Teacher Sent Perfumed Love Letters to Boy

(Ft. Worth, Texas) A teacher at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Grapevine, Dawn Reiser, 30, was arrested last year and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child for allegedly having an extended-term sexual relationship with her 13-year-old student. Tomorrow, her trial starts in Criminal District Court No. 2 in Fort Worth.

From Star-Telegram.com:

Reiser befriended the boy at the Grapevine school, where she had worked for four years.

According to a search warrant affidavit, Reiser kept in contact with the boy in the spring of 2004 by calling him on the telephone, emailing him and meeting with him without his mother's knowledge.

At some point, Reiser told the boy that she loved him, and they discussed getting married when he turned 18, the search and arrest warrants state.

The boy told Colleyville police that Reiser picked him up June 10, 2004, at his house and drove him to her Euless home, according to the affidavits. Her husband was not there.

The boy told police that Reiser tied his arms to a bedpost with black silk ties and spread warming lotion on him, the search warrant states. For the next three hours, they had sex "nine or 12 times," and Reiser performed a sex act on him, according to the affidavits.

Days after that encounter, the boy went to the Christian summer camp, where he received what appeared to be "love letters," the affidavits state.

The perfumed letters were adorned with hearts and flowers and professed Reiser's love for the boy. The boy contacted camp counselors who alerted the police. During a search, police found the warming lotion and black silk ties in Reiser's home.

If convicted, the 30-year-old Reiser could get life in prison on the assault charge and 20 years on the indecency charge. It's unknown what Mr. Reiser thinks of the situation.


[Update 1900 EDT, 8/03/05]


Dawn Reiser
(Fort Worth, Texas) A jury deliberated about four hours today before convicting Dawn Reiser of aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.

From Star-Telegram.com:

Reiser was convicted on the testimony of the Colleyville boy, who is now 14, and on the strength of love letters that she wrote to him in the summer of 2004.

The boy said he and Reiser repeatedly had sex at her Euless home while her husband was gone.

A few days after they had sex, the boy went to camp, where he heard the testimony of a counselor who said he had been sexually abused by an older woman. The boy confided in the counselor, and the following day, the three letters arrived.

Reiser was arrested a few days later and has been free on $150,000 bail.

Following the verdict, the penalty phase of the trial began.


[Update 1930 EDT, 8/04/05]

Jurors sentenced Dawn Reiser to eight years in prison and recommended ten years probation for her convictions of aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. No mention was made about her registering as a sex offender nor the status of her teaching credentials.


[Update 0630 EDT, 8/05/05]

According to this report, Reiser will be required to register as a sex offender and may never teach again.


[Update 08/12/06]

The boy's family settles lawsuit with Roman Catholic Diocese.

Woman Accused of Rape, Sodomy of Preteens

(Corbin, Kentucky) An 18-year-old Corbin woman, Ashley Hubbard, was arrested this past week and charged with three counts of rape and five counts of sodomy stemming from incidents involving two 12-year-old boys. Allegedly, the two victims were raped or sodomized on different occasions since February. According to Corbin Police Capt. Tim Helton, the arrest of Hubbard was prompted after one of the victim's parents notified authorities. The investigation continues.

Woman Rapes Best Friend's Son?!

(Red Bluff, CA) According to Red Bluff Police Lt. Scott Capilla, the 13-year-old boy said no but the 32-year-old woman fondled him anyway. As a result, Marci Marie Calarruda (aka Boughton) was arrested on suspicion of drugging and raping her best friend's son. Police say Calarruda used marijuana to weaken the boy's resistance and then had sex with him on multiple occasions. The mother's involvement is being investigated.

Calarruda is accused of lewd acts with a child under 14, rape with the use of intoxicants, providing a minor with marijuana, annoying or molesting a minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She is in the Tehama County Jail in lieu of $136,500 bail.

Another Teacher, Another Boy

(Passaic, NJ) Last October, Lincoln Middle School math teacher Maria Saco, 28, was arrested and charged with sexual assault, abruptly ending a year-long relationship with a 14-year-old student. Prosecutors stated that Saco confessed to having sex with the teenager.

This past Thursday, Saco pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and Superior Court Judge Marilyn C. Clark sentenced her to a year in the Passaic County Jail. Additionally, Saco will have to register as a sex offender for life and is barred from serving in any public capacity.

Teacher and Boys

(Colonie, NY) Police caught English teacher, Sandra "Beth" Geisel, 42, in the back seat of a car steaming up the windows with one of her students. At 17, the student was able to consent to sex with an adult according to New York law, so no crime was committed. Nevertheless, Geisel's employer deemed the behavior inappropriate and she was fired from her teaching position at Christian Brothers Academy.

Subsequently, another student, who is 16 and cannot legally consent, went to the police with his father to report that he, too, had sex with Geisel, on two separate occasions. As a result, Geisel is scheduled to surrender to the police tomorrow to face felony rape charges.

Interestingly, Geisel has three sons and a daughter and is estranged from her husband, Thomas, the Regional President of KeyBank. So, the humiliation and embarrassment will be spread among a number of people.


[Update 8/01/05, 1430 EDT]

Beth Geisel goes to the police station.


Beth Geisel being greeted at the Colonie Police Department
(Photo - Gene Kendrick/WNYT)
Geisel was arraigned on two counts of third-degree rape and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. No word on bail, but it's probably safe to assume that she'll be out quickly.


[Update 8/02/05, 1700 EDT]

Earlier today, Sandra Beth Geisel was released from custody after posting $20,000 bail. She is charged with two felony counts of rape, however, Albany County District Attorney David Soares stated that the investigation of Geisel's sexual contact with students is widening.

"At this point it's really premature to state with certainty exactly what charges will end up being presented to the grand jury. We are conducting our investigation. We're speaking to all of the parties, all of the names that we're getting information on. We are contacting them to speak with them," Soares said.

Allegations revealed thus far include:

- Geisel had sex on her home office floor,
- She had sex with more than one student at a time,
- She had sex bent over a table in the press box of the football stadium,
- She discussed having sex with a student while he had her on speakerphone, and
- Police have a statement from a witness.

Based upon appearances, it seems that Geisel did not suffer from a moment of weakness nor a one-time lapse in judgment. In fact, given enough time, she likely would have had inappropriate contact with the entire student body.


[Update 8/03/05, 1800 EDT]


Beth Geisel Mug Shot
According to this report, Geisel was recently hospitalized for alcohol dependency and has a record of being arrested for driving while intoxicated. Last December, she blew a 0.18 blood alcohol concentration, more than twice the legal limit. Additionally, she "may have plied teenage boys with liquor on a school trip."

Albany District Attorney David Soares continues to explore the possibility of additional charges.


[Update 8/03/05, 1830 EDT]

Dave Lucas at Capitol Region People has been following the Beth Geisel story closely and relates that one Christian Brothers Academy student has cellphone pictures of Geisel in compromising positions. There is a rumor that he has already been offered six figures for the images.


[Update 8/19/05, 1400 EDT]

Geisel gets DWI.

The Gina Purvis Case

(Spring Valley, Illinois) This is a follow up to a previous post which outlined the back and forth convolutions of the Gina M. Purvis sexual assault case. As you may recall, Purvis is a teacher who is accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old male student. Last I left you, her trial was to start on June 27. Well, forget that. Legal maneuverings have pushed the trial back. The new date is August 29.

In my opinion, this case has gone through more perturbations than an episode of Law & Order. However, at the same time, following it is like reading the script of a soap opera. Stay tuned.

Women Having Sex With Boys

Rene Biggel

(Los Angeles, CA) Bell Gardens High School music teacher, Renee Biggel, was arrested Thursday morning and charged with participating in sex acts with a child under the age of 18 and molestation of a child under the age of 18. Police were tipped by a caller who had suspicions that Biggel was having improper relations with a student.

Bail was set at $125,000. Biggel's case is brand new, so information is sketchy.

Diane West

(Bayonne, NJ) Following up on a previous post, former Bayonne High School guidance counselor Diane West, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated criminal sexual contact, a 3rd degree felony. West admitted in court to having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old male student she was counseling. The victim was a friend of West's son and he moved into her home in 2000. During his stay at the West residence, she had sex with the boy.

