[UC-Announce] Reminder - Plant Sale and May Fair in Clark Park tomorrow
The University City Garden Club's annual May Fair Plant Sale will be held THIS Saturday - tomorrow May 12 from 11 - 4 at Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore Ave). This is a fabulous neighborhood festival put on by Spruce Hill Community Association which always has great food, great music, great atmosphere and great community information and sales booths - combine that with great weather and you will have a GOOD TIME. We will have some heirloom plants as well as the usual fabulous selection of annuals and (come back every year) perennials, some really nice hanging baskets and some cool stuff to use planting in containers. If you are interested in volunteering at the sale please email me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you for your continuing support of greening in University City. Hope to see you there. Thanks again, Lauren Leatherbarrow
[UC] Schuylkill Banks Bridge over CSX tracks to SRDog Park
New Pedestrian Bridge From Schuylkill Banks Path to End in Park Now that the city has signed an agreement with CSX to allow grade-level crossings to access the Schuylkill Banks, one of the stipulations is that the city provide a pedestrian bridge to access the path at Locust. Fairmount Park has determined that the bridge will be in the small black top between the dog run and the basketball court. The access has to be on public (Fairmount Park) property, and it can only be on this site. The bridge will go over the tracks and end with a ramp heading north onto the path. (See preliminary sketch on our website, www.fsrp.org.) Fairmount Park and the City are including stakeholders in the planning for the bridge, and they want your input. Free the Schuylkill River Park is devising a survey for you to fill out which will be accessible from their website, www.freetheriverpark.org. Also, FSRP will convey your comments made to us through email or our website. The contract stipulates that the bridge must be completed within 30 months of the signing, so this project is expected to move forward quickly. As soon as the survey is on the web, (look for it around May 17th) please take a moment to fill it out. Your comments and concerns will be brought to the firms competing to design the bridge, so that the community will be represented from the first sketch. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
[UC] Forces of Gentrification Defeated! Dirty Jokes Aboud at Curio!
Last night's production of The Green Bird featured extensive and prolonged scatological tirades as the actors threw so called community standards to the wind making many a-joke that would send UCD lovers fleeing to their namby-pamby QOL meetings to try and have free speech re-destroyed. The vulgar entertainment of the working (or unemployed, as the case may be) man scored a blow for victory last night when one of the actors was forced to write a song on the spot with the audience provided word weenus. During one of the scene changes some guy about three rows behind me announced I'm gonna start heckling these actors, I thought it was Glenn at first, but in turning around, it was just some bearded anti-yuppie in a fishing hat, waving a gigantic foam rubber middle finger. He had a fine time though, barking at the players and they had a swell evening barking back. Indeed, a splendid time was had by all. Hope the hoity-toity black tie affair at the park went nicely and the bowl is now filled with crisp, new five dollar bills for the West Philly millionaires to roll around in. kyle fight the power cassidy
[UC-Announce] Crossroads Music at the May Fair
Once again, Crossroads Music has helped to organize the music for the Spruce Hill Community Association's annual May Fair. This free neighborhood festival will take place in Clark Park (43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue) this Saturday, May 13, from 11 AM until 4 PM. In addition to music, there will be tables from neighborhood organizations and businesses, craft and food vendors, children's activities, raffles, plant and white elephant sales, and much more. This year's music schedule includes: 11:00 GREEN LINE BLUEGRASS BAND Green Line Cafe co-owner Dan Thut is also an accomplished bluegrass musician and his cafe (located across Baltimore Avenue from the park) hosts regular jam sessions. Several of the regulars will join him today to perform a combination of traditionals and originals with banjo, mandolin, guitar and string bass. 12:00 ADIMU KUUMBA (kid's show) West Philadelphia’s Adimu Kuumba makes West African and African diaspora instruments, including koras, sekeres, birambaos, drums, and xylophones, from a wide variety of found objects. While he has to buy his gourds and cowrie shells, he’s able to salvage all the other materials: softwoods from abandoned boxsprings on trash day, hardwoods from fallen tree branches in the park, and strings from fishing twine left abandoned by the Schuykill River. He’s also an accomplished performer and teacher who can pass out instruments and get the whole audience making music too. 1:00 LUCKY THOMPSON TRIO Musical Director of Natalie’s nightclub at 40th and Market Street in West Philadelphia, drummer Leon “Lucky” Thompson is a veteran of the bands of Nina Simone, Billy Paul, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin, and many others. 