That's because Shodeen is a bonifide slum lord.

Jon, Hal and Friend,

Your witty repartee bears all the hallmarks of the bloggers of which I spoke. Though that might actually mean you'd have to write more than a paragraph.

Jeff

Jon,

I knew you'd get in over your head if you tried a second graff.

Have you missed my picture in the Beacon and Courier-News? It's as shocking to me as it probably is to you that I get paid for everything I write and, compared to other free-lance opinion columnists - I actually get paid pretty well!

Richard Roeper? He doesn't write facts! He offers readers his opinion on everything from movies to politics. That's why they call him an "opinion columnist." I don't ignore facts, I ignore specious arguments from people like you who simply don't like what I write.

Jeff

Penny a click?

Seriously, you can't actually believe you're anything but a blogger. You spread lies. You degrade anyone who points out this fact. You pull the internet tough guy routine, and poorly I might add. You troll yourself on your own "articles".

Where are your facts? I know, I know, you're an opinion writer, you don't need facts. But, when someone presents you with facts and you differ in opinion, you should have facts to back up your opinions, lest you be thought a mouth breather.

Congrats, Jeff! An actual fact out of you! I am impressed. I will be responding to your nonsense in the above "op-ed" this afternoon or tomorrow AM. I will use actual facts to support my opinions. It's a generally accepted argument technique, which you are obviously not very familiar with.

But yes, Jeff was asked to provide the anti-chicken side of the issue. Which he half did, with nonfacts, and good amount of personal attack tossed in.

Yeah, that's so clever. Think for ourselves. It's like you stole some of the best comments from foxnews.com or huffington post. Admit it, you were caught doing a revenge rag. You don't like women, especially those who can challenge your intellect.

You still haven't responded to 90% of the criticism on here. All you do is pick apart that which you want to pull your tough guy routine on, throw in a healthy does of exclamation points and move on. Yet, you ignore legitimate questions about your "article".

Jef, wake up and smell the blogger coffee. You may think you're a journalist, but you're nothing more than a blogger. A real journalist would be laughing at you right now, just like we all are.

Kate,

And I would encourage you to try a fact or two because I haven't seen you avail yourself of one yet. Not here and not at the city council. Just because you want something, that doesn't make your specious argument the truth.

Here are the facts! Chickens are noisy, filthy, they attract vermin (and the coyotes that prey on them), and to ensure that coop owners comply with any ordinance, it will require the allocation of city resources that just aren't there.

We have far better things to do that waste our time regulating chickens when would could be outlawing bloggers.

Livestock does not belong within any city limits unless the general lot size is what you see in Campton Hills.

You want chickens? Move to LaFox. I can't wait to see more of your "facts."

Jeff

Oh, and to clarify, the rampant attack on bloggers was all Jeff. But...I am a big girl and can take it. I

Jon,

Considering Kate's response, do you want to delete your post now or just leave your foot sitting in your mouth? I'm sure you're used to it by now.

Jeff

The statement "chickens are filthy" is no more a fact than the statement "candy is delicious."

Hi Scott, do you mind sharing why not? I am curious to know what the big objections to chickens are.

Kate,

Should I put all your Facebook quotes up here? They are quite humorous. Let's start with this one, "Shhh (name deleted), we are having a flame war/feeding the troll!"

And then there's this one "There are a lot of jeff ward haters out there. maybe this will turn them into chicken likers!"

While, as Mike Bruno pointed out, it is a tried and true tactic to attack a journalist, who has an audience, to make your point, my suggestion would be not to brag about it on public forum like Facebook for everyone to see - all the Geneva Aldermen for example.

I eagerly await your rebuttal!

Jeff

Jeff, I am allowed to think you are a troll and to say it. I think you stir up trouble and say ridiculous things to get more readers. You even admitted it.

Additionally, I originally asked for a topic to discuss with you and was told to pick one. I picked chickens because I care about the issue, not because the original plan was to use you to get my chicken thing passed. The original plan was to address the council, which I did.

If you being a complete idiot about the chickens had the added benefit of making people realize that chickens aren't a bad thing, since the total idiot on the Patch makes it obvious there is no good reason to ban them, then that was gravy.

Don't think so highly of yourself. I never targetted you specifically to advance the chicken issue. I targeted you because you are a misogynist, and a loud mouth.

Oh, and I had no idea you were so against chickens historically, btw. If you really did write two columns on the issue, I sure never saw them. So you can think all you want that I picked chickens because you hated them, but I picked chickens because I don't.

