Tag Archives: sid ross

San Francisco tops Businessweek.com’s 2012 Best Cities Ranking

If you don’t mind cooler weather, walking up hills and pricey homes then San Francisco might be the place for you.

Despite being under a million in population, the city has so much to offer… world-class restaurants and museums, fairs and festivals, a larger educated group and an economy that is holding its own.

The ranking came about with Businessweek.com partnering with Bloomberg Rankings which looked at 100 of the largest cities in the country.

There were many factors looked at.  For the individual it cannot be said which is the best city as family, work, lifestyle and sports team connections all factor in.

Some common traits that put San Francisco at the top of the list are as follows:  They scored highest in education, in leisure they placed sixth and it made the top 20 in air quality and economic issues.  The events hosted by San Francisco makes it seem like there is a continual festival going on.  Views which attract about 130,000 tourists every day and its general ambiance intensifies local offerings.

Downsides are that it has one of the largest populations of homeless people in the nation and that rent is over $2000 for… a studio apartment!

Comparison cities are Seattle which came in second, Washington 3rd, New York 7th and LA 50th.

Source

Officer who shot gang member hailed as hero, yet community protests

San Francisco.  Oliver Barcenas, a known Norteno gang member who is currently on parole for a recent gang related shooting, was wounded by a policeman after he raised a TEC-9 gun at the same officer.

According to investigators, Barcenas was enroute for a revenge gang killing when he was stopped and wounded by San Francisco Police.

According to Police Chief Greg Suhr “These officers on Thursday night were exactly where they were supposed to be, doing exactly what they were asked to do,”.

However, this incident has sparked two nights of protests in the Mission district which included vandalism.

Source

NY Newsmagazine on gay, lesbian issues shutting down

New York, NY.  “In The Life”, a public television news magazine that focuses on issues regarding LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) content will be closing this December.

“In The Life” claims that they are the only national television program focusing on the “gay experience”.  They have been nominated for an Emmy (twice), a Webby, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Ribbon of Hope, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association 2011 Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage, the 2006 Seigenthaler Award for excellence in network television and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Journalism-Newsmagazine.

According to the interim director Ellen Carton, funding is partly to blame for the closing down of the network.

Source

New Low in U.S. Trust of Main Stream Media

The trust in the media to report news “fully, accurately, and fairly” hit a new low this year.

According to Gallup, 60% say they have little to no trust in the mass media.

Excerpts from this study reveal that Republicans are identified as trusting the media the least while Democrats the most and Independents’ trust in the media has seen a dramatic downward trend from 2008.

Source article @ Gallup.com

Mysterious rabbit deaths in south St. Louis

Boggling the minds of locals and officials from St. Louis Missouri is a widespread case of rabbit deaths.

The subdivision normally has been loaded with a full population of healthy rabbits.  Now rabbit carcasses are being found without any noticeable injury.  Theses rabbits appear to be all gone.

A local resident Joe Dobbs stated… “I’ve lived here about sixteen years… Never seen anything like this. Usually see rabbits all over the neighborhood and now, for some reason, they’re just showing up dead.”

Coincidentally, this event was performed in the vicinity around the same time.

View Larger Map

Source

San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair Moved to different weekend.

From 200,000 to 400,000 people are expected to attend this years San Francisco Folsom Street Fair.

Usually the fair takes place the last weekend of September but was bumped up a weekend as a local large corporate tech company Oracle, had already reserved the majority of the city’s hotel rooms for a convention.

The fair has been described by some as an adult oriented leather and fetish free for all. Deviant is another term used to describe the fair. Indeed, the name of the group in the latter hours of the ‘celebration’ who will wind the festival down, is called DEVIANT.

The location of the event is situated around 13 blocks. On Folsom, between 7th and 12th street.

View Larger Map

Warning, Graphic Promotional Folsom Street Video taken from Youtube of this previous public event.

Source

Berkeley California, Lawmakers Support Bisexual Pride Day

Yesterday, Berkeley California appeared to become the first city in the nation to officially proclaim a day that recognizes individuals claiming bisexuality.

The city council voted unanimously and without any discussion that September 23 of every year will be Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day.

