Joesph-Beth Booksellers is in bankruptcy and has closed four of its nine stores, but reportedly a financing plan was rejected forcing the remaining five stores to be sold at auction. This of course includes the store in Norwood near Hyde Park, which is a main stop for well know authors on book tours.
The impression I get from the article is that the auction would intend to keep the business going, but I don't see how that can be assumed. In an auction the buyer usually has pretty much no strings attached if they pay the price bid, but in this type of business auction, there may be other rules or requirements.
It will be a dark day for books if Joesph-Beth closes. There are so few book stores left and e-books are becoming so common that the future of retail book selling is not bright for small or even medium sized companies. Book stores used to be a core pillar of American Intellectualism. Now, Walmart sells more books than any other company. They have a horrible selection and censor books at the drop of a hat. Knowing what to read should not be left to the Walmarts nor to online popularity lists at Amazon.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
A Cincinnati Police Officer Shot and Killed a Man in Northside
Details this morning are very limited but news reports indicate that a Cincinnati Police officer shot and killed a man early Monday morning around 3AM in Northside near Chase and Georgia Avenues.
A press conference is scheduled at 11AM.
WCPO is reporting that police were called to a location on Chase Avenune to "intervene" in some type of situation.
WLWT also reported what sounded like a rumor that the suspect may have been involved in a shooting from the prior night. I could not find any news reports of a shooting either on Sunday or Saturday.
More from the Enquirer.
A press conference is scheduled at 11AM.
WCPO is reporting that police were called to a location on Chase Avenune to "intervene" in some type of situation.
WLWT also reported what sounded like a rumor that the suspect may have been involved in a shooting from the prior night. I could not find any news reports of a shooting either on Sunday or Saturday.
More from the Enquirer.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Cincinnati Council Candidate to Appear at Glendale 'Tea Party' Event
The Glendale 'Tea Party' is holding a Tax Day Rally and are featuring Cincinnati Republican Council Candidate Catherine Smith Mills. Their website even includes a reference to here as "Cincinnati Council Conservative Candidate."
Why would a candidate for Cincinnati City Council make an appearance in Glendale, outside the City of Cincinnati. at a far right-wing political event? Is she looking for contributions from the likes of Finney and Mike Wilson. Too bad they are doing everything they can to hurt the City.
How can this win her votes in this election? Are there a significant number of citizens who would vote for a candidate who looks outside the City for Support and finds it in anti-Cincinnati groups?
If one wants to gain votes from the people of Cincinnati, it might help if you'd spend more time with them, and less time with those trying to undermine the city. I guess some might call that conventional wisdom. I'm sure a high-priced political consultant advised Ms. Smith Mills to head to the Suburbs to find money, but damn it looks bad. She's hanging out with a bunch of nutty crack pots. I guess she's writing off every moderate vote in the City.
I suggest that is she wants to appeal to suburbanite Republicans, she move to where she can actually represent them in public office.
Why would a candidate for Cincinnati City Council make an appearance in Glendale, outside the City of Cincinnati. at a far right-wing political event? Is she looking for contributions from the likes of Finney and Mike Wilson. Too bad they are doing everything they can to hurt the City.
How can this win her votes in this election? Are there a significant number of citizens who would vote for a candidate who looks outside the City for Support and finds it in anti-Cincinnati groups?
If one wants to gain votes from the people of Cincinnati, it might help if you'd spend more time with them, and less time with those trying to undermine the city. I guess some might call that conventional wisdom. I'm sure a high-priced political consultant advised Ms. Smith Mills to head to the Suburbs to find money, but damn it looks bad. She's hanging out with a bunch of nutty crack pots. I guess she's writing off every moderate vote in the City.
I suggest that is she wants to appeal to suburbanite Republicans, she move to where she can actually represent them in public office.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Help The Governor: Tell Him What Is NOT Cool
In an effort to reach out across party lines, I will am making a 'sincere' effort to help Ohio Governor John Kasich Understand what is and what is not cool. He made it clear that he wants Ohio to be cool, so we can attract younger people to the state. (No this was not an Onion story) To make it easy, I thought I would point out a bunch of stuff that is NOT cool. These are random things, that I am sure he already knows, but just needs a little refresher.
Ok, so things that are NOT Cool:
So that's a start, what else can you share with the Governor to help him know what is NOT Cool.
