Hurricane Gustav - Jefferson Parish Levees

The West Bank of the Mississippi is actually south of New Orleans and believed to be right in Gustav's path. According to data from the Army Corps of Engineers, the levees on the southern end of the West Bank areas are only 5-foot or less in height in some sections.



Jefferson Parish Levees (circa 2003)
Current estimates of the storm surge from Gustav are 12 or more feet. It's simple to see that a major hit at Jefferson Parish will produce flooding.

Fortunately, updated reports (6 PM EDT) of Gustav's track has the storm veering slightly west on a course toward Houma, Louisiana. This is good news for Jefferson Parish. Any inching westward by Gustav before it has landfall will benefit the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard has called for the evacuation of the East Bank of Jefferson Parish. It's the first time in history that the entire parish on both sides of the Mississippi River has been ordered evacuated.

Hurricane Gustav Evacuations Ordered



Hurricane Gustav at 14:15 UTC, 8/31/08

(Southeast Louisiana) New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered mandatory evacuation last night. Nagin called Gustav the "mother of all storms." Assisted evacuation will continue until later this afternoon. Plans are to close the New Orleans International Airport at 6 PM.

As of 2 PM today, an estimated 1.1 million people have evacuated southern Louisiana. According to State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson, 90 to 95 percent of coastal Louisiana residents have evacuated. Notably, reports are that traffic flow has been smooth and contraflow (all lanes, same direction) has been suspended on some sections of road.

The communities on the West Bank of the Mississippi River (i.e. Gretna, Marrero, Algiers, Harvey) were ordered evacuated earlier this morning in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Gustav.

* * *
EVACUATION MEANS LEAVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

* * *

Jefferson Parish website [pdf file]

Public Assisted Evacuation Plan

• Government assisted evacuation of the general public, the elderly, the handicapped, the medical needy, and their pets
• When mandatory evacuation is called by Parish President
• Transit Buses will begin to run pre- designated evacuation routes
• The buses will deliver people to one of two parish pick up points (PPP)

Evacuees Boarding Buses

• One suitcase no larger than 30”X 16”
• No pets unless placed in cage or kennel
• No weapons-Guns, Knives, Mace, etc.
• No illegal drugs or substances
• No alcohol
• No ice chest except those smaller than one gallon
• No chairs, large radios unless contained within the 30”X 16”suitcase
• No smoking on bus at anytime

St. Bernard Parish

- Mandatory evacuation in effect since 4 PM yesterday.
- No shelters will be available in St. Bernard Parish.
- Evacuees should go to "the Vidalia, Bunkie or Marksville locations as they are deemed the safest at this time." (location list is here)
- Roads into the parish have been closed
- Aggressive police patrols have been instituted.
- Curfew will be set, times TBD.
- Residents warned that parish officials will not assist in rescue efforts during the hurricane.

St. Charles Parish

- Mandatory evacuation order issued.
- Those needing assisted evacuation should contact EOC at (985) 783-5050 IMMEDIATELY.
- Sandbag operations continue, bring shovels to any one of 37 locations (list at www.stcharlesgov.net/hurricane)
- Storm surge anticipated to be between 9 and 13 feet.
- All pump stations are fueled and manned by a small group of St. Charles Parish most hardy public servants.
- EOC is activated, fully-staffed and answering incoming calls
- Garbage pickup has been suspended, schools are closed until at least Thursday.
- Parish updates will be broadcast on Cable Channel 6, WWL-870 AM and 1370 AM.

Plaquemines Parish

Officials announced Saturday that the parish will go into "lockdown" at 6 p.m. today. Barricades will go up at all access roads, and no one will be allowed to enter the parish, Maj. John Marie of the Sheriff's Office said.

A curfew also will be in effect from 10 p.m. today until 5 a.m. Sunday for everyone except residents trying to evacuate. Anyone found off private property will be stopped and questioned and could be arrested and sent to state correctional facilities at Hunt, St. Gabriel or Angola, Marie said.

Contraflow has likely been ordered for all evacuation routes by the time of this posting.

Also: The Jawa Report

Hurricane Gustav Disaster Supplies

Information is from the Louisiana State Police Hurricane Guide [pdf file]:

There are six basics that you should stock for your disaster supply kit: water, food, clothing and bedding, first aid supplies, tools and emergency supplies and special items.

Keep these items in a waterproof container that can be easily transported from your home to your car and your safe place. Assemble your kit now to allow for immediate action during an emergency.

Your family’s disaster supply kit should include at least a three-day supply of:

• Water - One gallon of water per person per day

• Non-perishable food - Select food items that are compact and lightweight. Include the following items:

° Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
° Canned juices
° High energy foods
° Vitamins
° Comfort goods
° Condiments
° Food for infant

• Clothing and bedding - Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person and the following weather-appropriate items:

° Sturdy shoes or work boots
° Rain gear
° Blankets or sleeping bags
° Hat and gloves
° Thermal underwear
° Sunglasses

• First aid supplies -- Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car.

• Tools and emergency supplies

° Emergency preparedness manual
° Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
° Flashlight and extra batteries
° Cash or traveler’s checks, change
° Non-electric can opener, utility knife

° Fire extinguisher: small canister ABC-type
° Tube tent
° Pliers
° Tape
° Compass

° Matches in a waterproof container
° Aluminum foil
° Plastic storage containers
° Signal flare
° Paper, pencil

° Needles, thread
° Medicine dropper
° Shut-off wrench to turn off household gas and water
° Whistle
° Plastic sheeting

° Sanitation supplies
° Official DOTD Highway Map
° Louisiana Citizen Awareness and Disaster Evacuation Guide
° Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils

• Special Items -- Infant and medical supplies: Remember supplies for family members with special requirements, such as infants, elderly, persons with disabilities and persons taking medication

• Important family documents

° Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
° Passports, social security cards and immunization records
° Bank account numbers
° Credit card account numbers and company addresses
° Inventory of valuable household goods and important telephone numbers
° Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the supply kit in the trunk of
your car. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Replace your stored food every six months.

Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc.

It's a little late to prepare a kit for Hurricane Gustav but it's not too late to check it as a reminder.

Women With Troubles - August 2008

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

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

(AR) Allison Dean, 30,
teacher - Arrested for providing drugs and having sex with male student,

(CA) Luz Damarys Maisonet Diaz, 33,
fugitive - Wanted for soliciting boy, 14, over Internet for sex,

(CA) Crystal Kay McPhee, 54,
neighbor - Arrested for bomb threat at DMV,

(CA) Viola Smith (aka Viola Collier), 60,
drug counselor - Arrested for drug and weapons charges,

(CO) Theresa Lynn Millon, 31,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 14,

(CO) Mi Sook Yoo, 48,
neighbor - Arrested for operating brothel,

(DE) Kimberly Jernigan, 33,
neighbor - Arrested for attempted kidnapping,

(FL) Brenda Bouschet, 57,
neighbor - Arrested for child abuse after driving around with 3-year-old on top of car,

(FL) Denise Harvey, 40,
neighbor - Gets 30 years in prison for sex with boy, 16,

(GA) Holly Michelle Barnes, 24,
teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 14,

(IL) Kayla J. Rotramel, 25,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(IL) Lori Zolno, 32,
drug and alcohol counselor - Gets four years in prison for sex with runaway boy, 16,

(KS) Ashley Thompson, 23,
neighbor - Gets probation for sex with her male babysitter, 15, in two states, MO and KS,

(LA) Wendy Lou Carlos, 40,
neighbor - Gets one year in prison for sex with boy, 12,

(LA) Maurna Cay Thornton, 41,
teacher - Gets 10 years at hard labor for sex with boy, 14,

(MA) Joy Christian, 31,
neighbor - Gets probation for rape of boy, 13,

(MD) Theresa Cunningham Duarte, 44,
teacher - Arrested for dealing cocaine,

(MD) Autumn Leathers, 24,
teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(MD) Ria Ramkissoon, 21,
neighbor - Arrested for starvation death of 21-month-old son,

(MI) Allanah Benton-Wells, 42,
teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 12,

(MI) Donita Brady, 50,
teacher - Pleaded guilty to indecency with female student. Sentencing in October,

(MI) Carlye Anne Bushen, 31,
teacher - Arrested for clobbering social worker,

(MI) Melissa Lavender, 33,
teacher - Arrested for sex with two male students, 16 and 17,

(NC) Kelly Bartz, 39,
teacher - Arrested for sex with student,

(NC) Cassandra Lynn Cone, 18,
neighbor - Arrested for raping boy, 12,

(NC) Arlene Denetta Hudson, 42,
teacher - Arrested as fugitive wanted for car theft in Maryland,

(NC) Laura Franciana Montgomery, 31,
neighbor - Arrested for raping boy, 15

(NE) Connie Phillips, 22,
neighbor - Arrested for felony assault with high heel,

(NE) Tammy Walnofer, 38,
neighbor - Found guilty of felony child abuse. Sentencing in October,

(NY) Veronica Sanchez, 32,
neighbor, mother-of-five - Sentenced to two years prison for sex with boy, 14, that resulted in child,

(OH) China Arnold, 28,
neighbor - Guilty of aggravated murder in microwave death of baby,

(OH) Crystal Barnett, 21,
neighbor - Gets 4 years prison for felony child endangerment,

(OH) Kathryn Gill, 29,
teacher - Pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with minor. Sentencing in September,

(OH) Maggie Laughlin, 23,
teacher - Sentenced to 3 years in prison for repeated sex with boy, 15, in classroom,

(OH) Deborah N. Ludlow, 57,
teacher - Guilty of shoplifting. Sentenced to sleep disorder treatment,

(OK) Melissa Jo Wilson, 33,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 16,

(OR) Jasmine Nguyen (aka Hanh Nguyen), 31,
healer and counselor - Gets 20 months prison for custodial interference and contributing to the sexual delinquency of boy, 15,

(PA) Beth Ann Chester, 27,
teacher - Gets 1.5 to 3 years prison for sex with boy, 14,

(PA) Lisa Croak, 45,
inmate development supervisor - Arrested for sex with inmate, 17,

(PA) Ashley Moore, 19,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 14,

(SC) Stephanie G. Kirkland, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for sex assault of girl, 13,

(SC) Maribel Lazaro Lopez, 26,
hooker - Arrested for abandoning children while performing sex for money,

(SC) Jessica Brownlee Swain, 26,
teacher - Arrested for providing booze to teens,

(TN) Rebecca Bargy, 25,
neighbor - Charged with murder in sex ritual death of husband,

(TN) Carolyn Green,
teacher - Arrested for stealing over $3,000 from the senior class fund,

(TN) Tracy Hinson, 38,
teacher - Sentenced to probation for statutory rape of boy, 16,

(TN) Julie E. Petty, 37,
teacher - Guilty of sexual battery of girl, 14. Sentencing TBD,

(TN) Heather Thorsby, 35,
teacher - Gets 3 years in prison for sex with girl,

(TX) Brandy Lynn Gonzales, 28,
teacher - Pleaded guilty to molesting boys. Sentencing in October,

(TX) Tara Allison Hodges, 26,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student, 14,

(TX) Elizabeth Jackson, 21,
Texas Youth Corps counselor - Arrested for sex with male cadet, 14,

(TX) Emily Kate Janes, 23,
teacher - Sentenced to probation for sex with male student, 18,

(TX) Laurie Anne Lewis, 38,
teacher - Arrested for prostitution,

(TX) Julie von Tungeln, 43,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with three (3) 16-year-old boys,

(UT) Beth Anne Marie Lake, 36,
neighbor - Gets 63 months in Federal prison for child pornography,

(UT) Jami Lish, 27,
teacher - Accused of sex with male student, 17,

(UT) Rashelle J. Wilson, 39,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with 2 boys, both 15,

(WI) Kristina N. Schwoerer, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(WI) Kelly M. Sweet, 26,
teacher - Gets 25 days in jail for sex with male student, 14,

(WV) Ann M. Thacker, 30,
neighbor - Arrested for child neglect and sex abuse of juveniles, ages 3 to 15,

(WY) Monique Joy Crain, 22,
mental hospital worker - Gets probation for repeated sex with boy.

As always, thanks to the tipsters.

Honor Killings Defended

(Islamabad, Pakistan) The representative for Baluchistan Province, Israr Ullah Zehri, told the Pakistani Parliament that the honor killings of five women last month were justified.

The sentiment comes in reaction to last months killing of five women, including three teens, who made plans to marry someone of their own choosing, by-passing the traditional method of arranged marriages that has long been the cultural norm in the conservative town of Baba Kot, a remote village in Jafferabad district.

According to reports, the account of what happened varies, but what is known is that the women were taken at gunpoint by six men who beat them, then shot them before pushing them into holes dug in the ground, where they were covered with dirt and rocks. Reportedly, some of them were still breathing when they were buried.

Strong-armed, beaten, shot and thrown into a hole while possibly still alive doesn't sound honorable to me. Of course, multicultural ideologues will continue to assert that all cultural practices must be respected as equals.

Union: Decriminalize Teacher-Student Sex

(Tacoma, Washington) The Washington Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union, has filed a friend of the court brief in a case before the state Court of Appeals asserting that teachers who have sex with 18-year-old students shouldn't be prosecuted for felonies.

The specific case involved Hoquiam High School choir teacher Matthew Hirschfelder, 33, who is accused of doing the nasty with an 18-year-old student. Hirschfelder's attorney, Rob Hill, says the case should be dismissed because the student was not a minor. The teachers' union supports the position.

Companion post at EdWatch.

No free speech for opponents of abortion


Denver police goons again:

"Two teenagers who had been given city permission to write their messages protesting Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's support for abortion on public sidewalks during the Democratic National Convention this week were shoved to the sidewalk, cuffed and arrested for doing just that....

Spokeswoman Danielle Versluys told WND the group had consulted with Denver city officials as well as police prior to the DNC, and had been told that chalk messages on sidewalks would be allowed. Even though the city's deputy chief was in the meeting, that message apparently didn't get forwarded to officers on the street.

"I was peacefully sidewalk chalking when I was forcefully pushed to ground by a police officer from behind," Jayne White, 17, described. "As I was being cuffed on the ground, the police officer pushed his knee into the back of my neck. I was pulled roughly off the ground and taken away. I was given no warning to stop and was completely shocked when I was arrested.'...

"I am horrified and outraged at the treatment of these two girls. Not only were they legally expressing their opinions on the public sidewalk, but they were doing so peacefully and without incident. The officers acted without provocation, and should be ashamed of themselves for terrorizing two young women," Versluys said.

"I am also appalled that the city of Denver boasted of the city's preparation for the convention but clearly neglected to train their police force to respect the First Amendment and the rights of citizens to peacefully demonstrate," she said. "The city of Denver sent a clear message to civic-minded young people this week: the First Amendment doesn't apply here," she said.

Source

See here and here for more examples of Denver police-goons spitting on the 1st Amendment. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is a Democrat so the fact that his police are pro-Democrat to the point of thuggishness is not much of a surprise. Stalin would understand.

Many will remember that Hickenlooper initially showed negligible reaction to a black singer mangling the national anthem in front of him. Am I questioning his patriotism? You bet!



Posted by John Ray.

Palin




It's tempting but I am not going to add anything to the uproar over Sarah Palin today. My fellow bloggers over at STACLU are doing a fine job shooting down the frantic Leftist and media criticisms of her. It's amusing how most of the things that Leftists criticize in her apply even more to Wonderboy (e.g. lack of foreign policy experience; insufficient administrative experience). They're really desperate. They say that running Alaska is "not enough" experience. As far as I am aware, Wonderboy has never even run a raffle.

I will say this, however: I predict that she will one day be President of the United States.



