Keywords by David Yonke

The sun is shining but the thermometer is hovering in the mid-teens. I've got the day off, so to speak, but have much to do.
I'm sitting at my computer, listening to Al DiMeola's "The Consequence of Chaos," Dana and Matt's Bichon Frise Lulu is barking at me because she wants to play, and I'm trying to get a few more chapters of my novel finished.
It's hard to take those blank pages / computer screens and convert them into something meaningful. Especially when you're at home.
Randy Stonehill, the talented Christian singer-songwriter, once told me that he can never write at home because while he's sitting there strumming the guitar and trying to write a song he's thinking, "Boy that wall sure needs painting" or something along those lines.
He usually borrows a friend's house to do his writing. I can see where that would be helpful.
Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series (which, whatever we may think of in terms of art and theology we can't dispute that they sold a whopping 60 million copies), said he goes to a "cave" to write his books. It's not really a cave, he added, it's actually quite comfortable, but it's a place with no internet and no distractions.
When I am a successful novelist, I plan on renting an office where I can go and write without distractions.
In the meantime, I'm pondering the next chapter while playing a quick round of tug-of-war with the incredibly determined and cute little Lulu.

"Whatever the course of our lives, we should receive them as the highest gift from the hand of God, in which equally reposed the power to do nothing whatever for us. Indeed, we should accept misfortune not only in thanks, but in infinite gratitude to Providence, which by such means detaches us from an excessive love for Earthly things and elevates our minds to the celestial and divine."

* * *
Jan. 3 is the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien (1892), George Martin (1926), and Stephen Stills (1945).

The home of Elvis fan Paul MacLeod, known as "Graceland Too," has become the number one attraction in Holly Springs, Miss. Photo By Rogelio V. Solis, AP

Campy 'Graceland Too' is a hit with Elvis fans

By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press Writer
HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. — Paul MacLeod is a perpetually caffeinated Elvis fanatic who's taking care of business 24-7-365 at the antebellum home he calls "Graceland Too."
Pound on the door at any hour — seriously, it's OK to arrive at 4 in the morning — and the 67-year-old former auto worker will escort you through his discombobulating, floor-to-ceiling collection of photos, records, figurines, cardboard cutouts, candy wrappers, clocks and other random kitsch featuring the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

"I'd give my life right now if I could bring this guy back," MacLeod says in his auctioneer's staccato, his gray hair slicked back in a '50s style.

MacLeod says he rarely leaves Graceland Too, sleeps only sporadically and is fueled by 24 cans of Coca-Cola a day — a claim at least partially verified by the aluminum pull-top tabs he collects in sandwich bags and the stacks of flattened red cardboard boxes on the back porch.

Graceland Too is in Holly Springs, a northern Mississippi town of 8,000. It's a convenient stop for fans on an Elvis pilgrimage, sitting about halfway between Elvis Presley's birthplace in Tupelo, Miss., and the King's final home and resting place, the unaffiliated Graceland mansion in Memphis

Until Graceland Too became a magnet for offbeat tourism, Holly Springs was best known for its traditional — and tastefully kept — white-columned antebellum homes.

"He's our number one attraction," says Suzann Williams, assistant director of the local tourism bureau.

She says that people call daily wanting information about Graceland Too, and that the Japanese and the British are the largest groups of overseas visitors. MacLeod doesn't have a telephone, but the tourism folks take him notes to let him know visitors are coming.

MacLeod is so obsessed that 36 years ago, he named his only son after the man he considers the world's greatest entertainer and humanitarian.

"My son was born Elvis Aron Presley, with one A for Aron," he says, noting the spelling Presley used for years. "I didn't put the other A to his name until Vernon Presley put it on his son's grave."

Floors creak beneath visitors' feet as they walk through the 157-year-old home warmed by space heaters that sit perilously close to raggedy shag carpet and stacks of papers and magazines.

For $5, visitors get to experience sensory overload, harshly lit by unshaded bulbs.

Doorways are decorated with several Elvis-patterned curtains in '70s-era hues of turquoise and lime. There are photocopies of a newspaper with MacLeod's all-time favorite headline: "Elvis Presley Excites Girls, Scares Critics."

A poster-sized display in the entryway declares — sans punctuation — "The Universes Galaxys Planets Worlds Ultimate Elvis Fans."

"My ex-wife told me, 'Make up your mind. Either me or the Elvis collection.' So that put an end to that," MacLeod says with a chuckle.

