Let’s see you protest from prison

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police have arrested a prominent Internet dissident for violating his probation terms, a rights group said, as the country steps up a pre-Olympic crackdown on dissent to ensure the Games go smoothly.

Du Daobin, from the central province of Hebei, was given a suspended sentence for subversion in 2004 having been detained by police in Wuhan for posting online essays in support of fellow dissident, Liu Di.

What was his nefarious crime?

Du was then released into house arrest, Reporters Without Borders said in an emailed statement, but was arrested this week having been accused of posting articles on overseas websites and receiving guests without permission.

Yep, he posted on the Internet — allegedly — and oh no! received guests without permission.

He is not the only one who has been arrested.

Chinese police arrested Huang in the country’s southwest for “possession of state secrets” after he offered help to parents of children killed in the Sichuan earthquake in May.

Hu, a prominent AIDS activist, was jailed for 3- years earlier this year for inciting subversion and criticizing the ruling Communist Party.

A fourth dissident, Ye Guozhu, jailed in 2004 for organizing protests against forced evictions, was due for release on Saturday but he was taken from the prison where he was being held and his whereabouts were unknown, Chinese Human Rights Defenders said.

“We believe that the police took him away to silence him during the Games, and that he will not be released until after the Olympics when most foreign journalists will have left Beijing,” the group quoted his brother, Ye Guoqiang, as saying.

Ye Guoqiang said police told him they had taken Ye Guozhu from the prison, but did not say where he was being held or for how long.

Yes, this is the type of place that should be rewarded with the Olympics.

Freedom, we love it

The Chinese have even created “zones for protest”. Gee thanks, you are such a Freedom lover. Oh did we mention the permits?

BEIJING — Beijing will permit public protests inside three designated city parks during next month’s Olympic Games, but demonstrators must first obtain permits from local police and also abide by Chinese laws that usually make it nearly impossible to legally picket over politically charged issues, the authorities announced Wednesday.

Some say it’s a start, and we should be happy about it. Yea right.

“The police will safeguard the right to demonstrate as long as protesters have obtained prior approval and are in accordance with the law,” Mr. Liu [director of security for Beijing’s Olympics organizing committee] said during a news conference.

Typical PR by a regime that controls the media, and knows that liberals in the US will fall in line and congratulate them for being so “open”.

Under Chinese law, citizens must apply to the local public security bureau five days in advance of a scheduled protest. Applicants must appear in person and offer detailed information about their topic, any possible slogans and the expected number of demonstrators. The law prohibits protests that are deemed harmful to national unity and social stability or that agitate for ethnic separatism. These prohibitions can be interpreted so broadly that most legal protests are not approved.

“We never get it no matter how many times we try,” said Jiang Tianyong, a lawyer and legal rights advocate who has been rejected numerous times. “This is only a show for foreigners. Otherwise, I’d love to see these three places be kept after the Olympics, so we can let our voices be heard, too.”

Sadly they will buy it.

Xu Zhiyong, another legal rights advocate, agreed that obtaining approval for legal protests is usually very difficult but also applauded the Olympic protest zones as an improvement that should be acknowledged.

How sad. The NYT regurgitates the comments from someone who clearly is trying to appease the Chinese.

Somewhat similar protest zones were used at the 2004 Athens Olympics, while cities hosting other international events have sought to isolate demonstrators in designated areas.

Unreal, the NYT justifies the abuses by the Chinese government by comparing it to legitimate security precautions at other events. Note that they only referred to Athens and “other international events” which they don’t disclose as it would show their bias.

But it remained unclear whether international advocacy groups on issues like Tibet, Darfur and broader human rights would be able to secure the bureaucratic approvals needed to use the protest zones and whether they would be arrested if they held demonstrations elsewhere in Beijing.

With only 16 days until the Olympic opening ceremony, China’s ruling Communist Party is tightening security across the country and has shown little appetite for domestic political dissent. Several dissidents have been jailed, monitored or placed under house arrest in recent months.

They generally don’t tolerate dissent much, OK who am I kidding … not at all.

Nicholas Bequelin, a researcher for the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, criticized the broader trend in creating protest zones during international events. He described Beijing’s protest zones as inadequate and said Chinese citizens would be very reluctant to use them, given the political priority that the party has placed on the Olympics. He said the police might use video cameras and collect names of demonstrators.

“Chinese people know better than to go demonstrate in a protest zone during the Olympics, except maybe a few people with nothing to lose,” he said. “They know the risk of retribution is very high.”

After the Olympics are over, the media will trumpet the lack of protests. It’s easy to do that when you don’t allow them to even happen.

Trust us we are your betters

It’s sad that the IOC hates America so much, and lives in the fantasy world of Kumbayah thinking; that they gave the Olympics to China. The people of China are bearing the brunt of the Olympics coming to town. From people losing their homes, and businesses to being forced to not use their cars. Now we have the requisite round up of all those people who are “dissidents”.

It’s disgusting. The IOC doesn’t care, as long as they can stick it to the US. The ass-kissing by the IOC is disgusting: IOC “surprised” at air improvement — idiot. China shut down their industries and took half the cars off the road.

Other Coverage

• The Olympics of suspicion and silence
• Chinese have discovered recycling — wow!
• Xinhuanet says “safe Olympics” is on — safe from criticism, I suppose
• China says that food is safe
• Japan sends 67 year old in Equestrian
• Olympics, political vehicle for anti-western attitudes
• China couldn’t handle a flood
• China’s Watercube Unveiled
• China cracks down on airlines

LOS ANGELES - Two photographers suspected of loitering on city-owned property near Britney Spears’ home were arrested Monday.

