What's Up With Bronson?

Did Naomi Wolf get to him? Is this his alleged former hippie side coming back to haunt him?

MIAMI 47, Kent 27

Love and honor to Miami,
Our college old and grand,
Proudly we shall ever hail thee,
Over all the land.

Alma mater now we praise thee,
Sing joyfully this lay,
Love and honor to Miami,
Forever and a day.

Details here.

Queen City Soapbox Returns!

Ethan Hahn is back and blogging. Welcome back!

Kerry Won

On the issues and on style Kerry won last night's debate. Bush's only benefit was that he was actually appearing to be participating in this one, as compared to last week's debacle. He was angry and showed his naked aggression quite overtly in the first part of the debate. It smelled of desperation. The kind of desperation that I fear will trickle down to his storm troopers and cause some problems with the violence issue I keep bringing up.

Kerry performance was even with his performance last week on style. I think he had better points and gave a great answer on Abortion to use with someone radically opposed to it.

Bush was overcompensated for his numb performance last week. He did was Gore did for years or rather what the press said he did, over-react to the spin.

Bush made several gaffs that have not been reported by pundits after the debate. The biggest one was when he flashed back to this youth and though he was Richard Nixon in 1960 when he called Kerry Senator Kennedy:

BUSH: Let me see where to start here.

First, the National Journal named Senator Kennedy the most liberal senator of all. And that's saying something in that bunch. You might say that took a lot of hard work.

The political reasons for Kerry winning are that he seemed Presidential. He was consistent with his prior performance. He showed that he could be trusted as the President and people would be comfortable with him as the commander-in-chief. Bush's only plus was to re-energize his base, which is where conservatives think he won. Bush hurt himself with moderates. He pushed on right wing social issues, was very angry and at several times lost his composure, especially in how he pushed around Charlie Gibson. Bush just took his extra time to speak with out asking for it. That was a sign of complete arrogance. It make have been a minor violation of the 32-page agreement, but it was to me a sign of Bush thinking he was above the rules. He is think he is more important in the discourse of American politics.

Bush gave me the creeps at the end of the debate with his allusion to what I fear is the goal of social conservatives:

These are reasonable ways to help promote a culture of life in America. I think it is a worthy goal in America to have every child protected by law and welcomed in life.

I also think we ought to continue to have good adoption law as an alternative to abortion.

And we need to promote maternity group homes, which my administration has done.

Culture of life is really important for a country to have if it's going to be a hospitable society.

"Culture of Life?" Is that the new phrase being used for the culture wars? What is a maternity group home? That sounds like something out of the 19th century where unwed mothers are forced, forced to go off to homes to have their kids. I guess this a government program some conservatives will want if they are able to stack SCOTUS and remove the rights of women, further giving an excuse to criminalize women who are not married and get pregnant.

The spin game and overall impact of the debate will be greatly diminished by having the debate on a Friday night. I believe fewer people watched it last night and if they did, they are not going to be watching TV about it today or tomorrow.

Overall I think the race remains even, but Kerry is getting back his electoral vote edge. The national polls will stay within the margin of error the rest of the way to Nov 2nd, which will raise the level of tension and I fear still cause some isolated incidents of significant violence.

The real test of Nov 2nd will be the ease with which people can actually vote. If we have widespread screw-ups on Election Day, then there will be long-term repercussions on the country that will cripple our Democracy.

Bait and Switch

In the front page of the Enquirer's website we find a link with the hypertext of Transcript: In their own words. Go to that link and you get an article entitled "In their own words" with the first sentence of "Excerpts from Friday's debate:".

The front page said it was a transcript, not excerpts from the debate. Come on guys, label your stories correctly. If you want a transcript of the debate, the whole thing, try the Washington Post.

Deters vs. Rucker Is Back On

Their debate scheduled for a downtown church this past Wednesday was canceled for unknown reasons, but the Business Courier is reporting a debate will take place between the two write in candidates for County Prosecutor at Xavier University on Oct. 12. The article states no tickets are needed for the Cintas center event, but the time is not listed. I think the time is a rather important element to getting an audience to show up.

Deters does have a campaign website and just opened his HQ this week. Rucker is going to have a website, but is is not up and running yet. They both are using a similar web site name. Will both be using the pencil as the campaign handout? A friend brought that up as a great tool, have "Fanon Ruck for Hamilton County Prosecutor" written on the pencil. I don't know if pens are allowed or if they are cheaper.

Signs

Here in Cincinnati the Kerry signs/stickers are in my opinion disproportionally more visible in the places I visit than Bush signs/stickers, slightly contradicting .this sotry. Any rationale to why the Bush campaign has not flooded Cincinnati with signs? I assume they feel they have this area in the bag. I would think turnout might still be a challenge they should worry about. I hope they just take us all for granted.

Bush vs. Kerry II

We have a Town Hall debate this time. The questions that remain open are: will Bush be so aggressive that blowback hits him? Will Kerry appear stiff to the audience? Will the audience's questions be bland, pre-screened, or pointless? Do the candidates know the questions in advance?

Bush's bar is very high for this event. He can't play for a draw. He must go for a win, and he really has no rhetoric that will win it. He can only hope Kerry is flat or makes a gaff.

The race is basically a tie at this point with Kerry having the Big Mo.

The Basics

No WMD
No WMD Programs since 1991
No Threat to America
Bush either misled the public(lied), or has really bad judgement.

I would say both.

Who is a GOP Puppet?

Answer: Geoff Davis.

Wes Flinn has more.

Tall Stacks Debt Gone

Carl Linder is paying half and the city will write off the rest. A good deal for the city, for Tall Stacks, and a big kudos to Car Linder. Hey, that is $125K that will not got the GOP, but that is not like he doesn't have a few spare millions lying around the bathroom that he could spend from his budget for q-tips.

Bronson: More of the Same

Bronson's column today sounds like a broken record:

If Cincinnati and Hamilton County keep leaking population to the suburbs, we might need a sign on Interstate 75: 'Last one out, please turn out the lights.'

Why does this guy want the city to fail? Why does he want a big black hole to exist inside the "loop of stale dreams" (I-275)?

Ken Blackwell Being Watched

Well he certainly has better style than Katherine Harris.

97X and X97

Separated at Birth? Good title for the City Beat Article. I have not tried woxy.com new stream yet. I have occasionaly listen to X97 while out in Mason at work.

I guess I listen to NPR more often, so my radio habits focus on news and current events programming. I however, while in Flordia I listened to a great station playing good 80's music, and nothing but 80's music.

More on Cheney's Lies

Keving Drum runs down the whole list of the VP's lies, misrepresentations and general untruths.

Factcheck.org also give a check on the facts.

Yes Virginia, Dick Lied

I guess everything changed after 9/11, including Cheney's memory. He did not recall meeting him, I am sure. Just like he did not recall implying at every turn that Iraq had something to do with 9/11 and had strong links with al Qaeda.

Tall Stacks Debt

Should the City of Cincinnati forgive it? I can't help but thinking of Third World Debt, and the efforts to have that debt forgiven. Both situations have a very vague parallel, mostly on terminology.

I say forgive it. It was a great festival, and the city needs more like it. This is the not the best time to write off debt. Why not wait a while? Maybe have them pay some of it off? This would make a great election year issue for Fall of 2005.