MacLeod says he has owned his home since the mid-1970s, and that he's had 368,000 visitors since he started opening it to strangers since the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Heaven help the fact-checker who'd have to verify the statistics he tosses out during his tours, which typically last an hour and a half.

Fans say the random, nonstop flow of information is part of the campy appeal.

Garreth Blackwell, a 27-year-old journalism teacher at the nearby University of Mississippi, said he has been to Graceland Too a half-dozen times and recently took his wife and three friends for a nighttime tour.

"It's kind of hard to talk about this guy, because you come enough you hear the same things over and over again," Blackwell says. "It kind of puts that in your mind, 'Well, maybe this is all true.' You don't ever know. But it doesn't matter because it's a good time."

MacLeod says that he became an Elvis fan when he was 13, and that he attended 120 Elvis concerts.

In Graceland Too, MacLeod claims to have 35,000 records and 25,000 CDs. He says he has 185,000 square inches of carpet that once was in Graceland. He constantly monitors radio and TV broadcasts and records any mention of his idol, claiming to have 31,000 videotapes and 43,000 audio recordings.

Then there's the scrapbook filled with teensy slivers of paper — 1 million mentions, he says, of the name Elvis Presley.

"There's my burial suit up here to come back and haunt my ex-wife," MacLeod says, pointing to a gold number in one of the front rooms.

Robert Lopez of Los Angeles, who has performed 21 years as El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, says he has toured Graceland Too at least a dozen times and is attracted to its folk-art oddness. He once donated one of his stage outfits to MacLeod's collection — a maroon crushed-velvet jumpsuit with a cape featuring a sequined Virgin of Guadalupe.

He says Elvis MacLeod is a walking encyclopedia about Elvis Presley who helped his father give tours for several years, but was a calmer presence: "The son would translate in a slower monotone: 'What my father said was ...,'" Lopez recalls.

The younger MacLeod moved to New York in the 1990s, and a phone listing for him could not be found.

Lopez also cautions that Graceland Too "might be a slight warning about what too much love can do."

The ceiling of the TV room is covered with baseball card-size Elvis pictures and visitor comments printed on fluorescent pink, blue and yellow paper. Wrote one man from Pensacola, Fla.: "This Elvis shrine is as close to Heaven as an Elvis fan can get. This is the ULTIMATE."

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

We watched the movie "Angels & Demons" recently, the film based on Dan Brown's novel that preceded the megahit "The DaVinci Code."
I think his DaVinci Code was a highly entertaining book although Brown created a dangerous blend of fact and fiction. There was just enough factual material to confuse a lot of people into thinking it's all true.
The same is the case with "Angels & Demons." A lot of it is based on facts and history but Brown sprinkles a lot of fiction into his story, which is why it is a novel and not a nonfiction book.
The newer film is much more entertaining and well-paced than the first, which dragged along at times. But "Angels & Demons" does throw out a lot of information in the opening scenes, so much so that it can be hard to follow. I hit the pause button a few times to discuss plot developments. One friend said she had to watch it twice to understand what was going on.
Brown has found a way to tap into the public's love for conspiracy, religious wariness, and ignorance of history to create taut thrillers. It's proved to be a winning formula, selling millions of books and creating box-office hits.
Readers and viewers need to do their homework, however, so they can separate truth from fiction.
* * *
Latest word from AutoWeek is that Spyker is still trying to work out a deal to buy Saab from General Motors, with the deadline set for Thursday.
Spyker would keep Saab HQ in Sweden and use lots of GM parts in production, including the engines.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Saab's survival. The company makes terrific cars that are fun to drive, safe, functional, and affordable, and I hope to keep driving Saabs for many years.

It's been a crazy first week at work with my new duties.
I've gone from covering religion full time to covering religion, working as night city editor, and supervising the neighbors zoned editions.
Is there enough time in the day? That remains to be seen. Obviously something has to give, but it's too early to tell how it's all going to work. I'm trying to feel my way through this transition and adapt as necessary.
The best solution would be to hire more reporters and editors. They used to say we were working with a "skeleton crew." I think it's down to a "bone marrow crew" these days.
Be that as it may, I'm trying to juggle three jobs now and trying my best not to drop the ball.
* * *
My daughter Lisa arrived in Chang Mai, Thailand, yesterday. She's traveling with a group of six women from Rockford, IL, who are working with the local Christian Thai community to counter the human trafficking/sex slave trade that is such a tragic blight on society. God bless Lisa and her efforts.
I'm grateful that she can post updates, photos and videos of her journey on Twitter, making it possible for me and all her loved ones to keep up with her activities and adventures on a daily basis.
* * *
We had snow overnight, around 4 or 5 inches, the first serious snow of the winter. But it's a light, dry snow and it hasn't caused any big problems. The TV news had been hyping it up for days, as if Ohioans should panic over a few inches of snow in January.
* * *
I don't mind snow as long as there's no ice and the roads are clear. New fallen snow on the ground, tree limbs, fences and rooftops is quite a beautiful sight.

