The website has not made you toxic, what it has done is give others a back to stand on to further their own careers where they gain a paycheck.

You will have to stop being the nice guy and stop giving these people interviews, even if you KNOW them.

In a world where corrupt doctors make thousands of dollars pimping drugs for pharmaceutical companies on the backs of elderly or mentally ill patients, the most vulnerable people in our society, it is not hard to wonder when things like this happen, if we are just plain nice, with ethics, morals and standards.

Anyway, circle your own wagons, stick to your beliefs and stop putting yourself down, trying to fit into a box is impossible, you have a widely read blog/site here, and it's time for the other people to interview someone else for their paid stories.

I'm glad you wrote this, you need to brag more, seriously, let loose with the credit where credit is due.

Hang in there, Philip. Don't underestimate your own value. This website has changed a lot of people's lives for the better. At some point, you're going to be approached for something big. Something really big.

I think what Philip is trying to say in a roundabout way is that he's tired of living on air and paint fumes. He's been underemployed for three years and has been doing this site in a very underpaid sense as a public service. I think he's tired of starving. At least that's what I read into it.

Most people do write as an outlet or public service, look at it this way, Philip IS being paid, though minimally, and is self-employed, answers to no boss, and has carved out a place in Internet news, which is more than a lot of journalists can say.

The door is open, he has pushed it a long way since he walked away from the Weekly. Building one's own business takes a day and night effort for at least 3 years before cash comes in---same thing here.

If he doesn't give up, his money will double soon enough.

Don't give up!

And stop whining.

Philip,
They are jealous because they haven't the guts to do what you do.
I'm sorry those of you of the mainstream media:
You are a bunch of poodles, to say the least.
And, please, when the time comes for the Real Story don't use the data that Philip has gathered all these years without saying your source.
We are all here to claim who payed the high prize in money but not in dignity, ethics and responsibility.
Journalists should be ashamed of their profession.
I don't trust any media related to any matter any longer.
Keep going Philip, please, we and the new generation that will be poisoned need your work badly!
ongratulations Philip Dawdy!

CONGRATULATIONS.

my keyboard is having problems with capital letters.

Philip,

I know about useless degrees, I too have two useless Masters. You on the other hand, got ones that aren't useless. Who knew in a decade that journalism would change so much? All mine did was made it possible for me to be a contestant on "Jeopardy" when my brain was functioning.

Personally, I don't know what is worse. Doctors pimping for drug money, or other writers without the degree thinking they have it and taking money from Big Pharma. And no, I am not referring to Andy.

Don't give up. We need your voice. All your readers commenting here cannot be wrong, can we?

Philip,

I have 3 and I am found them vastly more useless than you could possibly see yours. You've done so much GOOD for so many - the many voiceless who read but don't post. I can't overstate how helpful and meaningful your site has been to me when I most needed it.

Many kind and fond regards,
Paul

Philip - sorry to hear about more rejection in the job search. It might be the case that you need to turn the tables - don't apply to any job postings; instead, develop a job of an in-depth investigator, figure out what you could do, beyond FS, if only you had some $tability and resources. Maybe you could serve some media firm doing 1. a regular ongoing analysis of the strange public love affairs in the public with psych meds, and 2. in-depth investigations, where you maybe get way inside with grassley-type investigations, and come out with 3-4 big stories per year. Propose this to a few media companies. You have cred: you have some awards, high readership, etc.