Honest Reporting OR Journalist Joke?

[UPDATE Below - Update II]

Some months ago I became intrigued with the coming together of two fairly popular blogs, Lost Coast Outpost, ie., Hank Sims, and the Readheaded Blackbelt, ie., Kym Kemp from Southern Humboldt.

The difference, if any, is minor. What is striking, however, is the advertising now displayed prominently on Kym's blog. Since Hank Sims is connected to KHUM radio and he was displaying news reports as part of the normal blog format. Kym Kemp, on the other hand, even before hooking up with Sims was beginning to post mostly local Southern Humboldt news and matters of public interest with a proliferation of police and Sheriff Department press releases. These press releases are canned accounts published online by these organizations given to the general public as accurate news. These agencies tell the public what they want them to know. This kind of one-sided, biased reporting is reprehensible when employed by the Times-Standard newspaper with salaried reporters.

The integrity and credibility of such blog reporting, or I should say LACK of integrity and credibility, was emphasized when I read the following excerpt by Glenn Greenwald in his Salon.com article: “Officials say” journalism - Yet again, the American media misleads by uncritically printing unverified, false claims from the U.S. military. (Or in our case: “claims from the local police.”)

Instead, what we see here is the standard template of American media reports: in the very first paragraph, media outlets typically state as fact what are nothing more than official assertions, and then append on to the end of the paragraph the rote phrase “officials say” (standard first paragraph: A, B and C happened today, officials say“). Over and over, this is the journalistic practice that converts media institutions into little more than glorified press release outlets for the U.S. government and military. They routinely write entire articles where the narrative and storyline are shaped exclusively by unverified claims of officials. There is a protected free press precisely because institutions are needed to check and scrutinize government claims — based on the long-standing recognition that those in power tell self-serving lies, something which has happened over and over in the war in Afghanistan — not uncritically amplify them and convert them into Truth under the guise of independent reporting. 

But this “officials say” form of American journalism converts government claims into journalistic fact. In that regard, it’s not merely redundant, though it is that: who needs a media outlet to re-print government press releases, when one can just go read those press releases on one’s own? It’s worse than redundant: it launders government claims as verified fact, as though they’ve been checked and confirmed by an independent media arbiter. That’s why government officials love to “leak” falsehoods to reporters while hiding behind the shield of anonymity, rather than just themselves dissemintaing those falsehoods: not only does that practice shield them from accountability, but it masquerades their lies as “reporting.” Today’s example is just illustrative, and far from the most important: this is the model, more than any other, that shapes American journalism. [Emphasis added.]

As such, these outlets become nothing more than propaganda tools. In Kym Kemp's case, when I challenged her postings regarding Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman's reports she actively defended him, and her reporting based upon his press releases.

There is an exception I'd like to mention here that I think is rather noteworthy and that is the Humboldt Herald by Heraldo. While the Humboldt Herald occasionally publishes Press Releases the general format is far more newsworthy in it's reporting. Recently, the Humboldt Herald added two others in addition to Heraldo posting articles: Mitch and Eric Kirk. Eric Kirk has the Southern Humboldt blog, SoHum Parlance II.

The diversity in the Herald has certainly increased it's purview.  So, honest reporting or journalistic joke?

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[UPDATE :: Thursday, June 21, 2012]

Interesting update to this idea of “blog reporting.” Are blogs and bloggers (people that write blog articles and post these articles on blogs) actually “blog reporters”? In other words, should they answer to a higher set of standards and priorities than the average blog opinionator or “glorified press release outlets”?

Would you say that the Humboldt Herald blog predominately “acts” like a blog news outlet? Now compare the Humboldt Herald to Eric Kirk's SoHum Parlance II. Do you get the same answers? I don't think so.

Now look at Eric's post on the Humboldt Herald for Thursday, June 21st, 2012, Drama at the Democratic Central Committee and tell me, even if it isn't by Kirk's own words as timely as he would like, a news report.

