Monday, July 31, 2006

Over on Easy-Writer.... "MELABU"


You just knew I couldn't resist, the moment you printed those bleary eyes on the front page. Now, only on Easy Writer, irreverence with a point! Pressmen can access it here.

Advertising on Front Pages of LATimes

July 31, 2006

TO: Times Employees
FROM: Jeff Johnson
SUBJECT: Section Front Advertising

Colleagues,

Because of our unparalleled reach in Southern California and our strong readership, advertisers have long wanted to place their advertising on the section fronts of The Times' news and features sections.

To meet those needs, we have decided to introduce a new premium advertising position on the section front pages of our Business, Calendar, Sports and Travel sections. We also are evaluating whether similar revenue opportunities are appropriate for our other sections.

We have no plans for ads on A-1.

These new ad positions will be sold selectively to premium advertisers, with very specific standards on ad content, size and position. These standards will ensure that section front ads meet the equally demanding standards we've set for our editorial content.

By introducing these new positions, we join select other industry leaders that have made similar changes, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Chicago Tribune.

These industry changes acknowledge today's challenging advertising environment. To remain competitive, we must offer advertisers innovative new ways to reach our large and influential audience.

Jeff

Tribune Chairman and CEO Recovering From Surgery

CHICAGO, July 31, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Tribune Company (TRB) announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dennis FitzSimons is recovering from successful prostate cancer surgery performed earlier today. He expects to return to work full time before the end of August.

"My prognosis is excellent, and I look forward to a quick and full recovery," said FitzSimons. "Tribune has a strong, experienced management team that will continue to execute on our performance improvement plan during my absence. I will be engaged with them in that process."

TRIBUNE (TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune operates 11 leading daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday, plus a wide range of targeted publications. The company's broadcasting group operates 26 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune Company

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Olympic Crime Wave

Pictured below is one of the computer's in the Olympic Cafeteria that employees use to access their paychecks, medical coverage, and other services via the Intranet. There are two work stations, each with a very small computer, I thought the device was a modem, but it's a smaller version of a computer.


The picture below is work station one, with the missing computer. The computer was secured with two lock downs that simply had to be unscrewed for easy removal of the computer. These small computers are only about twelve inches by eight inches, and just over an inch wide, could be easily hidden in a bag or wrapped with a shirt.

The three computer's pictured below are located in the Oly Learning Center, if you look closely, the computer is missing inbetween the other two computer's, as well as the mouse and keyboard.

In my opinion, the theft's are being done by two people, one watching out for security guards while the other one removes the equipment. The most opportune time to commit crimes at Oly are between the hours of 3:00am and 6:00am on Sunday and Monday mornings.

If I were a crook, I would have a lookout in the parking lot with a cell phone, ready to call me when security enters the building.

The crooks will be caught, they always return to the scene of the crime.

Edward

Zarb rumored to be eyeing Newsday

Newsday.com

Could Frank Zarb, the Wall Street titan and Long Island's renowned Mr. Fix-it, have designs on purchasing Newsday?

That was the buzz yesterday following a report in The Los Angeles Times, which cited two sources who said Zarb 'is interested' in Newsday.

Click on title to jump to full article.

Broad, Geffen and Burkle still want LAT *



Each of the local billionaire media moguls-in-waiting — Eli Broad, David Geffen and Ron Burkle — sent separate letters to the Tribune Company board this month expressing interest in buying the Los Angeles Times.

(Full Story)

3 of L.A.'s Billionaires Have Eyes on Times



Three billionaires hoping to buy the Los Angeles Times expressed their interest in separate letters this month to the paper's owner, Tribune Co. But each was told The Times was not for sale — at least for now, according to several people who have seen the letters.

(Full Article)

Three Offers to Buy L.A. Times Rejected




Report: 3 Separate Inquiries About Buying Los Angeles Times Were Turned Down (Full Article)




Friday, July 28, 2006

Internet Access Restored

As I was getting ready to throw myself onto my bed, I recalled that the Internet has been restored at Oly today. We can thank our plant manager Greg for taking care of this, and Craig for configuring Cyber Sitter on all of the computers in the learning center.

Tina Kim live Aug 13th in Pasadena + PREPARTY w/free FOOD


TINA KIM LIVE! SPECIAL EVENT! PASADENA, CA plus PRE PARTY!--- Sun AUG 13th @ 9:00 PM show --7:30 PM is the PRE- PARTY!!!!

MY LAST SHOW SOLD OUT SO PLEASE GET YOUR TICKETS ASAP!

It will be in the bar and on the deck with free appetizers, and 1/2 price drinks. It is FREE so come early before my show. I will be hanging out to do a meet and greet and to take pictures and get numbers from hot guys :) and I will be giving out my headshot to everyone and signing it for those who want it and signing my CD's if you purchase it that night.

At The Ice House Comedy Club
24 Mentor Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
(this is my favorite comedy club in the country)

I am producing this show meaning I rented the club,and am doing all the promo for my own show as well as performing and other stuff. Advance tickets are $17.50 online only. Click below to purchase your ticket.I know it isn't much of a discount but I know some of you are cheap and love any discount wink wink to dee Asians :)

GET YOUR TICKETS ASAP B/C MY SHOW DOES SELL OUT.

PURCHASE TICKETS at the LINK BELOW http://www.tinakim.com/Shows/shows.htm
or $20.00* at the door on the night of the show, if there are tickets left. Once you purchase your online ticket, I will send you an email letting you know I got it. There will be NO tickets mailed to you. I will have your name on a list on the night of the showas prepaid. If you are Asian don't forget to bring yourHello Kitty cell phone accessories!!

18 years and older

* there is a two drink minimum inside the showroom.

** no refunds**

Nail Everything Down

I was informed today that not only a computer and Ram from two computers were taken from the Oly Learning Center, it goes much further.

