Grandstanding Queen

If you were thinking ABBA, then you would have the type of show that came to mind when I read about the drama Ghiz and Cole generated about already vetted arts funding at Wednesday night's Council Meeting. Leslie Ghiz sounds like she is out to be confrontational for the sheer fact that she wants people to know she knows how to be confrontational with older men like Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell. The attacks on Tarbell were unwarranted and just mean.

Laketa Cole seems to have not been paying attention every year when this annual arts funding takes place. She was "disgusted." How the funding is determined isn't any different than it has been since 2002, so what is different in Cole's mind now? Did she forget how the process worked? Is she losing her memory? More puzzling, after all of her complaints, she voted for the funding anyway. If the process is disgusting, then its outcome should be voted down. Cole appears to want to play both sides for effect. Complain and look conservative, but in the end her voting record is in line with most Democrats.

Jeff Berding appears to be an obstructionist against fine arts. He will vote for "community" arts projects, but not fine arts project because they somehow don't help the public enough. I'm not being helped enough by Paul Brown Stadium, I'd like the Bengals to pick up the tab, immediately. I wonder if Jeff would agree there. How about funding community sports leagues instead? I think a pee-wee football stadium would have been the way to go.

City Wide WiFi?

I don't know how this would work, but in concept it sounds great.

Ken Lawson's Law License Suspended

For some very strange reason this news article about Cincinnati attorney Ken Lawson labels him as an "activist." Lawson has had his law license suspended until the Ohio Supreme Court makes a decision about the allegations Lawson mishandled cases. Lawson may be considered an activist by some, a small number. He is known foremost and in this situation it is most relevant to refer to him as a lawyer, his profession.

Joan Kaup Un-Interview Blog Post

The Enquirer's Jane Prendergast has an interesting blog post talking about what she talked to City Council candidate Joan Kaup about over coffee.

The impression Jane paints of Joan has a little bit of rookie overtone to it. Without any direct quotes that might be a little bit misleading, whether intention or not.

I do like this type of blog post. I called it an un-interview because it references what I presume was an interview, but what is in the post isn't anything close to what one would call the publication of an interview. It is something you wouldn't ever read in the newspaper. It is an odd mix of journalism the and personal influx that occurs with blogging. I hope Jane repeats these types of interactions with council candidates.

For The Record

In hopes that local TV news teams are reading this, please note that the Enquirer is reporting on a survey of 25 cities about Road Rage and Cincinnati was 18th, with Miami at #1 with the worst road rage.

Road Rage is not a problem here. We don't need any more stories of the alleged problem. We don't need to know about any alleged road rage incidents in any other city, either.

Ike Doesn't Work Here Anymore

Cincinnati Fringe Festival

Alice is sweet, but Tina is Wine.:

New Local Blog: UrbanCincy

Check out UrbanCincy for what so far seems to be a focus on Downtown projects.

Second Sunday on Main

Pictured here is a new mural painted on Main Street just this week. I spend a great Sunday afternoon on Main Street at the Second Sunday on Main Festival, the monthly summer street festival that showcases the North Main business district.

The highlight was the cooking demonstration from Chef Jean Robert de Cavel and a great lesson on matching wines from Sommelier Paul Ortiz. The dish was salmon with this egg dressing that was excellent. The wine chosen to match was actually champagne. If you've not seen Jean Robert cook live you really should take the opportunity. He looks like a symphony conductor, a friend even said he has conductor hair.

I can also attest that the Christian Moerlein OTR Pale Ale is pretty good.

Save the Second Sunday's for the rest for the rest of summer: June 10, July 8, August 12, and September 9.

Below the scene at Enjoy the Arts where the cooking demonstration took place.

The Goat - At New Stage Collective

There is still plenty of time to see the New Stage Collective's production of the Goat. To the left is a photo of the set of the goat from NSC's open house back in April.

Check out www.newstagecollective.com for more!!!!!

A Start, But Not Enough

This trolley idea is a good start, but it needs to be run Friday nights and on the Weekends as well. There is more to downtown and to the Square than lunch time during the week.

Sorry I'm late. I was taking a crap.

Cincinnati Fringe Festival

Mommy, I want one too:

Lobbying By Race

I am tired of race. I am sick and tired of people using race as the impetus to lobby the government for money. Lobbying is part of our democracy, but doing so based on Race increases the racial divide, and does nothing to create an inclusive society. Invoking George Wallace is a hollow and misleading rhetorical tactic, especially from the mouth of Chris Smitherman, who appears to be angling to become a local Al Sharpton, playing the race card as his first and last play.

Everybody's GOP Fightin'

In local politics, party really is not thicker than personal beefs between bitter foes. In this case seeing the Republicans fight like dogs, is quite a sporting evening.

UPDATE: A lot of detail at CityBeat's Porkopolis Blog.

Ohio 2nd: Heimlich vs Schmidt

The GOP primary is going to have a real race for the Ohio 2nd Congressional district.

Don't Call It a Comeback

LL Cool J will be performing at the grand opening of Club Red in the former Red Cheetah on 12th Street in OTR.

Cincy Fringe Festival 2007

Cincinnati Fringe Festival

But, wait, there's more:

Jason Haap Sued

Local blogger Jason Haap (aka "the Dean of Cincinnati) is listed as a defendant in a lawsuit relating to the feud between Henry and Peter Heimlich. Henry Heimlich developed the Heimlich Maneuver, which is the source of much of feud.

I've seen Jason go off the deep end on posts about Henry Heimlich and the Maneuver, but I've never known them to be worthy of a law suit.

More Smearing of Crowley

Here's a video on Youtube from a user called "HamCoGOP." I can't find this on their website, but it's a hackjob, so I would expect the HCRP to claim it without remorsing the smear of Councilman David Crowley:

What would be funny is if the "HamCoGOP" user was really a Jeff Berding supporter.

Shoe's on the Other Foot

Michelle Incanno of Springboro was offended by this saying on the side of a Starbucks coffee cup

"Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure."

If I am able to keep my cool over the many religious comments I have to endure in my life, then I think Michelle can swallow a cup full of someone questioning the existence of her deity.

Side note:Questioning the existence of "God" is not a religious exercise, other than the inference made in this argument that the concept of a "God" could exist.

Jeff Ruby Denies OJ

In a very bizarre occurrence local restaurateur Jeff Ruby denies OJ Simpson service at his restaurant in Louisville. Good for Jeff.

Why is OJ in Louisville?