Hausfrau Speaks-Examining the Examiner (TORONTO RELATIONSHIPS)

JUST WHO IS THE TORONTO "RELATIONSHIPS EXAMINER" ?

The person supplying the "User Content" for both the Toronto area "Relationships"  and "Political Buzz" blog is Christine Beswick.  Under the "Relationships" banner, examiner.com states "Christine has been writing "for the public since she was a junior in high school when she landed her first byline for a weekly column in the town's local paper. Since then her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and has most recently been featured in SZ Mag." "The Sting of Stigma" was published in the Winter, 2014 issue, but don't bother googling Sting of Stigma, at least a half-dozen other writers have used the same title for their own articles regarding the social stigma of patients who have autism, bi-polar and other mental health issues.  I was not able to locate Beswick's article.  (SZ is a digital magazine dedicated to schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.) examiner.com continues: "Christine is a graduate level educated single mom and writes on everything from relationships to investigating news that matters. When not writing, she spends time baking or serving the families in her son's school."

Christine's second bio at the examiner.com, where she is listed as a "Political Buzz Examiner" reads "Christine has been writing about politics for the public since she was a junior in high school when she landed her first byline for a weekly column in the town's local paper. During that time, in addition to covering local and school politics, Christine worked behind the scenes of a newsroom on election night where she handled phone calls from the community and kept track of election standings. Now, she's serving her seventh consecutive term as School Council Chair in her son's elementary school and investigating political buzz that matters to Canadians. Christine loves hearing story ideas from her readers about what political issues Canadians want to talk about and can be contacted at (Redacted)." 

It's intriguing that the first "bio" states:  "Christine is a "graduate level educated" writer."  This might lead some to believe that she has a Master's Degree or better.  But, I think that is what they WANTED you to believe!  In this case, it could mean anything! No where in any online resources has Christine indicated that she graduated from any college OR that she has attended upper-level Graduate Courses, let alone that the degree or courses were in Journalism, English, Communications or Liberal Arts.  I was able to confirm that Miss Beswick is a 1992 graduate of Niagara District High School, Niagra on the Lake, Ontario.  (yasni.co.ca) 

In the second bio, she doesn't mention her "graduate level" education, but DOES include that she has been "writing about politics" since she was a junior in high school!  Additionally, it appears that Christine is much more interested in American politics than in the interesting issues in her own country.  I seem to not be the only one confused.  "Pirate" commented on a recent blog ".......the 'journalist's' latest is a column on Hillary Clintons' run for the White House. (Like there isn't anything in Canada for her to write on?). I am totally confused! A CANADIAN 'relationship" writer is writing on a trial in the USA/a CANADIAN ''political' writer (?hmmm) (does she change berets for that?) is writing on an US politician. Perhaps someone could point out some of the things that are going on in her OWN backyard in both trials and politics? She could have covered Magnotta but she didn't/she should be covering the Harper government and C-51 which is dividing a lot of people......but she isn't. Perhaps she thinks she is a Pseudo-American since the US BURNED her town in the War of 1812?  I am so confused."

Yes, you are not the only one confused, Pirate.  I've heard that "politics makes strange bedfellows" but, Miss Beswick is mixing the two in an unconventional manner. 

In yet another bio written by Christine, she claims to have "at the age of 15...landed her first byline for a weekly column in her town's local paper".  The bio continues "Christine is a single mom to her ten year old son with Autism, and when she's not writing, she spends her free time serving as President of the PTA at her son's school for her fifth consecutive term."  

It's interesting that Christine's LinkedIn profile offers no previous experience, no former employers and no professional references.something unusual for a "Frelance Writer" who would always be seeking another writing gig, especially a single mother trying to support a disabled child.  She lists her skills as copy editing, news writing, newspapers and editorial. Nowhere does she state that she is a member of any Professional Organiation, such as the Prrofessional Joirnalists Society which adheres to strict standards of journalistic excellence.  I could find no professional groups to which she belonged, either locally, nationally or internationally.  For as much as she claims to be a "journalist", in fact, she is not.  At best, she is a blogger.

I wasn't able to confirm that she had worked as a free-lance writer with a by-line other than four articles found which had been published at one time on a website called "GreatNewsNow.com". Again, she wrote nothing about her own country, the place she lives, rather, it was all about United States news!  This seems to hold great interest for her. (I wasn't able to locate any of these articles either.  It appears that "GreatNewsNow.com" did not renew their domain name, and is no longer available online.)

