Dustin Racioppi Leaving RedBankGreen

Prolific Reporter Is Joining The Asbury Park Press

Dustin Racioppi is taking his considerable talent to The Asbury Park Press.  Hopefully the creative and entrepreneurial scribe will not be stifled by the suits at Gannett.

“Hopefully I won’t become a “Nudnik'”, said Dustin when confirming his move.

In his two years at RedBankGreen Dustin demonstrated an enviable ability to report local events from car accidents to council meetings with a compelling flair that kept readers coming back for more.  He contributed mightly to the impressive growth of RBG and to the emergence of the “hyber-local” news business that the corporate media giants are now unwittingly attempting to homogenize.

Focus is a key to Dustin’s success. He lived and breathed his beat of Red Bank, Fair Haven, Rumson and Middletown.  Last year while preparing to cover Congressman Frank Pallone’s office hours in Long Branch, I reached out to Dustin to see if he was going to cover it.  “Long Branch is Jupiter to us,” was his response.

I was surprised when I first heard that Dustin was leaving RBG.  While preparing to move MMM to this domain from the old blogspot site I sent a feeler out to Dustin about joining me.  “I love working for John Ward,” was his immediate response.  That was obvious from the quality of his work.

And Ward, owner/publisher of RBG, obviously loved having Dustin work for him.  In an “Help Wanted” ad for reporters on RBG, Ward says:

We’re interested in teaming up with people who can quickly gather information and shape it into brief stories that are factually solid and fair, yet more than mere stenography. A distinctive and confident writer’s voice, or a desire to develop one, is a must. So is a broad range of interests, from the arts to public policy to business. The ability to take a decent photograph is a big plus. Wannabes, whiners and prima donnas: please don’t waste our time. We’re interested in working only with those who demonstrate entrepreneurial energy and focus on what needs to be done. Yeah, they sound boring, but they’re the most fun to be around. And we do have fun here.

In other words, John is looking to clone Dustin.   Not an easy person to find, as I have learned over the last year. If you’re out there and love politics more than sprinkling fire hydrants or fireworks shows, call me first, or last.

Dustin’s move comes at a difficult time for RBG as it faces competition for advertising dollars from the patch.com sites and perhaps The Two River Times.  Two weeks ago, Dan Jacobson reported in the triCityNews that TRT’s new publisher Ellen McCarthy was planning to convert the weekly paper’s website to an active news site with daily updates.  If McCarthy has started doing so, I haven’t noticed.  It’s probably still in the planning stages.  Diane Gooch is still listed as publisher on the TRT site, an indication that they haven’t gotten to working on the website yet.

MMM wishes the best for Dustin at APP, and for Ward and RBG.  While we’re at it, we wish the best for McCarthy and TRT and we pray the Neptune Nudniks learn from Dustin rather than trying to train him into a dead tree scribe.  The more quality sources of local information available the better for all of us in this Internet age.  I’m pretty sure Ward knows that.  Maybe the Nudni’s are beginning to figure that out, but probably not.  Jacobson doesn’t care.  Only Dan knows how to make dead trees sing.

We don’t wish Patch well so much.  We’d love them if they put out a consistently quality product, but that’s difficult if not impossible to do with part-time writers working for an extra $50-$100 per week.  In the mean time they’re only mucking up the revenue side of the business.  Patch’s only hope long term is for AOL/Ariann Huffington to pay Ward, Jacobson or me hundreds of millions of dollars and then leave us alone to do what we want to do. 

Not likely to happen.

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Hey, we never called the Governor a prick…

By Dan Jacobson, Originally published in the July 7 edition of the triCityNews

And people object to the language in this newspaper? Turns out we’re not so out of line.

Check out Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney ripping into Republican Governor Chris Christie last weekend – in a front page story in the Star-Ledger, the biggest newspaper in the state:

 He’s mean-spirited. He’s angry. If you don’t like what he says, I liken it to being spoiled…(it’s) I’m going to get my way, or else. He’s a rotten prick.

Hilarious.

After all, only a few days before the two stood together at the signing of the controversial pension reform bill. They called each other friends and partners. The Governor hailed this bipartisan cooperation as a national model.