A laptop computer was taken from the offices at the rear of our plant, I believe it's part of the circulation department, and one computer was also removed from the cafeteria. The two computer terminals in the cafeteria are used by employees to access the Intranet and other information, such as paychecks, health care, sick days and vacation days.

I was also informed that one employee had their passenger side window broken out of their car while working.

Is it the weather or what?

Mark Kurtich paid a visit to Oly today, and he was angry over the resent theft's, and said when the person is caught, they will be terminated. Many of my co-workers feel the same anger, as I do, and hope the person or persons responsible for the thefts are caught soon.

Enjoy your weekend,
Ed

PULSE: Tribune sells 2.8 mln shares of Time Warner in July

07-28-06 06:49 PM EST

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Tribune Co. (TRB) sold 2.8 million shares of Time Warner Inc. (TWX) in July, yielding net proceeds of $46 million, the Chicago-based media company said its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Friday. Tribune expects to record a pretax gain on the sale of $19 million in the third quarter, according to the filing.

Systems Engineer II

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 28, 2006

The Sun-Sentinel, a division of Tribune Company, is seeking a Systems Engineer II responsible for for the production support, maintenance and proactive monitoring of the Microsoft Windows systems/services/applications supporting the intranet and Newspaper Operations divison to meet the strategic and operational objectives of the company.

As a member of the Operational support team, will be responsible to proactively monitor the performance and availability of Windows systems, ensure that all supported systems are configured and maintained for optimal performance, and respond to all production incidents and problems. Maintain cooperative relationships with all technology teams, vendors, and business units. Must be available to provide on-call support and after hours/weekend work, as necessary. Participate with Tribune publishing on group initiatives, as assigned.

Requirements: Minimum 4 years proficiency and experience with planning, implementation, monitoring and management of complex enterprise wide systems including Microsoft Windows Server NT/2000/2003, Microsoft Cluster Services, scripting, Microsoft SQL 7/2000 Database Administrations and Oracle Database Administraton skills a plus.

Must possess strong system hardware design and architectural skills, with expertise in hardware consolidation and virtualization. Understanding of project management methodologies, exceptional organization and communications skills in order to foster collaboration across departments. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, similar discipline or equivalent work experience and MCSE 2000/2003 certification required.

The Sun-Sentinel offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits package. To apply, please send resume attn: Mail to: Sun-Sentinel Human Resources 333 SW 12 Avenue Deerfield Beach, Fl 33442 Fax: 954-425-1518 E-mail: BFeldkamp@tribune.com .

The Sun-Sentinel values diversity and encourages those who share our vision to apply. We support a smoke-free, drug-free work environment. EOE

Consumer Advocate Releases ‘Homeownership Crystal Ball’

Cutting edge, default prevention software to help homeowners with suicide loans

RISMEDIA, July 28, 2006—“We have a catastrophe about to hit millions of American homeowners. This financial software is like a crystal ball that predicts if you will keep your home, or lose it," forewarns International Mortgage Reduction Expert and Consumer Advocate, Harj Gill.

Exotic mortgages were originally intended for financially astute, high- income borrowers. However in the frenzy of the housing boom, they have been mass marketed to home buyers in high-cost, high-priced, metropolitan markets.

Take for example piggyback loans. These are a combination of two loans packaged together, and closed simultaneously. The first lien mortgage is kept at or below the 80% loan to value ratio to avoid mortgage insurance. This has made these loans a favorite among borrowers with little or no down payment.

According to SMR Research, by the first half of 2005, the proportion of borrowers using piggyback mortgages was 48.2%. The default rates on these loans, according to ratings agency Standard & Poors, is a staggering 43% and shoots up to 50% for borrowers with FICO scores of less than 660.

These statistics should give nightmares to every homeowner with this type of loan. However most borrowers have a false sense of security because they don't know when things will go wrong.

Consumer Advocate Gill contends that, "If you had a crystal ball that told you precisely what month you would lose your home and your family out on the street, you would do something about it."

A crystal ball for mortgages is exactly what his Financial Software Program is akin to. Users enter their mortgage details as well as their income, regular expenses and any current debts they have, such as credit cards and car loans.

Once this is done, in the case of piggyback loans, users are able to forecast the exact month (and year) they will go into default as interest rates rise and their cash flow is insufficient to meet the increased payments.

What is revolutionary is that borrowers can then manipulate their finances to create any number of "what-if" scenarios to find one that will help them avoid going into default. "

Before we started using this software we knew, with rising interest rates, that we would soon be in trouble," said Peter & Shari W., a young couple with a piggyback mortgage from Bellevue, Washington, which has one of the highest concentrations of these loans in the country (51%). "

At first we were scared because we didn't know what we would see with the results. But what we actually discovered was tremendous relief," they said.

This feedback is quite common, as homeowners have been using this software for over 10 years.

"With our current lifestyle, we calculated at exactly what interest rate we would start to go backward on our mortgage payments. But the kicker is that we will never go into default because we worked out all the different things that could go wrong and now have contingency plans. I cannot tell you how great that feels," they added.

Gill says the seriousness of this crisis cannot be overemphasized and has prepared a Critical Report available on the Consumer Information Center at www.MortgageFreeUSA.com.

He is also giving away subscriptions to his Software to assist every American household with a mortgage, at no charge.

He is particularly calling to action every mortgage broker, loan officer, banker, lender, real estate broker and agent and urging them to get bulk software subscriptions to give to their clients.

"You have absolutely no excuse not to do this," he stressed. In addition, he is urging every media, community and industry group to do the same for their constituents. "

I don't care if you're a Church Leader, or the CEO of CNN. I don't care if you're Oprah Winfrey or Nancy the neighbor. We are talking about a $1.8 trillion industry that has been driving our entire economy. If we sit back and do nothing, this crisis will force the country into a recession. If we let that happen, shame on us because it's going to devastate the lives of countless families that aren't even homeowners," warns Gill.

Submitted by Gayle Mitchell

Update, Computer Theft

Our computer tech (Craig) has informed me the RAM was taken from two computer's, not one as I had reported. And an entire computer is missing from the learning center at Oly, they didn't take the monitor, I guess it wouldn't fit in the trash can?

