Criticism is easy.  We should know, right?  It’s much easier than coming up with original material that at least passes for and is packaged as journalism.

How easy?  In his blog Certain Speculation, CB Hackworth demonstrates that criticism can be effectively delivered by a four-legged critter with a brain the size of a walnut and no computer skills.  This week, Hackworth unveiled his new media critic, a tabby named KC.

Hackworth has done some more serious analysis of the AJC’s new look.  In this piece, he’s actually got a kind word for Sunday’s front page layout and content.  In this piece, he notes that some of the folks responsible for the new layout have already been moved off the payroll.  (Hackworth also writes with shameless affection for the Star Trek franchise, something we’ve always kinda kept in the closet….)

The bloodletting at the AJC hits home when longtime readers view a list of those recently departed, as published in Mitch Leff’s blog / newsletter (Leff is trying to avoid a mistake that helped sink the newspaper industry– you gotta pay to read his stuff online.  We re-print this with his permission).  The list is ghastly.  The “Pearls Before Swine” comic at the end is genius — again, lifted from Certain Speculation.

• Rick Addicks
• Nancy Albritton
• Jim Auchmutey – working on a book and other writing projects. 29 years with the paper.
• Kevin Austin
• Moni Basu – Going to work at CNN
• Steve Beatty – moving back to New Orleans
• Wendell Brock
• Tasgola Bruner
• Celine Bufkin
• Mary Civille
• Brenda Coglianese
• Larry Conley
• Holly Crenshaw
• Michael Dabrowa
• David Deckert
• Lea Donosky
• Kevin Duffy
• Gerdeen Dyer
• Joe Earle
• Sandy Eckstein
• Ginny Everett
• Louis Favorite
• Ron Feinberg
• Vivian Flagg
• Cathy Fox
• Clark Freeman
• Phil Gast
• Steve Harvey
• Robin Henry
• John Hollis
• Joey Ivansco
• Drew Jubera
• Phil Kloer
• Mike Knobler – going to law school
• Montse Knowlton
• Pat Koester
• Conni Lawson
• George Leite
• Donna Lewis
• Rachel Lister
• Derrick Mahone
• Andy Miller
• Terence Moore
• Sonia Murray
• Doug Nurse – 12 years with the paper
• Thomas Oliver – (4-19) Oliver now says he’ll continue writing his Sunday biz column.
• Evelyn Amaya-Ortega
• Michael Pearson
• Kay Powell
• John Reiter
• Susan Reu
• Frank Rizzo
• Holly Roseberry
• Pierre Ruhe
• Jennifer Ryan
• Chip Saye
• Paul Shea
• Stacy Shelton
• David Simpson
• Ben Smith
• Jim Smith
• Kim Smith
• Lewis Sturm
• Ron Taylor
• Jerome Thompson
• David Tulis
• Chuck Turlington
• Melissa Turner
• Steve Valk
• Omar Vega
• Reagan Walker
• Harold Weaver
• Gayle White
• Janine Williams
• Schauna Wright