So, should these writers – bloggers be held to the “reporter” standard? Or did Eric's use of a bogus picture he says was used as an (unspoken) joke adversely affect the credibility and integrity of the Humboldt Herald? Did he move it into the blemished commonality of an opinionating blog?

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[UPDATE :: Friday, June 22, 2012] 

 Upon checking the Redheaded Blackbelt blog this morning I found of the seven postings, six were nothing more than Press Releases. Over on Lost Coast Outpost it was basically the same thing.

--Joe

Personhood and the Police

[UPDATE Below - Recognizing Personhood from little gods - What it means to be an American Elite]

Law enforcement officials frustrated with Occupy signs

This is today's Times-Standard frontpage headline for Friday, March 9, 2012. "Law enforcement" being Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey and the so-call "Interim Eureka Police Chief Murl Harpham.

This title actually misrepresents "law enforcement's" real frustration. Their issue is really with the District Attorney and the fact they don't have carte blanche or the full discretionary power and unconditional authority to eradicate the Occupy people from Eureka's streets at will. Be assured they are diligently working on a so-called legal solution to rectify that problem and solidify their State police power authority.

We all know their history dealing with the local Occupy Movements - Brutal, Arbitrary and Perverse in total disregard to any legitimate right to peacefully protest or demonstrate. Which, by the way, is the general public's legally provided way to "give direction" to elected representatives.

The following statement in the Times-Standard by Sheriff Mike Downey sheds some light on why.

Downey said he hopes members of the public fed up with the activities in front of the courthouse will go to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors with their concerns. 

"The public generally is no longer in support of what's going on" Downey said. "The public needs to give direction to the Board of Supervisors." [Emphasis added]

Who is this "fed up public" Sheriff Downey is speaking for or representing? Is this not what the Occupy Movement is trying to do, speak for the general, fed up public? Or is he talking only about the people that financed his election? Why does he and Murl Harpham make a distinction between the Occupy Movement who purport to represent the 99% of Americans and the so-called general "public" who obviously only make up 1%?

Herein lies the crux of the issue and goes right to the heart of what happened to Felix Omai and why. The general population that votes believes that they have some say in matters relative to their existence. In other words, they believe that their vote guarantees their recognition and general personal representation. Or, at the very least, a hearing ear and at least some consideration for their needs and wants. What the 99% don't or won't accept is that their vote, as such, is both redundant and irrelevant. The only vote that counts to all elected representatives is the dollar; the more dollars, the more personhood. They know that the one with the most dollars usually always gets voted into office. Hence the attitude of the elected representative toward their supposed constituents is disparaging, demeaning and belittling consistent to their lying acts of betrayal. They see, if at all, the general population as sub or non-human, not much better than and subject to about as much consideration as mongrel dogs. Throw them a few scraps, or lying promises and they'll rollover on command.

The problem is that the select class of ruling elites do not see nor do they hear anything from such people as make up the likes of an Occupy Movement - people that believe they actually count in this system. Did you notice that the only people mentioned by Sheriff Downey that matters are the few fed up people like him making complaints about the Occupy people? Accordingly, those of the Occupy Movement that are trying to express the wants and needs of the majority of people are considered nothing more than a gang of trouble-makers that are a blight on the community, interfering in the affairs of normal people.

What the Occupy Movement has proven is that there is no reasoning or communicating with City or County governments regardless of what they are currently doing. There's only one way to communicate with these elite, exceptional oligarchy that presides over an ever constricting police state. They, the police and their masters, must FIRST see you as an equal. For that to happen YOU must see them exactly for who and what they are and deal with them accordingly. This reality was demonstrated in superb form in the movie Avatar. I suggest all wannabe Occupy Movement people go see it or see it again and this time take a realistic lesson into what it means to become and act like a person worthy of being seen and heard.

