Porkopolis

Note to Cranley: Come Out of the Iraq Closet

John Cranley’s latest commercial is cheesy as hell. An impersonator posing as George W. Bush makes a mock phone call to U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Westwood), thanking him for supporting the administration 92 percent of the time.

How Many Cops Does It Take to Arrest a Minister?

I have often criticized the way Cincinnati Police officers handle peaceful protests. In 2000, for example, while covering a nonviolent protest against corporate globalization, I was roughed up on Second Street by an officer for no apparent reason.

Mallory Says His Bodyguard Isn’t a Bodyguard

Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher Jr. and City Manager Milton Dohoney today were dragged into the political fight between the mayor and city council about who should pay for the mayor’s bodyguard.

Peace Supporters Plan Civil Disobedience

A 78-year-old nun, a filmmaker, a 15-year-old high school student, a minister and a newspaper editor are among the people planning a sit-in at U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot’s office Wed., Sept. 27, to protest the war in Iraq.

Paying for the Mayor’s Bodyguard

Cincinnati City Council began the process today to make Mayor Mark Mallory’s office pick up the tab for Mallory’s bodyguard.

WAIF Meeting Was Ugly

A lawsuit will likely follow this year’s turbulent annual membership meeting for WAIF-FM (88.3) community radio station. The session was marked by a near-fistfight in the parking lot and at least one person kicked out amid allegations of mismanagement and cronyism against the board of trustees.

Sure He’s the Devil, but There’s So Much More

When I listened to the radio yesterday, all I heard quoted from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ speech at the United Nations on Wednesday was that President Bush was the “devil” and that Chavez could still smell the sulfur lingering at the UN.

Creative Class on the Move

Old friend Richard Florida, who introduced the “creative class” concept that’s now overused and overexposed, has a new spin on his theory that cities and regions can improve their economic fortunes by attracting and retaining people who work in creative jobs and appreciate diversity, authenticity and the arts. Apparently now the creative class also drives up real estate values.

Ohio Makes Another Bad Top 10 List …

… and Cincinnati helps prove the point that we’re one of the top ten states for hate crimes against Muslims.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has released a report, The Struggle for Equality, that documents a 29 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslim Americans, the highest number ever recorded since the documentation of civil rights violations began.

Statistics Refute Streicher’s Claim

It’s official: National statistics are bearing out what many residents have been saying for more than a year, that Cincinnati’s homicide rate is increasing at an unusually fast rate.