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January 08
Though we have a healthy stable of bloggers and commenters who follow along with our efforts here, we don’t get a whole lot of lengthy emails or letters. We did, however, receive the sprawling missive below from a young woman from Manitou named Danielle Pollack. We asked her to chop her letter down to a manageable length for publication in the print edition, but since she didn’t, we thought we’d make good on our promise to publish any letters. So here’s Danielle’s letter with our brief response at the end.
To the Editor,
In a recent post on the Newspeak Blog, you mentioned that you have only recieved one serious Letter to the Editor. In that post, you mentioned that you were open to reading, and possibly even publishing any serious submissions. With that in mind, here goes…
To be honest, the list of discrepancies I have with Newspeak is infinite. So, for the sake of saving some time, I’ll shorten my list from endless to just really, really long.
Let’s start with your most recent issue, the David and Goliath Issue.
-The letter from the editor was truly heartwarming, filled with arrogance and false promises of praising those in Colorado Springs who selflessly benefit the community (BESIDES Aaron Retka and Noel Black for once, who shamelessly give invalid and unsolicited praise to themselves with every single issue of Newspeak). Oh, and, as unofficially promised, a tired, obnoxious, unnecessary dig at the Independent.
-The “Golden Slingshot Awards” certainly did not, by any means, congratulate or thank those awarded. Instead, you relentlessly slammed those opposite of your winners instead of focusing on those who really deserve the attention.
-In the “Golden Slingshot Awards” section, I was shocked by your dense reaction to “‘Keep Manitou Weird’ bumper stickers on Subaru Outbacks.” “Keep Manitou Weird” stickers stand for everything you had to say about Manitou, as far as opposing the new, expensive Breckenridge-esque feel to it goes. And to say that you no longer know any “true Manitou freaks” is amusing for two reasons: (1) You do not live in Manitou, and are therefore not the ultimate expert on Manitou residents, and (2) you obviously saw no shame in such shallow & petty reasoning for disliking a town to actually print such a statement. Sorry us Manitoids don’t walk around in wizard cloaks, flashing our pentagram-tattooed foreheads at mortal passerbys anymore. But then again, we never did.
-I’d like to repeat an excerpt from the “Cars vs. CC Kids” category, describing the chaos the lunch hour brings to those brave enough to drive near the CC campus: “Factor in bikes, skateboards and the dreadlocked idiots who continue to ride long boards, and it becomes a dangerous combination.” First of all, you bitch endlessly, issue after issue about how we, as a community, need to support alternative modes of transportation, but I can’t help but feel that you’re making fun of that mother-fucking hippie who rides his long board instead of drives. God, how stupid can he be? Doesn’t he have any idea that long boards are out and the only way to get indie cred in this town is to be seen on an ultra-hip bicycle? And you know what? Come to think of it, I bet that dreadlocked asshole didn’t even show up to a single Fag Team show at the High Life House to grovel at your feet and tell you what a difference you’re making. People with dreadlocks and long boards are obviously the scum of the earth.
- “Local Artists vs. Chihuly” was an interesting category. Here’s a place, the Fine Arts Center, who is celebrating a guy, Dale Chihuly, for his accomplishments in the exact business that they tend to acknowledge as an art gallery. I saw the Chihuly exhibit in the summer of ‘05 and was impressed by his work, but since art is subjective, I won’t harass you for thinking otherwise. I will, however, harass you for how often you complain about how Colorado Springs doesn’t celebrate the arts enough, which isn’t really your issue at all. Your issue is that a great art gallery like the FAC just simply isn’t showcasing the artists that you want them to. Colorado Springs and Manitou (ewwwwwwwwww, rite?!?#@) have tons of galleries that strictly display local artists’ work. That’s not to say that the FAC doesn’t celebrate local artists, though; they just also expand their appreciation of art by recognizing artists who have, for the most part, justifiably made it big.
The specifics of your latest issue of Newspeak aside, there are some general problems anyone reading this publication (besides your devoted cronies) would have.
-The most obvious problem is, of course, the constant bashing of the Independent. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing this from virtually anyone who reads your paper, but your readers are tired of hearing your petty attempts at pushing Independent buttons. Ultimately, Newspeak and the Independent are publications intended to fight the man and to be the voice of reason in a community run by righteous conservative church-goers. Rivalry is understandable, but in a place so overwhelmed by close-minded ideals, it seems that the support of your fellow—for lack of a better word– rebels would be in order. But instead, you choose to take arbitrary stabs at the Independent like a bunch of butt-hurt homecoming queen runner-ups living in the shadow of the more likable winner. You’re constantly referring to Independent writers as “Gazette leftovers,” but, and correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t members of the Newspeak staff work for the Independent once upon a time? Now you are producing a publication that I would assume you’d find more rewarding than writing for the enemy (again, correct me if I’m wrong.) Couldn’t the same be said about the current Independent writing staff? No, they’re just a bunch of mindless, no good Gazette leftovers. Does that make Newspeak lowly Independent leftovers? Nope, just the ultimate authority on all things cool. Focusing on your own publication once in a while might be beneficial to you and your readers.
-For such “advocates” of local businesses, local artists, and the local scene, every issue is dedicated solely to the bashing of all things local. You often complain about problems, but seldom offer solutions. Being snotty and condescending to those who “just don’t get it” has done little to nothing in your quest to better your– our– community. I love and welcome independent thinkers who have big ideas for this sometimes less than desirable city of ours, so, please, grace us with yours. The mindless insults regarding anyone (a) younger, (b) older, or (c) less musically inclined than you are getting very, very boring.
