Thursday, August 18, 2005

Taft Pleas "No Contest"

Taft cops a plea with the Prosecutor. Talk about falling on your own sword. Bob Taft has done just that.

This is the first time I believe an Ohio Governor has ever been in court on criminal charges while governor.

UPDATE: No jail time, $1,000 fine on all four counts. Taft also must meaningfully but apologize to everyone in the State.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Home!

After arriving at the Fairbanks, Alaska Airport at 10:30 PM last night (3:30 AM Cincy Time) I landed this afternoon at about 1:45 PM. I connected in Seattle, which by the way has poor signs directing you where the various concourses are. I had the almost guess.

I am tired. I don't have to work tomorrow, and am staying up today as late up to my normal bedtime as possible to try and rid myself of some of the impending jet lag and Red-Eye flight schedule. I had maybe 3 to 4 hours sleep between the two plane legs.

I had a great time on my cruise/land tour of Alaska, but I must tell you I am happy to be home. It was a long time away, and it was a bit too long.

Gov. Taft Charged With Ethics Violations

Ohio Governor Bob Taft is being charge with 4 misdemeanor violations of the Ohio Ethic's Laws.

Will he resign? Will he be found guilty? Will this do anything beyond making a despised governor, even more despised?

The Banks saga, day 3145

Somebody wake me when this whole thing is over. Now the county has to meet with the Cincinnati Planning Commission to ensure there are 'no more delays'? Wasn't this a selling point of voting for the Reds' park to be at the Wedge instead of Broadway Commons? Seven years later and we're still going through this crap? How much longer until this thing gets built? I only plan on being around another 40-50 years, I'd like to see it in my lifetime.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Lytle tunnel narrowed for next 10 days

I've got an idea for truckers: when you go through a tunnel or come upon a sharp turn in the highway, slow down! Now our poor brethren to the south have to deal with what will be ridiculous traffic for the next couple weeks.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Why ultra-religious people scare the shit out of me

Allow me to go all Wes Flinn here and comment on a letter to the editor in the Enquirer from yesterday. Let's go to Williamstown, KY, where fine woman Norma Oliver comments on Mike Wagers, the cabbie that called the police to report the whereabouts of Jennifer and George Hyatte:

I think this was a good thing. I prayed with my husband that the Lord would reveal the whereabouts of George and Jennifer Hyatte to the proper authorities, but most of all I prayed that they would do no harm to anyone else and that they would give up peacefully.
I think I also heard another comment made on TV coverage of someone else praying that they'd give up peacefully and that there be no more harm done. I think it worked out perfect and God's hands were all over this!


Holy shit!! So because this woman (and maybe/maybe not another person) prayed for a peaceful end, she thinks that's what caused it to happen? I'm not condemning prayer, but to think that your prayer helped police capture a criminal? Good lord! And what's scary is that I think there's a lot of people like her out there. And didn't Wagers get contacted to call police based on a news flash on TV? Are we now saying that God speaks through CNN and MSNBC (though I've always looked as Lester Holt as a Christ-like figure anyways).

More importantly, what's the converse of this way of thought? If someone dies or contracts a rare disease, do we then tell them they didn't pray hard enough for it not to happen? Or when the Patriots beat the Eagles in last year's Super Bowl, do we tell the Eagles that God must not have liked them as much as he did the Patriots? Where does it end?

Adam

Reality Bytes

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Redistricting ballot measure

It's probably a good thing to have an independent commission draw up lines for congressional districs. However, I'm not a big fan of doing this to 'make races more competitive'. I thought the purpose of districs was to have counties/areas with similar interests represented by the same congressman/woman. Granted some current districts could probably use some reshaping, and that's all well and good to take the decision out of the lawmaker's hands. But let's not do it strictly to make races more competitive.

Adam

Reality Bytes