Love that Cincy Water

Natilife as a gem of a video link where the mystery will linger as to why Cincinnati's drinking water was tapped for the Colbert Report spoof.

Congrats to H & L

H & L (two friends of mine) are getting married tomorrow, so I thought I'd send a shout out to them and give them a big congratulations. If they are reading this before the wedding, I appreciate their readership, but I think they have more important things to be doing!

In all seriousness: I am very happy for both of you and I wish you happiness and a long life.

Bare Blogging

The Know Theatre of Cincinnati is blogging their latest production: Bare. It opens April 3rd.

Looking Ahead at Music in Cincinnati

Tickets are on sale for the 2008 Macy's Music Festival, July 25 and 26. This is one of the best annual music events in the Queen City (and likely the most praise-worthy effort to be undertaken at Paul Brown Stadium in the next 12 months). Friday night features Patti LaBelle and Earth Wind & Fire; Saturday performances include Frankie Beverly, Jill Scott, and the Cincinnati Choir.

This summer, the Cincinnati Opera will present Puccini's Madame Butterfly; Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor; Daniel Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas; and Verdi's La Traviata. Subscriptions are on sale now; single tickets become available in late May. A membership in Center Stage, the Opera's YP group (and in opera-world, "young" is defined as under 40), has long been considered one of the best buys in town. The company has also decided to start performances earlier this year: each show begins at 7:30 this summer.

And finally, the Cincinnati Symphony has announced its 2008-09 schedule. Highlights include a performance by Midori, the Cincinnati debut of up-and-coming composer Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto (featuring Colin Currie, for whom the concerto was written and whose performance of it gave rise to rave reviews), and the American debut of a "new edition" of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection."

Wifi and Metro

Looks like Metro will have WiFi on the Downtown/Mason express line. I'd love to ride this bus (I work in Mason), but the no sidewalks on Mason/Montgomery Road and the lack of a crosswalk (over five lanes of traffic!) are currently preventing me from taking it.

Light rail, anyone?

Why Is There a Quiz on a Newspaper Website?

I know this is just supposed to be fun and it is only on the front page of the Life Section, but why have it at all? Aren't newspaper supposed to be 'above' this type of thing?

Open Mouth, Insert Foot?

Last week, I was mildly critical of the Hamilton County Young Democrats for their alleged inactivity.

A recent check of the group's website, though, reveals lots of stuff coming up in the next few weeks, including:

• A St. Patrick's Day Party at Hamburger Mary's (no, I still can't get myself to call it Universal Grille);
• An after-party at Below Zero following the Century Club Reception (you need an after-party to make the Democratic prom complete); and
• The local premiere of Uncounted at the Esquire on March 26th.

Guess I just should have been more patient. Sorry, HCYD.

History Question

As a Cincinnati transplant, one of the things I missed out on was being educated (probably during grade school) about local history. One of the things I've always wondered about is the historical reasons for the Swiss cheese-like appearance of Cincinnati. Why do Norwood, Elmwood Place, and St. Bernard exist as separate political entities?

In most major cities, you could hear an argument over whether a particular adjacent suburb should have been incorporated or annexed. But having small pockets of sovereign municipalities in the middle of a city is a little unusual, even by Ohio standards. What gives?

Not A Good Sign

Question you'd rather not hear a judge asking a prosecutor as he's sentencing you or your client for a speeding ticket:

"How much can I fine him?"

CincyFringe 2008 Line Up Announced

The 5th annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival has announced its lineup for 2008. The Enquirer has more here.

TheConveyor.com is planning on wall to wall, beer to beer, and play to play coverage again this year of the Cincinnati Fringe festival. Keep an eye on The Conveyor's Fringe Coverage for more news and previews of Fringe.

Stickland Dismisses No. 2 Spot

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland reportedly told the Cincinnati Enquirer's Editorial Board that he would not accept the VP spot if asked by either Clinton or Obama.

The talk of VP and Ohio brings to mind one big and simple question: How do the Dems win Ohio? Yes, grassroots GOTV is what I think is the main weapon for turning any election, but that is not factor at play. On the surface the tide is pouring against the GOP, but many Ohioans are easily swayed by fear and bigotry. For evidence just look to the election of Bush in 2004 and to the Gay Marriage ban.

A VP candidate isn't going to win a national election. A VP candidate could win a state, and a state could turn the election. Yep, it is elementary political science, but sometimes elections are that simple.

Streetcars!

I actually considered not putting anything in the body of this post, as I have a theory that we can generate 30-50 comments just by writing the word "streetcar." But there is news to discuss.

Earlier today, reports the Enquirer's blog, Council agreed, 6-3, to appropriate $800,000 to fund the uptown-link study. The "no" votes were cast by Qualls, Cranley, and Monzel.

It's still unclear (at least to me) what the plan is going forward. Does the City begin funding and construction of the Downtown/OTR loop while the Uptown study takes place? Or do we wait for the study to be finished? And does the "I-want-an-Uptown-connection-now" crowd have enough votes to kill the project if the City can't build the entire proposed system immediately (and it almost certainly cannot), rather than in two phases, as was initially proposed?

Amongst the usual nonsensical comments to the Enquirer's blog (I'm proud to say that Griff has generated a readership that gets us the best comments of any local blog!) are two thoughtful comments by Greg Harris (or at least someone claiming to be him). You can read them here and here. Kind of makes you wish Harris were on Council instead of . . . oh, say, Qualls, Cranley, or Monzel? Kind of makes you wish he had run for County Commission. Kind of...never mind.

