Harrisburg Happening

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Coverage of Harrisburg Crime

Is it just me, or is the Patriot fixated on the Kozlusky case and ignoring what appears to be all out war on the streets of Harrisburg? Rachel is on the front page every day, yet the other victims remain largely anonymous. Come on, Patriot reporters (and we know you are reading this blog) get out there and find out what is going on.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

If you were censored

leave your comments below.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Why aren't Patriot reporters

asking randy King tough questions? How about it, those Advanced Communications employees reading this blog? Why do you take the party line and just publish it? Is the Patriot just a giant press release machine? Take a lesson from Helen Thomas. She may not be called on much, but at least she has guts. Come on, be a man, be a woman, be a reporter and start asking the tough questions.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Media consolidation

continues. No wonder they are all pushing to get as many "hits" as possible.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/business/media/27mcclatchy.html?_r=1&8dpc&oref=slogin

This quote in particular is relevant to the Patriot.

"The sales are likely to lead to a further consolidation of the newspaper industry around the country. During the last decade or so, newspapers have been "clustering," that is, buying papers near one another, allowing them to save money by combining their advertising sales and printing operations and, in some cases, their news divisions."

Friday, March 24, 2006

Welcome to Harrisburg Happening

If you are new (or just feel like it) post a little something about yourself in this thread. Personally, I am very interested in knowing how you found us. Let us know what your concerns are - Harrisburg specific or more general is fine. (and thanks to TattooJim for the suggestion.)

I'll go first. I'm an attorney and writer, currently working on two books about the medical malpractice crisis. I write for publications ranging from employment newsletters to Harrisburg Magazine and Pennsylvania Lawyer. My special interests are censorship, imperialism, good literature and medical malpractice.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The word is getting out

People are finding us. So now it is time to get some good discussions going. Post a topic here, and I will post it as a separate thread for people to discuss. I'll soon be looking into getting real message boards set up - time for some real competition, PennLive!

Anon has been so quiet

And the message board has been very weird lately. It almost seems that the rational voices are gone . . .

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Announcing the first ever meeting

Harrisburg Happening is going from Virtual to Actual, with a meeting this Saturday. For an invite, drop me an email. There may be a screening test . . .

Monday, March 20, 2006

How censorship kills discourse

We have now had a powerful lesson in how easily a little censorship and targetting those who speak out on any issue can kill discourse. Take a look at the PennLive's Harrisburg forum and you will see something remarkable - just one voice echoing the same view on the issue of the right to bear arms. Why? Perhaps because several other views are held by persons who have been banned from the Forum for whatever reason. How many have been blocked? We may never know.

Just as in Orwell's world, the news was altered to suit the needs of those in power, so it is on PennLive's Forums. Milton hits the delete button, and history is re-written. Welcome to 2006

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Latest postings by anon

Just a note to everyone - I am disgusted by anon aka Milton's posts. He clearly is playing games with the reading public. I am beginning to think a boycott campaign against PennLive advertisers may be in order, and am going to pick one to start.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Others are asking about this blog

But since I can again not post, I cannot give them the address.


464.2.1.1. Website? by greenst, 3/17/06 9:21 ET Re: Green and Muench by courtburg, 3/17/06
WHat was the blog about these posts being deleted? HAs anyone gotten an answer from Pennlive as to what is going on?


464.2.1. Erased or delete? by Rollonroll, 3/17/06 8:04 ET Re: Green and Muench by courtburg, 3/17/06
I wonder why all the post after this were erased. We had some good comments about the crime in the city and there was a Crime prevention meeting on the 27th posted here. This crime is a big issue. Whoever censors these postdid the city residents a big disservice. Must be too much to take in or not what people like to read?


469. What happened to the mud wrestling?? by jerseymikepa, 3/17/06 8:47 ET
Why did that get deleted?
Geez, if I deleted all the stuff on my message board that I didn't agree with I wouldn't have a message board.

