Jackson Free Press

I am just now discovering the CL's "Citizen Bloggers"

Previous Comments

ID

112464

Comment

Lori, I saw Hampton's column promising their new round of bloggers (on Blogger, no less). This comment is breathtakingly stupid: As an educator, I am distressed by a new trend among young adults. It seems as if they have an appalling lack of curiosity about the world around them. I have been teaching on the university level for 19 years. It used to be that if I mentioned a book or a movie that had inspired me or made me laugh or made me think, at least half the class would write it down. And a few days later someone would seek me out to tell me how they had looked it up and enjoyed it (or maybe hated it). Now I rarely see anyone even write it down. Young adults are so bombarded by electronic voices that they wait for the message to reach them instead of looking for it. This passivity scares me. Are they really going to let their new bloggers come out of the gate with stupid stereotypes??? You know, Lori, you could start a blog posting on this. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T13:41:26-06:00

ID

112465

Comment

Oh, and all, feel free to peek there and rant about it here on JackBlog—like we do their other stories. It'll drive 'em crazy. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T13:44:47-06:00

ID

112466

Comment

Okay, this guy scares me. Here is one of his blog postings. I am so tired of "The Sellers" in our society thinking that we, the buyers, are all fools. It is not like we are all liberal democrats. (JUST HAD TO THROW THAT IN THERE) A certain international chain, who shall remain nameless, has announced that it will soon be installing health clinics in their stores as if some altruistic gesture. I am a faithful shopper at this store and can honestly tell you altruism nor this chains' Board of Directors is being really generous; the spike in prices will tell you who is paying for these clinincs. Are these clinics needed? Of course they are.But stealing a poor man's shoe to buy him a glove doesn't really help. I think my point is made without starting on those bogus car insurance adds. Well, THANK JESUS, that we aren't all Liberal Democrats, right? Someone set me straight if I'm wrong...but is this man calling me a FOOL? Because, I could totally take him in a fight if I had to. I promise this. He looks like a wussy. I may be liberal, but I AIN"T A WUSSY. Anyway, there is not one single post to that blog that is "necessary". No one actually states any great points. I've been blogging for about four years now....and they should have chosen people who had actual BLOG experience. There is a mighty difference in choosing someone to be a "concerned citizen" and choosing someone to blog about these concerns. On one of the profiles it practically states "This man has no experience in doing this, nor does he have any affiliations that make his opinion worth a sh1t." Wow, ringing freaking endorsement. How long is it going to take for the CL to get the point that online content needs to be INTERESTING and VALID. Nothing offends me quite so much as a stupid blog. Seriously.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T13:53:44-06:00

ID

112467

Comment

That is not exactly a stupid stereotype. Students today are more passive and less curious. This is well-documented by educational psychologists.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2007-05-01T13:53:53-06:00

ID

112468

Comment

As an educator, I am distressed by a new trend among young adults. It seems as if they have an appalling lack of curiosity about the world around them. I have been teaching on the university level for 19 years. It used to be that if I mentioned a book or a movie that had inspired me or made me laugh or made me think, at least half the class would write it down. And a few days later someone would seek me out to tell me how they had looked it up and enjoyed it (or maybe hated it). Now I rarely see anyone even write it down. Young adults are so bombarded by electronic voices that they wait for the message to reach them instead of looking for it. This passivity scares me. HA!! I had to come back for this one. Perhaps it's not the "waiting for electronic voices" that's getting to those students. Perhaps instead they are just waiting for this teacher to stop boring the crap out of them with stories of what he/she deems "interesting" or "inspiring".

