Women With Troubles - April 2008

Reported in the news during April 2008, here is the compilation of women with troubles. Each name is linked to an Interested-Participant blog entry displaying details.

For a more comprehensive listing, check the Women With Troubles category link.

(AR) Brenda Fant, 31,
teacher - Arrested for sexual assault of male student, 17,

(AR) April Pipkin, 31,
daycare worker - Charged with sex assault of boy under 16,

(AR) Donna Lou Sanders, 46,
teacher - Accused of taking girls, 12 and 13 years old, to motel for sex,

(AZ) Angela Csader, 25,
teacher - Gets 90 days jail for sex with boy, 16. Also had child with boy as father,

(AZ) Melissa King, 29,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 16,

(CA) Jayne DeArmond, 51,
teacher - Arrested for gun at school,

(CA) Amy Lee Kelly, 41,
teacher - Guilty of felony oral copulation of boy, 15. Sentencing in June,

(CA) Franca Munoz-Juvera, 27. Also, Antonia Munoz-Juvera, 27, and Eileen Valerio, 20,
teacher - Guilty of molesting female student, 16. Sentencing in June,

(CA) Lavern Vaughn, 37, and son, Lavor Carter, 20,
neighbors - Arrested for pimping out girl, 15,

(CO) Carrie McCandless, 31,
teacher - Gets 30 days jail for probation violation,

(CO) Tammie Lee Reed, 42,
teacher - Found guilty of probation violation and lying to the court. Sentencing in May,

(DE) Shannon N. Mitchell, 26,
neighbor - Charged with rape of boy, 15,

(FL) Debra Lafave, 27,
teacher - Sentence reduced,

(FL) Elizabeth Yvonne Neel, 33,
neighbor - Arrested for sexual relationship with boy, 15,

(FL) Nicole Ariane Novak, 21,
neighbor - Arrested for beating 72-year-old stepfather,

(FL) Stephanie Ragusa, 28,
teacher - Arrested for 2nd and 3rd times for sex with two male students, both 15,

(FL) Jennifer Shepherd, 32,
teacher - Arrested on drug charges,

(GA) Georgia Thornton, 44, and daughter, Sequita Thornton, 17,
neighbors - Arrested for beating the hell out of daughter's teacher over grades,

(IL) Yolanda Dipert, 46,
neighbor - Found guilty in horrible child molestation case. Sentencing in May,

(IL) Unnamed Teacher,
teacher - Caught smoking marijuana in Waukegan High School,

(IN) Shauna Hawkins, 33,
jail worker - Guilty of sex conduct with inmate. Sentencing TBD,

(IN) Sonia L. Perry, 34,
neighbor - Arrested for sexual battery of boy, 14,

(IN) Julie A. Singleton, 34,
corrections worker - Pleaded guilty to felony sex with 16-year-old inmate. Sentencing in May,

(IN) Shannon R. Warsicki (aka Wasicki), 37,
prison teacher - Arrested for sex with inmates,

(KS) Jessica Nicole Lee, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 13,

(KY) Crystal Wells, 33,
teacher - Sentenced to five years prison for sex with male student, 15,

(LA) Leanne Marie Burt, 42,
teacher - Arrested for wild party with teens drinking, having sex,

(LA) Megan N. Partin, 19,
neighbor - Arrested for child sex with boy under seven years old,

(MD) Andrea Overstreet, 31,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 13,

(ME) Jessica Bowring, 28,
neighbor - Sentenced to three years prison for violating conditions of release after prison term for sex with boy,

(MI) Donita Brady, 50,
PE teacher - Arrested for sexual conduct with female student, 15,

(MI) Alycia Lorraine Martin, 20,
prostitute - Arrested for servicing Gov. Stabenow's husband,

(MO) Teresa Engelbach, 22,
teacher - Sentenced to private supervised probation for rape of boy, 14,

(NC) Shannon Lynn Best, 33,
teacher - Arrested for indecency with female student, 18,

(NC) Marilyn Bulifant,
teacher - Suspended for flashing students,

(NC) Meagan Leigh Reynolds, 22,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 15,

(ND) Shannon Pole-Summers, 23,
weightlifter - Arrested for burglary, attempted murder,

(NH) Holly Spreen, 35,
teacher - Sentenced to year in jail for significant alcohol offenses,

(NJ) Victoria Blevins, 23,
PE teacher - Guilty of offensive touching of female student under 18. Sentencing in July,

(NJ) Heather Lewis, 32,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with juvenile,

(NY) Beth Modica, 44,
neighbor - Guilty of sex with teen boys. Sentencing in June,

(NY) Prostitution Ring for Farm Workers consisting of: Wendy L. Brewer, 19; Lisa M. Dennis, 20; Amie L. Shaffer, 31; and Shannon E. Terwilliger, 27,
hookers working farms - Arrested for prostitution,

(NV) Brittany Baxter-Stuchell, 20,
preschool teacher - Sentenced to 30 days in jail for dealing drugs,

(OH) Angel Dailey, 16,
neighbor - Arrested for giving marijuana to toddler,

(OH) Arlis May Guyer, 48,
neighbor - Arrested for sexually abusing boy, 14,

(OH) Becky Jo Tatum, 41,
neighbor mom - Indicted for sex with girl, 14,

(OK) Regina McKay, 33,
teacher - Sentenced to 30 days jail for rape of student,

(OK) Valerie Faye Posey, 26,
neighbor - Arrested for sodomy and lewdness on boy, 13,

(OR) Jan Elizabeth Gleaves, 39,
teacher - Court appearance scheduled for June on child sex charges,

(PA) Sarah Marie Myers, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for terroristic threats,

(PA) Christine Carver-Schlesser, 30,
neighbor - Gets 20 to 40 years in prison for rape of two boys,

(PA) Brenda Lua Manzo, 26,
neighbor - Charged for engaging in sex with boy, 15,

(SC) Gina Black, 39,
teacher - Charged with contributing to the delinquency for hosting teen alcohol party,

(SC) Sarah Titi Walker, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for child endangerment and armed robbery,

(SD) Michelle Alexander, 47,
neighbor - Gets 90 days jail for sex with boy, 15,

(TN) Rebecca Bargy, 25,
neighbor - Arrested for killing husband in sex ritual,

(TX) Melissa Kay Lee, 32,
teacher - Arrested for improper relationship with male student, 16,

(TX) Sabrina Marie Simpson, 29,
neighbor - Accused of child sex assault on two boys, 13 and 14,

(TX) Susan Miller-Smith,
teacher - Fined $15,000 for washing foul-mouthed boy's mouth out with soap,

(UT) Jennifer Candida Gonzales, 32,
teacher - Arrested for unlawful sex with boy, 16,

(VA) Suzanne Ibsen Collares, 33,
drug therapist and foster mom - Arrested for sex with foster son,

(VA) Craigslist Prostitution Ring consisting of: Jennifer Ely, 26; Jennifer Ann Blackwell, 31; Breanna Liggett, 21, and others,
hookers - Arrested for prostitution through Craigslist,

(VA) Ashley Esposito, 24,
student teacher - Arrested for sex with underage student,

(VA) Ashley Kristen Samaniego, 23,
girls school coach - Accused of sex with female student, 17,

(WA) Carli R. Brown,
mental health counselor - Suspended for sex with client,

(WI) Cindy A. Bartoshevich, 31,
jail guard - Gets probation for sex with inmate,

(WI) Jaime M. Foss, 31,
mom - Arrested twice for sex assault on boy, 15,

(WI) Heather L. Heinen, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 13,

(WI) Tracy Taylor, 44,
neighbor - Arrested for enticement of boy, 15, over Internet,

(WV) Sarah Guthrie, 23,
teacher - Arrested with underage girl for drug/alcohol charges.

As always, thanks to the tipsters.

