NYT media columnist David Carr on the carnage in the Manhattan media industry and the incubation of the next generation.

Yes, Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia are horrible places for journalists, but Terry Gould explains why the Philippines are also a shooting gallery.

The Toronto Star's Michelle Sheppard asks whether Amanda Lindhout really knew what she was getting into when she ventured to the lawless country of Somalia -- and ended up being kidnapped and held for 15 months.

From the Globe and Mail:

An American author and broadcaster claims Canadian border officials questioned her about whether she would discuss the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games at a speaking engagement Wednesday evening in Vancouver.

Maziar Bahari, a Canadian journalist employed by Newsweek who was arrested in Iran while covering the election unrest there, spoke with CTV News Channel on Thursday night. You can find the video attached to this CTV.ca story.

He also had a commentary in Thursday's Globe and Mail: Why we have to talk with Tehran.

Here's Bahari's cover story for Newsweek this week: 118 days, 12 hours, 54 minutes

Those were bleak times for Bahari. He was mainly kept in solitary confinement and suffered beatings, interrogations and psychological abuse. He thought seriously about killing himself a few times, but thoughts of his wife and then-unborn daughter pulled him out of it.

The G&M noticed this darkly amusing anecdote in a story, published Monday, based on the Newsweek article:

Al-Jazeera English is coming where Al-Jazeera effectively wasn't allowed -- Canadian TV screens.

From CP via globeandmail.com:

Montreal La Presse took a pair of major steps toward resolving a labour dispute Thursday, which likely ensure the survival of the 125-year-old newspaper.

This CTV.ca story has video attached of Amanda Lindhout being interviewed by CTV News Channel hours after she gained her freedom.

Her release came exactly one month before Christmas (I wrote this on Christmas Eve of last year - Amanda Lindhout still isn't home). This time, she will be home with her family.

But that leaves two cases outstanding:

• Beverly Giesbrecht, a convert to Islam who is being held in northern Pakistan
• blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakhshan, being held in his native Iran

I did a story Tuesday about whether there are any positives to Ontario's coming imposition of a harmonized sales tax.

For the TD's Don Drummond, the HST is a better tax that will help business.

The question is whether the benefits of that will outweigh the higher taxes on some consumer items and some modest overall boost in inflation.

Drummond says yes. What do you think?

The always-excellent Matt Taibbi dissects the dissecting of Sarah Palin as she does the hard slogging of flogging Going Rogue -- although what he says about political reporters is not flattering to them.

Cambodians have become slowly become riveted by the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Comrade Duch, who ran the horrifying Tuol Sleng prison during Khmer Rouge's reign from 1975 to 1979.

From CP via ctvtoronto.ca:

Management at the Toronto Star newspaper has filed formal notice of a plan to contract out newsroom production work and cut 121 jobs in a bid to save more than $4 million a year.

From TheStar.com:

A sharp drop in Wikipedians, the volunteers who write and edit the online encyclopaedia, is a disturbing and inevitable trend, the Toronto man who was once their top contributor said Monday.

Toronto Star writer Tyler Hamilton apologizes on behalf of his craft. He then explains why an apology is due.

Internet thinker Clay Shirky ruminates on how the Internet conveys authority.

The Star reviewed six cut-above burger joints in Toronto. Top of the list: Oh Boy, which opened recently on Queen W. just slightly east of Portland St. (they started working on the space more than a year ago).

But old favourites like Utopia on College St. W. aren't included in the mix. I guess Dangerous Dan's really doesn't qualify as gourmet.

However, the Roxton (on Harbord, just east of Ossington) is reputed to make a great burger, but it's left off, as is Beer Bistro at King E. and Victoria.

Some like Allen's on the Danforth (south side, block or two east of Broadview, great patio!), but I don't count myself as impressed with theirs.

A commenter on the story reminded me that Epicure on Queen W. near Portland also serves up a good burger. Some other pointers from commenters, although not necessarily to gourmet burgers:

• Watermark Lounge in the Radisson Admiral Hotel --- 249 Queens Quay West.
• Sandwich Box on Richmond/Bay
• Mitzi's Sister for lamb burgers
• The Burger Shack, Oriole Parkway/Eglinton
• The Artful Dodger, Isabella/Yonge
• Hair of the Dog, Church/Carlton