Grumpy Editor

Lengthy Medicare paragraph features a load of ( )s

If you think some newspaper paragraphs run too long, just try to follow what’s going on with this Medicare provision, as pointed out in the Wall Street Journal, urges Grumpy Editor. 

As unearthed by WSJ writer Joe Palazzolo in Friday’s WSJ:

"In the case of a plan for which there are average per capita monthly savings described in section 1395w–24 (b)(3)(C) or 1395w–24 (b)(4)(C) of this title, as the case may be, the amount specified in this subparagraph is the amount of the monthly rebate computed under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(i) of this title for that plan and year (as reduced by the amount of any credit provided under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(iv) [2] of this title)."

Clear enough?

Nothing simple with many government texts.

Makes one think the writers get paid by the word --- or symbol.

Palazzolo also points out the Dodd-Frank financial law runs 2,300 pages while President Barrack Obama’s health-care law fills more than 900 pages.

Perhaps, in efforts to keep word volume shorter, more former tabloid newspaper staffers --- brought up to “write tight” --- should be called on to assist with authoring legislation.

 

L.A. County nixes football or Frisbee tossing at beaches

While San Francisco is noted for screwball laws, it looks like Los Angeles County is aiming to take top honors with new rules at beaches effective this summer that ban tossing footballs or Frisbees, notes Grumpy Editor.

Such activity, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, could bring fines up to $1,000, points out CBS-TV in Los Angeles, which revealed the slap against beachside fun included in a 36-page ordinance.

Alert editorial page writers on newspapers with beaches in their circulation areas should take note because what develops in Los Angeles or San Francisco often swoops to other regions --- especially when politicians note something that can generate revenue. 

Exceptions, reported CBS, allow for ball throwing in pre-designated areas, when a person obtains a permit, or playing water polo “in or over the Pacific Ocean.”  Beach balls and volleyballs remained acceptable. 

Wait.  There’s more. 

Playing-in-the-sand kids (or large dogs) are targeted, too.

The ordinance also prohibits digging any hole in the sand deeper than 18 inches except where permission is granted for film and television production services.

That would indicate lifeguard towers now will also have to contain yardsticks to determine depth of digging.

However, during the winter off-season, the new rules will be relaxed. 

But hold on.  Other activity can get beachgoers in trouble.

Despite the roar of ocean waves:  Section 38 on page 22 of the ordinance cites “a person shall not disturb the peace and quiet of any beach,” ranging from “unduly loud music…or unusual noise,” or “use of any vulgar, profane or indecent language.”

Wade through the 36-page ordinance here.

 

Fed workers' pay beats private wages, Chinese clone WSJ page, Sin City targets pigeons, among year-end items

Grumpy Editor today concludes a list of news items that some folks (and editors) may have missed during the busy year-end period ---

FED WORKERS’ PAY TOPS PRIVATE WAGES

Job hunting?  Head for a federal position.

A year-end USA Today analysis found federal employees received an average $75,296 in pay during the past year --- about 60 percent above the average private sector wage.

What’s more, federal workers also scored an average $28,323 in medical, pension and other benefits, noted the Gannett publication which added, “Federal compensation has soared in the past decade, especially in the past five years, at a time when private wages and employment have sputtered.”

All this followed President Barack Obama 13 months ago declaring a pay freeze for federal employees in 2011 and 2012.  Despite the so-called “freeze,” 1.1 million fed workers will receive more than $2.5 billion in raises during the two-year span, calculated Federal Times. 

PEJ RANKS  ECONOMY AS TOP STORY IN 2011

The big story in 2011 was the economy, according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism’s annual “Year in News” tally. 

PEJ said 20 percent of news time and space was dedicated to the topic via print, online, TV news and radio, up from 14 percent from 2010. 

The other major trend was "a jump of more than a third in coverage of international news,” added PEJ, with half of the year's 10 most-covered stories occurring overseas.  Combined, 28 percent of all coverage last year was about international events.

  

PROMOTING JADE, CHINA CLONES WSJ PAGE

Drawing attention to the green gem prized for jewelry, The Wall Street Journal last week ran a full page report with three color photos under a bold across-the-page headline:  Jade craze takes hold. 

Unless readers noted the two “paid advertisement” placements in fine print --- slightly larger than the page number --- atop the A section page, they were unaware that the text, art (complete with credit lines), bold-faced boxes and subheads were for China Watch, prepared by China Daily.  It was close to WSJ format. 

LAS VEGAS AREA EYES PIGEON FEEDING BAN

Despite the Las Vegas area ranking high in unemployment, home foreclosures and sinking property values, at the top of the list for action at the first 2012 meeting of the Clark County Board of Supervisors: pigeons. 

As a reader wrote in a Jan. 1 letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal under a "Pigeon-feeding ordinance is for the birds" headline:  “With all the rampant economic and social woes facing Clark County, it is amazing that the Clark County Commission will be holding a public hearing Tuesday on an ordinance that would ban the feeding of pigeons in unincorporated areas of the county.”