I know that you can’t please everyone in the world of opinionated journalism, but it doesn’t seem that you aim to please anyone (with the exception of yourselves and your egos). At the end of the day, Newspeak could be an amazing publication, capable of actually influencing positive changes to be made in Colorado Springs. But until you alleviate the pompous, pretentious demeanor behind every single whiney article, reading Newspeak will forever be like reading the diary of a bitter, defeated high schooler.
Danielle Pollack
Dear Danielle,
Thanks for your letter. In all sincerity, it’s sad to us that you obviously don’t read Newspeak very carefully. Over the past year and change we’ve printed tons of local artwork and writing on the cover and within, examined issues facing downtown, the local gay community and, in general, issues facing the underrepresented young people in Colorado Springs. We also devoted an entire month’s paper to local cycling and in the issue that comes out tomorrow, to local writers. Next month, we’re going to be looking at homelessness. Yeah, we poke fun at a lot of people, and yes, we have egos. We’re an entertainment paper with a staff of two and I can assure we’d love to do more if we could afford it. Sorry. Yes, we tend be snarky and make broad generalizations for the sake of broader commentary on the way we see things, but also tend to aim that snark at people we feel deserve it because they are either a). hypocrites, or b). could do better with the resources they have. Sorry you feel like Manitou wasn’t properly represented in the lat issue. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it sounds like you’re more of the “Independent type” as they would put it, which makes you precisely the kind of Manitoid we were talking about in the Golden Slingshots. I mean … right?
Sincerely, Newspeak
Posted by: darksandal in Mail Pattern Baldness | Permalink
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53 Responses to “A Rare Letter to the Editor”
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Wow, I’ve never been called a crony before. It’s kinda sweet. When do I get to graduate to “henchman”?
Yeah, print media should be “positive”… People aren’t covering the Iraq war in a way that’s “positive.”
Danielle’s rant is reminiscent of that Onion column: “Someone Should Do Something About All These Problems.”
Having moved to Denver from COS three years ago I have to say that I wish folks up here applied the same scrutiny to Westword (no offense Jared) as Newspeak does to the Independent. Merely suggesting that Aaron or Noel are embittered ex Indy writers hardly invalidates their critique.
Unless, of course, you like all your stories to be “positive” in which case there should be a segment of THis I Believe coming up on NPR in the next five minutes or so.
Independent = rebel is only true in the sense that a democrat at the republican national convention is a communist. The idea that anybody sees Ralph E. Routon “sticking it to the man” is only evidence of how far the pendulum as swung, great Broncos analysis, though, I got to give him that.
“Keep Maintou Weird” -sigh- appropriating this bumper sticker from Austin or Boulder or wherever it surfaced first is sufficient testament to the weirdness of our western neighbor, to quote a former bartender at the Mariner, “Manitou, where trustfunders go to die.”
And I think KEK will graduate to henchman when the there is discovery of the physical remains he has deposited in Fountain Creek on behalf of Darksandal and Aaron “anybody seen my scrunchy?” Retka.
But I agree that the ’speak could be more positive, I eagerly await the long-planned Hooray for Everything! issue
as with all things media - if you don’t like what’s out there, start your own
An ingenious way to outsource your work: have blog commenters take care of rebuttals and responses to reader complaints! Though at least this was a paragraph-long reaction to her letter. Compare that to the one-words sometimes offered as discussion contributions.
Irreverent irrelevance aside, having lived in Manitou and still in touch with the hill and cave dwellers.. there are still weirdos there, though most of them come out at night. The Tou will always be a destination for drifters and nomads and refugees..and religious eccentrics. Just wait til spring.. I played some new Tall City autoharp and poetry material last night there, and received very thoughtful and warm responses, compared to the squinty antagonism of most COSP audiences. So Manitou will always remain a place to try out and play new pieces, since the response is more thought-out, compared to “Well, what have you ever done for me?” more commonly heard in downtown and central venues. Everywhere has its strengths but the far West side has always had the appropriate strengths to address my personal weaknesses better than most. (shameless plug: new poetry book in the works, as well as two quality zines from local musicians!)
As for “keep manitou weird”. Those were made by Team Tecate, a loose affiliation of local inventors and oddballs, who do indeed put it all out for their family and friends. Toy drives, festivals, concerts.. Team Tecate are both weirdos and enthusiastic individuals.
A disadvantage of such a small staff, where most articles are personality-driven (out of necessity and demands of wo/manpower), is that how much people like your publication has a strong correlation to: how much people like you as people. Opinion pieces and attitude-as-style does work, but so does impersonal, investigative reporting of hidden facts - and debunking of public fictions. More community interaction is a good step in the right direction, even if you may still be holding onto the bannister for support. However, ambitious journalism, written in a clear manner (with a wary eye on run-ons) makes the paper easier to approach, while no less interesting.
I’d say this was my two cents, but with the current exchange rate, I’m not sure how much my words are worth these days. Addendum to “shameless plug”: there actually is some shame involved, though the “plug” part remains authentic, considering all of us need a good plug now and then wherever it will fit. Though a bad plug does the job, especially if you’re not sober and would rather not remember.
Since when does a newspaper ask a letter writer to edit their own letter to the editor? Is this just laziness? Or is it the fear that the community (beyond this blog) will strongly agree with an honest, articulate, and strongly deserved critique of the paper and its editors? Is Newspeak afraid to support itself on anything more than its bloated ego and weak excuses for poor style?