Man Gets Probation for Murder Conviction

(Hidalgo County, Texas) A 47-year-old McAllen elementary school janitor, Antonio Saldana, was convicted of murdering his neighbor and the jury sentenced him to probation.

Reportedly, Saldana thought his neighbor was having an affair with his wife. During testimony, Saldana said that the neighbor continually taunted him until he snapped and killed him.

After sentencing to 10 years probation, Saldana apologized.

Dungeon of Incest - Father Makes Daughter His Sex Slave

(Amstetten, Austria) Last weekend, the story broke of a 73-year-old father, Josef Fritzl, who imprisoned his daughter, Elisabeth, as a sex slave for 24 years in a secret dungeon and fathered her seven children.

Elisabeth, now 42, and three of her children, Kerstin, 19, Stefan, 18, and Felix, 5, were forced to live in the cellar dungeon. All three have defective immune systems and suffer from vitamin deficiencies. The eldest, 19-year-old Kerstin, is critical with kidney failure and has lost most of her teeth due to vitamin deficiency.

Three other children were taken from Elisabeth at birth. Monika, 14, Alexander, 12, and Lisa, 16, were allowed to lead seemingly normal lives upstairs with Josef and his wife, 68-year-old Rosemarie, who claims she didn't know what was going on. When reunited with daughter Elisabeth, Rosemarie said, "I am so sorry, I had no idea."

The seventh child died within three days of being born 12 years ago. DNA has confirmed that the six surviving children were all fathered by Josef Fritzl.

The whole ugly episode was exposed last Saturday when Kerstin fell into a coma and Fritzl took her to the hospital. Suspicious doctors called police.

Authorities continue to investigate. Expect more of this disgusting story.


[Update 05/08/08]

Fritzl explains himself. He says he did everything because of circumstances and an incestuous lust for his mother.

Get Anything You Want in Brit Prisons

Here is a report that needs more exposure. In fact, people should be outraged.

Prostitutes and drugs are being smuggled into Britain's 'cushy' jails, a prison officers' leader has claimed.

Inmates have such a good time they even pass up the chances of escape, according to Glyn Travis.

Savaging Labour's prisons policy, he told how inmates benefit from satellite television, free telephone calls, breakfast in bed and officers who treat them with kid gloves for fear of breaching their human rights.

If the penal system doesn't punish, why have it?

Tip: slwlion

Obama Consulted with Rip Van Winkle - Sorta

It's a thrill a minute with the Democrat Presidential nomination-seekers. However, with regard to Obama, it seems that a clue comes every twenty years. It took two decades immersed in the hate-filled windwash of Rev. Jeremiah Wright before Obama was clued in and said, "This is enough!"

And, interestingly, Obama didn't come to the realization by himself. It was the loss of support for his presidential campaign and polling results that convinced Obama to jettison Rev. Wright. It's like his only reliable political consultant is Rip Van Winkle.

[To refresh memories, Rip Van Winkle was a man who missed everything occurring around him for 20 years because he was asleep. It's a story by American author Washington Irving.]

Based on history, Obama characteristically lacks the ability to correctly react within a reasonable time period to threatening and damaging situations. He didn't react for 20 years to circumstances which have now greatly injured his political aspirations.

I contend that a question must be asked. Does America want in the Oval Office a man who is incapable of recognizing hate-America windwash?

There is, of course, another argument. Specifically, Obama didn't fail to recognize the hatred for America spewed by Rev. Wright, instead, he is a disciple of the hate-America philosophy. Take your pick. Obama is either clueless OR he possesses the hate-America ideology.

Ace Mentioned on Limbaugh

Ace of Spades HQ was cited by Rush Limbaugh as reporting the fact that Obama conducted polling prior to responding to Rev. Jeremiah Wright's incendiary remarks at the National Press Club on Monday.

After the polling, courageous Obama (described by MSM) threw his long-time pastor and spiritual leader to the wolves.

Prudent political observers would say that Obama is acting more like a typical squirmy politician than a brave and charismatic leader.

Nonetheless, kudos to Ace for reporting the nugget.

Teacher Angela Csader Sentenced - Updated

(Maricopa County, Arizona) As a result of pleading guilty to two counts of sexual conduct with a minor (a 16-year-old boy), 25-year-old Angela Csader was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail.

Csader and the teen first had sex in August 2006, and they had sex at least twice more in the next month, records show. The boy also fathered her child.

She told officers that she once drove to Gilbert High School on the boy’s lunch break to have sex in her truck.

Police learned of the situation more than a year before Csader resigned, and in May she admitted having sex with the boy. But Csader wasn’t arrested until Dec. 18.

Csader also was given 15 years probation and ordered to register as a sex offender.


* * * * *
[2/15/08 Entry]

(Florence, Arizona) A kindergarten teacher at Anthem Elementary School, Angela Csader, was arrested in July 2007 for engaging in a long-term sexual relationship with, and birthing a child by, a 16-year-old boy.

Csader, 25, was charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

Despite the sex crime charges, Csader continued to work as a kindergarten teacher until January 2008 when the Florence Unified School District was notified.

District spokesman Larry Cline said the school found out on Jan. 30 that Csader's fingerprint card was revoked. To be certified as a teacher, state law requires a fingerprint clearance card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

But DPS officials said they don't notify schools if a fingerprint check pops up.

"There is no alert system where information about a teacher arrested would be forwarded," DPS spokesman Harold Sanders said.

Sanders said his department would only send out information about sex offenders. But Csader is still awaiting trial.

Immediately after the district learned of her arrest, Csader resigned. For the sex crime charges, she has a court appearance scheduled for February 26.

Gilbert police explained that they didn't know Csader was a teacher at the time of her arrest since she claimed to be a nanny. Otherwise, they would have notified the school district.


[Update 03/29/08]

Csader pleads guilty. Sentencing next month.

"Immigrant" is racist

From Britain:

"Manchester United's submission to the Football Association is expected to include the claim that Patrice Evra was allegedly called "an immigrant" during the melee with Chelsea groundstaff at Stamford Bridge, The Times understands.

Chelsea and their employees have strenuously denied that any such remark was made and Evra sought at the weekend to distance himself from suggestions that he was racially abused.

Source

I wonder what the "Immigrant" race looks like? Slanty eyes and green skin, maybe?

Posted by John Ray.

Genocide in Pajamas

There seem to be very few defenders of comprehensive freedom of speech. The Left defend their right to say their stuff and attack the rights of others while Christians attack "obscene" speech and often lose in defending their own speech. The end result is that everybody feels somewhat restricted in what they can say. Even I do, libertarian though I am. Just to make sure that Google does not take any of my sites down, I always use the form "n*gger" if I have to discuss that word, for instance. I must say that I do not really understand why that small change -- which fools nobody -- makes such a big difference, but it seems to.

And what are we to make of the brave conservative bloggers at Pajamas Media? They have just expelled Gates of Vienna from their organization for using the "G-word": "genocide". GoV is a site that is devoted to defending Western civilization against Muslim attack and they frequently warn against what could happen in the future. One of the scenarios that they warned against recently was the eruption of outright war between Muslims and others in Europe, with one possible outcome of that being genocide of Muslims. The entire aim of GoV is of course to avert any such war by taking action now to defend our freedoms from attack.

GoV was quite clearly, therefore, NOT arguing for a genocide against Muslims -- quite the opposite. It aims to prevent that. But the mention of the G-word in the same sentence as a reference to Muslims was just impermissible speech to Pajamas media. What wimps and wusses they are! They have surrendered. They are doing the job of the Muslims and their Leftist allies for them. I doubt that I will ever again read or link to any of their sites. You will note that I have not done so here.

GoV have themselves been very magnanimous about the matter and have said that the Bananas in Pajamas had every right to do what they did. Undoubtedly they do but what does it say about their character or the value of reading them? Do drop by at GoV and give them what support you can.

