Wednesday, April 30, 2003

Light-rail foes question conclusions of new study
Yet another obvious headline. Water is west, fire is hot, and sugar is sweet. Who would have guessed that people evolved in the anti-rail campaign are going to disagree with a study favoring light-rail? A three year old could have seen that coming. I would have like to see a story that maybe talked to business owners who might or might not benefit from light-rail, and then comments from the heads of the pro-con sides of the issues. Just reading quotes from the usual suspects on any issue is a stimulating as a plain cake doughnut.
Sentinels Lash Out At FOP's Decision: Black Police Union Wants To Step In
An interesting twist to the situation. This would be a good PR move for the Sentinels, but on the ground it does nothing to improve the situation. The Sentinels are not a group that speaks for anyone on the police force but its own small membership. The leader speaks some of the same "blame Elder" dogma that borders on racist propaganda. This is really an opportunistic grab of the spot light, but it was a masterful one.
Airport To Lose 128 Screener
What happened to homeland security? We can afford a tax cut, but we can't afford more airport screeners? This is a 26% cut in the number of screeners, so expect longer lines.

Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Covington Passes Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
It appears the CCV hate mail did not stick with City of Covington, KY Officials. Mike McConnell was not pleased this morning on news that it likely to pass. He still wrongly calls this as a special right that he can't use. He is wrong. Under this law people cannot be discriminated against for simply being heterosexual. Mike may claim that such a thing would never happen anyway. Mike should then consider himself lucky and not get pissed off about being in the majority on sexual orientation. It is unlikely that I will be discriminated against because I am not Iraqi, but does that mean that Iraqi's should not be protected from discrimination on account of national origin? This law is simple and should be adopted. If it is wrong to have anti-discrimination laws, then we have to get rid of them all: race, religion, sex, gun owners, etc. I wonder what Mike and other Libertarians will say about those.
ETHAN HAHN: You asked for it.
CHRIS ANDERSON on Portland's problems.
Police union wants out of reform agreement
Here are two big problems with this event. The first is that only 200 of the 1,050 members of the FOP voted on the issue. Fangman thinks that is a fair representation of the overall cop view? Is that how they vote on their union contract?

The second is the fact that this really means nothing, if the police carry out the agreed to reforms. The only issue is how to judge those reforms have taken place. That takes me back to a legal question. There were two legal documents that came out at the time of the collaborative agreement's adoption. There was the settlement agreement with the CBUF and the ACLU, and there was the agreement with the Justice Department. I am guessing the FOP are only pulling out of the agreement with the CBUF and ACLU, not with the DOJ. It would potentially be very bad to break the deal with the DOJ. I don't think Fangman wants John Ashcroft running the CPD. Neither theEnquirer article or the Post'sarticle addresses this issue. I am assuming it is legally possible to stay in one and not the other. Adhering to the DOJ settlement was part of the CBUF-ACLU agreement, but I don't think it was the other way around. If I am correct, police reform will still be carried out and supported by the FOP, they will just not agree to the oversight rules set up by the CBUF-ACLU document.

That was a mouthful, so I hope it makes sense. Copies of the Collaborative Agreement and DOJ Agreement.

Other Coverage: AP Wire, Business Courier, WCPO, WLWT, WKRC.
GOP targets Council races
The Republicans are running a full state of 9 candidates, while the Democrats could only muster up 7. I previously speculated the Democrats were playing the numbers that they felt they could not beat the all 3 of non-Democrats, only betting on defeating 2 of them. In the case of the GOP I think they are still smarting from 2001 when they only put up 5 candidates, and did not field a candidate for mayor. I would bet that at best 1 non-incumbent will make it out of the 7 challengers. Sam Malone is the best known candidate, but his association with the CCV and their anti-gay campaign will be a factor that will not win the moderate voters, who might be turned off by the Democrats. The Charter Party is still a factor, but their ability to be a third party has been limited in recent years. I will be interest to see if any of the many expected independent candidates will get party endorsements from either the Greens or Libertarians.

Monday, April 28, 2003

BRONSON: Senator Skinflint
Nonconformity is the biggest sin in the GOP. Break from the party line and you are called names. "Skinflint" is such a name. It is rather incorrect. It means "a person who would save, gain, or extort money by any means." Voinovich is not extorting anyone, not trying to gain money, and he is hardly saving money by advocating a 350 million-dolllar tax cut. Bronson can't stand anyone dissing his boy. Dubya is the second coming to evangelical Republicans. Those who dare stand against are made talk radio fodder.

The real problem with Bronson hatchet job is this blind ignorance of what he says. He claims that 4 million Ohio Tax payers will benefit from Bush's proposed tax cut. I doubt his number, he cites no source for it. The total lack of rational thought comes in the obvious, there are about 8.5 million adults in Ohio, so less than half of them will get a tax cut under Bush's plan. I am one of those who will get nothing, the 53% of Ohio taxpayers, according to Bronson, that will get nothing from this tax cut. What the Fuck!!!!! How arrogant does a man have to be to think that we don't notice this? That we somehow have to "trust" the 47% to "spend" and "invest" their reduced taxes. Voodoo economics was pronounced a failure 20 years ago, and Bronson and Bush will stop at nothing to buy votes. I wonder how many more of the 4 million are Republicans than are Democrats.

Congressman Jim Boehner, an accounting "genius" (cough, cough), sounds crazy in this column. He thinks the war will pay for itself? Does he plan to have the US steal the Iraqi Oil? What was he smoking the day Bronson talked to him? If the war will pay for itself, why did Bush ask for 75 billion to wage it? Do people not grasp the lies? Is Bronson dumb enough to agree with Boehner? Are average people stupid enough to believe Bronson and Boehner? I am sorry to say, yes, yes they are.

It is sickening to me that Bronson can write what he did with a straight face.
Voinovich won't listen to his party or his president. But there are 12 million Ohio taxpayers who might have something to say.
Well, there are not 12 million tax payers Peter, but the 4.5 million of us who will gain nothing from Bush's tax plan say "Bite Me Bush, Go Voinovich!"

Sunday, April 27, 2003

Personal Stakes
In a letter to the Enquirer (sixth) a mother of a solider writes:
Goths are out of step with Iraq war effort

Dan Klepal's article on April 14 "Crowd largely tunes out Iraq," caused me to feel angry and saddened. Evidently, the war has not come home to some of the people swaying on the dance floor, sporting black leather, and expressing disinterest in the conflict in Iraq.

One such person said that watching the war on TV made it seem less real. As the mother of a U.S. Marine serving in Iraq, it is all too real to me - not a movie, not a video game, but a real war complete with casualties on both sides, mixtures of heroism, cowardice, elation and soul-rending sadness.

While the Goth followers are free to express their view of life, the Iraqi people are only recently able to do that thanks to the efforts and sacrifice of U.S. and British troops. Perhaps grieving families accompanying flag-draped coffins could explain reality to those who don't get it.

Karen Daniels, Melbourne, Ky.
I have to ask Mrs. Daniels how much she cares about the plight of the people of Columbia, Venezuela, or Zimbabwe? How informed is she about the current tax plan debate? Does she know the difference between the various tax plans and their claimed impact on the economy? Does she know who won the World's Cup last year? If she does not know or care about any of these topics it is because she has no personal interest in them. The Iraqi war matter's to her because she has a son over there. She thinks that everyone should care about our Soldiers, as much as she does. The problem is that everyone does not have a personal interest in the war with Iraq. Parenthood is a strong element to person’s life, but it often is clouded with emotion and personal bias. It is no shock that kids are not interested in knowing about current events. I wonder if Ms. Daniels can tell me what happen in Bali last fall, or what the "Road Map" is in reference to the Israelis and Palestinians. I bet Mrs. Daniels knows who Lacy Peterson is, and what her child was to be named if it had been born. Why do grown men know the value and term of the Bengal's #1 draft pick’s contract, but they don't know the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims?

