Interested-Participant

Toughman Dies After Fight

(Dayton, Ohio) Yesterday, Steven Burress, of Martins Ferry, died at Good Samaritan Hospital. The Montgomery County Coroner's office said a ruling on the cause of death is pending. There's reason to believe that the cause of death is tied to Burress being "repeatedly struck and punched in the head" during a heavyweight championship Toughman Contest Saturday night at Hara Arena in Trotwood.

Reasonably, the coroner must rule out the possibility of a preexisting condition causing the death but, in reality, it's not unusual for a person to die after suffering a severe beating. I can still vividly recall Boom Boom Mancini subjecting Duk Koo Kim to a fatal beating in a title fight in November of 1982. Interestingly, professional prizefighters live by a rule book which provides some minimal protections to the pugilists. As I understand it, Toughman Championship competitions start by throwing out the rule book.

Obviously, Burress' death is an immense personal tragedy. Unfortunately, it is also an occurrence of moderately high probability. Men, and women, are putting their lives at risk for trophies and bragging rights. I'd like to express my candid opinions on the subject, but I'm afraid one of these idiots would find me and beat my brains out.

Following Entry Posted 1/31/2005 07:24:00 AM

Mayor Jane Campbell Wants Red-Light Cameras

(Cleveland, Ohio) Without any pretense, Mayor Campbell has proposed that cameras be installed at all Cleveland red-lights for the exclusive purpose of generating revenue. At a going rate of $150 per violation, the mayor has established a target quota of 150 fines per day to generate $6 million annually. Of course, having proposed an expensive environmental experiment last month, the mayor needs to be innovative in picking the public's pockets.

Frankly, I kind of liked the old days when politicians spoke of traffic law enforcement and public safety before they imposed confiscatory fees and fines. Nowadays, no bones about it, they just want your money and they don't care who knows.

Following Entry Posted 1/31/2005 06:41:00 AM

Cuyahoga River Declared Clean

(Cleveland, Ohio) With a reputation for once catching fire, the Cuyahoga River has been the subject of jokes and an often-cited example of industrial pollution since 1969. After years of cleanup efforts, however, the river has now been classified as clean enough for fishing.

Personally, this is great news, but I wonder why the announcement is made in January when it would probably be difficult and generally unwise to try fishing in the river.

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/30/2005 03:21:00 PM

First-Grader Cuffed, Charged With Felony

(Melbourne, Florida) I thought it was a bit of an overreaction when two boys were arrested for stick drawings. This case has a six-year-old handcuffed and charged with felony battery for hitting a teacher and a policeman.

Some people have said that it's time to shift the focus of the kids' education from building their self-esteem to whacking their pristine seats. Some people might be right.

Following Entry Posted 1/30/2005 02:31:00 PM

Prostitution Ring Busted

(New York) As a public service for travelers to Manhattan, be apprised that Julie's of New York City has been busted by the NYPD. Along with several female prostitutes, a number of men were arrested to break up the enterprise which is believed to have netted $30 million over the last decade.

Update your Rolodex accordingly.

Following Entry Posted 1/30/2005 11:51:00 AM

Bobby Fischer Complains About Lack of Hooch in Prison

As indicated by this report, there is serious comedy in real life.

Chess maestro Bobby Fischer has cited a lack of alcohol as one of the factors making him ill behind bars at the East Japan Immigration Bureau Detention Center in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture.

"I can't get any alcohol in here, which I think is also bad for my health. I say that quite seriously. I think alcohol in moderation is very good for your body. Alcohol in moderation is very good for your health. It has a cleansing effect on your body, an antiseptic effect. It has many benefits. It's good for your heart and so on," Fischer told Radio DZRH in the Philippines in the second of two separate interviews given on New Year's Eve and Jan. 17 and listed on the Internet overnight. "They don't allow alcohol, but they allow cigarettes. And they give the people cigarettes, tax-free. So the people are smoking like chimneys in here."

Fischer yammers on in the article with complaints about such things as, the air conditioning, President Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a nuclear facility adjacent to the prison, and the United States. Interestingly, he desires to become a citizen of Iceland and it appears that he may be approved by a parliamentary panel.

Nevertheless, his whining about lack of booze in the slammer has to qualify as today's hoot.

Following Entry Posted 1/30/2005 07:57:00 AM

Democracy In Iraq
Polls Are Open
Turnout At +70%

I just got up to hear news reports of high turnout, low violence, and smiling, enthusiastic voters in Iraq. Then I read the first three hours of liveblogging reports by Roger Simon who paints a positive picture. Reports are also filtering in that some of the most ardent naysayers are now switching positions.

I'm not so naive as to think that the battle for democracy is over, however, a bunch of neurons in my brain are giving each other high-five's.

[Update 0945 EST] Chad Evans at In The Bullpen writes of the initial reactions to the elections. Notably, the leftist media, in particular the NYT, are negative, entirely missing the significance of the event.

Election in Iraq
From a Turkish Press report:

Long lines of people were also reported outside voting stations in Kurdish strongholds such as Arbil in the north of the country.

But Taha Hussein, head of the local council in the Sunni Muslim stronghold of Samarra said nobody would vote there because of safety fears.

Six explosions rocked Mosul, another insurgent bastion in northern Iraq but officials said turnout there was high.

Saddam's hometown of Tikrit was said to be a ghost town. An AFP correspondent went to eight polling stations where staff said no-one had voted.

There is no doubt that the terrorism and fear will continue, but there also seems to be little doubt that democracy has been well received by the Iraqis. Early estimates of Iraqi voter turnout exceed that which usually occurs in the U.S.

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/29/2005 08:59:00 AM

Border Patrol Arrests Fugitives

Border Patrol agents keep apprehending illegal aliens and somehow they get released and apprehended again. The current program for securing the U.S. - Mexico border obviously isn't working. Most troubling is the reality that criminals are entering the U.S. with impunity. Some are apprehended and returned to Mexico where they turn around and come back to be apprehended again, sometimes.

Just recently, a child rapist, a narcotics felony probation violator, and a forgery felony probation violator were taken into custody along the border south of Tucson, Arizona. The child rapist, Gerardo Miranda-Carmona, a 20-year-old Mexican, was convicted a mere four months ago in Washington state. Why this guy was not in jail is a mystery.

Nevertheless, it's turning into a lawless territory in the southwest border regions and, with increasing frequency, fugitivess are being apprehended. The liberal argument that the illegals are primarily poverty-stricken families looking for work is slowly being eroded by crooks and gangsters.

As the problems with illegal aliens increase, indicating a significant breakdown in border security, the federal government has effectively just watched. Consequently, some Americans are taking the initiative to join a private border security organization formed by James Gilchrist. The plan, called the "Minuteman Project," is 240 volunteers patrolling the border by air and land. Since a private group of Americans are now acting in concert, some law enforcement organizations are not happy. Diggers Realm is covering the story.

Friday, January 28, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 06:42:00 PM

Man to Die for Eating Wife

Found beside his wife's mutilated body with blood dripping from his mouth, the evidence convinced the judges to convict Lolwakenju Lengironi. He can appeal. Too bad he doesn't live in California. Being consistently tolerant of cultural progressiveness, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals would probably rule in his favor.

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 01:35:00 PM

Mad Cow Found in Goat

(Brussels, Belgium) European Union Food Safety Authority scientists confirmed today that a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been found in a goat slaughtered in France in 2002. Officials stated that there are 11.6 million goats in the 25-nation EU but there is little risk that humans will become infected. However, they also say there is insufficient information to assess the risk.

Frankly, the EU's assertions concerning mad goat risk don't make any sense to me.

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 01:21:00 PM

USS San Francisco Damage

(Apra Harbor, Guam) The USS San Francisco (SSN 711) is now drydocked and a full engineering assessment is being performed by a U.S. Navy team, led by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Naval Sea Systems Command.

USS San Francisco at Guam Shipyard
(U.S. Navy Photo dated 1/27/05)
As originally speculated, the submarine hit an uncharted seamount and the Navy confirmed that accurate satellite data was available but not relayed to the crew. Looking at the photo, it appears that most damage is on the port side indicating that the seamount was probably hit at an angle as opposed to directly head on. Nonetheless, the collision had to be extremely violent to obliterate such a large chunk of the hull.

The captain of the boat, Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, has been reassigned to squadron duty pending completion of the investigation. Cmdr. Andrew Hale has assumed command of the boat. Based upon currently available information, it seems that the crew of the submarine should be found blameless for the incident and the unfortunate death of Petty Officer Joe Ashley.

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 10:17:00 AM

Chirac Proposes 'Experimental' International Tax

(Davos, Switzerland) For consideration at the World Economic Forum, French President Jacques Chirac proposed an experimental international tax on airline tickets, some fuels, and all international banking transactions. It appears to be a harbinger of the coming socialist agenda for redistribution. Evidently, once a country's population has been taxed to a declining standard of living, it's time to try cross-border theft.

Fortunately, although the World Economic Forum is largely leftist, Chirac's idea was rejected. One spokesman even called the proposal "bizarre." In keeping with the theme, I'd like to propose that Chirac's doctors carefully consider the French President's proclivity for the bizarre and experimental when subjecting him to medical treatment. (Hat tip: The Roth Report)

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 08:47:00 AM

Two Zarqawi Lieutenants Captured

(Baghdad) In an announcement today by the Iraqi government, two top associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were captured in mid-January. Top Security Advisor Qassim Dawoud identified the two as Salah Suleiman al-Loheibi, head of Zarqawi's Baghdad operations, and Ali Hamad Yassin al-Issawi.

The names of other Zarqawi aides captured this month include Sami Muhammad Saeed al-Haf, known as Abu Omar al-Kurdi, and Hassan Hamad Abdullah al-Duleimi.

With the recent reports that Iraqi police are torturing and abusing prisoners, one has to wonder what kind of treatment is in store for Zarqawi's top terrorist lieutenants.

[Update] Add another Zarqawi associate to the list. According to Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, Zarqawi's military adviser, a 31-year-old Iraqi named Anad Mohammed Qais, 31, was also captured. (via Diggers Realm)

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 06:55:00 AM

Mob Boss Commits Suicide

Italian authorities announced that Mafia boss Francesco Pastoia, 62, hanged himself in his prison cell in Sicily only three days after being taken into custody. Reporting to Mafia Godfather Bernardo Provenzano, Pastoia knew he was as good as dead when it was revealed that the police had bugged his home and had tapes of him double-crossing the Godfather.

"Don't ever go against the family," spoken by Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather. Good advice that was obviously not heeded by Francesco Pastoia.

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 05:38:00 AM

North Korea 'Bought Nuclear Bomb'

From an ABC Online report, it's revealed that Pakistan or a former Soviet Union state has sold a complete nuclear weapon to North Korea. According to an unnamed source quoted in the Seoul Shinmun newspaper, the information was passed along to a U.S. Congressional delegation this month from a high ranking North Korean leader. Intelligence agencies are investigating.

This information follows a Chosun Ilbo report two days earlier that China asked North Korea to admit its plans to develop nuclear weapons using enriched uranium. (via The Marmot's Hole)

Following Entry Posted 1/28/2005 12:11:00 AM

Abbas Orders An Independent Palestinian Media

The Jerusalem Post reports that Chairman Mahmoud Abbas wants to change Palestinian television programming and cease the long-standing policy of being exclusively a political house organ. The goal is to "democratize" the media and make it free and independent.

Personally, I'm underwhelmed by this news. If it's accurate about Abbas' desires, the terrorist elements won't sit still and let it happen. Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad have a habit of sending steel-jacked reminders of what is acceptable. And, even if the terrorists don't object, the best that could be hoped for from a "new" Palestinian media would be another al-Jazeera.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/27/2005 11:59:00 PM

Auschwitz Liberation
January 27, 1945

[To commemorate all the victims of the Holocaust, this post will remain prominently at the top of the page all day. The post is a companion to a January 25 entry. Interested-Participant has joined the January, 2005, Blogburst.]

Auschwitz - Birkenau Extermination Process

Auschwitz - Entrance
Each day the trains rolled into the camp through the passageway constructed in the far gate, down one of three tracks to the selection platform. As they fell out of the trains, the victims were sent one way or another, with tearful parting scenes. The procession moved to the crematoria yard where the SS told the Jews they were going to take disinfection baths. An orchestra of attractive women played gay tunes from operas and light marches. Then to the dressing room or reception center with numbered clothing pegs drivin into the walls. The SS ordered the victims to undress and to remember their numbers. Sometimes they gave them towels. Then the SS drove the victims through the corridor to the heated gas chamber. The heating was provided not for the comfort of the prisoners but to create a better setting for the evaporation of gas. The gas squads packed the 2,000 victims into the room. From the ceiling hung imitation shower heads. The doors were closed, the air was pumped out, and the gas poured in. Cyclone B, or hydrogen cyanide, is a very poisonous gas that causes death by internal suffocation. In sufficient concentrations, it causes death almost immediately. But the SS did not bother to calculate the proper quantities, so death took anywhere from three to twenty minutes. While the victims were dying, the SS watched through the peepholes.

When they opened the doors, they found the victims in half-sitting positions in a towerlike pile. Most were pink, others were covered with green spots. Some had foam on their lips, while others bleeding from the nose. Many had their eyes open. The majority were packed near the doors. The squads in special clothing moved in with hooks to pull the bodies off of each other.

[ ... ]

The scientifically planned crematoria should have been able to handle the total project, but they could not. The whole complex had forty-six retorts, each with the capacity for three to five persons. The burning in a retort lasted about half an hour. It took an hour a day to clean them out. Thus it was theoretically possible to cremate about 12,000 corpses in twenty four hours or 4,380,000 a year. But the well-constructed crematoria fell far behind at a number of camps, and especially at Aschwitz in 1944. In August the total cremation reached a peak one day of 24,000, but still a bottleneck occurred. Camp authorities needed an economic and fast method of corpse disposal, so they again dug six huge pits beside Crematorium Five and reopened old pits in the wood.

