My attempted followup with KSTP-TV reporter Jo Ann Bemoras

[1]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/26/it-seems-the-maplewood-city-council-attention-has-waned/
[2]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/08/22/maplewood-politics-the-press-and-the-tube/

Back about the time when the [KSTP-TV story which concerning the Maplewood City Council](http://www.kstptv5.com/article/stories/S17813.html?cat=1) aired, I became [more][1] and [more][2] curious about the way TV news is done. I sent the following note to the reporter of that story (after having exchanged emails once before on the topic).

It went unanswered. But given that the [Minnesota News Council has upheld a complaint against that very report](http://newscouncil.news-council.org/index.php?p=28), I thought I would post that email here, as I still have some of the same wonderings. *I* thought it was a nice letter. Follow the link to read it.

Continue reading My attempted followup with KSTP-TV reporter Jo Ann Bemoras

Kevin Berglund, SaveMaplewood.com, and the Restraining Order

In one of her comments here on my site, [Maplewood Mayor Diana Longrie noted](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/06/20/more-maplewood-minnesota-fireworks/#comment-1262) that the fact the her husband had a restraining order issued against him was something that had been picked up on in various news stories in the past. Here’s an example mention from the Pioneer Press [by Steve Smith, posted on Thu, Nov. 03, 2005] (no longer available by direct link; I got it via Google’s cache ):

> [Diana] Longrie hosts a weekly cable show, separate from the one her husband of 11 months, Kevin Berglund, used to produce. Longrie rebuffed any questions about Berglund, who two years ago was served with a temporary restraining order barring him from contact with four female city employees. A judge later lifted the order for lack of evidence of misconduct.

Now, of course, that sounds icky. He was “barr[ed] from contact with four female city employees”. Eeew. And the order was lifted for lack of evidence. Not really a resounding absolution.

Anyway, [Mayor Longrie noted](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/06/20/more-maplewood-minnesota-fireworks/#comment-1262) that she’d provided the actual Order to a site called [SaveMaplewood.com](http://www.SaveMaplewood.com) or the [Maplewood Citizens League](http://www.intercognition.net/mplwdcl/publichome.asp) (MCL), in order to set the record straight (I assume).

MCL bills itself as “a nonpartisan organization”. I question that. For example, the domain “savemaplewood.com” was registered on March 31, 2006 by Peter Fischer and seems by it’s title and timing to be a reaction to the new conservative majority leadership in Maplewood. Peter Fischer was at least at one point vocally critical of the current Maplewood leadership majority ([my comments here](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/04/29/the-local-paper-is-at-it-again/)).

The mayor also noted that Dale Trippler, Judith Johannesen and Stephen Flister are involved in the site. I finally verified that [here](http://www.intercognition.net/mplwdcl/Board.asp). It’s not like they hid it; I just never looked. [Dale Trippler](http://www.kpmartin.com/index.php?s=Dale+ppler) is a name my readers might recognize.

I wonder why they cast SaveMaplewood.com as nonpartisan. I wonder in what way nonpartisanship expresses itself. They *do* do a *very good job* of keeping up with events and news concerning Maplewood; for those following these things, they’re a must-read. But nonpartisan?

Not posting Mayor Longrie’s information seems to me to be a possible indication of being partisan. It’s a bit of information that Maplewood residents who may have heard about the restraining order may be interested in.

Now that I’ve read the order, it seems so even more.

This wasn’t just a “lifted order”. This was nearly a rebuke of those who brought forward the complaint. The order was “[dismissed with prejudice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prejudice_%28law%29)” by District Court Judge Michael F. Fetsch, and found that Berglund, while annoying and persistent, was within his rights in his requests for information from the city. And the judge found that…

> A culture developed with the City of Maplewood to make Berglund’s acquisition of information as difficult as possible and to punish him for perceived transgressions, all of which were related more to social etiquette than to safety, security or privacy issues.