Many, many thanks to Danielle for pointing out the hypocrisy and boring predictability of this paper. It’s a shame they have to retreat to the internet to “make good” on half-assed promises. Of course, anyone could have predicted the excuse.
What Newspeak needs is more writers like Danielle and fewer lazy, pretentious editors.
“At the end of the day, Newspeak could be an amazing publication, capable of actually influencing positive changes to be made in Colorado Springs.”
I think I said something similar not too long ago. But I disagree with Danielle when it comes to “pleasing” your readers. I find Newspeak pleasing to read. It makes you laugh, so it’s good for your immune system. And besides, good journalism is not always about “pleasing” people.
BTW Klayton, I thought you start out as a henchman in the hopes of becoming a crony…then you off the boss (figuratively or literally) and take his/her place. Have I had this wrong ALL THIS TIME!?! Damn, now I need to rewrite my master plan for world domination.
Word Up: most newspapers will ask those submitting letters to keep it brief. If you look at the letters section of both the Indy and Gazette, they both say they give priority to brief letters or that they can’t print long letters. I asked Danielle to cut her letter down to 500 words from over 1000 so that she could keep the integrity of her words intact and so we wouldn’t be accused of manipulating what she says. Since she didn’t, we still published her letter where space isn’t an issue. So, if you and Danielle, who was too lazy and pretentious to edit her own fucking letter down to a manageable length after I courteously invited her to do so, would like to contribute to our paper and come on down and see what lazy and pretentious fuck-offs we are, please be our guests! Otherwise, fuck off and read a different paper. No one’s forcing you.
Yes, Chris, we responded in brief. Most papers don’t at all. We also made a generalization about Manitou that we knew wasn’t “true” per se. But it is true that Manitou likes to hide its gentrification behind the idea that it’s still the freak/hippy town that it used to be, but isn’t. Seriously, does this even need to be said? Do you realy think we’re trying to diss ALL of Manitou? And yes, we’d gladly do more reported and investigative pieces if we had the resources. Does that need to be said … again? p.s. Read some fucking Melville, Santa Clause.
I find Melville boring, as with most prepositions-fueled run-on sentences anywhere else. Hammett and Hemingway are more my breadth and butter, so much so that even McSweeney’s puts me to sleep (or is it just the lighting in Poor Richard’s) And I have my own affection reserved for diatribes, sentence fragments, parentheses, and even “Begat” based narratives (You see, I’m not totally Modern, and cummings had it coming, and Ernest called out on Tolklas and Stein’s calling out, before he took his Moveable Feast elesewhere)
But if you take 1800s writers, like Mr. Fucking Melville, as examples and comparisons, as well as rationalizations such as “at least its not this”- might as well stretch your references further back in time. Move the timeline to the 1700s and replace the “s” with “f” wherever it appears. You could save some farthings on your typeface costs.
I suppose that divinatory powers assess how Independent-ly minded someone is, based on intuition and Internet handwriting analysis or Myspace personality tests. Thus it negates all arguments and criticisms and closes the case, sincerely. Healthy competition can bring out extended effort and new ideas and approaches, but it can also just lead to more polarization of a population.. creating and sustaining the enemy who “victimizes” by its presence alone. Maybe interpersonal politics and past feuds need to be squashed before the government and societal politics (the generalized world) can finally be focused on? It’s good that some steps have already been taken with the changing of the calendar, though some baby steps have been soiled by not changing the diaper.
Money and manpower are always an issue, from issue to issue. but putting it all on the line can inspire more voices to shut the television and internet off, and speak out. Is the motivation to shake things up, or just get enough ads, to release enough hit songs, to quit a boring dayjob? I can’t really say for sure on anyone’s, let alone your, situation. Besides it’s getting dark out, and nighttime makes me tired, like it’s supposed to.. but if space isn’t a concern here, and her letter was serious enough to publish online..then I think readers would expect a more involved response. Checks and balances keep the White House running so smoothely.. though usually it’s more Check, than Balance. I for one have little at stake here but i think it’s just some (admittedly convoluted) insight into complaints.
Also, publicizing your contributions to papers and blogs around the country might cut down on grumbling, when we/them/everybody sees how hard you actually are working for real ideals.
That may be how the mob works, SmartRat, but the hierarchy of NEWSPEAK! readership bashing goes thusly: crony, henchman, peon, piss-ant. To be called a NEWSPEAK! piss-ant is the dream of every mother’s son. While many aspire, few ascend.
The edited letter should read as follows:
To the Editor,
To be honest, the list of discrepancies I have with Newspeak is infinite.
Danielle Pollack
I would suggest “Bartleby the Scrivener,” but I prefer not to.
Also, Albert Einstein did not wear socks, and was not unknown to express his disdain for stuff by coyly exhibiting he was without panties to unsuspecting female aquaintances.
There are seemingly sayings about things said and words. People (can’t) are regular. There’s a mud puppy that howls with grapes, but he won’t cunt. A garage door sold does not equal a man-made hoar’s bath. You’re all a bunch of fucking slaves (modern). The shit squirts inside the footy-ness of pj dreams.
It’s weird, you know, how many panties exist in a bunched up fashion the way that modernity has them realized. It’s all so fucking shabby.
KEK-
So what your saying is that the NEWSPEAK! hierarchy is all about becoming more degenerate? It’s social devolution in action. I should have known. There is probably an secret society of scum-sucking amoebas controlling the whole thing.
It was a good, angry letter. Danielle obviously has some regard for Newspeak or she wouldn’t have written a letter of that length and quality.