2:00 KISS KISS KILL With a name inspired by either a European cult film or a Roger Miret and the Disasters song, you'd expect the Philadelphia sextet Kiss Kiss Kill to be a noir-ish post-punk outfit. Instead their music is cunning cross-genre blend, resulting in descriptions like cabaret rock and tragic lounge. While there's a decidedly theatrical bent, the band also bring to mind either New York City's chirpy Palomar or Pacific Northwest punk-scholar Sarah Dougher, depending on which of the band's trio of chanteuses is singing. But it's still not so simple. On Kiss Kiss Kill's debut Hi Stranger (released on local World Eater Records), one song can summon a jazzy torch singer (Razzmatazz) before another yields a loping coed duet à la Bunnygrunt (Dave). -- Doug Wallen, CityPaper 3:15 COBALT BLUES BAND Since 1984, the Cobalt Blues Band has mixed blues, rock, jazz and funk to make a pumped up Chicago and Delta blues popular with music lovers everywhere and of every age. The group started out playing the South Street clubs like Zachary's, J.C. Dobbs, and Bachannal, and now play shows all over the Philadelphia area They have opened for Sonny Rhodes,the Nighthawks, Johnny Copeland, Charles Honeyboy Otis and Joan Osborne. They were regulars at the Clark Park Festival in the late 80's and appeared this march as part of the Philadelphia Crossroads series at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community. MC: WXPN DJ Chuck Elliot All times are subject to change You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity-Announce. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You may post announcements to this list, but this list attempts to prevent discussion. Please use univcity to discuss messages on this list. Subscribers of univcity receive all mail to this list.
[UC] Republicans for Street?
Did anyone notice that our neighborhood token republican was quoted in today's Daily News, urging primary votes for Milton Street: Milton's making it on the ballot gives us the best chance we have for getting more than two Republicans elected at large, I don't often feel sorry for John Street, but every time I see his brother's name in the news, I do feel a twinge of sympathy for the guy. http://tinyurl.com/2a8btx http://tinyurl.com/2a8btx Kathleen
[UC] gimme one of them nutty signs
People want to get their Nutter on. They're so amped to get a Nutter for Mayor lawn sign you'd think they were recycling bins. There's a bunch by the trolley portal, near 39th and Baltimore as welll as at 43rd and Baltimore, 43rd and Chester and 45th and Kingessing. Come get one for in front of your house, but please don't put them on other people's property without their permission or mess with other candidates' signs. Respect their right to support inferior candidates. Remember, If you have to do some Nutter, it's ok with Bobby, according to a Daily News article today that I naively took at face value. That's Bob Brady, the guy going back to Washington, not the kid from the Brady Bunch. -Dum Lew (patent pending) You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Vote for Nutter - another arrest story
Mel, I may have inadvertently contributed to your street story with the police. I've gotten really pushy with the police about certain issues. You feel the police overreacted because you were just harassing city employees. Sure, we all understand city workers are just little people not far above us gangsters. Most folks on the list think I just went to the Quality of Life Task force to assist the FOCP and SHCA leaders when they insisted on making idiots of themselves, but I actually pushed back. I pushed when the claims of killer dogs came up back then. For example, the police brought up the guy that was getting killed by dogs almost everyday. Of course, they knew who this bully was and I had also just made a formal complaint against the police about the harassment of the Clark Park drummers. What became apparent was that the police were as frustrated about the neighborhood cranks attempting to use them to bully neighbors and park users, as was I. Melanie, what I've pushed for was for the police to start arresting and prosecuting neighborhood cranks who make crank calls. Mel, the police may have had you on a watch list. I believe this may have prompted them to be more aggressive about your harassment of the workers. I want to credit and thank the police for arresting you that night. But you can see why my pushing