Sunday, May 30, 2004

Hegemo on Cicadas

Sarah has some ideas on how Columbus could be tricked into taking all of Cincinnati's Cicadas. I am sure we would include shipping costs too.

Bronson Pimps WWII Veterans

Peter Bronson could have just done a tribute column to veterans for Memorial Day, but instead he whores them out in his political crusade. Not only does he use them like a smarmy John, he puts out ideas that contradict what I think most people view as American liberty.
  1. Censorship: Bronson wants only "good news" out of Iraq. He
    longs for the days of WWII when "the only stories that came home were
    tales of heroism, valor and perseverance." Truth be damned! We must
    indoctrinate the populace who dare might think for themselves.

  2. Pre-emption: Bronson laments that WWII was without an "exit
    strategy". Sorry to disappoint you Peter, but you are wrong
    again. We did have an exit strategy in Germany and Japan, destroy aggressive
    armies that had declared war on us. In Iraq we attacked a
    country that had a horrid regime in charge, but posed no threat to the USA,
    and a marginal threat to its neighbors. North Korea, Zimbabwe, Libya, and
    Cuba still stand. Where's the entrance strategy?

  3. Don't speak ill of Dear Leader: Bronson wants us to just leave his
    fearless leader alone. We can't speak ill of him, us horrible godless
    liberal heathens. We don't deserve the right to live here if we don't
    conform to his conservative way of life. This was a bit of a
    extrapolation from the quote he used from a veteran. He had to but
    that "liberal" in there and try to claim it the media is liberal
    again. Bronson is ten times the broken record I will ever be.

There is also no logical way Bronson can claim to have run with an anti-war crowd in high school. That does not mean he did not, it just be he likely got beat up by a rival gang of hippies, which caused his conversion to the blood lust crowd.

Main Street

Nick Spencer has what he thinks is wrong with the Main Street area and includes ideas about what could be done to improve it.

Friday's Enquirer had a lengthy article covering the recent bars closing.

Dayton has news about a downtown bar doing well.

Bush Up in Latest Ohio Poll

The Mason-Dixon/Plain Dealer Poll has Bush leading significantly, by 6%. This sounds high and contradicts other recent polls that have Kerry winning (one even with Kerry up 7%). It is likely close, but the swing reported in this poll seems like they got a bad sample. This is a problem in Ohio because we have such a polarized geography. Zip codes can predict voting patterns to such degree that polls are almost moot. The real issue is turnout. That is where Bush is in trouble. I do not think he will get the volume of turnout he needs to win by 6% as this poll suggests. Ohio will be close come November, no matter who wins.

Saturday, May 29, 2004

'Cops' Round-Up

'Cops!' appears not to be leaving Cincinnati. Alicia Reese explains herself, not very convincingly.

The Post has more on 'Cops!' going to Covington and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department. There is also a background story on 'Cops!' and its popularity.

More from WCPO, WKRC, WLWT, and the Plain Dealer.

Also check out Jeff Stahler's latest cartoon.

Friday, May 28, 2004

Cincinnati Guard Unit Questioned on Prison Deaths

A military police unit based in the Cincinnati Area has been questioned regarding the deaths of two prisoners back in December of 2002 in Afghanistan. The unit has been home since March of 2003.

'Cops!' is Out

Grandstanding, Grandstanding, what you gonna do? What you gonna do when the voters come for you? Council members Alicia Reese and Chris Smitherman had a case of the "Goo" over the Cincinnati Police allowing a filming of the TV show 'Cops!'.

I must officially announce that I have lost respect for Chris Smitherman. I was pleased he got on council, adding another Charterite was a big plus to council, but I did not see coming was his anti-police stances and his media whoring. All politicians put out for the news media to a degree, but Smitherman is whiling to do just about anything to piss people off and get the cameras on him. Is he thinking he could run for Mayor next year?

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Positive

Pat DeWine "can't think of anything positive" that could come from filming 'Cops' here in Cincinnati. I for one can think of one positive: we could see the boycott B people arrested for breaking the law and then handled with proper care, giving them no reason to sue, but reason to go to jail.

This does assume that Nate Livingston takes up my challenge to get himself arrested in front of the 'Cops' film crew. I don't support breaking any laws, but if Nate wants attention, that is one way to get it. I would even provide him with free gift VHS or DVD copy of the episode in which he or any boycott B member stars in, and when I say "star" I mean staring in the role of "shirtless man in handcuffs."

Bronson Misses the Obvious

Peter Bronson misses the obvious solution to ridding the city of criminal drug dealers, legalize drugs. You don't want people getting rich from bootleg crack? Simple, sell it cheaper at a sanctioned junkie store, one with clean needles and sources of information on kicking the habit.

Having the police come down heavy on drug dealers will not rid the city of drug crime, it might soften for a while, but like weeds it grows right back. You must get to the root of the problem, cut out the high bootleg prices and you drop the incentive for girls to get pregnant at 15 and hook up with an 18-year-old drug dealer with money. No drug dealer with illegal money, then less crime and less people doing what ever it takes to be with the man with "easy" money.

Miami Leads the Way

Miami U. leads the way in local graduation rates

Love and honor to Miami,
Our college old and grand,
Proudly we shall ever hail thee,
Over all the land.


Alma mater now we praise thee,
Sing joyfully this lay,
Love and honor to Miami,
Forever and a day.


Wednesday, May 26, 2004

The Exile of Main Street

Has the city dumped Main Street as its premire bar district? Two bars close, any new bars open?

Food

Here's the Taste of Cincinnati Menu. I plan on making at least one trip down this weekend.

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

John Dowlin, Lame Duck County Commissioner & Bigot

What the hell got into Dowlin's coffee? Since when is this guy a hardcore anti-homosexual bigot? I would not bat a lash if this was Phil Heimlich or Chris Monzel, but since when has Dowlin been a bible-thumping bigot? I agree with Kevin Osborne on this:
Although Heimlich has a reputation as a staunch conservative, much of Dowlin's political career has been spent as a moderate with a focus on economic issues, prompting surprise among observers that he would introduce such a resolution as his term ends.
All I can say is good riddance come November to this asshole theocratic bigot, who is just wasting tax payer money with his crusade.

