Northern Valley Beacon

The Northern Valley Beacon was originally the name of the newsletter for the
Brown County Democrats. As web log space became available for nothing or
next to it, we mounted the Beacon as a web log for news and commentary.
Initially, we had help with the postings, often taking e-mailed materials
and suggestions from our constituents and using them as the basis for posts.
Very quickly, we found ourselves being trolled, and some instances where our
listed contributors received abusive and menacing telephone calls at their
homes. We then took their names off the web log and posted everything over
my name, because I am an old and experienced flak-catcher whose ass is so
raggedy that another tear or two doesn't matter.

In May when the trolls took to stalking every post we made, and our main
contributors quit after they decided that blogs were not very constructive
means of discussion, we took the Beacon down with the intention of putting
up a modest web log in conjunction with a Brown County Democrats web site.
We even changed the name. However, we receive so many complaints at
withdrawing the blog and so many prods to resume it that we started it going
again and eventually resumed with its original name. Oddly, about half of
our viewers come from out-of-state.



Although everybody, I think, knows I am an officer in the Brown County
Democrats and draw very heavily on the correspondence and conversations I
have with them, and the Beacon is a strong reflection of their concerns, I
exercise editorial license in a way that sometimes does not speak for the
official party line. My view points and ways of expressing matters and
disagreements on some party matters make some good Democrats uncomfortable.
While the Beacon is identified with the Brown County Democrats, I exercise
overbearing editorial control over it.

The policies: we do not engage in exchanges with other blogs, although we
acknowledge significant posts we think merit attention. We do not allow
anonymous comments, but do post comments from people who sign their names.
However, if we find anything untrue, libelous, or unduly abusive in the
posts, we dump them. We do not have links to other blogs. Our blog is very
simple black print on a white background with no bells or whistles. We try
to keep it as simple as possible because we don't have time to diddle with
the fancier features. And we have certain logocentric biases about the
conditions under which words work best.

Most of our posts are news-oriented. They pass on or comment on issues in
the news which are of special interest to people of the progressive bent.
When people do submit things for posting, we edit and rewrite the holy hell
out of it, because I am an old newspaper editor and professor of English and
my editorial pencil is constantly aquiver.
[Note: Screen captured Nov 18, 2005]

Anybody who wants to contact me can use the re-mail address noted under the
masthead of the Northern Valley Beacon with NVB or Beacon in the subject
box.

[Note from Doug: These professors do go on....and...; but DN can be terse and to the point on his blog. All seriousness aside, other SD bloggers can make their descriptions this long or make them shorter. It is your decision on what you think best honestly describes your blog.]