Dec 10, 2015

The Morning Call and Xanax

For those of us who know and care about Allentown, they should deliver the Morning Call with a xanax, because the paper's that frustrating. Just when I thought that Bill White was about as deluded as he could be, he doubles down.  In his column today, he praises a story about Allentown, by someone who hadn't lived or visited here since 1962.
I will tell you that he believes the city's two biggest challenges are drugs and jobs, and that although he told me the same book 10 years ago might have concluded that Allentown was a lost cause, that's not the feeling he gets today, even though he recognizes the divisions and challenges that remain.  
The author's hope about Allentown is because of the arena and surrounding revitalization,  a misconception right up Bill's alleyway. I understand that this writer doesn't know squat about Allentown, having left 53 years ago, but how about Bill White, who has been here since the 70's?  Bill should be wondering  why an outsider's uninformed impressions,  resonate with him so much?  Although the FBI has discovered a cesspool of corruption, Bill can't seem to see beyond his seats at the arena. We, who have lived through the changes in Allentown, don't care about the impressions of a former resident, who wrote his book reading Morning Call clippings. We only wish that Bill White and the Morning Call would have the reported on the damage inflicted upon this city as it was occurring.  However, those that spoke out were more often called naysayers, and some put into a hall of shame.

10 comments:

  1. Bill White represents all that is wrong actually with Allentown today. The Morning Call has bought into the Reillytown facade hook, line, and sinker. White and especially Mat Assad are the main cheerleaders.

    They can't look much outside of the boundaries of the NIZ to see that Allentown today is much more like the girl from Allen that got sent to Reform School in Erie for beating a policewoman, rather than the fine dining on the Arts Walk at Shulas.

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  2. Bll's latest piece was more in line with Bill's level of awareness about the world around him. Here was a former Allentonian writing about Allentown. How nice. A warm and fuzzy topic. Like puppy dogs and county fairs.

    But, Bill's prior piece, with which he tried to join the bandwagon and destroy Trump, was also telling. Writing in such a low-rent, crude, unsubstantiated way revealed even more about Bill's naivety and character. That was shameful. It was everything Bill condemns Trump for! Stunning. He did get in a quick attack on the brilliant Ted Cruz, so we saw 'some' dexterity.

    It's sad to watch someone finish a long career by leaving his comfort zone, only to be revealed as just another tool for agenda-driven media. A bit player in our nation's new propaganda machine.

    I'm afraid my local paper is flaming-out in desperation.

    Fred Windish

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  3. Fred Windish, this paper isn't flaming out..it is fuel for your fireplace! Keep your subscription active, you never know when PPL is going to drop their service during the Winter.

    The best thing you could do-any of you- is simply stop subscribing to the Morning-Know-It-All.
    Just.Stop. There is another news site- that of Channel 69 (I know-laughable, but with some shreds of dignity still clinging to it). Why support what is a tattered rag flapping meaninglessly from Ed Pawlowski's dirty flagpole? Stop your paper deliveries today, if you are really that disgusted. I quit years ago. I don't need the paper to get the news- because I prefer to read news and interpret it myself without a big, pink, illusory filter over it.

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  4. I dropped my subscription, after decades as a loyal reader, when it became too thin too thin to provide decent mulch.

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  5. After graduating from Penn State in 1971 (degrees in engineering and computer science) it took me about 3 months to realize that there were no jobs in Allentown, the surrounding area, or PA. It hit me that there was a serious lack of opportunity.

    After living in other states / cities, each time I would return to visit I could see how 'small' (not in a bad way) A-Town really was. Allentown worked because it was compact, low cost, european work ethic people, and a recovery fueled by the end of WW II, with plenty of manufacturing jobs. Allentown succeeded because it had the right stuff at the right time, it wasn't planned, it happened organically. I remember Allentown receiving an All American City award. It was sort of like receiving the most valuable employee reward, and the next week they lay you off. The decline had already started.

    I find it really sad that the MCall publishes photos of Hess's, Walp's, etc. It wouldn't be necessary if there was something to replace them - but there's not.

    The observation "What Allentown needs is jobs" is laughable. That's all any place needs. An arena that employs part time hot dog vendors, and restaurants that have waiter and dishwasher jobs are not going to fuel a recovery. But hey, Bill has hope. Hope with no plan is worthless. Might as well say "I wish".

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  6. Dour and misguided blogger kvetches at the work of a much more accomplished writer all from his tony bedroom community outside the city limits.

    Can't imagine how miserable you were to be around as a youth.

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  7. @11:32, I agree that bill white has done some excellent work, one of the best columns was about bill villa and his enemies list

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  8. Mr Molovinsky

    I read you blog every few days and catch up on what you post about. I know it takes a lot of work and you also must enjoy doing this and I wanted to let you know that it is appreciated.

    Today's postings about Bill White I wanted just to add my two cents worth. I don't know the man personally, although he and I have shared emails from time to time about things he has written in the Morning Call. Politically he and I are on the opposite ends of the magnet and he has responded to my postings in public that I leave on his column occasionally.

    He has never been rude and I show him that same level of respect. In fact on a few occasions when the Morning Call's automatic censor didn't like a word I used or a phrase and blocked my comment, he has rest0ored the comment, which I appreciated.

    Yes, he is a supporter of the NIZ, as nearly all the people are down there at Sixth and Linden. I don't know whether or not that comes from the management of the Call or if they only hire people that are. But that's just the way it is. And as long as they do so, then those of us who think differently at least have a public forum to air our differences.

    Been posting on various newssites for years, and I get bored when I don't get called names or other obnoxious phrases by those who disagree. But that's part of how it is.

    Ok I'll go back to reading and watching what concerns you about the city. Take care. Just one last thing. You're the only one I know that actually cares about our park system and the WPA structures in it. Thank you.


    David.

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  9. I keep hearing about the revitalization of allentown via the niz. Who exactly is benefiting from this revitalization? I haven't seen any benefit nor jobs created by this taxpayer scam. They might as well build a wall around the arena because regular Atown residents aka "cancer" aren't welcome in the niz.

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  10. How ironic that the Morning Call is now considered the cheer leader for Allentown and the NIZ. In the 1990s the Morning Call and its coprorate parent made one of then largest investments in center city Allentown whent they spent ~ $25 million + on expanding their buildings and new presses, yet there was almost never a positive article about Allentown in the paper. I always wondered how they did not consider how the negative articles may affect their own investment. Then I realized that they often hired out of town reportes who did not live in the area and had no connection to the local community and felt that the only news worth printing was bad news.

    The only counter weight was when Gary Shorts was still the publisher and they recognized good deeds by community volunteers at an annual event.

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