by Nicole Powers

Though thankfully there’s no reports of anyone being seriously hurt during last night’s police action, perhaps the biggest casualty was the First Amendment and freedom of the press. The LAPD pre-selected a group of a dozen handpicked mainstream media representatives, and denied access to the City Hall grounds to all other journalists while the eviction was taking place. (During the actual raid, any media already present were warned that they may face arrest or serious injury if they ignored the dispersal order and remained on the South Lawn.) Predictably, no independent or alternative outlets – and no bloggers or Livestreamers – were among the LAPD’s chosen few.

At one point in the evening, citizen-journalist-turned-Livestream-celebrity OakFoSho was threatened by an officer who pointed the business end of a weapon at him – with his finger on the trigger. This incident was witnessed by the surrounding crowd who chanted “guns down” repeatedly in response and the approximately 15,000 viewers who were watching OakFoSho’s stream. The officer’s name was duly noted and shared by numerous tweeters (including friend of SG Wil Wheaton).

Just as troubling was the fact that the pool of approved media had serious restrictions placed upon them. They were not allowed to tweet or call-in stories live from inside the park until after the eviction, and had to funnel all pool reports via a city news wire service. Additionally, KCAL9 revealed they had “made an agreement with the LAPD to not give away their tactics,” and, according to BoingBoing’s Xeni Jardin, “CBS LA blacked out shots so as to ‘not interfere with integrity of police action.'” Many other bloggers and tweeters also noted their disappointment at the easy compliance of so-called journalists and traditional media outlets, whom they felt should have put up more resistance to the obvious attempt to restrict and suppress information.

The underlying serious First Amendment issue at play here is the principle that the police shouldn’t be the ones to decide who is and who isn’t deemed press – since the function of a free press in a democracy is to provide a check and balance for those in authority. Furthermore, even those members of the media granted pre-designated access can’t cover any action freely if they’re worried about having the credentials they need for such coverage rescinded (as was the case in New York during the Zuccotti Park eviction). Given the gravity of this issue, we expect this story to develop over the next few days and weeks, and understand the ACLU is already in the process of taking action.

by Nicole Powers

Just over 24 hours before #OccupyLA would have celebrated its 2-month anniversary, the encampment at City Hall in DTLA was raided. The operation involved 1400 police officers and resulted in 200+ arrests (update: LAPD have confirmed a total of 292). After staging and loading into buses at Dodger Stadium earlier in the evening, police swarmed Solidarity Park from the outside in, and from the inside out – with officers in riot gear and hazmat suits pouring out of the South Doors of City Hall. The LAPD claim that there were only 3 violent incidents resulting in injury. The last of the protesters – 4 people and a dog – that had been holding out in a tree house, were removed from their tree top fort with the help of a cherry picking mobile platform and rifles firing bean bag rounds just before dawn. Clean up crews quickly moved in to dismantle the camp. These images were shot between 7 and 8 AM today.

RIP #OccupyLA at #Solidarity Park. Long live #Occupy. You can’t remove, arrest, destroy, bulldoze, or dispose of an idea.

We sidestep some of LA’s finest to shoot what’s left of Solidarity Park.

As we shoot through the fence in one area an officer tells us “the sidewalk is closed.”

We are a peaceful movement. Never stoop to their level. One love.

A tent is dragged to a dumpster by a member of the cleanup crew.

And another one.

Wishes written by children from the #OccupyLA creche are still attached to a tree.

A news crew reporting on the aftermath amidst the rubble.

#OccupyScience

Here’s to the death of mindless consumerism.

Camp life sure was colorful.

A trash truck moves into the heart of Solidarity Park.

A bamboo sculpture gets trashed and compacted.

The white stuff piled up in the foreground is discarded disposable hazmat suits.

Remember: Close your account.

The bulldozers move in.

Concrete barriers are transported to City Hall.

A bulldozer moves a concrete barrier into place.

City Hall is now a fortress surrounded by concrete barriers and wire fencing.

But the protesting don’t stop.

Waiting for peace at a bus stop as the sun rises.

Picking through the rubble. Just after I took this picture, this chap found a pair of socks!

A displaced member of the #OccupyLA community is happy to have rescued his belongings.

More displaced set up home a few blocks away.

The site of #OccupyLA’s last stand. The Freedom Fort occupied by Manny, Chad, Shane, Lucky, and a dog – who was technically the last occupier to leave the park!

They were the dreamers – indeed a friend told a livestreamer that Manny had wanted to build a tree house ever since he was a kid. Not sure getting arrested was on his wish list though.

