First Friday - June 2009

I Hate Canton doesn't want everybody to think we are all work and no play! Here's a press release we received this afternoon from First Friday. And no! First Friday will never be a Village Idiot!


June FIRST FRIDAY – Jumpin’ June!
Friday, June 5, 2009 6-10 p.m.
Canton’s Downtown Arts District

Jumpin’ June!

Swing dancing, Sword fighting, Clydesdales, Cameras and of course, Jump ropes. June 5th will be jumping with an eclectic mix of live music, new art, dance, drama and the debut of a premiere photography gallery in downtown Canton at this month’s First Friday celebration.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will parade through the Arts District to deliver cases of brew to the downtown restaurants. Finishing up their route, they’ll be primed for pictures and adoration on the Kresge Green Space until 8:00 p.m. The equine beauties will be sharing the landscape with members of the Society for Creative Anachronism demonstrating spinning, weaving and sword fighting. This group will also be doing medieval
dance.

The Canton Ballet will be performing at 6:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center for the Arts (1001 Market Avenue North), as part of First Stop First Friday at the Canton Museum of Art and About Magazine, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Want more dancing? Live music by the Hep Cat Revival and lessons with Get Hep Swing will set the stage at the Metropolitan Centre Ballroom (601 Cleveland Ave NW), while other folks may be dancing in the streets on 4th with bands The Most Beautiful Losers, The Hazematics and Darling Czar. A troupe from Living Fountain Dance
Company will be performing all around the Arts District, throughout the evening.

And what about the jump roping? Well, the Blue Twisters, a competitive jump rope team from Lake YMCA will be at Court and 4th at 7:45 p.m.. But if you want to actually participate, free jump ropes will be given out by the Aultman Wellness on Wheels van for a jump rope competition beginning at 7:00 p.m. Do this and then walk in the Art Street Parade, led by the Arts Academy at Summit School band, stepping off at Court Avenue and 6th at 7:30 p.m.

The grand opening of the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography (520 Cleveland Avenue North) will surely delight arts as, well as architecture aficionados, who will be stunned by the collection of proprietor Timothy Belden and the restoration of the 13,000 square foot gallery space to display historical, modern and socially significant photographic images.

Second April Galerie and Studios (324 Cleveland Ave N.) will also host a photography show, “The View from Here,” featuring the work of E. Bruce Lee. Sculptor Chris Wurst will be at Sarafina (208 Court Ave) and the students of Canton Montessori will be working with welding artist Joseph Close and having their work displayed at Anderson Creative (333 Cleveland Ave. N.).

Then, there’s the Poetry Showcase, the Canton Idol Singers, the Speed Cup Stacking Challenge and the “Fur Friday” events featuring artists Lynn Digby, Sue Steiner, and Vicki Boatright doing demos and featuring critters (some live!) as models and muses.

And, live music, great restaurants, and fun for everyone. Up-to-the-minute information and the full program map for all of the music, art, and dining events for June 5 – Jumpin’ June! is available at the official First Friday website:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.cantonfirstfriday.com.

First Friday is sponsored by the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District in cooperation with ArtsinStark, the County Arts Council.
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Village Idiot of the Day, May 30. 2009: Gwen, Wilda, hvalentine, rjlindower

Yesterday, Reppies got their flags in a bunch.

While the Pledge story still generates comments (see yesterday's Idiot Award) most patriots have moved on to the Football Hall of Fame's faux pas of placing the Canadian "flag" over the US "flag" in a display at Fawcett Stadium for the upcoming Junior World Football Championships. Former Marine Upset Over Flag Display at Fawcett Stadium. We use quotes since there is a battle of dictionaries going on over the difference between a flag and a banner.

A little background:

Former Marine (if there is such a thing) Robert Harris, popped the veins in his leatherneck when he saw the flag display, claiming US flag protocol demands that the US flag fly above any other flags. Well, he's right. It's fun, then, to read the spin coming out of the Canton City Schools, the Football Hall of Fame, the Canton Chamber of Commerce, and the tournament directors who all claim the flags are really banners and that their placement indicates ranking: the US ranks #2, below#1 Canada.

This explanation sounds reasonable. A surprising number of comments are sane and rational. Our local conspiracy fans, of course, see nothing "innocent" about what's happened at the stadium. Yes, indeed, there is a deep, dire conspiracy afoot in Canton to turn over the US people to socialists, if not the UN. And television doesn't' help any!

Gwen for instance, would make a John Bircher blush:

GWEN
Begin from a family of military veterans from the Army, Navy, & Marine Corps; I understand the angst that is felt when disrespect is shown to the American flag.

-- But friends, a New World Order has been calculated and is being set before us. In this new world order, neither America nor the 'Star Spangled Banner' will hold their place of prominence as icons of BRAVERY and FREEDOM. The strong-arm of the world's power elite is swiftly 'spreading the wealth and the prominence' of America until she is subjugated and equal to the rest of the world.

-- The improper display of the American flag is the least of our coming troubles...but while we still have the FREEDOM speech...we should exercise that FREEDOM!

-- BOTTOMLINE: FIX IT!!!

Wilda, follows up her bbf Gwen:

Wilda
I see it comming. Look what they are teaching our little children. They have taken History out ot the History books. They remove the Flag from sight so as not to 'OFFEND',,, so what is taught. The American Flag is not important. I agree one day you will be saluting the UN Flag. This generation dosn't even know what the Flag means, how to fly it, or take it down. Just ask any senior in high school.

It's getting that you are not permitted to even fly the Flag, or display it. Just ask that poor family that had the service flag in their window. Or a community that tells you to take a flag down.

