You got it, Sweetheart! You are out of control, Lady, and I use that term loosely.
I just approved this comment.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sprucing up is not necessary UPDATED":
"I find it interesting that Kelly Fraasch only requested the negative comments about the article. Seems like an outcome-driven "investigation" (or more accurately, witch hunt) instead of one that wants a clear picture of what occurred. But of course, we know how Kelly (and Elaine) feel about the magazine, those who earn a living by working there, and also about Steve Feller. It seems like Elaine you were the only resident who complained and was so deeply offended. Especially surprising in light of the throngs of "anonymous" commentors here who purported to be so outraged by a humor piece on grocery stores.
Elaine and Kelly don't want to hear it, but the positive comments received clearly outnumber the negative (which is why it's buried as an update and did not warrant its own post: the results did not support the outcome Elaine and Kelly wanted) -
That the positive comments outweighed the negative so intesely and that the positive comments were submitted by so many high-profile Mt. Lebanon residents is no surprise as any well-read person with half a brain and any relevant life experience could see the article was a send-up of our grocery shopping habits here in the South Hills. Personally I found it to be hilarious and spot-on.
I'm so happy for the magazine to be vindicated by all the positive comments it received in response to the article.
Commissioner Fraasch should make better use of my tax dollars than wasting time and resources going on an unprecedented witch hunt over a funny article that 1-2 residents were offended about and only one was seriously offended by (that person being Elaine)."
Update January 22, 2014 3:01 PM I guess I am in trouble again. This RTK is buried as an update. to market, to market RTK
Update January 24, 2014 4:33 PM I emailed Kelly Fraasch this afternoon concerning the above commenter's "unprecedented witch hunt" allegation. I am updating this post with Commissioner Fraasch's response here.
53 comments:
Oh my my - it sounds like somebody woke up on the wrong side of The Bench this morning...
In my opinion most commenters post anonymously because they live with fear of retailation from municipal and school district employees - including the local police. In my opinion there are many others that are afraid to post for the same reason.
What was missing from the supporting emails that Elaine posted was a disclosure - for example, the commenter from Dollar Bank. Does he happen to know anyone in the PIO office?
If we knew that the comments came from the public at large it would leave us feeling more comfortable than living with the notion that a bunch of friends were asked to send something in - you know, to put a mink on a skunk!
Don't you just love it, 'anonymous' writes in to bash Elaine and Kelly plus demean other anonymous commenters that took issue with the magazine editor's shopping piece.
The irony of attacking anonymous opinions by submitting an anonymous opinion is completely ignored by the writer.
Furthermore, once again they try to suggest that an overwhelming submission of positive comments vs a few negative comments is proof positive that there was some value in Morgan's expose on the grocery shopping habits of various classes.
Like 10-15 opinions settles the issue for a publication that claims thousands and thousands of readers.
Lets settle the matter of the magazines value to the community and have a formal, legitimate circulation audit done by the legitmate and industry accepted auditing service.
Elaine-
Does Kelly Fraasch help with your blog? I'm confused.
So very interesting. I wonder if that commenter thinks I have half a brain. They certainly would know my background. I stopped using my Google account and last name because I found weird things happening on my LinkedIn profile.
Nobody helps me with my blog. It's just me.
Elaine
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_for_Audited_Media
What exactly is a "high-profile Mt. Lebanon resident" and if they have positive feelings about something does that make it OK? Insert a disgusted eye-roll GIF here please.
So a commissioner is being accused of going on a "witch hunt" for following up on a concern raised by a citizen?
I didn't write a note to Mr. Feller re: the magazine article because of the magnitude of my dismay. I assessed the situation as one in which my attitudes and perspective were so widely disparate from those espoused by the magazine that my opinion would fall on deaf ears.
The community magazine appears to keep a simple tally of satisfied versus unsatisfied to justify that their written material offended some portion of the population.
I expect that AN EFFORT should be made by the magazine to present commentaries that are respectful, tolerant and inclusive. The grocery store article did not demonstrate these values.
My assumption is that Commissioner Fraasch received an email and/or voicemails about the article and became concerned about what other residents had expressed. If our Commissioners only focus on who is content in this community, where is the progress?
