Yet another example of why media consolidation is bad. Isn't it funny that Michael Powell's FCC insists on expanding obscenity laws for radio -- a philosophy that content should be regulated because airwaves are limited and should therefore serve the public interest -- but has no problem with loosening media ownership rules that put those public airwaves in the hands of fewer and fewer individuals?

An excellent article in The New Republic on why Michael Powell's unilateral redefinition of antitrust will have grave consequences for the American public.

Maybe this sounds like a banal observation, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced that media companies should never go public or sell themselves to publicly owned corporations. Good, serious journalism just isn't compatible with the short-term financial goals of Wall Street investors.

Yes, journalism can -- and must -- remain profitable to survive. But when a newspaper begins mandating layoffs solely because it wants to enjoy the profit margins and growth goals of other Wall Street companies, journalistic quality becomes secondary. Sure, family owned newspapers are always at the mercy of their egomaniacal owners, but they usually saw journalism as a public service, willing to suffer thinner-than-average margins as a reality of the business. And as we saw with CNN, a privately owned news operation -- even when headed by a self-absorbed gadfly like Ted Turner -- can produce groundbreaking journalism.

We can only hope.

McCain Personally Reassures Bush on Party Plans Darn.

McCain is considering leaving GOP -- Yesssssssssssssss!

It's so touching to see daughters growing up in their father's footsteps.

Uh oh. We're at stage II. Let the blackouts begin.

Another deadline has come and gone. I'm more tired than usual because my roommate and I had a water emergency last night that, when combined with this stupid back cramp of mine, have kept me up half the night. To top it off, I had to take a shower at the gym this morning, and a co-worker saw me naked. Let me tell you, that is the most uncomfortable position in the world to be in. Oh well, at least it wasn't a boss or something.

In other news, I was rummaging through Business Journals in other parts of the country and noticed that S.B. won a national writing award. I wish I could say I was happy for her. As petty as it sounds, I was actually a little jealous. Now I can never move back to Phoenix.

Once again, I hate Canadians.

Awwwww yeah!

Salon.com Politics | The White House vandal scandal that wasn't So nice to have an administration marked by such integrety. Or not.

CompuServe's JForum Ends Operation It looks like the Journalism and PR forums on CompuServe are "merging." That's probably the most disturbing bit of news in months.

If you don't read Slate's "Diary" feature, you ought to. It's a real slice of life from people in different occupations that provides suprising insights about the people we see but don't know. Sort of an adult version of Sesame Street's "These are the people in your our neighboorhood." This week's entry is from a waiter in Portland. I'm always taken by how elegant, simple and clear the stories are.

Well, here I am in Phoenix. It's weird how conflicted I am about this place and whether I'll ever move back here. In one sense, this really feels like home to me: some of my best friends and memories are here, not to mention family. As I drove around w/ Chad and Susan tonight just about every place we went to had some personal significance to me. It's corny, but I feel so sentimental about this place, as hard as it is to explain to outsiders. Manzanita Hall, Arizona Mills, University Avenue. These were the places and times that shaped me into the person I am now.

But I just can't imagine what I'd actuallly do if I moved back here. Covering the tech market here would seem like such a drag compared to Silicon Valley.I mean, Chad, Susan and I could even think of anything fun to do here tonight.

And despite all of its problems, I really do love California -- its beaches, variety and left-leaning politics. I probably miss Southern California more than I do Arizona now. I guess I could always retire in Arizona.

Maybe I shouldn't write so late at night; everything starts to get a little sappy after 1 a.m.

The 2001 winners are in! I love this annual contest: designers are limited to 5K or less to create the best-looking and most useful web site. The creativity of some of these people is just amazing. It's surprising what a person can do with so little space. And clicking on the homepages of judges and participants is a goldmine in design ideas. Highly recommended.

What the Democrats need is someone like me.

Just for the record, Reeses peanut butter cups kick ass. As does Rubios, which I'll be eating at today for the first time in months. Why can't downtown San Jose have a nice selection of decent fast food?

Don't tell me DEMOCRATS are the ones who'll wind up gutting campaign finance reform.

The White House has finally vocalized what we've long suspected it believes: Wasting gas is the American Way.

It's a scary thing when rolling blackouts don't even make CNN's front page anymore.