What's this blog really about?

You may notice a variety of topics here - from business, to charity promotion, even to local news, but the primary reason this blog was created was to alert readers to the hostile atmosphere and sexual harassment at The Danville Register & Bee. The readers and creator of this blog want a FULL FRONT PAGE apology in the Danville Register & Bee, plus the disciplining of those individuals involved. Until then, we'll continue to post regular updates. To tolerate THIS kind of behavior by a major media network is intolerable. And this isn't just ONE instance. Media General has been sued nationwide for racism and sexism, yet they CONTINUE to keep the offenders employed. Why? And why am I doing this? TRUTH compels me.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Lost lettermen

This is definitely an "off-topic" post, but I just found a great site for all those sports fans out there. I know a lot of you are fans of this blog - so here's one for you:

http://www.lostlettermen.com/

Ever wonder what happened to all those college jocks? If they lettered and were a part of the team at a major college or university - now you can find out! Great new start-up business that tracks what happened to former sports stars. Great site and fun reading for anyone who likes sports. I have no interest or connection to it other than it's a fun new website. Enjoy!

A whole new Register & Bee????

For a week now people (who are in a much better position to know) have been telling me the Register & Bee will not be the same newspaper - if it exists at all after April 6, 2009.

Reporters, well actually EVERYONE at the paper has been interviewing this week for their own job or others. Some of the people laying out the newspaper will not be returning to work as their jobs have moved to Lynchburg.

As a matter of fact, the "job interviewing" has been done by Joe Stinnett - of Media General in Lynchburg. Everyone has been "reassured" their jobs are safe (where have we heard THAT before??" so my question is:

Why is a Lynchburg supervisor INTERVIEWING Danville reporters about their job?
Why are DANVILLE employees - particularly REPORTERS and EVERYONE in the newsroom - including editors and managers, now going to be reporting to a Lynchburg supervisor?

Where is Steve Kaylor? He's taken over advertising since Rob saw the light and abandoned ship and headed to greener grass in Arkansas.

Could it be that Media General wised up to what's happening in the newsroom and is cleaning house?

Do any of you REALLY believe that you'd interview with a Lynchburg supervisor if the paper was going to remain in Danville? C'mon. Grow up.

Five reporters are being hired - layout, advertising, obituaries, everything else about the paper - even circulation is heading north. The building is being SOLD - or is at least UP for sale. Seriously. What does all this mean to Danville?

That all the advertising and subscription sales are going to Lynchburg - not here. The jobs? Lynchburg. Control of a local paper? Lynchburg.

That's what happens when your managers don't know how to listen to what people want - LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL NEWS.

Reparations are back on the Congressional Agenda - BAD NEWS FOR BLACKS

It's pretty easy to throw the term "racist" at any one who looks at a bigger picture that encompasses long term vs short term benefits. It's akin to criticizing parents who discipline their children rather than catering to their every whim. For those blacks or whites who want to call me racist for opposing reparations - take time to read the following and do the research.

A few thousand dollars in your pocket now will only hurt blacks for generations to come. Why? Read on. Trust me - you won't see this discussion in the Danville Register & Bee. In the 60's reporters actually helped hold the hoses who washed black protestors in the streets, they subtly forced out the one black reporter they had by ignoring him and freezing him out and making racist remarks behind his back. They are too busy hand-wringing the victim angle and populist view to take a dispassionate and educated stance on why reparations are bad.

The economy is tanking, people all over the world are circling their wagons in anticipation of a U.S. economic collapse, our economic structure is morphing into a whole new world (order), people are screaming about bank bonuses and bailouts and what pops up next on the Congressional agenda? Reparations. Yep. A commission to study reparation proposals for African-Americans has been introduced into the house. For those who aren't familiar with the idea, it means, in essence, tax dollars paying about 4 million African Americans "blood money" to appease the national white guilt (and political machinations) for slavery that happened between 1619 and 1865.

Forget the fact that racism is still an issue in this country, that membership in the Klu Klux Klan has been steadily on the rise, that our government has been covertly and legally enslaving black men and women for decades with the prison structure and discrimination.

Forget the fact that black men and women have hit a glass ceiling in America, even though we do have a black president. Forget that less than 3% of all television news stations are owned by people of color and that our government is DOING NOTHING TO ADDRESS THOSE RACIST ISSUES....or to punish the white corporations and government structures that allow THAT discrimination to flourish.