Currently there are 106 comments on the Humboldt Herald for their Quote of the Day:

So with this I am suspending all efforts to do anything with the continued assault on the courthouse, the employees and the general public due to the immunity given to them by your [the District Attorney's] office. — Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey in a letter to DA Paul Gallegos regarding the ongoing Occupy Eureka protest outside the courthouse.

Check out some of the local blog-talkers if you think what they say is representative of local opinion. In particular I recommend the comment by Janell Eggar. As someone in the mix or on the firing line, she makes or proofs my article and reason for writing it. Before you can ever hope to talk to someone, let alone communicate with them, you must FIRST get their attention. Only an authentic, legitimate person can do that.

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[UPDATE :: Thursday, March 15, 2012 – Link to SoHum Parlance II – Estelle Event in Fortuna]

Here is the initial statement I made and Eric's reply. 

March 10, 2012 at 3:56 pm

Joe Blow

Still promoting the auction, I see…

March 10, 2012 at 5:28 pm

Eric Kirk

Voted in every election since I turned 18 Joe. It’s not even just about politics. It’s part of what it means to be American. So yes, I’m still “promoting the auction.” Always.

Currently there are over 70 comments on this thread. Many of the comments associated with the above exchange deal with the issue of "Personhood." Without the acceptance and recognition of EQUAL personhood, whether it be by individuals, communities or nations, there can be no meaningful communication and certainly NO peace. Many of the comments and their writers clearly demonstrate the war-mongering attitude of the elitist bully constantly striving to control everyone and everything. To these people, intellectual and ideological diversity and exchange is their pariah. So, be warned.

Once the difference between the common American individual (one of personhood, that of individual legitimacy and value) and the Elitist American God, so aptly demonstrated in this blog thread, I closed down further conversation on Eric Kirk's blog. The simple truth is, there is absolutely nothing you can say that these kinds of self-centered oligarchic elitist will ever hear as long as they believe they are a god. I found it quite interesting that, with just a little coaxing from me, Ernie Branscomb identified and defined this as the very issue alienating him that he thinks justifies his constant litany of degrading, racist insults. 

--Joe

Law and Order Finally Comes to Eureka

[Update below: The Occupy Movement's Real Threat]

This picture should scare the hell out of everyone living in Eureka, California.

Every law-abiding citizen, for sure.
Anyone know why?
SEE the headline: "Thank you for a job well done"!
Does anyone have a clue what kind of policing job these guys were doing in Afghanistan for the past year? Is this what we want brought back to Eureka?

This is exactly how the circle is closed. When you bring debauchery, oppression and death upon an innocent people for ten years you get back, right into the very heart of your society the very same things, but only multiplied many times over, and that for a lifetime. I wonder if in ten years or even one year from now the current City Council will be saying, "Thank you for a job well done?"

As long as Eurekans keep electing Authoritarian Cult members that empower an emboldened City Manager it's a wonder Murl Harpham doesn't stay on for another year or two. Thank god for old age and senility - natural attrition does have its benefits. The question remains, if Harpham gets his way, (Eureka begins police chief hiring process):

Harpham, 78, ... said he likely won't stay too long after that, noting he'd like to help the new  hire with the transition but also wants the new chief to "have a clean slate here."

will, or for that matter, can any new police chief bring actual legal law and order policing to the people of Eureka?

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[UPDATE :: February 24, 2012 - The Occupy Movement's Real Threat]
Latest Update: See comments on Ernie's blog about what happen in Court today]

To the uninitiated, the above headline, "Law and Order Finally Comes to Eureka," is sarcastic or cynical for a reason. There is a difference between mob rule by an Authoritarian Cult and their military police and actual law enforcement. Legitimate law enforcement does not require the people they are entrusted to protect and serve to be brutalized into forced servitude and subjection on a whim. A case in point is illustrated in three local blogs: Humboldt Herald's “Shocking Headlines,” Ernie Branscomb's “Omai, Felix, what have you wrought?” and Kym Kemp's “Bedsheets on aBridge: Protests Meet Police in an Occupied America" – Where Kym Kemp describes it this way: “The Occupy Movement has placed the people’s right to protest in direct juxtaposition with law enforcement’s need to protect the public and themselves.”

