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jp7570

August 15, 2009 9:50 PM

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Maybe there is a bright side to this.

No doubt the Hartford Courant is experiencing major financial problems, like every other daily in the US. So now George can beat the Courant to the punch in the blogosphere and take the wind out of their sails.

The phenomenon of shedding local news reports in local dailies seems to be increasing in favor of using wire services or \"shared content\" with other media outlets. Newspapers are losing consumer reporters, arts and television critics, and other locally-oriented content.

Good luck, George. You may have the last laugh!

3 replies

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)

August 16, 2009 11:19 AM

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@jp7570: \"Newspapers are losing consumer reporters, arts and television critics, and other locally-oriented content.\"

And really, unless you're a major metro paper, the local content is why people buy the damn paper! I can get national and international AP stories on CNN.com, man.

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Sanveann

August 16, 2009 3:36 PM

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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Ditto that. I work at a paper, and our consumer-affairs guy is hands-down the most widely read part of the paper.

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August 16, 2009 1:43 PM

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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Exactly. My paper is half stuff I've already read here or on MSN. I called and canceled it after delivery issues but I'm still getting it for some reason.

They sent me a check for the rest of my subscription and I cashed it but today and yesterday, I got the paper. Same last weekend. Maybe they're trying to make nice?

All I know is, if they send me a bill, I'm not paying it. I canceled so they shouldn't be sending it at all. Ha!

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh

August 17, 2009 5:29 PM

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@HogwartsAlum: Last year I signed up for a Sunday only subscription for my paper because I wanted the coupons.. Then the papers started coming every day. So I had to call and tell them that I only wanted Sundays. It took them a while to get it straight.

After my summer \"season\" subscription was up.. I did not re-subscribe.

Stupid paper.

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August 17, 2009 1:32 PM

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@HogwartsAlum: My father has been getting his local paper delivered despite canceling his subscription, too. His guess is that since papers usually report their circulation numbers to advertisers, they'd want to keep those numbers at a certain level. Dropping off a couple of papers is probably way cheaper than losing advertiser revenue.

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August 15, 2009 9:51 PM

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No respect I tell ya, and yes he has worked there for quite a bit longer than I've been alive. With the current state of newspapers and advertising I'm sure this type of thing may get even worse in the future as their desperate to please their remaining advertisers.

1 replies

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August 16, 2009 4:02 AM

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@Telekinesis123: I worked for a chain of newspapers about 10 years ago. One of the papers published a story about people who choose to sell their homes by owner instead of going with a realtor. Sounds fairly mundane - but the day the story came out, the paper got loads of calls from angry realtors screaming about how that article was going to damage their business and they were going to pull all their advertising from the paper, blah blah blah. The paper ended up running a full page ad for about a month saying \"We Salute Our Partners - Realtors\" and giving a list of reasons why people should choose realtors instead of selling by owner.

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krispykrink

August 15, 2009 9:54 PM

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Maybe you guys should hire him.

4 replies

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GuinevereRucker

August 17, 2009 12:10 PM

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@krispykrink: I agree, that would be awesome :)

We could use some older, wiser perspective around here!

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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*

August 16, 2009 5:15 AM

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@krispykrink: or, at minimum, allow him to do guest posts on the weekends to drive more hits to his own blagoposts

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August 15, 2009 11:32 PM

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@krispykrink: Seriously. Gombossy seems like an excellent match for Consumers Union publications.

I admire his integrity. That Sleepy's story is horrifying.

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August 15, 2009 10:32 PM

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@krispykrink: Exactly what I was gonna say. This is the type of person that The Consumerist needs.

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PsiCop

August 15, 2009 10:00 PM

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Wow, I'm a lifelong Courant reader, and very disappointed in the paper's actions — again. It's such a useless rag these days. It's been going steadily down the toilet for about 15 years now.

Unfortunately, however, it remains Connecticut's \"newspaper of record.\" That is, perhaps, the reason it has made so many disastrous changes ... there really is no serious competition ... no other statewide dailies to make it straighten up and fly right. It does have localized competition, to be sure, some of it decent. But none are statewide papers, and several of them (e.g. the New Haven Register) are Journal Register papers, which are even worse.

This is why the Courant gets away with being so horribly bad. They don't have to be any good.