The resolution was introduced by councilman Kriss Worthington saying “… they deserve our support and acceptance,”

Former Berkeley zoning chairwoman Nancy Carleton, indicated that officially recognizing bisexuals is important, “The more we can learn about each other, the more tolerance grows,”.

Source

Colorado man faces arson charges after attempting to exorcise demons out of apartment building

Colorado Springs, Colorado.  A man attempting to exorcise his apartment building of demons by setting it on fire, has been arrested by local police.

Jerad Cronin has been charged with arson.  Upon police arrival Cronin jumped through a glass window after threatening them with a shovel.

Cronin indicated that he had used cardboard to start the fire in the building so that he could chase the demons away.

Source

Fury Spreading to other Countries Following Muslim Weekly Friday Prayers

Across the Muslim world, furious protests and demonstrations are being witnessed today.

Demonstrators scaled the walls of U.S. embassies in the countries of Tunisia and Sudan, a German embassy was set alight, an American fast food restaurant was set on fire in Lebanon and demonstrators in Cairo were prevented from attacking the U.S. Embassy by police who required armored vehicles.

All in all, the manifestation of demonstrations and violence has spread to about 20 countries with the most violent incidences occurring in Middle Eastern countries. Click to see map of Protests Spread Across the Globe

Demonstrations started following the weekly Muslim prayers that occur on Fridays.

Common among demonstrators is the chant “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet”.

Source Article

On Wild Rampage, Bloody Naked Man Chews Woman’s Head

Hawley, Pennsylvania.  State Police report a Doylestown man, while naked and bleeding excessively, was “screaming like an animal” and was “gnawing” on a woman’s head.

The incident occurred early September 7th in Hawley Boro, Pennsylvania.

The suspect Richard Ciminio is 20 years old.

According to investigators, Ciminio unsuccessfully tried to break into a home while dressed only in underwear.  After his first attempt, he then stripped down completely and succeeded in breaking into another home.

While in the property, he jumped out of a second floor window which led to his many injuries.  Apparently unfazed, he continued down the street where he approached two women walking.  Again, according to reports, Ciminio “tackled” one women and “began to gnaw” on her head “while screaming like an animal”.

Upon Police and medic arrival it was reported that Ciminio’s “delusional and confrontational behavior” did not stop, despite being tasered.

According to the investigators, they are not sure if anything caused Ciminio’s behavior.

This report is eerily similar to a Florida story earlier this year.

Source Article

Euro climbs to four-month high vs US dollar after German Court ruling

The Euro, sitting at $1.2936 against the US dollar, is the highest it has been in four months.  This follows a German Constitutional Court approval of German rescue and maintenance of the Euro.

The conditional approval has lowered fears for the region’s debt problem.

This new perspective has lifted global stock values and has also reduced Italy and Spain’s costs to borrow.

Source Euro advances to four-month highs vs. dollar on German ruling | Reuters.

Sam Bacile, anti-Muslim filmmaker in hiding following anti-American Violence

The Israeli filmmaker who created the film “Innocence of Muslims” which ignited ultraconservative Islamist violent acts, is now in hiding.

There have been assaults on the U.S. Embassy in Egypt and the U.S. Consulate in Libya.

Sam Bacile states “Islam is a cancer, period” and that his film is a provocative political statement which condemns the religion.

Claims are made in the film that Muhammad was a fraud, a “feckless philanderer” and an “approver of child sexual abuse”.

Bacile was warned that he might be the next Theo van Gogh.  A Muslim extremist killed Van Gogh after making a film that appeared to be an insult to Islam.

Source Filmmaker Sam Bacile in hiding after anti-Muslim film sparks violence in which American diplomat was killed | Fox News.

US ambassador to Libya and 3 other American staffers killed

Benghazi, Libya.  The U.S. ambassador (J. Christopher Stevens) and three staff members at the American Consulate were killed on Tuesday following an attack by ultraconservative Islamist protesters.

The staff members were killed after they returned to the Consulate to help other staff members evacuate according to Fox News.

The Islamist protesters are angry over a film that is critical of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

Dozens of protesters climbed the walls of the Consulate.  After taking down the American flag, they tried to burn it.  Unable to do so they then tore it apart and replaced the flag with a black flag with a Muslim statement…”There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet”.

Source US ambassador to Libya, 3 American staff members killed in attack | Fox News.