Three men robbed Adult World on Altamont Avenue early Friday morning but left with only $3 and some dirty movies, police said.
Who cares how long it took them to report the story----it's about a so called Adult 'bookstore' but with what???-----DIRTY movies......yeah, it does a community proud to know literacy will not be tolerated and that politicians still have a place to start off their dates......or end their dates.....with whom ever...
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Greetings, folks. Long time lurker, first time poster. MobileTerminal, just out of curiosity, what is your big beef with the Gazette? I recall you saying they maligned you some how awhile back, but you never really fully explained.
Nor will I elaborate, as is the reason behind my pseudonym here. As others have eloquently stated, the Gazette has had NUMEROUS omissions, edits, retractions of stories that caused harm to individuals and businesses in the area by not reporting the story either correctly or thoroughly. Yes, I was a victim of their negligence. Big story, B1 - which was later found "untrue" and malicious in nature, yet the peoples RAG printed no retraction or correction to their story. Often, when they do see fit to print a correction, it's buried between ads on b4 and b5 (days later)- rarely if ever, with the same prominence of the story that maligned people in the first place.
The aforementioned rag also is a spokesperson for the Democratic "machine" here in Schenectady. EVERY story they print has a favorable slant to the democrats. WITHOUT EXCEPTION. For instance - why aren't they being critical of Metroplex for the handling of "The Big House" or The Van Dyck loan handling. Why aren't they investigating stories right in their hometown? You say in your babble that it's "ordinary" and "common". I submit to you and everyone here that it's because they're being told NOT to - because it might cast a poor light on Schenectady. News is not supposed to be prejudicial to any one party - it's supposed to be accurate reporting of the facts - something they have a hard time doing.
Advertising rates in this paper are also subjective, depending on your "affiliations" and discounts the papers "handlers" allow you to partake in. Without getting into specifics, I wanted to place an advertisement in the paper. Another company, new to the area whom I know well, also inquired about the price of the ads. We decided on the same size ad, same frequency, etc. However, the other company was granted some "discounts" that seem to be only available to people with the correct political affiliations. I can't prove that, it's surely not documented anywhere, but trust me, it's very evident.
Their letters to the editor policy also, forgive me for being blunt, sucks. They'll print your letter, AFTER you make corrections/edits that aren't too critical of the democratic machine. Such is evident here in these forums. No paper should ever ask someone to change their opinion or feelings in a letter to the editor because it casts a disparaging light on an organization that the taxpayers PAY FOR. Several times, they'll edit it themselves (chanced for brevity and space restrictions, or so they say). This is censorship at it's very worst. (for instance, McCain's letter the the NY Times)
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Still, you can't be serious about the TU having more Schenectady news than them, can you?
Oh, yes, I most certainly can. The TU picks up local scanner reports immediately and follows up on them. They wait for the daily "feed" from the Police Department to get their news. A couple of times recently, they got "lucky" with photos - one was outside Union College where Sheriff's deputies arrested 2 youths that were involved in a shooting. Kudos for that, but there was never a followup NEWS story. The TU consistently prints Schenectady news. The Maxon Rd Machine finds news of Fonda, Fultonville, Schoharie, Amsterdam, etc - more newsworthy than what's happening right here where they're based.
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You're right about them not having an investigative reporter. But how can you honestly expect something like that from a paper with only half the circulation of the TU?
How about ONE? The Schenectady "reporters" cover the news assignments that are handed to them by the liberal publisher that decides which will please his friends first. They have zero investigators. Maybe if they had ONE or more, their circulation wouldn't be so far in the crapper. If they're not going to have investigative reporters, how will they ever independently verify facts or follow up on stories??
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Its very seldom they have news about any of the other towns.
