What is the significance of the comments disappearing (other than that's not how it's supposed to work)?

 

The comments were almost universally highly critical of both COAST and the Enquirer's shoddy, enabling coverage of them. The comments also linked to the the accurate of what happened at the hearing on UrbanCincy. Comments only disappear when they're critical of the Enquirer or their pet projects (COAST, Brent Spence Replacement, etc).

 

Ahhh, ok - now I get it. I very rarely look at the Enquirer comments. That's pretty low though. What a shady operation. I wonder what clown really has the power at the Enquirer's site. Probably some mid-level guy no one has ever heard of...without any oversight.

 

Thanks for explaining it. Good write up in UrbanCincy - glad someone covered it.

As much as I don't condone the Enquirer for deleting all of the comments, I do understand them deleting links to a competing publication. At the end of the day, the Enquirer is ultimately a company that's in business to make money.

 

If someone posted on All Aboard Ohio's website a link to an contrarian article on Flexible Pavements' (the asphalt industry lobbying group for whom ODOT Director Jerry Wray was VP) website, I'd delete it too. Good thing I get to approve every posting on All Aboard Ohio's website BEFORE it gets published!

 

Today, it seems as though the lines between advocacy and journalism have blurred so that you can't tell when a so-called independent media voice has become a tool of political extremism. The best answer is to have multiple media voices. And if you don't like the ones that are out there, today's technology makes it very easy to start one of your own. I'm glad that UrbanCincy is available as a contrarian voice. Keep promoting it!

The Enquirer is a private enterprise whose goal is to make money, not provide a public forum. They have been editing / censoring their Letters to the Editor section for many years. If I had any complaint about their comments policy, it is that they publish comments but then delete them, giving posters a false impression that the posters are contributing to a public forum. They could instead solicit comments and only publish ones they approve, like they do in their paper version, or like KJP does in his publication.

It's going to be interesting to see how that private enterprise fares after their pay wall goes live in October. I can't imagine many people will start to pay for their meager content.

Updated:

 

 

http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-25977-coasts_latest_anti_streetcar_rant_is_flimsier_than_normal.html

 

Blue Ash City Council voted 6-1 Aug. 9 to redo the Blue Ash Airport deal. COAST has now vowed to lead a referendum on the rescinded deal for the 2013 ballot, even though Blue Ash councilmembers say the it falls under a section of the city charter that makes it immune to referendum. Chris Finney, legal counsel for COAST, says the rescinded deal is still a sale, so it can be brought up for referendum.

 

If the referendum is placed on the ballot, it could delay the rescinded deal for 14 months. If voters approve the referendum, it would rescind the rescinded deal, and Blue Ash and Cincinnati will be forced to work with the 2006 deal.

"Blinded by me you can't see a thing!"

Updated:

 

 

http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-25977-coasts_latest_anti_streetcar_rant_is_flimsier_than_normal.html

 

Blue Ash City Council voted 6-1 Aug. 9 to redo the Blue Ash Airport deal. COAST has now vowed to lead a referendum on the rescinded deal for the 2013 ballot, even though Blue Ash councilmembers say the it falls under a section of the city charter that makes it immune to referendum. Chris Finney, legal counsel for COAST, says the rescinded deal is still a sale, so it can be brought up for referendum.

 

If the referendum is placed on the ballot, it could delay the rescinded deal for 14 months. If voters approve the referendum, it would rescind the rescinded deal, and Blue Ash and Cincinnati will be forced to work with the 2006 deal.

 

Great reporting! Glad there is more than one journalistic outfit in Cincinnati, especially one that's determined to pursue truth rather than make its publisher and/or advertisers feel more comfortable.

I've always appreciated CityBeat's willingness to dig into really meaty stuff as compared to some alt weeklies in other cities.

This article makes it even more clear how goofy this entire charade is.  I’m fairly certain the people of Blue Ash will be smart enough to either not allow a referendum to get off the ground, or vote it down by a huge margin if it comes to that.  Blue Ash saves money and gets to build the park they’re already receiving bids on sooner, even if some citizens there don’t like the idea of Cincinnati building a streetcar, they’re smart enough not to be pawns in Finney’s game to hurt it, and probably have a more vested interest in their own park.  No one in Blue Ash will vote against their own park just to put a small dent in Cincinnati’s Streetcar funding, and they’re smart enough to see that as it is.

Meanwhile, Blue Ash gets the ball rolling on park design ...