Posted by John Ray.

Canadian Immigration System "Near Collapse"

(Ottawa, Canada) Before a parliamentary committee, Immigration Minister Diane Finley proclaimed alarm regarding the backlog of immigration applications. Going from 925,000 now to 1.5 million in 2012, the system will present a 10-year wait to new faces.

Finley voiced the concern that people with high-demand skills are being lost to nations with more efficient immigration systems.

"The current system, if left unchanged, is on track to collapse under its own weight. The system needs fixing," Finley said.

"We are facing real and serious international competition for the talents and skills that we need to fill," she said, calling for a "renewed" vision for the immigration system.

The renewed system would apparently allow her to cherry-pick who gets processed and who doesn't. Helluva deal! Of course, the minister would have to be a person of infinite honesty, unbending to political pressure and impossible to bribe. Good luck finding someone with those qualities.

But Finley downplayed concerns the new law would allow her to cherry-pick immigrants.

Downplaying the concerns doesn't make them disappear, Minister Finley.

In any event, the committee wasn't very receptive to the idea -- not because immigrants would be cherry-picked but likely because they could be. Current legislation processes applications as they are received and it will not change. So, folks, get in line.

McCain Campaign Dumps Hezbollah Agent

It's astonishing that a presidential campaign organization would end up with a terrorist agent as a member. But it happened.

Ali Jawad, a proud Hezbollah supporter, was a Michigan Finance Committee member for John McCain until it was noticed by people who know Jawad's history. He has now been unceremoniously jettisoned from the McCain campaign organization. Debbie Schlussel has the scoop.

Kudos.

Transylvanian Librarian Goes Wild

(Brasov, Romania) A 43-year-old professor at the University of Transylvania, Angela Repanovici, has been sacked from her position as chief librarian for inappropriate conduct.

Repanovici was dismissed after a video appeared on YouTube which shows her doing an Eastern European version of gal-gone-wild. She exposed her unmentionables in an undulating striptease dance.

Someone carried a cameraphone into the party of colleagues in the university library and then posted the video on YouTube. Professor Repanovici claims she is the victim of blackmail and wants the police to identify the person who filmed and posted the video.

Although she lost the library job, the university will allow her to continue teaching mechanical engineering. However, she has been banned from occupying any leadership position for three years.

Personally, I'd question just what is being served in the school cafeteria which might contribute to craziness among a group of librarians. Also, this incident provides some evidence that not all librarians are stereotypical stuffy prudes.

More BBC censorship



"Separatist" and "moderate" are apparently bad words:

"The BBC is facing a High Court challenge over its decision to censor a party political broadcast in the run-up to Thursday's local elections. A Christian party has begun legal action after the corporation insisted on changes to a short film in which the party voiced opposition to the building of Europe's biggest mosque next to the site of the 2012 Olympics.

Tablighi Jamaat, the Islamic missionary group behind the 75 million pound Abbey Mills mosque, opposes inter-faith dialogue and preaches that non-Muslims are an evil and corrupting influence. One of its British advocates has said that it aims to rescue Muslims from the culture and civilisation of Jews and Christians by creating "such hatred for their ways as human beings have for urine and excreta".

The Christian Choice election broadcast would have described Tablighi Jamaat as "a separatist Islamic group" before welcoming that some "moderate Muslims" were opposed to the mosque complex.

Alan Craig, the party's candidate in the London mayoral election, also on Thursday, said that he was forced to change the wording at the insistence of lawyers at the BBC and ITV, which will also feature in the court action.

The BBC refused to accept "separatist" - the corporation asked for "controversial" instead - and barred the use of "moderate Muslims" because the phrase implied that Tablighi Jamaat was less than moderate.

Source

As the BBC is compulsorily supported by the taxpayer (and even some non-taxpayers are made to cough up), one would hope it had some obligation to speak the truth rather than cover it up. Silly of me to think that, I guess.

Posted by John Ray.

Free Tibet Flags "Made in China"

Here's a chuckle-worthy report from China.

Just as the Olympic flame is about to reach Hong Kong and mainland China, the Guangdong province police have recently uncovered a case in which a cheap-rate factory in Guangdong was filling out orders by overseas Tibet splittist organizations to manufacture the snow-mountain-lion flags of Free Tibet.


The factory workers thought that they were just making some colorful flags. But some workers had watched Hong Kong television and seen the flag before. They also went on the Internet and checked. When they found out what the flags were, they called the police immediately.

The Guangdong police intercepted several thousand printed flags that were packed for shipment, and they determined many people to assist in their investigation. The factory owner said that the flags were ordered from overseas, and he did not know that these flags stand for Tibet independence.

Naturally, Chinese authorities are painfully embarrassed and anticipate that some of the flags will show up during the Olympic torch run in Hong Kong and elsewhere.

Tip: Marmot's Hole

Also: Jawa Report

Aussie Drug-User Group Talks Up Meth

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is in a tussle with the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIIDUL).

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says methamphetamine users are violent and threatening towards hospital staff and are putting a huge strain on emergency departments.

The AIIDUL balks at calling meth users violent. Spokeswoman Annie Madden says that meth users are usually just recreational and not psychotic.

"There are some people who do, a minority who do, and that's usually related to extended periods of binge using, with people not sleeping, not eating - that sort of thing," she said.

Heh. I guess using meth is pretty much okay then, but don't call meth users violent or they'll get mad.

Curiously, isn't it interesting and appropriate that the pro-illegal-drug advocacy group's initials (AIIDUL) are pronounced "idle?"

Ohio Democrat Quits Over Topless Pic Incident

(Columbus, Ohio) Democrat State Representative Matthew Barrett has resigned over last week's incident at Norwalk High School where he showed a picture of a topless woman to a U.S. government class of about 20 seniors.

Barrett first said he didn’t know how the image had become intermingled with his graphics presentation. After it appeared on the screen, the state lawmaker immediately shut down the computer and finished the presentation using paper handouts.

A later review by the Norwalk police, with help from the state Highway Patrol, found one of Barrett’s four children had downloaded the image.

Ohio House Democratic leader Joyce Beatty said Barrett acknowledged not being truthful about the matter and she immediately demanded his resignation Thursday.

Beatty said she was "shocked and appalled" by Barrett's mendacity.

It's disturbing that Barrett would lie about the picture. Additionally, word is out that Barrett has nude pictures of two women on his memory stick/flash drive and that he also knows the women in the pictures. They're from his district.

Now, could someone please tell me what kind of politician carries around naked pictures of his constituents?

Girl, 15, Pimped Out on Craigslist

(Vallejo, California) A 37-year-old local mom, Lavern Vaughn, and her 20-year-old son, Lavor Carter, were arrested by FBI agents for allegedly selling a 15-year-old girl for sex. Mother and son have been charged with sex trafficking.

Federal prosecutors said they found 680 postings on Craigslist, where Carter allegedly pimped the 15-year old girl for sex.

"She says, ultimately, she had as many as 1,200 customers for Carter," said Larry Brown, first assistant U.S. Attorney. "When she would talk about wanting to leave he would threaten to kill her and use physical harm."

The federal indictment alleges Carter would whip her with a belt and plastic rod, burn her with a lighter, or strike her. She reportedly tried to leave Carter on multiple occasions, but he told her that if she left, she would not leave alive.

Reportedly, Lavern Vaughn would drive the girl all over Northern Caliifornia to have sex with men, making as much as $300 a day.

Maryland Woman and Boy, 13

(Kitzmiller, Maryland) A 31-year-old local woman, Andrea Overstreet, was arrested by Garrett County Sheriff's deputies for allegedly raping a 13-year-old boy. Overstreet faces four counts of second degree rape and second degree assault. She is also facing one count of perverted sexual practice.

