I finally got around to watching the first episode of Harry's Law. I DVR'd it because with school and everything, I rarely have time to watch shows during their regular schedule.
Anyway... I thought it was good. I know most Cincinnatians are going to say "but it portrays Cincinnati in a negative light!" How so? Does Law & Order portray New York in a negative light? Does CSI? No.
This show could be set anywhere in America. I think the story-line, while a little contrived, was inspiring. Kathy Bates is an amazing actress, and she portrays her character well. I think there is a lot of potential for growth with the plot, and it will be interesting to see where the producers go with it.
I should be getting around to watching the first two episodes of Police Women of Cincinnati soon, too. So busy...
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Police Women of Cincinnati
On Thursday, January 13, 2011 "Police Women of Cincinnati" premiers on TLC. This is the 5th installment of the Police Women franchise after Broward County, Maricopa County, Memphis, and Dallas. Below is the description of the show from the Discover.com website:
Let me first say that I very much respect the hard work that our men and women in blue do. It is a difficult job with long hours, and to also balance a family and home life can be quite a feat at times. To be a woman in this job is even more difficult because you have to deal with stereotypes and overcoming possible sexism and disrespect.
The description from TLC saying that these women "patrol some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America" is playing fast and loose with the facts. They do not cite where this information came from, leading many to assume this is true when in fact, it is based on a flawed survey from walletpop.com from 2009 declaring that a small section of Over the Rhine was the most dangerous neighborhood in America. This survey was refuted by UrbanCincy.com HERE. This past year (2010), Over the Rhine moved down this same list, but was again analyzed and refuted by UrbanCincy.com HERE.
At a time when Over the Rhine is experiencing a resurgence with new bars and restaurants opening (MOTR, Neon's, Joe's, Lavomatic, Senate, Venice on Vine, Lackman, etc), new apartments and condos (Parvis, Lackman, Trideca, Trinity Flats, Duveneck, etc), other investments by 3CDC, and the streetcar beginning construction soon, this show can only harm the growth and increased investment in the neighborhood. I struggle every day to educate my friends about the facts of the neighborhood, and how the area is safer and cleaner than it was 6 years ago when I moved to Cincinnati.
This show is not going to discourage me from moving to and investing in OTR because I spend time there and know the neighborhood. However, the people in our region who rely only on the news reports on TV (many of which wrongly report locations of crimes), reality shows, and our biased hometown paper never get the facts. They are fed the sensationalist line that OTR is a dangerous haven of prostitution, murder, and other crimes and they blindly believe these reports.
When I tell people my experiences about the neighborhood they look at me sideways like I am some sort of crazed fool. While it has been a challenge convincing Elyse to look at apartments in OTR (I understand the hesitance) but she is willing to learn and experience and look past the sensationalism. We are already concerned that many of our friends from the burbs or other neighborhoods aren't going to be willing to visit us if we live there.
With this show coming online, people from the suburbs around Cincinnati are not going to want to spend time in OTR and people from outside the region are not going to want to move to Cincinnati. I'm afraid this show will be seriously damaging to Cincinnati's reputation. In the world of PR and marketing, perception is reality unfortunately. However, we should be working to make perceptions match the reality that OTR is a much improved neighborhood with a bright future.
As part of an ongoing blog series here, I will watch each episode and post my reactions afterward. I have DVR, so it may not be the same day, but I am interested in seeing how they portray this city that I love so much. One good thing I can see coming from this are some beautiful footage of Cincinnati.
In the meantime, I challenge all of YOU to watch a few episodes of the show and then go down to OTR and patronize one of the many establishments down there. If you need any recommendations, let me know!
"The latest installment of the hit POLICE WOMEN franchise moves to Cincinnati, Ohio - The Queen City - to follow four highly respected female officers with the Cincinnati Police Department. These fearless women will encounter intense cop drama and action as they patrol some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America, all while balancing kids, significant others, and life at home."
Let me first say that I very much respect the hard work that our men and women in blue do. It is a difficult job with long hours, and to also balance a family and home life can be quite a feat at times. To be a woman in this job is even more difficult because you have to deal with stereotypes and overcoming possible sexism and disrespect.
