A FEW unkind words from The New Republic Online: etc. on Senator George Voinovich. He held to his 350 billion number, but caved on the dividend tax semi-repeal.

Just as a reminder to all concerned, I will not be getting any kind of tax cut under any of the plans put forth by the House or Senate or the President. That is Zero, nada, none, a doughnut, el blanko, nil, nothing, zilch, zip, not an iota of a tax cut.

No indictment for man who shot accused bank robber
Grand Jury Nullification at its worst. The man is clearly guilty of having a gun in a bar, no question about it. I wonder how forceful the Prosecutor pushed this case. I would guess not very hard. I am not shocked he was not charged with murder, but shocked he got off completely. I am surprised it went to the grand jury this fast. I wonder if any witnesses beyond police were even called. On the surface this looks like a white man getting a pass for being white. That is not what happened, but I can understand it if someone were to think it true.

Ethan Hahn has thought on this result as well, and shares my overall thoughts on this outcome, but disagrees with at least part of my post from yesterday on the concealed and carry law.

Vigilante man: Hero or felon?
Reluctantly speaking he is a felon. His ends were just, but his means sucked. For many in the conservative camp, that sits just fine with them. To those of us who believe in the rule of law, it does not. This raises the issue I have been talking about for a while in regards to the Conceal and Carry Law many gun nuts have been pushing here in Ohio. Why do they wish to take away the rights of private property owners? Why do many think people should be able to carry a gun anywhere they wish, without consideration of the owner of the property on which they wish to carry the gun? If I own a store, I do not want your gun in my store, regardless of my stance on the Conceal and Carry Law. As the storeowner I have liability to consider. If I allow you to carry your gun on my property, knowingly, I am potentially liable if you use your gun or if it accidentally goes off. Do I have to protect myself by putting up metal detectors at the doors?

The answer many gun nuts will give is "you don't have to worry about a trained law abiding person carrying a gun." My answer is: I sure as hell do have to worry about you. Why kind of idiot thinks that any smart business owner would trust anyone at face valuel? Why would I want any kind of lethal weapon in a shop carried by a person who could at any second shoot me in my store? If you "need" your gun everywhere you go, then I do not want you in my store. If you are in fear of being killed, then keep it out of my store.

How can any libertarian say that I, as a storeowner, must be required to let a person carrying a gun into my store, especially without my knowledge? Why are the gun nuts that feel the need to pack heat not addressing this issue? Is this addressed in the law? I read this section (pdf) from a copy of the gun law passed by the Ohio House and I am not completely sure how it affects the issue I am referring to:

Sec. 2911.21.
(A) No person, without privilege to do so,shall do any of the following:

1. (1) Knowingly enter or remain on the land or premises of another;


2. (2) Knowingly enter or remain on the land or premises of another, the use of which is lawfully restricted to certain persons, purposes, modes, or hours, when the offender knows he the offender is in violation of any such restriction or is reckless in that regard;


3. (3) Recklessly enter or remain on the land or premises of another, as to which notice against unauthorized access or presence is given by actual communication to the offender, or in a manner prescribed by law, or by posting in a manner reasonably
   calculated to come to the attention of potential intruders, or by
   fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to restrict access;


4. (4) Being on the land or premises of another, negligently fail or refuse to leave upon being notified by signage posted in a conspicuous place or otherwise being notified to do so by the owner or occupant, or the agent or servant of either.

(B) It is no defense to a charge under this section that the land or premises involved was owned, controlled, or in custody of a public agency.

(C) It is no defense to a charge under this section that the offender was authorized to enter or remain on the land or premises involved, when such authorization was secured by deception.

(D) Whoever violates this section is guilty of criminal trespass, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(E) As used in this section, "land or premises" includes any land, building, structure, or place belonging to, controlled by,
or in custody of another, and any separate enclosure or room, or
portion thereof.

If this means that I, as a store owner, must tell you the gun carrier that you can’t carry a gun, then the burden is tougher on the property owner. That is clearly harmful and risky to the owner. Why should the owner have the responsibility to prevent you from carrying on a gun on their property when it is concealed and costly to take steps to prevent it?

The only even remotely rational reasons to carry a gun are of these two possibilities. (1) You have a direct threat on your life or of your immediate family while they are with you, or (2) your employment is deemed as “risky” like the pizza delivery person often used as an example. The carrier of the gun would be limited to time while working. These methods cover where real risk might occur. Others wanting to carry guns, in my opinion, suffer from an over abundance of fear, many of the lack of control of their own safety. If you fear other people so much to want to carry a gun, without any credible threat or risk, then I think you are more likely to use the gun in haste like our Citizen on Patrol mentioned in the editorial.