• "Big Aristotle Launches Luv Shaq Vodka"  12/19/12
• "Mayor Bloomburg wants to Make Composting Mandatory" 6/16/13
• "Supreme Court Rules on ARIZONA Voter Registration" 6/17/13
• "Understanding Neuropathy Symptoms""  6/27/13

MORE EXAMINING THE EXAMINER

RationalWiki confirms that Examiner.com is a "multiuser blogging site that presents itself as a news site" and says "Don't be fooled."

Examiner.com has been criticized for its meager pay scale and it is common knowledge that examiner.com pays its writers based on pageviews, unique viewers, subscriptions, time spent on the site and other variables called the "gawker model" made famous by gawker.com. Examiner.com claims it tells contributors that they "should not consider this full-time employment" and "tries to be very clear and transparent that this isn't a 'quit your day job' opportunity.”  As a result, a lot of Examiner material tends stoop to National Enquirer sensationalism, to attract attention — positive or negative doesn't matter, it's all clicks, and at times, I have suspected that Beswick encourages "negative" comments!  In the online world, you never know WHO you are commenting back to, and at times I've speculated that Beswick has alias accounts she uses to "stir the soup" in her "comments" section!  According to RationalWiki, there have been such ridiculous posts as "U.S. to bomb the moon on UFO witness John Lennon's birthday" and "Official disclosure of etraterrestrial life is imminent" are standard offerings! . Rational Wiki also states that "You will see enthusiastic Examiner bloggers linkspamming furiously on other sites (to the point of being in Wikipedia's spam blacklist since 2009) often touting their work as "media coverage" (and themselves as "journalists" or "the press") rather than just a blog post they themselves wrote."  Writers Weekly is quoted saying examiner.com is "just another pay-per-click meat market, exploiting writers to attract people to their site by paying them pennies."

Cranks and those with extremely poor critical and logical thinking skills will re-post, link, repeat and copy Examiner articles as if they're edited journalism rather than some guy with a keyboard and Internet access blogging!  CAUTION: If you use an Examiner page as a reference for anything whatsoever, treat it with great caution. Not all Examiners are poor sub-standard writers...BUT.....

Wiki continues "The domain name used to be owned by the San Francisco Examiner, a proper newspaper, which now uses sfexaminer.com." The examiner.com DOES offer a print tabloid edition in a few cities, usually free at mass-transit stops, BART, etc, and run "local" news. (But, then again, we've seen a certain Relationships Examinter who lives in Ontario writing about a trial in Arizona, so much for "local experts!)

So, you might be asking, what is the "win" for the owners of the examiner.com?  ADVERTISING. Did you notice how you have to click 3-5 times to get to the article you want to read?  I know sometimes just clicking the X to close the advertisement takes me there, whether I want to go or NOT!

A REVIEW OF EXAMINER BLOG POST BY CHRISTINE BESWICK  March 17, 2015

JODI ARIAS: ASSETS SEIZED IN JODI LAND MARIA de la ROSA NAMED ON BANK ACCOUNTS!

Several months ago, If one could ignore the spelling and grammatical errors, poor syntax and the enivitable paragraphs re-stating the basic elements of the Arias Trial, Beswick produced an interesting blog. She followed the "standard formula" newspaper reporters are so fond of using: a basic recap of the trial.. "Jodi Arias is on trial for the brutal slaying of her 30-year-old lover TRAVIS Alexander in 2008. This case has garnered an international audience due to the savageness of this crime, and the seemingly endless lack of remorse from this particular defendant. There is no sentence to date delivered in this case because the defendant has manipulated and wriggled her way out of every chance of giving the victim’s family closure in this case."  Sometimes it's at the top of the blog, sometimes at the end, sometimes in the middle, but always, the "news reporter's recap", as if we hadn't a clue.