It's believed that Overstreet was mixing it up with the boy for a period of at least four months.

Overstreet was booked into custody at the Garrett County Detention Center with bond set at $50,000.

Kitzmiller is a tiny-speck community in the far western section of the panhandle of Maryland.

SCOTUS OKs Photo ID, ACLU Puckered

The Supreme Court has ruled that requiring voters to have photographic identification is lawful. As a consequence, the American Civil Liberties Union has voiced consternation.

Democrat get-out-the-vote campaign workers are believed to be scratching their heads and murmuring.

Venture capital for counterfeit identification card producers is likely more available.

Also: Michelle Malkin has a good roundup of reactions.

Tomb of Antony and Cleopatra

Apparently, the 2000-year-old tomb of Roman General Mark Antony and Egyptian Queen Cleopatra has been underwater for centuries and efforts are now underway to drain the site and rob the graves.

Good humour from GWB


At the recent White House dinner:

"Senator McCain's not here," Bush said of GOP nominee-in-waiting John McCain. "He probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. You know, he's not alone. Jenna's moving out too."

Bush then referred to scandals that have dogged the campaigns of the two remaining Democratic candidates, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, in explaining their absence: "Hillary Clinton couldn't get in because of sniper fire and Senator Obama's at church."

Jenna is, of course, getting married. One of the other three is going to have to learn their comedy timing for next year's event.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Teacher Flashes Students

(Johnston County, North Carolina) A teacher of exceptional children at West Johnston High School, Marilyn Bulifant, was suspended this week because of allegations that she exposed herself to her students.

An investigation has been launched.

I'm guessing she flashed the blueberries and not the muffin.

Kansas Woman, 18, and Boy, 13

(Shawnee, Kansas) An 18-year-old local woman, Jessica Nicole Lee, has been charged with rape of a child for allegedly engaging in sex with a 13-year-old boy.

Reportedly, the boy was a sixth-grader Lee met at an alternative school and he lied to her about his age. He said he was 16 going on 17. Lee apparently believed him or didn't care.

It's reported that the 13-year-old boy bragged about the alleged sex which led to the charges.

Look Who's Talking about Change, Unity and Peace

Excerpt:

As I get older, I become more convinced that hypocrisy and irony must be as blind as a bat, for those who practice it seem oblivious to the fact that they wear it like a clown suit at a formal wedding; plain as day, badly out of place and amusing to boot. This election year, we have provided with a classic example of this phenomenon, as evidenced by the Bobbsey Twins, Obama and Hillary, from here on referred to simply as OH for practicality, simplicity and accuracy.

To begin with, it has become painfully obvious to many that the more this duo tries to distinguish themselves one from the other, the more we realize that they are two sides of the same coin. They speak of change even as they are no change from typical elitist liberal socialism. They speak of change even as they represent no change from the usual Left strategy of pointing fingers at America instead of at her enemies. They speak of change even as the only thing they seem capable of changing is a tire, and certainly not any tire that would take America anywhere productive.

You can change clothes, you can change diapers and you can change the channel on your television set, but you have a better chance of finding change at a nudist colony than you have of finding it between these two.

Unity is another popular slogan but, if this pair is any indication, the only thing uniting liberals is their individual selfishness and arrogance undermining their collective interest and agenda. If too many cooks spoil the soup, then this soup has become a diluted, jumbled and highly intoxicating superficial stew.

OH speak of unity, brotherhood, sisterhood and neighborhood even as they prove on a daily basis that they need to check under the hood and see why their actions have never met their words. How can we believe two people who claim to be messengers of unity when they cannot even find a way to unify their own party? How can we listen to two people who ask us to hug each other when they seem more likely to slug each other? How can we heed their calls to heal our wounds when they seem more adept at rubbing salt in their own?

More here

Posted by John Ray.

Obama's Church Hunkers Down

New security rules have been established at the Trinity United Church, former home of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and historical center of worship for presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Visitors approaching church entrances are immediately greeted by signs on the glass doors directing members of the news media to sign in at the front desk. More signs warn: "NO CAMERA & NO RECORDING DEVICES."

[ ... ]

Reporters, who have attended the church every Sunday for the past month, according to Media Coordinator/Deacon Donna Hammond-Miller, are chaperoned.

Notepads are not allowed in the 2,700-seat sanctuary. Interviews with members cannot be conducted on church property. . . .

I'm guessing that Trinity United Church has some secrets.

Paid Interviews in Abu Ghraib Documentary

The day after a documentary on Abu Ghraib opened and it was disclosed that former soldiers were paid to appear in it, the NYTimes broaches the subject of the appropriateness of paying interviewees in documentaries.

Titled "Standard Operating Procedure" and made by Errol Morris, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, the 'documentary' examines prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib through the eyes of paid interviewees, "bad apples" as Morris calls them.

Word of the payments drew conflicting reactions among those in the world of film documentaries, where show business values have been known to collide with the more austere standards of good journalism.

Right. Never paying for factual content is the rule for journalists -- unlike those scamps in show business. I would suggest that when all else fails, austere standards prompt journalists to pull something out of thin "anonymous" air rather than pay for it.

Nevertheless, the Times has slipped the paid-interview issue on the table, indicating that there are opposing yet valid arguments on the subject, worthy of debate. I'd disagree. A film shouldn't be called a documentary if it contains paid content.

Call me a purist but I think a documentary should simply document, not implement.

Pennsylvania Woman Arrested for WMD Threat

(Shickshinny, Pennsylvania) An 18-year-old woman, Sarah Marie Myers, was jailed this week for allegedly threatening to bomb the home of President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Authorities were alerted after Myers told a youth counselor of her plan and also revealed that she had already scoped out the location of the judge's home and surveilled the street.

Myers has been charged with retaliation against a judge, threatening with weapons of mass destruction and terroristic threats. Interestingly, the WMD charge is only a misdemeanor.

Myers blames Judge Ciavarella for ruining her life by "always putting her away" when she was a juvenile. She allegedly intended to end Judge Ciavarella's life in return.

Judge Ciavarella told police that he was familiar with Myers and considered her threats to be a serious danger for him and his family.

Arraignment before Magisterial District Judge John Hasay in Shickshinny was Thursday. Myers was booked into custody at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $35,000.

Notably, before this episode Myers was scheduled for trial on charges of disorderly conduct and simple assault for wrestling a state trooper to the ground and assaulting him in a neighbor's yard.

Companion post at Jawa Report.

Court Rules Unanimously: Illinois School Must Allow "Be Happy, Not Gay" T-shirt

We read:

" The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit reversed a lower court's ruling against an Illinois student Wednesday, saying the district court must order a Naperville high school to suspend its ban on a T-shirt that reads "Be Happy, Not Gay" while the student's lawsuit proceeds. School officials prohibited student Alex Nuxoll, who is represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, from wearing the clothing.

"Christian students shouldn't be discriminated against for expressing their beliefs," said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. "Public school officials cannot censor a message expressing one viewpoint on homosexual behavior and then at the same time allow messages that express another viewpoint. The court's ruling is a victory for all students seeking to protect their First Amendment rights on a school campus."

Nuxoll, a student at Neuqua Valley High School, desires to express his perspective at various times throughout the year, including the next school day after the "Day of Silence." Other students at the school are permitted to wear shirts with messages supporting homosexual behavior as part of the "Day of Silence," which is sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network. The 7th Circuit ruling prevents school officials from singling out Nuxoll's message for censorship.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Child Molester Jane Attwood Gets Supervision

Judge Andrew Trollope sentenced Jane Attwood to a three-year supervision order which I'm assuming is probation.

The judge told her that "she had behaved in a 'deplorable and unjustifiable' manner in fondling the boy, carrying out another sex act on him and making him perform one on her at a screening of Jackass 2 in central London."