On some issues I happen to agree with her, but not about Manitou. Manitou might be a question of context.
Those of us who lived there in the early 70’s remember Banana Manor in it’s heyday, and sent our kids to Apricorn pre-school. Darryl Murpy was the director, a bearded lisping hippie who lived at the Birdcage. Under his tutelage the kids studied yoga and began each schoolday with an impressive and enthusiastic “Salute to the Sun”. It was at Apricorn that an older vamp (4) and Noel(3) locked themselves in the bathroom for Noel’s first haircut. His long wild tresses were replaced with a spiked concentration camp do.
There was a big Zen commune at the end of Ruxton, Winterhaven I think it was called? It had some sort of resident Zen master or guru. John Eastham lived below us at Apple Hill, and a crazy priest lived in the castle which was then divided up into private apartments, haunted, of course. I can’t speak to the issue of wizards (that came much later), but were plenty of cloaked and necklaced people, dirty barefoot people who roamed the herb-infused hillsides ranting to themselves or to an audience, if there happened to be one.
Everyone left their doors open, if they had doors. Everyone was vegetarian. Everyone cooked in presssure cookers because at this altitude it was, and is, the most efficient way to cook grains. Everyone, shaggy children included, turned out for the eclipse, any eclipse. We shared food and danced and howled until dawn. Under the influence of the good Maharishi, we burned incense and practiced Transendental Meditation. We meditated in groups or with friends. We meditated alone. Some of us still do.
So, you see, when it comes to weird…
I can tell you one thing about Manitou that has NOT changed - the DOGS. The good dogs of Manitou.
I like Noel’s Mom’s response to this letter best so far. Gentle with reminiscing. I like that. Does Noel’s mom have her own column yet? If I were to write a rant to the editor, it would be for Noel’s mom to write her own column every month and Swiss Miss, and Suesun if they don’t already. I better go read this months which is in my bag, so I know what I’m talking about….
I bought a pressure cooker this summer at a yard sale, but I’m too chicken to use it so far. Is there a way to figure out how to cook with it without blowing the kitchen up in the process?
Okay, about time I weigh in on this.
I know Danielle, and it seems like quite a few of her grievances are personal rather than professional, taking the Fag Team and High Life House references into account. That’s fine.
I also think she has some helpful and not unheard-of criticisms about the paper. We certainly welcome those.
While I don’t disagree that her letter stems from an inherently genuine place, there’s a great deal of bile there that has no bearing on what we stand for. Like Noel said, maybe she’s just the Independent type. And maybe she, who has an email address that contains the word “manitoid,” was just so upset over our characterization of Manitou as a decreasingly relevant locus of culture that she translated her personal offense into a very angry letter. Whatever her reasons, we aired it. This is more than her beloved Independent has done to its detractors in recent months (and how many of you have written letters that never saw print?). We welcome criticism, no matter how angry and misguided, and we will never, ever shy away from making it public. That is, from me to you, a promise.
Thanks for your letter, Danielle. I’m not quite sure what we did to make you hate us, but rest assured it’s not reciprocal. You’re still okay by us, even though you’re a Manitard through and through.
Aaron-I like your response, and won’t hold it against you any longer that you called me a Paultard. I forgive you. God Bless.
Woh Danielle! Go get a vibrator.
One thing that no paper seems to do in this town is write reviews of art shows once they are up. Previews aren’t sufficient as often the writers haven’t seen the work - Eidie at the Indy and her boxes for example. Wouldn’t it be great if Newspeak wrote about a current show every month, complete with interview and pictures to really promote the arts in a meaningful and more in-depth way? I volunteer to write the first - who do you want me to go and visit?
Auntie L.- Thanks for your endorsement. How you do go on. I don’t know what I’d write, but I enjoy commenting occasionally. In my view, we always live in interesting times, and most interesting of all is the change in challenges and circumstances. I especially appreciate the window into younger people’s ideas, reactions, perceptions. The old always have much to learn from the young, from children especially.
I really like your art show review idea, and would also love to read more reviews related to film, stage, music and books. Some of it could be casual. Ordinarily I might not have gone, but based on one of Don’s recent photos, I trotted right down to see Sarah Milteer’s show at Smokebrush. Loved it.
I always love your comments NBLM, that’s why I think you should be a regular writer. You are so astute and entertaining. My kids are always keeping me on my toes. My favorite story in the recent edition of Newspeak was Noel interviewing Ursen. That was a laugh! What a bright boy.
I wasn’t very clear about my art review idea last night because I had just had a beer and I’m a lightweight at high altitude (or Bristols IPA is stronger than I think it is). I know Noel writes art reviews and Culturecast sometimes makes films about shows, but I think they tend to be big shows like ones shown at the FAC (although I wish they had done something on “Faces in the Crowd” though - that is a fabulous show and comes from the FAC’s own collection).
I was thinking reviews of new or newish, individual artists/writers who are starting out and producing exciting work, and yes, stage/ music/ books yes. It could be a section called ‘Artspeak’ or something like but keep it local to the Front Range and probably written about casually. I feel that since we are likely heading into a recession, the arts probably need all the support they can get, especially anything that is experimental or by emerging artists.
I heartily agree, and perhaps news of shows other than those at Rubbish, UCCS, and Smokebrush. These are great venues putting up pretty consistently good shows, but you would think they are the only ones in town (though they do contribute advertising dollars, and people involved seem to be peeps of Newspeak).
What if there were actual *gasp* critical reviews? The Indy doesn’t write very many, you often have to look for Denver and you know how often they come down here for a look-see (FAC opening was the last I saw).
