Artists For Change

From Jason Bruffy:

CineX Art Presents politically minded artists speaking out.
An organized “happening” of artistic protest

Cincinnati Experimental Arts presents artists taking part in a 24-hour artistic protest against apathy, or an “event of information” called Artists For Change. This organized “happenings” will begin at 11 am till 10pm on Thursday, September 30 and 11 am till 12 midnight on Friday, October 1, 2004. All events will take place free of charge on Fountain Square, Downtown. Artists from around the Queen City, and the Region are performing and displaying work on a variation of themes examining society and the politics of our world and our city.

“The role of artists in society is to transcend and comment upon that society; too often we find ourselves shouting in closets,” says Fringe Producing Director Jason Bruffy. “We hope that this will bring what the artists have to say to the masses.”

As part of the protest, CineX Art, the creative force organizing the event will present a staging of Only We Who Guard The Mystery Shall Be Unhappy, a new work by acclaimed playwright Tony Kushner featuring Laura Bush reading to a group of school children. Kushner’s play will be featured at 12:30 and 6pm on Thursday and 6pm on Friday. Other featured Artists include performances by: Blue Forms Group (Columbus based), SOS, Moving Art Dance Company, and Comic Revolution; musicians including Medic and Tracey Walker; and guest speakers, notably Michael Burnham of UC’s CCM.

For more info check out CincyFringe.com

An Evening with Stephen Leeper

Please come out and learn about plans for Fountain Square and development downtown.

Stephen Leeper: 3CDC CEO & President

September 29, 2004 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The NEXT Hotel
15 W. 6th Street
Downtown Cincinnati

"Whatever your passion, come connect with other Urbanists and share with Stephen Leeper your vision for the heart of our downtown. "

Bronson Circle Jerk

For some unknown reason Peter Bronson is patting himself and his fellow Republicans on the back for getting a lot of people to come see Bush speak in a town that is likely the most Republican in the state. If Bush had real power in this area he would have gotten them to come downtown, but of course the suburban GOP seeks to kill the city, or at least wall it off from their lily white cul-de-sacs.

If they couldn't do this, then Bush would be in trouble. Doing this is no great political feet. Logistically it was a challenge, but getting Fanatical Republicans to come a tent revival for St. Dubya is like shooting fish in a barrel, or selling beer at an AA meeting, or getting agreement with the comment "Down with Muslims" at the Office of Special Plans in the Defense Department.

The rest of the local coverage was of course drivel. Local Dems got a paragraph with a sentence quote from Luken. That was it. Why not at least put all of Luken's response online? This area is not 90% GOP and 10% Nazi, we have liberal voices. The coverage of this event is unfortunately evidence of why local newspapers need real competition. If we are going to have partisan papers that cater to the right wing, then we need one on the left. The newspaper market prevents that and media deregulation makes it easier for one paper towns to exist. We are barely more than a one paper town, and in a few years that is likely all we shall be.

Ken Blackwell's Imitates Katherine Harris

Dave at Radio Free Newport updates the Ken Blackwell vote manipulation story.

Bush's Visit

I don't remember any news stories about this before 2001, but did school dismiss school early so kids could see President Clinton? I doubt it. He came through town and spoke many times. There may be other Democratic towns where school days where altered for Clinton or even Kerry. If the event were at a school, fine, let the kids go. I do not think an entire school district should reduce the school day so that Bush can have a better photo opportunity. If this was in 2001 or 2002 before the campaign, I would not care so much. This is the use of public schools to promote a political candidate. I would be very proud if some of those kids where allowed to be up front and protest him. I doubt they would be allowed, and I am sure no one will let them.

This event is in Bulter County, but Warren county schools are getting out early. Lakota Schools can claim to be doing so for traffic, but no Warren County? I also hope that Lakota bands and choir members are not performing as the public school groups. Again, this is a political event. Kids are likely forced or at a least enticed to take part in the event, all to the benefit of Bush's political event.

I don't mind parents pulling out their kids, but the schools should not make it easier for Bush to hold a political event.

I hope we get some protest coverage. I hope people were let in, even though they wore Kerry T-Shirts. I hope no one was rude or broke any laws.


UPDATE: Hegmo points out that a high school band in Columbus performed at a Kerry event. That was totally wrong as well. Kids should not be used by schools or school officials for politics. Let their parents exploit them.

