Make us your home for prep football

Add comment September 12th, 2008

It’s Week 3 of prep football and it’s the third Friday night of Gridiron Online. You’ll find stats, scoreboard, stories, photos, game programs and more. Come to us tonight for quarter scores of the games we’re covering, and later tonight early Saturday for scores and game summaries.

Our Web sites are back online

Add comment September 9th, 2008

For an hour this afternoon, all of our Web sites were down because of a problem with the online system we use to publish content. We are back up now. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Our Web sites are down

Add comment September 9th, 2008

Our Web sites are down right now. If some of you come to this blog from means other than our rrstar.com home page, you might not know this. The company that provides our online system is working to fix the problems, which have brought down most of our sister sites, too.

tv book size to change sunday

4 comments September 5th, 2008

on sept. 7, the register star is changing the tv book from the smaller “quarterfold” size to a larger tab format. below is part of note we’ll publish in the sunday newspaper.

We know many readers prefer the “What’s On TV” booklet, but the tab significantly reduces newsprint use and waste. At a time that many newspapers are eliminating the Sunday TV section, asking readers to pay more for it, or delivering it only to those who request it, we believe our decision to change the format was the best one for our customers and us. The TV section will be wrapped around the comics and advertising inserts.

we have printed the tv book in the larger tab format before. what were the biggest complaints? the book didn’t fit on the tv/table and it could fall apart.

‘being’ human

Add comment September 4th, 2008

sometimes with video, it’s about the person, not the setting. i was reminded this today when someone told me about the washington post’s “on being” series.

the newspaper says it’s a project “based on the notion that we should get to know one another.” so you’ll see a person on video, talking about themselves in their own words, against a white background. nothing more.

the examples i watched showed me how amazing and diverse people are, something i’m reminded of in my own job.

you can see a woman who playfully and lovingly interacts with her son “with an extra chromosome;” a teen who cuts herself; a man who lost almost a decade of memories when he got into an accident; and just someone annoyed by the simple things in life. the first one i watched, katheryn phillips, was so powerful, i don’t even want to describe it here.

and then, of course, there’s one nonhuman example: the turkey pardoned by the white house in 2007.

first dispatches from st. paul: updated twice

1 comment September 2nd, 2008

as we told you here first, mike hakanson is at the republican national convention, and here’s something he sent me late last night on his blackberry:

No one knew what to expect as the storms drew nearer and our efforts of aid and comfort were being assembled in St. Paul.

When it was announced that the RNC, along with the fine folks at Target and FedEx, were going to send 80,000 care packages to those who needed them most, our neighbors in the Gulf Coast, I knew that Mr. McCain’s dialogue was more than political chit chat. The straight talk express was for real and delivering what it stood for. Action, in the place of diction.

It sure seems like VP candidate Palin has electrified this group.

The only candidate with executive experience as well as firsthand knowledge of the importance and support needed for increased domestic oil production. These are the words being used to describe Gov. Palin as we embark on this historic convention.

So much is happening, I can’t wait to tell you how tomorrow goes!

UPDATED:

10:36 a.m.: Breakfast with friends, 350 miles away.

I’ve just finished eating breakfast with Senator Syverson at the Illinois delegation’s morning meeting. It’s interesting to hear the delegations VERY enthusiastic support of Sarah Palin. Her commitment to reforming not only the way we govern, but the entire party itself, really has people excited. 

It is quite insightful to see the state leaders assemble and hold court afterward. Governors Edgar and Thompson still have the ability to engage a lot of people in different conversations at once. It is a skill every candidate (including myself!) should learn.

Our own Senator Syverson as well as General Borling seem to be attracting some media attention as well as their own groups of admirers. The convention is in full swing now, so I’ll keep you up to date on the festivities!

 2:05 p.m.: I’m getting ready to hit the Xcel energy center and really dig into the convention. Joe Lieberman and Fred Thompson are the featured speakers this evening. I’m interested to see and hear what kind of reception Lieberman gets. I imagine it will be mixed, the more conservative, the less receptive.

Fred Thompson is always an engaging and enjoyable speaker. I’ll let you know how it goes!

P.S. Every person involved with the Republican National Convention is donating at least an hour of time to assemble the care packages for the suffering in the Gulf Coast. The Illinois delegation’s time is tomorrow between 12:30 and 2. I’m really quite proud of how the Republicans have come together in this time of need to act quickly and help those who can’t help themselves right now.