My friends at the Gazette have switched over to Facebook commenting for their online articles, which I of course think is a good thing. Yes, trolls and cranks thrive under a cloak of anonymity.
But based on a Facebook posting I received in the dead of night (2:00 AM) I'm now not so sure that simply having to identify yourself keeps the discussion civil and prevents namecalling ...
UPDATE (11:15 AM):
So Mr. Geryk has removed his incendiary comment from my highly public Facebook page.
But no, I'm not going to remove it here. In Massachusetts you cannot record someone without their knowledge, but if someone calls you up and leaves a message on your voice mail then that is fair game.
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These are in response to article about Maria Geryk's $11,000 raise:
Click to enlarge/read
The Gazette is still behind a paywall, which means you can't read the articles to comment...unless you subscribe to them. But why do that when they are redundant/covered by other local news sources and available for free?
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to me that the spouse of our town's highest paid employee repeatedly makes these types of comments with impunity to both him & her. Of course everyone is entitled to freedom of speech.... but still.
ReplyDeleteThis Facebook thing is sweeping the nation. Every business is being suckered into to this marketing idea of-the-minute. It's a theory that goes nowhere based on the supposition that the more 'likes' you can muster and the more Facebook people you can get to respond to you, the better you can target your audience and create business. Like the useless narcissism of Facebook, it's an idea that they will look back at in ten years and laugh at.
ReplyDeleteConsidering how horrible the Amherst school system is and how widespread the indignation around this woman is, I can see why so many people are speaking up. As for her husband, he doesn't want to lose the gravy train. It's nice being taken care of. Mostly women live this life in our society so why not a man too.
ReplyDeleteand calling people vulgar slang names protects his "gravy train"?
ReplyDeleteThe Palin family gets into huge brawl at a party with the former Vice Presidential candidate heard to shout obscenities and "do you know who I am?".
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile in Amherst.....
Civility begins at home?
Life is truly stranger than fiction. Amazing.
Now don't go making Kurt mad ...
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't like him when he's angry(or whatever that quote was the Incredible Hulk used).
Not the first time Kurt has lashed out, probably wont be the last. Classy.
ReplyDeleteEloquently spoken...by the person that calls people cowards and nitwits. I guess you didn't study irony in your English class.
ReplyDeleteDid he just say "twat"?
ReplyDeleteAt a time when our schools have virtually criminalized the use of certain words?
I think some marital communication is in order.
Actually ANON 10:10 AM, I only call Cowardly Anon Nitwits CAN's.
ReplyDeleteYou know, folks like YOU.
I guess you didn't study hypocrisy when you were in school.
Jane Austen married Duck Dynasty.
ReplyDeleteThose of us not making $158K should take heart.
ReplyDeleteApparently, money doesn't buy happiness.
Anonymity was good enough for the authors of the Federalist Papers so it's good enough for me. It's an American tradition.
ReplyDeleteYeah well, I've read the Federalist Papers; and you're no Federalist Papers!
ReplyDeleteYour rapier wit knows no bounds.
ReplyDeleteI see Mr. Geryk's offensive comment has now been removed from facebook: "My wife asked me to remove the comment I left earlier, so I did out of respect for her wishes."
ReplyDeletethis helps, but of course, it's still out there.
Maria: Kurt, you go on my computer right now and take down what you said. You are making me look like a fool. Go take it down or I will not let you use the credit card anymore.
ReplyDeleteKurt: Yes, Maria
Maria: Did you fold the laundry?
Kurt: Yes, Maria
Maria: I'm going to check the sock draw. You better have matched the socks properly.
Kurt: I made sure I did.
Maria: Well I'm still checking anyway.
Kurt: Yes, ma'am
Maria: Where's the ice tea you were supposed to bring me?
I've been convinced that my self-expression online making fun of criticizing the usual and tiny handful of town-owned idiots and nationwide CANS could potentially diminish the excellent level of education the kids here in town are receiving, so I won't comment anymore after this. It is about the kids after all and not me. I'm going to respect my wife's request, she is the socially intelligent one after all, and she's the one who has to do all the heavy lifting. It will be hard, because it has been a simple outlet for my thoughts and feelings and a huge source of entertainment for me for a while now. I will probably be taking up collage.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, "twat" is a British English term that is "a derogatory insult, a pejorative meaning a fool, a stronger alternative to the word twit – 'He can be a complete twat' (often used in the UK.)" But I should not have expected any of Larry's ignorant online cowardly anonymous disciples (count 'em) to know that.
Larry, thank you for having allowed me space on your forum to be myself.
Sayonara, CANS!
That last comment was mine.
ReplyDeleteFirst definition of "twat" in the Oxford English Dictionary: "A woman's genitals"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/twat
Sounds like someone was given a big "time out."
ReplyDeleteAw Kurt, come on man.
ReplyDeleteNo hard feelings, right?
I mean, when your wife's 100K/yr H.R. director marched ~me~ out the south end doors, she didn't even wish me good luck. Shit, even the severance pay was a slap in my god damned face(Yeah Mazur, I needed that to eat).
But whatever,
it's all in the past now, right?
So therefor my friend, let me
wish you ~good luck~
because
you
and the rest of'em
are gonna friggan need it.
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. Hey, have you seen Bobby Detweiler? Christ, it's like the guy never even existed...
all in the past, Squeaky?
ReplyDeleteYou bring it up every day. And it's been something like ten years, right?
Maria wasn't the super when it happened. She doesn't even know who you are. Why don't you make an appointment with her and tell her everything you know about the maintenance department?
Kurt is in his Star Wars pajammies and he needs to brush his teeth before bed. It's late Kurt and mommies gonna tuck you in and read you a story before bed.
ReplyDeleteKurt gave her an inch, and she became the ruler.
Kurt feels right at home at the horse races, where it's nag, nag, nag.
For "marital status", Kurt always puts "beneath wife".
Kurt's wife once came to him on bended knees; she begged him to come out from under the bed.
Marriage was like a midnight phone call for Kurt. First there was a ring. Then he woke up.
Rim shot'
God, about time!!!
ReplyDeleteGod bless whomever it was that fired Squeaky. It is obvious from his comments that he is nothing more than a creepy sociopath that has no place anywhere near our public schools.
ReplyDeleteKurt,
ReplyDeleteWhy would you subject yourself to being on-line? For the sake of your wife, is this really a place you want to be?
Who let Squeaky near our kids in the first place?
ReplyDelete"God bless whomever it was that fired Squeaky. It is obvious from his comments that he is nothing more than a creepy sociopath that has no place anywhere near our public schools."
ReplyDeleteSqueaky
and allllllll the rest of em,
correct?
Yes yes yesss, everything
in a days work.
Close the door,
collect the check.
Scrub your dirty hands clean
of any responsibility.
Rinse
and
repeat.
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. Sociopath? I'm touched.
Am I correct in thinking this is the first year Amherst schools have had an Assistant Superintendent?
ReplyDeleteShouldn't the two salaries be taken into account in determining costs?
Since an assistant has been added- why the salary increase?
BTW- Does the Superintendent Intern get paid too?
Kurt,
ReplyDeleteSo long for now. I guess this gives you more time to hang with your buddy Phil. Enjoy the fresh air.
Look hard, ~real~ hard,
ReplyDeleteat the commenters in the screenshot
of Larry's Facebook page.
Do you see Squeaky's
real name there?