So much for that! Days later Christie vetoed the Democratic budget – and used his power to unilaterally reduce budget items, including funds for some pretty vulnerable people. Sweeney said it was political retaliation against those opposing the Governor:

This is all about him being a bully and a punk. I wanted to punch him in the head…To prove a point to me – a guy who has stood side by side with him, and made tough decisions – for him to punish people to prove a political point? He’s just a rotten bastard to do what he did.

Listen, you can punch me in the face and knock me down, do what you want. But don’t be vindictive and punish innocent people. These people didn’t do anything to him. It’s like a bank robber taking hostages. And now he’s starting to shoot people.

I liken it to being spoiled…He’s just a cruel man.

Hey, even we’ve never used the word “prick” in these pages. (Probably because we never thought of it.) But now that the Star-Ledger says it’s OK, well, let’s face it: Governor Christie can be a prick.

Not that he isn’t right most of the time on economic issues. I’d vote for the pension and benefits reform bill. But there’s just something about the guy I never liked. It’s just a visceral reaction. Of course, no way was I going to vote for that prick Jon Corzine in the last election. What a buffoon. So I voted for Independent Chris Daggett, who may or may not be a prick.

Anyway, I’m running for the state Assembly this year as an Independent. I have a strong libertarian streak on economics and social issues. And I have no interest in being a politician or acting like one. Way too cheesy. I’d simply want to do the job of an Assemblyman. Imagine that.

But if elected, there’s one huge perk I’m going to milk for all it’s worth: The entertainment value of being down in Trenton with all these clowns. It would be outrageous. Just fantastic. I couldn’t help but insert myself right into the middle of it. Who could resist such centrifugal forces of absurdity? And to own a newspaper and be able to write about it all the time! I’m sorry, you people have got to elect me. You’ve got to!

I first went to Trenton in 1984 as an aide to then state Senator Frank Pallone. I got elected to the state Assembly as a Democrat at age 28 and served a term in 1990-91. Even had a physical altercation with the Assembly Speaker, who was a member of my own party, after I led a revolt on a controversial education funding bill. So I’ve seen some action real up close and personal down there. Pretty wild stuff.

But I never saw anything like the drama unfolding between Sweeney and Christie. And the set design in the background is just fabulous: The Democratic Party imploding – tearing itself up as Democratic leaders like Sweeney sided with the Governor on pension and benefit reform, while lower ranking Democratic legislators bitterly blasted their own leadership to suck up to their union sponsors. And now suddenly – out of nowhere – Sweeney and Christie are in a steel caged wrestling match.

What a spectacle! Man, give Governor Christie credit for choreographing the whole show. It’s brilliant. After Democratic leaders stuck their necks out for him on pension and benefit reform – giving him even greater national prominence – the Governor turned on them just days later when he blasted their proposed budget. What treachery.

What a prick!

Of course, Christie was completely right in his comments. But he’s still a prick:

The proposed budget from the Democrats is just more of the same unrealistic, pie in the sky, fantasy budgeting they brought to New Jersey for the eight years before we arrived.  Instead of continuing to put New Jersey on strong fiscal footing, this proposal reaffirms the Democrats’ commitment to job-killing tax increases and an unrepentant addiction to spending. New Jerseyans are the most over-taxed citizens in America and they want us to reduce spending and make government smaller.  This proposal only serves to denigrate all of the hard choices made over the last year that broke from decades of state government spending money that just doesn’t exist.

Got to say, the level of our political discourse has sunk to new lows with the publication of that Sunday front page Star-Ledger article – with the most powerful Democrat in Trenton calling our Republican Governor “a rotten prick.”

If elected, I promise that you won’t see this Publisher use such language in the state capitol. I’d use it in these pages, of course. But not while walking around in my official capacity as a state Assemblyman.

Then again, I’d tell a reporter that something is bullshit. Although I wouldn’t call any other elected officials assholes. Certainly not “rotten pricks”.

You know, I got to think this through now that the Star-Ledger has totally changed the rules. Got to make sure we keep our standards current so people know what’s acceptable behavior.

After all, we’re the triCityNews. We’re here to help.

(The 11^th District where I’m running includes: Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank, Ocean Township, Neptune, Neptune City, Interlaken, Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, West Long Branch, Eatontown, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, Colts Neck, Freehold Township and Freehold Borough.)