may have contributed to your unpleasant experience. Melanie, it has nothing to do with you running around 46th St in a skimpy nightie at 1 AM. I don't care if you want to run the village streets naked all night until the state of emergency curfew is imposed, I won't call the police on you. But if you'r harassing anyone or making crank calls, even though I consider you a close friend, I will call the police on you. In 2004, I was looking forward to calling the police on Tony Siano and Brian West when they were planning to harass me and some rather hard working city workers performing their duties. But please Melanie, while you can be a bit bone-headed, I would take no pleasure seeing you put in cuffs when you're vulnerable and nearly naked. But if the taxpayers realized the money it costs to have the police try to weed through these calls, they would be up in arms too. How would we feel if a child were run over in Clark Park because the police think they are speeding to emergencies and they were just being called to arrest some drummers because of some bully? Back in the late 90's and early 21st century, I would estimate nearly 100% of police calls involving Clark Park were nothing more than crank calls. I myself had the police called on me many times and I can look out the window of my house and see it happen too. Please Mel, lighten up and have some fun when you're out there. If the police bother you because of your skimpy nightie when you're just singing This land is Penn's Land, please know that Matt can call me as a character witness at your trial. Sometimes the police do bad things but I also want to credit them when they do the correct thing like when they arrested you. By the way, I've studied this stop and frisk policy more since I wrote to Karen. I had considered Nutter a reasonable choice, but I completely reject this policy and I now reject him and anyone else that supports this state of emergency policy. Stop and Frisk should be the name of a fun game we play on 46th St and Clark Park. I've always said, make love not war. Your friend and neighbor, Glenn - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; UnivCity@list.purple.com Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:02 PM Subject: Re: [UC] Vote for Nutter - another arrest story In a message dated 5/10/07 9:42:02 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Lew writes: He [NUTTER] believes that a properly-trained and -supervised police force will be able to implement this policy to make the City safer without compromising the civil liberties of the citizens Sali: Anyone who believes this is patently dumb! When has this EVER worked in the history of the world and why would anyone believe it would work in the United States or Philadelphia? There will be tons of mistakes, misrepresentations and law suits galore! And by the way, it won't be your son Lew down on the ground with his hands behind his back. Our police force is diverse these days; ANYBODY can be an arrest target! We have equal opportunity arresting! It could, indeed, be Lew's son (except, I don't think he has one) As a middle-aged white lady, I was arrested 15 years ago - when I walked outside my house at 46th Chester at 1 a.m. to find the source of loud, prolonged vehicle noise on the 4500 block of Chester, where I lived then at the Gables BB. Sharrieff doesn't mention the race of the police who put him in their van, but I believe that the assumption in racial profiling is that the officers making the arrest are usually not
[UC] To support Michael Nutter's campaign with window or lawn signs, read on
I brought a small number of window signs home from Michael Nutter's rally last night. Lew Mellman just dropped off to me a huge number of lawn signs, which he rescued after someone knocked them over. The window signs are on a desk next to the front door, and the lawn signs are right in front of the stone wall next to the sidewalk, embarrassingly many for one person to be displaying! PLEASE come and get as many as you can use. The more I learn about Mr. Nutter, his accomplishments and his plans for our city the more convinced I am of his integrity, dedication, wisdom, and intelligent grasp of issues that are important if we are to make positive changes in our lives here in Philadelphia. I have observed him at council meetings during the course of many years, and he never gave me any reason to doubt that he will help our city become a better place to live. I've been complaining and picking up trash for years and years, even voted for Sam Katz in the last election, talked endlessly about moving out of Philadelphia, and now at last I feel there is reason to hope. I heartily agree with everything that Melani and Liz posted to this list about a week ago. Barbara Tilley 4511 Regent Street ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
Re: [UC] Forces of Gentrification Defeated! Dirty Jokes Aboud at Curio!
