With the Fifth of November quickly descending upon us, I can't help but wonder. In celebration of Guy Fawkes Day, are there any idiots planning on celebrating by blowing up any buildings?
Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...
Don't you Remember,
The Fifth of November,
'Twas Gunpowder Treason Day,
I let off my gun,
And made'em all run.
And Stole all their Bonfire away.
The fifth of November, since I can remember,
Was Guy Faux, Poke him in the eye,
Shove him up the chimney-pot, and there let him die.
A stick and a stake, for King George's sake,
If you don't give me one, I'll take two,
The better for me, and the worse for you,
Ricket-a-racket your hedges shall go.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Fascinating reading
While doing some research into an ongoing project, I came across some interesting information on the Chinese Triads. Fascinating, really. It shows how the best of original intentions can become twisted, dark, not just criminal but downright evil.
According to the judicial interpretation of the Supreme People's Court, “organizations with characteristics of a criminal syndicate” have the following characteristics: “ (1) a highly structured organization with a leadership, basically stable membership, and relatively strict discipline; (2) pursues economic benefit through illegal activities and possesses a certain economic strength; (3) seeks to shield itself through bribes and threats; (4) its criminal activities bring serious harm to economic and social order. “ [Source: the lawyer Zhou Litai, journalist Wu Wei, Beijing News, Danwei.org, October 18, 2009]
Precursors
The roots of the Triads are found in centuries-old secret societies that date back to 1000 B.C., when peasants were often preyed on by evil leaders and protected themselves by forming "self help" groups. According to legend the first Triads were founded by Chinese monks committed to fighting injustices. Over time these groups, it is said, became so politically powerful they were able to prop up or bring down emperors at their whim.
The earliest triads started as resistance/rebel forces who opposed Manchu rule in China during the Qing Dynasty, as the Manchu ethnic group were regarded as foreign invaders in the predominant Han Chinese society of China then. In the 1760s, the Heaven and Earth Society (天地會) was founded, with its objective to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and restore Han Chinese rule in China. As the society's influence spread throughout China, it branched into several smaller groups with different names, one of which was the Three Harmonies Society (三合會). These societies adopted the triangle as their emblem, usually accompanied by decorative images of swords or portraits of Guan Yu. The term "triad" was first coined by British authorities in colonial Hong Kong, as a reference to the triads' use of triangular imagery.[1] While never proven, it is "highly probable" that triad organizations either took after or were originally part of the revolutionary movement called the White Lotus Society. The bosses of the Triads are called "dragonheads."
Migration to Hong Kong
When the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949 in mainland China, law enforcement became stricter and tough governmental crackdown on criminal organizations forced the triads to migrate to Hong Kong, then a British colony.[citation needed] It was estimated that in the 1950s, there were about 300,000 triad members in Hong Kong. By 1951, there were nine main triads operating in Hong Kong and they had divided the land according to their ethnic groups and geographical locations, with each triad in charge of a region. The nine triads were Wo Hop To, Wo Shing Wo, Rung, Tung, Chuen, Shing, Sun Yee On, 14K and Luen. Each of them had its own headquarters, its sub-societies and public covers. After the 1956 riots, the Hong Kong government introduced stricter law enforcement and triads became less active.
Recent developments
Triads have been engaging in counterfeiting since the 1880s. Between the 1960s and 1970s, triads were involved in counterfeiting Chinese currency, often of the Hong Kong 50-cent piece. In the same decade, the gangs were also involved in copying books, usually expensive ones, and selling them in the black market. With the advent of new technology and the improvement of the average person's standard of living, triads have progressed to producing counterfeit goods such as watches, film VCDs / DVDs and designer apparel such as clothing and handbags.
Triads currently engage in a variety of crimes from extortion and money laundering to trafficking and prostitution. They also are involved in smuggling and counterfeiting goods such as music, video, and software as well as more tangible goods such as clothes, watches, and money.
