I am on a verge of cancelling my strib subscription

[question everything]

As it is, most of the stories are syndicated from the WaPo and the NYT and others.

Local stories are mostly about murder and robbery and killing while texting and driving - with only a slap on the wrist.

Other local stories are detailed on local news shows.

And we don't care about sports.

But this week, apparently, Steve Sack is on vacation so all the political cartoons are by rabid right wingers. Ramirez and Dana Summers. Can't they find someone neutral, who do not trash "the left" and, of course, the Clinton on every cartoon?

Not to mention D.J. Tice, the commentary editor, of all places, who no longer just offer his "column right" on a Sunday but really is getting nasty. A few weeks ago he developed his whole column trashing Al Franken as a "pornographer."

I have been subscribing because we are used to have a newspaper when we first are up, with our coffee, when we now have time to leisurely pursue both. However I've considered it also a contribution to the community.

Interestingly, earlier in the week, when the first Dana Summers appeared, many posted angry comments on the strib site (comments that have to be approved before posted). And one had a letter published the next day, even though another nasty cartoon was published in the same issue.

[procon]

1. What does "strib" mean? Guessing a newspaper, but what's the real name? nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

[procon]

7. Thanks! West coaster here and I've never heard that word before. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I've been tempted, too, especially since Glenn Taylor bought it.

The cartoonists Ramirez and Summers are awful, and I don't even read Tice's crap any more. And the Minnesota section should be retitled the Crime section. On the other hand they do have some excellent special reports. In today's paper there was a really good article about what some old soldiers and Holocaust survivors think of the return of Nazi demonstrators. Also, I'm hooked on crossword puzzles and I'd hate to give them up.

It just occurred to me that I haven't seen a column by the loathsome Katherine Kersten lately. Have they dumped her, I hope?

[question everything]

8. What do they nee Kersten if they have Tice?

Not that I've read Tice closely, I knew that his was on the right, but not that nasty. Wonder whether Taylor told him to grow a pair, or something..

[trotsky]

11. I think everyone knew this would happen when Taylor took control.

I'll never subscribe to what was once a great local paper, which is too bad.

[MyOwnPeace]

4. I "Googled" DJ Tice........

"strib" stands for StarTribune, a Twin Cities newspaper, and DJ Tice is a writer for them.
Here's a link to the Franken article - interesting reading, especially the "comments" section!

http://m.startribune.com/franken-s-book-reminds-that-political-porn-didn-t-just-start-with-the-mooch/438617793/

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. Press for change?

Isn't there anything you and your fellow subscribers in your community do to influence the papers' content, or is it completely blind to the community's preferences? If it is blind and only controller by remote owners, the paper shouldn't be able to survive.

Of coarse, we all know how Rush Limbaugh's program and several nasty tabloids survived for may years. Deep RW pockets.

LOL, maybe you and a bunch of friends could just buy a controlling interest and get a seat on their board!

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Used to do the Pay thing up to the time

Glen Taylor bought the Paper. You just knew the Trib was going south in a major way. Seems to me,the first pro GOP anti DFL editorial landed the first weekend of Taylor's ownership. Back in the day,when Taylor was State Senate Leader,he used to bash the crap out of the Trib.


One a personal note,found Taylor to be one shallow spiteful person.

[dflprincess]

9. I've been tempted to do so as well

but, like you, I'm used to my morning paper and I think I'd have a breakdown on (especially on Saturdays & Sundays) if I didn't have it. And, like Velveteen Ocelot, I'm addicted to the crosswords. So I'll stick with it for a while.

Sack is back and hopefully they won't print anymore of those cartoons from those other nuts whose only achievement is that they prove right wingers have no sense of humor.

[question everything]

10. Yes, they've rearranged the order of the caroonns

Ramierz is usually on Tuesdays, but not last week and, so far, not this week.

I've actually resigned myself to the fact that Tuesday is Ramirez' day.. Really hateful.

[liberalhistorian]

12. I agree, for the most part, with your

criticisms, but I think the St. Paul Pioneer Press is even worse, it might as well call itself the Fox News Press. It's virtually unreadable now unless you're a rabid reactionary right-winger.

I'm in the twin cities for graduate school, though, and I gotta say that it's so much better politically to live here than in South Dakota, my home base. And if you think the Strib is bad, and as bad as the Pioneer Press is, try most South Dakota newspapers. Disgusting.