In a message dated 5/11/2007 8:35:01 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: ... UCD lovers fleeing to their namby-pamby QOL (Queens On Line (more appropriate)) meetings to try and have free speech re-destroyed. kyle fight the power cassidy This is a far more appealing position for you, when you go cocked and locked. Ciao, Craig ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
[UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
S. Sharrieff Ali wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? amazingly enough, penn dems and the dp endorse nutter: http://tinyurl.com/2bbplm http://tinyurl.com/yum6je .. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN [aka laserbeam®] [aka ray] SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES. __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Funny, I've noticed exactly the opposite to be true. Which newspapers are you referring to? Frank On May 11, 2007, at 02:43 PM, Joshua Karstendick wrote: The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S -- Joshua Karstendick You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
You know, in most parts of the world newspapers (and other media) are assumed to have a particular political bias, and the reading (or viewing) public is assumed to be sophisticated enough to understand this and to interpret their reporting accordingly. We like to carry on this pretense that our media are all fair and balanced (choke!). I much prefer to see a newspaper be open in endorsing a candidate, and I can then judge for myself whether there is bias in their reporting. Kathleen From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of S. Sharrieff Ali Sent: Fri 5/11/2007 1:21 PM To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Funny, I've noticed exactly the opposite to be true. Which newspapers are you referring to? Every American newspaper, pretty much. Even college papers like the Daily Pennsylvanian do that and take it quite seriously. You know, in most parts of the world newspapers (and other media) are assumed to have a particular political bias, and the reading (or viewing) public is assumed to be sophisticated enough to understand this and to interpret their reporting accordingly. I think the goal of impartially is a noble one and something journalists should strive for. Does everyone always succeed? Nope. Some don't even try. But I think that writers serve their readers best when trying to cut through the spin, not creating spin of their own. On the other hand, I kind of wish Philly had a Whirl right now: http://tinyurl.com/39prbh On May 11, 2007, at 02:43 PM, Joshua Karstendick wrote: The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S -- Joshua Karstendick You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
[UC] Candidates' Names and Ballot Positions; Ballot Questions
The Tuesday election is going to have a long and confusing ballot, and lines are probably going to be long. I wanted to save time by reading over the ballot beforehand, but I haven't seen any sample ballots printed in the newspapers yet. So here are links to the Committee of Seventy website, which has a pdf with the offices/candidates/ballot positions, and a second one with the ballot questions. http://www.seventy.org/electioninfo/upcoming.html Once the page opens, click on the links to: Ballot Order of Philadelphia Candidates May 15, 2007 Ballot Questions You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Let mew say it again. Newspapers should not endorse candidates. 1.Why should they? 2.Why is it important for a newspaper to use its might against a candidate to sway voter opinion and turn-out? 3.Are payments made.Pay-to-Say? 4.Why is reporting all sides of an issue not enough? 5.How does a newspaper benefit from an endorsement? 6.If a newspaper is going to endorse a candidate, how does a candidate posture themselves in anticipation? There where many people who thought it was a better idea to have local papers not endorse. In my opinion, there is no separation between editorial and news. The perception is they are the same. When a paper endorses a candidate, the paper uses its collective might and does not make the distinction known. S -Original Message- From: Joshua Karstendick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 2:44 PM To: S. Sharrieff Ali Cc: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S -- Joshua Karstendick
RE: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say Sell Ad Space
Understand, I am sold on the PLAN first, and the man second. The man can get the plan done, but it is the plan that we need most. sweet dreams. S -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 4:19 PM To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say Sell Ad Space In a message dated 5/11/2007 3:01:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Funny, I've noticed exactly the opposite to be true. Which newspapers are you referring to? Frank On May 11, 2007, at 02:43 PM, Joshua Karstendick wrote: The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. Thanks Frank Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer Left wing liberal rags closely aligned with State DNC talking points; not to mention so much commentary by columnists you think their opinions are the news. Current co-owner, and former Republican operative Tierny pledges non-partisanship. And, co-owner and Dem supporter Toll has no problem trumpeting an editorial policy meant to