04 September 2010

Union Printed in The New City: Killer Parking Meters of Arlington, VA


Blade Runner	parking meter.

Correction: In the original post, I misquoted the notation on the Blade Runner decals, including parking meters, as "Made With Union Labor in the Free City". It was "Union Printed in The New City", according to Tom Southwell in the Blade Runner "Enhancement Archive: Fabrication; Signs of the Times: Graphic Design".

Added new close-ups/updates here.

The odd items below have been recently installed several places in Crystal City. My first thought was the lethal parking meters in Blade Runner, but they were spaced a little close together. Maybe lethal parking meters for motor cycles? Having lived here for a few years, the thought was not as farfetched as you might imagine.

These are near the Crystal City METRO.

These are one block (two address blocks) away at 20th and Bell, Arlington, VA, 22202.

20th and Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA, 22202.

Images can be seen on my pages here.

The lables say they are for Capital BikeShare.
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Texas Opens Inquiry Into Google Search Rankings

Slashdot Technology Story | Texas Opens Inquiry Into Google Search Rankings
"The AP reports that Texas' attorney general, Greg Abbott, has opened an anti-trust investigation against Google spurred by complaints that the company has abused its power as the Internet's dominant search engine. The review appears to be focused on whether Google is manipulating its search results to stifle competition. European regulators already have been investigating complaints alleging that Google has been favoring its own services in its results instead of rival websites and several lawsuits have also been filed in the US that have alleged Google's search formula is biased. However Google believes Abbott is the first state attorney general to open an antitrust review into the issue."

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Michigan Fake Tea Party Loses Ballot Spot

Michigan Fake Tea Party Loses Ballot Spot:

"In July, a 2-2 vote on the Board of Canvassers allowed “The Tea Party” to appear on the ballot. The bogus group, organized and populated by Democrats, held their nominating convention in July. An attorney for “The Tea Party” said the convention was attended by 10-15 people who nominated 23 candidates. Most of the candidates are running in districts where incumbent Democrats are in close races. The 60,000 petition signatures to place the party on the ballot were collected by a Democrat firm, Progressive Campaigns, Inc. Affidavits filed by many of the 23 candidates were notarized by the political director of the Oakland County Democratic Party, Jason Bauer. One of “The Tea Party” candidates said she thought she was running as a Democrat but later found out she was on “The Tea Party” ballot."

'Tea Party' off Michigan ballot

. . . The ruling comes a day after The Detroit News reported links between Democrats and The Tea Party group with 23 candidates that included the former stepmother of the former leader of the Oakland County Democratic Party being recruited to run as well as another candidate who had placed last in a 2008 Democratic primary.

The scandal over The Tea Party group forced the resignation of Mike McGuinness, the former Oakland County Democratic chairman, and the firing of Jason Bauer, an organizer for the county Democrats who has been accused of notarizing many of the nominations.

Ruth Johnson, the Oakland County clerk and Republican who is investigating the allegations about The Tea Party, has declined to comment to the News through a spokeswoman because her probe is pending.

State Democratic Party officials have denied any connection to efforts to establish The Tea Party.

Susan Qashat, a Tea Party candidate for the 26th district house seat, told The News in an interview Thursday she thought she was running for an office to help the Democrats but later learned it was The Tea Party her former stepson, McGuinness, had signed her up for.

"I was surprised as hell when someone called and said you're a candidate for The Tea Party," Qashat said. "The Tea Party is a Republican movement. I'm a full-fledged Democrat."

McGuinness and Bauer have not returned numerous calls for comment . . .

About the images you are admiring. In the spirit of the fake 'Tea Party' of Michigan, those are fake women.

03 September 2010

Chicago Gang Press Conference: Bringing back the 1960s

I knew the latest press conference fad from Chicago street gangs wasn't anything new (pay-per-view archive).

Patriots. and Young Lords- three Chicago street gangs- held a joint press conference last night and urged an end of the violence. Chicago Tribune, 4 April 1969

Granted, that was the anniversary of the murder of Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior, but Chicago street gangs have a long history of holding press conferences. Check Google news for the 1960s.

