Moss

Check out this site, Fed by Birds, for some pictures of moss:

No War in Iran

It's pouring now but the rain held off this afternoon long enough for 200 people to surround Springfield's Federal Building. We had speeches, signs, all the usual props that go with an anti-war demonstration...and determination to speak out against the possibility of war.

I won't say that anti-war activists aren't tired....we are. But still we rise.

Half an hour or so into our demonstration, three guys with two sign each stood across the street from us, protesting our protest. Unfortunately for them, that meant they couldn't wave at the passing cars and get honks of confirmation. I don't remember all of what their signs said...some reference to the "Loony Left"...but the one that stuck in my mind said, "Peace is achieved when our enemies are defeated." I guess it can seem that way sometimes.....but I'm more inclined to believe peace is achieved when we can turn our enemies into friends.

Our permit to protest was from 4 - 5 pm. About 4:45, two cruisers arrived and four officers got out. One of them told us that at 5 pm, we would have to leave. Ellen from Arise, one of the planners, negotiated an extension so that the monks and nuns from the Peace Pagoda could finish their prayers. A few minutes after 5 o'clock, we were finished...for the moment.

Tonight CNN's Jack Cafferty reported that U.S. troops serving abroad have donated to Obama at six times the rate they've donated to McCain! Hmm...wonder what that could mean.

Some comments emailed to Cafferty about why:
Michael from Greenfield, Wisconsin writes:
As a Vietnam era ex-Marine veteran with a son who is in the Army and was wounded in Iraq in 2003, I would never give a penny to John McCain. I personally do not know any other veterans who are donating to McCain either. Jack, veterans hate war, wrong wars, and the people who talk so cavalierly about waging them. Usually those who never served during war, or never served at all, are the ones who talk so loosely about war. The veterans who I knew that liked war were either stupid, crazy, homicidal, or all of the above. Where does that leave McCain?

Ronald writes:
As a resident of Arizona and a combat veteran, I have had occasion to contact “our” senator on a matter of interest to veterans. Not only did his staff do nothing, they didn’t even have the courtesy to acknowledge they received my emails (2). McCain can say he is “always there” for veterans, but that is just hot air. Contrary to what George Bush said, both he and McCain opposed the new GI bill.

Shana writes:
As an active duty sailor who has been in the Navy for the entire Bush administration, I am tired - sick and tired of fighting in a war I opposed from the beginning. I did donate to Obama’s campaign because the U.S. needs change and not more of McBush. Who wants to spend 100 years in Iraq if need be? Not me. If McSame is elected, I would have spent my whole 20 years in the military in Iraq.

David from Tampa, Florida writes:
Jack, The reason is the lower ranks, guys with their butts on the line doing the dirty work, want to return home quickly. They will support that candidate who will extract them from harm’s ways, they hope. Higher-ranking officers, who spend most of their time brown-nosing for their next promotion and are in the rear areas and pretty much out of harm’s way, support those they believe will increase their lot in life. Respectfully a Vietnam era vet.

Alphabet riddle

A, B, D, G, O, P, Q, R, U-- what do these letters have in common?

Picture Walgreen's and K-Mart-- these are the huge (and often lit and therefore heated) letters where little birds choose to nest. Look for yourself the next time you are there.

Stumbling around on the web, I found a Found Poem someone had written which perfectly describes an experience I love to have-- I'll stop thinking about writing a poem about it, because this one is perfect!



