USA Today reports that tours of Governors Island resume later this month. The island, once owned and staffed by the U.S. Coast Guard, is now a national monument.
via Flavorpill
I’m still working on this unfortunate story, but I wanted to get some headlines up. We’re increasingly becoming a society where everyone is considered a potential criminal. Now please excuse me. I’m off to take pictures on the subway while I still can.
Subway Officials Seek Ban on Picture Taking
New York Daily News – Home – Subways get shutter bugged
Thanks, sweetie. Can’t wait to see you in New York again!
…I think Heavy Metal Umlaut would be a great band name.
[via Things]
By popular request, my “review.” Keep in mind, I’ve never seen a live performance of Gypsy, and I can’t remember ever seeing the movie version. I therefore have nothing to compare this production to. That in mind, I enjoyed it. I thought Bernadette Peters was really good as Mama Rose, and I liked the rest of the cast as well. I thought the first act suffered from slow pacing, so I was glad to see the second act pick up the beat a little. Kevin and Melissa seemed to enjoy the show as well.
Huzzah! I’ve seen a Broadway musical…actually on Broadway! Those poor schmucks back in Indiana will have to wait for the touring version with Georgia Engel.
Laurenn McCubbin‘s new web comic, Harvest Gypsy, is now available on Artbomb.net. [I can't link directly to the comic, so go to Artbomb and look for the link on the far left side of the page.) Go look. Also, if you've never seen her print comic, XXX Live Nude Girls (co-created with Nikki Coffman), you really should see the corresponding website [Flash required].
California Senator Barbara Boxer introduced the following bill to the U.S. Senate on May 23:
S.1158: A bill to exempt bookstores and libraries from orders requiring the production of tangible things for foreign intelligence investigations, and to exempt libraries from counterintelligence access to certain records, ensuring that libraries and bookstores are subjected to the regular system of court-ordered warrants.
Vermont Representative Bernard Sanders introduced a similar bill to the House on May 3.
The issue here involves the USA Patriot Act, which enables law enforcement agencies to gain access to patron and customer records at libraries and bookstores. In section 215, the Act gives agencies the right to access such information based only on warrants obtained from Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts. These courts are secret, meaning their proceedings are not a matter of the public record. Also, the Patriot Act does not require law enforcement to show probable cause. Finally, Patriot makes it illegal for libraries or bookstores to inform patrons that their records have been seized.
The bills introduced in the House and Senate would amend U.S. code to require agents to obtain subpoenas or search warrants in open courts before demanding access to patron records.
Senate Votes to Ban Disputed Abortion Procedure. After an emotional and caustic debate, the Senate voted overwhelmingly today to ban a highly disputed procedure that its critics call partial-birth abortion. By Carl Hulse. [New York Times: NYT HomePage]
Setbacks for US war timetable. Antiwar rallies and wariness at UN are hurdles for Bush. [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories]
It’s been a busy weekend, which is why I’ve been missing from this page for the last few days.
In addition to enjoying visits from several out-of-town guests, I was among the 400,000 who rallied in New York against the Iraq war.
Or, rather, attempted to rally. I met up with friends at Third Avenue and 42nd Street and we tried to move north and then east. North was easy. East? Not so much. Police had every side street blocked up to the low 70s. We were caught in a crush of people at intersection after intersection, surging the barricades and either falling back or getting pushed back by the police.
Frustrating.
But I was there. I added my body and my voice to the cause.
Now let’s hope it means something.