Isn’t that interesting. So much chatter has gone into how the Maplewood city administration has *become* foolish or childish. I have to admit I agree on many counts. Perhaps against both sides, to be blunt. But it doesn’t appear it was a sudden turn of events with the arrival of a conservative majority. Rather, it seems like dysfunction has been festering for a while. (This was all early and mid 2004.)

###What can we get from all this?

We can legitimately wonder if SaveMaplewood.com is truly nonpartisan if they are unwilling to publish something that:

– Gives a glimpse into pre-2006 Maplewood City behavior, showing that oddities don’t appear to be something brand new this year
– Gives a glimpse into how city leaders at the time chose to spend city time and money
– Gives a glimpse into a city culture which made it difficult for a member of the public to obtain information the city was bound to provide (a point that directly touches on their “Your neighbors working to restore and preserve open government in Maplewood” header on their site)
– Clears up some public misconceptions about the husband of the current mayor

We can re-read that paragraph I quoted from the Pioneer Press and wonder “if I read that at the time, what would I have thought? And how accurate would I have been?” It’s a decidedly different impression after reading the order, isn’t it? I can’t shake wondering about how news gets to us. That’s actually the underlying thread that’s more interesting to me than the Maplewood stories themselves.

Well, since the “nonpartisan” [Maplewood Citizens League](http://www.intercognition.net/mplwdcl/publichome.asp) doesn’t see fit to publish the document, I’ll make the PDF available here:

* [City of Maplewood v. Berglund – Restraining Order Dismissed](http://kpmartin.www62.a2hosting.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/BerglundRestrainingOrderDismissed.pdf) 6 page, 900 KB PDF file

###Quick notes

* I searched SaveMaplewood.com via Google and via their own searchable archives to verify that they have not uploaded the PDF prior to this post. I can find no mention of “Berglund”. If I am wrong, **please** correct me so I can correct this post. (Time of writing: Saturday, Sept. 23, 5pm)
* If the offer of the file was not extended to MCL or it’s individual members, **please** let me know so I can correct the Mayor’s assertion.
* I really would like to know if there actually is some conservative balance on [Maplewood Citizens League](http://www.intercognition.net/mplwdcl/publichome.asp).
* The PDF has some interesting stuff about the allegations brought against Berglund. For example, something Kathleen Juenemann alleged turned out not to show up on videotape… how does that happen?
* Though Berglund and Mayor Longrie may be happy someone’s willing to post this information publicly, keep in mind that now the world can know that a judge has found Kevin “insistent”, “argumentative”, and “at times offensive”. Reading this, I hope I never have information you want. :)
* I now have reason to know it was *very* likely Peter Fischer [visiting my site from the Minneapolis Club](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/06/13/to-whoevers-visiting-from-the-minnapolis-club/). C’mon, man… where’s my honorary membership? OK, I’ll settle for lunch. (On you, of course.) :)

For my previous coverage of the Maplewood City Council happenings and related news coverage comments, [click here](http://www.kpmartin.com/index.php?s=maplewood).

Technology, Politics, and the ‘Ethic of Discovery’

[1]: http://www.garagelogic.com/lexicon.htm
[2]: http://www.garagelogic.com/mayorsoffice.htm
[3]: http://www.markkennedy06.com/

There’s a local radio personality named [Joe Soucheray, who acts as the “mayor” of a mythical town called Garage Logic][2]. Friday afternoon he had some discussion concerning the blogger who fed illicitly gained information to the Amy Klobuchar (DFL) campaign for the Minnesota U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mark Dayton.

He was bothered by the blogger’s intrusion into [Republican candidate Mark Kennedy’s][3] ad company’s website, but as he discussed the issue I felt like he was misunderstanding some of how the web works. I emailed him something like the following. I thought I’d throw it up here, too. For kicks.

