Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 11:52:00 PM

Women With Troubles - January 2008

Reported in the news during January 2008, here is the compilation of women with troubles. Each name is linked to a blog entry displaying details. For a more comprehensive listing, check the Women With Troubles category link.

(AL) Ashley Stokes, 24,
neighbor - Gets three years in prison for sodomy of boy, 14,

(AZ) Melissa Arrington, 27,
exotic dancer - Gets 10.5 years prison for aggravated DUI and negligent homicide,

(AZ) Kumari Fulbright, 25,
beauty queen law student - Indicted on robbery, kidnapping charges,

(AZ) Lori Ann Somerville, 28,
youth corrections officer - Arrested for sex with male teen inmate,

(CA) Tamara Allen, 42, and Christopher Liller, 34,
teacher and boyfriend - Face federal charges for growing and selling marijuana,

(CA) Beccy Hasselbarth, 36,
corrections officer - Gets year in jail for sex with juvenile inmate,

(CA) Valentina Elaine Medrano, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for having sex with three boys, ages 8, 13 and 14,

(CA) Vanessa Woods, 22, and Reginald Hardin Jr., 24,
neighbors - Arrested for torturing 21-month-old daughter,

(CT and MA) Sarah Colby, 25,
neighbor - Gets hand slap for traveling across state lines to have sex with a boy, 15,

(CT) Gina Sendra, 43,
neighbor - Arrested for years-long sexual relationship with boy, beginning at age 11,

(CT) Yalines Torres, 25,
babysitter - Charged with murder of 19-month-old she was watching,

(DC) Banita Jacks, 33,
neighbor - Charged with murdering her four children, ages 5, 6, 11 and 17,

(FL) Angelica Rene Ayala, 26,
neighbor - Arrested for punching police horse,

(FL) Marie Lupe Cooley, 41,
neighbor - Arrested for damage to employer's computer files. She thought she was going to be fired,

(FL) Jennifer Lyn Crossin, 47,
neighbor - Arrested for alleged sex with boy, 16,

(FL) Sarah Elizabeth Joel, 31,
teacher - Arrested for alleged sex with boy, 15,

(FL) Ka Alease McCrary, 34,
teacher - Arrested for attempted smuggling of drugs into jail,

(FL) Meg,
pregnant goat - Raped and killed

(FL) Marissa Rodriguez, 42,
mental health worker - Arrested for exposing her breasts to young girls,

(FL) Annette Smith, 42,
neighbor - Arrested for stabbing sister with samurai sword,

(GA) Clarissa Robbie Linnabary, 27,
neighbor - Arrested for theft by deception for faking a pregnancy,

(IL) Ashley Ruestman, 22,
neighbor - Gets probation for sex with boy, 14. Must register as sex offender,

(IN) Melinda Ellis and Anita Miller,
teachers - Arrested on drug and alcohol violations,

(KY) Kathryn E. "Katie" McCoy, 19,
college student - Arrested for allegedly killing her newborn,

(ME) Jessica Bowring, 27,
neighbor - Indicted on new charges pertaining to sex with a boy, starting at age 13,

(MO) Mackenzie L. Gruenewald, 27,
neighbor - Charged in causing death of her unborn child by using meth,

(MO) Amy L. Mercille Wade, 25,
neighbor - Gets probation for raping two boys, 14 and 16,

(MS) Rebecca Bogard, 27,
teacher, beauty queen - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(MS) Loni Folks, 24,
teacher - Arrested for alleged sex with male student, 16,

(ND) Renae Hofstad, 34,
neighbor - Pleads guilty to sex with boy, 14. Sentencing in March,

(NJ) Keri Ann Marie Brekne, 28,
teacher - Arrested for engaging in extended-term sex with girl, 14,

(NJ) Josette M. Taylor, 55,
neighbor - Arrested for extended-term sex with boy, 15,

(NJ) Erica Umosella, 28,
teacher, coach - Admitted to having sex with female student "while on the job." Agreed to probation for official misconduct. Must leave New Jersey if she wants to teach again,

(NM) Michelle A. Tufts, 30,
neighbor - Pleaded no contest to molesting boy, 8,

(NY) Stephanie N. Bouvia, 26,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 13,

(NY) Helen M. Chiaravalle, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for engaging in sex with boy, 14,

(NY) Marcy L. Cole, 35,
teacher - Arrested for felony drunk driving,

(NY) Virginia Inness, 37,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with girl under age 17,

(NY) Beth Modica, 44,
attorney - Arrested for wild parties and intimate relations with high school boys,

(NY) Sophie Soto, 22, and Julio Rojas, 31,
strippers - Arrested for rape of two girls, both 15,

(OH) Sandra Bratt, 31,
teacher - Gets seven years prison for sex with boy, 11,

(OH) Laura M. Thornton, 23,
neighbor - Arrested for drug abuse involving an unborn child,

(OK) Konawha Don Ade, 31,
teacher - Arrested for attempting to buy cocaine in sting operation,

(OR) Jasmine Nguyen (aka Hanh Nguyen), 30,
therapist - Arrested for rape of boy,

(OR) Janis Ribeiro, 49,
neighbor - Gets 60 days in jail for felony sex with two boys, both 15,

(PA) Patience Agyemen, 25,
neighbor - On trial for molesting boy, 8,

(PA) Marcie Lynn Burroughs, 38,
neighbor - Gets 2 to 4 years prison for sex with girl. Classified as sexually violent predator,

(PA) Beth Ann Chester, 26,
gym teacher - Arrested for sending her nude photos to male student, 14,

(SC) Danielle Bowen, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for allegedly killing her 6-month-old baby,

(SC) Stephanie Kae Cassel, 35, and James Wesley Lewis, 28,
neighbors - Arrested for liquoring up four 11-year-old girls during sleep-over,

(SC) Patricia Collins Eudy, 35,
neighbor - Arrested for neglect and assault of her five children,

(SC) Connie Gainey (aka Michelle), 31,
neighbor - Arrested for alleged sex with boy, 15,

(SD) Tonia Points At Him, 36,
neighbor - Gets 18 months federal prison for sex abuse of another woman,

(SD) Andrea Herald, 39,
neighbor - Guilty of raping boy, 14. Sentencing in March,

(TN) Heather Michelle Chesser, 26,
teacher - Indicted for sex with student,

(TN) Holly Hatcher, 25,
teacher - Indicted on three counts of statutory rape (by authority figure) of male student, 17,

(TX) Summer Allen, 26,
school coach - Arrested for sex with female player,

(TX) Robin Ater, 52,
teacher - Charged with liquoring up students,

(TX) Jennifer Elizabeth Bagley, 36,
teacher - Gets probation for sexual relationship with female student, 15,

(TX) Sandra Borrego, 41,
dance teacher - Indicted for aggravated sex assault of boy, 13, in school cafeteria resulting in pregnancy,

(TX) Beatrice Charles, 60,
Sunday School teacher - Arrested for dealing crack cocaine,

(TX) Shannon Kay Hrozek, 42,
teacher - Arrested after being caught in classroom giving oral sex to boy, 16,

(VT) Sandra Eastman, 24,
neighbor - Arrested for alleged sex with boy, 15. Pregnancy involved.

As always, thanks to the tipsters.

Labels: Women With Troubles

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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 06:23:00 PM

Red Light Cameras

(Peoria, Arizona) In case you are interested, the traffic fine locally for tickets issued for violations caught by red light cameras is $214. With an average of 77 violations each day, the cameras are accounting for $16,478 in revenue every day and about $500,000 each month.

Of that amount, $33 from each violation goes to the photo enforcement camera provider which equals more than $75,000 each month.

Heh, better fleecing through technology.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 09:37:00 AM

Scientists Reverse Memory Loss

(Toronto, Ontario) Researchers at the Toronto Western Hospital accidentally discovered a way to reverse memory loss during experimental surgery on a 50-year-old obese man.

The accidental breakthrough came during an experiment originally intended to suppress the obese man's appetite, using the increasingly successful technique of deep-brain stimulation. Electrodes were pushed into the man's brain and stimulated with an electric current.

Instead of losing appetite, the patient instead had an intense experience of deja vu. He recalled, in intricate detail, a scene from 30 years earlier. More tests showed his ability to learn was dramatically improved when the current was switched on and his brain stimulated.

Scientists are now applying the technique in the first trial of the treatment in patients with Alzheimer's disease. If successful, it could offer hope to sufferers from the degenerative condition, which affects 450,000 people in Britain alone, by providing a "pacemaker" for the brain.

Three patients have been treated and initial results are promising, according to Andres Lozano, a professor of neurosurgery at the Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, who is leading the research.

The discovery is great news! More information at the link.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 08:47:00 AM

Alleged Sex Between Woman and Girl

(Poughkeepsie, New York) A 37-year-old local woman, Virginia Inness, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a girl under the age of 17.

Paul R. Washburn Jr. of Poughkeepsie and Karen Lewis of Ulster Park were also arrested in connection with the case and charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

All three were issued tickets to appear in the Town of Esopus Court.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 07:49:00 AM

Introducing Brookes News

Some recent articles:

US booms and busts and a little monetary history: The extent to which media commentators are ignorant of economic history, let alone basic economics, is genuinely staggering. What's even worse, their so-called economic reporting is frequently littered with partisan comments aimed at Republicans
Why is Bernanke attempting to counter-act the stock market bear?: If the present aggressive interest rate stance by the Fed fails to prevent the economy falling into a recession, what will Bernanke do? Some of his writings suggest that under such circumstances he would ramp up the money supply. Such a policy could prove disastrous for the US economy
Will this year be crunch time for the Australian economy?: It's quite clear that the Rudd Government is completely clueless on what is happening to the economy. Changes in the Reserve Bank's balance sheet indicate that as severe monetary crunch could be in the making. In the mean time, the government can keep on attacking 'profiteers' while thinking up new ways to raid Australians' pension funds
Setting the record straight about Labor's record on unemployment: By putting a floor under real wage movements, Labor's Accord with the unions ensured that widespread unemployment would be a permanent feature of the Australian economy for some time to come. The economic rationale for this agreement cam straight from Keynes
The stories behind the pictures that defined the Vietnam War: History for the left is just a means to libel their enemies, and that's why the left do not hesitate to mix fact with fiction and fiction with fantasy. They lied about Vietnam and they are lying about Iraq
Bill Gates's 'Kind' capitalism is a misnomer: Bill Gates is another wealth capitalism who knows nothing about capitalism and who is equally ignorant of economic history. Those parts of the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, over which Gates anguishes are the ones where capitalism has not been allowed to emerge

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 06:26:00 AM

Woman Gets Hand Slap for Sex with Boys, 14 and 16

(Potosi, Missouri) In October 2007, a 25-year-old local woman, Amy L. Mercille Wade, was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree statutory rape. The rapes involved two boys, ages 14 and 16, who Mercille Wade had liquored up before having sex with them in June 2006.

Interestingly, Mercille Wade was getting the boys hammered when her boyfriend came home. The boyfriend, Donald Wade, now her husband, chased the boys off with a sword. Someone called the police and Donald Wade was arrested for unlawful use of a weapon and taken into custody. With the coast clear, the boys returned and had uninterrupted sex with Mercille Wade.

At some point between the incident in June 2006 and October 2007, Donald Wade married Amy Mercille. I guess he forgave her.

Donald Wade was scheduled to be sentenced last month for unlawful use of weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. No information has been found regarding the final disposition of Donald Wade's case.

In closing, Circuit Court Judge Sandy Martinez has been the subject of heated criticism (see comment thread) for giving Mercille Wade probation for a conviction of rape. It's seen as another example of blatant bias by the courts with regard to sentencing of female sex offenders. I'll add my voice to those of the critics.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 05:36:00 AM

Woman Charged with Killing Newborn

(Louisville, Kentucky) A 19-year-old student at Bellarmine University, Kathryn E. "Katie" McCoy, has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence in the death of her newborn daughter.

McCoy said she hid the pregnancy from everyone and "freaked" when the infant was delivered.

Prosecutors said McCoy gave birth to a baby girl in the bathroom of her dorm room on Oct. 26, 2007, then let the infant fall into the toilet.

Police arrested McCoy after the baby was found in a gym bag.

McCoy was in court Wednesday morning with her parents, but did not speak during a brief hearing to set the trial date.

Brian Butler, one of McCoy's attorneys, said after the hearing that an initial review of the evidence doesn't back a murder charge. McCoy told police she put the baby in a trash bag because she thought the girl was dead, according to court documents.

"There's nothing to indicate anyone ever heard the child cry," Butler said. "No one saw this child alive." [ ... ]

Authorities said someone saw McCoy go near the trash room, became suspicious, checked the room and called police. The baby was pronounced dead about 35 minutes after the infant was found, police said.

Officers said that when McCoy heard officers were coming to the dormitory, she retrieved the baby from the trash room, placed her into a gym bag and then put the bag in her dorm room.

McCoy's trial is scheduled for September 23.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/31/2008 12:46:00 AM

Russian Students Throng to Elite British Schools

It's unclear whether this report says more about the British or the Russian education systems.

Once only a distant dream, for some Russian families sending their children to schools like Eton, an epicenter of Englishness and exclusivity that has been molding young gentlemen for the best part of six centuries, is increasingly within reach.

Regardless of the increasingly strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, from Harrow to Cambridge, the number of Russian students in Britain has soared.

And with Russian children starting to attend British schools at a younger age, parents becoming more knowledgeable and more students coming from middle-class families, the trend only looks set to grow.

The number of students has been described as a torrent ever since 1991. Part of the reason is that top British schools are actively recruiting students in Russia with education fairs, seminars and the Internet.

After graduation, most return to Russia where they are uniformly welcomed in business and government circles. Of course, what all this means is that the next generation of Russian leaders could likely be British-educated elites.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 09:32:00 PM

Official Gay Curriculum in Brit Schools Announced

As a timely warmup to next month's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month celebration, the British Department of Children, Schools and Families has issued a new policy to combat homophobia in the education system. Apparently, homosexuality is now considered to be a race and homophobia is racism.

Announced today by Schools Secretary Ed Balls, the new policy includes the following:

1) Teachers don't assume that students have a "mum and dad,"

2) Teachers indoctrinate students on the idea of same-sex couple,

3) "Parents" should replace "mum and dad" in correspondence to students' homes,

4) Classes on marriage should include civil unions and gay adoption rights,

5) Children who call classmates "gay" are to be tagged as racists under the zero tolerance crackdown.

"It is important for all staff to challenge pupils, explaining the consequences of using 'gay' in a derogatory way.

"It might be time-consuming at first, but a consistent 'zero-tolerance' approach to such language is central to achieving progress and an environment in which being gay is not thought of as being inferior."

It adds: "Schools need to make it clear to pupils that homophobic comments are as serious as racist comments, and homophobic incidents are as serious as other forms of bullying."

Teachers should use every curriculum subject to nip discriminatory attitudes in the bud.

English lessons for teenagers, for example, could focus on the emotions of the gay Italian soldier Carlo in Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Emphasis will also be focused on "apparently" homosexual figures from history "including Leonardo da Vinci, Oscar Wilde and James Dean."

Continuing:

6) Boys should not be told to "be a man,"

7) Boys should not be accused of behaving like a "bunch of women,"

8) Schools should encourage homosexual role models among teachers, parents and governors,

9) After consulting the head teacher, homosexual teachers should discuss their private lives in class,

10) Children aged four to seven should be taught about "different family structures,"

11) Teachers should talk inclusively about homosexual parents to kids aged 11 to 14.

The new agenda for schools was prepared by the gay rights group, Stonewall, in conjunction with the lobbying group Education Action Challenging Homophobia.

Tip: Travis Evans

Companion post at The Jawa Report. Also Education Watch International.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 10:18:00 AM

Woman on Trial for Molesting Boy, 8

(Doylestown, Pennsylvania) A 25-year-old Bensalem woman, Patience Agyemen, is on trial for molesting an 8-year-old Philadelphia boy.

Agyemen faces charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of minors.

Through attorney Laura Riba, Agyemen has denied the charges.

In court Tuesday, the victim's 16-year-old cousin described how the boy came forward.

"He asked me if I could keep a secret. He said, 'You have to promise' and made me pinky swear," the cousin said. "He said [Agyemen] told him that if he told on her, he'd be sent to live with other people."

Other witnesses testified that Agyemen slept nude or partially clothed in the same bed with the boy, and showered with him.

Bensalem Police Detective David Nieves testified that he interviewed Agyemen, who wept when he told her he believed she was lying about assaulting the boy. He told the jury that she eventually admitted molesting him five to six times.

If convicted, Agyemen could be sentenced to more than 10 years in prison and then be deported back to her native Ghana.

The trial continues today.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 08:24:00 AM

Stimulus Tax Rebates for Illegals

(Washington) The economic stimulus legislation under consideration in Congress will provide rebates to a reported 111 million taxpayers, some who are illegal aliens.

Under the plan passed by the House, illegal immigrants who qualify as "resident aliens" and earned a minimum of $3,000 would be eligible for rebates of between $300-$600, FOX News has learned.

Only those illegals who have been assigned an Individual Tax Identification Number that allows them to file income taxes would be eligible. Resident aliens are defined as people who spend a "substantial" amount of time in the U.S. and have not been deported.

The provision has irked illegal immigration opponents, who say the assigning of TINs and collection of taxes from illegals sanctions their presence in the country.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told FOX News that the bill will certainly stimulate "more illegal immigration."

I agree with Congressman Tancredo. It's ludicrous to expect efforts to reduce border-jumping to be effective when benefits continually increase for those who border-jump.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 07:46:00 AM

Bigotry Against Gun-owners is OK, of Course

Or so the Left seem to think. Here's the latest episode -- from Virginia:

"A Bristol Virginia man sparked a statewide political reaction after he said he heard the state Senate's majority leader insult rural gun owners while standing in a public elevator.

"He turns to his companion and says, `You can tell we're debating a gun bill today. Half the cast of "Deliverance" is in town,' " said John Pierce, a local gun-rights activist who was in Richmond to lobby the General Assembly against a bill to close the so-called gun-show loophole. "I was absolutely floored. ... I think what you're seeing is bigotry aimed at rural voters and the issues that they tend to support," Pierce said.

"Deliverance" is a 1972 film based on the novel by James Dickey in which Atlanta businessmen encountered a backwoods Appalachian culture on a canoe trip in the north Georgia mountains, where rape and murder ensue."

Source

Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, is not apologizing.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 06:12:00 AM

Woman Pinched for Punching A Pony

(Tampa, Florida) Who doesn't feel like punching a horse after a night out on the town? Twenty-six-year-old Angelica Rene Ayala apparently did and was arrested by the police.

Police said Ms. Ayala, who's only 5'4" tall, punched a horse belonging to the Pinellas Park Police Department, which was among the law enforcement agencies assisting Tampa Police during and after the Gasparilla parade.

The horse was struck in the neck, police said. Neither the horse nor his rider, a Pinellas Park police officer, was injured.

It seems a fight broke out and the horse got slugged. Unfortunately for Ayala, punching a police horse is illegal. She was released on $500 bond after her arrest.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 05:13:00 AM

Snake Wrangler Dies From Snake Bite

(Deming, New Mexico) A 37-year-old snake specialist, James Bear, died yesterday morning from a bite on the thumb from a canebrake rattlesnake.

The canebrake, also canebreak, rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus) is listed as a threatened species in the state of Texas and endangered in Virginia.

Bear reportedly possessed more than 300 snakes in his home.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/30/2008 05:07:00 AM

Woman, 30, Guilty of Molesting Boy, 8

(Las Cruces, New Mexico) In October 2007, a 30-year-old local woman, Michelle A. Tufts, was arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with an 8-year-old boy.

The boy's grandmother alerted authorities about suspicions she had regarding Tuft's relationship with the boy and police later determined that the grandmother's suspicions were substantiated. Tufts is a close relative of the boy but the relationship wasn't disclosed to protect the boy's identity.

Tufts was charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child under age of 13 and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Yesterday, Tufts pleaded no contest to attempted criminal sexual penetration and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in accordance with a plea deal. According to court records, Tufts chased after the boy to perform disgusting acts.

Records show that Tufts allegedly told investigators that she had been going through a period of loneliness, wanting somebody to touch, and that at least one of the incidents the boy recounted was true.

Tufts told investigators that as a child she was made to watch as one of her family members was molested by another family member.

Notably, Tufts also has an intentional child abuse conviction involving a different boy on her record.

No sentencing date has been set. Tufts faces a possible 10 and a half years in prison.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/29/2008 11:16:00 PM

Olympics 2008 Visitors Face Health Challenges

(Beijing, China) Hey, Olympic sports fans, don't forget your shots. Although China is now recognized as a modern economic giant, one societal element is lagging behind.

Specifically, there are health concerns since sanitation in China is generally poor. So poor that, according to Shukan Jitsuwa magazine, some sports contingents preparing for the 2008 Olympics have announced that they will train at camps in Japan.

"Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, where many foreigners visit, are fairly clean, but in places the foreigners don't see, it's terrible," says a Japanese man who spent time as an exchange student in China. "You can find heaps of uncovered rubbish piled two or three meters high, and when it rains, the stuff dissolves and runs off in all directions.

"Except perhaps for the highest-class restaurants, the kitchens tend to be filthy," the man adds. "They're enough to make even Chinese want to throw up."

Apparently, the filth even defeats the strong Chinese stomach, a strength of which I was unaware but could have guessed.

After devoting a paragraph to Beijing's notorious smog and its lack of safe drinking water -- a potential source of type-B hepatitis -- Shukan Jitsuwa warns visitors against rabies. Yes, it's still a concern: rabies is 100 percent fatal unless promptly treated and about 2,500 people in China die from it every year, so dogs are to be avoided at all costs.

"Rabies has been present in China since ancient times," notes [author Masahiro] Miyazaki. "But when people raised dogs for meat it wasn't much of a problem. More recently, however, they've been keeping them as house pets, which has made it more dangerous. The problem is that unethical dog breeders raise the animals in abysmal conditions. So rabies has become endemic."

Visitors to the upcoming Olympiad, which will run for 17 days beginning from August 8, will also need to be on their guard against AIDS. A 2007 report issued by the Chinese government estimated the number of HIV carriers at 700,000. The most likely method of contagion would be between Japanese male tourists and local prostitutes, who are said to number 20 million nationwide.

Therefore, rabies became a bigger problem when people transitioned from eating dogs to keeping them as pets and, just think, the number of hookers in China equals the entire population on the continent of Australia. Crikey!
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       Following Entry Posted 1/29/2008 08:14:00 PM

Connecticut Woman and Years of Sex with Boy

(Naugatuck, Connecticut) A 43-year-old local woman, Gina Sendra, was arrested earlier this month for engaging in a years-long sexually abusive relationship with a friend's son starting at the age of 11.

Sendra was a friend of the family who was frequently asked to watch the boy. The boy is now 17 and just recently reported the abuse to authorities.

"We're talking about sexual intercourse and other sexual acts," Naugatuck police Lt. Robert Harrison said.

"I don't want to use the word consent because I don't think an 11-year-old can consent. I think we are dealing with a case of mental manipulation where an adult just fully took advantage of a child."