No prizes for guessing what these are!

by Ryker Suicide

This is my VERY coveted recipe for Chicken Enchiladas. I have kept it to myself long enough…time to release it into the world 🙂 I serve each enchilada on a bed of shredded lettuce, topped with a favorite combination of garnishes (this can include your favorite salsa, sour cream, diced jalapenos or your favorite pepper, and of course, fresh cilantro!), and sided with black beans and Spanish rice. This recipe serves 8. Typically I only cook for 2-4 so I always save half of the filling and freeze it for a quick and easy dinner for later! Also, left over enchiladas are great for breakfast served over lettuce and eggs! Enchiladas con juevos anyone? Nom nom nom….

Ingredients Tacos:

• 1 can of black beans
• Lime juice
• 1 bundle of fresh cilantro
• 1 can of diced tomatoes/peppers
• 4-5 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 lb of chicken thighs or breast (I prefer thighs because they are so tender and pull easy, but breast is good too)
• 1 can of enchilada sauce
• 1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes
• 5 green chilis (finely diced)
• 4 chipotle peppers soaked in adobe sauce (also finely diced)
• 2-4 tablespoons of adobe sauce from peppers (to TASTE, this sauce is a little on the spicy side. I tend to go overboard with it. I figured a normal person would use about half of what I use haha!)
• 1 red or yellow onion (your preference, I like it both ways)
• Ground cumin, salt, pepper, taco seasoning
• Shredded cheese-Mexican blend
• Corn tortillas (about 16 or so)
• Spanish rice
• Sour cream
• Your favorite salsa – I think a fresh goes best with this dish
• Shredded lettuce
• Flour (for dredging)

Preparation:
1) Pat chicken dry to ensure even browning. Season with salt/pepper/cumin. Dredge in a blend of taco seasoning and flour. Brown evenly on each side in large sauté pan coated with olive oil until cooked through. Sprinkle a bit of taco seasoning, cumin, and garlic powder while browning. Remove chicken from pan, set aside to cool.

2) In the same pan sauté diced onion, ensuring to scrape up any yummy brown chicken bits left in the pan. Once onions are just translucent, add 2-3 cloves of garlic (minced!) and sauté for 45 seconds or until deliciously fragrant. Add finely diced peppers, sauté for another minute. Add stewed tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes or so, breaking up the tomatoes as you do this so they aren’t in such huge chunks. Turn heat down and pull chicken, then return chicken to pan allowing it to simmer a few minutes. Add a bit of adobe sauce to taste. Then sprinkle entire mixture with flour to allow it to set. You can add a bit of taco seasoning too if you think it needs more flavor.

3) In a large casserole dish add a nice full ladle of enchilada sauce to cover bottom of dish. Fill corn tortillas** with chicken mixture, sprinkle with some cheese, roll and set in dish. Repeat until dish is full. Then ladle remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas and top with loads of yummy cheese until covered. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and JUST BEGINNING to brown.

While enchiladas are baking, make up a batch of Spanish rice, add a bit of cumin and any other seasonings to spice it up to your taste. While the rice is cooking, you can start on the beans.

First sauté about a quarter to a half of a yellow onion in a pan until onions are tender and translucent, add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté until aromatic. Then add beans and mix well. Then add a few squirts of lime juice (to taste) and about a half of a can or so of diced tomatoes/peppers. You can also add some green chilis here too if you’d like, I usually do. Then throw in as much chopped fresh cilantro as you’d like. I go heavy – I love cilantro. Again, this is to taste. Let beans simmer on low to keep warm until enchiladas are ready, which they should be about now 🙂

I serve two enchiladas over a bed of shredded lettuce, with beans and rice on either side. I top the enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, diced scallions (optional), and fresh cilantro. You can also top with fresh diced jalapenos! Get creative 🙂

**Hint: when using corn tortillas, it helps to heat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to make them warm and pliable since they will crumble less.

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by A.J. Focht

Possible SPOILERS from the Dark Knight Rises have hit the web. The spoilers revolve around the films prologue. If they are correct, there may be some major changes to Bane’s background story. The leak is unconfirmed and, therefore, it’s best to file this one under rumors.

Adding on to the series of disastrous events to befall The Wolverine, the film is being delayed again, and this time there is no speculation to when it may release. Maybe this should be a sign to scrap the project and let the series rest for a while.

Some big news for Ender’s Game fans, Asa Butterfield, star of the new box office hit Hugo, confirmed via Twitter that he will be playing the role of Ender. There had been reports he was offered the role, and he is very excited to take it. The movie is being directed by Wolverine Origins director Gavin Hood, and is scheduled to release in March of 2013.

