Rep Returns Comments

Comments went back up on the Rep this morning sometime after 9:00. Jeff Gauger made a small announcement on his blog with no indication if the "robust" changes he mentioned earlier, were effect, or if there had just been a hiatus. That's OK with I Hate Canton. The less the public knows about how the Rep is patrolling Comments, the less chance certain trolls will have of breaking in.

It's only been a couple hours. So far. So good. Only time will tell, though.

Vandals Shut Down Rep Comments

As you undoubtedly know, Friday night Repository executive editor Jeff Gauger pulled all Rep comments until Monday. Jeff posted on his blog at 6:21 PM:

I’m out of other options for dealing with digital vandals during our more lightly staffed periods, especially on weekends, until we are given an appropriately robust user registration and comment moderation tool.

We are in total agreement, though we think "vandalism" might be an insult to vandals.

Before they were pulled and later shut down, the following ugly comments were posted on Preschool Program Faces Ax from Possible State Budget Cuts. Numerous readers have forwarded them to us, and we are not sure in what order they appeared.

DRichard Les Weiner

I really wonder if we the citizens did the right thing in passing this levy for the handicapped. What will come of it? None of these people are ever going to be productive taxpayers to any real degree. Couldn't we cut costs and just have them babysat in large groups or something? They wouldn't know any different and they would still have something to do and it would cost a ton less dough. It is just throwing away good money.

In these tough times I really HATE to see CANTON taxpayers put on the SPOT as we waste there hard earned dollars on people with absolutely no future or potential. Just have them stay at home and we could eliminate mrdd alltogether. I know some people will post now about how awful this sounds but these are the same people who are always on here crying and wailing about everything and are begging for attention. So I would discount them entirely.

Dick Les & Marie Weiner

Richard Les Weiner
why dont we pass a levy for these kids like we did for the mrdd kids. at least maybe one of these kids will grow up and amount to something. the mrdd kids are just money wasted with no hope of ever amounting to anything. the govenor is DARRYLic in his duties to cut spending on real kids who might become somebody

and the indescribably despicable:

Richard Les Weiner
with that new levy passing . i think the mrdd kids could at least help out and pick up the horse poop during the parade. it could be used for fertilizer on a local grave of our favorite sympathy seekers kin

I Hate Canton is not surprised that comments have been suspended, only that it took so long. We realize that Editor Gauger has much better things to do with his time than monitor crackpots, trolls, and vendettaists,. We also believe he has no desire to shut down the paper's most popular feature. There is plenty of room for dissent, disagreement and argument within wide and normal boundaries of discourse. As Don Cirelli wrote on Jeff Gauger's blog today:

Joe Blow” has the right to call Don Cirelli a “damned liberal” if he wants to. He does not, however, have the right to falsely accuse other commentators of criminal activity or to use the forum to perform a virtual dance on someone’s grave. There are limits to everything, and since your paper is a private entity you have the right, yea, the duty to enforce them.

Newspapers have a duty to themselves, their readers and their advertisers to maintain the integrity of all. Newspapers have no duty to let their online pages be the cat box for the mean, the crazy, and the evil.

We look forward to the Rep's "appropriately robust" registration and comments section on Monday. Everyone needs a safe place to post without fear of being libeled or their families dragged through the muck by somebody's sick mind and spastic fingers. Although we don't know what the amended regulations are, it seems to us that the only people who would be upset by the Repository's new standards will those one or two or three people who write with shit on a stick.

Until Monday, we suggest you go over to read the comments on Jeff's announcement. Make make your own conclusions.

Thanks. More Later!

I Hate Canton was away most of yesterday and missed all hell breaking loose. We just went to bed and decided to deal with it today.

We released comments that were sent yesterday about the latest outrage and you'll find them posted on the appropriate blog entry. Thanks to all who took, the time to post.

We'll be writing more later.

Update on Last Night's Shenanigans

First off, thanks to Jeff Gauger and the Rep staff for removing the hijacked posts and banning the identity thief (under the stolen name) from posting. As we know, though, our Octopuppet (or Octopuppets as the case may be), don't go away. They just get mad. And then in some psychopathic way, try to get even.

This morning, for instance, "nativenewyorker," who we do not remember from previous posts as being particularly malevolent, claimed that regular poster Marley Greiner obsessively hijacks MMRD threads. Hey! We thought Mary Parker did that! No wait, Isn't that what Octopuppet does? Whatever, we're looking through you, as the Beatles sang.

nativenewyorker
MRDD to Lay-Off 42, Not Fill 6 Jobs
Every time there is an article concerning MRDD the nonsense begins. What do all; these crazy posts have to do with the headline. It seems like the Marley person is always at the root of this crap. Let's keep it on subject folks. Every single thread has been hijacked by him. What is a Marley and why is he/it so hell bent on causing disruption. This person has the average Rep reader totally confused. Stop the madness. The Rep has about the worst comment site of any area newspaper. What is wrong here. I usually do not say much but this is out of control and full of disruption. Who cares is the bottom line. Don't some of these people have a job or chores to do around the house? The weather has been beuatiful. Get outside and enjoy it. Get out from behind the computer and enjoy life.

And speaking of hijacking. Later this morning these two wacky posts from "chillbilly" attacking Greiner showed up out of nowhere on WHBC-AM 1490 Changes Affiliates to Fox News, bearing no context to anything posted on the thread. In fact chillbilly had never even posted on the thread until then. The posts were removed.

chillbilly
Marley ,your doing a fabulous job trying to drum up business for ihc. You sure are throwing the word coward out alot lately . You obviously have nothing better to do.

chillbilly
AND NO, I AM NOT THE OCTOPUPPET . Anyone who tires of you relentless attacks is not octopuppet .

Gee, who said you were, chillbilly? Until now.