Triads use numeric codes to distinguish between ranks and positions within the gang; the numbers are inspired by Chinese numerology based on the I Ching. "489" refers to the "mountain" or "dragon" master, while 438 is used for the "deputy mountain master". "426" refers to a "military commander", also known as a "Red Pole", overseeing defensive and offensive operations, while "49" denotes a "soldier" or rank-and-file member. The "white paper fan" (415) provides financial and business advice, and the "straw sandal" (432) functions as a liaison between different units. "25" refers to an undercover law enforcement agent or spy from another triad, and has become popularly used in Hong Kong as a slang for "traitor".
Initiation
Similar to the Italian mafia or the Japanese yakuza, Triad members are subject to initiation ceremonies. A typical ceremony takes place at an altar dedicated to Guan Yu, with incense and an animal sacrifice, usually a chicken, pig or goat. After drinking a mixture of wine and blood of the animal or the candidate, the member will pass beneath an arch of swords while reciting the triad's oaths. The paper on which the oaths are written will be burnt on the altar to confirm the member's obligation to perform his duties to the gods. Three fingers on the left hand will be raised as a binding gesture.
Hmm...there's that three again. Other interesting connections to three is the Wiccan Rede or the Christian Divine Trinity. Or even the points of a pitchfork, perhaps? My current project involves another possible reason behind the three, but I digress.
Overseas activities
Triads are also active in other regions with significant overseas Chinese populations, apart from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Triads are known to be operating in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Argentina. They are often involved in helping immigrants enter countries illegally.
Criminal gangs are found throughout China but are most active in Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Guangzhou as well as Hong Kong. The number of people involved in organized crime on the mainland has risen from around 100,000 in 1986 to around 1.5 million in 2000. New members are often recruited among the 120-million-strong "floating population" of migrant workers.
Triads are the most well-known organized crime group in China, Hong Kong and Macao. In addition to them are other large organized crime gangs. The Big Circles is a loose alliance of criminal gangs founded by former Red Guards of the Cultural Revolution. Their individual names refer to the detention centers where they were "re-educated." They are active in snakehead human trafficking and other criminal operations.
Organized crime gangs are known as “black societies.” The private intelligence firm Stratfor said that, unlike in Russia and Italy, organized crime was “extremely localized.” Many criminals work in small, loosely-knit gangs that are involved in armed robbery, racketeering, smuggling, narcotics trafficking, prostitution, gambling and even contract murder. When groups began to outgrow their local area, the government cracked down with harsh penalties.
Organized crime is growing in China, thanks to factors including economic liberalization, increasing migration, growing inequality and official corruption. People trafficking, drug smuggling, illegal gambling and extortion are all lucrative. “Gang-related crimes have become a threat to social stability and the economy,” a Public Security Bureau official told China Daily last year. “Murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, assault ... they dare do anything.” One indication of their presence and power in China is the increasing number of bound and gagged bodies that are pulled from the Yellow River and other Chinese waterways.
One of Henan Province 's worst gangs roamed the countryside unchecked for 13 months, robbing farmhouses and killing 76 people. Seven members of the gang, including its leader Peng Miaoji, who personally cut the throat of 40 victims, were captured and executed in December 1999.
Some gangs have close relations with the police and are even run by the police. In March 2007, 10 members of a police-run gang in Inner Mongolia were sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for robbery, rape, gambling and bribery. The gang had been active for more than 10 years.
The Triads are believed to control an empire worth many billions of dollars. The largest and most powerful Triad, Sun Yee On, is believed to have 40,000 members. The unnamed "Dragon Head" of Kong Sun Yee On, was named on Asiaweek’s list of the 50 most powerful people in Asia.
Sun Yee On is believed to be particularly well connected with the Hong Kong tycoons and Communist party elite. One high-level Communist official even referred to them as "patriotic." The second and third largest Triads respectively are Who Sing Who and 14K (14 stands for the road number of a former headquarters and K stands for Kowloon).
