A Thousand Reporters in the Naked City Suburb

All of the above is why we love the Barista!!

somehow i doubt your posts on the underground explosion will in any way be a "collective challenge to power" of the traditional media. way to pat yourselves on the back, though. Someone like Phil Reed can’t just go to the scene, get a bunch of quotes, and post a story immediately. He has to research, get facts and get those facts confirmed, which takes some time. You guys, on the other hand, will post anything a “tipster” sends you, regardless of the tip’s veracity.

Kudos on The New Yorker mention, although it's a shame that the writer focused on that silly GRHS post about hazing. Nice to get a mention, though!

Kudos on The New Yorker mention, although it's a shame that the writer focused on that silly GRHS post about hazing. Nice to get a mention, though!

awwwwww!
Congrats on your mention :)

BTW, know what you mean
re. The WaterCooler. I tried to comment on a plumber who doubles as a pastry chef at nite and teaches Italian but the comment was sent back :(

Basically, how would we know what is going on in our town(s)without you?
You are a valuable source of what is really happening. The post above is mean-spirited. Please keep up your good work.

That's because he (horrors!) did not live in Montclair, JT. :-)

That's because he (horrors!) did not live in Montclair, JT. :-)

I'm curious what Nicholas Lemann would make of lasermikey, speaking of "community service."

Otherwise, okay, congrats, with great caveats about credibility re posts and the susceptibility of many posters (including those suddenly lining up behind Mr. Mattox and sharpening their pitchforks).

I was surprised that the news channels discussed the incident as over heated man holes blew, due to the heat is what caused the electical outage. when in fact, in town, officials debriefed the problem as a transformer that set underground wires ablaze. So, the moral of the story is, the local "tipster" rules. Thanks Barista!

BTW....Miss Martta - I loved your downward dog comment!!! It made me laugh out loud!

cathar, Darling, must you kick the dog everytime you come into the house?

I was surprised that the news channels discussed the incident as over heated man holes blew, due to the heat is what caused the electical outage. when in fact, in town, officials debriefed the problem as a transformer that set underground wires ablaze. So, the moral of the story is, the local "tipster" rules. Thanks Barista!

I was surprised that the news channels discussed the incident as over heated man holes blew, due to the heat is what caused the electical outage. when in fact, in town, officials debriefed the problem as a transformer that set underground wires ablaze. So, the moral of the story is, the local "tipster" rules. Thanks Barista!

lol lol !
mmmm wonder if Stepehn Colber(t) reported about it!!!!!!!
(on the scene) Stepehn Colber(t) here!

Thanks, Anne...the whole concept of yoga bootcamp had me howling.

Almost as funny as an ad for a "Sushi Making Class for Kids" posted at Whole Foods. I kid you not, no pun intended.

Self-praise is no recommendation.

Self-praise is no recommendation.

Thanks, Anne...the whole concept of yoga bootcamp had me howling.

Almost as funny as an ad for a "Sushi Making Class for Kids" posted at Whole Foods. I kid you not, no pun intended.

Brian Lehrer's WNYC program just had a segment on how the "big media" often has a similar viewpoint from which local news media often differ.

News media in Lebanon often present a much different view of the activities on the ground than the international CNN, Fox, and Israeli and Arab media show.

That's the same thing here. The Bangz quotes are a local story with people we may know, not just color around a PSEG heat related story.

great post Deb, but watch out, "concerned," or is he "confused" citizen will come here are make disparaging
remarks?
in the form of questions?
because you dissed his beloved watercooler.
Or maybe he'll cleverly out another formerly anonomous poster.

Dear "thinking of England," the answer is generally yes given the identity of the dog and his perpetually wet coat. And don't call me "darling," it won't help.

(You probably also don't have to close your eyes when you "think of England," either, it probably won't take that long. Particularly if you, ah, lie down with dogs.)

cathar,
My post was meant to gently chide, never to offend. Your point is taken about the 'wet coat.'

As far as how long things take, well, that's really not up to me.

It's almost noon, and you know what that means. Maybe you should start early today.

Glad to hear you'll be challenging the powers that be. Now all you need is a White House correspondent, a Baghdad bureau chief, someone on the ground in Lebanon, etc etc.

The sun is not nearly over the yardarm, thinking of England. Though in a "Hagar the Horrible" strip when a crewmember said just that, a thirsty Hagar simply chopped the mast down altogether.

As for how long things take, my impression on either "side" where the Brits are often concerned is that things generally move along rather briskly. Nor did I make any presumptions whatsoever with regard to your gender, as it happens. That in part is due to my impression of standard British procedure in these areas, but perhaps I've read too much Alan Sillitoe.

What I should have said first, Barista, is that your site really is something special, and I wish you all the best in making it even better. Your original reporting on yesterday's local news is commendable. Congratulations.

Great coverage as always. Couldn't get to my car this morning. Checked out the site, and quickly found out why half the streets in my are were closed off.

The first place I went for updates was Baristanet!

Tattler's smug assertion that old media have to do so much fact-checking before publishing is belied every day by blatant errors in the old media.

tattler's doubts about the blogging challenge to traditional news sound like the same things said in the past about the durability of classified advertising -- yet along came Craig's List and ebay: one old media cash cow now dry.

When the big storm came through, my family was unaware of it because they do not watch local news.

I told them all to visit this site for more information! I loved the fact that this site was available because I live right in the area where it all came down and saw the fire and the firetrucks. Came home, checked Barista and became informed. I checked the Montclair Times for information. I checked the Star Ledger. Nada.

It does take time to check and verify, but the main reason traditional media is so slow is because it's just built that way.

Don't wrench your back out patting yourself on it.

I agree with Lehmann that some Web-based content like Yahoo's Hot Zone articles by Kevin Sites or the BBC's Web-only multimedia content, sidebars, forums, interactive graphics, etc., are worthy of note, but more fitting is his description of sites like
Montclair's own Baristanet as glorified church bullitens or Op-Ed pieces. With the exception of occasional eyewitness pieces (like Debbie Galant's pieces on an underground fire today that were long on photos and first-person description but very, very short on anything but the official-announcement-based reporting that the Web community so often decries. We get a statement from Ed Remsen and a statement from a PSE&G liaison. Worse, we don't even get an idea of how this is going to affect the morning commute or businesses the next day -- essential info in a town like Montclair.

Is this a leap above the crap weekly that covers the town? Absolutely. Is this a step above AP coverage, which didn't have nearly as much detail? Yes. Is it on par with CBS2 and MY9 coverage at 10 p.m., which had the same muddled details and streeters? Sure. Does it lag behind the coverage already posted by the Ledger on NJ.com, which has the real number of cusomers left without power (2,500 is a bit more that 1,500 – this is why papers have things like editors and fact-checkers), talks to more people than just officials and actually prints the cause of the explosions? Though the Ledger also falls woefully short of spinning the story forward, the answer is yes.

Barista:

You should offer message alerts for important local news like the power outage, or say....obnoxious ROC posts.

P.S. Phil's account of the fire was up before midnight.

Print. Radio. TV. Internet. Blogs.

What will the next "revolution" in communication be?

Congrats Debbie et al on the New Yorker mention. My BF saw that post on Baristanet about said article, checked the issue that arrived yesterday and then showed me the mention when I got home. And in the meantime, he also taped a news segment from WNBC-TV that was shot from in front of the old Crazy Rhythms storefront (where he'd worked for 16 years)and who would walk into the shot but Joe Provenzano, the owner of said defunct record store. It's all tied together somehow.

Why is it that so many people think that dumping on the Watercooler improves THEIR position in life? "The Watercooler sucks" so this blog must be better? The Watercooler picked on me so the Watercooler must be bad?

And why is it that posters who complain about their post being turned down NEVER copy that post on to B'net? Every post that is turned down is sent back with an explanation. Why not let us B'net readers decide whether the cooler bd's are unreasonable, or YOU are unreasonable?

And please, putting someone, or someone else's venture, down is not the way to lift yours up

i agree that tattler's assumption that the mainstream news needs to do all sorts of fact finding before reporting things is a complete crock.

Field reporters are known to cite "sources" who are everyday folks in the area or people who witness a news event.

Not sure about this talk of getting facts and confirming them.

Unfortunately mainstream media seems to be guided by who can get on-air first to break a story. As a news outlet, you wouldn't want to be the last one to report an event... or something like say the winner of the 2000 presidential election would you?

That's right I said it.

Is the "Great Manhole Burst of 06" worthy of a lot of "Mainstream Media" attention?

"Why is it that so many people think that dumping on the Watercooler improves THEIR position in life? "

Nah. It's just for the feel good potential.

As for examples of BD excess I have a million of them. I could send you some or post some. Or, better yet, montclairlover, perhaps you could ask Raymond I'd bet he has a copy of some of my correspondence with him.

Perhaps Barista could start a new column "Denied post of the Day" and feature one each day sent in by readers?

Has anyone else noted a decline in New Yorker quality lately? I noticed a couple of poorly edited pieces recently, and the Lehman article was very weak -- not up to his usual standards. He didn't show any particular desire to find evidence to oppose his point of view, nor did he really seem to think through the issues very deeply.

I am not saying he is completely wrong, just lazy. I have come to depend on Barista only very lately, but you folks have proven that this place provides a service that no one else is right now.

Montclair Lover
As for examples of BD excess I have a million of them. I could send you some or post some. !

As for examples of BD excess I have a million of them. I could send you some or post some. !

As for examples of BD excess I have a million of them. I could send you some or post some. !

I never doubt for a moment that the Barista will always be the first to cover the local news!

I read your coverage of conditions and I do appreciate it. Last night, early morning while searching for information, I found none.

As a former newspaper person, I am trying to remain neutral and not comment on the coverage locally--however....

Did hear the joke about
the restaurant in Bloomfield ?
whoops nevermind It was denied on The wAterCooler

Here I'll get the ball rolling:

When discussing Hartnett's housing allowance someone said this on the watercooler:

the council's decisions do not seem to be in the best interest of the town I tend to suspect hidden agendas that benefit no one except the members of Leadership Montclair and their special friends.

And I replied with this post:

You seem to imply some kind of corruption. Pretty serious charge.
Seems unfair to me based simply on 2 budget items you happen to
disagree with. 134K (with the housing) seems a fair salary to me. The township manager has a tough job and he is doing it well so far. What is the average salary for township managers in towns the size of Montclair? Why is this one out of line? Is it? budgets and public spending are matters of priority.

It was denied by a BD with the explanation:

Please do not respond to the individual, but rather to the
issues/statements/concepts, etc. Also, while we're at it, when you want say something like "he is doing it well so far" please tell us *why* you think this. Thank you for your consideration.

And I replied to the BD by email:

Someone is allowed to proffer unsubstantiatd innuendo of corruption and I am not allowed to ask WHY they think that or how they came to that conclusion? He is not required to provide evidence as to WHY they are corrupt but I am required to explain WHY I feel
Hartnett is doing a good job?

You ask me:
> Also, while we're at it, when you want say something
> like "he is doing
> it well so far" please tell us *why* you think this.

Buy the poster critical of Hartnett as not said WHY he believes this:

> the council's decisions do not seem to be in the
> best interest of the
> > town I tend to suspect hidden agendas that benefit
> no one except the
> > members of Leadership Montclair and their special
> friends.

WHY are they not in the best interests of the town?
WHY does he suspect a hidden agenda?

I was essentially asking him WHY because you all
failed to do so.

This is a double standard!

To which the BD replied by email:

WE WOULD PREFER
THAT YOU NOT ADDRESS HIM DIRECTLY
SINCE YOU ARE POSTING
TO A CONVERSATION GROUP OF OVER 850 PEOPLE.

YOU DO
"WONDER HOW THIS CONCLUSION WAS REACHED,"
(FOR EXAMPLE) THOUGH, DON'T YOU??

WE HAVE SIX MODERATORS.

WE ALL TRY OUR BEST
TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER,
TO FORMULATE GUIDELINES FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP,
AND TO TREAT EACH MEMBER/PROPOSED POST FAIRLY.

WE DO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, SOMETIMES, THOUGH.

YES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE USEFUL TO THE DISCUSSION
IF HE HAD ELABORATED ON THE BASIS FOR HIS OPINIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

My analysis: If you make specious charges by innuendo you will not be questioned if the BD's agree with the political basis. But if you question such innuendo you need to jump through a lot of hoops.

My post was never allowed.

Sorry, but the watercooler does go way over the top. That's ok.

I can resolve this for you! It's much easier than Israel/Lebanon. BD's, run it the way that you want to run it but don't get upset when people complain because people would complain if the WC was a good list, which it isn't.

To those that complain but still post there, stop posting there and stop whining about it.

That should have been an OR, not an AND.

Stop Posting There ---OR--- Stop Whining About It.

"As for examples of BD excess I have a million of them. I could send you some or post some. !"

Wow are there that many posts on the Watercooler. Is this per day, per month, per year.

"To which the BD replied by email:

WE WOULD PREFER
THAT YOU NOT ADDRESS HIM DIRECTLY
SINCE YOU ARE POSTING
TO A CONVERSATION GROUP OF OVER 850 PEOPLE."

My my, I wonder how long ago this was. When I was last on the 'Cooler there were over 1900 members

"Or, better yet, montclairlover, perhaps you could ask Raymond I'd bet he has a copy of some of my correspondence with him.:

Do you think he carries them on him at all times? Good One!

Watercooler: when you need to fix your gutter.

Baristanet: when you need to vent as to why the town's tree clerk didn't respond to your pleas to remove an obviously dying tree, which then "microburst" into your gutter.

A big reason the WC gets so much criticism is because there's so much to criticize. Another is that the people who run the group tout it as free and open, which it most certainly is not.

What's the difference between criticism and whining? Criticism is something you agree with, whining something you don't. A definition worthy of the WC!

ps. One reason people might not post their WC rejects here is because it would blow the anonymity they enjoy on this site. But it would be helpful to see more people doing it. I think the WC cries out to be outed.

A Thousand Naked Reporters in the Suburbs would have made ALL the news channels, imho ;-)

Thank God the power outage didn't affect the Barista of Bloomfield Avenue.

Walleroo: Please tell us WHY you think this.

Walleroo,

Are you saying that the Watercooler posters need to be outed here?

That would be interesting since the BD's would be able to out ROC.

I vote for rejected Watercooler psots to be posted here. How will we know that they are real and not made up like ROC's name and e-mail address?

(learned on my last job):

Criticism is based on valid complaints about a situation that can actually be changed.

Whining is complaining about something that you can not change.

Walleroo,

Are you saying that the Watercooler posters need to be outed here?

That would be interesting since the BD's would be able to out ROC.

I vote for rejected Watercooler psots to be posted here. How will we know that they are real and not made up like ROC's name and e-mail address?

(learned on my last job):

Whining is complaining about something that you can not change.

This was precisely what they told me the last time I called Comcast Customer Service, was that you resa?

LOL.

I'm saying, Hiding, that if people knew in a more comprehensive way why the WC rejects posts, how many they reject, and most important, what kind of posts they reject, it may be quite revealing of the agendas, proclivities, biases, etc of those who run the group. The poor individual rejectee may feel like a special case, but how do we know there aren't many other repressed posters out there? Unless, of course, we unite to overthrow this tyranny.

How will you know they're real? You won't know for certain, but isn't that the way with blogs? Anyway, truth has a way of floating up to the surface. Like a Snickers bar.

I think that ROC cries out to be outed.

"How will we know that they are real and not made up like ROC's name and e-mail address?"

Proof-shmoof. If unsubstantiated claims are good enough for Ted Mattox, they're good enough for me!

I think that ROC cries out to be outed.

Did you think about changing your openning sentences from

"You seem to imply some kind of corruption. Pretty serious charge.
Seems unfair to me based simply on 2 budget items you happen to
disagree with. "

to

"I unfair to imply some kind of corruption based simply on 2 budget items."

This addresses the issue, not the person who brought it up .

"Also, while we're at it, when you want say something like "he is doing it well so far" please tell us *why* you think this."

This is, I agree, overly picky, but why not simply either
1. Provide an example
2. Leave it out, since your point was that the salery (including the housing allowance) was not out of line with the saleries of people in comperable positions.

Also, based on the topic, this posting is pretty old.

I don't always agree with the BD's, and I like the fact that some people will post the banned posting and the explanation on Montclair Unmoderated. It keeps them honest.

I used to "publish" them on UMod but with 4 readers it seems pointless.

I had tried changing a previous post to one without "you" and it was still found to be too critical of the person's ideas and therefore critical of the person themselves and therefore it didn't "pass the civility test".

(though, remember unsubstantiated allegations of corruption DO pass the civility test!)

Here is the most telling thing about the WC.

The chief out of bounds topic is the posting policy. The "community" may not discuss changes to the posting policy themselves. The policy may only come from on high.

Why keep flailing at and about the Watercooler? Remove them from your favorites and resist the urge to go there. In time, it won't really exist to you. Problem solved. Let the private group be a private group.

/never joined, never go there.

Roc,

The barista owns this site. She deletes posts that she finds offensive.

Do you think that she should discuss this with you first?

Do you own this site?

Do you own the Watercooler.

Who are you anyway?

Appletony,

Whether we like it or not, the WC is where a lot of local people go to frame their understanding of local politics. Some, myself included, think it is moderated with a political bias and is unfair to non-favored local politicans. (and posters)

I think it is a civic duty to call a spade a spade and denounce the WC when appropriate.

WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

The watercooler won't run my post!

Wah! the BDs are mean to me!

Wah! I'm good and they are bad!

Wah! They're biased (but it's ok for Baristanet to take out posts as she sees fit)!

Stopped complaining about the Watercooler. Stop posting on it. Ignore it. Come here where you can enjoy the company of dozens of like minded folks.

On the other hand, maybe it's only one person signing on with a dozen different names? Which you couldn't do on the Watercooler.

ROC has already been outed, long ago. His real name is Richard O'Colgan.

" The "community" may not discuss changes to the posting policy themselves."

Well, you're correct there, the Watercooler is a community.

" The "community" may not discuss changes to the posting policy themselves."

Well, you're correct there, the Watercooler is a community.

ROC, some local people go to Bluewave meetings to form their political opinions, too. It is not a civic duty to crash their party and kvetch about not getting an appropriate hearing unless they're marching down the street or using a public forum. You're looking for some kind of equal time standard -- I expect that you find such a concept obnoxious with broadcast media, yes? A moderated web board, which is not even a purportedly public space like a licensed broadcast frequency, is hardly the place to insist that your voice be heard. Why don't you just drop them and organize your compelling alternative?

Walleroo,

Thank you.

Roc is talking about a post that someone on the Watercooler made in late August of 2004.

I see ROC wants the Watercooler to be like Baristanet where he can grill all posters, make fun of them and attempt to muddy the waters.

Mainstream news media doing fact-checking? Is that why we had Pablo Guzman on WCBS saying PSEG says 1000 customers w/o power last night at the same time that Barista was posting only 250 per PSEG spokesperson?

OTOH, this morning the Montclair town website was the only place to have some details, even though stale, on where power might still be out today.

Still, I wouldn't have thought to check the town website, I read about it here first.

They all have their uses, but it's more fun, & usually more informative, here.

Thanks a lot walleroo, or should I say Andrew Combe?

Walleroo,

Thank you.

Roc is talking about a post that someone on the Watercooler made in late August of 2004.

I see ROC wants the Watercooler to be like Baristanet where he can grill all posters, make fun of them and attempt to muddy the waters.

A blaze of OUTING will now commence.

A blaze of OUTING will now commence.

appletony,

I am not "insisting my voice be heard" on the watercooler.

Just pointing out hypocrisy. A time honored American Tradition. It's not a rights issue, it is a political issue.

I am quite happy with the way things are.

As usual with censorship, the revelation and discussion of it are much more of a challenge to the "authority" involved than the original "offense" could ever have been.

Hey walleroo...oooh I meant Andrew

is this stuff true?

http://pages.britishlibrary.net/phrenology/combes.html

Is hypocrisy really "A time honored American Tradition"?

Not in my house it's not.

Right on. What journalists don't realize is that we're not interested in joining their damn club.

It's Thorne. Henry J. Thorne. Now pipe down, you pipsqueak, before I start rattling off all my inventions again.

My advice to you, Luna Girl, is: look to the gerund.

Hi everyone-

The jug band in which my husband plays bass is playing on The Today Show tomorrow for their "State Fair" themed episode.

Good 1920's/Prohibition Era music. Don't know specifics, but it should be fun. Check it out if you are hibernating from the heat.

And yes, it's all true, Just another. I indeed am Andrew Coombe (and I am also Henry J. Thorne, and, of course, Ed Remsen). I did indeed invent phrenology, but I've moved beyond that now. My latest project is not so much studying brains and building them -- but must dash, more on this later!

Debbie,

I'm sure my post is lost at the end of this long sequence but congratulaions on the mention and thank you for being a journalist with both a sense of humor and humility.

Now, as for main stream media and the "qualifying comments" of the New Yorker article, perhaps they should look at some of the articles from BaristaNet that exposed some "questionable" dealings by county government.

No, they did not raise alarm the way a NY Times piece or a network newscast would have but they placed the politicos on notice that people were aware and were watching and I assure you (as an informed insider) that your pen has power in that arena.

Keep up the good work.

Debbie,

I'm sure my post is lost at the end of this long sequence but congratulaions on the mention and thank you for being a journalist with both a sense of humor and humility.

Now, as for main stream media and the "qualifying comments" of the New Yorker article, perhaps they should look at some of the articles from BaristaNet that exposed some "questionable" dealings by county government.

No, they did not raise alarm the way a NY Times piece or a network newscast would have but they placed the politicos on notice that people were aware and were watching and I assure you (as an informed insider) that your pen has power in that arena.

Keep up the good work.

Cathar:

Baristanet: Vent about how I'd like to use my pitchfork.

Watercooler: Find out where I can have it sharpened.

PS: I am a real person, a tax-paying citizen of Montclair. I have no connection with Mattox, his friends, family or campaign. But I've been a fan of him ever since he was the only one who voted against the leaf bagging ordinance last year.

No one goes to a BlueWaveNJ meeting to "form" political opinions. Ever, and the assertion otherwise above should be refuted ASAP. Rather, they go to huddle together over the boiling cauldrons of their liberal little minds, as in the opening scenes of "Macbeth."

As to whether Baristanet is "journalism," well, it's a way of letting the community voice opinions, even earnestly squeaky and pacific types like the marsupial. But reading here requires a giant gulp of credulousness. And, Montclair being Montclair, there is a tendency to try and enforce ideological unanimity, no? (All for the good of the "community," of course.) And just a smidgeon of pointlessness in, say the 301st and all subsequent posts about the Marlboro Inn?

It's a sort of very liberal tabloid of the sort published in the UK, I think, and it even has its own "comic strip" in the adventures of lasermikey. (Why he hasn't yet won an award from someplace is beyond me.) But just as you can't get by in England just by reading The Sun or The Mirror, you still probably need the Star-Ledger for sports, movie timetables, horoscopes and daily word puzzles.

The real question (which I'm sure the Barista might like answered) is whether posters support advertisers, and to what real degree. And for all the fealty sworn above by posters, this is the one part they seem to leave out.

Baristanet has adverts??

Well, I'll be a marsupial's uncle, it does!

Howcome I never noticed them before? Maybe they were obscured by the haze caused by the hot air emanating from all the boviating blowhards on here.

"I can see clearly now, the haze is gone..."

Actually, I hope I can sing that tomorrow after this heat wave passes because this weather really sucks.

walleroo,

I don't like rodents. Thank you any way.

"But I've been a fan of him ever since [Mattox] was the only one who voted against the leaf bagging ordinance last year."

What I've been told is that he's very "friendly" with certain manufacturers of Leaf Blowers. Follow the money!

I don't have to support that statement, do I?

Sylvia,

Not only can you "Find out where I can have it sharpened" but you can:

ask if anyone knows where you can get a local replacement,

or someone who has classes in how to use it,

or whether Montclair will let little Tommy bring it to school for show and tell and who you need permission from in advance

or discuss why it's been banned by the city council and what the rules are

all among people who are real (they are introduced when they join) and who don't snear or make fun of your grammar and then call you names, or grill you over and over insisting that prove why you feel the way you do.

"I don't have to support that statement, do I?"

You would if you were someone else because ROC (Richard O'Colgan) would demand it. Over and over and over again.

p.s. it was a joke.

sorry, no joking here.

Can anyone recommend a gardener who is also an Orthpaedic Surgeon that practices in Cape May.

I've asked on the Watercooler and they've rejected my post saying that the request wasn't local enough.

Well, it's local enough for me DAMN IT!!

"The real question (which I'm sure the Barista might like answered) is whether posters support advertisers, and to what real degree. "

The Watercooler is a non-commercial zone.

I posted on the Watercooler looking for a Nanny who will also clean my house and wax my car.

I didn't receive a response.

Do you think that this is because of corruption by the MODS of the Watercooler? Or is it politically motivated?

p.s. I am a joke.

Posted by: Right of Center ™ | August 2, 2006 7:06 PM

I don't think you'd be allowed to post this on the Watercooler.

I guess it wasn't civil enough.

I tried to post my recipe for Rat with Chile paste and they said that it wasn't about Montclair.

You can catch rats anywhere, even in Montclair.

I even offered to cook some and bring it to one of their houses but they weren't interested and still insisted that it wasn't about Montclair.

I was highly upset.

I think it was a political statement on their part!

Recipe for ground rat meat and chili paste:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fish oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups of dried red chili peppers
4 long green peppers
8 large bay leaves
1/2 cup holy basil leaf
1 tablespoon salt
4 chopped garlic cloves
4 small rats

Initial Preparation:
With a mortar and pestle place the 1-1/2 cups of dried red chili peppers, and begin to mash until a red paste is achieved. Add a tablespoon of water to make moist.
Chop garlic cloves.
Place bay leaves in a small bowl of water. Roll two bay leaves at a time and then thinly shred and place in dry dish. Do for all 8 leaves - two at a time.

Place holy basil leaves in a small bowl of water.
Dice long green peppers. Do small cross sections so look like wheels and place in dry dish.

Skin 4 small rats. Clean and place heart and liver in separate bowl.

Cooking preparations:
Place oil in a wok over an open flame and heat
Place small rats in a grate, and lightly cook over an open flame on both sides until medium cooked. Do not cook well done.
Mix red chili paste with hot oil and stir well.
Finely chop rats on a wood chopping block over and over until makes a smooth ground meat texture. Be sure to chop all the bones well.
Add chopped rat meat to the red chili paste and oil and stir well.
Add diced green peppers and stir well. Let cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt.
Add whole liver and heart and sir in.
Add holy basil leaves to mixture and stir in well and let cook for another 5 minutes. Be sure not to burn the chili paste - add a little water if necessary to keep moist but not runny.
Add chopped garlic cloves
Add shredded bay leaves and stir in and cover and let simmer for 5 minutes or more to let all the flavors mix well.

Serving
Serve ground rat meat on an oval dish with livers and heart on the top. Circle with garnish of basil leaves and halves of lime. Serve with white rice. The flavor will be hot and tangy with a mild crunchy chew to it.

How many people does the recipe serve?

It's not a main course but can serve as a secondary course or appetiser.

My husband, a big meat eater, and kids enjoy it immensely and have a great time trapping the rats and skinning them.

My husband is so busy with his computer work, he's on that machine all day long. It's good for him to get out of the house even for a short period of time.

I should try posting what they're doing with the skins on the Watercooler. If that isn't about Montclair nothing is.

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