Sunday, March 30, 2008

Limousine at Harvard Drives on Wrong Side

A limousine (filled with limousine liberals?) crossed a double line on busy Broadway in Cambridge MA at 7:15 PM on Saturday March 29, 2008. It stopped in a No Stopping Zone on the wrong side of the street at the Security Entrance to the Fogg Museum. After driver let some passengers out, a Cambridge Supervising Police Officer with four Stars on his coat arrived in a unmarked vehicle.
After the driver spoke to the officer, the limousine driver crossed back to the correct side of the street and drove away. The officer left without issuing any summonses. What did the driver say to the officer?

Disability Rights, Cambridge MA San Francisco CA, A Comparison

San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to add a wheelchair ramp to their chambers. They spent $250,000 on 18 architectural models. Due to the estimated $1 million cost they withdrew their order for construction of the ramp. Hmmm. Was there any thought to the cost of passage of same sex marriage laws? The thousands of lawsuits taking up court time and taxpayer funded attorneys fees? In San Francisco one member of the Board of Supervisors uses a wheelchair. There are no elected official in Cambridge that has a visible disability. Cambridge recently voted to amend the Cambridge Human Rights ordinance to force restaurants and stores to make their businesses wheelchair accessible. But the amendment excludes the City government. The amendment excludes making city programs and government services equally accessible to all persons with all disabilities. Unlike San Francisco Cambridge officials do not fear having unequal laws or selectively enforcing US and state laws regarding persons with disabilities. Cambridge officials have no shame being known as hypocrites.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Fitna: Geert Wilders (English) Anti Koran Video (Banned)

This is Part 1 of 2.

U.N.'s Ban condemns Dutch film as anti-Islamic
Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:32pm EDT
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned as "offensively anti-Islamic" a Dutch lawmaker's film that accuses the Koran of inciting violence.

Ban acknowledged efforts by the government of the Netherlands to stop the broadcast of the film, which was launched by Islam critic Geert Wilders over the Internet, and appealed for calm to those "understandably offended by it."

"There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence," Ban said in a statement. "The right of free expression is not at stake here."

The short film, titled "Fitna," an Arabic term sometimes translated as "strife," intersperses images of the September 11 attacks on the United States and Islamist bombings with quotations from the Koran.

The film urges Muslims to tear out "hate-filled" verses from the Koran and starts and finishes with a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad with a bomb under his turban, accompanied by the sound of ticking.

Several Muslim countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Indonesia, have also condemned the film.

"Freedom must always be accompanied by social responsibility," Ban said.

"We must also recognize that the real fault line is not between Muslim and Western societies, as some would have us believe, but between small minorities of extremists, on different sides, with a vested interest in stirring hostility and conflict," Ban said.

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
This is Part 2 of 2.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

MAR 24 2008 Roy Bercaw Speaks to Cambridge City Council

Speaking as the Deputy Minister of Propaganda of the Mid Cambridge Society for the Advancement of Typical White Persons, Roy Bercaw suggests banning non residents from driving in Cambridge, banning negative comments and criticism of Cambridge Public officials, and limiting public comments to praise and positive comments only. He advises the Council that if they want better quality public comment they will have to pay for it. He suggests that the City Council petition the state legislature for permission to ignore the First Amendment. He quotes Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services Senior Attorney Ellen Schacter who says that open space is a luxury that Cambridge cannot afford. He wants to redefine the meaning of open space. Bercaw asks, "Why enforce the noise ordinance? It would be one of the few laws that the city obeys, selective enforcement of laws."

Monday, March 24, 2008

Tribute to Mr. Gobbles

A tribute to Mr. Gobbles, the wild turkey who lived on the US Department of Transportation Building in Kendall Square for five years. He reportedly moved to Dedham. This video was made by Ernest Sarro. This is a link to an essay about urban turkeys by Sara Andrews

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x688584729

French Connection Car Chase

Gene Hackman in the 1971 film The French Connection, the NYC car chase scene.

