Operation Troop Trax is a group out to send CD's to the troops. This group has decided to Blacklist musicians that have spoken out against military action. Now I think war is the only choice at this moment, but I am totally disgusted by this group and any service person who blacklists someone because they don't want to send people to their deaths. I wonder if these folk were inspired by the recent McCarthyism debate in the Blogosphere. Right-wingers can't seem to shed their old ways.

My latest Polstate.com Post is up.

Jerry Springer's Support Appears Weak
Jerry Springer made his first campaign like appearance in Ohio since rumors made the national mill that he was considering a run for U. S. Senator. His appearance was at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. He spoke at Millett Hall, home to the Miami Redhawks basketball teams. The event was set up for around 2,600 people, but at $3.00 a ticket only 300 people managed to show up. Now the speech was held on the night before Valentine’s Day, so early love birds might have been otherwise occupied, but on a campus with a large conservative segment, and very non-political style apathy, it was not a shock that many did not attend. Full Post

City Councils Pass Resolution In Support Of War
When I criticized members of Cincinnati City Council for trying to pass an anti-war resolution, I had no idea that other City Councils were planning a similar, yet opposite resolution. I must take the time now to say as I said before, these opportunistic politicians should be ashamed of themselves. The is no more reason for the City of Hamilton to support war as there is for Cincinnati to oppose it. These resolutions are meaningless and nothing but political grandstanding.

Spin or Bias?
The UC News Record reports on BET's Ed Gordon's cancellation stating:

He has not disclosed his reason for canceling.

Where the "he" is Mr. Gordon. The Cincinnati Post reports

UC Student Government said Gordon's cancellation wasn't related to the boycott. He decided not to participate in the event because certain requirements he made weren't met, Tolliver said.

Where "Tolliver" is UC Student Body President Darren Tolliver. I find this conflict interesting. Either Mr. Tolliver is spinning the issue to his benefit, not acknowledging that the boycott may have influenced Gordon's cancellation, or more likely, that the News Record omitted Tolliver's opinion because it editorially favors the boycott, and preferred to have Gordon cancel. It is obvious that Tolliver talked to Laurin McLain of the News Record, he was quoted for the story, and it is logical to assume Mr. Tolliver would have made it clear to both the Post and News Record that Mr. Gordon's cancellation had nothing to do with the boycott. So which is it? Spin from Mr. Tolliver or Bias from the News Record?

Police union to challenge Owensby firings, suspensions
This is not a big shock but when Roger Webster says, "We stand behind these guys 100 percent," one can't just be taken aback with a total lack of concern for what happened. The case of Mr. Owensby was different to all of the other cases trumpeted by over reaching activists back in 2001 after the riots. The Ownsby case was what even Bill Cunningham called "troubling." Mr. Webster's role is to defend his police officers, but it should not be to defend them no matter the circumstances. The two officers, who were fired, clearly should have been fired. Both men should just pack it in and not appeal it. If they do, all it does it create more grief for them, the image of the FOP, and the City. Cut your losses Mr. Webster, don't pick fights you can't and should not win.

Dawn's Life on the "Great White" fire. I am glad she waited a week to post this. Her basic premise is a valid one. I was never a fan of the more prissy hair bands of the 1980's. I might have expected a crowd this size for a "Quiet Riot" show, but I don't know if their reunion tour was worth it, and whether it continues from over a year ago. This was a horrible tragedy, but it was an avoidable one. Dawn is also correct that stadium/Arena shows cannot be replicated in a club, which is just a bar with a big dance floor in most cases.

Hey Howard, You're an Idiot!
Howard, could you point me in the direction of this new department store chain called "Federated Stores?" I know of a Federated Department Stores, Inc., but not a "Federated Stores." Is it too much to ask that you know the name of a company headquartered in downtown Cincinnati? I also have to ask: What about Lazarus? Federated Department Stores does own Bloomingdale's and Macy's, but what about the policy change at the local FDS chain Lazarus? Could Howard have picked up a phone and called Federated Department Stores and asked if the policies covering Bloomingdale's and Macy's were also covering Lazarus and all other retail stores for Federated? Howard could have called the Lazarus Gift Card hotline to get his answer. Howard seemed to have phoned this one in.