Mervyn Peake

Liberals: two views

(A bit dated, but not by much.)
Love Me, I'm a Liberal

By Phil Ochs
(Born 1940, died 1976)

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers
Tears ran down my spine
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy
As though I'd lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X got what was coming
He got what he asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every coloured boy becomes a star
But don't talk about revolution
That's going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad the commies were thrown out
of the AFL-CIO board
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
as long as they don't move next door
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

The people of old Mississippi
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can't understand how their minds work
What's the matter don't they watch Les Crain?
But if you ask me to bus my children
I hope the cops take down your name
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I read New Republic and Nation
I've learned to take every view
You know, I've memorized Lerner and Golden
I feel like I'm almost a Jew
But when it comes to times like Korea
There's no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I vote for the Democratic Party.
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I'll send all the money you ask for
But don't ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive
I wore every conceivable pin
Even went to the socialist meetings
Learned all the old union hymns
But I've grown older and wiser
And that's why I'm turning you in
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

A hint

Alphabet puzzle:

I've decided that it only fair for me to give a hint for my puzzle before I give the answer-- so the answer will be tomorrow and today is the hint.

The answer is really more about habitat than alphabet.

Making Springfield Green : slower than molasses

Every so often I give Springfield Mayoral Aide Darryl Moss a call to ask if a "Green Point Person" has been identified/hired yet. Just to refresh people's minds, here's what Domenic Sarno said at his inaugural address:

• We will designate a municipal official to coordinate and manage our "green" initiatives.
• We will consider the environmental impact in procuring goods and services.
• We will critically evaluate our use of energy of all types and institute measures to reduce energy consumption.
• We will develop and implement smart growth policies that encourage "green" design and sustainable development.
• And we will look at ways to reduce the city's carbon footprint and to remediate existing environmental issues.

On Friday, Darryl said he thought someone had been hired and he'd call me back with the name, which he did not do. Today when I finally got through to Darryl, he told me that the person I wanted to talk to was Brian Connors, and gave me a number. It turned out to be the Economic Development Office.

"So, I understand you're the new point person for green development."
"No, I'm not," he said.

Turns out that the city has just posted a job opening for a business development position which will include green development.

So let's say the position is advertised for a month. Then another month for interviews and picking a candidate. So now we're talking nine or ten months from the beginning of Sarno's term.

I suppose I shouldn't assume that just because no municipal official has yet been hired or appointed that no progress has been made on the other environmental goals Sarno set. I'm going to try to find out. But then again, who will I ask?

An alphabet riddle

In their capital letter form, what do the following letters have in common?

A, B, D, G, O, P, Q, R, U


Answer tomorrow.

Baby talk no good for Alzheimer's patients

I don't usually print an article in its entirety but, given experiences during a recent hospitalization, this one really hit home:

Don't treat Alzheimer's patients like they are children, researchers say

August 7, 2008

Researchers from Kansas have offered a rare glimpse into the interior world of Alzheimer's patients with a new study presented at a major international conference in Chicago. The study, while small, is highly suggestive: Key findings indicate that patients - even those who may seem deeply disoriented or cognitively impaired - dislike being patronized or treated as if they are children.

This suggests that a sense of adult identity remains intact in people with dementia, even when individuals aren't able to remember how old they are, where they are, what day it is or which family members are alive and present. How people experience Alzheimer's disease, especially in its latter stages, is a mystery because those with the illness lose the ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings.

In the Kansas study, researchers tried to get around this hurdle by videotaping 20 elderly men and women living in three nursing homes during the course of a day as aides helped them bathe, brush their teeth, dress, eat and take their medicines, among other activities.

Researchers then analyzed the tapes, assessing how the manner in which staff interacted with patients influenced patients' behavior and the quality of care.

They discovered that when nursing aides communicated in a kind of baby talk for seniors - using a high-pitched sing-song tone, comments like "good girl," diminutives like "honey" and language that assumed a state of dependency ("Are we ready for our bath?") - Alzheimer's patients were twice as likely to resist their efforts to help.

Chicago Tribune
Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun

Rounding the edges of murder's knife

Hundreds of people gathered at Christ Church Cathedral today for Steve Donoghue's memorial service-- so many people knew him.

Steve loved to sing-- everyone mentioned it, and talked about how he could make you laugh even when you didn't feel like it. Steve's friend Maggie had helped go through his things and found two thick notebooks full of songs Steve had written. She hopes to make an album of his songs.