But, even more interesting than the blog itself, were the comments!  Most were well thought out, intelligent, full of other views, perspectives and theories. But, back in early January, whether orchestrated by Beswick to increase traffic or not, the comments are now disgusting!  Comments contain profanity, hatred, bias, and racial hatred.  But, Beswicks ploy certainly worked!  Prior to this new hate-filled commentary, her blogs rarely had more than 200-500 comments.  The blog of March 17th has a current total of over 2600!  More comments than she has ever received before!  Even Beswick herself gets into the hatred act! She doesn't care if she is universally loved, she is constantly on the attack (except with her SideKick "Tie")!  No, she seems to take pleasure in proving that she is so much better than her readers!  she regularly accuses commenters who don't agree with her as being drunk or high, and she answered one commenter who wrote to another commenter "Just call me Corki, Sandra! Take care, be safe!" With the following:

Christine Beswick. I think it may be time for you to put down the corki things, and the bottles they are in, and sober up a l'il bit sweetie.. don't worry honey, if you are having a problem making that choice all by your drunken self, I understand some information will be coming to light very soon that will help you in terms of....sobering up. Happy Friday :)

Her act is no different on Twitter, abusing anyone who asks her a question or questions her sources.  She is obviously a very unhappy woman, and there have been times when I've felt great pity for her.  She tries so hard to be someone she isn't, just to get some positive reinforcement, and she takes the smallest bit of constructive critism as a full blown attack, and then retaliates.

As far as the veracity of what is contained in this blog, I cannot corroborate and no proof has been submitted for public scrutiny.  In general, there exists a small contingent of Beswick fans who require no proof.  I'm sure that this is the same group who spotted ELVIS at Bob's Burgers last week. The content of the blog itself, has not been corroborated by any other news organization.  Beth Karas, when asked on Twitter her opinion stated "@BethKaras:  I don't have it confirmed. Until I do, it's not a story for me."  Jeff Gold (the Gold Patrol) tweeted "@jeffgoldesq: we will just have to see"  and "@jeffgold: we cannot confirm, so we are not reporting, in fact we are moving on to other trials"  Troy Hayden tweeted. "@troyhaydenfox10: not sure about sources. Need proof."  B. Atlinburg tweeted: @BAtlinburg: Every one of that main steam media has washed hands of this BLOG!" and "@BAtlinburg: Just admit the whole thing was to make money on hits to the blog". So, I too, will refrain from further comment on what Beswick posted, instead, I'd like to comment on the form of Beswick's writing in general.  I was once a single mother trying to support my child too.  Unlike Christine, I did not live in "a compound in a high tax-base" because I lost both parents before I turned 21. But, I do know how difficult it is to be the sole support for a young child.  I encourage Christine to attend her local community college or learning center and take a basic "English Rhetoric" writing class. Many people in their mid to late forties attend these classes, so she won't feel out of place.  I myself, didn't graduate college until after I turned 48, and I have great respect for "older" students, and I'm sure she would see the results in her readership.

Since January 1, 2015, Christine has written 38 articles on examiner.com. Of those 38 articles, only four (4) were written under the "Political Buzz Examiner" banner.  Of those four articles, only one was about Canadian politics, and the one and only comment on that post was by "captain psychedelic" asking "What a stupid article. Wasn't this same thing published 8 years ago?"  So much for being of the cutting edge of politics in your own country.  Of the other three posts, two on Hillary Clinton and the other on Mitt Romney, the most interesting seemed to be the one on Mitt Romney, garnering twelve (12) comments, five of which were by Christine, herself.  If the pay scale is based on visits an comments, not even the "silly season" of American politics can save her.

The remaining 34 blog entries which were posted online from November 20, 2014 to March 17, 2015, ALL but ONE was about the Jodi Arias trial.

• 11 in November
• 11 in January
•   8 in February 
•   4 in March

Compare that production to her July, 2014 entries which totaled 33 for the MONTH.  While the examiner has a lasses faire attitude about what their Content Providers post, to decrease work product volume from what one PREVIOUSLY produced in one month to that same volume over THREE months, indicates a serious issue!

There is another issue with her content,  Because she isn't producing content every day, she delivers content several days AFTER events have happened, therefore, readers have read that same information everywhere else FIRST!  While this would work if you were writing humor, which will be as funny next week as it is today, "news" is more time sensitive!  There were several weeks during the Arias trial when she didn't post her content until the weekend!  THE Trial was on EVERYONES "gotta know" list!  "What happened yesterday?" (Or this morning/afternoon!) Waiting 4-5 days is just unacceptable when your major competition is posting every day AND tweeting (and all of YOUR posts are regurgitated information from THEM!) She LIVES in CANADA, she's not in Arizona, she's not even in the United States! And as much as examiner.com says that their "Examiners" are experts in the area they LIVE, as long as the blogs are receiving "clicks" no one says anything!

