DAVID HAMEDANY, 54 from GLENDALE: Former Huntington Memorial Hospital Official Arrested on Federal Charges Stemming from Kickback Scheme

FBI Badge & gun.Image via WikipediaLOS ANGELES—The former director of construction for Huntington Memorial Hospital was arrested this morning on federal mail fraud arising from his role in a construction kickback scheme that allegedly brought him more than $3 million in illegal payments.

David Hamedany, 54, of Glendale, was arrested at his residence without incident by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Hamedany was the director of construction for Huntington Memorial Hospital from 2006 until June 2010, during which time he had authority to enter into contracts and approve various invoices for the hospital. According to the indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury, Hamedany authorized payments of more than $3.8 million to construction companies that later made kickback payments of more than $3 million to entities controlled by Hamedany and/or a relative of Hamedany.

The indictment specifically alleges that three Northern California companies received most of the money involved in the fraudulent contracts, collectively receiving more than $3 million from the hospital. The payments were pursuant to invoices approved by Hamedany, even though the three companies performed no construction work for the hospital. These three companies allegedly paid kickbacks of more than $2.5 million to entities controlled by Hamedany and/or a relative of Hamedany.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The indictment in this case charges Hamendany with 12 counts of mail fraud. Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

Hamendany is expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court.
On January 11, FBI agents seized approximately $480,000 from a bank account into which Hamendany transferred approximately $585,000.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Huntington Memorial Hospital has fully cooperated in the investigation.
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ALFRED EUGENE PARKER: Woodland Hills man who bilked 20 victims out of $2 Million gets 46 months in Prison. Were you a victim? Hit my comment section!

The Seal of the United States Federal Bureau o...Image via WikipediaHey, congrats to the FBI for napping another "ponzi schemer" who bilked 20 people more than $2 million bucks in less than a one year period.  Al Parker is heading to Federal Prison for the next four years for his misdeeds.  I want to be able to share the stories of the victims of Mr. Parker.  If you got ripped off by this bad boy, hit my comment section and sound off.  Remember, if it is too good to be true, well....you know how it will always wind up....

RrE



LOS ANGELES—A Woodland Hills man who bilked more than 20 victims out of approximately $2 million in less than one year has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.

Alfred Eugene Parker, 32, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who remanded the defendant into custody at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing. Parker was sentenced after pleading guilty in September 2010 to three counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a bank.

Yep. Parker got one of these bad boys for his efforts....
Parker was a counselor at a non-profit agency that provided credit-repair advise to low-income families. In late 2006, Parker started an investment company—Skyline Investment Group—that he used to solicit investors with promises that their money would be used to help needy homeowners who were facing foreclosure on their homes. Targeting primarily African-American victims, including professional athletes and people in the entertainment industry, Parker and Skyline lured investors with “guaranteed” returns as high as 40 percent in less than three months.

Instead of using investors’ money to help distressed homeowners, Parker used the money to finance a luxurious lifestyle, which included a Rolls-Royce Phantom, two Ferraris, a $2.5 million home, and trips to high-end resorts in Hawaii and Santa Barbara. Parker also used some of the money to make Ponzi payments to earlier investors.

In November 2007, Parker sought a $1 million line of credit from Broadway Federal Bank. When applying for the loan, Parker submitted forged documents to the bank and falsely claimed that he had $2 million in savings and that he owned valuable real estate in Los Angeles and Cleveland. When the bank approved a $200,000 line of credit, Parker drew down the funds in less than two months.

During Monday’s sentencing hearing, victims told Judge Klausner that Parker had preyed on African American victims in their community and that he had presented himself as a religious man who would use their investments to help needy homeowners in the area.

The case against Parker is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Million Man March: THE Day of Reckoning for Egypt starts in Liberation Square.

View from Cairo TowerImage via Wikipedia

Day of reckoning is a term used to describe the Last Judgment in Christian eschatology.

By Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
February 1, 2011

Cairo, Egypt

Hour after hour for going on nine days now.  Chanting. Protests. Violence. Anger. Frustration.

Today could be the "Day of Reckoning" for the people and country of Egypt.

In just a few hours, (they are gathering RIGHT NOW)  Liberation Square will be the site of the "Million Man March."

Will today usher in a new era in the history for Egypt, or will it be a bloodbath of historic proportions?

It is a Day of Rage.

More than a million or maybe as many as three million people will protest against the Mubarak regime.

They plan to go to march on the home of the current embattled President.  Will the Egyptian people be allowed to actually protest in freedom today, or will the  military clamp down?  Who is in control of Egypt right this moment?


