Region Broad

Smooth Jesus made me do this.

July 05, 2006

Taking the whole competition thing a bit too seriously

Dear Mr. Kasarda:

It was really nice meeting you yesterday evening during the Naturalization Ceremony. What an impression you made when you asked me, "With all the other people here, you can't find someone else to talk to?" right in front of the guy we were interviewing! How awesome! So, did you like how I went back and used him as my lede? Or was that too predictable? Because I did that just for you.

You pole-smoking, whiny bitch.

Now, I know and have worked among a ton of your colleagues, and none of them has ever behaved like a little screaming girl when I've joined them on an interview. If they have a problem with it, they at least will continue the interview and then wait for me to move on if they have super-secret questions or whatever. Usually, though, not only are they all right with it, but we help each other out with cursory information if one or the other comes in late to a meeting, for example. But hissy fits? No. They're professionals. You'd do well to ape their style.

All I can say is, be glad you work primarily in the other county, because you can rest assured that I will NEVER, EVER help you out with anything should our paths cross again.

Emphatically,
The Broad

Broad • 12:40 AM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

March 17, 2006

Behold my brilliance

Below, my Pulitzer-worthy story.

Ok, not really. But it should serve as a reminder to Lake Conty politicos that the Innernet? Not as safe as you think, folks.

Wait ... what!??

CROWN POINT — A news conference held by a self-described nonpartisan political group went awry, deteriorating into a yelling match over the group’s apparent political support of Sheriff Roy Dominguez.

Two members of the Coalition Against Corruption in Lake County (CACLC) — its spokeswoman, Bess Butler-Austin, and “The Lake County Fat Cat,” a man dressed in a costume reminiscent of the Dr. Seuss character Cat in the Hat — invited the public and local media to Bronko’s Restaurant Thursday afternoon.

According to a media advisory sent by the group, it would unveil two Internet databases that would allow voters to review the policies and records of both Dominguez and challenger John Buncich.

What Butler-Austin — a political neophyte who recently moved to Crown Point from Chicago — presented, however, was a negative campaign Web site against Buncich, created and paid for by the CACLC, with nothing against Dominguez.

The domain www.buncichforsheriff.org is registered to a server owned by Computer Solutions, 1312 N. Main St. in Crown Point. Last year, Computer Solutions contributed $2,412 to the Dominguez campaign — $380 in May, $705 in November and $1,327 in December.

Butler-Austin did not return phones for comment about the donations.

“We’re not here to endorse Roy Dominguez,” Butler-Austin said at the meeting. “We’re here to expose the horrid record of John Buncich, and it’s our hope that the voters will hold Buncich accountable.”

As Butler-Austin continued to read from a prepared statement, audience members started to question her about Dominguez, reminding her that two of his treasurers have been charged with crimes.

“We think you have the right (sic) to answer these questions,” said staunch Buncich supporter Sam Orlich.

Butler-Austin said the news conference wasn’t meant to be one-sided, but she couldn’t answer any questions related to Dominguez, nor could she point out any Web sites examining Dominguez’s policies.

“Our chief concern is the people of Lake County,” she said. “There’ll always be questions about people’s pasts, but it’s more important that they do research on both candidates.”

When Orlich questioned Butler-Austin about the CACLC’s members and whether or not they’re saying Buncich is corrupt, the “Fat Cat” told him they were taking questions only from the media and that Orlich should “shut up.”

Dominguez did not return a call for comment, but former Lake County Police Chief Gary Martin, who is now Dominguez’s campaign manager, said they’re “absolutely not” affiliated with the CACLC.

“We don’t know who they are; we saw their ad in the paper just like everyone else,” Martin said. “The sheriff’s been campaigning all day, and we’re too busy doing our thing.”

Larry Wirtz Sr. of Crown Point doesn’t buy it.

“It’s obvious this was a scam,” Wirtz said. “They did nothing but bash Buncich, but look at Dominguez. ... This was an insult to everyone.”

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 09:35 AM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

March 16, 2006

I SMOKED 'em, y'all! (but I'm still going to kick JB's ass for this)

There are days when you just do your job, and you do a fine job, and you go to bed satisfied. And then there are the days when you are nothing short of absolutely BRILLIANT, and you squeal with glee and do the "WHOOMP! There it IS!" dance in your chair. And today? Was one of those days.

Our County Politics reporter, JB, absconded to NYC for a weekend of drunken debauchery with his brother for the High Holiday (bastards! I've already been warned that I'm getting drunk dialed by Mer tomorrow night), so my one editor sent me out to cover a press conference by this new group that claims it's compiling data on candidates so that voters will know who they're voting for. But instead of doing that, they presented a Web site slamming the incumbent sheriff's opponent which, all right, that's par for the course. The problem was, the spokeseperson said -- nay, inSISTED -- that they weren't affiliated at all with the incumbent sheriff. So, I got a wild hair up my ass when I got home and decided that I was going to see if I could find out who the Web site was registered to. I did a whois and discovered that our site owner was trying to not be whois-ed, because s/he put bullshit information (i.e. Lake County for region, 99999 for the zip, etc.) in when s/he registered for the domain. I looked at that and thought, "Hmmmm, there's got to be a way to circumvent that. Who do I know that would know?"

That person? EWK. EWK walked me through how to do it and, well, looky there! Something miiiiiiiiiighty suspicious. So I called my editor, had her look up some information JB had on his desk, and, well, looky there! Now, what was miiiiiiiiiighty suspicious is now downright damning.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you what exactly it is, because the story isn't out yet. (I know -- awwwwwwwww!) I'll throw it up tomorrow, of course, but in the meantime, let's just say that if this "press conference" is the way the incumbent is running his campaign? He's doomed, because that was the most retarded display I think I've seen in, oh, the last three weeks.

Broad • 10:59 PM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

January 31, 2006

I shaved my legs for this!??

I'm guessing you want to know about my meeting with John the gardener.

Yeah, don't be too jealous, because it wasn't nearly as good as it could've been.

When I got to Blue Chip, I parked like a jerk in hotel parking, and security whisked me through to the crowd of at least 1,000, who were all crammed in the pavillion waiting to get in. I crawled (sometimes literally, as there were all these rope blockades all over the place) among the crabby masses to get to the press area to see the end of Bill Boyd's speech (and get my first glimpse of Jesse, who is HOTT but NOT TALL; if he 5'9, I'd be surprised). Then the PR person whisked us back to a craps table, where Jesse threw out the first dice. So we all stood there and took pictures of his hotness, then the P.R person herded all the press people back to the media room, where we had continental breakfast and waited to get a tour of the boat. Jesse, in the meantime, was NOT brought back to the media room, and we have no idea where he went. So, no Jesse and his hotness for me, which positively blows since I looked pretty damn hot yesterday, even going so far as to put on my damn suit and Tod's loafers.

Below, the shots I got of Jesse. To think I was only a craps table-length away from his beauty ...

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 11:25 PM • comment (4) • trackback (0) • view …

January 19, 2006

This just in ...

Serial killer David Maust hanged himself in the Lake County Jail early this morning. Some reports have him dead, while others say he's on life support.

Full report in the P-T tomorrow.

[UPDATE: Word from the desk is he apparently is dead now. Poor bastard.]

[UPDATE #2: Well now, rumor has it that Maust DIDN'T finish the job but is brain dead. Thing is, he's in a Catholic hospital, so it'll be interesting to see whether or not they pull the plug or not. Poor bastard.]

Broad • 02:43 PM • comment (5) • trackback (0) • view …

January 12, 2006

Oh, Oprah. How utterly disappointing

Got to reading the whole James Frey-A Million Little Pieces controversy yesterday -- if you haven't read it, here t'is: Lookit. Well-executed, if lengthy, piece of investigating journalism. If you're not familiar and don't want to read the whole thing, here's a rundown: Frey wrote this book about his drug-, violence- and booze-addled life; it became a huge best-seller and eventually got the coveted Oprah seal of approval. Thing is, there were several passages that fell into the whole "if it seems too unreal, it probably is" scenario, so TSG investigated. The verdict? About the only thing they could prove true was that Frey spent time at Hazelden. According to its account, Frey even admitted to TSG (off the record, natch) that a lot of the stuff was written with dramatic license, even though to the outside world, he pimps it all as 1 million percent true.

Well, after Frey figured out that the TSG homies were sitting on his funeral pyre with a blowtorch, he freaked and sicced his lawyer on them, and then like a big dumbass posted on his Web site TSG's response to him -- which enumerates their off-the-record conversation in detail -- on his Web site, effectively ruining any defense he had about keeping stuff "off the record" in the first place. What posessed him to do that, I don't know -- perhaps he thinks because all these people bought the book and therefore bought into the lie, they won't buy stone-cold evidence.

But I digress.

