Two Topics For Your Perusal
But the next sound you hear will be a distinct scoffing noise: "A senior adviser [isn't it advisor?] to the governor said the former state senator probably would not get the position, although he may be granted an interview," says another anonymously sourced Deep Throat Wannabe with a view of Louisburg Square. Yow! Burned!
I was gambling that the next time we would hear from Registrar Nuciforo would be shortly after John Olver somehow fails in his attempt to beat Silvio Conte's record for generations come and gone while still Congressman. The Jane Swift Strategy, if you will. I lost that bet, but my next one is this: we're looking at a non-story. Trial balloon, leaked to the press for some kind of reaction, and shot down in flames with a 50-caliber anonymous quote.
Here is where we, the intrepid providers of local interest blather, have a chance to provide what today's great corporate minds call "synergy" (or "leverage". or maybe "dynamic customer-facing revenue paradigm", or something like that). I can see a highly visible little hotspot on the Transcript's headline and item pages (especially on Opinion and Local pieces) linking to a portal page with a list of the active Berkshire blogs--featuring an RSS feed displaying headlines from the last 10 or so days. Maybe even sell ad space on this page, too. Anyway, we can funnel the howmanyever thousand readers directly into the blogosphere and really kick the participation level up a notch. Greg, Wes, Andy, Margie, Jack, Eric? Howard? John Mitchell? What do we think?
Also, an aside shared by Glenn: not enough people are writing letters to the editor. Apparently, this is the feature that the average newspaper reader turns to immediately after the obituaries. Lots of people read them, but it seems nobody's writing them any more. Well, almost nobody. Certainly fewer than before, and not counting sitting City Councilors. So write a letter to the editor, if you gots the notion.
Bonus third topic: Wes Flinn passed around an internet meme and basically called me out on it. Well, if he can do it, so can I. Similar responses invited.
1. Name a book that you want to share so much that you keep giving away copies: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and its sequels The Restaurant at the End of the Universe and Life, the Universe, and Everything by the late Douglas Adams.
2. Name a piece of music that changed the way you listen to music: Surrender, by Cheap Trick. The first song I ever played in a band with other musicians. I've never been the same.
3. Name a film you can watch again and again without fatigue: History of the World, Part I.
4. Name a performer for whom you suspend of all disbelief: Christoper Walken. Can there be any doubt this guy ACTUALLY IS a Bond villain, Captain Koontz, or just plain needs more cowbell?
5. Name a work of art you'd like to live with: M.C. Escher's Relativity.
6. Name a work of fiction which has penetrated your real life: I'm not going to explain this, but both Tara and I agree that it's a combination of two: South Park and Gilmore Girls. Really.
7. Name a punchline that always makes you laugh: From #3 above:
"Do you know the penalty for a slave that strikes a Roman citizen? OK...you. You had your hand up first."
"Death by torture!"
"No."
"Crucifixion!"
"No.....you?"
"They shove a living snake up your ass!"
"Ah, no... but that's very creative."
posted by Ross @ 7:19 PM
20 comments
20 Comments:
Ross, off the top of my head, I would say,
1. Name a book that you want to share so much that you keep giving away copies: I read a book titled “The Power Broker” by Robert Caro in 1976 in Clark Billing’s history class. It is about apolitical figure in New York named Robert Moses. The book is 970+ pages long, but is such a compelling book about politics and power that I give it out to someone just about every Christmas.
2. Name a piece of music that changed the way you listen to music: Remember When the Music, by Harry Chapin. I spoke about this at Convocation this year at the college. I heard the song having been a Harry Chapin fan and I met Harry Chapin shortly thereafter and he became one of my four heroes. His work in hunger set him apart from most entertainers
3. Name a film you can watch again and again without fatigue: Inherit The Wind. The 1960 original version with Spencer Tracey, Frederick March, Gene Kelly, Claude Akins, Harry Morgan, Noah Berry Jr., Norman Fell, and Dick York (the first Darrin on Bewitched) What a cast! What a film!