Steve McQueen Bullitt Car Chase

Steve McQueen in 1968 film Bullitt in the famous car chase scene.

Anti Depressants, Unsubstantiated Claims

[These three video clips are from psychmedz1 on YouTube. You can see some interesting comments below each clip there.] Kathy Fountain on Tampa Bay, FL Fox News with Jeffrey R. Lacasse, MSW, PhD. candidate and lecturer at Florida State University's College of Social Work, and Jonathan Leo, PhD. Professor of Neuroanatomy at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, (studied at (?) Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine), discuss unsubstantiated claims of the drug industry regarding depression and anti depressants. They discuss their research (Published in the journal "Society") regarding the myth and metaphor of a chemical imbalance of the brain. See more at
http://www.fsu.com/pages/2008/03/03/depression.html
(The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," which almost all psychiatrists use to diagnose and treat their patients, clearly states that the cause of depression and anxiety is unknown, according to Lacasse and Leo.)
This is part 2 of the discussion which includes the distinction between science and the metaphor of "chemical imbalance." Fountain says that US patients buy one-third of all drugs purchased in the world perhaps as a result of media advertising, which is prohibited in other countries.
Part 3 reveals that the American Psychological Association reports in 2002 that the drug companies have $250 billion (that's a B) in world wide sales. They note that stopping taking these drugs can be dangerous. Why start if stopping is dangerous? The FDA placed a black box warning that these drugs can cause an increase in suicidal thoughts. 47 studies submitted to the FDA regarding these drugs show that 10 percent of people are helped by these drugs, while 60 percent have adverse effects.

Bill Maher on Drugs in America

Bill Maher speaks about the drug culture and the role of politicians promoting it.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Are You a Typical White Person?

Trying to explain his close long term relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, US Sen. Barack Obama tells about his grandmother who he says is "a typical white person." That raises the questions -- Is Barack Obama a typical black person? Is Barack Obama a typical black Harvard lawyer?
Here's a clip from "Fox and Friends" where angry sports announcer Brian Killmeade leaves the live TV set. He tried to change the subject apologizing for Obama's comments. There is a river in the brain called Denial.
Chris Wallace, son of legendary Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, says he thinks that the discussion about Obama's "typical white person" remark is excessive. Oh? Obama is running for President of all people in the USA. What happened to Trent Lott and others for less stereotypical statements regarding race. Wallace has two standards like most liberals.

Disability Discrimination Among Medical Professionals

Lisa Naj a doctor has a sensitivity to environmental factors. She received treatment from William Rea a Dallas, TX physician. The Texas Board of Medicine will have a hearing on whether Rea's novel treatment is tolerable to the medical establishment. A Dr. Khan an Immunologist says that Rea's treatment is unwarranted. Khan says that the ailments are due to untreated mental illness. He promotes more psychiatric treatment rather than listening to patients. It is an example of unlawful discrimination based upon disability in the medical profession. Like most professionals they deny that they discriminate.

Friday, March 21, 2008

MAR 17 2008 Roy Bercaw Speaks to Cambridge MA City Council

Speaking as the Awards Committee Chairman, of the North American Coalition of Human Rights Committees, Roy Bercaw presents a Certificate of Appreciation to the City of Cambridge. It recognizes the City for "Prohibiting White Racism; for Encouraging black racism; and for Denying to Persons with Disabilities Access to City Programs and to Government Services." Bercaw wonders why the City received an award as the most walkable city in view of the many broken brick sidewalks that are dangerous for city employees, women who walk their babies in strollers and for persons with disabilities.
Bercaw asks of the Civic Unity Committee "Will persons with disabilities will be allowed to participate this year? And what about white heterosexual males, will they be allowed to participate?" he asked.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Planning Board MAR 18, 2008 Cambridge MA Bent St PUD Project

