Odds and ends
My newspaper column
Original posts here, here, here and here.
AP top stories list here.
Comics list here.
Odds and ends at the newspaper:
Ever had the experience of reading a story and wanting to respond to it immediately? Perhaps you wanted to share how much you were moved by Tom Steadman's story on Victory Junction today. Or maybe you wanted to add some real-life information to Dick Barron's article on poverty. Or you had a question about veterans disability payments that you thought another reader could answer.
Now you can do more than mention it to the person across the breakfast table.
You can post your comment, question or opinion at the end of the story at News-Record.com.
We hope that you will use this opportunity to add your voice to the conversation. We will use it to listen and learn. Community is built by shared experiences and active discussion. We want to contribute to that.
We do expect people to be responsible and accountable in what they write. As a result, if you want to leave a comment, we will ask for your name, e-mail, whether you're a newspaper subscriber and whether you want news and advertising information e-mailed to you.
A final note: We're still working out the bugs. If you have suggestions, let me know.
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FoxTrot, a comic strip we've been publishing for four or five years, is being cut back to Sunday-only beginning Dec. 31.
"After spending close to half of my life writing and drawing FoxTrot cartoons, I think it's time I got out of the house and tried some new things," creator Bill Amend said. "I love cartooning and I absolutely want to continue doing the strip, just not at the current all-consuming pace."
Amend's desire to try new things means that we get to try new things, too -- namely try a new comic strip.
We'd love to get your suggestions. To spur your thinking, go to this entry for a list of links to Web sites with a wide variety of comic strip possibilities.
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Last summer, when North Carolina began participating in the PowerBall lottery, we added our state's lottery results and discontinued Virginia's MegaMillion winning numbers.
The thinking behind that move was that most people would switch to the in-state lottery and that the interest in MegaMillion would wane.
Boy, were we ever wrong, and we've heard you.
Last week, we restored the Virginia numbers, and we now publish the lottery results from both states on page B2.
I still think that playing is a loser's bet. And that's coming from someone who has played and lost more than a few times.
***
Every year, the Associated Press surveys editors on the top news stories of the year for its year-end roundup.
Every year, I've wondered why the AP is asking me, when you are the ones whose opinion counts the most.
This is your chance to weigh in on the top stories. Go here to vote. I'll be your proxy and send in the top vote-getters.
The AP includes a list of several dozen possibilities, including the Iraq War, the Democrats taking control of Congress, Congressional scandals and the conviction of Saddam Hussein. I've listed the AP's suggestions on the blog to help you out.
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Finally, on January 4, we're going to shake up the mix of the Thursday Life section. The 'boro, our section for teenagers written be teenagers, is ending its year-and-a-half run.
In its place, we're going to help you sort through the burgeoning and confusing choices in the entertainment world. Anchoring the page will be a quick-and-easy guide reviewing the week's new CDs, videogames, DVDs, comic books and movies. Other features to come.
Comments (1)
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The cover article of the Ideas section of Sunday Dec. 10, "Gifts for Greensboro", is one of the most one-sided and unconsiously yet obviously 'softly racist' of any article I've read in the N&R in my 17 years living in this community.
I'm one of many white citizens trying to seek harmony within our Greensboro communities of whites and persons of color.
To criticize Council Woman Bellamy-Small in that way ("smelly ducks"); the TRC ("we need to let go"); and the ambiguous critics of Terry Grier is a multi-leveled ad hominem attack. And who is being attacked first and foremost? Parents.
For the N&R to print, among other insensitive comments, that 'the fundamental problem lies with parents" in a major cover article (presented in bright and expensive colors on a respresentative Christmas tree on the front page of the Ideas section above and below the fold) is dehumanizing.
Leadership expert? Ouch.
Posted on December 10, 2006 7:56 PM