Things have been crazy since last I wrote.

My column was bumped last Friday (and eventually crumped--"news-speak" for a piece that is never published despite good intentions) because of The Crimson's extended coverage of the Gina Grant controversy.

It's a nice, but bewildering, experience to be part of an organization that breaks national news.

When reporter Sewell Chan found that Grant's admission was ostensibly rescinded not because she killed her mother but because she lied to her alumni interviewer, people at The Crimson were excited.

Already, Crimson executives had been among the many Harvard students interviewed by national media about the case. And already, information gathered by The Crimson had been "picked-up" by major news organizations across the country.

It was the kind of week dayslotters--news executives responsible for brainstorming and assigning stories each day--dream of.

Reporters were immediately on the trail of the "truth," (I use quotes because few know what that is, really--particularly in this case when so few are talking) using their familiarity with Harvard and its ways to break the administration's steely silence on the issue.

The Crimson was out with the pack of veteran professional journalists following the story, and at many points it was well ahead.

There was a lot to be proud of.

But the week was tainted by a few serious questions. (Beyond those concerning Grant's future--I can't do much about it so I'll save that kind of discussion for page two.)

Perhaps some of those questions were only serious to me, but I suspect there are at least a few curious readers existing somewhere.

I wonder whether The Crimson's community of readers is concerned with the question of when and why those who report the news should make it as well.

I certainly asked myself that question several times last week as I watched Crimson President Andrew Wright explain on national television why Gina Grant should not have remained a Harvard admit.

Certainly Wright did not seek the publicity for himself or for The Crimson--he was invited to speak by dozens of local and national print, radio and TV news outlets.

Whether he should have agreed to do so is an interesting issue.