Be the News, CNN the News

Via MediaBistro we find Steve Safran on Saving CNN. Now, CNN is not in any danger, but I agree it needs to get better. He sums up the bottom line well:

- DO NOT TRY TO BE FOX NEWS: FOX found a niche. Love 'em, hate 'em - whatever. Don't copy its model. FOX is really more of a talk channel than a news channel anyway. Don't think about being the "lefty" news to its "righty" news. (And ignore the chumps who will say you're lefty no matter what.) Stick with down-the-middle journalism, peppered with informed opinion (not "Crossfire" arguing), sharp, unconventional analysis, and non-hysterical coverage of breaking news. And keep a sense of humor at all times. I promise you'll win.

I can't stand FOX in part because I find it biased, but also because it is trashy TV, just talk radio with video. CNN needs to cover the news the world round. Let FOX become infotainment central. Return to the day when news was what they programmed, not tabloid fodder. The problem is that they have to go oversees. I think the market is there. Their current coverage of the Ukraine's election aftermath has been decent. CNN should match the BBC in how it covers the world. It should build its brand and market it inside the USA.

People are Whacked in the Head

They want to uphold Roe V. Wade but want to ban homosexual marriage. These are the two most hot button issues right now. Abortion, well that is the grand-daddy of them all and will not go away, but this poll suggests that what pro-choice people say is true, a clear majority support legalized abortion under Roe. Now, they would disagree what that means, but hell, I'll take this as a sign the culture wars are partially hollowly supported by some. I guess you have to put on a conservative face sometimes, but underneath freedom for women still rings true for some.

Low Income Housing

Where do we put low-income housing? Originally Cranley wanted to spread it outside the city. Now he is against a plan to spread it outside of the currently over saturated neighborhoods.

What is the solution? I don't know if there is one. We will always have poor people. The question is will society be better off if poor people are concentrated in certain areas or spread out? I think spreading classes out into all areas is the best way to go, but with mixed classes come culture clashes. Is that what we need? We are already gearing up for a culture war, will widening it do any more harm?

Money Where One's Mouth Should Be

Jesse Taylor asks a great questionwhere are the conservatives who want to work in academia? I have read Peter Bronson and countless other right-wingers whine incessantly that there are not enough conservatives in ranks of college professors. I don't think they are looking into Business Schools, but that is another side of the issue. What Jesse brings up is a simple point, why aren't these guys seeking to work at Universities. Why doesn't Peter Bronson try and teach a course at Ohio U's School of Journalism? Why don't more think thank wonks putting aside the six figure salaries to work for colleges? Oh, right, the money. I guess principle has too high a price.

Ignorance Lives in the Hearts of Fundies

Larry Redwine, hopefully a one time guest columnist of the Enquirer, pens a letter to the editor with an opening filled with falsehoods based on ignorance:

Candidates judged by their world view

Whether it's Christianity, Islam, or the faith-based religion of atheism, knowing a political candidate's world view is critical in making a sound decision before entering the voting booth. Granted, because some, like John Kerry this past election, get that 'olde time religion' just about election time, we must weigh their professed religious beliefs with their political record. It can most certainly be said, however, that a person's world view is going to influence the decisions they make on the job, whether it's as a business operator, shop worker or politician.
Larry Redwine, Maineville

Larry's worldview has Jesus colored glasses where he can't define much outside that which he can't understand. Atheism is not a religion. A religion requires the belief in a supernatural entity or entities. That belief, or beliefs, or set of beliefs, or system of beliefs in a god or gods or supernatural entity or supernatural creator(s) can and does very across the spectrum of religion. Atheism is not on that spectrum. To use an old cliche, atheism is no more a religion, than baldness is a color of hair. Atheism is a belief, but a belief that no such supernatural entities exist; it is not based on "Faith" in the same terms applied to religious beliefs. I don't have faith that gravity works. I don't have faith that quarks exist. Calling atheism a religion is common mistake made by religious zealots. It is

When he attacks John Kerry's religious beliefs he does so out of total ignorance. John Kerry did not just come to religion around election time. Kerry is a religious person. Kerry is not a bible thumping idiot, and that is likely one negative Larry Redwine saw in Kerry.

