Happy Thanksgiving Day!!
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Dayton Gets It
Downtown Dayton will have WiFi access covering all of Downtown Dayton.
3D3C the ball is your court, along with Downtown Cincinnati Inc. City Council can't seem to get this done.
3D3C the ball is your court, along with Downtown Cincinnati Inc. City Council can't seem to get this done.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Property Rights Vs. Gun Rights
The good old Oklahoma Legislature conjured up a law stating gun rights supercede property rights. This is where I hope the most nutty gun nut can stop and say enough is enough. I thought gun nutsrights supporters want to have guns so they can defend their property. Why then can't a property owner protect their property from guns, keeping all guns off their property?
Personal Jesus
The summation of the big Jesus statue in Monroe, Ohio comes from the lips of Jimmy Flynt neighbor of the church and statue :
Flynt sums it up best: its a marketing tool for business. The Hustler store should do the same thing with a statue of a large breasted woman.
'Lawrence Bishop has his business going on here, and I have my business going on here, and that's the beauty of America,' Flynt said.Bishop is the leader of church.
Flynt sums it up best: its a marketing tool for business. The Hustler store should do the same thing with a statue of a large breasted woman.
Adam Rosenberg is Out
Executive Director of the Hamilton County Democratic Party Adam Rosenberg is leaving the post at the end of the year. With a big city council race ahead the post has immidate importance cultivating Democratic candidates for the race. Who will take his place?
Nick Spencer Paperwork Problems
Greg Korte unleashes the first mini-scandal of the Cincinnati Council election season. It is a bit early for this type of event to impact the election just under a year away.
Nick does not look good over this. What I don't understand is did Nick receive the multiple mailed letters and even hand delivered letter or did not? That would appear to be the failing by someone. I think Nick learned his lesson and can move on. I bet he is glad this happened now and not next September.
Nick does not look good over this. What I don't understand is did Nick receive the multiple mailed letters and even hand delivered letter or did not? That would appear to be the failing by someone. I think Nick learned his lesson and can move on. I bet he is glad this happened now and not next September.
Pettus-Brown Guilty
Good news for justice: LaShawn Pettus-Brown was found guilty on all six counts, but the money he stole is long gone and the theater is now an empty lot. The city is not criminally liable, but someone should be fired for allowing this guy to get a dime of public funds. Elected officials should share responsibility and suffer along with the city staffer(s), but will not.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
OT Turf War?
Is there a battle between the City Audit Committee and Mike Allen via a Grand Jury over the investigation into misuse of overtime by some Cincinnati police officers? Or is this just Chris Smitherman jockeying for his mayoral run?
Fear and Loathing Cincinnati
Headlines make a story and even though Cincinnati has improved on the list if most dangerous cities we still are treated as if the city is helltown. This just proivdes another opportunity to say crime sucks, the city has too much crime, and someone has to do something about it. That someone is.......sure as hell not me.
MIAMI 66, Xavier 54
Monday, November 22, 2004
The Walrus Does the SuperBowl
The NFL has tapped Sir Paul McCartney as the SuperBowl halftime entertainment in hopes that the FCC will let them be.
My question is will the WLW's Mike McConnell boycott the halftime show or the whole game for added someone he loathes to the show? His anti Democrat screed on the link above should for once and for all label him as a right wing hack. He sometimes has made sense, but he is now starting to sound like Bill Cunningham.
My question is will the WLW's Mike McConnell boycott the halftime show or the whole game for added someone he loathes to the show? His anti Democrat screed on the link above should for once and for all label him as a right wing hack. He sometimes has made sense, but he is now starting to sound like Bill Cunningham.
In Snow Removal Terms We're Now Kentucky
If snow removal is cut as Luken is pushing, Cincinnati will then start acting like rural Northern Kentucky acts when it snows: they close everything down. If there is a forecast for a couple inches of snow, then many districts in NKY cancel school once it starts to flurry outside. It then takes them weeks to clear the streets.
Again, why are we trying to spend money on Airport Hangers when we can't clear snow from the streets? I am not knowledgeable enough on City or State law, but couldn't the Mayor declare an emergency and then get the money needed to clear the streets incase of a major storm? I would bet that small accumulations would be where the side streets never get plowed. When I lived over off of Delta Ave, we had a big storm back in 96 or 97 I think and our street did not get fully plowed for a week. The bottom of our street would get plowed by a private plow from a condo high-rise. If not for that we would have been sliding down the hill into Delta Traffic. I live on a major street now that I think would be plowed, but last winter it wasn't plowed hours after 6 inches fell.
Growing up an hour from Buffalo, I have no real concept of how decisions are made locally about snow removal. To us it was a big deal and they got the job done. I would bet the crew in Jamestown, NY, a town of 35,000 where I grew up, could plow Cincinnati better than the crew here. It may not be the crews, but rather the management of when and how they plow. I have seen trucks going around salting the roads, but without plowing them at the same time. I don't know how that is logical. There may be a plan that is supposed to work and it might have to do with not damaging the roads or parked cars, but I hope they can make their efforts more efficient.
What I don't get at all is how 71, 75, and 275 can be so poorly plowed. I can understand that they will be filled with slow moving traffic, but how can ODOT or the County or the City, who ever has responsibility, let those roads go unplowed? I was driving from Colerain to Beechmont last winter during a storm and I think I saw one set of plows and barely one lane had been touched on both 275 and 75. This was on a Sunday, so I guess they did not do much, but the major highways I would think would be the first priority. It snowed all afternoon, and at night nothing had been touched.
Here I have biases that prevent my objectivity, where I can't understand how snow slows down life around here as much as it does. In a town where you can't live without a car, life is even more difficult with people who just should not be driving in such weather. My commutes out to Mason this winter will not be good.
Again, why are we trying to spend money on Airport Hangers when we can't clear snow from the streets? I am not knowledgeable enough on City or State law, but couldn't the Mayor declare an emergency and then get the money needed to clear the streets incase of a major storm? I would bet that small accumulations would be where the side streets never get plowed. When I lived over off of Delta Ave, we had a big storm back in 96 or 97 I think and our street did not get fully plowed for a week. The bottom of our street would get plowed by a private plow from a condo high-rise. If not for that we would have been sliding down the hill into Delta Traffic. I live on a major street now that I think would be plowed, but last winter it wasn't plowed hours after 6 inches fell.
Growing up an hour from Buffalo, I have no real concept of how decisions are made locally about snow removal. To us it was a big deal and they got the job done. I would bet the crew in Jamestown, NY, a town of 35,000 where I grew up, could plow Cincinnati better than the crew here. It may not be the crews, but rather the management of when and how they plow. I have seen trucks going around salting the roads, but without plowing them at the same time. I don't know how that is logical. There may be a plan that is supposed to work and it might have to do with not damaging the roads or parked cars, but I hope they can make their efforts more efficient.
What I don't get at all is how 71, 75, and 275 can be so poorly plowed. I can understand that they will be filled with slow moving traffic, but how can ODOT or the County or the City, who ever has responsibility, let those roads go unplowed? I was driving from Colerain to Beechmont last winter during a storm and I think I saw one set of plows and barely one lane had been touched on both 275 and 75. This was on a Sunday, so I guess they did not do much, but the major highways I would think would be the first priority. It snowed all afternoon, and at night nothing had been touched.
Here I have biases that prevent my objectivity, where I can't understand how snow slows down life around here as much as it does. In a town where you can't live without a car, life is even more difficult with people who just should not be driving in such weather. My commutes out to Mason this winter will not be good.
Moralist Over Reach?
When the fundamentalist Protestants make divorce illegal in their churches, akin to Catholics, then they can start to have an oppressive leg to stand on. Trying now to push traditional marriage on everyone is just bullshit. When they fry Newt Gingrich for his personal life, then maybe they will be consistent. Until then they are the Wizard of OZ in a pulpit, with a big skeleton in their vestibule.
Stupid People
If you think humans were created from Dust 10,000 years ago, then yes you are an ignorant or stupid human being. If on the other hand you think that evolution may have been started by a god or intelligent being or other type entity then you are just wrong, but not stupid.
Half of those polled actual think man was created 10,000 years ago. A third are "bible literalists" and if you are one, yes you are a stupid person. Am I demeaning your religion? Maybe. Am I demeaning your right to believe what you want to believe? Not at all. I am exercising my right to believe that anyone who thinks the bible is literal fact is a moron.
[Via Covington Jim]
The funniest thing about this is that I am sitting right now in Starbucks listening to Christmas carols. I actually like old fashioned Christmas music.
Half of those polled actual think man was created 10,000 years ago. A third are "bible literalists" and if you are one, yes you are a stupid person. Am I demeaning your religion? Maybe. Am I demeaning your right to believe what you want to believe? Not at all. I am exercising my right to believe that anyone who thinks the bible is literal fact is a moron.
[Via Covington Jim]
The funniest thing about this is that I am sitting right now in Starbucks listening to Christmas carols. I actually like old fashioned Christmas music.
Church of DisneyWorld
If I ever have kids can I bring in a letter from Father Goofy or Bishop Mickey explaining that my kids need eight days off from school to celebrate the Country Bear Jamboree and pay homage at the Hall of Presidents?
Drinking Liberally
A chapter of Drinking Liberally has started up here in Cincinnati. 7:30 PM every Tuesday starting tomorrow night at the Comet in Northside.
What is Drinking Liberally?
What is Drinking Liberally?
An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.If you go let me know how it was. I will try and get out to it at somepoint, but not for a while.
Bars are democratic spaces - you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground. Bring democratic discourse to your local democratic space - build Democracy one drink at a time.
Iraqi Mosque Shooting
Kevin Sites, the cameraman who caught the shooting of the Iraqi by the U.S. Marine gives a description of the event in detail on his blog.
[Via Kos]
UPDATE: I wonder if Steve Fritch has read this. If he has I wonder what his knee-jerk reaction was to it.
[Via Kos]
UPDATE: I wonder if Steve Fritch has read this. If he has I wonder what his knee-jerk reaction was to it.
Christian Vocalist?
In a letter to the editor in the Enquirer Laurie Flanigan refers to Nicole C. Mullen as a "Christian vocalist." What makes her different from any other vocalist and why doesn't she use the term Christian Music vocalist instead? That I think was most likely what she meant, but her use of the term sounds like this women is somehow a better singer because she is a Christian. She may be a great singer, but to listen to her sing a ballad over another singer just because she is a Christian is a sad way to go about things. To listen to her because she sings a type of music you like better than others is fine and understandable.
Religious labels have crept into the culture at an alarming rate. We have Christian Business directories out there with Christian Mechanics. I guess Christians are supposed to keep to their own kind or something.
