Saturday, May 22, 2004

Chopped Liver?

Generation X was the media darlings for a few years. We were seen as an unknown and forgotten generation that Boomers could not understand, thus I guess making us newsworthy. It appears that car makers have moved past us even though we are in our prime of buy cars right now. It seems that we are living up to our image of being forgotten, you don't hear much about us. It is either the Boomers are starting to retire, or the Gen Y “brats” are so big and so different that things will be changing. I guess the mystique of being part of Gen X has worn off on the media, or simply that Gen Y kids are starting to write about themselves now.

Friday, May 21, 2004

Cops Targeted?

An AP Wire report alleges that Cincinnati Police are being targeted by gunman. They report on 7 incidents since last November where gunman opened fire on police. Those situations were not disclosed except to say that three of them were when police were not confronting suspects.

Being a target for violence for no other reason than just being a police officers is reported as being rare, and the number here in Cincinnati are seen as strange:
"I can't think of any where our officers were shot at while they were just out on patrol," Cleveland police spokesman Wayne Drummond said.
Are local drug dealers targeting certain police officers for revenge? Is there a lone nut out there out to kill police officers? If this keeps up, I don't see crime rates improving. Police will be forced to stay in their cars and off the beat.

In the Woods on the Way Out?

WVXU reported this morning via the Business Courier that the restaurant/bar In the Wood is suing to prevent and eminent domain proceeding to take over the property to make way for new development on the south side of UC's campus.

I have only been there once, but it was good cheap food. I don't know what they plan on replacing it, but do they need to? Does UC need this much expansion? Why should a viable business be forced to move for a small project? It is one thing to move someone for a highway or a sports stadium, but for condos?

Thursday, May 20, 2004

A Blog that 'Shocked'

Carl Weiser is reporting that a female staffer for Sen. DeWine was writing what is being called an 'explicit' blog.

Wonkette has the story covered best, including a line up of department chief of staffs alleged to have been her "loser john".


This looks and acts like a hoax, but it appears to have legs. The Plain Dealer has more, as well as the Springfield Sun. It hits the big time when it makes the Washington Post.

No comment from Mike DeWine's office. No denials either, so it is likely at least that this person is real and the blog was real. I still would guess that the person was having a little fun, and the fiction she was writing got away from her.

If this is true, then I can only say: holy shit. That scandal would make Bill Clinton's affairs look like Pilgrim Sex.

UPDATE: Greg Mann has more.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Hot Air, Meet Kettle

Ray Cooklis starts off his column Hot air: Raising McCain with a gem of a sentence:
"Some news operations appear so eager to create an anti-Bush political groundswell that they'll grasp at any straw."
Gee, Ray, what can we say about your news operation? Who do you and your management want on the Kerry ticket? Let me guess, Hillary Clinton? How many times has some conservative journalist tried to claim Hillary was either going to be VP for the Dems or some kind of fairy tale last minute candidate? The Enquirer even dragged Hillary into your editorial endorsing Bush back in 2000. When Ray starts harping on the major news outlets that like to gin up anti-Clinton fund raising drives by making fools fear Hillary running for President, at that point I might see this as anything but a political hack job on both McCain, Kerry, and the New York Times.

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Moose on Main Shooting

The shooting of bar tender at Moose on Main appears to have followed a fight. This is better than random violence, but it is bad in whole different way. I will wonder if Race was involved? I wish I did not have to wonder that, but this story leaves that out and it there are signs that it could have been an issue. The fight allegedly stated after an "unpleasant conversation" with locals. What was the conversation about? Bad service? Loud Music? What?

Truth from Bronson

We got some truth from Bronson today that no one will dispute:
"My idea of 'high culture'' is the top row of seats at Oklahoma! I live on Square Street with Joe and Jane Burbs. "
Peter however insults Rodgers and Hammerstein with use of Oklahoma. Why not just use something like the musical version of "The Green Berets" as your ideal Cultural production. I can see Pete getting weepy over the finale of "The Ballad of the Green Beret" with the fake smoke doing most of the work to wet his eyes.

The biggest insult Bronson levels is his double talk:
That usually means stuff about AIDS, sex, race, women's issues, sex, gays and AIDS.
I wonder what the actors appearing now think about AIDS and how it affects people? I bet they would not perform for you Pete, after that shot at an issue many in the arts care about.

Bronson is writing himself as a cliché. He is saying don't break new ground, stick to the traditional. In other words, progress bad, the mythical past good.

Oklahoma! is a great musical, I just recent saw the movie, which I recommend. People should also hit the Fringe Festival and see art from the outside of its institutions. See art/theater from perspectives that Peter Bronson dismisses, ignores, and fears.