And yet you beg for Federal Assistance?

Your levees get overwhelmed leading to a natural disaster. What do you do?

A. Set up a five year plan of re-engineering and strengthening levees and dams, even though it raises taxes.

B. Begin an expensive public work project which raises the average height above sea-level for the city

C. Set up a government run Wireless Internet Provider

D. Work tirelessly to eliminate corruption and government waste, and create a tax incentive system to lure business to the city, which will in turn lure workers

Clearly the answer is C. After all, if we have wireless, my house can be floating down the street, but I can still blog and moan about how the Federal Goverment isn't responding fast enough.

A reminder...

that Intelligence work is more complicated than Liar Liar Pants on Fire.

Article details the 9/11 planner met with Iraqi Intelligence Claim.

Should the Media be responsible for the accuracy of their Ads?

Fox News Says Yes

Without seeing the ad in question, I can't form an opinion. The premise of the story is that Fox News won't air an anti-Alito ad. Critics say because they are right wing, They say because they aren't certain as to the accuracy of the ad.

I have no problem with that. If they have legitimate concerns over the accuracy of the ad, I think they probably shouldn't air it. Just make sure that's your policy all the way around, left right or center.

I know that in our industry, ads are your life blood. They are how you pay your bills, its certainly how my salary is paid. But there are definetely ads you shouldn't air. In my opinion, news organizations shouldn't air ads that pose as news items. It undermines your credibility. I think that news organizations shouldn't air ads that they are know are false. Take for instance, an ad in our local paper a few months back, which featured a number of "concerned citizens" speaking out against a program which wanted to move to their town. The program was a camp for city kids who never get exposure to the country, but the ad was under the context of the program as a drug rehabilitation type program. The paper printed the ad, but did a story on the program itself.

That's a reasonable approach i guess, setting the record straight via your news reporting. But you are still taking money in order to publish something about a person or group that YOU KNOW IS FALSE. That doesn't sit right with me.

Its probably fortunate for my company that I don't have any control over THAT end of the business.

In the mean time, hopefully my check comes today.

King of the Fluff Stories

This week I've crowned myself King of the Fluff Stories. Things have been really quiet lately. (except for losing power last night, but that doesn't take a whole lot of time to cover, provided the power company calls you back.)

Anyway. Yesterday, the news story was how to avoid poisioning yourself by improperly thawing your turkey. Today is not burning yourself as you fry a turkey. Tomorrow will probably be DFACS and how to get gifts for your family if you're low income. By Thursday things will get a little more hard news, since we will have "officially" the three applicants for the second round of City Manager Interviews (I already know who the three are, but its not been done officially yet.), and than the EDA meets, so something should come of that. I'm slightly worried because I personally can not attend either meeting, because they held them at noon. I am questioning myself on whether they are being held at noon because its thanksgiving and people are busy, or if because they know that's when i'm live with the noon report.

Haha...

I'd love to see the old time SNL cast do this.

I think that was a totally acceptable question to dodge by the way. I won't go so far as to chastise the reporter for asking it, but I can't see what news value the reporter thought the question offered.

Coulter Goes After Murrow

http://anncoulter.com/cgi-local/welcome.cgi

Edward R. Murrow, something of a patron saint in Radio News, gets an earful from Ann Coulter. Mostly she's harping at George Clooney, for making a movie about Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy.

The accepted wisdom about McCarthy is that he was a drunken fascist with a list of names of "supposed" communists. "Everybody Knows" that the poor people dragged before the committee on Un-american activites was innocently accused.

The reality of course, is that the Soviets had very succcessfuly infilitrated western governments (not just ours of course, but the British, and the West Germans had more holes than swiss cheese).

My disagreement with McCarthy is not about goal. (One should have a witch-hunt when there are real witches to be hunted!) it was about method. McCarthy WAS (IMHO) a drunk slanderer.... but even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Scoop

So, on the same day that I was worrying about being scooped, I in fact was able to out scoop, by breaking a drug arrest, and the capture of a "Liquor Still." (Yes, its the Appalachians!) This is a pretty decent sized story here, not so much for the meth, even though that's a big bust, but because of the still, and the tradition of bootlegging the area has. In fact, a Sheriff's Investigator told me all in all it was a pretty sadly designed still, and that the guy should have known better.