It would be great to read real reviews, from someone who has some knowledge of the arts and is also understanding of the local scene. Noel, you used to write actual reviews for the Indy way back in the day. I think those were the last actual reviews printed in this town. ‘twould be nice to see more, ‘twould.
I fully agree with Danielle. I also think that there are many others that do as well, but just won’t say it.
One thing that sums up what many feel about the paper is stated by Noel himself:
“Yes, we tend be snarky and make broad generalizations for the sake of broader commentary on the way we see things, but also tend to aim that snark at people we feel deserve it because they are either a). hypocrites, or b). could do better with the resources they have.”
I wish Newspeak would do better with the resources they have and be less hypocritical.
You like to call yourself a “niche” publication, but really it’s more of a “clique” publication. There’s probably a small group of like minded kids that like to suck up to you and you write as if everybody were those people.
Sure, you’ve touched on some decent things in the past, but when compared to the rest of what you publish, it’s few and far between.
We could just not read Newspeak, but I think that people see the potential in what you COULD do and the great content it COULD have, but the disappointment in dashing those hopes with every issue is what annoys. Instead, you use it to celebrate your awesomeness and pretentious superiority complex. Then there’s the never ending and “tired” jabs at the Independent. I won’t elaborate on that because Danielle said it best.
Even if you guys just acted as a bucket to catch stories that the Independent wouldn’t publish, yet holds a lot of merit as important information the public should know, would make you guys a great paper. Instead of just spouting why you guys’ views are oh-so-chic and everybody else’s are lame, you could focus more on the things that our mainstream media conveniently ignores and what the Indy is too afraid to post. I don’t want to read the paper and feel like I’m sitting at a highschool lunch table of some “indy kids” bitching about how stupid everybody else in the school is because they don’t wear your flavor of girl pants.
You could have such a damn good paper if you listened to your critics.
Our critics should band together and start aNOTHER alternative!
Maybe you can judge a book by its cover, though I’m not sure if they meant the dust jacket or the actual hardcover. Anyhow, “The Toilet Paper” had a funny name and was a funny paper until the roll ran out and we had to start using paper towels. On the other hand, “Newspeak” implies “News” of the “Peak”, and hopefully isn’t as Orwellian as it suggests. However, on closer examination there is often less “new” and more “speak”. Then it feels a little like someone switched the inside pages with another paper.
I was going to say the same thing, Chris.
The name, “The Toilet Paper” worked. If you expected anything more than some shit on paper, it was your own damn fault. You might see something funny, you might see something disturbing, but you didn’t really expect much intelligence. If they did come up with something smart, you were pleasantly surprised.
The name, “Newspeak” is misleading if you compare it with the contents. Not many common folk in this city know references to 1984 and those who do can appreciate it’s dual reference to the Peak and expect that it really is some sort of alternative newspaper. Clever title, which makes us expect clever and hard hitting journalism. A real alternative to the oppression from mainstream news.
Compare its name with what’s actually printed monthly and it’s obvious that somebody must have sabotaged the cover and inserted something entirely different.
“Our critics should band together and start aNOTHER alternative!”
Your critics are your readers. If they don’t like it, they can fuck off? Is that the point you’re trying to make? Ever hear the expression, “Don’t shit where you eat?”
Noel, what alternative are you speaking of? Alternative to what? I’ll assume you mean an alternative to the Independent? A paper that comes out weekly, has a staff of more than a few, actually has articles that inform or gives an ALTERNATE view (or at least a point), and has gobs more sponsors? No, your paper is a one of a kind here in the Springs. Your paper is more of a city tabloid rather than an alternative news source.
That said, you should probably change the title to avoid future confusion. You should go back to something with a fecal theme. May I make a few suggestions?
“The Cat’s Rectum”
“The Monthly Movement”
“Front Range Flatulence”
“Shit, we’re not the Indy!”
“Sassy Squirts”
“The Fudge Wrapper”
“The Butt Crack”
Sure, they may not be the wittiest titles, but than again, we don’t want to mislead the public into thinking you’re witty now, do we?
Danielle, kudos to you! I laughed my ass off reading your letter and I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
Newspeak, you should really listen to what’s being said here. You need as many dedicated readers as possible in order to get more sponsorship, or at least keep the handful that you do have. These “critics” wouldn’t spend so much time bitching if they didn’t want a real ALTERNATIVE to what’s out there now. Maybe they just want something more to balance out the right-wing bullshit that’s flooding the media. Don’t you see, you have a group of people demanding it, which means that there is likely a larger group of individuals who wish for the same. You have a golden opportunity here to turn your paper into something grand, but if you keep making snarky comments and ignoring them, your readers will eventually ignore you. That’s the death of a paper. That’s you making snarky comments about customers under the sound of the cappuccino machine when you have to take up a job at Starbucks.
Sinep,
Bet you thought none of the common folk out here would see through your clever little ploy. Did you really imagine none of us would think to arrange the letters of your name differently, thereby discovering your true identity? Sorry, dude, but I know who you are. You are the infamous “ens pi,” The Transcendental One, the one and only Pious Being. At least in your mind.
And in your mind you hunt the snark, and in the hunting, due to confusion, become the hunted, the snark, and live and breath and think snark. Carroll saw it coming, and identified, “Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes,” as the offending line. He was only trying to help. It isn’t all nonsense. Don’t invoke Rule 42 of the Code.
