Make that Two From UC

Andrew Warner, a 3rd Year UC student, has announced his candidacy for Cincinnati City Council. Warner is a Green Pary member and has a website. He has little chance, but at least can pay his political dues.

No More E-Check in Hamilton Co. ?

What are the odds of E-Check going bye-bye?

SCOTUS Hearing Eminent Domain Case

How will the Supreme Court rule on Eminent Domain, where it enacted for private development, not public projects? This likely has lawyers for those pending displacement in Norwood and in Clifton Heights. It may also impact the new Stewart Landing Plan.

Iraqi Voter Turnout

Well, I wonder how many people still believe the vote turnout in the Iraqi election was "overwhelming" or huge would be shocked to know that only 58% of registered voters came out to vote:

The election commission said 8.55 million votes were cast; about 14.66 million people were registered to take part in the election. The 58 percent turnout fell short of the 60 percent that officials had predicted soon after the vote.

I would guess those who think it was at 72% will just say that holding an election was the panacea to fix everything in Iraq, even though at the same time they said it was going to be a tough road ahead. You know, hedging your media spin is the only way one can survive in the world of Wurlitzer.

Best Seller Coming

I don't think Mike or Pat DeWine will enjoy the upcoming book release:

Due out in June: the book by Washingtonienne, the blogger who got fired from DeWine's staff for writing about her sexual exploits in Washington.

The book by Jessica Cutler - Washingtonienne's real name - is billed as a novel now, titled 'The Washingtonienne.' Amazon raves: 'Deliciously gossipy and impossible to put down, 'The Washingtonienne' is destined to be the book in everyone's summer beach bag.'

I have not checked, but the Wonkette was the place for the full scoop on Jessica Cutler, so she likely had this story awhile ago.

Enquirer Women of the Year

The Cincinnati Enquirer has named 10 Women of Year. A hat tip to this year's honorees, who will be fully profiled in the March 13th issue of the newspaper.

More Springer Bashing

A short quip bashing Jerry Springer and fueling speculation that he is running for Governor, which is sometimes a off again, on again venture in the press.

Pepper vs. Raussen

This morning on 'Newsmakers,' Dan Hurley hosted a hot and tense debate between Councilman, and Mayoral Candidate, David Pepper and State House Member James Raussen on the use of cameras at stoplights to issue traffic tickets by mail. The debate centered on whether or not House Bill 56 is valid and why it is being enacted. Both guys were going at it tooth and nail, more like a Crossfire episode, rather than a community affairs program.

The Bill bans the use of cameras as a means to enforce traffic laws. I am not one keen on traffic light cameras. Traffic laws are the "crimes" we should be putting resources into; instead we should be attacking violent crime. I don't know if I like big state government taking over cities either though. What happened to local control, Tom Brinkman?

East End Development Plan

This plan is huge. The question is will the plan become reality? The best part of the whole thing:

"We're not asking for any public financing," Stewart said.

The bad news is that some families will likely either have their leases terminated, or if they are owners, they might face the eminent domain issue. The only thing different about this area, compared to the Norwood ED mess, is that makes in the East End ED more likely and more palatable because the area is in a flood zone, and those who lived in the area back in 1997 were displaced because of flooding, and likely suffered significant damage. This might be a good chance from them to make a good profit on their property.

I am skeptical that this plan will go beyond the proposal stage. I also worry about traffic. That part of the city is jam packed with two roads, Eastern/Kellogg Ave and Columbia Parkway. The Delta Interchange would become a parking lot if more money, or better yet a rail station, is not put into improving the roads in the area. That would require public funds that are not anywhere to found right now.

SOC and the Nati have more.

One for All, and All for Themself

The GOP trio who are running for Ohio Governor, are beginning to quarrel just a bit. Things should get nasty as the campaign rolls on. Let he who draws first blood be granted a seat at the high alter of electioneering.

Fake Blogger Profiled in Enquirer

Shocking as it may be, but fake blogger, Cincinnati Harold, not be confused with the Cincinnati Phil, was profiled in today's Enquirer. In other news, Mars has been selected as the sight of the 2020 Olympic Games, Nick Vehr said to be upset Cincinnati lost out, again.

Thanks For Nothin, Danny

Customs has seen the light and will release art items seized from an Austrian bound for Cincinnati's CAC. The items were meant for a performance piece to coincide with the opening of the exhibit. It opened last week. A little late there Customs flunkies.

Funny

I shouldn't have even guessed these guys would not have jumped on the blog banned wagon.

