Monday, April 6, 2009

Case Closed Already?

Related Morning Call "newspaper" Story 

Morning Call reporter Brian Callaway contributed to this story. 

Interestingly, Brian then waded into the fray at The Morning Call "Forum" to ask some questions.  

One Forum commenter posed this excellent question to Callaway, that is, so far, unanswered ... 

Brian Callaway: There's an investigation in progress on this matter. Should The Morning Call be putting forth so much opinion and speculation as to what actually happened here with your provocative headline and first paragraph? It reads like the case is already "closed." Isn't that DA Jim Martin's job?

[Photo: DA Jim Martin] 

108 comments:

Bill Villa said...

Readers, I've just emailed a link to this post to Morning Call reporter, Brian Callaway. We're hoping for a response to the excellent question that has been posed to him, either here, or at The Morning Call Forum where Brian initiated a "Q & A" w/ Forum participants ...

Anonymous said...

A "fact" reported in the newspaper's original on-line story stated that the two officers approached the man's truck AFTER the officers already knew he was armed, but that they thought the situation was defused. Then the man raised and pointed his rifle at the officers, who fatally shot him.
Someone posting in the MC's forum expressed wonder at why the officers would approach the truck ... the poster said the officers should have had the man throw his weapon out of the vehicle and surrender. That makes a lot of sense to me.
So, the shooting may have been justified, but was it necessary?

Bill Villa said...

... interesting, anon 10:13 ... and your item supports this post's point of view that The Morning Call should not be putting forth opinion and speculation on a case that is (or soon will be) under investigation by the State Police and ultimately decided on by DA Jim Martin.

If Martin can hide behind "the case is still open and under investigation so, no comment," to avoid answering excellent questions like the ones posed in this recent LVS post, conversely, why would a "newspaper" be applying spin and body english to a case that's still very much open?

It seems jaw-droppingly irresponsible to me ... even when considering The Morning Call's rich legacy of enabling and covering things up for DA Jim Martin, like in this recent example covered exclusively by LVS ...

Anonymous said...

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-5suicidebox.6842307apr05,0,6893991.story

In a related story, Forum comments #2, #3, #4, and #12 have been deleted from the conversation by those understaffed Morning Callers who don't have the manpower to catch and delete the hate speech comments at the Forum that Bill White has told us "attract advertisers."

Bill Villa said...

Yes, I can see TMC's comment Poofing in Progress. Still no response from Brian Callaway though ...

Anonymous said...

"So, the shooting may have been justified, but was it necessary?"

Excellent question that deserves to be answered by DA Jim Martin (although it may take a YEAR :)

Another point is that it's not like the police are UN-familiar with the phenomenon of "suicide by cop," at least they should be familiar with it. I would believe that this should have been a part of whatever mental calculations the police were making when approaching and "diffusing" this situation.

Bill Villa said...

"suicide by cop," ... [the police] should be familiar with it."

I agree anon 11:43 because as The Morning Call oh so helpfully points out-- albeit about a YEAR prematurely:

"a recently published study of 707 officer-involved shootings from 1998 to 2006 concluded that 36 percent -- 256 cases -- involved a suicidal person who intended to die by confronting police."

Anonymous said...

Well "Case Closed" then I'm convinced. So D.A. Jim, don't spend too much time on thisok?...there's golfing trips to Scotland and so many other and better things to be doing this time of year...

Anonymous said...

Popular and Discounted Broadway Shows and Specials

Monkey Momma said...

FYI - The Morning Call doesn't manage the comments. Topix does. Comments flagged as inappropriate, by fellow readers, are evaluated by Topix, not the Call.

Bill Villa said...

This may, or may not, be true, I don't know, and w/ all due respect, I'm not taking your "word" on this.

I do know that I have had comments booted off of The Morning Call's Forum in real time, and I have read accounts from other local blog commenters of similar fast action against a comment at the Forum, if the MC editors deem it "off agenda," i.e., the "newspaper's" agenda.