Thus, late in 1944, pit burning became the chief method of corpse disposal. The pits had indentations at one end from which human fat drained off. To keep the pits burning, the stokers poured oil, alcohol, and large quantities of boiling human fat over the bodies:

The sizzling fat was scooped out with buckets on a long curved rod and poured all over the pit causing flames to leap up amid much crackling and hissing. The air reeked of oil, fat, benzole and burnt flesh.

[ ... ]

Burning that many bodies produced an enormous quantity of ashes. To finish the task, the labor squad cooled the ashes with water, shoveled out the ashes, piled them in heaps, removed remaining bones and limbs with special tools, reburnt the limbs, pulverized the ashes, and buried them in pits or threw them into the marshes. Later they threw the ashes into the Vistula and Solo rivers. A small, carefully sifted quantity was kept in a shed. Sometimes families were notified of the death of their loved ones and in return for money they would recieve urns filled with the ashes. [Excerpted in original form from The Nizkor Project web pages.]

Auschwitz - Exit
Outside the Auschwitz - Birkenau complex, life was normal. Inside, well over 1 million innocent people, 90% Jewish, were murdered and cremated, causing a lingering, sickly smell to blanket the countryside from 1940 to 1945. People noticed but didn't say anything. Other camps killed millions more and people noticed the smell in each place but didn't say anything. Millions of murders were committed with tacit consent of the public. Was the general population ignorant? In the beginning, yes, the public was not told. But they had to know after a short while. Tens of thousands of Jewish men, women, children, and infants arrived on trains and no one was ever seen to leave. The German public knew. They were just too timid, too weak, too prejudiced, too gullible, and, eventually, too complicit in the horror of the monstrous massacre.

We have an obligation to teach our children well and tell them the details of this black chapter in human history. We must never forget the millions who died at Auschwitz, Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, Sobibor, Treblinka, and many other death camps during the Holocaust.

The exact number of people sacrilegiously murdered will never be known. Only estimates are available. Death came with no ceremonies nor records. No headstones mark their resting places. Only rational, civilized people can keep their memory alive and prevent another Holocaust from happening.

Following Entry Posted 1/27/2005 01:55:00 PM

Black Market Missiles in Nicaragua

The Washington Times reports that a serious security situation has emerged in Nicaragua where an unknown number of shoulder-fired SA-7 missiles are being black marketed by corrupt elements of the Nicaraguan Army. In a sting operation earlier this month, three Nicaraguans were arrested trying to sell SA-7s to what they thought were Colombian terrorists and there's a real fear that they would just as easily sell them to Islamic terrorists. The U.S. is strongly pressuring Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos to find and destroy all the remaining missiles in the country. It's in his interest to do so or he can likely expect the U.S. to take a more hands-on approach to making it happen. We'll see. (Hat tip: Backcountry Conservative)

Following Entry Posted 1/27/2005 09:45:00 AM

Surgery Shutdown in Ontario

Well, darn! According to the Toronto Star, the utopian socialized health care system in Canada has hit yet another snag. On February 11, the operating rooms in about two dozen hospitals throughout Ontario will shut down due to a strike by angry anesthesiologists. The primary grievance appears to be a plan for reducing patient waiting times by requiring the doctors to work more hours for less pay.

So, in a nutshell, the government's plan for reducing waiting times will result in the cancellation of all elective surgery. Consequently, the plan worked. If nobody is scheduled for surgery, nobody will be waiting. Seldom do people wait in line to go nowhere.

Following Entry Posted 1/27/2005 09:40:00 AM

Venus Flytrap Operation

According to this report, Harvard University Professor Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan and a team of researchers have found how the carnivorous Venus Flytrap mechanically ensnares its prey.

Venus Flytraps
Research results, which are reported in today's issue of the journal Nature, show that the fast closure of the plant occurs from a snap-buckling instability. The scientists liken the process to a tennis ball or contact lens flipped inside out and then popping back into shape. Tensile strength in the leaves allows this to occur. Scientists hope to someday be able to replicate the plant's ability in artificial devices that depend on minute movement of liquids or gases.

The recent findings have invigorated interest in solving the mystery of how the plant controls its movements. Most disappointing, however, is the rumor that no progress has been achieved as yet on the mystery of how to pronounce the team leader's name.

Following Entry Posted 1/27/2005 05:26:00 AM

Unusual Illness Found in Tsunami Aftermath

According to this report, medical professionals are being alerted to look for unusual illness in tsunami survivors. Announcing in the current issue of The Lancet, a team of infectious disease specialists at St. George Hospital in Sydney, Australia, express particular concern about multifocal cutaneous mucormycosis complicating polymicrobial wound infections in tsunami survivors. In simple terms this means a deadly fungus has been found to complicate bacterial infections which, disturbingly, normally results in an 80% death rate. As such, it is a medical emergency requiring swift identification and aggressive treatment through removal of infected tissue and administration of anti-fungal medication.

Doctors treating patients from tsunami-stricken areas need to be keenly aware of the possibility that unusual or rare illnesses may have been acquired.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 09:13:00 PM

Iran Donates $1.5 Million for Tsunami Relief

The Jakarta Post reports that the Iranian government gave Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono a check for $1.5 million to help victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami. Officials emphasized that it's a donation and not a loan requiring repayment.

Although all help is surely welcome, it appears that Iran barely tapped into its petty cash fund. Notably, no statement has been issued thus far by Jan Egeland, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, assessing the Iranian donation on the "stingy scale." Since the U.S. was deemed stingy upon announcement of an initial contribution of $35 million, Egeland must be outraged at the Iranians. I'll just get myself a cup of coffee and wait for his venomous press release attacking Iran for being considerably less than stingy.

Presumably, just as he instructed the U.S., Egeland will tell Iran to raise taxes for tsunami relief. Of course, I may be waiting and drinking coffee for a long time before Egeland issues his chastisement of the Iranians, but there is a bright side. Starbucks has announced it will open 1,500 new stores worldwide by September, so there'll be lots of coffee available.

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 07:56:00 PM

Boys Arrested For Stick Drawings

(Ocala, Florida) Handcuffed and charged with felonies, two boys, 9 and 10, were taken away from school for drawings considered violent.

Violent Stick Drawing
After their arrest, they were suspended from school.

As I recall, my early school years included a gazillion games of hangman. By rights, I should still be in the slammer.

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 09:59:00 AM

Marijuana Handbook For Kids

Last month, it was reported that the marijuana advocacy is now targeting retired people to receive their disingenuous propaganda. Obviously, the next logical step in the dopers' agenda would be to more formally indoctrinate children in the "harmlessness" of the mind-altering drug. Therefore, the publication of a pot-friendly book aimed at children should not be surprising. Written by Ricardo Cortes, the book is named It's Just A Plant and its key message is to encourage kids to actively promote changing the laws governing marijuana.

Interestingly, the premise that marijuana is harmless because it's just a plant could also be used to explain the harmlessness of cocaine and heroin. Maybe Mr. Cortes will write another book for kids that includes the coca plant and the opium poppy. While he's at it, he can address hemlock, deadly nightshade, and ricin. Really, kids, like marijuana, they're all just plants.

(via Michelle Malkin and Laws and Sausages)

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 08:20:00 AM

Bureaucracy - Inertia Highly-Spiced with Incompetence

Mr. Eugueni Kniazev would be elated to know that the Department of Homeland Security has sent him a green card approval notice. Unfortunately, he won't be elated because he's dead, a victim of terrorism at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

It's hard to feel secure in the homeland when the DHS approves a dead man for immigration. And, if a dead man can outsmart the DHS, the likelihood that a live terrorist can do the same seems certain.

Not just one but several people should be fired at the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, a general housecleaning is long overdue. (via Michelle Malkin)

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 07:48:00 AM

300-Pound Deer Enters Home, Attacks Owner

(Columbus, Ohio) Still recuperating in the hospital is Alfred Tibor, 84, a Holocaust survivor and world-renowned sculptor, who was attacked after a 10-point buck broke into his home. Mike Meckler at Red-State.com knows Tibor personally and has all the details. Go visit.

Following Entry Posted 1/26/2005 01:48:00 AM

Call Me Mister

I'm sure more people than myself have been wondering just what the difference is between militants and death squads. Thanks to Bill Roggio and the New York Times, all cloudiness has been whisked away.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/25/2005 11:40:00 PM

Company Fires All Cigarette Smokers

(Lansing, Michigan) Weyco Inc. fired four workers for refusing to take a cigarette smoker detection test. The company's policies require that employees never smoke, even on their own time in their own homes. They cite health care costs as the reason for the policy.

Frankly, I didn't know there was such a thing as a cigarette smoker detection test and, curiously, marijuana smoking wasn't mentioned as being prohibited. I wonder.

Following Entry Posted 1/25/2005 09:55:00 PM

Auschwitz - Birkenau Death Camp

Auschwitz - Entrance
Each day the trains rolled into the camp through the passageway constructed in the far gate, down one of three tracks to the selection platform. As they fell out of the trains, the victims were sent one way or another, with tearful prting scenes. The procession moved to the crematoria yard where the SS told the Jews they were going to take disinfection baths. An orchestra of attractive women played gay tunes from operas and light marches. Then to the dressing room or reception center with numbered clothing pegs drivin into the walls. The SS ordered the victims to undress and to remember their numbers. Sometimes they gave them towels. Then the SS drove the victims through the corridor to the heated gas chamber. The heating was provided not for the comfort of the prisoners but to create a better setting for the evaporation of gas. The gas squads packed the 2,000 victims into the room. From the ceiling hung imitation shower heads. The doors were closed, the air was pumped out, and the gas poured in. Cyclone B, or hydrogen cyanide, is a very poisonous gas that causes death by internal suffocation. In sufficient concentrations, it causes death almost immediately. But the SS did not bother to calculate the proper quantities, so death took anywhere from three to twenty minutes. While the victims were dying, the SS witched through the peepholes.

When they opened the doors, they found the victims in half-sitting positions in a towerlike pile. Most were pink, others were covered with green spots. Some had foam on their lips, while others bleeding from the nose. Many had their eyes open. The majority were packed near the doors. The squads in special clothing moved in with hooks to pull the bodies off of each other.

[ ... ]

The scientifically planned crematoria should have been able to handle the total project, but they could not. The whole complex had forty-six retorts, each with the capacity for three to five persons. The burning in a retort lasted about half an hour. It took an hour a day to clean them out. Thus it was theoretically possible to cremate about 12,000 corpses in twenty four hours or 4,380,000 a year. But the well-constructed crematoria fell far behind at a number of camps, and especially at Aschwitz in 1944. In August the total cremation reached a peak one day of 24,000, but still a bottleneck occurred. Camp authorities needed an economic and fast method of corpse disposal, so they again dug six huge pits beside Crematorium Five and reopened old pits in the wood.

Thus, late in 1944, pit burning became the chief method of corpse disposal. The pits had indentations at one end from which human fat drained off. To keep the pits burning, the stokers poured oil, alcohol, and large quantities of boiling human fat over the bodies:

The sizzling fat was scooped out with buckets on a long curved rod and poured all over the pit causing flames to leap up amid much crackling and hissing. The air reeked of oil, fat, benzole and burnt flesh.

[ ... ]

Burning that many bodies produced an enormous quantity of ashes. To finish the task, the labor squad cooled the ashes with water, shoveled out the ashes, piled them in heaps, removed remaining bones and limbs with special tools, reburnt the limbs, pulverized the ashes, and buried them in pits or threw them into the marshes. Later they threw the ashes into the Vistula and Solo rivers. A small, carefully sifted quantity was kept in a shed. Sometimes families were notified of the death of their loved ones and in return for money they would recieve urns filled with the ashes. [Excerpted in original form from The Nizkor Project web pages.]

Following Entry Posted 1/25/2005 03:27:00 PM

Baby Named Yahoo

The story that a couple named their baby Yahoo because their romance started by meeting on the Internet is fiction created by a reporter working for the Romanian newspaper, Libertatea. Ion Garnod admitted creating the story and was fired.

Following Entry Posted 1/25/2005 09:16:00 AM

A Sniper at Breakfast

I saw a sniper eating breakfast in the mess hall. He sat alone. He was at the side end of one of the long tables sitting in the last seat, his back to the room. The long rifle was on the floor. A small tripod allowed the weapons to rest easy and straight, parallel to the end of the table. This soldier was doing the business at hand and that business at this moment was finishing his meal. He was tall, slim; sat squarely and comfortably in his chair. He leaned forward in a long bend. He was lanky, but not awkward. His back was rounded frontward, from the middle of the back, not the shoulders, positioning him well over the table when he ate. His eyes stayed low and steady on the plate and maybe 12 inches above. He did not look further up and he did not look around. He was not expecting company. He concentrated.

The soldier was of Hispanic origin, but looked vaguely Asian as well. He was here on the behalf of a country of great mixed ethnicity and in service of the Army of that country. The looks he carried, and the blood inside him, symbolized unanimity of purpose, coming from a tradition and organization of wide diversity and important mission.

The rifle was long and thin and weathered. The barrel was black. The wooden stock was dark brown, almost black. You could tell its user was its friend. The scope was a third the length of the rifle. The rifle was where it should have been. It was on the floor, at rest, public, secured, but unobtrusive. The rifle had its ready position, it was expected to wait, and it did.

