Generational Generalizations

As a card carrying member of Generation X I often wonder what is instore for me in relation to the other major generational groups: The boomers and Generation Y. Each of those group is vastly larger than us Xers, which causes me to consider that my generation will be lost in the game of influence as we enter into the 'prime' of our lives.

When I think about the generation differences, I define each group into crude yet descriptive terms:

Boomer Generation: The Fuck You generation - They are collective and very confrontational. The are greedy and altruistic, and yes they contradict themselves.

Generation X: The Fuck Off generation - We are skeptical and lack trust in anyone or anything. We are non-conformists, yet really just want to fit in, but are forced to fend for ourselves.

Generation Y: The Fuck Me generation - They are conformists, modernistic sheep that long to follow and get along, reacting to the older generations with quick remedies and easy answers.

Is this all bullshit, yea, as most generalities about generations are, but there are tones and commonalities which are true with the various generations on a macro-level. We certainly don't all fit into each mold. On a wide scale these are commonalities that are more true then we would like to admit.

What specific issues will cause significant generational conflict? Gay Marriage seems like one happening now. What else?

UPDATE: Via comments the idea for what we would call Generation Z: Oh, Fuck Generation.

Oh Sam? Oh Michael?

Will you guys get off your ass and appoint someone to council? Have you heard of telephones, email, paper and the US postal service? Stop the games, and bit the damn bullet. Either appease the bigots or piss off the bigots, that is your choice.

Crime, What Do We Do About It?

Stephanie Dunlap has a great column in CityBeat about a New Year's Eve violent crime. How do we rid the city of this type of crime where young adults, mostly black men and often drug related, use violence as a means to their ends? This is not a black thing, but most of those committing this type of crime are black and we can't understand why. I don't know why. Activists don't know why and are doing little to stop it. The cops appear powerless to stop it. The justice system appears weak. The local citizens who live in the area are either having their cars shot up for fighting crime, or they are sitting on their hands.

We are letting this happen. We have no solutions, only more questions as to whom do we blame for it. We are not doing anything about it, and yes, I am not doing a damn thing either, but I have a luxury of living in low crime area, so I have little motivation to do much. I really can't do much if I wanted. People like me, most people, can't change this. The people of Over-the-Rhine, City Hall, the local media, and the Police are only ones who can find and enact a solution.

Hi, I'm a Military PR Clerk and I have a Story My Boss Wants Told

This kid is the classic definition of a shill, and he is doing it for the Pentagon. His opening and the ending bio sum up all you need to know:

Something struck me as odd this fall as I watched a U.S. satellite news broadcast here in my Baghdad office.

and

Marine Cpl. Isaac D. Pacheco of Northern Kentucky enlisted in the Marines on Sept. 12, 2001, and arrived in Iraq last fall. He serves with the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad.

This kid may mean well, and I am sure he is doing his duty as a solider, but sitting behind a desk in the Green Zone does not really put him in the best place to see life for the Marines fighting in the streets. More importantly, THIS KID WORKS FOR THE PR WING OF THE PENTAGON IN IRAQ. It is his job to make the Military look good and yet the Enquirer prints this? If it was from a Marine out in the field, then I would not have commented on it at all. This is propaganda, plain and simple.

The Cincinnati Harold

New local satire site. Have a read.

CincyBlog readers might find this story of big interest.

I can attest to having met one of the writers "Blaine Chowder."

Fog

Do you have a voice that only turtles and snails can hear? Do you have to scream to be heard over the rustle of the wind through trees? Well you may just have Fog voice, yes that's fog voice.

Ok, enough of the infomercial rip off. If you have ever talked to me in a bar, which I will say many readers actually have done, you will learn that I have a voice made for print (and yes a face for radio). I have a fairly low pitch and no volume. I have to really talk loudly in a bar, at least what I consider loudly, to be heard. I was Drinking Liberally last night and my many 'brilliant' tracts on maintaining Social Security were surely lost in the Latin music.

If you are ever talking to me a bar and can't hear me, scream at me to scream back. Then you might hear me.

In all seriousness, do not scream at me, I am joking. (This means you FunnelCake)

Bronson's Column Moving

Peter's column is going to the Editorial Page of the paper, out from under the heal of the Metro section. What should we expect? More of the same reactionary bible thumping and theocratic goose-stepping. I think this way Peter maybe can avoid the touch feely fluff he has written often. I think this is he bid to be the next in the line of 50,000 right wing syndicated columnists. I think his problem here is that he is starting out a little late and he is just one more conservative in a pool gun toting bible thumping sharks who vive for every slot on FOX News they can muster.

