Posted on 05/10/2007 9:26:22 PM PDT by Valin
Oh, you poor, poor reader. You're busy. You want a laff. And what do you get? Economy-size downer: a columnist's sad farewell. Yes, 29 years after writing my first column for a Minneapolis paper, I'm writing my last. Three decades! That's a grand run. You can't blame it all on cronyism, union protection and incriminating photos. I credit your patience, and the general suspicion that I might be worth reading the next time, too. That's all we can ask. We're only as good as the next column, after all. And since there won't be a next column, well, whew: Pressure's off. Mind if I just run stock-market numbers for the next 167 words?
Yes, you would. Because you expect more from the paper. Me, too. See, I love this place, and I always wanted to be a Star Tribune humorist. It's a narrow goal, like wanting to be the President's barber -- great objective, but not exactly a career bursting with openings. But I set my mind to it; I had a plan, and after years of patient work I perfected my set of Uncle Al Sicherman facial protheses. They found out. But they admired my pluck. Charges were dropped. Years later, I was hired, and I've been honored to converse with you here ever since.
It's not like I'm entering a witness-protection program. Everything you liked about the Quirk can be found at lileks.com, where I write a famously interminable daily column called the Bleat. But newspapers are special, I know. Nothing will take the place of this.
Just in case you're curious: My Quirk allotment was always 300 words. It was always a point of professional pride to hit 300 words on the nose. Hmm: almost there. Very well, then:
Goodbye. And thanks!
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
I wonder why he’s quitting?
He won’t have any problem finding new gigs. NRO/Weekly Standard, etc.
You should tag this with a sardonic “Dinosaur Media Death Watch” label. He’s hilarious on Hugh Hewitt’s show.
He’s not quitting. He’s been reassigned to an ordinary news beat. Many job cuts at that paper recently.
The “Red Star Tribune” is making cutbacks.
They've moved him to regular reporting. Conspiracy theories abound, and there has been much weeping and gnashing of teeth on the blogosphere.
count me in! He should be writing his wonderful stuff always as he’s done it!
Lileks has mentioned a love for Arizona in the past. My blog has started an effort to draft him for our lame local newspaper. Then at least there would be one writer worth reading!
James Lileks has been one of my favorite columnists for some time now. He’s a good writer, always interesting. He can do whatever he wants at this point. I would recommend syndication, particularly here in the new media. Who wouldn’t hire this guy?
MICHAEL MALONE looks at newspapers' sheer stupidity.--Even Dave Barry waded in to shake his head at the sheer stupidity of newspapers these days.
One Of The Star Tribune’s Bright Lights...
Posted by Hugh Hewitt | 4:44 PM
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/4dac2bf4-44fc-4e80-be7f-cfa2d998be75
Jim Boyd, the Deputy Editorial Page Editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, who brought new weight to the term dead wood, is taking the money and running, but making sure that he hurts the Strib as he goes out the door:
(snip)
He was shut down by the paper.
That’ll happen...right after hell get’s a pond hockey team.
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