The Standard-Examiner Touts its Two (Count 'Em, 2) Websites

Added WCF bonus: Yesterday's news today!

Why it seems like only yesterday that we, the cyber denizens of Weber County Forum, were involved in a thorough discussion of the Standard-Examiner, and the upgrades our home town newspaper has recently made to its StandardNet Live (free) and Digital Edition (paid subscription) websites. Hmmm... actually the discussion was the day BEFORE yesterday -- now that we think about it.

And now, (right on cue) here comes Std-Ex Editor Dave Greiling this morning, picking up on our earlier conversation and offering more fodder for discussion of the Std-Ex's online offerings, with this morning's most informative and timely "Behind the Headlines" column:

• Web site changes a constant in changing business

Editor Greiling presents one danged fine nuts and bolts explanation of the differences between the two websites, and goes on to discuss the reasoning and rationale of newspaper management in offering these two distinctly different web products.

Mr. Greiling also gets into specifics as to the goal of the recent StandardNET site revamp. These are the objects the in-house programmer gnomes sought to achieve:

• Simplify, to make it easier to find items such as story comments, videos and links;
• Improve the visual impact and presentation; and
• Make the site faster.

For the most part, we think the Std-Ex has been successful in this endeavor. In our opinion the new site is far more straightforward and streamlined than the old one. It loads faster too, now that the "programmer gnomes" have seemingly prevailed over the "advertiser gnomes," and eliminated much of the user system resource unfriendly clutter from StandardNET pages. The only thing it seems to be lacking at this point... regular red meat content.

We also got a real kick out of this Mark Shenefelt comment:

Shenefelt said the reaction to the changes has been generally positive. He’s particularly pleased with the increased interactivity he sees with Web visitors.
Traffic is also up more than 60 percent since the redesign.
“There are great conversations on some of our stories. I’ve noticed a lot of new regulars, commenting daily and posting on more topics.”

It appears these heretofore stodgy print media newspapermen are just now learning the fundamental principle of the webosphere. If you make your most interesting material freely available online... and allow your readers to offer their own interactive comments, you'll find yourself well on your way to building a loyal and reliable online reader community.

And while we're cherry picking paragraphs, we'll focus on this article segment, which permits us to launch into another WCF-patented neck-snapping segue:

Our goal is to post the current day’s digital edition by 6 a.m. There are some technical bugs that we’re working through that have delayed posting on several days and caused some missing pages.

Yes, gentle readers, here are the two Weber County Forum-topical articles (missing pages) which the Std-Ex neglected to post in yesterday's StandardNet or Digital Edition versions. We link these especially for you, Gentle Reader Moroni McConkie:

• Windsor demolition still on hold
• Committee golf course suggestions in last stages

We were delighted to find these above two articles added (however belatedly) to the Std-Ex's Digital Edition database this morning, if only because they provide archival continuity.

The floor is open for reader comments. What's on your minds this Saturday morning?

Federal Loans for U.S. Auto Companies

Ron Paul on the Auto Bailout

"Nationalization ...without a whimper."
Comments?

Frantic Mountainside Activity Redux

Somebody, please! Help us make some sense of Mr. Peterson's mountainside clear cutting frenzy

Earlier this week, gentle reader Disgusted submitted an article which provoked considerable speculation and discussion amongst our Weber County Forum readership, concerning frenzied helicopter and tree/brush removal activity occurring on Chris Peterson's "Rinky-dink Ski Resort" property, in, around and above Ogden's Strong's Canyon. We link the full article (with comments) here, for those readers in need of a quick review:

• Helicopters Landing Around the Mt. Ogden Course: Wake up City Council

In the interim, the article has fallen down the front page, and the reader conversation has inevitably tapered off somewhat.

A few minutes ago however, Dan Schroeder sent us some additional material on the subject, so we're posting a new article on this same topic, in hope of reviving the discussion. Be sure to check out the map, photos and commentary Dan S. has added to the Ogden Sierra Club website:

• Clearcutting in Strong's Canyon

Having examined Dan's maps and photos, we still remain puzzled about the nature and purpose of the ongoing activity frantically occurring in the foothills above the WSU Campus and Mt. Ogden Park. In some respects it looks like Mr. Peterson is building a torturous 4-wheel drive vehicle competition road. In other shots it resembles a ridiculously narrow ski run. Taken collectively it appears to be none of the above.