And while the majority of Americans will sit by with their mouths shut, afraid of offending their black neighbors, those who truly care will speak out. $8 million in reparations won't change what happened to blacks in America because it will NOT empower them. These are not the people who were enslaved. Yes, they suffered as a result of their skin color, but why not pay all the women who suffered as a result of their gender? Where's the money that women have been denied since 1619?

At a time when the American people are at the very edge of economic collapse from bailing out institutions that should be allowed to go bankrupt, why are we pouring money into the study of reparations? Am I missing something? Is this not the ultimate straw breaking the camel's back? In a time when we should be pulling together, empowering each other we're going to step in and denigrate 4 million people?

During his campaign Obama said he was opposed to reparations. Was he just hedging his bets to get the vote? Or does he too see how it would hurt, not help America? It's not just me who feels this way.

Project 21 has immense resources, articles and a history of empowering communities/tribes - NOT the government.

Among the arguments made against reparations:

1) One injustice (slavery) cannot be corrected by another injustice (taking money from an innocent party). No one alive today owned slaves legally in the United States. Millions of non-black Americans don't even have ancestors who lived in the U.S. at the time of slavery.

2) It would be impossible to administer fairly. Most Americans don't know their lineage well enough to assert, let alone prove, harm from slavery (or the converse, that their ancestors are responsible for or benefited from slavery). This means -- and most reparations advocates seem to concede -- that reparations would be paid to black Americans by other Americans simply on the basis of race. This would result in reparations payments not only by the distant descendants of actual slaveowners, but of post-Civil War immigrants, such as Vietnamese "boat people" refugees and now-elderly survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

3) Reparations payments based on race alone would be perceived by nearly everyone forced to make payments as a monstrous injustice, embittering many and inevitably setting back race relations. Apologetic feelings many whites hold because of slavery and past civil rights injustices would to a significant extent be replaced by anger. Yet, would one of the goals of the reparations movement: A supposed lessening of black anger (to the extent it exists) because of slavery really abate if reparations were enacted? Evidence is scant.

And finally - an excellent article on Ten Reasons why Reparations are Bad for Blacks and Racist too, from Frontpage Magazine.

If you support reparations - please post a logical, factual response why. Racist rants from whites or blacks won't be published. For those who haven't seen the Act, here it is:


Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act (Introduced in House)


HR 40 IH 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 40
To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2009 Mr. CONYERS (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

___________________________________

A BILL
To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act ' .
> SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings- The Congress finds that--

(1) approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 1865;
(2) the institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865; (3) the slavery that flourished in the United States constituted an immoral and inhumane deprivation of Africans ' life, liberty, African citizenship rights, and cultural heritage, and denied them the fruits of their own labor; and
(4) sufficient inquiry has not been made into the effects of the institution of slavery on living African-Americans and society in the United States .
(b) Purpose- The purpose of this Act is to establish a commission to--(1) examine the institution of slavery which
existed from 1619 through 1865 within the United States and the colonies that became the United States , including the extent to which the Federal and State Governments constitutionally and statutorily supported the institution of slavery;
(2) examine de jure and de facto discrimination against freed slaves and their descendants from the end of
the Civil War to the present, including economic, political, and social discrimination;
(3) examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the discrimination described in paragraph (2) on living African-Americans and on society in the United States;
(4) recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission ' s findings;
(5) recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission ' s findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
(6) submit to the Congress the results of such examination, together with such recommendations.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES. (a) Establishment- There is established the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Commission ' ).
(b) Duties- The Commission shall perform the following duties:
(1) Examine the institution of slavery which existed within the United States and the colonies that became the United States from 1619 through 1865. The Commission ' s examination shall include an examination of--
(A) the capture and procurement of Africans;
(B) the transport of Africans to the United States and the colonies that became the United States for the purpose of enslavement, including their treatment during transport;
(C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and instrastate commerce; and (D) the treatment of African slaves in the colonies and the United States , including the deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of their labor, and destruction of their culture, language, religion, and families.
(2) Examine the extent to which the Federal and State governments of the United States supported the institution of slavery in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to which such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of freed African slaves to repatriate to their homeland.

(3) Examine Federal and State laws that discriminated against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present.
(4) Examine other forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present.

(5) Examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) on living African-Americans and on society in the United States.

