Malpractice: News & Record prints Anthony Bundros' plagiarized falsehoods

GREENSBORO, NC -- Allen Johnson, editorial editor of the News & Record, when recently called on the carpet by Ed Cone for publishing falsehoods on the editorial page (previously and previously), responded with:

"The News & Record’s policy is to screen and edit letters for factual errors."

He's not doing a very good job. Today, he publishes a letter that is both false in its assertions and plagiarized. The News & Record gives it credibility by adding the title: "Our inept president has changed the U.S.."

The letter is signed by Anthony Bundros of Greensboro. It offers what the author suggests is insight into the thinking of Barack Obama, which he advises can come from understanding the "the eight levels of control to create a socialists state," from, Bundros says, Sal Alinsky.

Two problems: Bundros did not write the bulk of his letter and the "eight levels of control" are not from Alinksky.

Plagiarism
Descriptions of the "eight levels of control" Bundros includes in his letter, can be found word-for-word from other sources. The earliest I could find was in an unedited public forum on the Beaufort Observer's website on January 13, 2014 by a Joseph Leary. Bundros did not write what he represented as his own.

Falsehoods
Although Bundros describes what he says are Sal Alinsky's "levels of control," fact-checking Snopes says these are not from Alinsky and Snopes can identify no source beyond chain emails. Snopes rates as "false" an email circulating since January of 2104 that attributes these to Alinsky and which includes, nearly word-for-word, the "eight levels of control" cited by Bundros. Snopes discredits it as:

"[A]nother example of a political linking of the names of Saul Alinsky and Barack Obama. It's not something taken from the actual writings of Saul Alinsky, though, and to those familiar with his background it doesn't even sound like something he would have written.  

When the needle on my (amateur) B.S. meter is jumping off the scale, one would expect the seasoned professionals at the News & Record to have been at least a little curious. Curious enough to take two minutes for a web search. It's what they get paid for, right? Editing. It's what distinguishes them as professionals, right?


Anthony Bundros was hoodwinked to mistakenly believe, we assume, the falsehoods he read. Who knows what motives he had for signing his name to something he did not write? But for the News & Record to publish this claptrap, for it to escape their notice that the piece was not only plagiarized but that it also asserted demonstrable falsehoods, is nothing short of malpractice. For them to slap a headline on it that gives the fabrications credence is egregious. Greensboro deserves better.

N&R Plagiarism

GREENSBORO, NC -- Although they've seemed to avoid it for a little while, the News & Record has resorted, yet again, to publishing the writings of others, word for word, under the byline of News & Record "staff reports." (Previously)

The News & Record did not "report" this. They, like a bunch of others, received the press release from the City of Greensboro. Then they copied it, pasted it and claimed it as their own—and they didn't fact check it, as is evident by them repeating an error of fact that appeared in the press release but that would have been discovered by the most cursory of fact checking.

Here's the "report" as it appeared on the News & Record. The highlighted portions were copied word-for-word from the press release.   
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Vickeé Armstrong new general manager of Greensboro ABC

Staff Reports

GREENSBORO — Vickeé Armstrong has been appointed the new general manager of the Greensboro's Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board, according to a news release from the city.

Armstrong is a seasoned senior executive with over 25 years of diverse experience in all sectors of commercial property operations, retail/mixed-use management and development, the release states.

During her career, Armstrong has spearheaded the grand opening of the Mall at Stonecrest, a 1200-acre mixed-use district near Atlanta; was a regional director for Tanger Outlet Centers; general manager at Oak Hollow Mall; and district general manager/development officer with the Virgin Islands Port Authority at Crown Bay Center, a deep water cruise ship port in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, the release states.

While with the Virgin Islands Port Authority, she improved occupancy from 60 to 100 percent, and initiated a $200 million joint venture development project, while launching numerous other economic impact models throughout the territory, the release states.

ABC Board Members cited Armstrong’s diverse and extensive retail experience, senior level management skills, and familiarity with North Carolina’s ABC industry as important factors in their decision to offer her the position.

Armstong [LOL! They even copied a spelling error.] is a multi international MAXI winner, International SASI winner, a recipient of letters of commendation from both the President of the United States and the Department of the Army for marketing/public relations and support of military personnel and their families during Operation Desert Storm. She holds three ICSC, (International Council of Shopping Centers) designations -- CRX, (Senior Certified Retail Executive) CSM (Senior Certified Shopping Center Manager) CMD (Senior Certified Marketing Director).

She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, attended the International Theological Center in Atlanta, and the John Wesley School of Management in High Point, NC (now Laurel University).

Armstrong assumed her new role on September 29, 2014.

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Here is the original sent by the City of Greensboro:

Vickee’ Armstrong Tapped as General Manager of Greensboro ABC Board

GREENSBORO, NC (October 9, 2014) -- The City of Greensboro Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board has appointed Vickeé Armstrong, CRX, CSM, CMD as its new general manager. Armstrong is a seasoned senior executive with over 25 years of diverse experience in all sectors of commercial property operations, retail/mixed-use management and development.

During her career, Armstrong has spearheaded the grand opening of the Mall at Stonecrest, a 1200 acre mixed use district near Atlanta, GA, was a regional director for Tanger Outlet Centers, general manager at Oak Hollow Mall, and district general manager/development officer with the Virgin Islands Port Authority at Crown Bay Center, a deep water cruise ship port in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. While with the Virgin Islands Port Authority, she improved occupancy from 60 to 100 percent, and initiated a $200 million joint venture development project, while launching numerous other economic impact models throughout the territory.

ABC Board Members cited Armstrong’s diverse and extensive retail experience, senior level management skills, and familiarity with North Carolina’s ABC industry as important factors in their decision to offer her the position. The Board conducted a lengthy public search and interview process for the general manager position.

Armstong is a multi international MAXI winner, International SASI winner, a recipient of letters of commendation from both the President of the United States and the Department of the Army for marketing/public relations and support of military personnel and their families during Operation Desert Storm. She holds three ICSC, (International Council of Shopping Centers) designations -- CRX, (Senior Certified Retail Executive) CSM (Senior Certified Shopping Center Manager) CMD (Senior Certified Marketing Director). She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, attended the International Theological Center in Atlanta, and the John Wesley School of Management in High Point, NC (now Laurel University). Armstrong assumed her new role on September 29, 2014.

Yes! Weekly publisher resorts to plagiarism

UPDATE: Yes!Weekly's publisher, from the comments:

"Obviously, it was not intentional on my part to confuse you or anyone as a reader of our blog as in no way did I try to claim it as my original work. I just posted it. My goal was to get the information "released" to me...the "press" out to our readers as timely as possible."

GREENSBORO, NC -- The publisher of Yes! Weekly recently dismissed its editor. The reporting staff soon left too, leaving Yes! publisher Charles Womack in a tough spot. Still, desperation is no reason to resort to publishing press releases word-for-word under the publisher's name even though he did not write them.

That's plagiarism.

Here is the post on Yes! Weekly's blog attributed to publisher Charles.

Here is the press release from the City of Greensboro. They are identical.