Vanity Fair Investigates Tom Cruise's Scientology Marriages

Vanity Fair special correspondent Maureen Orth reveals the alleged secret wife-auditioning process within Scientology to set up a so-called "arranged marriage" for Tom Cruise.

As far back as 2004, chief executives in the Scientology enterprise were worried about finding a girlfriend for Tom Cruise, according to an explosive new Vanity Fair report, ''What Katie Didn't Know : Marriage, Scientology-Style.''

Ms. Orth's disturbing report includes allegations that Scientology made secret videotapes of Tom Cruise’s audits, that Scientology CEO David Miscavige may have been indiscrete with celebrity audits, and Katie Holmes' father haggled over a huge pre-nuptial agreement with Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology before their 2006 negotiated wedding.

The Committee To Frack New York ?

Update #2 : My blog post below was written independently last night, but I just found a more detailed investigation posted on the Internet with the same title : Shift by Cuomo on Gas Drilling Prompts Both Anger and Praise (Revised : Monday 1 Oct 2012 6:20 a.m.)

Update #1 : My blog post below was written independently last night, but I just found a more detailed investigation posted on the Internet with the same title : The Committee to Frack New York ? (Revised : Sunday 16 Sept 2012 8:20 a.m.)

Shady Pro-Cuomo Lobby Group Allowed to Hide Donor Names

Are there any "straw donors," who gave money to the Committee To Save New York ? Are there any donors, who are fracking lobbyists or shale oil companies ? We'll never know, because Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is on the cusp of either approving or rejecting fracking near the precious and irreplaceable Hudson River, exerts undue influence over the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE).

Giving JCOPE and voters full transparency and disclosure about the Committee to Save New York would be one way for voters to have faith in the integrity of the fracking review process.

It's been revealed that environmental groups, government accountability activists, and advocates of greater government transparency are worried that the Cuomo administration has been going out of its way to cuddle with special interests linked to the oil and gas industry.

"New York regulators gave natural gas drilling industry representatives exclusive access to draft regulations for shale gas drilling as early as six weeks before they were made public, according to records obtained by the Environmental Working Group through New York's Freedom of Information Law," reported the Environmental Working Group.

Gov. Cuomo is setting off all kinds of alarm bells, because it appears that the Cuomo administration isn't even going to order a healthcare study about the impacts of allowing fracking to pollute New York state.

To make matters worse, nobody knows what influence campaign contributions will have on the Cuomo administration's fracking decision. And to murky up the waters, the state ethics panel, JCOPE, recently ruled that the Committee to Save New York, a lobbying group that promotes Gov. Cuomo's political activities, can "keep secret the identities of a vast majority of millionaire donors" who have been financing the lobbying group, according to The New York Times.

Read the investigative report : The Committee to Save 1% New York.

"Call Me Maybe" Video by Dowling Catholic

Faculty and Staff from Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa perform "Call Me Maybe" for the September 14, 2012, Homecoming Pep Assembly.

Call Me Maybe - for Choir and Orchestra

A YouTube video has gone viral showing a choral/orchestration arrangement of Carly Rae Jepsen's summer hit of 2012, "Call Me Maybe."

Arranged by Colin Britt and Arianne Abela, orchestrated by Colin Britt. Performed by the 3Penny Chorus and Orchestra, a volunteer pickup ensemble conducted by Arianne Abela. Recorded in New Haven on Sept. 3, 2012.

Activists Tell Cuomo Don't Frack With Our Water

NYPD Arrest Protesters at Occupy The Pipeline demonstration ; Gov. Andrew Cuomo Fracking Decision Still Pending.

NEW YORK, September 6, 2012--At the 8:30 am protest against construction of a Spectra fracked gas pipeline at Gansevoort and Hudson River Parkway, Monika Hunken and Sandra were arrested by the NYPD.

They were among five activists who climbed over the low concrete barricade surrounding the drilling site and sat down in the dirt in front of a backhoe, thus blocking the machine from operating ; at first Hunken announced that they would leave the pit, but then she and Sandra Coponen changed their minds and returned to the pit facing arrest. The backhoe was adjacent to the drilling rig itself, which was fenced in by a high wire mesh fence. The rig had been in operation prior to the sit-down action.