increase readership in the market - the Liberal Dem Line with the Philly proletariat touch. No law and order rantings here; solve crime through social engineering; miraculously rehabilitate bad boy criminals by denying them access to guns; allegedly achievable by denying honest law abiding non-violent citizens access to guns. Wonder what brain-freeze solution they will advance for illegal drug sales and addiction? Since, incarceration is a violation of their human rights. In major markets the pap that readers desire buys the printers' ink, not ideological purity. Maybe the LA Times can save itself if it adapts more La Raza talking points rather than Hollyweird liberal beliefs. Liberal New York Times reports on the positive efficacy of judicious torture in Iraq by Iraqis, two Sundays ago. Does local peace-nic Rosso engage in active analysis that defeating asymmetric third world warfare may benefit from non-PC interrogation techniques? Ignore the good news; see if it goes away. He probably gets it for free off the Net, anyway. No mention this past April 24th of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of Turkish Islamo-facists. Wouldn't want anyone wondering why 1.5 million Christians were murdered. Wouldn't want to draw any pro-war parallels to the concept of a continuing need to fight Islamic despotism in the middle east. There aren't enough Armenians to buy a lot of newspapers or create an influential Demo voting block. Any people who were stupid enough to die without a fight aren't worth worrying about. Even our local Meno pacifists ignored the Armenia martyrs for peace. Didn't hear very many voices challenging Clinton's war in Bosnia to prevent the genocide of Moslems. Democrat wars are more noble? Karstendick's hypothesis may hold true in an intellectually honest culture, but that's certainly not Philly. Looking at one of my local favorite political papers (name intentionally deleted), boosterism of the empowered results in advertising bought. Remember Sali, only report the news the way people will buy it. Or, you wont sell your papers. You wont sell advertising. People ain't buying Chaka this season, so he can't raise money. Wonder why? Ciao, Craig _ See what's free at AOL.com http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF0002000503 .
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Folks, I have to share Sharrieff's fear of the social persuasion of media companies in politics and public policymaking. If the editorial staff and columnists at a particular newspaper offer a best choice candidate that they endorse in their own opinion pieces, they have the power of a mass media outlet to sway opinion, a privilege most citizens do not have. But there is another side to this argument of the local newspapers or indeed any newspaper endorsing a political candidate for elected office. First and foremost, journalists/reporters must disseminate facts to the general public in as unbiased a way as is possible. Journalists have an almost sacred duty to that effect and they take it as a deadly serious responsibility. Columnists, on the other hand, are paid to be part journalist and part problem-solver. They take the same facts that the pure journalist finds and develop inferences and build forensic (as in forensic debating, not the CSI type) arguments based on those facts as their logical support. That's a far too tedious was of saying that they develop an informed opinion. It's this informed opinion that you're attacking in the local newpapers endorsing Michael Nutter and I have to say that you're wasting worrying about it. In the end, it's just an opinion. you can write an op-ed piece and send to the Inquirer, the Daily News, the Daily Pennsylvania, etc, but that would still just be your opinion. When the editorial staff of a newspaper can lend their brain power to the public to ferret out who would make the best leader or candidate they usually do it, because they're trying to help the reader see the legitimate reasons for choosing a candidate. They don't hold a gun to the public's head and say vote for Nutter or I'll blow your brains out. As one of the previous contributors to this thread pointed out that the public can make up it's own mind, even if it's sees a biased or opinionated piece of writing in a newspaper. Even with the media power behind a newspaper, it's a free press with the right of free speech and the public has the right to decide for themselves. There's no crime or abuse taking place. We all just have to learn to live with other people's opinions and points of view. FWIW, Mario Giorno
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Amara Rockar wrote: I think the goal of impartially is a noble one and something journalists should strive for. Does everyone always succeed? Nope. Some don't even try. But I think that writers serve their readers best when trying to cut through the spin, not creating spin of their own. haha-- I think writers serve their readers best when they dish out the news as straight up spin http://tinyurl.com/346smt http://tinyurl.com/33wzw4 .. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN [aka laserbeam®] [aka ray] SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES. __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Mario your still my friend but I did get the dig. Often people on this listserv make false statements to sway opinion. I don't have any fears of the social persuasion of media companies.. I want everyone to join with me and say: THE MEDIA TODAY OF INFOTAINMENT AND PAY-TO-SAY IS FULL OF SHIT ok. It is one thing to endorse a candidate inside your paper and another to sway an election with a full cover. Besides, I picked my candidate after everyone announced and I read everyone's plan, the papers have picked theirs using their own tainted polls near the end of the race. It is funny to see all the lawn signs going up 6 days before the election. S -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mario Giorno Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 5:03 PM To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say Folks, I have to share Sharrieff's fear of the social persuasion of media companies in politics and public policymaking. If the editorial staff and columnists at a particular newspaper offer a best choice candidate that they endorse in their own opinion pieces, they have the power of a mass media outlet to sway opinion, a privilege most citizens do not have. But there is another side to this argument of the local newspapers or indeed any newspaper endorsing a political candidate for elected office. First and foremost, journalists/reporters must disseminate facts to the general public in as unbiased a way as is possible. Journalists have an almost sacred duty to that effect and they take it as a deadly serious responsibility. Columnists, on the other hand, are paid to be part journalist and part problem-solver. They take the same facts that the pure journalist finds and develop inferences and build forensic (as in forensic debating, not the CSI type) arguments based on those facts as their logical support. That's a far too tedious was of saying that they develop an informed opinion. It's this informed opinion that you're attacking in the local newpapers endorsing Michael Nutter and I have to say that you're wasting worrying about it. In the end, it's just an opinion. you can write an op-ed piece and send to the Inquirer, the Daily News, the Daily Pennsylvania, etc, but that would still just be your opinion. When the editorial staff of a newspaper can lend their brain power to the public to ferret out who would make the best leader or candidate they usually do it, because they're trying to help the reader see the legitimate reasons for choosing a candidate. They don't hold a gun to the public's head and say vote for Nutter or I'll blow your brains out. As one of the previous contributors to this thread pointed out that the public can make up it's own mind, even if it's sees a biased or opinionated piece of writing in a newspaper. Even with the media power behind a newspaper, it's a free press with the right of free speech and the public has the right to decide for themselves. There's no crime or abuse taking place. We all just have to learn to live with other people's opinions and points of view. FWIW, Mario Giorno
Fwd: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Begin forwarded message: From: Elliot M. Stern [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 11 May 2007 5:36:48 PM EDT To: S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say Sorry, newspapers' editorial boards' rights to endorse candidates are part and parcel of their First Amendment rights. I suggest you consider the history of freedom of the press, and consider 18th century press practices the Founding Fathers protected in that amendment. I think you'll find that they were protecting practices similar to those Kathleen Turner refers to in her reply. Elliot On 11 May 2007, at 1:21 PM, S. Sharrieff Ali wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S
Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
It has ALWAYS been thus, ever since there have been newspapers. No help for it. The Editorial pages were created for just those issues that concern the general public; also editorial cartoonist of which I feel Tony Auth is one of the greatest. Advertisers do not USUALLY dictate newspaper editorial policy as they do when they pay for advertising time on TV and Product Placement in pictures. If they do there is usually a disclaimer in fine print at the end of the advert. I would know because Alex is in that business. However, I could be wrong, but THAT was what the newspaper business thrived upon. The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of the oldest Public Newspapers in the U.S. All sorts of companies take out advertisements for all sorts of reasons including political reasons; however endorsements of the Editorial Board are not usually bought, but are opinions of same. On 5/11/07 4:38 PM, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Let mew say it again. Newspapers should not endorse candidates. 1.Why should they? 2.Why is it important for a newspaper to use its might against a candidate to sway voter opinion and turn-out? 3.Are payments made²Pay-to-Say²? 4.Why is reporting all sides of an issue not enough? 5.How does a newspaper benefit from an endorsement? 6.If a newspaper is going to endorse a candidate, how does a candidate posture themselves in anticipation? There where many people who thought it was a better idea to have local papers not endorse. In my opinion, there is no separation between editorial and news. The perception is they are the same. When a paper endorses a candidate, the paper uses its collective might and does not make the distinction known. S -Original Message- From: Joshua Karstendick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 2:44 PM To: S. Sharrieff Ali Cc: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S
