Ohio Sniper

If this shooter moves closer to Cincinnati, then headlines like this, "Columbus Highway Shooter Strikes Closer To Cincinnati," will become common place. What better way to gin up ratings with fear, then with a situation where everyone should be at least a little bit fearful?

More from the Enquirer.

Article XII Repeal

Here we go! I am hopeful that the folks at www.citizenstorestorefairness.org can defeat the bigots working with the local bigot in chief Phil Burress, who seems to care about laws in the City of Cincinnati, but does not even live inside the city. I guess we have to many of "them" here.

I am unsure what will happen with this effort. It depends on the media and money. If Phil Burress has the money, he might be able to spew his bigotry enough to get homophobia running in the religious communities. If the media gives him or other national bigots to sound off their bigotry unchallenged, then the same might be achieved. If the anti-article XII group has enough money, they might make it with a good margin. If this was a Hamilton County issue, the anti-homosexual provision would stay. Anti-homosexual bigotry in this area is strong and growing. It is not always overt, but keeping gays down is a idiotic fear of many ignorant people.

Your Are Forgiven?

This puff piece on former Asst. Police Chief Ron Twitty suggests that his image is on the mend. Should it be?

If Anyone Ask's We're from Kentucky

That is my commonly used joke and jab at Kentucky. Someone else can use it now too, but with a different meaning:

THEY SAID IT: "I am from Kentucky. Have you heard of Kentucky?"

Elaine Chao, labor secretary and Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife, to a group of Iraqi schoolchildren in Baghdad last week. According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, the question was met with "blank stares and some shaking of heads to indicate no."

What I was most ignorant of was that Elaine Chao was married to Mitch McConnell.

I don't mean to bash KY, but hey, when it works, it works. Ohioans are snobs and we know it. I am just glad I am from New York.

Outlet Mall Sniper?

There has been another shooting on Ohio Highways. This time it was in Jeffersonville. Yes for those who have traveled from Cincinnati to Columbus this was near the outlet malls. I am skeptical this was the same shooter. This guy reportedly used a handgun, not a rifle. I had assumed the first guy was using some type of rifle. That assumed that the shooter was not riding along side the cars or locations shot. I really hope this guy is not from or moving his way towards Cincinnati.

Jellybeans for Jesus

Why kind of parent pushing religion on kindergarteners? Also, why would you give a 6 year old kid a prayer to read and expect them to be able to read it? I support the school's policy. Feeding upon the gullibility of children in a controlled setting is shameful. A child should not be subject to a ploy to get them to accept exposure to religion via a Pavlovian trick.

Headline?

This article makes good points, but the headline seems oddly bad: "Gay-lifestyle laws could backfire." I don?t' see homosexuality as a lifestyle. I see it as a reality for some people. A minority of humanity is homosexual. Most of them live their lives just like everyone else. They mostly I think would just like to do the same things others do, like not be discriminated against, and get "married." The latter I say in quotes because of my openness to compromising on the gay marriage issue with by using civil unions. The issue of Gay Marriage is one I still don't grasp. I still have not heard anyone give a rational way in which heterosexual marriage is endangered or threatened by homosexual marriage.

Bush on Meet the Press

The latest spin:

President Bush: Well, because he had the capacity to have a weapon, make a weapon. We thought he had weapons. The international community thought he had weapons. But he had the capacity to make a weapon and then let that weapon fall into the hands of a shadowy terrorist network.

As I have said before, the University of Cincinnati has the "capacity" to make weapons of mass destruction. When does the Delta Force jump into Coryville?

Bronson's ID: Intellectually Deficient

I swear I am not the one bringing up the issue of Evolution this often, so I hope no one blames me for being obsessive. Bronson might deserve a bit of flack for pushing this issue a bit too much. I really don't grasp the meaning of Peter's column. Is he trying to promote ID (Intelligent Design) as a biological concept? He has supported that kind of thing in the past, and his ignornce on Evolution speaks for itself.