The Spectra pipeline is delivering Marcellus shale potentially radioactive gas containing native radon; in addition, the hydrofracking process pumps 5 billion gallons of water laced with 600 toxic chemicals into the shale to extract the gas. The Henry Hudson Parkway is owned by the state and not the city ; Mayor Bloomberg's supposed "girl-friend" Diana Taylor known for her involvement with Bloomfield Properties graces the board of Hudson Parkway, too. The Spectra pipeline will run in the vicinity of a children's playground in the West Village. In the interests of clean air, clean water and public health, activists are urging Governor Cuomo to step up to the plate and ban hydrofracking in New York State and Mayor Bloomberg not to enable its arrival and dissemination In New York City.

Filmed by Liza Béar. Press inquiries: lizajbear@gmail.com; 646-246-1869.

Bloomberg, Kelly, and NYPD to put up Security Checkpoints to Thwart OWS S17 Anniversary

By putting up barricades and security checkpoints all over Lower Manhattan, which has not been done since 9/11, is this how the NYPD thinks it is going to serve and protect us ? Is it trying to protect us from our own Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Speech ?

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 Police State Watch: NYPD to Install Checkpoints, Demand ID in Lower Manahttan on OWS Anniversary Since when are Americans required to carry and show ID to the police to go about their daily business? Apparently since the 1% became sufficiently afraid of the 99% so as to regard the Constitutionally-guaranteed rights to assembly and free speech as security threats. This notice gives a flavor of what to expect for the September 17 celebrations of the anniversary of Occupy Wall Street (click to enlarge; hat tip nathan):

2012 09 14 Pace NYPD ID Checkpoints for Occupy Wall Street Anniversary

Original Source : Police State Watch: NYPD to Install Checkpoints, Demand ID in Lower Manahttan on OWS Anniversary

Intermediary Post : Suzannah B. Troy : Occupy Wall Street Alert Police State Watch: NYPD to Install Checkpoints

Protest Against NYTimes Media Bias That Promotes Christine Quinn

The political blogger Suzannah B. Troy dressed up as Christine Quinn and mockingly thanked The New York Times for the journalism published in The Times, which promotes Speaker Quinn's political campaign.

Two dozen activists returned to the headquarters of The New York Times on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, to protest what activists describe as media bias that promotes Christine Quinn for mayor. Instead of investigating the machine politics in City Council, The New York Times publishes stories about which café Council Speaker Christine Quinn takes brunch, or how great she is at baking pies. The newspaper of record is promoting Speaker Quinn as if she were a reality show star, rather than holding her accountable for her political record. Activists look for an explanation from the editors at The New York Times, including from Carolyn Ryan, who activists say has a central role in promoting Speaker Quinn.

US Ambassador to Libya Killed

U.S. Ambassador to Libya Is Killed in Attack consulate in Benghazi

The American ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, left, was killed after militants stormed the consulate in Benghazi on Tuesday, The New York Times reported. At least three of Ambassador Stevens' staff were also killed after militants stormed the consulate, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

ABC News reported that the attack was launched in revenge for the distribution of a film called Innocence of Muslims, which is being promoted by Terry Jones, the controversial Florida preacher, who is organised a Koran-burning in March 2010.

The U.S. government is worried that retaliatory attacks against U.S. consulates may continue, ABC News reported.

The attack that killed the four State Department employees today was the first murder of a U.S. ambassador in over 20 years. "The last time an American ambassador was killed by terrorists was in 1979, when the envoy to Afghanistan, Adolph Dubs, was kidnapped and killed during an attempt to rescue him, according to State Department records," reported CNN."

Mike Bloomberg Has Tantrum After Mary Murphy Questions Him On Ammunition Dealings

(Video) Mayor Bloomberg Gets Confrontational with WPIX Reporter Mary Murphy

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City alleges that he is a national leader in calling for a solution to end gun violence -- but he apparently can't stand it when Mary Murphy, a local television reporter, challenged him on a city policy involving NYPD "shell casings." The mayor had a meltdown-tantrum after Ms. Murphy questioned him about the controversial sale of 28-thousand pounds of spent, shell casings from the NYPD's firing range in the Bronx to an ammunition dealer in Georgia. (WPIX-11)

If You Haven't Seen Maru the Cat, It's Time You Did !

Queens Carwash Employees Vote To Unionize

Employees at Astoria Car Wash and Hi-Tek 10 Minute Lube Inc., a carwash in Queens, overwhelmingly voted to form a union, The New York Times reported. Union organizers said the union vote was the "first major victory in a six-month effort in New York City to unionize workers in an industry the organizers say is rife with labor law violations," in the words of The NYTimes.