Heimlich will be a total hypocrite if he supports this, but I am sure that's one principle he will gladly sacrifice on the way to his form of theocracy.

Nick Spencer has more.

Non-Bronson Thread

Ok, I know I posted a boat load on Bronson today, so here is a thread to rant on what ever else you might want, Bush's Speech and its failure to do much of anything or you can just sound off on the loud cicadas. Did I mention they were really loud?

Bronson's Opps

Rebecca Bowman of the CSF educates Peter Bronson on his Oklahoma crack in prior column unfairly bashing the Fringe Festival. As a volunteer at the Fringe Fest, I was rather pissed at both his ignorant slam of the Fringe and his trashing of Oklahoma. I applaud Rebecca's history lesson for Peter, who seems to have been suckered by those 'pinko liberals' Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Bronson Hates Business Development

If it was not Tim Burke, leader of the Hamilton County Democrats, representing businesses trying to take home owner's land for a big development Bronson would likely have not given a damn about a handful of residents holding up jobs for Americans.

What would Bronson say if they wanted to expand in West Chester and take some houses a mile from his house? I am sure he would not waffle an inch and support the business development. Here he flip-flops on what to do. Well, I hope I never read Bronson pull the faux flip-flop charge on John Kerry.

Monday, May 24, 2004

Battle Royal, GOP Style

Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Cincinnati Republican, has called for the Republican Party to seek the resignation of Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. The head of the Party has rejected Blackwell's demand. Householder's campaign had prepared a memo outline a plan to "possibly destroy the political career" of Blackwell, a rival of Householder for statewide office.

Householder is being investigated by Federal Officials regarding speaker's campaign practices.

More from the Akron Beacon-Journal.

Derf Makes it Big

The New York Times has taken notice of www.cicadaville.com the creation of Cincinnati satirist Brandon Breedon, a writer at Derf Magazine.

And another, the Cicadas are really fucking loud.

No Big Deal?

Rob Daumeyer at the Cincinnati Business Courier writes on why Abu Ghraib became a bigger deal that he thinks it deserves:
Abu Ghraib, the Department of Defense, Wall Street and just about every other institution you can think of, are being derided as symptoms of a debased, faded civilization.

To which I reply, stop with the crazy talk. That argument is emptier than the soul food line at the Republican National Convention.

Look, I'm not saying things are super terrifically splendidly great, but let's get serious. The Abu Ghraib torture -- or fraternity hazing, as Rush Limbaugh calls it -- isn't anything we didn't do in other wars. I shudder to think what we did with the few Japanese we managed to get our hands on. We just didn't have tiny little digital cameras and the Internet to duplicate them a bazillion times.
I think Rob's point on how what was done by Hitler or Stalin was worse than Abu Ghraib is "true", but the difference that apologists for Don Rumsfeld miss on this point is that it was our military. Rob is wrong, this is a big deal. He agrees that the situation was horrid and Rumsfeld and Co deserve criticism, but even though attention has been focused on this one prison, it still does not take away that our soldiers did this and did it knowingly. Another person's crime is horrible, but a crime your commit yourself is then end of one's moral stature.

Boycott B Website is 'Suspended'

The website "www.boycottcincinnati.org" only has this comment as a banner, "This Account Has Been Suspended." Nate Livingston must be on vacation.

Bush Speech, Little New

There were a few dates that he committed to meeting for elections in Iraq, but other than wanting to demolish the Abu Ghraib, there was nothing new. He was a little bit more specific about what he wants, but how he plans on doing it, well that is still a mystery.

His big lie was saying that on June 30th Iraq will have "full sovereignty." That is just crap and he and everyone else knows that. He knows that having 138,000 troops in Iraq under his control means it is in no way a sovereign county.

Will the media keep the pressure on Bush if what he said does not come to pass? We'll just have to wait and see.

Change any opinions? Nope. It was not carried by the 4 networks, so few likely were to have seen it.

Washingtonienne Picture

"Washingtonienne" is on the right. More from WaPo.

UPDATED by the directionally challenged writer.

Kill the Messenger

We get the typical anti-free press idiot in the Letters tot he Enquirer (2nd letter):
Showing photos aids the enemy

The photographs of abuse of 'Iraqi detainees' by American soldiers are a sad tale. Having served in the United States Air Force for 11 years and now serving in the Kentucky Army National Guard, I know this is not the norm for U.S. troops. I'm not excusing their actions by any means and disciplinary actions have already begun.
But should a man, a non-combatant there to help rebuild a nation in turmoil be decapitated for crimes of others? What is the media's hand in this matter? Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense knows the answer. By non-stop coverage and viewing of those prison photos the media has put every American in Iraq and probably in most Middle Eastern countries at risk. ?
Irresponsible journalism is aiding and abetting the enemy. Please stop handing them ammunition.
Steven Banfield
Taylor Mill
I guess Mr. Banfield prefers only the news that helps out the Army by hiding the truth. We all know that the truth kills people after all. An honest man dies first is what I always say.

He is right about one thing: the US government is just handing this crap to the media. That is however not the media's fault. If he wants to blame the bad actions of the military on someone, why not try blaming it on the military? I myself blame the civilian leadership of the military, which is one of many reasons I do not support this Administration.

Prophetic Woodward

Well, Bob Woodward did not conjure up the claim in his book,“Plan of Attack,” that the Saudis planned on lowering the price of oil in time for the election. He got it from their US Ambassador. So, here starts their "contribution" to the Bush reelection campaign. There may not have been a provable "deal," but Bush is the Saudi choice for President. Their financial contribution to his campaign goes far more than money for attack ads, it goes right into his manipulation of the perceptions of the American people. When the price of gas comes down, what will Bush say? His tax cuts did the trick, but of course. Now, he would be right, if by tax cuts he really meant his personal ties with the oppressive anti-human rights government of Saudi Arabia. A government that turned a blind eye to Anti-American terrorists brewing within its own borders. That is a foreign policy only Henry Kissinger could love.

