It is tragic that newspapers died. Everyone would sit and read the paper copy of their paper. A 30 second or 60 second screaming sound bite on their phone is not a good replacement.
History will trace the downfall of society by the advent of smart phones.
It is tragic that newspapers died. Everyone would sit and read the paper copy of their paper. A 30 second or 60 second screaming sound bite on their phone is not a good replacement.
History will trace the downfall of society by the advent of smart phones.
Lots of local newspapers still exist in digital format. Sometimes they still have good stories. But, you are right, many are gone and, also, Social Media has taken the place of reading the newspaper for many.
I still read the NY Times, a local newspaper, and the Wall Street Journal most early mornings.
Amazingly, the WSJ wrote a lengthy article this week on how Republicans should abandon Trump because he is a loser. Not because he attacked the government, but, because in polls, Joe Biden still beats him.
I will try to find it and post it. But, even Rupert's WSJ is against Trump now.
What frightens me is that Murdoch and friends are now talking up DeSantis. DeSantis scares the heck out of me.
I was raised on the Louisville Courier and the Louisville Times; both award winning entities. Now they are emptied out remnants; overtaken by Gannet. Without getting too "sciency" here I believe it is more conducive to rational thought to sit down with a printed paper and give your full attention to what you are reading. Most people have settled for the screaming soundbites of whatever is the most adrenalin pumping thing put out by extremists and performance journalists. I wish people would read the WSJ, The Guardian, Reuters, BBC USA, NYT, Washington Post, LFAA on their phones but you and I know they are not.
My local paper (family run for over 100 years) sold to Gatehouse. I think it has about 30 people working there now, and our award winning photographer (Chris Pietch) now writes a fair number of stories as well as his fabulous photos. We get 3 or 4 local stories, tops. Everything else is either USA Today or AP regurgitations. I miss reading the hardcopy paper, but $27 per month for something less dense than our local liberal Weekly is too much. I pay a monthly on line subscription, and read it diligently.
I think it is Gannett which has destroyed the Register Guard as I see the same stories here in the Statesman Journal...yes, we used to have two newspapers. I start my day by reading Heather and then turn to the local rag on line. We have a online subscription to the O as well. They always put a subscribers only tag on certain sports stories and local news that people will want to read.
"I believe it is more conducive to rational thought to sit down with a printed paper and give your full attention to what you are reading. "
I could not possibly agree more with this statement. Reading is how we came to Democracy.
John Adams, in his pursuit of a law degree, read the entire, complete works of Edward Coke. Then, he read the history of past governments. All of them.
Then, he wrote the MA constitution, brilliantly synthesizing all that he had read into a functional document outlining a representative democracy.
Then, that became the template for the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
I love the last 2 sentences. This and the "problem with America is Americans" you wrote earlier are good quotes. I will use both. Your muse is working overtime today Mike.
free time waiting on someone to show up to help me take this tree down that, sadly, died from the emerald ash borer even though I was treating it every year.
My neighbor is trying to save his ash tree at the moment. The emerald ash bore and the chestnut tree disease that changed the Northeast long ago has been devasting.
I am heavily and actively involved with NY state and NYFOA in reforesting efforts and I can tell you: The Northeast Hardwood forest we see, what is left of it anyway, may not be here in 70 years at all. It might all be invasives that are resistant to bugs from China.
I lay awake at night worrying about the tree canopy in my town. No lie. I put a mental dollar in the pot whenever I see a tree suffering or cut down and then contribute to my local tree organization. And I get plenty of derision for being a tree hugger.
My neighbors are especially hard on trees with their casual and uninformed pruning, yard chemicals, over mulching and neglect. People spread tree disease by moving diseased tree logs from one place to another for firewood and mulching with diseased tree remnants. Carelessness.
Gannett is the death of local newspaper. We have a couple alternatives here in Salem for some news stories and they are found on the internet. I do read the obits and a few news items every day. We take the NYT, but don't get it on Saturday because the local rag doesn't print a paper on that day. See Ally's post below about what happened to the Eugene Register Guard once Gannett got a hold of it. I see the same stories in both our rag and the Guard.
It is tragic that newspapers died. Everyone would sit and read the paper copy of their paper. A 30 second or 60 second screaming sound bite on their phone is not a good replacement.
History will trace the downfall of society by the advent of smart phones.