Men in Black III is officially a go. The first teaser posters for the film have been released. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have returned as Agents ‘J’ and ‘K’. The posters don’t tell us much more than the fact the project has hit the marketing stage.

Star Trek 2 has received a new release date for May 2013. But that’s not all. Oscar winning composer, Michael Giacchino, is back on for the second film. And finally, it is confirmed the film will be shooting in 3D.

One last note about the movies, if you didn’t already think Twilight is hazardous to your health, it’s now been confirmed. Cases have been reported of viewers going into epileptic seizures during the birthing scene. Anyone susceptible to seizures should therefore avoid seeing Breaking Dawn.

Some great news for Bluntman & Chronic, Neil Gaiman has confirmed he’s agreed to voice Alfred in the cartoon via Twitter. The news of a cartoon is exciting enough, but to know that Neil Gaiman is on the project is just fantastic.

MTV Geek has released their Top 10 Comic Book Writers of 2011. It’s no surprise that many of the DC New 52 writers have made the list as well as a handful of independent comics. Deservingly, Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire has taken the top spot.

Before you go, enjoy David Tennant reading a bedtime story with penguins on CBeebies, courtesy of Geek Mom.

by Susannah Bresll

Xeni Jardin is a journalist, a blogger, and a TV pundit. As a co-editor of BoingBoing, one of the most popular blogs on the Web, Jardin serves as an Internet-based coolhunter for the futuristic, or, as Defamer puts it, a “sexpot Wired reporter sent from 15 minutes in the future to send back information about our inferior technology to some alien race.” In addition to writing for Wired, Jardin files reports on subjects ranging from robot battles to zero gravity flight for NPR’s “Xeni Tech” and opines regularly on the latest high tech gadgetry for CNN and Fox News. Part Fritz Lang’s Maria in “Metropolis,” part Marilyn Monroe on a cellphone, in Jardin, as the LA Times advises, we may behold the wizard of blogs.

Read our exclusive interview with Xeni Jardin on SuicideGirls.com.

Katherine Suicide in Nautical Dreams

• INTO: Staying out late, learning new things, performing, posing, talking in depth for hours, boobs.
• NOT INTO: People who talk a lot but don’t say anything, people who whine but do nothing about it, unfair treatment of anyone, liars – I see straight through you.
• MAKES ME HAPPY: Me, I make my own happiness.
• MAKES ME SAD: My brain, it’s wired up funny n’ stuff.
• HOBBIES: Belly dancing, computers, make-upm talking.
• 5 THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: My computer, my straighteners, my make-up, my iPod, my boobs.
• VICES: I’m vain, I spend too much money, and I eat too much junk.
• I SPEND MOST OF MY FREE TIME: Eating sweeties, amending my appearance, shopping, fucking.

Get to know Katherine better over at SuicideGirls.com!

by Aaron Colter

It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything about #OccupyWallStreet, and even longer since I first posted about the movement’s inception. Since then, a lot of things have happened, most of which are still too difficult to cope with intelligently or even handle on basic level. The world is awaking, bursting at the seams of what it means to be a society. It’s exciting, but frightening as well, confusing as always.

I hope to unpack all of those thoughts soon. Put them into the right places so that I can have a better grasp of what Occupy means, why in some ways it was a tragedy, and why it’s still hopeful. Most importantly, why its failure is a personal failure.

For now, if you’re supportive of the moment, continue to do what you can. Some of us in the comic scene have decided to come together for a Kickstarter project called Occupy Comics. Top names in the industry are creating their own interpretations and stories from the Occupy movement for a book that will be collected next year. For now, funds raised will be donated by the artists to various efforts around the world to help the Occupy movement continue. There are only a few days left to contribute if you’d like to help out or get a book.

Creators involved include: Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan), Dan Goldman (Shooting War), Amanda Palmer (Evelyn, Evelyn), Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Riley Rossmo (Cowboy Ninja Viking), Tim Seely (Hack/Slash), Zoetica Ebb (SuicideGirls, Biorequiem), Steve Rolston (Queen & Country), Tyler Crook (B.P.R.D.), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), both Brea Grant and Zane Grant of the SuicideGirls comic series, and many more. Plus, several other top creators will be announced soon!

If you’re into the idea, please contribute to the Kickstarter. And if you have an idea of your own for how to keep the Occupy movement alive, please make it a reality.

Thanks for reading.

Stay safe, stay positive.

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