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/08/blue-ash-selects-architect-for.html

Cincinnati got a brief mention in a Wall Street Journal article today on streetcar projects across the country.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444900304577579360844409848.html

Can't believe they Quoted Josh Spring. They should have mentioned he prefers open drug use to safe children playing in a park.

Can't believe they Quoted Josh Spring. They should have mentioned he prefers open drug use to safe children playing in a park.

 

Who's josh spring

Director of Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

Can't believe they Quoted Josh Spring. They should have mentioned he prefers open drug use to safe children playing in a park.

 

Who's josh spring

 

The guy whose livelihood depends upon OTR remaining a ghetto where the homeless and poor are penned up.

Streetcar Bids Can't Be a Secret

 

An Ohio appeals court ruled Wednesday that a company that unsuccessfully sought a contract to build five streetcars in Cincinnati cannot keep its bid secret.

 

In a case triggered by The Enquirer’s request to review bid documents, the Ohio 1st District Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Brookville Equipment Corp. of Pennsylvania waived the confidentiality of its proposal by participating in a public bid process to build vehicles for Cincinnati’s $110 million-plus streetcar line.

 

The court’s 2-1 order upheld a July decision by Hamilton County Commons Pleas Court Judge Pat DeWine in which he said that the public has a right to know how its tax dollars are spent.

Meanwhile, PG Sittenfeld was an in-studio guest on Brian Thomas's show this morning.  Said he voted against rescinding the Blue Ash sale because there wasn't enough "transparency".  Also complained yet again with Thomas about the wording of the streetcar ballot issues, again insinuating that the wording was the city's doing.  Last week, the day of the Blue Ash council hearing, Finney was on 700 complaining about the wording and Cunningham failed to tell listeners that it was Finney himself who wrote it.

Yes, I heard that on the way into work today as well.  They kept suggesting that the city on purpose made it confusing ballot language.  Kept calling everything "No means Yes". 

 

And the entire Blue Ash thing is not even news really.  It was good for both sides and a win-win for the communities who will recieve the large portion of the funds that do not go to the streetcar but to all neighborhoods of the city. 

 

I am all for "transparent" spending and the tax payers should know what their tax dollars go to but the constant negativity and complaining makes no sense.

I am all for "transparent" spending and the tax payers should know what their tax dollars go to but the constant negativity and complaining makes no sense.

 

There is financial benefit and potential career advancement in attacking the Streetcar.  Some people have a louder conscience than others.

Where are the attacks on the Kennedy Connector? or the Waldvogel Viaduct?  It gets singled out because it is new and different.  I want the best for Cincinnati and always will but some people are so discouraging at times.

The cost for Blue Ash to buy the airport is about 115% of its total (operations + capital) annual budget.  Meanwhile, the streetcar's city contribution is costing Cincinnati about 15% of its annual operations + capital budget.

 

115% for the small city and 15% for the big city.  Yet talk radio, COAST, and Smitherman have the suburbs convinced that Cincinnati is teetering on the brink of financial ruin.

People need to remember that the language of issue 48 was incredibly clear cut as it appeared on the ballot:

 

Shall the Charter of the City of Cincinnati be amended to prohibit the City, the City Manager, the Mayor, the Council and the City's various boards, commissions, agencies and departments from spending or appropriating any monies or incurring any indebtedness or contractual obligations for the purpose of financing, designing, engineering, constructing, building or operating a streetcar system which means a system of passenger vehicles operated on rails constructed primarily in existing public right of ways through the year 2020, by enacting new Article XVI?

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but was there not a small dispute over the ballot summary language on council. Wasn't the word "streetcar" added to make it more "clear" at the urging of some of the anti-streetcar voices on council (hoping that the word streetcar would cause more yes votes)?

So this is really weird. The OTR blog has been receiving a few hits today from an odd blog called "Republicans for Higher Taxes" because one of its posts from today linked to the OTR blog's post about Cunningham lauding OTR and how Sean Donovan supports the streetcar.

 

The Republicans for Higher Taxes blog reminds me of the Screwtape Letters.

 

http://republicans4highertaxes.blogspot.com/2012/08/streetcar-supporter-sean-donovan-part-2.html

^ That blog is a blackhole you do not want to go down. I spent the better (worst) part of an afternoon reading back on all their posts about a year ago and then stuck them in my google reader so I could keep track of whatever nonsense they are spouting. It is kind of a sarcastic version of the whistleblower.

 

Edit: An even more sarcastic version of the 'blower

I know someone by that name comments on the COAST blog a lot.

