Loved this! Twain has so many good quotes, such as this one for our times: "Truth is stranger than fiction because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities, where 'truth' is not!"
As a verbivore perhaps you can help me make up a much needed new word.
Yesterday, a fox got onto the USC / Arizona State playing field and ran around trying to find a way out. People yelled ‘Save him!’ and ‘Catch him!’ But that’s not right - it may have been a female fox. But ‘Save him or her!’ or ‘Catch him or her!” sure doesn’t get it.
A new word is needed that includes both genders in all contexts. Whatcha think?
I appreciate Mr. Hofmann’s article. Very much, miss the days of a vibrant print media. When I was a kid, the central coast had numerous choices in newspapers. Today, hardly at all. The SB Newspress was once a formidable newspaper. Unfortunately for us,
they seem to have been plagued by mismanagement, labor issues, rising costs and somewhat of a renegade editorial staff.
Other local papers also once had a vibrant presence, LA Times, Ventura Star, Santa Maria Times, Lompoc Record. I delivered the LA Harald Examiner as a kid. The Sunday Edition was a struggle on a bike!
Clearly, newspapers are out and people usually get their local news from their cell phone. The question is; who is reporting the local news? Reporting crime, keeping an eye on local politicians and keeping government honest? It would seem now we are left with sources such as
“The Independent ,” which may be entertaining to some, but is really a left wing, bias, and at times, a nutty rag! “The Angry Poodle,”…really?
It has long been understood here locally that crime and government corruption are under reported if reported at all.
As the old motto goes; “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
Wonderful, Wally. This made me very nostalgic for a time when newspapers and magazines actually had real reporting. We don't have a news media any longer. We have a propaganda machine that goes under different brand names like WaPo, NYT, USA Today. I loved reading the conversation you had with the man about how you wouldn't be able to hide something criminal he did. That's a far cry from the way our news media covered up Hunter Biden's various crimes. And then they all accuse anyone who questions them as trafficking in “misinformation.” There are still courageous reporters - Matt Taibbi, Glenn Greewald, to name two - but I don't think it's a vocation now that can become a vacation. More likely a jail sentence as it did for Julian Assange. But I'd be fascinated to know if you think our news media can ever get back to being what it once was (not that it was perfect) or whether you think places like Substack are where real journalism is possible. Thank you again.
I believe the enormous pendulum of life — including economics, politics, communication, and culture — sways with a consistency and power that no person, or group, can impede. So, yes, we will see, and are seeing, a shift. An informed populace revolution wave is building thanks to independent, open platforms and media outlets, such as X after Musk, and Substack.
Ever since German entrepreneur Johannes Gutenberg invented the moveable type printing press in 1440, and Ben Franklin bought the Pennsylvania Gazette, which was an ailing paper known to be dull and poorly managed, and as we did for Mammoth Lakes with the Mammoth Times in 1987, brave men and women will again provide truthful news, without motive. It’s just become harder and harder to find with the manipulation of social media conglomerates such as Facebook and Google.
I recommend you ignore the deep pocket investors of mainstream legacy media and research as many other niche news sources as possible to find credible and independent information. The reality was famously summarized by the 20th-century American journalist, A. J. Liebling, who wrote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.”
One source I’ve found is 1440, named for the founding of Gutenberg’s 1440 invention, and the 1,440 minutes in each day. I appreciate their straightforward news provided without slant. They also provide a delightful potluck of fun clickbait links for longer reads and audio podcasts.
Maintaining objectivity and independence is a difficult thing to do even as individuals, much less media. But it can be done. Our beliefs run very deep and were forged over years and years of experience and influence.
The key is to set aside your emotionally-driven hallucinations and seek the truth as presented from several points of view.
I read this good and unexpected article by a real Newspaper man Mr. Hofmann and I quote “To the young aspiring Santa Barbara Current reader, I leave you with two more Twain quotes: "If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you’re misinformed." And… "The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation."
Way back when …....... I use to walk out to the end of our dirt road on the farm to get THE NEWSPAPER every day. My father would read it like religion and at the end of our dinner we all were questioned about the days events in our city and across our country. THE NEWSPAPER was our only source of NEWS and it was mandatory we read it. My Grand Parents did exactly the same. And I did the same for my mother, every day when THE NEWSPAPER was thrown on our curb at 6:15 am I was there because my Mother had to have her NEWSPAPER and she would read it all by 10:00am even doing the cross-word-puzzle. My family would cut clips out of THE NEWSPAPER and keep as memories. Those days are gone replaced by the net, social media and fast news times............... where news cycles are measured in minutes and no longer by days. I even like the aroma of the NEWS PRINT in the NEWSPAPER but those days are long gone.......wish they were back like a lot of things now gone including the solid NEWS in the NEWSPAPER where being accurate and true is just a memory.