Is the term "Christian" being co-opted by fundamentalists? I would say yes. I would hope mainstream or liberal Christians take back the name and don't make it some kind of label of superiority, which holds an ominous tone of past troubles.
Religious labels have crept into the culture at an alarming rate. We have Christian Business directories out there with Christian Mechanics. I guess Christians are supposed to keep to their own kind or something.
Is the term "Christian" being co-opted by fundamentalists? I would say yes. I would hope mainstream or liberal Christians take back the name and don't make it some kind of label of superiority, which holds an ominous tone of past troubles.
Hypocrite Chabot
Where was Steve Chabot when Jesse Helms was keeping 100+ Clinton Judicial nominees from the courts? Nowhere I would surmise. Whining about a general comment by Specter is grandstanding for the reactionaries he champions. This is yet another example of Chabot just ignoring the fact that a significant number of his constituents believe in the choice. He would say most certainly that even before he got one letter or phone call from one of his constituents with a pro-choice viewpoint, that he would vote for what ever law the anti-abortion groups tell him to vote for. That surely things fair and honest consideration.
Specter has voted for openly anti-abortion justices before. He will likely do it again. He was stating the obvious point that the Dems, if they have any spine, will filibuster any extreme right justices, and make it impossible to approve them. The right will bitch and moan about it, but the Dems should push Bush for another Sandra Day O’Connor to be appointed, not another Scalia. It does depend on who is the first to step down. If Rehnquist goes, the Dems will likely not go nuclear on a far right winger. Who they would may chief would be a battle, but not as big one. If O’Connor or one of the liberals step down, then yes, there will be a battle royal in the Senate.
Chabot frankly should worry more about idiots like Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Oklahoma) who wants to read everyone's tax return and worry about passing intelligence reform. Also, did Chabot vote to for the Delay Rule? It was a behind closed doors voice vote, but does he have the courage and honesty to come right out and say if he was in favor of accountability for GOP House leadership, or if he was willing to change the rules in midstream just because they need the “Hammer” to wield his dirty dealings in the future?
Specter has voted for openly anti-abortion justices before. He will likely do it again. He was stating the obvious point that the Dems, if they have any spine, will filibuster any extreme right justices, and make it impossible to approve them. The right will bitch and moan about it, but the Dems should push Bush for another Sandra Day O’Connor to be appointed, not another Scalia. It does depend on who is the first to step down. If Rehnquist goes, the Dems will likely not go nuclear on a far right winger. Who they would may chief would be a battle, but not as big one. If O’Connor or one of the liberals step down, then yes, there will be a battle royal in the Senate.
Chabot frankly should worry more about idiots like Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Oklahoma) who wants to read everyone's tax return and worry about passing intelligence reform. Also, did Chabot vote to for the Delay Rule? It was a behind closed doors voice vote, but does he have the courage and honesty to come right out and say if he was in favor of accountability for GOP House leadership, or if he was willing to change the rules in midstream just because they need the “Hammer” to wield his dirty dealings in the future?
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Onward Christian Airman?
Thank Zeus for a military academy with a little bit of sense. I wonder how the sheltered Larry Redwine, baseball coach at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, would react to this? I guess having a Christian Air Force might be his idea of good Christian government, which reflects the "political philosophy" he votes for. It is odd that he thinks people are out to get him and other conservative Christians, when he and his gang won the White House. I guess the FBI is raiding Churches left and right. Preachers are being pulled from the pulpit. Bibles are being burned. Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ must have been banned from every theater.
No, none of those things are happening. Freedom to practice Christianity is as free as it ever was, if not more. The Freedom to not practice Christianity is not fairing so well. We have a football coach pushing his religion on his military wards. That is theocracy in action. The military has a serious problem of pushing Christianity and general monotheism on service members. That is a tool of the radicals in the Christian right. They are becoming what internationally has been a common description of foreign military forces. We have a hardline religious movement infesting itself in our military. Our military is no different than Pakistan's military which has a huge faction of Islamic extremists believed to be the source of power and money for the Taliban and in turn Al Qaeda.
Sure, people like Larry and the Air Force coach see their religion as benevolent. Well, I'm sure Vladimir Putin thinks he is doing what is best for his people by taking away the freedom of the press in Russia. Here in Ohio, I would bet in Phil Burress's warped Fundamentalist mind he thinks he is helping out homosexuals by denying them civil rights. The problem Mr. Redwine misses is that if is going to judge "Liberals" in a generality, then we can judge his "Christianity" in a generality and illustrates the hate of homosexuals, of women, of Muslims, of Jews, of Blacks, of Catholics, of Asians, of Atheists, that his religion has. Now, of course "his religion" is not all of Christianity. Christianity, which includes Mormons and Catholics, is a wide variety of sects with various views on everything. Many of the Christians in Hollywood, and yes a majority would consider themselves Christian, would agree that the Jesus Character does offer "love, forgiveness, salvation, caring and giving." What they disagree with is that Jesus would want a government that forces anyone to worship in a way they might disagree with. Jesus was written after all as a Liberal.
Wes Flinn takes Larry to task as well.
I can’t wait for someone to call me anti-Christian for this post. Any takers?
No, none of those things are happening. Freedom to practice Christianity is as free as it ever was, if not more. The Freedom to not practice Christianity is not fairing so well. We have a football coach pushing his religion on his military wards. That is theocracy in action. The military has a serious problem of pushing Christianity and general monotheism on service members. That is a tool of the radicals in the Christian right. They are becoming what internationally has been a common description of foreign military forces. We have a hardline religious movement infesting itself in our military. Our military is no different than Pakistan's military which has a huge faction of Islamic extremists believed to be the source of power and money for the Taliban and in turn Al Qaeda.
Sure, people like Larry and the Air Force coach see their religion as benevolent. Well, I'm sure Vladimir Putin thinks he is doing what is best for his people by taking away the freedom of the press in Russia. Here in Ohio, I would bet in Phil Burress's warped Fundamentalist mind he thinks he is helping out homosexuals by denying them civil rights. The problem Mr. Redwine misses is that if is going to judge "Liberals" in a generality, then we can judge his "Christianity" in a generality and illustrates the hate of homosexuals, of women, of Muslims, of Jews, of Blacks, of Catholics, of Asians, of Atheists, that his religion has. Now, of course "his religion" is not all of Christianity. Christianity, which includes Mormons and Catholics, is a wide variety of sects with various views on everything. Many of the Christians in Hollywood, and yes a majority would consider themselves Christian, would agree that the Jesus Character does offer "love, forgiveness, salvation, caring and giving." What they disagree with is that Jesus would want a government that forces anyone to worship in a way they might disagree with. Jesus was written after all as a Liberal.
Wes Flinn takes Larry to task as well.
I can’t wait for someone to call me anti-Christian for this post. Any takers?
One Party Rule
Kevin Drum lists out the "accomplishments" of the Republicans since they won their "huge mandate."
They really voted to give Bush a Yacht. Yes, a freakin Yacht. We have people who can't afford college, but yes, Bush gets a Yacht. Did he ask for one or is someone in Congress trying to bring Business to a company in their district? I would not be surprised about both being true. Why haven't the Dems hit on this yet? They had all day today to nail then on both the Yacht and the idiot from Oklahoma who wants to read everyone's tax returns. It is time to stop being cordial and take out the knives. Draw a little blood. Make every step the GOP takes to destroy credibility of the country and of our money painful. We instead get bland outrage. I want someone on CNN screaming. Let some low level Congressman earn his pay and bite off some heads.
Will this accomplish much? Nothing in the short run. It will give the GOP a talking point, but it puts them on the defense and on notice that they don't have a mandate. They won a slight majority of the popular vote, that does give them the right to do as they please. Someone must keep them honest. When I say honest I fully understand that no politician is honest, but the expression still fits. Someone has to prevent the right-wing from going insane, or rather allow them to act out their insanity in the form of legislation. So far the Dems haven't been much more than commentators analyzing the fight at the Pistons-Pacers game.
They really voted to give Bush a Yacht. Yes, a freakin Yacht. We have people who can't afford college, but yes, Bush gets a Yacht. Did he ask for one or is someone in Congress trying to bring Business to a company in their district? I would not be surprised about both being true. Why haven't the Dems hit on this yet? They had all day today to nail then on both the Yacht and the idiot from Oklahoma who wants to read everyone's tax returns. It is time to stop being cordial and take out the knives. Draw a little blood. Make every step the GOP takes to destroy credibility of the country and of our money painful. We instead get bland outrage. I want someone on CNN screaming. Let some low level Congressman earn his pay and bite off some heads.
Will this accomplish much? Nothing in the short run. It will give the GOP a talking point, but it puts them on the defense and on notice that they don't have a mandate. They won a slight majority of the popular vote, that does give them the right to do as they please. Someone must keep them honest. When I say honest I fully understand that no politician is honest, but the expression still fits. Someone has to prevent the right-wing from going insane, or rather allow them to act out their insanity in the form of legislation. So far the Dems haven't been much more than commentators analyzing the fight at the Pistons-Pacers game.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
MIAMI 37, Akron 27
MAC East Champions!
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.
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.
Police Contract
The Cincinnati FOP is granstanding on pay increases. The want a 6% increase for 2005 and 2006. I have no problem with that increase, IF, and only if they agree to modify the process for terminating police officers. If the FOP wants to weed out the bad apples as much as the rest of the community then they must do their part, instead of being loyal to a bunch of bad cops who just can't be fired.
6% is rather high. It is higher than all other increases in the private sector. The should settle on 4 or 5 with the modifications to the other provisions of the contract and go home smiling about that type of increase for their members.
6% is rather high. It is higher than all other increases in the private sector. The should settle on 4 or 5 with the modifications to the other provisions of the contract and go home smiling about that type of increase for their members.
Gannett buys Community Press
The parent company of the Enquirer is buying the Community Press, and 25 other local newspapers.
No plans have been announced as to any changes, but one can assume that eventually some consolidation would take place.
This is yet another sorry chapter in the story of Media consolidation. We will not have few news sources in this town. I am not a regular reader of the Community Press and it market is slightly different than the Enquirer, but it will surely be synergized to fit marketing models and independence will be crushed.
The only possible positive for this from the consumer's point of view is that the Enquirer could stop focusing as much column spaces to the Real News, Real Crap plan they have been working on for a couple of years. That plan created a reactive newspaper giving people the news they wanted to hear, instead of what actually is happening in the city.
Finally, will the Community Press's Printing Press location be sold eventually or maintained?
No plans have been announced as to any changes, but one can assume that eventually some consolidation would take place.
