she would stay on and keep covering the celebrities and local news. And she did, which is great.

A Beautiful Relationship

You can tell a lot about a guy from his friends, the saying goes. Well read this post at an internet blog called "Fraters Libertas":

There's got to be something right about a guy who's enflamed such hatred in the local journalism community.

and

Please. Par Ridder's antics damaging the "credibility and integrity" of the Star Tribune is like saying the ocean floor damaged the hull of the Titanic.

Now this guy gets it! He loves free market economics, hates reporters, doesn't question authority, and his internet blog links to those execs at TCF bank who write Powerline. He even agrees with the getting rid of all our negative national coverage of the White House and focusing on local news.

Fraters Libertas even took care of that hack Brian Lambert. He points out how Lambert does nothing but "document" and "revel" in my trial, even though the trial is on-going and I'll be cleared of any wrong doing.

But he's wrong about one thing, though. He says I'm doing something right. Come on buddy, I'm doing a lot of things right, if you know what I'm saying. Stop down to the Star Tribune sometime, and we'll have the company will take you out to lunch.