The Two Faces of CNN
Compare these two versions of CNN: the main CNN and the International CNN. Does the international version have more hard news? It still has some of the fluff: a flight attendant drugging a kid and a game show scandal, but no Elizabeth Smart. What I find funny is that between both sites there is no need for the fluff. CNN should just start a new fluff only site. CNNfluff.com or fluff.cnn.com would work great. I can see the reality show demographics fitting in just fine. Keep the idiot candy off the serious news site. A little bit of credibility goes a long way in the modern media world. A little bit is not much, but anything beats no credibility..

John Schlagetter Runs for Cincinnati City Council
It is official; John Schlagetter is putting his hat into the ring and running again for City Council. I am not surprised, but I am interested in how his campaign will progress with his several areas of media participation, especially his blog. Running a campaign leaves little time to blog, I hope John finds as much time as possible to post his views there, and not just on his campaign site.

Cop vote is a real stretch
Bronson, so we should ignore the city Charter? The Charter is more important than a handful of cops getting a union deal that for any other union you would decry as socialism! I know you are a theocrat and want to keep all things different from your alternative "christian lifestyle," but your hypocrisy is to big to overlook. You are pissed at a new hate crimes law that protects homosexuals, but you do not get pissed when the prior law provides special rights to the religious, like yourself. How are you able to reconcile that paradox? One special right is horrible, but the other is peachy keen! (cough, cough)

Woman's City Club: We'll stay downtown
Three cheers for the Woman's City Club! I must laugh at the comments of anti-Semite Amanda Mayes in the article:

"They like to call us boycotters thugs, bullies and all other kinds of names, but the behavior we saw from John Cranley, Pat DeWine, Jim Tarbell, the mayor and especially the Charterites was thuggery at its most oppressive level," Mayes said. "If the city really wants to bring some healing and end the boycott, threatening to do counterprotests and withhold money from groups who do honor the boycott is not the way."

So, Amanda Mayes is pissed that people are doing to her as she and her hate group have done to others? What an outrage! I jest.

What I want to ask to the Enquirer Reporter Kevin Aldridge did he ask Amanda Mayes about her own bigotry against Jews? If he did ask her, why was it not in the newspaper? Kevin should not worry about losing a source; Mayes and the rest of the CJC will always talk to him or any other reporter. He should not worry about "offending" a bigoted with fact. Why not just take a copy of City Beat and ask her to defend her bigotry. That would be an exclusive story that would sell a lot of papers, and more importantly BRING THE TRUTH TO THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI. Denise Smith Amos even addresses Mayes' bigotry, timidly addresses it, but still raises the issue. David Wells talks about the Woman's City Club as well.

MAYBE IT'S BETTER THAT JERRY KEEP HIS DAY JOB
Is is an extra special indicator that you have no political future if the NY Post's entertainment section mocks you?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Cincinnati Attorney Key Player In Huge Libyan Settlement
I wonder if the right-wingers will bitch about Stan Chesley for helping take on Libya. I would bet they don't even mention a word about him. They hate lawyers, except the one's representing them.

Women's City Club Debacle
Here is a round up of the columns, editorials, and articles from Cincinnati Media.

Chris Anderson: Ehrenreich Talk Moved Due to Boycott
WCPO: Mayor Luken Responds To WCC Support Of Boycott
WLWT: channelcincinnati.com - News - Councilman Accuses Women's Group Of 'Selling Out'
Enquirer: Woman's Club gets run over
Cincinnati Post: Cranley: I'll picket if event moved to suburbs
Editorial: An unfortunate decision

Xavier Cancels Showing Of "Vagina Monologues", Students May Offer It Anyway
It is their right, but it is clearly wrong. Why set up a performance to cancel it? That is about as rude as you can be. Who applied the pressure to cancel the show? Was it from the inside of the University, from the Alumni, or from the local theocratic fascists? The good news is that a class is going to put on the show anyway.

The Enquirer's report, the Post's report, and the Xavier Newsire report.

UPDATE: The Catholic News Service reports "Reacting to community and alumni concerns, Jesuit-run Xavier University in Cincinnati announced March 10 that it would not permit the play "The Vagina Monologues" to be performed on campus." I wonder which member of the CCV is an XU alumnus.

Prosecutor gave to Deters campaign
It pays that everyone involved is from the same political party. I wonder if Mike Allen will investigate the special prosecutor? Will he need to get a super-special prosecutor? Why didn't Mike appoint a Democrat? Wouldn't that have been easier and put to rest any doubt of bias or favor? Well, since Mike wants to move up to statewide office, I guess he felt the need to cover the party's ass. Will this hurt? Of course not, since the Attorney General and Secretary of State are fellow Republicans, Mike and Joe have no worries. Pierce Cunningham might have problems getting a job in the public sector again.

Rally for troops to be held tomorrow
This is being organized by 55KRC not 700WLW. I have to wonder why "the Big One" and Bill Cunningham are not organizing this? I guess it speaks to the demographics of the two stations. 55KRC is for the complete über-Freeper, while WLW speaks to a slightly wider and more moderate conservative. Both stations are of course under the iron fist of Darryl Parks, and Mr. Parks has a way with the sensational and the overstated.

Gino's charge: Assault

Rick Minter is giving Bob Huggins a run for his money in the number of players on their respective teams with a police record. I though the "C" in "UC" stands for Cincinnati, not Criminal.

Local Auto Shop Won't Fix French, German Cars
Sorry to disappoint the knee-jerk conformists out their but this is not patriotism, this is stupidity. Why is it that when Nationalism is concerned well reasoned and emotional free judgement just goes out the window? Here are a few points on this local chest-beater:

1. I wonder if he knows how to fix French and German cars.
2. His actions do not help our Troops. They instead hurt other Americans. Now the price for fixing French and German cars will go up, and Importers of French/German auto parts will loose money.
3. This man's motivation on the surface is misguided yet altruistic, but dig deeper and anyone should be able to see that this is not about helping the troops, this is about quelling his feelings. He needs to do two things: show his friends that he is conforming to the social pressures heaped upon the society by pseudo-patriots, and that he can quell some of the emotion he has for not being able to do anything else in the "war effort."

If you want to support the war effort why don't people start donating money to the USO or hell even start a scrap metal drive circa 1942? Creating a new instant "them" to hate and channel all your anger is nothing new, but it is nothing good either. Talk Radio and much of the rest of the conservative side of the media are sensationalizing and capitalizing on the listlessness people feel and using it to create useless and harmful spectacles to pump up ratings. We all need act like civilized adults, and stop acting like schoolyard bullies teasing the kid in glasses.

A Game of Chicken in the U.N.
In case anyone can't see what is the obvious game of chicken the US/UK is playing with the rest of the U.N. let me outline it. The latest effort to push back the deadline from March 17 to March 31 seems on the surface to be a concession, but in reality it is actually very sly. This revised resolution with a list of demands for Iraq to comply with and a later deadline will get the nine votes needed to pass the UNSC. France has pledged to veto it. If France/Russia/China apply their veto to resolution, then the US/UK have the cover needed to attack Iraq outside the U.N. If France/Russia/China abstain (they will not vote for it), then it will pass and then US/UK will have the U.N. backing needed. It is not really a good game of chicken for France. The US/UK can't lose, but France loses either way. I wonder if this is more of an American plan or a British Plan. I give the nod to the latter.

