Nobody ever said, dear readers, that it's easy or fun to find out what's going on in city government. First of all you have to have the motivation to exercise your rights [and obligations] as a citizen and voter . . . and it takes a huge amount of time to find and access sources for public information. Take for example the 45-minutes scheduled to start today at 5:00p.m. that is dedicated today to study a 32-page presentation to hear, discuss and provide direction on the City Council Strategic Priorities "Transforming Neighborhoods" and the related departmental proposed budgets. Whoa!
It's item 2a 16-0495 available for download here Check it out and see how much time it takes to download and read the 32-page Power Point presentation A lot of detailed information and graphics about crime and other metrics, as well as extensive budget figures for different departments prepared by Dee McKenzie, Office of Information Technology Primary Contributing Departments: • Development Services • Diversity and Community Services
Yes, it's probably the biggest monumental-sized installation to date here in The New Urban Downtown Mesa at the City-owned Arts-and-Entertainment venue and international design award-winning Mesa Arts Center. Inspiring? . . . yes. "Desert Rose” by El Mac takes its public space to new heights in the heart and central core of our vibrant regeneration of Creative Place Making. It is highly visible [rising more than 70 feet] starting below eye level from a distance where you are attracted to approach the artwork.
It's an optical beauty for sure: a woman with a rose at first impact is what you see, but what's the story in the creation of this huge artpiece on what used to be an empty wall? [see work-in-progress @ right] Ever wonder about that when you might just pass it by? "Desert Rose" was commissioned by the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. The artist is called El Mac. Here's the the story published today in Street Art News. The image is based on his photos of Karen Bracamonte, an immigrant from Guatemala who is married to one of his friends. At the time of the reference shoot Karen was roughly seven months pregnant, so in a way, this painting depicts not only her but his soon-to-be godson. As usual with the American street artist, he delivers an outstanding piece of work using his unique technique.
What's that unique technique? . . . go see Desert Rose in-person or you can read and see more here
It's International Workers' Day today - why do we celebrate all over the world? To most people in the Northern Hemisphere, May Day conjures images of brightly colored twirling ribbons and promises of warm days ahead. That's not the whole story, though. Like most things it changes over time with social transformation. Here's a link how it's done in Seattle >> http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/live-updates-from-may-day-2016-in-seattle/ Here's a YouTube video
What is May Day?
Depending on where you are, it's either a seasonal celebration or a day to celebrate workers' rights, or maybe a little bit of both.
Think of the latter use as a Labor Day, if you will, for the rest of the world.
How did it start?
This is a more complicated question. Originally, May Day was an ancient pagan holiday celebrating the start of summer. In Gaelic traditions, it is known as Beltaine (or the Anglicized "Beltane"). As time went on, different groups adapted the celebration to their specific cultures or beliefs. Europeans and Americans often celebrate in a more secular manner with diversions like maypole dancing and flower crowns. (That certainly lends a bit of cultural context to all the young women breezing around summer music festivals this time of year with giant daisies on their heads.)
Also of note: In May, the Southern Hemisphere is getting ready for winter, so May Day as a seasonal celebration is, for the most part, a Northern Hemisphere thing.
How did it become a day for labor rights?
May Day is also a labor holiday in many areas of the world, and that part of its history is a thornier story. May Day has shared a date with International Workers' Day since the 1880s. At the time, labor movements around the world were fighting for fair work accommodations like eight-hour workdays and unions. The date was chosen because it aligned with the anniversary of the Haymarket affair in Chicago, where police killed four people at a peaceful protest after someone threw a bomb into the crowd.
The event had a huge impact on labor movements across the world.
Maricopa County is conducting its annual preparedness survey in conjunction with America’s PrepareAthon! Please participate today by taking this important survey. Emergency planners use survey information to refine estimates of resources and services required during an emergency. Services include sheltering, transportation, and alert and warning communications. It’s also a great way to see where YOU may have gaps in your own PERSONAL or FAMILY emergency plans should a disaster strike. The survey is voluntary, confidential, available in English and Spanish, and will be made available through May 15.
Share this invitation with your family and friends, co-workers, community and faith-based groups, and neighbors. Spread the word about the importance of preparedness! This effort is part of Maricopa County’s goal to promote individual and family preparedness. For more information, about preparedness, visit www.Ready.gov
Harris Receives $29 M to Provide Tactical Radios to European Nation ASDNews: April 28, 2016 Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) has received two orders totaling $29 million to provide its Falcon® family of tactical radios to a customer in Europe as part of an ongoing standardization program designed to ensure interoperability during coalition operations. The orders were received during the third quarter of Harris’ fiscal 2016. Harris will supply AN/PRC-152A Wideband Networking Handheld Radios, which provide simultaneous, secure voice and high-speed networked data; AN/PRC-117G Multiband Networking Manpack Radios, which support multiple missions by combining wideband networking, SATCOM and legacy narrowband interoperability in a single, lightweight package; and AN/PRC-150C HF/VHF Tactical Radios, which provide secure, long-range voice and data communications.
