They’re back.
The same small-minded people who brought you the ridiculous protest against the Victoria’s Secret store are back with a new protest and picket. The intended victim this week is a new adult video, lingerie and novelties store that just opened last week in Brighton.
The grass-roots group plans to picket outside Intimate Ideas on Friday afternoon. The store, located in a small strip mall at Grand River Avenue and Cross Street, also sells adult toys.
"The bottom line is it's pornography," said Hamburg Township resident Robin Blaszak. "It's treating the body as merchandise, not as something to be respected."
Blaszak and Patrick Flynn, both members of Green Oak Township's Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, have sent out letters and e-mails to Brighton-area churches asking them to participate in the protest. In the letter, the group asks residents to join and "exercise our constitutional rights to publicly demonstrate our displeasure in the establishment and location of this business."
I just hope that every sane person who loves freedom and choice goes to the store and buys something and supports this storeowner against these small-minded people who want to tell you and I what we can and cannot see, hear and buy.
Flynn said there are studies that show pornography is detrimental to families and often a factor in cases involving abuse of women and children.
Flynn said he's worried about the cumulative effect of businesses like this moving into the community.
"Is this the beginning of a red-light district in Brighton?" he asked. "Some may say that's an extreme thing to say."
I challenge Mr. Flynn to produce one of the so-called studies he cites to support his ridiculous claim. There is absolutely no link between legal pornography and violence against women and children.
But the most outrageous claim Mr. Flynn makes is it will spur a “red light district.” I suggest Mr., Flynn get out more and actually visit some more diverse areas than Livingston County. He will find there simply is no such thing as a “red-light district” anymore. I have lived all over the country in some very urban areas, and there are simply none of these so-called “red light districts.” However, he is correct when he says it’s an “extreme thing to say,” but we are used to that kind of extreme thing from Mr. Flynn.
I have lived in San Diego, Norfolk, Charleston, SC. and Jacksonville, Fl., and none of these cities have a “red-light district.” These are Navy towns where literally thousands of young, single men live far from family and friends who might frequent a “red-light district” if there was such a ting. Maybe they can come to Brighton to frequent the one here.
I suggest Mr. Flynn and Ms. Blaszak find something constructive to do with the obvious free time they have on their hands.
Nov 23, 2006
Nov 22, 2006
TV political ads outpace actual political coverage on TV news
Both the subscription only Gongwer News and MIRS are both reporting on the great job TV “news” did on covering politics in the last election cycle, and it compared the amount of time it spent on actual coverage of the election and issues compared to the obscene amount of cash it took in from political commercials.
As a former print reporter, I clearly have a bias for newspapers. But it takes no genius to see how shallow TV news really is. They spend more time promoting and hyping what’s coming next than on politics. That’s followed closely by crime coverage. Newspapers do a much better job, and they pay for the ink and newsprint to convey the in-depth information. TV uses the public airway for free, and most of the estimated $34 million of his own money the Amway Guy spent went to these TV stations for ads.
In the month leading up to the election, Great Lakes states saw 2.5 times more political TV advertising than they did 30-minute TV news covering the election, according to the second part of a study released by the University of Wisconsin's NewsLab.
According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN), in Lansing political coverage averaged 1.46 minutes of airtime during a 30-minute newscast. Through September, the average was 27 seconds of airtime on political stories during a newscast.
In Detroit, the MCFN said, the average in October and leading up to the November 7 election was 1.23 minutes of time, compared to 22 seconds of time spent in September.
But political advertising in the Detroit market averaged 4.21 minutes per newscast. Similar, comparable data to the amount of political ads in the Lansing market was not available.
However, Ken Goldstein of the (University of) Wisconsin study said that in all the markets, all ads as well as weather and sports coverage took more than half of a newscasts' time at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Each broadcast averaged about nine political ads, Mr. Goldstein said.
