Following Entry Posted 12/26/2009 08:14:00 AM

Christmas Day Airplane Terror Attempt Linked to Al-Qaeda - Updated

(Detroit, Michigan) On a Northwest Airlines flight from Nigeria today, passenger Abdul Mudallad claimed he was acting on orders from al-Qaeda when he tried to blow up the plane. (Update below: name now reported as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab)

Passengers reportedly snuffed Mudallad's plans and the Airbus 330 landed safely at 11:51 AM EST. The flight plan was Nigeria to Detroit via Amsterdam.


Reportedly, the wannabe terrorist was carrying a mix of powder and liquid which somehow failed to explode when he tried to detonate.

Passenger Syed Jafri, a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said the incident occurred during the plane's descent. Jafri said he was seated three rows behind the passenger and said he saw a glow, and noticed a smoke smell. Then, he said, "a young man behind me jumped on him."

"Next thing you know, there was a lot of panic," he said.

A witness said Mudallad was observed being transported from the airport. He was seen as "young-looking" and handcuffed to a stretcher. Bandages were on his hands. He is currently being treated at an Ann Arbor hospital.

The FBI, Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration and the White House have all become involved with the story. Inquiries are being directed to the FBI.

[Add.] Initial reports indicate that the plane carried 278 passengers.

[Add.] Another report says that Flight 253 was forced to land after 22-year-old Mudallad set off firecrackers on his lap, thereby explaining his injuries. It's also reported that Mudallad is said to be on terror watch lists and somehow was able to board a plane with firecrackers and an explosive. Questions need answering.

* * * * *
[Update 12/26/09]
In a more thorough report, the terrorist is identified as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian engineering student. Sources say Mutallab was a student at the University College London and he picked up his explosive device in Yemen. Reportedly, the device was strapped to his leg.

Witnesses described seeing the suspect using a syringe to inject one substance into another before flames erupted; it raised the prospect that terrorists have discovered a form of explosives that cannot be detected by current airport screening.

The suspect was on an intelligence database but was not on the government’s no-fly list, meaning he was known to authorities but not considered a high risk.

Mutallab received second-degree burns when he attempted to detonate. One passenger said it sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase when he tried.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/25/2009 09:33:00 PM

In other words …

A good comment from Ann Coulter:

"Irritated at the bumps on the road to the Democrats' Thousand-Year Reich, liberals are now claiming that Republican Sen. Tom Coburn requested a prayer for the death of Sen. Bob Byrd during the health-care debate last Saturday night.

Here is what Coburn actually said: "What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can't make the vote tonight. That's what they ought to pray."

After reporting Coburn's remark, The Washington Post's Dana Milbank added: "It was difficult to escape the conclusion that Coburn was referring to the 92-year-old, wheelchair-bound Sen. Robert Byrd, (D-W.V.)."

Contrary to Milbank's claim, I find it extremely easy to get away from that conclusion. In fact, I'm a regular Houdini when it comes to that conclusion. That conclusion couldn't hold me for a second.

There are a million ways a senator could miss a vote, other than by dying. Ask Patrick Kennedy. At 1 a.m. on a Sunday night in the middle of a historic blizzard in the nation's capital, I don't think the first thing that came to anyone's mind was death. More likely it was: "Last call."

Milbank was employing the MSNBC motto, "In Other Words," which provides the formula for 90 percent of the political commentary on that network. The MSNBC host quotes a Republican, then says "in other words," translates the statement into something that would be stupid to say, and spends the next 10 minutes ridiculing the translated version. Which no one said. Except the host.

More HERE

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 06:10:00 PM

Christmas Gifts for Lady Liberty

All together now!

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire/a kerosene heater/microwave something hot,

Cause permission to burn we ain't got,

Holiday carols being sung for the heck of it,

And folks dressed up like native Inuit."

I know. It blows, thanks to this report from the Bay area.

Bah humbug. Revelers will have to huddle around the space heater on Christmas Day, because air quality officials — taking no holiday — have declared another Spare the Air alert.

Light winds and cool dry air are trapping smoke in the valley, so the use of fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits or other wood-burning devices are prohibited on Friday.