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T13:53:57-06:00

ID

112469

Comment

After reading the entire thing...the one question I have is...Did they check to see if these people actually had any writing skills before they did this? Not a one of these people is a good writer. Blogs need the kind of writng that is energetic...that pulls you along until you make a (supposedly) obvious conclusion to the reader. Ugh. Reading it makes me feel dirty.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T13:58:37-06:00

ID

112470

Comment

ahh it won't let me post. or it wouldn't. anyway, did the C-L have a "who wants to blog?" contest? because it looks like they pulled these people out of a hat. none of them have much in the way of writing experience, and most do not have a clue about grammar, spelling, and what a blog is supposed to be like. it is truly painful to read.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T14:02:47-06:00

ID

112471

Comment

Apparently not. I mean, look at their editorials—they are barely literate, riddled with bad logic, factual errors, passives and cliches. Did you expect the editors to pick bloggers who would show them up!?! And it's hilarious that the Cleveland teacher-chick is stereotyping about "young adults (being) so bombared by electronic voices"— while writing on a blog. More typical Ledger drivel. It is embarassing. That paper makes Mississippi look as bad as any one single other factor, and worse than most.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T14:04:36-06:00

ID

112472

Comment

OK, check this from the "liberal Democrat"-hater: I am a faithful shopper at this store and can honestly tell you altruism nor this chains' Board of Directors is being really generous; the spike in prices will tell you who is paying for these clinincs. Huh?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T14:06:57-06:00

ID

112473

Comment

well, i think the lack of comments over there shows that nobody really gives a rat's ass what they are talking about, except us and that's strictly for comic relief purposes.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T14:08:05-06:00

ID

112474

Comment

my peeve is how their editorials have quit taking stands but instead cite fablechat opinions. So much for reading editorials to actually learn something. now its just a shoutfest. and stringfellow today, who can never stand up for anything.........

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T14:09:14-06:00

ID

112475

Comment

They're new. But you can see how well their blogging experiment has gone to date. Like I said in my column last week, The Ledger doesn't understand that the point of blogging is to provide a citizen-generated alternative to drivel such as they publish.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T14:10:19-06:00

ID

112476

Comment

oh, and the Liberal Democrat-hater could just stop "faithfully shopping" at Wal-Mart if he doesn't like what they are doing. talk about a hypocritical stance.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T14:10:23-06:00

ID

112477

Comment

I like that, 'Fish. "FableChats" to go with their "StoryChats." LOL. And it's a shoutfest filled with bad writing that feels like fingernails on a chalkboard when you read it. Passive after passive, cliche after cliche. Do they give bad-writing tests over their before they hire?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T14:11:42-06:00

ID

112478

Comment

I can just hear the corporate directive read in interviews: "You know, Mississippians are really stupid and uneducated, so we have to fit in." Except, of course, that we're not.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T14:12:36-06:00

ID

112479

Comment

by the way, look at all the letters to the editor today. Notice the addresses.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T14:19:18-06:00

ID

112480

Comment

Andi-speaking about that guy....Um, how bad is it that he sees something LIBERAL going on at Wal-Mart? I mean, SH!T...that place is the warm and cozy place that all conservative ideals go to be wrapped in smiley faces and sold to the American public.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T14:19:39-06:00

ID

112481

Comment

Fish-Are you talking about the fact that every one of letter writers are from Kentucky? Because I noticed that. Does the CL have a big following in Kentucky that I dont' know about?

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T14:21:15-06:00

ID

112482

Comment

Andi-speaking about that guy....Um, how bad is it that he sees something LIBERAL going on at Wal-Mart? I mean, SH!T...that place is the warm and cozy place that all conservative ideals go to be wrapped in smiley faces and sold to the American public. I know!! When I read the part about "faithfully shopping" there I wanted to hit my mental mute button. But since all the posts over there are so brief it was easy to skim the rest of it. Hey, I'm not even all that liberal myself and I couldn't tell you the last time I went to Wal-Mart. I hate that place on many, many levels.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T14:23:03-06:00

ID

112483

Comment

I think you all protest too much. Don't like it? Don't read it. Or, better yet, complain on their blog. HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2007-05-01T14:24:25-06:00

ID

112484

Comment

so what? alot of modern concepts in medicine came from Henry Ford believe it or not.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T14:25:07-06:00

ID

112485

Comment

Doc-You bother me. If I counted the number of times you protest on this blog I would probably equal it to "too much" as well. But, we still let you do it, right? Besides, its ten times more fun to do it over here.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T14:27:15-06:00