Should we expect a confession soon?

Identity Theft: "harasxlacidar" is not "harasxicidar"

Add identity theft to our omnipresent pest's bag of tricks.

Tonight under MRDD to Lay Off 31, Not Fill 6 Jobs an insulting comment aimed at Mary Parker appeared under the name "harasxiacidar," the hijack of the name of regular poster and MRDD supporter "harasxlacidar"

One letter off.

Again (in red):
harasxlacidar (real poster)
harasxiacidar (identity thief)

Here is the following tete a tete:

harasxiacidar (identity thief)
mary, you should be ashamed of yourself. i feel you took advantage of me and all the others on here to rally our support for the levy. i think you knew full well of all the horrible cuts and job losses that were going to happen, but you didn't care as long as you were on the winning team.

you have lost a friend. i am young and will recover from this embarassment of following you.

IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

i will everything in my power to help future levy attempts fail.

now i see why so many people hate you. i should have listened.

Sarah

followed up immediately by a "cute" new entity (BTW, there is no such site)

ilovecantondotblogspotdotcom (probable OP entity)

Sarah, Don't feel bad. You are not the first one on here to fall for her stories. She has an opinion on almost every story the rep puts on here. And watch out if anyone dares disagree with her. She makes the wicked witch of the west look like Doris Day.

It's not there anymore, but if you looked up the word b*tch in the dictionary, there was a full page picture of her.

Since her family tragedy, she has absolutely nothing else to do but troll the chat boards and comment. It doesn't seem to matter if the comments are nonsensical or outright lies, she has a compulsion to comment.

My advice is to just ignore her. She hates that. Another side note, She probably doesn't know this, but many of the MRDD regular hourly workers hate her and loathe her visits with a passion. She visited today and I got a report of people making fun of her and what she was wearing.

So just ignore her and get off these boards. You should have a real life and not be stuck on here all day with the Lunatic Lunch Bunch.

followed a while later by returning old entity:

gusknows (probable OP entity)

As a person who gave NUMEROUS examples of wastes of money and questionable numbers only to basicly be told 'go to a meeting' or 'call and ask' I find it kind of amusing that some of these sme people are now acting like they didnt know that an MRDD levy would just add more money to be wasted.

Just remember Sarah you should always question anyone who yells the loudest or most.

The real harasxlacidar replied with the following:

harasxlacidar (real poster)

Thank you SO MUCH to whoever thinks that they are me!! I'm glad that someone finds me so interesting that they must impersonate me. Sorry to say, you did make a big mistake when flipping your word. You got Sarah right, but you didn't quite get lacidar. There's only one i in lacidar. Nice try.

Nothing from harasxiacidar is from me, but nice try.

To no one's surprise, our pest has responded claiming innocence.

We are supposed to look at this as a "coincidence?"

harasxiacidar (identity thief)

i did not even know of your posting id. mine is my name, Sarah Radica IX. so hopefully that eliminates the confusion here.

Sarah

harasxlacidar (real poster)

I'm glad that comments defending myself are deleted while ones that are slanderous are left up for the world to see.

Thanks CantonRep.com moderators, you're doing such a fine job at doing nothing.

Again, harasxiacidar is NOT me. Nothing that is said by that person is true to what I, harasxLacidar believe or think.

In a sea of bile, real poster harasxlacidar has always been an island of calm, writing constructive non-insulting posts, usually on the subject of MRDD. Now, suddenly, she is the object of the wrath of our multiple personality poster disorderly. Why? We dunno. Maybe her handle is easy to fake. This should put everyone on notice that they may be the object of identity theft at the hands--or should we say tentacles--of our OP. To the best of our memory, this is the third time a name hasa been hijacked. harasxlacidar doesn't deserve this, but then neither do Mary Parer's deceased son and all the others who are tramped on by this cybermonster.

We don't think there is any need of analysis here. Words and actions speak for themselves.

The Rep and Jeff Gauger has been informed and we hope to see the offending posts removed in the morning.

Octopuppet: The Reign of Terror Continues

Octopuppet twanged it's evil tentacles today, posting two vile attacks on Mary Parker and her deceased son. The remarks were removed, but we have archived them. They were posted under the hijacked name: "Marley Don Parker:" Marley Greiner, Don Cerelli, and of course, Ms. Parker.

Under the ironically titled Name Calling Just Encourages Acts of Extremism we find:

Marley Don Parker
my son who was retarded was always called names. now he is gone. i hope to heaven but i am probably wrong.

Marley Don Parker

and even worse, under the thread initiated by Mary Parker's own letter to the editor, Loved Ones of MRDD Clients Didn't Dream So Many Layoffs were Coming:

Aren't those meetings held down there in hell? If so, I prefer not to attend. Why don't you have Darryl attend? Isn't he living nearby? Just a thought!

Marley Don Parker

The comments, heretofore, civil, lively, and informative, were shut down; thus, giving Octopuppet another victory.

We have struggled for a couple hours writing this blog. Our words simply fail. The words of the poster who has stalked Mary Parker for years on the Repository; however, speak for themselves. They are posted here as a public condemnation.

Unlike Mary, Octo has no friends or support. We would like to feel some sympathy for such a damaged, psychopathic soul, but we can't. We trust that "Marley Don Parker," "Levypassed Everyonegetsaraise," "Darryl and Shirley Reddling," "Darrell Parker," "MR Dede" and every other name that Octopuppet has requisioned or invented to harm Mary and her son who was incapable of hurting anyone, are consigned to a place where they will never see the light of day again.

Mary Parker has shown character and grace that few people would under similar circumstances. She wrote her thoughts on these attacks earlier, and they are worth reading again. In part:

My son suffered greatly here on earth. His entire life, from birth to death he was the object of ridicule. To now see him desecrated by ignorant writers in your newspaper is almost more than I can bear. When he died, I thought the snickering, the teasing, the crude remarks were over. Little did I know that people would be allowed to come on your comment section, almost daily, and still degrade him. I never dreamed that the Repository would be used as a vessel to taunt me about my son.

