Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 09:52:00 PM

Rodney King Arrested

(Rialto, California) Rodney King was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of making criminal threats. I guess he just can't get along.

Predictable? I'd say so.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 06:54:00 PM

Massive Oil Discovery Announced

(Colombo, Sri Lanka) President Chandrika Kumaratunga of Sri Lanka has announced the discovery of massive oil deposits along the country's southern and western coasts. Apparently, the oil field discovery was kept secret for some time, but now is being revealed ahead of plans to start drilling next month. Efforts are ongoing to determine if more deposits exist along the northern coast of the island. Estimates of potential reserves were not specified.

Obviously, this is dramatic news for Sri Lanka and South Asia with both India and China expected to be keenly interested. About the size of West Virginia, the country of slightly more than 20 million is currently an importer of oil. With a massive oil deposit harnessed, it's easy to predict a flood of petrodollars into the economy which currently has a GDP of approximately $80 billion.


[Update]

According to a report in the Khaleej Times, the news of a major oil discovery in Sri Lanka has been met with skepticism since there was an occasion in the past where a major discovery didn't produce results. This time, however, credence has been added to the claim since "Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama told the Joint Annual Discussions of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund last month in Washington DC that the findings of a seismic survey conducted recently in the Gulf of Mannar had revealed the presence of a world class petroleum system offshore."

We shall see.

Nevertheless, some Sri Lankans fear that oil will attract unwanted foreign attention from predatory nations. Oddly, Norway, Japan and the U.S. are believed somewhat excluded from the group of "predator big powers" because of their involvement in the Sri Lankan peace process.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 04:05:00 PM

Worker Fed to Lions by Boss

(South Africa) A 37-year-old white South African building contractor, Mark Scott-Crossley, was sentenced to life in prison for feeding black farm worker, Nelson Chisale, to lions at Mokwalo White Lion Project near Kruger National Park. An accomplice, Simon Mathebula, 43, was sentenced to 12 years.

Sick.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 09:01:00 AM

America's No.1 Hooker Jailed

(New York) Wearing a flirty black chiffon skirt and a shoulder-baring black sweater while teetering prominently on 4-inch stiletto heels of black patent-leather pumps, 25-year-old Canadian, Natalia McLennan, was handcuffed and jailed on prostitution and money laundering charges. It's reported that she used to be the Canadian Tap-Dancing champion so she'll be able to pass the time at Rikers Island entertaining the other inmates by dancing in her spiked heels.

Poor thing. How was she to know that shooting her mouth off to a magazine reporter that she charged $2,000 per hour for a minimum two-hour session of sex would get her noticed by the police. McLennan's boasts were the basis of a cover story in New York Magazine.

For boasting that she practically ran a multi-million dollar escort operation, including hiring and firing hookers, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Ambrecht jailed McLennan on $50,000 bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 07:28:00 AM

Polygamy Legalized in the Netherlands

It was destined to happen.


Trio Marry in Netherlands
From BrusselsJournal.com:

Last Friday the first civil union of three partners was registered. Victor de Bruijn (46) from Roosendaal "married" both Bianca (31) and Mirjam (35) in a ceremony before a notary who duly registered their civil union.

"I love both Bianca and Mirjam, so I am marrying them both," Victor said. He had previously been married to Bianca. Two and a half years ago they met Mirjam Geven through an internet chatbox. Eight weeks later Mirjam deserted her husband and came to live with Victor and Bianca. After Mirjam's divorce the threesome decided to marry.

When the "sanctity" of marriage devolves to become a mere function of arithmetic, all kinds of marriages are possible. And, since committed leftists also believe that animals possess constitutional rights, what prevents the next equation from including a dog or a sheep? (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin)
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       Following Entry Posted 9/30/2005 12:47:00 AM

Blogging? Haven't the Foggiest

(London) Conducted by advertising firm DDB, a survey of British taxi drivers, pub landlords, and hairdressers -- long considered the best indicators of popular trends -- found that 72% had never heard of blogging.

Blimey!
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       Following Entry Posted 9/29/2005 11:51:00 PM

Canadian Guilty of Smuggling Illegal Aliens into U.S.

(Bangor, Maine) A 39-year-old Canadian mother of three, Savita Singh-Murray, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to charges of attempting to smuggle three South American illegal aliens into the United States. The three illegals were citizens of Guyana who had entered Canada on forged passports.

This case is intriguing since the reporting has been sparse and sketchy and it appears that Singh-Murray is full of different stories. First she said she was the aunt of the three people, named Awad Hansraj, 21, Lalita Depaul, 18, and a 16-year-old juvenile identified as Sheliza A., and she was taking them into the U.S. for a visit. Then she said that her former boyfriend threatened to kill her husband and children if she didn't do the smuggling. Then her husband, Bryon Murray, said $4,000 was involved in the smuggling.

Further complicating the story are court documents that state Singh-Murray and her husband previously were implicated in the smuggling of Guyanese nationals in Buffalo, N.Y.

Given such scraps of information about the case, it's entirely logical to suspect that Singh-Murray is involved with some sort of ongoing smuggling enterprise. She is originally from Guyana and on two separate occasions has been involved with smuggling Guyanese at two different border checkpoints. The Guyanese seem to have developed a comfortable pathway to illegally enter Canada using forged documents. Upon arrival, it appears that Singh-Murray is tasked with the job of getting them into the U.S.

I customarily eschew conspiracy theories. They take too many people to get things right and they seldom occur without hitches. That said, it sure seems that Singh-Murray is working an ongoing people-smuggling enterprise. As an aside, I wonder why this story hasn't been reported by the mainstream media.

Singh-Murray is being held without bail at the Piscataquis County Jail. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. It's not clear what happens next in the case.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/29/2005 05:19:00 PM

Meth Lab Seizures Decrease

(Topeka, Kansas) It seems that the new law which requires taking cold and allergy medicines off store shelves and selling them only at pharmacies is having the desired effect.

From KansasCity.com:

From June, when the law took effect, through August, the number of seized meth labs was down 64 percent compared with the same period in 2004 - a drop from 135 to 49 labs, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

"If this pattern continues, this is the best thing for law enforcement since glazed doughnuts," said KBI Deputy Director Kyle Smith. "We are seeing a distinct drop as the law goes into effect."

According to the new law, buyers of cold and allergy tablets containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine or ephedrine must now show identification and sign a log book. Also, stores are not allowed to sell more than three packages within a week to a customer.

Many states have enacted or are contemplating similar laws which restrict the availability of medicines containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. Consistently, the result has been evidence of fewer methamphetamine labs.

In a related effort, there is indication that manufacturers of decongestant medication are now trending toward replacing the pseudoephedrine in their products with phenylephrine which is a less effective medicine, but it is not suitable for manufacturing meth.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/29/2005 08:46:00 AM

Woman Accused of Sex with Boy Under 13

(Chilton, Wisconsin) Twenty-year-old Sheena M. Pope has been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child aged 13 or younger for an alleged incident last February. A court appearance has been scheduled for October 17. The first-degree sexual assault charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/29/2005 05:50:00 AM

Sarah Bench-Salorio Pleads Guilty to Sex Crimes

(Los Angeles) Following up on a previous report, former English teacher at Santiago Charter Middle School, Sarah Bench-Salorio, 29, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of lewd contact for having sex with three young boys. Bench-Salorio taught the boys, aged 11 to 13, during the years 2003 and 2004. She seduced the boys over dinners, through e-mails and telephone calls for months before she molested them.

 
Teacher Sarah Bench-Salorio Pleads Guilty
(Photos: www.NBC4.tv)
Yesterday, Bench-Salorio pleaded guilty to 29 counts of lewd acts with the three boys before Judge Richard Toohey in Orange County Superior Court under an agreement that she be sentenced to three to six years in prison. As an aside, this equates to a range of about one to two months prison for each felony child sex crime. In other words, Bench-Salorio had no books thrown at her.

According to Mark Macaulay of the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Bench-Salorio will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. Deputy District Attorney John Christl pegged her as a "sexual predator."

Bench-Salorio's attorney, Allan Stokke, stated:

"My client concluded it was in her best interest to plead guilty and get a sentence of between three and six years as opposed to 64 years," which she could have faced as a maximum term if the case had gone to trial, Stokke said.

Bench-Salorio, jailed in lieu of $500,000 bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18.

For several reasons, my take is disgust. First is what she did to the boys. As an example, one boy "estimated the number of times he and his teacher had sex by the condoms in a box that he went through -- 22 of them, he said -- and added that sometimes no condom was used." Bench-Salorio experienced no momentary lapse of judgment. She was engaged in long-term, serial sexual criminal behavior with children.

Now, couple that with the fact that she is married with three foster children and listen to her apologists claim that she suffers from depression and a bipolar condition. Well, boo-freakin'-hoo! She can be bipolar and a convict. She can be depressed and a convict. Just make her a convict for a long time.

Unfortunately, she'll be in prison for no more then six years and I seriously doubt that she'll get the full six. Think of the damage she's done. Think of the victimized boys, their families, her own family, the school. Think of what would be the punishment for a man committing similar crimes. Given all the circumstances, is six years reasonable punishment? I don't think so. Not even close. Bench-Salorio should be looking at double or triple that amount or more.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.


[Update 01/07/06]

Bench-Salorio sentenced.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 05:55:00 PM

Sharm el-Sheikh Terror Suspect Killed

(Cairo) Apparently, a prominent suspect refused to respond appropriately to the Egyptian police, so a deadly consequence of hot lead was delivered to his carcass.

From Reuters AlertNet:

Egyptian police in the Sinai peninsula shot dead on Wednesday one of the men suspected in the bombings which killed 67 people in the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in July, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The suspect, Moussa Mohamed Salem Badran, born in 1978 and a resident of the North Sinai town of El Arish, had refused to surrender and opened fire on a group of policemen who tried to arrest him in the Mount Halal area, it said.

I'm going to have a cookie.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 05:39:00 PM

Satellites to Monitor Wild Sex

Presumably, monitoring sex by satellite will advance modern science.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 04:42:00 PM

Rhein-Main Closes as U.S. Base

(Germany) Since the end of World War II, Rhein-Main Air Base has been the "Gateway to Europe" for the U.S. military. Sadly for me and other nostalgics, times have changed. The last scheduled military flight has taken off from the historic airfield.

From the Stars and Stripes:

"It's really a bittersweet kind of thing," said Lt. Col. Michael Polhemus, commander of the 726th Air Mobility Squadron, which is finalizing its move from Rhein-Main to Spangdahlem Air Base, about 120 miles west of Frankfurt.

Aircraft capacity at Spangdahlem Air Base and Ramstein Air Base has been expanded in recent years in preparation for Rhein-Main's closure in accordance with a 1999 agreement between the U.S. and Germany.

Officials are planning a formal farewell ceremony on Oct. 10 at the celebrated air base where American jets departed around the clock during the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and where 52 American hostages returned in 1981 after 444 days in Iranian captivity.

The primary transit point between the U.S. and the Middle East will now be Ramstein Air Base. Rhein-Main will be absorbed into the adjacent Frankfurt International Airport officially on October 1.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 02:39:00 PM

Sea Serpent Photographed


Giant Squid
From Reuters:

The first photographs of a live giant squid -- one of the most mysterious creatures in the deep ocean -- suggest it is a more active creature than previously thought, a Japanese scientist said on Wednesday.

Until now the only information about the behaviour of the creatures which measure up to 18 metres (59 feet) in length has been based on dead or dying squid washed up on shore or captured in commercial fishing nets.

But Tsunemi Kubodera, of the National Science Museum, and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association, both in Tokyo have captured the first images of Architeuthis attacking bait 900 metres (yards) below the surface in the cold, dark waters of the North Pacific.

Finally we have a picture of a live sea serpent. Of course, this means that we have the technology to produce an actual photo of an extraterrestrial being.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 02:06:00 PM

Woman Ticketed for Not Having Kids

(New York) This story goes in the "Stuck on Stupid" file.

From TheChamplainChannel.com:

The Rivington Playground on Manhattan's East Side has a small sign at the entrance that says adults are prohibited unless they are accompanied by a child. Sandra Catena, 47, said she didn't see the sign when she sat down to wait for an arts festival to start.

Two New York City police officers asked her if she was with a child. When she said no, they gave her a ticket that could bring a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail.

A parks department spokesman said the purpose of the law is to keep pedophiles away for the parks. So, the logic must be that if a person is not accompanied by a child, that person is a pedophile. Of course, by this logic, normal childless citizens do not have park privileges. Stuck on stupid? You bet. My solution to the problem of ubiquitous pedophiles in society is quit releasing them from prison.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/28/2005 01:00:00 AM

Cheerleading Coach Faces Sex Charges

(Barberton, Ohio) Cheerleading and dance coach Mishelle Robinson, a married mother of two, was arrested last week and charged with two felony counts of sexual battery on a juvenile for alleged sexual contact with a 16-year-old male student on August 15.


Mishelle Robinson
Robinson, 31, has been suspended from her position at American Pro Cheer in Green Township. She is free on $25,000 bond. Her case will be presented to a Summit County grand jury later today (9/28).


[Update 02/05/06]

Robinson pleads guilty in accordance with a plea agreement.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 11:08:00 PM

No Jail in Teacher-Student Sex-Porn Case

(Worcester, Massachusetts) Last December, Amber S. Jennings, former English teacher at Shepherd Hill Regional High School in Dudley, was charged with engaging a minor in sexual intercourse and distribution of pornography to a minor. Jennings, 32, apparently had been caught in a long-term effort to keep a 16-year-old male student's participle from dangling.


Amber S. Jennings
Since last December, the prosecution and defense have battled in annoying back and forth negotiations which have finally concluded in a plea agreement. Jennings pleaded guilty yesterday to sending obscene photos, videos and electronic messages to a 16-year-old male student with whom she was having a sexual relationship. The obscene photos included images of Jennings exposing her breasts and genitals.

For her plea, Jennings got no jail, a mere two years probation, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if she also got a trip to Disneyland for all the trouble the court put her through. The victim's mother and other family members opposed the plea, believing the punishment was not comparable to what a man in her position would have received. Well, duh!

Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Fishman will rule within two weeks on whether Jennings will be required to register as a sex offender. Based upon what's happened thus far in the case, the judge will probably let her slide and apologize to boot.

There have been no reports of what Jennings' husband and two children think of the situation. My take is, "Hell, it's Massachusetts, the state that gave convicted murderer Willie Horton a weekend pass from prison so he could go kill again."


[Update 9/29/05]

Jennings will not have to register as a sex offender and she must give up her license to teach in Massachusetts. Of course, this means that other states are fertile grounds for her to teach.

From BostonHerald.com:

Amber S. Jennings, 32, who admitted this week that she e-mailed photos of herself naked to her former student, also criticized the boy's mother who reportedly said she wants to cash in on the incident with a civil suit.

"It is just unfortunate that she would go so far as to ruin her son's life in order to profit," Jennings told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette this week.

[ ... ]

Jennings told the paper she's writing a book about the case.

So, let me see if I understand. Jennings, a 32-year-old married mother of two daughters, is blaming the boy's mother for ruining his life.

Not surprising. This is what happens when people are allowed to commit crimes and the only penalty is a hand slap. Jennings arrogantly broke the law prior to being caught and, just as arrogantly, blames someone else for the mess she created. And, as expected, Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Fishman has ruled in a manner which indicates that he doesn't take teacher-student sexual behavior very seriously. Consequently, Jennings is allowed to walk away from court comfortably feeling that she got screwed by the system and nothing is her fault. Thanks, Judge.

Finally, some word filters out about what Amber's husband thinks. Russell Jennings is quoted as saying that his marriage is "somewhat strained as of late."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 05:15:00 PM

Former Rep. Dellums Considering Mayor's Job

(Oakland, California) Former U.S. Representative Ron Dellums, a 28-year veteran Democrat in Congress, is sniffing at becoming the next Mayor of Oakland. The idea became a possibility in June when an outburst of support was seen during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal (OCCUR). Interviewed this past week, Dellums indicated that:

[T]he risks involved in staking his reputation on a city with seemingly intractable problems such as high rates of violent crime, sagging public finances and underachieving schools only make a mayoral run seem more attractive.

Despite whether Dellums runs for mayor, it should be pointed out that the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal doesn't seem to have done jack-shinola in 50 years. For crying out loud, what the hell were they celebrating back in June? The high rates of violent crime? The sagging public finances? Or was it the underachieving schools? Sheesh! It makes one wonder what will be accomplished in the next 50 years.

Getting back to Dellums, for those who aren't familiar with the former Democratic congressman, his political history reasonably indicates that the only distinction between him and an avowed communist is that Dellums was never heard to say in public, "I'm an avowed communist." And arguably, there is no better objective indicator of his core political philosophy than the Internet. Just do a Google search of "Dellums" and "communist" and you'll get more hits than if you Google "Dellums" and "Democrat."

As to whether Dellums and his communist/socialist belief system take over Oakland or not, it really makes no difference. The East Bay is already infested with more Marxist ideologues than any other place in North America. What's one more?
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 08:41:00 AM

Faster Bird Flu Test

(Singapore) Good news! A new, faster test for bird flu has been invented.

From Ninemsn.com.au:

Scientists in Singapore say they have developed a test kit which can detect bird flu infections in poultry within four hours - a tool which could help health officials control the spread of the deadly virus.

In the absence of a vaccine, early identification of the virus is especially important, and current tests used by laboratories take two to three days and sometimes up to a week.

"The faster you are able to detect the H5N1 (virus), the earlier you can impose some kind of isolation procedure and the faster poultry can be culled to prevent the spread of the virus," Ren Ee Chee, a professor at the Genome Institute of Singapore who led the research team, said.

The virus - which has a death rate of about 50 per cent - has killed 65 people in four Asian nations since late 2003 and has forced the culling of millions of birds, destroying the livelihood of many impoverished farmers.

