I telephoned City Hall, actually the mayor's office, 8 am yesterday to speak to the new "deputy" in town, Deputy Stephen Goldsmith. I met him the day before at The Crain's breakfast for him and a few hundred business people and two activists, me and a friend.
Watch the YouTube I am posting and hear how he responds to my questions. He shook my hand and it was a hand shake I can only describe as a small dead fish; completely limp and disingenuous. He said, "thank you" to me twice actually. Each time I felt he was saying, "F-you, you are now dismissed." Don't actually ask me questions about politics, infrastructure and the harsh reality the people of New York actually need people in office that will be their advocate and work and fight for them.
The woman that answered the phone for the mayor's office transferred me over to Goldsmith's office. You see, he did not give me his card. He did hand out his business card but not to me. What ever I looked like or perhaps my questions some how registered as not a person to hand your business card to.
So much for Crain's and their networking. What was clear from the Crain's breakfast is besides my questions before the event started and the questions of only two news reporters who happened to be -- you guessed it -- two white males -- Stephen Goldsmith could not handle the heat or should I say pressure of their questions. He won't be here long. He won't make it as long as Dollarbill Dan Doctoroff who left king Mike's public empire to re-join his private empire.
Dan considered himself the man in charge of infrastructure until the steam pipe explosion that looked like a terror attack by Grand Central. You see, I would call and email him about the way too rapid development and NY's old infrastructure. I made it clear I felt Bloomberg and he were endangering us and were leaving a hell of a mess for when they actually left office.
Dollar bill Dan quietly and quickly left office. Bye, bye.
Stephen Goldsmith thinks he can take on Albany. Good luck Stephen. You would have better luck taking on the Mafia perhaps converting them to vegetarianism.
Good old Stephen thinks he can come in here and at the Crain's hosted breakfast talk about closing firehouses. Bloomberg and his socialite mega millionaire city planner called Amanda the peoples' Burden aided their developers pal in a reckless tsunami of shady development helping to create mass displacement, perhaps a record number of people displaced and a record number of infrastructure related problems from water main breaks, sewage, Con Ed problems as well as expansion so over the top Con Ed set a record hiring outside contractors, to the worst street conditions seen in years with DOT repaving streets not once but twice or even more than twice.
Why do the streets look like bombs went off on them. If the FDNY is not answering fire calls they are responding to infrastructure problems including man hole cover exploding with dramatic fires that so far have not caused any deaths...so far. We have had heart breaking deaths including children to fires and what does Deputy Goldsmith do at his first Crain's hosted breakfast?
This highly inarticulate man in a very expensive suit with an impressive gold tie tells us he will be closing fire houses.
Interestingly enough Crain's video taped the entire embarrassing disaster for Goldsmith and his new boss king Mike Bloomberg but Crain's did not release any of the let us say awkward or controversial moments and they were many. Crain's released just a small piece on video on their website. Mike has been very lucky with the press that way.
Listening to Goldsmith speak, I never heard some one talk so much to give so many 'non-answers'.
Why would Bloomberg hire a Republican this late in the game unless he wants to cater not to the people of NYC but to the conservatives he hopes to woe when he pursues his one big unrealized dream....running for President of the United States? That is why it is believed Bloomberg took his charitable giving national instead of local. It is why I believe he burdens the tax payers to the tune of 2 million dollars post-his third term hiring so many campaign staff with 6 figure salaries. Why hire them after the election unless he feels he wants them close at hand to pursue his last chance at perhaps one of his biggest dreams unrealized. Bloomberg doesn't fully grasp that he displaced so many people and angered even more denying us a referendum that he paid a record amount of money to barely win the most humiliating and expensive win in NYC history. He won't win a presidency or any political office again. He is very smart and accomplished but he lost sight of the fact he serves the people. He now hired Goldsmith who is not a people person and clearly doesn't represent New Yorkers. Goldsmith looks at this city as some corporate business model.
