A Readers E-Mail amd My Response

I was away for some of the weekend (starting Friday) and I did not have a chance to do a new posting. Perhaps later today or first thing in the morning (after all the Eagles are playing Dallas!) I will have a new post for this election week.

In the meantime let me share a reader letter and my response to that letter.

From: Natalie Smith
Date: November 3, 2007 8:22:38 PM EDT
To: MarksCraig@gmail.com
Subject: pvpa

Saw a pvpa blog advertising sign on the street.Interesting. You say that you are writing about thethings going on in the perk valley area but you focuson only a few. how come? who are you? and shouldn'tpeople be able to answer in your blog? so like i canwrite a blog about you with anything i feel likesaying? i don't think its fair. something isn't right.answer me this. why do you only have your sign intrappe? you only talk about Matt Watson, Fred Shuetz,Ernest Scmidt, Arnold Bender,who are from trappe. MarkMarino, David Kane, are from limerick. limerick isntin perk valley.Mayor Stagliano, Teresa Stagliano lookslike they are from collegeville. their cool people.Stan Huskey is from norristown. hes not in pv.youthrow in to look like a real blog Penn Delco SchoolDistrict andVerizon Fios. you keep talking aboutcollegeville taxes, police dept. & Collegeville $52.00tax. who cares? dude, i work in trappe and pay a$52.00 tax to trappe! my friend works in eaglevilleand pays it to! talk abou that why don't you! so likewhat about all the other towns around like perkiomen,upper and lower prov, skippack, etc.? your blog andyou looks like a fake and like you have axes to grind.talk about whats happening in other towns
to.theres alot going on everywhere else to.

And here is my response:

Natalie:

Thank you for reading my blog and for writing to me. Let me address your points one at a time but first give you the definition of a blog:

A blog (a portmanteau of web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other Blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic.

Saw a pvpa blog advertising sign on the street. Interesting. I did not put any signs up for my blog. Obviously someone likes what I am writing and has decided to "get the word out". People want to be a part of the blog it and I think that is great! I am not certain what you find "interesting" as you left it hanging.

You say that you are writing about the things going on in the perk valley area but you focus on only a few. how come? I have only so much time to write about certain subjects at certain times. After reading the Stan Huskey's blog I thought to myself that his commentary seems one sided and we the people need to get both sides of the story. When Stan refused to even talk to the people he wrote allegations about I and others thought that was unfair and downright biased. So I thought I can blog as well. I already had a blog so I started blogging about the issues in Trappe and Collegeville as it had been in the news quite a bit over the last 2 years. By the way anyone can blog ... it gives the "power of the press" to all instead of just the few. In Mr. Huskey's case in my and others opinions he has severely abused his power and now it has irreparably tarnished his and the Times Herald's reputation.

Who are you? Just click here http://www.blogger.com/profile/12036806303794817521

and shouldn't people be able to answer in your blog? I am not certain I know what you mean by "answer" since I don't pose questions other than that of the poll questions. I do offer folks to write to me (as you have) and (if appropriate and warranted) I will respond to your e-mail as I am here. I have had an overwhelming amount of feedback both pro and con ... some thanking me for providing the information that I have and others not liking the information I have provided. I have backed up all of what I have wrote with official documents either in pictures, meeting minutes, or official documents from a prosecuting agency, etc.

so like i can write a blog about you with anything i feel like saying? Sure you can start a blog. Anyone can. All you need is content and people to read it. I feel I have both and all of what I have posted can be substantiated with official documents as cited in the previous question. The groundswell of readers and their feedback to what I have written to date is very flattering.

i don't think its fair. something isn't right.answer me this. why do you only have your sign in trappe? Please see your first question but as I said I have no signs.

you only talk about Matt Watson, Fred Shuetz, Ernest Scmidt, Arnold Bender,who are from trappe. Mark Marino, David Kane, are from limerick. limerick isnt in perk valley. I think of Limerick as a part of Perk Valley. So do many others. I try to write regarding people and areas that I think are interesting to my readers and have a direct or indirect impact of the Perkiomen Valley and the surrounding areas.

Mayor Stagliano, Teresa Stagliano looks like they are from collegeville. their cool people. I appreciate your insight regarding the Stagliano's but I am not certain what you mean when you say they it "looks like thy are from collegeville" and they are are "cool people". It sounds as though you know them personally. I do not and I am strictly looking at them as public officials and their records of governing and the use of the powers of their respective offices.

Stan Huskey is from norristown. hes not in pv. Good point ... so I would suggest you post a comment at his blog asking Mr. Huskey that very question. I look forward to reading your comments posted at his blog.

you throw in to look like a real blog Penn Delco School District andVerizon Fios. I do not know what a "real blog" is versus a "fake blog". I do not just "throw" anything in ... I give facts and commentary I think will be of interest to the readers of my blog and and let the readers decide. Simple as that.

you keep talking about collegeville taxes, police dept. & Collegeville $52.00 tax. who cares? The people in Collegeville I think would care when we talk about property taxes. My recent posting comparing municipal property taxes in Collegeville and the direct neighbors was a real eye opener for many as I received many e-mails saying so. I did not refer to the EMS Tax in my posting other than to say in another posting that Collegeville had a hearing coming up with an Ordinance to adopt the EMS tax. I do not object to the EMS tax.

dude, i work in trappe and pay a $52.00 tax to trappe! my friend works in eagleville and pays it to! talk abou that why don't you! Here is my response ... I have no objections to the EMS tax.

so like what about all the other towns around like perkiomen, upper and lower prov, skippack, etc.? your blog and you looks like a fake and like you have axes to grind. talk about whats happening in other towns to.theres a lot going on everywhere else to. Natalie, you have no credability when you make unsubstantiated allegations and it is counter-productive to a meaningful dialogue when you accuse my blog as being a fake. That may be your opinion but without a definition and substantiating facts as to how a blog is "fake" it will fall on deaf ears. No axe to grind here just want ALL of the FACTS out there for the readers. Simple as that.

I appreciate all of your input and I hope this clears up the many misconceptions you have. I do hope you keep reading my blog and tell all of your friends about it. I believe I will be able to keep it interesting. Fact after all is much greater than fiction.

Sincerely,

Craig Marks

Next blog: Signs, Signs, and More Signs ... Everywhere!

Thanks to Bob Manley for writing to me for the suggestion to look into the political signs in Trappe. I appreciate his support!