This is yet another sorry chapter in the story of Media consolidation. We will not have few news sources in this town. I am not a regular reader of the Community Press and it market is slightly different than the Enquirer, but it will surely be synergized to fit marketing models and independence will be crushed.
The only possible positive for this from the consumer's point of view is that the Enquirer could stop focusing as much column spaces to the Real News, Real Crap plan they have been working on for a couple of years. That plan created a reactive newspaper giving people the news they wanted to hear, instead of what actually is happening in the city.
Finally, will the Community Press's Printing Press location be sold eventually or maintained?
Friday, November 19, 2004
Regressive VooDoo
Kevin Drums summarizes a report about Bush's tax "plan." The Washington Post reports that Bush wants to reward the wealthy, increase taxes on the middle class, and for some strange reason provide a reason for corporations to dump health care coverage. I thought a flat tax might be Bush's trick, but this is even more regressive, almost text book Trickle Down economics.
Sounds like a redistribution of money from the middle class to the rich. The poor are left to live on peanuts, as usual.
Sounds like a redistribution of money from the middle class to the rich. The poor are left to live on peanuts, as usual.
Take Down Your Political Yard Signs
I don't care who you supported, but take down your political yard signs. I pass a Portman sign every morning on my way to work. Megan Varelmann of the UC NewsRecord contemplates how long people get to remove political paraphernalia. The answer is now.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Stating the Obvious: Episode #672
The headline reads: City mishandled aspects of failed theater project. If you call reading a financial statement showing 1.6 million in assets as Dollars when it was really in Yen and only worth about $14,000 as mishandling the project, then yes, you have some blame in the situation.
Will DNA Replace Fingerprinting?
Law makers in Ohio are pushing to sample the DNA of people convicted of a felony or sex-crime misdemeanor. How long before a DNA sample replaces or is added to being fingerprinted at each arrest, as opposed to each conviction?
Sweeps Breeds Fear
Here we have local TV news in the middle of sweep raising panic on the suburban viewer once again. No context is provided on the increase. Numbers need to be compared. Cherry picking a 10% rise in Downtown just to make the point that people have a misplaced fear of Downtown does nothing but increase the fear of ignorant suburbanites who like to live in a jail. Here WKRC is playing the part of stooge for those in the burbs who want Downtown to fail, and every business to leave. Those people are out there and every local government offering tax breaks to lure company's to Mason, NKY, and West Chester are among them.
Mayoral Update
The Cincinnati Post has another update on who is and is not or might be running for Mayor. A recap of press accounts:
Running
Mark Mallory
David Pepper
Maybe
Alicia Reece
Jim Tarbell
Chris Smitherman
Mark Painter
Charlie Winburn
Not Running
Charlie Luken
John Cranley
Donald Duck
Running
Mark Mallory
David Pepper
Maybe
Alicia Reece
Jim Tarbell
Chris Smitherman
Mark Painter
Charlie Winburn
Not Running
Charlie Luken
John Cranley
Donald Duck
Nick Spencer on the Move
Nick Spencer has moved his blog to his campaign website. Update your favorites.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
He Hate Me? (No)
I guess some people believe I am polarizing or that is what I take away from a post from Michael at Cincinnati Group. I really don't see myself as polarized. I have opinions and people agree or disagree with them, but I don't think I am extreme on any big issue. I don't think being confrontational on issues or even heavy handed is polarizing. I also don't think when I state what I believe are facts, but do so in a manner people find harsh or shrill, that I am polarizing. I take sides on issues. I am not stuck on every element of most issues. There are a few I will not budge on, but that makes me stubborn, not out on a polar extreme. Additionally, I don't think people really hate me. They may think I suck and am a waste of time, but don't hate me. So I guess I would have said "love him or think he sucks" instead of "love him or hate him." It is a matter of semantics.
The post ended up having little to do with me, except that I guess I got lucky in naming my blog what it is. I guess no one would be reading me if Cincinnati was not in the name of my blog, not that many read me now as it is. I think my parents are just hitting refresh 50 times a day. I got indirectly slammed (or directly), but CiN took the brunt of it.
I do really disagree a lot about Michael's comment that I don't that much to do with Cincinnati. I have a lot to do with Cincinnati, but I am not niche blog about Cincinnati. I comment on local media, local news, local politics, and local cultural events mostly. During the Presidential race I did talk about national issue a lot, but I still hit the issues affecting people in the city.
I am not from Cincinnati, that is clear. I happily am from Western New York State. I think I bring a perspective on the city that is different and not filled with either assumed knowledge or historical bias. I have bias; just not one where I assume things here in Cincinnati will never change. It just may take years.
The post ended up having little to do with me, except that I guess I got lucky in naming my blog what it is. I guess no one would be reading me if Cincinnati was not in the name of my blog, not that many read me now as it is. I think my parents are just hitting refresh 50 times a day. I got indirectly slammed (or directly), but CiN took the brunt of it.
I do really disagree a lot about Michael's comment that I don't that much to do with Cincinnati. I have a lot to do with Cincinnati, but I am not niche blog about Cincinnati. I comment on local media, local news, local politics, and local cultural events mostly. During the Presidential race I did talk about national issue a lot, but I still hit the issues affecting people in the city.
I am not from Cincinnati, that is clear. I happily am from Western New York State. I think I bring a perspective on the city that is different and not filled with either assumed knowledge or historical bias. I have bias; just not one where I assume things here in Cincinnati will never change. It just may take years.
Someone Gets Leis
In a letter to the Enquirer we read:
I hope John is a Republican. Only Republicans can getJ. Edgar HooverSimon Leis to quit.
Sheriff's response to chase heartlessIndeed!
In regard to 'Sheriff: Chase was right call' (Nov. 13): So Sheriff Simon Leis sees nothing wrong with chasing after a kid stealing gas that results in a woman's death. 'There could have been a body in the trunk' is his response. Sure, and there might have been a car bomb in the trunk, too, but highly doubtful. Wearing a 'tin star' doesn't condone such egregious overreaction that ends in an innocent bystander's death. The sheriff's self-serving, heartless and totally out-of-touch response condoning the officer's movie car-chase mentality strongly indicates why he has outlived his usefulness to Hamilton County.
John Gunselman
Anderson Township
I hope John is a Republican. Only Republicans can get
Provisional Ballots
The real question that should be asked while the provisional ballots are counted is why do we have so many? An investigation should be made to determine why so many provisional ballots had to be cast. What I would guess is clerical errors brought on by the increased registration this year taxing an understaffed Board of Elections. We still do not properly fund the elections process in this state. As long as we have one party rule, will never will.
Both Allen and Collins Want Tax Money
Rebecca Collins has now joined Mike Allen in asking Hamilton County Taxpayers to cough up cash to defend her. Mike Allen did this earlier this fall.
Mayoral Race Still a Mess
Korte's latest column reports that John Cranley is not running for mayor, Alicia Reece is on the fence, and Jim Tarbell is considering it.
Jeff Berding is also likely running for council as a Dem. I have never heard of Jeff by name, but come February we may hear more. He works for the Bengals which may or may not be a liability, depending on how many games they end up winning this year.
Jeff Berding is also likely running for council as a Dem. I have never heard of Jeff by name, but come February we may hear more. He works for the Bengals which may or may not be a liability, depending on how many games they end up winning this year.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Tall Stacks Back
In 2006 Tall Stacks will return a year earlier than thought. I welcome this event to the area. I went last year and really enjoyed the night I spent there. I was not able to go on a cruise, but from what I heard last year the riverboat cruises were mostly worth it. The price may have been too high for some, but the experience was to have been worth the lines.
I am sure some will harp on this event for not making money. This is the kind of event that the city and county should chip-in with, where millions of revenue can be generated.
I am sure some will harp on this event for not making money. This is the kind of event that the city and county should chip-in with, where millions of revenue can be generated.
Corporate Wellfare
Luken has sunk to a new low. He now wants to subsidize P&G's corporate jets. What office is Charlie running for now that he has to suck up to P&G's money? What benefit will this bring to anyone other than a few P&G executives? I think the golf course can wait for an upgrade. I think that we need to fund economic development for downtown and reinstate the social service programs Luken wants to cut. If we can expedite some regulation to help P&G get its new hanger built, then great, but they should pay all of the costs, including any modifications needed to the golf course if they want a new hanger for the their pampered executives who don't live in the damn city anyway.
Is David Pepper in favor of this? Does his father still get use of a company jet?
Is David Pepper in favor of this? Does his father still get use of a company jet?
So Much For a Settlement
Mike Allen has counter sued Rebecca Collins. He has come out and is laying on the sleaze. This may help Mike's chances of winning the lawsuit or of getting a better settlement deal, but it solidifies that he had a long term affair and is one big ass liar who really had no commitment to his wife.
Allen does make Collins look really bad. He is using the slut defense and it likely will work to a large degree.
What is laughable is Mike playing the victim. His wife is a victim. He is a man who cheated on his wife. That is a low position in society and his claims that he was ruined by Collins are all bullshit. He is responsible for his downfall. He may have a case that her legal claims have no merit, but his have even less validity than hers.
The legal brief reminds me of the Star report with details of Collins’ alleged sexual escapades. There are even emailed pictures too. It just has a cheap feel to it, and frankly both Allen and Collins come across like cheap tramps.
More Coverage: Post, WCPO, WLWT, AP, and WKRC.
Allen does make Collins look really bad. He is using the slut defense and it likely will work to a large degree.
What is laughable is Mike playing the victim. His wife is a victim. He is a man who cheated on his wife. That is a low position in society and his claims that he was ruined by Collins are all bullshit. He is responsible for his downfall. He may have a case that her legal claims have no merit, but his have even less validity than hers.
The legal brief reminds me of the Star report with details of Collins’ alleged sexual escapades. There are even emailed pictures too. It just has a cheap feel to it, and frankly both Allen and Collins come across like cheap tramps.
More Coverage: Post, WCPO, WLWT, AP, and WKRC.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Circus
The "battle" for the city council seat being vacated by Pat DeWine has started a wave of discussion and trepidation over who will take over that seat. Logic dictates that the Republican who got the next highest number of votes in the last election would become the obvious choice. That would be Leslie Ghiz. Some are doing everything to try and stop that from happening.
Peter Witte wants the seat, and every time the crime is mentioned in the media he likely is jumping with joy.
Phil Burrass wants the seat so every time abortion or homosexuals are mentioned he is gets exited, but then remembers he has to get someone to pick Barb Trauth, his surrogate.
Nate Livingston wants the seat too, but I think he understands that the GOP wouldn't pick him in a million years. Neither would any other political party for obvious reasons, but that part has not sunk in and stopped him from a diatribe against Leslie Ghiz.
