Gay men have begun speaking out concerning false arrests at video stores since undercover cops have been arresting them for prostitution. DA Robert Morgenthau says most of the cases against the men will probably be thrown out. But where is the public outcry? Leave it to the porn kings to take the idea and turn it on his head. Michael Lucas Entertainment has released a film titled Entrapment. And the guy behind the "script," Mr. Pam speaks to Charlie Vasquez about where he got his inspiration:
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Hole frontwoman and grunge widow Courtney Love has been very busy—raising her stunning daughter Frances Bean, making brilliant records like America's Sweetheart and the much-anticipated How Dirty Girls Get Clean (we're guessing C-Lo hires a cleaning lady), as well as taking various plunges "behind the waterfall."
So busy was La Love that she only recently noticed that the Cobain estate was missing about $500 million dollars, pilfered by identity thieves who used social security numbers to launder money through real estate ventures. That's right, Love was unwittingly responsible for the sub-prime housing crisis.
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Let the hoarding commence. In news that is sure to outrage smokers everywhere—and coincidentally should outrage anyone concerned with preserving their freedom of choice and combating the money-grubbing-vice-grip lobbyist have on the country's legislative body—the wheels have been set in motion to ban flavored and clove cigarettes.
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I was invited this morning to attend a lecture given by Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired magazine, about his theory of "free" being the engine of the 21st-century economy. He previewed the idea earlier this year in the magazine, and his book, Free: The Past and Future of a Radical Price, comes out later this year. I figured he'll probably be charging bigshots money to give the same Gladwellian paradigm lecture in the near future, so I was intrigued. (Hey, it got me to the Wired Store at 9 a.m. after a late night of closing this week's issue.)
The idea is seductive: Everything is getting cheaper, and we are benefiting from the Internet and software and the power of technology opening up possibilities to us for free. Anderson is a talented speaker and very persuasive in his argument.
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The original cop from the Village People, Victor Willis, is taking the law into his own hands. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Mr. “macho man” Willis is suing an updated version of his infamous band for using his particular “voice and likeness.” The $1 million claim was filed in San Diego last week along with a judge’s order that these new kids in town can no longer use his persona.
In related news…
The Construction Worker is suing the state of California for unsafe working conditions, The Indian Chief has lost his native land due to strip-mall expansion, the Cowboy is struggling with a poor crop yield, the Biker has retro-fitted his vehicle to run on ethanol, and the Military Man is still “in the Navy”.
According to a story in the West Side Spirit, many of the city's arts organizations are optimistic about weathering the proposed cuts to arts organizations. The American Museum of Natural History says they will close some less-visited wings on a rotating basis. And The Museum of the City of New York has cut staffing so that they can keep the lights on and not cut any programs.
The Martha Graham Center for Contemporary Dance, however, seems not on such sure footing. “We are literally counting paperclips,” LaRue Allen, Martha Graham’s executive director told Charlotte Eichna. She went on to explain that "the funding crunch comes on the heels of a massive effort bring the dance company and school out of a $5 million deficit incurred during a high-profile legal battle over the Graham estate. Allen and company emerged victorious but had to make major cutbacks to work off the debt. The group now functions with a budget that was cut by more than half, to $2.8 million."
Dance may not seem that important to most people, but the New York Public Library offers access to books and media for free and looks like it may have to cut a day of service and only be open five days a week in many branches. "Something that New Yorkers fought long and hard for and has proved to be an important resource for the people of New York in this time of economic difficulty,” Heidi Singer, a library spokeswoman, wrote in an email.
The New York Times reports that MTA ridership on both subways and buses is up: "Despite a slumping economy, New York City Transit recorded a total of 2.37 billion rides across the city’s subways and buses in 2008, a 3.1 percent increase from 2007 and the highest figure since 1965."
That "despite" beginning the lede sentence makes very little sense. OF COURSE ridership would be up in a weakened economy: PUBLIC transportation should be the most affordable, efficient way to get from one point to another. Who can afford taxis or car insurance and parking? Are we supposed to be walking the length of the island. It should actually read: DESPITE massive service delays and inconveniences, MTA ridership is up. In fact, some people think the subway should be FREE!
But, of course, there are so many plans to CUT service and to CHARGE MORE! It's the most idiotic idea imaginable. So why aren't straphangers protesting in the streets?
There's a feeling that New Yorkers are LUCKY because they have the "best" mass transit in the country. But anyone who has actually traveled to Europe, Japan or other progressive countries with excellent mass transit realizes we have reached a shitty bargain. We pay for erratic service, overcrowded and obsolete trains, dripping and dirty stations and poor management and are told to be happy. More ridership, should mean more money in MTA's coffers, but they've managed to take a surplus and turn it into a deficit (sounds like Bush economics, right?) and yet no one is calling for massive reform. It's time to stop allowing the MTA to tell us we should be grateful for their poor performance and demand mass transit that actually accomodates the people using it. Not the other way around.
Mayor Bloomberg is setting himself up for a PR nightmare as his office opposes the EPA's proposal to add the Gowanus Canal to the list of Superfund sites. The program list of the worst toxic waste sites across the country and funds a cleanup, or designates a responsible company to pay for it.
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"The Public Employees Federation issued a December report, 'Beating New York State’s Consultant Addiction: How the State Can Save $730 Million,' stating that with New York facing such unprecedented fiscal challenges, the state can 'no longer afford to waste between $417 million and $705.8 million annually on costly consultants to do the work that can be done by state employees just as well and at a significantly lower cost.'"Instead, Paterson’s proposal cut aid to some of New York’s neediest residents. After the budget was released, the PEF issued a follow-up statement by President Ken Brynien:
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