Nick Clooney Back at The Post

Former NKY Congressional candidate is back at his old post as columnist for The Cincinnati Post. I must admit I did not read his work before. I enjoyed his work on AMC, before AMC became a TBS clone, back when they showed classics, not just movies with low airing fee. I will try and catch his column more often. The revolving media-political door is common in Washington; it is less common here, unless you ignore Charlie Luken, Jerry Springer, and Curtis Fuller.

I-71 Shooter(s)?

A pickup truck was shot at while on I-71 early this morning, no one was injured. This freaks me out. I drive by this every day, and drove by this area 3 hours or so after it happened. I saw nothing out there, but I enter I-71 only a few hundred yards before the Stewart Exit, where the the SUV carrying the shooting suspects fled.

The critical element of this that the article mentions in passing is that the drivers may know each other or that the two cars had some kind of previous confrontation. In other words this may have been either a grudge or "Road Rage." I like to think it was the former, not the latter, but if the local TV news gets a hold it, nothing would matter.

UPDATE: WCPO reports a more detailed story saying this may have been a drug deal gone wrong. With all of the shootings and murders yesterday, this might just drop under the radar. I would have thought the folks in Madeira and Kenwood would be screaming their lungs off over this. They may still; the life of this story is still very young.

Welcome to a Police State

It is beyond the words the contempt I feel toward some idiots in the Customs Department for seizing art. How long have customs agents been seizing personal property and just add a note to the bag they pilfered? If these items were a threat, why did they not seize the person along with the information, or maybe at least interview him after they took it and tell him they took it?

I hope that happened, but based on the article, the artist did not know the items were gone until the day after they were taken.

Now, this situation is on top of the ludicrousness of finding these items, as the article quoted it, "in some way be harmful if imported into the U.S." Hell, anything could be harmful if imported. A pants suit from Italy could hang a man for goodness sake! Block all flights from Milan, or we area all going to die.

Nail clippers, anyone?

MyDD :: Beijing or Cincy?

MyDD has a post up on the City Hall blogspot ban, and this blogger actually got a response to an email from Council member David Crowley:

Yes this is true. This was not something being done at the request of Council. These are decisions being made by our IT folks. I do my best to request access to the sites that I know of and usually access is granted.

David Crowley

Have any council members requested to be able to view my blog? If any of them are reading, chime in.

[Via Dave at RFN]

Question for Bronson

In research for his column today did he file a FOIA request?

Something Missing

There is something missing in this article about Private clubs, like the Banker's Club, trying to attract younger members. The thing missing when it refers to the "young crowd" is that they mean the "young rich crowd." It costs $200 to join the club and $52 per month for one of the clubs. That is hardly a wide market. It is good that these groups are seeking out diversity, based on race, but they are still based on exclusivity. It they fear they are losing money because of a dying upper class, then I have no sympathy for their plight.

I say this as a person who grew up going to a place called the "Town Club" in my small city back in New York. It was a nice place to eat, but it really was snooty for snooty's sake.

Taking Sides

With the Mayor's race heating up, things are likely to get prickly soon. With Mallory and Pepper officially declared, and Reece and maybe even Smitherman on the way soon, Democrats campaigners will have to choose sides.

What happens if things get ugly? Can the local Democrats survive the family feud if things go negative? Last election things got dirty with fake posters and dancing councilmen. This time around with more money then ever before and people with lots of loathing, things are bound to boil over into the nasty.

What happens after either the September Primary or after the election? Will Democrats unite? Will they work forward in 2006 to fill statewide offices? The Coalition that is the Democratic Party has traditionally be a glass jawed affiliation that shatters after the first spilled drink. Local races can get personal, but does everyone understand that you really have to live with your competitors tomorrow?

Here is where the GOP can play games. Like the Lynch-Linder Poster caper, someone could use that type of stunt as a means to play two or more sides off each other and appear clear of linkage. Many rumors flew around as to who made those posters. Most pointed toward a foe of Lynch inside the black community. That may have been true, but likely it was from inside the Democratic Party. The post had enough of an effect to keep Damon Lynch off council. In a strong field of candidates for mayor with either money or a platform, things might get ugly and people will get their feelings hurt. These stunts likely can’t swing a wide race, but with 3 to 5 viable candidates, the polls could be all over the place right up to primary day.

With a plugged in blog scene here in town and everyone, including me, looking to drop a bomb on the race, dropping a dime to a favorable blogger could push this campaign like no other in Cincinnati history.