Ego or Just Plain Nuts?

Is a suburban Judge Out of his Gourd or just pissed off at people over being sued for sexual harassment? This small town judge certainly is not ready to be appointed to any higher court.

Deters fires Collins

Firstly, how can a Deters fire anyone before he is in office? Second is it wise to fire someone who has a pending sexual harassment lawsuit pending against your office?

Piss or Get Off the Pot

Sam Malone is dragging his feet on picking a person to fill Pat DeWine's Council Seat. Malone has had a month to make his choice, but he can't find the time to meet with the county Party. Who is pulling his strings?

Wes chimes in with more.

Nick Spencer Targeted?

Nick Spencer believes his car windshield was purposely shot by someone last night. He believes it was likely the drug dealers around his bar.

CincyBlog's International Top Ten 2004

Here is my list of the top ten events/people/places/things/whatevers of 2004. The ranking is my own and uses very nonscientific methods

1. Indian Ocean Tsunami
2. American Presidential Election
3. Iraq War (including Abu Ghraib)
4. Ukraine Election Crisis
5. Yasser Arafat's Death
6. Madrid Bombings
7. Russian School Seizure
8. Sudan Genocide
9. Florida Hurricanes
10. Iran & North Korea's Nuclear Weapon Programs

Honorable Mention: 9/11 Report Issued, Reagan's Death, Marlon Brando's Death, Anti-Gay Laws Pass, Hati Falls into Turmoil, FCC goes Puritanical, Lance Armstrong with 6th Tour de France, and the EU Expansion.

Also the Top Ten stories of no importance that got way, way to much news coverage:

1. Scott Peterson's Trial
2. Martha Stewart's Trial and Jail Term
3. Kobe Bryant's Trial
4. NBA Brawl at Pistons-Pacer's Game
5. Michael Jackson's Indictment
6. The "Attack" on Christmas
7. Anything with Paris Hilton in the Title
8. Nick and Jessica
9. Janet Jackson's Boob
10. Mel Gibson

Conservative News Top Ten

Damn, FOX News never fails to show its stripes as a conservative news outlet when they for the top news stories of 2004 they include the Oil for Food scandal and have the number one story titled "W for President." They also showed their tabloid stripes by including all of the celebrity trials as a top story. We can look forward to yet another year filled with FOX's brand of right wing news.

The Diner Is Open For Business

If anyone has been there or plans to go to the Diner on Sycamore, let us know how it was or when you plan on going.

Cincinnati Top Ten 2004

Based on comments, emails, and mostly my own opinion, here are the top ten people/events/groups/or whatever of the Cincinnati area for 2004.

1. The Repeal of Article XII
2. Mike Allen Affair
3. Snow Storm
4. O'dell Owens elected coroner
5. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opens
6. Bob Huggins has DUI
7. Democrat Todd Portune Re-elected to Commission
8. Marge Schott Dies
9. Midpoint Music Festival
10. Cincinnati Fringe Fest

Honorable Mentions: Tasers, IHOP, The Growing Cincinnati Blogosphere, Luken Out & Mallory in Mayor's Race, Voter Turnout High, and billions of cicadas.

New Year's Resolutions

You may hate them, you may try them every year and fail, but I offer up the chance to make your New Year's Resolution public, thus increasing your chances of keep it. Maggie Downs writes about how she gets help keeping hers. You also could join Brad Thacker at The Comic Resolution' s New Year's Eve show 9PM at the Southgatehouse.

I will be spending my New Years with folks from CT at the City View Tavern.

I resolve to of course loose a few pounds, so please ignore it tonight when I am drinking beer and eating hamburgers and brownies.

Enquirer 2004 Top 10 Local News Stories

The Enquirer puts Mike Allen's problems at the top of its list with Bush's win as number 2. Bush's win is not the number 2 local story. It is not even making my top 10. Now that is for two reasons, one is that that news was really bad for the whole country, but the second is that it just was not a local story. It was a huge story, but to compare it to the snow storm is just not relative. Including Iraq as well is not how I would have compiled this list. I will have my own list either later today or tomorrow.

UPDATE: The Post has a list too.

GOP Candidate Wants Revote

Is the shoe on the other foot now?

Know in the News

The Cincinnati Post reports on inventive changes at the Know Theatre.

Lemmie Irrelevant?

Greg Korte reviews the rolls of City Managers of the past and present during a city crisis. Lemmie appears to have taken a back seat to the Mayor, which bucks history.

Korte also reports on some minor minor mayoral candidates vying for the top city job.