Well, looky here: The election-time fake-email bandit is back. I have quite a collection from this guy over the years. He loves to fraudulently fake addresses to and from people/groups to attack us in sophomoric, and often obscene, ways--often trying to conflate local issues with his national conservative political agenda. Watch out for him, and if you get a surprising email "from" or about me or the JFP or anyone else, don't be quick to believe it's real:
(This one came early in the day. In previous years, they often came during cocktail hour and sounded like it. Maybe he's on the wagon, or is drinking earlier in the day. That might explain why he seems to be conflating the work of the national Politifact with the local JFP. Smh.)
With due respect, I rather guess Todd knows better what I'm talking about than you do.
It's funny how hard you have to look to find a dubious retort to that statement regardless of how one reads it. Beyond that, I'll allow you and Todd to duke out that article.
You're saying the children themselves are inferior somehow, darryl?!
And when we're talking elementary school kids, could you explain your perceived "difference" in quality of children in JFP and those in , say, Madison. And do you really believe that 6-year-olds "see no reason to better themselves as the government will provide for them"?
The ultimate point, though, is why so many people working for the good of the city don't want to work with others doing the same thing just because they disagree or ask questions. This is small-minded and provincial, and it's going to continue to hamper our efforts. My suggestion to you, Chris, is to use your role as an insider to ensure that the tent really is larger than the likes, dislikes and political preferences of the group's leaders. And that everyone stays excited and focused even after the election has passed. I suspect they will on Vision 2022; my jury is out on the others. And if they do, and good work happens, gloating would be silly. Why? Because that's what the JFP wants to see happen, and it's why we're asking the damn questions in the first place. Careful about drinking the Koolaid of those who bash us merely because we dare to ask questions. That's thinking small, and the city needs larger, more challenging thinking on every level.
As for Team Jackson, my question is similar. Why in the world do you need a pubic-relations group of this size just to promote another group of a similar size (with the same number of committees). Someone seems a bit group- and committee-happy, no? Why doesn't Vision 2022 -- which we've covered already and has impressive goals, as far as we can see so far -- just have a rockin' public-relations committee that does the same thing? It can't hold informational coffees or luncheons? And how strong a role are mayoral candidates playing in the group? Asking those questions does not reflect poorly on anyone on the committees; there are great people involved in all these efforts; it's not about that. It's more about who is steering the ships and how.
Speaking of, why is Downtown Jackson Partners -- a [downtown Jackson Business Improvement District][1] -- playing such a prominent, leading, busy role in a chamber public-relations group that is targeting the entire metro? It's one thing to be a member -- makes sense -- but a prime organizer? It seems like there is a lot of work still to be done downtown that could keep them busy, considering all those empty storefronts. Even Metrocenter is figuring out how to offer artists free studio space so they can put interesting things in those depressing empty rooms. Why in the world can't DJP focus on small-but-important efforts such as that? And if they're doing it, why don't they do a better job of telling the city and the media about it? As far as I know, they still haven't returned our calls for this story about Team Jackson, which we're told is their baby. It's just hard to understand why they seem to spend so much direct time on projects outside downtown.
As for Vision 2022, this story shows no criticism of that group at all or the good people involved on the committees. We've covered it already when it was announced in October, and Jacob plans to go point by point in its plan to explore its goals, why needed, plans, etc. He is already planning to attend committee meetings and flesh out a series of stories on its goals this year. We haven't seen anything to take issue with on it and don't. We're a huge fan of strategic planning, and this area has suffered from too little. Here's [one story we've done on it][2], and [another][3].
Hi Chris, Thanks for posting, and for using your real name. It's so much easier to have an intelligent conversation with a real person on the other end.
Your post seems to conflate a number of things and shows some false assumptions about our story. I'll address a few points quickly. First, I can't imagine anyone, or certainly, you being disappointed in anyone for asking real questions and seeking facts about any organizations that spring up to support Jackson or any particular developments. Of course, someone is always "disappointed" when we or anyone asks questions about a project they're involved in, as you well know from your criticism of the original Whitney Place concept in Fondren (in which you and others raised good questions and awareness that, hopefully, will improve that plan if it goes forward).
We're a journalism organization, and our job is to ask questions. That always ruffles somebody's feathers. I cannot allow that to bother me if I want to put out a quality publication that watchdogs the community.
Now, re the groups themselves. This story is really about two apparent public-relations efforts that emerged around the same time: Celebrate Jackson and Team Jackson. Both recently popped up, and both have had inauspicious starts. Celebrate was clearly poorly planned, timed and executed; Team Jackson clearly suffers from poor communication and transparency even among its own members--which is really not helpful for a group set up, apparently, to only serve a public-relations purpose. (Kamikaze, for instance, was promoting it hard as a "non-business" organization and completely open to anyone including at the luncheons -- even though it's a Chamber project designed to promote Vision 2022, and it costs $100 to join and then $20 to attend members-only luncheons.) Both groups have some fixes they need to attend to, and our story is largely about that. We also get the impression that both groups are involving people their organizers like and are comfortable with; we've heard from many active community people that they haven't been invited to participate in either effort.
