Monday, July 22, 2013

Glorious Leader's Gloat Rebutted by Kraus, Hartmann PLUS Fun Activities!

Kraus has the temerity  to rebuts Glorious Leader's gloat at BlueOregon, a reply to Traitor Hoyne that can be read here:  http://www.blueoregon.com/2013/07/kboo-hartmann-petition-update/
 :

Hello Theresa, This is Ed.  My responses to your comments are in the bold italic type. 

Hi there. I'm Theresa Mitchell.

Well, Ben and Ed, change is hard, isn't it?

I’ll answer this at the very end of my reply.

It seems that the old policies and the collective protocols work well enough to (a) run KBOO for 45 years and (b) defeat the corporatization faction handily. For a bunch of "fools" we seem to be acting rather decisively. Hadrian was removed for using bogus technicalities to attempt to bring down (what he hoped would be) expensive and devastating enforcement against KBOO. But you can't be a whistleblower if there is no infraction committed, can you? No, you can in that case only be a malevolent saboteur.

The old policies as existed before the strategic plan are the result of over 45 years of fiddling round and adding, modifying, etc.  The station did not run for 45 years on the policies as existed at the end of 2012.  Yes, the current board acted decisively.  As to Hadrian’s actions, I don’t think you or the board have a clue, but I won’t attempt to speak for him.  My prior comments about the potential consequences of removing a director rather than simply ignore him stand.

As for union negotiations, they can be conducted by the Board or by anyone designated by the Board for that purpose. The negotiations will not be difficult nor lengthy, as the parties are now in agreement. Details will be worked out collaboratively (and cheaply).

Of course.  That’s the entire point of what’s happened in the last several months, so far as I can tell.  The board was stacked by the staff and long time insiders, the board and the staff are essentially one.  I can easily understand why for you that’s no problem, as you’re in a relationship with a long time staff member.  Yes the negotiations will be quick and cheap in the short run.  But in the long run serious questions about the legality of the staff controlling the board during negotiations, and the long term contract cost to KBOO, this could be very expensive.

There will be no further attempts at "reorganization," that reprehensible business practice in which the entire Staff is "laid off" so that they can beg for their jobs in competition with new applicants. That's a common practice of intimidation in the capitalist business world, but it isn't going to fly here again. It was thwarted in April, and now we at KBOO are making sure it's history. Too bad for the citizens of the US that they think that sort of abuse is 'normal.' If that means Lynn feels "demoted," so be it. Community radio means treating Staff like community, and common business practices be damned.

I’d like to see examples of other socially responsible non-profits who needed to reduce expenses have used the layoff and re-hire method to successfully keep the best staff and reorganize the remaining job descriptions .  But by writing this statement you acknowledge that you and your friends will do ANYTHING to prevent any layoffs or re-organization of staff.  That’s putting the short term interests of the existing staff ahead of the long term interests of KBOO as a whole.  That’s not how to ensure the survival of KBOO.  I’m curious to see if the unionization of the staff eventually makes it easier to hire and fire, as I don’t believe the union can enter into an illegal agreement with KBOO.  The old rules are not in compliance with Federal and State law, and the staff has brought the NRLB into the mix.  Should be interesting to watch what comes next.

And now you brazenly acknowledge Lynn might actually be demoted.  Your lack of interest in common (necessary and legally required for a non-profit) business practices is already well documented.  Heaven forbid KBOO have Strategic Planning, budgeting, controls over who has authority to spend KBOO funds, management, etc.
As for Thom Hartmann, although I am very sympathetic to the thousands who would like to hear him on KBOO, it is necessary to know that the proposal to erase 15 weekly hours of afternoon programming with a non-local show would displace more than a dozen programmers who contribute to the diverse sound of KBOO.

Thom has great broadcasts, though, and I would love to see him on for an hour per week day, displacing the second broadcast of Democracy Now. That way, non-local would be displaced by non-local. I think that Thom is too close to the Democratic Party, but there could be room for his views anyway. A fifteen hour block would be excessive, though. No one gets that sort of air time--and for a reason. There are only 24 hours per day, and we are committed to diversity.

