Here in rural Chico, we don’t have clever advertisements. We laugh at cute little innuendos on our billboards like “Want a quickie countertop replacement?” or “Get back in the kitchen… [bitch]”. Chico business owners typically don’t know what makes for effective advertising and more times than not, we’re told to apply the “logo-enlargement cream” to their ads. Like that’ll help. As my old friend P. Brown used to say, “Be the wiser advertiser!” so here’s some advertising that actually gets your attention:

I’ve never met him, but I imagine Fred Radtke, the “Grey Ghost”, as an ornery old asshole who hates everything from puppies to sunshine. The one thing that brings him joy? Painting over graffiti and illegally posted flyers with ugly grey paint, where ever it may be.
52 year-old Radtke is a former Marine, and founder of the nonprofit Operation Clean Sweep in 1997 to fight graffiti. He has made it his full time job to hunt and kill all graffiti around the New Orleans area and depends on funds from donations and grants including including several $10,000 grants from the city of New Orleans and a $32,000 grant over a four-year period from Freeport-McMoRan. He works as a freelancer for the New Orleans Police Department as is often called upon by them when new graffiti is spotted as they claim to have a lack of manpower and time.

Enter Michael Dingler aka ReX, also a former Marine and a New Orleans native, and founder of NoLa Rising, a campaign that encourages people to paint and post colorful signs of hope throughout New Orleans. Michael Dingler is Radkte’s Worst Enemy. In January, Dingler was cited (with Radkte’s tipoff to the NOPD) for more than 1,100 counts of unlawfully posting signs such as “Smile” and “Welcome Back” on telephone poles that could cost him more than $50,000 in fines.

“When I asked Officer Joia if he was going to file the same charges against Fred [Radtke] under the graffiti statutes, he said he was unaware of what I was talking about,” said Dingler. “Here’s a guy who is destroying city property, who has become what he said he is fighting against. And yet I’m the one facing all these charges? It’s selective enforcement of the law.”
Radtke dismissed Dingler’s accusations, called him a “loser,” a “phony” and the “biggest pain in the ass I ever met.”

He said Dingler’s so-called “messages of hope” are “vertical trash” that promote other forms of vandalism.
“It’s real simple: people either want to abide by the law or not,” Radtke said.

Dingler’s court date was March 18th. He was building his own case by documenting all of Radtke’s work, belittling his charges of 1,100 counts of vandalism. He intended to present his evidence to the police, just as Radtke did and file charges tit for tat. Anyone know what the outcome was? [Update: Read the comment ReX left]

Naturally, people have begun spraying anti-Radtke stencils in the grey areas among other things all over NoLa. The Grey Ghost simply creates a canvas for more graffiti. He is a haunting nuisance that has become part of the culture. Annoying, yes, but he forces writers to up the ante. And these shirts have sprung up.

UPDATE: Read this blog post. Apparently Mr. Radtke lost his temper at a coffee shop and verbally assaulted the lady behind the counter when she told him he couldn’t paint out some graffiti on the shop.  Cops be lookin’ for him in the area. Oooooooo!

Today, Texas Congressman Ron Paul introduced the “Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act”, H.R. 5842. This bill would bar the Federal Government and DEA from intervening in doctor/patient relationships that violate no state law.

As a physician, the Congressman believes that doctors and patients should make health care decisions, not politicians or federal agents. He cites a study by Scientists at the University of California at Davis that says cannabis demonstrates significant relief of neuropathic pain. He also explained the suffering of Mr. Forss, a patient who had spent $18,000 in one year trying to find a medicine that would cure his pain from a ruptured disc in his neck. Can you guess the only thing that worked for him? Hint: it’s green.

“The bottom line is that K.K. Forss should be treated as a free American. Mr. Forss is one of many who would like to use marijuana medicinally because it helps him. Politicians and bureaucrats have no right to interfere”

Pour out some of your 40 ounce for the 16th anniversary of the L.A. Riots and drink up in celebration of the release of Grand Theft Auto 4. Coincidence? I think not.

A tornado in southeast Virginia touched down today, injuring at least 200 civilians in Suffolk. Video of the path of the tornadoes destruction looks horrifying, and the Governor has issued a state of emergency.

 The storm hit the 138-bed Sentara Obici Hospital, though Spieldenner said the facility was still operational and accepting patients.

A second storm, possibly a tornado, struck Colonial Heights — about 60 miles northwest, near Richmond — injuring at least 18 people, Spieldenner said.

Gov. Tim Kaine declared a Virginia-wide state of emergency as hazardous weather continued through the central part of the state.

The twister touched down just before 4 p.m. ET in Suffolk and plowed its way east into Norfolk, damaging scores of homes, stores and cars and downing dozens of trees and power lines, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Jackson.

I’m not a vegetarian, but this is why I don’t really like going to zoos or animal parks…

A 30-year-old dolphin at Sea World has died after colliding with another dolphin while performing aerial tricks, the Orlando, Florida, amusement park said Monday.

The incident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Discovery Cove area of the park, according to a statement by Sea World spokeswoman Becca Bides.

The animals were in the center of the lagoon and not near guests, she said.

The dolphin who died was named Sharky. The other dolphin, Tyler, is being watched by veterinarians but appears to be fine, Bides said.

“This is an unfortunate, random incident,” Bides said in a written statement.

“While it is not unusual to have two animals performing aerial behaviors at the same time, we are reviewing the situation to ensure even such a random incident does not occur again.”

RIP, big fella.