The Cambridge MA Planning Board held a Public Hearing with public comment on March 18, 2008.The subject was the PUD (planned unit development) for 159 First St., 65 Bent Street, 29 Charles St. The proponents are Jones Lang LaSalle, Bent Street Land Company, and Elkus Manfredi Architects.
Some members of the public who appear herein include:
Rhonda Massie, Roberta Goto, George Perkins, Tom Joyce, Michael Haggerty, Jay Wasserman, City Councilor Craig Kelley, Jean Meyers, Ilan Levy, Tony Figueiredo. Speaking for the proponents:
Rob Dickey and Steve Senna of Jones, Lang, LaSalle; David Manfredi of Elkus Manfredi; and for the City, Adam Schulman of Traffic and Parking; and Les Barber of the Community Development Department.


[Official transcript

Planning Board Meeting March 18, 2008 pp. 200-205]

THOMAS ANNINGER: Can I raise a quick, I know it is terribly late but I have two questions. One, what has happened to River Street?
WILLIAM TIBBS: Yes, I have that question too.
PATRICIA SINGER: Yeah.
LIZA PADEN: 280 River Street is on the agenda for your next meeting.
WILLIAM TIBBS: Oh how nice.
THOMAS ANNINGER: Oh my God. And my second question is one that is way too late to debate but I have a real problem with people filming us.
STEVEN WINTER: I do to.
THOMAS ANNINGER: And I would like to know whether there is anything we can do about that?
H. THEODORE COHEN: No.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: No.
H. THEODORE COHEN: You can't.
LAURENCE PIERCE: Well, I wonder about that. I raise the same question. I mean can you walk in to the city council chamber with a video camera?
LIZA PADEN: Yes.
H. THEODORE COHEN: Yes. You can.
LAURENCE PIERCE: You can not walk into a court room with one.
H. THEODORE COHEN: No. But the open meeting law allows people --
LIZA PADEN: No, but you can --
LAURENCE PIERCE: You sound like you know.
H. THEODORE COHEN: Yes. It allows people to video tape unless they are affirmatively interfering with what is going on.
LAURENCE PIERCE: And audio tape, so they are simultaneously --
STEVEN WINTER: It turns into a transcript.
LAURENCE PIERCE: Right, that is exactly right. It is a competing transcript. Well, I mean it is an alternate transcript of the proceeding. We make an official transcript of this proceeding and they are creating another one. I think that does raise an issue in terms of the possible disruption of the hearing process.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: I believe our attorney's interpretation is as Ted's is but I am very happy to pose the question again to the cities law department is the Board would like me to. I think --
THOMAS ANNINGER: I would like you to.
STEVEN WINTER: I would like that.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: I think we have been told that it is --
THOMAS ANNINGER: I think we will have an enforcement problem.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: -- allowed but I'm happy to ask just to confirm.
WILLIAM TIBBS: I know it is very late but I just want to --
BETH RUBENSTEIN: Can I just confirm, would you like me to do that? Would the Board like me to do that?
WILLIAM TIBBS: Oh yes.
LAURENCE PIERCE: Yes.
THOMAS ANNINGER: Yes please.
WILLIAM TIBBS: I know it is very late but I just have one issue and that is the confusion about this notice of public hearing. I am looking at it and it does say that it is deliberation and possible decision on the case heard again August of 2007 but it does say notice of public hearing at the top.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: Yup.
WILLIAM TIBBS: So I think we might want to make sure that in the writing of these things that it --
BETH RUBENSTEIN: Yup.
STEVEN WINTER: It precludes testimony. It is in fact a public hearing but it --
HUGH RUSSELL: Is it ours?
WILLIAM TIBBS: Yeah, it looks like ours.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: I think it is.
WILLIAM TIBBS: Yeah.
THOMAS ANNINGER: It's a good point.
WILLIAM TIBBS: If you could just look at it and just see if we can do something to avoid the confusion.
LIZA PADEN: That is not a public hearing notice that I sent out. That is a photograph of the notification panel that is posted on the building --
WILLIAM TIBBS: Yeah, that's right.
LIZA PADEN: -- and what they did was --
WILLIAM TIBBS: I mean the comments on the bottom is actually correct it's just that we want to make sure that there is some wording in there to let people know that if it is not. It says that there was a hearing heard but to have a thing that says public hearing I can see people feeling that they might --
BETH RUBENSTEIN: Be confused.
WILLIAM TIBBS: -- because they don't know, so people could read that and say public hearing that means we get to talk. I don't know how. If you could -- it is something that you can sort out but I prefer not to have that kind of confusion.
STEVEN WINTER: I know it. I just wanted to make one comment about the transcript. The thing that bothers me about the transcript is that it is, I'm sorry the video taping. It is in fact an informal transcript that is not being cared for a monitored by an official body such as the city of Cambridge. So it really could be tampered with and then broadcast and used as a transcript when in fact it is not.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: I think as a matter of record the official transcript is the transcript that the city prepares but I take your point.
THOMAS ANNINGER: I think it is disruptive, I think it is a lot of things.
PATRICIA SINGER: May I make one positive comment to close out the meeting and that is to commend the Community Development Department on a fabulous job done at the affordable housing meeting. That was neglectful of not having sent a note to commend you.
WILLIAM TIBBS: Yes.
BETH RUBENSTEIN: We will pass that on. Thank you.


