The front page feature talks about a group that has grown out of the Tea Parties (and whose most recent meeting I attended), The Children of Liberty; which seems a particularly appropriate subject in light of the weekend holiday. Michael Miller has done another of his amazing columns, this one a letter to the president done after a recent garage sale. Jim Harpen has a great effort going over the scorecard of mayoral candidates, most of them Independents (I love these clever play on words pieces). Publisher Tom Pounds also talks about the Mayoral race in Toledo, but his intriguing insight into the numbers is one that we should all be aware (and nervous) about. There are also two interesting guest columns by Darlene Fisher and Dean Sparks.
There's oh so much more where that came from in this week's TFP. It's going to be a beautiful weekend in Toledo, with lots to do and lots to see; but if I were you, I would make sure that the TFP is part of your weekend.
(and for even more nonsense relating to the 4th, don't miss tomorrow's twisted contribution here)
6 comments:
In regards to the Toledo Free Press, I found this article to be quite interesting, to say the least.
Roland,
I don't think anyone has denied what happened in the past. I know that I was just recently part of a session put on by the TFP with a department chair from UT in ethics.
Michael Miller has taken this very seriously, and is making sure that everybody understands that he is. As for myself, I simply try to follow the rules as I have been given to understand them.
Would that the accusers at the Blade would hold themselves to equally stringent rules of fact checking and objective journalism.
I should add Roland, that the TFP recently began using a software program that looks for non-attributed quotes or phrases to help insure that a future event, intended or unintended, will not happen.
I understand all that, Tim,
BUT what of these two statements attributed to Mary Lineham's:
"she did not receive a reply to her letter to" Toledo Free Press publisher Tom Pounds
and
"What really makes some furious and angry and outraged and makes me feel threatened as an individual is that the Free Press would give Gregg my letter without bothering to answer it and send him on his way to hassle me,"
AND, what about The Blade statement that:
"Mr. Pounds did not return calls from The Blade seeking comment, and Michael Miller, editor-in-chief of the weekly, refused to answer specific questions about the allegations of plagiarism from The Blade,"
It seems like a scenario of "the pot calling the kettle black" to me. It seems to me that in the past Tom Pounds and Michael Miller have utilized the Toledo Free Press to attack the Blade and its publisher and editor for questionable practices and for not responding to inquiries from the Toledo Free Press. It appears to me to be a "double-standard" on the part of Toledo Free Press when neither the publisher nor the editor respond to inquiries from The Blade who they have asserted in the past have not been responsive to inquiries from TFP.
FURTHERMORE,
I also have some serious concerns regarding Michael Miller in the area of ethics and possible conflict of interest when I read that portion of the article that states "And Mr. Miller has revealed publicly that he was once a client of Mr. Schwartz, writing in a September, 2007, column that he was trying to get in shape and that effort included strength training with Mr. Schwartz."
I am not questioning the Toledo Free Press attempts to eliminate plagiarism, provide adequate and proper attributions, and to assure facts. I am zeroing in on those items which I have pointed out in my preceding comments.
With all due respect, the bottom line for me is that it appears that the publisher and editor of the Toledo Free Press are exhibiting the very same characteristics of which they have been critical of the Blade publisher and editor.
Roland,
It is not my job to defend either Tom Pounds or Michael Miller, I am sure that they can do a more than adequate job for themselves. Neither am I here to answer questions that I do not know the answers to as to the placement or answering of letters, since it is not a policy that I make nor have any input on. Those questions too are better asked of and answered by the gentlemen in question.
Perhaps the TFP policy of using non-classically trained writers (including myself I must add) is at the heart of some of these difficulties. Does that have an impact on this particular story? I can only speculate.
I believe however that the questions you ask should continue to be asked, of both papers; and that one should not make final judgment on either based on the word of their business competitor.
I believe however that the questions you ask should continue to be asked, of both papers; and that one should not make final judgment on either based on the word of their business competitor.
Correctamundo!
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