My point being, based on my personal experience, I believe TMC can have it both ways-- i.e., they can blame Topix for being slow in removing a racist comment someone is complaining about, and/or, they can also delete a comment they no like for political reasons ... immediately ... themselves.

But you're missing the bigger issue w/ your attempted Morning Call apologist misdirection here, "Monkey Momma," although I doubt many of our regular readers are fooled by it.

Anonymous said...

My first thought was maybe someone was impersonating Brian Callaway at the Forum but his comments are still up there and the paper deleted 4 other comments so you'd think they would have deleted his if they were imposter comments but who knows how or if the Morning Call "thinks?"

Anonymous said...

Bill, the "newspaper" would probably answer your excellent question(s) if you were "playing ball" w/ them (wink wink) like all the other local bloggers are ...

Bill Villa said...

Maybe so, but the token "faux dissent" we've seen in our local blogosphere against the "newspaper" since "Blogger Tuesday" was launched is (we believe) worked out in advance sort of like pro wrestling. At LVS we have actual dissent, and that's seriously frowned upon, and verboten, actually, ever since "Valley Blogosphere at The Morning Call" was perpetrated upon us all.

Bill Villa said...

Anon 4:05, this occurred to me as well ... FYI, still no response from Brian Callaway, here, or at the Forum, btw ...

Anonymous said...

"Valley Blogosphere" turned watchdogs into lapdogs.

Bill Villa said...

I'm stealing that one.

Anonymous said...

Merci.

Angie Villa said...

Readers, thanks to you, this week, and for the 13th week in the past 18 weeks ...

LVS is the #1 Most Influential Political Blog Per Post in the state of Pennsylvania.

LVS is also the (non-newspaper-affiliated) #1 Most Influential Political Blog in the Lehigh Valley again this week.

Bill Villa said...

It should be noted (and I should have mentioned this earlier), that what drew Morning Call reporter Brian Callaway to the Forum was an amazingly insensitive comment [since deleted] made by the kind of knuckle-head commenter that "attracts advertisers," according to Bill White-- Callaway was CONFRONTING this knuckle-head, and I commend him for doing this, even though it's an exercise in total futility to interact with these cruel and hateful Morning Call Forum provocateurs ...See Callaway Comment #15

Nonetheless, still no response or statement to this blog from Brian Callaway or The Morning Call regarding this post's challenge to them that they were jaw-droppingly irresponsible in applying so much opinion, speculation, spin, and body english, to a case that is many weeks or months away from a full investigation and report by the State Police and DA Jim Martin's objective and unbiased decision.

This case is not nearly as "closed" as The Morning Call's coverage so over-ambitiously wants us to believe. And forget.

Anonymous said...

I predict you'll get a response from Brian Callaway the same day the Morning Call editorial board agrees to grant your request for a "Welcome Mat" meeting with them. How many requests have you sent them so far?

Bill Villa said...

My next polite request will be #223 and thanks for asking.

From The Morning Call's web site:

"[The Morning Call Editorial] board intends to be as open with readers as possible. It meets regularly -- a few times every week -- with people and groups about topics of public interest. The Lehigh Valley area is blessed to have public-spirited citizens who recognize that the newspaper is a corporate citizen that strives to be engaged in the debate on such issues, and that tries to offer leadership. The welcome mat always is out for those who want to be heard."

monkeymomma said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Bill, speaking of numbers, you have The Morning Call's number, and that's why they won't meet with you.

Bill Villa said...

Touché.

Readers, we temporarily allowed a loony comment at 7:49am from an "anonymous" (wink wink) Morning Call apologist cheerleader, but because it closed w/ an unnecessary personal attack against yours truly, we've changed our minds and deleted it. If you enjoy unnecessary personal attacks against me and my family, visit The Troll Parade blog.

Lehigh County Democrat said...

My Take...

I found this quote and thought it was appropriate regarding our Morning Call "newspaper" ...

“Today the tyrant rules not by club or fist, but disguised as a market researcher, he shepherds his flocks in the ways of utility and comfort.”
-Marshall McLuhan, Canadian communications theorist Educator, Writer and Social Reformer, 1911-1980

Over & Out...