I'm glad this fellow followed through, good for you.

hvalentine, hints that the the solution to bad flag management is the draft, and puts the blame on...mainstream media anti-flag indoctrination. Unfortunately, Mr/Ms Valentine offers no examples of media malfeasance other than to complain about lazy-asses watching MTV and American Idol instead of studying proper flag management at night. No doubt it will will take much effort to bring today's youth into line. Here on the right, for example we see an out-of patience patriot lecturing a layabout youth in a baseball cap about the true meaning of Old Glory and how to show it proper respect.

hvalentine
Unfortunately this is what happens when barely 5% of our nations population serves in the Armed Forces. Due to our poor excuse for a Public Education System, the remaining 95% will never get to truly appreciate this country! They'll never know their civic duty, they'll never know the importance of honor, integrity, respect, and perseverance! So how can we expect the average, dumbed-down, mainstream media-indoctrinated, 'Joe The Citizen' to understand the proper US Flag etiquette/protocol? Or even care for that matter? They're all busy watching American Idol and MTV while the remaining 5% (Vets and those currently serving) are watching this county fall further into debt and closer to Socialism!

rjlindowe pours us a chaser with his brilliant precis:

rjlindower
Better get used to it! By the time President Hussein is done the UN flag will prevail.

I Hate Canton remembers an episode of X Files in which World War 3 (or the end of the world, same thing) was scheduled to be launched from Canton. We were fascinated by this prospect since we had been convinced for years that Canton was already the gateway to hell. We knew several locals that would be more than happy to push the button, and were held breathless wondering if we were personally acquainted with this important person. But times change, and today more peaceful means are more appropriate for mischief, especially since the US military is everywhere else but home (which, might actually be a good thing for us, though bad for everyone else).

Instead, now Canton, jammed with loyal and local Obamanics, stands poised to turn their fair city and country over to their Messiah and UN Anti-Christ, Barrak Obama while everybody else is watching American Idol.

We are forever grateful to this steadfastly loyal freshman class of Village Idiots. For vigilance in unearthing the local conspiracy to destroy America, I Hate Canton announces the following Village Idiot of the Day, May 30 Awards to :

First Place (tie): Gwen and Wilda (Please tag team more often, girls!)
Second Place: hvalentine
Honorable Mention: rjlindower

We hope to see you back soon! We hope, also, that our winners take their fight forward. Here are some targets they may want to consider:

The anti-Obama site: Obama WTF

Sexy bastards

Returning soldiers

3D movie fans

Sleepers

And our favorite. Can anything say it better than this?

Village Idiot of the Day, May 29, 2009: "Oberlin Schools Retain Ban on Pledge of Alligiance" and Sub-awards to Numerous Others in Thread

Sometimes you just know when an article is going to be trouble. For instance, as soon as I Hate Canton saw Oberlin Schools Retain Ban on Pledge of Allegiance, we said to ourself, Nellie, bar the door!

The Oberlin School Board has decided to ban the Pledge in classrooms. Some parents don't like "under God," another family has children with dual citizenship and doesn't like them pledging fealty to the US. Oberlin School Superintendent Geoffrey Andrews offered a compromise that would have allowed the pledge to be read over school public address systems a few times a month without the words “under God,”included. Naturally, that didn't fly (no pun intended), and was defeated by a 3-2 vote earlier this week. (No date given in the story)

Back in the day, I Hate Canton spent a lot of time deadbeating in Oberlin mainly with Wobblies, Chicano organizers, writers, and a few libertarian-type academics. Oberlin was real town/gown, and we'd be surprised back then,that such an idea would have ever taken hold. The townies were ill-read provincials and the gownies were over-educated Marxists, who our crowd, in kinder moments, considered "misguided" and a drain on our energy, though they tended to throw good potluck Sunday brunches we were all too happy to mooch. Outside the confines of the college, townies ruled. Maybe not now.

But whatever is going on up there, it sure got our own local yokels hetted up.

We are giving out our award differently today since there are so many worthy recipients expostulating on the subject of flag saluting in so many ways.

First, we give the full Daily Village Idiot Award for May, 30, 2009 to the entire thread: Oberlin Schools Retain Ban on Pledge of Allegiance.

Under sub categories we award the following:

To those who believe that God created the United States as His personal bailiwick and couldn't care less about the rest of the world, THE GOD IS AN AMERICAN AWARD goes to:

First Place: mom1989
....and you wonder why the world is like is...we all could use GOD in our everyday lives, and most of us NEED THE FEAR OF GOD!!!!

Second Place: JFenno

If God must leave our country then why should anyone stay? Most of all, why should anyone of us continue to support a government devoid of God?

##########

To those who believe that liberals are traitors, ACLU communists, and US hating reprobates, the LIBERALS HATE THE FLAG AWARD goes to:

Honorable Mention (tie): mustangman
Cut off all their state funds and see how long it takes the un-Americans to change their tune. The devil has a stranglehold on this country and you can thank idiots like these along with the ACLU

Honorable Mention (tie) : taxedtoomuch (NOTE: also opposes school levies)
The liberals have gained control of this country. GOD help us all! This really makes me ashamed when my country is disavowing its origins.

Honorable Mention: bbg7600
As long as we keep creeps like this school board in government positions we'll have a lot more to worry about in a decade or 2. We'll be saying the pledge to the flag of China. By the way, it won't be a choice then

##########

Our tried and true favorite category, the AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT AWARD, with special props today for Dutch Haters, we give to:

First Place: ottertk1
In someone refuses to pledge allegiance to this country in the manner in which Congress has declared, then they should be reported to the Department of Homeland Security. They are truely a risk to the security of this nation. This has nothing to do with religion, but swearing allegiance to a nation. Meaning that you would be willing to lay down your life in defense of it.