Fascinating reading indeed.
According to the judicial interpretation of the Supreme People's Court, “organizations with characteristics of a criminal syndicate” have the following characteristics: “ (1) a highly structured organization with a leadership, basically stable membership, and relatively strict discipline; (2) pursues economic benefit through illegal activities and possesses a certain economic strength; (3) seeks to shield itself through bribes and threats; (4) its criminal activities bring serious harm to economic and social order. “ [Source: the lawyer Zhou Litai, journalist Wu Wei, Beijing News, Danwei.org, October 18, 2009]
Precursors
The roots of the Triads are found in centuries-old secret societies that date back to 1000 B.C., when peasants were often preyed on by evil leaders and protected themselves by forming "self help" groups. According to legend the first Triads were founded by Chinese monks committed to fighting injustices. Over time these groups, it is said, became so politically powerful they were able to prop up or bring down emperors at their whim.
The earliest triads started as resistance/rebel forces who opposed Manchu rule in China during the Qing Dynasty, as the Manchu ethnic group were regarded as foreign invaders in the predominant Han Chinese society of China then. In the 1760s, the Heaven and Earth Society (天地會) was founded, with its objective to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and restore Han Chinese rule in China. As the society's influence spread throughout China, it branched into several smaller groups with different names, one of which was the Three Harmonies Society (三合會). These societies adopted the triangle as their emblem, usually accompanied by decorative images of swords or portraits of Guan Yu. The term "triad" was first coined by British authorities in colonial Hong Kong, as a reference to the triads' use of triangular imagery.[1] While never proven, it is "highly probable" that triad organizations either took after or were originally part of the revolutionary movement called the White Lotus Society. The bosses of the Triads are called "dragonheads."
Migration to Hong Kong
When the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949 in mainland China, law enforcement became stricter and tough governmental crackdown on criminal organizations forced the triads to migrate to Hong Kong, then a British colony.[citation needed] It was estimated that in the 1950s, there were about 300,000 triad members in Hong Kong. By 1951, there were nine main triads operating in Hong Kong and they had divided the land according to their ethnic groups and geographical locations, with each triad in charge of a region. The nine triads were Wo Hop To, Wo Shing Wo, Rung, Tung, Chuen, Shing, Sun Yee On, 14K and Luen. Each of them had its own headquarters, its sub-societies and public covers. After the 1956 riots, the Hong Kong government introduced stricter law enforcement and triads became less active.
Recent developments
Triads have been engaging in counterfeiting since the 1880s. Between the 1960s and 1970s, triads were involved in counterfeiting Chinese currency, often of the Hong Kong 50-cent piece. In the same decade, the gangs were also involved in copying books, usually expensive ones, and selling them in the black market. With the advent of new technology and the improvement of the average person's standard of living, triads have progressed to producing counterfeit goods such as watches, film VCDs / DVDs and designer apparel such as clothing and handbags.
Triads currently engage in a variety of crimes from extortion and money laundering to trafficking and prostitution. They also are involved in smuggling and counterfeiting goods such as music, video, and software as well as more tangible goods such as clothes, watches, and money.
Triads use numeric codes to distinguish between ranks and positions within the gang; the numbers are inspired by Chinese numerology based on the I Ching. "489" refers to the "mountain" or "dragon" master, while 438 is used for the "deputy mountain master". "426" refers to a "military commander", also known as a "Red Pole", overseeing defensive and offensive operations, while "49" denotes a "soldier" or rank-and-file member. The "white paper fan" (415) provides financial and business advice, and the "straw sandal" (432) functions as a liaison between different units. "25" refers to an undercover law enforcement agent or spy from another triad, and has become popularly used in Hong Kong as a slang for "traitor".