All of you are saying the same thing: you wish we did more/better/what you want. But yet none of you say what that is or how you suggest we do that with the resources we have. “”Your critics are your readers. If they don’t like it, they can fuck off? Is that the point you’re trying to make? Ever hear the expression, “Don’t shit where you eat?’” No, never heard that one! Have any of you contributed to the free speech ad? Do any of you who are bitching about it advertise? If so, let me know.
I started the Toilet Paper because I didn’t like the Independent and and Aaron and I started Newspeak after that died and tried to focus it more on Colorado Springs. In other words, I did something about it and paid for my own right to say whatever the fuck I want. Any of you want to step and write/sell ads/contribute your great insights, wit and obvious genius—the door is always open, which is more than I can say for any of the other publications in town. We DO take feedback, we DO listen and we DO bust our asses to incorporate as much of the community that actually comes to us with ideas as possible. But all of you seem to be happier to bitch and moan. The difference between us is that we earn it.
All that said, what the fuck in specific are you talking about? The COSsip column? Todd Newmiller’s Column? Benjamin Broadbent’s new column? Dan Savage? Ursen? The monthly features? The Blog? Gee, sorry you didn’t like the fact that we did awards that weren’t just hand-jobs for advertisers w/ the Golden Slingshots. We’re so immature! How much of the paper do you even read? Let’s hear some specifics if you’re actually interested in anything other than generalized hating.
I’d seriously love to see any of you try to start and maintain a publication with any small degree of intelligence or wit and keep it afloat with ad dollars for more than a year in this town. I dare any of you. I bet not even one of you will come into our office and lay out one of your ideas, pitch a story or follow through. Especially you, Chris. I invited you to contribute to the next issue and what??? Even though you seem to know so much about what the homeless go through and eat at the soup kitchens, you said you didn’t have anything and here you are bitching. That’s all you’ve got. Yet you seem to have plenty of time on your hands to bith here on the blog. But we’ll gladly pay you the shit rate that we make for it when you produce your amazing stories and ideas for publication. OK? You know where we are.
darksandal — this is the best response yet. I totally agree with you. I also agree with the critics general approach. The few notes above about branching out beyond followers from smokebrush, rubbish and such is a good idea, keeping it casual but uplifting the up and coming is a great idea. Broaden minds — there really are some fun small things going on. At the same time, once you expand you have more helpful and more non-helpful criticism to deal with. If you are prepared, go for it. I would very much like to see a balance of creative intelligence and fun snarkiness here.(that does not imply that fun snarkiness is not intelligent - it can be, but isn’t always interested in that part, which is fine)
I vote keep growing newspeak.
thats my “bith” for the day.
PS — I am really interested if you really are going to “do” something (write about) homelessness around here. Could you just email me about it? I wrote a good reponse to an article in the INDY once, wehre the writer spoke up for environment and totally down on the homesless, including claiming that they ALL pee in the creek and thats wehre all our troubles lie. yeesh. Our wonderful homeless writer in town responded to her,and so did I. But my letter wasn’t printed. poor me. The issues in general are important and creative responses can be too. Real information is essential — not just a bunch of opinions. ANd there are so many “sides” to the issue - please be sure you get a wide view — business wanting “them” out — humans wanting them to be helped in actually helpful ways and without forcing the bible for a meal - those totally frustrated and hating “them” - those who ARE “them” — those of us who have great conversations with “them” once in awhile (along the creek folks can be very philisophical) — those who understand that these people have real lives — the military folks too, like why are so many of the homeless veterans after all… etc etc.
just ideas. use em or throw em.
I agree with anirose, you both should widen your stance….er I mean, view.
Being the hedonistic nihilist that I am, I just think you guys should do what makes you feel good.
Some decent criticisms, all, and I agree with Noel’s assertion that it’s easy to bitch and moan, and quite another animal altogether to offer helpful ideas. A lot of you seem to misunderstand that we aren’t a newsy publication. We simply don’t have the staff or the time to spend attending school board meetings and ferreting out news. We report what we can on the blog, but the print version is a monthly, which means that news stories would cease to be timely as soon as the paper was on the rack for a week. We’ve also never made claims that we’re at all journalistic; neither Noel nor I went to J-school and both of us are a great deal more interested in publishing compelling narratives and ideas that sticking to some dinosaur journalistic ethic. The internet and citizen reporting changed all of that, anyway.
As I’ve said over and over, we welcome constructive criticism, and we do want to keep an open dialog with everyone who reads the paper. Pitch us ideas. Send us stories. Stay involved. But realize that passive-aggressive whining about our lack of inclusivity is useless unless you’re offering up something. Think we’re cliquish? Fine—send us an idea and widen the clique. Seriously, for all the negativity in this thread, there’s a massive dearth of helpful information.
“You could have such a damn good paper if you listened to your critics.” Okay. And for the record, we feel like we do have a damn good paper already, if one that continues to be a work in progress. But we’re listening. Have at it.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM #1: Offer to publish succinctly written letters to the editor in your print edition. If letters aren’t short, they get edited for length. That’s reasonable. The NY Times has received book-length rants, but it certainly cannot be expected to print them. Any fool can anonymously offer up a gripe on the web. There’s a word for that: graffiti. Which leads me to CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM #2: Don’t waste precious resources (trust me, I know how precious time and energy is trying to run a start-up media company!) by taking the bait. It’s one bad move to open up a critical thread on the web, a second bad-move to respond. Who in their right mind, discovering graffiti on their building, would pick up a can of spray-paint and respond in kind?
