The paper has a section called "Happenings," where selected concert listings are printed. Wondering if Ratt is coming to Connecticut? Afraid that looking such information up online will put you on a "can you believe this guy is interested in going to see Ratt?" list? Look no further than "Happenings." They are ... wait for it ... happening, man! Don't you worry your pretty little head over nothing, baby! "Happenings" is gonna take care of you. (No offense to Ratt. I actually really dug them when I was a kid.)
Anyway, back to the present.
While perusing "Happenings" the other day, I noticed that there was a listing for the Chickenfoot concert that is happening (get it? Happening!) next week at Mohegan Sun. The listing looked like this:
Chickenfoot featuring Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and more
That made me wonder, "Who is more?" How many other guys can make up a band called Chickenfoot?
The answer? One. Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers (hey, I hear they're from California or something). One name. And the News didn't print it.
So, essentially, the News must have decided that the extra five letters in Smith's last name were just too much. Sorry, Smith, we can't fit you in. Instead, you will be known as "more." No hard feelings.
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Meanwhile, over at West Hartford Life, it appears as if someone may be drinking the Kool-Aid that used to filter through the pipes at the News. How else can one describe the following headline and opening paragraph:
First Max Muscle Opens Here
When Max Muscle opened its doors at 968 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford on July 1, it became the state's first and only Max Muscle Sports Nutrition store. This new store concept provides customers an in-store experience centered on the Max Muscle Information Center, featuring flat-screen televisions.What is this Information Center? Who cares! There are FLAT-SCREEN televisions!
Seriously, though, how can that headline pass through an editor unscathed? "Opens Here?" Really? Then we have the overabundance of "Max Muscle" and "store." There are less than 50 words in that opening paragraph. "Max Muscle" and "store" both appear 3 times. That's a tad extreme, no?
But the author did cover the Five Ws (plus an added sixth): who, what, where, when, why, and what the hell are you trying to tell me here?
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2 comments:
While you're blog caught my eye through an internet key word agent, it seems you're more just pissed off about moving versus have anything to really say. Smaller local papers don't have the talent (true) of your Boston background, so rather than passively sitting back and complaining about things, why don't you walk through the door of Max Muscle and comment on that. You might actual experience West Hartford and enjoy it.
Ouch, Anonymous. Actually, if you peruse the blog, you'll see there are lots of positive things I've said about the local area. There are some great restaurants around here, and places like Elizabeth Park are really quite something. There are also some great community events that take place all the time.
Though I may be cynical (though I doubt I'm quite as cynical as most), I'm really not angry about having moved (and, honestly, if someone is angry a full year after moving somewhere, well, there are plenty of therapists out there that can help). Sorry if poking fun at local papers doesn't give you a chuckle. And as far as being from Boston is concerned, there are even worse examples of poor newspapers there. Every neighborhood has one, and sometimes they have the same goofy mistakes.
However, the fact that you assume a smaller town (if you can call a population of 60,000+ small) would lack the same intelligent, creative, talented minds as a larger city may show some cynicism on your part, no?
So, sorry if I've somehow disappointed you, Anonymous (though, since you don't know me and apparently spent a whopping 1:30 on the blog before writing your comment - Statcounter is a wonderful application - I'm not terribly sure where such venom came from). It is true that I may be a bit too harsh. But I think all I'm doing is pointing out strange things I come across while living in this town. Lucky for you I have a positive post planned for the (very) near future.
Good luck, Anonymous. No hard feelings. I can take my bumps with the best of them.
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