"Steve_Fritsch_God"

Yea, that is the page title for Steve Fritsch's BCR column about former Judge Roy Moore's fundraiser visit to Cincinnati.

Roy Moore is a theocrat. He is in my opinion a fascist, but I am willing to debate that. His theocratic beliefs can't be denied.

Roy Moore is wrong and so is Steve Fritsch. What causes this is ignorance. Now, I say that word and it may seem harsh, but I mean it in a truly literally way. Fritsch and Moore are ignorant of other religions and of those who have no religion. Moore used a classic theme Fritsch recounts about not being able to define religion. Well I can:

Religion: A belief or beliefs or set of beliefs or system of beliefs in a god or gods or supernatural creator(s) or supernatural entities.

Was that so difficult?

Moore's claim that Christianity was the basis of our government, our laws and our country is just a lie. Our laws are based laws that predate Christianity by hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Our government and country were in part founded on the right to practice religion or not practice it as we see fit. Moore celebrates views akin those those of the Puritans, but seems to leave out the agnostic/deism of Jefferson in his review of history. If the founding fathers wanted to insure that we were going to be a theocracy, we would have in our constitution direct articles on the matter. We don't have such things. We instead have a body of case law that has thankfully grown beyond the mentality of the Scopes Trial era Moore longs for and into one where religion is a private matter. Government is a public matter. The two should not mingle.

Fritsch goes off the deep end in his column in this paragraph:

You see, the Constitution is not the problem. God is not the problem. In fact, He is the answer. The problem lies in those individuals who hijack what is good. The problem is the agenda-driven, morally empty activists, and the corrupt judges who grant their wishes, that attempt to remove the "Creator" from all things American. For if they succeed, an alarming prediction can be made: If God goes, so does America.

I for one do not need any religion, let alone Steve Fritcsh or Roy Moore's, to be "moral." I have my own morals I live by, and do quite well. I find it odd that Steve goes after "agenda-driven, morally empty activists," when he is writing about one. Roy Moore's agenda was, and still is, to promote his religion by using his government office. He chose to push his religion over all others in his state. He decided what was best for others. Now, people might counter that by keeping religion out of government, out of schools, and out of state houses is deciding for others how to live. Well, there is a simple answer to that. We do it all the time. We allow people to live their lives as they please, and keep others from interfering. My right to not have religion superimposed or forced on me as an individual supercedes another individual's actions to try and use government to force religion on others. I can't force you to like my blog. I can't force the government to make you like or even read my blog. My blog will should not get special treatment from the government over other blogs or people without blogs, even though I have the Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech on my side.

Religion has a place in society: in churches, homes, private property, and in your own mind if you so choose. It has no place in government. You can carry your bible around all you want. Just don't post it on public property.

Steve's final thoughts are without question very troubling:

In the words of Judge Roy Moore, now is not the time to flinch. We must stand up and fight for the reasons this country was founded to begin with. We, as a land of free people, dedicated to liberty and doing what is necessary to make it endure for countless generations, must restore and protect that of which has been lost. For the fight against those who seek to eliminate God from public discourse is a necessary battle. Because if we lose to this amoral nihilist agenda, we will not only be putting ourselves in danger, but our children and grandchildren as well.

Has a church been raided by the government for anything they preach recently? Have private schools been forced to keep bible study out of the classroom? NO! Who the hell is Steve worried about? I fear the Roy Moores of the world far more than I fear a fellow atheist or Wiccan. By the way, Steve might want to look up the difference between nihilism and atheism. Two very different things.

I did not think Steve was this far over the edge on this issue. This sounds more like something Brinkman might write.

Gun Nuts Getting Hardons

Tom Brinkman is pushing for people to have the right to carry guns into:

to eliminate as premises in which a concealed carry licensee may not carry a concealed handgun public or private institutions of higher education, places of worship, day-care centers and homes, and government buildings other than schools, courthouses, law enforcement offices, and correctional facilities;

You know you are insane when you think you need to carry a gun into a church or government buildings like City Hall, colleges, and day-care centers. Who are the crazies who really want these changes? I guess there are gun nuts, and then their are insane people like Tom Brinkman's voter base. What really sucks is that I live in the guy's district. I have some loopy neighbors.

In Honor of Rodney Dangerfield

I give him no respect.

Post Debate Spin

I was not overly impressed with the whole thing. I like Gwen Ifill in general, but I did not like how she was putting out rambling questions that where both vague and specific at the same time, creating a mess.

Cheney was being a bit of an asshole and well, a liar. I have my bias, but he was saying little and just harping. Denying he never implied the 9/11 Iraq link was the lie of campaign so far. I still have heard almost nothing about what they will do on any topic, beyond fight terrorism and the blah blah blah on what they have done. Edwards was better, but did not put forth a great effort. He seemed a bit jumpy, but that may have been just because he was sitting next to Cheney, who actually less animated than Al Gore.

I would call this one a draw, as I think most pundits. It will have little impact, and as I said before usually does not. Friday will be filled with enough tension, I think would could get some tears from Bush.

Wes has comments too. Covington Jim scores a win for Edwards.

UPDATE: Andy Sullivan gives it a big win for Edwards. I don't see it as such, but hey, I will take it.

Blackwell Looking Like Boss Hog

Blackwell dismissive after Jackson blasts voting rule. Blackwell should prepare for more criticism. He is going to get it hard if people are turned away from voting, especially here in Cincinnati.

If anyone is turned away from voting, please send their stories to me. I will print them and spread the word.

I think Ohio bloggers should be prepared to help flow news from the ground after Election Day if there are any problems. Ohio will be a focus on that issue. I have tentative plans to be blogging or at least gather lots of first hand news on Election Day and election night. I hope I report no problems. I would bet I get word of many issues.

Any Estimates on Who the New Voters Will Support?

Voter signups reportedly hit a record this year in Ohio. CW points in favor of Kerry getting the bulk of those votes, where anger at the incumbent tends to pull in new voters.

Free PR for Council Candidates

Is Peter Bronson's column today considered a contribution or just charity to 2 GOP candidates for City Council? This reads like a commercial. All except for a council candidate watching a man beaten by a gang right across the street from his place of business.

Terry Deters, also a former council candidate, runs a funeral home on West Eighth. He says the city is losing the middle class in Price Hill, and council doesn't care. "In our parish, I can go down a long list of people who've left," he said. "They say, 'I'm leaving while I can still get something out of my place.'"

Deters saw a man beaten senseless by a gang of teens across the street from his funeral home last spring. "I'm a funeral director, and I thought he was dead," he said.

I hope he at least called the cops. Going out and trying to intervene would be dangerous, but if you want to fight crime you should start with you first. I also would like to point out to Terry that we live in Cincinnati, not New Orleans. We don't have parishes, other than those who are Catholic.

VP Debate

Beyond determining which campaign has the momentum, what is the political impact of the debate?

The AP says:

Usually just a campaign sideshow, this year's vice presidential debate has taken on new life as a high-stakes showdown in a tightening presidential race.

I don't see it as mattering beyond perceptions. All of politics now is based on perceptions, so maybe I am underestimating the importance of the debate.