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Jacobson vs Kean?

By Art Gallagher

Former Assemblyman and trCityNews publisher Dan Jacobson, a Democrat, says he’s seriously considering a challenge to Senator Sean Kean in the Republican primary and that it is this blog’s fault that he’s considering it.

Good.  I’ll take responsibility for that. 

This blog has never been about preaching to the choir, even though as Governor Christie says, preaching to the choir makes them sing better.   Democrats and Independents have always been welcome here.  I’m proud to have the only conservative blog with a link on Blue Jersey‘s blog roll. I’m proud when morons on the right who can’t count call me Arlen or a RINO.  I’m proud that Kathy Baratta can’t stay away, sprays some insults in the comments every now and then before going back to her little websites to rant about me.  If I’m not tweaking or out and out angering members of the mainstream media and members of the political establishment, on both sides of the isle, I’m not doing my job.

I think it is weird when friends, acquaintances or readers I don’t know personally tell me, often apologetically, that they don’t agree with me, but that they respect me and still enjoy the site. I think it is weird that the guy I ran against for council in Highlands years ago still takes it personally that I had the audacity to do so.  I think personal animosity and vitriol over differences of opinions is weird.  I think it is weird that Democrats and Republicans alike are offended that Democratic Chairman Vic Scudiery’s companies advertise on this site.  It’s sad that people can’t understand how Vic and I can be both friends and political adversaries.  It’s not sad for Vic or I.  It’s sad that so many people will only relate to people they agree with on everything and that differences of opinion can threaten a releationship.  It is weird that agreeing to disagree is a big deal.  It is almost as if differences of opinion is the new racism in terms of how we thoughtlessly separate ourselves from each other.

I’m especially proud that MMM is Dan Jacobson’s favorite blog and that he has chosen to participate here.   Dan and I have roughly the same size readerships.  His might be a bit larger than mine, but mine is more committed.  While we come at it from different angles, with different styles and mediums, Dan and I both seek to wake people up, challenge the status quo, shape opinion and influence action.

But enough about I why I publish Dan’s work here and why those of you who only relate to people you see eye to eye with are ripping yourselves off.  Let’s talk politics and piss some people off.

First, when it comes right down to it, I don’t think Dan will challenge Kean in the primary.  He’s too much of  kitten. Kitten, kitten, kitten!  He wouldn’t even call Sean Kean and talk to him.  Even though it is painless to do so. You leave a message and Sean doesn’t call back.  What’s so hard about that?   Dan’s such a kitten that I wonder if really ever called former Red Bank Mayor Ed McKenna.  For years Dan complained that McKenna wouldn’t return his calls.

Secondly, Dan’s candidacy would cause a Constitutional crisis.  Using his newspaper to promote his candidacy would raise interesting and challenging issues regarding New Jersey’s campaign finance laws.  Dan could be required to disclose his advertisers as campaign contributors on his ELEC reports and return ad fees/donations that exceed the limits.  Some advertisers have already spent more than the allowable campaign contribution amounts and would have to pull their ads for the remainder of the campaign.   Dan is just the guy to take campaign finance laws all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, accept for one thing….he’s too much of a kitten to do it.  That and he’s not pissed off enough about Kean’s anti-marriage equality vote to put his paper out of business.

Third, he won’t win.  Sure, based upon the 2009 turnout a victory looks to be possible, but all Sean Kean has to do to win is spend a little bit of the SEIU/CWA/NJEA money he has collected on a post card and robo call and he’ll turn out more than enough voters in Wall Township to crush Jacobson district wide.  Just because he can, Sean would get lawn signs and a troop of volunteers to distribute them for overkill.  Dan might spring for a few signs and ask his paper boy to deliver them to stores that distribute the triCityNews, but the store owners won’t put them up.  Now he’s spending money for signs and losing ad dollars. 

Still, I hope I’m wrong.  I hope Dan is not too much of a kitten, kitten, kitten and that he goes for it.  Not because I want my friend to go broke (he’ll have to pay in advance if he wants an ad here!), but because Dan’s readers need to hear his message about goverment employee unions:

For years, I’ve criticized the Democratic Party for being clueless on economic policy. Becoming a subsidiary of the unions destroyed us. We lost our independence, and the ability to shrink the government and reduce taxes when needed. That’s why angry Democrats write in calling me a Republican.