The soldier was quiet, almost too quiet. He was focused and he was alone. He was young; no more than twenty-two. On the breakfast tray in front of him were two paper containers of cereal. He had a milk carton for use with the cereal and he had a strawberry soda to drink. He had no visitors. He did not eat fast, or too slow. The consumption of breakfast was measured, needed, proper. He did not drink coffee.

The sniper's task for the Army is to bring a precision lethality on a single target. At the right time and location the exactness of his aim could take a life selectively, and that end could save lives. Now was not that time. He was at breakfast. The room was busy, fellow soldiers were eating, and the course of the day was just getting underway.

No days go by that I don't think of the American military in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan and in the hundreds of other locations our forces are serving. The above blog post was copied from a soldier's website, Iraq-Update. It's well written and informative, so go visit and comment. With the MSM overwhelmingly negative with regard to the American military, there needs to be an antidote and words from regular citizens are most welcome morale builders. I'm sure any communication would be greatly appreciated.

Following Entry Posted 1/25/2005 04:48:00 AM

Another Woman Does Boys

(Torrance, California) Sheryl Jean Graham was president of the Parent Teacher Association when she lured two teenage boys into sexual encounters with her between January 2003 and June 2004. A mother of five, Graham, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of oral copulation with a minor in exchange for the district attorney dropping other charges. She was sentenced to five years probation, 90 days community service, and a year of sex counseling. Graham was also ordered to stay away from all schools, register as a sex offender, and provide a DNA sample to state authorities.

Interestingly, one aspect of this case seems to have been ignored. Since Graham is a 42-year-old mother of five, there is a likelihood that her illegal sex partners were classmates of at least one of her children. If so, did she use her child as a procurer? Or, alternatively, did she foster her child's relationships with certain classmates to provide opportunities for sexual predation?

Nonetheless, her criminal behavior was not an isolated Saturday night mistake. As reported, Graham had an 18-month-long sexual relationship with two schoolboys while serving as president of the PTA. Given the circumstances, it seems her punishment was no more than a wrist slap and it should have included some actual time in the slammer.

Add Sheryl Jean Graham to the roster of women who have sex with minors.

Monday, January 24, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/24/2005 02:09:00 PM

Iran Shuts Down Bloggers

According to this LATimes report, about 20 bloggers and Internet journalists have been jailed, some tortured.

This news is somewhat inconsistent with last week's report that an all-women Internet-based news service has been launched to improve women's rights in the Islamic republic. I'd wager that the Iranian Women's News Agency (IWNA) has nothing to do with women's rights.

Following Entry Posted 1/24/2005 08:01:00 AM

The Danger of Hot Camel Meat

The Arab News reports that Sidi Husein Assajoomi almost died from camel meat lodged in his "gullet" and it took a doctor almost three hours to remove it. Assajoomi explained the blockage, "I was at my tent eating a hot free Kabsa meal (a popular Saudi dish made of boiled meat and rice). It happened that I took a big piece of meat. Once I put it in my mouth I could not bear its heat, so I immediately swallowed it. But it could not pass through my gullet and got stuck there."

Frankly, the fact that some people casually consume camel meat is new to me. It's perfectly logical, although, I wonder how the animal rights loonies would react if camels were eaten in the U.S. My guess is that camels would be given pet status like horses, dogs, and cats. By the way, there has to be a few jokes waiting to be written about Arabs eating their camels. Unfortunately, I'm drawing a blank right now.

Following Entry Posted 1/24/2005 05:34:00 AM

Bank of China Embezzled For $125 Million

Recently, a former executive at the Bank of China was arrested for embezzling 41 million yuan ($5 million). As a result of the theft, the bank took corrective actions and subsequently announced that internal administrative controls had been strengthened. Well, according to this report, bank officials may have spoken too soon.

Two senior Bank of China executives are missing and believed to have fled to the U.S. or Canada after embezzling as much as 1 billion yuan ($125 million). Initial indication of a problem surfaced on January 15 when it became known that 290 million yuan was missing. Later, it was discovered that an additional 700 million yuan was missing along with the two bankers. Geez! Imagine how much they could have stolen if the bank hadn't "strengthened" the internal controls.

Interestingly, the notable Chinese news site, Xinhuanet.com, so far has failed to mention the heist. Maybe they're busy with other news?

Companion post at Backcountry Conservative.

Following Entry Posted 1/24/2005 02:01:00 AM

President Bush Visits Cleveland This Week

It's been announced by the White House that President Bush will visit the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday, January 27. As a concerned American citizen, I'd like to announce that it's colder than a female Satan worshipper's pectoral tissue protuberances here in Cleveland. And one must be prepared for the incessant Arctic blast from Lake Erie. My advice would be to reschedule the visit for later in the year.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/23/2005 05:48:00 PM

Grade Inflation?

According to this story, about half of all grades given in undergraduate courses at Ivy League schools are A's. This results in the almost unbelievable statistic that 91% of all Harvard University seniors graduated with honors in 2001. Grade inflation? Seems so.

Regarding the 9% of Harvard seniors who didn't graduate with honors, it would be my guess that they were outspoken about their conservative political beliefs.

Following Entry Posted 1/23/2005 04:47:00 PM

Johnny Carson Dies at 79

Johnny Carson
b. 1925 - d. 2005
Born John William Carson in Corning, Iowa, he died today of emphysema at his home in California. Carson was 79.

Following Entry Posted 1/23/2005 09:28:00 AM

Zarqawi Declares War On Elections

In an audio tape posted on an Islamist website, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has declared war on the Iraqi elections stating they are a "wicked trap aimed at putting the Rafidha [pejorative term for Shiites] in the seat of power in Iraq."

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
It's the second audio tape attributed to Zarqawi in three days with claims that the Sunni sect will be virtually eliminated if the Shiites are able to take power through elections. He also claims that 4 million Shiites traveling from Iran will take part in the voting. If this contention is true, it's certain to be noticed.

Oddly, there continue to be rumors that Zarqawi has been captured at the same time that the unauthenticated Zarqawi audio tapes are being posted on the Internet. Obviously, there's more to the story.

[Update 1800 EST] Digger's analysis of the release of the Zarqawi tapes is worth noting. Most interesting is the contention, which I agree with, that Zarqawi wants to shut down the rumors of his capture. Go visit.

Also, the declaration of war by Zarqawi is hardly news. As Chad Evans ably explains, Zarqawi's latest unauthenticated tape is nothing more than a restatement of common knowledge.

Hyscience remarks that it's "more of the same from the MSM, especially the Arab press." Well put.

Following Entry Posted 1/23/2005 08:10:00 AM

Teacher Arrested For Sex With Student

(Redwood City, California) Former Roy Cloud Elementary School teacher Rebecca Ann Boicelli, 33, was arrested by Redwood City Police Thursday on three charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor and statutory rape.

Rebecca Ann Boicelli
(Photo - ABC7News.com)
She is accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student based upon DNA testing that confirmed the boy is the father of her child. Boicelli is being held on $500,000 bail. It seems Boicelli used the classroom and her pickup truck for the sexual encounters.

Chalk up one more data point indicating a decline in American morality - an epidemic of loose female teachers manipulating young, impressionable boys into sex.

[Update] Added Rebecca Boicelli picture. Sorry, it's all I could find.

Following Entry Posted 1/23/2005 07:07:00 AM

Human Fish-Face

(Chongju, South Korea) Resulting from mating a carp and an ayu sweetfish, one offspring has developed a face that looks remarkably human.

Human Fish-Face
What do you think? Maybe a little bit of a David Bowie look? Or maybe Phil Donahue?

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/22/2005 09:06:00 AM

New Terrorist Beheadings On The Internet

According to this report, a video has been posted on the Internet showing the beheading of two Iraqi workers who "confessed" to helping the Americans. The men are identified as Ali Hussein Jassem Mohammad al-Zubaidi and Ahmad Alwan Hussein al-Mahmadawi, both residents of the Sadr City section of Baghdad. The video (Link here) shows the blindfolded men beheaded in front of a banner carrying the name of Zarqawi's al-Qaeda Group of Jihad in the Land of Two Rivers.

There has also been a report of a brazen daylight beheading of an Iraqi soldier in the streets of Baghdad yesterday. It's believed that Zarqawi's followers are responsible. Digger has been covering the story. Go visit.

Following Entry Posted 1/22/2005 01:59:00 AM

Chinese Embassy Appeals For Release of 8 Hostages

In a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Iraq, the Chinese government appealed to the kidnappers for the timely release of the eight hostages, "considering the humanitarianism, Islamic tolerance spirit and Chinese people's friendly feelings for the Iraqi people."

What Islamic tolerance?

[Update 0800 EST] HOSTAGES FREED

According to a Reuters report, the Chinese Embassy has confirmed that the hostages have been freed. A video was produced showing the release with a message that stated "the Numaan Brigades have decided to release the eight" since the Chinese government has banned its citizens from entering Iraq.

Following Entry Posted 1/22/2005 01:15:00 AM

Ahmad Chalabi Scheduled For Arrest

Aljazeera.Net reports:

Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress, will be arrested after the Eid al-Adha holidays, Iraq's interim defence minister has said.

Speaking to Aljazeera, minister Hazim Shaalan, said Chalabi would be handed over on arrest to the Interpol.

Shaalan said Chalabi was suspected of killing thousands of opposition figures in Arbil and stoking discord between the two main Kurdish parties.

"We will arrest him and hand him over to Interpol. We will arrest him based on facts that he wanted to malign the reputation of the defence ministry," Shaalan said.

Chalabi is wanted by Interpol from a Jordanian court conviction in absentia for embezzling millions from the Petra Bank which severely stressed the political and financial systems in Jordan.

Obviously, Iraq has developed a kinder and gentler approach to dealing with convicted criminals by sending out the pending arrest notification. It's not clear what they are trying to accomplish, but it probably wouldn't be inappropriate nor surprising if Chalabi announced he would be unavailable while being treated for an undisclosed illness at an unknown location.

Friday, January 21, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 09:41:00 PM

Paris Hilton Investigated

(West Hollywood, California) It's been alleged that Paris Hilton became enraged upon finding her sex videotape "One Night In Paris" for sale at a newsstand so she grabbed it and took off without paying.

Paris Hilton
(AP Photo)
According to Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, misdemeanor theft charges may be filed after completion of an investigation. (/obviously worthless link-pandering blog entry)

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 08:26:00 PM

'Cool Mom' Has Sex-Drug Parties for Teen Boys

(Denver, Colorado) A 40-year-old woman, Sylvia Johnson, has been charged with sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for hosting weekly sex-drug parties for teenage boys.

'Cool Mom' Sylvia Johnson
According to the affidavit, she gave them marijuana, methamphetamines, and alcoholic drinks and then had sex with some of them. Eight boys got drugs and drinks and five boys got sex. The jig was up when one of the boys at the Johnson parties told his mommy who called police.

The media seems to be reporting more and more instances of woman engaging intimately with young boys and it kind of makes one wonder how much of this type of behavior remains hidden.

[Update 2/12/05] Added photo.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 07:42:00 AM

Germans Watching More Television

With the German unemployment rate continuously increasing, it's not surprising that the figures for television viewing are also increasing. Of note, however, is that the state of Saxony-Anhalt had an unemployment rate last year of 20.3 percent (Ohio's rate of about 6 percent looks absolutely puny by comparison.) and citizens spent, on average, 70 full days during the year in front of the television. That is a considerable amount of unproductive time.

By the way, another drawback of increased television watching is the increased likelihood that people will get drunk and kill if they aren't able to see their favorite program.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 06:15:00 AM

New Internet Message From Terrorist Zarqawi

The Scotsman.com reports that Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has released a new Internet audio recording which denounces Iraqi Shiites for fighting alongside US troops and ridicules Iraq's prominent Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Zarqawi also asked his terrorist followers to be patient and "prepare for a long struggle against the Americans."

From another report comes the news that a top Zarqawi lieutenant, Omar Hadid, was killed during the Battle of Fallujah in November.

The authenticity of the tape has not yet been established, however, one has to wonder why the Internet message has no video of Zarqawi, only audio.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 05:49:00 AM

Baghdad Shiite Mosque Car Bombed

From ABC News:

A car bomb exploded outside a Shiite mosque in Baghdad Friday where worshippers were celebrating a major Muslim holiday, killing at least 14 people and wounding 40, police and hospital officials said, the country's latest violence in the lead-up to this month's elections.

The car blew up outside the al-Taf mosque in the capital's southwest, where Shiites were celebrating one of Islam's most important holidays, Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice. The feast coincides with the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Another report says the car bomb exploded near the al-Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in the Umm al-Maalef district of Baghdad.

Casualty numbers may increase as updated reports are filed.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 05:10:00 AM

The Inaugural Luncheon

It's hard for me to imagine SecDef Donald Rumsfeld eating lunch at the same table as political enemy former President Jimmy Carter, but that's what occurred. And, oddly bunched with Karl Rove were the leftist troika of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Ted Kennedy. If anyone has video or audio, by all means, post it.

Interestingly, the circumstances actually give credence to the rumor that seating was arranged by a guy who formerly designed triggers for nuclear weapons.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 03:13:00 AM

Ohio Residents Losing Their Tops

Tired of being beaten by the competition, supermarket chain Tops Markets LLC announced it's closing six Northeast Ohio stores with a resulting loss of about 400 jobs. Two stores will be closed in Cleveland and one each in the communities of Kent, Madison, Ravenna, and Akron. Employees were notified Wednesday with some to be offered reassignment or early retirement.

Frankly, Tops shutting down stores comes as no surprise. The company recently cut the business hours of all its NE Ohio stores to minimize costs. This action alone was tell-tale of significant financial stress because if a store isn't open for business, it won't make money. Yet, they cut the hours anyway.