Hey Wally, how long was your "driveway"? My father's was 6/10 mile, and in northern Minnesota in the Winter time a trek to the mailbox was done on snowshoes. You know the mail was being delivered when you saw the cloud of snow thrown up by the snowplow coming down the road, immediately followed by the mail truck...and the SCHOOL BUS! A 'Snow Day,' what's that?
Our Old Mammoth cabin had a 40' driveway and I enjoyed getting out there at the crack-of-dawn, after a 1-3' snow storm with the snowblower. Just when I finished, invariably, the town's snowplow would speed by and create a 3'x4' snow berm that I would need to dig out by hand because the snow was so heavy (aka Sierra Cement).
At >8000' elevation, the Town of Mammoth Lakes records more than 400" of snow a year with 300+ days of sunshine. I'd say it was a pretty darn'near ideal spot to raise a family, slide on the snow, and run a newspaper.
Btw, Mammoth Lakes is one of the nation's no-home-mail-delivery to this day due to the snowfall. Pick your mail at the local post office was truly a social event of the day. And, one didn't have to give the postal clerk your PO box number -- they knew it!
California Dept of Consumer Affairs does not list anyone with the name Wally Hofmann as a licensed architect. Perhaps you are confusing the difference between a designer and an architect. It's much like an emotional therapist who is not licensed by the State calling themselves a psychiatrist.
Boy Wally Hofmann, You sure know how to tell a story!
Thank you Wally for a wonderful read this morning!
Loved this! Twain has so many good quotes, such as this one for our times: "Truth is stranger than fiction because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities, where 'truth' is not!"
Great post Wally, thank you.
As a verbivore perhaps you can help me make up a much needed new word.
Yesterday, a fox got onto the USC / Arizona State playing field and ran around trying to find a way out. People yelled ‘Save him!’ and ‘Catch him!’ But that’s not right - it may have been a female fox. But ‘Save him or her!’ or ‘Catch him or her!” sure doesn’t get it.
A new word is needed that includes both genders in all contexts. Whatcha think?
It? For a fox anyway.
I appreciate Mr. Hofmann’s article. Very much, miss the days of a vibrant print media. When I was a kid, the central coast had numerous choices in newspapers. Today, hardly at all. The SB Newspress was once a formidable newspaper. Unfortunately for us,
they seem to have been plagued by mismanagement, labor issues, rising costs and somewhat of a renegade editorial staff.
Other local papers also once had a vibrant presence, LA Times, Ventura Star, Santa Maria Times, Lompoc Record. I delivered the LA Harald Examiner as a kid. The Sunday Edition was a struggle on a bike!
Clearly, newspapers are out and people usually get their local news from their cell phone. The question is; who is reporting the local news? Reporting crime, keeping an eye on local politicians and keeping government honest? It would seem now we are left with sources such as
“The Independent ,” which may be entertaining to some, but is really a left wing, bias, and at times, a nutty rag! “The Angry Poodle,”…really?
It has long been understood here locally that crime and government corruption are under reported if reported at all.
As the old motto goes; “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
A nice, uplifting article, It's nice to be reminded of the good aspects of life not to mention the wonderful brilliance of Mark Twain.
Wally, it was wonderful reading an apolitical article in the Current for a change. Thank you.
Wonderful, Wally. This made me very nostalgic for a time when newspapers and magazines actually had real reporting. We don't have a news media any longer. We have a propaganda machine that goes under different brand names like WaPo, NYT, USA Today. I loved reading the conversation you had with the man about how you wouldn't be able to hide something criminal he did. That's a far cry from the way our news media covered up Hunter Biden's various crimes. And then they all accuse anyone who questions them as trafficking in “misinformation.” There are still courageous reporters - Matt Taibbi, Glenn Greewald, to name two - but I don't think it's a vocation now that can become a vacation. More likely a jail sentence as it did for Julian Assange. But I'd be fascinated to know if you think our news media can ever get back to being what it once was (not that it was perfect) or whether you think places like Substack are where real journalism is possible. Thank you again.
Thank you for your kind kudos, Polly.
