By Juan Montoya
Even though early voting doesn't start until 24 days from today (Oct. 18), the dirty tricks gremlins have been turned loose on political opponents.
Today's daily carried a story about an "anonymous" complaint to YouTube f
rom someone who we can only surmise is either a defender of intellectual property or a purveyor of dirty tricks allied with the opponent of Enrique Escobedo, a candidate for Position 2 on the Brownsville Independent School District.
That opponent is Ruben Cortez, the current incumbent to that position.
As the story goes, the anonymous complainer told YouTube that Escobedo's political video was using material copyrighted by Sony Records. Escobedo said that the software programs used to produce the video provide a list of musical selections that can be used to produce the ad.
"The program already paid the royalties to the copyright holder," he said. "We're in touch with YouTube to put this matter to rest."
Meanwhile, another candidate has filed a complaint with the elections administrator and local police to report that her campaign signs have been defaced or stolen by unknown individuals. Lucy Longoria said that her supporters had reported to her that some signs have been painted with spray paint or completely removed despite the fact that she acquired permission from the property owners to place them at the locations.
A Longoria supporter said the police were already talking to several subjects who they considered persons of interest in the vandalism.
"I am calling out to my opponent (Rick Zayas) repudiate the actions of his supporters and run a clean race," she said. "It's funny that only the signs of his opponent are being stolen or defaced. Surely he doesn't think that removing one of my signs is going to gain him anything."
Escobedo also reported that he woke up one morning to find his neighbors' yards bearing the signs of his opponent (Cortez). When he asked them about the signs, they said they had been put up without their permission and had them removed by that afternoon.
"What kind of mentality are we dealing with here?" he asked. "All my neighbors have supported me in the past. This type of behavior is childish. The only thing they want is to make me waste my time and money to deal with these dirty political tricks."
Longoria, meanwhile, says she has been busy meeting people and visiting potential supporters in anticipation of early voting and the general election.
"All I can say is that I hope that my opponent (Zayas) isn't putting up his people to do this," she said. "If I run into him I'm going to tell him exactly what I think of his supporters' acts of vandalism. It just makes me want to work harder to beat him."
Even though early voting doesn't start until 24 days from today (Oct. 18), the dirty tricks gremlins have been turned loose on political opponents.
Today's daily carried a story about an "anonymous" complaint to YouTube f
rom someone who we can only surmise is either a defender of intellectual property or a purveyor of dirty tricks allied with the opponent of Enrique Escobedo, a candidate for Position 2 on the Brownsville Independent School District.That opponent is Ruben Cortez, the current incumbent to that position.
As the story goes, the anonymous complainer told YouTube that Escobedo's political video was using material copyrighted by Sony Records. Escobedo said that the software programs used to produce the video provide a list of musical selections that can be used to produce the ad.
"The program already paid the royalties to the copyright holder," he said. "We're in touch with YouTube to put this matter to rest."
Meanwhile, another candidate has filed a complaint with the elections administrator and local police to report that her campaign signs have been defaced or stolen by unknown individuals. Lucy Longoria said that her supporters had reported to her that some signs have been painted with spray paint or completely removed despite the fact that she acquired permission from the property owners to place them at the locations.
A Longoria supporter said the police were already talking to several subjects who they considered persons of interest in the vandalism.
"I am calling out to my opponent (Rick Zayas) repudiate the actions of his supporters and run a clean race," she said. "It's funny that only the signs of his opponent are being stolen or defaced. Surely he doesn't think that removing one of my signs is going to gain him anything."
Escobedo also reported that he woke up one morning to find his neighbors' yards bearing the signs of his opponent (Cortez). When he asked them about the signs, they said they had been put up without their permission and had them removed by that afternoon.
"What kind of mentality are we dealing with here?" he asked. "All my neighbors have supported me in the past. This type of behavior is childish. The only thing they want is to make me waste my time and money to deal with these dirty political tricks."
Longoria, meanwhile, says she has been busy meeting people and visiting potential supporters in anticipation of early voting and the general election.
"All I can say is that I hope that my opponent (Zayas) isn't putting up his people to do this," she said. "If I run into him I'm going to tell him exactly what I think of his supporters' acts of vandalism. It just makes me want to work harder to beat him."
22 comments:
Politics of Yesterday. To all of those candidates that sabotage videos and vandalize signs. Fight with ideas and not dirty politics! Don't let stupidity dictate your actions!
"Don't let stupidity dictate your actions!" You mean like supporting a pathological lier?.....
Why is the Herald writing stories about "You Tube" while ignoring the proposal of Juliet Garcia to "give" away TSC property and buildings (paid for by local taxes) to UT System. Only payment by UT is apparently to keep Juliet in power and to diss the locally elected trustees. Why doesn't the Herald just pack up and leave.....its not a benefit to the citizens here....it hides information rather than report.
What else can we expect from THESE UNSCRUPULOUS MEN: Zayas and Cortez. They are used to steping on everyone that gets on their way, but they only do it in a pack, like wolves, because if they find themselves alone... they run, they don't even growl.
QUE PODEMOS ESPERAR DE ESTOS HOMBRES SIN ESCRUPULOS, ZAYAS Y CORTEZ. ESTAN ACOSTUMBRADOS A PISOTEAR A TODO AQUEL QUE SE LES ATRAVIEZA, PERO SOLO LO HACEN EN MANADA COMO LOS LOBOS, PERO SI SE ENCUENTRAN SOLOS...SALEN CORRIENDO, NI SIQUIERA AHUYAN.
