On Tuesday, I told you Express Times editor Joe Owens has been in a foul mood ever since his baseball team's failed, for a second year straight, to beat some brownies in Jersey. Well, now he's found someone to pummel.
Me.
Northampton County extremist? A crazie?
He must have heard about my bathroom antics, too.
You can read Joe's strident defense of poor Judge Baratta here.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Saturday, September 08, 2007
25 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Bernie, usually I agree with you, but on this one I do disagree. I'm not saying that it is necessarily ethical for Judges to ask lawyers who appear in front of them for money, but no one else gives to judicial races besides the lawyers. It is the way of the system, and Judges, like any other official running for office, should absolutely be entitled to raise money for their campaigns. And if you think THAT'S bad, you should see Dantos across the border. She is asking for $1,000 for her host committee. WOW.
ReplyDeleteBernie I told you the msm are whore's. They love the Judges, always have. If someone gets in the way, even you, they will take a shot. When someone is first running,like Dantos, I can see the need for more name recognition. For a sitting Judge who only needs a yes or no vote for retention, the need for large amounts of money is pure ego and greed.
ReplyDeleteThat is why I love the fact newspaper readership has been declining for forty years. The only reason the Excess has a blip of incresaed sales are all the new transplants in its readership area. Once the new folk see how unprofessional and biased the Excess is they will dump it like many others have. Owens, Deegan and Till can then become tipstaffs.
Here'e the thing. I actually liked Owens' blog. And I think the reason for the increase in ET readership, in a period in which circulation is declining elsewhere, is because they do good work.
ReplyDeleteEven in his post defending Baratta, Owens is actually telling the reader that snarks like me feel otherwise. His blog actually gave my point of view a lot more exposure than it would otherwise get.
I think we sometimes have different perspectives in the blogosphere, and I sometimes get lucky w/ a news story. But they are the pros.
The Express-Times and Joe Owens pros? Nominally, yes, as they/he presumably draw paychecks for their services. It's not unlike referring to their carriers as journalists, but it's the local standard. The Joe Owens I know possesses an average grasp of the Queen's English at a birdcage liner that is regularly, embarrassingly, scooped by its local competitor on news in its own backyard. And all this delivered at a third grade reading level so as not to confuse the editorial board.
ReplyDeleteDon't sell yourself short, Bernie, least of all in comparison with a ridiculous enterprise such as The Express-Times. And judging by the number of comments on Owens' and his compatriots' blogs, their families aren't even reading them.
remember there used to be a "Globe Times" newspaper involved in the stealing of my business! My late Mother always reminded me that "every dog has their day!" After stealing my business, along with others who have also since passed on, I'm still here! Mom was correct with her analysis!
ReplyDeleteJudges, like the rest of us, need to be held accountable. Seldom have Judges ever been held to the same standards as the rest of us and neither have newspaper folks who buy their ink in 55 gallon drums. We could never, in the past, ever have competed with them but now we have the Internet and blogs like BO's. Are the E-T and poor Judges next to have their day? Want to ghost write my book and I'll tell you much more that will make your and Oprah's head spin! larry@kisslinger.com
The only Baretta I ever heard of was a TV Cop, and didn't he get in trouble for whacking his wife?!
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:54,
ReplyDeleteI felt much the way you do at one time about the MSM. But over time, I came to realize that nothing is black and white, not even the paper. I've met many fine reporters and editors from both local papers. And one happens to be Joe Owens.
Last summer, when Nazareth Boro Council was intent upon moving its municipal offices into an old baseball park, it was Joe Owens and the ET who really cast a public spotlight on the backroom shenanigans.
Like it or not, the MSM is the only thing standing between us and an oligarchy.
Another point I'd like to make is there is no correlation between comments and the actual traffic on a blog. Because I love the comments and encourage them and really like to know what others think, I end up with lots of them.
Also, I screw up a lot and people are constantly correcting me. But the MSM blogs have lots more traffic, even when there are no comments.
When Joe Owens or Bill White mentions one of us, even in a disparaging way, they are driving traffic to the blogosphere. They know that. If Joe or Bill White or John Micek or Pam Varkony wanted to really put us down, they'd just ignore us. One of the reasons the blogosphere is so popular is bc the MSM recognizes us and talks about us, whether it's a story from JD Malone at the ET or Josh Drobnyk at the MC. In truth, they are much fairer to us than we are to them.
People who read blogs will want to read the papers, too, and should. And it's a good idea to get a print copy because it's always interesting to see article placement.
Also, I don't share your opinion of Owens' columns. I think he and Bill White are the best columnists out there right now. Deegan and Micek should be columnists as well.
I read 5 papers every day. I'll take White and Owens over most of the self-absorbed columnists I read. Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich at the NYT are both brilliant and have tremendous vocabularies, but they're also very snide. I do like Bob Herbert.
Another reason I have such high regard for the local press is because of this blog. On a very small scale, it has given me a new found appreciation of what they go through every day.
And in Owens' most recent blog, he's doing something I've been begging the MSM to do for years - talk about local elections. People are hungry for that sort of stuff, and I'm glad that Owens is calling me on the carpet. I love different views.
