R U A PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST?
The third draft of the Society of Professional Journalists' Ethics Policy is online. Are you performing appropriately as a professional journalist in society? Have you taken time to review this with your team?
#Uborkaszezon
In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, and in some other places, the
silly season
is the period lasting for a few summer months typified by the emergence of frivolous news stories in the media. The term was coined in an 1861 Saturday Review article.... In many languages, the name for the silly season references …
What Happened To New York: A History Of The 00's So Far
Click to viewAll those people—such as myself!—who complain about what New York City is like today? Too much anecdote, not enough fact. What really happened to New York City? I thought of one way to find out. Over the last month, I have read the Metro section from each issue of the New York Times—starting in mid-2000…
This Should Be The End Of Rudy Giuliani
Can a piece of writing bring down a Presidential campaign? Well, probably not, in these times. But if it could, Elizabeth Kolbert's profile of Rudy Giuliani in today's New Yorker would. Basically she calls him a murderer, for just one thing. It's BRUTAL. And hey, it's New Year's Eve—you can spare 25 minutes to read it.
You know what? Appointing Bill Kristol as a New York Times op-ed columnist is pretty much the worst idea ever. Guess what? We all already know what the one-time chief of staff for Dan Quayle thinks. We've heard it all. Are we expecting great original thoughts from someone who really thought the Iraq war was a totally…
Laurel Touby: Millions Of Dollars Don't Make You Smart
So Laurel Touby says she came home from the sale of her allegedly freelance-journalist-helping website Mediabistro.com with $9 to $11 million after taxes. (Really? What about those investors? Hmm.) She tells the Times: "'I had all kinds of illusions about how far the money would go and what I would enjoy, but they're…
This Prom Is Over, Carrie
A couple of things happened this week! See for yourself with this handy list of our top stories of the week or our most popular stories of the last day. Otherwise: shut up, you're in Dubrovnik, I don't hear you. See you Monday!
Slate film critic Dana Stevens is temporarily off my shit list for correctly noting that "The Host" was one of the best 10 movies of 2007—I'd forgotten that! And it so was! Bonus: Remember how great Anthony Lane's review was? (And also Dana is A-OK for giving an honorable mention to the DVD release of "Idiocracy."…
The Ten Best Comments Of The Year
You work here, you know! That's right. Every time you comment on this website, someone makes some money from it. Your check is supposed to be in the mail—but we don't seem to have your address. Oh well! So you get paid in recognition, with your host Lolcait.
"Miracle On Bedford Avenue"
It's a Christmas story! And in answer to your question: I DON'T KNOW!
More Reasons To Be Thrilled To Live In New York
When Tracey Carter asked one of the hosts at West Hartford's new Cheesecake Factory restaurant how long the waits were on a Friday night, she couldn't believe her ears. Two hours. Three hours. Sometimes longer."I was shocked. Three hours? I never dreamed someone would wait three hours," said Carter, a Hartford…
Can 'Stars And Stripes' Recover From Pentagon Idiocy?
The Stars and Stripes, also known in the Army as the "Stars and Lies," is in a losing fight for their credibility with their owners, the Department of Defense. Man, every newspaper complains about their owner—but at least yours probably doesn't have the title "deputy assistant secretary of defense" on her door. That's…
The Kowardly Lion Strikes Back
Click to enlarge.
Previously:A Very Kreepie Itchmas To You
Our Advertisers Are In Business
Buy some ads! Learn how here! Thanks this week to: Amazon Anywhere, Ask.com, Avalon Bowery, Crunch Fitness, Ford Focus, Frommers, Hendrick's Gin, Jive Records, Juno, The New New Museum, Register.com, Warner Brothers Live Earth, The Whitest Kids U'Know.
Who Will Dig Through Harvey Levin's Trash?
In response to the success of TMZ TV—it's the top-rated new syndicated show!—a reader asks:
YES. That is exactly what needs to happen next in America. Either that or mass deportations, hard to tell. Or! Blindings???PANDA TURNS FOUR MONTHS OLD!
Baby Panda Glamour Shots Released [Gridskipper; Photo: AP]
Writer Finds Writing Book Hard!
I have never paid, and I will never pay, for an "AvantGuild" membership to "freelancer-helping website" Mediabistro. (Also, I hope that I never have to say "AvantGuild" aloud. What the HELL construction is that?) So I will never read this story by Greg Lindsay about how hard it is for him to write his book. The…
Bonnie Fuller Seeks Gay Star Sex To Destroy Lives!
Bonnie Fuller is on a perverted and desperate hunt for men who have had sex with noted hero actor Tom Cruise! For reasons known only to the American Media Inc. editorial director, she is solely searching for "Tom Toppers." ("Top" is a "gay slang" phrase for "the active partner in homosexual intercourse.") My stars,…
Socialite Seasonal Affective Disorder
New York society chronicler David Patrick Columbia is a little blue! He went out to lunch with Erica Jong the other day, and they talked about the YouTube videos about Henry Kravis and the tax-dodging mogul set. But lunch with Erica put him in a maudlin frame of mind, even though they went on to talk about Hillary…