Roger's Media Meritocracy Award

My New Year's Resolution was to do more positive stories. So here's one:

NEW YORK The Los Angeles Times dropped the daily version of "Garfield," the most widely distributed comic in syndication.

"Garfield" has received mixed reviews in recent years, but the Times is one of the few papers to ever dare pull it. Reader reaction? "We are getting complaints," said Jennifer James, a Times editorial aide, but she declined to reveal how many.

The Times dropped the daily "Garfield" effective two days ago -- while keeping the Sunday "Garfield" -- to make room for "Brevity," a new comic by Guy Endore-Kaiser and Rodd Perry of United Media (E&P Online, Dec. 9).

Garfield is nearly as bad as Mallard Fillmore. It makes Funky Winkerbean, Drabble and Rose Is Rose look less crappy than they really are. It's the James Lileks of cartoons. It's nice to see some quality control.