99 Problems vs LAPD

99 Problems is the name of the dancer in the red shirt. He and his dance crew have been entertaining and busking on Hollywood Blvd for years much to the delight of most. LA City Council and the new mayor Eric Garcetti have made up new laws governing Hollywood Blvd. There is some confusion and some conflict on the new rules and what it means to performers and characters. So the age old feud between Civil Liberties, Busking and Business protected by the LAPD continues.

Illegal Hot Dog Vendors Don't Care About The Cops Or Making You Sick

 

Let me make it clear I have no problem with people making an honest living however selling EXPIRED Hot Dogs, cooking them in unsanitary ways and selling them to unsuspecting or unthinking tourists and citizens who can get food poisoning makes my skin crawl. I've watched these people for several years use every trick in the book to keep selling their poison. Yes it is poison. Expired meat that shouldn't be sold and is also not refrigerated or cooked properly is POISON. So I hope the LAPD gets them off the street before someone dies from eating a cheap hot dog. Not only do these vendors have look outs but they return repeatedly after the police warn them to leave. They are like cock roaches fleeing the scene when the light comes on only to return moments later.

Hollywood Boulevard Still Under Heighten Police Presence

Hollywood Boulevard still is under a heighten police presence days after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. This is what it looked like last night...

Three Car Accident On La Cienga & Wilshire

I was checking out another story and ran over to cover this. Luckily it looked like no one was seriously hurt. Found it interesting that the police officer was searching one of the cars for evidence.

Stealing Is Stupid: The Video

Let this be a lesson and a cautionary tale. Don't shoplift especially don't shoplift in Hollywood. This true life scene transpired while lots of bystanders watched and commented including myself.

Hollywood Blvd Breaking News: Masked Man Taken Into Custody After Allegedly Brandishing Fake Weapon

Police helicopter and blazing sirens of multiple LAPD vehicles let it be known that something was happening on the corner of Hollywood and Highland. After further investigation, several eye witnesses said that a man was brandishing a fake weapon. Some said it was a pellet gun. One bystander who didn't want to be videotaped said the police took apart the "fake" weapon and it had wires in it. The man was taken into custody. This comes the same day another shooting spree was reported at a Connecticut elementary school and a few days after another gunman went on a rampage at an Oregon mall so the police are not taken in chances with public safety.

Dangerous Man on Hollywood Boulevard Continues To Harass & Threaten Daily

This is a true account of a man who appears to be mentally ill (one of the many) who continues to harass and threaten tourists, street performers and locals on Hollywood Boulevard by the Chinese Mann's Theater. He know is brandishing a stick...

Allege Bomb Scare in China Town 03/12/12

Suspicious activity in Los Angeles China Town causes LAPD to lock down block.

LAPD Stop Subway Troublemakers

LAPD came in full effect recently when three troublemakers who appeared to be under the influence were causing mayhem on Hollywood Boulevard near the subway...

Tyrone Burton: When A Good Man Gets Lynched By Assumptions

This is what happens to a person when people make rash judgments, accusations, and assumptions while ignoring the facts. These are the facts, Tyrone Burton was marketing his own Gospel Comedy DVD called PROMISE. It bares his likeness and his name on the cover in Large Letters. I actually did a blog post about him several days ago announcing that he had a new DVD. On Wednesday afternoon the LAPD rolled up on Burton and forced him to obey their rules and shut his mouth. Tyrone Burton, like most innocent people was a little confused about the show of force. He wondered what he did wrong. Tyrone was handcuffed and put against the squad car. Here is that video...

After the LAPD officer ran his ID, he realized a few things. One it was Tyrone Burton and two he had no warrants. Most people who assume people are guilty don't let them explain and act like the Police did. Just like so many people who saw the picture on TMZ and made comments such as "he looks guilty and up to no good." So many people just grabbed the photo (which actually is against the law and goes infringes copyright protection laws as well as is stealing from me hence that is my work) and sliced up a story on their blog accusing Burton of being guilty like a brainless drone. What they didn't know is TMZ had the full description of Burton being handcuffed and that he had his own DVD but instead of telling the whole story, they wrote the most sensational part drumming up fears of another Black Man former actor committing a crime. Brainwashing is so much fun isn't it? Anyone who did a reasonable search on Google or took the time to contact Tyrone Burton personally for his side of the story could have easily validated his innocence. But that would take moving a hand to type or to call. Too much work for the masses with ADD and a racist hue. So directly after Tyrone Burton was released from being treated like almost a King, I asked him what happened and an eye witness gave his opinion. Here is the video.

