Marty Keegan on Union Movement Part 1 This will be my last post for 2006 and I hope all of you have a safe holiday. I have interviewed Marty Keegan to give some equal time to the union drive at the Los Angeles Times. If you have an opposing view, feel free to contact me and we can get together tomorrow or Tuesday and film your point of view. This was my first attempt at Video Blogging, so it's a bit flawed.

Labels: GCC, IBT, Marty Keegan, Union, Video Blogger

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:58 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Marty Keegan on Pensions Part 2 The sound does not match the video.

Labels: GCC, IBT, Marty Keegan, Organizer, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:44 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  How I'm Spending My Day Off What I'm doing today.
1. Reading paper (done)
2. Internet (Now)
3. Pruning roses.
3a. Laundry
4. Walking dogs.
5. Going to see a movie (haven't decided which one).
5a. Laundry
6. Putting linseed oil on some window sashes.(yuck)
7. Priming 3 new windows (yuck).
8. Trying to get my teenage son to do anything other than sleep.
8a. Laundry
9. Yoga at 4p.m.
10. First night Fullerton for NYE.

How I would like to spend my day:
1. Have someone else do the laundry.
2. Hobnob with the beautiful people.
3. Have someone say, "Yes, ma'am."
4. Have someone else do numbers 3a, 5a,6, 7,8, and 8a.
5. Robert Redford.
6. Go meet Deb Padgett for drinks while laughing over the motorcycle cops.
7. Will Smith.
8. Get someone to enter all my financials into Quicken.
9. Find a million dollars in my account.
10. Spa... with Deb Padgett, Ed can drive and then go finish our laundry. 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 9:31 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - December DECEMBER:

Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, 80. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Reagan administration; the first woman in the post. Dec. 7.

Moses Hardy, 113. Believed to be the second-oldest man in the world, last black U.S. veteran of World War I. Dec. 7.

Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., 79. Founded one of the nation's largest trucking companies, J.B. Hunt Transport Services. Dec. 7.

Georgia Gibbs, 87. Hitmaking 1950s singer ("Kiss of Fire,""Dance With Me, Henry.") Dec. 9.

Martin Nodell, 91. Created the comic book superhero Green Lantern. Dec. 9.

Gen. Augusto Pinochet, 91. Chilean leader who terrorized opponents; took power in bloody coup. Dec. 10.

Ellis Rubin, 81. Florida attorney famed for "TV intoxication" defense. Dec. 12.

Peter Boyle, 71. The curmudgeonly father on "Everybody Loves Raymond." Dec. 12.

Lamar Hunt, 74. Owner of football's Kansas City Chiefs; coined term "Super Bowl." Dec. 13.

Richard Carlson, 45. Advocated positive thinking in books like "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." Dec. 13. Cardiac arrest.

Catherine Pollard, 88. Boy Scouts of America's first female scoutmaster. Dec. 13.

Ahmet Ertegun, 83. Founder of Atlantic Records; popularized Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin. Dec. 14.

Larry Sherry, 71. Dodgers reliever; 1959 World Series' most valuable player. Dec. 17.

Joe Barbera, 95. With Bill Hanna, created Yogi Bear, Tom and Jerry, other beloved cartoons. Dec. 18.

Saparmurat Niyazov, 66. Turkmenistan's eccentric and iron-fisted president. Dec. 21.

Robert Stafford, 93. Three-term Vermont senator who championed the environment and education; the federal guaranteed student loan program is named for him. Dec. 23.

Ralph Stebbins, 43. Winner of a $208 million lottery jackpot. Dec. 23. Heart attack.

Uri Dan, 71. Veteran Israeli journalist, confidant of Ariel Sharon. Dec. 24.

Frank Stanton, 98. Longtime CBS president; helped turn its TV operation into the "Tiffany network." Dec. 24.

James Brown, 73. The pompadoured dynamo of music for a half-century whose classic singles included "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)." Dec. 25.

Gerald Ford, 93. The nation's 38th president, a former Michigan congressman who did much to restore national confidence after Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace in 1974. Dec. 26.

Chris Brown, 45. An All-Star third baseman who played six seasons in the majors in the 1980s. Dec. 26. Burned in fire; autopsy pending.

Saddam Hussein, 69. Deposed Iraqi dictator hanged for the killing of 148 people after an attempt to assassinate him in 1982. Dec. 30.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, December

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:14 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - November NOVEMBER:

William Styron, 81. Pulitzer-winning novelist ("The Confessions of Nat Turner." Nov. 1.

Frank W. Dunham Jr., 64. Attorney for Zacarias Moussaoui and in other high-profile terrorism cases. Nov. 3.

William Lee Brent, 75. A Black Panther who hijacked a jet to Cuba in 1969, spent 37 years in exile. Nov. 4.

Samuel H. Bowers, 82. Former Ku Klux Klan leader, convicted of ordering death of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer Sr. Nov. 5, in prison.

Bulent Ecevit, 81. Former Turkish Prime Minister, a political force for almost half a century. Nov. 5.

Ed Bradley, 65. TV journalist who created a distinctive, powerful body of work on "60 Minutes." Nov. 9.

Markus Wolf, 83. The "man without a face" who outwitted the West as East Germany's long-serving spymaster. Nov. 9.

Jack Palance, 87. Hollywood heavy ("Shane") who turned successfully to comedy, winning Oscar for "City Slickers." Nov. 10.

Gerald Levert, 40. Fiery R&B singer of passionate love songs ("Casanova.") Nov. 10.

Joseph Ungaro, 76. Journalist whose question to President Nixon elicited his "I'm not a crook" reply. Nov. 12.

Milton Friedman, 94. Nobel-winning economist who advocated an unfettered free market. Nov. 16.

Bo Schembechler, 77. One of college football's great coaches, compiling a 194-48-5 record at Michigan. Nov. 17.

Robert Altman, 81. Caustic Hollywood director ("Nashville.") Nov. 20.

Pierre Gemayel, 34. A rising star in one of Lebanon's most prominent political families. Nov. 21. Assassinated.

Gerald M. Boyd, 56. First black managing editor of The New York Times. Nov. 23. Lung cancer.

Betty Comden, 89. Her collaboration with Adolph Green produced "On the Town,""Singin' in the Rain." Nov. 23.

Anita O'Day, 87. One of the most respected jazz vocalists of the 1940s. Nov. 23.

Willie Pep, 84. Hall-of-fame boxer. Nov. 23.

Alexander Litvinenko, 43. Former Russian spy who criticized his homeland's government. Nov. 23. Poisoned.

Perry Henzell, 70. Filmmaker whose "The Harder They Come" introduced Jamaican pop culture to global audience. Nov. 30.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, November

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:07 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - October OCTOBER:

Helen Chenoweth-Hage, 68. Three-term Idaho congresswoman; outspoken archconservative. Oct. 2.

R.W. Apple Jr., 71. Colorful New York Times correspondent; wrote about politics, food, travel. Oct. 4.

Gary C. Comer, 78. Founded Lands' End clothing company. Oct. 4.

Friedrich Karl Flick, 79. Billionaire Austrian industrialist. Oct. 5.

Buck O'Neil, 94. Negro Leagues batting ace; a star of PBS'"Baseball." Oct. 6.

Ray Noorda, 82. Founded software maker Novell Inc., was known as the father of network computing. Oct. 9.

Gillo Pontecorvo, 86. Italian filmmaker who directed "The Battle of Algiers," epic on Algerian uprising against the French. Oct. 12.

Dr. Mason Andrews, 87. Delivered nation's first test-tube baby in 1981. Oct. 13.

Freddy Fender, 69. Texas'"Bebop Kid"; sang the smash country ballad "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Oct. 14.

Gerry Studds, 69. First openly gay member of Congress; homosexuality exposed during page scandal. Oct. 14.

Valentin Paniagua, 69. Former interim president of Peru, shepherded his country back to democracy. Oct. 16.

Marc Hodler, 87. International Olympic Committee member who blew the whistle on the Salt Lake City bidding. Oct. 18.

Jane Wyatt, 96. Lovely actress who for six years on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms. Oct. 20.

Benjamin Meed, 88. Escaped the Warsaw Ghetto; later helped establish a national Holocaust registry. Oct. 24.

Enolia P. McMillan, 102. First female NAACP president. Oct. 24.

Sally Lilienthal, 87. Nuclear weapons opponent, founded influential Ploughshares Fund. Oct. 24.

Trevor Berbick, about 51. Former heavyweight champion. Oct. 28. Fatal beating.

Red Auerbach, 89. Basketball Hall of Famer, guided the Boston Celtics to 16 championships. Oct. 28.

Robert Anderson, 85. As CEO of Rockwell International, oversaw building of space shuttle, B-1B bomber. Oct. 28.

Muhammadu Maccido, 58. Spiritual leader to millions of Nigerian Muslims. Oct. 29. Plane crash.

P.W. Botha, 90. Apartheid-era South African president. Oct. 31.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, October

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - September SEPTEMBER:

Warren Mitofsky, 71. Longtime CBS News polling chief; pioneered use of exit polls. Sept. 1.

Nellie Connally, 87. Former Texas first lady; was in President Kennedy's limousine when he was assassinated. Sept. 1.

Gyorgy Faludy, 95. Poet and translator considered one of Hungary's greatest literary figures. Sept. 1.

Bob Mathias, 75. Two-time Olympic decathlon champion; four-term California congressman. Sept. 2.

Steve Irwin, 44. Television's irrepressible "Crocodile Hunter." Sept 4. Sting ray attack.

James DeAnda, 81. Co-founder of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund; federal judge. Sept. 7.

William Ziff, 76. Built a media empire with special interest magazines (Popular Photography.) Sept. 9.

Daniel Smith, 20. Anna Nicole Smith's son; sudden passing made headlines worldwide. Sept 10. Drug combination.

Patty Berg, 88. Golfer; won 15 major LPGA titles. Sept. 10.

Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, 88. Longtime king of the Pacific Island nation of Tonga. Sept. 11.

Ann Richards, 73. Former Texas governor, a witty and flamboyant Democrat. Sept. 13.

Oriana Fallaci, 76. Italian journalist noted for probing interviews with powerful people. Sept. 15.

Silviu Brucan, 90. A top communist official in postwar Romania, a strong opponent of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Sept. 14.

Patricia Kennedy Lawford, 84. Her marriage to Peter Lawford lent Hollywood glamour to the Kennedy dynasty. Sept. 17.

Dean Everett Wooldridge, 93. Co-founded aerospace giant TRW Inc. Sept. 20.

Pham Xuan An, 79. Led a perilous double life as a communist spy and a respected reporter during the Vietnam War. Sept. 20.

Henri Jayer, 84. Acclaimed French winemaker. Sept. 20.

Sven Nykvist, 83. Oscar-winning Swedish cinematographer; worked with Ingmar Bergman, Woody Allen. Sept. 20.

Joel T. Broyhill, 86. Eleven-term Virginia congressman. Sept. 24.

Iva Toguri D'Aquino, 90. Convicted of treason as alleged propagandist Tokyo Rose; later pardoned. Sept. 26.

Byron Nelson, 94. Golfer; his 11 straight tournament victories in 1945 stand as one of sports' most enduring records. Sept. 26.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, September

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:52 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - August AUGUST:

Bob Thaves, 81. Created quirky comic strip "Frank & Ernest." Aug. 1.

Johannes Willebrands, 96. Dutch cardinal, a key figure in Roman Catholics' efforts to improve relations with other Christians, Jews. Aug. 1.

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, 90. Soprano who won global acclaim. Aug. 3.

Susan Butcher, 51. Four-time Iditarod sled dog race winner. Aug. 5. Leukemia.

James A. Van Allen, 91. Physicist; discovered radiation belts surrounding the Earth. Aug. 9.

Mike Douglas, 81. Affable TV talk show host and singer. Aug. 11.

Bruno Kirby, 57. Character actor ("When Harry Met Sally.") Aug. 14.

Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, 75. Queen of New Zealand's Maori population. Aug. 15.

Alfredo Stroessner, 93. He ruled Paraguay for decades with a blend of guile and force before his ouster in 1989. Aug. 16.

Joe Rosenthal, 94. Associated Press photojournalist who took picture of flag-raising on Iwo Jima. Aug. 20.

William Norris, 95. Co-founder of 1960s computer giant Control Data Corp. Aug. 21.

Maynard Ferguson, 78. Jazz trumpeter. Aug. 23.

Rocco Petrone, 80. Director of launch operations at Kennedy Space Center in the 1960s. Aug. 24.

Maria Esther de Capovilla, 116. Believed to be world's oldest person. Aug. 27; her successor in that category, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden, died Dec. 11, also at 116.

Robert F. McDermott, 86. An Air Force Academy dean, chairman of the insurance giant USAA. Aug. 28.

William F. Quinn, 87. Hawaii's first governor after it became a state in 1959. Aug. 28.

Naguib Mahfouz, 94. First Arab writer to win Nobel in literature; symbol of liberalism in the face of Islamic extremism. Aug. 30.

Glenn Ford, 90. Actor who played strong, thoughtful protagonists ("The Blackboard Jungle.") Aug. 30.

Labels: 2006, August, Deaths

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:44 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - July JULY:

Ryutaro Hashimoto, 68. Former Japanese prime minister who helped ease tensions over U.S. military bases in Japan. July 1.

Jan Murray, 89. Comic who tickled fans of the 1950s game show "Treasure Hunt." July 2.

Kenneth Lay, 64. Enron founder who tumbled into disgrace. July 5.

Ralph Ginzburg, 76. Magazine publisher at the center of two First Amendment battles. July 6.

Frank Zeidler, 93. Milwaukee's socialist mayor, 1948-60. July 7.

Syd Barrett, 60. Co-founder of Pink Floyd ("The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.") July 7.

June Allyson, 88. Hollywood movies'"perfect wife." July 8.

Shamil Basayev, 41. Chechnya warlord, claimed responsibility for deadly Russian school siege. Announced July 10. Allegedly killed by Russian forces.

Barnard Hughes, 90. Actor; won Tony for portrayal of curmudgeonly title character in "Da." July 11.

Red Buttons, 87. Actor-comedian; won Oscar for a dramatic turn in "Sayonara." July 13.

Robert Brooks, 69. Chairman of Hooters of America, restaurant chain famed for scantily clad waitresses. July 16.

Mickey Spillane, 88. Macho mystery writer who wowed millions of readers. July 17.

Robert Mardian, 82. Attorney for Nixon re-election committee; conviction in Watergate scandal was overturned. July 17.

Jack Warden, 85. Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated actor. ("Heaven Can Wait.") July 19.

Ta Mok, about 80. Known as "The Butcher" for his brutality with Cambodia's communist Khmer Rouge. July 21.

James E. West, 55. Former Spokane, Wash., mayor; ousted after an Internet sex scandal. July 22. Cancer.

Frederick Mosteller, 89. Statistician who influenced public policy. July 23.

Thurl Metzger, 90. Leader of Heifer International, which provides livestock to the poor. July 26.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, July

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:37 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - June JUNE:

Perry Richardson Bass, 91. Texan billionaire, one of last links to colorful era of oil wildcatters. June 1.

Frank Spencer, 87. FBI agent who helped investigate 1963 Birmingham church bombing. June 2.

Billy Preston, 59. Exuberant keyboardist and singer ("Nothing From Nothing"); played with the Beatles. June 6. Heart infection; kidney failure.

Arnold Newman, 88. Photographer who revealed the souls of artists, politicians. June 6.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 39. Leader of al-Qaida in Iraq; masterminding suicide bombings, beheadings. June 7. U.S. air strike.

James Cameron, 92. Survived an attempted lynching, founded America's Black Holocaust Museum. June 11.

Kenneth Thomson, 82. Canada's richest man. June 12.

Charles Haughey, 80. Four-term Irish prime minister; career haunted by ethical questions. June 13.

Vincent Sherman, 99. Hollywood filmmaker ("The Adventures of Don Juan.") June 18.

Evelyn Dubrow, 95. Longtime advocate for labor, women's rights garment workers union lobbyist. June 20.

Aaron Spelling, 83. TV impresario whose stylish shows ("Beverly Hills 90210") were wildly popular. June 23.

Patsy Ramsey, 49. Was thrust into spotlight by unsolved slaying of her daughter JonBenet. June 24. Cancer.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, June

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:30 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - May MAY:

Louis Rukeyser 73. Public TV host known for commonsense commentary on business. May 2.

Earl Woods, 74. The loving force behind son Tiger Woods' career. May 3.

Lillian Asplund, 99. Last Titanic survivor with memories of sinking. May 6.

A.M. Rosenthal, 84. Editor who lifted The New York Times from economic doldrums. May 10.

Floyd Patterson, 71. Boxing great who regained heavyweight title in 1960. May 11.

"Sonny" Montgomery, 85. Fifteen-term Mississippi congressman who pushed through modernized GI Bill. May 12.

Jaroslav Pelikan, 82. Leading scholar on Christian history. May 13.

Bruce Merrifield, 84. Won 1984 Nobel for chemistry for work that assisted in the development of medications. May 14.

Stanley Kunitz, 100. Former U.S. poet laureate and Pulitzer winner. May 14.