Nick Spencer has the most honest commentary on what is going on in the battle for DeWine's seat: it is the bigoted wing of the GOP pushing its campaign of fear. Bigot is of course my word of choice, not Nick's. I said honest here because Nick comes from the GOP and knows what he is talking about.
We also get a hint of who is or might be running for Council: Nick, Leslie and Brian Gerry are in. Brinkman may also be in? Zeus help us! Fanon Rucker and Greg Harris would both get on council in a heart beat and are being courted heavily. Any other names of those who are possible council candidates?
Peter Witte wants the seat, and every time the crime is mentioned in the media he likely is jumping with joy.
Phil Burrass wants the seat so every time abortion or homosexuals are mentioned he is gets exited, but then remembers he has to get someone to pick Barb Trauth, his surrogate.
Nate Livingston wants the seat too, but I think he understands that the GOP wouldn't pick him in a million years. Neither would any other political party for obvious reasons, but that part has not sunk in and stopped him from a diatribe against Leslie Ghiz.
Nick Spencer has the most honest commentary on what is going on in the battle for DeWine's seat: it is the bigoted wing of the GOP pushing its campaign of fear. Bigot is of course my word of choice, not Nick's. I said honest here because Nick comes from the GOP and knows what he is talking about.
We also get a hint of who is or might be running for Council: Nick, Leslie and Brian Gerry are in. Brinkman may also be in? Zeus help us! Fanon Rucker and Greg Harris would both get on council in a heart beat and are being courted heavily. Any other names of those who are possible council candidates?
Little Tent
Oh, I seem to remember lots of Republicans all happy and gloating that pro-choice Republicans were allowed to speak the GOP Convention, but now we see that words and deeds are indeed two different words in the Republican party. Senator Frist now is applying a litmus test to chairman of the Judiciary committee. They must support the President's choices. I guess advise and consent are just words.
Don't Dis Kos
Does Carl Weiser even read DailyKos
Through Web sites like www.democraticunderground.org, www.blackboxvoting.org, www.dailykos.com, www.indyvoter.org, www.freepress.org and even one called www.recountohio.org, anti-Bush forces are pushing for investigations, recounts and even a retraction of Kerry's concession.Lumping in DailyKos with these others is like lumping in the OpinionJournal.com with the FreeRepublic.com.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
The Rest of the Story Bronson's Not Telling You
After a reader checked up on the Bronson post below I found I did not link to the right story and got the wrong location of where the GOP Challenger became the poll worker. Here is the except from the election day story Howard Wilkinson (a real political reporter) posted online:
Now, even if by some odd chance there was yet another GOP person at the that location that the people from Bronson's article forgot to mention, that takes nothing away from a polling location where someone took their vote challenger status and poll worker status to be one in the same. I guess that is somehow worse than people getting help on how to vote. We all are expect to read an all, now aren't we? [Insert Jim Crow reference here in case you missed it]
As of mid-day, there was only one report of trouble.This reads as the same location from Bronson's column:
At the Holy Name Church Parish House in Mount Auburn, where two overwhelmingly Democratic and African-American precincts vote, a person who was to have been a GOP vote challenger was named at the last minute to fill a vacant position as one of the regular Republican precinct judges who are always on hand to monitor voting.
Voters and vote monitors complained that the GOP precinct judge was questioning every voter about his or her address and "being a jerk about it," Burke said.
Burke and Tony Reisig, a Republican administrator at the board of elections, were dispatched to the Mount Auburn polling place to talk to the poll worker.
"We made it clear that if he did not stop, he would be pulled out," Burke said.
The fender-bender was at Precinct 8A, the Holy Name Church in Mount Auburn. There were complaints of intimidation - but not by voters in the mostly black, Democratic precinct. The protests came from two white Republican poll workers.Ah, WRONG PETER! There were complaints from that polling location and the question that I will safely speculate on is that one of the two people you got your story from was the person in question who became a poll worker at the last minute and was the source of the complaints referenced in the Wilkinson article. So when I say Bronson is a GOP Shill, I think people can see where I am coming from. Will we see a revision on this story? Don’t bet on it. Will we see another story about, like a follow-up from Wilkinson, I doubt it. Will anyone from the editorial staff of the Enquirer even notice it and chew out Bronson? I know, I know, I am laughing at the thought it myself.
Now, even if by some odd chance there was yet another GOP person at the that location that the people from Bronson's article forgot to mention, that takes nothing away from a polling location where someone took their vote challenger status and poll worker status to be one in the same. I guess that is somehow worse than people getting help on how to vote. We all are expect to read an all, now aren't we? [Insert Jim Crow reference here in case you missed it]
Bronson Has Selective Hearing, Or Just Likes To Exaggerate
In today's episode of Peter Bronson: GOP Shill we read about the spoon-fed story a couple of GOP hacks gave to Peter. Two white people from the burbs where sent into a mostly black neighborhood. This sounds like a retread reversed episode of Different Strokes. What I would like to know and Peter of course does not say is whether or not these two Republicans were in fact GOP Challengers who at the last minute became actual poll workers. This was the case in Ward 26 where a GOP hack tried to do both jobs of being a poll worker and prevent Democrats from voting. That episode seemed to just pass Peter by, even though it was reported online by his newspaper. I guess voter intimidation is not something he cares about, just white "poll workers" being intimidated by what he claimed were Democrats, drunks, and mentally challenged people. All three titles in Peter's mind I am sure are interchangeable, at least as much Republican, racist, and theocrat are interchangeable.
Why didn't Bronson mention the paranoid poll workers on the east side who thought they were being stalked and called the cops, only to find that the Kerry campaign people where following the ballot boxes to make sure they got to the BOE? This actually, after fact, was a funny story, not in the least because I know several of the campaign people who were there when the cops were called. Stephanie Dunlop's article gives a good account of the misplaced fear people had on election night.
What Bronson missed most was what most suburban whites miss, the realization that if a Democratic black person from Walnut Hills was assigned as a poll worker to work in West Chester or Mason, then they would likely have had far worse stories of intimidation from white voters or other poll workers that from their perspective would be just as negative, but maybe also overstated as Bronson’s tale of woe appears to be to me.
UPDATE: The story involving Ward 26 was incorrect. The story I remember is here and it is about the same precinct Bronson is referring to. I shall post a new post to except the story and show how Bronson should not just accept a Republican's word for it.
Why didn't Bronson mention the paranoid poll workers on the east side who thought they were being stalked and called the cops, only to find that the Kerry campaign people where following the ballot boxes to make sure they got to the BOE? This actually, after fact, was a funny story, not in the least because I know several of the campaign people who were there when the cops were called. Stephanie Dunlop's article gives a good account of the misplaced fear people had on election night.
What Bronson missed most was what most suburban whites miss, the realization that if a Democratic black person from Walnut Hills was assigned as a poll worker to work in West Chester or Mason, then they would likely have had far worse stories of intimidation from white voters or other poll workers that from their perspective would be just as negative, but maybe also overstated as Bronson’s tale of woe appears to be to me.
UPDATE: The story involving Ward 26 was incorrect. The story I remember is here and it is about the same precinct Bronson is referring to. I shall post a new post to except the story and show how Bronson should not just accept a Republican's word for it.
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Breakin' the Law
Help me out here folks. Isn't "knowingly allowing false testimony": by a lawyer either a violation of the law or at least something you get disbarred for doing?
This happened 11 years ago, so statutes of limitations may apply on the criminal issues
(can a lawyer chime in?), but it wouldn’t have been nice if this little bit of information was known before November 2nd when people were deciding if Joe Deters should be in the same job where according to a judge he "knowingly allowing false testimony," which no matter how you slice it is bad.
I am sure the get a conviction no matter what crowd out there will in so many words claim the ends justify the means, but when they are on the Deter's chopping block, I wonder if they would change their tune.
Based on the article it does indeed look like Deters will have a scandal to deal with:
This happened 11 years ago, so statutes of limitations may apply on the criminal issues
(can a lawyer chime in?), but it wouldn’t have been nice if this little bit of information was known before November 2nd when people were deciding if Joe Deters should be in the same job where according to a judge he "knowingly allowing false testimony," which no matter how you slice it is bad.
I am sure the get a conviction no matter what crowd out there will in so many words claim the ends justify the means, but when they are on the Deter's chopping block, I wonder if they would change their tune.
Based on the article it does indeed look like Deters will have a scandal to deal with:
When Horn testified at Wogenstahl's trial, he said he "never" sold drugs -- something Harrison police later insisted under oath that Deters and assistant prosecutors Mark Piepmeier and Rick Gibson knew was false.Judge Mark Painter was the judge in this case and is a well respected Republican, so anyone claiming politics is behind this is full of it. What prosecutor will honestly say a police officer is lying? That applies double here in Cincinnati where the police can do no wrong.
"(I)n August 1992, before the trial, Horn has been arrested and (convicted as a juvenile) for trafficking in marijuana. Wogenstahl claims that the prosecutors knew this but still allowed Horn to testify falsely," Painter wrote.
Harrison police officers swore in depositions after Wogenstahl's trial that that was exactly what happened.
"If proved, the prosecutors' conduct violated the law and ethical rules. And it is something that disciplinary counsel for the Ohio Supreme Court should examine," Painter wrote.
Friday, November 12, 2004
New Local Blog
Please welcome Brendan Cronin over at Spacetropic to the Cincy Blogosphere. He leans moderate and so far is focusing on national issues. He has a bio. Give him a read.
IHOP
Can anything bad happen when you go to an IHOP, outside of health problems from long term reliance oo pancakes as a source of food?
An A or and A- ?
Maggie Downs' column today states that with the passage of Issue 3 Cincinnati has passed a test. I agree, but Ohio failed with Issue 1, so the city's grade is at best tainted with the fact that over 46% of the people voted to keep Cincinnati anti-homosexual and to prevent civil unions. That number indicates that people want to keep homosexuals as second class citizens.
Maybe the metaphor I am searching for is that yes we got an A on this test, but we are still failing Humanity 101.
Maybe the metaphor I am searching for is that yes we got an A on this test, but we are still failing Humanity 101.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
City Services For the Poor to Suffer
The Mayor is proposing budget cuts to programs that will hurt many people. The poor will feel it most. Fire protection Brown-Outs got headlines, but when we cut money to help food banks and women's shelters the news will be muted and the reaction from the public will be nonexistent.
