Bessemer's Western Star is published by Trib Publications, Inc., and their president, Bob Tribble, exhibited his lack of education and his bigotry in a recent editorial. You can read it here.
Three letters appeared in today's Western Star in response. One is from me, the others are from Elisa Macon and Trey Noland. This will make for a long blog post, but I am posting all three letters here. Click "Read more" to view the letters.
The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC
Showing posts with label The Western Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Western Star. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Western Star Apology and Water!!!
In The Western Star this week another apology ran. This one is more suitable:
Apology
The Western star did not follow company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition signed by the Bessemer Neighborhood Association. Association secretary, Joe Openshaw, informed The Western star the letter was not written by the BNA. The newspaper apologizes to the Bessemer Neighborhood Association and to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that its publication may have caused.
Thanks Dale, for setting the record straight. The association accepts the apology.
But the individual wonders about the sincerity. I say that because this apology was read to me and OK'ed by me by Mitch Tribble on June 19 over the phone, and he seemed sincere and concerned that the letter was even published.
Quite different from the email I received from Dale the other day. However, being a peacemaker...I will let it slide, and just be thankful the readers of The Western Star know the truth now.
I might as well admit I also read with interest Representative Priscilla Dunn's column titled The First Steps Toward a Statewide Water Plan. Rep. Dunn (who by the way is always complimentary to me regarding my columns) is absolutely right on the importance of developing a statewide water management team. I have written about water both in The Western Tribune and on this blog enough that everyone should know my concerns.
One such concern is bottled water. To make the bottles used for America's and our water, over 17 million barrels of crude oil are used annually. this is enough to power a million vehicles for a year (Update). That doesn't account for the diesel or gas used to transport the bottles to the retail outlets, or across the sea for those waters that come from Fiji or Europe.
While our household has not cut down 100%, we have greatly reduced our bottled water use by getting a refillable big bottle and cooler for our drinking water. We get refills at Lowes. We still buy an occasional case of Dasani for use in special situations.
Most tap water is fine, and a lot of people I hear are returning to tap water, either with or without a filter. Many refrigerators have a filter and the water that is dispensed is fine.
Enjoy this Water Sculpture.
Plus think of the money you will save by not buying water that is costing as much or more per gallon than gasoline. Conservation. Fiscal. Good.
Apology
The Western star did not follow company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition signed by the Bessemer Neighborhood Association. Association secretary, Joe Openshaw, informed The Western star the letter was not written by the BNA. The newspaper apologizes to the Bessemer Neighborhood Association and to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that its publication may have caused.
Thanks Dale, for setting the record straight. The association accepts the apology.
But the individual wonders about the sincerity. I say that because this apology was read to me and OK'ed by me by Mitch Tribble on June 19 over the phone, and he seemed sincere and concerned that the letter was even published.
Quite different from the email I received from Dale the other day. However, being a peacemaker...I will let it slide, and just be thankful the readers of The Western Star know the truth now.
I might as well admit I also read with interest Representative Priscilla Dunn's column titled The First Steps Toward a Statewide Water Plan. Rep. Dunn (who by the way is always complimentary to me regarding my columns) is absolutely right on the importance of developing a statewide water management team. I have written about water both in The Western Tribune and on this blog enough that everyone should know my concerns.
One such concern is bottled water. To make the bottles used for America's and our water, over 17 million barrels of crude oil are used annually. this is enough to power a million vehicles for a year (Update). That doesn't account for the diesel or gas used to transport the bottles to the retail outlets, or across the sea for those waters that come from Fiji or Europe.
While our household has not cut down 100%, we have greatly reduced our bottled water use by getting a refillable big bottle and cooler for our drinking water. We get refills at Lowes. We still buy an occasional case of Dasani for use in special situations.
Most tap water is fine, and a lot of people I hear are returning to tap water, either with or without a filter. Many refrigerators have a filter and the water that is dispensed is fine.
Enjoy this Water Sculpture.
Plus think of the money you will save by not buying water that is costing as much or more per gallon than gasoline. Conservation. Fiscal. Good.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Our Patience Has Run Out
Two weeks ago, on June 4, 2008 The Western Star ran a letter under Readers Opinions with the title "Illegal activities on Owen Avenue." The letter was signed "Bessemer Neighborhood Association."
The letter, which I will not reproduce here in its entirety, began with "The Bessemer Neighborhood Association would like to inform you of the activity of the tenants of *** Owen Avenue, Bessemer."
It continued, making accusations of illegal drug activity and sales, truancy, vandalism, and animal cruelty. The letter named 4 people, and described two vehicles and gave their tag numbers and addresses where the people live.
From the paper, "People believed to be involved in illegal drug sales and theft: 'person 1', 'person 2', 'person 3' and 'person 4'.
Tag numbers of cars involved: 'AL tag # 1' and 'AL tag # 2'. "
The letter also said copies were being sent to community leaders, and ended with "We strongly encourage you to take action."
Where do I begin. First and foremost, the Bessemer Neighborhood Association did not write, authorize, or suggest that this letter be written. Furthermore, the officers of the association are not aware of the activities mentioned in the letter.
The Bessemer Neighborhood Association's mission is to improve the quality of life in Bessemer, but trying to do this with slanderous accusations is not in our methods list and we feel that the printing of this letter will be counterproductive to our efforts.
We were promised an apology yet the attempt that was printed in yesterday's paper falls short. Here is the apology as it appeared in the June 18, 2008 Western Star:
Apology
The Western Star did not follow the company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition from the The Bessemer Neighborhood Association. The newspaper apologizes to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that the letter may have caused them.
...should not be editing a newspaper. He should be relieved of his duties.
This newspaper is owned by Bob Tribble of Trib Publications, PO Box 648, Manchester GA, 31816. 706-846-4336.
