Ellington

OK, folks, check out The Clarion-Ledger's editorial about Melton today—for the way it is written. Here are some money quotes:

Frank Melton's fickleness about a fire chief, unfortunately, reflects a major flaw with Jackson.

With Jackson!? Don't they mean with the mayor, or the administration?

Melton didn't offer Todd Chandler for confirmation as required by state law until 21 months had passed as interim chief.

OK, they're saying that "21 months" served as interim chief. And even without that idiocy, re-read this part of the sentence:
for confirmation as required by state law until 21 months had passed as interim chief

How many passives are in there?

Sadly, as each day goes by with such a loony management style, appointments to important posts remain unfilled or "interim" - with the department charged with economic development alone, for example, with 35 of 81 positions vacant.

Each day has a "loony management style"? And "appointments" cannot be "unfilled."

The city is not being run in a business-like manner - including a $4.3 million deficit for which Melton has no announced plan, and a stated plan to hire 200 more police officers with no funds.

There is a plan "to hire 200 police officers with no funds"? Are they sure?

Folks, what they are doing over at the Ledger? These are top editors writing this crap? The state's largest newspaper butchering the language like this is embarrassing and makes Mississippi look illiterate. They should simply be ashamed. I really can't think of a daily newspaper with such truly horrendous writing. Does the home office in Virginia even care about what these people are doing to that paper?

Previous Comments

ID

112346

Comment

What is interesting is to compare an article on a similar subject from the JFP and the Clarion Ledger. JFP will provide details, quotes, and context, where the CL tends to gloss over details and leaves too many unanswered questions-as if they find one source, relate that, and leave it alone. JFP articles tend to have multiple sources, quotes, statements, etc. that gives a feeling of confidence of accuracy. However, the CL does have circulation...but the citizens of Jackson metro area need to be exposed to the JFP if for any reason just to see how newspaper articles and essays should be written.

Author

GLewis

Date

2007-04-19T10:00:54-06:00

ID

112347

Comment

Thanks, GLewis. Obviously, we agree with you. ;-) But I just don't know how they put out a paper so bad. I'll be honest. I mean read those sentences above. They seem to be written by children.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-19T12:13:39-06:00

ID

112348

Comment

You gotta love this. Right now on the Ledger Web site's front page, we get these headlines under "Metro/State": TODAY'S HEADLINES Metro/State More Metro/State Va. Tech vigil tonight at JSU Gunman carried out shootings for 'the weak and defenseless' So the Virginia media obsession is Mississippi and Jackson "news" now? All of these corporate media outlets are going to be gazing at their navels within six months about how they sensatinalized this shooting, probably causing copycats. Just like they did after Columbine. They simply do not have the balls to self-regulate. They have to make all the money they can, and then apologize later (not to the public, of course; just to each other in panel discussions at hoity-toity grad schools. I hate corporate media boobs.)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-04-19T12:32:05-06:00

ID

112349

Comment

Donna, this blog entry is listed twice. Just thought you'd wanna know. ;-)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-04-19T21:02:45-06:00