- Riot Watch! Riot Watch! Barcelonians have been an angry lot in recent years, largely
centering on their desire to break away from the rest of Spain and turn their
home region of Catalonia into an autonomous place that stands on its own. But
with that push apparently stalling out a bit, the locals have found a new
target and it’s one that amounts to biting a hand that feeds so many of them.
Yes, hundreds of Barcelona residents held a massive protest over what they view
was an out-of-control tourism boom that has damaged their ability to
live and work in the northeastern Spanish city. According to protestors, the
booming tourism business has spurred higher prices for rent and property sales,
leaving many of the city's 1.6 million residents priced out of the city center.
They take umbrage with visitors being able to live in the core of their beloved
city when they can't afford to do so and it’s why protestors toted a large
banner reading, "Barcelona is not for sale," and read a manifesto in
which they denounced the tourist boom has overtaken the city. According to
local police, over 1,000 people demonstrated in the famed central walkway of
Las Ramblas, which leads to the city’s harbor and is a center of tourist
attractions. However, protesters estimated the total as closer to 2,000.
"This march is a way to portray the fact that we have lost our city, and
are hoping to claim it back. Rent and property prices have risen back to what
they were in 2008, before the economic crisis, and residents can no longer
afford them," Camilo Ramos, a representative of the Barcelona Neighbors
Association, declared at the uprising. The protestors also expressed
displeasure that the city council merely agreed to curb the number of rooms for
tourists in the city, denouncing the move as not enough……….
- Rock and roll ain’t what it used to be. So says My Bloody
Valentine drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig, who recently sent out a letter in which he
opined about the fact that concerts simply aren't as loud as they once were. In
his letter, Cíosóig complained about the “acceptance of muted culture” and
called it a “dangerous place to be,” citing a pair of gigs at Dublin’s 3arena where he was
disappointed with the volume. “I have been to two very expensive gigs there
recently and have experienced annoyingly cheap and thin-sounding
representations of what should have been all-engulfing wonderful realities,” he
wrote. “The 3Arena is an example of this new reality that is castrating culture
and charging a fortune for it. The decibel- limiting on the PA system is very
sad indeed. When upfront at a gig you are supposed to feel the drums and bass
rattle your bones, and the music should fill your head to the extant that it
can bring you to an ecstatic place.” He reflected on seeing recent shows by
Black Sabbath and Neil Young and despite the two acts being vastly different
musical acts, he “had to deal with the fact that the volume would not be turned
up and the likelihood of reaching ecstasy was slim.” Cíosóig didn’t reference
My Bloody Valentine or the volume at which they usually play, but his band is
routinely cited as one of the loudest bands in the world.……
- This will teach people to leave appealing edibles laying
around in their homes without a suitable security system. A Waldo, Kansas
couple are dealing with all the drama that comes with a home burglary after an
intruder broke into their home, stealing several items from the property and in
a truly over-the-line act, helping themselves to a snack from the kitchen.
Homeowner Connor Allen called 911 after discovering the theft and said officers
who responded to the scene told he and his girlfriend were told that police
have seen a lot of similar crimes in the area in recent months. He came home to
find that the home’s glass screen door was still closed, the couple’s pets were
still there and yet, the sanctity of the home had been violated. He came home
about 9:30 p.m. to find the house a mess, although no doors or windows were
broken. The thieves appeared to have pushed the window unit air conditioner
inside the house, from outside and used the opening to gain access. Allen’s
live-in girlfriend, Katie Hough, came home immediately once she learned of the
theft and was shocked to see what had happened to the home she and Allen had
moved into just three months ago. The thieves went through the couple’s laundry
and also consumed - or took for the road - a pan of Rice Krispie treats left on
the counter in the kitchen. The missing laptop, tablet, video game system,
jewelry and personal information are all upsetting, but to be expected him this
sort of home invasion. What no one could expect - or should have to deal with
the emotional fallout from - is some intruder bursting into their kitchen and taking
advantage of unprotected, incredibly tasty, snacks that the homeowners expected
to be able to enjoy after a long, hard day of work………
- The Chicago Bulls are slowly but reliably imploding. The
brand of basketball they put on the court isn't very entertaining, but at least
their soap opera off the floor is worth watching. Most of the team’s drama centers
on three veteran players, one of whom is the team’s unquestioned star, one of
whom is an aging former star being held together with duct tape and one who’s
not giving the team a damn thing right now. The biggest problem, it seems, is
the second entry on that list. While prickly backup guard Rajon Rajon and his
not-so-subtle social media warfare on some of his teammates is a problem and
star guard Jimmy Butler publicly cracking his younger teammates doesn’t look
good, the primary source of strife right now is aging Dwyane Wade, who along
with Butler ripped younger Bulls players following Wednesday's loss to the
Atlanta Hawks, saying that losing doesn’t bother the younger players enough. But
it appears that Wade, in his first season with his hometown franchise, isn't
very popular with those younger teammates he wants to motivate. Fellow veteran
Taj Gibson admitted that the fresher faces on the roster would like to see more
of Wade on the practice floor, apparently chafing at the standard head coach
Fred Hoiberg set prior to the season when he said that Wade, three and a half
centuries into his time on this planet, would receive extra rest both in
practice and games in an effort to keep him as fresh as possible. "That's
one of the things in the meeting: Young guys just want a little bit more from
him," Gibson said. What they got, at least in Wade’s first game after the
Atlanta fiasco, was Wade and Butler coming off the bench as punishment from
their coach for airing their grievances publicly……..
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