Editor & Publisher: Any comments, serious or humorous, about these three major 2005 journalism stories: Massive layoffs at newspapers. The "Plamegate" leak case. "Pundit payola" to conservative syndicated columnists.

Dave Barry: 1. The newspaper layoffs are just depressing. 2. I tried to follow "Plamegate," but it turned out to be WAY more complicated than calculus, so I gave up around the time they indicted "Scooter," whoever "Scooter" is. But I do feel that, if we're going to be throwing journalists in jail, there is no excuse not to at least make an effort to get Geraldo. 3. I think paying pundits is a terrible, terrible thing, unless for some reason I get back into punditry, in which case I will be all for it.