Obviously you've never listed to the police scanner, or heard about how our officers are running around like chickens without their heads. How many of these "stories" make it to the paper. What are the officers doing 24x7 - certainly there's news there, it's just not being covered by the Gazette. There's a 1/2 page blotter at least once a week of people arrested in this city/county ... we RARELY ever hear stories about them - why they're arrested or in jail - just bam - 5-10 days later the Gazette is reprinting a police blotter. ZERO investigation.
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Shops get held up in Schenectady almost every day.
And they're not reporting it BECAUSE WHY? "too common or ordinary" - BULLCRAP. It's not being published because it'd look bad for our elected officials who keep telling us crime is down. It's news, stop filtering it out - we're adults, we need to hear what's happening in our community. Not enough room to print everything? (stop making my case for me) - stop printing Amsterdam/Fultonville/Montgomery/Saratoga/Washington Co news - devote all of B1 to LOCAL news. Better yet - we see enough national news, make A1 the local section! The paper prints multiple editions - one for Amsterdam, one for Johnstorn/Fultonville - keep their news in their copies - but in the Schenectady edition, print news from Schenectady FIRST.
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Also, I have a hard time listening to someone gripe about the paper when they don't even buy or read it. Did it ever occur to you they probably wouldn't be laying off people every year if a few more people like you actually picked up the paper and read it cover-to-cover. I don't me to offend, but you sound very spiteful and a bit hypocritical.
Cover to cover? That'd take what 10 minutes? Have you seen the classified ads lately? Look at the help wanted section - it's pitiful. The TU prints more Schenectady help wanted's than our own paper - AND they offer FREE classified ads (for sale, etc). Two pages of stock quotes? Comon - every person who's watching the market isn't getting out their magnifiers to read that tiny print. They're looking online - realtime information, not delayed 24 hours. Talk about a waste of ink. The TU doesn't print them. The Saratoga papers don't print them - why does this paper? Just to fill space most likely.
I've paid for a subscription for years, I won't any longer. My parents have paid for a subscription for better than 40 years. They've seen the size, quality and accuracy of the paper decline steadily and remarkably over the years, but it's habit - they read the paper with coffee, they talk to each other about it ... but trust me, they're ALSO reading the TU daily. I read the limited news they offer on their website, but I find out more of what's going on in Schenectady by reading these forums (real people) and via the TU website. I have a police scanner in my house that's on in the background. I was a proponent of video cameras in the city long before it was the "politically correct" thing to do. News, as it's happening, not 24-36-72 hours later, IF they choose to report it.
Spiteful? Hypocritical? I hardly see myself that way, but thank you for the outsiders prospective. I'll work on that image. My feelings are my own - they're not dictated by any govt organization or party. It's unfortunate that the paper that claims to be the "Independent voice" and "Schenectady's Hometown Paper" can't report / relay news accurately, fairly and without influence or prejudice.
MT....APPLAUD! APPLAUD! APPLAUD!!!!! You just hit the liberal media nail right on the unfair and unbalanced head!!!
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It's also nice to see that they don't have the time to get the stories, but the people in the newsroom have enough time to make several editions, moving stories that are appropriate for the delivery area to the front of the paper / local sections. Maybe some of those people (or their salaries) could be used in better ways to help increase those circulation numbers.
I agree wholeheartedly. I think the problem is the Humes are out of touch with today's media and probably don't have an iota of an idea how to start baling out the sinking ship. I'd proffer that we should all call Mr. Hume and give him suggestions. Screw the editors...go straight to the top. Eventually, maybe he'll start listening.
Bumble, I think the editorial writers are listed in the top right corner of the E-page.
Now allow me to respond in kind to Mobil Terminal...
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yet the peoples RAG printed no retraction or correction to their story. Often, when they do see fit to print a correction, it's buried between ads on b4 and b5 (days later)- rarely if ever, with the same prominence of the story that maligned people in the first place.
Common...all papers print corrections on the inside. Even the TU. And retractions? I can count the number of retractions I've read in the past decade on one finger. It wasn't in the Gazette either...Funny thing is I was in Albany last weekend and the group of people I was with had nothing good to say about the TU, but went on and on about how the Gazette does such a great job. Frankly, I think it's all subjective. Because it is the so-called home town paper, people have much higher expectations.