4. Name a performer for whom you suspend of all disbelief: Other than Charles Lawton?
5. Name a work of art you'd like to live with: A print of John Singer Sargent’s “Fumee d’ambre gris” hangs in my Boston office, but I think that my favorite would be Claude Joseph Vernet’s Port in the Moonlight. Both hang in the Clark Art Museum
6. Name a work of fiction which has penetrated your real life: Probably Carrie by Stephen King. After that I knew horror didn’t have to stink and have read every one of his books since. (Uh, plus I had an excuse to stay away from my senior prom.) Same can be said for Babylon 5 and science fiction.
7. Name a punchline that always makes you laugh: “Leave the gun. Take the Cannolis.” Or, “If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you.” Or, “ha, there is no Sanity Clause!” or “And Don’t call me Shirley”
Ross, I think it is a cool idea. I'd be willing to support the venture 100%.
Ross-
I like the idea of linking the blogging world to the local paper (it might make me better at posting more often.) It could also help the letters problem, since we are all writing editorials of a kind. It might inspire others to go to print.
As for your list:
1. Book-The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell. A collection of essays, many about the 2000 election and the American experience. Vowell is smart, wickedly funny and I sound like a quote on the back of the jacket.
2. Music-Hearing the Beatles for the first time at age 9 set my course for music, but discovering both Buck Owens and George Gershwin at around the same time a few years later opened up two vastly different, yet strangely connected worlds to me.
3. Film-Waitng for Guffman. Having worked in theatre for my entire life, I know those people.
4. Performer-Gene Hackman. The man never lies and you can never see him "acting."
5. Art-Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir. They look like they're having so much fun.
6. Penetrating fiction-The World According the Garp. There is something about Garp that I see in myself and, 15 or so years after I read it for the first time, I still don't know what. But I know I'm right.
7. Punchline- "You've got a drink called Murray?"
Ross,
The Nuciforo article is not a trial balloon. The original Globe story is by Frank Phillips. He is a reporter's reporter who gets real stories and refuses to be knocked off a scent.
If anyone is floating anything its (a) Nuciforo trying to force the Gov's hand, not likely; (b) one of the insurance companies that donated big to the Gov and Nuciforo, somewhat likely; (c) Rep Mariano in the House, chair of the insurance commission, frequent opponent of Nuciforo trying to kill the possibility, most likely.
The Globe story has elements that to me seem would only come from someone trying to knock somebody out. It is certainly possible that Phillips got to the story some other way, but the stuff about him being "of counsel" to the firm in Boston seems to me to be someone trying to deliver a body blow.
For the record, I am not a Crane. Just an online moniker.
Well winmurcran- so much for my sleuthing----but winthrop murray crane- as a basis for your moniker still leads me to believe that you're from Dalton-- and maybe you are not a "Crane" but married to one-- who knows? who cares?
OK the meme
1. Book that you would give someone-- Caro's The Power Broker-- but I don;t have to since the Boz does it each Christmas
2. Music that changed the way I listen---Roy Orbison---pick a tune
3. Film that I'd see again and again-- tough call since I teach about 5 movie based courses so that I am seeing them again and again------probably Casablanca---but I also never tire of The Magnificent Seven-- The Great Escape or Second Hand Lions-- for comedies--The In-Laws (the original)---Blazing Saddles-- or Bad Medicine-- and of course Dr. Strangelove
4. Performer that suspends disbelief? Duval?? Hackman?? Pacino?? Jack Nicholson?? actually Wes Flinn who started all of this picked Duval-- listed four of his films-- but failed to mention To Kill a Mockingbird- in which Duvall had a non-speaking role as Boo Radley--but probably my favorite is Robin Williams--I think his Mrs. Doubtfire edged our Dustin Hoffman's Tootsie-- by a cup size
5. Art you'd like to live with-- well I do live with an apiece by Alvar entitled Dilligence and Folly--- other than that any of Renoir's nudes (which of course I can;t afford)
6. Fiction that has penetrated one's real life---- I'd say To Kill a Mockingbird--but now I use it in one of my film classes---and since the film is so close to the
novel---it's still great--- recently-- Crichton's State of Fear-- although I regard it as boardering on non-fiction---take that Al Gore
7. Punch line that makes you laugh? Maybe "Flames!!!! I've got flames on my car" from the In-Laws but most likely "Mein Fuhrer? I can walk!"