Taken alone, the lousy job TV did covering the election and the issues is atrocious, but when you combine the TV ads its obscene. TV stations need to take those millions it pocketed and actually fulfill its mission of informing the public on the issues, or it needs to start being charged for using those airwaves like newspapers are charged for ink and newsprint.
I would like to see more local political and issue shows. The best in the state, “Off the Record” is on public television. The only local issues show on commercial TV I know of is on WDIV Detroit.
As a former print reporter, I clearly have a bias for newspapers. But it takes no genius to see how shallow TV news really is. They spend more time promoting and hyping what’s coming next than on politics. That’s followed closely by crime coverage. Newspapers do a much better job, and they pay for the ink and newsprint to convey the in-depth information. TV uses the public airway for free, and most of the estimated $34 million of his own money the Amway Guy spent went to these TV stations for ads.
In the month leading up to the election, Great Lakes states saw 2.5 times more political TV advertising than they did 30-minute TV news covering the election, according to the second part of a study released by the University of Wisconsin's NewsLab.
According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN), in Lansing political coverage averaged 1.46 minutes of airtime during a 30-minute newscast. Through September, the average was 27 seconds of airtime on political stories during a newscast.
In Detroit, the MCFN said, the average in October and leading up to the November 7 election was 1.23 minutes of time, compared to 22 seconds of time spent in September.
But political advertising in the Detroit market averaged 4.21 minutes per newscast. Similar, comparable data to the amount of political ads in the Lansing market was not available.
However, Ken Goldstein of the (University of) Wisconsin study said that in all the markets, all ads as well as weather and sports coverage took more than half of a newscasts' time at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Each broadcast averaged about nine political ads, Mr. Goldstein said.
Taken alone, the lousy job TV did covering the election and the issues is atrocious, but when you combine the TV ads its obscene. TV stations need to take those millions it pocketed and actually fulfill its mission of informing the public on the issues, or it needs to start being charged for using those airwaves like newspapers are charged for ink and newsprint.
I would like to see more local political and issue shows. The best in the state, “Off the Record” is on public television. The only local issues show on commercial TV I know of is on WDIV Detroit.
Nov 21, 2006
Small vocal minority attempts to set community standards for all Livingston County residents
We have another case of a small, misguided minority appointing themselves as the community censor to decide what you and I can and cannot see. This time it’s the parishioners at Green Oak Township's Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The latest outrage you ask? Mannequins at Victoria’s Secret in the new Green Oak Village Place mall dressed in, Lingerie. Next, they will want to ban the Sears and JC Penny catalog because they display women in bras.
The story was splashed across the front page of today’s Daily Press & Argus. It makes you wonder if it’s sweeps week, but we know sex sells. Ask Victoria’s Secret. If the so-called protest and letter writing campaign is really as large and widespread as reported I have no problem with the newspaper writing about it. You can’t ignore stories. But sometimes small, vocal minorities get too much ink.
Hamburg Township resident Robin Blaszak, who is part of a grass-roots group writing letters to protest the store's window display, said she was offended by the scantily-clad mannequins when she recently went shopping at the mall.
Blaszak said this is a "family-friendly community."
"We don't want those things exposed to our children," she said.
When she first came across the window display, Blaszak became so upset that she went inside the store and talked with an assistant manager who, she said, expressed the view that the store glorifies women.
"I don't feel this is glorification for women. It's making women into sex objects," Glaszak said.
Blaszak said the group is concerned with the window displays, and if those items were moved inside the store, she wouldn't have an issue with the store. Blaszak said she wants to be able to walk through the mall "without fear of being assaulted by sexual imagery."
Several of the group members belong to Green Oak Township's Holy Spirit Catholic Church, whose parish council wrote a letter expressing its concerns with the window display.
"Our concern is that we want the window displays to basically reflect our community's values," Blaszak said.
And Ms. Blaszak is the one to decide the community’s values. Not for me, thank you.
