The continuously bumbling Taxi and Limousine Commission has some new initiatives that probably won’t make passengers any happier, but will definitely piss of cab drivers. One of the proposals includes installing a cell-phone blocking device that would allow riders to gab away while cabbies would be forced into mobile phone silence—that will come in handy when they need to call 911. This of course is all part of their “Taxicab Passenger Enhancement Program.” Great here’s our recommendation: kill the always blaring and never watchable Taxi TV. That’s the real nuisance. |NYDN|
Upstate Police Arrest 70-Year-Old Tagger
At an age when most graffiti writers are either retired from vandalism or dead from huffing fumes, Dr. Kenneth C. Hopper is just hitting his stride. The 70-year-old opthalmologist was arrested in Warren County, about 60 miles north of Albany, for spraypainting “ROWLOW” on an overpass. Hopper claims he simply finds the word “intriguing,” but another doctor, Frank Rollo, believes Hopper has been targeting him with the graffiti for 15 years, following a longstanding personal dispute. Check out the local television news report and a mugshot of the geriatric vandal below. Read more »
After years of harassing and arresting photographers for violating nonexistent laws, the NYPD is making it clear that shooting photos is perfectly legal. The department issued an order to all officers, reminding them that, “Photography and the videotaping of public places, buildings and structures are common activities within New York City . . . and is rarely unlawful.” The order also makes clear that officers cannot “demand to view photographs taken by a person . . . or direct them to delete or destroy images.” |NY Post|
Artist Shepard Fairey made his way through Boston Courts today, facing charges for allegedly pasting up his street art. To make matters worse, the “city of culturally clueless Puritans” brought new vandalism charges against Fairey, though his lawyer contends the artist was out of town at the time they occurred. Tomorrow, the artist continues pretrial hearings in Roxbury and Brighton District Courts and will be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court after “paperwork glitches” created delays today.
Mugshot from Fairey’s arrest in Boston via NEJAR
Tracklocross Cyclists Wrestle With Mud
Rutted dirt roads, scattered gravel and knee-deep puddles made up much of the labyrinth course for First Mud Part 2, Saturday’s Tracklocross race. In spite of the wet weather, dozens of cyclists came out to race various bicycles ill-suited for the difficult course. Check out more mud-soaked photos from Doug D on Flickr and a short video of the action below. Read more »
The Captain’s Quarters
As you may have heard by now—unless you’re being held hostage by Somali pirates in a fully enclosed lifeboat floating in the Indian Ocean—the Maersk Alabama’s union Captain Richard Philips was freed on Sunday when Navy snipers shot his three remaining captors dead, ending the five day ordeal. The merchant marine experts blogging over at G-Captain posted details about the lifeboat the courageous seaman volunteered to vacation on. Turns out it was actually kind of roomy and stocked with supplies. Click through the gallery to get a better glimpse of the 1st class vessel and go here to get a rundown of the inventory that included emergency food rations, a jack-knife, and one set of fishing tackle, among other luxury survival gear.
True to form, graffiti writer COPE2 plastered a throw-up over the ALIFE logo for his part in a new series of t-shirt collaborations. The series, ALIFE x THE PEOPLE, is a self-proclaimed “tribute to originality” but you can buy the same shirt, minus the ALIFE logo and $10, from COPE’s own t-shirt line. |12oz|
Adding to the relentless flurry of products emblazoned with Barack Obama’s image, a merchant in South Africa is selling brightly colored pillows, pouches, and rugs depicting the 44th President of the United States. Even his limo made its way onto the pattern with the words: “Hooray for the President.” |Obama Art Report|
All of Berlin Zoo’s polar bears are safe after thwarting a home invasion on Friday. An apparently unstable woman invaded their habitat by scaling a fence, wall and line of prickly bushes. Acting quickly to prevent her from climbing ashore, an elder bear bit the woman’s arms and legs until zookeepers arrived to remove the human attacker. |ABC|
Photo by B.Z./Wenn.com
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