RE: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say
Thanks Wilma: I hope everyone understands I don't mean payments literally, like a fee-sheet. One hand washing the other. Editorial boards should present commentary, but not endorse. to approve openly endorse an idea; especially : to express support or approval of publicly and definitely endorse a mayoral candidate b : to recommend (as a product or service) usually for financial compensation shoes endorsed by a pro basketball player I see no one is answering the questions. S -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Wilma de Soto Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 6:48 PM To: S. Sharrieff Ali; 'Joshua Karstendick' Cc: UnivCity listserv Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say It has ALWAYS been thus, ever since there have been newspapers. No help for it. The Editorial pages were created for just those issues that concern the general public; also editorial cartoonist of which I feel Tony Auth is one of the greatest. Advertisers do not USUALLY dictate newspaper editorial policy as they do when they pay for advertising time on TV and Product Placement in pictures. If they do there is usually a disclaimer in fine print at the end of the advert. I would know because Alex is in that business. However, I could be wrong, but THAT was what the newspaper business thrived upon. The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of the oldest Public Newspapers in the U.S. All sorts of companies take out advertisements for all sorts of reasons including political reasons; however endorsements of the Editorial Board are not usually bought, but are opinions of same. On 5/11/07 4:38 PM, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Let mew say it again. Newspapers should not endorse candidates. 1.Why should they? 2.Why is it important for a newspaper to use its might against a candidate to sway voter opinion and turn-out? 3.Are payments made.Pay-to-Say? 4.Why is reporting all sides of an issue not enough? 5.How does a newspaper benefit from an endorsement? 6.If a newspaper is going to endorse a candidate, how does a candidate posture themselves in anticipation? There where many people who thought it was a better idea to have local papers not endorse. In my opinion, there is no separation between editorial and news. The perception is they are the same. When a paper endorses a candidate, the paper uses its collective might and does not make the distinction known. S -Original Message- From: Joshua Karstendick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 2:44 PM To: S. Sharrieff Ali Cc: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Newspaper Endorsements ... Pay-To Say The editorial page is separate from news reporting. Newspapers can and do both endorse candidates and provide high quality, unbiased news. There is also a wall of separation between advertisers and the newsroom. On 5/11/07, S. Sharrieff Ali [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Newspapers should not support candidates, they should report the news and remain unbiased. So if the newspapers are advertising based, then how much do they charge for an endorsement? S
RE: [UC] Forces of Gentrification Defeated! Dirty Jokes Aboud at Curio!
With banter like that there's probably a part for you in the cast of The Green Bird! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of [EMAIL PROTECTED] This is a far more appealing position for you, when you go cocked and locked.
Re: [UC] More on civil behavior, was (Vote for Nutter - another arrest story)
Glenn, 1. Nice try, but you're no Ross. This comes off as juvenile sexism. Or is this part of dog culture? 2. Would you please consider an abstract or table of contents at the beginning of your lengthy posts? That way, those who don't want to dismiss messages based on the subject line, never quite sure that something valuable might be hidden on a dead horse topic, can be saved the drudgery of plodding through searching for those diamonds in the rough. 3. Not only did you pass up a gentle prod on your use of an ugly ethnic slur (referring to Vietnamese) in an earlier post, you then proceeding to use another, perhaps less obvious one, after someone had called another member on the same term (relating to PPD emergency patrol wagons, as they call them). Is it time to call for you to be suspended for crossing the line on civility? Can't you correct the record? Paul -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; UnivCity@list.purple.com Sent: Fri, 11 May 2007 12:38 PM Subject: Re: [UC] Vote for Nutter - another arrest story Mel, I may have inadvertently contributed to your street story with the police. I’ve gotten really pushy with the police about certain issues. You feel the police overreacted because you were just harassing city employees. Sure, we all understand city workers are just little people not far above us gangsters. Most folks on the list think I just went to the Quality of Life Task force to assist the FOCP and SHCA leaders when they insisted on making idiots of themselves, but I actually pushed back. I pushed when the claims of killer dogs came up back then. For example, the police brought up the guy that was getting killed by dogs almost everyday. Of course, they knew who this bully was and I had also just made a formal complaint against the