Grumpy Editor

Latest trend? Dual magazine covers for same issue

At a time when magazines are seeking to contain production costs, what’s going on with two major magazines producing dual covers with separate photos that popped up this month, wonders Grumpy Editor.

Bloomberg Businessweek (the capital W has been retired), in its Feb. 14 issue, came up with two cover versions touting “The Infidelity Economy” which gave much space to a Web site operation that focused on the hot topic of linking married men to married women.

The western version showed a man’s (non-hairy) legs with pants dropped down to his ankles.  The eastern cover captured V-shaped female legs, topped by high heels, pointed upward.

One response was: “This is not your father’s biz magazine.”

Meanwhile, distributed this week, was Woman’s Day --- dated April 1 --- also with dual covers.

Some subscribers received a Woman’s Day cover showing a pasta dish (technically, creamy pasta with leeks, peas and Parmesan) while the other displayed two shelves on a wall that included “cheerful” assorted knick knacks.

Readers were invited to vote --- via the Web --- on the Woman’s Day cover they prefer, spurred on by, “Don’t be afraid to judge our book by its cover: what’s inside is exactly the same!”

Early voting leaned toward the shelves.

 

Americans wait as other nations clear citizens from Libya

While citizens of many nations were able to depart turbulent Tripoli by air and sea over the past few days, about 600 passengers --- mostly Americans --- were on board a ferry docked for three days in Libya’s capital awaiting a green light to sail to Malta, about 300 miles to the north, notes Grumpy Editor.

The ferry finally set sail this afternoon.

Media reported officials blamed the holdup in departure of the sleek, dual-hull, five-year-old Maria Dolores (capable of reaching 39 knots) on rough weather.

But there was a question mark with that reason.

Grumpy Editor found mid-day Thursday weather in both Tripoli and Malta was satisfactory:  52 degrees, scattered clouds and 15 m.p.h. winds in Tripoli and 48 degrees, mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and 22 to 25 m.p.h. winds at Valetta, Malta.

There were increased fears for U.S. citizens in troubled Libya as the security situation deteriorated.

A CNN anchor, after detailing the tense situation yesterday, mentioned that the Americans aboard the docked ferry could be “sitting ducks.”

While those U.S. citizens remained dockside, two ships transported about 4,500 Chinese workers to Crete. China also sent a missile frigate to protect its citizens evacuated by sea.

Meanwhile, citizens of other nations also had a much easier time leaving Libya.

While Libyan authorities refused the U.S. permission to land chartered aircraft, there were no problems for the German air force flying some of its citizens home, as did French chartered aircraft along with British and Russian departures by air.

Italian citizens were able to take Alitalia commercial flights home and the Italian air force was handling the overflow.  The Italians also dispatched two navy vessels to eastern Libyan ports.

The Dutch also used military aircraft to evacuate its citizens.

Turkey removed 3,000 of its citizens on two ships.

 

Las Vegas newspapers relish reporting other’s staff cuts

Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun, competitive daily newspapers in Sin City, like to jab each other in reporting staff cuts, notes Grumpy Editor.

Latest round yesterday has the Sun, on its Web site, running an Associated Press story revealing the Review-Journal, Nevada’s largest newspaper, laid off 12 employees in cutting its special projects unit that does investigative journalism.

On Dec. 1, the Review-Journal reported the Greenspun Media Group, publisher of the Sun, laid off at least 20 staffers --- including “veteran reporters and editors with the Sun” --- as part of a major restructuring to consolidate print and interactive operations.

The Review-Journal December story added the layoffs included at least 15 Sun staffers.  Others cut were on Greenspun Media’s weekly publications

Similar nips at competing operations occur periodically.

The Review-Journal’s latest staff cuts are the first under Michael Hengel who became editor in December.

He tells AP that the reduction stems from the economy, not a reflection of new leadership at the paper, part of Stephens Media LLC.

The independent Sun, usually an eight-page ad-less section, is printed and distributed by the Review-Journal.

Business functions of the two newspapers are combined and operated under a joint operating agreement.

 

Consumer confidence overshadowed by market stumble

Overlooked in widespread negative business news --- which sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 178.46 points yesterday to close at 12,212.79, lowest since Feb. 7 --- was the Conference Board announcing its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 70.4 this month from a revised 64.8 in January, notes Grumpy Editor.