Posted by John Ray.

Weekend Caption Contest

Can't figure out what is going on in this picture. Therefore, it's perfect for a caption contest.


The best I can come up with is that there's a new game in college dorms called "Hide the Baby Musk Ox."

So, go ahead, readers, come up with your own caption. Winner will be awarded a sack of the celebrated Obama hope. And if anyone knows where the pic came from, please clue me in.

Reuters Accused of More Fauxtography

Russian, Serbian, Spanish and German web sites have published similar stories contending that Western corporate media is using psychological warfare against Russia through staged images allegedly from the Caucasian War.

Reuters photographer, David Mdzinarishvili, is accused of staging the faked scenarios. Check these examples.




Reuters captioned the above photo as Georgians standing next to the body of their son in the town of Gori. However, as indicated by the red arrows, the picture below shows that the dead son's body has apparently been moved about 10 feet and positioned the same as the previous photo.




Interestingly, the photos show the woman looking to the heavens in one image while wailing over the body in the next. It's not really clear which picture was taken first but it sure seems that the woman is more interested in the camera than her supposedly dead son's body.

According to the sources, the photo staging is an attempt by Western media, "British Reuters" is specifically blamed, to make Russia look bad in the eyes of the world. A faked photo of a Serb concentration camp by a British news team is cited as a previous example.

Frankly, the logic doesn't make much sense. First of all, Reuters doesn't have to help make Russia look bad. Although the Russians claim they were provoked to invade a democratic nation, no rational person buys it. What possible threat does tiny Georgia represent to huge Russia that requires a military invasion? I contend none.

And even though Reuters has a reputation of doctoring and staging photographic scenes, it's usually with an anti-Western tilt. Arguably, Reuters and most of the mainstream media leans to the left politically and if there was a desire to put bias into a photo, it would likely be pro-Russian, not anti-Russian.

Furthermore, the sources attempt to link the Reuters photos to a conspiracy with Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice. Now, that is ludicrous. Reuters may be creative with its photos but I'll never believe it was done at the request of the Bush administration.

To close, my assessment of the photos is that the photographer was simply lazy, needed something that would get him a paycheck, so he made stuff up.


More at these Sources:

Radio-Utopie.de
Tlaxcala.es
Byzantine Blog

U.S. Citizenship For Sale

(Tamarac, Florida) Four people have been arrested by federal agents for allegedly selling fraudulent Native American Indian documents to illegal aliens.

Audie Watson, 75, Nancy Vertus, 40, Anibal Reyes, 38, and his wife Laura Reyes, 38, were arrested for conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, mail fraud and the sale of fraudulent immigration documents.

Illegal aliens were told that the documents would make them members of the obscure Pembina Nation Little Shell Tribe. The perpetrators collected $1,500 per alien or $2,000 per couple for citizenships sold over a period of three years.

Federal agents said the fraudulent documents, sold through a company called Universal Service Dedicated to God, Inc., are worthless. Unfortunately, the illegals were in no position to complain when they discovered that they were ripped off.

If convicted, the four citizenship sellers face anywhere from five to 20 years or more in prison plus substantial fines.

Britain: Black doll sparks outrage




We read:

"Binmen who drove round with a large golliwog mascot strapped to the front of their truck have outraged residents. But passersby in the town, which has residents of many different racial origins, were horrified by the prank - one said the council workers were smiling and laughing at the reactions the lorry invited.

The refuse truck was owned by Woodend Municipal Services - but leased to Reading Borough Council, whose staff used it to collect rubbish from the streets of the Berkshire town.

Local resident Tim Rhodes said that he was shocked when he saw the bin lorry driving towards him in the town centre's Milford Road. 'My reaction was one of complete shock and disbelief. It is the sort of thing you would see in the 1960s but I thought we had all grown up a bit now,' said 40-year-old Mr Rhodes.

A spokesman for Reading Borough Council apologised for the golliwog incident and said action was being taken against the binmen involved. 'The council has investigated this matter and spoken to the lorry driver,' he said. 'The employee has been informed of the serious nature of this complaint and his management colleagues are giving further consideration to how the matter will proceed. 'In its role as an employer and a provider of public services in Reading, the council has a responsibility to directly and consistently tackle exclusion, disadvantage and discrimination.

Source

Jokes are becoming very risky in sourpuss socialist Britain. Previous uproar in Britain about golliwog dolls covered here. I had a golliwog myself when I was a little kid. They are a stylized representation of a black man but kids loved them. Is that bad? I would have thought that teaching kids to have warm feelings towards blacks would be acclaimed by the do-gooders. Silly old me!

Posted by John Ray.

Sarah Palin on Immigration Issues

The nominee for the Republican Vice President slot, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, understandably hasn't had many opportunities to weigh in on illegal immigration. Presumably, it's not a problem in Alaska.

Nonetheless, her stance on immigration issues will become important as Vice President of the United States. Therefore, it would be nice to know what she thinks.

Anyone know?

Actor in Sex Addiction Rehab

So, actor of "The X-Files" fame, David Duchovny, has checked himself into rehab for sexual addiction according to his attorney, Stanton Stein.

I'll admit being a lightweight when it comes to knowing about clinical sex addiction. Frankly, I think that everyone has some sort of obsessive affinity for sex and the line between wanting sex and being addicted to it is more than blurry.

Nevertheless, being obsessive about sex apparently is a frequent indicator of some underlying mental health issue, a drug addiction or possibly a physical nervous system disorder. With respect to Duchovny, however, I suspect that reading a few seasons-worth of scripts for "The X-Files" might have produced a skewed perception of reality.

Tip: slwlion

Men Collared for Stealing Gasoline

(Vallejo, California) Two local men were arrested early yesterday for allegedly siphoning gasoline from parked U-Haul trucks. An officer on patrol noticed the men hiding underneath the trucks about 1:20 AM.

Those men were identified as Jerrell Rouse, 19, and Matthew Jenkins, 20. The officer found that the two men were apparently siphoning gasoline from several of the U-Haul trucks.

They had several 5-gallon sized buckets and had begun filling them.

Rouse and Jenkins were booked into custody at the Solano County Jail. They are being held on charges of petty theft, tampering with a vehicle, trespassing and conspiracy.


[Update 8/30/08]

(Covina, California) And then there's this story where a 28-year-old man from Glendale, Sisak Khudaverdyan, allegedly used stolen credit card information in purchasing $250-worth of gasoline, bypassing his fuel tank and filling storage drums hidden in his van.

Reportedly, he reprogrammed stolen gift cards with stolen credit card information to obtain the gas. Interestingly, Khudaverdyan was out on bail after being arrested for a similar offense in Ventura County.

Khudaverdyan was booked into custody on multiple felonies with bail set at $1 million.

China Arnold Convicted in Baby Microwave Death

(Dayton, Ohio) Today, a Montgomery County jury convicted China Arnold, 28, of microwaving her 28-day-old baby to death.

The penalty phase of the trial starts tomorrow. Arnold could be sentenced to be executed for aggravated murder.

However, if the jury recommends death, Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman can reject the guidance and impose a prison term.

Democratic National Convention Order of Speakers

I somehow never quite made it to Denver but a reader has sent me a program from it that makes me feel that I am almost there:

5:00-6:00 pm - Jimmy Carter. Topic: Lets give Appeasement a Chance (sung to John Lennon tract).

6:00pm-7:00pm - John Edwards. Topic: Standing erect behind my principles

7:00pm -8:00pm - Jesse Jackson. Topic: I am not bitter OK and if you don't believe me I will cut your nut off. (In place of Al Sharpton's Apolcalypse Now speech: "Do you smell that? It's a race riot, son. Nothing else on the world smells like that. I love the smell of a race riot in the morning. Actually I love the smell of a race riot in the afternoon too.Come to think of it...)