Spirits are high.


Anderson Cooper at Qualcomm Stadium during the...Image via WikipediaEgyptians are fired up.  It is the biggest day in generations for the government.  Call it a "clampdown" by the Mubarakites.  The stock market in Egypt has been shut down since last Friday. The rail ways are closed.  No businesses are opened. Their are at least 50,000 American's stuck in Egypt.  The average Egyptian makes less than $2 per day.

Within hours, the "Million Man March" will go from Tahrir Square, (9am local Cairo time, or Midnight on the West Coast of the United States) all the way to Mubarak's presidential palace in Heliopolis.

The protesters will demand that he step aside.  Or, should I say, if they get that far.

They are planning another protest for Thursday and again on Friday.

The protesters won't be polite and won't ask permission to do what they want on "their" terms!

The government has shut down the internet.  No access out of Egypt, but some inventive Egyptians are getting past the internet block by using "old school dial up" methods.

Al Jazeera, the main media outlet in Egypt had six of its journalists arrested on Monday. Equipment, cameras, cell phones, lap tops all pulled from the hands of the reporters.

CAIRO, EGYPT - JANUARY 30:  Egyptians shout, w...Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe world is watching.

I will be watching all night long via CNN.  America's iconic journalist Anderson Cooper is in Cairo.  How in the hell does Anderson do it?  He must have skin of leather.

Today, pray for the People of Egypt.

Share your thoughts. Hit my comment section.

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NEW BREAKING VIDEO FROM EGYPT! Egyptian Protesters Gathering- January 31 2011





BREAKING NEWS:

By Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
January 31, 2011
Cairo, Egypt

Amazing new video is leaking out from the protests going on RIGHT NOW
in the streets of Cairo, Egypt.

Raw Video taken from the people who want change.

Flag of CairoImage via Wikipedia
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TRANSCRIPT: Governor Jerry Brown's State of the State Address. Time to crack the whip and create a new California.

Former Governor (now California Attorney Gener...Image via WikipediaBy Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
January 31, 2011
5:32 p.m.


SACRAMENTO -

Governor Jerry Brown is my new hero.

He just knocked the ball out of the park with his "California State of the State Address" in Sacramento and put everyone on "official notice" that everyone needs to change in order for California to survive as a state.

I am THRILLED that he has FINALLY taken on the BIG FAT ELEPHANT in the room, meaning the abuse of powers that municipalities have had over "Redevelopment Agency's" and why the state needs to step in and take control of these local "cash cows" once and for all.

W2G Governor Brown.  You were right to the point tonight.  You told the truth. California must change from top to bottom.

Here is a copy of the official media statement just released minutes ago from Governor Brown's office:


The California State Capitol building in Sacra...Image via Wikipedia
Thank you Lt. Governor Newsom, Speaker Perez, President Pro Tem Steinberg, Senate Republican Leader Dutton, Assembly Republican Leader Conway, constitutional officers, members of the legislature, distinguished guests, and my fellow citizens:

First of all, I wish to thank all of you in this chamber for the cordiality and good will that you have extended to my wife and me during these opening days of what will be an extraordinarily difficult and wrenching legislative session.

California faces a crisis that is real and unprecedented. Each of us will have to struggle with our conscience and our constituencies as we hammer out a sensible plan to put our state on a sound fiscal footing, honestly balance our budget and positionCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown at the premier...Image via Wikipedia California to regain its historic momentum.

Although our state’s economy has started to recover, we will not create the jobs we need unless we get our financial house in order. It’s absolutely essential that we do our work boldly and without delay.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JANUARY 03:  California gover...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
My intention is to make California again a leader in job creation, renewable energy and state of the art efficiency, innovation of all kinds and a solid primary and secondary education. Our universities are world renowned and I intend to see that they continue to enjoy the respect of students and scholars throughout the world. We also have to restructure our criminal justice system, carefully realign state and local government functions, and streamline state government. All of this can happen if we find the courage and summon the will to tackle our budget deficit head on and deal with it honestly and without purpose of evasion.

This is not a time for politics as usual. The stakes are too high. Our overall financial system, which came close to absolute breakdown, has not fully stabilized. Where we go from here—either more austerity or more stimulus—is hotly contested. Even the cause of the mortgage meltdown remains in dispute.