Is it just me or does that sound like over-kill? I am sure that loitering is a ticket.

Can’t wait for the lawsuit on this one. You know they are going to say they are being singled out for being around Brit’s house. They would be right. They can produce thousands of pics where other photogs have been let stand for days on “city property”.

No doubt we can look forward to the online cat fight breaking out again.

Not sure if this is grief or just blatant greed.

SAN DIEGO – The mother of a professional surfer who was fatally beaten in La Jolla last year filed a lawsuit Tuesday against five young men involved in the fight, their parents, and the bar where some members of the group had been drinking.

Cynthia Kauanui accuses the men of wrongful death for beating or assisting in the beating of 24-year-old Emery Kauanui on May 24, 2007.

Quite frankly I see no need for this. Seems selfish beyond belief. It won’t change anything. The only chance I see of her collecting is from the bar, however it is unlikely they can be found liable. Just seems cynical, and disgusting.

In her suit, Kauanui contends that the young men’s parents are also at fault because they had a “duty” to control, discipline and supervise their children. She claims the parents of all but one of the men knew about their sons’ violent behavior as minors, which included getting drunk and starting fights, but failed to stop it.

Oh get real. Her son was just as out of control as the others. He is seen in several pics partying it up with the same men he got into the fight with. Beyond that, they are all past the age of consent.

The men named in the lawsuit are Seth Cravens, 22; Eric House, 21; Orlando Osuna, 23; Matthew Yanke, 22; and Henri “Hank” Hendricks, 22. They were all graduates of La Jolla High School and part of a group called the “Bird Rock Bandits.” They were arrested last year and charged with murder.

They are adults, that means their parents are no longer in charge of them. Even if they weren’t the government says that parents have no authority anymore anyway.

In the press release she says they are minors, yet they all are over the age of consent. It’s possible they were not of legal drinking age during when this happened.

“The Brew House has a reputation for serving minors,” McClellan said. “It’s somewhat of a hangout for La Jolla High School kids. They don’t check IDs.”

Oh well, “a reputation”  among whom we have no idea, but it must mean they are guilty. “[S]omewhat of a hangout”, how is anything somewhat of a hangout. This smacks of an ambulance chaser playing on a mother’s grief. It could be she is just a greedy ol’ bag. Will have to wait for more info to decide.

Other Coverage

• Mom sues — video
• Mom sues — ch 10 San Diego
• The Press Release — hmmm.

Previously on the Island

• Bird Rock Bandits Take Plea Deal
• Judge says they are not gangs
• Bird Rock Bandits in court accused of being a gang
• Bird Rock Bail Unchanged
• Bird-brain five prelim hearing
• College QB charged in surfer death
• Accused Surfer Murderer checks into Rehab

Tags: Seth Cravens, Eric House, Orlando Osuna, Matthew Yank, Henri Hendricks, hank hendricks, Emery Kauanui, bird rock bandits, la jolla, murder

This must be how Starbucks is helping mom and pop shops.

“They just flat-out said, ‘If you don’t sell out to us, we’re going to surround your stores,’ ” Mr. Hyman recalled. “And lo and behold, that’s what happened – and it was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

Looks even better now.

Here is the list of all US Starbucks Store closings. It looks like North county escaped the cuts. What really jumps out at you are some of the locations. You have to wonder what they were thinking.

For instance one store they are closing is at Crenshaw and Vernon.

View Larger Map

I admit, it’s been awhile since I was at Crenshaw and Vernon, but I am sure it’s not Starbucks territory. Oh look, I was right.

Coffee and Comedy on Monday nights will take a hit. Funnywear will suffer as well. Now don’t get me wrong, I feel badly for Derrick Ellis, who seems to be trying to do something positive in the Crenshaw district. Kudos Derrick. Maybe you need to take over the location?

Even the Mayor — half wit that he is — was concerned about the traffic at this location — you have to wonder if number of cars is the reason for a Starbucks location — and some others.

Newly added intersections:

Hope and Temple
Vermont and Wilshire
La Cienega Blvd. & Olympic Blvd.
Dickens and Sepulveda Blvd.
Crenshaw and Slauson
Crenshaw and Florence
Crenshaw and Vernon
7th and Grand
Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr
Pico and Bundy
Santa Monica and Sawtelle
Topanga Cyn Blvd. and Rte 118 WB Ramps
Beverly Blvd and Vermont Ave.

They are also closing the store at Crenshaw and MLK. Most of those stores are in areas that are low-mid to low-low to  really low income areas.

View Larger Map

Now where is the cry of racism? It seems to me that many of the stores are in predominately “minority” areas. You would think the liberal media would be all over this. However Starbucks is a good liberal company and the media only rarely eats it’s own. Sorry Hillary.

Since Starbucks pays for insurance for part-time employees, what are they going to do about all those folks losing their jobs, and thus insurance?

Worse than this, the fact that the People’s Republic of Santa Monica is losing a Starbucks. Times must be bad if liberals are not spending money.

They won’t of course, they just like Michigan will continue to push the Marxist version of “freedom” with high taxes, onerous regulation and little to no understanding of history.

