More PennLive Censorship

Someone who also posted here about having his postings on PennLive deleted has now had my response to his question deleted.

I told him to call Steve Ibanez to complain. That bit of advice was promptly deleted.

Never mind that I personally spoke with Ibanez a few months ago and he promised he would check into deletions and that my postings linking to this blog would not be deleted. Everyone needs to call Ibanez and complain - again.

Gotta hand it to Reed

the University is getting PR:

http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/15/harrisburg

Reed still wants his way

According to the latest, the $7 million loan Commerce gave the City will mean no cops are laid off. Instead, some city managers will go. And Reed wants city coucil to approve $10.5 million in another loan, to repay the $7 million plus cover the rest of the shortfall for the year. He wants to take 10 years to pay that off.

Does anyone else think this is odd? Remember, Commerce approved a revenue and tax anticipation loan. Presumably, someone at the City certified they had that much coming by the due date on December 31. Now it will be repaid with more loans? Did the City certify it had the money coming falsely? Loan proceeds are not revenue or taxes by any definition.

And if City Coucil does not approve the long term loan? Will Reed say it's their fault the City defaulted?

I'm sure glad I don't have money in Commerce Bank. . .

Here's what Reed is quoted as saying in the Patriot:

"Reed said he would propose a 2007 budget that would avoid additional layoffs as long as city council is willing to approve a long term $10.5 million loan. The 10-year bank loan would repay the short-term, $7 million loan received today and would cover a part of the remaining $6.8 million deficit for 2006. "

Golden parachutes sighted - golden showers coming

It seems there may be an early retirement offer coming. I wonder what highly paid officials will 'accept' the offers and continue to be paid at our expense until death do us part?

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=71E0277E-FBC3-4F90-87AE-228CF6E8EC88

Something's not right in the 'burg

It seems Commerce Bank had approved a $7 million tax and revenue anticipation loan, to be paid back by year end. And layoffs are still on. The Mayor plans on paying off the lone with the sale of artifacts . . . and take out a larger loan to pay off the first one.

Why wouldn't the city have an existing credit line for tax anticipation and revenue anticipation cash flow problems? And why is the Parking Authority using earnings from parking to fund the new pie-in-the-sky Harrisburg University? What promises did the city have to make to get the Commerce loan? How, for example, could they certify that this is a tax and revenue anticipation loan if they are admitting they don't have the money and won't have the money to pay staff? It all makes no sense.

http://www.wgal.com/news/10317843/detail.html

Patriot updated the story

http://www.pennlive.com/newslogs/patriotnews/index.ssf?/mtlogs/penn_patriotnews/archives/2006_11.html#203298

Did Patriot Pull It's Randy King Story?

The King quotes are no longer on PennLive - but I still had the article on my trusty Microsoft Clipboard. Here's what the original story said:

"Shots fired after Method Man concertBy Tom Bowman/The Patriot-NewsAt 1:30 a.m. today, police answered a call to River Alley and Pine Street for reports of gunshots. Officers found 12 empty shells from three different handguns at the intersection, said police spokesman Randy King. No one was injured in the shootings. At least one of the shots went through a window of a home in the 100 block of South Street. Police made no arrests, King said.King said the shootings followed a Method Man concert inside the Dragonfly Club, 234 Chestnut St. “Method Man is one of the more notorious gangster rap artists with a large thug following,” King said. “The city has repeatedly warned Dragonfly owner Judd Goodman about booking this type of act and the problems it inevitably draws to the downtown. His refusal to voluntarily curb this type of programming may result in the city pursuing nuisance bar closure action against him.” "

All Not Well on Restaurant Row?

Did someone forget to make a campaign donation?

It seems Randy King doesn't like the acts playing at Dragonfly on restaurant row. According to the Patriot, Method Man, a musical ensemble characterized by music critic Randy King as "one of the most notorious gangster rap artists with a thug following," is attracting the wrong kind of crown to restaurant row. King added this not-so-veiled censorship threat -

"The city has repeatedly warned Dragonfly owner Judd Goodman about booking this type of act and the problems it inevitably draws to the downtown. His refusal to voluntarily curb this type of programming may result in the city pursuing nuisance bar closure action against him."

I guess Goodman isn't on the "in" list anymore.

You go, Randy. Never mind that the police (or what's left of the police force) didn't make any arrests after shots were fired in the vicinity. The answer to the budding crime problem is to shut down bars on Second Street.

Wait . . . I thought restaurant row was a shininsuccessss. . .

Hackers break into Harrisburg water system computer

and the Patriot didn't cover it - unless I missed it.

http://security.itworld.com/4340/061101waterhack/pfindex.html

Can't the city afford virus protection? According to this report, the hackers could have changed the treatment of the water, making it unsafe.

http://www.itcinstitute.com/display.aspx?ID=2564

Who is Roy Christ?

Apparently, according to the Patriot, one Roy Christ printed the original posters that the police distributed while armed and in uniform (talk about intimidation!) Who is this Christ, and how is he connected with the Harrisburg Police Department or Mayor Reed?

Rally sign update

So, it turns out to be true. According to the Patriot, police officers were told to hand out the rally signs assailing City Council. Quoting the Patriot, " . . . some say they were ordered to hand out fliers for a rally set for 6 p.m. today in front of City Hall." It continued: "Uniformed patrol officers said they were called in during their shifts by shift commanders and handed a stack of the fliers announcing tonight's rally for city police, employees and residents. "

Mr. Reed - have you no shame? Or was it just your top cop who took this on himself? Or theatrics orchestrated by the FOP attorney? The same guy TatooJim says had unpleasant words after the council meeting?

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1162442410123040.xml&coll=1

Rally signs everywhere

Today, I came home to find signs posted for a rally in "support of police" and against city council's actions. I've heard the signs were distributed by the Harrisburg City Police. If that is true (and I didn't see it myself) then I am outraged - especially if it was done during working hours.

Not everyone in the city supports Reed, some of us applaud City Council for finally having some balls. I resent my private property being posted with propaganda. I've posted a few Impeach Reed signs myself.

Rhetoric Heats Up

I don't know about you, but I'm outraged at the statements made by Sean Welby of the Fraternal Order of Police as reported in the Patriot. He's quoted as saying "They are putting out a sign to all the criminals in the area -- Harrisburg is open for business."

Gee, thanks. That's helpful. I'll buy some more bullets so I can play cop on my block.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1162353335102880.xml&coll=1