The letter, which I will not reproduce here in its entirety, began with "The Bessemer Neighborhood Association would like to inform you of the activity of the tenants of *** Owen Avenue, Bessemer."
It continued, making accusations of illegal drug activity and sales, truancy, vandalism, and animal cruelty. The letter named 4 people, and described two vehicles and gave their tag numbers and addresses where the people live.
From the paper, "People believed to be involved in illegal drug sales and theft: 'person 1', 'person 2', 'person 3' and 'person 4'.
Tag numbers of cars involved: 'AL tag # 1' and 'AL tag # 2'. "
The letter also said copies were being sent to community leaders, and ended with "We strongly encourage you to take action."
Where do I begin. First and foremost, the Bessemer Neighborhood Association did not write, authorize, or suggest that this letter be written. Furthermore, the officers of the association are not aware of the activities mentioned in the letter.
The Bessemer Neighborhood Association's mission is to improve the quality of life in Bessemer, but trying to do this with slanderous accusations is not in our methods list and we feel that the printing of this letter will be counterproductive to our efforts.
We were promised an apology yet the attempt that was printed in yesterday's paper falls short. Here is the apology as it appeared in the June 18, 2008 Western Star:
Apology
The Western Star did not follow the company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition from the The Bessemer Neighborhood Association. The newspaper apologizes to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that the letter may have caused them.
Dale Jones, the editor, knows that the Bessemer Neighborhood Association did not send the letter. He knows that we feel a letter of this type will be counterproductive and will undercut our efforts to improve things in Bessemer. Yet his "apology" states that the letter was from our association. The apology says that "he" did not follow company policy when running "our" letter, indicating that the problems with the letter were ours. They were not, because the letter was not ours.
Those are the facts. This is the opinion. Dale Jones should not be running a newspaper. Already, we have documented plagarism by Jones, and now a breach of ethics and professionalism. Any newspaper editor who would:
- print a letter that defames individuals with no basis
- would print such a letter without verifying its authenticity
- would print a letter from an organization without an individual letter writer's name
- would print such a letter without even getting the name of the person who sent it (so he claims)
- would print a letter that endangers individuals,
...should not be editing a newspaper. He should be relieved of his duties.
This newspaper is owned by Bob Tribble of Trib Publications, PO Box 648, Manchester GA, 31816. 706-846-4336.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Improving Education in Alabama (and Some Rambling)
There is something good in The Western Star this week, but you have to look past the unreadable dark front page and other faults*.
The good is the Guest Editorial by Priscilla Dunn, our representative to the Alabama House of Representatives. In this week's issue, she writes in support of the plan to expand the Alabama pre-kindergarten program.
I am assuming her facts are true (she is not employed by the newspaper). Dunn writes that "children that attend a quality pre-k are less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to require special education classes, and more likely to graduate from high school." Sounds like a wish list for Bessemer education, doesn't it.
Pre-k in Alabama is entirely voluntary, and some parents say that a public program for four year olds infringes on the family. Apparently they don't understand the definition of the word "voluntary."
Now governor Riley is promoting a plan to expand the program (story)from the current level of around 2300 to around 21,000 kids. He says the legislature has to find a way to fund it and the money would come from the Education Trust Fund. Paul Hubbert, executive secretary of the AEA (and sort of the real governor of the state, but that's another story), says the governor needs to find another source of funding.
Huh? This is education. It makes education in Alabama more effective. Test scores will go up. Why should it not be funded out of the Education Trust Fund?
****************************
*faults such as hypocrisy.
For instance criticizing "stupid, idiotic,...anti-gun crazies..." on the editorial page while running a front page story headlined "Described as 'good person,' local man killed in Bessemer." The story relates how bullets were fired from a passing car leaving Timothy Horton dead. Something doesn't add up there. On the editorial page he is promoting the very gun ownership that allowed Horton to be killed.
Oh, here is the rest of Dale Jones' description, "...these stupid, idiotic, tree hugging, pro-government, global warming, anti-war, anti-life, anti-gun crazies are openly trying to run this country into the ground." I think he would include me in that group, except I I am not sure what "anti-life" means. And the country has already been run into the ground by the republican administration!
So Jones must be anti-environment and conservation (like Rush Limbaugh), anti-government (Dale this will get you in trouble with Dick Cheney!), pro-war , pro-life (except when it comes to government sanctioned killing... both in "wars" and in regards to the death penalty), pro-gun (like the killers of Timothy Horton).
I know that Jones and a couple dozen other people still support the war and the president, but I am so glad that there are only 410 more days until inauguration day.
Nothing, I mean, nothing could be worse than having this administration remain in power more than one day longer than necessary. Every day I become more disgusted at the president, and I am even trying to avoid listening to him. But his lies about Iran are so blatant that he is having difficulty trying to hop, skip and jump his way through it.
That's enough rambling for today. I have a take home final I need to work on. More about Bush later.
The good is the Guest Editorial by Priscilla Dunn, our representative to the Alabama House of Representatives. In this week's issue, she writes in support of the plan to expand the Alabama pre-kindergarten program.
I am assuming her facts are true (she is not employed by the newspaper). Dunn writes that "children that attend a quality pre-k are less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to require special education classes, and more likely to graduate from high school." Sounds like a wish list for Bessemer education, doesn't it.
Pre-k in Alabama is entirely voluntary, and some parents say that a public program for four year olds infringes on the family. Apparently they don't understand the definition of the word "voluntary."
Now governor Riley is promoting a plan to expand the program (story)from the current level of around 2300 to around 21,000 kids. He says the legislature has to find a way to fund it and the money would come from the Education Trust Fund. Paul Hubbert, executive secretary of the AEA (and sort of the real governor of the state, but that's another story), says the governor needs to find another source of funding.
Huh? This is education. It makes education in Alabama more effective. Test scores will go up. Why should it not be funded out of the Education Trust Fund?