A family from Longmeadow knew Steve as a kid when he babysat for their children. He knew the entire score of "Wizard of Oz" and would say to the children, "I'll get you, my little pretty!" The woman who spoke talked about how sometimes they had to close the door to Steve, when he was drinking or drugging, but there was always a next time when the door was open.

Two people who spoke saw Steve just moments before he was stabbed. They'd walked as far as Dunkin Donuts when they saw police cruisers headed for Bliss St. They went back, somehow knowing, and were with Steve at the hospital when he took his last breath, so he was not alone.

The Springfield Police Department got a huge round of applause for how determined they were to find Steve's killer and how quickly he was apprehended.

Darlene from Loaves and Fishes talked about how Steve was always bringing her flowers-- he'd pick them from around the Cathedral! Rev. Jim Munroe from Christ Church Cathedral was also a recipient of flowers-- none left outside the Cathedral, but many put into his hands by Steve.

A number of clergy who knew Steve spoke, and one of them-- don't remember who-- reminded us that Steve would have been the first to forgive his killer. They acknowledged those of us there as Steve's family.

We speak, so often, of "the homeless" and sometimes don't remember that each person is an individual with his or her own story. Steve was more than just homeless. He was a friend and a warm light for so many. Today, at least for a while, we all savored that warmth.

Steve, you will be missed by so many.

A patient's search for dignity at Baystate Medical Center

I just spent the last three days as a patient at Baystate Medical Center. Suffice it to say I will live. I don't fault the medical care offered there-- much of it is excellent. (Only one mistake-- I hope-- and one near-mistake in my case.) But in the eleven and a half hours it took to me to get from the emergency room to a room of my own, I witnessed or experienced many different varieties of injury to the human spirit.
My first stop is a chair right next to the security guards' office directly opposite the ambulance entrance. The guard on duty is a hefty blonde named that someone calls Kel.. Ambulance services and fire and police departments from surrounding communities pass through those doors and there is much colleagial mingling.
A young woman comes through the ambulance entrance accompanied by a police officer. She's been crying very hard, her face is red and she has a tissue pressed to her eyes.
The guard says to two colleagues, "Bet she's headed for the crisis unit. 'I hate men, I hate men!'" she mimics.
I can't believe what I'm hearing.
Seeing as she's standing right next to me, I say, in a low voice, because it is not my intent to embarrass her, "You shouldn't talk like that in front of other patients." She looks at me and glowers, says nothing, and goes back in her room, where two of her colleagues are hanging. Voices grow hushed.
A minute later one of the men comes out, leans against the doorjam, and says, to no one in particular, "Well, I thought it was funny."

Three hours later I am finally sharing a chilly examining room with two other people, one of them a frail-looking elderly man who had already been hooked to an IV. He is sitting on the side of his cot, trying to put on his shirt but getting tangled in the process. (It's impossible; I know, I've tried it.)
A nurse comes in and in a teeny tiny high voice she says to him, vowels rounded, words cadenced, "Oh, Mr. Wilson, look what you've done, now just lay right back and let me untangle you." She's talking to him like a baby!
"Laying back has nothing to do with it!" he snaps.
"You're right!" I call over. Of course she just wants him to lie down. Later he and I talk and he tells me he's an engineer.
"Retired?" I say.
Yes."
"My dad was a civil engineer."
"Too much tromping around outside for me," he says.
We chat until someone comes to move him to a room. I find him to be a rational, intelligent adult who just happens to be 82 years old.

