News-Record.com

Right now (Sunday morning 4/8)the first blog entry on The Front Phew doesn't work - and, in general, if you want me to respond - all the blogs are going to have to be accessed via the same method - I fail to understand why "Letters to the Editor" is accessed differently than is "The Editors Log" - I'm quitting all blogs (taking my toys and leaving) until I can access Letters to the Editor without so much difficulty and typekey mumbo jumbo -

I'll be honest John (is there ever a time when I'm not?) I read your blog because your a powerful guy, and you participate in the blog community. The second of those 2 things being the most important. It's the fact that 'you' are the face of the news & record and because of your blog I've gotten to know you and the paper a bit better. Most of the other blog seems.... er, well contrived, basically like the paper adapting to fit into the blogosphere, rather then their own entities...

Personally a blog isn't a blog until you've written something controversial enough to upset 3/4's of your readers. Newspapers are for the safe stuff, I'd love to see a news & record blogger who attacks why the heck daughtry has no hair, or homeless all limpi the boro. How about a blogger who camps out in front of Captain Holliday's house and digs some dirt on him. N&R has alot more capital then us small-timers, I'd love to see it really compete on a professional level with other major online publications, but it would involve taking a risk.

I'm sure I'm alone in my opinion, so, I'll go crawl back under a rock now... but there is my ideas...

Sorry John. :)

Just my opinion, of course, but I like the blogs here that offer insight into a point of view or that explain a complex issue. Sometimes that means the writer is adding some arguments to an idea I'm already inclined to agree with and sometimes it means that the writer is explaining the thinking behind an idea to which I was initially opposed. Sometimes, the author is just adding information to help the reader understand an issue. Allen Johnson and Doug Clark are my favs for this. I also like the "newsy" posts from the Chalkboard and the "behind the news" glimpses from Margaret Banks et. al at the Inside Scoop.

I am really turned off, now to the point of hardly even reading, posts that simply point to a story and ask: "What do you think?" There's no meat there. They seem like a fourth grade reading "assignment." Those become even more boring when the author won't offer her opinions or add any insights of her own and declines to participate in the discussions she tries to instigate.

Hope that helps.

I regularly read your blog, along with those by Doug Clark and Allen Johnson. Lots of interesting comments on these all across the community spectrum.
On the rare occasion when I look at Lex's blog I notice vurtually no participation and no responses. His is less a blog than a forum for political statements that apparently no one cares to read or comment on. I think it serves little purpose.
There are others, such as Chalkboard or Mel's Kitchen that may be well read but aren't of interest to me.

John:

I enjoy Doug Clark's conversations and Mark Binker's insights.

I have recommended Capital Beat to lots of people. I think it is one of the best j-blogs out there.

Yours is valuable also, being the editor and all, and providing us a peek into decisions and planning.

The Chalkboard blog doesn't work because as soon as someone gets controversial, Jennifer bans them for life. Just ask her how many people are banned at this time and compare that to the number banned from the other blogs. One guy was banned when he used hell and ass in a very humorous song. We're all adults. Hell and ass are OK.

Maybe you could just find more mature moderators.

I agree Herrin, the banning of posters is a very immature way to deal with opposing views. Ms. Fernandez of the chalkboard needs to be assigned to the Pre-school blog.

Thanks, all.

We've banned three people from The Chalkboard, either because they came on under different screen names and posted comments affirming their earlier comments, or they couldn't refrain from using profanity. All were given ample warning.

You are absolute liars! I was banned from the CB and I was NEVER given a warning! Also, please note today's example of Jennifer playing mother hen again and edited a portion of a post! She deleted JJ Alston's wonderful GPA of 4.45 at Andrews High. What's wrong with that? Is he an embarrassement to the black community with such a high GPA? Joe Alston said on LIVE TV what his GPA was so why does Jennifer feel the need to edit that?

I'm sick of blogs that can't handle the truth!

Yes, it's true, BinBanned, that we only warned the people who had legitimate e-mail addresses.

Oh excuse me I mean Mr. Fuchs. Sorry.

Three people is a lie. I take my laptop with me to lunch many times and have found that many free wifi sites in High Point are banned from the Chalkboard. I recently tried to post from Starbucks at Myrtle Beach and they were banned too!!

E. Herrin and Mr. Rogers,

Thanks for your concerns about the Chalkboard. Perhaps you're new to the site. When Bruce and I first started it back in 2004, we asked people to refrain from swearing and using sexual innuendo. We anticipated that children would sometimes read the blog - and they do - so we wanted to keep it as clean and civil as possible. While it is an education blog, it was never intended to be *that* educational. I think parents can take care of explaining those delicate issues at home.

I'm glad that you agree a modicum of maturity is needed at the Chalkboard. That's really all we've asked of posters. Surely folks can make intelligent arguments without resorting to swearing or talking about sex.

I think it's ironic that we kick kids out of school if they can't control themselves or follow rules, and many people agree with that.

But folks are upset that on the Chalkboard they must follow the same rules that kids have to follow. Why do we expect more from our kids than we do from, dare I say it - mature - adults?

BinBannedB4 - I haven't banned anyone from Bargain Blog unless they're spammers. Knock on wood, but the stuff I write about usually doesn't inspire people to lob F bombs at each other, so the only reason (at least so far) would be to ban spammers. What name did you use when you tried to post a comment? What was it about? "BinBannedB4" doesn't ring a bell. Thanks for your interest, btw. - Mike

BinBanned, I just deleted your first comment about being banned from the Bargain Blog, and which Michael Fuchs just responded to, because of your use of a profanity, mistakenly or not.

BinBanned,

I posted this on the Chalkboard, too, regarding why I deleted your comments: A parent can say what he or she wants on live TV about his/her own child. But it's not fair of you to disparage someone else's child to make your point.

Actually, it was MY comments that were deleted, not BinBanned. I hope the IP addresses of those "3" banned from the Chalkboard were checked more carefully.

I wish you would take the time and energy you put into these darn blogs and instead shift it to the rest of the site.

you've always ignored my suggestions (mainly because I dont sugar coat them anymore) about how to make it better, so I wont even run down them again...

but, you've been in this 10 years and have a staff of HOW MANY??? and spent how many MILLIONS of dollars and so many basic things on your site dont work....

give up on the blogs and fix other stuff -- and REALLY give up on video... zzzzzzz........

jim, no, I ignore your suggestions when I've responded to them already, or because I have no response to make to them at all. The last two comments you've made I've answered and asked you to elaborate and you've not responded.

We're not going to drop the blogs or video. You've made it clear you don't like them. We know that. You can keep saying it all you like, but don't get angry when I don't respond to those comments.