A McBoycott Franchise Coming to Your Town Soon

The Rev. Damon Lynch III, president of the Cincinnati Black United Front, led a contingent down from Ohio. Lynch's group has organized a lengthy boycott in Cincinnati that has prompted participation from various organizations and from entertainers including Bill Cosby and Wynton Marsalis.

"Police brutality is not just a Cincinnati and a Louisville problem. It's a national problem," Lynch told the crowd.

Lynch made it in the fast food industry, why not in the boycott industry?

Speaker will observe boycott
If you don't like Barbara Ehrenreich, then it is quite easy to prevent her from speaking ever again:

Ehrenreich, who is being paid $10,000 plus expenses for her appearance, told the Woman's City Club Feb. 20 that she would not attend a picketed event.

I would encourage anyone who does like this woman's opinions, or her caving-in to a hate group, to picket her where ever this event ends up. She said she would not attend any picked event. If she is honest and honorable, she will then not cross the picket line, no matter whose it is.

She is concerned about the plight of poor women. I wonder if she cares about the poor women who work downtown? She has shown her support for a group that seeks to hurt working women and men whose livelihoods depend on downtown businesses. I guess she is more concerned about the image of her visit, instead of the impact of her buckling to the boycotters.

BRONSON: Beating a Dead Horse
Peter is off on a crusade defending his boy Aaron Saunders, Miami University Young Republicans chief. Peter is doing exactly as I said he was doing. He is acting not on the merits of the case, but is out to attack his political foes. The right wing hates the humanities and arts & sciences colleges across America. They hate them because those schools challenge their religious beliefs. Bronson seeks here to discredit an honorable institution based on his political (religious) beliefs. He cares not for new knowledge; he cares for conformity and stagnancy.

P&G rejects MSNBC show
The bigot Michael Savage may have met his match. The mighty P&G is a big force in advertising dollars. If you don't get their money, you have are shut out of a large portion of the market. The real challenge will be for P&G not to buy any commercials airing during his radio show, which airs here in Cincinnati, home to P&G, on 550 WKRC. You can contact P&G here to voice your opinions.

Slaying happens in front of crowd
Calling Damon Lynch, Calling Damon Lynch....Where are you? How could nobody have seen anything? Well, it is obvious what the problem is, either people are fearful of the killer or friends with the killer and under both circumstances they don't want to talk to the police. This is where the rubber hits the road. You can't make people care about their community. They have to give a damn about it and want to change it.

BRONSON: Bush won't flinch
How can Bush flinch with Peter's head so far up his ass? This article seems pointless to me. Everyone who love's Bush loves his simpleton ways, or as they call it his "folksy" manner. Everyone else thinks Bush is as political as any other politician, if not more. The issue is that the people who love him come close to deifying the man. I think Peter is blinded by his religion. Peter's acceptance of Bush's "word" is basically based on emotion. Bush and Bronson are both Christians. I think they are both even to a degree both evangelical Christians. In my experience evangelical Christians feel their "kind" is special, part of the "chosen" who are totally honest. It is a manifestation of their blind faith put in their new divine King George. (I am generalizing here, so don’t get your shorts in a knot.)

Evidence that Peter has drunk the Bush Propaganda Kool-Aide can be readily demonstrated with his comments on the faux connection of Iraq and 9/11.

Some people just don't get it. But we are going to war because of what happened on that morning, Sept. 11, 2001 - to make sure those kids in that classroom don't grow up in a world of terror.

The problem is that people, like Bronson, really think this war with Iraq is part of the "war on terrorism." This is totally grotesque propaganda. It is a lie that he Administration is trying to build upon, trying to capitalize on the blood lust of the country to support him in a war.

This war is not about terrorism. If we were going to invade a country on the basis for its support of terrorism we would be going into Iran, Syria, Lebanon, or the Palestinian Territories. We would have invaded Columbia long ago. This war has several reasons. Preventing possible future terrorism from Iraq is a natural side effect of the liberation of Iraq, assuming Bush's gang don't screw up with nation building like they did in Afghanistan. Using America's anger over 9/11 as political cover for doing what ever you want is not only wrong, it is very "unchristian." There are valid reasons for this war. The timing of how this drive to war started are the most suspect and troubling aspect of the whole endeavor. The biggest concern is how the post-war situation unfolds. At this point, that is not something Bush thinks we Americans should know anything about. We are to trust him. Bronson is more than will to trust his religious comrade. Most of the rest of us, who did not vote for Bush, want a few drinks of facts before we are forced to swallow the one sided agenda of the current Administration.

Grand jury clears Deters
Was anyone expecting any other conclusion? Here is the hard part. The crime took place in 1996, but the former prosecutor's investigator was not indicted until this year. Why the delay?

Nice Day, but a Gut Check
It hit 69 degrees today. I was warm in my long sleeve shirt. The gut check came when the classic rock radio station 92.5 the Fox played a song from The Clash. The song was "Train in Vain". When The Clash are considered classic rock, you must admit you are old. Now, they really started out before my time, but while watching "Rock the Casbah" on MTV 1,000 times while still in grade school, you feel that they were part of your indoctrination in the music culture.

Churches target Cincinnati in campaign to help blacks
We get to be the whipping boy for a political campaign. This is not about civil rights, this is about politics. This about extreme-capitalists vs. socialists (or even some communists).

Church leaders called for a national campaign to promote social justice and economic programs to help black people.

This is about reducing poverty in the "black community." That is a good thing to want to do, it would be nice to try and do that in all communities, instead of creating false sense of discrimination. Hold on before you jump to the wrong conclusion, I agree discrimination exists, but not on a macro or conspiratorial level, and mostly not based on race, but on culture. There are more poor white people, than black people. That is a fact. As a percentage of each race in this county, blacks have a much higher percentage in poverty than whites. That is a fact. There is not one answer to why that is the case. They are countless answers because most of the reasons are subjective to each individual person or family. To say it is all about race or racism is wrong, self-defeating, and unproductive. You don't get more unproductive and down right offensive when you refuse to let a City Councilman into your meeting.

Councilman David Pepper called it unfair to target Cincinnati-based corporations such as Procter & Gamble and Federated Department Stores Inc., that have "gone out of their way" to contribute to job and educational initiatives designed to improve the lives of African-Americans. Pepper tried to get into the meeting to explain to national leaders what actions city officials are taking toward progress, but boycott organizers turned him away at the door.

This particular group of boycotters also have revised the "demands" to end the boycott, but beyond the general description of the changes from the article, I can't find the new demands online. When Nate Livngston gets out of jail, I am not sure if he will be more vocal on the internal boycott split or jump on the bandwagon of this now apparent leading voice of the boycott movement. The new leadership has apparently deleted some of the prior demands, like the demand that the police chief be fired, but have add some, like a "community bank." How can you hold a city hostage until it creates a private business, especially a bank? Do they know how long it takes to start a bank? You can't just start a bank over night; the regulation process will take quite a lot of time. Additionally, it sounds like they just want free money. Why don't they try setting up a credit union? That might be faster to create, and it can be run on a collective basis. The oddest thing, and frankly the nuttiest thing, is that a new demand included an investigation of "outside forces" that are claimed to be responsible for the drug ring problems. I love this one most. I guess the CIA is responsible? If you can't accept the reality that the people who are the drug dealers in the black neighborhoods are black, then you will never be able to rid those neighborhoods of those criminals. If you shield criminals, you will just breed more criminals. The cycle of racial grandstanding will be a never ending story in this town until the boycotters get what I think is their unmentioned wish: a majority “black” city.