****************************
*faults such as hypocrisy.
For instance criticizing "stupid, idiotic,...anti-gun crazies..." on the editorial page while running a front page story headlined "Described as 'good person,' local man killed in Bessemer." The story relates how bullets were fired from a passing car leaving Timothy Horton dead. Something doesn't add up there. On the editorial page he is promoting the very gun ownership that allowed Horton to be killed.
Oh, here is the rest of Dale Jones' description, "...these stupid, idiotic, tree hugging, pro-government, global warming, anti-war, anti-life, anti-gun crazies are openly trying to run this country into the ground." I think he would include me in that group, except I I am not sure what "anti-life" means. And the country has already been run into the ground by the republican administration!
So Jones must be anti-environment and conservation (like Rush Limbaugh), anti-government (Dale this will get you in trouble with Dick Cheney!), pro-war , pro-life (except when it comes to government sanctioned killing... both in "wars" and in regards to the death penalty), pro-gun (like the killers of Timothy Horton).
I know that Jones and a couple dozen other people still support the war and the president, but I am so glad that there are only 410 more days until inauguration day.
Nothing, I mean, nothing could be worse than having this administration remain in power more than one day longer than necessary. Every day I become more disgusted at the president, and I am even trying to avoid listening to him. But his lies about Iran are so blatant that he is having difficulty trying to hop, skip and jump his way through it.
That's enough rambling for today. I have a take home final I need to work on. More about Bush later.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Is Bessemer Opinions "Illegitimate?"
Oh no, another conspiracy theory. But this one is really sweet.
It seems the Canadian divisions of Cadbury, Hershey and Nestle have developed a price fixing scheme in the chocolate bar industry.
This investigation may spread to other types of candy as well.
Does anybody think it is just coincidence that all gum used to be a nickle (later a quarter...and now who knows how much) a pack, regardless of brand, or that all candy bars used to be a dime, (then a quarter, now who knows how much)?
One thing is certain. The cost of litigation to fight these charges will be passed on to the Hershey bar eaters (that includes me) and Nestle Crunchophiles (me as well).
Here's a quote from a local "News" paper, The Western Star, from editor Dale Jones' column..
"Now I will admit, I'm human, and it is a bit frustrating when loud mouth cowards hide behind anonymous names, taking shots at me and making false statements on illegitimate web blogs."
From The American Heritage College Dictionary:
"Illegitimate adj. 1. Against the law; illegal. 2. born out of wedlock 3. Gram. Not in correct usage. 4. Incorrectly deduced; illogical. 5. Biol. Unacceptable as a scientific name because of contradiction to the international rules of nomenclature. "
I did a quick and incomplete web search and did not find a lot of references to Dale Jones on other blogs, and with the reaction I have received from him after previous references I am sure he is referring to Bessemer Opinions. So let me assure you this blog is 1. Not against the law, 2. Not born out of wedlock, 3. Not a grammatical mistake (although it sometimes contains such errors), 4. Not incorrectly deduced or illogical (to some degree a matter of personal opinion, may apply to certain postings but certainly not the entire blog) and 5. Not primarily biological in nature and thus not subject to the rules of scientific nomenclature.
In the past Jones has accused me of hiding behind my blog ("Stop hiding behind this pathetic blog " he once wrote), but I don't see how that is possible, because the blog and it's author are out there for the world to see. And I don't post anonymously so I don't think he is referring to me when he talks about cowards (although he did use "pathetic and extremely GUTLESS" when referring to me once).
So on the same day that I receive numerous congratulations for the success of this blog, it is called illegitimate in a local paper. I just wish he had used the name Bessemer Opinions...with the few additional readers that might have been directed here my rating could have climbed into the top ten! Well, maybe his readers will google his name after reading his column to see what has been said about him, and if so they will arrive at Bessemer Opinions.
Since I did read The Western Star this week, and since the editor does claim to present the news...wait...he actually says "you are going to be reading true, relevant, honest, factual, comprehensive information about what is going on in your neighbohood." In fact, the word "news" is not found in his editorial about his paper.
And he is right. The front page this week has three articles, none of which are news, all of which are community stories. The Western Tribune, on the other hand has two news stories and one community information story on the front page. The "Star" entire front section has only one news story of sorts, and even it is of a religious nature, about Garywood Assembly of God Church moving, so really that is just community news.
In fact, there are no other stories of any kind in the 10 pages that make up the first section. Ads, announcements, continuation of front page stories, editorials, reader's opinions, obituaries, social scene, the religion page and the Southern Styles column are all that is there.
In contrast, The Western Tribune, in addition to the news stories on the front page about the Bessemer City Council and the Mayor and money (something of great importance to Bessemer residents) and the luxury hotel deal that is about to die, has a news story about our water filter plant, news briefs, ads, sports, Chuck's outdoor column, a news story about Larry Langford's replacement, a community story about Festive Church Programs, Bubba's column, and readers opinions, also in 10 pages.
Now, if you want weekly news about what is going on in our community, about what will affect you as a tax payer, where will you turn? The Western Tribune, of course (call 425-7171 to subscribe).
And if you want daily news about what is going on, return to Bessemer Opinions. There you go.
It seems the Canadian divisions of Cadbury, Hershey and Nestle have developed a price fixing scheme in the chocolate bar industry.
This investigation may spread to other types of candy as well.
Does anybody think it is just coincidence that all gum used to be a nickle (later a quarter...and now who knows how much) a pack, regardless of brand, or that all candy bars used to be a dime, (then a quarter, now who knows how much)?
One thing is certain. The cost of litigation to fight these charges will be passed on to the Hershey bar eaters (that includes me) and Nestle Crunchophiles (me as well).
Here's a quote from a local "News" paper, The Western Star, from editor Dale Jones' column..