How does one's simple existence and their demanding of one's legally established rights threaten the public and the police? REALLY? Only in the mind of the paranoid.

If you want to know where and how such paranoid motivated conclusions originate, I invite you to read Glenn Greenwald's: Those weak losers who care about “law”.

The following article "Sick" listed below shows how bad it's been and how local communities support such sickness.

--Joe

Will the Real Matt Owen Please Stand Up

I'm writing about the “Matt Owen” that got a rather lengthy MY WORD opinion published Friday, November 4, 2011, called “Occupy Eureka: Hopefully, a peaceful resolution.” Maybe what he wrote says more about the Editor's of the Times-Standard newspaper than it does about himself. He clearly does not admittedly understand what the “Occupy” movement is all about, yet here he is telling everyone why he thinks they should be summarily dealt with. Here we have groups of people all over the World and the United States taking a stand for their legally guaranteed Constitutional right to petition their governments for redress of grievances. Unfortunately, you can't petition anyone until the agree to recognize and accept you – ONLY then will they hear you. Matt Owen has clearly decided that these people, the dregs of society, are unfit and therefore unworthy to be heard let alone seen. Which begs the question, what kind of a person is the “real Matt Owen”?

We know that other such citizen movements removed, but not necessarily replaced,  decades old authoritarian, dictatorial despots with the purpose of establishing an incorrupt Democratic government that actually worked for and represented the BEST interests of the people. Ever wonder how such murderous criminals could stay in power for so long at the total detriment of the majority (99%) of the people? You'll find the answer to that question contained in Matt Owen's words and attitude as expressed within [his (worthless) opinion]. Opinions promoted and based upon the exceptionalism of the despot; the wannabe Elitist tyrants. Everyone of these individuals Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, Bashar al-Assad, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joseph Stalin to name only seven historical individuals retained their power because of people like Matt Owen.

The Occupy Movement has a clear and distinct message. Despots and tyrants and their supporters are always unable to understand that message. Every bully I ever dealt with NEVER saw what was staring them right in the face. When the confrontation was all over, they never could figure out what had happened.

The following is an excerpt from Glenn Greenwald's Saturday, November 5, 2011, article: The Drone Mentality – in both senses of the word. It's relevant because what Glenn Greenwald lays out here is the foundation also demonstrated by Matt Owen for same way to deal with everyone associated with the Occupy Movement or the 99% of Americans being dispossessed. I would also like to point out that the same mentality is also demonstrated by four other individuals: Dave Stancliff, Ernie Branscomb, Eric Kirk and Kimberly Wear of the Times-Standard newspaper. Here is Greenwald speaking about the movement:

“Over the last week, I had the genuine privilege of spending substantial amounts of time with participants in the truly inspiring Occupy movement around the country, including visiting Occupy Oakland on Thursday. This same dynamic is at play there. Many sneer at the protest encampments because they include the homeless, the unstable, the “dirty,” the jobless, and those who are otherwise downtrodden, dispossessed and unable to live decent lives. Much of that sneering is due to the desire that these people remain hidden from sight, invisible, so that we can avoid facing the reality of what our society has produced on a large scale (having Dirty, Disobedient People be part of a movement vaguely associated with liberalism also harms the ability of progressive media stars to maintain their access to the Halls of Seriousness). But they are and should be part of that movement precisely because the disappearance of the middle class and booming wealth and income inequality produces exactly this type of human suffering. There are those who love to parade around as supporters of the marginalized and poor who prefer that they remain silent and invisible — distant abstractions — because being viscerally confronted with their human realness is unpleasant and uncomfortable. That’s exactly why victims of President Obama’s relentless drone attacks remain invisible and many prefer to keep it that way — it’s best not to confront the reality of the misery that one’s policies wreak — and it’s exactly why everything should be done to prevent that disappearing from happening.”

