What's on Your Wallpaper?

On a snowy Saturday I'm going to post something light. What is on your PC/MAC's desktop wallpaper? Here is what I have:

This is a picture of a sunset on the beach in the small town on the West coast of Florida where my parents live. It was taken in winter about 5 years ago and it was warm that day.

What does everyone else have?

Berding’s Billions

CityBeat's blog as a lengthy piece on the Cash Machine that is Councilman Jeff Berding. Big money is behind this candidate for office. Last time Democratic Party endorsements went around the CW was that Berding was given the endorsement by some in exchange for others supporting Lynch's endorsement. This time around will there be enough support for Berding? He is a Democrat on council, so I don't see how the Party could not endorse him, no matter how much the rank in file scream.

Fangman: Call Me

Former FOP President and instigator is under investigation for allegedly making harassing phone calls to the current FOP President. I don't know if I can comment. This is just too ripe to hit off the tee.

Punting on the Banks

The Banks Project Working Group is allowing itself to punt.

Enquirer and Bronson Spread a Lie

It is no shock that Peter Bronson or the Enquirer would spread a lie, but they are:

Jason Mallott of Cincinnati is stationed in Baghdad. "Yesterday I found out about the vote from a younger soldier who came up to me and asked why my hometown does not support us," he wrote. "I have lived in the city for over 25 years. I was even thinking about applying for a job with the Police Department when I returned. I am just confused on why City Council would not be supporting us.

Bold Added. I guess Peter and Jason Mallott didn't read the resolution when it says this:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Cincinnati:

Section 1. That Council supports the U.S. troops currently serving Iraq, as well as those that have previously served, and those that have been killed or wounded during such service, and their families.

Peter Bronson, stop spreading Lies!

Shut The Hell Up!

The Enquirer looks like a fool by printing a series of letters to the editor about the pending Cincinnati City Council Iraq War resolution. NONE OF THE WRITERS LIVE IN THE CITY!!!. Can we have a little bit of relative perspective from people who are actually governed by the politicians considering the resolution????? The funniest part is that they list this at the top of the letters "A sampling of some of the opinions we've received on this topic." Here is what I think it should have stated "A sample of our Conservative readers views, those readers we actually care about."

That idiocy aside, I find myself rather conflicted. On the surface I am strong believer in the City sticking to City Business and staying out of national issues, like abortion. I hope Monzel keeps his trap shut about the Iraq War resolution if he wants to forget about his push to outlaw abortion using City policy. That issue is decided, abortion is legal. He wants to change that, petition your Congressman.

That being said, I agree with what the resolution says, for the most part. What the resolution is missing is making reference to what Bush did right here in Cincinnati by misleading the American people during his speech at Union Terminal. That brings the issue home and has a sliver of relevance to Cincinnati.

More Downtown Development

A tip from reader Richard gives word about new Race Street Renovation in a building I've long loved and wished someone would bring back to life:

The beautiful Lyric Piano Building near the corner of 7th and Race is currently undergoing renovations. In the past, the ground level of this building served as a Hardees restaurant (and Burger Chef) and there was speculation a number of years ago that the former owners of The Temple Restaurant were planning a new restaurant at that location. But, I spoke with a lady who works at one of the jewelry stores next door and she said that a very nice couple has purchased the building with plans to use a portion of the structure as a new architectural office and the remaining square-footage as a private residence. It will be great to see this handsome building, which is a favorite of architecture lovers throughout the area, returned to its former glory.

Here's a link with information about the structure, crowned a "blight of the week" by CityBeat in 2002.

Race Street has for a long time needed more renovation. I hope this is just a start with Sully's going in just up the street.

Weather Report Suite

The weather is crappy today. Got any hot news flashes to warm up the roads?

'Cincinnati Rock Concert Philosophy'

In an almost therapeutic screed "Riggsveda" unleashed a post at the TPMcafe that riddled the culture with bullets mostly aimed at the Right Wing Hypocrites. In the process, however, this screed barreled into two things dear to me, Cincinnati & The Who:

What else? Well, there's the death of public civility on streets, trains, buses and in cars, and the failure of American parents to teach their children anything at all about manners and etiquette. This has led to the Cincinnati rock concert philosophy of life: that we all must be in a constant battle for supremacy with one another, whether it's who goes through a door first, gets a parking space, or gets to change lanes. All of this is directly anathema to the idea behind etiquette: that in order to create a tolerable and decent community, we must all behave graciously and with grace toward each other, meaning at times we back off, suppress our egos, and let someone else have something at our own expense out of sheer kindness. Meaning we treat others as if they were our dear friends, or at least unfortunately demented relatives not responsible for their own behavior.

I don't necessarily disagree with the point of the whole post, but do we have to create another term that denigrates a city and a horrible tragedy that occurred well over 25 years ago? This city has certainly suffered enough from that event and we don't need it put back into our faces, or more importantly, not hung around our collective necks. Including "Cincinnati" is really the injustice in the term. The City didn't create the tragedy. It was truly "the mob", which I believe is the point of the term. Having Cincinnati confused with "the mob" does nothing but put blame were none is deserved.