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Karita

August 15, 2009 10:49 PM

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@PsiCop: @Scatter: I would think that this story came out at least two weeks ago and there has been no rebuttal from The Courant whatsoever is confirmation enough. It seems to have been confirmed by two independent sources, as well.

It's a shame. As others here have stated, his column was the last decent part of The Courant. And it's frustrating, because while I resolved to stop reading it once I heard of his firing, there is no other real place to get comprehensive news about CT. Some of the TV stations have sites, but for the most part they are fluff. And the other CT papers are just no good, really.

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downwithmonstercable

August 15, 2009 10:22 PM

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@PsiCop: Cancel your subscription and tell others to cancel. If they think they won't lose readers just because of no competition, make it known that's not the case. I cancelled my paper subscription years ago because of weird stuff like this. Haven't missed it. I get all my news online anyway from several sources.

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PsiCop

August 15, 2009 10:53 PM

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@downwithmonstercable: I don't subscribe to the Courant. I just read it online now and then ... because it's the only place to get statewide news.

My mother subscribes, though, and she's on the phone with them right now, canceling. The only other daily that delivers in her area is a Journal Register paper. I guess she'll have to go with that.

Talk about a rock and a hard place. Yuck.

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August 15, 2009 10:43 PM

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@downwithmonstercable: As PsiCop said, there isn't any alternative to those who want a paper. A lot of smaller papers are gone-there's really just them, the Register in New Haven, and the Waterbury Republican and the Register or the Republican aren't exactly hard-jitting journalism. At least they weren't when I lived there, and I doubt there's been improvement.

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August 16, 2009 12:23 AM

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@Coles_Law: i dunno. the rep-am has some pretty good journalism. they certainly don't have the same budget as the courant, but they do a really good job on local politics in their respective coverage area. they kind of dropped the ball on the rowland coverage a few years back, but if you lived here, you know that's just naugatuck valley politics.

you want to read ass-fodder, pick up a danbury news-times sometime. reminds me of my days writing for a high school paper.

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August 16, 2009 12:08 PM

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@mac-phisto: The Rep-Am isn't worth lining a bird cage. As you pointed out, they \"dropped the ball on the Rowland coverage\" which is a pretty big deal. A local newspaper should not drop the ball on a major story like that just because they've vouched for the guy in the past. It is the most biased paper I have ever read in my life - they pick and choose the people they love and hate and then turn the other cheek to the former and while focusing on every little aspect of the latter's lives.

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PsiCop

August 18, 2009 1:50 AM

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@looneytunes: You are correct about the Rep-Am, especially since they were the paper in the best position to know what Rowland was up to. And they refused to say anything against him, even after he'd resigned and pled guilty. Their editorial pages still go after his replacement, Jodi Rell, repeatedly ... even though she is of the same party as Rowland was. The reason? Because she replaced him. For that, the Rep-Am still has not forgiven her, and probably never will.

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PsiCop

August 16, 2009 4:05 AM

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@mac-phisto: My mom would probably have gone with the Rep-Am long ago ... if they delivered in her area. But they don't, and aren't likely to, even if they do deliver just one town to the west.

It's a JRC paper or nothing, for her now. Unfortunately.

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drjayphd

August 16, 2009 6:06 AM

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@PsiCop: (bites tongue, in the interest of continued (hopefully) paychecks)

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É®îç

August 16, 2009 2:16 AM

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@mac-phisto: Thumbs up for calling the News-Times ass-fodder! It has turned into a reprint of the DPD arrest log and opinion column over the past 10 years.

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August 16, 2009 1:06 AM

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@mac-phisto: Fair enough. It's been a few years since I've called CT home, and my recollection of the Rep-Am was as a print version of Craigslist. I'm glad to hear that either my memory was faulty or they've changed course (likely the former).

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Vanilla5

August 15, 2009 10:11 PM

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\"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.\" ~ Harry S. Truman

\"To hell with them. When history is written they will be the sons of bitches - not I.\" ~ Harry S. Truman

Looks like George and Harry have stuff in common.

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G.O.B.: Come on!

August 16, 2009 3:49 AM

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@Vanilla5: \"Illusion, Michael. A trick is something a whore does for money... or candy.\"
- George Oscar Bluth

It's not the same George as the O.P., but close enough.