This comment fragment intrigues me, "That the positive comments outweighed the negative so intesely and that the positive comments were submitted by so many high-profile Mt. Lebanon residents is no surprise as any..."
Exectly what does it mean in Mt Lebanon to be a "high-profile Mt Lebanon resident"? Do these people enjoy special priviliges that are not enjoyed by the rest of us? Are their kids treated differently in the school district because of "who they are"?
Hum,...
What about the demographic composition of the group? Has anyone examined the racial or religous profile of these "high profile residents"?
Is there a lawsuit over this garbage? I hear so much crap I no longer know what's true or not BUT I have heard several people say they were contacted and asked to respond with a positive note concerning this article. How much lower can it go?
A "high profile Mt. Lebanon resident" is a snob.
I don't give a damn about that stupid, purile "grocery store" article. I do care that our local "officials" consider themselves to be above criticism. Who the hell do these people think they are? They are paid out of the public treasury, which simply put means that if any resident or combinations thereof want to give 'em hell then they're entitled to do so.
These small town Napoleons can kiss my....
Elaine- why the suggestion that Kelly is helping you? I would figure she is too busy running around at work for Mount Lebanon.
I feel as though I am the hunted, not the hunter. I was not the only person offended as you wrote, Anonomous, "an unprecedented witch hunt over a funny article that 1-2 residents were offended about and only one was seriously offended by (that person being Elaine)."
We now have varying degrees of being offended?
Elaine
I wonder if the 1:14 anonymous supporter of the PIO would be so kind as to tell us why they don't sign their comment.
I suspect by the style of the writing that they are one of the people that regularly criticizes anonymous contributions made here.
I don't care if they sign or not so there won't be any retribution fordoing so or by me. I'm just curious as to your reasons.
Commissioner Fraasch in response could simply pull an Ed Kubit.
Remember his response to Elaine's 4,000 signature petition on the high school renovation.
He blew it off proclaiming he had received a greater number of emails and spoken personally to residents that favored the $113 million dollar project.
He never produced any hard evidence to back up his claim.
So Kelly, you did receive hundreds, if not thousands of complaints about the shopping article... right? Wink Wink
*Anonymous, not Anonomous. Sorry that I misspelled your name.
Elaine
I know that was said in jest, 3:30 PM, but there is no comparison between Ed Kubit and Kelly Fraasch.
Talk about witch hunts, don't forget page 15 of the RTK. Check out the folder "emails from kelly" on the left hand side. Looks like someone has it out for Kelly.
Elaine
3:30 here.
I seriously doubt that Kelly would ever try to put one over on the public without offering some evidence of her claims.
At least to date, I have yet to see her take a position and not present research and evidence supporting her claims and position.
It was said in jest and a hard poke at how opaque our local representatives can be in their claims.
Anonymous, I worked in the grocery business for over ten years, and several generations in my husband's family had life long careers in the grocery business. Do I get any points for "relevant life experience" when it comes to "grocery shopping habits here in the South Hills?"
As in the "to market, to market, to buy a..." article, your comments are snobbish and degrading.
Elaine
Where are Dave B's emails in that RTK?
4:58 PM, there have never been any emails from Dave Brumfield in any of the RTKs that I have filed. I am guessing they are the ones which were considered duplicates.
Elaine
This is the kind of snobby attitude that my youngest can't stand and would never, ever consider moving back to Mt. Lebanon! I made it a point to raise both of my kids to be exposed to all different kinds of people out in the world. None of us has any time for such arrogance and bigotry at my house. Some people never do grow up and mature. I've always said, everyone needs to go to counseling!
Who hoo for your youngest 5:12, you raised your kids to be sooo superior to the great unwashed! Your house is perfect! Go to counseling!
7:58 PM, do you support snobby attitudes, arrogance and bigotry? Were you one of the positive emails sent to Susan Morgans? You must be one of those high-profile Mt. Lebanon residents that we all wish we could be.
Elaine
We've been to counseling. What is your excuse? Go bully someone else. I hope you didn't have kids. You would have ruined them! Ha, ha,ha!
