SCOTUS Rules for Abortion Protesters

In a setback for abortion clinics, the Supreme Court ruled today that federal extortion and racketeering laws (RICO) cannot be used to ban demonstrations.

The legal battle began in 1986, when the National Organization for Women filed a class-action suit challenging tactics used by the Pro-Life Action Network to block women from entering abortion clinics.

NOW's legal strategy was novel at the time, relying on civil provisions of the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which was used predominantly in criminal cases against organized crime. The lawsuit also relied on the Hobbs Act, a 55-year-old law banning extortion.

A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction against the anti-abortion protesters after a Chicago jury found in 1998 that demonstrators had engaged in a pattern of racketeering by interfering with clinic operations, menacing doctors, assaulting patients and damaging clinic property.

In the end, the SCOTUS determined that there was no extortion because the protesters had not illegally "obtained property" from the women entering abortion clinics.

From the beginning, I thought that using RICO was an outlandish stretch by the abortion clinics. There's more discussion at Stop The ACLU. Go visit.

SCOTUS Throws Out Price-Fixing Suit

Gasoline distributors filed suit against ChevronTexaco Corp. and Shell Oil Co. claiming that they violated antitrust laws by inflating gas prices by at least $1 billion. The San Francisco-based 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that there was evidence that ChevronTexaco and Shell had improperly restrained trade. Supreme Court Justices unanimously ruled that the gas distributors had not proved their case and threw out the lawsuit.

I have no interest in the lawsuit itself. I just wanted to make note that the 9th Circuit U.S. Court was overruled. Call it schadenfreude. I derive pleasure out of seeing the 9th Circuit being told to stuff it.

Teacher McKnight Gets Four Years for Sex with Boy

(El Paso, Texas) Initially arrested in August 2005, former second-grade teacher at Vista Hills Elementary School, Donna McKnight, 52, was sentenced to four years in prison for molesting a 14-year-old boy. McKnight pleaded guilty in January to charges of sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact of a minor and conspiracy to contribute to the delinquency of a minor.

In addition, Texas District Judge Stephen Bridgforth said McKnight must serve two years probation after her release from prison and must register as a sex offender.

Hackett Blames Brown for Whisper Campaign

Democratic political hopeful Paul Hackett has written an editorial which describes his recent departure from the race for the U.S. Senate in Ohio. He blames Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) for leading him on and then pulling the rug out from under him. Oh, and then there's that ugly whisper campaign that Sherrod Brown launched.

Nevertheless, he's out of the race and, apparently, none the wiser. If he were, he'd cease to be a Democrat for the simple reason that he was treated like dirt.

Most tantalizing to me, though, is the fact that Hackett's editorial was not written for an Ohio newspaper. Instead, it appears in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Why Hackett would go to Pennsylvania to comment on an Ohio political race is beyond me.

Confirmed Human Bird Flu Infections

(Korea) These cases resulted from close, sustained contact with infected birds.

From Chosun.com:

Korea on Friday confirmed four infections with the deadly human strain of bird flu in the country.

The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the four tested positive for antibodies of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza but showed no symptoms of the disease, meaning their immune systems overcame the infection.

So, we've seen the bird flu spread from Asia to Europe to Africa. New cases surface in new places almost daily. And, sooner or later, we'll see humans infecting humans. (H/T: Robert Koehler)

Mexico's Dirty War

(Mexico City) A draft report leaked by a special prosecutor's office accuses former Mexican Presidents of conducting a "dirty war" against innocent civilians. A group of 27 researchers, historians and activists prepared the draft report of government counter-insurgency operations during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

From GWU.edu:

The National Security Archive posts on its Web site today a work of history in progress -- a draft of an unprecedented report by Mexico's government on the nation's "dirty war" of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

This document is the result of four years of work by the office of Mexico's Special Prosecutor for Social and Political Movements of the Past (Fiscalía Especial para Movimientos Sociales y Políticos del Pasado - FEMOSPP), Dr. Ignacio Carrillo Prieto. The office was created in 2002 by President Vicente Fox to investigate human rights crimes.

The crimes detailed in the draft report were committed during the administrations of Presidents Diaz Ordaz (1964-1970), Echeverría (1970-1976) and López Portillo (1976-1982). In those years, hundreds of Mexican citizens -- uncounted innocent civilians as well as armed militants -- were murdered or "disappeared" by military and security forces. Thousands more were tortured, or illegally detained, or subjected to government harassment and surveillance.

The final report has not yet been made public. However, according to Kate Doyle, Director of the Mexico Project of the National Security Archive, "We are posting the draft report because the families of the victims of the "dirty war," and the Mexican public, have a right to know."

I would agree. I would also ask why Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, et al. haven't been all over this issue for the past several decades.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Cleveland Police Logo



(Cleveland, Ohio) It's being alleged that the logo for the Cleveland Police Department contains a hidden image. The logo dates back to the 1960s when the department revamped its look.

Some people contend that the hidden image is a pig.

You make the call.

Human Smuggler Going Free

(Houston, Texas) In 2003, a human smuggling ring attempted to transport 70 illegal aliens from Mexico to Houston in a tractor-trailer rig. Nineteen ultimately died from hyperthermia, asphyxiation and dehydration inside the sealed trailer. To date, it is the deadliest human smuggling incident.

From Chron.com:

A prosecutor today accused a federal judge of abusing judicial discretion for allowing a member of a smuggling ring blamed for the deaths of 19 illegal immigrants to go free.

U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore sentenced Houston restaurant owner Norma Gonzalez Sanchez to 30 months in prison. Because she has been jailed for 33 months, the sentence meant she could be released as soon as processing is completed at the federal detention center, possibly tonight.

Prosecutors had asked Gilmore to set a stern example in the first sentencing of one of 12 people accused of a role in the bungled smuggling attempt.

Unfortunately, Judge Gilmore didn't share the prosecution's assessment of the seriousness of the crime and decided that sternness wasn't appropriate. Judge Gilmore also refused to delay sentencing to allow for an appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.

Prison Nurses Paid $200,000 Yearly

(Columbus, Ohio) This will open some eyes.

From NewsNet5.com:

One Ohio prison nurse made $198,000 last year, and another earned $196,000. They top a list of state employees who collected the most overtime pay last year.

Because of a nursing shortage in state institutions, the two nurses averaged more than 40 hours of extra work every week in 2005. An analysis by The Columbus Dispatch shows their overtime more than doubled their salaries.

Heh.

Julie Ann Welborn Gets Four Years

(Canton, Ohio) The 38-year-old married mother of two, Julie Ann Welborn, who traveled across country to have sex with a 13-year-old was sentenced today to four years in prison.

Welborn will also have to register as a sexual predator and serve five years probation upon release from prison.

Last November, Welborn was arrested and charged after the victim's mother found incriminating evidence among the child's belongings and alerted authorities.

Homeless Burn Down Home

(Columbus, Ohio) Eureka! We've discovered the reason homeless people are homeless.

From NBC4i.com:

Officials said the house was supposed to be empty, but that homeless people had started a fire in the kitchen in an effort to stay warm. The fire spread and the house caught fire.

Whether a cardboard box or wood-framed structure, it's all just kindling to vagrants. Of course, I'm not so naive that I don't realize it's the Republicans fault.

Chinese Invent Flying Saucer

(Beijing) A professor, Yan Lei, at the School of Earth and Space Sciences at Peking University announced that a Chinese flying saucer will take to the air within two years. It's called an analogue simulation model. Picture is assumed typical.

From Xinhuanet.com:

The analogue simulation model is a five-pointed star shaped platform capable of adjusting itself in the atmosphere so that the amount of electricity generated by the solar panels attached to the top of the platform keeps rising.

"Unlike conventional aerocraft which rely on high-speed movement for lifting force and the fuel-powered engine for dynamics, the newly-developed model employs propellers activated by machinery without bearings," Professor Yan explained.

