XIAM007 - Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World: 06/21/11

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

NY lawmakers weigh request for Niagara Falls stunt - more than 100 years since anyone has tightrope walked Niagara Gorge -

Supporters say it would bring tourism and publicity to Niagara Falls, help the economically troubled city and carry on a fascinating tradition of death-defying stuntsmanship at the thundering waterfalls straddling the United States and Canada.

Jean Francois Gravelot — “the Great Blondin” — was the first to cross the gorge on a wire, back in 1859. But it’s been more than 100 years since anyone has repeated the now-illegal feat.
“Daredevils and their exploits are a big part of the storied history of Niagara Falls,” reads a memo filed with the Assembly bill sponsored by western New York Democrat Dennis Gabryszak.
“It has been many years since anyone has been able to follow in the footsteps of the Great Blondin,” the memo says. “In the meantime, tourism in Niagara Falls has declined on the American side, as the Falls was separated from its daredevil history.”
As recently as 2007, “Skywalker” Jay Cochrane has sought permission to cross the gorge at the brink of the falls. He also was turned down in 1996. Parks officials in the United States and Canada have cited concerns about safety, cost and environmental impact, which are the basis for strict policies against stunting and daredevil acts at the falls.
The pending legislation would direct the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to write rules and regulations specifically allowing Nik Wallenda, a member of the famed “Flying Wallendas,” to traverse the gorge before Aug. 30. Wallenda would bear all safety, security and other costs and release the state from responsibility should something go wrong.
“Mr. Wallenda is uniquely qualified for this feat, as he is the holder of two world records for high wire performance and is a seventh-generation tightrope walker,” according to the bill, which was sponsored in the Senate by Republican George Maziarz.
Gabryszak was hopeful the Assembly would vote on the legislation

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/ny_lawmakers_mull_request_for_niagara_X0Kq56Z96w9V7mhiF0p5kL#ixzz1PxdKnp6X

Cook County Illinois "stunned" to learn that county taxpayers owe more than $108 billion toward local debt -

The average Chicago household now owes a staggering $63,525 to cover local government debt, according to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Suburbanites are deeply in the red, too, with the average household owing $32,901, according to the treasurer.

Among the biggest reasons: $25 billion in unfunded pension liability.

In comments after an appearance Tuesday before the Civic Federation, a watchdog group that has released somewhat similar numbers in recent years, Ms. Pappas said she was "stunned" to learn that county taxpayers on the whole owe more than $108 billion toward local debt.

(The total may be even worse. Click here for an update.)

The figures were derived from a recently passed debt disclosure law. Ms. Pappas said the numbers have never before been compiled in this fashion.

"This goes well beyond big cities," she said. "These fiscal problems permeate townships, villages, school districts, park districts, fire protection districts and more, and the taxpayers are on the hook."

Overall, she said, municipalities have $61 billion in debt. And educational districts, $20 billion. Cook County owes $18 billion, and various sanitary districts collectively owe $4.4 billion.

In some ways the problem is actually worse than it appears. Ms. Pappas' report does not include totals from 55 of the county's 553 local units of government, which failed to report their debt figures to her.

Read more:
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/section/blogs?blogID=greg-hinz&plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&uid=1daca073-2eab-468e-9f19-ec177090a35c&plckPostId=Blog:1daca073-2eab-468e-9f19-ec177090a35cPost:73061b12-c71d-45b0-aad9-130e57727e64&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

SA President Jacob Zuma has snubbed the visiting Michelle O by sending his Prisons Minister to meet her at the airport -

South African President Jacob Zuma and three of his wives

Mr Zuma was out of the country for the first day of Mrs Obama's second solo trip abroad on Tuesday and although he returned on Monday night, aides said he was "not available" to meet her.

Instead, he arranged for Corrective Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to greet her on her arrival in Pretoria on Monday night, and one of his three wives, Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma, to meet her briefly on Tuesday.

Mrs Obama, her daughters Sasha and Malia and her mother Marian Robinson, were also granted a rare audience with 92-year-old former president Nelson Mandela at his Johannesburg home.

It was Mrs Obama's first encounter with the global icon, although her husband Barack Obama met him when still a senator on a 2006 Africa tour. Mrs Obama's aides revealed that a mobile phone photograph taken of that meeting now hangs in Mr Mandela's office.

When Mrs Obama made her first solo trip, to Mexico, she was guest of honour at a state dinner hosted by President Calderón and his wife.

Time to quit already... - Now - Gingrich campaign finance team quits - amid anemic fundraising and heavy spending -

The top fundraisers for Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign have abandoned his struggling bid amid anemic fundraising and heavy spending.

Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond is confirming to The Associated Press that fundraising director Jody Thomas and fundraising consultant Mary Heitman have left the team.

The former House speaker's campaign has been on life support since earlier this month when 16 top aides and advisers resigned en masse over disagreements with the Republican candidate.

People familiar with Gingrich's campaign spending say his fundraising has been weak since he launched his bid and that he has racked up large travel bills. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk openly about campaign inner workings.

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Says ‘Twitter Saved My Album’ - cause Lady Gaga wouldn't give permission to parody “Born This Way.” -

Professional parodist and curl enthusiast “Weird Al” Yankovic has made a career out of slaughtering (gently, mind you) pop music’s sacred cows. But his Lady Gaga parody “Perform This Way” would never have seen the light of day if not for the internet, according to Yankovic.

After finishing his spoof of Gaga’s “Born This Way,” Yankovic heard that the art-pop singer wouldn’t give him permission to release it. He shared the bad news with the internet, and fans lamented the “Weird Al”video that would never be. Within 24 hours, word got to Camp Gaga, the parody was approved and everyone agreed the whole thing was just a mix-up.

“Twitter saved my album,” Yankovic said in an interview with Wired.com. “It was just an amazing turn of events…. The byproduct was that people found I was doing the song and doing an album.”

The album, Alpocalypse, is his first full-length record of new material since 2006’s Straight Outta Lynwood. It comes out Tuesday and includes not only “Perform This Way” but also a polka medley named after another Lady Gaga tune, “Polka Face.” It’s also got a Doors-ish sendup of internet want ads called “Craigslist” and a covert-ops parody of Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” dubbed “Party in the C.I.A.” And that much-anticipated video (below) has also been unleashed onto the world. (Oh, and he’s also released an iPad and iPhone app of his children’s book When I Grow Up.)