Initiation
Similar to the Italian mafia or the Japanese yakuza, Triad members are subject to initiation ceremonies. A typical ceremony takes place at an altar dedicated to Guan Yu, with incense and an animal sacrifice, usually a chicken, pig or goat. After drinking a mixture of wine and blood of the animal or the candidate, the member will pass beneath an arch of swords while reciting the triad's oaths. The paper on which the oaths are written will be burnt on the altar to confirm the member's obligation to perform his duties to the gods. Three fingers on the left hand will be raised as a binding gesture.
Hmm...there's that three again. Other interesting connections to three is the Wiccan Rede or the Christian Divine Trinity. Or even the points of a pitchfork, perhaps? My current project involves another possible reason behind the three, but I digress.
Overseas activities
Triads are also active in other regions with significant overseas Chinese populations, apart from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Triads are known to be operating in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Argentina. They are often involved in helping immigrants enter countries illegally.
Criminal gangs are found throughout China but are most active in Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Guangzhou as well as Hong Kong. The number of people involved in organized crime on the mainland has risen from around 100,000 in 1986 to around 1.5 million in 2000. New members are often recruited among the 120-million-strong "floating population" of migrant workers.
Triads are the most well-known organized crime group in China, Hong Kong and Macao. In addition to them are other large organized crime gangs. The Big Circles is a loose alliance of criminal gangs founded by former Red Guards of the Cultural Revolution. Their individual names refer to the detention centers where they were "re-educated." They are active in snakehead human trafficking and other criminal operations.
Organized crime gangs are known as “black societies.” The private intelligence firm Stratfor said that, unlike in Russia and Italy, organized crime was “extremely localized.” Many criminals work in small, loosely-knit gangs that are involved in armed robbery, racketeering, smuggling, narcotics trafficking, prostitution, gambling and even contract murder. When groups began to outgrow their local area, the government cracked down with harsh penalties.
Organized crime is growing in China, thanks to factors including economic liberalization, increasing migration, growing inequality and official corruption. People trafficking, drug smuggling, illegal gambling and extortion are all lucrative. “Gang-related crimes have become a threat to social stability and the economy,” a Public Security Bureau official told China Daily last year. “Murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, assault ... they dare do anything.” One indication of their presence and power in China is the increasing number of bound and gagged bodies that are pulled from the Yellow River and other Chinese waterways.
One of Henan Province 's worst gangs roamed the countryside unchecked for 13 months, robbing farmhouses and killing 76 people. Seven members of the gang, including its leader Peng Miaoji, who personally cut the throat of 40 victims, were captured and executed in December 1999.
Some gangs have close relations with the police and are even run by the police. In March 2007, 10 members of a police-run gang in Inner Mongolia were sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for robbery, rape, gambling and bribery. The gang had been active for more than 10 years.
The Triads are believed to control an empire worth many billions of dollars. The largest and most powerful Triad, Sun Yee On, is believed to have 40,000 members. The unnamed "Dragon Head" of Kong Sun Yee On, was named on Asiaweek’s list of the 50 most powerful people in Asia.
Sun Yee On is believed to be particularly well connected with the Hong Kong tycoons and Communist party elite. One high-level Communist official even referred to them as "patriotic." The second and third largest Triads respectively are Who Sing Who and 14K (14 stands for the road number of a former headquarters and K stands for Kowloon).
Fascinating reading indeed.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Taste my Big Boner!
In the myriad of video games today, there is one recent game that has its moments of unadulterated grindhouse style entertainment. Shadows of the Damned follows demon hunter Garcia Hotspur as his girlfriend and love of his life Paula is kidnapped by Flemming, the ruler of the Underworld. Garcia dives in to rescue Paula and destroy Flemming and any demon that gets in his way. Along to help him is Johnson, his only friend and former resident of the Underworld who transforms into the various weapons used in the game. The pistol is referred to as Boner, as it uses demon bones as ammunition. Of course, you gain various upgrades throughout the game, one allows you to charge up an explosive shot and fire it at opponents, which is called the Hot Boner. But one of the more interesting and phallic levels is called The Big Boner, involving the Underworld's hottest sex club district. To destroy the giant demons there, Johnson gets a dose of Phone Sex from Hell, and temporarily transforms into the massive cannon called The Big Boner!