Our learning center needs to be locked down, and only accessible by employees of the Los Angeles Times.

One co-worker suggested installing cameras in the learning center, and that is not a bad idea.

Ed

UPDATE: Internet access is being blocked by a program called Cyber Sitter, I contacted Monica Hayes, and this will be resolved sometime next week. The forms for gaining access to the Internet from work seem to be missing, I will find additional forms and distribute.

Friday has Arrived

As we pulled into the Olympic parking lot yesterday it appeared there was a party being set up. Could this be a party to improve employee morale, I asked myself? The Times threw a party for the advertisers, but that's also a good thing, they pay the bills.



The party encluded a live band, that could be heard through the walls into the reelroom of the pressroom.


Last night as I left work a bit after 8pm, I decided to visit the Ice House for a little laugh therapy, and I think it worked, I'm smiling this morning. Skillz allowed me in for free, must be my age, and that was a nice gesture.

If I do not work overtime on Saturday I plan to drop by Redondo Beach to heard Urban Dread play at Naja's. Even if I do work I may still go by for a couple of sets, we'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Stay cool,

Eddie

Newspaper News

A federal judge on Thursday issued a preliminary ruling that denied a temporary restraining order sought by San Francisco businessman Clint Reilly to block the sale of two Bay Area newspapers.




Tribune Co. (TRB) plans to audit circulation at its Spanish-language newspapers Hoy every six months, instead of the previous schedule that called for a Certified Audit of Circulations report once a year.


NEW YORK Philadelphia Media Holdings, the new owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News, has struck up a deal with online recruitment site Monster.com. It?s the first alliance between Monster and a major newspaper company.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Hoy Posts Nationwide Audited Circulation

CHICAGO, July 27, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Hoy, the nation's leading Spanish- language newspaper, with daily editions in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, today released new audited circulation numbers reported by Certified Audit of Circulations (CAC).

CAC reports that as of March 31, 2006, Hoy's average daily circulation stands at a combined total of 185,245 (Monday through Friday, 5-day average). Additionally, Hoy's weekend publications, including New York's Saturday edition and Hoy Fin de Semana in Los Angeles and Chicago, posted audited circulation of 473,864.

The audit numbers reflect Hoy's strong competitive position in each market. In New York, Hoy is now the largest Spanish-language daily newspaper in that market. In Los Angeles, Hoy continues to show rapid growth in the nation's largest Hispanic market. And in Chicago, Hoy solidified its leading position as the market's only Spanish-language daily newspaper.

"These circulation results reaffirm both our commitment to provide advertisers with efficient buys in the nation's three largest Hispanic markets and our dedication to the highest quality of editorial content for our readers," said Digby Solomon Diez, Hoy Publisher and CEO.

To deliver the most accurate market information to advertisers, Hoy will increase its audit schedule with CAC to every six months, instead of just once a year. CAC has been an objective third-party source of certified circulation data since 1956 and offers the highest quality methodology for measuring net distribution of controlled circulation publications.

Hoy is the nation's leading Spanish-language newspaper, with average weekday circulation of 185,245, and daily readership over 536,000. Together with its weekend publications, including Hoy Fin de Semana, Hoy publications have a gross weekly distribution of over 1.4 million copies. Hoy is published by Tribune Company (TRB), one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting.

Visit http://www.hoyinternet.com or call (312) 527-8400 for more information.

SOURCE Hoy

Improvements at Oly

The gardeners have completed the removal of the six foot weeds from around the back and sides of the building, and have started working on the trees and grass at the entrance to the Olympic Plant. It's surely making a big difference on the appearance of the building for our many guests and employees.




I have sent off an email to the subscription department of the Los Angeles Times, hoping to add a banner ad to the pages here, with all money generated going to our club.

Last night before leaving work my daughter Joanna called me and asked if I would go to El Tepeyac Cafe for food. How could I say no, this happens to be my favorite restaurant? I called in my order from the Oly parking lot, one Manuel Special, four beef taco's, and one order of taquito's. The burrito's cannot be picked up by hand, you need a fork and a knife to consume these monster sized burrito's.

I have eaten at El Tepeyac's for over thirty-five years, and the food has remained the same all of these years, but the prices continue to rise. The Manuel Special is $13.10 and will feed four people, to give you an idea of it's size.

El Tepecya's is located at 812 North Evergreen Ave., Los Angeles 323.268.1960

Stay Positive,

Edward

CareerBuilder.com Passes Largest Competitor

CareerBuilder.com Passes Largest Competitor in Revenue and Takes Over #1 Position in Industry

07-26-06 11:50 AM EST

CHICAGO, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- CareerBuilder.com, the nation's largest online job site with more than 1.5 million jobs and over 23 million unique visitors, is at the center of a major turn in the history of online recruitment. After leading the industry in job postings and traffic for more than two years, CareerBuilder.com has passed its largest competitor in U.S. revenue. This means CareerBuilder.com now commands the leadership position in all major categories of online recruitment in the U.S., delivering on its promise to take top ranking domestically before full expansion overseas.

Five years ago, CareerBuilder.com was an emerging contender in the online recruitment space, one-fifth the revenue size of the market leader(1). Setting the stage for success with cutting-edge technology, dedicated customer service and aggressive sales and marketing strategies, CareerBuilder.com grew its revenue annually by more than 75 percent and quickly closed the gap between it and its main competitor.

In the second quarter of 2006, CareerBuilder.com pulled ahead of its rival. The company and its local affiliates generated $172 million in market revenues in the U.S., $9 million more than its largest competitor in all of North America. For the first six months of the year, CareerBuilder's North American revenues were $329 million, compared to $323 million for its largest competitor.