Elections? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Elections
David Broder's column in the Cincinnati Post laments Florida where if you are unopposed and you don't have anyone register as a write-in against you, then you do not appear on the ballot and are automatically made the congressman. I don't know if this applies to all elections in Florida or just Federal Offices. Sounds like someone needs to reform the law. Write-in candidates should not be required to register beforehand, and the public should know who is up for election at least on election day. We have another reason to pity Florida. We in Ohio dodged a bullet this year and would have had total chaos if the vote had been a little bit closer. We still have a very small chance to have that chaos if the provisional ballots go all Kerry's way. Many still hold out hope. I don't and those that do are grasping at straws.
In Case You Missed it
What has been considered one of the most disgusting articles after the election can be read here. It has made the rounds in the blogosphere and if you haven't read it, please do and then understand why I am pissed off.
Now, I am sure that this guy's views are not in the majority among conservatives, but it surely has a significant portion and a growing segment that does feel emboldened by Bush's bare majority win. This write is the type of person I don't trust and for those who silently let him blather on don't make me feel very positive that the country will "heal."
Now, I am sure that this guy's views are not in the majority among conservatives, but it surely has a significant portion and a growing segment that does feel emboldened by Bush's bare majority win. This write is the type of person I don't trust and for those who silently let him blather on don't make me feel very positive that the country will "heal."
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Will the Millworks Kill Downtown?
Will the new mall coming to Oakley in 2006 kill downtown and other retail and entertainment districts around town? This will be more "upscale" so it does appeal to the Mason-Kenwood-Hyde Park crowd, so will that crowd now stay away from Downtown? Are they even going there now?
This seems to make any development for Fountain Square, the Banks, and Main Street back burner efforts.
The only question outstanding: how much will this cost tax payers? In cash, loans, or tax breaks.
UPDATE: Nick Spencer comments in support of the new delvelopment.
This seems to make any development for Fountain Square, the Banks, and Main Street back burner efforts.
The only question outstanding: how much will this cost tax payers? In cash, loans, or tax breaks.
UPDATE: Nick Spencer comments in support of the new delvelopment.
Someone is Lying
Warren County Officials are sticking to their guns that the threat on election day was a "10." I think someone might want to mention to someone out in Mason that the Kings Island Eiffel Tower is not real and is a fraction of the actual size.
This is ridiculous. Either the FBI is lying when it says they did not issue a threat against Warren County or that someone in Warren County was looking to make a name for them self and even keep out people from watching the vote counts at the same time.
I says this as I sit in BK, yes BK, blogging during lunch, on the edge of Warren County. This makes me want to laugh, but at the same time cry that people in public office would actually think that a rural county would be a target for terrorism. I know the Bush folks have managed to make a whole lot of people think they, even in their rural home, are targets for international terrorism. Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable, NOOOOO!!!!! People are stupid enough, and these officials show they are, to believe that terrorism is going to hit them, when there is no tangible evidence that anyone is a target out side of major cities or facilities that could cause large amounts of damage. Even then, we are still safe here. Simon Leis and Warren County folks need to take a step back and stop helping Bush mislead the country into living a perpetual state of fear and panic. We all know that is the state of society which makes it easiest to govern. If people are afraid, then they are easier to influence, which in part worked like a charm last week.
This is ridiculous. Either the FBI is lying when it says they did not issue a threat against Warren County or that someone in Warren County was looking to make a name for them self and even keep out people from watching the vote counts at the same time.
I says this as I sit in BK, yes BK, blogging during lunch, on the edge of Warren County. This makes me want to laugh, but at the same time cry that people in public office would actually think that a rural county would be a target for terrorism. I know the Bush folks have managed to make a whole lot of people think they, even in their rural home, are targets for international terrorism. Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable, NOOOOO!!!!! People are stupid enough, and these officials show they are, to believe that terrorism is going to hit them, when there is no tangible evidence that anyone is a target out side of major cities or facilities that could cause large amounts of damage. Even then, we are still safe here. Simon Leis and Warren County folks need to take a step back and stop helping Bush mislead the country into living a perpetual state of fear and panic. We all know that is the state of society which makes it easiest to govern. If people are afraid, then they are easier to influence, which in part worked like a charm last week.
Choose and Lose
Korte reports the following from Councilman Sam Malone on who should take Pat DeWine Seat: 'The issues that were instrumental in (President Bush) maintaining his seat are critically important,' Malone said. Translation: Only rock-ribbed social conservatives need apply.Gee, I wonder what Malone will do? Malone has illustrated that he is firmly anti-homosexual, which, campers, makes him a bigot.
I for one would play the gender card on Malone if I were Ghiz. If you want the women's vote, you will do well by putting a woman on council. That might open the door for Barb Trauth, who is in Malone's right wing zone of comfort.
I for one would play the gender card on Malone if I were Ghiz. If you want the women's vote, you will do well by putting a woman on council. That might open the door for Barb Trauth, who is in Malone's right wing zone of comfort.
Nick's Picks
Nick Spencer has posted his ideal city council:
Now DeWine got elected to the county commission, so I don't know if Nick would have left him off or not. Pepper and Reece are both likely running for Mayor. Cranley has been toying with something similar but, likely will not. The real losers are Smitherman and Malone. Smitherman gets the special knock because he and Nick both ran on the Charter ticket. Nick is a moderate Replublican and Smitherman is a Democrat, which makes the Charter label rather limited in material impact, but Smitherman has lost some significant support amongst moderates for his defense of extremist boycotters (B and some A's). Malone is a Burress Bigot, so no shock there.
I don't think I could fill out a full slate yet, but I know who on Nick's list I would not vote for: Lynch, Witte, and Connelly.
- Me (well, come on, what did you expect?)
- Fanon Rucker (probably not interested, but he would be great)
- Laketa Cole (exceptional constituent service, great on Neighborhoods)
- Jim Tarbell (Commitment to the Center City and the Arts)
- Dave Crowley (Impeccable Character, Strong Record of Service)
- Leslie Ghiz (smart, likeable, easy to work with)
- Damon Lynch III (some really good ideas, represents the unheard voices of our city)
- Pete Witte (not as bad as you might think, though he has his moments. A working class guy who cares about development and safety)
- John Connelly (a sincere person with interesting ideas, though I certainly don't agree with many of them).
Now DeWine got elected to the county commission, so I don't know if Nick would have left him off or not. Pepper and Reece are both likely running for Mayor. Cranley has been toying with something similar but, likely will not. The real losers are Smitherman and Malone. Smitherman gets the special knock because he and Nick both ran on the Charter ticket. Nick is a moderate Replublican and Smitherman is a Democrat, which makes the Charter label rather limited in material impact, but Smitherman has lost some significant support amongst moderates for his defense of extremist boycotters (B and some A's). Malone is a Burress Bigot, so no shock there.
I don't think I could fill out a full slate yet, but I know who on Nick's list I would not vote for: Lynch, Witte, and Connelly.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Lemmie Out?
WLWT is reporting that Cincinnati City Manager Valerie Lemmie may resign.
No official reason or other rationale was given in the report, other than "timing," which makes no sense. The article states that a new administration will be coming in soon. We have over a year before a new administration will be coming in. How is that soon?
Lemmie has been a luke warm city manager. Nothing great, but nothing bad has come down. Her tenure may be short lived, and no one seems to care if she stays or goes. She has few detractors, most outspoken are the boycotters (A and B), but they will denounce everyone even if they don’t say a thing.
I don’t think she will leave, now especially with this report out there. At best this is a trial balloon to gauge the Mayor’s or council’s reaction to see if they throw any support her way.
No official reason or other rationale was given in the report, other than "timing," which makes no sense. The article states that a new administration will be coming in soon. We have over a year before a new administration will be coming in. How is that soon?
Lemmie has been a luke warm city manager. Nothing great, but nothing bad has come down. Her tenure may be short lived, and no one seems to care if she stays or goes. She has few detractors, most outspoken are the boycotters (A and B), but they will denounce everyone even if they don’t say a thing.
I don’t think she will leave, now especially with this report out there. At best this is a trial balloon to gauge the Mayor’s or council’s reaction to see if they throw any support her way.
Enquirer Praises Elizabeth Edwards, but...
They praise her for setting an example, but they don't set an example and condemn Bill Cunningham's spiteful words.
Jailbird Bronson
Peter Bronson is carrying the water of local Sheriffs who want new jails. It takes something that Peter and others want to eliminate: Tax revenue. Jails cost money. We do need a bigger and better jail, but it takes money and it takes organization. I vote we put the jail in downtown Sharonville. That land could be much better used, and Leis could use his helicopter to shuttle the prisoners to the courthouse at will.
Stabbing Cancels Bogart's Concert
Stabbing cancels Bogart's concert but remarkably Marilyn Manson appeared at the Taft last night to little notice.
Monday, November 08, 2004
This Is the Day the 'Lord' Hath Made
The same BIGOT (big enough?) who brought you Issue 1 is now making threats against companies for supporting civil rights in the form of Issue 3. Phil and his fascist theocrats can do what they want. Boycotts rarely work. They might be looking at how Sinclair Broadcasting was brought to its knees by some liberal bloggers. Phil is cocksure, blindly bigoted, hateful, and not filled with much foresight if he think he can tangle horns with P&G on morals and win. This wanna-be Joe McCarthy is hated by many, even some porn loving conservatives, and with this stupid tact he may be the first victim of blow back in the culture wars. Over reach is what some conservatives are warning against and this is their first chance to show if they have balls.
I therefore am waiting to see how many Bush supporters out there who are disgusted by Burress will do more than just mumble under their breath at him and finally take action against a man who used hate and bigotry to get your candidate elected.
I therefore am waiting to see how many Bush supporters out there who are disgusted by Burress will do more than just mumble under their breath at him and finally take action against a man who used hate and bigotry to get your candidate elected.
The Post Is Deaming
Wake up! Wake up sleepy head.
All of the issues the Post thinks its endorsement earned them (us in their foolish mind) will not get any attention from Bush. If we are lucky our congressman who never have done much for this area at all will actually vote for some of this stuff, but I doubt it. If we get the Brent Spence Bridge it is because it a trade route, not because it will help Downtown. If they bridge were up in West Chester, you can be sure it would be bought and paid for ten times over come 2005. Everything else on their list will not help the conservative suburbs, so no Republican will give a damn, which is true of local issues as well.
All of the issues the Post thinks its endorsement earned them (us in their foolish mind) will not get any attention from Bush. If we are lucky our congressman who never have done much for this area at all will actually vote for some of this stuff, but I doubt it. If we get the Brent Spence Bridge it is because it a trade route, not because it will help Downtown. If they bridge were up in West Chester, you can be sure it would be bought and paid for ten times over come 2005. Everything else on their list will not help the conservative suburbs, so no Republican will give a damn, which is true of local issues as well.