World Health Organization experts have warned that avian flu could become a human flu pandemic.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 05:57:00 AM

Sex For Boots

(Akron, Ohio) Various motivations cause people to assault others, but I've never heard this one before.

A Holliston Road man, 51, assaulted a Harrison Avenue woman, 22, on Sept. 15 in the area of Diagonal Road and Superior Avenue. The woman said a quarrel began when the man wanted to trade sex for a pair of boots.

Apparently, the two are acquaintances, if that matters. I'm having a difficult time trying to grasp the idea that boots and sex can be equivalent in value. Sex for money, sex for drugs, yes, but sex for boots does not compute.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 05:17:00 AM

Trailer Park Woman Accused of Raping Boy

(Chattanooga, Tennessee) A 28-year-old woman, Christyal D. Lawrence, was arrested and charged with statutory rape of a 14-year-old boy.


Christyal D. Lawrence
Lawrence allegedly contacted the boy by telephone and invited him to her trailer. Once there, Lawrence lured him into the bedroom, "kissed him multiple times, performed a sex act on him, and engaged in sex with him." Subsequently, the boy's grandmother found love letters from Lawrence in the boy's drawer.

Lawrence was placed on $25,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on October 11.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/27/2005 03:09:00 AM

"Cool Mom" in Serious Car Crash with Four Youths

(Golden, Colorado) "Cool Mom" Sylvia Ann Johnson, 41, who was charged with and pleaded guilty to a list of eleven crimes related to hosting drug and alcohol parties and having sex with teen boys, was due to be sentenced Monday (9/26). Unfortunately, on Sunday she was involved in a serious traffic accident with four adolescents and is hospitalized. According to Pam Russell, speaking for the Jefferson County District Attorney's office, her sentencing has been postponed.


"Cool Mom" Sylvia Ann Johnson
Although the Colorado State Patrol is still investigating the accident, it's known that Sylvia "Cool Mom" Johnson was not driving and may face additional charges since all the youths were too young to be licensed. Details of the accident are as follows:

From ClickOnDetroit.com:

A 2005 Jeep Liberty was being driven by a 14-year-old girl when it slid across the eastern lanes during a lane change. The vehicle swerved across the frontage road and then rolled end over end, the CSP said. An 11-year-old boy who was ejected from the vehicle was airlifted to Swedish Hospital, and Johnson was also transported there. Both were in serious condition.

Two 14-year-old girls, including the driver, and a 12-year-old boy were transported to Skyridge Hospital. One of the 14-year-old girls and the 12-year-old boy were in serious condition. The 14-year-old driver has minor injuries.

Only the driver is reported to have been wearing a seat belt.

Johnson still faces a possible 58 years for her child sex abuse crimes. It's unknown what the judge was thinking before the accident, but it can't bode well for "Cool Mom" to have put kids in the hospital with serious injuries. Once again, she's caught being irresponsible with kids -- to their detriment. The long-term significance of the kids' injuries is still unknown, however, based upon Johnson's repeated negligent and irresponsible stunts, I personally believe that "Cool Mom" Johnson needs a long stretch in the cooler just to avoid more danger to children.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/26/2005 11:56:00 PM

Pfc. Lynndie England Convicted for Abu Ghraib Abuse

File this story under crimes that are blown way out of proportion by a left-leaning mainstream media.

From LATimes.com:

WASHINGTON -- Lynndie R. England, the Army private who became a grinning icon of Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse as she held a dog leash attached to a naked Iraqi detainee, was convicted today on six of seven charges at a military court martial.

She faces up to 10 years in a military prison. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Tuesday at Ft. Hood, Texas, where her court martial trial was held.

[ ... ]

England, 22, was found guilty on one of two conspiracy charges, four counts of maltreating detainees, and one count of committing an indecent act. Conviction on all counts would have exposed her to at least 11 years imprisonment.

Military prosecutors considered her the so-called poster girl of the Abu Ghraib abuse, seen smiling and flashing her thumbs upward in numerous photos in which she posed in front of naked and bound male detainees.

England's defense attorneys contend that she was easily manipulated. Well, duh! It's fairly obvious that she is also not too bright. Unfortunately though, by being stupid she became the pivot point for an international scandal. Consequently, she'll probably get hammered for something that's criminal but hardly the level of major crimes. Hell, there are female child abusers, arguably more serious criminals, that get off with probation. England will surely get significant cell time.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/26/2005 11:26:00 PM

Zarqawi Deputy Abu Azzam Eats Hot Lead

(Washington) Pentagon officials confirm that Abu Azzam, the No. 2 Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, was killed during a raid by coalition troops Sunday night. Coalition forces raided a house in response to an informant's tip and Azzam opened fire. Return fire tore apart Azzam's stinking thug carcass, resulting in death.

Azzam was reported to be Zarqawi's man in control of financing and arranging travel of foreign thugs into western Iraq from Syria and other countries. Obviously, Zarqawi now needs to deputize a new thug.

Also covering: Outside The Beltway, The Jawa Report
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       Following Entry Posted 9/26/2005 10:02:00 PM

Homeless Multiplication Factor

(Contra Costa County, California) In the past, I've questioned the methods used to estimate homeless populations, thinking that they mostly were gross exaggerations (see The Five Laws of Homelessness). Consequently, it was enlightening to see the following:

An independent count pegged the number of "desperate homeless" in Contra Costa at 7,500 to 8,500. Factoring in those who bunk on friend's couches or sleep in cars, the number swells to around 15,000....

So, it appears the process consists of "independent counters" estimating a range of total homeless which is then multiplied by a "couches and cars" factor.

This doesn't change my thinking that homeless populations are grossly exaggerated and the explanation provided seems to be a reckless use of arithmetic. Interestingly, Contra Costa County has historically had difficulty counting the homeless. Back in the 1990s, homeless advocates couldn't decide whether there were 13,000 or 20,000 vagrants in the county.

The simple fact that homeless estimates are all over the place is my primary basis for being skeptical of any numbers. Also, there's the census conducted by the city of Chicago where the actual number of homeless found was more than 70,000 less than estimated.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/26/2005 01:26:00 PM

"Scuz" Nickname Called Prejudicial

(West Chester, Pennsylvania) In a court of law, it would seem appropriate that a defendant's known aliases be accepted as valid information for a jury to hear. Nevertheless,

From Local6.com:

A defense attorney has asked a judge to bar any references to his client's nickname -- "Scuz" -- in his upcoming murder trial, saying the moniker could negatively influence jurors.

Demetrius "Scuz" Fiorentino, 31, of Coatesville, is charged with the April 2004 robbery and shooting death of Joel "Wellz" Taylor, 19, of Queens, N.Y., during a botched drug deal in a Coatesville crack house in Coatesville.

Defense attorney Laurence Harmelin cited the dictionary definition of scuzzball as "an unpleasant, dirty or dangerous person; creep" and scuzzy as "dirty, shabby or foul in condition or nature."

Harmelin told Common Pleas Judge Phyllis Streitel on Friday that connotations of Fiorentino's nickname would prejudice jurors against the defendant.

Presently, it's unknown how Judge Streitel will rule. However, if "Scuz" is deemed unacceptable, "Turd Sandwich" and "Slick Willie" are definitely out of the question.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/26/2005 12:32:00 PM

Geisel Gets 6 Months

(Albany, New York) As anticipated, Christian Brothers Academy teacher, Beth Geisel, accepted a plea deal this morning regarding rape charges which gets her six months in jail and ten years probation. She will also get credit for time served since her arrest for DWI.


[Update 9/26/05, 1400EDT]

According to another report, Sandra "Beth" Geisel pleaded guilty to one count of rape and, in addition to six months in jail and ten years probation, she will have register as a sex offender.

From Capitalnews9.com:

Defense Attorney Donald Kinsella said, "A trial would have been a spectacle for her family. As you can see, you all are invited by the DA's office saying this isn't something you should miss. A trial would have been a total spectacle."

District Attorney David Soares said, "This is a person who is going to be subjected to probation for the next 10 years, will have to register as a sex offender, whose life is totally changed now as a result as her behavior. We held her accountable. This is the best disposition in this case."

It's not clear what happens if she violates her probation.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/25/2005 11:56:00 PM

DC Anti-War Protest 9/24/05


Cindy Sheehan & Jesse Jackson
Obviously, the picture above is begging for a caption. Feel free to comment. If you're interested in looking at more pix of this weekend's lunacy in Washington. Check out:

Gateway Pundit,
The Jawa Report,
Sweetness & Light,
Michelle Malkin.

Pictured on these sites is a good overview of the weekend's events. Go visit.

It's obvious to me and somewhat contradictory that a massive amount of blind, deep-seated hatred easily resides in the hearts, minds, and words of many people who, just as easily, beguile themselves into thinking they are peace-loving and peaceful. Typically, seething hatred doesn't mingle with peacefulness. Except, of course, in those cases where a person is schizophrenic.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/25/2005 09:00:00 PM

Something Stinks in Cleveland

(Cleveland, Ohio) You won't find this story in the tourism brochures.

From 19actionnews.com:

People around Downtown Cleveland have been asking, "What stinks?"

The city thinks it knows, but it's asking for help from state officials.

The Cleveland Division of Air Quality has received dozens of complaints this year about a strong odor coming from the industrial part of the Flats.

The stench has been blamed on General Environmental Management, a waste treatment company. The complaints might well hint that it's politically incorrect in 21st Century America for garbage to stink. I don't know how it can be completely eliminated but given the usual nanny-state response to such problems, taxpayers will probably be asked to fund a special Ohio Department of Anti-Stink Security. I'm not advocating anything, however, the acronym, OD-ASS, does have a certain appeal.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/25/2005 03:00:00 PM

Police Protest Dumping Homeless

(Los Angeles) The Los Angeles Police Department claims that officers from neighboring communities are dumping their homeless people on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. LAPD officers believe that they have seen police cars from El Monte, El Segundo, Burbank, and Pasadena drop off intoxicated, drug-addicted, and homeless individuals from all over the county. Officials from other communities generally plead ignorance about the alleged practice. They admit that bum dumping was common years ago but the departments now strictly ban the act.

However, LAPD commander Capt. Andrew Smith said he and other officers have witnessed out-of-area police cars dumping people, often under the cover of darkness. Consequently, the LAPD has ordered its personnel to begin stopping out-of-area police cars seen dumping people.

Evidently, Los Angeles has only a finite amount of compassion available and the introduction of alien vagrants from other cites is intolerable. I wonder why the LAPD isn't happier with the arrival of alien homeless. After all, they represent more opportunities to experience the joy of giving.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/25/2005 10:01:00 AM

Washington Republicans Dumping 11th Commandment

(Yakima, Washington) The Republican Party Executive Committee in the State of Washington has recommended that the 11th Commandment be repealed. It specifies that no Republican will attack or defame another Republican. Members believe it primarily benefits incumbent politicians.

They ought to replace it with "Thou shall not covet the citizens' wallets."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/24/2005 09:49:00 PM

30,000 Tax Payments Dumped in SF Bay

(San Francisco, California) File this story under "Stuff Happens."

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

On Sept. 11, a courier taking mail from the post office to a check processing center in Hayward got into an accident on the San Mateo Bridge. Thousands of the checks went flying into the water and were not recovered.

For those that mailed a tax payment to the IRS office in San Francisco between September 1 and September 13, tell them you sent cash.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/24/2005 03:36:00 PM

Beth Geisel to Get "Sweet Deal"

(Albany, New York) It's being reported that Beth Geisel, the Christian Brothers Academy students' favorite moll, will be offered a sweet plea deal by the prosecution on Monday. According to the New York Post, the deal may be a misdemeanor conviction with less than a year in prison. Albany County District Attorney David Soares only says, "Stay tuned."

Geisel continues to languish on a paper-thin mattress in cold confinement at the Albany County Jail on charges of rape and drunken driving. I bet she could use a shot and a beer right now.


[Update] Geisel Gets 6 Months
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       Following Entry Posted 9/24/2005 02:15:00 PM

Lightning Strikes Two Planes on Takeoff

(Honolulu, Hawaii) Even in paradise, there are occasional stormy messages from Mother Nature. Within one hour, lightning struck both Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines planes shortly after takeoff.

From the SacBee.com:

Hawaiian Flight 20 to Sacramento, Calif., took off about 1:30 p.m. and was about five to 10 minutes into the flight when the front of the plane was struck by a lightening bolt ....

[ ... ]

Around 2:25 p.m., Aloha Flight 270, carrying 119 passengers and crew, lifted off for Kona International Airport on the Big Island, and again within five to 10 minutes had been hit by lightening ....

Both planes immediately returned safely to the airport. Afterward, demonstrators are rumored to have planned a protest blaming both incidents on President Bush for creating global warming.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/24/2005 12:52:00 PM

Rescued Hostage Roy Hallums on 60 Minutes Tomorrow

Try to make sure you get a chance to watch tomorrow's 60 Minutes segment on Roy Hallums. Roy has first-hand knowledge of what's in the hearts and minds of the terrorists in Iraq after being held hostage from last November until just last week.

To me, the program will likely confirm that which is fairly obvious. Specifically, the thinking of the terrorists is not radically different from the viewpoint of the mainstream media. Nonetheless, I'm certain that Roy Hallums' nuts and bolts recollections of the murderous criminal terrorists will be riveting, even though the program is provided by "All-the-news-that's-fit-to create" CBS.

Integral in keeping Roy Hallums' story alive has been The Jawa Report. Go check out Rusty's coverage. Digger also weighs in.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 07:40:00 PM

Elisa Kawasaki Sentenced in Student Sex Case

(Hanford, California) As some may recall, last April former 25-year-old Hanford West High School biology teacher, Elisa Kawasaki, was arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old student. Last month, Kawasaki pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sex with a minor in accordance with a plea agreement.

Today, Judge Thomas DeSantos sentenced her to 180 days in the county jail and five years probation. Contrary to the desires of the mother of the victim, Kawasaki will not have to register as a sex offender.

My take is that Kawasaki was treated rather leniently by the court and, probably, considerably more leniently than a man would have been in similar circumstances. The details of the relationship indicate that a student's britches were under the control of a person in a position of authority for several months. It wasn't a one-time lapse in judgment. It was extended and frequent in nature and Kawasaki was the aggressor. She should have been required to at least register as a sex offender.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 05:39:00 PM

Gunmen Seize U.S.-Run Oil Platform

(Nigeria) Frankly, I think we are going to see more attacks against oil facilities, in general.

From the Scotsman.com:

MORE than 100 armed militants stormed a United States-operated oil production platform in Nigeria and forced it to shut down yesterday in response to the arrest of an ethnic militia leader on treason charges.

Armed with assault rifles, the gang invaded the Idama platform operated by Chevron in the southern Niger Delta, escalating a simmering political crisis in the world's eighth-largest oil exporter.

"Eight boats, each carrying 15 armed people, occupied the Idama flow station. Six government security forces had their weapons taken from them," a source close to Chevron said. "Apparently the militants are now heading for more stations. The situation can only get worse."

The conflict is centered around the Nigerian government headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the rebel leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Mujahid Dokubo-Asari. The two are warring over the distribution of oil revenue and it's not an insignificant conflict. Last year, the NDPVF sent oil prices on the world market to record levels after declaring war on foreign oil companies. That spat was resolved with promises of more money to the poor. Subsequent lack of follow-through has led to the latest actions by Mr. Asari.

The impact on the price of gasoline at the pump will be a function of how many production facilities Asari's group decides to attack.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 04:10:00 PM

Mother Guilty in Rape of Daughter

(White Plains, New York) Updating a previous report, a woman [name withheld to protect minors] pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in arranging for her 13-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old friend to get liquored up and have sex with two guys she recruited, an 18 and a 19-year-old, in a hotel room she paid for. She admitted in Westchester County Court that she was in the room when the sex occurred.

The woman is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26. Judge Rory Bellantoni stated she would receive six months in jail and ten years probation. I reiterate. She gets a meager six months in jail and probation!

Holy freakin' moly!

Chris Short has more at Conservative Thinking.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 02:52:00 PM

Hamas Truck Explodes at Palestinian Rally

(Jebaliya, Gaza Strip) When fanaticism and ignorance are combined with large amounts of explosives, bad things happen.

From JPost.com:

A pickup truck carrying masked terrorists blew up at a Hamas rally at the Jebaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Friday. At least 19 Palestinians were killed and 85 injured, hospital doctors said.

From Timesonline.co.uk:

A lorry carrying weapons and masked Hamas militants exploded at a rally in Gaza today, killing ten Palestinians, including two children, and wounding more than 85 people.

Obviously, the reporting is fresh so a firm number of casualties is not yet known. What is known, however, is that seven terrorists in a pickup truck inadvertently detonated explosives which killed themselves and a number of their most dedicated supporters. One witness saw five dead children. There is also a report that a prominent Hamas figure, Ahmed Randoul, was killed or seriously wounded in the blast.

Afterward and as would be expected, Hamas blamed the blast on the Israelis because an aircraft had been seen in the vicinity. Witnesses saw differently and blamed the terrorists for mishandling the explosives.

I wonder if anyone is collecting data on the numbers of people killed due to the frequent recklessness and carelessness of terrorists. Regular as rain, they mistakenly kill themselves and others.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 02:06:00 PM

John Lennon's FBI File

According to this report, the FBI's surveillance and investigation of John Lennon concluded that he was "constantly under the influence of narcotics" and, therefore, too stoned to be a real revolutionary.

Imagine that.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 06:59:00 AM

Explosion in Belarus Wounds Dozens

(Vitebsk, Belarus) Last night, a bomb exploded outside a cafe in this city in northeastern Belarus, injuring more than 50. Four are said to be in grave condition.

The device seems somewhat amateurish, consisting of an explosive packed into a beer can with metal fragments. It was buried in a flower bed outside a cafe in the city center. A similar device was detonated a week ago near a bus stop and injured two people. It's unknown how the devices were triggered.

The Belarus Secret Police, the KGB, ruled out terrorism. Instead, the bombing is being blamed on "malicious hooliganism." Another source suspects a business dispute. And another suggests that criminal gangs are responsible.

