Summation and Sabbatical

The Salt Dome HQ -- See summary of salt shakings at the bottom of this post 

Someone once told a tired Truman Capote that he shouldn't complain so much about the demands of being a writer. After all, the friend admonished him, Jack Kerouac just sat down and wrote whatever came into his head. Capote replied, "That's not writing, that's typing."

Bloggers know what Capote meant, and so it has been with the Salt Lick. I hate placing this site "on hold," I really do. It's lots of fun. Other projects, however, demand the time otherwise spent keeping the Salt Lick current. When the dust settles, I'll reevaluate and see whether to continue digging or close the salt mine.

In the meantime, I can rest easy knowing Jerry, Steve, Darrell, Spacecraft, "John," Norman, Will, and the folks at WikiRoanoke keep a watchful eye for the days the Roanoke Times careens off into the land of delusion, spleen, and moonbat rage. And hopefully some of the other new blogs popping up all over Virginia will help them as well. I will continue to visit and comment at other sites until I decide what to do with this one. I'll also check the comments on this post periodically if anyone wants to contact me.

I've listed links below that lead to some of my posts detailing Roanoke Times bias. One thing I'm immensely proud of is having assembled a catalogue proving what many SW Virginians allege -- that the Roanoke Times is a mean-spirited, left-wing, Democratic house organ. Publisher Wendy Zomparelli's response to critical readers that "bias lies in the eyes of the beholder" has been revealed for the disingenous, arrogant, dodge it is. In the past nine months she and Tommy Denton have had several opportunities to hire a moderate or conservative to balance their editorial staff. They've chosen each time to hire someone whose past work speaks "left wing" or "liberal." Despite what some journalists think, actions speak louder than words.

The people that control the Roanoke Times have no respect for intellectual diversity; they don't want it at their newspaper. They've become arrogant and dismissive, insular and narrow-minded, bigoted and hateful. The election of George Bush seems to have pushed them into a region of self-righteous rage where they feel justified in doing whatever it takes to twist the citizens of SW Virginia to their agenda. Roanoke no longer has a newspaper written by real journalists, but only bumf onto which is poured the undiapered leavings of incontinent minds.

Frankly, these people are just not that interesting to me anymore. For anyone desirous of stepping in where Salt Lick leaves off, however, here are stories yet to be researched and written:

-- Compilation and posting of the Roanoke Times' most frequent local business advertisers. Ultimately, advertisers are the best way to make a newspaper sit up and listen.

-- Editorial page editor Tommy Denton's career as press aide to Democratic Lloyd Bentsen and his tenure as editor at The Fort Worth Star Telegram, in George Bush's home state of Texas.

-- Editorial page editor Dan Radmacher's views on the evils of capitalism. His published writings on this bear scrutiny.

-- Connections between the owners of Landmark Communications -- the Roanoke Times parent company -- and Virginia Democrats, some of whose campaigns they donate to.

-- Introductory piece on new editorial page editor Luanne Traud. I started this but didn't have time to finish. As I said, she appears to be a reasonable liberal, not a moonbat.

-- A comprehensive study of the RT's "news" side, analyzing the stories Mike Riley chooses, where he puts them, and what headline he writes for them.

OK -- for new readers blundering into the Salt Lick, or for long-time readers wishing to relive the clanging, teeth-grinding screech of posts unmasking the Roanoke Times' bias, here are our "greatest hits."

Bias? Don't believe your lying eyes.

Do Tommy Denton and George Bush go waaaay back?

Tommy Denton gets that old time left-wing religion

God's Democrat

Yes, it's that Dan Radmacher

Attention news editor Mike Riley -- your credibility is in the toilet, even if the Koran isn't

Bill Moyers, Patron Saint of the Roanoke Times

The hypocrisy of Bill Moyers, Patron Saint of the Roanoke Times

Hidden racial prejudice at the Roanoke Times?

Roanoke Times and minorities -- do as I say, not as I do

So the Roanoke Times is racially and intellectually bigoted?

Roanoke Times' fear of intellectual diversity?

Democrats are mostly Jews, blacks, and atheists?

Is the Roanoke Times deceiving the elderly?

Roanoke Times -- the dog that wouldn't bark

Editorial roundup -- Bush McHitlerburton is just plain evil

Pictures are worth a thousand words -- Roanoke Times political cartoon roundup -- Republicans are evil

Cries and Whispers in the Roanoke Times newsroom

Maybe their priorities are off?

Who does this remind you of?

Volunteer Group Blamed for Destroying Turtle Nest During Search for Missing Teen in Aruba

By Peter Prengaman Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 4, 2005

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - An Aruban park ranger on Thursday accused a Texas volunteer group of destroying a nest of endangered sea turtle eggs while searching for a missing U.S. teen on a beach,

Mountain music and "Down the Crooked Road"

Steve's post reminded me that I've been meaning to draw everyone's attention to yet another attraction of Virginia's Little Switzerland -- our music venues.

Reporter Ralph Berrier and his associates at the Roanoke Times have created a wonderful multi-part series showcasing bluegrass and Old Time music and musicians in Southwest Virginia.