Bill Villa said...

Yeow, LCD, bulls-eye. And the tyrants have decreed that their shepherded flocks crave adorable puppies and Barack Obama look-a-likes as their front page lead story.

Anonymous said...

Retired ASD teacher here.

Bill, there is NO DOUBT in my mind the Morning Call has someone reading that Forum regularly and taking actions within minutes over certain posts.

I have had at least a dozen posts removed rather quickly because those posts in some way implicated the Call for (what I believed to be) policy that does not serve its readership appropriately.

I really must admit, however, removal of posts is CERTAINLY the Call's right, as it is the Call that provides the opportunity for ALL posts in the first place. You know, "He who pays the piper . . . ."

All the racist crap COULD be removed quickly, as I see it. But, it's not. That does trouble me.

All I can say is, the Morning Call Forum should be enjoyed for "entertainment purposes only," as the standard disclaimer goes. It's likely similar to what the Call decides for its printed Letters to the Editor.

It's their bat, their ball. All of us can choose either to buy-in to the Forum's legitimacy, or not.

For me, the Morning Call does not fool everyone. But, I'm sure they know that.

Bill Villa said...

You know, "He who pays the piper . . . ."

Yep, we do know what you mean, "Retired ASD Teacher," thanks for weighing in. It's sort of like the "Golden Rule," i.e., those who have the gold, rule.

It's funny, I almost mentioned you specifically, earlier, as a local blog commenter I knew had also been "muzzled" in real time at the Morning Call Forum (you've posted comments about this before) but I'm glad I didn't because it gave you the opening to back me up here yourself. Thanks for doing that.

Next I'm expecting Brian Callaway to show up here testifying to everyone that "Bill Villa is 100% right about DA Jim Martin and Morning Call collusion," bets anyone?

Angie Villa said...

Hi "Retired ASD Teacher," thanks for stopping by, and not to be a "topper" or anything, but don't forget that in addition to being deleted in real time at TMC Forum, my hubby Bill is also blocked from commenting at all Morning Call blogs, including Bill White's blog, John Micek's blog, Queen City Daily blog, and, he is banned from entering the MOrning Call's building w/ out an appointment.

All this, just for asking "excellent questions that deserve to be answered!"

BTW, The Villas have a very catchy song called "Toppers" that you can hear here: Click on "Toppers"

Anonymous said...

Retired ASD teacher here.

Ang, I just sampled a few of those tunes and WOW!. Good stuff.

And to think one member of that band was just a lowly public school teacher.

Who 'da thunk it?

Angie Villa said...

"LOwly" only in Paul Carpenter's eyes ;D

Glad you enjoyed the VillaSongs!

Anonymous said...

Boy, you'd think our local "watch dog bloggers" would be aghast and up in arms over Mr. Villas being denied his right to speak and be heard by the Morning Call board (?) Lou Herschmann got to speak and be heard (?)

read-only majority said...

i agree the MC board should let the "sun shine in" on jim martin

Bill Villa said...

The previous 2 comments are why LVS is #1:

it's because our astute readers are #1.

Earlier today I emailed The Morning Call Editorial Board my 223rd polite request for a "Welcome Mat" meeting w/ them.

In addition to "wanting to be heard" on DA Jim Martin's lackadaisical handling of my daughter Sheena's 2006 homicide by a "connected" drunk driver, and a September '07 DUI homicide case that "resolved itself" in a highly suspect manner the night before trial (w/ the grandson of a Martin buddy getting off incredibly easy), I would like to discuss the Shaun Buenzly DUI homicide case and the Lori Smeltzer vehicular homicide hit-and-run case and why it took DA Jim Martin a YEAR, and 5 months, respectively, to file criminal charges in these cases.

I would also like to discuss the Veronica Rohrer case and the political grandstanding and ethical breaches committed by DA Martin in publicly "overcharging" Veronica Rohrer-- and then quietly withdrawing the major charges after the news cameras had stopped rolling.