I started reading The One Year Bible (New International Version) on Jan. 1. This will be the second time through. I read it in 2007 and am looking forward to reading it again. It's a wonderful way to get to know the Bible, and I find the 10 to 15 minutes in the morning is a perfect way to start the day, relaxing and inspiring.

I still am puzzled, after countless readings, by some Scriptures. This is where I just accept the Bible as God's Word and figure it doesn't have to always make sense to me.

I tend to analyze things, such as book and movies and news articles, to the umpteenth degree and maybe I need to be less analytical and lean more on faith than on my own understanding.

Some parts of the Book of Genesis I read this week, about Abram and Sarai (later Abraham and Sarah) are among those Bible verses that I find most puzzling.

The couple go to Egypt to flee a famine and Abram says to Sarai: "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you."

Pharaoh's officials were, indeed, struck by Sarai's beauty, so they took her to the palace and pharaoh took her as one of his wives.
Then "the Lord inflicted serious disease on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai."
Pharaoh discovers the ruse and calls in Abram, questioning the prophet why he lied about his marital status. "Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!"

Can you imagine doing what Abram did? Can you picture yourself traveling to a foreign land and telling the reigning monarch that your wife is your sister, and then letting him take her as his own wife?
I didn't think so.

Later, Sarai is concerned that she doesn't have any children, so she persuades Abram to sleep with their maid, Hagar.
Hagar gets pregnant and "she began to despise her mistress."
Sarai blames it all on Abram -- naturally.

"You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me."

I don't understand the logic, but I accept the fact that human nature is the same today as it was 3,000 years ago. People do the strangest things and they make lots of bad moves.

I'd say Abram and Sarai were the first dysfunctional family in history. Yet, they redeemed themselves and wound up as revered figures and Abraham is known throughout history as "the father of many nations."
Perhaps the lesson to take away from these verses in Genesis is that no matter what mistakes you make, you can still repent and be redeemed and go on to accomplish great things.

Belated Happy 75th Birthday to Elvis Presley. He was the one who brought rock and roll to the masses. Elvis often doesn't get the credit he deserves, and I think it's because of the cheesy movie roles he played. Those were the result of bad career advice by "Colonel" Tom Parker, who was more of a carnival huckster than a manager.
But when it comes to musicality, Elvis had it all -- great voice, an openness and honesty that gave him artistic integrity, and the freedom to do something unique. He also came along at the right time, building a bridge between what had been so unfairly relegated to the "race music" market and bringing that great sound to the mainstream.
He would have been 75 years old on Jan. 8. It's a shame how he died so young and needlessly but it's also hard to imagine the pressures of fame and the weird lifestyle of someone in his position. As the Beatles said, they had each other to lean on when they were going through that craziness. Elvis was all alone.
* * *
I'm still on my Beatles kick. It started when I got The Beatles ("The White Album") for a Christmas gift. I've since bought "Revolver" and "Abbey Road." The remastered tracks sound so clear and alive, it's amazing what a difference the engineers have made. Each of the new discs has a mini-documentary about the recording sessions and songwriting. They're great packages.
On top of that, I've just been in a mood for Beatles music lately. Their songs are amazing, so diverse and full of energy, beauty and excitement.
No other band has come along since that can match the Beatles for musicality, creativity, expression and social impact. Maybe someday, but it's hard to imagine.
* * *
Glad to see Kurt Warner leading the Arizona Cardinals to victory yesterday against the Packers. Janet loves Warner and I respect the guy -- and what a great story. He went from stocking shelves in a grocery store to leading the Rams to the Super Bowl. And he is a solid Christian man who leads by example. I hope the Rams go all the way... don't know what the odds are, but their defense has to show up next game, unlike yesterday when it was a run-and-gun show for both sides (final score was something like 51-45).
* * *
I wrote an article about Scientology that ran Jan. 2 and have been getting flak ever since. One group is ticked off at me for writing something positive about Scientologists and "falling for their PR lies" while others are furious that I mentioned some of the religion's negative baggage.
I've been writing about religion long enough to realize that there are some topics that are lightning rods for controversy, and Scientology is one of them. It discourages journalists from writing anything about the religion, because of the inevitable criticism. We get enough flak in our daily work, no need to bring on more headaches.
But I am committed to covering all religions, even when it may bring on a firestorm. I think people need to know about what's going on in the world around them.

