Chicago Tribune Bankruptcy means bloggers beware

Today in news, the Chicago Tribune filed for bankruptcy in order to 'restructure it’s debt'. They also own properties like the Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, and many others. Any marketer worth their weight knows that traditional media is on a slow decline, and some time in the future there will be a influx of job loss. This industry has many, many well trained, talented individuals in their employ.

So what is going to happen to all these people who are out of a job when the new media revolution completely comes full circle ? I’m sure the majority of the will bounce back, and be scooped up (quickly) by other areas of industry who have similar needs. So ... what about the journalists?

Red Circle

I'm Thinking About My Doorbell

Bettie Page 'Critically Ill' After Heart Attack

Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday.

'She's critically ill,' Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide told The Associated Press.

Hipster, please!: Nerd News in Brief

It's been another huge week for geeky news, but before we get into this veritable wealth of nerdstuff I'd like to comment on recent developments at The Wizrocklopedia. You see, Lizz just announced her retirement. After years at the helm, she is passing the mantle of editor on to Freya and Dinah so that she can pursue other avenues. Lizz will still be acting webmistress, but other than that her 'Pedia-related activities will be limited.

I've got an enormous amount of respect and appreciation for Lizz because of all the work she does for the WRock community and, moreover, simply because of the really genuine person that she is. She's a class act, and I am thankful to count her, along with folks like Ant, Matt, Church, and Jason, as a like-minded cyber-sibling. So while I'll miss having her around ye olde Internets, I wish her the best in all her endeavors.

Sad Kermit

We have all seen stars rocket to dizzying heights in the prime of their careers, heights that baffle and amaze the likes of us. But many of the same stars that we point at in awe are only to be dragged off of their trajectory by tragedy into a gold dusted tailspin downward, finally to be burned up alive by the same velocity that once took them skyward.

We have all seen stars rocket to dizzying heights in the prime of their careers, heights that baffle and amaze the likes of us. But many of the same stars that we point at in awe are only to be dragged off of their trajectory by tragedy into a gold dusted tailspin downward, finally to be burned up alive by the same velocity that once took them skyward.

We all remember the joy we shared with our families when we were kids. Wrapped in blankets in front of the television; we inched ourselves as undetectable as possible towards the screen in a vain attempt to avoid the inevitable warning issued as the question: "Move back! Do you WANT TO GO BLIND?". It was all an effort to ensconce ourselves in the palpably magical world that was crafted through the collaboration of Jim Henson and a huge cast of Muppets more than fifty years ago.

Although it would have been impossible without the Muppets, Jim was the mortar that bound this disparate cast together and kept them on a true course. When Jim Henson passed away worlds were lost. And Kermit, who Jim had mentored in the art of vaudville since his creation, who Jim had treated as a son, was lost as well...

Major Reorganization at Random House

After months of speculation, Random House, the world’s largest publisher of consumer books, announced a sweeping reorganization of its publishing divisions, including the resignations of the heads of two of its largest groups.

Irwyn Applebaum, publisher of Bantam Dell, an imprint that publishes authors including Dean Koontz and Danielle Steel, and Steve Rubin, publisher of Doubleday Publishing Group, which represents authors including John Grisham and Dan Brown, are stepping down from their posts.

Linden Lab doubles-back on approved skins

Linden Lab's governance team has started removing vendors for Second Life skins (that is, avatar textures) that are intended to portray teens and juveniles. It is not exactly clear why the action is suddenly being taken, as Linden Lab themselves approved the skins which have underwear 'baked in' to avoid any licentiousness. All in all, the affected skins are less lewd than a K-Mart kidswear catalog.

However, since the vendors depicted the skins 'as is' (that is not completely clothed, so that you would be unable to see what you were trying to purchase), Linden Lab has unexpectedly reneged on previously granted approval and is now acting to remove them. The removals that we are aware of have been appealed, and those appeals have been rejected.

The only comment available from Linden Lab about the removals is 'Real-life images, avatar portrayals, and other depictions of sexual or lewd acts involving or appearing to involve children or minors are never allowed within Second Life.' -- which does not appear to describe any of the materials removed. The Lab declines to discuss anything related to enforcement actions or content takedowns, as a rule.

A Historical Overview of the "Archie Superheroes" Part One

I always liked the "Archie Suerheroes," and I was introduced to them via the Red Circle Comics relaunch of the very early 1980s before DC Comics did the revamp of the characters with !mpact Comics a few years later on. Some great characters by some of the great creators (Simon and Kirby just to name two), and it looks like DC is going to take another swing at publishing them. Should be interesting.

While a great deal has been written over the years about Archie Andrews and his pals the same cannot be said about Archie Comic Publications' superheroes. Few people seem to know that not only Archie Comic Publications get its start-under a different name mind you-in 1939-as a publisher of superhero comics but that it was one of the more innovative comics publishers in the industry. This article is an attempt to rectify that and while space limitations prevent me from going into a great amount of detail I hope that I can at least cover the more important points regarding Archie Comic Publications' superhero history.

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