Let us recap the spin of Peter today. He claims this

Roadruck collects examples of "evidence" of evolution. Many have been exposed as frauds - but they are still in textbooks, which evolve slower than flatworms.

OK Peter, show me some of the frauds of evolution. You claim to know of them, where are they?

More from Roadruck:

He argues that DNA and the incredible complexity of life - especially humans - contradict Darwin. "They're teaching evolution as truth - microbes to man. But this is not true. If they were stockbrokers, they'd be in jail" for fraud, he said.

OK Peter, I am sure this guy said this, but it misstates what evolution is. There is the process of evolution, which is fact. No scientist worth anything disagrees with that concept. The other element of evolutions involves the origin of species and then the origin of organic life. Those types are not "fact," or rather are no more "fact" then the concept of gravity.

Bronson's worst in the column is his spew that ID is science. ID is a philosophical argument. ID is one of classic arguments for the existence of a "God." There is no science to back this up, other than playing with mathematical probabilities.

This section I found laughable void of support, just conjecture:

"If you support this, you are labeled a Pat Robertson, fundamentalist wacko,'' said Owens-Fink, who has taught scientific research methods at University of Akron. "What's so bizarre is that they never attack the science part, they just attack the people.''

Ok, first off, where is the "science" that no one will attack? The only theories are to say that evolution is wrong and ID must be true because of the "complexity" of everything. So, they can't support their theory, they can only try and negative other concepts.

Second: Well, look who is supporting your movement and then try and guess why you might be considered a "Pat Robertson, fundamentalist wacko." Religion is at the core of the argument. Specific religious sects fear a society where people don't submit to the will of their religion. They fear that individuality and freedom from Christian will cause chaos, or at least a decline in collection plate receipts. The Roman Catholic Church does not fear science, why do Evangelical/Fundamentalist churches fear it?


Roadruck gives away his motives with Bronson's final quotes,

Roadruck says evolution is the cornerstone of a worldview.

"We've been indoctrinated,'' Roadruck said. "If you teach a generation that we all evolved from pond scum, then everything is relative. There is no truth.''

The worldview they fear is secular humanism. One where religion is not law, but instead a personal choice. Roadruck is in my view the one who has been indoctrinated with religious dogma so much that he fears anything that contradicts it. He blames other for fearing contradiction, while not really saying what is wrong with Evolution. If he had more than a philosophical answer, then maybe it might be worthy of debate, but he has none. Roadruck's problem is that he thinks "truth" is divine. Truth is a philosophical concept, one filled with opinion and perception. Fact is what science deals in. It tries to stick to logic and reason, and leave hunches, emotional dogma, and most of all religion out of mix.

Calpundit: On Iraq War Justification

Kevin Drum has a point that I don't think many war supporters have come to grips with:

"War supporters need to face up to this squarely and provide an honest answer to this question: In order to gain public approval, is it OK for the president of the United States to massively misrepresent a foreign threat merely because he believes that we ought to fight a war?"

I wonder if Tim Russert will ask Bush that question himself this weekend on "Meet the Press?"

Sad Day

Today is a sad day for me. It is my last day working downtown. If you don't know I was laid off last month from my job, but was able to work out a transfer to a different division of the same company. The problem is I will be working out in Mason.

Today is my final day in my office. I will be in cubical out in Mason. I will likely not be able to blog much out there. I hope that is not one of the reasons I was laid off. (It wasn't, just joking). I also will not get to listen to the radio during the day, so I will be working in a news free bubble.

It is sad saying goodbye to my co-workers who are leaving the company today. I have been working with a great group of people and we really got along well. The new group I am working with is a great group too, but I will be a new guy, so it will take a little while to fit in.

My blogging might decrease a little bit over the next couple of weeks while I get used to the longer commute, but I still plan to post everyday. I have been posting in the mornings quite a bit, which I like to do, but that might suffer if I can change my sleep schedule.