The description from TLC saying that these women "patrol some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America" is playing fast and loose with the facts. They do not cite where this information came from, leading many to assume this is true when in fact, it is based on a flawed survey from walletpop.com from 2009 declaring that a small section of Over the Rhine was the most dangerous neighborhood in America. This survey was refuted by UrbanCincy.com HERE. This past year (2010), Over the Rhine moved down this same list, but was again analyzed and refuted by UrbanCincy.com HERE.
At a time when Over the Rhine is experiencing a resurgence with new bars and restaurants opening (MOTR, Neon's, Joe's, Lavomatic, Senate, Venice on Vine, Lackman, etc), new apartments and condos (Parvis, Lackman, Trideca, Trinity Flats, Duveneck, etc), other investments by 3CDC, and the streetcar beginning construction soon, this show can only harm the growth and increased investment in the neighborhood. I struggle every day to educate my friends about the facts of the neighborhood, and how the area is safer and cleaner than it was 6 years ago when I moved to Cincinnati.
This show is not going to discourage me from moving to and investing in OTR because I spend time there and know the neighborhood. However, the people in our region who rely only on the news reports on TV (many of which wrongly report locations of crimes), reality shows, and our biased hometown paper never get the facts. They are fed the sensationalist line that OTR is a dangerous haven of prostitution, murder, and other crimes and they blindly believe these reports.
When I tell people my experiences about the neighborhood they look at me sideways like I am some sort of crazed fool. While it has been a challenge convincing Elyse to look at apartments in OTR (I understand the hesitance) but she is willing to learn and experience and look past the sensationalism. We are already concerned that many of our friends from the burbs or other neighborhoods aren't going to be willing to visit us if we live there.
With this show coming online, people from the suburbs around Cincinnati are not going to want to spend time in OTR and people from outside the region are not going to want to move to Cincinnati. I'm afraid this show will be seriously damaging to Cincinnati's reputation. In the world of PR and marketing, perception is reality unfortunately. However, we should be working to make perceptions match the reality that OTR is a much improved neighborhood with a bright future.
As part of an ongoing blog series here, I will watch each episode and post my reactions afterward. I have DVR, so it may not be the same day, but I am interested in seeing how they portray this city that I love so much. One good thing I can see coming from this are some beautiful footage of Cincinnati.
In the meantime, I challenge all of YOU to watch a few episodes of the show and then go down to OTR and patronize one of the many establishments down there. If you need any recommendations, let me know!
Monday, January 3, 2011
BRT in Cincinnati?
City Council has a pending motion in the Livable Communities Committee to require the City Manager to work with SORTA to develop a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that works with current services and the proposed Streetcar system.
BRT allows more efficient use of buses and mimics light-rail by putting buses on exclusive rights-of-way.* Other systems implemented elsewhere have riders pay fares at the stops so that boarding is quicker and stops are set up more like rail platforms, giving a more comfortable experience for riders. Examples of this can be seen HERE, showing the level platforms more often associated with subway and rail, and HERE, showing a bus pulling up to a fully enclosed station.
The motion would allow the City Manager to coordinate planning with SORTA, seek federal funding, and implement the plan. According to Metro, it would take about 4 years to implement. Federal funding is available and was used by cities like Chicago and Cleveland in the Midwest.
The motion identifies preferred routing along I-75 and 71, Reading Rd, Vine St, MLK, Madison, Queen City Blvd, and Harrison Rd and along publicly owned and abandoned rail rights-of-way.
What has me most excited about this is the use of abandoned rights-of-way. When I was in a studio in Spring of 2010, we worked on creating a comprehensive fixed rail transit system for the Cincinnati region. A major point of our routing was to use the existing public rights-of-way for the light-rail and commuter rail components. (Docs can be found HERE. From the link look at each separate neighborhood board. I will post the full map soon.)
It would be incredibly forward-thinking for council to leverage these existing rights-of-way for use in BRT. If, in the future, more money became available for true commuter rail and light rail lines, the BRT along the rail line and throughout the city could be converted to rail lines.
BRT is a great choice for today because it runs similarly to light rail with lower capital costs. It is not a true substitute for light rail, however. Conversion to true light rail in the future would be a best case scenario.
________________________________________________________
* BRT runs on exclusive rights-of-way through a majority of their routing in most cases. This can mean anything from dedicated bus lanes alongside other vehicles as seen in this rendering of a proposed BRT line in New York or completely separate from other vehicular travel along independent rights-of-way as show in THIS image of a BRT line in Cambridge, UK.