Chic Hecht, 77. Former Nevada senator; won underdog bid to oust powerful Democratic Sen. Howard Cannon. May 15.

Martin F. Dardis, 83. Florida investigator who linked Watergate burglars to Nixon. May 16.

Cy Feuer, 95. Co-producer of Broadway smashes ("Guys and Dolls.") May 17.

Katherine Dunham, 96. Choreographer who brought African influence to U.S. dance. May 21.

Lloyd Bentsen, 85. Former Treasury secretary, Texas senator who famously put down Dan Quayle. May 23.

Romeo Lucas Garcia, 81. Former Guatemalan president; rule was marked by a bloody 1980 raid on protesters. May 27.

Hugh B. Patterson Jr., 91. Publisher of Arkansas Gazette when it won Pulitzer for coverage of Central High desegregation. May 29.

Edward Dahlgren, 90. Received Medal of Honor for spearheading rescue of fellow soldiers. May 31.

Raymond Davis Jr., 91. Shared 2002 Nobel in physics for detecting particles produced by nuclear reactions in the sun. May 31.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, May

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:22 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - April APRIL:

Michael Novosel, 83. Won Medal of Honor for heroism as medevac pilot in Vietnam. April 2.

Barry Bingham Jr., 72. Guided The Courier-Journal and Louisville (Ky.) Times before family disagreements led to their sale. April 3.

Gene Pitney, 66. Singer with a string of hits ("Town Without Pity.") April 5.

J.B. Fuqua, 87. Tycoon who built multibillion-dollar conglomerate Fuqua Industries. April 5.

Maggie Dixon, 28. U.S. Military Academy women's basketball coach. April 6.

Irregular heartbeat.June Pointer, 52. Youngest of the hitmaking Pointer Sisters ("I'm So Excited.") April 11. Cancer.

The Rev. William Sloane Coffin, 81. Former Yale chaplain known for Vietnam-era peace activism. April 12.

Dame Muriel Spark, 88. British novelist ("The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.") April 13.

Elford Albin Cederberg, 88. Thirteen-term Michigan congressman. April 17.

Scott Crossfield, 84. First man to fly twice the speed of sound. April 19.

Elaine Young, 71. Real estate agent to Hollywood stars. April 20.

Ed Davis, 89. Tough-talking former Los Angeles police chief. April 22.

Alida Valli, 84. Italian actress; co-starred in "The Third Man." April 22.

George Lenchner, 88. Founded Math Olympiads tournaments for schoolchildren. April 23.

Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum, 91. Spiritual leader of Satmar Hassidim, ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect. April 24.

Jane Jacobs, 89. Author who greatly influenced urban planning. April 25.

Alexander B. Trowbridge, 76. Former commerce secretary. April 27.

John Kenneth Galbraith, 97. Economist whose influence stretched from White House to Main Street. April 29.Helene Critler, 104. Survivor of 1906 San Francisco earthquake. April 29.

Labels: 2006, April, Deaths

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:16 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - March MARCH:

Harry Browne, 72. Twice ran for president as the Libertarian Party candidate. March 1.

Richard Kuklinski, 70. Notorious Mafia hitman known as "The Iceman." March 5.

Dana Reeve, 44. Actress-singer, devoted herself to husband Christopher Reeve after he was paralyzed. March 6. Lung cancer.

Kirby Puckett, 45. Baseball Hall of Famer; carried Minnesota Twins to two World Series titles. March 6. Stroke.

Gordon Parks, 93. Life photographer; Hollywood's first major black director ("Shaft.") March 7.

John Profumo, 91. Former British Cabinet minister whose affair with a call girl also involved with a Soviet spy caused huge scandal in 1963. March 9.

Slobodan Milosevic, 64. Former Yugoslav leader; accused of orchestrating conflict that killed 250,000. March 11.

Maureen Stapleton, 80. Oscar-winning actress; excelled on stage, screen, television. March 13.

Robert C. Baker, 84. Food science professor behind such innovations as chicken nuggets. March 13.

Lennart Meri, 76. Former Estonian president; helped Baltic nation break from Soviet Union in 1991. March 14.

Ray Meyer, 92. Longtime DePaul basketball coach; twice took team to NCAA Final Four. March 17.

G. William Miller, 81. Former Federal Reserve chairman; treasury secretary during Carter administration. March 17.

Oleg Cassini, 92. His designs helped make Jacqueline Kennedy the most glamorous first lady. March 17.

Desmond T. Doss Sr., 87. A conscientious objector who, though a non-combatant, earned a Medal of Honor. March 23.

Sarah Caldwell, 82. Hailed as first lady of opera for her productions with Opera Company of Boston. March 23.

J. Glenn Beall Jr., 78. Former Maryland senator. March 24.

Buck Owens, 76. The flashy rhinestone cowboy who shaped country music with hits like "Act Naturally." March 25.

Lyn Nofziger, 81. Ronald Reagan's political adviser, known for his unorthodox style. March 27.

Paul Dana, 30. Up-and-coming race car driver. March 26. Crash.

Rudolf Vrba, 81. Described death camp horrors after escaping Auschwitz, saving thousands. March 27.

Bernard Siegan, 81. Conservative legal scholar. March 27.

Caspar W. Weinberger, 88. Consummate Cold Warrior; President Reagan's defense secretary. March 28.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, March

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:06 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - February FEBRUARY:

Al Lewis, 82. Grandpa on "The Munsters." Feb. 3.

Betty Friedan, 85. Her "The Feminine Mystique" helped shatter the cozy suburban ideal in postwar America. Feb. 4.

George T. Davis, 98. Storied San Francisco lawyer; involved in Nuremberg trials. Feb. 4.Reuven Frank, 85. Former NBC News president. Feb. 5.

Sir Freddie Laker, 83. British entrepreneur; changed air travel with low-cost Skytrain service. Feb. 9.

Dr. Norman Shumway, 83. Performed first successful heart transplant in U.S. Feb. 10.

Curt Gowdy, 86. Sportscaster; called 13 World Series and 16 All-Star games, first Super Bowl. Feb. 20.

Archbishop Paul C. Marcinkus, 84. Top official at Vatican's bank before scandal ended his tenure. Feb. 20.

Donald Herbert, 44. A brain-injured firefighter who suddenly spoke after nearly a decade of silence. Feb. 21. Suspected heart attack.

Dennis Weaver, 81. Chester on "Gunsmoke" and the cowboy cop hero in "McCloud." Feb. 24.

Don Knotts, 81. Won five Emmys for playing the bumbling Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show." Feb. 24.

Darren McGavin, 83. Tough-talking actor; was grouchy dad in "A Christmas Story." Feb. 25.

Henry M. Morris, 87. Influential advocate of the creationist theory ("The Genesis Flood.") Feb. 25.

Otis Chandler, 78. Turned family-owned Los Angeles Times into one of the nation's most distinguished newspapers. Feb. 27.

Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott, 97. World War II ace, wrote "God Is My Co-Pilot." Feb. 27.

Owen Chamberlain, 85. Shared 1959 Nobel in physics as co-discoverer of the antiproton. Feb. 28.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, February

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:59 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Those that left us in 2006 - January JANUARY:

Urbano Lazzaro, 81. Italian resistance fighter credited with arresting Mussolini. Jan. 3.

Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 62. Emir of Dubai; prominent thoroughbred breeder. Jan. 4.

Lou Rawls, 72. Velvet-voiced singer of such hits as "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing." Jan. 6.

Jack Mabley, 90. Chicago newspaperman; wrote an estimated 12,190 columns. Jan. 7.

Shelley Winters, 85. Outspoken, Oscar-winning star ("The Diary of Anne Frank.") Jan. 14.

William "Bud" Post III, 66. His $16.2 million lottery jackpot led to squabbles, business failures. Jan. 15.

Thomas A. Murphy, 90. General Motors CEO as it shifted to more fuel-efficient cars in 1970s. Jan. 18.

Wilson Pickett, 64. Fiery soul music pioneer ("Mustang Sally.") Jan. 19.

Anthony Franciosa, 77. Hollywood actor ("A Face in the Crowd.") Jan. 19.

Ibrahim Rugova, 61. Kosovo president; epitomized its long struggle for independence from Serbia. Jan. 21.

Virginia Smith, 94. Eight-term Nebraska congresswoman. Jan. 23.

Fayard Nicholas, 91. With brother Harold, he wowed the tap dancing world. Jan. 24.

Morris Silverman, 93. Businessman and philanthropist; established nation's richest prize for medical research. Jan. 26.

Johannes Rau, 75. Former German president; promoted deeper ties with Israel. Jan. 27.

Rabbi Yitzhak Kadouri, around 106. Influential leader of Kabbalah school of Jewish mystical thought. Jan. 28.

Nam June Paik, 74. Avant-garde artist credited with inventing video art. Jan. 29.

Wendy Wasserstein, 55. Playwright who celebrated women's lives ("The Heidi Chronicles.") Jan. 30. Lymphoma.

Coretta Scott King, 78. Civil rights leader; carried on work started by her martyred husband. Jan. 30.

Moira Shearer, 80. British ballerina and actress whose debut film, "The Red Shoes," created a sensation. Jan. 31.

Labels: 2006, Deaths, January

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:50 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Blabbermouth Remember when we'd get home and someone would jot down a note. "So-and-so called, please phone when you can."

It was understood that the information that needed to be imparted could wait. There was no way of getting ahold of us when we were in our cars, at work, in the market or going into a movie.
Think of that again....
Information can wait!,

I think a lot of what's imparted over cell phones doesn't really matter whether or not you receive it now or later. With the exception of a few things, like needing to know where friends or family members are, or talking to clients, most things can wait until later. And that's not mañana-speak, that's only stating the obvious.

When I'm at a store, I don't need to know a person's entire dysfunctional family circus. I don't want to hear it. No way. They should keep their little dirty family secrets about Aunt Tiffany wearing men's boxers while Uncle Hank wears her bras and thongs. Really, I know how messed up the world is, I don't need it reaffirmed everytime I'm at the ATM/grocers/DMV/school/elevator/restaurant/biker bar.

Biker bar? Well, yes. The saddest sight you'll ever see is a big motley biker strolling through a bar with a teeny little electronic gizmo strapped to his ear saying, "Uh huh, uh huh, okay, see ya." Such monosyllabic mutters cost, and besides that little blue tooth is like a teeny tiny electronic leash, so best leave it at the door.

But the worst example of airwave pollution was a psychologist who went through her entire day's patient list while getting her car fixed. We had to listen to the psychologist break every privacy and ethical rule in the book as she led detailed discussions of her patient's problems in public. If I could have, I'd of given her a ticket for poor taste and unprofessional conduct.

And it could have waited.

So yes, bring out that safety fine for blabbermouths who go 45 mph on the Santa Monica freeway because their yabbering over the phone. Information can wait. The world will still be here if they let their phone ring. 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 2:43 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Thanks for your patience and understanding

Labels: Presses Down, Seattle Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:18 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  California's New Laws for 2007 Cell Phones—Operative July 1, 2008

Requires the use of hands-free wireless phones as of July 1, 2008, with limited exceptions. Two Way Cells are exempt. The fine will be $70 for the first offense, $175 for subsequent ones.

"Trunking"

AB 1850 makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly drive a motor vehicle while another person is riding in the trunk; riding in the trunk is also illegal. The driver receives a fine and one point on his or her driving record; the person riding in the trunk receives a fine. The law is a response to some teen drivers' attempts to evade the passenger restriction in California's graduated driver licensing law by hiding teens in the trunk. Since 2000, there have been 153 collisions involving trunking, resulting in nine deaths and 140 injuries.

Commercial Driver License

Ensures immediate administrative driver licensing sanctions are imposed when any driver is operating a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .04% or greater.

Requires California to report convictions of commercial driver traffic violations to the home state of the commercial driver for sanctioning purposes.

Establishes the following:

• A first conviction for driving any vehicle under the influence of drugs is cause for the disqualification of the commercial driving privilege for one year.
• A commercial driver who is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident, regardless of whether the violation occurred in a commercial vehicle or the driver’s personal vehicle, is subject to the disqualification of the commercial driving privilege for one year.
• A first conviction of gross vehicular manslaughter or vehicular manslaughter is cause for the disqualification of the commercial driving privilege for one year.
  

Eliminates the authority for the issuance of a restricted commercial driver’s license when the driving privilege is suspended or because the driver or driver’s family has a serious health problem (does not prohibit the issuance of a restricted Class C or M license; thereby allowing the commercial driver to operate a non-commercial vehicle).

Organ Donation

Removes the minimum age requirement for persons to consent to participate in the organ and tissue donor program.

Driver License Suspension For DUI

Increases the mandatory driver’s license suspension period to ten months for persons convicted of a first offense of Driving Under the Influence of alcohol if the individual’s blood alcohol concentration level was .20% or greater, and the court orders an enhanced alcohol treatment program.

Also.... Anyone under 21 who has a measurable blood alcohol level of 0.01%, in addition to license suspension of a year, it is now a CRIMINAL OFFENSE with a minimum fine of $350 (not including penalty assesments).

Driving Infraction

Creates a new infraction for driving a motor vehicle while knowingly permitting a person to ride in the trunk. A passenger found guilty of riding in the trunk of a vehicle would be guilty of an infraction. Both the driver and passenger would be subject to fines pursuant to a specified schedule. A driver convicted of knowingly permitting passengers to ride in/on the trunk of a vehicle would receive one negligent operator point on his or her driving record.

Emergency Vehicles

Requires drivers to take specific precautionary actions on a highway when passing a stopped emergency vehicle when the emergency lights are activated. When facing any emergency vehicle with a siren or flashing lights, you have to move at least two lanes away for their safety. This law makes it an infraction for failure to comply with those requirements.

Equipment of Vehicles

Clarifies existing statute regarding the use of headlamps during darkness and/or inclement weather. YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON IF IT IS RAINING!!!!!

Graffiti and Vandalism

Allows courts to impose increased driver license sanctions for graffiti and vandalism. Courts may now suspend a driver license for a period of up to two years, or delay issuing a license for a period of one to three years.

Ignition Interlock Device

Prohibits a manufacturer of an ignition interlock device (IID) from furnishing information to any individual or entity that would allow modifications to be made that would allow it to be used in a manner that is contrary to its intended purpose.

Prohibits the tampering of an IID by a service center or technician and prohibits reinstatement of the driving privilege until the DMV receives proof that the device has actually been installed. Requires DMV to verify installations on court ordered IID.

Mature Driver Improvement Course

Revises the Mature Driver Improvement Program by increasing the maximum allowable course fee and by providing for a renewal course with reduced instructional time. (4 HOURS)

Addresses comments of course participants who do not believe the full 400-minute course is necessary every three years for renewal purposes.

Allows course providers to charge a fee of up to $30 for either the initial or renewal course and providers indicate this fee increase is needed because costs have risen since the inception of the program in 1986.

Requires DMV to establish standards and develop criteria and review each provider’s renewal course lesson plan to ensure it meets the Mature Driver Improvement Course requirements.

Reckless Driving/Racing

Increases penalties for first conviction of reckless driving or engaging in a speed contest resulting in specified injuries to a person other than the driver.

First-offenders would be subject to BEING CHARGED WITH A FELONY...confinement in state prison or county jail for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months, or by a fine of not less than $220 (reckless driving) or $500 (speed contest) nor more than $1000. The specified injuries which would incur these sentences are; loss of consciousness, concussion, bone fracture, protracted loss or impairment of function of a bodily member or organ, wound requiring extensive suturing, serious disfigurement, brain injury, and/or paralysis.

Vehicle Impoundment

Under AB 2253, a court can impound a vehicle used in the illegal dumping of waste matter for up to six months if the person driving the vehicle has a prior conviction for the offense. Waste matter does not include beverage containers or food wrappers, but it does include oil and other petroleum products, paints, garbage, furniture, dirt, gravel, and body parts.

School Bus Certificate

Authorizes the California Highway Patrol to conduct a preliminary criminal and driver history check to determine the eligibility of an individual prior to issuing a special certificate authorizing the operation of a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, youth bus, or a general public paratransit vehicle.

Exempts school bus mechanics and driver trainees from having to obtain a school bus endorsement for the operation of the vehicle provided they are not engaged in the transportation of children.

Three-Tier Driver Assessment Project

Requires the department to conduct a study of a Three-Tier Driver Assessment System, contingent upon receipt of grant money, and determine the effectiveness of the program in identifying functional impairments, reducing crashes, and prolonging safe driving years of all drivers regardless of age.

Autoette

Establishes a definition of an “autoette” in the Vehicle Code and requires the department to issue regular license plates and registration to an autoette operated exclusively in the City of Avalon on Santa Catalina Island.

Requires the owner to surrender the license plates to the department when the vehicle is removed from the island and brought to the mainland.

Hybrid Vehicles HOV (Carpool) Lanes

Extends the sunset date for the clean air vehicle program to January 1, 2011. Allows an additional 10,000 hybrid stickers to be issued.

