American Society of Newspaper Editors announced today that they have canceled their 2009 convention, scheduled to be held in late April. Not surprisingly, given how many journalism professionals are out of work, or having their pay slashed, attendance at the convention was projected to be weak. From the memo of doom:

ASNE’s leadership has decided to cancel our 2009 convention because of the challenging times we face. The text of the press release that is going out this morning follows this note.

The Convention Program Committee had put in place an innovative and relevant program, and I am very grateful to them. But it became increasingly clear in recent weeks that our attendance would be low because editors need to be in their own newsrooms during this difficult time. The board of directors will meet soon to deal with the financial implications of canceling the convention and map strategy for the coming year.

Found via Reuters

This morning the city of Los Angeles released a list of businesses with the highest delinquent taxes. Reports LAist.com:

“We are facing a multi-million dollar budget deficit and before we have to cut any additional city services, I want to ensure we crack down on the most egregious tax cheats,” said Councilwoman and City Controller candidate Wendy Greuel today of the city’s new webpage calling out 16 businesses who owe the city more than $100,000 in taxes.

The top offender is Crystal Enterprises, which from what we can glean via Google is a valet parking company based out of Hollywood. They owe the city over $3 million in back taxes, which leaves us wondering just how much money Angelenos piss away every year paying someone else to park their car.

We hear from the LA Times that restoration architect Martin Eli Weil has passed. Weil was found dead in his home on Tuesday and is believed to have died from a heart attack. He was 68.

Weil was a founding member of the L.A. Conservancy, an architectural preservation organization started in 1978 as part of an effort to prevent the demolition of the LA Central Library downtown. He supervised the meticulous restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Storer House alongside the famous architect’s grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright. The Storer House is considered to be the best-preserved of Wright’s designs in Los Angeles. Lauren Schlau, a friend of Weils and former president of the West Adams Heritage Association, tells the LAT, “This is a big loss for the preservation community.” We’ve had enough arguments with snotty New Yorkers about the merits of historic L.A. architecture to know just how true that is.

The restored Storer House in the Hollywood Hills:

LAT’s Marc Lifsher reports:

Reporting from Sacramento — More than 1 in 10 California workers were unemployed in January, the largest percentage in nearly 26 years, the state reported today.

The 10.1% jobless rate is the highest since June 1983 and not far below the 11% record set in November 1982 at the worst point of a severe recession, according to the governor’s office. Job losses escalated in January, with the state’s unemployment rate jumping by 1.4 percentage points from a revised 8.7% for December.

We asked our friend who works as a grip – his entire career is marked by being on set or on unemployment. It’s changed, according to him.

He wrote to FBLA:

It took over 2 hours of calling constantly on 2 separate phones, redialing one after another and memorizing the menu code…1,2,1,1,7 to get through. Prior to a year ago you could get through anytime of day by calling just a few times.

Yeah, looks like the Employment Development Department needs to hire more people. Blink.

We had the following email exchange this morning with a person that goes by the initials BW:

BW: LATimes.com has a headline on their front page that refers to the Jonas Brothers as the “JoBros.” That’s just one capital letter away from being completely inappropriate.

I’m going to be sick now.

TD: Dumb that down for me. I don’t get it.

BW: JO? As in “JO party,” as in “jack off?” Yuck.

TD: That’s what they’re called now? Circle jerks are called JO parties?! Are you making this up just to be weird?

BW: Seriously, it’s a real expression. I’m sure you could find it used on craigslist. I’ve heard people make jokes (or maybe NOT jokes) about “JO parties” so I’m sure there is plenty of truth behind it.

And we looked on craigslist and there it is. Just a warning – you can’t un-see it. Shudder.

Will newspapers charging for content online save them?
( surveys)

Alan D. Mutter writes on his blog:

To avoid cutting that deeply into the staff, the Chronicle plans to boost revenues by increasing subscription prices for the newspaper and to begin charging consumers for access to certain features and sections at its website. The site, SFGate.Com, now is entirely free.

And our sister site FishbowlNY reports:

Late Thursday, Tom Zucker, COO of Newsday’s parent company Cablevision said the paper plans “to end the distribution of free Web content.” Zucker declined to specify when when Newsday will begin charging to read content on its site, and did not reveal what that pricing would be.

Here’s the problem with charging for web stuff: All it takes is one site (cough Huffpo) to copy the article and post it in its entirety, link to it so it isn’t technically lifting and the model is sunk.

The viability of this plan rests on web punks not using ctrl c.

David Saldana over at PopandPolitics writes:

Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer not long after that unfortunate episode, on February 26, 1994, exactly 15 years ago. He called himself “Chomsky with dick jokes,” and spoke of spirituality and embracing humanity like a New Age guru (an option kyboshed by his legendary love of cigarettes and booze). But he showed no patience for obnoxious, dim-bulb audiences. Fans love that about him.

It is a great testament to Bill Hicks that he is still respected by his fellow comics and revered by discerning comedy fans. His CDs and DVDs still fly off the shelves. Several biographies and compilations of his material have been published, he’s been the subject of academic research, tributes are held in his honor, and Hicks goods are a cottage industry.

Ahem. BillHicks.com for example.

What’s amazing is that his work is still funny and still relevant yet he hasn’t told a dick joke since the Lorena Bobbit case.

And we still miss him.

Orange County, what we describe at cocktail parties as Alabama with money. Has blinded the nation with its classiness once again. Los Alamitos Mayor Dean Grose sent out this picture with the title “No Easter egg hunt this year” to his friends and uhm…colleagues. One of whom was black.

From AP:

Grose says he accepts that the e-mail was in poor taste and has affected his ability to lead the city. Grose said he didn’t mean to offend anyone and claimed he was unaware of the racial stereotype linking black people with eating watermelons.

Nice. He claims stupidity either way.

And if you think OC isn’t Alabama with money. Read all the comments on the OC Register story.