This week, the new version sounds a lot like the old version. Lots of "give me something or I will keep taking and killing" talk. Here is the 21st century version:

Gang members hold press conference on West Side

By John Dempsey and Monica DeSantis
CHICAGO (WLS) - A group of current and former gang members called reporters to a news conference Thursday morning on the West Side.
Our John Dempsey was there.
TV cameras from every station in town were there attending a news conference called by gang bangers, including Jim Allen.
"Yes, I am a current member of the Vice Lords Nation. I do not stand down from that. There's a difference between a gang member and gang banger. I'm not a gang banger. Gang bangers are the guys on Wall Street that drove us into a recession," Allen said.
One man, Mark Carter, tried to equate street violence with City Hall corruption.
"They can point out what they perceive as wrong that's going on in our community, we can point the wrong that's going on right in City Hall. Is the mayor going to be held accountable for all the corruption that's happening under his watch," Carter said.
The men denounced police superintendent Jody Weis for threatening gang leaders when he met with them recently but they also denounced anyone who criticized Weis for holding the meetings in the first place.
Professor David Kennedy Director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York has been working with Chicago to have dialogues with gang members.
Kennedy told the Cisco Cotto Show on Thursday that the lion's share of violence in cities like Chicago comes from gang and drug crews. Those on probation or parolees meet with police officials and then carry a message back to gang leaders in their group. In the meeting they hear three things:
- They hear people they respect in their own community say "we care about you and the violence needs to stop." Which can be very effective.
- They are given a phone number they can call to get all kinds of social services help if they want it. Education, job training, job placement and that kind of thing.
- Law enforcement says this is not a negotiation. We are not asking. And once you leave this meeting and go back to your group tell them that the next group in the area that kills somebody all the attention we can direct to them we will. Meaning outstanding warrants, drug, weapons and parole violations will be looked at very closely and strictly enforced.
Kennedy says violence will drop dramatically when the streets believe dire consequences await to everyone in their group if they're part of a shooting.

The Roe & Roper podcast page does not list any that have clips of the gang members, yet. They have been playing interesting clips yesterday and today.

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Video: 'Islamization' of Paris a Warning to the West

'Islamization' of Paris a Warning to the West

PARIS - Friday in Paris. A hidden camera shows streets blocked by huge crowds of Muslim worshippers and enforced by a private security force.

This is all illegal in France: the public worship, the blocked streets, and the private security. But the police have been ordered not to intervene.

It shows that even though some in the French government want to get tough with Muslims and ban the burqa, other parts of the French government continue to give Islam a privileged status.

via Facebook Friend Kate Mc Hugh BolgerAs a Libertarian, I am all for private security replacing government cops, but this is not security. It is bullying.ORDER SUKI SERIES eBOOKS AND PAPERBACKS
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Report: Ground Zero Mosque Investor Contributed to Designated Terror Group

FOXNews.com - Report: Ground Zero Mosque Investor Contributed to Designated Terror Group:

"A key financial backer of the proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero once contributed to a U.S.-designated terror group, MyFox New York reports.

Egyptian-born businessman Hisham Elzanaty, who made what is described as a 'significant investment' in the Ground Zero mosque project,contributed more than $6,000 in 1999 to the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, also known as HLF, tax records show.

The donations came two years before the federal government shut down HLF and designated it a terror group. Elzanaty's attorney told MyFox New York that his client believed at the time that he was donating to an orphanage. Elzanaty did not respond to questions.

Federal investigators say the group was set up as a Texas-based charity, but in fact supported Hamas.

Ray Locker, managing director of The Investigative Project on Terrorism, told MyFox New York that even in 1999, news outlets reported on possible ties between HLF and terror organizations.

Five HLF leaders were convicted in 2008 of providing support to Hamas."