Blaszak said she saw six mannequins dressed in panties and bras, but it appears that display has changed. Currently, there are only two mannequins and a larger-than-life photograph of a model dressed in underwear.
VS addressed the concerns, but this obviously will not be enough. We must hide the ugly human body.
Joe Tyree, who handles REDICO's retail operations, said this is the first time he's dealt with residents upset about a store's window display. He's been in the retail business for 25 years and runs malls all across the United States.
Apparently not in Livingston County.
Hamburg Township resident Patrick Flynn said he and other residents have a right not to have those images "in your face."
"This is not an unreasonable request," said Flynn, who is the business manager for Holy Spirit Catholic Church and unsuccessfully ran against U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, in the Aug. 8 Republican primary election.
The story was splashed across the front page of today’s Daily Press & Argus. It makes you wonder if it’s sweeps week, but we know sex sells. Ask Victoria’s Secret. If the so-called protest and letter writing campaign is really as large and widespread as reported I have no problem with the newspaper writing about it. You can’t ignore stories. But sometimes small, vocal minorities get too much ink.
Hamburg Township resident Robin Blaszak, who is part of a grass-roots group writing letters to protest the store's window display, said she was offended by the scantily-clad mannequins when she recently went shopping at the mall.
Blaszak said this is a "family-friendly community."
"We don't want those things exposed to our children," she said.
When she first came across the window display, Blaszak became so upset that she went inside the store and talked with an assistant manager who, she said, expressed the view that the store glorifies women.
"I don't feel this is glorification for women. It's making women into sex objects," Glaszak said.
Blaszak said the group is concerned with the window displays, and if those items were moved inside the store, she wouldn't have an issue with the store. Blaszak said she wants to be able to walk through the mall "without fear of being assaulted by sexual imagery."
Several of the group members belong to Green Oak Township's Holy Spirit Catholic Church, whose parish council wrote a letter expressing its concerns with the window display.
"Our concern is that we want the window displays to basically reflect our community's values," Blaszak said.
And Ms. Blaszak is the one to decide the community’s values. Not for me, thank you.
Blaszak said she saw six mannequins dressed in panties and bras, but it appears that display has changed. Currently, there are only two mannequins and a larger-than-life photograph of a model dressed in underwear.
VS addressed the concerns, but this obviously will not be enough. We must hide the ugly human body.
Joe Tyree, who handles REDICO's retail operations, said this is the first time he's dealt with residents upset about a store's window display. He's been in the retail business for 25 years and runs malls all across the United States.
Apparently not in Livingston County.
Hamburg Township resident Patrick Flynn said he and other residents have a right not to have those images "in your face."
"This is not an unreasonable request," said Flynn, who is the business manager for Holy Spirit Catholic Church and unsuccessfully ran against U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, in the Aug. 8 Republican primary election.
Nov 20, 2006
Nominate your favorites for the coveted Tin Can Trashcan sponsored by the Michigan Caucus
The Michigan Caucus is taking nominations for Michigan’s Worst 25 List for 2006. So, nominate your favorite candidate, Republican, Democrat, Independent, or whatever, it doesn’t matter. The only criteria is that the nominee demonstrates the very worst in Michigan politics.
And 2006 gave us a bumper crop of misfeasance, malfeasance, hypocrites, race-baiting, hyper-spending, exaggeration, lies, jingoism and just plain stupidity.
SO DO IT NOW! All nominees will go up for a vote starting December 10. The winner will receive the coveted Tin Can Trashcan®. See the current Worst 25 List.
Nov 16, 2006
Proponent of Defense of Marriage becomes marriage causality
CORRECTION – I wrote in this post that I never saw an article in the Daily Press & Argus on Chris Ward’s divorce, but a friend pointed out to me that’s not the case. A story on Ward ran in February written by Jim Totten. According to the article, Chris Ward filed for the divorce on Nov. 28 and his wife was served with the divorce papers on Jan. 16 of this year.
