Oscar Grant case: Johannes Mehserle will not be tried for murder

The camcorder tells the take in this case 

As the Oscar Grant trail, where former BART Police Officer Johannes Mehserle was originally tried for first degree murder comes to a close, a major development happened on Wednesday. According to NBC Bay Area, Judge Robert Perry ruled that Johannes Mehserle could not be tried for first-degree murder, pointing to "an absence of premeditation."

That's a huge development for Johannes Mehserle and gives some Oscar Grant supporters heart-burn because a successful first-degree murder would have certainly meant life in prison or worse. Instead, Johannes Mehserle's now looking at four options: second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter or acquittal. Here's a closer look at what those terms mean:

Second-degree murder is defined as "an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable 'heat of passion' or a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life," according to FindLaw.com

Voluntary manslaughter is "an intentional killing in which the offender had no prior intent to kill, such as a killing that occurs in the "heat of passion." The circumstances leading to the killing must be the kind that would cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed."

Involuntary manslaughter is "an unintentional killing that results from recklessness or criminal negligence, or from an unlawful act that is a misdemeanor or low - level felony (such as DUI). The usual distinction from voluntary manslaughter is that involuntary manslaughter (sometimes called "criminally negligent homicide") is a crime in which the victim's death is unintended."

Acquittal means that Johannes Mehserle would walk away a free, innocent man.

Jury expected to take weeks to make a decision

It's been reported that the jury in the case would make a decision by Friday, but this space can't see that happening. Judge Robert Perry just gave the jury a new set of considerations, whereas under the first-degree murder charge, Mehserle would have certainly walked away a free man.

But if the jury deadlocks on a verdict, Mehserle would still walk away, but on a technicality.

Given the new choices, Mehserle should get voluntary manslaughter.  The video camera makes the difference in this case.  Without it and the shocking videos we've seen, Johannes Mehserle would have been set free.  Now, that doesn't appear to be the case.

Stay tuned.

Toy Story 3 and Pixar's Teddy Newton at San Francisco's Balboa Theater

Toy Story 3 star and long-time Pixar Director Teddy Newton will appear at San Francisco's Balboa Theater this Friday, July 2nd, and to present the new Pixar short Day & Night at 7 PM and 9:15 PM PDT.

Day & Night stars the voice of Teddy Newton and of Croatian president Ivo Josipovicand and is scored by Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino. The Balboa Theater is in San Francisco at 3630 Balboa Street (at 38th Avenue).

About Teddy Newton

Newton came to Pixar in July of 2000 to work on the Emeryville - based studio's sixth feature film, The Incredibles and has since contributed his considerable character design skills to many of Disney / Pixar's award - winning feature and short films, including Ratatouille, Your Friend the Rat and Presto.

He was also instrumental in the creation of the "End Titles" for The Incredibles and Ratatouille. In addition Newton is frequently cast as a voice in Disney / Pixar films, including the lawyer Talon Labarthe in Ratatouille and the newsreel narrator in The Incredibles and additional voices in Cars and in Up.

Prior to coming to Pixar, Teddy Newton worked at Warner Bros. in the story department and in character design on Iron Giant. Newton also served as writer/producer for the independent feature film The Trouble with Lou. Teddy Newton is considered one of the most influential animation artists in the industry.

Day & Night

Day & Night is a six-minute movie that appears before Toy Story 3. Pixar describes it as follows:

When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other's unique qualities--and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world--the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.

Croatian president Ivo Josipovic is the radio voice in the film says the radio message is about "how the most beautiful things are those that are still unknown to us, so we should not be afraid of the unknown but rather investigate it," according to The Associated Press.

Come to The Balboa Theater and win a prize

Teddy Newton will answer questions following the 7:00pm screening of Day & Night and introduce the 9:15 show with stories about the making of both Toy Story 3 and Day & Night. Newton will sign copies of the Day & Night poster and one lucky winner will receive a copy of "The Art of Toy Story 3," published by Chronicle Books and signed by Toy Story 3 Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla K. Anderson.

Health care news: Marin Healthcare District gets hospital from Sutter Health

Marin General Hospital 

At midnight on Wednesday (tonight), Sutter Health will give the elected Marin Healthcare District in Greenbrae, CA of Marin County, California control of the Marin General Hospital in Kentfield, California after managing it for almost 15 years.

While the prospects of success of an elected public health care center would seem promising, that's only the case when there's money to run it and a private sector partner - not here.

While a lot of press places Sutter in the position of bad person, the reality is different if one does some digging. Sources say that Marin Healthcare District knew Sutter had the ability and the right to transfer funds to its overall system. Moreover, Sutter reportedly offered to build a $400 million earthquake safe hospital for free.

This space is not against public control of organizations (like the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum) but as long as it's done correctly and with a nod toward the need for private sector involvement. There's no reason Sutter could not have remained as a partner in some way, but the edgy and combative approach of some Marin County politicos erased such a possible deal long ago.

