Tag Archives: journalism

Rattlesnake defense

By Joel Thurtell Doesn’t the Detroit Zoo keep current snake antivenin on hand? Or do they just hand out-dated medicine to dogs, keeping the current supply for people? Those were some of the questions raised and not answered in a … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Apologia

By Joel Thurtell I want to apologize for a recent blog column in which I compared three Gannett honchos to pigs for splitting 10.6 million in salary and bonus bucks while firing 6,000 workers and asking the ones who remained … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School, Unions | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book for sale: 5 billion smackers

By Joel Thurtell Like all book prices, the value I’ve set on this one is purely arbitrary. Totally unrelated to cost of production, author’s royalties or any other mundane publishing considerations. In fact, $5 billion may prove too low. Why, … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Of rats and humans

By Joel Thurtell What kind of human being would do this: Fire 6,000 employees, freeze the pay of those who remain and then demand they take 12 percent pay cuts. And give himself a 50 percent raise, banking $4.7 million … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not so easy, this journalism thing

By Joel Thurtell I’m a fan of Sara Paretsky and her V.I Washawski private eye novels. Hadn’t read Paretsky in years. My wife brought the Warshawski detective novel, Blacklist, on our vacation to Canada. I read it, enjoyed it, and … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Warm praise for prevaricator

By Luke Warm Professor of Mendacity University of Munchausen Students! We are halfway through the coursework in this class, Deceptive Prevarication 101, and I would like to interrupt my lecture today so that we can reflect upon and admire one … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Senator Patterson’s stimulus plan

By Joel Thurtell Republicans never cease to amaze me. You think they’re all in the pockets of business and industry, and then out of the blue some GOP hack shows a streak of brilliance. So it is with Michigan Senator … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

I’m ‘yellow’! No, I’m ‘red’!

By Joel Thurtell It’s an idictment meant to unsettle the nerves of any correct-thinking Journalist: I’ve been charged with Yellow Journalism. My accuser — whom I don’t know — sent me an e-mail under the subject heading “Manny Maroun”: Joel, … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

New journalism award

By Joel Thurtell I’m having a tough time restraining my star columnist, Luke Warm, from having the first word on something I want to write about. Warm, the renowned Professor of Mendacity at the University of Munchausen, is so excited … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Scraping ‘hope’ from rubble

By Joel Thurtell One week after the disaster that left Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas in ruins, the toll on this country has been measured almost entirely in lives. But Haiti’s institutions, weak as they were, have been grievously wounded too. … Continue reading

Posted in Bad government, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments