More on Boondocks

A Dallas Morning News column has more on why the Enquirer dropped it. (3rd item)

More on Police and the "N-Word"

Peter Bronson writes today on Police Officer Jeff Butler and his alledged use of the "N-Word." Bronson goes on with a personal experience of meeting the officer and going on patrol with him 10 years ago. He claims the word in question is not even the "N-Word." I don't know what the truth on that is, but it is funny how his take is so different.

I was most amused by Peter's attack on CityBeat:

Councilman John Cranley said different versions of the tape may not be as clear. So he invited me to listen to the Smitherman tape, which came from the cop-bashing alternative weekly CityBeat. It sounded like the tape I got from the Cincinnati Police. I still heard "native.''

"Cop-bashing"? How exactly does that figure? CityBeat dares to question the actions of police and they are "cop-bashing?" Now, CityBeat is not a conservative publication. They are very leftist. That is not questionable, but to call them "cop-bashing" just because they don't get on their knees for the police? Maybe when (or if) Peter stops bashing homosexuality, he might be taken seriously.

First Blood

Well, there was no blood, but there was a shoving match at a political rally in Iowa. College Dems were holding a rally and the College Republicans choose to disrupt it. One GOPer even pushed Joan Jett, who was performing at the rally. This was luckily not serious, but this kind of thing is going to happen all year long. I was hoping tension and anger between parties was not that high at this point, but I was wrong. Things are going to only get worse. I guess the laid back YR were absent that day.

Pictures and first hand background on the rally.

[Link Via Atrios]

UPDATE: Wes Flinn Comments.

UPDATE#2: Radio Free Newport comments on Freeper hate mail to Margaret Cho. Now, when I say hate mail, make sure so emphasize the hate. I could not believe that level of bigotry and ignorance that flowed when she was misquoted while speaking at a moveon.org event.

The Beginning of Cincinnayton?

The DDN reports on the marvels of shopping in West Chester. I think the Kenwood area might want to differ on who's the "Best," but one thing is for sure, West Chester is growing fast. They will have to incorporate and start having a city income tax soon; otherwise Butler County will start a financial crumbling in future years.

Lost in Translation

As part of my birthday celebration last weekend I went to see Lost in Translation at the Esquire. I really liked it. There is a very simple plot: understanding where you are in life is a never ending journey. Bill Murray is a great actor. He does not have the range of Bob De Niro, but Murray does have the ability to play a person with deep emotions. In this performance he plays a character with a laundry list problems: career in the dumper, marriage troubles, feeling trapped. Murray is able to make those emotions appear tangible to the viewer. The backdrop of Tokyo is itself a character in the film. It felt like reading the reflection of a your name in a mirror. It is just like your name, you know it, but it is still from such a different perspective that it is perplexing.

Sofia Coppola's direction deserves great praise. I am sure she has problems with stepping out from the shadow of her father, but I think she is on her way of being a good or even great director, Daddy aside. Kudos also to Scarlett Johansson.

Dennis Miller, Flipper, Flopper?

The New York Times Article on Dennis Miller and his new show are still making me wonder: did Dennis become a born again Christian? I don't get his fear based conversion to a Bush lover. He claims to be a social liberal still, but how can he remain loyal to a President who seeks to keep homosexuals second-class citizens?

Compromising on an issue is one thing. I can understand how a liberal or moderate might support the Iraq war. That is a relatively "reasoned" argument, but to take the further step of basically joining the GOP sounds like a mid life crisis more than a reasoned political choice.

2007: End of the Cincinnati Post?

The Enquirer and Post have announced that Gannett has not renewed the JOA (joint operation agreement) with Scripps to publish the Post. This has been rumored for years. The rest of the rumor is that the Post will remain as the Kentucky Post and serve Northern Kentucky. I would not be surprised if Scripps gives this a try. I am not sure how I like it. It would be good for those living in NKY, but I don't know if it would help news coverage on this side of the river. If the Enquirer gives up on NKY, then it might help some, but I don't see the Enquirer giving up anything, so they will try and compete with the KY Post and let Cincinnati-Ohio coverage suffer. Basically the City will get screwed. The Post will cover NKY and the Enquirer will cover the suburbs, leaving the actually city of Cincinnati to be treated like the black sheep of the family. Some might say that "black sheep" is more literal than my simile suggests. I don't know, but urbanists are not the sought after demographic of the Enquirer.

Wes Flinn links to this as well and asks if we noticed anything odd? I can only assume he means that both stories are almost word for word the same article, minus the opening paragraph or two.


More Coverage: Yahoo, Editor & Publisher, WCPO, Reuters, Washington Business Journal, and CNN.