The Marin County Grand Jury's view of this was scathing. In a report called "Marin General Hospital: Hope is not a strategy," and released in May of 2009, the Marin County Grand Jury wrote the following on the board's decision to release Sutter Health from its lease and take over Marin General:

"(the decision) woefully underestimates its working capital needs, assumes the public will vote to tax itself for a new wing estimated to cost between $350 million and $400 million, and implausibly takes for granted that it will be able to negotiate reimbursements from insurance companies as favorable as those negotiated by large healthcare systems."

Now, the Marin Healthcare District has to push a bond measure with Marin County voters to raise the necessary funds to build a new hospital. It will be hard to get the voters to approve financing for a hospital board that seems more politically than managerially oriented.

Health care consumers in Marin have other healthcare options are available, including Kaiser and Sutter Health, which continues to provide healthcare services in Marin County and at California Medical Center in San Francisco.

Not that this space hopes for failure by the Marin Healthcare District, just a dose of common sense and a lot less emotion. It's current course is not going to work.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren divorce settlement: a selfish $750 million

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren divorce settlement: $750 million!

Tiger and Elin in happier days

That's enormous. And that's the price Tiger Woods will reportedly pay his soon-to-be-former wife Elin Nordegren after years of fooling around with as many as 14 known mistresses.

It's no wonder Tiger Woods' golf game is off. You golf game would stuffer, too, if you knew you had to give up $750 million to your ex-wife. Oh, and not bring any girlfriends around their kids.

That's part of the divorce settlement between Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren. Tiger Woods can't bring girlfriends around the kids, and a divorced Elin Nordegren can't make comments about his girlfriends. Now, if he marries that woman, it's another story according to The Sun.

This ends a roller coaster ride that leaves thousands of webpages and videos like the ones at this space, of which this interview with Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg is an example:



Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren are selfish

In the view of this space, throwing $750 million to Elin Nordegren for a divorce, when Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren could have sent just $5 million to Haiti is outrageous and selfish. Tiger and Elin could have sent another $20 million to help the suffering workers along the Louisiana and Florida shores of The Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the BP Oil Spill. The many unemployed people in Racine, Wisconsin would have certainly appreciated a $3 million helping hand.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren could have helped a lot of people with just $28 million of that $750 million.

Terrible.

Keith Britton gets Star Trek and Avatar's Zoe Saldana engaged

Zoe Saldana and Keith Britton 

Popular Actress Zoe Saldana has more good news in addition to her being invited to become a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and her accomplishments in starring in Star Trek and Avatar: Saldana's engaged to her boyfriend of 10 years, Keith Britton.

All we can say is "Dude. Keith Britton. What took you so dang long?!" It took Keith Britton 10 years to finally propose to her hotness Zoe Saldana? Ten years. Wow, it took Oakland Raiders Quarterback Kyle Boller just one year to propose to Carrie Prejean and they're getting married this Friday.

Now, that we've gotten the razzing of Keith Britton out of the way, congratulations to the lovely couple.

Now, people want to know who Keith Britton is.

Keith Britton is CEO of My Fashion Database and an actor in Los Angeles who's appeared in Cold Case and As The World Turns. My Fashion Database was established in 2008 and has 18 employees according to Linkedin. It's billed as an IMDB.com for the fashion industry.

Randall Cunningham loses his 2-year-old son in hot tub

Randall Cunningham

Former NFL Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Randall Cunningham reportedly lost his 2-year-old son in a hot tub accident.

According to the Associated Press, the Las Vegas, Clark County Coroner says that the cause of death of Christian Cunningham was pending investigation.

Christian Cunningham appeared to die from an accidental drowning, but that's not official. The youngest Cunningham was pronounced dead at St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena campus in Henderson, Nevada.

At the time of the incident, Tuesday, Randall Cunningham was out of town. Christian Cunningham is the youngest of his four children.

Randall Cunningham is an ordained minister and pastor of a church in Las Vegas with his wife Felicity.

Cunningham was one of this spaces favorite quarterbacks, and in 1998 was one missed field goal kick from playing against John Elway and The Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Instead, the Vikings were upset in the 1988 NFC Championship by The Atlanta Falcons.

The Beginning of the End for Red-Light Cameras?