Yep, That's About Right
Moffett: Ohio voted for pulpit, not pocket:
Conservative Republicans in Cincinnati and Columbus, who may have had different ideas about the economy or war, found common ground in the fear that lesbians might commit to relationships with each other.The only disagreement is that the fear of gay men is higher than the fear of lesbians, but that point is still valid.
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Bill Cunningham is a Scumbag
Ratings whore Bill Cunningham is a jerk, but even I did not think he was this bad:
[Via MediaMatters]
From the November 3 edition of The Sean Hannity Show:Cunningham should be fired. I hope Darryl Parks was listening. I am sure this will just him a raise, because no stunt is to low for WLW. This even made Hannity uncomfortable. This on the same day she is diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
HANNITY: They're gonna think they weren't vitriolic enough. They're gonna think they weren't mean enough and they're gonna go out there and do the same thing: Attack, attack, attack, undermine troops and the president during a time of war and that is not gonna get them elected anywhere.
CUNNINGHAM: Well, it's over because Elizabeth Edwards has now sung.
HANNITY: Oh, you know, you're cruel.
CUNNINGHAM: [Laughter]
HANNITY: No, be nice, will ya? Where -- we gotta be gracious in victory.
[Via MediaMatters]
Nick Spencer Is Running For Council
Nick Spencer has announced he is running for Cincinnati City Council.
CiN Weekly Blog
Well, Well, Well, how should I react to this? At this point it is lighter than their normal magazine and to my surprise a real blog, not like the other filtered blogs the Enquirer has tried at the Olympics. This one actually accepts comments, which I am surprised they are doing and once I have linked to it I wonder how many of my trolls they will get making things over there a mess. Sorry if that happens.
They also have a filtered kind of blogger for a day section with readers posting mini-editorials.
The whole thing is packaged at their new hub of reader feed back.
The format of the blog is ok. One point I did not like was date was a bit small for my taste, which from my point of view tells me if their blog is up to date. The other really, really big thing missing is a BLOGROLL. The concept of interaction with other blogs or websites has not yet caught on totally. That is a mainstay of most all other blogs, but it also is something that does happens at a "professional blog" like this one, which I am sure is laden with some level of rules on content, posting, linking, excerpting, and political views.
Content wise I expect maybe a little more depth than the print version of the paper, which keeps things way to short, but I expect little actual political commentary to surface. Whether they are forbidden from doing so or just don't want to, I don't know, but I expect more personal anecdotes than personal stances on issues facing the city, state or country.
They also have a filtered kind of blogger for a day section with readers posting mini-editorials.
The whole thing is packaged at their new hub of reader feed back.
The format of the blog is ok. One point I did not like was date was a bit small for my taste, which from my point of view tells me if their blog is up to date. The other really, really big thing missing is a BLOGROLL. The concept of interaction with other blogs or websites has not yet caught on totally. That is a mainstay of most all other blogs, but it also is something that does happens at a "professional blog" like this one, which I am sure is laden with some level of rules on content, posting, linking, excerpting, and political views.
Content wise I expect maybe a little more depth than the print version of the paper, which keeps things way to short, but I expect little actual political commentary to surface. Whether they are forbidden from doing so or just don't want to, I don't know, but I expect more personal anecdotes than personal stances on issues facing the city, state or country.
Shifting Sands
Greg Korte has written a fairly good analysis of why Article XII was voted down, but he leaves out one important fact I thought he might have determined. Overall how did the vote in the city for Issue One compare to Issue Three? He gave some examples of precincts that inexplicably voted for both Issues, but not an overall number. The numbers are not yet finalized for proper comparison, but I think an initial number should be available. CW would be that votes in the City for Issue 1 would match those against Issue 3, but that was clearly not the case in example precincts Korte listed. I plan on doing an analysis once the detail precinct vote totals are made available.
UPDATE: A commenter points out that the article does include the number of voters who voted against Issue 1 in the city and the results of the Issue 3. 52.9 against Issue 1 and 53.8 for Issue 3. These are supposed to be both of only City of Cincinnati Voters and neither number includes provisional ballots. The phrasing in the article is not as clear as I would have liked, but when it is pointed out to me I can see it there, hidden behind a reference to Hamilton County.
UPDATE: A commenter points out that the article does include the number of voters who voted against Issue 1 in the city and the results of the Issue 3. 52.9 against Issue 1 and 53.8 for Issue 3. These are supposed to be both of only City of Cincinnati Voters and neither number includes provisional ballots. The phrasing in the article is not as clear as I would have liked, but when it is pointed out to me I can see it there, hidden behind a reference to Hamilton County.
Bronson: Bite Me
Sorry Peter, I for one will not now or will I ever worship at the alter of Bush where you perform your best journalistic fellatio.
If you expect us to love your president, then you are smoking pot again. It has been almost 4 years since Clinton left office Peter and you still blame him for everything. By the way you have lost your privilege of blaming any Democrat for anything bad that happens on a national scale. Everything will now be Bush's and the Rest of the Republican’s fault, so don't even try blaming Clinton for it. Bush has had all the chance he needed to change the "bad" things in government and foreign policy, so don't even try it. If you do, I will be sure to make sure everyone know you are doing what you blame us for doing, in other words: Get over Clinton.
Also Peter, your team is the hate crowd. I know you think you are loving gays when you oppress them with Issue 1 and your groups that try to "Convert" them, but no matter how much you delude yourself, you are still pushing hate and are.....
wait for it.......
a bigot.
The hate used to stir up fear is what many are calling the real "winning" issue. That is the, you know, kill Muslims attitude that is becoming common place. That is the fear and hate that was created and focused by BushCo in his quest to exploit the 9/11 events to his full advantage. What is more hateful: using a desire for revenge as a catalyst for war or using 3,000 dead people to get elected? I guess 100,000 dead people is not enough to quell the blood lust. This week we are likely to ad to that death toll, as well as the American Toll grows.
Peter, we are never going to agree on a damn thing and Bush does not want agreement, what he wants is assent. He ran on division and will do what he wants without consideration of any Democrat. This President has no intention of acting in my best interest or to fight for the ideas I believe in. He therefore will never get my assent. I shall never stand silently and let the man destroy the county I live in, that destruction which began back in 2001. I don’t know why anyone thinks anyone like myself would ever go quietly into the night. Culture War was declared and in my little way here on my blog I will be waging it right back in BushCo’s and his minion’s face.
If you expect us to love your president, then you are smoking pot again. It has been almost 4 years since Clinton left office Peter and you still blame him for everything. By the way you have lost your privilege of blaming any Democrat for anything bad that happens on a national scale. Everything will now be Bush's and the Rest of the Republican’s fault, so don't even try blaming Clinton for it. Bush has had all the chance he needed to change the "bad" things in government and foreign policy, so don't even try it. If you do, I will be sure to make sure everyone know you are doing what you blame us for doing, in other words: Get over Clinton.
Also Peter, your team is the hate crowd. I know you think you are loving gays when you oppress them with Issue 1 and your groups that try to "Convert" them, but no matter how much you delude yourself, you are still pushing hate and are.....
wait for it.......
a bigot.
The hate used to stir up fear is what many are calling the real "winning" issue. That is the, you know, kill Muslims attitude that is becoming common place. That is the fear and hate that was created and focused by BushCo in his quest to exploit the 9/11 events to his full advantage. What is more hateful: using a desire for revenge as a catalyst for war or using 3,000 dead people to get elected? I guess 100,000 dead people is not enough to quell the blood lust. This week we are likely to ad to that death toll, as well as the American Toll grows.
Peter, we are never going to agree on a damn thing and Bush does not want agreement, what he wants is assent. He ran on division and will do what he wants without consideration of any Democrat. This President has no intention of acting in my best interest or to fight for the ideas I believe in. He therefore will never get my assent. I shall never stand silently and let the man destroy the county I live in, that destruction which began back in 2001. I don’t know why anyone thinks anyone like myself would ever go quietly into the night. Culture War was declared and in my little way here on my blog I will be waging it right back in BushCo’s and his minion’s face.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Nate's Tea Leaves
Nate is reading the GOP tea leaves and his emotional state is constantly in question, but he put out a game of musical chairs that is worth note:
Listing Steve Fritch is rather laughable. I wonder if Nate is trying to suck up to Steve for some unknown reason. Yes, strange bedfellows indeed.
- Lt. Gov. Jeanette Bradley will take control of the Treasurer's Office.
- Congressman Rob Portman will leave Congress and become the Lt. Governor.
- President Bush will quickly appoint Gov. Taft to some position in Washington and Portman becomes the Governor. (President Bush will tell Ken Blackwell, Betty Montgomery, and Jim Petro to be good boys and girls and do what's best for the party by supporting Gov. Portman and either staying in their current - elected I might add - job thus ending the almost-assuredly nasty, Republican - dividing fight for Governor.)
- State Rep. Tom Brinkman (who was at last night's citywide public safety summit and IS NOT a source for this blog entry) becomes the 2nd District's Congressman.
- Blue Chip Review's Steve Fritsch is asked to kill his plans to run for City Council and takes Brinkman's place in the General Assembly.
- There is no word on who becomes the Lt. Governor.
Listing Steve Fritch is rather laughable. I wonder if Nate is trying to suck up to Steve for some unknown reason. Yes, strange bedfellows indeed.
Rucker for Mayor? No....
Rumors from Tim Burke notwithstanding, I see no scenario in which Fanon Rucker would challenge Mark Mallory for Mayor. What I think Rucker will do is run for City Council and win easily. He hopefully can knock of Sam Malone. The GOP will not have as good a luck inside the City next year, so they will be lucky to keep the seats they have, unless they get Damon Lynch to become a Republican, again.
Moron Editors
What kind of totally moronic Enquirer editors would allow this article to appear and not mention celebrity politicians like Reagan and Arnold? Oh, right, a Republican editor would do such a thing.
Friday, November 05, 2004
He Loves Bigots!
Tim at "Blurredbrain" seems to be a bit upset that I and other liberals are pissed off at his loved ones for voting for a bigot and either voting for the oppression of human beings (gay marriage ban) or accepting the support of those people in their quest to kill more Muslims before Saddam's grandchildren can build WMD and put them in a missile and launch it at the lower 48.
If it scares you that I point out your personal flaws, then I can only say GOOD! Maybe you will change your ways and stop pretending that it is ok to put human rights on the back burner and stop thinking killing Muslims will quell the PTSS you and many others on the surface illustrate with your irrational notion that going after Iraq has anything to do with fighting terrorism. Two things come to mind: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. If you want to get rid of terrorism, you might want to invade those countries instead of Iraq. If you don't like that people are pissed at you for your voting choice, then I suggest you do not tell anyone who you voted for and refrain from talking about politics. Also, please tell me what really scares you about anything I said? I have said nothing that should scare anyone, maybe shamed people with a conscience, but that is about it.