Recreational Vehicles: Contaminated Methamphetamine Property

Requires the DMV to provide a form to be used by local health officials to:

• request vehicle license stops
• issue informational memoranda, and
• place a stop (upon request) on a vehicle record in order to preclude a transfer of ownership on a recreational vehicle previously found to have been used as a Methamphetamine lab.

The vehicle registration stop would remain in place until the local health officer provides a release to DMV.

Records Access

Prohibits computer vendors, vehicle manufacturers and other specified entities from accessing information from a motor vehicle dealer’s computer system regarding the dealer’s customers. This is designed to prevent “data mining” from a dealer’s database without the dealer’s consent.

Allows requesters to have access to DUI conviction information for violations that occurred within the past ten (10) years. Currently, only law enforcement and the courts are able to access this information for a ten-year period.

Car Key Replacement:

the law requires an automaker to provide, at any time, the codes necessary for a registered locksmith to make a replacement key for vehicles sold or leased in California. (Manufacturers that currently permit no one but themselves to duplicate a key, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, have until 2013 to comply with the law.) The law also requires the automaker to verify the locksmith's identification and registration, and it requires the locksmith to verify the vehicle owner's identification and registration.

What the legislation doesn't do

It doesn't apply to automakers that sell fewer than 2,500 vehicles in California. And it doesn't directly address how much replacement keys will cost. However, if a locksmith doesn't have to partially dismantle a car to make a replacement key, locksmith fees are likely to decline. And if independent locksmiths are able to make duplicate keys that now can be obtained only through an automaker and its dealers, the cost of replacement keys is also likely to decline.

For additional information:

Department of Motor Vehicles

California Highway Patrol

Labels: 2007, California, CHP, DMV, Laws

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:33 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Saddam Executed at Dawn

Labels: Executed, Hussein, Iraq, Saddam

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 6:58 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Company to Voluntarily Delist from NYSE Arca Tribune Company to Voluntarily Delist from NYSE Arca, Formerly Known as the Pacific Exchange

Retains New York Stock Exchange Listing

CHICAGO, Dec 29, 2006 -- Tribune Company (TRB) announced that it will voluntarily withdraw the listing of its common stock from NYSE Arca, Inc., formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc. The decision to withdraw the listing from NYSE Arca will eliminate costs and duplicative administrative requirements. Tribune's common stock will continue to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Stock Exchange. NYSE Arca will continue trading Tribune common stock on an unlisted trading privilege basis.

TRIBUNE (TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.), The Sun (Baltimore), South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel and Hartford Courant. The company's broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune Company

Labels: Delist, NYSE, Trading, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:40 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  A Life Of Joy

"If we are true to the steps we take, the travel makes sense and the journey confirms itself."

Some days there is news that just makes your mind reel.
No, I'm not talking about Saddam, I'm talking about my accountant's niece.
Her niece and her fiancee were driving on Thursday, up I-5 near San Diego. A truck lost its trailer hitch. The six pound piece of metal flew through the air, striking their SUV. Her fiancee was killed instantly, and the niece grabbed for the wheel. They finally came to a stop after hitting two cars, and swerving into a median. The niece is uninjured, however, she suffers the loss of her fiancee. And here's the kicker. Sean O'Shea was a really great guy who lived his life exuding enthusiasm and love.

We were talking about the randomness of it all. The trailer hitch sailing in the sky, hitting the man who engaged in all of life's challenges and left a ribbon of love in his wake. We were all just so sad today. Unbearably so, as we helped our accountant find more information. As the day wore on, we realized something beyond any philosophical dickerings of fate vs. randomness. Even though he was young, he lived his life in such a way that at any moment if he were taken off this earth he'd be assured that the strongest thing left behind was love. Now I'm not saying he deliberately did this, nor that he knew he'd have an early departure. But he lived his life so beautifully that his emotional legacy will be a comforting one. His strength wasn't in his poses or the frequency in which he practiced yoga. It was in the way he conducted his life, and there was nothing random about it.

"Nirvana isn't a place, but a liberated way of experiencing this one." 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 10:28 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Statement by President Bush From Los Angeles Times

Today, Saddam Hussein was executed after receiving a fair trial -- the kind of justice he denied the victims of his brutal regime.

Fair trials were unimaginable under Saddam Hussein's tyrannical rule. It is a testament to the Iraqi people's resolve to move forward after decades of oppression that, despite his terrible crimes against his own people, Saddam Hussein received a fair trial. This would not have been possible without the Iraqi people's determination to create a society governed by the rule of law.

Saddam Hussein's execution comes at the end of a difficult year for the Iraqi people and for our troops. Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain, and defend itself, and be an ally in the War on Terror.

We are reminded today of how far the Iraqi people have come since the end of Saddam Hussein's rule - and that the progress they have made would not have been possible without the continued service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Many difficult choices and further sacrifices lie ahead. Yet the safety and security of the American people require that we not relent in ensuring that Iraq's young democracy continues to progress.

Labels: Bush, Los Angeles Times, President, Saddam

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Union Representatives GCC/IBT

In case your wondering whom Marty Keegan might be, he's pictured at the right. Marty is the union organizer for the GCC/IBT and has a very positive attitude when it comes to the upcoming election.

Labels: GCC, IBT, Marty Keegan, Newsday, Pressmen, Ron Pineda

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:27 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  Saddam has been executed

Fox News reporting that al Arabiya has announced that Saddam has been executed.

Still and video cameras were in the chamber at the time of the execution. How long before it's on YouTube?

Stay tuned for video

Labels: Executed, Iraq, Saddam, War

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:42 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Message From David Hiller to Pressroom Employees

Dear Ed:

I want to take just a few minutes of your time this holiday week to talk to you about an important issue. Next week you must make a decision that will affect you and your family's future: whether to vote for or against the Union.

You know that The Times strongly opposes the Union because we believe that having a
union would simply make things more difficult for all of us. But we respect that this
decision is yours and yours alone to make

Throughout this campaign we have attempted to provide you the facts so you can make
an informed decision. Consistent with this approach we are enclosing a DVD with
some facts about the Union and what it could mean for you. (If you don't have a DVD
player, we can provide you with a VHS tape - just ask any pressroom supervisor or
manager.)

Some of the things on the DVD you may have heard before, things like the Union's
record in elections and at the bargaining table across the country and, importantly, here in California. But we also talk about the possible sale of the newspaper and what having the Union could mean.

We hope that after considering the facts you will once again (for a sixth time) reject the Union. But regardless of how you feel, we urge everyone to vote. This is too important an issue to leave up to others and we hope that if you are on vacation or otherwise off work during the election you will make the extra effort to come in and vote. I have enclosed a reminder of the voting schedule and locations in both plants. You can find all the election information at The Times' website www.unionfree.com/latimes
I want to conclude by wishing you and your family a healthy and happy New Year.

Sincerely,

David

Labels: David Hiller, Los Angeles Times, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 6:45 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Your Vote Counts Next Week Next Thursday and Friday the Pressroom employees of the Los Angeles Times will decide one way or the other if they would like to be represented by the Graphic Communications Conference/ International Brotherhood of Teamsters Union.

No matter how you decide to vote, it is important that you cast your vote at either the Olympic Plant or the Orange County Plant at the times listed below.

Olympic Roller Room:
9:00AM – 11:00AM
2:00PM – 4:00PM
8:30PM – 10:30PM

Orange County Roller Room:
6:00AM – 7:30AM
1:00PM – 3:00PM
8:30PM – 11:00PM

Every attempt has been made to allow both sides to give the employees of the newspaper their opinions, and your opinions are always welcome here.

When the stress of the upcoming election is behind us, all Tribune Company employees will still be wondering what will become of the company and their jobs next year?
.
Union Site Save Our Trade
Company Site Union Free

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Teamsters, Tribune, Union, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:21 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Message from James Hoffa to Pressroom Employees
JAMES P. HOFFA
General President
25 Louisiana Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Dear Los Angeles Times Pressroom Employee:


You know that the Tribune Company is in trouble and looking for a buyer. Here at the Times that turmoil resulted in the firing of the paper's publisher and editor. They refused to follow orders from Chicago when told to lay off more staff. The new Tribune replacements are here to carry out any orders dictated to them. These circumstances clearly demonstrate why you need a strong voice to protect your jobs and future - presently you have none.

This union campaign is not about hurting the Times. We do not want to do that. In fact, we want the paper to be successful and prosper. However, we do believe that employees - whose outstanding performance makes the company profitable - should have a voice in decisions affecting their welfare and the workplace. No one knows the pressroom better then you. No one but you knows what is best for your family.

Without union representation, you have no legal rights or voice in these matters. All decisions are made by a plant manager or a Tribune executive in Chicago. Sometimes the company acts responsibly. Often, it does not. In either case you are denied any real input that union representation provides. It's that simple.

As newspaper craft persons, you exercise intelligence and initiative on the job every day. Union membership affords the opportunity to do the same in matters essential to your livelihood. Other than that, the boss solely makes all the decisions. In order to keep their power, they want you to vote no. assuring their absolute control.

In these uncertain times, with Tribune trying to sell all or part of its news operation, it is important that you take steps to protect your interests. Whether or not Tribune remains intact, you should make union representation — certified by the National Labor Relations Board - a top priority so that you have legal remedies if the company seeks to make significant changes.

Tribune already has stated that more cuts are needed to boost profits for shareholders. If the company is sold, new owners will likely do the same. Do not allow yourself to he put at a disadvantage by executives who care primarily about the bottom line - and their own paychecks.

Times management is trying to intimidate you by claiming unionization would lead to a strike. They cite strikes that happened_decades ago but do not mention the GCC/IBT's record of settling disputes without resorting to such action. Recently, at Newsday, the company feared there might be a strike. We never threatened such action and none took place. We settled that contract - receiving $13 million in union signing bonuses.

For any of you who are still undecided about union membership, we want you to know that we are sincere in our pledge to create a strong independent local union that represents Times workers. The 1.4 million members of the Teamsters will assist you in obtaining a fair and equitable pressroom contract. As you know. the drivers who distribute the Los Angeles Times are Teamster members. They are eager to welcome you into IBT ranks and enthusiastically support your efforts to organize.

We are with you all the way. Stay strong and united in order to protect your jobs and families. Vote YES and become part of the Teamster family and benefit by the strength and solidarity of Teamster power.


JAMES P. HOFFA, General President, IBT President. GCC/IBT
GEORGE TEDESCHI, President, Graphic Communications Conference
1900 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • phone (202) 462-1400 fax (202) 721-0600

Labels: GCC, Hoffa, IBT, Los Angeles Times, Pressroom, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:11 AM 6 Comments Links to this post

  Friday Morning Linkage McClatchy's profit-and-loss statement: They profit, we lose
Mercifully, Mr. McClatchy passed away in May and did not live to see the Sacramento-based company that bore his name disgrace his legacy by dumping its largest newspaper -- the most important one between Chicago and the West Coast, the one that serves 5 million Minnesotans and that can be a conscience, a scold, a cheerleader and an interpreter of life on the tundra.

Twin Cities will lose Star Tribune Foundation
The sale of the Star Tribune does not include the assets of its charitable foundation, which makes annual grants to community organizations. The McClatchy Co. will honor previous commitments, then transfer the assets of the Star Tribune Foundation to California.

Private equity firms buying newspapers
Sacramento, Calif.-based McClatchy Co. said Tuesday it would sell the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune to the New York private equity fund Avista Capital Partners for $530 million.
While private equity firms have invested billions in media companies, the Star Tribune is their first major daily-newspaper deal. How Avista manages the Star Tribune will be closely watched far beyond the newspaper's circulation area.

Extra! Extra! The skinny on David Geffen and the L.A. Times
Those who have dealt with Geffen while covering this business should find that obvious. Geffen is famously vindictive. One reporter now at the Times once called me in tears after an encounter with him on the phone (one truly has to be on the receiving end of his verbal savagery to appreciate it). And does anyone think he'll tolerate articles that annoy him or his friends? And he has lots of friends—from Hollywood to Washington, from Steven Spielberg to Hillary Clinton.

Advertising's future on the Internet
Marketers and ad agencies, long accustomed to interrupting a television show or preceding a movie with their message, are now trying to learn the new language of video advertising on the Internet.

More Companies Will Start Hiring Bloggers
As one of the few paid bloggers, Romenesko believes that more organizations and companies will start hiring people to blog. “I think it would be smart for firms to experiment with blogs on their intranets—offer relevant links to employees and the opportunity to comment on them.”

Labels: Blogs, Los Angeles Times, Newspapers, Tribune

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:11 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  STRIKES The following Message is directed to the men and women of the Los Angeles Times Pressrooms from management.

During the past week, the issue of strikes was raised a few times.
Regarding the first point above, it is important that everyone understand that strikes and other labor actions are stark realities in a collective bargaining world. If the union is elected to represent pressroom employees on January 4th and 5th, it is certain that the company would have no choice but to take necessary and prudent steps to ensure that the newspaper will publish in the face of potential strikes or any other labor actions.

Regarding point number two above, while union supporters may well believe that they would not vote to strike today, it is a reality that no one knows what would happen during good faith bargaining. Why would the union give up its strongest bargaining chip? Would that not weaken its position in collective bargaining?

The third point is most interesting and enlightening. Union organizers claim that there is no need to worry about a potential strike if the union is elected. Yet, a prominent supporter is already talking about perceived results of a strike.

The Company certainly hopes there is never a strike. As we have stated time and again, it would bargain in good faith. But as the three points above illustrate, there are no certainties. The Company would have no alternative but to prepare contingency plans to respond to possible labor actions, including a strike, just as we have contingencies to respond to earthquakes and other potential business interruptions.

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Marty Keegan, Radio, Union, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:24 AM 8 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper News Can The Washington Times Survive?
The Washington Times gets picked up every day on C-SPAN, and by other major news organizations when it scores a big hit. But for a paper that only has a daily circulation of just 90,000 with inflated numbers, can that marvelous respectability continue?

I don't need to read 11 million Blogs
But while I hook up my laptop just about anywhere, IM my buddies and continually check my buzzing BlackBerry, one thing is missing: what I call Ed Sullivan moments.

Sun-Times to end TV Prevue in '07
The Chicago Sun-Times will cease publishing TV Prevue in the new year.
The decision comes as information on TV programming is becoming much more readily available in the daily newspaper, on the Internet and on the TV screen itself.

Private group buys Star Tribune
The McClatchy Co. capped a year of dramatic changes in the newspaper industry Tuesday by announcing the surprise sale of the Star Tribune, its largest newspaper, to a private investment group.

Google Set To Expand Newspaper Ad Program
For some of the nation's newspapers, Google's offer was too good to pass up. This fall, the search-engine company proposed to show how it could help newspapers sell print advertising to the hundreds of thousands of small merchants who buy Internet ads from Google. Advertisers would go online and bid on the excess ad inventory of daily newspapers, giving them a much-needed revenue boost.

Rick Wartzman leaving Times
The editor of West magazine told his staff today that he has given notice to become a senior fellow at New America Foundation. But he will continue to write for the LAT on a contract basis as a once-a-week business columnist.

Labels: Blogs, Newspapers, Readers, Survive, TV Guide

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:01 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Gerald Rudolph Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford (July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was the 38th President (1974–1977) and 40th Vice President (1973–1974) of the United States. He was the first person appointed to the vice presidency, under the terms of the 25th Amendment, and upon succession to the presidency, became the only person to hold that office without having been elected either president or vice president. Prior to becoming vice president, he served for over eight years as the Republican Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. Ford was the longest-lived president, dying at the age of 93 years, 5 months, and 13 days, slightly longer than Ronald Reagan who lived 93 years, 3 months, and 12 days.
The Ford administration saw the withdrawal of American forces from the Vietnam War, the execution of the Helsinki Accords, and the continuing specter of inflation and recession. Ford came under intense criticism for granting a pre-emptive pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal, and was subsequently defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election.

Labels: Gerald Ford, Pardon, President

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:44 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Vacation from Blogging It was rather nice not using the Internet or any other devices to communicate with the past two days, just made for some quiet days to do something different. Every now and then we all need to get away from it all and do something out of the ordinary and recharge ourselves.

Labels: Blogs, Cell Phones, Vacation

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:32 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper Delivery I have a question regarding the delivery persons.
I got the usual end of the year solicitation for a tip.
But the address for "Tomas Hernandez" is in Sun Valley.
Is this for real? Or is this that scam where the supervisors have all the tips sent to them and then they don't distribute it to the carrier? I know that delivery is no longer pat of the Times. YET.. the card enclosed with it looks very official and has the Times written all over it.
What do you think? I thought because I'm in Fullerton that my carrier would at least be more local. 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 9:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  James Brown RIP

Labels: God Father of Soul, James Brown

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:19 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Christmas at the Padgett Household

Labels: Bryan, Edward Padgett, Joanna, Krissy, Margaret, Nathan

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:08 PM 6 Comments Links to this post

  Happy Birthday Jesus

Labels: Birthday, Black Jesus, Jesus

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:29 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Happy Holidays Everyone Hope everyone in cyberspace has a great day with family and friends, I will have a houseful shortly. With roast beef slowly cooking, the house smells wonderful. With so many children I had our party early in the afternoon so my children could make the rounds to their significant others families homes tonight.