Voters are clearly telling us that our state and our nation are going in the wrong direction. Yet, our two main political parties both in Washington and in California are as far apart as I have ever seen them. Still, I know that politics is at the heart of democracy. It is the essence of our structure of freedom and the way in which we as a people make our collective decisions. We owe it to ourselves and to our forebears—and to our children--to rise to this occasion, do what is right and regain the public’s trust. Kicking the can down the road, by not owning an honest budget, is simply out of the question.

If you are a Democrat who doesn’t want to make budget reductions in programs you fought for and deeply believe in, I understand that. If you are a Republican who has taken a stand against taxes, I understand where you are coming from.

But things are different this time. In fact, the people are telling us--in their own way--that they sense that something is profoundly wrong. They see that their leaders are divided when they should be decisive and acting with clear purpose.

We are still a very rich society. In two years alone, Californians will have added more than $100 billion to their personal income. Yet, our State’s credit rating is the lowest of the 50 states, unemployment is higher than the national average and some journalists are calling California a “failed state.”

The times call out for vision and for discipline. Discipline so that we live within the revenue which the state collects each year, and Vision so that we rise above mere party, act as Californians first, and put our trust in the people.

Under our form of government, it would be unconscionable to tell the electors of this state that they have no right to decide whether it is better to extend current tax statutes another five years or chop another $12 billion out of schools, public safety, our universities and our system of caring for the most vulnerable.

Let me read to you, Article 2, Section 1 of the California Constitution:
“All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their protection, security and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require.”

When democratic ideals and calls for the right to vote are stirring the imagination of young people in Egypt aThis is a picture of the Sacramento Riverfront...Image via Wikipediand Tunisia and other parts of the world, we in California can’t say now is the time to block a vote of the people. In the ordinary course of things, matters of state concern are properly handled in Sacramento. But when the elected representatives find themselves bogged down by deep differences which divide them, the only way forward is to go back to the people and seek their guidance. It is time for a legislative check-in with the people of California.

At this moment of extreme difficulty, it behooves us to turn to the people and get a clear mandate on how we should proceed: either to extend the taxes as I fervently believe or cut deeply into the programs from which--under federal law--we can still extract the sums required. Unfortunately, these would most probably include: elementary, middle and high schools, the University of California, the California State University system, prisons and local public safety funding, and vital health programs.

My plan to rebuild California requires a vote of the people, and frankly I believe it would be irresponsible for us to exclude the people from this process. They have a right to vote on this plan. This state belongs to all of us, not just those of us in this chamber. Given the unique nature of the crisis and the serious impact our decisions will have on millions of Californians, the voters deserve to be heard.

Do I like the choices we face? No. I don’t. But after serious study of the options left us by a $25 billion deficit, the budget I have proposed is the best I can devise. If any of you have other suggestions that you think are better, please, share them with us. After all, we are in this together.

In recent days, a lot has been made of the proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies. Mayors from cities both large and small have come to the capitol and pressed their case that redevelopment is different from child care, university funding or grants to the aged, disabled and blind.

They base their case on the claim that redevelopment funds leverage other funds and create jobs. I certainly understand this because I saw redevelopment first hand as mayor of Oakland. But I also understand that redevelopment funds come directly from local property taxes that would otherwise pay for schools and core city and county services such as police and fire protection and care for the most vulnerable people in our society.

So it is a matter of hard choices and I come down on the side of those who believe that core functions of government must be funded first. But be clear, my plan protects current projects and supports all bonded indebtedness of the redevelopment agencies.

From the time I first proposed what I believe to be a balanced approach to our budget deficit – both cuts and a temporary extension of current taxes – dozens of groups affected by one or another of the proposed cuts have said we should cut somewhere else instead. Still others say we should not extend the current taxes but let them them go away. So far, however, these same people have failed to offer even one alternative solution.

As I have said before, I have not come here to embrace delay or denial, but to get the job done. If you have solutions that are truly viable, by all means present them. We need everyone’s best thinking.

Wherever I look, I see difficult choices. But I also see a bright future up ahead and a California economy that is on the mend. When we get our budget in balance, California will be in a strong position to take advantage of its many assets and its strategic location on the Pacific Rim. As the countries of Asia and south of our border continue to thrive and expand their trade, our state will play a leading role, as it always has, and reap unimagined benefits.

We have the inventors, the dreamers, the entrepreneurs, the venture capitalists and a vast array of physical, intellectual and political assets. We have been called the great exception because for generations Californians have defied the odds and the conventional wisdom and prospered in totally unexpected ways. People keep coming here because of the dream that is still California, and once here, their determination and boundless energy feeds that dream and makes it grow.

