An anonymous video editor who wishes to be known as ‘Duck Truther’ has submitted an edited rendition of the recently released 911 calls related to the Duckgate scandal. In the calls, we hear a representative of the Nashua Crown Plaza hotel call the police because an allegedly drunk man has killed several ducks. We also hear a call from one of three Nashua police commissioners, a friend of the allegedly drunk man, who provided cover for him while police were seeking him out. After coming under criticism and review, Nashua’s board voted not to kick out Thomas Pappas. Listen to the saddening calls and see the crying duck in this powerful submission to the AquaKeene youtube channel.
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”.
Yesterday out front of the McDonalds at least 25 people gathered to support low-wage workers and ostensibly advocate for an increase in the minimum wage. While the protestors have laudable motivation, in that they only want to help low-wage workers have a better life, sadly they don’t realize that advocating government force to achieve their goals will have negative, unintended consequences. Former city council candidate David Crawford dropped by with his video camera to talk to some of the protestors and get their perspective:
Right now, it is government threats called “zoning” and “ordinances” that work to prohibit the poor from starting their own business. They make it prohibitively expensive to open a restaurant, for instance, as anyone should be able to do, even from their own home. In most places, doing such a thing is illegal. That means that only wealthy people who can afford commercial storefront rent and professional-grade equipment can legally compete with mega-corporations like McDonalds.
As usual, the government that people are turning to to solve their problems is the same group that created the problems in the first place. (more…)
It’s the day before thanksgiving, and I suppose that I should be thankful that I get out in two weeks, but instead I am feeling alone and hopeless. My only regular visitor, my only regular human contact, was my girl, but she kicked me to the curb a couple of months ago. Now I am looking at the three years of probation ahead of me, unable to treat my depression with the only treatment which works… medical marijuana… and unable to go to any of the Porcupine events or gatherings… as all of them serve alcohol… and with no idea how I can possibly meet another girl with the restrictions of probation, and frankly the future I see is one that I do not want.
After all the misery of Julie’s death and all the work that I have done to build myself a good life, with a group of friends, a wonderful girl, a business and my depression under control, the government has dropped it like “diablo ex machina” and returned me to a life that is not worth living. Thank you, State.
I really hope that someone out there will take the time to reach out to me. I need somebody to show me some love. I took the principled stand, and I am suffering. Please send me “Mail-to-Jail” or set up a [onsite] visit or an internet visit. Internet visits are only $5 during the holidays.
Rich Paul
UPDATE: 12/3 6pm – I mistakenly wrote $15 as the price of the remote visit, but I’m told it’s actually only $5. [Ian]
A shocking trend of gang-related shootings plagued New Orleans following the hurricane infamous for destroying much of the city’s infrastructure. As national news media was reporting exaggerated claims of street-level violence occurring in understocked refuge centers, heavily armed and trained mobs were targeting and killings innocent civilians. Following the attempted murder of Donnel Herrington and the murder of Henry Glover on September 2, 2005, Danny Brumfield was killed with a shotgun blast to the back on September 3 near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The Danziger bridge shootings were perpetrated on September 4, resulting in the deaths of James Brissette and Ronald Madison, with four other victims suffering injury in the attack. Who was responsible for these mob killings?
It would be years before a critical inquiry into the senseless killings would occur, primarily sparked by intrigued journalists and eventually followed up by the United States department of justice through the federal bureau of investigation. Potentially more disturbing than what is known is what is not known. With reports of bodies being spotted throughout the city that appeared to be victims of gunshot wounds rather than storm-related injuries, there is no way to know exactly how many homicides occurred during the post-storm havoc. Survivors have cited numerous bodies buried beneath debris showing gunshot wounds in Algiers Point, an area which was not flooded after the rupture of the levees. In various journalistic reports, drunken neighbors in largely wealthy, european-american residential areas admit to operating armed patrols and firing on people who, “didn’t belong.” (more…)
Fifty years ago, the population of Gary, Indiana reached its peak with nearly 180,000 residents. Infrastructure was being built on estimates that the area may soon be home to nearly a quarter million people. Founded around the turn of the century and designated as the home of the Gary Works steel plant, soon automation replaced human labor and demand for domestically produced steel decreased. As the number of employees of Gary Works declined, so did the economy and tax base of the city, as well as its population, which now hosts less than 80,000 residents. During that time, another legal phenomenon swept the nation, which only contributed to Gary’s woes. The United States experienced the proliferation of the war on drugs. These two factors led to Gary experiencing high crime and poverty rates, which continue to affect the city that resembles a ghost town more each year.
The failure of central planning has also negatively impacted the city. City hall grossly overestimates property values in an attempt to recoup the tax base lost to other towns and cities as residents fled. While houses and businesses sit abandoned and in shambles, back taxes are claimed owed on them despite their negative value. Travelling through the city full of crumbling structures, it would seem the obvious solution would be to allow the impoverished residents to homestead and reclaim the land and property which is underutilized. Yet police in Gary still work to combat squatting in structures deemed to have potential future value, if only someone would purchase and refurbish them. (more…)
An anonymous video editor who wishes to be known as ‘Duck Truther’ has submitted an edited rendition of the recently released 911 calls related to the Duckgate scandal. In the calls, we hear a representative of the Nashua Crown Plaza hotel call the police because an allegedly drunk man has killed several ducks. We also hear a call from one of three Nashua police commissioners, a friend of the allegedly drunk man, who provided cover for him while police were seeking him out. After coming under criticism and review, Nashua’s board voted not to kick out Thomas Pappas. Listen to the saddening calls and see the crying duck in this powerful submission to the AquaKeene youtube channel.
