Why the Large-Format Kindle Is Not a Life Raft for Newspapers

Terminal patients often suffer colorful delusions. But none is as cruel as the fantasy Amazon.com has kindled among dying ink-stained wretches, who believe a magical electronic reading device will cure what ails magazines and newspapers. More »

Investigations Don't Require Ink, or Actual Investigation

In your temporarily de-Nolanated Friday media column: Hearst learns that investigations don't require ink, a lefty New York radio station gets locked out, Bill Keller's irony goes unappreciated, and Andrew Sullivan gets some help. More »

Denials: Sharon Stone would like you to know that she would never, ever let her son bogart her Botox! "This week it was reported in connection with Sharon Stone's custody dispute that she wanted to have her young 8 year-old son undergo Botox treatment at this time for his feet," said her attorney Martin Singer to Entertainment Tonight. "Sharon Stone never made this statement. It is a complete fabrication. Sharon loves her son Roan and only wants the best for him." That, Singer added, is why the actress has scheduled a chemical peel for Roan before class pictures. [ET]

Can't a Cool Mom Like Sharon Stone Share Some Botox With Her 8-Year-Old Son?

When Sharon Stone lost custody of her eight-year-old son Roan last week, we were surprised; yes, the actress has had an erratic year that involved blaming "karma tectonics" for the death of 7,000 Chinese, but sole custody is rarely awarded to the father in these cases. Could it have been Stone's new relationship with a greasy 24-year-old that turned the legal tide against her, or was it something more? According to TMZ, which obtained the court's "Tentative Statement of Decision," it was a whole range of factors, though all may pale in comparison to the smoking gun proffered by ex-husband Phil Bronstein: that Stone wanted to Botox her son. More »

Sharon Stone Wants Her Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back…

Sharon Stone lost custody of her 8-year-old son Roan on Tuesday when a San Francisco judge ruled that her ex-husband Phil Bronstein should have “permanent sole physical custody” of the child. But why? Could this be the very same karma that Stone said caused the horrific earthquake in China a few months ago? Surprisingly, it's not nearly that dramatic — the judge didn’t base his decision on Eastern philosophy at all. More »

Angelina Jolie Almost Left Brad Pitt

• Angelina Jolie supposedly threatened to leave Brad Pitt because he was never home at their filthy French chateau with the six kids. God knows why. [Sun]
• Tina Fey got her purse back! Sarah Palin had it. [Showbiz Spy]
• Lindsay Lohan responded to her publicity-seeking father saying Lohan's girlfriend Samantha Ronson was "dark, hideous and... disgusting." Lohan said her dad "obviously needs to be on medication." [P6]
• Sad Hugh Hefner is losing two out of his three "girlfriends." He's still got the married one. [P6]
• Boy George to George Michael: "Get yourself clean." By George, he's right! [Mirror]
• Beverly Hills is too noisy and dense for Britney Spears, and that's just from the Ed McMahon visits. HEY-OH! [E!]
• Sharon Stone lost her adopted son to her ex-husband Phil Bronstein, the newspaper editor. [Sun]

Craig Newmark angles to take Phil Bronstein's livelihood, woman

At the party for Jonathan Zittrain's new book, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop it, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark couldn't settle for destroying San Francisco Chronicle editor-at-large Phil Bronstein's profession — he may be after Bronstein's woman, too:

Craig told my wife she was out of my league. I know that! This is the guy who destroyed newspapers? Master of the obvious. But he's come a long way himself from the days when he was his own best browser in the Craigslist "Missed Connections" section.

(Photo by AP/Benjamin Sklar)

The future of Jonathan Zittrain (and how to stop it)

Really, I wasn't trying to be posh for the book party Arianna Huffington threw Saturday for Oxford scholar Jonathan Zittrain and his new book, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It." I pulled up to Larry Ellison's Pacific Heights manse in a black Town Car because that's the only vehicle I was able to flag down in North Beach. Huffington, the pundit turned blog mogul, greeted me at the door and extracted a promise of my best behavior before allowing me in. (One wonders what these people think my worst behavior might be, and if they realize how tempting living down to their expectations is.) More »

'San Francisco Chronicle' Brings ACTION To Journalism

Now that San Francisco Chronicle editor Phil Bronstein has finished firing a quarter of his staff, he's ready to shake things up at his troubled paper. How's he going to do it? Why, "Journalism of Action"! Tell us more!

Bronstein, who recently finished overseeing the staff cuts that ended with the departure of about 90 people from his 400-person newsroom, met on Thursday with those who will remain and directed them to take the new approach into daily news coverage. "It is more about solutions, helping them understand what they can do about things," he said. "Yes, there are murders in Bayview, and Muni is broken down. But what can you do about it?"

If today's A1 headline ("Stay Out Of Bayview And Buy A Car") is any indication, folks at the Chronicle have already bought into this exciting new plan. More »