When I first came to Sacramento, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had not yet invented their personal computer. There was no wind generated electricity, and we didn’t have the nation’s most advanced building and appliance efficiency standards as we later adopted. Of course, Yahoo, Google, Facebook and Twitter did not exist—not even in someone’s imagination.

California’s economy has grown from less than 200 billion dollars when first I came to this rostrum to now over two trillion dollars expected this year. California has been on the move—a marvel, even a miracle and some kind of gift.

Yes, I will work with you on the issues—from water and realignment to healthcare and prisons, to agriculture, schools, environment and transportation. We must also face the long term challenge of ensuring that our public pensions are fair to both taxpayers and workers alike. Finally, at a time when more than two million Californians are out of work, we must search out and strip away any accumulated burdens or unreasonable regulations that stand in the way of investment and job creation.

But let’s not forget that Job Number 1 – make no mistake about it – is fixing our state budget and getting our spending in line with our revenue. Once we do that, the rest will be easy—at least easier because we will have learned to work together and earned back the respect and trust of the people we serve.

I look forward to working with all of you.

Thank you.
Governor Jerry Brown!
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Tonight Battling Wal-Mart Grackles While Thinking Of The Super Bowl Buffet If The Ice Storm Gets Real Bad

The Grackle takeover of the Eastchase Wal-Mart and Sam's Club continues.

I was at Wal-Mart just as the light of the sun was dimming for the day.

Around 6.

Wal-Mart was super busy with what looked like panicked people stocking up on supplies due to the incoming Arctic Blast which starts arriving sometime in the wee hours.

I believe rain is expected at first, followed by sleet by the time the sun returns, Tuesday morning, followed by snow.

So, tomorrow may be a Snow Day in North Texas. I know I won't be going to school. That's for sure.

I did not do any panicked food buying in anticipation of an Ice Storm. I can walk to an Albertsons and a Krogers across the street from my abode. And several restaurants, including the best Chinese buffet I've been to in the D/FW Metroplex, with the very odd name of Super Bowl Buffet.

I do not know if the Super Bowl Buffet is having anything special on the buffet for the Super Bowl.

On The Tandy Hills Looking At A Smoggy Fog Enveloping Downtown Fort Worth As Locals Go Nuts Over The Pittsburgh Steelers & ESPN

I don't know if that is fog or smog dimming the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth today when I looked west from the Tandy Hills.

Of the four short skyscrapers that you can see through the fog/smog, the one on the left is the Omni Convention Center Hotel. This is where one of the NFL teams is staying that is in North Texas for the Super Cold Bowl next Sunday.

I don't know if Fort Worth gets the Pittsburgh Steelers team or the New Orleans Saints. I know the buildings in both the downtowns of Dallas and Fort Worth have been color-cordinated to match the conference colors that town's team.

I know I've read which town is which color, but I forget. I believe one is blue, one is red. I also know I could likely get the answer to this probing question with about 5 seconds of Googling.

I just went to the Star-Telegram to see if I could easily find out what team is in town.

Well, apparently the Pittsburgh Steelers arrived today and were greeted by a big crowd of screaming football fans. An ESPN person said they'd never seen this level of excitement so early in Super Bowl Week.

The Star-Telegram said Fort Worth has never seen anything like ESPN.

Below is a blurb from the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, titled A Texas-sized howdy for ESPN on 'opening day' ...

The TCU band blasted its music across Sundance Square, and the cheerleaders rocked the crowd. Mayor Mike Moncrief meted out some inspirational words, and Ed Bass shook more than a few hands. And that was all before 5 o'clock in the morning, all before ESPN even began broadcasting Monday from downtown Fort Worth.

ESPN folks said they never had seen such enthusiasm, not this early in Super Bowl week anyway. And, of course, Fort Worth never has seen anything like ESPN. 

This is all starting to seem somehow sad to me. Maybe I would understand if I were a football fan.

The Non-Freezing Last Morning Of The First Month Of 2011 With An Arctic Blastl Heading To North Texas With A Wind Chill Below Zero

Looking out my viewing portal at the dawn of the last day of the first month of 2011 which has arrived 6 degrees above freezing.

If the weather prognosticators are to be believed this will be the last morning, for awhile, that will not be well below freezing, as we are heading into one of the most significant cold spells in North Texas in many years.

Just in time to greet football fans arriving for Sunday's Super Bowl.

Thunderstorms may be booming later today.

Strong winds will be blasting in Tuesday night, bringing the Big Chill, with the wind chill plunging to below zero.