Call me crazy. But if a government employees union has the right to collective bargaining, it’s absurd that they can elect those who sit across the bargaining table. And it’s absurd that they can elect those who enact the rules for that bargaining.

Tell you what: Government employee unions should not be allowed to collect mandatory dues – and then use those dues to elect those running the government that employs them. That gives them way too much power. That’s the root problem right now. It’s why collective bargaining can’t be fair. It’s why everything is out of whack. If these unions want to form their own  political action committees and convince members to voluntarily contribute, so be it. That’s democracy. But today’s situation is ridiculous.

When I write stuff like that many of my Democratic readers call me names, just like my idealogical right wing readers do when they don’t agree with me, and dismiss my arguments.    Even many of my Republican readers are affraid of that argument, given the power of the unions in NJ.  They need to hear from Dan and others too.

Maybe Dan can skirt the ELEC issues by waging a write in campaign.  I don’t know, he should ask a lawyer who knows stuff like that. 

But the message is important and needs to get out.

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Mulling a run against Sean Kean…in the GOP primary!

By Dan Jacobson, Publisher, triCityNews  (Cross published in the triCityNews, Thursday, March 24, 2011)

I’m a Democrat. And I’m starting to seriously consider running against Senator Sean Kean in the Republican primary.

Why not? I’d love to see what that forbidden land looks like. Like when this newspaper sent me to Havana, Cuba on assignment. Running as a Republican would be one hell of a journalistic expedition. I think it would be a blast.

 Here’s my favorite angle to the Kean vs. Jacobson story:  If the contest were based solely on economic issues, he’d beat me in a Democratic primary. And I’d beat him in a Republican primary. I’m not kidding! It’s pretty wild.

For years, I’ve criticized the Democratic Party for being clueless on economic policy. Becoming a subsidiary of the unions destroyed us. We lost our independence, and the ability to shrink the government and reduce taxes when needed. That’s why angry Democrats write in calling me a Republican.

Conflicts with big labor predate my journalism career. I served one term as a Democratic Assemblyman in Trenton 20 years ago. In my final race, I told the NJEA that school vouchers should be tested in poor urban school districts. That didn’t go over well. They endorsed my Republican opponents. And when I lost my seat in 1991, a local AFL-CIO activist ran against me as an independent to siphon off votes. Many in that union were angry because I refused to support a state payroll tax to bail out their self-insured health insurance funds.

Now contrast that with Republican Sean Kean. Last week, I wrote about his history of taking endorsements from the government employees unions – specifically the NJEA and the state workers union (CWA). With those endorsements, Sean sold out the limited government principles of the Republican Party. He gave up his independence. Check out his campaign reports at the website of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. You’ll see union contribution after union contribution. I stopped counting at $20,000 between the NJEA and the CWA. And I only got through about one-third of his reports starting with his most recent. That was enough.

(And Sean got tons of police union money – he’ll never get a ticket from a State Trooper! Biggest surprise? Even I was stunned to see a large $5,000 contribution from the SEIU union out of New York – that’s the powerful union instrumental in pulling the Democrats way out of the mainstream. Google the SEIU and the Democratic Party. You’ll see.)

Call me crazy. But if a government employees union has the right to collective bargaining, it’s absurd that they can elect those who sit across the bargaining table. And it’s absurd that they can elect those who enact the rules for that bargaining.

But that’s Sean Kean. He’s the recipient of all that union largesse. And how hilarious that it takes a Democrat like me to say it! You won’t hear a local Republican speak up. Party loyalty, you know. Man, I hate that shit.  So remember this: Sean Kean would bury me in a Democratic primary with all his union support. And that just cracks me up!

Tell you what: Government employee unions should not be allowed to collect mandatory dues – and then use those dues to elect those running the government that employs them. That gives them way too much power. That’s the root problem right now. It’s why collective bargaining can’t be fair. It’s why everything is out of whack. If these unions want to form their own  political action committees and convince members to voluntarily contribute, so be it. That’s democracy. But today’s situation is ridiculous. Exhibit A is Sean Kean’s campaign finance reports.