Chances are that bright spot will be hard to find in your newspaper today.

Unrest, especially in the Middle East and Libya, along with worry over oil supplies that sent prices higher, triggered investors to sell stocks.

The Conference Board’s February finding was well above the 66.0 expected by economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires.

Growing optimism about the short-term future is driving confidence, said Lynn Franco, director at the private research group.

Of course, some of that confidence got knocked down yesterday.

Looking ahead, however, Franco added:

“Consumers are more positive about the economy and their income prospects, but feel somewhat mixed about employment conditions.”

 

Somali pirates kill 4 Americans aboard captured yacht

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UPDATE

The four Americans aboard the  U.S.-flagged Quest were shot and killed by their Somali captors, the U.S. Central Command announced today.

 It marked the first time U.S. citizens were killed in pirate attacks on shipping in the region.

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Earlier posting...

It’s rather strange that U.S. media have to get updated input on Somali pirates’ latest grab, a U.S.-flagged yacht, from one of their official (or unofficial) spokesmen rather from the U.S. State Department or the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain, observes Grumpy Editor.

Identified only as Hassan, the pirates "spokesman" over the weekend fed the press latest details on the captured yacht.  He said a warship with a helicopter was shadowing the U.S. vessel.

Only word from U.S. agencies and the military is that they “are monitoring the situation.”

Somali pirates Friday hijacked the yacht, S/V Quest, about 275 miles off the Oman coast in the Arabian Sea.

Four Americans were on board, including the yacht’s owners, missionaries Jean and Scott Adam, from Southern California.  They were in their seventh year on a round-the-world journey, distributing Bibles along the way.

Tough talk comes from the spokesman for the pirates.

Hassan, just before the latest hijacking, told reporters in Somalia that pirates would target Americans in retaliation for last week’s New York court sentencing of a Somali pirate to 33 years in prison.

Americans would suffer “regrettable consequences,” he added.

Just two weeks ago, pirates in the same area --- 220 miles off Oman --- hijacked a U.S.-bound 1,082-foot long supertanker that provides one fifth of daily U.S. crude imports.  With a crew of 25, the Greek-flagged Irene SL was headed for the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite its mammoth size, making it more visible from the air or sea, there has been no further word on the supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of oil worth  $200 million.

Between 30 to 40 vessels and 660 to 800 crew members are being held by pirates who generally seek ransoms.

 

Grumpy Editor, observing Presidents' Day, takes time off

With Presidents' Day, Grumpy Editor is taking the day off and will return tomorrow.

House, Senate take another in series of breaks in 2011

Check the number of Washington, D.C. datelines in your newspaper next week relating to congressional legislation or discussions, suggests Grumpy Editor, who points out it’s always fascinating to observe news reports during House and Senate breaks that appear to indicate members remain busy at their desks in the nation’s Capitol.

Presidents’ Day on Monday is the excuse for both houses to take time off until Feb. 27.

The slated absence occurs as Republicans and Democrats still have to work out funding that expires March 4 for most federal agencies.

If in show business, time away from stages, sets or cameras is labeled a hiatus.

But they don’t call it that in Washington.

The accepted term:  Non-legislative days.

For the House, the official phrase for getting out of town is termed “constituent work week.”

For the Senate, it’s “state work period.”

These breaks aren't widely heralded by Washington media.

Another dual break for House and Senate occurs next month between March 19 and 27.

An even longer gap happens between April 16 and May 1.  That encompasses Passover on April 18, Good Friday, April 22, and Easter, April 24.

Other non-legislative periods run monthly through November.

 

Most media miss al-Qaeda link in Pakistan shooting case

 

Nineteen days after Raymond Davis, a U.S. consular staffer was jailed in Lahore, Pakistan for fatally shooting two armed men, President Barack Obama declared that country must release him under a pact that gives diplomats immunity from prosecution, notes Grumpy Editor.

“If our diplomats are in another country, then they are not subject to that country’s local prosecution,” Obama informed a Washington news conference on Tuesday.

That has been a long-time diplomatic standard.