Sendra faces charges of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

Sendra was booked into custody and later released on bond. As a condition of release, Sendra is required to wear an ankle monitor and have no contact with the victim.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/29/2008 08:02:00 AM

Elite Students Trying to Prevent Conservative Speaker being Heard

We read:

"Some students at Choate Rosemary Hall, the prestigious private school attended by John F. Kennedy, are protesting the choice of former presidential adviser Karl Rove as this year's commencement speaker. Some plan to walk out, while others are trying to bring satirist Stephen Colbert to campus for an alternate speech. The campus newspaper has urged the school to reject Rove....

Mary Verselli, Choate's director of strategic marketing and communications, said Rove was invited to talk about broader issues, not deliver a political speech. Headmaster Edward J. Shanahan said he looks for interesting and provocative commencement speakers and Rove has prompted more discussion than any speaker in the past 20 years...

Senior Peter Borgstrom is among the students looking forward to Rove's speech. "Maybe I don't agree with his political views and what he's done, but I'd still love to get the opportunity to see him," he said.

Source

This is just the childish gambit of blocking your ears. Unfortunately in this case, it could block other people's ears too.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/29/2008 07:29:00 AM

Postcard of Anne Frank in Palestinian Scarf

(The Netherlands) A free postcard which depicts Anne Frank wearing a Palestinian scarf is being distributed throughout the Netherlands as, according to the publisher, "a small work of art which encourages people to reflect on a peaceful solution for Israel and the Palestinians."

Rightfully, opponents are pissed, calling the card "a tasteless rewriting of history" and demanding a halt to its distribution.

The image of Anne Frank with the keffiyeh (the kind of scarf once worn by Yasser Arafat) already existed before the card was made. The artist, who calls himself 'T', 'distributed' the image in the form of graffiti on a number of walls in Amsterdam.

So, admittedly it's graffiti and, according to Israel's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Harry Kney Tal, outrageously offensive.

"Anne Frank is an icon of Dutch history. She was killed because she was Jewish. The artist has used this icon and transferred it to the political struggle between Israeli and Palestinians. It's an outrage, I have no other words to describe it."

A solution to this controversy has, however, already been suggested. Postcards displaying the Prophet Mohammad wearing a Jewish yarmulka should now be distributed.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/29/2008 12:32:00 AM

Jail Counselor Gets Time in Boy Sex Case

(Laguna Niguel, California) In September 2006, a correctional officer at a juvenile camp, Beccy Hasselbarth, was accused of having sex with a 17-year-old male inmate.

She was charged with felony unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation and misdemeanor child annoyance. Additionally, she was charged with being an accessory after the fact in the boy's escape from the Los Pinos Youth Facility.

The alleged offenses occurred between February and October of 2005. Hasselbarth was booked and released on $400,000 bail.

Last Friday, 36-year-old Hasselbarth admitted to committing the offenses.

Hasselbarth entered a guilty plea on Friday at the Laguna Niguel courthouse to three felony counts each of oral copulation of a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and one count of being an accessory after the fact -- all felonies, and three misdemeanor counts of child annoyance, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

As a result, Hasselbarth was sentenced to one year in the county jail and three years probation. She will also have to register as a sex offender.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 11:58:00 PM

"Don't Drop The Soap" Board Game

(Topeka, Kansas) Currently being sold on the Internet is a prison-themed board game called "Don't Drop the Soap." The game is understandably not suitable for children.


The game includes:

- 19" x 19" Don't Drop The Soap™ Gameboard
- 5 Collectible Criminal Tokens
- 7 Decks of Prison Location Cards
- 7 Snap-On Location Icons
- Soap Dish Parole Card Holder
- Deck of Parole Cards
- Stack of Play Cigarettes
- Pair of Dice
- Book of Instructions

Created by John Sebelius, the 23-year-old son of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, the game sells for $34.99 plus packaging, shipping and handling through this website (contact information listed as the Kansas Governor's mansion).

Reportedly, the game idea is supported by both John's mother, the Governor of Kansas, and father, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Sebelius.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 10:52:00 PM

Teacher Accused of Smuggling Drugs

(Miami, Florida) A 34-year-old adult education teacher at Metro-West Correctional Facility in Doral, Ka Alease McCrary, was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband and drugs into the Miami-Dade Jail.

According to Miami-Dade Police Detective Mario Rachid, a tipster led to an investigation of McCrary and an undercover sting.

An undercover officer worked deals with McCrary on two occasions to smuggle items into the jail. In the first instance, McCrary was to sneak two contraband iPods inside. On the second, 56 grams of marijuana and 56 grams of cocaine were involved.

Ka Alease McCrary is charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of marijuana, unlawful compensation and introduction of contraband into a correctional facility.

McCrary was booked into custody at the Turner-Guilford-Knight Correctional Facility.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 09:44:00 PM

Woman Indicted for Fake Pregnancy

(Kingsland, Georgia) A 27-year-old wife of a U.S. Marine, Clarissa Robbie Linnabary, has been indicted for allegedly scamming people out of property (discounts and gifts) by claiming she was pregnant with quadruplets.

Linnabary was arrested in July after an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Camden County Sheriff's Office that began when two witnesses reported that she was lying about being pregnant.

Investigators said Linnabary accepted gifts and received discounts from the community, including a consignment shop, the Marine Corps League and even her husband's commanding officer.

According to court papers, Linnabary also took advantage of a car dealership that did about $1,300 of work on her car without charge.

Reportedly, the husband was also scammed since he too thought his wife was pregnant.

Linnabary faces charges of felony theft by deception and misdemeanor theft by deception.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 12:14:00 PM

Chavez Wants Anti-US Military Alliance

(Caracas, Venezuela) Presumably after chewing several cuds of coca leaves and settling in for a day of paranoid delusion, President Hugo Chavez called for a military alliance to be formed to oppose U.S. imperialism.

Mr Chavez has some key allies in his fight against capitalism, globalisation and the US.

Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and now the Caribbean island of Dominica are all members of a trade alliance known as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, a group that takes its name from South America's independence leader, Simon Bolivar.

Mr Chavez has urged them to draw up a joint defence policy and create a united military force against US imperialism.

"If the US threatens one of us, it threatens all of us," he said, "we will respond as one."

It sure seems like Chavez is planning for war.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 10:42:00 AM

Massachusetts Health Costs Balloon

(Boston, Massachusetts) As always, socialized medicine means massive unanticipated costs. In Massachusetts, the mandated health plan is like a huge vacuum cleaner sucking dollars out taxpayers' wallets.

According to recent reports, the cost of Massachusetts' health insurance mandate will rise 85 percent, or $400 million, in 2009. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), meanwhile, has been on the presidential campaign trail praising the program he put into place.

According to The Boston Globe, the cost increase is largely due to an increase in the number of people signing up for state-subsidized health insurance. State and federal taxpayers are likely to shoulder the cost increase.

Mark my words, Massachusetts' premier symbol of corruption and ineptitude, The Big Dig, will be considered a bargain basement deal when compared to the dollars ultimately confiscated from the public for the state's socialized health care system.

Remember, voters, Mass. HealthCare is Mitt Romney's baby.

Companion post at Socialized Medicine.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 07:46:00 AM

Lunch Honoring MLK Runs into Flak

We read:

"An attempt by the Naval Academy to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. this week by serving fried chicken, greens and cornbread in the midshipmen's dining hall sparked a debate on the Annapolis campus about racial sensitivity.

On Tuesday, the academy served those items along with mashed potatoes, pie and lemonade as clips of King speeches were broadcast in King Hall, named after an academy graduate. The meal was served Tuesday because classes were not held during the holiday honoring the civil rights leader.

"The idea behind it is that it's a traditional Southern meal," said the spokesman, Cmdr. Ed Austin, adding, "It's a fairly common thing throughout the fleet to do special meals on special occasions."

But postings on GoMids.com, which includes a message board used by midshipmen and others affiliated with the academy, indicate some were offended by the attempt to honor King. "I thought we were well past these stereotypes!!" one contributor wrote.

Source

I guess that we are supposed to pretend that MLK ate chateaubriand followed by profiteroles on a regular basis.

It seems however that it wasn't a big deal a few months back when "midshipmen were served beef fajitas, flour tortillas and Spanish rice for Hispanic Heritage Month". Are we seeing an implicit judgement about the inferiority of fried chicken here?

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 06:24:00 AM

Marijuana Vending Machines

(Los Angeles, California) Marijuana vending machines are now open in Los Angeles.

People prescribed "medical" marijuana for health reasons will be issued pre-paid credit cards to use in the machines.

They can then use the card to access the Anytime Vending Machines whenever they need extra supplies.

Vince Mehdizadeh, owner of the Herbal Nutrition Centre in Los Angeles, where one of the first machines is based, said patients could get access to prescribed drugs after hours.

Reportedly, a security guard will be stationed at the machine to verify that the right people are using the cards.

It's been suggested that the marijuana machines will become as common as soda machines.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/28/2008 12:22:00 AM

Woman Samurai Slices Sister

(Brandon, Florida) A 42-year-old local woman, Annette Smith, got into a catfight with her sister and waved a Samurai sword around before introducing a four-inch cut in her sister's gut.

Smith was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon.

The arrest affidavit states the sister tried to grab the sword, and was cut on her left fingers and hand. She has a severed tendon in her middle finger that will require surgery.

Smith was booked into custody at the Orient Road Jail without bail.

Looking at this incident from a rational perspective, one might say that it was an accident that occurred merely because two people were acting dumb.

However, a more liberally-minded individual might conclude that the incident demonstrates a need for a sword registration law and a government-funded catfight counseling and prevention program.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/27/2008 11:27:00 PM

Arizona Illegals Denied In-State Tuition

(Phoenix, Arizona) I almost became weepy after reading this soap-opera reporting by the New York Times. It's the boo-hoo story about Mexicans and other foreigners not getting cut-rate tuition and financial aid because of Arizona Proposition 300.

One of several recent immigration statutes passed by Arizona voters and legislators frustrated by federal inaction, the law also prohibits in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Administrators at several campuses fear that the provision has priced some out of their classes, particularly at the state's popular community colleges.

The worry is that illegal aliens won't be able to afford a college education without financial aid and in-state tuition. Apparently some students are even thinking of returning to Mexico for college but, "It's expensive going to school in Mexico," said one student.

And now the option of sneaking into the U.S. to get a cut-rate education is being denied by Prop. 300. "I see it as a very cruel law," said Teresa Guerra, a student at Phoenix College.

It's difficult to comprehend the attitude of the illegals and their supporters. Apparently, the U.S. is viewed as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and people from any country who successfully jump the border are automatically entitled to all the benefits of being American citizens. Jumping the border is a criminal act. Giving benefits for a criminal act doesn't make sense.

Companion post at Education Watch International.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/27/2008 08:04:00 AM

Pope tells the Jesuits to shape up

The Jesuits were founded on a complete loyalty to the Pope so if they ignore this they are betrayers of their own oaths

"In a letter to the Jesuits, gathered at their 35th General Congregation dated January 10, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI has called on the ancient order which has been rocked by scandal to reaffirm their "total adhesion to Catholic doctrine" mentioning specifically the Church's teachings on "sexual morality".

The letter comes in the wake of the homily given by the Pope's representative at the opening of the Assembly on January 7, which bemoaned the infidelity of some in the order to the teachings of the Church.

The once illustrious Jesuits, the great defenders of faith, have over the last 40 years been steeped in dissident controversy. Jesuit priests have featured prominently in the homosexual priest scandal and Jesuit universities have been hotbeds of dissent on Church teachings especially those on life and family. The Pope stressed this reaffirmation several times, pointing to specific areas where the Jesuits are known to have caused scandal."

More here

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/27/2008 07:46:00 AM

"Jihad" Is Personal Spiritual Struggle, Not Holy War

(Orange Park, Florida) A dispute between a teacher and a student at Orange Park High School regarding Muslim terrorism resulted in the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) becoming involved.

In class, a teacher mentioned that the meaning of "jihad" was "holy war." A sensitive Muslim student was offended and indicated the "more common meaning was a personal or spiritual struggle."

The student's father, Mohammed Shadid, asked CAIR to take action.

He said he does not want the teacher fired, but believes he should be required to take a religious sensitivity class.

"I like the teacher and respect him, but he needs to be educated," Shadid said.

Saman Quraeshi, community director for CAIR in Jacksonville, said the group is meeting with school officials next week. She said school officials had told her that the teacher had apologized and regrets his actions.

Some individuals may want to update their reference materials pertaining to entries defining "jihad." Line through "holy war" and insert "personal or spiritual struggle."

On the other hand, those individuals acclimated to the political correctness infecting society may want to simply reset their smoke alarms and purge their exhaust pipes.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/26/2008 12:34:00 PM

McCain Teams for Open Borders

My stomach is churning, my head aches and I feel like letting out a blood-curdling primal scream.

I just learned that the leading Republican candidate for President, John McCain, has hired open-borders fanatic Juan Hernandez as his Hispanic Outreach Director.

Anyone who watches the evening talk shows has surely seen the bristle-chinned amigo with his saccharine smile spewing immigrants-rights malarkey. Hernandez never gives a straight answer to a question, rather he responds with chuckling anecdotes of human rights ideals while frequently pulling numbers out of thin air to support his tear-down-the-borders mantra. Interviewers are frustrated by Hernandez's unwillingness to actually debate issues.

Personally, the guy makes me sick and when I see him, the channel gets changed. But many people buy into his spiel, failing to see through the veneer of good intentions. Frankly, if a task force were formed to erase the southern border and dissolve the sovereignty of the United States, Hernandez would likely be elected the leader.

Nonetheless, as I mentioned, some people like him. And prospective presidential nominee John McCain hired him. What's with that? Doesn't he read the polls? Eighty percent of Americans want a secure southern border and McCain hires a guy who wants it erased.

I wanna puke.

Much more here.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/26/2008 11:15:00 AM

Arizona Bill Allows Guns in School

(Phoenix, Arizona) Out of concern that existing policies do not provide adequate protection, Arizona Senate Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert, and Sen. Karen Johnson, R-Mesa, have proposed allowing concealed-weapons permit holders to take guns on school grounds.

The proposal, Senate Bill 1214, would exempt concealed-carry permit holders from a state law that bars individuals from knowingly carrying deadly weapons onto school property.

If it becomes law, the measure would allow teachers and anyone else with a valid permit to carry their weapon onto the grounds of any public or private K-12 school, college or university in the state.

Supporters say the measure would provide an additional ring of security on campuses hit with a string of shootings in recent years. The most recent of which was last year's at Virginia Tech, which left 33 dead. The shootings have come in spite of heightened campus security and policies that are increasingly aimed at scrubbing any and all weapons from school grounds.

Obviously, gun control measures to keep weapons out of schools simply haven't worked. Even so, gun-control advocates are uncomfortable with the proposed measure. Expect heated debate.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/26/2008 07:49:00 AM

Anti-Christian Hate-Speech OK -- Again

Sports network supports drunken abuse:

"According to some news and sports websites, ESPN anchorwoman Dana Jacobson graphically attacked Jesus Christ at a recent roast of her colleagues; she was reportedly intoxicated. At the January 11 event, Jacobson roared from the podium, "*** Notre Dame," "F*** Touchdown Jesus," and finally "F*** Jesus."

When pressed on this issue, ESPN's response is to e-mail a statement by Jacobson, which includes the following: "My remarks about Notre Dame were foolish and insensitive. I respect all religions and did not mean anything derogatory by my poorly chosen words."

This response fails on several counts. First, there is no evidence that ESPN is taking this matter seriously. Are we to believe that her hate speech is of no consequence? Her comments were not made at a private function, rather they were made at a public event where she represented ESPN...

Then there is the matter of Jacobson's so-called apology. By far the most offensive thing she said, "F*** Jesus," isn't even addressed!

Source

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/26/2008 07:33:00 AM

Florida Woman Arrested for Spiteful Act

(Jacksonville, Florida) A 41-year-old local woman, Marie Lupe Cooley, was arrested this week for allegedly sabotaging her employer's computer files.

It appears that the files, representing an estimated $2.5 million in architectural data, were deleted due to spite.

"What we consider to be a disgruntled employee saw an ad in the paper, thought the ad was targeting her job, terminating her job. She decided to mess up everything for everybody," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Jefferson.

"She went into the server. She deleted all the files -- about seven years worth of files. She just sabotaged the entire business, thinking she was going to get axed."

However, the police report states Cooley was not going to be fired and that the ad she read was for another position.

So, Cooley saw what she thought was her job described in the want ads and furiously decided to strike back at her boss. It's troubling that Cooley was able to become irrational so quickly.

Cooley was charged with causing greater than $1,000 damage to computer files.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 12:02:00 PM

Brit Police Demand Ethnicity Before Investigating Crime

(Berkshire, England) A clergyman called the police department's non-emergency number to report a burglary at St. Michael's Church and the operator demanded to know his ethnic background before she would send an officer to investigate.

The Rev Simon Lane, 60, said that the woman also asked for his date of birth, claiming that the details were necessary if she was to give him a crime reference number.

Thames Valley Police said the information was needed to comply with the Race Relations Act, and to monitor which types of people were most often the victim of particular crimes.

The Home Office said there was no such requirement, however, a Thames Valley spokesman said the ethnic questions were part of a "best practice" but not mandatory.

This whole episode is ludicrous, however, it's to be expected when bookkeepers tell crime fighters how to do their jobs.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 10:41:00 AM

Blog Comments Put Grand Juror in Hot Seat

(Dallas, Texas) A Dallas County grand juror decided to participate in a comment thread on a blog, discussing the grand jury, and now a court needs to determine whether a defendant's rights have been violated.

Apparently, the grand juror doesn't know what the word "secret" means.

A grand juror who last month helped indict a teacher accused of having sex with a student is now under investigation for posting comments about the case on a blog, according to court records.

It is illegal for grand jurors to make details of their proceedings public.

John Grau, the chief prosecutor in the intake/grand jury division, declined to say whether the grand juror would be charged with contempt of court. He said the Dallas County district attorney's office was looking into the postings and that he couldn't comment.

But the teacher's defense attorneys, David Finn and Toby Shook, are asking for a court hearing regarding the juror's conduct and whether the rights of their client, David B. Novinski, were violated. They want to know if the grand juror investigated the case before Mr. Novinski was indicted, if he shared that information with other jurors and if there are additional postings. No date has been set for a hearing.

Readers can view the grand juror's comments here. Look for the nickname "Knows status."

The possible outcome of this situation may include prosecution of the noncompliant grand juror and/or nullification of selected grand jury proceedings. In any event, the subject grand juror has perched himself/herself in a prime position to be made an example of. Obviously, this story will continue.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 09:49:00 AM

Bono Bows to Father Al Gore

(Davos, Switzerland) During the gathering of notables at the World Economic Forum, U2 screamer Bono met up with former Vice President Al Gore and discussed their relationship.

Acknowledging that a career in rock music was not always conducive to a green lifestyle, Bono compared a conversation with Gore to an act of religious contrition.

"It's like being with an Irish priest. You start to confess your sins," he said. "Father Al, I am not just a noise polluter, I am a noise-polluting, diesel-soaking, gulfstream-flying rock star.

"I'm going to kick the habit. I'm trying father Al, but oil has been very good for me -- those convoys of articulated lorries, petrochemical products, hair gel."

Hey, Bono, you bombastic genuflector, wanna bet that Father Al won't be kicking the habit?

Tip: Charley Nestor
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 09:01:00 AM

Timber Rattler Proposed as WV State Snake

(Charleston, West Virginia) A Senate resolution was introduced this week by Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, Sen. Shirley Love, D-Fayette, and Sen. John Pat Fanning, D-McDowell, to make the timber rattlesnake the official state snake of West Virginia.

Funny, I thought U.S. Senator Robert Byrd already held that title.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 07:43:00 AM

WOW!



We read:

"A new, cutting-edge, political TV show will challenge Islam with biting humor tomorrow night, placing the face of the prophet Muhammad onto a cookie and then having it eaten on camera.

"We're going to take a stand and say Muhammad's face is delicious," said Molotov Mitchell, the 28-year-old incendiary creator and host of "Flamethrower," a program described as a low-budget, gritty cross between the "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report," and "The View" if Ann Coulter were the producer. "This is religious and culinary history in the making."

The theme of this week's episode is "All Things Islam," as panelists take on the faith of Muslims in a no-holds-barred fashion. "Islam is not even a religion," Mitchell told WND from a location somewhere in Eastern North Carolina. "It's an ideology of 'might makes right' disguised as a religion. We're going to show that Allah was with us when we baked this cookie and ate it. Deal with it!"

Mitchell and his fellow panelists - all of whom are Christians in their 20s and whom he calls the next generation of conservatism - are trying to make the point that America is still a free country, and there's no need to cower in fear from Islamo-fascism.... "What were doing is exercising our freedom of speech and freedom of the press to the fullest in order to challenge a tyrannical, oppressive system that has doomed the cultures and countries of the Middle East for centuries," Mitchell told WND. "Now it's trying to invade our borders, and somebody has to speak up about it."

Source

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 07:35:00 AM

NYTimes Endorses Clinton, McCain

Anyone with the ability to read should have seen these endorsements coming. The Times editorial staff has not kept its preferences a secret.

For Hillary Clinton:

Mrs. Clinton sometimes overstates the importance of resume. Hearing her talk about the presidency, her policies and answers for America's big problems, we are hugely impressed by the depth of her knowledge, by the force of her intellect and by the breadth of, yes, her experience.

Frankly, I couldn't disagree more. Mrs. Clinton is nothing more than a seat-filler marionette whose ration coupons are still valid. Unlike Maureen Dowd, I don't believe a Hillary presidency will be a two-for-one deal. There will always only be one.

For John McCain:

Mr. McCain stood up for the humane treatment of prisoners and for a ban on torture. We said then that he was being conned by Mr. Bush, who had no intention of following the rules. But Mr. McCain took a stand, just as he did in recognizing the threat of global warming early. He has been a staunch advocate of campaign finance reform, working with Senator Russ Feingold, among the most liberal of Democrats, on groundbreaking legislation, just as he worked with Senator Edward Kennedy on immigration reform.

Being conservative, I, of course, disagree but, Wow! What's not to like? Liberal on global warming, torture outrage, campaign finance and immigration amnesty, McCain has a better record as a Democrat than Hillary Clinton. Also, let's not forget his opposition to tax cuts and, my personal sticking point, the Gang of 14.

In summary, move along. There's nothing to see here.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/25/2008 06:04:00 AM

Africentric Public Schools

(Toronto, Ontario) Since black students have a poor achievement record and a high dropout rate, blamed on poverty and racial stereotypes in society, Toronto is planning to open its first Africentric school. The designated black-focused school won't be segregated, it's said. Anyone can attend.

Toronto should open its first black-focused public school in the fall of 2009, says a staff report aimed at improving academic achievement among students of colour.

But the board should also launch Africentric programs in three schools by this fall, as well as invest in a new centre for research and staff development at York University, urges the report made public yesterday.

"Opening one school does not address the problem across the system ... (where) a significant number of students of African descent are not doing well in our schools," said board superintendent Christopher Usih, one of the report's authors.

"We have a responsibility to address the needs across the system. We see the Africentric school request as part of a bigger (plan) ... to effectively close the gap."

The black-focused school will teach more Africentric social studies and trumpet the contributions of "Africans and African-Canadians" while teaching math using the "numerical patterns of royal 'kente' cloth from Ghana."