So why have I stayed registered as a Democrat? Because I don’t want to live in a theocracy. That’s what the cultural right-wing of the Republican Party represents – and they’re as powerful in the GOP as the unions in the Democratic Party. I just don’t like hypocrisy. While Republicans politicians claim they want limited government, many will happily order the government to tell a woman what to do with her body. Or tell a huge chunk of our population who they can marry.

Sean Kean’s vote against same-sex marriage last year is what really pissed me off. That’s what got me. It was a moral issue that he called a “tough” vote, meaning a politically tough vote because he represents a sizeable gay community. What bullshit. There’s nothing “tough” about a moral issue – you vote what you believe. Period.

But back to my kamikaze Republican candidacy. Let’s get it all out. Over the years, I’ve also derided the Republican Party as being dominated by anti-gay bigots and gun nuts. With pro-lifers I’ve been more gentle (at least as far as I can remember). Because they’re motivated by legitimate religious beliefs. I just don’t think the issue has any place in our secular government. It’s between a woman and her doctor.

(And gun nuts hold your fire! I would not tighten New Jersey gun laws. Every cop I know tells me that weapons used in crimes here are coming from other states with lax gun control laws, particularly in the south. That’s the problem. So don’t shoot! I’m not running for federal office, where I’d change that. Nor am I running for state Senate in Georgia. If I were, you bet I’d be wearing a bullet-proof vest right now.)

But forget all this stuff.  My beliefs are united by one thing – a knee-jerk reaction against the concentration of power, wherever it may be found. That includes government employee unions. That includes powerful corporations that get government favors instead of competing in the free market. It also includes big media – my disgust with the Gannett-owned Asbury Park Press is well-documented. And it includes political parties who order elected officials what to do. I recoil against it all.

You know what? I sound a lot like a Tea Party type. I just can’t call myself one! They’re way too kooky. But on the big issues they’re right, and they’ve done a huge service for our nation by turning the Republican Party upside down and forcing it to stand for fiscal responsibility.

OK, so here’s my political situation:

I can never run again as a Democrat. The unions and I have a bad 20 year history. Sorry, I just love repeating this: Sean Kean would beat me in a Democratic primary with all his union support. Hands down!

Sure, I could run as an Independent in the general election but voters are asleep. They don’t pay attention. It would be no fun and a waste of time. People are lazy and apathetic. Yes, I’m insulting the voters.

Yup, a kamikaze run in the Republican primary as the most unconventional of insurgents makes sense. It’s a very small electorate that pays attention. And they understand the debate about economics, limited government and the dangers of concentrated power in our economic and political system.

Could I win? You tell me.

Only 2500 people voted in the last state Senate Republican primary. That’s it. When they learn about Sean’s and my divergent experiences with unions, I bet you I peel off a third of them. Maybe more. Lots of Republicans have long respected my independence. They’re motivated by economics and freedom. They will not like Sean’s alliance with the unions. For many, the social issues aren’t as important. Or they agree with me on them.

Anyway, peeling off a third of the usual vote makes the tally about 1700 to 800 in Sean’s favor. But the question is whether I can convince, say, just 1000 independents to come out and vote for me. That would put me over the top. Remember, independents can vote in the primary. And they’ll definitely like what I have to say.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The triCityNews has about 25,000-30,000 regular readers who read the paper every week or two. They are tuned in politically. And they reflect our region’s overall distribution of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. I bet close to 20,000 Republican and Independent triCity readers would be eligible to vote in the primary. That’s a lot.

And I’m sure they’ll enjoy following such a wild race. What great political theater! Guarantee they’d love what I had to say. Or love to hate it! Hey, that’s why they read the paper now.

Whether they can stomach voting for me is another story. Of that I have no idea. But I may only need an extra 1,000 or so to come out. Out of about 20,000. Not bad odds. (Then again, 5,000 could come out against me!)

Nah, I’ll never win. It’s preposterous. Perhaps in some ways I’d rather lose. After all, I’ve got a fake newspaper to run here, and that takes time.