Yesterday, when I saw all the temporary Super Bowl structures built on the former parking lots that surround the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, the first thing that crossed my mind was what if those things get blasted by a windstorm.

If it gets windy during daylight hours I think I'll go hang out on the Stadium Wal-Mart parking lot to watch what happens live.

In the meantime I am not going swimming this morning.

UPDATE: Long Beach Police continue manhunt for those responsible for shooting at two officers, leaving one in stable condition.

Long Beach Police Department (California)Image via Wikipedia
By Randy Economy
January 30, 2011
4:53 p.m.

Long Beach, CA

The Long Beach Police Department are on an all out manhunt today in search of the person or persons responsible for shooting at two of their own officers last night that left one in stable condition at an area hospital.

Scary scene in Long Beach last night.  I did a post of this earlier this morning (see below post) and today the Long Beach Police Department Media Relations Division issued the following statement:

"On Saturday, January 29, 2011, at approximately 10:50 p.m., two on-duty Long Beach Police gang detectives were patrolling in the area of Anaheim Street and Mahanna Avenue, when without warning, they were fired upon by an unknown number of suspects in a vehicle.
 
The uniformed detectives were traveling on Anaheim Street near Mahanna Avenue when an occupant in the suspect vehicle fired multiple rounds at the detectives' unmarked police vehicle which was equipped with emergency lights and siren.  The detective that was driving the vehicle was struck once in the upper torso by gunfire and was immediately transported to a local hospital by his partner.  The detective sustained a non-life-threatening injury and is listed in stable condition.
  
Additional officers were on the southeast corner of Anaheim Street and Mahanna Avenue conducting an unrelated investigation.  One officer from within that group of officers fired at the suspect vehicle as it fled southbound on Mahanna Avenue from Anaheim Street.  Investigators don’t believe a suspect was hit by the officer’s gunfire.

As part of the operation, SWAT was activated and the department’s Bloodhound was utilized, along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Bloodhound, to assist in the search of the suspect(s).  As a result of the magnitude of the investigation, a significant number of Police Department resources were utilized and many streets were closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The detective, whose identity is being withheld for his safety, is 30-years of age and a 7-year member of the Department.  

The Long Beach Police Department’s investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have any information regarding this incident is strongly urged to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Terri Hubert and Peter Lackovic at (562) 570-7244.

To text or e-mail a tip anonymously, visit the Long Beach Police Department's website at www.longbeach.gov/police or visit www.tipsoft.com and follow the prompts."

So, be safe in Long Beach. 

I am glad that the officer is on is way to a full recovery.  My heart goes out to this officer and his family.  So sad that our community is so dangerous.  Scary times.

Keep you posted.
RrE
  
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Finding Mutant Trees With Elsie Hotpepper Today Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake

I got back here around 11 this morning, after walking all around the Dallas Cowboy Stadium to check out what the Super Bowl has done to that ultra-modern structure.

Well, it has been tarted up like a cheap one of those types that a big flashy billboard warns you not to employ, that you see when you exit I-30 to try and check out the stadium.

So, I got back here, feeling like I'd had done plenty of walking for the day, when I got a call from a forlorn Elsie Hotpepper.

My one longtime reader may remember of late I have turned down  a couple Hotpepper hike requests. And I also turned down last night's Hotpepper saloon hopping request.

When Elsie called me around noon, sounding forlorn, and asking if I would go walking again with her around Fosdic Lake, I figured I was already tired of walking, so doing the slow Elsie Hotpepper walking would not bug me too bad.

So, I went walking with Elsie Hotpepper today.

I'd noticed the tree at the edge of Fosdic Lake that you see above previously. But not til Elsie saw it and said it looked mutant did I wonder if it was. For years fish that live in Fosdic Lake have not been safe to eat.

It seems possible that a tree who's roots sucked its water from Fosdic Lake might grow up to be the mutant tree you see here.

Maybe I should be more agreeable to doing some more Elsie Hotpepper hiking. Apparently when you walk slow you see things you do not notice when you are moving fast.

I should have taken Elsie Hotpepper with me to check out the Super Bowl today. Who knows what she would have noticed that I didn't?

Warning: DEEP FREEZE & SNOW AHEAD IN NORTH TEXAS JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUPER BOWL


This afternoon the National Weather Service issued one of their "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS" all in CAPITALS, which in Internet speak indicates one is shouting.

Apparently our recent bout of balmy warm weather in North Texas will be coming to an end by Monday night with the arrival from cold Canada of an Arctic cold front.