Finally, at 12:30 a.m., I am moved to a room in the Springfield building. The woman in the next bed has her TV on! And loud! I'm going to myself, Oh, for Christ's sake, I'm exhausted and this is ridiculous. I ask the woman, who is non-English-speaking, to please turn down her TV-- using gestures and pointing. She looks at me blankly.
I say to the TA, "Can you please ask her to turn down her TV? Isn't there any kind of a curfew about how late TVs can be on?"
She looks at me blankly.
"People have a right to have their TVs on," she says.
"And how does that compare to people's right to have peace and quiet in a hospital?" I ask.
"Why don't you just climb into bed, honey, and I'll get you a sleeping pill?"
That does it.
"Don't call me honey!" I snap, knowing I'm about to be labeled the bitch of the ward. But at that point I just don't give a damn.

The next day I write out a note and tape it to the end of my bed.
"Please don't call me 'Honey' 'Sweetie' or 'Cutie.' Please call me by my name or leave out the name altogether."
I know this form of address doesn't bother a lot of people-- maybe, in fact, in this cold, cold world, some people are even grateful-- but to me when medical personnel address a patient in this way it simply increases the power imbalance between them, and patients are disempowered enough as it is.

How anyone gets well in a hospital is a small miracle.

Is homelessness really down? You be the judge

Is homelessness decreasing? The Department of Housing and Urban Development says so; this week HUD announced that chronic homelessness decreased by 30 percent between 2005 and 2007, resulting in 52,000 people who used to be homeless now housed..

The credit goes largely to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, headed by Philip Mangano, which has involved hundreds of cities in developing ten year plans to end chronic homelessness. We've certainly needed a national strategy on homelessness, and Mangano is a sincere guy. Still, he's working in the middle of an federal administration that not only has not produced new affordable housing, but whose less than benign neglect of the Federal Reserve, Wall St. and housing speculators has lead to an unprecedented foreclosure crisis. What's wrong with this picture?

So how did we get this reduction in homelessness? At least part of the reason is that HUD has changed its definition of homelessness! This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. I remember when it was standard operating procedure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to generate regulations limiting eligibility for family shelter. Then, the commonwealth could claim that family homelessness was down and they actually closed some shelters! The author of Blog de Ford has participated in HUD's annual homeless count and decries the surveying method.

Much of the Interagency's strategy for reducing homelessness is built around the concept of Housing First. Ironically, that's what homeless advocates from Mitch Snyder's day onward have been saying. But we meant new housing, not just shuffling poor people around. Joel John Roberts at LA's Homeless Blog has this to say:

Logic tells us that the only way to truly reduce the number of people who are homeless on the streets is to place them in permanent housing—preferably “Permanent Supportive Housing”, housing linked to support services.

So did Los Angeles build 17,000 Permanent Supportive Housing units in two years? Give me a break. With the loss of existing low income housing (converted to market rate housing) and the building of new affordable housing units, LA barely broke even. And this was for low-income housing, not housing for the homeless.

Philadelphia bucked the purported national trend; homelessness increased. Mayor Nutter plans to spend $8.3 million to create 200 units of new housing for those "hardest to reach," but then plans to use 500 public housing units for other homeless, putting them ahead of desperately poor people who are trying to avoid homelessness by getting into affordable housing.
Ventura County, CA hasn't seen a decrease in homelessness. Utah's numbers are actually going up. Numbers are down on Long Island but Connie Lassandro, Nassau County's director of housing and homeless services, says

"The numbers are down ... because there were restrictions put on us....Obviously [HUD] is thrilled because they see the number is down. It's all about funding. If the numbers are down, they can say the need's not there."

Asked about the change yesterday, Johnston said interviews were not required. He said the decreases came as thousands of HUD-funded housing for the homeless became available. "We really believe these numbers," he said.

A HUD slide show on conducting the 2007 counts said interviews were "preferable" and instructed counters to "always ask about homelessness." Guidelines HUD sent out said: "Without interview information, communities will not be able to accomplish several things that HUD is requiring."

Long Island homeless advocates said HUD declined to tell them, in writing, that interviews were not required.Newsday.

I've worked with homeless people for many years and been homeless myself. I'm more likely to believe that fewer people are homeless when we have more jobs and more affordable housing. Still waiting.