ID

112486

Comment

yeah, nobody would see what we have to say over there because apparently we are the only ones bothering to read their little blog.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T14:28:51-06:00

ID

112487

Comment

Well, people don't generally comment unless you get them worked up. I can see that extremely conservative guy getting some comments because he's a little bit of an a$$, but other than that...when the content is "blah" nobody cares enough to hit a "comment" button. One must actually SAY something in order for another person to disagree.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-01T14:35:53-06:00

ID

112488

Comment

Why, Doc? Why not complain here? They read us every day; that's why they're trying to copy JackBlog with their new Citizen Blog. Besides, I would rather cut my arm off than try to have a conversation in Blogger software. That's fine for someone who never gets any comments. Oh, right. I guess it's perfect for the Ledge. ;-) Right, Andi, re: Wal-Mart. Only corporate conservatives would defend that joint. If there is any issue that unites true conservatives and progressives, it's the idiocy of Barbour-Bush-Clinton-style "free trade." It's killing our cats and dogs for starters. And are y'all serious about the letter-writers all being from Kentucky? There is no way that's true, right? Does Melton have family in Kentucky or something?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T15:00:25-06:00

ID

112489

Comment

One must actually SAY something in order for another person to disagree. Quote o' the week. Of course, what passes as "dialogue" too often is people trying to out-insult each other.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T15:01:05-06:00

ID

112490

Comment

i couldn't find the letters to the editor of which y'all speak. but then, it's hard to find ANYTHING on the C-L website.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-01T15:07:56-06:00

ID

112491

Comment

I can't find the letters here. They're moving everything around again in another game of whack-a-reader. If they'd put all this effort back into putting out a decent daily newspaper, all their problems would be solved. However, they won't do that, and that will be good for alternatives to their drivel. That's good for us, competitively, but it sucks for the community that Gannett has ceded providing a good daily newspaper because it's too busy obsessively trying to shut down any other competitive avenue. The death of the daily newspaper is very sad, but it's hard to pity these corporate yucks who nailed their own coffins closed. Hey.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T15:12:29-06:00

ID

112492

Comment

Hmm, checked it out and seriously, nothing to see there, move right along. Also, it requires you to log into google, which is a totally different login from the Clarion Ledger forums. No, I don't like it either.

Author

GLewis

Date

2007-05-01T15:31:46-06:00

ID

112493

Comment

Here we go: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=OPINION02

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T15:42:54-06:00

ID

112494

Comment

I'm blinded by all those boy-faces! ;-) I'm vaklempt at how ludicrous at this is. Can't they just do decent reporting and edit out the passives!? Everytime I see them trying to compete with us online, I know that their editorial content is just going to get worse and worse. I guess I should enjoy it competitively, but I find it all very sad.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T15:50:41-06:00

ID

112495

Comment

Oh, and I'm not going to click to every letter individually to see if they're from Kentucky. That site is maddening in its unfriendliness.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T15:51:16-06:00

ID

112496

Comment

Here we go: new hebron, Wesson, Louisville, Tallulah, LA, Russellville, KY, Meadville, Forest. all pro melton letters. ONE anti Melton letter, from brandon.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T16:14:14-06:00

ID

112497

Comment

Snirk. Why do they run all those letters from people not even served by this mayor? That makes no sense to me, and shows that all they care about is sensationalism. Of course, we know that already. That's how we ended up with Melton in the first place. How can I say this kindly: I don't give a damn about what some thug-hating goober from New Hebron or Meadville (ahem) thinks about who we elect in this city. Somebody needs to tell David Hampton how irresponsible he is being with all this.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T16:23:39-06:00

ID

112498

Comment

At least Brandon is close enough that our mayor matters to them, pro or con.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T16:24:18-06:00

ID

112499

Comment

Oh, and re registering with Google to post: The last company on Earth I want to own my private info is Google. Corporate media are obsessed with locals like us, when it's the mega-sites they should be concerned about. The words "Google Local" should scare the daylights out of you. Register with Google, my ass. Oh, and I looked at the "Citizen blogger" page again. It is so See Spot Run it's not even funny. I'm blushing on their behalf. Morale of the story: If you don't understand the frackin' point of blogging, don't do it. Do something you know how to do. Otherwise, you will make an ass of yourself and your "citizen bloggers." Ledge, please.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T17:42:22-06:00

