CT's Barry Gee

Give it up for Barry Gee, CT's Executive Director, who was interviewed for an NPR story on the Cincinnati subway.

Bronson is a Jerk

What a fucking jerk. Think I am being harsh? Well, when I read Bronson's column today I wanted a harsher title, but held my tongue. Bronson is a jerk for a simple reason, he is using Reagan's death as a means to make a political attack. He is doing what he thinks every liberal is doing. I for one have not said anything about Reagan's death until now. I did so out of respect for the man. I grew up in a moderate Republican family who like him as President. He was a good man. I felt his political views were wrong. His followers have deified him and taken his views to a level of extremism that I don't think Regan himself actually wanted.

Bronson instead of using his column to make a solemn tribute to the man, instead goes on a bullshit rant against liberals who dare say the TRUTH about Reagan. He was not a deity Peter, he caused many problems. It is not only FAIR AND BALANCED to report his good elements and faults; it is the honorable thing to do.

No conservative can honestly complain about the media coverage of the death of Reagan. It has been 98% positive, approaching the level of Princess Diana on some levels, certainly on FOX. I don't mind it. I understand that many people really like the man. Why I can't stand is for some of those people, specifically Bronson, is pissed about the positive coverage. I guess he can't stand anyone mocking his "god."

Was is so divisive is the blood thirsty drivel here:

He made a jaded nation believe in itself, and proved conservative ideas work.

So, Reagan forced us to live under his conservative rule? How fascist of him. I guess Bronson likes being forced to live under conservative doctrine. I for one Peter don't like it. You can't force-feed us, you must lead us. Reagan was a good leader. He lead us poorly in the end, but he tried. He was a just a man, and the way he is held up is akin to worship that not only would be considered sacrilegious, if he were a Democrat, it would be skewered in the conservative media as a partisan use of the death of human, just as was done after Paul Wellstone's funeral. Bronson has topped anyone at the Wellstone funeral in my opinion. I don't think he cares though. I think he just wants to bath in the glory that trails a Presidential funeral all the way to the November election.

Cicada Me to Death

Not only did we learn today about the woes of lawn groomers and their plight of dealing with Cicadas, we also read about kids eating the bugs.

Enough already! We get it! There are a shit load of the damn bugs. I know. Their "ekkkk" fills my ears if I don't turn my TV/Radio up while sitting in my living room. I don't really need the 745th and 746th story about people's reaction to the damn bugs. There is a freaking special section on the things. That is it, no more, please no more. Just tell me when they are finally all dead. At that point I shall pour a beer on the ground in tribute to their lives and with hopes that it kills as many of them still crawling down there.

Washingtonienne Story Continues

Much to the chagrin of Mike DeWine, Enquirer columnist Carl Weiser updates Ohio on the story of Jessica Culter, the former DeWine staffer who ran a "racy Web log."

I too felt the surge of attention on this story. My traffic rose considerably from those searching Google for a picture of Ms. Culter. I did not have one on my site, but I did mention stories that included her picture. She was very attractive by the way, which makes this story all the more titillating. It still did not really get the level of press that Carl insinuates. Sure it was around the world, and he of course was reporting on it, but if you did not know what a blog was before the story broke, you likely did not follow what it was about, even though it was linked to the office of a US Senator. CNN, FOX, and MSNBC barely touched it, if at all. TV coverage pushes the level of overall media coverage. The Internet and even Print can't push the story on TV unless TV wants it, and for some unknown reason, TV does not seem to want to run with this one. I guess the liberal CNN could not help running this 24/7. If this was a staffer of a Democrat Senator, you know it would have been on FOX and talk radio until that Senator resigned.

Horrific Crash in OTR

Varying reports indicate that 17 were injured and one saying 19 were injured after a bus plowed into an empty building in Over-the-Rhine.

This is horrible news to those who are close to the downtown community. The bus was part of a tour of downtown homes occurring Sunday afternoon. If there is anyone who knows those injured, please send me an email, please don't comment on their names.

The Enquirer did a positive story on the tour. I hope no one mentioned was injured.

June is Busting Out All Over!

We have new local blogs:

QCF Blog

and

The Dean of Cincinnati Blog

QCF's blog is out to open up a place for readers to respond to stories. The Dean seems to be playing games with his "blog". He has even copied the same format of the QCF as an attempt at some type of slight. I don't get it. I don't get the Dean much at all anyway. The Dean of Cincinnati is the Internet version of Andy Kaufman.

Boss Tweed in the Making?

City Council is considering beefing up the Mayor's powers. I see this as mainly a means to shift blame for the actions (inactions) of the police from council to the Mayor's office. Other than that I don't really like the idea of consolidating power. Yes, a stronger Mayor could "get things done" without the grandstanding of council, but council would still be needed as check against a Mayor off his political rocker. It also appears that a district plan for Council Seats will have to get on the ballot the hard way.

In the article Greg Korte reports that "anti-establishment Republicans" are supporting the district election plan. I would say that anyone who is anti-establishment could not be a Republican, almost by definition.

The text of the strong Mayor proposal is here.

