Wal-Mart Firearms Policy

(Bentonville, Arkansas) Be advised of a Wal-Mart policy change this week.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, is bringing back hunting rifles and shotguns to about 500 U.S. Walmart stores, mostly in rural areas, to broaden product assortment as part of an attempt to make its outlets one-stop shopping destinations.

The move comes as the world’s largest retailer attempts to reverse seven straight quarters of same-store sales declines at Walmart U.S.

Walmart U.S. already carries hunting weapons in more than 1,000 of its about 3,600 namesake locations. The company sells handguns only in Alaska, said spokesman Lorenzo Lopez.

So, Wal-Mart is going to broaden product assortment. Good idea.

Companion post at GunWatch.

A great Royal occasion

Detractors often speak of the fragility of the British monarchy and predict its demise but on every great Royal occasion we see the falsity of that. The huge enthusiasm with which Prince William and his bride were greeted by a million onlookers in London would surely be the envy of any politician.





Winston Churchill once said: "Not for a thousand years has Britain seen the campfires of an invader". One consequence is that the British army has retained its traditions. And the splendid uniforms are part of that. We see in the picture above the particularly splendid dress uniform of the Blues & Royals worn by Prince Harry.

It might almost be a comic opera uniform but there is nothing comic about the regiment concerned. It sees active service in war zones and in fact traces its origins all the way back to Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army. And Prince Harry is no chocolate soldier. Both he and William are members of the British armed forces and Harry is particularly devoted to the army. He loved his posting to the dirt and dust of Afghanistan. And the Blues and Royals is the regiment he joined when he enlisted in the British army.

Prince William, heir in due course to the throne of 16 countries, also enlisted initially in the Blues and Royals but now serves in the Royal Air Force. In the picture above he wears the uniform of the Irish Guards, of which he is honorary Colonel. By wearing that uniform he honours the regiment concerned. Guardsmen will be proud to see THEIR Colonel so prominently honoured.

And also above we see the rather splendid 1902 State Landau in which the couple left Westminster Abbey. I gather that it is not the most comfortable of rides but it gives admirers a good view of those in the carriage and enables them to be clearly seen when they wave back.

It all does my old monarchist heart good. And I was pleased to see the Queen looking well after her recent minor health scare

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

NJ Teacher Accused of Inappropriate Sexual Conduct

(Bergen County, New Jersey) A 24-year-old substitute teacher at Roger L. Craig School, Patricia Gallegos, has been arrested for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct with a 14-year-old male student.

Gallegos faces one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. She has been dismissed from her teaching position.

Gallegos was booked into custody with bail set at $20,000.

Georgia Educator Accused of Sex with Student

(Burke County, Georgia) A 22-year-old paraprofessional at River Quest School in Midville, Holly Whitfield, was arrested this week for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old student.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Whitfield faces charges of Sexual Assault, Aggravated Child Molestation, Enticing a Child for Indecent Acts, and Sodomy.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible, according to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Gene Sullivan, the executive director of the area's Regional Educational Service Agency, which oversees the school, said Whitfield was instantly fired from River Quest when the allegations surfaced on Wednesday.

Whitfield was booked into custody at the Burke County Jail.

Carolina Woman and Neighbor Boy, 14

(Union, South Carolina) A 34-year-old local woman, Shellie Blalock, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with a 14-year-old neighbor boy.

Blalock faces a charge of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Union police said that Shellie Blalock had sex with a boy who lived near her over a two-month period starting in November 2010.

So far, reporting is sketchy on the alleged offense.

Texas Teacher Gets 180 Days in Sex Case - Updated

(Mineola, Texas) Former teacher Jo Ann Stephens has reportedly been sentenced to 180 days in the Wood County Jail and 10 years of probation.

* * * * *
Texas Teacher Guilty in Sex Case - Updated
[Previous 3/11/11 post]
(Mineola, Texas) Jo Ann Stephens pleaded guilty to one count of improper relationship with a student. Other charges were dismissed as part of the plea dea. Sentencing is scheduled for April 27.

* * * * *
Texas Teacher Indicted in Sex Case - Updated
[Previous 3/5/11 post]
(Mineola, Texas) Former phys ed teacher Jo Ann Stephens, 43, has been indicted on charges stemming from an alleged three-year relationship with a 15-year-old student.

Stephens faces charges of online solicitation of minor, improper relationship between educator and a student, and two counts of sexual assault of child. After booking Friday at the Wood County Jail, Stephens was released on a combined total bond amount of $100,000.

Meanwhile, Stephen's attorney Dan Wyde has been talking to the media and accusing the lead investigator in the case, Captain Joyce Box, of threatening witnesses.

Wyde says the indictments would have never been passed up if the lead investigator, Captain Joyce Box, did not threaten witnesses.

"She threatened every one of them with perjury. She went to each one of them that she could find. I would say at least 12 or 24, and she said ‘If you don't tell me, that the complainant told you that this happened. Then, I'm going to have you hauled in front of the grand jury, and if you deny it in front of the grand jury, then I'm going to have indicted for perjury.'"

Box says that's not true. She says she told the witnesses to "tell the truth" or they would be charged with perjury.

Arraignment is scheduled for March 28.

* * * * *
Texas Teacher in Student Sex Case
[Previous 12/18/10 post bumped]
(Mineola, Texas) A 43-year-old former physical education teacher at the Mineola elementary and middle schools, JoAnn Stephens, was arrested this week for an improper relationship with a student.

The alleged incident took place between Stephens and a 15-year-old male student, in May of 2008 at Lake Holbrook, in Mineola. DNA found in a truck links the student to the accused teacher.

Stephens and the student reportedly were communicating by cell phone calls and text messages on a trac phone that she provided for the student.

Stephens was booked into custody and subsequently released on $25,000 bond.

Interestingly, Stephens is reportedly married to the principal of Mineola High School.

Aussie Woman Gets Nothing for Sex with Boy

(Melbourne, Australia) In 2008, a 25-year-old local woman engaged in sex with a 14-year-old learning disabled boy who also has ADHD and OCD.

Earlier today in County Court, the woman, now 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

As a result, the judge sentenced the woman to one-year release on a community order and ordered counseling. The judge explained the lenient sentence by noting that the woman had a "dull intelligence" and she had a history of being sexually abused, including by her uncle.