I Hate Canton stands with you, Mary.

UPDATE 1: While we were writing this blog, the following was posted to the "Name Calling" thread." It was removed:

Mort U Wary
I did not see anywhere on here that anyone called anyone else retarded. If it happened, it must have been pulled quickly.

A word of advice, many of the regular posters on here are sick and tired of you always bringing up your dear innocent deceased son in at least half of the threads that you post on. I'd guess I've had to read about him 500 times in tha last year.

PLEASE GIVE IT (and him) A REST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everybody has close ones die and we don't go around begging or hinting for pity and sympathy on internet chat discussion boards.

Here's another hint - Your chat 'friends' are sick of it too but are too nice to tell you to lay off the constant woah's me boards you post.

So just stop and maybe the trolls who you say follow you around the message boards will stop as well.

Mort U Wary

UPDATE 2: And this just in. Octo continues to exploit children
Mort U Wary
Nine-year old Injured When Van Rolls Over Him
Thankfully the child will be ok. I know a gal who lost her son awhile ago under different circumstances and she still is wailing about it to all who will listen

Mort U Wary

UPDATE 3:
Mort U Wary
Name Calling Just Encourages Acts of Extremism
Homicides are horrible tragedies. But at least the families of these recent incidents are NOT flooding the message boards begging for sympathy and pity. They hold there heads high and move on, while grieving in private. They have class and should be respected by all.

Some of the regular posters on the rep should consider doing this themselves instead of the constant, day after day, week after week, month after month reminders of their loved ones passings.

UPDATE 4
Mort U Wary
LeBron James Moving Camp for Kids from Akron to San Diego
Leave LEBRON alone.

i know a women with a son in the EXACT same situation .

Only diference is that her son never played basketball, never had any kids, didnt have a girlfriend, and is not alive anymore either.

but besides those differences, they are exactly the same.

so that is that and a big shout out to my boyzzzzzzzzzzz at the hate website.

hugs and kisses

xoxoxoxoxo

Rachael

Update: It's Baaacckkkk!!!!!!!!

Last week we had a couple days of relative quiet at the Rep. Our favorite multiple personality poster disorderly was momentarily silent, licking its wounds after diligent Rep staff chopped off some of its busy little fingers

By midweek, though, using a couple of unchopped tentacles ("Tom Dewey" and "Zachary") it returned, taking swipes at former council-at-large candidate and neighborhood activist Cindy Vignos in a moderate (for it) attempt to discredit her. Regrettably, the Rep removed the missives before I Hate Canton got around to archiving them. We do remember, though, that OP referred to Vignos' neighborhood as "sketchy." We were not aware until that post that the Edgefield & Washington Park area had become the arts district. We thought that was downtown. Canton is so confusing.

Other names our MPPD has posted under lately are "princessofthehoodrats" and "Mikey Goldmill." We suspect others.

Leaving no opportunity unturned, our OP has dragged LeBron James into its lunatic vendetta on Mary Parker. This appeared a few hours ago--clearly a veiled but recogizable attack on Ms Parker via her advocacy for the mentally retarded.

Mikey Goldmill
LeBron James Moving Camp for Kids from Akron to San Diego
Don't be so down on LeBron for taking a vacation. You 'people' are unbelieveable. Whats he supposed to do all summer, go down to Eastgate and make cornhole games or something?

We thought Mikey/Mickey died in 1981! We wonder how he likes sharing the bathroom with ""Nathan Jessep," "Theodore Donald Kerabatsos," and "Fawn Leibowitz." We hope he remembers to put the seat down.

Village Idiot of the Day, June 22, 2009" Sourdough Sal, darnlevy

I Hate Canton doesn't even know where to begin with this one: Hitler was a liberal!

Yes, you heard that right! And if you don't believe us, ask "Sourdough Sal" and "darnlevy" who have been reading way too much Jonah Goldberg. In fact, our duo spews out Goldberg's Liberal Fascism nearly verbatim. What next? Lyndon LaRouche?

From comments to Letter: Name Calling Just Encourages Acts of Extremism

SourdoughSal
Excuse me but the Holocaust Museum killer was NOT right wing. He was a christian hater, jew hater and socialist. His next target was a conservative organization! He belongs to you left wingers!

Guys, you did not notice the hate the past eight years? Movies and books about killing Bush? What about now? The article in Playboy that was about Conservative women they would love to hate F---! The class war that has been started by the Left? Give me a small break- you leftists are not only the biggest hate mongers, you are so hypersensitive!

Sourdough Sal
Yes, Hitler was called right wing, but he was not right wing in this country's views. I am currently reading up on Mussolini, Hitler, and Lenin, etc. I see the cult of personality (Obama) and the way they changed their countries (Obama). So gentlemen, I do not have time to go into this now, Fascism, Nazi-ism, and all the other idealologies are more aligned with the Liberal or Progressive parties. The point that I was making is that the holocaust museum killer and nazi's etc are a group that hates Jewish people. Conservatives and republicans are overall Christian and closely aligned with the Jewish people and Israel. We do not hate them, we align with them. Liberal or Progressives align with the terrorists trying to end Israel and the Jewish people.

