Woman Shot By Dart Gun

2 Injured Drivers Cited Following Collision

Sunday, January 05, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 4 





If you throw enough stones, you'll shatter your glass house &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I've avoided writing about this several times because it involves a fellow
journalist who works for the competition. It also involves personnel matters, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; which makes it even touchier in most folks' booksSo I've got a few
disclaimers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 To start, I think the Standard-Speaker is a decent community newspaper with
hard-working people who do the best job they can. When I first started in this
business I developed respect for Speaker veteran Jeff Cox. I thought he was a
good writer and a fair reporter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I've also enjoyed the brief conversations I had with Jeff on the rare
occasions we both covered the same public meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When the Speaker gave Jeff his own column, I thought they had made a good
decision. I did lampoon Jeff's column-writing style once, but he was only one
of several columnists I spoofed, including some from our paper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I have no need or desire to critique Jeff's columns here, but I think it's
time to add a little perspective to his persistent habit of taking shots at
our paper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The attacks started shortly after Jeff's column debuted in September 1995,
but they seem to have grown steadily harsher, with comments made in his last
two columns arguably the meanest. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If it were anyone else at the Speaker other than Jeff taking the shots, I'd
have nothing to write about. Opinions help make the world go around. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But Jeff's attacks are, bluntly, hypocritical. Not too long ago he wanted
to work for our paper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jeff went through several interviews, took the mandatory drug test, and
settled on a salary. He agreed to work in the Hazleton Bureau, writing for the
Hazleton Extra. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then -- coincidentally, I'm sure -- the Standard-Speaker honchos decided
they needed to create the brand new position of "associate editor." They
printed a fuzzy job description and offered the title to Jeff. Jeff promptly
decided to stay with the Speaker. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jeff then seemed to increase the harshness of his attacks on our paper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So when Jeff, in his Dec. 29 column, wrote that our paper has failed to
find a "niche" in the Hazleton Area, it's worth noting he agreed to work side
by side with all of us other niche-less reporters here in the Hazleton Bureau. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And when he wrote, in his Dec. 22 column, that The Times Leader has failed
to achieve its goal of "becoming the Mother of All Luzerne County newspapers,"
it's worth noting he agreed to be part of that failure. Incidentally, last
time I checked, The Times Leader had the highest circulation in the county. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jeff made two separate comments about a free advertising deal we offered in
the Hazleton Extra. On Dec. 22 he referred to "fruitless free-advertising
gimmicks." The following week he accused us of using free ads to make our
paper look like a credible sales tool. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We certainly did offer free ads in the Extra for a few weeks. But Jeff's
decision to chastise us for running free ads seems doubly hypocritical. Not
only did Jeff agree to work for a paper that would offer free ads, he already
works for a paper that used a free "gimmick" itself. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A brief history: Speaker introduces new Sunday Edition. Speaker fails to
get half its daily subscribers to actually pay to subscribe to the Sunday
edition. Speaker decides to boost Sunday circulation by giving the Sunday
paper to all the daily subscribers for "free." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jeff also accused us of selling "hatred, misinformation and idle gossip." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm not criticizing Jeff's decision to look for a new career opportunity at
our paper. Switching jobs is practically an American pastime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And if he changed his mind at the last minute, that's a right we all have. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even the worst scenario is palatable. If Jeff was just playing one paper
off the other to get a promotion, I don't have a major problem with that. I
wouldn't do it, but it's not the mother of all deceits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And Jeff is certainly entitled to fire salvos at our paper whenever he
wants. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But he's blasted us enough times since seeking a job here that I honestly
think it's fair to expose the platform from which he launches his assaults. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mark Guydish &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If You Throw Enough Stones, You'll Shatter Your Glass House 
I've Avoided Writing About This Several Times Because It Involves A Fellow 
Journalist Who Works For The Competition. It Also Involves Personnel Matters, 
Which Makes It Even Touchier In Most Folks' Books.

If You Throw Enough Stones, You'll Shatter Your Glass House I've Avoided Writing About This Several Times Because It Involves A Fellow Journalist Who Works For The Competition. It Also Involves Personnel Matters, Which Makes It Even Touchier In Most Folks' Books.