Sunday, May 23, 2004

Details

The keyword to remember about Bush's speech on Iraq tomorrow is details. The media has that word all over the place when describing what he will be talking about. Will he break with tradition and get specific? I seriously doubt it. If we get anything more than "stay the course" I will be surprised. I believe though that if he does not start giving specifics on what his short and long term plans are on Iraq, he will be in trouble, even with many Republicans.

Bush can't just punt on Iraq until November. He has to survive a long hot summer of militant attacks. He must lay his cards out there. I predict he will try what used to be called a “limited, modified hang out.” He will say stuff that his supporters will eat up as detail, but in reality is only a small portion of what BushCo is planning to do in Iraq. That of course assumes they have any plans other than getting relected.

The speech tomorrow is nothing but a political rally disguised as Presidential address, but how will the media react? Is the bar set where reporters actually expect Bush to say something more than the usual "stay the course" and pat the military on the back dogma? I don't know if they will be suckers or not, but my feeling is that they might pounce if doesn't through them at something new to write about.

Why is Bush scared of making this a full fledged national address from the Oval Office? If he really was planning on a change to his policy would he not actually ask for network air time, which he has not, and start setting things up in a true Presidential forum, not a campaign forum? It is just a sign of the double talk from BushCo. They call themselves strong and decisive leaders, but they don’t really want to announce anything, just make people think they have, while not really changing anything. Is that the actions of anything more than a manipulator?

Typical Bronson

So, Peter gets a press release from a right-wing group claiming the "liberal" college campuses have too many liberal speakers. By too many they really mean any at all. Bronson really needs to get to colleges more, and talk to regular students. Don't just talk to the activists who call him and lobby him to write propaganda column for them, like this one.

If he spent an hour in any business class at any major university he would get, as amazing as it may be, Pro-capitalism dogma preached. Guess what, that is just fine with my, I sat through it myself. That is what business schools are meant to do, prepare students for American capitalism. I am "sorry" that the schools of arts and sciences don't preach the religious dogma Bronson wants them to, but that is not why they are about. They are about individual concepts of being human. They are about open ideas. They are not about bible thumping.

Wes Flinn has far more to say on this column, please have a read.

UPDATE: I wonder what Peter thinks of the horrible "liberals" at Hofstra University who booed E.L. Doctorow for making "Anti-Bush" remarks during a commencement address. What is most horrible is the Bronson likely would have been booing as well, even though he complains when others boo Bush Administration officials.

New Local Blog

Nick Spencer, former City Council Candidate has a new blog on Cincinnati politics and culture.

Saturday, May 22, 2004

Dem Executive Director Cited for DUI

The Whistleblower NewsWire reports that Adam M. Rosenberg, the Executive Director of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, was cited for DUI May 14th after a vehicle crash on I-71. I am surprised that this news has not made the papers. I am shocked that the local GOP is not all over this, if it indeed is the same person.

I guess this story might be put into the same category as Pat DeWine's divorce, which was barely reported on in the local press.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

COPS! is coming to Cincinnati. This opens up things up a bit. People will get to see life on the streets of the Nati. I am sure no matter what the overall result of the program, whether it is just the typical shirtless man arrested or a hatchet job on the CPD, people will be pissed about it.

I will put out a challenge. I challenge Nate Livingston or anyone from the Boycott B to get arrested by one of officers working with the TV crews. I would make sure to record that episode.

DeWine Staffer Fired Because of Blog

Sen. Mike Dewine has fired the low level staffer for using Senate computers to write a blog called "Washingtonienne." The identity of the staffer is not known, but Wonkeet identifies her as Jessica Cutler and had al alleged interview with her. In that interview Culter states that her blog posts were not fictional. I am still skeptical, very very skeptical on that.

If she was fired, then I expect someone in the media could identify who no longer works for DeWine that was working for him, and then get an interview that can be vetted outside of an Internet "gossip" blog.

Also, here is an alleged achieve of Washingtonienne, which is no longer online.

UPDATE: DDN has more.

Riverfront Classic Returns

The annual football game between traditionally black colleges will be played this year in Paul Brown Stadium. The only thing that I don't grasp is that it will be on the same weekend as a Reds home series with the Cubs, a home Bengals game, and Oktoberfest. That is a hell of a lot of people downtown. Parking will be non-existent. That might drive down attendance at all of the events.

On the other hand, what would be great is for people who go to the Classic to go to Oktoberfest as well, and for Oktoberfest goers to make it to the game or at least the Jamboree around it. I hope organizers from both events take advantage of that opportunity for cross-cultural experiences. That could go along way to starting what is lacking in this city: cultural integration.

Chopped Liver?

Generation X was the media darlings for a few years. We were seen as an unknown and forgotten generation that Boomers could not understand, thus I guess making us newsworthy. It appears that car makers have moved past us even though we are in our prime of buy cars right now. It seems that we are living up to our image of being forgotten, you don't hear much about us. It is either the Boomers are starting to retire, or the Gen Y “brats” are so big and so different that things will be changing. I guess the mystique of being part of Gen X has worn off on the media, or simply that Gen Y kids are starting to write about themselves now.

Friday, May 21, 2004

Cops Targeted?

An AP Wire report alleges that Cincinnati Police are being targeted by gunman. They report on 7 incidents since last November where gunman opened fire on police. Those situations were not disclosed except to say that three of them were when police were not confronting suspects.

Being a target for violence for no other reason than just being a police officers is reported as being rare, and the number here in Cincinnati are seen as strange:
"I can't think of any where our officers were shot at while they were just out on patrol," Cleveland police spokesman Wayne Drummond said.
Are local drug dealers targeting certain police officers for revenge? Is there a lone nut out there out to kill police officers? If this keeps up, I don't see crime rates improving. Police will be forced to stay in their cars and off the beat.

In the Woods on the Way Out?

WVXU reported this morning via the Business Courier that the restaurant/bar In the Wood is suing to prevent and eminent domain proceeding to take over the property to make way for new development on the south side of UC's campus.

I have only been there once, but it was good cheap food. I don't know what they plan on replacing it, but do they need to? Does UC need this much expansion? Why should a viable business be forced to move for a small project? It is one thing to move someone for a highway or a sports stadium, but for condos?

