Thursday, September 01, 2005
98 Degrees Reunion
OK, I know Justin Jeffre was in a boy band, but are we required to suffer through a reuion of the group? Can they just get together and hang out and not perform?
Gas Prices
In case you missed it, gas jumped about $0.45 in a day or two because of the Gulf Coast Hurricane. Now, it is true that the oil and gas industry was damaged, and on a long term basis I would expect prices to rise. Why did they jump that much in a couple of days? Answer? I don't know, but why doesn’t an enterprising young journalist seek out the pricing methods of the gas companies? Why not publish the formula they use to judge how much to charge for gas. People can bitch and moan about taxes and the EPA all they want, but there is no fair reason for gas to have jumped up that much, that quickly. It is about profit, not about passing on cost. If gas companies are going to market prices, then they should use a fairy tale market where they set the price they want and instead stick to real market pricing, not just what they think they can get away with.
Alas, we are stuck. Even after 100 years, gas companies are an oligopoly, and can do damn near what they want to the consumer. Having energy competition would be the best way to push our economy forward. If we had options outside of gas to power transportation on a wide scale, we would be able to move around everything with far greater ease. Why is the government not making that priority one in economic development?
Alas, we are stuck. Even after 100 years, gas companies are an oligopoly, and can do damn near what they want to the consumer. Having energy competition would be the best way to push our economy forward. If we had options outside of gas to power transportation on a wide scale, we would be able to move around everything with far greater ease. Why is the government not making that priority one in economic development?
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Evacuation Lifted
The roads are open and people can finally go home to the East End and Columbia Tusclum. Lets hope traffic gets back to normal as well. Yesterday and this morning is was horrible all over the East Side of the Metro Area.
Campaign Websites
Brian from The Brian and Joe Radio Show has a great summary of the campaign websites for Cincinnati Council Candidates and Cincinnati Mayor Candidates.
Mayoral Forum
A fairly relaxed event. None of the candidates scored big, but one played it way to safe. Korte has his summary and the results of the WCPO poll giving Pepper a very slight edge over Reece, followed by Mallory then Winburn.
Reece, Mallory, and Winburn all did fairly well, but did not jump out with anything to grab the masses. Pepper lost the expectations game. He was on the defensive or just stayed to positive to make a big impression on anyone. As the assumed frontrunner, he under performed in comparison.
Jeffre gave a good effort, but was too rehearsed. He would win the most improved campaigner, but he sounded like he was relying on his political consultant's coaching, instead of being himself. It came across as artificial. Grisco and Noble were comic relief. Noble, who bills herself as "Queen," actual used the word "penis" in a debate. The crowd, including myself, could barely hold back the laughter. Even the camera man was cracking up. She used the word in a semi-reasonable manner, but it is not the thing people want to hear their mayor say, especially when you are wearing "Chuck Taylor Hightops."
Winburn turned me off early. He stayed on his message, but that was the problem. He was all FOP all the time. He referenced the FOP constantly and he repeated a random statistic of "467 murders on the streets of Cincinnati," but I never heard him place a time frame for that. Is that in the last 5 years, 10 years? I think he is pushing that number higher, to make crime look worse than it is. That is misleading and playing the fears of the white voters he is out to get. He lost 95% of the black vote when he stood there next to Keith Fangman and praised the police. If he wants to praise the police, he should have had the Sentinels there too.
Overall it was a very good event. WCET puts on a first rate show and Give Back Cincinnati and Legacy did a great job organizing it. The crowd was not full, but there at least 150 to a max of 200 people there. I think the studio was set up for 250. The questions were pointed toward YP's, which I think was a bit of a shame. I would have like to hear much more variety of questions. Many of them covered the same issues and got repeated answers. No one asked anything controversial.
My order on who "won" the debate is only for fun and are based only on my impressions:
Reece, Mallory, and Winburn all did fairly well, but did not jump out with anything to grab the masses. Pepper lost the expectations game. He was on the defensive or just stayed to positive to make a big impression on anyone. As the assumed frontrunner, he under performed in comparison.
