Thursday, January 5, 2012
Bob Sidelined for a Day FR 01/06/12
Hi folks,
Our good friend Bob called me this evening, reported that he is in hospital overnight for observation. He has run a fever for the past few days, and today his BP sagged. A neighbor took him to the ER, where he was treated,then retained for the night. He expects to go home tomorrow. He sounded good, and was concerned that he can't post the LTE's for Friday. I probably will not either. So, just use this posting for comments, and extend your good wishes to our good friend.
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Friday LTE from Winston Salem Journal:
ReplyDeleteOverwhelmingly positive
I am growing weary of the 99-percent Occupy Winston-Salem group members being cast as unemployed vagrants trying to stir up trouble. Those who spend any time with these folks will discover the overwhelming majority are hard-working, honest citizens working to restore democracy, not cause trouble.
To suggest that they need to "get a job!" is almost comical. Most have jobs, and the few who don't desperately want them — just like so many unemployed Americans. And for the Journal to say, "... let's hope the protesters keep it orderly" ("Scorecard: More occupiers, prayer and 2012," Dec. 31) ignores the local group's overwhelmingly positive and legal approach to this movement.
I am befuddled that reporter John Hinton sat through an entire meeting between the group and City Council member Dan Besse and chose to begin his article ("Protesters say rights would be squelched," Jan. 1) quoting one of the few who want to camp outside. Most of the Winston-Salem group decided months ago that they would not set up a camp because of concerns raised in public meetings, and camping was not the focus of the meeting with Besse. The few who wish to camp have a right to voice their opinion, but Hinton's selective attention reinforces stereotypes of the group as a whole.
So please stop the ignorant fear-mongering and go out and spend time with these people and learn about the issues that they are raising. Anyone who does will surely find common ground with the 99 percent.
EVA LAWRENCE
Kernersville
New Career Center
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools! I recently explored the new Career Center alongside Kennedy High School, and it was truly breathtaking. I was thoroughly impressed with the facilities as there were lots of open spaces with brightly colored walls. The parking lots had ample space, so no one would need to park on the grass. Every classroom had computers hooked up to televisions with document cameras for the teacher's convenience. The teachers that I talked to were very positive and happy about the new move from Forsyth Tech.
Parents: Give us students a chance to explore new routes on the opposite part of town; don't worry, we will make it.
My request to all other drivers: Please be patient for the first few days.
MAULI SAINI
STUDENT, CAREER CENTER
Rural Hall
Day by day
ReplyDeleteI read Richard Groves' guest column, "As the world ends" (Jan. 1), about our current calendar with great interest. Though not mentioned, he, of course, knows that the Roman calendar from which monk Dionysius began his calculations started with the Roman emperor, Diocletian. Accordingly, the A.D. originally meant "Anno Diocletian." Such was the arrogance of emperors to declare, "Now that I am here, we can start counting time." (It's human nature.) Working for the pope to create a calendar so the church could set the dates for Easter some years in advance, the monk converted A.D. to "Anno Domini." Some scholars contend the monk's back calculations actually dropped about 250 years. All of this brings to mind the Chicago song from 1969 (speaking of old stuff): "Does anybody really know what time it is?"
Regardless of the calendar, we all live in the present, and we all have to make up our lives day by day based on our intentions and the information we have at hand. It seems the world is divided into two kinds of people. One group says, "We are all in this together and nobody gets out alive." The other group says, "I got mine; you better get yours."
The world we get is the world we create, every day. Join the group you believe will create a world you want to live in, one you want to pass along to your children regardless of the year; then work with passion and compassion. It's time.
RANDELL JONES
Winston-Salem
A preview
ReplyDeleteIowa has been a preview of what it means to buy an election. Unregulated super-PACs are now the vehicle to funnel massive contributions to candidates, without the candidates having to acknowledge any responsibility for the message. Shame on our Supreme Court.
ROBYN MIXON
Winston-Salem
Sorry to hear Bob is not well. I hope he recovers quickly. Thanks Mike for starting today's blog.
ReplyDeleteThis may be our blog of the future if we continue to meet like this. This article in today's paper:
Firm to track unpaid news content online could portend the end of our current blogger model.
AP, Media General, other news organizations launch rights clearinghouse
Text Thu, 5 Jan 2012
The Associated Press and 28 news organizations, including Media General, the parent company of the Winston-Salem Journal, are launching a company that will measure the unpaid online use of their original reporting and seek to convert unauthorized websites, blogs and other newsgathering services ...
Source: From staff and wire reports
Get better soon Bob! That fever of unknown origin won't know what hit it.
ReplyDeleteI too am sorry to hear about Bob's problems. Let's hope that he is back with us right away.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to Wordly for posting the LTEs.
In LTE #1, Ms. Lawrence hits the nail on the head. An awful lot of people who don't have a clue have been mouthing off about things that they know nothing about when it comes to the OWS folks. As to John Hinton, having been forced to deal with him more than once, I think that it is safe to say that he is the worst "reporter" that the Journal has ever had, and that is saying something.
If anything, the local OWS folks have been far too patient with our local officials, especially Councilman Besse, who are doing their best to duplicate the Third Reich in W-S. The police action at City Hall was a disgrace.
What they don't seem to understand is that citizens have the right to assemble and petition their government. And the government does not get to decide what constitutes a legitimate assembly, unless there is a threat to public order. There was no such threat here...just a bunch of lame behavior on the part of the city government. If I hear Besse whine about the grass at City Hall one more time, I might just go over to his house and walk on his grass.