New Cincinnati Voters

This story has gone wide on the AP wire and includes this interesting nugget:

"They're coming in, in buckets," said Pamela Swafford, deputy director of Ohio's Hamilton County board of elections. By Monday morning, the county that includes Cincinnati had 64,045 new voter registrations on hand, more than twice the 29,178 it received four years ago.

It also made the Enquirer and WCPO. I just hope Ken Blackwell does not try to keep some of them, especially minorities, from voting.

Dismissing Abuse of Power

The Cincinnati Post appears to just want to ignore abuses of power from the Bush Administration:

Perhaps complicating Fitzgerald's mission is that it's quite likely no crime was committed, even under the most relevant statute, the Covert Agent Identity Act. But like all special prosecutors Fitzgerald has been slow and thorough, again like seemingly all special prosecutors he has gone rather far a field.

This from the same newspaper who called for Bill Clinton to resign because he mislead the public about an affair.

Ah, I wonder first how they think it is "quite likely no crime was committed." So what Scooter Libby allegedly told Bob Novak and why he did it are legal? So anyone can out a CIA agent and feel no wrath? We all know that National Security is so stellar and all, we don't need to keep strong control on who talks about classified information. If that is the case then why not release every intelligence source for who stated Iraq had WMD and had active programs to build more?

'Bad Things Happening' For Journalism

Now, this column is nothing but fluff for people who prefer white picket fences and "Leave it to Beaver" over reality and truth. With that in mind I don't read it, but the headline caught my eye "Baby gets photo with president." I thought, gee, it sounds like a PR stunt and guess what campers, it was. Low and behold it cam from a GOP politician to boot: Butler County Judge Stephen Powell. It is good to see what $5,000.00 buys you. What is a VIP section at a political rally anyway? Do they get their own George Bush fun pack? Contents include: magic beans, crazy straw, and an autographed Bible from the President himself.

Simon Leis Fit for Office?

Was it just ego that caused Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis to issue a local terror alert? The FBI knew nothing of what he was doing. Chief Tom Streicher also signed off of the alert, or did he? He is not saying much about this.

Yesterday we got a bomb threat at Tower Place Mall, luckily a hoax. I don't like to bring in black helicopter stuff, but has Leis out of his mind and making people scared on purpose, using the fear of a bomb attack on a Mall to drive fear up to meet his warnings of a threat? That is just a question, or hypothesis, not anything I could ever back up. The circumstances do give me slight pause to create a conspiracy theory.

Enquirer Bias Again?

In the print edition of Friday's paper this story of 'local voices' had only Bush Supporters in it. Where the Kerry supporters on a back page I missed? This section has them mixed up. What gives?

Bronson's Imitation

Peter Bronson tries his best to imitate Carl Cameron. At least Peter doesn't pretend to be 'fair and balanced.'

20 Questions You Should Ask About Poll Results

NCPP - National Council on Public Polls

Origin of a Lie

As I am sure most of you have read or heard, BushCo's spin from the debate is to go after the "Global Test" comment made by Kerry. For the sake of honesty, here is the full point Kerry made:

Q: What is your position on the whole concept of preemptive war?

KERRY: The president always has the right, and always has had the right, for preemptive strike. That was a great doctrine throughout the Cold War. And it was always one of the things we argued about with respect to arms control.

No president, though all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to preempt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America.

But if and when you do it, Jim, you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons.

Now this has been turned into this talking point from BushCo:

Today, Bush-Cheney '04 announced the release of the campaign's newest television advertisement, "Global Test." The ad contrasts the Kerry doctrine that America must pass a 'global test' before defending itself with President Bush's belief that decisions about defending America should be made in the Oval Office, not in foreign capitals.

Now, in Kerry's comment above where does it say anything about a having to go to foreign nations before defending America? It doesn't. That is how political lies are started. Misrepresent the truth, and then the usually idiots will eat up the lies like good brownshirts.

What is truly most disheartening is the lack of respect BushCo has for the telling the county the truth. What Kerry said he would do is if he were to wage pre-emptive war he would make sure that before he started it he would have ready the proof and the rationale to support his actions. That is what BuchCo is mocking. That is what I think is the most important reason Bush is a horrible President. He took us to war without knowing that what he was doing was correct. He wanted to go to war, and grabbed on to any rationale that might give him PR cover to keep us logical people of his back. You know us, the ones, like Colin Powel, who only like to wage wars where the USA is directly threatened or where an ally is directly threatened, or when we have honest purposes and justice on our side. Declaring yourself judge, jury, and revenge seeker in chief is not an honest purpose. "Gathering" threats are something that cause people to be prepared, but not to strike. If you think you are oing to be attacked by Iraq, that is just the cover some other foe would want to have when they come in to get you. But, if you goal is just to control all of the Muslim world, or at least those with oil, then he, nothing matters but the black gold and bottom line. The means are just a way to get what you want, and getting what you want is bedrock dogma for BushCo. Oh, when I say "you" getting what "you" want, you can't be one of "them" as defined by BushCo. "Them" knows what I am talking about.

Anarchists in Cleveland for VP Debate

A group called Don't Just Vote: Resist! is planning a protest at the Vice-Presidential debate in Cleveland this week. Now if these idiots cause a riot, like some will hope to, I hope everyone knows, and those who read this post will, these guys are not Kerry fans. They are frankly misguided kids, looking for attention from mommy and daddy.

As a liberal I really have disdain for people who push a neo-communist agenda hidden behind one of the stupidest concepts in political history: anarchism. These kids are not really anarchists, they are just communists, but on they just don't grasp the hate intertwined with a system of government that is forced on a populace, as was done in the USSR. They might argue that they want communism 'voted' in, but how can one give up self-determination, where you own yourself under one system and then are the war of the state and not call it forced?

What I find most hilarious is when right-wingers like to label us liberals as communists or socialists, usually by pointing to groups like the one holding the protest. When liberals point out the extremists in the GOP, like the guy running for Senate in Oklahoma for the GOP, the right wing shoots back with International ANSWER website links. When the nuts are inside the party instead of out in the streets trying to break windows, I think the comparison stops dead in its tracks. The Republican Party is run by the extremists and much of their base is on the fringe of the polite society on many issues. The Dems are and have for 60 years been a party of coalitions, where difference is not only the norm, but a necessity.

Rucker vs. Deters

Fanon Rucker and Joe Deters will face off in a debate next Wednesday at high noon at Christ Church on 4th Street in Downtown Cincinnati. Last week Eve Bolton faced off against Pat DeWine and Pat took a few hits.

Voting Irregularities

We have our first Blunder in Hamilton County voting. I hope no one will submit both ballots and thus void their votes. I hope they have a simple way to understand which ballot to use and get more time to turn in their ballot if needed.

Morning After Debate Spin

Well, I am now awake and I wading through the day after spin. The FOX News Morning show for idiots had a guy on talking about watching the debate with the sound down looking at the body language. I guess the issues just don't matter to FOX.

Also, Did Bush put forth any ideas about what he was going to do Iraq? All he seemed to do was be on the defensive. Did he say anything about what he was going to do or for that matter give any detail as to what the hell was going on? That to me was where Bush failed on the issues: no plan for the future. Kerry's plan is vague and it is limited by what Bush has already gotten us into, but he talked about it and talked about what he would have done differently. Bush just repeated phrases like a parrot. Kerry hit hard, but did it in a way to show he could do anything Bush could do and do it better.

