Stealth New Nightclub TBA Opens in South Williamsburg

Look out Output, because there is a challenger to your status as Williamsburg's hottest nightclub. But while this one is also on the oh-so-hip Wythe Avenue, it's all the way on the south side of the 'Burg. This club is TBA, a new dance-heavy venue that just recently opened in a former auto repair garage.

TBA's license just got approved in late February, and the club opened a few weeks after that with what seems like a no-frills decor and decent sound system. And while TBA is in a somewhat less residential part of the neighborhood, there is a brand new condo building that is about to open its sales office just a few feet away. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Source  http://ny.eater.com/archives/2013/04/tba_south_williamsburgs_stealth_new_nightclub.php

Amerijet announces commercial barrel shipping services to Caribbean destinations

Amerijet International, Inc., a leading provider of multi-modal cargo shipping solutions, announced recently that the company was now offering commercial barrel shipping services to Caribbean destinations.

This gives commercial shippers the opportunity to enjoy an economical and practical solution for shipping a range of goods to destinations that include Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and many more.

Thanks to regularly scheduled daily weekday flights to many Caribbean destinations, Amerijet offers speedy delivery for all barrel shipments. Customers can pack and ship a range of items in barrels, such as liquids, food products, bulk materials, and hazardous materials.

Amerijet has cargo shipping stations conveniently located throughout the Caribbean, helping the company to provide better, more reliable local service all across the region. Amerijet's shipping stations typically provide safe, secure accommodations for all types of freight.

Commercial shippers can enjoy low rates, excellent service, and a range of resources by becoming a registered MyCargo account holder with Amerijet. Through the Amerijet website, shippers can access all sorts of tools for getting quotes, calculating costs, insuring shipments, tracking shipments, and more.

Interested customers can get a free quote for commercial barrel shipping and take advantage of a 10% discount for booking their shipment online by visiting amerijet/Promotions.

For more information about this service and the latest Amerijet news, Like the company on Facebook at facebook.com/amerijet. 

Source  http://www.thedominican.net/2013/03/amerijet-starts-barrel-service.html

Magic and Mystery from the Art of Guyana

Late last month, Carl Hazlewood treated New York art lovers to a sampling of work from his native Guyana.

Mr. Hazlewood , 60, arrived on American shores as a teenager and has been an artist and a curator all of his life.  He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and went on to do his master thesis on Guyanese art.

“The thing about Guyana and the Caribbean in general is that because of its multi-ethnic character…there is a peculiar mix of vitality there,” said a soft-spoken Mr. Hazlewood, while standing amid his exhibition, which showcases paintings and sculptures from two dozen or more Guyanese artists.

While slightly smaller than Idaho, Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America; its lingua franca was cemented by a British colonial past, filled with sugar plantations, forced African labor and the Indian indentured servants who were brought in after the abolition of slavery.

The country’s modern-day residents live gingerly side by side, says Mr. Hazlewood.“There are tensions between Indians and Blacks although everyone’s got something in them like myself.  I am black and have some Indian ancestry.”

Guyana is also the home of haunting but little-studied petro-glyphs, presumably made by the forebears of its vanishing Amerindian population. The glyphs make part of the name of Mr. Hazlewood’s exhibition called “Timehri Transitions: Expanding Concepts in Guyana Art,” which opened on Jan. 23 at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba in the East Village.

The rainforest imagery by Indo-Guyanese  author and painter Bernadette Persaud, encapsulate the past and the present that Mr. Hazlewood wants to expose. “Her work at a glance looks like the typical beautiful and lush landscape which is Guyana but she also understands the character for the post colonial situation where there is violence because of poverty,” said Mr. Hazlewood.

And on closer inspection, wispy -white- bullet trails and bleeding wounds mar the verdant beauty of Ms. Persaud’s creations.  All the while, seemingly, her forebears send hidden messages in the rays of the sun which curl into Arabic signs declaiming “there is no God but God” on their way down to the canopy.

Mr. Hazlewood’s  exhibit  deliberately showcases artists like  Arlington Weithers, whose paintings have a more global perspective. “Especially for black artist in America people tend to expect you comment on social and political subject matters [but] there are people that just want to expand their minds.”

Mr. Weithers uses computer generated images of earth overladen with thick strokes of red color and dramatic  vortex clouds – bringing to mind climate change and global warming.