Red-light camera programs are losing support from several relevant areas. With courts, legislatures, and the always important general public all dealing blows to photo-enforcement programs around the country, local municipalities are finding it increasingly difficult to defend their use of the machines. The cumulative effect of numerous defeats in court, as well as at the ballot box, combined with the public’s general disdain for the devices (and for the elected officials who support them) may signal trouble for the private companies that operate the automated-ticketing programs. (Not to mention the cities who rely on the revenue that they generate through citations.)
A recent Appellate Court ruling in Orange County essentially dismissed evidence presented from red-light cameras as inadmissible due to a lack of credibility – labeling the evidence as hearsay, rather than direct. (Basically, the court cast doubt on the ability of city officials to prove that their cameras are accurate.) The ruling stated: “The person who entered that relevant information into the camera-computer system did not testify. The person who entered that information was not subject to being cross-examined on the underlying source of that information. The person or persons who maintain the system did not testify. No one with personal knowledge testified about how often the system is maintained. No one with personal knowledge testified about how often the date and time are verified or corrected. The custodian of records for the company that contracts with the city to maintain, monitor, store, and disperse these photographs did not testify. The person with direct knowledge of the workings of the camera-computer system did not testify.” In short, the judges wanted to know why they should assume that the cameras are credible witnesses.
And while the lure of an additional revenue stream is enticing to cash-strapped governments, the public’s ability to punish those officials who support the cameras is equally powerful. That risk vs. reward struggle recently became evident in Illinois, where Cook County officials gave local villages the right to “opt out” of a plan to install red-light cameras in their area. (And opt-out, they did.) While that “opt out” measure was touted as nothing more than granting those villages “the right to choose,” others recognized it as an election-year ploy. “Certain people who have suburban constituents are getting some serious heat from their mayors. It’s about voting to keep yourself in that seat and getting re-elected,” claimed one County Commissioner. In short, the mayors were scared to anger voters during an election year.
Finally, there’s the issue of credibility. This, too, seems to be swaying against the cameras. While governments always seem to find data that shows how red-light cameras reduce accidents, most independent studies do not. The latest example comes from a study by the University of Illinois at Chicago, which looked at the city’s red-light camera program (the largest in the country) and car-accident data during the duration of the program. I’ll spare you the numbers, but the report concluded that “the benefits claimed by the city are hyperbole and that there is no evidence that the red-light cameras have had a significant safety benefit.” Another study noted by the Washington Times pointed out that during a six-year period in the beginning of the decade, when Arlington, VA, used red-light cameras, “total crashes increased 65%” in the area. In short, the cameras didn’t do what they were supposed to – decrease accidents and improve public safety.
The topic of red-light cameras has become so controversial that the U.S. Congress is scheduled to review the matter on Wednesday. The House Highways and Transit subcommittee is going to try to determine if ‘automated traffic enforcement’ methods are “cost-efficient and appropriate.” The subject has simply become too big for Congress to ignore and that could mean trouble for the industry as a whole. In short, stay tuned.

Associated Report Online is stealing SFGate.com titles and content

Associated Report Online is stealing from SFGate.com 

The Internet news space is getting more and more crowded and there's no better place to see how this is so than Google Trends.

Normally, news sites pop up on the left results area, and blogs on the right. But it really should not be divided that way; it's Google's way of protecting traditional news sites in a storm of new blogs.

But one firm's upsetting Google Trend and Google News' order of things: Associated Report Online.

Associated Report Online has the ugly habit of taking your entire blog or website title and using it as its own. That means in the case of SFGate.com, using the CityBright tag and the tile of the blog I post.

It's happened twice now, which is a backhanded complement to my ability to place content on Google News; Associated Report Online scrapes it. Now, this is different from a non-threatening news aggregator site like Google News and Google Trends. You have to go to those sites to see the content listed.

For Associated Report Online, you will see a title like "City Brights: Zennie Abraham : Anna Chapman" show up in a search, think it's my blog, and click on it, only to see that it is on Associated Report Online word for work, sometimes with a link, others not.

That's essentially stealing my way of blogging for search and using it as their own.

Associated Report Online, please stop it.

Oakland Mayor's Race: Rebecca Kaplan announces run for Mayor

Today, Wednesday, Oakland At-Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan made official what many of her supporters were waiting for: that she's officially running for Mayor. She did this 49 minutes ago at the Joyce Gordon Gallery at 406 14th St. It was just two years ago in September 2008 that now-Councilmember Kaplan talked with this blogger about running for the At-Large Oakland City Council Seat:



Now, less than two years later, and having successfully been elected as At-Large Oakland Councilmember,  Rebecca Kaplan announces she's running for Mayor of Oakland.

What was true then in 2008 is true now, Oakland's in terrible fiscal shape and its worse today. But let's go a step further: Oakland's got a giant unemployment and underemployment problem that could sack many of the new restaurants that have opened over the past two years. Is Kaplan the person to fix all of this? Well, she just got into Oakland City Hall.

Mayor Dellums?  What's up?

While I don't think Councilmember Kaplan should run for Mayor, she's running for Mayor. Thus, Kaplan deserves all the respect and encouragement of anyone who makes such an effort.  Indeed, it's better than being strung along by Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, who has yet to say what he's going to do?  

Mayor Dellums, if you're going to run for Mayor again or not, please say so.

Kaplan keeps running..and running

It seems that every time I turn around, Rebecca Kaplan is running for something, rather than running something. When will her obvious displeasure with the place she worked so hard to get to - she ran for the At-Large Council Seat twice - stop?

Will Kaplan be happy as the Mayor of Oakland? Will she want to run for another office? Given her pattern and the fact that she's only been in her current position for just over a year, it's a fair question.