So the model, which is said to contain more than a score of inventions, is also capable of operating noiseless flights, making vertical takeoffs and landings, remaining in suspension for a longtime in the air.

Based on the description, the Chinese have learned to levitate. I'm skeptical.

Zarqawi Aide Captured

(Baghdad) Iraqi Forces are credited with capturing a top aide for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi during a raid in western Iraq.

From FoxNews.com:

Iraqiya TV identified the captive as Abu al-Farouq, a Syrian. It said he was captured with five other alleged Al Qaeda operatives in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad. The raid was carried out by the ministry's counterinsurgency Wolf Brigade.

According to the Iraqiya report, Abu Farouq was captured along with five other people in Ramadi, west of the capital Baghdad.

In related news, it's reported that al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian miltiant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has implemented a new command structure.

From ADNKI.com:

The new line-up is said to include a sort of shadow government at the head of the organisation mandated to direct all the activities of the group. Al-Zarqawi has been flanked by six 'ministers' and by a chief of staff who will coordinate all the operational brigades, the sources said.

In a document entitled "The strategy of al-Qaeda in Iraq", the group outlines a new decentralised and flexible organisational structure.

In the new hierarchy al-Zarqawi's number two would be Abu Abdel Rahman al-Iraqi who also has the role of 'interior minister' and oversees the internal affairs of the organisation.

The minister of defense is Abu Asir who directs suicide bombers. The religious affairs minister is Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Baghdadi who issues fatwas and the information minister is Abu Maysira al-Iraqi who controls Internet statements.

Pamela Rogers Released From Jail

(McMinnville, Tennessee) Convicted child sex offender and former teacher, 28-year-old Pamela Rogers, was released from jail yesterday after completing about six months of her nine month sentence. Rogers (aka Pamela Turner) earned an early release through good behavior.

To refresh everyone's memory, Pamela Rogers Turner was arrested and charged in February 2005 with 15 counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and 13 counts of statutory rape of one of her students, a 13-year-old boy. In August, she pleaded no contest as part of an agreement with the prosecution and was sentenced. The agreement provided for dismissal of most of the 28 counts against her.

It's important to remember that Rogers was convicted of having a three-month sexual affair with a 13-year-old boy. Her crime was a clear case of child sexual abuse by a person in a position of authority and many observers believe Rogers received very lenient treatment by the court.

Her sentence includes seven years probation which, if violated, will send her back to jail. Rogers is already entered into the Tennessee sex offender registry with her photo posted on its website. In addition, she must complete 90 hours of community service.

In summary, the former teacher and former homecoming queen opens a new chapter in her life as an ex-convict and registered sex offender on probation. She forfeited her career, her good name and her marriage. In return, she's blanketed her life and her future with a dark cloud.

Poor decision-making skills produce poor results.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.


[Update 04/12/06]

Pamela Rogers was arrested last night for violating the terms of her probation.


[Update 07/14/06]

Rogers goes before judge to face new charges.

Coqui Frog Eradication

(Honolulu) The coqui frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui, is an invasive species in Hawaii. It was first introduced on Maui in 1988 from the Caribbean.

The two-inch coqui frog gets its name from its nightly 100-decibel mating call (Ko-kee, Ko-kee) which interrupts the sleep of humans. Naturally, cranky sleep-deprived citizens have called for its eradication.

Consequently, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will close Manuka State Park and a portion of the Manuka Natural Area Reserve on the Big Island from March 6 through March 10 as a precaution while state crews spray citric acid, killing the coqui frogs.

Apparently, animal rights advocates don't have a problem with killing frogs in Hawaii. They're not making much noise.

Staphylococcus Aureus

Writing in the LATimes, Jia-Rui Chong has put together an informative piece about the threat of expanding colonies of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a nasty bug. Here's an excerpt.

The bacterium likes to grow in warm, moist areas of the human body, such as the nose, armpit or groin. It can linger on the skin without causing infection, waiting to enter through a cut or an abrasion. Unlike many other germs, it can also survive hours, possibly days, on inanimate objects such as towels or catheters.

Once inside the body, the bacteria can bloom into rashes, pimples and boils. But sometimes the bacteria cause invasive infections, such as pneumonia or meningitis. In a few cases, staph infections can turn into a nightmarish necrotizing fasciitis, the so-called flesh-eating disease. In rare cases, an infection can be fatal.

Lancing a wound is sometimes enough to stop a broader infection. But if the bacteria has spread through a person's body, antibiotics are the only effective cure.

There is a hierarchy of antibiotics, starting with older drugs, such as penicillin, and working up to the most aggressive ones, including vancomycin and linezolid, which can cause serious side effects. Using the most aggressive ones first only helps to foster more drug resistance. Thus, infected patients are often initially prescribed antibiotics that have little effect.

Typically found only in hospitals, the bacterium is now showing up in schools, gyms, and jails. In one recent case in Texas, a woman named Kimberly Kay Jackson died from an MRSA infection she picked up at a local nail salon during a pedicure.

In the United Kingdom, official statistics indicate that deaths due to MRSA increased by 22 percent between 2003 and 2004. The Australians are also raising the alarm regarding MRSA. One researcher conducted a study and estimated that 1,700 Aussies succumb to MRSA in a year.

I think I'll wash my hands.

Teacher Arrested for Raping Boy

(Cross Plains, Tennessee) A 25-year-old married teacher at East Robertson High School, Jennifer Erin Turns, was arrested last Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old male student.

According to court documents, Turns was charged with three counts of statutory rape and three counts of sexual battery by an authority figure. Statutory rape carries a possible two years in prison for each count. Sexual battery can result in six years for each count.

Allegations of sexual misconduct prompted an investigation by school officials. In a meeting with Turns in mid-January, officials discussed concerns regarding the sex allegations and school system policies. Turns resigned her teaching position shortly thereafter.

Turns was booked into the Robertson County Jail and later released on $10,000 bond. She is scheduled for court on March 17.


[Update 08/31/06]

Turns sentenced.

Marine Corps Deserter Wassef Ali Hassoun

(Beirut, Lebanon) From the Khaleej Times comes the report that Lebanese authorities refused to extradite to the United States Hezbollah members suspected of attacking Americans in Beirut during the 1980s.

They also refused to extradite U.S. Marine Corps deserter, Wassef Ali Hassoun.

Authorities have also rejected a US request to hand over Wassef Hassoun, an American of Lebanese origin who deserted the Marines in 2004 and left Iraq for Lebanon and then left the southern port city of Tripoli for the US. It was reported later that Hassoun has left the US and headed back to Lebanon.

The judicial sources said the general amnesty law which was adopted in 1991 after the 1975-1990 civil war ended in Lebanon covered incidents of which the four were accused. As for Hassoun, the sources gave no reason for rejecting his extradition.

The four are Imad Moughaniyeh, Hassan Ezzeddine, Ali Atwe, and Mohammed ali Hamadeh. All but one are accused of helping in the 1983 bombing in Beirut where over 100 U.S. Marines were killed. The other, Mohammed ali Hamadeh, is accused of the 1985 highjacking of a TWA jet during which a U.S. Navy diver was killed.

So, somewhere in Lebanon, fugitive deserter Wassef Ali Hassoun is living his life constantly looking over his shoulder. I hope he suffers from anxiety attacks.


[Update 02/26/06]

(Beirut) In fresh reporting, The Daily Star indicates that Lebanese officials are still considering the U.S. extradition request.

"The issue is still being studied," said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson to The Daily Star in reference to the latest request by a U.S. official to extradite five wanted Lebanese citizens, accused of attacks against Americans, to be tried in the U.S.

"We have no official final comment at this point," said the spokesperson.

To be continued ....

Companion posts at Conservative Thinking and The Jawa Report.

