Sunday, March 8, 2009

A plea for sympathy at Newspapertrails? (updated -- Newspapertrails deleted)

The publisher of Newspapertrails -- identified as "Inkpot" -- had a post this weekend that caught my attention. I've read it a couple of times and I'm still not sure if the post was meant to explain the lack of information on the blog, or was a plea for sympathy.
"I make no money from this site and maintain it as a forum for McClatchy employees to share information. I'd like to carry out all of your suggestions and will compile whatever information I can, maybe make a link list for the recently jobless to find help. I'll do what I can, but I also have to put in enough time to stay functional at work and home. This blog has been one of the more rewarding projects I've had for a long time. It's also one of the most intense and time consuming things I've done for a long time.

"Anyway, I'm posting this just to say that I won't be able to do everything, and I'll appreciate greatly any information or links you can send my way."
What do you think?

UPDATE: A reader says there is plenty of room in the blogosphere for two McClatchy blogs -- one for information, one for group therapy.

UPDATE #2: Evidently the publisher of Newspapertrails has deleted the blog.
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22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't make to much of it. I think it is simply someone who is trying to serve a community that has made a lot of suggestions trying to make sure everyone realizes that he will do what he can but will not put the blog ahead of his job and family.

Anonymous said...

I would love to help out. My sage advice is to Never, ever put anything patriotic (from any MNI newspaper)in your blog, never.

In finding items to help or inspire MNI employees, post articles that are the antithesis of the one below, as the paper has no interest in them.


'Shaken not stirred': What heroic pilot told commander after he saved crew from Taliban

Daily Mail ^ | 8th March 2009 | Christopher Leake

An RAF pilot who saved the lives of his crew and a leading Afghan official by landing a stricken helicopter damaged by a Taliban rocket attack has received one of Britain’s top military honours.

Flt Lt Alex ‘Frenchie’ Duncan, 35, brought down the 25-ton Chinook as enemy rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns blew away most of a rotor blade and a left a huge hole in the fuselage.

Later, after coming under renewed Taliban attacks in a second incident, ‘Frenchie’ was asked by his commander if he was OK.

He replied in James Bond-style using his call-sign: "Black Cat 22 – shaken, not stirred."

Anonymous said...

I'd call it straightforward honesty. It's also an acknowledgment that good information comes from people who post it in the comments. People who might feel more comfortable posting there because they won't be criticized for their opinions.

Anonymous said...

Poor baby. He spammed like an a-hole and is getting his comeuppance.

Anonymous said...

Is that guy THE spammer?

Kevin Gregory said...

Don't know if Inkpot is the Spammer: Inkpot sounds like a she and I've never heard of a female spammer. (FYI, info on the Spammer's location and computer system is here.)

Anonymous said...

Well, I stood up for McClatchy Watch there, so I'll stand up for newspapertrails2 here.

As for not being criticized on newspapertrails2, some poor sap looking for info had just heard there were a couple of blogs and mentioned McWatch there and got blasted for it.

Both are needed; one for information, and one for group therapy.

Anonymous said...

FREE ADVICE: It's now safe to link your site to wikenpedia, the coast is clear


Wikipedia Scrubs Ayers and Wright From Obama Biography

Wikipedia users have scrubbed all references to homegrown terrorist William Ayers and the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright from Barack Obama's entry at the online encyclopedia.

Kevin Gregory said...

7:20 heh

Anonymous said...

I sympathize with Newspapertrails. For starters, he (or she) says he is "employed at a large market McClatchy newspaper."

He is running a blog that contains criticism of McClatchy corporate and his own paper. Running the blog is probably a fireable offense.

He has to work 40 hours a week, and when he gets a good tip, he probably can't post it from his work computer. So he's working with one hand tied behind his back, he's probably stressed out about getting laid off or fired, but he's running the blog anyway.

Hats off to Newspapertrails, and hats off to McClatchy Watch for the valuable service you're both performing.

Anonymous said...

Interesting post on the Yahoo finacial board.
Kind of a good idea...