I wish I would've watched Frey's Larry King interview last night, because according to AP, l'Oprah called in and stood by him, saying the only relevant point on which the masses should focus is that Frey was a drug addict who overcame his drug addictness. NOT that he wholesale fabricated or embellished to the nth degree THE ENTIRE BOOK and claims it's his life song-and-verse, but that he's a survivor.

I don't know how it is that I keep being amazed by the lengths in which people will go to protect their almighty dinero, but Jesus Christ, man! I mean, if it was mere getting facts wrong or that he pimped it as a work of fiction like he originally tried (but publishing houses wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole), that's one thing. But HE LIED. How could Oprah think it's a good thing to come out and support this guy!?? Is she screwing him or something? Because that's insane.

If you got the time, read TSG's report -- especially the part about how he took credit for a fatal accident in which he WAS NOT INVOLVED EVER. Un.real.

Broad • 05:49 AM • comment (6) • trackback (0) • view …

trackback url:
http://regionbroad.wiredhub.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/773

Did you see where Random House was giving REFUNDS to anyone who bought the book directly from them? Yep.

For those that bought their book from a bookstore, the publisher encouraged them to try to return it there.

Of course... this will only probably make him sell MORE books.

comment by Snidget at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

That's the biggest problem that I have with this... he's still going to make a ton of money off of something that was clearly mis-labeled, and to me, should be pulled like the professor who won the O'Connor Award after obviously plagerizing from an obscure Southern writer.

comment by amber at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

I always assume that people who tell huge tales aren't telling the exact version of what happens. It's like your favorite uncle who prize fish caught in Canada on a fishing trip keeps gaining a couple of pounds everytime he tells the story.

Nobody's life is that interesting if you think about it. Even people with lots of money and fame are pretty boring. Look at all the reality shows featuring stars such as Britney and Bobbie Brown. Yawn...

It's great that the publisher is given refunds. If I had bought the book, which I haven't, I wouldn't ask for a refund. I always head down to the Bestseller Express at my local LCPL branch and read the books paid for by my tax dollars. Now that the book has been the subject of so many news stories, I better log onto the library catalog and reserve a copy before everyone else does.

Does it make any difference if some dude's story is fictionalized or not?

The story could have been made up and it wouldn't really make that much difference to anyone, except maybe people mentioned in the book.

You wouldn't want to have a story about the time you went for a drink for an hour after work with someone blown into a tale about a three-week drug and alcohol binge.

comment by Chris at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

I personally think this is the greatest PR an author could ask for. Its not positive but it'll sell books!

comment by Chris at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

Possibly, but what's Jayson Blair doing these days? One can only hope that's what happens to this smack.

comment by Broad at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

Jayson Blair's doin' nothing nah

comment by Snidget at 05:49 AM on 01.12.06

… close it

January 10, 2006

Bitter? I hardly know her

Is it entirely too cynical of me to think that, as I watched this group of kids at a school board meeting defend a program that's undergone big funding cuts, that they were just dorks looking for a place to belong*!?? Or am I merely observing the fact that of all people under the age, say, 18, one-millionth of a percent of them aren't completely socially retarded!??

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 11:46 PM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

January 07, 2006

Krispy Kreme was a good idea, too, except when it wasn't

Just checked the competition's Web site before hitting the sack, and what do you know!?? It's going to have an interview with the guvner about his refusal to give out STIFs for retail.

Hmmph.

Oh, no, that's perfectly cool -- especially when the story they use to introduce it was a story I did several months ago on how sporting goods chain Gander Mountain has been actively campaigning to keep states from giving STIFs when it never asked for nor received that incentive. Even funnier, SO DID THE COMPETITION. So now, it's repeating itself to catch up. And sure, the editors over there may have had the interview planned all along. It still doesn't excuse repeating a story as if it's a first-run.

Man, I would've hated to be the reporter who biffed it originally. Ooof. And I like her, too.

Incidentally, I was talking to a source of mine about STIFs today, and he brought up an interesting point: Daniels and the IEDC don't want to give STIF for retail because it's not bringing in new money to the state, just shifting it around. And that's cool. There's only one problem: STIFs are good only when there's sales tax to be had, and retail is the only industry that generates it (at least to the degree it needs to make it work, anyway; I'm not sure how much sales tax is generated by manufacturing, for example).

Now, I didn't necessarily have a problem with granting STIFs for retail, because (after the way it works was explained to me for the fifth or sixth time before I understood it) it's a good economic development vehicle, and one that Lake County could use. The problem I have with it is that now that there's a Cabela's planned for Hoffman Estates, Ill., which is no more than two hours from NWI on a good day, and other sporting behemoth Bass Pro Shop planned for Portage -- not to mention a Cabela's in Milwaukee already, which is about three hours from here -- you've just saturated the market, and one of them is going to choke, taking with it at least some of the 300 to 400 jobs they promised to bring. One only has to look at Krispy Kreme to see that; when we got the one in Schererville, everyone was all apeshit over it (with good reason, of course, because mmmmm ... Krispy Kreme ...). But then Krispy Kreme went into uber expansion mode, and now, I can get one at the gas station up the street. True, I'm not getting my free hot doughnut when I run to Speedway, but the ones I buy from the Krispy Kreme to take home aren't warm and gooey, either, so what's my impetus to drive 15 minutes anymore?

Damn. Now I want a doughnut.

Broad • 03:25 AM • comment (1) • trackback (0) • view …

January 06, 2006

Oh, D.Ceeeeeee ... I'm WAITING ...

Our guvner comes out and says we're not giving the incentive NWI needs to bring the alleged economic savior on our trodden ground, and you're hyped up over unfunded liability!??

Homie, where's the love!??

Even better: The competition, which has spent inches and inches of ink devoted to ~~wooing Cabela's so that it'll maybe advertise with them if it comes to town~~covering Cabela's DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THE NEWS IN ITS STORY. I LOVE when that happens. Sigh.

After the jump, my work of staggering news acumen:

Wait ... what!??

Gov. Mitch Daniels absolutely wants Cabela’s to come to Indiana, but the state won’t be paying the store’s asking price to do it.

According to the Indiana Economic Development Corp., retail businesses move money only from place to place instead of bringing new money into the economy, Daniels said. He was the speaker Thursday during The Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours event at Horseshoe Casino.

While sporting goods stores Cabela’s and the proposed Bass Pro Shop in Portage have the potential to bring millions of dollars into the state, allowing them both to have sales increment tax financing (STIF) — which is on the books but has never been used in Indiana, according to Daniels — would cost more than it’s worth.

“Both companies asked for identical amounts of money, and the (IEDC) didn’t like it,” he said. “The IEDC has measured the cost benefits of spending the money vs. the return, and we don’t do retail.”

Daniels also said Indiana has another sporting goods entity, Gander Mountain, that never asked for the amounts of money Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shop have.

“We’d love to see them both come to Indiana, and we plan to entice them with other tools. But we don’t know how we can offer them 10 or 20 times more (than Gander Mountain received),” Daniels said.

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Daniels said he was excited to see the shortened-yet-busy General Assembly as it involves his “Major Moves” plan. The plan would modernize toll collection on the Indiana Toll Road, seek authority to extend Interstate 69 and, most important, allow for public-private partnerships for the Toll Road.

Several companies in the United States and abroad will bid on such a partnership in two weeks at an auction, Daniels said, and if the money is right, the RDA will keep its $10 million with no problem.

If the bid amounts aren’t better than what the state can do for itself, however, RDA funding could be in jeopardy.

“We’ll look for other sources, but if the money’s not there, then projects will start dropping off the list,” he said. “And RDA’s funding could be cut.”

But with the City of Chicago’s success with privatizing the Chicago Skyway and other states looking into the public-private partnerships for roads, Daniels was confident in the plan’s feasibility.

Daniels also gave transportation a big nod, saying that he and the General Assembly will work on closing the state’s “second deficit” that would increase the amount of resources for infrastructure improvements. In turn, those improvements would boost the economy and help bring more development to Northwest Indiana.

“If you’re the state that calls itself 'The Crossroads of America,’ we have to do to more to promote that,” he said. “Currently, we’re $2 billion to $3 billion short of having money to build what we need, but we’re not going to triple the gas tax.”

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 11:21 AM • comment (3) • trackback (0) • view …

January 05, 2006

Who's doing that!??

Looked at my stats today, and I see that someone has looked up he of the overfed mop-top eight times in the last how many days since Jan. 1. Once again, it begs the question:

Why!??

What could you possibly want to know about him!?? Because then whoever's doing it comes here and never asks any questions. It's still creeping me out, man.

Got to cover our esteemed guvner's visit to NWI tonight at the Horseshoe Casino and got a fantastic story out of it that my fabulous chum Chris will no doubt post at his crib (ahem) and then pimp it out at the Indiana Blog Review as the answer to the $64 million question: Will Hammond, Cabela's get STIF* from Mitch!??