Attwood will also be added to the Sex Offenders Register for five years.


* * * * *
[04/01/08 entry]

(London, England) A 36-year-old married mom, Jane Attwood, admitted her guilt during prosecution for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy she grabbed up in a movie theater.

According to The Sun:

Jane Attwood, 36, fondled the teenager, carried out another sex act on him and made him perform one on her at a screening of Jackass 2 in central London.

Apparently, the carrying out was so pleasurable that Attwood called the boy at home. The boy's mother became suspicious and she alerted the authorities.

It's not exactly clear what happens next. Attwood admitted she committed three sexual offenses, however, she "was bailed and the case adjourned for reports." I suspect it means that Attwood is out on bail while pre-sentencing evaluations are conducted.

Tip: Barry

* * * * *

[Update 04/04/08]

From another source it's reported that horrified filmgoers looked on as Attwood molested the young lad.

Attwood had canoodled with the lad before taking him from Dagenham Station to central London to see comedy movie, Jackass 2, on December 9, 2006.

The mother-of-one stroked the schoolboy's genitals and performed other sex acts upon him, while sitting in the darkened cinema.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 25th.

If You Die in Cuba, Gov't Cuts Out Your Organs

(Havana, Cuba) A young Bolivian girl, Beatriz Porco Calle, reportedly died of a rare illness while studying in Cuba. When the body of Beatriz, accompanied by all the other Bolivian students, was returned to her native land, her sister, Sofia Porco Calle, held a news conference.

The woman told the newspaper that several Cuban officials who came on the same flight wanted to take the body of her sister to another city to conduct an autopsy, but the family intervened and didn't allow the body to be moved.

"The autopsy was performed at the Hospital de Clinicas. My little sister's body didn't have any organs, teeth, eyes, it was without her tongue. There was a sponge in place of her brain and more sponges in her stomach," the woman said during the press conference.

The most incredible part of the story is that Cuban officials told the relatives of the dead student, that the deal that they signed with the Bolivian government says that those students who die while in Cuba will be sent back without their organs. [my bold]

What kind of deal is that? A foreigner dies and the Cuban government has blanket authority to perform an autopsy and harvest the organs? I don't believe it. There is no such deal because it doesn't make a lick of sense.

Adding to this disgusting episode is the report that the family of the dead girl was threatened with "reprisals" by Cuban officials if they made the case public.

Realistically, though, nobody should be surprised. It's just business as usual in your typical police-state socialist utopia.

Blogging in Afghanistan

(Kabul, Afghanistan) For those who believe that blogs are good things which provide communication, information and venues for discussion, this report is quite welcome.

Blogging is a new phenomenon in Afghanistan, and only a few people make professional use of it. Therefore holding such workshops for the first time by the Afghan Association of Blog Writers can speed up this process and facilitate the work of Afghan bloggers.

Blogging is new in Afghanistan and today most of students and youth start to use it. Even though there are many obstacles for accessing the internet, the Afghan youth refer more and more to this than before, and the number of Afghan bloggers dramatically grows by the day.

Around twenty thousand Afghan blogs have yet been created in cyberspace by Afghans inside and outside the country, and using different service providers.

For those who believe that blogs are written by evil rumormongers trying to derail the express train to utopia, too freakin' bad. Kudos to Nasim Fekrat of Afghan LORD who has been described as having cajones the size of pampelmousse.

Be sure to check out the link for interesting reading. Tip to the Sandcrawler.

Cyclists Die on 'Road Of Death'

(La Paz, Bolivia) In the past week, a 22-year-old British cyclist, Tom Austin, and a 56-year-old Californian, Kenneth Mitchell, have died on the notorious Road of Death in Bolivia, a 40-mile stretch that descends 11,800 feet from La Paz to Coroico.

In its most dangerous section, the road is one unpaved lane hacked out of the mountainside, bordered by 3,000-foot cliffs.

A staggering percentage of its curves are blind, and a cautionary "look-out" honk is usually all the warning you'll get from the many trucks carrying bananas and other tropical products uphill.

In several sections, waterfalls crash directly onto the road, and it can be muddy throughout.

Grave markings litter the Road of Death, pointing to the hundreds of lives lost after Bolivian buses have plunged off its 3,300-foot cliffs.

Condolences to the families.

Texas Teacher and Male Student, 16

(Atlanta, Texas) A 32-year-old English teacher at Atlanta High School, Melissa Kay Lee, was arrested last week for allegedly having an improper relationship with a 16-year-old male student.

Lee was picked up on a warrant for sexual assault and another warrant for improper relationship between educator and student. Both offenses are second degree felonies.

Atlanta Independent School District Superintendent Roger Hailey said the district could not make any comment on the subject as it was a personnel matter that is under investigation.

Lee was booked into custody at the Cass County Jail and later released on $25,000 bond.

Notably, according to the Atlanta Independent School District website, Melissa Lee (Missy Lee) is married with at least two children. She likes to read and teaching has been her lifelong dream.

Atlanta is a small community about 30 miles SSW of Texarkana.

Female Teacher Caught Smoking Dope in School

(Waukegan, Illinois) Authorities are investigating a female math teacher at Waukegan High School who was allegedly caught Tuesday smoking marijuana in the bathroom. A fellow employee reported the incident to school officials.

According to Waukegan Schools Superintendent Donaldo Batiste, her name is being withheld and no charges have been filed thus far.

"An employee is said to have witnessed the incident and we picked up the remains of what appears to be marijuana," Batiste said.

The teacher is on paid leave.

Female math teacher suddenly gone from the school? It shouldn't be too hard to figure out who it is. It's smple math.


[Update 05/08/08]

Waukegan Township High School Upper Grade Center teacher Deborah Logan, 46, was arrested Monday and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Logan was booked and released on bond.

THAT WAFFLE WAS MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

Obama's now-famous remark: "Why can't I just eat my waffle?" has been much noted. Google has over 19,000 mentions of it. And the message taken from it has generally been that Obama is a haughty elitist who does not like to be questioned. I think that there is much more than that to it, however. Read the following report from last month to put it in context:

Early morning trainers and exercisers at the Greenville, Miss., YMCA on Mississippi primary day last Tuesday got a taste of Sen. Barack Obama's reclusiveness, which the traveling press corps has learned to accept.

After speaking at Tougaloo College on Monday night, Obama went to the "Y" at 6:30 a.m. for a workout. He greeted nobody and did not respond when people there called out to him. That aloofness has been the pattern in the Democratic presidential candidate's behavior toward reporters who cover him.

After finishing his workout, Obama returned to his gregarious campaign mode with a visit to black-owned Buck's restaurant in Greenville before leaving the state. He won Mississippi comfortably against Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Source

The above quote and the waffle remark are both telling us the same thing: That Obama has difficulty keeping up his "nice guy" image. Keeping it up quite simply wears him out. It is not who he really is so keeping up that image tires him and he just HAS to rest from it. It is not who he really is.

And as someone who has studied psychopathy (I have a couple of academic journal articles on the subject) that is very familiar. Psychopaths also typically present a "nice guy" image -- something that sucks in the females wholesale. The psychopath says and does all the right things and people promptly put their trust in him. And then when they least expect it, he "goes bad" on them. "Why did he do that?" is the typical distressed response, "He was so nice and then he went and did ....".

The sucker in the story gets very thoroughly betrayed and has no clue as to why the psychopath suddenly changed. The answer, of course, is that the nice guy act was all a pretense in the first place and because it was not genuine the psychopath just could not keep it up for long. The "change" that distressed the sucker was the mask being dropped and the psychopath reverting to his true type.

And that is what we see in both reports of Obama's behaviour above. By the time he got to his waffle he just could not keep up his act, even under the full glare of media scrutiny. He HAD to have a rest from acting. So the Obama we see on the campaign trail is just a false front for the very dismal soul that lies beneath it. If America elects Obama, it will not get what it voted for. It will get a horror. An entire nation will have been conned.

