The Roanoke Slant

Lord, heres where I get myself in trouble.


Lars, your right. Lars - your absolutely right the Roanoke Times does have a lean (hell, more like a dip) to the left. But damn Lars, can't you show some passion?

I can't stand political blogs which read like "The Care and Feeding of your Gerbil." (worse still, I actually had it as a 45 back in the days of vynil)

If you saw Lars on the DBJ7 piece about 'blogs' (god were they stunned these things even exist!), he's not that dry of a guy. He has personality - I'd probably have a wonderful conversation with him, but oy.

But I find this in quite a few of the Times choices as Blogs, theyre nice - thoughtful - safe.

And being from the land of the Hilldabeast, Sharpie Sharpton, and Ed "How am I doin?" Koch - I realize Im coming from a totally different world of politics. Some of the op/ed pieces in the NY Daily News would probably cause a nasty rash among some citizens down here. And the letters to the editor, wow.

I honestly think the time has come for Roanoke to get iself a 2nd newspaper. The Times has become complacent, not lazy per-se, but comfortable. They know they are the only game in town, so what do they have to worry about. Its not like people can cancel and get another paper. But, in an interesting twist - circulation numbers are down. I guess more people are turning to the internet for their news.

There is always the Roanoke Journal online. Again, I might not agree with everything written - but at least it shows some "gumption." Dudes got cohones.

If we could charicterize the blogs by newspapers - the Roanoke Journal would be the NY Post - an old attack dog, not afraid to get down in the muck. The Times is much like the NY Times - you accept what we say as right, or you are wrong. I'd put Lars blog down as the Wall St. Journal, great for information - but dry.

Myself - I'd like to think of myself as the NY Daily News. Lots of comics, plenty of social commentary and local news, and a whole column of "stories of the odd."

I don't mind attracting a few nuts, I personally own quite a few tinfoil hats.

Anyway - rave on.

mtf.....