Snow is possible on Wednesday, with a chance of significant white stuff falling on Friday. Friday is the day of some of the Super Bowl Parties that I have not been invited to. With many more on Saturday. That I have also not been invited to. Followed by Sunday's biggest Super Bowl Party of all. The actual game. Which I may watch on TV.

Methinks Mother Nature is conspiring with the Powers That Be to deliver an icy punch that probably was not what the NFL was looking for when they agreed to come play a game in Jerry Jones' shiny new stadium.

Below is the National Weather Service message in its shouted entirety....

...WINTRY WEEK AHEAD FOR NORTH TEXAS...

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO NORTH TEXAS MONDAY EVENING... AND SWEEP THROUGH ALL OF NORTH TEXAS BY MID-MORNING TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY TUESDAY...WITH AFTERNOON READINGS DROPPING INTO THE TEENS IN AREAS NORTHWEST OF FORT WORTH. ALL OF NORTH TEXAS IS EXPECTED TO BE BELOW FREEZING BY TUESDAY EVENING. THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS MAY REMAIN BELOW FREEZING UNTIL FRIDAY.

FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL IMPACT MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS ON TUESDAY. THE ACTIVITY MAY TRANSITION TO SNOW LATE IN THE MORNING NORTH OF I-20. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM BRECKENRIDGE...TO MINERAL WELLS...TO GAINESVILLE...WHERE ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET MAY EXCEED 1/2 INCH. ADDITIONAL ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR JUST SOUTHEAST OF THE WATCH AREA AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED TOMORROW FOR MORE OF THE AREA.

GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES TO PRODUCE WIND CHILLS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. WIND CHILLS MAY FALL BELOW ZERO TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS.

SNOW FLURRIES WILL BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY...WITH A CHANCE OF MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ON FRIDAY.

DURING EXTENDED OUTBREAKS OF COLD WEATHER...IT IS ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO BE PROACTIVE AND PROTECT EXPOSED PIPES WITH INSULATING MATERIAL...AND TO LEAVE A WATER FAUCET SLOWLY DRIPPING OVERNIGHT. OUTDOOR PETS SHOULD BE PROVIDED APPROPRIATE SHELTER...AND RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DRESS IN LAYERS TO AVOID THE IMPACTS OF COLD TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS. ANYTIME TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW FREEZING...TURN OFF AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS. SPRINKLER SYSTEMS RUNNING IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES CAN CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

A Visit To The Dallas Cowboy Stadium A Week Before The Super Bowl

With a week to go til Sunday's Super Bowl game I figured today would be a good day to check out what's been done to the Dallas Cowboy Stadium zone.

I figured Sunday morning there would be few people, no traffic, easy to find a place to park.

As I am way too often, I was wrong on all counts.

The first bit of Super Bowl signage that you see here is not on the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, it is on the Ballpark in Arlington, facing the Cowboy Stadium.

Last week I'd read a letter to the editor in either the Fort Worth Star-Telegram or Dallas Morning News where the letter writer opined that he was appalled at the effort Arlington had gone to to spruce up the town in anticipation of visitors coming for the Super Bowl, and then to find that effort negated by all the tackiness that the NFL has sprung up around the Cowboy Stadium.

Texas does a good job of tacky at times. I had to see it for myself.

I don't know that I would call what I saw today tacky. But I can say that what is going on around the Cowboy Stadium may be the strangest thing I've seen since I've been in Texas.

And that covers an awful lot of strange things.

That letter writer mentioned the big fence/wall that has been erected on the east end of the stadium. I have no idea what that wall is stopping us from seeing. I thought maybe it was surrounding the $200 a ticket Party Pass Plaza zone, but it was not located directly outside the east end zone, which is where you get to pay $200 to stand out in the cold for 4 or 5 hours.

Speaking of cold. The National Weather Service has just issued a Severe Weather Warning. We are scheduled to get as low as 12 degrees by Wednesday. Five days before the Super Bowl.

See that long line of white? It is stretching across the former parking lot on the east end of the stadium. I had no clue what this was.

And then I met this nice gentleman named Ludlow Ruckmaker (name and gender changed at the gentleman's request).

Ludlow told me that this long white tent line is how Super Bowlers will enter the stadium. It is where they will go through security.

Ludlow told  me he'd been following the progress of the stadium all the way back to the initial destruction of dozens of homes and apartment complexes, with the displacement of 1000s, in what many consider to be the Worst Case of Eminent Domain Abuse in American History.

When I told Ludlow I'd also been following the Dallas Cowboy Stadium progress, eventually he remembered meeting me before. On my website.


