Justin Gillis for the NYTimes writes definitively on "the lull" in the rate of increase of global temperatures. It's confident writing that coolly savors the ironies of the crisis, even as it depicts the news with jaw-dropping facts. Speaking of the leveling out of global mean temperatures in the last fifteen years, he writes: What toContinue reading “The lull in the rise of global temperatures: NYTimes”
Category Archives: press issues
How do you find your stories? Nancy Rommelman
Nancy Rommelman is a fascinating writer and an equaintance: she has a lovely column on the freelance (don't say free-fall) life here. A quote: How do you find your stories? "I sometimes find story ideas in the Metro section of the newspaper, one-inch items with headlines like, “Man Nails Girlfriend’s Fish to Floor.” The short-shriftContinue reading “How do you find your stories? Nancy Rommelman”
Newspaper reporter the bleepiest job in America
Allegedly. Lousy pay, poor benefits and retirement, if any, little security, high pressure, demanding hours. From the Poynter Institute, which tasks itself with developing and promoting the press and reporters, this news: Newspaper reporters can add CareerCast.com to the list of sources telling them to flee journalism. The group took 200 jobs and ranked them in orderContinue reading “Newspaper reporter the bleepiest job in America”
From the edge of climate change: Vice (mag) in Venice
A profile of Vice magazine (and its CEO Shane Smith) in The New Yorker concludes with this memorable scene. And yes, this was a report on climate change, from a believer in "environmentalism" — Smith. We took a water taxi through the canals, past crumbling buildings and water-stained walls, and arrived at San Marco justContinue reading “From the edge of climate change: Vice (mag) in Venice”
Portlandia mocks aggregated “journalism” today
From a real honest-to-God pitchboard (for journalists) on a national site: "Proposal: Daily series of trending news rewrites Publisher: Newsmax Media Fee: $160 Urgent?: No Description: Seeking writers for the section of our website that aggregates and rewrites trending news. Posts on average should take 25-40 minutes, be 300-350 words and we expect eight stories a day in a 6a-3p window (to beContinue reading “Portlandia mocks aggregated “journalism” today”
Seth humiliates Charlize in front of a billion people
The World's Most Famous Man throws it down, bringing the scorn to the 2012 Academy Awards and Seth McFarlane: in the thick of the “We Saw Your Boobs” song, which must have lasted five minutes all by itself, this line jumped out at me: “Jodie Foster in ‘The Accused’”. And I thought to myself “wait,Continue reading “Seth humiliates Charlize in front of a billion people”
David Perlman, the science reporter who just won’t quit
A few years back the science writer Chris Moody suggested we need to see scientists less as nerds and more as rock stars. Yes, and by the same token, great science reporters too. In that vein, here's a lovely look at David Perlman, who has been reporting on science for the San Francisco Chronicle forContinue reading “David Perlman, the science reporter who just won’t quit”
Orwell on the rules of story-telling in non-fiction
A review of Zero Dark Thirty includes this gem of a quote, one writer in effect overhearing arguably the first great modern non-fiction writer, George Orwell, talking about what we today call literary non-fiction, and what fictionalization he allows in a non-fiction story. . There were few more minute observers of fact than George Orwell.Continue reading “Orwell on the rules of story-telling in non-fiction”
Avoiding over-reaction by any means necessary: NYTimes
Evidently the media adults in the room — excluding The Weather Channel – are going out of their way to underplay the big winter storm hitting the East Coast this weekend. The Times and the Post are not putting it on top of the front page and are avoiding calling it by TWC's name. Meteorological services too are emphasizingContinue reading “Avoiding over-reaction by any means necessary: NYTimes”
Unemployed reporter turns brewer, keeps sense of humor
You have to love a reporter who makes a joke — and beer — out of his unemployment. Best of all is his label, which reads in part: "Porter style beers were first popularized in the nineteenth century by merchant sailors and manual dock laborers. Unemployed Reporter is crafted in the same tradition, honoring aContinue reading “Unemployed reporter turns brewer, keeps sense of humor”
Kit Stolz 