Meanwhile, as Pope Benedict XVI gets bowled over and Iraq's Christians get bombed, [more improvised lyrics] ". . . and on the 2009th Christmas Eve, Obama gave to Lady Liberty a full-Nelson and one big-ass pink slip. Doo-dah!"

Merry Christmas!

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 05:17:00 PM

California Woman, 58, Allegedly Does Boy, 14

(La Quinta, California) A 58-year-old local woman, Christine Camer, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy.

According to Sgt. Anthony Baur of the La Quinta Police Department, Camer faces charges of suspicion of lewd acts with a child under 14 and oral copulation with a person under 16.

Police were initially alerted in January and spent the whole year investigating to corroborate allegations.

Camer was booked into custody and later released on $50,000 bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 01:56:00 PM

First Nations Shop in U.S. to Protest Ontario Tax

(Sault Ste. Marie, U.S./Canadian border) The Ontario Provincial government has decided to increase the sales tax under a scheme called harmonization, ostensibly to sneak it in as something pleasant. Therefore, a harmonized sales tax (HST) is being imposed rather than the "bend over tax" or "brace for impact tax," names which were presumably rejected immediately as being too descriptive. In any event, political leaders seem to believe citizens that will be less opposed if they think the tax is harmonious.

Unfortunately, blowing smoke at First Nations people hasn't worked.

Garden River and Batchewana First Nations citizens have generated action plans that will complement the First Nation's demands for the Crown Government to discontinue the neglect and erosion of the living treaty relationship that is being perpetuated through the implementation of the HST. [...]

The current issue is the imposed HST which represents a breach of a legal contract between the owners of this land and the visitors to this land, otherwise referred to as treaty obligations.

The Canadian government has dismissed the reality that one sovereign nation cannot tax another.

Local First Nations councils approved a shopping venture with transportation provided to the United States for Monday, December 21. [...]

Chief Dean Sayers made the following statement on behalf of both councils: "We as a people are sovereign and hence are neither Canada's Indians nor are we the United States' Indians.

Canada has decided to implement an oppressive policy on us namely the HST, and we see this as a further erosion of our historic Nation to Nation legally binding relationship.

We as a people have decided to recommend to our people to spend their money in the United States where we continue to have our original relationship recognized as per our historic treaty relationship.

"We call on the 10,000 plus native people in the Sault Ste. Marie area and the 220,000 First Nations people across the province to join with us in solidarity for this momentous occasion. We call on you to spend your millions of Christmas dollars in the United States."

Consequently, a convoy of Ontario Province First Nation citizens gathered Monday in a convoy of cars, buses and trucks more than a mile-long and traveled south to a Michigan Wal-Mart to do their Christmas shopping. Loaded with purchases, the vehicles in the convoy slowly inched toward the Canadian border crossing later in the day. All traffic was then stopped by Canada Customs agents.

A school bus with Chief Sayers on board arrived at the bridge plaza just in time for him to witness a confrontation between an elder and a Canada Customs official.

The customs agent, Chief Sayers says, was telling her that she had to go inside the plaza with her receipts and that she might have to pay duty on her purchases.

He told her that, if she didn't comply, her vehicle could be seized.

As Sayers recounts the story, the elder told him that asking her to do that was a violation of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. [...]

Chief Sayers then walked into the bridge plaza building at about 3:25 p.m., telling the Batchewana and Garden River citizens already there that they were shutting down the bridge.

They followed him to the bus, where he gathered more citizens.

When people waiting in their cars in the convey saw fellow citizens joining hands and walking out across all four lanes of traffic, they left their vehicles and joined the line.

In all, more than 50 people held hands for almost an hour and a half, illuminated by headlights of vehicles that were lined up all the way over the bridge, almost to the U.S. Customs plaza, the chief was later told. [...]

Sayers says he was told by Canadian border crossing officials that they had been directed by their superiors to inspect whatever vehicles they felt it necessary to inspect and to charge duty on all goods coming into the country where appropriate.