If you find yourself alone with nothing to do, please come over and join us for some food, drink, and companionship. My house is your house.

May not be back online the remainder of the day, have fun.

Eddie

Labels: Christmas Party, Drink, Family, Food, Friends

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:15 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Flying Paster with a Half Roll

Edward's YouTube Page

Labels: Flying Paster, Los Angeles Times, Newspapers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:51 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  The Crashing Automatic Guided Vehicles

Edward's YouTube Page

Labels: AGV's, Los Angeles Times, Newspapers, Newsprint

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:31 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Saturday Night News The Misplaced Assumption
That young people are less interested in the news than they used to be. It's a point of view that confuses a declining interest in newspapers with a declining interest in what's going on in the world. But just as comic strips, sports scores and celebrity gossip once coaxed previous generations of teens and 20-somethings to pick up daily broadsheets, newspaper companies today need to make their Web sites more appealing to the young by tempting them with their contemporary equivalents, such as popular music and movie blogs and user-generated video footage from local high school sporting events.

Balzar leaving the newspaper game
John Balzar, one of the last ties to the L.A. Times' run as an exemplar of the literary newspaper journalism form, has given his notice and will move to Washington to work for the Humane Society. His farewell email, posted below the fold, hints that the internal turmoil rocking the Times (and papers generally) pushed him to seek a new life.

Put Oprah On Page One Every Day
What can newspaper editors to do beef up the front pages of their print products and reach out to defecting reader groups in 2007? To find the answer I turned on my television, looked at the magazine rack at the grocery checkout, and browsed a bookstore.The answer is Oprah Winfrey. The best way to reach out and grab new readers is to put Oprah on page one every day.

We're sorry about the late newspaper
Delivery of The Denver Post will continue throughout the day as there is limited access into many neighorhoods in the Front Range.
If you do not receive delivery today your carrier will make delivery as soon as it is possible.

Publisher of Ex's City Star lasts a month
John Gollin, publisher of the San Francisco Examiner's new City Star, has resigned a month after the new free daily started.

Labels: circulation, Media News, Newspapers, Newsroom

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:38 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Visit From the Publisher

Labels: David Hiller, Holiday, Los Angeles Times, Xmas

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:38 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Message From David Hiller - Publisher LAT From: Hiller, David
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:25 AM
Subject: Have a good holiday!

Folks,

I want to wish you and your families and friends a happy and safe holiday season.

I'm going to Chicago for a few days, and then coming home to go to the Rose Parade which I have watched on television every year since I was a kid. I hope you also have good plans to relax, unwind and have some fun. We all need it.

I have spent a fair amount of time over the past couple of weeks in meetings with potential investors, talking with them about the Los Angeles Times. In an odd way, with all the uncertainty about the future ownership of this company, telling these new people our story - about what we have meant to Los Angeles and Southern California for 125 years, and our plans looking to the future - has reinforced my confidence in our future. No matter what change, if any, may occur in our corporate ownership, we are the leading and most influential media company in the biggest and most dynamic region in the nation. That's a pretty darn good base to build on.

And build and change we will. I spent time yesterday with Jim O'Shea, Doug Frantz and the Spring Street group talking about their ideas and recommendations for re-orienting our news operations toward the Web, driving more continuous breaking news, and overall better integrating our efforts across print and online. I don't want to scoop that story here, but I'm very excited about the early recommendations, and we'll be hearing more about that soon after the first of the year.

I also want to thank all of you for what you do every day. This is truly a remarkable place, with extraordinary people. And I want to thank you, too, for helping me and making me feel welcome these first months I have been here. I really appreciate it.

So have a great holiday, and I'm looking forward to our 126th year.

David

Labels: David Hiller, Holiday, Los Angeles Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:09 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Pressroom Xmas Party

Labels: Christmas Party, Holiday, Los Angeles Times, Pressmen

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:41 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  New Christmas Card Somebody call Hallmark and tell them to start printing the new revised cards.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the December solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishees. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Labels: Card, Christmas, Corporate

 

posted by Jess Espinoza | ¶ 1:11 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  Not Enough Time in a Day With the holiday upon us, I like you, don’t have time available to do what I like doing best, blogging.

Our pressroom Christmas feast went off well, no one left hungry, as there was plenty of food for all. I will post the pictures tonight after work.

I video taped Russ Newton giving a speech, and will post after he gives the green light.

Kanani and Jesse are both sick with either the flu or colds, lets hope they are both feeling well enough to celebrate with their families.

I start vacation after today’s shift, but I’m preparing for a Christmas party for my six children and two grandchildren on Sunday, so I may or may not post much this weekend.

Stay tuned. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:55 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  Look at these photos of Denver! Just when I started complaining about the cold weather, I saw these photos of Denver! The roads are socked in and the airport is not expected to re-open until Friday or Saturday.
Future Gringo photos of the snow! 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 4:57 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  The Cold Of The Season On the 26th, we're supposed to go to Santa Anita for opening day.
But my ear feels like it's falling off. So maybe Xmas will be very low key this year.
I have my annual Christmas cold. Just this week I'd been so happy that this year I managed to avoid it. But kapow! Yesterday morning I woke up, got dressed for work, and promptly went back to bed! 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 11:09 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Thursday Morning News People should care what Bloggers say
The decision by Time magazine to name "you" as the 2006 "Person of the Year" really bugs George Will -- especially because it gives props to all of the narcissists who he thinks own the blogosphere.

Strupp's Top 10 Newspaper Industry Stories of 2006
NEW YORK (December 20, 2006) -- As always, the newspaper industry had more than its share of ups, downs and, well, more downs. Still, the newsprint kept unrolling, and, more importantly, the Web sites kept growing. Jobs were cut, deals made, and some press freedoms were protected while others were lost. YouTube was the craze of the year.

Chandlers present at Tribune meetings
Representatives from California's Chandler family visited Chicago on Tuesday to attend presentations for suitors in the auction for Tribune Co., said two sources with knowledge of the situation.The Chandlers appear to be working with one or more of the private-equity firms that have shown interest in bidding for Tribune, the sources said.

Tribune makes a pitch to 2 local magnates
Representatives of Tribune Co. on Wednesday presented detailed information about the media company and its largest unit, the Los Angeles Times, to representatives of two local magnates who have expressed interest in buying the company.Participants in the morning session in downtown Los Angeles said it was unclear whether the presentation would push Eli Broad and Ron Burkle any closer to making a formal offer for Tribune. The duo earlier made a joint, nonbinding bid for the Chicago-based company.

Bee recalling L.A., S.F. reporters, offers 'separations'
The Sacramento Bee this week offered "voluntary separations" to at least four reporters, including three who cover beats outside Greater Sacramento, and could offer such deals to almost 3 percent of editorial employees.
"There are no layoffs that are in play at this point," said Sacramento Bee spokesman Steven Weiss. "This is not an across-the-board buy-out in the newsroom."

Sacramento Bee closing LA, SF bureaus
The Sacramento Bee announced today it is closing its bureaus in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Hearst asks some employees for blood
We don't know if this program has reached the Hearst-owned San Francisco Chronicle, but workers at Hearst's Houston Chronicle are being asked to provide blood samples in return for lower health insurance premiums.

Judge won't delay Guardian trial
A judge has refused to delay the start of the trial in the Bay Guardian's lawsuit against the owner of the SF Weekly and East Bay Express.

Labels: Media News, Newspapers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:24 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  L.A. union leaders reach deal with city By Joe Mathews,
Times Staff Writer
December 21, 2006

The tentative pact with the Engineers and Architects Assn. would provide a 9% raise over the next three years.

Bringing a close to its most contentious labor fight, the city of Los Angeles has reached agreement with leaders of the Engineers and Architects Assn. on a new contract that would provide a 9% raise over the next three years, according to union and city sources.

The deal, which still needs the approval of the EAA's approximately 7,500 members, surprised leaders of other public employee unions and turned upside down the pattern of relations between the city government and its unions.

When unions representing civilian employees signed contracts in 2004, EAA was the lone holdout. Now, as the city goes into its 2007 contract negotiations, EAA is the only union with a deal.

Continue reading KTLA News

Labels: KTLA, Los Angeles Times, Tribune, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:08 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Message from Mark Kurtich-SVP Production DATE: December 20, 2006
FROM: Mark Kurtich
SUBJECT: Campaign Meetings
TO: Times’ Pressroom Employees

This week will mark the final round of planned campaign meetings. Because of the holiday, we have not planned additional campaign meetings at this time, but we will continue to communicate with you concerning the upcoming election.

Last week our main theme during the employee union campaign meetings was “Why We Oppose The Union.” This week, however, the campaign meeting discussion will include broad issues such as retirement programs. Many of you continue to ask questions about the pension. As such, given the global nature of some of the topics this week, all pressroom employees are invited and expected to attend.

In addition, I am pleased to announce that David Hiller is planning to address the afternoon and evening meetings Thursday and Friday, which is another reason why it is important to have everyone in attendance.

Labels: Campaign Meetings, David Hiller, Mark Kurtich

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:08 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  JOB SECURITY v. UNION SECURITY

Labels: GCIU, Los Angeles Times, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:52 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Elf Visits the Los Angeles Times

Labels: Elf Yourself, Humor, Johnny Walker

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:30 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  On the Lighter Side of Life I had a great laugh on Sunday morning when a co-worker played an animation of our pressroom manager, John Walker, as a dancing elf. We all need a good laugh now and then, so I highly recommend visiting this site, and creating your own dancing elf.

All you need is a picture of a friend, their face can be inserted into the animation, which can be emailed to everyone on your mailing list.

Visit Elf Yourself

Labels: Animation, Elf Yourself, Funny

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:15 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Keeping the Presses Rolling Here's a short video of a flying paster at the newspaper, taken last Saturday as I worked in the reelroom.

Labels: Flying Paster, Los Angeles Times, Newspapers, Newsprint

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:26 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Wednesday Morning Linkage Dean Baquet Booted From L.A. Times for Refusing to Gut Newsroom Product
Well, he didn’t quite quit. Dean Baquet spit into the eye of the hurricane. In September, the editor of the Los Angeles Times let it be known that he would not be making any new cuts in his newsroom budget, even if the owners at the Chicago Tribune Company asked. He then gave a speech on Oct. 26 to Associated Press managing editors in New Orleans about an “irrational era of cost-cutting.” He said that editors should “put up a little bit more of a fight than we have put up in the past.” He told editors, “Don’t be shy about making the public-service argument.” And he said, “We need to be a feistier bunch.”

Hearst-MediaNews ruling extended
A federal judge on Tuesday extended an order she issued last month that barred The Chronicle's owner and the owner of the San Jose Mercury News and other Bay Area newspapers from collaborating on local distribution and national advertising sales.

Amateurs working as journalists are giving rise to a new wave of 'citizen newspapers.
A woman in Venice Beach reviews "The Lion King" and declares it the best musical she's seen — of the four she's ever seen. In Dallas, a group of professional reporters and "citizen journalists" collaborate on a federal government exposé. And a Milwaukee news magazine's experiment with amateur reporters yields fresh insights into city planning, fire department politics and "taco butt," that unsightly parting of the derrière caused by too-tight denim inseams.

Labels: Dean Baquet, Media News, Newspapers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:07 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Three Dog Night in California Did you stay warm last night? San Dimas hit a low of thirty degrees early this morning, and for us Southern Californians, this was cold. Readers from the East tell me this is not cold weather, I'll take their word for it and do not want to experience a wind chill factor.

Labels: 30 degrees, Cold, Weather

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:20 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Meeting with the Publisher? I was informed earlier this afternoon everyone working the swing shift on Thursday would be attending a mandatory meeting, one hour prior to our regular start time of one in the afternoon. This conflicts with the union rally on Thursday in East Los Angeles at eleven in the morning. I’m wondering if the Times meeting was scheduled to interfere with the union meeting, or was it planned ahead of time, we will never know the truth. Sure makes you wonder though.

Listen to the GCC-Teamsters Organizer, Marty Keegan, on KPFK radio by clicking here.
If this link does not run, try this link.

Since we no longer have any type of Christmas party in the pressroom at Olympic, my crew members and I have decided to throw our own party on Thursday. Our pressroom manager has requested I get an estimate for supplying food for the entire swing shift, which I will do in the morning. That was a nice gesture on his part.

Labels: Christmas Party, GCC, KPFK, Teamsters

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:47 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  45 Take Buyouts at Union Tribune By ROB DAVIS Voice Staff Writer

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006 Forty-five veteran employees of The San Diego Union-Tribune have accepted voluntary early retirement offers, as the newspaper cuts payroll costs to cope with an industry-wide trend of declining circulation.

Nineteen of the retiring employees worked in the newsroom; thirty-two newsroom employees had been eligible, said a newsroom source who requested anonymity. Sixty-seven employees were eligible company-wide.

[snip]

In return for leaving the paper, the employees receive a year-and-a-half's salary, a full year of health benefits and partial health coverage beyond that initial period.

Continue reading Voice of San Diego

Labels: Buyouts, Downsizing, San Diego Union Tribune

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:12 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Paper's Lawsuit Against 'AJR' Reporter Draws Criticism By Joe Strupp
Editor and Publisher

NEW YORK A lawsuit filed by publishers of the Santa Barbara News-Press claiming that an American Journalism Review writer defamed the newspaper's owners in a recent article has drawn harsh criticism from newspaper industry leaders, who said such an approach is counter to journalistic practices.

"I am surprised that any publisher would do this," said Gene Roberts, the legendary former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and part-time instructor at the University of Maryland, where AJR is published. "It's pretty clear that there is an owner there with no sense and no respect for newspaper traditions and for the First Amendment."

Alex Jones, director of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University, agreed. "It is outrageous," he said. "It is especially a betrayal of the principles that most journalists understand for a libel suit of this kind to be filed. It is apparently a grudge."

Some observers noted that it was unusual for the newspaper to target the writer of the story and not the publication. "It is colossally odd," said Charles Tobin, former in-house counsel for Gannett and currently a media lawyer in Washington, D.C. "She is really trying to chill the journalist personally. It is atypical to go after the journalist alone -- they don't have deep pockets."

Continue reading Editor and Publisher

Labels: Santa Barbara News-Press, Susan Paterno

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Completes Sale of WLVI-TV, Boston 12-19-2006 4:30 PM EST

CHICAGO, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB) today announced that it has completed the sale of WLVI-TV (channel 56), Boston, to Sunbeam Television Corp. for $113.7 million in cash.

Earlier this month, Tribune completed the sale of WCWN-TV, Albany. In 2006, the company has sold or agreed to sell approximately $450 million of non-core assets.

TRIBUNE (NYSE: TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.), The Sun (Baltimore), South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel and Hartford Courant. The company's broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune Company

Labels: assets, television, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:26 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Merry Christmas to the Pressmen Over on Easy Writer I'm wishing everyone here a Merry Christmas. 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 11:05 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  My YouTube Link

I was asked to link my YouTube account here for users to view and rate my videos, here it is. Edward's YouTube

Labels: EDP53, Edward Padgett, Videos, YouTube

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:56 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Images of Los Angeles Yesterday Los Angeles was clear and the air crisp so I took a few photographs from our plant, which is located at 8th Street and Alameda. Click on each picture for a larger view.

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Photographs, Skyline

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:21 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Santa Barbara newspaper owner sues over critical article Story by Chapman University professor is defaming, the lawsuit says. Author's attorney says the suit has little chance.

By Seema Mehta, Times Staff Writer
December 19, 2006

The controversial owner of a Santa Barbara newspaper has sued the author of a magazine article critical of the paper's management, alleging it defamed the paper.

The lawsuit calls the American Journalism Review article by Chapman University journalism professor Susan Paterno "nothing but a biased, false and misleading diatribe" against Ampersand Publishing LLC, the holding company of the paper's billionaire co-publisher Wendy McCaw, which owns the Santa Barbara News-Press. The suit, filed Dec. 12 in Orange County Superior Court, seeks unspecified damages.

Howard King, Paterno's attorney, characterized the suit as an attempt to intimidate journalists who write critical articles about the paper and its owner, and said he planned to seek its dismissal in January.

Continue reading the article at the Los Angeles Times

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Santa Barbara News-Press

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:13 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Marty Keegan on KPFK Just finished listening to Marty Keegan on KPFK 90.7 FM radio show called Up Rising, I caught the last ten minutes of his interview as I was notified a short time ago of the show. Marty spoke about the Los Angeles Times truck drivers being told their jobs were secure, only to be terminated within a month of being told they would have a job. All LA Times drivers working for Ryder are under contract with the Teamsters.

Union Free, Save Our Trade, and the Graphic Communications Conference web sites were all mentioned.

The GCC IBT website is under construction, nothing there yet, but I linked the site anyway.

I have contacted the radio station regarding linking to the interview, not sure if they are able to run this fuction, but if they do, you will be able to hear it here.

Labels: GCC, IBT, Save Our Trade, Union, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:55 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  pressmen ratify contracts at Philadelphia Inquirer By Joseph N. DiStefano

The last of the labor unions at The Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News ratified a new labor contract last night, ending months of often tense negotiations.