Kerry Won

Well, from all points of view or perspectives, Kerry won the debate. He won the style points, he won the presence points, and he won on rhetoric. Bush was phoning it in. He looked very bland. He did not make huge mistakes, but he was horrid. On expectations, Kerry won his most important talking point. He was presidential. He hit hard, but avoided the blow-back.

Compassionate Fascism

It was mild, by historical standards of thuggery, but who ever was acosting this high school senior should be brought up on charges. Spiting on her car? Flipping the bird? I hope most of this was from other teenagers, but the two 40 year olds should sure as hell known better than to act like brownshirts.

I loved how the Bulter Co. GOP spokesman played both sides of it. It might not have happened, but it if did, he wishes to apologize. Hmmm, that does not sound very bold, kind of waffling.

Liars

Ok, Now who is foolish enough NOT agree someone at the White House is lying:

The White House said seven months ago that it had released all the records on President Bush (news - web sites)'s stateside military service during the Vietnam War, yet new records are still dribbling out as Election Day approaches.

When Hillary's documents appeared out of thin air, people wanted her to go to jail. A court has ordered all documents released to the press. How many more are being hidden?

Bush Vs. Kerry I

Tonight is the beginning of the spin machine's zenith that lasts for about 30 days or so. I expect nothing from this debate but posturing and really trite focus group approved phrases.

Bush will say little. Kerry will hit him hard. The press will blather about style until the sun comes up tomorrow, never giving a damn about the substance. The press will onced again give Bush a pass on his Iraq policy, not challenging it, not dare speaking ill of the man that people find "likeable." After all, when fighting wars, being liked it the most important thing. I mean Patton's soldiers loved him. (cough, cough).

I plan on watching the debate at an undisclosed location (bar). I will not be playing any drinking games, but Bush mention Osama Bin Laden everyone must do about 50 shots. That is an über 'social.'

Negative News From Bronson

Hmmm, the Right-Wing gets pissed when the Media 'only' report negative stories about Iraq. Bronson regularly reports negative stories about the city, with nothing positive to say that I have noticed. I guess negative and positive is matter of perspective. It must be positive to kill the city in Peter's mind.

Much of War Support Based on Hate

Here is another example of what I fear is the reason why many war supporters wanted to get Iraq. It did not matter what Muslim country they got, just that they got "them."

Again, this is not all, but I think this is part of the reason 40% of people think Iraq was behind 9/11.

'Job Loss State'

Who is bringing up the concept that political rhetoric can hurt Ohio's economy? Who instigated the idea that prompted Carl Weiser's column? Chamber's of Commerce maybe? Groups who support Bush? The nation Chamber of Commerce is in the pocket of the GOP, so I would no be surprised that politics prompted their PR campaign.

Shawn Mummert of CT sees any buzz as insignificant:

'In the short term, I'm sure that the Chamber of Commerce has a point. Fundamentally, it creates some negative buzz,' said Shawn Mummert, a software developer and board president of Cincinnati Tomorrow, an organization that works to attract young professionals.

But in the long term, he said, the focus on Ohio's economic problems will only help. He hopes the problems will get special attention from whichever candidate wins in November.

Besides, he said, Cincinnati suffers more from its image as an intolerant, culturally deprived backwater than from anything the presidential candidates are saying.

Nick Spencer chimes in with a similar point:

And reality is reality, said Nick Spencer, founder of Cincinnati Tomorrow. Ohio and Cincinnati are losing jobs and people, respectively. Rhetoric from the presidential candidates is not the problem.

"They're not diverse, open environments to do business in," he said of Cincinnati and the Buckeye State. "Ohio is still lagging behind the innovation economy."

Edge of a Hurricane

This is what the edge of the hurricane looked like on Sunday at the beach near my parent's house. We never lost power more than a few seconds, but it did cause power outages on the beach for several hours. My parents live a couple miles inland. Farther North it caused far more damage. I can tell you that the sand really stings, unless you stand at the edge of the water.

The more freaky things was seeing the damage from Hurricane Charlie that hit last month. I was a able to see the line of where damage was bad and where it was minimal. It missed their house by less than 10 miles.

Artists For Change

From Jason Bruffy:

CineX Art Presents politically minded artists speaking out.
An organized “happening” of artistic protest

Cincinnati Experimental Arts presents artists taking part in a 24-hour artistic protest against apathy, or an “event of information” called Artists For Change. This organized “happenings” will begin at 11 am till 10pm on Thursday, September 30 and 11 am till 12 midnight on Friday, October 1, 2004. All events will take place free of charge on Fountain Square, Downtown. Artists from around the Queen City, and the Region are performing and displaying work on a variation of themes examining society and the politics of our world and our city.

“The role of artists in society is to transcend and comment upon that society; too often we find ourselves shouting in closets,” says Fringe Producing Director Jason Bruffy. “We hope that this will bring what the artists have to say to the masses.”

As part of the protest, CineX Art, the creative force organizing the event will present a staging of Only We Who Guard The Mystery Shall Be Unhappy, a new work by acclaimed playwright Tony Kushner featuring Laura Bush reading to a group of school children. Kushner’s play will be featured at 12:30 and 6pm on Thursday and 6pm on Friday. Other featured Artists include performances by: Blue Forms Group (Columbus based), SOS, Moving Art Dance Company, and Comic Revolution; musicians including Medic and Tracey Walker; and guest speakers, notably Michael Burnham of UC’s CCM.

For more info check out CincyFringe.com

An Evening with Stephen Leeper

Please come out and learn about plans for Fountain Square and development downtown.

Stephen Leeper: 3CDC CEO & President

September 29, 2004 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The NEXT Hotel
15 W. 6th Street
Downtown Cincinnati

"Whatever your passion, come connect with other Urbanists and share with Stephen Leeper your vision for the heart of our downtown. "

Bronson Circle Jerk

For some unknown reason Peter Bronson is patting himself and his fellow Republicans on the back for getting a lot of people to come see Bush speak in a town that is likely the most Republican in the state. If Bush had real power in this area he would have gotten them to come downtown, but of course the suburban GOP seeks to kill the city, or at least wall it off from their lily white cul-de-sacs.

If they couldn't do this, then Bush would be in trouble. Doing this is no great political feet. Logistically it was a challenge, but getting Fanatical Republicans to come a tent revival for St. Dubya is like shooting fish in a barrel, or selling beer at an AA meeting, or getting agreement with the comment "Down with Muslims" at the Office of Special Plans in the Defense Department.

The rest of the local coverage was of course drivel. Local Dems got a paragraph with a sentence quote from Luken. That was it. Why not at least put all of Luken's response online? This area is not 90% GOP and 10% Nazi, we have liberal voices. The coverage of this event is unfortunately evidence of why local newspapers need real competition. If we are going to have partisan papers that cater to the right wing, then we need one on the left. The newspaper market prevents that and media deregulation makes it easier for one paper towns to exist. We are barely more than a one paper town, and in a few years that is likely all we shall be.

Ken Blackwell's Imitates Katherine Harris

Dave at Radio Free Newport updates the Ken Blackwell vote manipulation story.