My list of "excellent questions that deserve to be answered," regarding how cases are being "handled" by DA Jim Martin, just keeps getting longer and longer.

And, to your point, anon 3:31, I hear no local "watch dog" bloggers barking. Not a one. It appears they've all been neutered, and neutralized, by being "honored" w/ membership in "Valley Blogosphere" at The Morning Call.

Angie Villa said...

WORTH REPEATING DEPARTMENT

From The Morning Call's web site:

"[The Morning Call Editorial] board intends to be as open with readers as possible. It meets regularly -- a few times every week -- with people and groups about topics of public interest. The Lehigh Valley area is blessed to have public-spirited citizens who recognize that the newspaper is a corporate citizen that strives to be engaged in the debate on such issues, and that tries to offer leadership."

"The welcome mat always is out for those who want to be heard."

Anonymous said...

Bill you missed this fine print clause:

"Welcome Mat" not extended to persons who have had a daughter brutally killed or who persist in wanting answers to "excellent questions that deserve to be answered.'" -MC "Management"

Bill Villa said...

Yeah really. Or maybe the clause should go ...

"Even if you've had a daughter killed violently and needlessly and DA Jim Martin treats you like crap and sides w/ the killer, that's certainly no justification (or explanation) whatsoever for being angry, frustrated, or critical of The Morning Call in any way, shape, or form. If you do not give Morning Call Staff the same level of bended-knee deference you'd give to say the Queen of freakin' England and smooch our rear-ends accordingly ... hey ... no "Welcome Mat" for you buster."

Anonymous said...

"It's possible for debates to be heated and civil"

Bill Villa said...

Anon 5:44,
that's a really delicious inside joke :)

anybody else get it?

Jon said...

Will the correct answer score me a FREE Villas CD?

Lehigh County Democrat said...

My Take...

"It's possible for debates to be heated and civil"

is the edited headline on today's "Blogger Tuesday" entry. The original headline was "A Salute to two bla bla bla" or whatever and these lapdog MC bloggers in addition to giving the "newspaper" free dibs on their blogs also don't squawk a whit when the MC edits their work. Being "aquiver" is like that.

But anyway, the headline was most likely edited by MC Editorial & Opinions VP Glenn Kranzley-- the "man" who is spearheading the MC Board's denial of a "Welcome Mat" meeting w/ Bill Villa.

It's deliciously ironic, and hypocrisy of the highest order, that Glenn Kranzley thinks that > "It's possible for debates to be heated and civil" ...

but not one w/ Bill Villa :) heaven forbid.

Over & Out...

Jon said...

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY I knew that!

Bill Villa said...

Jon, and "LCD," we're okay
w/ two winners, email us your regular mail addresses and we'll send you both a FREE Villas CD.

Jon said...

COOL! THANKS!

Lehigh County Democrat said...

My Take...

I already have all your CDs (they're great) but "Merci" (wink wink) anyway.

Over & Out...

Concerned Citizen said...

WORTH REPEATING DEPARTMENT

Bill, speaking of numbers (223), you have The Morning Call's "number," and that's why they won't meet with you.

Bill Villa said...

Readers, wanted to share this with you. It's an excerpt from an email I received a few months back from the managing editor of a PA newspaper much smaller than The Morning Call that has won many awards for its (non-puppy-related) investigative journalism. This fine newspaper is one of many PA news outlets keeping their eye on the increasingly curious story of The Morning Call stubbornly refusing to meet with a grieving father who has "excellent questions that deserve to be answered" about DA Jim Martin-- in the words of its own investigations editor, Tim Darragh.

Here's what the managing editor of an award-winning newspaper (which will remain nameless) had to say to me:

"Personally, I don't see the point of not meeting with you - up here we meet with people all the time that we may not agree with and may not be able to help. At its most Machiavellian, doing so allows us to take the high road and prevents PR nightmares like the one you are currently conducting. It costs some time and no small amount of aggravation on our part, but in the long run that's preferable... and sometimes we discover we do agree on some things, and we actually can help on others. However, I am not in a position to tell other newsrooms how to conduct their business."

read-only majority said...

any word back from brian callaway re: the excellent question posed to him in this post?

