According to a new Quinnipiac Poll, about half of New York voters believe Muslims have a right to build a mosque in the neighborhood near ground zero.
But many of the same people say that because the location is so sensitive, developers should voluntarily move a proposed Islamic community center somewhere else.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that won’t work. “The question will then become, ‘How big should the no-mosque zone be around the World Trade Center site?’ There’s already a mosque four blocks away. Should it be moved?” he says.
‘Solace’ Amid The Commotion
Beyond the controversy, the area just north of the World Trade Center looks a lot like other New York City neighborhoods. There are a Starbucks, some Indian restaurants, a tobacconist and a strip club.

See the full article from “NPR”

Preston & Steve: Taj Mahal Strip Club
Updated: Wednesday, 01 Sep 2010, 8:55 AM EDTPublished : Wednesday, 01 Sep 2010, 8:55 AM EDT
Plans to put a strip club inside the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City is generating plenty of comments from WMMR’s Preston and Steve.
The radio personalities discussed the casino’s plans Wednesday on “Good Day.” The duo pointed out New Jersey has strict laws dictating behavior inside these clubs so customers won’t see too much. Preston explained “they can’t get away with showing too much because New Jersey prohibits them, they have to wear like, cover up all the super naughty parts because they serve alcohol at this establishment.” The club will open in a few months inside of “Scores” which Mike says is a great steak house.

See the full article from “MyFox Philadelphia”

… Heartbroken again by that Alaskan lothario Levi, Bristol Palin will appear on the latest season of Dancing With the Stars, because reality television does not have enough Palin. Watch her win, too. [E! Online] ● Chris Brown is doing a “great job” with his probation, a judge told him. He hasn’t even hit another woman. Four more years, big guy! [Celebuzz] ● Heidi Montag wears a piece on tape on her nose so it doesn’t “fall of like Michael Jackson.” [HuffPo]
● When the Huffington Post speculated about whether John Mayer was back with Jennifer Aniston, based shakily on “cobbled together” banter from his concert, he took to his Tumblr in retort: “You’re a stripper wearing reading glasses.” [one forty plus]
● The businesswoman who set Britney Spears on the straight and narrow (still has hair!) has a new project in the form of the recently released Lindsay Lohan. On to the next one. [Page Six]

See the full article from “BlackBook Magazine”

The play is set in a haberdashery shop run by Akira, who has come from a plantation on Maui with wife Mieko. They want to run a legitimate business, but are using the proceeds from prostitution to get there. Their interactions with employees, clients, and public officials make up the bulk of the play.

COURTESY KAVEH KARDAN
Tyler Tanabe and Tracy Okubo.
The Chinatown fire of Jan. 20, 1900, dislocated 4,000 people, destroyed 38 blocks of downtown Honolulu, and left nothing standing but Kaumakapili Church, the structure that fused the conflagration, and the building that housed the firefighters who lost control of the blaze. Yet it killed no one.
That doesn’t mean the fire did not leave a lot of ghosts behind. A new play, “Ghosts in the Plague Year,” by UH drama professor Dennis Carroll and presented by the Kumu Kahua Theatre, breathes new life into these characters.
“Plague and Fire: Battling Black Death and the 1900 Burning of Honolul …

See the full article from “Honolulu Star-Advertiser”

The Killer Inside Me
Rated MA
Review by David Stratton
Now to THE KILLER INSIDE ME… Lou Ford, CASEY AFFLECK, is deputy sheriff of Central City, West Texas; a self-confident young man still affected by a murky incident in his past, he’s dating Amy, KATE HUDSON, and seems a model citizen. That is until his boss, Tom Bower, orders him to run Joyce, JESSICA ALBA, out of town; a high-class prostitute, Joyce is blackmailing the son of powerful businessman Chester Conway, NED BEATTY; but when Lou meets Joyce, the sparks fly.
Lou has a score to settle with Conway and his son, Elmer, JAY R. FERGUSON, and his latent killer instinct comes to the fore with shattering violence.
Pulp fiction writer Jim Thompson’s book, “THE KILLER INSIDE ME”, was published in 1952 and was filmed by Burt Kennedy in 1975 with Stacy Keach in the leading role; for some reason, that film was barely released. (I caught it in a heavily censored version in the ear …