(6) Recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission ' s findings.
(7) Recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission ' s findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). In making such recommendations, the Commission shall address among other issues, the following questions:

(A) Whether the Government of the United States should offer a formal apology on behalf of the people of the United States for the perpetration of gross human rights violations on African slaves and their descendants.
(B) Whether African-Americans still suffer from the lingering effects of the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4).
(C) Whether, in consideration of the Commission's findings, any form of compensation to the descendants of African slaves is warranted.
(D) If the Commission finds that such compensation is warranted, what should be the amount of compensation,
what form of compensation should be awarded, and who should be eligible for such compensation.
(c) Report to Congress- The Commission shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Congress not later than the date which is one year after the date of the first meeting of the Commission held pursuant to section 4(c).
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. (a) Number and Appointment- (1) The Commission shall be composed of 7 members, who shall be appointed, within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, as follows:

(A) Three members shall be appointed by the President.
(B) Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(C) One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(2) All members of the Commission shall be persons who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education, training, or experience, particularly in the field of African-American studies.
(b) Terms- The term of office for members shall be for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the powers of the Commission, and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(c) First Meeting- The President shall call the first meeting of the Commission within 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, or within 30 days after the date on which legislation is enacted making appropriations to carry out this Act, whichever date is later.
(d) Quorum- Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(e) Chair and Vice Chair- The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. The term of office of each shall be for the life of the Commission.
(f) Compensation- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), each member of the Commission shall receive compensation at the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay payable for GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United
States Code, for each day, including travel time, during which he or she is engaged in the actual
performance of duties vested in the Commission.

(2) A member of the Commission who is a full-time officer or employee of the United States or a Member of Congress shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of his or her service to the Commission.
(3) All members of the Commission shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties to the extent authorized by chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. (a) Hearings and Sessions- The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and at such places in the United States, and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may request the Attorney General to invoke the aid of an appropriate United States district court to require, by subpoena or otherwise, such attendance, testimony, or production.

(b) Powers of Subcommittees and Members- Any subcommittee or member of the Commission may, if authorized
by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
(c) Obtaining Official Data- The Commission may acquire directly from the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the Government, available information which the Commission considers useful in the discharge of its duties. All departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the Government shall cooperate with the Commission with respect to such information and shall furnish all information requested by the Commission to the extent
permitted by law.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. (a) Staff- The Commission may, without regard to section 5311(b)
of title 5, United States Code, appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as the Commission considers appropriate.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws- The staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service,and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the compensation of any employee of the Commission may not exceed a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable for
GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(c) Experts and Consultants- The Commission may procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with the provisions of section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the highest rate payable under section 5332 of such title.
(d) Administrative Support Services- The Commission may enter into agreements with the Administrator of General Services for procurement of financial and administrative services necessary for the discharge of the duties of the Commission. Payment for such services shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the Commission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Chairman of the Commission and the Administrator.

(e) Contracts- The Commission may--
(1) procure supplies, services, and property by contract in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
and to the extent or such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts; and
(2) enter into contracts with departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government, State agencies, and private firms, institutions, and agencies, for the conduct of research or surveys, the preparation of reports, and other activities necessary for the discharge of the duties of the Commission, to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION . The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its report to the Congress under section 3(c). SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. To carry out the provisions of this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $8,000,000.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Relief at last....

Finally, MORE reporters at The Danville Register & Bee. Maybe someone somewhere figured out that two people wasn't enough to cover the NEWS? There are more people in sports than news - so as long as all you care about is baseball, football and basketball - you're probably okay...but don't expect any extensive coverage of the minor sports - like girls, junior varsity, swimming, wrestling, little league etc. There just aren't enough reporters!

But, now the paper is hiring enough to bring it up to FIVE reporters. Yay! MAYBE we'll get more real LOCAL news. We can hope.

Fold or remodel?

Well, which will it be? Fold or remodel? Apparently the decision HAS BEEN MADE to move the editorial layout to Lynchburg. Advertising layout and the obits and other layout functions have already been moved. That means more Danville dollars are trickling to the north and out of the local economy. Circulation keeps losing people - one-by-one. Local people who once laid out the paper will either have to commute or find other jobs. NOT surprising.

The newsroom hasn't been shuffled around yet, but since some editing is going to India, obits and ads are in Lynchburg and now the newspaper layout itself is in Lynchburg as of April 1, 2009 (not a joke), pretty soon we'll all have to go to Lynchburg to read the Danville News!

Maybe the NORTHERN end of the county will finally get some coverage now that the Danville paper is mostly stationed in Lynchburg eh?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Newsroom at Register & Bee all terminated.....

Seems like the entire Newsroom has been terminated effective as of April 1, 2009...so former employees at the paper say.

