On Wednesday, August 16, reportedly at 8:56 am, a multiple alarm fire erupted in a large student rental house at 1996 Iuka Ave in the heart of fraternity row in the historic residentially zoned University District. Ten student renters were evacuated safely by the fire department as towering flames spread more than 10 feet above the third floor of the old house. They are without their overpriced housing just days before classes begin.

Not at all surprisingly, given the fact as I recently reported, the City of Columbus Zoning (Anti)-Enforcement Department, The Ohio State University, and the absentee property owners have colluded secretly and illegally not to enforce zoning laws and conduct regular inspections, two smoke detectors did not operate. The fire men on site informed me that the cause was electrical failure.

Racism goes beyond the use of certain words or the discriminatory practices of everyday life. It is also about political perceptions, intellectual depictions, and collective relationships. 

 Consider the way that Africa is currently portrayed in the news. 

 From a political viewpoint, Africa is seen as a totality, and not in a positive way, as in a united Africa. 

 For example, mainstream Western media coverage of the US-Africa Summit, held in Washington last December, presented all of Africa as poor and desperate. The continent, one can glean from headlines, was also willing to pawn its political position in the Russia-NATO conflict, in exchange for money and food. 

 "Biden tells African leaders US is 'all in' on the continent," an Associated Press headline announced on December 15. 

 The phrase 'all in' - a lingo used in Poker when someone is willing to risk it all - was cited many times in the US and Western media. 

An AI police-beat reporter named the “Ohio Safety Oracle” is covering Columbus crime with a writing voice that sounds sad and shocked for local humanity. The Ohio Safety Oracle may also be sympathetic to law enforcement, which is understandable and commendable, but hopefully the “Oracle” isn’t a police-state apologist. 

This AI reporter can be found on NewsBreak, a nationwide news aggregator with a website for every single zip code. It describes itself as the nation’s “leading local news app.” Here in Columbus, it re-publishes stories from the Dispatch to NBC4 and even the Free Press, offering this local news buffet in one tidy location.

NewsBreak also allows local contributors (sans pay probably) to add to its coverage. The Ohio Safety Oracle is on the masthead. The Free Press asked Newsbreak’s corporate office about the Oracle but have yet to hear back.