Mich blows it for VW plant

The Detroitistan News reports that Michigan has lost another plant, this time to Tennessee. Worse, it was an automotive plant. So much for that vaunted Union workforce.

Mich. never had a chance for VW

Michigan learned today it lost its bid to win Volkswagen of North America’s new auto plant.

VW will put the plant in Chattanooga, Tenn.

What’s Tennessee got that Michigan doesn’t?

What DOESN’T Tennessee have that Michigan has? Well … high cost of living, head in the sand mentality, politicians owned by Unions.

Low taxes, for starters. Tennessee doesn’t have a state income tax.

It also doesn’t have a pro-union [Ed. note: that means anti-business] bias. Tennessee is a right-to-work state, which seems to be important to foreign automakers.

Michigan never had a chance.

Yes, you did have a chance, you just chose to remain the same and not take advantage of it.

GM cut 4100 jobs, Pfizer cut 275 from the Michigan economy just this week.

No doubt the Union owned liberals like Pelosi and Reed will say this is more proof that we need MORE government intervention, and thus more taxes to pay for it.

It’s Main Street Stupid

Governor Jennifer Granholm was too busy making dubious selections for idiotic programs to notice her state is sinking. Then again when you have been sinking for 3 decades, it’s hard to notice more of the same.

“Michigan’s economy cannot thrive without thriving downtowns — big and small,” Granholm said. “This program will help Manistee create opportunities for new development and economic growth just as it has in downtowns across our state.”

Yes, she is on top of things in Michigan. One more idiotic politician who thinks style over substance is the way to go.

The Michigan Main Street program is part of Governor Granholm’s Cool Cities initiative to create vibrant communities in Michigan. These efforts are based on numerous recent studies showing that investing in our downtowns creates vibrant centers, making our state economically stronger. There are currently 12 participating Michigan Main Street communities.

Funny how she missed the study about low taxes, and pro-business policies attracting business. No doubt her Union buddies won’t allow that to happen. Wallow in your filth Michigan. One day when you are bankrupt you will have no choice but to join us here in the 21^st century.

This is a shot of a Manistee beach.

That is from this story: Investigators believe one source polluted the beach, don’t know who. Nice job. It’s so bad the Coast Guard was called in to investigate the garbage on Lake Michigan beaches.

Tony Snow during a press briefing. The pic says it all.

“It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day.”
~~ President George W. Bush

Wow! I am stunned. Tony Snow has passed away after battling Cancer.

It seemed he was out of the woods with his cancer treatment. This sucks.

Other coverage

• AP insults Snow — typical liberal journalist
• Former Whitehouse Spokesman Tony Snow dies
• The Prez sez
• Scott “Weasel” McClellan pops off to the LAT

Scott McClellan says the news about the return of Tony Snow’s cancer “rattles a lot of people” in President Bush’s orbit. “Anytime you lose a star like Tony, it’s going to have impact and this is a difficult period for the White House,” says the former White House spokesman.

The difference between Snow and McClellan is like night and day, good and evil, Heaven and Hell.

Tags: tony snow, george bush, dubya, w, george w bush, press secretary, white house

Saturday is the beginning of the Latino Mexican hate(of America)-fest here in San Diego. Nothing like a little Hispandering to prove how sincere you are about issues that matter to Americans.

The San Diego Union Tribune of course doesn’t cover the truth about the hate group “La Raza” and it’s MeCHA attitude.

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will be using the National Council of La Raza convention, which begins tomorrow in San Diego, as a platform for courting the increasingly significant Latino vote

More accurately we have one hater, and one clueless moron sucking up to a race based hate group.

some local groups said they were optimistic about what they would hear from the candidates and in convention sessions,

No doubt Brain Surgeons and Rocket Scientists attending. Both of the candidates are there to kiss your ass to get your votes, duhhhh! Of course they are going to say what you want to hear.

McCain, who once championed legislation calling for a temporary-worker program and a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants, altered that position and spoke of focusing on border enforcement as he pursued the Republican nomination.

However, during this week’s national convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington, D.C., he told audience members that he would pursue wide-ranging changes in immigration law “practically and humanely.”

Neither one of them give a damn about America.

Volunteers from the MAAC Project, a social service organization that deals with housing, were among those preparing for a free home clinic Sunday. While the mortgage crisis is being felt across the country, Latino homeowners have been hit especially hard, with some immigrant families duped into risky subprime loans who have fallen behind on adjustable-rate mortgages.

That’s code for they bought too much home, and now because they are irresponsible they can’t pay back the money. Of course since they are Mexicans, it’s not their fault. Bad news La Raza Haters; if they were duped it’s because they were stupid or lazy. Which one do you prefer, since you seem think that Mexican stereotypes are unfounded; and yet you just proved two of them.

Either they were irresponsible, or the stereotypes are true. Which one, come on don’t be shy. Spin your way out of this one.

“In Chula Vista, I can tell you from personal experience that all of a sudden you have abandoned homes,” said MAAC Project CEO Antonio Pizano, a resident of the city where Latinos make up more than half of the population. “Homes where people just moved on, either left them or were foreclosed on.”

It’s called self-deportation. It’s a good thing. If Chula Vista had not allowed illegals to buy homes, if banks had not been encouraged to loan money to illegals, if illegals had not been here in the first place; none of this would be an issue.