"We know the greatest asset of any organization is its people, and we take our job of delivering world class talent very seriously," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. "That's why employers and job seekers across the country now use CareerBuilder.com more than any other site. We offered a better solution and customers took notice, as evidenced in our leadership in job postings, traffic and revenue. We didn't invent the industry, but in five years, we have taken it over."

How did they do it? CareerBuilder.com built a distribution network of more than 900 partners and, in a bold maneuver, replaced its rival as the exclusive job search engine for America Online and MSN. While CareerBuilder.com's traffic soared, its competitor's dwindled.

At the same time, CareerBuilder.com unleashed a widely successful national marketing campaign valued at over $200 million. Critically acclaimed appearances in the Super Bowl TV ad lineup for the last two years punctuated a multifaceted marketing strategy that cleverly blended grassroots outreach with high profile venues.

Since January 2004, CareerBuilder.com has captured the most traffic in the industry every month, according to reports from comScore Media Metrix. The CareerBuilder network now draws more than 23 million unique visitors per month, approximately 9 million more than its largest competitor.

With more than 1,900 salespeople in-house and at its newspaper partners, the company has aggressively pushed forward into new markets and captured a greater portion of recruitment spend amongst FORTUNE 1000 and small and medium-sized businesses. For 40 consecutive months, CareerBuilder.com has posted the most jobs in the industry, according to Corzen. The company has experienced a 12-point gain in market share over the last two years and is certain to increase its share in 2006.

The company has also led the industry in technology advancement, creating a unique job matching functionality to hasten the job search process. The company serves on FAST Search & Transfer's Technology Advisory Board and works exclusively with FAST on product development for online recruitment, keeping CareerBuilder.com at the forefront of best-of-breed search engine technology.

"Working together with a network of over 900 partners and hundreds of thousands of customers, we have harnessed the power of the Internet to unite millions of employers and job seekers," said Ferguson. "We have helped businesses -- and people -- build their futures. We're grateful for the support from our customers and partners and promise to continue our tradition of excellence as we take our leadership to a global level."
(1) Morgan Stanley, "Publishing: The Publishing Handbook: June 16, 2006"
and CareerBuilder pro forma results.

About CareerBuilder.com

CareerBuilder.com is the nation's largest online job site with more than 23 million unique visitors and over 1.5 million jobs. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB), and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), the company offers a vast online and print network to help job seekers connect with employers. CareerBuilder.com powers the career centers for more than 900 partners that reach national, local, industry and niche audiences. These include more than 150 newspapers and leading portals such as America Online and MSN. More than 250,000 employers take advantage of CareerBuilder.com's easy job postings, 18 million-plus resumes, Diversity Channel and more. Millions of job seekers visit the site every month to search for opportunities by industry, location, company and job type, sign up for automatic email job alerts, and get advice on job hunting and career management. For more information about CareerBuilder.com products and services, visit http://www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact: Jennifer Sullivan 773-527-1164
Jennifer.Sullivan@careerbuilder.com

SOURCE CareerBuilder.com

Technical Planning & Governance Manager

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 25, 2006

The Sun-Sentinel, a division of Tribune Company, is seeking a Technical Planning & Governance Manager. Is the single point of entry for all projects requesting IT services and resources relating to projects and oversees the Project Management Office (PMO).

Oversees process development and quality assurance with a focus on process development, implementation and governance to ensure compliance throughout IT and the organization.
Supervises Technical Project Managers and Business Analysts who focus on project manangement and business transformation. Exercises control over the production environment through configuration/change management and provides key control over all the changes to the production environment.

Oversees technical writing, standard operating procedures and general 'how-to' procedures as well as provides centralized reporting and governance over all training within IT. Oversees IT security administration functions and IT regulatory compliance for Sun-Sentinel critial applications and major computing platforms.

Provides staff development plans and performance evaluations. Maintains cooperative relationships with all business stakeholders, technology teams, vendors and other Tribune business units. Participates with Tribune publishing on group initiatives as assigned.
Requirements: Minimum 7 years experience in operational management and experience in the planning, implementation, monitoring and management of a complex technical environment. Must be familiar with data and voice network, UNIX and Microsoft server, Microsoft and Oracle database, SAN and application development and deployment concepts and methodologies. Strong documentation skills are necessary to create procedures, policies, standards and processes within the IT division. Must be organized, detail oriented and possess excellent communication skills. Strong project management methodologies and tools required. Demonstrated aptitude for leadership, coaching, training and staff direction necessary. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, similar discipline or equivalent work experience reqiured. PMP certification required. MBA and ITIL certifications preferred. Any technical certification from Sun, Microsoft or Cisco is a definite a plus.

The Sun-Sentinel offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits package. To apply, please send resume attn: Mail to: Sun-Sentinel Human Resources 333 SW 12 Avenue Deerfield Beach, Fl 33442 Fax: 954-425-1518 E-mail: BFeldkamp@tribune.com .

The Sun-Sentinel values diversity and encourages those who share our vision to apply. We support a smoke-free, drug-free work environment. EOE

Rep, Customer Support

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 25, 2006

The Sun-Sentinel, a division of Tribune Company, is seeking a Customer Support Rep to processing from various sources and changing and canceling and selling classified advertising, especially for Legal, Obituary and Special Occasion advertising from customers in full run Sun-Sentinel classified products.

Acts as a support to various administrative duties including mailing of box replies and tear sheets, PSO responsibilities, phone reports, Memorial Bookmarks and other duties as required by management.

Requirements: Accurate typing skills - 45 wpm and PC-windows experience.
Spelling and communication skills with strong telephone etiquette.
Sales oriented and self-motivated.

Showcases sales ability and customer service skills.

The Sun-Sentinel offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits package. To apply, please send resume attn: Mail to: Sun-Sentinel Human Resources 333 SW 12 Avenue Deerfield Beach, Fl 33442 Fax: 954-425-1518 E-mail: mlorenzo@tribune.com .