Following yesterday's meeting on the subject, commissioners again will peck away at proposed enforcement and other issues on Jan. 17.  Rules could lead to pigeon feeders getting up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Along with causing problems for residents who have bird feeders, commissioners will have to distinguish the many varieties of pigeons, some raised for food or sport.

Aside from the common (or rock) pigeon, others include band tailed pigeon, red billed pigeon, white crowned pigeon, white king pigeon and racing pigeon. 

But commissioners always welcome feeding slot machines in Clark County --- and the rest of Nevada.

PETA SEEKS MEMORIALS FOR  DEAD CATTLE

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was seeking permission in Illinois to buy highway markers in memory of cattle killed when trucks hauling them, in two separate accidents, flipped. 

PETA said the signs would pay tribute to more than 20 cattle killed last year because of negligent driving. 

Doesn’t look like the PETA request will go far.  A Department of Transportation spokesman said it probably will be denied because Illinois’s Roadside Memorial Act specifies only relatives who lost loved ones in highway accidents may request memorials.

 

ENQUIRER PRINTING PLANT TO CLOSE

About 200 newspaper jobs will be axed this year when the The Cincinnati Enquirer, a Gannett Co. Inc. publication, closes its printing plant in the fall.  Plans call for The Columbus Dispatch to print The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Kentucky Enquirer.

A Gannett news release in late December made no mention on the number of jobs to be eliminated.  Closest it got:  " As part of this initiative, The Enquirer’s production facility will close fourth quarter, 2012, as printing transitions to Columbus."

 

Connecticut Senator seeks federal funding for diapers

While much of the U.S. is focused on creating jobs, lowering taxes, improving education, thwarting terrorism, avoiding foreclosures and observing pre-election action, Connecticut continues to get to the bottom of things, dwelling on --- diapers, finds Grumpy Editor.

On the heels of last Thursday’s Diaper Need Awareness Day, observed solely in Connecticut after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy issued a declaration, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) yesterday introduced legislation, adding child-care services funding to purchase diapers and diapering supplies.

At the Oct. 27 diapers event in New Haven, activists and advocates gathered for a panel discussion on diapers as a public health issue.  It was followed by a fundraiser.

As explained by Pete Kasperowicz, writing in The Hill, Blumenthal’s bill, S. 1778, would amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to allow diapers and related supplies to be bought with grant money provided to states. 

A summary of Blumenthal's bill, Kasperowicz added, indicated it would "include the provision of diapers and diapering supplies among the activities for which funds may be employed to improve the quality of and access to child care." 

Diaper makers Pampers, a Procter & Gamble Co. product, and Huggies, manufactured by Kimberly-Clark Corp., should be delighted by the move.

 

Connecticut today observes Diaper Need Awareness Day

Adding to the list of the year’s special days --- ranging from Administrative Professionals Day to Armed Forces Day --- is today’s Diaper Need Awareness Day, but observed only in Connecticut, notes Grumpy Editor.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, obviously one who seeks to get to the bottom of things, issued the declaration.

So, today at 5 p.m. Eastern, activists and advocates will gather at Foundry Square in New Haven for a panel discussion, open to the public, on diapers as a public health issue --- and a fundraiser follows.

Diapers are a big deal in the Constitution State.

So look for heavy media coverage.

Hartford Courant writer Susan Campbell mentions that earlier this month, Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D., Conn.) introduced the Diaper Investment and Aid to Promote Economic Recovery Act (cleverly contracted to spell out DIAPER).

The bill would amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to allow funding for diapers and diaper supplies.

For today's event, looks like someone overlooked booking a spokesperson from Pampers, a Procter & Gamble Co. operation with products that include disposable diapers, as a key speaker.

 

Proposed taxes likely to cut 10,000 airline industry jobs

With U.S. job creation static while some in Washington consider “taxes” their favorite word, Air Transport Association of America (ATA) President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio sums up what he considers a job-killing equation:  “Add taxes and lose jobs,” notes Grumpy Editor.

ATA is the industry trade organization for leading U.S. airlines. 

Just in case ATA’s warning is not in your newspaper today, the organization points out nearly 10,000 airline industry jobs could be cut within one year if two new proposed passenger security and airline departure taxes are approved by Congress. 

More broadly, adds ATA, nearly 181,000 jobs could be lost across the economy related to reductions in aircraft manufacturing, airports and supporting businesses. 

The airline industry is the third greatest contributor to the U.S. economy after energy and farming, yet it is among the least profitable, says Calio. 

“Tripling the passenger security fee and creating a new $100 departure tax will have a devastating effect on the U.S. economy and our customers, who already pay more in taxes for air travel than they do for alcohol, tobacco and firearms," cites Calio. 

“The proposed new taxes will impact fares and reduce service, which equates to a one-way ticket to the unemployment line for thousands of Americans." 

Calio declares, "The president is proposing a huge new tax on the least profitable and most highly taxed industry in the economy while all its competitors are left untouched.  Airlines and their passengers should not shoulder the burden to pay for the country's security, or even worse, to pay off the national debt.” 