Anyway.. back to the business about scooping. I learn of the story because as I walk into the Sheriff's office, the investigator says, "Tell Blake (Editor of the Paper) that I didn't give you the story on the still first."

To which of course i replied, "What Still story?"

The paper found out about the still tuesday. (it happened tuesday night), after the paper had gone to the publisher. (I am not suprised they learned of it, one of the deputies involved is a routine source in the paper.) But apparently, folks at the paper werent' to happy that they didn't find out until after they'd put the paper to bed, so they were in a bit of a snit when they talked to the deputies.

A bad move. With the way reports tend to get done at the Sheriff's Office, it could have been a full another week before I saw anything in writing about the bust, by which time the paper could have blown it open. Which just goes to show there's no reason not to be respectful with the authorities. Being respectful doesn't mean laying down, or not pushing back if they try withhold stuff which they can't legally withhold, but I think alot of journalists think that being non-biased means always being against the authorities, which isn't true. I'm for just reporting what happened, and letting others decide what the implications of a given story are.

Intelligent Design...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701304.html


An excellent article from Charles Krauthammer, who once again proves that there is a strong intellectual underbelly to the Right, and we are not all a mass chorus of droning zealot luddites. If only we could some how find a way to expel the remaining Torquemadas from group.

By the Skin of my teeth...

Well, that was a close one. I almost got scooped this week by the paper. Which would have been guaranteed to ruin my week. And truth be told I would have deserved it. Let me explain...

Interim Administrator Bill Allen is being replaced at the Hospital by a new guy. The Clayton Tribune was presumably aware of this last thursday, when they were issued a press release by In-Med, the parent company. The Radio Station did not recieve the same courtesy, I presume because the release came from the parent company in Alabama, which probably wasn't even aware we did radio news... If it was a local press release from Allen and his staff, I would not be able to forgive them. Nevertheless, I learned about the event on Tuesday night, after overhearing a conversation on the subject between people in the know.

But even knowing that... my first instinct was "Oh.. that's interesting."

Note to Self: "Oh.. that's interesting.." needs to be translated as "Oh *#&#*, BREAKING NEWS BABY!"

I did get the ultimate compliment from Allen though as I went about arranging my interview. He asked my favorite question... "How did you know this was going on?" Answer of Course: "I have my ways.. MWHAHAHA."

Anyway, I've gotta get better attuned or I'm gonna get burned. The fact that I have a gillion news casts a day, means I should never get beat. Pity sake, its not like i'm up against a local tv station with a cadre of reporters and a news chopper. So anyway, I'm just glad the headline of the Clayton Tribune today wasn't:

Paper to Radio Station: "Your News-Fu is Weak!"

A New Most Inane News Story Ever

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/16/D8DTOTT00.html

The last inane news story was about how much gas it uses for the secret service to protect the president, and referenced Jimmy Carter wearing a sweater... This newest article drops to a new low... where it says around 83,000 enemy combatants have been detained during the war on terror.

It goes on to say.. Not once.. but TWICE. that this is roughily the number of people it takes to fill a Football Stadium...

There's an image of massive numbers of people confined without trial from a few days after 9/11, to Today.

Just one problem oh brilliant intrepid journalist. That's the TOTAL of those who have spent time in a confinement center, NOT the number of people presently confined. That present number is more like 14,500. of those, only 229 have been confined for a period of 2 years or more.

Now where did I find these brilliant and enlightening facts? In the Journalist's OWN ARTICLE and yet They still make the comparison to the football stadium, which PURPOSEFULLY creates a image of mass (and illegal) confinement, totally out proportion to the facts presented in the article. This is typical of the quality news reporting that is coming out of the Associate Press these days. Articles where the news organization can state the actual facts AND STILL spin it in a totally different direction ANYWAY. There is a word for such an ability... it's called doublethink...