Second Place (tie): Mandim
If 'little Miss or Mr. Dutch' do not want to pledge to the country that is educating their children, then GO HOME!!! WHO THE HECK NEEDS THESE TYPES OF FOREIGNERS; they are probably not paying any income tax/property taxes/school levy taxes anyway. This just infuriates me; especially after viewing the Memorial Day program on television that made me swell with pride over America and its dedicated men and women of the armed forces, of which SOME, gave their lives so that WE, as Americans can say the Pledge ANY TIME & ANY WHERE WE WISH!!! Those who have given their lives for this country BELIEVED IN THE WORDS ''ONE NATION, UNDER GOD'!!! I'm sure those legislators who wrote and added the words were NOT HIGH SCHOOL DROP-OUTS but very educated individuals. Kudos to Paula Jones who wants the pledge said every day WITH the correct wording. She should be given a permanent position on the Board of Education!!!!! As for the Principal that suggested this 'change' , I think a replacement is in order!!! Perhaps if there were more 'God-fearing' people around, Canton wouldn't have witnessed yet another fatal shooting situation. (love that zero crime tolerance policy) WAKE UP PEOPLE. I, personally, think prayers should be brought back into the school system, JUST ON GENERAL PRINCIPLE as a form of sheer discipline, respect and respect for others. I AM MAD ABOUT THIS AND EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE JUST AS UPSET

Second Place (tie) Frank Manello
So if the school doesn't want to pledge your allegiance to our country, what country do they pledge allegiance to? How far left is left enough for these idiots? As for the Dutch family; go ride a windmill. They would be speaking German if it weren't for the good old USA. Take your wooden shoes and go home.

Third Place: mom1989

Ottertk1-I TOTALLY AGREE!

We all have the FREEDOM to choose, but we have that FREEDOM because we live in the U.S.A. The pledge is not asking you to WORSHIP anything. We should all be thankful that we have this right, because if we lived in any other nation you would be told that you have to WORSHIP the flag/nation or you would suffer consequences. It is a PRIVILEGE to be an AMERICAN. We hand out citizenship/passports like it's candy, and that's the problem. If you choose to live in AMERICA, you should say the pledge with PRIDE and fly the AMERICAN FLAG with pride. It's a choice, if you don't like it go somewhere else where you have more FREEDOMS, then let us all know where that is.

Honorable Mention: Plano Mark

I pledge allegiance to this flag

And if that bothers you, well kiss my backside and then leave the country.

##########

Now a very special award for antiquarians who specialize in rousing yet archaic political rhetoric without a clue to the meaning of the phrase they are adopting for modern discussion. Our first JOHANN MOST MEMORIAL ARCHIAC OVER-STATED BLATHER AWARD goes to hopeforchange for appropriating "bloody butcher's apron " the term Scots used for the Union Jack that was once flown in Scottish courtrooms. This award will probably be reserved for the lefties our Reppies hate so much. There is no doubt a appropriate model for conservative commenters who suffer from the same malady. We hate to use William Jennings Bryan, so we shall look around for a more suitable model. Father Coughlin perhaps?

First Place: hopeforchange
I refuse to say the statist pledge or to fly the butchers apron. The America I could be proud of vanished long ago. Do you know that the Pledge was first introduced by socialist Francis Bellamy in the 1880's? Until the early 1900's most school rooms did not have a flag. People felt more patriotic to the Constitution and Bill of Rights than a piece of cloth. Until the late 1930's government school children said the Pledge with palm and arm thrust out in the fascist salute. I guess the early progressives were successful in changing the meaning of America from individual liberty and freedom, to worship of the state. Instead of telling those of us who long for a return to the American ideals of liberty and peace to leave the country, why dont you leave, and give us our country back. PS - Take your creepy Pledge with you.

##########

I Hate Canton salutes all our winners today. What would America be without you!

.

Village Idiot of the Day, May 28, 2009: Big Al Carter

I Hate Canton is still out of town visiting one of America's more-dangerous-than-the-Green Zone-sinkholes that dsteelman1 warned us about the other day. No one has lobbed a bomb or taken a potshot at us yet, but we'll be here for another 7 hours so there's still time.

Being here on business, we haven't had a lot of time to peruse the Repository, but this article caught our eye: Portage County Dispatcher Kills Daughter, Self , the tragic account of Melisa Hall, 29, a dispatcher for the Garrettsville-Freedom-Nelson Fire Department who killed her 2-year old daughter, Naysa, and then herself.

Now, any sane person feels only sadness about this case. Not so, with Octopuppet entity Big Al Carter, of course. "Big Al" (does the real Big Al Carter now is name is being taken in vain?) finds the murder of a toddler and suicide of her mother a great opportunity to attack Mary Parker (who she codes as MRDD due to Mary's involvement with it) and blame I Hate Canton for the deaths. We know! We know!

If Octo thinks this will garner support for it from anyone, even multiple awarded Village Idiots (real people, not the people who live inside its head), it's more gone than we thought.

Thank you for the abuse report. We will review the report and take appropriate action.

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BigAlCarter

Although I don't see how the two could be connected, but do any of you think the passage of the MRDD levy had anything to do with this tragic situation. Or is it possible that this lady was a big fan of Canton and when she found out about the new hate filled Canton websites springing up on the internet, maybe she just went over the edge? Sad situation here and even sadder if either of these two scenarios possibly contributed in any way to the tradegy.

We really hate to give official recognition to OP and its friends, but...for stupidity, vileness, and sheer, insensitivity (we hate that word, but in this case it fits) beyond the call of duty, we hereby grant Octopuppet personality Big Al Carter the May 28 Village Idiot of the Day Award.

And no, it has no shame!

Update: Comments on the article were disabled this morning. We don't know when, but I check around 11:45 and they were gone. We figured that would happen. How many comments has our resident disturbo shut down?

Blast from Canton's Past: Arnold Gets a (Naughty Word Bot)!

I Hate Canton is in one of those large population centers of America than are more dangerous that Baghdad-- as we discussed this morning. It's so dangerous we spent about 2 hours walking around in the twilight and dark daring crooks, muggers, rapists and killers to approach. Unfortunately, the only danger was a teenage female panhandler who sort of mumbled something and kept on walking. Too bad I didn't have my AK 47 to blow her away. Canton made me do it! We had so much fun, we may go out again tonight.