police about the harassment of the Clark Park drummers. What became apparent was that the police were as frustrated about the neighborhood cranks attempting to use them to bully neighbors and park users, as was I. Melanie, what I’ve pushed for was for the police to start arresting and prosecuting neighborhood cranks who make crank calls. Mel, the police may have had you on a watch list. I believe this may have prompted them to be more aggressive about your harassment of the workers. I want to credit and thank the police for arresting you that night. But you can see why my pushing may have contributed to your unpleasant experience. Melanie, it has nothing to do with you running around 46th St in a skimpy nightie at 1 AM. I don’t care if you want to run the village streets naked all night until the state of emergency curfew is imposed, I won’t call the police on you. But if you’r harassing anyone or making crank calls, even though I consider you a close friend, I will call the police on you. In 2004, I was looking forward to calling the police on Tony Siano and Brian West when they were planning to harass me and some rather hard working city workers performing their duties. But please Melanie, while you can be a bit bone-headed, I would take no pleasure seeing you put in cuffs when you’re vulnerable and nearly naked. But if the taxpayers realized the money it costs to have the police try to weed through these calls, they would be up in arms too. How would we feel if a child were run over in Clark Park because the police think they are speeding to emergencies and they were just being called to arrest some drummers because of some bully? Back in the late 90’s and early 21st century, I would estimate nearly 100% of police calls involving Clark Park were nothing more than crank calls. I myself had the police called on me many times and I can look out the window of my house and see it happen too. Please Mel, lighten up and have some fun when you’re out there. If the police bother you because of your skimpy nightie when you’re just singing This land is Penn’s Land, please know that Matt can call me as a character witness at your trial. Sometimes the police do bad things but I also want to credit them when they do the correct thing like when they arrested you. By the way, I’ve studied this stop and frisk policy more since I wrote to Karen. I had considered Nutter a reasonable choice, but I completely reject this policy and I now reject him and anyone else that supports this state of emergency policy. Stop and Frisk should be the name of a fun game we play on 46th St and Clark Park. I’ve always said, make love not war. Your friend and neighbor, Glenn - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; UnivCity@list.purple.com Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:02 PM Subject: Re: [UC] Vote for Nutter - another arrest story In a message dated 5/10/07 9:42:02 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Lew writes: He [NUTTER] believes that a properly-trained and -supervised police
Re: [UC] Civility on and off the web
Frank wrote: I think part of the problem is that some people take it upon themselves to speak for others by saying things like the hairs on the back of your neck when they really mean the hairs on the back of my neck, or You are reading danger instead of I am reading danger. I know it's a common way people express themselves these days but I believe there's a reason for it. I don't think people want to take ownership of their thoughts and feelings and want to believe everyone else feels the same way. Careful speech is valuable on demand. But for a general readership, I think it's okay to assert, On a clear night you can see the Big Dipper in the night sky in the country, even though it may not apply if you are blind, or have been bricked up inside a farmhouse basement by a rural psycho. I'm also offended by being told what behavior is healthier or more natural. As I see it, the ways humans interact and communicate have always evolved and are now doing so pretty rapidly. Some people adapt well to those changes, others don't. Technology evolves quickly; biology less so. Internet communities are heavily dependent on physical-space metaphors, so I think it fair to say that online interactions still solve most social problems with analogs, at least, of physical societies. Some individuals may have difficulties that make it hard for them to handle face-to-face contacts (the autism disorders spring to mind); it's hard to imagine this could be anything less than a disorder. I prefer not to speak of a provocateur who can't look his target in the eye as differently abled. Such behavior is never a good sign and rarely even a morally neutral sign. So I will stick my neck out and say that the hairs on its back are pretty normal human hairs in this case, and I encourage other readers to heed similar responses if they feel them.. You have a fair amount of experience in online communities, Frank. I'd be interested to hear practical accounts of how they've handled trolls. Still, I submitted to you before that an online community *all about a geographical community*, which UC-list is, seems a particularly unlikely place to come up with new rules that reject physical contact. The whole point of UC-list is we share the same physical space, bump into the same things -- including each other -- on the street. -- Tony West You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