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 11:20 PM • comment (1) • trackback (0) • view …

December 30, 2005

Elected officials are funny

Seems I can't go anywhere anymore without someone whining to my editors about it: I was covering a Lake Station Council meeting the other night, and it was running rather long. What do I mean by long? It started at 6 p.m., and when I left at 10 p.m., THERE WERE STILL TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. Well, as I left (and I'm sure shortly before while I was sitting there), I let out more than a few disgusted sighs in protest. And a couple people who my editor swore she wouldn't divulge (though I bet I know who they are) called to complain that my behavior was "inappropriate."

Hmmph.

First of all, my editor and I laughed about it before I promised to refrain from showing my disgust at meetings, so please don't think that calling them will get me in trouble; in fact, if anyone details my behavior to them, it's usually ME, so really, you're just wasting your breath. But let's look, shall we, at the councilmen's behavior for a moment -- is it really appropriate for them to call a 35-minute recess during a meeting already in progress so that two of them can go to another meeting that they said was going to take only 15 minutes!?? Is it also fair of them to belabor a point for 10, 15 minutes on the money for the park equipment during the meeting, when they could, oh, I don't know, wait until it's been adjourned!?? Keep in mind, folks, that I wasn't the only person waiting for them to finish the hell up -- hell, the mayor herself left at 9:45 p.m. because she's diabetic and had to get something to eat. And let's not forget when one of the councilmen asked the council president to explain something he'd said and he, out of frustration with having to repeat for the fifth or sixth time, told her to "get the cotton out of her ears" right there in front of the public. But they're going to complain about me expressing my disgust!?? Ooooooo-kaaaaay. You do that.

Broad • 09:15 AM • comment (1) • trackback (0) • view …

December 19, 2005

Know what doesn't work in Indiana tourism? Cockblocking

So late Friday afternoon, as I was trying to get my other two stories in the bag for the night, my one editor calls me and tells me we got an anonymous letter faxed to us, could I do the requisite calling on it? Of course, I said, even though it would entail contacting our venerable tourism deity. The letter was written by Speros to a marketing guy for AM-890 WLS thanking him for the opportunity, but no, the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau will NOT be participating in any promotions with WLS, the Gary/Chicago International Airport and Hooters Air, because it's the LCCVB's position to bring people TO NWI, not take them out. That's a reasonable position, I think to myself, even after he ~~scolded~~asked me as to why I even thought it was a story -- which, as I've mentioned before, is, like, the No. 1 way to get on my shitlist. Why do I think it's a story? Oh, I don't know: a) you're killing funding on efforts to promote NWI and b) my editor says so.

Jackass.

The problem is, Speros didn't find it necessary to discuss this with Airport Administrator Paul Karas or Marketing Director Denise Williams; when I called Karas for his take, he was quite unhappy, not to mention completely blindsided by the decision. To wit:

The LCCVB is about as useful to the airport as a screen door on a submarine.

(A direct quote that made the paper and everything. That? Totally made my week, I'll have you know.)

You know how everyone who's anyone in NWI has been talking about unity and working together toward a common goal and all that for like, oh, the past 30 years or so? This would've been a great time to embrace that concept. I mean, yeah, I get it that NWI in the middle of winter when there's snow on the ground and butt-cold temperatures likely isn't one's idea of paradise, so promoting it to a market that's surrounded in sunshine might not be intuitive at first glance. But I thought the whole purpose of marketing the airport was to get people to USE THE AIRPORT, regardless of whether people are coming to hang out in the stellar NWI nightlife OR to come visit relatives, of which many people living in St. Petersburg or Vegas have here. If they're using the airport and find that it's a gem -- and it really, truly is -- does it matter what people are using it for? And that's not even getting into Speros' presumptuousness in making that call without even running it past the airport in the first place. Suppose he brought his concerns to Karas or Williams before he withdrew the money (and I don't know how much money it is, because I wasn't able to get a hold of the WLS guy) -- is it unreasonable to think that perhaps the three of them could've come to a solution that would've addressed everyone's concerns? The three of them are smart people -- I'm sure they could've worked something out.

I repeat: Lake County, and its taxpayers, are paying this clown THE HIGHEST SALARY IN THE COUNTY for this kind of wit and wisdom.

Broad • 12:53 PM • comment (1) • trackback (0) • view …

December 15, 2005

Is it wrong for a broad ... (Pt. 2)

to completely and derisively roll her eyes at the competition's one columnist who, when writing a column about a hit-and-run accident where the perp hasn't turned themselves in yet, calls up a Camus story?

Good God, man. Get over yourself.

Broad • 11:57 AM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

November 22, 2005

Figures I miss the best part of the whole evening

Found out yesterday that the best part of the ball happened just as I was making the mad dash to my car.

Each year, the chamber gives out "of the Year" awards to cops, paramedics and firefighters, and the dude who took over the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Speros Batistatos, was chosen to hand out the firefighter awards, right? Well, I'm told by several people that as ol' Speros took the stage to annouce the recipients, he scolded attendees who were still browsing at the silent auction table to sit down and that "wasn't going to tell (them) again"; after all, these men deserved everyones' full attention. That's right: He got up on stage with a microphone and scolded grown men and women to sit down. Needless to say, the grown-ups didn't take too kindly to being scolded at an event for which they paid $100 per couple.

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 08:07 PM • comment (5) • trackback (0) • view …

Crap

Got scooped on a story I covered over the summer. Bleh.

Broad • 10:38 AM • comment (0) • trackback (0) • view …

November 19, 2005

Spammer jerks, and other assorted ramblings

Dang, what is UP with all the spam I'm getting!?? Do you know that one of them used MY OWN WEB ADDRESS, so when I went to de-spam, it was added to the MT spammer jerk clearinghouse!?? Bastards. I guess after the holidays, I'm going to have to ditch the bitch and make the switch to EE after all.

In the story I wrote yesterday, the speaker (Rudy Lopez, a pal o'mine) made the comment, "They think that just because the candidate's name ends in -ez, every rice and bean eater is going to come out and vote for them." I asked Rudy if I could quote him on that, and he said "Yeah." So I wonder why the copy desk cut out that part?*

Tonight is the Merrillville Town Ball, and once again I get to cover it for an hour before I have to split to make deadline. This year's ensemble? A black suit I bought last night when Tara and I had a total girls' night of shopping and eating out. I'll post pics.

Speaking of shopping, how wrong is it that I don't completely hate Britney's "Fantasy" perfume? It smells just like cotton candy.

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 10:10 AM • comment (2) • trackback (0) • view …

September 08, 2005

You don't need help to poop on a cracker

Guess who I'm going to be seeing, if not meeting, on Tuesday?

No, seriously. Take a guess.

(Big hint: He tends to make bizarre analogies as he's giving advice ...)

Indeed, it would be the man himself, Dr. Freakin' PHIL.

Yeah, he's totally doing a mall tour of Chicagoland, and he's coming to our neck of the woods, and the paper wants ME to cover it! How cool is THAT!?! Of course, they also said I couldn't ask him advice on how to deal with Mother, but what other advice would he possibly give me other than shooting her and dumping her cold, dead remains in the Cal Sag*?

See, y'all with your 401Ks and health insurance -- that's fine for you fancy people. I on the other hand, get to meet Dr. Phil. How you like me NOW!?!

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 10:32 PM • comment (5) • trackback (0) • view …

May 14, 2005

Leave it to a lawyer to piss up my rope

So yesterday brought the end to a case that I had been following for the past year, year and half, and while I wish it had ended differently, I can totally understand and appreciate why they settled.

Y'all recall me bitching about the Town of Schererville, right? Well, among all the other crap, a former employee -- the only woman in the Public Works department -- sued it in the fed for sexual harassment and discrimination. Sounds like a stereotype, right? Yeah, except the woman had NINE YEARS OF EVIDENCE against these bastards -- signed depositions, pictures, journals, you name it. And then after the suit was filed, the town fired her. (Yes, Indiana is an at-will state, but the reasons they cited for her firing were dubious at best.) Anyway, so as the parties were waiting for summary judgment, they attempted to settle, with the town lowballing so bad, it was cute; I mean, they fuckin' fired her after systematically harassing her for nine years, and they're going start the bidding at $20K!??! Please. All she ever wanted was her job back and for them to leave her the hell alone.

Well, last week, the offer reached $85K just as she and her husband won summary judgment on most counts, but then the town said at the pretrial yesterday that it would file a motion saying if she won any less than $85K from the jury, she would be responsible for paying the town's court prep costs -- and the judge said he would grant it. He also told them at the hearing that while he was sure they had a case and was perfectly ready to hear it, they were taking a tremendous gamble; he's heard cases that he was SURE would come back with a just award that came back with a big fat nothing. Long story short, they decided to settle, which in the big picture, I don't blame them. But I SO wanted her to bring those assholes to their KNEES, because they're a shitty bunch who've been abusing the town and the taxpayers for years. Not that this decision doesn't, necessarily, because it's the second time in two years that the town has had to settle a wrongful dismissal case against an employee, and the attorney fees the taxpayers are still paying, and going to pay, are astronomical. But me, I'm all about the humiliation factor -- especially since it was the fucking town attorney who was behind the majority of the decisions in handling both cases. The guy's a nimrod.