It's a shame you refuse to elaborate on how they wronged you, even in broad terms. Personally, I'd say it would give your gripes a lot more credence.
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The aforementioned rag also is a spokesperson for the Democratic "machine" here in Schenectady. EVERY story they print has a favorable slant to the democrats. WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
Please, with this 'liberal media bias' bunk. The sad fact is the Democrats are the one controlling Schenectady right now, therefore, they're naturally going to have an upper hand when it comes to the dissemination of news...And while we're talking about how biased the Gazette is, how about the Times Union? Where's there hard-hitting reporting about Metroplex, the county Legislature, etc. How come you don't fault them for the same thing?
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They'll print your letter, AFTER you make corrections/edits that aren't too critical of the democratic machine. Such is evident here in these forums. No paper should ever ask someone to change their opinion or feelings in a letter to the editor because it casts a disparaging light on an organization that the taxpayers PAY FOR.
I've never written a letter to them before, but I have a real hard time believing this. Sure, they won't print libelous letters. But that's more because of the attorneys out their just waiting for the chance to file suit. But I'll humor you: Tell me one instance where you're sure the "democratic machine" intervened to change and/or thwart a letter. I've never heard any such thing, but then again, I don't really roll with the folks that send a lot of letters to their paper.
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The TU consistently prints Schenectady news. The Maxon Rd Machine finds news of Fonda, Fultonville, Schoharie, Amsterdam, etc - more newsworthy than what's happening right here where they're based.
Here's another inconsistency...you would thing the 'peoples' gazette' wouldn't be interested in Republican strongholds like Saratoga, Fulton and Montgomery County. Yet they have whole editions printed for these areas...and have all but closed down their bureaus in the Democrat-dominated Albany County. Interesting eh? I won't debate you on the Gazette's online coverage, because it frankly sucks. You're right, the TU routinely beats them to the punch on breaking news. Still, I think you're going a bit overboard with your expectations. How the hell are they going to chase every damn scanner chirp when they're laying off people every year?
And let's also be realistic here: chasing ambulances, cop cars and scanner reports is NOT investigative reporting. Nor is following up on the police briefs. It seems to me they used to be a bit more on the ball when they had a courts reporter.
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How about ONE? The Schenectady "reporters" cover the news assignments that are handed to them by the liberal publisher that decides which will please his friends first.
Please do elaborate on your evidence of this. I've never heard of such a thing. If that was the case, I would hope at least ONE reporter would blow the lid off of such a practice. In the Gazette's case, wouldn't you think one of the many they laid-off come forward with such stories? After all, that would sink any paper's reputation if it were true(which I highly suspect it's not).
Look, I don't disagree the Gazette is a train wreck. They had the world's worst editor (Tom Woodman)for many years. He didn't know how to contend with the digital age and ended up squandering the small edge the Gazette once had in the Capital Region. But to compare a 45,000 circulation paper with one of 100,000 and up is like comparing the Valley Cats to the Yankess. Sure they're playing the same sport. But one has far more resources to get the job done.
I guess in closing, I'd say you've done nothing but further my theory that you hold a degree of spite against the Gazette that probably wouldn't change even if they fired the whole staff and hired people you hand picked. I guess what I would say to you is that if you feel that strongly against them, you should start your own news service offering what they have not. I've seen a handful of Schenectady blogs, but none of them seem to offer much of anything new or different. I've visited Schenectady Today a few times, but the site simply regurgitates what the Gazette and TU post/print, in addition to offering a play-by-play of the scanner chatter. To me, it seems a bit superfluous. My challenge to you is to put together a cogent site that offers the things you feel are missing from the Gazette(or the TU, or any other so-called liberal media outlet). Do it, and I'll log on every day, I promise you...