When I first heard about the Haitian earthquake on Tuesday evening, I told our city editor that Toledo has scores of churches with ties to the island nation. But it took a while before we learned how severe the quake was and how horrific the damages were.

My heart goes out to the Frisch family, featured in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, with five children adopted from Haiti. Also the many local churches that send missions teams there all the time, including Pilgrim Church and Vineyard Church. Then there's Missions International, which has built schools and orphanages in Haiti.

When I was in Colombia a while back, we arrived shortly after a quake hit the region of Armenia. Concrete and steel buildings toppled like toothpicks and were flat as pancakes because they don't have building codes or safety requirements like those in the US.

The same problem is true in Haiti, where a quake does more damage than in a developed nation with strict building codes.

We still don't know the death toll or extent of damages in Haiti but today they're saying "tens of thousands" killed.

It's going to take years and lots of help from America and the rest of the world to bring that country back to any semblance of normality.

Janet and I already made a small donation to relief efforts. As Michael W. Smith said yesterday, $10 is like $1,000 in Haiti. Your gift can go far.

* * *

Pat Robertson embarrassed Christianity again by claiming Haiti was being punished by God because it "made a pact with the devil."
Here's the report from the Huffington Post:

Televangelist Pat Robertson said Wednesday that earthquake-ravaged Haiti has been "cursed" by a "pact to the devil."

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it," he said on Christian Broadcasting Network's "The 700 Club." "They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."

Robertson said that "ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other" and he contrasted Haiti with its neighbor, the Dominican Republic.

"That island of Hispaniola is one island. It is cut down the middle; on the one side is Haiti on the other is the Dominican Republic," he said. "Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have and we need to pray for them a great turning to god and out of this tragedy I'm optimistic something good may come. But right now we are helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable."

A judge has thrown out a civil suit against Gerald Robinson, saying the statutes of limitations expired.
The woman who filed the suit plans to appeal.
It's particularly interesting because the same judge, Ruth Ann Franks, had dismissed the case previously on statute of limitations grounds. But the woman appealed and the higher court sent it back to common pleas court.
This time Judge Franks went the extra mile to explain her reasons. The woman, who filed anonymously as Survivor Doe, said she could not have sued earlier because she did not know the perpetrators' identities until she saw Robinson on TV in 2004 when he was arrested for murder.
The judge said that the plaintiff could have attempted to learn his identity earlier because she did know at least four of the perpetrators who belonged to the satanic cult that abused her -- including her mother and two brothers.
So she had a responsibility to at least try to find out who her unknown abusers were befrore the time limitations, Judge Franks said. While that may have been nearly impossible for her to do on her own, she should have enlisted an attorney or law enforcement to do the job.
Her attorney, Mark Davis, disagrees and gives this analogy: You're mugged by a masked man. He knocks you out and steals your money. Years or decades later, he is caught and admits to a series of attacks. You recognize him as your mugger. You can sue regardless of the passage of time because the statute of limitations does not start ticking until the minute you know his identity.
* * *
Both sides have logical arguments, in my opinion, but I'm just a lay person and an observer. It will be interesting to see what the judges on the appeals court have to say. But that's going to take a long while.

Spotted this bumper sticker on the back of a minivan yesterday:

SCREW GUILT

The bigger story about Galileo was the perceived conflict between science and religion. Here he was finding out new factual material about the universe through the telescopes he designed, but his scientific advances were considered contrary to the Bible and church teaching.
That was nearly 400 years ago but there is still a lot of tension between science and religion. It ranges from disputes over evolution and creation to the use of stem cells and medical life support.
There is more scientific freedom today but the questions are how it is used and applied.

