You Tube video embed, blog post by John Hoff
If the embed code is available, I will embed it if I feel like it, and you, Don Allen, can kiss my bloggy bottom
"Shakedown Blogger" Don Allen, who doesn't even live in North Minneapolis, somehow managed to fool FOX 9 into thinking he was a representative of the community during the recent dust-up over youth violence. It would appear FOX 9 didn't do much checking into Allen's background before trotting him out, so let me remedy Fox 9's negligence:
Don Allen was involved with a company that went down in a high-profile Ponzi scheme, he robbed a bedridden military vet and has a criminal record because of that, and while taking cheap shots at our duly-elected Congressman and city officials, Don Allen has loon-wagon politics far outside the mainstream of North Minneapolis--i.e., he has been a guest of the freakin' Tea Party.
Also, how could FOX 9 have forgotten the recent fiasco with the Minneapolis public school system and Allen's $15,000 contract for advertisements that turned out to be riddled with factual errors?
In the course of the bizarre FOX 9 interview, Don Allen took shots at Mayor Rybak, the DFL, and trotted out familiar self-serving complaints about where public money is going, i.e., it's not going to Don Allen.
I have suffered through watching this video and now will respond....
Allen can actually be heard chortling in the background at one point, when he hears himself suggesting individuals should protest in front of Rybak's house.
Right. Like that will ever happen. Like Don Allen suggesting something on television will ever make it happen.
Allen fills the internet with his typo-ridden, self-referential bulls***, but can he make anything HAPPEN? Can Allen actually make an angry crowd materialize at Rybak's house the way actual North Minneapolis movers and shakers can, at the drop of a hat, drum up a crowd in front of a slumlord's house or at a community meeting about Level Three sex offenders?
No. Allen can't do anything along those lines. He stands at the edge of somebody else's crowd, somebody else's success, and starts blowing his own horn. Like the scene in the video where Allen chortles at hearing his own imagined subversive cleverness, the only person who believes in Don Allen is Don Allen and, in this case, some overworked news editor who didn't do enough fact checking before lining up this interview with Allen.
Oh, yeah, I can just about imagine the crowd Don Allen could whip together in front of Mayor Rybak's house:
First, Don Allen himself, with his U of M professor wife Enid Logan Allen nowhere to be seen because while she will marry Don Allen (god only knows why) she would never be seen in public at an Allen-organized fiasco.
Standing right next to Don Allen would be everybody's favorite loon, Mayor of Crazy Town Al Flowers, grinning like he just smoked an entire dime bag. I should mention Al Flowers doesn't live in North Minneapolis, either, but like Allen he often shows up to make noise. (Flowers, I hope one of your literate friends is reading this to you)
Lennie "The Heckler" Chism was expected at Don Allen's hypothetical and imgarinary protest but, well, um...he couldn't get any of his women friends to give him a ride in their car. I should mention that nobody in their right mind actually believes Lennie lives in North Minneapolis, including during that period of time Lennie was running for Fifth Ward City Council and finished behind an ornamental garden gnome who somehow got on the ballot.
The scary-looking pale lady from the Mpls Mirror will be at Don Allen's protest, of course. She appears to have a lot of time on her hands, like mental patients or individuals in rehab.
Here's some free advice, Mirror lady: just because you're the only grassroots media person to show up at a sad little non-event, that DOESN'T make whatever dribble you write an "exclusive."
Sometimes no media showed up because whatever happened just wasn't noteworthy.
And, oh, wait! There's one more person at Don Allen's imaginary protest in front of Mayor Rybak's house.
Is it? Could it be?
Yes, it's Level Three Sex Offender Peter "Spanky Pete" Rickmyer, hovering in the ghastly skinny shadow of the Mirror lady, looking like a stray dog sniffing for an unattended butt hole down low to the ground.
What more needs to be said, here? FOX 9, you're the media. You're supposed to have a grasp of relevant facts. This was not a quality interview with a North Minneapolis expert. This man is a FAKE who isn't from the neighborhood and whose qualifications don't even meet the high standard set by the word "dubious."
Next time, Fox 9, please don't put a microphone on a stinky cow pie and then try to pretend you're serving us filet mignon.