I believe the enormous pendulum of life — including economics, politics, communication, and culture — sways with a consistency and power that no person, or group, can impede. So, yes, we will see, and are seeing, a shift. An informed populace revolution wave is building thanks to independent, open platforms and media outlets, such as X after Musk, and Substack.
Ever since German entrepreneur Johannes Gutenberg invented the moveable type printing press in 1440, and Ben Franklin bought the Pennsylvania Gazette, which was an ailing paper known to be dull and poorly managed, and as we did for Mammoth Lakes with the Mammoth Times in 1987, brave men and women will again provide truthful news, without motive. It’s just become harder and harder to find with the manipulation of social media conglomerates such as Facebook and Google.
I recommend you ignore the deep pocket investors of mainstream legacy media and research as many other niche news sources as possible to find credible and independent information. The reality was famously summarized by the 20th-century American journalist, A. J. Liebling, who wrote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.”
One source I’ve found is 1440, named for the founding of Gutenberg’s 1440 invention, and the 1,440 minutes in each day. I appreciate their straightforward news provided without slant. They also provide a delightful potluck of fun clickbait links for longer reads and audio podcasts.
Maintaining objectivity and independence is a difficult thing to do even as individuals, much less media. But it can be done. Our beliefs run very deep and were forged over years and years of experience and influence.
The key is to set aside your emotionally-driven hallucinations and seek the truth as presented from several points of view.
The truth will set you free.
Bravo, Wally. Yes, the mighty pendulum does fortunately swing and save us - as long as it doesn't hit you on the way.
Liked the comment if you do something you would prefer not to be in the paper don't do it.
CAB has spent 26 years doing that .... often would have been far easier not to tell the truth.
Great comment letter.
I read this good and unexpected article by a real Newspaper man Mr. Hofmann and I quote “To the young aspiring Santa Barbara Current reader, I leave you with two more Twain quotes: "If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you’re misinformed." And… "The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation."
Way back when …....... I use to walk out to the end of our dirt road on the farm to get THE NEWSPAPER every day. My father would read it like religion and at the end of our dinner we all were questioned about the days events in our city and across our country. THE NEWSPAPER was our only source of NEWS and it was mandatory we read it. My Grand Parents did exactly the same. And I did the same for my mother, every day when THE NEWSPAPER was thrown on our curb at 6:15 am I was there because my Mother had to have her NEWSPAPER and she would read it all by 10:00am even doing the cross-word-puzzle. My family would cut clips out of THE NEWSPAPER and keep as memories. Those days are gone replaced by the net, social media and fast news times............... where news cycles are measured in minutes and no longer by days. I even like the aroma of the NEWS PRINT in the NEWSPAPER but those days are long gone.......wish they were back like a lot of things now gone including the solid NEWS in the NEWSPAPER where being accurate and true is just a memory.
Howard Walther, member of a Military Family
Hey Wally, how long was your "driveway"? My father's was 6/10 mile, and in northern Minnesota in the Winter time a trek to the mailbox was done on snowshoes. You know the mail was being delivered when you saw the cloud of snow thrown up by the snowplow coming down the road, immediately followed by the mail truck...and the SCHOOL BUS! A 'Snow Day,' what's that?
Our Old Mammoth cabin had a 40' driveway and I enjoyed getting out there at the crack-of-dawn, after a 1-3' snow storm with the snowblower. Just when I finished, invariably, the town's snowplow would speed by and create a 3'x4' snow berm that I would need to dig out by hand because the snow was so heavy (aka Sierra Cement).
At >8000' elevation, the Town of Mammoth Lakes records more than 400" of snow a year with 300+ days of sunshine. I'd say it was a pretty darn'near ideal spot to raise a family, slide on the snow, and run a newspaper.
Btw, Mammoth Lakes is one of the nation's no-home-mail-delivery to this day due to the snowfall. Pick your mail at the local post office was truly a social event of the day. And, one didn't have to give the postal clerk your PO box number -- they knew it!
What a great article! Loved your story !
Thank you,
Jerry Shalhoob
Thank you, Jerry. I loved your butcher shops and fresh meats!
Loved the history, Mammoth is a special place. I miss those old days when it was quieter.
Great quote, : "If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you’re misinformed."
California Dept of Consumer Affairs does not list anyone with the name Wally Hofmann as a licensed architect. Perhaps you are confusing the difference between a designer and an architect. It's much like an emotional therapist who is not licensed by the State calling themselves a psychiatrist.