8:00pm 9:00pm - Arrival of Al Gore's personal jet followed by speech. Topic: Do as I say not as I do. (Snacks to Follow .... Drinks sponsored by the Kennedys)

Concurrent workshops (8:00-9:00pm)

Workshop A: 150 ways of using the word `change' by the Obama Speech writers collective (Thesaurus not required).
Workshop B: Milking the `Blame-it-on-Bush-Line'. Can we get another four years out of this? Harry Reid/Nancy Pelosi
Workshop C: Why I plan to go to Cuba for my brain surgery? By Michael Moore
Workshop D: George Soros pays tribute to Obama - background song `Puppet on a String' Sandie Shaw
Workshop E: Some deep thoughts on global politics by Maggie Gyllenhaal/Sean Penn and Scarlet Johansson (10 minutes only)

9:00 pm -10:00pm - Hilary Clinton: Reciting I could have been a contender from 'On the Waterfront'.

10:00pm - Barack Obama arrives in a chariot to the lyrics of Jesus Christ Superstar

10:00-11:00pm - Barack Obama's speech. Special Lottery: Guess the number of references to JFK? (Special Note to delegates: Don't mention the 'sucess of the surge' or we'll give you the Joe Lieberman treatment)

11:00 pm - 'God', one of the few outstanding celebrities, officially endorses Obama (pending an ACLU objection). Apparently it was Oprah who swung him over.

Convention clears. Exit Strategies initialized.

Source

Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH

Israel Planning for First Strike Against Iran

When you are threatened with annihilation by Iran, it would be suicidal not to put Iran in the cross hairs.

Israel will not agree to allow Iran to achieve nuclear weapons and if the grains start running out in the proverbial egg timer, Jerusalem will not hesitate to take whatever means necessary to prevent Iran from achieving its nuclear goals, the government has recently decided in a special discussion.

According to the Israeli daily Ma'ariv, whether the United States and Western countries will succeed in toppling the ayatollah regime diplomatically, through sanctions, or whether an American strike on Iran will eventually be decided upon, Jerusalem has put preparations for a separate, independent military strike by Israel in high gear.

Ahmadinejad needs to take the words "separate, independent military strike by Israel" very seriously.

PanAm 103 Families Called "Very Greedy"

Can you believe it?

THE son of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has accused relatives of the Lockerbie victims of being "very greedy" for seeking compensation.

Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi said the Lockerbie families had traded with "the blood of their sons and daughters" during negotiations over payouts for the deaths of loved ones.

I'm fairly confident that it's not greed that motivates the families of the 270 victims of PanAm 103. It's punitive remuneration. They want somebody to hurt as much as they do. The families are prevented from inflicting torturous bodily pain so their only option is pain in the pocketbook. They want Libya to shell out until it consistently hurts.

By the way, Gaddafi's son is likely going to follow in his father's footsteps when Muammar can no longer rule. How nice.

Oklahoma Woman Accused of Raping Boy

(Muskogee, Oklahoma) A 33-year-old Fort Gibson woman, Melissa Jo Wilson, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old boy.

Wilson has been charged with second-degree rape, lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16 and obstructing an officer.

According to court documents, Wilson had sex with the boy between June 1 and Aug. 21. She also is accused of taking the boy to a secluded area -- a cemetery -- for sex in her car.

The obstruction charge, the documents state, came about when Wilson hid the boy in her tree house at her home to hide him from his parents and police.

Wilson was booked into custody at the Muskogee County/City Detention Center with bond set at $50,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 11.

Texas Teacher Gets Probation in Sex Case - Updated

(Deer Park, Texas) Earlier today, married 23-year-old former English teacher at Deer Park High School, Emily Kate Janes, was sentenced. Janes had previously pleaded guilty in June to engaging in sex with a male student.

The judge imposed a sentence of four years deferred adjudication.

In substance, the deferred adjudication means that Janes will be on probation for four years and, if she stays out of trouble, the case will be revisited for final resolution. Typically, the final resolution would be dismissal of the charges and sanitizing of the criminal record.

If my understanding is correct, Janes could very well resume her teaching career after completing the probationary period.


* * * * *
Texas Teacher Accused of Sex with Student
[Previous 2/13/08 entry]
(Deer Park, Texas) A married 23-year-old English teacher at Deer Park High School, Emily Kate Janes, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with an 18-year-old male student. An anonymous tip led to an investigation of the relationship.

According to Harris County Assistant District Attorney Denise Oncken, Janes and the student apparently had several intimate sessions at her home. Janes resigned from her teaching position on Monday.

After booking, Janes was released on $30,000 bond. A court appearance is scheduled for March 13.


[Update 6/25/08]

Emily Kate Janes pleaded guilty today to engaging in sex with one of her students. She is scheduled to be sentenced on an unspecified date later this summer.

I believe Janes won't see anything more than probation.

Colorado Teacher Gets 15 to Life in Sex Case

(Jefferson County, Colorado) In June 2008, a 33-year-old former band teacher at Evergreen High School, William Eisenman, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old female student and providing her with alcohol.

Reportedly, Eisenman engaged in sex with the girl numerous times at school, in hotels and in his car over a period of two months in 2007.

Last week, Eisenman was sentenced by Judge Tamara Russell to 15 years to life in prison.

Tennessee Teacher Gets Probation in Sex Case - Updated

(Tiptonville, Tennessee) On Tuesday of this week, Tracy Hinson pleaded no contest to statutory rape of a 16-year-old boy which effectively is the same as a guilty plea.

As a result, Hinson was sentenced to two years judicial diversion probation.

The Hinson case has displayed some twists and turns. She initially was accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor but that charge was dismissed while the investigation continued. Then, at some point, she was charged with statutory rape which Hinson essentially admitted.

In any event, Hinson walks away with probation. It's not known whether she will be required to register as a sex offender or if she will lose her teaching position.



* * * * *
Tennessee Teacher Arrested in Student Sex Case
[Previous 5/10/08 post]
(Tiptonville, Tennessee) A 38-year-old chemistry and geometry teacher at Lake County High School, Tracy Hinson, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old boy.

Hinson faces a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

She was charged Thursday, May 8, by Lake County Sheriff's Investigator Joe Vernon. Vernon declined to elaborate on the charge, saying that the case is still under investigation.

According to Lake County School System spokesman, Joey Hassell, Hinson has been suspended without pay.

Hinson, married with children, has a court appearance scheduled for May 14.


[Update 05/15/08]

Charges against Hinson have been dismissed "without prejudice" which means that they may be reinstated at some future date. Hinson remains suspended from her job while the school system and the sheriff's department continue to investigate.

Immigration Enforcement Rally

(Shenandoah, Pennsylvania) Digger sends along this notice.

I will be joining other patriots in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania this Saturday, August 30, 2008 at the Voice of the People rally being held at Babe Ruth Memorial Field.

For those who don't know Shenandoah is currently in the spotlight for events that occurred on July 12, 2008 when a 25-year-old man, Luis Ramirez, was meeting a 15-year-old girl in a park at 11PM.

He was confronted by some youth in the community. After an argument where it is now found in court that both used racial comments, the situation escalated. It became physical and in the end this man lost the fight and was beaten so severely that 2 days later he died.

The pro-illegal alien advocates are demanding justice while blaming Americans who want border security enforced for the death of Ramirez.

The rally will be held Saturday, August 30th, at 6 PM at the Babe Ruth Memorial Field, Centre Street, Shenandoah, PA. More here. Readers are encouraged to attend if they are in the area.

ABC Reporter Arrested for Snaps

(Denver, Colorado) An ABC News producer was manhandled and arrested yesterday for taking pictures on a Denver city street. Asa Eslocker, who works with an ABC News investigative unit, was charged with trespass, interference and failure to follow a lawful order.

In reality, it appears that Eslocker was roughed up and pinched for taking pictures, from the city sidewalk, of Democrat senators and VIP donors gathering for a secret meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel.

People with only a modicum of history education will know that Hitler used teams of thugs to terrorize and silence the German public during his rise to power. I wonder if something similar is happening at the behest of the Democrat party.