Denial is the new crack cocaine for politicos from Albany to City Hall.
The one issue Goldsmith was clear on is the devastating budget crisis coming our way here in NYC next year. As usual it was as if no one heard what he had to say and city council will continue to vote themselves raises and give slush money to charities where their life partner (what is Christine Quinn's significant other's name) sits on a board, ditto for their wives, brothers, sisters, husbands, etc.
Albany and City Hall politicians are 2nd to last to deal with the harsh reality of what are terrible economic crisis is coming our way because they contributed to it hugely and Albany still has not dealt effectively with the budget crisis. The last people to deal with and won't be able to escape it like the politicians here in NYC are the people.
Under Bloomberg the city saw a new wave of "sexual McCarthyism" with two women owned Adult Toy Stores Babeland raided and after the raid Babeland is now no longer allowed to rent adult films, some that were instructional but all that a guy like Goldsmith would call porno. Rumor on the street is the NYPD were picking their super elite hottie cops to entrap gay men in adult book stores.
Goldsmith hemmed and hawed at the Crain's breakfast but after a very long non-answer he sure sounded like he said he is anti-gay marriage which I interpret as he does not believe in equal rights. In America we have straight people that are marriage gluttons having been married 2, 3, 4, 5 times but people like Goldsmith would deny gay people the right to even one marriage?
Why would Mike Bloomberg bring in a conservative Republican who wants to privatize everything unless he has his eye on the White House? Either way Goldsmith will not be here long. He said in his non-speak. Hey guys why are you asking me such tough questions.
Goldsmith is out of touch with New Yorkers and a fish out of water in NYC.
I left him a voice mail on Deputy Goldsmith's answering machine at City Hall. I want a STRAIGHT forward answer, no hemming and hawing, do you believe in gay marriage and equal rights? I left my telephone number.
I have not heard back from him.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
COMIC CON 2010: has Comic Con outgrown San Diego?
At one stop you can see a giant booth for Fox Television next to Lionsgate, then Mattel's down the path a bit, and Hallmark Cards has the kid-friendly Hoops&Yoyo just over there. Stan Lee's in Room 33 cracking jokes (I was there). The whole array is dizzying and on this "preview" day, already very crowded.
Can San Diego handle Comic Con? I'm going to leave that question open for discussion, but I will observe that Comic Con's attracting more than the 125,000 people who have badges. Moreover, it could grow to a point that it draws twice that many people, and up to 300,000 people.
Already, and again this is "preview day" the San Diego Convention Center's having a problem with people who are so tired from the miles of walking they do, they just want to sit on the floor. The SDCC's having employees tell them they can't sit down, which isn't what a sweaty walker wants to hear. Would that happen in Los Angeles or Chicago? Just a question.
Several veteran Comic Con-goers have said that San Diego's willing to make adjustments to keep Comic Con, but the convention just may fare better in another city. 'It's like a LeBron James thing," observed one man who comes annually from New Jersey and was thinking of how The Chosen One left his home team the Cleveland Cavaliers for The Miami Heat, "Do you leave San Diego? The city that gave birth to you?"
That's a question that will be on the minds of many comes Thursday, when Comic Con 2010 is expected to burst at the seems of the San Diego Convention Center.
You have to be here to see it. Comic Con's an incredible event.
Stay tuned.
Glassman tops list to face McCain
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| Tuscon Vice-Mayor Rodney Glassman |
Arizonans are enjoying debates on both sides of the contest, and it seems Glassman has gone a long way to impressing voters that he will be the best candidate to take on presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in the fall. (J.D. Hayworth trails McCain significantly in most polls.)
"John McCain and I might both love town halls, but the difference is that I would host more in Arizona than I would in New Hampshire."
Rodney Glassman
During a debate earlier today on Yuma's KAWC Radio, Glassman discussed the necessity for securing the border, a hot-button issue in the South-West in general, and Arizona in particular, and outlined national security priorities. Already known as a strong advocate for military veterans, Glassman has also recently announced a plan to ensure high-quality medical services for veterans on the Navajo Nation.