It's unclear how the Africentric subject matter is going to lessen the achievement gap unless the standards for learning reading, writing and arithmetic are revised. However, the goal is to make school "more welcoming" while recognizing that the "root causes of disenchantment" such as poverty and racial stereotyping need to be addressed.

Frankly, I'm unconvinced that making schools friendlier will have a dramatic effect on achievement if the same standards are maintained throughout the education system. And teaching kids material that is arguably of marginal use in society likely isn't the best way to prepare them for the future. Also, I strongly suspect that kids learning math by using an African royal kente cloth will exacerbate the problem of racial stereotyping in society, not lessen it.

In any event, making schools more welcoming and inflating egos doesn't necessarily translate into higher academic achievement.

Companion post at Education Watch International.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 09:47:00 PM

Court OKs Firing Dopers

(San Francisco, California) Oddly, the ruling came from a California state court.

The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that employers in the state can fire workers found to have used medical marijuana legally recommended by doctors.

A Sacramento-area company, Ragingwire Inc., successfully argued it rightfully fired Gary Ross after he flunked a company-ordered drug test because all marijuana use is illegal under federal law, which does not recognize the medical marijuana laws in California and 11 other states.

The company claimed it feared a federal raid if it allowed workers to smoke dope. It was also argued that companies could lose possible federal contracts and are liable to be sued if a worker high on marijuana causes damage or injury.

In his defense, Ross claimed that marijuana smokers should receive the same workplace protection from discrimination that employees with painkiller prescriptions enjoy.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 05:45:00 PM

Woman Laughs About Killing Gay Guy

(Tucson, Arizona) In December 2006, a local woman, Melissa Arrington, hit and killed bicyclist Paul L'Ecuyer, 45, as she drunkenly drove down the road.

At the time, Arrington's blood alcohol level was 0.156, almost twice the legal limit, and she was driving on a suspended license from a previous drunk driving conviction.

Two months ago, 27-year-old Arrington was convicted of negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI. This week, Arrington was sentenced by Pima County Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank.

Arrington was presumably hoping for a lenient four-year prison term, the minimum, however, Judge Cruikshank said he had new information to consider, Arrington's own words during a jailhouse conversation.

Cruikshank said he found a telephone conversation between Arrington and an unknown male friend a week after L'Ecuyer was killed "breathtaking in its inhumanity."

During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance of theirs believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had "taken out" what he said was a "tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot."

Arrington laughed, and when the man said he knew it was a terrible thing to say, she responded, "No, it's not."

Viewing Arrington's sentiments as "shocking and disgusting," Judge Cruikshank imposed a sentence of 10 and one-half years in prison. Instead of laughing, Cruikshank said Arrington should have "been rendered silent."

The message in this case is ages-old. When you're in a pile of crap, keep your mouth shut.


[Update]

According to this source, Arrington worked as an exotic dancer while Mr. L'Ecuyer was an avid athlete who worked to "raise money for charities and inspiring others to be giving."

Here's a link to the audio of the telephone call capturing Arrington's laugh which, according to Judge Cruikshankl, is a big part of why he sentenced her to more than ten years in prison. (Tip: SuidaeEmpathy)
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 09:01:00 AM

Teacher Tamara Allen Faces Federal Drug Charges

(South Lake Tahoe, California) In December 2007, a fourth-grade teacher at Bijou Community School, Tamara Allen, 42, and her home partner, Christopher Liller, 34, were arrested for allegedly cultivating and distributing marijuana. Police found 100 marijuana plants, over two pounds of processed marijuana, and $1,400 cash in the home the couple shares.

Allen and Liller were charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and, additionally, destruction of evidence because the two were trying to destroy their garden when officers approached. Furthermore, Liller is allegedly linked to a drug ring along with his two brothers.

Both Allen and Liller were booked and each released on $35,000 bail.

In the latest development in the case, the charges against Allen and Liller in El Dorado County have been dismissed. In lieu of state criminal proceedings, Allen and Liller will face federal charges.

In Sacramento, federal felony charges of marijuana possession and conspiracy to manufacture marijuana with the intent to distribute have been filed against Allen and Liller. They pleaded not guilty and were released on $50,000 bail each.

If convicted, each charge carries a possible 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 07:47:00 AM

Islam and Judaism

I have just put up a post on my Scripture blog under the heading: "Islam is a Jewish plot". The title is of course mocking of Leftist conspiracy theories but I point out quite seriously that there are ways in which Islam could be seen as a form of Jewish fundamentalism. If that seems crazy, you need to read the post.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 06:00:00 AM

Soros Wants Power Shift From U.S. to China

During an interview with the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, billionaire leftist George Soros weighed in on the power and influence of the U.S.

"I'm not looking for a worldwide recession. I'm looking for a significant shift of power and influence away from the US in particular and a shift in favour of the developing world, particularly China."

So, there you have it -- straight from Soros' anti-American lips.

Therefore, whenever you see the multitude of Soros-funded leftist groups creating havoc in the U.S. economy, culture and political system, there should be no doubt as to the intent. Soros wants to beat down the United States while championing the ChiComs.

Soros obviously doesn't support free markets, free speech nor individual liberty. Presumably, leftist American groups backed by Soros money and pushing his agenda don't either.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/24/2008 04:39:00 AM

Lake George Woman Arrested for Rape of Boy

(Lake George, New York) An 18-year-old local woman, Helen M. Chiaravalle, was arrested by Warren County Sheriff's investigators for allegedly engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy. The sexual episode allegedly occurred in November 2007.

Chiaravelle faces a charge of second-degree rape. She was booked and released on her own recognizance to await proceedings in Lake George Town Court.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 07:52:00 PM

Female Arab Minister Survives No-Confidence Vote

(Kuwait) Minister of Education Nouriya Al-Subaih, the only woman in Kuwaiti politics, survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote yesterday by a count of 27 to 19. Al-Subaih had been accused of mismanagement and endangering conservative religious values.

On Jan 8 the minister had to defend herself before Parliament against the allegations that she had attempted to deceive the nation when she denied a press report that three schoolboys had been sexually assaulted by an Asian worker at a state school. She explained she had been misinformed and subsequently issued an apology.

Al-Subaih was also accused of disrespecting Islam because she didn't punish a girl who scribbled a cross on a textbook and then said she hated Islam. The charge was found to be baseless.

The no-confidence measure is indicative of the divide in the Kuwait Parliament between strict Islamist lawmakers and liberal supporters of Al-Subaih.

Al-Subaih is the first minister in the Cabinet of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah to triumph over a no-confidence motion. Prior to the voting, MP Jaber Al-Muhailbi, who supported the grilling, said those who oppose the no-confidence motion are defying the Islamic Sharia.

"According to Islam, a woman should not hold any leadership post," Al-Muhailbi pointed out.

The Islamists apparently don't really care what Al-Subaih did and coupled with the fact that she refuses to wear a headscarf, they are simply enraged that she is in Parliament and any reason to get her out would likely be fine.

Continued contentiousness in Kuwait's Parliament regarding Al-Subaih's presence should be expected.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 05:10:00 PM

Mom, Boyfriend Accused of Torturing Toddler

(Victorville, California) A 22-year-old mother and her 24-year-old boyfriend, Vanessa Woods and Reginald Hardin Jr., were arrested yesterday for allegedly torturing Woods' 21-month-old daughter, who weighed a mere 10 pounds.

According to San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Randy German, the child has burns on her feet, arm, chest and genitals, as well as a lacerated liver and a distended stomach from blunt force trauma.

Authorities said that there were cigarette burns on her arms and chest, her feet were completely burnt possibly by putting the child's feet in scalding water, and the burns on her genitals were "consistent with being burned with a curling iron."

 
Vanessa Woods -- Reginald Hardin Jr.

Woods reportedly took the child to Desert Valley Monday hospital (sic) after she began vomiting blood, officials said. She told doctors that the girl had a blistery rash on her forehead, so they gave the infant nearly a full adult dose of penicillin on Sunday, authorities relayed.

"Instead of taking her to the hospital at first they tried to give her apple juice and Tylenol infant drops. Then on Monday morning they said they took her socks off and her skin peeled off with the socks," German said.

When doctors discovered the girl's injuries, especially the scar tissue covering her anus, the adults said "they had no idea how she could've gotten burnt -- they said they thought it was diaper rash," German explained.

When Hardin arrived at the hospital, he apparently did so in a stolen car, and he and Woods were arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property as well as torture and child abuse, officials said.

"It appeared the child had been continually abused for several months," German said.

The infant is in critical condition at the Loma Linda University Medical Center.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 10:18:00 AM

Study: Global Warming Causes Fewer Hurricanes

(University of Miami) A new study by University of Miami researchers Wang and Sang-Ki Lee says that global warming causes the oceans to produce fewer and weaker hurricanes. The study is published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Some previous studies found that global warming was increasing the number and intensity of hurricanes, a conclusion that supported the conventional wisdom that warmer seas automatically turbocharge hurricane development.

Therefore, scientific data have been gathered to support the contention that global warming causes more frequent and stronger hurricanes while also supporting the contention that there will be fewer and weaker hurricanes.

I hope this clears up any confusion people may have regarding global warming. Obviously, it's the eco-political trump card, playable at any time for any purpose.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 09:24:00 AM

Survey: Swedes Having Even More Sex

From The Local:

Swedes might have long rejected foreigners' assumptions that they have a free-and-easy attitude to sex, but a new survey shows that the country has loosened up considerably in matters of the flesh.

From interviews with 4,000 to 6,000 randomly selected Swedes aged 16 to 44, more people are having more sex with more partners.

On the downside, HIV infections from sexual activity and intravenous drug use are on the increase in Sweden.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 08:37:00 AM

Faculty Dumped at Low-Performing School

(Cincinnati, Ohio) I would question why it took so long.

Cincinnati Public Schools will replace the entire staff at the chronically low-performing Taft Elementary School in Mount Auburn.

The action is the result of the school's inability to meet improvement goals mandated by the federal government and, before that, the district for nine consecutive years.

Students there score about 20 points below the district average on standardized tests, according to state data.

The school's principal, 11 teachers and an unknown number of staff are affected.

It's the first time CPS has taken such a radical step as a result of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, which requires drastic overhaul measures for any school that consistently fails to meet goals.

Just think, for at least nine years, the school has been pushing inadequately educated students out the door. Furthermore, it appears that Taft Elementary would have continued to plug along indefinitely if it were not for the No Child Left Behind law.

Companion post at EWI.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 07:49:00 AM

Canadian Nurse Finally Allowed to Campaign against Abortion

But it took a court of appeals to get free speech rights even considered:

"A Saskatchewan Court of Appeals has ruled that the suspension of a pro-life protester's nursing license by the Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN) was unconstitutional.

In 2002, Bill Whatcott, a licensed practical nurse, participated in a protest outside the Regina Planned Parenthood offices. The Association judged Whatcott's protest to have constituted "professional misconduct" and suspended his nursing license and fined him $15,000.

Whatcott admitted in a court hearing to having carried signs with pictures of foetuses and captions saying "Planned Parenthood Aborts Babies" and "Planned Parenthood refers for abortions," "God's gift of life" and "choice is abortion". Whatcott lost his initial case at the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench and his appeal was later dismissed.

Court documents in the appeal note that the SALPN disciplinary committee did not address constitutional issues of Whatcott's freedom of expression. Whatcott's appeal was upheld by the court that said the case raised "constitutional law issues pertaining to freedom of expression".

The ruling said, "The Discipline Committee did not engage in any of the balancing necessary to weigh Mr. Whatcott's right to work, the high standards to which nurses must aspire and free speech...

The justices wrote that SALPN had failed to demonstrate that the restriction on Whatcott's freedom of expression was reasonable "and the decision is thus unconstitutional."

Source

Whether you agree with abortion or not, trying to throttle one side of the debate is pretty Stalinist.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 05:50:00 AM

Hillary Unwelcomed in Harlem

When visiting the Abyssinian Baptist Church, Mrs. Clinton was reportedly told to "Stay out of Harlem" and to stop trying to steal the black vote.

Agreed, it's anecdotal but an important consideration for Hillary's campaign strategists.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 05:28:00 AM

Clotheslines in Ontario

It appears that Canadians will soon be saving the planet by hanging their wet laundry on clotheslines instead of using dryers. Unfortunately, current rules ban clotheslines in many large, urban subdivisions because home sellers are impeded when prospective buyers see underwear flapping in the breeze.

Overriding clothesline bans was suggested last November by Ontario's chief conservation officer Peter Love.

But home builders are wondering why there's a rush, saying prospective buyers are not pushing for clotheslines. Acknowledging that "clotheslines are good for the environment," an official from the Ontario Home Builders' Association said "most families don't have the time" to hang their laundry out.

I'd suggest that most people, given a choice, would continue to use dryers. Of course, given a choice, the eco-leftists would probably ban clothes dryers in their apparent campaign to devolve the standard of living to pre-Industrial Revolution circumstances.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/23/2008 01:02:00 AM

Illegals Named for Robbing, Beating Woman, 78

(Daly City, California) A 36-year-old illegal from El Salvador, Juan Carlos Cuellar, was arrested for the break-in of the home of a 78-year-old woman who is in critical condition after being brutally beaten.

Police are searching for his alleged accomplice, 28-year-old Jose Perez-Gonzalez, an illegal from Mexico.

Investigating officers discovered that Perez-Gonzalez apparently called the victim's home before the robbery pretending to be delivering a package to determine what time the victim would be out of the home.

Both men will face a variety of felony offenses, [Daly City Police Lt.] Morena said, which include attempted murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault of an elderly person resulting in great bodily injury and two counts of residential burglary.

However, Cuellar will not speak with detectives and Perez-Gonzalez remains at large.

Information leading to the arrest and conviction of Perez-Gonzalez reaps a reward of $10,000 from the city of Daly City. He's 5',6", weighs 145 lbs., has black hair and brown eyes. A "Mexico" tattoo appears on his right forearm. A "Harley Davidson" emblem and red dragon tattoos appear on his right arm. Those with information should contact Daly City police at (650) 991-8119.

No information was disclosed regarding whether Cuellar and Perez-Gonzalez have prior convictions or deportations. Frankly, I'd presume so.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 06:37:00 PM

"Gay Rights" Quietly Put on Ballot

(Miami, Florida) Gay rights advocates are trying to keep this issue quiet. An informed electorate is apparently the adversary of gay-rights supporters.

Miami voters are being asked Jan. 29 to approve a "Citizens' Bill of Rights'' that would, among other things, promote religious freedom, clean air and scenic beauty.

It would also ban discrimination on the basis of domestic relationship status, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression -- though relatively few people are aware of it.

The proposed city charter change hasn't drawn much attention. The actual ballot wording never mentions gay or transgender rights. On Monday, even some leading gay and Christian activists didn't know anything about it.

Heddy Pena, leader of SAVE, Miami's largest gay-rights group, said that gays are trying to avoid making the issue political because then "you have a fight on your hands." It's thought that a ballot entry described as "Citizens' Bill of Rights" without reference to homosexuality will adequately camouflage the gay-rights provisions of the measure.

According to Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, sponsor of the legislation,

"It would bring a modern approach to people's rights in the city of Miami, including sexual preference and gender identification as classifications that are rights that will be upheld in the city of Miami."

Members of SAVE helped craft the wording in the proposed ordinance. Once passed, it's expected that transgender protections will be added to the ordinance.

Notably, this isn't the first time that a special interest group in Florida has used sneaky means to get controversial measures passed by the voters. Some may recall that after a mendacious petition drive, the Florida Constitution was amended to protect pregnant pigs.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 04:20:00 PM

Deportation of Vietnamese Illegals

(Hanoi, Vietnam) Per agreement completed today, about 6,200 Vietnamese living illegally in the U.S. will face deportation. Another 1,500 are in some stage of the deportation process. Previously, Vietnam didn't want them back.

This is all well and good but a drop in the bucket. It seems barely noteworthy when the 7,700 represent less than the number of illegals estimated to regularly barrel through the porous southern U.S. border in just a few days.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 03:02:00 PM

Gas Sold for One-Tenth Cent

(Charleston, West Virginia) A 25-year-old local woman, Madeline Jordan, was arrested for defrauding her boss when she worked as a gas station clerk. She scammed nearly $50,000 by resetting the gas price to one-tenth of a cent and sold many gallons to her family and friends.

The gas station owner noticed that his receipts were on the light side so police were notified. A sting operation was then launched and Jordan was caught.

Apparently, the scam was a Sunday morning ritual for Jordan's mother, Mary Jordan, 58, of Charleston; her brother, John Jordan, 27, of Charleston; cousin Vonnie Oldham, 38, of Leon; Clifford Parker, 47, of Leon; and Glennis Fields, 39, of Dunbar. All were arrested and booked into custody at the South Central Regional Jail.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 03:26:00 AM

Weak Leftist grip on reality

There is a post here which shows that everybody (both GOP and Donk voters) rightly sees the GOP presidential candidates as being on the conservative side of American politics but Democrat voters see their candidates as centrist. Once again we see a reliance among Leftists on a false "consensus" and a poor grip on reality. The post takes a bit of thought to get the point but it is a striking and important point.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 01:19:00 AM

Paper Plane Launch from International Space Station

(University of Tokyo) In preparation for a launch from space, an experiment has proven that a paper plane can withstand a Mach-7 air stream for 10 seconds without burning up.

Shinji Suzuki, a professor in aerospace engineering at the university who took part in the experiment, said that in the plane's actual flight, it would be released from the International Space Station, 400 kilometers from the earth, at mach 20, but immediately after entering the earth's atmosphere at an altitude of about 80 kilometers, it would slow to about mach 7, matching the conditions of the experiment at the university.

Researchers plan to calculate the plane's return trajectory based on experiment data such as the pressure exerted on the aircraft, and design a paper plane to be launched from the International Space Station. The plane will be 30 to 40 centimeters long and weigh about 30 grams, bigger than the 7-centimeter-long plane used in the experiment.

Data from the paper plane project will be applied to the development of new transport craft. Unfortunately, no information has been disclosed regarding plans for experimental cosmic spitballs.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/22/2008 01:15:00 AM

In-Store Sex Mixing

(Kota Bahru, Malaysia) Here's an odd requirement of the religion of peace.

In 1996, a regulation was enacted which requires separate checkout counters for males and for females in supermarkets and department stores. Separate counters are deemed necessary to suppress mixing of the sexes, to curb social ills like kissing and to "prevent perverts from groping women" in line.

Unfortunately, compliance with the law has been lax so the municipal council has been ordered by the local government minister, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, to impose fines for violations. Up to RM1,000 ($300) will be assessed on the store owners if customers are checked through the wrong line.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/21/2008 10:41:00 PM

Oklahoma Teacher Busted for Drugs

(Ada, Oklahoma) A 31-year-old special education teacher at Willard Grade Center, Konawha Don Ade, was arrested last week after attempting to buy cocaine from undercover police officers. Ade also works for the Pontotoc County Co-op Preschool Program.

Reportedly, Ade faces additional drug charges. She is one of eight people arrested by Ada Narcotics Officers in a sting operation.

Ade was booked into custody with bond set at $30,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/21/2008 08:27:00 PM

Mississippi Female Teacher, 27, Boy Student, 15

(Biloxi, Mississippi) A 27-year-old science teacher at Fernwood Alternative School, Rebecca Bogard, was arrested last Friday for allegedly engaging in sexual contact with a 15-year-old male student. She has been charged with sexual battery.

Police were alerted by the boy's family.

School officials will meet tomorrow to determine actions regarding Bogard's employment.


[Update 01/23/08]

Bogard, a former beauty pageant contestant crowned Shrimp Bowl Queen 1996, has been suspended with pay from her teaching position. According to Superintendent Paul Tisdale, Bogard is also prohibited from going on any school campus without authorization.

After booking at the Harrison County Jail, Bogard was released on $50,000 bond.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.


[Update 9/16/08]

Bogard was indicted by a Harrison County grand jury on charges of exploitation of child, touching of a child for lustful purposes, and statutory rape. According to court documents, Bogard admitted to engaging in sex with the 15-year-old.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/21/2008 09:54:00 AM

Hugo Chavez: I Chew Coca Every Day

President Chavez admitted to chewing coca and it's being viewed as an endorsement of illegal drug use. I'm not surprised.

From Miami Herald:

Chavez's comments on coca initially went almost unnoticed, coming amid a four-hour speech to the National Assembly during which he made international headlines by calling on other countries to stop branding two leftist Colombian guerrilla groups as terrorists and instead recognize them as "armies."

"I chew coca every day in the morning . . . and look how I am," he is seen saying on a video of the speech, as he shows his biceps to the audience.

Chavez, who does not drink alcohol, added that just as Fidel Castro "sends me Coppelia ice cream and a lot of other things that regularly reach me from Havana," Bolivian President Evo Morales "sends me coca paste . . . I recommend it to you."

It was not clear what Chavez meant. Indigenous Bolivians and Peruvians can legally chew coca leaves as a mild stimulant and to kill hunger. But coca paste is a semi-refined product -- between leaves and cocaine -- considered highly addictive and often smoked as basuco or pitillo.

"It is another symptom that [Chavez] has totally lost the concept of limits," said Aníbal Romero, a political scientist with the Caracas Metropolitan University. "It shows Chavez is a man out of control."

Chavez has praised coca before, saying he wanted to de-Satanize the product.

All this information possibly sheds a new perspective on why Hollywood-types and other celebrities flock to have meetings with Chavez. Also somewhat explained is Chavez's apparent paranoia regarding the U.S. and the ease with which he can give four-hour speeches.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/21/2008 07:05:00 AM

Silenced Pope Update



Students who were blocked by Italy's modern-day Fascist Left from hearing the Pope go to where they can hear him:

"It was announced yesterday that a scheduled visit by Pope Benedict to La Sapienza University had been cancelled due to the rowdy protests of a contingent of students who argued that the Pontiff was "anti-science." Previously the students had announced their intention to disrupt the Pope's scheduled speech by blasting rock music over loudspeakers.

The Vatican cancelled the Pope's visit to the university, which was started by a pope in 1303, following a break-in and sit-in by 50 students in the university rector's office. Vatican spokesmen said it was "considered opportune to postpone the event," which had been planned "by invitation of the major rector."

Students of La Sapienza opposed to the protests, however, responded by flocking to Benedict's Wednesday general audience at Paul VI Hall on January 16 as a show of solidarity to the Pontiff. They displayed banners that read "If Benedict doesn't come to La Sapienza, La Sapienza goes to Benedict," and "Students with the Pope."

A professor from La Sapienza has also responded to to the protests, and has written an article accusing the protestors of being bigoted intellectuals who have a personal dislike for Pope Benedict XVI..... "[The students] have never expressed a word of criticism against Islamic fundamentalism or against those denying the Shoah [Holocaust]. This is just a part of the secularist culture that has no argument, so it demonizes, it does not argue as a real secular culture, but creates monsters."

Source

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/20/2008 09:57:00 AM

Mom Accused of Intimacy with Son's Friends - Updated

(Ramapo, New York) A 44-year-old mother-of-four and wife of the Spring Valley Police Chief, Beth Modica, has been accused of hosting wild parties and engaging in intimate relations with high school boys as young as 16 at her home in Sloatsburg.