Don Knotts 1924-2006

(Los Angeles) At the age of 81, Don Knotts died at Cedars Sinai Medical Center last night from lung cancer.

He made us all laugh. Rest in peace.

Al Qaeda Leader Killed in Raid

(Baghdad) Here's some good news.

From DefenseLink.mil:

A raid in northern Baghdad by coalition forces, with assistance from Iraqi police, resulted in the death of Abu Asma, the al Qaeda "military emir of northern Baghdad." Intelligence reports indicated Abu Asma was in possession of and expected to use suicide-bomber vests against Iraqi civilians and security forces.

Abu Asma, also known as Abu Anas and Akram Mahmud Al Mushhadani, was an explosives expert with close ties to senior Baghdad-based car-bomb manufacturers. Officials said he was directly responsible for many deaths and injuries among coalition and Iraqi security forces.

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

Chavez Severely Restricts U.S. Flights

(Caracas, Venezuela) The government of Hugo Chavez announced that it will bar Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines from flying to Venezuela and severely restrict flights by American Airlines until Venezuelan air carriers are allowed to expand routes to the U.S.

Venezuelan registered planes have been denied access to the U.S. due to safety violations by the country's aviation authority.

From Miami.com:

The new limits will affect thousands of travelers to and from the United States and Venezuela but will have relatively little effect on South Florida passengers -- American will continue its thrice-daily Miami-Caracas flights, and foreign airlines such as Lan Chile and Aeropostal fly there as well.

[ ... ]

Venezuela said it will restrict 70 percent of American's flights to the country, but those limits will be felt elsewhere.

American will not be able to run its five weekly flights to Caracas from Dallas-Fort Worth, two weekly from New York's JFK or its daily flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, she [American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin] said.

Delta currently services a daily route from Venezuela to Atlanta, and Continental has daily flights to Houston and weekly flights to New York.

Package delivery companies like DHL, UPS and FedEx are in the lurch. The future of their substantial business between Venezuela and the U.S. is uncertain.

In response, the State Department indicated that "Washington will consider retaliating."

It's quite understandable that President Hugo Chavez has taken this action regarding the airlines. It's a required step in his march toward oppressive police-state communism and isolation from the capitalist world. Next, tight border and port controls must be established. And then, he'll have to implement measures to keep his citizens from fleeing the country.

The template for communist dictatorships is fairly standardized. After nationalizing the country's business and industry, the intelligencia must be eliminated. As people start to disappear, others flee. Barriers must be constructed to prevent the country of being depleted of all scientists, engineers, teachers, technicians and skilled workers.

Look at North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. Each time communism has been tried, it has failed. But not this time. Venezuela will see a different outcome. Ask Hugo Chavez.

I believe there is a word for doing something over and over and expecting a different outcome from what has been empirically proven to always occur.

School Nurse Molests 13-Year-Old Boy

(Scottsdale, Arizona) A 35-year-old school nurse at Horizon High School, Courtney Bisbee, was found guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court of molesting a seventh-grade, 13-year-old boy. Bisbee was acquitted on three other counts of public indecency by Judge Warren Granville.

A single mother, Bisbee faces a prison term of 10 to 24 years upon sentencing. (H/T Don Morgenstern)


[Update 04/15/06]

Bisbee was sentenced to 11 years each for two counts of child molestation, to run concurrently.

No Insurance for Lake George Tour Boat Tragedy

(Lake George, New York) Twenty elderly sightseers from Michigan perished last October when the tour boat Ethan Allen sank.

Astonishingly, it appears that the owner of the boat, Shoreline Cruises, had no liability insurance. The insurance company, Global Property Owners Association, asserts that Shoreline Cruises rejected maritime coverage.

The New York State Insurance Department is investigating.

Teacher Arrested for Sex with 11-Year-Old

(Laurens, South Carolina) A 36-year-old teacher, Wendie A. Schweikert, at E.B. Morse Elementary School was arrested Friday for allegedly having sex with an 11-year-old student. Schweikert was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Schweikert resigned her teaching position around noon and was arrested shortly thereafter. She is currently in jail with a bond hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

Interestingly, Jeff Quinton at Backcountry Conservative attended E.B. Morse Elementary School (some years ago, I imagine) and has posted some details from the neighborhood. Go visit.


[Update 02/26/06 1215 EST]

Presumably, here's a look into the mind of a child molester. And, we have to acknowledge a whole new meaning for "After School Special."

From Fox21.com:

Investigators say Wendie Schweikert told them she had sex with a boy in her fifth grade class, twice, after school on top of her desk. She may call it sex, but investigators say its rape. "She's charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor," said Laurens Police Chief, Robin Morse.

The prosecution asked for jail without bond, considering the former fifth-grade teacher a flight risk and a danger to the community. However, a judge disagreed and yesterday set bond at $100,000.


[Update 03/28/07]

From a fresh source and much more interesting, though, is the fact that Schweikert, who is white, is accused of sexually abusing a black boy. This information was apparently overlooked by the elite media when the story was originally reported.

Nevertheless, the fact that a white woman is having sex with a black boy is inflaming some pre-existing racial tension in the area. It's claimed that a black man having sex with a white girl would not have been released on bail.

It's odd that the elite MSM failed to fully tell the story. On second thought, no it isn't.


[Update 06/02/07]

Schweikert sentenced to 10 years prison.

Teacher Jailed for Sex with Student

(Goldsboro, North Carolina) A 36-year-old English teacher at Charles B. Aycock High School, Laurie Spurlock, was arrested by Wayne County Sheriff's deputies for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old male student. Spurlock was charged with two counts of a felony sex offense with a student.

According to Sheriff Carey Winders, the Wayne County Board of Education requested an investigation of the relationship between Spurlock and the student. Consequently, Detective Sgts. Tammy Odom and Dean Roscoe determined that sex had occurred between September 2005 and January 2006 in violation of state law. The sex did not occur on school grounds.

Spurlock was booked at the Wayne County Jail and held in lieu of a $15,000 secured bond.


[Update 05/05/06]

Spurlock sentenced.

Directions From Celebrities

Out of the UK comes this report regarding those GPS navigation gizmos being installed in the latest model automobiles. Currently, these smart features guide travelers to their destinations via maps and soft female voices giving instructions. For example, everybody has surely heard a car say, "The door is ajar. The door is ajar."

For those who desire some novelty away from the same mundane voice giving instructions, a company called Voice Skins is marketing a product which allows travelers to hear celebrity voices instead. A traveler can now be told where to go by Clint Eastwood, Patrick Stewart, an evil doctor, or Ozzie Osborne.

I haven't tested the system yet, but I have to imagine that having Clint Eastwood say, "Go ahead, make that turn" would be most entertaining. Plus, the company offers Ozzie Osborne in two versions, bleeped and unbleeped, setting the stage for your car to tell you, "In 400 metres you have reached your f***ing destination." Ah, the perfect accompaniment for the ride to your mother-in-law's house.

The possibilities are limitless. Think of Bette Davis telling you to fasten your seat belt for "a bumpy ride." For that Sunday afternoon drive without timetable or specific destination, pop in the Sylvester Stallone version. Traveling cross-country? Let Rod Serling direct you on the twilight road. And no trip through the streets of New York would be complete without Al Pacino ("Say hello to Mulberry Street") or Robert DiNiro ("You takin' a left? You takin' a left?") giving directions.

The mind wanders.

Lisa Clark Rejects Plea Deal

(Hall County, Georgia) In the latest development of the Lisa Lynnette Clark and boy-husband saga, 37-year-old Clark was arraigned in Hall County Court this morning and entered not guilty pleas to charges of child molestation, statutory rape and enticing a minor for indecent purposes. Defense attorney Daniel Sammons said the terms of the deal were unacceptable. He did not elaborate.

Clark is being at the Hall County Jail where she returned mere days after after giving birth to a boy at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga. The infant, fathered by the boy-husband, is named Sky Cobain.

Sammons requested that Clark be allowed to send a baby bracelet to the boy-husband as a memento. Judge Bonnie Oliver denied the request since it violated the terms of the original court order forbidding contact between Clark and the teen-father. The 15-year-old father is in custody on a probation violation resulting from a burglary charge.

Clark is due back in court on March 15 for a motions hearing.


[Update 1530 EST]

Apparently, the existence of a plea deal was supposed to be confidential.

From AccessNorthGa.com:

"We're not happy with the offer as it presently exists," Sammons said. "I won't discuss the terms of the plea offer unless and until we reach an agreement."

Sammons added he was not happy with Judy Hayles disclosure of a possible plea offer.

Hayles is the boy-husband's grandmother who has nothing positive to say about Clark. In fact, Hayles previously called Clark "a pedophile" and "scum of the Earth." Also, from Sammons:

"I think her enthusiasm unnecessarily complicates the case because it just stirs things up and it makes it difficult to be able to resolve things that need to be resolved."

To be continued ...


[Update 03/15/06]

Lisa Clark sentenced to nine months.


[Update 02/25/08]

Lisa Clark released from prison.

Murders in Mexico

Following up on yesterday's post regarding the murders of a Toronto-area couple, Domenic Ianiero and his wife Annunziata, at a Mexican resort, a government official stated that the killings "had all the hallmarks of a professional job."

From TheGlobeandMail.com:

Gabriela Rodriguez, Secretary of Tourism for Quintana Roo State, also said authorities continue to focus their investigation on two Canadian women who were staying at the same resort and suggested that any local involvement in the crime has now been ruled out.

"The wounds that the couple had were perfectly drawn," she said, speaking with CBC Newsworld. "In both the bodies, it was a perfect, perfect cut. The blood that led from one room to another was erased."

Mexican authorities believe the primary suspects returned to Canada the same day as the killings. In a later report, officials stated they are confident that the suspects fled Mexico for Canada, but they are no longer convinced of their gender. It's possible that they were men dressed as women.

The investigation continues.

Google Teaming With EarthLink

(San Francisco) This is interesting.

Google is joining EarthLink in a bid to build a wireless network in San Francisco that would offer basic Internet access for free and charge about $20 per month to surf the Web at higher speeds.

I'd comment on this but I can't afford to be hauled into court by the ... um ... let's leave it at that.

Woman Gets 60 Days for Rape

(San Bernardino, California) A former San Bernardino High School secretary, Christel Puentes Ochoa, agreed to a deal with the prosecution last December and pleaded guilty to rape. Ochoa's case originally involved multiple counts of rape, molestation, and influencing a witness which were related to sexual relationships she had with at least two students.

Yesterday, in the kind and gentle San Bernardino County Court, 23-year-old Ochoa was sentenced to 60 days in jail on weekends. Even the Probation Department was aghast.

"She needed a little more serious punishment than weekends," Probation Department division director Rick Arden said.

In a pre-sentencing evaluation report, some straight time in custody was recommended but apparently ignored by the judge, whose name wasn't disclosed.

Even so, Ochoa stated in court that the sentence is unfair while claiming no responsibility and expressing no remorse for the crime. I would agree. The sentence is unfair, but not to Ochoa. It's unfair to society for allowing sex crimes against children to be punished so leniently.

Environmentalist Indicted

(San Diego, California) Here's a reminder that the United States faces homegrown purveyors of violence in addition to foreign nutjob terrorists.

From LATimes.com:

Rodney Coronado, 39, of Tucson, a convicted arsonist and leader in the radical Earth Liberation Front, was indicted Wednesday for allegedly giving a speech urging people to commit arson and telling them how to build an incendiary device.

Coronado's speech on Aug. 1, 2003, came one day after a condominium complex under construction in San Diego was destroyed in a fire and an Earth Liberation Front banner was left at the site.

For teaching how to make a destructive incendiary device with the intent that it be used to cause damage, Coronado faces a possible 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Boston Globe Closes Baghdad Office

It's being reported that the Boston Globe is closing its Baghdad operation. This news came as an absolute shock to many of my acquaintances who, without exception, asked the question, "Since when does the Globe use news reporters?"

Journalists Murdered In Iraq

(Baghdad) The bullet-riddled bodies of three Al-Arabiya television journalists were found earlier today in Samarra, the site of yesterday's Askariya mosque attack.

The three, all Iraqi citizens, included a prominent female television correspondent, 26-year-old Atwar Bahjat (right), her cameraman and her soundman, Khaled Mahmoud al-Falahi, 39, and Adnan Khairallah, 36.

From E & P:

Bahjat had been reporting live Wednesday from the outskirts of Samarra, which security forces had sealed off after an explosion at a Shiite mosque.

Officials at the Dubai-based satellite news channel said they lost contact with their team after their last broadcast at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A fourth team member managed to escape from the ambush and told police about the kidnappings. He said two gunmen pulled up in a pickup truck, shooting in the air and shouting: "We want the correspondent," The Associated Press quoted Al-Arabiya as reporting.

"Atwar was in the news van and shouted to the crowd to help her. The crew tried to speak to the gunmen, but they snatched them and took them an unknown location (sic). By this time, night had fallen," Reuters quoted Al-Arabiya's Baghdad correspondent Ahmed al-Saleh as telling viewers.

Their bullet-riddled bodies were found by their vehicle near the town of Dawr. Notably, by all indications, these journalists were specifically targeted. I have to presume that this is one of the finer examples of how followers of the religion of peace do Allah's good work.

Condolences to the families and friends of Atwar Bahjat, Khaled Mahmoud al-Falahi, and Adnan Khairallah.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

FCC Upholds Nipplegate Fine

(Washington) While hinting at additional penalties for various other broadcasters, the FCC announced that CBS will be fined handsomely for nipplegate.

From Associated Press:

Federal regulators will stick by their decision to slap CBS with a $550,000 fine for the Janet Jackson flash at the 2004 Super Bowl.

They also plan new sanctions against Fox, NBC and CBS TV stations or affiliates for violating decency standards, according to people familiar with the matter.

The two sources, who declined to be identified ahead of a public announcement, said one of the decisions involves an appearance by Nicole Richie on the 2003 Billboard Music Awards on Fox. During the broadcast, she uttered the "F" word and the expletive for excrement.

It's believed to be the first time that the Federal Communications Commission will address the use of the second expletive on the public airwaves. The FCC has previously penalized networks for allowing the "F" word to be broadcast.

Nobody is talking about who else is to be penalized. All I have to say is, "What a load of [expletive for excrement]?"

FBI Probing Suspicious Car Crash

(Chicago) A fatal multi-vehicle crash on I-55 resulted in the finding of a check written for a large sum of money, along with a sizeable amount of cash and multiple IDs in the car of one of two people killed. The FBI was called in to assist the Illinois State Police with the investigation. It's reported that the investigation could possibly lead to a major counterfeiting operation or terrorist financing.

More at The Jawa Report and OpinionBug.com.

Roof Collapse Kills 27 at Moscow Market

(Moscow) The snow-covered roof of the three-decade-old Basmanny Market in the Bauman District of Moscow collapsed today, killing at least 27 and trapping others.


From Reuters:

Twenty-five others had been taken to hospital suffering from injuries. Sniffer dogs had indicated 11 places where people buried in the wreckage might still be alive.

"People trapped are calling out. They are knocking. The trouble is: time is going by," Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the scene.

The accident occurred as vendors were preparing their stalls at the start of a national holiday to mark Defenders of the Motherland Day.

Officials said the death toll would have been much worse if the market had been open for business at the time.

Rescue workers poured into the area and lifting gear was used to raise twisted girders and concrete blocks that came down when the circular roof on the building collapsed.

Officials are anticipating the death toll to increase. Currently, about 500 rescue workers are at the scene.

