Uh, Bias, Hello??????

I took grief from commenters, who included some employees of Gannett I am fairly sure, about my strong contention that the Enquirer (editors mostly) has a huge bias against the city in favor of a suburbanite culture. Well, I present to you Exibit C for the prosecution. Why is this part included in what starts as a puff piece profile of the West Chester Area?

Others say people are coming here because it's not Cincinnati, which is losing people faster than any other big city in the nation, according to the U.S. Census.

"Who is his right mind would live in Cincinnati?" says Charlie Chappell, one of the original landowners of the Union Centre Boulevard area and president of West Chester 75 Inc., a group of investors who put up land for the interchange.

"We have better schools," he said. "We are more civilized. We have less crime."

But at the same time, township officials say they are not trying to steal business or residents from Cincinnati or Dayton.

Well what ever township official said they are not trying to steal business or residents from Cincinnati or Dayton was in my opinion lying their ass off. This reads like a West Chester Chamber of commerce propaganda piece. Where's discussion of sprawl? Where's the discussion of the McMansion homes and stale 'lifestyle centers' so championed as "newness" but from an honest perspective is responsible for more destruction of distinct American Culture than any other force today. The national homogenization of America is the single most destructive force for innovation of ideas and life in America, and that effort is crystallized in what suburbs have become, especially here in the Cincinnati Area.

Battle of Aggression

The Trial of Howard Beatty is starting to sound like a battle of who was acting like a bigger thug, Beatty or Oba. Who was the bigger peacock? I am still unable to grasp how two grown men let themselves get to the level of aggression where they had to carry around guns.

Change in Defense

Howard Beatty, the alleged murder of Kabaka Oba, and his lawyer, Ken Lawson, have changed tracks in what according to the information presented in the article is a tough case to defend. The article reports specifically that shooting of Oba was on video tape:

Prosecutors have a key piece of evidence from a video surveillance camera, which shows Oba walking to his car parked along Plum Street. Beatty is seen pulling up alongside, getting out of his car, walking over to Oba, firing several shots, getting back into his car and driving away.

Based on that alone, there is no doubt that Howard Beatty fired the shots. The rest seems like it is a major reach. For every person Lawson drags out to claim Oba was threatening Beatty, the Prosecutor will likely match with someone showing Beatty's aggression. The best Beatty can hope for is a conviction on a less crime.

This is going to be something of a show trial, with the cast of thousands being either witnesses or in the audience. It starts tomorrow, so look for some post Fourth of July fireworks.

Two Teens Shot In Forest Park

OK, with me posting this story about two teens getting shot in Forest Park, what will be the reaction about Forest Park or its surrounding communities? Will people start negative talk about Forest Park or Fairfield or even the nearby TriCounty area?

Strange Local Crime

What makes people stupid enough to kidnap someone for ransom. Real life isn't the movies, so 7 people are likely going to learn the hardway. Interesting tidbit from the article:

"This is the first kidnapping for ransom that Hamilton County has seen in more than 30 years."

In a city this size, I would have thought that there would have been more than 1 kidnap for ransom case in 30 years, but since it is the type of crime you can almost never get away with, that then makes sense.

Kudos for McConnell

Something I give rarely, but I say Kudos for Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for helping prevent the anti-free speech flag burning amendment from passing. Every once in a while a Republican, who is not up for reelection, will avoid puffing his chest on faux issues of patriotism. It only makes sense though, anyone who thinks spending money is free speech, logically must agree burning a flag is a well.

The concept of property rights should've made the GOP against this bill anyway, since it is illegal now to burn a flag that does not belong to you. What is being talked about is my right to burn the flag that I own. Next will they try and make it a crime to write swear words in my bible.

Radio Swap

Clear Channel is swapping station formats for 1530 and 1360, with sports going to 1530, and Liberal talk radio moving to 1360. For dramatic affect, Rick Bird is trying to paint this as some big sign of Liberal Radio doom.

We're in Cincinnati. It is surprising that the Liberal Talk radio is even on the air. It is obvious that sports is going to be much more popular and far easier to sell ads on, than political talk plagued with groups trying to get it off the air. This change will likely make Clear Channel money, which is what they are after, above all.

We're Not Dead Yet

I applaud the Enquirer Editorial Board for their call for a revitalized Main Street. Questions abound, however:

1. Why is it time now, instead of a year ago to help Main Street?
2. How do we help Main Street?
3. What kind of Main Street does the collective 'we' want?
4. Who are we trying to help?
5. Is Main Street where we want marquee 'Entertainment District?'
   