BRT allows more efficient use of buses and mimics light-rail by putting buses on exclusive rights-of-way.* Other systems implemented elsewhere have riders pay fares at the stops so that boarding is quicker and stops are set up more like rail platforms, giving a more comfortable experience for riders. Examples of this can be seen HERE, showing the level platforms more often associated with subway and rail, and HERE, showing a bus pulling up to a fully enclosed station.
The motion would allow the City Manager to coordinate planning with SORTA, seek federal funding, and implement the plan. According to Metro, it would take about 4 years to implement. Federal funding is available and was used by cities like Chicago and Cleveland in the Midwest.
The motion identifies preferred routing along I-75 and 71, Reading Rd, Vine St, MLK, Madison, Queen City Blvd, and Harrison Rd and along publicly owned and abandoned rail rights-of-way.
What has me most excited about this is the use of abandoned rights-of-way. When I was in a studio in Spring of 2010, we worked on creating a comprehensive fixed rail transit system for the Cincinnati region. A major point of our routing was to use the existing public rights-of-way for the light-rail and commuter rail components. (Docs can be found HERE. From the link look at each separate neighborhood board. I will post the full map soon.)
It would be incredibly forward-thinking for council to leverage these existing rights-of-way for use in BRT. If, in the future, more money became available for true commuter rail and light rail lines, the BRT along the rail line and throughout the city could be converted to rail lines.
BRT is a great choice for today because it runs similarly to light rail with lower capital costs. It is not a true substitute for light rail, however. Conversion to true light rail in the future would be a best case scenario.
________________________________________________________
* BRT runs on exclusive rights-of-way through a majority of their routing in most cases. This can mean anything from dedicated bus lanes alongside other vehicles as seen in this rendering of a proposed BRT line in New York or completely separate from other vehicular travel along independent rights-of-way as show in THIS image of a BRT line in Cambridge, UK.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
So Cincinnati City Council Passes a Budget...
... and its complete crap.
Yet again they are using one time stop-gap measures to fix problems cause by structural instability. You don't fix a building and call it habitable after the wall fell out by putting up a wooden beam and some plastic to cover the hole. And we can't continue to do this with the budget. Council needs to take a good hard look at all the programs, expenses, and sources of income in the budget and identify where savings can be had, where investments need to be made to secure increased future revenue, and look at what departments need to be right-sized.
I hope council begins working on next year's budget very soon, otherwise, we will be in this same position a year from now. I doubt they will make many difficult decisions, though, since election year approaches, and many fear for their jobs. They should.
It's only a matter of time before the whole building comes crashing down.
Yet again they are using one time stop-gap measures to fix problems cause by structural instability. You don't fix a building and call it habitable after the wall fell out by putting up a wooden beam and some plastic to cover the hole. And we can't continue to do this with the budget. Council needs to take a good hard look at all the programs, expenses, and sources of income in the budget and identify where savings can be had, where investments need to be made to secure increased future revenue, and look at what departments need to be right-sized.
I hope council begins working on next year's budget very soon, otherwise, we will be in this same position a year from now. I doubt they will make many difficult decisions, though, since election year approaches, and many fear for their jobs. They should.
It's only a matter of time before the whole building comes crashing down.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
$5 /gallon Gas by 2012??
The former President of Shell Oil is saying that Americans could be paying as much at $5 per gallon of gasoline by the year 2012. (Link Here) One other person quoted in the article stated that while he doesn't think that we'll see $5 per gallon by 2012, he does expect it within the next decade.
What does this mean for Cincinnati?
For starters, the city currently supports no mode of transportation (other than bike) that doesn't run on petroleum-based fuels. This means that the populace is limited to modes that will be getting more and more expensive to operate. What we will see happen is increases in the costs of goods and services in the region. Because most products are delivered to their final destinations via truck, their costs are tied to the cost of transportation and the costs of fuel.
Currently, transportation costs range from under 15% to 20% of a household's annual income (HAI) within the City. Outside the city it ranges from 20%-28%. Housing costs average in the 15%-25% throughout most of the city. (Source) As fuel prices rise, more and more of a HAI will be used for transportation. With housing costs fairly stable currently, these increased costs will eat away at money that would be spend on other goods.
Since we already determined that those other goods are going to also get more expensive, this means that the households are going to have less money to spend on ever-more-expensive goods and services.
How can we prepare?