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August 16, 2009 4:47 AM

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@G.O.B.: Come on!: \"If you're good, you can... Hey, is that a ham sandwich??\"
- Mama Cass

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Blueskylaw

August 16, 2009 2:22 AM

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\"This is the type of bloody nonsense, up with which I will not put\"

WINSTON CHURCHILL

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Scatter

August 15, 2009 10:28 PM

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So was the Courant contacted for their side of the story or is this all based solely on the word of someone who was just fired from their job?

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Hanshiro

August 15, 2009 11:03 PM

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@Scatter: There's a link to the story. Just use your clicker-dealy on the link. It's more useful, however, to do that before posting less than cogent inquiries...

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wrjohnston19283

August 15, 2009 11:50 PM

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This is an example of why many people don't like \"blogs\" and similar sites, such as consumerist. Someone posts something on their site, and it's picked up by several other sites, which are in turn are picked up by others. The Consumerist links to someone, who was simply saying \"hey, bob over at blog1 found this article by john at blog2\".

That being said, if Laura had included information to the effect of \"the courant has not been contacted\" or \"the courant has no response\", it would have been helpful.

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Tawnie is Monster Mashing

August 16, 2009 11:57 AM

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@wrjohnston19283: They likely are unable to comment as that would be an HR issue. This is a good story about yet another person sticking up for consumer rights . It is on the consumerist which is a consumer advocate site and it does not take much to realize it will be biased.

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treimel

August 17, 2009 4:28 PM

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Wow, you've really drunk the corporate PR kool-aid. This \"we can't comment on HR matters\" is usually bull. They absolutely can discuss why they fire someone; they choose not to.

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DaWezl

August 15, 2009 10:34 PM

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Best of luck, George!

This was pretty much the last of the columnists that I read the Courant for. I'm glad that when my subscription was up for renewal, I didn't opt for a full-year renewal. I had a suspicion that the paper was finally reaching the point where it was no longer worth paying the subscription fee. Losing George is the nail in the coffin for me.

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Hanshiro

August 15, 2009 10:48 PM

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I dumped subscriptions to papers and mags long ago after the Newsweek revelation years ago that they soft-pedaled or outright omitted damning stories about their advertisers.

It's called 'whoring' and I don't feel like paying to prop up some media outlet to lie to me. It's why I don't watch the asinine parody that cable news has become.

I'll never forget the media cheerleading for the Iraq war. Never.

At least online, I don't have to take one source's (apparently paid) PR spin on things.

George Gombossy is doing it right, and my best wishes for him to land on his feet. \"Never give up, never give in,' indeed!

As for the Hartford Courant, I think a free mattress from 'Itchy & Scratchy,' er, I mean 'Sleepy's' for the owners and editors is in order...

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wvFrugan

August 16, 2009 2:43 AM

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Ah, NEVER, never is a long time, but not nearly long enough for these whores.

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ktetch

August 16, 2009 12:37 AM

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@Hanshiro: There's a simple solution to this, Ask your representative, and senators to sponsor a bill requiring truth in journalism.

The Akre case showed there's no requirement for truth in broadcast news, lets push for that to change. It's a policy I was pushing with the US Pirate Party, and one I'll be pushing since I've stepped down from running the international shebang (because of my health). He probably couldn't even claim whistleblower status or similar over it.

Seriously, lets see what our elected representatives feel about making news report the truth.

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Hanshiro

August 16, 2009 6:00 AM

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@ktetch: \"There's a simple solution to this, Ask your representative, and senators to sponsor a bill requiring truth in journalism.\"

These are literally the same representatives whose democratic convention was sponsored by AT&T; Replete with branding totebag to all but trumpet pwnership of \"our\" representatives.

[www.salon.com]

Soon after, 'Telecom Immunity' was declared. I'm less than sanguine about any results of a bill-sponsoring proposal...

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nybiker

August 16, 2009 12:16 AM

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@Hanshiro: Ah, whoring. Also known as the naming rights business. And why I go out of my way to not patronize companies that are big-time Johns and whores.

/begin rant

Now if only more and more people would stop attending johns' events or events at the johns' stadiums we might be able to read a story about something that doesn't have the john's and whore's name in it.

/end of rant.

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Ihaveasmartpuppy

August 15, 2009 11:29 PM

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Yay George! I am so happy there are people like him in this world!

BTW - I was born in 1963, although people say I look 10 years younger...

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August 15, 2009 11:36 PM

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Whores (news media) seledom critize their Johns (advertisers).

That said, read the link.