Jorge Mariscal, director of the Chicano Studies program at the University of California San Diego, said he would like to see the candidates, as well as NCLR, take a stand on some issues affecting the Latino community that are not widely addressed, including the Iraq war and intensive military recruitment within minority communities.

The thrust of that statement is: America owes Mexicans everything, Mexicans owe America nothing.

My first question is why is this idiot running a department other than the janitorial department, which I am not sue he is even qualified to do. He sure as hell is not qualified to run a teaching department at a University. This idiot is more proof that Universities are havens of Marxists, and other Socialists.

“They should be talking about all other sorts of options, like access to higher education, which they don’t do enough,” said Mariscal, a Vietnam veteran who will be participating in the convention as part of Project YANO, a local group that stresses non-military options for youth.

If I am not mistaken non-citizens (of America) get all the free education they want. They also get in-state tuition in places, that real Americans who deserve it, can’t get it.

Other Coverage

• Truth about La Raza
• How La Raza controls immigration policy
• Mexicans demand McCain obey them
• San Diego politicians kiss La Raza ass, La Raza lies about it’s goals
• Wachovia sells out to Mexicans
• McCain sucks up to “hispanics” — No love for Americans
• Voter Fraud to occur in heavily Hispanic states

Tags: hate, mexican, la raza, mecha, san diego, border

Quite frankly I think he should get a big fat goose egg. Well chin up Rachel Silva; the lottery is open for business in the California court system.

Previously on the Island

• Foley Settles with Coronado
• Rachel Silva — who will be happy to hear about the Foley deal

Tags: steve foley, rachel silva, san diego, coronado, drunk driving, shooting, police, aaron mansker

Steve Foley has settled his lawsuit with the city of Coronado. He was to take the stand today. An alternate juror stated that Officer Mansker was “way out of line” in the incident.

Foley was supposed to testify today. My guess is that his behavior in court would have hurt his case.

Before the settlement was announced by Superior Court Judge Richard Strauss, Foley seemed to stare angrily at the man who shot him, Coronado police Officer Aaron Mansker, who was in the courtroom.

Foley’s mother, Betty, was finally able to convince her son to go into chambers and talk to Strauss about the settlement.

Just another hot-head NFL player who thinks he is above the law.

Something for some on here to remember:

An expert witness called by lawyers for the Coronado police officer who shot former Chargers linebacker Steve Foley testified today that if an officer hesitates for even a second before firing at an armed suspect, it will likely be too late.

Settlement suddenly reached in Foley-Mansker suit

Foley still believes he is above the law

Tags: crime, san diego, chargers, steve foley, aaron mansker

Sunday Times Reporter Gets A Taste of Real Corruption

Some excerpts just in case the story gets archived.

wedding is a very bling affair so the narrow lane was clogged with white stretch limos and several wedding parties in the act of raising vodka and champagne toasts to a gaggle of brides and grooms.

Fortunately I was on my motorbike, so I swerved to the only empty space – which happened to be the pavement – and drove along it for less than 15 yards. As I was about to rejoin the road, a door swung open and a man stepped out on to the pavement. Braking sharply, I managed to stop just in time.

The man – a stocky specimen in black designer sports jacket, suede shoes and sunglasses – turned on me. “Do you know what this building is?” he barked. “It’s the district’s local prosecutor’s office.”

He then demanded I hand him the keys to the motorbike and show him my papers. When I refused, he jumped in front of my motorbike and started making calls on his mobile. Of course I knew I was in the wrong; in fact my brief appropriation of the pavement would undoubtedly have earned me a fine in most countries in the world.

Pavement meaning sidewalk.

Soon two burly men arrived, one flashing a police badge that identified him as a captain whose speciality was hunting criminals on the run. The prosecutor was still on his mobile: “We have detained a man who was driving a motorbike along a pavement. Send a car at once.”

Minutes later a plainclothes police officer pulled up in a four-wheel drive with tinted windows and told me to accompany him to the local station for ID checks.

And you think traffic stops are bad here.

the captain typed up his version of events with one index finger. His creative flair more than made up for his poor typing skills.

“When I asked Mr Franchetti to follow me to the police station,” said his report, “he turned on his motorbike, pushed me aside, insulted me and tried to drive off, at which stage Mr Franchetti was detained and taken to the police station.”

Most Russians are aware that police officers systematically fabricate evidence and use force, torture and blackmail to extort false confessions. I have reported on such stories many times. Even the Russian justice minister, in a rare public admission, revealed that thousands of people are wrongly charged with criminal offences every year.

Now for the first time I was seeing the process unfold before my eyes. What struck me most was the ease and nonchalance with which the captain twisted a minor traffic violation into a case in which a police officer was now the victim. This was no sudden moment of creative inspiration; rather a talent fine-tuned from years of experience.

“You know perfectly well that didn’t happen. What’s the point of writing lies?” I asked.

“The point is that this is what the prosecutor’s office wants,” replied the captain. The man whose path I had crossed was the third most powerful figure in the district prosecutor’s office, I was told. He was also responsible for checking the work of officers posted at this very police station. The captain made it clear he was acting under strict instructions.

“You’ve been living here for a long time – you know the system,” he told me. “That’s how it works. We are not bad people, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Everyone seemed bemused by the prosecutor’s overreaction, but orders were orders. The men in the station were mere cogs in a repressive and corrupt system.

Funny how the left feels this is a country to emulate.