Modica has been under investigation since rumors started to circulate at Suffern High School last year. An indictment delineating specific charges will be unsealed on Tuesday.

A high-ranking official said that on at least one occasion Modica provided alcohol and marijuana for some of her 16-year-old son's teammates on the Suffern Mounties ice hockey team.

She is also accused of having intimate relations with some players as young as 16, the official said.

"This is a very delicate thing . . . this is a very sad story for her family and friends," he said. "It's a very shocking, disturbing and sad incident."

It was not clear whether Modica's son or her husband, Paul, the police chief in Spring Valley, were home at the time of the parties.

Beth Modica is a former PTA President and prosecuting attorney.


[Update 04/12/08]

From Lohud.com:

A former prosecutor admitted in court yesterday that she had sex with two teenage boys in her Sloatsburg home during the summer.

Beth Modica, 44, a PTA mother of four children, faces a maximum sentence of two years in state prison at her June sentencing on yesterday's guilty pleas to felony charges of third-degree rape and third-degree criminal sexual act. She faced 1 1/2 to four years on each felony count.

The judge ordered Modica held in Rockland County jail until her June 13 sentencing. Jail officials transferred Modica to an upstate facility for her protection.

Based on her guilty plea, Modica also faces 10 years post-release supervision, registering as a sex offender and paying about $1,300 in DNA testing and court fees. She also will be disbarred.

Modica's lawyer, Gerard Damiani of New City, still hopes to persuade acting state Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bartlett to sentence Modica to county jail time or probation. A presentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 4.

Standing with Damiani yesterday in the courtroom, Modica admitted that in July she had intercourse with a 15-year-old boy in her bed and gave oral sex to a 16-year-old boy in the bathroom of her house.

She softly answered "yes" to at times graphic questions about her sexual acts from Supervising Assistant District Attorney Dominic Crispino.

Modica admitted she knew that both Suffern High School boys - who were friends with her eldest son - were underage when she had sex with them. She had been accused of providing oral sex to the 15-year-old on several other occasions.

Heh.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/20/2008 07:26:00 AM

An old but instructive deception



Those of us who are old enough to remember the Vietnam era will remember how the two photos above were ceaselessly used by the media to denigrate the American war effort. Larger versions of the photos are here and here. One depicts a little girl running naked from a napalm bombing and the other depicts a Vietcong assassin being executed.

The impression always given is that America was guilty of brutality towards innocent Vietnamese. See here for the real story. American forces were not involved at all. It helps put in context the way deceptive photographs are repeatedly used to denigrate Israel's attempts to defend itself -- with the connivance of the Western media again, of course.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/20/2008 05:05:00 AM

Earth Hour - Incremental De-Modernization

(Toronto, Canada) As one of 17 cities in seven countries, Toronto will participate in a voluntary Earth Hour when everyone turns the lights off to save the planet from people.

With vast clouds of greenhouse gases spewing from vehicles, factories and generating stations around the world, it's like an ant trying to halt the juggernaut of destructive climate change.

But Earth Hour is all about the power of one, multiplied many, many times.

If you, your neighbours and many others take the little step between 8 and 9 p.m. on March 29, not only will the city's electricity consumption drop for 60 minutes, you'll be making a major statement to sluggish governments and industry, and to one another.

"Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action," says the World Wildlife Fund, a main organizer of what, in its second year, has become a global event.

The next logical step is for the cities to make lights off mandatory by law and have Earth Hour on a weekly, then a daily, basis. Acclimating the population will take some time but, ultimately, Earth Hour could be incrementally increased to two, four, eight or even 12 hours hours a day.

It's unclear exactly how much reduction in the "vast clouds of greenhouse gases spewing" will be realized by shutting down cities, however, it's fairly clear that eco-leftists with derive an elevated sense of superiority and arrogance from turning steaming horseflop into warm and welcoming breakfast muffins.

In the end, just think, people will only use what is allowed, capitalism will be extinct, everyone will receive rations from the government and the planet will be saved. Mother Gaia will be proud.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 06:50:00 PM

Venezuelan Military Buildup

(Bogota, Colombia) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen visited Colombia and spoke a few words about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Mullen spoke at a news conference with Colombia's Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos and Armed Forces Chief General Freddy Padilla at the outset of a two-day visit.

Chavez is negotiating with Russia to buy five diesel electric submarines that he says Venezuela needs to protect its extensive offshore oil drilling facilities.

He also went shopping in Belarus in June for an air defense system.

And in 2006, Venezuela signed contracts with Russia to buy 53 Mi-24 armored helicopter gunships, Sukhoi 30 fighter planes and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles.

The Venezuelans also have talked about building a factory to manufacture the AK-47 assault rifles in Venezuela, a development that US and Colombian officials fear could flood the region with arms.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has taken a dim view of Chavez's intentions, accusing him of supporting Colombia's main rebel group, the FARC, and rejecting his call for it to be removed from the US list of terrorist organizations. (ed. bold)

I'd say that Chavez's intentions must be questioned because it looks like he's going to be starting something.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 07:53:00 AM

British government renames Islamic terrorism as 'anti-Islamic activity'

Yes. You read that right:

"Ministers have adopted a new language for declarations on Islamic terrorism. In future, fanatics will be referred to as pursuing "anti-Islamic activity". Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said that extremists were behaving contrary to their faith, rather than acting in the name of Islam.

Security officials believe that directly linking terrorism to Islam is inflammatory, and risks alienating mainstream Muslim opinion. In her first major speech on radicalisation, Miss Smith repeatedly used the phrase "anti-Islamic".

Source

She should read the Koran. Take the comment in Sura 4:89 about Non-Muslims:

"They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them"

Even Hitler was not that blunt -- though he was just as genocidal in practice, of course.

The above passage is in my copy of the Koran and my copy was printed in India under the auspices of the Nizam of Hyderabad so I am pretty sure I have not been misled by a neocon plot.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 05:45:00 AM

Born in the Toilet

(Norway) Here's a strange story. It's reported that 23 years ago a 17-year-old girl named Brita surprisingly gave birth to a son in the toilet.

Brita thought she had an upset stomach but, instead, she was unknowingly pregnant.

Somehow the birth was discovered by the media and became front page news throughout the nation with the headline "Gave Birth to Son in the Loo." Imagine the teasing the boy was destined for.

Well, the story doesn't end there. It seems that the boy, now 23-year-old Robert Midtrud, who started in the toilet, recently completed requirements to become a plumber. What irony?

And to celebrate receiving a plumber's diploma, the editor of the newspaper that heralded the birth gave Robert a copy of the front page at a ceremony (pic) in Robert's home as mom, Brita Midtrud Moller, looked on.

Tip: Barry (providing translation)
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 04:24:00 AM

Wal-Mart Purges Mag Racks

Announced on January 15, Wal-Mart is eliminating more than 1,000 titles from its magazine racks. Many of the the newly-denied are small but there are some biggies.

BusinessWeek, The Economist, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post are a few well-known publications being snuffed.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 12:53:00 AM

Mexican Police Death Rate

According to a report in La Cronica de Hoy, Mexican police officers are being killed at a rate of more than one a day. Specifically, data indicate that 20 officers were murdered in the first 17 days of 2008.

The murdered policemen were largely victims of organized crime groups, narco-traffickers.

It's inexcusable that these daily tragedies are not being reported, much less emphasized, by the American mainstream media. We've got a full-blown shooting war occurring on our southern border while the majority of the American public is kept unaware.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/19/2008 12:02:00 AM

Mexico Condemns Anti-Immigrant Actions by U.S.

From Borderfire Report:

The "Permanent Commission" of the Mexican Senate "expressed its most energetic repudiation concerning the xenophobic actions materialized in the United States against Mexican emigrants."

A resolution approved by senators of all political parties "also stated its opposition to round-ups and massive deportations of Mexicans carried out by American immigration authorities."

The accord exhorts the Executive Branch to use all diplomatic and consular channels for the purpose of emphasizing protective and defensive activities for those countrymen victims of human rights violations in the neighboring country.

It also condemned the construction by the United States of a fence on the northern border and pointed out that neither fences nor restrictive walls are what is needed to stimulate the integration and cooperation between the two nations.

The legislators stated they were for an "integral migratory reform" which supports a framework of shared responsibility, aids family reunification and preserves human rights and international law.

Frankly, what is meant by "integral migratory reform" is unclear. I think it means elimination of the border and allowing Mexican nationals to roam the United States as they please.

Obviously, the Mexican Senate is not on the same wavelength as the American people who believe a secure border is necessary. In any event, this is barely newsworthy since official pronouncements have previously come out of Mexico denouncing American attempts to slow the flood of illegals. It is worthwhile, though, to know what is in the minds of adversaries.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 06:48:00 PM

SC Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Sumter, South Carolina) A 31-year-old woman, Connie Gainey (aka Michelle), was arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy. The sexual episodes allegedly occurred between October and November 2007. The boy's guardian reported the offense.

Gainey has been charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy


[Update 01/23/08]

Gainey arrested again for violating the conditions of her bond. She was ordered not to have contact with her alleged victim. On Monday, the boy ran away from home and spent time with Gainey.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 06:21:00 PM

Blasting Brains From Pigs' Heads

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating an illness reported at pig slaughterhouses by workers blasting the brains out of pigs' heads using jets of compressed air.

Originally seen at the Quality Pork Processors Inc. plant in Austin, MN, the illness is described as neurological with changes in sensation and weakness in the limbs. Eleven Minnesota workers were afflicted.

According to Lola Russell, spokeswoman for the CDC, the illness is only associated with slaughterhouse workers who handle pigs' heads. Only three plants (MN, IN and NE) have been identified as having used compressed air to blast pig brains and all three have ceased using the technique.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 04:34:00 PM

Homeless in Dallas Cost Over $43 Million Per Year

(Dallas, Texas) Here's a cluster of interesting numbers from Dallas.

In 2000, the City of Dallas, Dallas County, other government agencies and charitable organizations spent a total of $20,341,000.00 serving the homeless population in our community. By 2006, that total had more than doubled to an estimated $43,785,577.00 annually.

Recent "point in time" census counts of the homeless population indicates that there are somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 homeless individuals on the streets of Dallas at any one time. About 1,000 are chronically homeless.

The chronically homeless use 50% of the shelter capacity of our community.

Almost half (43%) of those surveyed in 2006 reported that they were homeless due to the lose of a job. In that same count, 12% reported that they had been homeless on four or more occasions in the past three years.

Here in Dallas more than 45 agencies offer housing, food, medical care and counseling/employment services to the homeless population.

I'm skeptical regarding the accuracy of the population numbers simply because "between 5,000 and 6,000" is not a point-in-time census count. It's obviously an estimate.

And, logically, estimates of homeless populations tend to be exaggerated because the people who customarily conduct the censuses are the same people who receive funds to help the homeless. There is a built-in bias to enhance the numbers.

On the other hand, estimates are not immune to being low because entire groups of homeless can erroneously be missed. Nonetheless, I'd trust the former occurring much more often than the latter.


[Update 01/19/08]

Interestingly, according to this report, Dallas and Collins Counties will undergo a census of homeless people next Tuesday. It's also reported that the 2007 count found 5,163 homeless people in Dallas County.

The Dallas Homeless Alliance will conduct Tuesday's census, accompanied by Dallas Police.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 02:51:00 PM

Florida Woman Jailed for Sex with Boy

(Ocala, Florida) A 47-year-old woman, Jennifer Lyn Crossin, was arrested this week for allegedly engaging in sexual activities with a 16-year-old boy more than once.

Detective Frank Scala went to the teen's home on Dec. 4, where the boy's father relayed the story.

On Dec. 13, Scala interviewed the teen at the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He reportedly told the detective that sometime in July, he and his brother went to Crossin's home where they watched television. The boy said he was sitting on the couch when Crossin began making sexual comments to him, then began touching his legs.

She told the boy's brother to leave, but the brother told investigators that he watched the activities with his minor brother from the window. The 16-year-old told detectives he eventually went into her bedroom.

In his report, Scala noted that the victim told him they had sex on two occasions. Scala also talked with the victim's other brother, who told him Crossin allegedly fondled him, but he left.

Crossin was booked into custody at the Marion County Jail with bail set at $15,000.

Something strange here, it seems. Why would teen boys gather at the home of a middle-aged neighbor woman to watch television?
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 11:14:00 AM

Quote of the Day

Jack Nicholson says age has changed him.

"I can't hit on a girl in public like I used to," he says.

Heh. I'd suggest he's still ahead of most guys, even at age 70.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 09:23:00 AM

Homeless Update - Baltimore, MD

Yesterday, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon announced the launching of a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. The plan includes vigorous pursuit of drug and alcohol treatment, creation of an affordable housing trust, nondiscrimination of homeless legislation and the leasing of 500 housing units.

Cost will be covered by "many millions of dollars" from state and federal sources. The money would be in addition to the $100 million the city has received from federal funds in the last five years.

According to the 2007 homeless census, there are about 3,000 people homeless in Baltimore on any given night.

If the experience of other cities can be used as an indicator, it's likely that the 10-year plan will not significantly decrease, if at all, the population of homeless people. Also, just penciling some numbers, it appears that in excess of $200 million will be allocated over 10 years for the 3,000 homeless people.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 08:48:00 AM

South Carolina Woman Jailed for Child Neglect

(Conway, South Carolina) A 35-year-old Myrtle Beach woman, Patricia Collins Eudy, was arrested for allegedly harming and neglecting her five children.

The children have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services with one, a 5-year-old daughter, hospitalized with serious injuries.

Eudy, 35, is charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, unlawful neglect of a child or helpless person by legal guardian and inflicting great bodily harm on a child, according to court records. She is being held without bail at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Her boyfriend, Aubrey Johnson, 26, is charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, unlawful neglect of a child by legal custodian and inflicting great bodily harm on a child, according to jail records. He is being held in lieu of $125,000 bail at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

The arrest warrant said Eudy admitted causing "violent injury" to the girl without "adequate cause or provocation" and that Johnson was present when the acts were committed.

A hearing on child custody is scheduled for February 7. Several family members have expressed interest in gaining custody.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/18/2008 07:36:00 AM

THE CRUISER AND FREE SPEECH


Scientology church put stop to leaked Tom Cruise web video

We read:

"Scientologists have forced internet giant Google to remove a leaked web video that featured Hollywood star Tom Cruise praising the niche religion. The Scientology video was removed from Google's YouTube video site today. "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Church of Scientology International," said a message on the site.

A Google Australia spokesman denied the company giant had "buckled under pressure" from the Church of Scientology, but confirmed Google had "complied with our legal obligation to remove material".

Source

There is a bit of a surge lately in using copyright laws to suppress speech. If any of these cases get to court, however, I think they will die. Copyright laws do permit use of excerpts and that is all that happened above as far as I can work out.


More on the Cruiser



I have noted before threats by the Church of Scientology to sue anybody who distributes an unauthorized biography of Tom Cruise -- threats that have succeeeded in getting the book pulled from some bookstores. It seems however that the book really contains very little of substance. There is a run-down of what is in it here. The only bit in it that I thought vaguely interesting was the following:

"Morton says Tom "progressed to what Scientologists call 'the Wall of Fire,' or Operating Thetan III, where the secrets of the universe according to Hubbard [are] revealed." Allegedly, "Tom found the knowledge he had just received disturbing and alarming, as he struggled to reconcile the creationist myth with the more practical teachings contained in the lower levels of Scientology...Tom [complained] that he had studied all these years and the whole faith was about space aliens."'

Some Cruise scientology craziness that apparently is not in the book can be found here

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 09:48:00 PM

Babysitter Accused of Murdering Toddler

(Hartford, Connecticut) A 25-year-old babysitter, Yalines Torres, was arrested yesterday for allegedly causing the death of a 19-month-old child she was watching.

Torres has been charged with capital felony murder.

Torres was watching 19-month-old Elijah Gasque on Friday evening while his mother worked. According to a police report, Torres told Julie Adkins-Gasque that Elijah had a seizure and collapsed during a game of ring-around-the-rosy.

Police said Torres made conflicting statements to them about the injury, saying that her own 2-year-old son struck him in the head with a xylophone toy and that Elijah may have been hurt when he fell after she twirled him in the air and set him down.

But after more questioning, police said Torres said Elijah was injured in a game in which she bundled him in a closed sleeping bag and she jogged through her apartment with the bag slung over her shoulder.

Going through one doorway, Torres lost her balance and the bag struck the door frame twice, police said. When she opened the bag, Elijah was pale and not breathing, according to the police report.

He died at a hospital the next day. A police report noted Elijah had a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain, and the medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide.

Torres was booked into custody with bond set at $1 million.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 07:57:00 PM

Spanking Case Verdict Overturned

(Fresno, California) Remember Janet Orlando? She is the 50-something woman who received $1.7 million in a judgment against her employer, Alarm One, which administered office spankings.

Orlando's story made national news and she appeared on several television shows.

Well, poor thing, the appeals court overturned the jury's decision in her case.

Several days ago an appellate court decided the jury was wrong and overturned Orlando's verdict.

Alarm one's defense attorney poncho Baker said, "Hopefully national news will pick it up that Miss Orlando has received zero dollars at the present time."

Poncho Baker was the Defense Attorney for Alarm One. Baker said the jury didn't follow special instructions on how to determine guilt in the case. Baker says that's why the appellate court overturned the verdict.

"A wrong instruction had been given so the appellate court reversed it and remanded it for a new trail. So Miss Orlando is back to square one" said Baker. (sic all)

Orlando's attorney, Butch Wagner, said they would be ready for trial within the next year.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 02:46:00 PM

Women's Mag Shifts Farther Left

(New York) An advertisement titled "This is Israel" featuring three prominent Israeli women was rejected by the editors of Ms. magazine because, according to managing editor Katherine Spiller, it was "outside the publication's mission."

"Our role at Ms. magazine is not to promote countries, it is to report on what's happening to women in different countries."

Sounds like double-talk to me and others concur. One author, Phyllis Chesler, said that the magazine has recently been "consistently and sickeningly anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian." Another author, Blu Greenberg, said that the forces at Ms. have aligned themselves "with those on the political far left whose agenda is to totally delegitimize Israel."

So, in rejecting the ad the editor of Ms. says it's not the mag's role while others say the mag is anti-Israel. Readers can make up their own minds. I'd say the latter makes more sense.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 09:53:00 AM

US Navy Will Use SONAR, Despite Whales

(San Francisco, California) According to this report, the environmentalists are seeing red.

The Bush administration jumped into a long-running legal fray in California on Tuesday, exempting the Navy from a law that environmental groups have used to prevent the use of a type of powerful sonar that is believed to harm whales.

The waiver exempts the Navy from the Coastal Zone Management Act, which allows states a voice in federal activities along their shores. The law had been cited in early January by a federal district judge who issued an injunction against the Navy, stopping it from using the midfrequency sonar in exercises off the Southern Californian coast because of concerns about its effect on certain species of whales.

But on Tuesday, the White House announced that such sonar exercises, used to track enemy submarines, were "essential to national security."

To me, it seems to be a ridiculous controversy. Defense of the United States must have priority over defending against possible harm to whales.

In opposition, Senator Barbara Boxer complained that more tax dollars will now have to be "wasted defending a misguided decision." I agree with Senator Boxer, which is a rarity. Fighting a losing battle in court is a waste and, presumably, if the voting population of the U.S. decided which is more important, the U.S. or the whales? I think the whales are sure losers.

Joel Reynolds, the head whale guy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, also weighed in, stating that it's no secret that the Navy and the White House are "not friendly to the environment." Well, that may or may not be the case, but it's not the primary consideration. Friendly or unfriendly to the environment, the President's job is to protect and defend the United States.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 08:12:00 AM

Oregon Woman Gets 60 Days for Sex with Boys

(Vale, Oregon) A 49-year-old woman, Janis Ribeiro, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Malheur County Circuit Court to charges of felony sex with two 15-year-old boys.

The felony sex abuse offenses occurred between April and May 2007 and police were alerted by the parents of one boy and an adult friend of the other boy.

According to police reports, Ribeiro, in some instances, met with the two boys -- both 15 at the time of the incidents -- at night, picking them up outside their homes. Then Ribeiro and the victims would drive to a secluded location where they engaged in sexual intercourse and/or oral sex.

In accordance with a plea agreement, Ribeiro was sentenced to 60 days in the Malheur County Jail with 30 days on work release. She was also assessed about $1,000 in fees.

Although the parents of one of the boys expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, the judge reportedly imposed the maximum punishment under Oregon state law.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/17/2008 07:33:00 AM

Germany: Anger at "Jewish star" smokers' shirts

We read:

"Opponents of Germany's new smoking ban have appalled Jewish leaders by selling more than 1,000 'smokers' T-shirts' that display a yellow Star of David and suggest that discrimination against nicotine addicts is like Nazi anti-Semitism during the Third Reich.

The controversial T-shirts went on sale on an internet site in the run-up to a smoking ban which came in to force in 10 of Germany's 16 federal states on New Year's Day. Its promoters insisted that Germany needed to be woken up to what it described as 'disgraceful discrimination against smokers' in bars and restaurants and claimed that its shirts were 'the most aggressive smokers' resistance shirt available.'"

Source

I can see both sides of this argument. Jews are asked to "get over" an awful lot. But it is also true that Hitler campaigned against smoking

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 10:50:00 PM

Female Coach Accused of Sex with Girl

(San Antonio, Texas) A 26-year-old basketball coach formerly at Madison High School, Summer Allen, was arrested today for allegedly having an improper relationship with a female player, beginning in 2006.

Allen resigned her position in February 2007 after the student exposed the relationship.

Allen was booked into custody at the Bexar County Jail with bail set at $20,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 04:06:00 PM

Dakota Woman Guilty of Raping Boy, 14

(Fort Pierre, South Dakota) A 39-year-old local woman, Andrea Herald, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of fourth-degree rape of a 14-year-old boy. Herald's crime resulted from incidents with two boys in Stanley and Hughes Counties in May and June of 2007.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped other charges of rape, giving alcohol and marijuana to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Herald faces sentencing on March 26 and could receive a possible 15 years in prison.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 08:30:00 AM

Newspeak Campaign in Elementary and Middle Schools

Take note, readers. If your child is falling behind in reading, writing and arithmetic, part of the reason is probably stuff like the following.

Thousands of American schools are expected to take part in the fifth annual "No Name-Calling Week," a homosexual advocacy group announced on Monday.

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) said the campaign is aimed at children in grades 5-8, and the group offers additional lesson plans for earlier grades.

"No Name-Calling Week, Jan. 21-25, is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities," GLSEN said in a news release.

According to its website, GLSEN promotes normalization and acceptance of homosexuality in the minds of children while guiding them to start "gay-straight alliances."

The campaign has the support of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishers, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Girl Scouts of the USA, the National School Boards Association and the National Education Association.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 07:50:00 AM

Saving Major Coughlin


"It may not be too late to save the career of a Pentagon analyst of jihad threats whose frank and honest work has gotten him into trouble. Bill Gertz in his weekly Washington Times "Inside the Ring" column (1/11/08) reported that "Pentagon and military leaders, along with lots of working-level officials, are quietly rallying" in support of Major Stephen Coughlin (USAR), whose plight I have discussed, earlier here. Gertz also makes clear in no uncertain terms, dismissing some rumor mongering, that Coughlin was being accused "falsely" of talking "out of school to the press."