Of course, Republican leaders have nothing to fear if the unthinkable happens and I win. We’ll get along just fine. I’ll ignore them, and they’ll ignore me. I have no interest in getting involved in campaigns for anyone else – Republican or Democrat. I have no interest in party politics, fundraisers or rallies. And I have no interest in party leaders telling me how to vote.

 It’s quite simple. I’d just want to do the job of Senator and advocate for my principles. Imagine that.

But me running in a Republican primary is way too nutty, right?  I mean, this is crazy? I can’t really…

Help! Someone please stop me! Stop me, please! Stop me before I run again….as a Republican!!

xxx

This the following was not published in the triCityNews. It’s Dan’s addendum just for his growing MMM readership:

This is your fault Art!
 
After your commentary last week — and also the comments by TR — I started to think about this much more seriously. I am now likely to do it, and am moving forward on organizing.
 
Looking forward to MMM reader feedback. No doubt it will be uniformly positive. And I think I know who TR is! (I’ll send him a code: He’s svelte, has great vision and is a dogged defender of the downtrodden in the criminal justice system…of course, if I’m not right he won’t know what the hell I’m talking about).
 
Also, anyone is welcome to say whatever they want in the triCityNews in response to this article. Our email is [email protected] Please put something in the email captoin about letter to editor kean/Jacobson. Please note that the shorter and more concise the better. While we normally reserve the right to edit letters, in this situation it is not appropriate for us to do that. But if it’s too long, we can’t guarantee that we’d print it. I’d suggest 400-500 words max. Obviously, if there’s something libelous or defamatory it won’t be printed.
 
Nor will we print any expletives. Just kidding.
 
(Note to my fellow Republican Mike Golub: Your comments last week were excellently written as usual. I would have printed any of them in our paper. But we normally couldn’t have fit ALL of them. Please feel free to send in a response with that in mind. Still, if you don’t want to cut back what you have to say, I don’t want to censor you. Please send whatever you like and I’ll do my best to get it in regardless of the length. After all, the triCityNews is, as they say, Fair and Balanced.)
 
Please submit letter to editor by monday at 9 am for us to get them in this week.

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More Lincoln Day Musings

By Art Gallagher

Monmouth County GOP events are particularly enjoyable for me because I get to see many MMM readers in person and get face to face feedback, pro and con.  Positive feedback usually includes a warm conversation, laughter and a friendly dig.  Negative feedback is usually in the form of a cold shoulder, an evil eye or a faux smile.   More and more there is agenda driven feedback  and requests from people who want an issue covered or exposure for a candidate or cause.   All of that happened last night.  I appreciate all of it.

There were two related issues that dominated the feedback I received last night. 

One was my explusion from the Highlands Republican Club for the treacherous act of accurately reporting Anna Little’s decree that the New Jersey Supreme Court is unconstitutional.   I appreciate all the invitations to join or visit other Monmouth County Republican Clubs with no restrictions on what I write about.   I also appreciate that none of the “threats” I received to be removed from the dinner via “appropriate measures” were followed through.   My friend and fellow blogger Jim Hogan shared some hilarious emails he received from members of the HRC, including one from Mr. Neighbor, in response to Jim’s comments on my banishment.

The other issue that dominated feedback I received last night was my front page exposure and accompanying article in the triCityNews last month.

Senator Sean Kean greeted me with a smile and said, “Hi Art, I see Dan Jacobson likes you better than he likes me.”   Dan has been particularly critical of Kean.  I told Sean that I heard Jacobson was not the only one who felt that way. 

Another party leader said he saw Dan’s article. “Is that for real, you don’t support Anna Little any longer?” he asked.  When I told him it was, he was positively giddy.  Another leader did not seem so happy about that.

Mickey Gooch gave me a good natured razzing for not including his testimonial about MMM in my journal ad.   It is nice to know that someone actually reads the ad journal.  Here’s Mickey’s quote:

“MMM is a great source of insider gossip and news in the conservative wing of the Republican Party and the Tea Party. I don’t agree with everything I read, but I keep taking a look- it is definitely entertaining. However, MMM would be better and could have far greater credibility if Art Gallagher didn’t display his biases quite so obviously and ran an unbiased forum for discussion. ” ~ Mickey Gooch, Mickey Gooch

I told Mickey he’s welcome to write another quote now that my biases have shifted.