The offense could carry a sentence of up to five years in prison but, in return for her plea, Prosecutor Debra Simon will recommend probation to Superior Court Judge Camille Kenny. A sentencing date of October 21 has been set. Until then, West remains free on bail.

This case is not typical due the age difference between West, 50, and the boy, 15. More often the female teacher is much younger. That said, the scenario that led up to her having sex with the boy seems weird. First, West is his guidance counselor. Second, he moves into her home while still being counseled, effectively as a companion to her son of the same age. It's almost as if she had two sons, one real and one pseudo. And then, third, West has sex with him. We need a psychologist to figure this case out because the circumstances seem to indicate something more than a simple lapse in judgment on the part of Diane West.

This blog has documented many women with boys sex cases over the past year and I suspect that many are never reported. Collectively, they represent a disturbing trend that runs counter to the myth that older women having sex with boys is victimless. Anyone who follows through on the cases will likely agree that many lives are inextricably altered and some are ruined. Irreparable harm is being inflicted on marriages, families, and communities.

It's time to dispel the myth.


[Update 8/2/02]

Diane West may lose some or all of her pension. The New Jersey Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund will make a recommendation.


[Update 10/10/06]

Bayonne School System being sued for not protecting students from West.

Mexico City to Fresno - Nonstop

(Fresno, California) Boarding soon, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, will be nonstop Mexicana Airline flights, five times a week, connecting Fresno to and from both Mexico City and Guadalajara. However, some minor details still need to be worked out concerning safeguards against agricultural pests.

From ABC30.com:

Those safeguards include warning signs in both English and Spanish on the Mexico side and what are called amnesty bins - there will be containers in which passengers can turn in food products, such as food or meat, before the (sic) get on board the plane to come to the U.S.

So, before leaving Mexico, passengers will see warning signs in two languages identifying "Amnesty Bins" for food and meat. This action addresses concerns about protecting crops. This makes absolutely no sense to me. I don't know what 'amnesty' has to do with food, meat, or crops.

Service commences in April 2006.

Michael Jackson's Latest Album Flops

According to The Scotsman, Michael Jackson's sixth greatest hits album, The Essential Michael Jackson, sold only 8,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. It wormed unnoticed to a humiliating No.128 on the charts.

Interesting. Now that the entire world knows his pedophilic proclivities, it seems that few want his essentials.

British Terror Sweep

These are my notes on today's sweep for the suspects in the July 21 failed terror bombings. All four prime suspects are believed to now be in custody. Of note is that police believe there may be a fifth bomber because a fifth device was found in a rucksack dumped on open ground at Little Wormwood Scrubs.

Here's a brief status of the investigation:

- SWAT teams in dramatic raids at several W. London locations with no reports of shots fired

- Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, arrested today in London for attempting to blow up the Number 26 bus in Shoreditch

- Ramsi Mohammed (possible alias) arrested today in London for attempting to bomb Tube near Oval

- Hussain Osman (aka Osman Hussain), 27, Somali-born naturalized Brit, was arrested today in Rome for attempting to bomb Tube at Shepherd's Bush

- Yasin Hassan Omar, 24, arrested in Birmingham last week for attempting to bomb Tube near Warren St.

- Two unnamed women were pinned to the ground and arrested today at Liverpool Street Station in London. Both were described as dark-skinned, 20-ish, Muslims with full headscarves. One woman ran when police asked to see inside the bag she carried.

- Total terror suspects currently in custody at 20.

Sources:
Sky News
BBC
Guardian

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Offer To Marry Chelsea Clinton

Recently, I'd heard that a member of an African royal family had asked for Chelsea Clinton's hand in marriage but I didn't know there was an actual offer to buy her.


Chelsea Clinton & Friend

First offer: 40 goats and 20 cows.

My offer: No thanks.

I can't even think about it. The idea of having Hillary Clinton as a mother-in-law is mind-blowing. Nonetheless, Chelsea looks like she's drinking responsibly.

Bedouins Smuggling Explosives

With the entire Arab world continuously criss-crossed by nomadic tribes, this story shouldn't be surprising. The Sinai Peninsula, in particular, has been populated by Bedouin tribes for many centuries and are known to be close knit and affiliated with terrorists.

From the Arab News:

Al ARISH, Egypt, 29 July 2005 - Egyptian authorities said yesterday they have arrested some Bedouins suspected in smuggling explosives used in carrying out the series of blasts that rocked the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh that claimed the lives of 88 people.

"We are quite sure that they helped the bombers by smuggling the explosives through the mountains of Taba and this is progress in our investigations and will lead us to the main perpetrators," a security source told Arab News.

In addition, authorities are trying to negotiate with the Bedouin chieftains to turn over Muhammed Ahmed Fulayfel, believed to be the mastermind behind the Sharm El-Sheikh attack. According to Egyptian Attorney General Maher Abdel Wahed, Fulayfel will be tried in absentia for his part in the deadly Sinai blasts. And, it appears that all the explosives were transported over desert and mountains by Bedouins.

New Russian Submarine Base

(Moscow) According to Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, a new modernized submarine base for the Russian Pacific Fleet is under construction at Viliuchinsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Also under construction is a class of new-generation nuclear submarines designed to deploy with new-generation missiles.

From Xinhuanet.com:

The government will invest heavily for the completion the infrastructure of the base and it will be built into one of the most modernized in one and a half year.

Ivanov also revealed that Russia's new-generation strategic nuclear submarine Iuri Dolgorygiy, which is still under construction, will be launched in 2006. The submarine will be equipped with the new-generation "Bulava" missile which can carry 10 nuclear warheads.

Another missile nuclear submarine Alexander Nevsky will be launched in 2007. After that, Russia will continue to construct other nuclear submarines, said the defense minister.

It appears that this information contradicts conventional opinion about the capabilities of the Russian submarine forces, if not their entire navy. I regularly see news and documentary programs referring to the rusting remnants of the Russian Navy. This applies to the submarine bases on the Barents Sea and Kamchatka and also the major naval facility in the Black Sea. I'm told that vessels are idle and poorly maintained, if at all.

On the other hand, the Bulava, or SS-NX-30, missile has been in the news. The SS-NX-30 is the submarine version of the SS-NX-27, considered to be the pinnacle of ballistic missile technology. Both are intercontinental, solid propellant weapons exclusively Russian in design, developed after the fall of the Soviet Union.

From MissileThreat.com:

The SS-27 can currently strike any target within the continental United States and the placement of SS-NX-30 missiles would enable worldwide deployment. The placement of such advanced missiles on modern submarines would make it nearly impossible to successfully prevent a missile launch, while current ABM technology is insufficient to prevent its successful impact. As a solid propellant design, it can be maintained on alert for prolonged periods of time and can launch within minutes of being given the order. Its confirmed single 550 kT warhead is sufficient for the depopulation of cities, which combined with its survivability, makes it an ideal retaliatory weapon.

Sounds like the arms race of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

CHENEY for President

Veteran White House media ideologue Helen Thomas said:

"The day I say Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself."

Interested-Participant encourages Vice President Dick Cheney to announce his candidacy for president. Also, encouraged is for Helen Thomas to check the battery in her 'I've fallen and I can't get up!' device.

Accused Deserter Kevin Benderman

Sgt. Kevin Benderman refused to deploy with his outfit in the 3rd Infantry Division when it returned to Iraq last January. His court martial starts today in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Benderman seeks conscientious objector status. The U.S. Army prosecutors seek to have him spend a stretch in the stockade.

[Update 1745 EDT]

From Savannahnow.com:

An Army judge found Sgt. Kevin Benderman guilty of "missing movement" for not being on the plane when the 3rd Infantry Division deployed to Iraq in January.

The same judge cleared Benderman of a more serious desertion charge.

Benderman was sentenced to 15 months in prison, reduced in rank to private, and will receive a dishonorable discharge.

His wife, Monica, responded angrily to the verdict. "No one's justice was served today. Kevin did nothing wrong," she said. "They don't have control; he's in control. He made the choice."