Frustrated in our effort to interpret this latest evidence... we turn to you, our ever-savvy readers, to ferret out the true meaning of all this.

And one further question: Where is Ace Reporter Schwebke at a time like this, when the lumpenfolke of Emerald City stand in need of his vast investigative journalistic skills? Surely he must have Mr. Peterson on his speed-dial list.

Consider this an update to the previous article. Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Ones. We love solving a good mystery. Doesn't everyone?

The Standard-Examiner Wipes the Dust Off Its "Live" Website

Video spotlight on Emerald City's unbudgeted railroad car/Frontrunner information center

As noted in the update to our previous article, the Standard-Examiner has been doing some interesting things with its newly redesigned free online site recently. The most recent case in point: today's hard copy edition carries a front page teaser, with minimal prefacatory text, referring readers directly to StandardNET live for the rest of the story. The topic is that derelict railroad dining car that's being refurbished to serve as a Frontrunner station visitors information center.

Once Std-Ex readers navigate to StandardNET live, the story is presented solely via video clip, sans any accompanying article text. This is highly innovative behavior, we believe, for a news organization whose main product has been the written word for the past 120 years.

This rail car project has of course been a topic of discussion here on Weber County Forum; and it has raised various questions in its own right. For instance, on 11/27/08 gentle reader WhatWardRUin wondered about the ultimate cost to the taxpayers, and the mysterious source of funding. Similar questions were posed by reader Anonymous Employee on 11/29/08. Inasmuch as this project appears to be clearly over the originally announced $35,000 cost estimate, these readers' queries are deserving of answers, particularly since this project has never been approved or funded by the city council, according to our infallible recollection. Yes, there are many questions to be explored in connection with this story. Yes, we all need to know whether Boss Godfrey has squirreled away a secret Pet Project Slush Fund.

Nevertheless, what's most interesting to us at this point to us is the Std-Ex's newly demonstrated interest in reviving its heretofore mostly moribund "live" website. For the past three years or so the site has for the most part gathered cyber-dust. We're therefore delighted to see our hometown newspaper indulging in experimentation and taking more full advantage of this potentially robust online resource. We're eager to welcome the Standard-Examiner into the 21st century. And who knows? At the rate they're proceeding, that day may arrive very soon.

Breaking: Senator Greiner Back in the Hatch Act Hot Seat

The US Office of Special Counsel pops up again, after being missing in action for almost two years -- Updated

"Turn in your weapon, badge, duty belt and police vehicle," says the U.S. Office of Special Counsel

Interesting afternoon development on thee Emerald City political red meat news front. Regular readers will recall the 2006 general election sideshow, wherein Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner's Senate District 18 election campaign was nearly derailed, by accusations that the Chief's simultaneous occupancy of the Ogden Police Chief/Senate District 18 positions would constitute a violation of the Hatch Act of 1939. Although Chief Greiner temporarily suspended his 2006 campaign, later consultations with legal counsel led to the decision to re-engage in the campaign. Somewhere along the line Greiner also filed an appeal, although the outcome was never publicly revealed. Ultimately, Greiner was elected to the Senate seat, and as late as June of 2007 had reportedly heard nothing further from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, who originally prosecuted the complaint. Believing, (perhaps justifiably,) that the the Feds had backed down, Senator Greiner's been serving in the Senate since January of '07, while simultaneously acting as the Police Chief of Ogden City.

Well lo and behold, the Standard-Examiner has just now posted a new Ace Reporter Schwebke story (nice job, Scott) on its live website this afternoon, indicating that the matter now appears to be on the verge of being formally and finally resolved. We link this afternoon's story below:

• Feds seek removal of Ogden police chief

Just goes to show you that's there's no such thing in Emerald City as a slow news day, so long as we remain patient, we guess.

You'd better believe we'll be following this story closely as it develops.

We'll also note in passing that the U.S. Attorney's Office has been particularly active over the past few days. Does this perchance signal a change of prosecutorial attitude on the part of career U.S. Attorneys, on the eve of the inauguration of a new presidential administration?

