Duck and cover

When a conversation about Elvis ended on an awkward note, senior editor Carla Savalli told editor Steve Smith to just take a drink out of his duck. She was referring to his duck coffee mug, with a 3-D duck head jutting out of the side.
When another editor asked whether that was a sippy cup, it prompted Smith to ask where the swear jar went.

What’s hopping at News is a Conversation

Is “Freakin” an inappropriate word for the print newspaper? The word appeared in a Doug Clark column headline. (Remember frak, as in Battlestar Galactica, asked one commenter) Join the discussion here .

Economic stimulus

Bush, House have a deal : Bipartisan stimulus plan worth $150 billion. The graphic appears on the front page, at the top with the alternating bars.

The listings do not include the average local income, but editors wondered whether there could ever be enough rebate examples to cover the demographics.

Thin slices

• Bosnian license scheme alleged
• RV lovers brake for show
• Tom Bowers has been taking pictures with his cell phone. Take a gander at the series, the latest being on Fusion Teriyaki buffet .
• Last call for haircuts was a story that ran on Dec. 27, 2007, but today’s Video Journal post goes with it. video and production by Dan Pelle.
• Researchers use chemicals to construct bacterium genome : For some readers, this research is a step toward creation of artificial life, editors said - other newspapers have given this story a lot of prominence on the front page.
• The Sommy awards are tonight at 10 p.m. in RAW Sushi.