Sign the Petition to Save Net Neutrality: Urge the FCC to Scrap Their Horrible "Pay-To-Play" Proposal.

You know what to do; do it on the internet, without delay!

Here's a helpful heads-up to our faithful Weber County Forum readers, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stands on the verge of making a huge mistake which would hand over the internet to just a few deep-pocketed internet players.

We received the folowing text this a.m. from Daily Kos:

On May 15, the FCC will consider a rule that would create a new “pay-to-play” fast lane which would allow big corporations to pay an extra fee to get their content prioritized to users. Independent, grassroots sites like Daily Kos would be left to suffer in an internet slow lane. 

Please, sign the petition to save Net neutrality by urging the FCC to scrap their horrible "pay-to-play" proposal. 

Let’s be clear—this isn’t about better service of streaming video or faster broadband speeds. This is about broadband providers being able to create another way to make additional profit from charging more for access to the internet without any new investment to expand service or speed. 

This would lead to more corporate sponsorship and control over the internet, which would lead to grassroots, independent sites—like Daily Koa—being relegated to the slow lane.

This goes against everything that is great about the internet.

Please sign the petition to save Net neutrality by urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to scrap this horrible proposal.

The same analysis would apply to Weber County Forum, of course.

Keep fighting, O WCF Lumpencitizens!

And needless to say, we've added this online petition to our right sidebar. You know what to do; do it on the internet, without delay.

Over and out.

Kudos to Daily Kos for getting the ball rolling on this..

Utah Policy.Com: Source: Prosecutors Readying Indictments Against Swallow, Shurtleff

Remember though, folks: Swallow and Shurtleff already have great lawyers already under retention

Tantalizing news from the politically well-connected Utah Policy.Com this morning, as heavyweight UP columnist Bob Bernich reveals that "local prosecutors" are finally about to bring in the long-awaited "heavy artillery," in re the: John Swallow political corruption scandal. Here's the lede, peeps:

Local prosecutors are on the verge of issuing multi-count criminal indictments against former Utah Republican AGs John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff, a source has told UtahPolicy.
Swallow, who resigned his post last December, and Shurtleff, who served 12 years as Utah’s top cop before retiring at the end of 2012, will be charged by Salt Lake County Attorney Sim Gill, a Democrat, and Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings, a Republican, after more than a year of intense investigations.
Both will face at least a dozen counts, a source tells UtahPolicy. A decision will be made this week as to the timing of the charges.
Also, a top AG deputy to both Swallow and Shurtleff, Kirk Torgenson, will likely be charged as well.
And Swallow’s top 2012 campaign consultant, Jason Powers, could also see half a dozen charges against him, the source says, unless he agrees to testify against his former clients.

Read the full write-up, folks:

• Source: Prosecutors Readying Indictments Against Swallow, Shurtleff

Needless to say, Weber County Forum will be johnny-on-the-spot to update this story, once these "perps" have been properly "frog-marched" at long last.

Remember though, folks:  Swallow and Shurtleff already have great lawyers already under retention, so we won't go overboard on this, at least at this juncture.

Columbia Journalism Review: A Newspaper Deal Threatens Utah's Main Non-Mormon-Owned Daily, Critics Say

Why not sign the petition? Can't hurt... might help

Disturbing story for fans of the Salt Lake Tribune.  Utahns who are interested in a balanced Utah editorial narrative should read the lede and weep, O Gentle Weber County Forum Readers:

A deal reached last fall between Salt Lake City's two main newspapers is unraveling into an angry controversy as the Justice Department looks into allegations that the Salt Lake Tribune, in return for a lump-sum cash payment, is quietly ceding the market to the Mormon Church-owned Deseret News.
The deal, an amendment struck last fall to a longstanding Joint Operating Agreement, would give the News 70 percent of the print revenues generated by the two papers, in return for the payment, the amount of which is undisclosed. The onetime payment, critics claim, would benefit the New York parent, Digital First Media, owned by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, while choking off revenue needed to sustain the Tribune's newsroom.
"The hedge fund guys get what they want, which is a big pile of cash," says Jim Dabakis, a Utah state senator who this week started an online petition asking the Justice Department to reverse the deal. "And the Deseret News gets what it wants, its generations-long dream [fulfilled] to extinguish the other voice in the community. And they get a monopoly from now on."