CANNOT Commission
It would appear that the CAN Commission has amounted to what I expected it would, nothing. Much like all commissions and groups that seek "dialogue", not much results from their actions. Talk is cheap, and no one usually objects to it, so it is the wimp’s answer to a difficult question. Mostly what we got was a dog and pony show to quell critics of the city leaders. They will have succeeded in created a few small programs that will in the end help a few people, but nothing that will amount to much in the short term, and little more in the long run.

Officials blast critics of police
The Post did not single out Heimlich as the Enquirer did.

Charter Party to field three for Council
In total that makes 19 candidates from the GOP, Dems, and Charter. I would guess there will be a slew of independents, maybe as many as 10 or 12 more. Whether or not the Greens or Libertarians endorse anyone is yet to be seen.

MEDIA NEGLECT?
Joshua Micah Marshall comments on the most recent terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia and wonders why their are so few western reporters are in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. I wonder why as well. This story is huge and killed at least 10 Americans, but the Media had no pictures to run last night so the coverage was lacking. It appears they had few print reporters there as well, so no information came in, beyond a few phone calls with witnesses. I guess since the U.S. Military is leaving the country, the Press is as well. The other reason for few reporters is the oppressive Saudi government, which limits the access of the news media to the country and limits its movement in the country.

Heimlich blasts police reforms, judges
I always thought that Bronson was the FOP's "Bitch," but move over Pete, there's a new FOP "Bitch" in town, and his name is Phil. Well, Phil Heimlich has been the FOP's stooge for a while, but this solidifies is role as the #1 shill.

BRONSON: Pure Country
If you have never been able to see why conservatives tend to have little understanding of art or music, please let this column be your eye opener. When Bronson says:

I should have known you can't find the meaning of life in rock 'n' roll. For that, you need Country. It's America's music.

you have to wonder if he has ever listened to a little thing called JAZZ! Jazz is America's music. Country music is pure crap. It has few artists that produce anything beyond a shallow cookie cutter song with a twang and a tear. It has the depth of fly paper, and the value of dirt. Now, there are a few "Country stars" that have produced a few good songs over the years, but modern country, like the example of George Strait, is drivel. Peter seems to be ignorant of the music he praises. He needs to listen to blue grass, or Western music, or older country. Old Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline are good. The bland Randy Travis is as fake as anything Hollywood produces. Peter is just searching for a way to praise his new "god" Dubya. The Cowboy he wishes to praise is a myth. I am glad however that Peter did not reference Donny & Marie Osmond.

The Tripods Trilogy
Steve Novotni over at XRAY brings up a book series that reminds him of the War of the Worlds. The 1950's movie version of the War of the Worlds was on TV this weekend, an all time Sci-fi classic. I have never heard of the Tripods, but the premise does sound like a Wellsian type story.

Art museum's new wing tells about 'Queen of the West'
The Louisville Courier-Journal takes note of the Cincinnati Art Museum's new exhibit about Cincinnati area art.

Loner's rage burned after ruin of Web site
It appears the Case Western Shooter was a bona fide nut case. He is 62 year old Biswanath Halder's, originally from India, who lived for his website. The Volokh Conspiracy has a post of some extraneous information on the incident dug up by one of his readers. I am not sure what to make of the information. It reeks of tabloid fodder.

UPDATE: Volokh has more here and here. Both posts are warblogging at their best or worst, depending on your views.

Is this the face of Christianity today? Jim Boulet at NRO linked to this story at a Christian-Right website. The comments that made me take notice are:

This domestic war has been simmering for decades, but fighting has intensified since 9/11 and more recently the Iraqi war. It is the struggle for the soul of America, which is being carried out by two diametrically opposed armies. One is made up of traditional Americans with Judeo-Christian beliefs, who contend as President Bush does that America is a force for good in the world, which is ruled by God.

The other army is made up of the secular left, who don’t like words like “cowboy,” “evil” or “war.” They worship at the altar of the United Nations. Ironically, one of the strongest regiments in this godless army is America’s mainstream Protestant leaders. But they are mainstream Christians in name only for they gird themselves for battle with the breastplate of left-wing ideology.