Bill Clinton is a psychopath too. He too is known for suddenly "losing it" at times. But Slick Willy was led around by his penis. Obama will probably be led around by the hate that he sucked up in listening to 20 years of Jeremiah Wright's preaching.

Posted by John Ray.

Wild Party at Teacher's House!

(Bossier City, Louisiana) A 42-year-old teacher at Byrd High School in Shreveport, Leanne Marie Burt, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly hosting a wild party with high school students involving alcohol drinking games and inappropriate sexual behavior.

Burt has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and letting a disorderly place.

Additionally, related charges have been filed against a teacher at Airline High School, Tricia Cooney, 35, who stopped at Burt's house but reportedly didn't know about the party. She left as more and more students arrived, according to her lawyer. Cooney was cited by police to come to court and answer charges of improper supervision of a minor.

Those present at the party were ages 16 to 20 years and sexual activity began after Burt went to bed at 3:30 AM, according to Bossier City Police Chief Mike Halphen.

Burt and Cooney have been placed on leave by their respective school systems.

Florida Teacher Busted for Drugs

(Tampa, Florida) A 32-year-old learning-disbilities teacher at Carrollwood Elementary School, Jennifer Shepherd, was arrested last Friday for alleged drug possession.

According to the arrest report, Shepherd was spotted by police about 3:15 AM (on a school day) on the street trying to "conceal drugs behind her back."

Police found Shepherd with an unspecified amount of cocaine, half an Adderall pill, a snorting tube and a stick used for cutting or sifting. The paraphernalia tested positive for cocaine, the report shows.

Shepherd was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. She in on paid leave from the school.

She was booked into custody at the Orient Road Jail and later released on $4,500 bail.

Stalker Help Center

(Berlin, Germany) To help stalkers overcome their urges, a walk-in stalker help center has been opened.

The Stop Stalking organisation said the aim of its centre in Berlin was to give support to stalkers for whom there has until now been little help on offer.

"We want to be able to reach stalkers in the first place, and to not only make them aware of the legal consequences for them if they continue to stalk, but to also give them the support they need to stop doing it," said Wolf Ortiz-Müller, a psychologist and the head of the centre, which is financed by legal fines and donations.

A team of psychotherapists, psychologists and social workers would try to help stalkers kick the habit, he said.

The program consists of a series of 15 help sessions for each stalker which "redirect his inner focus on something else."

I don't know what to think of this other than it would be exceedingly weird to work in a place that had a bunch of admitted-stalkers. Talk about paranoia. You couldn't help but think that everyone was looking at you.

Female Coach Accused of Sex with Girl

(Chesapeake, Virginia) A 23-year-old Norfolk Academy JV girls basketball coach, Ashley Kristen Samaniego, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly engaging in sex with a 17-year-old female student. She has been charged with one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The student's parents alerted the police indicating that Samaniego picked the girl up on school grounds on several occasions.

According to this comment thread, Ashley Samaniego states:

For all of you that can't read, note that it says "accused".. the truth of the matter is that the 17 yr old minor was beat up by her mother and ran away to a neighbor's house to call for help. I picked her up, got her out of a hostile environment, and released her to two of her mother's friends who are teachers. For that reason only I was charged with contributing to the delinquency (she ran away) of a minor. Had I done something vulgar or perverted, I would have been charged more severely. It's my advice that you get the real story prior to judging.

Other commenters dispute her assertions. Apparently, Samaniego has a close relationship with the U.S. Navy as also reflected in comments. More story to come.

Samaniego was booked and released Tuesday night.

Tip: Rusty

The Danish View

Comment from Denmark on the 2008 U.S. Presidential election:

On one side, you have a b*tch who is a lawyer, married to a lawyer, and a lawyer who is married to a b*tch who is a lawyer.

On the other side, you have a true war hero married to a woman with a large chest who owns a beer distributorship.

Heh.

Tony Snow Hospitalized

In Spokane, Washington, with an undisclosed illness.

Get well soon, Tony, you're needed.

Preschool Teacher Sentenced in Drug Case

(Carson City, Nevada) After pleading guilty to sale of a controlled substance, 20-year-old Brittany Baxter-Stuchell was sentenced this week by District Judge Michael Gibbons to 30 days in jail and three years probation.

Baxter-Stuchell was caught in a sting operation in February 2007.

According to court documents, the sheriff's Street Enforcement Team set up the purchase.

Baxter-Stuchell allegedly took the cocaine from her purse and said she could provide marijuana, Ecstasy or hallucinogenic mushrooms.

She said Monday she no longer associates with her co-defendants, one of whom had been her boyfriend.

"These are not people or situations I surround myself with," she said.

"You may not think you're a drug dealer - you're not importing drugs from Colombia - but in pleading guilty to sale of a controlled substance, you're a drug dealer," Gibbons said.

Her lawyer, Derrick Lopez, said Baxter-Stuchell realized the felony conviction put her dreams of becoming a teacher on hold for at least 15 years until her record may be sealed.

"She did have dreams of becoming a teacher," Lopez said. "She knows now that is gone for a very long time. That is a significant punishment."

She received probation because she cooperated with law enforcement in other drug investigations.

"I know I made a very big mistake," Baxter-Stuchell said. "I am not on drugs. I hurt my family very badly and I hurt my schooling. I am taking full responsibility."

Judge Gibbons also ordered Baxter-Stuchell to graduate from high school, or get her GED, to pay $1,000 restitution and to pay reimbursement for her court-appointed attorney.

BTW, Baxter-Stuchell left remarks in Comments.


[12/09/07 entry]

(Carson City, Nevada) A preschool teacher at the Capital Christian Daycare Center, 19-year-old Brittany Baxter-Stuchell, has been accused of selling 24 grams of cocaine in a police undercover sting operation last February.

Baker-Stuchell has been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance.

"You're accused of selling dope and a lot of it. What's the matter with you?" asked East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl. "You don't have a clue."

A court appearance is scheduled for December 12th. Baxter-Stuchell was released on her own recognizance.

Police go after blogger who criticized them

We read:

"An anonymous blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin has been critical of the police chief and how he runs things. He has been critical of various aspects of the town government as well. He recently criticized government roundups of alleged illegal immigrants for instance.

Police chief James Coan did not take kindly to be criticized so he had city employees begin an investigation in order to try to find out who was publishing the blog. Coan used his position in the police department to get two detectives, the director of public works, the information technology officer and the city clerk involved in searching for the identity of the blogger -- all at taxpayer's expense."

Coan had the blogger listed as a "suspect" even though he had broken no laws. Coan tried to bullshit his way out of the mess he created by claiming that the blogger was a "potential threat" because he was "so extremely angry at me".

Source

Sounds like they didn't find him, though. Lucky for him! More background here.

There is a lot of misbehaviour by police and prosecutors. Strange Justice documents a lot of it.

Posted by John Ray.

Sex Perv, Three Girls, Four Cows

(Moorestown, New Jersey) A 38-year-old Moorestown Police Officer, Robert Melia Jr., was accused yesterday of animal cruelty for allegedly engaging in sex with cows. Melia was already in jail after being arrested earlier this month and charged for sexually assaulting three girls.

Melia's former girlfriend, Heather Lewis, 32, is also in jail on charges related to sexually assaulting the same three girls between 2003 and 2006.

The animal cruelty charges resulted after police raided Melia's home and seized his computer. Evidence collected indicated that Melia had been amorous on four occasions with cows. Consequently, four counts of animal cruelty were lodged.

Melia is in custody at the Burlington County Jail with bail set at $510,000. Heather Lewis is in custody at the Women's Detention Center in Pemberton with bail set at $300,000.