Therefore, the judge concluded the woman possessed reduced moral culpability and criminal responsibility.

Strangely, it's reported that the woman "cannot be identified," presumably because of a privacy law or something. I contend that is just plain nuts. The names of convicted sex offenders should be made public.

Tip: JR

Trump gets the usual Leftist kneejerk attack

Take "racist" and "Nazi" out of a Leftist's vocabulary and he would be struck dumb in political debate

A senior CBS news anchor today labelled Donald Trump's campaign to raise doubts about President Obama's school grades as an 'ugly strain of racism'. Face The Nation host Bob Schieffer made the comments in the wake of Mr Trump's calls yesterday for Mr Obama to release college transcripts 'proving' he had the grades to enter Columbia and Harvard.

The attack came as new research suggested viewers for Celebrity Apprentice - some of the most liberal for any TV show - were deserting the program due to Mr Trump's outspoken rants against Mr Obama. [They can't handle anything that challenges their shallow beliefs]

Yesterday Mr Trump called on the President to release his college transcripts. Reacting to the call, Mr Schieffer said: 'That's just code for saying he got into law school because he's black. [He probably did] 'This is an ugly strain of racism that's running through this whole thing.'

Earlier in the day Mr Trump had hinted that the President did not earn the grades at his first college Occidental to allow him to enter the two prestigious Ivy league schools. He said: 'I have friends who have smart sons with great marks, great boards, great everything and they can't get into Harvard.

More HERE.

Pat Buchanan covers this issue in more detail -- noting, rather amusingly, that Obama has ADMITTED benefiting from "affirmative action"

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Princess of Altai Mummy



Princess of Altai
(Novosibirsk, Russia) In 1993, archeologists in Central Asia discovered the 2,500-year-old mummified remains of a tattooed young woman who became known as the Ice Princess of Altai. The cause of death hasn't been determined.

However, she did have an Aryan ancestry, as determined by DNA analysis.

The discovery of the Ak-Alakha-3 burial ground is one of the most important recent scientific discoveries in archeology.

In addition to the mummy of the 25-year-old woman wearing a fur coat and a wig, there were six saddled horses found in the burial chamber. Details of the finding indicated that the woman came from a noble clan.[…]

The tattoo on the body covers the woman's both arms from her shoulders to her hands. The tattoos were preserved well only on the left arm.

A mythical animal is depicted on the left shoulder of the mummy - an antlered deer with the beak of a vulture. The antlers are adorned with vulture heads; a similar head can be seen on the back of the animal, the body of which is twisted. A sheep with its head thrown back can be seen below. The mouth of a spotted panther with a long tail is seen at the legs of the sheep.

So, each warrior woman would cut off a breast in order to better shoot a bow and arrow. That's dedication.

Teacher Gets Hand Slap for Fondling Boy - Updated

(Santa Ana, California) A 44-year-old teacher formerly at Joplin Youth Correctional Center, Dawn Marie Baloun, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor stemming from a reported kissy-rubby relationship with a 16-year-old male juvenile.

According to defense attorney Dyke Huish, Baloun never molested the boy.

Orange County Commissioner Richard Pacheco sentenced Baloun to 15 days of community service and ordered her placed on five years of informal probation, Huish said. Baloun must also stay away from the victim, who is 19 years old, Huish said.

It's not clear exactly what restrictions are imposed by informal probation.

* * * * *
Female Corrections Teacher Accused of Fondling Boy
[Previous 3/25/10 post]
(Santa Ana, California) A 43-year-old teacher at the Joplin Youth Center in Trabuco Canyon, Dawn Marie Baloun, has been accused of kissing and fondling a 16-year-old boy at the facility during secret meetings in classrooms and closets. Baloun faces a charge of misdemeanor child annoyance which carries a potential sentence of one year in jail.

Prosecutors say the intimate relationship happened when Baloun worked at Joplin Youth Center in Trabuco Canyon between March and April 2009.

The youth was housed at the facility, and would meet Baloun in classrooms, an office, and in a closet, prosecutors said. Baloun would kiss and fondle the boy, and make him fondle her, prosecutors said.

Arraignment is scheduled for April 12.

Professor Potty Mouth

(Iowa City, Iowa) In response to an email from the College Republicans announcing "Conservative Coming Out Week," a University of Iowa professor of women's studies, Ellen Lewin, impolitely expressed her displeasure.

Lewin responded to email by writing, “#*@% [F-Word] YOU, REPUBLICANS” from her official university email account.

Natalie Ginty, a University of Iowa Student and Chairwoman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans, demanded an apology from Lewin’s supervisors. “We understand that as a faculty member she has the right to express her political opinion, but by leaving her credentials at the bottom of the email she was representing the University of Iowa, not herself alone,” Ginty wrote to James Enloe, the head of the Department of Anthropology.

“Vile responses like Ellen’s need to end. Demonizing the other party through name-calling only further entrenches feelings of disdain for the other side. I am sure you understand that nothing is ever accomplished by aimless screams of attack,” Ginty concluded.

(More….)

Tip: Charley Nestor

British bar-room singer arrested for racism after Chinese passers-by hear him singing Kung Fu song

Batty Britain again:

"A pub singer has been arrested on suspicion of racism for singing the classic chart hit Kung Fu Fighting. The song, performed by Simon Ledger, 34, is said to have offended two Chinese people as they walked past the pub where he was singing.

The entertainer regularly performs the 1974 number one, originally by disco star Carl Douglas, at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown, Isle of Wight. But after one of the passers-by reported his routine on Sunday afternoon, Mr Ledger was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment.

Source

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Dutch Animal Cops

(Netherlands) While diverting police officers from normal front-line law enforcement duties, the Dutch are planning to launch a 500-officer strong animal welfare police force.

The decision to set up the animal welfare unit, derisively known as the "guinea pig police" and planned to be 500-strong, comes as the government makes austerity cuts to the number of officers carrying out street patrols.[…]

The unit will be ordinary police officers who will be retrained to respond rapidly to emergency calls reporting animal abuse.

A fast-response tactical enforcement team for animal abuse emergencies, eh? Seems to me that the Dutch may want to revisit the appropriateness of their lax drug laws.

