Twenty Third & Seventh

On This Day: January 5

Today 23rd & 7th celebrates the feast of St Chris Stein of CBGBs. Cheesey fries will be served at the Chelsea Papaya in a gesture of humility and honour.

Debbie Harry & Chris Stein photographed by Bob Gruen

1979:  Andy Warhol lunches with Bianca Jagger and 'some kids from Studio 54'.  Later, they attend a performance of an ice ballet at the Minskoff Theatre

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

Paramahansa Yogananda: Weird Indian dude and inventor of yoghurt.  Popular amongst hippies.

Alvin Ailey Pioneer of pomo dance. Hung out with Andy Warhol

Chris Stein Blondie muso and Manhattan legend.  Played for Andy Warhol 

Pamela Sue Martin Actor. Nancy Drew & Dynasty. Delicious trash.

Sonny Bono  Hippie. Redeemed by appearing in Hairspray.  Appeared in a few things with Cher.

Diane Keaton Actor and iconic New Yorker. Annie Hall veteran.

Marilyn Manson Contradictory pop phenomenon.  Allegedly 'transcends sexuality'.

Sydney Racial Tension- Summary

2,000 police lock down Sydney beaches

The New South Wales Government says there will be an unprecedented number of police patrolling again at Sydney's beaches today to prevent further outbreaks of racially motivated violence.

Around 2,000 police officers will be deployed to beaches in the city's south to prevent any repeat of last Sunday's rioting.

Police are again planning to lock down certain streets around beaches in Cronulla, Maroubra and Bondi and are warning that people who do not live in the area could be turned away.

Sydney police seize petrol bombs

New South Wales police have arrested seven men for carrying petrol bombs in Sydney in two separate incidents. Police say two men were caught with petrol bombs on a public bus at Bondi after a tip-off from the driver.

Five men have been arrested at Brighton Le Sands, in Sydney's south, after police searched their car, finding a drum of petrol and condoms, which they believe were intended for making petrol bombs. They also found kevlar helmets, gerry cans and police scanners.

Police say the five men are of white or European appearance. Deputy Commissioner Andrew Scipione says what has been seized shows there is no need to apologise for widespread disruptions to traffic across the city.

"We're talking about weapons that are potentially are there to kill and to potentially maim those in the community," he said. "This is yet again a justification in terms of why we are doing what we are doing." Police say other weapons seized this weekend include swords, knives, knuckle-dusters, axes and replica firearms.

Sydney police seize knives, brace for beach violence

SYDNEY, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Australian police stepped up security around Sydney's beaches on Sunday, fearing another eruption of racial violence after road-blocks found cars carrying knives, while hate messages circulated by mobile phone.

Police patrolled beaches on horse-back and set up checkpoints around some of the city's favourite summer playgrounds, including Bondi Beach, where the holiday mood was infused by fears of fresh violence between whites and ethnic Lebanese.

"I don't think there will be any trouble today, not with 2,000 cops around," Louise Simpson, a young mother with blonde hair in pig-tails, said beneath a postcard blue sky on Cronulla beach, where the violence first erupted a week ago.

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Sydney, get used to this

AN 800-strong squad of police will protect Sydney's beaches until the end of January after Sydney's biggest security crackdown at the weekend.

Deputy Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione yesterday warned even more police would be assigned if more race-riot threats emerge.

The lockdown of major beaches resulted in 2000 police making 59 arrests, seizing molotov cocktails and confiscating a frightening array of weapons including swords, spiked bats and knives. Police also used new powers to confiscate 11 cars and 22 mobile telephones - some of which were used to forward racist material.

Yesterday as 10,000 people marched to call for racial harmony, police patrolled beaches in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast on foot, horseback and in boats. Brighton-le-Sands was also locked down late yesterday after a carload of men were caught carrying a 25-litre drum of petrol.

Five men arrested over the haul were found with equipment to make molotov cocktails and with commando-style utility belts, Kevlar helmets and jerry cans of petrol.