Another artist,  Andrew Lyght  straddles the space between sculptures and paintings. Mr. Lyght’s work comes in the form of a deep blue oil drum on which he has engraved Timehri petro-glyps  which draw the eye.

On Feb. 17, any curious  New Yorker can speak to Mr. Lyght about the glyphs at a panel discussion  at the Gallery where all the artists will be present.

Against the backdrop of the peculiar and whim driven art world Mr. Hazlewood was surprised at the number of people who showed up  at the opening and the inquires he has been fielding since.

“So far I have been getting lots of calls about it.” However, he admits with a smile that no one has showed him the money yet.

“No sales – not yet, but we would love to have somebody buy something. Artists always need the money,” he said.

Source  http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/02/07/magic-and-mystery-from-the-art-of-guyana/

Red Cross Offers Flu Outbreak Health Tips For Kids

The Centers for Disease Control has reported that 47 states in the nation now have widespread flu outbreaks, including Massachusetts.

This week, Boston Mayor Menino declared a health emercency for Boston after 700 cases were reported in that city.

North Andover still doesn't have many reported cases of the flu, but numbers don't include those who have not seen a doctor and the town is bracing for a possible spike in flu cases.

Flu cases in children have particularly seen a spike nationwide, according to the American Red Cross, which offers the following tips for protecting kinds from the flu:

Parents should teach children proper hand washing techniques and how to correctly cover coughs or sneezes. Wash hands with soap and warm water.

When using soap and water:

    Wash for at least 20 seconds, covering the entire hand including fingernails and under jewelry.
    Younger children can be taught to sing a short song like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," or the "Happy Birthday" song a few times, which will ensure they wash for at least 20 seconds.
    Rinse and dry thoroughly with a disposable towel.
    Use the towel to turn off the faucet.

If using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:

    Rub thoroughly over the entire hand, including nail areas and between the fingers.
    Continue to rub until the product dries.

The American Red Cross strongly urges getting children six months of age or older a flu vaccine as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Children’s caregivers should also get vaccinated. Other steps parents can take include keeping surfaces disinfected and keeping a sick person in a separate room in the household if possible.

If a child gets sick, parents should consult their doctor. They should also make sure their child gets plenty of rest and fluids. If the child is breathing fast or having trouble breathing, has bluish or gray skin color, refuses to drink, is vomiting, is irritable or has trouble staying awake, parents should get the child medical help right away. 

Source  http://northandover.patch.com/articles/red-cross-offers-flu-outbreak-health-tips-for-kids

Stephen John Scott fails in bid to have conviction for sexual assault overturned

A night-clubber who went out hoping for a night on the tiles to remember - but ended up with a criminal record for a sex offence - has failed in a bid to persuade judges to overturn his conviction. 

Stephen John Scott, 40, was arrested in Watford High Street as revellers piled out of clubs and bars on the night of August 20 last year, after a woman accused him of groping her breast. 

Scott, then living in Charter Place, Watford, denied he was the guilty man, despite wearing clothing which matched that which the victim said her attacker wore. 

However, he was convicted by a jury of sexual assault at St Albans Crown Court in March and handed a community sentence. 

Today Lord Justice Davis, Mr Justice Eady and Judge Brian Barker QC, sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court, heard Scott ask them to grant him permission to appeal the conviction in a bid to clear his name. 

The court heard that the victim had left a club with her boyfriend but had fallen behind him when a man approached her, wearing a red shirt and jeans. 

After chatting briefly, the man groped her left breast "holding on for several seconds". 

Police arrived as the victim and her boyfriend were remonstrating with Scott, who they insisted was the guilty man. Scott however denied having anything to do with the incident. 

He was convicted by a jury in the absence of CCTV footage, and Scott's lawyers today argued that he didn't receive a fair trial. 

It was submitted that the way in which the question of identification was put to the jury by the judge had not been balanced, or reflected the reality on the ground as the crowds poured out of multiple venues and mingled late at night. 

But, rejecting the application, Judge Barker said: "He was wearing a red top or shirt and that was one of the identifying factors. This application can go no further." 

