The Observation Deck

Exactly the point of my reply in that thread as well, Jeff.

Peace,
Charyn

Jim,


You continue to avoid the question put to DANK. I realize you are not a professional, but I atleast expect fairness. Put the question to DANK. What has he done for the district over the last ten years. What is needed is quantifiable numbers such as jobs created, money, votes, etc.

As for my comment about his wife, she is a public figure and is open to all comments and observations. Certainly if the logic used here was applied to everyone, many voices would not count. You own LO run "cartoons" by Dumm that attacks our President, so does that mean all of LO prints is null and void?

Maybe you should take some pointers from the Sun Post or even the PD. Atleast they are run by professionals.

God Bless America!

Terry:

The dollar sign pipedreams of candidates are designed to fool us into thinking he or she can do something about creating jobs and making dollars appear in our district.

Your beloved PD has not yet done the drill down, letting the dollar and jobs sound bytes hang magically in the air around Ms. Ferris.

Some want to believe in ETs, too.

It’s time again for a reality check.

Two words: China and India.

Which candidate for congress has got the global juice to goose up the average hourly compensation of Chinese manufacturing workers, now only 3-4% of those in the U.S.?

Add also 745 million Chinese in the rural hills, and another 60 million workers to be pushed out of Chinese state owned enterprises.

Our labor can’t compete. Foreign ownership will continue to accumulate wealth.

The land of the makers we inhabit has been crushed. We live in a third world economy.

Declare “God Bless America,â€Â￾ because we need blessings for our territory, especially when the logic of capital is saying tough luck to our homies.

Don’t blame the Kuch because income streams based on U.S. assets now amass to foreigners.

We will continue to lose in the Neo-lib/Neo-Con economy where high speed internet and cheap foreign labor will continue to clean our clocks.

Paul Craig Roberts in “How Safe is Your Jobâ€Â￾ notes:

"High-tech knowledge jobs are also being outsourced abroad. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US employment of engineers and architects declined by 189,940 between November 2000 and November 2004 (latest data available)." http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts04182006.html

Sure we can delude ourselves about Ohio's High Tech frontier, about oversold "new economy" education/snakeoil solutions, about an economy of bartenders and waitresses, teachers and doctors, and illegal construction workers building condos in the southern states for baby boomers.

That's the real deal right now.

The Kuch is the only guy who comes close to speaking the truth about the greedy corporate/global privatizing pressures that politicians by way of ineffective tax and trade policies have allowed to destroy the productive capacity and common resources of our nation.

Do you really believe our congressional rep holds a magic wand, has the local force to rip through the greed impacted in current system?

Do you really believe Ms. Ferris can do something about offshoring, or that she can magically undo the absolute advantage China holds by combining high-tech capital and low-cost labor?

Give us some meat, man. Face the facts about the economy and lay out a realistic path your congressman would undertake to resolve these issues.

Let's cut though the lies and pipedreams about delivering jobs and dollars to a district that's up against the global economic assault of its manufacturing base.

For context see: Paul Craig Roberts on “How Safe is Your Jobâ€Â￾

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts04182006.html

Kenneth Warren

You ducked that the question like a politicial! Good job!

like a what?

Terry

While you were gone I was really hoping you had won the lottery. So that you could buy a clue!

Where to start when someone just does not understand even the most basic facts?

Ask Dennis? Get off your ass and call the office. I got Doug Gordon to sign on. There is the person to ask, for some reason you think I hang out with the Congressman.

Professional?! - When on earth have I ever indicated I was professional?

Fairness - When have you not gotten fairness?

Numbers - Why do I need numbers? I am voting for the congressman if for no other reason than every Republican in the country is hoping Barbara Anne Ferris wins. Dennis represents my views, and I was proud when he not only voted against the illegal war, bit campaigned on the issues I care most about.

As far as the PD, SunPost, you are killing me. Professionals! We have almost 3 times the circulation.and twenty times the writers. Terry maybe you spend your life looking at the losers for hints, but I try to take things to the next level. Just last week I got a call from Sunpapers about switching my ad to them! They were cutting costs under that of the Observer. I nearly died laughing. While we are looking at increasing the advertising costs, so that we can run fewer ads. They are slashing their throats! Yeah Terry more good advice!!

You just don't get it, do you. Gary Dumm's comics are run because that is what HE SENDS IN! I do not call Gary and say, "Gary here is how we are doing it..." It is civic source. I have never told Gordon what to write! But you just can't seem to understand that 5 papers in town have political agendas, and the one you continuously attack does not. It merely underlines that the right can't bring it to the table and when others do they whine and whine.