The dismissal of Survivor Doe and Spouse Doe's civil suit against Toledo priest Gerald Robinson touches on a number of interesting points. (Here's a link.)
Judge Ruth Ann Franks had dismissed the suit previously for statutes of limitations reasons, but the appeals court sent it back. This time Franks addressed the statutes concerns in depth in her 27-page ruling.
The court said the merits of Survivor Doe's claims were not the issue, only whether she filed the lawsuit within the legal time constraints.
Survivor Doe claims she was abused by Robinson in horrifice satanic rituals when she was a child, but didn't know who Robinson was until she saw him on TV after his arrest fopr the murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in 2004. So that's when the time limits should have started ticking.
The Toledo Catholic Diocese and Robinson's attorneys, by contrast, argued that the time limit for filing had already expired.
One key concern, they argued, is that the victim was required to use due diligence to try to identify her abuser within the state law's time limits (12 years after turning age 18, basically).
She knew some of the others who had abused her, they argued, including her mother, brother, and family friends. So she could have used that information to try to find out who the others were -- such as Robinson and Gerald Mazuchowski. If that was too traumatic for her personally, she should have enlisted help from an attorney or law-enforcement officials.
Franks ruled in the diocese's and robinson's favor, agreeing that the law put the burden of responsibility on the victim to at least try to find out who the perpetrator was before the time limts expired.
* * *
I read the robinson/diocese's motion to dismiss the case and it cited some very bizarre testimony by Survivor Doe and Spouse Doe.
At one point in her suit, for example, she had claimed that the satanic cult carved an upside down cross on her stomach. But her husband said in a deposition that Survivor Doe had carved the inverted cross on her own stomach with a razor blade.
She also said she witnessed her mother, an aspiring high priestess of satan, kill a child in a satanic ritual.
The number of abusers and the kinds of abuses reported by Survivor Doe is extremely disturbing. No matter what happens with her lawsuit, it's clear that this is a very troubled woman who's led a very troubled life.
I'm glad she is getting counseling.
* * *
I've talked to Survivor Doe on the phone twice, both times she called me and spoke very briefly.
She also introduced herself to me at my book-signing at Borders, shortly after "Sin, Shame & Secrets" was published. But again it was nothing more than a cursory conversation.
Even though I've met her and talked to her, I've never been able to question her or talk at length. I would be very interested in sitting down and interviewing Survivor Doe for an article, but I doubt that it's going to happen until every one of her legal avenues has been exhausted. Even then I would say unlikely.

In Genesis 41, the Egyptian Pharaoh is confounded by a dream and none of his "magicians and wise men" could interpret it.
The king dreamed that seven "fat and sleek cows" that came out of the Nile and were grazing among the reeds were eaten by seven "scrawny and very ugly cows." He also dreamed that seven full and good heads of grain were swallowed by seven thin heads of grain that had been scorched by the east wind.
Joseph, the son of Jacob who was sold into slavery by hisi brothers, was called upon to interpret the dream. The seven fat cows and good heads of grain represented seven years of bounty, which will be followed by seven years of famine.
He convinced the king to store grain during the bountiful years to be ready for the lean years.
* * *
Has the world entered an era of "seven ugly cows"?
Did the east wind scorch America's amber waves of grain -- on 9/11?
* * *
I only wish our country had had a Joseph who saw the famine coming and warned our leaders to prepare for the lean times. Perhaps there was someone who gave that kind of advice, but nobody wanted to listen as far as national planning.
Instead we continued our merrymaking on as if the bountiful years would never end.
* * *
Few people think the economy is going to make a quick turnaround. But I hope and pray the downward spiral doesn't last seven "ugly cow" years.

Got a note from U2 that Bono and Edge teamed up with Jay-Z and producer Swizz to write a song for Haiti. I think it's called "Hope for Haiti Now."
* * *
There are bound to be such humanitarian efforts from artists coming in the next few weeks and months. I also assume someone is going to put together a massive rock concert to benefit the stricken nation.
It seems like everyone is eager to pitch in and do what they can to help Haiti cope with and recover from the horrors of the Jan. 12 quake.
* * *
Insensitive decision of the decade: Royal Caribbean International is having cruise ships dock in Haiti. The ships unload some food and water for the Haitians while passengers are expected to relax and enjoy at the aqua park the cruise line owns in Labadee, in the northern part of the nation unaffected by the quake.
To their credit, Royal Caribbean said the Haitian government asked them to keep docking on the island because of the economic benefits to the nation.
Passengers have complained, however, that they cannot relax and enjoy themselves by sporting around and working on their tans and knowing that on the other side of the island, tens of thousands of people were killed and the survivors are struggling for the necessities of life.
Incongruous, is it not?
I definitely would not want to be vacationing in Haiti at a time like this no matter explanation the cruise line or the Haitian government offers. It would leave quite a sour aftertaste after gorging oneself on the ship's unlimited buffet.

