Hutch's Scrounge Lounge

Check out the size of the porker manager, talk about the pot calling the kettle black…

I got my shutchi2 tag at facebook, keeping me pretty consistent with having that handle everywhere. Did anyone else get their vanity names at facebook yet?

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -

Sweden’s Pirate Party, striking a chord with voters who want more free content on the Internet, won a seat in the European Parliament, early results showed on Sunday.

The Pirate Party captured 7.1 percent of votes in Sweden in the Europe-wide ballot, enough to give it a single seat. The party wants to deregulate copyright, abolish the patent system and reduce surveillance on the Internet.

“This is fantastic!” Christian Engstrom, the party’s top candidate, told Reuters. “This shows that there are a lot of people who think that personal integrity is important and that it matters that we deal with the Internet and the new information society in the right way.”

Previously an obscure group of single-issue activists, the party enjoyed a jump in popularity after the conviction in April of four men behind The Pirate Bay, one of the world’s biggest free file-sharing website.

The case cast a spotlight on the issue of internet file-sharing, a technique used to download movies, music and other content. The defendants have called for a retrial.

Despite the similar names, the party and the website are not linked. The party was founded in 2006 and contested a Swedish general election that year, but received less than one percent of the vote.

Engstrom credited the party’s appeal to young voters for its success. “We are very strong among those under 30. They are the ones who understand the new world the best. And they have now signaled they don’t like how the big parties deal with these issues.”

The Pirate Party will take up one of Sweden’s 18 seats in the 785-seat parliament. “We will use all of our strength to defend personal integrity and our civil rights,” Engstrom said.

(Reporting by Veronica Ek, writing by Adam Cox)

via Sweden’s free-Web Pirate Party captures Euro seat by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech.

Great video from Ari Emanuel about helping Michigan out.

Ari Emanuel : Entrepreneurial Diversification from Alan Languirand on Vimeo.

Updated: sketches of the new Unity Studios coming in Allen Park, MI.

Just some pics from my recent trip, more on facebook.

New workers at the Con-way office this morning.

Some pics of the Rockies from about 34000 feet up today.

Downriver is excited about new Unity Studio project in Allen Park, here’s the story from the News Herald:

By Rene Cizio

ALLEN PARK — People from all over the Downriver area are reacting to the announcement of the Unity Studio and Village project and many of them are hopeful — about jobs.

Many of the thousands of expected jobs will go to union workers.

Studio President Jimmy Lifton said his group has involved various unions during the planning stages.

“There are many, many jobs that are going to hit very, very quick,” Lifton said.

That’s good, Downriver residents say, because there are a lot of union members looking for work.

Steve Hicks, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Wyandotte Local 283 president, said his fellow union members are ready to learn about the film industry.

“I think Teamsters are always up to a challenge,” Hicks said. “They can all be trained to do it.

“Anything that helps the Detroit area, Michigan; these jobs are what is going to stimulate the economy again. It’s going to be a big shot for Downriver.”

Even people who aren’t filling out applications are excited about the news.

Jennifer Carbonaro owns Tina’s Place in downtown Allen Park. Said she’s already taken steps to expand her business and offer more to customers.

“I think it will help my business tremendously as well as other businesses in the community,” she said.

Carbonaro said she’s applied for a liquor license and is looking into outdoor seating and other additions for her business.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “We have customers coming in and talking about it and 99 percent of it has been positive.”

Carbonaro’s sister, Josephine Shore, who grew up in Allen Park and now lives in Northville, chimed in while she was visiting the restaurant.

“It’s going to be better than Boblo,” she said.

Mayor Gary Burtka indicated that interest is spreading from around the world. He said the new city Web site was getting hits from places as far away as Belgium.

Burtka said he’s already heard of people from Los Angeles who have been looking for housing in the city.

That’s good news for resident Rich Lindow, a real estate agent with Carol Bollo & Associates.

“I think property values and home values are going to go up,” Lindow said.

“It’s a plus for the whole Downriver area. You can see excitement in the streets with people talking about it.”

Sue Haener of Woodhaven isn’t looking for a job, but there are youngsters in her family who are interested in the arts and digital media.

“I’m excited to the fact that a new industry is being brought into the area,” Haener said. “I have children and nieces that could benefit from this.”

At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, several residents commended the mayor and council on a job well done.

Seventy-year resident Don Eiden said he wasn’t a believer before, but he is now.

Freda Ditto, a longtime community activist, said she is impressed with the hard work she’s seen from the council.

“The research of every possible resource that would enhance and stabilize our city’s economy, that’s what you were doing,” she said. “Today the dedication and the commitment became a reality.”

Brownfield Commission member Gary Dell said the council did a “fine job” for the city.

“Our grandchildren’s grandchildren are going to benefit from this for many, many, many years way beyond all of us,” he said.

This is a working class dog for ya