LEFT OF DAYTON
Senator Sherrod Brown Supports Dayton Newspaper Guild
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Dayton:
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown gave a rousing endorsement of the efforts of workers at the Dayton Daily News in their struggle to gain ratification of a Union contract with the Cox empire after a 21 year struggle for recognition.
Speaking to a noontime gathering of local Union representatives, including Wes Wells from the AFL-CIO, DDN employees, local elected officials Mark Owens and Nan Whaley and community activists from the Miami Valley Full Employment Council, Brown cited the union movement as a major force in creating a better life for millions of workers.
Utilizing his patented canary in a coal mine analogy, Brown talked about how miners would take one of the birds into the mine shaft and, if it got sick or died, they knew it was time to get out. “Journalists”, he said, “play that role in a democracy” alerting the citizenry to dangerous action by the governing class.
Noting that his spouse, Connie Schultz, is a member of the Newspaper Guild at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Brown spoke to that importance of journalists in protecting democracy and freedom by bringing transparency to government actions. “We need journalists to provide that check and balance between government and citizen,” he said.
Brown is a co-sponsor of the The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800, S. 1041), supported by a bipartisan coalition in Congress, which would level the playing field for workers and employers and help rebuild America’s middle class. It would restore workers’ freedom to choose a union by:
- Establishing stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations.
- Providing mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes.
- Allowing employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation
The Bill has passed the House of Representatives, but sponsors were unable to beat back Republican led filibustering in the Senate.
2nd and 3rd Ohio District Democratic candidates Virginia Wolfsun and Jane Mitakides made short speeches endorsing the Guild’s efforts and promising to be part of a” larger, more Democratic majority” after respectively beating “Mean Jean” Schmidt and “No Taxes for the Rich” Mike Turner in the fall elections.
Following the speeches, the group, about 75 people strong , took to the street with hand held signs in front of the DDN headquarters on South Main for a spirited moving picket line. Calling on the Cox company to negotiate now, sign the contract, demanding health care benefits for part time workers, the picketers marched back and forth for about 20 minutes, enduring a light drizzle of rain for their efforts.
An “Onion” Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters
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The Onion, a favorite “fake news” site of mine, has published a new voter poll…
For a majority of likely voters, meaningless bullshit will be the most important factor in deciding who they will vote for in 2008.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/poll_bullshit_is_most_important
Anti-Iraq War Demos Not Important for Dayton Daily News to Cover???
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Despite having a reporter and a photographer at yesterdays Anti-Iraq War protest in Kettering the Dayton Daily News seems to have chosen active non-coverage as their modus operandi. I diligently searched the two front sections of this mornings paper to no avail, trying to find any mention of the local and national rallies against the Iraq War held in ELEVEN major cities around the country on Oct 27th.
Results > Nothing.
The on line version of the paper has a link to One Associated Press article, about the demonstration in San Francisco.
Despite the DDN’s Non Coverage of the Anti War Demos there were in fact rallies held all over the country yesterday, in towns, villages and cities big and small, involving tens of of thousands of people. Why the DDN chose not cover this event is certainly open to question, but is apparently linked to the decision to “dumb-down” what used to be a real newspaper into a parody of USA Today. Better to cover the really insignificant rather than to actually cover real news seems to be the DDN’s motto.
Then again, not getting any coverage of Anti-Iraq War news from the Daily News is, in fact, not news. I therefor present to you links to coverage of the Oct 27 anti Iraq war demonstrations from around the country. Admittedly this is a very incomplete list, but more links to news coverage can be found on line with a little effort.
Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-071027march,0,1247325.story?coll=chi-business-hed
ABC News
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3785488
National Review [!!]
http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200509260814.asp
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21503718/
PRESS TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=28905§ionid=3510203
Seattle [Wa] Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003979264_march28.html
Philadelphia [PA] Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20071028_Protesting_war_in_Iraq__urging_peace.html
CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/27/iraq/main3419832.shtml
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/27/AR2007102701427.html
WPVI / Associated Press Philadelphia
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=5729714
Visalia Times Delta
http://www.myantiwar.org/view/133860.html
Channel 13, Orlando Fla [includes video link]
http://www.myantiwar.org/view/133858.html
Reuters News Service [with links to specific city coverage]
http://www.myantiwar.org/view/133817.html
Deseret Morning News/Salt Lake City, UT
http://deseretnews .com/article/1,5143,695222572,00.html
Chicago/from United for Peace & Justice Photo Montage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/solidarityeconomy/
btw: A diligent search of the website for DDN’s Cox Broadcasting sibling, WHIO-TV, for any mention of Saturday’s Anti-War rallies also gave up a fat ZERO. The same big ZED was the answer over at WDTN, Channel 2, where no references to anti war rallies, demonstrations [local or national] or anything even remotely related to public manifestations of anti-war sentiment could be found. Looking for evidence of any of the rallies on Channel 2/45 was also fruitless. Of course, it may be possible that one of these stations has or did coverage of the rally, but, if thats true, it sure ain’t easy to find it on their websites.
Boston/Report on Oct 27 Demo
http://www.newenglandunited.org/
New York City, 3 Video’s from Oct 27 Rally
http://www.oct27.org/node/1137
http://www.oct27.org/node/1138
http://www.oct27.org/node/1085
10/31/07 update: Interesting commentary from Jerry Lawson of the Christian Science Monitor examine the issues lsurrounding coverage of the Oct 27 demonstrations: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1030/p09s02-coop.html
11/01/07 update: Still more links to photos and stories…with thanks to Rick P.
Chicago: http://www.flickr.com/photos/solidarityeconomy
http://www.rousefamily.com/October-Mobilization2.htm
An overall coverage listing by United for Peace and Justice can be found athttp://www.oct27.org/press
MUSINGS & MISCELLANIA …10/14/07 // Ann Coulter//S-Chip Vote//DAYTON SCHOOL BOARD//RED SOX RULE!
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Ann Coulter , Acid Queen of the far far far Right was a guest on the Big Idea, hosted by one Ronnie Deutsch, last night… a re-run from Oct 8, but seriously scary nonetheless. All the time Coulter has been on the media stage I have assiduously avoided her, figuring my blood pressure medicine might not be enough to save me from the stroke I was sure viewing her vituperations would give me. Channel surfing last night, I saw her blond head bobbing earnestly as she spit her venom and parried with Deutsch… Omigawd…!!! She is, in fact, the embodiment of all the evil that one could pack into one person and not have it explode in a puss filled mess. According to Coulter, Jews are “un-perfected Christians”, her “perfect world” would look like NYC during the last Republican Convention…and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Switching off the TV after the show, I quickly ran upstairs and took a shower…
Media Matters has the transcript and a link to a YouTube clip of Coulter on the Big Idea at http://mediamatters.org/items/200710100008
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Yesterday’s Dayton Daily carried their endorsements for the Dayton School Board and in doing so eviscerated the slate backed by current Board member Joe Lacey. I have not been following the Board, as perhaps I should, so I don’t know the rationale behind their hatred of Lacey, but it must be something deep. I only know Lacey as a Democratic Party activist who seems to have party support. Nancy Nerny, on the other hand, is a teacher I have known for many years. She taught several of my kids and they really liked her. Very community involved, Nancy has a solid background with Dayton Public Schools and, from my personal experience, would be a solid community oriented addition to the Board. Look for an update on her campaign perspective here in the next few days.
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As a long time loyal member of the Red Sox Nation I was seriously depressed after Saturdays defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. Here’s hoping Manny and crew pull it together for game 3 tonight in Cleveland…and boo hoo to all you Indian’s fans!! Sox Rule!!