The bottom line is that bashing a bunch of kids who have no personal stake in a war is hunting fish in a bucket. If you want to attack ignorance, first admit and try to eliminate your own. Instead attack the culture of lowest common denominator that now dominates every institution in society. Money, fame, and power are valued at the cost of knowledge, honor, and dignity. A “Goth” that admits there true feelings on the war is more honorable than one who attacks another for not saying what the knee-jerk jingoists deem as proper.
CPS: Pass the bond issue
The editors of the Enquirer are for the school bond issue, and so am I. Make sure you vote on May 6th!
Old-fashioned station plays the future
WOXY an "Old-fashioned" station? I assume they mean old in the sense of being an independent station in a sea of corporate monolithic sharks. I like the station, but I wish they would play "classic-alternative" music more. I guess I am getting to old to listen to the newest of the new rock. I like a little old school punk, grunge, and new wave mixed in more often. I wonder how pissed WLW is that they don't this kind of glowing press from the Enquirer. Listen to 97X
Another LeBron James in the making?
The kid is only in the eighth grade. He will fit in with the local sports nuts, out to cash in on a powerless kid. I can only speculate what kind of money is changing hands right now trying to determine what school this kid will attend next year. Which powerhouse school will cough up the most dough? Everyone will deny money will change hands, and I of course am only speculating, but when opportunity knocks, smart people can find ways to try and beat the system. I hope we don't see this kids games on local commercial TV or ESPN, but I bet in a few years a US Bank Arena marquee game will occur, bringing to life some sports marketer’s wet dream.
Cincinnati May Become Model For Homeland Security
This headline is just to good to believe. Is Cincinnati the model because we have little to protect from international terrorism? We are wide open to domestic terrorism, which I am sure is lost on this assessment of our security.
Air France may resume flight to Cincinnati
I expect there to be a boycott. Willie and the Freepers will no doubt be all over this. I hope they try and boycott at the Airport. I would love to see the smack down security would give them. Alas, I am sure the hot air has drained from their hot heads, allowing this bit of news to go unchallenged.

Friday, April 25, 2003

CHRIS ANDERSON has the deal on the Iraqi Playing Cards story.
Droopin' drawers extend probation
Pulling up your pants is not rocket science. I think most 3 year olds can accomplish it. I think by 5 years old most people learn and realize they don't want their pants down in public. Does a 21 year old think it is somehow attractive to women to show off his underwear while picking up trash along the roadside? Is he trying out for the Rumpke Hot Trash Collectors Calendar? The judge in this case put it simply as the article states: "Ruehlman said he would consider ending Nixon's probation early if he gets a job, earns a GED, stays out of trouble -- and wears a belt."
One Eyed, One Horned, Flying Purple People Bridge
Officials: 9/11 Was Main Reason for War
A "little" white lie is no way to start a war. DailyKos has a forceful response.
Rumsfeld Rules Out Religious Iraqi Gov't
I am sure others have said this but... Why Can't Rumsfeld do something about the theocrats in the White House, Capital Building, and the Supreme Court amongst other places?

Thursday, April 24, 2003

Ohio senator: no talk of tax cut in brief meeting with Bush
Does George Voinovich have balls? That is the question that I am sure every follower of Ohio politics is asking. Will he back down or will he stand up to the President? It sounds like Voinovich is not going to back down. Conventional Wisdom is saying that here in Ohio the latest round of Bush tax-cuts don't have much support, beyond the party hardliners. I think Bush's tax cut is toast. He should settle on the $350 Million number or something a little higher, if he can slip it by. Bush would do better if he would dump the dividend tax elimination. That is what is not flying. He would easily get the rest of his package passed without it. Admitting defeat after his "great" Iraq victory is something Bush and company could not swallow, and I predict they will attempt to crush the moderate Republicans, some even wishing they would be defeated in their next primary. Not much a liberal like I can do, but bitch and moan, of which I am now finished, for now.
12 Baptist Convention May Come To Cincinnati
I would not trust this group to commit to anything. I would want an ironclad contract with a huge cancellation fee. If this pans out, it is a valley size crack in the boycott.
Local Police Chief Arrested On Sex Charges
Two questions come to mind:

1. How stupid does a cop have to be to try something like trying to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex? You might think he has heard of the numerous local cases of police officers pretending to be teenaged girls online. I wonder how well he was at solving crimes, if he is dense enough to try and pull off one of more idiotic crimes to try and commit.

2. How does a 26-year-old police officer rise to the rank of chief? Is he the only police officer? Or is Elmwood Place the size of Mayberry?

AP Version, WCPO version
Heberle School and Lead Paint
The Heberle students moved to new site all because of one child's blood level. Is that an over reaction? Could it be any better timed? Less than two weeks from now the voters will be deciding on a bond issue to upgrade and build new schools. I will happily play the role of conspiracy theorist, but no one can deny that the timing could not have been better.

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Cincinnati Post: Museum looting: Coalition failed
I have not seen anyone attacking the Post for not blindly supporting the War Plan that was supposed to have worked without a flaw. Where is Cunningham's comedy act? Where is Darryl Park's heartless drivel? Where is the outrage at the FOX News engineer who allegedly stole Iraqi paintings, all be they bad ones from Saddam's son's palace. I could only help but think of the Simpson's Episode called "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish". I wonder who was part of the tontine? Geraldo, Hannity, & Ollie?
CITY BEAT has a series of boycott related articles this week in what can only be described as a boycott themed edition. I will try and have some comments on Kathy Wilson's column, John Fox's Editorial, and the Trifecta's Cover Story later this week. I am torn though on the meaning of the cover photo. I hope you catch its play on recent events. It is very good picture and the symbolism is excellent. I guess much like the Iraq War, the good guys and bad guys are only clear to those who need to have clear sides. I hope that is what they meant, and they are not suggesting the city should be "liberated" via the boycott, via force.
BRONSON: Church ducks gay marriage
Why is Peter Bronson afraid of gay marriage? How will two men or two women getting married hurt Peter? It contradicts his religion, that much we know. Peter can be bigoted towards gays, that is his right. What he can't do is use the government to do it. Why do Peter and his fellow theocrats want to prevent gay marriage? I am repeating myself, but I can't find a logical reason for anyone to care who gets married. When Mr. Bronson sarcastically writes "And Moses cameth down from the mountaintop with the 10 Suggestions ...'' I guess I have to just sit here and laugh. If Peter eats Brats or Metts or most hotdogs I wonder how he rationalizes this? Is not eating pork a suggestion? If it is, then I guess the ban on homosexuality is merely a suggestion. I hope Peter "Mr. consistency" Bronson will be supporting the Anti-Pork Products Act and call for the jailing of the Rib’s King.

Tuesday, April 22, 2003

Morally Relative Conservatives
Sen. Rick Santorum has been bitching about liberal moral relativism. He does not understand what moral relativism means. What it means is that one believes each individual determines his or her own morals. They do not rely on others to decide what is right and wrong. The individual then lives up to their morals on their own terms. Conservatives like Santorum think moral relativism means that those who don't do what their religion commands can't possibly act on their own accord, without the fear of “hell” to keep them in line. Furthermore they think that without this fear the individual changes their morals to fit each situation, meaning killing one man today is bad, but tomorrow it may be good. That is of course bullshit. I have my own morals. I think I keep to my morals far better than most so called “Christians,” yet I have no religion. I do not need fear of “hell” to keep me in line. My fear of disappointing my family and friends, coupled with the penal code keep me in line.