No, I'm not high profile, nor did I send any email to anyone. I just laugh when I read things like "my family was in Lebo and they were appalled by the appearance of uptown", or " my kids only played outside in the street, they didn't play organized sports or video games", or "my friend heard"...yadda, yadda, yadda!
Elaine @ 3:43 could that be the same person who is obsessively preoccupied with Commissioner Fraasch and stews over *Queen* Kelly on your Blog ?
So let's get this straight. Susan acknowledges that there have been complaints about the article then attacks Kelly for trying to find the nature of the complaints.
The fact that there were any negative comments on an article that should be plain as vanilla is a problem and that isn't how it is taken by the PIO. She seems to think that the good feedback outweighed the bad (did she solicit the good feedback herself) and that in and of itself tells her she is doing a wonderful job.
She misses the point. The PIO should never write anything that pisses off any residents or advertisers.
Now, I think the people in the community are aware that if someone complains to a commish about something then that commish has every right to see what is going on.
And, quite frankly, the request for only negative feedback is warranted given the position that the PIO is in where she should NEVER be writing articles that divide (literally) and anger residents.
She again misses the point.
6:16 AM, I never said who the "lady" is, did I? It could even be someone representing her. Whoever it is, the "lady" is looking for a fight.
Elaine
They're not looking for a fight.. If they were they'd pummel you with facts and jab you job descriptions.
Its a - what do they call it - 'spineless' hit and run meant only to make you look bad and demean neighbors that they don't consider "high-profile."
I'm still curious why they chose to make their comment anonymously. Don't their "high-profile" advise them that their comment is meaningless unless they sign their name?
This is the most Mt Lebanon post ever. If I may recap:
1) Insipid and snobby article is written in affluent suburb's municipal magazine by woman with likewise snobby reputation
2) Self-important, busybody blogger files a right-to-know form in order to discover all the background on insipid and snobby article, thereby wasting yet more time as public officials earnestly scramble to fulfill request
3) We learn residents of affluent suburb have so much time on their hands as to be able to spend it writing letters and leaving voicemails about the quality (or lack thereof) of a humor piece in a municipal magazine
4) Blog commenters wring hands, claim humble roots, suggest conspiracy, and compare situation to Salem, Mass circa 1692.
5) People in affluent suburb continue in their vain quest for drama in the face of white, suburban malaise
What's this community's stance on the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin?
Well this "Self-important, busybody blogger" has YOUR attention, 9:21 AM. Thanks for reading.
Elaine
Hello all,
From time to time I read this blog. I am a very, very liberal person. I believe President Obama is too conservative. Really, I do.
I rarely agree with what's written here. However, I do agree that the grocery article was a piece of trash that never should have made the pages of the magazine. Sure, there's a First Amendment right to print it, but that doesn't mean it was appropriate. I was stunned when I read the article and I knew there would be a backlash. It was downright awful. It was NOT funny.
Unfortunately, 9:46 AM, your comment will be perceived as:
one "...of the throngs of "anonymous" commentors here who purported to be so outraged by a humor piece on grocery stores."
Elaine
Elaine,
6:16 here.
I read the RTK with the emails. I am referring to how she defended herself to her boss by saying that she did receive negative feedback but she didn't count the feedback from anonymous people and when you don't count that then the positive feedback far outweighs the negative.
OK, gotcha. Yes she did, indeed, do that, 6:16/9:51 AM.
Elaine
9:21, your review might be wothwhile if you took the time to address the big question that lies at the root of the criticism.
You write:
"1) Insipid and snobby article is written in affluent suburb's municipal magazine by woman with likewise snobby reputation
2) Self-important, busybody blogger files a right-to-know form in order to discover all the background on insipid and snobby article, thereby wasting yet more time as public officials earnestly scramble to fulfill request"
The big question, 9:21!
Do we as a community want a "snobby woman" writing "insipid and snobby" articles and managing our "affluent" municipal magazine?
I look at much of the magazine's content in print and online and ask "why?"
Dull photographs, self-aggrandizing contributions about one's career and yet big community issues like whether we spend over a million dollars on artificial turf that may or may not be hazardous to our kids health go wanting.