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Voting on the S-Chip children’s health bill will be taking place soon in Congress as Democrats, with the help of some Republican legislators, try to overcome Bush’s recent veto of the legislation. Local US Reps Turner, Hobson and Chabot voted for it, John Boehner and Jeanne Schmidt against. It is doubtful Boehner or Schmidt will ever change their view, but it is important to keep the pressure on the other three not to change their vote.
| Representative Steve Chabot (R – 01) | 202-225-2216 | http://www.house.gov/writerep/ |
| Representative David L. Hobson (R – 07) | 202-225-4324 | http://www.house.gov/hobson/formmail.htm |
| Representative Mike Turner (R – 03) | 202-225-6465 | http://www.house.gov/miketurner/IMA/contact.shtml |
CITY OF DAYTON MAKES MOVES ON PROSTITUTES:Targeting No Ho’ Zones
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Blogging the news…an article in this morning’s Dayton Daily describes city officials efforts to address Dayton’s growing reputation as a “sex for sale” destination as chronicled on this and several other Dayton weblogs. Two ideas promoted here, establishing “No Ho’ Zones” [not how the city describes them] and promoting “John Schools” , are key parts of a City effort to address the prostitution issue. A city ordinance would enable police to issue tickets to known sex workers in a designated zone and then, upon a second offense, arrest them for loitering, a misdemeanor offense. It is not clear from the article exactly what the penalties would be. It is likely that parts of North Main, West 3rd and Xenia Avenue would be areas initially given the no tolerance designation.
Efforts like this are to be applauded as they indicate a positive response to a problem that, at least to this observer, has been getting worse and worse. There have been days when I have id’d as many as a dozen different hookers operating on N Main. Cops I have spoken to have shown me lists of known prostitutes with over 20 names on them…and expressed the frustration they feel with the revolving door of arrests and and seemingly simultaneous release of the women taken to the jail. In addition , the Montgomery County jail has a general policy of not accepting hookers, thereby overburdening the city jail system.
The proposals are a step in the right direction and I like the idea of adding pictures to the listings of people who have been convicted of loitering to solicit. A list of August arrestees can be viewed at http://prostitutionconvictionsdaytonohio.wordpress.com/
Concurrent with, but not discussed in the DDN article, are efforts by the city to establish rehab programs that offer prostitutes solutions and alternatives. Dayton City Commission Clerk Len Roberts has been researching the availability of state and federal funds for this purpose but I am unaware of any results so far.
Arresting prostitutes and establishing No Ho’ zones will only accomplish limited relief, in some cases just setting up a “whack a mole” situation where new areas become destinations for hooker hunters. Establishment of the John Schools is crucial to reducing demand, as is the continued efforts at public embarrassment. Unfortunately for society, real solutions will continue to be elusive so long as economic and social conditions combine to push both men and women into seeking sexual gratification at the expense of personal dignity.
Coincidentally, this morning’s New York Times has an article, JOINING TREND, BULGARIA WILL NOT ALLOW PROSTITUTES which you can read at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/06/world/europe/06bulgaria.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
The Monitor / Embezzlement in Cleveland Diocese{more news not found in the DDN}
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The Monitor / Embezzlement in Cleveland Diocese / 8.24.2007
Dear Friend,
An embezzlement trial opened in Cleveland this week, spotlighting theft at the highest levels of the Cleveland diocese.
For a useful overview of the Cleveland case, read our special version of a recent New York Times article, with links to relevant court documents.
The defendants say the money they took was authorized by the diocese’s financial and legal secretary, a priest they accuse of also routing payments to himself and to his girlfriend. The chancery’s “system of secret compensation” involved dummy corporations and hundreds of bank accounts, the defendants say, including a $500,000 off-book account for former Bishop Anthony Pilla.
Why do cases of financial abuses within the Church interest us?
Over and over again, we’re seeing that the Church’s financial and sexual crises are entangled in the same skein of secrecy and lawlessness. Tug one thread and you pull the other.