Matt Owen's concluding comments could come from any of Bashar al-Assad's supporters or Ali Abdullah Saleh's supporters or Hosni Mubarak's thug supporters: “I believe we all want to avoid the anarchy and violence, like what happened in Oakland the other night. Hopefully a peaceful resolution can be reached; otherwise law enforcement will enforce the laws.” I'm sure he does, since this Occupy Movement is standing directly AGAINST people like Matt Owen. Like the four individuals mentioned in the previous post: A knee-jerk is ALWAYS a knee-JERK – they had ample time to stakeout their positions. 

So, Will the Real Matt Owen Please...

Here's a quote from Humboldt Herald's: Hodgson (North Coast Journal publisher Judy Hodgson) calls bullshit on Tyson’s cheerleaders August 3, 2011 and we all know who and what "Tyson's cheerleaders" are - Republicans: 

Supervisor Virginia Bass admits that it was her husband who suggested including a portion that he knew to be untrue:

Finally, on Tuesday, I got my answer via email from Virginia Bass.
”I take responsibility for the discussion and the inclusion of this portion of the article [both Journal and Bradlee references]. … Matthew (referring to her husband, Matthew Owen) suggested the inclusion of the comment by Benjamin Bradlee and Mike [Jones] and I thought it was appropriate.” [Emphasis added]

[Source] Jager/Owens [Source]

--Joe

Copped-Out City Council

[UPDATE Below]

That's the status of Snow White and the Three Stooges, or is it the Seven Stooges? - So says Kaci Poor writing for the Saturday, July 9, 2011, edition of the Times-Standard: Privacy vs. public's right to know --- a delicate balance.

What's "delicate" about telling the truth?

Either the people, who's rights, lives, families and property were entrusted to Garr Nielsen for four years was well placed and rightly protected or it was not. If not, then David Tyson was responsible for putting everyone's rights, lives, families and property in jeopardy and for allowing the mistrust to foment. If it was not misplaced then David Tyson's actions were irresponsible and incompetent. If so, then the current City Council is also irresponsible and incompetent if they do not fire him - cause or no cause.

Kaci Poor says that the "City officials say their hands are tied." -- "We can't let things out." Eureka Mayor Frank Jager conveniently defers his responsibility to the city attorney's opinion. Whatever "tricky balancing act" exists, it is totally of the City Council's own making. Problem is, they can't hide their votes anymore than they can hide their cop-outs.

The most telling statement in the report, aside from Linda Atkins sashay around the truth, is from Councilman Mike Newman. When obvious self-serving political and ingratiating worthless opinions rule the day you get: "[I]f members of the community wanted more information, they should ask Nielsen." He continues: "Nielsen is the only person that can shed light on it." "It" being his disputed firing, I would suppose.

Newman's remark is probably the most disengenuous statement any City Council member could make. He knows full well Garr Nielsen has absolutely no reason nor any insentive to tell the Eureka people one thing more than he's already said. What he has is every reason to politely tell them to go to hell because that is what they told him. That is the simple truth the City Council and David Tyson knows - Garr Nielsen owes the Eureka people absolutely nothing.

Of course, if the City Council wanted to reestablish their integrity to the Eureka voter they would simply own up to what they did.

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[UPDATE :: Tuesday, July 12, 2011]
Forgot about HH's contribution to this subject. Be sure to read the comment section. When you get done reading what those people think, providing your constitution can handle that much crap, you'll see why the Eureka City Council members work for the city's best interests. No hidden agendas here.

Quote of the Day

July 10, 2011

“We can’t let things out.” — Eureka City Councilman Mike Newman defending the secrecy behind the city’s firing of police chief Garr Nielsen.