Obama's Birth Documentation

Released today by the White House, President Obama's reported "birth-certificate-long-form" displaying the following:

"I CERTIFY THIS IS A TRUE COPY OR ABSTRACT OF THE RECORD ON FILE IN THE HAWAII STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

(signed) Alvin T. Onaka, Ph.D.
STATE REGISTRAR"

I'm confused. Which is it, a true copy or an abstract? It seems it would have to be one or the other.

By the way, my birth certificate lists birth weight, length, eye and hair color. Apparently, that information wasn't recorded for Hawaiian births in 1961.

MySpace Deal

MySpace is for sale.

News Corp bought the property in 2005 for $580 million and, this week, is seeking bids in excess of $100 million. Helluva investment.

Several companies reportedly are interested.

Muslim Actress Naked in Playboy



Sila Sahin
(Berlin, Germany) Muslim actress Sila Sahin posed naked for a recent issue of Playboy magazine, resulting in a storm of protests and threats from Islamists.

Sila, raised in Germany by conservative Turkish parents, says she fears being "spat at" and "shamed".

Her parents are said to have reacted with "horror" at the 12-page coverage, and her mother has apparently cut off all contact.

Sila, 25 - star of German soap Good Times, Bad Times - claimed the shoot was a reaction to the "slavery" of her youth.

She added: "What I want to say with these photos is, 'Girls, we don't have to live according to the rules imposed upon us'.

I fear for brave Sila's future. A fatwa ordering her death has likely already been issued.

Dutch Fingerprint Database

(Netherlands) Controversy is simmering on the proposed Dutch national fingerprint database.

Presumably, everyone will be fingerprinted, unlike the U.S. where just criminal suspects and specialized occupations are fingerprinted.

Fingerprints taken for biometric passports will - temporarily - not be stored in a national database. Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner will debate the question in parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

Support for creating a national database has weakened recently. The free-market liberal VVD - the largest coalition party in government – was originally in favour of storing fingerprint data, but has now joined the Labour and Christian Union parties in opposing the passport law.

Storage reliability questionable VVD MP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said doubts about the system’s reliability, error margin, and potential for manipulation led her party to reconsider their stance.

The Socialist Party, the democrat party D66, Green Left and the Animal Welfare Party opposed the central database from the outset.

Frankly, I suggest the reliability argument is weak. Fingerprint databases have proven to be reliable in other countries.

In any event, it seems odd that all the leftist groups are opposed. Typically, leftists favor government monitoring and control of the population. And what better way is there to identify people for monitoring than fingerprints?

Suicide by Power Saw

(Plymouth, Massachusetts) Nothing neat about killing with a power saw.

Officers went to the home at 7 Farmhurst Road about 10 p.m. Monday after relatives called and asked them to perform a wellness check.

They went to the front door and saw a man, identified as Kenneth Lincoln, 49, inside the living room just as he picked up a power saw and began using it on one of his legs, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz's office said.

Officers forced their way into the home and provided first aid to the man, who was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, the district attorney's office said.

If Lincoln owned a gun, I suspect he would have used it instead of the saw. In the end, though, it really didn't make a difference. Did it?

Carolina Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Elizabeth City, North Carolina) A 23-year-old local woman, Natasha Coleman, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy.




Details of Coleman's arrest have not been reported.

MI: Quran-burning pastor jailed

We read:

"A constitutional law professor says a trial and the brief jailing of two Florida pastors who wanted to demonstrate outside a Michigan mosque is "bizarre."

Florida pastors Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp were briefly jailed Friday in Dearborn after refusing to pay a $1 peace bond following a trial that found they would breach the peace if allowed to hold a rally outside the Islamic Center of America, the Detroit Free Press reported Saturday.

"The judge should have thrown out the case," said Robert Sedler, constitutional law professor at Wayne State University.

Sedler said the entire process was "bizarre" and that "the whole thing is unconstitutional." He cited U.S. Supreme Court cases backing up Jones' right to protest. The Michigan ACLU also criticized the case.

"This is a complete abuse of the court process, and all those involved should be ashamed," said Rana Elmir of the ACLU Michigan office. "The prosecutor's office and the Dearborn court turned the First Amendment on its head.

Source

The pastor now says he might sue the city. He will almost certainly win if he does.

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Some exegesis

Exegesis is the detailed examination of a text in its context -- usually a scriptural text. I became an exegete of a sort when I was about 13. It was then that I first read the Sermon on the Mount. I was thunderstruck to find that what Jesus taught was nothing like what Christians actually do. Where is the ambiguity in:

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."

Can you get plainer than that? I can't imagine it. And I am still nearly as thunderstruck to this day about the gap between what the Bible says on the one hand and what Christians and Jews do, say and believe on the other hand. One would think that they would long ago have found a book that suited them better.

I still like Christianity as we have it today, however. I attended the Good Friday service at my old Presbyeterian church, for instance. See here. But it is a very poor reflection of the original faith.

I have continued to find exegesis fascinating, however, so I long ago started looking closely at what the rest of the scriptures actually say -- even delving into the original languages in which they were written where that seemed crucial. And over the years I have put up on my scripture blog my findings about key doctrines -- including hellfire.

Rather to my amusement, however, I see that the NYT has just weighed in on hellfire. When the NYT is preaching the reality of hell, I feel that I should say a little more about some of the key scriptural texts involved.

Quick background: The word translated as "hell" in many Bibles is in the original Greek "hades", which simply means death or the grave. Translating it as "hell" is a theological statement, not a linguistic one. And knowing that wipes out most of the texts that are usually cited in support of the hellfire doctrine.

A couple of interesting texts remain, however, and today I thought I should look at one of Jesus's prophetic utterances in Matthew 25. An excerpt:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ...

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal"

The "everlasting fire" into which the "goats" are cast certainly does sound like a clear formulation of a hellfire doctrine but that impression is partly an effect of a poor translation. The word translated as "punishment" is in Greek "kolasin" and it simply means "cutting off". It is the word a Greek gardener might use to describe the pruning of a tree. So it would be a defensible translation to say that the goats would be cut off and thrown away like the unwanted branch of a tree

So, when properly translated, we see that Christ was, as usual, offering the alternatives of life and death, not heaven and hell -- exactly as he does in the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. The sheep get eternal life and the goats get eternal death. I guess I am a goat!

But where does the "everlasting fire" come in? To see that we have to note that Jesus was speaking figuratively for most of the passage, as he often did. His parables are famous. So is he really going to sit on a throne and muster billions of people on either side of him? If so, he would need to locate himself somewhere around Iran and even then the billions of goats would be crowded for room and many could well fall into the Mediterranean (presuming the throne was facing North).