Call to reporters

Ok - you reporters who are reading this blog. Now you see that no matter what we post on PennLive, we are deleted. We can design new names, use new email addresses and then post completely relevant comments on Harrisburg - on the crime spree, on police action, on topics of importance to the people of Harrisburg and presumably the Patriot - and we continue to be deleted. This is now obviously personal and goes beyond the "censor's" "right" to monitor the forums. He or she is obviously spending a lot of time tracking IP addresses to figure out who we are. He or she might want to take a job with the Chinese government - they are quite interested in tracking down "dissenters."

Thursday, March 16, 2006

HACC censors professors

I just found confirmation of the rumor floating around HACC that the administration got rid of a professor because he said "fuck" (A word which is nothing more than an acronym meaning For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - a citation originally given to British sailors returning to their ships after a night of sampling the local entertainment in port, thus the origin of the term "I got FUCKed" meaning I was written up for having unlawful carnal knowledge) in class.

Seems that Mr. Williams (whom I had the pleasure of being associated with on a HACC sponsored study tour to London a year ago and who is a perfectly pleasant sort of guy) spoke the offensive word in class, and at least one student complained. Now the college and Mr. Williams have settled the case and have agreed to go their separate ways. I hope the settlement was a whopper and Mr. Williams should shop a book deal. I'm an adjunct at HACC, and we got a cryptic message from the college president telling us the matter was closed. So, fellow faculty, don't offend your students in any way.

Is there no end to the level censorship will rise?

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/03/08/language

City exodus continues

It looks like people are moving further and further away from cities and even the suburbs have suburbs.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2006-03-15-census-growth_x.htm

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Crime at Green and Muench

Today the Patriot ran a story about the crime problems at Green and Muench. Apparently there have now been a total of three murders over the last few years within a two block area. Anyone know how that compares to other Harrisburg hotspots?

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

My other blogs

By the way, I have two other blogs and a web page going on other topics:

www.codebluemalpractice.com

http://malpracticeconeofsilence.blogspot.com/


http://codebluemalpractice.blogspot.com/

Yes, that was shameless self-promotion.

Crime up

Seems we are having a crime wave - at least they are acknowledging it. But then, it is hard to miss a body in the street. I would post on PennLive on the issue, but I am still persona non grata



"Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Midtown shooting victim diesAn unidentified man died minutes after he was shot in the chest at Green and Muench streets shortly after 7 a.m. this morning. The victim was described as white and about 40 to 45 years of age, said city police Chief Charles Kellar. He was shot once in the chest and was found lying on the sidewalk. Kellar said the man was taken to Harrisburg Hospital, where he died. Police cordoned off the 1900 block of Green Street, talked with residents and searched for evidence. Kellar said police do not have a description of the shooter at this time.

Police seek downtown bank robberA man held up a downtown Wachovia Bank branch at about 9:45 a.m. today and ran into Strawberry Square, Harrisburg police said. Almost immediately, police searched Strawberry Square but did not find the robber. Police are searching the train and bus stations and other places downtown. The man is described as a black, about 5'6" with a medium build. At the time of the holdup, he wore sunglasses and a sky blue hooded sweatshirt.


Man shot on Midtown streetcornerA man was shot this morning at the corner of Green and Muench streets in Harrisburg's Midtown district. Police say a white man about 40 was found lying on the ground and was taken to a hospital about 7 a.m. He appeared to have been shot once in the chest, police said. Detectives were investigating at the scene, but no further information was immediately available."

Sunday, March 12, 2006

The shrinking newspaper market

Looks like there may soon be even fewer newspapers in PA. See the following article on a coming chain sale: http://nytimes.com/2006/03/12/business/media/13knight.web.html?ei=5094&en=69f43cc8c917143f&hp=&ex=1142226000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

Here's the note on Pennsylvania

"While the Knight Ridder papers are profitable, some are more troubled than others and could be a drag on McClatchy's bottom line. Analysts speculate that the company could shut down The Philadelphia Daily News and possibly sell The Inquirer, since the business climate in Philadelphia is sluggish and the papers face tough competition from a ring of suburban dailies. On the other hand, they say, The Inquirer generates a lot of cash, something McClatchy will need as it goes into debt to pay for Knight Ridder."