Student Arrested In University E-Mail Hoax
"Miami Senior Faces Several Charges"

I wonder who will not be graduating this May?

None Injured, Two Arrested After Local Gunbattle
Damn, sounds like a scene from the latest Quentin Tarantino movie.

Kevin Drum at CalPundit has brought up an idea for a new Constitutional Amendment to require the President to hold a weekly Press Conference. This is an excellent idea. Kevin's idea has I think real merit. There are a couple of issues that need to be addressed however:

1. Will foreign reporters be allowed to participate in the weekly press conferences?


2. The amendment needs to be adjusted to allow the President a vacation or the ability to call them off if National Security issues required it. With the technology today the President could hold the Press Conferences from remote locations if he was on an overseas trip.


3. The method to select which reporters are allowed to participate in the press conferences has the potential to be open to political favor, since congress would have total control of the rules used to make the selection of the press conference questioners. A more constitutionally based means to select the press conference participants might reduce the ability to abuse who gets to participate. Those rules might include a geographical element or media outlet size element. They need to keep out the nut cases with a fringe website, but not allow the mainstream beltway press to dominate. Local press outlets should not be shut out.

I will be looking for the level of attention Kevin gets on this idea and whether it gains any support. I really hope it does gain some support. It is a long shot by far, but the current President has demonstrated that it is clearly needed.

Police Search For Men Carrying Suspicious Package
I hope this is an over reaction or just some regular old fashioned crime.

Local Boycotters Get National Support
Yet, Jesse Jackson did not show up. Damon Lynch's quote

"Not enough progress has been made," Lynch said. "In fact, I think the city is going backwards."

seems to be a whole lotta nothing. Where are we supposed to be going? Are we just supposed to roll over an give in to your demands? Are we instantly going to cure all of our problems? No, we are not going to to just change, and that is because Damon Lynch thinks that the "we" is only the police and non-black community. The “we” is everyone. The "black community" must change just as much as the "non-black community." That change does not include more segregation or Black Nationalism. The change means integration. Integration is basically assimilation. That is the basic core sticking point that must be overcome if anything is ever going to "change."

Conservatives like Jeff Ruby's French Boycott
Robbernard and SpicedSass both are praising Jeff Ruby for refusing to sell any French products in his restaurants. Boycotts are good when you are on the side that is boycotting "them." If you put a picture of Jeff Ruby and Nate Livingston side by side and closed your eyes, could you really tell which was the bigger opportunist? No, no you could not.

Chris Anderson on Green Beer Day at Miami University. Mmmmmmmmm, Green Beer. [Insert Drooling sound here]

14th Amendment possibly snagged in Ohio House
Guess what Cincinnati, Rep. Bill Seitz R-Green Township is a fascist. Now before the conservatives get pissed with my "f" word, let's look at what the word means: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control. How does this apply to Mr. Seitz? Well, in this case Mr. Seitz is upset that the 14th Amendment has been used over the years to protect individual rights of people, namely our rights to life, liberty, property, and equal protection under the law. Bill prefers to control women's bodies by banning abortions, and he wants to dictate who can get married. I wonder if Bill remembers what the main argument was in Bush v. Gore back in 2000? Just to remind you, that was the SCOTUS ruling that gave Bush the presidency. The main basis for that rule, or at least one of the main basis, was the right of equal protection under the law guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Bill likes the 14th amendment when it helps his side, but it is horrible when it helps others.

This issue has been a hot topic in the Blogosphere. Atrios, Cal Pundit, and Kevin Holtsberry all posted on it. No one brought up a big point. The amendment can't be changed by the State legislature. They can just ratify it, or not. Any other language in the bill calling for ratification would be pointless. Seitz’s language is meaningless and political posturing.

State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, is proposing more strident language: "Resolved that the General Assembly rejects those judicial interpretations of the 14th Amendment that unreasonably restrict state governments from promoting the free exercise of religion, defending the sanctity of unborn life and ensuring the equitable distribution of education dollars to aid students enrolled in schools sponsored by religious institutions."

Seitz wants States to dictate to the people what religion to follow, how to use their bodies, and how to fund various religious sects. Fascist is to Bill Seitz as Bad actor is to Tom Arnold.

Second Marriott turns off adult movies
The bigots win again. I bet Peter Bronson is dancing a jig.

CityBeat: Jerry: The Once and Future Springer

Jerry Springer, the TV show, is trash; and it's because of that fact -- not in spite of it -- that Jerry Springer, the candidate, could be the political phenomenon of 2004.

Greg, Please no! NO NO NO!!!!!! Not the ringmaster! Greg unfortunately provides an example of the final thought in my Springer post in Polstate.com.

CityBeat: Your Negro Tour Guide 50/50: Being an Influential
Kathy was named one of the 50 Most Influential Blacks in Cincinnati in the Past 50 Years. Her column gives a report and her impressions from the event honoring her and 49 others. I think Kathy did a good job of reporting her impressions, but I feel that she should not have written the column. Kathy was very humble in what she wrote, but still writing about an event were you are one of the honored guests is still a bit of self aggrandizing no matter how humble one tries to be.

I still don't like this event at all. It's intent is generally ok, but it reeks of self-segregation and a blatant double standard. Why are they honoring 50 people based on race? Why would it be considered racist if there was an event with the 50 Most Influential Whites in Cincinnati in the Past 50 Years? I would not want such an event, but why is a black event ok, while a white event is not ok?

Chris Anderson brings up a letter in City Beat that covers the break up of the CJC. The letter writer brings up their websites, which Chris links to. The problem I have is that letter writer refers to the "old" website, but if you go it has not been updated much, if at all. It refers you to the "new" website for the CJC, but is has no new or revised information, which is what the letter led me to believe would be the case. I hope they update the "Black Fist's" name in their list of endorsers; they are no longer called the "Cincinnati Black Special Forces." The Special Forces are over in Iraq I guess.

Group: Uncle Milt's needs another chance
Nearly everyone I have heard talk about this bar and the area around the bar agree that has a real problem with crime. Drugs, theft, assault, and even murder go on with no check. The bar has been judged as a magnet or congregation point for these crimes. Now the Avondale Community Council now wants to give the bar another chance. So, this bar has contributed in attracting crime to their neighborhood, yet they want it to reopen under the same owners, who would likely attract the same crowd? Is this a case of the Stockholm Syndrome?

Local College Students Protest Possible War
They just don't carry any weight when they face no draft. I was in their boat in 1990 and 1991. Back then there was a slightly more realistic concern about creating a draft that would lead to an unknown long-term war. Now there might be a short-term war, lasting months, but there will not be a draft. If we end up needing troops, Bush will make a formal call for more volunteers and would get all needed. UC's News Record's account of the protests. CNN's Take.

WHAT THE HELL is this all about? I have nothing to do with this page or whoever posted a link to my blog.

Local Restauranteur Bans French Products
Ruby is an idiot, and this part of the article proves it:

In the past, Ruby has been critical of the boycott of downtown Cincinnati.

When asked if his efforts against French products are hypocritical, he said, "I don't think so, but I suppose you can stretch anything good into anything bad." He added, "This is not a boycott -- it's an embargo."