"Now I will admit, I'm human, and it is a bit frustrating when loud mouth cowards hide behind anonymous names, taking shots at me and making false statements on illegitimate web blogs."
From The American Heritage College Dictionary:
"Illegitimate adj. 1. Against the law; illegal. 2. born out of wedlock 3. Gram. Not in correct usage. 4. Incorrectly deduced; illogical. 5. Biol. Unacceptable as a scientific name because of contradiction to the international rules of nomenclature. "
I did a quick and incomplete web search and did not find a lot of references to Dale Jones on other blogs, and with the reaction I have received from him after previous references I am sure he is referring to Bessemer Opinions. So let me assure you this blog is 1. Not against the law, 2. Not born out of wedlock, 3. Not a grammatical mistake (although it sometimes contains such errors), 4. Not incorrectly deduced or illogical (to some degree a matter of personal opinion, may apply to certain postings but certainly not the entire blog) and 5. Not primarily biological in nature and thus not subject to the rules of scientific nomenclature.
In the past Jones has accused me of hiding behind my blog ("Stop hiding behind this pathetic blog " he once wrote), but I don't see how that is possible, because the blog and it's author are out there for the world to see. And I don't post anonymously so I don't think he is referring to me when he talks about cowards (although he did use "pathetic and extremely GUTLESS" when referring to me once).
So on the same day that I receive numerous congratulations for the success of this blog, it is called illegitimate in a local paper. I just wish he had used the name Bessemer Opinions...with the few additional readers that might have been directed here my rating could have climbed into the top ten! Well, maybe his readers will google his name after reading his column to see what has been said about him, and if so they will arrive at Bessemer Opinions.
Since I did read The Western Star this week, and since the editor does claim to present the news...wait...he actually says "you are going to be reading true, relevant, honest, factual, comprehensive information about what is going on in your neighbohood." In fact, the word "news" is not found in his editorial about his paper.
And he is right. The front page this week has three articles, none of which are news, all of which are community stories. The Western Tribune, on the other hand has two news stories and one community information story on the front page. The "Star" entire front section has only one news story of sorts, and even it is of a religious nature, about Garywood Assembly of God Church moving, so really that is just community news.
In fact, there are no other stories of any kind in the 10 pages that make up the first section. Ads, announcements, continuation of front page stories, editorials, reader's opinions, obituaries, social scene, the religion page and the Southern Styles column are all that is there.
In contrast, The Western Tribune, in addition to the news stories on the front page about the Bessemer City Council and the Mayor and money (something of great importance to Bessemer residents) and the luxury hotel deal that is about to die, has a news story about our water filter plant, news briefs, ads, sports, Chuck's outdoor column, a news story about Larry Langford's replacement, a community story about Festive Church Programs, Bubba's column, and readers opinions, also in 10 pages.
Now, if you want weekly news about what is going on in our community, about what will affect you as a tax payer, where will you turn? The Western Tribune, of course (call 425-7171 to subscribe).
And if you want daily news about what is going on, return to Bessemer Opinions. There you go.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Western Star and Global Warming
Certain topics will be addressed again and again, and global warming is one of them. When I read something that is absolutely in error, in fact, that makes the writer look foolish, I will comment.
So when I read in The Western Star on Wednesday the Dale Jones editorial slamming Al Gore and the Nobel Peace Prize process I felt obligated. Here is what he writes: "There is absolutely, positively no scientific evidence to support global warming."
I could argue against that statement, but I don't need to. Read on.
Here are some quotes from Dale's article:
"While ground-level temperature measurements suggest the earth has warmed between 0.3 and 0.6 degrees Celsius since 1850, global satellite data, the most reliable of climate measurements, show no evidence of warming during the past 18 years".
"A Gallup poll found that only 17 percent of the members of the Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society think that the warming of the 20th century has been a result of greenhouse gas emissions - principally CO2 from burning fossil fuels".
"While atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 28 percent over the past 150 years, human-generated carbon dioxide could have played only a small part in any warming, since most of the warming occurred prior to 1940 - before most human-caused carbon dioxide emissions".
Now...here are some quotes from a brief analysis from the National Center for Policy analysis written by H. Sterling Burnett:
"While ground-level temperature measurements suggest the earth has warmed between 0.3 and 0.6 degrees Celsius since 1850, global satellite data, the most reliable of climate measurements, show no evidence of warming during the past 18 years".
"A Gallup poll found that only 17 percent of the members of the Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society think that the warming of the 20th century has been a result of greenhouse gas emissions - principally CO2 from burning fossil fuels".
"While atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 28 percent over the past 150 years, human-generated carbon dioxide could have played only a small part in any warming, since most of the warming occurred prior to 1940 - before most human-caused carbon dioxide emissions".
First, Dale, this information that you are basing your argument on is 10 years old. This was written in 1997. Ten year old data!!! Scientists and others...even Newt Gingrich (his new book A Contract with the Earth) are currently overwhelmingly supportive of climate change and man's role in it, along with mankind's responsibility for doing something against it. (I admit I have not read Gingrich's book, and wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him, so I don't how supportive he is, but that is beside the point).
Second, Dale, and more importantly, this is plagiarism. You are writing for a newspaper, and should know better than to copy someone elses work without giving them credit. If I were to do this in school, I would be severely disciplined...we are warned about it all the time. You should know better Dale. People from newspapers more prestigious than yours have lost their jobs for plagiarism. You should lose yours too, if you can't even put the outdated material you report as fact in your own words. Have you taken any journalism courses Dale? What did they teach you?
Dale, you also plagiarized from this site , and probably others. Why should we believe anything written in your newspaper, when you take credit for the work of others as if it were your own?
Don't write about that which you do not know about, and when you do, give credit where credit is due. If you are allowed to keep your job.
So when I read in The Western Star on Wednesday the Dale Jones editorial slamming Al Gore and the Nobel Peace Prize process I felt obligated. Here is what he writes: "There is absolutely, positively no scientific evidence to support global warming."