So what say our gentle readers about all this?

Update 12/11/08 5:45 a.m. MT: The Std-Ex has now posted an expanded version of yesterday's StandardNET live story to its paid Digital Edition website this morning:

• Greiner's job on the line

We congratulate the Standard-Examiner for breaking this story immediately in its free online edition yesterday, thus making this information available in a timely manner to subscribers and non-subscribers alike. For the past three years our home town newspaper has all too often followed an unfortunate policy of hiding its "red meat" material behind its "paid" firewall. We'll interpret this as a positive move on the Std-Ex's part, as the Std-Ex struggles to assume its rightful place among active, informative (and hopefully profitable) online news sources.

Spotlight on Sports... and Broader Issues

Two excellent sports-oriented morning articles from the world wide webosphere

Just for a slight change of pace, we'll highlight two excellent sports-related articles this morning.

First there's this Standard-Examiner editorial, wherein Std-Ex editor Doug Gibson thoroughly lambastes the BCS "championiship" bowl selection process and makes a great case for the implementation of an NCAA Division 1A Championship Playoff Series:

• BCS stands for greed

During a recent conversation with Mr. Gibson, we were delighted to learn that he's an avid sports fan, an attribute which is well displayed in this fine morning editorial.

Next, we'll glide to this most excellent Bill Conlin piece, gleaned from the online edition of today's Philadelphia Daily News sports page:

• Bill Conlin: Two-minute warning for our beloved sportswriters

The tone is bittersweet. The article has the flavor of an epitaph, with a broad "old school" sportswriters tribute thrown in to boot. An unfortunate portent of the future too, in all likelihood.

Still, a very satisfying read for this retired old "jock" and an unreformed fan of the "golden age" of American sports journalism.

So what say our gentle readers about all this?

More Unsettling Emerald City Economic News

As usual, our home town newspaper opts for the "pollyanna" approach

This morning's Standard-Examiner edition delivers more unsettling news on the local economic front:

• Local job outlook may be changing - Study shows employers may be cutting jobs in ‘09

This morning's story of course follows yesterday's grim news:

• Sales tax revenues grim - Top of Utah cities hope property tax numbers look better

There's been a persistent meme regularly repeated around Ogden and environs, to the effect that the local economy is "special" -- and somehow immune to the recession that's crushing the rest of the country. While sensible folks realise that we're ALL caught up in the world-wide economic mess, for reasons unknown, this morning's Std-Ex article resorted to Emerald City's most mind-numbed Chamber of Commerce cheerleader for inspirational backgound quotes:

“This survey is primarily measuring optimism. It’s not hard numbers,” said Dave Hardman, president of the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a pulse on emotion.” Just nine months ago, a Manpower survey gave Ogden-Clearfield the 10thbest outlook in the nation. At that time, 47 percent of those surveyed said they would be adding jobs in the upcoming quarter, and none said they would be making cuts.
Hardman acknowledged that the economic climate has shifted since then, but said the local business community will weather the storm.
“The reality is, there is some real trepidation right now, especially on the sales side of the economy.
“People will just have to hunker down until we see some things turn.”

We suppose there were no actual economists or other economic experts available for a Jeff Demoss interview. Thus we get retired career ZCMI necktie salesman grinnin' Dave Hardman instead.

The Std-Ex serves its readers very poorly when it tries to softpedal the hard facts. All the evidence indicates the local economy is in for a rough ride over the next few years; and we believe the our home town newspaper should just come out and say it.

Helicopters Landing Around the Mt. Ogden Course: Wake up City Council

Time to put a few hard queries to the Godfrey administration

By Disgusted

Helicopters are still flying into Malan's Basin; but now they are landing. It looks like on the golf course or Ogden City property just east of the golf course.

They couldn't be doing that without city knowledge. Wake up city council. Start questioning the administration as to what is going on.

There's a council meeting tonight. Contact your council members and demand some honest answers:

• Council Contact Information

Comments, anyone?

Good News; Bad News

Mixed messages from this morning's news

We'll give you the good news first, via this morning's Yahoo News story:

• Price of gas hits lowest point in nearly 5 years

No sooner did we read that however than we stumbled upon this disheartening news from those killjoys at Bloomberg.com:

• Oil Rises First Time in Seven Days as OPEC Signals Output Cut

Dang! We don't know about the rest of our gentle readers, but we believe we'll step out right now to top off the trusty WeberCountyForumMobile gas tank.