And Jesus in fact makes it clear that he is aiming at vividness rather than precision when he notes: "as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats".

So we have to decipher what is behind the figurative language. We get a clue when we note another passage where he used the same expression. Matthew 18:

"Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire."

Again, however, we risk being misled by a quite mendacious translation. This is one occasion when the original Greek underlying the translation "hell" is NOT "hades". It is "Gehenna". And Gehenna was simply the municipal incinerator outside Jerusalem where the bodies of criminals were thrown.

So: Bingo! We now have it. We know what image of everlasting fire Jesus had in mind. He had in mind the continuously burning fire of Jerusalem's garbage incinerator. And, needless to say, the bodies thrown into Gehenna don't feel anything. They have simply died and been disposed of in an ignominious way. So both goats and the Devil are simply going to die -- but die in disgrace.

Jesus is however a careful teacher so makes sure we don't get him wrong by adding a plain language summary at the end of the Matthew 25 passage:

"And these shall go away into everlasting cutting off: but the righteous into everlasting life"

So the hellfire doctrine is another pagan borrowing. It is not Biblical.

A couple more points: Note that in the Matthew 25 passage Jesus speaks only of judging the "nations". There is no mention of the dead. So what about the resurrection of the dead and the judgment of them? Resurrection is the hope of an afterlife that is held out in both the Old and New Testaments but it is not mentioned there at all. That again tells us that Jesus was concerned to paint a vivid mental picture rather than make a precise doctrinal statement.

So, although the Bible is in general a very plainspoken book, we have to make sure that the translation is right and be careful not to take the figurative literally. And reading the whole passage is the usual key to that

Finally, the goats are on the LEFT! Did Jesus foresee the world today? (Just joking).

There is an interesting article here which describes some of the divisions in contemporary Christian thought about the nature of heaven and hell.

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Daycare Worker Accused of Raping Boy

(Murfreesboro, Tennessee) A 21-year-old daycare worker at Rock Springs Academy, Samantha S. Kranzke, was arrested last Friday by Murfreesboro Police for allegedly engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy.

Kranzke faces a charge of statutory rape.

MPD Detective Tommy Roberts was assigned to investigate the case after the teen’s mother informed officers she received a phone call from Kranzke asking her not to prosecute her (Kranzke) for having sex with her son, according to the report.

It turns out Kranzke worked with a woman who was a friend of the teen victim’s mother.

The friend apparently overheard Kranzke bragging about having sex with the teen at work, according to an incident report. When the woman threatened to tell the teen’s mother about the sexual contact, Kranzke decided to call her on her own.

Kranzke was booked into custody at the Rutherford County Jail and subsequently released on $2,000 bond.

Cleveland, America's New Nanny City



No Smoking, No Trans Fat
(Cleveland, Ohio) Heh.

City Council on Monday passed the first two laws in its historic "Healthy Cleveland" plan.

The new laws, which go into effect in 2013, mean restaurants and other food shops in Cleveland won't be permitted to sell foods that contain "industrially produced trans fats." If they do, they will get a warning first, and then can be fined $150 on the first offense and $250 on the second.

Similarly, Clevelanders -- who already are prohibited from smoking inside restaurants or bars -- will be further restricted from doing so in certain locations outdoors, including parks, public recreation areas and adjacent to city-owned buildings used by the public.

Just marvelous. Arguably the birth home of rock and roll, representing nonconformity and youthful creativity, Cleveland is morphing towards a utopian daycare.

Relieved of Command



Cmdr. Etta Jones
(Naples, Italy) Last Saturday's change of command on the USS Ponce (LPD-15) was arguably unwelcome.

Cmdr. Etta Jones, the commanding officer of the Austin-class amphibious transport dock, was relieved “due to her demonstrated poor leadership and failure to appropriately investigate, report and hold accountable sailors involved in hazing incidents,” said Lt. Nathan Potter, a spokesman for the Navy’s 6th Fleet.

“Additionally, she failed to properly handle a loaded weapon during a security alert, which endangered some of her crew.”

Her executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. Kurt Boenisch, also was relieved for failure to effectively support the command and ship’s commanding officer, Potter said.

Both were relieved by Vice Adm. Harry Harris, commander of 6th Fleet.

Specific details regarding circumstances leading to the dismissals haven't been reported.

Note that it's fairly common for U.S. Navy commanding officers to be unwillingly relieved of command. Up to a dozen or more instances yearly are not unusual. Cmdr. Jones is just one example.

Truth in Tripoli

Check out how journalists are handled by Gaddafi's henchmen.




It's long-ish but informative.

There is no limit to Democrat and media dishonesty



Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Demonizing Capitalism




The performance screams indoctrination to an agenda when 1st-graders are using terms like "boycott" and "petition." Sick.

Sadly, most parents let the school system get away with it.

Companion post at EdWatch.

Parakeets Invading Britain

(London, England) About 100 to 150 wild parakeets are being targeted for extermination.

Parakeets living wild in Britain could be culled because they pose a threat to native wildlife and are damaging food crops.

The green, yellow and grey birds are originally from South America but are living wild in the south of England after being released from captivity in the 90s.

But conservationists have called on the animals to be rehomed rather than shot.

Rehomed?

Excuse me for being skeptical about the danger of 100 to 150 parakeets. I suspect the parakeet problem is exaggerated.

High-Heeled Controversy




(Riverview, Florida) Frankly, unless there was actual disruption in the school, it probably wasn't wise for the administration to make the boy's shoes an issue.

Reportedly, there was no disruption before the boy was pulled from class.

Vatican Easter Mass




From AGI News:

Tonight's Easter Vigil service has begun with the lighting of the Paschal Candle. The service is considered as the most important vigil by the Catholic Church as this is when Christ's Resurrection is announced.

After the blessing of the fire and the preparation of the Paschal Candle, Pope Benedict XVI entered St. Peter's Basilica where a deacon solemnly announced Christ's Resurrection chanting the Exsultet: "Rejoice heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels. Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in Glory!". . .

Buxom Virgin Girls Wanted to Pick Tea

(Henan Province, China) From a recent posting in the want ads website in the city of Xinyang:

West Jiuhua Mountain scenic spot is hiring full-time tea-leaf pickers.