Santorum in the AP interview condemned homosexuality, and specifically homosexual sex. He does this presumably because his religion says it is a "sin." Santorum then is practicing the moral relativism he condemns. I say this assuming that Santorum does not follow every law written in the bible, for instance

  1. No eating pork: Deuteronomy 14:8

  2. At the end of every seven years every creditor shall cancel loans made:
    Deuteronomy 15:1-2

  3. Set up a King to rule over you that the Lord your God chooses: Deuteronomy
    17:14-15

  4. Death penalty for Adultery: Deuteronomy 22:22

  5. Only foreigners can be charged interest:
    Deuteronomy 23:19-20


These are but a few "laws" from the bible. Why are these not followed? I would bet Santorum eats pork, collects loans more than 7 years old, supports our laws which outlaw Kingly rule, does not kill adulterers, and collects interest on any loans he makes. He however has selectively chosen homosexuality as something he will be against, but not these other "laws." It appears that following the word of "God" is a relative term to conservatives like Mr. Santorum. Some religious laws are just out of date I guess, or not profitable enough. I hope Phil Heimlich, Peter Bronson, Tom Brinkman, and the CCV take note.

Paul McDorman's letter in today's Enquirer seemed to paint him in the same boat as Mr. Santorum on a certain level. Atheists and agnostics don't need your religion or anyone's to be "moral."
Chris Anderson found what he calls an "eerily prescient" comparison from a 1960's urbanist ideas on "activists" and today's boycotters.
Nate is trying to be funny. Ha Ha, what a knee slapper, Ha Ha, what it is to laugh..... (Cough, Cough).

Monday, April 21, 2003

Dems endorse trio for council
Do the Dems not have enough viable candidates running for council this time? Or do they think DeWine is a lock, and Tarbell and Monzel are solid and at most one is vulnerable? I don't know why they do not fill out their slate. I can only assume they are waiting to see who else gets on the ballot, and will endorse someone later if they have a chance. I wonder if the Charterites have a chance to get on more on or if an extremist independent will come close to getting elected.
Local School Employees Missing $829,000 Worth Of Paychecks
This is not the kind of news you want when you are trying to pass a school bond issue a couple of weeks. This is a PR nightmare. I hope someone gets more than a wrist slap over this snafu.
Democrats endorse 2 for City Council
Read this portion of the article from near the end:
Nathaniel Livingston Jr., a Democratic precinct committeeman from Avondale who is a leader of one of two boycott groups calling itself the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati
What kind of moronic political party allows Nate Livingston to be a precinct committeeman? That is atrocious. A promoter of bigotry and hatred is allowed to participate in a political party; you would think that does not happen in this day and age. Well, at least not in the Democratic Party. Locally, the Republicans not only let them in to the party, they elect them: like this guy, and this guy.
BRONSON: Ohio's new palace in Columbus
Attention Mr. Bronson, Attention Mr. Bronson.....Blame your fellow Republicans!!!!!!! In case you have not noticed, your political party of choice is in total control of the government of Ohio. Start Blaming Brinkman, oh wait you can't blame him, he would rather we not have a government. Ok, blame Taft, Blackwell, Petro, Deters, etc. Your guys are in office. Why do you seem to want to blame anyone other than the guys who voted to fund this building restoration? I wonder if you are going to try and pin this on Springer. You might blame Clinton, your usual, but I don't think even you could make a connection the mouth foamers could swallow. I guess “lawmakers” will have to do, but it is a shame you can’t put your GOP friends down once in a while, beyond when they don’t evoke your right wing stalwart issues of guns, theocracy, and abortion.
Number 28
Student reports crime, is arrested by Cincinnati officer
This news is old, but it is getting attention regionally. This I am sure will gin up the boycotters a bit. I don't know the facts, but the headline sounds bad, if the headline is bad, the story must be. (COUGH, COUGH)
PLEASE give a welcome to Ethan Hahn over at Queen City Soapbox. Ethan is joining Chris Anderson's endeavor at QCSBOX. I wish him a warm welcome and hope to read his as well as Chris's work often.

Saturday, April 19, 2003

Back to square one
The idea of developing Fountain Square is a good one. I have to wonder about a few things. City Council has proposed to put money into a revised Main Street entertainment district and to build the "Banks project" in-between the new stadiums. Can we afford all of these? If most of the money comes from private sources I am confident they are financially viable. If all or most of the money comes form the city I am not sure if the value is there. I also have to wonder, will these three areas compete against each other, dooming all to failure? I also don’t want to loose the skywalk. They may take away foot traffic on the street, a big measuring stick for urban planners and marketers, but the convenience of the skywalk for pedestrians outweigh earnings potentials in this case. The skywalk in the entire down town is dependant on all sections being connected. If you take out a vital artery, you blow the whole system. It is bad enough the section was torn down in preparation for a new Nordstrom’s at Race and 5th, only resulting in a parking lot, but adding to that disaster will kill the shops around Fountain Place section of the skywalk.
Under cover of war, Mugabe unleashes a new reign of terror
It appears something was rotting in Zimbabwe while the bombs were dropping in Iraq. I wonder if freedom will be promised for the people of Zimbabwe. Will the bloodthirsty hawks drool over the change for another war? I wonder if International ANSWER would call it "racist" if the US tried to oust an African dictator/racist. Instead the American press, the blood lusting conservatives, and the communist backed activists will be silent or hypocritical on the issue, and yet another dictator will be coddled by France. I would think the Republicans would love to stick to France again, but when's the last time they followed through on anything for Africans that did not included religious indoctrination?

Friday, April 18, 2003

Creepy and Sad
Pat DeWine has an audio greeting on his new council member website, as do the rest of council. Is this the Pat or is it Karl Childers from the movie Sling Blade?
NEW CINCINNATI and a new City of Cincinnati website.
Medina Democrats to host Springer
If Springer gets the nomination I will eat a dead grasshopper. If he beats Voinovich I will eat a live one.
Donald Mooney on the boycott 2.0, from the Post.

Thursday, April 17, 2003

The future of rock 'n' roll
Help Fight the Beast, Listen to 97X.
Youth served on City Council
People bitch and moan about City Council. No one can say anything good about them. Is it because they are young and they don't do things the "conventional" way? Or is it because they are young and have no clue what they are doing? I am 31 years old and 4 council members are my age or younger, and 2 more are only a few years older. 6 of the 9 are Generation Xer's. How does this compare to the rest of the nation? Are we ahead of the curve or is this yet another generation gap that will only get worse as the "Boomer's" get older and more of a pain in the ass than they already are?

My guess is that the city council has some great ideas, but the older, and more powerful, citizens do not take them seriously. Business leaders, who are generally older, like new ideas, but they don’t like to try them. Older activists don’t like new blood, unless they are in tow. I will not be surprised to see age indirectly used as a campaign tool this year in Council elections. I can see the Republicans trying to bash the twenty-somethings, while tip towing around their thirty-somethings. Age is but a number, but numbers can sway a fickle and moronic public. I expect more than one gray haired candidate to step forward this time around. Break out the Ben-Gay!
ESPN.com - Cincinnati Reds - Clubhouse
I guess the folks at ESPN have been spending to much time in Philadelphia. While referring the Cincinnati Enquirer the writer(s) gave us the "Cincinnati Inquirer" instead. What makes this worse is that in different parts of the web page, closer to the top, they got it right.