Source  http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/10088046.Clubber_s_appeal_over_sexual_assault_fails/

Pakistan races to develop armed drones: Reports

Pakistani military and civil experts are secretly racing to develop surveillance and armed drones in order to tackle militancy across the militant-riddled region, media reports say.

This comes after Washington refused to equip Islamabad with sensitive nature of the technology and doubts that Pakistan would reliably target US enemies.

Pakistani military officials and civilians involved in the domestic drone industry told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Islamabad was struggling in its initial tests with a lack of precision munitions and advanced targeting technology.

Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said Islamabad would look for help from Beijing in response to US technological apartheid.

“Pakistan can also benefit from China in defense collaboration, offsetting the undeclared technological apartheid,” said Ashraf at a defense exhibition in the southern port city of Karachi last week.

The British newspaper The Guardian said in a report on Tuesday that Pakistani military and civilian experts were working on an armed drone but did not provide details.

Pakistan had earlier demanded Washington provide it with armed drones, saying it could more effectively carry out attacks against militants in the country's troubled northwest near the porous border with Afghanistan.

American officials held several rounds of talks with Pakistani authorities about providing unarmed surveillance drones, but the discussions have gone nowhere.

The aerial attacks were initiated by former US President George W. Bush, but have escalated under President Barack Obama.

Obama has given no indication he would halt or alter the drone campaign in Pakistan and some other Muslim countries.

Pakistani tribal regions are the target of US terror drones, with Washington claiming that its unmanned aircraft are targeting militants. However, casualty figures clearly indicate that Pakistani civilians are the main victims of the assaults.

The killing of Pakistani civilians, including women and children, in the strikes has strained relations between Islamabad and Washington, prompting Pakistani officials to send warnings to the US administration over the assaults.

Despite Pakistani government’s repeated calls on Washington to end the drone attacks, the US government continues its strikes on the tribal regions of the country. 

Source  http://www.presstv.com/detail/2012/11/18/273085/pakistan-set-to-develop-armed-drones/

Prosecutors, victim's mom not convinced freed inmate is innocent

The DNA evidence that won Andre Davis his release from prison has not convinced prosecutors in Champaign County that he is innocent of 3-year-old Brianna Stickel's murder.

State's Attorney Julia Reitz said her office will contest Davis' petition for a certificate of innocence, and the move could prevent Davis from collecting money from a state fund set up for wrongfully convicted inmates.

"Based on our review of the two trials and the evidence, we believe he is guilty of murder," Reitz said. "We can't prove it, 30 years later, at this time."

Much of the evidence in the case files used in Davis' two trials in the early 1980s has been lost or destroyed, but his lawyers say nothing that remains can link Davis to the crime.

Davis, who spent nearly 32 years behind bars, served more time than any other Illinois inmate who has had their conviction overturned since at least 1989, according to the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University's law school.

Brianna's body was found in a house in her neighborhood where two acquaintances of Davis lived. Blood and semen samples found on bedclothes at the scene had been used with 1980s technology to finger Davis as the killer, but DNA tests decades later matched them to a witness who testified in court against Davis, court records say. Samples recovered from Brianna's body are missing.

The Tribune is not naming the witness because he has not been charged with a crime. 

Police in Rantoul have reopened the murder case, but Chief Paul Farber would not say whether the witness who matches the DNA is a suspect.

"After 32 years, we're getting very few tips," Farber said.

If a judge rules that a preponderance of the evidence proves Davis was not guilty, Davis could receive as much as $190,000 based on the formula that the state uses to compensate wrongfully convicted inmates who serve significant time in prison, said his lawyer, Jane Raley.

Rebeca Spragg, Brianna's mother, remains unconvinced that Davis is innocent.

"I felt like the evidence against him was good enough. ... I still feel that way," she said. "He may not have been totally alone in it, but he was involved in it."

Spragg had divorced Brianna's father, Michael Stickel, and remarried not long before Brianna was killed.

After Brianna's death, Spragg said she and her family moved repeatedly before settling a few years ago in North Carolina.

"Our life has been very guarded all these years. I haven't felt safe anywhere," she said.

The prospect that no one will be charged in Brianna's murder is not unusual among the many wrongful conviction cases, Raley said.

"These cases are so old, and often there isn't a lot of evidence left," she said. "But we know Andre didn't do it."

Source  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-freed-inmate-sidebar-20121002,0,5815503.story