A prospective employee has to be a woman with no sexual experience, has a bra size of at lease C, and has no scar or wound visible on her body with a uniform.

Ten C-cup virgin tea-leaf picker candidates helped kick off the traditional tea culture festival on April 16. The festival continues through mid-May.

Specific duties mentioned in the help wanted ad include:

Tea-leaf pickers will be required to collect “mouth lip tea (kou chun cha 口唇茶)” during the harvest season. They must clean their mouths and bodies on time every day and work out often. The daily pay is 500 yuan, or $75.

The so-called “mouth lip tea” comes from a legend that tea leaves used to be picked by fairy maidens with their mouths.

When boiling water is poured onto these tea leaves, fairy maidens will ascend amidst steam into the sky. Tea made from these leaves has refreshing aroma and taste and can even cure diseases.

Leaves picked by mouth and spit into holder between breasts
Note that a discontinued practice of virgins picking tea in the middle of the night and carrying leaves between their breasts to absorb virgin body scent is said to have made great tea. It was sold as "tea in front of breasts."

Brutal Murders in Acapulco

(Acapulco, Mexico) Concurrent with Mexican officials downplaying the impact of violence on tourism, five females linked to one beauty salon were found murdered Saturday with their throats slashed.

The semi-naked and bound bodies of two women and a 14-year-old girl were discovered in the salon in the early hours of Saturday morning. All three had their throats slashed.

Police later found the corpses of another two women with cut throats dumped in the streets. Mexican media said both victims worked at the beauty parlor. No motive was given for the killings.

Condolences to the families of the victims.

Snakes and Animal Shelter

(Wood County, Texas) A Louisiana man who maintains a home as an animal shelter has been arrested for animal cruelty.

The Wood County Sheriff's Office said they were led to the Quitman, TX motor home of David Beauchemin because he failed to show up for a court hearing in Louisiana on 22 counts of cruelty to animals.

They added reports out of Allen Parish stated Beauchemin advertised as a "pet adopter" on Craigslist, but allegedly fed those pets to his snakes. Investigators said those reports were isolated to Louisiana.

In all, 78 snakes were removed from the property in Texas. Officials said Beauchemin had been living in Wood County for about a month or two.



Texas game wardens, sheriff's deputies and zoo keepers were sent to the property to identify and move the Boa constrictors and albino Burmese pythons in clean containers with clean water.

It must be quite a chore to keep 78 snakes fed. Heh.

Woman Arrested for Flashing at Jail



Jail Flasher
(Perkins Township, Ohio) A 19-year-old local female, Andrea Musser, was arrested Tuesday after an incident at the Erie County Jail.

Musser was visiting an inmate and, upon leaving, she walked to the rear of the jail compound and immodestly flashed her breasts to the curious inmate population and jail staff.

Naturally, eagle-eyed surveillance cameras were able to record the entire episode, prompting intense scutiny by investigators.

Consequently, Musser was charged with indecent exposure and criminal trespassing.

It’s okay to be a sexist pig if you write for a liberal newspaper

Pittsburgh Tribune Review columnist Eric Heyl opined yesterday that the NRA will fail to attract new women shooters. According to Heyl, women are more interested in fashion than firearms, and firearms are not fashionable. Here’s some of Heyl’s comments:

“Spending several hundred dollars on a serviceable handgun might leave them without enough money to get the full treatment at that next visit to the day spa.”

“Carrying a gun in a small purse would leave less room for more important items, such as lipstick or compact.” “Gunpowder residue might stain the new Karen Scott blouse they just bought at Macy’s.”

Apparently, Heyl believes the little ladies simply can’t handle worrying their pretty little heads about icky topics as rape and self-defense. Or maybe, like many chauvinists, he feels threatened by the prospect of self-reliant women who don’t need protection by an insecure man, and who can provide the ultimate “NO” to unwanted advances by lizards operating under the delusion they are God’s gift to women?

The National Organization of Women issued no membership alerts to boycott the Tribune-Review. Curiously, there’s lots of copy on Rush Limbaugh, where they catalogue his “sexist offenses”.

Do you want to get in touch with your inner pig, but don’t want to face consequences? Get a job in liberal media first.

SOURCE

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Confession on Gangster's Chest



Anthony Garcia
(Los Angeles, California) A 25-year-old local gangbanger, Anthony Garcia, was convicted this week of first-degree murder for the 2004 shooting death of 23-year-old John Juarez, a rival gangbanger.

Interestingly, Garcia was convicted because he documented his crime in a tattoo on his chest. An alert sheriff's investigator, Kevin Lloyd, was reviewing photos of known gang members in 2008 and noticed that Garcia's ink reminded him of an open homicide case from 2004.

Lloyd and his colleagues soon found Garcia and arrested him. Then, a detective posing as another gang member was placed in Garcia's jail cell--and soon got him talking. Before long, Garcia was bragging about the liquor store shooting--unaware that the undercover detective was recording him.

That recording would later be played for a jury, which convicted Garcia of the murder.

Almost a good as video, eh?

Ohio Teacher Allegedly Drunk at School

(Westlake, Ohio) A 57-year-old substitute teacher at Westlake High School, Anne M. Keller, was arrested on April 8 for allegedly being drunk at school.




Reportedly, Keller initially denied drinking but ultimately admitted her offense since she allegedly was found passed out in the teacher's lounge with a bottle of vodka in her grip.

First-Degree Lumberjacking




Heh.

Students not eager to redistribute GPA scores

Petition to Redistribute GPA Scores:



The College Republicans at the University of California-Merced ask fellow students, who support raising taxes on the rich, if they would be willing to redistribute their GPAs. They don’t think it’s a good idea because they earned their grades.

SOURCE

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Teens Accused of Unpatriotic Masturbation

(Baku, Azerbaijan) Given centuries of ethnic rivalry between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it follows that the authorities were outraged when young Azerbaijani men were caught masturbating to a photo of half-Armenian Kim Kardashian.

By law, it's reportedly an act of "betrayal of motherland, territorial integrity and Azerbaijani ladies."

On Monday Azerbaijan’s secret services busted two students from Baku State Engineering University after Heidar Aliev, catching them red-handed – indulging in anti-Azerbaijani erotica.

Lobzik Byul-Byul (18 years old) and Heidar Azikyv (19 years old) are expected to face charges of high-treason for “succumbing to occupant pornography”.