In my opinion, he had a sob story that nobody bought and his wife was probably a large factor in his 'realization' that he is conscientious in objecting. Don't ask me to explain Monica Benderman's totally nonsensical outburst in court.

Simply put, if you don't follow orders in the military, you get hammered. The dishonorable discharge automatically disqualifies Benderman from many future opportunities.

Husband Throws New Bride Off Cliff?

(Los Angeles) Fishermen found the body of Julia Cuevas Rosas, 24, of Norwalk, at the bottom of a cliff. Police have arrested her husband of two weeks, Brandon Manai, 23, of Torrance. He is scheduled to be arraigned today.

My take is that some sort of time warp caused by UFOs or the psychic ether must be a contributing factor. Usually, it takes a few years of marriage before a man wants to throw his wife off a cliff.

'Stone Child' Born

(Jakarta, Indonesia) Time and again, I've heard mothers go on and on about their pregnancies, but none of their stories could match the following.

From the Indo-Asian News Service:

Indonesian doctors removed a 27-year-old calcified foetus from the abdomen of a 54-year-old woman in East Java, reports said Wednesday.

The 1.6-kilogram foetus or lithopaedion, meaning stone child in Latin, was reportedly removed from Taminah at Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya.

"This is an extremely rare case," Poejo Hartono, the gynaecologist involved in the surgery, was quoted as saying.

[ ... ]

Taminah, hailing from Bojonegoro district, 620 km east of Jakarta, knew the baby died in 1978 but did not have money for the surgery.

Holy moly! One would imagine she had some sort of severe aches and pains during the 27 years. Also, it would seem a relative or friend would have mentioned, "Taminah, I think you're overdue."

Muslims Get Nasty When Others Eat Pork

(Genting Highlands, Malaysia) It seems the followers of Islam can easily show contempt for people who eat pork.

The Muslims on staff at the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands showed their disrespect for 600 Chinese tourists by imprinting their meal tickets with images of pig's heads. Scuffles even broke out between the Muslims and the pork-loving Chinese visitors.

The hotel denied any racism was involved and apologized. Nonetheless, it appears that believers in the religion of peace become less peaceful when they smell pork cooking. And, it also seems the Muslims get nasty even when neither the U.S. nor Iraq nor Britain is involved.

Al Qaeda Kills Algerian Envoys

How does anyone argue that Muslims or Arabs are unified given the knowledge that they primarily kill each other everyday?

From Bloomberg.com:

Two Algerian diplomats taken captive in Iraq last week were killed, their government and the United Nations confirmed today.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters in New York that the envoys had been slain and he called their deaths "senseless and brutal." Annan said such "barbaric" violence should spur governments to reach a comprehensive agreement aimed at combating terrorism. Algeria's ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Baali, also confirmed the murders.

A statement posted on a Web site by al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by the Jordanian fugitive Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said the diplomats were killed because of the repression of Muslims in their country, according to the Associated Press. Balarousi Ali, Algeria's charge d'affaires, or chief of mission, and Azzedine Ben Kadi, were dragged from their car July 21 by gunmen in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital.

So, quite predictably, Zarqawi selects from his shopping cart an appropriate reason for killing the envoys. This time, the murders are blamed on the repression of Muslims in Algeria. Forgive me, but to the best of my knowledge, I don't think the U.S. has been repressing Muslims in Algeria. The only logic that makes sense, across the board, for terror is that it is what maniacal, murderous thugs do. No less than criminals commit crimes, murderous thugs commit murder.

Brits Ban Hunks in Beer Ads

Somebody, please actuate the nanny-state overload alarm. Alcohol ads may no longer feature sexy guys because it makes a connection between drinking and seduction. It's considered to be the cause of binge drinking.

From Timesonline:

Drinks companies have been ordered to hire paunchy, balding men for advertisements to meet new rules forbidding any link between women's drinking and sex. Watchdogs have issued a list of undesirable male characteristics that advertisers must abide by in order to comply with tougher rules designed to separate alcohol from sexual success.

Did you catch that last phrase? "Separate alcohol from sexual success" Come on! Who's kidding whom? Haven't these folks ever been to a honky-tonk? A cocktail has always been known to be a drink representing the combining of cock and tail. That's sexual success!

But there's more. The British Committee of Advertising Practice ruled:

"We would advise that the man in the picture should be unattractive -- overweight, middle-aged, balding etc."

I'm not sure what the 'etc' means, but it sure seems that the Brits are edging towards a prohibition on advertising alcoholic drinks.

Gov. Pataki Moves On

(Albany, NY) At a noon news conference at the state capital, Gov. George Pataki announced he will not seek a fourth term as governor of New York. He didn't mention what he plans on doing, just that it's the "right thing to do." I expect Pataki's announcement will prompt some vigorous political prognostication.

Did Air America Receive Tainted Funds?

Both Michelle Malkin and The Radio Equalizer are reporting the developing story out of New York where Air America looks to have received public funds designated for a Bronx-based boys and girls club. With liberal Air America possibly in the cross hairs of an embarrassing scandal, it's understandable that the MSM would ignore the story, which seems to be the case.

And, you won't hear Al Franken and the Air America gang talking about anything but Karl Rove. One might believe that they "doth protest too much."

British Medical Report Card

The perceived success of socialized health care systems will not be helped by this latest news.

From Sky News:

The official report card for the nation's health services has been released - showing an increase in the number of poor performing hospitals from 39 to 47.

And for the first time in four years there has been a drop in the number of trusts awarded three stars for the best standard of care.

Sounds like there are still some potholes on the road to utopia.

Canada-U.S. Drug Tunnel

According to the Justice Department, last week's discovery of a drug tunnel between Washington and Canada is a first. Let's hope it's the last. It has to be troubling that the structure appears quite sophisticated.

From CTV.ca:

The sophisticated 110-metre tunnel runs from a depth of one to three metres and is reinforced with iron rebar and 2x6 wood supports.


Canada-U.S. Drug Tunnel
The U.S. Justice Department said 42 kilograms of pot were transported through the tunnel and then loaded into a van.

The van drove to the Bellis Fair Maill in Bellingham, Wash., where the marijuana was loaded into another vehicle. That second vehicle was stopped by the Washington State Patrol and the pot was seized.

[ ... ]

In a news conference, U.S. authorities revealed that the tunnel begins under a Quonset hut in Langley, B.C, and ends beneath the living room of a house in Lynden, Wash.

The building on the Canadian side is located near 264th Street and Zero Avenue in Langley, south and east of Vancouver.

Apparently, the DEA, the RCMP, and Homeland Security agents have been watching construction for about eight months. It's also been reported that investigators had a machine that can "see" underground, a robotic video-camera, a drug-sniffing dog, and an air horn to find the tunnel.

Three men, Francis Devandra Raj, 30, Timothy Woo, 34, Jonathan Valenzuela, 27, all from B.C. were arrested in Washington.

Woman Gets 33 months for Sex with Teen

(Austin, Minnesota) A 33-year-old former head of a children's theater, Carrie Parker, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for engaging in sex with a boy under 16. Parker admitted having sex with the boy while pleading guilty to four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Interestingly, Parker seemed contrite in stating that she made "a really big mistake." Unswayed, Mower County District Judge Donald Rysavy countered by stating, "The problem is not that you made an error in judgment, it is that you made an error in judgment that lasted a year and a half."

Man Gets 25 Years for Computer Filled with Child Porn

(Harlingen, Texas) A 37-year-old man, Eugene Atwood, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison after he pawned his laptop computer containing child pornography and the pawn shop notified police.

From Team4News.com:

Police and federal investigators found evidence Atwood had traveled to three states to sexually assault and record at least three children. They also found that Atwood contacted more than 200 other children over the Internet and recorded them with a web camera.

Atwood pleaded guilty March 31 to one count of producing child pornography and one count of receiving it.

So, in addition to being a pervert, Atwood is an idiot. He, apparently unknowingly, sold his computer without changing a hard drive that was chock full of child porn.

