Top Online Blogger Fired For Writing About Literature; Resorts To Cheesecake To Elevate Pageviews

The Really: Books and Publishing blogger finds the proper use of the internet in the final days online with Gawker.

Sheila McClear who has written for the New York Observer and other fine publications is an editor at the Gawker Media site (one of the most visited blogs on the internet). The powers that be there have decided no one wants to read about books and publishing (her beat) especially now that publishers are gagging on themselves.

Maybe the economic downturn will create a new model for publishers, these lumbering dinosaurs have been hit by the asteroid of falling bookstore sales, after the current depression is over (during the Great Depression the program of returnable books was born) or maybe it will become clear that like movies, there are really very few books of real lasting merit and a little down-sizing is in order.

Anyway Sheila got fired and the commentors on the site are doing what they can to increase her pageviews (she gets paid by the pageview against a draw.) But this morning Sheila (a serious writer of considerable talent) pulled out the internet big gun: CHEESECAKE!

Because unltimately what the internet really is, is videos of cats doing funny things and porn.

Sheila, look forward to reading you elsewhere.

Sonny Mehta Is Officially The Best Publisher In The World

The Really: Alfred A. Knopf Publisher titles voted 7 of the top 10 books for 2008 by the New York Times.

Sonny Mehta (accused of still smoking in his office at headquarters) is arguably the finest publisher operating today. Here are the Top Ten.

And if you want to include corporate ties, the Random House conglomorate includes Doubleday and Pantheon (each has one title) so that makes it 9 out of 10. Who spoiled a clean sweep? Farrar, Straus & Giroux with the novel 2666.

But would founders Alfred and Blanche Knopf be turning over in their graves to hear that today the corporate masters (Bertlesmann) of Random House have decided to fold Doubleday and Bantam and Dell into various other divisions at Random? Lay-offs to follow.

How Could He Lose In The South With A Name Like Saxby?

The Really: How could the Democrats believe they could stop the Power of the Palin!?!

We are certain the Palin people (and their sled dogs) will woof about how she helped Saxby Chambliss get re-elected to the Senate from Georgia but the fact is Saxby is southern to its core and Jim (as in Jim Martin) could be from anywhere.

Without the Presidential election voting pattern, Martin was doomed from the start. Turnout was reported to be low as the prize has already been eyed.

Drudge Story On Obama Ring Likely Made Up

The Really: So Barack Obama is buying a 30K ring for the missus?

Drudge Report is leading with it as if it a major scandal. But it is likely a made up story by a British tab. Oh the haters must hate!

Good debunking here by Gawker.

Car Companies Finally Get It

The Really: Do all the PR moves from the car companies really make a difference?

Well, the car executives apparently finally let the PR guys and gals into the room because they drove back to Congress in their own cars and most have agreed to work for peanuts this year. But you know it is all theatre. Congress was going to give them their bridge loan and since cars are tangible things that Americans make it seems more fair than giving money to the robber barons of the "financial markets".

Drives own car? Works for nothing? These are things the American consumer can relate to.

Franken May Appeal To Senate For Election

The Really: If Al Franken chooses to, he can take his case for election to the Senate of US. And they can overule Minnesota's vote count if they want.

Martin in Georgia may have little chance against Saxby Chambliss (who does have a cooler name) but A lFranken in Minnesota --who does have a gripe regarding rejected ballots can actually appeal to --get ready for this-- the Senate itself. Yup, the Senate can overrule the state election results and elect Franken.

Chalk up 59 for the Dems.

Wal-Mart Death Iconic Of Everything Wrong With America According To New York Times

The Really: David Carr of the New York Times explains consumer herd mentality led to death of Wal-Mart worker is proof of something.

In an interesting piece in today's Times, David Carr shows consumerism run amok in the death of a Long Island temp worker at a Wal-Mart trampled by bargain hunting mob. But why did he not take the hypothesis futher to include Italian soccer games, rock concerts and bull teasing?