Gary Tilzer Follows JCOPE Implosion

New York State Government In Crisis Mode : "The Wheels Are Coming Off State Government"

The political blogger Gary Tilzer continues to relentlessly post updates about the impact that the investigation into the settlement payments to claimants of sexual harassment against Assemblyman Vito Lopez has now spread and engulfed many politicians in Albany.

Just one recent example was the resignation of a critical member of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE). The member resigned last Friday after having issued a scathing critique about the political machinations that interferes with the commission's due process and with its general operational independence.

"Without personal integrity, there can be no real public ethics ; only the farce of appearing ethical," wrote former JCOPE commission member Ravi Batra.

According to Mr. Tilzer, The New York Times minimised reporting about Mr. Batra's resignation from the JCOPE, which has now become widely viewed as politically-manipulated by the politicians, who make appointments to the ethics panel. If JCOPE is so compromised as to be rendered ineffective, then the state's governor, Andrew Cuomo, may exercise powers given him under the Moreland Act to investigate or appoint officials to a "Moreland Commission" to investigate corruption.

"NYT Also Buried the Batra Resignation With Only 38 Words . . . The NYT Did Not Report Any of the Charges Batra Made Is His Letter of Resignation," wrote Mr. Tilzer.

Why do horses work in dangerous traffic in Times Square ?

From Elizabeth Forel :

Horses are allowed to work in Times Square in the evenings until 3:00 am. Take a look at these pictures and this video :

These horses do not belong on the streets of New York City. What possible attraction could there be to riding in a carriage on crowded, filthy, smelly streets with bright lights and excessive noise led by a dispirited horse whose vision and probably hearing are impaired?

Where is our humanity? How can we continue to allow this inhumane and unsafe business to exist in New York City? Luckily, many people want it to end – all polls since 2006 have shown that between 75 and 80 percent of respondents want this business to be shut down.

This is why we ask you to join us in supporting the health and wellbeing of horses : please sign a petition endorsing the Avella/Rosenthal bill in the NYS legislature to prohibit the use of horse-drawn carriages in New York City.

VIDEOS : Tornados Hit Queens and Brooklyn in NYC

Videos made by average citizens and posted onto YouTube show the dangerous storm clouds and show one tornado that caused damage on the ground in Queens, New York.

WABC : Tornadoes confirmed in Brooklyn and Queens

2 tornadoes strike in NYC; no injuries reported (Houston Chronicle)

Bloomberg Quinn Handschu Agreement Violations ?

Note how NYPD filmed the evacuation of Liberty Square/Zuccotti Park :

Are NYPD Intelligence Division violating terms of the Handschu Agreement ?

On September 6, 2012, activists against the Fracking Pipeline that is proposed to run through the West Village organised a demonstration along the West Side Highway. At that protest, a white shirt police officer was caught video taping lawful political activities of the protesters. If the protesters were only engaged in lawful political activities on September 6, as it surely does appear, then does the monitoring of the protesters by the NYPD not violate the Handschu Agreement ?

The Handschu agreement is a court ruling from the case Handschu v. Special Services Division, 605 F.Supp. 1384, affirmed 787 F.2d 828, that brought about guidelines that regulate police behavior in New York City with regard to police monitoring of citizens' political activity (Wikipedia).

A large coalition of activist groups accused police of compiling information to punish and repress lawful dissent, according to Wikipedia.

For the last year, the NYPD and the Bloomberg administration have been monitoring the Occupy Wall Street movement since before activists began their occupation in Liberty Square. In 2011, NYPD used camcorders to videotape protesters during a march against the execution of Troy Davis. On one occasion in 2012, Occupy activists caught the NYPD engaged in monitoring the lawful political activities by #OWS.

Because New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gives direct orders to NYPD, what kind of approval has he made about any illegal monitoring acts by the New York Police Department ? Does this video appear to show that NYPD Intelligence Division assault reporters, block news cameras, and attack the Freedom of the Press to benefit Mayor Bloomberg ?

For her part, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is one of the handful of city politicians, who can give orders to NYPD. What kind of oversight, approval, or objections has she made about any illegal monitoring acts by the New York Police Department ? Would it be considered surprising if word began to spread that Speaker Quinn is now using officers from the NYPD Intelligence Division for security at protests ?

See also : The NYPD'S Intelligence Division: Has It Gone Rogue ?