ID

112500

Comment

So, Lori. I bother you? I suspect it's because I don't buy into your "New Fondrenian" Liberal Utopia. Does it really matter that my protests bother you? How you feel about me is not the point. If you don't like it, don't read it. I'm here to accomplish for this website criticism of a predictable worldview liberals have about every subject they encounter, in the same fashion that the JFP sees its opposition to Libertarians like me. Our (my) whining and protesting is a balancing act for the free exchange of ideas. Bitching and protesting IS a form of political dialogue, if not to your liking. Hell, Donna b**ches and moans incessantly about the CL. :>) HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2007-05-01T17:47:07-06:00

ID

112501

Comment

Doc, it could be that you try to stick your nose in when it doesn't belong, telling people what they should and shouldn't talk about, while going around to various places spewing your opinion at anyone who might hear you. With due respect. ;-) Yes, I criticize the Ledger on this site and will until they get better (or the cows come home, whichever happens first). The JFP is an alternative to corporate media, and that means that part of our mission is to hold the other media to a higher standard. The funny part is that you didn't defend the Ledger; you just preached from your privileged doctorial perch that we "protect too much." One wonders if an American could "protest too much"? Do you really think that, without us here, the Ledger would have even noticed the excesses of Frank Melton (the thing we agree on, I believe)? I mean, they knew about Ridgeway and sat on it—until after we reported it. It doesn't take a "liberal" to see what bad journalist THAT was. (Not to mention not bothering to tell readers about their little join lawsuit thingy over in Meridian during the campaign.) So, how do I say it kindly, you are wasting your hot air scolding Lori, me and other folks on this site. You haven't earned my respect for your opinions on most other issues; why would I care what you think about the politics you are assigning to me and others? I just swerve and let that hot air swoosh right past my right ear. Or, is it my left?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T18:17:41-06:00

ID

112502

Comment

If you don't like it, don't read it. That's priceless from someone who started on this thread telling others they protest too much. You do crack me up.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-01T18:18:18-06:00

ID

112503

Comment

Lori queried: I am just now discovering the CL's "Citizen Bloggers" I need some room to rant. Have you seen this crap? Not until I saw your post. I knew that that their posts would be appearing soon though. I don't know or haven't heard of any of their citizen bloggers. The CL blogger wrote: As an educator, I am distressed by a new trend among young adults. It seems as if they have an appalling lack of curiosity about the world around them. I have been teaching on the university level for 19 years. It used to be that if I mentioned a book or a movie that had inspired me or made me laugh or made me think, at least half the class would write it down. And a few days later someone would seek me out to tell me how they had looked it up and enjoyed it (or maybe hated it). Now I rarely see anyone even write it down. Young adults are so bombarded by electronic voices that they wait for the message to reach them instead of looking for it. This passivity scares me. It's classic information overload as you know. There's too much information and because of that people of all ages can easily tune things out. Regarding your comment concerning books, it's been my experience that young people today prefer sources that are available via the web at the risk of abandoning other useful resources. I've also witnessed and have participated in many conversations, workshops, and conferences where this topic (as well as related subjects) has been mentioned. Young people have the mistaken impression that if certain information is available only in book format, then it means that this information is also useless and/or inconvenient for them to use. Another problem with them wanting only electronically available information is that the sources that they want to use may not be reputable. Donna also wrote: They're new. But you can see how well their blogging experiment has gone to date. Like I said in my column last week, The Ledger doesn't understand that the point of blogging is to provide a citizen-generated alternative to drivel such as they publish. I think that the point of blogging is to communicate. In this instance, communication can of course be many things including, but certainly not limited to, alternatives, analyses, complements, and responses to what traditional media generates. The best Clarion-Ledger blogs are those done by the sports staff and Marshall Ramsey. Sid Salter has a decent blog, but I'm not too fond of the way his blog handles comments.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-01T19:27:27-06:00