My last comments are on "style", sources and language.  Berwick's last entry began: "The glamorous high profile murder trial that is known as the Jodi Arias trial has wrapped up in Phoenix,  Arizona,". Admittedly, high profile!  But "GLAMOROUS"?  I think not! Being a "some-times writer, I know how difficult it can be to produce a post.  But, Beswick's training appears to be more "on the job" than in the classroom.  There's nothing wrong with that!  I've believed for a very long time that on the job training can discover natural talent better than just learning "technique".  

Beswick tends to use more "flowery" language, such as is found in young adult or romance novels. "It is a fresh path of grief..." Or "Every step that they have taken to this point has burned like coals on their soles..." Or "Napoleon (dog) now lives with a beautiful woman..."  She also finds a phrase and repeats it several times within one piece.  "This killer will fade to black soon enough", "Jodi Arias is going to fade to black", "this killer will fade" and she got creative with "She will disappear into the underbelly of prison society" and she will "even develop a few new minions"

She limits her sources to Twitter; Trial Diaries, (Jen Wood) (five times in this post), FaceBook and AZCentral.  Rarely she will quote Fox or ABC (tweets). In this article she wrote Jen Wood, Trial Diaries or Tweet seven times!  She rarely, if ever quotes anyone that she has actually interviewed.  

Lastly, will someone who lives near poor Christine PLEASE give her a thesaurus?  In this post alone, Beswick repeats the word "killer" 19 times!  Websters defines a "murderer who kills with malice and aforethought", which, indeed, Arias Is. she is a convicted Murderer.  And while all murderers are killers, not all killers are murderers!  It's that whole "premeditated" thing!  

People I know online have expressed concern for Christine Beswick.  Like me, they have observed a change in her demeanor, her writing, her production, and yes, even in the way that she treats commenters on her blog.  Although there are over 2600 comments on this particular blog, they all seem to originate from the same 10-14 individuals. I suspect that these same people have multiple sign-in names, so these would count as "unique visitors" each day on her blog, and she would get paid for those "extra visits".  But, if a neophyte like me can figure out that ABC is the same person as XYZ (because they both spell the same VERY unique word wrong), I'm guessing that examiner.com can figure it out too. (If they care enough to try, and if they don't? Who cares?)

Concerning retailers and restaurants, I've often said that "I don't complain, I vote with my feet!" And, I'm going to vote with my feet with Beswick, as well.  I was willing to wait a few hours to get my daily fix of trial news, but waiting so long to read news I've already seen isn't my style.  I have noticed that approximately 80% of the other bloggers and Tweeters are not only college educated, but are also attorneys.  I can COUNT on what they report.  At one time, I THOUGHT I could count on CHRISTINE, too.  But this last post is right up there with  "U.S. to bomb the moon on UFO witness John Lennon's birthday"!  IF this post had ANY validity, ALL the other reporters, bloggers and writers would have been putting their spin on events too!  Yet, all we are hearing are ::crickets::

There is one thing in this world that no matter how much money you have, you can't buy...no matter how little money you have, no one can steal...it's your INTEGRITY.  An old fashioned idea, perhaps...but what was the major issue with JODI Arias? That she was unable to tell the truth.  And if you will lie to make money, you have no integrity.  You lack a moral compass, you lack ethics.  Lord knows I've made many mistakes in my life.  I've learned a lot by trial and error.  But the one thing I value most is that when I look in the mirror, I see a good, honest person looking back at me.  Someone my parents and ancestors would have been proud of. Yes, I've been known to "pop off" when I lose my temper or when I get frustrated.  I didn't claim to be a saint, only a human trying to do the best I can every day.  Someone my children will be proud of.  Until proof regarding Christine's post is brought forth, not just innuendo, excuses or threats, I won't read Beswick/examiner.com. I hope that you look into your heart too, and read those bloggers, reporters, and news personalities who don't rush to report rubbish just to increase blog hits.  Read and listen to reporters who have values and integrity.