Despite fierce competition from a recently deceased video activist dog, Jazzy Girl, an American Dingo/Chow mix was crowned last evening as Keene’s #1 dog activist for the 2014 season. Jazzy is the second dog from Keene to appear on local currency, after the debut of Ji’Coin featuring infamous dog activist Ji’e’toh earlier in 2014. Jazzy’s first place finish was followed by the Malinois Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, with undocumented MiniPin Ji’e’toh placing third. Jazzy enthusiasts released this statement following this award’s annuciation.
Jazzy would like to thank you for your votes and wishes you a happy new year! Here she is in front of the CopBlock banner, which she took part in weekly this year! On her walks around the campus on weekend nights she brought good cheer to many KSC students, who commented about how they missed their dogs as they lavished attention on Jazzy! Her constant presence helped us connect and share know your rights flyers with people who otherwise may not have stopped to talk.
Jazzy is also known for her acts of humility in respecting the efforts of other liberty activists in Keene, such as when she proudly accepted the placement of a Ji’Coin into her collar shortly after the fresh minting of the counter-currency. One vote was also cast for Oscar, a black lab visible at chalk rallies in the downtown and who is among the licensed canines in Keene.
Free State Project participant Andrew Michael Jones of Norfolk, Virginia was arrested in December of 2013 along with others accused of being the operators of the Silk Road underground marketplace. Andrew is alleged to be the longtime site administrator, “Inigo”. Thus far, almost all of the news headlines about the Silk Road arrests have gone to Ross Ulbricht, who is accused of being the infamous site’s creator and head admin, “Dread Pirate Roberts”. Andrew is accused of similar allegations as Ross, “conspiracy to commit money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and hacking” and is facing spending the rest of his life in federal prison.
While Ross Ulbricht was not offered bail, Andrew was able to get out on $1,000,000 bail thanks to his parents, who did not have anything close to that amount of money, so they put up their house and retirement incomes to secure a bond. His bail conditions include 24/7 house arrest at his parents’ house and being strictly forbidden from using any internet capable device. His girlfriend, Birdie, (who is also a Free State Project participant) is the one who reached out to me and she and Andrew’s family have set up a website to accept contributions to his legal fund, as they can use all the help they can get.
Birdie and Andrew
Andrew’s mother, Judy Jones, 68, told me this about him, “He’s very bright, kind, generous and has always been an idealist. When he first told me about bitcoins, he helped me envision a world where the central banks are no longer in charge of money. If it were instead a peer-based monetary system, so much good can come from that. I have hope for a better world thanks to his generation (the Millennials).”
Unlike Ross’ case, Andrew does not face the “kingpin” charge. Plus, he has not been libeled with allegations of murder for hire, as Ross has. Hopefully, that will help with this fundraising ability. He has retained the services of attorney Samuel M. Braverman and the bill will likely be very expensive.
As have many activists looking at moving to New Hampshire, Andrew and Birdie made the pilgrimage to Keene in December of 2012 and came to visit Social Sunday. I met both of them there and truly hope he can get through this difficult time with the minimum damage possible. If Andrew did not administer the Silk Road, then he’s a man wrongfully accused, but if he did, he’s a hero. The Silk Road was (and is) the most important development to happen to the black market in our lifetimes. (more…)
There is further evidence that parking enforcement is no doubt the most unpopular “service” that is provided by the city of Keene. Another petition, this time with 27 signatures, has been sent from downtown business owners to the city council. In the petition (pg 10-12), the business owners oppose the proposed parking rate and time changes proposed by parking director Gary Lamoureux. Mr. Lamoureux proposed that the meter rates be increased, the violations be increased, and parking hours be extended (9AM – 7PM) to try to resolve the problem of exploding costs (26% increase over the last six years) and slow-growing revenues (3.5% increase over the same last six years) in the parking department.
You may recall that there was an earlier petition by downtown business owners that was sent to the city council. In that petition (pg 9-10), 30 downtown business owners also opposed the rate increases and suggested the city instead seek ways to cut costs instead. I also collected 643 petition signatures, see pg 79-80 (Note: not all the signed pages were in the committee’s packet since I had over 38 pages). I had no problem getting downtown workers and shoppers to oppose the rate increases with the help of a few downtown businesses and some other volunteers. I submitted these signatures to the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee last week.
It’s clear to me that the business owners, shoppers, and workers of the Keene downtown don’t want to have pay more for tickets and meters. Instead, I agree with the business owners that a cost reduction plan should be implemented in the parking department to address the projected cost increases for the next six years that are currently estimated to grow by 16% by Mr. Lamoureux. It’ll be interesting to see if the city councilors ignore the business owners, workers, and shoppers and raise the rates anyway.
I will break down the parking budget in a future post and suggest some ways to cut costs in the parking department so rates wouldn’t have to increase.
The ongoing Robin Hood of Keene court and street performance has been overwhelmingly decided by readers as the top story of 2013. Approximately eighty-nine percent of the final vote favored the story out of the nine other options. Printed on the back page of section A in the December 31 edition, we may expect more coverage in the next year and beyond as the court saga proceeds towards the supreme realm. The Sentinel took a break from publishing on the January 1 holiday, and will resume the presses on Thursday. Previously released on youtube is a video from the Sentinel discusses the Robin Hood story as it developed over the year.
News came out yesterday following a press conference that the state of New Hampshire was sponsoring a special edition vodka in a decorate new bottle featuring the late Old Man of the Mountain. At 29.99usd, the maple-syrup bottlesque hard liquor was made available to state liquor dispensaries in Concord, but likely will not be arriving into the Cheshire county area until Friday. Profits attained from the drug sales will be directed towards repairing dilapidated flags of some historical value. Walking through the local liquor store in search of the bottle to document, I was amazed at how casually the state promotes and distributes the world’s most destructive drug. How long could it possibly be before a New Hampshire governor introduces an official state strain of cannabis to the public in celebration of the holiday season? The Nashua Telegraph captured some video from the parodist press conference. No mentions of liquor or drug-related issues facing New Hampshire are mentioned in many of the corporate news stories republishing the state’s alcohol marketing through the frame of selling “commemorative bottles”.
Concord police will be receiving a Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck, after an 11-4 vote by the full city council in favor of accepting the military-style vehicle funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant to the Lenco corporation. The fire chief closed the building to many attendees, calling capacity at a reported 70 guests. Drum circles, light shows, sign waving, videography, and socializing occurred in the courtyard outside of the council meeting location on Green Street. Media from around the state observed proceedings both inside and outside of the chambers. Dave Ridley has already posted an ambush interview of Concord police chief John Duval to his youtube channel, in which he asks the top cop if he expected anyone beyond DHS bureaucracy to read his grant application. Ridley’s coverage, from which more is to be expected later, is embedded below.
Tony Schinella’s article at Concord Patch includes quotes from city councilors on both sides the issue, who were reportedly offered copies of Radley Balko’s Rise of the Warrior Cop while they were considering their decision. After word of the vote came out to the crowd, the message on the green beam laser pointed at a nearby steeple read, “BEARCAT FOR SALE CALL 911”. (more…)
Despite fierce competition from a recently deceased video activist dog, Jazzy Girl, an American Dingo/Chow mix was crowned last evening as Keene’s #1 dog activist for the 2014 season. Jazzy is the second dog from Keene to appear on local currency, after the debut of Ji’Coin featuring infamous dog activist Ji’e’toh earlier in 2014. Jazzy’s first place finish was followed by the Malinois Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, with undocumented MiniPin Ji’e’toh placing third. Jazzy enthusiasts released this statement following this award’s annuciation.