I had wondered why the Party Pass Plaza was only at the east end zone, when there are Party Plazas outside both end zones. Today I saw the reason. On the west side of the stadium the parking lots have been covered by the biggest temporary buildings I have ever seen.

HUGE things that look as if they must have multiple levels. In the picture above you can see what looks like a glass barrel roof between two white temporary structures.


Above I am standing across from the stadium, on Collins Street, looking east at those temporary buildings I just showed you. The pictures do not do justice to how big these are.

Now, what I'm thinking is North Texas tends to have rather dramatic weather. I have been involved with 2 balloon festivals that were destroyed by windstorms.

The Dallas Cowboy Stadium sits in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. There are a lot of people who think that the way the land was taken to build this stadium was all sorts of wrong.

I'm not one who believes there is a vengeance seeking God looking to right wrongs and punish evildoers.

But.

If I were, I would be a bit nervous that a weather disaster might make mayhem of all the temporary stuff that has been erected to worship at this particular temple, next Sunday.

God may likely already be a bit cranky with the Super Bowl, due to the fact that one of the churches near the stadium has cancelled next Sunday's services and is, I believe, selling parking spaces.

That football that you see above, with the Dallas Cowboy Stadium behind it, is in the Stadium Wal-Mart Supercenter's parking lot. That Wal-Mart has a lot of footballs and baseballs stuck on it.


A Mexican TV Station was broadcasting from the Wal-Mart parking lot. The broadcast truck that was powering the equipment had Mexican plates. The guy on the left was interviewing the guy on the right. I figured this might be a Univision show.


Some of the locals seemed quite familiar with the guy who was on the right, taking turns having their picture taken with him. I figure he must be a Mexican TV celebrity. Not til I got the picture off the camera did I realize one of the guys in the picture was wearing a cheese hat.

See the elaborate graphics that have been added to the stadium? Again my pictures do not do justice to how big this is. The end zone graphic is equally impressive.

The parking lots on the east end are covered with a lot of media vehicles, sort of like a combination of an RV and a train boxcar. An elevated catwalk has been built for the media, in this area to the east of the Party Pass Plaza. I guess so pictures can be taken of the people freezing, while standing outside the stadium during the Super Bowl.

The north bound lanes on Collins, by the stadium have been closed off. As have the eastbound lanes on Randoll Mill. This is making for some slow traffic. I've no idea if this is a temporary thing while all the stuff on the parking lots is getting worked on. Or what. The road that you can usually drive on at the east end of the stadium is completely blocked off.

Is this all normal for a Super Bowl? Or has Texas gone and done the Everything is Bigger in Texas thing for this particular Super Bowl?

And what takes place in all those temporary buildings on the west parking lots?

It is all very perplexing. And I've still not been invited to any of the dozens upon dozens of Super Bowl Parties.

If you live in the D/FW zone, trust me, it is worth it to venture into the Dallas Cowboy Stadium Zone to see what happens when a Super Bowl comes to a Texas town.

Last Sunday Of First Month Of 2011 Visiting Dallas Cowboy Stadium Week Before Super Bowl & Monitoring Egypt Via Twitter Tweets

The last Sunday of the first month of 2011 dawned with a temperature of 61. Yesterday we got into the 70s.

I'm thinking I will be a pool boy this morning.

After that I think I'll go check out the Dallas Cowboy Stadium zone this morning. It is a week to go before Super Bowl Sunday.

I read a letter to the editor a few days ago from a man in Arlington complaining about the irony of the fact that the City of Arlington has spruced itself up for the Super Bowl, and then the NFL came to town and totally tackified the area surrounding the stadium.

I am a big fan of all things tacky, so I figure it's worth a look.

Yesterday, in various cities around the country, there were protests in support of those protesting in Egypt. I don't know if there were any support rallies in the D/FW zone. I know several west coast cities had rallies, including Seattle.

When the Egypt type events occur, like when Iran went into upset mode, is about the only time I somewhat get the utility of Twitter. Reading the Twitter Egypt Tweets is sort of like instant news. Within minutes thousands of Tweets show up.

Like right now apparently the Egyptian Air Force is buzzing protesters with jets.

Below is an example of the Tweet flood from a minute ago...

@emptywheel Audible on AJE: Two jet fighters just flew overhead #Egypt

@Di438 #Egypt Protesters shouting over noise of Jets flying overhead @AlJazeera #Freedom

@KristoferKeane Egypt deploying fighter jets against protestors? What outcome do they even expect from that? Are they planning to bomb them?