There's been little discussion about product pricing at Tops and there should be. The company's primary problem is the failure to keep prices generally comparable to those of the competition. From my experience, across the board Tops charges anywhere from 20 to 100 percent more than its competition for identical products. Customers have a tendency to notice such differences.

So, Tops managers, take note. Unless you do something to become competitive on prices, prepare to close more stores. Of course, not everyone agrees with my assessment and customer 'excitement' is blamed. In fact, company spokeswoman Stefanie Zakowicz even stated, "No matter what we did to excite our customers, they told us it wasn't enough." Well, you can forget about exciting the customers for now because they aren't showing up.

Following Entry Posted 1/21/2005 02:51:00 AM

Ex-Judge Charged With Indecent Exposure

(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Last year, a court reporter was fired after stating she saw Judge Donald Thompson, 58, masturbate and use a penis pump during court proceedings. Other witnesses corroborated the story. In August, after the allegations became known, the Attorney General acted to remove Judge Thompson from the bench. The judge voluntarily stepped down.

Yesterday, before the Creek County District Court in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Judge Thompson pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of indecent exposure. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 22. If convicted, the former judge faces a possible 10 years in prison for each count.

In the meantime, investigators are scouring the courtroom where Thompson presided in search of possible latent Lewinsky smears for DNA analysis.

[Update 07/02/06]

Thompson convicted.

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/20/2005 11:04:00 PM

Animal Hoarder On Vacation

(Roswell, New Mexico) Animal hoarder Mary Jane Lyle, 71, couldn't just leave her precious kitties when she traveled to Arizona from her home in Minden, Michigan, so she piled them into a U-Haul truck and hit the road. In Roswell, after the local police stopped her for a broken taillight and found 61 sick and 2 dead cats inside the truck, Lyle was arrested for animal cruelty.

Lyle has been charged with 61 counts of animal cruelty and faces a possible 12 to 18 months in prison on each count. According to Joseph Pacheco, Animal Control Supervisor, all of the cats will likely be euthanized.

Interestingly, Lyle wasn't charged for the two dead cats, only the ones she kept alive. And now she's in jail and the authorities are going to kill the cats. Odd, isn't it?

Following Entry Posted 1/20/2005 06:27:00 PM

Don't Like Homework? Sue The Teacher

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Whitnall High School student Peer Larson and his father Bruce Larson believe that assigning homework to students during summer vacation is contrary to state law.

Bruce Larson and Peer Larson - Americans Against Homework
(Photo - Mary Jo Walicki)
Consequently, they have filed suit in Milwaukee County Circuit Court against the math teacher, the department head, the principal, the school district, and the state of Wisconsin school superintendent. Noticeably, the estate and legacy of Horace Mann was not included as a respondent in the lawsuit.

On the outside chance that the Larsons read this post, my teenage son has suggested that their next lawsuit be directed at bad cafeteria food.

Following Entry Posted 1/20/2005 08:43:00 AM

Tsunami Survivors 'Eating Leaves'

According to this report, people in a camp in the village of Beurawang in the Aceh region on Sumatra have been eating leaves to stave off hunger, increasing fears of mass starvation and disease. The news comes from American nurse Linley York and is at least second-hand information.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Health Ministry has confirmed additional dead that were believed to be only missing. The Indonesian death toll has been raised to 166,320 which brings the global total for the tsunami disaster to 226,566.

Following Entry Posted 1/20/2005 07:06:00 AM

Islamic Scholars Call For Hostage Release

The Islamic Scholars Association in Iraq is expressing optimism that the Chinese workers kidnapped earlier this week will be released. According to Sheikh Harith Al Dhari, the association had "issued an announcement calling on all the kidnapping powers to release all the kidnapped for the occasion of Eid Adhha 'Feast of Sacrifice', whether they (the hostages) are Iraqis or not."

Let's hope the call is heeded.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 11:49:00 PM

Resurrecting Stalin

Russian President Putin is showing his black communist heart more and more as time goes by. The latest act is the resurrection of the evil murderer Josef Stalin as a national hero. Soon, two statues will be erected to Stalin's memory. One is destined for a public square in Moscow.

The other statue will be located in the Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border. This statue will commemorate the Soviet victory over Hitler and Nazi Germany during WWII. It will also silently remind the citizens of the Ukraine of the forced starvation program Stalin imposed in the 1930s that killed over 6 million of his own people.

Helluva guy to memorialize, don't you think? Hitler was an amateur murderer when compared to Stalin. And Putin idolizes him. How nice. Tell us, Vladimir, when will you start the executions of the intelligentsia and bourgeoisie? And, is there not a pipeline in Siberia needing workers? (via PoliBlog)

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 08:33:00 PM

Terrorist Manhunt in Boston

There has been an uncorroborated report that several illegal aliens from the California/Mexico border are on their way to Boston carrying explosive material for evil intent. The aliens are described as four to six illegal Iraqi and Chinese. Federal, state, and local officials have been mobilized and the blogosphere is alive.

Four Chinese Suspects
The four Chinese suspects pictured (via The Roth Report) are named Zengrong Lin, Wen Quin Zheng, Xiujin Chen, and Guozhi Lin. At this time, the terrorism threat level has not been changed but officials have been meeting at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency facility in Framingham since early this afternoon.

Jeff Quinton at the Backcountry Conservative is liveblogging and relays that there's reason to believe that some sort of nuclear material is being transported to Boston through New York. It also appears that the information concerning the purported terrorists came from a man who smuggled them across the border.

Chad Evans at In The Bullpen is following the story and provides some information and a discussion of dirty bombs.

A listing of specific al-Qaeda operatives with known ties to the Boston area has been posted by Michelle Malkin. Interestingly, none appear to be Chinese, but they may be al-Qaeda connections in the Bay State.

Chris Short at Our Life and Scott Boone of The Speed Of Thought are also covering the story in real time, updating as new information becomes known. Over at Ace Of Spades HQ, a noteworthy comment thread has developed.

Nevertheless, the manhunt continues.

Others following the story:

The Counterterrorism Blog,
Artitumis.com,
The MUSC Tiger,
The Command Post,
Say Anything,
Hyscience.

In reading about this story throughout the Internet, it's been casually mentioned that reactions may be bordering on panic and more fevered than circumstances warrant. Personally, I don't think that the appropriate time for sober reflection is in the middle of a manhunt.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 05:15:00 PM

Florida To Sunset 'Social Promotion'

(Tampa, Florida) The Florida Board of Education has decided to ask lawmakers to end 'social promotion' at all grade levels. Statistics show that students benefit by being held back for remedial education. It seems logical to fail students who don't master minimum knowledge requirements, but the idea will probably not be popular with incompetent teachers and parents, 'self-esteem' guardians who want to eliminate grades entirely, and the unions.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 08:20:00 AM

Zarqawi Responsible For Bombings

According to this report, a message on the Internet stated that the al-Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq sent "martyrdom squadrons" to detonate the bombs at the Australian Embassy and other locations today.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 07:22:00 AM

Abbas Fires Arafat's Advisors

Dozens of advisors to late leader Yasser Arafat have been fired by new Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a shakeup to clean house of corrupt administrators. According to this report, Mr. Abbas "fired 50 of 55 civilian and military advisers" while keeping over 1,000 employed at the Palestinian Authority's offices in Ramallah. Names of those dismissed were not released.

Getting rid of entrenched bureaucrats has to have a positive effect.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 06:09:00 AM

California Executes Condemned Killer Donald Beardslee

(San Quentin, California) Donald Beardslee's appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court were rejected and a plea for clemency from Gov. Schwarzenegger was denied. Consequently, shortly after midnight, at 0029 PST, the three-time convicted murderer was executed by lethal injection.

Beardslee was condemned to die after convictions for the shotgun murder of Patty Geddling, 23, and the throat-slashing murder of Stacey Benjamin, 19, in 1981. He has been on death row for twenty years.

The execution is only the eleventh since reinstatement of the death penalty by California in 1992. Well over 600 prisoners are condemned to death in California, waiting their turn.

Over 400 death penalty protesters stood outside the prison and chanted, "They say Death Row! We say hell no!" Lefty activist Mike Farrell, president of Death Penalty Focus, unsuccessfully tried to intervene with the lawyers. About all he was able to do was relay a message from Beardslee to the protesters expressing appreciation for their presence.

Companion post at Backcountry Conservative.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 04:45:00 AM

6th-Grader Shoots Self in Leg in Class

(Alvin, Texas) A sixth-grade student at Passmore Elementary School took his father's 22-caliber pistol to school and was playing with it in his pocket when it fired, grazing his leg. According to Superintendent Greg Smith, the shot startled a substitute teacher who then asked what happened.

"That was my gun. I shot myself in the leg," the boy answered.

This is an obvious case where corporal punishment is warranted. Behind the woodshed or in a private room, using a wide Western belt, the boy's father should be told to drop his trousers and bend over. At least a dozen full force thrashes should be administered.

Following Entry Posted 1/19/2005 04:06:00 AM

~~Three~~ Four Baghdad Car Bombings (Updated)

U.S. Soldiers respond to Australian Embassy suicide bombing
(Reuters photo)
A suicide-homicide car bomb exploded outside the Australian Embassy and close to the Australian military barracks in central Baghdad today. At least two Iraqis died and six others, including two Aussies, were wounded.

A short time later, a second suicide-homicide car bomb explosion occurred near the Al-Andalus traffic circle at the edge of the Baghdad neighborhood of Karrada. Less than an hour after the second car bomb, an Iraqi army base in Western Baghdad was targeted for a third suicide-homicide attack. Two deaths and five wounded were reported.

Based upon available information, at least eight deaths and more than a dozen wounded have been reported to have resulted from today's three suicide car bomb attacks.

[Update 0645 EST] A fourth car bomb is reported to have exploded at a military complex in Baghdad, killing two civilians and two Iraqi soldiers. An update on the second car bomb has 18 dead, including five Iraqi police. The total dead is now believed to be at least 26. There's also been a report of an explosion at a Baghdad bank, but no casualties have been identified.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/18/2005 04:33:00 PM

Iran Strengthens Ties With Cuba

The Iranian Ambassador to Cuba, Ahmad Edrisan, announced that the communist regime of Fidel Castro can rely on 20 million euros of credit from the Islamic theocracy. Agreements are in place between the Central Bank of Cuba and the Iran Development Bank. Political and economic relations between the two countries have recently become closer, raising concerns in Washington.

Okay, let me see if I understand this correctly. At the same time that Iran is strongly suspected of developing nuclear weapons, it is cozying up with Fidel Castro.

An ugly picture is being painted, however, there are limitations on the extent of cooperation between the two countries. Under no circumstances can I envision Islam establishing a serious foothold in Latin America.

Following Entry Posted 1/18/2005 03:07:00 PM

Eight Chinese Hostages in Iraq

(Baghdad, Iraq) The Chinese Embassey in Baghdad has confirmed that eight Chinese construction workers from Fujian province were taken hostage by terrorists last week while traveling on the main highway from Iraq to Jordan.

Eight Chinese Construction Workers Kidnapped
The terrorists, who identified themselves as the Nuamaan Brigade of the Islamic Resistance, released a videotape of the hostages to Aljazeera television. Showing masked gunmen next to the hostages holding passports, the tape has audio which demands that the Chinese government "clarify its position" on Iraq and threatens to kill the captives within 48 hours if it is not done. Diplomats are working to free the workers.

Following Entry Posted 1/18/2005 06:11:00 AM

Ransom Demanded For Archbishop Casmoussa (UPDATED)

A report in The Australian:

An Iraqi group that kidnapped the Catholic archbishop of Mosul has demanded a $US200,000 ($266,000) ransom for his release, a missionary agency quoted a leading Catholic cleric as saying today.

The kidnappers had allowed Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa to speak by telephone to an aide at his Mosul diocese, said Archbishop Paulos Rahho, the head of the Chaldean Catholic community in the northern Iraqi city.

The thug kidnappers have as yet not been identified.

[Update 0630 EST] According to a Channel NewsAsia report from Baghdad Archbishop Matti Matoka, Archbishop Casmoussa has been released and no ransom was paid. No mention was made regarding the kidnappers.

Following Entry Posted 1/18/2005 05:18:00 AM

Memorial Service for Petty Officer Joseph Allen Ashley

Following up on previous posts (see here, here, here, and here), the Stars and Stripes reports from Guam:

About 500 people attended a memorial service Thursday for Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, who died from injuries suffered when the submarine USS San Francisco ran aground Jan. 8.

Those attending the service, held in the chapel on U.S. Naval Base Guam, included fellow crewmembers, other members of Submarine Squadron 15 and their families.

"It was standing-room only," said Lt. Commander Jeff Davis, spokesman for Pacific Submarine Force.

Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, commanding officer of the USS San Francisco, and Rear Adm. David Gove, commander of Submarine Group 7, paid tribute to Ashley during the ceremony.

Rest in peace, Petty Officer Ashley.

By no means does the memorial service close the book on the submarine accident. The Pentagon and the Navy still need to take corrective action regarding the inaccurate navigation charts. In my opinion, there should be a dramatic shakeup in the personnel and procedures controlling documents in the Defense Department.

Following Entry Posted 1/18/2005 04:28:00 AM

Clean Your Plate, Missy

Here we have an action snapshot of the contest between a six-pound burger and a 100-pound girl named Kate Stelnick. Including the fixings, the meal weighs in at a hefty 11 pounds. It's priced around $25, without fries.