One particularly annoying part was some local commentator noting something like the blogger wasn’t so much “wrong” as simply having a modern “Ethic of Discovery”. So I started with that. Click the link to read on, or just move along. :)

Continue reading Technology, Politics, and the ‘Ethic of Discovery’

Intermediate Greek – Class 4

[1]: http://www.kpmartin.com/wp-content/uploads/manual/IntermediateGreek-Class04.mp3

Just a quick post to get [this class audio up][1]. We finished up on articles. Eighteen wonderful ways to say “the”. OK, not exactly, but kinda. Our 1 Thessalonians work was a bit of a struggle. Our vocabulary isn’t there yet. Well, at least mine’s not.

I didn’t ace the test, but almost. And I did all the homework *I knew about*. Sigh. I’d lost a sheet. And I made one big mistake: I tried to complete all 18 article uses on my “synthesis” sheet. That was two weeks worth of work. I did it, but it was time consuming.

Life is good

[1]: http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~korn/focus.jpg
[2]: http://kpmartin.www62.a2hosting.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/henry-in-tree.jpg

Four year old [Henry][2] is deeply, excitedly impressed with [the Coyote’s][1] various inventions. He wants to explain each one to me.

And each time the Coyote gets it, he winces and says “ouch!”

O! East Side Review, how ye vex me.

[1]: http://www.eastsidereviewnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=64&SubSectionID=130&ArticleID=718
[2]: http://www.intercognition.net/coord/storyDetail.asp?story=114&league=mplwdcl
[3]: http://www.intercognition.net/mplwdcl/publichome.asp#newsflash
[4]: http://www.news-council.org/
[5]: http://www.intercognition.net/coord/workspace.asp?league=mplwdcl
[z]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/26/it-seems-the-maplewood-city-council-attention-has-waned/
[y]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/08/22/maplewood-politics-the-press-and-the-tube/
[x]: http://www.kstptv5.com/article/stories/S17813.html?cat=1
[w]: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/15580363.htm
[v]: http://newscouncil.news-council.org/index.php?p=28

###Yet more about the Maplewood City Council###

I’ve been blissfully unaware of the local happenings concerning the whole silliness over there, but I did peruse the neighborhood paper today which carried a Katy Zillmer story – [Once a city grievance, now a federal lawsuit][1]. As I understand the story, primarily from East Side Review coverage – former Human Resources Director Sherrie Le became “former” August 11th, 2006. It appears from the outside that she and the majority of the City council didn’t see eye to eye. She filed a “hostile work environment complaint”. An investigation was done. A 60 page report resulted. And she was fired shortly after receiving the report, which said, in her words “that I am the problem.”

So now she’s filed a federal suit.

Sigh. Doesn’t this inspire confidence? Hope? Litigation. And all she wants is back pay and her job back. Yes, fighting to get her job in the “hostile work environment” back. Hmm. Just seems icky to me. Yes, icky.

###And more on the East Side Review

Sadly, the standard East Side Review criticisms again need to be applied:

– most data coming from only one side of the story
– poor research

In fact, I have to wonder if not merely poor research but outright deception was in Katy Zillmer’s mind with the following quote:

> Schwieger’s Web site, www.schwiegerlaw.com lists his areas of practice as criminal defense, drunk driving, juvenile delinquency, parenting issues, custody and family law, accidents and personal injury.

That’s how it’s written on the web and in print.

Here’s what’s actually on his website:

> General practice including but not limited to trial, appeals and negotiations of legal matters dealing in all areas of criminal law and drunk driving, custody and family law, accidents and personal injury, and **local government and politics**. (emphasis mine)

I wonder why, in an article where this lawyer is being noted in the context of local government and politics, that was left out? Zillmer didn’t exactly lie, but she sure didn’t tell the truth.

Waitaminit, Ken. That text could have been added this week! Yes. [But it wasn’t][2]. That’s independent verification from a website not necessarily very fond of the current Maplewood City Council majority.

Gosh, so that’s how research works.

And by the way… I rock.

