Walking into the  ************** Coffee Shop in Loring Park – like I have done for at least the last four years – I wanted to buy a sandwich and a soda. Behind the counter, I saw a barista. The coffee was there. The customers were there. Everything was as it should be.

There was something wrong.

It was the customer being served that made me sick. He was a white male, 30s, tan, short hair, other hair removed from the rest of his visible body, a short t-shirt showing his midriff, short shorts, black high heels and painted toenails. He was a half-dressed transvestite (missing his wig, obviously), in a public place, in a coffee shop.

That’s not normal.

The male barista knew what I was thinking and knew what was about to happen.

When the other barista – a female – asked for my order, I couldn’t hold in my disgust anymore.

“How can you go around dressed like that?” I asked the half-drag queen.

“[I'm sorry], you’ll have to leave [now]“, said the female barista.

“What – and he’s the normal one?” I responded sarcastically.

“You’ll have to leave now”, repeated the female barista.

I left.

I called their corporate headquarters. I left a coherent but angry voice mail with my name and phone number.

I want to know whose standards they follow.

(There was a problem some time ago of homosexual men using the men’s bathroom for sex. I complained to the manager, he apparently didn’t want to get involved. I complained to one of the owners, and he took care of the problem.)

Let’s see what happens.

Update 9/22.

I received a response from the owner. Here’s a partial transcription:

“Everything that I heard from my shift lead – the manager on duty – um, the reason was that you were asked to leave was because of your tone and how you treated the other customer. Uh – the customer was wearing a shirt, he was wearing shorts, he was wearing shoes, that’s all we require. He comes in semi-frequently, he doesn’t hurt anybody, um, and my understanding is that you were talking – negatively (ed. note: about a half-dressed transvestite in a coffee shop in a residential neighborhood) and loudly and very confrontational to him, and we can’t have that, um, that’s why you were asked to leave the store”. (emphasis added)

From the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances:

3.20.  Liberal construction. All general provisions, terms, phrases and expressions contained in this Code shall be liberally construed in order that the true intent and meaning of such provision may be fully carried out.

139.20.  Definitions.
Discriminate  or  discrimination: Includes any act, attempted act, policy or practice, which results in the unequal treatment, separation or segregation of or which otherwise adversely affects any person who is a member of a class protected by this title…

Public accommodations: Includes all services or facilities, other than governmental, of any kind offered or located within the City of Minneapolis which are generally open or offered to the public or which generally solicit public patronage or usage, whether operated for profit or not.

Sexual orientation means having or being perceived as having an emotional, physical, or sexual attachment to another person without regard to the sex of that person or having or being perceived as having an orientation for such attachment, or having or being perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one’s biological maleness or femaleness. … (emphasis added)

139.40.  Acts of discrimination specified. Without limitation, the following are declared to be unfair discriminatory acts:
(i)   Discrimination in public accommodations.  For any person engaged in the provision of public accommodations:
(1)   To fail or refuse to provide to any person access to the use of and benefit from the services, privileges, advantages, accommodations and facilities of such public accommodations because of … sexual orientation …”

This ordinance should be known as the “Transvestite Public Appearance Protection Act”.

The owner of the coffee shop and the franchiser are not exactly off the hook:

227.110.  Offensive occupants. No person shall exercise, carry on, follow, engage in, or work at, any business, trade, calling or occupation which shall be dangerous, hurtful, unwholesome, offensive or unhealthy to the neighborhood… (emphasis added)

Minnesota Statutes also has a say in this.

609.74 PUBLIC NUISANCE.
Whoever by an act or failure to perform a legal duty intentionally does any of the following is guilty of maintaining a public nuisance, which is a misdemeanor:
(1) maintains or permits a condition which unreasonably annoys, injures or endangers the safety, health, morals, comfort, or repose of any considerable number of members of the public; or
(2) interferes with, obstructs, or renders dangerous for passage, any public highway or right-of-way, or waters used by the public; or
(3) is guilty of any other act or omission declared by law to be a public nuisance and for which no sentence is specifically provided.

609.745 PERMITTING PUBLIC NUISANCE.
Whoever having control of real property permits it to be used to maintain a public nuisance or lets the same knowing it will be so used is guilty of a misdemeanor.

The owner has offered to discuss this with me further. I’ll take him up on it.

Patricia Cohen, in the New York Times:

It’s not all that surprising that Yale University Press would be wary of reprinting notoriously controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a forthcoming book. After all, when the 12 caricatures were first published by a Danish newspaper a few years ago and reprinted by other European publications, Muslims all over the world angrily protested, calling the images — which included one in which Muhammad wore a turban in the shape of a bomb — blasphemous. In the Middle East and Africa some rioted, burning and vandalizing embassies; others demanded a boycott of Danish goods; a few nations recalled their ambassadors from Denmark. In the end at least 200 people were killed.

Over a cartoon.

