The Times Disgrace

That is the most common derogatory slang I have heard for the Times-Dispatch. My creative friend likes to call it the Slop Dogpatch. There must be a least a dozen other pseudonyms out there. I think it would make an interesting list.

I don't have anything against the RTD. I never worked for them. I wasn't fired by them. Some people hate them, just as a matter of principal. Many of those same people condemn hatred, but only by those they disagree with. That's par for the course. The people I knew who worked for the RTD were good folks. Most of them were slaving away under increasingly difficult circumstances. You have no idea how difficult it is to get your paper to you by 6:00 AM, rain or shine. Those are the true heroes.

I never had much to do with the editorial content other than an occasional letter to the editor. I even got my name mentioned once or twice, which in these cases turn out to be a good thing. They gave extensive coverage of the Susanne Thompson murder and vigil. I don't think Style printed a word, which surprised me. The Harvey's made the front page.

So fire away, give it your worst, or your best. There has got to be some good ones out there.