It is not an embargo, it is a boycott. If Ruby refused to sell France something, that would be an embargo. The hyper-patriotic fool knows nothing of what the issues are in this situation. He instead hopes he can capitalize on the knee-jerk conservatives happy to conform to the “cause celeb” of the talk radio jet set.

Pledge of Allegiance: Under God
Well, it is obvious to me that the editorial staff is monotheists at a minimum, but most likely Christian. This part is their legal basis for believing the 1954 Pledge is constitutional:Today, the words are part of America's colloquial usage, in the same way that "In God We Trust" is included on our currency.So if words are colloquial they lose their original meaning? I guess then the FCC will not fine people for saying "God Fucking Damn It?" If "God Damn It" is not offensive, then why is it beeped on TV so often? Why couldn’t I say that back when I was in school? Why can't a student ask their teacher for a fucking pencil? The word "fucking" is a colloquial term regularly used by a large portion of Americans. What is the problem with the word “fucking?”

There is a problem using the term. The word has a vulgar or obscene meaning to some people. The term "One Nation, Under God" means to me that that our nation is a theocratic state subject to the rule of "God". It also means that the government agreed with this statement in their 1954 law and the crass law passed last year reaffirms the 1954 law. The government or an agent of the government telling me in an official capacity that the country is subject to a “God” is extremely offensive and to me and anyone who does not share that belief.

If the term is meaningless, then why were so many Christians upset at the ruling? Why would they care what version of the Pledge was used? These are basic and honest questions that I cannot believe people would not ask and not understand. The more Christians fight to keep their "God" in the Pledge, the more valid the 9th Circuit Court's ruling becomes.

Nate Livingston back in Jail
Nate Livingston, CJC co-chair and local racist, is back in jail serving out the sentence he received as the result of a Fountain Square incident at the opening ceremonies of the year 2000 Oktoberfest. Nate has been fighting his case with multiple appeals, but the Judge in the case ruled against him and Nate was forced back into the lock-up. Nate will fight this more I am sure, but he will most likely not get out before he finishes most of the remaining sentence. Nate deserves his jail sentence, but I am sure it will do nothing but build up his hatred of people that don't look like him and think like him.

I am surprised that since Nate has been the constant media quote machine for the AP that they have not picked up the story. I have not even read it or heard in any local media outlet. The link above is from the CJC's website, where a member posted it wrapped around a huge log of propaganda that is the usual drivel their group puts out. Please take it with a large block of salt.

Enquirer Readers' Views: God should be optional in pledge
Thomas Amann writes in a letter:

Seems the easiest and most American way to resolve this issue over the Pledge of Allegiance would be to rule that reciting either way, with or without "under God," is acceptable. If someone doesn't want to say, "under God," that's fine with me. Just don't try to tell me that I can't say it.

Thomas Amann, Mount Washington

No one is telling you Mr. Amann that you can't say the Pledge any way you wish. What the lawsuit says is that 1) the law changing the Pledge in 1954 is unconstitutional, which it clearly is, and 2) that public school teachers/administrators (the State) can't lead children or anyone in this form of the Pledge. The original version is fully legal and actually pretty good.

The Pledge currently is optional. No student has to say it or any part of it. That is not the issue. They issue is that the law changing the pledge was a law that established a religion. That religion does not have to be an organized or an institutionalized religion, but belief in a "god" is by itself a religion. That is what most Christians, and other followers of major monotheistic religions, just don't grasp. I can worship a tree or a mountain. That is protected under the first amendment. If the government says that there is a "God," note the upper case "G" used, that would be a direct contradiction to my tree worshiping religion. I know many Christians like to think that other religions they don't know about are meaningless, but under the law they are no more meaningless than their own religion. That does not even begin to cover those of us, me included, without a religion. I honestly hope that this issue does not create the bigoted and theocratic fervor it did last year. I also hope that when it reaches the Supreme Court, that the Justices don't play politics or rely on their religious beliefs and rule in favor of establishing a state religion. I fear that monotheism will be the adopted de facto.

Black coalition: Repeal gay-rights section
Why does this sound familar? Who does this remind you of? Something "Fist," and I am not talking about Robert Mappelthorpe.

Jonah Goldberg on Ohio
Jonah says this in reference to Cleveland: "..I've always had a special respect for Ohio. I've always thought of it as America's Rhineland." This is actually close, but I would say that he would have to lump all of the Great Lakes States together to get a real comparison to the Rhineland. Cincinnati has the automatic fit with any Rhineland connotations. Our Over-the-Rhine is not what is once was though.

More young ideas for Main Street
This idea sounds great, but what about the "Banks?" What about the proposal to develop the area around Fountain Square? This may work, but I do not see it working for many years to come. Nothing happens quickly in this city, and no help will come from anti-development folks in Over-the-Rhine. People in the suburbs will not really care; they are too scared to go anyone but Reds/Bengals games. I would love to have a place like this in our city, but it needs to be more than just a carbon copy of Memphis or New Orleans.

UPDATE: Chris Anderson has some expert analysis worth reading.

Fingerhut entry may make for an interesting primary
Jerry Springer may have some company. Eric Fingerhut, current State Senator has thrown his hat into the ring, but Springer is still testing out the temperature of Democratic voters. Comments on this announcement can also be found on Polstate.com.

Prosecutor: Shooting Of Man Who Attacked Officer Justified
This came a little quick. It is valid, but it will not go over well with the activist crowd.

Conservative national figure to speak at OU
If Jerry Springer only got 300 people to come to his speech at Miami, I would bet Bay Buchanan will only attract 100 to hers, not counting the 200 protestors who will picket or other wise oppose her speech.

Taft’s Approval Rating Plunges
A 40% approval rating, 48% disapproval, totally amazing numbers. How fickle we Ohioans are. Just four short months ago Taft won a handy victory. Now I think he a popular as Liver and Onions. Who is most pissed with Taft? His own right-wing of the GOP. The Bronsons and the Brinkmans are ready to lynch Taft. I love watching the vermin eat their own. I am happy that I can gloat by saying: don't blame me, I voted for Hagan.

Coverage: Enquirer, WTOL, WLWT, WKBN, and Statenews.org (Real).

BRONSON: You have the right to carry
Therefore Peter, people can strap on a leg iron and hang out at the OK corral. There is no right to carry a concealed weapon, which in reality defeats the intention of the gun fanatics. Supporters of conceal and carry laws always site the need to make "criminals," which really means everyone not like exactly like them, fearful that they might be carrying a gun. Why is there the need to create any doubt as to whether or not one is packing heat? Peter, if people want to carry a gun they should want everyone to know: "don't mess with Texas." Fear of death is what gun fanatics want everyone to feel when they walk down a dark street, so why do they fear being labeled a gun toting citizen? Wear your metal badge of courage on your leg. Make it easy for me to stay away from you. If anyone fears they are ripe for attack, I do not want to be standing anywhere near them. That is the safety warning I want, if they want to carry around guns.

Muslim P.C. in Cincinnati
I missed this article from the Conservative Weekly Standard. It is an interesting take on the trumped up controversy that is the play Paradise. The article brings out problems with a bizarre bending over backwards to appease some local Muslim busy bodies. However the biggest problem with Christopher Caldwell's article is this:

THE PLAYHOUSE sits in the middle of Eden Park at the top of a winding driveway in Mount Adams, an island of century-old townhouses and alleyways and coffee shops almost completely cut off from the rest of Cincinnati by highways. Towering over the city, it is like a chunk of Berkeley that somehow got stranded in the Midwest.