Tip: slwlion


[Update 04/28/08]

From Courier Post:

Additional charges of sex assault on a juvenile have been filed against Heather Lewis, 32, of Pemberton Township, the former girlfriend of a Moorestown policeman also charged with similar sexual assaults.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Smith Jr. raised bail from $300,000 to $400,000 for Lewis today after she was charged with two more sexual assault charges involving an alleged fourth victim in August and September 2007.

Asst. Burlington County prosecutor Kevin Morgan declined to say whether the fourth victim is a boy or a girl. Huh? Maybe it is neither.

Arizona Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Yuma, Arizona) A 29-year-old woman, Melissa King, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly engaging in sex with a 16-year-old neighbor boy. King faces two counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

According to Capt. Eben Bratcher of the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, the boy's mother alerted authorities to the inappropriate sexual behavior by King. Bratcher said that King was allegedly involved with the boy on at least two occasions.

King was booked into custody at the Yuma County Jail with bond set at $31,345.

Marmot Killing Fields

(Reno, Nevada) Oh my gawd! They're killing all the marmots in Reno. The city has even hired a marmot-killing company.

Check the comment thread to get a sense of the controversy. The "Save the Marmot" crowd pleads that they are cuddly and cute and should be relocated instead of killed. The "Kill the Marmot" people claim that they are stinking vermin, pests that carry bubonic plague.

Since I'm in Ohio and the marmots are in Nevada, I don't really care how the issue is resolved, but I'm generally an anti-vermin type of guy. On the other hand, Robert Koehler of The Marmot's Hole has a closer association with the animal so he might have some remarks.

Starfruit Reported Life-Threatening to Renal Patients

(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Although formal studies have yet to be completed, a Malaysian doctor has raised the alarm about eating starfruit (also called carambola). Reportedly, starfruit can be life-threatening to patients with kidney problems.

Professor Dr Tan Si Yen, a medical specialist at the University Malaya Medical Centre, said the fruit contains a neurotoxin and a high level of oxalic acid (or oxalate) which could be harmful to renal patients.

Dr Tan was referring to retiree Tang Gon Seang, who allegedly slipped into a coma after eating starfruit in China.

Dr Tan said the weakened kidneys of renal patients were not able to process the high level of oxalate, causing the organ to fail.

Speaking at the MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau yesterday, he said typical symptoms occurred within one to five hours. They include persistent hiccups, nausea, vomiting, agitation, insomnia, mental confusion and convulsions.

"It can also cause death but it can be treated through aggressive dialysis sessions," said Dr Tan, adding that no deaths had been recorded so far.

Starfruit is popular and consumed worldwide so this is a nice heads up on a potential problem. People with renal insufficiency should keep it in mind until studies are completed and a medical opinion is published.

Must not mention reality

We read:

"A coalition of American Muslim groups is demanding that Sen. John McCain stop using the adjective "Islamic" to describe terrorists and extremist enemies of the United States.

Muneer Fareed, who heads the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), told The Washington Times that his group is beginning a campaign to persuade Mr. McCain to rephrase his descriptions of the enemy. "We've tried to contact his office, contact his spokesperson to have them rethink word usage that is more acceptable to the Muslim community," Mr. Fareed said. "If it's not our intent to paint everyone with the same brush, then certainly we should think seriously about just characterizing them as criminals, because that is what they are."

An aide to Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who is counting on his pro-Iraq war stance to attract conservative voters, said the senator from Arizona will not drop the word.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Switzerland Freezes Iranian Assets

(Geneva, Switzerland) In accordance with UN sanctions, Switzerland said today that it has frozen the assets of 12 Iranian companies.

The 12 companies, and 13 individuals, have been added to an existing blacklist of 23 companies and 27 people. Five Iranian nationals are also banned from entering and passing through Switzerland, the country's Federal Council said in a statement.

Switzerland will also ban the delivery of so-called "dual use" materials that could be used for the manufacture of nuclear plants, and the export of some drones and missiles, the statement said.

The UN Security Council last month imposed its third set of sanctions against Iran in the space of 15 months to punish Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, which world powers fear Iran could use to make nuclear weapons.

The resolution gives Iran three months to comply with demands to suspend uranium enrichment, and includes an outright ban on travel by officials involved in Tehran's nuclear and missile programmes, as well as broadening a list of individuals and entities subject to an assets freeze.

It's not clear what impact the freeze will have but it must sting.

Jemaah Islamiah Banned in Indonesia

(Jakarta, Indonesia) This is welcome news and about time.

THE Indonesian Government has endorsed a court's decision to outlaw the radical Jemaah Islamiah network, sparking intense debate about whether the move is a turning point in the region's battle against terrorism.

Kristiarto Legowo of the Foreign Ministry said, "I think the essence here is it [JI] is now banned and that we are all bound by it."

The ban needs to be confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Woman Offs Husband in Sex Ritual

As a regular news consumer, I'm usually not surprised by cultural eccentricities in society, however, this week has produced two stories that have me shaking my head.

1) First, there's the reported case in Tennessee where a woman, Rebecca Bargy, allegedly kills her 29-year-old husband, James Bargy, during a sex ritual.

According to the arrest warrant, 25-year-old Rebecca Bargy placed duct tape over James Bargy's mouth and eyes, put a ball gag in his mouth and then tied a bandage around his head, leaving only his nostrils showing.

She also tied his hands and legs behind his back.

Now, I naturally interpret that a sex ritual encompasses some kind of enjoyment -- you know, like sex -- instead of just being tied up and gagged. So, where's the sex part?

Well, it turns out that the sex part happens when Rebecca Bargy leaves her husband bound and gagged and goes to a motel, meets a man and has continuous sex with him for nearly an entire calendar day. That's the sex part. He gets tied up, she has sex. Some ritual, eh?

After 20 hours, Rebecca returns and, unfortunately, finds James dead. Presumably, he wasn't supposed to die. Rather, on Rebecca's return he was likely supposed to be told the enjoyable details of the sex part of the sex ritual -- I guess. Hell, I don't know. None of this sex ritual makes a lick of sense to me.

In any event, after James was found, authorities were notified and Maury County Sheriff's deputies arrested Rebecca for reckless homicide. She was booked into the Maury County Jail without bond.

2) The second story involved the CNN celebrity guy, Richard Quest, prancing around Central Park in NYC at three o'clock in the morning with a rope tied to his genitals. See earlier entry and if you can explain what was going on, please leave a comment. Previously, I would have wagered a paycheck that the words "rope" and "genitals" would never appear in the same sentence, at least not one written by me.

In conclusion, I have no idea what to think about these two stories.

Also: Jawa Report

Wisconsin Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Sheboygan, Wisconsin) An 18-year-old local woman, Heather L. Heinen, was accused this week of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old boy. Heinen faces one count of felony sexual assault of a child under 16 years old.

The boy, who said he has known Heinen for two years, told police the two had sex at Heinen’s home sometime in mid-March, according to a criminal complaint. He said having sex was Heinen’s idea, the complaint said.

According to the comment thread at the link, Heinen comes from a broken home, has the mind of a child and was raised by a cancer-inflicted grandmother. It's believed that she cannot fully understand the charges leveled against her.

If convicted, Heinen reportedly could be sentenced to 25 years in prison. I don't think so. More likely, she'll see probation and counseling.

Alabaman Sentenced for Failing to Register

(Talladega County, Alabama) Circuit Judge Julian King sentenced 25-year-old Brandon Keith Weathers to 15 years in prison for failing to register as a convicted sex offender.

Good! Too often, it seems that sex offenders neglect, intentionally or otherwise, to register and are given only mild admonishment by the courts.

Foster Mom Accused of Sex with Foster Son

(Stafford, Virginia) Last month, a 33-year-old drug court therapist, Suzanne Ibsen Collares, was indicted for engaging in sexual relations with her teenage foster son.