Now, I know some of you flatlanders are saying "I'm not driving 3 hours just to watch Hee-Haw." But oh, you are so far wide of the mark. One of the amazing things about this music is the diversity of people who carry on the tradition. Scratch a mountain musician and you're just as likely to find an old California hippie who's turned to acoustic as a Rockbridge County doctor who collects expensive banjos. (I know both.) Just remember, at Tractor Supply they don't make you show an Appalachian ID before they sell you overalls.

Salt Lick has visited most of the stops on "The Crooked Road," and jammed at a few of them, a couple of times with Ralph Berrier and some of the musicians pictured in the RT series. But don't get any big ideas. "Jammed with" in mountain music can mean, "Me and my fiddle picked a stump at the back of the band and played along just loud enough for us and nobody else to hear." That's one of the wonderful things about the music scene here -- it's very open, welcoming. Everyone is welcome. Well, maybe not accordians. But only because they're so loud.

One of the best venues for a "tourist" to visit is the General Store in Floyd on Friday night.(Not the Friday night after this one because the Galax Old Time Fiddler's Festival will be on-going and everyone will be there, not in Floyd.) Have dinner at the Pine Tavern Inn or Chateau Morrissette Vineyards, then drive into Floyd where the streets are full of pedestrians and the bands are overflowing onto the sidewalk for pick-up jams. Buy an RC Cola and a Moonpie or a cone of handdipped ice cream and sit back and enjoy the dancing at the back of the General Store.

All part of Virginia's Little Switzerland.

Skull and Bones was not the real threat

George Bush, John Bolton, and Wolfowitz -- members of secret 1970's "World Domination Moustache Society." 

Some time ago, the sharp-eyed Will Vehrs of Bacon's Rebellion spotted John Bolton hovering in the background of this photo of George Bush at Yale. Additional research reveals the man seated to Bush's right as none other than Paul Wolfowitz, adding fuel to the theory that this sneaky Jew/neocon stuff started very long ago. (Heh, caught you Wolfowitz. A shave and hair-straightener only goes so far, you Shylock, you.)

But they're improving all the time

A Hollins University professor uses the Roanoke Times writing to illustrate, uh... mediocrity?

I'm not questioning their patriotism, but...

A masked group identifying itself as the "Roanoke Times Editorial Staff Liberation Army" has seized Iraqi children visiting Roanoke and threatened to shoot a child every day until the Bush McHitlerburton administration razes Gitmo and releases photos of nekkid men in Abu Ghraib prison.

"Well, sure it's and extreme demand, and maybe it does support the terrorists a bit," said the masked leader, "but you have to put things in perspective. One or two Iraqi children are nothing compared to stopping torture. Have you ever felt the pain and humiliation of wearing panties on your head? No? Well then, Luanne -- I mean Comrade Xena -- give me your panties and -- What do you mean you aren't wearing any? Didn't Wendy mention the dress code in the interview? Never mind. Elizab -- uh, Comrade Fonda -- What? Dammit! Isn't anyone wearing... Oh, thanks Dan -- uh, Comrade Mustafa."

Developing....

Tiny Dancer -- Aghanistan to California and back -- this will make you cry

Do you want to feel like Scrooge on Christmas morning? Watch the story of this Afghani girl. I saw it at Florida Cracker, but can't get the link to work to her blog. SO, go to the page I've linked and click "video files" in the middle of the page. There are other links there, but "video files" gives you the most complete story.

It's the best thing you will see this summer.

Kaine getting Soros' leftovers?

First I read THIS about the demise of Soros' ACT, then I read blue dog's take on this.


"Blue Dog? Igor, time to send out the flying monkey dogcatchers." 

Journalist-blogger murdered in Iraq -- RIP

Yesterday I read a very informative article by Stephen Vincent in the New York Times and today he is dead. This guy was a treasure.

"I stood that morning [9/11] on the roof of my building in lower Manhattan and watched United Airlines Flight 175 strike the south tower of the World Trade Center," Vincent said in a December 2004 interview with Frontpage Magazine.

"At that moment, I realized my country was at war -- because of the 1993 attack on the Trade Center, I figured our enemy was Islamic terrorism -- and I wanted to do my part in the conflict. I'm too old to enlist in the armed services, so I decided to put my writing talents to use."

In that interview Vincent described the weapons with which he intended to fight.

"Words matter. Words convey moral clarity. Without moral clarity, we will not succeed in Iraq. That is why the terms the press uses to cover this conflict are so vital. For example, take the word “guerillas.” As you noted, mainstream media sources like the New York Times often use the terms “insurgents” or “guerillas” to describe the Sunni Triangle gunmen, as if these murderous thugs represented a traditional national liberation movement. But when the Times reports on similar groups of masked reactionary killers operating in Latin American countries, they utilize the phrase “paramilitary death squads.” Same murderers, different designations."

Tiger hawk has more as does Michelle Malkin.

Read Vincent's last post.

Get 'er done, John!