I could argue against that statement, but I don't need to. Read on.
Here are some quotes from Dale's article:
"While ground-level temperature measurements suggest the earth has warmed between 0.3 and 0.6 degrees Celsius since 1850, global satellite data, the most reliable of climate measurements, show no evidence of warming during the past 18 years".
"A Gallup poll found that only 17 percent of the members of the Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society think that the warming of the 20th century has been a result of greenhouse gas emissions - principally CO2 from burning fossil fuels".
"While atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 28 percent over the past 150 years, human-generated carbon dioxide could have played only a small part in any warming, since most of the warming occurred prior to 1940 - before most human-caused carbon dioxide emissions".
Now...here are some quotes from a brief analysis from the National Center for Policy analysis written by H. Sterling Burnett:
"While ground-level temperature measurements suggest the earth has warmed between 0.3 and 0.6 degrees Celsius since 1850, global satellite data, the most reliable of climate measurements, show no evidence of warming during the past 18 years".
"A Gallup poll found that only 17 percent of the members of the Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society think that the warming of the 20th century has been a result of greenhouse gas emissions - principally CO2 from burning fossil fuels".
"While atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 28 percent over the past 150 years, human-generated carbon dioxide could have played only a small part in any warming, since most of the warming occurred prior to 1940 - before most human-caused carbon dioxide emissions".
First, Dale, this information that you are basing your argument on is 10 years old. This was written in 1997. Ten year old data!!! Scientists and others...even Newt Gingrich (his new book A Contract with the Earth) are currently overwhelmingly supportive of climate change and man's role in it, along with mankind's responsibility for doing something against it. (I admit I have not read Gingrich's book, and wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him, so I don't how supportive he is, but that is beside the point).
Second, Dale, and more importantly, this is plagiarism. You are writing for a newspaper, and should know better than to copy someone elses work without giving them credit. If I were to do this in school, I would be severely disciplined...we are warned about it all the time. You should know better Dale. People from newspapers more prestigious than yours have lost their jobs for plagiarism. You should lose yours too, if you can't even put the outdated material you report as fact in your own words. Have you taken any journalism courses Dale? What did they teach you?
Dale, you also plagiarized from this site , and probably others. Why should we believe anything written in your newspaper, when you take credit for the work of others as if it were your own?
Don't write about that which you do not know about, and when you do, give credit where credit is due. If you are allowed to keep your job.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Bessemer News, including the Western Star goof
Memorial Day is coming up, and the Western Star goofed on their front page with their headline (above the fold) “Honoring our Veterans on Memorial Day.”
Veterans Day is in November. Memorial Day is to honor those service members who have given their lives in defense of our country. Besides, isn’t it odd for a conservative Bush supporting newsletter to be headlining “honoring veterans” when we see troops returning from Iraq who can not get adequate medical care, certainly do not get mental health services when needed, and I won’t even get started on Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Yeah, that’s honoring our veterans. We actually should honor our veterans every day (a democratic value) but let’s use Memorial Day to remember those who sacrificed all.
In big Bessemer news a Jefferson County Personnel Board hearing officer ruled that Herman Lehman, former city clerk, was fired without just cause and is entitled to a hearing before the whole board if the city no longer wants his services. At issue was whether Lehman was still in his probationary first year of employment, and the ruling says he was no longer on probation, and in his second year of employment when the firing took place. Lehman said he wants any back pay that is due to him from Bessemer, and is currently employed as city clerk in Montevallo. Read it
Great news, Herman!
Veterans Day is in November. Memorial Day is to honor those service members who have given their lives in defense of our country. Besides, isn’t it odd for a conservative Bush supporting newsletter to be headlining “honoring veterans” when we see troops returning from Iraq who can not get adequate medical care, certainly do not get mental health services when needed, and I won’t even get started on Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Yeah, that’s honoring our veterans. We actually should honor our veterans every day (a democratic value) but let’s use Memorial Day to remember those who sacrificed all.
In big Bessemer news a Jefferson County Personnel Board hearing officer ruled that Herman Lehman, former city clerk, was fired without just cause and is entitled to a hearing before the whole board if the city no longer wants his services. At issue was whether Lehman was still in his probationary first year of employment, and the ruling says he was no longer on probation, and in his second year of employment when the firing took place. Lehman said he wants any back pay that is due to him from Bessemer, and is currently employed as city clerk in Montevallo. Read it
Great news, Herman!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Tell the Whole Story, Dale
I posed the question “Who will be next?” to leave in the Bush administration and now we know: Tony Blair, announcing today that he is stepping down as Prime Minister. I have to admit, I’m not sad to see Bush’s lap dog go.
And in Bessemer, we have someone ready to make a run at replacing Tony Snow as President Bush’s press secretary if such an opportunity arises. Dale Jones, the editor of The Western Star, has once again misrepresented the truth regarding the war in Iraq as to leave no doubt that he could handle the job. Remember early this year he made the assertion that every person who has served would “return to Iraq in a second” while we all know of such veterans who have denounced the war and are working to get us out of Iraq.
This week, in his weekly editorial titled “Our Fight is against Al-Qaeda, not Iraq” Jones once again shows his willingness to twist the truth to fit his message, much as the White House does through its press secretary. He says:
Al-Qaeda was formed in or around 1988, twelve years before Bush went into office.
Ollie North testified before (the) Senate. He told Senator Al Gore that Osama bin Laden, the force behind Al-Qaeda, was the one man that he was most afraid of.
We’ve had opportunities before Bush to make a difference, but our “leaders” seemed too busy dealing with interns in the oval office.
Let’s remember, that twelve years before Bush went into office, when Jones says Al-Qaeda was formed (1988), Ronald Reagan was president (1981 – 1989) and during the next four years while Al-Qaeda was gaining strength, daddy Bush was president. And let’s not forget where Osama bin Laden got his inspiration.