More here

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 07:22:00 AM

Pentagon Fires Islamic Law Expert

(Washington) Triggered by a disagreement with Hasham Islam, a special assistant to defense bigshot Gordon England, terror analyst Stephen Coughlin was fired by the Pentagon.

Mr. Islam, a Muslim, referred to Mr. Coughlin as a "Christian zealot with a pen" during the meeting several weeks ago, a slur rejected by Mr. Coughlin's supporters.

Critics of Mr. Coughlin are spreading word -- falsely -- that he is being let go because he talked out of school to the press. One official suggested the action was due to budget cuts.

But defense and military officials supportive of Mr. Coughlin said the real reason is that critics, like Mr. Islam, want him sidelined because they oppose his hard-to-refute views on the relationship between Islamic law and Islamist jihad doctrine. (my bold)

Those views have triggered a harsh debate challenging the widespread and politically correct view of Islam as a religion of peace hijacked by extremists.

A number of senior officials have spoken in support of Coughlin, indicating that he has been a leader in promoting understanding of radical Islam. It's believed that the Joint Staff has lost its only Islamic law scholar if the firing stands.

Some said Coughlin was fired for merely telling the truth and not toeing the politically correct line.

So, one has to ask, "Does America want radical Islam to be unexamined by the Pentagon?" Apparently, SecDef Deputy Gordon England does.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/16/2008 04:54:00 AM

Gay Security Guy Depressed by Woman

(London) A gay security worker, Allwyn Rondeau, complained that he suffers from anxiety and depression because a female coworker "wobbled" her breasts at him and "hassled him for intercourse."

Allwyn Rondeau told a tribunal that Lucy Chilton stuck her bottom in the air and said "come on give it to me" in one attempt at seduction. Miss Chilton, 42, also pinched his bottom and grabbed his crotch, it is claimed.

 
Mr Rondeau, who lives with his partner of 15 years, worked for G4S Security Service, previously known as Group 4, and was responsible for guarding planes, scanning luggage and frisking passengers at Heathrow airport.

The 46-year-old said he enjoyed his job until he met Miss Chilton at their work Christmas party in December 2005.

The tribunal has yet to rule on Mr. Rondeau's discrimination complaint.

Since Mr. Rondeau can't handle a coworker's bothersome behavior without suffering psychological problems, one must wonder how he would handle a potentially deadly security threat against the airlines. Presumably, airline security is not fortified if the first level of protection succumbs to wobbly breasts.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not taking sides. Mr. Rondeau was probably in a very uncomfortable position at work and his complaint appears legitimate. However, since the unpleasant and easily correctable circumstances resulted in psychological problems, the security firm may not be adequately screening job applicants for mental toughness.

Lastly and contrary to the article, if a woman came to me with her caboose in the air and said "come give it to me," I believe she blew the doors off the seduction phase of the relationship.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/15/2008 09:29:00 PM

A not so merry old Cole

Juan Cole is a University of Michigan Middle East studies professor who is so dumb as to believe that Iraq is on the Mediterranean. And if you read here you will see that the wacky Prof. Cole does not even know that a large part of what is the USA today was taken from Mexico! He really is a rather pathetic case. Leftists and the facts just do not get on. Cole calls his blog Informed Comment, in the fine old Leftist tradition of calling a thing by its opposite.

Unfortunately, however, many unaware people could well take him seriously so we need to note that he is also a deliberate distorter of the facts and a deceiver of the public -- as this article reveals. Cole purports to believe the Iranian propaganda about the recent confrontation in the Straits of Hormuz between the U.S. navy and Iranian speedboats and is willing to misrepresent easily checkable facts in order to support that propaganda.

He must be one of the lowest-quality professors around. Students who have paid to attend his courses ought to demand a refund! Pro-Leftist and pro-Islamic distortions are just about all that they will have learned.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/15/2008 04:20:00 PM

Presbyterian College Lacrosse Players Suspended

(Clinton, South Carolina) Two Presbyterian College students, Rachel Beaumont and Trista Sturdivant, have been suspended from the school's lacrosse team for reporting a fictitious attack. Police investigated for a month to identify the culprit who, supposedly, jumped out of the woods and attacked Sturdivant.

Police ultimately determined that the girls had lied. It appears that the girls, like, were really, you know, stressed out by school and stuff so they came up with an idea that they thought would work, you know. You see, the plan was for Rachel to whack Trista in the head with a lacrosse stick, claim she was, like, attacked, and then she wouldn't have to do her schoolwork, ya' see.

So, Rachel played T-ball with Trista's noggin, causing a cut. Now, to be fair, my version of the incident could be wrong and the whole episode could have been started by a simple accident.

Nonetheless, the police were called, only to waste man-hours chasing a nonexistent attacker.

Sturdivant is charged with filing a false police report. Beaumont is charged with giving false information.

Both have been suspended from the lacrosse team and the college's honor council will decide if they can remain at the school.

Kids with minds full of mush, acting dumb. So, what else is new?

One final note. It's somewhat sad that these two girls, with the apparent reasoning abilities of 10-year-old children, are probably old enough to vote.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/15/2008 07:34:00 AM

Georgia Student Files Federal Lawsuit Against Valdosta State University After Expulsion for Peaceful Protest


We read:

"Expelled Valdosta State University (VSU) student T. Hayden Barnes has filed a lawsuit against the university, VSU President Ronald Zaccari, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and other VSU administrators after being punished for publicly protesting the school's decision to construct two new parking garages on campus. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in cooperation with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and eminent First Amendment attorney and FIRE Legal Network member Robert Corn-Revere.

"VSU's concerted effort to silence and punish Hayden Barnes is an unconscionable attempt to violate his First Amendment rights-and VSU, as a public institution, is legally required to protect these rights," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "Now VSU must answer for its actions in court."

Source

Am I losing my mojo? I put up a post yesterday defending Hillary and now this post is in defence of a Greenie! Though I have always said that even Fascists have rights! And from a libertarian point of view both Hillary and the Greenies have a lot in common with Benito Mussolini. Did you know that Musso was a keen conservationist in various ways? See here.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/15/2008 05:21:00 AM

Homeless Update - Montgomery County, MD

From WaPo:

In 2002, Montgomery County officials vowed to end homelessness in the county within 10 years. As part of their initiative, they said they would construct 800 studio apartments by 2012.

Six years later, only 48 such units have been created -- eight of which opened last month. And according to the most recent census of homelessness in the region, there are more homeless people on the streets of Montgomery than there were in the year before then-County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) made his pledge.

"Six years have gone by, and we haven't made any progress," said council member George L. Leventhal (D-At Large). "We haven't fulfilled our promise." (my bold)

Many towns and cities in the nation have launched grand plans to end homelessness and, thus far, it appears that all are in trouble. It will be interesting to watch as each of the communities backs out of its promises.

The problem appears to be that the grand plans to end homelessness, which provide shelters and permanent housing and services, etc., do not seem to have any impact on the actual number of homeless people. In virtually every case, the population stays the same or increases. Take the example of Montgomery County, permanent housing was created to reduce the number of homeless and the exact opposite result was achieved.

I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that all plans to end homelessness are destined to fail. A more logical approach would be to work for a reduction in the homeless population that is reasonably achieveable.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/15/2008 12:59:00 AM

Couple Indicted in MySpace Teen Sex Case

(Queens, New York) A 22-year-old stripper, Sophie Soto, and her 31-year-old stripper husband, Julio Rojas, were arraigned last Saturday on 56 criminal counts resulting from multiple sexual incidents with two under-15-year-old girls during a six-month period between 2006 and 2007.

 
The variety of sex crimes, including statutory rape and sexual abuse, were announced yesterday by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

"The defendants are accused of using the Internet to lure two obviously troubled young girls to their apartment where they were plied with liquor before being used to satisfy the defendants' own illicit carnal cravings," Brown said.

Soto allegedly portrayed herself as an 18-year-old virgin on MySpace seeking another girl to help her not be nervous when she had sex for the first time with a boy. A girl replied that she would help and bring along another girl. When the girls arrived at Soto's and Rojas' apartment, they were plied with booze and sexually abused.

Later that night, the couple took the girls, who were under 15 but were given fake identification cards, to a Manhattan strip club, where Soto and an exotic dancer dragged them on stage, slipped their clothes off and made them have oral sex with patrons, the district attorney said.

The couple has been booked into custody with Soto's bail set at $250,000 and Rojas' bail set at $500,000. A court appearance is scheduled for January 28.

Notably, MySpace.com administrators announced additional controls on the website's use on the same day of the announcement of charges against Soto and Rojas. District Attorney Brown stated the changes on MySpace will help in protecting the vulnerable from predators.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 07:35:00 PM

Two Teachers Hammered

(Clay County, Indiana) Two area teachers, Melinda Ellis and Anita Miller, were arrested last evening for a variety of offenses related to being intoxicated and wrecking their 2003 Jeep Liberty. The vehicle ended up in a ditch with the front end nearly vertical in the air.

Melinda Ellis teaches science at White River Jr.-Sr. High School.

Melinda Ellis, the driver of the vehicle, approached the officers. Police say she smelled of alcohol, and the deputies administered a field block alcohol test.

She registered 0.12 blood alcohol content (BAC). The officers also discovered an undetermined amount of marijuana on her person.

Ellis was arrested on charges of operating while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Anita Miller teaches physical education at North Clay Middle School.

Officers at the scene say the vehicle's passenger, Anita Miller, was not only intoxicated but disorderly. They say at one point she stumbled out into the roadway, dropped her pants to her ankles, and began to urinate on the ground.

Miller's BAC registered 0.17. She was arrested on charges of public intoxication, public nudity, and disorderly conduct.

The story doesn't end there.

At the Clay County Jail, Miller's raucous behavior continued. While in book-in, she dropped her pants again, exposing herself to the jail staff. Officers put her in a padded cell.

Ellis and Miller have been placed on administrative leave from their teaching positions.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 04:47:00 PM

Da Vinci's Mona Lisa ID'd

It has been claimed that one of the most provocative and enduring identity verification cases has been solved.

The true identity of the woman in Leonardo da Vinci's most famous portrait "Mona Lisa" has been revealed, said German scientist Veit Probst.

Director of the Heidelberg University Library, Probst said the woman with a puzzling smile in Da Vinci's world-renowned portrait "Mona Lisa" is absolutely Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine cloth merchant named Francesco del Giocondo.

The Mona Lisa was painted between the years 1503 and 1506 and is one of the most precious works of art on display in Paris's Louvre Museum. The portrait used to be called La Gioconda.

The identity of Mona Lisa was revealed thanks to a handwritten footnote on a document that belonged to the former owner of the famous painting, Probst said.

Notably, it has historically been thought that Lisa, wife of del Giocondo, was, in fact, the subject of Leonardo's painting, however, documented evidence was lacking. Apparently Probst's contribution to the case is the discovery of a handwritten piece of evidence. A scientific article will be published soon, Probst promised.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 01:37:00 PM

Brutality of Women in India

(New Delhi, India) According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), every hour of every day during 2006, an average of 18 Indian women were victimized. That equals 432 per day and over 150,000 per year.

From Khaleej Times:

Every hour that ticks by in India inflicts more brutality on women, with two rapes, two kidnappings, four molestations and seven incidents of cruelty from husbands and relatives, reveal the latest national crime statistics.

By comparing the statistics for India with those of the U.S., it would appear that India is a more law-abiding country. As a general observation, U.S. statistics compiled by the FBI appear to indicate a significantly greater incidence of all crimes. A direct comparison is not possible since the FBI does not specifically tabulate a 'crimes against women' category.

But since India has three times the population of the U.S. with only a fraction of the crimes reported, I suspect that there is a great difference between the methodologies of defining and documenting crimes.

In other words, take Indian crime stats with a grain of salt.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 12:31:00 PM

Mainstream Editor Becomes ACLU Director

(Abilene, Texas) Congratulations are appropriate for Terri Burke, the former editor of the Abilene Reporter-News. She has been chosen for the position of Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas. Tomorrow is her first day.

Burke says her new job seems like a continuation of her work in the newspaper business.

Really?

Frankly, I concluded long ago that there is barely a breath of difference between the mainstream media-types and hardcore leftist-types and Burke's assertion of interchangeability provides confirmation.

Burke takes a wealth of experience with her to the ACLU. She previously held management positions with the Hartford Courant in Connecticut, the Dallas Morning News, the Albuquerque Tribune and the Austin American-Statesman. Obviously, her mainstream media connections will be valuable in getting the ACLU's message heard.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 07:51:00 AM

9th Circus - No background checks on NASA employees

""A federal appeals court ruled Friday that NASA should be blocked from conducting background checks on low-risk employees at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory, saying the practice threatens workers' constitutional rights. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the 28 scientists and engineers who refused to submit to the background checks "face a stark choice - either violation of their constitutional rights or loss of their jobs." The decision written by Judge Kim Wardlaw reversed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Otis Wright and sent the case back to him with orders to issue an injunction on the workers' behalf. The workers sued the federal government, claiming that NASA was invading their privacy by requiring the investigations, which included probes into medical records and questioning of friends about everything from their finances to their sex lives. If they didn't agree to the checks, they could be fired."

More here

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 01:32:00 AM

USS Cole Victim's Father Writes Yemen's Prez

In October 2000, 17 American sailors died aboard the USS Cole from a suicide attack in Yemen's Aden harbor and, to date, there has been no reasonable punishment for the perpetrators of the heinous act of terror.

Fireman Gary Graham Swenchonis, 26, was one of the sailors who died. Gary Swenchonis Sr., the father of Fireman Swenchonis, has now written a letter to President Saleh of Yemen expressing his outrage at justice denied. Here's an excerpt:

You never even denounced that horrible tragedy, nor did anyone in your government. On the contrary, your government hindered the investigation at every turn. But then, so did our own; US Ambassador Bodine continually obstructed the FBI’s investigation.

When the trials were held in Yemen, the resulting sentences were a mockery of justice considering the heinous crime and multiple loss of life. Then those sentences were reduced upon appeal. Now it is my understanding that one or more of the killers recently received a conditional pardon from you. This is despicable sir!

But we expected no less from you or your government from the beginning. We pleaded with our government to have the killers extradited for trial to another country where the government is not in league with terrorists. I want you to know that I am doing everything in my power to see to it that Yemen is placed on the United States list of countries that "Support and Sanction Terrorists Acts."

Jane Novak of the Armies of Liberation and The Jawa Report was asked by Gary Swenchonis Sr. to publish the letter to assure the widest possible readership.

See Jane's post here. Go visit and leave a comment showing your support. If you have a blog, see if you can mention the letter. The Yemeni government needs to be put in the spotlight.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/14/2008 01:20:00 AM

Helene Berr Holocaust Diary

Kept hidden for more than 60 years, the diary of Helene Berr, a young French woman who died in a concentration camp, has been published.

It has been described as a publishing sensation. Helene Berr was a young French student murdered in a Nazi concentration camp. Her recently discovered journal has now hit French bookstores -- and become an immediate bestseller.

"I sense that a great dark path awaits me." The words were written over six decades ago by a young Jewish student named Helene Berr not long before she lost her life in a German concentration camp. But they are only just now coming to light.

The "Helene Berr Journal" was published on Jan. 3 and hit the bookshops in France this week. It is a moving portrayal of how a young woman's carefree life in Paris is slowly shattered as she becomes increasingly certain of her eventual terrible fate.

Described as the publishing sensation of 2008 by the French daily Liberation, the book has likewise been called a "testimonial of rare power" by Le Figaro. And with 26,000 copies sold in just three days, it has been flying off the shelves.

The book will be available in English in September.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 11:59:00 PM

New York Teacher Removed From Classroom

(Lockport, New York) A 35-year-old fourth-grade teacher at Roy B. Kelly Elementary School, Marcy L. Cole, was removed from the classroom and arrested this week for felony drunk driving and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Troopers said Cole's license was revoked in October following a DWI arrest in April.

A parent of a pupil in Cole's classroom said her daughter came home from school on Tuesday and said Cole appeared intoxicated earlier in the day and swore at a pupil before being escorted out of the school.

Cole has not returned to the school since, said the parent, who asked that her name not be used out of concern for her daughter.

A letter went home to parents on Friday informing them that Cole would not be returning to the classroom for the rest of the school year.

Lockport School Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone claimed the school staff was unaware of the felony charge against Cole since the Department of Motor Vehicles does not have to notify them.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 10:58:00 PM

Man Accused of Murdering Wife, 4 Kids

(Mason, Ohio) A 34-year-old married, father-of-four, Michel Veillette, was charged yesterday with five counts of murder and one count of arson in the deaths of his wife, Nadya Ferrari-Veillette, 33, and four children, Jacob and Mia, both 3, Vincent, 4, and Marguerite, 8.

Police and fire squads were called to the Veillette residence about 10 P.M. Friday to find it ablaze, an apparent arson in which an accelerant was used.

The Warren County coroner said today that Nadya Ferrari-Veillette died from multiple stab wounds while her 4-year-old son, Vincent, likely was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation. Accelerant was used to start the fire, he said.

Toxicology tests, due from Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab in six to eight weeks, could confirm the cause for Vincent’s death, Dr. Russell Uptegrove said.

Uptegrove wouldn’t say how many times Ferrari-Veillette was stabbed or the location of the wounds. The knife was recovered from the Brackenview Court house, where accelerant was used to start the fire, he said.

The causes of death of the other three Veillette children may be released in two days, when toxicology tests are finished, said Hamilton County Coroner O’dell Owens.

"The key will be toxicology," Owens said. Police have said that none of the children were stabbed.

The autopsies are being split between counties, because Ferrari-Veillette and Vincent died at the scene in Warren County while the other three children died at Bethesda North Hospital in Hamilton County. Warren County has Montgomery County Coroner’s Office in Dayton perform its autopsies.

The children -- 3-year-old twins Jacob and Mia, 4-year-old Vincent and 8-year-old Marguerite -- were so badly burned that a strong smell of smoke lingered long after they were pronounced dead at Bethesda North Hospital Friday night.

Michel Veillette, a self-employed contract engineer, survived the fire. He was found sitting in the front yard of the residence when authorities arrived. Like his wife, he had stab wounds. Veillette is in serious condition at University Hospital in Cincinnati. No motive for the deaths has been disclosed.

Inexplicably, the Veillette tragedy is the third report in less than a week where four children in one family were murdered. On Wednesday, it was reported that a crack-addicted father, Lam Luong, threw his four young children into the Intracoastal Waterway along the Gulf Coast. On Saturday, it was reported that a Washington, D.C., mother, Banita Jacks, is responsible for the strangulation and/or blunt trauma deaths of her four children.

I pray there's no more.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 04:51:00 PM

PETA Tombstone Stunt

(Louisville, Kentucky) By taking its radical animal rights campaign into a cemetery, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) show scant respect for our dearly departed.

PETA proudly placed a headstone, inscribed with animal rights propaganda, near Colonel Sanders' grave.

From PETA.org:

Visitors to Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery--the final resting place of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders--will notice a new headstone just a stone's throw away from the colonel's.

The new headstone is inscribed with a moving tribute to a "Kind Friend of Chickens," but upon closer examination, the bright-red letters down the left side of the poem spell out an unmistakable message: "KFC Tortures Birds."

By going into a cemetery to disrespect the dead, PETA has shown itself to be categorically similar to the late-night vandals who knock over tombstones and deface them with swastikas.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 11:20:00 AM

Soros Paid for Bogus War Dead Study

This report should surprise nobody. George Soros' taint is usually affixed to anti-American studies. In fact, one customarily doesn't have to search long to discover that Soros money is the bedrock of anti-U.S. efforts.

A STUDY that claimed 650,000 people were killed as a result of the invasion of Iraq was partly funded by the antiwar billionaire George Soros.

Soros, 77, provided almost half the £50,000 cost of the research, which appeared in The Lancet, the medical journal. Its claim was 10 times higher than consensus estimates of the number of war dead.

The study, published in 2006, was hailed by antiwar campaigners as evidence of the scale of the disaster caused by the invasion, but Downing Street and President George Bush challenged its methodology.

New research published by The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 151,000 people - less than a quarter of The Lancet estimate - have died since the invasion in 2003.

"The authors should have disclosed the [Soros] donation and for many people that would have been a disqualifying factor in terms of publishing the research," said Michael Spagat, economics professor at Royal Holloway, University of London.

The fact that The Lancet published the bogus numbers while surely aware that Soros funded the effort is also quite telling. The Lancet obviously has its own political agenda. As a reminder, the study with the bogus number was published immediately prior to the 2006 elections with the goal of swaying voter opinion.

By the way, as an exercise in frustration, try to keep track of all the leftists who keep quoting the 650,000 number.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 10:48:00 AM

Pair Liquors Up Girls During Sleepover

(Lexington County, South Carolina) An Irmo couple, Stephanie Kae Cassel, 35, and James Wesley Lewis, 28, surrendered to authorities to face charges related to allegedly liquoring up four 11-year-old girls during a sleepover. The mother of one of the girls reported the incident to police.

The four girls reportedly drank enough to lose consciousness and become physically ill.

Arrest warrants allege that the girls were encouraged to drink "a gross amount of Bacardi rum, Absolut vodka, Bahama Mama and other liquors for two hours, starting at 10:00pm, during the sleepover party at the Irmo home," according to Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts.

Lewis provided the liquor to the four girls before he and Cassel went to a bedroom to go to sleep, Metts said. Lewis exited the bedroom several times to ensure that the girls were drinking the liquors that he had provided to them. Lewis also briefly drank liquor with the girls.

One of the girls became physically ill several times overnight because she had consumed too much liquor, Metts said. Cassel, who works as an emergency medical technician for a private ambulance service, and Lewis provided no assistance to the girls when the girls became physically ill because they had consumed too much liquor.

Cassel and Lewis were booked into custody at the Lexington County Detention Center and later released on bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 08:39:00 AM

Throw Away the Key on Terror Suspects

From an op-ed by John Farmer in today's NYT:

Imagine what might have happened had the government not detained Mr. Padilla back in 2002 -- if he had carried out a large-scale bombing, killing thousands, and if it had emerged later that the government had had information implicating him and done nothing. Would that have been a risk worth taking? Scotland Yard took that risk when it put surveillance on, but failed to detain, the future London subway bombers.

It is time to stop pretending that the criminal justice system is a viable primary option for preventing terrorism. The Bush administration should propose and Congress should pass legislation allowing for preventive detention in future terrorism cases like that of Mr. Padilla. It is the best way to ensure both the integrity of our criminal law and the safety of our nation.

In the cases of non-U.S. citizens, preventive detention shouldn't be a problem although the ACLU and other civil liberties advocates would disagree. For U.S. citizens, legislation is needed to precisely define as illegal the behavior which is a precursor to terrorist acts.

Even so, preventive detention of Americans is fraught with obstacles. For example, a formula to sidestep habeas corpus and speedy trial provisions needs to be created. Possibly, a special court could be impaneled to legally decide that preventive detention is necessary for terror suspects since they are a danger to themselves and others.

In any event, I agree with Mr. Farmer.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/13/2008 07:38:00 AM

Canadian Publisher Persecuted for Mindcrime

There are 3 videos here of an interrogation conducted by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. They are interrogating Ezra Levant, publisher of The Western Standard and the man who published the "Mohammed" cartoons in Canada.