Continue reading "Quote of the Day"

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--Joe

Humbug Blogs - Good Ol' Boys Club UPDATE

Hank Sims, as most of you know, was the Editor of the North Coast Journal or simply "The Journal" until recently, when he moved to the Lost Coast Radio :: "Freeform Radio From Humboldt County, California" - From the website it looks like this makes up four radio stations. Since I don't make it a practice to listen to any of those stations, it's anyone's guess what he does there. What I do know is there's a new website that's made its appearance since he took up residence: Lost Coast Outpost. At least I think it's new. The website has Sim's fingerprints all over it. One of his special little features is his list of blogs he publishes as a reader update. The list of acceptable blogs, according to him, are listed there for all to see - his version of the Good Ol' Boys Club. Look for them under the heading: "Elswhere..."

Look as hard as you want, but you won't find the Joe Report listed there. You won't find a listing on Heraldo's blog either. Guess those two lads have a personal problem that's got the best of them . . .

--Joe

Anonymity via Humboldt Herald Blog

Some sentiments regarding The Times-Standards attempts to rectify their Topix comments section by Humboldt Herald. Couldn't have said it better myself. Here's an excerpt:

Such sentiments from an anonymous blogger are sure to raise hackles of those who suffer elevated blood pressure from the existence of theHerald. But let us recall the oft-stated differences between this g*dd*mn f*cking blog and the proper, official, totally legit outfit that is the real newz.  Those reporters have names, phone numbers and offices where their professional hind ends can be contacted by people who care to deliver a grievance.  This blogger does not.  Feel free to spew away in the comments section below — they might even make it past moderation standards.

 What Heraldo says is not true. I brought to the Times-Standard's management what their premier Opinionator was doing and saying on their online comment section in Topix and the did absolutely nothing. I happened by chance, through an unrelated Google search to find Dave Stancliff railing against me with some of the most foul and obscene vitriol imaginable. I'd didn't even know about that forum, let alone make comments there. Yet there was a "Joe Blow" trying to defend him or herself with Dave Stancliff. As far as I am concerned, the Times-Standard opened the door to that problem a long time ago and has refused to deal with it all this time, because it served their personal interests. For me, they were merely providing him with another venue to spill the bile they wanted dumped on everyone. Keep repeating the lies and eventually it becomes the truth in everyone's minds. FAIT ACCOMPLI.

Keep up the good work Heraldo.

--Joe

Humbug Blogs 2 Step

[UPDATE Below]

I occasionally go through a list of local blogs to see what seems to be important and how people are responding. It's a great way to learn or measure the online pulse of the community. The Report has its favorites to be sure, but we're always searching for new blogs to add to our list. This list isn't by any means all inclusive.

I'm going to visit a list of local blogs and note some of their entries, follow some of the comments and make some observations. Be interesting to see what develops.

The first blog was the North Coast Journal. Maybe I missed it, but somewhere along the line the name was changed to simply the Journal. The Web address is still the same: http://www.northcoastjournal.com/.
The Journal's News story by Ryan Burns is: Hooked - Blood, masochism and the shocking thrill of human suspension. It comes replete with a video. Here is where, "seeing is believing." Some locals didn't think much of the Journal's idea of this story. Guess that's why we get sanitized news coverage most of the time. May be distasteful, but these things are going on in our communities and we need to know about them.

Number 2) SoHum Parlance II - My list starts with:

1. Warren in? - Report on Pres. Obama's appointment of Elizabeth Warren. 
2. Harvest Fiesta at Garberville Town Square - Notices of Garberville activities.
3. Gross! - Eric's dislike for The Journal's Hooked cover. - 68 comments.
• Eric and some others seem to think the picture offends children's tender sensibilities. This is why we have laws, to try to protect us from a minority trying to tell us how to think and what to do in a FREE America. A couple of weeks ago they were all trying to tell parents what books their children should read in school. 