Now, Mt. Adams is an island, but to call it another Berkeley is a laugh. I think the folks at WLW would really beg to differ, since they broadcast from what used to be called Mt. Jacor.

Instapundit Praises Pro-War Rally
Glenn reports on a rally in Houston. The article he sites reports this:

The only speaker who was opposed to military intervention in Iraq, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, was greeted with some boos as she stepped onto the stage midway through the two-hour rally. She and her party later were led from the plaza under protective police guard.

Glenn's response was "No Stalinists were involved in the event's organization, so far as I can tell." He did not care that an anti-war speaker had to be escorted by police out of the rally. Now, there may have not been any overt threats or actions warranting police protection, but I too would have wanted protection in that crowd. I wonder how much "taunting" and harassment occurred? Could it have been more than allegedly occurred in Maine to about dozen school kids? I hope to see a storm of conservative media outlets report what happened to Rep. Jackson Lee. (cough, cough)

Week of trade talks concludes

The private negotiations, at the Millennium Hotel in downtown Cincinnati, have been the target of picketing by activists.

I saw no protestors as were expected on Friday and I found no other reports of protests in the media.

Amber Alert Issued
Be on the lookout for an Indiana man who reportedly might be headed towards Cincinnati with a 14-year-old girl Lindsey Diana Ryan of Jones, Michigan.

Authorities believe he is a 56-year-old Indiana man, possibly armed, driving a 1995 Dodge Dakota with Indiana license plate #406211A.
He is described as a white male, 6' 2", 180lbs, brown hair, and hazel eyes.

The girl is a white female, 5'0", 115lbs, blue eyes, shoulder length hair and braces, last seen wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt.

Ohio begins celebration today in original capital - Chillicothe
Happy 200th Birthday Ohio, you SOB!

If you get bored, check out War is not the answer, a local site of an anti-war activist spewing a lot of propaganda. The site asks: "Will there be a massacre of civilians in Baghdad?" The answer, Saddam has been doing that for over 20 years, so yes he will continue to do that while still in power. Will the American Military do that? No! Jeesh, how ignorant do people have to be to believe the Stalinist dogma (lies) spewed from groups like A.N.S.W.E.R.? That was a rhetorical question; so don't expect me to answer.

Boycott panel answers questions
The article seemed to lack much in specifics. I doubt there were many. The boycott has gotten down to its core purpose, a power grab. The CJC is battling the CBUF for the top spot in the black activist pyramid, doing nothing but illustrating their greed and lust for control. This forum was a failure in my opinion, but I expected failure. Only having 50 people show up is a sign that people don't care about this issue, and kids at UC would rather be out getting reading for a night of drinking. I can't say I blame them. This situation has but one real solution: ignore the boycotters. Then to spite them, take the handful of demands that make sense and enact them. That has already happened on nearly half of the demands that the City could act upon. The boycotters will not stop until they fill their pockets with either cold cash or the power to gain cash.

Operation Troop Trax Update Michele from www.asmallvictory.net left a comment saying that "blacklist" was put there by the original page designer, and she has removed it. I applaud her actions and I think she will get more support by doing so, starting with a donation from me.

Operation Troop Trax is a group out to send CD's to the troops. This group has decided to Blacklist musicians that have spoken out against military action. Now I think war is the only choice at this moment, but I am totally disgusted by this group and any service person who blacklists someone because they don't want to send people to their deaths. I wonder if these folk were inspired by the recent McCarthyism debate in the Blogosphere. Right-wingers can't seem to shed their old ways.

My latest Polstate.com Post is up.

Jerry Springer's Support Appears Weak
Jerry Springer made his first campaign like appearance in Ohio since rumors made the national mill that he was considering a run for U. S. Senator. His appearance was at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. He spoke at Millett Hall, home to the Miami Redhawks basketball teams. The event was set up for around 2,600 people, but at $3.00 a ticket only 300 people managed to show up. Now the speech was held on the night before Valentine’s Day, so early love birds might have been otherwise occupied, but on a campus with a large conservative segment, and very non-political style apathy, it was not a shock that many did not attend. Full Post

City Councils Pass Resolution In Support Of War
When I criticized members of Cincinnati City Council for trying to pass an anti-war resolution, I had no idea that other City Councils were planning a similar, yet opposite resolution. I must take the time now to say as I said before, these opportunistic politicians should be ashamed of themselves. The is no more reason for the City of Hamilton to support war as there is for Cincinnati to oppose it. These resolutions are meaningless and nothing but political grandstanding.

Spin or Bias?
The UC News Record reports on BET's Ed Gordon's cancellation stating:

He has not disclosed his reason for canceling.

Where the "he" is Mr. Gordon. The Cincinnati Post reports

UC Student Government said Gordon's cancellation wasn't related to the boycott. He decided not to participate in the event because certain requirements he made weren't met, Tolliver said.

Where "Tolliver" is UC Student Body President Darren Tolliver. I find this conflict interesting. Either Mr. Tolliver is spinning the issue to his benefit, not acknowledging that the boycott may have influenced Gordon's cancellation, or more likely, that the News Record omitted Tolliver's opinion because it editorially favors the boycott, and preferred to have Gordon cancel. It is obvious that Tolliver talked to Laurin McLain of the News Record, he was quoted for the story, and it is logical to assume Mr. Tolliver would have made it clear to both the Post and News Record that Mr. Gordon's cancellation had nothing to do with the boycott. So which is it? Spin from Mr. Tolliver or Bias from the News Record?

Police union to challenge Owensby firings, suspensions
This is not a big shock but when Roger Webster says, "We stand behind these guys 100 percent," one can't just be taken aback with a total lack of concern for what happened. The case of Mr. Owensby was different to all of the other cases trumpeted by over reaching activists back in 2001 after the riots. The Ownsby case was what even Bill Cunningham called "troubling." Mr. Webster's role is to defend his police officers, but it should not be to defend them no matter the circumstances. The two officers, who were fired, clearly should have been fired. Both men should just pack it in and not appeal it. If they do, all it does it create more grief for them, the image of the FOP, and the City. Cut your losses Mr. Webster, don't pick fights you can't and should not win.

Dawn's Life on the "Great White" fire. I am glad she waited a week to post this. Her basic premise is a valid one. I was never a fan of the more prissy hair bands of the 1980's. I might have expected a crowd this size for a "Quiet Riot" show, but I don't know if their reunion tour was worth it, and whether it continues from over a year ago. This was a horrible tragedy, but it was an avoidable one. Dawn is also correct that stadium/Arena shows cannot be replicated in a club, which is just a bar with a big dance floor in most cases.

Hey Howard, You're an Idiot!
Howard, could you point me in the direction of this new department store chain called "Federated Stores?" I know of a Federated Department Stores, Inc., but not a "Federated Stores." Is it too much to ask that you know the name of a company headquartered in downtown Cincinnati? I also have to ask: What about Lazarus? Federated Department Stores does own Bloomingdale's and Macy's, but what about the policy change at the local FDS chain Lazarus? Could Howard have picked up a phone and called Federated Department Stores and asked if the policies covering Bloomingdale's and Macy's were also covering Lazarus and all other retail stores for Federated? Howard could have called the Lazarus Gift Card hotline to get his answer. Howard seemed to have phoned this one in.

