Check It Out

Links to cool places or things.

There are 1,524 posts filed in Check It Out (this is page 93 of 153).

US warns China on South China Sea moves

Interesting. I’m glad America still has a strong Navy!

The Obama administration has warned China against further moves to tighten control over a disputed section of the South China Sea, as tensions rose in the flashpoint region.

In a statement, the US State Department cautioned China about its addition of a military garrison and civilian officials near the contested Scarborough Reef and its use of barriers to deny access to foreign ships.

These moves "run counter to collaborative diplomatic efforts to resolve differences and risk further escalating tensions in the region", said the statement, issued early on Friday morning and attributed to Patrick Ventrell, the acting deputy spokesman.

via US warns China on South China Sea moves.

Pullen Park facelift is paying off :: WRAL.com

Yay, Pullen Park!

A $6.3 million renovation at Raleigh’s premier park is paying off for the city. Since reopening in November, Pullen Park has brought in about $725,000 in ticket sales alone.

Before the facelift, the 66-acre park averaged between $500,000 and $600,000 per year in ticket sales, concessions and shelter rentals. Ticket prices have remained the same.

via Pullen Park facelift is paying off :: WRAL.com.

Neighborhood email lists get some love in local paper

The neighborhood list serves I run for East Raleigh neighborhoods got a mention by Matt Garfield in today’s Midtown Raleigh News.

The Belvidere Park & Woodcrest email list has over 300 subscribers and the East Citizens Advisory Council Discussion list has 266 subscribers. The Lockwood neighborhood list has 45 subscribers. I hope these numbers go up as more people discover the power of these communications tools!

Hours after the encounter, an officer called Brooks to thank her for contacting police. He called the arrest “a good catch.”

Contacting police isn’t the only thing Brooks did. After the woman left, Brooks sent an email to the neighborhood list-serv in the East Citizens Advisory Council, alerting dozens of residents to beware of a suspicious person in the area.

The email chain has become a go-to source for many residents. East CAC members discuss everything from dogs running loose on the street to recommendations for plumbers and repairmen.

“It’s a grassroots social network that really does provide a lot of benefit,” said Emrys Treasure, co-chairman of the East CAC. “It’s hard to imagine how the CAC would go without it.”

via Door-to-door act in East Raleigh highlights need for caution – Raleigh – MidtownRaleighNews.com.

Congress examines Amtrak’s food and beverage losses

I’m a fan of Amtrak but I have to admit their food car is a joke. To pay almost 10 bucks for a hamburger to be reheated in a microwave is outrageous. What’s even more outrageous is that it costs Amtrak $16.15 for that same pathetic burger.

Time to require some accountability for Amtrak. Replacing the food car with a car of vending machines would be a good start.

Amtrak loses millions on its food and beverage service, and a congressional committee wants to know why.

The company’s food and beverage cars have lost $833.8 million over the last decade, including $84.5 million in 2011, according to testimony at a congressional hearing Thursday.

The reason: the difference between Amtrak’s costs and what it charges passengers. For example, taking overhead into account, each cheeseburger costs Amtrak $16.15 and each can of soda costs $3.40. But Amtrak charges passengers only $9.50 and $2 for those items.

via Congress examines Amtrak's food and beverage losses – USATODAY.com.

Triangle Chick-fil-A backers say: eat chicken, not words

I’m sure this man supports the First Amendment and rights for everyone. Uh-huh. Boycotts are fine except when they’re not.

Mike Darlington criticized the outrage with Cathy.

“That’s the great thing about our country, we have the First Amendment,” Darlington said.

Darlington also pointed that across the parking lot was a Home Depot, which denotes money to gay pride events. Does he shop at Home Depot? “No” was his one-word answer. His view was that people have the right to boycott, but “just don’t make a big deal out of it.”

via Triangle Chick-fil-A backers say: eat chicken, not words – Local/State – NewsObserver.com.

