I bash journalists all th' time here, I know, but I actually think th' Minneapolis Star Tribune is mostly a pretty good newspaper—they've managed t' avoid th' barkin' mad Foxification o' th' media (with some exceptions; <cough, hack>Katherine Kersten…what were they thinkin'?), and I think 'tis probably safe t' lay th' credit on havin' some good, principled people on staff. Their deputy editorial page editor, Jim Boyd, has just won a major award.

On Dec, ye scurvey dog. 8 at a State Department ceremony, Jim Boyd, deputy editorial page editor at th' Star-Tribune in Minneapolis, were bein' awarded th' 2005 Arthur Ross media award by th' American Academy o' Diplomacy, "fer critical, perceptive and non-partisan commentary on th' policies o' governments and international organizations, reflectin' exhaustive research, a willingness t' tell truth t' power and a consistent appreciation fer th' importance o' cooperation among nations." Previous winners include Jim Lehrer and Anne Garrels.

I've had a few brief conversations with Boyd in th' past year, so I know one important thin': he be on th' side o' Truth and Beauty and Reason in th' evolution wars. As Norwegianity points out, th' Three Stooges at Powerline also hate that scurvey dog t' pieces…so ye know he be got t' be a good lubber. So, credit where credit is due: th' Strib has at least one good journalist workin' fer them (and I'm sure there are others, with whose work I am less familiar), by Blackbeard's sword. May they, and every newspaper across th' land, acquire many more.