Wow, such a lot to contemplate in recent days...

The over-arching issue is, of course, the announcement of a new daily newspaper; i (apparently it is supposed to be in italics, as all modern titles should be, naturally, as a single, italicised letter clearly means cutting edge and new).

It's going to cost us 20p and from what I can gather, is intended to give us all of our news, in a deep enough format to make it interesting, yet still take something like 25 seconds to read in order to fit in with our hectic lifestyles.

So which is it? Is it the Metro? Or simply a butchered Indy? Either way, it'll be interesting to see whether it can challenge the early-morning dominance of the free, unitalicised, Metro.

The most ironic journalism news of the week however could only go to one issue. Newsquest.

Our esteemed friends from across the pond, at parent company Gannett, have really put their feet in said pond with comments made last week.

Gracia Martore, president and CEO (you have to say that with an American accent don't you?), is reported to have said: "Let me once and for all dispel the myth that Newsquest doesn't make money.

"Newsquest makes a lot of money. In fact, their margin, as I have said a couple times, is consistent with the margin that our local US Community Publishing operations generate.

"So their margins are in the high teens to low 20s and they have consistently made money throughout the years."

Oh right, well, that's okay then! If you're so chuffed Gracia, why not reward your staff? Oh, my mistake, you have, in the form of a 20% pay rise to one "top earning director" (believed to be Newsquest chief executive Paul Davidson).

The irony, of course, came in the form of a news story published in the hours following this brilliant news from the US regarding Newsquest, that jobs were to go as two new subbing hubs were being created in southern England, including shipping The Argus subs from Brighton to Southampton.

And which company is responsible for this? Newsquest of course, who are so good at making money.

While we're at it, I would urge Newsquest to issue a statement addressing the concerns of many friends of mine who work for that group, which is clearly so successful, on why there is a group-wide pay freeze which clearly, if we are to believe Gracia, only runs up to the buffers of "top earning directors".

Clearly, this is a cleverly-worded piece of super-jargon that is so clever and cunning that none of us will realise no journalist will ever have a cat in hell's chance of getting such a rise because when would one ever be a "top earning director".

It's enough to make you puke isn't it?

Financial Dis-union

In recent weeks, a story has done the rounds in the national and regional press regarding the salaries of the top men at various trade unions.

Basically, the story informs us that despite fighting for the working man, day-in, day-out, 38 union bosses take home salaries in excess of £100,000 per year.

And I have to agree with the TaxPayers' Alliance that thisis a bit of a fuckin scandal. While I appreciate the money doesn't come from taxpayers, it does seem a touch hypocritical no that these chaps are happy to order their members out on strike, costing them desperately-needed cash, while their own salaries are of course, not affected in the slightest?

On the day this story broke, I also listened in to a radio interview with one of these union bosses, who was most indignant about the fact he was being challenged on his salary.

Well fuck me.

As the story says, the average salary of a civil servant is £22,850. Their union chief, Mark Serwotka, earns £111,112.

Disgraceful.

Even taking into account his position and responsibilities, the difference there is outrageous.

And, given what the average salary is for a journalist, is it any fuckin surprise that these guys do not get a lot of sympathy from the press?

Just spare a thought, union chiefs, when you are issuing your rallying calls for those in the public sector to walk out and demand more cash, that the poor fucker in the suit running around writing down the crap coming out of your mouth is probably earning a lot less than the average civil servant, has run out from an office that has become 50% emptier in recent years and has to combine three jobs, which is why he is fishing around for a camera while talking to you.

And our salaries AREN'T paid by the taxpayer either.

Cheeky feckers.