Kroger to expand use of self-checkout machines
I hope Biggs Target do the same. I love these machines. K-Mart has them, as well as some Wal-Marts. The only problem with having these machines is the idiots who try and use them with a shopping cart full of crap. These are meant for a small number of items. Soccer Moms, please use the regular check out lanes!

2 Officers Fired Over Owensby Investigation
Unfortunately this is not over. Both of the officers can still appeal the decision, and the family of Mr. Owensby is still calling for Federal Prosecution. This case was from the beginning a total mess. There was no other choice but to fire these two police officers. This will not satisfy any of the activists who have been pushing this issue. The response to this act will be at best mixed. They will approve of the firings, but will want more. The problem is that the city can't really do any more. The level of spin will be interesting to observe. I imagine a bit of tough talk will come from the mouths of the CJC and the CBUF, but nothing will come from their hollow words. WCPO's version and the AP version.

Trade pact negotiators meet public
This is a nice column about Cincinnati and the role it can play with international trade. Chiquita provides a positive history of international trade experience, but some of that history is mired in bad labor relations. P&G is an international juggernaut that has the clout and experience to make up for Chiquita's failings.

CAFTA meetings one might think would bring out the Stalinists or at least the Unions. I have heard about little except for this blip from the indymedia.org folks, better known as the mouthpiece of the transnational progressive movement and the quasi-anarchists.

Local Crews Could See Record Number Of Potholes
West Bound Columbia Parkway between Beechmont and Dead Man's curve has a 100-yard stretch with about 20 huge potholes. The Parkway has several other big holes closer to Delta. It is like dodging chipmunks on my commute into work.

NKU Professors sue former finance chair
This type of academic research scandal is not usually associated with business schools, this case with the Finance Department. The data collection on business is not something that can be faked easily. The data would generally be from known sources, not from self-generated processes, like medical testing for example, where a researcher could make up data more easily. This is an interesting tactic these professors are taking to save their reputations from the stink of the former department chair.

The Notherner, student newspaper at NKU, puts Miami's to shame. The Miami Student may be the oldest the in country, but age does not equate to quality.

Based on this post Zee over at Spiced Sass has drunk the Freeper kool-aid. I think someone needs a vacation.

Chris Anderson picks up on the problem with the boycott's lack of consistency in definition and scope.

John Schlagetter catches the CJC in an apparently blatant lie. That is unfortunately not unusual based on my observations.

County will revise Memorial Hall lease
Phil Heimlich "doesn't want "hate-mongers" to be allowed to use it." Phil wants to keep the boycotters and the Nation of Islam out of Memorial Hall. Here I have a mixed view point. I do not want county property to be used by hate groups, which the Nation of Islam is. I would say the CJC members are hate-mongers, but their group has yet to take a formal hate-based position. I also do not want the government, the county, curtailing free speech. What I do not want to see is the county allow other groups preaching hate to use the facility. I do not want to see Phil's buddies at the CCV to use the facility if the CJC can't. Todd Portune also needs to rethink this quote:"When you talk about the boycotters, there you've got an issue of, I think, pure political speech and not hate speech," he said. I guess Todd has not heard the speech from the Black Fist or the new and defused CJC.

A Point of Clarification, asked by John Schlagetter
John wonders that since the boycott of Downtown Cincinnati is targeted to "consumers," why are not consumers of legal services of attorneys located downtown subject to the boycott? I would ask how can any boycotter use their phone and not be breaking the boycott? Last I checked Cincinnati Bell is located on 7th Street. I think John is on to something.

Gay-rights group to push partners registry for ballot
If John Cranley and David Crowley want to really help gays and homosexuals, then lets seem them support an ordinance in Cincinnati creating a "domestic partner registry." This registry would allow for all couples, homosexual or heterosexual, to register with the City as a couple who are living together as a domestic couple. This registry would allow a means for people to gain access to see domestic partners in hospitals where only "family" is admitted. It also might create a means where other similar accommodations made to traditional married couples might be extended to those who are part of the domestic partner registry. This registry is not in my opinion the best solution for discrimination against gay marriage, but it might be a means that under current law could not be touched. The state of Ohio should legalize Gay Marriage or create a Civil Union provision allowing for equal levels of right for homosexuals to live in a domestic partnership as any other couple might.

John Schlagetter is calling out the CJC. I am sure Nate's ego will not let this go without a response. Stay tuned to their website forum for their regular dose of bigotry and racist dogma. Same bat time, same bat channel.

John refers to WCIN's "50 Most Influential Blacks in Cincinnati" event. I do not think people putting on this banquet are racist, but I don't see this as a very race friendly kind of event to have. There is no 50 most influential whites in Cincinnati event that I know of. If there were, I would bet nearly all 50 of these people would condemn it as racist, and call for a protest. WCIN's event might be subjected to protest, but not by any so-called "white organization." Instead a sect of Black Nationalists will likely be the only protestors. This is a double standard. Many might call this a justified double standard, but if you do un to others, they will do un to you in return. The cycle of racism and bigotry has been allowed to swing back as a subtext that allows minorities to do things that if the majority did would be considered offensive. I don't know why this is allowed to occur, but it goes with little objection from the minority community and the media.

Round up the Usual Suspects!
Peter Bronson of the Enquirer is shocked, SHOCKED that Aaron Sanders, head of the Miami University College Republicans, was fired as a columnist for the Miami Student. Peter has no clue that this is the best thing that could have happened to Mr. Sanders in his political career. In one simple action he has been made into a right-wing hero. He is a martyr for the cause of conservatism. He not only was fired for opposing what he called "pornography", but he has created a fight with one of the biggest enemies of the theocratic fascist jet set: the college professor. Freepers around the country are surely frothing at the mouth, while the CCV and its kin are beating the war drums both with Peter Bronson, their champion, pumping up his protégé. I shed no tears for Mr. Sanders. He will be laughing all the way to his cushy political job very soon, and by making FOX News, he surely will not have a problem getting a job in a Republican administration somewhere. Senator Doug White could use some help I am sure.

Damn Yankees Syndrome
If the USA were a baseball team it would surely be the New York Yankees. Why do those damn Yankees always win the World Series? Most baseball fans either root for the NY Yankees or they hate them with a passion. Now, after 9/11 the Yankees have received much sympathy from all of American along with most all things New York. That not with standing the history of hating the Yankees is a tried and true tradition. That tradition is at its core nothing more than jealousy. When the Yankees won nearly countless pennants and World Series from the late 1920’s through the early 1960’s, it was almost natural for people to start hating them. It is natural. Envy is a human failing, but an unavoidable one.

Is this the bottom line composition of the bulk of the hard-line protests against the American led campaign to go to war to disarm Iraq of WMD? Are all of the cries against alleged American hegemony nothing more than some envious French pundits shaking their fists at those damn Yankees? Does that make Jacques Chirac into Joe Boyd/Hardy? Shoeless Jacques from old Iraq? France would have to then be the Washington Senators. They Irony there is incalculable. Saddam Hussein would then have to be Mister Applegate (the Devil of the Faustian story) temping Jacques with victory over those Damn Yankees as long as he sells his soul. I can’ t figure out who Lola is in this fictionalized musical made real. There are several candidates for the role. Yasser Arafat is the most obvious choice. Germany might be a possibility, but their role might be closer to a Benny Van Buren. Right-wingers would want to use the anti-war protestors as their Lola, but I will not give them the satisfaction. Robert Mugabe fills the role almost as well as Arafat, but Yasser has to be the sentimental choice.