We also make no apologies for asking questions about *any* vaguely named Jackson group that pops up during city campaign season as I've already explained. As for Celebrate Jackson, this should have happened years back, or at least months, before the mayor's office is wrapped up in reelection for better execution as well as the perception that it's been done for political reasons.
I will also add that this story is not paranoid, but it is watchdoggish. I'll be frank. EVERY city election, we see groups pop up in the months before with vague names and goals: SafeCity, [Better Jackson PAC][1], some secret northeast Jackson citizens committee formed to help Melton beat Johnson (I forget the name) -- not to mention the Metro Crime Commission in years past. ALL ended up being political even if they didn't start out being. The Better Jackson PAC gave lots of money (mostly from [McGowan Working Partners][2]) last election to Marshand Crisler and refused to file reports on it until we literally forced them to reveal themselves at the last minute.
We are not saying any of this is true about these groups. But it is why we want to know what is going on, by whom, who is getting and spending the money, and if they give campaign contributions. We exist as a watchdog and make no apologies for that. And it automatically makes people suspicious when your surrogates make false claims -- such as Team Jackson being "non-business," which was so easy to debunk that it's laughable. Now, do the surrogates not know who started the group and why? Maybe. But that's a PR problem for the group, and it's going to hurt them if they don't fix it.
Call it constructive criticism. All the above groups can clean up some of these problems, but they need to acknowledge them first. And if any group comes along and tries to quietly funnel money to candidates, we will do our damn best to figure it out and tell our readers. Call it paranoid if you wish, but we've spun around this dog track enough times to know what to watch for.
donnaladd says...
Well, looky here: The election-time fake-email bandit is back. I have quite a collection from this guy over the years. He loves to fraudulently fake addresses to and from people/groups to attack us in sophomoric, and often obscene, ways--often trying to conflate local issues with his national conservative political agenda. Watch out for him, and if you get a surprising email "from" or about me or the JFP or anyone else, don't be quick to believe it's real:
*From: [email protected]
Subject: [email protected] has shared: Whoops: PolitiFact's 'Lie of the Year' Turns Out to Be True
Date: January 19, 2013 11:12:01 AM CST
To: Donna Ladd <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
Another story you fucked up bitch.*
(This one came early in the day. In previous years, they often came during cocktail hour and sounded like it. Maybe he's on the wagon, or is drinking earlier in the day. That might explain why he seems to be conflating the work of the national Politifact with the local JFP. Smh.)
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 19 January 2013, 2:04 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Bubba,
With due respect, I rather guess Todd knows better what I'm talking about than you do.
It's funny how hard you have to look to find a dubious retort to that statement regardless of how one reads it. Beyond that, I'll allow you and Todd to duke out that article.
On Weapons of Mass Destruction
Posted 19 January 2013, 1:51 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
You're saying the children themselves are inferior somehow, darryl?!
And when we're talking elementary school kids, could you explain your perceived "difference" in quality of children in JFP and those in , say, Madison. And do you really believe that 6-year-olds "see no reason to better themselves as the government will provide for them"?
On Charter Schools Pass Senate Committee
Posted 18 January 2013, 10:57 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
BTW, we [just posted this recent document that lists the goals/actions/strategies of the Vision 2022 plan][1]. I believe it's divided by committee.
[1]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 17 January 2013, 4:23 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Why do you think that is, Darryl?
On Charter Schools Pass Senate Committee
Posted 17 January 2013, 1:56 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
The ultimate point, though, is why so many people working for the good of the city don't want to work with others doing the same thing just because they disagree or ask questions. This is small-minded and provincial, and it's going to continue to hamper our efforts. My suggestion to you, Chris, is to use your role as an insider to ensure that the tent really is larger than the likes, dislikes and political preferences of the group's leaders. And that everyone stays excited and focused even after the election has passed. I suspect they will on Vision 2022; my jury is out on the others. And if they do, and good work happens, gloating would be silly. Why? Because that's what the JFP wants to see happen, and it's why we're asking the damn questions in the first place. Careful about drinking the Koolaid of those who bash us merely because we dare to ask questions. That's thinking small, and the city needs larger, more challenging thinking on every level.
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 17 January 2013, 1:55 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
As for Team Jackson, my question is similar. Why in the world do you need a pubic-relations group of this size just to promote another group of a similar size (with the same number of committees). Someone seems a bit group- and committee-happy, no? Why doesn't Vision 2022 -- which we've covered already and has impressive goals, as far as we can see so far -- just have a rockin' public-relations committee that does the same thing? It can't hold informational coffees or luncheons? And how strong a role are mayoral candidates playing in the group? Asking those questions does not reflect poorly on anyone on the committees; there are great people involved in all these efforts; it's not about that. It's more about who is steering the ships and how.