Bill Villa said...

Nope.

Not a peep out of perpetually unopposed and unchallenged DA Jim Martin (left) either.

Anonymous said...

"Personally, I don't see the point of not meeting with you"

I can't come up w/ all that many different reasons why...can anybody else?

1. They know Bill's right about Martin & them
(ruh oh)

2. They know Bill's wrong
(but they enjoy torturing him by withholding info that could make him back-off)

3. They really couldn't care less, either way
(too busy exposing adorable puppy abuse)

4. They don't like Bill's "attitude"
(and so much for "hard boiled newspaper men" come on, are these peter pans more over-sensitive than Dr. Phil Donohue or what? and not like there's any mitigating circumstances or anything here, eh, a.k.a. give the guy a break, his daughter's dead for Christ's sake, in a similar situation you might be a tad pissed-off too)

Anonymous said...

I can't come up w/ all that many different reasons why...can anybody else?

-------------------------------------

I'm recalling a very popular slogan around these parts in the 1970s, as seen on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and bumper stickers:

5. "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much."

Vila :)

Bill Villa said...

Wow, VERY interesting. Excuses 1 through 4 I have always figured were "in play" ... but that #5, hmm ...

See paragraph 2 ...

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN (if this helps?)

My mom's mother, maiden name KRESS (See Also: Kress Collection, Allentown Art Museum), was half-Irish, and half-Pennsylvania Dutch.

Glenn, I'll be waiting by the phone for your call ...

Anonymous said...

"Erdman,"

as in Morning Call managing editor Dave Erdman.

That's a German/PA Dutch name too, isn't it?

Bill Villa said...

Why yes, anon 10:55,
I believe you are correct,
I hadn't made that connection ...

Monkey Mambo said...

Bill, what is your full "nationality" or "ethnic extraction" or whatever the "politically correct" term is these days...I always thought you were well-spoken Hispanic (?)

Bill Villa said...

Hello "MM," I am ...

part Italian (on my father's side)

part Irish (on both of my parents' sides)

PART PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH (on my mom's side)

Anonymous said...

"I always thought you were well-spoken Hispanic (?)"

so did I (and not that there's anything wrong
w/ that)

Bill Villa said...

Certainly not.

FYI, "Villa" (which in my case is an Italian name) gets mistaken for Latino all the time, just like Angie's maiden name, Ali (which in Angie's case is Sicilian/Italian) is mistaken for Arab or Muslim.

Anonymous said...

... not that there's anything wrong w/ that either ...

Bill Villa said...

Exactly.

But, you know, prejudice, and bigotry, and racism are still very much alive and well these days, and influencing people's decisions.

If you doubt that,
read THE MORNING CALL FORUM ...

which is overseen by Glenn Kranzley and Dave Erdman.

John Micek (via Email) said...

Dear Mr. Villa:

I was paging through some comments on your 'blog this morning when I noticed the repeated (and, so far as I know) incorrect assertion that you are being blocked from commenting at Capitol Ideas.

I thought we had cleared the air on this matter and had established that you were free to comment on the 'blog anytime you wish. In fact, I seem to recall your posting a "testing" message on one blog post sometime around June 2008 or so. That comment stayed up and has not, to the best of my knowledge, been removed. And I can tell you, in all honesty, that I am not actively removing your comments nor am I actively blocking them.

However, there is a spam-blocker in place, which is triggered by some IP addresses. I don't know the criteria that the trigger is based on, nor do I know why some e-mail addresses are targeted and some are not. It even happens to me when I try to respond to some comments. You can get around it by simply entering the random collection of letters and numbers that are presented to you.

I hope this clears this matter up. And I look forward to your comments on the 'blog.

Cordially,
John L. Micek
State Government Reporter

Bill Villa said...