Read the full Columbia Journalism Review expose' here, folks, and continue with your weeping:

• A newspaper deal threatens Utah's main non-Mormon-owned daily, critics say

And here's an interesting wrinkle to this story, provided by a knowledgeable and trusted WCF source, who works for the Salt Lake Tribune, and technically refutes the claim that "this deal [was] reached last fall between Salt Lake City's two main newspapers":

The thing to know is that no one who actually works at the Salt Lake Tribune was consulted or had anything to do with this agreement. Our corporate hedge fund owners got a pile of cash to service their Wall Street debt and the Deseret News, the weaker paper in terms of generating subscriptions and ad revenue, was handed the means to strangle the competition. 

Definitely no surprizes here.  Obviously this was a deal soley cut between Deseret News ownership (who have exactly the same amount of money as God hisself)  and the greed-head hedge fund managers who own the 'venerable" Salt Lake  Tribune, "lock, stock and barrel."
 
Interested in rolling up your sleeves and engaging in some useful and productive political action on an otherwise quite Utah Sunday? Sign the online petition, O Gentle Readers:

• STOP THE IMPENDING DEATH OF THE S.L.TRIBUNE!

Why not?  Can't hurt... might help.

Utah Elections 2014: Democratic and Republican Party Post-Convention Reports - Updated

Several 2014 Utah political sub-plots which will be interesting to watch

The Standard-Examiner is front and center this morning, reporting on the results of yesterday's Utah Democratic and Republican state conventions. In the Utah Congressional District 1 race, Demo and GOP party delegates have set up a rematch between Donna McAleer and Rob Bishop respectively, mirroring the 2012 1st District race:

• Bishop will face McAleer again in general election
• Bishop easily secures GOP nomination

Will the second go-round prove to be the charm for McAleer?  We guess we'll soon find out.

In the State Attorney General's race, GOP nominee Sean Reyes will face a challenge from Democratic Party nominee Charles Stormont, currently a civil litigator in Reyes' own AG office, setting up a contest which is bound to ratchet up intra-office tension:

• GOP makes Reyes attorney general nominee for November
• Utah Dems choose Stormont as attorney general nominee

A smart career move on Stormont's part? This contest ought to provide some very interesting discussion around the AG office water-cooler, if nothing else.

And in a move which we'll characterize as a demonstration of exceedingly bad sportsmanship, it seems that the GOP crackpot faction ram-rodded through a convention resolution which would, if successful, reverse the landmark "Count My Vote" legislative compromise achieved during the 2014 Utah legislative session, which broke the GOP "extremist" nominations stranglehold, and  statutorily established a sensible two-track system for Utah political nominations:  

• Utah GOP pushes back against 'Count My Vote' compromise law

In the wake of the passage of this resolution, state GOP leadership remains "cagey" about precisely how this revisionary tactic would be implemented.  Nevertheless, we're sure that everybody will agree that the development of this story will be interesting to watch.

Update 4/28/14 9:15 a.m.:  Better late than never, Fox News 13 provides a post-convention report on this year's state level Utah Libertarian candidates:

• Utah’s Libertarian Party announces candidates 

Utah State Libertarian Party Chairman Courtney White was pleased by the results, stating, “I’m excited about the slate of candidates we nominated today. Each of them brings something special to the table, and all are dedicated to protecting the liberty of their constituents.”

For the record, your blogmeister believes that our Libertarian WCF friend, Mr. White, "gets it" exactly right.

Standard-Examiner Out-Take: Weber County Commission Takes the Tried and True "Bait and Switch" Tactic to a Whole New Level

And let's hear no complainin', Weber County lumpencitizens.  Remember, it's you folks who elected these devious fellers

In the midst of a news week which has so far been more than a mite slow, we'll put the spotlight on a couple of new Standard-Examiner stories, which beg to be placed into juxtaposion.

First, S-E reporter Cathy McKitrick reports about how "50 Weber County Library supporters gathered this week to  discuss how to battle back against two county commissioners who seem  intent on shrinking the size of a voter-approved $45 million ["Taj Mahal"] bond and  altering the vision of what those dollars were intended to fund":

•  Weber library supporters strategize to save $45 million bond plan

"We collectively voted for this library overhaul, new libraries and  other improvements. How can they take it away? Can they legally deny  these funds?" Ogden resident Richard Bush asks.

The answer's really quite straightforward, folks, once you factor in Ms. McKitrick's second new story... and connect the dots:

• State lawmakers granted Weber County's $1.5 million gun range request

Yep.  With $1.5 million already pledged by the legislature to be applied to our Weber County Commission's proposed $3.8 million "Taj Mahal" gun range purchase, take a wild guess where the other $2.3 million will be coming from.