Anyway, I'm going to be tied up a good part of tomorrow, so instead of worrying about idiots, I thought I'd post this Canton video the California Governator getting a very special gift in Canton.



Posted on YouTube:

his video is from about 1992. Arnold Schwarzenegger was in Canton, OH encouraging exercise, and other healthy lifestyles for a program, and at the end of the week there was an award ceremony where he was given a "clock" ...except that's not what was on this poor lady's mind when she gave him the award.

Village Idiot of the Day: May 26, 2009: dsteelman1 and Nathan Jessep

A soon as we saw this letter, we knew there'd be trouble. Sure 'nuf! Though Letters: Deaths of Civililans are an Unfortunate Part of War hasn't gathered the troops yet, there's enough here to make it into yesterday's winner's circle. There may be other worthy candidates, but I Hate Canton is booked up today so we are making an early morning summary judgment.

Unfortunately, it's another neck n neck between an octopup personality and a real live person. Our resident octopuppet military expert (Col) Nathan Jessep late of A Few Good Men:

Nathan Jessep
I'm all for dropping the bomb on some of these backward countries. Sure there would some negative views from the rest of the world, but who cares. Pull our boys out, let things simmer slowly to a boil then lay the egg. Those people have hated us from day one. Nothing but jealousy. Wouldn't you be? Having to live in huts that the homeless population in the US wouldn't be seen in, living under such oppression.. Drop the bomb. One on Iraq and one in Afghanastan. Bulid a few more bombs for any other country who's name ends with a -stan. Hey, when the japs attacked us in 45, we did it right. It didn't take much to settle those folks down. And look at them now, a thriving success in the world economic stage. Where do you think all of the Plasma TV's and PlayStations come from - Pakistan? We brought them out of the dark ages when we gave them some good old American whoop-**s. Let's help these creeps advance their culture a bit by giving them a restart.

and real person (as far as we know) dsteelman1, who finds the streets of "the large population centers of America" (does that include Canton?) as dangerous as Bahgdad's Green Zone. Since I Hate Canton is heading out today for one of those "large population centers" we'll let him know when we return. If we return. Not only does Mr. Steelman want the US to police the rest of the world of "scum" he wants the government to start experimenting on domestic scum to get it right for the annihilation of the rest of the world's scum (definition to be determined).

dsteelman1
BDA , in our 'urban warfare lands ' here in America , the touchy feely , win their hearts and minds has been tried for the past 40 years .

I dont think the large population centers of America are any safer than Iraq. Maybe people dont bomb things but drive bys and thuggery are much larger here I believe.

So after 40 years of being all touchy feely , oh you poor poor criminal, Im sorry your mom was a ho and your dads in prison, we'll give you probation and free this and that if you promise to mend your ways. We are where we are now, most cities in America are uninhabitable IMHO due to crime .

Maybe we could try the shock and awe on the scum of America first see if it works , then export it to the rest of the dump , crime infested parts of the world.

It's a tough choice.

We tended first to grant a joint Grand Prize, but on second thought....Octopuppet's sole purpose is to provoke, bring attention to itself, and destroy discussion threads. dssteelman1 is stating his allegedly real opinion or a reasonable facsimile.

So, we are happy to award dsteelman1 the May 26, 2009 Villiage Idiot Grand Prize for heroic eugenics through imperialism.

Nathan Jessep gets an Honorable Mention only because it's an entity.

Charita Hits a Homer!

Charita Gosha hit a home run today with Closing of Rite Aid is Another Page in Neighborhood's Sad Saga about the destruction of a once vibrant area of Canton:

In any given community, when the number of poor and transient residents increases, and the number of homeowners and active voters declines, such neighborhoods tend to tumble to the bottom of a city’s priorities. Ailing and neglected neighborhoods can transform cities into “doughnuts.”

In the minds of many people, the obvious solution is jobs. It certainly can’t be denied that the factories and plants that once offered a future and a way into middle-class respectability helped keep this city awash in people and tax revenue.

But what’s happened to the Belden Avenue area over the last 20 years goes deeper than that. In the past, people didn’t use their poverty or unemployment as an excuse to debase themselves or their grandmothers’ neighborhoods.

This is the kind of truth in writing that should be cherished in Canton by Rep readers. Unfortunately, due to the naracissistic disruptive games of one person, comments have been disabled on the commentary. We can't blame the Rep, though (exactly) for cutting off the public. Who wants to trek through last weekend's moral swamp again?

I Hate Canton, however, would like to thank Charita for keeping the faith. You've got lots of fans and friends.

Village Idiot of the Day, May 24-25, 2009: Another Octopuppet Collective

I Hate Canton never did get around to posting Sunday's Village Idiot award. We remedy that situation now by joining Sunday and Monday's award (May 24 and 25) and sending it off with love to Octopuppet and the following people inside its head who made it all possible by trashing the now comment defunct Rite Aid's Closing is a Blow to Canton Neighborhood

meridithb48
mary
frawn leibowitz
octopuppet
swordfishavenger
octo****
demsndoes
snoozie
Julie S
Tom Dewey

Octopuppet Continues Destruction of Civil Discussion: Rite Aid Comments Pulled

I Hate Canton is not surprised that the Rep pulled all comments on the Rite Aid article. After all, the destruction of comment threads is the sole purpose of Octopuppet. That is its raison de entre, poor sad creature. We guess that it took so long for the Rep to take action because yesterday was Memorial Day and the paper was low-staffed.

WARNING TO REP: Octopuppet strikes when your defenses are weak. Man the ship on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Labor Day. and the Fourth of July. No day is too sacred for it to strike!

