A few Quick Media Thoughts

Go Away Channel 19/Where is My Invitation?

Last night Channel 19 "Action News" aired a report on the heat/cooling in our building. Don't they have anything better to work on? Aren't there any more poor people to pick on? Shouldn't they be spreading stereotypes about panhandlers? Can't they beat up on the Mayor or the City Council instead of wasting our time with this story? No, they sent the notorious Catherine Bosley out to interview staff in our building about the bizarre letter from our landlord telling us to stop complaining and identifying women as the cause of the problems. While the landlord note was offensive, it did not rise to the level of wasting the precious airtime of a television news channel. We did not comment, because Channel 19 is on our banned list, and why annoy our own landlord?

We made a good decision, because the landlord actually came off looking sympathetic. It is very difficult to make a landlord look good, but Channel 19 did it. Just for a little context...last night while Channel 19 was handling the "naked female wrestling story" and the "toughen up" landlord story, a group of homeless people was surrounded and attacked by 20 young kids in Cleveland. We have had a week of attacks on homeless camps by young people with two people hospitalized. Last night, the camp was surrounded and homeless people were attacked. The two who were attacked are scared and moving today and were absolutely unaware how inappropriate NEOCH's landlord is.

My Invitation Must have Got Lost
I never got my invitation to the Doug Clifton, Editor of the Plain Dealer, retirement party. That is so strange; I don't know what happened? Clifton was on Monday's WCPN Sound of Ideas. There was something new that I had not heard from Clifton before on the show. While trying to defend his tenure at the PD, he talked about that controversy over sitting on the two stories last year out of fear of violating some court order. This was just after the jailing of Judy Miller and the threat to those reporters who got info. about the Scooter Libby release of the CIA identity of Valerie Plame. He made it seem that the source material that he was sitting on was not that reliable along with the legal implications of revealing information under court seal. I have heard and read a lot about this story, but this is the first I heard that the information was shaky.

This brings up new questions with regard to the story. My biggest question is why the hell did he ever even mention this non-story publicly. I believe it set journalism back in the United States. For those who hate the media, they were saying, "I am glad that Justice Department took a tough stand against the media. It is working to shut the media up, because the PD had to back down in Cleveland in revealing secrets." Those who are big free speech advocates (like me) will say, "The media are wimps, and would not stand up to the Big Bad Justice Department." No good could have come from the release of the information that the PD was sitting on two stories especially now that we find out that the story was not solid. I hope that new editor, Ms. Goldberg, will have more backbone to stand up to Larken and the publisher and especially to stand up to state sponsored Censorship. Maybe she can figure out what happened to my invitation as well.

Brian

Free Concerts Will Honor Daniel Thompson

Come see Drumplay play this weekend and help support The Homeless Grapevine! Hope to see you there! -Kevin, Managing Editor

WHEN & WHERE:
8 p.m. Friday, May 11 -ConsciousNest (20150 Lakeshore Blvd in Euclid)

8 p.m. Saturday, May 12 -Sandy Chanty (5457 Lake Rd. in Geneva-on-the-Lake)

Press Release:

Free Concerts Will Honor Daniel Thompson

Poet Daniel Thompson received posthumous honors in 2005 from the City of Cleveland when West 2nd Street was renamed “Daniel’s Way” to commemorate the poet. Today, Thompson’s friends continue to remember and strive to honor his legacy.

Drumplay, a band with whom Thompson frequently performed, is releasing a new album that features performances by Cleveland’s own “Bread Poet.” The band will be kicking off the release of their album, “Who’s Listening?” with two live benefit concerts, both starting at 8 p.m. on May 11^th and 12^th.

The May 11^th concert will be held at ConsciousNest in Euclid (20150 Lakeshore Blvd), and the following night’s show will take place at the Sandy Chanty in Geneva-on-the-Lake (5457 Lake Rd.)

Both events are free and open to the public. Donations are requested to benefit The Homeless Grapevine newspaper, an empowerment project of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Thompson regularly published his poems in the paper, and even paid to print a special issue in 2004, shortly before his death, to help the Grapevine avoid a brush with bankruptcy.

According to James Onysko, front man for Drumplay, the release of “Who’s Listening?” marks the Crystal anniversary for two important milestones: the founding of Drumplay, and one of Daniel Thompson’s titular honors.

“With this CD release party, we celebrate our 15 years; and it is also 15 years for Daniel Thompson as Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County – having been so named on April 1, 1992, by the Cuyahoga County Commissioners. We dedicate our new ‘Who’s Listening?’ to our poet warrior,” said Onysko.

For more information, contact:
James Onysko
james@drumplay.com
216.429.1152

or

Kevin E. Cleary
kevincleary@neoch.org
216.432.0540