One man was from Melbourne, confirming police fears that interstate residents might be travelling to NSW to incite racial tensions.

Mr Scipione warned beachgoers to expect constant surveillance over the summer.

"They'll be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week right through the Christmas and New Year period," Mr Scipione said of the beach task force.

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A great divide takes some understanding

December 17, 2005

Understanding traditional social structures of the Lebanese would go a long way toward avoiding the racial clashes seen at Cronulla this week, writes Paul Sheehan.

MICHAEL Kennedy was sitting in the living room of a Lebanese drug dealer in Condell Park when the dealer pulled a gun from his belt. He pointed it at Kennedy's head.

"You're an undercover cop," the dealer said. Kennedy did not move. He had been operating behind enemy lines for so long he could remain, at least outwardly, calm.

The two men looked at one another, the gun pointed at Kennedy's temple. He had time to examine the weapon. Russian. Nine millimetre.

"Is that a registered handgun?" Kennedy asked.

It was a strange thing to say under the circumstances.

"No," the dealer replied.

"Well, you could be charged for that," said Kennedy, keeping a benign expression, as if he were offering friendly advice. Then he added: "And yes, I'm an undercover cop, so you'd better put that gun away."

Pause.

"You're right," the dealer replied. He slipped the gun back into his belt, under his shirt.

Somewhere in this transaction, Kennedy and the drug dealer, a Maronite Christian, had reached an understanding. Kennedy had proved himself. They could talk about what to do next. Some honour code had been reached. Kennedy never charged the dealer. What he wanted was information.

"He ended up being not a bad source of information. That's what [NSW Police Commissioner] Ken Moroney doesn't understand. You don't need a show of force and tough words, you need information, pointy information, and you simply have to put up with the baggage to get it …

"Moroney speaks in cliches. It suited the ALP to emasculate the police. They now run the police like a business, like a Coca-Cola bottling plant, statistics and productivity bonuses. It's all data-driven."

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Xmas gifts for people you don't like- a 23rd & 7th community service

Only days to go... all that shit.  Still wondering just what to give to that certain someone who makes your life less than pleasant?  Here we present some easily accessed options that deliver that special message at this wonderful time of the year.

Skywalk Gift Voucher  Especially recommended for the phobic, elderly and anyone from whom you stand to gain an inheritance.  What about 90mins circling the outside perimeter of Syndey's tallest building on a glass floored platform?

The Da Vinci Code- special edition What better way to say 'I view you with utter contempt'?

Perhaps an OVERSEAS HOLIDAY is just what's required.

Is there somebody in your life who is just full of shit? Here's a polite way of letting them know.

Give the gift of music while giving the kiddies nightmares!  This should do it.

Or perhaps you feel a serious need to paw-swipe a vegetarian.  Pretend to forget their vegetarian status and order this for immediate delivery

DVDs are popular this year.   A selection of titles here should offer something to offend everyone
for annoying children
for the teens
for the adults
for dear old nanna
this one could make a good stand-by

Perhaps a gift that says omigod you're ugly is the thing you need?  Why not order a gift voucher from this mob

Pope Pops Up!

This Pope has been surprisingly quiet so far.  The interesting question is just how Pope Newboy knows that sin isn't worth it.

-----from news.com.au

THE Pope told Catholics yesterday that being good was not boring and urged people to reject the idea that they were missing out if they did not sin.

Pope Benedict made his comments at St Peter's Basilica, Rome, to mark the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

"The suspicion emerges in us that a person who does not sin is, after all, boring; that something is missing from his life: the dramatic dimension of being free ... but looking at the world around us we can see that this is not so," he said.

Signs of the Impending Apocalypse:

The Bible in SMS. warning: click if you're brave!

I wish that this was a prank. It isn't.

I can't even start to imagine how insane the person doing this must have been by the time she got up to the notorious begats. [email protected] in SMS I suppose. Lets not even consider how complicated it might become once those Hebrew names start flying. Zebediah is infinitely more complex to reduce to SMS than it is to spell correctly.

Dumb technology for a dumb future!