I apologize for the mistake and to the Press & Argus.
So much for being the party of “family values.” According to the Daily Press & Argus, State Sen. Valde Garcia becomes the second of the three Livingston County state lawmakers to go through a divorce in the last year.
A divorce can happen to the best of us through no fault of our own, and there are two sides to every story and getting a divorce does not make you any less of a parent, but if you look at the Senator’s record it makes it hypocritical at the very least.
Marriage has been the subject of some of Valde Garcia's work in the Legislature. In 2004, he co-sponsored a package of bills that would have encouraged premarital counseling, increased the waiting period for a marriage license, and required a child-care plan to be in place before a divorce is granted.
At the time, Valde Garcia said he wanted to "slow down" divorce rates.
He also sponsored a resolution that would have amended the state Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
It makes you wonder why Republicans - who claim to the party of “family values” - must tell you who you can and cannot marry in the name of “defense of marriage” when they continue to rack up divorces.
It was common knowledge to many political insiders that our other Republican lawmaker, Rep. Chris Ward, was also going through a divorce, but we never saw an article in the newspaper. Maybe that’s because it’s not final yet, so will we be seeing a story when that happens? I would like to see the reason for it, and the actions, morals and values of our elected leaders are relevant. To Mr. Ward’s credit, when he listed his bio data in the various candidate comparison web sites and voting guides before the election he always listed his marital status as “separated.”
That was not the case with Mr. Garcia.
According to the story, Karla Garcia filed for divorce in August, and the couple had been separated since September 2005. The divorce was granted Nov. 2 by District Judge L. Suzanne Geddis.
Why wasn’t his martial status listed as “separated” before the Nov. 7 election? It was not hinted at even on his own campaign web site. Granted, it would not have mattered because Livingston County voters have continuously failed to hold Republican candidates accountable. I’m sure there is a good explanation for the discrepancy, but someone has to ask the tough questions that the corporate media does not.
Check out his response on Project Vote Smart - http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CMI06946
The Gannett voters guide - http://www.vgt2004.org/a-mi-gannett/candidate-detail.go?id=3952006
Campaign web site - http://www.valdegarcia.com
I apologize for the mistake and to the Press & Argus.
So much for being the party of “family values.” According to the Daily Press & Argus, State Sen. Valde Garcia becomes the second of the three Livingston County state lawmakers to go through a divorce in the last year.
A divorce can happen to the best of us through no fault of our own, and there are two sides to every story and getting a divorce does not make you any less of a parent, but if you look at the Senator’s record it makes it hypocritical at the very least.
Marriage has been the subject of some of Valde Garcia's work in the Legislature. In 2004, he co-sponsored a package of bills that would have encouraged premarital counseling, increased the waiting period for a marriage license, and required a child-care plan to be in place before a divorce is granted.
At the time, Valde Garcia said he wanted to "slow down" divorce rates.
He also sponsored a resolution that would have amended the state Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
It makes you wonder why Republicans - who claim to the party of “family values” - must tell you who you can and cannot marry in the name of “defense of marriage” when they continue to rack up divorces.
It was common knowledge to many political insiders that our other Republican lawmaker, Rep. Chris Ward, was also going through a divorce, but we never saw an article in the newspaper. Maybe that’s because it’s not final yet, so will we be seeing a story when that happens? I would like to see the reason for it, and the actions, morals and values of our elected leaders are relevant. To Mr. Ward’s credit, when he listed his bio data in the various candidate comparison web sites and voting guides before the election he always listed his marital status as “separated.”
That was not the case with Mr. Garcia.
According to the story, Karla Garcia filed for divorce in August, and the couple had been separated since September 2005. The divorce was granted Nov. 2 by District Judge L. Suzanne Geddis.
Why wasn’t his martial status listed as “separated” before the Nov. 7 election? It was not hinted at even on his own campaign web site. Granted, it would not have mattered because Livingston County voters have continuously failed to hold Republican candidates accountable. I’m sure there is a good explanation for the discrepancy, but someone has to ask the tough questions that the corporate media does not.
