Fundie is as Fundie Does

Yes, I take these things seriously. It is not just my paranoid rantings, smart people actually agree with me.

Dusty Rhodes Is Being Dumped

John Kiesewetter, who is back reporting on the media, is reporting that Air America is coming to WSAI. His source is Dusty Rhodes, Hamilton County Auditor and part time DJ at WSAI.

I don't know how official this makes it, but Dusty Rhodes likely would not make this up, unlike Bill Cunningham.

Dutsy comment was not very becoming:

"As a Democrat elected in this county, I don't want my party to be seen as the Al Franken party," says Rhodes, who turns 65 Monday.

Well, Dusty is a leading Democrat, leading in voting for Republicans. I for one hope Dusty just gives in and goes to the Dark Side. Just because you are stuck in 1958, does not mean the rest of us are. Dusty needs to get with the party or just leave it.

This was buried in the paper. I still can't find it via search but thanks go to Grassroots Cincinnati.

Take That, Larry Redwine

Ann Thompson goes off on Larry Redwine who wrote a mind numbing column last month claiming victim hood for all conservative 'Christians'.

Ann did a great job of illustrating the fire and hate from people Larry Rewind would likely call political comrades.

Ann does go way over the top claiming that the Democrats are holier than thou. I agree with the Dems on most issues, but as a party they play hardball too. The claim that the GOP is hypocritical when it plays dirty and then says they are good little 'Christians' is added disdain I think they earn, but the Dems are no angels.

Air America in Cincinnati?

Axinar is reporting that WLW sensationalist Bill Cunningham believes liberal radio network Air America will be coming to Cincinnati, specifically to AM 1530.

I have to say: no way in hell. I think this is a Cunningham stunt or just his usual make-stuff-up-just-to-gain-attention type of comment. What is sad is that I think Cunningham is unable to not act like his on air personality in public anymore. Cunningham I think is just trying to scare anyone he can into fearing, "the liberals are coming."

The fairness doctrine is dead. Conservatives hated it and now they could not stand to have to live by it. The FCC may certainly become a prudish nirvana, but it will not become fair to public access to the airwaves.

Now, Clear Channel may instead be willing to try something radical, like offering real variety in programming. 1530 is owned by Clear Channel and their oldies music may not be making any money, or rather not enough for their desires. Conservative Talk programming actually does have a physical limit at the moment. There are not enough programs to fill up all of the hours of the day on yet another radio station.

I disagree with two points Axinar made on other radio programming in town. I would not call NPR liberal. Air America is liberal. NPR caters to urban taste and culture certainly, but I know many Republicans who regularly listen to it and really like it. NPR is called liberal by hard right conservatives because it caters to urban taste and culture, which they find evil, different, and inpure, which is what they call liberal. Also, while I would agree that the Buzz is a distinct alternative to WLW and the other conservative radio stations around town, I would not call it 24 hours of liberal programming. It has some liberal hosts, but on many issues would not carry the water of mainstream liberals, especially on many social issues. Also, the station has Lincoln Ware in a leadership role and Lincoln is a Republican. A different kind of one, but still in that camp on most issues.

I think Air America would be great for the city. What I don't know is whether it would make money.

Miami Accepts Independence Bowl Bid

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.

Miami's season was not all that I wanted, but they really bounced back from some early set backs. Details here.

Also, Senior Football player Michael Larkin was involved in a altercation last night.

And So It Begins

This is just the begining.

What's Missing From This Article?

We are treated with a puff piece on Answers in Genesis about putting dinosaurs outside their re-education camp in Boone County Kentucky. We get the facts about how the group had to get zoning approval. We learned about how much they are funded. We learned that they have a 160 seat "classroom." We learned that they take the bible literally.

What we don't learn is that every educated scientist, scholar, and rational person finds that this group’s contention that the earth is 6,000 years old to be totally and completely false. It is a fact that the earth is billions of years old. I am sure they would rebut that, but I think my 9th Grade Earth Science professor presented enough information on rock formations, how rivers are formed, and carbon dating to suffice anyone willing to use logic instead of emotion. What was missing from the article was a simple sentence, after the telling of AIG's mission, stating that every other credible scientist believes that most of their claims are totally without merit, or something to that affect. I sent an email to the reporter asking some general question as to why this story was writing and how did the Enquirer become aware of it. If I get a response I will post it. I don’t expect one, but you never know. AIG gets heavy coverage by the Enquirer and from what I can find very little, if any, is negative.