Here is an excerpt from darnlevy's analysis of Mein Kampf and Hitler. Apparently, darnlevy believes that every "revolutionary" is "leftwing."

darnlevy
About Hitler:

Nazi themes, such as emphasis on the organic (including environmentalism, health food, and exercise), the rejection of rationalism, and most of all the transcending of class can all be placed firmly on the Left that you see and hear about today

Hitler firmly believed he was a revolutionary. Hitlers followers agreed that he was a revolutionary, yet for decades now the Left refuses to see him that way. Todays Left is ever changing (the living constitution, revolutionary in idea and thought) and the Right is said to be the party that holds firm and refutes change. The Left will reject Hitler was a revolutionary because either he was a force for good or revolutions are seriously bad. And yet all the evidence is there. Hitler rejected bourgeoisie, traditionalists, aristocrats, and monarchist.

Further proof to put Hitler in the realm of a revolutionist (left) is that his favorite play was Hanns Johsts Der Konig. In this play a heroic revolutionary meets a tragic end because he is betrayed by reactionaries and the bourgeoisie. Hitler saw this play 17 times. A non-surprising fact, the heroic revolutionary in the play takes his own life.

In Mein Kampf Hitler declares he is a Nationalist (socially for the better of the entire nation, Left) not a Patriot and he believed modern German culture was politically and spiritually corrupt. The country needed to return to its pre-Christian times. (far-Left)(side note: atheist don't go along with the Right)

Looking at one of Hitlers heroes, Dr. Karl Lueger, you will see that Hitler loved a man that led a Social Party. This party was a mix of socialism, populism, and anti-Semitism. This is important to note that Hitler, an anti-Semitist, was learning from a man that was clearly Left...

Let me say that I dont care if Hitler was Left or not. What I do care about is how history gets taught to us in this country. Hitler was evil and he was not Right. Hitler does not make the Left horrible. But, it sure would be nice if the Left would own up to the political spectrum and quit spreading the fallacies of Right wing terrorism. Peace.

Sal and darnlevy are part of the growing army of nincompoops who turn language on its head. African Americans are racists; feminists hate women; liberals hate Jews (conservatives love them they spent decades keeping them out of Ivy League schools, private clubs and exclusive neighborhoods and kept them from marrying their daughters.) Why darnlevy believes that revolutionaries are required to be "leftwing" is a mystery.

We could post more, but frankly, does this deserve any further treatment? At least this morning. Wouldn't you rather just sip your coffee and munch your bagels without this stress?

Without further adieu, I Hate Canton names Sourdough Sal and darnlevy the co-Village Idiots of the Day, June 22, 2008.

Village Idiot of the Day, June 21, 2009: dlarry, badlarry

Even Father's Day is not immune from our Reppie ranters. A Father's Day feature on McKinley High School 's much loved and respected band director Chris McFarren was vandalized.

McFarren's "crime:" being a white man married to a black woman. He and his wife Leatha have three biological sons and recently adopted a daughter from Ethiopia. Their pictures appear with the story. (If the vandalization about anything else, we'd love to know!) Thankfully, comments by "larry" were removed quickly.

dlarry
McKinley Band Director Turns up the Tunes for his Family
i wouldnt want 2 know him from what i see??

followed in quick succession by

badlarry
nice going canton paper just what ppl want 2see on sunday morin

badlarry
unreal 2 have a pics like that on sunday morin

badlarry
shame there notting better 2 put in sunday paper

Hey! We thought racism was dead in Canton! That's what our Reppies tell us.

Hats off to Larry! June 22, 2009 Village Idiot.

"Braxton:" "He should of just killed the woman..."

This does not qualify for a Village Idiot Award. It might qualify as a threat.

According to a comment posted by "Braxton" around 11:00 Saturday night, James Mammone murdered the wrong people. He should have killed his ex-wife Marcia, not his children and former mother-in-law. Marcia Mammone deserved to die.

braxton
Mammone III Pleads Not Guilty to Killing His Children, Ex Mother-in-Law
Mammone killed his kids and mother in law. That was wrong. He should of just killed the woman that was cheating on him. We all know that's the bottom line. The paper said she had a freind with her the day he tried to break in. A freind my butt, how about a lover? If you play with fire, you get burned. In this case a lot of innocent people got burned. What Mammone did was wrong, he just took his anger out on the wrong parties.


UPDATE: The Rep has disabled all comments on this story. One person spoils it again.

Village Idiot of the Day, June 19, 2009: cal2410, sportsguy, tom n lou

Reppies leave no stone unturned in their constant search for new things to complain about. Yesterday, for instance, parents who dutifully pay child support via a convenience service were labeled "lazy." What those who don't pay at all are called, I Hate Canton can only imagine.

Take a look. In a 5-sentence PSA announcing the re-opening of the SCJRS drive-thru payment window, after it was shut down due to a mechanical malfunction, Drive-Thru Window Reopens at Job and Family Services, we get this:

cal2410

Why is a drive-thru window even necessary?? You can't even get out of your car to help support a child you help bring into this world? God help us.

and

sportsguy

Get off your lazy butt and walk inside! Guess this will just bea another excuse for these deadbeats to skip out on their children!

tom n lou, with its usual Republican bravado and limited reading comprehension, chimed in:

tom n lou

THIS IS AN UNBELIEVABLE STORY!! GOVERNMENT CLOSES its doors because of a faulty GARAGE DOOR? ? ? ?

and you want Universal HEALTHCARE run BY THE GOVERNMENT?????

Democrats are funny.

There may be bigger badder candidates for Friday's prize, but nobody sounds as dumb, dumber and dumbest than these three (or is it four?)

The June 19, 2009 Village Award goes to cal2410, sportsguy and tom n lou.

Our co-winners are also forbidden from using bank, fast food, and booze drive-thrus for the remainder of June. Just get off your lazy butt and walk inside!

UPDATE! Too late for an award, but ""bradswife posted this early this afternoon:

bradswife

what a sluggish society we have become, drive thru everything, no wonder obesity is on the rise

Two Attacks on College Grads: Coincidence?

It's seldom, even for Reppies, to beat up on college grads. Just the opposite. We are incessantly lectured on the importance of achieving higher ed.