But, like I said, if you are going to make completely factless ignorant statements, in your utterly offputting and loud-mouthed way, I can't help but think that maybe people will realize the anti-chicken crowd doesn't have a leg to stand on. (pun)

Anyone else creeped out by Jeff Ward stalking Patch commenters on Facebook? Eww! I'm going to go wash off now.

And Kate, you are exposed for who you really are. A person willing to do anything or say anything to get their way. Someone who, even when caught red handed, flings the "idiots" and other epithets around as easily as breathing.

Despite my many columns defending young women, you attacked that previous piece by calling me a misogynist for no other reason than to raise your profile. Then, even after you clearly knew that Rick asked me to rebutt your piece, you "secretly" rallied your Facebook friends to try to generate even more support for your "cause."

How about this Facebook quote, "if i can use this guys dooshbaggery to drum up chicken support, ill let him get his jollies pissing me off." The difference between you and me is, I do everything above board and put my name on it. You don't.

But the thing that bothers me more than anything is this. After your city council appearance, I actually thought you had potential, but if you can't handle something this piddly with a minimum poise...

Have a good life.

Jeff

Jeff, I in no way secretly rallied my facebook friends. Not even a little. That is like...hysterical conspiracy theory nonsense. I mentionned, flippantly, that you being so ignorant might garner supporters. I don't see how that's secret rallying of Facebook friends. I also have a facebook page for the chicken issue, where I shared this blog, my blog and the original Patch piece about that Chickens. How is posting something on Facebook trying to keep it secret? I AM trying to raise awareness about chickens. And not secretly, and not using you as a tool.

Paul,

Nice try, but when the masterminds posted a link to my column, Facebook alerted me!

Should we go back to CTL?

Jeff

Like I said, it was gravy. Not like some original master plan. Do you sleep with one eye open or something

Kate,

What about "Shhh (name deleted), we are having a flame war/feeding the troll!" am I not understanding?

And as for my style, if you, or anyone, doesn't like my columns, there's always the obvious option.

We're done!

Jeff

How exactly does: "Shhh (name deleted), we are having a flame war/feeding the troll!" mean I have a secret master plan? I must admit, I do consider you a troll, but honestly it was a sarcastic remark about the fact that what was meant to be a point/counterpoint sort of thing degraded, rather quickly, into a total flame war between you and my husband, somehow.

And btw, he posted your piece because he felt you were ripping on his wife and didn't appreciate it, which I think any husband would do.

I posted your piece on my chicken-related facebook page because it was anti-chickens. I posted it with the comment "Chicken-likers, we have a chicken-hater!" Also, not exactly a secret rallying cry.

If anyone has behaved unprofessionally here, I must say I think it is you. You went and stalked down your commenters on Facebook, and then applied wild-eyed conspiracy theories to every comment made. When really commenting on FB is no secret, and everyone knows it. I am completely confused by your reaction to this, to be perfectly honest.

I can't believe I have to explain it. Chickens aren't your secret plan, attacking me to generate support for your cause was - you outright said it. And I'm not saying it wa a bad idea - I actually think it could've worked. But you got caught.

And if you want to know the truth, one of your Facebook "friends" ratted you out! They sent me the entire dialog. You even used a fictitious name in that conversation Ms. McGinnerson. How many Facebook accounts do you really fricken' have?

My reaction!? I'm sitting here laughing my butt off because you got caught starting a flame war for your own benefit and you're still trying to pin it all on me. And what really kills me is, your comportment here on Patch is not going to help your cause in Geneva in the least. All the aldermen read my columns.

They already think I'm nuts, but now they know you are too.

So keep on posting because it's my best defense - and it gets me clicks! Since you started on this thing, my blog www.thefirstward.net is averaging more than 100 unique hits per day and this column is now in the top 5!

Thank you!

Jeff

"I can't believe I have to explain it. Chickens aren't your secret plan, attacking me to generate support for your cause was - you outright said it. And I'm not saying it wa a bad idea - I actually think it could've worked. But you got caught."

I already refuted that, and I will again. I reached out and asked to do a point counterpoint with you because I think you are a misogynist. I asked for an issue. I was told to pick one. I did. I picked chickens because I care about the issue. I had no idea what your stance on them was. I in fact asked what your stance was, and was not answered. In no way, shape or form is your lunatic conspiracy theory accurate.

Again, the fact that you were so outlandishly over the top anti-chicken was something I thought might garner support. AFTER you wrote it. It was not why I wanted to do a counterpoint to you. How was I to know what you were going to write, before you wrote it, and assume I could use it to get awarded chickens? That is utterly ludicrous.