Kate Stelnick with burger
(Photo - FARK)
The burger was provided by Denny Leigey Jr. of Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Kate 'The Stomach' Stelnick destroyed the competition in slightly less than three hours. The accomplishment should be praised, however, Kate the Stomach and Denny's Pub would probably have achieved a much greater level of news coverage if she had made a six-pound hot dog disappear. (via Wizbang)

Monday, January 17, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/17/2005 08:03:00 PM

Worth Repeating

Sometimes it's impossible to not purloin an excerpt from another person's blog. Here's part of an imaginative and informative post about leotards from Little Miss Attila.

The act of going to the bathroom became a process of many steps, especially because we usually had those stupid Danskin wraparound skirts over the leotards. This meant that one had to untie the skirt, hang it in the stall, and then pull the entire leotard - bodice included - down to one's thighs in order to pee.

Also mentioned is the problem of breast alignment which, frankly, I never knew could be a problem. I realize that women are familiar with the subject of leotards but, as a guy, it rarely crosses the mind. There's more so go visit. Hat tip to Digger.

Following Entry Posted 1/17/2005 06:07:00 PM

Catholic Archbishop Kidnapped in Mosul

Terrorists kidnapped Archbishop Basil George Casmoussa, 66, leader of the city's Syrian Catholic community about 5pm local time today (9am EST).

Monsignor Casmoussa
The monsignor was taken outside his home (Turkish Press report) or his church (BBC report) and tossed into the trunk of a car before it sped away. The Vatican was notified and spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Pope "condemns in the firmest manner this terrorist act and demands that Monsignor Casmoussa be rapidly returned safe and well to his ministry."

It's unclear who committed the abduction but the Army of Ansar al-Sunnah is suspected since it usually is responsible for terrorists acts in the Mosul area. (via The Jawa Report)

Also blogging: Our Life, Ace Of Spades HQ, Outside The Beltway, In The Bullpen.

Following Entry Posted 1/17/2005 05:09:00 AM

Al-Qaeda Women's Magazine

(Rome, Italy) According to the Italian Information and Democratic Security Service (SISDe), al-Qaeda publishes a monthly Internet magazine for female terrorists called Al Khansa which provides guidance and advice on how Muslim women can be better suicide bombers. The view of al-Qaeda is that women become "emancipated" through martyrdom and equality between the sexes is achieved.

Among a variety of subjects, Al Khansa gives tips to aspiring female suicide bombers on fitness, diet, fashion, and how to "conquer the passions" to prevent any final flings before lacing up an explosive-laden corset. Also included are instructions for first aid and emergency training, for learning the Koran, and for shooting and carrying ammunition. Nevertheless, although aspiring martyrs are considered largely emancipated, some prohibitions are emphasized. These include absolute restrictions on watching television and enjoying air conditioning and, of course, restraints on mandatory veils and tunics. Violations could result in a prison sentence, ruining any near-term plans for martyrdom. In other words, behave and be covered from the head to the floor or miss your chance to be adorned with C-4.

It's inconceivable to me that an aspiring suicide bomber would reasonably need or care about advice regarding her diet. And, the contention that a female martyr is equal to a male martyr makes no sense. A male martyr is greeted in heaven by 72 virgins. As far as I know, nothing comparable awaits the female martyr.

Companion post at The Jawa Report

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 11:16:00 PM

The Underground Economy

Okay readers, pay attention. A salient point to remember about illegal aliens is that they total millions of workers who don't pay taxes. And, according to Barron's, the resultant underground economy is estimated to be slightly less than $1 trillion in size. As such,

If the IRS could collect all the taxes it says that it is owed from the underground economy in a given year, then the current budget deficit would disappear overnight.

A prudent conversationalist would want to keep this little nugget of information in mind when debating the issue of illegals pouring across the border. After all, somebody has to pay the bills racked up by the government and if the illegals aren't paying taxes, guess who is?

Hat tip to Diggers Realm, along with much appreciation for taking a lead role in compiling and analyzing breaking stories regarding illegal aliens in the U.S. As soon as any immigration-related news surfaces, Digger will be covering it. Go visit.

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 09:34:00 PM

Visit To Titan

This past week, the $700 million Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and landed. Within hours, images of the moon were transmitted to ecstatic scientists and interested observers around the world. Personally, it's fascinating and I'm not an astronomy buff. Just the technology involved is hard to comprehend. Nevertheless, I watch with keen interest and Speed Of Thought has become my first stop for keeping abreast of new developments.

The public has become largely jaded with space exploration and technology, failing to appreciate the challenges. In my mind, it's an endlessly interesting and important subject.

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 11:12:00 AM

Give Your Guns Away

(Cleveland, Ohio) The city of Cleveland wants your guns, no questions asked, in a new amnesty program. Four churches are participating. Follow the link for details. It hasn't been specified why someone would need amnesty for owning a gun and it's also not specified what is to be given in return.

I'm sure someone thinks this program is a good idea. Don't ask me who that might be.

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 10:31:00 AM

Mexico Taking Worms Out Of Mescal

The Mexican government passed a new standard for the flavorful and popular mescal. Effective February 10, no longer will distillers be able to add worms, fruit, nor herbs to bottles of their mescal liquor.

Of course, now we can expect a black market for mescal worms.

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 08:36:00 AM

USS San Francisco Accident

Updating a previous report on the nuclear attack submarine, USS San Francisco, running aground, the Pentagon states that satellite imagery shows the seamount but navigation charts do not. Apparently, the U.S. Navy needs to reassess its procedures for revising documents in a timely manner.

Following Entry Posted 1/16/2005 07:32:00 AM

Airbus Wings Cracked

Weeks ago, an inspection of the wing ribs on several Airbus airplanes detected cracks around small holes inside the airliners' wings. As a result, checks will be performed on the entire worldwide fleet of twin-engine wide-bodied A330s and four-engine wide-bodied A340s. About 600 planes will be affected. Hopefully, the checks will be done expeditiously to determine if there is a generic problem and to identify and correct the cause.

Aviation authorities have issued airworthiness directives to alert all Airbus operators and, according to Lufthansa spokesperson Michael Lamberty, there is no safety risk. That's fairly easy to say for a representative of the air line, however, any normal everyday traveler has to be somewhat troubled when the words 'wing' and 'crack' appear in the same sentence.

Stock price in the Airbus parent company, European Defense & Space (EADS), dipped slightly Wednesday, partly due to news of the wing cracks. There was a blip of concern among investors that the extent of the problem may be more significant than reported.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/15/2005 04:33:00 PM

Iranian Women's News Agency

(Mashhad, Iran) The Australian reports that an all-women Internet-based news service has been launched. The purpose of the Iranian Women's News Agency (IWNA) is to improve women's rights in the Islamic republic. The plan is to report all news events while emphasizing stories of "social harm against women."

It's probably prudent to expect that the ruling Iranian mullahs won't allow the women too much freedom of speech.

Following Entry Posted 1/15/2005 07:55:00 AM

Teacher's Aide Has Sex With Student

(Inverness, Florida) Here's a report of some high school hanky-panky between a female teacher's aide and a 15-year-old male student. Aide Tammy Lee Huggins, 35, of Citrus High School was arrested Wednesday and charged with three felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child.

Tammy Lee Huggins
While being interviewed by the police, Huggins also admitted to having sex with another student early last year. For this admission, she faces an additional felony charge. Add another name to the roster of women who molest minors, Tammy Lee Huggins.

Following Entry Posted 1/15/2005 03:32:00 AM

Pentagon Rejects 'Gay Bomb'

According to recently declassified documents, the Pentagon considered and rejected the following ideas for new chemical weapons.

- Chemical weapons to attract swarms of wasps and rats to enemy positions,

- Chemical bad breath weapon to cause "severe and lasting halitosis" allowing for easy identification of enemy infiltrators,

- Chemical weapon that makes enemy troops' skin unbearably sensitive to sunlight,

- Chemical aphrodisiac weapon, or gay bomb, that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to each other, provoking widespread homosexual behavior among troops to disrupt morale.

I would like to think that it didn't require extensive evaluation before these ideas were rejected as fairly loony. Any consideration of potential unintended consequences would have been sufficient to reject the proposals. (via Spoons)

Friday, January 14, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/14/2005 10:18:00 PM

Volkswagen's Legislators

(Wolfsburg, Germany) Volkswagen has recently been the target of questions about conflict of interest since it became known that two lawmakers were on the company's payroll. In response, the company said there are not two lawmakers on the payroll. Instead, a list was released naming six lawmakers on the payroll.

Following Entry Posted 1/14/2005 07:28:00 PM

Muslim Fired, Sues For Discrimination

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Software analyst Syed Alam was fired by the Miller Brewing Company. The company insists the firing was for "poor performance," however, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Milwaukee, Alam contends the firing was the result of "racial and religious discrimination." My read of the story tells me that Syed Alam is easily offended and a persistent complainer. If so, he needs to lighten up.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Following Entry Posted 1/14/2005 06:22:00 PM

PETA Stray Cat Protest

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Mayor Tom Barrett got an angry letter from the PETA crowd this week because a stray cat stranded in a tree wasn't rescued. I'm sure the mayor had absolutely nothing more important on his schedule than to respond to a protest letter, and a press release, about a stray cat.

There are 750,000 people sending PETA money every month so it can spearhead such worthy causes.

Following Entry Posted 1/14/2005 05:21:00 PM

Female Counselor Has Sex With Boy

(Umatilla, Florida) According to the Lake County Sheriff's Department, camp counselor Morgan Lee Brown, 25, was arrested Thursday on charges she had sex with a 16-year-old boy at various Central Florida locations.

Morgan Lee Brown
The Sheriff's Department has interviewed a witness who saw Brown engage in consensual sexual relations with the boy on multiple occasions. Brown is in the Lake County Jail on $14,000 bond, charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Frankly, by her mug shot I wouldn't peg Morgan Lee Brown as an evil temptress. Of course, those prison stripes in her hair might be indicative of something. Nonetheless, Morgan Lee Brown now qualifies for inclusion on the previously discussed roster of women who molest minors. As a reminder, the entire roster now includes:

Pamela Smart,
Debra Lafave,
Mary Kay Letourneau,
Lisa Suitter,
Amber Jennings,
Sarah Suzanne Bench-Salorio,
Janay Jill Willson,
and Morgan Lee Brown.

Pretty soon, there will be enough for a softball team.

[Update] Add Tammy Lee Huggins, Rebecca Ann Boicelli, and, although not a teacher but still worthy of inclusion, Sylvia Johnson to the roster.

[Update 2] Add Sheryl Jean Graham.

[Update 3, February 7, 2005] According to this report, if convicted Morgan Lee Brown faces a possible 60 years in prison. Ouch!

Also, there's another addition to the roster, Denise Bongers.

Following Entry Posted 1/14/2005 12:09:00 AM

Florida Man Arrested For Possessing Ricin

(Ocala, Florida) Florida law enforcement agents arrested and later released Steven Michael Ekberg, 22, last Friday after being tipped that he had violated the concealed weapons permit law by carrying guns while visiting clubs. A search of his home resulted in finding suspicious chemicals and several weapons, including an Uzi-type submachine gun, an AK47-type semiautomatic rifle, and a semiautomatic bipod rifle. Later analysis indicated that one of the chemicals was the lethal biological agent ricin, possession of which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Ekberg was arrested again on Wednesday. According to the FBI, Ekberg isn't believed to be linked to a terrorist organization.

He might not be linked to a terrorist group, but it's sure that he didn't accumulate sophisticated weaponry and ricin for humanitarian purposes.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 06:08:00 PM

Strawberry Fields Orphanage To Close

From ABC Online comes the report that the Salvation Army is closing the Strawberry Fields Orphanage immortalized by John Lennon and the Beatles in the 1967 song Strawberry Fields Forever. The facility, in the Woolton district of Liverpool, England, is where John Lennon used to play as a child. However, despite its legacy, the place currently houses only three orphans and officials have decided to close it down permanently.

The future? Urban renewal will probably erase Penny Lane someday.

Trackback: Beltway Traffic Jam

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 05:03:00 PM

Senior Shiite Aide Murdered

(Baghdad) According to this report, Shiite Muslim Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani supports the upcoming elections but isn't running for office. Nonetheless, he and his followers have been targeted by Sunni Muslim militants eager to create civil war. Today, it's being reported that Sheikh Mahmoud al-Madahaini, a senior Sistani aide, was murdered in Salman Pak, south of Baghdad, along with his son and four guards.

Also today, another aide working on legal issues in Ayatollah Sistani's Najaf office was found dead. Iraqi officials are blaming Sunni militants for all the deaths.

Worth mentioning is the consistently irksome difficulty associated with Arab names. In various reports, Sheikh Mahmoud al-Madahaini is identified as Sheik Mahmoud Finjan, Cleric Mahmoud al-Madaen, Sheikh Mahmoud al-Madaini, among others. There is apparently no correct way to identify individuals when the names undergo translation. I still don't know how to correctly spell or pronounce the name of Libya's leader. Is it Qaddifi or Kadiffi or Quddafi or Qudaffi or Qaddaffi? Hell if I know. With regard to translating from Arabic to English, ballpark accuracy in language necessarily replaces precision. Unfortunately, the practice occasionally leads to misidentification.

Hat tip: In The Bullpen, The Jawa Report

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 08:36:00 AM

Terrorists Rob Ramadi Bank

(Ramadi, al-Anbar Province, Iraq) According to a Courier-Mail report, armed men broke into the Rashid bank, locked up all the employees, took $13.5 million worth of Iraqi dinars, and escaped. The robbery occurred about 11am local time (3am EST).

Could there be a problem with their usual funding avenues?

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 08:04:00 AM

Taiwan To Mainland Highway

(Beijing) China has proposed long-term plans for the construction of a highway from the mainland to Taiwan. It would be about 120 miles of bridge or tunnel or a combination of the two spanning open water in an earthquake zone which sees many typhoons. As an indication of the level of thought already devoted to the idea, Communications Minister Zhang Chunxian said, "Taipei could be linked by building a tunnel or something else."