I Hate Canton has archived most of the offensive, demeaning, insulting, and hateful comments in the blog below this, and we have saved but the latest version of the article/comments itself, although not for publication here.

By the time I Hate Canton dragged itself out of bed this morning, we didn't find any new attacks. The Rep, in fact, had already run its sweep through the thread and removed nearly anything that either offended or mentioned IHC. Later in the day, all comments were nuked.

Apparently working under the belief that there is no such thing as bad publicity, Octopuppet, itself, posted IHC's link all over the Rep yesterday in an attempt to make IHC look like a blog whore. Let us assure you, dear readers, IHC has never and will never whore itself on the pages of the Rep. We leave that dubious distinction to the attention-craving Octo and its hydra pups. We're thrilled to get new readers, but don't want attention via Octopuppet.

We must admit amusement, though that Octo complained on the Rep that it is not allowed to post here. Imagine this, OC: I Hate Canton is a safe place. A place where those whom you have cyber bullied and abused and run off for years can post and share community. You can't reach your tentacles in here and destroy reputations and stir your pot of hate. Your attack yesterday on the deceased profoundly retarded son of regular poster Mary Parker should convinced anyone outside of the entities in your head, that you are toxic and destructive.

Killing all comments is the easy, but not right way to go. Killing access to the Rep by Octopuppet, as much as possible, is.

Octo, you were banned for life under the old regime at the Repository. You are banned for life from here, too.

Meltdown! Is There No Shame?

I Hate Canton was getting ready determine yesterday's Village Idiot when we opened up the paper and found the late night-early morning exchange in under Rite Aid's Closing is a Blow to Canton Neighborhood posted below. We are posting it before the Rep shuts it down, which is surely will. And quite honestly, we won't blame them. This abuse of Repository space and its readers simply cannot continue

I Hate Canton has always maintained that Octopuppet cannot be effectively controlled. This person posts under dozens of names. We understand that some entities have been banned and we congratulate Jeff Gauger for taking this action. Of course, as soon as "LeVar Burton" gets booted, "FYMP" shows up only to be replaced by "meridithb48." But now Octopuppet has pulled respected Rep reporter Gary Brown into its insane vendetta. We hope that Jeff Gauger and Kevin Kampman take a serious look at what's going on, and not continue to wash their hands of this muck.

Comments are a service to readers. We don't know for sure about the Rep, but for most newspapers they are the most popular feature. Comments are a grand marketplace of ideas. We love comments, and I Hate Canton believes there should be broad leaway in what is allowable. Gatehouse and the Repository have a set of pool rules that are reasonable and easy to abide for nearly everyone. With the exception of one person, no one to our knowledge objects to civility. The Rep, though has fallen down on the job.

I Hate Canton and plenty of others are sick and sickened by the spurious attacks on other commenters. These attacks aren't based on ideology or a simple difference of opinion that gets out of hand. That would be understandable. Unfortunately, one person, with a personal vendetta against certain commenters--one going back decades--has taken control of what seems to be the most popular Rep section.

Octopuppet's behavior is unacceptable, but so is the Rep's laizee faire treatment of its loyal readers who want nothing more than to be able to post their opinions without fear of lies, libel, character smears, and threats. It's bad journalism and its bad ethics.
We will continue to archive this through the day. We have also archived the entire thread.

BTW, thanks OP for posting the link here. Traffic has doubled and it's not even noon yet.

NOTE: Octopuppet has embraced itself and has begun to post under "octopuppet" making nice to Editor Gauger. BTW, OP, you've been real busy checking into IHC this morning, haven't you? 11hit so far!

meridithb48
All of you that use pen names go to I HATE CANTON.com. That weirdo lunch bunch thinks we are all the same person. Only a true sickie would create a website to put down posters on Canton Rep. If one does not care to eat lunch with the collective group of weirdos then they are an octopuppet, Now this group is dangerous.

MMoses
You leave my comment off, but you leave Shirleys. That is a sick way to run a newspaper!

scapegoat2
Al of you that use pen names go to I HATE CANTON.com. That weirdo lunch bunch thinks we are all the same person. Only a true sickie would create a website to put down posters on Canton Rep. If one does not care to eat lunch with the collective group of weirdos then they are an octopuppet, Now this group is dangerous.

I have to ask you a question since you seem to always want us to go to this website but never post the link......you seem to be an agent plugging for viewers. Are You the person who created this website?

RoseR
I could not find a website with that name. why don't you post a link?

Floomababy
Donna , whats up with the wide assed margin / neverland thingy?

Was you trying to give Mary Speer some extra room for her long assed thingy?

To all of yous that don't know any better....Canton is a product of it's self.

And nothing you all can do going to change that.

And to you racist back y'onder......white folks are not the only ones that seen the
eventual demise of Can Town and broke camp. A lot of black folk did too.

So basically, what you seee in Canton is the worst of the worst. Like our Pro teams for instants ;)

You reap what you sow.

I want the best for my home town, but yet I relish in it's demise...at times. For the way.......

saturn6
Floomababy;

Well, the only thing I can say is that basically your right. I can't make any comments about the person you refered to since I really don't know what was going on.

But, your comments now about canton is correct and right to the point. I used to come here back in 75 and Canton was a vibrant city in every way I could imagine. Most of the major industry moved out. i blame the city itself for that for not fostering a better business climate here. I don't know exactly what 'a better business climate is' to be honest either. You can only do so much!

I hate like hell to put this in racial terms. But, as far as breaking camp goes, well, whites are real good at that. I'm white and I hate with a passion what my race does. True, all races will do this, but white people can afford it a lot better than anyone else it seems.

As far as crime, drugs and things on that level, I consider it a form of survival. You got to do what you got to do to feed your family and in some cases your habit. This is how I look at it. And, this is the nitty gritty, no way to avoid it. Survival come before anything else.