I Hate Canton finds it strange then, that in the last couple days we have two broadsides lobbed by separate pseudnamous posters at the college educated blaming them for everything that is supposedly bad about the US.

Are JohnH and Zacharyt the same person? Or two of many? We don't know for sure, but compare the sentiment.

JohnH
Survey: Most College Students Plan to Leave Ohio
Let's see..... Lawyer - college education; Banker - college education; politician - most are lawyers, so again, college education; Wall Street - college education; the so called 'shakers and doers of our society - yep, college education; And look what they have done for us, destroyed this country and it's economy. So tell me again about the great college graduates and how important they are to our society. I have often wondered when it was this country started it's downward spiral. Now I realize, it started when people started getting those college educations and being told repeatedly how much more they were worth (than what they really are) and how much smarter they are (which they really are not). Now, crucify me because I am just a plain old dumb American who works for a living, lives the old fashioned way and am at the mercy of those most precious college grads who decide how this country and world runs. God help us all.

to

zachary
MRDD to Lay Off 31, Not Fill 6 Jobs
Slap,Slap,now all the sad stories will be about the adults headed for the unemployment line. And you wont hear no sad stories of their plight .No scare tactics to keep them employed . There is no shame in this world . This is what the college educated excell at extracting cash ,and walking away smelling like a rose.

Coincidence?

Local News and a Sense of Place

Alternet features a very Rep-relevant piece today Next on the Endangered Species List: Your Hometown Newspaper. Reporter Benjamin Dangl writes of the growing epidemic of newspaper folds.

I Hate Canton was brought up on newspapers. "Our" papers were the Repository, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Wall Street Journal, which we read cover to cover every day. It was a rare morning when I Hate Canton missed Evans and Novak before leaving for school--even in the 6th grade. We even kept a scrapbook of columns that struck our fancy. We took an inordinate interest in the United Arab Republic. Subscribing to the local newspaper was one of the first "adult" things we did when we left home and moved to a different state.

We continue to be an avid newspaper reader and fan. When we travel we obsessively read local newspapers as well as the free USA Today or Washington Post or whatever paper is delivered to our hotel room each morning. If we don't have the time to read it, we bring it back with us. We have a collection of foreign newspapers picked up in our travels we can't bear to part with.

I Hate Canton believes that newspapers define and cement community, which is one of the reasons we are here. The local newspaper is a compendium of history, politics, trivia, gossip, personalities, and arcana. Local newspapers give us a sense of place. Our place.

Dangl captures this feeling in his essay when he talks about his online hometown news reading while he spent several months abroad covering Latin American politics:

As I caught up with news on the state budget and read a column by a local taxi driver, I realized that the paper had become like so many friends I ran into upon coming back to Burlington - something that helped define my place in the world. Like the parks of the city, the taste of a local beer and the contours of the mountains across the lake, this local newspaper was a part of the landscape.

We agree. This is why local newspapers are so important.

Village Idiot of the Day, June 18, 2009: Braxton, dsteelman1

The Reppie misogynist romp continues.

First we have dssteelman1 whose misogyny appears to be economic-based. (Since we are not Mrs. desteelman1, we can't say for sure, though). Our amateur eugenicist wants to "spay and neuter" welfare moms after 1 year on the books--or is it 2 weeks? Whatever... their wombs belongs to him.

dsteelman1
Strickland Proposes 2 Billion in Cuts to Social Services
No lam you didnt ask me how to solve the problem . I was just pointing out what I wouldnt mind seeing rather thatn others living off of me.

A solution?

Spay and neuter the people on welfare for more than a year. If youre on welfare for 2 weeks and have a kid, youre done having kids. You want me to pay for you then I get to say what you can and cant do. If I dont have money I sure dont have MORE kids .

I dont really think welfare moms are having abortions, to much money to be made from that little cash cow in there .

Exactly where does it state I have to feed people to darn lazy to work??

Then there's Braxton, returned from well-deserved obscurity. Braxton hates women on general principle. According to him, his wife left him with three kids to trip the light fantastic solo. If Braxton's comments here are anything like their marriage, we congratulate the former Mrs. B for her prudent career move.

Braxton's latest diatribe started when he innocently posted a defense of bad manners at the McKinley High School graduation, as described by Davida Carter-Burns' letter to the editor. Carter-Burns complained about the loud, obnoxious behavior of adults--presumably parents and relatives of graduating seniors-- during the ceremony: seat crawling, walking on the main floor, cellphone chit-chatting, shouting, and other uncouth activities, aided and abetted by a lousy sound system. Pleas from the announcer to shut up and sit down went unheeded by the party-heartys. Having attended some of these "celebrations, myself, we feel Ms. Carter-Burns pain.

While many posters recounted their bad experience at the McKinley graduation and other public events, or at least commiserated, Braxton celebrated it with, among other things, an "interesting" use of the word "kahunnas."

braxton
Letter: Many in Audience at McKinley Graduation Acted Badly.
Graduation is a time for celebration. I say stand up an yell, dance in the aisles if you so choose. People these days are to worried about what their neighbors might say about them to really enjoy the moment. Enjoy the moment, and to heck with what the stiff upper collars might say. After all, they're just jealous that they don't have the kahunnas to truly support the ones they love.