Well worth mentioning is the fact that the market building was designed by architect Nodar Kancheli who had previously designed the Transvaal Aqua Park which collapsed in February 2004, killing 28 and wounding dozens. In my opinion, Kancheli designs appear to have a generic design defect.


[Update 0910 EST]

This report indicates 38 deaths.

Lobster Blight in Long Island Sound

During the years 1998 and 1999, a blight struck the lobster population in the Long Island Sound and an estimated 75% of the mature lobsters were killed off. Prior to the blight, there was a high level of abundance of lobsters and the number of active, licensed Connecticut lobstermen totaled about 360. Now, there are 187.

The cause of the blight is disputed. Many are convinced that the lobster population collapsed due to pesticide-laden runoff following aggressive mosquito control measures during West Nile virus scares. Whatever the cause, the lobsters have yet to rebound to pre-blight levels.

In order to stave off a complete crash of the lobster fishery and to encourage replenishment, the Connecticut Marine Fisheries Division is boosting the minimum legal size for lobsters caught in the Sound. Effective July 1,

[T]he minimum "gauge" size for lobsters in Long Island Sound will increase from 3.28 inches to 3.31 inches, measured from the eye sockets to the tail. Smaller lobsters must be thrown back.

An attempt by the Connecticut fisheries manager to increase the minimum size to 3.375 inches was overruled. For comparison, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island impose a 3.375 inches minimum. Maine has the most liberal requirement of 3.25 inches.

All in all, it's nice to know at least part of the reason that lobsters are so pricey.

Woman Gets 18 Months for Forced Sex with Boy

(Milford, Connecticut) A 38-year-old woman, Jennifer Esposito, was sentenced to 18 months in state prison for engaging in sex acts with a 14-year-old neighbor boy -- including once when the boy was forcefully being held by her ex-husband, Wayne Pysz.

Esposito and her ex-husband were originally arrested in 2000 and charged with luring the boy into their home and molesting him. Pysz pleaded guilty last fall to two counts of risk of injury to a minor and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Esposito pleaded guilty last spring to two counts of risk of injury to a minor and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, all but 18 months suspended. According to her lawyer, Vito Castignoli, Esposito "is a person of limited intelligence" and she was manipulated by Pysz. A Superior Court Judge apparently bought the mitigating argument and suspended the majority of her sentence.

In summary, a sex crime against a child is punished leniently because the perpetrator is stupid. This doesn't make sense to me. Since stupid people are known to repeat actions many times while anticipating different results, it would seem appropriate to punish stupid people more harshly, not more leniently.

Three Jailed in Child Abuse, Grandma Sex Case

(Garden City, Georgia) Here's a bizarre case of child cruelty and adults having sex in front of children.

A 22-year-old man, Lenton Stephen Heath, had sex with his girlfriend's mother in front of his child (her grandchild) and was arrested for child molestation, child abuse and cruelty to children. The girlfriend's mother, 49-year-old Gloria Patterson, was arrested for beating and burning her grandchildren after police found the kids physically abused. The mother of the children and Heath's girlfriend, 22-year-old Monique Waples, was also arrested for severe child abuse. (Note: Monique Waples is also identified as Talicia Waples.)

Police responded to a complaint of noise at the Masters Inn Hotel off Highway 21 outside Savannah. Officers found Waples, her mother, and four children living in the hotel room and evidence indicated that a 6-year-old girl and an 18-month-old boy had been severely beaten. Heath was not present, but was arrested later after the whole story of the situation became known.

In addition to child abuse and molestation charges, Heath, Waples, and Patterson are being investigated for possible welfare fraud since all were collecting state or federal benefits for the children.

This story caught my eye because of two aspects. First is the reported ugly crimes against the children. For the crimes, the culprits should be punished vigorously by the law. And secondly, the nature of the 'family' relationship was that Heath was effectively having sex with his mother-in-law, Gloria Patterson. Now, it seems to me that he has the perfect defense for his actions. He's obviously insane.

Canadian Couple Found Murdered at Mexican Resort

(Quintana Roo, Mexico) About an hour south of Cancun, Barcelo Maya Beach Resort hotel management found the murdered bodies of a Canadian couple in their room. Domenic Ianiero, 59, and his wife Annunziata, 55, of the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge were discovered with their throats slashed early Monday. They had arrived at the five-star resort on Saturday.

Mexican and Canadian authorities are investigating.


[Update]

Follow up post with pic.

Wal-Mart Workers Denied Class Action

(Madison Wisconsin) The Wisconsin 1st District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a lawsuit by Wal-Mart employees claiming they had to work through breaks without pay will not be given class-action status.

Since the only way to determine whether employees actually missed breaks is to examine each individual employee's time-clock entries, the court rightfully ruled that a jury should examine each of the estimated 86,000 claimants cases. The subject lawsuit, originally filed in 2001 by three Wal-Mart employees, will continue to be adjudicated. If they win, it's expected that they'll see no more than $100 judgments.

Right now, I imagine there are a few lawyers crying in their martinis.

From Golden Arches

This report might be a little surprising. MacDonald's is being credited with starting a revolution in British cuisine.

Food in London is now among the world's best, with the greatest variety of ethnic restaurants. Pubs serve cask-conditioned ales and a huge range of international beers. Wines are better than those available in France, both in supermarkets and wine bars. People have been educated to be more discriminating about what they eat and drink. Service has improved beyond measure, largely because it has been taken over by cheerful foreign youngsters using it to support themselves while they get established.

The seed for change was the first MacDonald's in London which opened in the late 1970s.

Google Loses Copyright Infringement Case

(Los Angeles) Google will be prevented from displaying certain copyrighted thumbnail images according to a U.S. District Court ruling on Friday.

From Breitbart.com:

Internet giant Google Inc. infringed copyright rules by posting thumbnail-size photos from other websites on its search results pages, a US judge said in a ruling issued.

US District Judge Howard Matz's ruling, handed down in Los Angeles, stems from a lawsuit filed in 2004 by the pornography firm Perfect 10 Inc., which accused Google of breaching on its copyrights.

The type of search with which Perfect 10 took issue is Google's "Image Search" function, which returns a page with tiny images -- known as thumbnails -- that fit the searcher's query.

The image search function also allows searchers to view the image as it appears on the page.

The judge ruled that because Google receives advertising money from offering search functions, it is not entitled to the same level of free use of the images as other entities would be.

Both sides in the case were instructed to craft the wording for a preliminary injunction barring Google from using the thumbnail-size images. Notably, the ruling applies only to images owned by the Perfect 10 company. For now, that is.

As the godfather of search engines, I would speculate that Google will be taken to court on a fairly regular basis.

Female Teacher Jailed for Sex Assault of Boy

(Wakulla, Florida) A 36-year-old exceptional education teacher at Wakulla High School, Elaine Turner, was arrested Tuesday by Wakulla County Sheriff's deputies and charged with four counts of sexually assaulting a student. Turner allegedly had sexual relations with the boy on four occasions. She was released after posting $10,000 bail.


[Update 10/16/07]

Turner sentenced.

Olympic Team Robbed

(Torino, Italy) It's being reported that thieves broke into at least five of the rooms occupied by Norway's biathlon athletes and stole money, equipment and clothing.

From Aftenposten.no:

The amounts taken were large enough that the secretary general of the Norwegian biathlon federation decided to report the thefts to police.

So much for security at the Olympics. Thieves are bold enough to break into the rooms of the only athletes with guns.

Something Smells

(New York) The Pink Elephant nightclub on West 27th Street in Manhattan will open next month with a new feature to attract and satisfy customers.

From Page Six:

The venue will introduce a high-tech "scent machine," which can supposedly fill the room with up to 30,000 different smells. "We will be shooting various scents through the course of the night to enhance the ambiance and trigger a mixture of sensual and aphrodisiac responses," said Pink Elephant poobah David Sarner.