I have been working downtown for over 9 years. I love working downtown. My life will of course go on, but I will feel a bit more isolated from Cincinnati.

Taft to Support Bigoted DOMA

The Enquirer is reporting Taft will sign the anti-gay and anti-gay marriage law.

Kudos to Miami U's President for coming out to show how this law will hurt Ohio:

Miami University President James C. Garland said Taft's signature on the law would hurt his efforts to recruit new professors.

"Based on our experience, I am concerned that many prospective faculty members will pass over job positions in Ohio, because of this legislation," Garland wrote.

Taft will not listen. Anti-homosexual bigotry is becoming a new litmus test for the GOP. Abortion is the GOP's third rail, but being anti-homosexual is a close second.

The Dems have a better record, but there are many who, like Bill Clinton, caved into pressure from religious groups to legalize bigotry.

Another Death in Police Custody

This time it was in Silverton. Will this one blow up into a national story? Nope. Why not? Simple: no video. This story is worth a follow-up story on the heels of the Nate Jones death I would think. Where are the AP wire reporters? Mr. Nolan?

Tragic Turfway

A terrible crash at Turfway is leaving one jockey "clinging to life."

I am first surprised to have not seen the crash on TV yet. I assumed there would be film of it from the track officials. I am actually pleased there is not. This is sweeps month, and that would be played over and over on half of the local TV news programs in the country.

It's a Wonderful 97X

Maggie Downs' column today is not an audition for writing a Know Theater production. Maggie gives us a Capraesque take on the sale of 97X.

My personal memories of 97X are that it was one of the only stations you could pick up on the cheap radio we had in the basement of Harris Dining Hall, my college place of employment. I also remember late night calls to 97X to request "Particle Man" which they final played at 3:00 AM, and another event where one of my drunk friends calling in at about 2 in morning advising the on air staff that he was making naked snow angels out behind Swing Hall.

Oh the memories.

CT at Mr. Pitiful's

Cincinnati Tomorrow joined the Enjoy the Arts Stupid Cupid event at Mr. Pitiful's Thursday night. It was a very energetic night with a big crowd 200 plus. Local media types like Stephanie Dunlap of CityBeat and Maggie Downs of the Enqurier were in attendance. Wes Flinn and Nick Spencer, both former council candidates were out, and CT superstar Barry Gee was the man with plan and the great speech to the many new comers to the event.

I must admit that the ladies were out in force, and looked mighty fine. Picture me with a big felt hat on as I wrote the last sentence.

Cody's Closed

XRay is reporting that Cody's Cafe has closed its doors. No official reason was given for why the shut down was known. There is no idea if they will return or not. Press reports from last year indicated that a closure was possible.

The Enquirer Has Your Back Geroge

President Bush can rest a little easier. The Enquirer's editorial page commands us: "Don't politicize U.S. intelligence probe."

Hmmm.

He Said it, So Dont Blame me.

In his column today on BatSakes Hat shop contained this golden paragraph:

For me, Gus made an offer I couldn't refuse: A black Borsalino with a medium brim and a brown band. It's sort of a fedora that flops at both ends like a speech by the governor. My hat makes me look like detective Philip Marlowe playing the evil Nazi who chases Indiana Jones. Or maybe just another guy in a hat.

(Bold Added)

Ok Peter, if you say you look like a Nazi, who am I to argue with you. I wonder what Si Leis looks like in that hat.

Sledge Speaks!

Matt Sledge, 97X DJ, comments on the impending sale of 97.7 to a Texas company. Matt breaks the news that he "more than likely" will not be working with 97X after the sale is completed. This is sad news for radio fans and Oxford residents. I think Matt will be missed. I hope he finds a new place to keep and raise his peanuts with the same charm that was WOXY.

CityBeat has a very good story on the sale of 97X. I have not seen anyone list the latest rumor I ran across that the studio for the online version of 97X will relocate to Cincinnati.