Four quick items for Sunday

Jennifer Neahring. Internet by phone. Subscription Costs. Candidate Expunged.

Click to read editorial

1. Jennifer Neahring endorsed by Bend Bulletin. Their editorial suggests that Neahring is positioning herself toward a moderate position on forests issues ("She doesn't believe the federal government has struck the right balance in managing its public lands to ensure wildfires don't devour any chance to carefully log. She has reservations about the idea of charging for and putting new limits on access to wilderness.")  It is a hint that she is running somewhat more as a centrist, with words like "balance", rather than from the Democratic left flank.

2. The internet has gone mobile.  Desktops are the past, apparently, at least based on the people who read this blog by going to the site:

Readers on a mobile device: 70%

Readers on a desktop:          18%

Readers on a pad                    9%

Other/unknown                        3%    

Renew at 75% off.

The blog now routinely gets over a thousand readers a day.

3  Mail Tribune Subscription Costs.  People call me to report what they pay per year and everyone is different, with most being above $300 if they just pay the bill they are sent. Some pay $440/year to renew.

I thought the huge disparity in pricing for renewing subscribers hurts the Tribune's credibility, and I suggested they create some price discipline so neighbors aren't surprised when they compare notes. At the Pear Blossom Festival the Tribune had a booth selling subscriptions for $110 a year. What about renewals, I asked? The nice people there told me simply to come back every year and renew for $110. Subscribers who are passively trusting that the bill they get in the mail and are paying is the "fair" one likely pay much more than the price paid by "shoppers."  Don't pay more--unless you want to.

4. I expunged all records of a candidate. I have eliminated all references to any Republican opponent of State Senate candidate Jessica Gomez. Feedback I received on prior posts about her opponent left me very uncomfortable. I now consider her to be running un-opposed.