Bush's Visit

I don't remember any news stories about this before 2001, but did school dismiss school early so kids could see President Clinton? I doubt it. He came through town and spoke many times. There may be other Democratic towns where school days where altered for Clinton or even Kerry. If the event were at a school, fine, let the kids go. I do not think an entire school district should reduce the school day so that Bush can have a better photo opportunity. If this was in 2001 or 2002 before the campaign, I would not care so much. This is the use of public schools to promote a political candidate. I would be very proud if some of those kids where allowed to be up front and protest him. I doubt they would be allowed, and I am sure no one will let them.

This event is in Bulter County, but Warren county schools are getting out early. Lakota Schools can claim to be doing so for traffic, but no Warren County? I also hope that Lakota bands and choir members are not performing as the public school groups. Again, this is a political event. Kids are likely forced or at a least enticed to take part in the event, all to the benefit of Bush's political event.

I don't mind parents pulling out their kids, but the schools should not make it easier for Bush to hold a political event.

I hope we get some protest coverage. I hope people were let in, even though they wore Kerry T-Shirts. I hope no one was rude or broke any laws.


UPDATE: Hegmo points out that a high school band in Columbus performed at a Kerry event. That was totally wrong as well. Kids should not be used by schools or school officials for politics. Let their parents exploit them.

We Want Jimmy Part II

I said it before, but with stories like this, we need Jimmy Carter in Ohio. He is all over Florida, but Ohio is just as bad, and gets no attention.

[Via MyDD]

Hurricane Jeanne

When you are with your family on solemn business you never expect the unexpected. Well, I got just such a thing. A hurricane breezed through town (here in Florida) today. We got lucky, again, and only caught the tail end. This morning was a little bit scary, but we faced the storm head on. We did it literally by going to the beach during the Hurricane. It was intense, the most intense winds and waves on the beach here I have ever seen. The sand stung, and you could not help but get the taste of salt in your mouth. I have a few pictures that I will post when I get back to town later this week, but they don't do justice to the experience. What I find mindblowing is that we got the weak side of the storm and the winds where relatively mild compared to what the East coast of Florida got. It was an experience I will never forget.

Gone

I will be taking care of family business for several days. My ability to blog will be vastly limited. If I get a chance to post, I will. Please go to Midpoint.

Job Requirements

A list of job requirements to be an assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor:

1. Earn a Law Degree.
2. Pass the Bar Exam.
3. Own a Suit.
4. Be able to ignore moaning coming from the Boss's office while you work.
5. Oh, yea and be a Republican or at least vote for them.

More from the Post.

From Atrios

This is all Atrios has on his blog as I type. Classic. The two faces of George.

Burn!

Via Hesiod

"I think President Bush is addicted to his own spin. And on November the 2nd, the American people are going to stage an intervention. Because, how can you fix a problem if you don't even admit that one exists?"

Indeed.

Challenge for Kerry Supporters

I hope that every Kerry Supporter in the city goes to the Bush ally up in VOA park in West Chester. Do not cause trouble at all. Where your Kerry T-Shirts, or other Kerry Stickers, or make it know up front you are Kerry Supporter. Take a video camera. Document if they let you in and how you are threatened by local police, local security, and other people if you actually are let inside. I think you need a ticket to get in, but why not choose this time to visit the park?

DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. You can raise your voices in opposition at appropriate times, but do not be rude, unless others are rude to you. AGAIN, DO NOT CAUSE ANY VIOLENCE. DO NOT BREAK ANY LAWS. If GOP staffers or local police (same thing?) choose to violate your rights, don't resist. Just record what happens.

Document the entire event. Picture yourself being witness to the Nuremberg rallies of the 1930's. Pay attention to the speakers before Bush, those who don't make the cameras. Listen to the hate, and then see Bush agree to it by his silence.

Will I be there? No, I am going out of town tomorrow on family business for several days. I would have to work anyway, which is not that far from the event.

RU-486 Ban Blocked

Good! Protecting rights of women has become something too many people in Ohio have forgotten about. We have too many religious zealots out to superimpose their twisted views not really even based in their religion on the rest of the society.

That is of course par for the course. If they could ban condoms, most of the same idiots who voted for this ban would vote for that too.

Reproductive rights are at risk. When everyone wasn't looking the right-wing is doing what it wants without challenge. The media gave this issue back page status. This story was local and the Enquirer took an anonymous AP report instead of sending a reporter about 4 blocks to the courthouse. Gee, lets just ignore this issue. We don't want to mess up the easy story we have with the horse race. Issues are just a nuisance that get in the way of playing gotcha.

Bronson's Backlash

I wonder if people should be fired, say Conservatives, who reported the lies that John Kerry was having an affair? Bronson wants Dan Rather's hide because he does not perform journalistic fellatio on George Bush. Why not fire people for reporting lies about John Kerry? Where's the boycott of FOX News? Oh, right, they are conservative news, therefore exempt from Bronson's scorn.

I wonder if Bronson avoided Vietnam like Bush did. I wonder if Bronson would see his war mongering now as a guilt ridden reaction to being a wimp 30 years ago.

It is amazing how people complain about something and then ignore it when their side does the same thing. I am sure I have done that, but guess what, I am a pissant. I don't do this for a living. I am not professional journalist. Bronson is, but does not give a shit. He wants everyone else to pay the piper but when he reports bullshit about John Kerry, no one but me say a damn word in this town. Why don't we call for Bronson to be fired? Oh right, the Enquirer has to appease the right-wing or face a boycott. Hmm, I guess I shall call Bronson's boycott of CBS as Boycott C.


UPDATE: From JC in Comments retorting Jack:

"It's about a prestigious major News network based in the USA that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the voting public could bring down a President."

What about an Administration that used forged documents without proper objective evaluation which if believed by the public could lead to support for an unjust war? Do we really appreciate the magnitude and danger of such behaviour? Have you completely forgotten all the lies we were told before the war in Iraq? Bush used forged documents to convince the world that Iraq had tried to buy nuclear materials from Niger. They knew the documents were forgeries. Cheney knew, the CIA knew, Joe Wilson knew. They used them anyway.
So which is more dangerous? Rather using forged documents to show a spoiled rich kid getting special treatment during Vietnam? Or Bush using forgeries, fully aware that they are forgeries, to lead us to a pointless war where thousands of people will dies and create mass chaos in Iraq?

Plus, Bush still doesn't deny the content of the CBS memos. He went AWOL in the guard to drink alot and snort coke. He's a military deserter.

I don't bring comments to blog often, but I felt like it.

Dueling Midpoint Covers

CityBeat vs. CinWeekly

Care to declare a winner?

Midpoint wins no matter what.

Enquirer 'Blog'

Once again the Enquirer is trying to copy the blog world with a MidPoint Music Festival blog. They really have not grasped two key elements of blogging: interactivity and voice. Blogs are not stale edited PR tools. They provide opinion and information, not just a diary.

Midpoint on the other hand is a great event. If I was going to be in town, I might blog it myself, and show how blogging events could work, with the right access to technology and time. If was getting paid to blog, damn, this thing might actually be good!

Ohio Poll

The UC Poll is out (pdf) and it does not favor Kerry. Carl Weiser gives the poll a big positive spin for Bushco. What no one seems to be looking at is a big number change from last month's poll and this months. The polling sample dropped from 812 to 456. That is a drop of 43.8% in sample size. We are not provided with the number of Dems vs. Reps. polled so comparison to Gallup is not available.