The club has a machine that shoots smells up to 60 feet. Sitting on it freshens your breath.

Frankly, I don't think this is such a big deal. You could easily enjoy the enhanced ambiance of at least 60,000 smells during a weekend Yankees game. The machine, however, might prove to be useful in controlling protesters and demonstrators.

OIC Sec-Gen Denounces Calls to Kill Cartoonists

(Islamabad, Pakistan) The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has denounced calls for killing cartoonists.

From DailyTimes.com.pk:

Such calls are against the teachings of Islam and do no good to the image of Muslims around the world, Ihsanoglu said at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Khrushid Kasuri after talks between the two. "Nobody has the right to kill anybody," he said in response to a question about a fatwa issued by a Pakistani cleric.

Unfortunately, he followed up his denouncement of killing cartoonists with a call for international laws to criminalize "acts of defamation" against Islam. Ihsanoglu plans to meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan prior to issuing a joint declaration stressing the need for laws on "defamation of religion."

It seems that if the Muslims get their way, we can kiss the Bill of Rights goodbye, starting with that pesky First Amendment.

Car Personality

(United Kingdom) According to this report, a survey found that approximately half of all women drivers believe their cars have personalities and 20% worry about the it's feelings.

Strange. Maybe the survey results can be explained by the fact that many Brits also claim to have been abducted briefly by aliens and given medical exams.

Al Qaeda Opines on UAE Ports Contract

Not officially, but I presume the terrorist masterminds are thinking that having the United Arab Emirates operate American port facilities is a godsend of an opportunity to plant sleeper cells. Bin Laden must be saying to himself, "It can't be this easy."

As for the United Arab Emirates being an ally of the U.S., it's interesting that they have blocked their citizens from accessing Michelle Malkin's website.

Here's another provocative morsel of information ("kind of-sort of" related to the ports deal) regarding Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum of Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Al-Maktoum, Defense Minister of the United Arab Emirates, is also Crown Prince of Dubai-an Arab Muslim country that strongly supported and recognized Afghanistan's Taliban, one of only three countries to do so. According to "From the Desert to the Derby," by Jason Levin, 10 of the 19 September 11th hijackers carried documents and identification from Dubai, a country which also has no laws against money-laundering. Why? Maybe, because money to fund September 11th's terrorism was laundered to ringleader Mohammed Atta, directly from Dubai's banks.

Lots of dots begging to be connected, I'd say.

Ohio Men Indicted on Terrorism Charges

(Toledo, Ohio) Three Toledoans have been indicted on charges of planning attacks to try to kill U.S. military personnel and coalition forces in Iraq.

From FoxToledo.com:

Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim I. Mazloum are accused of conspiring to kill or maim persons in and out of the United States, including U.S. Forces personnel. The Federal indictment obtained by Fox Toledo News Tuesday morning says the three were also solicting funding for jihad training, including government grants and private sponsorship.

The accused had travelled to the mid East to establish training facilities for terrorist activities, among other charges.

Amawi, El-Hindi, Mazloum
[Update 1330 EST]

The three men were apprehended over the weekend.

From Cleveland.com:

The indictment - unsealed today in Toledo - lays out details of a conspiracy that purportedly began in November of 2004 when Amawi and Mazloum met with a third person to discuss violent jihad training.

According to the indictment, the men later trained with weapons at a Toledo firing range, downloaded videos on how to put together suicide bomb vests and talked about shipping chemical explosives for bombs to the Middle East.

In addition, the indictment says some of the men were learning how to make Improvised Explosive Devices - IEDs - out of common household items and at least one hoped to fund their training and attacks by opening a non-profit foundation.

In the end, Amawi and another unidentified person from the Toledo area went to Jordan last year and tried to enter Iraq to join the insurgents in their fight against U.S. and allied forces, but they failed, the indictment said. It's unclear what stopped them.

In a possibly related action, federal agents on Sunday also raided the offices of a non-profit Muslin charity called Kindhearts for allegedly providing support to Hamas. It's presently not clear whether the arrests of Amawi, El-Hindi, and Mazloum are linked to Kindhearts.


[Update 03/06/08]

Toledo terrorism trial of the three begins.

Ohio 13th District Horse Race

With Rep. Sherrod Brown deciding to run for the Senate, the 13th Congressional District in Ohio is up for grabs and seventeen candidates, nine Democrats and eight Republicans, became official after last week's filing deadline. I find it difficult to draw very many conclusions regarding the run-up to the primaries in May other than, it's sure to be entertaining.

Two notables will be competing, Capri Cafaro, with a substantial personal war chest, and Gary Kucinich, with name recognition due to having a brother, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, already serving in an adjacent district.

On the Republican side, the hopefuls are:

Ruth Nader Abboud of Hinckley,
Paul S. Burtzlaff of Avon Lake,
Anthony J. Cirino of Avon,
C.J. Delorean of Medina,
Craig Foltin of Lorain,
Lawrence L. Jaycox Jr. of Elyria,
David McGrew of Akron, and
Joe Ortega III of Strongsville.

The Democrats include:

Capri Cafaro of Sheffield Village,
Norbert G. Dennerll Jr. of Westlake,
Daniel Goulder of Westlake,
William Grace of Elyria,
Gary Kucinich of Strongsville,
Michael Lyons of Richfield,
Thomas C. Sawyer of Akron,
Betty Sutton of Chardon, and
John L. Wolfe of Akron.

I've seen racing forms with fewer entrants. So, sports fans, fasten your seat belts and secure your mud flaps. I expect a touch of national exposure and it could get ugly.

Karaoke Without Liquor

(Hanoi, Vietnam) Over 10,000 karaoke bars in the country, some catering to drug usage and prostitution, are being blamed for 'social evils' by the Vietnamese government. As a result, the communist hierarchy has decreed that alcohol is prohibited at the bars and they must close at midnight.

The logic eludes me. Banning alcohol doesn't necessarily mean there will be less drug usage and less prostitution. In fact, banning alcohol would more likely lead to increased drug usage, especially if someone, without a couple of bracers, anticipated being handed a microphone and asked to belt out a believable rendition of "Buttons and Bows."

Via Medary.com

Shining Path Commander Killed

(Lima, Peru) During a weekend raid of a guerilla jungle stronghold, Shining Path leader Hector Aponte, aka Comrade Clay, was killed by Peruvian police. The Maoist rebel group has been decimated over recent years after the capture of its founder, Abimael Guzman, in 1992.

Although only a few hundred die-hard members remain active in the communist group, one has to assume that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has reached out to them for support in furthering his wider political goals in South America. Also, Shining Path is likely the template followed by Nepal's Maoist guerillas and continues to be listed as a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Shining Path was responsible for over half of an estimated 70,000 violent deaths in Peru.

CBS Spearheads Global Warming

Last night's 60 Minutes program had an end-of-the-world segment regarding global warming. Of course, the scientific geniuses at CBS have cast their faith in the theory that all climactic changes are caused by civilization, meaning the United States is at fault. The producers cited only those opinions that support their political world view.

For evidence, CBS relied on data that indicates the global ice caps are melting. That's Earth's global ice caps. Naturally, the fact that data also indicates that the ice caps on Mars are melting was not mentioned.

All in all, the program was the usual one-sided liberal dogma we've learned to expect from CBS. I saw a few minutes but had to turn the channel. Frankly, I'm offended when political propagandizing is couched as scientific news reporting. Porkopolis, on the other hand, is made of sterner stuff and was able to watch the whole episode. Go visit and check out some of the salient aspects of the global warming debate that CBS failed to mention.

Get A Load of This

Tomorrow, Sen. Dianne Feinstein plans to introduce legislation to make it a federal crime for someone to burrow a tunnel into the U.S. Apparently, there are currently no laws which specifically make tunneling illegal.

Can you dig it?