Hi John, thanks for reading "Lehigh Valley Somebody" and please accept our sincere condolences regarding the recent passing of your father.

John, the shameful fact of me being deleted and blocked at Morning Call blogs was exposed and documented by another local blogger last year (before the mass exodus of local blogger integrity and aquiver sellout to Glenn Kranzley's "Valley Blogosphere") and it's still a fact, as far as I know-- although I haven't tried commenting at any Morning Call-affiliated blogs since then.

Again, sorry about your dad and thanks for reading LVS.

Concerned Citizen said...

Mr. Micek, here is the passage Mr. Villa is referencing, written by a former local blog "watch dog" who has been turned into a lap dog/attack dog by "Valley Blogosphere at The Morning Call " ...

-------------------

"The KKK can congregate all over the readers' forum, so long as they don't curse. But the paper has habitually blocked comments from Bill Villa, a Morning Call critic, to the forum or on Morning Call blogs.

Who the hell is Bill Villa? He's a nobody, a schlep like you and me. Not too long ago, his daughter was taken away from him by a drunk driver. Is he angry? Yep. Bitter? You bet. But he's also smart and thinks there has been an injustice. Maybe he's wrong. Maybe he's right.

Until recently, columnist Bill White has denied Villa's comments are deleted. "I have never deleted any comment by Bill Villa. If he tried to post a comment and it didn't go through, it's because of the same occasional glitch that has blocked me from posting comments on my own blog on several occasions, always from home." Yet just last week, Villa was again blocked from commenting on a Bill White blog. This time, there was a different explanation. "Mr. Villa is engaged in a dispute with our editors, and I'm not going to inject myself into it or make this a forum to debate it."

So the local paper apparently is blocking comments from the father of a drunk driving victim while enabling the Aryan Nation. I have one question - are these people out of their frickin' minds?"

Bill Villa said...

Injustice (left).

read-only majority said...

that's a big injustice. you'd have to concentrate pretty hard to miss it.

Bill Villa said...

My feeling exactly.

What's wrong w/ this picture?

And I don't mean Jumbo Jimbo's picture.

I mean:

what's up w/ a "newspaper"

that is proactively muzzling

a grieving father

w/ excellent questions
that deserve to be answered

on an increasing number of cases?

What are they afraid of?

Anonymous said...

What are they afraid of? (left)

Concerned Citizen said...

"What are they afraid of?"

1. They know Bill's right about Martin & them

Bill Villa said...

My feeling exactly.

read-only majority said...

bill, too bad you don't have pennsylvania dutch roots on both sides of your family, this might have made all the difference...

Bill Villa said...

Go ott and tie the dog loose and don’t forget to outen the light once.

Barry Stumpfff said...

Ach, the dog got loose ...

Bill Villa said...

Remarkable, how a few scrapple breakfasts w/ Glenn Kranzley can change a blogger's outlook.

Bill Villa said...

Big Injustice (left).

Bill Villa said...

P.S. Still no response from Brian CowerAway.

Credit Where Credit's Due said...

The Morning Call-affiliated (indirectly) "Troll Parade Blog" was originally created by Attorney (for now) David C. Najarian, Esq., Lynn Township Supervisor. Dave's current post features an adorable puppy.

Bill Villa said...

Merci, nice catch "Credit" and (Dave) that puppy is adorable.

It's not like the Dali Exhibition said...

Should the Kress Collection get yanked from the Allentown Art Museum, I think this stubborn mule might know why ...

Bill Villa said...

:)

Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmart.

Angie Villa said...

LVS Readers, THANK YOU, for one of the liveliest discussions-in-progress in the storied history of LVS! FYI, during the cOurse of it, we have needed to hit our "Reject" button on several cuckoo personal attack comments from "anonymous" (wink wink), but you didn't miss anything ;D

LVS (#1) Glee Club said...

Merci.

Anonymous said...

4. They don't like Bill's "attitude"

Jon said...

That's a cop out. See: "hard boiled newspaper men."

Concerned Citizen said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bill Villa said...