Friday, March 14, 2008

Jeremiah Wright Preaches

Jeremiah Wright is the Pastor at Barack Obama's church. Here are some of his statements on Hillary Clinton and America.
God Damn America
From ABC News: Wright's views on 9/11 and Hiroshima.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Sunday, March 9, 2008

MEGHAN BERNAL, Games We Play, Opening Reception Mar 8 2008

Photographer MEGHAN BERNAL uses a Polaroid Camera. She shows her photos with captions. At this show she had a typewriter for others to add their thoughts. Polaroid discontinued making the film. The Weekly Dig reports that Bernal is devastated.
The show runs through March 29, 2008 at the Washington Street Art Center, 321 Washington Street, Somerville. Lee Kilpatrick is the Gallery Director.
www.washingtonst.org
617-623-5315

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Rain Water in Basement March 8, 2008

For Saturday March 8, 2008 meteorologists predicted a rainstorm of up to 4 inches. At about 8:00 PM March 8, 2008, I saw a water in the basement of 85 Prescott Street. At about 10:30 PM I captured this footage of the water. On previous occasions water accumulated in the same location when there was a heavy rain. I was unable to determine where it enters the basement.

RUTH LIEBERHERR MAR 7, 2008 Into the Unknown

Ruth Lieberherr ruthlieberherr.com describes her paintings at the Cambridge Art Association opening reception on March 7, 2008. The small group show is called Into the Unknown.
Musicians:
Anthony Douglass - pandeiro
Andrea Lieberherr - flute
David Healey - guitar
Adam Bahrani - guitar
Chris - violin
Download the original attachment

About Ruth Lieberherr


Influenced by the ideas of the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, my paintings explore the character of colors. From the fluid feeling of paint, I go where the inspiration of colors leads me. Images emerge from the subconscious. Memories of landscapes, people, and emotions, find a new, dreamlike reality in my work.

I have exhibited my paintings in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and cultural centers in the United States and abroad, including the Musee Vera in St-Germain-en-Laye, France; Kneipphof in Dussnang, Switzerland; the Trenton City Museum in New Jersey; Northeastern University in Boston; the Swiss Consulate (SHARE) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Brush Art Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts; Bentley College Art Gallery in Waltham, Massachusetts; and the Fletcher/Priest Gallery in Worcester, Massachusetts. In addition, my work is in private and corporate collections, including those of the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey, and the Society of St. John the Evangelist and Cambridgeport Savings Bank in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ruth Lieberherr, February 2008

Friday, March 7, 2008

Harvard Replaces Mahoney's Nursery with Dorms

On the site of Mahoney's Nursery, Harvard is building dorms and a public park at the corner of Western Avenue and Memorial Drive. In spite of the many violations of state and local laws, Harvard boasts of their contribution to the quality of life of the city by creating a city park. They also boast of adding affordable housing for ordinary citizens. It is what the many politicians pointed to that mitigated the law violations.