So nice to see you agree with my plan.  I took it on myself to research what the possible parameters of the Hartmann proposal could be.  I researched what was possible by talking with Lynn (heaven forbid someone actually would talk with her) and was the first person in the conversation to propose that Hartmann could be accommodated in this way, in a comment on the KBOO website the morning of June 22nd.  So nice to see you and so many others coming round to my proposal.  And so sorry that you and your friends are so fundamentally scared of Democrats participating in Community Radio, but that’s another matter for another day.
We will now proceed to build a larger, more visible, economically flush KBOO--and we'll do it with the methods that have always worked well, even through the Re-Depression. And one more thing: Our reserves were built up after I and others on the 1995-1998 Board saw that CPB was setting itself up to exclude small community radio. We set our budget to run without CPB, and then squirreled the funds away as the last few payments came in. We kept our eclectic, diverse, dissenting nature in the face of the Health Stations Project gentrification attempt, and won large bequests, which we also squirreled away.

The only flushing I hear is KBOO.  Yes, the CPB funding is not coming back.  And yes, KBOO has been the recipient of several large bequests from some estates.  But long time board members and former managers have for years understood that KBOO has been in a continual deficit, burning up these reserves.  Perhaps your financial plan is to wait for more benefactors to pass away?  Or to keep milking the same dwindling membership?  The warnings of former board members, former staff and managers are being ignored in this desperate attempt to avoid any layoffs.  It’s irresponsible to ignore that the main funding source is listener donations.  Listenership is way down, and that revenue stream is down as well. 

Reserves have given KBOO the time to develop a Strategic Plan, and part of that plan was to create new governance policies and to do outreach to more people to grow listenership.  It’s this multi-year process that can save KBOO from bankruptcy, not the dwindling reserves themselves.  Too bad the entire process has been disrupted by a knee-jerk reaction to the concept that staff might need to be managed by heaven forbid, a manager. 

So you see, the reason KBOO is still here, and KPOJ is not, is that KBOO has a better, more rational business model. Watch us grow.

KPOJ was doing fine but was changed to another format.  KPOJ was making money at the time, and had perhaps three to four times the listeners as KBOO.  A rational KBOO would realize that if it doesn’t adjust it’s programming a small bit to accommodate other views, the demand for content like Hartmann, Wolfson, etc. will find another station (several have been asking Hartmann if they can have him rather than KBOO).  KBOO could accept Hartmann’s generous offer (free) and enjoy the benefits of more audience and more revenue.  Doing this might even prevent staff layoffs.  But that’s too rational for our current board and staff, which you now so freely acknowledge are one and the same.  And today, after reading the vitriolic commentary against Hartmann on BlueOregon and elsewhere, why would he want his good name associated with KBOO?

Yes Theresa, change is hard.  Change like the Strategic Plan.  Change like making KBOO relevant for the next 45 years.  Change like being open to viewpoints at KBOO that differ from your own.  Change is hard, but what doesn’t change and adapt will surely die.

Ed Kraus


Theresa Mitchell

We're not sure if Kraus actually emailed this to Glorious Leader or not. We acquired it through super sekrit means some members of the Inner Party might have trouble figuring out.  But Kraus' willingness to speak to EVIL FITCH is just proof of his own untreated evilness.

Several points loyal cadre should take issue with(Or ELSE! ha ha):

  1 Stacked BoardThe board was stacked by the staff and long time insiders, the board and the staff are essentially one.  I can easily understand why for you that’s no problem, as you’re in a relationship with a long time staff member.

Nepotism in the cause of the Revolution is nothing less than noble.  How else are we going to keep a strange hold on KBOO?  And where else would we get our "leaks'?

2 That Thing Again: I’d like to see examples of other socially responsible
Stop.  Just STOP.  We are NOT going there.

3 Alleged Illegalities as I don’t believe the union can enter into an illegal agreement with KBOO.
Blah blah BLAH  NOT LISTENING

4 More Alleged Illegalities The old rules are not in compliance with Federal and State law,
OH SAY CAN YOU SEE!   BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT!