Mostly I find this as kind of a 'throw a bunch of stuff on the wall and see what sticks' type of column, bully with calls for actions, but short on specific solutions or even goals. It strikes me as a sense of nostalgia for 1999 Main Street. It's not looking forward, it is looking back, and not learning.

When a few bars close, why are we worried about it? When bars close in Mt. Adams, we don't get editorials lamenting the death of Mt. Adams. Also, in Mt. Adams when bars close, we don't have the police/county/city letting the empty places go to hell with bums, crime, and derelict landlords.

In the tone of the editorial I still get a sense of their notion of morose of the Cincinnati Urban Culture. That notion brings out the negative attitude the Enquirer regularly puts on the city. The article is 'positive' in the sense that the editorial board understands that the city needs an entertainment district with vibrant/hip/edgy activities, but I get the sense that they really don't like having to need it.

Much like my regular laments against the soulless culture of the suburbs, I will repeat that the city is still around, still fighting against the bland and insipid boundaries of the suburban culture, which is being imposed on urbanites by much of the local media. If we are to remain an overall vibrant society progressing forward with new ideas, we can't pretend that we want a vibrant urban core. Instead we must find solutions to make one.

Ok, Then Why?

Why can't gays and lesbians experience and live in a marriage?

UPDATE: Did Peter Bronson even try and save Nick and Jessica's marriage?

Who is Milton Dohoney?

I know that some on City Council are not huge fans of Milt, but who is the guy? Joe Wessels of the Post gives a short profile.

Shocked!

I am shocked to learn that Peter Bronson is highlighting the efforts of Westwood Concern, a group with the reputation of being lead/founded by, well, racists.

What is left out of this article is the overt "guess who's coming to the neighborhood" theme. Westwood Concern may or may not be pushing subtle/overt racism, but their tone and methods strike a tone of bigotry that can't be denied. They don't want their neighborhood to "change." When Bronson talks about crime as the concern, I think he's not translated from Westside Speak the concept that crime = poor blacks to many who live in that area. It is not surprising that Peter looks past that kind of bigotry. It is sad.

Good Final Friday Article, but....

Good to read this article on Final Friday, but I think the folks at Enjoy the Arts should have been listed.

RIP Coach Randy Walker

Tragic News for Miami fans as former Football Coach Randy Walker died from an apparent heart attack last night.

This news is even more horrible with the loss of what would have been a great day for Randy Walker: Northwestern's season opener against Miami in Oxford.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Can 3CDC or business owners breathe life back into Main Street? The dates that should be worrying people are in September, when Midpoint occurs. What venues will they use? Where do you put the bands that played last year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday?

Choices are now much more limited. (Note to Enquirer: you forgot to include the move of the Warehouse to Main Street, and you did not include Club Dream on the list)

More of the Same

Today we learn that it's not the inner-burbs fault that Hamilton county is losing population.

"While Cincinnati is the nation's pace-setter for population loss, Hamilton County continues to have the two most-populous townships in Ohio - Green and Colerain."

So the city sucks, burbs great! Ok, Enquirer, we got you the first time. The horse is dead already.

New City Manager Today?

Then Enquirer is reporting that Milton Dohoney has the 5 votes needed to be confirmed as City Manager.

I will predict a 6 to 3 vote. At this point the grandstanding has gone on long enough. Mallory is not going to give in on who he is choosing, so have the vote, and lets move on. We can't afford to let this go on through the summer in limbo.

The Enquirer's Tuesday Desdemona Story

Well, Why a story wasn't in Sunday's and Saturday's paper is unknown, but at it got some coverage. 7,000 appears to be a really good number. I don't know how that was figured, but it sounds better than expected.

Mason Cop Accused of assault

You look extra guilty when you don't turn yourself in immediately and you are a cop.

Big question: Where is his gun? He was put on leave yesterday, but is his gun kept at the police station or was it seized or does he still have it? The public should know.

Hopefully, he has surrendered by now.

Slap in the Face

Can we say without a bit of hesitance that the Enquirer has a clear editorial bias against the City of Cincinnati? Who runs this story a couple of days after a mega story that basically shouts from the hill-tops that the city is dying? Someone or a group of someone who like to bash City Council, and in turn all of the people trying to make Cincinnati a real city, not just a parking lot with two sports stadiums for the exurbanites to visit twice a year.

What gives with this attitude? Is there an editor(s) at the paper with a big stick up his/her ass? Did someone have a beggar ask them for money on their way to the Fourth Street Starbucks? What motivates this negative attitude?

Hat-tip to montecarloss from comments.

"Enquirer" Coverage Of Des

Via comments: A link to some great blogging on Desdemona from Cincinnati.com's Brian Butts.

Why wasn't this put into print?