We Want Jimmy Part II

I said it before, but with stories like this, we need Jimmy Carter in Ohio. He is all over Florida, but Ohio is just as bad, and gets no attention.

[Via MyDD]

Hurricane Jeanne

When you are with your family on solemn business you never expect the unexpected. Well, I got just such a thing. A hurricane breezed through town (here in Florida) today. We got lucky, again, and only caught the tail end. This morning was a little bit scary, but we faced the storm head on. We did it literally by going to the beach during the Hurricane. It was intense, the most intense winds and waves on the beach here I have ever seen. The sand stung, and you could not help but get the taste of salt in your mouth. I have a few pictures that I will post when I get back to town later this week, but they don't do justice to the experience. What I find mindblowing is that we got the weak side of the storm and the winds where relatively mild compared to what the East coast of Florida got. It was an experience I will never forget.

Gone

I will be taking care of family business for several days. My ability to blog will be vastly limited. If I get a chance to post, I will. Please go to Midpoint.

Job Requirements

A list of job requirements to be an assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor:

1. Earn a Law Degree.
2. Pass the Bar Exam.
3. Own a Suit.
4. Be able to ignore moaning coming from the Boss's office while you work.
5. Oh, yea and be a Republican or at least vote for them.

More from the Post.

From Atrios

This is all Atrios has on his blog as I type. Classic. The two faces of George.

Burn!

Via Hesiod

"I think President Bush is addicted to his own spin. And on November the 2nd, the American people are going to stage an intervention. Because, how can you fix a problem if you don't even admit that one exists?"

Indeed.

Challenge for Kerry Supporters

I hope that every Kerry Supporter in the city goes to the Bush ally up in VOA park in West Chester. Do not cause trouble at all. Where your Kerry T-Shirts, or other Kerry Stickers, or make it know up front you are Kerry Supporter. Take a video camera. Document if they let you in and how you are threatened by local police, local security, and other people if you actually are let inside. I think you need a ticket to get in, but why not choose this time to visit the park?

DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. You can raise your voices in opposition at appropriate times, but do not be rude, unless others are rude to you. AGAIN, DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. DO NOT BREAK ANY LAWS. If GOP staffers or local police (same thing?) choose to violate your rights, don't resist. Just record what happens.

Document the entire event. Picture yourself being witness to the Nuremberg rallies of the 1930's. Pay attention to the speakers before Bush, those who don't make the cameras. Listen to the hate, and then see Bush agree to it by his silence.

Will I be there? No, I am going out of town tomorrow on family business for several days. I would have to work anyway, which is not that far from the event.

RU-486 Ban Blocked

Good! Protecting rights of women has become something too many people in Ohio have forgotten about. We have too many religious zealots out to superimpose their twisted views not really even based in their religion on the rest of the society.

That is of course par for the course. If they could ban condoms, most of the same idiots who voted for this ban would vote for that too.

Reproductive rights are at risk. When everyone wasn't looking the right-wing is doing what it wants without challenge. The media gave this issue back page status. This story was local and the Enquirer took an anonymous AP report instead of sending a reporter about 4 blocks to the courthouse. Gee, lets just ignore this issue. We don't want to mess up the easy story we have with the horse race. Issues are just a nuisance that get in the way of playing gotcha.

Bronson's Backlash

I wonder if people should be fired, say Conservatives, who reported the lies that John Kerry was having an affair? Bronson wants Dan Rather's hide because he does not perform journalistic fellatio on George Bush. Why not fire people for reporting lies about John Kerry? Where's the boycott of FOX News? Oh, right, they are conservative news, therefore exempt from Bronson's scorn.

I wonder if Bronson avoided Vietnam like Bush did. I wonder if Bronson would see his war mongering now as a guilt ridden reaction to being a wimp 30 years ago.

It is amazing how people complain about something and then ignore it when their side does the same thing. I am sure I have done that, but guess what, I am a pissant. I don't do this for a living. I am not professional journalist. Bronson is, but does not give a shit. He wants everyone else to pay the piper but when he reports bullshit about John Kerry, no one but me say a damn word in this town. Why don't we call for Bronson to be fired? Oh right, the Enquirer has to appease the right-wing or face a boycott. Hmm, I guess I shall call Bronson's boycott of CBS as Boycott C.


UPDATE: From JC in Comments retorting Jack:

"It's about a prestigious major News network based in the USA that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the voting public could bring down a President."