Huge Injustice (left) I'll be (FYI) chasing to the gates of hell, if necessary.

Hogan said...

"Special Handling"of "Select" DUI Homicide Case?

Eight months, from fatal crash to incarceration, is the fastest resolution of a DUI homicide I've ever seen DA Jim Martin pull off (it is warp speed) and I would wager it is Martin's fastest ever resolution. Obviously, the defendant, Jose Gabriel Rivera-Aviles, has no relatives who are drinking buddies w/ Martin.

Bill Villa said...

Hogan, although all cases are different, compare this case
w/ the caucasian white guy who (like Rivera-Aviles) fled the scene but later turned himself in.

IT TOOK DA JIM MARTIN 5 MONTHS
TO EVEN CHARGE THIS GUY W/ A CRIME.

Til he's jailed (if he's jailed), a YEAR could easily go by.

Bill Villa said...

And speaking of A YEAR, that’s how long it took DA Jim Martin to even CHARGE the Parkland grad who killed Shaun Buenzly while driving drunk. And THIS homicidal drunk driver also hit a house 200 feet up an embankment off Route 22! But THIS guy has been FREE, and DRIVING, all this time, AND, could remain FREE and DRIVING for maybe another year until a trial or a plea deal grinds into view from the far, far away horizon … in the deep West End of Allentown.

Conversely, DA Jimbo (hola!) gets that menace Jose Gabriel Rivera-Aviles off the streets like A-S-A-P pronto TO KEEP US CITIZENS SAFE! Nice work, Jim.

Special Handling? In both cases? Sure looks that way to me.

But I’m just a (wink wink) crazy lunatic named “Vila,” don’t forget and a “schlep” and a “nobody.”

Anonymous said...

crazy lunatic ... “schlep” ... “nobody”

They wish.

Anonymous said...

villa daughter was a mess and he can't come to grips with his awful parenting. his bitterness is a reflection of his disgust with the mess of a daughter he created and now wishes to blame on the rest of the world because he and his wife failed to properly do their jobs. they are two of legions of irresponsible parents who are, sadly, forced to live with their own incompetence. i've had enough of their blaming everybody but themselves. no guts. lots of blame. they are poster nuts for why society is going down the toilet: parents who unleash disaterous consequences on the society. in this case, karma bit them hard and they must look in the mirror someday and properly assess blame on themselves. until then, the pathetic charade continues. i don't particularly like or agree with bernie o'hare. i rip him regularly for his views (and sometimes the tone with which they're expressed). at least bernie has the guts to own his shortcomings, the villas will never and will die bitter failures who were made to pay for their mistakes while living. it's a shitty life, but it's the one they so richly deserve.

Bill Villa said...

Readers, the previous comment from "anonymous" (wink wink) 7:51am was originally published by Bernie O'Hare at his "Troll Parade" blog on 9/29/08.

Sheena's family has requested that this wildy inaccurate and sadistically cruel comment be removed from his "Troll Parade" blog but Mr. O'Hare's has always refused to remove it. He obviously likes this comment in a "pride of ownership" sort of way.

"Someone" (wink wink) re-posted it as an anonymous comment here this morning.

We find it interesting that it turns up as an "OT" comment at a post about Jim Martin and The Morning Call.

Obviously, there are people out there who will do just about anything to be rid of someone challenging Martin and The Morning Call.

We are not intimidated at all by this
maneuver ...

nor by the current rash of blog comments being penned and posted out there by people (wink wink) hoping you'll think those comments were penned and posted by me.

In closing, we'll be keeping the heat on Jim Martin and The Morning Call here at "Lehigh Valley Somebody."

We can't be muzzled (or deceitfully misrepresented) here.

Bill Villa said...

WORTH REPEATING DEPARTMENT

Obviously, there are people out there who will do just about anything to be rid of someone challenging Martin and The Morning Call.

Anonymous said...

Sheena's family has requested that this wildy inaccurate and sadistically cruel comment be removed from his "Troll Parade" blog but Mr. O'Hare's has always refused to remove it. He obviously likes this comment in a "pride of ownership" sort of way.