The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, which represents advertising, news, circulation and finance workers, voted 498-69 to approve a contract that called for union concessions on seniority, hiring pay, and the pension plan.

Continue reading here.

Labels: Contract, Pressmen, Printing Press, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:46 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Company denies chairman's participation in takeover bids Tribune Co. issued a statement Monday seeking to refute a report in the Los Angeles Times that Chairman and Chief Executive Dennis FitzSimons was planning to lead a leveraged buyout of the Chicago-based media conglomerate.

William A. Osborn, Tribune's lead independent director and chairman of a special committee set up to review strategic alternatives for the company, said "the special committee and management agreed that management would not participate as a principal in any of the strategic alternatives without the committee's authorization. Management has remained independent and has not aligned itself with any participant in the process."

The Times, which along with the Chicago Tribune is owned by Tribune Co., reported in Monday's editions that FitzSimons and other executives were hoping to join with three private-equity firms to bid for the company, which has put itself up for sale. Those firms are Chicago's Madison Dearborn Partners, New York's Apollo Management and Providence Equity Partners of Providence, R.I.

The Times also reported that the Chandler family had sought a partnership with supermarket magnate Ron Burkle to prepare a competing bid. Burkle's representative wasn't available to comment. But a person with knowledge of the Chandler family's plans denied it was working with the Los Angeles billionaire. The Chandlers are Tribune's largest shareholder, with a 20 percent stake.

Labels: Dennis FitzSimons, Los Angeles Times, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:40 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Garage Sale at Tribune Will Cleveland gives you an idea of what each Tribune Company property will fetch in a garage sale, if bought and broke up, example; Los Angeles Times sale value $2.5 Billion, Chicago Tribune $1.8 billion, Newsday $1 billion, WGN-TV $750 million, Chicago Cubs $500 million, with many other assets listed as well.

The chances of the Los Angeles Times being sold are 50%, according to the story by Mr. Cleveland. This article is worth a read.

Read the entire article here.

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:23 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspapers in the News Seattle Pressmen Upset Presses Not Rolling Last Week
That was 12:50 a.m. Friday, when all power was lost to the Seattle Times North Creek plant in Bothell. Frank Paiva, vice president for operations, sensed that his people might not be able to print any more newspapers. He was right. At that point, three of the plant's four presses had been struggling to print advance sections of the Friday Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Those runs should have been done several hours before, but power lurches and surges had created havoc for the presses. A fourth press, which isn't used for the advance runs, had started to print the mainsheet of the Friday Times, but only 13,000 copies were off when the power crashed.

Reader comments in jeopardy
This is the second time since StarNet launched in 1995 that the Star's online forum has forced management to rethink allowing online interaction. The last foray, the Community Front Page, was yanked completely in 2000 after attempts to maintain civility failed.

Newsroom Mentoring: A Rare but Essential Element of Journalism
One of the casualties of this hothouse environment is the needed respite from the daily pressures to be able to think aloud with colleagues and with the more experienced folk about the nature of the job and the challenges that are facing journalists.

Santa Barbara News-Press OwnerThreatens Hair Stylist Over Sign
The owner of Santa Barbara County's largest daily paper accuses a hair stylist of defamation and orders him to take down a sign bearing her name.

Ex-publisher gets prison term
Former Newsday Publisher Robert Johnson was sentenced Friday to 15 months in federal prison and fined $50,000, following his plea to possession of child pornography and obstruction of justice.

Belo's Monthly Revenue and Statistical Report November 2006
Belo Corp. today issued its statistical report for the month of November. Consolidated revenue for November increased 8.6 percent versus November of last year.

Beacon Journal publisher lays out vision
Moss acknowledged that the Beacon Journal has been through difficult times. Profit has fallen 60 percent in six years, he said, and to align the company with that new reality, the staff was cut from 715 to 630.

Chron takes swing at free papers, flyers
It's not often that a newspaper will print an argument calling for restrictions on the First Amendment, but the Sunday Chronicle carried just such an op-ed -- written by a former assistant managing editor at the paper, Alan Mutter. Mutter says San Francisco should set up a program like the do-not-call list that would permit residents to stop the delivery of "menus, advertising circulars, business cards, pamphlets, political propaganda, phone directories or giveaway newspapers."

Labels: Belo, Newspapers, Newsroom, Santa Barbara News-Press

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:21 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Los Angeles Union Meeting

Labels: GCC, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Save Our Trade, Teamsters

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:30 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Orange County Union Meeting

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Teamsters, Union Meeting

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:50 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Union Meetings, Everyone Invited Ronnie has sent flyers my way for upcoming meetings on Wednesday and Thursday this week, and everyone is invited to attend.

And Ronnie gave me a personal invite, which I accepted, over the telephone.

The computers in the learning Center here at Olympic have the bare requirements, so I was unable to open the flyers to share with you, but will do so later tonight from home.

Eddie

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Solidarity, Union Meeting

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 6:12 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Message from Mark Kurtich Much ruckus has been made over the decision to exclude certain employees from last week’s meetings at which the Union was discussed. I made this decision because I am convinced that a few people have closed their mind to anything management has to say.

The meetings we hold are intended to give all employees the facts supported by verifiable evidence. We always provide the information because we want you to make the most informed decision possible.

We post this information on our website (www.unionfree.com/latimes) where everyone, including the Union, can see it. The Union’s supporters know what we are saying and are free to attempt to rebut it with facts. (They never do, of course; they simply label anything management says as “lies and propaganda.”)

Please feel free to speak with your supervisor if you have any questions about this situation. If you prefer to discuss this further with me, please feel free to let your supervisor know or see me during the upcoming visits to your facility later this week.

Labels: Mark Kurtich, Town Hall, union free

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:57 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune execs may participate in bid Dec. 18, 2006
By Gregory Meyer

(Crain’s) — Tribune Co. executives may ally with private investment firms to make a bid of their own for the media conglomerate, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A group of executives led by Tribune CEO Dennis FitzSimons would team up with three private-equity firms contemplating bids for the Chicago-based company, the Times reported. Among the private-equity firms is Chicago-based Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, the newspaper said Monday.

Sources close to the process told Crain’s, however, that executives are unlikely to lead any buyout effort but could very well have a future management role in the company. The Madison Dearborn group, which also includes Providence, R.I.-based Providence Equity Partners and Apollo Management of New York, is talking to management about Tribune’s businesses but “how this shakes out is very unclear at this stage,” one source said.

Continue reading here.

Labels: Dennis FitzSimons, Los Angeles Times, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 1:51 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Generation Printing Timelapse 3 minute time-lapse video [shot by ToddSmith.tv] showing 26 days during installation of a state-of-the-art Heidelberg six colour printing press at Generation Printing [www.generationprinting.com] in Vancouver, BC Canada. This large press, a $4 million CD102-LX3 with aqueous coater and extended delivery, required a large pit dug and special concrete pad to be poured for its foundation.

Labels: Installation, Printing Press, Timelapse

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:29 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune execs, family said to plan rival bids By James Rainey, Times Staff Writer
December 18, 2006

Tribune Co. of Chicago and its largest shareholder, California's Chandler family, had hoped to find a way out of their unhappy union when the media company went on the auction block this fall.

But nearly three months after the Chandlers forced Tribune to explore a possible sale or breakup, several prospective buyers have come forward — so far only to express preliminary interest. None has made a binding offer for the company that owns the Los Angeles Times, KTLA-TV Channel 5 and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Now the Chandlers and Tribune's management appear to be preparing to fill the void themselves by considering making competing bids for all or parts of the company that they have held in an uneasy alliance for six years.

The Chandlers have been in discussions with billionaire Ron Burkle's investment firm, Yucaipa Cos., about making a joint offer for some or all of Tribune's assets, said two people who are familiar with their plans. The family already owns 20% of Tribune's stock.

Meanwhile, Tribune executives, led by Chief Executive Dennis J. FitzSimons, are expected to enter a bid of their own in alliance with a consortium of three private investment firms, one of the group's advisors said.

Continue reading here.

Labels: Chandlers, Dennis FitzSimons, Los Angeles Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:01 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Message From Ronnie Pineda Thanks Ed,

I appreciate your efforts to help. I also want to thank you for providing a forum for everyone to get information and express their views.

Unfortunately there are still individuals who do not use your forum in the manner that it is intended.

Management visits your site on a regular basis and I know that this is a tactic that The Union-Busters utilize to dis-credit the "strong supporters" (as they labled us). Some of the comments attacking me personally are authored by them. I have learned to recognize their tactics and this is an obvious one.

I just want you to know, and everyone else for that matter that this is "NOT" about me. I was asked by numerous former "NO" voters to launch a new campaign. The announcement to cut $200,000,000.00 from the budget earlier this year and the closure of Northridge was the spark that lit the fuse.

None of us that take the roles we have to get an election were anxious to subject ourselves to the scrutiny we face from fellow press room employees.

We have not asked anyone to FOLLOW us, we have only asked that everyone get involved and take responsibilty for their Trade. When we win our election, we will ELECT our leaders. We made a commitment to get an election and that's what we have done. I am amazed that some individuals fail to scutinize The Company and their decisions as they have The Union.

The sacrafices we endure to achieve getting an election are many, but we believe in what we are saying and are willing to make those sacrafices for the benefit of everyone whether you are in favor or against representation.

If someone feels that they have "leadership" skills and are willing to step-up, then by all means...STEP-UP!

Thanks again Ed,
Ronnie Pineda


You have my permission to post this letter if you wish to.
.
.

Labels: GCC, Los Angeles Times, Ron Pineda, Teamsters, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:44 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  I'm Back Where did the weekend go? I spent many hours working at the newspaper Saturday and Sunday, and was too tired to play with the Internet or blog. After completing my Friday night shift, I returned to the pressroom Saturday morning at 5:00am, as many of my co-workers did, and left the Olympic Facility at one in the afternoon.

Saturday night I started another shift at 8:30pm, and worked through till 1:00pm Sunday afternoon, and jumped straight into bed when I made it home. Slept two hours, before getting up to have dinner. I really woke up because someone placed the heater at ninety degrees, and since my bedroom is on the second story, it was too hot to sleep. After turning down the heat to seventy degrees I opened my bedroom windows for about a half hour, bringing the temperature down to the seventy-degree range, and returned to bed to sleep ten hours.

I’m getting too old to work so many hours, not sure if I will agree to working so much in the future. But I’m back for your entertainment.

Eddie 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:29 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Working for a Living Very little blogging today and tomorrow due too excessive overtime at the newspaper. I just completed one shift and start another at 8:30 pm tonight, so I'm off to bed for a few hours of sleep.

Stay dry

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Newspapers, Overtime

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:01 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  And in Closing David Geffen Is A Bird-in-the Hand for Tribune's Los Angeles Times
The problem is, no one has yet ponied up and offered the Tribune Company anything for its fist full of media properties. Mr. Geffen's offer may be a bird-in-the-hand that Tribune should be considering.

A BILLION $HORT
Media mogul David Geffen's $2 billion bid for the Los Angeles Times is about $1 billion short of what big shareholders of parent Tribune Co. want for the storied newspaper, sources close to the company said.

Chandler Family to David Geffen: $2 Billion aint enough
Tribune shareholders, including the influential Chandler family, believe the value of the L.A. Times is closer to $3 billion and have said any sale of the paper would have to be done as a tax-free transaction, sources said.

'Newsday' Editorial Staff Also Wants World Peace, A Pony
Today, the staff sent a letter - signed by 112 reporters, editors, researchers, photographers, artists, designers, librarians and copy editors - to Tribune Co. Chief Executive Dennis FitzSimons. The signers said that Newsday continues to post enviable profit margins, above 20 percent, and boasts a strong core of loyal readers who are looking for a "complete" newspaper that covers local schools, national politics and world events in a comprehensive manner.

Tribune: Six degrees of trepidation
Why the sudden flurry of stories? Apparently Tribune’s corporate review hasn’t gone so well. What’s most interesting, however, is the different information in every story. While the facts are the same, the details vary. The company has stayed largely quiet on the matter.

Labels: Geffen, Newsday, Newspapers, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:02 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Webs of the Printing Press I invited Jabob Soboroff of Native Intelligence to the Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility three or four weeks ago, yet Media Relations at the square continues to give Jacob "We'll get back to you" response. Looks like we won't be featured in Jacob's Video Blog. Click on the link to see his work, I think this may be something the Times should add to their blogs, a video blogger.

In the mean time I have started making my own video's and Microsoft is snail mailing a CD with Movie Maker software to me, so I can edit my videos for better viewing.

Labels: Native Intelligence, Newspapers, Video Blogger

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:48 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Handel drops f-word on the air Kevin Roderick has an interesting story about Bill Handel, using that forbidden F-word on the air. I wonder if the FCC was listening? I wake up to Bill Handel every morning, his high pitched voice gets me out of bed, so this article grabbed my attention.

Labels: Bill Handel, F-word, FCC, KFI, On the air

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:33 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  RUMOR CONTROL The following message was sent by Los Angeles Times management.

There is a rumor that as many as four pressroom employees were escorted away from a meeting at which the Company was discussing the Union in a manner intended to embarrass them. None of this is true. Here are the facts.

Yesterday two employees at the Olympic plant and two employees working in Orange County were told they were not invited to the meetings but that they would be paid for their time and that they were free to use the cafeteria or break rooms. The Orange County employees were told well in advance, the Olympic employees just before the meeting.

Each of theses employees is a very strong Union supporter, which is their right. But it is perfectly clear that we are not going to change their minds so they were not invited. The National Labor Relations Board has long held that an employer does not violate the law by excluding openly pro-union employees from attending a meeting at which the employer presents its view on union representation to other employees. Luxury of NY Division of Beaunit Corp., 185 NLRB 100, n. 1 (1970).

The meetings went ahead without incident at the Olympic plant. In Orange County, however, the two employees showed up claiming that it was unlawful to exclude them from the meeting. They were told that it was not unlawful and nothing further occurred. They were not “escorted” from the meeting.

These two Orange County employees knew hours in advance that they were not invited. (In fact, one of them had objected in the past to being required to attend these meetings.) They were the ones who tried to make a scene. The Company did nothing to attempt to embarrass them.

This is a perfect example of an attempt in Orange County to create a phony controversy furthering the kind of us-versus-them environment that the Union wants.

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Rumors, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:16 AM 17 Comments Links to this post

  Operations Employees Have Ideas Too Hi Ed,

I spoke to Aaron Curtiss who is one of the members of the committee collecting ideas from employees to improve the newspaper and website. He is so excited to hear that you and other Operations employees are interested in submitting ideas. Since the "latideas" inbox was only set up for internal emails, he recommended emailing him directly with your ideas at aaron.curtiss(NOSPAM)@latimes.com. He said it would be extremely helpful if you put in the subject line "latideas" (like I have in this email) so he knows exactly what to do when he receives the emails.

I will also post this in the Pressroom Office so other employees who are interested in submitting ideas can do the same thing.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention in the meeting earlier. Thanks to you, Operations employees are now able to submit great ideas to help our company go to higher levels.

Thank you,Monica
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

-----Original Message----->
From: Internal News
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 5:23 PM
To: Internal News
Subject: Clarification Regarding Oct. 13 Bulletin

(Managers and supervisors: Please share this information with your employees who do not have e-mail. Thank you.)

The committee gathering ideas for improving the newspaper and website has been flooded with excellent suggestions from across the company.

Please keep them coming. Employees wishing to submit ideas should forward them to the project's internal mailbox by typing only latideas in the "To" field of your Outlook message.

Do not address them to latideas@latimes.com, which is an invalid email address.

Editors Message: The contact email address has (NOSPAM) attached to the email address to prevent spammers from collecting the email address, just edit out the no spam portion to send in your ideas on improving the Los Angeles Times. Your ideas are wanted and needed.

Labels: Input, LATideas, Los Angeles Times, Newspapers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:14 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  LAT Spring Street Project After yesterday's meeting many of my fellow workers had questions regarding the Spring Street Project, seems we have a communications problem in Operations, because no one in the pressroom had heard about the project or knew their feedback was wanted. Here's the information from Opinion LA.

"Manhattan Project" Shelved! "Spring Street Project" Rises From Ashes!

By Matt Welch
October 20, 2006

We continue to break crucial news for you here at Opinion L.A. about the L.A. Times' ongoing super-duper research project to figure out how to keep readers from burning their subscription cards, and how to transform a 940-employee newsroom into the New New Journalism-Company Thing. (For background, and very lively reader commentary, please consult Parts One, Two and Three.)

Today's shocker? "The Manhattan Project" has been vaporized as a name. The two-month quest will heretofore be known as "The Spring Street Project," in honor of the street bordering the Times that's closest to skid row, and which has become a shorthand of sorts for outsiders to refer to the House That Chandlers Built. Details of the nomenclature process were obscure as of press time, but we have it on excellent authority that "The Manhattan Beach Project" was popular among some participants, and that no one besides your humble narrator was agitating too loudly for "The Manhappenin' Beach Project." The latter is, of course, a tragedy.