 

If I had to guess, I would say that RFHT and all of the people commenting on the posts are different accounts owned by Mark Miller. I think he is just talking to himself on a second blog...

 

^^That blog is written by cowardly COASTer Jeff Capell, with some contributions by Chris Finney.

 

Capell & Finney use that blog as a platform to launch personal attacks that are so far below the bar that they would even by unacceptable on the already horrible COAST blog. Capell is too big of a coward to sign any of his blog posts, he posts as the above mentioned repugs4highertaxes, and also as "Forward Conservative" on the COAST blog.

^^That blog is written by cowardly COASTer Jeff Capell, with some contributions by Chris Finney.

 

Capell & Finney use that blog as a platform to launch personal attacks that are so far below the bar that they would even by unacceptable on the already horrible COAST blog. Capell is too big of a coward to sign any of his blog posts, he posts as the above mentioned repugs4highertaxes, and also as "Forward Conservative" on the COAST blog.

CC, how do you know this?

Trust me Quim, I know this for a fact.

A magician never reveals his secrets.

Thanksgiving dinner?

 

You don't have to answer that.

The poster above is partially correct in his statement of who runs republicans4hightaxes - it's Jeff Capell. Chris Finney doesn't directly contribute to the site. Chris whispers his ideas into Jeff's ear, who then puts them on the site. Chris is smart enough to keep his skirts cleans and makes sure that he can't be directly traced to the site in order to pretect himself from when the inevitable liable and defamation lawsuit(s) are filed over the posts there. Jeff Capell plays Cato Fong to Chris Finney's Inspector Clouseau in this (and other) regards, acting as Chris' Guy Friday. Do note that your IP is logged when visiting both the R4HT and COAST blogs. Jeff Capell obsesses with identifying the IP's of those who visit the sites so he can determine if the victims of his blog attacks are reading them. If he thinks that he has an IP identified he tags your IP with a name and can see when you have visited and he tracks your visits to the sites. He endlessly compares visitors back and forth with the COAST blog. If you are going to those either of those sites I would suggest that you do so through use of a proxy.

 

 

I was a member and supporter of COAST for years, and I still believe in their core values. I left the group over its obsession with and fixation on the street car project (which I still oppose), and particularly because of the hateful personal attacks that are launched by a small number of COAST members primarily by means of R4HT, as well as, directly in the comments section of the COAST blog. I am devoting my activism to other groups since leaving COAST.

 

 

Thank you for allowing me to post.

 

 

FC

'New available funds could be used for brent spence bridge/streetcar'

 

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/local_news/new-available-transportation-funds-could-be-used-for-brent-spence-bridge

 

Should be interesting to see how COAST will try to ban this potential federal funding for the streetcar should the city apply

^It mentions that funds have to be approved by the Department of Transportation. Does that mean DOT or ODOT? If ODOT is responsible for distributing the funds there is no way the streetcar will get any.

Fed DOT. My question after reading that is whether the DOT will appropriate the funds directly to projects, or rather to states, or even to local MPOs. My preference would be either directly to projects or to MPOs. Our state DOT doesn't have their priorities straight.

IMO - this money would be best spent going to several smaller projects that could use additional funding or need funding to begin with. This would get those projects built and completed.

 

Putting this money toward the BSB would be a waste since we have absolutely no idea how long until the project would get the rest of the needed money. Meanwhile, this influx would just sit their collecting dust, rather than creating jobs.

The poster above is partially correct in his statement of who runs republicans4hightaxes - it's Jeff Capell. Chris Finney doesn't directly contribute to the site. Chris whispers his ideas into Jeff's ear, who then puts them on the site. Chris is smart enough to keep his skirts cleans and makes sure that he can't be directly traced to the site in order to pretect himself from when the inevitable liable and defamation lawsuit(s) are filed over the posts there. Jeff Capell plays Cato Fong to Chris Finney's Inspector Clouseau in this (and other) regards, acting as Chris' Guy Friday. Do note that your IP is logged when visiting both the R4HT and COAST blogs. Jeff Capell obsesses with identifying the IP's of those who visit the sites so he can determine if the victims of his blog attacks are reading them. If he thinks that he has an IP identified he tags your IP with a name and can see when you have visited and he tracks your visits to the sites. He endlessly compares visitors back and forth with the COAST blog. If you are going to those either of those sites I would suggest that you do so through use of a proxy.