"We are not Canadian citizens," Chief Sayers said. "Nor are we citizens of the United States. We are a sovereign nation and your attempts to tax us or charge us duty are illegal under your own laws."

Ultimately, the Canadian border agents relented and allowed the First Nations' citizens to go on their way without paying duty and without charges being filed against them. First Nations' chiefs plan on more strategies to draw attention to their rights under the Jay Treaty which assures freedom to travel throughout North America without molestation or harassment.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 01:35:00 PM

Florida Teacher Arrested for DUI, Public Urination

(Lee County, Florida) A 35-year-old elementary school teacher, Jennifer Lee De Roberto, was arrested yesterday for allegedly driving drunk and urinating in public. De Roberto was charged with DUI and indecent exposure.

De Roberto's arrest came after she almost hit an officer conducting a traffic stop. Another officer chased her down.

De Roberto, who was not wearing a seatbelt, opened the car window and the smell of alcohol wafted out of the car.

She claimed to have had nothing to drink and said she was the designated driver, even though no one else was in the car. Deputies did find three full bottles and a half-emtpy bottle of Sutter Home wine in the car.

She told the deputy: "I'm a good person. Why are you doing this to me?"

After she failed field sobriety tests in a nearby parking lot, she pulled down her pants, sat down and urinated. A grandmother and her 10-year-old granddaughter were in an adjacent fireworks stand and witnessed the incident.

De Roberto was booked into custody and later released on $1,750 bond.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 08:44:00 AM

California Official Orders Removal of Christmas Angel After Complaint from one Leftist

We read:

"There's no place for angels atop Christmas trees, according to one California man who successfully lobbied for the removal of religious symbols at county buildings after spotting a yuletide decoration last week.

Stars and other religious emblems were ordered removed from Christmas trees in all government buildings in Sonoma County on Monday following a complaint by Irv Sutley, a disabled 65-year-old Marine veteran who said the symbols were "extremely offensive" and part of the "cult" of Christianity. "I just don't believe government has the right to intrude on anyone and force them into sectarian behavior," Sutley told FoxNews.com. "I've opposed Buddhist statues, the star of David — anything of a religious nature."

Sutley said he filed the complaint with acting County Administrator Chris Thomas on Dec. 18 after noticing an angel atop a six-foot tree in the lobby of the county recorder's office. Sutley, a lifelong atheist and chairman of the county's Peace and Freedom Party, said he visited the office last week for his re-election bid next June...

Jim Toomey, a public information officer for Sonoma County, confirmed the removal. "To avoid any controversy and to satisfy this gentleman's concerns, the ornaments were removed," said Toomey, adding that he knew of no prior complaints concerning the holiday display.

Source

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 12/24/2009 06:03:00 AM

Michigan Teacher Guilty of Sex with Boy, 12 - Updated

(Flint, Michigan) This week, 43-year-old Allanah Benton-Wells was convicted by a jury of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for engaging in sex with a 12-year-old boy. The jury began deliberating last Friday and a verdict was announced Tuesday.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Richardson referred to the student as the “12-year-old boyfriend” of Allanah Benton-Wells, 43, at one time during her closing argument, and played a conversation allegedly between the two inadvertently recorded on an answering machine.

The student’s mother heard the recording on Oct. 31, 2007 and brought the accusations to light.

Richardson said the boy was hesitant to tell his mother about the alleged sexual conduct because he was protecting Benton-Wells.

“He did not want her in trouble,” said the Richardson. “He loved her, he cared for her and he thought she was a nice woman.”

Benton-Wells’ lawyer, Steven Freeman of Lansing, said the student was intimidated into saying he had sex with Benton-Wells by his mother.

Reportedly, Benton-Wells faces a minimum of 25 years in prison when sentenced on February 11.

* * * * *
Michigan Teacher Accused of Sex with Boy, 12
[Previous 8/19/08 post]
(Flint, Michigan) A 42-year-old elementary school teacher, Allanah Benton-Wells, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 12-year-old male student of hers.

Formerly at Williams Elementary School, teacher Benton-Wells was arraigned today on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13.

