1. I was caught flat footed.
2. I was sad it was not true. He was, is and will be for all time one of the most miserable of Human Beings for what he did and had done. But one can always hope that the Good Lord will one day make him pay for his sins.
In any case, I digress. Along with with the fake news swirling around us, is not the omission of true news just as bad? To hide what is going on so as too make one look better in their job performance than what they really are? With fake news, we can research as I should have done on Manson to get to the Truth. In the omission of news, one can not ferret out the Truth.
There was a bit of humor on the part of the Executive Editor so it was not all dire in its presentation. The comment was written "So I plugged away, knowing that I and the fantastic reporters of the News and Sentinel do our best to genuinely present an unbiased report of the facts, with input from multiple sides of a story, so readers can trust us and make their own decisions about the information presented". "Of course, I'm not talking abouts what is printed here. That is another matter entirely- and we label it accordingly".
This Executive Editor must not read many of the articles that come out on the goings on in our little corner of the World called Vienna? There, the Truth is usually a victim of the Politics that are slowing but steadily choking down many of the good people who live here. I had only lived here about two weeks and was warned about the direction the paper took on local issues. After almost a decade of observing on my own, I can understand fully those statements made to me.
Two things stood out in that one Editorial paragraph:
1. The first comment on "...........that I and the fantastic reporters........" I admit I am a bit short on humor when I am around people who are so engrossed with themselves that there are seemingly never enough mirrors in any room? But that one sentence caused me to LMAO. I am smiling or smirking as Mr. Bibbee would say as I post this. It was funny then and still is now.
2. The admission "....... to present an unbiased report on the facts........... " This followed by "I am not talking about what is printed on the opinion pages, here. That is another matter entirely".
I am not very smart and will be the first to admit it, but would think that even when doing an Editorial in whatever form one may call it, there should be a modicum of effort to present the Facts on how one is getting to a position? Would not supporting flat out a buffoon in any color of the rainbow be it Honesty, Criminality, Stupidity or just plainly to be an incompetent not have to be full of lies and misrepresentations that it may need to protect the guilty versus the harmless who are being harmed?
To make a mistake is a common flaw of most mortals. I err as do others who have feet of clay and sometimes have to come in and admit an error and post the correct data. I don't like eating crow, but have learned that each time I am able to face the fact, I am a better man for it. I am in each and every posting trying to be if nothing else honest in what I post. Yes, sometimes it is MY Opinion on something; others an article I find that is I hope is of interest to the Community? In fact, I just did that for the above post on Manson.
And again, our Daily Blat comes all out in the "Our Opinion" column to boost Tourism as the saving Grace of P'burg. I fully understand and respect the challenge Mr. Lewis of the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (GPC&VB) faces . He has a tough job and as so many of the mugwumps in the State do is embracing Tourism versus most types of other business growth here.
It is understandable how the State, not just the MOV got itself into the situation it has now. 80 years of expecting and laying on of Coal/ Gas Severance Taxes to balance an ever increasing yearly Budget finally collapsed under the weight of the Obama Presidency. The State is now again, in the throes of trying to rebuild a tax base for the programs of the State and more so here in the MOV. Tourism as I have noted before can be called one leg of an octopus to bring in dollars. The jobs will again by and large be low pay, few if any benefits and not much hope of a progressive upward future. Except for a very few, nothing more than a foot in a door to go somewhere for a viable future.
Another idea floating is to pay Colleges/ Universities for raising Graduation rates in them from what, a one in three to one in two? Or better yet, one for one who are attending all the courses and passing them? The most important part is they actually EARN the grades. To give two year Associate or comparable Degrees in order to entice the lads and lassies to stay home rather than flee the nest. I can assure you that one does NOT need a two year degree to work in a fast food/ sit down eatery. They do need a job sometimes in a fast food/ sit down eatery to get a two year degree.
Have to say, it was a pleasure Friday to finally see a Vienna Police Officer in the 'hood. In fact, we had vehicles 131, 142 and 145 all in the area as they arrested one for something. Good job lads. Nice to see the effort put out to keep the folks living here from Ohio safe. 'nuff said'.