I know no one ever really reads the details of polls, we after all a society of lazy slugs, but it these numbers are in plainly in a chart on the UC press release. It also states that the poll was taken from September 12th - 17th, right after the 9/11 anniversary and the media spectacle. Complaining about polls is something I am not alone it and both sides complain, but I would think these two facts would be taken into consideration before someone rights a headline on a Press Release that does not use "Surges," but we have to have a big verb to get attention.

Edwards In Town

John Edwards was here and he answered questions too. Why hasn't Cheney done the same? I hope he does do that and I hope the Enquirer has read the questions I put forth for Dick and uses them or some of them.

Bronson: Huh?

Bronson's latest column reads almost like a news article, well almost. He managed to get Phil Burress's points across without a challenge on them, and pushed the gays don't much discrimination tact.

Bronson's column pales in comparison to the drivel Sam Malone put out over the weekend:

Malone, who is black, said seeking legal protections for gays and lesbians isn't a civil rights issue.
'In the past, minorities have been denied the right to own property or denied the right to vote,' Malone said. 'I've never known homosexuals to be denied those rights. In terms of discrimination, I just don't see it.'

Well Sam, I've never personally witnessed a black person denied their rights, so I guess it never happens? I have never seen any Christian in this city or state not hired because of their religion.

Bronson's column danced on the head of a pin about homosexuals. It sounded like his editors got to him on it. If that is true, that is a good thing. If not, I would expect Phil Burress was disappointed in his mouthpiece. Sam Malone's views champion anti-gay bigotry. I just don't know why he supports discrimination. I don't know why any black person does. I don't know why any white person does, but ignorance can breed discrimination. Religion can breed it also.

Gathering Threat????

What the fuck is a "gathering threat?"

'Sen. Kerry also said today that President Bush misled America by calling Iraq an `imminent threat.' The president said no such thing,' Cheney said. 'Our argument was that Saddam Hussein posed a 'gathering threat' that in a post 9/11 world we could not wait until a threat was imminent.'

If the threat was "gathering," THEN WHY COULD WE NOT WAIT? What a damn liar. He can't even lie well. The suckers buy it like lemmings. Blood, Blood, Blood makes their anger ebb. Fear is the BushCo platform. Fear of Arabs, fear of Muslims, fear of gays, fear of the poor, fear of the educated, fear of the French. Fear is a political commodity to the right. They trade it with the Media, who live off of it like it was going out of style.

North Korea, Russia, France, hell even Canada could be a "gathering" threat. When do we invade? Toronto by Halloween, or die trying!!!

I could be a gathering threat. One never knows when I could form my form dictatorship and threaten to take over control of the world.

Yes, very shrill, very uncivil, yet very true. How can people let their judgment be controlled for this long by nothing but fear?

Civil Discourse: Dead or Just a Myth That Never Was?

The Mind Village has a blog on politics worth reading and has a post that should embarrass every West Chester Republican, as well as all Republicans. This is the simmering pot just looking to boil over. The tensions, hate, anger, fear, and senseless pride are flowing in people, and something is going to give somewhere. I saw some asshole at Oktoberfest ask for Kerry stickers from a woman passing them out and then right in front of her he slammed them on his ass and said "this is where they belong." I can understand people having strong political opinions. I surely have them and vent them often with lots of shrill venom in words, but confronting someone in person is in a whole different league. This guy did it out of pure spite, not just a drunken act. He was around 50 years old, setting oh such a great example for the young GOP Stormtroopers in attendance.

The Official God FAQ

Damn Funny

Cool People

I am not cool. I am as cool as a warm ham sandwich. City Beat on the other hand has some real Cool People from right here in Cincy. Imagine that, someone cool in the Nati. Is it still cool to call it the Nati? Don't answer that please.

Eyes Wide Open

An Event that looks interesting. It runs today through Wednesday.

[Via Covington]

I want Jimmy Carter

No offense to Global Exchange, I am glad they are coming to Ohio to observe our election, but I want former President Jimmy Carter to observe our elections, especially here in Cincinnati. People don't want to face a simple fact that we will have a mess here with an election being waged solely as a write-in contest for Prosecutor. The vote counting will be by hand. I expect the right-wingers will want to send in the Velvet Hammer to sue to prevent any counting at all and let Taft just appoint Deters to the position for life. Oh, did I type that out loud?

Edwards in Town Monday

John Edwards will be in Cincinnati for a block party on Monday.

Max Cleland, former U.S. Senator from Georgia, will also be in Cincinnati on Tuesday at the Convention Center.

MIAMI 40, OU 20

Love and honor to Miami,
Our college old and grand,
Proudly we shall ever hail thee,
Over all the land.

Alma mater now we praise thee,
Sing joyfully this lay,
Love and honor to Miami,
Forever and a day.

More from the Enquirer.

The Gallup Poll Tarnished

The Left Coaster outlines clear evidence that Gallup's polls are just plain wrong. They are skewed towards the Republicans in a manner that goes beyond bias to ludicrous. Their polling method has created such a twisted result as to taint the entire process, making useless every poll taken by every other group. Gallup is the 800 pound gorilla of polling firms and their results help create a perception that can influence the herd.

Mullane's Closes

Well, perception helped kill a nice resturant.

"I talked to some of my customers and people just didn't want to come downtown. They said they felt downtown was dangerous and that they had other places to go," said Cobb.

I wonder who has been helping create bad impressions of downtown?

Slam the Bigots

A group is Group disputing the validity of petitions from Phil Burress's storm troopers trying to ban gay marriage via the Ohio Constitution. It has been banned already, but with Phil if you can't beat a dead horse, you just might have sex with it. Idle hands are the devil's tool and all, ya know?

Serenity Now!

Things have been getting fairly heated in the comments as of late. I thought I might give an opportunity to everyone to let you inter self gain some....blah...blah...blah

Everybody, relax!

Iraq Failure?

This story cites "U.S. Intelligence Officials" so it has to be taken with a grain of salt, but even an amateur like me can see that Iraq is in the early stages of Civil War now, and has no signs of getting better. Iraq is looking like Vietnam more and more every day. They only think missing is another superpower supplying weapons, but the rest of the Arab world is not that far off.

How can anyone not see Iraq is now a failure? I don't know that anyone can fix it, but Bush's choices have proved to be horrible. How can anyone think this guy is good commander in chief?

UPDATE: Fixed Grammatical Error.

Pay More Attention or Just Don't Be So Damned Stupid

A letter to the Enquirer reads:

A good prosecutor makes a wise move

Mike Allen made a wise decision in resigning as Hamilton County prosecutor. He realized he was wrong and did what was best for Hamilton County but also the Republican Party.
Allen, unlike former President Clinton, was honest. We should still respect him, as his performance as a prosecutor was done well. I think that the issue was exaggerated and it was wrong to get the family involved. I hope our next prosecutor will do as good of a job as Allen.
Sarah Bolger
Bridgetown

Sarah should realize something: MIKE ALLEN DID NOT RESIGN! He is serving out his term. If he was doing the right thing, he would resign right now and give the job he will perform for the next nearly four months to someone else. He cheated on his wife with a direct subordinate for 3 years, lied about it two her, telling her it was over then continued the affair for over a year more. I guess that is real honest for a diehard Republican. Clinton is a red herring, for the billionth time. Sarah seems to read to much Bronson and has to bring in Clinton at the drop of a hat. I guess she might agree that is Bill Clinton's fault for Mike Allen having an affair and allegedly sexually harassing a woman. This is an example of ignorant human being who pays have attention to local TV news headlines and maybe reads a couple articles in the paper. This is the person that kills politics, because this is the type of stupid person politicians appeal to, especially here in Cincinnati.