One can disagree on the origin of "life," but anyone who thinks the Earth is only 6,000 years old is either incredibly stupid, ignorant, or just insane.

[Link via Wes Flinn]

GOP Self Congratulations

The GOP is dancing for joy at making a slight gain in the number of blacks voting for Bush. How did they do it? It was rather simple, appeal to anti-homosexual bigotry:

'But we are clearly gaining ground because our platform has placed a specific emphasis on social issues, which appeal to the black faith community,' he said.

When we hear "specific social issues" here in Ohio, we don't need any more detail about what they are talking about. There is a vocal anti-homosexual strain in the black community and it was exemplified by Fred Shuttlesworth. Picking off a few of the wealthy anti-homosexual blacks is like shoot fish in barrel. Invite them in and they go in freely. They fit in like a hotdog in a bun.

I don't believe this group of black Ohio Republicans won Ohio for Bush. They were as needed as every other vote was needed. This is no great feat for the GOP. This group is more conservative than half of the Bush supporters. What keeps them weary of the GOP is the racism and bigotry that still lives in significant numbers in their ranks. These particular blacks can afford to hold their noses with their wallets and stand next to people they might find repugnant. It is no different than the socially Liberal conservatives who gladly took the votes for Bush from theocratic anti-homosexual bigots. The smell of money overpowers the smell of Fascism, I guess.

Crime Story

Nick Spencer has chronicled yet another crime his bar has suffered. Nicks states that they got relatively lucky with this, but that is as he says "…as lucky as you can with a window busted out at 7 in the morning." Nick puts the issue in clear as day language:

For those keeping track, we've been open two months now. We've now been broken into, one of our employees' had their car stolen, another two cars broken have been broken into, not to mention all the drug dealing and prostitution across the street, and its negative impact on business.

Crime is just out of control down here right now. Period.

Now, what I hope people say is, "See man, Downtown is not safe." Downtown is safe. This is OTR. OTR has huge problems. Not the level of problems those who fear Downtown thinks it has, but enough to disrupt life of those who live, work, and do business there. What OTR lacks is a solution. The problem I believe rests with police-community relations. The cops have given up leaning hard on criminals. They fear being blamed for what ever happens. I can understand that. What they have to understand is that they can't go on thinking that they are superheroes who should be kowtowed to every time their contract comes up. They should allow bad cops to be fired by reduced the binding arbitration that keeps bad cops on the force. The leadership of the police has to eliminate their attitude of classism, bigotry, and on a small level racism by a few.

On the community's side we must root out the criminals. We can't let them run the streets. This is where the boycotters have let down their own constituents. They have created the same us vs. them attitude that the leadership of police have created. Ego, pride, bigotry, and racism are what is allowing drug dealers to go unpunished.

What I think I would advocate would be for a private group/company/person to mount video cameras outside their places of business and tape the crimes going on. If drug dealers camp out on a corner, then tape them doing their business and pass a copy along to the cops. If you also get some license plate numbers of drug customers I would pass those along to the media.

If the government were to do this without cause, I would oppose it. If a business owner were to do it from their property, I would have no problem at all. What keeps this from happening more is cost, in both dollars and time. That is where the city might be able to offer loans of some type to help. I don't think they could pay for them outright. That might raise issues of the property owners being agents of the police, opening up possible legal defense issues.

The citizens need to fight crime, not be bystanders.

Another idea could be a take back the streets initiative. A neighborhood watch type program. It could start with a gathering in the effected areas. If 500 people are standing around where the crime is happening, one would think less crime would happen. This would be met with fear though. It comes close to vigilantism, something which I absolutely oppose. The problem with any action like this is that most people don’t given a damn. Now, they care about it and will give support for helping with it, but actually doing something, that is a different story. I can speak from personal experienced. I would be right there with those doing nothing, sitting on my fat ass watching TV. We all must do more, but I think we will not get out and get involved. A head in the sand is so much easier than sticking out a neck.

Greg Hoard Leaving TV

WXIX Sports Director Greg Hoard is leaving the station at the end of the year. The sports on WXIX was the best element of the station. Both Hoards made a great team. The article points out that Greg Hoard often felt out of place on TV. Looking back I would agree that was the noticeable something about his style. It was like he really did not want to be doing what he was doing. I hope WXIX takes Dan Hoard quick. He is likely to be picked up soon as a play-by-play guy by someone full time. He does a good job with the UC games on the radio.