Thursday, May 20, 2004

A Blog that 'Shocked'

Carl Weiser is reporting that a female staffer for Sen. DeWine was writing what is being called an 'explicit' blog.

Wonkette has the story covered best, including a line up of department chief of staffs alleged to have been her "loser john".


This looks and acts like a hoax, but it appears to have legs. The Plain Dealer has more, as well as the Springfield Sun. It hits the big time when it makes the Washington Post.

No comment from Mike DeWine's office. No denials either, so it is likely at least that this person is real and the blog was real. I still would guess that the person was having a little fun, and the fiction she was writing got away from her.

If this is true, then I can only say: holy shit. That scandal would make Bill Clinton's affairs look like Pilgrim Sex.

UPDATE: Greg Mann has more.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Hot Air, Meet Kettle

Ray Cooklis starts off his column Hot air: Raising McCain with a gem of a sentence:
"Some news operations appear so eager to create an anti-Bush political groundswell that they'll grasp at any straw."
Gee, Ray, what can we say about your news operation? Who do you and your management want on the Kerry ticket? Let me guess, Hillary Clinton? How many times has some conservative journalist tried to claim Hillary was either going to be VP for the Dems or some kind of fairy tale last minute candidate? The Enquirer even dragged Hillary into your editorial endorsing Bush back in 2000. When Ray starts harping on the major news outlets that like to gin up anti-Clinton fund raising drives by making fools fear Hillary running for President, at that point I might see this as anything but a political hack job on both McCain, Kerry, and the New York Times.

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Moose on Main Shooting

The shooting of bar tender at Moose on Main appears to have followed a fight. This is better than random violence, but it is bad in whole different way. I will wonder if Race was involved? I wish I did not have to wonder that, but this story leaves that out and it there are signs that it could have been an issue. The fight allegedly stated after an "unpleasant conversation" with locals. What was the conversation about? Bad service? Loud Music? What?

Truth from Bronson

We got some truth from Bronson today that no one will dispute:
"My idea of 'high culture'' is the top row of seats at Oklahoma! I live on Square Street with Joe and Jane Burbs. "
Peter however insults Rodgers and Hammerstein with use of Oklahoma. Why not just use something like the musical version of "The Green Berets" as your ideal Cultural production. I can see Pete getting weepy over the finale of "The Ballad of the Green Beret" with the fake smoke doing most of the work to wet his eyes.

The biggest insult Bronson levels is his double talk:
That usually means stuff about AIDS, sex, race, women's issues, sex, gays and AIDS.
I wonder what the actors appearing now think about AIDS and how it affects people? I bet they would not perform for you Pete, after that shot at an issue many in the arts care about.

Bronson is writing himself as a cliché. He is saying don't break new ground, stick to the traditional. In other words, progress bad, the mythical past good.

Oklahoma! is a great musical, I just recent saw the movie, which I recommend. People should also hit the Fringe Festival and see art from the outside of its institutions. See art/theater from perspectives that Peter Bronson dismisses, ignores, and fears.

Bad Reporting

Headlines and leads are all too often the only part of a newspaper story that people read. In the case of the The Cincinnati Post's story from Saturday entitled "Equality remains an issue: Many local schools as segregated as ever" has a lead that along with the headline misleads the public:
Fifty years after the U.S. Supreme Court changed the course of history by ordering America to desegregate schools, many Greater Cincinnati schools are as racially segregated as ever.
If anyone were to read only the headline and opening paragraph they would have been subjected to a clear falsehood. What local school anywhere in this country is as segregated as ever? There are none. No public school in this country can legally segregate students based on race or ethnicity. That is the element of Brown v. Board of Education that everyone can celebrate 50 years later. Brown is a success on that front. The intention of the writer/editor may have been to say that schools are largely still divided by race, but the language used implies that the legal victory won by Brown was not achieved, and it was, so no school has the same segregation as before.

Those who see Brown as a catalyst of integration, as opposed to segregation, give it too much power and not enough reality. This country is nearly as unintegrated as it was 50 years ago, but to say it is segregated is wrong. Segregation in terms of our society has the implication of forced or required separation of the races. To use the term misleads the public, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to believe that things are largely no better than it was 50 years ago. I am sure that is what the boycotters want people to believe, that brings them power from angry people. That is not the truth. The reasons why schools today are not integrated are because most communities are not integrated. Asking why our communities are not integrated would have been a better focus of this story, if your concern is why many local schools are largely only one race.

Monday, May 17, 2004

'Told You So'

Why do I feel like the hawks are grasping at straws? Well, they jump on anything as a basis for the war and its ever-shifting rationale.

Rob makes a good argument why the UN and the USA should have stepped up the pressure on Saddam and taken a vary hard line with Iraq, including an increase in targeted missile attacks. What he forgets is the threat Iraq was allegedly posing to the USA, a fiction of the gravest proportion. He also again leaves off the rationale as to why War in March of 2003 had to happen. Not to mention he forgets that BushCo. mislead the country and the world into believing that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons. I guess those issue don't matter. I guess it matters not that we had no plan for Iraq after the battle plan. I guess it matters not that we have no plan for stabilizing the country.

I guess I have said these things before, but they bare repeating every time. Let us not forget why we fight....we fight out of choice...'we' fought because it fit Bush's political timeline. We fought because of blood lust. We are acting like barbarians. We don't seem to care enough to say much about it. We are getting 'ours' so we don't care what is left over for everyone else.

Damn, I guess I am really part of everyone else, because I got nothing but shame out of this war. I am no safer, I am no richer, I am no more honorable in the fight for freedom.

Luken's Press Secretary Joins Kerry's Ohio Staff

Carl Weiser reports on the Kerry campaign's ramp up of of paid staff in Ohio:
And, she said, Ohio has more staff on the ground than any other state. Brendon Cull, Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken's press secretary, will be the 13th paid employee this week as he takes a leave of absence to become Ohio press secretary for the Kerry campaign.
Kerry is leading in Ohio in the latest poll, so do they really want to add staff now? Well, hell yes. If Kerry can build on his current position in Ohio he can take it from Bush and win. Brendon Cull, who I assume will working mostly in Cincinnati, will be either wasting his time against a solid Bush area, or he might turn over enough moderates in the area to help make the state a landslide for Kerry.

