Not Real, Not Now

MTV's "The Real World" will return to Philly after all. It would have been fun to see the kids making fools of themselves while at a bar somewhere, but alas not this year. I hope the Mayor and his PR man Brandon are pushing the idea for a future season of the real world. Cincinnati would really be a great place to have it, but we might be too small. The city would not be big enough for the caste to blend in. Everyone would want to see them in action, so they would be hounded were ever they went.

Sadgirlseven Live

Karen from sadgirlseven.net reports that she will be performing this Saturday the 27th at Pleasant Perk in Pleasant Ridge.

Grasping at Straws

Rob Bernard links to a Washington Times Article that claims to list bin Laden as a "collaborator." I guess if I were to find a CIA memo stating Mao was an American Spy that would be proof of something too. It is just amazing to lengths that right wing news outlets will go to try and buttress their deal leader. Well, in this case Dear Leader is not the one needing support, it is Number Two that needs the help.

BushCo: Slime Bags

In the aftermath of the Richard Clarke book and interview BushCo has done nothing but point fingers at Clinton, at Clarke, and everyone they can, as long as it is not in the mirror. How can anyone say this is the way a "straight shooting" administration out to set a new tone in Washington. Kevin Drum calls it Panic, and I agree, but I don't see this behavior as anything new: See O'Neil and Wilson.

With the VP doing what I call lying about Clarke and NSA Rice doing her best to diss Clarke. More from Drum and TPM.

Failing of Journalists

Here is another news story about Gay Marriage, this time here in Ohio. The story does a good job of setting up a gay couple who are out to sue the local government. The motives of the Gay couple are discussed: getting turned down for a license will be the grounds for the lawsuit. The also story gets the opposite opinion from a minister and councilman from the Cleveland area who opposes Gay Marriage. Why do we not see printed motives for WHY this man opposes homosexual marriage? Why not at least stated that he opposes it because of his religion, which is what I would guess he would say. There may be other reasons he would try to state, but we don't read about those at all.

In most stories on Gay Marriage, we don't get details as to why people oppose Gay Marriage. We sometimes get generalities, but no details as to WHY they think Gay Marriage is bad. I blame this on the journalists and their editors. Either journalists are not asking the questions and not pressing for detailed answers or the editors are gutless to print them. Why would they be gutless? Well, in my opinion the only reasons to think Gay Marriage will harm anyone are mythical beliefs based on bigoted views about homosexuality. That conflict is not something newspapers want to address directly in news stories. The Peter Bronsons can address it, without giving details either, but reporters can't print it. Why the failing of the public interest?

Have You No Shame?

The White House's Condy Rice was on CNN this morning and made sure everyone knew Clarke was terrorism Czar when the USS Cole was bombed and the African Embassies were bombed. She said that at least twice during the interview. What a way to BLAME someone for terrorism. If Ms. Rice is going to remind people that Dick Clarke was terrorism Czar when the USS Cole was bombed, I think people should remember she was the NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR when the WTC was destroyed. It was shameful to hear her play the game of shifting the blame to Clarke. I am sure BushCo's surrogates will be out in force on this, but this is shameful.

Calm Before the Storm?

The Cleveland Plain-Dealer has a story on Cincinnati's Citizen Complaint Authority and brings up the test it faces, along with the city government overall, to what will happen in the aftermath of the Nathaniel Jones case. Most opinion after the event concluded, correctly, that the police handled themselves within their procedures. No one will likely face charges from Prosecutor Mike Allen.

What is left open is who from the Fire Department will be disciplined. What is also open is the reaction Allen's announcement will make in the black community. I think the activists expect to hear what they don't want to here, but I think in this case the overall community understands that this man was high on drugs and died tragically, but not the result of criminal negligence.