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Woof?“If there were ever a time for a strong and sharp-toothed press corps to hound our lawmakers in Washington, it would be now. . . . It’s startling, then, to discover the dwindling number of journalists on the beat. Rather than an increase of journalists schlepping their laptops to Washington, there’s been a mass exodus [as] newspapers across the country have gouged their staffs in order to stave off unhappy Wall Street investors and prop up their profit margins.”
WORD TEASE: What common English nine-letter word creates eight additional different words as one letter is removed, one at a time? Answer under Comments below. (Thanks to alert WORDster Arnold Ismach)
Today in History2006: BOOM! Dick Cheney shoots hunting buddy; 1990: Nelson Mandela freed after 27 years in prison; 1979: Ayatollah Khomeini’s followers seize power in Iran; 1960: Jack Paar leaves “The Tonight Show”; 1945: FDR, Stalin & Churchill sign Yalta Agreement; 1937: Simultaneous radio broadcast on all three U.S. networks; 1812: “Gerrymandering” created when Massachusetts Gov. Eldridge Gerry signs redistricting law (See History.com.)
STARTLING WORD PUZZLE:
ReplyDeleteWhat common nine-letter English word turns into eight different words as letters are removed, one at a time?
S-T-A-R-T-L-I-N-G
S-T-A-R-T-I-N-G
S-T-A-R-I-N-G
S-T-R-I-N-G
S-T-I-N-G
S-I-N-G
S-I-N
I-N
I
Ta-daaaa!
(Thanks to alert WORDster Arnold Ismach)
On Feb 11, 2009, at 7:36 AM, Bud wrote:
ReplyDeleteNo offense, Megan, but there’s still a planeload of “journalists” covering our national government. If we need six hundred reporters from every corner to “hound our lawmakers” then we’re a sad republic indeed. The problem isn’t quantity, it’s quality. I watch with amazement every Sunday morning as experienced “journalists” take talking points as policy statements and then posit amongst and between themselves. I hate to sound like my father, but there are NO Lipmanns or Murrows or even Jack Andersons covering the news today.
--Bud
I agree, Bud--obviously after lobbyists, political machinators, fellow travelers and sychophants, the most common creature in DC has got to be journalists (and bloggers), right?
ReplyDeleteShe's got a point, though, that local news outlets are less likely to have their own people there, sniffing after their parochial interests, than formerly. It was the Knight-Ridder bureau, wasn't it? that did the best DC-based reporting on Iraq (and other stories), and aren't they defunct now?
There are a lot of journalists still covering national government, but there are a lot who have chosen to turn a blind eye to the problems in Washington DC.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Lauren, but what are you talking about?
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ReplyDeleteI would add the same thing is happening at a local level as well with state Legislatures and city councils. More and more municipalities are being given to a single reporter to cover as news staffs shrink.
ReplyDelete