Maybe I'm viewing the situation too simplistically, but if people are terrorized by bomb blasts which injure dozens, it's terrorism. Despite the reason and the perpetrator, exploding bombs is a terrorist tactic. The blast in Belarus meets my definition.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 04:19:00 AM

Indictment in Lodi Islamic Terror Probe

(Sacramento, California) In the ongoing three-year probe of the alleged Lodi, California, Islamic terrorist cell, five people have been implicated and, of those, three have been deported for immigration violations and two are being held in federal custody without bail.

Last month, 47-year-old Islamic cleric Muhammad Adil Khan and his son were deported for overstaying their visas. On Wednesday of this week, 39-year-old Islamic cleric Shabbir Ahmed was deported for the same reason. The three were deported without being charged with any crimes, however, the government alleged that they intended to set up a terror training camp in Lodi. It's noteworthy that both Ahmed and Khan are allegedly linked to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda.

The two being held in custody, charged with lying to federal agents, are 23-year-old Hamid Hayat and his father, 47-year-old Umer Hayat. In a development yesterday resulting from a federal grand jury hearing, prosecutors charged Hamid Hayat with providing material support to terrorists.

From MercuryNews.com:

The federal indictment alleged that Hamid Hayat, 23, provided material support and resources for carrying out international acts of terror between March 2003 and June 4, 2005, when he was arrested days after returning to the United States from Pakistan. Hayat faces multiple charges for which the combined maximum sentence is 31 years in prison.

"Today's charge centers around the fact that Hamid Hayat attended a terrorist training camp in Pakistan in 2004, returned to this country with the intent of committing jihad against America, and by doing so provided material support to terrorists," U.S. attorney McGregor Scott said.

The charge is the most serious that could be filed against a person without the individual actually committing a terrorist act. Hamid Hayat's father, Umer, has not been implicated in the more serious crimes. Yet.

According to prosecutors, Hamid Hayat admitted his terrorist intentions in a videotaped interrogation session where he stated that he "intended to commit jihad in the U.S. He did not have any orders to fight at present; however, he was awaiting such orders."

Interestingly, the indictment was handed up the day before a hearing is scheduled to discuss releasing Hamid and Umer Hayat on bail. To alleviate the court's concern that they represent serious flight risks, the Hayats and their relatives have ponied up equity in four Lodi properties totaling more than $1.2 million. So, later today, we'll know if a judge sets a bail amount. I think the father might get bail but not the son. The likelihood of flight by Hamid Hayat has increased substantially with his indictment.

In conclusion, the effect of the focused federal investigation of the Islamic community in Lodi, California, is believed to have disrupted for now any plans of a hidden terror cell with training capabilities. In the words of U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott, "What I am sure of is that whatever was intended isn't going to happen now."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/23/2005 01:32:00 AM

What Happens in Vegas

(Las Vegas, Nevada) Last Saturday, 35-year-old Leavander Johnson entered the ring at the MGM Grand Hotel Casino to defend his IBF Lightweight title against Jesus Chavez. Fight statistics indicate that Johnson received 299 power punches to the head before referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight in the 11th round.

Yesterday, at 4:23pm local time, Leavander Johnson died at the University Medical Center from brain injuries he received from the fight. His death follows the July 2 death in Las Vegas of Mexican fighter Martin Sanchez from injuries received in a fight with Russian boxer Rustam Nugaev.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/22/2005 10:19:00 AM

Iraqi Journalist Gunned Down

(Mosul, Iraq) Another Iraqi journalist has been killed, bringing the total number of murdered journalists to over 40 since counting began in March 2003.

From AlertNet.org:

A journalist from Radio Nineveh was gunned down on Wednesday night in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad. Hospital and police sources said Ahlam Younnis was driving in a car with her husband, who was also killed, and her son, who was wounded in the attack.

In the past week, two other journalists were also killed in Mosul. Firas Maadidi, Mosul bureau chief for As-Saffir newspaper and chief editor of the daily Al-Masar was gunned down, and Hind Ismail, As-Saffir reporter, was found with a single gun shot to her head.

These were brave people murdered by criminals. Yet the mainstream media (MSM) continue to characterize these heinous crimes as valueless deaths by sanitized 'insurgents.' Where's the outrage? These people were journalists! Civilians doing their jobs! And, all along, the MSM ignore the horrible crimes and avoid attaching responsibility to any group other than the nebulous ill-defined 'insurgency.'

For the love of all that's sacred, give us all a break and start calling murderers murderers. A duck will always be a duck, despite what the MSM call it. The problem is that, if the MSM doesn't call the terrorists murderers, the terrorists think they are doing okay. They're fortified to commit more murders.

Celebrate your legacy for the first decade of the 21st Century, MSM. It comes dripping with the blood of unreported murders committed by thug criminals. Thug criminal gangs can be called insurgents, or ducks for that matter, but they're still thug criminal gangs. To my knowledge, the MSM has not yet reported any crimes being committed by these gangs.

Murdering innocents can never be classified as anything but a crime.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/22/2005 07:55:00 AM

American Lawyers Tell Arab Nations to Pressure U.S.

(Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) A close ally of the indelibly leftist American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), has been sending lawyers to defend the terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay, most recently in response to a hunger strike by a segment of the prisoner population. On the surface, the CCR attorneys are defending the "rights" of al-Qaeda and Taliban associates, but their primary goal appears to be finding evidence that the United States is a brutal, imperialist nation that tortures innocent prisoners. Persistent targets of the CCR's efforts are living conditions and indefinite detention terms at Guantanamo Bay which, presumably, caused the recent detainee hunger strike.

According to one CCR lawyer, Kristine Huskey, "90% of the camp is on strike in varying degrees." Apparently, there are varying degrees of not eating which means, if one skips lunch, one is hunger striking by definition. Disagreeing, the military said in one report that 91 detainees, out of 505, are hunger striking and 21 are being fed by tube. In a subsequent report, the military stated that the numbers decreased with 36 prisoners not eating and 16 hospitalized, of which, some are being tube fed. Consequently, it appears that most of the 90% asserted by Huskey are figuratively just skipping lunch. That is, if one believes the military and I do, especially in cases where the opposing viewpoint is expressed by an organization with a pronounced leftist political agenda.

In summary, I believe that Huskey is grossly exaggerating the circumstances at Gitmo. And there's no way to get around the fact that American lawyers are puffing up a weak case against the American military for the sole benefit of America's enemies.

Furthermore, check out this tidbit from the Arab News:

US lawyers representing the Arab detainees had called repeatedly in recent months on the Arab governments to exert more pressure on the Washington to get their nationals returned home.

This demonstrates perfectly the anti-Americanism of the Center for Constitutional Rights. The group is working with foreign governments against Washington while trying to phony up cases against the United States military. For an American organization ostensibly protecting constitutional rights to act against the interests of the United States, an argument could be made that its actions represent a serious breach of allegiance. By my dictionary, a serious breach of allegiance is defined as treason.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/21/2005 11:51:00 PM

Rita Now a Category 5 Monster

(Galveston, Texas) Clocked at 175 MPH, Hurricane Rita is sending 1.3 million people in Texas to higher ground away from the coast. Galveston and low-lying parts of Corpus Christi and Houston are under mandatory evacuation. The storm is projected to hit the state on Saturday.

It's time to leave, folks.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/21/2005 10:21:00 PM

Can You Hear Me Now?

(via Chad Evans) According to a German news agency report from September 12, al-Qaeda's terror network in the Balkans is quite intact and there are "vague indications that another terror cell controlled from Bosnia is preparing a new attack on London."

From Serbianna.com:

The "Balkans, particularly Bosnia and Kosovo" are said to be "a dangerous breeding-ground, presently under scarcely any observation, for Islamist terrorists." Muslims from Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Great Britain are reportedly travelling there to be "fanaticized."

And, of course, the terrorists are linked directly to an Islamic religious institution, the King Fahd Mosque in the Sarajevo suburb of Dobrinja. It's been described as a hotbed of violent extremists who worship the religion of peace. As an aside, that's one ridiculous, albeit true, statement. On the lighter side,

Western security circles report that two young Muslims accidentally blew themselves up in Kosovo recently, when they were trying to test a mobile phone converted into a remote-controlled bomb.

"Yes, Abu, I hear you. Now press the green button."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/21/2005 08:07:00 PM

The Countess of Immigration and Customs

President Bush must be getting light-headed from helicopter ups and downs. That's the only rational explanation for the obviously pneumatic thinking behind the sucking-chest-wound decision to nominate Julie Myers as head of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Granted, there's little question about her qualifications for the position, but that's primarily because there's not much to speak of. Myers has been a lawyer in various bureaucracies with experience in assisting, serving, managing, and coordinating, but there's no mention of any marquee accomplishments.

And, what about the aroma? No foo-foo could possibly hide the stink of good ole' boy favoritism in Myers' nomination. Her husband is a staffer for Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, her boss. Uncle Dick is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers. Couple this loud cronyism with Myers' unarmed resume and the future portends more scalding criticism for ICE or worse.

Of course, there's another way of looking at this. With Julie Myers reporting to the tag team of Chertoff and her husband, she'll likely be a compliant and loyal worker bee.

Nevertheless, I'd personally be much more comfortable with a John Wayne type heading up ICE. I've seen John Wayne and, without argument, Julie Myers is no John Wayne. Notably, a posse of bloggers have saddled up to herd their consternation with the nomination of Myers. Digger has a good roundup. Go see what's being said.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/21/2005 05:30:00 PM

Alleged Sex and Alcohol at Middle School

(Columbus, Ohio) Voila! The reason Johnny can't read has been discovered. Principal Loy Koeller and the faculty at Wedgewood Middle School were apparently hammered during the school day.

From NBC4i.com:

"It was more like a party house going on," said parent Misty Blevins. "Some of the teachers were drinking while they were in class and they would go to the office. I guess there were a couple of incidents where we were told there were affairs going on within the school."

"The teachers were going out, having other teachers buy beer and all that, and liquor, and come back and drinking in class," said student Scott Blevins.

[ ... ]

Witnesses testified they observed Abby Terry, a teacher, "in the principal's office taking off her shirt ... leaving herself in a bra only and doing a seductive dance for the principal."

Some teachers brought "cocktails, mixed drinks and beer into the school at noon," according to a witness statement.

It's alleged that the debauchery had been taking place for two years with reports that a gun, cocaine, and marijuana were involved. Also, the principal has been accused of asking other staff members for their prescription medications.

"What we found during the course of the investigation was that these allegations were substantiated," said Columbus Public Schools spokesman Greg Viebranz.

The school board terminated Koeller's contract and accepted Terry's resignation.

Most of the alleged improprieties were said to have taken place in the school office. While some teachers were involved in the allegations, most teachers were not. Other teachers at the school tipped off investigators about what allegedly took place, Bowersock [NBC4 investigator] reported.

The new principal of Wedgewood Middle School, Stephen Hoffman, has asserted that the problems have been resolved and the school is now operating properly.

My take is that I can't be the only person who wonders why it took two years to uncover the incompetence. And, if President Bush can command the paths of hurricanes, he surely must be responsible for placing hedonists in positions of authority at Wedgewood Middle School.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 11:54:00 PM

Clinton and Lewinsky Condoms

A Chinese company has started marketing two new brands of condoms named after Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. The names have been officially registered as contraceptives by the Guangzhou Haokian Bio-science Company. A dozen Clinton willy-slickers is priced at two British pounds while the 12-pack of Lewinsky stain-catchers is cheaper.

Annotate your shopping list accordingly.

Hat tip: Mac Powell
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 05:03:00 PM

Sierra Club Allegedly Bribed

(Richmond, Virginia) If the allegation has merit, it's proof that large amounts of money will shut up even the loudest of activist groups.

From ContraCostaTimes.com:

A Sierra Club member staged a small protest Monday calling for the resignation of the environmental group's executive director, accusing him of accepting money from a donor in exchange for halting the group's discussion of immigration policy.

James McDonald, a 60-year-old Springfield attorney, said Carl Pope accepted more than $100 million from California donor David Gelbaum in 2001 only after promising Gelbaum the club would stay out of the immigration debate. Pope and leaders of the venerable conservation group called McDonald's allegations ridiculous.

This is the first I've heard of dissension in the ranks of the Sierra Club. If true, it will become more pronounced as the illegal alien issue unavoidably climbs in importance. Obviously, it is a divisive issue and the leftists may see a break in their unity.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 04:03:00 PM

Judge Blocks Lafave Photos

(Tampa, Florida) Following up on a previous report, earlier today Hillsborough Circuit Judge Wayne S. Timmerman ruled that photos of Debra Lafave's tan lines, tattoos, and pubic hair will remain sealed from public access in accordance with a motion presented by her attorney, John Fitzgibbons. Two Tampa television stations were among those that requested access, but it's not known if any public records requests were honored before the ruling.


[Update 11/22/05]

Debra Lafave pleads guilty and gets no jail.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 12:49:00 PM

Child-Rapist Freed Early

(Marysville, Washington) Three years ago, 2nd-grade teacher Susan G. Lemery, 41, was convicted of five felony sex crimes, three counts of child rape and two counts of child molestation, and sentenced to five years in prison. Lemery, a married mother of three, was found guilty of sexually abusing her 14-year-old son's friends.


Susan G. Lemery
Next month, Lemery will be released from prison after serving three of her five-year sentence. Credit for good behavior and time spent in jail knocked two years off her stretch. She is classified as a Level 2 sex offender, meaning there is a "moderate risk" that she may commit another sex crime.

Although the judicial and penal aspects of the Lemery case are pretty much a done deal, reasons exist for it to be revisited. First of all, even though Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ellen Fair gave Lemery the maximum sentence allowed by law, she qualified it by stating, "The sentence today can never match the harm done." So, in the opinion of the judge, Lemery got off lightly with a five-year stretch which, by the way, she's not doing.

Secondly, when a comparison was made between Lemery and schoolteacher Mary K. Letourneau, who did seven and one-half years for rape of an adolescent boy, a case detective scoffed.

"Mary K. Letourneau fell in love with one boy and had a relationship. Susan Lemery took advantage of whoever was there," Detective Lee Malkow said. "Let's just say there was no romance involved."

Thirdly, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Paul expressed concern regarding Lemery's continued denial of responsibility for her actions and what that bodes for the future.

"It is important to keep this defendant on a very short leash when she is released," Paul said.

And lastly, while remaining resolute in denying any wrongdoing and unapologetic for the harm she inflicted, Lemery was insultingly flippant about her crimes and conviction.

"It was a lot of fun being out with the kids and doing fun things," she said, "and I just wasn't thinking."

Excuse me, but responsible law-abiding adults don't commit sex crimes on children and maintain that they are merely "doing fun things." Susan Lemery will be out of prison next month. Hopefully, she's changed her attitude about doing fun things and is ready to act responsibly. There's a "moderate risk" that she hasn't.

Now I know that there are those of the opinion that her crimes are minor. I've heard the argument that older women molesting boys is merely a rite of passage into manhood and, therefore, harmless. Some people think that there are no victims. Those people should think again. Harm occurs to kids that are victimized. Boy or girl, it's a fact. It's a myth to think otherwise. Most important, nobody knows the ultimate result of the psychological trauma on her victims. The victims' lives have been irrevocably changed by Lemery doing fun things.

Add on the simple reality that Lemery's children will never look at her the same as before nor will her husband. The whole family has been stigmatized by having a convicted child rapist as a member. 'Home sweet home' has soured. Consider also the many friendships and acquaintanceships that have been forever altered.

Adult women sexually molesting boys is not harmless and, at some level, there are usually many victims. No less than a man molesting little girls, women committing sex crimes should be treated just as harshly. Anything else ignores reality.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 07:47:00 AM

Thief Sentenced to Watch Beavers

(Xenia, Ohio) Convicted beaver-napper, Michael Ledford, has been sentenced to 66 hours of watching Beavercreek's anniversary beavers. Greene County Common Pleas Judge Stephen Wolaver also stipulated five years probation for Ledford and he must help pay for global positioning devices installed in other beavers.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/20/2005 06:45:00 AM

North Korea's Latest Shakedown

Any prudent follower of history would know that North Korea regularly commits to agreements and then reneges. In fact, it's a trait of communist police states. Ronald Reagan even formalized a diplomatic skepticism in his "trust but verify" policy in negotiations with the communist Soviet Union. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that, less than a day after signing an agreement to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, North Korea has decided not to comply unless the U.S. ponies up some light-water civilian nuclear power plants.

From ABC Online:

A senior US official says North Korea's claim is not in line with the deal signed in Beijing.

"This was obviously not the agreement they signed and we will see what the coming weeks bring," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

US officials have declined to comment more broadly on Pyongyang's declarations, which appeared to undermine a much-feted set of principles agreed upon earlier in Beijing.

Given North Korea's predictable lack of resolve in complying with negotiated commitments, it's hard to understand why the media has an orgasm every time an agreement is signed. By now, one would think the MSM would just shrug and frown like the rest of us.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 09:18:00 PM

Katrina Cleanup Snapshot

Rusty just returned from the Gulf Coast and has blogged his experience and impressions. One thing is sure. Katrina's aftermath is bigger and more ugly than all possible preparations and responses conceivable by man. As such, fingerpointing is more than fruitless, it's counterproductive. Go visit and you'll draw the same conclusion.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 06:00:00 PM

Moscow Al Jazeera Boss Booted

(Moscow, Russia) Here's an odd report from Interfax:

Akram Khuzam, head of the Moscow bureau of the Al Jazeera television channel, has been dismissed from his post.

The channel's management did not give any reasons for his dismissal, Khuzam, who had been in charge of Al Jazeera's Moscow bureau since its inception in 1996, told Interfax on Monday evening.

Geidar Dzhemal, head of Russia's Islamic Committee, in a statement posted on the Internet, claimed that Khuzam had been sacked in connection with numerous complaints from Russian Muslims over allegedly insulting remarks made about Islam.