In a fair and balanced society, in a humane one without stereotypes, public humiliation and threats for being taken to the station for trying to explain when falsely accused, a officer with deductive reasoning capacity could have handle the situation in a less totalitarian manner. The officer could have asked, "Can I see the DVD?" without having the initial reaction to put cuffs on Mr. Burton. Simple. A just person who believes a person is assumed innocent until proven guilty instead of the opposite, would have easily surmised that Tyrone Burton was promoting his own DVD. It was easier to do it in the manner the LAPD did, by the use of force, intimidation and a public lynching. It strikes fear in the attended target audience and the tourists that have been conditioned by TV and film can feel sedated by the fake proof that another Black Man is in handcuffs in real time, in real life. Most people assume the worse in people. I try to not. But I swear this situation as well as others I have personally witnessed makes me start to see the LAPD as they like to generalize/minimize Black People. I have respect for the law but time and time again the law doesn't seem to have the same respect for others like myself. And so many people are so easily trained to walk in lock step with agenda of the racist fear based slanted media that something had to be done. Tyrone Burton will rise above this and sell a ton of DVDs. The founding fathers were all entrepreneurs (and enslavement owners). Tyrone Burton is an Entrepreneur not Enslaved.

Woody Harrelson and Rampart Shoots On Location In Downtown Los Angeles

A few days ago, I was heading back from Downtown and I came upon a movie set. I thought it was Dexter because they still had production signs around. So I walked around to watch. I end up standing by a store and I look up and Woody Harrelson is standing within ten feet from me. Once I saw Woody, I knew it was the movie Rampart. I had to laugh because Woody is known for hating to be photographed. Not to be hard on Woody, if people are rude, no one wants to be photographed by them. Anyway, I was so close to him that I just walked away because there was no way I was going to interrupt his conversation to take his picture. I went into a cafe to get something to eat and ended up getting into a conversation with someone and eventually was invited to lunch by a crew member. Although I felt a little awkward and asked if he was going to get in trouble, he said no problem and I accepted his invitation. Ah the joys of catered food. Sometimes I miss being on movie sets. We had a great conversation along with one of his friends and crew members as I enjoyed a very hearty lunch. I was going to my car after lunch to leave out of guilt then I decided to go back and shoot from a distance. I ended up climbing a tree and shooting. I had so much fun. I ran into some photographers with $10,000 lenses on the down low and I asked them if they had gotten anything. They said bits and pieces. It turns out the main scene was about to happen. They spread out behind two trees behind me that were far away from the action because their lenses could still get the action. I took a place by a beautiful, sturdy tree and hid behind the big limbs to take shots without being seen by the multiple cameras. I love shooting set locations. Anyway, I saw some of the other photogs photos on PopEater credited by Pacific Coast News. I learned something by looking at the shot that was bought. The photo editor chose a photo that depicts the action without the distractions of the crew or cameras. I tend to like showing the whole picture, the reactions, the crew and the crowd. Next time I will have the option of both.
Rampart depicts a rouge group of the LAPD is directed byOren Moverman.
As for the scene Woody Harrelson chases down a suspect that runs into his police car and then he beats him unmercifully in full view of the people in the area. It is hard to watch even though the stunt guy has body protection under his clothes. The scene was done several times and it can't be easy to do it over and over. After each take of the beat down, Woody Harrelson would always hug the stuntman and make sure he was ok.

Douglas A. Blackmon and KAT Discuss The Police State

As 1st Amendment Rights dwindle in Los Angeles with the LAPD arresting more and more citizens for loitering and kicking them out of Hollywood, KAT of KAT TALES TV discusses with author Douglas A. Blackmon who wrote "Slavery By Another Name" how little things change and what can be done about it.