I've heard this from several credible sources who say it's NOT just the layout department being shuffled to Lynchburg, but in fact - the paper folding. We won't know until April 1, or until I get the memo via my Media General sources in Richmond...but, doesn't look good.

Looks like Arnold can enjoy his stay in Florida a little longer.

Bye Bye Register & Bee.....Gone as of April 1, 2009

Circulation is being moved to Lynchburg, but the "semi-official" word that Arnold (On vacation in Florida....hmmm....) got via phone this week is that the Register & Bee newsroom will be GONE April 1, 2009. A poor April Fools Day joke....or just business as usual at The Register & Bee.

We'll see. The "rumor" from Richmond - that the ENTIRE NEWSROOM will be WITHOUT JOBS as of April 1.

Survey says???? What do you think?

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Don't expect to read about this in the Register & Bee

News from a reader asking why The Danville Register and Bee hasn't covered this story. Hmmmm...could be because they supported Barack Obama and may be pro-union???? The Register and Bee doesn't do a lot of reporting on business issues like this. They're down to just two reporters for news - although there are what? Three or four for sports? We know where the priorities are - and it's not politics, uranium or business reporting. Anyway....

This reader writes:

Late Friday Feb. 6, President Barack Obama issued an executive order encouraging the federal government to require wasteful and discriminatory union-only project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal and federally funded construction projects over $25 million. This executive order also repealed Executive Order 13202, which has prohibited the government from mandating PLAs on all construction projects receiving federal dollars or financial assistance since February 17, 2001.

The Obama pro-PLA executive order encourages merit shop contractors be locked out from federal construction opportunities unless contractors agree to the onerous “union-friendly” terms and conditions found in union-only PLAs. Contractors signatory to labor unions will have an incredible advantage in winning federal construction projects.

ABC member contractors and your workforce should be outraged by the Obama executive order because it will eliminate you from federal construction contracts paid for by your very own tax dollars. As a result of this executive order, local and state contracts that receive federal funding or assistance may be subject to PLA requirements as well.

In addition, the Obama Order is sure to waste taxpayer dollars. Credible academic studies have found that inefficient union work rules and decreased competition as a result of PLA requirements increases construction costs by as much as 20 percent when compared to projects bid without PLAs. In these tough economic times, it makes no financials sense for the federal government to build four schools, bridges and hospitals for the price of five.

Send a letter by clicking below OR call President Obama at (202) 456-1111 and tell him that union-only PLAs are wasteful, discriminatory and keep skilled people like you from working in their own communities.

Readers are urged to call Tom Perriello - who is not expected to do a damn thing about it because he's a democrat. But that's okay. Virgil is running again next year and he won't have a turn-coat homosexual in his office selling him down the river, faxing documents and selling out Virgil for political favors this time. We know who you are and what you did - and so do the Congressmen who like Virgil. Lot of people aren't happy about it. Of course the Register and Bee won't report on that either - since Sarah, "Oh I love Obama I hate Virgil Goode," is gone. Convenient eh? Come in, slam Virgil, then resign after the election....that way you don't have to report on what went on behind the scenes do you....Don't expect Steve Kaylor to pay attention. He has to run the circulation department and advertising now that Fia was laid off and Rob abandoned ship to take a better job elsewhere.

But there's a chance you might find a politician who's not taking pay-offs, hob-nobbing with the pharmaceutical industry, back scratching, cheating on their wives and boyfriends, or partying hardy. Good luck. If you find one and they actually have time to listen to you before their next junket, party or meeting with a lobbyist, you should also say:

Union-only PLAs have no place on taxpayer funded, federal construction and infrastructure projects;PLAs inflate costs by as much as 20 percent and discriminate against 84.4 percent of the U.S. private construction workforce;
PLAs have a public record of poor performance. PLA proponents’ claims of cost savings, avoidance of delays and or improved performance under proposed PLAs have been repeatedly contradicted by the actual project performance under such union-only requirements; Explain why merit shop contractors won’t bid on projects subject to PLAs
We encourage you to forward this action alert to your fellow employees, friends, state and local public officials and the media. We need your help in spreading the word about this special interest-driven policy.

To learn more about union-only PLAs and the Obama executive order, please visit www.abc.org/pla

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

More Layoffs coming at The Danville Register & Bee

More layoffs are in the works for The Danville Register & Bee. Bernard Baker went on personal leave three months ago and will not be returning. No word on why but if it is for ongoing health reasons, we wish him well. Add him to your prayer list, send him a card or give him a call. He spent many a year there and was a gifted writer. He will be missed I'm sure.