The pièce de résistance and the crème de la crème of my little conflagration of analogies is the fact that from 1995 to 1997 the most beloved American comedic actor in France, Jerry Lewis, starred in the National Tour of a Damn Yankees revival. Irony is best served with a little cheese and champagne.

FOX News Watch Faux Pas
FOX News's Eric Burns made a couple of mistakes that got my ire on today's edition of the FOX News Watch program. I sent an email with my complaint.

Eric,

In covering the Aaron Sanders, college student columnist, you made two major mistakes. First you failed to include the fact that Aaron is the Chairman of the Miami University chapter of the College Republicans, one of the biggest chapters of that group in the country. Mr. Sanders’ ties to the GOP and his ability to gain the attention of a local columnist and your program are evidence that his motives are at a minimum less than pure journalism. Second you made a more serious mistake. You referred to Miami as the "University of Miami of Ohio." Miami was a University while Florida still belonged to Spain. Coral Gables University may be a fine school, but they do not have the history of Miami University, nor the storied alumni. As an alumnus myself I am often forced to write emails to media outlets and reporters correcting them on this mistake. I do have a bias in the issue, but it might help that you re-read Peter Bronson's Cincinnati Enquirer Column, or better yet my blog post on the issue. What is worse is that Jim Pinkerton, while commenting on the topic, correctly referred Miami as "Miami University." It is difficult for me to praise Mr. Pinkerton, but he earned it in knowing his Miami's.

Brian Griffin
Cincinnati, Ohio
Miami University Class of 1994

I don't think it is "pithy" enough for FOX, so I doubt it will be noticed. This program is entertaining, but it is really biased. It has two conservative partisan columnists and two liberal media analysts. The analysts discuss the quality of the media, while the columnists mostly scream about the "so called liberal media."

Man pleads guilty to fraudulently billing porn Web sites to county
If Simon Leis has anything to say about this man he will get the electric chair. Not for fraud or theft, but for viewing porn websites.

One World Politics?
Much of the dispute over the Bush Administration's impending war on Iraq has rested on and been exasperated by Bush's overall international policies. He has been forging a policy that most analysts would concur is a neo-conservative one, stemming from a modification of Reaganite Cold War dogma. Most of the anti-war movement is in many people's opinions just an anti-Bush reaction. I tend to agree that a large part of the anti-war movement is based on politics. Their mantra would be that Bush is the enemy in politics, so all of his polices should be opposed. This is an idea that is not just in one country. It is common in most of Europe and a large part of the rest of the world.

On the other side the biggest supporters of the War are taking a similar stance. They are condemning those protesting in the same manner that most debate from conservatives make calling everyone either liberal, socialists, or communists, usually interchanging the words.

Is this event a sign of the Internationalization of politics? Through much of history geo-politics did not have huge political ideologies attached to them. The old American adage states that politics ends at our shores. Now we are moving to transnational progressives and evangelical Christians as the fault line of international politics that do not draw the line of belief at a nation's border. Is this a first step towards a real world government? The UN is not much of a government, but with he move of the EU to federalize, will this time be seen as the beginning of a real Planet Wide Central Government? I do not have a clue what form or what power it would have, but is this the beginning of its formation? Are we creating political alliances based on political party to political party, instead of nation to nation? A single planet government will eventually happen here on Earth. It might take another 500 years, but it will happen. I wonder if the Iraq UN crisis will be seen as an example of the first real act of a central world government? So many questions, and so few answers.

Macy's to Launch Eminem Clothing Line
Is this a step up from Puff Daddy (P. Diddy) or a step down? Both have had scandal surrounding them, but are very popular with the morons in the world. There are a plethora of morons with money in the world, and their money is as good as the next guy's. Show me the Money!

Recent Tragedies Surprise Local Nightclubs
Why do local news outlets continue to localize national news? Well, since the nationwide media outlets regularly nationalize local news, I guess all is fair in love, war, and the news.

Morrison Collaborating on Slave Opera
I like opera, but I don't know how much I will like a newly written one. I am pleased to see the Cincinnati Opera being on the edge of new artistic work. This event I would guess will be tied into the Underground Railroad Museum when it comes to town in a few years.

People Push For Cincinnati Anti-War Resolution
Please read the headline again. "People"? What people? I think it is safe to assume that dogs and cats are not lobbying City Council. I am also sure that most people are not pushing for a meaningless resolution opposing war with Iraq. A better term to use in place of “people” would have been “anti-war activists” or just “activists.” If you want to present a biased report, not that it isn’t already, the headline might read “Morons Push For Cincinnati Anti-War Resolution.” It just rolls off the tongue like spit into the sink.

Council won't join antiwar effort
Local politicians have no business grandstanding on International geo-politics. Crowley, Cooper, and Reece should be ashamed of themselves for wasting city time and money.

Fans reeling as Phish returns
I implore local media not to cause panic by invoking the Who's 1979 concert in any coverage of the Phish events tonight and tomorrow. Doing so would not only be gross sensationalism, it would be a crass action in the middle of a ratings season that would be a clear case of exploitation for profit.

At Least 39 Killed in Fire at Rhode Island Club
A horrible tragedy, but it appears that either the Band or the club owners will be held responsible. Criminal charges should be made. This far exceeds the 1979 "Who tragedy" where 11 people were trampled to death. Festival seating did not cause this type of problem. I hope this event is not used as a sensational example that is exploited by anyone, like concert safety fanatics or whole black activist gang who will cry foul if this event does not get treated in the media the way the night club tragedy in Chicago was treated.

Video from the club showing the starting of fire was very haunting to view. I am surprised that video was show by TV News. There surely are people who are shown in the video who died or are seriously wounded. It would be very unsettling to watch that video this soon if I had friends or family who had lost their lives.

The local event this most relates to is the Bevery Hills Supper Club Tragedy where 165 people where killed in a fire in the club.

Eschaton on Mayor Luken's displeasure with Tom Ridge, from the Cincinnati Post.

Chris Anderson on Kathy Y. Wilson's column/profile of Monica Williams, a new emerging leader of the increasingly irrelevant CJC. Chris points to a problem that exists in many quarters of the "black activist" movement, the racist until proven innocent mentality. It is taken to the extreme in the "Black Nationalist" movement, where the "white man" is the "devil." I was disappointed with Kathy's column however. It was a portrait of Monica that did not hold back any of Monica's "warts", but Kathy did not render any overt opinion. I would have like to have read more on Kathy's views of what people like Monica are doing to race relations in the city. I believe Monica, and her fellow bigots/racists in groups like the CJC, are as much the cause of race problems in this city as the police.

Democrats, not GOP, lacking in diversity (3rd Letter)
Gary Bryson of Sharonville writes to the Enquirer claiming the Democrats lack diversity "because of their adherence to Democratic ideology." Is Gary just that simple to make sure an unintelligent comment? What ideology would Democrats have other than Democratic ideology? I don't know what Democratic ideology is to be blunt. I know there is the progressive wing of the party, the conservative wing, the neo-liberal wing, the unionist wing, and the minority wing. The GOP has the neo-conservative wing, the paleo-conservative wing, and the libertarian wing. Those are all of the main ideologies in both parties. That are not totally complete, but they are a good general breakdown. The Democratic Party has always been a much wider coalition of ideologies than the GOP. I don't think Gary has read much on politics. I would guess he stems from "Themism," where the "them" to Gary are Democrats, and the "us" are Republicans. I think Gary needs to rethink his views. He can veil his desire for a homogenous society where only conformity gets you noticed, but it will not fly.