I personally think it's worth knowing who the Dems, or the Repubs, are cutting deals with in secret. Hey, but don't try it in Denver.

Georgia School System Loses Accreditation

(Clayton County, Georgia) The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has revoked the accreditation of Clayton County Schools, the first in the country since 1969, for repeated citations of micromanaging, abuses of power, conflicts of interest, plus other lapses in ethics.

Officials in Clayton County, just south of Atlanta, had been warned. The district was placed on probation five years ago and, last March, SACS voted to revoke Clayton schools accreditation unless they met improvement benchmarks. The first was to establish a school board to define roles and responsibilities. Apparently, there was no progress.

Without accreditation, diplomas granted may not be recognized as representative of a quality education. Typically, students flee school systems that are not accredited. It's estimated that 2,000 students have already left the 50,000-enrollment Clayton Schools system.

Companion post at EdWatch

"Racist" to describe past cannibal practices


New Zealand:

"A study of Maori cannibalism by historian Paul Moon has prompted a racism complaint to the Human Rights Commission. Sent anonymously to Dr Moon, the complaint said This Horrid Practice "describes the whole of Maori society as violent and dangerous. This is a clearly racist view claiming a whole ethnic group has these traits".

The commission has taken no action on it yet but a spokesperson said yesterday any mediation would occur in confidence and the complainant's name would not be released. The commission said books and publications were covered by the Human Rights Act, however there was a high threshold that had to be met to prevent unwarranted incursion into the right to freedom of expression.

Released in August, the book posits that consuming vanquished enemies' mana had little to do with the underlying reason for Maori cannibalism. Instead cannibalism, in pre-colonial times, was simply about "rage and humiliation".

Dr Moon said he was disappointed that a complaint had been made. "I spent several years researching this book, using an enormous body of documentation, and I am not about to denounce it just because it upsets a few people.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Thousands Go Blind with National Health Care

(Great Britain) Due to delays in getting approval for distribution of the drug Lucentis, which by the way is readily available in other countries, thousands of Brit citizens are negligently, or intentionally, allowed to go blind due to a condition called wet age-related macular degeneration.

Although the drug Lucentis has been available since 2006, the bureaucracy of the National Health Service (NHS), along with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), has denied necessary distribution of the drug to over 50,000 patients in that period. Instead, NICE stated that the drug could only be prescribed after a patient went blind in one eye.

Apparently, the bureaucrats at NICE hoped to save sight in the other eye but, unfortunately, the disease progresses rapidly and patients lost sight in both eyes before being allowed treatment.

Over 50,000 blind people can blame the government bureaucracy, up and down, for the lack of proper drugs. Whenever the government is involved with health care, you can expect literally thousands of people taking an inordinate amount of time making decisions directly affecting patients. People went blind not because of waiting lists, the usual complaint, or clinical trials. They went blind because the bureaucrats at NICE and within the NHS couldn't make a decision.

And, if Obama is elected President of the United States and gets his national health care scheme through Congress, be prepared to go blind (metaphorically) in America.

By the way, the head of NICE, Andrew Dillon, said that he is "genuinely sorry" that delays have caused thousands of people to go blind. Sadly, though, blindness is life-altering, Andrew Dillon's sorrow isn't.

Companion post at SocGlory.

Teacher Accused of Stealing From Students

(Memphis, Tennessee) A former math teacher at Kingsbury High School, Carolyn Green, was arrested and charged for allegedly stealing money from the senior class fund.

Green faces counts of forgery and theft.

Officials say $3,375 Green was responsible for was never deposited in the Kingsbury High School bank account.

At the time, Green was the senior sponsor for organizing, planning and collecting funds for senior activities, including the class trip and prom.

Green was booked into custody and later released on $10,000 bond. A court appearance is scheduled for September 5.

Teacher Accused of Clobbering Social Worker

(Benton Harbor, Michigan) A 31-year-old teacher, Carlye Anne Buishen, was arrested Monday for allegedly slugging a Child Protective Services (CPS) worker with her closed fist.

The CPS worker was investigating a previous assault at Bushen's home when the incident occurred.

Bushen faces charges of felony assault on a social worker. She was booked into custody at the Berrien County Jail after her arraignment on Tuesday.

Security in Gulf of Aden

From New Straits Times:

A "safe channel" has been created in the Gulf of Aden to avert piracy and hijacking.

A coalition of warships and aircraft from several Western countries, including the US Navy, established the Maritime Security Patrol Area to protect commercial ships.

"Merchant ships plying the gulf area are advised to follow coordinates set by the coalition which will provide security through their patrol ships," said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre here.

It's about time something was done to challenge the Somalian pirates.

Jamming with Breadman

(Neligh, Nebraska) Featured during this year's Labor Day weekend festivities in Neligh is Breadman, a somewhat mysterious superhero who carries a wooden spoon. Breadman is the iconic symbol of the annual Bread 'N Jam Festival which starts September 5th.



Breadman to the rescue!
There will be music, food, a baking contest, a quilt show, a watermelon seed spitting contest, a classic car show and tours of the historical site of Neligh Mills. The Trail of Tears and White Buffalo Girl will be honored during a special dedication ceremony on September 6.

Neligh is a small (pop. about 1,500) community which lies approximately 100 miles west of Sioux City. Update your travel plans.

Regarding Breadman, it would seem to make more sense for his costume to display a "B" for Breadman. Without explanation, the "BJ" is curious. Also, a guy bursting from an outhouse with "BJ" emblazoned on his chest and waving a wooden spoon doesn't even come close to making me think of bread.

If any readers get a chance to visit during the festival, send an email or leave a comment about the experience. On a personal note, as a youngster I worked one summer on a farm not far from Neligh. The area is sparsely populated, however, I couldn't help but notice that the people were salt-of-the-Earth, nice folks all around. And, I bet they are Big Red fans.

Bill says wonderboy can't deliver

He almost says: Vote McCain!

Hours before former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took center stage Tuesday night in Denver to offer words of healing for the Democratic Party, her husband was detonating what could be interpreted as another blast at presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Speaking at a forum of ex-world leaders less than a mile from the site of the Democratic National Convention, Bill Clinton drew an analogy that had many wondering whether the former president had made peace with the idea of an Obama candidacy. “Suppose for example you’re a voter and you have candidate X and you have candidate Y,” Clinton said. “Candidate X agrees with you on everything but you don’t think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues but you believe that on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver.”

“This is the kind of question that I predict — and this hsteeleas nothing to do with what’s going on now — but I am just saying if you look at 5, 10, 15 years from now, you may actually see this delivery issue become a serious issue in Democratic debates because it is so hard to figure out how to turn good intentions into real changes in the lives of the people we represent.”

Whether Clinton, who for 20 years has been the star of the Democratic Party, intended the analogy to represent a futuristic look at presidential politics, its relevance to the current candidacies of Republican John McCain and Obama were unmistakable.

More here

Posted by John Ray.

Iranian Minister's Phony Diploma Exposed

(Tehran, Iran) To gain support for his appointment as Iranian Interior Minister, Ali Kordan showed off his "honorary doctorate of law" from Oxford University. It worked and Kordan was appointed Minister earlier this month.

However, there were some questions about Kordan's degree.

Alef, a news site with opposition connections, obtained a copy of Kordan's "diploma" and asked Oxford to check its validity. The University promptly replied that it never gave Kordan any degree. Besides exposing Kordan's fraud, Alef also mocked the minister for riddling his "certificate" with English spelling errors.

Alef got quite a reward for its scoop. Soon after breaking the story, access to the site was blocked, a common punishment the regime has used against antagonistic websites.

Instead of firing Kordan, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defended him and rejected criticism because of a "piece of torn paper."

Frankly, I suspect this type of scheming is a common practice in Iran.

