Nutty Newt?

Someone must be joking here. Could a man on his third marriage after two divorces who was run out of congress on a rail by his own party actually think he could win the nomination for president in 2008? Not to mention the man who lead the fight to impeach Bill Clinton for lying about an affair, who while he was leading that fight was having an affair with a staffer over 20 years younger. He should stick to writing books and blathering on FOXNews.

Convergys to Add 10,000 Jobs (In India)

Glad to see business is booming for Convergys, but why can't a couple thousand of those jobs be added here in the states and right here in Cincinnati?

What keeps call center jobs from being expanded here? There are no or few call center unions. Call center people get paid dirt wages. You don't need a college degree to work in a call center. The obstacles seem few. I can understand that in theory because of the standard of living differences between the US and India, the wages paid attract a more educated crowd than here in the States. That does wonders for the bottom line in the short term, but how can starving the American workforce be a good long term strategy?

Armstong Williams: K Street Bagman

Is the world to end soon? You have to wonder when Nate and Rob Bernard, and I actually agree in general on something: we all believe Armstrong Williams, an opinion journalist, was wrong for taking money from the government to promote NCLB. We might have different reasons for why it was wrong, so hopeully the sky will not fall today.

It was wrong in my opinion to use tax dollars to buy propaganda, which ends up being an indirect political advertisement. Additionally, Williams committed the cardinal sign for a journalist, selling out. Selling your opinions, even if you don't have to change them, means you are no longer a journalist, you are just a PR hack.

TPM asks the most pressing point, "Question: who else has been on the payroll?"

American Sign Museum

The LA Times has taken notice of the American Sign Museum located right here in Cincinnati. The museum is located on Gilbert Ave and is open via appointment 7 days a week. You can take a video tour,or email for info.

UPDATE: The business office is on Gilbert Ave, the actual musuem is on Essex Avenue in Walnut Hills.

Anderson Township Economy Dying?

Tumbleweeds in Anderson Township has closed, so my title I thought should reflect the same level of panic given when any restaurant or business closes downtown. The restaurant is located in the Sky Top Pavilion near Beechmont and 32, which actually is in Anderson Township, but barely. The plaza has done fairly constant business, but has had empty store fronts since the place opened over four years ago. A new fish store is close to opening up. It looks interesting, if you like fish. I like to eat fish, but not keep it as a pet.

Now, to truly put Anderson township readers at ease, I can attest that as I type this I am sitting in the Panera Bread located in the heart of the Anderson Township area and I can report that the place is packed. I love this restaurant, as I love Chipotle. Now, both restaurants are chains. Both are not faddish or cutting edge or anything to attract the dining snobs out there. They make good food. They combine a "fresh made" feel with the speed of fast-food. It works. Just based on the amount of money I spend there, they have to be doing well. What keeps these places out of downtown? The same problems that keep everyone else out of downtown?

Why

Is a there a reason for blogging? Yes, you guessed right if you look at the time of this post. It is late at night and I just got hope from a nice night out a local watering hole where myself and a great number of friends celebrated the Birthday of a common friend. It was great. It was an interaction of people out doing what we do. Drinking beer, eating food, playing pool, listening to the Violent Femmes really, really loud.

In the midst of it all I pondered why I blog, why I write, why I bother putting thought down in print. The answer: it is fucking fun! I live for this shit. Writing my ideas and thoughts and commentary on what ever the hell I want is one of the most free forms of expression known to human kind.

What is a more puzzling question to me is why people read my blog. I should not be asking this question. Does P&G ask why people buy Tide? Well, they do ask it, but they don't ask it in print on the box.

I am taking such a tact here. I am asking why. I ask why when ever I post on something, so now I am posting on myself. Think of it as the ultimate comment card from a Perkin's.

What do people like and what do you hate? Let me hear it.

Now, don't expect me to kneel down and partake in your suggestions with an open embrace. I will still do what ever the fuck I please on the blog. I do like having readers, and if your wishes coincide with mine, then I hope to give you something you will like reading, or at least like commenting about.

Generational Generalizations

As a card carrying member of Generation X I often wonder what is instore for me in relation to the other major generational groups: The boomers and Generation Y. Each of those group is vastly larger than us Xers, which causes me to consider that my generation will be lost in the game of influence as we enter into the 'prime' of our lives.

When I think about the generation differences, I define each group into crude yet descriptive terms:

Boomer Generation: The Fuck You generation - They are collective and very confrontational. The are greedy and altruistic, and yes they contradict themselves.

Generation X: The Fuck Off generation - We are skeptical and lack trust in anyone or anything. We are non-conformists, yet really just want to fit in, but are forced to fend for ourselves.

Generation Y: The Fuck Me generation - They are conformists, modernistic sheep that long to follow and get along, reacting to the older generations with quick remedies and easy answers.

Is this all bullshit, yea, as most generalities about generations are, but there are tones and commonalities which are true with the various generations on a macro-level. We certainly don't all fit into each mold. On a wide scale these are commonalities that are more true then we would like to admit.

What specific issues will cause significant generational conflict? Gay Marriage seems like one happening now. What else?

UPDATE: Via comments the idea for what we would call Generation Z: Oh, Fuck Generation.

Oh Sam? Oh Michael?

Will you guys get off your ass and appoint someone to council? Have you heard of telephones, email, paper and the US postal service? Stop the games, and bit the damn bullet. Either appease the bigots or piss off the bigots, that is your choice.

Crime, What Do We Do About It?

