Denounce The Star Writers

Where is the Star Editorial? Why hasn't Jason Moore done another CKLW commentary yet? I can hardly wait until Gord Henderson calls him a naysayer and whiner. As for the Mayor, he will dismiss him out of hand.

Of course I'm talking about Dave Hall the business writer of the Windsor Star. How dare he write a story about the Conference Board of Canada Report in the Star telling us that

"Windsor performs badly in six other categories and is ranked 23rd overall in a report released today."

It's another one of those ridiculous think tank type stories to try to show us how poorly this City compares with others across Canada. What hogwash!

How dare he tell us how Windsor ranks:

• "Windsor's smog days hurt its environmental ranking. A shortage of residents in the 25-34 age category -- considered the most mobile and educated -- low voter turnouts and low usage of public transit hurt the city in the society category.
  
  In the report, Windsor's highest marks are for innovation (7th) and the city ranks in the middle of the pack for environment (17th) and society (17th), but falls behind in housing (21st), economy (23rd), education (24th) and health (25th).
  
  In the sub-categories that influenced rankings in the larger categories, Windsor was first in immigrant population growth, had the third best climate and the fourth lowest labour cost growth. But it was at or near the basement in such sub-categories as disposable income (26th), medical specialists per 100,000 people (25th), general practitioners (26th) and adult literacy (27th)."

Oh he is one of them all right. He tried to hide it by writing that Windsor "Ranked seventh for innovation" and by featuring Scientist Roman Maev, the founder of Tessonics, in his story. But it didn't work. He showed us his true colors by not being positive and pointing out the flaws in the City. He could have said something negative about the Conference Board too but didn't!

Oh you think his crime is minor don't you but it's not. He didn't have to report the story. He could have talked about it a bit so the Star could pretend it covered the news but not gone into the gory details. After all, if one wants to see a copy of the report, one must pay $2400 to the Conference Board. We don't have to do so now that we know how badly off Windsor is thanks to Dave.

Come on Jason... it's time that you can get back at the Windsor Star for all the scoops you lost out on. It is not just Bloggers who are reporting reality.

But the naysayers I'm afraid are getting a lot bolder even though they're trying to be clever about it.

Take the story written by Marty Gervais. He thinks he's being very smart too and that he can outmanoeuver the cheerleaders and sycophants. He can't. They are on to him now also.

Look at the story he wrote about William Phillips, a former economics professor and head of that department at Assumption and later the University of Windsor. It's a prime example. At the beginning, if one reads the story, one would think that Marty is part of the crowd that sees nothing wrong with Windsor:

• "Doom and gloom.
  
  The sky falling.
  
  Now 50 years later, one man, at 86, remembers vividly what it was like back then.
  
  It's on his mind because the chorus of doom and gloom is being heard again.
  
  Layoffs, plant closings, and forecasters are predicting the worst is yet to come.
  
  William Phillips, a former economics professor and head of that department at Assumption and later the University of Windsor, has seen it all before.
  
  He recalls the whining naysayers claiming Windsor was "at the end of the line."

Gervais knows since Windsorites are 27th in adult literacy that few people in town will ever read to the end of his story. Accordingly, he can appear to be a "good guy" while he really is not. One has to read the last half of the story to see what he is getting at.

• "The judge told me his father's real interest was getting the message out that all this current talk about the bleak outlook for the future of this city, and this country, is much the same as what was faced in the early 1960s. He also told me his father wasn't all that keen on making himself the focus of any story.
  
  Too bad.
  
  The message Phillips felt needed to be delivered was good 50 years ago.
  
  It's also good today.
  
  It doesn't mean sugar coating anything, or covering one's ears and eyes in hopes that trouble will disappear.
  
  It means hard work.
  
  It means facing realities.
  
  Phillips knew what that meant in the 1960s. Canada was then in the throes of a recession, and the doomsayers were chanting much the same thing as they are today.
  
  He got on his typewriter and drew up a call to arms. The slogan he drafted was simple and effective: Yes, Windsor Is Moving Again.
  
  The thrust of it was to mobilize those in business, labour, education and the professions to pool their talents to embark on projects to help the city.
  
  This was organized under the auspices of the Greater Windsor Foundation, which was created in 1961.
  
  Phillips, as its president, called for "a sober and realistic assessment of the positive points of this community..."
  
  But Phillips was clear in his message that it would take more than a spirit of boosterism to get Windsor moving in a new direction.
  
  In one speech in April 1964, he said: "If any city is conscious of its shortcomings, from having seen them paraded before itself and before others, it is Windsor.
  
  "The city has come to grips with stark reality too often to be moved by flag-waving or booster club tactics.... The day may come when we can wave flags, but not yet."
  
  True enough. We're there now. Again. We need this kind of leadership again. We need this kind of vision."

What a nerve. Who does he think he is... is Gervais giving a boost to the Tony Toldo initiative and giving it his approval? Toldo recently called together a group of business and union leaders in Windsor to see what could be done. Hmmm not a word of praise for whatever it is that the Mayor is doing with his secretive conference to which Councillors are not invited.

What utter gall. Pointing out how Phillips did not need a team of PR flacks costing $250,000 and did not spend $900,000 on branding of the City but merely banged out a new slogan on a typewriter. Imagine, shunning boosterism and cheerleading.

I'm afraid that the Thought Police will have a much bigger job than was considered if this kind of activity by two senior Star writers is allowed to continue. I know the regular police force cut their $60+M budget by 1% but there is no doubt that the budget of those who want to close down anyone who says anything negative will have to grow exponentially.

And today in the Star, we have read the ultimate heresy. I wonder if you know to which story I am referring. I will wait a day or two in case the writer may have second thoughts. He may have to get a job in Calgary ASAP once his words get out.