Vox Populi… Squid used to be a patient cephalopod – until Squid realized that incompetence was rapidly rising among the masses. For example, a tipster who recently called the Weekly and said, “Carmel deserves more and better [mayoral] choices than we have. I can do better than a candidate who took the job to have fun,” she continued, presumably referring to sitting Mayor Sue McCloud. “And I can do better than a candidate who drives around in an ugly bus,” most definitely referring to Dogman McBill.

Fair ’nuff. But instead of doing something productive, like, say, pulling the necessary papers and running for mayor, said tipster has decided to “put up posters and campaign” in the final week before the April 8 election. She says her issues are justice and public safety, and… she doesn’t leave her name. Note to candidates: Unless your brain is larger than that of a sea cucumber, Squid’s not gonna vote for you.

The County’s Only Newspaper… Squid may have a reputation as a hard-shelled mollusk, but Squid’s tender heart is easily bruised. Like when Monterey Peninsula College Foundation didn’t invite Squid to the panel of local press honchos who took questions after veteran journalist Carl Bernstein’s March 11 lecture on media ethics. The Squidless panel was made up of current and former editors of daily newspapers, including Monterey County Herald boss lady Carolina Garcia. (The Herald helped underwrite the event, after all.)

Instead of getting into the nuances of source confidentiality or plagiarism or other meaty ethical issues, Garcia said her most difficult newsroom dilemma is how to deal with “the incredible shrinking newspaper” – the loss of revenue, reporters and pages. She questioned whether the paper’s gains in covering diverse communities could be lost “because they’re not seen as consumers.”

Garcia’s confessions that the Herald is cutting costs and catering to people who buy lots of stuff gave Squid goose bumps. Then Garcia said she doesn’t feel competitive pressure in the Herald’s newsroom because the nearest print competition is in another town.

Uh, hello? What about The Salinas Californian and The Carmel Pine Cone? Must Squid point out that the Weekly has a higher circulation than the Herald, scoops it frequently and circulates countywide?

Bernstein pitched in a positive note, saying that many small newspapers are better today than they were in the past. “Particularly weeklies,” he said, to Squid’s delight. The panelists just sat, stone faced. After a pause, Bernstein added less enthusiastically, “and small dailies.” Squid got the sense he was just being polite to the underwriter.