Also: The Jawa Report

Texas Counselor Accused of Sex with Boy

(Lubbock, Texas) A 21-year-old Texas Youth Corps counselor, Elizabeth Jackson, was indicted yesterday by a Lubbock County grand jury on a single charge of sexual assault.

Jackson allegedly engaged in sex with a 14-year-old male cadet in June.

Authorities say the 14-year-old used a sock to clean himself after having relations with Jackson. They were able to trace DNA from the sock back to Jackson.

Jackson was booked into custody on $50,000 bond.

Teacher Kelly Sweet Sentenced

(St. Francis, Wisconsin) In March 2008, a 26-year-old eighth-grade teacher at Deer Creek Intermediate School, Kelly M. Sweet, was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old male student.

Earlier today, Kelly Sweet pleaded guilty and was sentenced.

It was an emotional day in court Tuesday morning as family members of the victim had a change [sic] to address the judge.

Originally charged with second degree sexual assault of a child, 27-year-old Sweet pleaded guilty to fourth degree sexual assault Tuesday. It was part of a plea deal after she admitted to sexually assaulting her 14-year-old student.

It allegedly happened when she taught middle school in St. Francis.

As part of the sentence, she can no longer teach in Wisconsin. The judge also ordered her on probation and to spend 25 days in jail with work release.

So, for 25 days Sweet will work as a paralegal at her father's law firm and then spend the night at the Milwaukee County Jail. She was also ordered to register as a sex offender for two years.

Jeez, I wonder whether the outcome would have been the same if Sweet were a man. Not likely.

Ted Kennedy Speaks at DNCC

And the assembled masses swooned, got all tingly up and down their legs. One pundit explained why.

"He is uniquely equipped to reach out to people who are hurt and damaged."

Historically, however, Ted Kennedy's ability to reach out to the hurt and damaged is arguable.

Woman Registers Dog to Vote - Updated

* * * Scroll for update * * *
[Previous 6/22/07 post]
(Seattle, Washington) A 66-year-old grandmother, Jane Balogh, is scheduled to appear in court next week on a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement to a public official.

Balogh's offense is the result of registering her dog, Duncan M. MacDonald, to vote and subsequently submitting absentee ballots in Duncan's name, signed with a paw print, in three elections.

Balogh tried to illustrate how easy it is to register illegally. Somebody noticed and called her.

"You can't sign with a paw print," the election worker told Balogh on Nov. 9.

"I said, 'he can if he's a dog,' " answered Balogh, a 66-year-old grandmother and Army veteran who lives in Federal Way.

The election worker told her a supervisor would call, but she never heard from anyone.

However, the system caught up with her and she was charged with the misdemeanor offense of signing the dog's name on a registration card with a declaration that he meets all the voting requirements.

If Balogh pleads guilty, the prosecution will recommend no jail, 10 hours of community service, a $250 fine and the promise not to commit any other crimes for a year. If she doesn't plead guilty, the prosecution promised to charge her with a felony.


[Update 8/26/08]

(Seattle, Washington) Yesterday, criminal charges against Jane Balogh, 67, were dismissed. After all the legal wrangling, encompassing more than a year, Balogh ultimately paid $240 in court costs and served 10 hours of community service.

In summary, Jane Balogh received a hand slap. Her intentions to demonstrate that the voter registration process was easy to defraud, however, were accomplished. Her dog, Duncan MacDonald, was registered to vote, although no votes were cast, and the novelty of the prank garnered wide media attention.

Another example of Leftist "projection"


I have received an email [SocRes@newschool.edu] from New York's neo-Marxist "New School" which in part reads as follows:

"I am writing to announce an upcoming Social Research conference, which I think you and some of your colleagues and readers may be interested in attending. This conference, Free Inquiry at Risk: Universities in Dangerous Times will be held at The New School in New York City on October 29, 30, and 31, 2008 and will be the 18th conference in the Social Research series dedicated to enhancing public understanding in an engaging, multi-disciplinary discussion.

Over three days, the conference speakers will explore how the trends and challenges that face universities in the US and abroad today may affect the core values of academic freedom and free inquiry. These current trends include rapid globalization, changes in the geo-political arena, modes of financing, the extension of higher education franchises, the rise of collateral institutes and research centers, the relationship between specialization and integration, regime change, and other conditions of duress."

No mention of threats to free enquiry coming from the Fascist New School itself -- where "hundreds of students, staff and faculty members" have done their best to prevent even a moderate conservative from being heard. And nor does there appear to be any mention of the pervasive speech codes in American universities that effectively stifle any criticism of homosexuality, Islam etc.

And how would I go if I offered to give a talk at the New School on the topic: "Psychopathy as an explanation for the high rate of black crime"? I have had articles published in the academic journals on both psychopathy and black crime so I would be reasonably qualified to discuss that topic. My qualifications on that topic would at the very least be greater than Al Gore's qualifications in climatology. But I think I would be taking my life in my hands if I endeavoured to discuss that topic in front of the brownshirts of the New School.

I am an atheist but I think that the best advice for the New School is to be found in Matthew 7:3-5.

Posted by John Ray.

Druggies Accused of Plotting Obama Assassination

(Denver, Colorado) Four people were arrested yesterday in Aurora, CO, on methamphetamine and weapons charges and they are suspected of plotting to kill candidate Barack Obama. They have been identified as Nathan Johnson, 32, Tharin Robert Gartrell, 28, Shawn Robert Adolph, 33, and Natasha Gromek (Johnson's girlfriend).

The assassination plot reportedly would involve shooting Obama on Thursday during his acceptance speech using a high-powered rifle sighted at 750 yards. Ambitious, don't you think?


Nathan Johnson and Tharin Gartrell
The story starts with the arrest of Gartrell during a traffic stop where a search found methamphetamine, scoped rifles, camo clothing, bulletproof vests, wigs, walkie-talkies and licenses in the names of other people. With heightened security in the area, federal authorities were alerted.

Subsequently authorities went to the Cherry Creek Hotel to contact an associate of Gartrell's. But that man, identified as Shawn Robert Adolph, 33, who was wanted on numerous warrants, jumped out of a sixth floor hotel window. Law enforcement sources say Adolph broke an ankle in the fall and was captured moments later. Sources say he had a handcuff ring and was wearing a swastika, and is thought to have ties to white supremacist organizations.

A third man -- an associate of Gartrell and Adolph, Nathan Johnson, 32, was also arrested. He told authorities that the two men "planned to kill Barack Obama at his acceptance speech."

Johnson, along with his girlfriend, Natasha Gromek, are also under arrest on drug charges.

The Secret Service, FBI, ATF and the joint terrorism task force are all investigating the alleged plot.

Authorities indicate that the suspects may have ties to an outlaw biker gang called the Sons of Silence and to white supremacists. However, rather than an assassination plot, an FBI spokesman said, “It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth heads."

Gartrell was booked into custody at the Arapahoe County Jail on $50,000 bail. While detained, it's unknown where the other three are being held. Pics of Adolph and Gromek haven't been published yet.

Although the group is not considered a credible threat to Obama or the convention, federal agencies and state and local police continue to investigate. A news conference is scheduled for this afternoon.

Also: The Jawa Report

Suicide Mission Aborted by Girl, 13

(Diyala Province, Iraq) A 13-year-old Iraqi girl in the city of Baquba turned herself in to Iraqi Police rather than detonate the explosives she wore in a vest.

She was still wearing the vest, which police had to remove before detaining her.

“Reports are that she approached the IPs (Iraqi police) saying she had the vest on and didn’t want to go through with it,” US military spokesman Lieutenant Commander David Russell said Monday. “If she was forced to put on the vest or if she did it voluntarily, that is still being reviewed.”

According to U.S. military spokesman Major Jon Pendell, the girl's surrender "indicates that the Iraqis are continuing to reject Al-Qaeda and its practices."

It's beyond my ability to understand the evil that would send an innocent, young teen girl on a suicide mission. I'll never be convinced there is honor in killing your own children.