Braxton was appropriately dumped on for promoting uncivil behavior in public space. One dumper, "speakmymind," made the mistake of identifying herself as a "single mother of three" triggering Braxton's personal issue bomb.

braxton

A single mother of three, wow, what a great example for our kids.

to which Ms. speakmyind replied:

speakmymind

Yes braxton, a single mother of three, all fathered by my ex-HUSBAND. As I said, I now make it on my own with no help from welfare or any other agency. A strong independent woman. An EXCELLENT example for our kids.

sending Braxton nuclear:

Sorry speakmymind, but that is not an excellent example. Didn't you take a vow of for better or worse? Kids need a mother and father, not just an independent woman. You put your selfish wants above your childrens needs. Sorry to say, but your children will more than likely go on to repeat your misgivings. They will think a one parent home is the norm. The normal family is a mom, a dad, two and a half kids, a dog, and a white picket fence. Your kids are doomed.

and

braxton

Greiner, if I had three kids and got divorced , and ended up with custody of the kids, I wouldn't consider that being 'stuck' with the kids. To me, that would be a blessing. What's the matter with you, you strong independent woman? Like I said, you put your wants ahead of the needs of others. That's what so called independent people do.

To date, Braxton continues to be dumped on.

So here we have a fellow that thinks it's perfectly OK to hoot and holler unabated at a public event who turns around and takes a single mother to task for "dooming" her children to a civilized lifestyle. Guess whose kids I Hate Canton would prefer to share food court space with.

I Hate Canton was perfectly content to name dssteelman1 our first place winner today. As we reviewed Braxton, however, we realized that he deserves the honor. We thereby name Braxton, the June 18, 2009 Village Idiot of the day.

In addition, if Braxton would be so kind as to forward us a mailing address, we will send him an air horn which will enable him to show his appreciation at Canton Symphony Orchestra concerts. In addition, he will also receive a $100 gift certificate for a introductory session of stress relief at Mistress Melanie's House of Pleasure and Pain located in a discreet cul de sac just moments from McKinley High School.

dssteelman1, though is not forgotten. He places a close second. Better luck next time, ds!

Village Idiot of the Day, June 17, 2009: dssteelman1, JohnH, Frank Manello

Class envy hit the pages of the Rep yesterday.

We expect class envy from the have nots. But from the haves? Well, why not? This is Canton, and our outspoken haves increasingly are exhibiting envy towards the have nots and the government entitlements that permit them to live in Canton's northeastside lap of luxury unlike the haves, trapped in their Belden Village and Lake Cable ghettos.

Frank Manello suggests that the government "whack" food stamps to the poor:

Frank Manello
Strickland Proposes 2 Billion in Cuts to Social Services
Democrats: the 'party of the little guy'. At least Strickland is smelling the roses. Now if he'd only whack food stamps maybe some people wouldn't have the energy to breed like rabbits and keep producing welfare moochers.

dssteelman1 carries Frank's suggestion a bit further, suggesting that the children of the welfare "breed for money" poor be starved to death in abstentia by the government.

dssteelman1
Tom, youve got to be kidding me right???!!! What kids do you think are covered by the FREE HEALTHCARE??????????? The same ones the moochers are popping out to increase their food stamp amounts.

I applaud the guv, I hope this happens.

Personally , I would like to see the free loaders starving in the streets along with their urchins they breed for money.

I earned my money , therefore it is mine. Not theirs.

On the flip side we have JohnH, undoubtedly an ardent wild-eyed radical liberal, socialist, wealth- redistributor anarchist Obamamaniac who blames all the country's woes on...college graduates, of which we assume he is not.

JohnH
Survey: Most College Students Plan to Leave Ohio
-From what I have seen of most recent college graduates, we are probably better off without them.

followed by

Let's see..... Lawyer - college education; Banker - college education; politician - most are lawyers, so again, college education; Wall Street - college education; the so called 'shakers and doers of our society - yep, college education; And look what they have done for us, destroyed this country and it's economy. So tell me again about the great college graduates and how important they are to our society. I have often wondered when it was this country started it's downward spiral. Now I realize, it started when people started getting those college educations and being told repeatedly how much more they were worth (than what they really are) and how much smarter they are (which they really are not). Now, crucify me because I am just a plain old dumb American who works for a living, lives the old fashioned way and am at the mercy of those most precious college grads who decide how this country and world runs. God help us all.

followed by:

CV: The way things are going now that college graduates are responsible for doing to this country, we will live in a third world country and mud huts before long. Your post wreaks of condescension towards those that built this country in it's early beginnings without the aid of a college degree and to those who have come since. That without the aid of those with college degrees, the human population would cease to exist. Get off your high horse and your brainwashed attitude that without your college degrees there could be no world. Don't demand respect, for that only instills malevolence. Earn respect, it will be a much sweeter reward. Stop trying to be the elite of society while opressing others and expect entitlements that you have not earned nor deserve.

This is a real toss-up. I Hate Canton knows too many elitist college grads holding down jobs as waiters, janitors, data inputters and temps. That is, college educations are highly overrated. We thoroughly expect JohnH, following the policy of the late Cambodian dictator Pol Pot, to soon propose the hunting down and execution of anyone wearing eye glasses since they must be members of the elitist educated class.

But I Hate Canton also knows women who have collected government assistance ( and let's face it, that's who Frank and ds are mad at). Since assistance is time-limited and measly, we find it difficult to believe that very many women of reproductive age would play Michelle Duggar to avoid getting a job and/or an employed husband.

We'd be more impressed if Frank and ds demanded the government facilitated starvation of John H's bankers, politicians and Wall Streeters.

Moreover, Mr. Manello opposes abortion, especially government subsidized, which might actually alleviate some of his stress over deadbeats and their progeny. We do not remember ds making any remarks about abortion, but we are sure he has and that he is also opposed. Not sure where either of them stand on birth control, but probably they support the "keep your knees together" method.

To be fair then, we must announce a tie for June 17's Village Idiot award. dsteelman1 and John H: two sides of the same coin, equally bankrupt, take a shared first place. Frank Manello, a stand-up guy who has the guts to use his own name, gets an Honorable Mention.

We also thank Stephanie Watkins, who nominated Frank Manello. I Hate Canton needs more civic minded activists like Ms. Watkins!

