Category Archives: Commentary

Area around Columbus casino shows signs of revival

Area around Columbus casino shows signs of revival
Signs of revival adding up around casino on West Side; businesses open or renovate, and infrastructure improves
By Steve Wartenberg
The Columbus Dispatch  •  Sunday August 31, 2014 11:23 AM

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/08/31/area-around-columbus-casino-shows-signs-of-revival.html

There have been tremendous changes around the Hollywood Casino. I give much credit to Chris Haydocy for taking a strong initiative and leadership to make this a better corridor. But are we just seeing cosmetic changes? Are we going to see a return of the big anchor stores that moved away several years ago to Grove City or Hilliard?

In order to bring in the young professionals are we going to see the same attractions that Clintonville and the Short North have to offer? How about upscale grocery stores that sell fresh items instead of the frozen “FAMILY SIZE” aisles that we are so accustomed to seeing here? How about fresh restaurants with outside seating instead of the re-evolving new building fast food mecca that is re-appearing on the corridor?

How about the housing stock just east of this corridor that is still suffering from absentee LLC’s and landlords buying up houses left and right for “investment” purposes just to sit and further decay between struggling owner occupied property owners?

Although I am happy with the cosmetic changes that are occurring, I struggle with the mention of the far Westsiders looking up to Clintonville and the Short North for comparison of attractions. Until we get some of the many and vast attractions that these two mentioned communities have not to mention the many businesses that have left the Westside to move to Grove City and Hilliard, I will continue to drive down the nicely remodeled tree lined corridor to the 270 interchange to get me to the communities that support my shopping needs currently not existent here on the Westside-Hilltop.

More Than 60 Charged In Columbus Prostitution Round-Up

More Than 60 Charged In Columbus Prostitution Round-Up
Posted: Aug 28, 2014 2:24 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 29, 2014 5:59 PM EDT
By: Denise Yost, Multimedia Content Manager – email

http://www.nbc4i.com/story/26395827/28-women-arrested-in-west-columbus-prostitution-round-up

This level of street prostitution is always tied to the drug house around the corner. Focus on the drug problem and the rest will follow. Smart people know where to get quality “safe” prostitutes and it’s definitely not on the street where these diseased skanks are tricking for their next fix. Drugs for sex is the cultural problem, not the prostitution in itself.

A Right to Be Protected from Guns – Washington Post Letter

We all talk about protecting our youth from guns and that we should be protected from people who carry guns. We tend to forget where most of these guns that our youth are getting are from the homes they reside in or stolen from other households where they were not secured. It is not a gun issue it is a stupid people issue and/or poor parenting, or just plain stupidity in keeping your children and household safe.

What we fail to realize that even if we make guns illegal the fact remains they are still here and will ALWAYS be here and in the hands of people who will CONTINUE to use them for ill deeds.

The fact remains as well that what is written in our Constitution will remain so until an Amendment can be passed which involves Congress, who represent the people. I have also read that we are faulting our President on this but in actuality – the President does not have a constitutional role in the amendment process, the joint resolution does not go to the White House for signature or approval.

In short if you are worried about your youth, educate your youth regarding the concept of a gun, the new touch policy of a gun just like we would teach our youth not to touch or pick up a drug needle on the ground.

Education and wisdom first then a law change perhaps will prevail.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-about-a-right-to-be-protected-from-lawless-gunslingers/2014/06/19/4b4e4152-f656-11e3-afdf-f7ffea8c744a_story.html

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USPS

So I was asked to place arrows pointing to the slot where the intake mail is to go, so that our trainer postal carriers understand that the mail is to go into the slot (referenced above the arrow) and not in the outtake section inside the door. This is a regulation locking USPS mailbox. Key provided to the Post Office. I was told that the trainer postal carriers are not familiar with such mailboxes and therefore the arrow should help them out. One would think that this sort of training is provided when they are taught how to drop off mail or that perhaps common sense would dictate that if a box is showing as a locked device that perhaps the mail should BEST be put INSIDE the locked portion of that box and not external to the locked portion of the mailbox. I offered to be an employee with the USPS since it appears that this basic common sense is not currently a hiring requirement and since I possess this basic skill set, I would be a great asset to the USPS but was told “to not go there.”

I have made three official claims with the USPS investigations on this and of course nothing gets resolved other than I am told that the local Postmaster will be advised. When I last spoke with the manager at the local post office (Georgesville Rd) this was his solution and that I should be understanding that they just may not know that mail should be deposited into the locking portion of the box.

Rates continue to go up with the USPS and customer service with them continues to deteriorate. As long as the USPS will be run with a government mind set instead of operating like a profitable business, we consumers will continue to receive poor service, poor customer service, and continue with decreased services such as potentially having Saturday service stop.

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The right to bear bombs

I recently came across this FaceBook, 06/07/14, post and had to report and comment the following:

A gun is geared to protecting oneself or family because of threat which may or may not involve injury or death. A bomb’s intent is to cause deliberate injury or death for the sole purpose of promoting threat. Both of course involve people, so really ANY tool does not kill people, people kill people. People make choices to kill people and therefore their CHOICE of tool is irrelevant. Remove one tool and another one will take its place. In closing I have yet to read that the Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of individuals to “bear bombs”.

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More Duck

More Duck
The network A&E, and the Robertson family announced Friday that Phil will still be part of the series.

A&E Welcomes Phil Robertson Back to ‘Duck Dynasty’
2:07 PM PST 12/27/2013 by Michael O’Connell

TV and media is a reflection of what our society is – all walks, shapes, and forms. We should all remember this and be proud that we live in a free society where shows like this can exist. It is about choice, if you don’t like it you don’t watch it. If more people make the choice not to watch it then it will be taken off the air. I’m proud that I live in a country where these choices exist.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/a-e-welcomes-phil-robertson-667647

Oracle and data collection

Newscast on CBS with Oracle’s Ellison who basically states that we shouldn’t be so alarmed of the Government collecting information on us because American Express, Credit Cards and Banks have been doing it for years.

There is a reason why we have databases and collect information. There is a reason why there are free services such as Facebook and Google, it is to collect information on us to sell to marketing companies.

I hate to say it but I collect information as well for my Agency’s marketing initiatives as well as for the company I work for. Contact information is gold and it is the way companies work especially in the 21st century.

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Target REDcard

I’ve always liked Target to shop. I like their products and like their business model.
===================

Dear REDcard holder,
Thank you for your patience with Target as we work through the breach of certain credit and debit card information at U.S. Target stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013. Due to high volumes to our call centers, we want to make sure that you have some key information.
We want you to know a few important things:

  • You do not need to call us unless you found charges on your account that you didn’t make.
  • You will not be held liable for any fraudulent charges.
  • We have made changes to our REDcard fraud detection and authorization procedures to further protect you.
  • We are offering free credit monitoring for one year to every single person who was impacted by this crime. We will give you more information about that soon.

If you have concerns and would like to check your account online, visit Target.com/REDcard.

For additional questions, check Frequently Answered Questions on Target’s corporate website.
We hope these resources help with your immediate needs. If you still feel you need to speak with someone by phone, you may call 866-852-8680.
Thank you for your continued support of Target.
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Scott Kennedy, President, Financial Retail Services, Target

Duck Quack

If you ask an opinion as in an interview for a magazine, already anticipating the answer and then promoting that answer to defame that interviewee just to promote your magazine’s agenda – wouldn’t that in itself pose and ethical statement? Wouldn’t that ethical statement be on the same controversy level of the moral statement of the interviewee? – Just something else to quack about.