A note to our readers

Sometimes we don't know where the time goes. This ended up being another all nighter despite what we thought was an on track session.

We had two pieces that we killed after spending hours on each of them and that might be one reason we were running so far behind. But by four in the morning, everyone was close to giving up. We took a break and some went on candy runs, someone went for a walk to wake up, it was a long, long night. (Like a broadcast of Dateline, Ava and C.I. might suggest.)

But what we ended up with is hopefully of some value.

Chief among the pieces is Ava and C.I.'s latest TV review. They take a look at Dateline. Read it, you'll laugh and nod along.

Our editorial was one of the breakdowns. We broke half-way into writing it into a 45 minute discussion. Should others be specifically mentioned? Was too much emphasis placed on Democracy Now!? We decided no.

The point is, and when we went back in we attempted to make that point, that Democracy Now! reaches more people than most news sources out of the mainstream. (The way the audience increases, it may be time soon to call it "mainstream" due to it's reach.)

We also offer up our news review and, as usual, it was posted as soon as the feature was completed. We're glad readers are enjoying it.

Readers didn't enjoy Dona's remarks last week which were not intended to call for the death of all fiction though some seemed to fill she was preparing to pull out the chopping block. Due to the large number of e-mails out "Five Books, Five Minutes" focuses all on fiction.

We also highlight Democracy Now! due to their musical clips last week.

We thank the following for their help and input on this edition: Dallas, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine subbing for Rebecca at Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Betty of Thomas Friedman is a Great Man and Kat of Kat's Korner. We thank Francisco and C.I. for allowing us to repost Francisco's entry. We also thank, for reposting permission, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine subbing for Rebecca at Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix, and Kat of Kat's Korner. And next week, we hope to post somethings C.I. has written lately at The Common Ills. (C.I.'s said no for the last two weeks arguing that other people need to be emphasized.)

We thank Ava and C.I. for their TV review.

And we, always, thank our readers.

-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.