How well it had suited me, that absolute license to march up to evildoers and demand who, what, where, when and why?

Exposing corruption, brandishing truth.

They had holes to fill on every page and jammed in any vaguely newsworthy string of words provided it didn't include expletives, which they were apparently saving for their own use around the office.

As touchy as cabaret performers and as stubborn as factory machinists....

Ah well, to the journalist every country is rich.

As a rule there is one thing you can always count on in our job — popularity. There are plenty of disadvantages I grant you, but you are liked and respected. Ring people up any hour of the day or night, butt into their houses uninvited make them answer a string of damn fool questions when they want to do something else — they like it. Always a smile and the best of everything for the gentlemen of the Press.