As I've discussed in this space many times before, newspaper execs made a seriously costly error a decade ago when they decided to put their news online for free. At the time, the industry thought the web would supplement its print editions. Many feel it's too late "to put the genie back in the bottle" but I believe it's a necessary step for survival to start charging people to read the news online.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has said he will charge for online news and today the New York Times announced a similar move. The fee-based system won't take effect until 2011, so the pressing question is: will the print newspaper industry still be around when it's time to collect?

Here's the full story from the Associated Press:

New York Times to ask Web readers to pay up in '11

New York Times to ask readers to feed its Internet meter next year in quest for more revenue

By Andrew Vanacore and Michael Liedtke, AP Business Writers
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Times plans to charge readers for full access to its Web site next year, reviving an idea that fizzled twice for the newspaper. This time it's betting that it will be able to wring more revenue from readers without crimping its Internet ad sales.

Under the plan outlined Wednesday, the Times will adopt a "metered" system that will allow readers to click on a certain number of stories for free each month before fees kick in. A metered system is designed to draw casual readers with free articles while getting fees from people who want to dig deeper on the site.

The fees won't be imposed until next year, giving Times executives more time to build the system and figure out the details that are likely to dictate whether the gamble pays off. The pivotal issues include determining how much to charge and how many stories will be free each month.

The only certainty for now is that subscribers to the printed version of the Times will still get unlimited free access to the Web site. That could help the Times sell more subscriptions to the printed newspaper among a portion of Internet readers who figure they may as well get the newspaper delivered to their home or office, too, as long as they have to pay to read everything online.

The newspaper also indicated it will meter the material it makes available on other online channels, such as through mobile phones, electronic readers and tablet computers. No further details were provided.

The metered approach has worked well for The Financial Times, a more specialized newspaper that caters to an upscale audience interested primarily in news about the stock market, the economy and businesses.

Some newspaper analysts and executives have questioned whether Internet fees make as much sense for more mainstream newspapers such as the Times, whose stories span many of the political, business, sports and cultural topics that are covered by other news outlets that don't charge for Web access.

That raises the chances that hordes of fee-averse readers will flock to free news sites, a scenario that could also drive away Internet advertisers interested in reaching the biggest possible audience. Any downturn in Internet advertising -- one of newspapers' few areas of growth in recent years -- could more than offset any benefit from reader fees.

The Internet currently generates between 10 percent and 15 percent of newspaper ad sales now, and the figure is expected to rise as more marketing budgets shift from print to the Web.

The Times could face an especially painful backlash because it has one of the largest newspaper followings on the Web, with 12.4 million visitors last month, according to the research firm comScore Inc. By comparison, The Washington Post's Web site attracted 9.2 million and USA Today drew 8.6 million.

Reflecting the stakes riding on its decision, the Times spent more than six months assessing the logic of charging for its Web site.

More newspaper publishers are likely to take the leap too, now that one of the world's best known newspapers has taken the plunge, said Greg Harmon, chief executive of Belden Interactive, which consults with publishers about Internet fees.

"This is like the industry is being given the permission to charge, almost like in a papal sense," Harmon said.

About 150 U.S. newspapers already have imposed Internet subscriptions, with fees ranging from as little as $1 per month to as much as $35 per month, based on a recent study conducted by ITZ/Belden Interactive.

The most successful so far has been The Wall Street Journal, which had an average of 407,000 electronic subscribers during the six-month period that ended Sept. 30. The Journal's Web site on Wednesday was offering online-only subscriptions at about $8 per month and print-only subscriptions at about $9 per month.

With a long history of award-winning reporting and commentary, the Times should be able to lure a substantial number of Internet subscribers, said newspaper analyst Mike Simonton of Fitch Ratings.

"It's a very unique franchise and it has a very loyal readership," he said.

The Times has a paid weekday circulation of about 928,000. Newspapers charging Internet fees so far have been able to get the equivalent of 2.4 percent of their print circulation to subscribe on the Web, based on ITZ/Belden Interactive's study of the 25 general-interest publications that have gained the most traction with online fees. The average fee among those newspapers is $8.14 per month.

However, the Times attracted just 4,000 subscribers when it first tried to charge for Internet access during the Web's infancy in 1996. Another experiment called Times Select took a more moderate approach, requiring a $50 annual subscription to read Times columnists. That effort drew 221,000 subscribers, but dented ad sales enough to convince the Times to scrap the product in 2007.