Old Mother Hubbard...

Is it our imagination or was the Rep's cupboard nearly bare of octrotrolls yesterday? We hope so.

Rumor has it that GaugerCo is working to rid itself and us of the daily pest. Let's hope its computer wasn't down or it's on vacation.

Real people are so much more fun anyway!

Village Idiot of the Day, June 16, 2009: Charles W. Roeser

Reppies long ago established themselves as trigger happy, blood thirsty, vindictive judge-jury-and executioners. Last week we read numerous suggestions on how locals should strip the accused killers in the Eakin/Mammone and Ruffin/Pierce/Pinney cases of their Constitutional right to due process and just take them out and shoot/hang/and otherwise kill them. Then we had the letter from Raymond Johnson, Quick Execution of Convicted Killers Will Benefit Taxpayers, Reduce Crime (title self-explanatory) that got "Champ" his coveted June 16 Village Idiot Award.

Just when you think stupid can't get any stupider, comes Charles W. Roeser. The Jackson Township resident wants drug users shot on sight.

Charles W. Roeser
Letter: Some Wave White Flags in Way on Drugs but US Hasn't Even Gotten Tough
These lowlifes affect the whole nation and are more dangerous than sex offenders. They should be made to register as dopers. Let the nonviolent ones out of prison and require them to take random drug tests for three years at their own expense. If they test positive, shoot them. If they don’t show up for testing, they become fugitives and are shot when they are caught. Use the money we save by not keeping these idiots in prison to hire monitors.

Give addicts six months to get clean, then remove all self-inflicted conditions from our health care system. Designate limited prison space for dopers — first come, first served. If they are convicted and there is no room, they are shot. Any idiot knows that any market is fueled by demand. Stop the demand and stop all the problems.

Some posters opine that Mr. Roeser must be joking. Surely. If he is, he lacks the Swiftian elegance of Jesse Ward's delightful sendup of rightwing egalitarianism. Unless someone has stolen his identity, Mr Roeser is the real deal. Back in March the Rep published his letter on school levies.

Mr. Roeser needs to light up a doobie and relax. Since that's unlikely, we instead give him our June 16, 2009 Village Idiot Award.

Inspirational bonus:

Village Idiot of the Day, June 15, 2009: Anita Robinson-Muhammad, Shahkila Daniels

I Hate Canton got behind again yesterday. We initially thought we'd just skip Monday's award due to lateness. Then we discovered Anita Robinson-Muhammad's fight for the fundamental right of her daughter Shahkila Daniels to be McKinley High School's "featured twirler," a job she has held for the last three years.

Shahkila found herself out a job for the 2110 season when she turned down the position of "co-twirler," that is, to share the "job" with another girl. (At least that's what it sounds like. According to Robinson-Muhammad, though, words don't mean what they say.) Mother and daughter argue that Daniels misunderstood the job title, was pressured by the judges to make a quick decision, and wants to change her mind and keep her job as "featured twirler." Robinson-Muhammad told the Board of Education that Daniels' twirling skill is one of the reasons her daughter is being pursued by two colleges. Moreover, Shahkila was stressed from the audition and the pressure to maintain her feature position: "being a featured twirler at McK. has been a big part of her HS success and something she has prepared for most of her childhood. "

Since Ms Daniels is senior class president, a member of the National Honor Society, and has been cited by the Canton Professional Educators Association for her community involvement, it appears that she's preparing for a lot more than a career marching down a football field in a skimpy outfit.

Whatever, Ms Robinson-Muhammad and Ms Daniels are dead serious about this grave miscarriage of justice and have taken their their fight to the people. (As of this posting 61 comments have been posted and definite sides taken).

Posting under the handle arm721, both have presented their arguments in great detail (paragraph optional). Hence, we know more about the politics and arcana of baton twirling then we ever cared to know.

Ms. Daniels informs us in CAPS that she intends to "dot the i" in Script Ohio:

arm721 (Shahkila Daniels)
Canton Board of Education
ACTUALLY YES I DO WANT TO DOT THE 'I' THANK YOU BUT UMMMM IM GOING TO BE A SENIOR AND THE SENIOR DOTS THE 'I' ANYWAYS...DUH!!!!!! LOL. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS I AM TRULY AMUSED AT HOW SUPPOSEDLY MATURE ADULTS CAN BASH ON A CHILD AND I THANK ALL OF MY SUPPORTERS! I WILL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN A POSITIVE MANNER WITH MY NOW 4.7 GPA AND ON THE LINE IF I HAVE TO!! I REFUSE TO LET ANYONE GET THE BEST OF ME AND THINK THAT THEY HAVE WON, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I LOVE MOST NOT WHAT MY MOM LOVES TO WATCH ME DO..... TWIRL!!!!! :)

Ms Robinson-Muhammad takes reporter Melissa Griffy Seeton and the rest of us baton illiterate clucks to task for our failure to familiarize ourselves with the lexicography of twirling:

I would first like to enlighten all of you who are questioning my child's intellect. The term co-feature was used incorrectly by someone who does not know anything about baton twirling when in fact what they were talking about was actually 2 features. That is where the discrepancy comes in. Co means to twirl together doing the same routine in the same uniform. 2 means both doing their own thing. I hope that clears things up for those who think you know what you are talking about. And for reasons that are none of your business, the others involved are very aware of why this was upsetting to Shahkila.