I appreciate asking hard questions to those in positions of authority. That is the job. I appreciate doing the research, and bringing issues to light. The story contained very interesting information. ( I had no idea that many people had passed through military prisons. I suppose you could even spin it in the other direction, and say "how many of these people have we let go, and have no idea of where they are or what they are doing??? ) But save us the inane comparisons.

History's View of Bush?

http://www.taemag.com/issues/articleid.18832/article_detail.asp

This only caught my eye, because I was recently listening in on a Board of Commissioners discussion (not during a meeting, they were just chit-chatting.) Where one Commissioner (I won't say which one) said he thought History would judge Bush harshly.


Btw. I know I shouldn't capitalize History like this, it makes me feel dirty, like a marxist. Of course it is historians who judge, and they'll judge according to their own biases, just like the MSM.

All I know is that when that history does get written, I shall be excited to read it.

Someone find out if Harriet is an Evangelical

This Harriet's Credentials Seem Just as good as the last one's

Another Winner from Hitchens

Hurray for Peace and Multilateralism.

Hitchens nails it once again in pointing out that being anti-intervention means, ultimately, being pro-status quo. And when that status quo is the systematic oppression and annhilation of another group of people, as only the modern dictatorship is capable, you become culpable. Of course there are those who will claim we were unable to intervene in Darfur because of our involvement in Iraq. I don't accept that assumption. For starter's I don't think it would have taken much puntative action to halt the genocide. Also if it was apparent that the move had internal US support, I think our "allies" would be more inclined to intervene as well.

So, at any rate, congratulations to the descendents of Munich, for another appeasement well done.

Confessions of a Chickenhawk

It's days like today, which is of course Veteran's day, when I some times regret that I didn't go into the military. Of course I come from a military family. My father was a marine, my eldest brother was a marine, and my other brother a naval academy grad, and naval officer. Every grandfather (Bit maybe one) of course in the Second World War.

I'm a supporter of what we're doing in Iraq, and of course what we did in Afghanistan. I also supported military intervention in Somalia and Bosnia, and of course Operation Desert Storm. I think its the good fortune of the rest of the world that the most powerful nation on earth is champion of freedom and representative government. And I think that means we have to be military strong for two reasons. First, because ultimately we find ourselves the enemies of every petty dictator, and oppressive party regime on the planet, simply because we represent an unacceptable way of life. Even the enemies of our enemies will turn against us. (which is exactly what we found against Saddam, Panama's Noriega, and a host of other tin-horn political gangsters. When your locked in a contest with another power house (USSR), after all you have an excuse. You're kind of busy. But if you have the power to set someone free, and you don't. Well that's almost as bad as enslaving them isn't it?

Secondly all those folks who live in tyranny know you have the power to free them, and you don't. So they doubt that you are what you say you are, and turn to other, violent creeds instead. That's been the case every time we've made the mistake. Ho Chi Minh came to us for help against French Colonialism, apparently Castro came to us against Batista, we didn't help the shittes and the Kurds the first time they rose in rebellion.

Came back to bite us every time.

I suppose I can take some comfort in the fact that the "Pen is mighter.." And that's the role I've chosen to play. But on day like today I always feel a little bit down on myself.

Off the Deep End

Okay, So I did a little venting in my last post. Sorry bout that folks. The truth is, comments about what we do here, even bad comments, are good for us, because it indicates that people are reading, and as the boss says, "taking ownership in the station." When it comes down to it, I like the fact that people call looking for news, because it means they know that we'll know, or have the resources to find out. Which is.. after all.. what I do.

So you think you can do my job?

There are some professions which for whatever reason people think any moron can do. Such jobs include policemen ("Why are you giving me a ticket? you should be blah blah blah...) President of the United States (obvious), or Newsman.

I can't tell you how many times i get told, "you should put such and such on the air.. or you should do a story about _____." Just this morning I came into the office with a note informing me of a motorcycle accident, and the suggestion that I might get a scanner so i'll know "What the locals know."