Anonymous is quite agitated

Take a look at anonymous' postings under Censoring the News - quite interesting

Media censoring itself

Apparently the Patriot and PennLive are not the only media censoring - dozens of other outlets are also practicing the fine art of self-censorship:

http://www.variety.com/VR1117939580.html

Friday, March 10, 2006

censoring the news, too

Did everyone see the article on the crime wave in Harrisburg. The link is here: http://www.pennlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1141986318249610.xml?pennnews&coll=1

Note the final two paragraphs:

"As the crimes piled up, Mayor Stephen R. Reed and police Chief Charles Kellar did not warn residents of the burglaries.
"It may hinder the investigation and the ability to make arrests by providing premature information about the crimes that are being committed," said city spokesman Randy King. "

Why would the Patriot not report on the crimes? Did the City ask them not to? Don't their reporters have the sense to go to the police station and look at the blotter?

Update

I appear to be pretty permanently banned.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Way to go team!

We'll have everyone here soon, and then when I figure out a site, we will really start our very own full scale forum. Heck, maybe we will even sell advertising. Maybe we will all be part of the next Craigslist internet success. You guys are all in on the ground floor.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

More complaints about deletions

Here's what Tattoo Jim posted- bet it will soon be gone.

445. Heck... by TattooJim, 3/8/06 16:47 ET
They even deleted the post, that commented about the deleted posts....what are we in Red fricken China? The Patriot prints what it wants with no regard to the actual news, now they can't even take freedom of speech seriously. "Armor of the Public" dont make me yak...

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

For PennLive lurkers

Notice that there are now lively discussions here on topics as diverse as censorship and economic development, by people with real ideas. And all this in one week. Just wait until I actually spread the word.

He is cleaning house

deleting my posts today one by one right now

Who is blocked and who is not?

As of now, I am still able to post on PennLive, but others including GastonStreet (by the way, is that a reference to Gaston Street in Savannah?) and Jones123etc. I have posted complaining about it.

Bill may ban anonymous postings

A bill to ban Bill may ban anonymous postings may be introduced in New Jersey -

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A1500/1327_I1.HTM

This bill would require an operator of any interactive computer service or an Internet service provider to establish, maintain and enforce a policy requiring an information content provider who posts messages on a public forum website either to be identified by legal name and address or to register a legal name and address with the operator or provider prior to posting messages on a public forum website.
The bill requires an operator of an interactive computer service or an Internet service provider to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to enable any person to request and obtain disclosure of the legal name and address of an information content provider who posts false or defamatory information about the person on a public forum website.
In addition, the bill makes any operator or Internet service provider liable for compensatory and punitive damages as well as costs of a law suit filed by a person damaged by the posting of such messages if the operator or Internet service provider fails to establish, maintain and enforce the policy required by section 2 of the bill.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Next move

Over the next week or so, I will be thinking about how we can make this an active, engaging discussion board of all things Harrisburg. A manifesto is coming, and I would love for as many of us as are interested to help with ideas. If you have any, please post here or feel free to drop me an email (anniken@comcast.net with ideas in the subject line)

Friday, March 03, 2006

Went to Mantis, saw the toilets

saw the much better art in the front. Saw none of you. But then, I have no idea what any of you look like. In espionage, one sets the rules for a clandestine meeting. In John LeCarre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy it was Moscow Rules. So I propose Harrisburg Rules. Everyone wears a touch of red and stands outside the entrance looking inconspicuous.

PennLive link to this blog

Nothing like free publicity, even as they delete my postings on PennLive, they provide a link to this blog. Or perhaps someone who has seen the blog has listed it for us?

http://www.pennlive.com/weblogs/

First on the list!