Rucker V. Deters

All reports indicate that in the end the race for Hamilton County Prosecutor will boil down to Fanon Rucker (D) verses Joe Deters (R).

Deters is whining about something, that well was never covered very much by the local press, until now.

Deters' former chief of staff, Matthew Borges, and former fund-raiser Eric Sagun pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in July.

So while prosecutor he missed the fact that one of his staff was stealing money from the evidence inventory, and while Treasurer his chief of staff broke campaign finance laws. This is the guy who is leaving statewide office to come back to a lowly countywide office, and people really want to vote for him?

Rucker is getting attacked as well, but since it is from the Boycott B, I treat it with, well, just a little bit of skepticism.

One-Party Rule

Why are the Dems so weak in this county not even mount a candidate for every office? Why is Simon Leis running unopposed? Sure, the people in this country are way too stupid to actually understand the guy is a fascist, which they may in reality like, but that should not keep the Dems from putting someone up on the ballot for the hell o f it.

Some say it is because unless you are self-employed you face ruining your career if you don't follow the rule of the GOP. I don't think I face that in the big corporation I work at, but I don't think it would help me any. Also, people want money and you don't make much as a public official. Unless you have money you can't afford to run. Locally the GOP has the money and fund their candidates and the Dems don't have the bread to win, well that and people are just too stupid to know any better. With a local media that brainwashes people it does not surprise that no one understand or cares what happens as long as nothing happens to them.

Blackwell Losing Focus

Ken Blackwell had better keep a special eye on the Hamilton County race for Prosecutor.: "'There are 88 counties in Ohio, and 68 use punch cards - and I've got to make sure we don't suffer the embarrassment of Florida in 2000,' Blackwell said, referring to the recount four years ago that delayed presidential election results."A county of the size of Hamilton with a race with only write in candidates and a local GOP itching to do its damnedest to win for their Fearless Leader® should be something to catch a little extra attention from the Secretary of State. We are going to have a mess here at the board of elections. We will have to count these by hand. That is something the GOP thinks is evil after all, so we can't trust it no matter what. We need a state official observing our election. Blackwell should station a team in the county on November 2nd and oversee how vote counts and poll workers operate, assuring no fraud occurs.

Deters' Baggage

Wow, something halfway critical on Joe Deters. The main negative on Deters that should be trumpeted is this one:

He also faced a special prosecutor's investigation in Hamilton County that examined whether Deters or anyone on his staff attempted to cover up a theft from the evidence room while he was prosecutor in 1996.

Whether or not he knew about the theft, it happened on his watch as Prosecutor. His oversight of his staff is not much better than Mike Allen. No, pun intended.

Character

In reading some of the comments I come away flabbergasted that people still think Bush is some ‘honest’ guy with a 'good' character. This is so misguided it is sad. If you think Bush's choices in governance are good, then fine, but to say how he has acted in office is of good character is laughable. If you think that anyone who 'won' an election under at best less than ideal circumstances (where more people voted against him) and then proceeded to govern as if those others opinions did not exist, then I think you need to rethink what honor and character mean. Ignoring the how he was elected and acting like he won in a landslide is the clearly the least honorable thing he has done. Well, that and misleading the county into war, but if you think the ends justify the means, I guess you will love this guy.

He also did, well, a shit load of other crap, but I think people can get my point.

Now, other than being a conservative Christian, what value has Bush put on the US, that other conservatives would stand up and cheer about? Budgets are going nuts. We have more poor people (they may not care). The rest of the world hates us (they may like that). What keeps the Bush people supporting him? Simple, they want to keep power on the right. That is comprehendible, but more cynical even than me.

Voters Cheered?

I know I cheered when I heard the news, but did people really cheer anywhere?

Lt. Gov. Bradley to Replace Deters?

If this is true, then who becomes the Lt. Gov? Korte says Kevin DeWine, Mike's son and Pat's brother, may be it.

Hate May Energize GOP

It is nice to know that that hate is the biggest GOP weapon. Knowing what the other side thinks is good for any conflict. If Bush wins Ohio, I agree with Phil Burress, it will be the result of hate for homosexuals that bring out the theocratic fascists in droves.

Bronson: Screw the People!

Bronson cares not for fair elections. Bronson wants everyone to just trust his Ohio GOP to run everything and say nothing. I guess this is the same Ohio GOP playing games with the Prosecutors office? I guess Bronson trusts the white people to write in the names of Joe Deters and that those can be counted by hand, but if anyone challenges someone's handwriting, we should not question it and just let his man Joe win.

What Bronson fails to see is that the Democrats got screwed in 2000. He was happy as a peach. We were pissed. Bronson should learn that we don't trust the GOP. We don't trust Ken Blackwell and more than we trusted Katherine Harris.

Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls

The Prosecutor's race gone from a middle of the road 3 ring circus to the world's Biggest Big Top. Where the hell did Joe Deters come from? I guess the GOP needed Sir Galahad to save the day. We have so many points to make this a flaming pile of pooh, that is just too juicy not to sink your teeth into.

1. Deters Moves to the county just to run for office. This is what I call Office Shopping.
2. Allen will not seek re-election, but he did not resign.
3. The Dems have not yet endorsed anyone.
4. Ken Lawson is out.
5. Jody Luebbers and Fanon Rucker are in.
6. James Rueger is in, but likely will be lost in Deters dust.
7. Melissa Powers is also in. I have no idea who she is other than "former assistant county prosecutor ." WLWT says she is a Republican.
8. Deters thinks this will affect the Presidential race. What a joke.
9. Deters is not going to resign as State Treasurer until the Prosecutor job is open? Who the hell is going to be State Treasurer if Deters wins? Are they going to try a bait and switch? Could it work? Could Deters be elected, then not take office and the GOP be allowed to appoint someone? Allen was appointed after all when Deters won the Treasurer's job.
10. I can be thankful that Deters is running and not Simon Leis. That would have been hell.
11. Few seem to be thinking about what a mess the local election officials will have with counting the ballots. Numbers will be high with the National election. This will create the need for more room for error or for manipulation. How do you write in a candidate on an electronic voting machine?

News roundup: Enquirer, Post, WCPO, WLWT, WKRC.

Enquirer Helps Build Fear of OTR

This story just helped kill business for the Main Street Area. Why should the city bother to exist if people are told to fear it every time they open the newspaper? Why don't we all just blow up downtown, blow up OTR, build 1,000 more cul-de-sac's in West Chester and live the stale bland Republican lives TPTB want.

Will we get an article soon Championing Fountain Square as the new hot spot?

