Good evening, 919 Gang. Mary and I are taking a little
vacation. No kids or grandkids, just the two of us. But we plan to have fun
anyway. We plan to return Friday (6/3), and I will file that night.
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GLENN GRANT
writes:
Thanks to those who cleared up for me who the curmudgeon
was in The Union newsroom. A quick Google search turned up his obituary
below from the New York Times. Another article from UPI reported that he
was managing editor of the Sacramento Union in the early ’80s.
Richard H. Growald; Journalist,
Published: April 1, 1993
Richard
H. Growald, a columnist at The San Diego Union-Tribune and a former correspondent
for United Press International, died Tuesday at his brother's home near Fort
Worth. He was 61.
The
cause was lung cancer, his brother, Martin, said.
Mr.
Growald grew up in Fort Worth. He reported for the Fort Worth Press, which no
longer exists, before leaving there in 1952.
His
40-year career with U.P.I. took him from Boston to the wire service's bureaus
in London, Germany and Moscow. He covered
Vietnam and the White House before joining The San Diego Union in 1982.
He
is survived by his brother
JOE GANDELMAN
writes:
I stand corrected it was RICHARD Growald. His columns were
quirky and he often did his own cartoons for them. He looked like a character
out of central casting for an eccentric and several times a week came in with
pastries which he offered to some. He was a diabetic and the pastries he
brought in for himself and others was not the best decision (but, then, he
couldn't have given out rice cakes so quickly). On a less charitable note, they
got him, I believe, from Time and some staffers reading some of his columns
couldn't understand the decision behind that. Some of his columns were very
very quirky.
ARTHUR SALM
writes:
Re Dick Growald and pastry: After the merger -- I'd been a Tribune
guy -- Growald, with whom I'd never exchanged a word, would cruise by the Arts
section with a box of baklava and hand out goodies to ... well, certain folk.
Okay, former Union folk. Invariably he'd pause by my desk, glower down
at me for a few long seconds as if considering my possible baklava-worthiness,
then decide, Nah, and move on. I enjoyed the performance, although that's
probably because I don't like baklava.
One day Growald stopped to chat with Bob Pincus, who
pointed out -- kindly, this being Bob Pincus -- that something Growald had
written, based on info Bob had given him, wasn't accurate. Growald fluttered a
hand and said, "Oh, I embellish."
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REBER:
Steve Prosinski asked about the provenance of
the phrase “have a catch.” Last night John Berhman said he, as a New Jersey
youth, used the phrase.
ROBERT J. HAWKINS writes:
Couple of days
ago, when our power and WiFi bonked, I randomly picked up a hard copy of
Richard Price's novel "Lush Life" and got to page 5 when I spotted
this during a sarcasm-drenched exchange by cops on a Lower East Side prowl:
"I never had a dad," says Geohagan.
"You want one of mine?" Daley turns in his seat.
"I had three."
"I can only dream of a dad who'd take me to a Howard
Johnson's after my game."
"Hey, Sonny." Lugo catches Geohagan's eye in the
rearview. "Later tonight, you want to have a catch with me?"
Price, a Bronx native, is known for his pitch-perfect
dialogue and New York City-northern New Jersey backdrops, in novels that include
"Clockers," "Samaritan" and "Freedomland."
I suspect "have a catch" is pretty common in that
area.
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ANTONIA (TONI) ALLEGRA writes:
Tossing the gauntlet: Jack, your statement, "The
measure of your story’s value is determined by John or Jane Q. Public, not
another newsy," was the most important of all messages in today's (5-28-16)
919 communication. I'm with you!
At this time of encroaching advertorialism in journalism,
we must remember for whom we write. Our readers are key to an honest, open
delivery of news, be it hard news, criticism, food, society...you name it. The
trust readers have a right to expect between writer and reader is essential. I
am aware that in the world of food writing today, some
papers/magazines/videos/podcasts allow advertisers to whisper into the ears and
pockets of some publishers and/or editors, who then turn to freelancers of
staffers (if there are any) and "suggest" a particular product be
mentioned in a story. Is this editorial? I don't think so. Also, much like
products shown in films that line the pockets of producers with PR money, the
line between advertising and editorial seems to be blurring.
This was discussed openly during the April Int'l Ass'n of
Culinary Professionals conference in LA which I attended. Gotta say, I was
disgusted. Being told by panelists - magazine, blog and video editors - that
it's ok to show the product in a photo shoot piqued my attention. Hearing from
a former major food magazine art director that showing a certain Greek yogurt
face-out thrice in an "editorial video" was acceptable and there was,
of course, no need for an "advertorial" moniker anywhere with the
video grabbed me. Snooty I'm not. But honest with the reader I am.
Perhaps Jeannette Branin is channelling this former Trib
food editor, but I'm disgusted. Being an advocate for editorial food writers
and writers in general, having directed 22 years of the pro-editorial Symposium
for Professional Food Writers (www.spfw.org) and knowing that food is not
the only journalistic niche to be so affected by encroaching advertorialism,
consider this a gauntlet tossed to any of you who want to talk about this.
Someone needs to start teaching journalism 101 again, including the differences
between editorial and advertorial. What is YOUR definition of,
"editorial?" Do you believe we just need to lay down and accept
advertising influences?
REBER: Toni forces me to
fess up. Last night I recommended a Sports Illustrated story and gave you a
link to it. I really enjoyed the article. Today I looked at the magazine again
and realized the story’s purpose was to sell copies of the author’s photos. A
subhed tells you where to buy the photos. No, it’s not pure advertorial, but it’s
not right.
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JACK GREGG writes:
When I worked with Chafin Wallace on
the Trib, I found him to be a top newsman and a nice guy. He told me he had
been the town drunk early on but worked his way back to soberness and good
citizenship. Trib people who went over to The Union often didn’t fare well. A
case in point was Gene Gregston. When Krulak switched Gene and Fred Kinne as
editors, Gene wanted to take Leo Bowler and Larry Lusitana with him but Brute
vetoed it. The Union duty made poor Gene an alcoholic. Probably the same thing
happened to Chafin.
DAVID HASEMYER
writes:
Never knew Chafin Wallace. Don't really care about Chafin
Wallace. But I gotta say, the name Chafin Wallace fits the title of managing
editor perfectly. Chafin Wallace, managing editor. It just rolls off the
tongue.
REBER: His full name was Eugene Chafin
Wallace, and I agree that he was wise to drop the Eugene.
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RON HUTCHERSON
writes:
Regarding the open-mindedness of the
owners: A year or two after James Copley's death, I was required to call on his
widow to confer with her about a UPI matter. Soothing an upset over another
staffer's blunder was the directive to me, and that meant a lot of small talk.
We eventually turned to C. Arnholt Smith and his criminal prosecution. Her
unforgettable question to me was, "You don't think Arnie was guilty, do
you?"
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REBER: Looking at the
birthdays coming up before I return, let’s wish Happy Birthday to Scott
Linnett, May 29; and Bill Arballo and Barbara Moss May 31.
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GENE CIECHANOWSKI
forwards:
Austrian skydiver Felix
Baumgartner jumped from 128,100 feet above the Earth. Seven GoPro cameras
recorded the jump and GoPro just released this incredible footage, showing what
it was like from Baumgartner's point of view. After about three minutes you
will see the altimeter and the airspeed indicator come on the screen.
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GENE CIECHANOWSKI
forwards:
The burden of war
P.O. Box 2239
Ramona, CA 92065
U.S.A.
