Why is this guy so paranoid?
Because of the above paranoid street tax boss, Mannis promises never to spend another dime in the Morseland. Ever again. This was the last photographed meal Tom Mannis ate.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
* Paranoid Street Tax Boss Not Happy with Photographers
Why is this guy so paranoid?
Because of the above paranoid street tax boss, Mannis promises never to spend another dime in the Morseland. Ever again. This was the last photographed meal Tom Mannis ate.
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24 comments:
Boy, if I didn't know better I'd say you are actually Dave Meihaus?
O.K. - I know I'm techno-challenged but I can't figure out how to post a comment on Tom's blog. It's probably right there but I just can't find it. Anyway, with your permission, I'd like to comment on what was posted in the comment section about Tom “claiming” to be a journalist verses just "another writer of a LiveJournal or MySpace-like diary.”
Blogging should not be confused with actual news reporting.
News reporters have a professional standard of journalistic excellence to uphold that bloggers simply do not. Granted, many of them fall short, but I’m referring to the Walter Cronkites, the Woodwards and Bernsteins not the Janet Cookes of the Washington Post Pulitzer scandals or the Jayson Blairs of the New York Times plagiarism debacles. Unless somebody specifically calls themselves an expert and is writing a blog that dispenses advice on a specific topic, I wouldn’t hold them accountable for the research and fact checking normally expected of any good journalist . . . or column writer for that matter.
Bloggers, in general, are citizens starting or continuing a conversation. We shouldn’t expect any more or less of them than we would if they were holding forth in a social setting. We can choose to agree or disagree with the blogger and carry the conversation further via the comment section just as we would in a conversation at a cocktail party. We may even get into heated debates, as often happens on the really exciting, vibrant blogs or at the more memorable dinner parties. But, again, our comments are just our opinions.
Sometimes blogs as well as the comments affirming or contradicting the blogger’s assertions do list actual facts as well as reference source material but those are exceptions to the rule.
Sometimes bloggers are professional journalists, such as Craig Gernhardt (morsehellhole.com), but unless they profess to represent a specific newspaper or professional journal, their blogs should be accepted as their own opinion pieces, reflective of their thoughts, their experiences and their insights. The operative word in that last sentence, of course, is the plural possessive pronoun “their.” The Broken Heart of Rogers Park is the diary of one man’s observations and experiences both as a citizen of a particular neighborhood and as a doting uncle who actively supports his nephew’s pursuits in extreme sports. He provides his opinion based on what is important to him and we react based on our opinions on that particular subject.
Blogs, and the comments they inspire, can offer good sources for professional reporters looking for story ideas. They can offer politicians insight into a particular community’s opinions and concerns surrounding certain topics. They are not and should not be considered the final word but they can provide representational foundations for further investigation.
Therefore, it is my conclusion that blogs are primarily journals depicting the observations, insights and opinions of the blogger. Although they may, at times, provide professional level reportage they should not be confused with professional journalists.
Finally, blogs and the World Wide Web they arrive on, provide a voice to the people and an opportunity of each of us to be heard regardless of our opinion. That, more than other reason I can think of, is why it is so important to keep the internet free of all forms of government or corporate sponsored censorship. But I suppose that’s a topic for another day
A picture of a Burger and some fries? Must be a slow news day.
Mannis could always go and eat at the A&T Grill... its quite good.
I cant recommend the B-Flat burgers at Morseland enough.
So where does a right-wing crackpot go to eat in Rogers Park now?
Is Tom even welcome back at Morseland?
Fans. I got fans. This was left on my You-Tube account today.
doubletjc…. HEY CRAIG HOWS THE DAY GOING? HOPE ALL IS WELL. YOU DONT KNO ME BUT IM THE GUY THATS GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS WHEN I SEE YOU. YOU ARE A GAY STALKER ( NO HOMO) AND YOU'RE A SNITCH.YOU OLD, DIRTY BASTARD. WELL TALK TO YOU AGIAN WHEN WE MEET..IN FACT THERE WONT BE NAYTHING TALKING WHEN WE MEET,IMA JUST FUCK U UP...HOMO..PEACE....1....FUCKING HOMO STALKER
You rock, fargo woman!
