A quick check of the below letter to the Herald website shows 76 comments have been posted. Me thinks this partially explains why the Herald prints and posts a letter that endorses murder. The Herald is trying to get visitors to its website. Sprinkled through the comments is a lot of name calling - some very suggestive. The Jerry Springer show online. So much for ethics and civility at the Herald. Judge for yourself.

5 am Friday morning
If you go to the letter, it now says there are zero comments. But if you click to check, all the comments seem to still be there.

3 pm
The sanctimonious Herald publisher and editors seem quite ignorant of basic ethical standards of journalism. Racist cartoon one month. And on Tuesday a letter to the editor that suggests murder as a solution for public disagreements. And the Herald printed it. Ahh, but the Herald blog writers whine about civility on their website. Go figure.

Murder by Musing posted on Washington Outsiders website is right on target in asking the Herald editors just what their standards are. As we have learned time and again, the Herald editors do not answer questions they feel are awkward. Citizen Steve has asked the Herald - and there is silence.

The letter reads in its entirety:
"Concerning the rioters at the shipyard in Tacoma. Where is the National Guard unit that guarded Kent State when we need them?"

The City Club hosted a panel of four newspaper experts on Wednesday who sought to explain how important newspapers are to a democratic society and how sad they are losing readers to websites - oh, and how the websites have no ethics. Of course the organizers did not think to include any website owners in their panel. Too bad because any one of several of us could given another perspective to many of the opinions these four put forth. Well, another day we will address some of the goofiness presented as wisdom by the panel. City Club members were the losers - getting only one side of an important issue.

Morning
If the NFL wants to prevent cable TV from broadcasting some games - like tonight's Packers - Dallas game - then the NFL should be subject to all US anti-trust laws and anti monopoly laws. Rick Larsen staff - please pass on to your boss. The NFL gets taxpayers to subsidize their stadiums and then prevents us from watching games on our TVs.

Right - not exactly local politics or mahem in Iraq. Well, sports are also important to any culture - and the NFL is trying to pull a fast one. They fear only Congress. The NFL intends to expand the number of important games only available for extra fees from all of us. This is over-the-top greed. And pure monopolistic practice. If you feel concerned then let someone in Congress know. Hearings can be scheduled on short notice if citizens are concerned.