What about an Administration that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the public could lead to support for an unjust war? Do we really appreciate the magnitude and danger of such behaviour? Have you completely forgotten all the lies we were told before the war in Iraq? Bush used forged documents to convince the world that Iraq had tried to buy nuclear materials from Niger. They knew the documents were forgeries. Cheney knew, the CIA knew, Joe Wilson knew. They used them anyway.
So which is more dangerous? Rather using forged documents to show a spoiled rich kid getting special treatment during Vietnam? Or Bush using forgeries, fully aware that they are forgeries, to lead us to a pointless war where thousands of people will dies and create mass chaos in Iraq?

Plus, Bush still doesn't deny the content of the CBS memos. He went AWOL in the guard to drink alot and snort coke. He's a military deserter.

I don't bring comments to blog often, but I felt like it.

Dueling Midpoint Covers

CityBeat vs. CinWeekly

Care to declare a winner?

Midpoint wins no matter what.

Enquirer 'Blog'

Once again the Enquirer is trying to copy the blog world with a MidPoint Music Festival blog. They really have not grasped two key elements of blogging: interactivity and voice. Blogs are not stale edited PR tools. They provide opinion and information, not just a diary.

Midpoint on the other hand is a great event. If I was going to be in town, I might blog it myself, and show how blogging events could work, with the right access to technology and time. If was getting paid to blog, damn, this thing might actually be good!

Ohio Poll

The UC Poll is out (pdf) and it does not favor Kerry. Carl Weiser gives the poll a big positive spin for Bushco. What no one seems to be looking at is a big number change from last month's poll and this months. The polling sample dropped from 812 to 456. That is a drop of 43.8% in sample size. We are not provided with the number of Dems vs. Reps. polled so comparison to Gallup is not available.

I know no one ever really reads the details of polls, we after all a society of lazy slugs, but it these numbers are in plainly in a chart on the UC press release. It also states that the poll was taken from September 12th - 17th, right after the 9/11 anniversary and the media spectacle. Complaining about polls is something I am not alone it and both sides complain, but I would think these two facts would be taken into consideration before someone rights a headline on a Press Release that does not use "Surges," but we have to have a big verb to get attention.

Edwards In Town

John Edwards was here and he answered questions too. Why hasn't Cheney done the same? I hope he does do that and I hope the Enquirer has read the questions I put forth for Dick and uses them or some of them.

Bronson: Huh?

Bronson's latest column reads almost like a news article, well almost. He managed to get Phil Burress's points across without a challenge on them, and pushed the gays don't much discrimination tact.

Bronson's column pales in comparison to the drivel Sam Malone put out over the weekend:

Malone, who is black, said seeking legal protections for gays and lesbians isn't a civil rights issue.
'In the past, minorities have been denied the right to own property or denied the right to vote,' Malone said. 'I've never known homosexuals to be denied those rights. In terms of discrimination, I just don't see it.'

Well Sam, I've never personally witnessed a black person denied their rights, so I guess it never happens? I have never seen any Christian in this city or state not hired because of their religion.

Bronson's column danced on the head of a pin about homosexuals. It sounded like his editors got to him on it. If that is true, that is a good thing. If not, I would expect Phil Burress was disappointed in his mouthpiece. Sam Malone's views champion anti-gay bigotry. I just don't know why he supports discrimination. I don't know why any black person does. I don't know why any white person does, but ignorance can breed discrimination. Religion can breed it also.

Gathering Threat????

What the fuck is a "gathering threat?"

'Sen. Kerry also said today that President Bush misled America by calling Iraq an `imminent threat.' The president said no such thing,' Cheney said. 'Our argument was that Saddam Hussein posed a 'gathering threat' that in a post 9/11 world we could not wait until a threat was imminent.'

If the threat was "gathering," THEN WHY COULD WE NOT WAIT? What a damn liar. He can't even lie well. The suckers buy it like lemmings. Blood, Blood, Blood makes their anger ebb. Fear is the BushCo platform. Fear of Arabs, fear of Muslims, fear of gays, fear of the poor, fear of the educated, fear of the French. Fear is a political commodity to the right. They trade it with the Media, who live off of it like it was going out of style.

North Korea, Russia, France, hell even Canada could be a "gathering" threat. When do we invade? Toronto by Halloween, or die trying!!!

I could be a gathering threat. One never knows when I could form my form dictatorship and threaten to take over control of the world.

Yes, very shrill, very uncivil, yet very true. How can people let their judgment be controlled for this long by nothing but fear?