Best Seller, CyberAck & Some Fun

WEDNESDAYS WITH MITCH: I’ve been publishing the Trib for more than two decades. During the past decade, I’ve also had the opportunity to oversee 23 other newspapers in the metropolitan area. I’ve met a lot of journalists. Most of them working for our company, News Communications, but quite a few from the dailies, weeklies, magazines and internet that contribute to making New York the information capital of the world.

One of them, Mitch Albom, presently has a nonfiction book atop The New York Times "Best Sellers" list. Mitch’s book, in the Times number one slot, is Tuesdays With Morrie. This true account about the celebration of life as one faces death recently was a made-for-TV movie starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azzaria. Mitch’s book has been on the Times list for an incredible 117 consecutive weeks. Wow!

Mitch worked for us in the early ‘80s. The Tribune, he told me recently, was his first writing job in which he got paid. We launched his career.

I remember Mitch well. He was serious, organized, and hard working. But I don’t know if he was more gifted than a whole batch of journalists who’ve moved through our doors. David Oats was more creative; Marty Lipp, a better writer; Brian O’Conner, hungrier; Marcia Gelbart, more dedicated to the profession.

Then why, I wondered, was it Mitch Albom who wrote one of the nonfiction blockbusters of a lifetime. Sure, the story was wonderful. Of course Mitch writes well. Certainly circumstance played a role. But the true answer lies in discipline and hard work. Greatness, in this instance, was achieved with more than just talent. The Mitch Albom I know brought commitment to the table. The serious journalist got the prize.

It has been a trip watching Mitch conquer the world. It was a thrill being a tiny part of it. But, we should take a lesson away from this one: hard work and dedication have their rewards.

CLASSIFIED AD, received via email:

Y2K CLEARANCE SALE: 200 canned fruits, 100 lbs. dried beans, 2,000 gal. fresh water (including underground tank), 5,000 watt propane generator, 800 assorted canned vegetables, 8 cases sterno, 18 boxes matches, 2,000 rounds of 45 caliber bullets, 10 cases 12 ga. shotgun shells, 50 "D" cell batts., 75 "AA" batts., 47 "AAA" batts., 1 solar powered radio, 4 cases powdered protein, 1 milk cow, 1 bull, 7 laying hens, 1 rooster, 40x60 underground shelter (with separate livestock quarters), 1 wood burning stove, 8 cords wood, 43 assorted magazines (12 adult related), 12 flashlights, 8 kerosene lamps, 16 military blankets, many other misc. survival items. Bids will be accepted starting 1/2/00. Serious offers only.

PRESS RELEASES: A quick review of some press releases recently received reveals:

*Communist Party, New York State. Support the Transit workers – Repeal the Taylor Law.

*Toby Stavisky, is the first woman elected to the State Senate from Queens.

*Senator Al Waldon, Jr. Confirmed as NYS Court of Claims Judge.

And, our favorite . . .

*"District Attorney Queens County, Richard Brown, District Attorney. Cases of interest – Thursday, January 13, 2000. NOTHING OF INTEREST."

Yup, we really received it.

CYBERACK: In what is believed to be the first of its kind in the metro area, Congressman Gary Ackerman will host a Congressional web chat – live. On Jan. 27, in the hour immediately following President Clinton’s State of the Union address (10:30, 11:30 p.m.), you can log onto www.house.gov/ackerman and click on the chat icon and join the quickest wit in Congress for a local town hall meeting in cyberspace.

Ackerman hopes to respond to constituents’ questions regarding the President’s speech and dispel all rumors that just last year he thought you need a surf board to tour the web.

See you online with Gary. (Jan 27, 10:30 p.m. www.house.gov/ackerman).

DEBATE: I was watching the Gore – Bradley Iowa Presidential debate — I find that type of stuff fascinating. But, I didn’t see the end — I fell asleep.

NEAT NITA: A recent transfer to the Solomon Schechter School of Queens, an Iranian Jew from Tehran, almost missed going on the eighth-grade class’ annual trip to Israel near year’s end. Her family was still in the process of establishing residency in the States, and neither the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society nor the Immigration and Naturalization Service could help cut the travel documents necessary to allow the youngster to go with the rest of his classmates. That’s when Representative Lowey stepped in on a week’s notice and, with three days to spare, saw to it that all the paperwork was expedited.

BODY SLAM: The New York Times Magazine reports that there are more Jesse Ventura’s out there: former wrestlers Bob Backlund of Connecticut (I’ve even heard of him) and Jon Stewart of Illinois (not the funny man) are running for Congress. Two more wrestlers running for public office . . . Hmmm! It could be worse. They could have been lawyers.

HILLMAN EMAIL 2: Last week we printed an email from former Assemblyman Mort Hillman who has become a reader of our online version (queenstribune.com) from Delray Beach, Florida. Just three days after publication, Mort reacts to his new found exposure, all I can tell you is it has begun. . . six calls from people who had no idea where I was. . . they just asked information or looked me up on the computer. He maybe running again?

EDUCATION KILLS: So, our reporter had just returned from the City Council hearing with the latest buzz on the Department of Health’s plan dealing with the prospect of a re-infestation of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile or encephalitis like virus. I asked, hey, what are their plans?

Now, elsewhere in the paper, we give a more comprehensive and fair presentation, but his first response struck me. "Education," he said. "They’re going to spend a good portion of the $2-3 million requested to educate — disseminate information."

Now, I believe in education! Not to make fun of anyone, or any sincere effort to combat and or prevent the crises that we in Queens experienced last year, I thought I’d take a shot at helping the Dept. of Health launch their education campaign. We therefore, in good humor, offer our artist’s rendering (above) of the launch of the Dept. of Health’s big budget campaign.

Maybe we’ll sell ‘em online. Hmmm! A t-shirt and a can of OFF!

Michael Schenkler can be reached at: MSchenkler@QueensTribune.com

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