[Link via Matt Weiler]
Security Agency Selects Privacy Watchdog
A reader (Ray) pointed this article out to me. I thought Congress had voted to stop funding programs to collect personal data on citizens. I guess Homeland Security had some funding tucked away for this type of thing. It is odd that Tom Ridge would pick someone who basically ran a company that harassed people online. Is this what Homeland Security is come to? Saftey through harassment and intrustion?
Letters target gay ordinance
Bigot Mail? A fundie-gram? What will these theocrats do next? I am sickened by their need to control others, allowing their fears to be pacified. But alas, I can only say this so much. People will fear others as long as we are not all sharing the same brain. In the case of the CCV I just wished they used their brains, instead of relying on their selectively highlighted bible and volumes of propaganda. Chris Anderson has some good comments on this latest campaign of hate mail as well.
FOX: CNN Blames Premature Obituaries on Human Error
This is news? This is front-page news? FOX couldn't find any other stories on Iraq or Syria to run instead of running a clerical error story? Are they this petty? Well, do I have to bother answering that question? Of course they are petty, little children. They even had to add a NY Post style editorial headline on the front-page link "Night of the Living Dead." Why didn't they just use "Gotcha" and just become the cliché tabloid they
long to be? I have to wonder if Foxnews.com is run from the NY Post offices.

I will be checking on CNN for the follow-up rebuttal "FOX News Intern Mislabels Folder" "Over night a new Pepperdine University Intern mistakenly mislabeled Ollie North's Personnel File with Brit Hume's name. An HR Manager nearly had to fire Hume for lying about his years of experience at ABC as an anchor. The 20-year-old intern had been working only 2 days at FOX and was not familiar with the file system. She assumed it would have been the same as the RNC headquarters where she had been a volunteer
previously. The file labels were quickly correct, but the original labels can be seen through the new ones."

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

State cuts terror threat to yellow
Why does Ohio or any state need its own terror alert? I can see a city or even a state issuing a specific alert when there is a semi-specific threat, but I think it is safe for the residents of Ohio to just follow the Federal terror alert guides. If Taft is just going to mimic the Department of Homeland Security, then why bother with the damn thing in the first place? Well, Bob has to fight terror with the rest of hanger's on. Ohio is not a high on the terrorist target list. I think we all can just stay vigilant, without worrying about foreign terrorists. I would much prefer Bob to keep a warning on the threats from domestic terrorists. If some anti-abortion nut case is trying to send fake anthrax letters again, I would much prefer to know about that, then a useless state warning level. What kind of intelligence reports does Taft get? Is there an Ohio Intelligence Agency? Are we sending spies into Kentucky and West Virginia? Opps, I may have just blown their cover, Sheriff Leis is knocking on my door as I type.
Numbers 25, 26, & 27. At this rate we are on pace to a have a murder rate slightly higher than last year.

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

CHRIS ANDERSON comments on one of the undemocratic demands issued by the revised boycott übercoalition.
Ex-campaign treasurer stole $400,000 from Boehner fund
How valued can an endorsement like this be?
The Ohio Society of Public Accountants Endorse Rep. John Boehner

"The Screening Committee and the Society's Board believe you are a candidate who will continue to be a positive influence in Washington."

The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants
June 26, 2002
I wonder which member of the Ohio Society of CPA's missed the $400,000+ from a congressional campaign. That is not a drop in the bucket for Boehner's war chest. You might think that someone would have caught this a little sooner. Do people really want this guy as their watchdog in Washington? Is this John’s typical level of oversight? I am glad I am not in his district.

Monday, April 14, 2003

CAIR: No Room to Judge
A letter to the editor of the Washington Post from a Rich Leonardi from here in Cincinnati. CAIR is a group that was upset with the play Paradise.

[Link via Atrios with comments]
SOMEBODY'S lobbyist is getting a big fat Raise.
Boycotters still seek broad demands
Luken thinks these demands will cost in total about 5 billion dollars, not just the 1.6 billion amount named. I wish I understood the law more, because this sounds like a case of extortion that could fall into the realm of the RCIO statues. I also question this bit of alleged history put forth by the reporter:
In fact, council members were elected using proportional representation until voters changed the city's charter in 1957 in a bid to block Theodore Berry from becoming the Queen City's first black mayor. The change prevented Berry's ascendancy for 15 years, officials said.
The fact may only be the change of the charter in 1957. The bid to block Theodore Berry is an opinion that I don’t think was established as a fact in the article, and I would guess is something only considered a fact in some people’s opinion. It might be true. I was not alive then and am still a relative new comer to this city, at 13 years in the greater Cincinnati area, so my knowledge of that kind of local history is very limited. I am skeptical that what the writer claimed as “fact” can be documented or supported. I think the reporter should have qualified that part to either support it as fact with some reference to evidence, or treat it is a generally accepted opinion in certain or some quarters, as opposed to a clear fact.
Welcome to 700WLW Listeners
I bid a warm hello to all of travelers from the WLW website. Linda Bergér's information can be found on the left panel. If you are wondering what a blog is, you can learn more here, here, and here. If you want to provide some feed back you can email me at the link to the left or just post a comment by hitting the "comments" link at the bottom of this or any post. If you have a blog of your own, please include a link. If you have any information that you think needs airing, please let me know. I try to update my blog everyday, and I usually keep up that pace. Please comeback again!
Rob Bernard provides us with this humorous post:
JUST A REMINDER

We didn't go into Iraq because they had WMDs, we went in because they MIGHT have WMDs.
The sad part about this is, he is being serious. I think Rob is suffering from the first known case of revisionism. There was no "might" about WMD from either the administration or its supporters. Bush, Inc. unmistakably stated that they had clear evidence Iraq has WMD. I hope we did not go to war based on speculation.

Sunday, April 13, 2003

BRONSON: War proves religious leaders need more faith in America
Well, with an opening line only Henny Youngman would love, Peter has proceeded to paint the war into a simple case of "good vs. evil." As usual, Bronson sees life as a yes or no question, also called linear thinking. I guess religion is as simple to him. Either you are a good evangelical Christian (read fundamentalist/“born again”) or are a heathen. I guess Peter would not think twice about pulling the trigger against an Iraqi civilian car driving towards him on a Baghdad road. “Moral clarity” is as clear as sewer water. Trying to declare it is the mission of a crusader in search of a retroactive rationale.

This war was not some simple choice. I don’t even think George Bush thought this was simple, and that is saying something. I guess Peter thinks that it is easy to be a good little conformist, just follow the lemming in front of you. It does not surprise me at all that religious people, who talk about peace to actually try and preach it, even in a time of war.

I wonder why Peter sees this issue as simple good vs. evil when in March 1999 he said the following about the Kosovo War:
The Balkans war is much more complex than that, of course. Even the scholars on our Forum Page today hardly scratch the surface of the political, ideological, historical and religious conflicts in the region.

But Americans don't have time for complex. Complex is too . . . complicated. Americans want simple. Fast. No more than five words. No more than one syll-ab-le.
So choosing sides in Yugoslavia is difficult, while in Iraq it is simple. I wonder why this is the case. Bosians-Kosovars are Muslims; Serbians are Christians, a tough choice even if the Serbs are painted as the “bad guys?” The Iraqis are Muslim and painted as the bad guys. Easy choice there for Peter, but he is shocked that his fellow Christians didn’t make the same knee-jerk choice. Round up the Usual Suspects Mr. Bronson, I guess you will have to blame us “liberals” for corrupting your beloved Christian Brethren with a bit of humanity and religious tolerance. I am surprised he did not find a way to blame Bill Clinton for this, but I am sure he could have found a way to make such a claim. Red herrings have a way of being universally utilized.
Number 24 and counting. Oh the bloody times in which we live.
Newspaper publisher fired over April Fool’s story
A tradition prank at the Washington Court House Record Herald went a bit to far for the owners.