Gary can cry that Democrats don't share his views on abortion, taxes and affirmative action, but what does that have to do with the lack of minorities in the Ohio GOP? His party has as much conformity on all of those three issues and he should know it. The GOP party's platform is against abortion, for a regressive tax system, and is against most forms of affirmative action. He seems to miss the point of the article. Blacks don't like the GOP for several reasons, but most of all the recent history (last 35 years) it has taken steps to alienate blacks on issue most blacks favor, like affirmative action. This has nothing to do with Democrats getting more votes or not having more people in the State House or General Assembly. The issue is that the members of the GOP in State government are nearly all white and all male, Ken Blackwell, Betty Montgomery, and Jennette Bradley, not withstanding. The Jennette Bradley link surprisingly forwards to a general page. She sure has importance to the GOP if she does not even have her own web page on the State website.

LETTERS: Different standards for NY rapper
In these letters to the editors of the Enquirer one can see the effects of media illiteracy. These readers and TV views are not able to see beyond the surface of the dramatic story the media paints about issues that can gain readers/viewers.

This harsh response to the coverage and defense of the rapper parallels that received by radio talkshow host Jay Love from 1230 the Buzz on Tuesday and Wednesday. His callers were very irate and according to Jay were cussing out the show's producer without waiting to get on the air, all in defense of Jay's comments criticizing "50 Cent."

With fans as rabid as these, and with the prior problems at "50 Cent" shows, the police preparation was warranted. This comment from Melissa Meyer deserves a response:

Were such extreme security measures warranted in this situation? Why is there the assumption in Cincinnati that gatherings of black citizens equal violence. Would a concert by Eminem, Insane Clown Posse, or Marilyn Manson have brought out the SWAT team?

The reason is simple Melissa. None of those acts have had recent violence at shows. None of those acts are admitted former drug dealers currently under pending weapons charges. None of those acts have been shot 9 times within the last couple years. Rap music lives on a reputation of violence, anger, and associate with crime. If they don't want to live the life of "gangsters," then don't act like it.

What's in a Number?
After posting yesterday about the "50 Cent" concert I was encouraged to reexamine the number of people attending the concert. I posted that there were 300, while the venue held 1,250. I based my information on Larry Nager's review of the concert in the Enquirer. The relevant quote was:

After paying as much as $100 for VIP tickets ($35 for general admission) and being thoroughly frisked for weapons, the crowd of 300 or so milled around the club waiting for the star.

What I missed was in the article by Jane Prendergast where she noted:

By midnight, the club was full. Capacity is 1,250. Earlier, hundreds had lined the sidewalks waiting to get in.

After emailing both reporters I was able to surmise the reason for the difference. Larry was inside and states that the crowd was not more than a few hundred. He has been in the same venue for several other events where the number of attendees was firmly known, and the "50 Cent" concert did not meet those numbers. I think Jane's number was based on the information from the promoters who were going to provide an answer to best suit the act and the venue. I don’t know how the inter-workings of newspapers work, but one might surmise that editors might see that basic difference in articles that relate to the same subject in the same edition of the newspaper. This is a minor issue, but it is one that if the event had any problems would have been key to understanding correctly what occurred.

Rap's Newest Star Performs; No Problems Reported
Ok, above is the headline from the WLWT story. Here is a quote from the story:

Cincinnati police reported only a few minor problems.

Now I think there is a difference between "no problems" and a "few minor problems," ya think?

CalPundit on Post War Iraq
Kevin Drums indicates that efforts for democracy and stability in Post-War Iraq are withering on the vine, and I agree. Here is what I hope happens if a Japan/Germany type post-war effort is not made.
1. I hope all of the protestors fight for democracy in Iraq. I hope they get the numbers out again, this time I will join, and keep fighting until Bush offers a Marshall Plan for Iraq, and a Plan to create a democracy.
2. I hope the media do not become Bush's bitch again. It would be nice if the television news outlets would get a pair of balls and hold Bush's feet to the fire on at least one lie or broken promise.
3. I hope the voters of America vote Bush out of office in such a landslide to make 1984 seem like a barnburner.

If Bush does make a democratic Iraq, or at least makes a full effort to make it so, I will give him credit. I will then start complaining if he does not immediately start pushing out every other dictator, fascist or theocratic government in the world. This would include the theocracy George himself is trying to creep us into.

UPDATE: Paul Krugman chimes in and is right, as usual.

50 Cent draws hundreds with hot rap, cool tats
It appears the event went off with only a few minor fights. I say only because no one reportedly was hurt. The reviewer from the Enquirer panned the concert. I am not a fan of rap, so I would have not had a favorable report under any circumstances. The big issue is that the bar can hold 1,250 people, but only around 300 were there.

Chris Anderson also had a few comments on the event, and rightfully pans the media for being race car fans, looking for wrecks.

Tom Ridge Media Coverage
Good from WCPO and WLW. The rest was typical or absent. WDBZ needs a real news team if it going to be a source for real news, they did not carry the speech live. WCPO gets a special kudos for offering a streaming video of the entire Tom Ridge speech.

Dog on Ice Flow trumps Tom Ridge
Today FOX News and MSNBC cut away to live coverage of a dog being rescued from an ice flow during Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge’s speech here in Cincinnati on a new effort to prepare the country for terrorism and war.

WLW’s Mike McConnell gets credit for noticing this fact. He did not mention what CNN was airing. I would guess they only have two TV’s and did not have on CNN, I hope their right-wing slant is not so crass to shun CNN.

I am sure some conservative will blame PETA or the SPCA for this misplacement of priorities. The reason for this lopsided coverage is simple, DRAMA. Cable news networks care little about news and information, unless it has DRAMA. DRAMA in today’s terms is only the visual. This is an example of what makes the Television news media horrible today. It is not a social or political bias; it is a focus on ratings, not on providing quality journalism. The real problem with this is that no one in the public, outside of the few readers I have, will see this problem with TV news. Since they control the curtain, they won’t let you behind it

The kicker has to be a caller to WLW who said “liberals” should be happy FOX News showed it was warm and fuzzy by caring for animals. It is not quite blaming PETA, but it is close enough. It goes to show that if you make it stupid, people will not care, or will not know the difference.

I Fart in Your General Direction
This afternoon while visiting the café in the building where I work I was slightly shocked. There were about seven men sitting having coffee in the café. This not that odd, but they were all speaking French. They were talking up a storm and I felt like they were talking about me. They were laughing at several points while I waited for my calorie filled mocha. I was able to make out two words: Croissant and Fromage. This shop did sell croissants, so I assumed they were making fun of the quality of American Croissants. I don't know about the cheese.

This whole issue was odd today because the biggest meme on the Blogosphere over the last week has been "France Sucks." I had the unfound feeling that these men were going to start insulting me for being American. They were doing nothing wrong, but the meme has been beat into me with calls for boycotts of French products and events and other complaints. I was out numbered but according to the prevailing warblogger logic, if I ask a French person to surrender they will. It is supposed to be like a Pavlovian response. I was tempted to try out this theory, but I felt a bit out of place. Having a Cappuccino in Cincinnati is a bit too European to complain.

Am I still allowed to eat filet mignon?

This is not the Café where I ran into the French mafia.