Colleges Dumping Cafeteria Trays

In order to save water, minimize student caloric intake and reduce food wastage, colleges throughout the nation are retiring the cafeteria tray. The trend was started to preserve resources, fight the obesity epidemic and save money.

Surely, somebody is toying with the idea to stop providing eating utensils also. All that would be required is to have all students carry their own fork, knife and spoon.

Obviously, the acme of modern civilization has been achieved and it's now time to regress.

Illegal Arrested for Molesting Girl, 12

(Mesa, Arizona) A 24-year-old illegal alien, Jesus Martinez (DOB 6/15/84), has been arrested by Maricopa County deputies for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old girl.

The victim told her mother that Martinez took her next to a tractor and began kissing her on the mouth and neck. The suspect kissed the victim’s breast area, where he left a “hickey”. Martinez then asked the child to leave him “hickeys” for his ex-wife to see.

The victim said she tried to leave several times by telling the suspect she was too young for him.

When interviewed, Martinez admitted to the molestation. Troubled, Sheriff Joe Arpaio weighed in.

“This is the fourth case in the last four months that the Sheriff’s Office has arrested an illegal alien, for rape of a young child and sexual abuse,” says Sheriff Arpaio. I have been accused by politicians and activists of not going after violent crime and last I checked a child being raped and sexually victimized is a violent crime.”

Frankly, I think the open borders people don't care a bit that illegals are committing serious crimes.

New Teacher Arrested as Fugitive Car Thief

(Davidson County, North Carolina) A 42-year-old teacher hired by Davidson County Schools, Arlene Denetta Hudson, failed her background check and was arrested as a fugitive wanted in Maryland.

Hudson is wanted by Maryland State Police for involvement in a September 2005 theft of a motor vehicle from a Toyota dealership in Westminster, MD.

Hudson was booked into custody with bond set at $50,000.

Rednecks and Obama

(Denver, Colorado) A self-proclaimed redneck, Les Spencer, stated that he's "not worried about Obama taking away my guns" while holding a sign reading "Rednecks for Obama."

Apparently, Mr. Spencer knows absolutely nothing about Obama (nor Biden for that matter). Obama and Biden are on record as vehemently supporting gun control and would fight each other for the lead in repealing the Second Amendment.

Either Mr. Spencer is overdosing on Kool-Aid or he's a political operative planted for the media's consumption. Take your pick.

Iran Building Submarines

(Tehran, Iran) More saber-rattling from Ahmadinejad?

Iran has started production of new home-built submarines, Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najar said on Monday.

Najar told state television that the new submarine, called Ghaem, was capable of carrying and firing various torpedoes and subsurface missiles with a special operation crew onboard.

The minister said Iran has become self-sufficient in manufacturing all types of military vessels, adding however that the Islamic state would just use its military strength for safeguarding peace and security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

No pic disclosed, we'll have to wait for the official photoshop of the homemade Iranian boat.

"Racist" Mickey Rooney

Must not laugh at Asians

"Mickey Rooney got heartburn when he learned why his 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" had been pulled for "Ratatouille" at East Sacramento's free Screen on the Green movie series Saturday night. "Ratatouille? Never heard of it!" Rooney, 87, said in his classic Brooklyn accent in a spirited phone interview from his southern California home this weekend.

One of the most beloved and enduring movie actors in American history, Rooney was shocked to hear his comic role as Mr. Yunioshi, Audrey Hepburn's cantankerous upstairs neighbor, had been branded racist by several Asian American activists in Sacramento....

CAPITAL (Council of Asian Pacific Islanders Together for Advocacy and Leadership), an umbrella group for more than 90 local organizations, told the Sacramento City Council that Rooney's buck-toothed Japanese character with thick glasses and exaggerated Asian accent perpetuated "offensive, derogatory and hateful racial stereotypes detrimental and destructive to our society."

Source

It was comedy at the time but laughter is dangerous these days

Posted by John Ray.

Beauty Pageant for Nuns

In my opinion, this report provides proof that there is always something new under the Sun.

A Catholic priest in Italy has come up with a novel way of enticing young people back to the church - by holding a beauty pageant for nuns.

The Sister Italia contest is to be run online, but Father Antonio Rungi is hopeful that one day it will take off in the real world along the same lines as the all-singing, all-dancing Miss Italia competition.

Father Rungi says around 1,000 nuns have already expressed an interest in taking part.

Apparently, the nuns can wear full habits and veils or let loose but Father Rungi doesn't expect nuns in swimsuits. Of course, having the contest online might result in some improperly-habited nuns competing.

The pageant reportedly will assess the inner beauty of the nun.


[Update 8/27/08]

The nun beauty pageant "Miss Sister 2008" has been canceled.

“I wanted to make a blog on vocations, one where everybody could bring their own experiences,” Rungi said by telephone from his town of Mondragone, about 35 miles north of Naples. “I wanted to create a showcase for the pastoral experience of nuns.”

“Instead, they made it look like it was a catwalk a la Miss Italy,” he said. “I have been misunderstood.”

The reverend said attacks against him, phone calls and e-mails prompted him to cancel the plan, as well as reported unease of his religious superiors over the idea.

Personally, I think Rev. Antonio Rungi was being naive in the very beginning. He wanted a beauty pageant where no one would look at the nuns' bodies. He should have thought twice about the idea.

Democrat National Convention Pro-Abortion Rally

Hot Air special correspondent Jason Mattera went undercover yesterday at the Democrat Convention protest ramp-up in Denver to capture a sampling of the statements and attitudes of the Planned Parenthood activists.

Check out these videos via Hot Air.

Part One

Part Two

Obviously both videos are anecdotal but I'd suggest they are quite representative of many activists.

Fairy Shrimp Stop Construction

(San Diego County, California) In 2004, a new military cemetery was scheduled to open at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. Unfortunately, an environmental review found fairy shrimp (Eubranchipus vernalis) at the site, an endangered species since 1997.

The present promise is that the cemetery will take its first burials in 2010. Cost of the six-year delay wasn't reported.

In 2006, the new Salk Elementary School in Mira Mesa was expected to open but construction was delayed after fairy shrimp were found at the proposed site. Salk Elementary is now scheduled to open in 2010.

Last month, construction of the new Vista Del Mar Elementary School on a vacant lot in Otay Mesa was officially delayed because, you guessed it, fairy shrimp were found in road ruts on the proposed site. According to an official with the San Ysidro School District, Karl Christensen, it's now expected to take 18 months to come up with a federally-approved fairy shrimp protection plan.

In conclusion, the fairy shrimp, though classified as endangered, are prevalent enough to stop construction on two schools and a cemetery with the taxpayers having to foot the bills for project delays.

Frankly, when an animal shows up all over the area, I suggest that it's classification as endangered should be reconsidered.

Random House Cowers on Muhammad Book

Random House has decided not to publish The Jewel of Medina, a romance novel by American author Sherry Jones about Muslim prophet Muhammad and his wife Aisha. The publisher fears a Muslim backlash. A description of Muhammad's and Aisha's wedding night is considered offensive to some Muslims who might resort to violence.

Consequently, it can be assumed that the First Amendment to the Constitution now has an unwritten de facto rider stating that free speech must meet the approval of Muslims.

In other news, Danish editorial cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, creator of the Muhammad bomb-head cartoon, remains under police protection, hiding from Muslim fanatics. He has been charged in a Jordanian court with blasphemy but has indicated that he's not going to Jordan to be tried in a Sharia court.

Meanwhile, the two Tunisians suspected in a plot to kill Westergaard have their deportation cases tied up in Danish courts. One remains in detention, the other was released last Friday for self-deportation.

Furthermore, Dutchman Geert Wilders, creator of the film Fitna, faces jail if he goes to Jordan and is convicted of blasphemy and contempt for Muslims. It's believed that Wilders has also scratched Jordan from his travel itinerary.

