by Matt Marquardt –
In the wake of the recent denial of service attack on NorthIowaToday.com, a new attack on NIT surfaced today.
A blogger over the weekend took it upon himself to personally attack me and NorthIowaToday.com with insults and false accusations, and even took time to create and send to me the graphic you see at right. A blogger who uses the creative name “Tom” stole a picture from my Facebook page and, very amateurishly, used graphic-editing software to create this rendering of me seemingly after an arrest.
From “Tom” the blogger on the denial of service story:
“I have to wonder why a bunch of people would launch massive campaigns against you to bring you down? Perhaps you’re shady or something? Or you report crappy news? Or maybe your news is libelous? Or maybe it’s North Iowa Mugshots – and the fact that you make it out to be this great public service, but all you really do is stir up more trouble and hate? Gosh, other than all of that – I’m not sure why anyone would be so mad at you!”
Well , Tom, let me take a few moments out of my busy day to address your attacks.
The most glaring error, outside of spelling my name wrong and the fact that Mason City police do not take jail photos, was that your connection between myself and the popular Facebook page North Iowa Mugshots is ridiculous.
Let me say again for the record, I have absolutely nothing to do with North Iowa Mugshots. I hear it is run by three individuals, who may or may not even be local to North Iowa. Heck, they do not need my help, they are doing just fine with their 19,000 plus followers.
Furthermore, as I have written many times, there are certain people living amongst us that cannot stand what we do here at NIT. They hate the truth, they hate what we do, they do not want me at City Council meetings and County Supervisor meetings. They are upping the stakes, using an means they can find to take NIT down. This is all a part of their attack machine.
I would say to “Tom” or anyone out there, that if you believe that I am untruthful in my reporting, go to a lawyer. Another option for you, “Tom,” would be to simply write your own op-ed and send it to NorthIowaToday.com to be published. Go ahead and call me out, point out my mistakes. I’m man enough to admit when I am wrong. Use your real name and prepare for the debate if you think you can handle it.
The point here is that “Tom” seems to believe that I or NorthIowaToday.com has something to hide, an agenda, of some kind.
Neither I nor NIT have anything to hide; we tell all to the public, everyday. Everything we got. Our only agenda is the truth and telling the stories no one else will tell or talk about. That’s it, end of story.
Now, let’s see what the attack machine has in store next. I’ll keep you posted.
You go Matt.Alot of people in this town are ignorant to the facts. Our police force lawyers, city council are one big corrupt group. If the people Of mason city haven’t realized this by now, then bring the proof or keep your opinions to yourself Tom. bring it on. Matt is one of the most honest people we have ever meant. If you have to go to court in this town you had better get a lawyer from another county or you don’t stand a chance in hell to win. Unless you have money or pull with the group. wake up people, Matt only prints the truth.
Matt, I think it is wrong to try to stamp out those who disagree with you and I do believe that there are people out there who are trying their best to eliminate NIT. I read your story about Councilperson Stolberg and went to the Globe to see what they have to say about it and found absolutely nothing. Why? Because the Globe won’t print stories that put the council in a bad light. That is wrong.
I have tried a couple times in the past week to subscribe to NIT as I am not now a subscriber. Both times I did so to show my support for what you do. But, both times, after I filled out the form and clicked ‘next’ nothing happened except the same page appeared telling me that both my user name and email address are taken. I know that,,,they are taken by me. Why can’t I subscribe?
@bodacious … definitely not trying to stamp anyone out. I’d like to eliminate the attacks on myself and my business. I do invite debate at all times, and will never shy away from that. So I’d like to point out the difference there.
On the subscribing. I assume your username is “bodacious” … just send a check for $24 to P.O. Box 21, Mason City and write your username on it, or paypal the $24 to staff@northiowatoday.com and we will activate your subscription.
Matt
Matt: Save yourself some money and offer dwolla as a payment method. It is also Iowa based so you would be “buying local”.
I’ll look into that… the subscription software is dictating how this works right now. Thank you.
Matt,
I wasn’t trying to say that you were trying to stamp anyone out. I meant the other guys trying to stamp you out.
You gotta admit, this is kind of funny. Laugh a little and enjoy it!
Spelling, schmelling. Who cares if there’s typos. Get over yourselves.
Not too credible when he can’t even spell your last name correctly! 🙂
If spelling had anything to do with credibility, there would be no reason to read any of the comments on this website.
If you don’t like the spelling don’t read the posts. Have you nothing better to do than creep around looking for things to insult people. Get a life.
be careful what you say about people bitching about spelling. NIT staff and MANY other people have complained about spelling errors.
LVS, this wasn’t just ANY spelling error. This person was trying to make a mockery of Mr. Marquardt and couldn’t even get his last name correct. Kind of an important thing to mess up, don’t you think? You have to be one of the most negative people who ever comments on this site. You’re always looking for things to jump people for. Take some happy pills!
@my opinion-my mistake. I misunderstood what was being said. Did you really need to call me names?? Did that make you feel bigger and better??
I really enjoy NIT and the truthfull article telling me tha facts about what is happening in North Iowa. It is a sham that some people are so afraid of the truth that they will try anything to censor this site. Keep up the good work.
I heard once that mugshots was ran by a brother of one of the sheriffs deputies, and that’s how they get those mugshots public so quickly.
Question for Matt, can you start a section for obituaries? Get the faxes from the funeral homes around North Iowa? If you could do that then there’s absolutely no reason for me to bother with reading the Glob online. That’s the only reason I even check their site.
I’d post obits yes. Not easy to get the funeral homes to play ball. They are set in their ways. I’ll see if there is a possibility with the reputable area funeral homes. Thanks for the suggestion.
Please tell me you are joking about getting the pictures so quickly. The photos are posted on the county website and they have a script which runs and automatically uploads them to Mugshots. Don’t be so gullible.
This seems as if it is a person with a chip in the game. Who else would go through so much trouble?
Most regular readers here would know that the oft repeated fallacy of Mr. Marquardt being remotely connected with N.I. Mugshots, is just that. Fallacy.
It’s hard to take serious any sort of accusation like this, because there is no facts behind them.
Either way, such things leave a paper trail of one sort or another. And it’s amazing how easily things like this can be traced back to the originator.
Nice to put a face with NIT finally! You are quite striking, Mr. Marquardt 🙂
Matt, don’t give this loser a second thought.
“The point here is that “Tom” seems to believe that I or NorthIowaToday.com has something to hide, an agenda, of some kind.”
It would seem so Matt, but the most glaring point here to me is that, “Tom” is an idiot.
Keep up the good work Matt.