Noel and Aaron are fair to a fault. Fair because they give everyone a voice; faulty because they give a shit. Sometimes, fellows, for the sake of progress, you have to not give a shit. Sure, that will offend a handful of impotent cry-babies who go through life complaining and not lifting a finger to accomplish anything, but who gives a fuck?
Being anti-fascist doesn’t imply a Christ-like ability to lift everyone from their own bed of feces. The fascist believes that some people were born to be exploited. That’s far from believing that some people were born to be ignored.
“I started the Toilet Paper because I didn’t like the Independent and and Aaron and I started Newspeak after that died”
Oh really? You started Newspeak right after the Toilet Paper? Wasn’t there some real, honest attempt at journalism between the two, which failed miserably? Perhaps that’s why you’re not interested in following some “dinosaur journalistic ethic” because you know nothing about journalism, or ethics (and probably not that much about dinosaurs). But don’t fool your readers that you never tried.
But okay, so there is a lot of room in the Springs for a publication that’s not about journalism. Certainly, journalism is not the only kind of writing with merit - people just want a publication that’s about the community. But Newspeak is serving a smaller and smaller community by alienating its readers with its narrow-mindedness.
(Sinep said it better)
yes Sineup and bowel blather said it better with absolutely no specific examples.
Ah… anonymous blog comments, enabling cowards since 2001 (date not sourced).
Nothing gives a person more balls than sitting behind his/her screen in his home to shoot their mouth off as much as they want.
I wonder how much bile would be spewed if any of these people actually talked to Noel or Aaron face to face. I bet the criticism would be a lot less harsh and negative, and more constructive. If you can’t say it to someones face, why say it online where you can hide in anonymity?
I know that every time I’ve approached Noel to talk about anything the conversations have always been great, even if we did disagree.
Hey, that’s true—the Messenger sure did fail. I’m sure it had a lot more to do with our lack of journalistic ethics than, say, money.
So what was your suggestion again?
The Messenger wasn’t ours and it didn’t fail because of the quality of the journalism, but because it ran out of money. Yes, it was incredibly shortlived.
But again, oh ye of anonymous comment and rapier wit, where are you ingenious suggestions and specific criticisms.
I will concede that the blog may seem insular because it’s a different beast and an ongoing coversation with ALL of its participants, many of whom we don’t even know, but it’s a conversation that all are welcome to join. Sorry if you feel left out.
The paper, on the other hand, is hardly insular. But if you think it is, do feel free to elaborate.
the paper is great, thoroughly enjoyed this month’s edition, from the cover (love that art Marina!) to the letters from prison, to the wonderful Dan Savage, to what else I can’t remember right now. But I do think people get the blog confused with the paper, and they serve really different purposes. I check the blog daily, it is great for being kept in the loop. Sure, there are sometimes bloggers being clique-y by talking about inside jokes, etc, but I just move on.
But the paper really has things that you can sit and savor. I don’t know of any other columns in regional papers being written by someone in prison, where a huge chunk of our population is sitting and rotting right now. When I read those letters, it launches my head off on so many tangents. So, thanks for that.
I recommend some of these critics actually sit and read an entire issue of Newspeak, I kinda doubt they have lately.
Holy bar brawl!
I wander off to keep office hours for a few days, and y’all totally decompensate!
Must be all the UFO’s.
i have plenty of time to bitch? each of my posts takes me a maximum of five minutes to compose, though its less of a composition, and more of a stream of (semi)consciousness recitation of observations. and reading over them, i still think there are some insights and suggestions about the issue.
i am the audience. a movie audience has the freedom, and i think the obligation, to react. cheer, jeer, heckle, applaud, walk out, stay in. if they react negatively, does the director remark “well its really hard to make a movie”? .if one of them is quoted as saying something like that, the next reaction is deserved ridicule and clever headlines on the cover of the Post. the readers are blaming the writers and the writers are blaming the community.
i have a long history of nonparticipation in the newspaper field, all the way back to junior high. i dont have a journalistic mind, i think in poetry and non seqiter. and most news reminds me of uncreative fiction, and my eyes wander from the page to the window. so i have no desire to write like that, though i sometimes read and sometimes skim, and my reactions are genuine, though the comments i post here are improv and rarely revised. three minutes is too much of my bitching time. over 3 and i get hungry.
i was asked to write about my favorite local eatery, Marion House. however, i have heard from some people that the HOuse doesnt like publicity and i respect its wishes. i responded to darksandal’s email stating that. however, what i lacked in print i think i made up in activity, spending a couple of weeks cavorting with the “Please Give Handouts” pamphleteer, and eventually discussing the merits of writing for the Newspeak. he conceded that the paper has some potential, though i had to reiterate that darksandal has good intentions. finally, on a sunday afternoon in front of Shove Chapel, i called darksandal 3 times and finally got the two to talk. from what i hear, they are meeting regularly, though i cant confirm it. and its not my concern anymore, i did a little bit because i thought it might prove fruitful in a town “cursed by the Utes” according to a recent conversation on Platte and Tejon. the pamphlet man has a wealth of information, well, he is a wealth of information.
my 3 minutes of bitching time is up, back to my busy schedule! decorating 8×11 paper with words and doodles, coming to a photocopier near you. though i will concede it takes up to ten minutes to transfer the data, with the speeds of hijacked wireless these days.
