Arkansas Blog

I can't imagine y'all doing much better at answering questions than you already do, but by all means set aside some time and special threads for Q & A. I think it would be very popular.

Oh.....good.
I'm gonna start thinking up some "meaning of life" type questions fer ya Max.
Lemme know when to open fire.

I would caution that we don't get too carried away about food topics during a "live" discussion. I don't think the drooling and salivating will be good for the keyboards. Other than that, I think it would be an interesting experiment. Would it be something like a roundtable discussion?

Magnificent idea! I prefer an open line to which you respond as time and resources permit.

I think you are an attention whore, Max.

Max- only so many hours in the day. But if you are up for it, and the Judge will spare you, go for it

Yes, I love this idea. I think it is a nice way to further enhance what is clearly the best news blog in the state.
Max, thanks for the time you put in on this. I feel like I am back in the newsroom when I check in here throughout the day.

bring it on ! like it - nix that - love it!!!

Max~~
Sounds great to me. I recall last year that you expressed the hope that readers might post photos, but that apparently didn't work out. Any thoughts?

ARK. BLOG: We don't have a way to do self-posting of photos yet. I keep hoping. But you can always e-mail them to me at max@arktimes.com and I can do it.

An open line would work better for those of us who work crazy hours, Max.
Love the idea. I've read your stuff for a long time, going back to the Gazette, and agree with you 95% of the time.

I think it's a grand idea, whichever way it works out. I'm more of a listener than a talker, but when something evokes (or provokes) a response or further question from me, I'm ready to go.

A reader who can't make the post work contributes this worthy commentary:

"Every time I read the Post's reporters on blogs I, like men my age who swear at televisions ( I do that, too), say out loud.....blog the hell less and report the hell more!!!!!!!!

The public and the country is not better served by knowing what you think or why you think it. It is best served by reporters who work hard, stick to nouns and verbs and who develop a sense of judgment, an understanding of their personal insignificance and the importance of getting it right.

I like this blogging stuff. I think. But I know goddam well that I value the reporting of John Burns, Dexter Fillkins, George Packer, that intrepid NBC guy, and others, vastly more. They are smart and I want them spending their time talking to sources, not answering banal questions from folks like me.

And as for personal stuff. No. We've been friends for a long time and I certainly enjoy your Calvin Trillin-like expositions. Even photos. I'd love to have dinner and catch up. But I read the blog for your judgment and the opinion of others about matters of public policy, news of Arkansas, and the culture and general weal of a state I love.

Good reporting.

Good writing.

Sophisticated adult judgment running the blog. (That would be you.)

And, yes, I'm a cranky and unfashionable old f.....

But you knew that."

jcb

First question:

How is Warwick doing?

I think it's a great idea. I would say Max should do whatever is easiest and most efficient for him.

I wonder how he would deal with 10 or 15 questions queued up and waiting for response in an open line, especially if there were followups.

There has to be a way to easily chat. I have done "webinars" where the particpants can post questions as they listen to the speaker via telephone and watch the powerpoints, and it works well.

But however it's done, it's a great idea. And like anything else, as we go along, we'll figure out better ways to do it.

Shoot, man...

That's what you already do...

Just a matter of steerin' it, dude...

I'm all for it. What we should fear is less information, less conversation. The format doesn't make much difference to me. Don't hook yourself up too tightly to that computer with no speakers. Might be boring. My first question is about your ATM pin number.......

Speaking of butchered reporting, you may want to re-review last week's D-G story by C.S. Murphy on the convention bureau and the Ray Winder taxes. Then read Matthew Cates' followup story the next day, which seems to refute everything Murphy reported.

Lord knows, if there's tax chicanery going on, I want somebody to get to the bottom of this, but it looks to me like Murphy has egg on her face with this one. Of course, no explanation or clarification has been forthcoming from the D-G.