By some reports over 70% of Arizona residents support the recently enacted immigration enforcement law, which has drawn national scrutiny and a series of challenges, and this is sometimes seen as an issue that likely drives more support to GOP candidates.
Glassman also explained how he would go about bringing jobs to Arizona, saying he'll build on this success and continue to campaign on jobs, education and how to finally bring Arizona's concerns -- rather than rigid ideology -- to the U.S. Senate.
"I look forward to talking to the people of Arizona about what they want, and don't want, out of Washington," Glassman said. The lively debates are providing Arizona voters an excellent chance to see the candidates in both parties, and discover where they differ from one another, but it's already shaping up to be a likely Glassman vs. McCain election in November.
Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, Democratic Campaign Manager (in Minnesota,) journalist, and photographer who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.
In San Diego for Comic Con - On Comic Con, Shirley Sharrod, Andrew Brietbart
There are two topics of note to this space that are trending on Twitter today: Shirley Sharrod and Comic Con. Shirley Sharrod is the former USDA regional director who was stripped of her job after a smear attack by conservative Tea Party attack-blogger Andrew Brietbart. Comic Con is the amazing San Diego-based (but for how long?) convention that brings together Hollywood and animation and science fiction. You know you're in the right place when the airport PA announcer says welcome in a Darth Vader voice! This is Mecca for sci-fi fans.
But first Shirley Sharrod.
Shirley Sharrod is a reluctant hero who, before the NAACP on March 27th 2010, gave a great, long speech on the evolution of race relations and how it impacted her. Andrew Brietbart saw her speech, and so blinded by racism, took it and edited it to make it sounds as if Shirley Sharrod was giving a racist message. If anything, she was giving one that's uplifting and here it is in full:
Andrew Brietbart should be jailed for what he did. Saying he's sorry is bullcrap. Andrew Brietbart gave zero thought to how his smear job would effect Shirley and her family. He is an awful, awful, sad man.
Shirley Sharrod should get her old job back and not some civil rights job. President Obama should make everything as it was before Andrew Brietbart decided to act in a criminal way. Throw him in jail!
Or better yet, send him to Comic Con to be thrown to the gallows and punished in a way he would not forget.
Comic Con: it's great to be here.
I've got to wrap this up because Comic Con press registration is on, I need to take a shower and get down there, and Stan Lee's press event is at 5 PM, and Hallmark's is after 6 PM. It's preview day at Comic Con.
Follow me on Twitter and don't forget to take advantage of the food deals of 15 percent off at the Amigo Restaurant and 20 percent off at The Waffle King at the hotel just by mentioning my blog, Zennie62!
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Andrew Breitbart defamed Shirley Sherrod; Brietbart could be in trouble
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| Andrew Breitbart (right) |
Conservative hit-blogger Andrew Breitbart's known for his extreme approaches in attacking liberals, but what he did to Shirley Sherrod, a goverment worker who gave a speech to the NAACP this year and regarding a matter that happened 24 years ago, was that he apparently made a new video to claim she was racist, and went way too far.
While he says he intended to harm the NAACP, he picked Shirley Sherrod to do it. She did not ask for this. Breitbart altered a video to twist her words.
Andrew Breitbart may be a target for the U.S. Department of Justice' Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (“CCIPS”) which is in the Criminal Division. The website, which was forwarded to this blogger by the DOJ on another issue, covers various types of crimes that involve a computer.
If Breitbart altered the video of Shirley Sherrod to make it look like she was making a statement he then called racist, he's certainly guilty of defamation of character against Shirley Sherrod.
Breitbart may also be guilty of Internet harassment. He certainly should be made a high-profile example to discourage others from these uses of the computer and The Internet to harass a person. Enough is enough.
Computer Crimes: The DOJ's Information.