Splendid.

Public Interest Group Seeks to Delete English Requirement for HS

(Phoenix, Arizona) A public interest lawyer wants to allow high school students to graduate without learning English. Starting in 2006, Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test must be passed prior to receiving a diploma.

From The Arizona Republic:

AIMS should not be a graduation requirement for immigrant children until the state complies with a federal court order to improve funding for English-learner instruction, said Tim Hogan, who heads the Center for Law in the Public Interest. Until lawmakers and Gov. Janet Napolitano can end a two-month-long stalemate over a new funding plan for English-learner programs, Hogan wants the judge to suspend the AIMS requirement for thousands of children. Starting with the Class of 2006, high school seniors must pass the reading, writing and math test to earn a diploma.

This appears to largely be a political ploy to ratchet more funds into English-learner programs, yet some believe that there is no evidence to support the contention that the programs are underfunded. In my opinion, it's insulting to suggest that incompetency in a particular subject makes a certain group of people more equal than all the other students.

'Cool Mom' Pleads Guilty

(Denver, CO) As previously reported, 40-year-old Sylvia Ann Johnson was charged with sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for hosting weekly sex-drug parties for teenage boys. In accordance with a plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor sex-assault counts and nine felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.



'Cool Mom' Sylvia Ann Johnson
No sentencing date has been disclosed, but Johnson could spend 58 years in prison if the book is thrown at her. Two felony drug charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

To summarize, Johnson committed the crimes because she wasn't a cool kid in high school and, as a result, it seems she'll be spending a nice stretch in the cooler. How ironic.

[Update 1820 EDT] According to this report, Johnson will be sentenced on September 26. Also,

Each sexual assault count carries up to two years in jail and a fine of $5,000, and each contributing count carries up to six years in prison and a $500,000 fine, according to Pam Russell, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.

I'd guess the court will give her no more than six years in prison and require she register as a sex offender for life.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Gwen Ann Cardozo Agrees to Plea Deal

(Colorado Springs, CO) Former Wasson High School English teacher, Gwen Ann Cardozo, 33, pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. The agreement consists of four years probation and registration as a sex offender. See previous post and pic here.

The punishment appears to be lenient.

Sharm El-Sheik Bombings

As more information is reported, the situation just gets worse.

From the AP:

The attacks appeared well coordinated. Two car bombs, possibly by suicide attackers, went off simultaneously at 1:15 a.m. just more than 2 miles apart. A third bomb, believed hidden in a sack, detonated around the same time near a beachside walkway where tourists often stroll at night.

A total of 83 people were confirmed dead, said Dr. Saeed Abdel Fattah, manager of the Sharm el-Sheik International Hospital where the victims were taken. Among the dead were two Britons, two Germans and an Italian, he added, and Czech officials said one Czech tourist was also killed. Rescue workers were still searching for victims at some attack scenes.

Several hours after the attacks, a group claiming ties to al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the explosion on an Islamic web site. The group, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, al-Qaida, in Syria and Egypt, was one of two extremist groups that also claimed responsibility for October bombings at the Egyptian resorts of Taba and Ras Shitan that killed 34. The group also claimed responsbility for a Cairo bombing in late April.

Currently, 83 are known dead and 119 are wounded. Others following the story include: ITB, LGF.

Egyptian Resort Bombed

It's breaking news and I've gotten some indications that it's worse than described as follows.

From The Courier-Mail:

THIRTY people died and about 100 more were wounded when four car bombs rocked the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and hotels at nearby Naama Bay today.

A police source said four car bombs appeared to have exploded - one near the Sharm el-Sheikh bazaar, and three in Naama Bay, at a tourist bazaar, the Ghazala Hotel and the Moevenpick Hotel.

Sources said the explosions had killed up to 30 people and wounded about 100 others.

I've heard that 36 people have died. Information is sketchy right now. It happened about 1:15 am local time. Current reports say seven bombs were detonated.

[Update 2210 EDT]


From Aljazeera.com:

A series of explosions hit the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh early Saturday, killing at least 49 people and wounding 150 others, witnesses and police said.

Police officials in Sharm el-Sheik said there may have been as many as seven blasts; three in Naama Bay, which is packed with hotels, and four in the nearby Old Market area.

"Many of the injuries are very serious and they are in critical condition," said one doctor at Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital.

Eyewitnesses say that the blasts shook windows miles away.

Canadians Out to Kill Scumbags in Afghanistan

From ABC News Online:

Canadian ground troops have not been in a fighting war since Korea, and it is thought that Canadians are generally uncomfortable when it comes to military matters.

So when General Rick Hillier started talking about Canadian soldiers going to Afghanistan to hunt down and kill murderers and scumbags, it made many Canadians uneasy.

Some said it made Canada a bigger target for terrorists.

Damn! In Canada, mentioning anything about being strong and forceful gets criticized.

A Muslim Viewpoint

I received a comment on my previous post on the London terror incident. My readers can make of it what they wish. The person's name is Muhammad Alwi. Unedited, here's his comment.

I'm a Muslim and Islam always teaches how to be obedient to God and to respect all people irrespective of their beliefs. However even a nice mongrel if it is provoked and pushed against a wall will bite back. The madrassah in Pakistan teaches young kids to learn the religion and many as young as 12 years old can recite the whole Koran by heart. 9/11 is a result of American greediness plundering Arab's resources and supporting the most cruel regime in the world. Afghanistan and Iraq are just rubbing salt to the wound. As long as the majority still stupid enough to listen to all the lies - 'hate our freedom', WMD, Muslim terrorists, and other rhetorics-you will suffer from the fear of similar incidents. You have lost some of your freedoms. Some businesses have been affected. Mideast tourists are now coming to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The business is booming - thanks to bush/blair/sharon. Those affected directly/indirectly in the UK, you know who to sue.

If anyone desires to email Muhammad, here's his address: amekasmy - at - yahoo.com.

I'm Still Shaking My Head

If someone sneaks into your house, he/she has rights that can be violated.

From The Arizona Republic:

A federal immigration judge on Thursday tossed out deportation cases against four Phoenix students who are in the United States illegally, saying they were targeted by immigration officials at the Canadian border because they are Hispanic.

U.S. Immigration Judge John Richardson said the government violated the students' constitutional rights against illegal search and seizure and that officials unlawfully obtained evidence against the four.

This is so bizarre. I don't even know what's an appropriate response. Am I to understand that immigration officials cannot target illegal aliens? I thought that was their job. My head hurts.

I'm Shaking My Head

Forget about the story. Just read this sentence out of PJStar.com:

The same day the swimming pool in Bowen reported a break-in to the office area, with candy and soda missing.

Somebody was paid to write that sentence. Sheesh!

Drunk Pilots Going to Prison

(Miami, Florida) This story sends a strong and needed message.

From the Miami Herald:

The captain of an America West flight who was pulled from the cockpit and arrested after an all-night drinking binge in Coconut Grove must serve five years in prison ...

The copilot got two and a half years.

Circuit Judge David Young said Capt. Thomas Cloyd and First Officer Christopher Hughes acted "outrageously" when they took control of America West Flight 566 carrying 117 passengers on the morning of July 1, 2002. Less than six hours earlier, they walked out of Mr. Moe's bar with "to-go" cups of beer -- the last items on a $122 bar tab.

"What were you thinking of?" Young said. "It's inconceivable to me that two individuals who had careers in the airline industry could act so irresponsibly."

Sometimes you can't trust the people you entrust.

Looking For Beaver

From the Dayton Daily News:

City officials want the 250-pound, 6 1/2-foot, American flag-toting beaver back. They are offering a $500 reward for information leading to its recovery.

City Manager Timothy Hansley said of the stolen beaver, "We will prosecute to the full extent of the law."

Hansley said tracking devices will be put in at least some of the remaining beavers, which includes Vincent Van Beaver, To Be or Not to Be Beaver, Golfing Beaver, Beaver Beaver, Disco Beaver and Pop Goes the Beaver.

The beaver, named Builder Beaver, was one of a display of beavers erected in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Beavercreek, Ohio.