Which brings me to why I'm pissed: After calling the attorney who would've TRIED the case and being told that she was referring all inquiries to the town attorney (she's the attorney for the liability insurance), I called Nimrod, and he said the town would be issuing a release "shortly" after first playing dumb as to what I was asking about (jackass), and then asking me how I heard about it already (keeping in mind there's NO GAG ON IT, so the parties could scream it from the rooftops). Well, that release never came to the office, and it sure didn't come to my e-mail, so my story probably looks one-sided, which doesn't bother me since I know what went down, and he's just being a jerk. But a "release" means the town issued it to the competition, too, depriving me of my "scoop." THAT irritates me.

Broad • 09:17 AM •

April 19, 2005

Now THIS one makes me queasy

Remember my story on the "gross-out" game last week? The verdict was handed down last night, and I was there. The story and my thoughts after the jump.

Wait ... what!??

CROWN POINT -- A jury awarded two Dyer teens on Monday $107,000 for an incident at a New Year�s Eve Party sponsored by Living Stones Fellowship Church four years ago.

Cousins Manuel �Lee� Gomez, 17, and Brandon Gomez, 18, were given $8,500 each in compensatory damages and $45,000 apiece in punitive damages from the Crown Point-based church and Cause Youth Foundation, its corresponding youth group; its youth pastor, Pastor Ron Johnson Jr.; and defendants Derrick �DJ� Crofford and Ryan Voyles for their parts in a game played at the party. Brandon Gomez, Manuel �Lee� Gomez, Bryan Gomez, also of Dyer and Tomas Thain sued the church for battery, negligence, intentional infliction, fraud and false imprisonment. The jury did not award Thain anything, and a third defendant, Colin Adams, was not found at fault in the incident.

�I think the jurors reached the verdict because they concluded that Ron and Living Stones put the health and lives of two children in danger,� said Merrillville-based attorney John Bushemi, who represented the plaintiffs. �The defendants, including Pastor Johnson, testified that the event was 'entertaining, fun and humorous,� but apparently 11 jurors felt no humor.�

Central to the case was a video tape that described the events over which the Gomezes sued. The tape showed Johnson engaging the crowd in a food-eating game, whereby audience members could volunteer to guess, for a $50 gift certificate, a mystery food fed to them. Brandon Gomez and Lee Gomez, then 14 and 13 at the time, volunteered as did two girls.

Once the four children were on stage, Johnson and an assistant unveiled the �Veg-o-matic,� which was church member Ryan Voyles sitting on a stool behind a counter. The assistant took food including eggnog, sardines, cottage cheese, dog food, sauerkraut, salsa and potted meat, and put it in Boyles� mouth. Johnson then tapped Voyles on the head, and Voyles would chew the food and spit it back into a bowl.

Johnson asked the participants whether they wanted to proceed; the girls stepped down, while Brandon Gomez and Lee Gomez drank the mixture. The next day, the two boys were taken to the doctor, where they were both tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, strep throat, and tuberculosis and put on medicine for several weeks.

The Gomez family was thrilled at the verdict, saying justice was served.

�It�ll make him learn his lesson,� Brandon Gomez said. �He deserves every bit of it.�

A visibly shaken Johnson declined comment.

Jurors in the case said that watching the boys on film, they could see that Brandon was disturbed at drinking the concoction and for that, there was considerable emotional damage inflicted. The jury did not find, however, that the boys were confined in any way by Johnson, Adams or Crofford.

Defense attorney Richard Long, of Highland, said he and his clients feel that the evidence didn�t match up with the charges and will appeal.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: That video was absolutely disgusting, and I about lost my ramen watching it. No question. But a judgement of more than $50gs apiece!? Please. I didn't see testimony over the week, but I understand that the defense had a doctor testify that the strep the boys allegedly got couldn't have been from Voyles, because a) strep isn't passed through saliva, and b) it's got an incubation period that would've exceeded the time in which the boys got sick. If you're supposed to be looking for just the facts, like juries are supposed to do, that seems to me like a pretty big one to ignore. Simply put, the plaintiff's attorney had the jury -- which, by the way, was comprised of 10 women and 2 men -- by the emotional shorthairs: It was gross, and it could've gotten the boys sick. Three of the (women) jurors I spoke to after the trial even said as much. "The boys looked unsure of themselves before they drank it, and that inflicted emotional damage." Well, Ok, sure, but $50gs!?! No way. (And yes, I AM going to go there about women being more emotional, because it's TRUE. I'm not saying it's bad or good; it just is.) Let's also not forget that the boys HAD A CHOICE to drink the crap. They were 13 and 14 years old. Young? Sure -- but not young enough to not know better. Would they have gotten harshed on for backing out!? The jurors seem to think so, although my guess!?!? Ain't NO ONE would've blamed them for not wanting anything to do with that crap.

Another thought that crossed my mind is that perhaps the jurors decided to take a piece out of the church because it's fundie. That's true, but I'm not sure it's as big or wealthy a congregation as others in the area. I mean, I'm no fan of the fundies, but I'm not down with $50gs for this.

Good thing the dollar amount will likely never get past appeal.Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 05:46 PM • comment (2) • view …

April 12, 2005

Food not for the thinking

This was the story I covered yesterday afternoon. Does it go without saying that I was absolutely turning GREEN in the courtroom!?!? Note: The final version wasn't posted on the Web site today, so this is my hard copy. I'm guessing not much changed, however.

Wait ... what!??

CROWN POINT � Testimony began Monday in the civil trial against a church whose annual New Year�s Eve youth lock-in was either a typical teen gathering or dangerous, unsanitary church recruiting.

Opening arguments were heard and one witness was called in the suit against Living Stones Fellowship in Crown Point and The Cause Youth Foundation, which holds a New Year�s Eve lock-in for teens. Four boys who attended the Dec. 31, 2001 party � Brandon Gomez, Manuel �Lee� Gomez, Bryan Gomez, of Dyer and Tomas Thain � at Omni 41 Sports Center have sued the church for battery, negligence, intentional infliction, fraud and false imprisonment for events that occurred at that party.

Merrillville attorney John Bushemi, who represents the four boys, presented during opening arguments clips of video tapes that were taken at the party. The first clip showed Living Stones� pastor, Ron Johnson, who�s also named in the suit, engaging the crowd in a food eating game, whereby audience members could volunteer to guess for a $50 gift certificate to Best Buy a mystery food fed to them. Brandon Gomez and Lee Gomez, then 14 and 13 at the time, volunteered as did two girls.

Once the four children were on stage, Johnson and an assistant unveiled the �Veg-o-matic,� which was church member Ryan Boyles sitting on a stool behind a counter. The assistant took food, including eggnog, sardines, cottage cheese, dog food, sauerkraut, salsa and potted meat, and put it in Boyles� mouth. Johnson then tapped Boyles on the head, and Boyles would chew the food and spit it back into a bowl.

Johnson asked the participants whether they wanted to proceed; the girls stepped down, while Brandon Gomez and Lee Gomez drank the mixture.

Later that night, Bushemi said the defendants had children go to a storage room where they were preached at by Derrick �D.J.� Crofford and Colin Adams, also named in the suit, who refused to let them leave until they provided personal information.

Lee Gomez, now 17 and a student at Lake Central High School, testified that when he returned home Jan. 1, 2002, he felt �nauseated, had stomach pain and threw up.� The next day, his mother and aunt took him and his cousin Brandon to the doctor, where they were both tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, strep throat, and tuberculosis. They were put on medicine for several weeks.

Highland attorney Richard Long for the defense said in his opening remarks that the event was meant to be fun and that nothing in the video clips would prove otherwise.

�Did you see any deception or trickery? You won�t find that there�s any,� Long said. �You won�t see anyone barricaded, and Ron will tell you he takes responsibility. There was nothing going on behind closed doors.�

Long said that the boys made a choice to be separated before midnight to receive information about God and that everyone was given the same information. It�s just that the four boys weren�t listening.

�The girls (who were also separated) listened; the boys heard,� Long said. �There�s nothing wrong with what went on.�

The suit is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 01:25 PM • comment (3) • view …

April 11, 2005

Overheard during court today:

Snatch is never friendly.

Unfortunately, that's all I can give you right now, but it's a direct quote, and I can assure y'all that it wasn't supposed to come out that way.