Blogus Interruptus

I am off to Cleveland for the weekend, so blogging should be not just light, but a void until Sunday night. If I get near a computer, I will try and post, but I will be at a friend's wedding, so I will be trying to have a good time instead.

In other words, you are on your own in your search for bloggy goodness.

'Cops!' Comes Back

In case you missed the news Chief Tom Striecher reinvited the TV show to film the Cincinnati Police.

This to me seems just as pitiful as Smitherman and Reece getting their girdle's caught in their garters of 'Cops!' in the first place. Sam Malone pushed to get the show back, but that action looks like groveling. The sauce has stained the tablecloth, we can't just through on club soda without someone noticing.

Nick Spencer has more

Smoke and Mirrors Works?

Miami's applications for enrollment increased 10% in spite of their change to a new tuition program that repacked the in-state discount. This ultimately will raise tuition for in-state students once the discount amount does not increase at the same level as the tuition.

Politizing Religion

The liberals and Democrats have been accused of opposing religion on a political as well as personal basis, making religion and Bush's religion a political issue. In reality the GOP is doing the same thing and does it far more egregiously. Locally we have Catholics making an issue of religion or religious issues, with their opinions, and the opinions of the religious leaders.

Bush's campaign has gone a step beyond. They are seeking to have churches allow or support direct campaigning in the church. This is in my opinion going to make a slew of churches loose their tax exempt status, unless of course Bush wins and has the IRS ignore the political action by non-profit organizations.

If people want to play the game of using religion as means to gain power, then they cheapen it beyond its naturally simplistic state. It is so sorry that Bush feels the need to tap into the fears of people and their religion and use their religious conventions, however so subtly, to turn the vote one way. Vote for Bush or go to Hell is not what they are saying. They are saying vote for the guy who shares your religion and who will push your religion on others. That is what we are getting. Not every religious person wants this and most would not be swayed by it anyway, but there are many idiots who vote based on either one issue, like abortion, or on religion. So when I rail against people's use of religion as a means to gain power, a faux theocracy if you will, I hope people see that I am not just blowing smoke up my ass. Well, at least not on that issue.

Bronson: Enhackment

Peter Bronson blathers on about a made up word and does so by dragging in old and tired political jabs that really have no meaning and no context to politics and current events today. What he is doing is just recycling other's views and cliché ideas because he just a shill for the GOP. I hereby term this "Enhackment."

Also, If Peter is going to mention a "blogger" by name in his column, you might think he would link to the guy's blog. What is odd, is that I can't find a blog for the guy, only a website with columns. I guess Bronson can't tell a blog from the rocks in his head.

Return of the Apostate

Adding the Apostate to the blogroll. Dmitri Iscariot gives a new bent on things local. Have a read.

She Fought the Law

Gina Daugherty, of CinWeekly, fought the law, and of course lost. Chalk up another Perry Mason moment to posterity.

More Plans Than Action

We have the Riverfront, Fountain Square, Main street, and now a new development plan for Washington Park. This sounds great, but how can we do all of this? Who pays for it? How much is publicly financed? If this is all privately funded and the school board is happy with the changes to its plans, then I say go full tilt on this.

This will surely pissed off the homeless advocates, who will gripe about Washington Park and the daily drug addicts who will be forced out. Is that really a bad thing?

Final Stage of Abandonment

The Radio Beast has nearly completed its move from Mt. Adams to Kenwood. With it goes any tie to the City of Cincinnati. We already had lesser and lesser city news coverage, I would expect even less, except when the hosts can complain about something. I do expect Cunningham to walk from work from now on. He needs to shed a few pounds of fat from his head.

Cinco de Memorial Day

We got a mini-riot in Avondale at a party at a community center. Yes, that was a community center that spawned fights and forced the police to close 10 blocks of reading road for an hour.

Breaking News: Water is Wet

Hip-hop fashion no longer just for urban black kids.

Torn, Very Torn

In reading Peter Bronson's column today I am very torn. I agree with some of his attack on city council for botching the whole 'Cops!' episode, but his defense and worship of the Cincinnati Police really is sickening.

The Police Division would have had final approval for anything put on the air, he said. Cops is unabashedly pro-police.

Maybe that's the real problem. Before the plug was pulled, Lt. Col. Richard Janke said, "It's a chance to reverse the very negative image the media have shown of Cincinnati police." He wondered if council members "are actually afraid the Police Division will look good."

You know Peter, I could say the same thing about embedded journalists in the Iraq war. Or better yet, I could say 'Cops!' is to CPD as FOX News is to the Bush War in Iraq.

'Cops!' would show a one sided image of the police here in Cincinnati. That is a political statement. It should not have to be, but the police union has made it one. Fangman and Bronson do more to hurt police-community relations than any councilperson or drug dealer could do. Both men create an "us vs. them" mentality with a goal of dividing the city with hopes that Republicans can gain power.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

In a fight that broke out at the Yucatan Liquor Stand in Covington 5 men were arrested including two off-duty Hamilton County Sheriff's Office deputies. The question goes out to Simon Leis, will you investigate and fire thugs who fight in public places? I am sure they would have just been "defending" someone. The were likely shaking hands with a few faces, so much "defending," that the Covington police arrested them just for fun.