hey this is fun--- chbpod
I don't envy Mr. Drohan. His paper is the lowest rung of huge media conglomerate that surely knows that printed journalism is shrinking (and will continue to shrink) in proportion to the growth of other venues.
Being the editor of a chain-owned, small town, low revenue daily in 2007 has got to be a bitch. Before too long the reporters and editors will be delivering papers and inking the presses. (Or, perhaps, the press operators will start writing.)
While the Transcript's web portal definintely could use some work, most importantly the paper needs a way to generate revenue off of its electronic version. Far smarter people than me have been trying to crack that nut for years.
I've noticed that New England Newspapers has been trying various schemes to broaden circulation of their printed papers by giving them away in some places and offering special editions in others. I wonder if similar things are being succesfully tried elsewhere with web versions of the paper? If not, what are they doing?
Will the ubiquitous small town printed daily newspaper survive? Or will it go the way of the milk-man?
I can only say that I'm pretty sure the current formula will change.
And I forgot to comment on the "synergy" stuff.
I've got mixed feelings about providing regular content at no cost to a large media conglomerate. If the paper wants to "report" on what is happening, or is "hot", on the local blog scene, great.
But working for free (and if you've ever produced content under a regular deadline, it most certainly becomes work) is a precendent that the local bloggers need to think about carefully.
That said, I am all for letters to the ed and guest columns. Regardless of ownership, The Transcript belongs to the people of North Adams.
Greg-
I agree with what you said about the synergy stuff. I have had the deadline blues and they suck. But if the Transcript site wants to have a "Blogger's Corner" where they highlight local blogs and have a blogroll from there, I think that is fine.
I know that I wouldn't want to be required by the paper to produce, but if people outside of the blog world have a way to see the stuff happening here, it can only help. We're writing anyway, so why not?
On the topic of The Transcript's web site -- why is it that the print edition hits the streets in the pre-dawn hours, yet the online edition doesn't appear until afternoon?
BTW, Ross, your mention of Cheap Trick's Surrender brought back memories. "Mommy’s alright, daddy’s alright, they just seem a little weird....."
Yeah, well, I figure if the paper wants to link to my blog for free, they'll get their money's worth.
I see it as a win-win: we get more folks reading and commenting on our stuff and Transcript surfers get interactive content. And nowhere is it part of the deal that we have to do anything different. Unless we want to, of course.
My opinion: nobody's paying me to write. If someone wants to throw me money to write something besides SQL queries and README files, that'd be great. I'd really dig that. But if it does happen, it doesn't happen under the Blogspot terms of service, know what I mean?
I'll give my two cents on the online version of both the Eagle and the Transcript. 1)Their mast head is why too large, it takes up almost 2/3 of the page. That's like having 2/3 of the beloved "above the fold" devoted to the name of the paper. We typed the URL or clicked the link we don't need all that crap. 2) Would be the lack of access to archived stories. We have already paid for the story (either by subscription or the relentless adds online) why do we need to pay to retrieve a story. I would visit the papers everyday if I could do some research at the same time. Without that, I have no reason to visit the site for stale news.
Gee Whiz winmurcran--- you haven;t responding to my quessing game---Dalton??? married to the clan???
how about a denial???? I guess your silence is what is called a "non-denial denial"---how about a real denial---elementary my dear Watson!!!!!!!chbpod
The Berkshire Eagle has the Berkshire Forums links where people can log in to discuss an article. I would love to see a similar construct for the letters to the editor. Allow for rebuttal in a forum type atmosphere.