In summary, while Dane Westergaard and Dutchman Wilders exhibit bravery by standing up for freedom of speech, Americans at Random House are spearheading the effort to turn the First Amendment into Muslim toilet paper.

Also: The Jawa Report

Chicago email controversy


Apparently it is offensive to quote the Prime Minister of Australia! Several senior Australian conservative politicians have indeed said that Muslims should leave if they don't like the way things are done in Australia:

"Sporting a patriotic tie, Frankfort Township assessor Paul Ruff launched his bid for re-election as he charged that recent controversy over an e-mail he forwarded was "manufactured" and "politically motivated."....

In a written statement, Ruff said he receives thousands of e-mails "with provocative thoughts." "As I have done thousands of times, I forwarded the message on my private e-mail account to people I know," the statement read. "This wasn't a hateful e-mail but one that touched upon a sentiment in this county and around the world that immigrants have to adapt to their new homes," it said. "It was not done with any malicious intent, but unfortunately some people have attempted to make it a political issue."

The e-mail, forwarded by Ruff to several in the Mokena/Frankfort area in June, suggested that America follow the sentiments of former Australian prime minister John Howard, who said Muslims who want to live under Sharia law should get out of the country. "Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths," the e-mail continued. "If you agree, please send this on."

Ruff refused to comment on the e-mail for weeks. "It really, really makes me mad when a newspaper calls me a racist," he said.

Source

Posted by John Ray.

Led Zeppelin Lyrics Too Hot for Olympics

(Beijing, China) At the Olympic closing ceremonies tomorrow, the mayor of Beijing, Guo Jinlong, will officially hand over the Olympic flag to Mayor Boris Johnson of London, the venue for the 2012 Olympics.

The centerpiece for the eight-minute British showcase segment will be a double-decker bus opening like a lotus flower to reveal Jimmy Page leading a rendition of "Whole Lotta Love," the 1969 Led Zeppelin classic to be sung by Leona Lewis.

Except and without my approval, the original Led Zeppelin lyrics have been deemed too racy, so they are to be revised for the Olympic closing ceremonies.

According to London 2012 officials, Lewis - who grew up in east London close to the Olympic site - requested a change to the song's second verse because she was worried they would not make sense for a female singer.

In the original, recorded in 1969, frontman Robert Plant sings, "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love".

But in the version that will be sung tomorrow, however, Lewis changes the words to "every bit" of my love.

The band also agreed to a request from organisers to drop the third verse, which includes similar sexual innuendoes, to fit in to the eight-minute performance.

The ceremonies will also include singers and dancers and David Beckham kicking a soccer ball into the assembled athletes in the infield. Set your TIVO.

And just think. Someday, with the help of the Brits, the ChiComs and the Olympics, we'll have a world where nobody is ever offended by anyone.

Who's Joe Biden?

So, let's analyze the situation. Reportedly, there are millions of young, tech-savvy, first-time voters prepared to watch the changiness and hopiness become reality when their candidate, Barack Obama, becomes President of the United States. Excitement abounds. Obama has been received and revered as a rock star, a true American idol and a Messiah.

Last night, with tingly anticipation, the millions of followers waited nervously to be the first to know who Obama picked for a running mate. They were special, an integral part of the Obama campaign, and they would be treated special by receiving a personal text message to make sure they knew first.

Well, that didn't happen. Officially, the announcement of Obama's running mate didn't go out until about 3AM, considerably after the mainstream media had the story. Interestingly, the broadcast and cable channels were all abuzz a little after midnight about the impending announcement, while those waiting for text messages had to suffer delays due to heavy telecommunications traffic. So, despite assurances that they would be the first to know of Obama's pick, the tech-savvy hope and change crowd were likely the last.

Hey, but no big deal. The Obama supporters are young, vibrant and they are not easily besmirched. Of course, they were understandably puzzled by Obama's selection of Sen. Joe Biden. Being mildly speculative, it's reasonable for people, believing a rock star would make a good political leader, to ask, "Who's Joe Biden?" Naturally, this compounded the texting traffic problem as Obama's faithful queried their friends.

In the end, Obama's reported millions (the number is a secret) of followers saw the chosen running mate as the MSM flooded the Internet and TV. It's unknown what percentage of the hope and change crowd remarked, "Damn, that guy looks like my grandfather."

Somehow, hope and change seems to disappear when grandpa enters the room.

Also: The Jawa Report

Airline Dumps Life Jackets

(Toronto, Canada) The airline industry is taking a leadership role in the conservation campaign to combat global warming. Safety equipment is being jettisoned.

Jazz airlines, Air Canada's regional affiliate, recently removed life vests from all of its planes -- including those that fly over water -- to reduce fuel consumption and save money.

Jazz Airlines has planes that carry a maximum of 75 passengers and each life jacket weighs about one pound. Consequently, each flight will now be about 75 lbs. lighter, saving on fuel. However, it's not clear that a 75-lb. reduction would be even noticeable during operation of a 50,000-lb. plus aircraft.

Nevertheless, when you're pinching pennies, they all count.

Of course, the knowledge that individual passengers are doing their part to reduce global warming will likely lose its appeal to those who are forced to tread water.

Northern Greenland glaciers showing fractures, large break; Is it global warming or natural?


The article below by Newsweak's Seth Borenstein is amusing. Even Greenie scientists he consulted would not buy into any scare but he nonetheless does his best to attribute a glacial breakup to global warming. Borenstein is an old Warmist from way back. See e.g. here. Also see real story on Greenland here.

In northern Greenland, a part of the Arctic that had seemed immune from global warming, new satellite images show a growing giant crack and an 11-square-mile chunk of ice hemorrhaging off a major glacier, scientists said Thursday. And that's led the university professor who spotted the wounds in the massive Petermann glacier to predict disintegration of a major portion of the Northern Hemisphere's largest floating glacier within the year. If it does worsen and other northern Greenland glaciers melt faster, then it could speed up sea level rise, already increasing because of melt in sourthern Greenland. [Pesky fact: 91% of earth's glacial ice is in Antarctica so any likely melts in Greenland would add only inches to sea level]

The crack is 7 miles long and about half a mile wide. It is about half the width of the 500 square mile floating part of the glacier. Other smaller fractures can be seen in images of the ice tongue, a long narrow sliver of the glacier. "The pictures speak for themselves," said Jason Box, a glacier expert at the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University who spotted the changes while studying new satellite images. "This crack is moving, and moving closer and closer to the front. It's just a matter of time till a much larger piece is going to break off.... It is imminent."

The chunk that came off the glacier between July 10 and July 24 is about half the size of Manhattan and doesn't worry Box as much as the cracks. The Petermann glacier had a larger breakaway ice chunk in 2000. But the overall picture worries some scientists. "As we see this phenomenon occurring further and further north - and Petermann is as far north as you can get - it certainly adds to the concern," said Waleed Abdalati, director of the Center for the Study of Earth from Space at the University of Colorado.

The question that now faces scientists is: Are the fractures part of normal glacier stress or are they the beginning of the effects of global warming? "It certainly is a major event," said NASA ice scientist Jay Zwally [A prominent Warmist] in a telephone interview from a conference on glaciers in Ireland. "It's a signal but we don't know what it means." It is too early to say it is clearly global warming, Zwally said. Scientists don't like to attribute single events to global warming, but often say such events fit a pattern.

University of Colorado professor Konrad Steffen, who returned from Greenland Wednesday and has studied the Petermann glacier in the past, said that what Box saw is not too different from what he saw in the 1990s: "The crack is not alarming... I would say it is normal."

However, scientists note that it fits with the trend of melting glacial ice they first saw in the southern part of the massive island and seems to be marching north with time. Big cracks and breakaway pieces are foreboding signs of what's ahead. Further south in Greenland, Box's satellite images show that the Jakobshavn glacier, the fastest retreating glacier in the world, set new records for how far it has moved inland. That concerns Colorado's Abdalati: "It could go back for miles and miles and there's no real mechanism to stop it."

Source


Posted by John Ray.