To Our Readers

     Reading archived newspapers often strains one's eyes and causes headache. Ask any person who has read computer screens for hours or scrolled microfilm at libraries and at L.D.S. Church facilities. The longer one reads, the more eye strain one gets. There are other possible ways to become blind, but you must ask Anthony Weiner for details about that.

     The energizing results of discoveries in archives, finding forgotten historical facts and persons, make it all worthwhile. Curiosity may kill cats, but it stimulates and often gratifies researchers.

     There are two sight-impaired persons who research archived newspapers at the Cortland Contrarian. They both prefer to post their ‘discoveries’ as original content to avoid the risk of distortion by rewrite. Rewriting also strains out the original flavor of vintage style and arrangement. The grammar and syntax of these period writings are also part of the historical record.

     The Cortland Contrarian editor, who is not always available at time of postings, often plays catch-up with the blog’s digital postings. We have an archaic system of signals that we use prior to each post. It’s called smoke signals. When it is raining, we say "The hell with it" and just go to sleep.

     Our staff has undergone a few changes over the years. In 2012 we lost one contributor in the spring, and then gained a contributor by summer’s end. Due to employment and family obligations, our contributors have limited time to prepare posts. All volunteer their time and effort. We are politically independent. In our view, Republicans and Democrats are equal opportunity scapegoats.This year our small staff decided to concentrate less on local politics and more on regional history. We maintain the impulse to post occasional satire, especially political satire.

     Thanks for your interest in our blog.