 

 

I was a member and supporter of COAST for years, and I still believe in their core values. I left the group over its obsession with and fixation on the street car project (which I still oppose), and particularly because of the hateful personal attacks that are launched by a small number of COAST members primarily by means of R4HT, as well as, directly in the comments section of the COAST blog. I am devoting my activism to other groups since leaving COAST.

 

 

Thank you for allowing me to post.

 

 

FC

 

Why would you follow this thread, if you are sick of the streetcar obsession?

^ Relax. Merely stating one's former association with COAST and that one opposes the streetcar isn't against the forum rules, as long as the discussion remains civil. I'll add, however, that continued general discussion about COAST that isn't directly related to the streetcar should take place on the appropriate thread.

The poster above is partially correct in his statement of who runs republicans4hightaxes - it's Jeff Capell. Chris Finney doesn't directly contribute to the site. Chris whispers his ideas into Jeff's ear, who then puts them on the site. Chris is smart enough to keep his skirts cleans and makes sure that he can't be directly traced to the site in order to pretect himself from when the inevitable liable and defamation lawsuit(s) are filed over the posts there. Jeff Capell plays Cato Fong to Chris Finney's Inspector Clouseau in this (and other) regards, acting as Chris' Guy Friday. Do note that your IP is logged when visiting both the R4HT and COAST blogs. Jeff Capell obsesses with identifying the IP's of those who visit the sites so he can determine if the victims of his blog attacks are reading them. If he thinks that he has an IP identified he tags your IP with a name and can see when you have visited and he tracks your visits to the sites. He endlessly compares visitors back and forth with the COAST blog. If you are going to those either of those sites I would suggest that you do so through use of a proxy.

 

 

I was a member and supporter of COAST for years, and I still believe in their core values. I left the group over its obsession with and fixation on the street car project (which I still oppose), and particularly because of the hateful personal attacks that are launched by a small number of COAST members primarily by means of R4HT, as well as, directly in the comments section of the COAST blog. I am devoting my activism to other groups since leaving COAST.

 

 

Thank you for allowing me to post.

 

 

FC

 

 

Thanks for the info and welcome to the UrbanOhio forum.

^ Relax. Merely stating one's former association with COAST and that one opposes the streetcar isn't against the forum rules, as long as the discussion remains civil. 

 

Agreed.

work at Race and Findlay

 

Natininja and others - Thank you for the welcome. I think that the street car debate is still worth having, hence the fact that I occasionally read this blog. My belief is that it is a vast waste of scarce public dollars in bad economic times. However, one of my key reasons for leaving COAST is that the street car became the single object of obsession with that group's leadership. There are far too many subjects that conservative groups might target today to allow one issue to dominate 99% of any groups time and efforts, as became the case with COAST. My other reason for leaving that organization is the very low level of discourse that some COAST leaders are employing against their political opponents and their extended families. These types of attacks are unacceptable and do not reflect well on any group that employs them. I no longer wanted my name to be affiliated with COAST as a result.

 

As I saw an ongoing discussion about R4HT I wanted to let you know that not everybody on the other side of the debate is so rabid and uncivil. Reasonable people may have reasonable disagreements, and may debate those disagreements in a civil manner. Thank you for hearing me out.

 

FC

^ Relax. Merely stating one's former association with COAST and that one opposes the streetcar isn't against the forum rules, as long as the discussion remains civil. I'll add, however, that continued general discussion about COAST that isn't directly related to the streetcar should take place on the appropriate thread.

 

I only asked because I am curious about the answer. If the question seemed pointed or hostile, it's probably due to posting from a mobile device and not having the patience for a longer reply. I am a little skeptical, however, about the poster's stated identity, but I guess addressing that suspicion is off topic.

 

If they are who they say they are, I am glad there is at least one COASTer to flee from the insanity. As we all know, COAST has gone beyond conscientious opposition and into full jihad mode where the ends of killing the streetcar justify any means whatsoever. Cheers to sanity.

He never said he was sick of the streetcar obsession, he said he left COAST due to THEIR obsession and fixation on the streetcar and personal attacks.  I found the post very well written and informative.  It sounds like he is very interested in the streetcar project, just not on the pro side, which is fine.

 

OH, and welcome to the forum!