10 mattresses from 74 stores had \"groves and deep depressions\". Grooves and deep depressions could (more likely) be shipping damage rather than prior use.

Obviously a consumer is entitled to a replacement either way, but shipping damage is a minor problem compared to violation of Federal and State law when selling used mattresses as new.

Sounds like the newspaper wanted additional proof of fault or cause before publishing potentially damaging information. Seems reasonable, especially as the AG had yet to complete an investigation. Considering the AG is a well known aggressive SOB with regards to consumer protection and anti-business, if the AG had suspected sales of used goods, I am quite sure the AG would have been especially aggressive in the investiagation. As it is, it appears the AG is investigating at a slow pace which indicates shipping damage rather than used goods.

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PsiCop

August 16, 2009 12:06 AM

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@StanTheManDean: If it were the case that the Courant wanted \"more proof,\" why didn't they just direct Gombossy to provide more proof? In his 40 years at the paper, it's safe to assume he's been told to do that before. Why would they fire him, if all the story needed is a little more research or information?

Also ... that the A.G. is investigating this, makes it news. Yes, Dick Blumenthal is an attention hound who never met a press-conference camera he didn't love. Yes, it's very possible he's off-course and that the problem is \"shipping damage.\" Even with all of that ... it nevertheless IS a news story. If the Courant spiked it, some other outlet would have picked it up.

Is it possible that Sleepy's could coerce every paper and station in Connecticut into spiking the story? They're a ubiquitous advertiser, so it's certainly possible they could accomplish it .. but it's not necessarily guaranteed that they could.

As for the idea that the problem is only \"shipping damage,\" that's belied by the fact that bedbugs are not \"shipping damage.\" Just saying.

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August 16, 2009 12:43 AM

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Prove Bedbugs.

Sorry. Oldest complaint in the world. Actually one of the hardest complaints to prove.

Begbugs and their blood sucking cousins can lie dormant for weeks, months or even years between blood feasts and most often will hide in bedding (mattresses, blankets etc) and can be easily carried from bed to bed. Considering a new mattress often means bedding is transferred from the old bed to the new bed, bed bug infestation events can be triggered with the introduction of a new mattress.

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PsiCop

August 16, 2009 1:13 AM

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@StanTheManDean: So, the bedbugs just happened to lay in wait for months or year, but just happened to choose right after the box spring replacement to infest this couple?

Sorry. Not buying it. Not sure how stupid you think I am, but I'm still not buying it.

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August 16, 2009 3:17 AM

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It is the bedding, not the bed. Old, less than clean bedding (eggs, dormant bugs etc) is stored for future usage. New bed comes to the home. And the old bedding is used to cover the new bed. Give it a few days and bingo, instant bed bug infestation.

PS: In my case, my grandmother had a quilt she covered her couch. We thought it was clean. Even gave it a wash to just make sure. It wasn't, and air drying the heavy quilt didn't do anything to kill the blood suckers. Health Department said this a common problem with old bedding being transfered from home to home. Same issues with head lice and various fleas.

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August 16, 2009 1:48 PM

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@StanTheManDean: Bedbugs live in mattresses and box springs too.

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savdavid

August 16, 2009 12:19 AM

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Newspapers have given up any pretense of fairness, truth and the sacred trust of informing the public. They have become toothless old whores.

2 replies

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August 16, 2009 12:27 AM

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@savdavid: good point, but one might argue that they've been toothless old whores for quite some time now. can you say yellow journalism?

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August 16, 2009 12:45 AM

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No, not Yellow Journalism.

/sarcasm.

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August 16, 2009 12:34 AM

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Censorship of any content considered damaging to advertisers is standard operating procedure at most all publications. This occurs at newspapers and magazines both big and small, as well as radio and television news broadcasts. Censorship is not limited to refusal to print potentially damaging information about advertisers. Damaging information about the papers owners, their families and affiliated businesses are also censored in various ways. And then there are other tricks like burying an article where it won't be noticed, publishing it on the Friday before a Holiday weekend, writing a fluff piece that glosses over the issue or shift focus back on the source of bad news by questioning the source's legitimacy in some way.

2 replies

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August 16, 2009 9:38 PM

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This is not censorship. Get that straight. Censorship would be if the GOVERNMENT told him he could not publish this article. This is just a stupid ,shortsighted management decision made to protect a well connected ,dishonest advertiser.