Wow, where have I heard this story before? In college and in northern Virginia, actually. "Hamas builds orphanages and hospitals" is usually how the script goes. They leave out, deny, or plead ignorance to the fact that Hamas uses these facilities primarily for military operations, like anti-aircraft platforms. Then they cry when those military installations get attacked and the civilians they were hiding behind get killed or injured. In this case, Elzanaty goes straight to ignorance of the fact that that HLF was a funding operation for Hamas.

Document from FOX5 New York:

Sharif El-Gamal

If you prefer CBS, they are covering a different angle, shining new light onto a different central figure to the Ground Zero Mosque: Who Is The Man Behind The Ground Zero Mosque?

Developer Of Community Center Has Lengthy Record, With Numerous Arrests Dating Back To 1990

. . . Kramer reports the developer’s reluctance to talk may have been related to his prior run-ins with the law.
His most recent arrest was in 2005 for assault on a man he met while working as a waiter at Serafina Restaurant, who sublet an apartment from his brother. He reportedly punched the man, breaking his nose and cheekbone and spit on him.
El-Gamal first said he didn’t hit the man, but arrest documents obtained by CBS 2 showed he later conceded “his face could have run into my hand.”
Records showed El-Gamal also had trouble coming up with the $15,000 settlement reached in 2008, and had to pay interest . El-Gamal also has a number of other arrests on his record:
-In 1990, he was arrested in Nassau County and pled guilty to disorderly conduct.
-In 1992, he pled guilty in Nassau to DWI and paid a $350 fine.
-In 1993, he pled guilty in Nassau to attempted petit larceny and paid a $100 fine.
-In 1994, arrested for disorderly conduct in Manhattan.
-In 1998, there was another Manhattan disorderly conduct arrest.
-In 1999, yet another Manhattan disorderly conduct arrest.
A potential problem for the mosque developer is a deposition he gave in the assault case in October 2007. When asked if he was ever convicted or pled guilty to a crime, El-Gamal replied “no.” . . .
ed. video here

I know a few waiters and waitresses in Northern Virginia. Looks like Manhattan waiters make much better money and become financiers for multi-million dollar projects.

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More Whale, It's What's For Dinner

In March it was West Coast whale,

now it is East Coast.

Man Who Cut Off Whale's Tail to Eat is Detained by Police:

"Updated: Friday, 03 Sep 2010, 9:03 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 03 Sep 2010, 9:03 AM EDT

(NewsCore) - A man who cut off the tail of a dead whale that had washed up on a Florida beach was detained by police Thursday, the Sun Sentinel reported.

Chris Hogan, 60, said he spotted the whale, which appeared to be a pygmy or dwarf sperm whale, lying dead about 100 feet from the surf at Delray Beach.

He decided to use a fishing knife to cut off the tail of the seven-foot (2m) whale and planned to take it home and eat it.

'The thing was deader than a doornail,' Hogan said. 'I'd probably broil or fry it.'

Police detained Hogan, and another man, for questioning, explaining that mutilating a federally protected species is illegal, even if the animal is found dead."

In yo face Japan! Restored Color Movie of Japanese Surrender

Restored Video of Japan's WWII Surrender

Wife vs. Mistress in Chilean Mine Drama

Drama Above Ground as Chilean Miners Await Rescue

(Sept. 2) -- Yonni Barrios may have been feeling trapped long before a landslide sealed him inside a Chilean gold mine last month.

As Barrios awaited rescue along with 32 other miners, his wife and his mistress met each other thousands of feet above, at a vigil for the men stuck in the mine. Marta Salinas, 56, says she heard the other woman calling her husband's name as families gathered to pray for the workers.

Salinas told told The Sun in London she was "horrified" but plans to keep her man. "Barrios is my husband. He loves me, and I am his devoted wife. This woman has no legitimacy," she told the British paper.

But the other woman, Susana Valenzuela, said she and the trapped miner will stay together. "We are in love," she told the paper. "I'll wait for him."

Sounds like a Seinfeld episode for the future and I hope the wife wins.

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