Bin Laden Vows Never To Be Captured Alive

(Dubai, United Arab Emirates) The full content of the audio tape of Osama bin Laden, of which excerpts were released by Al-Jazeera on January 19, was posted on the Internet earlier today by the al Qaeda media group al-Sahab.

From KhaleejTimes.com:

Osama bin Laden promised never to be captured alive and declared the US had resorted to the same "barbaric" tactics used by Saddam Hussein, according to an audiotape purportedly by the Al Qaeda leader that was posted on Monday on a militant Web site.

The tape appeared to be a complete version of one that was first broadcast Jan. 19 on Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite channel, in which bin Laden offered the United States a long-term truce but also said his Al Qaeda terror network would soon launch a fresh attack on American soil.

Bin Laden is likely a fan of film legend James Cagney who I know has said, "You'll never take me alive, Copper!" In any event, it's fine with me and the sooner, the better.

Don't you find the timing of the release of the tape somewhat odd? Typically, bin Laden is quite skilled at managing the media's messages yet, for some strange reason, this tape is posted right when cartoon protests and demonstrations are hogging the news. It's not clear whether the release of the tape was timed wrong or timed to trigger specific actions on the part of sleeper cells. I wouldn't be surprised by either.

Tipped by Mac Powell at In The Bullpen.

Israelis Kill Islamic Jihad Leader

(Nablus, Israel) Today, Israeli Defense Forces killed Hamad Abu Sharif, the head of the armed Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. Scratch one terrorist.

From Aljazeera.net:

Palestinian security sources said that Hamad Abu Sharif, chief of the Al-Quds Brigades, was gunned down by troops in the old town of Nablus in the north of the West Bank early on Monday.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the death of a fighter, saying: "Soldiers operating in the old town opened fire on armed men killing one of them."

Hopefully, the Al-Quds Brigades will be disrupted in their murderous campaign by the loss of a boss.

On a different note, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) has been keeping a running total of deaths in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since September 2000. I think it's interesting that four-fifths of about 5000 deaths have been Palestinians.

Georgian Help Sought for Possible Iran Strike

Although there has been no formal request by U.S. officials, it's reported that unofficial overtures have been made to the government of Georgia.

From JPost.com:

American officials have been quietly probing whether Georgia, situated just northwest of Iran, will be willing to allow Washington to use its military bases and airfields in the event of a military conflict with Teheran, The Jerusalem Post has been told.

The Americans have been putting out feelers, a high-ranking Georgian government foreign affairs official told the Post, in advance of a possible military strike to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability.

Georgian officials expressed fear of civil unrest and possible harsh Iranian retaliation but, given their dependence on American aid and support, feel obligated to help the U.S. There's also the already-strained Georgian relationship with Russia to consider.

Considering the negatives, American forces attacking Iran from Georgia seems like a longshot but, nevertheless, it's on the table. Also being considered is the use of airfields and bases in Azerbaijan, another close ally of the U.S. Officially, everybody everywhere is denying everything. However, despite the denials, Iran appears to be taking the situation quite seriously.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Iran To Discuss Russian Nuclear Proposal

(Tehran, Iran) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki announced earlier today that a high-level delegation will travel to Moscow on Monday for talks on Russia's nuclear proposal.

From the BBC:

Russia has proposed a compromise deal under which uranium for Iran would be enriched on Russian territory.

Moscow is confident it can pull off a diplomatic coup and convince Iran to accept a nuclear compromise.

Under the proposals, Iran would be allowed enriched uranium on Russian soil and in Russian facilities.

That way, Teheran would be able to run a nuclear power programme, which the Iranians say is all they want to do.

But it would not be able to divert fuel to develop nuclear weapons, which is what America and Europe believe is what Iran really wants to do.

Many observers are skeptical, believing instead that the Iranians can't be trusted and this is just an eleventh-hour stunt to delay any decision by European and U.S. officials. As I recall, we've seen this kind of ploy before when Saddam was constantly coming up with last-minute counter proposals prior to the Gulf War.

Nevertheless, Minister Mottaki told reporters today that he was optimistic about the talks.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Russians Close Newspaper for Cartoon

(Volgograd, Russia) Because of the following cartoon, the Gorodskiye Vesti newspaper was closed permanently by the Volgograd City Hall.


"We did not teach them to do it!"
There have been no public outbursts. Free press advocates and the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the action. Some believe that local officials are using the worldwide protests against cartoons as an excuse to close the newspaper in a naked gesture to ingratiate themselves with the Kremlin. President Putin has been slowly trending toward making freedom of the press a rarity.

Mac Powell at In The Bullpen has more.

No Liability for Acts of Foster Kids

(Washington State) According to the state Supreme Court, the government has no liability for damages caused by kids placed in foster care. Logically, with foster kids as wards of the state and nowhere else to assign responsibility and liability, nobody is liable.

Wait a minute! Doesn't the First Amendment specify that citizens have the right to petition the government for redress of grievances? It looks to me like the Supreme Court of Washington has decided otherwise. I clearly view its decision as wrong. Without liability for their actions, the management and employees of the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) have no impetus to do a better job.

I'd appeal. But, remember, I'm just a blogger and those folks on the Supreme Court are smarter than the average person reading the Bill of Rights.

Babysitter Gets 90 Months for Sodomizing Boy

(Wichita, Kansas) In the town of Mulvane outside Wichita, babysitter June Saxton performed oral sex on a 12-year-old boy she was watching last October. The incident occurred when Saxton and her boyfriend decided to inject cocaine and drink alcohol in front of the boy. Saxton's boyfriend is serving time in prison for his part in the crime.

Yesterday, County Court Judge Clark Owens sentenced Saxton to seven and one-half years (90 months) in state prison with no probation for a conviction of aggravated sodomy of the boy.

Slut Gets Work Release, Molested Boy Suicidal

(Westminster, Colorado) In 2003, married mother of three Angela Vasquez, 26, initiated a months-long sexual relationship with the 13-year-old son of a friend and ultimately gave birth to the seventh-grader's baby.

From DenverPost.com:

According to her arrest affidavit, Vasquez met the boy and his family at the Life House Church in Henderson. The two families became friends and often had dinner together.

The affidavit states the sexual relationship between the two began in March 2003. The boy told investigators he was picking up toys in the basement of his family's home when Vasquez approached him and "hugged and kissed" him. Shortly after that she asked him if he was a virgin and told him she could "teach him a lot" because she had experience. The affidavit describes how the relationship quickly turned sexual and before it ended in October or November of 2003, the two had engaged in sex about 20 times in various locations including his home, her home and her car.

On Friday, in accordance with a plea agreement, Judge Harlan R. Bochman sentenced Vasquez, now 29, to one-year work release in the Adams County Jail for a conviction of sexual assault on a child. In a statement read in court by the boy's mother, "My once happy little boy is now withdrawn, with thoughts of suicide, not wanting to be here to deal with his unnormal life."

The boy is suicidal and Vasquez will soon be free to prey on another youngster.

Teacher Offered Deal in Preteen Sex Case

(West Palm Beach, Florida) Arrested in 2004 and charged with having a long-term sexual relationship with a student she seduced at age 11, Carol Flannigan has until Tuesday to decide whether to accept a plea deal specifying five years in prison or risk a possible mandatory life sentence if convicted at trial.

The 51-year-old former music teacher at Rolling Green Elementary School in Boynton Beach is charged with capital sexual battery on a child under 12. Circuit Judge Lucy Chernow Brown asked Prosecutor Jennifer Millien to make the plea offer public on Thursday. The boy's family concurred.

The details of the case are sordid. Flannigan, as the 11-year-old boy's teacher, struck up a friendship with the boy's family such that he and his siblings would sleep over at her home. She began having sex with the boy and continued for 19 months, engaging in sexual encounters at the elementary school (classroom, office and storage room), in her vehicle at the parking lot of the Civil Air Patrol, at an Orlando hotel, and at a park. As a reminder, Flannigan was a 50-year-old woman having sex with a boy who was only 11.