When the marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, were destroyed by a suicide bomber in 1983, killing 241 American servicemen, Reagan was president, and did he retaliate? No. After initially pledging to keep a military force in Lebanon, he quickly changed his plans and withdrew. We did nothing to retaliate. Cutting and running, we were unable to get out of there fast enough. The success of that attack led to a sharp increase in suicide bombings across the world, and such bombings were later adopted by Al-Qaeda as an often used tactic. Bin Laden himself has indicated that the bombing in Beirut and the U. S. unwillingness to respond was inspiration for him.
So don’t blame the Clinton administration for the rise of Al-Qaeda. Jones is right, we have had opportunities before Bush to make a difference, in fact, Al-Qaeda might never have come into existence if Reagan had stood up to the terrorists in 1983. Tell the whole story, Dale.
And some roses.
The fence surrounding the back of our property is covered in vines and shadowed by trees, but as we have begun to clear it off, surprises have been revealed. These roses are two of several that remain, that the former owner must have had covering the fence decades ago. If we can get more sunlight onto the fence area by trimming some scrubby trees back, I’m hoping the roses will flourish once again.
And in Bessemer, we have someone ready to make a run at replacing Tony Snow as President Bush’s press secretary if such an opportunity arises. Dale Jones, the editor of The Western Star, has once again misrepresented the truth regarding the war in Iraq as to leave no doubt that he could handle the job. Remember early this year he made the assertion that every person who has served would “return to Iraq in a second” while we all know of such veterans who have denounced the war and are working to get us out of Iraq.
This week, in his weekly editorial titled “Our Fight is against Al-Qaeda, not Iraq” Jones once again shows his willingness to twist the truth to fit his message, much as the White House does through its press secretary. He says:
Al-Qaeda was formed in or around 1988, twelve years before Bush went into office.
Ollie North testified before (the) Senate. He told Senator Al Gore that Osama bin Laden, the force behind Al-Qaeda, was the one man that he was most afraid of.
We’ve had opportunities before Bush to make a difference, but our “leaders” seemed too busy dealing with interns in the oval office.
Let’s remember, that twelve years before Bush went into office, when Jones says Al-Qaeda was formed (1988), Ronald Reagan was president (1981 – 1989) and during the next four years while Al-Qaeda was gaining strength, daddy Bush was president. And let’s not forget where Osama bin Laden got his inspiration.
When the marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, were destroyed by a suicide bomber in 1983, killing 241 American servicemen, Reagan was president, and did he retaliate? No. After initially pledging to keep a military force in Lebanon, he quickly changed his plans and withdrew. We did nothing to retaliate. Cutting and running, we were unable to get out of there fast enough. The success of that attack led to a sharp increase in suicide bombings across the world, and such bombings were later adopted by Al-Qaeda as an often used tactic. Bin Laden himself has indicated that the bombing in Beirut and the U. S. unwillingness to respond was inspiration for him.
So don’t blame the Clinton administration for the rise of Al-Qaeda. Jones is right, we have had opportunities before Bush to make a difference, in fact, Al-Qaeda might never have come into existence if Reagan had stood up to the terrorists in 1983. Tell the whole story, Dale.
And some roses.
The fence surrounding the back of our property is covered in vines and shadowed by trees, but as we have begun to clear it off, surprises have been revealed. These roses are two of several that remain, that the former owner must have had covering the fence decades ago. If we can get more sunlight onto the fence area by trimming some scrubby trees back, I’m hoping the roses will flourish once again.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Bessemer: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Today I am just going to write about some issues here in Bessemer. I might start doing this on Thursdays each week, because both The Western Star and The Birmingham News West News arrive on Wednesdays. Before I forget, be sure and read the comment left on yesterday’s post (No News) by Jennifer, who is voicing her concern about go-carts on the streets. I live in the area she is referring to, and I have seen them too. One guy a couple of days ago was (actually) stopping at a stop sign and was using his foot on the asphalt to stop his vehicle. Didn’t the Flintstones do this? For their own safety, even if they are going to continue to break the law, they should put those flags on the go-carts so people in vehicles might see it out of the corner of their eye.
Here is the good. Being a student of science (again…literally) I was excited to read in both papers about the return of the science fair to Jess Lanier High School. My hat is off to anatomy and physiology teacher Harriet Westbrook who reintroduced the program. I remember two science projects in particular that I did in public school. One was a volcano made of different colors of modeling clay, representing the different layers of the earths crust. Part of it was cut away to show the layers. Also, we had a substance (I can’t remember what it was) that I could put down in the crater of the volcano and light, and it would smoke and spew and make a little lava flow. This was a long time ago, and probably you couldn’t get away with that now (using open flame and explosives), and probably I released toxins into the atmosphere of the lunchroom/auditorium that might still be affecting me now, but it was fun. I won’t bore you with the other project. 1000 Science Projects from A to Z was the book that I got a lot of ideas from when I was a kid. I wish I still had that book.
Congratulations to third place winner Trenton Hearns (9th Grade) whose project compared modern digital music players to older record players, second place finisher Shemarkus Johnson (10th Grade) who analyzed the microbes that live on our hands, and first place winner Rickey Brown (10th Grade) whose project explored water purification.
Included in science is biology and a part of the study of life is ornithology. A recent article in the Birmingham News brought to my attention conservation efforts that have made a city park in Roebuck a birdwatcher’s haven. The Great Backyard Bird Count was recently completed, and there are bird watchers here in Bessemer too. Twelve counters reported 30 species of birds and 1228 total birds. Of course this is just a small sample of the actual number of birds around, but it gives an idea of what we might see. View Bessemer’s bird counts here: http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/report?cmd=showReport&reportName=CitySummary&city=Bessemer&state=US-AL&year=2007
Another thing we have in Bessemer is a National Wildlife Refuge. Did you know? The Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge is just off Eastern Valley Road, and was created in 1980 and contains a pond known as Thomas Spring which is vital to the survival of the endangered Watercress Darter. The 23 acre refuge is managed by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge in Anniston. The web site is http://www.fws.gov/southeast/watercressdarter/index.html and here is the Watercress Darter.
