Cheers and Jeers
JEERS - To no real public access. Gloversville, like other local municipalities, has a franchise agreement with Time Warner. Gloversville is reviewing renewal of the agreement. It is a 15-year plan, which in itself seems a little excessive - it was 10. The agreement must be finalized by the end of the year. A 1984 federal law requires cable providers to offer public, educational and government access (often called PEG) in exchange for using public facilities. That's a point at issue in the proposed new agreement. The company proposes to allow use of public-access stations, but not live. This means people who want to use the station would have to make arrangements to tape a program - at their own cost. You may have never watched a public-access station, you may loathe or laugh at them, or you may find them interesting. Regardless, you should care. The requirement that cable companies allow a public-access channel is a part of democracy. We do not believe there is a need to expand the local coverage, but we strongly encourage the city to keep the existing public-access guidelines in the next agreement.
CHEERS - To finding vandals. It appears the Gloversville Police Department did an excellent job, or that two young people couldn't keep quiet. Maybe, just maybe, the two even felt a pang of guilt. In either case, the crime of vandalism at the city's animal holding facility has been solved. Now it will be in the hands of the Family Court and the Probation Department. Whatever sentence they receive, a part of it should be to work at the facility. They should be made to volunteer in the continued construction of the facility and at it when it's completed. Some may think such a sentence would be degrading or hurt a young person's self-esteem. We think it would build character.
CHEERS - To leaks to the press. It was reported this week that one reason former Gloversville City Clerk Gary Margiotta was not reappointed was because some thought "he is the apparent leak we have had for a long time to the press." This came out in former Councilman Lance Gundersen's deposition testimony. We don't know if this was the case, but we do know the vast majority of "leaks" to the press are issues or decisions people have the right to know about, and the information never should be suppressed to begin with. Elected officials seem to lose sight of the fact they are elected by the public and have a duty to serve the people and support open government.
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RizziBear
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09-08-08 3:47 PM
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The comments to Letters to the Editor were always the funniest; which is why they were cancelled. Many a truth is found in small absurdities. And as usual, the LH will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory; by killing something that let's the people speak. At least they cheer press leaks, or do they?
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spiralsands
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09-07-08 5:07 PM
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By the way, I think it's pretty cool that without 'letters to the editor comments', more people are commenting on the editorials and news. You gotta admit. Most of those letters are pretty petty. I'm suprised the LH even selects them for print at all. They can't possibly be the best letters they get....or can they???
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spiralsands
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09-07-08 5:03 PM
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The first Patriot's point is that he or she believes my comment was about a particular person and not the fact that political interests are trying to sell off public access to the broadcast media. Private ownership of all types of broadcast media will succeed only in creating a forum for the sale of the profit interests of private corporations. It will become their tool for creating needs you don't have to sell you stuff you don't want yet. It will be the tool to sell you the newest 'personality politians'. Does anyone remember radio before 'personality radio'? If Americans lose ownership of the media, the corporations will gain ownership of the government.
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teebzz
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09-06-08 8:50 PM
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free speech and letseewhaticangetawaywith speech are 2 different things. oh and why is there a moderator there?
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lucycat43
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09-06-08 8:05 PM
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Do you want to bash and insult with impunity ? Post vitriolic hatred, name call ? Go to wwwdotgloversvilledotcom. You will be welcomed with open arms by the moderator there. Never deleted, never banned. Free speech rules over there !
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teebzz
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09-06-08 7:43 PM
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Discobulous.. not to worry. theres enough "silly" in the news comments to opine on.
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Discobulous
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09-06-08 3:44 PM
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There's no point reading the electronic edition anymore if you can't comment on the often silly letters. What's the point?
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teebzz
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09-06-08 2:58 PM
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is it only me thats having trouble with understanding the point Patriot1 is making in his last post?
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Patriot1
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09-06-08 2:38 PM
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There is no perfect way to "vet" the character of a politician but by his/her grace under fire and probity of action. We can only do our best, and do what we believe is ultimately in the best interests of the body politic. You may recall that Harry Truman was vilified, and left office with a 22% rating. History ultimately vindicated him as a "near-great" president.
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Patriot1
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09-06-08 2:38 PM
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There is no perfect way to "vet" the character of a politician but by his/her grace under fire and probity of action. We can only do our best, and do what we believe is ultimately in the best interests of the body politic. You may recall that Harry Truman was vilified, and left office with a 22% rating. History ultimately vindicated him as a "near-great" president.
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Patriot1
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09-06-08 2:29 PM
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Go to the "blog" section of the L-H. It will explain why comments on "letters to the editor" are no longer being entertained.
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spiralsands
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09-06-08 2:27 PM
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China tightly controls its internet access and thereby controls dissemination of all dissenting opinion. It can happen here also and there has already been legislation through Congress that could impede your access to information over the internet. I read a story three days ago that some ISPs are going to try to impliment pay-per-time usage fees to profit from the amount of time people are using the internet. If the Governor of Alaska can scrub the library shelves, the elite executive can scrub the internet. This country is already predominately mindlessly indoctrinated. It's why they vote style over substance almost everytime. It's why you're now being trained to think that being a PTA soccer mom gives you the experience to be the future President. It's why you're being trained to think that teenage pregnancy is now just a little, bitty thing. You are being trained. I hope, since you're the number one Patriot, that you are smart enough to see the real message behind the lesson.
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teebzz
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09-06-08 1:35 PM
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wirlwind, its not the LH's fault. but brainless people who bash towns and residents and who make a habit of it, is childish and only reflects on themselves. they insult with vulgarity and if they have their posts removed.. they cry " wheres my freedom of speech???" they deserve no voice. and the rest of us have to suffer by not allowing to air our opinion.
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Patriot1
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09-06-08 10:20 AM
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We are not in "1984" or "Brave New World". Contrary to what spiralsands believes, far too much information is available on the internet and other sources for a country such as the United States to be able to subject its citizens to mindless indoctrination - the "checks and balances" are in place.
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RWEHVNGFUNYET
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09-06-08 10:16 AM
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Jeers to all of you who so easily give up your rights to information and opinion. Get off your but and shout from the highest mountain; "I will not allow anyone to limit my free thoughts or my freedom to travel when or where I want." Get it on and stop whining.....Do something....and it aint gonna happen as you sloth around this blog site.
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spiralsands
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09-06-08 9:48 AM
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Remember when bUSH stated we needed an ownership society? That really was double speak for "there is no such thing as publicly owned property and we should sell it off." This is what is going to happen not just to the national parks and national resources, but also to the public airwaves. The Republican party believes that everything should be privately owned and privately run and therefore, profitable to a private entity. Look who owns TimeWarner. Control the media and you control the information available to the masses. Control the information and you control the masses. People, you are the masses and you will be controlled.
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fenny23
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09-06-08 9:11 AM
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What parts are being shut down to posting?
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Patriot1
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09-06-08 8:38 AM
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Fulton County has always been a bastion of opaque and very tightly controlled local government - there have been some minor cracks in the facade, but don't expect any major changes unless there is massive disgust on the part of the general public manifested in the voting booth. Participation in local government is a major industry here in the "Wild West", and those in control and the money behind them won't surrender their influence easily.
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lucycat43
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09-06-08 8:18 AM
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To me also. However, given the mentality, or lack thereof of some posters who post some of the most inane, vitriolic drivel, I can understand why the L-H chose to do so.
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wirlwind
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09-06-08 7:14 AM
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Cheers and Jeers to public access and leaks to the press, yet the Leader is shutting down parts of it's paper to posting. Troubling to me.
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