Update 12/9/08 12:40 p.m. MT: Thanks to a heads-up from one our gentle readers, we post a link to the UtahGas Prices.com website, which purportedly keeps track of low real-time gasoline prices in Emerald City:

• Ogden gas prices - find the lowest prices here.

Interesting, innit?

A Chance to Wish Senator Buttars a Happy Holiday

Sharing the love is what the holidays are all about
Unless you've been living under a rock somewhere, you're aware of Utah state senator Chris Buttars' (R-West Jordan) latest important legislative effort, a proposed 2009 bill urging retailers to battle back against a purported "war on Christmas" For those readers who've been "out of the information loop," here's the gist of it from Wednesday's Deseret News story:

Forget "Happy holidays." What Sen. Chris Buttars wants to hear from Utah retailers is "Merry Christmas."
The West Jordan Republican is having a resolution drafted for the 2009 Legislature that he said asks retailers not to "exclude Christmas from your holiday greetings." Resolutions, of course, cannot be enforced.
Buttars said he is seeking the resolution because he was contacted by several employees of a retailer he declined to name that had been told they couldn't say "Merry Christmas" to customers.
"We have a war on Christmas," Buttars said, invoking the battle fought this time of year by conservatives nationwide, including, since 2005, Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly, who has said the issue is at the center of the nation's culture war.

In this connection, we'd like to direct our readers' attention to an amusing editorial retort in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune. Well... we think it's pretty danged funny:

• A carol for Chris Buttars: 'We Wish You a Happy Holiday'

And we do concede the Tribune editorial board makes a good point with this:

The folks who find Buttars offensive should be happy that he's wasting his time attacking advertising executives and business owners instead of gays, minorities, immigrants and environmentalists. And they should be thrilled that he's seeking a nonbinding resolution instead of some crackpot law.

But there just has to more to it, we think. Important legislation like this has inevitably drawn the attention of the national blogging community, of course. The Daily Kos blog presents a citizen action plan, for those readers who'd like to share the holiday spirit:

• Utah Senator Chris Buttars needs some holiday Cheer. Let's help him out!

We urge our readers to join thousands of citizens across the nation in wishing Senator Buttars a very happy holiday.

Sharing the love is what the holiday is all about, innit, gentle readers?

Uplifting Holiday Message from Former GOP Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson on the economy

"Ask not what your country can spend for you; ask what you can spend for your country."

Weber State University Game Day Thread - the 'Cats v. the Griz

Seven pre-game news stories... sorry... no live video podcast is available

It's back to Missoula, Montana for our Weber State University football squad, as the WSU Wildcats square off at 12:00 noon today for their FCS quarter final playoff tilt against Big Sky Conference arch-rival University of Montana. We'll link this morning's four Standard-Examiner pre-game stories, just to set the tone:

• WSU struggles in Montana
• Wildcats got wish: Grizzlies tilt
• Etuati's return sparks Wildcats
• FCS playoff notes: Plenty on the line for Weber State against Montana

As an added bonus, we bring you another three stories from The Missoulian, the Grizzlies' home town newspaper:

• It's time for Griz vs. Wildcats, Part II
• Wildcats braced for improved Griz
• FCS quarterfinals: Weber State coach channels his inner ‘wacko'

The game will be televised live on the Altitude TV Network, (Comcast channel 61 in Weber County.) Unfortunately, neither Big Sky TV nor the NCAA site will be podcasting the game this afternoon, so unlike past weeks, we'll be unable to provide our usual live video feed. For those WSU fans who are stranded without a TV cable hookup or a functioning radio receiver however, you can always check out the KLO Radio online audio broadcast, of course:

• KLO Radio (Click the "Listen Live" button)

And just for fun (and also to let our readers know we're covering all the bases), here's the link to the Grizzlies' home town radio broadcast site:

• KXGZ Radio (Click "Listen Live.")

We'll provide the final score via a post-game update, along with stories and other tid-bits as they become available online. Our WCF comments section will remain open of course, as per usual on WSU game days, for those readers who'd like to chime in as the game progresses.