@TheNewsBlotter #egypt protesters in #Tahrir Square writing “Down w Mubarak” in Arabic in big white letters 

@jhagel RT @nolanjazeera: Aljazeera Cairo bureau has been shut down. Just visited by plain clothes govt security, TV uplink is now closed #Egypt

@JodyField Egypt protests: U.S. advises all Americans to leave and 30,000 Brits are stranded

That's enough Egypt Tweeting. Time to go swimming now. Talk to you later.

BREAKING NEWS: Long Beach Police Anti-Gang Detective Shot. Suspect(s) at large. Incident took place near Anahiem Street and Gundry. Share your thoughts!








Google Map Area of Gundry and Anaheim Street in Long Beach


a Long Beach police anti-gang detective was shot and wounded as he drove in a squad car with another officer near MacArthur Park over at Gundry near Anaheim Street.

Here is what sources have pieced together so far:
Flag of Long BeachImage via Wikipedia
  • Two officers were driving about 11 p.m. Saturday near Anaheim Street and Gundry Avenue. (See Map above)
  • At least one gunman opened fire.
  • One detective was struck in the the upper body.
  • Officer is expected to survive.
  • At least 60 to 70 officers are looking for the two suspects described only at "males."
No other details or the name of the officer who was injured has been released.
"The two were shot at. Another officer who happened to be nearby saw the suspects," Fernandez told the Associated Press.

Man, scary night in Long Beach.  Hope they can catch the nuts who did this.  Share your thoughts in my comment section below this blog post.  I hope they can bring those responsible for this crime to justice as soon as possible!
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ESTANCIA HIGH SCHOOL: DEAD BODY OF MAN IN HIS 20's FOUND IN HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT. HOW DID IT GET THERE? WHO DID IT? INVESTIGATION LAUNCED.

Location of Estancia High School
By Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
January 30, 2011
1:15 a.m.

Costa Mesa, CA

There is a mystery unfolding in the upscale community of Costa Mesa.

A dead body of a man in his 20's was found in the parking lot of the upscale campus of Estancia High School early Saturday morning.  Way early. Like 3:30 a.m. early.

Costa Mesa police are investigating the situation and they have very few clues.  Initial reports claim that law enforcement thinks that the man died somewhere else and was dropped at the school. 

They have not released much more information, other than the man had nothing to do with Estancia High School.

Estancia is one of the best high schools in The OC.  I checked their school website and no mention of the situation, but I am sure they will post something on Monday when class is in session.

Official seal of City of Costa MesaImage via WikipediaAlso, as soon as the Orange County Coroner releases the name and information about the victim found, I will update my blog.  In the meantime, if you are a student or faculty member there at EHS or live in that neighborhood, hit my comment section, and tell me what's on your mind?  

Estancia High School is located at 2323 Placentia Ave. in Costa Mesa.
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2011 AWARDS SEASON! Strike up a big wins for Tom Hooper for the "The Kings Speech," and Eytan Keller for "The Next Iron Chef" at the Annual Director Guild Awards in Hollywood on Saturday night!

HOLLYWOOD - JANUARY 29: Presenter Jim Parsons (R) and Director Eytan Keller, winner of the Reality Programs Award for 'The Next Iron Chef, Episode #301' pose in the press room at the 63rd Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards held at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland on January 29, 2011 in Hollywood, CaliforniaGetty Images Photo!
AT&T U-Verse 14Image by cytosine via FlickrBy Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
Sunday, January 30, 2011
12:45 a.m.

Hollywood, CA

Strike up a huge win for Director Tom Hooper from the critically acclaimed drama "The Kings Speech."

Modern FamilyImage via WikipediaHooper was named Best Director of 2010 by the Directors Guild of America on Saturday night at a glitzy bash over at the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland.

Also honored for direction honors was "Inside Job," a chronicle of the economic meltdown in 2008 in the Documentary category;  Michael Spiller, Best Director for a Television Show for "Modern Family;"  Eythan Kelley who for Best Director of a Reality Program for "The Next Iron Chef." (Kudos Mr. Kelley....the NEXT IRON CHEF IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS on CABLE!)

One Life to LiveImage via WikipediaAlso honored was  Glenn Weiss for "The 64th Annual Tony Awards" and Director Larry Carpenter for best daytime drama (aka: soap) for  "One Life to Live."

I have got to get off my royal can and see "The Kings Speech." 

Hollywood SignImage via WikipediaIt's on a roll, and could be cruising to Oscar Gold in a just a matter of weeks!  So much to do. So little time in each day....

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