My only thoughts are that $500 is a pricey beaver and probably worthy of a tracking device.

Oozing Rucksacks

From the Courier-Mail:

OOZING rucksacks, harmless puffs of smoke and the failure of the latest apparent attempted bombings in London suggest a link between this week's attacks and the July 7 atrocities, experts said today.

The four bombs that apparently failed to explode on Underground subway trains and a double-decker bus yesterday bore similarities to the type of Al-Qaeda-style devices used in the suicide attacks earlier this month, which killed 56 people, explosives specialists said.

Witnesses spoke of seeing a lard-like substance oozing from one of the would-be bombers' backpacks after it failed to go off, suggesting the presence of an explosive mixture such as acetone peroxide which was used on July 7, the experts said.

That substance - made from household items such as sulphuric acid, hydrogen peroxide and acetone - deteriorates over time and becomes harmless if it passes its use-by date.

"If the bombers from July 7 and yesterday all loaded their rucksacks together two and a half weeks ago, you might expect a substantial amount of the explosive to have disappeared by this week," chemist Andrea Sella of University College London said.

I apparently am ill-supplied. To my knowledge, there has never been any sulphuric acid in my house. My car battery, sure, but not in house. In any event, it all sure seems amateurish.

[Update 0955 EDT]

Oops! Richard at Hyscience reminds me that drain cleaner is H2SO4.

Suicide Bomber Shot

From Sky News:

Police have shot a suspected suicide bomber at a tube station in south London.

Reports are also coming in that a mosque in the east of the capital has been surrounded by armed officers and residents told to stay indoors.

In the first incident, marksmen opened fire near Stockwell Tube station as passengers were evacuated. It is thought the man was killed.

Alarmed onlookers said they saw up to 10 plain-clothed officers chasing an Asian-looking man before opening fire.

Reports said the suspect was pushed to the ground and shot five times at close range.

Whoa!

London Terror Update

Here's an update from London. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard spoke. The following is a paraphrasing of the news conference.

(Blair) I met with the police commissioner. We just need to act calmly. We hope to get the rest of the transport system up and running as soon as possible.

(Howard) Australia sympathizes with and supports the British people. Terrorism is the enemy of all free people.

The response of emergency services in London and Great Britain has been quite remarkable.

Reporters to Blair:

Question: What would you say to those who would not want to go into London?

"It's important that we keep to our normal lives."

Question: Who is responsible?

"The police are best to let you know who is responsible. Terrorist attacks are meant to frighten people. It's important we react calmly."

Question: Do you feel your policies have put us in this position?

The people responsible for doing this are responsible for this situation.

The roots of this are deep. Terrorist attacks go back over 10 years. What they want us to do is say we're responsible. The people that carry out these attacks are the terrorists.

Update at 11:22 EDT

Investigators apparently have found that the explosive device used on the bus in today's event is similar to that which was used in the terror bombings on July 7.

From Sky News:

There has also been an incident on a bus in Hackney, East London.

Police are reportedly examining a rucksack left on the top deck.

Tube stations at Warren Street, Oval and Shepherd's Bush have been closed.

Chemical searches at all four sites have proved negative.

Armed police officers have entered University College Hospital in Bloomsbury close to Warren Street station.

An internal memo to staff at the hospital warned them to be on the lookout for a black male, possibly of Asian origin, about 6ft 2ins tall, wearing a blue top with wires protruding from the rear of the top.

Across London, a man was arrested at gunpoint by armed police at the gates of Downing Street.

In summary, the investigation continues and, from my perspective, it seems to be a botched operation on the part of the terrorists.

London Tube Evacuation

There's a lot of confusion on the cable news networks and the print media. The story is rucksack - carriage - smell - people running - London Tube.

From Sky News:

At Warren Street there were reports of shots and a nail bomb explosion. Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said police believe this may have been the sound of detonators going off.

Victoria Line train passenger Ivan McCracken told Sky News he spoke to an Italian man who witnessed an explosion just after the train arrived at the platform.

"He told me he had seen a man carrying a rucksack which suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open his rucksack. Everyone rushed from the carriage. People evacuated very quickly. There was no panic.

"I didn't see anyone injured but there was shock and fright.

"There was a smell of smoke."

"The man who was holding the rucksack looked extremely dismayed."

One witness told Sky News that passengers tried to prevent a man with a rucksack running away but they failed.

No reports of casualties thus far.

Plantars Wart

Yeah! It's on the corner of my foot. Persistent. I had one many years ago and the doc was able to fix it. This one's persistent and hasn't gotten the message. I just want to point out that, in case somebody noticed, I favor my left foot when I kick terrorists' ass. Or, when I walk to the grocery store.

Bachelor Party With Dwarfs

This story has me shaking my head.

From MediaBistro:

Some people ARE just into lavish dwarf entertainment - and the Wall Street Journal is there for them. Today, smack dab on the front page, is a story about a Fidelty trader's rollicking bachelor party, complete with hookers and dwarves - and today, smack dab on the front page, the WSJ helpfully provides the URL where you, too, can rent dwarves for your very own party! (www.shortdwarf.com, Wolcott). Now that's service journalism!

Shortdwarf takes major credit cards and PayPal and it also links to the Get A Geek website. No price list was available, although, I have to mention that I only went one window into the website. I feared the need for a mind flush if I went further.

Supreme Court Nominee

The announcement has been made that President Bush will reveal his nominee for the Supreme Court at 9pm EDT. My thought is that whoever is selected to go before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a thorough grilling has to be presently puckered, knowing full well that every single wart will be discussed and debated. It will be a professional and personal beating.

That is, except for one person, Dick Cheney. He's the only person that probably needs a couple weeks to unpucker from his recent, reported globally in 30 minutes, proctological exam. It seems that he would be a logical choice since he's been immunized to the personally penetrating process.

So, if President Bush desires to minimize pain in the confirmation process, he'll nominate Dick Cheney. And, what fun there would be.

Chihuahua Abuse Claimed

(Burbank, California) On the heels of allegations that terrorists are being abused, we have a disturbing report about chihuahuas being abused at a dog rescue center.

From The Mercury News:

About a dozen people showed up at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday to urge a commissioner to order Kimi Peck to place 275 of the pint-sized dogs into new homes. She agreed to move the dogs to new locations and close the two-year-old Chihuahua Rescue center to settle city citations claiming improper care of the animals.

Kimi Peck, by the way, is related to dearly-departed movie star Gregory Peck and she claims she spent $10 million of her own money on rescuing the dogs. I personally think she's not telling the truth. Based upon the number of dogs cited in the report, she spent an estimated $30,000 plus per chihuahua. I cannot imagine how a dog could be abused with that amount of money spent on it. Realistically, how much can a chihuahua eat?

The Heavens Are Angry

Recently, NASA detonated an explosive on a comet and it was immediately followed by a female Russian astrologer filing a $300 million lawsuit claiming "moral suffering" because her horoscope is now deformed. Like most people, I laughed. However, I'm wondering if she may be on to something.

Within the past week, I've reported the news of a livestock sex club, a "human dog" who eats testicles, and a sex offender who was sentenced to community service for abusing a 5-year-old girl.

There must be some type of disharmony in the universe.

Latin Americans Flocking to Learn Chinese

From The Miami Herald:

Three to five times more Latin Americans are studying Chinese today compared to five years ago, according to an unscientific survey conducted by The Herald in six countries.

"It's the language of the future for commercial and industrial transactions and for foreign trade," said Zelma Wong, the administrator who decided to begin offering Chinese at San Marcos. "In 10 years, China will be a world power. That will mean economic development for Peru."

Not a day passes in Latin America, it seems, without news of a major Chinese investment in the region, a visit by a high-ranking Chinese government or trade official or a trip by a Latin American official to China.

I wonder if the U.S. is now going to be confronted with illegal aliens coming across the border fluent in Spanish and Chinese, but continuing to resist having to learn English. Sheesh!

Pakistan Detains 25 Islamists

(Islamabad, Pakistan) Obviously, considerable pressure is on the Pakistani government to find Islamists in the country who can be tied to the London bombings.