.

Memorial service for Steve Donoghue

Steve Donoghue's memorial service will be Wednesday, August 6, 1:30 pm at Christ Church Cathedral, 35 Chestnut St., Springfield.

Rev. Jim Munroe, Rev. Greg Dyson, Jack Desroches and Kevin Noonan are putting the service together, and also printing a prayer card.

Folks from the Open Door are organizing a reception with refreshments after the service in the Kendrick Room, and some of Steve's friends from Loaves & Fishes will hopefully perform some songs Steve wrote.

There should be a death notice in the paper soon.

Homeless win - Open Pantry funded - Thanks, everyone!

I heard the good news about 1 a.m. and received this email from Kevin Noonan. I'm unbelievably relieved. This was a very close call--

Michaelann,

We were quite surprised to learn the senate was considering each override as soon as they were voted upon favorably by the house.

So I am happy to report the senate also approved the override last night; in fact they voted unanimously.

We cannot thank you enough for your unwavering support for the people we serve. Please ask folks to take time to visit the open pantry web site: http://www.openpantry.org. They they can follow the links for contact information of legislators and a list of the representatives and senators who helped us to make this happen.
Please ask folks to send them an e-mail to let them know you appreciate their efforts on behalf of people who need their help.

This most recent experience has been a long and exhaustive struggle.

I know there are difficult days ahead but today as i enjoy the honor of completing my 19th year as executive director of open pantry community services, people might notice a slight spring in my step.

In solidarity and peace,

Kevin J. Noonan

House supports open Pantry, now call the Senate TOMORROW!

Great news on the House side: the House just voted to override the governor's veto of line item 4403-2120 which earmarks an increase in funds for the Open Pantry.

Now the issue moves to the Senate. Please call your senators and the senate leadership tomorrow, Thurday, July 31, 2008 and urge them to follow the House's lead and to vote for an override of the govenor's veto of the Open Pantry's earmark in line item 4403-2120. (It is crucial to call on Thursday because Thursday is the last day of the legislature's formal session.)

Below is a link to the Senate leadership: http://www.mass.gov/legis/leadership.htm

Attacks against homeless nationwide on the rise

Street Roots has put it all together about the latest increase in violence against homeless people. Daniel Horner of sister paper Street Sense breaks down the figures and explains what they mean.

Sunday's murder of a homeless man by another homeless man in Springfield is still on everyone's minds here....once again i missed the exact birthday of Mitch Snyder, but Mitch, I love you.

Don't relax just yet: take action to stop war with Iran!

Yeah, I know it seems like tensions with Iran are easing...and that it won't be a whole lot longer until Bush is out of office....but anything can still happen and we have two chances to speak out

Saturday, August 2, noon at Court Square in Springfield, MA
Emergency Call for Action

In response to the Aug. 2 Emergency Call for Action from the National Stop War On Iran Campaign, the Campaign's Western Mass. Organizing Committee has scheduled a news conference for this Saturday.

Representatives of peace & justice groups throughout the Valley will be participating in this event, including: the STCC Mobilization Against Poverty, Racism & War; Out Now, a LGBT youth group; Physicians for Social Responsibility; Arise for Social Justice; the American Friends Service Committee, and others. State Representative Benjamin Swan (D-Spfld), poet Martin Espada, and activist Vladimir Morales are also slated to speak. A public speak-out will follow the news conference.

At present, actions are set for more than 65 cities in North America during the Aug. 2-3 weekend. To view a growing list of those signing on to the Aug. 2 call, click http://stopwaroniran.org/aug22008orgcents.shtml

Please visit http://StopWarOnIran.org and support this campaign by signing the online petition to the Bush administration and Congressional leaders.