Nevertheless, a Lahore court today adjourned until March 14 in ruling whether Davis has diplomatic immunity.

Police plan to formally charge the former U.S. Army Special Forces member with murder.

Davis, who said he acted in self defense, was taken into custody on Jan. 27.

Into the intrigue --- and missed by most media in this international diplomatic saga --- is that on the same day Obama was meeting the press, Pakistan’s al-Qaeda-linked Taliban warned it would punish those involved in any move to release Davis.

Only Reuters’ Chris Allbritton uncovered that warning.

The two men Davis shot reportedly robbed two people earlier on the same day.

The incident occurred after Davis withdrew money from an ATM and was driving a car when the two men on a motorcycle confronted him at a busy intersection in Lahore, according to the U.S. Embassy.

A senior Pakistani official later admitted the two men were part of a criminal gang.

Even if released soon, things won't be smooth for Davis.

In another twist, Sen. John Kerry Tuesday jumped into the skirmish with a 24-hour visit to Pakistan, promising Pakistanis that the U.S. Embassy worker will face a U.S. criminal investigation if released.  The Massachusetts Democrat also expressed regret for deaths of the two men.

Pakistan is one of the largest non-NATO recipients of U.S. military aid.

 

Some non-paid HuffPost bloggers seek piece of rich pie

In the wake of the AOL Inc. agreement to acquire online news site The Huffington Post, a mutiny could be brewing in the ranks of the thousands of HuffPost non-paid blog writers, finds Grumpy Editor.

Many frustrated HuffPost writing-for-free bloggers, after digesting the $315 million transaction price, are wondering how to get a piece of the rich pie. 

They also note Arianna Huffington, after the deal is finalized, will become president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group with a lofty $4 million annual salary.

So a HuffPost writers group is banding to air their beefs at www.facebook.com/heyarianna.

Among comments:

• HuffPost bloggers and other contributors need to unionize.

• Demand a share of the sale be distributed and/or a new contract for pay for contributions.

• If you don't want to be treated like a peasant, you have to make it clear you're going to do more than cry about your circumstances.

• Arianna has more dollars than dimes, so I don't anticipate her sharing any coins with us any time soon.

The six-year-old HuffPost operation, which employs 70 paid staffers, has been utilizing the talents of 6,000-plus volunteer blog writers.

The planned HuffPost-AOL combination is expected to close by mid-year.

 

Pianist George Shearing best remembered for 'Birdland'

Grumpy Editor feels mature jazz lovers, mainly those 50 years-plus, should be sad today when reading in their local newspaper about the passing of George Shearing, the blind pianist who wrote the standard, “Lullaby of Birdland,” and won Grammys two years in a row in the 1980s.

That’s presuming the newspaper has an alert editor who recognizes the newsworthiness of a jazz giant.

It’s ironic that Shearing died, at 91, one day after the latest Grammy awards.

Just about every jazz musician has played "Lullaby of Birdland," named after a New York jazz club.

Shearing won Grammys for “An Evening With George Shearing and Mel Torme" in 1983 and "Top Drawer” in 1984.

Four years ago the pianist, born sightless into a large and impoverished family in London, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his contribution to music.

The ceremony added “Sir” to his name.

At that time he responded that it was “amazing to receive an honor for something I absolutely love doing.”

Also high on the list of Shearing favorites and recorded several times over the years was “September in the Rain."  Scoring best with fans was a 1958 version etched in what was relatively new stereophonic sound and recorded before a live audience at Claremont (Calif.) College.

With Shearing at the piano plus Al McKibbon on bass, Percy Brice on drums, Toots Thielemans on guitar and Emil Richards on vibes, the three-minute, 19-second classic still sounds vibrant and fresh today.

Shearing became a professional at 17, migrated to the U.S. in 1947 and played jazz clubs around the country, including Birdland and, of course, Carnegie Hall.

He remained active into his 80s, mostly with a solo piano, releasing a CD, “Lullabies of Birdland” in 2004. 

Among singers Shearing worked with over the years: Nat (King) Cole, Nancy Wilson, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan and Billy Eckstine.

Along with more information on Shearing, listen to a full, early version of “Lullaby of Birdland” at http://georgeshearing.net.