Scared by democratsSorry if the truth scares you Tim. If you voted for Issue 1 in Ohio, yes I think you are a bigot, and obviously you would be. If you don't think so, frankly I don't care, you can live in denial all you wish. Fact is fact, and bigotry is not hidden in Issue one. If you did not vote for said issue, then you surely voted for a man (Bush and maybe other Republicans) who supports that issue and more ideas like it. You put greed and your lust to kill Muslims over protecting human rights. What a great choice that was.
The fact is that small-d democrats have begun to worry me. I remember in the lead up to the 1992 election, I was in High School and a friend of mine, who was a staunch democrat, and I would go round and round about the various candidates. But though we would take cheap shots at each other the level of rivalry never approached hatred. Now when I look at various democratic outlets I see nothing but hatred for my friends, family, neighbors, and yes me. These democrats scare me. They call people I love and enjoy hanging around the most despicable of names. They legitimately believe 51% of the country are monsters. I don't want anyone these people support to be elected. And so I vote, and cheer Republican.
If it scares you that I point out your personal flaws, then I can only say GOOD! Maybe you will change your ways and stop pretending that it is ok to put human rights on the back burner and stop thinking killing Muslims will quell the PTSS you and many others on the surface illustrate with your irrational notion that going after Iraq has anything to do with fighting terrorism. Two things come to mind: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. If you want to get rid of terrorism, you might want to invade those countries instead of Iraq. If you don't like that people are pissed at you for your voting choice, then I suggest you do not tell anyone who you voted for and refrain from talking about politics. Also, please tell me what really scares you about anything I said? I have said nothing that should scare anyone, maybe shamed people with a conscience, but that is about it.
This is Now A Mainsteam Republican
Here we have the poster child for Bush's GOP, a thumpin' and a thump' his way with his twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one pointing out that Satan has stuck his hand into the world in the form of liberals. We must Kill, Kill, Kill for the Lord!
Damn, I feel like littering.
For the culturally ignorant, you can read this and understand what the hell I am referencing. Not that the reference makes any sense if you got what I was talking about, but at least you won't be so lost or won't at least think your are lost for not getting the references.
[Via Covington Jim]
Damn, I feel like littering.
For the culturally ignorant, you can read this and understand what the hell I am referencing. Not that the reference makes any sense if you got what I was talking about, but at least you won't be so lost or won't at least think your are lost for not getting the references.
[Via Covington Jim]
Can We Now All Agree?
Can we please all now agree that any electronic voting machines must have a paper back-up or is this just a myth created to undermine the GOP on it way to establishing their theocracy?
Hiding Something?
What was Warren County hiding from when they bared all reporters from watching the ballot count? What kind of nutcase thinks Warren County is going to be a place for terror attack? Someone is either delusion or just lying. Will anyone investigate this? No, they will not. The GOP will prevent it and the media are too damn lazy to do anything more than this article. It took two days for it to appear, what is up with that? Why was it not in yesterday's paper and made the front of the Metro Section?
Thursday, November 04, 2004
A Uniter, My Fat Ass
Republicans wonder why I hate this asshole?
A day after he pledged to reach out to Kerry voters, Bush turns around says, "fuck you!!!!"
Ah, I guess we can trust him, trust him to act like he won some huge majority and the 55 Million of us Kerry supporters just don't exist. A uniter my fat ass. Bush is going to run on like schmuck he is, as the guy who cares nothing, I repeat nothing, about those who did not vote for him.
A day after he pledged to reach out to Kerry voters, Bush turns around says, "fuck you!!!!"
Ah, I guess we can trust him, trust him to act like he won some huge majority and the 55 Million of us Kerry supporters just don't exist. A uniter my fat ass. Bush is going to run on like schmuck he is, as the guy who cares nothing, I repeat nothing, about those who did not vote for him.
Gloating and Closed Minds
Why was this article run? Why would this women care? Why do we need a propaganda article that I guess could not fit into Tuesday's paper, run today?
What this does illustrate is how impossible it will be for anyone to come together. This is tame, but wait until someone if fired for the way they voted.
What this does illustrate is how impossible it will be for anyone to come together. This is tame, but wait until someone if fired for the way they voted.
GOP Pat on Back; Bigotry Works!
Bronson can praise praise the work of his fellow bigots, but we can't get any liberal voices in the Enquirer to refute him? That would displease "Dear Leader," so I guess it will have to wait. When will the "W" arm bands be available for purchase?
By the way, those phone calls were mostly recorded ones. I got about 20 of those 100,000 and they were not live people. They were Robocalls from people like Mike Reagan scaring you over Gay Marriage.
By the way, those phone calls were mostly recorded ones. I got about 20 of those 100,000 and they were not live people. They were Robocalls from people like Mike Reagan scaring you over Gay Marriage.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Under/Over Votes in Hamilton County
Based on my exhaustive analysis of the final results of the election, excluding provisional ballots, we had the following:
Total Number of Ballots Cast = 418,001
Less Votes For Bush = 215,639
Less Votes For Kerry = 190,956
Less Votes For Badnarik = 1,006
Less Votes For Peroutka = 637
Under/Over Votes = 9,763
Total Number of Ballots Cast = 418,001
Less Votes For Bush = 215,639
Less Votes For Kerry = 190,956
Less Votes For Badnarik = 1,006
Less Votes For Peroutka = 637
Under/Over Votes = 9,763
Lt. Gov. Jennette Bradley to Take Treasurer's Post?
An AP report speculates that Jennete Bradley will take over Joe Deter's post as Treasurer in January. This is not new speculation and is likely a done deal. What is not a done deal is who will then become Lt. Governor.
Comedian's Dream
Sledge points out another silver lining resulting from the election, the comedy will be better. The Daily Show will have a field day over the next four years. If SNL had any courage they would do the same thing, but SNL tries to be evenhanded nowadays, and all to often just not funny.
MIAMI 23, Toledo 16
Cincinnati's Silver Lining
One of the few good bits of news that came from last night was passage of Issue Three, removing the anti-homosexual Article XII of the City Charter.
UPDATE: Nick Spencer has more.
UPDATE: Nick Spencer has more.
Fear and the Stockholm Syndrome
Well, it ends, and it ends badly. Fear won over hope. Hate will be viewed as a strength. A bully is what people think they want, because a bully has captured them and holds their egos hostage. People’s egos were damaged and vulnerable and ripe for attack. BushCo made that attack and won. They have grown to worship their dear leader, their captor with a kind of blind faith that one can only described as delusional.
We are headed into what history I believe will call the American Dark Age. The world will hate us more, which believe it or not is actually possible. The poor will be forgotten. The wealthy will be rewarded for just being wealthy. Science will be devalued and in some cases be outlawed. Freedom to conform will replace the freedom to be an individual. We are now under the thumb of theocratic George who will succeed in taking away the rights of Americans (especially women, non-Christians, and the poor).
What people should be prepared for is WAR.
WAR, WAR, and WAR.
We will have war for the next four years. We will have thousands of Americans killed and tens of thousands of innocents killed. Iran, Syria, North Korea, and even the West Bank.
The right-wing fascists are out for revenge and they will be taking it. I don’t just mean the few commenters on here who will, and have, gleefully gloated about their dictator winning. If I were to be snippy I would call this 1934 Germany, but I am not that extreme, it's just the venom speaking.
We are headed into what history I believe will call the American Dark Age. The world will hate us more, which believe it or not is actually possible. The poor will be forgotten. The wealthy will be rewarded for just being wealthy. Science will be devalued and in some cases be outlawed. Freedom to conform will replace the freedom to be an individual. We are now under the thumb of theocratic George who will succeed in taking away the rights of Americans (especially women, non-Christians, and the poor).
What people should be prepared for is WAR.
WAR, WAR, and WAR.
We will have war for the next four years. We will have thousands of Americans killed and tens of thousands of innocents killed. Iran, Syria, North Korea, and even the West Bank.
The right-wing fascists are out for revenge and they will be taking it. I don’t just mean the few commenters on here who will, and have, gleefully gloated about their dictator winning. If I were to be snippy I would call this 1934 Germany, but I am not that extreme, it's just the venom speaking.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Cincinnati Results
For "real time" results this pdf file has the most current information. Refresh it for more current results.
I am heading downtown soon, so I don't plan on posting until much later on or even until tomorrow.
These results are so far very slow to come in, which concerns me. I hope it is just because of the flurry of write-ins.
I am heading downtown soon, so I don't plan on posting until much later on or even until tomorrow.
These results are so far very slow to come in, which concerns me. I hope it is just because of the flurry of write-ins.
Enquirer Quasi-Blogging the Elections
Korte, Siegel, and Kemme are giving frontline reports from around town on the election. Korte includes Ethan Hahn's voting adventure (your welcome on that Greg) and other good anecdotes from the precincts. Is Ethan a Democratic blogger? What is odd however is that some wrote in the intro to the page that they are in "Columbus." That does not make much sense with notes on where they are reporting from. Now, they might not actual be where they report on, like me. I am sitting in a Hyde Park coffee shop right now, so go figure.
College Students Denied the Vote
Some Parents in the 34th district are very upset because their kids who attend OSU and OU did not receiving their absentee ballots. A judge has ruled that anyone who did not receive their absentee ballot, but should have, is entitled to vote with a provisional ballot. The problem is that the kids away at college can't do that unless they drive home. Few if any can do so, therefore they have been denied the vote. Is this another result of the lack of staff at the BOE to handle the level of voter participation this year? More lawsuits may be filed on this issue.
Deters Supporters Get Careless
Some Colerain Township Deters fans "left" there pencils in the voting booths. These pencils had "Write In Deters" printed on them. This is a violation of the law, but arguably an inadvertent. Well, it can be claimed inadvertent, but when two booth in one polling location have them, which equals all of the booths in that precinct, then that claim starts to crumble.
Reports also were reported in Mariemont and other places around the county. Details on that were not listed in the WLWT article.
To be fair, Fanon Rucker himself allegedly came into vote while wearing a hat covered in Rucker stickers.
Reports also were reported in Mariemont and other places around the county. Details on that were not listed in the WLWT article.
To be fair, Fanon Rucker himself allegedly came into vote while wearing a hat covered in Rucker stickers.
Exit Polling Allowed
Blackwell was over ruled and exit polling will be allowed today as it has for over 20 years.