This guy has been done dirt ,but not by official means.

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treimel

August 17, 2009 6:08 PM

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@Snarkysnake:
No, it most certainly IS censorship. Get that straight. It is simply not ILLEGAL censorship, which is what it would be if the government engaged in it. The word censorship is not limited to government action. In fact, \"censorship\" is not generally the relevant term used if it were the government, in any event. \"Prior restraint\" on publication and is the legal term of art in most instances of (attempted) government censorship.

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August 16, 2009 4:57 AM

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I guess everyone else's crap stinks but their own .

I'd venture to say there were others who wanted to see Mr. Gombossy go . This was just a more palitable excuse .

As far as the bed bugs just after seeing the stories here about damaged or lost merchandise I can picture the status of this particular box spring being unknown to an employee who probably handles thousands of box springs a year and/or doesn't care . Bed bugs are making a nasty return after being almost irradicated decades ago . This is not a problem to take lightly .

My guess is that the same warehouse or store has customer returns near the new ones . You might of have had a manager trying to make a deadline or a customer sale and give them the first thing they saw .

I undertand Consumer Reports wanting to be advertiser free because it does remove even the perception of influence . But sometimes the benefit of having information and stories out there with funding from advertisers is better than no informantion at all .

Best of Luck to George Gombossy . Consumers need reporter and writers like him .

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tbax929

August 16, 2009 6:14 AM

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I spent most of my childhood dreaming of becoming a journalist when I got older. Then I became one. I lasted four really miserable years. I can't tell you how many times my own paper through me under the bus anytime somebody's feathers got ruffled by something I wrote. They never fired me over it - in fact the day I quit was a legendary \"f you I'm outta here\", but I'm sure it was just a matter of time.

It sucks when you realize what you want to do your whole life isn't anything like you dreamed it would be. Thanks, Knight-Ridder.

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Sanveann

August 16, 2009 3:38 PM

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@tbax929: Funny ... I could write the exact same thing, but substitute \"Gannett.\"

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tbax929

August 16, 2009 6:14 AM

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@tbax929:
I meant threw me under the bus. We really need an edit button!

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August 16, 2009 8:26 AM

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in a perfect world this would never happen.

but we don't live in a perfect world... we live in a world where advertising revenues have paid this writer's salary since 1969.

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Blue387

August 16, 2009 11:29 AM

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Does he have a Paypal account where we can chip in a few pennies?

1 replies

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August 17, 2009 8:10 AM

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@Blue387: I hope so. I'll e-mail him - I'd be willing to buy some ad impressions and I don't even live in Connecticut.

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sybann

August 16, 2009 12:33 PM

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George, they did you a favor! You got a jump on your blog instead of having to start one AFTER the Courant folds.

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nstonep

August 16, 2009 1:11 PM

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I know sleepy's! Regardless of the \"evil\" level of this company and it's management, I doubt they'd have the cojonez to sell used stuff. It's more or less an infestation at their warehouse(s)...at least I would hope. Could be \"floor models\"...

After a while box springs start to get pine oil staining from the wood that makes the frame; so it would be pretty easy to spot a used box spring because it would have stains that like a dog took a leak on it (or a human). Usually, these are made with pine but even if they're made with other wood they'll stain similarly. Mattresses are harder to spot but if they're saggy then someone was taking a nap on it or being a dirty boy!

Condolences to those scammed but there are other places to buy a mattress like non-chain furniture stores and even macy's so...caveat emptor?

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morlo

August 16, 2009 3:27 PM

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@nstonep: Yes, I expect companies will start refusing to haul away customers' old mattresses to prevent cross-contamination.

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Garbanzo

August 16, 2009 7:15 PM

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That headline should read: \"Journalist fired for doing journalism\".

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krom

August 16, 2009 11:31 PM

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Of course, the short-sight suits pulling strings at the Courant don't realize that this is why people don't read newspapers.

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August 18, 2009 2:44 PM

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As a reporter (and btw I used to be Metro Editor at The Courant) I used to marvel at how I was encouraged to dig for corruption at City Hall, but no one ever encouraged me to check to see if the downtown department store was illegally locking its emergency exit doors. There were some things (investigations into local business practices) that were never discussed.

The Courant truly has gone to Zell in a handbasket. They seem not even to have copy editors. Otherwise that memo from management wouldn't have a hypen in \"newly-defined.\"

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