As is typical with information coming out of Russia, the news of Khuzam's dismissal is probably not the whole story. Not only that, but how often do we hear of Muslims criticizing Al Jazeera about anything?
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 04:39:00 PM

Traci Tapp - High Scorer

(Mays Landing, New Jersey) Updating a previous report regarding high school teacher Traci Tapp, 28, being arrested for sex crimes involving three students, the family of one student has decided to file suit against the Hammonton School Board, the town of Hammonton, and the Hammonton Police Department.


Traci Tapp
The notice of intent to sue claims that the student and his mother incurred physical and emotional injuries as a result of inaction by school and community authorities when it was generally known that Tapp was engaging in sexual activities with students. The notice did not outline specific damages sought. Under New Jersey statutes, the family has six months to file a formal lawsuit.

Besides the disturbing allegations of a teacher engaging in sex with students, an aspect of the case which hasn't been highlighted is how the dirty deeds came about. Prior to becoming a teacher, Tapp was a standout athlete as a star soccer player in high school and college, known for her ball-handling expertise. She left college after a stellar athletic career and started teaching at Hammonton High School in January 2001 where, within the first month of employment, it's alleged she continued demonstrating her ball-handling expertise by fondling a 17-year-old student.

Consequently, if the sketchy details of this sordid scenario are true, Traci Tapp retired her college soccer uniform, walked into the high school, cut a colt from the herd, and immediately started scoring. Furthermore, she continued scoring for more than two years.

GOAL!


[Update 01/31/06]

Tapp fined $100.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 01:17:00 PM

Tall Women Avoid Children

(Scotland) From a survey, researchers at the University of Stirling and the University of St Andrews have concluded that tall women have fewer children because of higher levels of circulating androgens, making them more masculine.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 08:16:00 AM

Naked Butlers with Nibbles

Bon vivants simply must visit Holmes Place Health Club in Edinburgh this evening. Featured will be a squad of naked butlers providing "drinks and nibbles."

Not being one of the hoity-toity crowd, I'll pass. I am somewhat curious, though, about whether "nibbles" is a noun or a verb.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 06:17:00 AM

Girls Gone Wild for Katrina Relief

(San Francisco, California) The makers of the "Girls Gone Wild" video series, Mantra Films, have announced that they are donating proceeds from sale of their popular breast-flashing titles to the Red Cross for hurricane relief. The money donated will come from sale of videos tied to Mardi Gras, representing about a third of the 19 titles distributed by the company.

I guess this would make porn tax-deductible.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/19/2005 12:25:00 AM

School Coach Arrested for Sex Abuse of Student

(Tigard, Oregon) After being arrested on August 29 for giving marijuana to a 15-year-old girl, Tigard High School coach Kathleen O'Brien Erickson, 22, created her own personal crime wave with subsequent arrests for sex abuse and violating a court order.


Kathleen O'Brien Erickson
The victim's parents alerted police to a possible problem with Erickson and their daughter which prompted the investigation and subsequent arrests. Three arrests in three weeks would seem to indicate that Erickson needs some professional intervention.


[Update 9/23/05]

Erickson was arraigned Tuesday after a Washington County grand jury indicted her on three counts of delivering a controlled substance to a minor, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse.


[Update 07/14/06]

Erickson arrested for sodomy in Multnomah County.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/18/2005 08:46:00 PM

Breaking Barriers - First Saudi Woman Runs for Office

(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Slowly and without much fanfare, Saudi women are making breakthroughs in the male-dominated kingdom. About two months ago, it was announced that the first Saudi woman, Hanadi Zakariya Hindi, had received a commercial airline pilot's license. This milestone was not achieved without some controversy as some Saudi men protested that Hindi would be mixing with men without a male guardian.

In another breakthrough, a Saudi businesswoman, Madawi Al-Hassoun, has achieved the distinction of being the first woman to register her candidacy for elected office in the kingdom. Al-Hassoun seeks to be elected to a seat on the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.


Madawi Al-Hassoun
Al-Hassoun has been a leader for women in the Jeddah business community. She has worked as assistant chairwoman for the Business Ladies' Committee which recently was accepted to play a much larger role in the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF). The Forum is a strategic think tank focusing on local, regional, and international economic and social issues. If elected, Al-Hassoun's experience with the ladies' committee and the forum makes her well qualified to step into a position with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Despite the fact that the current JCCI chairman, Ghassan Al-Sulaiman, expects problems and objections to arise from her candidacy, Al-Hassoun is ecstatic. She can be assured that others feel the same thrill.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/18/2005 06:37:00 PM

Teacher Accused of Raping Boy

(Westford, Massachusetts) A 46-year-old eighth-grade science teacher at Blanchard Middle School, Susan Clickner, was arrested August 31 and charged with statutory rape of one of her students, a 14-year-old boy. Forty-six-year-old Clickner allegedly lured the 14-year-old boy into the back seat of her car and molested him last April. Unfortunately for Clickner, the boy told his parents who alerted police.

At her arraignment on September 1, Clickner pleaded not guilty to charges of statutory rape of a child. Subsequently, she was released on $5,000 cash bail. Blanchard Middle School Superintendent Stephen Foster suspended Clickner, 46, and he plans to recommend that she be fired.

Okay, she's 46 and he's 14. Tell me there's something about this case that I need to understand. Let me guess. Alcohol was abused, she didn't know what she was doing. Or maybe she's going through a divorce. Or maybe she recently lost a loved one. Sorry, I'm not buying it. If true, this is a simple sex crime committed against a child by an adult. Did I mention that she is 46 years old?

Based upon similar cases of women committing sex crimes, I'd wager that she'll plead to a lesser charge and get sentenced to no jail time, probably a suspended term with a couple years probation. Now, if it were a 46-year-old male teacher and his 14-year-old female student, then we would see some punishment. The guy would be collecting Social Security when he got released from prison.


[Update 9/21/05]

Interestingly, a reader, who was in Clickner's class last year, commented that it's inconceivable that Mrs. Clickner would commit the acts that are alleged. The reader 'Anonymous' believes the story was made up by a disgusting and perverted 14-year-old.

In another development, it seems that the Westford Police and the Blanchard School officials were tardy in notifying parents and the community of the arrest of Clickner. Complaints abound and there's some question about whether the police violated state rules regarding documenting arrests in the police log. Police are accused of keeping it a secret. Oddly, there doesn't seem to be much discussion concerning the merits of the accusations against Clickner.


[Update 9/28/06]

Clickner pleads guilty and is sentenced.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/18/2005 02:05:00 PM

FEMA Volunteer Orientation Class

(via John Ray) Those people who want to volunteer to help FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will be required to attend an orientation class. Encompassing more than a week, the class presents material on a variety of subjects including diversity, harassment, profiling, liability, and GLBTQA awareness. Here's the description from the "Diversity in Nature" session:

When conducting disaster-relief operations, we must bear in mind that the environment exists not only for humans, but for our friends in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Wetland species are especially vulnerable.

Frankly, I'm not sure that I have any "friends" in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Hell, I don't have that many human friends.

Nevertheless, the responsiveness of FEMA can't be anything but sloth-like if, through design, more than a week's worth of political correctness indoctrination delays the mobilization of volunteer help.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/18/2005 09:30:00 AM

Ohio Health Dept. Caves to AIDS Activists

The Ohio Department of Health (DOH) has jettisoned columnist Maggie Gallagher as the keynote speaker at the Conference on Abstinence Education scheduled for next month. According to DOH spokesman Jay Carey, the speaker's fee of $5,000 was too high.

However, after an internal DOH committee selected Gallagher to speak, the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland loudly protested because of her anti-homosexual beliefs. Consequently, Gallager's rejection is seen as the DOH bowing to political pressure from homosexual advocates. Operation Keepsake, an abstinence advocacy group serving Northeast Ohio schools, said that the Department of Health was practicing "values profiling." The claim that the decision was based on cost is being dismissed as "ludicrous." In fact, the contract review committee had approved Gallagher's proposal prior to DOH Director Dr. Nick Baird rejecting it.

I'm no expert, but $5,000 seems to be on the low end of the scale of customary celebrity speaker's fees. Furthermore, since when does a few thou here or there bother a bureaucrat? Conversely, it doesn't take an expert to peg the homosexual advocacy groups as loud, troublesome, and influential.

So, with regard to the real reason Maggie Gallagher won't be speaking at the abstinence conference, I'll agree with Operation Keepsake. In my opinion, Dr. Baird caved to political pressure and used cost as an excuse.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/17/2005 11:46:00 PM

Tijuana Brothels To Change Sheets

(Tijuana, Mexico) The government can't stop prostitution so an effort is underway to spruce up the profession. Hookers will be issued cards to show that they have completed monthly health checkups. Brothel owners will be required to change the sheets and put plastic or rubber covers on furniture.

The Mexicans obviously haven't entered the modern era if they're putting rubbers on furniture. Even a California kindergarten class knows that's not where they go.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/17/2005 06:40:00 PM

Americans Need Guns

The Second Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to bear arms, however, some people believe that the right only applies to organized militia and not individual citizens. I would argue that the framers of the Constitution knew that the ultimate last protection for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is an armed citizenry.

As demonstrated by the complete breakdown of law and order in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the general population was completely powerless against a wave of crime. The extent of the crimes committed will probably never completely be known, however, it is known that there was no police protection, or even presence, in much of southeast Louisiana for about a week. A law-abiding citizen was, literally and figuratively, a sitting duck.

Dedicated advocate for the right to bear arms, John Michael Snyder, offers this:

"Right now, our professional military is prosecuting war on foreign soil. National Guard and police forces have been working to bring order out of chaos in New Orleans and our Gulf Coast states generally. So who in this crisis guards Americans' homes and, in fact, Americans' lives, but Americans ourselves? And how can that be done against violent criminals without the presence of guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens who know how to use them?"

Precisely! When other protections disappear, Americans with guns will persevere.

I believe that the framers of the Constitution had the prescience to envision a circumstance such as the aftermath of Katrina. And it is with the Second Amendment that the framers gave all Americans the protection of last resort. In some circumstances, the individual armed citizen becomes the only defense against barbarism.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/17/2005 05:12:00 PM

Woman Plays Boy to Fool Girl Into Sex

(Macomb County, Michigan) Here's a new twist. A 25-year-old woman presented herself in appearance and behavior as a young teen boy to befriend a 14-year-old girl and lure her into sex. The victim was completely taken in by the perverted scheme and has become suicidal. She requires therapy to cope with the mental anguish.

In accordance with an agreement which would avoid having the victim testify in court, Nicole Anne Mosher pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal sexual conduct. For the reduced charge, Macomb County Circuit Judge Donald Miller sentenced Mosher to 330 days in jail, with credit for 135 days spent in the county jail. Mosher will also be on probation for three years and have to register as a sex offender.

A serious argument could be made that the punishment of less than a year in jail is a mere hand slap. Mosher concocted an elaborate premeditated scheme with the sole purpose of committing sex crimes on a child. This wasn't a case of a lapse in judgment. Mosher is a focused sexual predator.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 05:30:00 PM

Female Teacher Accused of Sexual Assault

(Waskom, Texas) A 29-year-old Social Studies teacher at Waskom Middle School, Tara Lynn Crisp, was arrested Tuesday to face charges of sexual assault of a child.


Tara Lynn Crisp
Crisp is accused of having sexual relations with a 14-year-old student at least three times within the past year. Authorities do not believe the sex occurred on school grounds, however, the invesigation in the case continues. The Harrison County Sheriff's office wants to assure that there are no other occurrences. Crisp is free on $75,000 bond.


[Update 05/15/06]

In related news, two female teachers, Daryl Phillips and Ashley Grisham, at Waskom High School have been arrested for sex with students.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 12:59:00 PM

Iran Willing to Share Nukes

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is such a generous guy.

From Ynetnews.com:

Iran is willing to provide other Islamic nations with nuclear technology, Iran's hard-line president said Thursday.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments after meeting Turkey's prime minister on the sidelines of a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

Ahmadinejad repeated promises that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons, IRNA reported. Then he added: "Iran is ready to transfer nuclear know-how to the Islamic countries due to their need."

Just a guess, but I'd bet Syria is one of those needy countries.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 10:49:00 AM

Venezuela "Decertified" as Ally in Drug War

(Washington) I suspect that decertification of Venezuela as an ally in the drug war will only be a step among many on the stairway to open hostilities.

From the Herald.com:

President Bush has taken Venezuela off his list of allies in the war on drugs, saying that the government of President Hugo Chavez spurned anti-drug cooperation with U.S. officials and fired its effective law enforcement officers.

But the White House waived the cuts in U.S. foreign aid usually attached to the ''decertification'' so that it can continue to support Venezuelan pro-democracy groups that oppose the leftist Chavez.

Bush's decision is expected to sharply exacerbate already bitter U.S.-Venezuelan relations roiled by Washington's charges that Chavez is promoting subversion around the hemisphere and the Venezuelan president's allegations that Bush is out to kill him.

In addition to accusing the DEA of espionage and firing all the effective law enforcement personnel in the government, Chavez has nixed a bilateral data-sharing agreement with the U.S.

On top of everything, there are strong indications that high government and military officials are actively involved with drug trafficking. The U.S. government recently revoked the visas of two Venezuelan generals, including the head of a counter-drug unit, and a third officer who have been linked to allegations of drug trafficking.

It's easy to predict that U.S.-Venezuelan relations will continue to sour.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 09:15:00 AM

Enhanced Airport Security


Travelers searched before boarding (AP Photo)
More here.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 08:28:00 AM

Danes with Disabilities Sex Program

(Denmark) The Danish government has launched a program which pays prostitutes to have sex once a month with disabled people.

The program has created some contentiousness, particularly from Danes that don't get taxpayer-funded hookers. The argument is that every Dane deserves free whores, not just the disabled.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 07:50:00 AM

Babe-Magnet Corvette

(Brownsville, Texas) Louis Saldana, 50, spent considerable money to acquire his shiny babe-magnet Corvette and he was successful in attracting Maria Del Rosario Berlanga, 46. Unfortunately, his wife, 45-year-old Leticia Alonso Saldana, didn't approve, grabbed the keys and ran over Louis, leaving his shiny babe-magnet Corvette sitting atop his lifeless body.

A grand jury indicted Leticia Alonso Saldana for her husband's death. She is in custody under $150,000 bond.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/16/2005 06:27:00 AM

Dogs Stolen for Pitbull Bait

(Washington Court House, Ohio) A woman impersonating a Fayette County Humane Society agent has been entering homes and stealing dogs. In the case of purebreds, the motive is believed to be profit. It's feared that others are being used as bait for training pitbulls.

From NBC4i.com:

"The last couple of reports (were) of a woman with short blond hair, actually taking animals and said she was with the humane society, which she is not," said Ronda Terry, one of the county's two certified humane agents.

I suspect that if someone wanted to take my dog, I'd need to see some authoritative identification and justification. A simple uniform wouldn't convince me nor Mr. Shotgun.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/15/2005 06:10:00 PM

Margaret de Barraicua Pleads Guilty

(Sacramento, California) Here's the latest news on 30-year-old McClatchy High School teacher Margaret de Barraicua. As you may recall, last February, police caught and arrested de Barraicua for boffing a 16-year-old student in her car while her two-year-old child was strapped in the back seat. She was initially charged with four counts of rape.


Margaret De Barraicua
Yesterday in the Sacramento County Superior Court, de Barraicua pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sex with a minor as part of a plea agreement with the court. Although they went along with it, the prosecutors wanted something different in the plea. According to Deputy District Attorney Rochelle Hao, "The people's offer was different. This is the court's offer." Nevertheless, de Barraicua is scheduled to return to court on November 18. She faces a maximum of 16 months in prison.

Given that the victim in the case was a special education student and de Barraicua likely used her authority to engage in repeated sex, 16 months seems lenient. Switch circumstances around and make it a 30-year-old male teacher having repeated sex with a 16-year-old female special education student. Would 16 months be acceptable?


[Update 11/19/05]

De Barraicua sentenced.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/15/2005 02:48:00 PM

NYT and WAPO Trade Front Pages Nightly

Somewhere around 10:30 and 11:00 pm every night, the New York Times and the Washington Post trade their next-day front pages in a secret formal arrangement to apparently feed the same stories to the American public. The practice started "as a courtesy between Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. and former Times Executive Editor Joseph Lelyveld in the early 1990s and has continued ever since." And, of course, the rest of the MSM reprints the stories verbatim, citing both the Times and the Post as sources.

Interesting, but hardly surprising. It's always been suspicious that two supposedly independent sources are able to break the same stories at the same time. I figured it was happening, now I know how.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/15/2005 06:30:00 AM

Union Gets Non-Union Labor to Picket Wal-Mart

(Henderson, Nevada) In five-hour shifts, six picketers toting anti-Wal-Mart signs try to keep cool as they walk back and forth outside a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. They are allowed two 15-minute breaks to run across the street and use the washroom at a gas station.

From Las Vegas Weekly:

Periodically one of them will sit down in a slightly larger slice of shade under a giant electricity pole in the intersection. Four lanes of traffic rush by, some drivers honk in support, more than once someone has yelled, "assholes!" but mostly, they're ignored.

They're not union members; they're temp workers employed through Allied Forces/Labor Express by the union--United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). They're making $6 an hour, with no benefits; it's 104 F, and they're protesting the working conditions inside the new Wal-Mart grocery store.

Interestingly, the average Nevada Wal-Mart worker makes over $10 per hour.

It's probably not unreasonable to assume that the union could hire protesters more economically if they tapped the illegal alien labor pool. Nevertheless, picketing Wal-Mart for being non-union loses all meaning when the union hires non-union labor to do its picketing.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/15/2005 05:47:00 AM

Driving With Dead Cat Fuel

(Berlin, Germany) An enterprising German inventor has created an organic fuel alternative to diesel from garbage and road-killed cats and dogs. Christian Koch has patented a machine dubbed KDV500 which produces a liquid he calls "bio-diesel" at one-fifth the current cost of gasoline.

