Wednesday, May 28, 2008 -- 1:57 p.m. -- at my desk

Remember when "Steve Jobs" appeared on Saturday Night Live to talk about the iPhone. That fake news was funny! What you are about to read? Not so much.

I've mentioned what we in the journalism business call slow news days ... where there's just nothing happening.

Some days, though, those slow news days lead to really irresponsible journalism.

Here are some examples that just make me scratch my head in total confusion.

1. Headline: Workers Falling to Death from Cell Towers: Fast 'n' Furious 3G Rollout to Blame?
Yep. A popular site put together a "story" about 6 cell phone workers dying within the last 5 weeks and half of them working on AT&T projects. So the story ponders whether or not the rush to roll out 3G is to blame. We find out later that professionals who do these kinds of projects say it's done on the ground. Regardless of where it's done, I can't think of anything more insulting to AT&T and to the families of the people who died in the line of duty.

2. Subheadline: $199 iPhone coming
A source tells a Web site that has zero reliability from past predictions that AT&T is going to charge $199 for a subsidized iPhone. It appears in the same story with this headline: AT&T: Still No Decisions on iPhone 3G Pricing/Plans. The source's name in that story is reportedly Imagen A. Tion, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.

3. Headline: Leaked photos of new iPhones:No, this isn't the story about Griffin and the plastic molds on a Chinese Web site. That could be legit. This is the ongoing story that appears every three days about a supposed white iPhone and the blurry pictures of what's clearly a current iPhone in a case. As I've said over and over again ... the only way you are going to see a photo of a 3G iPhone before Steve takes it out of his pocket is if some Web site or tester makes a mistake. That mistake would cause Steve to blow his lid like a volcano. Seriously, like a real volcano. So it's not happening.

4. Real headline (from Scott): No new details today on next iPhone:We know nothing more today than we did yesterday. We can guess that Steve will take this phone out of his pocket when he addresses WWDC in June. We also have a list of countries that have signed distribution deals for the new iPhone, but that's all the news we have right now.

Truth is, making up stories like these other sites won't get you the iPhone any faster. While I would love to have a million hits on my blog a day, I'll never do it at your expense.

Thanks for calling.

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I guess the Mac OS X rolling out with iPhone 2.0 rumors are put to a rest also. Some of the rumors (like 2 and 3) are too good to be true. Most likely in 11 days at WWDC the rumors will be put to rest. We are going to be SO BORED with less rumors.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Oh, we won't be bored, Jake. 2 hours after the iPhone 3G comes out, the first rumors about the next generation iPhone will be out. Trust me. It's a given.

i forgot to at the 10.5.3 to the end of Mac OS X, my bad

SCOTT'S REPLY: Ok. thanks.

Amusing! Soon we're all going to be telling more journalist jokes than lawyer jokes. And now that you've brought up Steve's legendary active volcano lid, I've been curious to know if that aspect of his personality bothers any of your readers. I know it bothers me and is frankly a reason my image of Apple is not top-notch. Just doesn't make me feel good to support a company that condones such infantile behavior. I know some will rationalize by pointing out how well the situation seems to be working, but that sort of ends justifying means is not convincing to me. Must we insist on living in a world where nice guys finish last? I hope not.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Michael brings up an excellent topic for conversation -- are you bothered in any way by Steve Jobs' legendary temper? I understand that some people react in a certain way. I would imagine working for him to be stressful since he seems like he likes things very specific. But I'd be most curious to know what you all think about that. Thanks for pushing this to the next level, Michael.

:(

You suck!

SCOTT'S REPLY: (EDITED) Apparently, Jim didn't mean that I suck, suck. Turns out, Jim used to live in the same town that I did. Small world.

Come on Scott, you must have a bit of a bent towards a little satire or faux iPhone news. There's enough fanatical iPhone news to poke fun at sideways. Here's an outrageous one you missed (I'm sure thre are plenty more).

SCOTT'S REPLY: Thanks, Seth.

Scott:

I personally don't care how much of a temper Steve Jobs has or how hard it may be to work for him. He can steal candy from babies for all I care. All I care about him is ability to create these gems (especially the iPhone)! Maybe he can be an ass because he's a perfectionist. I just want him to keep making great stuff!

As for this fellow (Jim)... he thinks you suck because you have all the qualities that he doesn't... honesty, integrity, excitement, etc. Forget him, Scott. He's just jealous that so many of us read your blog and think you're great. Just keep up the good work.

Now get back to work and find us some new news about the 3G iPhone!

Jeff

SCOTT'S REPLY: Jeff, that was a nice comment. Thanks!

Here's a thought for you Americans in election mode. Maybe Steve could pair up with Senator McCain. The terrible temperamental twins!!
Just having a bit of fun, of course, Scott. I'm sure Steve's temper is no worse than yours or mine - just much more high-profile.
Keep giving out the titbits of info. We news-hungry surfers need our daily diet. Even when there's no news you manage to keep us satisfied. Way to go, man!
I wonder if we 'old' iPhone users will become second class citizens to the Next Gen users??? I hope not. Only got my 'iToy'in March. Please, newbies, give me until year's end, at least....
Sorry, a little bit of pre-launch panic set in there.

SCOTT'S REPLY: LOL. The panic is to be expected, Sidric. Don't worry. I don't think it's a case of classes in terms of one phone vs. another. At some point though, the harsh reality is that the old will be phased out with the new. It's just a part of technology. But for now, whichever iPhone you have will be a cool iPhone.

hahahahahah!

lol, owned Jim. Thanks Scott, you just made my day :P

SCOTT'S REPLY: Well, I try, Matt ... but I got an e-mail from him this morning -- I wrote him to ask why I suck -- and it was a nice response. So gotta say ... Jim is a confusing character.

SCOTT'S REPLY2: Not that confusing. We chatted. Jim is OK with me!

Just my .02 cents worth regarding Steve Jobs temper. I believe Bill Gates also was legendary for his dismissive remarks (that's the dumbest thing I ever heard!), as are probably most top people.
Perhaps it is part of the personality required to achieve this position, and partly most people need some fear to perform. I remember in my own job I had a boss who liked to challenge people and demand to know this and that. It made me a better worker because I did not want to say "I don't know". Perhaps even at the Triibune you might see a curmudgeon or two, no?

SCOTT'S REPLY: LOL on the curmudgeons at the Tribune. Oh and believe me, I believe in challenging employees ... it's just the way you are perceived and how you deal with people that makes a difference no matter where you work or what you do. Personally, I believe I would get along great with Steve Jobs.

Jim is perceptive, I must say. I didn't gather as much from your blog! I do know, however, that my 7 month old sucks a lot. That's how she gets acquainted with things around her. She also blows and reeks at times. But I know these things by spending time with her, not from her blog! Getting back to the topic, I don't know if Steve does any of these things, but I have seen others who have temper tantrums at work suck, blow, and reek literally and figuratively.

SCOTT'S REPLY: That made me laugh, Michael. Nice.

Jim probably meant that users of Apple products suck in general. I mean really, iPhone and iPod users are pretty much sheep to Apple's products, always buying the latest iPod/Phone so they can remain trendy with all the other worthless iPod/Phone using sheep.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Baaaaaaaa, Andrea. Baaaaaaaaaaa, says the proud sheep.

My new I phone 3G dials without commands & I don't know it happened untill the dialed # calls back & asks if I called them. I check their # if it was dialed by error from my phone & it doesn't
show. It shows an incoming call on their phone.
They can hear me talking/Walking ...There is an OPEN LINE
THIS is embarrassing...

SCOTT'S REPLY: Are you being serious or just having fun with the fake and false news post?

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