The Jokelahoman Back To Attacking Ed Shadid

[Spartan]

It is surprising, BUT not all that so considering it was one of the most pathetic op-eds they've done in a long time. I wonder if anyone actually came away with a lesser opinion of Shadid. The crazy thing is that someone in the Dark Tower thinks they can use the words "is against a convention center" to drum up antipathy for a politician. Perhaps they are deluding themselves as well that someone actually wants this convention center?

[bornhere]

I would not have voted for Walters were I in his ward. Even so, I thought it was inexcusable, although entirely predictable, that the Oke would try that cheap "let's hope he doesn't get indicted" shot.

[Mikemarsh51]

Spartan, I agree with you wholly in this thread, I think you are a little off on the Walters issue. He lost by about 400 votes, and he did lose. I don't think it is accurate to say the entire ward hated him.

[Larry OKC]

Although the timeline doesn't exactly line up, isn't this related to the reason why Will Rogers used to get such huge laughs from audiences--back in the day--when he used to lead off his stage act with . . . "All I know I read in the newspapers" . . . .?

(Not to mention that "local comic"--Argus Somethingorother--who "They" cut loose like a slacker helicopter pilot?)

For some reason, the name "Argus Hamilton" is stuck in my head???

[Larry OKC]

When I saw this in the paper this morning, couldn't help but be reminded about how the paper was constantly bringing up the issue of others trying to introduce "party" politics in the non-partisan Council elections (when it was the Oklahoman that was doing most of the labeling and even then, trying to lump Shadid in with some of the other candidates they would mention).

[Spartan]

Spartan, I agree with you wholly in this thread, I think you are a little off on the Walters issue. He lost by about 400 votes, and he did lose. I don't think it is accurate to say the entire ward hated him.

Fair enough, I would say. I just knew a lot of people that were tired of him, but you're right, I also know he had his supporters.

[soonerguru]

It says a lot about the paper's ownership that they would pen an editorial ostensibly admitting that their news team didn't do its job reporting about the convention center.

Imagine: newspaper ownership making a case against "asking questions." Could anything be more preposterous?

The fact is the Oklahoman has intentionally blurred this story and kept the public from the details. They've provided very little depth except the aspect that Steve has reported about regarding the substation. Perhaps this was "cleared" for publication because they're made at Mick Cornett. But the bottom line is what coverage there has been in the Joke about the CC has served more to obfuscate and diffuse than to enlighten.

The 2,500 words in Shadid's paid-for-editorial expose were extremely enlightening. And what they brought to light was what a lousy newspaper we have in this city. Clearly there has been very little real reporting about the convention center. And now we know why, when we're being told to "move on," as the editorial disrespectfully chides Shadid.

[soonerguru]

It is surprising, BUT not all that so considering it was one of the most pathetic op-eds they've done in a long time. I wonder if anyone actually came away with a lesser opinion of Shadid. The crazy thing is that someone in the Dark Tower thinks they can use the words "is against a convention center" to drum up antipathy for a politician. Perhaps they are deluding themselves as well that someone actually wants this convention center?

Small bone to pick here: it was not an "op ed." It was a main editorial. The Oklahoman hasn't had an "op-ed" page in years, as they only want right-wing opinions in their newspaper. Typically, newspapers have two pages of opinion: one is their own, written by their editorial board, as was this s-hit piece against Shadid. Op-ed pages are usually across the gutter and feature editorialists and columnists typically not employed by the paper, or people writing guest opinions. The Oklahoman does not do this -- nor does it do much else that qualifies as good journalism. There's a reason it's referred to as "The Joke."

[tehvipir]

after watching the video that doug posted about the july 19 city council meeting, im glad i voted for him. He is saying the right stuff.

[Doug Loudenback]

after watching the video that doug posted about the july 19 city council meeting, im glad i voted for him. He is saying the right stuff.

I am coming to the conclusion that there are only three council members who have an open mind about fair play when it comes to potentially divisive matters which might be brought to city council: Ed Shadid, Pete White, and Skip Kelly.

[Just the facts]

I am coming to the conclusion that there are only three council members who have an open mind about fair play when it comes to potentially divisive matters which might be brought to city council: Ed Shadid, Pete White, and Skip Kelly.

They might have an open mind but only one of them has anything in it. Watching the streetcar presentation 2 weeks ago was an embarrassment for a couple of them. I was very critical of Ed Shadid pre-election but I have been proven wrong.

[Doug Loudenback]

Not sure what you mean, Just the facts. Will you kindly elaborate?

[Just the facts]

Not sure what you mean, Just the facts. Will you kindly elaborate?

LOL - 2 (maybe 3) weeks ago the City Council spent about an hour and fifteen minutes discussing the streetcar. They couldn't understand why the streetcar needs two set of tracks when they could run a single train both directions on the same track even if that track was in a traffic lane and the streetcar was traveling head-first into on-coming traffic. While it was quit amusing, it hurt my brain listening to it. Thank goodness UP was there to straighten them out. There is a link to it a couple of pages back in the streetcar thread.

[Doug Loudenback]

Ok, I guess (though I remain unclear). I do concur, though, that listening to city council discussions can cause one to be bewildered ... who said what, who's on 1st, that kind of thing.

[Just the facts]

Ok, I guess (though I remain unclear). I do concur, though, that listening to city council discussions can cause one to be bewildered ... who said what, who's on 1st, that kind of thing.

I would have to go back and watch it again but as I recall, the only person who showed signs of intelligence was Dr. Shadid (and UP). White or Kelly (don't remember which) kept going on and on about how freight trains only use one track and it seems to work fine. I guess they never saw a freight train sitting on a siding for an hour while it waited for the on-coming train.

