Cinco de Mayo Mini-Riot 2.0
It appears that a drunken mass of UC students could not help themselves and lost control. Why do people act like this? Why do allegedly semi-educated people feel the need, drunk or not, to act like common criminals? The police also appeared to be slow to respond to this riot. According WLWT, police did not move in on the crowd until nearly an hour had passed after at least 2 cars were overturned. Last year the moved in hard on the crowd, this year they let it linger. Was this somehow tactical? Was their plan to let the frenzied crowd vent a bit, and then move in on a softer target? I hope that is the case. Running commentary from amateur video of the riot shows a police helicopter overhead, but the camera operator asked where the police are. I predict police will be attacked for letting what boycotters will likely call a "white riot" to go on unchecked. The reasons for it will be painted in simpleton racial terms, but what else can one expect from the one-track mind boycotters.

Man shot on Fountain Square
Details are limited on this case, but damn. I hope this story gets wall to wall coverage in local media. The City can kiss a Fountain Square upgrade if they don't address crime. No more pussy footing around about it. No more worrying about they boycotter's propaganda. No more police slowdowns. Break out the “Batman and Robin” costumes if you have to, but start fighting crime. When someone is shot in the heart of the city, you don’t just tape over the wound, you call in the heart surgeon. Everyone at city hall needs to get off their asses and start cracking down on the criminals in this town, no matter who they are, or what groups are trying to shield them from justice.

More from WCPO:

"Everybody seems to be cooperative," said Thomas. "They stayed around. They're willing to come talk to us."

If every crowd who witnessed a shooting in this city were as cooperative, we might get a handle on crime. If this had happened in OTR, I wonder if any of the witnesses would cooperate with the police. Based on prior incidents, I would bet few would care to get involved and help fight crime in their own neighborhood.

Jerry makes his case: Springer selling 'authentic' image
Jerry is making a hard push for support. Some of his political positions can be found here. The Dayton Daily News reports he will make up his mind officially on running for office in July.

Minority and small firms win a share
It appears that either alot of out of town firms were used, or a new form of affirmative action was instituted.

About 32 percent of a projected $65 million in building, design and management contracts went to black-owned firms for a total of $21.2 million. Small businesses accounted for 42 percent of $38 million in building contracts, or $16 million.

32% is rather high for a county that has a population of blacks less than 25%. For Paul Brown Stadium there were not enough "black-owned" businesses in the region to provide 32% of the building supplies, but here it happened, granted on a smaller project. I have to wonder how "black-owned" is determined. I assume it means any company that is at least partially owned by a "black" person.

Prep star Mayo's debut moved back
The kid does not need a "debut." I really hope Jamie Mahaffey, former Miami University basketball standout, does not let this kid’s life become any more of a circus than it already is. I hope the kid has the skills to go to college, but the kid is already behind at least one grade and maybe two. If he has the talent for the NBA, but not the intellectual ability for college, then I say let him go to the NBA. To many college athletes are taken who don't meet the standards of the college they are attending. That must stop, or at least any school that wants to be considered anything more than a sports franchise should not accept any athlete who could not gain acceptance to the school on their own.

BRONSON: What do the unions give back to schools?
Peter, what do the unions give back to the police department? All the FOP gives back to the police department are slow downs, and arbitration that would make major league baseball players jealous. Why does Bronson regularly attack teachers? I know he has fits because most teachers no longer indoctrinate their pupils in the teachings of Christianity, but you think he would have grown out of the belief that everyone shared his brand of religion. I guess his ability to contradict himself on the value of unions seeps into his interpretation of the 1st amendment.

The Bush Speech
More of the same propaganda. How much money did this photo-op cost? The penny pinchers bitched left and right about Clinton's trips, and Bush stages a free campaign commercial and is praised by the jingotastic media. The "Mission is Complete" but we are not done? I don't grasp the concept. We won the battle but the war goes on is the cliché that comes to mind, but our mission is complete. That just does not wash with me. This is not WWII. We had the Afghanistan speech last year, now we have another, but we were not really done. WMD are nowhere to be found, but we are going to find them.....ya. Saddam is on the loose. Osama is underground, and they are moot, but when we find their bones in October 2004 how loud with the monkey press shout for joy? We know the Fox Whores will be in such a complete stupor Geraldo will actually be made a human sacrifice live on air. The blood lust needs a sacrifice to quell its thirst, and Combs has been screwed by Hannity so many times, he is not virgin enough to satisfy Lord Ailes.

I am sure the conservatives out there will be scream at me for daring to dissent. I guess I don’t have a taste for trite horseshit. I can only swallow so much, and the stinker Bush dropped on the U. S. S. Abe Lincoln was foul enough to sink the Bismarck. Don’t get me wrong, however, the cretins will eat it up like the good little lemmings they are. It was “bold” and “powerful” no doubt in the minds of the chattering class. Bottom line, it was a elementary school pageant with big ass props. Nothing profound, just vetted buzz phrases placed to make little sound bytes that Betty and Joe will eat like candy while watching the morning media monkeys dance. Give me conformity or give me death! (Cough, Cough)

UPDATE: It appears Matt Yglesias agrees with me, on a much more muted level of course.