Where Are the Republican Cheers For This?

Local Townships are having to pay for their own police patrols starting April 1st, instead of Hamilton County paying for it.  This sounds like a conservative Republican's wet dream!  Self-reliance!  I am going to expect COAST or someone akin to propose hiring a private firm to conduct the police patrols of the townships.  Then I would expect either a wall or fences surrounding the townships with razor wire and electrification to be erected.  Maybe some search lights and tall guard towers?

What is the world coming too?  Just last night I was in the exurbs getting gas on the way home from work and while pumping gas, I was approached by a person who happened to be on their way to Cleveland but just realized they lost their wallet at a restaurant a while ago and just happened to make it here to the gas station with their family and their bank account just happened to be closed and their spiel was way too rehearsed, not remotely honest enough to be believed.  I mean this can't happen in the burbs, can it? Scammers? What is needed is RoboCop and we need it now or we are all going to constantly be harassed by con artists.  Someone call Omni Consumer Products!

Not Bad, But It Could Have Been So Much Better

If you grew up in the Suburbs/exburbs of Cincinnati, this is geared towards you. If you didn't grow up in the Suburbs/exurbs, this is could be so much better.

Alternate versions I would like to see are:
Shit People on the Westside would say (which may not be that different)
Shit People in Hyde Parker would say
Shit People in OTR would say
Shit People in Northside would say
Shit a COASTER would say (might be too bigoted for public viewing)

Here is an alternative version that is not work friendly in the least.

Tonight! Musicians for Luke - Margaret Darling, Serenity Fisher

This is a reminder that tonight local musicians Margaret Darling (of the Seedy Seeds) and Serenity Fisher are teaming up to support Luke Brockmeier.  Tuesday January 31st come to Sitwell's Coffee House at 7PM and hear these talented musicians play.  A suggested donation of $5 is mentioned, but not required.

Jason Wells of For Algernon is the special quest appearing with Margaret.

For more information on the event, check out Facebook.

For more information on Luke Brockmeier, check out www.lukeforohio.com.

Sin & Tonic YPCC Choral Concert on Valentine's Day at Below Zero

The Cincinnati Young Professionals' Choral Collective are staging a concert, Sin & Tonic, February 14th as an early start for Valentine's Day at Below Zero. From the Press Release:

Audience members will listen with martinis in hand to quality choral music that explores all aspects of love.  The doors (and the bar) will be open from 6-10pm, and the performance will take place from 6:45 – 7:30pm.  Audience members are invited to start their Valentine’s Day evening with bawdy English madrigals, sassy French chansons, gorgeous vocal jazz arrangements and soaring American spirituals…or to make a whole night of it!
 
Space is limited.  Free reservations (donations accepted) can be made at www.sinandtonic.eventbrite.com

For people with arts minded significant others, this would be a great prelude to your Valentine's day evening.

Glacial Past of Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Enquirer had very interesting article on the pre-historic glacial history of the Cincinnati area. We were just on the edge of where the last ice age affected the North American continent, and the effects can be felt not only in the topography, but in our weather.

I really like the historical articles the Enquirer has been publishing. Cincinnati has such a long past to draw from. I would love to read more about the 19th century.

Musicians for Luke - Margaret Darling, Serenity Fisher and More!

Local musicians Margaret Darling (of the Seedy Seeds) and Serenity Fisher are teaming up to support Luke Brockmeier.  Tuesday January 31st come to Sitwell's Coffee House at 7PM and hear these talented musicians play.  A suggested donation of $5 is mentioned, but not required.

There are rumors of special guests as well.  To find out who, you'll have to come to Sitwell's.

For more information on the event, check out Facebook.

For more information on Luke Brockmeier, check out www.lukeforohio.com.

Bortz Pulls a Romney

Former Cincinnati Council Member Chris Bortz appears to most political observers to be positioning himself for a political run as a Republican.  No, he's not made any type of announcement.  He's done two things.  First he is openly supporting a Republican candidate in the Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional district. That alone indicates he's a Republican, at least on National issues.  He's joined forces with anti-city and anti-gay bigot Chris Finney to support that Republican candidate.  Linking one's name to Finney on any level is deplorable in my view, but politically it shows who you are willing to court to get what you want. In the case of Finney it indicates you are not courting a moderate city voter, you are instead willing to dive into the conservative sewer.

Where we can see the political posturing more up-close is in the other thing he did.   He's taken a blatant political position that is an attempt to align himself with conservative anti-City Republican voters.  He has changed his stance on the Streetcar.  He'll deny he has, I am sure, but no, you don't support something during the bottom of a recession when Federal Dollars were very available, and then oppose it now, claiming we wait and think about it more.  I guess Chris thinks we need more suburbanites to support it before we do it.  I didn't know that we had to be subservient to them.  I guess when you are thinking about running for a political office that would either include suburbanites or need there money to win, then you care what they think about.  Since they don't care about the city, why would those in the city care what they think about us?  It sounds like he's bring drinking a cup of what ever Leslie Ghiz was drinking.

Bortz has flip-flopped.  He's pulled a Mitt Romney.  The Streetcar is now Bortz's RomneyCare. Being for the streetcar was a position that helped him get elected in the city.  Positive ideas that benefit the city tend to get most voters support.  Anti-city or divisive issues don't get you votes.  Negative thinking is more rampant with local Republican voters, so if you are going to get their votes, you have to change your views to fit. Bortz has made a big change and it's not a pretty sight.

I'd like to have his flip-flop graded for political posterity, but it would require diving judges, and none were available.