Cute, ainnit?  Congrats to the Weber County Commission majority, for taking the tried and true 'bait and switch" tactic to a whole new level, heretofore never experienced in our semi-bucolic Weber County.

And let's hear no complainin', Weber County lumpencitizens.  Remember, it's you folks who elected these devious fellers.

Easter 2014 Sunday Special

Starting with today's Easter holiday, your blogmeister is resolved to be more like Jesus:

Happy Easter, everyone!

Standard-Examiner: Weber Democrats Looking For An Edge In The Issues

In a political atmosphere wherein the Grand Old Party becomes increasingly (and alarmingly) radicalized, it's nice to have at least a few moderate and sensible choices, don'tcha think?

In the interest of continuing our ever-myopic focus on our upcoming 2014 Weber County General Elections, we're delighted to find a new topical article up on the Standard-Examiner, courtesy of SE reporter Cathy McKitrick. Here's the lede:

OGDEN -- In a horse race, a longshot is defined as "an entry given little chance of winning." Such is the daunting reality for Weber County Democrats seeking higher office this year.
With Weber's lone elected Democrat -- County Attorney Dee Smith -- not running again this November, the Republican party is poised to make a clean sweep of both legislative and county races.
In sports, that type of win is called a shutout. A group of Weber County Democratic candidates aim to keep that from happening.

Despite the fact that Weber County Democrats dropped the ball on the two open Weber County Commission races, there still remains some hope for local Demos to score some points in other county-wide contests, it would seem.  Check out Ms. McKitrick's full article here, where she reels off the full list of Democratic party candidates who are vying for Weber County-situated seats:

• Weber Democrats looking for an edge in the issues

Fascinating quote from District 9 candidate Steve Olsen, a former Republican, now running for that seat under the Democratic Party campaign banner:

"People ask me 'how can you be a Mormon and Democrat?" said Steve Olsen, a Democrat who is challenging Republican incumbent Jeremy Peterson in the House District 9 race.

His reply? "I'm not sure how you can be a good Mormon and a Republican with the party the way it is now."

Olsen, 57, is urging voters to take a good look at the candidates, including those with the big D by their names.

"I considered myself a conservative most of my life, but as the Republicans drifted rightward and became more dramatically pro-big business, my views started to shift," Olsen said.

Your blogmeister isn't the only Weber County Republican who's recently soured on the Grand Old Party, we guess.

In a political atmosphere wherein the Republican Party becomes increasingly (and alarmingly) radicalized, it's nice to have at least a few moderate and sensible choices, don'tcha think?

Added bonus:  Be sure to view the embedded SE video, which shines the spotlight on the very appealing Amy Steed Morgan, who's running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Brad Dee, for his current State House District 11 seat.

And do remember the sage words of oft-quoted Lord Acton, who said,"All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Standard-Examiner Editorial: Our View: A 383-vote Weber Commission

It will be fascinating to see if Mssrs. Bell, Ebert and Gibson continue to pick a fight with the local newspaper

We have had some biased reporting, But maybe worse than that, lazy efforts of the (Standard-Examiner) editorial board have been laughable at best.

County Commissioner Kerry Gibson
In 'State of the County' speech, Gibson attacks Standard-Examiner
April 8, 2014

Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.

Mark Twain
Brainy Quote
November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910

Ebert will be the next commissioner. There is no Democratic Party candidate in the race. The responsibility lies with Weber County voters to keep an eye on these three guys, and make sure they initiate no shenanigans to hijack the majority of Weber County residents in regards to the library bond. If they try to tailor it to the wishes of a few -- say about almost 400 -- voters, speak up loudly, and make sure they don't get away with it.

Standard-Examiner Editorial
Our View: A 383-vote Weber Commission
April 18, 2014

By: Blackrulon:

The Standard-Examiner has just published an editioral opinion on the 2014 Weber County Republican convention outcome:.

• Our View: A 383-vote Weber Commission

It will be fascinating to see if Mssrs. Bell, Ebert and Gibson continue to pick a fight with the local newspaper, yes?

Salt Lake Tribune Editorial: Bundy is a Lawbreaker, Not a Hero - Updated

Swagger and bombast shouldn't become the American way.

By: Ray

Been doing a slow burn over Bundy and his band off scofflaws and domestic terrorists. I think the Salt Lake Tribune nailed it this morning.