From The Courier-Mail:

PAKISTANI security forces have detained 25 suspected Islamist militants in a series of raids linked to investigations into the July 7 bomb attacks in London, officials said today.

The latest detentions were made in an overnight crackdown in the most populous province, Punjab, and included members of outlawed Islamist groups.

"They are being questioned for links with any of the bombers," an official of the provincial government said on condition of anonymity.

The official said security agencies had detained 25 suspects in the cities of Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Faisalabad and Khushab.

A senior security official in Punjab expected that questioning of a handful of other suspects detained in recent days in the provincial capital, Lahore, would confirm ties to the London bombers.

Assuredly, I'm not the only person that thinks Pakistan is infested with gun-wielding fanatics and it will require a long time to civilize them. However, any action to chase them down and keep pressure on is positive.

British Court Sentences Afghan Warlord to 20 Years

(London) This is an odd case. A British court sentenced an Afghan citizen to prison for human rights violations committed in Afghanistan against Afghans with testimony from witnesses given via satellite links.

From ABC News Online:

Farayadi Sarwar Zardad, 42, was convicted yesterday for running a private army that brutalised Afghans in the Sarobi district east of Kabul in the 1990s.

The private army included a "human dog" that ate a victim's testicles.

Zardad was found guilty at London's Old Bailey criminal court of conspiracy to torture people and take hostages.

Apparently, Zardad led a gang of thugs that robbed, beat, raped, and murdered travelers along a stretch of highway connecting Pakistan to Kabul. The gang was exceptionally evil in its tactics as indicated by having a testicle-eating "human dog." In my opinion, the group was subhuman.

Al-Qaeda Sets Deadline for Europe

From The News International Pakistan:

The Al-Qaeda terror network set a one-month deadline for European nations to pull their troops out of Iraq, warning of more attacks in Europe following the London bombings, according to an Internet statement.

I haven't found confirmation of this particular threat and no details are provided.

Youth Baseball Coach Arrested on Beaning Allegations

(North Union Township, Pennsylvania) A local youth baseball coach was arrested and charged with bribing one of his boys to intentionally throw at an autistic player.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Eric Forsythe, who heads the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League in North Union Township, said he was shocked when Mark Downs Jr., 27, of Dunbar was charged last Friday with bribing player Keith Reese, 7, with $25 to hit teammate Harry Bowers Jr., 9, in the face with a baseball to keep him from playing.

When hitting Bowers in the ear with a ball didn't keep him off the field, he intentionally hit him in the groin with another throw, state police charged.

The boy went to an emergency room and was treated for swollen red marks on his ear and groin. Specific charges Downs faces include criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy to commit simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.

If the allegations prove true, Downs obviously doesn't possess the moral and ethical qualities suited for leading youngsters.

Plea Negotiations Break Down in Debra Lafave Case

(Tampa, Florida) At a hearing earlier today, Debra Lafave's lawyer, John Fitzgibbons, rejected the prosecution's plea offer, saying it entailed too much prison time.

From WFTV.com:

"To place an attractive young woman in that kind of hell hole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions," said Fitzgibbons, who wouldn't talk about details of the negotiations. "I'm not sure she would survive."

Kind of dramatic, don't you think?


As to current status of the case, it appears that Debra Lafave will go to court in December and plead insanity. So far, she's been evaluated by mental health professionals for both the prosecution and the defense and they lined up according to their respective employers. Judge Wayne Timmerman will appoint two more mental health types to get more opinions.

Nevertheless, the defense is sticking to its story that Lafave was insane when she allegedly engaged in sex with a 14-year-old boy. I'm guessing that it will probably be a tough sell.


[Update 11/22/05]

Debra Lafave pleads guilty and gets no jail.

NRA Cancels Columbus Convention

(Columbus, Ohio) The 2007 NRA national convention was slated to be in Columbus and anticipated to put $15 million into the local economy. Not anymore. Last week, the Columbus City Council passed a firearms ban. In response, the NRA announced today that its 2007 national convention will not be in Columbus.

Accidental Survey

I was sitting at a booth in the donut shop and adjacent to me were three women discussing the hassle of job interviews.

"Ya' gotta get dressed up. You know, skirt, heels -- my God! I had to shave my legs. What a pain in the ass!"

Their grumpiness about dressing up for interviews continued for a while and then somebody mentioned Hillary Clinton.

"She'll straighten out this country after she's elected."

I didn't say anything, but it appears that if Hillary Clinton is elected women won't have to shave their legs.

Iraq Needs Baseball

Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Latin America have all been linked to modern society by baseball. Why not Iraq? A few bat bags, balls, and gloves are all that's needed for a successful push. It's the greatest game.

Teacher Sentenced for Sex Crime

(Robinson, Illinois) In March 2004, former Robinson High School teacher Jennifer Brummett, 25, was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault for having a relationship with a male student. Last month, Brummett pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse and, yesterday, she was sentenced.

Brummett was given four years probation, a $1,000 fine, and she must pay court costs. She will also have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

It appears the court decided not to take away her teaching credentials.

Horse Sex Fatality

(Seattle, Washington) No doubt, there is an entirely screwy subculture in society. The following report offers proof. Note that the story doesn't make it entirely clear who was pitching and who was catching.

From the Ottawasun.com:

A Seattle man died after engaging in anal sex with a horse at a farm suspected of being a gathering place for people seeking to have sex with livestock.

What!?

There's a gathering place for livestock lovers? Call me uninformed, but wouldn't a person want to be somewhat secretive about his facination with livestock? This place sounds like they have a club. Sheesh!

But, wait, there's more.

Although sex with animals is not illegal in Washington state, investigators were looking into whether the farm allowed sex with smaller animals that resulted in animal cruelty, which is a crime. "If you're talking about sheep or goats, there could be some issues," said Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff's department.

Well, it appears that the sheriff just has to check the farm's rule book to see what's allowed and make sure that the animals being screwed meet minimum size requirements.

You know, the way the farm is described, it wouldn't be too surprising to learn that the farmer was charging for the time spent with his livestock. If so, it would give a whole new meaning to the term "Mustang Ranch."

Linked to COTT XX.

[Update 7/19/05]

From The News Tribune:

A state senator, horrified by what's been uncovered at a farm outside Enumclaw, is drafting legislation to outlaw bestiality in Washington, one of about 20 states where having sex with animals is not illegal.

Pam Roach, R-Auburn, said Monday she will introduce a bill later this year that would make bestiality a felony. Roach said she hopes to include provisions that also would make videotaping and disseminating sex acts with animals a crime.

Thirty states have laws that prohibit sex acts with animals, with six classifying it as a felony, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

According to the report, the livestock sex club is a massive operation with video production and sales and, apparently, perverts travel from all over the country to engage in livestock sex and to watch others do so. Roach wants to make bestiality a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. I wonder who would be opposed to the legislation.


[Update 01/14/07]

According to this report, the incident described above prompted one director to create a movie which will be presented next week at the Sundance Film Festival.

Excuse me for being a neigh-sayer, but is this really a triple-crown idea? Whoa, I say. Nevertheless, the public probably won't be stampeding to the ticket office anyway.


[Update 05/22/07]

Bestiality movie called Zoo shown at Cannes Film Festival.

U.S. Jets Kill 24 Taliban in Pakistan

Fairly fresh news that is thought provoking.

From The News International, Pakistan:

PESHAWAR: Twenty-four suspected Taliban fighters were killed in a missile attack by US planes near the Pak-Afghan border in North Waziristan Agency and the Pakistan Army troops have recovered bodies of the killed persons, official sources said here Friday.

The report says there were hundreds of Pakistani troops and scouts engaged in the operation. More interesting, though,

The Pakistani and US forces, the officials said, were in contact with each other about the emerging situation before and after the operation and killing of the fleeing fighters. This is for the first time Pakistan has admitted that US planes targeted the fleeing Taliban inside its territory. The US forces stationed in Afghanistan's border areas and its warplanes have been blamed several times for crossing over into Pakistani territory in the past.

