The embedded media program in the Iraq War's first month and a half --- more than five years ago --- proved to be a Pentagon victory because it kept reporters focused on the horrors facing the troops, not the horrors of the civilian war experience, writes a sociologist in the spring issue of Contexts magazine.  Grumpy Editor sees nothing sinister about that since reporters were attached to specific U.S. military units --- and were covering the action from the military view.Besides, embedded... Read Full Story

Receiving a letter by certified mail --- with $5.21 worth of postage stamps affixed --- from the local tax collector with a “final notice and demand for payment” message would shake up most people.But when Dr. Phil Kazanji, who operates a medical center in Brighton, Mich., read it, he laughed.  Grumpy Editor did, too, on learning about it. Neatly applied on the envelope were 12 Gerald Ford 41-cent stamps and one Elvis Presley 29-cent stamp.The letter also mentioned “this is your last... Read Full Story

In a week with unseasonal snow still affecting several states, media coverage has been scant on a global warming survey that came out May 8 from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.  It finds belief in global warming is down six percentage points from early last year, notes Grumpy Editor.The latest survey shows 71 percent of Americans say there is “solid evidence of higher global temperatures,” compared with 77 percent at the beginning of 2007.While the three top presidential... Read Full Story

Naming a top horse after the nickname of a world-wide, well-known package shipping giant certainly can pay off, just like at the race track, observes Grumpy Editor. Soon after racehorse Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby, United Parcel Service Inc. --- the other Big Brown --- signed a marketing agreement with jockey Kent Desormeaux and the horse’s owners that calls for the UPS logo to be displayed on the jockey’s racing pants at the Preakness Stakes on Saturday and at the Belmont Stakes, third... Read Full Story

With all sorts of happenings in the world over the week end coupled with  editorial space growing tighter, some newspapers had no problem in filling up columns around ads with an "earth-shaking" Associated Press feature on pigeons flying around central Hollywood in the shadow of the Capitol Records building, notes Grumpy Editor.The AP story by Noaki Schwartz, along with art of pigeons (for those not familiar with what the birds look like), ran up to 38 paragraphs in some Sunday newspapers... Read Full Story

Grumpy Editor figures the PR meeting, after a stirring discussion, probably concluded with something like this:“Hot dog!” exclaimed the boss, emphasizing those words with his fist pounding on the conference table.  “Let’s do it.”So next Monday through Wednesday, Famous Uncle Al’s Hot Dogs & Grille, Inc. --- which will be exhibiting at the Las Vegas Money Show --- will be passing out 5,000 coupons good for free hot dogs to visitors passing by its booth.The coupons will be redeemable at any of... Read Full Story

Grumpy Editor figures the PR meeting, after a stirring discussion, probably concluded with something like this: “Hot dog!” exclaimed the boss, emphasizing those words with his fist pounding on the conference table.  “Let’s do it.” So next Monday through Wednesday, Famous Uncle Al’s Hot Dogs & Grille, Inc. --- which will be exhibiting at the Las Vegas Money Show --- will be passing out 5,000 coupons good for free hot dogs to visitors passing by its booth. The coupons will be redeemable at... Read Full Story

To hypo their efforts, book authors these days have to set aside much time to make promotional rounds ranging from book signing tours to appearances on TV talk shows.For Grumpy Editor, it was unusual to spot Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) guesting this week on the late night The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central.The senator is no novice to TV.  After all, C-Span captures him in live action on the Senate floor with what might be called his own Daily Show.In the long... Read Full Story

Who would believe that little Liberal, Kan. (population 20,000), in the heart of the Great Plains, would be the latest battleground of newspapers, currently with four and another in the works, observes Grumpy Editor.Latest entry started Sunday with the debut of the High Plains Daily Leader.  Its publisher, Earl Watt, came over from The Times, a former daily, that in January went to publishing three times a week in Liberal, at the far southwest corner of Kansas, three miles from the Oklahoma... Read Full Story

Those receiving Social Security benefits should be very concerned about recommendations in an article in the May issue of Chest, a medical journal.  It proposes that in a flu pandemic or other major health disaster, when resources and medical treatment are scarce, among those that should be refused attention are people older than 85 no matter what their condition, notes Grumpy Editor.At first, it sounds like a sketchy outline for a shocking TV movie.Highlights from the medical journal... Read Full Story