A comment from Belmont Club:

"They said inquisitions couldn't happen in North American. Certainly not in the 21st century. But they have. Whether or not Ezra Levant is declared "innocent" or "guilty" by the Canadian Human Rights Commission of publishing the "Mohammed Cartoons" is beside the point. What is at issue is whether or not a Canadian government agency has the competence to punish someone for what in saner times would be considered a routine exercise in free speech. It is the legitimacy of the Canadian Human Rights Commission that is on trial here. They themselves are in the dock and they have put themselves there.

Some more comments here.

My comment: Prof. Ward Churchill accused the workers in the NYC twin towers on 9/11 of being "little Eichmanns". But Canada today has REAL "little Eichmanns". You can see one in the video.

The original Eichmann was a Nazi bureaucrat who just sat in his office for most of the war but he accomplished great evil nonetheless -- organizing the transport of Jews to the gas chambers.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 09:55:00 PM

Arrest for Smoking Dope While Pregnant

(Martins Ferry, Ohio) A 23-year-old expectant mother, Laura M. Thornton, was arrested this week for allegedly smoking marijuana while pregnant.

Thornton admitted to police that she had smoked a "blunt" on Tuesday night. She was charged with drug abuse involving an unborn child.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 09:04:00 PM

What! Another Headache?

(Warsaw, Poland) Having a bad day? Check out a worse one.

A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment's employees. Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.

They have decided to divorce.

Tip: slwlion
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 06:11:00 PM

Sunday School Teacher Accused of Selling Crack Cocaine

(Magnolia, Texas) A 60-year-old disabled Sunday school teacher, Beatrice Charles, was arrested this week for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover officer.

Charles (maiden name Ramirez) has been charged with first-degree felony delivery of a controlled substance.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Special Investigation Unit began an investigation following numerous complaints from Charles' neighbors about activity at her wood-frame single-family home in the 24000 block of Zhan Street, according to Sgt. David Womack, who said neighbors reported frequent short-time visits by numerous people.

After the alleged sale to an undercover officer, investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence.

Charles was home when the warrant was served, Womack said.

"We recovered more than four but less than 200 grams of cocaine that was separated into approximately 40 baggies for sale," he said. "We also recovered digital scales and other paraphernalia along with nine weapons."

The weapons consisted of three semi-automatic handguns and six hunting rifles.

Charles was booked into custody at the Montgomery County Jail with bail set at $75,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 08:00:00 AM

Texas Teacher, Students, Beer, Arrest

(Angleton, Texas) A 52-year-old art teacher at Danbury High School, Robin Ater, was arrested early Friday morning for allegedly liquoring up some students in her home.

Ater has been charged with one count of furnishing alcohol to minors.

Two boys, both 16, were stopped on CR 171 just north of FM 523 at about 11:15 p.m. Thursday after having been at Ater's home in the 1200 block of Ave. I, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Investigator Darrell Collins said. The driver was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol and the passenger with a minor consuming alcohol violation.

"One of our officers made a traffic stop that turned out to be a couple of young people,” Sheriff Charles Wagner said. "The driver was intoxicated as was the passenger. We let the parents pick them up instead of putting them in jail."

The students apparently told officers the alcohol was furnished by a teacher, Wagner said.

"The officer went to her house and talked to her and found evidence of considerable drinking going on," he said. "We found a receipt where beer had been purchased."

According to Danbury ISD Superintendent Eric Grimmett, Ater was placed on administrative leave pending a full investigation.

Ater was booked and released on $2,000 bond.

Interestingly, Ater reportedly allowed her teen son to drink in the family home, which is legal, Sheriff Wagner said. However, when the teen's buddies drank in the Ater home, it was illegal.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 06:03:00 AM

Lymphogranuloma Venereum Genetics

In 2004, medical professionals expressed concern regarding an outbreak of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in the Netherlands and appearances in Canada and the U.S. West Coast. Now, it's being reported that 400 cases have been recorded in the UK through September 2006.

LGV is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the chlamydia bacteria which, until recently, was extremely rare outside of Africa and southeast Asia. The disease chiefly affects homosexual men.

In the latest news regarding LGV, an international group of researchers has performed a study of the chlamydia genome which is reported in this month's issue of Genome Research. According to senior author Professor Ian Clarke of the University of Southampton, the new gene catalogue will be a valuable research tool.

The researchers sequenced the genomes from two isolates of Chlamydia from patients with LGV - one obtained in California in the 1960s, and maintained as the major laboratory strain, and the other a recent isolate from a patient in London.

"The new sequences allow us to ask whether the recent increase in incidence of LGV is the result of emergence of a new and more virulent strain," continues Professor Clarke. "Our results suggest that the organism we find today is virtually identical with that isolated 40 years ago. It seems that we are not facing a novel, more dangerous organism."

The gene content of the two isolates is identical, with only around 500 differences between the two genomes. The research team found no evidence of novel genes or significant changes that might suggest a clear divergence between the two isolates.

Therefore, the recent outbreak of lymphogranuloma venereum cannot be attributed to a new strain of chlamydia bacteria. Current cases of LGV are caused by the same bug that caused LGV decades ago. As such, the recent outbreak can be explained by LGV having found a new way to piggyback itself through society.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/12/2008 04:30:00 AM

Woman Accused of Killing Her Four Kids

(Washington, D.C.) A 33-year-old woman, Banita Jacks, has been arrested and charged for the murders of her four children. During a forceable eviction of Jacks from her residence, U.S. Marshals found the bodies.

The skeletal remains of Brittany Jacks, 17, Tatianna Jacks, 11, N'Kiah Fogle, 6, and Aja Fogle, 5, were found Wednesday morning, on the second floor of the house in the 4200 block of Sixth Street SE.

Banita Jacks told police that the girls were possessed by demons and had been dead for months.

Although autopsies are incomplete, the medical examiner's office reported that there was evidence that Brittany had been stabbed, the charging documents state. There was evidence of binding on the necks of the Tatianna and N'Kiah, and evidence of blunt force injury to the head of Aja and binding on her neck, according to the documents.

Jacks told police the deaths occurred before a utility turned off her electricity, which prosecutors said was in September. She told investigators she had not fed her children for a substantial time before their deaths.

Sadly, problems with the Jacks family were known or suspected by neighbors, the school system and social welfare authorities. Inquiries by the D.C. Child and Family Services department were closed improperly.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/11/2008 06:14:00 PM

Noah has lost his ark

There is an amusing article by Timothy Noah in the NYT which tries to "explain" neoconservatism. I myself think that the only explanation needed is the old observation about the zeal of the convert. Converts to a cause tend to be much more zealous, outspoken and energetic (and in some cases more extreme) than those who espoused the cause ab initio. And the neocons started out as Trotskyists (extreme Leftists) so their zeal upon conversion was all the greater for that.

Rather amazingly, Noah accuses neocons of being addicted to Hitler comparisons. He has managed to dredge up a few such comparisons -- reasonable ones -- but ignores the flood of such comparisons (generally highly unreasonable) emanating from Leftists!

But Noah now seems to have drifted away from the fairly centrist position he once held. He notes that most of the neocons are Jewish and proceeds from there to the old antisemitic slur of "double loyalty" -- the claim that that Jews cannot be relied upon because of their prime loyalty to Israel. That is the sort of language that the Left have reverted to these days.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/11/2008 03:53:00 PM

Czech Woman to Girl to Boy to Jail

From Europe comes the convoluted story of 33-year-old Czech woman, Barbara Skrlova, who allegedly passed herself off as being a 12-year-old girl and was adopted and, later, passed herself off as a 13-year-old boy who attended a Norwegian school for several months.

Police in the Czech Republic say she's a key witness in their investigation into allegations that a woman brutalized her two sons. Skrlova, posing as a 12-year-old girl named Anicka, lived with the family as the woman's stepdaughter until police found one of the boys locked in a closet last spring, according to the Prague Daily Monitor.

"Last fall she enrolled in an Oslo school as the bald, effeminate son of a Czech theater manager and dramaturg named Martin Fahrner -- who had also moved to Norway, though he had a wife and a real son in the Czech Republic named Adam," Spiegel reports. "Skrlova attended classes for several months before fleeing to a Norwegian children's home, where 'Adam' claimed to be the victim of child abuse. Then, on December 16, 'Adam' disappeared from the home."

Norwegian authorities mounted a massive search for the missing boy, and then discovered he didn't exist when they found Skrlova living in an Arctic town. "Not even we have been able to figure out what is up and down in this case," Norwegian police attorney Sven Roer tells the Associated Press.

Skrlova is back in the Czech Republic facing a charge of "harming other persons' rights" by pretending to be an underage girl.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/11/2008 01:58:00 PM

U.S. Military Angers Filipinos

(Zamboanga City, Philippines) It appears that U.S. troops have irritated the Filipinos regarding a camp in the southern Philippines.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it would relocate a Marine camp put up near a government hospital in the southern province of Sulu after a scandal involving US troops.

US troops in Sulu ordered last month a hospital in Panamao town to close every night that prevented medical personnel from treating patients after sundown. American troops who put up their camp at a Marine base near the hospital even told doctors to treat their patients at the municipal hall.

Dr. Silak Lakkian, head of the hospital, has complained about how US troops meddled in their operations. US soldiers also threatened to shoot anybody in the hospital in case there is an attack by terrorists. American soldiers have been in Sulu since 2006 to train local forces to hunt members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

The meddling of US troops in local affairs drew widespread criticism and protests from provincial leaders and triggered calls from political activists in Manila for the House of Representatives and the Senate to hold an investigation into the incident.

US military commanders in Sulu apologized for the incident and the AFP ordered the soldiers away from the hospital. US soldiers insist a threat exist against them in the town from suspected Abu Sayyaf militants.

The U.S. military "camps" are political hot potatoes since the Filipinos don't want any "permanent" foreign military bases in the country. Consequently, the camps are called "temporary" training facilities in support of the global war on terror, however, they have become semi-permanent in nature. The "temporary" designation is justified by having U.S. forces regularly transfer in and then out after a short duration. Needless to say, the last thing desired is publicity.

Responding to the incident, Army Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael said the camp would be moved to another village.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/11/2008 11:57:00 AM

Captain Arrested for Throwing Immigrant Overboard

(Agrigento, Sicily) From AGI News, Italian fishing boat captain Mariano Ruggiero, 46, has been charged with murdering an illegal alien.

According to reports obtained last night, in the offshore waters around fifty miles south of the Pelagius Isles, a dinghy with around 60 migrants on board which was making the crossing from North Africa, crossed courses with an Italian fishing boat.

One immigrant, probably of Somali origin, dived into the water and managed to reach the fishing boat, but the captain of the craft prevented him from staying on board, throwing him back into the sea. The event was reported by the other immigrants on their arrival at Lampedusa's reception centre.

Following this, the fisher boat in question also docked at Lampedusa and inquiries were immediately underway on the part of the Carabinieri, who gathered statement from other crew members to clarify the incident.

Ruggiero is in custody at Petrusa Prison, awaiting prosecution for murder. A search is underway for the body of the immigrant.

Apparently once illegals make it into the waters of the Mediterranean, European vessels are obligated to rescue them for processing as refugees and asylum-seekers. The policy is a grand idea from a humanitarian standpoint but it causes difficulties for European countries struggling with the problems of illegal immigration.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/11/2008 07:46:00 AM

British Blogger Pursued by Police for Criticizing Muslim Drug Pushers

We read:

"Islamist rule over the UK may, alarmingly, be on its way. Today, the British police want to question and/or arrest the British blogger known as Lionheart. His crime? Turning his life around as a young school dropout and petty drug dealer and emerging as a believing Christian who opposes the drug plague in his hometown of Luton and who views the Pakistani Islamist and al-Qaeda control of the drug trade in Luton as both criminally and politically dangerous. For this, Lionheart has been charged with “stirring up racial hatred”—which is a crime in the UK.

He writes about the massive number of Pakistani Muslim drug dealers in his hometown of Luton who addict British youth and whose profits fuel expensive lifestyles, paramilitary organizations, suicide terrorism, and religious hate speech against Jews, Christians, and the West. Ironically, what is said in mosques and madrassas and on protest marches all over the UK is never considered to constitute a “racially” motivated hate crime. As George Orwell understood, not all pigs are equal.

Paul-the-Lionhearted began a blog. He described what had happened to him and what he saw happening on the streets of his hometown. Someone unknown decided that Paul’s denunciation of Al-Qaeda and terrorism constituted “hate speech.” Perhaps Paul’s Christianity offended both Muslims and the politically correct oligarchy that rules the media, the universities, and perhaps the House of Lords in Britain.

Source

More commentary here (Site a bit slow to load)

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 08:43:00 PM

Tennessee Teacher Accused of Rape of Student

(Crossville, Tennessee) A 26-year-old teacher at the Phoenix School, Heather Michelle Chesser, has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly engaging in sex with a teenage student.

Chesser faces two counts of statutory rape and two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure.

Officials of the Phoenix School, which offers alternative educational programs, alerted investigators to "inappropriate contact" between Chesser and a boy at the school, according to a news release. Authorities didn't give specifics.

Chesser was booked and released on $10,000 bond. A court appearance is tentatively scheduled for January 25.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 05:40:00 PM

Mom Accused of Killing Her Baby

(Anderson County, South Carolina) An 18-year-old mother, Danielle Bowen, was arrested yesterday for allegedly killing her baby daughter. She has been charged with homicide by child abuse.

Deputies said Bowen called paramedics to her home after her 6-month-old daughter, Haley, stopped breathing. Emergency crews were able to revive the baby girl, but she died about seven hours later at the hospital.

According to the arrest warrant, Bowen stepped on, slapped and choked Haley and then left the baby unattended for almost 30 minutes.

Bowen's other child, a two-year-old, has been placed with the Department of Social Services.

Bowen awaits a bond hearing.

Tip: SuidaeEmpathy
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 04:14:00 PM

Gov't Not Affected by Minimum Wage Law

(Jefferson City, Missouri) Check this out:

A Cole County Circuit Court judge ruled this week that municipal and county governments aren't covered by the minimum wage law passed in 2006 by Missouri voters.

Judge Richard Callahan said the state law, which raised the state minimum wage to $6.50 last year and to $6.65 an hour as of Jan. 1, didn't specifically include governments in its language.

The law applies only to an "individual, partnership, association, corporation, business, business trust, legal representative, or any organized group of persons," Callahan said.

Therefore, the new regulation only applies to the private sector. Nobody should be surprised, though. It's no secret that Congress, for example, regularly passes laws that don't apply to Congress.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 01:49:00 PM

No Cussing Allowed, Dammit!

(St. Charles, Missouri) Well, shucks! A bill has been proposed to control the level of liveliness in the historic downtown area of St. Charles. Apparently, people are having way too much fun. The legislation would prohibit table-dancing, drinking contests and cussing.

Specifically banned would be "indecent, profane or obscene language, songs, entertainment and literature" in bars.

Business owners see the bill as not well defined and a possible violation of civil rights. I believe it would be almost impossible to enforce. Of course, that's even assuming that the town leaders could agree on what constitutes "indecent, profane or obscene." Nonetheless, a meeting is scheduled at City Hall next Monday to hash out the proposal.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 12:56:00 PM

Mom Charged in 'Meth' Baby Case

(St. Louis County, Missouri) A 27-year-old woman, Mackenzie L. Gruenewald, has been charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter for recklessly causing the stillborn death of her child by using methamphetamine during pregnancy.

The St. Louis County medical examiner's officer referred the Gruenewald case to county police late last year after autopsy results were completed.

Officials said involuntary manslaughter was the only charge available to prosecutors because the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District ruled in September that a woman could not be charged with child endangerment for using drugs before her baby was born.

In that case, a mother and her newborn son tested positive for marijuana and methamphetamine. State law allows prosecution of a third party who harms a pregnant woman, but bars prosecution of a woman for causing indirect harm to a fetus, the court ruled.

Officials can make a case, however, that Gruenewald "recklessly caused" her unborn child's death by taking methemphetamine, said Don Schneider, the spokesman for Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch.

"We tried to be very cautious and circumspect about the case," Schneider said.

Gruenewald was booked into custody with bond set at $15,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 07:42:00 AM

Iraq war deaths

You see occasional mentions saying that the war in Iraq has NOT increased the death-rate among American military personnel. It seems counter-intuitive but it is true. Getting into a car with a skinful of alcohol at home in the USA seems to be just about as dangerous as going around fighting terrorists in Iraq. The official figures are here. See particularly Tables 4 and 5 in the "active duty" column. The casualties actually seem more numerous in the earlier part of the series but that would be because the army was larger then. You would however need some pretty fancy statistical fiddling to argue that the war has increased U.S. military deaths.

About 150,000 Iraqi Muslims have been killed by Muslim terrorists "About 151,000 Iraqi civilians were killed in the three years following the US-led invasion of their country, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) research. The study, which said violent deaths could have ranged from 104,000 to 223,000 between March 2003 and June 2006, is the most comprehensive since the war started. The study drew on an Iraqi health ministry survey of nearly 10,000 households - five times the number of those interviewed in a disputed 2006 John Hopkins University study that said more than 600,000 Iraqis had died over the period. While well below that figure, the United Nations agency's estimate exceeds the widely cited 80,000 to 87,000 death toll by the human rights group Iraq Body Count, which uses media reports and hospital and morgue records to calculate its tally. "There are a lot of uncertainties in making such estimates," WHO statistician Mohamed Ali, who co-authored the study, said."

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 06:14:00 AM

Chavez Orders Faster Payment for Oil

(Caracas, Venezuela) President Hugo Chavez is looking for faster payment on crude oil sales by reducing the payment period from the standard 30 days to eight.

The Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA issued a statement:

"With this measure PDVSA injects greater intensity and speed to reinvestment with the aim of staying competitive in the hydrocarbons market."

Regarding the assertion that "intensity and speed to reinvestment" is the motivation for compressing the payment period, it appears that Chavez has a cash flow problem. Either that or he's trying to squeeze out an additional three weeks' worth of interest on deposited oil revenues.

With Chavez spending wildly on social programs, it makes sense that he would try to eke out every conceivable farthing from his oil business.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 05:39:00 AM

Vermont Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Rutland, Vermont) A 24-year-old Fair Haven woman, Sandra Eastman, was arrested December 31 for allegedly engaging in sex with 15-year-old boy on multiple occasions. It's believed the sex resulted in a pregnancy.

Police say they got a complaint from one of the boy's parents in early December. And they say Eastman admitted to the alleged sexual contact when they interviewed her.

Eastman was booked and released with a citation to appear in Rutland District Court on June 16.

Jeez, a charge of child sex assault and Eastman gets a citation to appear? Sounds like a traffic ticket. But, as I recall, Vermont does seem to treat sex crimes with a lenient attitude.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 01:04:00 AM

Protected Witness Killed After Skipping Protection

(San Francisco, California) A 40-year-old prosecution witness, Justin Lee, was chased and killed on Monday, the same day he left a witness protection safe house in another part of the state.

Lee was placed in the witness protection program in December after he was threatened. Authorities believed he had a "price on his head." Subsequently, he was repeatedly warned not to return to San Francisco without an armed escort.

Sadly, he didn't heed the warning.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/10/2008 12:18:00 AM

French Justice Minister Given Finger

(Paris) A package containing a severed finger and a letter was mailed to French Justice Minister Rachida Dati and received last Friday. Postal workers in the ministry opened the package.

Spokesman for the ministry, Guillaume Didier, said no one knows why the finger was sent. There is, however, an unconfirmed report that a hair salon-owner in western France sent the digit. By the way, I think it's illegal to send human body parts through the U.S. mail.

Frankly, I don't think it's all that big a mystery why someone would send a finger. Obviously, it's a personal message of complete disapproval. While driving, I regularly observe communications by finger.

Curiously, no mention has been made regarding which finger was sent. We just have to guess.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 11:35:00 PM

Bloody Cow's Head Shows True Love

(Norristown, Pennsylvania) A local man, Jason Fife, was sentenced to probation and community service for mailing a bloody cow's head to his wife's lover.

Police say Fife got the cow's head from a butcher shop, claiming he wanted the dried skull for decoration. Instead, he mailed the head while it was frozen.

The box became bloody after sitting on the victim's doorstep on a warm day.

For stalking and terrorizing, Fife received two years probation and 50 hours community service.

Strangely, it's reported that Fife and his wife have reconciled. I prefer to think that a bloody cow's head wasn't the thing that brought them back together. Of course, it would be the sort of thing to scare the clue-cognizant away from any sort of relationship with his wife.

After all, when the message-go-round starts with a bloody head, what comes next?
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 11:15:00 PM

Crack-Addicted Dad Throws 4 Kids Off Bridge

(Bayou La Batre, Alabama) A 37-year-old immigrant shrimper and father-of-four, Lam Luong, has been charged with four counts of capital murder after he allegedly confessed to throwing his four young children off a bridge into the Intracoastal Waterway.

Missing and presumed dead were 4-month-old Danny Luong; 1-year-old Lindsey Luong; 2-year-old Hannah Luong; and 3-year-old Ryan Phan. Phan is not the man's biological child, but Luong raised him from infancy, authorities said.

About 70 people in boats and helicopters searched water as deep as 55 feet. The search area covered 100 square miles because the current might have swept the children away, Sheriff Sam Cochran said.

The search was called off late Wednesday afternoon when dense fog rolled in, completely obscuring the bridge. It was to resume in the morning, weather permitting.

After an argument with his wife, 23-year-old Ngoc Phan, Luong took the children. Subsequently, the family expressed fears that Luong would sell the children to support his drug habit.

According to authorities, Luong has a history of drug abuse. His crack-cocaine habit resulted in a possession arrest in October which remains to be adjudicated. Luong also recently smoked through an insurance settlement from an auto accident.

An appearance in Mobile County Court is scheduled for tomorrow.

Lam Luong came to the U.S. from Vietnam as a young teen in 1984.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 01:47:00 PM

Mom Shows Tough Love

(Des Moines, Iowa) Based upon her reaction to finding alcohol in her teen son's car, Jane Hambleton categorizes herself as an uncool parent. She reacted by placing an ad to sell the car.

The ad reads:

"OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

Whether cool or uncool, I agree with her.

Tip: slwlion
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 07:03:00 AM

Racist to Suggest that Blacks Like Fried Chicken


This accusation keeps bobbing up. The latest example:

"Atlanta Falcon's owner Arthur Blank was a guest on Monday Night Football December 10. He was asked about former Atlanta Falcons quarterback and convicted animal abuser Michael Vick's future with the team. This is what he said:

"There's a lot of roadblocks to Michael coming back and even playing in the National Football League, Tony. Let's assume he's out for three seasons, 07, 08 and 09. If he doesn't watch himself and eats a lot of fried chicken and fries in prison, comes out 215 pounds he's not going to be the same athlete he was."

The remark was racially insensitive and offensive....

Source

I have no doubt that many blacks do like fried chicken. I like it myself. And KFC sell it to millions of people of all races worldwide every day. So, if blacks do have a special liking for it, they are at most being accused of liking something that is generally popular. Is that a slur? Why should it not be mentioned?