About 20 dead cats thrown in the KDV500 produces enough fuel to fill an 11-gallon gas tank. There's no word on whether engines get friskier with dead cat gas.

Wolfgang Apel of the German Society for the Protection of Animals said the practice of using dead cats and dogs is outlawed in Germany, however, his organization is going to watch Koch closely.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 08:29:00 PM

Girl Dies During Dental Visit

(Dinuba, California) Four-year-old Sherral Magana went to the dentist for basic dental work to be performed under general anesthesia. She died. Police are investigating.

I wonder why someone would need general anesthesia for "basic dental work."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 05:55:00 PM

Lawyer Wants Lafave Genitalia Photos Blocked

(Tampa, Florida) Remember Debra Lafave? She's the gorgeous 24-year-old teacher who claims she was insane during mad sex romps with a 14-year-old student.


Teacher Debra Lafave
She's scheduled to be tried in December, however, there's a new development in her case. Apparently, during the investigation of her alleged crimes, the authorities obtained a search warrant to photograph her genitalia to collect evidence corroborating the statements of the 14-year-old boy. The photos are public records and, as such, any citizen can request access. As a result, Lafave's lawyer, John Fitzgibbons, has filed a motion to block public access to the pictures on the basis that they are an invasion of privacy.

From the St. Petersburg Times:

Questioned by detectives a week before Lafave's arrest on charges of lewd and lascivious battery, the boy told them things about his teacher that only intimate contact would have revealed. He mentioned belly button rings and butterfly tattoos. Then he told them about Lafave's "V" shaped tan line along her waist and that she had shaved her pubic area in a "unique" pattern.

Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco issued a search warrant last year authorizing Temple Terrace investigators to collect evidence that would verify the victim's account. When detectives brought Lafave to the county jail, they told her they had a warrant to photograph her body, according to the motion filed Tuesday.

A nurse draped a sheet over Lafave and a female jailhouse deputy snapped four pictures of her hips, legs and back. Then they placed Lafave's feet in stirrups and took two close-up photos of her genitals that Fitzgibbons described as "pornographic."

Hillsborough Circuit Judge Wayne S. Timmerman will hear the motion next week which is unfortunate because, in the interim, a curious citizen might walk into the public records room and request access to the photos. If the judge grants the motion to block access, Lafave's privacy could only be invaded if a Tampa Bay area citizen got curious before next week.


[Update 9/20/05]

Photos blocked.


[Update 11/22/05]

Debra Lafave pleads guilty and gets no jail.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 04:09:00 PM

Teacher Diddled Student Before Dinner with Husband

(Middlebury, Connecticut) Following up on a previous post about former Newtown High School guidance intern Jillian Gehrkens who has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of risk of injury to a minor for engaging in a yearlong affair with a 15-year-old male student. According to a report in the Republican-American, some details of the alleged sexual relationship have been released in the arrest warrant.

Although the two met while the student was 15, the warrant was unclear whether the alleged relationship became sexual before the student's 16th birthday, which was sometime in April 2004.

Even so, a sexual relationship between a student and public school employee is considered sexual assault even if the student is age 16, Police Chief Patrick J. Bona said Monday. People 16 or older are considered adults under state law.

Detailing the student's account of the relationship, the warrant said Gehrkens allegedly began driving the student to her Middlebury home after school for what the student called "sexual sessions."

He said she would then drive him home before his parents arrived home. Sometimes the student would stay for dinner with Gehrkens and her husband, Peter, and then go home, the warrant said.

Given that the Gehrkens were married in September 2002, it seems disenchantment set in quickly. Less than two years into the marriage, Gehrkens persuaded her pubescent pupil into participating in impromptu pickle parties. Afterward, Gehrkens, her husband, and the boy would sit down and have dinner.

It's pretty sick, in my opinion.


[Update 01/09/07]

Gehrkens pleads guilty. Sentencing in March 2007.


[Update 07/27/07]

Gehrkens sentenced.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 09:21:00 AM

Woman Fired After Rescue Trip to Mississippi

(Columbia, Tennessee) After receiving a pleading message from her father in Mississippi to rescue her brother and sister from Hurricane Katrina's devastation, 20-year-old Kolonie Sims raced to the Gulf Coast but only after getting permission from her boss at the Family Dollar store for time off. Fortunately, she found her family safe, survivors of the destruction.

Yesterday, back in Tennessee, she was informed by telephone that she was fired for leaving work on Thursday and not traveling to Mississippi until Friday. A pretty weak excuse, if you ask me. For crying out loud, some preparation would be required for a trip of over 500 miles to an area that was without water, food, gas, electricity, or shelter.

It would be hard to dispute the contention that Family Dollar stores are staffed with two-bit bosses. Sims is better off not working for the miserable outfit.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 07:50:00 AM

Hamas Blasts Hole in Border

(Rafah, Gaza Strip) The Gaza-Egyptian border became considerably more porous earlier today when Hamas terrorists blasted a hole in the border barricade allowing a flood of Palestinians to scramble into Egypt.

From the Chicago Tribune:

The chaotic scenes were an early test of the Palestinian Authority's rule over the Gaza Strip and Egypt's ability to secure the border, where it has posted hundreds of troops to prevent arms smuggling, under an agreement with Israel.

Moving to restore order, Palestinian and Egyptian commanders decided to close the border Wednesday evening, allowing one more day of visits, Palestinian officials said.

I can't be the only person that believes the Egyptian agreement with the Israelis to secure the border is pure folly. Unless other international pressure is put on Egypt, border security will be a pretense. What used to be considered smuggling will become everyday trade.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/14/2005 06:10:00 AM

Deadly Attacks Kill Over 150 Iraqis

(Baghdad) Earlier today, a series of bombings and shooting killed more then 150 Iraqis and wounded hundreds more.

From Haaretz:

Six suicide bombs exploded in Baghdad killing over 130 people, while gunmen killed an additional 17 people in a separate incident north of Baghdad.

A suicide bomber killed 114 people and wounded 156 in a crowded Shi'ite district of Baghdad just before sunrise on Wednesday, in the second deadliest single bomb attack in Iraq since the war.

The suicide bomber blew up an explosives-packed minibus in Kadhimiya, in Baghdad's old town, killing mostly laborers looking for day jobs, police said.

An Interior Ministry source said the bomber lured the men towards his vehicle with promises of work before detonating the bomb, which contained up to 500 lbs of explosives.

In a separate incident, 17 people in Taji, a northern suburb of Baghdad, were dragged from their homes by men dressed as police and shot to death. According to the Fox News Network, Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attacks.

It's a good thing that Islam is the religion of peace. Imagine the death toll if it weren't.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 08:56:00 PM

Chimps Shot and Killed

(Royal, Nebraska) Four chimpanzees escaped from Zoo Nebraska in the remote town of Royal, pop. 75. After unsuccessfully trying to tranquilize the animals, zoo director Ken Schlueter Jr. shot and killed two chimps, then a Nebraska State Patrol officer shot and killed one. Upon seeing his buddies eat hot lead, the fourth chimp quickly returned to his cage.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 08:25:00 PM

Woman Arrested for Black Tar in Underwear

(San Diego, California) Maria de Jesus Diaz, 34, was arrested by U.S. Customs inspectors after finding a total of 43 pounds of black tar heroin in her underwear and vehicle.

I wonder how many desperate junkies are injecting black tar out of Maria's skanky skivvies.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 07:52:00 PM

18-Wheelers Demolish Amish Buggies

(Middlefield, Ohio) No surprise here. In two separate incidents, 18-wheel tractor-trailer trucks turned two Amish buggies into road debris. John Miller is hospitalized with serious injuries. Andy Kauffman had minor injuries. Both lost their buggies and their horses were killed. Passengers Barbara Schmucker and John Weaver were treated and released.

Notably, accidents involving Amish buggies happen with regularity in northern Ohio.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 06:55:00 PM

5,000 Islamic Suicide Bombers in Germany

(Berlin, Germany) According to Bavarian Interior Minister Guenther Beckstein, Germany has "between 3,000 and 5,000 of these Islamists who are prepared to use violence and do not shrink from suicide attacks."

Ach du lieber!
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 06:24:00 PM

Judge Blasts Strip-Club Law

(Seattle, Washington) U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled that Seattle's moratorium on processing applications for strip-clubs is illegal. The judge declared that the city council had "selectively" barred strip clubs for 17 years without adequate justification which amounted to prior restraint on free expression.

I was unaware that the citizens of Seattle were enduring life without the therapeutic benefits of occasional lap dances. This helps explain why they drink so much coffee.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 01:17:00 PM

Alleged Female Rapist Gets No-Jail Plea Deal

(Norman, Oklahoma) A 22-year-old woman charged with raping a 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of outraging public decency, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to a hand slap. April Dawn Cole received a three-year deferred sentence, a $200 fine, and $200 in victim's compensation. Defense attorney Steve Stice said she didn't want to risk going to trial so she took the misdemeanor plea.

Cole took an Alford plea where she admits that there was sufficient evidence to convict her while maintaining that she did not commit the crime. By convicting Cole of a misdemeanor equivalent to a traffic ticket, Special Judge Reg Gaston demonstrates what makes him "Special." In offering a no-punishment resolution to the case, prosecutor Victoria Gillispie seems to be special also. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that both the judge and the prosecutor are on Cole's Christmas card list.

Frankly, I'm part of the public and my decency has been outraged by the decision of the court. Consequently, somebody should go and apply slaps to the hands of Gaston and Gillispie.

Imagine what would happen if a man allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl and there was enough evidence to convict. Would he walk?
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       Following Entry Posted 9/13/2005 10:53:00 AM

Children Locked in Cages

(Wakeman, Ohio) This story is sickening. Nine children were found locked in cages in their own home in a little town west of Cleveland.

From NewsNet5.com:

The sheriff said the kids, ages 1 to 14, were found in the cages with no blankets or pillows on Friday. The wooden cages, estimated to be about 3 feet by 3 feet, were built into the walls. Officials are not releasing the photos of the cages, but the sheriff described them as makeshift cellblocks.

The parents, Sharon and Mike Gravelle, didn't seem to think anything was wrong with their treatment, officials said. Officials said all the children were adopted children. The Gravelles have not been arrested. They had 11 children in all.

Officials stated that all the children were adopted from agencies and the Gravelles received monthly checks to support them. The Gravelles explained that they put the children in cages to protect themselves from each other because they were disabled. The children were removed from the home.

One has to wonder how the Gravelles were deemed acceptable as adoptive parents. I have always thought that the vetting process for prospective adoptive parents was fairly rigorous. Hopefully, there will be a review performed of those responsible.

Something is obviously wrong about this whole situation. In my opinion, the Gravelles are guilty of fraud or abuse or a combination of the two. It's not clear why there were no charges of child abuse. In this day and age, a person can't smack a kid's fanny without being arrested. I expect we'll hear more about the Gravelles.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/12/2005 07:38:00 PM

Disaster Relief Distribution Centers

(New Orleans) State and federal agencies have opened 18 centers for distribution of supplies to Hurricane Katrina victims. Items are available free and include ready-to-eat meals, ice, water, diapers, and personal toiletry items. By parish, the distribution points are:

Jefferson Parish

- Zephyr Stadium parking lot, David Drive and Airline Drive in Metairie;
- Alario Center, 2000 Segnette Blvd., Westwego;
- Sam’s Warehouse, 3900 Airline Drive, Metairie;
- Jefferson Parish Correctional Facility in Gretna;
- Lafitte City Hall, 2654 Jean Lafitte Blvd., Lafitte;
- Gretna Police Department, 200 5th St., Gretna;
- Westland Shopping Center, 2500 Williams Blvd., Kenner.

Plaquemines Parish

- Plaquemines Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness, 107 Main St., Belle Chasse, near the Chalmette Ferry Landing.

St. Bernard Parish

- St. Bernard Office of Emergency Preparedness, 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette.

St. Charles Parish

- West Bank Bridge Park, at Interstate 310 and River Road in Luling.

St. John the Baptist Parish

- St. John Parish Courthouse, River Road, Edgard.

Terrebonne Parish

- Houma Civic Center.

Tangipahoa Parish

- Tangipahoa Office of Emergency Preparedness, 206 E. Mulberry St., Amite.

Washington Parish

- Louisiana Technical College, La. 21, Bogalusa.

Livingston Parish

- Livingston Parish Fairgrounds, Iowa and Magnolia Streets, Livingston.

St. Tammany Parish

- Intersection of Watts Road and Hickory Drive, Pearl River;
- Target Store near I-12, 69320 La. 21 Covington;
- Old Wal-Mart Store on I-10 Service Road east in Slidell.

The distribution centers will be open from 7am to 6pm, seven days a week.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/12/2005 10:17:00 AM

Larry Csonka Rescued at Sea

The Anchorage Daily News has a dramatic report of the helicopter rescue of Larry Csonka from a disabled ship in the stormy Bering Sea.


The Hall of Fame football legend was returning from a hunting trip to a remote Aleutian island when the sea "swelled and gale force winds began to blow with pounding rain." After a harrowing night being battered by the storm onboard the Augusta D, Csonka and five others were plucked one-by-one up to a Coast Guard helicopter flown from Kodiak, 600 miles away. The ship was abandoned to King Neptune and Davy Jones locker.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/12/2005 06:59:00 AM

Evacuees Not Coming to Cleveland

(Cleveland, Ohio) Early last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency notified officials to expect up to 400 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina to arrive at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Thursday. In response, authorities prepared the Cleveland Convention Center to receive the influx.

On Wednesday, officials were notified that the flights carrying Katrina victims would not be coming to Ohio. No explanation was provided.

Around noon on Thursday, Mayor Jane Campbell was told that evacuees would be coming to Cleveland after all. Emergency and relief workers made preparations.

On Saturday, an announcement was made that all plans were canceled and the evacuees would not be coming to Ohio. No official explanation for the on-again, off-again plan has been provided.

However, one media report states that the evacuees just didn't want to come to Cleveland. The survivors consider Cleveland to be too far away from the area they call home. This explanation is a positive sign. Evidently, the victims of Katrina on the Gulf Coast have every intention of returning to and rebuilding their homes.

So, the reason the evacuees are not coming to Cleveland has nothing to do with Cleveland, per se. It has to do with leaving the area they call home. Consequently, it's an unfounded argument that people would rather be in a disease-ridden, flooded, and mosquito-infested swamp than come to Cleveland.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/10/2005 11:59:00 PM

Female Teacher Allegedly Rapes Student

(Boone County, Kentucky) A 29-year-old substitute teacher at Boone County High School, Michelle Kush, was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of rape and one count of sodomy for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old student several times over the last three months. Kush is also under investigation in Kenton County for the same offenses. She additionally may face charges of giving alcohol to minors.


Michelle Kush
Interestingly, police started investigating Kush after being alerted by another teacher. Kush has her first court appearance on Monday in Boone County Court.


[Update 06/30/06]

Kush pleads guilty.


[Update 08/09/06]

Kush sentenced.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/10/2005 09:15:00 PM

Man With Three Testicles

The condition where a man has more than two testicles is called polyorchidism and it is a very rare congenital abnormality. Three testicles is called triorchidism and it has been referred to in medical literature all the way back to ancient times. Consequently, it's not unheard of, however, since it's extremely rare it's discussed infrequently.

In total, less than 100 cases of men with three testicles are documented in medical literature worldwide. Anecdotally, of the hundreds of thousands of British servicemen conscripted during World War II, health records indicate that only nine men were found to have three testicles.

Interestingly, triorchidism is asymptomatic and usually has no effect on fertility. Typically, the additional plum hangs on the left. Diagnosis of the condition is conducted through observation using arithmetic.

Given the facts regarding triorchidism, the recent story of child molester Robert Stillman, surprisingly admitting guilt after the victim told investigators that he had three testicles, makes much more sense. Stillman knew he was caught. Given the rarity of the condition, he couldn't expect a jury to believe that some other guy in the neighborhood molested the girl.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/10/2005 04:04:00 PM

Grand Jury Indicts Sandra "Beth" Geisel

(Albany, New York) Updating previous reports (here and here), a county grand jury has indicted Sandra "Beth" Geisel, 42, on three counts of rape and one count of performing a criminal sexual act, all related to sexual encounters with a 16-year-old boy last May.


Officer escorts Geisel after grand jury testimony
(WNYT Photo)
Thus far, Geisel's defense appears to be angling toward blaming the influence of alcohol on her behavior along with the contention that the students aggressively pursued her. Firewater and the urgings of boys? She might as well say the devil made her do it.

Nevertheless, if convicted, Geisel faces a possible sentence of 16 years in prison, one and one-third to four years for each count. Adding to her troubles is a DWI charge which she received while out on bail from the rape charges.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/10/2005 09:01:00 AM

NJ Teacher Accused of Sex Assault

(Willingboro, New Jersey) A 37-year-old teacher in the Willingboro School System, Tanja Helene Petties, was charged Thursday with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and official misconduct for having sex on several occasions with an underage male student. The sex allegedly took place several times on school property during school hours.

If convicted of all the charges, Petties faces a possible 40 years in prison. She was released after posting $25,000 bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/09/2005 03:05:00 PM

Three Balls and You're Out!

(Waterbury, Connecticut) This case is disturbing. A 56-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of risk of injury involving sexual assault for repeatedly having sexual relations with a little girl. Robert Stillman submitted his plea pursuant to the Alford Doctrine where he acknowledges that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict him. According to the plea agreement, he must serve three and one-half years in prison plus 15 years probation.

Initially, Stillman denied the accusations against him but changed his mind when the little girl, who was 8 and 9 when the assaults occurred, provided some damning evidence. Apparently, Stillman has a rare birth defect where he was born with three testicles. The little girl knew he was packing a spare plum and told investigators. They checked. Bada-bing-bing-bing! Stillman immediately accepted the plea rather than face a jury where he could have received life in prison.