Investigators say they believe Benton-Wells had sex with a sixth-grader who was a student in her class on two separate occasions around Halloween of 2007 when she was supposed to be tutoring him.

The boy's parents initially reported their suspicions to the principal of Williams Elementary School.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/23/2009 11:04:00 PM

California Woman Gets Jail for Sex with Boy - Updated

(Redwood City, California) In August, 32-year-old Nina Herrera was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse stemming from an incident where she lured a 14-year-old boy into her minivan, gave him alcohol and engaged in sex with him. Consequently, she was sentenced yesterday to eight months in prison.

According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, Herrera will begin serving her sentence in February.

Prosecutors say Herrera, who has an 11-year-old daughter, went cruising for teenage boys at a San Bruno movie theater in March 2008 and picked up the victim along with some of his friends. She gave the boys alcohol and cigarettes before finally having sex with the victim in her vehicle.

"If this had been a man the issue would not have been if, but how many years in prison," Wagstaffe said, adding that because society views this type of incident as less serious than ones between men and girls the sentence is accordingly lighter. "The concept of equal punishment for this type of crime doesn't exist in our society at this point."

Wagstaffe said the crime was reported after one of the boy's friends told his probation officer what happened.

So the district attorney admits that equality under the law is a myth with respect to child sex crimes. Wonderful.

* * * * *
California Woman Accused of Sex with Boy
[Previous 4/23/09 post]
(San Mateo County, California) In June 2008, a 31-year-old local mom, Nina Valeska Herrera, was arraigned on charges that she engaged in sex with a 14-year-old boy after plying him with alcohol and cigarettes. Herrera was booked and released on $50,000 bond.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, on March 9, 2008, Herrera “cruised around” in her minivan seeking out teenage boys at the San Bruno movie theater. Herrera, a divorced mother of a 13-year-old girl, reportedly picked up the 14-year-old alleged victim and his friends and offered them alcohol and cigarettes.

The boy’s friend later told his probation officer Herrera and the 14-year-old had sex and authorities contacted her via MySpace. During a chat in which a detective posed as the boy, Herrera allegedly admitted the act.

Herrera has been charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor age 14, providing alcohol to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Herrera is scheduled for trial on August 31.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/23/2009 09:10:00 PM

FBI: Gun Sales Increase, Murders Decrease



Gun control activists have long contended that more guns mean more violent crimes but recent FBI data do not support the assertions. In fact, within the past year there has been an explosion in gun ownership while data indicate a precipitous drop in violent crime. Imagine that.

After several years of crime rates holding relatively steady, the FBI is reporting that violent crimes – including gun crimes – dropped dramatically in the first six months of 2009, with murder down 10 percent across the US as a whole.

Concurrently, the FBI reports that gun sales – especially of assault-style rifles and handguns, two main targets of gun-control groups – are up at least 12 percent nationally since the election of President Obama, a dramatic run on guns prompted in part by so-far-unwarranted fears that Democrats in Congress and the White House will curtail gun rights and carve apart the Second Amendment.

Nevertheless, gun control advocates claim no correlation can be made between a surge in gun ownership and a steep decline in violent crime. Allowance is made, however, for a possible deterrent effect with criminals thinking twice before committing crimes for fear that someone may be packing heat. Think about it. News reports have been littered with stories of ammunition shortages and quotes from gun shop owners claiming the best gun sales year ever.

I suggest that the deterrent effect is substantial.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/23/2009 02:57:00 PM

How the Nazis Stole Christmas

(Cologne, Germany) While scouring flea markets for Christmas items, Rita Breuer found many objects from the Nazi era which prompted her to create an exhibition of "a story not often told."

The Nazis tried to skew the Christmas story to do away with the Jewish baby Jesus and impose their racist ideology and propaganda on the popular festival.

"Celebrating the birth of a Jewish baby was unthinkable for the Nazis," Jürgen Müller, the chief researcher behind the exhibition, told AFP. "But Christmas was too popular to be banned. They therefore decided to corrupt it."

Nazi officials "invented a Germanic origin" for Christmas, renaming it Julfest and claiming that yuletide traditions stemmed from ancient rituals surrounding the winter solstice four days earlier, Müller added.