Common...all papers print corrections on the inside. Even the TU. And retractions? I can count the number of retractions I've read in the past decade on one finger. It wasn't in the Gazette either...Funny thing is I was in Albany last weekend and the group of people I was with had nothing good to say about the TU, but went on and on about how the Gazette does such a great job. Frankly, I think it's all subjective. Because it is the so-called home town paper, people have much higher expectations.
1. Other papers have no where NEAR the number of corrections 2. It's not necessarily that they DO occasionally print them - it's the ones that they DONT print that can hurt, especially when they've been proven wrong by the offended and every other local media outlet.
Here's another inconsistency...you would thing the 'peoples' gazette' wouldn't be interested in Republican strongholds like Saratoga, Fulton and Montgomery County. Yet they have whole editions printed for these areas.
I didn't say everything was favorable or unfavorable - I don't read news that doesn't concern me. I don't follow "politics" in any of those areas.
And let's also be realistic here: chasing ambulances, cop cars and scanner reports is NOT investigative reporting. Nor is following up on the police briefs. It seems to me they used to be a bit more on the ball when they had a courts reporter.
No, you're right - most of the calls aren't "newsworthy". When there's repeated issues in a particular area, like gunshots in Mt Pleasant, regular Yates Village violence, etc - they refuse to cover it. How about covering the bums/panhandlers downtown?
Look, I don't disagree the Gazette is a train wreck. They had the world's worst editor (Tom Woodman)for many years. He didn't know how to contend with the digital age and ended up squandering the small edge the Gazette once had in the Capital Region. But to compare a 45,000 circulation paper with one of 100,000 and up is like comparing the Valley Cats to the Yankees. Sure they're playing the same sport. But one has far more resources to get the job done.
This is directly proportional to the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany saying he must close churches because there's not enough priests. My question to him is, A) What have you done to encourage new vocations and B) WHY is your diocese suffering the shortage more than any other diocese in the country. (Some may not realize that the Albany Diocese has sent only 9 men to the Seminary in the past 15 years. Others send two dozen a year. Some make it, some dont. Of the 9 sent - only two were ordained. One serves in Schenectady, the other didn't graduate)
I guess in closing, I'd say you've done nothing but further my theory that you hold a degree of spite against the Gazette that probably wouldn't change even if they fired the whole staff and hired people you hand picked. I guess what I would say to you is that if you feel that strongly against them, you should start your own news service offering what they have not. I've seen a handful of Schenectady blogs, but none of them seem to offer much of anything new or different. I've visited Schenectady Today a few times, but the site simply regurgitates what the Gazette and TU post/print, in addition to offering a play-by-play of the scanner chatter. To me, it seems a bit superfluous. My challenge to you is to put together a cogent site that offers the things you feel are missing from the Gazette(or the TU, or any other so-called liberal media outlet). Do it, and I'll log on every day, I promise you...
I don't have time, desire or inclination to start my own web site. The Schenectady and Rotterdam forums do a good job, I read them daily. If you do, like you claim, you'll have the same opinion of Schenectady and the hometown newspaper most of us do.
SCHENECTADY — Thieves recently made off with more than $2,000 in office equipment and other items, including a garbage can, from the New Creation in Christ Church of God in Mont Pleasant. The Rev. Eloy Binnon said parishioners discovered the theft last weekend and reported the incident to police. Binnon said thieves used hammers to smash into the church’s sanctuary at 1073 Howard St., destroying a double-locked door and damaging its frame. They also kicked in several upstairs doors, leaving footprints on the surfaces. Binnon said thieves took two computers used by children, a commercial printer, a used copying machine, three telephones and a deep fryer. They also tried to break into the church’s safe but did not succeed, he said. “You can see the indentations on it,” Binnon said. In addition, the thieves ransacked several offices, entered the church’s pulpit and appeared to have moved a CD player before leaving it behind, Binnon said. Church officials are asking for information that will lead to the recovery of the items, Binnon said.