If a candidate strongly believes that he/she is the best candidate for any elected position, his/her previous actions should suffice. Tearing down signs is a sure sign of insecurity and lack of maturity. If anyone should know, a candidate should take into account the amount of money that is spent on those posters and in many cases, many qualified people do not run for office because they lack the funds to have all the political signs made and then be torn down. Secure the position on your own merits and let the opponent prove that he/she is better than you are. Your actions of tearing or defacing political postures shows your fear!
In some people's frame of mind, Mr. Escobedo made a mistake and he must now pay for it for the rest of his life. Imagine if all of us were held to that premise? Dr. Escobedo has a certificate that states his name as Dr. Enrique Escobedo, so he used that documentation on his resume. Dr. Zolkosky did the same thing, as did Dr. Oscar Cantu, Daddy and Dr. Oscar Cantu, Sonny. How were they held accountable? Little sonny just got a new position as principal of Canales Elementary even ever he made a mockery out of his personal life as well as his professional life. Who is holding him accountable. Yet, no one seems to "forgive" a mistake Dr. Escobedo made. If I evaluate the proferance of both candidates as board members, I will easily rate Dr. Escobedo as the most qualified. With or without a doctoral degree, Dr. Escobedo has the children in mind when we votes on board agenda. The other candidate will vote according to the signals his compadre gives him from his place on the other side of Minerva.
Greetings Mr. Montoya,
I enjoy the site, please keep up the work.
One area does require some correction however.
There really is no such thing as “anonymous complaints” to youtube or any other major site that will result in blocking or removal of content related materials. This is especially true of the type of speed with which you claim the content removal was effected.
Major content owning entities; the Motion Picture Association of America as an example, have invested heavily in web crawlers and other scripting to seek out offenders. These entities work very closely with major sites that run these crawlers continuously. A web crawler (also known as a web spider or web robot) is a program or automated script which browses the World Wide Web in a methodical, automated manner.
In a nutshell, you write the script with the key words and combinations of words or code to identify what you are looking for. As the content matches the webcrawler criteria at greater and greater percentages, the site managers are alterted and take swift action.
These run 24-7-365.
They have also worked to create Automated Content Access Protocol. ACAP all about managing copyright. It is a non-proprietary protocol, developed by publishers, which is designed to ensure that anyone who publishes content on the web and who wants to ensure that the web “crawlers” used by search engines and other online aggregators can read and understand the terms and conditions of access and re-use. In other words, ACAP is all about making copyright work on the web.
I cannot speak authoritatively about sign stealing, but I can say that there is a very probable chance that it was this technology, and not the nefarious actions of the candidate’s enemies, who removed the content.
Lets not forget that not only is Zayas tearing down Lucy Longoria signs he has also hired that disbarred lawyer who the Us Army and The US Court of Appeals ruled mentally unfit. Talk about being desperate, Zayas quit the race now while you can salvage what very little you have of your future. Go Lucy Longoria.
Colunga, Aguilar, Cortez and Zayas have made a mockery of the school district. The community has had enough of their abuse and will make sure they are voted out.
I'm glad Luci is not intimidated by Zayas. Thank you Luci for standing up to him, we are behind you girlfriend.
Really? Kids go out messing around and paranoid candidates jump and assume it was the opponent...OR perhaps the candidate has some enemies from previous business dealings or romances gone bad....we all have enemies. They are a part of life...
Give me a break past romances gone bad, think of something better than that to defend these two crooks, GET RID OF THESE SCUM, Are YOU NOT TIRED OF THEM, I AM.
Get rid of ALL the political signs. The offer no relevant information.
One residence with a John Wood sign had landscaping work done by Cameron County employees using County equipment. Now that is a smart voter.
I'll bet Cortes wants to know the name of the poor idiot who sent the anonymous mail to you tube and/or the herald. Pobre Pendejo o Pendeja.
Right on about campaign signs. One of John Wood's sign was painted over and now used as a sign to advertise a bar that incidently is located near an elementary school. Wood had the audacity to post the sign right on a street that is worse than Matamores streets, that he was responsible for paving and keeping safe for the school buses that travel down that street. Political signs are super expensive and may be one of the reasons some people don't run. Besides, I am tired of seeing the faces of Zayas and Cortez defacing Brownsville all over the city.
Vote for Christina, Enrique, and Luci.
The only to vote for is Powers, Escobedo, Zayas.
Everyone want to put in people who CARE for PEOPLE, then VOTE FOR ESCOBEDO, PENA & LONGORIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, VOTE Escobedo, Pena and Longoria!
Vote Luci, Daniel aqnd Enrique.
Saavedra is running against two plants placed by Zayas and Cortez. Let's identify them, if you don't already know. GARZA and POWERS. VOTE FOR SAAVEDRA
I believe that both the signs of the incumbent and the candidates running for their chair have had their signs removed. I have seen a sign for candidate in one location then within an hour the candidate's opponent's sign is there. To be fair, all candidates must come clean and have a good, clean campaign. Easier said than done when it comes to the current choices we have for BISD board. My vote is for "None of the Above".
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