Baby Jesus was turfed out of the crib and Santa Claus was reincarnated as a
Viking knight. In addition, the regime also created bizarre Nazi Christmas symbols, including swastika-shaped tins for Christmas cakes and Christmas cards emblazoned with a bullet wrapped in fir.

Some traces of Nazi corruption of Christmas continue, having been adopted by present-day neo-Nazis. And, it's hardly surprising since even contemporary anti-Christian groups consistently attempt to take Christianity out of Christmas.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/23/2009 07:36:00 AM

Congressman wants critic jailed

I don't have to tell you which party he represents

"Congressman Alan Grayson, Democrat of Florida, is very angry with Angie Langley, private citizen of Lake County, Florida. Alan Grayson is so angry that he wants Attorney General Eric Holder to put Angie Langley in jail and fined.

Angie Langley's great sin is to put up a web site called MyCongressmanIsNuts.Com, which has raised 3,725 dollars to defeat Congressman Alan Grayson when she is not in fact one of Grayson's constituents. Furthermore, Grayson claims that the site is designed solely to attack him. It is unclear if putting up a website, even under those circumstances, is a federal offense under the part of the US Code that Alan Grayson cites in his complaint.

Alan Grayson did say that the name of the website was "tasteless and juvenile." These are concepts that Alan Grayson is indeed familiar with. My Fox TV station in Orlando recounts how.

Alan Grayson first came to national attention when he asserted, on the floor of the Congress, that the Republican plan for health care reform was for sick people to "die quickly." This was followed by an demand that former Vice President Dick Cheney "STFU", which stands for an obscene suggestion. Alan Grayson also called Linda Robertson, an adviser to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, a "K Street Whore."

There would seem to be a little bit of method in Alan Grayson's madness. The sending of the letter to Eric Holder, even if ignored by the Attorney General, would seem to serve as a means to intimidate Angie Langley. However, if, as it seems, Angie Langley is not intimidated, the letter is almost certain the backfire and provide some free publicity for Angie Langley's website, allowing her to raise even more money for Alan Grayson's defeat next year.

Alan Grayson also seems to have proven Angie Langley's point. The Congressman is nuts.

Source

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 10:48:00 PM

Indiana Teacher Accused of Sex with Minor

(Bluffton, Indiana) A 36-year-old culinary arts teacher at Bluffton-Harrison High School, Tracey A. Pace, has been accused of sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 16.

Pace has been charged with felony sexual misconduct with a minor and dissemination of material harmful to a minor.

The charges allege that between February 1 and March 19, 2007, Pace was involved in deviate sexual conduct with a child between the ages of 14 and 16; between January 1 and January 31, 2007 Pace performed or submitted to fondling or touching with the intent to arouse or satisfy sexual desires of the child or herself; and between January 1 and February 28, 2007, Pace knowingly dispersed matter with pornographic photographs harmful to minors.

Pace was booked into custody at the Wells County Jail with bond set at $30,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 10:02:00 PM

Homeless Gift Guide

For those who live around or among homeless populations and have the urge to hand out Christmas presents, this gift guide is for you. It was put together by Dr. Gurley, an internist.

The detailed guidance provided covers recommended gift items and gift attributes and methods of dissemination of gifts to reduce risk when the gift-giver starts milling with the derelicts. In fact, it's strongly emphasized that a person must not attract attention or risk being a target for an assault.

Don't break stride, and avoid getting into long conversations. Don't make a show of giving gifts around a large area and certainly don't go into areas you don't know. I'd say don't gift alone, or in isolated areas, and don't give gifts to crowds.

Gift should be given in plain bags - no bows, no garish colors, no Tiffany sacks. It's nice, though, to tuck inside a small bow or giftcard ("From Me, To You"). You wouldn't wave money around, and the same applies to your gift. Anytime you might consider handing someone a dollar, hand him/her a gift instead. And do it as discreetly, and with as little fanfare.

I wouldn't recommend anyone attempt to play Santa Claus for the homeless before being schooled in street smarts. Homeless individuals are often transients who exist in the shadows of society where petty thievery frequently escalates to major crimes.