5 The PlanSo nice to see you agree with my plan.
Wait.  What?   We thought we were IGNORING THIS people!

6 MilkingBut long time board members and former managers have for years understood that KBOO has been in a continual deficit, burning up these reserves.  Perhaps your financial plan is to wait for more benefactors to pass away?  Or to keep milking the same dwindling membership?
Ooh!  Ooh!  We know the rebuttal to this one!  COWS. 
Also, Mr and Mr. Sincere Friends from Nigeria and Cyprus assure us that the fees for laundering money through Inner Party donations can not only fund KBOO indefinitely, but be done through a handful of Inner Party accounts.  So there!

7 ListenershipListenership is way down, and that revenue stream is down as well. 
LIES!  The recent success of our flashdrive(not to be confused with a USB drive) PROVES we just need to do more milking, er, drives:
https://www.facebook.com/kbooradio/posts/10151775822620767

630pm and we've raised almost $10k of the $12k goal by 8pm - donate here http://www.kboo.fm/membershipform to help us along. Listen to 2 hours of great Brazilian and African music starting at 8pm.

8 Hartmann, LayoffsA rational KBOO would realize that if it doesn’t adjust it’s programming a small bit to accommodate other views, the demand for content like Hartmann, Wolfson, etc. will find another station (several have been asking Hartmann if they can have him rather than KBOO).  KBOO could accept Hartmann’s generous offer (free) and enjoy the benefits of more audience and more revenue.  Doing this might even prevent staff layoffs.
This is nothing more that BlueOregon's insidious propaganda in it's long term strategy to take over KBOO.  Why BlueOregon would WANT to take over KBOO and it's albatross of legal and financial troubles we don't know.  But we DO know we can prevent staff layoffs by getting rid of EVIL FITCH.

9 VitriolAnd today, after reading the vitriolic commentary against Hartmann on BlueOregon and elsewhere, why would he want his good name associated with KBOO?
Exactly!  We've worked hard at alienating any potential DEMOCRATS from supporting KBOO financially!  Nice to see Kraus acknowledge the success of this strategy.   KBOO will be kept PURE of all ideological taint.   Unless  of course it's underwriting from Tea Party supportersBecause the Tea Party is much closer aligned with Inner Party values than the Democrats. 

Um, did we write that in public?


But finally we get to the bottom of just which Dastardly Democrats are behind the Blue Oregon Hartmann Invasion. 

We're informed from blog comments that  Comrade Hagmeier, through a combination of repetitive badgering and confirmation bias, has exposed Carla Axtman and Kari Chisholm as the Enemies of the People behind the petition to KBOO requesting nicely that Thom hartmann's program be aired:

 https://www.facebook.com/kbooradio/posts/10151778504460767


I urge KBOO to resist the efforts by people with no connection to the station to dilute and disrupt KBOO's schedule by adding the Thom Hartmann program.

Even if Hartmann's show was great (it isn't), pushing 15 hours of programming off for one guy is inappropriate.

I've asked Carla Axtman and Kari Chisholm, the two people from Blue Oregon behind the petition, how they've supported KBOO. Rather than answering the question, they've both chosen to claim that "they aren't pushing anything." That's just bizarre--what's the point of a petition, but to push a particular action?
Right you are Comrade!   Why Glorious Leader herself made a petition to Stephen Conser earlier this year to terminate Bullard Law, a firm suggested by KBOO's own lawyers.   (Time to start a petition to terminate Sussman Shank LLP?)

Even though it only got 268 votes, Bullard Law is HISTORY.  So no wonder the Inner party is shitting it's pants over a petition to KBOO with over 4,000 votes!  Those numbers alone show that Hartmann is coming to KBOO and NOTHING can stop it.

Except if the Inner Party ignore it.

Fortunately BlueOregon isn't a close personal friend of Conser or even address it to him.  Otherwise who knows what would have happened by now!


-MT

Cadre Craft Corner: ACTIVITY SECTION!

