I'M DEAD, BITCH! Singer Rick James dies at age 56.


CONVENTIONAL WISDOM: Slate has a scathing commentary on the media coverage of the Unity journalism convention. The piece wonders whether the Post will "return to the Washington Convention Center for the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (Feb. 25-26, 2005)." Of course, to the Post's credit, I doubt John Kerry and President Bush will be speaking at that event.

And speaking of speaking, Poynter's Unity blog talks about the appropriateness of cheering Kerry (or, I guess, Bush) when they speak to a group of journalists. The suggestion is that journalists must - always - remain outwardly impartial. (You know, unless they are on cable television.)


IN OTHER NEWS: Steve Wynn's new Las Vegas resort managed to land the only "touring" show for Avenue Q... and Michael Eisner took the wraps off a new Disney computer line targeted at kids. I guess he figures that if Steve Jobs can make hit movies...