Thank you for reading MMM, and thanks for your feedback.

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More tri-City News and the Highlands Republican Club Meeting

Last week’s 12th anniversary edition of the triCityNews was no where to be found in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands by Friday evening last week.  I wondered if officers of the Highlands Republican Club grabbed them all so no one would read it, but all the positive feedback I received through out the week indicates otherwise. 

This week’s issue, Volume 12 + Issue 13, was still in Foodtown in Atlantic Highlands tonight.  There’s a full page of TriCity>Mail dedicated to calling me a self serving bloviator!   Is there any other kind? 

I’d link you to the letters, but Dan Jacobson doesn’t publish on the Internet.  You’ll have to pick it up.

Actually, I can link you to one of the letters.  Dan published HRC President Louis Croce’s letter banning me from Republican Club meetings which I published here the day I received it.  Here it is in case you missed it.

In another letter, the Sergeant-At-Arms of the HRC writes about 600 words on how irrelevent I am.  I doubt he sees the irony in that.  I guess, as Sergeant-At-Arms, it will be his job to take “appropriate measures” to have me removed from the HRC meeting on Monday night should I attend.  Should I show up?   Dan wants pictures if I go.  Rhoda?

The other letter is an anonymous email from someone who looked up MMM’s stats on alexa.com and reasoned that the 70% growth in MMM traffic is because I’ve been picking on the former Mayor of Highlands. 

My page is entertaining, but the best reason to pick up this week’s issue is Dan’s column about the epic failure of the Asbury Park Press, Frank Pallone and those who destroyed Jim Wassel’s effort to redevelop Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook.  I wish I could link it for you.  It’s really good.  Pick up the paper.

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MMM In The News. The triCityNews

By Art Gallagher

As a blogger, it is always nice to be recognized by another media outlet.  Over the years, MMM has been cited by FoxNews, CNN, The Drudge Report, The Star Ledger, Asbury Park Press, NJN, and others.

This week  we hit pay dirt with front page exposure in the only profitable newspaper left in America, Dan Jacobson’s triCityNews.

I’d link you to the story, but Dan doesn’t publish on the Internet. That is why he has the only profitable newspaper in America, according to the New York Times.

You’ll have to pick up the paper, for free, at one the the coastal Monmouth establishments that carries it, from Atlantic Highlands to Belmar.

I recommend you pick up the paper.  The story featuring me and MMM, Rumble on the Right, is filled with intrigue, sex and money;  intrigue over the power of this blog, Mickey Gooch’s money and Jacobson’s sexual fantasies.

I don’t like to toot my own horn, but I love it when others do. I’m happy to return the favor and toot my horn for Dan Jacobson. 

Today is the 12th anniversary of the triCityNews, which is another reason to pick up the paper. With my mug on the cover, this historic edition is likely to become a collectors item.

What Jacobson has accomplished as a business, and the difference he has made in the communities he serves, as an “alternative”  newspaper is remarkable.  As he said in his first publisher’s message twelves years ago, which is reprinted in this week’s edition,

Alternative newspapers hit the issues mainstream media won’t touch. That means the triCityNews will be there to inform you about relevant local politics, the gay community, youth, sex and all radical and ethnic groups.  News coverage will be incisive and perceptive.  Photo and stories about politicians handing plaques to constituents are left to the other guys.

Many on the Jersey Shore are unfamiliar with alternative newspapers.  They have told us that the triCityNews is like nothing they have ever seen. We’re proud of that.  That’s where we always want to be.

There is something else Dan should be proud of.  He’s done it with class. 

As irreverent as Dan often is, his publication is anything but “underground” as many, most in my experience, alternative newspapers are.   The Village Voice and the Boston Phoenix  are two alternative papers I am familiar with from my twenties when I lived in both New York City and Boston.  They were underground rags predominantly funded by ads for adult services establishments, strip clubs and head shops. 

Dan’s publication is funded by ads for first class small businesses in Monmouth County.  To find an ad for an adult service establishment in Monmouth County, you’ll have to look to the publication that Dan and I both love to bash, the Asbury Park Press.

Congratulations Dan.  Here’s to another 12 years or until Mickey’s check clears.

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