Elite Comrade Haines posted on Friday:
https://www.facebook.com/aniraven/posts/10151726820754496
Call 877 500 5266 and support KBOO Community Radio now! Are you a member? If not, join us for as little as $20.
Our activity today, cadre, is MULTIPLICATION.

Nearly 4,800 potential new members at BlueOregon have signed a petition to bring Thom Hartmann to KBOO.

What is 4,800 X 20 ?

Post your answer in comments below!

Because that's the amount of money KBOO is potentially thumbing it's nose at, Comrades!

Hint: Democratophobia is EXPENSIVE.

21 comments:

  1. Looks like it's almost 5,300 total signatories on the petition. Sekrit emailed obtained that was sent to Lynn and Conch. I hope the SKFSK can see fit to encourage Conch to respond publicly to this, explaining why it is a bad idea to put Tommy on the air.


    Lynn & Conch --

    It is with respect and admiration for KBOO that I'm sending you the list of 5272 individuals that signed the petition at BlueOregon.com asking KBOO to add Thom Hartmann to your lineup.

    Specifically, the petition that was signed by these 5272 people read:

    To the KBOO Board of Directors:

    Now that KPOJ is dead, we're counting on KBOO to bring us great progressive talk radio in Portland. Thom Hartmann is the #1 progressive radio host in the nation, but his voice can't be heard in Portland.

    Please add Thom Hartmann to the KBOO lineup, and add the Save KPOJ community to the KBOO audience!

    The names of each signer -- along with their city of residence -- are attached to this email. We had signers from 29 of Oregon's 36 counties, plus 513 signers from Southwest Washington. For what it's worth, the signers include a number of well known community leaders, including state legislators and local elected officials.

    We hope you'll accept this petition in the spirit that it is offered -- an enthusiastic "Yes, please!" to the news that KBOO is considering adding Thom to its lineup.

    Since Clear Channel saw fit to unceremoniously kill the progressive talk format at KPOJ just three days after the election, hundreds of people have personally told me that they wished they could hear Thom Hartmann (and the rest of the old lineup) on terrestrial over-the-air radio in Portland. Digital-only just isn't the same. We're hoping that adding Hartmann to KBOO will be both good for KBOO and good for the broader progressive community.

    I would also like to invite you -- encourage you -- to respond to this petition by way of a guest column on BlueOregon (which we'd also deliver by email to all the signers), no matter what your decision turns out to be. (Feel free to just email it to me, in any format.)

    I'm hopeful that this effort will lead to further engagement between the BlueOregon audience and the KBOO audience. Thank you.

    Kari Chisholm
    Publisher, BlueOregon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Communications CadreJuly 22, 2013 at 10:58 AM

      OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      She offered Conch (we'll ingnore Lynn) a GUEST COLUMN on BlueOregon! YIKES! The party strategy was to IGNORE DEMOCRATS! IGNORE HARTMANN! IGNORE PETITIONS (unless we wrote them) IGNORE BLUEOREGON! But if this gets out then it will be public knowledge that Our Fearless Stooge is afraid to explain WE DON'T WANT NO STINKIN HARTMANN so he'd have to come up with an explanation, quick cadres, think, think, hmmm

      Or he could continue to let KBOO be represented by Comrade Steve NASSER who is doing a fine job of representing KBOO anyway!

      SHIT. The nerve of Kari expecting a RESPONSE!

      Delete
    2. fyi, Kari is a he (pronounced Car-e)

      Delete
    3. Public spirited cadres might post here a first draft of a response to Blue Oregon, to assist Comrade Conch in his writing.

      Although the best response for Comrade Conch is probably:

      "Adding Thom Hartmann to KBOO's lineup is a big, big decision.

      So big, in fact, that we are referring this to a board committee who will study the issue intensively for the next five to ten years."

      Delete
    4. spelling and gender are always optional

      Delete
    5. Bonus points if you can work the phrase "malevolent saboteur" into your draft response, Comrades!