So Yale University and Yale University Press consulted two dozen authorities, including diplomats and experts on Islam and counterterrorism, and the recommendation was unanimous: The book, “The Cartoons That Shook the World,” should not include the 12 Danish drawings that originally appeared in September 2005. What’s more, they suggested that the Yale press also refrain from publishing any other illustrations of the prophet that were to be included, specifically, a drawing for a children’s book; an Ottoman print; and a sketch by the 19th-century artist Gustave Doré of Muhammad being tormented in Hell, an episode from Dante’s “Inferno” that has been depicted by Botticelli, Blake, Rodin and Dalí.

John Donatich, the director of Yale University Press, said by telephone that the decision was difficult, but the recommendation to withdraw the images, including the historical ones of Muhammad, was “overwhelming and unanimous.” The cartoons are freely available on the Internet and can be accurately described in words, Mr. Donatich said, so reprinting them could be interpreted easily as gratuitous.

In Other Words, the dhimmi has learned his lesson.

Reza Aslan, a religion scholar and the author of “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam,” is a fan of the book but decided to withdraw his supportive blurb that was to appear in the book after Yale University Press dropped the pictures. The book is “a definitive account of the entire controversy,” he said, “but to not include the actual cartoons is to me, frankly, idiotic.”

In Mr. Aslan’s view no danger remains. “The controversy has died out now, anyone who wants to see them can see them,” he said of the cartoons, noting that he has written and lectured extensively about the incident and shown the cartoons without any negative reaction. He added that none of the violence occurred in the United States: “There were people who were annoyed, and what kind of publishing house doesn’t publish something that annoys some people?”

“This is an academic book for an academic audience by an academic press,” he continued. “There is no chance of this book having a global audience, let alone causing a global outcry.” He added, “It’s not just academic cowardice, it is just silly and unnecessary.”

It’s cowardice.

I didn’t post the images of the Muslim prophet because to do so was being obnoxious.  The “Turban illustration” is mild in comparison with the blood libels and the vile anti-Semitic and murderous Jew-hatred spewing out of Islam and the Arab world.

I say now: what goes around, comes around. Islam, and their allies – the multiculturalists and leftists – are not immune to criticism.

Now, for your edification, I present:

Lolla Nur, an intern at the Minnesota Council on American Islamic Relations and U of M student, writes a classic for the TC Daily Planet:

Ten minutes before the June 11 civil rights community social was scheduled to begin, a small group of Somali protestors carrying posters silently walked into the room at the Brian Coyle Community Center. The protestors’ unexpected appearance demanded the attention of the 50 community members who were present to discuss Mayor Rybak’s proposed budget cut to the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department.

[...]For a few minutes, all was dead and quiet in the room as people tried to digest who the protestors were and why they were present. “We don’t want CAIR”, “CAIR is a hypocrite”, and “CAIR is not for the Somali community” were some of the slogans carried on signs by the small, mostly female and elderly group of Somalis. Abdirizak Bihi was leading the protestors, and they were protesting against the Minnesota chapter of CAIR – the Council on American Islamic Relations, a non-religious, non-profit, non-political civil liberties and advocacy group.

Got that? Let’s listen to it again:

…the Minnesota chapter of CAIR – the Council on American Islamic Relations, a non-religious, non-profit, non-political civil liberties and advocacy group.

Council on American Islamic Relations. From their Welcome Message (as of 7/19):

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

That’s what I thought.

MN CAIR is nice enough to want to give me a free Qur’an.

Therefore we correct the record by a simple edit:

…the Minnesota chapter of CAIR – the Council on American Islamic Relations, a religious, non-profit, non-political civil liberties and advocacy group.

Hmm. Still not quite right. Non-political…non-political…non-political…I got it! Let’s ask the Executive Director of CAIR, Mr. Niahd Awad!

IOL: CAIR’s headquarter is in Washington, DC and you have regional offices, what about the number of subdivisions?

Awad: We have divisions in almost 19 states. In some states, we have more than one office due to the significant presence of Muslim population there. For example, in California we have more than four offices; in Ohio we have about three offices; Florida and Texas, we have more than one office in each. The states where there is a big Muslim population there are more than one office to fulfill people’s needs.

In 2001, we had only head offices. After 9/11, we added more than 22 offices, which was in response to the demands of American Muslims who believed that they needed an institution like CAIR to defend them. But also, CAIR needed strong presence in the community to show the representation and the presence of our work. The general public needed institutions like CAIR in cities and states where ignorance is prevalent.

We needed to build relationships at the grassroots level, which helped CAIR nationwide. We needed to have some political institutions because we work with local, state, and federal representatives who all have constituencies in towns and cities. American Muslims live there, but they cannot have strong representation unless they have institutions that are able to organize and mobilize people to draw this relationship with the society. So, CAIR’s strength initially comes from the grassroots and its wide presence in the United States. Our hope and aim is to have a strong office in every city and state of the union.

According to their own website, the national office of CAIR is involved in government affairs:

CAIR’s Governmental Affairs Department conducts and organizes lobbying efforts on issues related to Islam and Muslims. The department is active in monitoring legislation and government activities and then, responding on behalf of the American Muslim community. CAIR representatives have testified before Congress and have sponsored a number of activities designed to bring Muslim concerns to Capitol Hill.

Once again, we correct the record by a simple edit:

…the Minnesota chapter of CAIR – the Council on American Islamic Relations, a religious, non-profit, political civil liberties and advocacy group.