Number 3) Ernie's Place - He likes to talk about the "Old Timers" is Southern Humboldt.

1. No Folks... This Ain't Kristabel's Kitchen! - Ernie's giving lessons on how to make and bake an apple pie.
• Kristabel it seems is the Chocolate Covered Xanax - What can I say? Ernie's trying to compete or maybe, taking lessons? 
2. Love, hope, and charity, in a rip-off world. - Ernie's definition of what it means to be charitable in our ever-growing time of needs. 

Number 4) Redheaded Blackbelt - Another Southern Humboldt blog of interest. The titles define the interest.

1. Don’t Turn Your Gold Into Straw–Curing Marijuana - 
2. Musing On Monday Morning Magazine About Marijuana With DA Gallegos
3. What A Lawyer Says About Prop. 19
4. Remember 9/11 And Don’t Put Up A Mosque…

Number 5) The Coffee Shop - This is a political blog - always of interest and informative, from a certain point of view.

1. 9/12
•  WOW! SEA OF PEOPLE AT 9-12 Rally In Washington DC
2. I see lots of "American color"
•  In Search Of: People Of Color
3. If Gitmo and Abu Ghraib commanders had only known
• that they could string people up by tuna hooks stuck in the skin on their backs, twirl them around while blood dripped from the piercings as people stood around cheering and getting their rocks off - that this would be considered COOL - if they had only known, waterboarding would have been totally unnecessary. Torture is merely erotic self expression. Dontcha know?
• Hooked - Blood, masochism and the shocking thrill of human suspension - NC Journal.
• We remember
• ...and many more.

Number 6) The Humboldt Herald - Always interesting to compare what Rose has to say over at the Coffee Shop with Heraldo. Each have their own distinct agenda. 

1. Coastal Commission coming to Eureka, will tour Balloon Track
2. Eureka gets polled
3. 2010 pot crop trickles in
4. Beware of the art scam
5. Jager election plot thickens - 113 comments
6. Humboldt Gay Pride 2010 - 117 comments

Number 7) The Reporta - 

1. Humboldt Growers: Excellent but Too Independent?

Number 8) Fred's Humboldt Blog

1. Cops on cameras - A video everyone should watch. Cameras provide very little protection when the police are authorized and equipped to act like Special Forces troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Number 8) Sports and food lovers blogs: Samoa Soft Ball and Planet Taperass

Number 9) HIGHBOLDTAGE - Politics and Music in Humboldt County

Number 10) The Arcata Eye - Mostly Arcata stuff.

Then there is the Times-Standard Forum - Topix: http://www.topix.net/forum/source/eureka-times-standard
Always a lot of conversation there.

Well, thats the rundown for this time. As you can see, each blog has its special interests and followers. The subjects that interest these bloggers and their following comments give a fair idea of what the online crowd thinks or believes is relevant and important in their lives and in their respective communities. Some serious thought, but mostly on peripheral issues.

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[UPDATE :: Wednesday, September 15, 2010]

Ryan Burns adds a comment on Eric Kirk's disgruntled response about the North Coast Journal's cover story about fishhooks in the back and suspension. So far Eric's little blurb about this issue has produced 132 comments. The online conversation broached a couple of serious issues that no one wanted to consider. A good reading if you want to see how people justify their elitist's right to tell everyone that they don't see as equal to them what do and how to think. When all else fails, they use their children's tender sensitivities that they think needs protecting. In the meantime their tender, sensitive babies grow up to face a brutal, murderous, Dark Age world without the capacity to survive, either spiritually, mentally or physically.

-Joe

What's Wrong With This Picture?