Oh the Symbolism

One can't look at the picture accompanying this article and not see it as some type of symbolic sign from Zeus.

[Via Kevin Drum]

Sidewalks

I would guess this ranking is based on some type of pedestrian death rate as compared to the volume of sidewalks. What I wonder is does this count the entire Metro area or does it count just Downtown or inner-city areas? the mean streets of Mason actual are rather mean. You can't walk them.

As with safety, the Cincinnati Metro area is one of the safest places to live in overall. We also I believe the Metro area suffers from the most fear of non-whites of nearly any city I have ever visited. The fear that keeps the chickens in the suburbs is only real in their perceptions. That creates the Balkanized community in which we resided.

Drinking Liberally

Maggie Downs has 'outted' Drinking Liberal to Cincinnati. Will conservatives or Republicans (not always the same thing) start showing up? I would say no. The bar is kind of on the West Side, but still in a neighborhood that would strike fear in the hearts of your typical Conservative. They don't have the courage to show up. (cough, cough)

Is this Local TV News or a Newspaper.

On the front page of the Enquirer Website we see a headline reading "P&G sex patch under scrutiny." When we click on the link we get a story with the title "P&G sex hormone under scrutiny" No where else is it called a "Sex Patch" and the news article does not even have the same title. Who changed it? Was that used in the print version or was it only on the web? Why was it changed to a title that is more titillating?

Waiting to Attack

The CCV and its allies are reportedly waiting before filing suit against same sex benefits offered at 5 Ohio public universities

Again, for the ignorant, those who voted for Issue and knowingly did so are bigots. If you voted for it, you voted for a ban on public benefits or other allowances of any actions that could acknowledge a marriage type situation on a non-married couple. That is wrong. If you can't understand that, or still live in denial, then please watch the actions of Phil Burress and his 'partner' in theocratic fascism David Langdon.

Voice Discrimination?

This is obviously the text version of the Channel 5 story, so I have not heard the voices of the people involved. What I do know is that the terminology is way off. This is not "voice discrimination", this possibly is racism based on the sound of voice. Voice discrimination is something that people with speech problems would face. As a person with a speech impediment, I can attest that such a thing exists, but is not considered significant in society. Calling this voice discrimination is misleading. It is race or ethnic discrimination based on the voice, not discrimination because of the voice. A fine line to some, but not from my perspective.

In this case the problem I have is the distinction of why these people were allegedly denied housing. Were they denied housing because the landlord thought they sounded "black" or other minority, or were they denied housing because their speech indicated a lack of education or ignorance and thus considered a less desirable tenet? Again, I did not hear these people speak, so I don't know how they might sound. It may be bigoted to deny someone a house because they are not educated, but I don't think it is illegal.

Portman, Taft in Denial

Both Portman and Taft deny they are leaving their current jobs early. Speculation and rumor suggest Taft will leave the governor's job for a Federal Job and after some maneuvering Portman would take over.

This rumor, fueled here and elsewhere, is thin. Ken Blackwell and about 50 other Republicans are itching to become the next governor. Portman would be someone no one could beat for the GOP nomination if he were running as the incumbent.

UPDATE: Another Denial.

That was quick

Cincinnati Public Schools chief Frailey is leaving after being here only two years. He is going back to Texas. Reportedly he is leaving to spend more time with his children. I find it odd that he did not bring them with him, but I assume he is divorced.

Frailey I believe made progress with CPS, but his dent in the problem was not close to making the schools an option for all again.

He's no Hemingway

After slugging my way through the short yet painful column by Tom Brinkman I had to wonder, is this thing real? I think someone could have edited it, just a bit. I am not talking grammar, for I have no room to talk there. Instead it reads like dictation, put together in the most awkward format possible.

I would agree that if this survey really did occur and really did come from David Pepper, then as campaign issues goes, someone is on crack. It is laughable to think that anyone would actually push a citywide prescription drug benefit. David Pepper was not the top vote getter by being an amateur. Could some have been playing a trick on Tom?

Hanger Solution?

Did we get a workable compromise to the P&G hangar plan? Tacking on fees to golfers is still not a grand way to pay for this, but does it beat just eating into the strapped budget?

The Enquirer went overboard in its praise of P&G as its night in shining armor coming to our economic rescue. Well, no, they are doing what Kroger did.