Do you remember what the subject of conversation was before we were distracted by Zell’s coarse behavior?

Puppies.

You may recall that Fajardo was arguing something along the lines of newspapers needing to give readers information about their world… that a free society needs important news, blah blah blah, and that too many readers just want reports on puppies…

Then Zell had this to say: “You’re giving me the classic… journalistic arrogance of deciding that puppies don’t count.”

Well, The Courant is seeing things Zell’s way:

You can have your news and puppies, too.

Without Paul’s efforts there’s so much we’d miss, so many details and developments that we’d simply be unaware of. It takes a special dedication and skill to sustain this page and, as much as Paul has always demonstrated those qualities, we are especially grateful that they are applied so generously to our interests.

Like old veterans who cluster with the bond, “We were in the war together,” we all have deep feelings from our experiences at 225 Broad & beyond. This page helps us keep things vital as we variously sort out our new directions. Thanks for that, Paul.

– denis

Metromix Connecticut appears to be a going concern, but who know what schemes and plans are in the works?

Perhaps equally interesting is the look of the entire page.

Take, for example, Peter Sleight’s new Fox 61 column “Can You Dig It?”

The silly but memorable name and the shade over Peter’s face notwithstanding, this is pretty good info from the assistant business news editor and master gardener. (I still don’t think he needs the sidekick reporter along, though. Peter’s perfectly capable of being his own TV personality.) Check it out. (Oh, no crying during the sad background music.)

I tried to find an online version of the Fox 61 promotion of Peter’s spot and those of Korky Vann, George Gombossy, Dan Haar and Eric Danton, but couldn’t. It’s pretty damn funny and clever, especially the dog wearing eyeglasses with George and Peter’s ending shot where he hoses down the camera.

I’m sure the FCC would not see this as merged content, because the announcement says these are Hartford Courant columnists.

           On Monday, I started a paralegal internship at The Hardman McPadden Law Offices, whose main office is in Middletown. The internship is unpaid, but it will be invaluable careerwise. The firm also has asked me to help it create a newsletter. I’ll be paid on a free-lance basis for that.
          The opportunity stemmed from the recent refugee get-together at Luce’s. When I mentioned to John Ward that I had an interest in legal work, he connected me with Diana Bartolotta, a lawyer he knew. Bartolotta referred me to Tracey Hardman of Hardman McPadden, who had an internship available. It will continue for nine weeks.
           Networking is something that the counselors at Right Management emphasized as the economy continues to struggle. It’s certainly worth the effort

Here’s a link offered by Leslie-Jean Thornton, once a copy editor at the News-Times and now a professor at the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. The linked article addresses some stuff our fellow refugees might find of interest if they’re riding the wave into online journalism: job titles, responsibilities and compensation ranges for online journalism jobs.

(The name of the site, by the way, is Journerdism. Anybody who wants to stay in the business needs to be a journerd, I think.)

As of the week after next, no more locally written DVD or CD reviews in the Courant. They’ll come from L.A., where they know better how to review these things.

Not a module, but may as well be, huh?

 I cover the Pacific NW (five states from Alaska to Montana, plus the environment, public lands etc.) I was on the scandal beat, but Stevens and Craig are making less news now.
Here is my info:

Matthew Daly
Pacific Northwest Correspondent
The Associated Press
1100 13th Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
202-641-9541 

Matthew’s wife Meredith, a former Courant reporter and night originator, is media coordinator for The Children’s Inn, an on-campus residence that is a place like home for seriously ill children being treated at the National Institutes of Health.

“I run into David Lightman on the Hill,” Matthew says. “We both are so sad when we talk about The Courant — or journalism in general. Tough times. I thought David Simon was dead-on. Parasite eating the host was a good line.”