Everything could turn any which way, but Ohio is going to be with the trend, no matter which way it turns.

Comments

I have brought back Haloscan and have kept the Blogger Comments. I like things about both, but I want everyone to participate, so for now I will kept both and see how it works, if at all. I might turn one off if no one uses it. Let me know what people prefer.

Sunday, May 16, 2004

Horrible

One of the Moose on Main's Bartenders was shot in the face after closing traveling to his car after work. Luckily his wounds were not life threatening. No reason was reported, but the circumstances sound like a robbery. Here is where gun nuts clamor for carrying more guns and where I clamor for more police patrols and where the boycotters say nothing at all about what happened.

New Editor at Cincinnati Magazine

Kitty Morgan is leaving, so welcome Jay Stowe. Jay comes from Outside Magazine, an outdoors culture magazine. I sometimes pick up a copy of Cincinnati Magazine. It's view on culture have stuck generally to the fine-living type as the focus, sprinkling in something different each month. Will we see a change?

A Blog Movie?

The 'Baghdad blogger' has a movie deal. Life in a war zone is much more of a compelling story than writing on a website from your living room. I will be waiting for my agent's phone call any time now. (cough, cough)

Witty Bronson

More like this Peter, please, more like this. I am happy to say that I really enjoyed Bronson's column today. It was humorous, took a jab at the boycott, and had fun in a generally non-partisan way, except if you were from Louisville.

If Peter just leaves out the political shilling for Bush or his regular attacks on Bill Clinton for existing, then he would actually be an entertaining columnist.

Killer Cicadas!!!

Dr. Ray Baker of Cincinnati Children Hospital does not go that far, but he is doing his best to get parents into a frenzy. What he is concerned about and has noticed is that kids are doing stupid things or react hypersensitively towards cicadas. They are either scared by the bugs and injured themselves running away, or they are injured trying to crush the bugs.

Cicadas are not going to kill anyone directly. If you are unlucky enough to get one in your car and can't handle the buzzing I guess you crash and die. If you try to eat the bugs, make sure you chew them well, we don't want you to choke on them either.

Springer Chosen by Ohio Dems for National Convention

Jerry Springer has taken his first step at revitalization in the Ohio Democratic Party. He will never shed his sleazy TV show image completely, but over time I think he will become a viable candidate for office in 2006, but not win a statewide race.

Saturday, May 15, 2004

New Site Format

You are not seeing things, I have updated the site. I am still working on things, so please bare with me. I am archiving the old comments, and will try and put them somewhere, but likely they will not be linked to their old post.

If you see any problems, errors, or ways to improve the site, please comment.

Friday, May 14, 2004

Berg Murder in Iraq, Untold Story

The Nick Berg execution in Iraq has many unanswered questions and XRay Magazine probes them. I am not one for conspiracy, but at a minimum there is more to the story with the news that Berg's father was being watched by a hardcore rightist website. Covington has more.

Thursday, May 13, 2004

Build More Jails?

With Si Leis uniformly acting as if he was the sole deity in the universe, he has decreed that certain women facing trial for lesser offenses will not be held in the county jail. They will instead be sent home. Leis reportedly has asked for a new jail in the past, so what is he waiting for now? Leis is not immune from pulling political stunts to make his point, please refer to his billing of Bill Clinton for security coverage for an example.

What is the underlying problem to cause this capture and release? Are more women being arrested and we don't have enough space in the female areas of the jail? Are we solving more crimes? I don't think we have stopped many thefts in the county, Leis should know that. So, What gives? Why must this happen? Why have we not built a new jail? Are we holding convicted felons in the jail who can't fit into the state system?

Shocking Peter Bronson

I don't know if this counts as a true flip-flop or not, but Bronson is defending rich Indian Hill people for wanted to keep people out of their publicly funded parks. I always thought Peter wasn't a classist. I did not know he wanted to treat the rich differently than the rest of us. I guess if you have the money, you can buy government.

Oh, by the way, this is not really a shock, in case my sarcasm was lost in transference to the written word.

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Quotas Suck

A Wisconsin Daily newspaper is asking for pro-Bush letters, mainly because they don't get enough and want to "balance the perspectives." They don't get enough of the GOP astro-turf. I would advise that Post-Crescent of Appleton, Wisconsin contact the Enquirer and asked for the piles of pro-Bush drivel they have lying around in the letters to the editor files.

Chiquita Spin

If I understand this article correctly, Chiquita is claiming that their payments to Colombian rebels was just a normal business expense commonly used by US companies in Central America.
Special payments by U.S. companies in Latin America - whether for faster telephone installation or security services - are known as 'facilitating payments' and are allowed under U.S. law. Chiquita says it and other American companies have done it for years.
Are they really comparing paying protection money to criminals to telephone installation? Do restaurant owners get to deduct the expense of paying of the mafia to assure their deliveries are made on time? What a large pair of bananas they have.

The New WOXY

We still will have a modern/alternative rock station to kick around. As I reported earlier from Sledge's blog, the new station will keep the same format. I would expect the station to be more "mainstream" and compare more to 97.3. I myself would love kind of a classic alternative/punk/new wave/grunge rock station that played the likes of the Clash, U2, Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, and the like.

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Gun Nuts, Oh the Stupidity

Ohio Gun Nutt part of the OFCC have written a list of businesses they are boycotting because they don't allow people carrying guns into their establishment.

Once again gun nuts are seeking SPECIAL RIGHTS, this time through acts akin to blackmail.

Frisch's response is the best:
"We're OK if they choose to boycott our stores," said Karen Maier, vice president of marketing for Cincinnati-based Frisch's Inc., which has posted signs banning weapons at all corporate-owned Big Boy restaurants in Ohio. "We don't want firearms in our stores."
What right do gun owners have to force their "rights" upon others via civil business interference? I hope none of these guys pushing this boycott are against the boycott of Cincinnati. The must approve of the method, if they attempt to use of themselves.