ID

112504

Comment

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Here's what Joseph Pulitzer believed about the role and purpose of newspaper, and, I think, by extension, they apply, to blogs as well. (Pulitzer was editor of St.Louis Post Dispatch & New York World and founder of both Columbia Journalism School, as well as and the Pulitzer Prize.) We will always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers, never lack sympathy with the poor, always remain devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news, always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty. (1878) Every issue of the paper presents an opportunity and a duty to say something courageous and true; to rise above the mediocre and conventional; to say something that will command the respect of the intelligent, the educated, the independent part of the community; to rise above fear of partisanship and fear of popular prejudice. (1911)

Author

jasp

Date

2007-05-01T21:39:05-06:00

ID

112505

Comment

Thank you, jasp. Donna, I see a blog entry. Go for it.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-01T22:30:06-06:00

ID

112506

Comment

rosebud

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-01T23:34:36-06:00

ID

112507

Comment

"New Fondrenian" Liberal Utopia. Doc-you make me giggle as I sit here in MADISON with all my doors unlocked. ;) Don't you know I live in Mary's Utopia? It's actually a lot like Fondren...but with Grecian columns and without all the black people....so you know, its SAFE. Ladd-You know I read those Letters to the Editor every day. They moved the link to the letters to the very bottom of the main "Opinion" page. They did change everything around so that its actually more difficult to get to the Letters. They are currently posting more letters online than they used to. I was just laughing because they were all talking about Frank and NO ONE was from Jackson. That one from Kentucky just took the cake. Some woman in Kentucky wants us to keep Frank because she likes to come SHOP in Jackson. HA! I think the one from LA said the same thing.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T05:59:35-06:00

ID

112508

Comment

That Daren guy is at it again. He was busy last night. He posted on the subjects of high speed car chases and illegal aliens. I especially like his penchant for inserting his thoughts in ALL CAPS of DIFFERENT COLORS when he gets really upset. This is the stupidest arguemt since the question was asked "Which democrat is smartest?" Like there is such a thing. THESE POLICE OFFICERS ARE CHASING CRIMINALS. Who in the hell are they supposed to chase-BIRD WATCHERS? Why don't they just get out of there patrol cars and just walk? Maybe they will catch criminals then. Why has America finished the book of knowledge and stayed ignorant? (I DO NOT MEAN THAT IN AN INSULTING MANNER)We want to limit our soldiers to the point where they need a lawyer and a PETA rep by there side. They want to limit our police officers to the point to where the criminal will have to be required to have a flourescent flag on there car with print on it indicating how many, what, and what crimes they have commited in the past, commited that day and what future crimes they will commit. I am tired of America digging the dirt of dumbness and wanting to plant roots. How many times has it been proven that a small time criminal today always turns into a larger criminal tomorrow? I think if you are going to pose an argument where the premise is "like asking the questions 'Which Democrat is the smartest'". Then, maybe, you should use the spell check. WHECH REPUBLECEN IS THE SMEARTEST?? (I DID NOT MEAN THAT IN AN INSULTING MANNER)

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T06:06:35-06:00

ID

112509

Comment

This guy is just TOO GREAT. He's the best thing the CL has done in YEARS. Once again, I turn my television on and all over the country ILLEGAL ALIENS are marching in the streets, demanding ILLEGAL ALIEN reform. I am waiting for the day when I turn my television on and ten thousand carjackers are marching in the streets for auto-theft ability reform. Why don't we all just leave a gallon jug of gasoline outside our homes , so arsonists will not have to bring any with them? Why don't all thirteen year-olds just march on Washington D.C. with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other to protest booze and blow laws? And why is it illegal to paint on the side of builidings? What some would call graffiti, I call the next Michaelangelo. ---What is this? Immigrants marching for rights is like leaving a gallon jug of gasoline outside our house so the arsonists don't have to bring it with them? Wonder how he felt about African-Americans marching for rights? Because, after all, until they FOUGHT for them they were illegal as well. I bet he didn't think the Africa-American civil rights movement was like leaving a gallon jug of gasoline outside his house so the Klan didn't have to bring their own. But, beyond that...What's a "blow law"? If the law abiding citizens permit governing bodies to turn blind eyes to others who blatantly ignore the laws , then how far can anarchy be behind. If ILLEGAL ALIENS can ignore our laws because they feel that they are unjust, then why don't I choose the laws that I feel are unjust and ignore them? I think I will walk across the interstate at rush hour totally nude. Please, dude, DON'T. Think of the children. I purposesly did not even factor in the "terrorists coming across the border" arguemnet because it is irrelevant. I am not xenophobic, just patriotic. Good stuff, people, good stuff.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T06:16:03-06:00

