We're both from Nazareth and even started out around the same time, but are as different as night and day. He's a well-respected member of the community whose blog, News Over Coffee, is proudly featured at Nazareth's library. In fact, it might be archived there as a historic treasure. I'm a dirtball known for my collection of parking tickets. My blog is banned at the library. I might be banned there, too, as a result a late return.
Ross is involved with the foo-foos at Nazareth Center for the Arts. The last time I stumbled into that place, I was late and slid into a seat at the very end of some story-teller's tale, disrupting the entire room. I got all kinds of dirty looks as I ruined the finale, but it was a lousy story, anyway.
We both teamed up when Nazareth considered relocating its municipal center to a kids' baseball park on Green Street, but we also tangled a bit over skateboarding (I consider it a sport) as well as his direct solicitation of ads (a no-no in my blogging bible).
My focus was always regional and, of course, I have an attitude. His News Over Coffee was hyper-local, devoted exclusively to the Nazareth community. Unlike me, he avoided taking sides, unless something really bothered him. It was, as he said, "the place where neighbors connect to share news and information about Nazareth, PA."
And they did.
I am sorry to see Ross leave the blogosphere, despite our different styles. Better than most, I understand it is very time-consuming, especially for someone with a young family.
9 comments:
I will miss Ross also, Bernie. He had a great informative local blog which was full of local info and news. You don't know what you have until it's gone.
I will miss Ross also, Bernie. He had a great informative local blog which was full of local info and news. You don't know what you have until it's gone.
Ross was an honest, decent and factual blogger. A ture gentleman and decent human being. All the things you are not.
Thanks Bernie, appreciate the kind words. It was a great experience and as you know challenging at times as well. I learned a lot, met a lot of great people both online and in person, but it was time.
I think getting local governments to open up, post more info online, and pay attention to local blogs like ours was a great accomplishment for all of us.
Compared to when we started, bloggers are taken much more seriously, heck only something like 20% of the population even read a blog when we started, I'd imagine most everyone does today.
Keep up the good work and if I really get the itch maybe you'll let me guest post on your site.
Best,
Ross
Hey Ross, Anytime you want to post here, you are welcome.
Here is a blog headline, tomorrow starts the Angle free era of county government. Thank God. After twelve dark years the county has freedom from bs.
Many people don't remember the smooth and effective government before Ron Angle. We still have Stoffa but without Ron Angle there to run interference for him, he will just be impotently ineffective as always.
God Bless Northampton County
Blogs have an influence, but not so much in the way you're talking about. I doubt if any of those posts moved many votes.
The most effective bloggers are coalition merchants.
Over a long time horizon, you're showing co-partisans what issues go together, and that eventually forms the basis for new political coalitions on issues.
For instance, the long term project of my blog is to persuade Democrats that strengthening urban property rights, and taxing land rents instead of property improvements goes with their pro-equality agenda at the federal level.
I hope that over the long term, this will result in a durable left political coalition between labor, the real estate industry, black and Latino voters, and environmentalists.
Jon, Well, good luck with that, then. And thanks for telling us all about "coalition merchants" who aim at their fellow partisans. Geez.
Wonder what this means for the E-T and Advance Publication's plans to scrap print altogether? Maybe that hack Owens can set up shop there?
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