Friends and family of the traitors have harshly condemned Lobzik and his peer.

Lobzik’s uncle told the reporters on Tuesday: “He deserves the most severe punishment… all these years we thought we are raising a patriotic young Azeri boy only to be eventually disappointed by this pro-Armenian manifesto. Just to think – I taught him his first anti-Armenian jokes, I can’t believe he could betray us so filthily.”

According to Azerbaijani Education Minister Tophique Mahmedov, the youth are unaware of Azerbaijan's hot women.

“We need to promote our local potential in magazines and manuals, so the new generation does not get carried away with politically incorrect breast of Kardashian or other separatist pornography”.

A list of Azerbaijan’s actresses and singers has been proposed as a patriotic alternative to viewing anti-Azerbaijani erotic fantasies. One Azerbaijani singer, Safura Alizadeh, a finalist in the 2010 Eurovision Contest, is currently planning a sexy video.



Safura Alizadeh
Safura reportedly was offended by the Azerbaijani youth masturbation incident, evidently believing that Azerbaijani women are being overlooked.

To minimize future unpatriotic masturbation incidents, law enforcers and security agents are taking measures to remove all images of Kim Kardashian from newsstands along with the hard disks of young men in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Woman Guilty of Sex with Boy

(Lockport, New York) IOn February 2011, a 40-year-old local woman, Jennifer L. Wesolowski, was accused of engaging in a months-long sexual relationship with the 16-year-old ex-boyfriend of her daughter.

Wesolowski was charged with nine felonies: three counts of third-degree rape and six counts of third-degree criminal sexual act. She also faced one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

This week, Wesolowski pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted third-degree criminal sexual act.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 5.

The Mormon Church and Illegal Immigration

New Report Examines Contradictions

In the wake of Utah's passage of a guestworker/amnesty bill, the role of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that effort, and the stance of the Church on immigration issues generally, has come under scrutiny. While nominally neutral on the issue, the Church seems to have moved toward support for illegal immigrants and opposition to immigration enforcement. Contradictions between official Church policies, the statements of senior Church leaders, and the actions of the Church’s public affairs and media groups have sparked considerable debate among members.

A new paper from the Center for Immigration Studies is the first look at this issue. “The Mormon Church and Illegal Immigration” is authored by Ronald W. Mortensen, PhD, a Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, retired career U.S. Foreign Service Officer, and member of the LDS Church. The report is available here. Among the findings:

* The Church still teaches that 'Members should obey, honor, and sustain the laws in any country where they reside or travel.' In spite of this, the Church baptizes and extends full membership to illegal aliens who are not obeying, honoring, and sustaining the laws of the United States where they now reside.

* The Church calls for compassion for illegal aliens who are committing serious violations of U.S. immigration and criminal laws, but ignores justice for an estimated 50,000 Utah children and over one million Arizona children and their families, who are the victims of job-related identity theft.

* At the same time the Church tells new converts in the poorest countries and villages in the world to stay where they are in order to build up the Church there, its public affairs and media groups and surrogates accuse those who ask people illegally in the United States to return to those very same countries and villages of being mean-spirited and cruel.

The above is a press release from from Center for Immigration Studies. 1522 K St. NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 466-8185 fax: (202) 466-8076. Email: center@cis.org. Contact: Bryan Griffith, (202) 466-8185, press@cis.org. The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institution which examines the impact of immigration on the United States. The Center for Immigration Studies is not affiliated with any other organization

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Malaysian Anti-Gay Camp

(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) The government has established a camp to correct effeminate behavior in schoolboys, believing that, if left unchecked, effeminate boys could end up being gay or transsexual.

Parents are being blamed for encouraging young boys to develop feminine traits.

Sixty-six schoolboys identified by teachers as effeminate began counselling this week to discourage them from being gay.

They are undergoing four days of religious and physical education.

An education official said the camp was meant to guide the boys back "to a proper path in life".[…]

Gay sex is illegal in Malaysia and homosexuals say they face discrimination from government policies such as a law that makes sodomy punishable by 20 years in prison.

Activists have expressed outrage, saying the boys are being persecuted because of homophobia.

No Indictment for NY Teacher - Updated

(Brooklyn, New York) A grand jury has refused to indict teacher Sabrina Milo on terroristic threat charges.

Dozens of parents, teachers and students vouched for Milo, saying her outbursts of frustration are harmless.

The 10-year veteran of city schools was out on $100,000 bail when charges against her were dismissed on April 15, according to her lawyer, Andrew Stoll.

"My client is very happy, but she's still anxious to get back to the classroom. It's not over until she's back in class," Stoll said Wednesday.

He praised the "courage" of the grand jurors who found no basis for charges against his client.

The Department of Education is still weighing disciplinary charges. Stoll said that would be "unfortunate."

Presumably, there's nothing more to see here.

* * * * *
NY Teacher Accused of Terrorist Threats
[Previous 4/3/11 post]
(Brooklyn, New York) A 34-year-old art teacher at Fort Hamilton High School, Sabrina Milo, was arrested this week for allegedly making terroristic threats.

She apparently shot her mouth off in the teacher's lounge.

Prosecutors say that at lunchtime on Tuesday, three other teachers witnessed Milo crying in the teachers' lounge.

She allegedly said she was going to "bring a machine gun under a trench coat and it would be Columbine all over again," referring to the 1999 high school attack in Colorado.

Prosecutors said they didn't know why Milo was upset.

Frankly, I'm curious. What would make a woman, who has been teaching at the same school for 10 years and makes $75K yearly, want to shoot up the school?

I can offer a few reasons. Possibly a personal financial setback or a feeling of powerlessness in dealing with her boss, her family, her friends or the government. Whatever it is, it caused tears and a fleeting (hopefully) desire to kill something.

On the other hand, she might simply experience bouts of mental instability during periods of stress. And teaching high school in New York City has to be considered a stressful job.

Milo was booked into custody with bond set at $100,000.

NH Teacher's Aide Accused of Sex Assault

(Goffstown, New Hampshire) A 26-year-old teacher's aide formerly at Mountain View Middle School, Jennifer Simard, has been indicted on four counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault of a male student.

Note that Simard was arrested in 2008 on charges of inappropriate behavior with the same student, then 14 years old.