Doable? You make the call.

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 05:21:00 AM

Verdict In Playmate Trial

(Cleveland, Ohio) Late yesterday, Playboy Playmate of the Year, Carmella DeCesare, was found not guilty of assault and guilty of violating a protective order. For violating a protective order to stay away from her accuser, Kristen Hine, Judge Anita Laster Mays sentenced DeCesare to community service, $150 fine, and gave her a suspended jail term.

Any synopsis of the trial over the past couple days would have to conclude that it was merely a catfight between two women over Cleveland Browns QB Jeff Garcia. Only because it involved an NFL QB and a Playboy Playmate of the Year did it become newsworthy. Otherwise, the story is about a guy and two girls who can't get along.

Interestingly, the story does illustrate that Jeff Garcia's leadership skills on the gridiron, and the Browns dismal record this past season, seem to parallel his skills in his personal life. In neither circumstance has he been able to get his receivers to work together.

Companion post at Backcountry Conservative.

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 04:39:00 AM

WWII Allied POW Deaths in Japan

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army took over 35,000 prisoners of war to Japan to perform backbreaking work as forced laborers in coal mines, factories, and other locations. Out of the total, a Japanese organization called the POW Research Network Japan has compiled a listing of 3,526 who died, many from malnutrition and pneumonia. According to the network's website,

How and where these casualties met their death has never been clarified. Prior to the surrender the Imperial Japanese Army issued instructions to destroy all documents relating to these camps. Japan's Government has never told the full story of the treatment of POWs either in Japan or overseas.

Our group has endeavoured to unveil this hidden history, and this list is nearing completion. The roll of Commonwealth soldiers has already appeared on our web site. We are now adding the names of American and Dutch casualties to each individual camp site.

We wish to express our deep sympathy to those who lost their lives in this conflict. We trust that this list will prove helpful to families and friends, especially those who up to now did not know the fate of their loved ones.

Data from the General Headquarters of the Allied Powers, along with lists of names retrieved from cemeteries and war memorials, were used to compile the listing.

The effort to compile a listing of the dead Allied POWs should be heralded. No doubt, there are generations of families who are eager to know what happened to their loved ones.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Following Entry Posted 1/13/2005 02:51:00 AM

Chicago Shopping Mall Explosion Injures 10

(Chicago, Illinois) Ten injuries have been reported from a gas explosion last night in the parking lot at Ford City Shopping Mall on Chicago's Southwest Side. According to Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford, the cause is unknown.

I'll make a wild guess. A gas leak?!

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 05:32:00 PM

Student Gives Wine Coolers to Classmates

(Heath, Ohio) For extra credit in Social Studies, a student at Heath Middle School served wine coolers to his classmates as part of a presentation on food and drink of the ancient Greeks. The student's parent allegedly prepared the wine coolers for the class.

According to police, no charges were filed, however, the student was suspended for 10 days.

Okay, what am I missing here? The student gets punished for the parent's actions! Where's the logic? Usually the parent is responsible for the student. In this instance, the parent is apparently not responsible for anything.

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 07:13:00 AM

Three Shot Dead In Tennessee Garage

(Jackson, Tennessee) David Jordan opened fire yesterday at a state Transportation Department garage, killing three people and wounding two. The dead include Jordan's wife, Donna, a Forestry Department employee, and a delivery man. Police arrested Jordan a short time after the shootings. He was captured with an assault rifle, a shotgun, and two pistols.

Police identified no motive for the killings.

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 04:26:00 AM

Tsunami Victims Mostly Fishermen and Their Families

According to a Jakarta Post report, fishermen and their families comprised more than 90,000 of the 105,000 people who perished in Indonesia during the December 26 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Survivors have been left without boats, nets, nor other equipment to continue their livelihood.

In a related report, it's believed that two-thirds of all fatalities in the disaster were women and children at home along the affected coastline. Without women in the central role of maintaining families and communities, reconstruction and relief efforts will be much more difficult.

As more information on the scope of the disaster is known, it becomes clearer that recovery is going to take a very long time.

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 03:02:00 AM

Submarine Mishap Worse Than First Reported

According to email messages written by Rear Adm. Paul F. Sullivan, Commander of Submarine Forces Pacific, the USS San Francisco hit an uncharted undersea mountain "incredibly hard" and, contrary to a previously reported 23, about 60 crew members were injured. The submarine was traveling at high speed when it hit, sustaining significant bow damage which caused flooding in the sonar dome and ballast tanks.

Navy officials said the San Francisco was traveling at 30 knots when it careened off some part of the undersea mountain range. In one of the e-mail messages, Admiral Sullivan wrote that on impact, the vessel made a "nearly instantaneous deacceleration" [sic] to about 4 knots.

Buoyancy was subsequently maintained by continuously pushing air into the ballast tanks. The engineering spaces, including the reactor and propulsion plants, were unaffected.

Somebody has to ask the question of how the chart makers could neglect to find an entire undersea mountain range.

Companion post at Backcountry Conservative.

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 01:48:00 AM

Despite Sudan Peace Pact, Darfur Violence Grows

ABC Online reports:

Fighting is spreading in Sudan's Darfur region and may intensify in the short term despite a landmark peace agreement between the Sudanese Government and rebels in the south.

The special United Nations envoy for Sudan, Jan Pronk, told the UN Security Council, arms were flooding into the region, violence was spreading beyond camps for the homeless, banditry was increasing and rebel groups were launching attacks in the area of oil facilities.

"We may move into a period of intense violence unless swift action is taken," Mr Pronk said.

Mr. Pronk is not telling the UN Security Council members anything they don't already know since they recently issued a report indicating as much. Last week, Kofi Annan was quoted saying that the situation is deteriorating and swift international action is required. The Security Council report also stated that the conflict in Darfur has "cost 70,000 lives, displaced 1.7 million people, and left 2.2 million dependent on aid." Even so, we'll have to wait until January 25 to find out if there is genocide occurring in Darfur. Inexplicably, that's when the UN will finally rule on the issue.

In summary, the situation in Darfur is normal. The UN is in charge. By every indication, essentially nothing is being done.

Following Entry Posted 1/12/2005 01:02:00 AM

Israel's Chinese Deal

Here's a dilemma. Back in the 1990s, Israel dealt Harpy drone aircraft to China despite U.S. pressure not to do so. However, the radar and anti-aircraft targeting drones lacked sophisticated upgrades which Israel promised to provide. Last year, China returned the aircraft for the upgrades to enhance equipment performance.

The United States fears the Harpy military technology could be used to threaten Taiwan and endanger US forces in case of war with China. The US position has put Israel in the difficult position of having either to defy its main ally, or violate a trust with China, a market with considerable growth potential for Israeli high-tech and military exports.

In 2000 Washington pressured Israel to scrap a different Israeli arms deal with China worth $2 billion. China blamed the United States for interfering in the sale of PHALCON reconnaissance planes. Israel said the botched deal caused lingering ill will with China that was resolved only after Israel paid China reparations.

Presently, it's not clear how Israel will resolve its dilemma. Nevertheless, as a stereotypical amateur geopolitical wizard, my take is for Israel to be extra careful when supplying any military technology to a communist government. Either that or don't be surprised when Harpy drones start taking off from Iranian or Syrian airfields. When it comes to fortifying military arsenals, it's probably advisable to conduct business only with those countries on the same side of the ideological scrimmage line.

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/11/2005 11:40:00 PM

Financial Journalist Fined For Pumping Own Stocks

Formerly of CBS MarketWatch.com, Thom Calandra has been fined more than $540,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission for using an investment newsletter to promote certain stocks he owned.

Michael S. Dicke, a deputy assistant district administrator in the S.E.C.'s enforcement division, said: "It's not every day that you find a respected financial journalist, who has a large readership, and then find them selling stocks. It was a serious betrayal of Mr. Calandra's readership."

Mr. Calandra, without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, agreed to return more than $416,000 in trading profits and interest. He will also pay a civil penalty of $125,000.

"It has been a challenging year, to put it mildly, and I do not wish to expose my family to a protracted public dispute with the commission on this matter," Mr. Calandra said in a statement. "Now that we have a resolution, I am eager to move on with my life and pursue my first love, writing."

This type of stock manipulation scheme just fries my chicken and I don't think that the punishment is adequate. Calandra obviously is not being impacted financially when he easily agrees to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars. Obviously, the punishment is viewed more like a traffic ticket than a deterrent. A eye-opening stretch in the slammer would change that perception.

I wonder how many of the investors he defrauded will get their money back.

Following Entry Posted 1/11/2005 08:02:00 AM

Library Book 78 Years Overdue

(Akron, Ohio) While rummaging through his late parents' estate, Billy Hawse found a library book checked out of the Akron-Summit County Public Library that had a return due date of April 14, 1927, making it 78 years overdue. At a fine of 2 cents a day, the return of The Book of the National Parks by Robert Sterling Yard should have cost Hawse over $500, but the library waived the fine.

Following Entry Posted 1/11/2005 07:25:00 AM

Sailor Joseph Ashley Dies in Submarine Mishap

(Akron, Ohio) The family of Machinist Mate Second-Class Joseph Ashley, 24, in suburban Akron were notified that he died of injuries received during the mishap on the nuclear attack submarine USS San Francisco in the Pacific Ocean south of Guam.

Joseph Ashley
The family was told that Ashley died Sunday, having never regained consciousness after suffering a head injury. He died as he was being prepared for transport to a military hospital. A memorial service will be held in Guam before Ashley's remains return for a second service in Ohio.

The Navy continues to investigate the incident that caused Joseph Ashley's death and injuries to many other members of the crew.

Following Entry Posted 1/11/2005 05:43:00 AM

Playmate Of The Year Carmella DeCesare On Trial

(Cleveland, Ohio) Playboy's Playmate of the Year, Carmella DeCesare, is on trial for assaulting Kristen Hine, ex-girlfriend of Cleveland Browns QB Jeff Garcia, in a Cleveland nightclub.

Carmella DeCesare - At trial and on beach

Hine's attorney said his client is a college-educated woman who isn't a troublemaker. He added that DeCesare is a party girl playboy bunny who went into a jealous rage when she saw Hine at a nightclub.

According to Hine, a real catfight resulted where DeCesare was the aggressor, kicking Hine in the head and causing serious neck injuries. The trial continues today.

Following Entry Posted 1/11/2005 02:14:00 AM

Traficant Appeal Denied

Former Congressman James Traficant will apparently serve his entire eight-year sentence for convictions of bribery and kickbacks. His appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on grounds that he was tried twice, once in court and once in the House of Representatives, has been denied.

I'm probably in the minority in my belief that Traficant should be paroled. Life was a measure more entertaining when he was able to shoot his opinion into the public discourse.

Monday, January 10, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/10/2005 06:21:00 PM

Hospital Tells ER Patients To Stay Away

In a report from a month ago, it was learned that hospitals in the Australian national health care system effectively shut down for six weeks during the Christmas holiday period. This results in having to postpone all scheduled medical procedures until some later date which would be at least six weeks in the future. Officials justified the action by stating that the doctors and nurses deserved a well-earned holiday vacation. However, a competing viewpoint was that shutting down the hospitals "is a deceitful method used to meet budgets." I tend to agree with the latter viewpoint and concluded that the Australian socialized medical system casually disregards timeliness of treatment as an important aspect of health care.

Although Australian socialized health system shuts down the hospitals, they don't stop providing emergency room service to the public. For that, we'll have to visit another country with a socialized health care system. In at least one hospital in Britain, emergency room services are being curtailed by pleading with the public to "stay away." With a recent viral outbreak, officials at Hope Hospital, Salford, England, have been flooded with patients and have run out of beds. Hospital wards have been closed to new admissions and authorities have appealed to the public to go someplace else.

So, for those keeping score at home, chalk up one more reason to question whether a socialized health care system adequately meets the needs of the public. By comparison, if a person goes to an emergency room in the U.S., they will be seen and treated. There might be a long wait involved, but I've not heard of any instance where the ER staff effectively put up a "No Vacancy" sign.

It might seem like I'm reading too much into this circumstance, however, it is fundamentally grating to me that any hospital would even hint at denying emergency care to those in need.

Following Entry Posted 1/10/2005 04:23:00 PM

Fine For Putting Trash Out On Wrong Day

In their unquenchable thirst for a utopian serfdom, some communities are now levying fines for putting the garbage out on the wrong day. In Reddish, England, Angela Garfield was fined 50 British pounds (about $94) for placing her rubbish bin curbside the night before scheduled pickup. As is typical, the levying of the fine is a new policy instituted by the local government without adequately notifying the public.

Also typical is the lie told by the local officials when explaining why citizens are being fined. The purported reason is to reduce clutter in the neighborhood. Excuse me! If the desire is to remind people to follow simple instructions, a $2 or $5 fine would be more than sufficient. But no, the local politicians have imposed upwards of a $100 fine which is nothing more than a new way to suck funds out of the public. It's time to vote some incompetent leeches out of office. They don't deserve the public trust.

Following Entry Posted 1/10/2005 03:13:00 PM

Students Strip Searched For $10

After one student claimed that her $10 was missing, Mainland Preparatory Academy Principal Wilma Green ordered that 10 students in the class be strip searched. Seven girls and three boys removed their clothing down to their underwear. The money wasn't found.

Principal Green has been criticized for not notifying and involving the parents of the children prior to the strip search. Personally, the criticism of the principal is reasonable, but I'd go one step further. In my opinion, the principal overreacted. Wilma Green ordered arguably harsh measures to be taken to resolve an infraction that may or may not have occurred. According to the report, the $10 was missing. That doesn't mean it was stolen. It may have been misplaced.