At any rate, I can also confirm that the powers that be are looking closely at all your suggestions and critiques, so to keep those juices flowing, here are three more questions for the peanut gallery:

1) Is the paper too local, not local enough, or just right?
2) What tangible aspect of localness would you like to see? (A sector or community or government agency that isn't currently covered, a noted local writer that isn't currently hired, a news-you-can-use feature that would be helpful, etc.)
3) What local establishment should the writers and editors patronize more? Which one should they stop going to, at least for a decent interval?

Keep those answers coming!

Labels: Employees, Feedback, Ideas, Spring Street Project

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:02 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Seattle Times unable to Print Newspaper The Seattle Times and Post-Intelligencer lost all power last night and have not been able to publish their newspapers. The Seattle Times is directing readers to their online edition, but I wonder how many readers are also without power?

From Seattle Times

NOTE TO READERS: See an electronic version of today's printed paper. Due to a power outage at The Times' Bothell production plant, most copies of the paper will not be printed today. About 13,000 copies that were printed prior to the outage are being delivered to some outlets in downtown Seattle and Bellevue. We apologize for the inconvenience.

From Post-Intelligencer

SEATTLE P-I READERS: Because of power outages and storm damage, P-I subscribers did not receive their newspapers on the usual schedule this morning. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are making our electronic e-edition available to everyone without cost. This edition includes all the contents of your regular newspaper. Click here for the electronic edition.

Reports from Seattle claim one million without power, and power will not be restored for up to five days, so the electronic editions are a mute point.

At the Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility we have our own generators to insure a newspaper is published.

Labels: Electronic Ink, Newspapers, Presses Down, Seattle Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:35 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspapers to begin recovery in 2007 MediaPost Publications reports that industry analysts and organizations are predicting that newspapers’ decline will slow and maybe even stop in 2007. Although it’s far too soon to tell if the print newspaper market is bottoming out, there are a few encouraging signs. A forecast from the Newspaper Association of America expects total print advertising revenue to fall 1.1 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, but then stabilize in 2007. The NAA figures for 2007 take into consideration the continuing losses in advertising by local automobile dealerships and classified ads, including job recruiting. The NAA’s prediction is counting on other sources of revenue, including a small recovery in revenue from national advertisers and more display ads from retailers such as grocery chains and electronics stores. An independent analysis from Deutsche Bank also forecast revenue growth of 1 percent to 2 percent in 2007, citing a recovery in retail advertising as well as some benefits from consolidation among telecoms. Deutsche expects online revenue to be the major growth driver, forecasting up to 40 percent year-over-year growth compared with 2006, unlike the NAA’s own forecast, which expects growth to slow to 22 percent in 2007 in year-over-year terms – a dip from 28 percent growth in 2006.

Labels: 2007, NAA, Newspapers, Recovery

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:14 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  News on the Blogosphere Post Newsroom Not Smiling as Downie Calls Thursday Meeting
As Washington Post reporters gird themselves for today’s 3 pm meeting with executive editor Leonard Downie, they use four words to describe the mood of the newsroom:
Anxious.
Depressed.
Restless.
Angry.

Greedy vultures
All you have to do to understand that newspapers are in trouble today in America is to read one. It seems that almost every day, newspapers are reporting one story or another about their own demise.

Hearst and Dean Singleton say there's no illegal deal
The Bay Area's daily newspaper barons are trying to overcome a federal judge's concerns that their recent deal is illegal and anticompetitive. But the bonds between the Hearst Corp. and Dean Singleton's MediaNews Group have only grown closer since Judge Susan Illston ruled last month that their local dealings look fishy.

Memo Pad: Bah, Humbug ... Holiday Closings ... Parsing The Exclusive
BAH, HUMBUG: So much for holiday cheer. Anxiety is building within the halls of Time Inc. as employees await the results of the evaluation by those Scrooges over at McKinsey & Co. as to how the publisher can run its magazine business more efficiently. As WWD reported in October, the high-priced bean counters have been evaluating the publishing company for several weeks in order to find, according to a spokeswoman, "what could be reengineered to free up investment dollars for future growth and how to further integrate online and print editorial operations."

The Newspaper Guild reaches a tentative agreement.
On sick time: Employees will now start each year of employment with what a Guild negotiator called a “three-day pass,” allowing them to be paid at 100 percent of their pay rate for up to three days the first time they’re sick. In a twist that turns company policy into a kind of game show, Guild members can earn a second three-day pass if they go six months without calling in sick. This particular aspect of the tentative agreement drew jeers and derisive laughter from the audience. But the mood turned darker when members learned that anyone who calls in sick a second time within any six-month time period will receive no sick pay benefits until the fourth day of their illness, at which time they’ll receive just 65 percent of their pay. “What if somebody gets really sick?” shouted one member. “What if someone gets cancer?” “The company doesn’t care,” replied a Guild negotiator.


Labels: advertising, Economy, Health, Newspapers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:53 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  The Truth as Management Sees Fit Last night before printing our allotted amount of newspapers, I was told my crew was pre-shifted today at noon for a Road Show. A Road Show at the LA Times equals a meeting about the health of the company, and we have not had much good news the last seven years.

I suspected it was the usual anti-union meeting, and I was correct in my assumption, why was the meeting stated as a Road Show and not what it really was? I don’t blame the messenger; I blame his handlers for the deception. How can I believe anything I hear from my Tribune Boss’ now, everything will be taken with a grain of salt, and with suspicion.

Our meeting was rather timid, from some of the meetings I have attended, and the employees had questions regarding retirement, the Spring Street Project, and the lack of access for blue-collar workers to the Spring Street Project Committee. Our plant manager made it clear, with his body language that blue-collar workers will not have access to email and bulletins from management. I see this as a form of censorship and nothing less.

Our handlers don’t seem to understand something, we are employees of the newspaper, but we are also stockholders and subscribers to the newspaper, and we all want as much information as possible on our company and our future.

Thank God for people like Monica Hayes (Human Resources), we now have access through regular email for sending suggestions to the Spring Street Project Committee. The contact information has been posted near the entrance to the pressroom office, or send an email to me and I will forward the contact information back to you.

I heard some disturbing news from the Orange County Facility tonight, seems two press operators, one trainer, and a union organizer were escorted away from the anti-union meeting. And at the Olympic Facility, two employees were as well escorted from the meeting before entering the room.

This was done to embarrass the union supporters in front of their peers, but I’m embarrassed for management for not informing the workers they were not welcome at the meetings beforehand. This was done in such poor taste that my feelings for management of Operations at the Times have reached a new low.


For every action there is a reaction, my reaction will be coming soon.

Edward

Labels: Anti-union, Los Angeles Times, Not Welcome

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:28 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Scam: Magazine Sales This one really kills me.
Around dinner time, a kid comes to your door. Often the sun is setting and in the background, you see a white van drive away. The kids are always neatly turned out: haircut, nice shirt, clean pants. They tell you they're competing for a scholarship, trying to get off the streets, trying to straighten out their lives. All you have to do to help them is buy a magazine subscription.

The cost? They won't tell you until after you've looked at their book. But you'll learn that if you don't buy, they won't meet their quota or that they're so close to making their bonus. They reassure you that it's a money-back guarantee if you cancel it within 3 days. But, they tell you, that if you cancel they'll lose that commission. And then they might say, "you don't want to see me back on the streets, do you?" Oh, and by the way, it's $60.00 for a two year subscription. But they want you to buy two magazines. So the grand total for opening your door to a hardluck magazine pedaler that day might be $130.00.

Trinity Publications LLC is a for-profit company from Charlotte N.C. Their website says they help kids by giving them counseling and leadership skills. The kids are put on a Greyhound bus, sent out here (or anywhere in the US) and put up at a hotel for 2 weeks. They can get a cash advance for their food or future expenses. One wonders how much these kids really end up taking home. There are no testimonials about how many kids have been helped, no indication of any 'success stories.' Also, non-profit watchdog groups, which rank charitable organizations, do not show Trinity Public Relations on any of their lists.

I'm disturbed by this on so many levels. These are nice kids. What's sad is that they really believe the hype being tossed at them from Trinity and the Reps. Because they are far from home, they have little choice but to walk the streets hoping that someone will buy an overpriced subscription from them. For all their walking, any one of these kids could have walked in somewhere closer to home, applied for a job and gotten one. They're articulate, they've been taught how to pitch. In fact, any one of these could and should be out there at a regular 9 - 5.

I found this Press Release from September 2006:

Roy Cooper
North Carolina Attorney General
NC Department of Justice 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001 (919) 716-6400
For immediate release
Contact: Noelle Talley
Date: September 27, 2006
Phone: 919/716-6413
AG Cooper gets Charlotte magazine seller to pay refunds, change ways
Consumers encouraged to contact AG’s office to get their money back Raleigh: A Charlotte-based company that sells magazine door-to-door nationwide will pay refunds to dissatisfied consumers and change the way it does business under an agreement announced today by Attorney General Roy Cooper. “This company used sob stories to pitch subscriptions, but the magazines people paid for never arrived in their mailboxes,” said Cooper. “Now we’re delivering refunds and making the company treat future customers fairly.”

Under terms of the settlement agreement, Trinity Public Relations of Charlotte and formerly of Tampa,
Florida, must pay refunds to all consumers who have complained to Cooper’s office or the Better Business Bureau. Eligible consumers who file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office, the BBB or Trinity within the next 90 days is also entitled to a full refund from the company.

Consumers who purchased subscriptions from Trinity did not receive their magazines within 120 days as promised are encouraged to contact Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina. Consumers can also visit www.ncdoj.com to download a complaint form.

Today’s agreement also requires Trinity to provide consumers with receipts that spell out details about their subscription, including how long it will take for consumers to get their magazines, Trinity’s refund policy and how to contact sales agents and their supervisors.

In addition, Trinity sales agents are barred from playing on consumers’ sympathies to sell magazines by claiming to be ill, disabled or in financial need. Trinity may not claim that its sales benefits charity, or that its agents are competing for college scholarships. Terms of the agreement apply to Trinity Public Relations, LLC, Trinity Public Relations, Inc., and the company’s officers, James A. Davis and Lourdes J.Davis. Cooper began looking into Trinity in December of 2005 following complaints from consumers who purchased subscriptions from the company’s agents but never got their magazines. Trinity previously gave consumers receipts that told them to call the company if they their magazines didn’t arrive within 120 days. Consumers who tried to contact the company reported that Trinity wasn’t accessible to handle refund requests and made excuses and false promises. Some consumers also complained that Trinity agents claimed that proceeds on their sales would go to charity or help them overcome personal hardships.

A total of 43 consumers complained to the Attorney General’s Office. Another 97 complained to the BBB in Charlotte, which helped Cooper’s office with the case. Trinity’s offices are located at 4525 Plaza Road, Unit G-4 in Charlotte. Page 2 “Be wary of door-to-door sellers who try to pressure you,” Cooper cautioned consumers. “Check out the company with my office before you spend your hard-earned money.”
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posted by Kanani | ¶ 9:00 PM 7 Comments Links to this post

  Pressroom Catwalk Here's a video from the super-structure level of a press running.




Edward's YouTube page.
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Labels: Goss, Los Angeles Times, Printing Press

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:15 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Shares Down 2.85% One of the decliners in the newspaper sector today was Tribune Co. (TRB), which is in the midst of a strategic review that could include the possible sale of the company. A Reuters report late Wednesday said that there may be a sale of only certain segments of Tribune, or no sale at all.

While a number of private-equity firms considered or made bids early in the auction process, several of them are now shying away from Tribune, the news agency said.

Tribune shares were down 1.4% at $32.16.


UPDATE: 10:45 AM Tribune shares down 2.85% at $31.69 and falling.
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Labels: Sale, Shareholders, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:47 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspapers Transforming

Labels: Electronic Ink, Future, Newspapers, Podcast

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:19 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Geffen's offer for The Times: $2 billion By James Rainey, Times Staff Writer
December 14, 2006

Several observers said the paucity of interest in Tribune had increased the chance that the company would be forced to consider selling individual assets, which include the Los Angeles newspaper, KTLA-TV Channel 5, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Cubs and 22 other television stations.

Members of California's Chandler family prompted the auction this summer when they complained that the value of the company, in which they hold 20% of the stock, had been depressed by poor management.

The Chandlers are now trying to line up other investors for a joint bid on Tribune, according to an investment advisor familiar with the auction.

Geffen has told many friends and associates for more than a year that he would like to own the Los Angeles newspaper and improve the paper as a service to Los Angeles.The 63-year-old tycoon has also said that he has enough liquid assets to buy the paper alone and pay cash.

His net worth is estimated at $4.6 billion.

Continue reading the Los Angeles Times
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Labels: Chandlers, Geffen, Los Angeles Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:30 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Baquet could be eyeing spot at New York Times By James Rainey, Times Staff Writer
December 14, 2006

The former L.A. Times editor's prospects of returning to the paper are said to be fading.

Ousted Los Angeles Times Editor Dean Baquet is considering taking a top management position at the New York Times as prospects fade for his return to the Los Angeles paper, according to several of Baquet's confidantes.

The editor has not accepted a position and has been telling associates for weeks that his preference would be for a new owner of the Los Angeles Times to restore him to his old post.

But the auction of Times' parent, Tribune Co. of Chicago, will drag into the first quarter of next year. Baquet has told friends that for financial and other reasons he can't afford to wait too long and would soon make a decision about returning to the New York Times, where he previously served as national editor.

Continue reading the Los Angeles Times
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Labels: Dean Baquet, Editorial, New York Times

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:22 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  BURGLARY/THEFT FROM VEHICLES The Los Angeles Police Department's COMPSTAT process has identified an increase in "Burglary/Theft from Motor Vehicles" throughout the City of Los Angeles. Many of these burglaries and thefts were attributed to unsecured vehicles.

During anytime of the year, but especially the Holiday Season, it is extremely important to be aware of the potential for crime. Please work with your police department by following some basic safety tips, and together we can prevent crime.

1.Do not leave valuables such as electronic equipment, gifts or packages visible inside the passenger area of your vehicle. Secure these items in the trunk of your car.

2.Always lock and secure the doors and windows of your vehicle, even if it is left unattended for a short time.

3.Park in a well-lit area or where there is plenty of pedestrian traffic.

4.Install an alarm system.

It has been our experience that most criminals search for easy targets. Thus, by hardening the target it can either prevent the crime from occurring and/or buy enough time for suspects to be apprehended. Always be aware of your surroundings and take the necessary steps to protect yourself, family members and valuables.

Source LAPD Blog

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Labels: Alarms, Crime, LAPD, Prevention, Theft

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:25 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Wednesday Night Linkage Another Potential Tribco Bidder
... frustrated with the muted interest that the auction of Tribune has so far generated, the Chandlers are exploring the idea of leading a private equity consortium as a way to either create value in a leveraged buyout of the assets or to possibly start a bidding war.

Two pair of journos dish
Waxman concluded that the LAT staff is so battered by years of Tribune Company mishandling that they are looking for a knight: "They'll take a flawed knight."

Union blasts Wall Street Journal's deal with Breakingviews
Dow Jones announced Tuesday that the Breakingviews column -- produced by non-employees -- will appear daily the Wall Street Journal instead of once a week. The newsroom union says of the deal: "Is this the formula for the WSJ of the future -- homogenized news, prepared by outsiders who don't ask for healthcare or retirement, and who can't talk back?

Pioneer Press is target of Save Journalism Day rally
Minnesota Newspaper Guild organizers planned the rally in coordination with similar demonstrations nationwide, as Guild members observed Save Journalism Day in protest of layoffs and cutbacks – 44,000 in the past five years – that they say compromise newspaper standards.

How Baquet Brothers Survived Setbacks in L.A. and NOLA
The ballroom crowd applauded furiously as Dean Baquet stepped back from the podium, soaking up the response he'd received following one of the most important newspaper industry speeches of the year in late October. He didn't know at the time that it would also hold fateful consequences for his own career.

Santa Barbara News-Press CFO Fired
Randy Alcorn — the News-Press’ chief financial officer for 23 years, but disgusted by the paper’s dysfunctional chaos — was planning to resign. But owner Wendy McCaw beat him to it.

Hollywood Reporter eliminates 10 positions
As the entertainment world heads into its annual winter frenzy of awards shows, the 75-year-old Hollywood Reporter has cut 10 positions, including editorial director Howard Burns, as part of what publisher John Kilcullen described as "a significant transformation."

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Labels: Baquet, LAT, Media, Newspapers, SBNP

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:19 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Chandlers reportedly mulling Tribune Co. bid By David B. Wilkerson, MarketWatch


CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Tribune Co.'s largest shareholder, which has pushed the newspaper publisher and broadcaster into a possible sale, is considering making a buyout offer of its own, according to a published report Wednesday.

The Chandler family, which owns 20% of Tribune (TRB) shares, is mulling a plan to head a consortium of private-equity firms that would either acquire the company's assets in a leveraged buyout or fuel a bidding war, the New York Times reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the situation.

The company owns 11 newspapers, including such publications as the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and Newsday, as well as 26 television stations, most of which are affiliated with the new CW Network formed when the WB and UPN networks were shut down prior to the current television season. The company also owns the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Since it began to solicit potential bids in September, the offers that have come in have been disappointing, according to various reports. As a result, the Chandlers are "frustrated" by the process, the New York Times said.