Saturday, April 12, 2003

IS CINCINNATI the The Paris of America? You will have to decide for yourself, but the sentiment is very interesting.
Bigots of the Week:City sued over hate-crime law
The award goes to council candidate Sam Malone, state Rep. Tom Brinkman, and Mark Miller. Brinkman is an embarrassment to his district, the state, and the country. He voted against the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was a matter of principle the man said. I guess the same principle that allows theocratic fascist like Brinkman to try and force their religion on others.

Brinkman is a clique. The anti-tax, build walls around your house kind of fearful of difference bigot. He seems to want everyone to be forced to carry a gun so that we can "protect" ourselves from homosexuals, while allowing "special legal protection" linger on for religious people, as the original city hate crimes ordinance already contained. How can anyone in the GOP say this guy is not a bigot with a straight face? The problem is that many in the GOP locally like his brand of bigotry. Homosexuals are hated in this town by the likes of Brinkman, and believe it or not, by most of the leaders and followers of the boycotters. Bigotry is not a double-edged sword; it has far more edges than a simple two to worry about.
City Manager Worries About Safety At 50 Cent Concert
This is paranoia run wild, sprinkled with a pinch of bigotry. The concert is sold out. Put a big ass sign out in front of Millet Hall that reads "Sold Out." If anyone gets pissed off and starts trouble, then have the “Seekie’s” pound a few faces into the ground. It is as simple as that. Make sure all of the media covering the event were able to see the big ass sign when they arrive and place it such a position that no camera angle can avoid it. Keeping the media in the loop will cover the city’s and the university’s ass in the PR war. Ok, I am done; do I get a consulting fee for stating the obvious? I will settle for a Miami t-shirt.
How the Erpenbeck Co. crumbled
This story has been beat into the ground by both the Post and the Enquirer. I hope his plea agreement will at least put the issue on the back pages. It is so bad the Kentucky Post has it own Erpenbeck special internet section with summary of all of their stories on the subject.
A park for the east side
As a near by resident of where this park will go, I am very pleased. I have to wonder about one thing: will this interfere with proposed plans to build a new road from Red Bank Road over to Newtown?
City accuses senior auditor of fraud, lying
Karen L. Schulte, 52, of East Price Hill, please meet the unemployment line. Unemployment line, please make Karen feel welcomed.

Friday, April 11, 2003

WELLS: Boycotters expand absurdity
David Wells "Bitch slaps" Stanley Broadnax and the boycotters, using simple cold logic and reason. Wells stayed away from my observations, that the demands are race based and thus racist, but his comments are valid and square on point. I am sure David will be attacked, as I have been, as being bigoted or racist for daring to call this boycott absurd, but I think he is comfortable with his love of all of the human race, the only race that matters.

Wednesday, April 09, 2003

Gregory Korte: on Valerie Lemmie (last section)
Greg reports that City Manager Valerie Lemmie has a new policy "prohibiting city employees from talking to council candidates." Two council candidates are pissed. Fellow blogger John Schlagetter (Charterite) and Republican Leslie Ghiz are those two candidates. There is no legal way that Lemmie can prevent any person meeting with anyone else while on their time outside of work. She most likely can prevent them from doing it during working hours at city hall or other facilities or using city property like phones or computers. Does she have the same restriction on talking to the members of the press? I think John can claim to be a member of the press rather easily with his radio show and blog. If Leslie Ghiz starts blogging she might be able to get around this too.

I wonder if soon to be council member Laketa Cole is able to talk to city employees before she is sworn in. She is a candidate for council up until she is sworn in, is their an exception for Democratic candidates?
From BoycottCincinnati.org :: View topic - Lincoln Ware Asked For It
Public Notice: First. I am not post on the above linked message board. Nate (rhymes with hate) or one of his co-racists is stealing my blog content and posting them to their forum. Here is a post that I think everyone should read and think about before they give support to anything they say.
Amanda (Mayes)



Joined: 21 Mar 2003
Posts: 8
Location: The Front Line
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2003 2:03 pm Post subject:

White people love to call self defense hate. It's their way of keeping us vicitmized. The Panthers are all about liberation (or, at least, they used to be). More African Americans in Cincinnati need to stop being the victim and take their fate into thier own hands.

It looks like the only one who deserves to get their ass kicked more than Lincoln Ware is cincyblog.

No Justice, No Peace!
I added the last name and the bold emphasis, and left the spelling as is. It is funny how she played games. She knows I meant the New Black Panther Party. That is the hate group. Nate knows that, but they seem to only like to be truthful win it suits their nefarious cause.

I now wonder if Damon Lynch and the Boycott 2.0 are really loving the CJC and Black Fist. Those groups can be the fringe that Lynch and the CBUF can denounce, while still pushing their racist agenda. A triangulation of sorts.
Jammin' bringing 30 acts to town
The obvious question I have to ask, will the boycotters disrupt this event? I really hope they don't. Last year there were a hand full of protestors, but will this be the first target of Boycott 2.0? Will they camp out and try and force people to not embrace humanity in the tradition of experiencing music? "I love Rock N' Roll, put another dime in the jukebox baby."
Protesters plan big rallies against war in Iraq
Hmmmmm, I think this may be a bit late. The fighting will still be going on, but I their rhetoric will really be hollow. People dancing in streets at the fall of Baghdad kind of puts the anti-war crowd to shame. They look like chumps. I have to say they do not look as crass as the many bloodthirsty pro-war lemmings. They still can't help but act like sore winners. Cunningham on WLW could not wait 15 minutes before he started chastising all "liberals" and Democrats. The phase of the day in the warblogger world is "don't get cocky.

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

War takes toll on journalists

Journalists Killed/Wounded in Baghdad
Jose Couso (Telecinco, Spain) 37-year-old Cameraman: killed
Taras Protsyuk (Reuters, UK) 35-year-old Cameraman: Killed
Tareq Ayoub (al-Jazeera, Qatar): Killed
Paul Pasquale (Reuters, UK): wounded - not life threatening
Samia Nakhoul (Reuters, Lebanon): wounded - not life threatening
Faleh Kheiber (Reuters, Iraq): wounded - not life threatening

