Disqus - Latest Comments for DJHill

Re: Tarr run talk spurs rush of support

Doug Hill — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:13:01 -0000

Bruce shouldn't waste his time.

All you have to know is that the Massachusetts electorte re-elected Tierney, and dumped Scott Brown for a faux Cherokee.

This electorate ls not interested in moderate, reasoned candidates.

Re: Editorial: 'Thanks, but no thanks' should be city's answer to MSBA

Doug Hill — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:40:47 -0000

JUDGE RULES PAPER MUST DIVULDGE THE IDENTITY OF ANONYMOUS ONLINE COMMENTERS

http://www.spokesman.com/st...

Re: Letter: Supreme Court goes against Tea Party crowd

Doug Hill — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:08:41 -0000

Words fail.

Re: Letter: Welcoming, not merely tolerating differences

Doug Hill — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 08:09:07 -0000

we condemn them to mindlessly repeating bumper sticker slogans in an
ever more hostile world believing they have been graced with received
wisdom.

Tune out; turn on.

It takes a village.

Together we can.

etc...

Re: The Mayor's Desk: City needs Fort rezoning

Doug Hill — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 07:56:35 -0000

The answer to maintaining the affordability of living here is to expand the tax base

Why?

Why do spending and costs always seem to outpace revenue?

Why do we receive fewer and fewer services at greater and greater cost?

Re: Editorial: Ending free rides should be MBTA's first step on deficit

Doug Hill — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 08:01:46 -0000

It takes a ~~village~~ state to fleece the public at that wanton level.

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Choosing what goes 'above the fold'

Doug Hill — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:52:45 -0000

"So deciding what goes "above the fold," as we say"

Hmmm. Perhaps there is more significance to the bellybutton than I had previously attributed to it.

Re: Paroled killer held, accused of 8th OUI

Doug Hill — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:46:33 -0000

Sounds like a NOAA new-hire roaming 128 looking for the vanishing cod.

"Like, not a single friggin' fish, man."

Re: Gloucester Police/Fire: Detective hurt in fall while pursuing drug suspect

Doug Hill — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:45:24 -0000

"Down bucket...
...Up for air"

Re: Letter: Make your holidays happy, safe — and green

Doug Hill — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:57:27 -0000

First, 'Christmas' was taken out of 'Merry Christmas'; now the 'Merry' is under attack.

Lord, deliver us from the dull, deluded, dim-witted do-gooders.

Save us from the brainwashed, soulless zombies regurgitating the 'talking points' or 'teaching moments' of a creed that seeks to impose its drab, suffocating will on everyone else.

Spare us from Tofu pudding on Christmas.

Re: Letter: Who deserves blame for disparity in wealth?

Doug Hill — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:07:04 -0000

Nolie, the ever astute Theodore Dalrymple does a good job answering your questions:

http://www.city-journal.org...

Re: What to do with our 'free cash?'

Doug Hill — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:44:30 -0000

And what have the politicians spent the raided money on? Ever-escalating union contract wages and benefits for city employees.

There is an undeniable symmetry to it, though.

Re: What to do with our 'free cash?'

Doug Hill — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:29:14 -0000

Not to mention unfunded retirement liabilities.

Re: Letter: Romney hasn't shown he can tackle U.S., global problems

Doug Hill — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:17:24 -0000

My theory is that Milt is a hard core conservative spoofing the liberal philosophy.

It is the only explanation that fits.

Re: Letter: Owners, not the dogs, are the real safety issue

Doug Hill — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:17:17 -0000

... or under voice command.

Re: Letter: The problem with speaking anonymously

Doug Hill — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:12:18 -0000

I view a letter to the editor as a statement, in contrast to online commenting, which is a conversation.

I do appreciate your perspective, though; it is one I have also held in the past. For reasons enumerated in a post to Ray's editorial, however, I am now persuaded that preserving the posting option of anonymity is the better course.

We posters do not know each other, other than as personalities inhabiting familiar handles. In one sense, it is the purest form of cerebral engagement, one mind encountering another without corporeal baggage. The playing field is leveled. Wealth, appearance, status and the innumerable trappings that label us are shorn away, leaving one ethereal mind to address another.

It is amazing when you think of it. Many of us are friends who have been conversing or arguing in this forum for years, yet who may well walk past each other on the street without even knowing it.

I choose to post using my real name for a number of reasons (not the least of which is that as a one-time journalist, I'm not about to forgo my byline.)

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:36:57 -0000

I was mentally stuck in the Ps.

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:52:30 -0000

(And who were you calling a kitty cat, anyway? Did you end up substituting something like "Putz", instead?

You know I did.

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:31:48 -0000

Slang for a cat or a wimp, among other things.

Type it in a comment box, hit post, and see what happens; it will never see the light of day.

(I wonder how much it would take to make "Sybil" number 62.)

Re: Letter: Election turnout: How low can we go?

Doug Hill — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:22:45 -0000

The Culprits Behind Today's Polarized Politics

http://www.realclearpolitic...

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:22:48 -0000

I stumbled across one the other day. My one word post was immediately held for review, and ultimately, the post was rejected.

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:07:11 -0000

Less chance of retribution for a remark - personal, political or physical - when one posts from out-of-state, (i.e. Phil)

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:04:35 -0000

Even less.

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:44:00 -0000

And the threat to those who post from out-of-state is even less...

Re: Why Did My Newspaper Do That: Those anonymous online posters

Doug Hill — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 09:22:24 -0000

I suspect that you are correct, Ray. The tenor of conversation would certainly change. It would not be nearly as riotous or spontaneous. It would be more guarded, and in some ways, less truthful.

Moreover, just as many shy people would cringe at the thought of publishing a letter in the paper over their name, for all their neighbors to see, many would not post for the same reason.

Additionally, some of the female posters have from time to time voiced safety concerns about publicly revealing their identities.

The comment section is clearly a different kind of forum than the opinion section of the print edition.

On the whole, it is probably best to preserve the option of anonymity for this particular medium of expression, as an outlet for those to participate, who, for one reason or another, otherwise would likely be excluded from partaking in community discussion.

Nonetheless, in consideration of the privilege of posting anonymously, anonymous posters should be prohibited from engaging in personal attacks on identified letter writers or posters.