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14 Jul 2011 11:23

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U.S.: Carmageddon officials weirded out by bizarre requests

  • In planning for this closure, we gathered the best emergency around. We tried to think of everything but some of these requests are beyond even what we had anticipated.
  • Cmdr. Andy Smith • Expressing bewilderment at some of the ideas thrown in the general direction of officials planning for this weekend’s “Carmageddon” in Southern California —including a block party on the Santa Monica Boulevard ramp leading to Interstate 405, a group of bicyclists who want to ride down a steep incline, and some marketing dudes who wanted to use graffiti to promote the new “Planet of the Apes” movie. All of these incredibly awesome ideas were nixed due to safety concerns. Bummer. Fly jetBlue instead, dudes. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Mar 2011 10:59

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U.S.: Twenty years after Rodney King, the LAPD’s view on cameras evolves

  • Early on in their training, I always tell them, ‘I don’t care if you’re in a bathroom taking care of your personal business…. Whatever you do, assume it will be caught on video.’ We tell them if they’re doing the right thing then they have no reason to worry.
  • LAPD officer and recruit supervisor Sgt. Heather Fungaroli • Offering a fairly fresh assessment on the how the police department now views video. Twenty years ago, a video clip turned their whole view on the matter inside-out. The clip of Rodney King’s beating by multiple police officers, and the subsequent “not guilty” verdict in the case, led to a major riot in the city that drew national attention and led to 50 deaths. These days, the police force is quickly putting more cameras in police cars and even has its own videographers to cover incidents – advances which not only ensure better cop conduct but can help exonerate them in legal cases. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Dec 2010 09:17

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U.S.: How did Bell, California’s city government become so corrupt?

  • The L.a. Times has a lengthy article on Bell’s corruption that’s worth reading. We could go into great detail with the piece, but we think we can probably explain the story best through the starting and ending salary of one of the most corrupt members of Bell’s government, one of seven town officials who took advantage of low voter turnout and high amounts of power to bilk a fairly poor municipality out of $5.5 million. Here’s how much Robert Rizzo made when he started working for the city, and when he stopped:
  • $78,000 Bell city administrator Robert Rizzo’s starting salary in 1993; he was paid $8,000 less than his predecessor and known for cutting things left and right
  • $800,000 Rizzo’s salary just before he lost his job – at which point it became clear he was cheating one of the poorest municipalities in the L.A. area source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

18 Dec 2010 12:16

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U.S.: “Grim Sleeper” suspect’s attorney: My client won’t get a fair trial

  • Sadly, the public officials who have the duty to uphold the Constitution have forgotten the basics in their desire for sensationalism and are jeopardizing Lonnie Franklin’s chance for a fair trial.
  • Lonnie Franklin’s attorney, Louisa Pensanti • Arguing that the release of the “Grim Sleeper” suspect’s photos created a sensational environment where it’d be impossible for Franklin to get a fair trial. “The photographs include members and friends of the Franklin family,” Pensanti said, “all now subject to the intense scrutiny of the public as well as the police.” Does that include the ones where the women in the photos are completely naked, by chance? Because those make up a large majority of the photos. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2010 20:13

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U.S.: Police want public’s help with huge “Grim Sleeper” photo collection

  • First off, We’re A little uncomfortable with the way the L.A. times is covering this story. See, the Times put the collection of photos – 180 of them – into a pageview-generating giant slideshow, complete with ads on every page. We’ll let you click through them without posting any ourselves. Anyway, moving on … the photos, collected from suspect Lonnie David Franklin Jr., are disturbing documents – the way they are cropped suggests at least some, but not all, of the women were naked in the original photos. The “Grim Sleeper,” called that due to a long period of dormancy, may have killed many other young girls; there’s nothing to suggest he ever stopped between 1998 and 2002. It’s possible he was just really good at covering his tracks. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Dec 2010 15:56

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Culture: Normal evening for the LAPD: Suge Knight arrested again, released

  • A person who’s been arrested multiple times, you see if he has any outstanding warrants. And he did.
  • LAPD Sgt. Shawn Ruda • On last night’s arrest of Marion “Suge” Knight, who was wanted on a minor traffic warrant, which is a lot less than what he’s been wanted for in the past. Knight, who hasn’t been relevant since his biggest star, Tupac Shakur, died back in 1996, has had a spotty police record ever since. For the current crime, he was released and will have to show up in court in a month or so. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Nov 2010 21:09

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U.S.: What happened to Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen? She’s dead

In case you were in need of a good Hollywood whodunit, the death of publicist Ronni Chasen the other day has the city gripped like a Phil Spector murder case. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

08 Sep 2010 09:18

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U.S.: LAPD still having image problems all these years later

Riot squads were out in full force last night, as L.A.’s police chief defended its actions in a case that led to the deadly shooting of Manuel Jamines. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

27 Jul 2010 22:00

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Tech: Is Google doing a good job of courting government contracts?

  • yes … Google has a new Google Apps for Government, designed to bring the cloud to groups once the jurisdiction of Microsoft Word and the like.
  • … but Google had a chance to prove itself with the city of Los Angeles, only to miss a June 30 deadline for a contract over security concerns. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 May 2010 20:56

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Politics: Arizona and L.A. fight over keeping the lights on; everyone wins

  • I feel like if you’re going to boycott the candy store, you’ve got to leave all the candy alone. I feel like Arizona is the candy store.
  • Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce • Making an entertaining douchebag claim to the city of Los Angeles after the city promised to boycott the state over their immigration bill. Pierce’s claim: You make 25 percent of your power for L.A. in Arizona, and we’re gonna shut it down! If you think that’s kinda jerkish. You should see the response by the city’s energy manager, where he points out the city owns the plants. Key highlight: “I might add that, as the City’s Job Czar, I certainly would welcome any conventions or meetings that were going to be held in Arizona to come to Los Angeles. We have fantastic facilities and incomparable weather and we’d welcome them to the City of Angels.” Ouch. Take that, jerkwad! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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