Speaking of, why is Downtown Jackson Partners -- a [downtown Jackson Business Improvement District][1] -- playing such a prominent, leading, busy role in a chamber public-relations group that is targeting the entire metro? It's one thing to be a member -- makes sense -- but a prime organizer? It seems like there is a lot of work still to be done downtown that could keep them busy, considering all those empty storefronts. Even Metrocenter is figuring out how to offer artists free studio space so they can put interesting things in those depressing empty rooms. Why in the world can't DJP focus on small-but-important efforts such as that? And if they're doing it, why don't they do a better job of telling the city and the media about it? As far as I know, they still haven't returned our calls for this story about Team Jackson, which we're told is their baby. It's just hard to understand why they seem to spend so much direct time on projects outside downtown.
As for Vision 2022, this story shows no criticism of that group at all or the good people involved on the committees. We've covered it already when it was announced in October, and Jacob plans to go point by point in its plan to explore its goals, why needed, plans, etc. He is already planning to attend committee meetings and flesh out a series of stories on its goals this year. We haven't seen anything to take issue with on it and don't. We're a huge fan of strategic planning, and this area has suffered from too little. Here's [one story we've done on it][2], and [another][3].
[1]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
[2]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
[3]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 17 January 2013, 1:55 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Hi Chris,
Thanks for posting, and for using your real name. It's so much easier to have an intelligent conversation with a real person on the other end.
Your post seems to conflate a number of things and shows some false assumptions about our story. I'll address a few points quickly. First, I can't imagine anyone, or certainly, you being disappointed in anyone for asking real questions and seeking facts about any organizations that spring up to support Jackson or any particular developments. Of course, someone is always "disappointed" when we or anyone asks questions about a project they're involved in, as you well know from your criticism of the original Whitney Place concept in Fondren (in which you and others raised good questions and awareness that, hopefully, will improve that plan if it goes forward).
We're a journalism organization, and our job is to ask questions. That always ruffles somebody's feathers. I cannot allow that to bother me if I want to put out a quality publication that watchdogs the community.
Now, re the groups themselves. This story is really about two apparent public-relations efforts that emerged around the same time: Celebrate Jackson and Team Jackson. Both recently popped up, and both have had inauspicious starts. Celebrate was clearly poorly planned, timed and executed; Team Jackson clearly suffers from poor communication and transparency even among its own members--which is really not helpful for a group set up, apparently, to only serve a public-relations purpose. (Kamikaze, for instance, was promoting it hard as a "non-business" organization and completely open to anyone including at the luncheons -- even though it's a Chamber project designed to promote Vision 2022, and it costs $100 to join and then $20 to attend members-only luncheons.) Both groups have some fixes they need to attend to, and our story is largely about that. We also get the impression that both groups are involving people their organizers like and are comfortable with; we've heard from many active community people that they haven't been invited to participate in either effort.
We also make no apologies for asking questions about *any* vaguely named Jackson group that pops up during city campaign season as I've already explained. As for Celebrate Jackson, this should have happened years back, or at least months, before the mayor's office is wrapped up in reelection for better execution as well as the perception that it's been done for political reasons.
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 17 January 2013, 1:44 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
No, Darryl, hers is clearly straight opinion with few actual facts stated. You state several facts:
1. JPS is "failing."
2. JPS, have consistently demonstrated the inability to "fix the problem(s)"
3. More money been thrown down the hole
What are your sources on all of that information?
On Charter Schools Pass Senate Committee
Posted 16 January 2013, 6:51 p.m. Suggest removal
donnaladd says...
Nice post, Lena.
I will also add that this story is not paranoid, but it is watchdoggish. I'll be frank. EVERY city election, we see groups pop up in the months before with vague names and goals: SafeCity, [Better Jackson PAC][1], some secret northeast Jackson citizens committee formed to help Melton beat Johnson (I forget the name) -- not to mention the Metro Crime Commission in years past. ALL ended up being political even if they didn't start out being. The Better Jackson PAC gave lots of money (mostly from [McGowan Working Partners][2]) last election to Marshand Crisler and refused to file reports on it until we literally forced them to reveal themselves at the last minute.
We are not saying any of this is true about these groups. But it is why we want to know what is going on, by whom, who is getting and spending the money, and if they give campaign contributions. We exist as a watchdog and make no apologies for that. And it automatically makes people suspicious when your surrogates make false claims -- such as Team Jackson being "non-business," which was so easy to debunk that it's laughable. Now, do the surrogates not know who started the group and why? Maybe. But that's a PR problem for the group, and it's going to hurt them if they don't fix it.
Call it constructive criticism. All the above groups can clean up some of these problems, but they need to acknowledge them first. And if any group comes along and tries to quietly funnel money to candidates, we will do our damn best to figure it out and tell our readers. Call it paranoid if you wish, but we've spun around this dog track enough times to know what to watch for.
[1]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
[2]: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/20…
On One City, United and Divided
Posted 16 January 2013, 6:42 p.m. Suggest removal