 

House effort to repeal curly fluorescent bulbs flickers out

U.S. House efforts this week to repeal curly, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which contain toxic mercury and are slated to replace long-used traditional incandescent bulbs, fell short of the two-thirds majority vote needed for passage --- without a peep from the Environmental Protection Agency, notes Grumpy Editor.

The EPA, with 17,000 employees at Washington headquarters, 10 regional offices and 27 laboratories, is charged with protecting human health and the environment. 

A few vigilant newspaper editorial writers in recent days alerted readers to problems with CFLs which entered the future lighting picture when Congress four years ago passed an energy bill that essentially banned the traditional incandescent light bulb that received a major thrust in 1878 from Thomas Edison’s research. 

While CFLs, made mostly in China, got the green light with new energy standards set to go into effect next year, officials have curtailed or banned mercury use in other applications, including thermometers and automotive and thermostat switches. 

Many lawmakers apparently remained unaware that when a CFL bulb (a small glass tube twisted into a spiral) shatters, mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled and as a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles. 

A Scientific American posting three years ago was among the first to point out highly toxic mercury is especially harmful to the brains of both fetuses and children. 

At that time, the director of EPA’s Hazardous Waste Minimization and Management Division recommended opening windows and stepping outside then quickly ventilating the room when a CFL bulb breaks. 

"Get all the people and pets out of the room for 15 minutes and let the room air out,” he said.  With central heating system or an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) system, he warned, “you don't want it sucking the fumes around, so shut that down.”

 

U.S. House appears busy working on debt limit, but…

From reading newspapers this week, one may think Congress was working feverishly --- with a deadline 11 weeks away --- to resolve the debt limit that has passed the $14.3 trillion mark, figures Grumpy Editor.

From an Associated Press story by Paul Wiseman with a Washington dateline that appeared around the country yesterday, readers were informed that: 

*  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sent Congress a letter saying he would be unable to make pension investments in full and urged a hike in the debt limit or “risk a financial panic or another recession.” 

*  “Republican leaders in the House have said they won’t raise the debt limit unless the Obama administration first agrees to big spending cuts or to steps to lower the debt over the long run.” 

*  “House Speaker John Boehner repeated the pledge in a statement Monday…” 

Sounds like the House was busy at work in Washington in efforts to solve the nation’s budget problems by Aug. 2. 

However, it’s another “constituent work week” --- the official phrase for getting out of town --- that takes representatives away from their D.C. desks. 

But they’ll be back next week. 

Then they will be off for Memorial Day, May 30, before taking another scheduled constituent work period June 4 to 12, followed by another, June 25 to July 5 that includes Independence Day.

 

Nearly 6,000 journalists cover Washington lawmakers

The reason why there are so many stories with a Washington, D.C. dateline --- even when Congress is on a break --- is because the number of print, broadcast and digital journalists credentialed to cover the Senate and House is nearing 6,000, notes Grumpy Editor.

That number is almost equal to the population of cities such as Wickenburg, Ariz. or Essex, Conn.

Even during the past week (when both the Senate and House were on a nine-day break, returning yesterday) Washington pieces pepper print pages and broadcast news.

While major newspapers and broadcast networks maintain sizable bureaus in the nation’s capital, some of the heavier coverage now is linked to Web news sites that have been beefing up staffs.

Among print and Web outfits expanding writing staffs:  National Journal, Bloomberg Government, Huffington Post, The Hill and CQ Roll Call.

While most of the talent grabs news releases to rewrite, few amplify the handouts or ask tough questions (starting with “why”) and only a handful put on investigative reporter hats.

One area to start is why are there so many Senate and House days off as the nation faces mounting significant and unexpected developments at home and abroad.

Lawmakers, while back on the scene this week from a March break, are gearing up for a “spring break” less than three weeks away, April 16 to May. 1. 

 

More Wisconsin turbulence: tossing snowballs frowned on

A hot potato with a snowball?

Yes, there’s more going on in Wisconsin besides the battle over Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget, finds Grumpy Editor.

While media have focused on the Badger State’s budget battle, little has been reported about laws that frown on the seasonal delight of tossing snowballs.

It’s taboo to compress snow into a ball and toss it in Wisconsin cities Antigo, Chippewa Falls, Eagle River, Menasha, Merrill, Neenah, New London, Oconomowoc, Oshkosh, Sturgeon Bay and Waupaca.

Doug Stanglin, editor of On Deadline, USA TODAY’s news blog, notes the ban on snowballs item from The Appleton Post-Crescent.

He cites Neenah, for example, where the anti-snowball ordinance reads:

No person shall throw or shoot any object, arrow, stone, snowball or other missile or projectile, by hand or by any other means at any person or at, or into, any building, street, sidewalk, alley, highway, park, playground or other public place within the city.

For Neenah, which gets tons of snow every winter on the shores of Lake Winnebago and is best noted as the birthplace of Kleenex maker Kimberly-Clark Corp., the law slams the door on the long-time seasonal outdoor fun.

But there’s no such ban in the capital, Madison, where some members of the state legislature undoubtedly would like to battle it out with a big snowball fight.

Now, that would reap major media coverage.