Tipped a couple with Wad this evening before my night assignment -- well, HE tipped a couple while I stuck with water because a) I was on my way to an assignment where the paper's publisher was going to be, and b) I'm broke as a joke until Thursday, and I'm already into a ton of cash to Wad as it is. Anyway, ask him to tell y'all about Cajun Teriyaki chicken. Go on, ask him! He wants you to.
<

Broad • 10:26 PM • comment (2) • view …

March 18, 2005

Days when the job is not so fun

Got an e-mail from one of my editors yesterday with a story tip: A woman called in to tell us her daughter had been assaulted, can we do a story on it? My first reaction was, "Ooooof, that's rough," and my editor said that if there was a police report, of course it's a story.

Well, there's a story, all right. Yes, it most definitely did happen ... in another state several years ago. And therein lies the rub.

I always hate doing the dead stories or the people-got-really-fucked-up-at-the-hands-of-others stories -- not because they're not worthy, but it's monumentally tough to talk to people when their emotions are so raw and exposed. You're convinced they don't really want to talk, and you're worried about saying the wrong thing. But I do them when asked, and I do an all right job of it, I think. But what do you do when there's a family in immense pain, but the story isn't germain to the readership? On one hand, it's not "news," at least as far as the public's concerned. And yet ...

Like I told the editor, "I'm really kinda glad I'm not the one making the decision."

Broad • 01:29 PM • comment (5) • view …

trackback url:

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Smith. Nobody gives a shit about how your daughter was tragically beat 7 years ago in Rhode Island."

I can see how that might not go over well.

comment by Myllissa at 01:29 PM on 03.18.05

I have a friend whose father was killed at work in an explosion. Big local news because I lived in such a small town. Even more so because the company was aerospace and involved in space shuttle development and booster fuel systems. I spent the first 3 days at her mom's house, literally... I slept on the couch, and you should have seen the media circus outside their house.

Some of them had the balls to camp out on the doorstep the first day and any time you opened the door to go anywhere, it was like cockroaches scurrying when the lights come on. Cameras & mics shoved in your face until they realize you're not a member of the family and then they back off with looks on their faces like they just lost the story of their life. The one that would get them into the prime-time slot because they showed how well they could massage an emotional response from their subject.

I really detest telejournalism. It's the worst side of humanity. Not all of it mind you. Anchors, mostly good. Reporters, mostly bad. I choked back tears watching Dan Rather break down on Letterman after 9/11, but I'd gladly step on Barbara Walter's fallen corpse to reach the Mac & Cheese on the top shelf of my pantry. Of course, what's worst is the sick bastards that tune in to watch all this emotional carnage, drawn in by the lure of "News at 11" to see how a woman sacrificed her life to save her baby (San Diego news this past Monday) or how a family is dealing with the loss of their son or daughter in Iraq.

Broad, I don't envy you getting this assignment, but I know that you're going to be as empathetic as possible while you're working it. Not only because I know that you're a good soul, but because in your line of work, tears only smear the ink and don't win ratings. Written news shines because it paints a story with words, not graphic abuse of emotion.

Compositional journalism is an art, Telejournalism is pornography. And you can quote me on that.

Dix

comment by DixonHill at 01:29 PM on 03.18.05

yeah, I have a friend who is a moderator of a newsgroup, she knows one of the members was a kiddy diddler, and he was preying on another member; she blew the whistle, and SHE got punished and ostracised. The road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions.

Sometimes, Broad, you just need to smack people around.

So: Where are the pictures from the weekend? Sheesh.

comment by og at 01:29 PM on 03.18.05

I'm getting 'em. But if you saw Kaffy's and Amy's, you pretty much saw all of them.

comment by Broad at 01:29 PM on 03.18.05

Sheeeat, I figured SOMONE would have gotten naked. And No, Wad's navel does NOT count.

As to wad's navel:

Eeeeeeewwww!!!

comment by og at 01:29 PM on 03.18.05

… close it

February 26, 2005

Pr0n purveyors resist union advances

I was dying to tell y'all about this yesterday, but I couldn't since it didn't run until today. Living proof that I have the best job in the universe at times. (Since we didn't update the paper's Web site last night, the stuff in brackets are edits I suspect were made.)

No, I didn't get to see any of the, ahem, merchandise, but is it necessary for me to tell you that I basically choked on my own tongue trying not to laugh while I interviewed the GM?

Wait ... what!??

HOBART � Three former workers for a local warehouse that distributes adult-oriented entertainment and products claim their employer fired them for wanting to unionize its workers.

More than 40 Teamsters have been picketing all week in front of Leisure Time Entertainment, [address redacted], for what they say are unfair labor practices on behalf of Leisure Time and its general manager, Cara Jacques. No current employees are on the picket lines, according to Les Lis, trustee and organizer for Teamsters Local 142 in Gary.

Workers approached Local 142 to be its collective bargaining unit, and he instructed them to organize on their own time, Lis said. The workers approached others during break time to sign petitions to form a union.

During one of these times, a unidentified man came into the break room, grabbed the petition, made a copy of it and returned a copy with a few of the names crossed off it, Lis said.

Eric Rogers, of Gary, was one of the names. He was fired first.

�They said it was for solicitation during work hours,� Rogers said.

Clyde Byndum and Anthony Brown, both also of Gary, had also signed the petition, They, too, were fired.

�They got me because of �points,�� Byndum said. �We�re allowed 10 points before we get fired, and one day, I couldn�t come in to work because I had to put a new starter on my car. They let me finish out the week, and 10 minutes before quitting time, they came down with four different citations and fired me.�

All three of the firings violate the National Labor Relations Act, Lis said, because they speak to unfair labor practices. The local has since filed its petition with the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago.

�The boss isn�t even supposed to know who�s involved in organizing, so who�s this guy giving them the information?� he said. �(The firings) puts a scare into the other people, but all they want is a livable wage, respect on the job and just cause for termination.�

[Before they were fired, Rogers and Byndum were making $9 per hour. The company offers health insurance "which we can't afford," according to Rogers, and a 401K plan.]

Jacques said her attorneys are waiting for the petition to be filed; otherwise, she couldn�t speak to anything other than the employees are trying to organize.

Leisure Time Entertainment also has [branches in Las Vegas, Louisiana, West Hollywood and Canoga Park, Calif. Workers in at least one of the California branches aren't unionized].

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 09:54 AM • trackback (0) •

February 21, 2005

Guck fucked up

Anyone been following the Jeff Gannon/Jim Guckert/White House debacle? What I want to know is, how is this different from Bill and Monica in terms of hurting the country's credibility? When it comes down to it, all Bill and Monica ultimately did was hurt themselves (and, of course, Hillary and Chelsea). This jackass, on the other hand, put into question the White House's whole press set-up -- giving it an air of dishonesty worse than it already has -- PLUS he's gay, which, you know, we're not supposed to like. So lessee here, a oversexed lothario diddling some chippy just like many other politicos in all parts of the great US of A and the world, for that matter vs. a political plant in the press corps purposely allowed to pimp one side of the coin

So please, someone spell it out for me: How is it different, other than it's your candidate's policies getting scrutinized? Oh, and if you're going to tell me that Kos, Aravosis and their ranks violated this 'mo's privacy, stick it up your ass; nothing was done that the right wouldn't have if the tables were turned.

Broad • 10:36 AM • trackback (0) •

February 02, 2005

Open mouth, insert spiral

You know what I hate? Reading something half-ass and then shooting my mouth off.

I was reading a link over on Romenesko about the layoff at the competition -- of which one of the people affected, if you haven't been paying attention to the comments, is one of my oldest and dearest friends -- which I read to say only laid off six people. So I, in my indignation, shoot an e-mail to Romenesko saying this pub got it all wrong and that there were certainly more. Well, he being the consumate reporter, politely asked if it was more than six in the newsroom or the whole operation, which prompted me to go back and really read the article. Yup, all the information was there -- I just didn't catch it the first time around.

Yeah, nothing like making a jerk of myself. At least I told him to not publish my e-mail.

Broad • 04:21 PM • comment (7) • trackback (0) • view …

trackback url:
http://regionbroad.wiredhub.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/485

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/3703E1F0CE0DA1BE86256F9C00136286?OpenDocument&Headline=Lee+CEO+Junck+meets+Post-Dispatch+employees

I love her fucking quote 1/2 through the article.

"... can't save your way to good performance."

Hm.

I was told that this was financial, not motivated by performance or personal vendetta.

But you can't save for good performance.

Only fire it.

comment by blown wad at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Oh yeah.

Semantic meaning is everything.

Newsdesigner is now reporting that 23 staffers were laid off. Your doing?

comment by son of a wad at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Hey Wad,

Sorry, didn't know who you were before.

Can't believe what happened. Also can't figure out anything to say other than "Damn� sorry." since I'm sure at this point anything else would sound insincere and have zero impact on the situation.

Anyone else in your area affected? Macboy or the two upstairs? Or did their ship sail already to greener shores or rough seas? I�ve been completely out of the loop since The Family sold out.