      Delete
    6. Dear 5,000 people at BlueOregon,
      We were unable to put Thom Hartmann on the air because we have processes in place at KBOO that prevent the voices of 5,000 people from being heard.
      While technically incorrect, I'll tell you that all programming decisions must come through the program committee.
      You see, the program committee is controlled by 3 staffers (or really one staffer) along with maybe 4-5 volunteers that come to meetings month after month, and the opinions of those 7-8 people (or really 1 or 2) is much more important than the 5,000 people that signed your petition.

      KBOO is filled with excessive process and incompetence. Had we put Thom Hartmann on the air, you likely would have answered the call for financial support during our fall membership drive. Then, you would "own" the station just like all of us, and you'd feel empowered to expect it to serve your needs or at least the needs of the community.

      Since we are uninterested in serving the needs of democrats or the community at large, we passed on Thom Hartmann.
      We'll blame it on not having time to properly address the issue, even though it first arose in April. If you had been previously involved at KBOO, you'd know that 4-5 months is nowhere near enough time to make a decision.

      While you might feel that the program director has an obligation to put forward a proposal that could effectively bring in another 1,000 or 2,000 members to KBOO, we would disagree.

      Staff have no obligations to you or the community.
      To demonstrate such, we'll go ahead and remove the Interim from the Program Directors title and promote her to full-time. You see, she's one of us. Not one of you.

      Perhaps you didn't know it, but there are two types of communities in Portland and yours isn't welcome here.

      So please, stop paying attention to us, we only take large sums of money from the deceased, as they are unable to vote in elections.

      Thank You,
      Conchdotcom

      Delete
    7. Perfection, sir! See you at the inner Party Birthday Bash Friday!

      Delete
  2. I can't help but think that Glorious Leader's blunt, very public recitation of the objectives and goals of the Inner Party won't backfire badly at some point...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meanwhile, back at the Compound, Glorious Leader is claiming to be a victim of "snitchjacketing" in comments her Glorious Blog, that have taken a turn way downhill:

      http://savekboo.org/2013/07/12/half-efforts-to-justify-a-manufactured-crisis/#comments

      savekboo says:
      July 20, 2013 at 2:24 am

      http://www.snitching.org/2010/03/snitchjacketing.html
      Reply

      Anonymous says:
      July 21, 2013 at 3:26 pm

      pointing out FACTS proving your history of lies, inconsistencies and hypocrisy is not “jacketing”.
      otoh impersonating kraus to frame him as an anti-palestinian zionist agent IS.
      not surprised your habitual use of this technique makes you an expert.
      for more see labeling anyone expecting responsible, professional behavior as a “Corporate faction”.
      how’s that lolsuit coming?
      Reply

      Gotta give her credit for not deleting. But she's probably archiving IP addresses. FYI

      Delete
    2. Is she 'stalking' Carla at BlueOrgeon?

      http://www.blueoregon.com/2013/07/wyden-continues-be-great-surveillance-issue/

      Press Watch · Obedience training
      I like what Wyden has done on this. I'd like a national discussion of capitalism and imperialism even better.
      Reply · Like · Follow Post · Friday at 11:28pm


      It's doubtful Glorious Leader suddenly believes BlueOregon is a new outlet for Presswatch. Let's see if she starts shadowing Carla and Kari's posts while other Inner Party dupes attack/label them as "taking over" KBOO or whateverthefuck.

      Delete
    3. Wait a minute. Theresa was making excuses for Lisa Loving trying to hack a blog, but she's suddenly a fan of Wyden who criticizes federal electronic surveillance practices?

      Delete
  3. "Perhaps your financial plan is to wait for more benefactors to pass away?"

    Comrades! That **is** the Financial Plan! Who needs live listeners when you can rely on dead ones?

    "Those numbers alone show that Hartmann is coming to KBOO and NOTHING can stop it."

    Of course the Inner Party can stop it, Comrades! KBOO's membership is already large enough - the Inner Party can barely control things as it is! The last thing KBOO needs is to have thousands of new progressive Democrats join who might not understand the cosmic importance of the Iron Rice Bowl, or the importance of complete Inner Party control! Why, they might even vote for the wrong candidates at board elections!

    Hands Off KBOO - KBOO has no need for new, disruptive members!

