Thom Watch

Richard Connelly has noticed that Thom Marshall has been making a point of writing about his efforts to rustle up news in the city of Houston, since the Chron's new editor suggested that he would like reporting to be more vigorous than rewriting faxed press releases (good luck!).

Neither the prose nor the subjects of Thom's columns have shown any improvement, but by gawd, every column makes a point of letting the readers know he's out there REPORTING, damnit (as Connelly puts it). Here's the latest:

I dropped by his place Monday evening and called him from the locked complex entrance at the arranged time. Took him quite awhile to get there. He walked as though he didn't feel well. When he talked he sounded as though he didn't feel well. An approaching thunderstorm had taken the hot edge off the day, but Hashmi was sweating like a lunchtime jogger.

We went around back of his place for a look at the $100,000-plus window unit. Nothing unusual.

I've been inspired by Connelly to make the Thom Watch a regular feature, because it's important to keep track of just how much the potted plant of a columnist is out rustling up the news of the day. Or at least making it seem that way.

[Posted at 23:12 CST on 08/06/02] [Link]