J. TODD FOSTER: Bear With Us Through Obituary Format Changes
What’s the most important part of any newspaper?
As much as I’d love to tell you the answer is investigative local stories, it’s not. It’s the obituaries.
And lately, I’ve heard from several of you readers that our new obituary format – let me sum up the consensus – “sucks,” although we’ve made some changes, so it should suck less now than it did two weeks ago.
I probably should have warned you a few weeks ago that our obituary format would be changing, so consider this column better late than never.
First, some fundamentals: The newsroom has no oversight over the obituaries. Like the practice at most papers, our obituaries are bought and paid for by surviving family members, so the obituary column here is under the purview of our classified advertising section. However, our classifieds personnel had nothing to do with the format change either.
That change is owed to a new computer system instituted by our Richmond-based corporation.
I won’t bore you with the details, but the bottom line is this: The typefaces available to us for obituaries do not include our typical body type of Nimrod. And no, I’m not making that up. In fact, you’re reading this column in Nimrod. Some of you might believe you’re reading a column written by a nimrod in Nimrod.
I like the typeface Nimrod because it is so readable. According to ascenderfonts.com, “Released by Monotype in 1980, Nimrod™ Family was designed to take advantage of contemporary newspaper technology. After extensive research into the needs of the newspaper industry, British designer Robin Nicholas came up with his hardy and highly legible solution. Nimrod Family retains characteristics of classic Ionic newspaper types, but tones down the details in favor of a more neutral design. Nimrod’s carefully-shaped letterforms make dense amounts of text easier to read. The sturdy typeface holds up to the wear-and-tear of modern newspaper production and high-speed printing. Nimrod Family has been employed by a number of newspapers and other text-heavy publications, including London’s ‘Guardian’ near the end of the twentieth century and the 1990 edition of the ‘Concise Oxford English Dictionary’. Although text legibility was Nimrod’s original claim to fame, the typeface has an appealing character when used for display work. Character Set: Latin-1, WGL Pan-European (Eastern Europe, Cyrillic, Greek and Turkish).”
While the current body type for the obituaries is no Nimrod, it’s still a fairly readable font called tpoynterGothicText. Quite honestly, it’s the best font available to us through this new computer software system, whose chief aim is to put all Media General properties on the same technological platform.
We ask that you give the new obituary format your open mind and a few weeks to see if it grows on you.
Truthfully, we can’t scrap the new format, but there’s no reason why we can’t further tweak it.
And while the newsroom would love to have oversight over the obituaries, there is one huge advantage in having it be a reader-paid service: You can pretty much extol any kind of virtue on the deceased without a fact check.
J. Todd Foster is managing editor of the Bristol Herald Courier and can be reached at or (276) 645-2513.
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http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/from_the_dogtrot_you_have_the_right_/sports/5223/
FROM THE DOGTROT: You have the right ...
Mark Sage
Washington County News: Living >
Fri May 15, 2009 - 10:44 AM
By DIANE JOHNSON
Who deserves constitutional rights? Who has entitlement to the bill of rights?
Who has access to the legal system? We know the answer; we all do. Everybody, you and me, todo el mundo, friends, neighbors, and most importantly, people we don’t like or agree with. There is much talk about bringing “freedom” to people in foreign countries. Freedom begins here at home and we need to be vigilant to protect the freedoms we have.
A recent piece by Dan Gilbert in our daily paper indicated that there are people who want to erode our rights; and I’m talking here locally. The article was about Patrick Mannix, considered by some to be a real pain in the neck. I have met and talked with Mannix on a number of occasions. I like him. He has always been very polite and cordial. He’s smart as a whip and I’m impressed by his depth of knowledge about legal issues. He studies and reads. He frequently raises interesting thought-provoking questions. Do I agree with him on his issues? Sometimes. Sometimes I don’t agree with his stance; but he has every right to be heard. There is not a quota for how many lawsuits one can file. Gilbert’s piece talked about Mannix feeling he had been discriminated against by a radio station refusing to take his calls. I personally think that discrimination occurs when it is on the basis of race, sex, religion, etc. Mannix may have experienced unfair treatment and I’m not certain that such is actionable. That’s for a third party to decide; either through mediation or the court system. It is not something to be decided with a fistfight, slashed tires or assorted other unsavory behaviors. Pat Mannix is going about seeking a resolution correctly. Unlike so many others, in our region, he is attempting to resolve the situation non-violently. And he has every right to do so. As citizens, we must ensure that his rights are protected. By protecting him, we protect ourselves.
It is for this reason that I was especially shocked to learn that Judge Isaac St. Clair Freeman was trying to prevent Mannix from filing ANY cause of action (lawsuits) in this circuit without permission from the court. Judge Freeman is kidding I’m certain. At least, I hope this is a joke. He wants to “pre-screen” any legal action by Mannix. Not only do I think this is unethical, I agree that the Judicial Review Commission should investigate. While they’re at it, I encourage them to look at a number of his behaviors including his ignoring courtroom procedure. Freeman had denied our daily paper’s request to photograph the hearing without adhering to proper procedure or stating a reason for the denial. Courts should go above and beyond what’s necessary to insure impartiality and Freeman’s demeanor, I think, indicates a bias against Mannix. Freeman’s behavior changed the focus of the legal actions Mannix had begun. Patrick is entitled to a fair trial, as we all are. This is not the first time that issues have surfaced about Freeman’s judicial conduct or demeanor. I personally observed him demand a defendant give a Social Security number orally to a crowded courtroom. Both federal and Virginia code prohibits Social Security numbers being used for identification. In this day, it is also unsafe and instances of identity fraud are common. Freeman placed the defendant’s privacy and security in jeopardy.