Jeffre gave a good effort, but was too rehearsed. He would win the most improved campaigner, but he sounded like he was relying on his political consultant's coaching, instead of being himself. It came across as artificial. Grisco and Noble were comic relief. Noble, who bills herself as "Queen," actual used the word "penis" in a debate. The crowd, including myself, could barely hold back the laughter. Even the camera man was cracking up. She used the word in a semi-reasonable manner, but it is not the thing people want to hear their mayor say, especially when you are wearing "Chuck Taylor Hightops."
Winburn turned me off early. He stayed on his message, but that was the problem. He was all FOP all the time. He referenced the FOP constantly and he repeated a random statistic of "467 murders on the streets of Cincinnati," but I never heard him place a time frame for that. Is that in the last 5 years, 10 years? I think he is pushing that number higher, to make crime look worse than it is. That is misleading and playing the fears of the white voters he is out to get. He lost 95% of the black vote when he stood there next to Keith Fangman and praised the police. If he wants to praise the police, he should have had the Sentinels there too.
Overall it was a very good event. WCET puts on a first rate show and Give Back Cincinnati and Legacy did a great job organizing it. The crowd was not full, but there at least 150 to a max of 200 people there. I think the studio was set up for 250. The questions were pointed toward YP's, which I think was a bit of a shame. I would have like to hear much more variety of questions. Many of them covered the same issues and got repeated answers. No one asked anything controversial.
My order on who "won" the debate is only for fun and are based only on my impressions:
MalloryThis forum gave some good exposure for all candidates, but did not shake up the race much. Pepper still would assumed to be a lock to make the finals, but anyone of the other top 3 could make it with him. Reece shows no signs of her residency scandal. Time will tell.
Reece
Winburn
Pepper
Jeffre
Grisco
Noble
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Why Wait? Stop Crime Now!
If CPD Sgt. Harry Roberts knows a secret to reducing violent crime in Cincinnati, why is he waiting until Charlie Winburn is mayor to tell us?
His answer I am sure was meant to be that if only the mayor to be would support the police contract, then violent crime would go down. Now, why does that sound like extortion to me? How supporting a contract reduces crime is beyond me. I mean, proactive policing is the thing that might work and oh maybe STOPPING THE SLOWDOWN just might helps things along.
So, Cincinnati voters, I guess we have a police gun to our heads. If you want violent crime to go down, only a vote for Winburn will get it for you, so sayeth the FOP.
I really would like to know why Winburn supports this union over other unions. How many other unions play with the lives of the citizens of the city, just so a couple of people, and I do mean just a few, can get senior management jobs in the CPD? The police union just continues to look like the sleaziest bunch of thugs, playing the protection racket to line their own pockets with a few measly promotions.
I also was laughing when the FOP talk about Winburn being the "only candidate" for this and for that. Well, he is the only Republican endorsed candidate in the race, so guess what, that was a big reason for their actions. The local FOP is an arm of the group.
Last night I got the robocall from Roberts. I hung up before it finished spewing propaganda. I really hate being a registered independent. The damn GOP thinks my vote is up for grabs.
Cincinnati Police Sgt. Harry Roberts made Cincinnati voters a personal guarantee Monday: Elect Charlie Winburn mayor, and violent crime will go down almost immediately.It will be a cold day in 'Hell' before Winburn is elected mayor, so why not just start reducing crime now? Harry, if you have the answers to solving crime, lets hear them.
His answer I am sure was meant to be that if only the mayor to be would support the police contract, then violent crime would go down. Now, why does that sound like extortion to me? How supporting a contract reduces crime is beyond me. I mean, proactive policing is the thing that might work and oh maybe STOPPING THE SLOWDOWN just might helps things along.
So, Cincinnati voters, I guess we have a police gun to our heads. If you want violent crime to go down, only a vote for Winburn will get it for you, so sayeth the FOP.
I really would like to know why Winburn supports this union over other unions. How many other unions play with the lives of the citizens of the city, just so a couple of people, and I do mean just a few, can get senior management jobs in the CPD? The police union just continues to look like the sleaziest bunch of thugs, playing the protection racket to line their own pockets with a few measly promotions.
I also was laughing when the FOP talk about Winburn being the "only candidate" for this and for that. Well, he is the only Republican endorsed candidate in the race, so guess what, that was a big reason for their actions. The local FOP is an arm of the group.
Last night I got the robocall from Roberts. I hung up before it finished spewing propaganda. I really hate being a registered independent. The damn GOP thinks my vote is up for grabs.
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