The city needs transportation options that run on fuels other than petroleum based diesel and gasoline. Fixed-guideway transit such as streetcars, subway, and lightrail all run on electricity. As gas prices continue to increase, people will look more and more to alternatives to driving for their commuting needs.
Cincinnati is currently planning on installing what is to be the first phase of a (hopefully) multi-phase multi-modal transportation system. The streetcar will work with existing Metro service to provide incentives for people to live and work in the center city where housing and transit costs are lower. Future projects that are already being explored include Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along major corridors and additional extensions of the streetcar lines.
What can you do?
Call, email, snail mail our councilmembers and tell them that you support increased transit options and want transportation to continue to be a priority in this city.
What does this mean for Cincinnati?
For starters, the city currently supports no mode of transportation (other than bike) that doesn't run on petroleum-based fuels. This means that the populace is limited to modes that will be getting more and more expensive to operate. What we will see happen is increases in the costs of goods and services in the region. Because most products are delivered to their final destinations via truck, their costs are tied to the cost of transportation and the costs of fuel.
Currently, transportation costs range from under 15% to 20% of a household's annual income (HAI) within the City. Outside the city it ranges from 20%-28%. Housing costs average in the 15%-25% throughout most of the city. (Source) As fuel prices rise, more and more of a HAI will be used for transportation. With housing costs fairly stable currently, these increased costs will eat away at money that would be spend on other goods.
Since we already determined that those other goods are going to also get more expensive, this means that the households are going to have less money to spend on ever-more-expensive goods and services.
How can we prepare?
The city needs transportation options that run on fuels other than petroleum based diesel and gasoline. Fixed-guideway transit such as streetcars, subway, and lightrail all run on electricity. As gas prices continue to increase, people will look more and more to alternatives to driving for their commuting needs.
Cincinnati is currently planning on installing what is to be the first phase of a (hopefully) multi-phase multi-modal transportation system. The streetcar will work with existing Metro service to provide incentives for people to live and work in the center city where housing and transit costs are lower. Future projects that are already being explored include Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along major corridors and additional extensions of the streetcar lines.
What can you do?
Call, email, snail mail our councilmembers and tell them that you support increased transit options and want transportation to continue to be a priority in this city.
Monday, December 20, 2010
My Favorite Things - In Pictures!
I figure I should do a photo-list of some of my favorite things. Some are in Cincinnati, some are back home. All the pictures were taken over the last few years with my Canon point and shoot. Enjoy:
Animals:
Plants (One of my new-found passions is horticulture):
My mom's gardens:
Krohn Conservatory:
New York City:
Other:
Animals:
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| Shelly - 11 years old. My favorite Calico. She's at my parent's house |
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| Caley - 6 years old, I think. Also at my parent's house. I'm her favorite. When I'm at my parent's house she never leaves me and sleeps in the bed with me. |
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| Ozzy - 3 years old. At the parent's house. Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The MOST energetic dog ever. And I'm allergic to his slobber. |
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| Death Ray - 5 years old. My old roommate, Nick, and I got her when we lived on Euclid with some other guys. When she was a kitten, she would dart around the house and up and down the stairs. The name came from the fact that she seemed like she would take out anything in her path... like a death ray. |
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| Maddy - 3 years old. Had her when Nick and I lived together. Two years ago, I gave her to my grandma. She is now much fatter. |
My mom's gardens:
Cincinnati:
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| Downtown |
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| West End and Queensgate with Union Terminal featured |
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| Western Hills Viaduct |
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| Fountain Square |
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| Carew Tower - Where I currently work on the 28th and 29th floors AND my beautiful girlfriend, Elyse |
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| Chrysler Building from Empire State Building |
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| Cincinnati in NYC |
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| Grand Central Station |
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| Church... can't remember which one now. St. Patrick's? |
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| Hotel from Home Alone |
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| BEER!! |
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| Elyse at her 24th bday at Murphy's Pub in Clifton Heights. <3 |
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| I love urban 'ruins' - I spotted this in Eden Park. |
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| Old Cincinnati Water Works building in Eden Park. I believe this building was the control building for the old reservoirs that were next door in the park. |
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| Old retaining walls from the previously mentioned retaining walls. |
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| Old wall that contained the lower reservoir. |
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| Detail |
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| This photo reminds me of something one might find in Rome or Greece. |
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| Union Terminal - a beautiful art deco building. Formerly was the major train station for Cincinnati. Now houses the Cincinnati History Museum, Natural History Museum, Children's Museum, Cincinnati Historical Society, Omnimax Theatre, and Amtrak station with 3 day-per-week service with the Cardinal. Maybe someday we will see real passenger rail service return to this grand building |
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| View from inside the rotunda. |
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| Nipper Stadium - one of the oldest college football stadiums in the country. Home of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats Football Team... and the Bearcat Bands |
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Brent Spence Bridge
There was an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer today regarding the Brent Spence Bridge rebuild project.
