Zip - Indiana

The most exciting part about our hour drive through Indiana was getting on the road. When I took my car to the public car park in Chicago, the guy asked me when I'd be leaving. I told him Friday. It was Monday at the time. He did remember me when I returned. But then, he'd been looking at that car for some time. Then he flooded it. I guess sitting for four days, full of low grade gas and ethanol didn't do the car any good.

It just wouldn't start, so I called AAA. The nice man on the other end of the phone walked me through a lot of stuff. Then he asked me if I had a preferred garage. Oh shit. I tried to start the car one more time and it finally turned over. Peter was behind the car, rearranging our luggage or the deck chairs. Poor thing was blasted by all the bad crude that had been building up over the four days. The guy on the phone was as happy as I was. He asked if there was anything else he could do for me, because that's what all Customer Service people do. I told him my hair was looking pretty yucky at the moment; maybe if he suggested going to a salon it would miraculously shape up. But no.

Our drive through Indiana must have taken all of 1.5 hours. It's hard to tell because we were on a lovely freeway and we were in Michigan before we thought to think about it. What I have been thinking about, not just in Indiana or Michigan is the awful things that are happening at my dear old Times.

Doom on Spring Street

Mr. Zell and his minions of idiots announced that they would be reducing the staff by 250 people. 150 would come from Editorial. The other 100 would come from departments that Editorial never notices. We now know that one of those people was the Publisher, David Hiller. It was announced that he decided to leave. The reality was, of course, that he was asked to leave. Welcome to The Times, David. I hope he knew this was hazardous duty when he agreed to take on this step-child of the tribune company.

The 150 from Editorial have been announced. After looking at the list, you can guess who was asked to leave and who raised his hand high over his head and shouted "me, me, me." If you are of a certain age or have another job lined up, the offer is very generous. If you are young and putting kids through school, you would prefer to hold on to the job you've got. I send my far away best wishes to both groups.

My dear friends in IT are now messing with their re-org and disposition of their employment. This is dreadful. Everything I have is crossed, wishing all my friends well. It's just not a happy times at The Times.

The Ramblers + 1