Anyway, best of luck,
Dix

comment by DixonHill at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Dix:

The two upstairs? Well, been some changes and while there are still two upstairs they're not the ones you are thinking of.

Donald Sutherland left the company and is the Vp of tech for Lang Newspapers back in Cali

The other was moved downstairs next to me.

Macboy and Mc MikeG weren't affected, thankfully, beyond losing me to do some of the complicated crap that I used to take care of on a daily basis.

The ponytailed wonderboy who used to be in advertising came over to the dark side a couple of years ago and I think they have a good chance of making this less of a total assfuck for all of them if they all hit the ground running.

They're a great bunch of guys and I already miss seeing them everyday. Calling to "talk" doesn't cut it and truthfully, I think it makes everyone uncomfy.

As for the well wishes, well, I appreciate them, but you are right. They aren't doing me much good. Everyone is crawling up my ass to offer help but the fact is that unless you got an IT position in your hand, I don't need much right now.

I mean, this is a relocation type problem. Something that I had always talked about wanting, but now the option is less an option and more a forced decision.

Ask anyone, I hate not having the final say in what I do.

So yeah. This sucks.

Oh yeah, and as far as not knowing who I am? Well, sauce for the goose, I have no idea who you are.

comment by And we'll all wad on okay... at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Wad,

I'm surprised you haven't already checked my e-mail address in the "Posted by" line.

(Excuse me while I stop to pull the pin out of this grenade.)

It's Carl. Blast from the past. The bastard red-headed step-child of Nextwerk and Howard.

I hope my well wishes are still well received.

-Dix

comment by DixonHill at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Yipes. I'm sorry to hear that too. If it's any consolation, I've been "between contracts" for two weeks now. And the Bramble-meister has been forlorn since the 28th. I've got a huge list of IT recruiters if you want it (including several good ones).

Weas

comment by The Weas at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

Ah. Well. That explains it.

Technically though, Dix, you were a subcontractor. Not deserving of the full abuse of the company.

Ah yes, to have a railroad tie rammed up my ass. Cleans out the sinuses.

Anyway.

I think it was a Calvin and Hobbes book.. The days are just packed.

Found four typos on my resume yesterday.

In the words of Richard, from TommyBoy, "That guy? That guy might not call us back..." This in reference to the 7 jobs I sent resumes to before discovering said typos...

Did find two cool ones though. One in chi and the other in Kalamazoo...

comment by If I had a wad, I would wad in the toolshed at 04:21 PM on 02.02.05

… close it

January 19, 2005

Not a good way to pick up dudes

Do you suppose it's a bad thing that a story I wrote on a sex offender program has now been posted on a sex offender bulletin board!?!?! WITH MY E-MAIL ATTACHED!?!?!?

Just curious.

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 04:12 PM • comment (5) • trackback (0) • view …

January 11, 2005

PreSUMING ...!?!?!?!

Pal, lemme tell you something: I understand that you're upset and you need to take care of your deal. But insulting my capabilities is neither going to help your situation, nor is it going to gain you an ally in me. Jackass.*

That is all.

*This is what I wish I could've said in response to something about which I can't be more specific out here in the internetwebnetwork. Those who know, know.

Broad • 05:45 PM • trackback (0) •

January 05, 2005

Assburger Syndrome, indeed

No, you big pervs, that's not what it looks like. It is, however, an example of what happens when a reporter decides to rely on phonetic spelling and the desk doesn't question it. (Legend has it that editors are supposed to be able to look at a hed or sentence, and if they can get a double entendre out of it -- even if the hed's, like, "The dog is dead" -- it must change. Don't laugh; that's an important talent to have.) No, that reporter was NOT me, thankyouverymuch (and God); I may not know nothin' about no assburger syndrome, but I'm quite familiar with APSBERGER syndrome; it mimicks autism, but not really. Anyhoo, I can't believe Tara FORGOT TO TELL ME THAT ONE, because I would DIE if I were the reporter who fucked that one up. Literally curl up and die. Fer real. I feel for ya, pal.

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 09:24 PM • comment (8) • trackback (0) • view …

trackback url:
http://regionbroad.wiredhub.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/445

Hey, I'm offended that you didn't write anything about our little get together last Thursday. What's up with that Region Broad?!!

comment by Mikey at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

What, you WANTED me to write about you running around in a loin cloth and sombrero, singing Evanescence? I guess I'll know better next time, you hot Mexican pepper. Heh ...

comment by Broad at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

You know we love you. Now only if you would ping on a regular basis....

ONe can hope!

comment by Amy at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

Yeah, I'll ping you, you who picks up my retarded typos and makes fun of me for them -- which, of course, is why you're nominated for having a good, funny blog. ;)

comment by Broad at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

Was the story put online? Is there a link?

comment by Kate at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

I think I would have been summarily executed for reading the Post-Tribune when I lived out there. I can honestly say that I don't think I ever read a single story from a single issue unless it was something that someone at The TIMES was poking fun at... especially overly graphic pictures of accidents or drowning victims that somehow made it onto the PT's front page when for the sake of all human decency they should have been left in the camera.

So I guess I wouldn't know if there was anyone there who was phoning it in. But then, I was a little ignorant... and biased.

Of course, I must say that I'm glad to be living in San Diego now where I can ignore both the Union-Tribune and the North County Times (the latter having the same owner as The "Hammond" TIMES).

Enjoying temperatures above 50 degrees and reading Yahoo! News,
Dix

comment by DixonHill at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

Two words for you, Dix: Robin Biesen.

Neener, neener, neeeeeee-nerly,
Broad

comment by Broad at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

Unfortunately, I have no recollection of those 2 words.

It's not so much due to the fact that I've physically removed the Hoosier part of my brain with a screwdriver and a garden trowel, it's more that I didn't spend much time with the News staff. I preferred to get drunk only twice a week, not every night at Riccardi's.

Soberly,
Dix

comment by DixonHill at 09:24 PM on 01.05.05

… close it

October 15, 2004

Dude got DOOCED

Here's some bullshit for y'all -- I have a friend who worked at our Competition. I say "worked" because today? He got fired. Would you like to know why he got fired? I tell you why: He spoke his opinion about his workplace on a bbs, and some smacked ass at his place of work ratted him out, that's why. In other words, the practice of doocing? Alive and well in NWI.

Now, I know y'all are going to say that if he were going to air his opinions about his workplace, he should've never put 'em in writing or, worse, on the Innernet, and I can appreciate that. That being said, unless an employee signs some sort of Oprah agreement that says "You ain't talking about here," I don't believe a company has a right to fire you for shooting your mouth off -- you know, because of that pesky little thing called the First Amendment and all. The competition evidently knows that, too, because you know what reason they gave for firing him? "Oh, well, your rant on the bbs was factually incorrect, so how do we know your stories/columns aren't incorrect as well!?!?" What, because you (the competition) don't like hearing that you run a shithole environment!?!?! Yeah, I call "bullshit" too. We're reporters -- that's what we do, or have you forgotten your mission while you're trying to rake in the dough that your employees will never see!?!?

Well, the competition's loss is someone else's gain, because I have no doubt he'll be picked up by someone or, even better, he'll be syndicated, and the competition will have to eat it. In the meantime, I hope Romenesko and Miner get a hold of it, and put some shame into those assholes.

Broad • 08:22 PM • comment (6) • trackback (0) • view …

September 15, 2004

Getting closer ...

Remember that one story I was doing a pee pee dance of joy about? No not the one, the other one? A hint can be found below (and no telling, TIMMY!):

Wait ... what!??

SCHERERVILLE � Schererville Police officers who have take-home cars will now have to at the very least restrict the amount of driving they do off-duty.

Citing insurance liability, the Schererville Police Commission on Tuesday voted 3-2 to restrict the policy to no more than 225 personal miles a month and no civilians in the cars unless it�s for town business. Currently, the policy allows the 48 Schererville officers to drive 300 miles in their off-duty time.

Before the vote was cast, Commissioner John Fladeland objected to the measure.

�We�ve investigated this, and we�ve looked at the liability and felt it did not outweigh the benefits,� Fladeland said. �I�m not going to move this department backwards.�

Police Chief Dan Smith was disappointed in the ruling but said that the department would continue the program however the commission wished. Assistant Chief Dave Dowling and Schererville FOP President Hieland �Buck� Weaver, however, targeted their remarks at Commissioner Pete Sormaz, who is a Gary police officer.

�I�ll respect the ruling, but I�m disappointed that an officer would vote against us,� Weaver said as police officers attending the meeting cheered him on.

But Sormaz didn�t appreciate being singled out by his peers.

He said the commission was trying to protect itself. �You don�t want 55 percent of your paycheck going toward insurance so you can have civilians ride in the car.�

Commission Chairman Werner Zacharias agreed. �A police car is not for shuttling the kids around, running errands or going to the grocery store,� he said. �That�s not the intent.�

But Fladeland said that take-home cars increase police exposure, giving citizens a �warm, fuzzy feeling� when they see a police car, no matter what the officer may be doing.

