2 posts tagged “ugh”

vent:

http://www.startribune.com/galleries/27738614.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiacyKUU

riots all over the place today, I guess.  I didn't get into St. Paul downtown until about 5:00 but it was still a carnival of freaks.  The number of police around is astounding and even more so is how they seem to be pretty free and loose with the tear gas.  Several of my coworkers had to walk through tear gas to get to work today.  The MAJORITY of protesters are peaceful though. I saw part of a peaceful rally from this afternoon in front of the capitol broadcast on C-SPAN tonight.  I walked past that area I think maybe an hour after they finished.  Anyway, preach on, brothers.  I really just hate the two-party system though, I don't like to side with one or another. 

I've never seen so many police in one place.  It's freaky.

Swat teams and police with riot gear, too.
Gotta love this photo: http://www.startribune.com/photos/?c=y&img=RNC+Protest_B_05.jpg
I know I'm looking forward to going to the Children's Museum soon.

I know there have been some more violent protests... the windows at the Macy's kitty-corner across the street from my restaurant were smashed... but from everything I've heard it seems like the police are being pretty aggressive.  It freaks me out.  It's like living in military rule.  Five cars went by with sirens on in an hour, on average.  You couldn't count the number of police walking around, in cars, on bicycles, in undercover cars, if you wanted to.

My boss was interviewed by TV Tokyo though!!! D:  they were around in the morning I guess.  I didn't see them all night. D:  SHO-KUN COME WITH ZERO.  I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY AND JUST GOT BACK FROM BEIJING, BUT COME.

A lot of the insanity was going on down Wabasha and by 7th.  We're on Wabasha & 6th.  We're literally about 2-3 blocks from the Excel Center. XP

http://www.startribune.com/video/27753274.html?elr=KArks5PhDcU9PhDcUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

http://www.twincities.com/ci_10356273?source=most_viewed

 And THEN there's the whole mess with Hurricane Gustav, sort of cutting the festivities short.  It looks like the situaton on the gulf is okay so far... on a negative note, the Hurricane is causing a lot of media to leave the Cities here... that's bad for us since we need their money and so on.  We need people to be HERE as much of a pain as it is because this has been in the plannng for a year and a TON of money has been invested into it.  Reserving the Excel Center for about a MONTH to set this up.  Hotel bookings.  Local businesses.  All the money the government, city and state has invested into keeping the event over-secure.  And let me make one thing clear - NONE OF THE LOCALS ARE HANGING AROUND.  Local businesses are NOT getting local customers and especially seeing as today was Labor Day they were barely getting any.  We need the convention people to spend their money here because they're scaring everyone else off.  I found an ironic little article about the convention delegates complaining about a lack of food in the venue... http://www.twincities.com/rnc/ci_10358320 but if they'd go around the corner the restaurants here are kind of starved for business. (lol by the way one of the people named in that article flirts with our bartender ALL the time. xD)

So many protesters, out-of-towners, police, media, convention-goers and delegates.
People watching certainly interesting here of late.
One unending carnival of freaks. ;_;
I mean, where do you even start with the types of different people walking around right now.  So many of them people I wouldn't even expect to see here right now, protests and all.  Wow.

http://www1.ntv.co.jp/news/wmtram/dw/ng.html?m_url=080902036&n_url=117850

:D that's... St. Paul at the end.

why am i so proud...?