(Blogging from an ice cream parlor in Hattiesburg, Mississipi)
Don Allen was involved with a company that went down in a high-profile Ponzi scheme, he robbed a bedridden military vet and has a criminal record because of that, and while taking cheap shots at our duly-elected Congressman and city officials, Don Allen has loon-wagon politics far outside the mainstream of North Minneapolis--i.e., he has been a guest of the freakin' Tea Party.
Also, how could FOX 9 have forgotten the recent fiasco with the Minneapolis public school system and Allen's $15,000 contract for advertisements that turned out to be riddled with factual errors?
In the course of the bizarre FOX 9 interview, Don Allen took shots at Mayor Rybak, the DFL, and trotted out familiar self-serving complaints about where public money is going, i.e., it's not going to Don Allen.
I have suffered through watching this video and now will respond....
Allen can actually be heard chortling in the background at one point, when he hears himself suggesting individuals should protest in front of Rybak's house.
Right. Like that will ever happen. Like Don Allen suggesting something on television will ever make it happen.
Allen fills the internet with his typo-ridden, self-referential bulls***, but can he make anything HAPPEN? Can Allen actually make an angry crowd materialize at Rybak's house the way actual North Minneapolis movers and shakers can, at the drop of a hat, drum up a crowd in front of a slumlord's house or at a community meeting about Level Three sex offenders?
No. Allen can't do anything along those lines. He stands at the edge of somebody else's crowd, somebody else's success, and starts blowing his own horn. Like the scene in the video where Allen chortles at hearing his own imagined subversive cleverness, the only person who believes in Don Allen is Don Allen and, in this case, some overworked news editor who didn't do enough fact checking before lining up this interview with Allen.
Oh, yeah, I can just about imagine the crowd Don Allen could whip together in front of Mayor Rybak's house:
First, Don Allen himself, with his U of M professor wife Enid Logan Allen nowhere to be seen because while she will marry Don Allen (god only knows why) she would never be seen in public at an Allen-organized fiasco.
Standing right next to Don Allen would be everybody's favorite loon, Mayor of Crazy Town Al Flowers, grinning like he just smoked an entire dime bag. I should mention Al Flowers doesn't live in North Minneapolis, either, but like Allen he often shows up to make noise. (Flowers, I hope one of your literate friends is reading this to you)
Lennie "The Heckler" Chism was expected at Don Allen's hypothetical and imgarinary protest but, well, um...he couldn't get any of his women friends to give him a ride in their car. I should mention that nobody in their right mind actually believes Lennie lives in North Minneapolis, including during that period of time Lennie was running for Fifth Ward City Council and finished behind an ornamental garden gnome who somehow got on the ballot.
The scary-looking pale lady from the Mpls Mirror will be at Don Allen's protest, of course. She appears to have a lot of time on her hands, like mental patients or individuals in rehab.
Here's some free advice, Mirror lady: just because you're the only grassroots media person to show up at a sad little non-event, that DOESN'T make whatever dribble you write an "exclusive."
Sometimes no media showed up because whatever happened just wasn't noteworthy.
And, oh, wait! There's one more person at Don Allen's imaginary protest in front of Mayor Rybak's house.
Is it? Could it be?
Yes, it's Level Three Sex Offender Peter "Spanky Pete" Rickmyer, hovering in the ghastly skinny shadow of the Mirror lady, looking like a stray dog sniffing for an unattended butt hole down low to the ground.
What more needs to be said, here? FOX 9, you're the media. You're supposed to have a grasp of relevant facts. This was not a quality interview with a North Minneapolis expert. This man is a FAKE who isn't from the neighborhood and whose qualifications don't even meet the high standard set by the word "dubious."
Next time, Fox 9, please don't put a microphone on a stinky cow pie and then try to pretend you're serving us filet mignon.
(Blogging from an ice cream parlor in Hattiesburg, Mississipi)
I've had Mr. Allen on my show on a couple of occasions. I don't agree with his politics all the time, but I understand his frustration with Rybak. In a part of town where there is a shooting at least once a week, at least you can safely ride your bike on Fremont.
ReplyDeleteI guess your pushing for another lawsuit? LOL!