The Sun-Sentinel values diversity and encourages those who share our vision to apply. We support a smoke-free, drug-free work environment. EOE

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Waiting for the Cool Air

As I left San Dimas at noon today the temperature was a nice ninety-five degrees, and as usual Los Angeles is anywhere from five to ten degrees cooler than San Dimas. But not today! As I neared the Olympic Facility the temperature continued rising. When I pulled into the parking lot at work, the tempature was a toasty one-hundred and two degrees. Like all of you across the Southland, I'm looking forward to cooler weather as soon as possible.

We now have Internet access at our plant again, thanks to Alma Perez and Monica Hayes, but was all their hard work in vain? Only seven users requested Internet access by filling out the access forms, out of the two-hundred and fifty workers at Oly.

It was brought to my attention that someone removed the RAM (random access memory) from one of the computers in the learning center at Oly last weekend. The memory could not be worth more than twenty dollars, so I suspect someone other than a Times employee is responsible for the theft. The learning center needs to be secured like the outside doors, everyone entering the room must use their employee ID to gain access.

Los Angeles Times managing editor Doug Frantz idea of offering pony rides to the writers to boost morale, may seem a bit odd, but you can't fault him for trying something different. I mentioned this to Russ, and he has many ideas, which I will allow him to share with you later.

With so much negative news regarding the Tribune Company, I have eased back as not to add any fuel to the fire.

Stay cool if you can,
Eddie

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

L.A. Times staff offered pony rides

July 25, 2006

Reuters News Service

LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles Times editor, hoping to give his journalists a break from reporting the often grim news in America's second-largest city, offered an unusual morale booster Monday: pony rides. <--JUMP TO ARTICLE

LADWP Urges Energy Conservation

From: Kurtich, Mark
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 5:12 PM
To: zzAll LATimes Employees
Subject: LADWP Urges Energy Conservation

(Managers and supervisors: Please share this information with your employees who do not have e-mail. Thank you.)
July 24, 2006

Colleagues,

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has urged business and residential customers to conserve energy during this period of high temperatures and humidity. Record-breaking demand on the city's electrical system has resulted in sporadic outages throughout the area. While the LADWP has ample energy supplies, air conditioners running for long periods of time are putting a heavy load on local distribution systems.

Please take steps to conserve energy whenever possible. The LADWP offers these simple ideas:

* Turn off desk, overhead, and meeting room lights when they are not needed.

* Turn off computer equipment when you leave the office.

* Try to avoid operating equipment during peak hours of the day.

Thank you all for your assistance.

Mark Kurtich

Senior Vice President, Operations

Keeping Up With the (Dow) Joneses

Last week, several newspapers released second-quarter reports that lacked much good news. Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ) bucked the trend, giving some credence to the idea that the company's business and investing news focus, strong online properties, and national interest all give it a pretty darn good advantage in the industry.

To take the jump to full article, click on title.

Pictures from Olympic

As the new gardeners work their way around our plant, we will slowly see the changes from all their hard work.








Change in next year's EPS estimate

TRB

07-24-06 09:01 PM

Change in next year's EPS estimateThe next fiscal year consensus EPS estimate for this stock has changed from 2.25 to 2.24.
For details, go to
http://quicktake.morningstar.com/Stock/earningsestimates.asp?Symbol=TRB

Monday, July 24, 2006

As Tribune twists in wind, others are second-guessing

With Knight Ridder consigned to history’s dustbin, the search is on for the next publicly-held newspaper company to topple. “Maybe Gannett,” speculated Jon Fine, Business Week columnist. “To a lesser extent, possibly Journal Register.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Old Pasadena Jazz Festival

Yesterday Rita and I attended the Old Pasadena Jazz Festival, which was moved to the Arcadia Arboretum. We parked our car at the Santa Anita Race Track and were bused in yellow school buses to the event. The music started at noon, and continued till ten at night, with many excellent groups.



While sitting under the shade of some nearby trees I ran into a former pressman, Jim Wooten, and his wife. Jim had many questions about the newspaper and told me how nice retirement has been for him and his wife.


As the temperature rose the clouds continued to grow and the humidity increased as well. It was very unbearable to say the least, many were overcome by the heat, with firemen and firewomen carting many away to local hospitals. The weather forecast was 107 degrees, but with the increased humidity, it felt like 120 degrees. Made it very hard to enjoy the music.


Swimming in the fountain was prohibited, but as you can see, security said very little when people like Rita and I jumped into the water.



This is the Candy Dulfer Band performing in the killer heat, fans were all over the stage in an attempt to keep the musicians cool.


Here I am having my picture taken with Candy Dulfer



Our seats were empty because of the heat, only a handful of brave souls actually used the prime seats. Many concert goers left early, it was just too hot to stay all day, but we stayed till the bitter end, and it was 90 degrees when we left at ten at night.

We gave our tickets away for today's concert, just couldn't stand the intense heat another day.

Eddie

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Another Piece Going....


Gooding & Company has been chosen to conduct the sale of the Otis Chandler Collection of classic automobiles, motorcycles and automotive memorabilia. The auction will take place October 21, 2006 at the Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife in Oxnard, California. The collection encompasses approximately 50 classic cars, 40 vintage motorcycles, memorabilia, including an 1884 Baldwin Steam Locomotive. For further information, please contact Gooding & Company at 310 899 1960 or click the Gooding & Company logo below.

Vintage Museum of Transportation

For press inquiries, please contact Kermish-Geylin Public Relations 201 750 3533

Friday, July 21, 2006

Thank you Wayne

This afternoon after fine tuning my printing press I headed to Cafe Oly to fill my belly with something to eat. While my meal was being prepared, I walked out to the patio to have a smoke and water the plants.

While enjoying my cigarette and watching the spinklers deliver life to the plants, I heard some voices below me, was it English or was it Spanish? Sounded like Spanglish to me. It was Wayne (Russ Newton) telling two men where to place the water from the hose next.

Alas I had left my camera on the printing press and can not share this sight with you tonight.