If your press releases aren't being returned, it's because they're being forwarded to Arnold Hendrix. The Register & Bee is manager heavy and always has been. Our money's on at least one manager being let go.

The newsroom is down to John Crane, Denice Thibodeau and Brenda Neugent (formerly Erickson) and the "sports guys," although rumors have persisted that one of the sports department would be cut - at least for the slack summer season, no football or basketball, we'll have to wait and see.

But stay tuned. Richmond tells me the layoffs are in the works.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

GONE!!! With no warning....

Tommy Hundley (formerly of trophy center/sign shop on Wooding) was picking up the papers from Lynchburg and bringing them down to Danville. He showed up at work the other day and now he's GONE! No warning. Just gone. Sorry to hear it Tommy. But that's how things work at The Register & Bee. One minute you're there - the next you're gone.

The axe is always swinging. Who will be next? Will it be someone else in circulation? Maybe it will be an editor or copy editor or reporter or publisher?

All we know is that the end is coming.....I hope everyone down there is polishing their resumes and looking for the door. Rob was and got out before he got screwed.

Experienced employees from ANY industry will tell you - when the managers start taking jobs elsewhere - they KNOW something bad is coming...no matter what they say about "Wanting to be close to family" or "I got a better opportunity." Un-huh...writing is on the wall folks. Get out while you can. It's easier to GET a job when you HAVE a job.

Register and Bee loses yet another

Danville Realtors have had their way. Lower prices and inserts for their home magazine. Look for their home magazine to be inserted in the Register & Bee....and for Sales director Rob to be leaving...he found another job at a paper in Arkansas...so, no more problems there. We wish him well closer to his family out west. But it signals another question... if top salespeople are leaving and the paper is being cannibalized with the printing, the obits and the ad layout sent to Lynchburg and some of the salespeople spending a couple of days a week in Lynchburg - then maybe the rumors of the paper being sold are true???? The paper is sneaking out of town a piece at a time?

This move to placate the realty firms in town MIGHT stave off the Realtor's move from the Register & Bee - for awhile, long enough to sell the paper - unless a buyer realizes that maybe the realty sales lock isn't such a lock.

We would all say "Thanks," to Steve Kaylor backing down and listening to complaints, if his regrets were sincere...of course they aren't. If he HADN'T listened to them their leaving WOULD shut down The Register & Bee. So, the move was purely financial. If he REALLY cared, we'd have seen a FRONT PAGE, FULL PAGE apology about the advertiser who's chest his reporter (who is still employed by the way) filmed and flashed around the newsroom.

Geez Steve. Haven't you figured it all out yet? Strap on a pair and apologize. Be a man. Be a decent human being. Or be unemployed....the message readers and advertisers are sending you is loud and clear. It's too bad, sad really that people would have supported the paper had the paper treated them right.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Where stings are dumped

You asked - we respond:


A comment came in about where the Stings are dumped, well - all before and most recent are in the recycle bins at Fairgrounds Plaza Shopping Center on Riverside Drive, across from Tractor Supply.... the most recent are still there but buried ...the one I posted on Feb 22, the one of the 20 bundles, those were in the recycle bin across from the Danville City Farm. Hope that helps!!!!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Dear readers....

Please take time to read the comments I get here. Two of note seem to be from really concerned citizens - one who doesn't see anything wrong with a newspaper which doesn't obey the ethical code it agrees to as a community service. Perhaps learning what makes a newspaper different than say....K-Mart or the local grocer, might enlighten you.

A newspaper supposedly agrees to hold higher standards, to practice good ethics and to not break the law. That's one reason why they print the news they do.....they're supposed to be a model of good citizenship. They are not privately owned. They are publicly traded and have a fiduciary responsibility to their stockholders. The stock holders entrust them with their money and expect them to manage the business in a way that makes them money - not that embarrasses the owners.

Perhaps in your world it's okay to break up a marriage, run around on your wife, lie to your advertisers, humiliate and embarrass employees and advertisers or, sell out one advertiser to sell a full page ad to their competitor....but in journalism - those aren't really the things professionals pride themselves on.

Then there's the comment from a former R&B employee who said he's sorry he missed out on the porn when he was there. Which goes to prove my point - that not only do they think it's okay - they're proud of the fact they like porn.

Hope your daughters aren't dating any of them....but wait, men who like porn can't have normal human relationships...that's why they like porn. They're too afraid of real women, too incapable of actually respecting and talking to a woman as a human being. They'll run stories about people who have porn on their computers, or they'll videotape women and laugh about them...but gee.....is that the kind of daily paper you want to pay money for?