Still in Baghdad (as reported)
1. NPR (USA) - Anne Garrels - Plans to stay throughout
2. Peter Arnett - freelance for The Daily Mirror - Plans to stay throughout
3. ITN & Channel 4 (International Television News ITV - UK) - Lindsey Hilsum
4. BBC (UK) - Total of 7 including 3 reporters - Rageh Omar -Plans to stay throughout
5. Washington Post (USA) - Anthony Shadid & Rajiv Chandrase
6. AP (USA) - Hamza Hendawi
7. Reuters (UK) - Staff of 19
8. Sky News - (UK)
10. Independent (UK) - Robert Fisk (what an ass)
11. Christian Science Monitor (USA) - Scott Peterson
12. ZDF (Germany)
13. Al Jazeera - (in Baghdad but reportedly no longer reporting)
14. Sydney Morning Herald/The Age (AUS) - Paul McGeough
15. San Francisco Chronicle (USA) - Robert Collier
16. Los Angeles Times (USA) - John Daniszewski & Michael Slackman
17. Irish Times (IRE) - Lara Marlowe
18. New York Times (USA) - John Burns and Photographer Tyler Hicks
19. Al-Arabiya (Dubai)
20. Abu Dhabi TV
21. Lebanese Broadcasting Company
22. Richard Engel - Freelance for ABC
23. Guardian (UK) - Suzanne Goldenberg
24. The New Yorker (USA) - Jon Lee Anderson
25. Palm Beach Post (USA) - Larry Kaplow
26. Chicago Tribune (USA) - E.A. Torriero
27. Corriere della Sera (Italy) - Francesco Battistini - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
28. Il Giornale (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
29. Il Messagero (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
30. L'Unita (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
31. Il Mattino (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
32. Il Sole 24-Ore (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
33. Il Resto Del Carlino (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
34. Cox News Service (USA)- Craig Nelson
35. Herald Sun - Peter Wilson & John Feder - Detained by Iraqis in Basra, taken to Baghdad
36. Daily Mail (UK) - Ross Benson
37. Sunday Mirror (UK) - Steve Martin
38. Daily Mirror (UK) - Anton Antonowicz
39. Sunday Times (UK)
40. Telecinco (Spain)
41. CBS News - Lara Logan returned to Baghdad between April 4th and 6th.
and other various French, German, Canadian, British, Portugal, Japanese, Danish, Dutch and other European, Asian, and African media outlets.

Not in Baghdad are NBC/MSNBC (Fired Freelancer Arnett for an appearance on Iraqi TV), ABC* (has free lancer in Baghdad), CBC Radio, FOX News (kicked out), China's official Xinhua news agency, Boston Globe (kicked out), Toronto Sun (kicked out), USA Today, Daily Telegraph, London Times, Newsweek (at least ordered to leave by Bosses), US News & World Report, Time, Wall Street Journal, CBS (out but returned), CNN (kicked out), Robert Valdec (freelance for Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbia outlets was kicked out), ABS-CBN (Filipino), NY Newsday - Matthew McAllester & Moises Saman (kicked out), Molly Bingham - Freelance Photographer (worked for Al Gore) -(kicked out), Johan Rydeng Spanner - Danish freelance photographer (kicked out), Sydney Daily Telegraph (kicked out), Nate Thayer - Freelance for Slate.com (kicked out), 7 Freelance Japanese Journalists left on own accord, Johannesburg Sunday Times - Bonny Schoonakker (kicked out), RTÉ - Richard Downes (Left on own accord), Russian Journalists.

Monday, April 07, 2003

Updated Boycott Demands (pdf file)
They have shed some of the dead weight from the list, but it still is not going to fly. If I had to use one word to describe this summary document, I can only think of one: Racist. This document is nearly all race based. It has one goal: to increase the wealth and power of black people. This is extortion, not a civil rights struggle. Greed, sectarianism, bigotry, and racism are all I can see when I read this document. The boycott will never end. This is a political agenda, not a list of reasonable demands. I am sickened. I am most sickened that this document does not include the repeal of the anti-homosexual City Charter Article XII. It appears the bigots in boycott movement won out. I hope everyone in what is left of Stonewall see this as nothing more than a shakedown. I see nothing positive from this “consolidation.” What I am waiting for next are their new targets. Will they try and nationalize this? Will they target P&G? Federated? Kroger? Will the sucker media buy into the lies? I will guess yes to all. Well I am sure this will be copied by Nate to his hate group's website, so I will take the opportunity to ask people to make sure they understand that I am not posting my blog entries on their message board.

Well, on the “bright side”, at least I will have something to blog about after the war ends. (Drano take me away!)

UPDATE: I missed more evidence of how racist this document is. In every place where race was mentioned in this document, nothing was mentioned regarding Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and of course nothing about poor whites. Will people still buy into this crap? Will the media say anything critical about it? Will my fellow liberals and the supposed color blind Progressives see this as racist propaganda, or will their white guilt pacify any objectivity they may have?
XRay Magazine - Blog Cabins

If you look carefully at this column you will notice that the author shares the same name as the author of this blog, as well as the same brain. I am happy to announce that I have started to contribute to XRAY Cincinnati, a local monthly magazine that you can read at www.goxray.com. I hope to be writing each month on various topics regarding the media and journalism. This is my first foray into the Dead Tree Media, so give me the benefit of the doubt. Let me know if you read my column, your opinions of it, and any suggestions for future columns.
Reverend on trial for gay wedding
I am not religious, so my opinion is moot, but it appears that Presbyterian Church is making itself look fundamentalist. I am sure the bible thumpers will be jumping for joy, but are those the kind of friends mainstream Christians want to make?
Boycotters Plan More Sanctions
The meeting was scheduled for tonight. There is no news yet, but I am waiting on baited breathe for these new demands. (cough, cough) Here's the Post's coverage.
Judge allows Black United Front to withdraw from collaborative agreement
The judge picked a poignant day to issue this ruling. I wonder if she is trying to send a message.
CincyNation.com: Like other local stations, Channel 64 will read AP stories to viewers
Channel 64 has decided to create a newscast at the 10 pm hour with all indications it will be the same old, same old -- just like the other local stations. Many people do not realize that 90% of the stories on local stations come from the Associated Press. Tear it off the wire and read it to the audience. Channel 64 will do much of the same.


This was reported previously as a possibility, but no date was given as a starting point. I agree with CincyNation that local TV news does suck. It sucks nearly everywhere. The 90% figure is not valid however, and I will wait and see how Channel 64 does at news before I ridicule it. I would surmise it will be more of the same drivel FOX19, WLWT, WKRC, and WCPO produce on a daily basis.

CincyNation should also not be so gleeful at reporting the Greg Flannery of City Beat Story. I reported that story back on March 22nd.
Senate president White leads in a gentler style
Could this be more of a Fluff piece? The guy has an image problem; just leave to the hometown paper to make his little "boo-boo" all better. If he keeps up his good boy behavior he might just get a lollipop.
BRONSON: Scouting the way it used to be
Two things of value can be derived from this column. One is that Bronson admits that FOX News is conservative and that its claim of being "fair and balanced" should properly be placed in quotes, due to the subject nature of such a claim. The other is that the Girl Scouts must have once been indoctrination for Stepford wives, but now they are not. If a gaggle of conservative busy bodies needed to instill their kids with an Eva Braun style indoctrination and therefore had to create a new group the "way it used to be,” then Girl Scouts have come a long way.

Sunday, April 06, 2003

SA journo expelled from Iraq

Still in Baghdad (as reported)
1. NPR (USA) - Anne Garrels - Plans to stay throughout
2. Peter Arnett - freelance for The Daily Mirror - Plans to stay throughout
3. ITN & Channel 4 (International Television News ITV - UK) - Lindsey Hilsum
4. BBC (UK) - Total of 7 including 3 reporters - Rageh Omar -Plans to stay throughout
5. Washington Post (USA) - Anthony Shadid & Rajiv Chandrase
6. AP (USA) - Hamza Hendawi
7. Reuters (UK) - Staff of 19
8. Sky News - (UK)
10. Independent (UK) - Robert Fisk (what an ass)
11. Christian Science Monitor (USA) - Scott Peterson
12. ZDF (Germany)
13. Al Jazeera - (in Baghdad but reportedly no longer reporting)
14. Sydney Morning Herald/The Age (AUS) - Paul McGeough
15. San Francisco Chronicle (USA) - Robert Collier
16. Los Angeles Times (USA) - John Daniszewski & Michael Slackman
17. Irish Times (IRE) - Lara Marlowe
18. New York Times (USA) - John Burns and Photographer Tyler Hicks
19. Al-Arabiya (Dubai)
20. Abu Dhabi TV
21. Lebanese Broadcasting Company
22. Richard Engel - Freelance for ABC
23. Guardian (UK) - Suzanne Goldenberg
24. The New Yorker (USA) - Jon Lee Anderson
25. Palm Beach Post (USA) - Larry Kaplow
26. Chicago Tribune (USA) - E.A. Torriero
27. Corriere della Sera (Italy) - Francesco Battistini - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
28. Il Giornale (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
29. Il Messagero (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
30. L'Unita (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
31. Il Mattino (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
32. Il Sole 24-Ore (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
33. Il Resto Del Carlino (Italy) - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
34. Cox News Service (USA)- Craig Nelson
35. Herald Sun - Peter Wilson & John Feder - Detained by Iraqis in Basra, taken to Baghdad
36. Daily Mail (UK) - Ross Benson
37. Sunday Mirror (UK) - Steve Martin
38. Daily Mirror (UK) - Anton Antonowicz
39. Sunday Times (UK)
and other various French, German, Japanese, Danish, Dutch and other European, Asian, and African media outlets.

