News and politics site Salon.com is "exploring opportunities to merge with or be acquired by another company." I've got eighteen dollars in my wallet. Anyone want to go in with me? Ten bucks'll get you the advice columnist position!

Crazy old racist Dr. Laura Schlessinger is making a return to radio in January after leaving her show over an n-word laden rant back in August. Dr. Laura has reportedly signed a multi-year deal with Sirius XM Radio. [THR]

Rupert Murdoch is putting $30 million and 100 journalists behind an iPad newspaper called "The Daily." He even has support from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. But no one really believes this thing will last. Here's why.

In your vacation-ready Wednesday media column: Jon Meacham's really nice, Cathie Black's tentative future, Howard Stringer's name gaffe, Glenn Greenwald vs. The Nation, and very fine hackery.

Ron Spears, the advertising director at fairly-priced free newspaper AM New York, was arrested last week for trying to strangle his girlfriend.

In your traditional Tuesday media column: a new racket for News Corp, a new editor at Men's Journal, a new features editor at the NY Daily News, a new name for Medill J-school

Help us understand this big scandal in India: journalists were caught "having inappropriate conversations with a corporate lobbyist and acting more like power brokers." Huh. In America we give journalists prime editorial columns for that! Thomas Friedman's stumped. [WaPo]

Simple-minded Alaskan nature guide Sarah Palin told unbiased journalist Sean Hannity that she won't bother speaking to biased interviewers like Katie Couric, whose biased questions about what newspapers Palin reads are biased. After all, Sarah Palin is a journalist.

The Newspaper Guild, the union that represents New York Times newsroom employees, has been struck with a stiff fee for using meeting rooms in the NYT's own headquarters! A corporate snub? The tactics are getting dirty. Fortunately, this gives you an opportunity to read this pleasing two-sentence combo: "The easy-to-find hall is on the second floor on the 40th Streetside of the terminal, next to Drago's Shoe Repair. (Use the Port Authority entrance near the Ralph Kramden statue.)" Full email to members about the scandalous dirty dealing, below!

More Americans think 9/11 was an inside job than oppose naked X-ray screenings at airports. But the ones who oppose the X-rays happen to have access to your televisions and computers, so America is freaking out about the TSA.

Newt Gingrich, who is still pretending to consider a presidential run, is laying down primary ground rules: No Republican debates moderated by Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann again! Not that there was a first time, necessarily. But still!

In your penniless Monday media column: TONY freelancers say they're being stiffed, NPR is afraid of the public's emails, The Daily may have to fight for its name, and Whoopi vs. O'Reilly, round two.

Quadrangle Group, which was not long ago America's most prominent media-focused private equity firm, is folding (in its current form, at least). The reason for its downfall is the same man largely responsible for its success: Steven Rattner.

We all knew Harvey Levin's TMZ pays people to leak information to them, as recently fired L.A. County Superior Court spokesman has been accused of doing. But their real secret? Just plant a staffer on the courthouse payroll. [Update below]

Two more recruits to The Daily News Corp's iPad news project: Hunter Walker (formerly of The Wrap) to the gossip beat; and, we hear, former sextacular NY Post-ie and current UrbanDaddy editor Justin Rocket Silverman. Woo.

MSNBC, just to put itself on the record as "consistent," has suspended Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough for the same reason it suspended Keith Olbermann: Political donations without advance approval. Interestingly, Politico, where Scarborough writes a column, instigated the suspension.

In your finally Friday media column: Katie Couric rebukes the Today show, rumors of payment problems at Time Out NY, magazine ad pages are up modestly, and Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck lose Philly, and morning television funneez.

Literally nothing in this world (except pudding) currently interests Rupert Murdoch more than the ongoing development of News Corp's tablet-computer-centric daily publication The Daily. Murdoch plans to achieve preemptive dominance in iPad journalism. Today: details—of the future!

Toadlike Fox News mastermind Roger Ailes has always been thought of as an evil genius—even his detractors admire his media-savvy PR brilliance. It's not true. In fact, he's an isolated old man whose anger has driven him insane.

In your packed Thursday media column: Jeff Bewkes hides in plain sight, News Corp's looking to poach from the NYDN, the decline of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, AMI's bankrupt, and Vice comes to MTV.