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2011 a big year for Brent Spence plans
"After years of talk but very little action tangible to the public, 2011 should be the year when Greater Cincinnatians and Northern Kentuckians finally learn what a new Brent Spence Bridge will look like.
People also can expect to see how the interstates leading to the bridge on both sides of the Ohio River will be reconfigured, where new entrance and exit ramps will be built, and which homes and businesses might be displaced by one of the biggest public works projects in the region's history.
...
"Even the glacial-paced timetable that envisions the new bridge being completed by 2022 assumes there will be no major financing or design snags and that none of the dozens of things that could go wrong on a $2.3 billion-plus project will cause delays, an iffy proposition for a development of such magnitude."
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When I read the article in the paper, I was hoping to see some mention of transit in the article. The only use of the word was mention of the Transportation Reauthorization Bill that will need to be passed this upcoming year. I am still holding out hope that there will be inclusion of right-of-way or infrastructure for future light rail connection from Downtown Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky and possibly on to the airport.
With the project being estimated to cost $2.3 BILLION, it would only make sense to include provisions for mass transit. There have been recent studies (here, here, and here) that have shown that driving is on the decline, and with gas prices expecting to rise ever higher (here, here, and here in the coming years, forward thinking transportation planning would behoove area engineers and planners regarding this project. The combination of higher prices and younger people generally driving less will have two impacts: the projection of higher vehicular traffic in the next 20 years will most likely not be met, and the demand for more transportation options - including fixed rail transit - is going to increase drastically.
What is also frustrating is that fact that we have, between I-471 and I-71/75, 6 Ohio River bridges - 2 interstate, 1 pedestrian, and 3 local vehicular. The Taylor-Southgate, Roebling Suspension, and Clay Wade Bailey Bridges are relatively under-travelled. It is my opinion that it would be possible to route more local vehicle traffic to these three bridges and reduce the travel demand on the Brent Spence. This could potential save the region billions of dollars and prevent the construction nightmare that will exist over the next 10 years while construction on the new span occurs.
This money would be much better spent by putting it toward a comprehensive regional commuter or light rail system that is integrated with local bus and streetcar service. This combination of services would serve the suburban commuters who work in the city as well as provide convenient and efficient local transportation options for the residents of the city to complete day-to-day tasks, travel to work, and visit friends and family.
City Budget - Police & Fire Layoffs
Council: Concessions will save jobs
All 275 Cincinnati police officers and firefighters who face layoffs Jan. 2 could keep their jobs in a deal offered by City Council members Monday - if their unions agree to a total of $20 million in salary cuts and other concessions.
...
Ninety percent of the city's roughly 5,500 workers are represented by unions, a fact City Manager Milton Dohoney has stressed repeatedly as he talks about his proposed $340 million general fund budget that includes the layoffs and a $20 monthly trash collection fee.
------------------------------------
After reading this article from the Enquirer, a couple things struck me:
- City Council refuses to make the difficult choice to right size the city's police and fire departments.
- If council is going to ask police for concessions, they should approach ALL city departments with equivalent percentage concessions. This should include themselves. As Quinlavin said in the article, "she is certain her colleagues at the station would have agreed to concessions if management asked for help saving jobs." So she should be willing to help out herself and ask other departments to help if they have determined the police and fire jobs to be that important.
However, despite this, everyone needs to realize that there is no feasible way to cut the budget and fill the gap without some concessions from employes - either in the form of reductions in pay and benefits or from layoffs.
In the coming week, we are really going to see what Council is made of. There have been a number of new proposals from different groups within council. It going to be interesting.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Cincinnati
I moved to Cincinnati in the fall of 2004 to attend the University of Cincinnati. As I said in my last post, I attended to major in Civil Engineering and later changed to Urban Studies. While in school, I have tried to immerse myself in the culture of Cincinnati as much as I could. My freshman year, I was lucky enough to have a car while I lived in the dorms. For nearly the first full year I lived in Cincy, I would drive around every weekend just exploring the city. I would set off in a direction and get myself lost and find my way back to the dorms. This was the way I learned my way around.
