The conversation on the Web site for your local newspaper continually entertains and edifies me. 

This is my YouTube video of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYaZ57Bn4pQ.

It's a guy who recently visited Maureen Carlson's Center for the Creative Arts in Jordan. He's a polymer clay artist and actor, but being a member of the New York Police Department is his day job.

Chuck Kajer wrote a great editorial called "Good sports and good neighbors" in the New Prague Times this week. I couldn't help but comment on it.

People who aren't sports fans tend to rail pretty hard on the emphasis -- and money -- that schools give to sports programs. But then, there's comes a time when the true meaning of sports comes out loud and clear.

Here's an excerpt from Kajer's editorial:

Boy, wowee, and holy mackerels!

There are only two newspaper jobs open in the state of Minnesota, according to today's issue of the Minnesota Newspaper Association Bulletin newsletter.

I'm glad I have a job.

Normally, I look at the job listings for the MNA -- not because I'm looking to leave the lovely berg of Jordan, but because I have many friends in the industry and have mentored several interns and college students who might like a good job. I tend to tip them off when there's an opening.

Today's journalism job climate isn't so great, it seems. 

I'm trying something new with the Minnesota Twins.

My interest in baseball has gotten me into trouble at times with my lovely wife. And that trouble has drawn to my attention to the fact that I am obsessed with Twins baseball.

It's not healthy.

There was some recent big news on the donkey basketball front: http://www.theonion.com/content/video/2_year_old_donkey_called_up_to?utm....

My favorite part of this video is the analysis of the donkey basketball league newcomer, Scraps. When one of the announcers says, "I like his moves, and I've seen a lot of donkeys move," another matter-of-factly replies, "Yes you have."

That, according to the Onion newspaper's online edition. (FYI, if you don't know the Onion: This is a joke.)

When I first started working at your local newspaper, the Jordan Independent, I found prominent Jordanite Keith Thaves to be particularly encouraging to me, as an editor. He was a former publisher and editor of the paper, which he purchased in 1957.

During the past couple of days, I've been working on a story about the death of Thaves. He had suffered two heart attacks since September. He was married to Liz and had three children, Alisa, Jeff, and Chris. The story will be published in the Feb. 7 print edition.