tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post467428222970333171..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Reteaching an old dog...Larry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-28285357207084355222010-12-27T14:42:55.786-05:002010-12-27T14:42:55.786-05:00let's see the original post in which you scoop...let's see the original post in which you scoop all other media. i couldn't find itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-47528665068642059352010-12-02T23:12:33.387-05:002010-12-02T23:12:33.387-05:00LOL I think Ed just NH3'd himself......LOL I think Ed just NH3'd himself......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-78210707728318297292010-11-29T06:40:46.840-05:002010-11-29T06:40:46.840-05:00Well Ed, I'm assuming I will be home when the ...Well Ed, I'm assuming I will be home when the perp breaks in, and these days I could use the target practice.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-85074592440054891372010-11-29T01:58:56.046-05:002010-11-29T01:58:56.046-05:00Larry, I am still waiting for an answer -- a kid a...Larry, I am still waiting for an answer -- a kid adding nitrogen to your lawn (ammonia is NH3, that is urine, yes it is good for your lawn) or someone breaking into your house?Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-44126890568442569022010-11-28T23:12:51.828-05:002010-11-28T23:12:51.828-05:00The delayed lead is not the problem. It's a l...The delayed lead is not the problem. It's a lack of clarity. Sometimes your posts meander about in a way that's hard to decipher what your point is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-40686325598388892102010-11-28T19:58:28.624-05:002010-11-28T19:58:28.624-05:00Well considering the entire article came in around...Well considering the entire article came in around 400 words, I hardly think that qualifies as "a novel."<br /><br />Last semester when I was taking "Ethics in Journalism" my Prof, the head of the J-Department, said my "Strength is my weakness in that I write short. Great for blogging, but not so good for academics."<br /><br />Howard Ziff, who founded the J-Department over 40 years ago, and was briefly a columnist for the Amherst Bulletin during my 14 year tenure suggested I keep my columns to 600 words.<br /><br />I managed to whittle them down from 850-900 words to around 700-750, and they were indeed better for it. <br /><br />I also figure folks choose to come here, thus they will probably allow me a delayed lead (as long as I have a great close.)Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-55480635338881072782010-11-28T17:56:26.698-05:002010-11-28T17:56:26.698-05:00It's not a novel, it's news. Tell them wh...It's not a novel, it's news. Tell them what happened right off the bat. Then keep them interested by telling them why.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-4112917008918251192010-11-28T15:44:48.234-05:002010-11-28T15:44:48.234-05:00Oh, after 30 years of writing I'm still not co...Oh, after 30 years of writing I'm still not completely certain which paragraph is more important: the lead or close.<br /><br />Obviously if you don't write at least a half-way decent lead,readers will never get to your close.<br /><br />But if you do pen a passable--close enough for a weekend--opening, then the close, indeed, RULES.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-15700021752301142222010-11-28T15:08:48.281-05:002010-11-28T15:08:48.281-05:00"Actually I did. Try paying attention."
..."Actually I did. Try paying attention."<br /><br />Try being a better writer. Don't bury the point of your post at the end. Try putting it first and then explaining what happened.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-84087252506594741382010-11-28T12:11:23.792-05:002010-11-28T12:11:23.792-05:00Well of course I knew it was a story. And I had p...Well of course I knew it was a story. And I had planned to let my party house post stay up for 7 or 8 hours and then post the Antonio's story (with photo--that of course the Gazette initially did not do)<br /><br />But since the Gazette had covered it as did the Daily Collegian, I figured it was no longer a breaking story.<br /><br />One thing I also learned 25 years ago is that a interesting local news story like this can indeed go national--but only if it is a "slow news day."<br /><br />Kind of like the very early morning of 9/11 when the Amherst Select Board decision from the night before, to keep down American flags and limit their flying time, made the AP national wire about two hours before the first plane impaled the North Tower.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-36430489224764116362010-11-28T11:32:27.955-05:002010-11-28T11:32:27.955-05:00Pizza + Bob Dylan + Scam = StoryPizza + Bob Dylan + Scam = StoryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-29243469531053620752010-11-28T09:10:02.478-05:002010-11-28T09:10:02.478-05:00Actually I did. Try paying attention.Actually I did. Try paying attention.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-90402006600373254862010-11-28T08:25:05.983-05:002010-11-28T08:25:05.983-05:00So much for your newsman instincts. One story was...So much for your newsman instincts. One story was not even a blip on the local scene and the other was national news. You guessed wrong. See if you can figure out why.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-9507794588991396702010-11-28T00:14:32.618-05:002010-11-28T00:14:32.618-05:00I think you should do a story on the continued bre...<i>I think you should do a story on the continued break-ins in the area. Not just the ones targeting the students while they are gone, but the ones while residents with kids are sleeping.</i><br /><br /><b> And I think you ought to say what the APD are men enough to say privately but not allowed to say publicly: IT ISN'T THE UMASS STUDENTS DOING THIS!!!!!!<br /><br /><i>And which is a greater threat to YOU Larry -- a couple of drunken UM kids urinating on your front lawn or a couple of people breaking into your house when you aren't there (but when your wife and daughters *are*)??????</i></b>Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-2258984500812196172010-11-26T21:07:16.496-05:002010-11-26T21:07:16.496-05:00I think you should do a story on the continued bre...I think you should do a story on the continued break-ins in the area. Not just the ones targeting the students while they are gone, but the ones while residents with kids are sleeping.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-77201736945659689542010-11-26T21:01:22.314-05:002010-11-26T21:01:22.314-05:00"couldn't have happened...""couldn't have happened..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-89067882393726892392010-11-26T21:00:32.680-05:002010-11-26T21:00:32.680-05:00Little off topic but not entirely:
AMHERST - Larr...Little off topic but not entirely:<br /><br />AMHERST - Larry Shaffer won't be returning to work after all.<br /><br />The former Amherst Town Manager had applied for the open position of city manager in Essexville, Mich. But Shaffer was not selected for the post, the Bay City Times reported Saturday.<br /><br />Shaffer had been named as one of the three finalists for the job, but the city council ultimately voted 5-1-1 to name Douglas Alexander to the post.<br /><br />Shaffer received one vote from the City Council, as did Peter Myers, who was designated as the council's alternate candidate, the City Times reported.<br /><br />Shaffer, who served four years as Amherst town manager, announced his retirement in September and stepped down from his post on Oct. 1.<br /><br />"In a weeks time I'll be 62 years old and indeed I have been thinking about retirement," Shaffer told the Amherst Select Board at that time.<br /><br />Essexville is a community of less than 4,00 residents in northeastern Michigan. The city's website calls the town "The Gateway to the Saginaw Bay." <br /><br /><br />Could've happened to a better asshole.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com