In your finally Friday media column: the internet hordes claim another victim, The National steals stories, a foolproof new plan for online media success, an unappealing headline, and CNET's editor heads to Yahoo.

  • Bismarck Tribune editor John Irby gave the following reason for his retirement last month: "I am retiring because I am tired of being the whipping boy, by one and all. My skin has thinned. Life is too short to put up with all the noise." From angry commenters and harsh Bismarck media bloggers! That's why we ban everyone and listen to no one around here, John! Good luck to you, sir.
  • Haha: The National, the fancy big money Abu Dhabi paper, has been stone cold stealing stories from Bloomberg, Reuters, and elsewhere! There you have it: USA #1!
  • Here is the best way to make money in the internet media now: copy and paste 80% of other people's news stories (including headline and photo!), put it on your blog, and then charge them for the privilege. I am entering this business immediately! Send checks now!
  • "Bernie Goldberg and Bill O'Reilly Ask: Was MSNBC's Debate Fair to Republicans?" I challenge you to submit a headline less likely to make you click on a video clip on a Friday afternoon. I challenge you!
  • Yahoo has hired CNET editor in chief Scott Ard as its new homepage editor. Ard will now be the man with the god-like power to decide which "Weird News" story the internet's one trillion readers see when they go to check their email for new Nigerian phishing messages. But will the power corrupt him?

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