Another council member chimed in that if the entire system was just one track it could reach further away from the core. While true, the City could make a fortune selling the security cam video on late-night infomercials as the streetcar heads south in the northbound lanes of Lincoln. I'll see if I can find the video link and relevant time portion and you go get a beer and some nachos and make a night of it.

[Just the facts]

Here you go. This was originally posted by Urban Pioneer (who looks like Matthew McConaughey btw)

Here is a link to the video.

http://okc.gov/AgendaPub/mtgviewer.a...doctype=AGENDA

You will need to skip to 49 minutes 30 seconds. That is where it starts.

[Spartan]

I am coming to the conclusion that there are only three council members who have an open mind about fair play when it comes to potentially divisive matters which might be brought to city council: Ed Shadid, Pete White, and Skip Kelly.

Well Skip Kelly resents a lot of the economic development stuff as it is..

And woah, did someone just say Jeff looks like Matthew McConaughey?

[Doug Loudenback]

Here you go. This was originally posted by Urban Pioneer (who looks like Matthew McConaughey btw)

Here is a link to the video.

http://okc.gov/AgendaPub/mtgviewer.a...doctype=AGENDA

You will need to skip to 49 minutes 30 seconds. That is where it starts.

The link didn't work (not a fault to you, but it's not uncommon for city council video links to fail), but I think I understand what you mean ... earlier today, after getting what I wanted from it, I deleted the downloaded video from my hard drive. Like Spartan, though, I don't recall anyone on that video looking like Matthew McConaughey ... but at city council meetings, anything can happen. I'll see if I can still recover the meeting video from my recycle bin and have a better look.

On edit: Thinking better of it, I don't think I want to spend the time ... but I think that I understand what you mean. But I'll be glad to take you up on the beer ... not kidding ...

[Larry OKC]

I think it is a reasonable question. To get more mileage out of it, why not build it down the center of the street (like center turning lanes where traffic can be heading either way), and have the streetcars running both directions (with the side tracks for passing)? By the time you put in the side tracks, may not be getting that much extra out of it.

As Urban Pioneer (Jeff) pointed out, there are reasonable "challenges" with that (like making riders travel to the center of the street to board etc). He also mentioned the possibility of head on collisions with Streetcar themselves (if a safety measure failed). Granted a head-on won't happen in a looped/couplet system but a streetcar could still potentially rear-end another couldn't it?

[Larry OKC]

Small bone to pick here: it was not an "op ed." It was a main editorial. The Oklahoman hasn't had an "op-ed" page in years, as they only want right-wing opinions in their newspaper. Typically, newspapers have two pages of opinion: one is their own, written by their editorial board, as was this s-hit piece against Shadid. Op-ed pages are usually across the gutter and feature editorialists and columnists typically not employed by the paper, or people writing guest opinions. The Oklahoman does not do this -- nor does it do much else that qualifies as good journalism. There's a reason it's referred to as "The Joke."

While the typical 2-page spread doesn't appear in every edition anymore (may only be in the Sunday one now since they reformatted), they do indeed still have Op-Ed as you described. The paper often has pieces that are hardly "right-wing" from syndicated columnists (especially when it comes to "comprehensive illegal immigration reform"). Although I will agree that the Oklahoman typically runs pieces that agree with their editorial view on most issues. On rare occasions allowing the opposite side to appear, often in the "Your Views" (Letter to the Editor). Would love them to print a rebuttal piece from Shadid. What does anyone think the odds are on that happening? LOL

[blangtang]

I could see the Gazette giving him a story about the editorial with his response. I dont want to read the original editorial again but what did stick out is the Oklahoman didn't mention where the 2 page ad appeared, which was odd...or did he put an ad in the Oklahoman too?

[Doug Loudenback]

No. It was just in the Gazette. Nothing odd about it, though ... the Oklahoman never mentions the Gazette.

But, for me, my op-ed piece is here: http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/07...rting-why.html, for whatever it's worth.

[blangtang]

Spokesman Chip Minty--!

[Questor]

I have been subscribing to the iPad version of The Oklahoman for several months now and they never run an opposing view. It is really surprising for a paper and city of this size. I have not been that impressed with its content and will likely be canceling in the near future. It is a really nice app though.

[soonerguru]

The Oklahoman is a dinosaur. I'm glad that they've been ahead of the curve on technology and the Web, but they are behind the curve on quality journalism, a curve they will never be able to catch up to. Unfortunately for them, we need them for their journalism, not their tech savviness. Seriously, I hope they sell out to a news corporation because that is the only solution that will change things for the better in our city. They insist on being tied up in all of the local business interests, and as a result, fail to meet their basic mission: providing neutral, relatively unbiased coverage of local matters. The Momentum Committee / Convention Center (they called it the MAPS IV "Crown Jewel" in editorials, so we know their position), Ed Shadid affair makes perfectly clear that they are way too intertwined in local politics to serve their journalistic mission. Unfortunately, people in Oklahoma have never understood what real journalism is, so they continue to get a pass. But the editorial against Shadid and the lack of complete, comprehensive coverage on all of the issues surrounding the Convention Center serve as shameful reminders of how bad the rot is at OPUBCO. A real city deserves a real big-city paper, and the Nichols Hills neanderthals who run the Oklahoman are clueless -- or simply don't care -- how to deliver a real newspaper.

You know, this paper is so bad that despite its significant profits, it cannot ever even win the Oklahoma SPJ award for best newspaper. The Tulsa World, a relatively mediocre city paper, beats the Oklahoman EVERY SINGLE YEAR. That's how bad the Oklahoman is. It is a joke.