Sad. Really sad. Please Danville, pray for the Danville Register & Bee. They really really need it.

Is the Piedmont Shopper making its bid to take over?

The Dan River Regions favorite newspaper, The Piedmont Shopper, is so easy to view on the net.....just click on paper and it comes up full screen ...click again and it comes up big enough to read each page...or pick one up at your favorite store. And now they're starting to make their bid to kick R&B butt. Readers are invited to send in their news and stories about local events.

Do you have a photo, a community event, news? If you do, don't forget to send it in to The Piedmont Shopper. We all love stews this time of the year. Share your favorite recipe. Send in a photo of your favorite team, officers in your club...action shot from a little league or one of the many different high school teams or an award, etc...any aspiring writers who want to cover a game, your stories are welcome.

The Register & Bee likes national and state news. Danville readers like LOCAL news. So just send in your story and photo or an exciting story about someone who perhaps was a Danville trolley conductor,fighter pilot,or anyone with a story to tell.

Did you notice the Piedmont Shopper has a column by Mr. Leigg who for years taught at GWHS.....look on the back page for all the happenings ...I see a pancake breakfast this Saturday.....the South Boston Speedway has an ad here with a coupon buy two general admissions and get the third one free.....this Saturday March 7 they have an open pratice from 10 - 4 and it is Free and the next Saturday the 14th the season opens with racing beginning at 2pm.....and while there enjoy the great food...Yummmmmmy........excitement is on every turn..... ... even if you aren't a race fan you might just like it here....

Monday, March 2, 2009

More Stings, undelivered....

You'd really think The Danville Register & Bee could explain why they charge advertisers an arm and a leg to advertise, then dump all these papers in the recycle bin without ever delivering them. It's throwing away money - YOUR money!!! Click on the photo for a larger view. Yup. It's recent.

Hey, even the Register & Bee can afford this!

Thanks to InSocial Media for this one!

All personnel will now be required to look happy while working, in order to combat the current recession. Company-approved supplies will be provided to each employee at little or no cost.

Workloads getting to you?
Feeling stressed?
Too many priorities and assignments?

Here is the new low-cost, company-approved solution to cope with multiple priorities & assignments.

Each employee will be supplied 2 paper clips and rubber bands.

(See Fig 1.)










Assemble as shown in Fig. 2



















And apply as shown in Fig. 3










Enjoy your day. This new office equipment will help you to reach the end of a productive work day with a smile on your face!

The Management

Are the rumors right? Is Media General planning to sell?

Two days a week? Prelude to a sale? That's the rumor. According to The Danville Register & Bee, beginning in April, the Reidsville Review and Eden Daily News will cut back to publishing two days per week. Both papers are now published five days a week. Publisher Steve Kaylor told readers the papers will publish on Wednesday and Sunday beginning April 1. The papers already lost their own website, and were "converged" with The Danville Register & Bee's site. The Madison Messenger, also a Media General paper, cut back from two days a week to one, meaning all three Rockingham papers are getting even thinner.

The Danville Register & Bee'
s building is up for sale, two IT employees, were recently laid off - and another reporter resigned after being at the paper less than a year - leaving the paper with a skeleton crew. In addition, the paper recently announced employees would have to take 10 unpaid days off by the end of September!

The paper is being printed in Lynchburg and the ads and obits also go to Lynchburg - leaving many wondering what part of the Danville Paper really originates in Danville.

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to whether the paper will be around in a year? I think not. Meanwhile, the Piedmont Shopper is poised to take over where the Danville Register & Bee is failing readers - by providing local content, killer classifieds and hopefully news content soon. Alan's readers have sure been pressuring him for it.

With Realtor's pissed at the R&B's sales department for a variety of reasons - they're looking for options other than the paper for getting word out about their homes.

If you read this blog and you're an advertiser, you know that at least 2,000 issues of The Sting and other papers never get delivered but end up in the recycling bin - usually still bound. Scroll down for photos.

Meanwhile, DanvilleBusiness.ning.com, a social media site for Danville Businesses, is pushing the 110 business member mark and growing! Businesses in the Danville, South Boston, NC, Martinsville and surrounding area - including Pittsylvania County can join free - learn how to advertise via the internet and social media marketing and email marketing - for free. Just contact Diane Arnold at the Longwood Small Business Development Center in Danville, VA for a free invitation.