Ordinary Russians, though, with neither money nor influential acquaintances have no rights. Nor, it seemed, did I. Four hours into my detention a traffic policeman arrived. He filled in yet more paperwork about my traffic violation, then asked with a hint of sympathy: “Stepped on some big-ass toes did you?”

Next came an investigator from the Russian interior ministry, who announced he’d now be handling my case. I was asked to make a lengthy statement, which he took down by hand. By this time I had a small sense of how helpless people can feel once they are caught up in the system.

Then a more senior officer arrived. My grave offence – driving 15 yards on a pavement – had now involved nine officers. The new man said my deposition would not be valid. As a foreigner, I had to make it in front of an official interpreter.

This is another peculiarity of Russia’s perverse judicial system. The miscarriages of justice perpetrated by its officers take place within a strict legal framework that presents a semblance of legality. Officers who write up a false report will often fret about a minor legal technicality that could be construed as an infringement of the rights of the person they are framing.

Five hours after my encounter with the angry prosecutor I was finally released. The captain explained my case would be studied by an officer from the interior ministry who would decide whether to recommend pressing charges. At which stage I’ll have little choice but to go native and start trying to pull strings – the only way to solve such problems in Russia.

So spare me all you America Haters with you America is corrupt bullcrap.

Tags: corruption, russia, crime, traffic ticket

This is exactly what the ACLU and other radical pro-criminal organizations have wanted for years. They have done all they can to slow the process and raise the cost, so they can tell people it doesn’t work because it’s too slow and too costly.

In one, five law enforcement commissioners complained that the majority was “seeking to undermine public confidence” in the death penalty and that the report “unmistakenly reveals a personal bias” against capital punishment.

Eight other commissioners wrote a separate report calling for abolition of capital punishment.

Four signed a statement saying “the time may be right” for a ballot measure to end the death penalty and alternately proposed limiting capital offenses to less than 10% of first-degree murders.

Unreal.

The way to fix this, is to speed up the system; not eliminate the death penalty. Sickening.

Tags: death penalty, crime, justice, aclu, california

I was browsing the BBC News site, and ran across this story. See Glastonbury’s surreal side (pic 9). How could I not look into this?

No not that Dukes Box

The Dukebox, in the offbeat Shangri-La section, is a human jukebox, with a live Texan band playing whichever songs the punters select, with the songs ranging from Bo Diddley to The Prodigy.

So I did a little research and found out what the hell they were talking about. Seems this 3 piece band — The Dukes Box — takes popular songs and reworks them into the so-called 3 chord country style. Seems in the UK “Texan band” means country.

They play them out of a trailer converted to a human jukebox. The Dukes Box is for hire, just in case you wondered.

In this video they are interviewed and explain the idea behind all of this.

Interesting.

Here they play a song.

You just have to love festivals, they are always such a freak show. The Dukes Box is playing at the Glastonbury Fair, clearly a don’t miss event. Even a band from the US — who I have never heard of — Kings of Leon — from Tennessee — is playing at the festival.

Hey it rains here

I do find it funny that people who live in the UK, seem to be amazed when it rains there. Umm, helloooooo!

“We’ve been lost so many times,” she said, adding she was “a little bit wet” and was “praying for sun”.

Well that is desperate, they are praying. Glad she clarified the wet statement, it sounded really bad at first.

So hippies and Rap don’t mix?

This is the funniest of all the parts of the story.

Saturday’s headliner will be New York rap giant Jay-Z, whose appearance has caused controversy after some said a hip-hop star was not right for the top slot.

He is expected to be preceded by Amy Winehouse, who appeared at a concert to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday in London on Friday.

Yea, OK, Jay-Z is not right for a crowd of freaks, who no doubt love Amy Winehouse. I just can’t understand why they would feel that way! *lmao* Unreal.

Jay-Z is not helping things.

But Jay-Z said: “It’s ridiculous, if we don’t embrace what is new, then how do we progress?”

New? Rap was new in 1980 when Blondie sang Rapture.

“It’s 2008, what is that about? That’s such old school thinking, that’s not even how the world thinks anymore. So I was really taken aback (by the criticism).”

Huh?

Can I eat them

The highlight of the event will no doubt be …

There was some criticism of the biodegradable tent pegs, made from potato starch, which have been offered to fans and are designed to rot so they do not harm the cows that normally roam the fields.

“Everyone felt the same - they were banging them in and hey were snapping”

One Glastonbury reveller says the biodegradable tent pegs did not work as planned

Yep, the hippies can now sleep snugly knowing they are not polluting the world with those damn metal spikes — which will last and don’t snap, thus be useful for far longer — ; just pointing out the obvious to make a point.

In 2007, the cost of clearing up 30,000 tents and 180,000 tent pegs was £800k.

Oh and they don’t hurt the cows when losers act like adults and be responsible by removing them when they leave. But hey! It’s all about feeling good, not doing good.

I wonder if the spikes smell like hippies as they rot?

I wouldn’t pay to see them, but I did

I think this woman has it right.

She said there was “a lot more diversity” than at events such as the Reading Festival, with “bands you wouldn’t normally pay money to see”.

Nothing like paying money to see acts you would not pay money to see — like Jay-Z maybe? — ; and then pay more money for food, beer — oh come on, how can you not drink –, and to pretend to be eco-friendly. Yes, it’s a feel good moment. Group hug!

Now let’s get to the Doctor to cure the “trench foot” we picked up .

