Our thanks to Ron Harper, Jr., for bravely reporting news at 5thEstate.com that would either be omitted or distorted by the monopoly Lancaster press.
WATCHDOG: We mourn the web site being "shut down" on April 30 but eagerly look forward to the fruition of whatever new journalistic enterprise that Harper has in mind.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
KUDOS
KUDOS to the Sunday News for a very entertaining March 30th Perspective section.
WATCHDOG: Too bad they fail to report on the diversion of millions of dollars of the Convention Center Authority's rightful funds to Penn Square Partners. Is this because its parent company is a partner in the 'looting'?
WATCHDOG: Too bad they fail to report on the diversion of millions of dollars of the Convention Center Authority's rightful funds to Penn Square Partners. Is this because its parent company is a partner in the 'looting'?
Monday, March 24, 2008
WATCHDOG
WATCHDOG: Shame on the monopoly Lancaster newspapers for abrogating its journalistic responsibility to report on how Commissioner Craig Lehman's campaign received $46,000 from special interest groups. In this case, silence denotes complicity.
Friday, March 21, 2008
KUDOS
Kudos to the Intell's Jeff Hawkes for his substantive and thoughtful March 21 column "Smart money is on new plan for school funding."
Hawkes describes how state aid for educating school children has shrunk over the decades to a point where Pennsylvania is 47th in a ranking of states for school funding equity. He cites as an example how $17,184 is spent per pupil in the suburbs of Philadelphia, but only $6,805 in Erie.
Hawkes praises Governor Ed Rendell for "proposing true reform – an actual funding formula, one that lifts up the neediest students."
Hawkes describes how state aid for educating school children has shrunk over the decades to a point where Pennsylvania is 47th in a ranking of states for school funding equity. He cites as an example how $17,184 is spent per pupil in the suburbs of Philadelphia, but only $6,805 in Erie.
Hawkes praises Governor Ed Rendell for "proposing true reform – an actual funding formula, one that lifts up the neediest students."
WATCHDOG
Kudos to the Intelligencer Journal for the March 21 article "Fears of being 'railroaded', Residents unite against train yard move." A fair and balanced presentation of the controversy, the article quotes neighbor Dan Gillis as saying "[People] are resentful of the fact that things are being pushed without involving them...There's been no dialogue, and in a free society, dialogue should take place."
A public informational meeting sponsored by The Railroad Action Committee (TRAC) will be held on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:00 PM at the Grace Baptist Church, 1899 Marietta Avenue.
A public informational meeting sponsored by The Railroad Action Committee (TRAC) will be held on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:00 PM at the Grace Baptist Church, 1899 Marietta Avenue.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
NEW ERA
A March 17th news item headed "Motorcyclist dies after hitting trees" describes in detail how the accident occurred.
WATCHDOG: Not mentioned was whether the cyclist was wearing a safety helmet. This is information of vital importance to other motorcyclists and to those who influence related laws and regulations.
WATCHDOG: Not mentioned was whether the cyclist was wearing a safety helmet. This is information of vital importance to other motorcyclists and to those who influence related laws and regulations.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
SUNDAY NEWS
In "Smart Remarks" of March 16, Columnist Gil Smart opines: "As if a President Obama, or any president, isn't going to be surrounded by a cadre of advisers who have spent entire careers in the halls of government, formulating policy and the like."
WATCH DOG: Without taking a position favoring either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, we do believe that experience is essential when it comes to national security. Here is a recent list and calamities of inexperienced presidents of recent memory:
John F. Kennedy - The Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam War; Jimmy Carter - Woeful mishandling of the Iran hostage situation; and George W. Bush - The Iraq War. An exception was Bill Clinton who came along at a time when national security was not a big issue.
Recent presidents who were masterful when it came to issues of national security are Franklin D. Roosevelt - former Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the First World War (and spy master) and Vice Presidential candidate in 1920; Dwight D. Eisenhower - Supreme Commander in Europe during World War II, head of NATO, and the President of Columbia University; Richard M. Nixon - Congressman, Senator, two term Vice President, world traveler; and George H. W. Bush - Congressman, envoy to Communist China, Ambassador to the United Nations and two term Vice President.
One possible exception: Ronald Reagan combined an armament build up with overtures for world peace although he did unnecessarily wreak havoc on Central American countries. But that's like playing Russian Roulette!
Advisers are useful but only experience provides a president with the knowledge to evaluate information and advice and choose wisely. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Nixon and the senior Bush did just that.
WATCH DOG: Without taking a position favoring either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, we do believe that experience is essential when it comes to national security. Here is a recent list and calamities of inexperienced presidents of recent memory:
John F. Kennedy - The Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam War; Jimmy Carter - Woeful mishandling of the Iran hostage situation; and George W. Bush - The Iraq War. An exception was Bill Clinton who came along at a time when national security was not a big issue.
Recent presidents who were masterful when it came to issues of national security are Franklin D. Roosevelt - former Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the First World War (and spy master) and Vice Presidential candidate in 1920; Dwight D. Eisenhower - Supreme Commander in Europe during World War II, head of NATO, and the President of Columbia University; Richard M. Nixon - Congressman, Senator, two term Vice President, world traveler; and George H. W. Bush - Congressman, envoy to Communist China, Ambassador to the United Nations and two term Vice President.
One possible exception: Ronald Reagan combined an armament build up with overtures for world peace although he did unnecessarily wreak havoc on Central American countries. But that's like playing Russian Roulette!
Advisers are useful but only experience provides a president with the knowledge to evaluate information and advice and choose wisely. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Nixon and the senior Bush did just that.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
WATCHDOG
The Monday Intelligencer Journal was "paper thin," almost bereft of advertisements. The paucity of ads in the newly combined Saturday Intelligencer Journal / New Era and the lower weight of the Sunday News indicates that newspaper circulation and advertising in Lancaster is following a national trend as indicated by the following article of March 3 from the Associated Press:
"New York Times Board Challenged ... Times and other U.S. newspapers are facing huge challenges in adapting to the steady migration of readers and advertising dollars to the Internet. An economic slowdown coupled with a deep slump in the housing market is worsening the situation." Insurgent stock holders also criticized the mediocre quality of its web site.
"New York Times Board Challenged ... Times and other U.S. newspapers are facing huge challenges in adapting to the steady migration of readers and advertising dollars to the Internet. An economic slowdown coupled with a deep slump in the housing market is worsening the situation." Insurgent stock holders also criticized the mediocre quality of its web site.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
LANCASTER NEWSPAPERS
Explained they were combining Saturday editions of the Intelligencer Journal and The New Era at the request of New Era advertisers who wanted to reach weekend shoppers earlier in the day.
WATCHDOG: The first combined Saturday edition was the thinnest newspaper in memory. Apparently the advertisers weren't so thrilled.
WATCHDOG: The first combined Saturday edition was the thinnest newspaper in memory. Apparently the advertisers weren't so thrilled.
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