gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : Neighbors not happy with start of construction on CEMAR Trail

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 01:34:32 +0000

I wish I lived that close to the trail system.

GazetteOnline.com : ATM skimmer found at Marion bank

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 01:33:28 +0000

I may be mistaken, but I think these things have memory, but no transmitting capability. The person who installed it needs to return and retrieve it and then download the captured data. If I'm correct, the bank and police department would have been better off leaving it in place and watching and then arresting whoever came and got it. As it is now, they have the device and some photos of a guy using the ATM, but nothing to positively connect the two (unless there is more to the story than reported which isn't unusual). The real solution to this nationwide problem is to change the ATM network so that each card doesn't have to store the account number, account holder's name, expiration date, and (poorly) encrypted PIN.

GazetteOnline.com : Iowa's Binns arrested for drunken driving (with Ferentz statement)

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:23:42 +0000

The paperwork is the most interesting part of the story. The Iowa Official Athletic Site, www.hawkeyesports.com, lists Binns as 6'2" 261 lbs. The paperwork above indicates that Binns has lost 21 lbs and 2-inches. Either that or the athletic department inflates their player numbers. That said, it was an incredibly stupid move by Binns to get himself into this situation.

GazetteOnline.com : Cedar Rapids library time capsule to be removed, opened

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:10:04 +0000

How many tax dollars is this going to cost? Just bulldoze it and be done with it! We need to go after the stupid Historic Preservation Commission! Did I miss anything? I know all you anti-history jackholes have been busy throwing tantrums about the possibility of saving something that's truly historically significant for Cedar Rapids so I figured I'd try and help out and get your comments in here for you.

GazetteOnline.com : Non-profit center, IowaWatch, launches with report on fall missing person tragedy

Sat, 29 May 2010 16:41:15 +0000

"News consumers should be the winners here because of the focus on journalism." Exactly. Thank you for publishing this story both online and in print. And thank you for informing me of IowaWatch.org. I'm glad there is still someone locally concerned with journalism. Steve Buttry tried his best to abandon "journalism" and instead simply publish "retweets." He made progress toward that goal while at the Gazette. I hope that this is one of many stories that move towards undoing that mistake and returning to examples of why the Gazette can be a trusted source of information in the community. Thanks again for publishing this.

GazetteOnline.com : Grants awarded to study Sinclair smokestack

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 13:21:32 +0000

While I'm glad the Historic Preservation Commission is making progress on learning what preservation of the smokestack would entail and require, I'm disappointed that they waited until days before demolition was to be scheduled. Where was the H.P.C. for the previous years? Why ignore the structure until now? The city has owned this property for quite awhile now. Please learn from this fiasco and try to be a bit more proactive with the next structure that should be studied for preservation. Don't wait until the last minute. It doesn't make anyone involved look like he or she knows what's going on.

GazetteOnline.com : Play the Hlog's Bowl Contest, win valuable prizes!

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:56:53 +0000

Temple Nebraska Navy Connecticut Ohio State Texas 265 Yards Thanks for the contest.

GazetteOnline.com : Gold medalist will be wearing her Hawkeye gold this week

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 02:37:12 +0000

Wouldn't she have to actually finish high school to be accepted to the university? I may be mistaken, but I believe the last I read she had no plans to do so. Which may explain her choice in teams to cheer for....

GazetteOnline.com : Is it hard to find news on GazetteOnline

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 09:48:00 +0000

I think at a minimum GazetteOnline should post every story that appears in the print edition. Then add the "breaking news" that happens throughout the day.

GazetteOnline.com : Is it hard to find news on GazetteOnline

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 09:44:21 +0000

I saw this story a couple days ago at a time when I didn't have the opportunity to give input. I e-mailed myself a link. When time did present itself for me to comment I could not find the article, either by manually scrolling through the lists of stories or by using the search function at the top right of the page. If I hadn't had the link in an e-mail message I would not have found the story again. Most of the right hand side bar is also unused, and after looking at each item (so that I know what I'm commenting on) I doubt I will ever use anything in that column, with the exception of "Recent Comments." I have used that in the past, and will continue to look to it in the future. I can be annoying though as comments will sometimes appear there, but not actually appear on the page with the story they refer to. I'm not sure if comments appear in the "Recent Comments" section without going through the approval process, or if something else is the issue. I do hope the Gazette succeeds as a print newspaper and as an online companion. I appreciate the opportunity to give feedback.

GazetteOnline.com : Is it hard to find news on GazetteOnline

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 09:18:41 +0000

The ad at the top of the page is easily eliminated using Firefox and the AdBlock Plus extension. I saw your comment and one from Sensible above and I had to turn off ad blocking to see what was going on. I quickly resumed blocking the ads. You're correct, it is annoying. Also, you're correct about the BlockTalk feature. It's an unused waste of bandwidth.