Idiots. Just Idiots. They have their guns, but they will not feel good until they can take their faux penis and intimidate everyone possible with it.

Chiquita paid rebel groups

My first question about the Enquirer's story is simply: Did Uncle Carl know? From the article:
Chiquita said the Justice Department was contacted after the company discovered the groups were listed on the State Department's Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. The list names 37 organizations, including al-Qaida as well as three groups in Colombia.

A Justice Department spokesman declined Monday to comment on the investigation. U.S. law makes it a crime to knowingly provide resources to terrorist organizations.
If Carl Linder was still part of the company when this happened, I hope he is being including in the investigation.

More from CNN.

Local Pols' Views on Rummy

Korte rounds up the views and statements of local and regional politicians about Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld. They all seem to hem and haw a bit, but support Rumsfeld staying.

I myself don't really care much if he stays or goes. I don't see the policies changing either way. We might even get Wolfowitz instead, and that is a scary thought.

Rummy should not be the fall guy for Iraq. The chains of sorrow should hang around the neck of Bush himself. Dumping Rumsfeld helps Bush's keep moderate votes, so in political terms I would hope Bush keeps him.

We're the Killer Bees!

Here's the 411 on the damn cicadas.

Backhanded Praise?

Bronson column today about 1230 the Buzz comes across as backhanded praise. Mostly because of his admitted original preconceived notion about the station. After the riots the Buzz did come across much like an Al Jazeera. I don't know if one time of calm a storm, namely the mini-riot in Winton Terrace, will erase the mouthpiece they give to the likes of Kabaka Oba and William Kirkland, two of the infamous Boycott B and two of the most avoid racists in town.

New Enquirer Managing Editor

Hollis Towns is the newest member of the Enquirer. He takes over a vacant position at the number 2 spot. He was previously at the Kalamazoo Gazette, so how will life in a much larger city affect his work? I wonder if anyone will notice his race? Do all senior editors get their picture in the paper when they are hired? It didn't happen here.

Monday, May 10, 2004

Bush's New Campaign Motto

Jeff Stahler gives us The Buck Stalls Here.

This was Radio X

Dig out the hankies for the end is near for 97X. Memories are full and the future of rock and roll is bleak. A station that was beyond a cliché, hopefully will not become one. More from the DDN.

The only funny thing is that Matt Sledge was listed two times (both repeated online to make four) in the memories section; he must have spent a lot of peanuts to get that much press.

Sunday, May 09, 2004

Theocratic Fascists At Work Again

he National Press has noticed the work of one David Langdon, who is working to put on the ballot an amendment to the Ohio Constitution to ban gay marriage. I guess DOMA is just not strong enough of homosexual oppression. He wants to make sure it would take a huge effort to change the bigot backed state law.

Langdon is a far far right winger, so far right he supported the Constitution Party, a reactionary Conservative Christian group. An Ohio Democratic spokesman, Dan Trevas, sums up the situation politically on what it means to the Presidential race:
"I'm sure this is the [work of] general conservative movement," Trevas said. "Do I believe Bush-Cheney is rooting for them to do it? Sure, but I don't think they're involved."
Bush and gang don't really want bigots like Langdon getting press where they don't push Bush, but they would like his support if they could get it. This is where denouncing your allies is ethically the thing to do. It is a politically difficult task to swallow, something that will likely cost votes. Bush and most relevantly Ohio Republicans will dismiss this by ignoring it. That might be a mistake. Every vote in Ohio will count and if this guy goes for the openly theocratic fascists, instead of the closeted types, then Kerry is even better off in Ohio than he is now.

Hooray for Nancy Reagan

Yes, that Nancy Reagan. Mrs. Regan is publicly calling for stem cell research. Too bad the anti-abortion extremists have Bush over a barrel. His pre-9/11 cutting the baby in a 1/5th to 4/5th split against federally funded research has been lost on society. I gladly praise Mrs. Reagan for taking this action.

Cicada Sound

This Dayton Daily News article indicates that the real problem with the cicadas is the noise they make. One person told me that is what will drive you nuts, not them get in your hair.

I am sick of the stories, but this one about the noise I would tend to believe.

'Journalistic' Fellatio

Here we find Peter Bronson 'worshiping' at the alter of the Prophet Bush.

Fringe Fest

Thank you Enquirer! This festival is not the normal for the Enquirer to push in such a big article, but this coverage should go a long way to bring in people to the performances. More Here, and also Here.

For the full deal check out the Fringe's website.

This plus a mention along with the Know Theatre Tribe in a Jackie Demaline column, not bad for a Sunday.

Saturday, May 08, 2004

Wow, Propaganda Works!

People just really like to eat it like it was candy eat it like it was candy. Rob ate it. No wonder why people actually think Iraq was behind 9'11.

UPDATE: This is up to number #5 on Daypop's TOP40. Can you say "suckers?" Bush hugs a girl, and the crowd goes nuts. Bush misleads the country about the threat from Iraq and.....nothing, they don't care. Bush can do no wrong. This is coming close to a literal religious movement surrounding this guy. Now before the religious zealots starting throwing darts at me, look at the situation. Bush is not questioned by the right. He gets a little grief on this or that, but nothing serious. He is treated like a new messiah. I am sure I will piss people off for going so "over the top" on that, but 10,000 screaming Sally Simpsons paint a different picture.

Friday, May 07, 2004

Freedom?

I find it odd that people would go to a public courthouse to celebrate freedom of religion. Why not go to your church or private place and celebrate the fact that the government does not interfere with your religion. Instead they seek to use the government or its facilities to push their religion. Dare I say the "T" word? Dare I?

I was there for you

I remember seeing a photographer at the Enjoy the Arts/START program, but I did not expect the story to be about 'Friends.'

Thursday, May 06, 2004

Follow-Up BushCo Puff Piece

Did not think Bush got enough positive coverage yesterday in the Enquirer? Well, your wish for propaganda is granted including a totally bullshit PR photo of Bush hugging a teenager. The name of the picture is even just called "hug."