What's disturbing is that Stillman is getting only three and one-half years in the slammer. The girl was a little child and he repeatedly sexually assaulted her over a period of two years. The prosecution did not do its job in punishing the pervert nor in protecting the public. It's a safe bet that Stillman will be victimizing another child three and one-half years from now.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/09/2005 07:47:00 AM

Skirts for Beer Drinkers

(Munich, Germany) Doreen Anders and Andreas Landinger are marketing a newly designed skirt for male beer drinkers aimed at Oktoberfest celebrants. Called the Oktoberfest Frock, it "combines softness with comfort." Designer Landinger is optimistic, stating, "I think they're going to go down well."

Manly beer drinkers with their skirts down? Surely, they'll be yodeling in Bavaria.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/09/2005 07:28:00 AM

Mom Gets 20 Years in Starving Death

(Beaumont, Texas) A mother who starved one of her children to death has been sentenced to 20 years in a Texas state prison. Through "nutritional deprivation and negligence," 22-year-old Tamecca Henderson allowed her 2-month-old daughter, Monique Pippillion, to die. Monique weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces, at birth and 4 pounds, 10 ounces, at death. It's not clear what is going to happen to Henderson's three other children.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/09/2005 06:48:00 AM

Two Taliban Commanders Killed

(Kabul, Afghanistan) In an anti-terrorism sweep conducted by the Afghan National Army (ANA) and US-led coalition forces in the southern Zabul Province, two Taliban commanders were gunned down. Mullah Bashir and Hayatullah Akhunzada were Taliban leaders in the Khak-i-Afghan and Shah Joi Districts. Twelve other terrorists were killed and 17 were arrested. A hideout was also destroyed.

Other developments:

- In Kunar Province, a terrorist leader, Maulvi Noor Muhammad, and his supporters surrendered to government authorities.

- In Kandahar, a search operation by provincial authorities found at least 25 remote-controlled bombs.

- In eastern Nangarhar province, police found kidnapped journalist Ezatullah Zawab alive but unconscious. Zawab disappeared after publishing an article critical of Afghan clerics.

It's expected that the Taliban will be significantly weakened in the Zabul Province with two of its leaders eliminated.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/09/2005 06:24:00 AM

Pakistani Terrorists Bomb KFC & McDonald's

(Karachi, Pakistan) Several people were injured when Islamic extremists bombed a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) branch in an upmarket residential area and a McDonald's outlet on the Karachi seafront. No injuries were serious because, according to Karachi Police Chief Tariq Jamil, the bombs were "home-made, low intensity devices."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 11:58:00 PM

Jacques Chirac in Hospital

President Jacques Chirac has been in the hospital since last Friday after "a little vascular accident." Not much information is being disclosed, prompting many rumors. Some experts think he had a minor stroke. We'll see. Current promise is that he'll leave the hospital by the end of the week.

As I recall, President Clinton also experienced "a little vascular accident." It left a stain on Monica Lewinsky's dress.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 08:55:00 PM

Teacher Arrested for Sex with Three Boys

(Mays Landing, New Jersey) A 28-year-old physical education teacher at Hammonton High School, Traci J. Tapp, was arrested yesterday on charges of official misconduct and sexual crimes involving three male students. Tapp is alleged to have had sexual contact with the males at the school and at her home.

Tapp spent last night in the Atlantic County Jail. Bail was set at $25,000.

[Update] Followup report here.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 07:41:00 PM

California Assembly Approves Driver's Licenses for Illegals

(Sacramento, California) Contrary to the will of the majority, on Tuesday the California Assembly approved legislation which would legalize same-sex marriage. Since the idea was on the ballot in 2000 (Proposition 22) and soundly rejected by California voters, Gov. Schwarzenegger said he would veto the same-sex marriage bill (AB 849).

Not deterred in promoting their unpopular leftist agenda, on Wednesday the Assembly followed their same-sex bill with passage of a bill authorizing the issuance of driver's licenses to illegal aliens. According to recent polling, better than 60 percent of Californians oppose the idea. It's unknown what decision Gov. Schwarzenegger will make.

It is known, however, that the California Assembly doesn't give one whit about what the majority of citizens thinks. On successive days this week, the Assembly has passed legislation that arrogantly ignores the public will.

Obviously, the voters are tardy in rethinking who should be representing them.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 04:54:00 PM

Woman Arrested for Rape of Boy

(Noel, Missouri) For engaging in a months-long sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy, 21-year-old Natasha Renee Wolfe was arrested by McDonald County deputies to face a charge of statutory rape. The boy's parents, who allowed the relationship to occur, were arrested for child endangering.

Regarding the parents involvement, Deputy Marshal Kyle Hill stated, "I asked them if they understood that this was a crime, and they said, 'Yes,' but they allowed it anyway." The parents, both naturalized citizens, are being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a "crime of moral turpitude" which could result in loss of citizenship and deportation.

Wolfe is in the McDonald County jail on $7,500 bond. The boy and four other children were removed from the home and placed in state custody.


[Update 9/10/05]

According to a report citing a statement from Chief Deputy Gregg Sweeten, the parents of the boy are illegal aliens, not naturalized citizens as previously reported. They are being held for immigration authorities.

Also, if convicted of the rape charges, Wolfe faces a possible seven years in prison.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 10:13:00 AM

Flight Attendant Fired for Blog Now Suing

A flight attendant for Delta Airlines, Ellen Simonetti, was fired for having "inappropriate photos" in her personal blog.


"Inappropriate Photo"
(Photo credit: Ellen Simonetti)
Ellen Simonetti's blog, Diary of a Flight Attendant, is fairly typical of many blogs. Having snapshots included is also not unusual for blogs. What is out of the ordinary, though, is the fact that Ellen Simonetti is one helluva lot better looking than most bloggers.

According to this report, Simonetti believes she was treated unfairly by Delta and has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired as a warning to other airline employees with blogs. It's additionally claimed that her firing was retribution for her efforts to unionize Delta workers. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages plus she wants her job back.

Also, a sex discrimination complaint was filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the basis that male employees with blogs displaying inappropriate material are not punished.

Regarding the inappropriateness of her photos, I personally believe that they are several degrees tamer than what is normally broadcast on television.


[Update]

On 9/14/05, Delta Air lines filed for bankruptcy, seeking protection from creditors. The company cited high fuel costs and inability to compete with low-fare carriers. The impact of the bankruptcy filing on Simonetti's lawsuit and EEOC complaint is unknown.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 08:19:00 AM

Remembering Rosie Reid

Remember Rosie Reid? She's the 18-year-old lesbian coed who last year auctioned off her virginity on eBay to finance a university education. She even offered to "bung in free massage" if the winning bidder was any good. Reid claimed that her precious flower was intact due to lesbianism.


Rosie Reid
Well, there was an avalanche of interest and a bidder won the privilege to pony up over $20,000 to visit Rosie Reid's Enchanted Garden. The deal was done and, as I understand, unremarkable.

As an aside, I need to mention that, because of the Rosie Reid story, I had a conversation with a guy who described for me what it was like to intimately bundle with a lesbian. From personal experience, his assessment was that it was like reading War and Peace. Really long, lots of words, very little action, and you can't get through it without falling asleep.

Of course, this story is old news. However, for some reason, over the past 12 hours I've been drenched with traffic from people searching for information on Rosie Reid. So, I wonder what's going on. A search for something new about Rosie has turned up nothing. If any of my readers know of a recent development in the story, let me know in Comments.

I recall reading that some women's pieces parts grow back together if not used and I'm curious to know if maybe that's what happened and Rosie is now selling a factory rebuild. She might need money for books.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 06:57:00 AM

Islamic Teacher Sentenced for Aussie Embassy Blast

(Jakarta, Indonesia) A tribunal sentenced 23-year-old Islamic teacher Abdul Fatah, aka Seri Sigu (Sigor) and Heri Segu, to seven years in prison for his part in the bombing of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in September 2004 which killed ten people and the suicide bomber. Fatah was convicted of helping plan the attack and constructing the bomb. Leaving the court, Fatah shouted that his sentence was contrary to God's law and that God was higher than the court's decision.

Fatah was recruited in East Java and trained in bomb-making by the Malaysian Jemaah Islamiah leader, Azahari Husin. Azahari, along with Noordin Mohammad Top, masterminded the Australian Embassy attack and also the Bali and Marriott Hotel bombings. Both Azahari and Top are still at large.

Six terrorists were arrested in the embassy bombing and Fatah is the third to be convicted and sentenced. The sentences handed out were three and one-half years, four and one-half years, and Fatah's seven years which indicate that Indonesian courts do not treat terrorists harshly. Surely, all three thugs will return to the streets to commit more acts of terrorism. Understandably, the lenient sentences will not blunt criticism of the Indonesian judicial system.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/08/2005 05:58:00 AM

Cleric Urges Muslims to Leave UK

(London) Radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed has called for all British Muslims to leave the UK because of the "evil" political response to the July 7 London bombings. Bakri is known for praising the 9/11 suicide hijackers and for stating that he would never alert police if he knew that Muslim terrorists were planning an attack.

Bakri accused the government in London of targeting Islamic radicals to "cover-up" their failure to identify the mastermind behind the London bus and train bombings. He also stated that the way to stop terrorism is to get rid of anti-terrorism laws. What screwy logic! I suppose if we rid ourselves of murder laws, there would be no more murders. Sheesh!

My take is that Bakri is exactly the kind of dangerous individual people don't want in their communities. In addition to praising and aiding terrorists, it's reasonable to assume that he radicalizes young followers who become terrorists.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 06:39:00 PM

Woman Gets No Jail for Indecent Liberties with Boy

(Goldsboro, North Carolina) Updating a previous report, 26-year-old Shannon Kathleen Munn was arrested last month and charged with felony rape of a 15-year-old boy after the boy's aunt and uncle alerted police. She was jailed in lieu of $100,000 bond.

According to this report, it appears that the court did not deem her behavior to be as criminal as originally charged and she was given a 16 to 20 months suspended sentence for indecent liberties with a child. She will also have 36 months of supervised probation. The Wayne County Superior Court gave Munn no jail time. It's not known if she will have to register as a sex offender.

Appropriate? You make the call.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 03:28:00 PM

Tammy Imre Had Sex With 8-Year-Old Boy UPDATED

(Bridgeport, Connecticut) Remember Tammy Imre? Last November, the 30-year-old mother was arrested for a laundry list of charges related to having an ongoing sexual relationship with an 8-year-old neighborhood boy who was her 7-year-old daughter's playmate.


Tammy Imre
According to her attorney Donald Papcsy, in court today, Imre agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges at a scheduled court appearance on Sept. 19. Apparently, she will receive something less than the ten-year minimum for first-degree sexual assault. The agreement allows her to claim an Alford plea where she doesn't plead guilty to all allegations but concedes that there is enough evidence to convict her. Prosecutor George Ganim Jr. wouldn't release any details, but said the victim's mother was satisfied with the terms of the agreement.

Consequently, we'll have to wait until September 19 to learn how long she will be sentenced in the slammer. Interestingly, she's already spent nine months behind bars since she couldn't cough up the $250,000 bail.


[Update 9/19/05, 1230EDT]

This morning, 30-year-old Tammy Imre pleaded guilty to a charge of risk of injury to a minor in accordance with an agreement which eliminates the need for the 8-year-old victim to have to testify in court. Sentencing is scheduled for November 4. Imre faces a possible six years in jail.

I'd wager a paycheck that she doesn't get the whole measly six.

Now, if she were a 30-year-old guy mixing it up with an 8-year-old girl? Fuhgettaboutit! The court would lock him up and throw away the key.

More coverage: Diggers Realm
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 01:54:00 PM

Ontario Considers Adopting Sharia Courts

(Toronto) The idea of recognizing Sharia law in Ontario to settle civil and domestic disputes among Muslims has been bounced around since last year and now the government appears to be taking it seriously.

According to a report from the Toronto Star, former NDP Attorney General Marion Boyd recommended that Sharia-based tribunals be established. Ms. Boyd advocates that custody and family disputes be resolved outside of the provincial family-court system using Shariah principles.

Understandably, many people are troubled by the idea, prompting Premier Dalton McGuinty to say that if Sharia were adopted, everything will be fine and the rights of women "will not be compromised." Nevertheless, few are feeling the warm and fuzzies about the whole scheme. In fact, an international campaign has been launched.

From the National Post:

An upcoming international demonstration designed to pressure Queen's Park into rejecting shariah courts continued to grow yesterday, even as the premier promised any decision on a faith-based court system will not jeopardize women's rights.

Obviously, McGuinty's assurances are not convincing.

My take is that Sharia law is the antithesis of freedom and equality. Even though Canada has a liberal socialist view of democracy, I don't think that Sharia law will be adopted. Remember, in some parts of the world, people are beheaded and stoned to death in accordance with Sharia law. It simply has no place in a free society.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 12:26:00 PM

Roy Hallums Freed

Great news!

Kidnapped last year, Roy Hallums has been set free in Iraq. Details at The Jawa Report. Kudos to Rusty for keeping the story at the forefront and helping the Hallums family.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 11:02:00 AM

France Sends Relief

Here's some eyebrow-cocking news.

The French government said an aircraft from Martinique with 6.1 tons of tents, tarps and food was en route to Little Rock, Ark.

Maybe it's just me, but couldn't the French find an airport a little closer to the Gulf Coast? Sacre bleu! Get a map. Little Rock is handsomely over 400 miles from the coast.

I need to mention that they also promised to send a plane to Mobile, Alabama. Nevertheless, the total commitment thus far from the French seems to be somewhat chintzy. Tarps, tents, and food from a Caribbean island doesn't conjure up images of anyone digging deep in the pockets.

Personally, I hope they send new tents. Can you imagine the smell of a used French tent?
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 08:30:00 AM

Katrina Recovery - Area Roundup 9/7/05

Orleans Parish

- Forced evacuation in process per Mayor Nagin's proclamation.
- Widespread gas leaks in city.
- "Sewerage and Water Board Executive Director, Marcia St. Martin, said the water is running again on the east bank of Orleans Parish, with pressure sufficient to fight fires. Water service on the West Bank has never been interrupted."
- Superdome may have significant structural damage. The interior was trashed. Estimated damage is $400,000,000.
- Orleans Parish school info available here. Telephone info at 1-877-771-5800.
- Several pumps operating to remove flood waters. A barge with 24 more pumps expected soon.
- Entergy has restored power to some parts of Central Business District. Power promised to entire CBD and Algiers within next two days.
- Algiers Point ferry and landing are available to move equipment and supplies between the east and west banks of the Mississippi River.

JEFFERSON PARISH NOTE

Residents are reminded that authorities will close the parish Thursday at 6 pm to continue its clean up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Sixteen Jefferson Parish public schools are usable, eight have isolated damage and six have major damage from Hurricane Katrina with 54 schools still to be evaluated.

Jefferson Parish (West Bank)

- Power is restored to most areas south of the Westbank Expressway.
- Home Depot is reported open in Gretna.

Jefferson Parish (East Bank)

- The area between the Causeway and the 17th Street Canal is still flooded.

St. Bernard Parish

"If you dropped a bomb on this place, it couldn't be any worse than this," said Ron Silva, a district fire chief.

They said while federal help came slowly to New Orleans, it's even been slower to their outlying area of some 66,000 people on Louisiana's southeastern edge.

"It's Day 8, guys. Everything was diverted first to New Orleans, we understand that. But do you realize we got 18 to 20 feet of water from the storm, and we've still got 7 to 8 feet of water?" Silva said.

- All schools were flooded and most remain underwater.
- School teacher/staff will be paid through the month, but no other promises.
- From the school message board, "If you can find employment, secure it. If not, file for unemployment benefits."

St. Tammany Parish

- Six confirmed hurricane-related deaths in the parish. Coroner believes there may be as many as 75 to 100 fatalities that are indirectly connected to Katrina.
- In Covington, boil order lifted, water is safe to drink.
- Power out in many areas. Major hospitals have power restored.
- Some stores operating with limited hours.
- Parish-wide ban on alcohol sales.
- Dumpsters being placed in neighborhoods and public locations to collect garbage.
- Outdoor burning banned.
- Curfew set between 9pm and 7am.
- Officials seek October 3rd reopening of parish schools.

[Update]

<> From an earlier report, in Violet, a community east of New Orleans in St. Bernard Parish, 22 people were found dead after having lashed themselves together to escape the flood waters. According to Sheriff Jack Stephens, about 100 bodies have been found so far and he expects the total will be at least five times that amount.

<> About 500 of New Orleans' 1,700 police officers are still missing eight days after Katrina.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 08:00:00 AM

Agents Arrest Man Who Fired at Rescue Helicopter

(Algiers, Louisiana) ATF agents arrested arguably the dumbest criminal currently alive on planet Earth.

From The Times-Picayune:

Wendell L. Bailey, 20, was arrested outside the building in which he had earlier taken aim with a .22-caliber handgun and fired at the helicopter that was flying in the darkness, federal prosecutors said.

A criminal complaint filed against Bailey Tuesday accuses him of the federal crime of trying to damage and destroy any aircraft and with being a felon in possession of a handgun. If convicted on both charges, Bailey could be sentenced to 30 years in prison.

While on patrol, ATF agents observed the gunfire coming from an apartment window and then saw two men talking about shooting the helicopter. One said, "They won't be back now."

Think again, Rambo. With the better part of over six billion pairs of eyes and ears focused on the aftermath of Katrina, you have the spotlight. Didn't they teach you in stupid thug school not to attract attention?
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       Following Entry Posted 9/07/2005 06:06:00 AM

Illegal Garage Sales

(Seven Hills, Ohio) The garage sale police is on patrol.

From NewsNet5.com:

Hold an unauthorized garage sale in the Cleveland suburb of Seven Hills and you could face a $250 fine and 30 days in jail.

City officials agree the penalty is a little excessive. City Council is expected to soften it this month. But the small bedroom community still may have one of the most restrictive garage sale laws anywhere.