The game has moments of entertainment and somewhat challenging puzzle levels involving life-sucking darkness. It also features a soundtrack by legendary Silent Hill soundsmith Akira Yamaoka. All in all, it's not bad, despite an ending that leaves most fans limp. But here for you now is a part of the video walkthrough by Game Front featuring The Big Boner. Listen to how enthusiastic Garcia is when he shoots his crotch cannon into the face of demonic fucktards!
The game has moments of entertainment and somewhat challenging puzzle levels involving life-sucking darkness. It also features a soundtrack by legendary Silent Hill soundsmith Akira Yamaoka. All in all, it's not bad, despite an ending that leaves most fans limp. But here for you now is a part of the video walkthrough by Game Front featuring The Big Boner. Listen to how enthusiastic Garcia is when he shoots his crotch cannon into the face of demonic fucktards!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Judgment Day and diseased monkeys
It's quite interesting, hearing about the kinds of things so insane that they would make good dramas or made for TV movies. Take the goings on in Ohio this week.
Police Say All Escaped Exotic Animals Accounted for, Diseased Monkey Likely Eaten
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/19/exotic-animals-on-loose-in-ohio-after-park-owner-found-dead/#ixzz1bLfKKGX2
Authorities in Ohio said they successfully killed 49 of the 56 animals that were released from a wild-animal preserve, ranging from brown bears to Bengal tigers, before any reported injuries in the area.
A monkey believed to be infected with Herpes-B was the last holdout, but police say it could have been eaten by one of the other escaped animals.
"We're convinced that we do not have any animals running at large," the Sheriff's office told NBC4.
Sheriffs in Zanesville, Ohio, a mostly rural area about 55 miles east of Columbus, have been working with zoo officials and wildlife expert Jack Hanna and agreed on a shoot-to-kill order, considering the immediate danger presented to the community.
"If you had 18 Bengal tigers running around this area, you folks wouldn't want to see what would happen," Hanna said at a press conference.
The deceased animals include a wolf, six black bears, two grizzly bears, nine male lions, eight lionesses, a baboon, three mountain lions and 18 tigers, authorities said. They were buried at the location they were killed.
Authorities were able to transport six animals to the Columbus Zoo, a grizzly bear, three leopards and two monkeys.
The animals escaped from the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville after the owner threw their cages open and committed suicide, authorities said.
Mike Dodd with the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office told FoxNews.com that authorities are urging the public to "keep your eyes open."
Schools were also closed, parents were warned to keep children and pets indoors and flashing signs along highways told motorists, "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle."
Neighbor Danielle White, whose father's property abuts the Muskingum County Animal Farm, said she didn't see loose animals this time but did in 2006, when a lion escaped.
"It's always been a fear of mine knowing (the owner) had all those animals," she said. "I have kids. I've heard a male lion roar all night."
The owner of the preserve, Terry Thompson, left the cages open and the fences unsecured, releasing dozens of animals, including lions, tigers, bears and wolves, before committing suicide, said Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz. His body was discovered in the driveway.
Authorities would not say how he killed himself and no suicide note was found. Lutz wouldn't speculate on why he committed suicide. But Thompson had had repeated run-ins with the law, and Lutz said the sheriff's office had received numerous complaints since 2004 about animals at the property.
Authorities had difficulty entering the property because wild animals could be seen at its entrance, authorities said. The first responding officers used their handguns to help contain the animals.
"This is a bad situation," the sheriff said. "It's been a situation for a long time."
FoxNews.com's Cristina Corbin, the Associated Press and Newscore contributed to this report.
