Thin slices and discussion about cuss word

Fairly normal meeting today. Here are editors, staffers picks for the morning.

• Scammer hired to sell loans to seniors: Felon has been working for Sterling subsidiary . The gold quote as chosen by city editor Addy Hatch: “I can’t remember a time in all the time I’ve been a regulator when a bank actually hired a felon.” —Deb Bortner, of the state’s Department of Financial Institutions, in Olympia
• Tax centers gear up for rush: Rebate checks require forms from benefits recipients who haven’t filed in years . Requests are coming in from readers who would like tax forms sent to them. Strange that the newspaper is providing this service today and not federal government, said Hatch, senior editor Carla Savalli and managing editor Gary Graham.
• Lunar eclipse could be stunner
• Spartan approach: Rosalia boys go to state for first time since ‘81
• Offbeat oatmeal: Jazz up your bowl with steel-cut oats . With a surprisingly delicious-looking oatmeal photo, folks said. (Rajah Bose photo)
• A headstart on sourdough was our travel story for the day - A travel story is where everybody enjoys reading about it but most of us will never go there.
• Wall Street trims gains as oil prices soar : Should coverage about oil prices closing at $100 have been published with higher priority?

Cuss word

Coming tomorrow is a preview on comedian Paula Poundstone. There’s an audio clip in the works in which Poundstone talks on the phone with feature writer Jim Kershner.

But in the clip, Poundstone says “goddamn.”

Editors had a quick discussion but here are the talking points, both on and off camera:

• Should offensive language be flagged? Does that increase the possibility that the content will be accessed?
• As for readers who would be offended, does it extend past the highly religious?
• What about the fact that this will be multimedia? Is it different from standards for direct quotes? Yes, features editor Ken Paulman said. Readers take initiative by clicking on a link, while readers may have less forewarning with an offensive word used in a story.
• Paula Poundstone is a comedian. Will listeners expect this from Poundstone? asked deputy city editor Dan Hansen.
• Here are some past summaries on editor discussions: Jan 18, 2008 , Dec. 10, 2007 .
• Is there a downside to using an editor’s note disclaimer?

Here’s a sampling of editor’s notes… This one appeared in a Dec. 8, 2007, story that contained sexual slurs about women , and in a story about changing occurrences of “squaw” on regional place names:

Editor’s note: This story contains language that some readers may find offensive

and from a Jan. 21, 2004 story about child sexual abuse:

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic information that might be offensive to some readers.