Tags: glastonbury, festival, the dukes box, human jukebox, jukebox, music

Four of the defendants took a plea deal in the death of surfer Emery Kauanui. They got off lightly in my opinion. Seth Cravens, re-entered his plea of ‘not-guilty’.

Sadly they were not charged as gangsters, even thought they behaved as such

Eric House, 21, Orlando Osuna, 23, and Matthew Yanke, 21, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor battery. Henri “Hank” Hendricks, 22, pleaded guilty to a felony of being an accessory to the death.

Remaining defendant Seth Cravens, 22, alleged to be the ringleader, re-entered a not-guilty plea after his attorney rejected a plea offer from prosecutors.

Other Coverage

• LAT — 4 of 5 plead guilty to surfer death
• La Jolla Light — ‘Bandits’ inching toward settlement
• 4 men charged in death to change plea — also has pics

Previously on the Island

• Judge says they are not gangs
• Bird Rock Bandits in court accused of being a gang
• Bird Rock Bail Unchanged
• Bird-brain five prelim hearing
• College QB charged in surfer death
• Accused Surfer Murderer checks into Rehab

Tags: Seth Cravens, Eric House, Orlando Osuna, Matthew Yank, Henri Hendricks, hank hendricks, Emery Kauanui, bird rock bandits, la jolla, murder

Kansas City BBQ in San Diego, burned to the ground yesterday. It was most famous for the “sleazy bar scene” in Top Gun. It is also where “Maverick” is drinking when the Juke Box starts to play the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost that Lovin Feelin” as “Charlie” returns to “Top Gun”.

While the restaurant will be rebuilt, the memorabilia is gone. The only thing that survived is the piano that “Goose” played “Great balls of fire” on in that scene.

Also of note; the “Top Gun” house in Oceanside is set to be removed sometime this year to make way for another eye sore by the beach here in Oceanside. I have some pics, and will have a write up when it happens.

Coverage

• Fire guts landmark
• NBC San Diego coverage
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It’s about the Unity

Well they say it’s about unity, it’ not. It’s about getting what they believe they deserve guaranteed to them. Problem is, there are no guarantees.

“What we can’t do is pit artist against artist,” he [Clooney] wrote.

Of course what he meant was Actor against Actor. You see the Writers and Directors — artists all — already have agreed to contracts, and now the Producers are on board (AFTRA). It’s the actors (SAG) who are engaged in colluding to shake down Hollywood,mostly because they waited.

AFTRA has already reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. SAG wants AFTRA members to vote against the deal, saying its approval will handcuff SAG at the bargaining table.

Both unions’ current contracts are set to expire Monday, leaving Hollywood on edge about a possible replay of the 100-day writers strike that ended in February.

If they vote against it, then SAG make their outrageous claims and possibly get some of them. Clooney and SAG want other Artists — producers in this instance — to do what is in the best interest of others and not for themselves. Ironically SAG won’t do similar.

Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin and others have joined hundreds of actors in signing an online petition urging actors to ratify the AFTRA pact.

Meanwhile, Jack Nicholson, Viggo Mortensen and Holly Hunter have endorsed a SAG ad calling for AFTRA to return to the negotiating table to get a better deal.

Clooney called the fight counterproductive.

It’s only counterproductive because it means that SAG is not in the lead. If SAG had made a deal first, then it would be Clooney demanding that AFTRA ratify.

Most liberals do not think … nor do they want anyone having a dialog that they don’t approve, don’t you dare think for yourself.

“Because the one thing you can be sure of is that stories about Jack Nicholson vs. Tom Hanks only strengthens the negotiating power” of the studios, he said.

No it doesn’t. It points out the problem with the Union mentality, and the fact that not everyone agrees with you. Get that Clooney? Also it shows that you are no longer in the lead, and that is problem for you.

Beyond that, why do spoiled Rich actors need a Union? They are not “labor”. Few if any actors are more than temporary employees, yet they think they deserve better than anyone else in this country. Oh there are peculiarities to actor/director/writer life; boo-hoo get over it, act like an adult.

The best thing that could happen to American Film Industry is for the Unions to disappear. However they don’t want that since Unions make it easier overall to do business. That’s what happens when you have a monopoly. You use Unions to make your life easier.

I wonder if they will have a ‘blacklist’ like the writers did after their strike?

Tags: aftra, sag, union, actor, actress, strike, producer, hollywood

they are called ICAN’T for a reason

ICAAN has decided that instead of doing it’s job and managing what top level domain names (TLDs) exist, they will let anyone with a crackpot idea have one. Why you may ask?

Icann has been working towards opening up the 25-year-old net addresses for nearly six years. It was one of its founding goals in 1998.

Simple, they have failed to do it themselves. Remember these are the same idiots who have not been able to handle managing the system to date.

It’s the money silly

Oh did I forget to mention money? Oh darn.

The organisation has already spent close to $10m on the proposals - set to rise to $20m - and needs to recoup the costs.

Hmm, this sounds vaguely familiar. Government runs up bills and then demands that we pay higher taxes to feed their addiction err failure to be good stewards.

“The costs of developing and implementing this policy will be borne by the applicants,” he said. “But we’re certainly not setting this up for profit.”

What he means is, that you and I will pay for it in access fees, and lawsuits that will cripple the Internet.

See how good we are

Beyond that they are no longer targets of people who demand they be good stewards, or so they think.

The net’s regulator, Icann, voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called “top-level” domain names, such as .com or .uk.