I do have a scanner. Unfortunately it was eaten by battery acid, after I tried to charge unchargeable batteries.

Anyway, I knew about the motorcycle accident. I called Dispatch. I got the story. Motorcycle accident on 441, also with a car. evacuating by air. no other details presently available.

For starters, an accident on highway 441 is no longer news. There are accidents on 441 EVERY DAY. EVERY SINGLE DAY. EVERY ONE. If there IS NOT an accident on 441, that's news worthy.

Since it was a state highway, I will need to call the Toccoa State Patrol post for any other details. But state troopers do not rush home to the post just because there was an accident. They do the report, then they truck around doing their job, until the end of their shift. Some times they don't do the paperwork then, they do it the next day. Chances are good if i call around 4pm today, I'll be able to get the details on the accident. Then I might be able to provide details on the story that any idiot with a scanner does not know... Than the story is news.

I am NOT David Shideler, the Traffic Dude. I'm the NEWS DIRECTOR. Now news is a subtle mixture between what people should know, and what people want to know. I personally feel like the people of Rabun County have been getting catered too with "all the news that you want to hear" for a little to long. There are important things going on that I'm going to tell you about, whether you want to know about them or not. I WILL have an educated audience, if I have to drag them kicking and screaming.

In the mean time, if you want me to go live with every single traffic jam.. don't buy me a scanner, buy me a traffic helicopter.

Send the Money to David Shideler, C/O SKY 104 Action News Chopper, 18 Radio Lane, Clayton GA 30525.

Comments

I've enabled comments. If i have readership, I'd like to give them the opportunity to comment. I'll add a caveat though, comments are being screened, and some will probably be deleted. Especially inappropriate comments. Disagreeing with me is good, Advertising, spamming, and other nonsense is bad.

Readership!

Another interesting fact I learned last night... is that I have readers. While I knew I had readers related to me, and some from work, and far away places like my alma mater, I didn't realize I had local readers. A fellow who was watching the vote counting for Armede Bynum, (I believe her son, but I i am not a hundred percent on what his relationship was, but it was definetely a relative.) He told me that he'd seen my blog, and that many others in the city had too. How many many is I don't know. I am both excited, and somewhat nervous over the information. One is a little free with what one says when you imagine that no one who doesn't already know you would bother to read your blog. I don't think i'll change anything, but it does pause to make one consider.

One thing that I would like to change due to that news is the times I post. I think I need to post at least once a day. If i'm going to have a real readership, I need to feed the monkeys.

note to readers: Not that I think you are monkeys, I'm simply saying that my witticism are like an addictive substance, and I know you can't get enough.

RAMEY WINS!!!!

It's official. At least as official as it can be before the secretary of state certifies the vote, and since 2000 we learned well that elections do not always end with the counting. But I don't think thats a fear for this one, as Tom Ramey will take the office of Mayor back from incumbent Danny Gillespise. I apologize for making you folks here wait for the news, but I am obliged to break the news via the radio first, for the obvious reason that the radio station pays my bills.

In other contests it was incumbent Armede Bynum over newcomer Debbie Chisholm. And of course, as most expected, Patrick Marcellino Jr blew away Andrew Green with 81% of the vote. But Green didn't seem disappointed. After all the guy is only 24 (that's my age!) so he's got plenty of time to learn what to do differently. Hint: advertise on the radio heavily.. :) Or perhaps not, since Gillespie heavily outspent Ramey, at least on the radio, and I believe in print as well.

Still, I don't know that winning by 6% of the vote constitues a mandate. Actually I don't know if Local politicans get mandates. I can't imagine that they do.

I don't think my election coverage was half bad. I would have liked to have been at the studio, to read out the results of the other elections. My part timer did a passable job, but people should really hear my voice for stuff like that. But, as I have not yet mastered being in two places at once, i have to suffice. Besides all the notables were at the actual vote counting, if I wasn't there, it would have seemed strange. Actually, I say all the notables but that's not actually true. Bynum made an appearance, Chisholm watched the whole thing, Marcellino stopped by, as did Andrew green. Neither Mayoral Candidate showed up. Ramey Jr was a poll watcher for his dad. As far as I could tell Gillespie didn't have any poll watchers present, but i suppose its possible one of the people I didn't recognize could have been his.