And everybody accepting to call them 'smart'! If you read smart backwards, 'trams' in Swedish means bullsh*t.
my new mantra: TRAMS!
Mine too.
Wow!
Barbara,
Lots of local newspapers still exist in digital format. Sometimes they still have good stories. But, you are right, many are gone and, also, Social Media has taken the place of reading the newspaper for many.
I still read the NY Times, a local newspaper, and the Wall Street Journal most early mornings.
Amazingly, the WSJ wrote a lengthy article this week on how Republicans should abandon Trump because he is a loser. Not because he attacked the government, but, because in polls, Joe Biden still beats him.
I will try to find it and post it. But, even Rupert's WSJ is against Trump now.
What frightens me is that Murdoch and friends are now talking up DeSantis. DeSantis scares the heck out of me.
I was raised on the Louisville Courier and the Louisville Times; both award winning entities. Now they are emptied out remnants; overtaken by Gannet. Without getting too "sciency" here I believe it is more conducive to rational thought to sit down with a printed paper and give your full attention to what you are reading. Most people have settled for the screaming soundbites of whatever is the most adrenalin pumping thing put out by extremists and performance journalists. I wish people would read the WSJ, The Guardian, Reuters, BBC USA, NYT, Washington Post, LFAA on their phones but you and I know they are not.
DeSantis is a dangerous man and scary as hell.
My local paper (family run for over 100 years) sold to Gatehouse. I think it has about 30 people working there now, and our award winning photographer (Chris Pietch) now writes a fair number of stories as well as his fabulous photos. We get 3 or 4 local stories, tops. Everything else is either USA Today or AP regurgitations. I miss reading the hardcopy paper, but $27 per month for something less dense than our local liberal Weekly is too much. I pay a monthly on line subscription, and read it diligently.
I think it is Gannett which has destroyed the Register Guard as I see the same stories here in the Statesman Journal...yes, we used to have two newspapers. I start my day by reading Heather and then turn to the local rag on line. We have a online subscription to the O as well. They always put a subscribers only tag on certain sports stories and local news that people will want to read.
Barbara,
"I believe it is more conducive to rational thought to sit down with a printed paper and give your full attention to what you are reading. "
I could not possibly agree more with this statement. Reading is how we came to Democracy.
John Adams, in his pursuit of a law degree, read the entire, complete works of Edward Coke. Then, he read the history of past governments. All of them.
Then, he wrote the MA constitution, brilliantly synthesizing all that he had read into a functional document outlining a representative democracy.
Then, that became the template for the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Had John Adams been checking his phone instead?
We would still be under British rule.
I love the last 2 sentences. This and the "problem with America is Americans" you wrote earlier are good quotes. I will use both. Your muse is working overtime today Mike.
free time waiting on someone to show up to help me take this tree down that, sadly, died from the emerald ash borer even though I was treating it every year.
My neighbor is trying to save his ash tree at the moment. The emerald ash bore and the chestnut tree disease that changed the Northeast long ago has been devasting.
Barbara,
I am heavily and actively involved with NY state and NYFOA in reforesting efforts and I can tell you: The Northeast Hardwood forest we see, what is left of it anyway, may not be here in 70 years at all. It might all be invasives that are resistant to bugs from China.
I stay awake at night worried about this.
No lie.
I lay awake at night worrying about the tree canopy in my town. No lie. I put a mental dollar in the pot whenever I see a tree suffering or cut down and then contribute to my local tree organization. And I get plenty of derision for being a tree hugger.
My neighbors are especially hard on trees with their casual and uninformed pruning, yard chemicals, over mulching and neglect. People spread tree disease by moving diseased tree logs from one place to another for firewood and mulching with diseased tree remnants. Carelessness.
LOL. I love the image of John Adams checking his cell and maybe have a video chat with Abigail.
:-)
while she tells him not to "forget the ladies".
how cool would that be?
I was thinking about that...yes, very cool.
DeSantis is no picnic. That is for sure.
A nightmare is more like it
Gannett is the death of local newspaper. We have a couple alternatives here in Salem for some news stories and they are found on the internet. I do read the obits and a few news items every day. We take the NYT, but don't get it on Saturday because the local rag doesn't print a paper on that day. See Ally's post below about what happened to the Eugene Register Guard once Gannett got a hold of it. I see the same stories in both our rag and the Guard.