Mon
Jun 4 2012
04:09 pm
for what it's worth
By: Pam Strickland

I'm going to try live tweeting the commission activities today.

@pages12357

Topics:
Treehouse's picture

South Knoxville is rising!

Submitted by Treehouse on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 4:33pm.

Speaking out and taking names! Go SoKno!

alan swartz's picture

Pam

Submitted by alan swartz on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 6:32pm.

You tweeted, "Word is that Burchett is being a jerk about a plan that would bypass a tax increase. He really thinks he's king of the hill."

Knock it off. That is unprofessional.

WhitesCreek's picture

Oh...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 7:30pm.

She's getting paid for this?

GSD's picture

Agreed*

Submitted by GSD on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 7:50pm.

*

a smile away's picture

Jerks are as jerks do

Submitted by a smile away (not verified) on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 9:17pm.

"That guy is an expert on everything."

Sounds like someone might be a little jealous tonight metulj. Being such a a expert yourself. Also Pam needs all the backup that she can get. She thinks her nasty opinions mean something. She has been somewhat jerky lately.

vernon's picture

The vast majority of Knox

Submitted by vernon on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 9:48pm.

The vast majority of Knox count voters think he's doing a great job and yes I speak for them.

Pam Strickland's picture

I'm an opinion writer. That

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 10:22pm.

I'm an opinion writer. That was my opinion. And truth is, I was there completely on my on time. Nobody was paying me.

funny viewer's picture

Nobody was paying me

Submitted by funny viewer (not verified) on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 10:57pm.

Big surprise there!

JCB's picture

"I'm an opinion writer. That

Submitted by JCB (not verified) on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 12:47pm.

"I'm an opinion writer. That was my opinion."

Thanks for sharing. What a ray of sunshine you are. My opinion is you are the bigger jerk.

MikeDonila's picture

I know the mayor has caught

Submitted by MikeDonila (not verified) on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 10:35pm.

I know the mayor has caught some crap for opposing the school system plan. Some of it rightly deserved, some of it not.

But I can tell you with complete authority that, that tweet is BS. I was in the room with the mayor (I was there working on an unrelated story) when the proposal was floated to him electronically. I know what his reaction was and what he said "and he wasn't being a jerk."

Look, I'm not trying to defend the guy, but come on . . . Seriously.

Pam Strickland's picture

Donila, that's your opinion.

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 10:50pm.

Donila, that's your opinion. And as a news reporter you are supposed to be objective, not opinionated. At least that's what they taught me in J-school 100 years ago. The one thing that I truly like about being an opinion writer is that I can be unabashed about my opinion. The one thing that news reporters have forgotten in this modern day and age is that they are supposed to be objective. I thought when you stopped the blog you'd figured that out.

MikeDonila's picture

Whatever Strickland. And

Submitted by MikeDonila (not verified) on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 11:41pm.

Whatever Strickland.
And opinion writers are still supposed to be accurate.

Pam Strickland's picture

Yeah, whatever. Opinion or

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Mon, 2012/06/04 - 11:50pm.

Yeah, whatever. Opinion or no. He even admitted, somewhat backhandedly, later that he being "petulant." Accurate, I was.

Somebody's picture

O.K., seriously, I have no

Submitted by Somebody on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 2:24pm.

O.K., seriously, I have no idea whether or not Burchett was being a jerk about a specific plan or not. He was treading around in waders during his appearance on Hallerin Hill last week, though. Half the time he was obtusely trotting out his bona fides as your everyday neighborhood bubba, and the other half he was either trying to prove it by demonstrating his lack of knowledge with regard to how budgets work, or he was just plain using the airwaves to propagate misleading information.

That's not why I'm piping up here, though. Pam Strickland was tweeting on her own time, so good for her. Her opinions are her own, and she has a right to them as much as anyone else who vents their thoughts into the ether. The truth is, though, that she is exactly what Rush Limbaugh's call screeners look for when they want to "accidentally" let a liberal through to talk to the big cheese himself.

As a columnist, her opinions are too often insufficiently informed and poorly formulated. As a writer, she clearly has a desperate ongoing need for an editor to closely review all of her output, which makes it painfully funny when she lectures someone else about what she learned in "J-school," and fairly frightening when she makes reference to "teaching" journalism students. Many liberals around here circle the wagons on her behalf because she's on their team, but wow. I guess maybe she really is a good pairing with Greg Johnson on the KNS opinion pages.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 2:35pm.

Don't mind me--I'm just passing through voting for everybody's hidden posts so the next passer-by won't have such trouble following the conversation...

Pam Strickland's picture

Dear Somebody and all the

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 3:57pm.