EPD: Officer draws gun to stop angry crowd at EHS

A Eureka Police officer drew his service weapon to back down an angry crowd Wednesday night after making an arrest in front of Eureka High School at about 8:30 p.[Full Story]

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The print edition says, "Woman Tasered following high school basketball game"
Officer draws his gun on crowd - Sean Garmire

PLENTY IS WRONG! Even if you take the story at face value. It points up or identifies some of what is seriously wrong with the police and law enforcement in Humboldt County today. If you can believe EPD Lt. Murl Harpham, and I'm sure you can, this guy, officer John Silvey, was scared crapless and totally incompetent. "He felt threatened"? It seems, they all feel threatened all the time! Had he fired his gun at that crowd, for whatever reason, effective policing in this county would not be worth a plugged nickle.

First, officer John Silvey was grossly incompetent. Any legitimate and moderately trained police officer, man or woman, but especially a man with full authority to expedite an arrest would have placed the woman directly in handcuffs and delivered her to his patrol car without exposing himself. That woman was obviously not interested in resolving her problems "legally" since she had already taken the law into her own hands. That was his first clue, if he was to believe those that were accusing her, in particular the Principal Joseph Pawlick. Obviously, he did not see her assault anyone. She was obviously extremely upset and when she did not immediately "calm down" and "speak" with the officer like the dutiful, obedient citizen is supposed to when spoken to by the police, he had cause to arrest her. He effectively set her up. This is why I say he had no authority to affect the arrest in the first place. The second reason is that he tried to Taser her. Tasers are used to torture people into submitting to police demands when they are incapable of legitimately doing their mandated job.

Throwing her to the ground in front of a crowd? Since when does an officer take a person down to the ground in a crowd of potentially hostile people? All that did was reinforce the appearance of further bullying a distraught woman. Couple that with the ineffective use of the Taser and you've got a mob in the making. This is what you get when people, for whatever reasons, refuse to accept the police's right to enforce their authority on these terms. That woman is looking at some serious "felony" charges, all thanks to the incompetence of the Eureka Police Department and their officer John Silvey.

This is what you get when a society degenerates into a total state of anarchy, when the courts enforce a double-standard and law enforcement is only implemented at the discretion of the police when they are mostly trying to defend themselves and their jobs. The police degenerate into a gang of thugs and bullies and the populace merely tolerates them as long as they appear to be protecting the majority, but only for awhile. The next time that mob just might not stop, or the officer's finger slips, then what?

The Humbold Hearld has commentary on the Associated Press picking up on this. While Heraldo's initial post is rather neutral, the commentary is more interesting.

UPDATE :: Friday, February 20, 2009

Times-Standard Pg. A3: "EPD reviewing gun-drawing incident at Eureka High"
"Chief: Initial reports indicate the officer followed policy"
Nielsen said: "it seems the officer believed his safety was under threat by the advancing group." "My initial read of the report is that he conformed to our policy." Whose policy? (Emphasis added)

According to Nielsen, EPD officers are taught to use deadly force to protect themselves or others from an imminent threat to their personal safety. And “any time you pull your weapon out of its holster, the assumption is that you are prepared to use deadly force if necessary,” Nielsen said.

The police are licensed to shoot anyone (use deadly force) they feel is a treat to their personal safety. A threat to someone's "personal safety" is altogether different than a direct threat to their lives. Realistically, anyone could get shot for simply telling a police officer what you think of him and the horse he rode in on!

In plain language, according to Eureka Police Chief Garr Nielsen, police officer's lives, by legal policy, are more important than anyone else. They have the right to defend themselves with deadly force for anything they feel might threaten (only) their personal safety (not their lives), but we do not. That policy might work if these "police officers" were not operating in a state of near "post-traumatic stress disorder," forced to deal with a social system that is on the brink of total meltdown.

We realize that these officers are required to deal with the contemptuous, scummy dregs of our society on a daily basis. Problems arise when they forget that not all of us walk in that sewer. When their "policy right" to perceived "personal safety" trumps my right to personal safety and that of my family; the right to be free from challenge and threat, to NOT be touched in any compromised way (physically searched), we've got a serious problem.

--Joe