In other business, the commission voted unanimously to hire one new police officer but deferred on making a decision on a second officer, Christopher Lopez, because the department is still conducting a background check.

Lopez was formerly an officer with Schererville but resigned November 2, 2001. Commission Attorney John Bushemi said he was aware that Lopez resigned but had no knowledge as to why.

�The Police Commission authorized conditional employment offer subject to a background investigation by the chief July 13, 2004,� Bushemi said. �If any prior records exist regarding an investigation into Lopez, they are department records and not disclosable to the public.�

Zacharias declined to comment on the matter, deferring to Bushemi.

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 09:13 AM • comment (2) • trackback (0) • view …

September 08, 2004

Here I come to save the day!

Because of my quick thinking, I now saved the biz section from an all-AP day! You may all now bow at my feet, for my journalistic acumen is unsurpassed.

Heh. Yeah, I'm funny like that, but I did have the foresight to call the Griffith Town Council regarding Frank's Nursery & Craft's going-out-of-business, which took them by surprise AND garnered a "That's good," from the M.E., because where Frank's is located in Griffith is already struggling pretty badly with trying to get new business in there.

What can I say? I'm kinda quick sometimes. Must've been the spicy chicken burrito.

Broad • 05:36 PM • trackback (0) •

September 04, 2004

Skull fucking? Is fun!

Me in action yesterday (Og, you can skip, because we already talked):

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 11:38 AM • comment (3) • trackback (0) • view …

August 19, 2004

Now I want my own crib

Or at least some new end tables or something: With Greta getting all kinds of cool antique furniture from Customs in Miller and Tara talking about all the horrors of house hunting, I'm getting this weird urge to own property. It's not going to happen for, like, EVER, and it's not that I really want to move from my present crib, because I like my present crib, and it's convenient for my travels. Perhaps I can talk the landlords into going condo, or at least letting me paint the place anything but freakin' white.

Meanwhile, I'm about to break a story tomorrow that's going to have a certain muni on its KNEES, and I. can't. WAIT. (Get ready, Ogger, because things may never be the same.) It's a lock, too; have the proof and everything, unlike the other story I was so jazzed about. That one hasn't panned out ... yet. But I of course will post this one once it's been published.

Broad • 01:19 AM • comment (2) • trackback (0) • view …

July 16, 2004

More good cop stories

Had another tip last night that I hope hope HOPE pans out, because this one's excellent. I'm not working on it, though -- another reporter is. Still, it's funny as hell, and I'll share as soon as I can.

In the meantime, this weekend's the Gary Air Show, and I'm covering parking lot detail. Not the sexiest thing in the world, but I'll still get to see the show, which I've never been. Plus, I was offered a chance at going up in one of the planes today when I was out there covering another Air Show story, but I couldn't in the time they had open, and really, since I'm not writing specifically about going up in a plane, I thought it would be slightly tacky to take advantage. Besides, I didn't want to have anyone report about the reporter who barfed on the pilot because she freaks out about moving heights, compelling though it may be. (Oh yeah, it's true. I do. NOT. do. fast moving high things well. At all.)

Later, I'll complain about the one guy and perhaps list every concert I've ever attended, just because it's been on my mind as something to write about.

Broad • 05:28 PM • comment (3) • trackback (0) • view …

July 01, 2004

Read between the lines, yo

For your outrage, I give you my. BIG. STORY:

Wait ... what!??

Charges of domestic battery during a May incident have been dropped against a Lake County Sheriff�s officer.

Officer Ponciano Herrera of East Chicago, was named in a complaint filed by the Lake County Sheriff�s Police on behalf of Darcel Espinoza of Merrillville. But according to an investigation conducted by the county police, the claims were baseless, according to Lake County Police Chief Gary Martin.

�We conducted a thorough investigation and the complaint was found to be unsubstantiated,� Martin said.

According to an incident report obtained by the Post-Tribune, Herrera, who is the father of Espinoza�s child, showed up at Espinoza�s home, let himself in and asked to see their daughter. Espinoza said she declined because Herrera smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages.

�(The) complainant stated that she then told her daughter to lock herself in the bedroom,� the report states. �Complainant advised that Mr. Herrera then threw a plastic water bottle at her which struck her in the head.�

The report said Herrera then opened the door as if to leave, at which time Espinoza tried to shut the door and lock it behind him. But Herrera pushed the door back forcefully, slamming Espinoza between it and the wall. Afterward, he dragged Espinoza by her wrists into the dining room area, causing rug burns on her knees, and dug his fingers into her neck.

Sgt. William Paterson and Officer Brian Marsh, who responded to the call, observed abrasions on Espinoza�s back and knees, swelling on her forehead above the right eye and a bruise on her left wrist and thumb. They took pictures of these injuries along with damage done to the wall where Espinoza got caught by the door and a typewriter that Herrera allegedly threw off the balcony, the report states.

The report also says that Cmdr. Dale Bock advised Paterson and Marsh to file the domestic battery charges.

But when Espinoza was interviewed by police shortly after, her stories were different, Martin said.

�She had explanations for her injuries,� he said, adding that he felt confident Espinoza didn�t recant her report out of fear of Herrera. �(Paterson and Marsh) did exactly what they were supposed to do, but once the investigators took her statement, it was found that the incident didn�t happen.�

Espinoza didn�t return several calls for comment.

Herrera, who ran for an East Chicago council seat, said he�s relieved Espinoza changed her story.

�I�m a law enforcement officer and this is a delicate situation,� Herrera said. �I�m fortunate that she told the truth to the investigator.�

Law enforcement officers may file charges in a domestic battery case based on observations at the scene or outside witness testimony, regardless of whether the victim presses charges, said Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter.

But Carter added that unless the police give the prosecutor charges, his office can�t investigate.

What do you think's going on here?

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 10:00 AM • comment (8) • trackback (0) • view …

trackback url:
http://regionbroad.wiredhub.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/219

I came over from Kimberlee and its my first time here, but I have to swear so excuse when I say that this is a bunch of bullshit!

The police force is a brotherhood type society and they'll stick up for each other...this guy needs to be arrested for domestic abuse and lose his badge.

comment by TIMMY! at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

There are a lot of good cops everywhere you go. There are a few wrong cops, too. The way to spot the good cops, is they usually get the shit assignments. Bad hours, bad neighborhoods, bad pay. The wrong cops, well, they're usually the ones running for some office, or working high visibility shifts in high visibility places. Your mileage may vary, but whatever you do, don't cast aspersions on all cops; they do a damnably difficult job for damned little pay.

comment by og at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

Believe me, I have the utmost respect for cops and what they do; I have a lot of friends who;re cops, and they make life for me a lot easier. And I'm certainly not trying to make a sweeping generalization. But even if I wanted to, I don't HAVE to, because the jackasses who're letting this dick get away with it are doing a better job than I ever could. THEY'RE the ones that are shitting in the punch bowl for the good guys. I mean, I can't imagine how Paterson, Bock and Marsh felt when their recommendation got cast aside. That's some bullshit.

But that's a great guideline for telling the difference between good cop/bad cop. I guess you conservatives are good for something sometimes. ;P

comment by Michelle at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

My dad and brother are cops. I wanted to be a cop...cops are wonderful. They do have a brotherhood society and it takes a lot of guts for a cop to step up and go against everyone else...rare, but it does happen.

This story is crap though...the cop needs to be fried.

comment by TIMMY! at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

"the cop needs to be fried. "

Did you mean fried or fired? LOL! Could work either way, though!!

comment by og at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

Oh, and michelle: PPPphhhhhhhhbbbbllbbllllttt!!!!

(grin)

comment by og at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

That is one of the saddess things I have read in a while. I can't believe she changed her story for him. I know he will do it to her again, and you and I know that she is probably too afraid to report it again. She'll probably think that there isn't a point. I don't blame her.

comment by myllissa at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

lol og....good point. I meant fired but fried is a good one too. heh

comment by TIMMY! at 10:00 AM on 07.01.04

… close it

April 09, 2004

War is hell.

Anyone who's read my other site or is familiar with stuff I've written knows that I'm in love with AVMRA, aka the American Veteran Motorcycle Riders Association. The group is just like it sounds: vets -- the majority of whom fought in Vietnam -- who ride motorcycles. And they're a raggedy-looking bunch of motherfuckers, they'd be the first to tell you: Long, ratty hair; beaten-up leather with patches and pins; at-least-two-packs-a-day habits. Instead of the booze they once were able to drown their sorrows with, they down coffee, lots of it. Or they keep pickling their insides away, as if that's going to help. It doesn't, but it's a connection to other people who've gone through hell, anyway.