See the full article from “ABC Online”

BRIDGETON — Police arrested eight people Friday after executing search warrants at two city brothels, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.
The arrests stemmed from a monthlong investigation by the prosecutor’s office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Officers raided one home on Irving Avenue and one home on Vine Street, Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said.
Police also seized more than $2,500, two unregistered guns and two vehicles reportedly used to transport prostitutes to the alleged brothels.
All of the suspects are from Bridgeton.
Those charged with promoting prostitution were:
Rudolfo Villareal-Vazquez, 31.
Tomes Flores-Colin, 25.
Nabor Santos-Coyotl, 35.
Juan Mateo-Mateo, 37.
Fidelio Morales-Sargento, 53.Villareal-Vazquez also was charged with unlawful possession of the handguns.Those arrested on charges of patronizing a prostitute were:
Aurelio Ascencion, 33.
Edilberto Gonzalez-Perez, 21.
Pem Tshewang, 47.Additional charges are pending, the prosecutor’s office said.The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, New Jersey State Police and Bridgeton police participated in executing the search warrants, Webb-McRae said.Buena council hires firm to raze houseBUENA — The borough has hired a Greenfield firm to …

See the full article from “Vineland Daily Journal”

… It’s beyond disgusting,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like it was about money. It didn’t seem like it was about drugs.”
In 2009, five people were shot in the complex, and residents say squatters have occupied vacant units in the back.
In 2005, a man shot into an Arborwood unit because he was upset a resident wouldn’t sell drugs for him. He killed the woman’s nephew, a 14-year-old sleeping on the couch.
Residents said the complex’s troubles escalated in 2004 when the town council designated the area a redevelopment zone. Condominium owners, fearing the complex would be razed, began selling off units cheaply.
At one point, tennis courts were overrun with vegetation, an adjacent crumbling swimming pool was filled with trash, and utility rooms were locked to discourage their use for prostitution and drug deals.

See the full article from “Philadelphia Inquirer”

POLICE BREAK-UP SUPPOSED BROTHEL IN BRIDGETON
BRIDGETON — A month long investigation by local and state law enforcement agencies has broken up two supposed brothels.
A total of 11 people were taken into custody following the search of two properties. One of the houses was located on Vine Street and the other was on Irving Avenue.
Among the charges include promoting prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, and unlawful possession of unregistered handguns, which were found at the Vine Street residence. $2,500 was also seized in the operation.
Police say additional charges may be added upon further review of the case.

See the full article from “WMGM”

Brothel raided in Bridgeton

BRIDGETON— A Friday evening raid of two suspected brothels here yielded 11 arrests, over $2,500 in cash, two vehicles used to transport prostitutes and two unregistered handguns according to the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s office.

A similar raid was conducted in November 2009. Two Bridgeton residences were raided, one on North Pearl and the other on Bank Street. The multi-family homes housed women brought into the area from New York to work as prostitutes.

Arrested for promoting prostitution were:

Promoting prostitution is a third degree offense. It carries a three to five year New Jersey State Prison sentence if the offender has a prior criminal record.
Arrested for patronizing a prostitute were

Patronizing a prostitute is a disorderly person’s offense. The case stays in municipal court, carries a maximum prison sentence of six months and fine of $1,000.

See the full article from “NJ.com”

Philadelphia: Police stated they’ve broken up a Craiglist based prostitution ring near Philadelphia’s airport. Over the past six to eight months, investigators say they have been watching the growth of prostitution in the airport area plus a number of other crimes including robberies, assaults and one homicide – all directly linked to the prostitution ring.
Police were able to track down members of the ring via Craiglist. Officers contacted the group and sent undercover police to the area. Officers entered a hotel in the airport area. Six women and three men were arrested.
The men were apparently driving the women to the location they were to “work” at. After the transaction was complete, they chauffeured them back. The other charges stemmed directly from the prostitute ring and continued to be investigated.

See the full article from “allvoices”