A Sad Day for Minneapolis Media

Well, as I'm sure you've heard, Judge Higgs has ruled in favor of Dean Singleton and has said that I'm on a year long vacation from the Star Tribune publisher position.

I could whine about how unfair the ruling is. I could complain about how the sharks like Lambert are going to use the unfair ruling to take pot shots at me and the paper because they don't have any class and use other's misfortune to make a living. I could take my own shots at Dean Singleton for dragging both companies through the mud by suing everyone associated with the Star Tribune (Kevin gets to stay, by the way, I'm the only one found "guilty", surprise surprise).

But I'm above that.

I will just say that the law is the law, and Judge Higgs interpreted it as he saw it. I'll also say that Harte will do a great job with the paper and that when I come back to the publisher position, I'm going to make the paper even better than it was before.

Also, I'd like to thank all my supporters and the people at the Star Tribune for working through the tough times. Don't worry, we'll get through this.

Par Posts

These internet blogs are really hard to keep up. Even though the entries are short, you have to write one every day or you forget about it.

Did you see that Joel Kramer made an official announcement on his new internet paper? His business philosophy is to hire the reporters who earned big salaries at the real papers for not really doing anything and pay them peanuts. I wonder what that will get him. Also, if Kramer thinks that his new venture will go anywhere when it looks about as good as my internet blog that I haven't updated in two weeks, he's wackier than Singleton.

Someone also told me that the old editor of the City Pages was starting the same thing. I'm guessing it will just as silly, but with more stories on police brutality. Good luck, guys, you're going to need it. Raising money is one thing, getting reporters to work and competing with the big dogs is much harder.

More Truth from the Trial

I found some more information on my trial in the media. No, not local media or internet of course! They're too busy with sex offenders and murders and Karl Rove. It's from Editor & Publisher, where they actually report accurate information on publishers.

At my trial, OhSang Kwon, one of the founding partners behind Avista gave a deposition. You should read the excerpt. Kwon basically says that I let him know that in getting ready to move from Saint Paul that I found some old non-compete agreements in my secretary's desk.

You know how when you move you find stuff you forgot you had? That's what these papers were like. My secretary and I talked about shredding them. That way they wouldn't be a big deal. But first I checked with Kwon to see if he thought they were worth saving. He didn't know and told me to ask my lawyer. And they weren't a big deal until we got sued by that ass Singleton.

The other thing about the non-competes is that they don't really matter anyway. I'm the publisher and could void them if I wanted. Which I did.

Kwon also mentions that he wishes I didn't take those spreadsheets with me when I came over. Believe me, me too. He even says that I wish I didn't. He also said that nothing was done that was illegal. Take that Singleton.

Yesterday Lambert wrote another attack piece on me. He thinks the Writer's Guild is going to have a vote of no confidence in me as publisher. Yeah right. Lambert must not read this blog. Avista, the people who own the paper that employs the Writer's Guild, have full confidence in me. Even though hacks with columns on the internet don't want the Star Tribune to make money, Avista does. That's why they hired me. So grow up, people. Let's get back to business. The President isn't going to get impeached and neither am I.

Oh, and speaking of business, what's this about Singleton wanting my head on a spike? I say we let the quarterly numbers do the talking. Unless Singleton can't stand that heat. There should be a vote of no confidence in Dean Singleton. He owns 57 papers and only comes to town to when it's time to sue someone. What a jerk. If he wants to step up, we'll see who's head goes on a spike.

Full Confidence

“Par Ridder maintains our confidence going forward,” Mr. Kwon said.

That's right, baby. Guess where that quote comes from? Today's New York Times article on my civil trial. I think I come out pretty good in it. But do you know who doesn't? Singleton, that fool. That's what he gets for suing me and the big dogs.

The facts are out. Read them. I didn't do anything illegal. Read what Carr says -- what I did was take the hard work I'd done at my old job and brought it over to my new job. Coke and Pepsi battle all the time. Case closed.

Hopefully this trial will end soon so I can get back to watching that bottom line.

Even after I defended Parry, she still had to go survey the newsroom to find out some bad things to say about me. Thanks Kate! Sometimes I wonder if my staff thinks I don't read my own paper. Hey folks, it's not my fault Singleton sued me! He's the one suing us, remember?

After we win this civil trial, we should almost counter-sue Singleton for damages. Parry's column is proof that the lawsuit has hurt our ability to make money. Also, it's not really helpful when your troops aren't behind you 100%. And it sounds like this lawsuit is really getting to the rank-and-file.

But whatever. That Bill Ward guy is right. You've got to put distractions behind you. That's why some friends and I are going to grab a drink at Biella after work and then spend some time on the water.

Dinner Table Debate

Last night my wife and I were arguing about work. She started calling Kate Parry names, and I told her to cut it out. Kate's no genius, but she's also not a "retard". Then my wife brought up the fact that I've called Singleton a retard on more than a few occasions. It's like I was still at the trial.

I said, look, honey, Kate and Singleton couldn't be any more apples and oranges. Apples and oranges. Singleton's more than a retard, he's like a grade-A douchebag. Everyone knows it. No one at the Pioneer Press even knows the guy because he's not around. And like my wife knows.