There are people who think they can conqurer anything that comes there way. This is absoulute pure illusion. And anyone who thinks like that should see a shrink because this is not reality. There are way too many ways of hitting rock bottom. And, it don't take much either. Personally, I believe this is all in the draw of he cards, luck if you will. Most of this is contrived, manipulated and if your the unlucky sob that gets screwed your butt is out.

This is what this country is about, pure and simple!

mary v parker
Stop the madness 'Meridith40 names' You get almost every thread shut down because of your vile, vicious lies and nasty comments. Your cover has been blown for months You can change names every 15 minutes, but we'll still know it's you, You don't let any of us have any peace. Leave the lunch bunch alone. None of us bothers you. Please, just leave us alone. .You aren't going to turn people against us, just yourself

mary
I think alot of Stark Counties problems are now happening because of the MRDD levy passing. We are giving alot of money so the retarded and handicapped kids can get a good education.

Maybe one of these kids will graduate from MRDD and open up some drugstores in Cantons bad areas.

At least we are getting lucky and Fehlman and Miller are quitting soon. Too bad Miller couldnt have gotten sick earlier. Maybe then he wouldnt have put that crazy levy on the ballot. Well at least he's sick so at least I know God is on the job and punishing the sinners who caused our taxes to go up.

meridithb48
http://ihatecanton.blogspot.com/

There is the link. Go to it and see how all of you are being talked about on the web just because you dare post a commen. Ms. Parker for your information none of us know each other. What cover are you talking about? My question is why does the Rep keep allowing you to post comments? You never stay on the subject but concern yourself more with who is who. You must have the editor over a barrell.

MMoses--maybe your comment was removed because you were lying as usual.

meridithb48
MMOSES--stop the craziness. No one is after you. I remember a party at you house and you said Gary Brown's ex-wife was after you. I remember you saying to a large group of us your sister-in-law was trying to steal your paintings. I remember you telling us you were car-jacked and kidnapped. I remember lies for 50 years. When will you stop. Van Gogh was mad also.

scapegoat2
Thank you for the link......I enjoyed it very much. Kudos.....to the website
meridithb48
M Parker and MMoses--quit threatening people. How dare you. Every poster has the same right as you to post comments. I thought threats were against the Repository rules?

MMoses
Donna, great comment! You are one great lady and pretty darn brave. You are always welcome in my corner. I haven't posted for a long time due to the abuser on this forum, although now I have some REAL protection and will not give in to this nut case that has tried to ruin many lives with their jealousy, hate, and outright obnoxious postings. I really wish these multible personalities would reailize what the heck they are doing and get some help . There is another life out there for the very ,very sick. See a professional! The police even know this is a multi-personality disorder. Why doesn't the rep?

Black Dahlia Avenger
The only people 'being talked about' on I Hate Canton are the LOONIES like Octopuppet. Oh, and by the way meridithb48, you're not Meridith Baxter Birney or some other movie star. So don't flatter yourself by thinking that people would want to spend all their time 'talking about' you.

Black Dahlia Avenger
To answer your question about the comments with racial overtones, theme19: you asked for it, here you go. Here's a few racist ditties for you from this thread:

'genie--the scum are their own kids. That is why it will never end..'

'You notice they are not stealing a lot of condoms from there.Hair straightener and lotion , so they can be successful in their reproduction efforts.'

'What they need is mothers and fathers to raise children ( married ) not grand mothers !'

'I don't feel sorry for people who sit around all day and collect welfare checks.'


The only thing they need to complete this ensemble is the 'N-word'.

mary v parker
Boy MERIDITH, you're really trying hard to get the comments on this shut down aren't you? Do you ever sleep?

mary v parker

WHY'S EVERYBODY ALWAYS PICKIN ON ME' lol

meridithb48
Black Dalia Avenger aka Don Cirelli--you take your name from a murder novel. How charming.

Marley Greiner

Stop getting threads shut down on the Rep, 'meridithb48' or whatever you want to call yourself today.

90% of the problems on Comments are started by one person full of racist spleen and a vendetta against other posters. And we know who that person is. One person has turned Rep Comments into a zoo. 'This is simply a forum for opinion and discussion.--a customer service of the Rep. This service does not give carte blanche for abuse. The vast majority of people here get along with each other, even when angry words are spoken. Why wouldn't they get along? . Even in politics, most of the time when the office closes for the day, 'enemies' can go out and have a drink. I do it all the time. The pages of a newspaper should not be the playground of the dysfunctional and angry. Too many good people are hurt here by one person. I have no idea how to control or stop this abuse short of a total revamping of comments or total shutdown. Your recent attack on MMoses is inexcusable. I hope other readers here see you for what you are. Have you no shame?

mary v parker

Meridith, where and when did Marcia or myself threaten you or anyone else for that matter? That's a serious accusation, and you know what the rep does to people who threaten other's. Please point out a threat.

dsteelman1

Getting onto the ihatecantons website is my new mission.

Thanks for the link meredith.

Heaven frobid anyone speak the truth. Its the only reason people 'hate' on others , they dont like the truth.

Maybe it hits too close to home??

meridithb48

If anyone gets threads shut down it is Mrs. Parker and gang. They ALWAYS go off topic and get personal and that is why the treads get shut down. Stay on topic and there will be no problem. I think Moses was very threatening in her remarks against whoever. She has protection. Does that mean a gun? Mrley--keep up--Moses was the first to start accusing. Quit defening your little clones. AHA the rep can read these comments in the exact order they are written and she who the troblemakers are.

past7971

Black Dahlia Avenger--With the possible execption of the hair straightener comment, I think YOU are the one trying to turn this into a race issue. As far as the word scum, on welfare checks or kids not be properly raised by their parents---I have a news flash for you, that can describe any nationality, race, creed or gender. If it makes you feel better, i known plenty of 'white-trash' that fit those descriptions. Can you honestly deny that this area is in trouble and needs something done about it??? I believe that is what is being talked about. here.

