“American Newsreel”…!?
ByJan 9 2010
Needless to say I’m stunned that “Capitol Hill Blue” went by the wayside to be reincarnated with such a bland title.
All I can say is that there’s something wrong with it, not simply because it’s new, but the fact it seems neutered compared to “Capitol Hill Blue”. The word “newsreel” connotes the type of news I watched in theaters during the 50’s; ie., a grainy, black & white film productions with a narrator that sounded like those utilized for military training films from the 60’s and 70’s. / : |
“Capitol Hill Blue” had some gravitas and also has its roots back to the founding of the site in the mid-90’s. Everything about D.C. politics is corrupt or linked to scandal in some way, so I thought the word “Blue” was appropriate relative to your site content; exposing scandal in a non-partisan, take no prisoners way.
I may be wrong, but “American Newsreel” as a site is going to evaporate from the www no differently than when dry ice sublimates to vapor. Participation is already down bigtime and I don’t see this new site moniker as being attractive for increased commentary from members.
Sorry Doug Thompson, but your new site name doesn’t have the same attraction as CHB. I’ve got both an eye and nose for that which is good and that which is not. : |
Carl Nemo **==
I had the American Newsreel url forwarded to the Capitol Hill Blue web site over the weekend while I was considering merging the sites. I have discontinued that fowarded and American Newsreel’s old content and links have been restored along with new content. I’ve added an RSS feed from Newsreel to the Capitol Hill Blue home page.
My involvement with Newsreel has never been a secret. My name appears on the site and I am the registered owner of the domain.
For the record, Newsreel has been around almost as long as Capitol Hill Blue, as has some other web sites I own, including DCDarkside, DC Comix and others. Darkside and Comix will probably be merged under the Newsreel banner as part of my original plan. Only Blue will remain a separate web site.
Hi Doug,
How would I know your business concerning how many domain names you own? My only knowledge of your web ops are CHB, RR and your Blue Ridge Muse site.
I was trying to be helpful and not trying to bust your chops. I’m surprised you would host such a site as American Newsreel once going over its content which doesn’t seem to be available for viewing at this time. I thought CHB had somehow gotten crossed search enginewise with another site; ie., AN, not realizing it was your own.
Anyway that’s it in a nutshell.
Carl Nemo **==
The assumption you are making, Carl, is that Doug Thompson is still the owner of this site. If he is, or even if he no longer is, I am surprised that he did not give a transitional “heads up”. But then, it is/was his property to do with as he pleased.:-)
Yours,
Issodhos
All right, I give in. You can call off the email and voice mail dogs. I’ve received so many complaints about giving up the Capitol Hill Blue name that I’m changing my decision.
Capitol Hill Blue has been restored. I’m going to go ahead and develop American Newsreel as a seprate, general news site but CHB will remain what it is.
I too have an old pair of shoes I just don’t have the heart to throw out..
We Americans are a funny lot, Change , change, change.
What’s the deal with all this change? Har..
I thought the “American Newsreel” had a nice old-school feel to it, although I agree that it was no replacement for CHB.
Hi Doug Thompson:
I’m happy to find out that you’ve belayed the decision to change the site’s name. You won’t regret doing so in the long run.
You’ve built a fine site under the CHB banner and it should be around for a long time to come especially with the U.S. seemingly to unravel before our eyes as a function of unethical representatives in high places. Your site is a watering hole for those that are seeking non-partisan, iconoclastic viewpoints from readers along with presenting news articles that many times never make it to the front page as they should.
2010 is going to be truly “interesting times” for our nation as a function of the mid-term elections among other unfolding events.
Thankyou for what I believe to be a sound decision. : )
Carl Nemo **==
I had a stunning surprise tonight. There’s already a site on the www titled “American Newsreel” and it’s been around for some time. It also seems to have a risque slant to its content.
http://www.americannewsreel.com/node/21510
The node associated with this link, originally was linked to Doug’s experiment with his site titled as such, but lo and behold it now fetches a Yahoo Search page with the aforedescribed site available for selection. It’s far older than January 2010 so it’s not the one Doug was launching or the one he plans to launch with the same name. So the new site name would have been duplicated on the www.
It also seems to be now linked in that if one clicks on the supplied link, then goes to “American Newsreel” you can’t get back to CHB by simply doing a “Go Back” function. You end up on this risque site again?
Simply clicking on the “Home” button on CHB fetches the risque “American Newsreel” site. It seems this site and AN have somehow become “linked”.
Carl Nemo **==
American Newsreel has always been my site and, yes, it has a naughty look at the world.
As I said in the announcement, I was combining several sites under the Newsreel banner.
I own over 300 domain names and have more than 50 active sites on the Internet. I’m not sure I see your point.
Thanks for the feedback concerning the extent of your site complex. I simply didn’t know and no doubt other CHB’rs the same.
Your CHB format is almost “perfect” with its columnar format and the way news articles are selected for review whereas my analysis of AN indicates the two would merge as oil to water.
Each has its own focus. Thanks again for saving your “flagship site” …CHB. Long live CHB…! : )
Carl Nemo **==