tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2930634009345562252.post5539849658209495810..comments2008-10-06T16:53:42.062-07:00San Jose Revealedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09725910637475849259writer@sanjoserevealed.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2930634009345562252.post-85799045434877222342008-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:002008-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:00Dale Warner beat me to it...Mike Zapler is a total TOOL and an asswipe. He has no business being a journalist.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2930634009345562252.post-53189471797300657532008-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:002008-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:00Well, the problem with the Merc is that its editors and writers have come to believe that it has a social, political, and moral role above and beyond reporting the news. Somehow the editors and writers have persuaded themselves that they are entitled to pronounce on all major social issues even though they lack all personal experience with what they discuss.<BR/><BR/>There should be a requirement that, before one can style oneself as a journalist, at least one year be spent in working with one's hands on the ground with real people who do the real work of America. (I wouldn't say "meet a payroll" because not many could even approach that earthly level of qualification.) Too many of these jumped-up editors and writers go from journalism school or, worse, from an English lit program straight to telling the rest of us how to think, live, and feel.<BR/><BR/>If the Merc had the professional status it claims, it would have done at least annually a lengthy series on the bizarre extremes in the world of high-flying Wall Street finance, and would have already provided an analysis of the $700B bailout bill so we could study the issues. A real paper would have kept us up-to-date on the antics of Wall Street and subprime mortgages. The best they can do is today's whining front page story about how $700B is not enough. Our community has been let down badly by the mediocre Merc.<BR/><BR/>By the way, Deborah Lohse was fair, reputable, accessible, and a very good researcher and writer until the week that DA Kennedy filed criminal charges against Mayor Gonzales. She changed into a Yost or Witt clone that week. I don't know why she changed, but she could have been one of the few really great writers at the Merc.<BR/><BR/>And kindly take it easy on Josh Molina. He has to cover the stories he is assigned, but he writes well and I haven't noted any prejudice or bigotry in his writing to date. He gets an A in my grading.<BR/><BR/>Mike Zapler is a total tool, but Rodney Foo could have been a highly regarded writer given more time.Dale Warnernoreply@blogger.com