Tribune late last month extended a self-imposed deadline to complete its strategic review, a move that analysts said was an indication that it was struggling to attract bids that offered a significant takeover premium.

The company now expects a special board committee to submit a final recommendation to the full board during the first quarter of 2007. Previously, Tribune had said it planned to complete its review by the end of 2006.

The Chandler family would still prefer to see Tribune acquired by an outside bidder, the Times reported Wednesday.

In July, the Chandlers demanded that Tribune take dramatic steps to lift its stock price, which had lost more than half its value since early 2004. The family said Tribune should either sell its broadcasting division, pursue tax-free spinoffs of its newspaper assets or try to sell the company as a whole.

The Chandlers' ultimatum came just weeks after Knight Ridder was sold to McClatchy Co. (MNI) in a deal that was forced by angry Knight Ridder shareholders. McClatchy's winning bid of $6.5 billion was historically low by the standards of previous buyouts in the newspaper industry.

Newspapers are besieged by a variety of difficulties. More readers are using the Internet to get their news, depressing print circulation, particularly in tech-savvy large metropolitan markets. Online revenues are rising as a result, but not nearly fast enough to offset print losses.

The Do Not Call registry, implemented three years ago, has blocked newspapers from one of their most traditionally reliable sources of new subscriptions -- telemarketing calls.

Meanwhile, some of the biggest traditional newspaper advertisers, such as automakers and airlines, have fallen on hard times in recent years, causing them to curtail ad spending. Consolidation among major retailers has also had an impact.

Tribune's shares were up marginally in Wednesday trading at $32.52.
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Labels: Chandlers, Media, Sale, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:25 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Jahmark and the Soulshakers-Gather Round As many of you know I enjoy live music, so I thought I would share with you my favorite Raggae Band, Jahmark and the Soul shakers. The band is currently touring the Caribbean and will return to the Hermosa Beach Light House on December 24th, 2006 at 4:00PM.

Their message is one of peace and unity.

Labels: Jahmark and the Soul Shakers, Music, Reggae

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:03 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Chandler Family Buying Tribune? The Chandler Family is considering buying a portion of the Tribune Company, according to people briefed on yesterday's talks. What this may mean for the employees of the Los Angeles Times is unknown at this time.

The talks come six months after the Chandlers pressed to put the Tribune up for sale. The family, which became a large shareholder in Tribune when it sold Times Mirror to the company, has been critical of Tribune’s management and its slumping stock price.

When the Chandlers first clashed with Tribune management, the family had no interest in buying the company, people involved in the talks said.

The Chandler Family owns 20% of the Tribune Company, and may become the owners of the Los Angeles Times in the near future.

Read the complete article on the New York Times

Source LAObserved
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Labels: Chandlers, Los Angeles Times, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:19 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Opinion L.A. in the air Listen in as L.A. Times columnist Niall Ferguson discusses "Empire, American Style."

Moderated by Editorial Page Editor Andrés Martinez.

Sunday December 17, 2006 at 9pm on KPCC 89.3 FM

Labels: Andres Martinez, KPCC, Niall Ferguson

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:16 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Is Fidel Castro Dead? Rumors on the Internet are saying Fidel Castro has died.

Babalu Blog is hearing rumors.

Pajamas Media is checking things out and reports:

"Spanish Radio said to have reported Castro dead. Miami police on alert."

Related: The Ileana Ros-Lehtinen flap.

Labels: Cuba, Fidel Castro

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:03 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Sets 2007 Annual Meeting Date CHICAGO, December 12, 2006 -- Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB) announced that its 2007 annual shareholders meeting will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, at Tribune Tower, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. It also set March 14, 2007, as the record date for determining shareholders of the company who are entitled to vote at the meeting. The announcement followed Tribune’s regularly scheduled board of directors meeting held earlier today.

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TRIBUNE (NYSE:TRB) is one of the country’s top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation’s top three markets. In publishing, Tribune’s leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.), The Sun (Baltimore), South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel and Hartford Courant. The company’s broadcasting group operates 24 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago’s WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune’s print and broadcast properties and extend the company’s nationwide audience.

Labels: Annual Meeting, Shareholders, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:53 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  First Post in Two Months After a two month vacation Save Our Trade has posted some information for the blog community, glad to see some movement over there.

Labels: Los Angeles Times, Save Our Trade, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:49 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Free Los Angeles Times Bottles Last week the employees of the Olympic Pressroom were given free water bottles touting the union free web site. I gave my bottle to my daughter Joanna, she uses it daily.

Labels: Get the facts, union free, water bottle

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:44 AM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Tuesday Morning Shorts The "lone nut" theory of the American newspaper assassination
As regular readers know, I'm a fan of some conspiracy theories. And so really, what could be a more compelling conspiracy theory than the plot to destroy the American newspaper, hatched -- in our imagination anyway -- by a secret cabal of bloggers and Web gurus meeting in a diner off Calle Ocho in Miami, then launching their assault on circulation from a Grassy Knoll somewhere in cyberspace?

AP cameraman killed by Iraq insurgents
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A television cameraman working for The Associated Press was shot to death by insurgents while covering clashes Tuesday in the northern city of Mosul, police said.

Post-Gazette workers rally for support
More than 100 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette union members lined the Boulevard of the Allies yesterday, holding signs such as "No News is Bad News" and "Journalism = Democracy" as they rallied to drum up support for contract talks and to draw attention to the industry's thinning ranks.

Majority of newspapers' unions ratify contracts
The union workers were offered a package that included a $750 cash payment in September 2007, another $750 payment in January 2008, and a $25-a-week raise in the contract's third year. Some unions also agreed to changes that would allow staffing and payroll reductions.

Talk Radio's New Competition: Interactive, Live 'Blog' Podcasts
Move over, Howard Stern and Dr. Laura. There's a new talk radio star in town — the Internet blogger.

NEWSDAY SCRIBES BLAST TRIBUNE CUTS
More than 100 Newsday reporters and editors signed a letter of protest blasting Tribune boss Dennis FitzSimons for widespread cuts that have sliced about one-third of the paper's editorial staff over the past three years.

Labels: Links, Newsday, Newspapers, Tribune, Writers

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:03 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Los Angeles Times Pressroom Movie

YouTube

Labels: Goss, Los Angeles Times, Printing Press

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:17 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Company Blog List During my lunch break today I went over to the Olympic Learning Center to access the Internet, and to my dismay my homepage had been changed from my blog to the union free web site. I naturally made the needed changes and will see what homepage appears tomorrow when I log onto the Internet from work.

Speaking about WebPages, I was informed last week that certain blogs are despised by the Los Angeles Times, from a Tribune boss. Maybe this should be restated, there are certain blogs the Tribune doesn’t care for. When I asked what blogs the speaker was referring to, he stated that the number one blog they disliked most was Take Back the Times, number two LAObserved, and number three Save Our Trade.

I didn’t bother to ask where my blog stands in the ratings, so we’ll assume we are in fourth place, with Craig’s List fifth.

It’s easy to see Union Free is the favorite among management at the newspaper.

Labels: Blogs, Los Angeles Times, Tribune Company

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:01 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Newsday employees want to meet with Tribune execs (Crain’s) — A group of Newsday editorial employees, expressing dismay at how Tribune Co. is managing the daily publication, are asking to meet with corporate executives to craft a future plan that doesn’t call for further cost cutting.

In a letter sent Monday to Tribune CEO Dennis FitzSimons and signed by more than 100 employees, the authors wrote that Tribune’s “attempts to increase its profits are dulling Newsday’s brand and giving readers and advertisers less incentive to turn to the paper.” They said that by slashing the newsroom by about a third over the years, Tribune Co. “has damaged Newsday as an instrument of public information and accountability.”

Continue Reading

Labels: Dennis FitzSimons, Editorial, Newsday

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 4:46 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Caught in a Printing Press

Labels: Accident, Pressmen, Printing Press

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:13 AM 6 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper News New York Times adds sharing tool
It marks the first time that the country's third-largest newspaper has added a news-sharing tool to its Web site, allowing readers to develop conversations and post comments about specific stories. Readers will be able to add headlines and a small portion of text to the social media sites by clicking on the logos of Digg, Facebook and Newsvine. Those logos began appearing next to The Times' stories this morning in the same box as the print and e-mail tools, although they're initially hidden until users click the "Share" link.

Newspaper Killer
Craigslist President and Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster isn't nuts. He just sounds that way, particularly to anyone who thinks that the point of running a business is, you know, to make money. And that was enough to make his appearance last week at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference feel like a dizzying trip through Lewis Carroll's looking glass.


Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism Honors Los Angeles Times
New York, December 11, 2006—The Graduate School of Journalism has recognized the Los Angeles Times’ project “Altered Oceans,” an 18-month investigation into the health status of the oceans, as the 2006 winner of the John B. Oakes Award for distinguished environmental journalism. The award honors Times reporter Kenneth R. Weiss and his team for making an exceptional contribution to advancing public understanding of environmental issues. An award ceremony and an open discussion of the project will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at the journalism building located at W. 116th St. and Broadway in New York.

Now journalists are sharing the pain of industries they've been covering
On Monday, journalists and others in the news industry are holding a so-called "Day of Action." The event is being coordinated by the merged union I belong to, the Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America. In truth, there won't be much action. Mostly, journalists will try to explain why it matters to the rest of you that thousands of newspaper employees nationally have lost their jobs in the past five years so that corporate entities can hit profit-margin targets.

Labels: Media, Newspapers, Reporters

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:44 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Chimney Service (Bilbo's) Long time Pressman Bill Conover has started his own chimney cleaning business called Bilbo's.

Mr. Conover has many years of experience as he learned the art of cleaning chimney's with his best friend Mr. B.

Bill felt it was time to go out on his own, and to his surprise, business is booming.

To contact Bill, call 562.760.6065 or e-mail Bill Conover.

License Number 250570



Tell Bill we sent you.

Labels: Bill Conover, Chimney sweep, Service

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:30 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Goss lands Chicago Tribune Postpress Project The Chicago Tribune picked Goss International Corp. to install six Magnapak packaging systems to upgrade its daily and TMC postpress operations.

Goss said it’s the largest single order ever for its packaging technology.

The paper is installing five systems, along with Omnizone control software, to handle daily preprint production at its downtown Freedom Center facility. The sixth Magnapak will be installed at Tribune Direct for selective packaging of the company’s TMC product for non-subscribers, Goss said.

The Freedom Center machines will enable the Tribune to allow targeting zoning of inserts to sub-ZIP code levels, said Tony Hunter, vice president of operations.

"We are investing in our preprint production capabilities to provide advertisers with several effective delivery options to meet their targeting needs," Hunter said.

Installation will begin in February. The project will wrap up in 2008, Goss said.

Labels: Goss, Postpress, Tribune

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:24 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Blocking Pop-ups Often friends and family will call because they are unable to use their computers any longer, and ninety percent of the time the problem is caused by those annoying pop-up advertisements.

One co-workers laptop was so severely infected, he bought a new computer, and gave me the problem computer. When I say infected, this particular laptop was so full of adware, spyware, and malware, that popups were activated when attempting to view the desktop. Programs could not be accessed, and the computer would lockup because hundreds of advertisements would take over the computer, using all the memory.

This was by far the most infected computer I had ever seen, and removing the spyware took some effort on my part.

Here’s how I cleaned the laptop.

1. I booted up in safe mode
2. I deleted all cookies and files in Internet Explorer
3. Installed Spybot Search and Destroy and ran program
4. Installed Ad-Aware and ran program
5. Installed and ran Windows Service Pack Two
6. Went into tools (Internet Explorer), pop-up blocker, and enabled the pop-up blocker


Now the laptop was usable once again, and I returned the laptop to its owner.

Don’t allow spyware to take control of your computer, it will get out of hand.

Labels: Ad-Aware, Malware, Pop-ups, Spybot, Spyware

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:09 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  British Newspapers

Labels: British Newspapers, England, Guardian, Tabloids

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:54 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  No Friend of Labor As I scanned the Los Angeles Times blog (Opinion LA) a short headline regarding the National Labor Relations Board, and the fact that they do not really help working men and women, like myself, caught my attention. Incase your new here, the two Los Angeles Times Pressrooms are currently being organized by GCC-Teamsters, with the vote to be held in January, 2007.

Here's a few exerpts from today's article.

Thanks in part to the National Labor Relations Board, most American workers haven't seen their share of the booming economy

WHILE President Bush points to low unemployment and a resurgent stock market as signs of a strong economy, most Americans don't feel so bullish. Median incomes are flat, healthcare costs are soaring, pensions are being de-funded and corporate employers are threatening to shred the social contract with their employees that has prevailed for 60 years.

[snip]

But what happened in San Diego is nothing compared to what happened to workers in Jacksonville, Texas, just the day before. Back in 2000, the employees of a small meat-cutting department at a Jacksonville Wal-Mart voted to unionize. A week later, Wal-Mart announced that it was phasing out in-store meat-cutting departments nationwide. It took six years for the NLRB to conclude that Wal-Mart had unlawfully retaliated against workers trying to unionize. Even then, the board disregarded the ruling of its own administrative law judge and decided that, even though Wal-Mart violated the law, it can't be ordered to restore the unionized meat department.

[snip]

A nationwide study by the University of Illinois at Chicago found that:
• 30% of employers fire pro-union workers.
• 49% threaten to close a work site when workers try to unionize.
• 82% hire consultants to fight union-organizing drives.
• 91% force employees to attend anti-union meetings with supervisors.

[snip]

Congress could begin rectifying the situation by passing the Employee Free Choice Act, which already has 215 co-sponsors in the House and 43 in the Senate, perhaps more once Democrats take control of Congress in January. The act would make it less difficult to form a union and authorize stronger penalties for retaliation against workers seeking to unionize.

Read Complete Story

Labels: GCC, LA Times, NLRB, Teamsters, Union

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 5:47 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Free Ice House Admission This Tuesday

Labels: Free Admission, Ice House, Latino Comedy

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:34 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  A Different Zeitgeist

Over on Easy Writer, I ruminate over the loss of George Clooney's pig. 

posted by Kanani | ¶ 2:53 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Anthony's Bar revisited As I read LAObserved a short time ago, a paragraph on Anthony's Bar caught my attention, because I was once a regular there myself. I still recall my first drink at Anthony's, I was eighteen years old, as I ordered my Budwiser the bartender asked to see my license, but failed to note my birthdate was 1953, must have been the dim lighting.

Here's what Kevin Roderick said

"Steve Harvey has an item today about the long-vanished bar across from the Times (and City Hall) that was so popular with pressmen you had to watch where you sat to avoid getting ink on your clothes."

Popular with the pressmen is an understatement, as employees would exit the Spring Street doors from the Times building, all one had to do was follow the trail of black ink on the sidewalk to find your way over to the bar. Before moving the presses to the current location (8th and Alameda) drinking on the job was overlooked, as long as the presses continue running. When the new pressroom was created in 1989 a zero tolerance policy was instituted regarding drinking on the job.

Here's what Steve Harvey said in today's paper

My musings about vanished downtown bars in L.A. reminded ex-Timesman Jerry Clark of a character who hung out in Anthony's, across the street from City Hall (and this newspaper).

"His name was Danny but he was more commonly referred to as 'Leftover,' " Clark said. "An upbeat, likable man in his early 30s, Leftover worked in a state office building and would spend his evening hours at Anthony's, almost always staying to closing time at 2 a.m.

"He got his nickname when Tony, the day bartender, opened the place at 6 a.m. one morning and found him sitting on a barstool, waiting for 'first call.' He had fallen asleep in a booth the night before and went unnoticed when the night bartender closed up.

"That was the day he got stuck with the 'Leftover' sobriquet."

We all knew Leftover, and if he wasn't at Anthony's it was like something was missing.

Thanks for the memories Steve.

Labels: Anthonys, Leftover, Pressmen, Steve Harvey

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Blogger Beta We have switched over to Blogger Beta this morning, this was a three hour process, and hope it will be worth the change. Regular posting will resume later this afternoon and continue tonight. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:51 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Chicago Tribune Names Bill Adee Associate Managing Editor/Innovation 12-7-2006 5:09 PM EST

CHICAGO, Dec. 7 /-- The Chicago Tribune has named Bill Adee associate managing editor for innovation, a new position that will help shape editorial Internet initiatives, prepare the newsroom for an increasingly digital future and spearhead the newspaper's efforts to produce quality journalism online.

"Bill brings his savvy news judgment, superb organizational abilities and well-earned reputation as a thoughtful editor and all-around good guy to his new role," said George de Lama, managing editor / news at the Chicago Tribune.

Adee joined the staff of the Chicago Tribune in 2002 and will be leaving his role as the newspaper's sports editor.

As the associate managing editor for innovation, Adee will oversee a restructured editorial department merging the multi-media staff and the 24- hour continuous news desk and supervise all online news and feature operations.

"At this critical time for our industry and our newspaper, we are fortunate to have an editor as experienced and creative and versatile as Bill to help us navigate this passage to our future," said Jim Warren, managing editor / features at the Chicago Tribune.