ReplyDeleteI don't know where all the hate is coming from. The guy sounded pretty spot on to me. BTW, I have lived and done business on the north side for most of the last 35 years. Your ranting makes it sound like you have a personal agenda against this guy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of you John, but you got are spot on with this post.
ReplyDeleteFox 9 is abyssmal, and I'm not surprised this stooped to this.
I don't know if this is just laziness on their part or something worse than that.
To John Shannon,
ReplyDeleteDon Allen is frustrated with Rybak? I think there are more reasons to be frustrated with DON ALLEN than with Rybak. I didn't see RYBAK trying to dupe the school system out of $15,000 or rob a bedridden vet at the VA hospital.
To the blogger at 9:02 PM: Oh, you've done business in North Minneapolis for all those years? I guess an anonymous poster can claim anything. You can claim to be sitting on a pile of glowing moon rocks if you like, and how would you prove it? And how would I prove otherwise.
It's intrinsically ridiculous for anonymous bloggers to try to back up their opinion by citing alleged "facts" about themselves. I wish there was a snappy abbreviation that I could slap up every time somebody did that, like Anonymous Blogger Cities Unprovable Facts. (ABCUF)
To the anonymous at 9:36: Something worse? What would that "something worse" be? Like they hate the DFL so much that they will allow a snake like Don Allen to crawl out of the snake pit, get on the air and spit his venom even though they KNOW he's a snake?
OMG!!! What the heck kind of news has FOX 9 turned into ?!? I was embarassed for the station while watching this idiot try to sound important. My thoughts on the violence in North Minneapolis is that trash breeds trash and I do not care what color your skin is whether white,black,green or blue. If mama and papa are in the same crap that is all one learns. I get sick of hearing how wonderful someone was after they are shot dead.
ReplyDeleteYeah, all these "good kids" who literally walk in the middle of the street so cars have to swerve around them.
ReplyDeleteI think every time the police see kids walking in the middle of the street, defying the traffic laws, they need to FIRST frisk them for weapons and SECOND write them a ticket for obstructing traffic.
Oh, wait. Maybe the ticket should be THIRD. Maybe SECOND is running a check for warrants.
Leaving personalities aside for a moment - wait, not just yet.
ReplyDeleteDon Allen did make up at least one lie about me, and has stated on his now-defunct ibnn.org site that he goes after non-profits on the basis of if they refuse to give him money.
Now, removing personalities...
I was more than a little disappointed to see Fox 9 parade someone on screen who doesn't live or work in north Minneapolis and say that he has "boots on the ground 24/7."
Most of what Allen said in his air time was conjecture and his own personal opinion, which he is of course entitled to. But that opinion has proven time and time again to be on the fringe and not representative of anyone really. So I don't get too worked up over that.
One of his few actual "facts" that he spouted was that 50 people were killed in a weekend in Chicago. Wait, really? When did this happen? I've done a few Google searches and looked at Chicago homicide databases. The most homicides I could find that happened in one weekend was eight. In some instances 40-50 people were shot in one weekend, but even then only 4-5 died.
And Fox 9 just took that make-believe at face value. (Or correct me if I'm wrong and there actually have been 50 homicides in one weekend in Chicago.)
You're just jealous that blogger Don Allen got some real TV air time, and your legal defeat only got covered by the Strib and a couple of blogs.
ReplyDeleteActually I don't like either of you because your both just a couple of frauds that like publicity.
Minneapolis would be better off if both of you moved to another state.
Neither of you are Minneapolis natives, and we got along just fine before you two twits came here.
John - It would be really nice to get an Al Flowers/Lissa Jones piece. Those two are in charge of tornado relief to the people of north Minneapolis...Get em Johnny.
ReplyDeleteWhere does he live? Not street address, allow privacy, but have they moved to the 'burbs?
ReplyDeleteWill he sue you?
Will he use Jill Clark as a lawyer?
Have you ever guessed why Clark did not take on City Pages over the Wells Fargo job Moore lost, after City Pages published?
A story-opening-quote between the dotted lines below, then the link, the headline and byline being, "Politics - Jerry Moore no longer works for Wells Fargo -- By Andy Mannix Thu., Aug. 19 2010 at 10:17 AM"
...............................
