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2026-01-27-the-review-10

10 min read

2026-01-27 - Create Newspaper

Context

Goal

Today we’re going to use our graphic design skills to create a custom newspaper. We’ve been working on content and making sure we’re ready to go with layout, let’s finish this up. I think if we try we can do a bit better.

This newspaper will be dated 2026-01-27 Please be sure to update both the date and the day of the week where appropriate

The input for today is either down below in the input section or part the ongoing chat we’ve been having. It’ll vary.

I like what we have but I want to double-check to make sure it’s the best we can do. Try to use as harsh a critical eye in terms of layout that you can.

Note: I’d like to have custom images or infographics for each article. Do that if you can. You should have already done this. If you can’t, leave a placeholder in the markdown and I’ll figure something out.

If you skipped doing pencil sketches of each of the pro and con links, at least do a few of them. I need to know what they might look like.

The content is below followed by the style guide.

Because this job has a lot of moving pieces, you’ll probably want to break it up into small chunks so that you can pick things back up from where you left them if you timeout or in some other way are unable to continue. One idea is that you can create the html file in a more manageable way by breaking it into parts and then assembling. Work in very small parts.

The newspaper title should be in the yaml up above as newspaper-name, and whatever slug you have as an overall pitch for the paper today should be put into any yaml that I download.

I want three deliverables: a pdf, a static, stand-alone web page (with as much stuff as you can embed in there), and an Obsidian markdown for my PIM. For the markdown, be sure to try to cover all of the tags that might be appropriate

Files should be either downloadable from here and/or placed in our shared file space. For now I don’t care where at in the file space. If you don’t have the ability to either provide a download link here or put the finished product somewhere I can download, let me know and let me know what I can do to fix that.

If we can’t share files, try this: make a huge static html file that has all the graphics and whatnot I wanted. It should be completely stand-alone and viewable in all its detail in a browser without an internet connection pointed at a html file on a usb stick. Try that and I’ll see if I like it or not. SVGs and other blobs should be base64 encoded and put in as part of the file. Don’t skip them.

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2026-01-27

Daily Newspaper Style Guide

This style guide ensures consistency across all editions of the daily newspaper. It applies to both human editors and large language models (LLMs) during the final polishing stage, after core content (articles, headlines, images, etc.) has been drafted. The goal is to maintain a professional, readable, and uniform appearance, fostering reader trust and brand recognition. Adhere strictly to these rules unless overridden by specific editorial decisions.

1. Overall Structure and Layout

  • Edition Header (Masthead): Every edition must start with a centered masthead block including:
    • Volume and issue details, day, date, and price in uppercase, small caps or equivalent, on one line (e.g., “VOL. I, NO. 47 • SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 • PRICE: ONE MOMENT OF ATTENTION”), centered, in 10-12pt font.
    • Newspaper name in bold, uppercase, large font (e.g., 48pt), split across two lines if needed (e.g., “THE GLOBAL” on first line, “CONNECTOR” on second), centered.
    • Tagline in quotes, italic, below the name (e.g., “Tracing the threads that hold the world together—before they snap”), centered, in 14pt font.
    • A horizontal rule (---) below the masthead for separation.
    • Example in markdown approximation: 
      VOL. I, NO. 47 • SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 • PRICE: ONE MOMENT OF ATTENTION
THE GLOBAL
CONNECTOR
*"Tracing the threads that hold the world together—before they snap"*
---
  • Note that this is just an example. The actual title is “The Review” and the prices is dynamically, and hopefully humorously, created based on the content.
  • Background and Visual Style: Aim for a newspaper-like background in digital formats (e.g., light beige or subtle paper texture via CSS if possible; in plain markdown, note as a design instruction for rendering).
  • Sections: Organize content into a themed newsletter format rather than rigid categories. Start with an introductory article, followed by 4-6 main stories, and end with an editorial. Each story should stand alone but tie into the edition’s theme.
    • Introductory article: Begins immediately after masthead, with a main headline in bold, title case.
    • Main stories: Each starts with a bold headline, followed by a subheadline in italic.
    • Editorial: Labeled as “EDITORIAL” in uppercase, bold, with its own headline.
    • Separate sections with ❧ ❧ ❧ or similar decorative dividers.
    • Limit total content to 2000-3000 words for a daily edition.
  • Page Breaks/Flow: In digital formats, use markdown or HTML breaks for readability. Aim for a “print-like” flow: no more than 800-1000 words per “page” equivalent. Use drop caps for the first letter of major articles.
  • Footer: End every edition with:
    • A horizontal rule.
    • Production Note: A paragraph explaining the collaboration between human and AI, verification process, and encouragement of skepticism (e.g., “Production Note: This edition… Your skepticism remains appropriate and encouraged.”).
    • Coming Next: A teaser for the next edition (e.g., “Coming Next Week: [Theme]—examining [details]. Also: [additional hook].”).
    • Copyright notice: ”© 2026 [Newspaper Name]. All rights reserved.”
    • Contact info: “Editor: [Name/Email] | Submissions: [Email]“.
    • No page count; end with a clean close.

