popular thinking

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Lots happening in newsland over the past week or two. Let's recap, shall we?

The Stranger asks a timely question (even now): What if Seattle became a one-newspaper town? And what if the P-I went online only? Discuss.

Bloggers and reporters got all in a Huffington last week when the Huffington Post claimed no big whoop by ghostwriting a blog in the name of George Clooney. Clooney, er, make that Oscar winner George Clooney, disagreed. To say the least. (Thanks, Lost Remote for the links) By the weekend, Miss Huffington had changed her mind about the whole thing. Mea culpa, anyone?

An even more hee-haw-hilarious post last week from Lost Remote noted that the FCC's "record" fines against CBS can be seen, again and again and again, on the Parents Television Council site. Yes, that's right. The PTC has assembled what it calls offensive, super-sexed up and violent clips, all in one easy to download package. The multiple warning labels only add to the enjoyment. Thanks, PTC!

All remains unwell at the Boston Globe, despite all of their reports about how woe comes unto us at the Boston Herald.

The CJR (ah, academics) opines about how newspapers are competing with everybody, and how editors need to let us few remaining newspaper people to maximize our strengths. If only...

McClatchy agreed to buy Knight Ridder last week, except for 12 of the big dailies. So it's good news, bad news for them. We feel their proverbial pain. I'd link to a story, but the story keeps changing. Perhaps sometime this week we'll be able to assess the bigger picture.

My March Madness bracket has 10 of the remaining 16 teams, including my predicted Final Four. Which puts me about in the same position as last year. Cautious optimism.

Speaking of which, Slate looks back at my alma mater and the greatness that used to be Princeton Tigers basketball. What happened? My favorite coach ever, Petey Carril, left a few years after me for Sacramento, of all places. John Thompson III has Georgetown in the Sweet Sixteen.