Local Tint

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In which I am regaled by petty bickering

Okay, so there's this guy blogger credentialed-fuckin'-journalist-and-don't -you-dare-question-him Glynn Wilson, who has apparently spent hours with a former Republican operative who told him that the investigation of Don Siegelman and Richard Scrushy was initiated on the orders of Karl Rove--and that Gov. Riley is involved as well. Wilson leans to the left, and local right-wing and even nonpartisan bloggers and commenters (by which I mean un-credentialed loser nobodies) have been incredulous, and apparently a bit nasty, in response.

Wilson--who, being credentialed and all, should raise the tone and be professional about it--reciprocated the sentiments of his detractors, completing the devolution of Danny's nice post into a full-on cage match, complete with allegations of slander and threats of litigation.

Now, credentials aside, I cannot speak to the accuracy of Wilson's post story journalistic-fuckin'-tour-de-force-and-don't you-dare-question-it, and I don't, with my flippant tone, mean to diminish the seriousness of the charges made. However, Wilson's not-quite-convincing tone of superiority and blatant self-promotion have rankled me since The Locust Fork appeared. I mean, really: "A New Media Organization"? Leaving identical, canned comments at different local blogs for the sole purpose of bringing traffic? Smacks of...I dunno, something not credentialed.

As an un-credentialed Dan Roberts at the otherwise exemplary Between the Links describes it: The Locust Fork "is an independent, online news outlet of sorts. They’ve spent a lot of time trying to gain credibility.." The petulance of Wilson's defense, and his truly incredible ego ("I’m not just some liberal blogger. I have more journalism credentials than anyone working in this state"¹) are fast chipping at any gains he's made.

I'm content to watch.

¹ Certainly.

Brava!

Congrats to Local Peep Kathy for fast becoming* the definitive source for breaking news and discussion re: the sad trajectory of disgraced area blowhards.

* among other recognitions

In case you didn't notice...

The Short List is now a Blogger's Dozen, to which the "blog" of "unnecessary" quotation marks has been added. Sites in a similar vein definitely worth reading:

• Engrish.com
  
• Passive-aggressive notes
• ban comic sans
  
• Apostrophe Abuse
• Literally, A Web log
  
• lowercase l

In which I fawn like a schoolgirl

Ohmigod, ohmigod. Ian Miller has blogrolled me. Me!

No, that's not the only reason for this post. He has also perfectly articulated every reason I cringe when I see "Head CT stat" or "abd ct now" scrawled with haste onto the chart of a patient whose ability to perfuse vital organs has diminished in the last hour, and will surely diminish further in the half hour it takes me to pack him up.

Next time that happens, I'll simply remove my copy of Ian's wisdom from my pocket, unfold it, and tape it to the head of the patient's bed, repeating my own personal mantra during the ride to the CT suite, whereupon the patient's last leg will certainly desert him. As the words "Code Blue, CT. Code Blue CT" echo in the hospital's hallways, the CT tech blanches in terror, and Patient X's blood pressure plummets to a value incompatible with life, I'll be thankful someone thought to bring fluids.

New Links

Happy to add Bessemer Opinions to The Short List. I mean, who else takes the Western Star to task?

Also, Hey Jenny Slater. The right mix of good writing and devotion to "Kids in the Hall."

Keeping an eye on the knavery

I didn't even know al.com had podcasts (podcasts not devoted to NASCAR or deer hunting, anyway) though they have been expanding their content recently. But lo, they do indeed broadcast a series called Alabama Conversations, and Wheeler of Alablawg took part in a discussion released today. Give it a listen.

Also, look to Goat Hill Gazette for daily updates during this session--if you have the stomach for it.

Blogroll Additions

I'm adding two local blogs. Since they're not written by individuals per se, they're in the "Local News and Opinion" list. They are Mixed Media, the blog of the Birmingham Weekly, which I discovered at Kathy's house, and Jon Anderson's new blog of Hoover's news (I use "news" loosely here, as, routinely speaking, I don't regard a new episode of Two-A-Day's as a breaking story).

Anderson's been playing it safe since taking over the editor's desk at The Hoover News a few months ago. He's had the temerity to (kinda sorta) suggest Rush Propst is a dick and question Andy Craig's falling ass-backwards into the school superintendent's job, but he has yet to show me Peggy Sanford's bite (though I sincerely hope he does).

An important PSA. Kinda.

Up for a compelling story of intrigue, dirty toilets, and global warming? Sure you are.

Whatever your take on the myth of global warming or whether Gregg Easterbrook knows his ass from a melting glacier, this is guaranteed to be more exciting (and provide more resolution) than Sunday night's "Sopranos." Find more of The Editors' work here.

"The Short List" now said to be merely tiny

Welcome Wheeler of Alablawg. Good perspective on local stories with a tone that's more reflective than sarcastic. That's hard.