Wikipedia says a journalist is one who gathers and disseminates information about current events, trends, issues and people. Seems to me this is exactly what bloggers do and why they are sometimes called citizen journalists.
Granted, the quality, credibility, and news worthiness of information varies from blog to blog, but that doesn’t mean that bloggers aren’t journalists. It may mean that some are better than others.
Making the distinction between journalist and blogger pivot upon some code of ethics is also kind of squishy because there is no hard and fast code. And what then to make of the intersection of advertising revenue and reporting? Seems to me “bloggers” are no more conflict-ridden than “journalists” are conflict-free.
Bloggers present information in unique and idiosyncratic ways; their brand, whatever flavor, is both their strength and their weakness. In the absence of an editing staff readers collaborate to question information and correct error. It’s a democratic dynamic and one that I think is exceedingly useful and important, especially on the local level, the land that the daily papers have abandoned because it’s just not profitable enough.
Truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability are fine ideals and are often the basis of journalistic standards, but they are not the exclusive domain of paid reporters or the companies that employ them.
I read a handful of blogs each month. There’s ebb and flow to each of them. I ferret out the good from the not so good and trust others do the same. (If you don’t do the same when you read a newspaper, I recommend you start.)
If a blogger proves yellow, stop reading. If a blogger gets it right, or mostly right, and cares about getting it right, continue reading. If a blogger is funny or clever or provocative, I give extra points.
Journalists don’t always wear the dinner jacket; sometimes they wear jeans. And on the north lakefront, there are a lot of smart, insightful and irreverent jean-wearing journalists. Lucky us.
Oddly, Tom titles his Morsleand rant: SHUTTING OUT THE MEDIA: PART ONE, yet in a later comment on the same subject states: "This was not a news story...it's a blog posting."
So, is he "media" or just another online guy with something to rant about? Is his outrage based on a bar throwing out "the media" or just that HE was thrown out?
It's rather obvious that a bar patron bothered other customers to the extent he was asked to leave, got pissed about it and began screaming that it was some kind of scandalous crime against "the media."
Oh, and anyone who questions him is a coward and most likely the perpetrator of said scandalous crime.
I'm curious as to when (or if) we can expect SHUTTING OUT THE MEDIA: PART TWO!!
Sounds to me like the owners aren't anti-camera so much as they just don't want people bothering their other customers.
Any bar owner would feel the same way.
This whole notion of it being some kind of conspiracy is just ridiculous.
This Mannis guy bothered other customers, was eventually asked to leave and then threw a tantrum about it.
All I got to say is, how's Dave going to ban my camera after taking that excellent photo of that tasty burger and trimmings. I should send this photo to Hamburger Digest, it looks so good.
Rogers said...> "Tom titles his Morsleand rant"
You gotta admit, Tom's a pretty good ranter.
Agreed.
He's certainly a frequent one!
Saskia, thanks for the compliment.
Suzanne, you make some excellent points. Thank you for your thoughtful response.
I disagree that there is "no hard and fast code," however. In fact, for the actual guidelines of ethical standards set forth for all professional journalists, I respectfully suggest you visit the Society of Professional Journalists website http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
It clearly states the standards of practice: Seek the Truth and Report It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, Be Accountable.
Granted, it would probably behoove quite a few so-called “professional journalists” to bone up on their own industry standards. However, just because they don't meet them does not mean the standards don’t exist.
There's just no way I can honestly expect my neighborhood blogger to uphold such high standards. I still stand by the idea that a blogger is essentially providing his point of view where as a journalist is expected to provide "a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues." (SPJ)
Lastly, I agree wholeheartedly that it is up to each of us to, as you say, "ferret out the good from the not so good" and I too believe that should apply to professional news media as well as bloggers or the local gossip at the church social for that matter. We have brains; let us, by all means, use them.
- PEACE -
P.S. Quick word of caution, don't rely on Wikipedia too much for source material. It doesn't require verifiable credentials from its authors, is available to the public at large for editing, and can therefore hold many errors. Although it can offer a jumping off point for ideas and concepts, any statements made there should be backed up with further research.