The Times learned a lot from its experience with online fees and is confident it has come up with a concept better suited to today's reading habits, said Bill Keller, the newspaper's executive editor.

"A key to the plan is its flexibility," Keller wrote in an e-mail. "We can calibrate the amount of free content you get before you get a pay message in order to avoid sharp drops in traffic and advertising."

The decision to try Internet fees again reflects the tough choices facing newspaper publishers as their sales of print ads plunge, depriving them of their main source of revenue.

Overall advertising revenue fell nearly 30 percent in the first nine months of 2009 for the Times Co.'s business unit that includes the Times, the International Herald Tribune and their Web sites. Internet advertising accounted for about 14 percent, or $123 million, or the division's revenue during that period.

To bring in more cash, the Times already has raised its print subscription rates. In an industry rarity, the Times took in slightly more money from its readers during last year's third quarter than from its advertisers. Traditionally 80 percent of newspaper revenue has come from advertising.

Now the Times is counting on its online readers to chip in. Times Co. CEO Janet Robinson said in a statement that the company wants "additional revenue diversity that will make us less susceptible to the inevitable economic cycles."

The Financial Times' metered system provides a glimpse at what the Times' online readers might see.

The London-based newspaper allows anyone to view one free article per month, and people who register on the site can get 10 free articles per month. Subscribers who pay $186 a year get access to most material on the site. A premium subscription for $299 comes with extra material. Or for $397 a year, FT subscribers can get the printed newspaper and read the Web site.

The newspaper has roughly 121,000 people who subscribe exclusively to its digital edition, up 22 percent from a year ago, according to Rob Grimshaw, managing director of FT.com. By comparison, the printed newspaper has about 400,000 subscribers.

He did not disclose specific figures on ad revenue, but he said the newspaper makes up for the loss of advertising volume by charging each advertiser more. It can get this premium, he said, because FT.com knows more than other online destinations about its users and their interests.

A little tidbit from the late, great comedian Mitch Hedberg:

"I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughtnut...I don’t need a receipt for the doughnut - I give you money and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don’t need to bring ink and paper into this. I can’t imagine a scenario that I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. To some skeptical friend, Don’t even act like I didn’t buy a doughnut, I’ve got the documentation right here..."

From yesterday's "Click and Clack/Car Talk" desk calendar:

Tom: "A friend will help you move. A really good friend will help you move a body."

Ray: "It is better to travel in hope than arrive in despair."

Gerald Robinson, the Toledo priest convicted of murdering a nun, was back in Lucas County Common Pleas Court yesterday for the first time since he was led away in cuffs in 2006.
This time, the priest was watching proceedings by video camera from Hocking Correctional Facility in southern Ohio.
The two-hour hearing was very focused on the fine lines of his legal efforts to get a new trial. Judge Gene Zmuda questioned prosecutor Dean Mandros and defense attorneys Rick Kerger and John Donahue over important legal points that for lay persons sounded like a law school symposium. But of course this is the American system at work, and the weight of the arguments and the ultimate decision by Judge Zmuda affect people's lives in profound ways -- not the least of whom is Gerald Robinson. The judge's ruling will determine whether the priest will walk out of prison a free man, or spend the rest of his life condemned behind bars.
* * *
One of the new issues raised in court yesterday was the discovery of an unknown number -- some say 70 -- police reports from the 1980 investigation into Sister Margaret Ann Pahl's murder that had been misfiled.
Dean Mandros said the information contained in those reports was nothing significant, but so far the judge and the defense attorneys have not reviewed the documents. As Rick Kerger said, he is not doubting Mr. Mandros' integrity but he would like to have the opportunity to make his own determination whether the newly discovered police reports are significant.
Mandros told me they did not include notes from police interviews with Father Swiatecki -- whom Robinson's appeals team asserts is the real killer -- nor the interrogations of Father Robinson, of which no copies have been seen since the cold case reopened its investigation in 2003. Those documents may not even exist because there are some who say the police official charged with filling out the paperwork had a habit of letting the reports slide.
* * *
If Judge Zmuda does grant an evidentiary hearing, that does not mean he feels Robinson deserves a new trial, only that more evidence needs to be reviewed and discussed in the case.
He would then decide whether or not to grant a new trial.
* * *
Arguments by the defense attempting to implicate Father Swiatecki have really dredged up some unflattering allegations.
The deceased priest's former housekeeper, Sister Dorothy Marie Balabush, signed an affidavit on Robinson's behalf saying Fr. Swiatecki was an alcoholic with a "hair trigger," a wood carver who collected knives, and that he deliberately left hard-core pornography out for her to see when he she was scheduled to clean his apartment.
* * *
Late last year, the Ohio Innocence Project tested the DNA of Fr. Swiatecki to compare it to DNA found on Sr. Margaret Ann's fingernails. It was not a match.
That does not prove a whole lot because DNA has not played a role in this case, but one Robinson supporter told me recently that he has doubts about whether the DNA really was from Swiatecki. The prosecutors obtained the DNA sample from the hospital, from lab tests when Swiatecki underwent surgery to have a tumor removed.
The sample could have been mislabeled, the Robinson support suggested.
The only way to be sure would be to exhume the dead priest's body and obtain a new DNA sample.
While it is possible that a lab specimen could be mislabeled, I would consider that a longshot. But then again this is a case full of longshots.
* * *
The gallery at the hearing yesterday was fairly small but there were some Robinson devotees there, including a trio of blue-haired ladies and a couple who are close friends and attended every day of the 2006 trial.