Yes, my view comes from the bias of years of backing and supporting Kaplan, only to be turned on for a difference of opinion over Oakland's Parking Enforcement Process (yes, in italics and caps), and in a way that anyone running for the office of Mayor of Oakland should not exhibit.  It was distasteful and she and her staff know it.

Kaplan had no problem calling me when she needed my help before she got the prize she wanted; now that she has it, she can't even call to apologize.

My view is that Kaplan, having got the prize she wanted for so long, forgot what it took to get there in this case some of the people who helped, and wanted something else: more power and recognition. When does it stop?

When does it stop?

AMPAS News: Academy presents Ray Harryhausen movies July 16th

The AMPAS Building

The The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced it will present two classic movies created by special effects giant Ray Harryhausen, 20 Million Miles to Earth and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, on Friday, July 16 2010, at 7:30 p.m. PDT at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The movies are part of the Academy's exhibition called "The Fantastical Worlds of Ray Harryhausen," and there will be special gallery hours from 6 to 7:30 p.m. PDT , and after the screening of the films. Tickets for 20 Million Miles to Earth and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad are just $5, and $3 for Academy members like Adam Sandler and students with a valid ID. You can buy them online at Oscars.org.

Made in 1957, 20 Million Miles to Earth was Ray Harryhausen's last black-and-white movie. According to AMPAS 20 Million Miles to Earth features one Harryhausen's favorite monsters, the Ymir, who survives the crash of a spaceship returning from the first human exploration of Venus, and with unfortunate results for Rome.



(Now aren't you surprised that wasn't remade in 3D?)

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad was one of this blogger's childhood favorites. Sinbad and his fiancée Princess Parisa land on an island in search of provisions while on their way to Baghdad to be married. On the island, they encounter an evil magician, a genie and many Harryhausen creations, including my favorite, the man-eating, one-eyed Cyclops.



"The Fantastical Worlds of Ray Harryhausen" is open to the public for free up to August 22 and in the Academy’s Fourth Floor Gallery at 8949 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills. It's open from 10 AM to 5 PM and from 12 noon to 6 PM on the weekends.

Tila Tequila: Not Worth It Anymore. -- Nikky Raney

Tila Tequila is a lost cause. No matter how objective or supportive a blog entry is written - when Tila Tequila is called out for a lie she attacks in the only way she knows how. It's like middle school all over again - she gets others to hate and attack those she feels threatened by. She uses name-calling and cyber-bullying to make herself look "cool." The Tila Army sticks up for Tila like a middle school best friend. The Tila Army enjoys being apart of a celebrity fanbase with a celebrity who constantly keeps in touch; knowing that getting on Tila's bad side is not something that is favorable.

For a 28-year-old woman to blog hateful remarks to a 20-year-old who never posted a direct insult or accusation is a sign of something much more than cyber-bullying. I wrote objectively about Tila multiple times, because I thought if Tila ever read one of my posts she would be taken aback and really think about what was going on. To prove her lies was something that I wanted to do, and it was something that I did. Throughout this entire venture I have never published a blog entry with anything hateful toward Tila, because I don't hate Miss Tila. I actually feel bad for her, and because of that I am no longer blogging about her. I can honestly say that I had the best intentions with every blog post.

It didn't matter if I wasn't posting on a hate-site. Tila felt threatened that someone other than a "hater" was blogging about her and writing things that forced her to look at her lies.

Tweets are archived by the library of Congress. Facebook statuses, blog posts, tweets, etc. can be used in a court of law & someone can be sued do to what he or she publishes/posts on any of the social networking platforms. Everyone is held accountable for what is posted. Does anyone remember the woman who tweeted about her apartment being moldy & then was SUED.

So, here's the e-mail where I request an interview with Miss Tila. I originally sent it through Youtube, but then I e-mail it to support@misstilaomg.com:

So, here is the e-mail that I received:

If that's too small for you to read here is the text. I can assure you it is unaltered

(Have fun reading it out loud):

From: SUPPORT <support@misstilaomg.com>
Date: Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 6:24 AM
Subject: Re: Interview Request
To: Nikky Raney <nikkyraney@nikkyraney.com>


Hello,

We here at the OMG staff does not condone hatred nor spam. We try to deliver fun news stories for our readers and as bloggers, we add our own signature style to thinks to separate us from the rest of the gossip blog world. The only reason why your comments got banned is because our site works with another company that automatically deletes comments that has too many profanities in them, and we also block anyone that posts links because we consider that spam or advertise bots.