And there's more. According to the boy, he and his teacher had sex together while in the same bed with Flannigan's husband, Douglas DePue, who witnessed the sex but chose to ignore it. It's also been reported that Flannigan had sex with the boy's father, which he has acknowledged. Subsequently, and astonishingly, the boy's father sued Douglas DePue and settled with his insurance company for $1.5 million. There are also lawsuits pending against the Palm Beach County School Board and the Civil Air Patrol.

If Flannigan concurs with the agreement, she will plead guilty in exchange for a five-year prison sentence followed by 10 years of sex offender probation. The probation would impose a curfew, allow for warrantless searches and require her to register as a sex offender. Flannigan would also be prohibited from being within "1,000 feet of a school, daycare center or anywhere children are known to congregate."

Interestingly, there has been no mention of drugs or alcohol or insanity or anything else to provide mitigation for Flannigan's crime. Typically, one would expect something to be introduced into the case to excuse such base and immoral behavior. So far, however, there's been no indication of what type of defense Ken Ronan, Flannigan's lawyer, intends.

Based upon the nature of the Flannigan case and all the disgusting details, it would probably be prudent for her to accept the plea agreement. I think a jury would put her away forever. (Tipped by: Don Morgenstern)


[Update 03/01/06]

Carol Flannigan sentenced.

American Among Yemen Prison Escapees

(Buffalo, NY) Readers will recall the "Lackawanna Six" al-Qaeda terrorist cell that was exposed by informants and taken down by the FBI in 2003. One member, 39-year-old Jaber A. Elbaneh, was in prison in Yemen. Now, he's not.

From BuffaloNews.com:

The Buffalo office of the FBI has confirmed that Jaber A. Elbaneh, a former Lackawanna resident accused of having ties to the al-Qaida terrorist network, was among the 23 terror suspects who escaped Feb. 3 from a Yemeni prison along with the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing attack.

The Yemen Ministry of the Interior had indicated that Elbaneh, 39, was one of the men who escaped in the breakout from the Political Security Prison in Sana, Yemen, said Peter J. Ahearn, special agent in charge of the Buffalo FBI office. But because of the difficulty in obtaining definitive information from the Yemen government, authorities were not 100 percent certain until late last week, Ahearn said.

Elbaneh is charged with providing material support to al-Qaida by attending the al-Farooq training camp run by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan months before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Elbaneh escaped with Jamal al-Badawi (right) who was convicted of plotting and implementing the USS Cole bombing that killed 17 sailors in a Yemeni port in 2000.

The U.S. government has put a $5 million reward out for information leading to Elbaneh's arrest. It would be irrational for him to show up back in his old neighborhood in Lackawanna but, since it's fairly easy to get into Canada and then sneak into the U.S., anything is possible. Frankly, I'd prefer for him to show up in the Cleveland area and make himself easy for me to spot. I could use the $5 million.

Debbie Schlussel has more on Elbaneh.

Islamic Comedy

(Copenhagen) Check this out. It's from Danish comedian Omar Marzouk who is also a Muslim.

Marzouk says terror humor has receptive audiences in unlikely places. He said he was greeted with hysterical cackles when, in recent shows in Israel and Britain, he suggested that the West recruit Muslims to prevent terrorist attacks by having them sit on buses, strapped with explosives, so when a real suicide bomber gets on, they can say, "Hey, man, it's O.K., I got this one covered."

Talk about tough jobs. Marzouk is trying to make a living telling jokes about Islam which alienates other Muslims while anti-immigrant groups heckle him. Every audience is automatically hostile.

Exclusive Iraq Prisoner Abuse Photos

Without ever going to the place, the UN has called for the shutting down of Guantanamo Bay due to alleged prisoner abuse bordering on torture. Meanwhile, Rusty Shackleford has found substantive prisoner abuse in photos from Iraq that have not even been published by the mainstream media (MSM).

These are not the much-heralded Abu Ghraib photos leftover from last year. The images are damning, new evidence that the media are not being objective in their reporting. All are Jawa Report exclusives. Go visit and see what the MSM won't show.

Iran Renames Danish Pastries

(Tehran, Iran) As far as expressing dissatisfaction, the following makes a lot more sense than burning down embassies and killing people.

From Aljazeera.net:

Bakeries across the capital Tehran on Thursday were covering up the name-plates for Danish pastries after the confectioners union ordered the name change in retaliation for cartoons of Islam's revered prophet first published in a Danish newspaper.

"Given the insults by Danish newspapers against the prophet, as of now the name of Danish pastries will give way to Rose of Mohammad pastries," the union said in its order.

So, instead of ordering a Danish with your coffee, you'll now have to ask for a Rose of Mohammad, "gul-e-muhammadi" in Farsi. Of course, I'll not beguile myself into thinking that the protesters will stop burning down buildings. After a sugar fix from a Rose of Mohammad, the followers of the religion of peace will likely still grab their torches.

Teacher Accused of Intimacy with Boy

(Dripping Springs, Texas) A 28-year-old chemistry teacher at Dripping Springs High School, Rebecca Garrison, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of initiating an intimate relationship with one of her students, a 15-year-old boy. Garrison has been charged with indecency with a child and improper relationship between an educator and student.

The boy's mother had suspicions about Garrison and her son so she checked his email and cell phone records. The mother found references to "sexual activity and declarations of love" so she alerted the principal of the high school, Greg Jung.

If convicted of the charges against her, Garrison faces punishment of two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. She is currently being held in the Hays County Jail with bail set at $80,000.

ACLU Attacks National Security

Here's a press release from yesterday by the American Civil Liberties Union along with commentary.

ACLU Urges House to Adopt Request for Illegal NSA Spying Documents

The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House Judiciary Committee to adopt several resolutions that would formally request any and all documents relating to the illegal National Security Agency domestic spying program authorized by President Bush.

First of all, I need to point out the leftist technique used in the wording. Start with a false premise. The tactic surprises few observers of the left since it's used so frequently. Be it known that the illegality of the NSA eavesdropping program has not been established AND the program is not a domestic spying program. As described, the program eavesdrops on communications received or transmitted by terror suspects into and out of the United States.

According to experts, it is completely legal because it falls under the powers of the Executive branch. The President's job is to protect the Nation and wage war when appropriate. In this case, the President's actions were approved by Congress when it said, "use any appropriate force necessary." It is also the Executive branch's authority to collect international intelligence, and the president does not need Congress' approval. This comes under the "separation of powers," despite the fact that Congress does not like this. There is a never-ending battle between the Congress and the Executive branch regarding the "separation of powers."

Moving on, the ACLU continues.

"The need for a comprehensive investigation into the NSA's domestic surveillance is essential to find out exactly which laws were broken," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.

Okay, first the ACLU says the program is illegal, then they say an investigation is necessary to find out why it's illegal. The astute legal 'rocket scientists' of the ACLU strongly contend the program is illegal just before admitting they have no idea why it's illegal.

Most prudent citizens will surely view this latest ACLU effort as ludicrous, however, it plays directly into the hands of Congressional noise-makers who despise the administration. Consequently, the issue becomes a partisan political football that's kicked into play by a false premise.

Nevertheless, ACLU lawyers are consistent with regard to attacking established measures for fighting terrorism. They have attacked The Patriot Act and they have attacked airline security programs and plans. In fact, at one time or another, the ACLU has complained, protested or vehemently attacked every measure instituted to protect and defend the United States.

Most astonishing and disturbing to me as an American citizen, however, is the ACLU's persistent defense of foreign terror suspects. I cannot logically see how foreign nationals in foreign countries, who are terrorists or terror suspects, can be given the protections of the U.S. Constitution. Of course, I'm not one of the uber-smart ACLU lawyers who desires a socialist America.

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