This is a Newspaper??

There is a local "newspaper" in the town I live in.  It owns several small town papers in this area.  It is to news what B.O. is to leadership.  Technically, it is what is described as, in reality-not so much.  The views of the owner are screamed from every page that trumpets b.o.'s successes (few that they are) and decries every mean, awful, Republican for taking the food from babies' mouths.
Some years back this town had a strike at one of the foundries.  In 1999, they couldn't make it on an hourly wage of around $15.00 plus insurance and other benefits.  They wanted more salary, plus they wanted the foundry to pay more of their insurance premiums.  The foundry said no.  The union voted and went on strike. These people who had been making $15.00 -$19.00 an hour were immediately eligible for food stamps and a host of other benefits.  I guess it was hard to save anything away when you are bringing home $680.00 a week before over time.  So, long story shorter- the union voted to strike and the newspaper (whose son worked at the foundry) backed them up one hundred percent.  Stories of unsafe practices were printed.  Horror stories from workers who didn't feel safe emerged.  The "newspaper" printed every one of them, every day for weeks.
Then, one day, a driver was delivering something to this foundry.  He had no dog in the fight, so to speak.  He was simply trying to earn his living by doing what he was paid to do.  The striking workers hauled him from his truck and beat him so severely that he almost died.  He lost the sight of one eye and all of it was because he was doing his job, and some jerks thought that he shouldn't be able to earn a living if they didn't want to earn one.  Two people went to jail, not that you would have known from the local "news" paper.  The foundry in question closed its doors and relocated to another facility. Three hundred people went from making $15.00 to $19.00 dollars an hour to making $10.00 at the new facility. Go union.  The paper made not a peep about the causes, only lamented the end of the foundry.  What did they think would happen?
Fast forward to this week: I got an email from someone who had received a mailing from a car dealership.  The mailing said that this person was guaranteed to win a prize for coming in to discuss the vehicles that were for sale.  The prizes were 10k, a couple of ipod minis, $350, a gift card, or $150.  Every one won the gift card.
When this person went to the web site relating to this gift card, what they found was a scam.  ShoppingCardStore.com is the provider of the "prize" that all of these people won.  It is filled with third rate merchandise, and the kicker is- when you have completed you shopping spree- you are on the hook for the shipping charges.  Of course, these shipping charges can't be paid with the shopping card-they must be paid with a debit or credit card. Can you see the scam yet?
So- the person who contacted me had called this car dealership to complain.  The dealership basically blew them off.  First, the story was that the promotion came to try and drive in more used cars.  Then the story evolved to perhaps the person in charge didn't do enough due diligence.  Finally, the dealership offered a car detail and an oil change (retail value: $12.00) to make it all go away.  This person politely declined.
When a letter to the editor was submitted, the local paper said that they couldn't print it because it mentioned the local business by name (who just so happens to bill thousands of dollars in advertising with the paper) and suggested they try the BBB.
So in irritation- I was sent an email.  I did thirty minutes of investigation and found out more in that half an hour than the newspaper was willing to try and find.  They won't have to worry about a Pulitzer Prize, that's for sure.  So the point of this (believe it or not) is to be very careful when you are reading your local small town paper.  It's not just what they print- it's also what they leave out.  Think about it, you'll thank me later.