If you believe you're the victim of a cybercrime, here's a link to another DOJ web page called "Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section, United States Department of Justice."
DO NOT RESIST using this resource.
COMIC CON 2010: San Diego's Kings Inn Hotel sponsors Zennie62 at Comic Con
YouTube, Metacafe, DailyMotion, Blip.tv, StupidVideos and Viddler
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| Kings Inn Hotel |
The Kings Inn Hotel is at 1333 Hotel Circle South in San Diego, just 12 minutes from the airport, and an equal number of minutes from the San Diego Convention Center, where Comic Con is held.
What's neat about The Kings Inn Hotel, aside from its close-to-the-airport location, is the free Wi-Fi (perfect for video-bloggers like me), and their massive interest in all things Comic Con. All way down to their own mascot: "Sir Wafflelot", the waffle king.
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| SirWafflelot |
If you're at Comic Con, staying at The Kings Inn Hotel, and spot me, Zennie62, while you're at the Inn, please say "hello" and be in one of my videos. Tell me what you think of Comic Con 2010! Bonus points if you're in costume for Comic Con!
Zennie62 all over
Zennie62 is more than just me, it's our great bloggers like Tom Hayes, Suzannah Troy, Nikky Raney, and blog partners like Aimee Allison and Doc Gurley. It's also partnerships with The Hearst Corporation and the YouTube Partner Program and The Blip.tv Partner Program. All of this makes up zennie62media.
At Comic Con, Zennie62 will be covering the debut of movies like The Expendables, starring Sylvester Stallone, and Thor and Captain America, and Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, and Hatchet 2, and going to a lot of great parties and events, and most of all meeting a lot of great, creative people.
And not getting a lot of rest.
Stay tuned! Zennie62 at Comic Con video uploads start Thursday!
Comic Con 2010: Hatchet 2 revives slasher horror film genre
If you remember "Jason" from the Friday the 13th series, then you know the name Kane Hodder, the man who has the distinction of not just playing him once, but four times, is also known for his role as the gruesome Victor Crowley, in Dark Sky Films' production of Adam Green's Hatchet 2 .
The great news is that Hodder, Green, Danielle Harris, the slasher movie queen of the 21st Century after starring in Rob Zombies' Halloween and H2, and the entire cast of Hatchet 2 will be at Comic Con 2010 in San Diego.
On Friday, Kane Hodder Tony Todd , R. A. Mihailoff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Danielle Harris (Hatchet, Hatchet 2, Halloween), Tom Holland (Child's Play), and Adam Green (Hatchet, Hatchet 2,) will be on a panel called "Old School American Horror," at 6:30 PM PDT in Room 32 AB at the San Diego Convention Center.
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| Hatchet II |
Video-blogging with the Cast of Hatchet 2
The other cool news is this video blogger will be shadowing the cast of Hatchet 2 on Friday evening, with a camcorder. I think I'll use the less intrusive and fun Flip Camera. But I digress.
Hatchet: The Slasher Movie
Hatchet is the 2006 movie based on the story of Victor Crowley, a person who was subjected to abuse from kids in his neighborhood due to his born deformities. On Halloween night, a group of kids try to scare Victor by throwing fire into his house. In trying to save him, Victor's father accidentally kills him with a hatchet, which he used to try to get into the house, not realizing that Victor was on the other side of the door.
Video from the first Hatchet:
After the incident and 10 years later, Victor's father dies of grief. During that period of time, a series of awful murders takes place - all done as it happens, by Victor.
When Victor's discovered by tourists and a woman named Marybeth (Danielle Harris), they try to kill Crowley in various ways; he survives each attempt. Finally, Victor gets his revenge, killing each one of them, until it's down to just he and Marybeth. The first Hatchet ends as Victor has Marybeth underwater.
That's where Hatchet II picks up.
Stay tuned. And subscribe to YouTube.com/zennie62 for videos from Comic Con.
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