The question is when did this ruling come down? Were pollsters there this morning? If not, then they are going to get a distorted result.
The question is when did this ruling come down? Were pollsters there this morning? If not, then they are going to get a distorted result.
Local Blogger's Registration Messed Up
Ethan Hahn of Queen City Soapbox reports he was not listed as being registered. What makes no sense is that he has lived in the same place for two years and voted in each election during that time. His wife who voted with him at the time was listed and was able to vote, but he was not. How could this have screwed up? This kind of thing should not happen. If he had moved and it had mess up that is one thing, but this sound like a serious error at the BOE. Ethan will have more later.
He was allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which is odd. I guess showing he lived in the precinct was what he had to do be allowed to cast the provisional ballot. His case should be reviewed and I hope the BOE can give him some answers.
UPDATE: Ethan has gotten some answers and it appears a new registrant's name was similar to his and they treated that new registration as a change to his, which was incorrect. His vote should count and they have fixed the problem. What this points out however is that the volume of new registration really caused some problems at the BOE. This is not the only case of this type of thing. I think some of the money the Federal government gave to Ohio for voting machines might best be spent on human beings auditing the registration roles for oddities like Ethan's case before today.
UPDATE #2: Ethan has a full recap of the resolution.
He was allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which is odd. I guess showing he lived in the precinct was what he had to do be allowed to cast the provisional ballot. His case should be reviewed and I hope the BOE can give him some answers.
UPDATE: Ethan has gotten some answers and it appears a new registrant's name was similar to his and they treated that new registration as a change to his, which was incorrect. His vote should count and they have fixed the problem. What this points out however is that the volume of new registration really caused some problems at the BOE. This is not the only case of this type of thing. I think some of the money the Federal government gave to Ohio for voting machines might best be spent on human beings auditing the registration roles for oddities like Ethan's case before today.
UPDATE #2: Ethan has a full recap of the resolution.
Vote Cast - Power Out
I had no problems casting my vote and as expected there were no challengers at my precinct. I ran into problems at home when my power was out. It hit a large portion of Mt. Washington. I am therefore back enjoying a Mocha at Panera.
The oddest thing at the polls, and this may just be normal practice because it happened for someone else at another poll, is that they have a second checklist they workers where checking off. When I asked what that was for, one of the ladies said they have to post it at 11:00 AM. I have no idea why and it seems like a secondary log of the polls which seems good, but it just struck me as odd. Also, the registers are printed in a new format, easier to use.
The oddest thing at the polls, and this may just be normal practice because it happened for someone else at another poll, is that they have a second checklist they workers where checking off. When I asked what that was for, one of the ladies said they have to post it at 11:00 AM. I have no idea why and it seems like a secondary log of the polls which seems good, but it just struck me as odd. Also, the registers are printed in a new format, easier to use.
I'm Off to Vote
I have my camera in hand.
If you have own voting stories or reports, please share them here.
If you have own voting stories or reports, please share them here.
Targeted Challenges
According the article on the appeals court ruling: the GOP states they will have "3,500 challengers" in Ohio. Well, that says at least that every precinct will not be gummed up. What it also says that the GOP is only sending challengers to certain polling locations. Hamilton County alone has 1,025 precincts. The GOP is going after the Democratic vote, and will ignore anything at precincts where they dominate. Prior reports indicate they will be targeting minority polling locations. We are going to have problems and this may get out of hand.
I hope the media keeps a tally of how many voters they challenge and how many are successful. Oh, wait, they will not be allowed in the polls to watch the GOP. The Dems will have to do it. Damn it, I am getting a bit pissed about this. Up until now I still held out hope that the GOP was just flexing its muscle, trying to act tough in light of a bad situation. I know think they are truly out to keep people from voting at the polls. We are headed for something bad.
More from Kos and Make Ohio Blue, including the first report of challengers.
Please are going to be confused when reading their Newspapers like this.
It is going to be a long day.
I hope the media keeps a tally of how many voters they challenge and how many are successful. Oh, wait, they will not be allowed in the polls to watch the GOP. The Dems will have to do it. Damn it, I am getting a bit pissed about this. Up until now I still held out hope that the GOP was just flexing its muscle, trying to act tough in light of a bad situation. I know think they are truly out to keep people from voting at the polls. We are headed for something bad.
More from Kos and Make Ohio Blue, including the first report of challengers.
Please are going to be confused when reading their Newspapers like this.
It is going to be a long day.
Back to a Mess
Well the 6th Circuit lived up to its reputation and has reversed both the Dlott and Adams decisions and will allow challengers into the polls. We now will have a mess at the polls. It might have been nice of the judges to ah, do this yesterday maybe? I mean now will have poll workers who at this point don't even know that the challengers are allowed in, and the polls are now open.
It is now going to be nasty at the polls. Tension has mounted and people will not have heard about this ruling before some idiot tries to challenge someone.
Please remember that when you go vote you do not have to talk to anyone but the poll worker. Bring some ID and check out these two sets of questions you might be asked: DDN and Enquirer.
I wonder what Blackwell is saying about this.
I wonder if exit poll workers will get in too.
Ohio Voter Suppression has more.
It is now going to be nasty at the polls. Tension has mounted and people will not have heard about this ruling before some idiot tries to challenge someone.
Please remember that when you go vote you do not have to talk to anyone but the poll worker. Bring some ID and check out these two sets of questions you might be asked: DDN and Enquirer.
I wonder what Blackwell is saying about this.
I wonder if exit poll workers will get in too.
Ohio Voter Suppression has more.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Happy Ken Blackwell
After the rulings today from two Federal Judges (Dlott and Adams), Ken Blackwell must be pleased. I even think Jim Petro, Ohio AG, is pleased. He is so pleased that he is putting off appealing the state law allowing poll challengers until after the election.
I think this issue will not be much of a post election talking point for the GOP, at least not if Tacitus is right when "Von" reported that Judge Adams was appointed by Bush. Dlott is the much reviled Democrat appointee that every local Republican seems to hate.
I think Blackwell saw the challengers as losing issue, but the Bush campaign and the state wide GOP wants to claw at any issue they can. Blackwell wants to be governor and he can't have presided over the messiest Ohio election in history and win in a harsh GOP primary.
I think the County BOEs are going to be the real mess now.
The issue that is going to be at issue in Ohio is the exit polling. Will it be worth anything? I mean I know it never is and this year all polling is whacked, but with Blackwell's order to keep the media out of the precincts, will they be able to get as accurate results?
I think this issue will not be much of a post election talking point for the GOP, at least not if Tacitus is right when "Von" reported that Judge Adams was appointed by Bush. Dlott is the much reviled Democrat appointee that every local Republican seems to hate.
I think Blackwell saw the challengers as losing issue, but the Bush campaign and the state wide GOP wants to claw at any issue they can. Blackwell wants to be governor and he can't have presided over the messiest Ohio election in history and win in a harsh GOP primary.
I think the County BOEs are going to be the real mess now.
The issue that is going to be at issue in Ohio is the exit polling. Will it be worth anything? I mean I know it never is and this year all polling is whacked, but with Blackwell's order to keep the media out of the precincts, will they be able to get as accurate results?
Voter Information
In case anyone is search for last minute information on the election for Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH: Smart Voter is the place to go for all needed info.
In case you wonder how I am voting, well here are the highlights:
President/Vice President of the United States
John F. Kerry/John Edwards, Democratic
US House; District 2: Charles W. Sanders, Democratic
US Senate: Eric D. Fingerhut, Democratic
State Representative; District 34: Glen Miller, Democratic
Judge; Supreme Court; starting 1/1/05: Nancy A. Fuerst
Judge; Supreme Court; Unexpired Term: William O'Neill
Commissioner; starting 1/2/05: Todd Portune, Democratic
Commissioner; starting 1/3/05: Eve Bolton, Democratic
Clerk of Courts; County of Hamilton: Martha Good, Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney; County of Hamilton: Fanon Rucker (write-in)
Sheriff; County of Hamilton: None of the Above or Mickey Mouse as a write in
Recorder; County of Hamilton: Steve Brinker, Democratic
Treasurer; County of Hamilton: Bob M. Drake, Democratic
Coroner; County of Hamilton: O'dell M. Owens, Democratic
Issue 1 Proposed Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage: Fuck No!
Issue 3 Proposed Charter Amendment Repeal of Article XII: Hell YES!
Issue 4 Proposed Charter Amendment Property Tax Repeal: No!!!
Issue 32 Tax Levy-- Cincinnati City School District: Yes
Issue 43 Tax Levy --Drake: Yes
Issue 44 Proposed Tax Levy Hamilton County: Yes
Others I am rooting for:
US House; District 1: Greg Harris, Democratic
State Representative; District 33: Tyrone K. Yates, Democratic
State Senate; District 8: Jeannette Harrison, Democratic
US House; District 4 KY: Nick Clooney Democratic
US Senate - KY: Daniel Mongiardo
In case you wonder how I am voting, well here are the highlights:
President/Vice President of the United States
John F. Kerry/John Edwards, Democratic
US House; District 2: Charles W. Sanders, Democratic
US Senate: Eric D. Fingerhut, Democratic
State Representative; District 34: Glen Miller, Democratic
Judge; Supreme Court; starting 1/1/05: Nancy A. Fuerst
Judge; Supreme Court; Unexpired Term: William O'Neill
Commissioner; starting 1/2/05: Todd Portune, Democratic
Commissioner; starting 1/3/05: Eve Bolton, Democratic
Clerk of Courts; County of Hamilton: Martha Good, Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney; County of Hamilton: Fanon Rucker (write-in)
Sheriff; County of Hamilton: None of the Above or Mickey Mouse as a write in
Recorder; County of Hamilton: Steve Brinker, Democratic
Treasurer; County of Hamilton: Bob M. Drake, Democratic
Coroner; County of Hamilton: O'dell M. Owens, Democratic
Issue 1 Proposed Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage: Fuck No!
Issue 3 Proposed Charter Amendment Repeal of Article XII: Hell YES!
Issue 4 Proposed Charter Amendment Property Tax Repeal: No!!!
Issue 32 Tax Levy-- Cincinnati City School District: Yes
Issue 43 Tax Levy --Drake: Yes
Issue 44 Proposed Tax Levy Hamilton County: Yes
Others I am rooting for:
US House; District 1: Greg Harris, Democratic
State Representative; District 33: Tyrone K. Yates, Democratic
State Senate; District 8: Jeannette Harrison, Democratic
US House; District 4 KY: Nick Clooney Democratic
US Senate - KY: Daniel Mongiardo
Video Vote Vigil
Covington Jim points out a site collecting video and images of disturbances or other irregularities at or around the polls.
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