Now it may be that there is a demand for a magazine that covers the "high-profile" Lebo elite. If so, privatize it and the snobby editor can write and publish whatever she wishes. Subscriptions will determine if people like it.
One other point.
If we had a community information magazine rather than a self-aggrandizing, propagandizing and agenda pushing rag we wouldn't need a "busybody blogger."
Thank God we have her, since the "community building" Reallebo girls, the Voiceof MtLebanon and BOSN people have all closed up their operations.
Don't forget the Reallebo gal/commissioner who took down her blog last week because she was caught in a lie.
Elaine
Does anyone have a copy of the publication guidelines for the magazine? Do they exist?
I tried to get the publication guidelines about three years ago. There were none. I was told that Susan was working on the written publication guidelines but as far as I know nothing was completed.
Does anyone else have the publication guidelines?
Steve Feller should meet with the PIO staff today and find out who sent the posts if no one confesses every staff person in the department should be fired. This is the real world and temper tantrums are for toddlers.
It other towns, the elected officials have control of situations. They set deadlines, expectations, the manager reports to them!. Where is our commission on its expectations of the magazine, especially after an issue like this one?
12:04 do you really believe the commissioners are going to criticize the hand that writes favorable articles on them and their agendas and keeps their "high-profile" pals "high-profile?"
There is a cozy quid pro quo at work here, don't upset the apple cart. It took them to long to get get it on the street, in my opinion.
12:04 PM, at the risk of sounding negative about Steve Feller, the commission has no say about the magazine. They only manage the manager, who seems to be running the show. He is not going to have a meeting with the PIO staff as 11:24 PM suggested. He didn't have a handle on the pool bids or the public safety building when it was being built. He enabled Zamagias to stall for years. The "to market, to market" article got past him. In fact, several articles should have been pulled, had Mr. Feller been paying attention.
If the commission urges Mr. Feller to have an inhouse investigation, then that will generate another hateful comment about Kelly Fraasch. Or me. The PIO has a neat little gig going on.
Elaine
12:04 here. I am just suggesting the commission manage the manager, as is done in normal governments. I guess it's too late for that with respect to this issue without the expectation of personal attacks on you and Fraasch.
2:14 PM, if you look at page 10 of my RTK, I had sent my complaint to Steve Feller, and cc'ed Susan Morgans and the Commission. Do you see any responses to my complaint in the RTK? Not a one. Nothing from Steve, and no apologies from Susan Morgans herself. I wasn't expecting anything from the Commission. I was just keeping them in the loop.
I never got a response from Susan Morgans when I sent her a letter about sitting on my recorder TWICE at meetings. She does not answer every letter of complaint, anonymous or otherwise.
Elaine
Elaine,
I think that lack of a response is just awful! You are a long-term resident, a respected member of the community (notice how many Mt Lebanon residents trust you to provide them with the "real story" concerning local events) and you are a taxpayer!
I think that the earlier comment was spot-on - we have too many Napelon's marching aorund Mt Lebanon!
Who do these people think that they are?!?!?!?!?!???
I emailed Kelly Fraasch and asked her to comment on the "to market, to market" email that she sent to Steve Feller. Please read my 4:33 PM update for the link to the email exchange.
Elaine
It's funny. I hhadnt thought of it but I am certain Kelly made a good point here. I was thinkoing and I don't believe there is a department that hasn't had Kelly follow up with Feller on some topic. From fire to police to public works to recreation and now to the pio I think Kelly has askedquestions or requested thing for residents from each of these departments at one point or another.
And that's a good thing!
Wonder which commissioner called her and whether that commissioner had his/her own concerns or was prompted by someone else....
Wonder why nothing from Kluck or Brumfeld in the RTK ?
I can't speak for Matt Kluck, but Susan was his eighth grade English teacher, whatever that means. In addition, he was at the end of his term.
Dave, on the other hand, is a mystery to me. I never agree with Dave Brumfield on issues, except when it comes to this topic. It is very odd there was nothing submitted by him in the RTK.
Elaine
Isn't the Post Gazette guy a guest Blogger on the "official community Blog"?
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