Is Freeman the only judge whose behavior comes into question? Not on your life. What about the personal relationships that exist between judges and parties involved in legal proceedings? It goes on. One plaintiff threatened a defendant that the judge was his personal friend, and that there was no way for him to lose his case. Was it any surprise that this plaintiff got everything he wanted….some say handed to him on a silver platter. Another ongoing questionable relationship occurred with a local judge and a local attorney who frequently visited Las Vegas (together) to go gambling. This judge continued to hear cases with this attorney. We need to monitor our judges just like we should monitor our elected officials. Probably more so. They can’t be voted out of office. Therefore inappropriate or unethical behavior should be reported to one’s legislator or the Judicial Review Commission for proper investigation. We can’t have rights apply to a select group. If there is a problem with the court systems being overworked and crowded, address those issues rationally. Don’t deal with it by attempting to violate citizens’ rights. Then we all lose.
msrose49.
Please accept my appology for my remarks. I agree totally with your statement and I to said what has the comments “byteme” made have to do with Todd’s editorial.
I get a little sick of this clown, byteme or whom ever it is, taking every chance to inject his or her owe personal, unrelated comments to every article published by BHC, Todd Foster and his Staff.
Again my appologies to you for my actions and I’ll not engage this “Critic” any futher on this issue.
Todd, the Obits are improving weekly. I’m glad they are once again in alphabetical order. The Obits are the most important part of the Newspaper to my aging parents, maybe it will also be mine someday if I live to be their age.
Keep up the good work with the BHC and have a Taco on me…
Oh! is it the WRONG CASE!,WRONG COURT!, WRONG JUDGE!. How many cases did Manixx have where a Judge fined him $10,000 plus. Give us a list so we can keep track of the taxpayer’s money he has wasted.
Look fool, leave my family out of this.
I am confused and I am sure Mr. Foster is amused (hey that rhymes!)
What in the holy Hades does the Editorial he wrote on the typeface in obituaries have to do with all of this crap? Is there not a blog or other site you people can use?
Mr. Foster: I have noticed the difference in the obits and I can read it much better. Yes it does need a bit of “tweaking” but it seems a lot of things (and people) could do with a bit of “tweaking” (or maybe they are already “tweakers”? Who knows).
WRONG CASE!
WRONG COURT!
WRONG JUDGE!
Did your mother have any children that lived?
What a phukkin’ maroon!!!!!!!!!!!
By Daniel Gilbert
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: July 31, 2009
Mannix, 0. Bookkeepers, 1.
That is one way of reading the verdict in Pat Mannix’s latest legal battle – a fraud claim against the bookkeeper of a law firm that successfully defended a client he sued.
Ruling that Susan Doss, the bookkeeper for Elliott, Lawson & Minor, is immune from civil liability, a general district court judge last week dismissed Mannix’s $15,000 suit.
The original cause of Mannix’s fraud complaint is rooted in a different lawsuit – a 2007 claim against a radio talk show host – that left him defeated and owing more than $10,000 to Elliott, Lawson & Minor.
Now he finds himself in much the same place: dismissed with prejudice, encumbered with a lien on his property, and utterly undaunted.
There it is fool. Have any other questions?
Seriously, get some help, maybe go outside and get some fresh air. It will do you good!
Next ?:
Post the article… sheepdip!
What? You can’t find it?
Next ? moron… step up please!
_________________________________
ald1:
Save your prayers for the Judge!
Subject: Judge Freeman’s arrest for public intoxication
Fax to: Donald R. Curry, Esq. - JIRC
(804) 371-0650
From:
Re: Judge Isaac St. Clair Freeman
Did Judge Freeman’s responses to a questionnaire he had submitted to legislators in applying for a judgeship include an arrest for public intoxication at the Fiddlers Convention one year?
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/-TRI_2008_03_31_0013/7866/
“In December 2002, Baker learned that the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission was investigating his responses to a questionnaire he had submitted to legislators in applying for a judgeship.“
Bless your heart byteme. It must be a sad life having so much time on your hands. I’ll pray for you.
I would say “you bite me” but I don’t want to risk the chance of getting a disease like HIV, AIDS or Mad Cow, ect.
Look Idiot, an article in the BHC said the Judge in that case said that if this, dead beat, public nuisance, didn’t pay his fine of $10,000 by a specified date, judgement for the people “it” sued, the Judge would have “it” incarcerated, that’s “jailed” stupid.
I didn’t jerk your string or tug at your leash but you did mine. So for that, ByteMe or whom ever you are, to me, you are worse than a “moron” you are a cancer to the gene pool on life sustaining, living organisms.
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