ID

112510

Comment

It'd be nice if they spellchecked.

Author

kaust

Date

2007-05-02T06:17:38-06:00

ID

112511

Comment

You know, all I was thinking as I was reading over those posts is that he symbolizes something I've seen in the American public that bothers me. People in this country who are, or have been, disenfranchised never equate their own past struggles with the current struggles of those fighting for rights. In fact, every time I merely mention the idea that maybe people should stop looking at everyone as a "threat" and realize that if we all were in on it 'together' things might work out differently someone calls me a "commie". This man mentions Jesus in his blog blurb. I always tell people that my views on this subject more closely resemble true Christianity than Communism. His Jesus obviously doesn't love immigrants. That's fine. But, maybe his last statement should say "I'm not xenophobic but my Jesus is."

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T06:24:46-06:00

ID

112512

Comment

Doesn't Google own Blogger? Maybe you guys can offer everyone a 'How-To' guide on how to write a blog ... ?

Author

Ron Jeremy

Date

2007-05-02T06:47:08-06:00

ID

112513

Comment

Google pretty much owns my soul at this point.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T06:53:54-06:00

ID

112514

Comment

Does that mean you're going to change your name to Lori Google? :-)

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-02T07:16:24-06:00

ID

112515

Comment

Nah, I'm done with changing names. It took me two years to get to this one. But, it does mean if I think about something hard enough Google will automatically retrieve the memory from my brain. :)

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T07:19:29-06:00

ID

112516

Comment

Heh. Indeed. For what it's worth, I, for one, have long welcomed our Google overlords, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I got a free cap from the company at a conference last year. :-)

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-02T07:30:33-06:00

ID

112517

Comment

Ohhhhhh.... "there" is a preposition, it's not possessive like "their," Sometimes you might need a contraction, In that case you wanna use "they're" (sung to that 99 Bottles of Beer tune) Bad writing drives me nuts. Bad writing about unfounded views and ridiculous analogies is even worse. I'd also like to know what a "blow law" is.

Author

andi

Date

2007-05-02T07:38:10-06:00

ID

112518

Comment

Can you even say "blow law" in MS? 8-o

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-02T07:53:33-06:00

ID

112519

Comment

We all know what it is, and pretend we don't know about it. ;)

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-05-02T08:08:48-06:00

ID

112520

Comment

Color me clueless.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-05-02T08:13:01-06:00

ID

112521

Comment

I knew the Sweet Potato Queens were powerful, but I didn't realize that Promises could become law.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-02T08:28:44-06:00

ID

112522

Comment

Oh, and as far as the anti-illegal aliens rant: I imagine Lady Liberty is looking down at the brass plaque at her feet and weeping right now.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-05-02T08:34:42-06:00

ID

112523

Comment

Actually, the CL also has a student blogger page. They are actually better writers and bloggers than the community counterparts. Hmmm, I wonder why that is?? ;) Generation gap, anyone? I wonder how they found their Community Bloggers? I would have applied just to see their response.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T08:49:32-06:00

ID

112524

Comment

I don't know, but I remember Rusty Hampton posted an entry in his blog asking for fan bloggers.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-02T09:02:33-06:00

ID

112525

Comment

Sorry CL - Too Little, Too Late. This paper has spent a lifetime trying to keep people from seeing what they saw and hearing what they heard. This was fine for a while; however, now that there is another news outlet (JFP) they are running scared. They nailed former Mayor Harvey Johnson to a cross. Agnew and Stringfellow who are African - Americans and knew that they were either twisting the truth or planting lies and garbage in the heads of those who have a lot of trouble thinking for themselves. This has been a tragic outcome and the CL can take a big piece of the responsibility for eledting melton.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-05-02T09:50:37-06:00