What is sad is that Larry believes in a religious litmus test for who he votes for. He says it in a very politically correct manner, but it still is there. Larry would not vote for someone without a ?Christian? world-view. I don't know what that is supposed to be, but to Larry I can guess it falls in line with far right social beliefs and maybe right-wing economic beliefs. I don't have a problem with a person voting for who they agree with on political issues, that is the essence of democracy. What I have a problem with is when that person views his religion and his political views as one in the same. I have no religion, so Larry would judge me at a minimum in a negative way, if not worse. I could share 99% of his political viewpoints, but he would never vote for me if I were to run for office. (No, I am never running for office, just making a rhetorical point here) That is a difference between his world view and mine. I don't care if you practice a religion or not. I will defend your right to practice your religion. I may find your religion to be pointless, a waste of time, oppressive, or a danger to its adherents. I will speak out against it if I feel it is wrong (as I am doing now), but I would never outlaw it or try and establish a religion or make religious law into state law. Larry I think would do the opposite. He would use the government to promote his particular religion and would use the law to enforce his religious dogma on the public, as was done with Issue 1 here in Ohio. I believe he would try or is trying to establish a national or state religion.

I wonder if Larry has ever had any involvement with the CCV or Phil Burress. Would he join Phil?s Army? Has he already joined it?

Hyde Park Barnes & Noble Closing?

The sign on the doors I believe say they will be closing effective December 31st, and starting tomorrow their daily hours are reducing. I can't find any mention of this on web anywhere, and I don't think I have read this before. I don't know why this would be happening at this point. I would have surmised that the new Oakley Mall opening in 2006 would have a Barnes & Noble in it, but that is over a year away. This location was a small one, and had a limited selection. I don't know what will replace it. I would hope maybe Panera Bread might expand, but that might hurt Starbucks. I could live with one less Starbucks though. I say that as I am drinking my Mocha in a red snowflake cup.

You Scratch My Blog, I'll Scratch Yours

First a thank you to Beryl Love for a mention in his CiN Weekly Editor's Note.

Second I must complement the CiN Weekly Staff blog for doing a good job. The thing that makes a blog flourish and that is difficult for all of what I call professional blogs (like those at MSNBC or the Plan Dealer) is updating often. I would do much more updating if I had a hot rich wife to sponge off of, but alas I trudge on.

I am very pleased with the blog. It is funny, it has a voice, or should I say a group of voices, and it is indeed a "real" blog. I would guess that news or information that I might print, would not end up in a post there. Reasons are that 1) I do more politics and in your face punditry, 2) They do a culture publication not meant to directly compete with the Metro Section of the Enquirer.

What I like most is the person angles taken. That is part of what makes blogging its own medium. That makes me continue to read it and why I have added it to my blogroll. I have had a CiN link in with local media sites since last year, but this I think deserves inclusion into the local blogoshere.

I can offer one bit of constructive criticism on the blog. I would advise including the same side bar on the front page of CiN on the staff blog. This is the side bar with links to the staff page, about page, etc. Having an "RSS" feed would also get you in good with the hardcore blog crowd who use "news readers" like Bloglines.

The best thing the mention in the editorial gave me was something to bring to Thanksgiving Dinner at my sister's. I had a conversation starter and could use it as a shield in discussions of why I am not married, don't have kids, and don't have a "better" job. For that I truly thank Beryl. He has no idea how much that helped. It even helped in part with avoiding talking about politics, if you can believe it.

UPDATE: Sledge points out that there is an RSS feed for the CiN Blog. I did not search deep enough. Thanks to Matt for that.

The New Gestapo, Phil Burress, and Fascism

I have been called paranoid. I have used hyperbole in describing the radical Christian Right. I do not think I can add much to this New York Times article about Phil Burress that should not bring Fascism and a New Gestapo to your mind:

Beyond that, Mr. Burress plans to take his grass-roots movement in Ohio to a new level, using a computer database of 1.5 million voters to build a network of Christian conservative officials, candidates and political advocates.

He envisions holding town-hall-style meetings early next year in Ohio's 88 counties to identify issues, recruit organizers and train volunteers. With a cadre of 15 to 20 leaders in each county, he says he believes religious conservatives can be running school boards, town councils and county prosecutors' offices across the state within a few years.

'I'm building an army,' Mr. Burress said. 'We can't just let people go back to the pews and go to sleep.'

Burress and his minions are theocratic fascists out to rule the public. They plan on pushing their religion on everyone using the government. Everyone should start waking to the fact that the radical right are a danger and their power is not small, and has a big chance to grow. The vote totals in Ohio should indicate that. The GOP should not feel safe. They have made a pact with these theocrats, and give them lip service and credibility. If they don't stand up and renounce the Faustian bargain they made, they are then in cahoots with the Burress mob. If they don't so as the Christian Right demand they will be instantly denounced and lump in with the rest of us Heathens.

I hope I am crying wolf. I hope the NY Times is just blowing smoke up Phil's ass (he might like that). I hope Phil is really just a nobody getting a little undeserved attention. I can hope, but I lost hope when Phil the bigot got his anti-homosexual amendment passed.

Turkey, Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!

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.

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 :

'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.

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.

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

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.

Details here and here.

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.

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.