Not in Baghdad are NBC/MSNBC (Fired Freelancer Arnett for an appearance on Iraqi TV), ABC* (has free lancer in Baghdad), CBC Radio, FOX News (kicked out), China's official Xinhua news agency, Boston Globe (kicked out), Toronto Sun (kicked out), USA Today, Daily Telegraph, London Times, Newsweek (at least ordered to leave by Bosses), US News & World Report, Time, Wall Street Journal, CBS, CNN (kicked out), Robert Valdec (freelance for Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbia outlets was kicked out), ABS-CBN (Filipino), NY Newsday - Matthew McAllester & Moises Saman (kicked out), Molly Bingham - Freelance Photographer (worked for Al Gore) -(kicked out), Johan Rydeng Spanner - Danish freelance photographer (kicked out), Sydney Daily Telegraph (kicked out), Nate Thayer - Freelance for Slate.com (kicked out), 7 Freelance Japanese Journalists left on own accord, Johannesburg Sunday Times - Bonny Schoonakker (kicked out).

Saturday, April 05, 2003

Killed journalist remembered here
The Cincinnati Post remembers Kelly's life and his history here in Cincinnati.

Friday, April 04, 2003

Atlantic Monthly Editor Killed in Iraq
Sad news for the American Journalism community. Michael Kelly started his reporting career here in town at the Cincinnati Post. Poynter.org also reports on the story with some blogosphere reaction. The Enquirer has the AP wire report.
Mike McConnell Converts to the PC Movement
It would appear Mike from 700WLW has had a change of heart regarding the politically correct movement. Mike has removed a Pearl Jam song from the “bumper” music used on his show. He did this because of a single news story making the run around the internet. “Dozens” of people claim Eddie Vedder stepped on a mask of George Bush during a concert. Mike seems to not like anyone disrespecting the President of the United States, well I really mean anyone disrespecting a President he likes. Bill Clinton to this day is disrespected by callers on his show often on a daily basis over 2 years after the man left office. Mike rarely rebukes any of his callers who have accused Clinton of causing nearly all things “bad,” but a few dozen people can sway his mind. Mike can be branded a knee-jerk jingoist without question in my opinion. Mike has in the past been a fairly reasonable guy, but this war has seemed to turned him into a reactionary. First he wanted feudalism, now I would not be surprised for him to want to Sedition to be applied to anyone not conforming to his blood lusting views. What is most disturbing is the reality that if we were Iraq, Mike and the talk radio crowd would be the Fedayeen Geroge, forcing the rest of us to fight for their beloved Bush.

I really find it harder to support this war. I still do, but I really am disgusted by the attitude of many conservatives/neolibertarians who treat this like a political issue. It is like we are talking about gun rights and they have drawn sides like Sarajevo. With recent attacks on John Kerry, I see this coming election season to end up with small incidents of violence. There is nothing sadder than seeing election riots in the streets, but I think we will see political groups fighting each other, on a small scale next year. The Polarization of political debate has only one end: sectarian violence. We humans are so very very stupid.

Thursday, April 03, 2003

Local Talk Radio Show Host Attacked
Lincoln Ware is lucky. "Black Jesus" would appear to be a nut. The story indicates the attack to place downtown, but Ken Lawson on WDBZ stated it happen this morning outside WDBZ studios in Roselawn. The disparity will surely come out in court. Ken Lawson's suggestion to Lincoln is to have a "Panther member" escort him. Interesting, Lawson wants to promote “civil rights” but seeks protection from a hate group. Ironic, ya think?

Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Arafat persuades Iraqis to release four journalists jailed on spying charge
I am not sure I agree that the Iraqis were formally charging these reporters with spying as this headline indicates. I think they were chosen either randomly or because they were better PR targets.

Still in Baghdad (as reported)
1. NPR - Anne Garrels - Plans to stay throughout
2. Peter Arnett - freelance for The Daily Mirror - Plans to stay throughout
3. ITN & Channel 4 (International Television News ITV) - Lindsey Hilsum
4. BBC: Total of 7 including 3 reporters - Rageh Omar -Plans to stay throughout
5. Washington Post -Anthony Shadid & Rajiv Chandrase
6. AP - Hamza Hendawi
7. Reuters - Staff of 19
8. Sky News
10. Independent - Robert Fisk (what an ass)
11. Christian Science Monitor - Scott Peterson
12. ZDF (Germany)
13. Al Jazeera - (in Baghdad but reportedly no longer reporting)
14. Sydney Morning Herald/The Age - Paul McGeough
15. San Francisco Chronicle - Robert Collier
16. Los Angeles Times - John Daniszewski & Michael Slackman
17. Irish Times - Lara Marlowe
18. New York Times - John Burns and Photographer Tyler Hicks
19. Al-Arabiya (Dubai)
20. Abu Dhabi TV
21. Lebanese Broadcasting Company
22. Richard Engel - Freelance for ABC
23. Guardian - Suzanne Goldenberg
24. The New Yorker - Jon Lee Anderson
25. Palm Beach Post - Larry Kaplow
26. Chicago Tribune - E.A. Torriero
27. Corriere della Sera - Milan, Italy - Francesco Battistini - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
28. Il Giornale - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
29. Il Messagero - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
30. L'Unita - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
31. Il Mattino - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
32. Il Sole 24-Ore - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
33. Il Resto Del Carlino - Italy - Detained by Iraqis in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
34. Cox News Service - Craig Nelson
35. Herald Sun - Peter Wilson & John Feder - Detained by Iraqis in Basra, taken to Baghdad
and other various French, German, Japanese, Danish and Dutch media outlets.