Oh, did we mention that Ms. Robinson-Muhammad is the McKinley "twirler adviser" but has no "conflict of interest:"

As far a my being the majorette advisor and there being a real conflict of interest. Who's interest are we talking about. There has only been 1 group of people who have had a problem with me being the advisor. And I don't have to state who they are.... I became the advisor because they were left with no advisor. I volunteered my time and did such a good job that I was offered the position. Since that time I have put in numerous hours trying to improve the majorettes. Time that no advisor (except for mine) in the past has ever invested. I do it because I care and not for the easy money as some of them in the past has stated. During the time that I practiced with the majorettes my daughter got zero minutes of my time. ..

and

...The conflict of interest statement really cracks me up lol. Was it a conflict of interest when the Daniels boys were being coached by their father... Dont think so. Is it a conflict of interest for the the now asst. football coach to be coaching his son.... And by the way he came in and got a starting position as an underclassman removing students who had been at the school for the past three years. Is that a conflict of interest. None of these coaches was told what they could and could not do as coaches. Nor did they have their duties taken away from them because a parent complained. (coaches this is not a punt intended toward you, but probably the best example that relates so please don't take it persona I appreciate you guys) So why is my being the majorette advisor a CONFLICT OF INTEREST? The fact of the matter is this... the band director had every intention on having two feature twirlers (not co-features) and that is how it should of been presented in the first place....

We could go on, but won't. You get the idea.

I Hate Canton suspects that much more is going on here, but we agree with the usually unagreeable dssteelman1:

here is good news in all of this turmoil.

If this is all anyone has to worry about, then by all means , good times have once again returned to the area.

How about a nice quick answer.

1 Who cares

2 Sharing was always taught to me to be a virtue you WANT to have. Not something to eschew. ( Um, look up that last word, its more complicated than ....share.

3 Most importantly ... WHO CARES

I Hate Canton is the first to admit that baton twirlers irritate us. Not that good twirling doesn't take a lot talent, skill, and energy, but in the immoral words of dsteel1: who cares? (We feel the same way about hacky sack and frisbee).

From the first grade on, everybody is plagued by the twirler and her ubiquitous baton: school, Brownies, Sunday School, the grocery store, McDonald's. Constant reminders that her superior self and her instrument of torture are co-dependent and do not function one without the other. Twirlers usually tap dance, too--another story for another time. We knew a kindly Canton grandmother who was once subjected to a 5+hour baton recital that lasted almost to midnight just to see her 8-year old granddaughter perform in the last set. Who needs waterboarding when you have baton recitals?

When this newspaper drama began to unfold I Hate Canton assumed that this was a simple matter of stage mothering. It now appears that Shahkila has the lead in her mother's production. With that in mind I Hate Canton hereby awards Anita Robinson- Muhammad and unfortunately, Shahkila Daniels, the Monday, June 15, 2009 Village Idiot Award.

From what we have seen elsewhere of Ms. Daniels we like her, and we are not without sympathy. High school sucks. We wish Ms. Daniels the best. If this is the worse thing ever to happen to her, she'll lead a happy, productive life.

We also commiserate with Melissa Griffy Seeton for being stuck with reporting the school board meeting. Unfortunately, somebody's gotta do it. She should consider pitching the story to Lifetime.

Village Idiot of the Day, June 14, 2009: Champ

Mercy me! I Hate Canton suffered a lapse of amnesia yesterday and forgot to post our Village Idiot Award. It happens when we get so tied up in HGTV house hunters and lose all track of space and time.

There were several potentials in Sunday's edition. For instance, the non-existent-except-in-its- head "Belinda McAllister," who whinged copiously over the persecution of white folks at the hands of pushy blacks and "jews."* "Belinda's" comments appeared on several threads and have been removed, but we retrieved this one before the hook grabbed her:

BelindaMcCallister

Color of Stark: Finding a Seat for Diversity
I'm so tired of all of this! When will the whites get their say? Why is it always the 'poor blacks' and 'jews'? YOU PEOPLE have had it easy for a long time! I'm tired of YOU getting all of the jobs because of your color! Yeah, I'm white and I'm standing up for my race! SUE ME!

Belinda McCallister

We're tired of one-trick ponies and comment whores, though, (even if we did just give "Belinda" a freebie) so she's out of the running.

Instead we are happy to grant the June 14, 2009 Village Idiot Award to "Champ" for his sweeping prison reform proposal: the State of Ohio execute killers within 30 days of conviction. Since only a minuscule number of accused killers are indicted, prosecuted and convicted with death penalty specs, we are waiting for Mr. Champ to elaborate on his plan to cleanse Ohio's prisons of killers without scrapping the laws of Ohio and the US Constitution.

I Hate Canton makes special note of "Champ's" mathematical skills. According to the February 9, 2009 Columbus Dispatch, Ohio had a prison population of about of 47,000 (yeah, you read that right.) Out of that number, according to the April 1, 2009 Dispatch, citing the Capital Crimes Report issued by Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, 175 were on Death Row.
Unfortunately, some gun happy Rep nanny killed all comments to this thread, so again, you'll have to take our word for it.

Champ
Quick Execution of Convicted Killers Will Benefit Taxpayers, Reduce Crime
I agree 100% Saddam Hussein was given the death penalty and had 30 days to think about what was to come. 30 days later he met his maker. He is no longer a parasite to the taxpayers. This 30 days and out would eliminate the prison overpopulation immediately. It would save countless billions of dollars that could be spent to help in other areas in the United States. I can't think of a better deterrent to murder than this 30 days and out. The countdown begins in days not years. 30-29-28-27-26-25-24-23-22-21-20-19- OH BOY!-18-17-16-15-14-13-OH CRAP!-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5- Boy did I #$%k up- 4-3-2-1- Good bye!

We urge Champ and his followers to check out the 1901 reenactment of the execution of William McKinley's assassin, Leon Czolgosz published by I Hate Canton earlier. We hope it inspires Champ and his friends to stage a reenactment of Canton's very own triple execution documented in Jim Artzner's novel, The Black Minute. It's out of print, but the downtown Stark County District Library has 6 copies.

*"Belinda" and her buddies have never learned the rules of capitalization.