We received a call from Wells Fargo spokeswoman Peggy Gunn yesterday informing us that Jerry Moore, the subject of this week's feature, no longer works for the bank.
Per company policy, Gunn couldn't talk specifically about how or why Moore's employment ended, saying only, "He's no longer an employee of Wells Fargo effective earlier this month."
.........................
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/08/jerry_moore_no.php
.........................
I found it clearly courageous of Ms. Jill Clark to decline taking on City Pages, as what, small time stuff and not worth the bother, but to instead take the run at the big-time, larger circulation, Johnny Northside.
City Pages being perhaps just too small for her and Moore, and what, the pocket not deep enough were she have stooped to go after them, and won?
I am certain she has an explanation, if mine is wrong.
I guess as something with a paper distribution too, City Pages is "press," to Ms. Clark, and Ms. Clark thinks bloggers are not, and that may be a factor.
It is interesting how the amicus press association regards you as press; although wrong, because Clark pronounced truth differently:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2011/03/sometimes_the_truth_doesnt_set.shtml
So, Hoff, there is only one real question. If she runs for judge again, will you ask for a yard sign?
While I think both John Hoff and Jeff Skrenes are a couple of nut cases. I also agree that FOX9 made a huge mistake having Don Allen talk about problems in NoMi. He has no solutions to any of the problems and just likes to have his face in the spotlight. That being said, the same applies to John Hoff. All talk and no solutions in sight.
ReplyDeleteAnd Jeff, we are still waiting for you to tell us what you actually do for the HNC. Why are your job duties such protected information?
Al Flowers and Lissa Jones are involved in North Minneapolis tornado relief?
ReplyDeleteIs there any truth to that?
Could somebody post more documentation if there's anything to that?
This blog has listed many various solutions to many various problems. It is not accurate to say this blog (and other NoMi blogs, for that matter) do not propose solutions to problems.
ReplyDeleteI admit my attention drifted away here and there during the video, but I didn't really hear much about what he even wanted. Something about not having opportunities for jobs, which I totally don't understand. There are buses running all through North, so you don't even need a car to have a job. If you can't get a job because you're a felon, that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities, that means you screwed up and are going to have to start at the bottom. We all started at the bottom, my first job was flipping burgers, and I'd do it again if I needed to.
ReplyDeleteJohn, keep up the good work here, seriously. The only thing I disagree with is your complaint about the anonymous commenter not being able to back up his story. In this particular case there was no reason not to believe his "credentials", anonymous as they may be; they didn't actually matter for what he was trying to say. I too am remaining anonymous here simply because I don't want my real name associated with anything controversial (that is easily searchable), and I can understand where a business owner would feel that way too. In my case, however, I am going to use "Folwell Neighbor" as my name, and will continue to do so. At least you'll know it's the same person here.
Oh, and the part about people walking in the street, yeah, I have to deal with that every day. It's insane, I've never seen that (in a routine sense) before moving to North. To be honest, it's a little intimidating, and I think that's the intent. It's like they're trying to say "this is MY area, you are on my turf". The area where I see this all the time constantly has a group of 3 - 5 guys standing around, constantly has cars pulling over with the driver talking to one of them. Very likely up to no good, but until I see one of them pass something to the other, I have no actual evidence of anything bad going on.
So once again, THANK YOU JOHN for having this blog, posting things like this. Best wishes!
Fox Noise using Don Allen for opinions keeps with their tradition of using radical, pathological liars. This is the same network who constantly uses Dick Morris( burglar-toe jam eater..Google it)for expert opinions. I believe that the overpaid Passolt has lost his last iota of credibility.Pay your wife, Passolt.
ReplyDeleteDon Allen is a sociopath that bends the facts to fit his personal agenda under the guise of a community leader.
ReplyDeleteFox News is a right wing social media organization that exploits the facts to fit it's political agenda under the guise of a public news show.
Here is an example: my theory of Northside Marketing explained.
ReplyDeletehttp://adventuresofjohnnynorthside.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-theory-of-north-side-marketing_26.html
The time I've now spent in Afghanistan has left me more convinced than ever that it would be a good idea to promote affordable North Minneapolis houses to police, fireman, and soldiers.