A prudent observer would be led to assume that a working relationship has been developed between American forces in Afghanistan and the Pakistani military with regard to the border areas.

Magdy Elnasher

Here's some information regarding Elnasher's life that is worth knowing. Magdy Elnasher was born in 1972 in Egypt.

1994
Graduated from Cairo University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree,

1998
Received Masters in Science in Organic Chemistry from Cairo University,

1999-2000
Studied chemical engineering at North Carolina State University,

2000-present
University of Leeds, UK, Postgraduate.

Elnasher's schooling has put him at the forefront of study in the fields of biological catalysts and enzyme immobilization.

To refresh everyone's memory, enzymes are protein substances that act as triggers for various biological processes. So, Elnasher's expertise appears to be associated with seemingly mundane applications like improving water treatment facilities or manufacturing processes that rely on enzymatic actions.

Now, going back to my previously-stated bother, if Elnasher, as a terrorist, wanted to apply this expert knowledge, he could, but only in a convoluted manner. I believe that a biological threat could only exist if Elnasher was working out of his house or in a garage creating something nefarious. His line of study and work does not lend itself to anything other than access to chemicals and biologicals for easy theft. To put anything together, he'd need a lab - and time.

One other thing - Elnasher has some sort of link with the University of Graz in Austria which is associated with his biochemical work.

All in all, I'm somewhat comforted by the fact that there have been no reports of a laboratory being found in the investigation by the British authorities. Without one - somewhere - I don't see Elnasher's biochemical expertise being a threat right now. Of course, don't trust me. I'm just a guy with a computer.

Saudi Woman Gets Commercial Pilot's License

Recently, it was announced that a Saudi Arabian woman, Hanadi Zakariya Hindi, 24, had earned a commercial airline pilot's license. Hindi is the first Saudi woman to achieve the distinction and congratulations be upon her.


Capt. Hanadi Zakariya Hindi
Subsequently, Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal hired Capt. Hindi to work for his company's fleet of private jets. As a result, Sheikh Yousuf Al-Ahmad, an associate professor at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, protested that the hiring of a Saudi woman was illegal and "un-Islamic." Al-Ahmad, who teaches Shariah law at the university, stated that "Hindi's job would require her to travel without a male guardian and would therefore lead to her mixing with men."

The controversy of what role women should play in Saudi society is ongoing and Capt. Hindi's circumstance just adds fuel to the bonfire. As men in the West know, the issue will not be resolved until the women have complete control, but Saudi Arabia is a long way from that point. In fact, women in Saudi Arabia have few rights and are put in prison for just driving a car. Therefore, we have the ridiculous situation where Capt. Hindi can pilot an aircraft around the world but can't legally back the car out of the driveway.

School Employee Ordered to Stay Away From Witness

(Stamford, Connecticut) Last month, Eagle Hill School employee Beth Raymond, 31, was charged with sexual assault of a juvenile male. Yesterday, Raymond appeared in state Superior Court in Stamford and was ordered to stay away from the student she is alleged to have assaulted.


Beth Raymond
Contrary to the court's instructions last month, Raymond has been visiting the alleged vicitim. Consequently, a witness protection order was issued against her which, if she violates, will put her in jail. She is currently free on $50,000 bond.

Few details of the Raymond case have been made public. However, since the Eagle Hill School serves disabled children ages 6 to 13, one logically assumes the alleged victim is 13 or younger and disabled. If 31-year-old Raymond actually committed the alleged sexual assault, she should be punished harshly, very harshly.


[Update 07/31/06]

Raymond sentenced to 18 months.

Homo Light

(Oslo, Norway) Homosexuals in Norway want to raise their profile in society by marketing a gay soft drink called Homo Light. It's pink and pear-flavored.

Just think. After a sweaty day at the factory or the construction site, pass on the bottle of Bud and pop open a refreshing cold Homo. (via Country Store)

British Muslim Refused Entry into U.S.

(Washington) Dr. Zaki Badawi, prominent head of the Muslim College in Britain, traveled from London to New York on Wednesday but was not allowed to enter the U.S. and had to return home.

From Sky News:

US Customs have said only that Dr Badawi was "inadmissible."

Leah Yoon, a spokeswoman in Washington, said when he was initially processed, his answers to basic questions were not "in alignment" with his background check or documentation.

"He was questioned further and after a thorough interview he was deemed inadmissible," she said.

"He was given several options but chose to withdraw his application." The options presented to Dr Badawi could not be disclosed, she said.

Strange? I think so.

Badawi previously was given an honorary knighthood by the Queen, so somebody vouches for the guy, yet he can't answer questions posed by Customs officials. There's something screwy here.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Leeds Chemistry Student and Bombing Suspect Arrested

(Cairo, Egypt) Both Reuters and the AP are reporting that Magdy Elnashar (aka Magdy el-Nashar) has been arrested in Cairo and is being interrogated by Egyptian police.

[Update]

It needs to be noted that Elnasher has been reported to be a chemistry student, a chemistry lecturer, a biochemistry researcher, and a chemistry professor. Right now, it's not really clear what he is, but it has something to do with chemistry.

What bothers me is the possibility that he is a biochemist. If so, and he's found to be a terrorist, there is the likelihood that he may have been working on biological weapons.

Fourth London Bomber

As a convert to Islam, Jamaican-born Lindsey Germaine began using the name Jamal. He's also used Lindsey Germail, Lindsey Jermaine and Lindsey Jamal.

From Life Style Extra:

Some reports suggest that Germaine may have been on an FBI terrorist watch list as Germaine Lindsey when he travelled to Cleveland in 2000.

Police raided the house he rented in Northern Road, Aylesbury where he lived with his wife Samantha Lewthwaite, 21, also an Islamic convert, and their 15-month-old son, Abdullah. Samantha, who is eight months pregnant is said to be under police guard as she prepares to give birth.

The pair met in Luton, where Miss Lewthwaite was studying, but she quit her course and moved in with Germaine and is thought to have changed her name to Sheraflyah when she took up the Muslim faith.

There's currently no confirmation that Germaine was actually on a terror watch list. If he was listed, it would be nice to know the reason. It would also be nice to know why he traveled to Cleveland, especially since it's in my neighborhood. If Germaine was firing up anyone locally, I would like to know.

Lastly, it's hard to conceive of the infectious evil that permeated Germaine. He was young, had a baby son, and a pregnant wife and he gives it all up and becomes a bomb to indiscriminately kill and maim innocent people.

Woman Gets Prison for Sexually Assaulting Teens

(Greene County, Ohio) After pleading guilty to giving teens alcohol and then sexually assaulting them, a 33-year-old woman, Kelly Smith, was sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Stephen Wolaver. As a result of being convicted on five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, Smith will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.

In court, Smith was apologetic, but Judge Wolaver wasn't buying it.

"While I have heard you apologize today I find that to be more in the line of someone whose sorry they got caught. The impact that you've had upon the victims in this case is significant and the court gives great weight to that factor."

As a sex offender, upon her release from prison Smith will be prohibited from living within 1000 feet of any school.

Transvestite Athlete Jailed

This guy claims he was born a female, but developed male sex organs after a witch doctor cast a spell on him for not paying his bills.

From ABC News Online:

A male Zimbabwean athlete who won several awards in women's competitions in southern Africa has been sentenced to four years in jail for offensive behaviour, the prosecutor said.

Samukeliso Sithole, 18, was arrested in February after a female friend lodged a complaint to police, saying that she had undressed in full view of the athlete, thinking that he was a woman.

"He has been convicted of six counts of impairing the dignity of female athletes who undressed in his presence after he made them believe he was a woman," prosecutor Tapfumanei Nkonde told AFP.

As a criminal offense, "impairing the dignity" really shouldn't be worth four years in jail for Mr. Sithole. That seems harsh.

The Arthur Ravenel Bridge

(Charleston, South Carolina) The longest cable-stayed bridge in the United States has been imagined, designed, built, and it opens this weekend. It connects Charleston with Mount Pleasant over the Cooper River. At a cost of more than $600 million, it's been a subject of intense interest for South Carolinians.