An ordinance passed last year limits garage sales in Seven Hills to just the last week of the month, April through October.

One could easily contend that the purpose of the ordinance is to restrict competition in the garage sale market. It seems that way to me.

"Whatcha in for, Mugsy? Burglary? Assault?"

"Nah! Doin' 30 days on a garage sale rap. I'm innocent."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 06:11:00 PM

Criticism of NCLB

For the sake of full disclosure, I favor the "No Child Left Behind" law. My belief is that standardized testing at least establishes a baseline of data which allows for corrective action to be directed to problem areas.

From CNN.com:

As schools open this week, 47 states are in some "stage of rebellion" against the 3-year-old policy, according to a study by the Civil Society Institute, a nonpartisan advocacy group.

My first reaction was a furrowed brow. Rebellion? This is the first I've heard of it. My second reaction was skepticism along with a curiosity regarding who did the survey. So I decided to do some research on the Civil Society Institute.

Well, guess what? The Civil Society Institute (CSI) may be nonpartisan but they surely are not non-ideological. In fact, there's evidence to indicate that CSI is closely tied to the Open Society Institute, a creation of George Soros. For those that don't know, George Soros also funds MoveOn.org and under no illusions can he be considered nonpartisan in his beliefs or actions. Arguably, he could be the most devout Bush-hater on Earth.

But there's more, Soros also funds Results For America! which is a subtier spinoff of CSI. Under CSI and Results For America is an entity called NCLBGrassroots.org which started and currently spearheads the rebellion to have NCLB overturned. So, the people who started the rebellion have now reported that they found it after performing a "study."

And, there's even more. The President of CSI, Pam Solo, is also a devout crusader against NCLB. In September of last year and most likely before CSI conducted its "study," Solo said that there is "mounting evidence that NCLB has a noble name, but that its merits as social policy begin and end there." Therefore, it appears that the woman who honchos the whole effort for CSI had her mind made up about the outcome of the "study" long before it was performed.

I can't take the "study" by the Civil Society Institute seriously. What CSI did was collect data of instances where someone has pissed and moaned about standardized testing and declared that it had found evidence of a rebellion. On a positive note, I did find one thing about the CSI "study" that seems solid. It smells.

In conclusion, CSI is a leftist political organ tied to George Soros and it is disingenuous for CNN or any other media organization to describe them as merely a nonpartisan advocacy. Anything that comes out of CSI is going to have a hard left slant.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 03:05:00 PM

Bob Denver (b. 1935 - d. 2005)

Just now being reported, Bob Denver died Friday at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in North Carolina at age 70.

Rest in peace, Gilligan.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 01:56:00 PM

Saudis Kill Two Al-Qaeda Most-Wanted

(Damman, Saudi Arabia) According to an early report in the Arab News, two al-Qaeda members on the list of 36 most-wanted terrorists have been killed in a gunbattle outside a supermarket in the city of Damman in eastern Saudi Arabia. The two dead terrorists were identified as Zaid Saad Al-Samari, 31, and Walid Mutlaq Al-Radadi, 21. Two Saudi policemen also died from wounds received in the battle.

Susequently, an area used as an operations center in Damman was put under siege by Saudi Security Forces.

"Sporadic gunfire is continuing around the buildings where the members of the deviant group are holed up," one security source said, adding that there were 10 suspects inside.

"The security forces have reinforced their positions and are bringing in bulldozers and additional heavy equipment."

"We're in no rush to storm the building as we’re hoping to capture them alive and obtain information about wanted terrorists," he said.

[ ... ]

There were unconfirmed reports that terrorists had killed one of their own colleagues when he tried to surrender to security officers.

The reports also indicated that the terrorists might have run away from Madinah after their commander Saleh Al-Oufi was gunned down by security forces last month.

The U.S. Consulate in the adjacent city of Dhahran was closed due to security concerns related to the shootout.

In an updated report from Reuters, Saudi Security forces stormed the terrorist stronghold.

Saudi security forces stormed a militant hideout in the eastern city of Dammam on Tuesday, ending three days of fierce fighting in which security sources said at least six suspects and four policemen were killed.

An Interior Ministry statement said security forces had "cleared and secured" the house in the Gulf coast city, which is close to some of Saudi Arabia's main oil installations, and found charred human remains inside.

A source estimated that at least six terrorists were killed and ten were wounded. Four policemen also died.

I think it's great that the Saudis are going after the al-Qaeda terrorists in the kingdom. However, they'll never win because they're fighting an enemy that continues to be resupplied with recruits from the Wahabi mosques and schools within the country. So, they're destined to fight forever unless the schools are reformed or dismantled which, of course, won't happen since Saudi Arabia is officially a Wahabi Nation.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 08:53:00 AM

Katrina and the Media

1) Watching the news coverage of Katrina, I found myself counting the number of times reporters used the words 'incredible' and 'amazing.' This makes me harken back to some extremely boring classes in school where I could only stay awake by counting the number of times the teacher said 'uh' or 'um.'

Consequently, I'd like to recommend that journalism schools start teaching a few descriptive adjectives to aspiring media personalities. Pointing out the difference between an adjective and an adverb would also be helpful.

Another weakness in reporting that I have noticed is a blinding lack of familiarity with geography. Some of the info-faces don't know the difference between east and west. Please, give them some maps.

Frankly, I don't really care what the reporters find amazing or incredible. Yet, all too often and over and over, our illustrious conduits of information can only say that everything is incredible and amazing. My take? If all they tell me is information that's unbelievable, why should I listen? I much prefer to be told things I can believe.

2) Despite the level of preparedness and the success of execution of the response to Hurricane Katrina, and even if the results were the best that could be reasonably achieved, I don't believe the MSM would criticize President Bush to any lesser degree. They'd find something.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 07:19:00 AM

Kate Winslet Voted Yummy Mummy

(London) According to a poll published Sunday, actress Kate Winslet of Titanic fame has been voted Britain's sexiest mother.


Yummy Mummy Kate Winslet
The selection of Winslet, mother of two, was part of National Yummy Mummy Week carried out to aid a cancer charity. She beat out Gwyneth Paltrow, Elle Macpherson, Elizabeth Hurley, and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.

I'm sure the children are proud that their mummy is yummy. Imagine the schoolyard banter. "Oh yeah! Well, my mummy is yummier than your mummy."
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       Following Entry Posted 9/06/2005 06:26:00 AM

No Prosecution for Dumb Juvenile Rapists

(Cleveland, Ohio) Apparently, rape and sexual assault by mentally retarded juveniles are not crimes.

From The Plain Dealer:

A judge threw out the cases against three 15-year-old East Tech High School students after finding the boys mentally incompetent to stand trial on charges they raped a classmate.

In April, the 17-year-old accuser told police and Cleveland schools officials that the boys - all special education students - raped and assaulted him at least three times. He said the attacks were in a second-floor bathroom, in a locker room and on the indoor track.

A school janitor said he witnessed at least part of the third incident and reported it to his boss.

Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge John Gallagher did not rule on the validity of the allegations. He just summarily threw out the case because the culprits had low IQs.

The prosecutor objected to Judge Gallagher's decision and requested an independent examination of the alleged sex offenders. Gallagher told the prosecution to stuff its independent examination and refile the charges if the accused are restored to competency. The underlying, and probably erroneous, assumption is that the boys were competent at some time in the past.

In summary, either the laws of Ohio or Judge Gallagher or the combination have deemed that ultra-dumb serial gang rapists cannot be prosecuted. As such, it appears that society is powerless to stop them. Of course, I haven't been wearing my do-gooder, psycho-babble propeller beanie, so I'm just too dumb to understand. It seems to me that crimes should be prosecuted. If the accused are too dumb to assist in their defense, tough shinola. Worry about their competency after conviction.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 08:47:00 PM

Mugabe Is Making A List

According to a report in The Standard, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is making a list of his opponents to restrict their movement.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party used its two-thirds parliamentary majority last week to approve changes that will allow the government to effectively nationalise formerly white-owned farms and impose travel bans on "traitors."

The privately owned Standard newspaper reported on Sunday the government was working on a list of politicians and human rights activists who will face travel sanctions.

The weekly, quoting official sources, said the list was being drawn up by ZANU-PF's information department led by former foreign affairs minister Nathan Shamuyarira.

So, it appears that Mugabe plans to prevent his political enemies from leaving the country and, thereby, have an opportunity to speak ill of him. And then, what happens in Zimbabwe, will stay in Zimbabwe. It's probably not unreasonable to predict that Mugabe will soon be making his opponents disappear.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 06:29:00 PM

Plane Crash in Indonesia Kills 149

(Medan, Indonesia) A Mandala Airlines Boeing 737-200 carrying 112 passengers and a crew of five destined for Jakarta crashed in the heart of a residential area just after takeoff from Medan's airport. The crash site is less than a mile from the runway. According to Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa, among those killed were 102 people onboard the plane, including Governor Nurdin of North Sumatra, and 47 people on the ground. Fifteen passengers in the tail section of the plane survived.

According to Setyo Raharjo, head of the National Transport Safety Committee, the flight data recorder has been found and seven investigators are on site. Mandala Airlines Director Asril Tanjung stated that the cause of the crash is presently unknown, however, "foul play was highly unlikely."

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra and Indonesia's third largest city (pop. 2 million). It lies on the north coast of Sumatra about 1,000 miles northwest of Jakarta.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 05:35:00 PM

International Aid for Katrina Victims

Both In The Bullpen and Aaron's cc are keeping running lists of aid pledged to Katrina victims by foreign countries. The lists make for rather interesting reading. It seems that some of America's friends are not as generous as would be predicted.

Although pledges continue to trickle in, it appears that the bulk of foreign promises have already been voiced. Given time, though, maybe some countries will increase their commitments to stave off criticism.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 11:37:00 AM

Katrina Recovery - St. Charles Parish

St. Charles Parish is well on the way to recovery with potable water available throughout, power restored in many areas, and a growing number of businesses now open. However, wastewater remains a problem.

CAUTION!

Minimize use of flushing toilets, washing machines, baths/showers, etc. unless absolutely necessary.

Remain diligent until full power is restored. Careless use will result in wastewater back up into homes and ditches.

As of late yesterday, businesses operating included:

- Exxon (Champions) in Boutte - Gas Only,
- Wal-Mart in Boutte,
- Winn Dixie,
- Hibernia in Boutte/Destrehan/Airline Hwy. Laplace,
- Greaud's in Norco,
- Franks's in Des Allemands.

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Department is being assisted by 320 National Guardsmen from South Carolina. The Sheriff reports no looting has occurred.

The St. Charles Parish Public School system administration, faculty, and staff are being told to report to work at designated times over the next week. See schedule here.

The St. Charles Parish Hospital is providing 24-hour emergency services with outpatient, lab and X-ray services scheduled to open tomorrow. Elective surgeries are currently on hold.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 10:14:00 AM

FRAUD Alert: FEMA Items Stolen

(New Orleans) Many FEMA uniforms, badges and letterheads have been stolen in the New Orleans area and, consequently, crooks are passing themselves off as "FEMA Procurement Officers" with stolen identification. Vehicles, gas, and valuables are being confiscated.

If approached by any official, it's prudent to ask for photo identification.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/05/2005 08:35:00 AM

Katrina Recovery - Return to Jefferson Parish

Parish President Aaron Broussard has established the plan for entry of residents into the parish, starting today at 6am CDT. The process specifies that residents will be allowed to enter on Airline Drive and Jefferson Highway on the East Bank and U.S. 90 on the West Bank on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning at 6 am.

Residents seeking to enter must produce identification displaying a Jefferson Parish address and those not in line by 6 pm will be denied entry on that day. Business owners who don't reside in the parish will be allowed in on Thursday.

Long lines are expected at police checkpoints. Residents must carry enough fuel not only to drive in but also to wait in line for hours and then to drive out of the area to where fuel is available in outlying parishes.

Here's a to-do list for those returning to Jefferson Parish:

- Make a list of things you want to accomplish before going in.

- Fill your tank and carry extra gas,

- Check your tires and spare. Be prepared for roads littered with all kinds of debris.

- Duct tape, tarps, plastic sheeting can help shore up your property.

- Carry as much water as you can, not only for yourself, but for the emergency crews who stayed behind.

- Electricity is spotty throughout the area. Flashlights help.

- Bring food.

- Many recommend that residents be armed when returning (just in case). There's some concern of possible carjackings along Highway 90 between Houma and West Jeff.

- Lastly, be prepared for a chaotic situation. Be prepared to handle extreme stress.

Other than law enforcement and emergency personnel, a dusk-to-dawn curfew has been established.


[Update 9/05/05, 1200 EDT]

Thousands of Jefferson Parish residents waited to get through the roadblocks which opened at 0600 CDT. It's reported that access to East Jefferson is restricted to entry via Airline Highway. Police presence is heavy, many at intersections with non-functioning traffic lights. Residents are being told to bury spoiled food because no one knows when garbage collection will resume.

Other Katrina information:

Afghanistan Donates to Katrina Relief
Communities Refusing Refugees
Katrina Aftermath - Power Restoration
NOLA Criminal Justice Records Lost
Katrina Aftermath - Offshore Oil Platforms
Katrina Aftermath - Avondale
Katrina Aftermath - More West Bank
Katrina Aftermath - St. Bernard Parish
Katrina Aftermath - St. Charles Parish
Katrina in Gretna and Terrytown - Jefferson Parish West Bank

Others covering the story include:

Michelle Malkin,
Junkyard Blog,
One Hand Clapping,
In The Bullpen,
Instapundit,
Brendan Loy,
Wizbang,
NZ Bear,
J.M. Hardin,

And more. Also check JeffParish.net.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/04/2005 12:29:00 PM

Afghanistan Donates to Katrina Relief

President Hamid Karzai has signed a decree on behalf of the people of Afghanistan, allowing for the donation of $130,000 in disaster relief aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

It's small when compared to the amount of U.S. foreign aid received by Afghanistan, but it's the thought that counts.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/04/2005 09:53:00 AM

Taliban Murder Six Hostages

(Kabul, Afghanistan) The Taliban admitted killing six people in southern Afghanistan as violence escalates in the run up to the country's September 18 elections. The body of British engineer David Addison was found yesterday during a search by Afghan and U.S.-led troops in the southwest Farah Province. Addison had been abducted three days ago.

According to a cell phone text-message from Taliban spokesman, Abdul Latif Hakimi, "Late today a British military follower, David, was killed in Fararud district of Farah province, in an area called Koh-i-Zur."

Also killed were election candidate, Hajji Khan Muhammad Yakubi, District Chief Muhammad Nawab Khan, and three security guards. They had been abducted Friday while traveling in southern Afghanistan about 50 miles from Kandahar.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/04/2005 09:47:00 AM

Japanese Tourists Found Dead

(Kabul, Afghanistan) Tourists Jun Fukusho, 44, and Shinobu Hasegawa, 30, both junior high school teachers from Hiroshima, disappeared on August 8 in southern Afghanistan. Their bodies, confirmed by dental records, were found Thursday in a ditch outside Kandahar. According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, both "had been shot in the head point-blank."

While acknowledging that their deaths were brutal, senseless, and criminal, I have to seriously question the wisdom of touring Afghanistan while the country is at war.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/04/2005 07:52:00 AM

Paris Apartment Fire Kills 14

(L'Hay-Les-Roses, France) Yesterday, up to 200 firefighters rushed to extinguish a fire that erupted in an 18-story low-income apartment building south of Paris. Fourteen people died, mostly from smoke inhalation. Sixteen people were injured, ten seriously. The blaze was the fourth deadly fire in four months in the Paris area. They have killed 48 people.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin stated that the fire could be "of criminal origin." Witnesses reported seeing a group of youths who live in the building start the fire.

The government is being criticized for not providing better low-cost public housing. Oddly, criticism for the fires is not being directed at the President Bush. Yet.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/04/2005 06:56:00 AM

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist (1924 - 2005)

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court William H. Rehnquist died last night of thyroid cancer at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He was 80 years old.

Rest in peace.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/03/2005 08:03:00 PM

Pete Fountain Lost & Found

(New Orleans) Pete Fountain, the world-famous Dixieland clarinetist and New Orleans institution, was feared to be among Hurricane Katrina’s victims. Thankfully, he escaped the storm's path ahead of landfall, but had not yet established contact with his sister who had initially alerted police.

Splendid. Pete Fountain has always been one of my favorite entertainers. I particularly like his Half-Fast Marching Band that treks the entire length of Bourbon Street on Fat Tuesday, stopping for refreshments many times along the way.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/03/2005 06:15:00 PM

Communities Refusing Refugees

From The Times-Picayune:

An outraged New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas blasted the city of Baton Rouge and other Louisiana communities for what he called refusing to take in refugees from the devastated city.

"They don't want them," Thomas said, after bursting into the press room at the Emergency Operations Center in Baton Rouge."They have put out the word all over the state: 'Those bad New Orleans people. You don't want them.'"

Since the beginning of the aftermath of Katrina, Thomas has constantly said that the images on television of looters and reports of terrorizing by bands of young men have been misleading. "Not everyone from New Orleans is a thug," Thomas said.

Apparently, the one-sided reporting by the media has been affecting public opinion regarding New Orleans citizens. This explains why there's now discussion about abandoning the entire city. Thanks to the upbeat messages relayed by the MSM, we are doomed.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/03/2005 04:15:00 PM

Katrina Aftermath - Power Restoration

With emphasis on essential services such as hospitals and water/sewer plants, power is being systematically restored throughout the region. Over 400,000 customers have electricity back, however, about 750,000 customers in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi remain without power.

Entergy Corp. reports about 9,500 linemen and tree-trimmers, with more on the way, are working through damaged areas. According to the company, eight of 11 gas refineries it serves now have power. Power is promised within ten days for the three refineries that remain flooded downstream of New Orleans.

Restoration of gas service in New Orleans awaits removal of flood waters and debris.