I'm glad to know that Business is doing so incredibly well for Morseland that they have the luxury of picking only clientele that AGREE 100% with their Opinions or Political leanings. Perhaps they should make their patrons wear an armband or better yet... a Spray painted 'X' on their backs....(like in Northwest Passage) that way they can easily tell who the 'Friendlies' are.
HEY, Morseland.! When is the Book Burning Party?
Thanks Fargo Woman. You're right about Wikipedia but since it's online and we are too, it's a ready and not too bad first line reference.
On the issue of journalistic ethics, though, I'm afraid we diverge. There is no one hard and fast standard; there are several and while many share similar principles, such as the ones you cited, they are not uniformly adopted, enforced or admired.
It's also problematic to weight one medium over another, especially if the privilege is based on the assumption that the one medium abides by some uniform code of ethics and the other does not.
Whether a paid news reporter or a citizen journalist, both are capable of maintaining standards. It will be interesting to see how these ideas develop as this medium matures.
Suzanne, I agree to disagree regarding the subject of professional journalist verses citizen blogger. I too look forward to seeing how these ideas develop.
By the way, your carefully thought out and articulate responses bode well for future debates.
- PEACE -
Wow! Tom is really cranked up on his MyFaceTwitterSpaceBook today! Since he doesn't allow comments there (maybe you have to be listed as his friend first), I would like to invite him to discuss his recent ejection from a local bar.
We could meet tonight at Morseland for a cocktail!
Oh. Wait. He's probably not allowed in there any more.
My my. "Rogers" is an example of the sick minds in Rogers Park. In his comment above, he wrote that I am "cranked up on [my] MyFaceTwitterSpaceBook today!" Funny, I don't have any such account. The idiot also wrote, "Since he doesn't allow comments" at my blog he "would like...to discuss [my] recent ejection from a local bar." Wow.
Talk about delusional. First, I DO allow comments. At the very top of my blog I post my email address. So Rogers is too stupid to understand that a comment can be sent to me via email.
Furthermore, why in hell would I want to "discuss" anything with a person too cowardly to even let us know his real identity?
And finally, to repeat, I was not "ejected." I did not go in. Manager Meihaus did not give me the courtesy of even asking whether it was me who flashed the camera the night before, the conversation took place entirely outside the front door, and I decided to never patronize the place again.
Let's get the facts straight. And Craig - love you though I do - you need to set a higher standard for the quality of comments you allow to be posted here. It serves no purpose to let people state lies and disinformation on your otherwise valuable site.
One last thing: If Rogers can grow a testicle and reveal his true identity, there are places other than Morseland that we could meet.
Oh. Wait. He's probably too afraid to do that.
Yes, Craig. And please start with removing the rantings of this angry little bitch, Tom Mannis.
This schmuck acts like enough of a mental case to get his sorry ass thrown out of a bar and spends the next several days (and more to come, I imagine) trying to verbally get even.
He does so by denying the truth and making ridiculous claims like the bar discriminates against journalists, is a tool of "the man" and gave him "the runs."
You couldn't hire a team of writers (real ones, Tom) to come up with a funnier sketch!
Take your meds, Tom. It will all be better in the morning.
Oh, and if I did manage to grow a testicle, it would definitely attract the media (real media, Tom).
Pardon the intrusion, Craig. I promise it's my last, but this Mannis fellow keeps sending me obscene emails full of foul language and nasty name calling. He's keeps suggesting I'm crazy.
It concerns me that his mental instability got him banned from a neighborhood bar, caused him to rant about the bar somehow being at the mercy of DevCorp and the neighborhood alderman, caused him to insanely declare that the bar discriminates against journalists, caused him to stand outside the same bar and embarrass himself by shouting filthy obscenities at the manager, caused him to write multiple obvious lies about the incident, caused him to tell another nasty lie about the food causing him illness, and his only response is to call me crazy?
I'll give him this: He's not very bright and clearly more than a little delusional, but damn he's entertaining!
Wow, what the heck is this actually about? I guess I am having a hard time getting worked up about Tom Mannis not getting along with somebody.
Though, that picture is making me want to walk over to Morseland for a burger.
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