Seriously, who would have thought of someone going apeshit, killing himself after releasing dozens of exotic animals to run rampant. And now, Fox News believes that the last animal, a wild Herpes infected monkey, is no longer of concern? They believe the creature was killed without definitive proof, letting the damned thing run loose and be nothing but a plague carrier. Perhaps this helps to tie into something else Fox News believes in: religious zealotry. Namely, the failed prophecies that May meant that the dates were off, and now October 21 is the day when people will be judged and slain, their souls to suffer for all sins. But with an unaccounted for diseased monkey running around, is someone trying to write their own story?
Another thing I can't help but find humorous. Surely for most people, the false prophecies don't matter. But statistically speaking, people die every day. In some cases, ironic or dramatic deaths are aligned with the prophecies. Could you imagine how badly it must absolutely suck to die on a day when others have claimed it is the end of days, but knowing that everyone else will live? How embarrassing for you! Knowing that it's not the end of the world...just the end of yours.
Poor souls. Then again, why not go out with a little irony? It makes for more entertaining television that way.
Police Say All Escaped Exotic Animals Accounted for, Diseased Monkey Likely Eaten
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/19/exotic-animals-on-loose-in-ohio-after-park-owner-found-dead/#ixzz1bLfKKGX2
Authorities in Ohio said they successfully killed 49 of the 56 animals that were released from a wild-animal preserve, ranging from brown bears to Bengal tigers, before any reported injuries in the area.
A monkey believed to be infected with Herpes-B was the last holdout, but police say it could have been eaten by one of the other escaped animals.
"We're convinced that we do not have any animals running at large," the Sheriff's office told NBC4.
Sheriffs in Zanesville, Ohio, a mostly rural area about 55 miles east of Columbus, have been working with zoo officials and wildlife expert Jack Hanna and agreed on a shoot-to-kill order, considering the immediate danger presented to the community.
"If you had 18 Bengal tigers running around this area, you folks wouldn't want to see what would happen," Hanna said at a press conference.
The deceased animals include a wolf, six black bears, two grizzly bears, nine male lions, eight lionesses, a baboon, three mountain lions and 18 tigers, authorities said. They were buried at the location they were killed.
Authorities were able to transport six animals to the Columbus Zoo, a grizzly bear, three leopards and two monkeys.
The animals escaped from the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville after the owner threw their cages open and committed suicide, authorities said.
Mike Dodd with the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office told FoxNews.com that authorities are urging the public to "keep your eyes open."
Schools were also closed, parents were warned to keep children and pets indoors and flashing signs along highways told motorists, "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle."
Neighbor Danielle White, whose father's property abuts the Muskingum County Animal Farm, said she didn't see loose animals this time but did in 2006, when a lion escaped.
"It's always been a fear of mine knowing (the owner) had all those animals," she said. "I have kids. I've heard a male lion roar all night."
The owner of the preserve, Terry Thompson, left the cages open and the fences unsecured, releasing dozens of animals, including lions, tigers, bears and wolves, before committing suicide, said Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz. His body was discovered in the driveway.
Authorities would not say how he killed himself and no suicide note was found. Lutz wouldn't speculate on why he committed suicide. But Thompson had had repeated run-ins with the law, and Lutz said the sheriff's office had received numerous complaints since 2004 about animals at the property.
Authorities had difficulty entering the property because wild animals could be seen at its entrance, authorities said. The first responding officers used their handguns to help contain the animals.
"This is a bad situation," the sheriff said. "It's been a situation for a long time."
FoxNews.com's Cristina Corbin, the Associated Press and Newscore contributed to this report.
Seriously, who would have thought of someone going apeshit, killing himself after releasing dozens of exotic animals to run rampant. And now, Fox News believes that the last animal, a wild Herpes infected monkey, is no longer of concern? They believe the creature was killed without definitive proof, letting the damned thing run loose and be nothing but a plague carrier. Perhaps this helps to tie into something else Fox News believes in: religious zealotry. Namely, the failed prophecies that May meant that the dates were off, and now October 21 is the day when people will be judged and slain, their souls to suffer for all sins. But with an unaccounted for diseased monkey running around, is someone trying to write their own story?