"Liberal Media My Ass" is something the Enquirer should just put on its masthead. Come on! What are the editors thinking? Oh, right, I forgot, they are writing for West Chester. The rest of us just don't matter.

The New WOXY

Matt Sledge will be the new Program Director for X97.7, "New Music First." That station will have a alternative/modern rock format. I also believe the station's studios are leaving Oxford, but that tidbit I am speculating on based on some background info, that I could have totally misconstrued. Don't blame me if I am wrong on that. Well, blame me, but don't tear me a new one.

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Day After Coverage

As a point of reference, I pulled out the links to compare the Enquirer's coverage of the Bush visit yesterday and Kerry's visit back on April 6th.

Here are the stories on Bush:
Bush shores up SW Ohio support
Bush says Maupin is in his prayers
What's in bus tour name? Apparently a lot
Photos of Bush Rallies
Transcript of 'Ask President Bush' event in Dayton
Transcript of 'Ask President Bush' event in Dayton

Here are stories on Kerry's Visit:
Democrat enters GOP den
Sandal whappers serenade Kerry

Do we get fair and balanced coverage here in Cincinnati? I have reported on one media outlet, you decide.

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

Remarks by Bush at Cincy Gardens

Here is lesson one in how bankrupt this president is, from his speech:
"We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. The culture of this country is changing from one that has said, if it feels good, do it, and if you've got a problem, blame somebody else, to a culture in which each of us understands we are responsible for the decisions we make in life. (Applause.) If you're fortunate enough to be a mother or a father, you are responsible for loving your child with all your heart. (Applause.) If you're worried about the quality of the education in the community in which you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. (Applause.) If you're a CEO in corporate America, you are responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders and your employees. (Applause.) And in the new responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves. (Applause.) "
Why hasn't Bush taken responsibility for the following:
  1. Not finding WMD in Iraq.

  2. Having No Plan for post war Iraq.

  3. Having no clue who is going to run Iraq come July 1st.

  4. Intelligence failures before 9/11 and taking terrorism seriously.

  5. Identifying a CIA agent.

  6. Claiming Iraq was linked to Al Qaeda.

  7. Using 9/11 anger as the catalyst for a pre-emptive war.


Gay Marriage is the problem with Heterosexual Marriage after all. The culture makes you lie, cheat, steal, do anything to make a profit, even tax the middle class into the poor house.

My commute home rose from 25 minutes to 55 minutes thanks to Bush's campaign stop. Mind you it was a campaign stop, not an official Presidential visit, if there is a difference anymore.

I was surprised to hear 550 WKRC carrying the Bush Speech live from the Gardens. I am sure we will get Kerry's next campaign stop carried live on local Clear Channel Radio. (No, I will not be holding my breath on that.) I was also hope to hear from any Democrats who tried to enter but were denied entrance to the event. At one a day or so ago an old man was kept out of an event because when asked he said he was not a Bush Supporter. Best picture of Bush's trip was this one, Via Atrios, showing Bush riding in his French made bus, complete with French Flag.

I was disappointed that the anti-Kerry protestors last month got big coverage, but barely a word was said about those protesting Bush. I hope locals look and see how the media gushed over Bush here. There was not a critical word printed or said on local media (outside of the Buzz and CityBeat), any journalist.

I hope Stephanie Dunlap was let into the Bush rally, or someone from CityBeat. It would be nice to get someone point out that Bush has no plan for the next four years except "stay the course," the most clich? political image known to man, even more than kissing babies. It was funny that only really cheerful people where interviewed on WLWT on their way to the rally. I wonder if they work for the Ohio or National Republican Party.

Ohio in Play

The Post's Editorial Board leans toward putting Ohio in Play. This is from a newspaper that endorsed Bush in 2000. Yes, for the conservatives out there, your "liberal" local press were Bush supporters.

Bush's standing in Ohio depends most on how he does in Cincinnati and Columbus. He will win the rural areas, but loose the rest of the big cities. Bush must win Columbus and must clean up in the Cincinnati metro area. Bush will win our area, but if he does not get great voter turnout around here, he will find it hard to win the state.

His tour through the area will not really do much at this point. If Bush has to come to Cincinnati in late October or even early November, then he can write of Ohio and likely the election. I would guess Bush will need to be in Ohio heavily in October. Kerry better start living here in Ohio come Labor day. Kerry gets the Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown and Dayton areas, and gets them at 60% plus, he should win the state.

I see June as the defining period in politics. Most uninformed people get an image of the candidates at that point that will stick. That first image or first impression sticks, and influences perceptions, which are then attacked by the media and advertising all Fall.

Mariemont Drinkers

A federal judged dismissed the lawsuit against the school by parents of kids suspended for drinking beer while on a trip to Germany.

I don't know the legal standing the suit was based on, but the judged seemed to toss it out fairly quickly, so it must have had little federal merit.

It is still just amazing that rules of a public school reach beyond the walls of the school or other public schools. If a kid does something that is not a violation of the law, but is a violation of school policy, how is that not a violation of the kid’s rights? How can a school make laws to punish students when what they did was not against the law and was not even on school property or reasonable sphere of control?

More on Disturbance/Mini-Riot

The Cincinnati Post has a full report on the mini riot in Winton Terrace last night. Tension is simmering in parts of the city. Are people just waiting to riot and attack police at the first sign of a shooting? Was this just bad timing mixed with a few idiots spreading rumors and bunch of fools listening to rumors?

More from ONN.

Both Sides of His Mouth

Today Bronson claims the NAACP is living in the past, but nearly every other column Peter writes on social issues he advocates a "lifestyle" better kept in a 1950's TV Show, than in a modern and free society. Bronson, I think you have been living in the past all of your adult life. It might do you some good if you stopped trying to mold the world in the fictional world of your youth.

Monday, May 03, 2004

Springer for Governor?

Lisa Abraham of the Beacon Journal seems to think he is running, or at least appears like he is running.

Disturbance/Mini Riot in Winton Terrace

WCPO was on the scene of the aftermath of a suspect who shot himself after being pulled over by police. Shots were reportedly fired at police, rocks thrown at cars, and a WCPO vehicle was set on fire.