Best wishes to the 'Cats; and we hope at everyone in Emerald City and environs will enjoy this pivotal playoff game.

Update 12/6/08 9:41 a.m. MT: For those WCF readers looking for a hospitable venue to relax and view the game... this just came in from gentle reader Wm M:

For those WSU fans who are stranded without a TV cable hookup ...
The City Club and Brewskis on Historic 25th Street will be showing the game ... great chow and adult beverages ... self-indulge with pleasure and HDTV.

Sounds like one heckuva great idea to us.

Update 12/6/08 3:17 p.m. MT: Ooops! Grizzlies 24; Widcats 13.

The Salt Lake tribune already has the story:

• Weber football: Montana ends Wildcats' dream 24-13

Oh well...

Update 12/7/09 7:45 a.m. MT: The Std-Ex provides four post game writeups this morning for those who'd like to play Sunday morning quarterback:

• End of Road: Wildcats can't recover from early fumbles
• Cats fumble it away
• 'Cats showed grit, met Grizzlies' intensity
• Wildcats' seniors feel they set precedent

It was a fantastic season, all-in-all. Gotta say we're proud of our Wildcats. We can't wait to see Coach Mac and the underclassmen back on the field in '09.

O.J. Simpson Sentenced; Is This Karma?

Interesting hypothesis in the wake of O.J Simpson's Las Vegas court sentencing today

O.J. Simpson sentenced; is this karma?

Take heed, Boss Godfrey:


"Who in the hell d'you think you are... a superstar?"

Well...?

A Stark Contrast in Management Styles

One gentle reader thanks divine providence for WSU's appointed professionals

By Moroni McConkie

After seeing Weber State University's new master plan reported in the Standard, I can only say thank God WSU's professionals are appointed and not democratically elected. Otherwise it would be mired in the same fiscal and logistical malfeasance in which Elder Godfrey has submerged Ogden.

The Skipper's Golf Course Committee Edges Toward Final Recommendations

We're getting a psychic vibe it will involve spending a boatload of taxpayer dough

Brace yourselves, Emerald City lumpencitzens. The Skipper's "Citizens' Golf Course Committee" is reportedly on the verge of making its final recommendations. Well.. maybe not quite "on the verge," we suppose... final recommendations won' t come out until March, according to this morning's Ace Reporter Schwebke story. Nevertheless, we'll apparently at least get a glimpse of the work product of Boss Godfrey's hand-picked committee, somewhere around the end of this month. From this morning's story:

A preliminary proposal from a citizen committee working to solve financial problems at Mount Ogden Golf Course includes a recommendation to build a new clubhouse on Weber State University property that could cost more than $2 million.
Kent Petersen, chairman of the Mount Ogden Golf Committee, said Wednesday he may give the city council a glimpse of the proposal later this month.
The committee may also present final recommendations to the council in March, he said. [...]
The Mount Ogden Golf Committee, established at the request of Mayor Matthew Godfrey, has been working since May on the proposal aimed at making the golf course more playable and, ultimately, more profitable.
Peterson said he has met with several financial experts to determine how the construction of the clubhouse and other improvements at the course can be funded.
“The committee is trying to fix the fiscal side of things,” said Peterson.
He declined to discuss specific funding options until the committee shares that information with the city council.

Declining to discuss financial details at this point is a pretty good tactic on the Skipper's part, we think. It's really an expansive pre-ordained Godfrey-style boondoggle. If we add up the costs of all the elements leaked in this morning's story, we're looking at a project with a projected bill running upward of $10 million bucks. No wonder The Skipper doesn't want to talk about it. Quite a chunk of change for a city that's already feeling the current recession's financial pinch. We'll therefore just ask at this point: Even assuming for the sake of argument the committee comes up with an acceptable plan... where will the money come from?

It's pretty obvious that Ogden City doesn't have that kind of dough laying around.

How about the bond market? Now that Boss Godfrey's financial guru, Scott Brown is back in harness, surely he'll be able to engineer the necessary bonding, like he did for the Junction Project back in 2005, right?.