You don’t need us to tell you the antiwar movement must remain alert to the possibilities of a U.S. or Israeli airstrike against Iran …or the need for unity within the movement…or the importance of solidarity with the Iranian people. Our stand has been clear since the National Stop War on Iran Campaign began in 2006 and we hope you’ll stand with us in the days to come.

Catherine Donaghy & Nick Camerota for the Western Mass. Organizing Committee of the Stop War On Iran Campaign

Springfield, August 15^th, 4:00 p.m.
Please join us in co-sponsoring and building
Hands Around the Federal Building
To Prevent War on Iran

Veterans for Peace, Wally Nelson Chapter 95, is initiating a call of conscience. We will be acting in the Spirit of Love by joining hands in an encirclement of the Federal Building in Springfield, symbol of federal actions and policy in our region. The cost in blood and treasure in current wars and in preparation of future wars is unjust and immoral. As Dr. King said in 1967, “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense (and offense) than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

On the 15^th the message will be, “Enough of war, now is the time for peace!” In our actions and words we will embody peace. We are calling on participants to act and speak in a spirit of non-divisiveness, striving to express and appeal to the best of humanity in all of us. There will no civil disobedience and safe passage in and out of the building will be guaranteed. We will stand for peace, sing for peace, hold signs for peace, be silent for peace, walk for peace, pray for peace.

In the words of veteran Eric Wasileski, “If you are a person of conscience or part of a group who wants to take an action in a safe, friendly and determined atmosphere please consider coming and joining in. We know what will happen if we stand by and do nothing. Let us take action that is in line with our values BEFORE and at least try to stop another insane invasion.”

The Nipponzan Myohoji Peace Pagoda is planning a walk through Springfield during the afternoon, joining the demonstration at the Federal Building at 4:00. Details to come.

For many this third Friday action will fulfill their commitment to the Iraq Moratorium Campaign For more information about this campaign go to www.iraqmoratorium.org . Contact the American Friends Service Committee at 413-584-8975 or afsc@crocker.com for more information. To contact Veterans for Peace and Eric Wasileski call 413-367-0320.
Co-sponsors of this event include: WM American Friends Service Committee, Northampton Committee to Stop the War in Iraq, SAGE, the WM Iraq Moratorium Coalition, the WM Coalition to Prevent War on Iran and many others.

Letter from Open Pantry board member: why the governor's veto should be overridden

I received a letter today from an Open Pantry Community Services Board Member, and he has given permission for me to post his letter.

There is a lot of *misinformation* about Open Pantry versus Springfield's preferred provider, Friends of the Homeless, which the City and the Governor prefer to fund:

Fact #1. Open Pantry and the city's Friends of the Homeless non-profit do not compete. Open Pantry runs the biggest emergency food pantry in Western Mass; Friends of the Homeless has never run a food pantry. Open Pantry feeds poor individuals from around the city, not just homeless people; Friends of the Homeless feeds only the portion of homeless individuals who reside in their own shelter. Therefore it is unreasonable for the City to state that it is prepared to step in if Open Pantry fails. The City has no experience in the Open Pantry's missions, and no additional funds. There will be a huge void.

Fact #2. Open Pantry receives over $400,000 in private cash donations every year, and $1.5 million annually in food, clothing, and labor, which is the only way it has been able to provide the level of services it provides. State funding has been inadequate for years. If Open Pantry goes under, most of that $1.9 million in donations will be lost. How will the state or the city be able to make that up?

Fact #3. Open Pantry has put together over 30 years a huge infrastucture of churches, businesses, and volunteers it has cultivated over the years. How much of that vital infrastructure will be lost if Open Pantry goes away? How much will it cost the city or the state to rebuild? Remember, the city's agencies have never run a food pantry or a public kitchen.

Fact #4. 100% of Open Pantry's administrative support expenses are covered by private donations. Therefore every penny of state, federal, or city money Open Pantry gets goes directly into programs and services.