I think that the local OWS should have their future meetings at Corpening Plaza, right in the shadow of both of the big banks. After all, it is named for former mayor and Wachovia bank executive Wayne Corpening.
Ojalá que Bob se mejore pronto.
ReplyDelete@Rush: I agree, Corpening Plaza would be a GREAT meeting place for the wranglers.
@Worldly: Thanks for posting today's WSJ LTE's today.
ReplyDeleteThat grass is everyone's property. Some of us don't want our property trampled.
ReplyDeleteThere were reports of violence and thefts at OWS squaring-ins. It hasn't all been sweetness and light. I saw photos of the mess those poor downtrodden 99-percenters left in L.A., including cell phones and laptops.
@Stab:
ReplyDelete". . . I saw photos of the mess those poor downtrodden 99-percenters left in L.A., including cell phones and laptops."
Not as poor as they would have us think. *wink*wink*
The city is willing to compromise and help find a location for the wranglers; the only thing some of the wranglers are willing to do is dig in their heels.
ReplyDeleteDemocracy is a give and take; not a TAKE, TAKE, TAKE.
Cuz is not listening...I guess this is going to become another obsession like the union thing.
ReplyDeleteIf you think that LA was a mess, you should have seen Birmingham after Bull Connor and his storm troopers welcomed protesting American citizens to their fair city in 1963.
Next time our local group meets, take a moment to go down and talk to them...you're in for a big surprise.
The city is NOT willing to compromise. They wanted them to set up in a parking lot out on the edge of downtown. We don't want the poor bankers to get upset by having to see American citizens exercise their Constitutional rights.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it NOT a compromise, I wonder? Does the parking lot NOT belong to the city? Will loyal Occupiers not follow they them if the location offer declined? I don't get it. I see it as a "my way or the highway" thing, with no one budging.
ReplyDeleteI think that the protest movement of the 1960, as chaotic as they were, is a model for the Occupiers of today. Does history show us that it worked. For some it did, for others it didn't.
Some participants were there to support the efforts of others. If I felt today that it would work in the grand scheme of things, I would be out there with them. But I do supports their efforts and their cause.
... as muddled as that cause is.
ReplyDelete1. It is not a compromise because the city's only offer was an unacceptable location. The city was trying to make the protesters invisible. The whole point of protest is visibility.
ReplyDelete2. It is not up to the government to dictate where protests may take place. They have been doing this for some time during national political conventions, creating "designated protest zones" far from the center of action...out of sight, out of mind. The protesters are going to have to start to do civil disobedience, get arrested, then sue to stop the gov from attacking their 1st amendment rights.
Why was the location unacceptable? No one is invisible unless THEY decide they are invisible.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, the government should not dictate but they are trying to WORK WITH the group. It's the group that isn't willing to work the government, and that's making THE GROUP look bad. Additionally, it's THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB to look out for the welfare of the public. Government sees any current or proposed locations as an impediment to the flow and safety of the public.
Agree that Corpening Plaza would be a better location. Especially since ex-BBT CEO John Allison has been active in the self-pitying "poor billionaire" response.
ReplyDeleteWho knew our Galtian overlords had such delicate feelings?
Would they give it up, though?
ReplyDeleteCorpening Plaza is owned by the city of W-S, thus is public property.
ReplyDeleteWell, then let's push for Corpening Plaza!!!!
ReplyDeleteFine with me, provided the non- demonstrating public isn't unduly denied partial use or transit thru.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's what they said in Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteA message from God
ReplyDeleteI guess the son of Willis Robertson would know a little about divisive politics.
ReplyDeleteOT, I have rights, same as OWS. Mine should not be subordinate to theirs. And OWS are a far cry from Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteNot really. Your judgement of the OWS is no different than the the judgment of Birmingham's leadership of the civil rights movement.
ReplyDeleteYou don't like them (even though, from your comments, you clearly know little about them), so you would like to limit their right to protest.
As to your right to stroll through Corpening Plaza, how often do you do that? That is one of my walking routes, so I pass through there a couple of times a week. I have never seen anyone else there except during the summer music series and at Christmas tree lighting time.
Rush makes a valid point, Stab. You're only inconvenienced if you're there, so you're rights aren't being violated.
ReplyDelete. . . or do you dissapprove JUST BECAUSE you disagree with the wrangler's politics/tactics/views, etc.?
BTW: How's Bob? Any word from him? I hope he's well.
ReplyDeleteYes, we need a Bob report, or better yet, a Bob post.
ReplyDeleteOT, your likening me to Bull O'Connor is off base. The wranglers have a right to demonstrate for their cause, whatever it is, within reasonable limits to protect others' rights. You are right, I am thoroughly distrustful of the apparent prevalent ideology of the wranglers.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am quite willing to visit the local folks to see if they can define their objectives, and if those objectives are the collectivist ones I think they are. Let me know when they're available, understanding that I work a lot. But, when convenient for us both, we can have a family reunion and talk with these folks.
Belated thanks to you, Wordly, for posting the LTE's. If the Journal restricts access, we'll do news aggregation as we can, and discuss. Thank you, again.
ReplyDeleteNo word on Bob tonight, will check tomorrow if he hasn't signed on. I was late out of work this evening, and he turns in early.
ReplyDelete