Bush in Ohio

He rambled into a Vietnam Question. The audience was filled with hardcore Republicans, but I think the fact the question about Vietnam was asked is a small sign of how low Bush is, even with his base.

Dressing Up?

This article claims there's a trend towards dressing more formally in the workplace. Is this true? Where I work has a nearly open dresscode, so Jeans and t-shirts are common. What about other places around town, is this true? I thought Business Casual was the norm now, not just a growing trend.

A Step Back: A Wake Up Call to Women

This should be a wake up call to women who don't want to have to die on the orders of the government.

For those of you who support a right of a women to not have the government order her to give birth and who voted for George Bush in 2004 or 2000, you should look back on the damage you have helped cause on the people in this country.

As Kevin Drum points out, the actual ruling doesn't really affect something that happens very often. The ban on IDX always was a political football that was more about symbolism, than change. The problem here is the ruling. How it was decided is bad. How this 5 person majority views personal rights is bad. How they view freedom is bad. If you do nothing else in your lifetime, make sure the next series of Presidents will appoint people to the court who believe in personal freedom.

Endorsement Battle: The Next Day

The Enquirer has a recap of the Dem meeting which confirms my take from last night, but spins it. The news is the fact that there was a significant effort to oust Berding, something the Enquirer played as something that "fizzled." What the Enquirer misses is that the anti-Berding effort indicates that a large portion of the Democratic base is not going to be easily convinced to support Berding. He may not want or need that support, but he is not a lock to win re-election. In the end, Berding will have to abandon Democratic issues and move to the right, which likely will mean he will lose the endorsement fight next cycle.

UPDATE: For a better take on the meeting, check out CityBeat's blog. The best part is the exchange between Kevin Osborne and Berding:

Asked by CityBeat to comment after the meeting, Berding said, “Why? You’re just going to write whatever you want to write.” Pressed to clarify if that was a “no comment,” Berding replied, “That’s a ‘no comment’ to you, yes.”

He sounds like a cocky prick in that exchange. I guess he doesn't want Kevin's vote. A lesson to all politicians: Be nice to the press, no matter what.

Something New For Bella's

Hidden in this article is the news that a new lease is close to being signed for a new business at the Bella's location at 6th and Walnut. That location is just to good not to have some type of restaurant or bar.

City Dems Pick Choices

As I type, the candidates are making their cases for getting the endorsement from the City Dems. Berding as already spoke as of about 7:15PM. He was reported to be humble. All of the candidates are getting 3 minutes to speak.

UPDATE: My source at the meeting gave me an interesting tidbit on Cecil Thomas's speech. In it Thomas stated that the Dems should run the City. The implication Thomas made is that they currently are not running the City. This to me could be viewed as a reference to the "Fiscal Five" on council, which is not a block of Democrats.

UDPATE#2: It appears an effort was made to vote for each candidate separately, but that effort was quashed. This was likely an effort to pull Jeff Berding out from the pack, where he would face much more opposition.

UPDATE #3: The slate passed 75 - 43. It appears that a large group of people were not happy with the slate. Berding clearly must be the cause of most of the opposition. My understanding is that most votes have been rubber stamps in the past.

Indian Hill Crime

Will the people of Indian Hill now be scared to death of Rheinstrom Park because they've read this story in the media? If not, why? Per capita hate crimes must have "jumped" through the roof in Indian Hill.

Easter Again?

Joe Hansbauer writes again about the resurrection of Main Street's bar district. I am looking optimistically at this situation in that not only will it happen, I think it will, but that the focus of these locations will not be to gain the dance club college kids. Instead, it would be something else. What is that something else? I don't exactly know what the target market would be. Who is going to want to go to the Old Jefferson Hall or RBC if they are not remodeled? Also, is there a market for this number of bars, at least the number we talking about this quickly? Over the year, if they stagger the openings, build up buzz through a big media blitz, then you could build a new scene. Can all of this, plus 7th Street/Fountain Square, plus Mainstrasse, plus Newport, plus Northside, plus Mt. Adams, plus Mt. Lookout all be the home of nightlife? Is the market niches wide enough at each to make all of them viable?

Robo-Calls?

Robo-Calls? Who uses the dreaded robo-call in hopes of getting an endorsement? As an incumbent no less!

Challenging Liquor Permits

From a couple weeks back: WCPO reported on the establishments being challenged in an effort to rid the city of crime based on booze. Most of these places are corner "markets" that cater to the dirt poor or the wino. The rest are bars that have a problem with serving criminals. Then there is R.P. McMurphy's which is just a place with too much rowdiness/idiocy for a nice neighborhood.

