[NYC] More Glamdalizing: Queers bash back against NYPD

suggestion by Elliott, re-posted from Bash Back News

New York Queers Bash Back Against NYPD

Listen up bitches!

The 77th Precinct is fucked up, and here’s why:

-officers of the 77th are responsible for consistent harassment of transpeople, sex workers and queers

-the assault of two lesbians outside of the Ife Lounge on May 16th

-like all police officers, they colonize poor neighborhoods and threaten the safety of everyone

We act in solidarity with Duanna Johnson, the patrons of Fort Worth’s Rainbow Lounge, Ariel Attack, Bash Back! Lansing, New Jersey 4 and countless other fabulous queers and trannies bound by the prison-industrial complex—with no safe words. We want not just accountability for these specific cops but the complete abolition of police and prisons.

In a fabulous act of resistance and exterior design, we have beautified the squad and personal cars of the 77th Precinct with a simple, yet classy, application of spray paint, stencils and glitter everywhere. (We’re still queefing glitter.) Fine images of cops on fire and such fierce phrases like: “This is what happens to transphobic cops,” “A change I can believe in” and “A very simple solution…” are proudly displayed on the windows and doors of New York’s Finest.

Just as a reminder to them and all of us: these pigs are vulnerable, and they’re only as powerful as we let them be. They can and will be challenged and held accountable.

That’s some real shit.
Yours queerly,

Farosha Shakure

Press Secretary of Homoexplosion, Aries, and licensed switch blade carrier.

Homoexplosion is a radical queer/trans group of fly fatherfuckers. We advocate people fucking in the street and burning shit—especially cops.

[London] 30 pianos scattered across city to encourage impromptu singalongs

suggested by Jeffrey, re-posted from Huffingtonpost

30 Pianos Scattered Across London to Encourage Impromptu Singalongs, 07/12/09

One project aims to make London a more cheery place through the use of song. A group has scattered 30 pianos throughout the city in order to encourage impromptu singalongs. Despite the mountain of paperwork it required to get the project up and running, the group succeeded and more music has begun to fill the air of the city.

See video here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/12/30-pianos-scattered-acros_n_230189.html

[SF] Pranksters Install Swings on BART

suggested by Eli, re-posted from Laughing Squid

Pranksters Install Swings on BART Public Transit System in San Francisco
by Burnstein, 04/28/09

Some brilliant pranksters installed beautiful swings on BART last night. What apparently happened, according to witnesses, was a team of six or so people hopped on to a north-bound train from 24th Street station in San Francisco around 8:30 p.m. last night, installed three matching red swings, and then exited at 16th Street leaving their swings behind for public consumption.

I personally love this prank because of the joy that it inspires in the innocent by-standers. Look at the photos. Even the dudes that are not swinging are smiling (except for one woman - that is just how some people roll, I guess). I declare this to be an epic victory for joy and whimsy over the mundane!

VIEW PHOTOS HERE:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/audreypenven/sets/72157617328268331/

[TX] Hackers Crack Road Sign, Warn of Zombies Ahead

Apologies for not updating in so long, I had a rough start back at school.

suggested by Corey, re-posted from FoxNews, 01/29/09

Transportation officials in Texas are scrambling to prevent hackers from changing messages on digital road signs after one sign in Austin was altered to read, "Zombies Ahead."

Chris Lippincott, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Transportation, confirmed that a portable traffic sign at Lamar Boulevard and West 15th Street, near the University of Texas at Austin, was hacked into during the early hours of Jan. 19.

"It was clever, kind of cute, but not what it was intended for," said Lippincott, who saw the sign during his morning commute. "Those signs are deployed for a reason — to improve traffic conditions, let folks know there's a road closure."

"It's sort of amusing, but not at all helpful," he told FOXNews.com.

Tampering with portable road signs is illegal and potentially dangerous to drivers. It is a misdemeanor in Texas, with penalties ranging from fines to potential jail time.

Lippincott said the hacked sign — manufactured by IMAGO — is owned and operated by the city of Austin. Texas Department of Transportation signs have not been affected, he said.

"It is always possible that it could occur, but we attempt to prevent hacking incidents," Lippincott wrote in an e-mail. He declined to comment on security measures to protect the state's signs from hackers.

Austin Public Works spokeswoman Sara Hartley said the incident was not initially reported to police, but will be shortly. The sign was reverted back to its original message within hours, according to Hartley, who insisted the signs are tamper-resistant and equipped with external locks.

"This sign was broken into, it was not just a 'walk up and change the sign' kind of thing," Hartley told FOXNews.com. "This is a new one for us, we've never had it happen before."

She said she did not know whether any other signs in the area had been altered.

According to the blog i-hacked.com, some commercial road signs, including those manufactured by IMAGO's ADDCO division, can be easily altered because their instrument panels are frequently left unlocked and their default passwords are not changed.

"Programming is as simple as scrolling down the menu selection," i-hacked.com reports. "Type whatever you want to display … In all likelihood, the crew will not have changed [the password]."

I-hacked.com warns readers not to try to alter the signs, which cost roughly $15,000.

ADDCO Chief Operating Officer Brian Nicholson told FOXNews.com that the company is sending out notices to customers on the potentially dangerous security flaw.

"It's incumbent upon users to change the default password and secure the sign with a padlock," Nicholson said. "We're having our engineers review this information."

In the meantime, if you're driving in Austin, you can rest assured: There are no zombies ahead.