Example: As part of bankruptcy proceedings, the Portland OR archdiocese was required to file 50,000 pages of financial records. In 2006, Oregonian reporters sifting through the archive discovered documentation of many more victims and abusers than the archdiocese had ever acknowledged.
But it goes deeper, this enmeshment of theft and sexual abuse. It begins with the crimes themselves.
At every level, theft funds crimes of cover-up. Bishops take money from the unwitting faithful to seal victims’ lips in secret settlements. In Boston, millions of dollars collected to fund priests’ retirements were diverted to pay for sex offenders’ lawyers and therapists. In parishes, embezzling priests blackmail pedophile priests into silence.
Most practically, theft pays for the abuse itself. Priests rob the collection basket to buy child pornography. They steal to buy the tools of grooming: gifts, fine meals, nice cars, and, crucially, overnight trips with the victim.
And when embezzlement is reported to the chancery, we’ve seen the diocese punish the whistleblower, not the priest.
In the Cleveland case, the Church has fought to block the release of financial documents, despite the judge’s order. A lot is at stake for the diocese. And for you and me. If the contents of the documents become public during the upcoming trials, we’ll learn how high the corruption went in Cleveland. And we’ll have a pattern to look for in other dioceses.
We’ll keep you posted.
Regards,
Anne Barrett Doyle
Co-Director
Dayton Politcx Launches Personal Attack on DDN Reporter
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Dayton Politcx Launches Personal Attack on DDN Reporter
Shown below is the final paragraph of a screed about Dayton Daily News reporter Lynn Hulsey that appears on local blog Daytonpolitix. [ http://daytonpolitix.com/ ] Ms Hulsey wrote a series of 5 articles in late June, early July about a secret GOP local operating fund that, among other actions, paid State Senator Jeff Jacobson $448, 196 over his 13 year stint as party chairman. In her June 28 article Hulsey quotes Jacobson as saying “First of all, the small amount of money that I got out any donation that people made versus the amount of work I performed, I think it’s not an issue. I know I was never overpaid.” Republican insiders involved with fundraising wanted to shield the names of the people who were coughing up this cash from the general public and so kept the funds donors a secret. The law on this has since been changed.
Apparently Daytonpolitx has a bone to pick with Lynn for “exposing” this information…the diatribe/rant following is typical bombast from the blog posting…
“Lynn knows that the electorate are sheep. She also should know that the bulk of her readership are educated, upper middle class and predominately Republican. Why she is able to continue her sick diatribe against the very people that pay her salary is sickening. While the Dayton Daily is losing readers faster than the Democratically controlled City of Dayton is losing residents Lynn is pissing people off with her expose on Republican Donors. The editorial board equips her and gives her free reign to write whatever she wants without an objectivity. Reporting against the GOP and allowing the Dems to comment is not two sided reporting. Especially when the GOP response is buried 6 pages back. Funny how an article about the GOP features quotes from two Dems on the front page. Objective my ass.”
I have known Lynn for many years and consider her both a friend and an excellent, thoughtful and thorough reporter. There is no quibbling with the facts presented in her series…the fund existed, it was used to secretly channel big bucks into the pockets of a very few people. It is not hard to see how this could be construed as influence buying, especially when the chief Buyer is Clay Mathies, Billionaire financier of conservative causes and the primary recipient is the head of the local GOP..
The writer is both insulting “Lynn knows that the electorate are sheep” and, apparently, quite nervous “Lynn is pissing people off with her expose on Republican Donors.” Makes one wonder who these folks are that are being pissed off and why they ARE pissed off…something more to hide??
As an apologist for the power of money in politics the author has few peers. He pushes every neo-con scare button there is and ends up sounding like a sad parody of one. His facts are at best dubious and his political perspective borders on neo-fascist.
His attempt at writing is aimed at shooting the [mess]enger and covering up the mess...and sad.
LEFT OF DAYTON 