Readers Write

I couldn't tell you why, but traffic to this little blog is up over 40% since the first of the year. Maybe it was the Inauguration, maybe the emerging congressional races, maybe the syndication with Gannett's Freehold.InJersey. Maybe it's because Conservatives with Ineptitude thinks I've lost my mind because I called Steve Lonegan out on his destructive bloviating. For whatever the reason, welcome new readers.

We're hearing from a lot of new commenters. Consider reading the comments and jumping in, if you are not already.

I'm also getting more emails, some from old friends, some from new friends. Got a topic you'd like discussed here, a complaint or a cause to promote? Contact me at artvg at aol .com.

Here's my favorite email of the week; a complaint about of all things the news links on the sidebar and what they say about my preference for a congressional candidate in CD 6:

-----Original Message-----
From: D K
To: artvg at aol .com
Sent: Wed, Jan 27, 2010 6:40 am
Subject: Newspapers

Reading your list of "approved" Monmouth County papers, there are two
glaring omissions: The Monmouth Journal and Tri City News.

The fact that the vapid embarrassment of the Two River Times made your list
makes me think you'll be pulling for Gooch in D-6. I guess, in the end,
money really can buy you anything. And we all know how well that went for
Corzine...

and my response:

Hi D K,

My News links have been on the blog since before the Monmouth Journal was on the scene. I know that the Tri-City News does not publish online, which is why it is not linked. I enjoy the Tri-City News and have written about it. http://moremonmouthmusings.blogspot.com/search?q=TriCity . Dan Jacobs' brilliant business model does not include the Internet.

Regarding The Monmouth Journal, it is a nice local paper. I didn't know it had a website until I got your email and looked for it. To be honest, based on alexis.com and my experience of the print edition, I think MoreMonmouthMusings has a broader reach than the paper does. We cover different interests.

I also don't link the New York Times or my friend Vin's Monitor newspapers. Don't read to much into those links.

As far as who I will support in CD 6, all I know at this point is that it won't be Frank Pallone. No one has declared a candidacy. I know Bill Barham and Mary Pat Angelini. Either would be better than Pallone. I don't know Diane Gooch, but she was nice enough to respond to my email about her interest in the race. That makes her more responsive than Frank Pallone.

Thanks for reading and writing. Please come back often.

Art