I first wrote for American Reporter in '67-8. Haven't lately as I've been cranking out some books. (Anybody want to co-author The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Media?) Have archived many of my articles from various sources at my website, .i.n.t.e.r.b.e.i.n.g., which has more about me.

Enough about me: what about you?

Let's hear from you all. There's nobody here but us journos.

[gach out]

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001

Answers

I guess you know who I am. I wish we had more news reporters. I guess it's the hardest part of journalism, and probably more expensive to the individual practitioner, but for me it's still where the excitement is. I'm extremely lucky that I can serve AR in both capacities -- that's a miracle made possible by the Internet and our unique eeditorial structure.

Has anybody read Cindy Hasz' new column? Cindy is probably not our "best" writer in terms of the perfect use of language, but her stuff hasd a soul that eloquent as hell. I suggested the new "Caring" column she's doing and I'm proud as hell of how it's coming out. I'm sure it's unique in the country, and possibly the world. But so are many of our homegrown columns.

Well, see ya. Thanks, Gary!

Joe

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001

It seems to me that another good way to build brand recognition is to encourage all AR types to enter their local journalism contests. In the last year, entries of mine from AR have won in the San Diego Press Club, San Diego chapter of SPJ, and LA Press Club contests. It gets us mentioned on those organizations' web sites, and when we win a category, it gets us mention in the local press.

I understand Joe's desire for more hard news types on AR, but when I saw my second or third body while a copy reporter in San Ysidro, I knew this was not my calling.

I've got a new book to review for you Joe, and if PacBell fixes my DSL, we'll have CD reviews every week once again.

Jim

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001

Gary, do you mean 1967, or 1997?

I write the Make My Day humor column for AR, although it's called Laughing Stalk everywhere else around the world, including in some indigenous tribes near Papua, New Guinea who have yet to see a computer.

I've been writing a weekly humor column for over five years now (Feb. 1996). However, since the first year pretty much sucked, and I'm glad no one outside Wakarusa, Indiana ever read it, I don't like to talk about it much.

-- Anonymous, August 27, 2001