The refuge is next to the McAdory house. There are no informational signs up yet, but there are improved paths for hiking and bird watching. Email me for directions.
By the way, the web site has not been updated and says the Refuge is managed by Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.
Now for bad. This building is one block from my house. It has been abandoned for years, and why the thunderstorms and strong winds don’t finish it off I don’t know. The building was pictured on the front of The Western Star months ago, to try to draw attention, but I guess the right people have not seen it. Maybe they will see this picture.
And this is the Ugly. I will close with a quote from The Western Star of March 7, 2007. In an editorial, owner Bob Tribble says, “And we as newspaper folks must protect the rights of those with whom we disagree as well as those whom we agree” (Jefferson Was Definitely A “Visionary”). If only the editor, Dale Jones, agreed.
Here is the good. Being a student of science (again…literally) I was excited to read in both papers about the return of the science fair to Jess Lanier High School. My hat is off to anatomy and physiology teacher Harriet Westbrook who reintroduced the program. I remember two science projects in particular that I did in public school. One was a volcano made of different colors of modeling clay, representing the different layers of the earths crust. Part of it was cut away to show the layers. Also, we had a substance (I can’t remember what it was) that I could put down in the crater of the volcano and light, and it would smoke and spew and make a little lava flow. This was a long time ago, and probably you couldn’t get away with that now (using open flame and explosives), and probably I released toxins into the atmosphere of the lunchroom/auditorium that might still be affecting me now, but it was fun. I won’t bore you with the other project. 1000 Science Projects from A to Z was the book that I got a lot of ideas from when I was a kid. I wish I still had that book.
Congratulations to third place winner Trenton Hearns (9th Grade) whose project compared modern digital music players to older record players, second place finisher Shemarkus Johnson (10th Grade) who analyzed the microbes that live on our hands, and first place winner Rickey Brown (10th Grade) whose project explored water purification.
Included in science is biology and a part of the study of life is ornithology. A recent article in the Birmingham News brought to my attention conservation efforts that have made a city park in Roebuck a birdwatcher’s haven. The Great Backyard Bird Count was recently completed, and there are bird watchers here in Bessemer too. Twelve counters reported 30 species of birds and 1228 total birds. Of course this is just a small sample of the actual number of birds around, but it gives an idea of what we might see. View Bessemer’s bird counts here: http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/report?cmd=showReport&reportName=CitySummary&city=Bessemer&state=US-AL&year=2007
Another thing we have in Bessemer is a National Wildlife Refuge. Did you know? The Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge is just off Eastern Valley Road, and was created in 1980 and contains a pond known as Thomas Spring which is vital to the survival of the endangered Watercress Darter. The 23 acre refuge is managed by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge in Anniston. The web site is http://www.fws.gov/southeast/watercressdarter/index.html and here is the Watercress Darter.
The refuge is next to the McAdory house. There are no informational signs up yet, but there are improved paths for hiking and bird watching. Email me for directions.
By the way, the web site has not been updated and says the Refuge is managed by Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.
Now for bad. This building is one block from my house. It has been abandoned for years, and why the thunderstorms and strong winds don’t finish it off I don’t know. The building was pictured on the front of The Western Star months ago, to try to draw attention, but I guess the right people have not seen it. Maybe they will see this picture.
Can we not just all get on one side and blow real hard?
One more thing. In case you don’t know, the Galleria Mall now has online shopping for its stores. The site is http://www.riverchasegalleria.com/html/index12.asp, and from there you can type in a product, for instance "Clark shoes", and find where they are sold, and in some cases what styles are available and can reserve them. Type in “Weather Radio” (which we all should have) and several options come up. Also is a listing of “Hot Stores” and information for “mall walkers” and various other things. Explore, shop, spend!And this is the Ugly. I will close with a quote from The Western Star of March 7, 2007. In an editorial, owner Bob Tribble says, “And we as newspaper folks must protect the rights of those with whom we disagree as well as those whom we agree” (Jefferson Was Definitely A “Visionary”). If only the editor, Dale Jones, agreed.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Western Star and Tim Hardaway
The Western Star in Bessemer, AL has once again published inaccurate information on its opinion page, in a column titled “Hardaway ban a bit extreme,” authored by editor Dale Jones. Most of you know that former NBA star Tim Hardaway recently said “I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people, and I don’t like to be around gay people. I’m homophobic (who knew?) I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.” In the column Jones asserts that “I, Dale Jones, DO NOT HATE GAY PEOPLE. (Emphasis his). I have acquaintances who are gay. I don’t hate them. I am in total disagreement with their choice of lifestyle, but I don’t hate them.” He goes on to comment on Hardaway’s apology, in particular Hardaway’s comparison between the bigotry that African-Americans experience because of race, and the prejudice against homosexuals. Jones counters that homosexuality and race can not be compared because no one has a choice about their race or sex.
“Homosexuality is a choice.”
That is Jones’s statement on the issue. That is what I take issue with.
It is true that Tim Hardaway has a right to hate whomever he wants to, and to say what he wants to in this country. It is also true that Hardaway was stupid to make those remarks in a public forum, and maybe the NBA was right in not allowing a controversial figure represent them on a weekend that is supposed to be all fun and games. It is also stupid for this paper to defend him, even in the roundabout way that it did.