RoseR

I went to the website.....it was all rather Deja Vu. Like I had already read the comments before.

I rather enjoyed the pictures.

meridithb48

http://ihatecanton.blogspot.com/

meridithb48

http://ihatecanton.blogspot.com/

meridithb48

dsteelman1--the prob with them is they think only their little group should be allowed to post comments under their rules not the newspapers. They have gotten away with this crap for years. The rep needs to get rid of them. Parker, Marley. Black Dalia aka Don Cirelli, Moses. All troublemakers.

http://ihatecanton.blogspot.com/

mary v parker

Oh come on Meridith, aka................ You know what she meant by protection. You want all your business out here? I don't think so. I stayed off of comments for a week, two weeks ago. I read, but didn't write. Stories were being shut down left and right, who was at fault then? DUH? Why do you keep flagging our comments and leaving your irrational ones on? That's why we're trying not to flag yours.

mary v parker
I get threads shut down for not staying on topic? Why were you talking about Gary Brown and things that Marcia supposedly told you? Me thinks that was way off topic, as are most of your comments on here. This story is not about me or Marcia, yet that's what you're writing about. Why not just let others enjoy the story and post their comments. Stop the dribble, Stop the Madness. Let it go. Please stay on topic. We see what you're trying to do. It's not nice, nor is it amusing. It's Memorial Day. Think about the deceased, and get off the backs of the living. Have a cookout with your family or something.

meridithb48

Mrs Parker--everyone was posting on the subject until that Moses person came on sounding like a thug and talking crazy stuff and telling people she had protection. Sounds like threats to the rest of us. Also, you are not the boss of the comment section. You have no business telling people when they post and when they cannot. Maybe you need to kneel inparayer and ask God to forgive you for telling lies and starting problems with your friends.

fawn leibowitz
my neice worked at this store and boy could I tell you some stories. she said some old hag used to come in all the time with her ugly daughter and would keep pointing to stuff and saying my dead son used to use this , my dead son used to use that. my neice said this would go on for hours until they had to have security remove her from the building.

the old hag would come up to people and butt into their conversations and get everyone off-topic. sometimes she was so nasty with her points she got everyone kicked out and the conversations were permanently halted.

if anybody there tried to talk sense to her, she would threaten to call the Repository and tell JG on them. Like he really gives two ships what she thinks. i used to think maybe he pretended to care but maybe now with her vile and vicious mouthpiece of an anti-canton talkbox in place, he will finally tell her to hit the road and block her chat access.

iI'll bet his call screener has a field day with her and the looney patrol. she always said she hated canton and would someday tell the world of her side of the story. i guess she has.

if i recall the old hags name is something like Vanessa del Rio or something like that.

mary v parker
Again Sh.. Meridith, Where and when have I ever told people when or when not to post? Point it out for me and the readers. You're the one trying to be a rep bully. Give it a break please. Let the people who just want to read and comment do it without having to read all of this PERSONAL DISLIKE GARBAGE. Don't ruin this for everyone. They are not interested in your personal vendettas.

Take a break and enjoy the day.

octopuppet
I believe in the Repository and what they are doing. Times are tough right now and you can't just take your local newspaper for granted. Jeff Gauger is a great steward and is doing what he feels is necessary to keep the Rep in business.

Instead of bashing him and constantly telling people to call him whenever the mood strikes, you all might want to consider thanking him for keeping Cantons' best source of news afloat.

Jeff, I thank you for allowing people with all sorts of viewpoints to comment on the message boards.

Frank Manello

I checked out the I hate Canton site. I'm curious why it says they long for the days when people posted under their real names. I didn't see any real names on the site, and I don't see many real names in this thread. Am I missing something or is octopuppet a real name?

Black Dahlia Avenger
I got news for ya, Mrs. Twinkie, or 'meredith' or whoever else you want to be this week: I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I'm here to stay, sweet cheeks, whether you like it or not. And if you don't like it, that's even better. If you somehow feel 'threatened' by the presence of rational people on cantonrep, there's a simple solution to your quandry: GO AWAY.

We know you won't do that, though. You actually love to stir up crap with people. Then you play the 'poor little victim'. Everybody's picking on the big fat woman with the big fat mouth. Too bad for you. Have another cigarette and another pint of Old Grandad. You'll feel better.

harasxlacidar
Thank you Fawn for your oh so enjoyable comment. No thread is ever complete without some silly story that no one in 100 years will ever believe.
This thread has gotten so out of control, I can't even comment on it.
Happy Memorial Day everyone! Give thanks to those who've served this country instead of arguing online!!

saturn6
I think the Rep should be doing something about all this mutual society hate bashing going on around here.

The Rep should totally close this blog down and make everyone, I mean everyone, re-register and make them use their real names, maybe include phone numbers and addresses with their screen name. Maybe this would stop all the trash that is getting thrown around here.

At least with this method, if someone did call and harass you, you can easily file a harassement charge with the police and trace their phones and have them taken to court on hassment changes. True, most people have their phone numbers blocked, but once you get the police involved, the phone companies must by law have these phone records and times they called in their database. The courts don't take lightly to phone harassement and cyber bullying too well at all.

But, knowing the Rep, since they keep publishing all this real radical trashy articles that people comment on anyway, they probabaly won't stop a 'good thing'. Nothing like a lot of contrversay to boost subscribers and keep everyone at each others throats!.

We ought to rename the Rep to The Enquirer or the Star. Its gotten that bad, especially in this Blog!

swordfishavenger

I totally agree with octopuppet !!

I totally agree with octopuppet !!

octo****
I totally agree with swordfishavenger! I don't agree with that dirty mouth Black Dalia or that MMoses who threatens people with HER protection. Mr. Gauger sure should stop that type of stuff.

swordfishavenger
Being a new commentor here. i must admit i am some what appalled at the comments of the black dahlia avenger , i hope those kind of attacks are not common place here . I don't have the heart to report the abuse though.

