Live By the Attitude, Die...

In reading the Enquirer's story about the gun fight on I-75 early this morning I was flabbergasted. A witness's account of what lead to the gun fight can't be answered with words:

Witnesses told the Enquirer the problem started when a large group of men at the night club became upset after money was being thrown from the stage by one member a rapper’s entourage.

“It was supposed to be for the ladies,” said one witness, who asked not to be named. “But it (the money) was hitting the guys in the face and they were like, ‘We got money’ so why are you throwing money at us?’”

The tension mounted and moved outside, where the witness said T.I. was trying to get his group packed up in their vans.

“T.I. was telling his boys, ‘Come on let’s go. Let’s Go.’ And the Cincinnati boys were like, ‘Yea, let’s go.’”

The witness said about four people – believed to be from Cincinnati -- followed the rappers’ vans in a large vehicle, possibly a GMC Tahoe.

The witness said one shot was fired in the parking lot, but he did not think it was related to the tension.

“They were just showing off,” the witness said.

How do adult human beings let this petty "slight" to their obviously fragile egos, grow into murder?

Ok, I like to look, but...

Do cheerleaders have any value other than as sexual eye candy? More importantly, why do they need a blog? Other than linking out of morbid curiosity, I am not going back to it. What other Enquirer blog is going to have video on it? Well, maybe the rollerderby girls blog. I would like to request that if web space is a limitation, drop the Ben-gals, and make room for the rollerderby girls!

Blackwell vs. Strickland

Blackwell's dirty tricks won out and he took no time in starting his negative attacks against Strickland. How does the saying go: if you can't be positive, be negative?

Schmidt Defeats McEwen

I am surprised that Schmidt was able to pull out a respectable win.

Wulsin pulled down a sizable win over the rest of the field.

Election Results Delayed Until 9:30 PM

Ok, this is rather strange, but it appears not everyone got the word to hold off until 9:30 PM.

Nothing to Vote For

I am not voting today. As a card carrying independent, there is nothing for me to vote on, unless I want to declare myself an official Democrat. I vote with the Democrats 99% of the time, but I don't want to join any party, so I get to go pick up my dry cleaning by 7PM instead of voting. The race in the Ohio 2nd is up in the air for the Dems, so if ever was to join the party officially, it should be today, but no, I am like being the independent liberal I am. Sorry, HCDP, I still dig ya!

Will Hackett's support be enough for Thor? I like saying THOR! in hopes that a magic man in a helmet will come float down from Mt. Adams and wield his might hammer on the wicked and the merciless, but I digress.

Oh, and I am very much against party jumping in primaries. Pick your party (or lack there of) and stay with it.

CAN or CAN'T?

CAN has a report out (pdf), but where have they been? I haven't heard anything about CAN for almost 4 years. What actions have they taken, what good have they done? Is this just an exercise in doing something for the sake of doing something, but actually doing nothing because doing something that would matter is far to politically impossible?

GOP Abuse of Power

Yea, water's wet, but it's still important to know the GOP is abusing power and threatening the balance of fairness in Ohio's election system. This is not new. The GOP has been out to twist the election system to prevent people from voting for years now. It came to a head in 2004 with Ken Blackwell's keep the vote turnout low campaign, that still hasn't been exposed fully.

Primary Predictions

For Governor:
Dems: Yea, Strickland!!!
GOP: Blackwell

Ohio 2nd:
Dems: Too close to call
GOP: McEwen

Hamilton County Comissioner:
Dems: Pepper (Yeah, I am stepping out on a limb here)


Chime in with your 2.2 cents.

Hamilton Co. Democrats Want Blackwell To Pull Radio Ads

Well, we are getting a taste of the lack of political ethics in one Ken Blackwell.

What You Talkin' 'bout, Cincy?

A new blog in town: Overheard in Cincinnati. It describes itself:

Random snippets of conversation, overheard in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky."

Go there and you can submit your best eavesdropping experiences for the whole city to read.

An Absentee Candidate

Ok, what does it say about not living in the area a candidate on the ballot votes absentee?

This was a political response to the lawsuit. Very neat trick, but will it backfire?

The Bodyguard

This was a movie, but now the Kevin Costner-Whitney Houston movie has become reality.

"And I-eee-I will always love yo-ooooo-u."

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

The Bloody 2nd

The knives are out in the race for the 2nd District GOP primary with Jean Schmidt suing to bar her opponent Bob McEwen from voting because she claims he is not a resident of Ohio. Now, who is her lawyer? If you guessed Democrat Stan Chesley then I think you must be high. You would be correct, but really, really baked.

Is this a sign of desperation on the part of Schmidt? That's what McEwen's people think. I have to wonder when they file this suit with a week to go before the primary election, instead of doing it at the date he legally had to be a resident to qualify for this ballot.

Bar Blogging

A cardinal rule of blogging is to never blog drunk. Well, I am on my first beer, but I am blogging from The Stand in Mt. Lookout. You can't beat a bar with good beer, a great jukebox and free Wifi.

Helpful or Waste?

How will a crimestoppers type website help significantly in the high level crime areas? Those areas are generally poor areas, with poor/working class people living there. They, I would say with confidence, are less likely to own or use a computer or the Internet. They would have few opportunities to use the website. If they are not already using the phone line, why would the web produce different results? Having a website on this level is a good idea in concept, but will it end up helping stop crime or create more web noise? Is any effort a worth while effort?

WKRC and WSTR Joining News Forces

I don't quite understand how this is going to work, but WKRC is going to produce a half hour news cast in partnership with WSTR at 10 to air on Channel 64. Will this just be recycled news from Clear Channel? Will it be just more non-local "local" stories about bus crashes and such. Will they instead gather more local news?

Build Towards New SCPA

Development plans in OTR should have the SCPA as its core. A new and vibrant arts district is starting to form along Central Parkway. It should be something that complements but not compete with Main Street, fountain Square, or the Banks.

Ethical?

The Enquirer actually used that descriptor in the sub headline of their endorsement of Ken Blackwell in the GOP primary for government. Yea, that’s surprising. This is the guy who put his foot on the scale in the 2004 Ohio voting process to help his candidate, Bush, get elected. He's the guy who doesn't seem to know when he buy's the stock of a company that manufactures the voting machines he is looking to require that every board of elections to purchase. I really don't find that all too ethical.

Backhand Endorsement

The Enquirer appears to have held their nose while endorsing Jean Schmidt for the GOP nomination in the 2nd district. They think she can be strong on constituent service. Well, if all you can do for you district is help them get their passport in a pinch, then I don't see you as much of a Congress person. Constituent service is half about staff. Does she have a good team working here and at the Capitol?

McEwen is no better of a choice. He is something of a carpetbagger. He has the anti-government COAST types in his corner, which does give you the stench of extremism. I don't know if that is enough for him to win. If she loses, and I am leaning that way, she loses because the voters think she has done a horrible job in the last 10 months, not because they love Bob McEwen.