And why can't I get any councilmembers to introduce an ordinance to rebuild the inclines? :-)

All Dressed Up And No Place To Go...

You might recall that one of my New Year's resolutions was to become more involved in the community. Recently, I even joined (by paying membership dues) the Hamilton County Young Democrats.

Realizing I might actually have a little free time this month, I went to the HCYD website to figure out how to do something constructive. Luckily, they have lots of upcoming events to keep me busy.

If Hamilton County does "turn blue" this year, it will be despite the local party's best efforts.

Kaldi's Moving?

I'm way behind on this but CityBeat reported on the possible move of Kaldi's to Findlay Market At this point it appears to be talk, but I've heard the rumors are out there. I don't see it working as a bar there. Findaly Market is not a place people go at night.

Discrimination Against Gays and Transgender Persons in Ohio --- I Am Shocked!

Well, guess the Citizens for Community Values crowd will have something new to get worked up about now that several state legislators are introducing legislation in the Ohio General Assembly to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. For those of us who work in organizations that already provide such protections in employment and that provide domestic partnership benefits, this legislation perhaps does not seem so revolutionary. But, for the vast majority of gay and lesbian persons who do not work or live in such environments, such legislation is long overdue. Currently, seventeen states and the District of Columbia have laws that currently prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in both public and private employment: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

I guess we all get to hear again about how this is just about "special rights" from people who would gladly remove such protections from women and racial ethnic minorities if they could find a way. There can be little doubt that such legislation is needed in a world where a 15 year old boy in California, Lawrence King, who suffered taunting and bullying by his classmates because of his sexual orientation and gender identity, is shot and killed in school by one of those classmates – a 14 year old boy or where a member of the Oklahoma state legislature can say that "the Gays are the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam."

Breaking News: CincyBlurg Returns!!!

I got the flash email within the hour from BlurgGirl herself announcing the return of CincyBlurg.

Pay for your tap water and help a child-- Tap Cincinnati

I read about the Tap New York project originally in the New York Times and I'm terribly impressed that Cincinnati is on the list to do this before it becomes a global event.

What's happening? 80 restaurants in the Cincinnati area will be asking diners to pay for their tap water-- $1 each. It starts Sunday, March 16 and ends Sunday, March 22.

When's the kickoff? Friday, March 14, 6:30-10:30 at Bang Nightclub

Which restaurants are participating?

20 Brix, Amarin, Andy's Mediterranean Grill, Aqua, Baba Budan, Bar Louie, Bella Luna, Bellevue Bistro, Beluga, BlackFinn Restaurant and Saloon, Boca, Carlo & Johnny, Chalk, Cityview Tavern, Cityside, Daveed's, deSha's, Dewey's Pizza (four locations), Embers, Greenup Café, Honey, Hugo, Indigo, Jean Robert @ Pigall's, JeanRo Bistro, Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, Jimmy D's Steakhouse, Kona Bistro, LaRosa's Rapid Run, Lavomatic, Mac's Pizza Pub, McCormick & Schmick's Fresh Seafood, Mesh Restaurant, Mike and Jimmy's Chop House Grill, Mio's Hyde Park, Mitchell's Fish House, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill, Nada, Nectar, Nicola's Restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, The Polo Grille, The Precinct, Red, Riverside, Sake Bomb, Skyline Chili, Slatt's, Teller's of Hyde Park, Tink's Café, Trio, Tropicana, Universal Grille, Via Vite, Village Kitchen Restaurant, The Vineyard Wineroom, The Waterfront, ZaZou Grill and Pub, Zip's Café.

I hope you'll patronize these restaurants during that time, and donate your own dollar. $1 can provide clean water for a child for 40 days. $10 can provide clean water for a child for a year. So little can do so much, and I'm so proud of Cincinnati and the owners and operators of these restaurants for giving back.

More questions? Visit www.tapcincy.org.

Media Bias?

I'm interested in the following Enquirer headline:

Stripper Claims Rape Attempt.

Ordinarily, the Enquirer's crime coverage is extremely sympathetic towards alleged victims (yes, this might just be my own criminal defense attorney bias showing). But here, the headline (a) puts the alleged victim's profession front-and-center and (b) marginalizes the accusation by using the word "claims." It's almost as if the headline writer is expressing skepticism about the allegation.

Had the alleged victim been, say, a pizza delivery driver, it's unlikely the headline would be written the same way; instead, it would probably be "Springfield Twp. Man Charged With Assaulting [or Attempting to Rape, or something similar] Delivery Driver." By making "stripper" the subject (gramatically) of the headline, the Enquirer places the focus on the alleged victim rather than the defendant.

Is there something to this, or am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Are all allegations of sexual assault that are made by strippers subject to increased media scrutiny in the wake of the Duke rape case? Or is the headline a form of subtle editorialism expressing a not-so-subtle bias about whether someone in the sex industry can be believed--or possibly, whether she can be raped at all?

This is in the online edition; I don't know what's in today's print edition of the paper.

New Blog: Somewhere Over the Rhine

Check out a new blog Somewhere Over the Rhine from a new OTR Resident.

Time Check

If you haven't yet set your clocks and watches ahead, you're going to be an hour late everywhere you go.

Can't wait until October, when we get to make up the hour of sleep we lost last night.