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UPDATE: OK so not much has happened on this site for ages but if you've arrived here, you should definitely follow this link to The Fifty Word Review.  Some of the peoples from the book project are involved and it's more fun than an ountbreak of herpes at a nudist camp. Check it!

The Fifty Word Review - the world in fifty words 

 

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• Video

 

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I swear I saw Brad Pitt today: he was eating a bagel outside The Fish Shop on St John's Street.

 Let me first of all explain that I am not one that goes ga-ga for celebrities. I don't read celebrity mags, I don't know celebrity trivia (except for what I'll mention below), and I have never requested an autograph.

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It's been a quite peculiar day. First, we had an editorial meeting in which some of us backed a revisied mission statement - something in between the Athenian agorà and a trolls ordeal. Then, we went back to the news-making process, producing some of our best coverage so far - at least, in my opinion. Thereafter, we arranged the week-end's schedule and we learnt - once and for all, I hope - how to use the system Mario and I had created. Overall, quite a productive day.

Then a few drinks all together...

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We are focused, hard-working, and we (almost) never smile.

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Consistency and flexibility.  These terms are always in conflict with each other in my mind.  Once you decide something, you have to stick to it - but sometimes you need to be flexible.  Today we proved that we can do both.

It was a day for flexibility.  This morning, we changed the mission statement that we spent ages discussing before launching the site.  Why?  Some may take a different view, but I think it's because what we've done this week isn't in line with the statement.

But were we right?

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31 May 

14:00

Jo sends press releases to various media organisations, including the Metro.

15:50

The Metro rings Jo to approach the idea of a story and laughs about a rival paper taking offence at our mission statement.  No reference is made to changing it.

17:45

The Metro rings back to ask if the campaign could be a bit more positive.

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Let it not be said that we're not media, er, working girls. As soon as we had to choose between principles and publicity, we went for the latter.

So much for integrity.

It's not as bad as it sounds. Actually, it's worse. The change was made after the opportunity for shameless self-promotion had closed, so we stood to gain nothing by it.

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What have we done? In the beginning there was fervour, idealism and a few pints.  There was absolute rage and total commitment to bringing down media empires. There was the passion that only the inexperienced and uninitiated can feel.

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Monday, 28 June 

15:07
Team meeting.  The good news: just over an hour after the announced start time, 14 of 15 people are here.  Bad news: the site launches in less than 9 hours and we’re talking about division of labour.

15:40
Labour has been divided—literally.  We’re now in three groups in two different rooms, hashing out plans for tomorrow.  Also, the website workflow is back up and running.