This appears in the Daily Gazette on Monday August 11, 2008. It happened LAST week - not this weekend - LAST weekend. It took the Gazette an entire week to pick up and "find space" to print it?
Same page (B3) - same news "block" (bottom of the page, buried next to ads:
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Poestenkill Gorge TROY — Emergency personnel rescued a man Saturday from a swimming area of the Poestenkill George. Troy Fire Department Battalion Chief Ed Cummings said James Mangino had serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Albany Medical Center Hospital. Cummings said the fire department received a call that a man was injured on the rocks but did not have any specifics as to how Mangino sustained his injuries. While the city does not want people in the gorge, Cummings said people often use it for hiking, climbing and swimming.
Hardly news from Schenectady in the "Local Section" - it received faster coverage in the Schenectady newspaper than a church robbery.
Those are just two examples from today.
B1 also contains two stores about Schenectady - but also prominently features stories about Glens Falls and Cobelskill. Surely there's more "hometown" news that the Gazette can find to print on B1. Save the GF and Colby news for their editions - don't delay printing Schenectady news in a Schenectady newspaper to instead run stories from out of the area.
I'm not trying to bait you. But it's difficult to understand how they wronged you when you're just say 'they did.' You can't boil it down to overly broad terms?
I've indeed read the threads you've mentioned several times. But personally, I'm not one to simply take someone's word for it, especially when it comes to a semi-anonymous forum. Hence why I've chimed in. I'd really like more of an explanation than simply taking it for granted. Because when I pick up the paper, I simply don't see it. I guess a more compelling case would be for these letter writers to reproduce what they sent to the Gazette and highlight the area they told them to change. Until then, I keep my hearty air of skepticism regarding their slant. In short, I think a lot of people confuse the Gazette simple editorial incompetence with the paper rolling along with some Democratic cabal. Were I to venture a guess, I'd say the problems you guys point out have more to do with the cost-cutting and reduction in staff. I mean, in the past years haven't they laid off like three dozen employees? Those are big numbers for any company to pull through.
1. Other papers have no where NEAR the number of corrections 2. It's not necessarily that they DO occasionally print them - it's the ones that they DONT print that can hurt, especially when they've been proven wrong by the offended and every other local media outlet.
I get both papers. I'll be counting them this week to see if you're right.
Regarding the crime. What are the Gazette or the TU going to do? The crime roundup in Schenectady's neighborhoods? I can just see the headline: Gunshots rang out again in Schenectady's Mont Pleasant neighborhood. Police aren't saying anything. No arrests made...not to keep harping on Schenectady Today because they are trying to make a go at it, but that's what I read over there. Unfortunately, guns are a problem in Schenectady. But until a bullet hits someone, there's really not much to write about that hasn't already been written(i.e. we're trying to quell the gun problem...and then the reality no local cop will say...IT'S NOT WORKING)
I don't have time, desire or inclination to start my own web site. The Schenectady and Rotterdam forums do a good job, I read them daily. If you do, like you claim, you'll have the same opinion of Schenectady and the hometown newspaper most of us do.
As the axiom goes, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I've always been of the belief that if something bothers you enough, you should vest a bit of time and do something about it. These forums are fine, but if they're the only place your getting your news, then you're not getting the full picture.
And lastly, how can you argue vehemently about their bias in one breath and then say honestly you don't read the rest of the paper --only what pertains to Schenectady --in another? Look, I share your angst about the Gazette. But I think a lot of your assumptions about them are based on paranoia and not facts. As a new poster, I'm not looking to start a brawl here, just trying to gain a better understanding of your position.
I will have to pick up a Gazette and see what all the hullabaloo is about. Have only been on this site a very short time and it seems like you have a lively group here. Hope to learn the "real story" about what is going on in our town from all of you regulars.
This is the only one I know about. Could be different now. anyone know?
155.025 - Rotterdam Town Police
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