Lastly (and again), I didn't attack you to garner support for my plan. I "attacked" you because you made wildly sexist remarks about teenaged girls. I am assuming the "attack" you are referencing is me asking to do a point/counterpoint with you? Or is my husband posting your blog, about my blog, the attack?

I didn't start a flame war with you about chickens. That's sort of the giant flaw in your whole theory.

I will defer to your Facebook quotes. Those are facts!

Defer away. Please include the quote where I talked about how I objected to your original sexist comments and asked to do a counterpoint so you could write against chickens so I could garner support, because of how I am psychic.

Right you are Scott. If I wanted to live near chickens, I'd move to a farm. I made sure when I bought my house in suburban Geneva I would not move in next to any animals besides cats or dogs. No cows, donkeys, chickens, horses, goats, llamas etc. Chickens and other livestock don't belong in suburban or city settings.

Arthur and Scott!

Chicken haters of Geneva unite! Having 10 foul aldermen is bad enough - we shouldn't have to put up with chickens.

Repeat after me:

No chickens in Geneva
No chickens in Geneva
No chickens in Geneva
No chickens in Geneva

Jeff

Dear Readers,

The exceptions to my no bloggers allowed rule are Terry Flanagan, Mike Bruno, Kurt Wehrmeister (though he's a trained journalist and rarely posts) and Jeff Hersheway.

They are worth reading.

Jeff

Boy, you sure knew how to take the fun out of that game Jeff!

Mike,

We could always start a fake argument. Apparently it's the game du jour!

Jeff

OR you could accuse someone of trying to start a fake argument without actually applying logic.

Just saying, it's also a valid option.

Terry,

I also should've added Mike Bruno to the blog exception list, but God know that will certainly be the kiss of death.

In this particular case, it was just a matter of catching a troll in the act. The lesson? Don't brag about your secret plan on Facebook.

Jeff

You seriously think that I have some kind of secret plan, based around you, to help get chickens in Geneva? We can add giant inflated ego to misogynist. Seriously, that's just sad.

I have a super-public, non-secret plan, that is not based on you, to get chickens allowed in Geneva.

And it's never going to happen.

Terry,

I gotta tell ya, I'm as stunned by the responses as anybody. The purse thing? If you had told me it would go this far I would've told Dorothy to lock up the liquor cabinet.

And you're absolutely correct, there's really not much about chickens here, but now they know what they're dealing with when it comes to chicken lovin' folk. I've long been a known commodity.

I harbor absolutely no ill will towards Kate or Jon (perhaps there's a reality show there). Was it fair to continue to the conversation knowing what Kate and her cohorts were up to all along? Probably not, but I haven't had this much in a long time.

Sometimes the journey in and of itself is so much more fun Terry.

As for your last sentence, that too has baffled me. I've come to the conclusion that, in ways I could not even begin to plan or imagine, I seem to be some folk's version of karma. The story of how I got into column writing is too bizarre.

I suppose some times ya just gotta go with it.

We weren't "up to" anything other than disagreeing with you. Really...you seem to truly believe that I wanted to latch on to your supposed "fame" to further chickens. Just FYI, I had never heard of you until the purse article. You aren't famous. You have no coattails for someone to ride on.

"I'm kind of a big deal." -Ron Burgandy

Kate,

I'm not the one who said "there are a lot of jeff ward haters out there. maybe this will turn them into chicken likers!," you did!

Jeff

I sure did. You wrote an "article" ripping on bloggers and chickens. People responded. I noted that you have a lot of detractors, and thought it might help raise awareness about chickens. AFTER your wrote your "article." That does not mean I planned in advance. It's not like I was like "Oh Em Gee Jeff ward is famous, maybe I can trick him into writing about chickens!!" Who plans something like that? There is no vast chicken-wing conspiracy, contrary to Jeff Ward belief.

Tell me, Jeff, do you also believe that the UN will invade the US at the invitation of our government, or that we never landed on the moon?

Kate,

Please keep talking. The hole just gets deeper. Maybe even you'll start believing yourself.

Folks what was Geneva 50 years ago, farm land? It should be treated as such even though City folks moved out here. People have changed the environment in the rural areas. We complain about coyotes even though again they were here before us. They're fault not ours. Stop and appreciate the nature that we have diminished. Get with the program white winners.

Hal,

I was wondering when someone would pick up on that. And thus the joke!

Jeff