UPDATE: About 300 people were outside yelling claiming the police killed the man. Police indicate they fired no shots. Police fear rumors being run around town and are trying to get the word out that he committed suicide.

Wes Flinn's Ohio Statehouse Report

Make sure you check out Wes' Polstate.com post on Ohio politics.

Big City Eyes, Little Mind

Joe Shaw of the UC News Record writes, or should I say laments, on living in Cincinnati after graduation. He pines for living in great city like Chicago, New York, or LA. Those truly are great cities. What bugs me is that Joe is foolish enough to compare Cincinnati to those cities and say we don't have what they have. No shit, Sherlock. We are not a Mega-Metropolis. That should have been obvious after your first week in town. We are also not Buttlick, Kansas either. We are a big city, with great attributes. We do have our problems and we maybe at a crossroads, where we become a confederation of suburban fiefdoms, or regain some glory as a great city as in past days of the 19th century.

Now Mr. Shaw really has a problem to contend with. He ends his screed with, "Cincinnati pretty much sucks. It's best to get out while you have the chance." What he must remember, when he has to say where he went to college either he lies or tells the truth and UC. That by itself may be worth lying about, but that is another story (only joking UC folks.) What Mr. Shaw must admit, after being logically ask, is why he was foolish enough to and live in Cincinnati at all? If he was born here why did he stay and go to college here. If you can get in UC, you can surely get into OSU, so he could have spent his time in CowTown. He could have spent his time in hot and sticky Gainesville Florida, hours from the beaches, and in the middle of humidity. Why not try college in Nebraska or Arkansas or what is so great about Lexington and UK?

I can understand why people don't like Cincinnati, but I don't know why they would have been stupid enough to come here or as to why then if they are so brilliant to not get out sooner. Did someone chain him to his dorm room desk? Could he not have fled this horrid town sooner?

My little town in Western, NY would likely be considered hell on Earth for Mr. Shaw. We honesty had no jobs and no chance for growth and hour plus outside of dying Buffalo.

What better opportunity could any human have than to try and change a city as it hovers in a crossroads? I guess I would have trouble hiring Mr. Shaw, he seems to want to run from a challenge and stick to the sure thing. Mega pond, microfish. Big Pond, little fish. I will take little over micro, if you please.

Appeasement to Prudes

If you listen to local AM talk radio on a Clear Channel Station you would after a while hear a host or a caller belittle anyone who appeases a foreign power or group. France is made the target of scorn most often. Now, however, when you think of appeasers, think of Clear Channel. Rick Bird reports in the Post that WEBN is believed to be on a 7 second delay like most AM talk radio stations. AM stations have unknown callers to worry about, FM stations only have their DJ to worry about or the occasional guest. The need for it is suspect, and will it cost advertisers more in the long run?

Clear Channel fears the new FCC (the one on a puritanical crusade) and is trying to appease the beast by requiring all FM Stations to go on a delay. Listeners will notice relatively little change, but there will be some.

I will just be laughing whenever I hear a Clear Channel talk show host say or agree with comments against anyone even appearing to be appeasing someone. The beast pays homage to the beast, how fitting, yet how sad.

Sunday, May 02, 2004

Flip-Flop Protestors

I did a little bit more research into the flip-floppers who protested at the Kerry Rally last month and I ran into this column in the Dayton Daily News. It appears one Cornel TerreBlanche, age 18, of South Africa was one of the anti-Kerry protestors (insurgents?) who appeared at the Kerry Rally here in Cincinnati back on April 5th. In that column we learn:
TerreBlanche said she is a college student in southwestern Ohio, but asked that her school not be identified. She heard that College Republicans at her school planned a protest and she wanted to join in.
Based on that information I did a simple Google search on Cornel TerreBlanche and the only the hit that came up was at this location. That's a website for the Alpha Psi Omega group, the Cedarville University's psychology department club. Cedarville University is the Bob Jones University of Ohio, located in Cedarville, OH south of Springfield. I would then surmise that the group of rowdies all came from Cedarville.

This surprises me. I had assumed this group was from UC or maybe Miami. Lynne Cheney was the keynote speaker at their graduation yesterday. I wonder if the folks at Cedarville know about her 1981 book called Sisters? I wonder if it meets their "ethical" standards in the student handbook.

Protest Bush on Tuesday at 5:30 PM

Jene Galvin, local Democratic activist is reporting on the Jerry for Ohio Blog that a protest will occur outside the Cincinnati Gardens an hour before Bush is set to appear.

Will Si Lies be out in full force? Will anyone get arrested? I hope it is peaceful. I would like to see a good turnout and one that can be heard, and not banished to the far side of a parking lot across the street from the Garden.

Interesting protest ideas: In the thought of "flip-flops" used by some young GOP foot soldiers at the Kerry Rally last month, what are some thoughtful and striking protest ideas? The flip-flop is so lowbrow. I wonder if it was some smart marketing major or if they got talking points about it from the GOP?

The Dean of Cincinnati Looks at AliciaReece.com

The "Dean" has a look and comes down hard on Cincinnati Vice Mayor Alicia Reece's website. The Dean pulls no punches in his criticism of the website calling the article "How To Recognize Political Manipulation." I guess I don't expect political websites to be much more than propaganda tools. The only issue that has been raised about this site is whether it is a campaign site or her personal site. That is a legal distinction that only matters in campaign financing that may or may not be in technical conflict of the law.

Driehaus Wins House Race

Well, not officially yet, but with Witte leaving the race for the 31st Ohio House seat. I assume Witte felt he could not win, so he just gave up to avoid going into debt. Terry Deter's name was thrown out there, but according to the article he will not run because:
Deters confirmed that there had been talks, but said Driehaus is a conservative pro-life Democrat who deserves to be re-elected.

"If it weren't Steve, I'd run," he said. "We like Steve."
you know you a DINO when Terry Deters endorses you. Driehaus is one who supported DOMA in Ohio. I don't think Witte or Deters would be that much different on many social issues. So this is good news for Democrats in only so much as the GOP stranglehold on the state government will not gain in this district. How can you gain when you get help on issues already?