Maplewood City Council member Erik Hjelle brought a complaint to the [Minnesota News Council][4] about the [KSTP TV story][x] I commented on [here][z] and [here][y] and had a brief exchange with the reporter about. [The complaint was upheld 6-4][3]. It seems my observations about unfairness and inaccuracy in the news story were not just me having wild conservative paranoias.

**UPDATE (9/22 9:30a):** The [Pioneer Press picks up an AP story on the MN News Council ruling][w]. Interesting: “Hjelle called KSTP after the story aired to complain but declined a request for an interview for a follow-up story. News Council members said he was mistaken to refuse.” I agree.

I hadn’t though about the Minnesota News Council… I think I’m passing today’s little oddity on to them.

I’M BACK, BABY!

**UPDATE (9/22 10pm):** [Here’s the report statement][v] directly from the Minnesota News Council.

Previously on the East Side Review and the Maplewood City Council:

[g]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/31/reporting-on-the-report-concerning-the-report/
[f]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/26/it-seems-the-maplewood-city-council-attention-has-waned/
[e]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/24/maplewoods-city-council-draws-more-attention/
[d]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/07/15/maplewood-mn-and-greg-copelands-background-check/
[c]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/06/20/more-maplewood-minnesota-fireworks/
[b]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/04/29/the-local-paper-is-at-it-again/
[a]: http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/04/20/a-tiny-peek-at-local-politics/

– [Reporting on the report concerning the report][g]
– [It seems the Maplewood City Council attention has waned][f]
– [Maplewood’s City Council draws more attention][e]
– [Maplewood, MN and Greg Copeland’s background check][d]
– [More Maplewood, Minnesota fireworks][c]
– [The local paper is at it again][b]
– [A tiny peek at local politics][a]

They’re gone.

All of them. They piled into the minivan for their various Wednesday night church activities. I offered my benedictions and walked into the house, letting out a cheer that made Helen and Kenny and Bunny the bunny all jump.

The whole house to myself.

The plan is to finish my Greek study. That’s always been the habit on Wednesday nights, though it was usually at a coffee shop after I’d dropped off the kids. But now *they* all left and *I* got to stay.

So the coffee’s brewing. How can I study Greek if I don’t have my coffee? (Didn’t the schoolmaster say that in *The Wall*?)

PhpMyAdmin config error… AUGH!

Imagine a fresh install of MySQL, (entropy.ch) PHP, and phpMyAdmin which didn’t work. MySQL is running in Terminal just fine. PHP is cranking along nicely. But phpMyAdmin steadfastly refused to run:

> Probably reason of this is that you did not create configuration file. You might want to use setup script to create one.
>
> Error
> MySQL said:
>
> 1045 – Access denied for user ‘root’@’localhost’ (using password: NO)

Run the setup script. Nothing. /config world-writable? Yes. Try manually editing the /config/config.inc.php with various recommended basics. Still no love.

The missing step? **Move the config.inc.php out of the /config directory to the root level of phpMyAdmin!**

…sigh… I didn’t see that written anywhere. Why doesn’t the successful “setup script” tell me to do that? Not too mention that the setup script will report “New server added” when in fact config/config.inc.php only got created, not written to.

Life is returning to normal

I’m almost caught up on sleep. I still haven’t completely unpacked from Phoenix, but I’m close. My Greek work is progressing well. Work is an enjoyable challenge. Teaching Sunday School has gone well. The kids have retained most of their appendages.

But, the nicest thing this week was being reminded that thirteen years ago this week I got to get married to my Lovely Bride. Thirteen years. And she still hasn’t caught on that she’s too good for me.

Some new comments up. There’s an especially long thread on [The Lord’s Supper – Part 1](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/03/15/71/). I have some stuff I want to post on the [Re-Envisioning Baptist Identity manifesto](http://www.kpmartin.com/2006/06/23/re-envisioning-baptist-identity/), too.

And other stuff. Argh. Not enough time. TTFN.