Fact #5. Open Pantry is more than a pantry and a kitchen. Through their Open Door program, they deliver cutting edge comprehensive case management and community resource referrals to hundreds of persons at risk of hunger and/or homelessness each year. These services, too, would have to be picked up by some other agency, unprepared to do so.

Fact #6. Open Pantry's mission does not conflict with the state's HousingFirst Initiative. HousingFirst is about housing the homeless; Open Pantry's principal services are providing emergency food for families in homes, and meals for those who are the city's poorest. Thus no amount of "HousingFirst money can be used for these working poor.

Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Western Mass in Hatfield wrote in a message to the Springfield Control Board on July 7th that "Open Pantry has by far the largest impact in serving the poor and vulnerable in Springfield. Open Pantry's services are essential to the well-being of tens of thousands of people. I can't even imagine what would happen in Springfield if Open Pantry were unable to continue operating due to a loss of critical state funding . . ."

I couldn't say it any better. Please call State legislators today. Please ask them to help restore Open Pantry's funding.

R. Patrick Henry, Jr.
Volunteer Board Member
Open Pantry Community Services

Services for Steve Donohue

Several people have asked me if i know if there will be services for Steve Donoghue, who was murdered Sunday night by another homeless man. Kevin Noonan, Open Pantry Community Services director, has been talking with Steve's mother, and it's really up to her what happens. Services will probably be next week, although possibly at the end of this week. In any case, as soon as I find out, I'll let everyone know.

Lack of attribution a problem at the Springfield Republican

Someone commented today on my most recent story about the Open Pantry, in which I decried reporter Stephanie Barry's coverage of the OP's press conference where director Kevin Noonan spoke. She used phrases like "Noonan's detractors" and "homeless advocates" without ever attributing their opinions to any individual.

At the time I thought (and it may still be true) that what I saw as the article's bias stemmed from a negative attitude toward Noonan from city officials that the reporter picked up on and reflected.

Today, though, my commenter pointed me toward a Sunday story by Barry on district attorneys' salary that makes me wonder what's going on at the Republican.

Barry's story is coming along fine; she talks about salary disparities across the state and then lists the names, job descriptions and salaries of Hampden County's assistant district attorneys. Then she goes back to the last name on her list, Assistant DA Maria F. Rodriguez-Maleck.

Of Bennett's top 10 earners, only Rodriguez's salary raised any eyebrows among courthouse insiders. Most agreed the remainder had paid their dues with time and service, or both.

Though no one would speak publicly, several said Rodriguez - who came with Bennett from his private sector office when he was first elected in 1990 - has virtually no caseload and has never tried a case. Her function is largely, if not solely administrative, according to other lawyers and court employees.

Bennett dismissed those criticisms as unfair, arguing workload isn't measured solely by caseload.

"Courthouse insiders," "most agreed," "no one would speak publicly," -- all without attribution, all inuendos.

If Barry couldn't get anyone to speak on the record about Rodriguez, she shouldn't have written about her at all. Don't we have the right to face our accusers?

What could Barry have done instead, if she wanted to follow up on these leads? She could have investigated the caseload of each ADA on her own, to see how the caseloads compared. She could have found out more about Rodriguez' duties. She could have talked to Rodriguez herself. But if she did any of these things, it didn't show in her article..

Some of you may have followed the soul searching of the New York Times after its too-lenient attribution policy allowed the Bush Administration to lead us into the Iraq War. Obviously the Springfield Republican is no New York Times. But here in our community, the fate of an agency that serves the poor and the reputation of a public servant matter. They deserved better than they received.

I will be keeping my eye on the Springfield Republican from now on, and I'm asking my local readers to do the same.

Homeless man murdered in Springfield

50-year-old Stephen Donogue was murdered last night by another homeless man-- stabbed to death on the corner of Main ans Bliss Streets by Michael Forte.