Even assuming it was stolen, the item wasn't a bomb, a weapon, nor a vial of anthrax powder. A dramatic, immediate search of the bodies and clothing of the students wasn't warranted. There was plenty of time to conduct a measured, thoughtful investigation. Principal Green acted impulsively. She should welcome the criticism as a cue to reassess the strength and effectiveness of her medications. With regard to not involving the parents, Principal Green's actions are inexcusable.

My take on the use of strip searches to gather evidence is simple. The situation should be life-threatening. The mystery of the missing sawbuck doesn't meet the criteria.

Trackback to Beltway Traffic Jam.

Following Entry Posted 1/10/2005 12:54:00 AM

British Commander of Gibraltar Found Dead

Royal Navy Commodore David White, Commander of British Forces in Gibraltar, was found dead in his swimming pool by his military assistant. According to the Royal Gibraltar Police, no foul play is suspected, however, the death is not believed to be "natural." A post-mortem examination is planned.

Interestingly, Commodore White was the subject of an investigation by the Ministry of Defense and had been recently summoned back to England. No information is provided as to whether the investigation is related to his death.

My guess? It is.

Sunday, January 09, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/09/2005 11:51:00 PM

Astronomy Toilet Paper

(Tokyo, Japan) Some students studying at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan have started printing and distributing rolls of toilet paper printed with information about astronomy. Resulting from a workshop, the idea is to help people learn about space.

Printed on the toilet paper is a description of the life of a star: the birth of a "star egg" with gas clouds in space, the nuclear fusion reaction starting its birth, the star's expansion after its fuel hydrogen is burned up, and its death with the diffusion of planetary nebulae.

With funding from a company foundation, rolls of the printed paper have been provided to schools and public facilities. If the students receive a good response from the public, they plan to issue more versions of the informative tissue.

Frankly, it seems like a pretty good idea. What better place is there to learn about gas clouds than the bathroom?

Following Entry Posted 1/09/2005 03:36:00 PM

Sailor Dead After USS San Francisco Mishap

One sailor aboard the nuclear attack submarine USS San Francisco has died from injuries suffered when the boat reportedly went "aground." His name is being withheld. Another 23 crew members are being treated for injuries.

Okay, someone please tell me how a submarine goes "aground" in water that's miles deep. A prudent individual would have suspect that at least one other vessel is limping back to port somewhere, also having run "aground" in the water south of Guam. As a point of reference, it has to be noted that the deepest part of all the world's oceans, the Marianas Trench, is south of Guam. It's seven miles deep and it's guaranteed that the USS San Francisco didn't bump bottom in the neighborhood of the Marianas Trench.

Following Entry Posted 1/09/2005 01:53:00 PM

Kofi Annan Does More Coordinating

Following up on the success of the Oil-For-Food program, Coordinator Kofi can now take credit for an Eggs-For-Sex peacekeeper program. The Eastern Congo is the backdrop where UN Forces are relying upon hunger to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit in girls as young as 13 to trade sex for eggs. According to the Straits Times:

United Nations peacekeepers in eastern Congo traded eggs, milk and cash for sex with girls and women they were sent to protect, an investigation showed.

They had sex with girls as young as 13 inside guard posts, in rundown shelters, in the bushes around military camps, or on bare ground under trees, normally just after dark, said the UN on Friday.

Many of the girls had already been raped during the civil war. Some had been left to fend for themselves after their families were killed in the war and were desperate for food and money.

'Hunger has encouraged children to try to make contact with members of the UN mission's troops,' the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services said after investigating 72 separate allegations in the town of Bunia between May and September 2004.

Boys aged between eight and 18 years living on the streets or in refugee camps acted as pimps, facilitating access to girls for US$1 (S$1.70) or a handful of food.

[ ... ]

Many of the soldiers involved are likely to go unpunished due to a lack of evidence while others had already moved on from Congo. Under the UN rules, the troops' home country rather than the world body is responsible for punishing them.

And, there's the beauty of Kofi's coordinating. It's the classic "Bayonet the wounded after the battle is over" ploy. Nobody is culpable because the UN has no rules governing their coordinating activities. Consequently, just like the Oil-For-Food program, no crimes were committed in the eyes of the UN and Kofi keeps on coordinating.

It's not exactly clear how the UN Secretary General will apply his skills in the aftermath of the South Asian tsunami disaster, but it's rumored that a Medicine-For-Cash program is being coordinated. You've got to hand it to the Great Coordinator. Not since Attila the Hun has anyone so successfully put the "P's" in plunder and pillage.

All along, the world has been fooled into thinking the UN has been a peacekeeper when, in reality, it's been a "P's" keeper.

Saturday, January 08, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/08/2005 01:18:00 PM

U.S. Nuclear Sub Runs Aground

About 400 miles south of Guam, a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine, USS San Francisco, ran aground during submerged operations. The U.S. Navy reports that one sailor is critically injured. The boat is on the surface underway toward Guam, its home port, with no apparent damage to the reactor plant.

A simple look at the map indicates that the water in the described location is miles deep. It sure doesn't seem possible for a submarine to hit bottom unless there was an uncharted seamount or the sub was operating close to an island.

Following Entry Posted 1/08/2005 12:43:00 AM

Teacher Charged With Sexual Assault of Student

(Bay City, Texas) It must be an epidemic. Another female teacher has been arrested and charged with sexual molestation of a male student. According to the Matagorda County District Attorney's Office, Bay City High School English teacher Janay Jill Willson, 31, is accused of two felony counts of sexual assault with a 16-year-old male student.

Janay Jill Willson
(Photo - Click2Houston.com)
Willson, a nine-year veteran teacher at Bay City High School, allegedly had sex with the student during Dec. 1999 and Jan. 2000 and it became known in 2004. She was suspended from teaching in Oct. 2004 and resigned her position just before Christmas. The student has graduated. After her arrest this week, Willson posted $40,000 bond and was released. If convicted of the charges against her, Willson faces a possible 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

An odd twist in the story is that officials are awaiting the results of paternity testing on one of Willson's children to determine if the student is the father. And, of course, we must now add Janay Willson's name to the previously discussed roster of female teachers who sexually molest children.

Friday, January 07, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 11:29:00 PM

Kofi Annan Alarmed Over Darfur

UN Super Coordinator Kofi Annan is alarmed over the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Well, HOT DAMN! Since the murders have been going on for a couple years now, it's about time. Now, do your stuff, Kofi. Get to coordinatin'.

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 01:40:00 PM

Teacher Charged For Having Sex With Young Boys

(Orange County, California) According to prosecutors, Santiago Charter Middle School English teacher, Sarah Bench-Salorio, 28, has been formally charged with 20 counts of lewd conduct with a child under 14.

Sarah Suzanne Bench-Salorio
(Photo - KABC)
Bench-Salorio is alleged to have seduced the boys, her students, over a period of months by offering dinners and luring them through phone calls and e-mails.

Authorities said Bench-Salorio met the first boy shortly after she began teaching at the school and began having sex with him in May 2003, a month after she got her teaching credential. They had a 16-month relationship that lasted until September before she began a four-month relationship with a second boy, prosecutors said.

Interestingly, she's sympathetic to the school and the boys, says her attorney, Allan Stokke, but there's no mention of how she's going to explain it to her husband and three foster children. On the other hand, she may not have to. Arrested Tuesday, she is being held on $1 million bail and faces a possible 46 years in prison.

Sadly, the roster of female teachers who sexually molest children continues to grow. Along with Pamela Smart, Debra Lafave, Mary Kay Letourneau, Lisa Suitter, and Amber Jennings, we must add Sarah Suzanne Bench-Salorio.

Isn't it about time for the judicial system to sentence female child molesters in a manner that's comparable to that which a man could expect? I imagine that if a man had committed the crimes that Bench-Salorio is accused of, he would never see light outside of prison.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

[Update 01/07/06]

Bench-Salorio sentenced to 6 years.

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 12:45:00 PM

Canadian Battle of The Beer

Canada's two largest brewers, Molson and Labatt, have recently seen slumping sales due to competition within the industry from discount beer sellers. Lakeport Brewing, Ontario's largest regional brewer, and Brick Brewing of Guelph have enjoyed increased sales in a stagnating Canadian beer market. Just as traditional retailers are losing customers to lower-priced Wal-Mart, Costco, and Target, Molson and Labatt aficionados are being lured to buy less expensive beer sold by Lakeport and Brick. With Molson/Labatt above $35 a case and the discounters below $24, the price difference is not insignificant. More beer for less money is a marketing theme that successfully appeals to any hoser. [Yes, they're Canadian dollars.]

To counter the threat from regional brewers, both Molson and Labatt lowered their prices but, so far, not enough. Meanwhile, shareholders will be asked to approve a merger between Molson and Adolph Coors Brewing on January 19. Points of contention on the proposed merger center on shareholder value and how the combination of family-control versus corporate-control will work. Either way the proposed merger vote comes out, it probably won't have a direct immediate impact on the market battle with regional discount brewers.

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 02:05:00 AM

Fake Baby Milk Kills

A court in Fuyang, China, has sentenced five people to jail for their part in the deaths of at least 13 babies from malnutrition. The individuals were involved in the production and sale of fake baby milk powder which contained no nutrients. Along with the deaths, another 189 babies became ill.

It's disturbing that so many illnesses and deaths had to occur before someone noticed there was a problem.

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 01:45:00 AM

Chirac Planning U.S. Visit

In a briefing yesterday, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that the U.S. and French governments are working on plans for President Jacques Chirac to visit Washington.

It seems that Chirac has much more to gain from a meeting with President Bush than vice versa. With a perennial unemployment rate around ten percent, Chirac's socialist economy has exhibited continual doldrums exacerbated by an informal U.S. boycott of French products. The wine industry has been hit particularly hard, resulting in nationwide protests last year. As such, Chirac will try to get any help he can from Bush.

On the other hand, it probably makes no difference whatsoever whether Chirac visits Washington or not. His hatred of the United States, in general, and President Bush, in particular, is biological.

Following Entry Posted 1/07/2005 01:25:00 AM

Billion-Dollar Coordinator

Arriving a few hours ago (about 10am local) in the Indonesian province of Aceh, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan started coordinating by saying he wanted $1 billion. It's not clear how the actual relief work being done by the US military will be impacted by Annan's coordinating.

Meanwhile, coordinator Annan was hailed by French President Jacques Chirac at a gathering of foreign ambassadors in Paris.

Chirac praised Annan for his "determined and tireless action" and called him "a man of peace, of conviction, of courage and of integrity."

Obviously, Chirac's movie-star characterization of Annan is naked brown-nosing with the goal of muffling any criticism of France for contributing only a token toward the billion-dollar coordinating bill.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/06/2005 05:20:00 PM

Renters' Bonanza At DFW Airport

It's generally known that Delta Air Lines has been having trouble keeping the business engines at full throttle, and, in down-powering, an unprecedented systemwide schedule transformation has been implemented. This includes vacating 24 gates at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. Consequently, airport authorities are anxious to find new occupants and are offering free rent along with other financial incentives.

It is hoped that the vacancies are soon filled. If not, it's rumored that airport officials will raise coffee shop prices where a cup of joe goes for a hefty $10 and a donut commands $14.95.

Following Entry Posted 1/06/2005 03:07:00 PM

Andrea Yates Conviction Reversed

Astonishing! No doubt about the fact that she drowned her five young children, however, because one "expert" witness tried to pump smoke at the court, a three-judge appeals court threw out her convictions of the murders of three of her children. Yates was never tried for the murders of two of her children. Prosecutors said they would appeal.

It angers me that this ugly sore on humanity has to be reopened and remembered. Surely, every do-gooder and psycho-babbler will now publicly revisit the crime and attempt to rationalize and apologize for Andrea Yates. Meanwhile, Noah, 7, John, 5, Paul, 3, Luke, 2, and Mary, 6 months, are dead after being gruesomely drowned, one at a time, in the family bathtub by their mother.

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 11:53:00 PM

Mexican Government Pamphlet Endorses Illegal Migration

The Mexican Foreign Ministry has published 1.5 million copies of a pamphlet which advises migrants how to illegally cross the border into the United States. Called the Guide for the Mexican Migrant (Guia del Migrante Mexicano), its 32 pages of text and illustrations gives advice on navigating in the desert and swimming rivers at night.

Guide for the Mexican Migrant

George Grayson, a Mexico expert at the College of William and Mary, said the guide sends a message that the Mexican government endorses illegal immigration.

"It is a wink and a nod to illegal immigrants," Grayson said. "How would they feel if the Guatemalans published a guide on how to get into Mexico?"

I can't shake the feeling that the Mexicans are laughing their guts out, thinking the stupid Americanos are such easy prey. And it wouldn't surprise me if they next publish a schedule with a recommended route for the illegals to cross the border. Presumably, terrorists and drug smugglers have studied the guide.

Meanwhile, spineless politicians in Washington have "mixed" reactions to the guide while focusing on their primary work, neglecting to protect United States territory from illegal foreign nationals.

Some people should be fired.

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 09:13:00 PM

Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun Officially A Deserter

Charged with desertion after disappearing from a Marine base in Iraq last June and facing a court martial, Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun failed to report to duty after being on leave and has been declared a deserter.

"Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun has been declared a deserter by the US Marine Corps after he failed to return here yesterday from authorised leave," the marines said in statement from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

"Hassoun was required to return by 12:00 pm on Jan 4, but has not yet reported for duty," the statement said.

"As of 3:00pm today, his command officially declared him a deserter and issued authorisation for civil authorities to apprehend Hassoun and return him to military control," it said.