Why doesn't everyone in the company just take a sick day on Friday, April 3rd? This comapny obviously feels that none of their employees are important. Jobs are being threatened, jobs are being cut, salaries are being cut, hours are being cut, pension and 401 K frozen and aren't ever going to be restored.AND MORE JOB CUTS ARE COMING!!!

Since MNI places such little value on their employees, why don't you all call in sick on the same day? That way, Gary Pruitt and his 30 Publishers can really learn what it is like to work. They can pick up ad copy, deliver the papers, write and edit stories, paginate the papers and fire up the presses. Show them you matter, and what it will be like without you. If every MNI
employee that reads this note and can spread it around the paper you work for , your combined collective voices would send a very clear message that as MNI employees, WE"VE HAD ENOUGH.

Talk it up, spread the word, show Gary Pruitt and the rest of his inefficient corporate head choppers that there is power in numbers!

Anonymous said...

I have both blogs in my RSS reader and, frankly, am getting information faster and more accurately from newspapertrails.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:23 Of course you are (wink, wink)

Anonymous said...

Newspapertrails traces back to some 30's something female in an uncomfortable relationship because she's a working woman with a stay at home husband. Her previous site seemed to indicate that they are either impotent or had their children taken away.

As far as female spammers go, they're thicker than mud on a hen. The tactic she/he/it was using are straight out of the Lesbien book on taking over every site and organization dedicated to women, everywhere. Flood it with useful idiots, demand that the target discuss only that which they choose to discuss and if that doesn't work, sabotage, slander and harass the object of your affliction until they give up. If that doesn't work, set up a mirror and claim to be different while stealing as much information as you can.

It's old hat, N.O.W. Nazi crap.

Kevin Gregory said...

9:26 -- wow, sounds like you've done some sleuthing.

Anonymous said...

Wow anom926 you're a genius! How about learning to spell first. What are you 15 years old? Kevin, where do these nutjobs come from?

Kevin Gregory said...

10:35 I thought 9:26 posted some interesting info.

Anonymous said...

9:26 -- wow, sounds like you've done some sleuthing.




It wasn't hard. She/he left a trail that a deep search picked up fairly easy. That is what happens when you use the same email addresses and passwords across multiple sites. One post leads to another under another topic, all the while they are providing you with all the confirmation necessary to identify them beyond a doubt along the way. Deep search can be a bitch because it is examining the content of a topic or post, not just the title or the subject.

Amen 10:35. Can't attack the message so you attack the messenger. You should apply for a job at your nearest DNC office. Oh wait a minute...you already work for one under the McClatchy banner I bet!

Anonymous said...

9:26, you have to be kidding. You described McClatchy Watch to a "t".

And the "spammer" -- not only do you not know the person's gender, you say, based on nothing, that they're both married AND a lesbian?

All unhappily married women must be lesbians, and all working women are lesbians, too? Everyone not a caveman is a lesbian? WTF?

Anonymous said...

I'm a card-carrying member of NOW and a dedicated McClatchy Watch reader. I only pass that along for demographic research, not as a sermon. I'm a feminist. I'm married, to a man, and we have two kids. A lot of us feminists are pretty ordinary. My mother is one; so was my grandmother. We all got dinner on the table and wore aprons. Used to work for McClatchy and agree or understand a lot of the "caveman" postings here.

As I say, this post is just for demographic purposes. I suddenly feel lonely and unwanted....

Anonymous said...

2:37 PM Dahlin, you have a serious reading comprehension problem going on. Kind of odd that you'd work for a newspaper...but then again, it's McClatchy.

I never once said you were a lesbian and I was giving you the benefit of the doubt as it well could have been that your, "husband" using one of your former blog accounts and email addresses that you used to start them. I am actually hoping it was, seeing that he is a dead beat letting you carry the load.

Try a Community College class, it will help you get up to speed on the reading thing.

3:13 PM Card carrying NOW member. I wonder what went through your mind when the founder quit because the group had been taken over and declared that married women could no longer be members? It's ok hon...I didn't really believe you.

Anonymous said...

5:21 PM:

No need to be insulting. I was probably pregnant that year so I missed that bit of news. There's a new president of NOW now. they didn't ask me my marital status when I re-upped.