I'm happy to see Russ jumping on the bandwagon with Billy Roundtree and myself to improve the appearance of our plant. And as one writer stated, this will not improve Tribune profits, but it will surely improve Tribune morale at Oly.

There will be no posting on Saturday, I will be attending the Old Pasadena Jazz Festival, in Arcadia. Wonder why it's not called the Arcadia Jazz Festival? Let's hope the humidity doesn't make it too unbearable tomorrow.

On Monday night I will post before and after pictures of the Oly Plant, the new gardeners have been hard at work for five days now, as you will see on Monday.

Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks again Russ.

Peace,
Eddie

Addicted to Television



Back in the early 60's I remember watching television in black and white, with only seven channels to choose from. The only big day for television was Saturday mornings, because of all the cartoons, like Heckle and Jeckle, Bugs Bunny, and Quick Draw McGraw.

In 1962 we bought our first color television, and what a treat it was to watch movies and cartoons in color. Yet, there was still only seven channels of programming to opt from. So as a child, I spent most of my time outdoors, doing what children do, playing with my friends or riding my Stingray bicycle around the neighborhood.

News stories regarding how today's children are overweight from sitting in front of television all day comes as no surprise, with the Dish Network and cable, children have hundreds of channels to pick from. So there is always a cartoon to watch from the Cartoon Network or some far away city twenty-four seven. Not good.

Last year I decided it was time to put a stop to this addiction of mine, watching television! I gave my VCR to my son Bryan, and two boxes full of movies, so I would not be tempted to sit in front of my television. Last week I took it one step further, I gave my DVD player and television in my bedroom to my son Nathan.

I have to admit, it took me over nine months to part with my bedroom television.

This past week entering my bedroom had an odd feel to it, just because my television was absent. It was like I lost a good friend to death.

Last week Nielsen reported that it was the slowest week in television history for the four major networks. Appears many viewers are doing something other than sitting behind the boob tube.

Are you addicted to television? Measure how long your television stays off to see how deeply hooked you are, if your able to leave it off for more than a few hours.

Now to figure out how to stay off the Internet?

Peace,

Eddie

Your Killing me Kids



Last night as I opened my mail, I almost fell down when I read my electric bill from Southern California Edison. At first I thought my last payment to the Edison Company was not reflected on my bill, but I was incorrect. Our electric bill is for $548.54.

I shared the bill with my teenagers, and they have agreed to shut off their television sets while away from home, and they will also use the central air only when I'm away from home.

Looks like I will be staying home a little more often.

Eddie

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Daily blues, Part I

The Daily Breeze is losing money and readers. Will the voracious William Dean Singleton finally get his wish and add the South Bay’s 112-year old daily to his expanding media empire?


Take the jump to the full article

Tribune Co Files Debt Securities Shelf


WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Tribune Co. (TRB) Thursday registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell from time to time an undisclosed amount of debt securities and warrants.


Jump to complete story.

Fire Forces Improvisation in TV Listings

By THOMAS J. LUECK
Published: July 21, 2006

Newspapers nationwide were forced to improvise yesterday to produce one of their staples — the daily television listings — after a fire on Wednesday night crippled the principal source of those listings, a subsidiary of the Tribune Company based in upstate New York.

Jump to complete story.

Tribune considering ads on section fronts

As newspapers struggle to find innovative ways to increase advertising, you will see ad's on the front pages of different sections starting in August.


From Chicago Tribune

With the traditional media business under increasing pressure to boost revenue, newspapers are finding it harder to ignore the value of their most coveted real estate.

The Wall Street Journal announced this week it will sell ad space on its front page in September, joining USA Today and many foreign newspapers. The move could net tens of millions annually for the second-largest U.S. paper.

It could also clear the way for other U.S. newspapers, which are losing readers and struggling with revenue in a difficult advertising climate, to follow suit.


Click on the title to jump to full story.

Tribune Declares Quarterly Dividend

07-19-06 05:06 PM EST

CHICAGO, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tribune Company's board of directors today declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.18 per share on common stock payable on Sept. 14, 2006, to shareholders of record at the close of business Aug. 31, 2006. The board took the action at today's regularly scheduled meeting.

In other business, the board elected Darko Dejanovic as senior vice president/chief technology officer for Tribune Company and Tribune Publishing. Dejanovic has served as vice president/chief technology officer for the company and for Tribune Publishing since 2004. He served as vice president/chief technology officer for Chicago Tribune from 1999 to 2004.

TRIBUNE (NYSE: TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune operates 11 leading daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday, plus a wide range of targeted publications. The company's broadcasting group operates 26 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune Company

Cigna Health Care California


Filed under Stupid

On September 1st, 2005 I received a check in the amount of $1,600 from Cigna HealthCare, and cashed the check, you know me I was smiling all the way to the bank. Several weeks later I get a letter from a collection agency regarding the check, they claim it was sent to me in error, and would I please return their money as soon as possible.

I repaid the $1,600 only to have a duplicate check arrive several week later, but this time I did not cash the check. And wouldn't you know it, they sent out another letter asking that I return their money. I called the number on the letter, and explained I had not cashed their check this time.

On June 13, 2006 the following letter arrived.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cina HealthCare
Financial Services, C-328
900 Cottage Grove Road
Hartford, CT. 06152-1328


06/13/2006

Padgett Jr Edward
928 Alleghany Circle
San Dimas, CA. 91773

Re:
Check Number: 2221977880........... Issue Date:
09/01/2005
Amount: $1,600.00......................... Date of Service: 12/08/2002
Payable to: Padgett Jr Edward....... Type of Payment: MEDICAL
Patient Name:Margaret Padgett
Policyholder: TRIBUNE/CHC-CA

Dear Insured:

The above check number represents a claim payment made to you by Connecticut General Life Insurance Company as agent for the above Policyholder. I wanted you to know that according to our records this check has not been cashed or deposited by you. Perhaps this check is a duplicate and you have received payment through another check number. If this check is not a duplicate payment and has not been negotiated by you, we would like to issue a replacement check.