ID

112526

Comment

Rusty asked for that several months ago. I asked for one for LSU of course and he said no. Oh well.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-02T10:36:07-06:00

ID

112527

Comment

Did y'all realize you're part of an 'elitism cult' because you blog/comment here at the JFP site? That's the opinion of a commenter on one of the C-L Citizen Bloggers posts. Is there something elitist about reasoned discussions as opposed to rants?

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-05-02T10:42:02-06:00

ID

112528

Comment

"Fan bloggers"? What the hell is that? I rather like the phrase "corporate bloggers." Nice ring, eh? Y'all citizen farkers have to be their worse nightmare. They start all these blogs to get commentary going—and you create it over here on their worst nightmare's site. Hah. Locals unite. I picked up a neighbor's print Ledger while I was walking this a.m. (The only way I see the print version, usually.) Did y'all see that they've cut a column space in order to quote their new bloggers in the paper!?! I smell blood in the water. Corporate desperation is always a joy to behold. One word, Ledger: Journalism. Try it more often.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T10:43:31-06:00

ID

112529

Comment

I meant I was willing to write an LSU one. oh well. Damn, I'm an elitist? Who would've thought. I knew that Nietzche would come in handy one day.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-02T10:45:17-06:00

ID

112530

Comment

Well, you know people who eschew passives must be elitists. What else could we be? ;-D "Elitism cult" makes me giggle mightily. It seems I just picked myself on up by my polyester bootstrap back in the Neshoba County trailer park and hoisted myself right on into the position of leading an "elitism cult." I hate to think what the thinkers over yonder think is the standard for "elitism" these days? The active voice? The. bar. is. looowwww. It is kind of the Ledger to post corporate blogs for our amusement, though—five years in September after we started blogging Jacktown. Right on sked.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T10:47:04-06:00

ID

112531

Comment

'Fish, you spend your days trying to figure out to be hated as an intellectual. Maybe you finally found somebody who believes it. ROTFGMAO at you. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T10:47:59-06:00

ID

112532

Comment

This can't be elite if I'm posting here. Just can't.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-05-02T11:00:37-06:00

ID

112533

Comment

This can't be elite if I'm posting here. Just can't. That is so a Quote o' the Week. The third one this week, I think. Y'all are on fire.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T11:03:03-06:00

ID

112534

Comment

I swear I didn't make that up (though it might be a great t-shirt!). It's in a comment to the 'if the police want to drive like Mario Andretti and kill a few spectators in the name of catching criminals, let them!' post (full of misspellings, I might add). The problem, of course, is that not a single one of these police officers is a seasoned racecar driver nor are our streets racetracks.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-05-02T11:08:45-06:00

ID

112535

Comment

I was laughing pretty hard when I wrote that statement. having said that, just read today's op-ed pages. ONE column by a national writer? One column of meaningless and useless blogs that don't really say anything? Letters are moved? this is horrible.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-02T11:14:15-06:00

ID

112536

Comment

Right. It's desperation. Just like when they pulled their crappy Weekend section out and made it a crappy "weekly" Weekend faux-alt distributed in ugly, unweighted white boxes with New Orleans clip art on the side in order to compete with us. (Their ad rates for it looked oh-so-vaguely familiar.) Just like when they started throwing several Litter-Ledgers in people's yards in certain neighborhoods order to keep their "circulation" numbers up. Just like when they tried to take over the distribution channels of locally owned publications such as ours. Ledger: Try good journalism. It works. Really.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T11:18:09-06:00

ID

112537

Comment

What is good journalism? I may want to study journalism in college ...