As for you comment about Elizabeth Kucinich I understand. You are bitter, and bitter that you helped our president commit war crimes while Congressman Kucinich was a man of conviction, and took the unpopular choice that once again could of cost him his political future. Yet in the end was he not only right again, he was able to marry an attractive, very smart woman that adds to the knowledge base of the Kucinich family. But to be honest I expected even more from you. But then again that was one of your early posts.

.

Oby Wan

It merely underlines that the right can't bring it to the table and when others do they whine and whine

Actually analalyzing and discussing would require a writer to bring their "A" game...Very difficult to do when all you have is a "W".

Jeff

Jim O'Bryan wrote:
As far as the PD, SunPost, you are killing me. Professionals! We have almost 3 times the circulation.and twenty times the writers.

.

Mr. O.

I love, respect, and support what you're doing, but with comments like this, you totally alienate me.

20 times the writers? Then why was your last front page a bunch of puff pieces? And when you mention that you were at the mayor's birthday party with councilman Fitzgerald, do you think that will impress me, or make me think you're an insiders' tool?

Mr. O. You have to choose. Journalist? Or PR guy? Can't be both.

Smooches!

Joan Roberts wrote:Then why was your last front page a bunch of puff pieces? And when you mention that you were at the mayor's birthday party with councilman Fitzgerald, do you think that will impress me, or make me think you're an insiders' tool?

Mr. O. You have to choose. Journalist? Or PR guy? Can't be both.

Smooches!

If volunteer writers submit "puff" pieces and nothing else, what can the Observer run? Blank pages and ads?

Joan-if you're looking for hard hitting articles, then find someone willing to write them or write them yourself. You're a good writer, I thoroughly enjoy what you do here and would welcome your voice in the newspaper, particularly on time-sensitive topics.

Our writers are unpaid. They write what they want to write. Writers are not assigned stories. Some writers are one story wonders while others contribute consistently. Consistent writers tend to be called columnists because they write opinion pieces (again, on a regular basis).

In looking in the production well I see about 29 articles, not all of which are time sensitive. I can't say that any of them look like hard-hitting or investigative news stories, although one may contain some hard questions.

Where are the volunteer writers who represent what you want to read? I'd really like to know.

Will you step up to the plate and take a swing?

Of course the only article that I submitted that was printed was a "puff piece," but I thought it fit the Observer mission statement. FWIW, of course.

Mr. O.

I love, respect, and support what you're doing, but with comments like this, you totally alienate me.

20 times the writers? Then why was your last front page a bunch of puff pieces? And when you mention that you were at the mayor's birthday party with councilman Fitzgerald, do you think that will impress me, or make me think you're an insiders' tool?

Mr. O. You have to choose. Journalist? Or PR guy? Can't be both.

Smooches! [/quote]


Joan

Let's stick to the handshake!

Who ever said I was trying to be both.

Last check of circulation for SunPapers was 6,172. PD on busiest day, 11,000. So the truth would be nearly three times and nearly double. Of course in the "war" SunPapers have come out with a FREE paper.

Of course I was referring to the 282 writers that have written for the Observer since being started, and we continue to add to that. But of course, the PR boy in me.

No I was trying to get out the Ed Fitzgerald from the Building Department, was on top of all of this sign stop. I thought it might be important for you Joan to realize he did not worry enough to post, or call. But was more than happy to come and explain when our paths crossed. If you feel that I am bragging would underscore how little you know of me. I would rather for nothing than to be at my home with my wife. But in all out style of Lakewood's only newspaper and finest website in our effort it to bring the information to the masses from names you know I thought I would mention it.


.

I was asked by a good friend of mine to share his post since he can no longer seem to log onto your site.

I share his views, so I had no problem doing this favor since I felt maybe his free speech was being impeded:



Jim / Ken,

Although I agree with some of what Ken said about foreign trade/ global economy, you forget that it was cowardly Kuch who was party to the Clinton/Gore regime that extended their hand to China and Vietnam in the 1990s.

Kuch can’t use the ills of the global economy to back out the responsibility to his district. In this very economy other states and districts have flourished, but ours has floundered in the “leadershipâ€Â￾ of the cowardly Kuch.

As far as you not being a professional, I wholeheartedly agree.

And, Jim, my ass is none of your business.

You mention your circulation is three times that of both the PD and Sun Post. Wikipedia is quoted as saying, “The Plain Dealer is the major daily newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio. It also has the largest circulation of any Ohio newspaper, and is a top 20 newspaper for circulation in the United States. The Plain Dealer currently boasts more than 875,000 readers on weekdays and 1.1 million readers on Sunday. The Plain Dealer's media market, Greater Cleveland, is ranked #1 in the country for Sunday newspaper readership percentage (75.4% of total adults) and #2 in daily newspaper readership percentage (62.6% of total adults), second only to New York City in the weekday editions.â€Â￾ What exactly IS your circulation? I am curious. Does that include the ones blowing down Mars Avenue onto the lawns of various Lakewood residents? As far as total writers for each newpaper, how many writers has the PD and the Lakewood Sun Post had since their inception ? Where did you get your circulation statistics?