Lisa Moore is Executive Director of African American Family Services.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aafs.net/bod.asp
Look who is on the Board of Directors-
Jerry Moore
Jordan Area Community Council
*Secretary
John - don't fall for the Al Flowers/Lissa Jones bait - that is just Don Allen commenting anonymously to try and get you to focus on other people. While Flowers and Jones may in fact be involved in NCRT, they are just two people who Don Allen is crabby about and he wants to sic you on them. Don't let him project you elsewhere. IF someone wants to make claims or statements about the tornado recovery team that has formed, they should comment and state while using their verifiable identity.
ReplyDeleteMy problems with Rybak extend beyond NoMi. Ever try to get around DT or Uptown areas on a Friday or Saturday night, and feel you're in NYC with all the taxis running around? Thank RT's led city council for taking the cap off the number of taxi permits, and no, service to the north side isn't any better. there have been layoffs in both police and fire, yet Rybak wants to appoint a bike and pedestrian safety guru? Any mayor who can allow a civil rights activist to abandon the DFL, because of a blatant lack of leadership, is a failure to his party, and more so to his community. Fortunately, Mr. Allen is discovering that the GOP has no answers either, other than blame Obama.
ReplyDeleteI can always depend on NoMi Passenger to have insight into these tangled up North Minneapolis relationships.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight, NoMi Passenger.
To John Shannon: Oh, Don Allen can't get along with the GOP any more than he can get along with the Tea Party, the Northside Marketing Task Force, or anybody else?
(Sarcasm font)
I'm shocked.
Jerry/Jill Clark will not sue City Pages because they have deep pockets (through their insurance policy) to pay attorneys fo fight the cases. He would never win against City Pages. Its easy to sue middle class people who don't have lawyers or can't pay tens, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend these ridiculous lawsuits.
ReplyDeleteJill Clark did not initiate a lawsuit against City Pages because they acted responsibly reporting the Moore situation. Granted John Hoff and Andy Mannix are sleeping together, but Andy Mannix was not out for a personal vendetta as John Hoff was. Also, City Pages, while a rag of a publication, is actually a legitimate newspaper. Hoff is just a citizen journalist (which is stretching that term greatly)with no journalistic integrity. He has a long history of anti-social behavior and controversy. And a long history of abusive behavior.
ReplyDeleteAs I am enjoying my meal in beautiful Uptown Minnesapolis I completel know why the Northside will never be. Cause none of the people enjoying eating here care to be involved with the Northside scene. Wonder why? Why will they not come to North Mpls oh wait - NOMI(LMAO)no where to eat first. Which says the Northside community has no enjoyment. Solutions?
ReplyDeleteTo Anon Sept 5 745am (whom I highly suspect is the shakedown blogger himself)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, we don't want you in NoMi anyways, since you obviously don't want to be in NoMi.
If you don't know where the great eating spots are in NoMi, we won't let our secrets out of the bag for d-bags like you.
kisses! muuuuah!
@NOMIPassenger Enlighten us on the eatery spots. In fact we want to meet you for a decent meal that does not require antibotics and stictches after eating in NOMI. A culinary meal in NOMI? Prove it.
ReplyDeleteAnon, you sound quite poisonous yourself. I'd probably need some of those antibiotics after breathing your toxic fumes. I'm sorry I can't help you discover the great restaurant spots we have in NoMi.
ReplyDeleteI have no desire to spend a second of my too-short life with the likes of you, whoever you are.
You'll have to find a more patient NoMi activist to show you around, or explore on your own.
Heck, this blog alone highlights many of them.
Good luck.
I do believe that there has been a rash of muggings and assaults that have taken place in the Uptown area in recent times. There is a constant flow of taxi cab drivers who got their license from the inside of a Cracker-Jack box waiting to run you over while you are legally crossing the street. Drug peddlers everywhere hawking their wears.Our local asswipe, that passes itself off as a newspaper, will only tell whatever part of the story they want to tell. A murder in Uptown is treated as an anomaly, while the paper holds its' baited breath waiting for the Northside to explode so they can sell more papers. Maybe all of you who talk shit about North Minneapolis should stay the fuck away and screw yourselves..., bitches.
ReplyDelete