Thursday, March 26
There is a nice pair of stories on Tent Cities in Sacramento, CA: the front page Wall Street Journal style in depth article and brief, both by the same reporter. It was interesting to see the two takes. The fresh information in each indicated how much reporting was done. I wonder if Jesse McKinley originally planned on doing both or if there was an attachment to the information and desire to get more of it printed?
Interesting how University of California and Columbia economists found that proximity of fast food restaurants to schools is a fair indicator of the rate of area youth obesity. The article didn’t say whether their might be other factors that complicate the findings. Makes the story pretty flimsy, even if the claim is true.

Wednesday, March 25
I appreciate the academic deadpan put down of Michael Jacob’s play “Impressionism,” and the eloquence of good obituaries. Ben Brantley’s review has all the critical sharpness and humor I have been used to from Rolling Stone, EW, and Time, but none of the pedomorphic pandering. To extend the theme of the play he considers, it’s as if he’s at an art exhibition, knows the painter is next to him, and proceeds to make barbed comments about both artist and work, without turning. It may be snobbish, but unlike many art reviews, the writer’s me-factor is not gratuitous.
The two types of obituary style are intriguing—the mini-bio and the lugubrious RIP modes. The RIP is more familiar, and I never appreciated it, but the artful mini-bio style has made it possible to look at the formulaic, epithet laden, Lincoln-log RIP style of the “with deep sorrow,” “beloved,” “devoted” death notice with fresh eyes. It is amazing how little is needed to individualize, and how timeless and universal the phrasing is. Today, besides comparing obit modes, I enjoyed the notice for Mexican boxer Raul Macias. A great example of how suggestion paints a fuller picture than a more concrete statement of the same length.

Tuesday, March 24
“They strip search first and ask questions later.” The central story on the strip search of an 8th grade girl by school officials based on “evidence” (goofy behavior at a school dance and an unsubstantial accusation of having served alcohol prior to the dance), and the legal discussion going on 6 years later is one of the best stories I’ve read this semester, not because the writing stood out, but because of the material. It’s probably a good lesson for newswriters too—appearances can be colored falsely by biased or careless information.