SOURCE Chicago Tribune 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:40 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Tribune Revenues Up 0.8% in November Publishing Advertising Revenues Down 0.3%; Television Revenues Up 9.4%

CHICAGO, Dec 07, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Tribune Company (TRB) today reported its summary of revenues and newspaper advertising volume for period 11, ended Nov. 19, 2006. Consolidated revenues for the period were $433 million, up 0.8 percent from last year's $429 million.

Publishing revenues in November were $326 million compared with $330 million last year, down 1.0 percent. Advertising revenues decreased 0.3 percent to $262 million, compared with $263 million in November 2005.

Continue Reading 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:19 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  LAFD News & Information: LAFD To Signal Start of 'Say No To Drugs' Race LAFD News & Information: LAFD To Signal Start of 'Say No To Drugs' Race 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:32 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Something to Make You Smile Geoff Hemenway sent this, how to prank a telemarketer link, and I found it rather funny. Hope it makes you laugh as loudly as I did. Thanks Geoff.

Click here to listen 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:18 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  This is a Test Movie

VAW - 116.

 The Sun Kings.

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:04 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Pearl Harbor 1941 Sixty-five years ago today, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, bringing the United States into World War II. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:23 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper Shorts Prison Guards Target Newspaper
The California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. has launched a "statewide action" against the Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy newspapers — a "Beecott," as they call it — over recent editorials and the newspaper's use of "prison guards" instead of "correctional officer." The PacoVilla blog written by CCPOA members wrote: "When the Sacramento Bee's editorial board published a mean-spirited, personal attack upon CCPOA members asserting we are 'whiners' who don't do a very dangerous job at all, well, those are fighting words!"

Talks stall; Guild threatens strike
After talks between Philadelphia's two largest papers and their biggest union bogged down over pension issues last night, the head of the union urged management to "sober up" or face a strike as early as today.

Voluntary Unpaid Vacation Program
We are introducing a Voluntary Unpaid Vacation program designed to give employees more time off from work. Here's how it works:

Media groups dispute collaboration charge
MediaNews Group and Hearst Corp., the two companies that own nearly all of the large daily newspapers in the Bay Area, are disputing charges that they are collaborating on a business deal that is anti-competitive and illegal. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 7:11 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Missing Man Found in Ore. Mountains
Saturday morning as I listened to Leo Laporte on KFI 640 AM, Leo mentioned his friend, James Kim, and explained how the family was missing while returning home from a vacation in the Pacific Northwest.

Searchers had been following James Kim's footprints in the snow and searching by helicopter since his wife and two young daughters were rescued Monday. They also found pieces of his clothing, which they believed he left and arranged to give searchers clues to his whereabouts in Oregon's Coast Range.

Kim was a senior editor for the technology media company CNET Networks Inc. He and his family had been missing since Nov. 25.

Before rescue crews could drop packages with clothing, emergency gear and provisions, a search helicopter spotted Kim's body at the foot of the Big Windy Creek drainage 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:48 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  New LAT Website Union Free LA Times The Los Angeles Times has had a change of heart and published a web page with the facts regarding union representation for the two pressrooms. Drop by and take a look around.

Union Free and Save Our Trade will remain linked from here as long as needed. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 3:19 PM 12 Comments Links to this post

  LAT Union Election Date
The Company and the Union have agreed to an election on Thursday, January 4 and Friday, January 5, 2007, at the times and locations set forth below. Ballots will be opened and counted at 10:00 AM Saturday, January 6 at the offices of the National Labor Relations Board. In order to avoid an election between the holidays the Union was required by the National Labor Relations Board to withdraw its original petition without prejudice and immediately file a new petition, which the Union did.


OLYMPIC
Times
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Location: Roller Room


ORANGE COUNTY
Times
6:00 AM – 7:30 AM
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Roller Room

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 3:07 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper Workers News Corp. exec: No bid for Tribune
News Corp. is not interested in participating in the auction for Tribune and its properties because "we've got lots of newspapers and television stations," Peter Chernin, News Corp.'s president and chief operating officer, said in an interview following a presentation at a media conference in Manhattan.

Thinking Past Paper And Ink
In September, Editor Cliff Teutsch asked a committee of 12 to prod the rest of the staff into offering ideas - from the routine to the idealistic - to take "The Courant forward as the state's most powerful and important news-gathering organization."

How should papers deal with staffers with personal blogs?
The appetite for blogs is so great that some newsrooms also are turning to local bloggers, freelancers and special guests, or actively soliciting readers for proposals for new blogs. California's Ventura County Star hosts a blog written by a local soldier who recently returned from Iraq. The Houston Chronicle is asking aspiring bloggers to send an e-mail to the paper describing what they want to share with the world.

Paper's new owner cut deal with union to spare some jobs
The San Jose Mercury News completed a round of layoffs Tuesday that trimmed its workforce by 35 employees in one of the first big moves under its new owner, MediaNews Group.

The Demise of the Professional Photojournalist
But professional photojournalists, and more recently videographers, have continued to make good livings at a craft that helps inform the rest of us about the world we live in. That craft has never been more vibrant, or vital. But the ability to make a living at it will crumble soon.

NY Times sees Web growth in "challenging" climate
The Times expects revenues from its Internet-related businesses, including About.com and NYTimes.com, to bring in about $270 million in revenue in 2006.
It expects Internet revenue to grow 30 percent, or more than $80 million, in 2007.

Kitsap Sun to cut 20 percent of newsroom jobs
BREMERTON, Wash. -- The Kitsap Sun newspaper is cutting nine full-time positions from its newsroom, a reduction of about 20 percent, as readers and advertisers continue to move to online news sources. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:53 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Peninsula Press Club: Grim day at the Mercury News Peninsula Press Club: Grim day at the Mercury News 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:49 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Take Back the Times: Baker Commission Report Is Only A Prescription For Total Failure In Iraq Take Back the Times: Baker Commission Report Is Only A Prescription For Total Failure In Iraq 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:41 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Sale of WCWN-TV, Albany Completed CHICAGO, Dec. 6 /-- Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB) today announced that it has completed the sale of WCWN-TV (channel 45), Albany, to Freedom Communications, Inc. for $17 million in cash.

In addition to WCWN, Tribune expects the sale of WLVI-TV, Boston, to close this month. To date, the company has sold or agreed to sell approximately $450 million of non-core assets.

TRIBUNE (NYSE: TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.), The Sun (Baltimore), South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel and Hartford Courant. The company's broadcasting group operates 24 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune Company 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:17 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Iraq Study Group Report There appears to be no easy solution for President Bush on the Iraq situation, according to a high level study group.

The commission's report, obtained by The Associated Press, warned of a deteriorating situation that could eventually "trigger the collapse of Iraq's government and a humanitarian catastrophe."
The report recommended enhanced diplomacy to stabilize the country and hopefully permit the withdrawal of most combat troops by early 2008. It called for the administration to try to engage Syria and Iran in diplomacy.
Bush has previously said he would not negotiate with either country.

The report will be posted on the Web sites of the U.S. Institute of Peace (click here), and the James Baker Institute (click here).

Photo by James Nachtwey

 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:33 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Prepare. Practice. Prevent The Unthinkable. Prepare. Practice. Prevent The Unthinkable. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:46 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Writers Needed at LAT I somehow missed this help wanted ad seeking writers at the Los Angeles Times, if this might interest you, follow the link for information on becoming a Times correspondent in a foreign land.

Writers Wanted... 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:38 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper News Eli Broad, Who Wants Tribune Co., Calls Newspapers 'Civic Trust'
LOS ANGELES Billionaire Eli Broad, who is part of a bid to buy Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times, described newspapers Thursday as a "civic trust" and said a locally owned paper is vital to the health of the world-class city he considers Los Angeles to be.

Soft Writing and Hard Times at the LA Times
I’ve been struck by the odd notion - reportedly run up the flagpole by David Geffen, a possible Los Angeles Times buyer - that the way to improve my favorite paper is to lure Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich and Alex Witchel from the New York Times out to Spring Street. Now that’s just crazy, because why should they go, when everything about them is so essentially New York?

Merc union supporters to wear black
The Newspaper Guild has issued a press release urging a "Day of Action" on Dec. 11 to preserve quality journalism, but union supporters at the Mercury News are being asked to get started early by wearing black on Monday (Dec. 4), the day before 40 newsroom workers are to be told over the phone whether they have been laid off.

MediaNews might also outsource printing
The Chronicle might not be the only Bay Area daily to shut down its presses and outsource printing to an outside company. The trade publication Newspapers & Technology says it has been told by sources that MediaNews could be a likely customer of the plant Transcontinental Inc. will build to print the Chronicle

Ax to fall at Merc on Monday, Tuesday
Had the union been able to reach a contract deal with management, the company would have reduced the number of union workers laid off from 69 to 42. Of the total 101 to be laidoff, 40 jobs will come from the newsroom. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:11 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  LAT 125th Birthday Bash  

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:09 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Los Angeles Times 125th Party  

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:50 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Happy Birthday Los Angeles Times  

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 2:01 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Take Back the Times: More Meaningless Local News Is Not The Answer For The L.A. Times Take Back the Times: More Meaningless Local News Is Not The Answer For The L.A. Times 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 9:06 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Newspaper Shorts Tribune Co. (TRB): Charles de Vaulx Reduces His Holdings in TRB
Charles de Vaulx reduced to his holdings in Publishing company Tribune Co. (TRB) during the 3-months ended 2006-09-30 by 75.15%. His sale prices were between $ 29.22 and $ 33.99, with an estimated average price of $ 31.1. ...

LA Times Newsroom in a Fight for Its Life UPDATE: Depressing Turmoil
That's sure how it seems, as the LA Times gives prominent coverage to a story about local leaders urging Tribune Co., owner of the Times, not to cut more staff from the newsroom. Maybe it's just Tribune trying not to be like the owner of the Santa Barbara News-Press, who's apparently whacko, but it seems to me that they're really scared.

Online will drive '07 newspaper ad growth
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Advertising spending at U.S. newspapers will rise 1.2 percent in 2007, driven by gains in internet advertising that won't overcome flat sales in print editions, an industry group said on Friday.

Will New York Times Co. go private?
Discussions about a leveraged buyout of the New York Times Co. have recently reemerged, as insurance giant Maurice R. Greenberg began acquiring shares. Business Week had already reported informal talks over the subject between Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and close friend and financial adviser Steven Rattner.

Advertisers hope for price decline in LA Times’ print edition
Advertisers in the Los Angeles Times are hoping to take the paper’s 8% circulation drop into account while discussing 2007 ad rates. Macy’s and other large local auto dealerships are planning on using the declining readership figures for lower prices but are expecting tough talks because newspapers don’t always see declining readership as a valid reason to cut prices.

Is the media too narcissistic for its own therapy?
What if all this fuss about traditional media’s decline was just media’s homemade therapy? William Powers, columnist for the National Journal, raved against the media’s widespread tendency to self-pity in his Dec. 1st article. “These days, almost everything in the media seems to be about the media,” wrote Powers.

Moguls drawn to papers as soapboxes, cash cows
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- At a time when Wall Street can't find any reason to be optimistic about the long-term prospects of the newspaper industry, billionaires like Jack Welch and David Geffen seem more than willing to bet on the medium, and not just for reasons of vanity.

The Gray Lady in Wonderland
I fully expect the Mad Hatter to be mentioned as a possible bidder for a major media property soon. The sector clearly is beginning to resemble Alice in Wonderland. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:43 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Easy Writer: UCLA Tasers Easy Writer: UCLA Tasers 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:35 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Check Out Those Charities Before You Give Last night I was sitting at home, drinking Modelos when I hear a knock at the door. I open the door to see a bearded, disheveled looking man who immediately launches into a spiel about the Republicans, Cheney, the military-industrial complex, yadda yadda. Nothing I haven't heard a million times already. Sure, this kind of talk can get people emotional, but as far as reasoned discourse...far from it. Not that I disagree, just that it was Friday night and I did not want to talk about this.

Anyways, the deal was he was soliciting donations for a "charity" that is seeking to change all this, and get us out of Iraq and all the other good stuff that we all want but can't ever seem to get.

Now I don't know if this guy was legit or not at the time so I told him, "Well, my policy is that I do not give money to charities on the spot, but if you leave me some information then I can look it over and come to a decision later. I like to know who I am supporting and want to make sure that this would be the best use of my charity money."

Well, he seemed to not want to do it that way, and insisted that in order for things to work out for him and his organization, he needed to get the donations at the door. At that point I told him that I had to go.

Anyways, the point of this rambling anecdote. Search the charities you are about to give to using the Charity Search from the State of California to make sure that the people you are giving to are legit. I looked up the guy's charity, and it turns out that it was not.

Anyways, since a lot of people are out there looking for money during the holiday season, its best to do your homework and give on your terms. Also, there are some good guidelines on charitable giving from the Office of the Attorney General. There are a lot of fake charities out there, so don't get got.

Source Metro Blogging 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:30 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  LAFD News & Information: LAFD Reveals the 'Hottest' Holiday Gifts LAFD News & Information: LAFD Reveals the 'Hottest' Holiday Gifts 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:22 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  LAT Media Relations Spokesman Los Angeles Times media relations spokesman David Garcia's last day was Friday, December 1st. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:18 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Death Notification We are sad to hear that long time paper handler David Kennedy has passed away. David worked at the Olympic Facility, funeral arrangements to be posted later today. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 8:11 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  DARRYL (D’Militant) LITTLETON
Book Talk and Signing Book Talk and Signing
WEDNESDAY, December 6 — 7 p.m.
DARRYL LITTLETON (a.k.a. D’Militant)


author of
BLACK COMEDIANS ON BLACK COMEDY
How African-Americans
Taught Us to Laugh
at ESO WON BOOKS

4331 DEGNAN BLVD.
LOS ANGELES
— and special guest comedians —www.esowon.booksense.com 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 12:02 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Take Back the Times: Thought-Provoking Tim Rutten Column, But, Of Course, It's A Civil War In Iraq Take Back the Times: Thought-Provoking Tim Rutten Column, But, Of Course, It's A Civil War In Iraq 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 11:52 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Pressroom Flyer What’s the Union’s Record in California?

The Union is telling you that you need and will be better off with a Union. But before you make your decision, you should know the Union’s record in representing pressroom employees at other California newspapers.

San Diego Union-Tribune

After the pressroom contract expired on October 11, 1992, the parties negotiated for nearly ten years before reaching a new labor agreement effective August 1, 2002. During that ten year period pressroom employees received no salary increases and paid for increased health care premiums.

The contract provided for no general wage increases. Instead, it established a merit raise pool, which the Union strongly opposed. Over the term of the contract workers were evaluated by management, which decided who got raises and in what amounts. The first raises were effective August 1, 2002, thereafter on anniversary date(s). That contract expired in 2005 and no new contract has been negotiated.

The Fresno Bee

In 1998 GCIU Local 404, which has previously sought to represent our employees, won an election at The Fresno Bee. It was never able to negotiate a contract and some pressroom employees went more than three years without a pay increase before the Union gave up and walked away.

San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle recently reached an agreement with the last of its unions, the union representing pressroom employees. Despite this new agreement, the Chronicle has also announced that it will close its production facilities and permanently outsource printing during the next two to three years, which will result in the layoff of its pressroom employees.

Torrance Daily Breeze

The Torrance Daily Breeze outsourced its union-represented pressroom operations to a non-union commercial printer. (A number of years ago the Long Beach Press-Telegram also shut down its union-represented pressroom and is now printed by the Daily News.)

Conclusion

Clearly we are not saying that what happened at any of these other newspapers would automatically happen here if the union was voted in – and if the Union was voted in The Times would bargain in good faith. But all of these things did happen at California newspapers where pressroom employees are (or were) represented by the Union.

WHY GAMBLE? – VOTE “NO” 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 3:39 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Pressroom Flyer  

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 3:33 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Take Back the Times: As Tribune Co. Dithers On A Sale, Advertisers Seek Lower Rates At LAT Take Back the Times: As Tribune Co. Dithers On A Sale, Advertisers Seek Lower Rates At LAT 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 3:30 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Our Emergency Room Visit Last night before completing my press run I took a call from my fourteen-year-old daughter Joanna, she told me her mother would be taking her to the San Dimas Emergency Room. Joanna did not want to tell me what was wrong, so I left the Times and headed straight to the hospital.

Naturally the traffic was heavy, and it took me almost an hour to travel the thirty miles to San Dimas. As I arrived at the hospital my grandson David greeted me, he was tired and sleepy, but was alert when grandpa entered the waiting room.

Seems my daughter was experiencing a period, which last over six weeks, and notified her sister of her condition. She told me she was too embarrassed to tell me.

If you have not been to an emergency room lately, the wait can last from a few hours to an all night affair.

Joanna had a medical condition that was taken care of last night, and were headed back to see the doctor in a few minutes.

Since I already had today off from work, I will resume posting on the blog in a few hours after Joanna is feeling better. 

posted by Ed Padgett | ¶ 10:39 AM 15 Comments Links to this post