The Ombudsman

A few topics of late have prompted a backlash of e-mails to the Ombudsman's inbox. Despite an unprecedented string of weeks in which the content at The Saloon has been unquestionably superior to most other web logs, these recent missteps and our enduring promise to keep our readers abreast of all things TMS have made this posting necessary. Your concerns...

Eric in Naperville asks: "Why did you guys feel like you had to put up a stupid post showing what actors Cubs players look like. Everyone does that. Is the All Star break really that boring for you guys?"

Eric, over the course of a 162 game season, not to mention a 365 day calendar year, there will clearly be occasions in which the writers at TMS suffer a creativity block. Does that really excuse such poor judgment in posting choppy drivel, piggybacking on ideas that even the evil four-letter network has stooped to? No. Though the post you refer to did elicit quite a number of comments, we have learned that TMS should have canned articles which are not time-sensitive stockpiled for these "rainy days"; the Cubs of Yore would be an example. We do not intend to insult the intelligence of our readers, but are merely hard pressed at times to maintain the high quality you've come to expect. Rest assured that devices will be set in motion to prevent such further atrocities from occurring.

Sally from Bettendorf, IA writes: "We don't care about M. Night Shyamalan anymore. Don't write long articles unless they're relevant, like the Drunk Blogs and the Gist things you guys do".

Sally, thanks for the input. While we do not necessarily agree in your surmising that no one cares about Shyamalan and his cinematic trials and tribulations, perhaps we could have positioned the article on a date in which it would be less intrusive upon the regular season. Maybe the dead of winter or the weekend that his latest film, The Happening, came out would have been more appropriate. However, we reserve the right to post well thought out and engaging articles at any time we see fit, though it is possible that enhanced internal communication would result in a more optimal posting pattern for non-Cubs material.

Finally, Troy in Waterloo, IA e-mailed concerning our Album of the Week feature on the sidebar. He says, "Seriously, Beck??? That fucker sucks now. You guys are a bunch of fags!"

Yes, harsh language, but we do not edit the views of our readers, however narrow they may be. Honestly, I must agree that Beck and his music are absolute dreck, and it would do good to erase his entire catalogue from the annals of musical history. But we are all free to make our own choices regarding musical preferences. The Bartenders at TMS have agreed to suggest an album of the week in turn, and as there are eight individuals with unique personalities and musical tastes, there is bound to be at least one soft turd every two months. If Beck is your soft turd, just wait until next week.

Again, a heartfelt "thank you" to the readers who help us maintain our standards of excellence. Until next time...