Rabbit, Dems’ debate, Peter Goldmark and thin slices

Deputy city editor Dan Hansen’s still offering the free rabbit.

Dems’ debate

Did anybody watch the Democratic candidate debate yesterday? Well, one editor watched for 15 minutes before switching it off, while another editor watched for an hour and fell asleep… the most common complaint so far is that the ABC’s moderators asked a lot of irrelevant questions (More views: that the candidates, as a result, gave irrelevant answers )

Following discussion about what various talk shows have been saying about candidates, editor Steve Smith says, “It’s time to move to Australia.” But before we do, here’s a debate recap at Spin Control 2.0 .

Speaking of candidates…

The story about Peter Goldmark was meant to be published on the front page of the Northwest section, but a later decision put it inside the section (page B2) for fairness reasons because S-R does not plan any coverage about Goldmark’s opponent for the position of lands commissioner. The news value of a story about Goldmark? He’s a quasi-local who ran for Congress against Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (then McMorris). Otherwise a story about some guy from Okanogan running for lands commissioner would probably be buried on page B7, joked reporter Jim Camden.

Thin slices : There were a lot this morning, but here are some highlights, including a video played at the meeting.

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• Check lawn, garden for winter damage
• A happy reader called Smith to say how much he likes Our Kids: Our Business positive news coverage.
• 126 high schoolers nominated for Scholar awards : Winners will be announced at banquet
• Tenants facing uncertainty : El Rancho situation overwhelming as Christian Community Coalition tries to help
• Turnbull program teaches children about wildlife
• The story to go with yesterday’s audio slideshow, Shop helps girls get perfect attire for prom : Julianne’s Prom Closet makes shopping for special occasion easier for those who can’t afford store prices
• MAC to fix crumbling sandstone at Campbell House

Coming up…

…More on repairing the winter damage to your home and garden, a sports story about a super-physics-whiz decathlete, and 7’s cover story is a look at “Symphony on the Edge,” where the Spokane Symphony plays shorter and more modern work.