However, if one is struck with the calling to give gifts to homeless people, I suggest detailed planning be performed to minimize risk along with following the guidance of Doc Gurley.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 02:25:00 PM

Akron Teacher Gets Prison

(Akron, Ohio) In February 2009, a 46-year-old math teacher at East High School, Elizabeth A. Douglas, was arrested on a DUI charge, registering 0.226 blood alcohol level. Since it was her fourth DUI in six years, Douglas was sentenced to four months in jail.

In jail, a search of Douglas' cell in August found contraband, a bag of prescription pills. Yesterday, Douglas pleaded guilty to smuggling prescription drugs into the Glenwood Jail. As a consequence, Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter sentenced Douglas to six months in prison, to run concurrently with the four-month term.

Given credit for time served, 153 days, Douglas has but 27 days left behind bars.

Douglas has been on unpaid leave from her teaching position since her initial conviction. Disciplinary action by the state and local school authorities remains to be determined.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 07:58:00 AM

The "Nazi Pope" myth lives on -- among people who should know better

"The founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center voiced dismay and disappointment Monday at weekend Vatican moves to raise controversial wartime pope Pius XII to sainthood. The Vatican sparked anger in Jewish communities worldwide with moves to nudge Pius — whose beatification process was launched in 1967 — closer to sainthood, its ultimate honor.

The Catholic Church argues that Pius saved many Jews who were hidden away in religious institutions, and that his silence during the Holocaust — when millions of Jews were exterminated by Germany’s Nazi regime — was born out of a wish to avoid aggravating their situation. But others believe Pius’s inaction when it mattered to the lives of so many was appallingly wrong.”

Source:

[There is still a lot of hatred for ALL Christians among Jews. More on Pius XII here and here]

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 07:56:00 AM

How political correctness has messed up people's heads

An email from a reader below:

The other morning I was listening to WBBM-AM radio (www.wbbm780.com), in Chicago. The radio station has been playing "Holiday Greetings" from various persons in their management. But one in particular caught my attention.

The manager of whatever came on with "Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings. The management of WBBM wish all our listeners a Feliz Navidad and Propero Ano Nuevo, Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings to all." The (English) word "Christmas" was never mentioned.

Apparently saying Merry Christmas is only unacceptable if you say it in English. Saying it in Spanish is perfectly acceptable.

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 12:24:00 AM

Woman Arrested for Tearing Man's Scrotum

(Winona, Minnesota) A 54-year-old local woman, Sheila Mae Baker, was arrested after grabbing a man by his genitals and yanking hard enough to rip the skin. Baker reportedly faces charges of assault.

According to Deputy Police Chief Tom Williams, Baker denied grabbing the man's genitals. Instead, she said she hit him in self defense.

"I did not grab him by his testicle," Baker said. "I kneed (him)."

Police were called at 10:01 p.m., Friday to a residence in the 850 block of East Fifth Street for a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, officers spoke to a man who was wearing a T-shirt and underwear, Williams said. The man pulled down his underwear and showed them a large tear on his genitals.

The man said Baker and he had been arguing that evening, and he had been trying to stay out of her way, Williams said. He was in the kitchen when she came in, grabbed him by the genitals, pulled and jerked.

The man required stitches to repair the tear.
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       Following Entry Posted 12/22/2009 12:05:00 AM

Leandra's Law

(New York) A new drunk driving law, called Leandra's Law, is now being enforced in the state of New York. It applies to drunk drivers with a child in the vehicle.

The first person arrested in the Capital Region was 52-year-old Dr. Eileen Joyce, an ob/gyn at St. Peter's Hospital. She was caught driving with a child in the car while registering a 0.14 blood alcohol concentration. The legal limit is 0.08.

Leandra's Law, which went into effect on Friday, provides harsher penalties for drunken drivers when there is a child in the vehicle - even for first-time offenders. Instead of misdemeanor, Joyce faces one-and-a-third to four years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000 to $5,000 if convicted.

State police say they made about 30 arrests statewide under the new law over the weekend.

Don't drink and drive.
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