2. Typography and Formatting

  • Fonts (for digital/print equivalents):
    • Headlines: Serif font (e.g., Times New Roman or Georgia), bold, 18-24pt.
    • Subheadlines: Serif, italic, 14-16pt.
    • Body Text: Serif, regular, 12pt.
    • Captions/Quotes: Sans-serif (e.g., Arial or Helvetica), 10pt, italic.
    • Use markdown equivalents: # for main headlines, for sections, bold for emphasis, italic for quotes/subtle emphasis.
  • Drop Caps: Introduce new articles or major sections with a drop cap for the first letter (e.g., large, bold initial like Welcome). In markdown, approximate with W and continue the paragraph; in rendered formats, use CSS for 3-4 line height drop.
  • Headlines:
    • Main article headlines: Capitalize major words (title case), no period at end.
    • Keep to 1-2 lines (under 70 characters).
    • Example: “Everything Is Connected (By Very Fragile Stuff)”
  • Body Text:
    • Paragraphs: 3-5 sentences each, separated by a blank line.
    • Line length: 60-80 characters for readability.
    • Bullet points for lists (e.g., key facts): Use - or * with consistent indentation.
    • Tables: Use markdown tables for data. Align columns left for text, right for numbers.
  • Pull Quotes (Drop Quotes): Insert 1-2 per story, centered, in a boxed or indented block, larger font (14pt), italic, with quotation marks. Place mid-article for emphasis. Example in markdown: 
    > "The tech giants in California scream about latency and 'packet loss,' viewing the outage as a software bug. The ship captain knows the truth: the internet is just a wire in the ocean."
  • Emphasis:
    • Bold (text) for key terms or names on first mention.
    • Italics (text) for book titles, foreign words, or emphasis.
    • Avoid ALL CAPS except in headers.
    • No underlining except for hyperlinks.
  • Punctuation and Spacing:
    • Use Oxford comma in lists (e.g., “apples, oranges, and bananas”).
    • Single space after periods.
    • Em-dashes (—) for interruptions, en-dashes (–) for ranges (e.g., 2025–2026).
    • Block quotes: Indent with > or use italics in a separate paragraph for quotes longer than 2 lines.