Click to Enlarge Image

Cliven Bundy and his ragtag band of armed support­ers forced the federal government to back down as the roundup of Bundy cattle was called off and the bovines returned to the Nevada rancher.
Some declared victory and hailed the outcome a clear blow against tyranny and a win for freedom.
Hardly. The only winner in this was a scofflaw who has twice lost in the courts for running cattle where they don't belong and skipping out on grazingfees. Some 20,000 ranchers in Western states abide by BLMregulations, so what makes Bundy special?
What makes Bundy special is the army of self-styled pa­triots who rallied to his ranch with their guns and grudges. If the government hadn't acted to defuse the situation by back­ing off and letting Bundy have his win, we might have wit­nessed Americans shooting Americans over a few cows and a specious interpretation of the Second Amendment and pri­vate property rights.

Here's the full editorial:

• Editorial: Bundy is a lawbreaker, not a hero

"The victory on Bundy's ranch, backed as it was by the threat of violence, is a danger to the peaceful functioning of a civil society. Swagger and bombast shouldn't become the American way. The government was right to back down to avoid possible bloodshed, but it should employ other means to see that Bundy doesn't profit from his lawlessness," the Tribune editorial board quite rightly intones.

Update 4/16/14 9:00 a.m.:  As an added bonus, Standard-Examiner blogger Catherine Burt is blogging on this topic too:

• Defiant Tortoises: “We Don’t Recognize Ranchers’ Authority”

Don't let the cat get your tongues... O Gentle Ones.

Update 4/16/14 6:00 p.m.:  The Standard-Examiner is all over this situation too, with a parallel editorial of its own:

• Our View: Rancher broke the law

Standard-Examiner: Weber Republicans Dump Zogmaister; Ebert Wins Nomination

Our view?  The inaction of the Weber County Democratic party in this instance is an abject disgrace

Heartbreaking news for democracy in Weber County, as the Standard-Examiner reports this morning on the results of Saturday's Weber County GOP nominating convention, about which at least one prominent local social media commentator semi-privately characterizes as "a strong advertisement for the end of the caucus system in Utah." Read up folks, about how a "tally of about 600 [GOP] delegates ended Commissioner Jan Zogmaister's bid for a third term, and gave" a heretofore unknown political newcomer, somebody named James Ebert, "an easy ride into office because there is no Democratic contender to challenge him this November":

• Weber Republicans dump Zogmaister; Ebert wins nomination

We're scratching ot heads, still wondering why the Weber County Democrats didn't field at least a couple of  "token" opposition candididates to run in the two "open" Weber County Commision races, which were, nominally at least, up for grabs this year.   Perhaps one of America's most notable political curmudgeons was entirely correct:

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/hlmencke163179.html#mMfUVOPxkssEzdB0.99

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/hlmencke163179.html#mMfUVOPxkssEzdB0.99

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." - H.L Mencken

Our view?  The complete inaction of the Weber County Democratic party in this instance is an abject disgrace.

Standard Examiner Crackpot Guest Op-ed:We Need Highly Effective Teachers in the Classroom

The day of reckoning is coming on hard and fast, as the 2014 General election approaches

Seems we're seeing the first few volleys in the 2014 Ogden City School Board race As one of our   soon-to-be ex-Ogden School District Board member, Joyce Wilson, delivers this Steaming Load of Guest Op Excrement:

• We need highly effective teachers in the classroom

Write this down so you don't forget it, O Gentle Readers, as these nitwit Ogden School Board incumbents, who bow down to the evil Ogden Schools Superintendent  i.e,. Brad Smith, erringly try to advance his mindless Crackpot Tea Party Theory, and are about get their comeuppance.

The day of reckoning is coming on hard and fast, as the 2014 General election approaches.

Standard-Examiner: In 'State of the County' Speech, Gibson Attacks Standard-Examiner

Somehow we're getting a strong "psychic vibe" that this story isn't going to end well.

A lot has been said lately about our library system and what its future might be in our community," Gibson said. "Unfortunately this issue has been hijacked by well-meaning activists who have demonized any person who dares to ask a question or offer any conservative thought. Among the worst is some of our own local media.

County Commissioner Kerry Gibson
In 'State of the County' speech, Gibson attacks Standard-Examiner
April 8, 2014

We have had some biased reporting," Gibson said, "but maybe worse than that, lazy efforts of the (Standard-Examiner) editorial board have been laughable at best.

County Commissioner Kerry Gibson
In 'State of the County' speech, Gibson attacks Standard-Examiner
April 8, 2014

Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.