Check out his response on Project Vote Smart - http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CMI06946
The Gannett voters guide - http://www.vgt2004.org/a-mi-gannett/candidate-detail.go?id=3952006
Campaign web site - http://www.valdegarcia.com
Nov 15, 2006
Ward’s election signals intention to obstruct in the House
The House Republicans in Lansing sent a clear signal yesterday that they have no intention of engaging in any so-called bipartisanship or cooperating with the Democratic majority by retaining Chris Ward as House Minority Floor Leader. This election came despite Ward baling out on Monday with a letter telling his Republican colleagues he had no intention of running for a “leadership” position. Ward’s heavy-handed tactics and arrogance while completely shutting out the Democrats from the process while Majority Floor Leader resonated with his Republicans House colleagues, and since they know there’s little chance of him working with the Democratic majority, let him work against them.
The conventional wisdom, at least before yesterday, was to give the role to an up-and-coming first-termer so that when and if the Republicans return to the majority that person could step in as Speaker or Floor Leader. Since Ward cannot run for the House again, he can be an obstructionists without fear of accountably from the voters, like that has ever happened in Livingston County, anyway. Ward becomes the Lamest Duck of them all.
If there’s’ any doubt about his future role and intentions as Minority Floor Leader read this from today’s Daily Press & Argus.
He said his job in the minority would be to use whatever procedures he has at his disposal to stop proposals that violate Republican principles.
"My role is to either slow down or stop those bills from passing," he said. "The most obvious area would be any kind of increase in taxes or fees, or any kind of new undue regulation on business."
The conventional wisdom, at least before yesterday, was to give the role to an up-and-coming first-termer so that when and if the Republicans return to the majority that person could step in as Speaker or Floor Leader. Since Ward cannot run for the House again, he can be an obstructionists without fear of accountably from the voters, like that has ever happened in Livingston County, anyway. Ward becomes the Lamest Duck of them all.
If there’s’ any doubt about his future role and intentions as Minority Floor Leader read this from today’s Daily Press & Argus.
He said his job in the minority would be to use whatever procedures he has at his disposal to stop proposals that violate Republican principles.
"My role is to either slow down or stop those bills from passing," he said. "The most obvious area would be any kind of increase in taxes or fees, or any kind of new undue regulation on business."
Nov 14, 2006
Former journalist tracks conservative media bias
This was an excellent Neighbors feature in the Press & Argus today from political reporter Dan Meisler. It amazes me that we have so many connected people living in Livingston County. This woman contributes to one of my favorite web sites, News Hounds. I check that one and Crooks and Liars everyday.
By Dan Meisler
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
The last straw for Judy Daubenmier, a veteran of more than 20 years as a reporter, came when she was helping to cover Proposal A for The Associated Press.
The complicated plan, completed in a late-night, Christmas Eve meeting in 1993, shifted the burden to pay for schools from property taxes to sales tax. As she worked on the story, another media outlet came out with a story on a dispute between lawmakers over parking spots.
An editor suggested that the reporters do more stories like
that — "cute stories ... light stories" — and that's when Daubenmier made her final decision to find another line of work.
"I didn't feel like that is what I was about," she said.
Since then, the Genoa Township resident has earned a doctorate degree in history from the University of Michigan; taught classes there; and contributed to a movie and a Web log monitoring the Fox News Channel for bias.
Her latest project, a book published in October called "Project Rewire, New Media from the Inside Out," is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
One of the main points of the book is that the multitude of blogs devoted to criticizing the media has the potential to improve the performance of the mainstream press and television news.
More specifically, Daubenmier said that for decades, conservatives have pushed the false idea that the media is biased toward the liberal point of view.
Now, through the Internet, liberals are highlighting conservative bias in the media.
