Website Self Examination

Over the past day or two, I have removed two comments from readers. The comments were well thought out and appropriate for the subjects they were attached to.

This is probably a good time to explain why I censored my own blog and how I censor myself on a daily basis.

What I write here is the truth, as I know it. Sometimes I learn, after hitting the ‘save’ button, I was wrong. I usually leave my own misstatements online (sometimes with an addendum). That way, this site becomes a real ‘permanent record’, warts and all.

If you’ve read long enough, you know I’m not above criticizing or question myself. What you may not realize is, there are lots of people I won’t criticize and subjects I won’t touch.

This blog is the truth. It is not the whole truth.

I will not publish things my family has asked me to keep private. I don’t criticize friends. There is no partisan political talk (and that’s what was deleted yesterday).

Here’s an example of what I’ve done.

Yesterday, I cited President Bush’s short address on the flooding from Hurricane Katrina. Then I criticized our response. I made sure to clearly state the decisions I was criticizing were made by others, not the president.

If I felt the president was at fault – I would have printed nothing.

That’s not because he’s president (presidents are fair game). It’s because he is a political partisan. On this blog, that’s off limits.

If you run for political office, I will do as much as I can to avoid saying anything which might help or hurt your political chances or the chances of your supporters. In fact, the easy way is to avoid mentioning you at all.

The same goes for work. I have a great job, but I will only mention it in a peripheral way. If I have a conflict or disagreement with my bosses, don’t expect to see it here.

On this blog I will never discuss local Connecticut television. I will talk about network or cable issues, but I’m an employee and I respect the privacy I believe most bosses want from their employees.

I try not to put anything in the blog which will have to be tempered to comply with my other policies. That means there are subjects I don’t touch because they might break through to work, partisan politics or family… even if they don’t intrude on the first post.

Walking this line has not always been easy. I do have a political bent. I don’t always agree with my boss. Sometimes family members do things which are curious at best and I’d like to discuss.

This isn’t the best policy for a newspaper or TV news operation, but it is for this particular blog. I thought you’d be a better reader by hearing it from me.

Blogger’s note: I do often go back (like right now) and re-edit or change my work. I’ll change words and clean up bad grammar. I never change the meaning of what I’ve already said. Often the original posting, which seemed good at the time, does not read clearly. If I had an editor, this would not be a problem.

2 thoughts on “Website Self Examination”

  1. Geoff,

    Thank you for keeping it real. That is the reason that I read your site daily. I am en-route tomorrow morning to Louisiana for the next 10 days [for work (law enforcement/humanitarian efforts)]…

  2. I read your blog because I enjoy your writing and hearing about your life. It was fun (though probably painful for you) to watch you conquer MSU.

    I think the restrictions serve the blog well, but most importantly… your blog, your rules. Period.

    You have inspired me to learn more about poker, though. (Don’t worry- I’m over 30, even if my posts occasionally don’t reflect it.)

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