New Businesses Downtown and on Main

Joe Hansbauer is reporting there are two big additions to Downtown and Main Street. First rumor has it that the former Jump location at 12th and Main will become a Sushi restaurant. Don't know who is going to run it or if it will include a bar or not.

Second is word that McFadden's has bought several store fronts and will open a new bar called Lodge, and as Joe states it will be similar to the one in Columbus. I wonder where this space will be. I assume it is on 7th street, but not sure where.

We're Still Here!

I just watched the Police reunite on the Grammys and play "Roxanne." The world did not end, so lets all rejoice and start saving now for tickets to their tour. I'd be game for a Police show at Paul Brown Stadium.

How'd I Get Mixed Up With This?

Somehow, Someway, I was dragged into Nate's latest feud:

If Ghizzy had black skin, the white media -- especially her boosters at The Cincinnati Enquirer, CityBeat, and The Cincinnati Blog -- would tear her apart like they did to former Vice Mayor Alicia Reece. The only reason Ghizzy gets a free pass is because she is a white girl. Period.

This is of course false, but that doesn't usually matter in this type of discussion when Nate is involved.

St. McCain In Town This Week

I'll throw a bone to Republicans and pass on word that Senator (Saint) John McCain will be visiting Cincinnati on Friday. Logically I would conclude the local media will be stumbling over each other to cover St. McCain. the media's darling. Around Cincinnati I really wonder, however, what level of support he will get, making the media's coverage not so intense. He's not well loved by the far rightists for his lukewarm stance on social issues. He's a mainstream Conservative when it comes to social issues, but in the past hasn't made them his focus. In the 2008 primary race I expect he'll go off the social issue deep end, one way or another. Either he'll counter Rudy's pro-gay/pro-choice stances, if Rudy gets into the race, or McCain will go to the middle to try and get the moderate vote if Rudy doesn't get into the race.

Bill Maher Visits Nutty Creastionist 'Museum'

Sacha Baron Cohen is likely very proud of the methods used by Bill Maher in filming a documentary on religion. Maher's tactic was especially interesting because it happened just outside of Cincinnati in Kentucky at the Answers in Genesis facility. Ken Ham, the creator of the Creationist 'Museum', was reportedly not pleased with Maher. Go figure. I nutty creationist is likely confronted with the nutty ideas he has and the guy gets pissed off.

I am eagerly awaiting the documentary.

Obama to Visit Cincinnati on Feb 26

State Sen. Eric Kearney is bringing the Presidential hopeful to town for a fund raiser.

GOP Endorsing Child Beater Sam Malone?

It is amazing that the GOP would dare endorse a man who admitted to beating his own child with a belt in court, a source indicates that the HC GOP has done just that. The reported slate of endorsements equal:

Leslie Ghiz
Chris Monzel
Charlie Winburn
Sam Malone
John Eby
Andre Harper is this the same person?
Pat Fisher (President of P-Ridge CC?)

UPDATE: CityBeat's Kevin Osborne has more.

HCDP Has New Executive Director

Caleb Faux is taking over the reins from Chandra Yungbluth who left to work for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Question of the Day

Ok, I'll dare to put a question out there. What topics do people want the blog to include, that are not being posted, or not posted enough? Be gentle, keep the 7th grade humor to a minimum, please.

Death of the Arts Section at the Enquirer?

This morning I got an unsigned email which describes the tearing apart of arts/media/culture criticism at the Enquirer. Here is the email in its entirety:

Yesterday, on the 19th floor of the Cincinnati Enquirer, a room of arts critics (including theater critic Jackie Demaline, classical music critic Janelle Gelfand, art critic Sara Pearce, entertainment reporter Jim Knippenberg media critic John Kiesewetter, former arts editor Pam Fisher and food critic Polly Campbell) along with features writers were told they will be pulled off arts beat to staff phones on the Saturday general assignment reporting desk.

Apparently, one body is as good as another in the new "Info Center" reich over at Third and Elm -- although it seems counterintuitive in Gannett's penny pinching culture to stick high priced talent (several old timers rumored to be at six figures) manning the phones on one of the worst news days of the week -- not exactly fiscally savvy.

Oddly, this news comes just days before Enquirer publisher Margaret Buchanan kicks off the citywide Fine Arts Fund drive Sunday as its chair.

Shortly after arriving in Cincinnati, Buchanan took a spot on the symphony board and launching a new Sunday Arts section, promising better arts coverage to a disgruntled arts community.

If today's Enquirer is any indication, looks like a snow job: less arts coverage, but complete sledding hill lists in Cincinnati and diagrams for making snowmen.

Please keep in mind this is one writer's opinion and I have no confirmation of anything in this email. For those on the inside there are enough details to determine if this is authentic. I find it very credible for the simple fact that the issue at hand is a detail on how the inner workings of the newspaper happens. This is clearly someone with knowledge of the Enquirer.

Printing this email is not a great journalistic act, but it is a reasonable act for a blogger. Is this just another sign that the Enquirer is abandoning content creation in favor of press release publications? Will this act affect the many blogs on the Enquirer?

Drive Home Contest

A free pat on the back goes to the person who had the longest (in time) drive home last night in the snow. Mine was about 2.5 hours.