This is a Hollywood guy to boot! How can any person who is not a theocratic fascist really believe this simplistic contention? Last I checked there were plenty of mainline Christian Churches. They generally do not get very political, at least when I went to one as a kid. Mr. Berg's comments are classic examples of "Themism," where he paints "them" as non-fundamentalist Protestant Christians. I think Mr. Berg also seems to not know much about religious demographics. He states: "Leading the charge for the Protestant fringe left are the leaders of the United Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Evangelical Lutherans, but especially the Methodists." Ok, those four Protestant sects have populations as follows

United Methodists	8,340,954
Presbyterians	3,485,332
Episcopalians	2,300,461
Evangelical Lutherans	5,125,919
Total	19,252,666

When the leaders of over 19 million people take a stand, is Mr. Berg somehow suggesting they are "bad Christians," and are "leftist" anti-Christs trying to destroy their respective sects? What is Jay Leno feeding this guy? Is Mr. Berg familiar with the quasi-pacifist interpretation of Christianity that is very common in mainstream sects? Turn the other cheek was something he missed in Sunday school? If this kind of thinking is common among most fundamentalist Christians, then I honestly think there will someday be a religious war in this country. If people seriously want a theocracy, then there will be problems. I hope Mr. Berg is on the Fringe of Right Wing Christians, but I am starting to have more and more doubts. On the surface today it appears that the only people who are involved in religious churches or groups are the most fervent and/or fundamentalist incarnations. This movement has a parallel in the Roman Catholic Church, were "Orthodox Catholic" is becoming a term that I think will be its own sect at some point, unless a Reformed Catholic Church breaks away.

Bottom line: Religion and politics don't mix well, but it if one sect or party is going to mix the two, then opposing parties have the right and often the duty to mix them as well. We live in a secular state, but with people like this, I fear that more conflict is ahead on this front. I feel like Chicken Little or the boy who cried wolf, but I fear the polarization of ideas, opinion, and ideologies that has plagued American Society today has now found its way to religion. Zeus help us all.

Hamilton soldier shot dead in Iraq
Tragic and sad. He is the fourth Ohio military person to die in the Iraq War.

Pathologist's conviction reversed
Some sense from the Courts. I hope the civil suit pending against the County Morgue is able to take on the senior management, and not pick on Tobias, who appears to have bee the scapegoat Mike Allen chose to make his political hay. I would not be surprised to see Allen sued as well. His office could have purposely chosen to prosecute Tobias instead of Mike's fellow Republican Carl L. Parrott Jr., the County Coroner and Tobias's former boss. It is not like Parrott has a clean record as Coroner either. The pending civil lawsuit against Parrott and company for allegedly allowing Condon to photograph cadavers will have to suffice, bringing justice and closure to this bizarre incident.

Fire captain accused in abduction
Is this guy nuts? Did he crack? Or is he just smart enough to hide his criminal side from the affluent neighborhoods he served? I hope police in every town this guy has ever been in take a look at any similar crimes and determine if this guy could have been the perpetrator.

Suspect Caught in Cleveland Univ. Killing
Only one person was killed, not two as was reported last night.

Why Two Newspapers are Better than One
If you were wondering how the first night of Jammin' on Main went last night you might get a different impression on how it went, depending on which newspaper you read. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that

"Pepsi's Jammin' on Main festival got off to a slow start when the gates opened at 7 p.m. Friday, and did not improve a great deal after night fell."

The Cincinnati Post reported a slightly different take:

"It was a late-arriving crowd, perhaps scared off by the threat of rain, but by 11 p.m. thousands packed the area around the courthouse. Still, attendance was likely down slightly from last year's first night crowd of 20,000."

Both papers agreed however that the one missing element was the boycotters. I guess the main boycotters don't care, and the militant boycotters don't seem to function unless their leader is available.

Here is the review of the first night in the Enquirer.

Univ. Shooting in Cleveland Wounds Two
Information is still sketchy, but the University is Case Western Reserve. Surprisingly this story is not on any of the national cable channels, but kudos goes to ONN for providing live coverage of a local Cleveland station's broadcast.

UPDATE: Two people are confirmed dead. More are wounded, but numbers are not known.

FOX News, among others, has begun the drumbeat for Bush's re-election [sic]. I expect to hear the words inevitable, certain, and anticipated out of pundits' mouths regularly for the next 18 months. The more they say it, I guess the more they think everyone will accept it. The opinion makers could not be more negative on the Democrat's chances. If is as if they want Bush to win. Impossible you say? The so-called "liberal" media could never support Bush? Well, a dirty little secret out in the media world is that conservatives have a large advantage in numbers with editorials pages, columnists, commentators, and pundits. These opinion makers are by definition biased, and they are already letting it show. The presumption has set in, the Democrats can't do anything to win. Bush can't be beat, so they say. I hope people remember what they hear, over and over again this political season. I hope the myth of a "liberal" media bias dies along with political discourse.