(Found down at Salt Lick's local Country Store.)

Roanoke Times confuses Carribean clubs

"...snarling dogs, chains, shackles, women's underwear placed on prisoners' heads, lap dances and other sexual humiliation..."

The Roanoke Times' Bush Derangement Syndrome flares again over torture allegations which most of the world now understands have been proven untrue. Yet, despite the fact an investigation uncovered four unpunished abuses out of 24,000 interviews at Gitmo, or 0.000167 percent of all interrogations, the Times continues its campaign to undermine and defeat the real enemy, Chimpy Bush McHitlerburton. Meanwhile, Jeff Goldstein at Protein Widsom tries to explain to them that hyperbolic rhetoric matters.

But you know, even if there were torture occurring at Gitmo, would that be morally as bad as the Iraqi citizens killed every day by homicide bombers whipped into a frenzy by an irresponsible press? I mean, arern't the lives of Iraq children worth more than the joy of revealing a man's wearing size 12 women's panties on his head?

Every silver lining (should) have a cloud

Jerry's post about the Roanoke Times' theater critic reminded me of the last time I saw "Grease." (At Wolfhart Theater in Wytheville, Jerry, whose productions arer usually enjoyable.) In that version, the "good girl" not only wound up a happy slutty tramp, but the leader of the "bad" girls "liberated" herself from her out-of-wedlock pregnancy by -- you guessed it -- having an abortion. It served as a joyous moment for the whole cast to break out in song!

Of course, Beth might have prefered she die from a back-alley job. For gravitas. Or drama. Or something.

Summer's almost gone -- Y'all come

barter 

One of my favorite places in Southwest Virginia is pictured above -- the Barter Theater, located in Abingdon, Virginia. The Barter is the state theater of Virginia, in case you didn't know. It gets its name from Great Depression days, when farmers paid admission with food. (Heck, old Salt Lick woulda' paid all his taters to see Marlene Dietrich if she'd have ever appeared at the Barter.)

Seriously, the Barter productions are usually first rate. And Steve's Abingdon is one of the loveliest little towns in all of Virginia to walk around. Here is a typical visit-schedule to Abingdon by my wife and I, before kids and dogs:

Eat at the historic and very cool Martha Washington Inn directly across the street from the Barter. Walk about town to clear the zinfandel from the head. Go to the theater. Get up the next morning and ride The Virginia Creeper Trail, which begins in Abingdon's downtown, to Damascus and back. Here's more info on the Trail and you can rent bikes here near the trail head.

So, inasmuch as the powers-that-be continue to ignore Salt Lick and Jerry's jeremiads against a tourist-based economy for Southwest Virginia, and inasmuch as it's summer and we are supposed to have FUN in summer, Salt Lick urges all you NOVA and Eastern Virginia types to bring your money down and enjoy Virginia's Little Switzerland.

Here's the Barter schedule. Y'all come.

Robert Byrd carnival of bloggers

As long as there is Senator Robert Byrd, we can always say, "Well, at least we're not West Virginia."

"White Mullahs" and "Black Mullahs"

One of the sicknesses that infects todays mainstream media is its penchant for inapt comparison, founded on the premise that there is no right and wrong, no "us" or "them." Recently, for example, both Chris Matthews and Brian Williams have compared terrorist in Iraq to America's founding fathers. Another example dates back to the election of Pope John Paul II:

The Western press gave the Pope extensive coverage [upon his return to Poland in 1979]. Adam Michnik, speaking from the secular left, thought that the Westerners made far too much of what [he] regarded as a bizarre analogy; between the Pope's return to Poland and the Ayatollah Khomeini's return to Iran. It would not, however, be the last time that the press tried to draw analogies between the "white mullah" and the "black mullahs." In "Witness to Hope," by George Weigel.

And by their fruits ye shall know them.

Another opportunity for diversity at the Roanoke Times

The imminent departure of Roanoke Times New River Valley Editorial writer Gerry Davies offers yet another opportunity to the Roanoke Times to broaden its staff's intellectual diversity. Having failed twice with new hires in the past six months to add a conservative or even moderate voice to its editorial staff, the RT continues to display an ideological inflexibility that ill-serves its readership. True knowledge comes from many and diverse voices examining issues together.

Or maybe the thought of looking across that editorial meeting room and seeing someone who disagrees with you is just too much, Tommy. You could always make them use a separate drinking fountain or something.

Roanoke Times provides "balance." Right.

Go to this webpage version of a letter to the editor supporting George Bush and look at the bottom of the page. See the adds for anti-Bush bumper stickers?

Isn't that cute?

Republican out front in protecting property rights

Rep. Goodlatte joins effort to limit Kelo.

THEY DID WHAT?!

(Collegiate Times -- Hard Copy)













Oh. Never mind. (On-line version).

The Bush Revolution continues in the Middle East

Pro-democracy protests in Bahrain.

Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, Roanoke Times editor Dan Radmacher recycled his Arizona Diet Green Tea bottles and felt very good about himself. No cutting and running for him, no sir.