Now if you go on Miss Tila's site, the staff, including herself, just blogs about celebrities and make it fun for the readers. No different that any other celebrity gossip blogger who does way worse in regards to talking shit about celebrities. However, if you truly are a nice girl like you claim, why do you join the rest of the hate comments and it is contradicting for you to say that. Imagine being in Miss Tila's spot just for one day. When she's not blogging about celebrity news, all of her other blogs are either informative or positive. Plus, the fact that you amongst those "rotspot" and "resistance" people constantly claims that she "LIES" about everything. You claim to be a journalist, which you are far from it because real journalists would actually do REAL research about such topics if they were interested and sometimes real journalists can take as long as a few months, to contact people, CREDIBLE people to find out what's true and what's not. If you go on these Tila Hate sites, you can see how much they waste their days and nights trying to bring her down, even dedicated a hate site all about her alone is pretty sad.

So unless people have actual evidence from Miss Tila's doctor's and hospital bills for her past miscarriage and her artificial insemination, and tweets and copying and pasting are not valid. If you bring those materials in the court of law, it would be laughable, as Miss Tila has gone through a lot, and it is nobody's business to "PROVE" to anyone that she never lied about any of the stuff that the haters claim she lies about. I know this because I am a longtime friend of hers and I blog for her. I a telling you this because I am sick of how harshly the haters bash on her, just for their own entertainment. As a matter of fact, I am the one who took her to the doctor when she was artificially inseminated. I also picked her up from the hospital when she fell and hit her head and caused her to mis-carry her baby. Miss Tila has been through a lot and does not need more people like you to mock her. The haters don't know her. They weren't there with her like I was when I had to hold her from her crying so badly when she lost the baby. I even cried and I am sick of people talking bad about her. They don't know her and neither do you. So for you to say you're not a "HATER" well you definitely are one when you make hate blogs about miss tila. And you haters act as though you guys are so perfect? As though anything miss tila does actually ruins peoples lives? No. If I were here I would have done more, and much worse things then tweeting you when she finally stood up for herself! I give miss Tila props for keeping her head high no matter how much of these same haters coming to HER blog everyday just to talk shit about her. It's redundant and how dare you have the audacity to try to contact her after what you did. You are far worse off then Miss Tila. I would say it's best to do what you claim as not being a hater and stop making hate blogs about her or "calling her out on her lies" sorry to break it to you, but Miss Tila never lied so you and the hate sites you talk to are just two-faced mean people. Please don't contact us again trying to get in touch with miss Tila when you actually can see your own actions of trying to harm a woman who never did anything to you to begin with. Peace...........

Anyway, this e-mail is ridiculous. I never blogged her miscarriages or her artificial inseminations, but the e-mail goes into details about both aforementioned topics. So, Tila obviously has never read any of my blog posts.

Staff? Honestly. I strongly believe that Tila Tequila wrote that e-mail. If she didn't, why wouldn't the e-mail close with some professional signature of some sort. The multiple periods are not very professional - then again that entire e-mail looks like it was written by a 12-year-old.

The e-mail speaks for itself, and I think that I could have just posted that e-mail as my final blog post.

As for my friendship with the "hater" blogs. I post things objectively for those who do not visit the "hater" sites. I no longer visit MissTilaOMG.com. Now, the "hater" blogs are run by PEOPLE who are actually very nice. My friendship with them has nothing to do with my opinion of Miss Tila. And come tomorrow when I am rid of all Tequila residue my friends at those blogs will still be keeping track of all the lies & deceit.

Now, as for positivity. The #TILAARMY has always been about positivity. Then why is it okay for someone who never attacked Tila to be called a fatty? I am called "PIGGY RAINEY" (she spelled my name wrong), and I am put in a sentence with "PIGGY PEREZ." Is this a joke? Perez actually said mean things to Tila, I never said ANYTHING mean in ANY of my blog posts. And anything that may SEEM mean is backed up with facts & links to posts. My last blog entry about her was strictly her TWEETS. Which she CAN be held accountable for in a court of law.

Defamation is something that Tila & her army need to learn. You cannot maliciously attack someone and try to ruin reputations without consequences. I do not plan to sue Miss TIla, but there is proof that Tila defamed me maliciously to try to ruin my reputation & in some ways she DID damage my reputation, but she more than anything promoted me.

Tila blogged about being on TMZ's blogroll. She even tweeted to me saying that I wasn't on TMZ's blogroll -- Zennie62.com is on TMZ's blogroll. Tila Tequila's blog is not on TMZ's blogroll. I don't know why it matters who is on TMZ's blogroll, because there are many other blogrolls out there. After the things TMZ has written about Miss Tila I am surprised she would WANT to be on its blogroll.

The Tila Army consists mostly of teenagers. TIla's #1 fan, Mittiee, is 16-years-old. I was 16 four years ago, and I remember that I was also a fan of Tila Tequila at that age. I was watching A Shot at Love, and I thought she was great. However, a lot has happened since then. I am concerned that these fans are going down the wrong path. Alina K Ring was once a Tila supporter, and she is also a teenager. Tila is undoubtedly known for her "sex" factor. She posts half naked photos, NAKED photos, has naked videos online (I'd rather not post the links, but they are out there. Not sex tapes, but other videos), and has performed at strip clubs. Hell, Tila also did strip teases on USTREAM for her fans & got naked. I saw the USTREAM videos, and I saw her fall backwards in the chair while wearing her lingerie. My mother walked by while I watched USTREAM and Tila was naked on webcam talking to her fans. My mom was outraged. When I told my mother that the 28-year-old woman on my screen claimed to be an Angel of God & claimed to be quite a religious young woman my mother was in disbelief. I then played one of Tila's songs, and my mom made me turn it off because of the profanity.