The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names.

It also means that speculators can use brand names to attack companies, which I suspect is one reason this was done. Remember the ICAAN delegates tend to be very liberal and anti-West.

More fuel for the bonfire of destruction

They also decided that letters other than Latin (the characters that English uses) can now be used. This strikes me as another shot by the pan-anti-American crowd at the West.

A second proposal, to introduce domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts, was also approved.

No one knows how this will work, if at all.

Many have pointed out that because of the scale of the plan, its introduction and effect will have to be monitored closely.

“I am concerned about spending our TLD name inheritance for future TLD users,” said Dave Wodelet, also of the Icann board.

“I certainly don’t want future generations to look back at us with disdain for not being good stewards of this limited TLD resource.”

However, he said, on balance, he felt that technical and administrative hurdles could be overcome.

The upshot of all this is another ‘gold rush’ that will cause a backlash and ultimately the demise of ICAAN. Good riddance. Sadly the damage will be done, and the Internet users will suffer.

“The major issue with the potentially large number of new TLDs is going to be for brand owners who will want to protect their trademarks,” said Mr Eggensperger.

“For a major pharmaceutical business, the cost of registering all of their trademarks when a new trademark is released runs into hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

Others point out that some generic domain names - such as .news or .sport - could become subject to contention and a bidding war.

Which has happened previously and ICAAN failed to deal with it.

“On balance, the board feels that adopting this resolution is in the best interests of the internet and the public at large,” said Icann board member Dennis Jennings.

No, you clowns are failures and don’t want to deal with the issues.

bye bye net neutrality

I also think this will be the undoing of “net neutrality”, as ICAAN seems to be only about collecting fees and pandering to the usual collection of idiots that have nothing better to do besides hate the West, and/or protest anyone and everything.

It’s clear that the idiots at ICAAN have no clue the repercussions they have unleashed.

Icann has said that it was “aware of all of the concerns” and that it had “considered them very carefully”.

Yea right. Anyone want to revisit the dot XXX domain issue? Well it’s coming, again.

Tags: net neutrality, ICAAN, TLD, domain, Internet

Well that’s it, the world will end soon.

I am not sure if Nader is making more sense or if the Democrats have drifted so far left that he looks less like a loon. Whatever it is, he has Barack Obama nailed to a T.

Uncle Tom Syndrome

Nader: Obama “talking White” — Rocky Mountain “News” (Video on page)

Nader has essentially called Barrack Obama a House Negro, aka Uncle Tom.

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to “talk white” and appealing to “white guilt” during his run for the White House.

You know he is going to be blasted now, as a racist. Even though this is the play book of all Democrats running for the White House.

“There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American,” [MARK: many would argue he is not] Nader said “Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn’t want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We’ll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards.”

Bill Clinton was the only Dem in recent history to not tow the party line on every issue. I hope the Dems don’t figure that out.

The Obama campaign had only a brief response, calling the remarks disappointing.

It’s disappointing as they can not really attack him the way they attack everyone else on race. That won’t stop someone from doing it. One of the political proxies will come out and blast Nader as a Racist, narcissist, and spoiler who will destroy America (in other words pull votes from the Democratic Party).

Nader said he plans to travel to Denver during this summer’s Democratic National Convention, hoping to highlight an alternative agenda that he thinks the party should pursue. His appearance in the city is sure to anger some Democrats who believe his presence on the ballot during the contested 2000 election cost Al Gore votes, helping Republican George Bush win the disputed election.

Nader rejects that blame, saying Democrats “scapegoated” him instead of looking at other factors that contributed to the defeat.

*lol* See? This will only get worse.

“He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician,” Nader said. “He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he’s coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it’s corporate or whether it’s simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up.”

Someone put on the Buffalo Springfield, please. The comments on the story are very enlightening.

Tags: barack obama, hillary clinton, election, racism, ralph nader, democrat, bill clinton, democrat party, democrat convention, barrack obama, hilary clinton

I played chicken with the train

One of many stupid displays that occur here in Oceanside is the ritual of “I’m not walking around the fence. I can beat the train.”

some fool climbing the fence to avoid going to the underpass

So as you can see above some dim bulb has climbed a fence to get to his ride. You are probably wondering why this is a big deal, right? Well the fence is on the property owned by the railroad. Yes this idiot is crossing a railroad track, and jumping a fence.

Not well either…

Bad dresser, less than athletic, and an idiot.

He was not alone either. I think the guy below is the person with the red towel on his neck above.

Oh and the lights to the left of photo, are the lights for the underpass that allows safe access to the beach by passing under the tracks.

Well it’s entertaining living here, that is for sure. I have no doubt that one of these days I will get to shoot a train wreck with some idiot under the train.

Tags: oceanside, surf, beach, coaster, metrolink, amtrak, railroad, railway, photograph

It seems clear to me that having them locked up for 15 months, and over-charging them was meant to force them to plead to lesser charges. Just another example of Bonnie Dumanis and her band of abusive District Attorneys.

More later.

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• Boettgers accept plea deal

Previously on the Island

• Another miscarriage of Justice
• Another miscarriage of Justice, fixed
• Thad Jessperson Released

Tags: san diego, murder, child abuse, Thomas Boettger, Lorrie Boettger

It was only a matter of time before the scum figured out it was lottery time if you had dealt with the police recently. Another Rachel Silva type is on the loose, looking to shake down the Police.

