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      <title>Comments On: Through muscle, into bone
    
      by Michael Miner</title>
      <link>http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone</link>
      <atom:link href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/Rss.xml?oid=944955&amp;id=comments" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />      <description>Comments On: Through muscle, into bone
    
      by Michael Miner</description>
      <language>en-us</language>
      <copyright>Copyright 2009 Chicago Reader. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Chicago Reader readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Chicago Reader.</copyright>
      <webMaster>wil@desert.net (Chicago Reader Webmaster)</webMaster>
      <pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0600</pubDate>
      <lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:45:00 -0600</lastBuildDate>
      <generator>Foundation</generator>
      <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
      
        
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#967937]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#967937]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[MissionHillsWhiteKnight]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Alison True is homophobic and racist. She only pretends to care about progressive issues to make money as editor of the Reader.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by MissionHillsWhiteKnight]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:19:50 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#961875]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#961875]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[. . . and . . .]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[What are you wearing?
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by . . . and . . .]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:24:58 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#971120]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#971120]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[just saying again . . .]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[That is where you disagree with many of the people who have posted here.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by just saying again . . .]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:22:46 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#962794]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#962794]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[observer]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[The paper's perceived lack of success has to do with advertising, not editorial. Quality editorial and financial success don't have anything to do with each other.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by observer]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:32:06 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#972735]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#972735]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[just saying . . .]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[You are right: The Reader is a big success right now.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by just saying . . .]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:55:15 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#966284]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[observer]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Yes, because editors should always defer to readers, even when readers don't know what they're talking about. That is how a successful publication is run.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by observer]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:40:23 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#953814]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Stillman]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Okay, so the editor thinks that the Reader's readers are wrong. Maybe  the Reader's readers should be finding something else to read.
    
    Merry Christmas, everyone, but an especially Merry Christmas to John Conroy, Tori Marlan, Harold Henderson, and Steve Bogira.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Stillman]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 24 Dec 2007 20:01:56 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#970057]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Alison]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[I've resisted wading in till now because while I disagree with many of the statements above, most of them are legitimate personal responses to our layoffs and it didn't seem right to get into a pissing match with people about their feelings. (Facts about the fiction issue? That's easy.)
    
    The recent round of layoffs is only the latest and most public change here. We've been making reductions all year long, and it would be a mistake to assume that we didn't consider any of the other reasonable options suggested by readers above before making such difficult cuts.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Alison]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:32:45 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#957383]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Anonymous]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[81 posts of wailing and teeth-gnashing and your 2 cents is a confirmation of the date the fiction issue comes out. fail.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Anonymous]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:37:01 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#953071]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Alison True]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Brent, I don't know what you mean, but since you're interested here's the timeline: The fiction deadline was November 10. I'd read all the submissions and picked the stories to run by December 10. As usual, I waited till the issue was sewn up this week (you never know when something might change at the last minute) before notifying the rest of the authors. That's pretty much how it goes every year (this is our eighth). I hope you enjoy the issue.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Alison True]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:30:30 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#949192]]></link>
    
    <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#949192]]></guid>
    <author><![CDATA[To "to brent"]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[That's not true.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by To "to brent"]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:35:55 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#973108]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[to brent]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[The Reader is a weekly paper, and so each week is usually planned the week before. 
    
    I'm guessing the editors were working on the fiction issue maybe the week before it comes out...?  And if people weren't notified yay or nay maybe it's because the new, leaner staff is so busy editing there is no one to send out letters to everyone that submitted a story?
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by to brent]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:52:03 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#967302]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[brent]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[nick, i hear that nobody who submitted to the fiction issue were even notified yet. so either it's a pretty last minute decision, or.... twas decided long, long ago (if you know what i mean)
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by brent]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:56:02 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#958399]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Nadine]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[I'm very sorry to hear about this. My sympathy goes beyond what I can put down here on a blog. But I would like to thank those writers and editors for believing in their stories, and for fighting the daily battles to keep such a high standard in reporting.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Nadine]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:44:31 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#972216]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[nick]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[I, for one, will be VERY interested to see what the fiction issue will look like next week.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by nick]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:22:12 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#953080]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Hmpf]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Tasneem "I'll miss sharing pages with features only the Old Reader could get away with: a jail-yard apple orchard, the life-path of a jazz flautist, staph infections at Cook County, the poetics of graveyard maintenance, a Guantanamo Bay detainee who shouldn't be, the continued recycling boondoggle...Long, literate, important stories, the kind Creative Loafing 
    absolutely forbids...Except, all those stories were published after the sale."
    
    Um, Tasneem? The Guantanamo Bay detainee was written by Tori Marlan - who has been fired. Also, I know for a fact some of these stories - which require extensive research - had been accepted before the sale.
    
    Some of these stories were done by freelancers, and that budget has also been slashed.
    
    As these firings make clear, the Reader was in a transition period. What matters is the level of quality as the true changes take effect. And it doesn't look good.
    
    For example, I've noticed a decline in delivery - they've started cutting drop off spots and delivering papers laters in some areas, including the part of Wacker where I work, allegedly one of the Reader's most valued demographics. 
    
    So I'm skeptical about what's to come.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Hmpf]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:36:57 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#951261]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[J.]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA["Why don't all the insiders posting on this comments list stop being defensive and actually listen to the many criticisms here?"
    