My love for Cincinnati probably comes from where I grew up. Niles & Warren are small cities in northeast Ohio. I grew up in suburban Howland Township just outside Warren and Niles. The area is void of sidewalks and street-life like we are accustomed to in cities. I thought the Olive Garden and Applebee's were high class restaurants. Having a mall literally 2 minutes from my front door brought me up to think that shopping malls were the pinnacle of retail shopping.
Moving to Cincinnati was some serious culture shock. I instantly fell in love - in love with the hills, the neighborhoods, the people, the architecture, the art scene. Everything. I discovered new foods - you think there are Indian or Vietnamese restaurants in Warren? (I do miss all the Italian food of the Mahoning Valley.) I discovered public transportation. Aside from a high school trip to New York (where I didn't even ride the subway), I had never even seen trains or buses (aside from school buses). Now, I ride Metro to work or school almost everyday. I rarely drive my car anymore. Just once a week to Kroger for my weekly grocery run.
Ever since discovering UrbanOhio.com, I've also fallen in love with the urban issues revolving around Cincinnati. I have read nearly every article and research document publicly available regarding the Streetcar projects, the Banks, Washington Park renovation, Great American Tower, 3CDC's OTR projects, and many others. I have taken to fighting the good fight on Facebook and other blogs trying to get out the facts about projects that I, after much research and deliberation, have determined to be good and beneficial to the city. And while I am not judge, jury and executioner for the goings-on of the City, and everyone is welcome to their own opinions, I want people to understand that mine are grounded in research and the facts.
I care deeply for Cincinnati. I have defended her to many of my friends (most of whom are native Cincinnatians). I have also made new friends as a result of this. People tend to band together for common causes. We saw this for Issue 9 in 2009 with the coalition of Cincinnatians for Progress. We're seeing it develop again today for those who are looking to salvage a plan for the 3-C Rail Corridor after Governor-elect John Kasich is calling for its death.
This all has led me to the conclusion that Cincinnatians are a deeply passionate people - about their chili, their politics, their neighborhoods, there high schools - the list goes on and on.
My love for Cincinnati probably comes from where I grew up. Niles & Warren are small cities in northeast Ohio. I grew up in suburban Howland Township just outside Warren and Niles. The area is void of sidewalks and street-life like we are accustomed to in cities. I thought the Olive Garden and Applebee's were high class restaurants. Having a mall literally 2 minutes from my front door brought me up to think that shopping malls were the pinnacle of retail shopping.
Moving to Cincinnati was some serious culture shock. I instantly fell in love - in love with the hills, the neighborhoods, the people, the architecture, the art scene. Everything. I discovered new foods - you think there are Indian or Vietnamese restaurants in Warren? (I do miss all the Italian food of the Mahoning Valley.) I discovered public transportation. Aside from a high school trip to New York (where I didn't even ride the subway), I had never even seen trains or buses (aside from school buses). Now, I ride Metro to work or school almost everyday. I rarely drive my car anymore. Just once a week to Kroger for my weekly grocery run.
Ever since discovering UrbanOhio.com, I've also fallen in love with the urban issues revolving around Cincinnati. I have read nearly every article and research document publicly available regarding the Streetcar projects, the Banks, Washington Park renovation, Great American Tower, 3CDC's OTR projects, and many others. I have taken to fighting the good fight on Facebook and other blogs trying to get out the facts about projects that I, after much research and deliberation, have determined to be good and beneficial to the city. And while I am not judge, jury and executioner for the goings-on of the City, and everyone is welcome to their own opinions, I want people to understand that mine are grounded in research and the facts.
I care deeply for Cincinnati. I have defended her to many of my friends (most of whom are native Cincinnatians). I have also made new friends as a result of this. People tend to band together for common causes. We saw this for Issue 9 in 2009 with the coalition of Cincinnatians for Progress. We're seeing it develop again today for those who are looking to salvage a plan for the 3-C Rail Corridor after Governor-elect John Kasich is calling for its death.
This all has led me to the conclusion that Cincinnatians are a deeply passionate people - about their chili, their politics, their neighborhoods, there high schools - the list goes on and on.
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