I am worried about the teenagers in the Tila Army. These boys and girls see Tila as a role model. Tila admittedly jokes about suicide, openly discusses her sexuality, posts nude photos, dresses inappropriately, and uses lots of profanity. If Tila Tequila walked into church & performed one of her songs she would probably be escorted out. Teenagers are impressionable, and it is people like Tila that make me wish parents watched their kids' internet activity. Yeah, it might be cool that a celebrity you like actually acknowledges your presence, but it is not okay to talk about an Ambien addiction or post half naked youtube videos regularly. Most of the Tila Army is not even old enough to look through Playboy or go to a strip club, but they can see Playboy photos online and watch Tila at the strip club on Youtube. What kind of Mogul is she?

Is it okay for a 28-year-old to be doing that? I truly hope the "TILA ARMY" reads this with an un-bias mindset.

And, if the adoption claims are true - no one is going to let Tila have children in her care. I know a lot about adoption, because a few of my cousins from the Philippines had to be adopted by other family members so that they could come to America. Adoptions take a long time, and there are many background checks to make sure that the child will be in a safe environment. Tila Tequila's lifestyle is not a safe or stable environment, and I don't think anyone can argue me on that point.

I thought Tila never lied though?

Read every single blog post that I have written about Tila Tequila:

Tila Tequila: Army of One

Tila Tequila Heads to Rehab

Tila Tequila: Time to face reality

Tila Tequila caught by "Tila's Rot Spot"

Tila Tequila tries to kill herself & posts VIDEO

Tila Tequila: One of Tiger's Mistresses

Tila Tequila is allergic to alcohol - just a reminder.

Tila Tequila fans Attack Nikky Raney

Tila Tequila is Obsessed with Perez Hilton

Tila's Army will put Hilter's Army to shame with the help of God

Tila Tequila Attacks Nikky Raney

Tila Tequila: 3 Adoptions in 1 year

You'd think with all the blog posts I have done about her she would have accepted my interview request.

If I ever attacked her maliciously, called her names, or treated her unkindly then please let me know.

When you read those blog posts & realize I was never mean to Miss Tila then I hope that the "Tila Army" and maybe even Miss Tila can give me a sincere apology for the rude comments & unjustified attacks. If after reading my blog posts about Tila you think I deserve being called "Piggy Raney," and deserve all the hateful comments from Tila -- then I will be surprised. I think that I deserve an apology, but it takes a lot for some people to swallow their pride. I apologize for anything I said that may have been perceived as hateful, but I can assure you my intentions were always to remain objective & to do my duty as a journalist and blogger to report & research to set things straight.

The Blog Post Miss Tila wrote about being on TMZ's blogroll & one of the posts where she talks about me. I must be a celebrity if I am on Tila's Celebrity Gossip Blog. She calls me Piggy Raney..again:

obviously no one can read that, so click for a larger photo.

To keep up with Tila Tequila you keep visiting my friends:

Tila's Rot Spot

Tila Truth

Spiked Tequila

The difference between these people are they don't hate her for superficial reasons. They hate her for all the terrible things she has been caught doing & her lack of holding herself accountable or admitting to lies.

EXCLUSIVE: Tila's Army is going to WAR.

(Thanks to my "spies" for the links, screenshots, etc.)

Now, on that note. Since Miss Tila has already associated me with Piggy Perez, maybe it's time for me to see what makes he and I so alike. I already wrote an editorial on why we're different.

Nikky Raney:

The Future of Journalism

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P.S. Did anyone CATCH that Tila's Staff E-mail says that she got a miscarriage due to hitting her head. She was tweeting right after she hit her head & basically was tweeting before she called the ambulance. Seriously? Have fun with this one.

Disclaimer: I, Nikky Raney, have absolutely nothing personally against Tila Tequila. Although she has personally attacked me through her blog posts and her tweets - I am a journalist and blogger who takes that with a grain of salt & does not return that anger or resentment. This is a job and a service that I do to inform others of the scandal/lies/etc. from public figures. Again, I have nothing against Tila Tequila. I am not a hater. I have attempted to get in touch with her to get her perspective and her opinion. AGAIN, I have nothing against her personally. I do this objectively in a professional manner, it's not personal it's about the story itself. I hope that I have made myself clear. My blog posts will prove for that I have never LIED about Miss Tila or called her ANY rude names. I have never used anything other than evidence from her own tweets, blogposts, and interviews to state my case. The attacks Tila has made against me and calling me "Piggy Raney" was unjust, and although she did that I still have nothing against her. She may try to attack and bring me down, but at the end of the day this is my job. And I am mature enough that to retaliate against someone whose way of responding is by name-calling would be futile.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows official movie trailer: the 3D issue

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter and Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort
(photo from DanielRadcliffe.com)

The first, not leaked, official movie trailer for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was released Tuesday with much celebration of and anticipation for the film to be released on November 19, 2010. But one issue that would have been overlooked, takes on new importance in the wake of Avatar Director James Cameron's attack on Warner Bros. Clash of The Titans use of 3D in a movie shot as 2D: will Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows have the same problem?