---------------------

Wow. Even The Morning Call/Topix removes offsensive comments from its Forum when someone from the general public complains.

And yet O'Hare refuses Sheena's family's (!) request to remove that awful comment about Sheena?

This is an eye-opener and a wake-up call to me about O'Hare.

Anonymous said...

O'Hare refuses Sheena's family's (!) request to remove that awful comment about Sheena?

--------------

What possible rationale justifies leaving that disgusting comment up there? "Free Speech?" "Rebecca's Pocket" blog "ethics?" Please. This is sadistic cruelty, pure and simple, and criminal harassment. That comment serves no legitimate purpose and remains up there only to punish and provoke and intimidate.

Bill Villa said...

Thank you for your compassion, readers.

Mrs. Dottie and I are considering a new post on the subject of The Morning Call-affiliated "Troll Parade" blog (there's much back-channel interest in the legal ramifications of it) and its public endorsers, co-creators, and contributors.

We're confident a judge and jury will eventually slap down the nasty schlep nobody who co-created the "Troll Parade" blog, Bernie O'Hare.

Anonymous said...

Get his buttinsky sidekick Mike Molovinsky too, okay?

Bill Villa said...

Will do. The back-channel interest in this is overwhelming. We'd estimate it at 97% of the voting population.

Sheena Squad Member said...

Troll Parade devotees (endorsers) have also posted comments at this blog anonymously (wink wink) posing as Sheena, "writing from hell." I can't wait for the subpoenas to reveal the identity of that person...

read-only majority said...

Bill, Q. Has O'Hare at least "poofed" his and "Northern Lehigh Valley Logic" blog lawyer David C. Najarian (Lynn Township Supervisor) public threats at their Troll Parade blog to sabotage your family's civil litigation regarding your daughter's death? These comments should stay up there for reasons of "Free Speech" and "Rebecca's Pocket blog ethics" too (not to mention punitive damages ;)

Esq. said...

WORTH REPEATING DEPARTMENT

It is astonishing that The Morning Call provides a link at its website to O'Hare's hate-filled "Troll Parade" blog via LV Ramblings.

Lehigh County Democrat said...

My Take...

All this will eventually culminate in BILL VILLA
v. MAL GROSS, the sequel.

Villa of course won their first match-up (a/k/a/ Commonwealth v. LaBarre), rather handily.

Over & Out...

Anonymous said...

WORTH REPEATING DEPARTMENT

Wow. Even The Morning Call/Topix removes offsensive comments from its Forum when someone from the general public complains.

And yet O'Hare refuses Sheena's family's (!) request to remove that awful comment about Sheena?

This is an eye-opener and a wake-up call to me about O'Hare.

Bill Villa said...

Thanks everybody (I had some errands to run, am back now), and I hope you can imagine how distracting and diverting all this sadistic cruelty can be-- and that, of course, is the perpetrators' intention. Not to worry. I am laser beam-focused and keeping my eye on the prize (left).

Bill Villa said...

"read-only majority," I apologize, I didn't see your 12:07 question (busy day). Yes, as far as I know, the several, public, written threats from O'Hare to sabotage Sheena's wrongful death litigation are still up there at The Morning Call-affiliated "Troll Parade" blog.

McJudas said...

Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmart.

Credit Where Credit's Due said...

PAVLOV'S (FOAMING AT THE MOUTH?)
DOG DEPARTMENT


Bill, this is really hysterical. After I commented earlier at this post that "Troll Parade" blog co-creator Attorney (for now) David C. Najarian, Esq., Lynn Township Supervisor's current post featured "an adorable puppy ..."

Dave (who usually posts like twice a month) piled five (5!) new posts up there IN FRONT OF his adorable puppy post, ha!

Dull Dave's Blog

Sadly though, not a single (0) comment at Najarian's blog since December 22 of last year! Looks like your "Boycott" has certainly taken hold there ;) kudos.

Bill Villa said...

Funny!