12 responses to “Hey, Martha.”

1. 

   LA mary said on June 7, 2007 at 10:04 am

   He looks pretty cranky in the photo.

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2. 

   brian stouder said on June 7, 2007 at 10:15 am

   So – did they pose him back on the grill for the photo?

   If not – did you see that he didn’t even lose his Big Gulp?

   Nance mentioned how great the experience of reading Tapping the Source was – but this guy REALLY got his hair blown back!

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3. 

   brian stouder said on June 7, 2007 at 10:26 am

   Well, it’s gone national – and he DID lose his soda pop!

   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19088976/

   “The man spilled his soda pop, but he wasn’t upset,” said Sgt. Kathy Morton of the Michigan State Police.

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4. 

   Connie said on June 7, 2007 at 11:00 am

   Wow, what a ride. With no seat belt.

   OK you newspaper folk, what’s your thought on public comment on newspaper web sites? I have just been trashed with a bad lie on our local papers comment page. As a long time public official I should be used to this, but it still hurts.

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5. 

   Jason said on June 7, 2007 at 11:23 am

   First, am I the only one who said “Oooh! Me next!”

   Or is that strictly a guy reaction?

   Second, to Connie: In general I’m in favor of public comment on newspaper websites, but I’m not in favor of slander and libel. Just because a comment is from the “public” does not insulate the newspaper from possible litigation (but IANAL), or from basic standards of decency and fair play.

   I think comments should be moderated to make sure they aren’t libelous, and there should be a mechanism for removing comments that are provably false. Otherwise, I’m in favor of comments.

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6. 

   LA mary said on June 7, 2007 at 11:25 am

   Connie, he actually was wearing a seat belt.

   The comments on newspaper websites are so often nasty and ugly. I stick with my belief that anonymity allows people to say things they would never admit to. The newspaper websites should require names.

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7. 

   Kim said on June 7, 2007 at 11:30 am

   I see a payday coming for Wheelchair Man.

   Newspapers’ website comments absolutely should require names. I’ve never read any reasonable justification for doing otherwise, though God knows the newspaper execs have tried. I agree w/La Mary and know people who set up fake e-mail accounts for the express purpose of posting critical comments on such sites. No courage of their convictions. Weasels.

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8. 

   4dbirds said on June 7, 2007 at 12:12 pm

   What’s to stop people from using fake names? People who are jerks will continue to be jerks.

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9. 

   brian stouder said on June 7, 2007 at 1:41 pm

   What’s to stop people from using fake names? People who are jerks will continue to be jerks.

   Agreed that we will always have jerks to deal with, but you know, back in the day (wayyyyy wayyyy back in the day!) I used to submit the occasional Letter to the Editor (or to my favorite columnist, but that’s another story), and then simply wait. If the thing was actually published, you’d maybe see it in a week or so – and you had to give your name, address, and daytime phone number.

   The internet is all about instant-gratification; a delay of a few hours (or days, if the over-worked grunt who gets stuck with webmaster duties can’t get to it) ain’t gonna kill anybody.

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10. 

    4dbirds said on June 7, 2007 at 2:33 pm

    Brian I don’t think we’ll ever go back to the send the letter to the editor and wait a week days. I agree with everything you said, but we’re not going back and newspapers have to find a way to deal with comments. I’m afraid banning them will do no good and possibly decrease readership as I tend to stay away from blogs that don’t allow comments. It isn’t about commenting on blogs as I only comment on this one and a couple of poker related blogs its that the internet isn’t a one way street and I think others feel that way also.

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11. 

    michaelj said on June 7, 2007 at 7:16 pm

    My arthritic knees make me think everyday I might a wheelchair. Betwen Kevoorkian and J and J, I guess I know what model and make.

    I looked for Kem Nunn at the library today, so no luck. Read something a month or so ago about this guy. Guess I’ll try the bookstore, amd T.J. Parker will haveto do for now.

    What’s noir, after all? Dark? Is Walter Mosely noir? Is mixing noir with social commentary noir? Or is mixing the detective genre with intelligent social commentary noir? Social commentary? Easy’s commentary on bklack and white in America is spectacular.

    I think it’s mixing up really good writing with social commeniyaary and detective plots. James Lee
    Burke has a guy that seems to believe in the finality of personal brutality, when it comes right down to it.

    So is it Phillip Marlowe, is it Travis McGee, is it Easy Rawlins? Is it Raymond ‘Mouse’ Alexander’? It’s not any surfer. Boyo, I love these books.

    I love these books, but when it comes down to the nub, I love the truth. I don’t want to think the truth is Mouse. Mouse said ‘If you didn’t wan’t him dead, why’d you leave him with me?’ Our heroes spare villains.

    That HBO Western, well that was obviously stolen from McCabe and Mrs. Miller and the TV version doesn’t come close. Not even close.

    As far as obscenity, I’m only seeing Sopranos on A and E, but I don’t see how I’m missing anything. Just saw Paully Nuts and Christopher in the snow-covered Jersey badlands. Morons.

    Bobby Baccala is not only a better person, he’s a smarter guy. Orange vest, hunting rifle, spotlight. He’s way smarter than the captains, he’s smarter than Tony, and he’s just a better guy.

    When it all comes down to it, it’s habeus corpus. Every right somebody wants to claim, these asshoes have taken away. If you disagree, you’re a Guantanamo ready danger to democracy.

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12. 

    michaelj said on June 9, 2007 at 6:14 pm

    Hey Martha, why didn’t Peter Pace and Henry Kissinger write tget out of jail free note?s.

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