From WWLTV.com:

Security and flooding remain big problems in New Orleans. But the company said it had service back in parts of Jefferson Parish, including three hospitals: East and West Jefferson hospitals and Ochsner Foundation Hospital. The Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center, the Gretna police and fire stations, the Gretna Water Works and the Jefferson Parish Sewer Plant also had power, as did New Orleans' international airport.

Crews were working in the eastbank industrial corridor from Kenner to LaPlace, as well as Mandeville and Bogalusa.

Electricity has been returned to some West Bank areas as crews repair downed power lines. There are anecdotal reports of power in Gretna/Terrytown and Westwego. In St. Charles Parish, it's reported that power has been restored to some locations in Luling, St. Rose, and Norco with several businesses now open.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/03/2005 09:10:00 AM

Oil-For-Food Scambag Arrested

Through an investigation by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services, or OIOS, a Russian diplomat has been arrested by the FBI for money laundering. Vladimir Kuznetsov, 48, chairman of the powerful U.N. Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, had his diplomatic immunity revoked by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan at the request of U.S. officials.

Kuznetsov is accused of laundering money for Alexander Yakovlev, a procurement official, who admitted to soliciting bribes in the oil-for-food program. Arrested last month, Yakovlev pleaded guilty to fraud and soliciting bribes.

Interestingly, the OIOS was not specifically looking at the oil-for-food program when they discovered the malfeasance. It was exposed during an overall investigation of the U.N. procurement process. The group that supposedly is investigating the oil-for-food program, the U.N.-funded Independent Inquiry Committee, was totally unaware of Kuznetsov's scam. I suspect that the Independent Inquiry Committee's radar was saturated with scams and they simply glossed over them.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/03/2005 06:49:00 AM

Theory: Mad Cows Fed Human Remains

(London) The British medical journal The Lancet has published a scientific hypothesis that mad cow disease originated because human remains were fed to cattle in the 1960s and 1970s. A team of scientists led by Alan Colchester, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Kent, contend that Britain imported massive amounts of bones and carcass parts for fertilizer and animal feed from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan and human bones were included.

From CNN.com:

"In India and Pakistan, gathering large bones and carcasses from the land and from rivers has long been an important local trade for peasants," the scientists wrote. "Collectors encounter considerable quantities of human as well as animal remains as a result of religious customs."

The scientists assert that the inclusion of human remains in animal bone material exported from the Indian subcontinent has been documented.

It appears that the theorists have given everybody something to chew on. I wonder if any other country imported animal feed supplements from the Indian subcontinent. If Britain was doing it, it seems possible that some other countries would have done the same thing. If so, the theory is challenged by the fact that all mad cow cases seem to be traceable back to Britain.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 07:59:00 PM

Planned Parenthood Hurricane Relief

It's not really clear how an abortion advocacy would provide relief in the aftermath of a disaster, but that's exactly what Planned Parenthood is doing by linking the distribution of free morning-after pills to Hurricane Katrina. I can't figure it out. More here.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 06:19:00 PM

Georgia Suspends State Gas Tax

Woo-Hoo!

Good news! Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue today announced that, effective at midnight tonight and running until the end of September, no state gasoline taxes will be collected. Perdue expects stations to drop their prices up to 15 cents per gallon within hours. Those stations that don't pass on the savings to consumers will be singled out for investigations by the Department of Revenue and Office of Consumer Affairs.

I suppose it's not necessary to mention that Gov. Perdue is running for re-election next year and he timed his announcement to run live on Georgia TV news broadcasts. It's also probably not necessary to mention that the suspension in tax collection is more a political play than an economic benefit.

Hey, but it's better than nothing.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 05:05:00 PM

Boicelli Sentenced for Teacher-Student Sex

(San Mateo, California) Former Red Cloud Elementary School teacher Rebecca Ann Boicelli's lengthy and circuitous journey through the criminal justice system seems to be over. Yesterday, as part of an agreement for her no contest plea, she was sentenced to two years in state prison. According to the agreement, several charges were dropped and she was only convicted of one count of committing a lewd act upon a child at least 10 years younger than herself.


Rebecca Ann Boicelli
Convicted child sex offender
To refresh the memory, Boicelli was investigated for a long period of time due to suspicions by fellow teachers and students about her relationship with the boy, starting when he was her 14-year-old student. Apparently, she was tickling his elmo for at least two years before she got pregnant. Although there were suspicions, authorities had no hard evidence until she bore the child. Paternity testing then confirmed that the boy was the father and Boicelli was arrested.

When she is released from prison, the court specified that she will have to register as a sex offender for life. With credit for time served, she will be on the street in about seven or eight months.

By the way, the child they had is being raised by the boy's parents. I'm sure they're thrilled.

Trackback to Wizbang.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 02:52:00 PM

Homegrown Islamic Terrorists Arrested

(Los Angeles) Four homegrown Islamic terrorists identified as members of the radical group Jamiyyat Ul-Islam Is-Saheeh, or JIS, have been arrested for conspiring to attack military facilities, synagogues, and other targets in California.

From The Mercury-News:

Four suspects were charged Wednesday with conspiring to wage war against the U.S. government through terrorism. Named in the federal indictment were Levar Haley Washington, 25; Gregory Vernon Patterson, 21; Hammad Riaz Samana, 21; and Kevin James, 29.

All but Samana, a Pakistani national, are American born and Muslim converts. Counterterrorism officials have found no evidence directly connecting the group - described as the cell of a California prison gang of radical Muslims - to al-Qaida or other foreign terror networks.

Law enforcement officials and terrorism experts said it could represent one of the first Islamic terrorism cases involving U.S. natives without those connections.

Among the counts in the indictment, the four face charges of conspiracy to wage war against the U.S. government through terrorism, kill armed service members, and murder foreign officials.

The founder of Jamiyyat Ul-Islam Is-Saheeh is California State Prison inmate Kevin James (aka Shakyh Shahaab Murshid) who preaches terror to Islam's enemies. Followers apparently pledged loyalty to James "until death by martyrdom."

Interestingly, the plotters were exposed only after they were arrested for an unrelated series of gas station robberies. Subsequent searches of their possessions found weapons, ammunition, and plans for the attacks. In other words, the authorities were lucky to catch these fanatics before they acted.

"Make no mistake about it -- we dodged a bullet here, perhaps many bullets," Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton said at a news conference.

I need to be reminded why we allow convicts to spew murderous religious dogma in prison. Despite what the ACLU professes, I can't imagine the framers of the Constitution were thinking of radical, thug Islam when they drafted the Bill of Rights.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 01:17:00 PM

NOLA Criminal Justice Records Lost

New Orleans criminal justice officials are dispirited.

From NOLA.com:

With the flooding of the police department's evidence and property room in the basement of police headquarters, evidence and records in hundreds of criminal cases appeared to be irretrievably lost, police spokesman Marlon Defillo said.

Evidence in the most serious, pending cases, from murder to rape to robbery, was housed in the basement, Defillo said.

“We lost thousands of documents and untold evidence,” Defillo said. “We lost everything.”

I fear this means we'll see a flood of murderers, rapists, and thieves released to the streets to commit more crimes. Without evidence, cases can't be prosecuted.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 08:57:00 AM

Katrina Aftermath - Offshore Oil Platforms

According to the American Petroleum Institute, an estimated 58 oil rigs and platforms in the Gulf of Mexico were damaged or displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

From MSN Money:

Among those, 30 rigs and platforms have been reported lost. No company breakdown was available, said Tim Sampson, an API spokesman.

One of the more significant reported losses of platforms or rigs came from Houston-based Apache Corp. On Thursday, Apache said it lost eight platforms that produce 7,158 barrels of oil and 12.1 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

That's about 10 percent of the lost oil production and 2 percent of the shut in gas reported earlier this week, said company spokesman Bill Mintz.

Damage assessment of the patchwork of pipelines on the sea bottom has not been completed.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 06:49:00 AM

Katrina Aftermath - Avondale

Apparently, people have returned to Avondale to find downed trees and minor roof damage, but no flooding. People are reporting that the phones work and they have running water/sewerage. However, another report indicates that water and sewage systems are not working (possibly localized problems?). Nevertheless, based on available reports, Avondale appears to have escaped any major damage. So far, no reports of looting.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/02/2005 06:40:00 AM

Katrina Aftermath - More West Bank

According to this report from Marrero, Keith Plaisance drove from Westwego down the length of Barataria Blvd. and found no flooding. Trees and fences have been blown down, but no major structural damage to buildings. He continued all the way down LA 45 to Lafitte, snapping over a hundred pictures. Check out his site for pictures (click on Westbank images) and travel info.

Also from Marrero, Volunteer Fire Chief Perry Leblanc said that there's no evidence of flooding but downed trees and power lines make roads impassable. However, Lapalco is clear.

Note that the National Guard and State Police have established checkpoints on roads to the West Bank, so identification is needed. Also, do not plan on traveling anywhere in southeast Louisiana without plenty of food, gas, and water. Realize that you cannot escape the heat, the humidity, nor the bugs.

Bad news, gangs are now roaming Terrytown, attacking businesses and homes. People are beaten if they stayed. Be advised that New Orleans Mayor Nagin directed people to walk across the bridge to the West Bank for help. They did and they are now looting Gretna, Algiers, and Terrytown. Some looters may be local residents going criminal. Do not go to the Westbank without protection. It's becoming more and more dangerous.

Here's a report from last night:

People who are wondering about FEMA and RED CROSS: They had to pull out, they were scared for their lives and will return when everything is under control.

TO GRETNA RESIDENTS: Gretna police and/or firemen have all exits into gretna from the highrise is closed. They have people walking from across the river and they are making them walk down further to westwego. They are not letting anyone walk down gretna ramps or drive down them....

There are some people that are still getting in because of course we can not close all entrances into the city but they are being dealt with. There are some people that are walking in the streets, etc. but are being watched closely. My family says they feel better that they have seen what a great job our gretna firemen and policemen are doing, they have it under control for now!!! but are scared that it will get worse so thats why they need the national guard helping us since people are fleeing the eastbank in crowds.

Today the army, national guard has set up camp at the alario center in Westwego, they are working out of there and helping both east & westbank, so again hopefully they will control the crowds from coming over the bridge.

TO TERRYTOWN RESIDENTS: There are problems of looting in Terrytown, one house burned in TT but dont know where. Oakwood of course has burned and looters are on the streets. In some places they do have gangs but they are TRYING to get it under control. I dont know much details as to where the looting is a problem, not all of TT but some of it, like behrman hwy area I heard is a problem. Some people say they are going home today or tommorrow and I would not advise this because it is not under control yet.[sic all]

Last night, apparently Parish President Broussard met with Sheriff Harry Lee and put together an action plan to lock down the West Bank. I'm not sure what will come of it, but at least some actions are being taken to control the criminals.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/01/2005 05:47:00 PM

Katrina Aftermath - St. Bernard Parish

Little has been said about St. Bernard Parish and many people are troubled. An estimated 40,000 homes were flooded. It's devastation throughout the parish and it could not be expressed better than the following urgent plea.

Polly Boudreaux, clerk of the St. Bernard Parish Council, issued an urgent plea Thursday morning for help for the devastated parish.

Boudreaux, breaking into tears during a telephone interview with WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, said the parish is wiped out.

"We're just been absolutely devastated," she said.

Much of the parish remained underwater, she said, and efforts to get news out have been unsuccessful. And many residents still needed to be rescued.

"St. Bernard has been rescuing St. Bernard for days," she said.

She said little outside assistance has been able to reach the parish.

"We are not seeing it. We need help," she said, her voice cracking.

Boudreaux said shelters set up at Chalmette High and St. Bernard High School for people not able to evacuate Katrina, were underwater and heavily damaged. She said those staying at Chalmette High, over 1,000 people, had been evacuated to an area at the St. Bernard Port.

Food and water is having to be rationed, she said.

She was not clear on where those at St. Bernard High had been moved.

She said parish government officials are holed up at Chalmette Refinery. The parish government building is underwater.

She said parish officials have made pleas for help from the outside.

"It never came," she said. "We just never saw it."

"Everybody is in need. Everybody has just been wiped out."

Emergency help is needed as soon as possible in St. Bernard Parish.


[Update 9/02/05, 0400 EDT]

Michelle Malkin has posted a compilation of information sources on hurricane damage in communities outside New Orleans. The MSM are largely ignoring the damage and misery Katrina brought to Louisiana outside of New Orleans. Go visit.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/01/2005 05:04:00 PM

Katrina Aftermath - St. Charles Parish

St. Charles Parish is expected to play a major role in helping in the recovery of New Orleans. It's reported that the Louisiana State Police has commandeered the Ramada Inn in St. Rose next to the airport as their headquarters for the metro area.

In general, all of the West Bank seems to have escaped major damage from wind and flooding. The East Bank was hit harder and has some flooding problems. Trees have been snapped into pieces, blown down, or uprooted. Many structures have moderate to minor wind damage on both sides of the river.

It's reported that 150 National Guard will arrive soon to help with law enforcement.

Here is the latest status from local authorities:

- There is no electric power.

- Gasoline is in short supply.

- Bracketing the Mississippi River upstream of New Orleans, St. Charles Parish was blanketed by a storm surge from Lake Pontchartrain on the East Bank which contaminated the water supply. The West Bank was able to maintain minimum pressure in the water system throughout the hurricane. Consequently, there is a BOIL ORDER for the East Bank of St. Charles Parish.

- St. Charles Sheriff's Deputies are patrolling neighborhoods and businesses around the clock. There has been no looting. [ed. note: One report says four people were arrested trying to break into Wal-Mart. Other reports describe looting taking place in Ama, Boutte, and Luling.]

- Most highways have been cleared of debris and are open.

- Efforts are underway to clear tree limbs from power lines to restore electricity.

- No businesses are open.

- On the East Bank, damage assessment of St. Rose, Airline Hwy and Ormond Blvd., all affected by storm surge, is ongoing.

- Parish schools have been inspected and will reopen when power is restored.

- "Residents who have evacuated are advised to please remain where they are. Any residents who feel they must return home are reminded to bring enough food home with them, since there are no stores opened at this time. In addition, residents are reminded that fuel for vehicles will probably be unavailable. No pharmacies are open for refilling prescriptions."

- The sewer system is not fully functional.

Once again, residents are asked to remain where they are for the time being. That said, roads into St. Charles Parish are open (see here). You will have to present identification as a resident to get in. Bring food.
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       Following Entry Posted 9/01/2005 11:29:00 AM

Katrina in Gretna and Terrytown - Jefferson Parish West Bank

Not much news is being spread about the hurricane damage on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The national media have largely ignored it. Doing a lot of reading through various forums, I've been able to compile some information that will hopefully give readers a general sense of the current status of the cities of Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, and Marrero.

- Since the eye of Katrina passed on the east side of the cities, winds were primarily from the north which tended to blow storm surge waters out of the area. As a result, generalized flooding of 2 to 3 feet has only been reported south of Lapalco Blvd. To the north of Lapalco, it's reported that flooding is scattered, localized, and mostly just in the streets.

- There are no services. Power, water, and sewage systems are shut down.

- Wind damage is everywhere throughout the West Bank. Downed trees, tree limbs, and power poles make roads impassable. Many buildings have minor roof damage, some have lost their roofs. Shingles, signs, branches, general debris are strewn widely.

- Along Manhattan Blvd. and the Westbank Expressway, a number of businesses have suffered major damage. It's suspected that tornado winds touched down along Manhattan and, also, in the vicinity of Terry Parkway and Carol Sue where buildings have reportedly been leveled. Significant wind damage to structures along Stumpf Blvd has been reported.

- It's reported that looters have taken shots at the cops on at least one occasion. Looting of Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and other stores has been reported but little at residences. Some neighborhoods are reported to have armed citizen patrols. Police are closely monitoring people roaming the streets.

- Since New Orleans is flooded, restoration of power will have to wait until the water recedes. Consequently, trucks and workers are free to work on the West Bank, which they are doing. One report says that power may be restored to some areas tonight.

- One report states that land line telephones seem to be working in some areas. Cell phones are still out.

From a press release:

Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard has issued the following statement:

"Jefferson Parish is not a safe place to return to at this time. Therefore, I am exercising my authority under the Louisiana Disaster Act and issuing a 'lock out' order for all Jefferson Parish citizens until 6 a.m. on Monday, September 5th.

I have asked the Governor to utilize the State Police and National Guard for assistance in this mandatory lockout. This time will be needed to clear debris from streets so people can enter Jefferson Parish at their own risk.

We are at a catastrophic, disastrous impasse. There are a tremendous amount of trees down, gas leaks, low water pressure, and downed electrical lines which could start a fire that we have no way of putting out. There are no traffic controls. Many places are still flooded and this standing water will become toxic.

Jefferson Parish emergency managers will need this time to at least clear major East/West thoroughfares so that you can enter Jefferson Parish. However, I strongly suggest that you just come here to gather more belongings and leave, as it will still be a dangerous place. I cannot stress strongly enough that there will be no stores to purchase food or supplies so please do so prior to coming back to Jefferson Parish.

Try to stay with friends and relatives out of the hurricane affected area during the weeks to come. We cannot sustain any viable quality of life in Jefferson Parish at this time or for some time to come."

Be aware that there have been rumors of the "lockout order" being extended past Monday, September 5.

In summary, while there are disturbing reports of some structures being totally destroyed, the news from Gretna and Terrytown indicates that wind damage, although widespread, appears to be fixable and that flooding damage is minimal. Harvey has experienced similar wind damage, however, there is general flooding close to the canal, usually reported at less than six inches, and attributed to debris in storm drains. One report from Marrero indicates that the city has only minor damage.

Significantly, thus far there have been no reports of fatalities from Katrina in Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, nor Marrero.


[Update 9/01/05, 1800 EDT]

Looters set fire to the Oakwood Shopping Center in Terrytown just before 1300 CDT today. According to Bryan Adams of the Terrytown Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters attempted to douse the blaze with water from a canal but gave up after an hour. The fire had been intentionally set in multiple locations by the scum bastard looters.
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