Stephanie Dunlap has a great column in CityBeat about a New Year's Eve violent crime. How do we rid the city of this type of crime where young adults, mostly black men and often drug related, use violence as a means to their ends? This is not a black thing, but most of those committing this type of crime are black and we can't understand why. I don't know why. Activists don't know why and are doing little to stop it. The cops appear powerless to stop it. The justice system appears weak. The local citizens who live in the area are either having their cars shot up for fighting crime, or they are sitting on their hands.

We are letting this happen. We have no solutions, only more questions as to whom do we blame for it. We are not doing anything about it, and yes, I am not doing a damn thing either, but I have a luxury of living in low crime area, so I have little motivation to do much. I really can't do much if I wanted. People like me, most people, can't change this. The people of Over-the-Rhine, City Hall, the local media, and the Police are only ones who can find and enact a solution.

Hi, I'm a Military PR Clerk and I have a Story My Boss Wants Told

This kid is the classic definition of a shill, and he is doing it for the Pentagon. His opening and the ending bio sum up all you need to know:

Something struck me as odd this fall as I watched a U.S. satellite news broadcast here in my Baghdad office.

and

Marine Cpl. Isaac D. Pacheco of Northern Kentucky enlisted in the Marines on Sept. 12, 2001, and arrived in Iraq last fall. He serves with the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad.

This kid may mean well, and I am sure he is doing his duty as a solider, but sitting behind a desk in the Green Zone does not really put him in the best place to see life for the Marines fighting in the streets. More importantly, THIS KID WORKS FOR THE PR WING OF THE PENTAGON IN IRAQ. It is his job to make the Military look good and yet the Enquirer prints this? If it was from a Marine out in the field, then I would not have commented on it at all. This is propaganda, plain and simple.

The Cincinnati Harold

New local satire site. Have a read.

CincyBlog readers might find this story of big interest.

I can attest to having met one of the writers "Blaine Chowder."

Fog

Do you have a voice that only turtles and snails can hear? Do you have to scream to be heard over the rustle of the wind through trees? Well you may just have Fog voice, yes that's fog voice.

Ok, enough of the infomercial rip off. If you have ever talked to me in a bar, which I will say many readers actually have done, you will learn that I have a voice made for print (and yes a face for radio). I have a fairly low pitch and no volume. I have to really talk loudly in a bar, at least what I consider loudly, to be heard. I was Drinking Liberally last night and my many 'brilliant' tracts on maintaining Social Security were surely lost in the Latin music.

If you are ever talking to me a bar and can't hear me, scream at me to scream back. Then you might hear me.

In all seriousness, do not scream at me, I am joking. (This means you FunnelCake)

Bronson's Column Moving

Peter's column is going to the Editorial Page of the paper, out from under the heal of the Metro section. What should we expect? More of the same reactionary bible thumping and theocratic goose-stepping. I think this way Peter maybe can avoid the touch feely fluff he has written often. I think this is he bid to be the next in the line of 50,000 right wing syndicated columnists. I think his problem here is that he is starting out a little late and he is just one more conservative in a pool gun toting bible thumping sharks who vive for every slot on FOX News they can muster.

Ego or Just Plain Nuts?

Is a suburban Judge Out of his Gourd or just pissed off at people over being sued for sexual harassment? This small town judge certainly is not ready to be appointed to any higher court.

Deters fires Collins

Firstly, how can a Deters fire anyone before he is in office? Second is it wise to fire someone who has a pending sexual harassment lawsuit pending against your office?

Piss or Get Off the Pot

Sam Malone is dragging his feet on picking a person to fill Pat DeWine's Council Seat. Malone has had a month to make his choice, but he can't find the time to meet with the county Party. Who is pulling his strings?

Wes chimes in with more.

Nick Spencer Targeted?

Nick Spencer believes his car windshield was purposely shot by someone last night. He believes it was likely the drug dealers around his bar.

CincyBlog's International Top Ten 2004

Here is my list of the top ten events/people/places/things/whatevers of 2004. The ranking is my own and uses very nonscientific methods

1. Indian Ocean Tsunami
2. American Presidential Election
3. Iraq War (including Abu Ghraib)
4. Ukraine Election Crisis
5. Yasser Arafat's Death
6. Madrid Bombings
7. Russian School Seizure
8. Sudan Genocide
9. Florida Hurricanes
10. Iran & North Korea's Nuclear Weapon Programs

Honorable Mention: 9/11 Report Issued, Reagan's Death, Marlon Brando's Death, Anti-Gay Laws Pass, Hati Falls into Turmoil, FCC goes Puritanical, Lance Armstrong with 6th Tour de France, and the EU Expansion.

Also the Top Ten stories of no importance that got way, way to much news coverage:

1. Scott Peterson's Trial
2. Martha Stewart's Trial and Jail Term
3. Kobe Bryant's Trial
4. NBA Brawl at Pistons-Pacer's Game
5. Michael Jackson's Indictment
6. The "Attack" on Christmas
7. Anything with Paris Hilton in the Title
8. Nick and Jessica
9. Janet Jackson's Boob
10. Mel Gibson

Conservative News Top Ten

Damn, FOX News never fails to show its stripes as a conservative news outlet when they for the top news stories of 2004 they include the Oil for Food scandal and have the number one story titled "W for President." They also showed their tabloid stripes by including all of the celebrity trials as a top story. We can look forward to yet another year filled with FOX's brand of right wing news.

The Diner Is Open For Business

If anyone has been there or plans to go to the Diner on Sycamore, let us know how it was or when you plan on going.