Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Jones Case

The Local NAACP is claiming Nathaniel Jones died by asphyxiation. This claim is support by a report paid for by the NAACP produced by Dr. Joye M. Carter, a forensic pathologist.

Why did the NAACP refuse to release the full report to the media? It would be rather useful to know why this doctor stated one cause of death, while the local ME declared Jones died rom a heart problem exacerbated by the struggle with police.

This is the basis for a lawsuit and it is nothing but normal wrongful death civil action type of tactics.

The Enquirer has more and this story, WCPO, and it was picked up big time by the AP (no Nate quote this time...thanks John Nolan!), but did the AP reports have to continue carrying the "number" along:
Jones was at least the 19th black man to die in violent confrontations with Cincinnati police since 1995. Police union leaders said the men who died threatened officers with weapons.
Police say that all but 4 of the 19 had weapons I believe. So the story was even wrong there. If one wants to be Dramatic yet accurate, then say "Jones for the 4th unarmed black man killed by police since 1995. For the record some might say more than 4, but that might be the number, unless you do or don't count a brick or a car.

Also comments from Greg Mann.

The future of rock and roll is passing

97X has not found a sponsor or investor to fund an Internet continuation of WOXY. Sledge has the same release and hints that his status with the new station, and the format of such, will be announced soon.

Ratings Ploy?

Is this just a ratings ploy on the part of Elton John? I guess because Al Sharpton did not win the Democratic nomination, it is because everyone is racist? The same would go for Allan Keys in 2000. Elton is reaching or his off handed comment was picked up by a race obsessed press. If he wants to say that the public are ignorant on picking vocal talent, he can and he would likely be correct. He is wrong to try and say American Idol is about picking the best singer. It is about picking a "star" who has the full package of "talent," beyond just the voice (yes I say this while laughing out loud.) In other words it is just a popularity contest. Who does Elton think are the majority of people voting for this? Teenagers are, or at least they are through their parents. Why would anyone be shocked that this turned into a high school popularity contest, not Star Search

By the way Elton, how racist can the voting be when largely the same voter base last year picked a black man as the winner?

Smitherman Jumping the Gun

Greg Korte reports on Councilman Chris Smitherman jumping procedure by issuing a memo to the City Manager asking to appoint a person to two City Boards. He was wasting his time, since only the Mayor can make those appointments, so his memo was misdirected.

What I want to know, did Chris or his staff keep a copy of that memo in their City Hall office or take it home for "safe" keeping.

Meet-Ups

I guess Carl Weiser missed the sensation of Dean Meet-ups in his gushing praise for Bush's organization which I would like to hear real numbers as to the number of people who attend that are either new to the GOP or at least new to party activities. That is what Dean did with that kind of process and did it out of thin air, not with big bucks behind it and not just make it sound like his campaign is "current."

UPDATE: Correction - Weiser did not "miss" Dean's influence in the article, let just say that it was buried and referenced once.

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Bush Brings Campaign to Lebanon, Ohio

Bush will be in Lebanon next week at the Golden Lamb, owned by Rep. Rob Portman's family. Anyone got a reservation there? I hope this does not tie up traffic on I-71 when I am trying to get to work. This will likely be closed to the public, unless directly invited. If any protestors are allowed within earshot of Bush, I will my hat. They will be kept away. If anti-Bush protestors did what anti-Kerry protestors did at the Kerry rally here a few weeks ago, they would be arrested on the spot and charged with a serious crime.

Forced?

This story seems a bit forced. It is as if someone up the ladder said write a story on this but don't piss of the CCV. I wonder how this plays out in West Chester.

This kind of story is the problem with CinWeekly. This story calls for an opinion piece. CinWeekly has no opinion. This story should have a vibrant slam of the CCV and their puritanical crusade to push their religious standards on the rest of us. Instead we have quotes from the CCV, but no comment from anyone from WEBN, who had no comment. The story is thin. I would have preferred more content and background into the history of what kind of jokes WEBN uses and the motivation of the CCV and less reader comments, which are well, not very insightful.