Harvard University's Private Street With Benefits

Cowperthwaite Street runs from Memorial Drive and DeWolf Street to Banks Street in Cambridge MA. It is a private street owned by The President and Fellows of Harvard College. They allow on street parking by permit form Harvard University Police Department. When it snows the street is reportedly cleared by the Cambridge taxpayer.

Harvard University Damages Neighbor's Home

Martin Annis homeowner next door to Harvard University's new dorm at 5 Cowperthwaite Street in Cambridge MA complains to the City about Harvard's damages to his home. He speaks to the City Council on February 11, 2008 and March 3, 2008. Neighbor Kevin Whitfield joins in the criticism of Harvard's damages to the quality of life. The Boston Globe City Weekly and the Cambridge Chronicle wrote stories about this scandal.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

New York Post Home Delivery Cambridge MA

New York Post delivery carriers claim the Cambridge, MA police prevent them from delivering the New York Post to my door. This is after 16 of 31 papers were not delivered or were stolen in December 2007. In January 2008 the New York Post Circulation Department told me that they sent the key to my building (which I sent to the circulation department) to the carriers via Fedex.
As of this date March 5, 2008 no paper was delivered to my door. UPS trucks stand on Broadway aside my building to deliver packages to buildings on Prescott Street. On occasion the UPS drivers ring my bell and bring the package to my door. This is at about 10:00 AM, not 6:00 AM when the papers are delivered. Cambridge police are considerate of business vehicles having to park in problem areas. The same carriers deliver papers to the Sackler Museum's rear door behind my building.
From January 30 to February 21, 2008 the carrier hung the paper on the inside locked door to the building as shown in the video. That blocked the keyhole.
The exceptions were no paper delivered or stolen on
Sat Feb 9
Thu Feb 14
Fri Feb 15
Sat Feb 16
Thu Feb 28
Mon Mar 3
Tue Mar 4
Thu Mar 6
Paper appeared outside the building on
Feb 25 to 27 and 29
In the mud on Tue Feb 26
USPS delivers packages directly to the door of the recipient. This clip shows a USPS van parked aside my building on a Friday at 3:30 PM. I saw the driver carry packages and bring them to the door of a person in my building at 85 Prescott Street then get another package and walk to 95 Prescott Street to deliver it there. The carrier for the New York Post comes by between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays they come as late as 9:00 AM. There is no excuse not to bring the paper to my door or at least to leave it inside of the unlocked door as I asked in April of 2007.
DHL TRUCK in No Stopping Zone.
Trucks regularly use No Stopping Zones to make deliveries in crowded Cambridge MA.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Handicapped Parking Used for Snow Removal

Rite Aid Pharmacy on River Street in Cambridge MA has two handicapped parking spaces. You can see in this clip snow after a rain storm in one of the parking spaces in front of their store. This is a regular practice in some cities on city streets too.

Ray Gun Developed - 60 Minutes

60 Minutes broadcast on March 2, 2008, a feature about a new high tech weapon. They call it a ray gun. It is promoted as compassionate to use in warfare and for riot control. They do not discuss use of this type of device to harass ordinary citizens by police, organized crime families and psychologists for fun, profit and to discredit their targets.

Mar 3 2008 Roy Bercaw Speaks to Cambridge City Council

Speaking as the Minister of Information for the Mid Cambridge Emergency Committee to create two new city departments. One is the Marjorie Decker Department of OB-GYN. The second is the Ken Reeves Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. He opposes the policy order for a quick return of the Middlesex Courthouse to Cambridge. Bercaw says that courthouses are high crime areas and for the safety of city residents the courthouse should remain in Woburn permanently. He also recommends that to reduce global warming the City Council should exercise discipline and should not talk so much. More.