Provides Falcon Radio portfolio to meet coalition interoperability and long-range mission needs
Enables wideband networking, legacy narrowband interoperability and secure HF communications
Expands the current inventory of Harris tactical radios already in use by the customer
It's A Brave New World for Harris and their stock is booming. Let's bring this down to the local and Arizona - for "public safety" and surveillance that uses some of their products, like something called Stingray used by police departments [they can't disclose they use it, but they do] as you can see in the infographic to the right. It intercepts calls from your cellphone
Could that happen here?
Yes it does and it's not reported.
In other states here's what gets in the news
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
State of Illinois may have spied on citizen cellphone calls since 2008
They can hear you now and they probably could hear you eight years ago. Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act appear to show that the Illinois State Police may have had access to cellphone eavesdropping equipment since 2008. That year, the documents published online appear to show, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich authorized the Illinois State Police to quietly purchase cell phone surveillance equipment for over $250,000.
. . . here's the purchase contract shown in the image to the right that was included in the report from The Illinois Review Crossroads of Thad Conservative Community
Read more >> here
The reporter had to make a Freedom Of Information Act request to get it.
Fortunately, although we are conservative too here in Mesa where the City of Mesa, thanks to Open Government, Transparency and Accountability initiatives does publish both contract solicitations and contract awards
What's this connection between the Harris Corporation and Mesa? The radio that is the feature on this post in the press release is the newest in Falcon Watch™ with a licensing agreement with Telonics located right here in Mesa.
Location: 7500 N Dobson Rd Suite #200
Website: http://harris.com/ WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2006 (AFCEA TechNet booth 819) — Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) announced today that it has expanded its Falcon Watch™ Remote Intrusion Detection and Surveillance System through a licensing agreement with Telonics, located in Mesa, AZ. See the entire press release here
The daily blog for city builders by Brandon G. Donnelly5. Join over 11,000 followers and subscribers http://brandondonnelly.com/ Your MesaZona blogger has just one bone to pick about America needs a new map and it's that artificial man-made lines called "borders" separate what are natural geographic areas that flow into each other. The same border boundary exclusions are frequently used in American weather forecasts - weather is world-wide, friends. If what's stated about Detroit in Brandon's blog feature can be applied here in Arizona, then we should pay more attention to the transnational Arizona-Mexico economic development zone and get over all the mierda about fences and walls that divide opportunities for commerce and culture Faithful readers of this blog will note that the area on the map marking The Arizona Sun Corridor has been featured in more than a few posts. You can use the search tool in the upper right-hand corner of the main page to locate all of them
Here are some excerpts from an email retrieved yesterday from blog-buddy Brandon that might be of interest:
He writes
"Parag Khanna recently published an article in the New York Times calling for a new map for America.
Here’s why: “The problem is that while the economic reality goes one way, the 50-state model means that federal and state resources are concentrated in a state capital — often a small, isolated city itself — and allocated with little sense of the larger whole. Not only does this keep back our largest cities, but smaller American cities are increasingly cut off from the national agenda, destined to become low-cost immigrant and retirement colonies, or simply to be abandoned.”This is something that I’ve been writing about for awhile on this blog. . . As we continue to transition to an urban-based information economy, it strikes me that, here in North America, . . . " [ MesaZona Blogger's note - then please include in this map Canada + Mexico in" North America" !! ] , Yes, "We're going to need to refocus our governance structures around cities." Yes, " We’re going to need to place our metropolitan regions at the fore if we want to continue competing with rising powers like China – which, by the way, seem to be adopting a megacity model. Here’s another snippet from the article:
“While Detroit’s population has fallen below a million, the Detroit-Windsor region is the largest United States-Canada cross-border area, with nearly six million people (and one of the largest border populations in the world). This is something that I’ve been writing about for awhile on this blog. As we continue to transition to an urban-based information economy, it strikes me that, here in North America, we’re going to need to refocus our governance structures around cities. We’re going to need to place our metropolitan regions at the fore if we want to continue competing with rising powers like China – which, by the way, seem to be adopting a megacity model.
These demonstrations have been going on for months in the capital city of Iraq by followers of revered and respected Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr to protest corruption in the nation's government that was installed by the U.S. after the invasion and ten-year occupation of this centuries-old country by a foreign power. The Iraqi people have been peacefully making their objections to corruption for quite some time and can, with over 150,000 people easily take over the capital.