The Hillsborough County attorney said Simard has already filed her intent to plead guilty and agree to an 18-month to 10-year prison sentence.

A followup court appearance has yet to be reported.

BBC sneers at popular novels

The BBC has been attacked for its "sneering coverage" of genre fiction during its World Book Night programmes. BBC Two's programmes The Books We Really Read: A Culture Show Special and New Novelists: 12 Of The Best, which were shown on March 5, triggered the protest.

The 85 signatories to a letter to Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC, include the Gold Dagger-nominated crime author SJ Bolton and children's writer Debi Gliori. Many fantasy, science fiction and horror authors – including Iain Banks and Michael Moorcock - also signed the letter.

Fantasy author Stephen Hunt, who organised the petition, said: “The sneering tone that was levelled towards commercial fiction during The Books We Really Read was deeply counterproductive to the night’s aims of actually encouraging people to read novels. The weight that was given to the single sub-genre of literary fiction in the remaining programmes was unbalanced and unrepresentative of all but a small fraction of the country’s reading tastes.

"And closest to my own heart, the failure to feature a single work from the three genres of horror, fantasy, and science fiction was a disgrace. The official World Book Night list included Philip Pullman’s fantasy novel, Northern Lights. It is a shame the BBC could not.

"There have been weeks when one in three books sold in the UK were Harry Potter novels, or more recently, Twilight novels. The sweeping under the carpet of the very genres of the imagination which engage and fire readers’ minds shows a lot more about the BBC production team’s taste in fiction than it does about what the general public is actually reading. If the BBC really wishes to support reading in this country, then they should produce a literary version of The Film Programme, or commission a modern updating of the Bookworm show that had Griff Rhys Jones as its lead presenter in the ’90s. A series with a mainstream slot. Then perhaps the BBC can do what it said on the tin the first time around: cover the books we really read.”

SOURCE

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Promession

Did you hear about the Swedish environmentalist who wants to use human corpses in a scheme to produce fertilizer?

Yes, Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak wants to dehydrate dead human bodies and then submerge them into liquid nitrogen and, once brittle, vibrate the bodies into "a fine organic powder" which easily mixes with soil.

The process is called promession.

Arizona Man Gets Prison for Sex with Girl

(Phoenix, Arizona) A 38-year-old amateur tattoo artist, Juan Lara aka "Memo," was sentenced yesterday by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Glenn Davis to seven and one-half years in prison and three years of probation for child prostitution charges.

Lara pleaded guilty to trading a tattoo for sex with a 16-year-old girl.

Lara also received one and one-half years in prison for unlawful tattooing. The sentences will run concurrently.

Death Threats Target Singer Rebecca Black

(Anaheim, California) Local police have been put on notice about death threats against teen singer Rebecca Black.

Black, 13, was catapulted to instant fame as the YouTube video of her song Friday went global, despite music lovers' description of the ditty as "the worst song ever".

Following plenty of media exposure, Black has now attracted some altogether less welcome attention. According to Reuters, her Los Angeles-based production and management companies received two death threats back in March, one over the phone and another via email.

Anaheim Police spokesman Rick Martinez said: "In essence the threats were related to getting the music off the internet or they were going to kill her. We can't validate how serious they are, but we do take it seriously."

"Remove the song from the Internet or we're going to kill her" is quite a scary statement. For those who are unfamiliar with the apparently offensive video, here it is.



Curiously, the song doesn't offend me in the least.

School Secretary Outed as Porn Star

(Quebec City, Canada) A 14-year-old boy approached the school secretary at Etchemins High School and allegedly said something like 'Hey, I saw your starring performance in the porn film Serial Abusers 2 and I won't tell anyone if you give me oral sex.'

The secretary, stage name Samantha Ardente, told the boy to go away.

Consequently, the boy blabbed to his fellow students and Samantha Ardente was sacked from her position as the school secretary.

Miss Ardente - who has launched unspecified legal action after losing her job - said she tried to start a police investigation, but was told by officers it wasn’t a criminal matter.

Although Miss Ardente agreed to stop making porn films to keep her job, the school board terminated her position last week, claiming her film career 'was not compatible' with her day job.

Board chairman Leopold Castonguay said: 'We believe the actions that led to this incident are inappropriate, unacceptable and incompatible with not only our mission but also with the values we wish to convey to our young students.'

Meanwhile, as retaliation for not getting any action from Miss Ardente, the male student created a Facebook page in Ardente's name, showing a picture of her in her underwear.

Here's another pic of Ardente.


Samantha Ardente

Criminalizing Dogs in Iran

(Tehran, Iran) An affinity for pet canines will soon be troublesome in Iran.

Lawmakers in Tehran have recently proposed a bill in parliament that would criminalize dog ownership, formally enshrining its punishment within the country's Islamic penal code.

The bill warns that that in addition to posing public health hazards, the popularity of dog ownership "also poses a cultural problem, a blind imitation of the vulgar culture of the West."

The proposed legislation for the first time outlines specific punishments for "the walking and keeping" of "impure and dangerous animals," a definition that could feasibly include cats but for the time being seems targeted at dogs.

The law would see the offending animal confiscated, the leveling of a $100-to-$500 fine on the owner, but leaves the fate of confiscated dogs uncertain.

Heh.

Attention to Detail



For those who sell stuff online. Pay particular attention to detail and avoid embarrassing yourself when offering an item on Ebay. The whole world will see it.

Heh.

Ohio Man Accused of Barking at Police Dog

(Mason, Ohio) Contrary to state law, a 25-year-old local man, Ryan Stephens, has been accused of unlawful barking at a police dog.

Stephens, 25, of Mason was charged with the misdemeanor taunting office [sic] on April 3 after a police officer said Stephens was “making barking noises and was hissing at the police dog inside of the car,” a police report says.

Officer Bradley Walker was outside the car investigating a car crash at the Mason Pub when he said he heard the animal “barking uncontrollably” in response to Stephens’ alleged taunting, a report says.

“Timber (the dog) responded as trained and started to bark,” the officer wrote.

In his defense, Stephens said, "The dog started it."

Girl Prosecuted as Adult in Sex Case

(Valparaiso, Indiana) A 16-year-old local girl, April Kuchta, has been accused of binding, confining and sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy.

Due to the seriousness of the alleged crimes, Kuchta is being prosecuted as an adult, facing charges of criminal deviate conduct, criminal confinement, intimidation and sexual battery, as well as a misdemeanor battery charge.