Another thing I can't help but find humorous. Surely for most people, the false prophecies don't matter. But statistically speaking, people die every day. In some cases, ironic or dramatic deaths are aligned with the prophecies. Could you imagine how badly it must absolutely suck to die on a day when others have claimed it is the end of days, but knowing that everyone else will live? How embarrassing for you! Knowing that it's not the end of the world...just the end of yours.
Poor souls. Then again, why not go out with a little irony? It makes for more entertaining television that way.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Phoenix, Phoenix, Phoenix...
I'm sure plenty of people in the community are ready to jump all over the bashing bandwagon on this on. This news is taken from the Associated Press.
Seattle 'superhero' arrested, accused of assault
By MANUEL VALDES Associated Press The Associated Press
Monday, October 10, 2011 7:34 PM EDT
SEATTLE (AP) — Instead of the bad guys, it was Seattle's most prolific self-styled superhero that ended up in handcuffs.
Police officers arrested the 23-year-old man who calls himself Phoenix Jones early Sunday after he was accused of assaulting several people with pepper spray. He was booked in county jail on four counts of assault, with arraignment set for Thursday, police said Monday.
"Our message has been the same from the beginning, if you see something that warrants calling 911, call 911," said Seattle police spokesman Det. Mark Jamieson. "Just because he's dressed up in costume, it doesn't mean he's in special consideration or above the law. You can't go around pepper spraying people because you think they are fighting."
But Jones, who wears a black mask with yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit, said he was only trying to stop a street brawl.
In capital letters, Jones wrote on his Facebook page to say he wouldn't "ever assault or hurt another person if they were not causing harm to another human being." He also released a video shot during the alleged assault.
The often shaky video shows Jones and his sidekick, known as Ghost, running toward a group of people. Jones said there was a fight in the group. Police said there's no indication there was a fight.
The footage goes on to show Jones breaking up the group. Then a woman screams at him, hitting him with her high-heel shoes. Jones appears to be holding his pepper spray canister. Moments later a BMW car appears and speeds away on the street, almost hitting an unidentified man. Jones chases after the car to get the license number. A person with Jones is heard calling 911 to report a hit-and-run.
Jones and his followers then approach the rest of the group down the block. A woman screams at them to "stay away." Another woman runs up to Jones and hits him, screaming at him, "You sprayed (expletive) pepper spray in my eye!"
Two men in the group approach Jones, who then appears to pepper spray them.
Jones has been the most public face of a group of vigilante crime stoppers to show up in Seattle in the last couple of years. His exploits have garnered much media attention, and he's had a camera crew trailing him in recent months.
Peter Tangen, a volunteer spokesman for Jones, said Monday that police didn't have any interest in the alleged hit-and-run, but rather have an agenda against the masked crime fighter.
"They're on a mission to stop Phoenix Jones from what he's doing, which is legal," Tangen said.
On the police report, the officer wrote that Jones "has had a history of injecting himself in these incidents. Recently there have been increased reports of citizens being pepper sprayed by (Jones) and his group."
The report goes on to say that although Jones "has been advised to observe and report incidents to 911, he continues to try to resolve things on his own."
On his Facebook page, Jones has nearly 4,400 friends, and says that he's married to a woman with the name PurpleReign.
Police weren't buying his Phoenix Jones handle, however. He was booked under Benjamin John Francis Fodor.
Here is a link to the video of the fight in question. http://www.vimeo.com/30307440
Seattle 'superhero' arrested, accused of assault
By MANUEL VALDES Associated Press The Associated Press
Monday, October 10, 2011 7:34 PM EDT
SEATTLE (AP) — Instead of the bad guys, it was Seattle's most prolific self-styled superhero that ended up in handcuffs.
Police officers arrested the 23-year-old man who calls himself Phoenix Jones early Sunday after he was accused of assaulting several people with pepper spray. He was booked in county jail on four counts of assault, with arraignment set for Thursday, police said Monday.