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 05:11:00 AM

Corpse Used in Check Cashing Attempt

(New York City) A 66-year-old man, Virgilio Cintron, died before he could cash his Social Security check so his roommate and a friend used an office chair to wheel Virgilio's corpse down to the Pay-O-Matic check cashing store in an attempt to cash the check.

Unfortunately, the two men couldn't help but be noticed by passers-by as they wheeled a corpse, flailing from side to side, along Ninth Avenue in Manhattan.

The roommate and a third man, who was a friend of the deceased, reportedly left Cintron outside as they entered the establishment, pointing to him through the window when the cashier told them that Cintron would have to be present to cash the check, according to the police account.

When the cashier asked them to bring Cintron inside, they exited the building, where they were confronted by an on-duty Real Time Crime Center detective who had been in the building next door when he noticed the commotion.

The two men were taken into police custody, where they were questioned and may face charges related to criminal impersonation or check fraud.

Cintron is believed to have died of natural causes.

This sounds like a scene out of a comedy movie.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/09/2008 01:07:00 AM

ACLU, Activists Protest Illegal Alien Arrest

(Providence, Rhode Island) A Guatemalan citizen in the U.S. illegally, Mynor Montufar, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. As a result, the ACLU, community activists and a Guatemalan diplomat have loudly protested. Harsh immigration policies are being blamed for destroying families and terrorizing the community.

Immigration agents arrested Mynor Montufar last Friday, two days after he received media attention as the father of Rhode Island's first baby of 2008, and another man, Rodrigo Perez, as Perez was allegedly trying to flee the premises.

Several hours later, David De La Roca, one of Montufar's housemates, was found hanging by a belt in a locked bedroom.

Montufar and Perez are both in detention and Montufar will be deported, authorities said.

De La Roca's death is under police investigation.

Thus far, the cause of De La Roca's death has not been deemed a suicide, however, the local ACLU director, Steven Brown, has blamed the yet-to-be-determined suicide on De La Roca's fear of "immigration raiding the apartment."

Along the same line, an immigration lawyer, Roberto Gonzalez, called ICE "a top-secret Gestapo organization" and, according to Guatemalan diplomat Carlos Avila Sandoval, ICE continuously terrorizes people.

ICE spokesman Mike Gilhooly denied the allegations as "preposterous" and baseless while taking offense at the bashing of immigration agents. He also pointed out that Montufar had an outstanding deportation warrant mandating his arrest.

In summary, it's a recurring drama, destined to be played out, over and over throughout the U.S. ICE agents arrest an illegal alien and local activists are upset, casting outrageous allegations. Meanwhile, the local media publishes a story that tugs at the heartstrings, detailing the sad episode of a hard-worker torn from his family.

Nothing more to see here, move along.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/08/2008 05:32:00 PM

Animal Activists Throttle Dutch Development

(Netherlands) Opposed to animal testing, radical activists are terrorizing employees of companies involved in the testing to supposedly "relieve the suffering of animals."

It's not a new tactic but, for the first time, a Dutch company has decided to give up.

Dutch animal rights activists are claiming a major victory after a property developer decided to pull out of the construction of a new industrial park near the town of Venray in the south of the Netherlands.

The park - called Sciencelink - will house biotech research companies, many of whom carry out testing on animals. Animal rights groups in the Netherlands are vehemently opposed to the project.

Over the Christmas period, members of the radical Animal Liberation Front (DBF) visited the homes of a number of the development company's directors, confronting them and spraying their homes with slogans such as:

"Stop Sciencelink, Stop Animal Testing", and the more threatening "This time it's just paint. Next time we won't be so friendly. See you in the new year".

The company, Van der Looy Project Management, has now pulled out of the development, saying the opposition has become "threatening and unacceptable".

Interestingly, the animal activists cover their faces with scarves when they descend on the homes of employees, vandalize property and threaten. As such, they are not noticeably different in appearance from terrorists regularly seen in television footage from the Middle East. Fortunately, the animal activists haven't adopted a similar level of violence.

Yet.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/08/2008 04:40:00 PM

Swedish Terrorist Identified

(Stockholm, Sweden) According to documents seized along the Iraq-Syrian border by U.S. troops, a Tunisian-born Swede known as Abu Mua'az left Stockholm in 2006 to become a fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq.

He travelled first to Egypyt, before moving on to Syria. Aside from a passport and driving licence, he also took with him $2,700, which he promptly handed over as a "donation" to a recruitment agent named Ashraf.

Asked about the nature of the work they intended carrying out in Iraq, many of the applicants stated that they wished to become martyrs, which is understood to mean that they were prepared to perform suicide missions. Abu Mua'az however indicated that he wished to be a "fighter."

The Swede's recruitment document is one of 606 such papers - the so-called Sinjar Records - published online by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, New York.

The entire report of al-Qaeda foreign fighters in Iraq is downloadable from http://www.ctc.usma.edu/.

It is beyond odd that a person would have to pay to be recruited for suicide missions, I think. For many reasons, "Here's a bunch of money. Please, make me into a bomb," just doesn't seem to roll off the tongue.

Regarding 33-year-old Abu Mua'az, reportedly he and his wife are in the wind.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/08/2008 02:15:00 PM

Carville, Begala Join Team Hillary

Just now, it was announced on FOX News that James Carville and Paul Begala have been added to the Hillary campaign team.

She's for change!

Oddly, the names are the same as in 1992. The only missing element is Stephanopolis.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/08/2008 12:15:00 PM

Deportation? Why Bother?

(Los Angeles, California) A 34-year-old Mexican, Julio Cesar Mata-Sosa, pleaded not guilty yesterday in federal court to a charge that he is in the U.S. illegally. Since Mata-Sosa had already been deported seven times, it's not clear how he contends that he's not illegal this time.

A joint federal, state and local sweep identified Mata-Sosa along with others. Called "Operation Winter Warning," officials screened foreign-born inmates at Southern California jails and state prisons to identify the previously deported who have ties to violent street gangs.

While standing in a U.S. courtroom, another formerly-deported illegal alien, Ascencion Hernandez-Perez, 38, also pleaded not guilty to standing in the United States.

Since illegal aliens are regularly being deported, returning and then pleading not guilty to being in the U.S. illegally, it's obvious that they don't even recognize that there is a border. If the Mexicans don't recognize the existence of a border, it's not clear how Washington can continually assert there is.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/08/2008 07:29:00 AM

The rise of Obama

In line with their usual love of boogeymen, various Leftists (example here) have been speading the fear that Obama will be assasinated by "gun-toting racists" (one of the many abusive Leftist tems for conservatives). It presumably reflects the way Leftists themselves would act if Obama were a conservative. Why? Because the threat is entirely made-up. There have been no events leading to it.

Daniel Pipes has pointed out however that Obama is an apostate Muslim and that IS cause for him to be assassinated -- by Muslims, not by conservatives.

No Leftist so far seems to have mentioned that the last successful political assassination (of RFK) in America was by an anti-Israel Arab (Sirhan). The Leftist post I mentioned above goes right through the history of political shootings in the USA without mentioning the name Sirhan. But a dishonest summary of the facts is routine for Leftists, of course.

See here for a recent Obama cartoon.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 11:58:00 PM

Woman Arrested for Exposing Funbag to Children

(Largo, Florida) A 42-year-old worker at Personal Enrichment for Mental Health residential facility, Marissa Rodriguez, was arrested Sunday for allegedly exposing her breast to young girls.

On Jan. 4, she showed her nipple piercing to a group of girls and told them not to tell any staff members, one jail affidavit states.

Two days later, after scolding the girls for telling other staff members, she exposed her right breast in front of one of the staff members, the affidavit states.

Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition involving a child younger than 16. She was booked into custody at the Pinellas County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

I suspect there is more to the story. As presented, it seems that Rodriguez committed a fairly insignificant infraction yet her bail was set high.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 10:24:00 PM

Insignificant Leak at Nuke Plant

(Toledo, Ohio) A small leak has been discovered at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant. It's too small to be measured and was found during welding activities. The plant is shut down for refueling.

Having a bit of experience at nuke plants, I'd surmise that the leak is not even newsworthy. It will be interesting to see how many media sources determine that it is. So far, Reuters and BusinessWeek have picked it up.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 07:38:00 PM

Corpses Provide Environmentally-Friendly Heat

(Manchester, England) Based upon this report, one must wonder if there are any limits to the ubiquitous environmental nuttiness.

Heat created by burning the dead at crematoria could be used to keep mourners warm under plans to make funerals more environmentally-friendly.

Instead of letting the gases emitted by cremation escape into the atmosphere, councils want to use them to heat radiators or even generate electricity.

They admit some might find the idea of being kept warm by the remains of their loved-ones macabre.

Ya' think!

Tameside Council Environment Officer Robin Monk sees the preservation of heat as necessary to reduce the crematorium's carbon footprint.

Tip: slwlion
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 01:09:00 PM

Killing and Cooking the Girlfriend

(Tyler, Texas) A 24-year-old local man, Christopher Lee McCuin, has been arrested by Tyler Police for allegedly killing and cooking his girlfriend, 21-year-old Jana Shearer.

Christopher McCuin called 911 early Saturday morning to report a particularly grisly crime. The Dallas Morning News says he "calmly described murdering his girlfriend and cooking her ear."

When police arrived at his house in Tyler, Texas, the paper says the 24-year-old tried to hold them off with a kitchen knife but eventually surrendered after a short standoff. When cops entered the residence, the paper says they "found a human ear boiling in a stovetop pan and raw flesh on a nearby plate, with a fork stuck in it."

"Either he was going to eat it, had been eating it, or that's what he wanted it to look like," Sheriff J.B. Smith says. "I'm not shocked anymore -- surprised that people can do such horrible things to each other -- but not shocked. I've seen it all."

The Morning News says Jana Shearer, the 21-year-old victim, was a mail clerk.

I tend toward thinking that McCuin provided investigators with a staged scene as Sheriff Smith suggested. McCuin obviously knew that he created monster troubles for himself and probably figured the only way to save himself was to act crazy.

McCuin was booked into custody on $2 million bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 08:00:00 AM

Inmate Sues Jail Because He Escaped

(Denver, Colorado) An inmate at the Pueblo County Jail, Scott Anthony Gomez, Jr., has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court against his jailers for allowing him to escape. Gomez contends that the authorities "did next to nothing" to prevent him from escaping.

Gomez also claims he was abused by guards and was seriously injured after falling 40 feet during an escape. He is seeking an undisclosed monetary award.

This case doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/07/2008 07:37:00 AM

A bit of silliness from "The Times" of London: "UK living standards outstrip US"

Living standards in Britain are set to rise above those in America for the first time since the 19th century, according to a report by the respected Oxford Economics consultancy. The calculations suggest that, measured by gross domestic product per capita, Britain can now hold its head up high in the economic stakes after more than a century of playing second fiddle to the Americans.

It says that GDP per head in Britain will be o23,500 this year, compared with o23,250 in America, reflecting not only the strength of the pound against the dollar but also the UK economy's record run of growth and rising incomes going back to the early 1990s. In those days, according to Oxford Economics, Britain's GDP per capita was 34% below that in America, 33% less than in Germany and 26% lower than in France. Now, not only have average incomes crept above those in America but they are more than 8% above France (o21,700) and Germany (o21,665)....

Oxford Economics says that while the comparisons are affected by sterling's high value against the dollar, they also reflect longer-term factors. "The UK has been catching up steadily with living standards in the US since 2001 -- so, it is a well established trend rather than simply the result of currency fluctuations," its report says. It concedes, however, that a significant fall in the pound against other currencies would push Britain back down the ladder. It has assumed an exchange rate of just over $2 for the purpose of the calculation but in recent days the pound has slipped below that level.

The Oxford analysts also point out that Americans benefit from lower prices than those in Britain. With an adjustment made for this "purchasing power parity", the average American has more spending power than his UK counterpart and pays lower taxes. (In the run-up to Christmas many Britons travelled to New York and other American cities to take advantage of the strength of sterling against the dollar and those lower prices.)

More here

GDP per capita is an important statistic -- much more objective than the various "national welfare" and "quality of life" indices. But it DOES need to be adjusted for domestic purchasing power. The above results simply reflect the fall in the external value of the US dollar -- but a buck still buys much the same as it used to in the USA itself. Something which I and many others have informally noted is that in Britain, a pound buys about the same as what a dollar buys in Australia -- yet the external value of the Australian dollar is (like the US dollar) about half the value of the British pound. On that admittedly rough criterion, the average Brit is only HALF as well-off as the average American or Australian. That sure is how it looked to me last time I was in Britain. And it has in some ways apparently got worse since then. Note the following report, also from "The Times":

"The crowds are packing the pavements around Oxford Circus Tube station. On the roads, cars and buses are jammed in a giant gridlock. This is central London - but it's not the pre-Christmas rush or the height of the sales. It's just the start of another working day. Similar problems afflict many city centres: Birmingham's New Street, Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street and Edinburgh's Princes Street see similar daily throngs. It is something that city dwellers have become accustomed to, but living in British cities used to be a very different experience."

I used to love London but I am glad I don't live there now.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/06/2008 09:17:00 PM

Woman Named Sex Offender in Other Than Home State

(Cromwell, Connecticut) In September 2006, a young woman from Massachusetts, Sarah Colby, traveled to Connecticut to engage in a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy she met through MySpace.com on the Internet.

Ultimately, Colby was arrested and charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

In September 2007, 25-year-old Sarah Colby pleaded guilty to reduced charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and using a computer to entice a minor. As a result, Superior Court Judge Frank A. Iannotti sentenced Colby to 10 years probation.

Additionally, Colby must register as a sex offender in Connecticut even though she lives in Massachusetts. Polygraph and mental health tests along with drug evaluations were also ordered. Furthermore, Colby has been prohibited from having contact with any minor under the age of 16 and from using a computer or accessing the Internet at home.

So, an adult is found guilty of soliciting a minor over the Internet and traveling across state lines to engage in sex and gets probation. Not only that, but the probation and probation requirements imposed wouldn't seem to be enforceable on out of state residents. For instance, how does a Connecticut probation officer monitor the behavior of a person living in another state? Also, does a sex offender registered in Connecticut have to comply with Massachusetts sex offender restrictions?

Arguably, Colby was given a lenient sentence. Ten years probation would seem to be mollifying, however, since Colby doesn't live in Connecticut, it's also arguable as to whether any of the restrictions are enforceable. Frankly, it doesn't seem as though they are.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/06/2008 12:20:00 PM

Woman Accused of Sex with 3 Children

(Visalia, California) A 20-year-old local woman, Valentina Elaine Medrano, was arrested Friday by Visalia Police officers for allegedly engaging in ongoing sexual relationships with three young boys, ages 8, 13 and 14.

Medrano has been charged with lewd acts with a child, oral copulation, sexual penetration and unlawful sexual intercourse.

The relationship between Medrano and the boys wasn't disclosed.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/06/2008 07:46:00 AM

Fake science

There is a big review here of the absurd "600,000 Iraqi deaths" study reported in Lancet. It confirms concerns expressed by myself and others about the lack of basic verification of the raw data and reveals that the "data" was collected by a former Saddam Hussein operative known for large exaggerations! There is in fact no evidence that any survey at all was carried out. The safest assumption is that the whole thing was just made up! A crooked Iraqi simply gave Western Leftists what they wanted.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/05/2008 05:59:00 PM

Britain: Concurrent Strep Infection Deaths During Childbirth

(United Kingdom) On December 21st, two mothers died from identical infections after giving birth at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital. Campaigners have called for an independent investigation, claiming hygiene standards are not being implemented.

The cognizant National Health Service (NHS) Trust said it was a coincidence. However, notably and disturbingly, this report follows quite closely on the heels of a related report that British doctors allegedly lie on death certificates to hide the actual number of deaths resulting from infections acquired in NHS hospitals.

Both women, Amy Kimmance, 39, and Jasmine Pickett, 29, died from complications neighbored to streptococcus A bacterial infections.

 
Amy Kimmance --- Jasmine Pickett

A spokeswoman said Mrs Kimmance developed fatal toxic shock syndrome as a result of a group A streptococcal infection while Mrs Pickett died from a sudden onset of severe pneumonia, likely to have been caused by a group A streptococcal infection.

Despite claims that the deaths were coincidental, some contend that the deaths are linked to suspected poor hygiene and infection control measures system-wide in NHS hospitals.

Mark Enright, professor of molecular epidemiology at Imperial College, London, said: "It's extremely unlikely in my view that they are not linked."

Professor Enright said he believed a member of staff had been carrying the infection in their throat, got it on to their hands and passed it on.

Both the Kimmance and Pickett babies survived their mothers' deaths. Their families are naturally devastated.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/05/2008 09:22:00 AM

Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs Bad for Skin

(London) Warnings have been issued by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) and others regarding the dangers of energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs to people with light-sensitive conditions.

According to BAD President Dr. Colin Holden, many people suffer photosensitive eruptions from specific wavelengths of light emitted by fluorescent bulbs. The eruptions range from eczema-like reactions to skin cancer.

Another expert, Andrew Langford of the Skin Care Campaign, indicated that incandescent lighting is necessary for people with chronic light sensitivity.

"Add to this the thousands whose conditions or treatments may secondarily cause them to be light-sensitive, and you have a large number potentially being isolated in the dark.

"The Government simply must allow incandescent light bulbs to be available to these people, their families, friends and employers, and at a fair price."

There have also been complaints that migraine and epileptic attacks are triggered by the flickering fluorescent bulbs.

While not discounting the health considerations, I'm viscerally opposed to any government restrictions being imposed on the marketplace because of something that is theorized to happen 100 years in the future.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/05/2008 07:35:00 AM

PROOF! Global warming caused by argon!

A weak long-term correlation between atmospheric CO2 levels and terrestrial warming is one of the basic "proofs" that Warmists offer for their claims. On that reasoning the fact that the concentration of argon in ice core bubbles goes up and down alongside CO2 over the long term should "prove" that argon (another atmospheric gas) causes warming too. Or maybe CO2 causes argon to emerge from somewhere! See the graph below:



"BP" stands for "Before the Present". Argon in the period above is quite a close correlate with CO2. That both argon and CO2 levels might be an EFFECT of warming rather than vice versa must not be mentioned, of course. Everyone knows how the fizz fizzles away as a Pepsi gets warm. Likewise, since the ocean contains vast reserves of CO2, anyone can easily grasp what happens when the ocean gets warm. The scales should fall off of people's eyes when that simple fact is explained.


Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/05/2008 12:04:00 AM

Illinois Woman Gets Probation for Sex with Boy

(Bloomington, Illinois) A 22-year-old woman, Ashley Ruestman, has been convicted of felony sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy.

Ashley Ruestman said during her trial that she thought the boy was 20 and that she only learned of his age when he was pulled over for underage driving and a curfew violation.

The boy admitted on the stand that he lied to Ruestman during their five month relationship.

As a result, Ruestman was sentenced to three years probation. If she doesn't do well on probation as determined by a review in July, Ruestmen will have to spend two months in jail.

Ruestmen was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Frankly, even if premature aging were exhibited, it's hard for me to believe that a 14-year-old could convince a rational adult that he is 20 years old, especially since they spent five months together.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 05:36:00 PM

Terror in Mauritania, Dakar Rally Canceled

(Nouakchott, Mauritania) On Christmas Eve, five French tourists from the same family on a sightseeing trip were attacked by three men armed with assault rifles. Sadly, four of the tourists were killed. The fifth was hospitalized in serious condition and, subsequently, he returned to France to recover.

According to investigators, the attack was well-planned and linked to al-Qaeda. Several suspects in the plot have been arrested by Mauritanian officials including Samba Kisi, who is believed to be the getaway driver for the murderers. Investigators have recovered an AK-47 and a Mercedes used in the killings. The attackers have fled to Senegal.

Meanwhile and understandably, French tour operators canceled planned trips to Mauritania.

Four days after the French tourists were slain, a terror attack on a checkpoint in northern Mauritania resulted in three soldiers being killed. Al-Qaeda in North Africa claimed responsibility in an audio tape sent to an Arabic television station.

Citing the danger of terrorist attacks, the French-based Amaury Sport Organization today announced the cancellation of the Dakar Rally, the 30-year-old automobile, motorcycle and truck race from Lisbon in Portugal to Dakar in Senegal. In response, al-Qaeda jihadis expressed joy on the Internet.

In the Jihadi website "al-hebah," Sadiq Ibrahim said that it was "a hellish blow by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb organisation," referring to al Qaeda's North African operation.

"Look how, with Allah's permission, the Jihad has succeeded in slowly changing the plans of the great powers, as it has now with France," said Abu Maysara al-Andalusi in a comment.

"A big company with a big organisational machine, is forced to change its plans and in this way we have devastated tourism and economic projects in that country," he said.

The al-Qaeda sympathisers also said that the recent deaths of French tourists in Mauritania had profoundly influenced the decision by the organisers.

The French government had urged the rally to avoid Mauritania after the family of four was slain last week in an attack blamed on the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terror group that uses the Mauritanian desert as a hide-out.

Cancellation of the Dakar Rally is a big deal. Almost 600 teams from around the world were preparing for tomorrow's scheduled start and countries along the route are going to be impacted financially.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 04:23:00 PM

Terror Suspects Jailed in Rotterdam

(Rotterdam, Netherlands) Three men were arrested on New Year's Eve for planning a terrorist attack.

No details of the planned attack have been released but the suspects' detention has been extended by 14 days. Police say they found incriminating evidence in the men's homes but no weapons or explosives.

Two of the suspects are Dutch nationals of Moroccan origin and the third is a Sudanese national who is thought to be an illegal immigrant to the Netherlands.

Another source provides this:

The Telegraaf newspaper on Thursday quoted inside sources as saying the men were planning an attack during the New Year celebrations around Rotterdam's Erasmus bridge. But the public prosecution department has dismissed the allegations as being 'plucked from thin air' and criticsed the paper for causing unnecessary panic.

No names have been disclosed, just their ages, 31, 32 and 39.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 02:21:00 PM

Iguanas Rain in the Cold

(Miami, Florida) With the temperature plunging to the 40s in much of Florida, cold-blooded iguanas are falling from trees. They lose their grips as their blood flow decreases. Some survive when warmed by the sun. Some don't.

Heh.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 01:59:00 PM

Florida Goat Raped and Killed

(Tallahassee, Florida) Last year in rural Walton County, a family pet goat named Meg, pregnant with twins, was raped and asphyxiated. Outrage from the incident has been heard all the way to the state legislature and the governor's office.

A suspect in the case, a 48-year-old man, is serving an 11-month, 29-day jail sentence on animal-theft charges in connection with the attempted abduction of another goat in a separate case, according to Walton County Assistant State Attorney James Parker.

Parker said he couldn't prosecute the suspect in the death of Meg because DNA samples taken with a sheriff's office rape kit were inconclusive.

Parker said he asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last week to retest the evidence.

But even if there's a DNA match, Parker said the suspect could only be charged with misdemeanor trespassing and animal cruelty, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Parker said the suspect could not be arrested for bestiality because it isn't a crime.

As a result, Democrat State Sen. Nan Rich has proposed legislation to make it a first-degree felony to have sex with animals or promote bestiality. Gov. Charlie Crist said he would sign the legislation if it appears on his desk.