After acrimony, Wade CAC chairs seek smoother relations

I like the N&O’s Matt Garfield. He works hard and has sat through marathon meetings when even I wanted to jump out of my chair and disapppear. When my friend wrote about this past week’s Wade CAC election, though, he didn’t tell even half of the story.

I suppose someday soon I will fill in the blanks here on MT.Net, and there’s also value in simply moving on. For now I’m happy that Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) are getting the attention they deserve.

Mike Rieder and Mary Jane Clark have a lot of work to do.

The newly elected Wade CAC chairman and vice-chairwoman take office following a contentious election to succeed longtime predecessors Bill Padgett and Louise Griffith.

Rieder defeated Seth Hollar and Craig Ralph in a vote that attracted an overflow crowd of 170 people to the Jaycee Community Center. Clark was unopposed.

The pair will try to restore a sense of cooperation to the Wade CAC, a community advisory council that encompasses some of the city’s most historic and politically active neighborhoods.Created in the 1970s, CACs weigh in on issues ranging from zoning to mass transit.

“This process was damaging to the community,” Clark said. “We have a lot of healing that needs to take place.”

via After acrimony, Wade CAC chairs seek smoother relations – Raleigh – MidtownRaleighNews.com.

How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did – Forbes

Here’s an eye-opening look at how closely (and eerily) Target tracks its customers’ purchases.

This isn’t the half of what stores can do, though. Before I got my current gig, I did a telephone interview with a company which made recognition software for in-store video systems. Supposedly this software could track customers as they made their way around the store, including how long a customer lingered on a particular aisle. It was Big Brother to the extreme and while I needed the work, I’m glad I didn’t have to get into that spooky stuff.

Raleigh council seeks solution to goose overpopulation

Speaking of the N&O, I was quoted earlier this week in the Midtown Raleigh News.

The ever-growing Canada goose population in parks throughout Raleigh has caught the attention of the City Council.

The council passed a Waterfowl Management Resolution last week, calling for city parks to put up signs telling people about the trouble caused by feeding ducks, swans and especially, geese. The plan was one of many presented to the City Council by the Raleigh parks and recreation board.

“I think it’s a good first step,” said board chairman Mark Turner.

via Raleigh council seeks solution to goose overpopulation – Raleigh – MidtownRaleighNews.com.

N&O online site to switch to paywall

McClatchy announced that will soon be locking up its content behind a paywall, including the News and Observer’s website:

The company also announced that it would install metered pay walls at its newspaper websites, including NewsObserver.com. It did not disclose specifics of the plan, which will begin later this year, but in general readers will get certain number of page views free each month before being required to pay a subscription.

I’ve never thought paywalls were a good idea. Opinions differ about their effectiveness. Poyntner says 52% of media professionals leave a website when encountering a paywall. Other newspapers’ efforts to establish a paywall resulted in the opposite of their intended effect:
Continue reading →

Confused 911 caller outs NYPD spying in NJ

This is quite alarming. The NYPD was caught spying … in New Jersey! Be sure to listen to the 911 call for yourself.

A building superintendent at an apartment complex just off the Rutgers University campus called the New Brunswick Police 911 line in June 2009. He said his staff had been conducting a routine inspection and came across something suspicious.

“What’s suspicious?” the dispatcher asked.

“Suspicious in the sense that the apartment has about — has no furniture except two beds, has no clothing, has New York City Police Department radios.”

“Really?” the dispatcher asked, her voice rising with surprise.

The caller, Salil Sheth, had stumbled upon one of the NYPD’s biggest secrets: a safe house, a place where undercover officers working well outside the department’s jurisdiction could lie low and coordinate surveillance. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the NYPD, with training and guidance from the CIA, has monitored the activities of Muslims in New York and far beyond. Detectives infiltrated mosques, eavesdropped in cafes and kept tabs on Muslim student groups, including at Rutgers.

via “What?” Confused 911 caller outs NYPD spying in NJ :: WRAL.com.