Collares was charged with 10 counts of statutory rape and 10 counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. She was booked into custody at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Reportedly, the boy was in middle school when the alleged sex began.

Details about the incidents are scarce, but the indictments show that the sex acts were alleged to have occurred between March of 2005 and August of last year at Collares’ Argyle Hills home, where she lived or lives with her husband in southern Stafford.

Olsen said the boy, who no longer lives with Collares, reported the allegation to authorities.

Yesterday, a Stafford Circuit Court judge reversed an earlier decision and granted bond of $25,000 to Collares. She was originally denied bond due to erroneous information given to the judge that she had other crimes pending litigation.

Collares' trial is scheduled for June 12.

Fire Base or Fire Island

Check out this video. A Sunni insurgent cross-dresser caught by the Iraqi Security Forces.

Spermella - A Good Idea?

The British are gangbusters for research to create human sperm from females. The goal is to create babies without any male involvement. It's an initiative promoted by the same-sex community.

Sperm derived from females would logically have to be renamed, don't you think? How about spermella? Or spermeoba? Matrisperm? Spermette? Femsperm? Honeysperm? Autosperm? Instasperm? Spermoselle?

I can see it now -- inside an incubator in a laboratory, surrounded by other petrie dishes. The temperature is controlled at 98.6 degrees and the room lighting is subdued, coming from a lone Bunsen burner. A sound system plays Barbra Striesand's People over and over. Spermella slowly advances to a real human egg -- and then ....

Oh, the mind wanders. Honestly, though, I think sperm derived from females is a lousy idea. They wouldn't swim as fast nor as powerfully as male sperm and they would likely want to stop for directions. Real sperm don't ask for directions.

Also: Jawa Report

New Frontier - Bizarre Defense Strategies

Leave it to the litigious United States, with most of the world's lawyers, to toy with the edges of sensibility. We have already seen the Twinkies defense and the pre-menstral syndrome defense among many which stretch reasonableness. Fresh are two new ones -- the platypus defense and the Katrina defense.

For the presumed murder of Nina Reiser, 44-year-old husband Hans Reiser's attorney offers the duck-billed platypus defense. Counsel contends that all evidence is circumstantial since no body has been found and, although the evidence points to Hans Reiser as the killer, he is an eccentric and paranoid person of atypical characteristics, like a platypus, which can explain away the evidence. Defense Attorney William DuBois called him platypusian.

For murders committed in April 2007, defense counsel for 24-year-old Gregory Decay intends to argue that trauma caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is mitigating evidence. Decay is on trial this week for pulling the trigger and killing Kevin Jones and Kendall Rice, both 24.

So, there you go. Feel free to make up your own creative defense.

U.S. Attorney Blows Human Smuggling Case

The U.S. Attorney in Maine is being accused of non-responsiveness by a Canadian Provincial Court. As a result, prosecution of three alleged human smugglers didn't happen. I'm not surprised. Whether it's a lack of resources or a lack of will, the feds are regularly dropping the ball on border security.

ST. STEPHEN, New Brunswick -- Three Charlotte County men who last year allegedly attempted to smuggle two people from Guyana into the United States were set free last week after a New Brunswick Provincial Court judge ruled that U.S. law enforcement officials apparently didn’t have their act together, according to a Canadian newspaper.

Charged in connection with the smuggling incident were John Wayne Richardson, 48, his son John Jason Richardson, 22, and Byron Lawson Murray, 57, all of St. Stephen. They could have faced up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

According to the St. Croix Courier Weekend newspaper of St. Stephen, the three defendants were charged in January 2007 with conspiring to break American law by allegedly attempting to smuggle two Guyanese nationals into the U.S.

A problem developed in the case when Canadian legal officials attempted to get a U.S. attorney to appear in court in St. Stephen to testify about the law in question.

The requests for the U.S. attorney to testify were made under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Canada and the U.S., which seeks "to improve the effectiveness of judicial assistance and to regularize and facilitate" procedures between the two countries, according to the U.S. State Department’s Web site.

Well, guess what? The U.S. Attorney's Office didn't provide a person to "regularize and facilitate" so the Provincial Court Judge dismissed the case.

Great! In return for all the time and resources spent on catching human smugglers, we get apparent ineptitude by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the smugglers (alleged) go free.

All is not lost, though, maybe something good will result. Senator Susan Collins has asked her staff to pound on some desks and get answers about why the U.S. Attorney failed to be responsive.

By the way, the Canadian-Guyanese smuggling operation has been linked to a ring of Guyanese girls going wild as prostitutes. I've read that they are very popular in Northeastern cities.

Also worth mentioning is that Byron Murray's wife, Savita Singh-Murray was convicted of human smuggling back in 2005 and sentenced to time served, 132 days.

Also: Diggers Realm

Martin Sheen Visits Ohio

(Akron, Ohio) Describing himself as a radical, liberal Democrat, actor Martin Sheen gave a lecture last night in Akron, saying, "If Barack Obama is elected President, there will be a worldwide celebration."

Well, Mr. Sheen, please allow me to add to your statement to make it correct.

"If Barack Obama is elected President, there will be a worldwide celebration by the enemies of liberty and democracy."

There, that's better.

Immigration among top social evils in UK

It's not only Italy. See earlier post by Mike

Immigration and responses to the phenomenon are among the 10 social evils afflicting British society, a survey released on Sunday by a major think-tank said. According to a survey by Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the British people feel a deep sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. The 10 social evils pointed out by the respondents were: individualism, greed, decline of community, decline of values, drugs and alcohol, poverty and inequality, decline of the family, immigration and responses to immigration, crime and violence and young people as victims or perpetrators.

On the social evil of immigration and responses to immigration, some participants felt that local residents lost out to immigrants in competition for scarce resources. Others criticised negative attitudes to, and lack of support for immigrants and thought society should be more tolerant and inclusive. Besides, it was felt that the British society had become more greedy and selfish, at a cost to its sense of community.

Respondents to the consultation carried out by the foundation said that Britons no longer shared a set of common values and that they had lost their 'moral compass'. The four social evils which emerged as the cause for most worry among the respondents were individualism, greed, decline of community and decline of values.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is one of the largest social policy research and development charities in the UK. It supports a research and development programme that seeks to understand the causes of social difficulties and explore ways of overcoming them.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Giving these guys a State sure worked wonders

"The number of Palestinians who support attacks against Israelis continues to rise and more than half of them favor suicide bombings, according to a poll published this weekend. The survey also showed that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is still more popular than Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The percentage of Palestinians who support "resistance operations" against Israeli targets rose from 43.1 percent in September 2006 to 49.5% at present. Support for this option was highest in the Gaza Strip, at 58.1%, with 24.5% in the West Bank agreeing. Palestinians who support bombing attacks against Israeli civilians rose from 44.8% in June 2006 to 48% in September 2006 and to 50.7% now. Again, more Gazans support these operations (65.1%), compared with 42.3% of Palestinians in the West Bank."

More here

Posted by John Ray.

Two Brothers Drinking

(Lancashire, England) After spending the day imbibing in alcoholic beverages, Michael Garvin cooked for his brother, John, a traditional English shepherd's pie dinner.

John, however, voiced his disquiet that the pie was not topped with a layer of sliced tomatoes.

His brother, a chef, claimed a layer of tomatoes was not the appropriate way to finish off a shepherd’s pie, and responded by hitting him over the head with a shovel.

As the argument got out of control, John threatened to petrol bomb his brother’s flat and was arrested.

John was arrested and booked for breach of the peace. In court, District Judge Peter Ward ruled that John be "bound over to keep the peace for 12 months in the sum of £200."

Judge Ward mentioned that he agreed with Michael and saw no need for tomatoes either.