My sister Liz, who worked at the Warming Place shelter before it was closed, knew both of them-- had just seen Michael last week. Stephen had been a regular at the Warming Place and had even worked there, but in today's news article he was described as living outside. I can't say he never stayed at Friends of the Homeless' Worthington St. shelter-- but he may have been yet another former Warming Place resident who couldn't make the transition If this is so, he would not be the first to pay with his life.

Two other men were stabbed in Springfield yesterday and one died, killed by a 22 year old man. Three other people were shot. bad day, bad day.

Springfield's job loss is South's gain

Not news at this point but I still want to keep track: Spalding is closing its business office in Springfield and up to 80 jobs will be lost when. Kentucky and Georgia will now house the business end.

Meanwhile, a there's a plan to turn the the site of the old Gus and Paul's restaurant downtown into a working restaurant run by students from Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical High School. Falls in the category of training for a job rather than a job, but not a bad place to start.

Open Pantry backstabbers: bad reporting assists cowards

I was at the Open Pantry press conference yesterday, where the agency asked for the community's help. We were asked to help convince legislators to override Gov. Patrick''s veto of funds for the agency.

After the press conference, when some of us were milling around talking to each other, there was an odd moment when I realized that the agencies and individuals who had come to support the OP-- not the best-heeled groups in the city-- had gradually been infiltrated by people from the community who were there to get food. We were pretty indistinguishable from each other.

This morning I went to MassLive to read the Springfield Republican's coverage of OP's plea. Why I should be surprised at what I read I don't know, but several paragraphs referenced 'homeless advocates" and Noonan's "detractors" without ever saying who those people were! What kind of reporting is Stephanie Barry's piece supposed to be?

"Noonan's detractors say he should not be seeking "new funding" from a barren state budget. Moreover, others say the $400,000 Noonan is seeking is simply an attempt to recoup funds he lost when the Open Pantry's Warming Place shelter at the former York Street jail closed last year.

"We're not able in this fiscal climate to provide funding for services that are not being rendered," Patrick spokeswoman Cynthia M. Roy said."

Barry only quotes Patrick's spokesperson Cynthia Roy-- who gets it wrong. Wonder where Roy got her information? And who are those "detractors" and "others?" Could Barry be referencing those anonymous posters on MassLive? Or is she talking about Springfield officials who lack the guts to go on the record and prefer to do their backstabbing behind closed doors?

"While funding to feed the needy and homeless may seem an unassailable pitch, homeless advocates say there is a statewide movement afoot to standardize help and move away from so-called emergency services such as temporary shelters and the like.

To that end, the Patrick administration is discouraging additional funding for emergency services and is devoting any new funding to prevention and a longer-term approach to homelessness, experts say."

Again, just who are those "homeless advocates" and "experts?". And another point here-- just because Patrick is moving away from emergency funding, does that mean it's a good idea? I'm a homeless advocate, and I have seen Patrick's 'either-or" approach as short-sighted and ill-timed. I'm all in favor of prevention and long-term approaches. But let's call a euphemism a euphemism. If there was ever a time when our local, state and federal governments needed to maintain emergency services, this is it.

Remember that line from Airplane!, when Lloyd bridge's air traffic controller character says, "Looks like I picked the wrong day to give up smoking?"

Shame on the cowards for not going on record and shame on Stephanie Barry-- and her editors-- for allowing it.

Judgement at Nuremberg

I was born two years after World War Two ended but much of my early childhood was shaped by the war none the less. In 1961, the year Judgement in Nuremberg was released, I was 14 years old, already on what would be a lifelong journey to understand the roots of World War Two and to try to comprehend how such evil could have been done.

Two experiences sent me in that direction: I read Last of the Just by Andre Schwarz-Bart, and I met Adam. Adam was a concentration camp survivor who, in his new American life, delivered housecleaning products to neighborhood families including my own. One day Adam saw me reading Just of the Just. Somehow we started talking. When I think back now, I groan inside at the artlessness of my questions and remember gratefully how much he shared with me.

I had a chance to