The list:

* Wilson's Market - 3800 Zinsle Avenue - Kennedy Heights
* Walt's Grocery - 118 West 15th Street - Over-The-Rhine
* Sam's Market - 1900-1902 Linn Street - West End
* McMurphy's Irish Pub & Coffeehouse - 2910 Wasson Road - Oakley
* Queen Ann Bar & Grill - 2141 Central Avenue - West End
* Phoenix Cafe - 641 Walnut Street - Downtown
* Parktown Cafe - 1624-26 Linn Street - West End
* Jet In Market - 1205-07 Linn Street - West End
* Ike's Blues & Jazz Club - 2924 Gilbert Avenue - Walnut Hills
* Golden Nuggett - 2194-96 Queen City Avenue - Fairmount
* Glenway Market - 4420 Glenway Avenue - Price Hill
* Don's Deli - 1500 Beech Avenue - Price Hill
* Cole N Quick Drive Thru - 2029 Dana Avenue - Evanston
* Best For Less Market - 1820 Vine Street - Over-The-Rhine
* Club Embassy - 3602 Warsaw Avenue - Price Hill
* Amir Mini-Market - 549-553 Findlay Street - West End

More on Mass Transit

The Downtowner delves into transportation. The question comes up again, are Streetcars the answer? It depends in part on what is defined as a streetcar, but to me the answer is clearly yes, but....that doesn't fix the broader metro area transportation problem that is being ignored by the rest of metro area. We have too many cars out there and we need to get rid of the congestion.

Fountain Square Grows Again

The latest restaurant, Cadillac Ranch Rock-N-Country Bar & Grill does not sound like my kind of place, but variety is good. The Square needs to attract a wide range of themes, but stick to entertainment for adults.

Nazi Group 'Suspends' March

The Enquirer is reporting that the Nazi group planning a march through OTR have postponed it because of an outstanding warrant for the Ohio leader of the Nazi group.

Ok, let's hope this is the end of it. There shouldn't be any march going on this Friday, spread the word on that. Even though the article indicates the Nazi's are claiming to still want to do it, they are in reality blowing smoke. Which in the end is all this whole thing is, one big exercise in blowing smoke out of the asses of very stupid people.

OTR Foundation Has New Leader

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation has named a new director: Michael Morgan takes over the post from retiring director Marge Hammelrath.

CAC Silk and Spice Gala After Party

Hit the CAC Gala After Party April 21st at 10PM at the CAC (6th and Walnut Streets, Downtown, Cincinnati).

The CAC’s Kaplan Hall lobby becomes a shock-rock club space with DJ Bill Redman and a cash bar.

After Party reservations are $20 in advance at www.contemporaryartscenter.org; $25 at the door.

Stalkers

If you make 29 phone calls to a person in one week and those calls allegedly are heavy breathing over a porn soundtrack doesn't that make you a stalker? Don't stalkers get charged with crimes and go to jail? Well, a police investigation concludes 29 calls were made from former FOP president Keith Fangman's cell phone to current FOP president Kathy Harrell as reported by The Enquirer. The only punishment Fangman got was a letter in his file. That is intolerable.

There is either more to the story on the end of Harrell, or Fangman should be fired, at a minimum.

Last Day in St. Louis

Yes, posting has been non-existent for the last few days. Sorry about that. I won't be looking for the massive crowd of well-wishers at the airport upon my arrival back in town tonight.

Until then, keep it open, but clean!

In St. Louis

Ok, I'm running late for now, so I'll open it up again.

Smitherman Is a Loon

First off, I hate Nazis. I also hate the KKK. I don't however believe that we, as a society, should think like they think and willfully allow a situation to occur where human beings are attacked, no matter how horrible individuals may be. Chris Smitherman, recently elected president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP, issued one of the stupidest letters (pdf) from a supposed community leader that I have ever read.

Chris Smitherman has demanded the Cincinnati Police Department offer no protection for the Nazi's march. Smitherman is clearly opening the door for a situation where human beings could be beaten or even killed on the streets of Cincinnati.

If Smitherman is going to run a chapter of an organization that has long been associated with non-violence, then I fear that here in Cincinnati we have the beginning of a sectarian struggle much like the one people in Baghdad are facing today.

If you can't rise above the level of your oppressors, then you are an oppressor.

The letter is signed by him alone, so I presume this was a solo effort on his part. Smitherman is off his rocker. How did anyone ever endorse this man for office?

Additinally, I find it odd that he managed to write a letter that mentioned Christians and Muslims, but when the topic of the letter is about a Nazi group Jewish people were not mentioned at all.

Finally, Damn Chris Smitherman for making me write this post. Why does he have to create a firestorm out of this. He could have issued a simple press release condemning the idiots and requested a few things. Instead he makes demands. He makes demands in a tone that sounds like as a terrorist, nearly as much as these Nazis.

New Downtowner

The Downtowner has be reborn as "The Downtowner, Pulse of the City." Biggest addition to this effort are in 2 places. First, they have a website: www.pulsedt.com. Secondly they have expanded their circulation to include Covington, Newport, Bellevue, Oakley, Hyde Park, O'Bryonville, East Walnut Hills, Clifton, Mt. Lookout and Northside. So far the new paper is expanding their presence in a positive way. They need to clear up the website first off, it is very clunky, and doesn't always format well or at all. They are akin to the Community Press, so if that is their target, go for it.