I’m Jim McBee, a writer, editor and publication designer. In my day job, I write medical coding and policy newsletters. For kicks and maybe a living one day, I’m a partner with Randy Foster in Smartnews, a freelance journalism cooperative that provides income and access to markets for writers, photographers, artists and editors, and affordable content for publishers.
I’m also former managing editor of the now-defunct SmartNews, a free, daily newspaper in Fayetteville, N.C. We were a startup, a freebie with dreams of changing and even rescuing our tiny corner of the newspaper world, before it was too late. We thought the door was open for newspapers that had a new business model. We made a helluva run and it was so much fun doing it our way.
And now we’re doing it all over again with a new business model. We’re just recycling the Smartnews name.
SMARTING OFF 
Jim,
That kid should have had his blankety blank tasered. I am tired of these drains on society yelling and screaming nonsense. I am no Kerry supporter, but if the kid had pulled out a gun and shot Kerry, the police would have been accused of reacting too slowly. They subdued a lunatic, rightfully so.
eric aka http://www.blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com
I’ll be linking to you from J-hope. Interested in doing an interview? Email me.
Also, if you get a chance, check out http://www.localjournalism.net – and participate if you have time.