"Our message has been the same from the beginning, if you see something that warrants calling 911, call 911," said Seattle police spokesman Det. Mark Jamieson. "Just because he's dressed up in costume, it doesn't mean he's in special consideration or above the law. You can't go around pepper spraying people because you think they are fighting."
But Jones, who wears a black mask with yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit, said he was only trying to stop a street brawl.
In capital letters, Jones wrote on his Facebook page to say he wouldn't "ever assault or hurt another person if they were not causing harm to another human being." He also released a video shot during the alleged assault.
The often shaky video shows Jones and his sidekick, known as Ghost, running toward a group of people. Jones said there was a fight in the group. Police said there's no indication there was a fight.
The footage goes on to show Jones breaking up the group. Then a woman screams at him, hitting him with her high-heel shoes. Jones appears to be holding his pepper spray canister. Moments later a BMW car appears and speeds away on the street, almost hitting an unidentified man. Jones chases after the car to get the license number. A person with Jones is heard calling 911 to report a hit-and-run.
Jones and his followers then approach the rest of the group down the block. A woman screams at them to "stay away." Another woman runs up to Jones and hits him, screaming at him, "You sprayed (expletive) pepper spray in my eye!"
Two men in the group approach Jones, who then appears to pepper spray them.
Jones has been the most public face of a group of vigilante crime stoppers to show up in Seattle in the last couple of years. His exploits have garnered much media attention, and he's had a camera crew trailing him in recent months.
Peter Tangen, a volunteer spokesman for Jones, said Monday that police didn't have any interest in the alleged hit-and-run, but rather have an agenda against the masked crime fighter.
"They're on a mission to stop Phoenix Jones from what he's doing, which is legal," Tangen said.
On the police report, the officer wrote that Jones "has had a history of injecting himself in these incidents. Recently there have been increased reports of citizens being pepper sprayed by (Jones) and his group."
The report goes on to say that although Jones "has been advised to observe and report incidents to 911, he continues to try to resolve things on his own."
On his Facebook page, Jones has nearly 4,400 friends, and says that he's married to a woman with the name PurpleReign.
Police weren't buying his Phoenix Jones handle, however. He was booked under Benjamin John Francis Fodor.
Here is a link to the video of the fight in question. http://www.vimeo.com/30307440
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
A time of horrors
Ahh, October. The time when the sun leaves its dominance in this hemisphere, leaves change color, weather cools in preparation for warm costumes and Halloween is in the air. People prepare to celebrate that which invokes fear, adrenaline and thrills from the genre of horror. It is in this that I tell all reading this as I have in the past, may your nightmares remind you how wonderful it feels to be alive.
Of course, when your life is a horror movie, perhaps the punch goes out of it. After all, there are still people who read this who, along with those claiming to be their friends, encourage others to be put into deadly situations, encouraging people to die or kill. Some who visit sporadically, others who visit several times a day. Despite the protestations and views that ignorance is their opiate bliss, Krampus is not ignored. In fact, the words are still true. No matter how you may feel, no matter what may be said, the actions behind the words still continue. People would rather ignore ugly truths rather than face them. And because of this, it's simply a matter of time. Someone is going to die. And thanks to the actions of some who read these words, no one will care.
But if you ask nicely, I'll tell you who to ask first.
Of course, when your life is a horror movie, perhaps the punch goes out of it. After all, there are still people who read this who, along with those claiming to be their friends, encourage others to be put into deadly situations, encouraging people to die or kill. Some who visit sporadically, others who visit several times a day. Despite the protestations and views that ignorance is their opiate bliss, Krampus is not ignored. In fact, the words are still true. No matter how you may feel, no matter what may be said, the actions behind the words still continue. People would rather ignore ugly truths rather than face them. And because of this, it's simply a matter of time. Someone is going to die. And thanks to the actions of some who read these words, no one will care.
But if you ask nicely, I'll tell you who to ask first.
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