    Because they are busy circulating their resumes,and worrying about how much longer they'll have a job. They last thing they need right now is to get caught doing anything which hastens their departure.  
    
    I really sympathize with them.  They are very good people, and should not have to deal with this.
    
    They are victims.  Not perpetrators.  
    
    Eason's the perpetrator.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by J.]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:51:21 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#947566]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Cindy Tupelo]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Jerome, how many stories does the Reader print in the fiction issue? It's only once a year, right? I think a story every issue would be neat.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Cindy Tupelo]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:23:48 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#958855]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Dear Sam]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Good writing in the Reader? Great idea! Not so long ago, that is what the Reader always provided. Its reputation was built on good writing and storytelling, and the best reported pieces were invariably the best written.
    
    That is the problem. The Reader has turned into just another arts-and-culture paper. It chose to fire all their best literary journalists because it had abandoned the very things that made it unique before Eason even arrived on the scene.
    
    Why don't all the insiders posting on this comments list stop being defensive and actually listen to the many criticisms here?
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Dear Sam]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:38:52 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#954967]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Jerome]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[The fiction issue is coming out next week, issue date 12/20, hits the streets Wednesday.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Jerome]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:46:20 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#965846]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Jim]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Concerning Sam's post, does anyone know if the Fiction Issue is even coming out this year?
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Jim]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:02:27 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#956746]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[A Crazy Idea from Sam...]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Going to miss the hard journalism that the Reader gave this city, that this city is known for. But the Chicago Reader also has a Web presence (as has been pointed out, without sites like chicagoreader.com, blogs like Chicagoist would have nothing to link to). Why not USE that to great advantage? The way to do it is to buy as much world-class writing as you can, not just investigative reporting but how about fiction?
    
    Remember the old Saturday Evening Post? They ran several good stories in every issue. The key is good writing. There is no central "it" place on the Web right now for great literary fiction. There's the New Yorker, but they're kind of their own thing. The Harper's web site prints nothing from their magazine. All the other greats, Esquire, GQ, Colliers, are either defunct or not paying attention.
    
    Why not start running regular fiction? If the Reader still pays the same rates it did a few years ago, I know it will attract the very best.
    
    
    Sam
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by A Crazy Idea from Sam...]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:18:32 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#953832]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[J.]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA[Yeah, Carter, unfortunately, that's what Eason's angling for.  It's just a business proposition for him.  It's not about content.  It's about selling ads.  
    
    Sadly for The Reader, and justifiably for Eason, he will lose exactly the market he is trying to reach with his gutting of the paper.  
    
    Who need another fluff lifestyle rag when we already have "Chicago" and "Time Out"?    
    
    Eason intends to be the new "Time Out" or "Chicago".  What he will end up with is a gussied up "Conscious Choice." And that business model spells doom.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by J.]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:48:08 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#958595]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[Carter]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA["the high demographic"
    
    I imagine this group does look for a lot of late-night eateries...!
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by Carter]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:33:26 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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    <title><![CDATA[Re: Through muscle, into bone]]></title>
    
    
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheBlog/archives/2007/12/06/through-muscle-bone/#951410]]></link>
    
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    <author><![CDATA[J.]]></author>
    <description>
      
      <![CDATA["Oh, and to J.- the only thing that is worthless is your anger. It's not going to get anyone anywhere."
    
    On the contrary, whoever you are -- anger is indeed worthwhile, so long as it's righteous.
    
    And this anger is righteous.  Don't get me wrong.  I've been defending The Reader publicly for quite some time (even defending Liz Armstrong's column -- but that's for a different thread.)  The reduction in sections, the sale, the tabloid format, the firing of the delivery staff, the other local production cutbacks.  Sure, I didn't like any of those things, but argued strenuously that, bad as they were, they didn't mean the end of The Reader As We Know It.  
    
    It was the continued employment of first-class journalists which made me do that.  I had fond hopes that The Reader's fine journalistic tradition would continue, albeit in reduced form, given the whithering competition from the web.
    
    But Eason just cut the heart and soul out of The Reader.  Sure, tattered remnants remain.  Miner is first-rate, but he's a meta-journalist (no offense, Miner -- you are great.)  And True who, by all accounts is a wonderful person, and a great Editor, is plainly being kept on just long enough to preside over the gutting of the paper, before she too is replaced with some hack  selected by Eason.
    
    Look at Creative Loafing.  How does that business model work here?  It works by stealing market share from "Chicago" magazine.  
    
    Eason is timing the  inroduction of his free  version of "Chicago" in  a manner designed to keep readers like me on board,  hoping we won't notice the death by a thousand cuts he is imposing on what used to be the only real source of independent journalism in this town.  
    
    I got news for Eason.    People in my zip code can already get "Chicago" free (and, like me, without even asking for it.)  If I wanted a fluff lifestyle rag, I'd read my free copies of "Chicago."  
    
    Soon, the only thing worthwhile in The Reader will be the listings.  And, like I said before, I'd just as soon read New City for that, since it's not as cluttered with ads.  Better, New City is independent, and hasn't been taken over by a corporate hatchet man.
    
    Eason will not get my high demographic eyeballs.  My anger is righteous.
        
        <br />
        
          Posted by J.]]>
    </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:39:56 -0600</pubDate> 
    <source url="http://www.chicagoreader.com">Chicago Reader</source>
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