His lawyers are going to have one hell of a time trying to defend him.

Companion post at Our Life.

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 07:17:00 PM

Promises, Promises, Promises

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) advises against allocating pledged relief funds prior to receiving them. Numerous instances are cited where amounts pledged by the international community were never received. For example:

For aid to Iran after the earthquake a year ago, over $1 billion was pledged but only $17 million has actually materialized.

For aid to Honduras and Nicaragua after the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, over $8 billion was pledged but less than a third has been given.

For reconstruction of war-torn Kosovo, $410 million was pledged by the EU but only $44 million was received.

For rebuilding Rwanda, $746 million was pledged in 1995 but only $245 million was distributed by 1998.

Certainly there's uniqueness in each case where pledges don't equal contributions, so it's difficult to generalize why it occurs. However, the fact that it does occur is worthy of mention and it occurs often enough to indicate that aid recipients should be wary. It's also noteworthy that when there's a difference between the pledged amount and the amount actually received, in many cases there is a significant difference. The disparities are not minor accounting malfunctions.

My take is that during periods of high media interest and public sympathy, but prior to debate and consultation, politicians and diplomats tend to spit rhetoric and make some commitments that are unachievable.

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 05:19:00 PM

Pledges Pour In

According to The Australian, aid pledged to tsunami relief is now between $3 billion and $4 billion. Jan Egeland, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that it is not possible to keep track of the contributions that are pouring in but he hoped to show that the UN can really coordinate for the community of nations.

Given their success with the oil-for-food program, I'm sure they will find coordinated places to put the money.

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 11:55:00 AM

USS Abraham Lincoln Nuclear Carrier Strike Force

Along with her support ships, the USS Abraham Lincoln is working along the coast of northwest Sumatra providing tsunami disaster relief. Here's an email from a crew member, Master Chief Fire Control Technician David Kirk:

You should see this mess. We are sailing 3 miles off the coast in a field of floating debris. Roofs, trees, dressers, millions of coconuts and so many dead bodies in the water all around us. We creep thru the water as to not stir them up too bad. They are bleached white, bloated, faces have no expressions..... They secured the weather decks to shield the crew from the visual trauma. We retrieve Helicopters every night and head for deeper water and kick up speed to make sure nothing is stuck in our intakes.

In the morning, we go back in and launch the Helicopters and refuel them at regular periods. We have Shore parties of 100 volunteers a day. 1,300 volunteered but they expect to only use 300 and just rotate them around because of the pills and various shots required. Basically, we deployed with double the number of Helicopters just because. Turns out it was a good call. We use 12 Helicopters daily.

They fly the Shore detail to the airport in the morning. The working party unloads the cargo from the relief planes, load that cargo onto the Helo's and they fly the stuff to villages and outer most areas needing help. Work all day and everybody returns at night. The village we are sailing near had 50,000 residents of which only 1,000 are left. All the roads were washed out so our Helo's are the only way in. Dan Rather flew onboard and stayed the night. It's good to have a mission. Adds purpose to being away from home.

All Americans should be rightfully proud of the timely and responsive disaster relief actions of the men and women of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Group. Providing hope in ruination is an American trait and the U.S. military is doing the job. Meanwhile, the UN has scheduled some more meetings to coordinate whatever it is it coordinates. Chief Kirk's email is courtesy of Michelle Malkin who has more to say on the subject. Go visit.

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 08:48:00 AM

Zarqawi Rumor

My fingers are crossed, hoping that the rumor of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's capture in a raid east of Baghdad is true. Kurdish sources maintain that the information is authentic. Chad Evans has more at In The Bullpen.

Also: Hyscience, The Jawa Report, MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

Following Entry Posted 1/05/2005 07:51:00 AM

Helen Thomas Needs New Glasses

In her recent column, Helen Thomas laments on the retirement of Bill Moyers from PBS, stating that "Bill Moyers was the last liberal voice on national television." Well, now we know the reason she sat in the front row of the White House Press Room. She can't see. Obviously blurred are the images of Peter Jennings, Perky Couric, Diane Sawyer, Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, Charles Gibson, Leslie Stahl, Sam Donaldson, George Stephanopoulos, Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Andy Rooney, yada-yada-yada.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/04/2005 10:33:00 PM

Traffickers Turn Dogs Into Mules

Using Labrador and Rottweiler breeds, Colombian drug smugglers are stitching plastic packets of liquid heroin into the stomachs of puppies.

Each of the puppies were found holding between one and two plastic packets containing some 400 liquid grams of heroin, General Ruben Carillo, head of Medellin's metropolitan police, said.

"We think the dogs were going to be sent to the United States as family pets," General Carillo told AFP.

Police needed to use ultrasonic testing to detect the heroin packets because they are invisible to x-rays. Being relatively undetectable, one has to wonder whether the same smuggling technique is used with humans. A single overweight adult could probably pack ten or twenty pounds of drugs in folds of flab.

Following Entry Posted 1/04/2005 06:17:00 PM

Previously Deported Gang Leader Arrested

From Columbus, Ohio, comes this report:

Columbus police and federal officers said a man arrested after a minor traffic accident in the area last month is actually a violent, previously deported felon gang leader who had been convicted of participating in a drive-by shooting in Nevada.

Officials said Nelson Flores, 34, of El Salvador, is the local leader of a violent Salvadoran gang that is active in Columbus. Police said Flores goes by the nickname "El Mula" and uses an alias of David Aguilar.

Okay, let me see if I read that correctly. Yes, I did. Flores is a violent, previously deported felon gang leader convicted of a drive-by shooting. Boy, it sure is a good thing he got picked up in a traffic stop.

I cannot be the only person that is absolutely outraged that this type of situation occurs. What good does it do to deport somebody? Apparently, not one iota. It is completely irresponsible for the spineless politicians in Washington to allow known violent criminals to enter the United States at will. Surely, I am not alone in expecting that the borders of the U.S. represent something more than a speed bump.

It hasn't been revealed just what kind of papers the scum criminal was carrying, but it would be my guess that he probably had a driver's license and a consular matricula card. I also wouldn't be surprised if he had a bank account and was receiving welfare of some sort. And lastly, I'd bet a check of medical records (if it were possible and I know it's not) would indicate that he has visited a hospital emergency room on at least one occasion.

Following Entry Posted 1/04/2005 03:19:00 AM

Baghdad Governor Assassinated

Terrorist gunmen assassinated Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haidari today.

Earlier, a suicide fuel truck bomb attacked a security checkpoint near the fortified Green Zone, killing at least six people and wounding at least 40.

Following Entry Posted 1/04/2005 01:26:00 AM

Surfer Rode Tsunami

Veteran surfer Martin Hambrook, 40, rode a tsunami wave to safety as it swept through the idyllic Sri Lankan village of Hikkaduwa.

Following Entry Posted 1/04/2005 12:50:00 AM

N. Korea Sold Arms to Pro-Al-Qaida Extremists

From a Daily Yomiuri report:

North Korea sold more than 10,000 rifles and other weapons in 1999 and 2000 to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest pro-Al-Qaida extremist group in the Philippines, according to Southeast Asian security sources.

Between 1999 and 2002, North Korea also attempted to sell submersible vessels to the MILF, who are fighting for independence for Mindanao in the southern Philippines, the sources said.

North Korea's submersible infiltration craft are believed to be capable of carrying suicide bombers and other insurgents to coastal areas near targets. Security authorities in Southeast Asia have heightened their level of alert and are sharing information about North Korean arms smuggling operations, the sources said.

The MILF pays North Korea with money derived from drug smuggling and received from al-Qaida. At one time, it was known that MILF was receiving $50,000 per month from al-Qaida. MILF has been very active on the island of Mindanao with nine separate bases. The group is also known to provide training camps for the terrorist organization Jamaah Islamiyah, responsible for the Bali bombing in October 2002 and the explosion in front of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in September 2004.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/03/2005 10:43:00 PM

Criminals Target Tsunami Victims

From an ABS-CBN Interactive report:

Thieves, rapists, kidnappers and hoaxers are preying on tsunami survivors and families of victims in Asian refugee camps, hospitals and in the home countries of European tourists hit by the wave.

Reports and warnings came in from as far apart as Britain, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong on Monday of criminals taking advantage of the chaos to rape survivors in Sri Lanka or plunder the homes of European tourists reported missing.

There have also been reports of sexual abuse of women and girls in rescue shelters and during unsupervised rescue operations. Thieves in Thailand have been masquerading as police and looting hotels of the belongings of tsunami victims. Along the coasts of Sumatra, pirates pose a constant danger to relief efforts. In a related report, Prime Minister Goeran Persson stated that Swedish authorities are withholding the names and addresses of victims to preclude home burglaries.

Companion post at The Jawa Report

Following Entry Posted 1/03/2005 10:09:00 PM

Tsunami Survivor Rescued 100 Miles Out To Sea

A 23-year-old woman was rescued 100 miles out to sea by a Malaysian-registered fishing boat after clinging to an uprooted palm tree for five days. Weak, dehydrated, and badly sunburned, Malawati of Kampung Denon in Banda Aceh, survived on rainwater and fruit from the palm tree. Malawati relayed that she had been washing clothes at her home about 2 kilometers from the ocean when the tsunami came and swept her out to sea.

News of her miraculous survival spread quickly. When the boat docked Monday, she was joyously met by officials, politicians, medical personnel, and the media.

Companion posts at Our Life, The Jawa Report

Following Entry Posted 1/03/2005 09:17:00 PM

FDA Allows Publication of Vioxx Data

Dr. David Graham of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety compiled data on heart attacks associated with Vioxx, but was prevented from releasing the information. The osteroarthritis pain medication was linked to as many as 139,000 heart attacks where 30 to 40 percent died. Consequently, the FDA has been criticized for mismanaging the situation.

In September, manufacturer Merck pulled the drug from the marketplace, citing their own safety concerns. And now, according to Tom Devine, Legal Director of the Government Accountability Project, the FDA has decided to "stop suppressing controversial research on Vioxx." The information will be submitted to The Lancet for publication.

With the health of the public in the lurch, it seems the FDA cannot always be relied upon to provide timely notifications.

Following Entry Posted 1/03/2005 06:33:00 AM

Sharp Girls Have Fewer Men

From research conducted by four British universities, results indicate that higher IQ women have lesser likelihood of getting men to marry them. The study followed 900 males and females from their tenth to their 40th birthdays. Some believe that smart men are just not interested in marrying smart women.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/02/2005 03:35:00 PM

French New Year's Celebration

For some reason, the wholesale destruction of property is considered a tolerable way to traditionally celebrate the New Year in France. More than 330 cars were set on fire in the suburbs of Paris. Since the number increased a mere nine from the previous year, the Interior Ministry noted that there is "stability in the phenomena of urban violence." I guess that means the thuggery has plateaued.

To add to this sad comedy, one imbecilic French apologist, sociologist Michel Wieviorka, stated the violence is "response from victims of social exclusion to our society of consumption."

So, there you have it. In France, there are no crimes, just responses from victims.

Following Entry Posted 1/02/2005 02:14:00 PM

Congressman Matsui Dies

(Bethesda, Maryland) A blood disorder is being blamed for causing the death of California Democratic Congressman Robert Matsui. He died last night surrounded by his family at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Matsui was 63.

Following Entry Posted 1/02/2005 11:50:00 AM

Environment-Conscious Business

It's certain that Giant Eagle Inc. is proud to have one of its stores granted the distinction of being the first "green building" grocery in the United States according to the U.S. Green Building Council. They apparently have considerable reason to be proud since just about any group with an opinion on the subject has weighed in with words of worship. In a Google search, I found over 1,000 different citations of articles by business, environmental, and media entities lauding praise on Giant Eagle, but, oddly, not one analysis of the cost. The positive gut reaction that people have to environmentally-conscious design and construction is understandable, however, it seems premature. Before the added cost of being a "green building" is amortized and factored into the profit-loss accounting, it's difficult to assess whether a prudent business decision was made. Being "green" while being profitable is praiseworthy but not always achievable. I'll personally remain skeptical until the actual profitability data are analyzed.

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Following Entry Posted 1/01/2005 09:09:00 AM

Pilots Believe Lasers Are Deliberate

Federal agents are investigating a recent rash of lasers being directed towards the cockpits of airplanes in several locations, including Cleveland, Washington, Houston, Teterboro, N.J., Medford, Ore., and Colorado Springs. Although not uncommon, lasers incidents have historically been accidental whereas the latest events appear to be deliberate.

"This type of activity is completely unprecedented," said Dave Mackett, a pilot and head of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance. "These have all the hallmarks of being deliberate."

[ ... ]

"A few seem to be intentional, and we're wondering why and what's going on," said Steve Luckey, a retired pilot who is chairman of the Airline Pilots Association's national security committee.

A high-intensity laser directed into the cockpit could cause irreparable damage to the eyes of the pilot and copilot, creating a crash risk during a non-instrumented landing. Loren Thompson, military technology teacher at Georgetown University, stated:

"What we're talking about is a fairly powerful visible light laser that has the ability to lock on to a fast-moving aircraft.

"That's not the sort of thing you pick up at a military surplus store," he added. "It sounds like an organised effort to cause airline accidents."

According to a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, investigators are questioning a Parsippany, N.J., man about an incident last night involving a police helicopter and two incidents on Wednesday night involving a Cessna airplane. On Wednesday, a government official stated that six commercial aircraft had been targeted with lasers in a period of four days.

Although the danger of laser damage to a pilots' eyes is everpresent, the recent incidents seem to primarily involve fixed-wing aircraft on landing approach and, in one case, a helicopter. To my knowledge, there has been no mention of incidents during takeoff or flight at cruising altitude. The potential, however, does exist.

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