Earlier this year, just after the release of the epic remake of Clash of The Titans , Cameron went on an attack on Clash that could only be called damaging. Cameron said that making 2D films and then reforming them as 3D movies "cheapens" the 3D brand, and called for a board or commission to be formed that would monitor how and when 3D is used.

The one problem from this perspective is there are two kinds of 3D movies: before Avatar and after Avatar. Before Avatar, many movies were made with 2D cameras, then converted to 3D and in a process so common now, you can do it with your movie videos at home.  Sure, there were a few stereoscopic films, but the common process was conversion.

Avatar takes advantage of new 3D processes created from Real D 3D, Dolby 3D, XpanD 3D, MasterImage 3D, and IMAX 3D, and was made from the start as a stereoscopic 3D movie.

The unfortunate reality is many movies were created from a one-camera perspective, and not an in-tandem 2 camera view system that mimics the eye and offers a more exact 3D perspective.

The whole point is to create the illusion of depth perception: the idea that something is in front of or behind another object on screen. But that written, movie makers who are converting 2D to 3D argue that the elements of a 3D movie - where a distant object is desaturated and hazy relative to a closer one - are already in 2D movies and thus continue to advocate 2D to 3D conversion.

Avatar distorts the truth

The problem Avatar causes for movie-makers on a budget is it used special equipment and techniques that were extremely expensive, then the movie goes on to be the largest money-maker in film history. So, because of Avatar, we have blogs like Screenrant claiming James Cameron has successfully ushered in the official “era of 3D cinema" because of its success. But it's not that movies haven't been made using stereoscopic film methods, they just weren't all that successful until Avatar. Now, every movie's judged by Avatar and what James Cameron says about that film versus Avatar.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is not an "Avatar 3D" movie

From the James Cameron perspective, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is not an authentic 3D movie. In other words, it was created with a one-camera-lens perspective and has been converted to 3D, much as The Clash of The Titans was, and at a cost estimated at $10 million or "$5 million for movie conversion and $5 million for the glasses" according to Heat Vision Blog.

My take: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is just fine as 2D

If you want to see what Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows will look like in 2D, just look at the movie trailer above, if you'e not done so. It's a beautiful presentation, with all of the visual depth and character drama you expect from another epic installment in the Harry Potter series. Adding 3D is an excuse to charge higher ticket prices and with the popularity of the Harry Potter brand, assure ticket sales. It's a marketing trick on the heels of Avatar, but an unnecessary one.

Avatar made my eyes strain and I had a tightness from trying to watch it with the glasses. I saw Avatar just once for that reason. Maybe my contact lenses were dirty and that reacted with the 3D glasses, but really, watching real 3D is an adjustment.

If Warner Bros was really serious about making Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in 3D, they'd have insisted on it in the production process, and even in the making of the videos that go on YouTube.

At a YouTube party I attended and will post today, YouTube engineers presented their experiments with 3D and the new online capability of being able to present 3D videos. It was effective, but takes some adjusting to. Will I use it? Considering they gave me a 3D web cam with which to make 3D videos, yes I will.  The only thing stopping me is the camera doesn't work on a Mac; it's for a PC!

I've not yet seen a movie studio make a 3D movie that includes a 3D YouTube video version. It's a good idea for a studio to do, and gives movie goers a more authentic view of what the 3D movie will look like when it's released. That written, I'm looking forward to Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in whatever "D" it's presented in.

Katie Couric: 4 out of 5? Not bad, Katie, not bad. But where's the love?

What does YouTube bring to journalism?

Katie Couric offered an overview in a video celebrating 5 years of YouTube without referring to us here at Zennie's

"I commend all the citizen journalists who are showing us their realities and proving that even Burma, China, or Africa can be just a click away."

~Katie Couric

OK, I'll take that, even though I put a lot less on YouTube than Zennie does. We've been commended, but we didn't make her list. Well, what I mean is, he didn't make it. I'm not surprised that I didn't make it, I use YouTube as a sort of incidental tool.

Zennie, though? Zennie has been partnering with YouTube and attracting the kind of discussions in the reply area that built traffic from the start.

"Raising awareness of human rights abuses and providing first hand accounts of conflicts and catastrophes moments after they strike."

~Katie Couric

She came up with a list of five pieces she thinks are demonstrative of how YouTube can be a catalyst for change.