Either Miss Nur – the article’s author – is ignorant about the very organization she interns for; or Mary Turck, TCDP’s Editor, didn’t do her job correctly; or is also ignorant about CAIR. There are other possibilities. Let both Miss Nur and Mary Turck correct the record and explain it themselves.

BTW, I had a past discussion with Mary Turck concerning Rabbi Manis Friedman.

I will make the assumption you know your way around Unix, Solaris, a Sparc Ultra 5 or equivalent, and you are competent at using vi or textedit.

Sign in as root.

Verify that ntp is installed:

$ pkginfo | grep -i ntp
system      SUNWntpr       NTP, (Root)
system      SUNWntpu       NTP, (Usr)

Open /etc/inet/ntp.server. That is only a template and you will not require it in its entirety. Using vi or textedit, create /etc/inet/ntp.conf.

# /etc/inet/ntp.conf
#
# Undisciplined local clock
server 127.127.1.0

This entry specifies your machine’s own clock as a source. It is unsynchronized with any other time sources or machines. Next, write the entry for the driftfile:

# driftfile
driftfile /var/ntp/ntp.drift

Enable logging and specify the log files and location:

# logging

statsdir /var/ntp/ntpstats/
filegen peerstats file peerstats type day enable
filegen loopstats file loopstats type day enable
filegen clockstats file clockstats type day enable

Reboot the Sparc. If their are errors in ntp.conf, you’ll see an “xntpd” error message during boot as the services are enabled. If there are no messages, you’re ok.

Verify the ntp is running:

#ps -ef | grep ntp
root   682     1  0 22:32:12 acts1    0:02 /usr/lib/inet/xntpd

Now, using ntptrace to check the time source:

#ntptrace
localhost: stratum 16, offset 0.000000, synch distance 0.000000

Congratulations! You are now successfully running a stratum 16 ntp server at the bottom of the food chain.

I also configured the machine to poll NIST ACTS by modem. This is not required, but is a good idea if *none* of the internet time servers are available (to be added later), either by a network failure remotely (a backhoe hits their T1) or locally (your cat jumps on the ethernet to DSL bridge and it crashes to the floor, disconnecting the power) and you don’t notice the trouble for a few hours.

As the modem polls ACTS, your server will eventually move up through the strata. If you want to volunteer your server for the NTP server pool, it is advisable to run at stratum 2.

Add the following after the local clock entry and uncomment either the server *and* phone entries for Colorado *or* Hawaii but *not* for both locations.:

# Colorado NIST ACTS
#server 127.127.18.1
#phone atdt13034944774
# Hawaii NIST ACTS
#server 127.127.18.1
#phone atdt18083354721

Oh, yeah – you’ll need a modem. Use a Hayes compatible 1200-9600 bps modem. I use either an MT224 or MT932. You can get them off of ebay for a song. You’ll need a serial cable as well, and configure it for asynchronous dial-up service.

If in OpenWindows or CDE, start AdminTool, then Browse—>Serial Ports—>Port a. In the Template drop-down menu, select “Terminal – Hardwired”. Make sure “Service Enable” is checked. Set “Baud Rate” to the your modem’s rate. Select “Apply” then “OK”.

Once the modem is connected and configured, test the connection to modem on serial port a.

# tip /dev/cua/a
connected
atdt <——-type this command and watch for the response on the modem’s status lights.

Type ~. or close Command Tool.

A symbolic link is now required for xntpd to access the modem /dev/cua/a. From the command line:

#ln -s /dev/cua/a /dev/acts1

Note “acts1″ corresponds to the last number in “server 127.127.18.1″. Power cycle the modem, then reboot the Sparc. If all goes well, no xntpd error messages will appear and the modem will dial NIST ACTS and receive time data.

Now let’s see what the time sources are (output redacted):

$ ntpq -c peers localhost
remote                                refid                    st   poll
LOCAL(0)                      LOCAL(0)             3   64
ACTS_MODEM(1)        .ACTS.                   0   1024

You now have an undisciplined local clock at stratum 3 (column “st”) polling itself every 64 seconds (column “poll”) and a server  designated as stratum 1 polled every 1024 seconds.

So far, /etc/inet/ntp.conf looks like:

# /etc/inet/ntp.conf
#
# Undisciplined local clock
server 127.127.1.0

# Colorado NIST ACTS
server 127.127.18.1
phone atdt13034944774

# driftfile
driftfile /var/ntp/ntp.drift

# logging
statsdir /var/ntp/ntpstats/
filegen peerstats file peerstats type day enable
filegen loopstats file loopstats type day enable
filegen clockstats file clockstats type day enable

Adding “prefer” (without quotes) at the end of the NIST ACTS server entry will instruct xntpd to use the modem time as the preferred source. Instead of rebooting the Sparc, stop then start xntpd:

# /etc/init.d/xnptd stop
# /etc/init.d/xnptd start

NOTE: If you’re *not* going to be a stratum 2 time source, this set up is ok. If you *are* going to be a stratum 2 time source, it absolutely stinks.

Next: How to upgrade your server to Stratum 2.

That’s my question.