    ReplyDelete
  4. 4,800 X 20 = 96,000 > $96,000

    or, with updated figures

    5,272 X 20 = 105,440 > $105,440

    Whoah. This is like way more than the one day flash drive.....

    Now what did I win?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Obviously, one would think (hope) some of those 5,000 folks are already members, how many? who knows.
    Also, it is unlikely all 5,000 would become members anyway.
    Let's say 1,000 people actually become members of KBOO, at the traditional $40 level.
    That is $40,000.
    Add the $12,000 made by the USB Drive last Friday and you're at $52,000.
    What is the projected budget shortfall? According to Mark Sherman at the last board meeting, it was around $60,000.
    All right, we're $8,000 short.

    What else is causing the budget shortfall... oh right, BOARD LED FUNDRAISING!!!
    Remember last summer when Board Candidate's were asked how they would each raise $1,000? (for a total of $12,000).

    How successful have those movies the board has used to raise funds been? (of course, when I saw movies, I mean sometimes movies and sometimes radio theater plays that Conch and friends have parts in).
    How successful have those "movies" been?
    Well, they are well over $8,000 short of their $12,000 goal.

    All right, Thom Hartmann can fill the budget deficit on his own, except for that whole Board Led Fundraising piece.

    Of course it will never happen, because it would actually make sense.

    Give Hartmann 10 hours a week, just like DN!
    Then TH, DN!, and Bluegrass will fund whatever other radical programming folks want.

    Sorry, I'll step back from the sanity ledge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Sorry, I'll step back from the sanity ledge."

      Just in time too. Who knows what gulag you were about to get shipped off to.

      Delete
    2. Can we move the net now? He was gonna jump for sure. If anyone helps KBOO raise the remaining $52K then the EVIL FITCH would come out of management detention.

      Delete
    3. "Obviously, one would think (hope) some of those 5,000 folks are already members, how many? who knows.
      Also, it is unlikely all 5,000 would become members anyway.
      Let's say 1,000 people actually become members of KBOO, at the traditional $40 level."

      Your figures are more probable. But the higher 5,000 new member figure is how the Inner Party would think if they're being consistent in their over optimistic interpretation of reality. Combine that with $40 each, well we're looking at a figure I don't care how ideologically pure they are...they should be drooling over: $200,000.

      Doesn't matter if it's pie in the sky. If they really cared about fundraising they'd be spending their energy trying to make this happen AND still keep control of the station. In theory they could take the new members money and run. It's not like they've ever been bothered by unethical behavior before.

      So that's another indication they're more worried about loosing control than the good of the station.



      Delete
  6. Leave KBOO alone!

    Traitor Kari has a new post up at Blue Oregon: "5272 people tell KBOO: We'd love to hear Thom Hartmann on the air!".

    As if the Inner Party cared.

    However, Comrade Zimmerman pitches in on behalf of the Inner Party in response:

    "Larisa Zimmerman · Portland, Oregon
    I don't like Blue Oregon pressuring KBOO to alter their programming. Why is KBOO being targeted for this? There are other broadcasting organs out there."

    Why are people "pressuring KBOO to alter their programming"? Everyone knows that KBOO isn't interested in genuinely popular programming, which would bring in outsiders who inevitably be disruptive and would ask too many questions about station governance.

    Stop "targeting" KBOO, running dog lackey progressive Democrats!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. According to Traitor Kari's evil map of the 5272 running dog imperialists who want to hear Thom Hartmann on KBOO, 59 of them are from HAPPY VALLEY, Comrades!

      Contact Comrade Lisa - obviously all 59 of these traitors from Happy Valley are involved in running this blog!

      Delete
    2. "Why are people "pressuring KBOO to alter their programming"?"

      This harassment of KBOO has to stop comrades! Surely by now Glorious leader has some embarrassing mugshots of Kari available?
      "Everyone knows that KBOO isn't interested in genuinely popular programming, which would bring in outsiders who inevitably be disruptive and would ask too many questions about station governance."

      And money. Don't forget KBOO isn't interested in their money either.

      Delete