Author

Ron Jeremy

Date

2007-05-02T13:37:59-06:00

ID

112538

Comment

ask and think. ask and think. I know Donna will disagree with me but if you go that route, at least get a minor in another discipline. Science. Economics. Accounting. Finance. Something that will expose you to some of the subject matter you might be covering. Law degrees are great for journalists as well. I think those type of backgrounds enable you to spot stories alot easier or ask better questions as a reporter. let Donna fire away at me. ;-)

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-02T13:46:59-06:00

ID

112539

Comment

Thanks, Kingfish. I'm looking into Ole Miss, Missouri and Georgia for J-School. (Two for obvious reasons, and Mizzou b/c I was told it was a good school for writers.)

Author

Ron Jeremy

Date

2007-05-02T13:56:39-06:00

ID

112540

Comment

I know Donna will disagree with me but if you go that route, at least get a minor in another discipline. Science. Economics. Accounting. Finance. Something that will expose you to some of the subject matter you might be covering. I don't disagree with you at all, 'Fish. Hell, I didn't study journalism until I had been one for years—and then I got my master's in it by studying in the law school, Teachers' College and African American Studies more than the j-school. When I used to teach college journo, I told my students all the time to get the hell out of the j-school and study other disciplines. Especially study high-level math, logic, economics, law—anything that will teach you to think. If you don't truly understand your topic, no one else will, either, and you'll just ending up throwing words and meaningless quotes at the page (as we see daily in the Ledger). Good journalism is based on the desire and willingness to dig, dig, dig; think, think, think; and then to write, write, write, Ron. It requires a lot of commitment and energy for a small amount of pay, typically, for what you do. You should LOVE it before you'd do it. If you don't, you may well end up working in PR—personally, I'd rather bust rocks for a living, but hey. ;-) And if you love it, don't take a job for money or security. Find an amazing mentor who will bust your balls. That's the only way to become a good journalist.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T14:20:38-06:00

ID

112541

Comment

What kind of journalism are you interested in doing, Ron, and for what medium? Those answers will help determine what school would be good for you. I'll be happy to give you more advice, but right now I have to fly off to Columbia for, yes, a journalism workshop. See y'all on the other side. No killings; Brian will be still be here.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-02T14:22:01-06:00

ID

112542

Comment

I am not a journalist. I do not have the skills to be one. But, I make a damn fine Social Worker. :) My occasional writing on the side doesn't suck either. But, I do not have the skills to sit on a story for years...dig, dig, dig...and then cover it well. Creative writing skills I have in spades. That and journalism are not the same thing. I think good journalism is much, much harder. Most of my writing comes straight out of my head...this source is much easier to verify and doesn't require any "on the record" checking afterwards. :) I give major props to the journalists at this paper. Not only do they run their butts off covering stories when competitors have five times the resources to throw at the same but they are ALSO good writers. Those two in combination aren't that easy to come by. *Kiss a$$ post over*

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-05-02T14:30:15-06:00

ID

112543

Comment

To answer the question posted way above, yes the Ledge took writing samples from their bloggers. Sadly, I was turned down.

Author

Droite

Date

2007-05-03T09:20:16-06:00

ID

112544

Comment

Donna-- Didn't notice you were quoting a CL blogger. Thanks for editing.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-05-03T12:21:19-06:00

ID

112545

Comment

The Ledge took writing samples from the bloggers? And missed the fact that Mr. Law & Order (it's okay to kill a few spectators as you scream through the streets playing Mario Andretti) can't spell to save his life? The one who doesn't seem to know how to differentiate between a 'democrat' and a 'Democrat'? I guess literacy's not part of the criteria for being a Citizen Blogger. Who reviewed the writing samples?

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-05-03T12:50:06-06:00

ID

112546

Comment

David Hampton & I don't know whom else.

Author

Droite

Date

2007-05-03T13:11:45-06:00

ID

112547

Comment

Well, that can be perceived as being very strange because while passives are much loved by the writers at Clarion Ledger, especially as used in editorials, words are usually spelled right by their staff so it's difficult to know how someone (the 'citizen blogger' who was mentioned by me in the post) who clearly has not been taught how to spell or has not benefited from the experience of being taught how to spell could nevertheless be approved to blog if his writing sample was, in fact, reviewed by someone who had been certified to review writing samples.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-05-03T13:52:43-06:00