Not in Baghdad are NBC/MSNBC (Fired Freelancer Arnett for an appearance on Iraqi TV), ABC* (has free lancer in Baghdad), CBC Radio, FOX News (kicked out), China's official Xinhua news agency, Boston Globe (kicked out), Toronto Sun (kicked out), USA Today, Daily Telegraph, London Times, Newsweek (at least ordered to leave by Bosses), US News & World Report, Time, Wall Street Journal, CBS, CNN (kicked out), Robert Valdec (freelance for Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbia outlets was kicked out), ABS-CBN (Filipino), NY Newsday - Matthew McAllester & Moises Saman (kicked out), Molly Bingham - Freelance Photographer (worked for Al Gore) -(kicked out), Johan Rydeng Spanner - Danish freelance photographer (kicked out), Sydney Daily Telegraph (kicked out), Nate Thayer - Freelance for Slate.com (kicked out), 7 Freelance Japanese left on own accord.
Monitor critical of city's progress
Rome wasn't built in a day, but if Rev. Nero III keeps up his fiddle, the ashes of the city will muddy the river for while, and then flow along.
Seen at Great American Ball Park
No PDA in GABP.
Try Arnett for treason, senator says
My question for Sen. Jim Bunning is: does he think members of the pro-life movement, like Pat Robertson, are guilty of aiding and abetting the terrorists that murder doctors who provide abortions? Robertson and many others in the pro-life (anti-abortion) crowd regularly make statements that are as inflammatory as Peter Arnett’s statements, but no one seriously seeks to include them as accomplices to murder. I also have to correct Mr. Bunning: aid and comfort is the phrase he means, not aiding and abetting. Mr. Bunning seems fine with FOX’s Geraldo Rivera actions, so why is he grandstanding against Peter Arnett? Leave it to a politician to capitalize on a buzz issue. I am sure Senators Byrd and Rockefeller of West Virginia are already pining for a photo-op with Pvt. Jessica Lynch, not to mention every WV House member.

Bunning is frothing for effect, not for principle.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
Arnett obviously has not levied war against the US and is not adhering to the “enemies,” especially since the framers would have required there to be a formal declaration of war in order for their to be an enemy, but that I am sure is a fine point most will ignore. If aid and comfort is the only standard, then any and every statement against the government at any point could be construed as “treason.” Mr. Bunning and the rest of the blood hungry hoards should instead look at the case of the 101 Airborne solider that killed 2 of his superior officers. That is treason. Exercising free speech needs to be intended to aid and comfort the enemy and be far more disparaging than what Arnett said. Repeating the same information as many others have stated in the public hardly raises this to a Federal case.

All of this being said, Arnett was either an idiot, or under duress. I am surprised conspiracy theorists have not reported the seeming coincidence of the release of the four journalists a day after Arnett’s interview on Iraqi TV. Could he have agreed to the interview in hopes of gaining their release? I seriously doubt it, but the coincidence makes for interesting speculation. Barring a Sidney Carton style self-sacrifice, Arnett was rightfully fired. He became the story, instead of covering the story, one of the worst sins a journalist could make. I just wish the chest beaters took a breather or at least focused on real treason, not politically motivated faux charges.

Tuesday, April 01, 2003

New Lawsuit Filed Against City Of Cincinnati
Evidence of a never-ending money grab. The boycott crowd and Jay Love defend Lawson, but are they in denial or do they stand to gain from the lawsuits? Jay Love has a personal connection that explains part of his hypersensitive reaction, but the rest have something to gain. The city is right to seek the removal of Lawson from the collaborative agreement. Lawson is out to make money from the exploitation of people who may or may not have legal claims against the city. Lawson is openly working a scheme to shakedown the city in a never-ending train of lawsuits. Nearly every black person who the police interact with in the City of Cincinnati are seen by Lawson as potential revenue. It is in Lawson's best interests for the police to kill more black people and for them to "racially profile" more people and for the police to beat every suspect to a bloody pulp. Racism is good for Lawson's business, and I do not see him doing anything to help end it.
Missing Newsday journalists found safe in Jordan

Still in Baghdad (as reported)
1. NPR - Anne Garrels - Plans to stay throughout
2. Peter Arnett - freelance for The Daily Mirror - Plans to stay throughout
3. ITN (International Television News ITV)
4. BBC: Total of 7 including 3 reporters - Rageh Omar -Plans to stay throughout
5. Washington Post -Anthony Shadid & Rajiv Chandrase
6. AP - Hamza Hendawi
7. Reuters - Staff of 19
8. Sky News
10. Independent - Robert Fisk (what an ass)
11. Christian Science Monitor - Scott Peterson
12. ZDF (Germany)
13. Al Jazeera
14. Sydney Morning Herald/The Age - Paul McGeough
15. San Francisco Chronicle - Robert Collier
16. Los Angeles Times - John Daniszewski & Michael Slackman
17. Irish Times - Lara Marlowe
18. New York Times - John Burns and Photographer Tyler Hicks
19. Al-Arabiya (Dubai)
20. Abu Dhabi TV
21. Lebanese Broadcasting Company
22. Richard Engel - Freelance for ABC (and BBC?)
23. Guardian - Suzanne Goldenberg
24. The New Yorker - Jon Lee Anderson
25. Palm Beach Post - Larry Kaplow
26. Chicago Tribune - E.A. Torriero
27. Corriere della Sera - Milan, Italy - Francesco Battistini - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
28. Il Giornale - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
29. Il Messagero - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
30. L'Unita - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
31. Il Mattino - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
32. Il Sole 24-Ore - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
33. Il Resto Del Carlino - Italy - Detained by Iraqi's in Southern Iraq and taken to Baghdad
and other various French, German, Japanese, Danish and Dutch media outlets.

Not in Baghdad are NBC/MSNBC (Fired Freelancer Arnett for an appearance on Iraqi TV), ABC* (has free lancer in Baghdad), CBC Radio, FOX News (kicked out), China's official Xinhua news agency, Boston Globe (kicked out), Toronto Sun (kicked out), USA Today, Daily Telegraph, London Times, Newsweek (at least ordered to leave by Bosses), US News & World Report, Time, Wall Street Journal, CBS, CNN (kicked out), Robert Valdec (freelance for Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbia outlets was kicked out), ABS-CBN (Filipino), NY Newsday - Matthew McAllester & Moises Saman (kicked out), Molly Bingham - Freelance Photographer (worked for Al Gore) -(kicked out), Johan Rydeng Spanner - Danish freelance photographer (kicked out), Sydney Daily Telegraph (kicked out), Nate Thayer - Freelance for Slate.com (kicked out).
Fast Food Analogy
With the current debate over troop levels and war plans, it can never hurt to put the whole situation into a simple fast food analogy. I will use McDonald’s as my example, since I worked there as a kid. I am sure the smell of it is not much better than the smell of battle. If we assume the US military is McDonald’s the best fast food restaurant in the world, then Don Rumsfeld seems to think that it was a good idea to agree to bus in 400,000 Iraqi soldiers at 3:30 PM to eat. This seems like it makes no sense, right? Well just hold on, it does make “some” sense.

At 3:30 PM the staff level in a McDonalds is not at the level it needed for the lunch rush. The middle of the afternoon is after all a slow period. Since the dinner rush hits at 5:00 PM, they will not start staffing up until 4:00 PM, at the earliest. Rumsfeld, and maybe the White House, could not wait to bring the 400,000 Iraqis to eat until dinner when the staff was at its peak; they had to rush it forward to the middle of the afternoon. They think the smaller superior staff should be able to handle the rush, which they eventually will handle, but the service level will not be at its best, and grease and grill burns will increase. Now, add in the fact that management (Rumsfeld & Bush) decided that they don’t need to start raising staff at 4:00 PM for the dinner rush; they can wait until 4:30 PM or even 5:00 PM itself to beef up for the rush. At this point not only does the staff have to deal lines of angry Iraqi “customers” out to the door, they will not be getting the staff level increases as early as they normally would get. Lower staff means lower service and more worker injuries during this premature afternoon rush.

Now, every one will be fed, but it could have been finished before the dinner rush if Rumsfeld had not delayed the staff increase and had even called the dinner team and asked them to get moving at 3:30 PM in hopes they could get in a little early. The food was not as good as it could have been, mind you, but the Iraqis will not be complaining. Will the staff be complaining about the pain they had to endure? Pain that will not prevent them from doing their jobs or completing their mission, but pain that could have been minimized.