Ok, so things that are NOT Cool:
- Lawn darts
- Driving a Hummer full of $4 dollar a gallon gas to the suburbs
- Milli Vanilli
- Zima
- MySpace
- Handguns
- Lawn Jockeys
- War
- Banning same-sex marriage
- American Idol
- FOX News
- Destroying the freedom for women to control their own bodies
- Canceling a high speed rail project that would create 16,000 jobs
- Making it more difficult to vote
- Cutting funding for the arts
- Pushing religion on others
- Being anti-urbanist
- Asphalt
- Cul-de-sacs
- Taking political revenge on Cites, like Cincinnati, for not voting for you
- Revoking a grant to build a Streetcar project that would develop the inner city
- Taking away the rights of Ohio citizens to collectively bargain
- Being anti-public transit, especially rail projects
- Mocking Portland, then praising Austin for basically the same reasons
So that's a start, what else can you share with the Governor to help him know what is NOT Cool.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Bunbury Musc Festival Coming to Sawyer Point in 2012
Soapbox's Sean Rhiney has an interview with Bill Donabedian, managing director of Fountain Square and co-founder of the Midpoint Music Festival (along with Rhiney), and they discuss Donabedian's plans to hold a music festival called Bunbury in July of 2012 along the Ohio River at Sawyer Point.
Plans are for a "Lollapaloza" or "Pitchfork" type of festival which would have a combination of the best of local music and national acts. Donabedian's ideal would be to have groups like "The National" and "Flaming Lips". I'd presume he'd include more locals along the lines of Bad Veins, the Seedy Seeds, and Wussy, but that's just my speculation.
I love the idea. I really hope it can give the right mix of national, regional, and local acts. I also am pleased that it doesn't appear to be conflicting with any other big local indie music event. It does appear to be occurring during the World Choir games taking place in Cincinnati in 2012. I don't know if that is intended or not. With a large group of people already here, that is good, but there could be some logistical issues.
Bunbury would no matter what be a great way for Midpoint to market to music fans and get them to come to that event the following September. Other music venues or events could also find opportunity getting their names known to fans and music acts by helping out (Southgate House, MOTR, Northside Tavern, Mayday, and Comet come to mind.)
I look forward to hearing more details on how the festival will work and who the team will be to get it done.
Plans are for a "Lollapaloza" or "Pitchfork" type of festival which would have a combination of the best of local music and national acts. Donabedian's ideal would be to have groups like "The National" and "Flaming Lips". I'd presume he'd include more locals along the lines of Bad Veins, the Seedy Seeds, and Wussy, but that's just my speculation.
I love the idea. I really hope it can give the right mix of national, regional, and local acts. I also am pleased that it doesn't appear to be conflicting with any other big local indie music event. It does appear to be occurring during the World Choir games taking place in Cincinnati in 2012. I don't know if that is intended or not. With a large group of people already here, that is good, but there could be some logistical issues.
Bunbury would no matter what be a great way for Midpoint to market to music fans and get them to come to that event the following September. Other music venues or events could also find opportunity getting their names known to fans and music acts by helping out (Southgate House, MOTR, Northside Tavern, Mayday, and Comet come to mind.)
I look forward to hearing more details on how the festival will work and who the team will be to get it done.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Smitherman Is Running, Supposedly
The Enquirer is reporting that local NAACP President Chris Smitherman is running for City Council. He said this before, so I will believe it when he is on the ballot.
We have a clear lack of independent candidates running, so adding more is a good thing, but Smitherman is an attention whore concerned only about himself. His one term on council was a worthless disaster and he managed to piss off so many people that he lost the next election. He wants attention and I expect the Enquirer will give him all he wants, as they do on a regular basis, while ignoring other news. Now they'll just ignore other candidates in favor of the three ring circus.
We don't need a political circus and that is all Smitherman does. He will makes some outlandish comments, make some implausible and divisive proposals and will not be criticized by the Enquirer.
Let's just hope this is yet another Smitherman ploy, that will fade away faster than the stench of rotten meat.
We have a clear lack of independent candidates running, so adding more is a good thing, but Smitherman is an attention whore concerned only about himself. His one term on council was a worthless disaster and he managed to piss off so many people that he lost the next election. He wants attention and I expect the Enquirer will give him all he wants, as they do on a regular basis, while ignoring other news. Now they'll just ignore other candidates in favor of the three ring circus.
We don't need a political circus and that is all Smitherman does. He will makes some outlandish comments, make some implausible and divisive proposals and will not be criticized by the Enquirer.
Let's just hope this is yet another Smitherman ploy, that will fade away faster than the stench of rotten meat.
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