FRONT PAGE OF THE OCTOBER 22, 2015 OF USA TODAY (HILL VALLEY EDITION)

MOSPEADA DIRECTOR TO DIRECT NEW "APPLESEED" FILM

From Anime News Network

The IGN website reported on Tuesday that Sony PicturesWorldwide Acquisitions and the Japanese studio Lucent Pictures Entertainment are producing Appleseed Alpha, a new CG-animated film of Masamune Shirow's science-fiction manga Appleseed, this summer. Shinji Aramaki(Starship Troopers: Invasion, Space Pirate Captain Harlock) is returning to direct this new project after helming two previous CG Appleseed films. Joseph Chou(Appleseed: Ex Machina, Halo Legends) is producing.

The new film will be "a reboot that will depict the early days of Deunan and Briareos in search of the legendary city of Olympus." IGN posted the first image from the film.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY 

CINCINNATI "ALL IN" FOR BID TO LAND 2016 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

We have a new hat thrown into the ring from Cincinnati.com

Cincinnati Republican leaders are “all in” on the decision to pitch the Queen City as the host of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

A group of leaders flew to Washington, D.C., on Monday for an “interested cities meeting” in which the Cincinnati contingent delegation was one of eight city delegations that questioned the selection committee about proposal specifics.

[edit] 

We’re all in,” Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou told The Enquirer. “A careful review of the (request for proposal) made us understand that we have what it takes.” 

Proposals are due Feb. 26. Cities must meet 47 benchmarks. 

The convention will be held sometime between June 27 and July 18, 2016, according to the Republican National Committee. 

Cincinnati’s proposal will include Kentucky and Indiana, giving it what the delegation hopes is a unique three-state pitch.

But the question, once again comes down to venue.

• Is U.S. Bank Arena ready for prime time? The privately-owned arena seats 17,556 people, but is widely thought to need upgrades. UC officials say Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials want them to consider playing home basketball games in the downtown arena, but they have not seen a plan that would make it work. 

"They would like to have UC be downtown because they think that would mean more dates and more activity downtown," UC board Chairman Fran Barrett said. "I would say it's realistic talk, but I don't know that anything's going to come of it." 

UC's Fifth Third Arena badly needs a renovation that could cost more than $100 million, and the university already has launched an $86 million renovation of Nippert Stadium for football. Sales of suites and club seats, and private donations, are paying for the Nippert project.

Those financial strains could make an arrangement that splits renovation costs downtown attractive to UC. Men's basketball coach Mick Cronin has publicly supported the idea. Arena manager Kristin Ropp declined to comment on whether there have been talks with UC.

The U.S. Bank Arena

To make an event like this work well you need as many bid as possible to find the best location. So I welcome Cincinnati's bid. What is interesting that Ohio will now have THREE cities bidding on the 2016 RNC. Both Columbus and Cleveland have thrown their hats into the ring as well. What needs to happen is for the three cities not fight with each other but fight to win the bid for Ohio. 

We will wait and see. 

KANSAS CITY STAR EDITORIAL ON THE 2016 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

                                                                                                                     RICH SUGG | THE KANSAS CITY STAR

The Kansas City Star has posted an editorial on the city efforts to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. Here is an excerpt

In a solid move, organizers have put longtime Leawood Mayor Peggy Dunn and husband Terry Dunn, former CEO of J.E. Dunn Construction Co., in charge of raising $50 million or more from the private sector to help finance the 2016 bid.

Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver and Columbus, Ohio — along with Kansas City — are considered frontrunners. At a meeting with GOP officials last week, Kansas City leaders touted the region’s credentials as a friendly place, convenient to get to from any part of the country.

In recent weeks, some people have raised objections to wooing the GOP here, saying its social and economic policies have damaged America.

As sometime critics of Republican policies, we understand the point.

Then again, voters in the Kansas City region are quite well balanced between Republicans and Democrats.

And when it comes to wooing conventions, city officials should not apply a litmus test to their efforts except in the most egregious cases. This isn’t one of them.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE THING! 

LAS VEGAS 2016 WEBSITE FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IS NOW ACTIVE

The Las Vegas RNC Host Committee has created a website as part of their push to host the Republican National Convention.

The website has a gallery, news and this video...


                        

FROZEN IN PLACE

FULL COVERAGE HERE 

RALPH REED SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE LAS VEGAS BID FOR THE 2016 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

Ralph Reed, yes that Ralph Reed, has gone on the record about the prospect of Las Vegas hosting the 2016 Republican Nation Convention. His comments were....

...refreshing.

“If the RNC does select Las Vegas, they’ll probably sell out every show for Donny and Marie and Garth Brooks that week,” said Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. 

Mr. Reed said the city has plenty to offer outside of the seedier activities, and it already has the stamp of approval from some organizations who make a living out of defending family values. 

“Las Vegas has entertainment and recreational offerings suitable for the entire family, and the Southern Baptist Convention and other faith-based organizations have held meetings there for decades,” he said. “So while we will not advocate for any city, we do not believe it is necessary to exclude Las Vegas from the cities to be considered based on a sound and comprehensive criteria.”

 Reed is correct that not only the faith based organizations like the Southern Baptist Convention, but other right-of-center events like Right Online have hosted conferences in Las Vegas and there were few if any problems. Reed is also correct that Las Vegas, along with its surrounding area, is loaded with lots of activities for all ages.

James Smack said his sales pitch is based on the idea that Las Vegas has enough hotel rooms within two miles of the two possible convention sites to accommodate the thousands that would converge on the city, and that there are plenty of things for delegates to do, ranging from the well-known entertainment venues on the Las Vegas Strip to the nearby attractions, such as Red Rock Canyon and the Hoover Dam.

Oh by the way, the article contains this little tidbit.

Mr. Smack shrugged off the concerns about the city’s immoral side, saying that Las Vegas does not have a monopoly on bad behavior...

Very true. Any of the vices that would disqualify Las Vegas from hosting the RNC can be found within a 30 min car ride in other candidate host cities. One need only remember that in 1988 the Republican National Convention was held in New Orleans, a city well know for its wild party atmosphere.

While there is much I do not agree with Ralph Reed on I am happy to see him keep a open mind regarding the issue of site selection for the 2016 Republican National Convention. We cant keep running like its 1988 and we have to try new things.