Natininja and others - Thank you for the welcome. I think that the street car debate is still worth having, hence the fact that I occasionally read this blog. My belief is that it is a vast waste of scarce public dollars in bad economic times. However, one of my key reasons for leaving COAST is that the street car became the single object of obsession with that group's leadership. There are far too many subjects that conservative groups might target today to allow one issue to dominate 99% of any groups time and efforts, as became the case with COAST. My other reason for leaving that organization is the very low level of discourse that some COAST leaders are employing against their political opponents and their extended families. These types of attacks are unacceptable and do not reflect well on any group that employs them. I no longer wanted my name to be affiliated with COAST as a result.

 

As I saw an ongoing discussion about R4HT I wanted to let you know that not everybody on the other side of the debate is so rabid and uncivil. Reasonable people may have reasonable disagreements, and may debate those disagreements in a civil manner. Thank you for hearing me out.

 

FC

 

I don't blame you.  From everything I hear, Mark Miller used to be a normal guy who you could have a beer with and talk politics.  Now he's gotten so obsessed with the streetcar that it literally consumes every second of every day of his life.  Just read his twitter account at GoCOAST. 

 

He connects every single non related thing the city does bizarrely to the streetcar project.  You're right its obsessive and its gotten to be a bit psychotic. 

Natininja and others - Thank you for the welcome. I think that the street car debate is still worth having, hence the fact that I occasionally read this blog. My belief is that it is a vast waste of scarce public dollars in bad economic times. However, one of my key reasons for leaving COAST is that the street car became the single object of obsession with that group's leadership. There are far too many subjects that conservative groups might target today to allow one issue to dominate 99% of any groups time and efforts, as became the case with COAST. My other reason for leaving that organization is the very low level of discourse that some COAST leaders are employing against their political opponents and their extended families. These types of attacks are unacceptable and do not reflect well on any group that employs them. I no longer wanted my name to be affiliated with COAST as a result.

 

As I saw an ongoing discussion about R4HT I wanted to let you know that not everybody on the other side of the debate is so rabid and uncivil. Reasonable people may have reasonable disagreements, and may debate those disagreements in a civil manner. Thank you for hearing me out.

 

FC

 

Welcome to UO. Sorry if my directness came off as incivility. As I said in my next comment (just now noticing you replied a few minutes before), I'm glad some people sharing COAST's general philosophies recognize they have stepped off the deep end.

 

After two popular votes on ballot issues written by COAST (plus several council elections) have failed to "kill the trolly folly boondoggle crime wagon choo choo train to nowhere", it's probably time to focus on other issues, instead of executing vicious attacks against the project's supporters. Sane people of differing political persuasions should be able to agree on this point. Glad you appear to be a sane person.

From everything I hear, Mark Miller used to be a normal guy who you could have a beer with and talk politics.  Now he's gotten so obsessed with the streetcar that it literally consumes every second of every day of his life.  Just read his twitter account at GoCOAST. 

 

He connects every single non related thing the city does bizarrely to the streetcar project.  You're right its obsessive and its gotten to be a bit psychotic. 

 

When the streetcar finally has its grand opening, Mark will hopefully regain his sanity. If not, seppuku remains an option.

From everything I hear, Mark Miller used to be a normal guy who you could have a beer with and talk politics.  Now he's gotten so obsessed with the streetcar that it literally consumes every second of every day of his life.  Just read his twitter account at GoCOAST. 

 

He connects every single non related thing the city does bizarrely to the streetcar project.  You're right its obsessive and its gotten to be a bit psychotic. 

 

When the streetcar finally has its grand opening, Mark will hopefully regain his sanity. If not, seppuku remains an option.

 

Death above dishonor!

Former, COA T's members have proven a radical and unethical lot for years - effigy beheadings of local politicians, Brinkman's tampering with ballot signatures, Finney's vulgar outbursts at public political rallies, the constant misrepresentation of facts, the insane twisting of reality, their dubious alliances of convenience at every turn, their anti-productive campaigns of harassment & the fact that almost every ballot initiative they come up with would actually INCREASE government spending really should have tipped you off some time ago.

~Sorry for veering off topic.

About a dozen vacant properties on the streetcar route in OTR south of Liberty St. are now under renovation.  These are mainly the single-family homes that face Elm and Race, but also on the cross streets between them.  What's interesting is seeing the Jostin signs on several of them, which is the Smitherman family's business. 

About a dozen vacant properties on the streetcar route in OTR south of Liberty St. are now under renovation.  These are mainly the single-family homes that face Elm and Race, but also on the cross streets between them.  What's interesting is seeing the Jostin signs on several of them, which is the Smitherman family's business. 

So, why is Smitherman allowed to vote on streetcar issues? Seems like an ethics issue to me.