Daubenmier's examples of conservative media slant are the treatment of Al Gore when he was running for president in 2000 — when he was characterized as stretching the truth — and the proliferation of conservative talk radio shows.
Plus, when she started monitoring Fox News Channel for the Web site www.newshounds.com, she discovered what she said is reporting slanted to the conservatives.
She disputes the idea that her involvement in a liberal cause after leaving journalism proves there is a liberal bias in the mainstream media.
"It proves that liberals work in the media. There are conservatives in media. The question is, what is the quality of the output?" Daubenmier said.
By Dan Meisler
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
The last straw for Judy Daubenmier, a veteran of more than 20 years as a reporter, came when she was helping to cover Proposal A for The Associated Press.
The complicated plan, completed in a late-night, Christmas Eve meeting in 1993, shifted the burden to pay for schools from property taxes to sales tax. As she worked on the story, another media outlet came out with a story on a dispute between lawmakers over parking spots.
An editor suggested that the reporters do more stories like
that — "cute stories ... light stories" — and that's when Daubenmier made her final decision to find another line of work.
"I didn't feel like that is what I was about," she said.
Since then, the Genoa Township resident has earned a doctorate degree in history from the University of Michigan; taught classes there; and contributed to a movie and a Web log monitoring the Fox News Channel for bias.
Her latest project, a book published in October called "Project Rewire, New Media from the Inside Out," is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
One of the main points of the book is that the multitude of blogs devoted to criticizing the media has the potential to improve the performance of the mainstream press and television news.
More specifically, Daubenmier said that for decades, conservatives have pushed the false idea that the media is biased toward the liberal point of view.
Now, through the Internet, liberals are highlighting conservative bias in the media.
Daubenmier's examples of conservative media slant are the treatment of Al Gore when he was running for president in 2000 — when he was characterized as stretching the truth — and the proliferation of conservative talk radio shows.
Plus, when she started monitoring Fox News Channel for the Web site www.newshounds.com, she discovered what she said is reporting slanted to the conservatives.
She disputes the idea that her involvement in a liberal cause after leaving journalism proves there is a liberal bias in the mainstream media.
"It proves that liberals work in the media. There are conservatives in media. The question is, what is the quality of the output?" Daubenmier said.
Ward bails on colleagues
News Flash, both MIRS and Gongwer both report Chris Ward was elected House Minority Floor Leader after both parties caucused most of the day on Tuesday, despite Ward taking himself out of any leadership consideration the day before. I’m not sure what this means, other than the Republicans have no plans to practice any form of bipartisanship for the next two years.
According to the subscription only Gongwer News, Chris Ward is taking his ball and going home because the Republicans lost control of the House, and because he can no longer be the House Majority Floor Leader he doesn’t wan to the be the Minority Floor Leader.
“Late Monday Mr. Ward sent a letter to his colleagues saying he would not seek re-election as floor leader or election to any other House Republican leadership post.”
Apparently, Mr. Ward’s heavy-handed tactics while Majority Floor Leader are coming home to roost, and he recognizes with the arrogant and sarcastic way he treated Representatives on the other side of the aisle there was no use for him to try and pretend to work with the majority party. Obviously, this means even less influence for Livingston County lawmakers in Lansing.
According to the subscription only Gongwer News, Chris Ward is taking his ball and going home because the Republicans lost control of the House, and because he can no longer be the House Majority Floor Leader he doesn’t wan to the be the Minority Floor Leader.
“Late Monday Mr. Ward sent a letter to his colleagues saying he would not seek re-election as floor leader or election to any other House Republican leadership post.”
Apparently, Mr. Ward’s heavy-handed tactics while Majority Floor Leader are coming home to roost, and he recognizes with the arrogant and sarcastic way he treated Representatives on the other side of the aisle there was no use for him to try and pretend to work with the majority party. Obviously, this means even less influence for Livingston County lawmakers in Lansing.
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