The name of the suspect in Meg's rape and killing wasn't released but I bet I know what he's thinking. Jeez, ya' rape one lousy goat and they pass a stinkin' law? Holy moly!
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 01:12:00 PM

ChiComs Corral Internet Video

(Beijing, China) No shock from this news. It's inevitable for the communists to shut down free expression.

China has announced new rules to control the explosion of audio-visual content on the Internet, in a move seen as an effort to transfer the government's television and radio censorship model to the Web.

Only state-controlled entities will have the right to operate websites that post audio-visual material, under the new regulations, which state clearly that all content must adhere to the ruling Communist Party's values.

"Those who provide Internet audio and video services should insist on serving the people, serve socialism... and abide by the moral code of socialism," a government notice said.

All content must be free of violence, sex, or gambling, and cannot reveal state secrets or portray morally, socially or politically harmful situations, according to the notice.

Websites will be able to get licenses to display video but there are restrictions.

"Those applying for Internet audio-visual service (licences) must at the same time ... be solely state-owned enterprises or enterprises whose shares are controlled by the state," the notice said.

So, for those that don't mind having the government in their back pockets, proudly show your videos of Chairman Mao's teachings.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 12:00:00 PM

Hillary Licking Iowa Wounds

According to a keen observer of the candidates' campaigns, check out what Hillary Clinton really said as she was leaving Iowa.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 11:02:00 AM

Ohio Losing People

According to a report from a major moving company, business statistics indicate that more people are permanently leaving Ohio than arriving. The same is true for Michigan where two people leave the state for every one person arriving.

As a resident of Ohio, I am not surprised. Leaving Ohio is close to being included on my agenda. I had a dream a while back in which the state Highway Patrol had set up border checkpoints on all roads. As people arrived, they were ordered to surrender their wallets, their cigarettes, their guns and their children. Then a UPC tax code was tattooed on the back of their necks.

It was a weird dream.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 10:32:00 AM

Milwaukee Teacher Busted for Drug House

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) A science teacher at Custer High School, Kevin Ball, was arrested by Milwaukee Police for allegedly selling drugs out of his home. Ball has been suspended from his teaching position.

According to investigators, cocaine, marijuana, scales and two guns were found inside his residence.

Ball doesn't have any felonies, but court records show he was convicted of misdemeanor prostitution 15 years ago.

The recent drug charges anger parents.

"Anyone to be selling drugs, it's against the law, especially for a teacher to be doing it," Earnest Hardy said. "You expect a teacher to teach your kid, not to be selling drugs."

Ball was booked and released on bail.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 09:49:00 AM

Newspaper Barred from Using Word "Allah"

(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) With a majority population comprised of followers of the religion of peace, it's not surprising that Malaysia lacks freedom of the press. Therefore, a Catholic newspaper has been barred from using the word 'Allah.'

Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of Kuala Lumpur-based 'Herald - the Catholic Weekly' was reported this week as saying the government had renewed its publishing permit, without restrictions, after earlier ruling that non-Muslims are forbidden from using the word Allah.

But Abdullah Md Zin, a minister for religious affairs, said on Friday the ban on the use of the word remained despite the renewal of the permit.

"It was just the priest's interpretation that there was no restriction on the use of the word," Abdullah told Reuters.

This is the latest in a series of disputes that is feeding fears of a gradual erosion of the rights of non-Muslims.

Politically dominant ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of the population of roughly 26 million, while the ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities include Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.

Maybe non-Muslims should just use [redacted] or [blank] when referring to Allah. Of course, that may cause other problems. "Praise [redacted]!" or "The Muslims worship [blank]" might be considered offensive.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/04/2008 07:44:00 AM

Racist to Describe Official Racism


Britain has a lot of jails specifically for illegals who have been ordered out of the country -- waiting while their deportation can be arranged. Many of the illegals are black and there have of course been allegations that the jailers are "racist".

An official inquiry into the racism has just made its report and there do seem to have been some instances of incorrect language. Calling inmates "animals" is clearly naughty, for instance. Though it would be OK to call difficult white criminals that, of course. But several instances of plain realism are also racist, apparently. Such as:

"A member of staff at Yarl's Wood told auditors that white detainees were treated with more discipline, but the presence of black people caused "paralysis and a softer approach".

Source

That political correctness causes the authorities to have lower standards for blacks ("the soft bigotry of low expectations") is common throughout the world today but you are not supposed to mention it, apparently.

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 10:36:00 PM

Corrections Worker Tagged for Sex with Boy

(Phoenix, Arizona) A 28-year-old youth corrections officer at the state-run Adobe Mountain School, Lori Ann Somerville, was arrested and charged last month for engaging in a sexual relationship with a teen boy at the school.

According to a newly released warrant document:

The school is considered a "secure care facility" where boys convicted of crimes are sent to be rehabilitated, according to the state Department of Juvenile Corrections. The document says the boy is older than 15, but it did not give a specific age.

Investigators first learned of the relationship when the teen's parole officer found letters Sommerville had written to the boy in which she described herself as "Your Wife," according to the document.

Upon questioning, the teen told investigators the relationship was consensual and that Sommerville, who worked as a youth corrections officer, had performed oral sex on him, the document shows.

It also shows the physical contact took place inside an office at the school.

Somerville was fired from her position with the school.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 06:12:00 PM

Cop's Wife's Clothes Allegedly Traded for Sex

(Austin, Texas) A 45-year-old Austin Police Officer, Scott Lando, has been placed on paid leave while authorities investigate allegations that he hired a woman, Denise Pfeifer, for sex.

During a four-month period in 2006, Lando reportedly met Pfeifer while he was on duty and took her to his home on at least one occasion.

As part of her payment, Lando opened his wife's closet to the woman, allowing her to take a pair of black Harley-Davidson leather boots that were still in the box, jewel-studded jeans and a pink and yellow top, the affidavit said.

Lando, 45, told the woman his wife "would never miss" the clothes, according to the document.

The woman, Denise Pfeifer, also told investigators that Lando took her on shopping trips to Wal-Mart and a North Austin Payless ShoeSource, paid for a meal at a restaurant on North Lamar Boulevard and allowed her to take a bath in a whirlpool tub at his Cedar Park home, the affidavit said.

Pfeifer has a Texas prison record, serving five years for several burglary convictions. She met Lando when he was responding to an assault call which led to Lando allegedly paying Pfeifer $70 to have sex with him in his patrol car.

The investigation continues.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 05:46:00 PM

Prison for Woman in Sex Case

(Todd County, South Dakota) In October 2006, a 36-year-old Rosebud Indian Reservation woman, Tonia Points At Him, was indicted on a federal charge of abusive sexual contact with another woman. The sexual incident occurred in Todd County in early 2005.

A federal indictment accused Tonia Points At Him of engaging in sexual acts with the woman and of aiding an unidentified man in having sex with the victim.

The victim was physically unable to say no, records show.

In September 2007, Points At Him pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact.

Last month, Points At Him was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Also ordered for Points At Him was one year of supervised release after completion of her prison term.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 04:20:00 PM

Attention Iowa Caucusers!

The way I see it.

1) If you're conservative, realize that among the whole raft of Republican candidates you caucusers are asked to choose from today, only Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter actually espouse conservative values.

All the rest are imitations who, if elected, will foist any of various liberal plans (see 2 below) on the American public.

2) If you're liberal, any of the Democrats will make you smile. In fact, the Democrats are virtually interchangeable with regard to their intentions. Bigger government, more taxes, open borders & amnesty, socialized medicine and social engineering.

My recommendation? Pick wisely.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 01:58:00 PM

Weather Channel For Sale

With anticipation, suitors are checking their balance sheets to determine how much they can afford to pay to acquire the Weather Channel. It has been described as the telecommunication equivalent of "beachfront property."

The Weather Channel, one of the last privately owned cable channels, is being put up for sale and could fetch more than $5 billion, according to people briefed on the auction.

The channel and its rapidly growing Web site, weather.com, are already attracting interest from some of the biggest names in media, including NBC, a unit of General Electric; the News Corporation; and Comcast, these people said.

If I had some extra farthings, I'd pursue the purchase just so I could fire Heidi Cullen and her boss, Wonya Lucas, both KoolAid-drinking global warming alarm sirens. Cullen is also notable for her industrial-strength arrogance in calling for the decertification of all meteorologists who disagree with her.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 09:15:00 AM

Brit Doctors Lie on Death Certificates

In a scathing report in today's Daily Mail, British doctors and hospitals are accused of not recording the cause of death on certificates when a hospital-acquired infection is to blame.

Specifically, the true toll from hospital-acquired MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and C. diff (Clostridium difficile) bacteria is being hidden.

Since the prevalence of bacteria is a direct reflection on general cleanliness and sterilization processes in medical facilities, it's not surprising that there would be a reluctance to document high levels of bacterial infections, in particular, those resulting in deaths.

The Government says that there were 6,381 cases of MRSA in England last year, although some experts believe it could be nearer to 100,000. The latest figures from the Health Protection Agency and the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit show that 74 cases involved children, three-quarters of them babies of less than a year old. It is not known how many of them died.

Data from the National Office of Statistics shows that deaths from MRSA rose from 51 in 1993 to 1,629 in 2005. But the startling totals are likely to be the tip of the iceberg.

Graham Tanner, chairman of the National Concern for Healthcare Infections, has warned there is 'vast underreporting' of C. diff and MRSA. The number of hospital-acquired infections in England alone is, according to his organisation, really 230,000 a year, with an average mortality rate of 15 per cent.

Only this week, a worried doctor told me that MRSA and C. diff is rife in London's major teaching hospitals. He said that of 16 patients in a single ward at one hospital 'four have C. diff and three have MRSA, and that is typical of the situation in every ward'.

Meanwhile, a funeral director in the North of England went further. He estimated that four in five of all elderly hospital patients dying in his seaside town near Blackpool have MRSA or C. diff.

Tony Field, the chairman of MRSA Support UK - which advises hundreds of families who have lost loved ones - believes these accounts, although they are anecdotal. "By law, the doctors and pathologists should be putting down if a hospital infection is a primary or a secondary cause of death. We are hearing from family after family that the death certificates are not mentioning the truth, so obviously the real figure is covered up."

Graziella Kontowsky, founder of a similar support organisation, C. Diff Support UK, agrees. 'I used to be a nurse and there is a pattern if you look at the dead patients' notes. With C. diff the white blood count goes up sky high and then the kidneys of the patient pack up. You can tell it is a sudden infection which developed in hospital, but the death certificate from the hospital doctor or pathologist will just state kidney failure.'

A top microbiologist and MRSA expert, Professor Hugh Pennington, said that some people are so afraid of infection that they completely avoid going to the hospital and try to save money for private treatment.

Agreed, the evidence in the article is anecdotal and testimonial, yet it is convincing. It's quite logical to believe that at least some NHS (National Health Service) hospitals are filthy enough to cause patients to become infected and die. Equally important is the strong motivation for medical professionals to want to hide the fact.

Companion posts at Socglory.com and The Jawa Report.


[Update 01/05/08]

In another report related to allegations of poor hygiene and lack of cleanliness causing the spread of deadly infections, two mothers died during childbirth at the same NHS hospital on the same day.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/03/2008 07:44:00 AM

Greenies can't even manage a consistent "ad hominem" attack


Following is an attack by Andrew Dessler on Inhofe's "400 skeptics" report. What it overlooks is given below the attack:

Today's member of the "Inhofe 400" truly epitomizes the expertise and credibility of the group of experts that the good senator has assembled to demonstrate the obvious flaws in the theory of human-induced global warming. He is Chris Allen, weather director at WBKO, the ABC affiliate for south-central Kentucky. On his blog, Chris says this about global warming:

My biggest argument against putting the primary blame on humans for climate change is that it completely takes God out of the picture. It must have slipped these people's minds that God created the heavens and the earth and has control over what's going on. (Dear Lord Jesus...did I just open a new pandora's box?) Yeah, I said it. Do you honestly believe God would allow humans to destroy the earth He created? Of course, if you don't believe in God and creationism then I can see why you would easily buy into the whole global warming fanfare. I think in many ways that's what this movement is ultimately out to do - rid the mere mention of God in any context. What these environmentalists are actually saying is "we know more than God - we're bigger than God - God is just a fantasy - science is real...He isn't...listen to US!" I have a huge problem with that.

Noted meteorologist Allen, a certified meteorologist and weather center director for his station, had many reasons to doubt a "climate crisis." Dessler only focuses on his God quotes (which were not included in Senate report). Once again, if this (and Chemical Engineer Thomas Ring who has authored scientific reports) is Dessler's strongest argument against the report, he is spending a lot of time to have no impact.

Another "ad hominem" attack on Allen that Greenies are very fond of is defused here

And if you are going to focus on God quotes, then we need to consider the religious pronouncements of IPCC honcho Sir John Houghton (Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Scientific Assessment Working Group) and others. One quote from the great man:

"Christians and other religious people believe that we've been put on the earth to look after it. Creation is not just important to us, we believe also it is important to God and that the rest of creation has an importance of its own... we are destroying forests, important forests"

Sir John has published articles, as his right, in religious journals. He has said:

Even a recent meeting of (not all Christian) people about climate change on the island of Patmos declared that not to care for the earth is a SIN. But have we as Christians thought about repenting for our lack of care for the earth?

So, on the Dessler reasoning, the whole IPCC output must be disregarded, seeing that one of its central figures is a religious nut. Far be it from me to argue!

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 07:11:00 PM

Upstate Woman Accused of Raping Boy, 13

(Oswego County, New York) A 26-year-old Auburn woman, Stephanie N. Bouvia, was arrested today for allegedly raping a 13-year-old boy.

Reportedly, Bouvia engaged in intercourse and oral sex with the boy for the past several months at a home in the Town of Hannibal.

Bouvia has been charged with with second-degree rape, first-degree and second-degree criminal sex act, second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

With bail set at $5,000, Bouvia was booked into custody at the Oswego County Jail.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 02:53:00 PM

Hot Chile Volcano Erupts

(Conguillio National Park, Chile) Located approximately 400 miles south of Santiago, the 10,000-foot Llaima volcano has erupted, prompting the evacuation of 150 tourists and National Forest Service employees.

Remaining isolated in the park are 53 people and emergency workers plan a helicopter evacuation.

Authorities stated that no populated areas have been affected by the eruption thus far. Nonetheless,

Hundreds of people in the town of Melipeuco, the closest to the volcano, left their homes and spent the night in the open or at two shelters opened by authorities as a series of strong explosions from the volcano rocked the area during the night.

According to Carmen Fernandez of Chile's Emergency Bureau, buses and Army trucks have been sent to Melipeuco (pop. 5,000) just in case they are needed for evacuation.

Minister of Interior Belisario Velasco stated that the local emergency committee is monitoring the situation and measures have been taken to act, if necessary.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 09:38:00 AM

US Navy Sailors Found Dead

(Ghana, West Africa) Two American sailors attached to the USS Fort McHenry were found dead in a hotel room in Tema, Ghana, yesterday. The two were on shore leave.

The U.S. Navy and Ghana authorities are investigating and, thus far, there is "no evidence of foul play" according to a Navy official.

The USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) is a dock landing ship with a 350-member crew attached to the Sixth Fleet. The ship is deployed in support of the Africa Partnership Station 2007.

According to Headquarters US European Command, Africa Partnership Station 2007 is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-led initiative, executed by a multi-national staff aboard USS Fort McHenry and High Speed Vessel 2 Swift.

The ship is halfway through a seven-month assignment to assist in security and drug smuggling interdiction efforts by West African nations.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 09:09:00 AM

Bad Vodka Kills 11

(Ulan Bator, Mongolia) Eleven people have died and at least 20 more are hospitalized after drinking bad vodka at a New Year's Eve party. One official said the vodka was tainted with methanol.

The mayor of Ulan Bator, Tudev Bilegt, has temporarily banned the sale of vodka in the city pending the results of an investigation.

Readers are cautioned to refrain from drinking any Mongolian vodka.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 08:50:00 AM

American Diplomat Gunned Down in Sudan

(Khartoum, Sudan) A 33-year-old U.S. diplomat with the Agency for International Development, John Granville, was killed when gunmen pulled up next to his car and fired 17 shots.

Mr. Granville's driver, a Sudanese employee of the American Embassy, was killed instantly, and Mr. Granville was shot in the neck and chest. He was taken to the hospital and died several hours later.

The Sudanese Interior Ministry identified the driver as Abdel Rahman Abbas, 40.

A Sudanese government official said that the attack appeared well planned. The assailants' car sped in front of the diplomat's car, cutting it off. Two gunmen got out of their car, with one of them shooting Mr. Granville and the other shooting the driver, the official said.

Walter Braunohler, a spokesman for the American Embassy in Khartoum, said he could not comment on the circumstances because the shooting was under investigation.

According to Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadiq, the incident has nothing to do with terrorism.

Therefore, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it's an isolated incident which happens from time-to-time and should be handled on a case-by-case basis. However, a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum expresses doubt, indicating that it's "too early to tell" whether the murders were an act of terrorism.

In a country where gun crimes are rare, an ambush of a foreign diplomat with a 17-shot volley sure doesn't seem to be a hunting accident.


[Update 01/04/08]

From CNN:

A group calling itself the Partisans of Monotheism in Sudan claimed responsibility Friday for the shooting death of an American diplomat and his driver early New Year's Day.

"The soldiers of monotheism carried out their operation in killing the U.S. diplomat John Micahel Granville and his Sudanese driver, who sold his faith for nothing in this earthly life, ... in Riyadh neighborhood east of Khartoum," the group said in a statement posted in Arabic and English on several Islamist Web sites. The group misspelled Granville's middle name, which is Michael.

The Web sites reported the group, also called Ansar Al-Tawhid, is new.

Heh.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/02/2008 07:45:00 AM

SHRILLARY: A typical Democrat ignoramus

"Sen. Hillary Clinton was telling Wolf Blitzer that she didn't think "the Pakistani government at this time under President Musharraf has any credibility at all." She then said something that betrayed a serious lack of knowledge about Pakistan and called her own credibility on the subject into serious question. "If President Musharraf wishes to stand for election," she told Blitzer, "then he should abide by the same rules that every other candidate will have to follow."

My immediate reaction was: "Did I hear that correctly?" As a Pakistan analyst, I know for a fact that Pervez Musharraf doesn't wish to stand for election any time soon. Sen. Clinton really didn't know that the upcoming elections were for individual seats in Pakistan's parliament. She actually believed that Bhutto, Nawaz and Musharraf would be facing off as individual candidates for leadership of the country in the upcoming elections. Sen. Clinton didn't know that Nawaz Sharif isn't allowed to run for office in Pakistan because of a felony conviction. She didn't know that President Musharraf won't be on the ballot because he's already been elected."


More here

Posted by John Ray
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       Following Entry Posted 1/01/2008 05:07:00 PM

Pinup Babe Pinched in Kidnap Plot

To start 2008, here's a shocking beauty queen story out of the southwest.

(Tucson, Arizona) A 25-year-old beauty queen, Kumari Fulbright, has been accused in the alleged kidnap and torture of her former boyfriend.

Fulbright was Miss Pima County 2005 and Miss Desert Sun 2006 and later a law student at the University of Arizona, clerking with U.S. District Court Judge Raner Collins.

Fulbright has been indicted on charges of armed robbery, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to court documents, Fulbright and three men used plastic cable ties and duct tape to tie up a 24-year-old man on Dec. 8 and held him captive at two residences, one on the North Side and the other in Midtown.

The four suspects pointed pistols at the man, threatened his life and stole his wallet, cell phone, briefcase and between $500 and $600 in cash, court documents state.

"(Fulbright) specifically bit him several times while he was bound, stuck a butcher knife in his ear and said she was going to kill him, pointed a pistol at him," the documents state.

Fulbright was booked into custody at the Pima County Jail and later released on $50,000 bail.

Interestingly, Kumari Fulbright will be featured as Miss May in the 2008 Subguns.com calendar. In the pinup photo, she is wearing a bikini and holding an automatic weapon. Heh.

Tip: Matt Hurley


[Update 01/03/08]

Added mugshot.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/01/2008 04:03:00 PM

New Laws Taking Effect, Hide Your Wallets

Throughout 2007, state lawmakers were busily passing legislation to supposedly improve the lives of all members of the citizenry. Here's a listing of some of the more notable legislation taking effect today.

(AZ) Legal Arizona Workers Act enacted. Employers will lose licenses for hiring illegal aliens.

(CA) Localities are prohibited from requiring landlords to identify and report immigration status of tenants. Also prohibited are ordinances which prevent renting to illegal aliens.

(CA) It is now illegal to smoke in a car with anyone younger than 18 in the vehicle.

(CO) Smoking banned in casinos. Gambling winnings will be confiscated from those overdue on child support.

(HI) Exempts potential jurors from parking tickets while on jury duty.

(IL) Major restrictions on teen drivers become effective. Only one unrelated teen passenger allowed. Curfew hours more restrictive. Learner's permit for nine months vs. three.

(IL) Smoking prohibited virtually anywhere public in the state, including within 15 feet of anywhere public. Stiff fines imposed, minimum $100 for smokers and $250 for businesses on first offense. Half the money goes to local enforcement so it's likely to be treated as an easy revenue stream.

(MA) All residents 18 and older are required to purchase health insurance or be penalized by the government.

(MN) Stars & Stripes banned from sale unless made in USA.

(NH) Homosexual couples given rights of civil unions. Health insurance companies must cover divorced spouses for three years or until they remarry.

(NM) Employers must provide safe, clean, close to work breastfeeding room for mothers.

(NY) Airline Bill of Rights requires passengers to be provided with food, water, fresh air, power, and working restrooms on flights boarded and delayed more than three hours.

(OR) Domestic partnership legalized and discrimination against homosexuals outlawed.

(OR) Sale of cigarettes must be approved by State Fire Marshal to assure that they are firesafe.

(TX) A $5 Strip Club Admission Tax will be collected.

(TX) Teachers required to be fingerprinted.

(WA) Internet voter registration adopted.

All in all, the new laws encompass the good, the bad, the ludicrous and, in many instances, simply increased regulation on business.
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       Following Entry Posted 1/01/2008 07:43:00 AM

Some most interesting statistics -- Muslim Populations in European Cities


Marseilles - 25 percent (200,000 of 800,000)
Malmo - ~25 percent (67,000 of 270,000)
Amsterdam - 24 percent (180,000 of 750,000)
Stockholm - 20 percent (>155,000 of 771,038)
Brussels - ~20 percent (some say 33 percent)
Moscow - 16 percent-20 percent (2 million of 10-12 milllion)
London - 17 percent (1.3 million of 7.5 million)
Luton - 14.6 percent (26,963)
Birmingham 14.3 percent (139,771)
The Hague - 14.2 percent ( 67,896 of 475,580)
Utrecht - 13.2 percent (38,300 of 289,000)
Rotterdam - 13 percent (80,000 of 600,000)
Copenhagen - 12.6 percent (63,000 of 500,000)
Leicester - 11 percent (>30,000 of 280,000)
Aarhus - ~10 percent
Zaan district (Netherlands) - 8.8 percent
Paris - 7.38 percent (155,000 of 2.1 million)
Antwerp- 6.7 percent (>30,000 of >450,000)
Hamburg - 6.4 percent (>110,000 of 1.73 million)
Berlin - 5.9 percent (~200,000 of 3.40 million)

Source

You can't even escape them in Russia, it seems.

Posted by John Ray
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