Village Idiot of the Day, May 23, 2009: meridithb48, demsndoes, snoozie, Julie S, mary, and Tom Dewey (an Octopuppet Collective)

Octopuppet spewed a viral orgasm yesterday over on Rite-Aid's Closing is a Blow-to Canton Neighborhood, a piece on the company's decision to close its E. Tusc store, the site of the original Schuman's Drugs. The closing leaves the 4th Ward not only drugstoreless but virtually storeless. The article includes many statements from local residents, some of them elderly residents at Girard Gardens, without transportation, and stranded. Being Canton, this in itself is not seen as problem. Take some initiative folks. Get a job. Buy a car. Drive to the other side of town or North Canton! Get Davies to deliver your drugs...oops, maybe they won't go down your scary street. Or in a pinch, pick up your prescriptions from your local dealer. Hmmmm, we wonder what the price is for street insulin.

Ward 4 resident and activist Donna Whelan's point that nobody votes down there is well taken, and I Hate Canton acknowledges that this is part of the problem that needs fixed. Unfortunately absentee slumlords are barely brought up.

Still, that an entire ward has been abandoned by the city and is virtually bereft of commercial services is not acknowledged as particularly odd by our Reppies. What can you expect from the people who live there, they yowl. After all, if people in the 4th Ward don't shoot it out at the OK Corral with the local thug element, it's their own fault they can't get their Proventil, Tagamet, and Premarin, and Paxil. And who in Ward 4 doesn't need a daily diet of of Paxil to get through the day--especially if they read Rep comments about their neighborhood?

The Octopuppet hydra led the charge against the abandoned (6...count'em...6):

meridithb48

They should have closed years ago. Why stay in the GHETTO where criminals feed off you daily. If the folks there would have raised they kids to be decent citizens and not druggies, gunnies and hoes maybe they could still have the priviledge of a drug store.

meridithb48
genie--the scum are their own kids. That is why it will never end..

demsndoes
The police are outnumbered a 100 /1 by scum and their supporters .And if the police don't approach them with flowers and candy the abuse allegations and law suits start flying.

snoozie
Sounds like these people in the picture haven't done squat for that ghetto area.

JulieS
Gee, maybe if the area wasn't such a crime ridden dump, they would stay. Get a job, get a car, and drive to another store...

mary
Now that the MRDD levy passed, I think you are going to see many more places shut down in Stark County. The taxpayers don't have any extra money to shop at these stores.

demsndoes
You notice they are not stealing a lot of condoms from there.Hair straightener and lotion , so they can be successful in their reproduction efforts.

Tom Dewey

mary spear:
Of course the Belden area is rundown exactly BECAUSE of the people living there! It is not the city's responsibilty to paint your house, mow your lawn, raise your kids, find you a job, and have a drug store on your block! Enough of this victimization crap! Take responsiblity and place the blame on the individuals causing the problems!

There is and has been more money than ever funding education, social programs, and rehabilitation programs and things continue to get worse. BLAME the people that are NOT contributing to the greater good of society. They are a cancer that destroys everything they touch. These cancers DO NOT respect the contributing, law abiding citizenry, so why continue to enable their behavior? NO more execuses for them, history has proven this is a failing proposition.
In a short time, every city neighborhood will be just like the Belden area.

I Hate Canton finds it hard to believe that John Saxton would approve of these shennighans and even lowlife mayors like EE Curtis must be spinning that Canton would be maligned in this manner.

There is no choice but to honor Octopuppet entities meridithb48, demsndoes, snoozie, Julie S, mary, and Tom Dewey as the collective Village Idiot for May 22, 2009.

RIP Michael Golden

I Hate Canton was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Michael Golden. Mr. Golden was a long-time contributor to the "old" Rep comments. He was always civil and always a gentleman. We are sure that he and our other late civil opinionist and gentleman Wendell Edwards are reading the Rep in the hereafter and shaking their heads at what passes today for "discourse."

Congratulations! Rep Takes a Bushel of AP Awards

Rumors to the contrary, I Hate Canton, does not hate the Canton Repository Just the opposite. Our mission statement is clear:

We just hate the ignorant, racist, sexist, war-mongering bullies who have taken over the "comments" of our beloved hometown newspaper, The Canton Repository.

I Hate Canton has been greatly remiss, however, in not congratulating the Rep sooner for the bushel of awards it collected recently from the Associated Press Society of Ohio. The Rep reported the awards in May 3 in Ohio AP Selects the Repository as Top Paper in its Class:

The Repository took home first place in general excellence for newspapers with daily circulations between 25,000 and 74,999 at the annual awards banquet Sunday in Columbus.

Overall, The Repository captured 16 other first-place awards, led by staff writer Kelli Young with three individual honors. Young took first place in explanatory reporting for her article on the county 911 emergency phone system, and in community service for her “Color of Stark” series on race relations. She also was named best news writer...The Repository and its staff also garnered 21 second-place, third-place and honorable mention awards in the contest.

A complete list of state-wide winners in included in the article.

We were pleased that Kelli Young picked up 3 awards including best news writer. Her “Color of Stark” series on race relations upset more local cranks than bees at a wedding.

We were especially happy to see that Charita Goshay placing first for best columnist. Goshay has given us consistently excellent commentary and stood up to local racist bullies who can't stand the idea that an uppity black woman (double whammy) has a public forum. Why after all, it's her, not them, who's the racist. We love ya, Charita. Keep on keepin on!

Our only gripe with the AP is that it didn't honor Jim Hillibish, the institutional history of the Rep and the City of Canton, though Jim may be too modest to admit it. I Hate Canton has known Jim for decades. He's a greater reporter...and a damned good cook!