Todd J. Juvinall

I Miss my Husband very much! Todd was simply all about loving God, County, Family and People. My love , My husband is with Jesus in Heaven. He enjoyed communicating with each of you on Sierra Dragon's Breath. Todd was a Great, Loving, Kind man and will be Missed. Love you honey! Till wee meet again.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Bloggers and Journalists, yes, very different. Union Publisher Hemig makes his case.

I have yet to meet this new publisher of our Union Newspaper but he seems to me to be an OK guy.  I have not heard any bad stuff about him except in one local  radical lefty blog.  So I have kept a low profile about the paper and the staff at the Union so far.  I usually don't complain about the paper and I have both a subscription to the hard copy and the Internet.  I believe we have to support our local paper so we don't see them go the way of "Newsweek" and other publications.

Today Mr. Hemig did a "opinion" piece of the difference between "bloggers" and "journalists".  HERE is the article. I have to admit I thought it was a pretty defensive piece and he was making the case for his profession fairly well.  But, having been on the front page many times in my past life as a County Supervisor and Founder and CEO of CABPRO, I would debate some of his points.  I know he has only been here a short while so we cannot hold his feet to the fire yet about the "fairness" of the reporting.  Or the veracity of articles.  But hell, I have an opinion!

Hemig made some blanket statements about bloggers that seemed to me fairly accurate.  Sure we start our blogs because we want to bloviate our personal opinions out into the ether.  Most of us are very opinionated.  We are not afraid to speak our minds and most of us are man enough to take the arrows of criticism.  But some are not.  I put up with many personal attacks from Union personnel when I was a County Supervisor then CABPRO rep.  Most of the time I was never given a chance to defend myself and when I sent "press releases" to clarify a story the paper would never run them.  So, I had to take it and I did.  Eventually, editors who could care less about telling the truth about me were given their walking papers and went to do their personal dirty business in other poor communities.  Too bad for them.

When I had a radio show at KNCO for four years we had call ins and of course, the community being what it is politically, I had many spirited discussions with liberals.  I found that they were not as willing to listen or to debate and were always trying to shut me up and get me booted. (just like they did to Rush) I found this strange since liberals always tell us they are so "enlightened" and should always support "free speech" no matter what.  Well, just another liberal lie.  Here in our community we have seen the rise of blogs of which mine is one. We did it out of necessity some say.

A few local blog sites are what I would call "unwilling" to debate.  They usually moderate those that disagree.  They boot contra points of view.  I too moderate but only people using derogatory personal languor.  I do allow parody and sarcasm though.  The piece by Hemig of the Union gave me a bit of pause.  I understand he says they are fair and try to get other viewpoints and perhaps he truly believes that.  But, like my blog, I see the Union picks and chooses their stories and does the obligatory articles from AP to make the space get filled. Of course they have a daily paper with many stories and I just post one or two a week so just on its face, filling the pages of the paper is difficult.  But still, I read articles on things like "global warming" and "SYRCL" positions and others that never have the other side asked for their input.  AP has come to be called AP Obama because they are so biased and when they do an article I sometimes get really upset about their bias.  The Union should get other input on many of the articles.

But we all know there is a local fellow, a person who was once a Editor at the paper, who has a big chip on his shoulder since he was shown the door a few years ago.  That blogger thinks he is a "purple", nonaligned non partisan and tells us that all that all the time.  But he isn't and we all know it.  It would be like me telling people on am a liberal when they all know I am a conservative.  Anyway, that blogger can't shake the fact that he was shown the door and we have read his relentless diatribes against the Union, Jeff Ackerman (former publisher) and the others in charge.  On and on this fellow drones about the paper and the people there.  I have run into a few folks that worked there when this blogger was there and all are happy he was shown the door.  Attitude and respect.  If you have both in the "good" column, you can survive in a small town.  If you treat all here as this blogger fellow does, you become disliked, and bitter.

Hemig must be getting sick of this blogger guy but my advice is simple.  Don't  read him, read the "Ladies Home Journal" instead.  (besides he has just a few viewers) Why give any time to a hapless bitter wise-ass?  So, don't  fret Hemig, as one person who had to read all about myself for so many years, mostly all in the negative, I can tell you don't let anyone occupy any space in your noggin.  Especially if it is a negative person.  Daffodils and strawberry milkshakes man.  Toughen up.  Bloggers like me thrive on storytelling.

13 comments:

  1. I read Hemig's piece and understand his position. He is taking an obvious path that he must espouse, no surprise there. However, if he thinks The Union keeps people informed from all aspects of a story he is sorely mistaken. I have been reading The Union since 1970. For a small town newspaper it does a great job, in my humble opinion. However, one venue sorely lacking is investigative reporting, especially when it comes to looking into local government. Apathy (and very busy lives) leads far too many people to ignore the news, be it local, state, national or international. Blogging consists of personal opinions and is a great forum for an exchange of ideas. The opinions written are usually based on news stories to begin with, so they serve a valuable purpose and can get into a subject far deeper than The Union. Some bloggers are are extremely intelligent and well-informed. Some have far more knowledge on a subject than any newspaper reporter. They make me realize just how ignorant I am on many subject, so I am thankful for them, but ignore the ones that deserve no thanks at all.

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  2. OMG! I am so sick of these self righteous, hypocritical, nasty bloggers! I am going to write about them and their evil deeds, and the tacit support of those close to them. I will expose the conspiracy that is rotting this community from the devil's keyboard. And I am going to blindly support my only friend Greg Diaz, no matter what questionable actions occur in his office. You can count on that! LOL!

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  3. TRUE FUE....I'm beginning to think you are actually the real FUE (not REAL FUE though)...it's impossible to figure out who is satirizing who. Life imitating art imitating life.

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  4. LOL fish! I get confused myself occasionally. My touchstone is to run look in the mirror. LOL!

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  5. What ois the fascination the FUE has with Mr. Diaz? I seems creepy!

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    1. Greg Diaz is der FUEherer's prize treasure because it demonstrates how a citizenry can be bamboozled by Rhetoric. He must defend The Big Lie that Diaz is competent to reinforce his place as the mater rhetorician.

      A big lie (German: Große Lüge) is a propaganda technique. The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, when he dictated his 1925 book Mein Kampf, about the use of a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously." Hitler asserted the technique was used by Jews to unfairly blame Germany's loss in World War I on German Army officer Erich Ludendorff. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lie

      If you look at Der FUEherer’s posts, you will see the technique of “The Big Lie” throughout his posts.
      --JG

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    2. I meant to write "master rhetorician" in the first paragraph. --JG

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  6. Love. The FUE is in love with Diaz. It is not creepy. It is beautiful. Don't you wish you had someone who thought you could do no wrong?

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  7. I DO have someone who thinks I can do no wrong! It is me! And Bruiser let's me think that! LOL!

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  8. I had dinner with my "fake family" tonight, and Joe Giorgi told me to tell you to drop dead. Sounds like you guys had some good times back in the day!

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    1. How the heck do you know Joe and Coleen?

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    2. Gymnastics. Their niece and nephew worked at our gym in Grass Valley. Their family has been dear friends of our family since 1999. I was the best man in his nephew's wedding, and Kim was a bridesmaid in their niece's wedding. We pretty much spend every holiday with their family when we are not in Chicago or Florida.

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    3. My goodness, Joe and I have known each other since 78'. We were neighbors and he worked for me. What a small world.

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Real name thank you.