Quick Hits

Some tidbits from around the local blogosphere I found interesting:


1. After lawsuits that went all the way to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court, "same-day voting" doesn't seem to have been very popular. Ben Fischer reports that for Ohio's four largest counties plus Toledo, the total number of people who cast ballots on the same day the registered is a little more than 4,000. I suspect this is because anyone who was truly interested in this election registered during the hotly contested Ohio primary (this includes Republicans participating in Operation Chaos).


2. Jeff Berding has filed a complaint with the Ohio Election Commission, alleging that Better Ballot Cincinnati is making misleading statements about proportional representation. The Commission needs to update its website, which appears to have been dormant for the last two years, but Berding's complaint seems to be primarily based on Issue 8's supporters' contention that PR is how Obama was nominated by the Democratic Party. I've long wondered about that statement myself, and assume that the campaign is referring the large number of states that use caucuses to choose their candidate. This must be what they mean, as I'm quite sure I wasn't given the option to rank candidates when I voted in the Ohio primary. Nonetheless, I think Berding's complaint doesn't have legs, and trying to suppress speech doesn't really help his argument that PR isn't the most democratic way to do things.


3. Justin Jeffre continues in his quixotic quest to garner a few dozen votes for Ralph Nader. Although I've lost most of the respect I once had for Nader (I really liked Nader, but thought he was much more effective as an attorney and public interest advocate than he is with his perennial vanity campaigns), I appreciate and admire Jeffre's dogged idealism.

Mmm, Soul Food

I'm not sure what took me so long, but I finally got around to trying Flo's Plate Full of Soul today (Get in Mah Belly reviewed the eatery over a month ago). It's a takeout-only place on Court Street, just west of Main, open during the week for breakfast and lunch.

I had the chicken chili, cornbread, and peach cobbler (I know, it's a lot for lunch). The chili, though not what I expecting (it's probably more fairly called a "gumbo" than "chili") was really, really good. Very flavorful. The cornbread was OK, and the peach cobbler was to die for.

I hear excellent things about the mac and cheese, so I'll be stopping in soon to pick some up. The location obviously caters to the courthouse crowd. I'm hoping if they continue to do well, they'll be able to expand (the old Chambers restaurant needs a tenant!).

And by the way: all the food I just mentioned was for less than ten bucks (and included a can of Pepsi). So that's one more affordable place to eat downtown.

Maybe next time I'll take a picture of the cobbler. But probably not--that's Julie's job!

Poll: Driehaus Leads Chabot

In a poll from Research 2000 has Steve Driehaus leading Steve Chabot 46% to 44%. There is a 5% margin of error, so this is clearly an even race, but one that has been safe in the past for the Republicans. Obama is doing well in the 1st District and his coat tails along with a Conservative Democrat that can push the right button on the abortion issue for the Westside voter stands an even chance of winning this race right now.

Grammer's to Reopen, But Rathskeller Lost

WLWT reports the great news that the fine folks at Buycincy.com first reported: Grammer's will reopen after the fire, but the Rathskeller was lost. There is no report on their website when they will reopen, but when it does, be sure to show some support with your patronage.

Time to Rethink Trees

Everyone always seems so concerned about having enough "green space" in the city. I've decided that we have too much. Or, at least, too much vertical green space.

I know, trees are supposed to be good things. But with trees come bad, bad things: birds. Birds, in and of themselves, aren't necessarily bad. But the stuff that comes out of their bird-butts certainly is.

I was going to post a picture of my car, after I made the mistake of parking it under a tree (downtown, mind you!) overnight. I decided it might nauseate our readers. The sidewalk outside of my office (across from Piatt Park) has to be hosed down every day because of the foul mess left by our fowl friends.

So maybe, we should replace the trees in the city with something else. We still want shade and the appearance of greenery. How about planting some large versions of these trees?

I'm off to find a car wash.

Wynton: Wow, wow, wow

If you were able to see me tonight between 7:00 and 9:00, you probably observed me with the biggest smile that's crossed my face in a long, long time.

A couple months ago, I saw posters for tonight's concert at the Aronoff Center by Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.  I quickly bought tickets, put them in a safe place when they arrived by mail, and promptly forgot about them.  Then, sometime around Tuesday or Wednesday this week, I remembered the concert.

I spent the rest of the week tingling with excitement.

I grew up a band geek--in particular, a trumpet player.  I idolized Wynton Marsalis.  I've listened to Wynton's recordings so often, I can actually tell, within a few seconds of the beginning of a song, when it's him on the trumpet.  During high school, during those interminable, boring classes when other guys would tune out the teacher and daydream about the opposite sex, I would . . . well, okay, I would daydream about the opposite sex, too.  But while I was doing it, I would try to perfect the technique of circular breathing, which Wynton had mastered and then discussed during an interview I read.  I never quite got it.

I've only been privileged to see Wynton play live once before (at a free concert at Battery Park on Independence Day, 2002).  Getting to see him tonight was phenomenal.  I don't think there is a bad seat at the Aronoff, but mine was particularly good:  center orchestra, row N.  Wynton and the Orchestra played a variety of songs, reachinig back for tunes by Ellington and Coltrane and forward to songs Wynton composed himself.  I'm sure the Enquirer or CityBeat or both will print a review.  I'm not a critic and won't pretend to be; I'm just a fan, and I wasn't disappointed.  But the concert will be something to tell my putative kids about.  Wynton Marsalis is, perhaps, the single most signficant living American musician.

There were an awful lot of "who's who" types at the Aronoff.  Lots of local politicians and judges.  The one who caught my eye--the one that will always catch my eye when I'm fortunate enough to be in the same room--was retired Sixth Circuit Judge Nathaniel R. Jones.  As much as Wynton was a hero to me in my childhood, Judge Jones is one now that I'm an adult.  I was saddened when he left the bench at the same time I graduated law school.  It's been my honor to actually meet him and shake his hand a couple times at various lawyer-filled gatherings (though not tonight).  I'm not sure that enough people realize that we have a hero of the Civil Rights movement living in our midst.

What a great night.

Election Deadlines

With the election nearing, a review of important deadlines seems in order:

Deadline to register: Monday, October 6, 2008.
Deadline to change registration address: Monday, October 6, 2008.

Absentee ballot request deadline: If by mail, must be recieved by BOE by noon on November 1, 2008. If in person, must by the end of BOE hours on November 3, 2008.

Deadline to return an absentee ballot: Must be postmarked by November 3, 2008 (and received by BOE by November 14, 2008), or delivered to BOE in person by close of the polls on November 4, 2008.

I've posted these dates because (unbelievably), I just got off the phone with someone from a local campaign who thought that the registration and absentee deadlines were the same. They are not. Monday, October 6, 2008, is your last day to register. But you can vote early in-person at the board of elections any time prior to Election Day, as long as you're a registered voter.

Things that can force you to vote with a provisional ballot: If your address has changed and you fail to report it by October 6, you will have to go to the Board of Elections on Election Day and cast a provisional ballot. Also, if you request an absentee ballot and then change your mind and show up at your polling place on Election Day, you will be required to cast an absentee ballot. Remember, provisional ballots are eventually counted, but not on Election Day.

Also, the HamCo Board of Elections has announced extended hours. On Monday, October 6, it will be open from 8 am until 8 pm. From Monday, October 13 through Friday, October 31, the BOE will be from 8 until 8 (though there's a rumor you'll have to come dressed as either Tim Burke or Alex Triantafilou if you come on the 31st). On Monday, November 3, however, it will close at 4.

The HamCo BOE's phone number is 632-7000. It's website is here.

Whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or something else, please make sure you protect your right to vote.