Dear Somebody and all the rest of you folks who are using screen names: Like my opinion or not, disagree with me, believe that I need to go back and reformulate or whatever other way that you decide that you want to criticize what I have said, at least I've put my name on my opinion and I've put it out there. And at least I've been very clear about why I think the way that I think. I'm direct and to the point. My mama taught me to do that, and to do so without shame. The Interwebs would be a better place if the rest of you would stop hiding behind your fake names and pseudo identities.

alan swartz's picture

.

Submitted by alan swartz on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 4:12pm.

"And at least I've been very clear about why I think the way that I think."

No you haven't. No you don't. You are probably worse at explaining things than anyone writing for a living in Knoxville. Most people can explain things concisely without involving their mom, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and J-school. Betty Bean you aren't. Hell, you're not even Cari Gervin. Who doesn't get much love either but at least she can write some. You and Cari should pitch a show to Oxygen cable. A new reality show about unappreciated, underpaid, under-loved female "journalists". You could say J-school a lot. That could be your hook.

R. Neal's picture

What's your hook? Being a

Submitted by R. Neal on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 4:15pm.

What's your hook? Being a dick?

A SMILE AWAY's picture

My mama taught me to do that

Submitted by A SMILE AWAY (not verified) on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 5:06pm.

PAM,

Are you so DESPERATE FOR ATTENTION, for your LITTLE LIGHT TO SHINE, that you hide behind the right of expression to poison others minds? Maybe you can bake a pie for the poor or TAKE A NAP instead. Far better to spend that time learning to be kind instead. If you are driven by demons of contempt, that being a great crime, then please PUT YOUR POISON PEN WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE.

CathyMcCaughan's picture

Suddenly, I miss the vote

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 5:31pm.

Suddenly, I miss the vote down buttons.

Rachel's picture

Got a problem with Pam (or

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 7:09pm.

Got a problem with Pam (or anyone else individually), take it outside.

We're tired of the personal attacks.

JCB's picture

We're tired of the personal attacks

Submitted by JCB (not verified) on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 7:28pm.

"Got a problem with Pam (or anyone else individually), take it outside. We're tired of the personal attacks."

This started with a unwarranted unsubstantiated personal attack from Pam on Tim. You do get that, right?

Rachel's picture

The Mayor is a public figure.

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 7:50pm.

The Mayor is a public figure. Pam expressed an opinion about him. Perhaps it could have been expressed more tactfully, and you may or may not agree with it.

So an argument about whether or not the Mayor acted well would be appropriate. But this thread isn't about that any more; it's turned into a Pam bashing thread.

You don't like what Pam said; in fact, some of you seem to not like Pam, period. We get that. Nobody needs to say it again. It's unattractive and it's boring.

Just cut it out.

READER's picture

Expressed more tactfully

Submitted by READER (not verified) on Tue, 2012/06/05 - 10:44pm.

COME ON NOW...... REAPING WHAT YOU SOW. Pam has been throwing those mean opinions of hers around for some time. Looks like shes been called out now. She can defend herself. Or maybe she can stop being so hateful all the time. GLASS HOUSE AND ALL.

Pam Strickland's picture

I don't mind if people don't

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Wed, 2012/06/06 - 1:52pm.

I don't mind if people don't like me. I've gotten used to it since my byline has been on news stories since I was in junior high. Many people blame the messenger.

And, honestly, I don't pay attention to anything if the person doesn't have the guts to put their name on it. Yes, occasionally, I get frustrated at those who spread lies for no good reason. That's why I've all but stopped ready the comments at knoxnews.com. I prefer informed discussion.

Now I'm off to write this week's column. Then I've got family coming in. We're marrying off the next to the youngest of the 22 first cousins on Saturday. I plan on concentrating on love and laughter the next week. Y'all can do whatever you want.

READER's picture

I've all but stopped ready the comments

Submitted by READER (not verified) on Wed, 2012/06/06 - 10:34am.

More of that J school learning ?

sam colbert's picture

Did you mean marrying ?

Submitted by sam colbert (not verified) on Wed, 2012/06/06 - 11:35am.

'We're marring off the next to the youngest of the 22 first cousins on Saturday."

Marring means to inflict damage, especially disfiguring damage.

Sounds like a insult or threat to the couple Pam. Maybe you should rethink that statement. Just in case they read your post and want to feel that love and laughter with you.

Rachel's picture

Sounds like a insult or

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2012/06/06 - 2:49pm.

Sounds like a insult or threat to the couple Pam. Maybe you should rethink that statement. Just in case they read your post and want to feel that love and laughter with you.

Maybe you should learn what typos are. And autocorrect.

And BTW, I've asked nicely and it didn't work, so now - STFU.

Randy - I think maybe it's time to close comments on this thread.

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