Actually, it's a pretty good list. Who in the U.S. can forget Virginia Senator George Allen's infamous "Macaca" comment? That certainly put politicians on notice. She included the 2007 anti-government protests in Burma, the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province in China, and the murder of Neda Agha-Soltan during the Iranian election protests in 2009.

Four entirely exemplary videos.

But footage of a lion attacking a water buffalo on the Africa plain? Is that really more important to the story of YouTube than, say, interviews with Cornell West and Tavis Smiley, or footage from Obama's campaign and the convention that nominated him?

Come on, Ms. Couric - where's the love?

What does YouTube bring to your view of the world?

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, political staffer, and photographer who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community. He's been contributing here at Zennie's since prior to the Democrat's National Convention in Denver that nominated our current President in August of 2008, and hereby officially totally apologizes to Zennie for not doing more video -- for real :)

Oscar Grant, Johannes Mehserle case graffiti at Oakland Lake Merritt removed

On Sunday, this space reported the existence of 11 examples of graffiti at various points around Oakland's Lake Merritt from Grand Avenue to Lakeshore Avenue.

All of the taggings were done using red spray paint and all were messages related to the Oscar Grant, Johannes Mehserle murder case.

Some of the graffiti messages seemed to wish harm to Johannes Mehserle, the former BART Police Officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant. Here's the video showing the problem:



Today, all of the messages have been removed by the City of Oakland. The shores of Lake Merritt are back to their unmarked and clean look as the photo above shows.   I did not check the AC Transit Bus Stop on Grand Avenue, but since the video pointed to all of the places, and all of those points are clean, the bus shelter should be as well.  Unless, of course, the City of Oakland's not in the mood to help AC Transit.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows dark official movie trailer rocks

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows: Harry Potter grows up

Unlike most of the Harry Potter movies before it, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is wonderfully dark and the trailer for the Warner Bros. movie reflects not just Harry Potter's coming of age as a wizard and a young man, but the evil Potter is facing. Reflecting the overall mood of the book of the same names, the vast majority of scenes presented in the trailer are dark in their style with muted tones and dark colors. Even the sky above is overcast.

And the introduction - the Warner Bros. logo and Time Warner Company name against a dark, cloudy sky, offers a foreshadowing of the not-so-pleasant World Harry Potter's a part of in The Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is the seventh book in the series by author J.K. Rowing. The Warner Bros. movie, set to be released in two parts: Part I on November 19th 2010, and Part II on July 15th 2011, has endured some minor set backs and speed-bumps along the way to completion.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter and Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort
(photo from DanielRadcliffe.com)

First, completion of the script was delayed because of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, then a copy of the script was found under a table in a Suburban London bar after film workers went out for a night of cheer to the Waterside Tavern located near the Leavesden Studios in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, where the film was made, 21 miles north of London.

The patron who found the script read the 118-page document that was marked "Private and Confidential" did not reveal what they saw, but Screencrave.com reported it contains "several drastic changes" from the book.

Since that episode, various aspects of the plot have been leaked online.

A large cast for The Deathly Hallows

The special blog Harry Potter 7 Movie Trailer has an almost complete description of the cast and their characters as well as a history of all of the trailers released,  :

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, who makes a decision to find the remaining Horcruxes, not returning for his seventh year at Hogwarts.
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, one of Harry's two best friends.
Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, one of Harry's two best friends.
Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Harry's first friend from the magical world.
David Thewlis as Remus Lupin, former Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Lupin is a werewolf and a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom, a slightly nerdy friend of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Luna.
Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood, one of Harry's friends and member of Dumbledore's Army
Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Voldemort's principal Death Eaters, older sister of Narcissa Malfoy, aunt to Draco, and cousin of Sirius Black, whom she murdered in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy. Isaacs considered not returning for the film, before the book was released, as he was worried Malfoy would have very little screentime due to the character's imprisonment in the previous story.
Helen McCrory as Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother and younger sister of Bellatrix.
Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew, former member of Harry's father James's group of friends, he betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort. Now one of Voldemort's principal Death Eaters.

Obviously missing from this list is the great actor Ralph Fiennes who plays Lord Voldemort pictured above.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in 3D

Following a trend that started with last year's hit Avatar, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows will be presented in 3D. From the appearance of the trailer, it looks like The Deathly Hollows was originally a 2D movie that will be presented in 3D.

Will James Cameron slam Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows?

The use of 3D as a marketing tool (the Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Trailer contains promotion as such a film) is a practice panned by Avatar Producer / Director James Cameron, who took a direct shot at another Warner Bros. movie, The Clash of The Titans when he said "They worked against themselves with that film. I've heard people say that they couldn't watch (Clash of the Titans) in 3-D and thought it looked better in 2-D and they enjoyed the film more," in response to the news that Warner Bros. delayed the release of Clash to add 3D effects.

Cameron fears too many movies adding 3D effects to a movie shot as a 2D production will cheapen the 3D brand. That Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows does that remains to be seen.

Stay tuned.