State of the Union Address

First of all, I'd like to thank you for your letters of support and letting us know that you too will miss Ben Auburn.

Secondly, I'd like to thank you, the readers for sticking with us more than three years now. I said it 39 months ago and I'm sticking by my story, as always: No one is Sexier than You.

Except maybe the Smug staff. I think it's good every once in a while to drop the publication facade and remind you this is still an independent advertising free publication put together by people who genuinely care about putting out quality product for the readers. We have had opportunities to sell out, co brand, run banners, join networks and we've passed on them not because we think selling out is inherently evil at all times, but because we don't believe that anyone else will care about Smug as much as we do.

Scout Finch joined Smug last month with his Field Recordings column, which is interviews with people just the other side of ordinary. The first one, an interview with artist Steve Briscoe appeared last month, and the column will join our regular monthly lineup.

Josh Allen lovingly retired Back Issues and has moved into new territory with Decomposing, taking pop lyrics apart and exposing them at their spiritual and intellectual essence.

And of course, all the other columns are still here.

Now, that being said, you must be asking yourself, hey, what do those glamorous and mysterious Smug staffer do when they're not sweating bullets of every phoneme of my monthly media and culture meta fix? What are their hobbies, passions, what did they eat for dinner last Thursday when I was eating some freezer burned Lean Cuisine and cursing at the neighbor's dog? Where else can I do research to find out if [insert name of favorite Smug columnist here] is really truly the one? I can help. Below is a list of the columnists and their secret hideaways. (largely in alphabetical order:)

Gregory Alkaitis-Carafelli
works his magic at http://so.anyway.org

Josh Allen
is the proprietor of Fireland Text Products

Todd Levin
bares it all at http://www.tremble.com

Joe Procopio
publishes http://Intrepidmedia.com where you can read more work or listen to his band Brilliant

Brian Thomas
runs the Psychotronic Film Society

Scout Finch
has a band, the Darling Clementines (website pending).

Intern Brianna Privett
owns her name and fills it with love at http://www.brianna.org

Leslie Harpold
is very busy, or at least likes to actthat way.

staff@smug.com

in the junk drawer: