AMERIQUE:


A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: It is the unspoken statistic, but it is as real as anything to do with the lingering U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the military, 1,800 American servicemen have killed themselves since the initial invasion of Baghdad. That is in addition to the more than 4,000 who died in battle. This week, families of the soldiers who committed suicide asked President Barack Obama to change the government policy of not forwarding letters of appreciation to mothers and fathers of these servicemen. By week's end, the White House had reversed the policy and agreed that such letters are needed, as well... - Eduardo Paz-Martinez, Editor of The Tribune

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

DEATH OF A BLOG:...How Harlingen's Tony Chapa Lost His Groove...Empty Bus On A Darkened Road...Doing The Right Thing...

By PATRICK ALCATRAZ
Editor-In-Shorts

HARLINGEN, Texas - Who says, we are driven to wonder, this city of 74,000 fun-starved souls can't ever get together on anything? Au contraire, mon frere. Harlingen has come alive to bury a Blog that not that long ago was kicking arse in town.

The Blog? MyHarlingenNews.com.

But it seems its operator, one Tony Chapa, went on something of a flight across perhaps the warring sands of Egypt, picked up this idea that everybody was against him back home and, voila!, he was soon at war against the entire community, save a handful of loyal pals. If a blog can ever be a bus, well MyHarlingen News.com is an empty bus. Where once it counted a large number of visitors and commenters, it now is a mere shadow of its once-en fuego bravado. Gone are the many bloggers who arrived daily to join him in spats, praise and inanity. The insane were as welcome as was the town's however-tiny intelligentsia. These days, and we have been keeping an eye on Chapa's blog for this very reason, he counted less than five "comments" on his latest offerings.

So, what happened? Can a Blog be so easily dismissed?

Critics charge Chapa with the Bogger's worst disease: censorship. And Chapa did censor right & left, killing comments he did not like and comments from people he did not like with a butcher's vigor. Today, it's hard to tell if anybody is visiting MyHarlingenNews.com, and some in town have begun to issue death certificates that they say come with a road map to the city cemetery. Not that we at The Tribune believe Chapa will fold his tent and quit the game.

But just how long can a Blog go without reader interest?

We know Chapa and would advice him to be a bit contrite, to circle his wagons while he figures out a way to return gracefully to the world of community, to re-gain the high ground on which his ambitious blog was born. News venues are needed in Harlingen. A Blog on every corner would be the best thing that could happen to Harlingen, a city currently in the throes of its own self-inflicted demise.

Will Tony Chapa eat his humble pie and once again join the civilized flock? Or is his anger so strong that there really is no way back for him? Saying "I'm sorry," or saying "I was wrong" is a tough for any man.

Still, there is a certain class in admitting you blew it. Wasn't it in middle school that teachers taught you about saying "I'm sorry" to the little girl whose pigtails you yanked out in the playground. Harlingen is Tony Chapa's little girl, and he can certainly acknowledge his actions for what they were. The little girl that is his hometown may just accept his apology...

- 30 -

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alcatraz, he screwed himself up, he made sarcastic comments, he censored his closest allies. Juan ORtega a fail politiquero, was banned, and not too long remarked that TC had call him to make the peace.
After you guys abandoned him, and jerry deal provided a better forum. MyHgnnews became toxic. He is finished, he even hired someone to write some articles, but not even those get traction.
I feel sorry for that man, because his intentions were good. But his personality and lack of education shows a mile away.
We saw him at the commission meeting, sitting with an old man, that drives him around. How sad,

Anonymous said...

A radio station is Corpus Christi, is reporting that the fat guy in the night gown, Blake F. was lying when he said, he attended a cheerleader pajama party for the purpose of fund raising. According to the advertisement, the list of charities was asked for and provided. And every charity reported they had not received any monetary funds from the so called fund raiser. The guy, looks creepy.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ANONYMOUS:...We still firmly believe that there is a place for Tony Chapa in Harlingen. He is a purist, however, and purists will hold their ground even as the bombs keep coming. He'll get it soon. And he'll likely be back with more energy than he ever had. We do wish him luck... - Editor

Anonymous said...

I don't know what he is, he changes like the wind. TC only bloggers are: Benton, hurricane, eye of harlingen, Jake, or Ram, cowboy. In one of his articles he had 8 comments 6 were his own. He is finished and he knows it. TC is like a roach, he won't go away.
He is just an uneducated idiot, that thought that his blog was the only game in town.
At the commission meeting some big fat guy insulted him, and he just stood there.
As they say in las cantinas in Harlingen, "es puro cabron."

Anonymous said...

when you find out you have cancer, you cut it out before it spreads. that is what is needed with that retarded illegal alien from myharlingennews rag. he is a parasite, a liar and a communist sympathyzer who used to belong to the mexican communist party before fleeing that country in a womans dress in the middle of the night.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Editor, MHNs is operated by an individaul, who knows nothing about journalistic etiquette.
The guy writes at about the 3rd grade level.
Some of the articles written generate about 4 to 6 comments, TC writes about half of the comments.
The blog is more like a joke, has no credibility.
And if he thinks, he is going to get traction, he is wrong.
Look at myleader news, 22 comments in one article. Jerry Deal is eating his lunch.
Even Harlingen Blogs, gets more hits them MHNs.
Give it up, HarlingenPost did, don't worry, no one will miss you MHNs.

Anonymous said...

Hey we hear, TC doesn't vote, or that was what it was reported, by J.R, private eye.
At the meetings, he sits and no one speaks to him.

Hellooo Mary Lou said...

LOL,LOL, so Patrick what are you going to do with the birth certificate??
I read on TC blogs, how he is putting diclaimers.
First he creates a hostile dialogue, than he ask his 6 followers to follow some crazy rules me made up. I think that blog, gives all the other blogs a bad name. L.O.L

Anonymous said...

Mr. Torney Chirpa would screwed up a wet dream. He can't write, can't drive, he can't vote, for all we know, he might not be a legal resident. Nomas nickles, pobre viejo payaso. Lla no le quedo nada.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ANONYMOUSES:...Well, it appears that MyHarlingenNews.com has died and no one has bothered to tell Tony Chapa. There is nothing sadder than a man at a party thinking he's in the game. The blogging party's ongoing, but Tony Chapa is now being seen as a waiter, not a playboy. Que lastima... - Editor

Anonymous said...

Mr. Editor; the little girl who is Harlingen, dumped his stupid dumb ass. Chirpas, is no more than a used car salesman.
Only trouble, his blog is not selling anymore, Jake, and Ren, are the only two blogging. dos pinches payasos, y gual que Antonio.

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ANONYMOUS:...Jake and Ren are the same fool. Tony banned that moron weeks ago, but since he has no other blogger these days...he welcomes him back. Pitiful. Chapa is on life support... - Editor