Mark Twain
Brainy Quote
November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910

On the heels of the recent series of Standard-Examiner stories reporting on the recent Weber County Library bonding flap, it appears that yesterday's strong Standard-Examiner editorial was "the straw that broke the camel's back":

• Our View: Don’t mess with the library bond

This morning's S-E hard-copy edition headline sums it up in a nutshell.  Read up on yesterday's Weber County Commission Chairman Kerry Gibson Tuesday rant, where he "lashed out at the Standard-Examiner and library proponents for recent stories, editorials and other material that criticized attempts to downsize a voter-approved bond."

• In 'State of the County' speech, Gibson attacks Standard-Examiner

Somehow we're getting a strong "psychic vibe" that this story isn't going to end well, as Gibson adds additional fuel to the fire, and goes to war with our home-town newspaper.

As a seasoned politician, you'd think Gibson would know better, yes?

Deseret News: Stuart Reid: A View from Both Sides of the Aisle

Moderate on moral social issues? Who knew?

Interesting Deseret News Sunday interview with Weber County's own "turncoat Democrat" State Senator Stuart Reid, who's following through with his 2010 campaign pledge, and will be retiring from the state legislature upon completion of one single term of office:

• Stuart Reid: a view from both sides of the aisle

Among other things, Senator Reid expands upon his earlier-expressed theory that, with the passage of Senator Curt Bramble's SB 54, we'll soon be witnessing the death of the Utah Democratic Party, and the emergence of two factions in the Republican Party, i.e., a  "caucus-convention faction and  signature-gathering faction," which will [henceforth] "essentially make up the two parties in the state of Utah."

In an intriguing sidebar note, Reid characterizes himself as "conservative on fiscal issues and moderate on moral social issues," prompting the sodden question:

Who knew?

Gotta say Reid had us completely fooled.

Illuminating interview, wethinks, all-in-all.

Standard-Examiner: Bell Puts Brakes on Library Plan

"Looking forward to the 2016 elections, when voters will have a chance again to exercise their option to not renew their subscription to arrogant politicians"

By: Ray

I continue to be amazed at the hubris of Weber County Commissioners Gibson and Bell. As the Standard-Examiner states this morning, “Bell puts breaks on library plan.” Mr. Bell justifies his opposition by stating, “As this library plan was moving forward, there was absolutely no opposition to it and there should have been someone out there, including myself letting the public know a little more about it.”

• Bell puts brakes on Library Plan

"As Commissioner Matthew Bell sees it, the [2013 Library Bond] victory actually translates into only 17 percent of Weber's registered voters giving their thumbs up to the plan."

What arrogance! After months of planning, public input, discussion, and a democratic vote, Mr. Bell decides everybody is ignorant except himself.

I look forward to the 2016 elections, when voters will have a chance again to exercise their option to not renew their subscription to arrogant politicians. Perhaps, “someone out there” will decide to run a recall petition on these holier than thou politicians.

Update 4/4/14 10:20 a.m.: In the interest of "balance," and thanks to a tip from yet another sharp-eyed and alert reader, we'll provide this fascinating counter-argument from Lynda Pipkin, current Weber County GOP Vice-chair, of all people, citing rock-ribbed, conservative Weber County political stalwart and GOP party donor Bert Smith, and additionally throwing in some very interesting "UN conspiracy" theory, for good measure::

• It’s Not Really About “Libraries”

Have at it, O Gentle Ones.

ABC News 4: Seventeen Teachers to Be Let Go by Ogden School District at End of School Year - Updated

It gets interestinger and interestinger as the 2014 General Election approaches, dunnit?

There's more bad news for the children of the Ogden School District, as ABC News 4 reports that our Ogden School Board has followed up last year's devastating Librarian, Adult Education and Reading Coach kill-offs with a new round of sure-to-be-painful staff cuts.  Although the District's rationale is murky, what is clear is that it's 17 Ogden school teachers who'll be looking for new jobs next year:

• Seventeen teachers to be let go by Ogden School District at end of school year (w/Video)

We've also learned from a reliable source that of this seventeen, at least eleven are union members.

Coincidence?  Or is Ogden School Board management (so-called) now embarking on a new "tea party style" union-busting venture?

We're also informed that the Standard-Examiner staff is working on a followup story, which we'll link, assuming something a little more tangible pops up.

Stay tuned, folks.

It gets interesting and interestinger as the 2014 General Election approaches, dunnit?

Update 4/2/14 7:42 a.m.: As predicted above, The Standard-Examiner is all over this story, revealing, among things, that a seemingly disproportionate 6 teachers from Highland Junior High School will receive their "walking papers":

• Ogden axes 17 teachers, including 6 at Highland

Displayed within this link is an "official" roster of Highland faculty and staff.  Scroll down and do the math:

• Highland Junior High School Faculty & Staff