Many noted professional basketball players (and former players) including Charles Barkley have come out against Hardaway in this debate. Just because one person on ESPN says that the majority of players in the NBA feel as Hardaway does, does not make it so. I don’t doubt that homophobia exists in all professional sports, basketball included, but I doubt the majority feel that way, just as the majority of Americans don’t feel that way.
But my biggest beef is with Jones’s statement that homosexuality is a choice. The sentence, standing alone in his column, not surrounded by other sentences as part of a paragraph, is a gross and glaring example of this writer’s ignorance on the subject of homosexuality. If Jones had any friends who were homosexuals, he might understand. Oh he admits to having "acquaintances" but not any friends. Friends you talk to, you understand, you learn from. Any educated person in 2007 knows that there is a spectrum of sexuality and while various decision making processes may play a role in how humans express their sexuality, it does not play a role in who one is innately attracted to. If it were a choice to be homosexual, then it would also be a choice to be heterosexual. That would mean we all at some point had to make a choice of whether to be attracted to members of the opposite sex, or the same sex. So if you think it is a choice, think back to when you made your decision. Did you think, “Well let’s see, I need to be deciding which I’m gonna be….” I didn’t think so.
Certainly there are homosexuals who choose to behave in heterosexual ways, possibly even getting married and having children. And some heterosexuals find themselves in situations where they choose to have homosexual relations. But in these cases, the person is not choosing their sexual orientation, they are choosing their behavior. There is a big difference.
Jones says that Hardaway’s comparison of sexuality to race in unwarranted, because homosexuality is a choice and race is not. Mr. Jones, homosexuality, just like heterosexuality, is part of one’s innate being, just like race, gender, eye color and left and right handedness. The American Medical Association agrees, as does the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, and the American Psychoanalytic Association. Even most American Christian church denominations now agree that homosexuality is not a choice, while they may argue (wrongly) that the behavior is sinful, most realize that homosexuality is innate and can not be changed (if anyone wants my views on homosexuality and Christianity, I will be glad to share…drop me an email metrocat10@aol.com).
It seems that Jones has gone out of his way to criticize homosexuality in the last few months. What is that really about? Aren’t there more important issues in Bessemer that The Western Star could be reporting on? I get more information from the Birmingham News Western Section on Wednesdays (thank you Robert Gordon) than I do from the Western Star. In this week’s Birmingham News we learned about Bessemer judges, about the school board’s plans for the new high school, about Eddie Bevelle returning to Downtown to open a new restaurant, about the utility board’s plan to buy out Coventa Energy’s contract, about certain streetlights being replaced and other actions of the city council. I hope The Western Star can return to printing relevant news that concerns our city and it’s citizens, and less inaccurate opinion and syndicated columns (especially when they express the opinions of writers who live 600 miles or so away from here).
“Homosexuality is a choice.”
That is Jones’s statement on the issue. That is what I take issue with.
It is true that Tim Hardaway has a right to hate whomever he wants to, and to say what he wants to in this country. It is also true that Hardaway was stupid to make those remarks in a public forum, and maybe the NBA was right in not allowing a controversial figure represent them on a weekend that is supposed to be all fun and games. It is also stupid for this paper to defend him, even in the roundabout way that it did.
Many noted professional basketball players (and former players) including Charles Barkley have come out against Hardaway in this debate. Just because one person on ESPN says that the majority of players in the NBA feel as Hardaway does, does not make it so. I don’t doubt that homophobia exists in all professional sports, basketball included, but I doubt the majority feel that way, just as the majority of Americans don’t feel that way.
But my biggest beef is with Jones’s statement that homosexuality is a choice. The sentence, standing alone in his column, not surrounded by other sentences as part of a paragraph, is a gross and glaring example of this writer’s ignorance on the subject of homosexuality. If Jones had any friends who were homosexuals, he might understand. Oh he admits to having "acquaintances" but not any friends. Friends you talk to, you understand, you learn from. Any educated person in 2007 knows that there is a spectrum of sexuality and while various decision making processes may play a role in how humans express their sexuality, it does not play a role in who one is innately attracted to. If it were a choice to be homosexual, then it would also be a choice to be heterosexual. That would mean we all at some point had to make a choice of whether to be attracted to members of the opposite sex, or the same sex. So if you think it is a choice, think back to when you made your decision. Did you think, “Well let’s see, I need to be deciding which I’m gonna be….” I didn’t think so.
Certainly there are homosexuals who choose to behave in heterosexual ways, possibly even getting married and having children. And some heterosexuals find themselves in situations where they choose to have homosexual relations. But in these cases, the person is not choosing their sexual orientation, they are choosing their behavior. There is a big difference.
Jones says that Hardaway’s comparison of sexuality to race in unwarranted, because homosexuality is a choice and race is not. Mr. Jones, homosexuality, just like heterosexuality, is part of one’s innate being, just like race, gender, eye color and left and right handedness. The American Medical Association agrees, as does the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, and the American Psychoanalytic Association. Even most American Christian church denominations now agree that homosexuality is not a choice, while they may argue (wrongly) that the behavior is sinful, most realize that homosexuality is innate and can not be changed (if anyone wants my views on homosexuality and Christianity, I will be glad to share…drop me an email metrocat10@aol.com).
It seems that Jones has gone out of his way to criticize homosexuality in the last few months. What is that really about? Aren’t there more important issues in Bessemer that The Western Star could be reporting on? I get more information from the Birmingham News Western Section on Wednesdays (thank you Robert Gordon) than I do from the Western Star. In this week’s Birmingham News we learned about Bessemer judges, about the school board’s plans for the new high school, about Eddie Bevelle returning to Downtown to open a new restaurant, about the utility board’s plan to buy out Coventa Energy’s contract, about certain streetlights being replaced and other actions of the city council. I hope The Western Star can return to printing relevant news that concerns our city and it’s citizens, and less inaccurate opinion and syndicated columns (especially when they express the opinions of writers who live 600 miles or so away from here).
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