Here is a link to the article that ran today.

* * *
Robinson looked more attentive at yesterday's hearing than he did at his trial in 2006. He looked at the camera, seemed to show interest, and you could see some facial expressions in reaction to testimony.
During the murder trial, he stared blankly, with virtually no expression on his face, almost the entire time. He even seemed to doze off periodically. Many observers thought he was taking some kind of mood-altering drugs or some sedatives, but I've been told by his defense attorneys that was not the case.

You're probably wondering where I've been lately. My usually endless meanderings have been few and far between the last few weeks.
The reason is simply that I am working new, later hours and have several additional duties at work and the combination of the extra work and the weird schedule have crimped my blogging time.
In addition, I am working on my novel fairly diligently in the mornings.
But as I settle into this world in which craziness and stress are "the new normal," I pledge to get my blog back into high gear.
So we've got some catching up to do.
* * *
Here are a few quick thoughts...
Did you see President Obama's State of the Union address? I watched the whole thing and was disappointed. He made a strong point that he is trying to do away with politics as usual and build unity and respect among both parties, then he proceeded to blame most of the nation's woes on his Republican predecessor. Sounded like doublespeak to me.
The man is brilliant and a good orator but his approval ratings are dropping fast and he sounded to me like someone who wants to point fingers at everyone else while patting himself on the back. I guess that's politics as usual in the White House.
* * *
Did you watch "Hope for Haiti Now" on the tube last weekend? It was a nice effort and last thing I heard was it raised $57 million -- probably more by now. We pledged what we could. That nation has been in dire straits for decades and that terrible earthquake pushed it over the edge.
I was extremely disappointed in the performance by Bono and the Edge of U2 with Jay-Z. Bono was reduced to a background singer as Jay-Z rapped in the main spotlight. It was a song I would never, ever buy or listen to. As much as I respect and appreciate Paul & Dave, they could have stayed home and mailed it in.
Some of the performances that night were terrific, particularly Neil Young and Dave Matthews as a duo, and Bruce Springsteen did a nice job on "We Shall Overcome." Jennifer Hudson's interpretation of "Let It Be" was beautifully done, although I question whether the lyrics are appropriate for a disaster relief benefit ("let it be" in Haiti?).
To my surprise, I thought the best performance of the night was Madonna's "Like a Prayer."
* * *
It was 3 degrees in Toledo when I woke up this morning. Yikes. That's getting downright chilly. I wish I was in Florida right now, with my brother and friends who are heading to Daytona for their annual prilgrimage to the Rolex 24 Hours auto race. I've gone a few times in recent years and it's great to witness men (and women) and their machines in such a grueling contest. But it's more fun just hanging out with Rick, Peter, Duane, Roland, Randy, Justin, Adrian, Mike, and the rest of the motley crew.
* * *
Have you been watching "American Idol"? Don't you just love the early rounds with all the weirdos, wackos, and no-talent wannabes? This year gave us "Pants on the Ground" and one contestant led away in handcuffs. What fun!
* * *
Among my current jumble of books I'm reading is Dean Koontz's Sole Survivor. He had a powerful line in it about a guy who grew up Catholic (Koontz is Catholic). I don't have it in front of me but it went pretty much like this: "He went to church with his parents faithfully, but without faith."