Please advise us of the status of this check by completing the enclosed response form within 30 days. Your response is important. If we do not hear from you these funds may need to be remitted to the State as unclaimed property. We have included a self-addressed envelope for your convenience.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Financial Services Unit
860.226.4720

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I have decided to allow this check to be turned over to the unclaimed property Department of California.

Eddie

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

It's the Little Things that make me Smile


What a pleasant surprise I had when I walked out to the patio today, the Bird of Paradise had bloomed.

This may seem very trivial to some, but it brought a smile to my face.









We could use a few ash trays for the patio, if you have an extra one, please leave on the tables outside of the cafeteria.

Thanks,
Ed

Your Blog Translated

Gizoogle is a site that'll translate your blog into jive-talk. Think Harriet Nelson in the movie "Airplane." This is not for the faint of heart, aka those who never utter a swear word. Try it. Here's Ed's: It's your homie snoop dogg from the dpg.

Well Trained, Will Write.


Well, for some reason, this page won't load on my laptop. So I have to wait until my son has gone to use his computer instead. I'm late in saying thank you to Ed for telling everyone about my letter in the Calendar Section about the interview with Owen Wilson. I was surprised. I don't mean to slam the journo, but really, there's more to this guy than anyone will give him credit for and his mother is only one of the best photographers in the USA. Let me put it this way. If I saw Owen Wilson on the street, I'd say something nice about his mother rather than talk about him. Not that my kids and I don't like him. We like his movies, it's just that... well, have you seen her work?

Last year I wrote a letter to Vanity Fair about an article they wrote on The Crossroads School in Santa Monica. The journo did a good job. It wasn't a fluff piece at all, and it really exposed the school for what it is: a very expensive school with loads of Hollywood connections. I have no issues with private schools, but it seems ironic when some of them shove these carefullly crafted images of themselves as lovers of mankind when there are public schools all around them sinking.

Anyway, my letter enraged them enough to look up my address using zabasearch.com (a hideous site that you should know about), and write a letter inviting me to come and visit their school. Can you imagine? A lady in OrangeCounty upsets these super rich, image controlled people and they invite her to their school so that they can in some way redeem themselves? Cracked me up. Can't you see them getting so PO'd over this that they made the headmaster write to me? ME?

Ha! No way. I was busy. I had to work.
So letters do work. I hope everyone will start writing them!
If I get a note from Owen Wilson's publicist, I'll let you know.

Making Small Gains At Olympic



Last Sunday (July 9th) I was saddened to see the Birds of Paradise dying from the lack of water on the cafeteria patio. So I took it upon myself to start watering the patio plants with a five gallon bucket. Yesterday I was pleased to see the plants responding very well to my attention, as you can see from the photograph.

Each one of us can make a difference, in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. If you see some trash in the parking lot, pick it up, and deposit the trash to the nearest trash can.

If someone gives me the keys to the spinkler system for the grass I will start watering on my lunch breaks and smoke breaks. The system is under lock and key, so I'm unable to turn on the water at the moment.

The water pump will be up and running soon, so hopefully the grass will return to normal before reverting back to earth.

Some put this off as no big deal, but the workers from Chatsworth are experiencing flashbacks of the closing of their plant, and this is not a good feeling for them.

We all see things in a different light, depends on what angle your looking from.

Eddie

Times cuts back on hockey

From LAObserved
By Kevin Roderick

L.A. Times beat writers will no longer routinely cover road trips of the Kings and Ducks, Sports Editor Randy Harvey tells LA Observed. Hockey columnist Helene Elliott will become a general columnist and drop her weekly report on the National Hockey League. "In that role, however, I'm sure she will still often write about hockey," Harvey emails. Pucks have always been less popular than balls within the Times staff, but this marks a pretty sharp swerve in the road. Beat writers might still go along when news or a feature angle warrants, but this makes the Times more like the smaller papers around town. Fox Sports' Ben Maller first reported the change on his blog, and it's apparently drawing howls on the Canadian sports talk circuit. At the fan board LetsGoKings.com, one commenter quipped "The LA Times covered hockey?" but another figured it out: "It's simple. The Kings need to win. LA is always behind a winner. The LAT will cover the Kings if they win and win a lot, and make it deep in the playoffs (not going to happen)."

Dow Jones Scoops for Strategy

By Alyce Lomax (TMF Lomax)
July 17, 2006

If there's any industry that needs to be vigilant about evolution these days, it's the newspaper industry. To that end, Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ) said last week that it's looking at ways to minimize duplicated efforts among its various news operations, all of which overlap to some degree, given the company's unique journalistic focus on business and investing.

Click on title for complete article.

New York Times to Close Printing Plant

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Times Co. plans to narrow the size of its flagship newspaper and close a printing plant, resulting in the loss of 250 jobs, the company said in a story posted on its Web site late on Monday.

The changes, set to take place in April 2008, include the closure of a printing plant in Edison, New Jersey. The company will sublet the plant and consolidate its regional printing facilities at a plant in Queens, the paper said.

The newspaper will be narrower by 1 1/2 inches. The redesign will result in the loss of 250 production jobs, the company said.

The New York Times said it expected the changes to result in savings of $42 million.

The narrower format, offset by some additional pages, will reduce the space the paper has for news by 5 percent, Executive Editor Bill Keller said in the article.

The Times will join a list of several other papers from The Washington Post to the Los Angeles Times that have reduced their size as they cut newsprint and other production costs and try to stem a loss of readers and advertising to the Internet and other media.

Separately, Chief Financial Officer Leonard Forman will retire in 2007 after the company names a successor, another article posted on the Times Web site said.

Forman was president of The New York Times Co. Magazine Group from 1998 until it was sold in 2001, the biography on the company's Web site says. He was senior vice president for corporate development, new ventures and electronic businesses from 1996 to 1998.

He also worked for the Times Co. as director of corporate planning and chief economist from 1974 to 1986.