How the owners cut out competition

Note this from the CJR timeline:

"1947 - Newhouse associate Edwin Russell purchases the Harrisburg Patriot and Evening News
1948 - Newhouse purchases the Harrisburg Telegraph. Less than two months later the newspaper goes out of business"

And they are worth billions:

"2003 - Forbes magazine estimates the combined worth of Si. Jr. and Donald Newhouse at $15 billion "

No wonder they delete any information about their ownership from the forums.

The Covert Corporate Identity that owns the Patriot/PennLive

The word "covert" is not mine, but the label Columbia Journalism Review chose for Advance Publications, the parent company of the Patriot and PennLive. To wit, CJR writes:

"Advance Publications is an anomaly when compared to its well known competitors. The newspaper and magazine publishing giant shuns corporate fanfare as it remains under the private control of the Newhouse family. While other media conglomerates must answer to shareholders and Wall Street analysts, Advance keeps a relatively covert corporate identity. The roots of the company date back over 90 years when the late Samuel Newhouse landed his first newspaper job in Bayonne, New Jersey. Even though the company controls such noteworthy properties as Conde Nast and The Newark Star-Ledger, Advance's top two executives Si Jr. and his brother Donald still manage to uphold the same low profile as their father once did." See http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/advance-timeline.asp

Who owns what

I went to a trusted source for media news - the Columbia Journalism Review and found the following:

Advance Publications owns the Patriot News. It is a privately held company - http://www.advance.net/

Advance Publications owns both the Patriot News and PennLive. It owns PennLive through it's Advance Internet company, which:

"is a leading creator of local news and information web sites, created in alliance with over 30 newspapers owned and operated by Advance Publications Inc. Our local web sites provide consumers with information that is relevant to their day-to-day lives. From breaking news to local sports, travel destinations to weather, dining and bar guides to health and fitness, our web sites are the #1 local online destinations for news, information, jobs, autos, real estate and much more. We offer advertisers the opportunity to be part of an active, dynamic online marketplace. To learn more about our advertising opportunities, click here.
President: Peter Weinberger"

In turn, Advance Internet is owned by Advance.net, which:

"oversees the Internet vision and strategy for Advance Publications, Inc., includes CondéNet and Advance Internet. Advance.net's companies build premier independent brands on the Internet, with long-term real value that extend Advance Publications, Inc.'s consumer franchises into the online medium. Over the past five years, CondéNet, working with the magazines of Condé Nast, has created national brands including concierge.com, epicurious.com and style.com. During this same period, Advance Internet, working with Advance Publications' newspapers, has developed local brands including nj.com, cleveland.com and oregonlive.com. Advance.net is owned by Advance Publications, Inc., a privately held media company.
Chairman: Steven Newhouse"

So, both PennLive and the Patriot are owned by the same media conglomorate.

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Even the reporter

got deleted!!!

Patriot Posts

Notice today's posts on who owns who. Great work, guys!

Luckily, my friend does not work for a paper that is part of this conglomorate.

How to print your post without printing the whole page

Here's what I discovered. If you click in the link that says email this post and email the post, you will get a window that opens with a link to the post. Click the link and print the post. It gives you the time stamp and the spot in the history where the post was.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Plan to test censors

Assuming they don't read this blog, here is my plan. I will post various comments on what appear to be topics that are being censored, such as comments on Ron Buxton (as anon says his post on that topic was removed) and some in favor of the Mayor and some in favor of Smith and some on censorship, etc. I will immediately print the post to show it actually was posted. I will catalog its removal or non-removal. Then I will go to a friend of mine who is a reported for a major news daily and see if they are interested in doing a story.

More people censored

Today, someone by the moniker nitsuj complained that his post was deleted. I have no idea what he or she posted, but there really is a problem. Also, no reponse from the editor of PennLive.