Arthur Ravenel Bridge
Tonight, as part of the opening celebration, there will be a fireworks display and a ceremonial first lighting of the bridge's cables. With those clean lines, it's a fine looking structure. I have spies in the crowd of celebrants, so there may be more information forthcoming.

Deal Working for U.S. Military in Bulgaria

(Sofia, Bulgaria) With the drawdown of American forces in Germany, Bulgaria is a desirable Eastern European location to have U.S. influence. Strategically, there are port facilities on the Black Sea and short air travel distances to both Central Asia and the Middle East.

From the Stars and Stripes:

The United States expects to finalize negotiations with Bulgaria in the fall that may grant U.S. troops additional access to military bases in the country, U.S. and Bulgarian officials announced Wednesday.

James Pardew, the U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria, said he expected to reach an agreement about use of the Novo Selo training area, about 25 miles from Sliven, and nearby Bezmer Air Base, as early as September, when Bulgaria’s new government is slated to take power.

It's certain that Bulgarians are anxious to develop stronger economic ties with the U.S., however, it's also certain that they will want to move slowly. Ilko Dimitzov, deputy defense minister for Bulgaria, stressed that "the deal would not create a large, permanent presence of U.S. military forces."

"They will become U.S. bases, but not in the sense of U.S. bases in Germany," said Col. Yordan Yordanov, a Bulgarian Defense Ministry official who oversees cooperation with the U.S. military, in an interview with Stars and Stripes. "It will not be building cities, building PXs (post exchanges), commissaries, fitness centers and swimming pools."

It is still unclear whether the Bulgarian bases would serve as forward operating bases that could be used for deployments or if they would simply be cooperative locations for training, Dimitzov said.

It's a foot in the door. Now I have to find an English-Bulgarian dictionary.

Archbishop Tutu Blames Terror on Poverty

Is it me, or does Desmond Tutu remind anyone else of a wind-up doll?

From The Courier-Mail:

ANTI-APARTHEID icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu condemned last week's "dastardly acts of terrorism" in London but warned today attacks would persist as long as poverty and ignorance blighted the world.

"We are not going to win the so-called war against terror as long as there exist conditions in the world - conditions of poverty and disease and ignorance that make people desperate and so cause them to perpetrate dastardly acts of desperation," Archbishop Tutu told a head teachers convention in Cape Town.

"To strive for the eradication of poverty, disease and ignorance is not to be altruistic, it is ultimately the best form of self interest," he said in a published speech sent to journalists.

Frankly, I think it's time for the archbishop to become the newspaper-reading archbishop. Last I heard, the terror in London was caused by Brits who were not poverty-stricken, nor uneducated, nor lacking health care.

The esteemed cleric was also shocked by the treatment of prisoners at Gitmo, comparing it to the prisons in apartheid South Africa. My only question is who's going to compare Gitmo to the Bastille or Devil's Island. Somebody's bound to continue the Dick Durbin trend.

Nonetheless, Archbishop Tutu really needs to loosen his tie and take a blood thinner. It's obvious that sufficient oxygen isn't getting to his brain.

Taliban Spokesman: Al-Qaeda Escapees Are Safe

Apparently, the terrorists who escaped from the Bagram detention center are now in the southern part of Afghanistan.

From Reuters:

Four Arab al Qaeda militants who escaped from a heavily fortified U.S. detention center in Afghanistan this week reached a Taliban haven safely on Thursday, a spokesman for the guerrilla movement said.

"The Taliban found and recovered four al-Qaeda mujahideen (holy warriors) this morning," Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi said from an undisclosed location.

Hakimi, whose information has often proved unreliable, declined to say where the escapees were, but added: "They are far away from Kabul. They are safe and now taking rest."

The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted another, unnamed, Taliban spokesman as saying the men were in the south of the country. "They are alright. They had some bruises to their feet ... they are being given medicines."

Wait a minute! The Taliban has a spokesman? And, he's often unreliable? Say, whatever happened to Baghdad Bob?

Anyway, the escapees have been named and they come from four different countries, Syrian Abdullah Hashimi, Kuwaiti Mahmoud Ahmad Mohammad, Saudi Mahmoud Alfatahni, and Libyan Mohammad Hassan.

In the same report, a member of the Taliban leadership council, Mullah Dadullah, told Al Jazeera television that the group possessed anti-aircraft weapons and was seeking to obtain even more powerful arms.

Would it be possible to get spokesman Hakimi back on the line for a lengthy chat?

Community Service for Sexually Abusing 5-Year-Old

(Bentonville, Arkansas) This story is an example of the criminal justice system merely slapping the hand of a sexual offender and, thereby, guaranteeing that it will happen again.

From the Daily Record:

It was the most devastating day of her family's life when she found out her 5-year-old daughter was being sexually abused, according to the mother of a sexual-abuse victim.

The mother was in court Wednesday as a teenager pleaded guilty to sexually abusing the girl. "You totally destroyed (the girl's) life and devastated my husband's and mine," the woman said as she addressed the court. "The person who will be paying the most is my daughter. You ripped the innocence straight out of her."

The 15-year-old boy was charged with sexual assault in the second degree, a class B felony. At Wednesday's hearing, he changed his plea to guilty, and he admitted to engaging in sexual contact with the child on Jan. 31.

Interestingly, the little girl's father attempted to present information regarding the likelihood that the boy would repeat his crime but Circuit Judge Jay Finch refused to hear it. The girl's parents then walked out of the court only to be ordered back. Finch admonished them and told them to basically forget about the experience. After that, Circuit Judge Jay Finch sentenced the boy to probation and 72 hours of community service.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.

Convicted Child Molester Strikes Again

(San Jose, California) It's astonishing that the criminal justice system ever allows child molesters out of prison. Everyone knows they will do it again.

From The Mercury-News:

Fred Everts, a convicted child molester, now faces 15 felony counts and one misdemeanor count involving three boys that could result in a sentence of more than 1,000 years.

Deputy District Attorney Steve Fein presented the amended complaint against Everts at a Wednesday morning court hearing. The complaint alleges the 34-year-old molested two boys in 2004 -- who were 3 years old and 11 years old at the time.

Everts was previously convicted twice for child molestation in Oregon in 1992. Obviously, he wasn't rehabilitated prior to being released. Now, it will be up to a California judge and jury to decide how long he should be incarcerated. Does anyone think he'll get 1,000 years? I sure don't.

You watch. This pervert will be back on the streets in less than ten years and he'll pick up where he left off. If he follows the pattern of many of the perverts that the criminal justice system doesn't take seriously, he'll murder his future victims.

By the way, Everts is the former roommate of Dean Schwartzmiller, the 64-year-old pedophile who was discovered to have seven notebooks containing the names of 36,000 boys who may have been molested.

London Bombers

The following four individuals have been identified as the terrorists directly responsible for the London bombings.

Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, from Beeston, Leeds, recently moved to Dewsbury, married with baby. ID found at Edgware Road blast site.

Hasib Mir Hussain, 18, lived Holbeck, Leeds. Missing on day of bombings. Reportedly turned very religious two years ago. ID found in No. 30 bus.

Shehzad Tanwee, 22, born Bradford, lived Beeston, Leeds. Studied religion in Pakistan. Forensic evidence links him to Aldgate bomb.

Lindsey Germaine, Jamaican-born, lived in Buckinghamshire.

Additionally, police are searching for Leeds University chemistry professor Magdi el-Nashar, an Egyptian who disappeared only days before the bombings.

Teen Prostitution in Paradise

For years there has been a global law enforcement effort to eradicate the underage sex trade in developing nations and typically, though not exclusively, countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are mentioned. As such, I found it rather interesting that the problem occurs on an island group in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Kiribati (formerly called the Gilbert Islands).

The situation described involves nubile Micronesian island girls conducting business with Korean deep-sea fisherman. The Korean National Youth Commission (NYC) wants the fisherman to be punished when they return to Korea the same as if they had committed the crimes in Korea. Unfortunately, there are no current laws on the books covering the subjects of overseas child sex tourism and prostitution.

Robert Koehler has all the story at The Marmot's Hole.