Fair enough, Chris, and thanks for putting us in touch with Thomas, but the paper’s not a movie and we encourage participation when people bitch. That’s how Adam Leech’s column originally started: he bitched that we didn’t have any music coverage so I said, “Well, then write a local music column.” He did. And even though he couldn’t write for shit, we helped edit him and encouraged his participation and community with the limited resources we have. Now, of course, he’s a “professional rock ‘n’ roll journalist” or some such (see the heights you can achieve through Newspeak!). My point is that it’s hard work for very little pay and while you’re always welcome to complain and jeer from the sidelines, doing so regularly without much in the way of support, participation or genuinely constructive criticism gets old. So you can hardly blame us, this blog being dialogical, for responding in kind. Newspeak has been, from the beginning, about trying to rally around and support an underrepresented segment/niche of our local community. Yeah, we do our own bitching, but we’re not pointing the canon at the deck. If you don’t find the paper or the blog to your liking and don’t want to participate, that’s fine. I get the feeling what you really like about being in Colorado Springs is feeling above/better than it all anyway, so have fun with that.
mm nah i just think Newspeak sucks, but I still like the rest of Springs and am having fun liking it! cheers
i agree that its alot easier to bitch and moan, than to actually go out and improve whats wrong. i’ve lived here for as long as i can remember, and if you ask me thats colorado springs to a tee. even when we have it good, everybody still finds something to bitch about.
take the high life house for example. i would go there almost every week for shows since the second show they ever had. about three or four years into it, “scene-agers” (get it, like scene kid teenagers HA!) started showing up. i remember alot of people that i hung out with there, and were regulars to every show, would say they didnt wanna go hang out there because of all the kids that were there. i never minded it, even though they would get too drunk and piss and puke the couch. it was still the place to go to see awesome shows. emphesis on awesome. now that place is gone and we have nowhere to see diy shows. the bitching i think ultimately ended that place, which is very sad. everybody was so caught up about complaining about that place, that everybody moved out and nobody moved in, and now i see fucking christmas trees in the window, and plastic cars parked outside.
so anyways, where did the bitching get us? it will probably just get other creative outlets shutdown as well. eh. everybodys so into doin their own thing.
my only real complaint with the newspeak, is the music column. i think instead of doing a whole column, they could do a featurette every now and then on whats goin. maybe throw it in the wizard of COS section instead. i think adam has got it covered, just because his is week to week. but whatever. its usually unhumorous drivel to me.
if everybody, including the editors want this paper to the proportion that it could be, contribute. dont just talk about it. fuh-king do it. supporting what we have while its good, it will grow and can become something we all want, colorado springs only alternative.
To hear Chris say “Newspeak sucks” makes me believe he is a teenager because that’s what teenagers say when they are confused, lonely and scared. I have read The Newspeak several times and as I don’t like everything I read in it you can’t say an entire publication “sucks” that makes no sense whatsoever. A paper like Newspeak has many opinions, stories, images, etc. What “sucks” is when people make blanket statements and sweeping generalizations just to make people pay attention to them. That is what I think Chris is doing here.
“Newspeak sucks” is in the negative energy spectrum. It is a product of fear. You need to confront your fear, Chris. Look through the mirror, release your Fear, and embrace Love.
Now you listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I’ll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. I love you Danielle.
I’ve been with Noel and Aaron. The good Noel is in the lodge and he can’t leave. Write it in your diary.
Dr Nobody, while I appreciate your diagnosis, I’ve laid out several observations and points in several comments in this thread which explain my thoughts and feelings. And it would take too much trouble to re-explain them. “Newspeak sucks” is a blanket statement in response to the equally vague idea that I like Colorado Springs only because I feel I am “above it all”.. as if having a job, cheap rent, nice thrift shops, and a way to make money to get out of debt (and to help struggling parents back East) isnt enough..like I need to fight for the cause. Newspeak is not Colorado Springs, but really is just a part of it. Maybe we can take a healing walk through psychological therapy together, Dr Nobody, since you seem to have doubts about your self-worth, and consider yourself a nobody, an expert on anonymity. But judging on screenname basis would be taking things on face value, like judging a monthly periodical on its cover and title? By the way, machines and media have been procured for the Pamphleteer (Who reasonably desires anonymity) and Interviews will commence soon!
ps I made my contribution to the next issue, dummies, and Noel thanked me for it. Just that none of you will ever read it because it wasn’t written, it was coordinated. From what I hear there will be some great stuff in it, if advertisers and timidity don’t stand in the way of bravery. Another contribution will come tomorrow, with the microcassette recorder and typewriter I purchased today. “Just for the record” and I may see my name in newsprint someday, but more likely when I am changing the bottom of the birdcage. and the Contact admitted that I don’t have a journalistic mind, being an Active Poet, though that isn’t something I feel the need to place on my business card, just a personal decision there.
chris is just pist because more people read newspeak than his poultry book
haha thats only because i ran out of money to print more copies.. but thats only because IT TAKES ALOT OF INTELLIGENCE TO WRITE A POETRY BOOK! why doesnt anyone help me? woe is me! and getting advertisers.. damn! hard work. so i took up making a little magazine for the bourgeousie but i spend so much time on it i dont have time for my poetry.
As you know, I’m all about the music (like several of you). I loved it when Toilet Paper interviewed Xiu Xiu and Diane Cluck. I wouldn’t have been hip enough to know about her show without you. Likewise, I’d really like it if someone interviewed The Spinto Band in February’s issue to inform us about their March show.
I’ll confess my motives might be screwed up, since we’re playing with them. But if you have heard The Spinto Band, perhaps you’ll agree that more people should hear them, just like more people should have seen The Joggers, Edith Frost, The Zincs, Birds & Batteries, and many others when they came through THIS town, Colorado Springs!
olden days