County Prosecutor Race - A Mess

I have no idea who the Dems will support today as a write in candidate. We have three possibilities: City Councilman John Cranley, former Assistant Prosecutor Jody Luebbers and attorney Fanon Rucker. All I know is that by the end of the business day they will pick one.

Believe it or not but Ken Lawson thinks he could actually win, or I assume that since he announced he may run. How do you really announce you may run? I guess formed a 3 day exploratory committee, or something of the like. WKRC states he is a registered Republican (but they use a small "r"). That for some reason does not surprise me. Lawson entrance without any endorsement will split the black vote and the Dems will likely not win. The person with most ads and the smartest people who can understand how to write a candidate in will win.

Mike Allen still does not have the guts to resign and the GOP still has not publicly asked him to quit. I guess winning is more important than honor. This was the party that said only the Dems did that (yep about Clinton), so I guess the pragmatism is spread around evenly.

Cincinnati Post Gets It

The Cincinnati Post editorial gets the flap over Bush: he ducked his duties. The facts are out there and the document flap is meaningless. US News summed up the issues well and document, using basic math, that Bush did not serve all the time required by his commitment. Will people care? Not that much. The press seems to not want to show much about Bush, beyond the superficial and Bush supporters will never leave him, short of his committing murder. And then it would depend on who was murdered.

UPDATE: Just so you know that I am not going nuts, here is a screen shot from Google of the link:

Google Page Shot of Editorial Called "Bush's past is catching up" That is no long online.

UPDATE#2: I searched on the opening sentence from the Google page and came up with other Scripps Howard Newspapers with a similar editorial (reg rec'd), but I think still different, or just abridged.

Labels

Ok, I am a 'white' liberal atheistic-agnostic Miami Alumnus New York State born Guy. I generally don't say that. I sometimes call myself a liberal. I sometimes call myself a Miami Guy, or when refer to where I am from I say I am a foreigner to a person born and raised here in Cincinnati. When I got out with friends or go to an organization I usually don't say it is out of liberal guys. Conservative Christians does this all the time, like poster boy Evangelical ChristianPeter Bronson:

"I was paired up with Ben Turpin in a weekend outing of Christian guys."

Now, I have no problem with people getting together to play golf. If a Christian men’s group wants to have an outing, that fine. What troubles me is that in his description of the guys as "Christians guys." It was not a group of guys who are all Christians. It is like saying I am a white guy. I don't see myself as a white guy. I am a guy, who happens to be white. I am human being first, then all other classifications come second.

This takes on a whole new meaning with some Conservative Christians refer to and champion Christian Businesses. We get websites like this: www.christianebuy.com where you can find a Christian Quick Lube and get slogans like:

As a Christian, do you have what it takes to make in the business world? Absolutely!

It puts a label on someone, that makes it sound like all else stems from religion, and being human is merely a side-effect. Christians will say being human is being a Christian, which just layers on the sectarianism.

Bronson's column was in general good in so much that he appeared to understand that there is a middle ground on racial profiling. It does exist. It does happen. I would agree with him that those that use it to make money are likely overstating what happened, but it happens in the burbs all too often. A label on a black person is moot when the eyeball places a definition on them before the mind does. The mind must work faster than the eyes, but we must not just replace racism with another means of separation. Being human beings is more important than being part of a religion or part of a political party.

More Bias from the Enquirer

This is typical of the GOP leaning Cincinnati Enquirer, but this "news" item with a headline is about as biased without even the hint of being objective. I mean we get a headline bashing Kerry for using the Bungle reference, but we get nothing about Lynn Cheney saying:

"Isn't it called 'the Queen of the Cities?' " she said. "It's a very apt title."

It is the Queen City, not "Queen of the cities." That is an Elton John Song. I wonder if Lynn's daughter played a little funny on her mom with that reference. Constantinople was known as the "Queen of Cities." It should be an insult for the 21st Century crusaders here in Cincinnati to be linked with a city now majority Muslim. Can't have that, now can we. (cough, cough)

Ken Lucas is No Zell Miller

U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas put forth an honest and just plain true indictment of the War in Iraq:

"But I have to tell you from all the stuff that we've gotten I really feel like I was misled," Lucas said, responding to a question during the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's monthly Government Forum.

"I think people had good intentions but I feel very badly about that. Particularly with -- 1,000 young men and women who have died, and thousands who have lost body parts. I don't feel good about that," he said, trailing off as his audience listened silently.

Now, I assume the right wing response will be, "he flip-flopped." That will unfortunately be an attempt to ignore what he said, and instead try and make one who is honest, forthright, and nuanced as someone "weak." The game of having one idea or opinion and sticking to it no matter what is the kind of thinking this president has and it is type of 19th Century thinking that brought unnecessary deaths to millions of people. I hope we can bring the intellectual level of our government forward to the 21 century.

The Last Night of the Proms

I am listening to the last night of the BBC Proms an annual tradition of wonderful music. It is live on BBC 3 if you care to listen.

Bad Reporting

I will not get into the game of spin and duck on type fonts etc, but I will comment on this online story from WLWT. The story states that:

Richard Polt, a Xavier University professor, was called on to examine documents from the 1970s that could shed new light on information about George W. Bush's service in the military.

Ok, that is fine, but who called on him?? How did WLWT find out he was called upon? Later on the article states:

Several national magazines have called on Polt for his opinion.

Ok, now we have something added of merit, but WHAT MAGAZINES? National Review? Weekly Standard?

The most insane element was section, including the magazine reference:

"When you think about some of the details of the documents, it just adds up to something recently produced on a computer," he said.

Several national magazines have called on Polt for his opinion. He said the only excuse could be that the documents were handwritten and someone produced them on a computer.

How the hell does this guy know what the "only excuse" could be? That is a theory, but this guy has no knowledge or experience in what else could explain why "might" have been typed recently.

His opinions are being refuted in other places: Here and Here, and CBS is still sticking with their story and they have their own expert, Marcel Matley.

WLWT went for the local angle to this story, but failed to give any qualifications to the professor, failed to show who “called” on him to analyze the documents, and also failed to point out that he undoubtedly had copies of copies of copies of the documents, if not a higher level of distortion. Mr. Polt has done a lot of research on typewriters, but his knowledge of type fonts, seems to be limited. From his bio he appears to be a philosophy professor.

The game of claiming forgery has turned into another case of the Chewbacca Defense. There was far more to the CBS News story, than just those documents, but that doesn’t matter, when the game is afoot.

Bush's Guard Service, Or Lack There Of

I really have little to say about Bush's National Guard Service. I have no respect for him, so this just reaffirms my opinions. What I find humorous is how it compares to the bogus charges against Kerry. The media are directly pushing this one through honest and legitimate means. The Swift Boat liars use spin and conservative media outlets to create a hollow scandal.

Maggie on the Edge

Ok, Maggie Downs offically has more guts than I do. Either that or she really is a bit of a lunatic.

Dick in Cincinnati

Well, Cheney made his staged event with little worry, but rumor has it that the guy in the shades below kept Secret Service agents on their toes:

A Terrorist or "The Man" behind "The Man?"

Local GOP Is Chicken

No one in the local GOP has the guts ask Mike Allen to resign. They have James Rueger on the ballot, why are they a bunch of wussies? It is hilarious that the party of Christian values is not going to do a damn thing about the poster boy for sin running as their law enforcement champion in the county.