For our part, we're not going to hold our breath waiting for funding from muni bond investors. That bond market has effectively dried up. As a matter of fact, The Port Authority of New York-New Jersey, a genuinely well-connected Big Player operating in the very geographic heart of U.S. financial markets, got completely skunked on its own bond offering just yesterday:

On Wednesday, the New York-New Jersey Port Authority joined the list of public borrowers locked out of the market. The agency, which helps oversee the World Trade Center redevelopment, was forced to postpone a $300 million note sale because no one bid on the debt.

The foregoing is an sign of the current economic times. We remain in an economic environment where U.S. financial institutions, of course, won't even lend to each other.

Well.. there are always those mysterious foreign investors, we guess.

We're posting this on the fly, and we've therefor ignored most of the issues that pop out of this morning's Scott Schwebke story. We'll thus rely upon our readers to supply the rest.

Have at it.

More Post-election GOP Anguish

One great rant from one of conservative journalism's best

P.J. O'Rourke tells the national GOP exactly "What's Up" in last week's most excellent Weekly Standard article:

• We Blew It - A look back in remorse on the conservative opportunity that was squandered

We suppose we'd label it "tough love" from one of the most talented conservative journalists in the webosphere. Read it and don't get your feelings hurt, snake handling southern evangelicals and right wing socialist neoCONS.

A GOP Exercise in Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

Rod Dreher: Ron Paul, If Only We Listened

Wonderful editorial in yesterday's Dallas Morning News, exhibiting courageous and uninhibited 20/20 political hindsight. We incorporate a representative sample of Mr. Dreher's text here:

But the truth is, if U.S. economic policy looked a lot more like Ron Paul's ideal than what we've had these past decades, the nation wouldn't be tottering on the financial abyss. Dr. Paul has long argued that an economy built on easy credit, insatiable consumption and deficit spending is a time bomb. He backs a national economic model based on savings, investment and production. An economy that depends so heavily on government intervention to keep it afloat is one that creates of necessity an ever more powerful state. The nationalization of the banking sector only increases the power of the central government and decreases liberty. Dr. Paul warned for years against what we're seeing happen today. But nobody – including me – listened to the old crank. [...]
How much better off would America be today if we had? We'll never know. Poor us.

Be sure to check out the full article below:

• Rod Dreher: Ron Paul, If Only We Listened

Something for Grand Old Party faithful to seriously contemplate, we think, in the wake of a disastrous eight years of neoCON party dominance.

Comments, anyone?

New Bank Promotion with a Twist

Clip your free coupon here

The way the economy's been unwinding, it was bound to come to this (Click image to enlarge):


A Weber County Forum Tip O'the Hat to gentle reader Dorothy for the hilarious submission.

Reminders of Ogden City's Rip-roaring Past

How about a recreation business model that caters to every appetite?

Fantastic Salt Lake Tribune story this morning, focusing on the street scene on Two-bit Street during what some locals would characterise as Ogden's "Golden Era." While some folks in Ogden (not us) would like to forget the past, stalwart writers like Eileen Hallet Stone won't let Ogden's "rip-roaring past" easily slip from the public consciousness:

• Ogden tunnels a reminder of rip-roaring past

As Ogden City propels itself full-tilt in its quest to become a high adventure recreation capitol, perhaps it would be wise to re-examine an Ogden recreation business model that actually worked... a business model geared toward high adventure recreation for grownups. Food for thought, we think for those who envision Ogden City as the next Provo, (if you know what we mean and we think you do.)

How Gun Control Laws Contributed To the Mumbai Slaughter

More thoughts on Second Amendment rights

The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed the subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that the supply of arms to the underdogs is a sine qua non for the overthrow of any sovereignty.

Adolph Hitler
Nasty German right-wing corporo-fascist dictator
1889–30 April 1945

A system of licensing and registration is the perfect device to deny gun ownership to the bourgeoisie.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Nasty Russian left-wing commie dictator
1870-1924

If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.

The Dalai Lama
Famous Tibetan Pacifist
The Dalai Lama’s Army (Bhuddist Channel)
May 15, 2001

Thought provocative article from the Lew Rockwell.com blog:

• How Gun Control Laws Contributed To the Mumbai Slaughter

Don't let the cat get your tongues O hopefully armed to the teeth gentle ones.