Another digital connection to the paper could be "Ask the Reporter" kind of thing. Many times I read an article in the local papers and I think, why didn't they ask this question or why did they lob such softball questions, or why did they bother to ask such a question.
I think if the Transcript wants to have a better online presence, they should get out of the parent company's web site template - it sucks!
Just a thought.
I'm with Ben. In answer to the weekly blog quiz:
1. The Best of The Far Side (yes, still).
2. Spirit, The 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (circa 1970). Also portions of Beethoven's Seventh, Rhapsody in Blue and a lot of early Sinatra.
3. Dr. Strangelove, followed by A Thousand Clowns, The Philadelphia Story and, strange but true, "Three Little Words" with Fred Astaire, Red Skelton, Vera Ellen, Arlene Dahl.
Note: A subcategory here would be films you could watch again and again without fatigue (within reason) if they'd only cropped certain scenes: Singing in the Rain but without the long, long, too long dance sequence at the end ("I can't quite visualize it."); Inherit the Wind -- a definite nod to Dan on this one -- but without the long tirade by the Rev. (Claude Aikens).
4. Spencer Tracy, almost always.
5. Ecstacy, Maxfield Parrish.
6. Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters and Frannie & Zooey (the Frannie part)and most all Salinger.
7. "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"
It looks Caro's The Power Broker is a favorite- particularly among us Pols--and it makes an impression on anyone who has read it---I recall a party at Dan Bosley's apartment on East Main St. back in the 70's-- snowy -nasty night- when Ted Buckley-who had taken my course with Boz---Ted is the son of the late register of deeds Ed Buckley and former City Council Presodent and realtor Frances Buckley-- arrived somewhat dazed-- apparently his car had slid into a snow bank on Main St. near the Inn--- we sat him down and did the usual "tests" to see if he had a concussion-- how many fingers do you see-- that sort of thing-- and then I asked him who I was-- he looked up at me and said "Robert Moses"---we knew he was OK--chbpod
Ok, I can't resist...
Book: Dr. Seuss' "Oh, The Places You'll Go." I know, too cliche'
Music: The soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever." The first album I ever listened to every song on the platter.
Film: Gettysburg. If you know me, you know why. "Stars and Stripes Forever" comes in second
Performer: Robert Duval
Work of Art: "Distant Thunder," by Mort Kunstler.
Punchline: "My sister is a big ol' girl. She's a runway model, out there at the airport..."
Pardon me for the off topic post. But I didn't have your email. Did you hear that Gideon's and EGL have closed? (As in, it's unclear if they will reopen.) What little I know is on my blog (shameless plug)
http://woodedpaths.blogspot.com/
--David Pittelli
Adams
David--thanks for the tip. I've now heard (Weds. midday) updates from two other sources with some more details. I'm sure if you're reading this comment, you've already read the story in the post above.
Good thing I don't shoot messengers, or I'd have no damn bullets left.
In regards to #7, I've always been a fan of the punchline "Why do you ask, Two Dogs Fucking?"
A little late but too much fun to pass up:
Book you share: Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, plus The Hobbit. I don't care if you're not into fantasy; neither am I. Read the books.
Piece of music that changed the way you listen to music: Side two of Abbey Road. Stirring, stunning, magnificent. Still.
Film you can watch again and again without fatigue: there are a few here. Pulp Ficton, Shawshank Redemption, and the Princess Bride spring immediately to mind.
Performer for whom you suspend all disbelief: Gene Hackman.
A work of art you'd like to live with: Rodin's La Porte de l'Enfer.
A work of fiction which has penetrated your life: See above, Tolkien's universe.
Punch line that always makes me laugh: several, but "Bring me my Brown Trousers" always is good for a chuckle.
Post a Comment
<< Home