LSJ Blogs: John Schneider

Political fodder

A question from the long-haired overfed leaping gnome Mark Grebner, who needs no further introduction: “Who have been your favorite politicians to cover, or talk with, going back to your first days as a reporter and continuing until we all turned into gray mush?”

First of all, gray mush-wise, speak for yourself, Mark … But, regarding your question, the more I’ve thought about it, the more I realize that the pols I’ve had the most fun covering aren’t necessarily the most statesman-like.

Take , Jerry Graves, for example, the former mayor of Lansing. The man was a quote-machine; always ready with a juicy, politically incorrect bon mot. The same with State Sen. Rick Jones - always quick to return my calls (a definite endearing quality as far as reporters are concerned)and never at a loss for words.

And then, of course, there he one-of-a-kind Grebner – an astute, witty observer of local politics, and a erudite analyst whose wry view of the world was evident in his campaign bumper stickers:
“Grebner: No worse than the rest,” “He may be a fool, but he’s our fool,” “Fieger, I suppose” ….

OK, Grebner get the Golden Tongue award - my favorite politician.

 

So, this is my last LSJ blog. Farewell, so long, goodbye. See you at www.johnschneiderblog.com;
email me at johnschneiderblog@gmail.com.

Can Charles Lewis Jr. be salvaged?

That’s the excruciating question Judge George Economy faces as he decides what to do with Lewis, the 15-year-old Lansing kid convicted of murder in the 2010 slaying of Shayla Johnson.

In one scenario, Lewis would go to high-security juvenile facility, where he would stay until he’s 21, at which time the court would decide whether he would then go to prison. In the other scenario he would go straight to prison – for a life, or until he turns 21.

Both alternatives sound like recipes for disaster. Shayla Johnson died tragically at age 19. Lewis was doomed, perhaps, from the day he was born.

Now's your chance to get even with me

On Wednesday I’ll be doing what’s known on this new frontier of journalism as a “live
chat,” meaning that I’ll be live and chatting (via my keyboard, that is). With readers.

Is there something you wish to ask me? Tell me? Maybe I’ve grilled you in the past,
and you’d like to return the favor. I’m game. Go onto lsj.com at 1 p.m. and … I
don’t know … click your mouse, or press a key, or do whatever the icon tells
you to do. Then, we’ll talk.

And they’re not even smoking cigarettes …

There are some things about this job I’m really going to miss.

Consider, for example, the call I got Friday from 73-year-old Jan Harmon-Thompson of East Lansing. She had an assignment for me: Find how why, at the end of the TV commercials for “sexual enhancement” drugs, the man and the woman are in separate bathtubs.

To Harmon-Thompson, that image seemed to contradict the commercial’s message.

It's a good thing I'm not superstitious ...

I now have an official departure date - Friday, April 13. My grand finale, ink on paper-wise, will run on April 15. However, I'll continue to blog on my own. Got to have a place for those grandpa stories, afer all. Go to www.johnschneiderblog.com. And you can reach me after April 13 at johnschneiderblog@gmail.com

On second thought …

Angela Bryan, the Potterville woman who was summoned to Eaton County District Court on an 8-year-old dog-license ticket has reconsidered her decision to skip the hearing and pay the $91 fine.

As I wrote in Thursday’s column, Bryan questioned the wisdom of taking time off work to fight the 8-year-old ticket. But the deputy who oversees the county’s animal control office encouraged Bryan, in my column to give it a shot. That 8-year delay, he said, might work in her favor.

Late Thursday Bryan emailed: “I am thinking I will take the time off to go and plead my case.”

On schedule …

Speaking of the Tigers, remember when those handy little pocket schedules were just about everywhere?

There was a time, in fact, when somebody from the Tigers delivered a wad of them to
the State Journal news room every spring.

An LSJ sports guy found some at Little Casears, and gave me one. So far, it’s the only
one I’ve seen.

Tigers baseball! Comerica Park! Thursday!

I don’t recalI being this excited about the Tigers last year on the eve of opening day, but maybe it’s just faulty memory.

Naturally I’m worried - about the defense, about the lack of speed, about Brandon Inge poisoning the well, about the fact that some experts are trying to curse the Tigers by picking them to win the World Series. But fretting and brooding is part of the game. Let’s play ball.

Stick to chocolate and marshmallow

I’m with the Humane Society on this one – live bunnies and chicks make lousy Easter gifts. The cuteness quickly wears off, and suddenly you’re holding a bundle of responsibility.

The Humane Society reports: “After cats and dogs, rabbits are the animals most frequently surrendered to animal shelters, largely because people acquire them as youngsters but aren’t prepared for the long-term commitment involved. Others are simply released into backyards by people who mistakenly believe they will be able to fend for themselves. Unlike wild rabbits, domestic rabbits sold or adopted as pets cannot survive on their own outdoors.”

Oh, Canada; we envy your wisdom

Our sensible neighbors to the north are banishing the penny from their currency
line-up. The U.S. should do the same thing.

As in Canada, the cost of making a U.S. penny - 1.26 cents - is higher than its face value. Does the U.S. economy need another pointless drain? A penny has no buying powers. Together, they only add to the clutter in the world, and, for the most part, are a nuisance.

Furthermore, there is precedent for eliminating small change. In 1857, the U.S. Mint pulled the plug on the half-cent coin, for two excellent reasons: a) the cost of making it had exceeded its face value, and b) the miniscule denomination had outlived its purpose. And – get this - in 1857, the
half-cent was worth a dime in 2012 terms.