Tonight, my assignment was to cover the memorial of a soldier who was killed over in Iraq Sunday. There were at least 100 people there by the war tank on the corner of Broad and Oak, including 30 or so of my AVMRA men and women. (Every single war-themed event, good or bad, without fail, you better believe there will be representatives from their group.) There was a service, with a Catholic Bishop and everything, as well as a Color Guard from the local Legion and VFW.

I've covered enough of these to be able to pretty much get by without getting emotional, and I pride myself on that. But as the old vets with the rifles shot off the 21-gun salute, damn it if those rag-tag shells of men in beaten-up leather didn't stand straight as arrows, saluting their flag as if they were the kids they used to be before the war beat them down.

And damn it if I didn't choke up.

Broad • 08:47 PM • trackback (0) •

March 25, 2004

You THINK you scooped me, but you really didn't.

So today, I get a e-mail from the chick who's filling in for one of the editors I write for, telling me I need to contact her about a story I did. It was a meeting story, nothing earth-shattering ... or so I thought, because attached to her e-mail is the story the competition did from the same meeting. Now, I don't know where the other reporter got her information -- if she'd gotten tipped off to the thing prior to the meeing or, because she covers this particular beat regularly, she knew what to ask -- but there was NOTHING discussed in that meeting that would have led me to what she had.

Luckily, our reporter, doll that she is, did some folo-up on it and found that what the competition had was true, but it wasn't what they made it sound like. So THERE, competition. If you feel you have to blow things out of proportion to best me, party on. But that's why you work for them and not us. Pppppphhhhhbbbbbt.

Say it with me now: We take our victories where we can.

Broad • 05:30 PM • comment (4) • trackback (0) • view …

March 21, 2004

Hot dogs! Get your Grassy Knoll hot dogs!

I must've said this 10 times today, but I'll say it again:

Adrian Zakula is the only person I know that could take a freedom-of-expression controversy and turn it into a beer party.

I'm using his name now because I reported on the story, plus he has absolutely no shame. Not that he needed it ... this time (!), but it's safe to say that our friend Zook, in true Zook fashion, is thoroughly enjoying his time in the spotlight and was goodly plowed by 2 p.m. (Yeah, because I wasn't of course. Heh. And boy, did that feel good! A sunny, 60-degree day pounding a few among friends after I've done my reporting? You betcha. I can't tell you the last time I was out among the living doing stuff other than working or shopping with Greta. Methinks I need to do more of that more often.)

Really, though, I don't know that I wouldn't have done the same thing -- no, scratch that; I know I would've. See, way back in the day, I had a bit of controversy myself with the whole freedom of speech/expression issue.

Wait ... what!??

I was editor-in-chief of my college newspaper, and I had two Hispanic writers on my staff. They were freshmen and new to the whole college thing, and they wandered into the office looking to experience extracurriculars. The thing was, they referred to each other as "Spic." Now, I remember distinctly looking at the two and asking them, "Are you sure y'all should be calling each other that?" or something to that effect, and they said, "Sure! In fact, we encourage YOU to call us "Spic," too." Well, being of the college mindset in one of the most tenuous racial demographics in the country, me and the officemates were thrilled, right? I mean, we thought we were subversive and all about the inside joke, so if two minorities were going to allow us to call them something derogative, well, who were we to be the morality police? Please.

So anyway, the two decide to write a column about getting involved in extracurricular activities. Which was fine, but they submit it with the hed, "What it's like to be a Spic in an all-white office." Well, my first instinct was, "Oh, absolutely not," but the rest of the gang was like, "Oh, c'mon! That's awesome! PLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAASE?!?!?!" And I was still like, no, but then my graphics guy said, "Well, how about, "What it's like to be a Spic in an all-GRINGO office? Then the two racial slurs balance it out." For some reason, I thought that would be PERFECTLY acceptable and decided to run with it. After all, the column was going on page 11, so it's not like it was going to smack people in the ass or anything. And hell, do people even read the paper? People don't read us, I told myself.

Except that they DID, and wouldn't you know, the very day the issue came out, our student advisor came in and said, "We have a meeting with the Publications Board and members of the community next Monday, and you WILL be there," or again, something to that effect.

So, Monday rolls around, and we meet with the Pub board and five -- count 'em, FIVE -- members of the Hispanic community who were outraged that we used the word Spic in a headline. We debated, and basically, the Pub Board found that we were exercising freedom of speech and so on and so forth. And what did we do to repay the Pub board for allowing us to keep our positions? Banner headline, top of the fold, next issue:

"Cleaning up racism with Spic and Span."

Not only that, the whole issue was riddled with as many awful puns using the word "Spic" as we could possibly come up with in our sleep-deprived stupors during layout. Yeah, the Pub Board didn't love us too much for that one.

It might not have been as fun as a beer party, but hey! we take our victories where we can, right?

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 12:11 AM • trackback (0) •

March 18, 2004

Another Kennedy conspiracy

Most mornings after I wake up, pee and feed the boys, I start my day by jumping online and checking to see if any of my stories made it to the paper's Web site, and then I check the competition to see if whoever was there from them wrote the story better than I did. So, I'm perusing the competition today and I see the headline "Controversial sign in Hobart to be removed." And immediately I froze, because I just knew that somehow, someway, one of the one guy's idiot friends was involved. Sure enough, I wasn't wrong.

Wait ... what!??

I won't link to the story because, well, it's the competition, and we didn't have anything on it in today's edition. But since I'm covering the folo on it Saturday, here's the scam: The friend in question -- and I do consider him a friend, even though he is the one guy's best friend, which somewhat limits my claim to him -- is a rather talented artist who specializes in recreating antique-looking signs; he and the one guy had a business in New Buffy, Mich. a couple years back, in fact. And when they closed the business, Friend brought back a bunch of the signs he created and hung them on the front of the crib he rents. One of the signs, put up on his front porch's roof, reads "Texas School Book Depository" in big red letters.

Now, Hobart, for those not in-the-know, is a small city southeast Gary known for producing steelworkers and a once-phenomenal high school football team. It's the kind of place that, if you don't look like you belong, people make it known that ya ain't supposed to be there. I mean, you can have purple and green hair and wear your jeans down to your ass cheeks and be one of them, but they know when you're not of them. Like, I'm born and bred in these here parts, and I still get the hairy eyeball from people who don't know me when I go there to drink or visit family. They must be able to tell each other by smell or something, and I must not smell like I'm from there, because they just know. They hide their predjudice and narrow-mindedness behind middle-class ideology, and they're really patriotic: The All-American town. Think of the movie "All the Right Moves," except cleaner and with slightly bigger, more opulent houses in some parts, and you're just about there.

Knowing Friend like I do, I can guarantee you he never gave any thought to why he created the sign or why he hung it up where he did; if he gave it any thought, the sign was something interesting to recreate, and the roof was the only place on the front of the crib that it would fit. Unfortunately for Friend, however, he lives on a main thoroughfare through town, and people took offense to it. Yes, yes they did. They took offense to a sign that depicted the place where Lee Harvey Oswald turned President Kennedy into brain pudding some 40 years ago. And not only did they take offense to it, they complained to their councilman, who wrote Friend and asked him to take it down.

So, you'd think that he would be sufficiently outraged and would climb up to the rooftop screaming "FREE SPEECH! FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION! I'm SO getting the NEA up y'all's asses!" But he's not. Instead, he's going to take the thing down and hold an auction for it on Saturday, sort of like the dreaded Bartman Ball. I hope there's burning involved.

Oh, whatEVER.

Broad • 12:03 AM • trackback (0) •

March 11, 2004

Shameless product pimping, pt. 1

Another thing I'm really not supposed to do as a reporter is be a mouthpiece for products, because that shows bias, implies impropriety, blah blah blah and so and so forth. Well, since I a) already wrote the story, and b) made no secret of accepting the case of potato chips given to me because I went straight into the office and shared it, I have absolutely no compunction in saying what I'm about to say:

BUY PEERLESS POTATO CHIPS!

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 08:21 PM • comment (1) • trackback (0) • view …

That's some balls ... or something ...

Today, the New York Post published a picture of a woman jumping to her death off a 24-story building.

You know, I could understand publishing the pictures of people jumping out of the Twin Towers, because I'd like to think that they did what they did out of hope that someone somehow would save them. But to capture someone's pain like that and broadcast it to the world? That's not even art, for Chrissake.

(Link courtesy of Romenesko.)

Broad • 12:25 PM • comment (2) • trackback (0) • view …

March 08, 2004

Walking that fine line

As if my normal anxieties about money and feeding myself haven't been weighing on me enough, they've been furthered by the harrowing tale of Dooce, who, if you're not reading her, you need to, because she's freakin' hilarious. But long story short, she got canned from her job because of her personal blog.

Wait ... what!??

<

Broad • 02:15 PM • trackback (0) •

February 25, 2004

Just don't get in Katie's angle.