I am not bitter. I am proud of serving the cause to defeat global terrorism and bringing democracy to the Iraqi people. I have heard people say the Iraqis are worse off now than they were before. Does poison gases used against their people sound better? How does torture by electrocution in a room full of water sound better off? Men, women, and children alike. Do tell, how are the Iraqi people worse off today?

I also am proud of the fact I have been apart of the war on terrorism staying over in the Middle East than here on American soil. That has only been done by the current actions were are taking in that region. If we pull out and stay isolated here, aren’t we only encouraging the war be brought to our own soil? So much for your slanderous comment about being a war criminal.

What I’d like to see is in your newspaper is an interview with Denny stating hard facts of how he has improved our district over the last ten years. You claim to be a fair paper, yet you scrutinize some politicians but not others. Why no facts? Facts are the evidence of progress. What I DON’T want is rhetoric on how he stands up against big business and against other causes. I want to know HOW he has done this. Merely speaking up is not enough. Results are what counts. I DON’T want how other politicians aren’t making the grade, I want to know WHAT he has done. If he has done so much for our district, his work should be able to stand for itself.

As far as Mr. Gordon, he refused to answer when the question was put to him.

Bottom line, while I did not start this post, my original question has still not been answered by cowardly Kuch or any of his supporters.

God Bless America,

Terry Batdorf

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.â€Â￾ -- George Orwell

Terry

I'll stick with the numbers the sales department for those papers for papers delivered in Lakewood.

Terry and Joan

Let's be honest the little volunteer paper must grab at every positive thread we can as we grow and build.

Terry

I have never said Congressman Kucinich is without sin. That at times I was disappointed even if I understood the reason. 47 is the perfect example. But when I take a step back and look at the bigger picture I cannot think of a better person. I like Barbara Anne Ferris, have spoken with her often. But in this district, right now MY OPINION is let's stick with one of the sharpest congressman out there with real attention to the real threats, and problems in America.

As for the wife thing, you probably weren't around but I think it was with the Bush girls, that there seemed to be a general flow of say what you want about the candidate but let's leave the family out of it. I can see you think differently about this. Again your right.

As for the Congressman Kucinich story we are working on one but the next paper will be out the day of the election.

I have given you examples, and what was expected and what was surpassed. But for some reason not good enough.


.

Hey - to Jim or to any takers,

I haven't participated much on this board to date. But what I have seen of this discussion, I do wonder why no one has quantifiably answered the question of what has Kucinich has done for this district. I have recently moved back into the area and realize Kucinich has been the incumbent for quite some time. Other than speaking out against the war, big business, for the environment and healthcare, can someone tell me as a voter/constituent -- what EXACTLY has Dennis done for our district? Can someone name at least 5 hard facts that have brought progress to this area directly instituted by Kucinich?

Thanks,

Jill

Speaking to DL and Mr. O.

Once again, please let me be clear. I think the LO fulfills its mission well. What raises my hackles is the self-promotion at the expense of other media.
For the last 30 years, we have seen one group or another blame "The Media" for all the ills of society. That's added to our general sense of distrust of everything. I may be a goody-two-shoes, but I don't think it's necessary to slam the PD, the Sun, the Buzz, or anyone else to promote the work of the LO. I can't be any more succint than that.

Speaking to Ms. Harvey.

I am not a philosophical compadre of Mr. Kucinich. But I believe people here HAVE been answering your question, but you choose not to accept the answer. Mr. Kucinich is working for his district by representing the views of those who have elected him. People here seem to believe it's more in their interest to promote a liberal atttitude toward economics, foreign relations, eduation, etc., and less in their interest to promote pork barrel projects.

Who would you rather have? A father who brings you toys, or one who stands up for you in a fight?

Whether I agree with Mr. K or not is rather beside the point. He apparently is doing what his constitutents want. The constituents just define the job a little differently than you do. I can live with that. It just reflects the unique nature of the district.

Five facts. Someone give me five hard facts (1. He . . . 2. He . . . 3. . .etc.) about what Kucinich has done for the district. I agree, everyone is entitled to their view. Many of his constituents may agree with his VIEWS, but it is also Kucinich's job to DO something TANGIBLE to make those views materialize. Even if I disagree with his views, it would be good to know that he can make things happen. No one would have a problem knowing he was bringing new jobs or new businesses to the area. What has he actually done?