Anyway, it's Ramey for the next 4 years. I will be interested to see what comes of this. As I make my rounds today, I'll be keeping my ear close to to the ground to see what the reaction is from city employees. The Newsman's hope of course, is that the incoming administration will be more accessible than the previous administration. And of course by accessible they mean have more leaks than the Clayton water system.

Election Night is Nigh!

It's election night.. I've already bought pizza and soda for my election party. (Part-Time Doug is coming to hold down the fort with me.) I will be watching the voting in the City of Clayton itself. I printed out a copy of the statute that says the public may observe the counting. If I have to go into battle I like to have ammunition. And I like Pat the city clerk and all, but if i get any flack, Its the LEAD STORY for the next three weeks. "Palace Coup in City Hall: Backroom dealings leave Election outcome in question. " I was ejected 150 feet from the polling place earlier this morning while conducting exit interviews. I didn't fight that because I think they are probably in the legal right.although it made it absurdly difficult to get interviews, because people parked within 4 feet of the building, voted and left. without me ever getting to talk to them. But I got some interviews, so i'll live.

I think that any shenanigians that were going to happen in this election have already occurred, although you never know, some one could go legal. And lawyers are like thermonuclear weapons. Once somebody uses theirs, everyone has to... Use them or lose them... was the military parlance during the cold war.

I wish I worked for a company which actually had a legal war-chest for news issues. not to mention a tricked out assault lawyer loaded for bear. I think that's standard practice for "REAL" news organizations. Hell even the Clayton Tribune has one.

I've been told our station lawyer is Davis Bauman. And while I think Bauman would make an excellent assault lawyer, he's unfortunately city attorney... which would probably be a conflict of interest in any case coming out of tonight.

Let's go Rosenberg on them..

They have a name for this.. and it's called Treason. I suppose my emotions run high on this issue because my brother serves on an Aegis class ship, in Japan. I spent a long time in China, and i love the chinese people, but their leaders are gearing up to take the lead in Asia. Which would be fine, if they were a rule of law, democratic, open country, instead of a increasingly nationalistic, closed, post-totalitarian state. and their leaders aren't going to be stupid and let a silly thing like the fact that communism is an economic non-starter sink them low either, so our tactic of bankrupting them like we did that Soviets won't work. Its trouble on the horizon.

Oh by the way... its Election time!! I know people have been waiting for me to way in on this.

There is a hotly contested Mayoral Election in Clayton, with allegations of fraud, and corruption... which of course make any newsman's heart beat a little faster, of course that could be the flu, which has laid this intrepid news ferret (to use Neil Boortz's term) low. I have avoided blogging on the mayoral race because I'm still reporting on it, and i don't want to color the waters.

At a news directors meeting we debated whether blogging and being a journalist was ethical or not. Most argued it was unethical, I argued it was ethical. being non-biased in your reporting doesn't mean that you don't have opinions, it means you seperate your opinion pieces and your news. Pretending you don't have a real opinion isn't being non-biased. Of course you have a bias. Its only appropriate to your readers (or listeners) if they know what it is. That way they can pull the bias out of your reporting, if they see any. Journalists should know that everything, including their biases and opinions, are better if they are exposed to the light.

Tommorrow is election night, and its gonna be busy. I've gotta work the phones to get the news of whose a winner and whose a loser and soon as possible. Especially for the city of Clayton, which is the one people are interested in. (mostly the Gillespise-Ramey Grudge Match) Then to call the winner and loser and get reactions of course. Plus to stay in contact with Chad and MJ to get their winners. ( I steal the rest of their news, so of course) Unfortunately I have to do this while I feel like pounded excrement. Plus I don't think this is the kind of place where they have cool post-election parties... If i should have to spend the whole night reporting the results, I should at least get to do it with a buzz.

Well, Congratulations to the winner.. whoever it is.