January 2014

Brandt’s Randt – Cynics Need Not Apply

Before I left 680 News, legendary political reporter John Stall and I had a discussion about cynicism.  He made a very good point.  Being a cynic is a barrier to growth.  Even when it comes to the Mayor of this city where unemployment and closing companies are issues and he says what we need is a gondola ride over the Thames. At least I thought about it before I dismissed it as dumb!  So I randt.  …

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Blow up That Bridge

NOTE: I have learned that this is a hoax. Or at least, it started that way. It was meant to inspire exactly the kind of discussion I’ve started here. So life imitates art. Read on: Perhaps you’ve heard of the thigh gap. It’s the determination to be so thin that your thighs don’t rub together. It’s ridiculous and in many cases, unsafe to pursue this stupid fad. But that’s not stopping some teen girls from making it their goal. And it gets even better. Or in this case, worse. …

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Tough Advice

Occasionally I’m asked to read the writing of someone I don’t know very well.  They occasionally approach me to ask for my opinion and I’m loathe to say no because it’s difficult for them to do. This isn’t a problem if they have talent but there’s no way to know at the start.  And it’s just awful when the writing is terrible.  By terrible I mean an inability to tell a story, not just bad grammar – an editor can fix that.   …

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