Submitted by Pops

Change in this year's EPS estimate

TRB
07-17-06 09:07 PM
Change in this year's EPS estimate
The current fiscal year consensus EPS estimate for this stock has changed from 2.05 to 2.04. For details, go to
http://quicktake.morningstar.com/Stock/earningsestimates.asp?Symbol=TRB

UPDATE: Baltimore Sun Publisher To Head To Tampa Tribune

07-17-06 05:14 PM EST

BALTIMORE (AP)--Denise E. Palmer, the president, publisher and chief executive of the (Baltimore) Sun for four years, will step down on July 28, the newspaper announced Monday.

Palmer, 49, will become president and publisher of the Tampa Tribune, a Media General Inc. (MEG) newspaper. Under Palmer's leadership, the paper completed a redesign last year and earned a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.

"We are grateful for Denise's four years of leadership at the Sun, and her many contributions throughout her career with Tribune," Scott Smith, Tribune Publishing Co. president, said in a statement.

"Denise has strengthened the Sun and its related media businesses to better serve readers and advertisers. The Sun will build on these positive changes in the years ahead."

Bob Gremillion, Tribune Publishing vice president, who oversees the Sun, will serve as acting publisher and CEO until he names Palmer's successor.

Palmer replaces Gil Thelen at the Tampa Tribune. Thelen announced in March that he would retire this summer as publisher and president.

The Tribune Co. (TRB) purchased The Sun in 2000. The Chicago-based company owns several other large newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and Newsday on New York's Long Island.

Prior to her arrival in Baltimore, Palmer was president and chief executive of the Tribune Co.'s ChicagoLand Television, or CLTV, a 24-hour local news cable channel.

She joined the company in 1980 as a corporate auditor and through the years served in a number of strategic planning and financial management roles for the parent company as well as the Chicago Tribune and WGN Radio.

Palmer replaced Mike Waller as the Sun's president, publisher and chief executive.

Dow Jones Newswires

Heart In Hand



My new blog entry is up. It's about finding your wandering spirit.
I have a cast, a screw and rod in my foot. It hurts! I went to work last week and it was a mistake. So I'm still off. I read a lot, watch a few movies and order all my groceries from Vons online!

Monday, July 17, 2006

The War in Israel



As the fighting escalates in the Mid-East one can only wonder the fate of the two Israeli soldiers, I'm hoping they are alive and returned home soon so the fighting will come to an end.

For additional information visit The Jerusalem Post

Baltimore Sun Publisher Stepping Down

Writer Unknown

BALTIMORE, July 17, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- The Baltimore Sun today announced that Denise E. Palmer, president, publisher and CEO, plans to leave the company on July 28. She has accepted the position of president and publisher at The Tampa Tribune, a Media General newspaper.

"We are grateful for Denise's four years of leadership at The Sun, and her many contributions throughout her career with Tribune," said Scott Smith, Tribune Publishing president. "Denise has strengthened The Sun and its related media businesses to better serve readers and advertisers. The Sun will build on these positive changes in the years ahead."

Palmer, 49, joined the Baltimore Sun as president, publisher and CEO in July 2002. Highlights during her tenure include a complete redesign of the newspaper completed last year and a Pulitzer Prize earned by The Sun in 2003.

"We've made progress in many areas and all of it was achieved with an eye toward serving The Sun's readers and advertisers as well as the greater Baltimore community," said Palmer. "I know that tradition of service will continue under the next publisher."

Bob Gremillion, Tribune Publishing vice president, who oversees the Baltimore Sun, will serve as acting publisher and CEO until he names Palmer's successor.

Prior to her arrival in Baltimore, Palmer was president and CEO of Chicagoland Television (CLTV), a 24-hour local news cable channel, which, like The Sun, is a unit of Chicago-based Tribune Company. Palmer joined Tribune in 1980 as a corporate auditor and through the years served in a number of strategic planning and financial management roles for the parent company as well as the Chicago Tribune and WGN Radio.

The Baltimore Sun is Maryland's leading news and information company, reaching more than 1 million market adults every week. Founded in 1837 and acquired in 2000 by Tribune, the company publishes The Sun, baltimoresun.com, the Patuxent and Homestead community newspapers and multiple niche print and online publications.

SOURCE The Baltimore Sun

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Our Drive from Las Vegas


After spending the weekend at the Rio in Las Vegas, Nevada we made the mistake of leaving for Los Angeles at 2:30pm. Needless to say the traffic was terrible, our normal three hour drive home took a little over five hours.

When we pulled onto the freeway from the casino I noted the temperture was a toasty 116 degrees, so the heat back home didn't quite compare to this heat at all. Just twenty miles outside of Las Vegas we ran into a Summer shower, with lightning and thunder.


We stopped in Baker, California for gasoline and snacks, and while fueling the truck I took this picture of the Baker thermometer. It reads 127 degrees, but the weather reports claim the high was 119 today in Baker. Anyway you look at it, it was hot as hell.

The trip was fun, but it's nice to be home again.

Eddie

Chicago Tribune Cutting 120 Jobs By End Of Year

07-14-06 12:03 PM EST

CHICAGO (AP)--The Chicago Tribune plans to eliminate about 120 jobs - or about 4% of its work force - by year's end.

The cuts are part of Tribune Co.'s (TRB) plan to reduce cost by $200 million dollars.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How many jobs will be eliminated at the Los Angeles Times by year end? Click on the title for the complete story.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Trib open to selling off more assets

Since the Tribune wants to spinoff non-core assets, why not sell the Chicago Cubs? Click on the title to be taken to the full article.

I'm off to SIN CITY

Well it's that time of year again, time to have some fun and forget about work, and what better place than Las Vegas, Nevada to do so. Will have a laptop with me incase something happens at the newspaper, not that I can do anything from there, just to stay informed.

Hang in there everyone, especially Tribune Employees.

Peace and Love,
Eddie

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility










As I said this morning, I would give you the user an idea of the condition of our plant tonight.