It increases voter interest and might actually improve turnout if it continues.
Sorry to go on for so long.
Anon 10:43,
ReplyDeleteVerry funny. Now there is another Baratta, and I'm suggesting he needs to be a bit more responsive to the voters. And I'm disgusted by his $150 per lawyer head tax.
Anon 1:10,
ReplyDeleteJudges are entitled to raise money for their campaigns, but I really resent how Baratta is doing it, w/ a $150 donation already checked off for each lawyer.
Having said that, I'm glad you have a different view and can make a different argument. If people are interested in their local government and become informed, they make good decisions. It may not be my decision, but that's democracy.
BO you mention NYT columnists as snide. I have read Owens columns and he is synonyomous with snide. His colums reek with snarky and snide remarks. He is rarely objective and if you read who he praises and attacks over the years he holds a grudge. He judges others intelligence reminding us know how smart he is. Sorry Benardo, Bill White I'll give you but old Snark King Owens, is just one lucky guy.
ReplyDeleteBernie, this is 1:10. I am confused. What do you mean he has $150 checked off for each lawyer?
ReplyDelete"Larry Kisslinger said...
ReplyDeleteremember there used to be a "Globe Times" newspaper involved in the stealing of my business! My late Mother always reminded me that "every dog has their day!" After stealing my business, " I remember well when the Easton Express took over the Bethlehem Globe Times. The Express promised up and down they would retain The BGT workers. But with in about 6 months or so they were al gone. I am surprized our local newspapers are not being printed in mexico right now. I complained to Joe Owens on his blog yesterday that if he spent more time doing his job at the newspaper instead of blogging, we wouldn't have an Express times that only has a 3 page A section, a 3 page B section , and 2 pounds of junk advertizements in each issue. I wonder if he even posted my blog comment. I don't pay for a newspaper to have the editors say go to their blog for more info.
Anon 1:10, 12:06,
ReplyDeleteThe invitation that Baratta has sent to his cash bar "reception" has two boxes. Either you're going and bringing $150 or you're not and giving him some other sum. I have a photo on my blog anout it.
1:10 again. I have some experience with campaign fundraising stuff, and I gotta tell you, that's basically standard practice from everything I've been involved with. It looks like every other reply card I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:10, 4:47, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right. I believe you mentioned this w/ Dantos, where it appears to be even more obscene. I am nevertheless offended that Baratta would resort to this tactic in a retention campaign, of all things. He has no opponent. I could blog about nothing else between now and November, and he'd still win. So why does he need all that money? I think he'll spread it around some of his pals once he's in.
Sorry Bernie, but he can't spread it. Campaign law - a Judge cannot give campaign money to another PAC.
ReplyDeleteDon't be sorry. I'm glad to know that.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteYou know how I feel about anonymous posters, but we won't go there again (if you're wondering about me, my picture is at lehighvalleylive.com, look for "Steaming Cup ..." under blogs on the right.
I'm in new territory on your blog, so be easy on me. I had to chime in because I love the word snarky and would like it to be part of my handle. Also, the writer who talked about the Queen's English is correct. I don't even know of which queen he speaks. I do envy, say, the Queen of England, because it seems to me she has a really cool job.
I decided to write on your turf because the same "Queen" blogger reminds me of a guy who got his buns in a knot several years ago. In fact, Bernie, he was a neighbor of yours. A young man who worked for me made a mistake, a very poor mistake in a headline. Nothing like having your mess-ups in 36-point type, eh? He was a good and talented young man, however, and I refused to burn him at the stake, which is what your fellow borough dweller wanted. He was convinced of some deep conspiracy. You know how much I like that.
We corrected the mistake and I wrote a column about how it happened and why the young man's choice of words offended some people.
We do make mistakes.
Anyway, thanks for having me ...
Snarky JPO,
ReplyDeleteIf you think folks are nasty to you, you should read some of the things they say to me! What's worse, most of the time they're right!
You think that Anon might be someone from Nazland? I've got two words for you - cement dust. That's been scientifically proven to drive entire communities nuts. I wouldn't trust anyone from Nazareth.
Thanks for stopping by.
Ride on Bernardo,
ReplyDeleteOwens is still a twit and bO is so damn ugly Onembo won't use county toilets anymore.
Snarkedy Snarkatash
is snarky JPO actually Joe Owens from the Express times?
ReplyDeletebernie... I looked on Joe Owens blog, its sponsored by Boscov's... He is getting some big bucks there baby
ReplyDeleteAlso Joe Owens, My uncle was S. Parnell Lewis. I don't think he would have given the time of day to a blog while there was a newspaper to be published. I honestly believe you care more about wanting to be a celebrity than doing what is right at the Express Times. The Morning Call has a lot more news and info for the same price. May I please advise you to step it up or step out.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDear Joe Owens, Please watch a movie from the 1950's titled Deadline USA. It will show you what a good newspaper can do. It is also played on TCM from time to time. Thank you
ReplyDelete