3. Language and Tone

  • Style Standard: Follow Associated Press (AP) style for grammar, spelling, and abbreviations.
    • Numbers: Spell out 1-9, use numerals for 10+ (except at sentence start).
    • Dates: “Jan. 12, 2026” (abbreviate months when with day).
    • Titles: “President Joe Biden” on first reference, “Biden” thereafter.
    • Avoid jargon; explain acronyms on first use (e.g., “Artificial Intelligence (AI)”).
  • Tone: Neutral, factual, and objective for news stories, with a witty, reflective edge. Editorial may be more opinionated but balanced. Overall voice: Professional, concise, engaging—aim for a reading level of 8th-10th grade. Use direct address like “dear reader” in intros.
  • Length Guidelines:
    • Introductory article: 250-500 words.
    • Main stories: 450-750 words each.
    • Editorial: 400-800 words.
    • Avoid fluff; prioritize who, what, when, where, why, how, with thematic connections.
  • For Further Reading: Perspectives: At the end of each story and editorial, include a “FOR FURTHER READING: PERSPECTIVES” section. Use PRO (green box) and CON (red box) for balanced views. Each entry: Bold label (PRO or CON), title in quotes, source with hyperlink. Approximate boxes in markdown with code blocks or tables; in rendered formats, use colored backgrounds (e.g., light green for PRO, light red for CON). Example: 
    FOR FURTHER READING: PERSPECTIVES
**PRO** "Why Governments Must Control Cable Repair" — Parliament UK Joint Committee Report  
Source: [publications.parliament.uk](https://publications.parliament.uk) (September 2025)
**CON** "Sabotage Fears Outpace Evidence" — TeleGeography Analysis  
Source: [blog.telegeography.com](https://blog.telegeography.com) (2025)

4. Images and Media

  • Placement: Insert images after the first or second paragraph of relevant articles. Use 1-2 per article max. No images in this example, but if used, tie to stories (e.g., maps for cables, illustrations for AI). Preference is given to artful info-graphic style images, but simple colored tables or other graphics will work if nothing is available and you can’t create one.
  • Formatting:
    • Size: Medium (e.g., 400-600px wide) for main images; thumbnails for galleries.
    • Alignment: Center with wrapping text if possible.
    • In text-based formats, describe images in brackets: [Image: Description of scene, credit: Source].
  • Captions: Below images, in italics, 1-2 sentences. Include credit (e.g., “Photo by Jane Doe / Reuters”).
  • Alt Text (for digital): Provide descriptive alt text for accessibility (e.g., “A bustling city street during rush hour”).
  • Usage Rules: Only relevant, high-quality images. No stock photos unless necessary; prefer originals or credited sources.

5. Editing and Proofing Checklist

Before finalizing:

  • Consistency Check: Ensure all sections follow the structure. Cross-reference dates, names, facts, and thematic ties.
  • Grammar/Spelling: Run through a tool like Grammarly or manual review. Use American English (e.g., “color” not “colour”).
  • Fact-Checking: Verify claims with sources; add inline citations if needed (e.g., [Source: Reuters]).
  • Readability: Read aloud for flow. Break up dense text with subheads, pull quotes, or bullets.
  • LLM-Specific Notes: If using an LLM for polishing, prompt with: “Apply the style guide to this draft: [insert content]. Ensure consistency in structure, tone, formatting, including drop caps, pull quotes, and perspectives sections.”
  • Variations: Minor deviations allowed for special editions (e.g., holidays), but document changes. This guide should be reviewed annually or as needed. For questions, contact the editor-in-chief. By following these rules, each edition will maintain a polished, predictable look that readers can rely on.

A static html, a pdf, and a markdown file suitable for obsidian are required.

These files should be named in the format of YYYY-MM-DD-todays-newspaper

Be sure the pros and cons are links that take the user to the actual essay in case they want to research more. Make sure any PDFS don’t have a black background. Sometimes gradient scaling doesn’t work correctly. could you please create and insert appropriate infographics for each of these files? We’re almost done, and it’s time to see what kinds of coolness we can use in each of these placeholders. For clarity and overall organization, let’s make the graphics for obsidian an attachments folder under the main vault. That’s where I’m putting all the other graphics I’m using.

Background

Relevant context, prior work, and constraints

Success Criteria

How will you know when this is done well?

Failure Indicators

Warning signs that things are going wrong

Input

What do you need to start? Dependencies, materials, information

Output

What will you produce? Deliverables, artifacts, decisions

Work Area

Log

  • 2026-01-26 18:17 - Created

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