Show me the money!

She says she just wants answers. She doesn’t say what the questions are, that are unanswered.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A woman whose husband was fatally shot by an Oceanside police officer said she wants her questions answered.

Oh sorry, she wants HER questions answered. Well excuse me, Miss Thang.

So what happened? Pretty simple, he Parolee husband decided he was Superman. He found out he was wrong.

On December 22, 2007, Siaki “Ramon” Del Rio allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through North County that ended when he crashed into a mobile home park.

Police said Del Rio, a parolee and father of two young boys, refused to surrender without a fight and told them he had a gun and threatened to use it.

Keep that last line in mind. It’s important.

Del Rio was shot and killed by police to end the incident.

Well that would make sense … but not to the desperately seeking attention widow. No, she doesn’t get it.

Del Rio’s wife, Deana Del Rio, said she wanted $60 million for the wrongful death of her husband.

The “wrongful death” of her husband. Yea, O.K.

Out to get him!

She had this astute observation.

“I believe from the get-go they didn’t want anything to do with him,” said Deana.

Well, duh. He’s a parolee, who said he had a gun and would use it. That seems to have escaped her.

The claim also stated, “… OPD attempted to cover up the gross misconduct of the police officers by reporting to the media … he had a gun and threatened to use it …”

It gets even better.

Additionally, the claim said that the “… shooting was illegal and unauthorized … with malice and the intent to kill Del Rio.”

“Unauthorized”? WTF does that mean? Oh wait the “Rachel Silva” code of gun fire. The new 50 step process you must follow before discharging your weapon. Yea got it. Wait, he was killed last year, so they must not have been in affect. Guess the 35 step process was not to her liking.

[NOTE: some of you may be wondering what I am talking about. There is not 35 step or 50 step process for weapons discharge. This is a sarcastic comment on the current state of anti-cop dumbasses in San Diego and their idiotic response to Rachel Silva and her drunken stupidity. I will have a post later this week on the process]

Oh who am I kidding, she is nothing but a gold-bricker doing some gold-digging. She figures this is her lottery ticket. Queue sympathy, tears, and violins.

Del Rio’s wife, Deana Del Rio, said she wanted $60 million for the wrongful death of her husband. The claim will be filed in Oceanside on Tuesday.

Damn! Parolees must be pulling down some heavy duty scratch these days. Guess the drug trade is gooooood! OK I don’t know what he does for a living — he did have a conviction for drug possession that came with a life sentence; I am guessing trafficking. — , if he even works, I doubt she does … much of anything except eat.

Wait, could that be it? She lost her meal ticket. Now she has to actually go to work. That’s not for her. She could get a settlement and not have to work ever again.

Deana’s claim said her husband “… was unarmed and did not brandish a weapon … OPD planted a gun in Del Rio’s clothing after the shooting …”

“Numerous people have told me that night that there was no weapon on him and the witness was able to verify with me,” said Deana.

I am laughing so hard my sides hurt. The classic “they planted the gun” — did any of these “witnesses” tell you that? — , followed by “people told me” this and that, capped off with certitude of verification by people who are unknown. *ROTFLMAO* Who are these “numerous” outstanding citizens? More ghetto dwellers hoping for some coin to fall from your big settlement?

This is how clear she is thinking.

Deana said his criminal past shouldn’t have been a factor on the night of the shooting …

Are you kidding me? He is a parolee, who was given a life sentence for drugs — which was overturned, the incompetent and pro-criminal ch 10 does not say if it was still pending — ; and they should assume he was a ‘nice boy’. Yea, right.

This from an earlier article on the original incident.

Court records show that Del Rio was involved in from four to eight prior criminal cases from 1996-2001; details were unavailable Sunday.

The pursuit began on Big Bend Way at about 6:29 p.m., after the officers attempted to stop a man, later identified as Del Rio, who they recognized as being wanted for a felony warrant, the sergeant said.

Rut Roh! Felony warrant.

A man wanted for a felony parole violation was shot dead by Oceanside police who said they struggled with him at the end of a brief chase, police said Sunday.

Not only does he have a warrant, it’s a felony warrant, and he is wanted for a Parole Violation. That means he is dangerous … and she feels his criminal past has no bearing on how they treat him. Are you high?

So cops having some sense, clearly; did not take her advice and assumed he was ‘not so nice’. Good call in my opinion.

Del Rio, who Mata said was considered armed and dangerous , allegedly took off. Mata said a chase ensued for about four minutes and ended less than two miles away, when the suspect crashed into a shed and chain-link fence at a mobile home park in the 200 block of North El Camino Real.

Del Rio refused to comply with officers’ orders and resisted “violently” when they wrestled with him in an attempt to take him into custody near the vehicle, Mata said. In a news release, Mata said that Del Rio told the officers he had a gun and threatened to use it “as they struggled to gain control of him.”

OMG, I thought she said, that they said, he HAD a gun? Seems clear they said, he said, that he had a gun. Oh no, what will she do, now?

“I need closure to know what exactly happened,” said Deana.

No what you need is to get a job, get on a diet, and get off the pity train. If you want closure, start with growing up and NOT dating criminals.

No doubt he did not want to go back to prison. Guess he should have thought of that BEFORE he decided to violate his parole, and run from Police, and become a criminal in the first place. Then again maybe he did? And Deanna if you date criminals, some times they don’t come home. That’s part of the job description.

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