The charging information, which reveals far more details than were released last week by police, accuses Kuchta of luring the boy, who has special needs, to her house via text messages to talk between 8 and 9 p.m. April 9.

The boy then reportedly was led at knifepoint to the kitchen where he was handcuffed behind his back and poked with the knife.

Kuchta is accused of recording some of the incident with her cell phone while forcing the boy to make humiliating statements.

She also is accused of sexually assaulting him and pleading with him for sex.

Kuchta was booked into custody at the Porter County Jail.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old female accomplice wept as she admitted to battery and confinement charges in juvenile court. She will be sentenced on May 9.

Tip: Chuck Simmins

Americans Get Gas in Mexico




Congestion at the border crossing doesn't deter U.S. citizens from going south to take advantage of cheap gasoline. A trip across the border can be worth as much as $1.20 savings on every gallon of gas.

Girl, 12, Accused of Armed Robbery

(Highland Township, Michigan) Last Friday, a 12-year-old local girl allegedly entered a convenience store with a loaded weapon and demanded money. She faces a charge of armed robbery as a juvenile.

Deputies received a 9-1-1 call on an attempted armed robbery about 10 p.m. Friday at the local market. Three employees were working inside the store when the girl came in, dressed in all black, including a knit cap, hoodie and scarf covering her face.

The girl pointed a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and demanded money.

Despite the scarf, one of the employees recognized the girl as someone who frequented the store and thought it was joke, grabbed the gun and attempted to take it away. As a struggle ensued, the woman yelled for the worker to help her.

The girl was finally wrestled to the floor and held there by the store owner.

It was later determined that she stole the gun from a neighbor's house.

Okay, my question. How does a 12-year-old girl get the idea to commit armed robbery? Shouldn't she be playing with dolls?

U.S. Military Burns Bibles in Afghanistan To Stop Proselytizing



Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Artificial Hymens



Invented in 1993 by Dr. Shiro Hisaki of the Human Science Research Center in Kyoto, the artificial hymens are marketed under the brand name "Joan of Arc Red" and they are packaged two to a box.

The artificial hymen transforms into a gelatinous mass after insertion and upon penetration releases a red pigment. Instructions for use are detailed at the link.

- Insert to the depth of 5 cm (about the second joint of the middle finger). Do it quickly so that it doesn’t stick to the fingers when you take them out.

- You can have sex 3-5 minutes after putting the artificial hymen, Joan of Arc Red (put it in few minutes before the foreplay, generally speaking it can be broken 20 minutes after insertion).

- Using it is not painful. In order to achieve the better result, woman should moan as if the real hymen is broken. After sex, go to the washroom to clean the bloody excretions. Use cleansing lotion 3-5 times.

The product is quite popular among Asian cultures.

Rats for Adoption

(San Francisco, California) Need some rats?

San Francisco's Animal Care and Control took in over 100 rats from a hoarder earlier this week, and staff are now busy helping to find the little guys new, safe, rodent-friendly homes.

Only $15 for two. What a deal, eh?

Of course, another and cheaper option is to place a trap near the sewer and bait it with peanut butter.

HMS Sausage returns to port for the last time

Wait for it. There's a surprise at the end




To stop the video, click the bottom left-hand corner

More HERE

Cumberland sausage is well known in Britain -- hence the nickname of the ship

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Suicide Bomber at Police HQ in Indonesia

(Cirebon, West Java) During Friday prayers at the Al Dzikr Mosque inside the Cirebon Police headquarters, "Allah is Great" chanting had just begun when a 31-year-old local man, Muchamad Syarif, blew himself up, injuring at least 26 people, mostly police officers.

Witnesses recalled seeing the suicide bomber, who was killed immediately in the explosion, begin Friday prayers along with everyone else. But they also noticed that while he was praying, he appeared distracted and seemed to be eyeing the police chief.

Cirebon Police Narcotics Division Chief Adj. Comr. Tri Pilayanto recalled that the suicide bomber did not carry a backpack but had a thick black jacket that apparently hid the low-level explosives strapped around his body.

He also noticed the bomber attempting to get as close to the police chief as possible.

The bomb reportedly contained potassium chlorate and was packed with nails.

According to West Java Police Chief Inspector Gen. Suparni Parto, terrorism investigators continue to search for a motive since Syarif doesn't fit the profile for a suicide bomber. It's believed that he was brainwashed by the al-Qaeda-linked Southeast Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Interestingly, Syarif has been described as quiet, introverted, mysterious and estranged from his parents. In other words, Syarif exhibited attributes conducive to being recruited to a radical belief system.

Michigan City Officials' Power Stripped by State

(Benton Harbor, Michigan) This latest action by the Michigan state government has many people upset.

In a move believed to be the first under sweeping new state legislation, Emergency Manager Joseph Harris suspended decision-making powers of city officials Friday.

Officials only can call meetings to order, adjourn them and approve minutes of meetings as part of the order issued Friday.

The action is likely the first since Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law in March a new statute that grants more powers to emergency managers appointed by the Treasury Department to take over distressed schools and communities.

It all boils down to the nickels and dimes. If local elected officials can't control the budget, the state will.

Affirmative Action Police Officers

(Dayton, Ohio) The Department of Justice filed suit against the city of Dayton in 2009 for not hiring enough minorities as police officers.

As a consequence, the city of Dayton is discarding "test scores of 748 people who passed its police recruit exam and instead base hiring on oral interviews in an effort to improve its minority hiring."

Heh.

Mom Accused of Showing Her Sex Photos to Sons

(Ocala, Florida) A 36-year-old local woman has been arrested for allegedly showing photos of herself engaged in sex to her young sons, ages 11 and 12. She faces charges of molestation.

The charges followed a physical abuse investigation by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

During the investigation, one of the boys told a DCF investigator his mother had shown him photographs on the computer of her engaged in sex acts with men, the arrest report said.

The boy alleged his mother then rubbed his inner thigh and asked him, "Do you want to try this when you get older?" the arrest report said.

The boy's brother told the investigator a similar story, the report said.

The mom, whose name is withheld to protect the kids, has denied the allegations. She was booked into custody at the Marion County Jail.

Tip: slwlion

Obama Should Have Never Been Born; He proves the worth of Abortion

Hate speech? Maybe. But if Leftists can say that sort of thing about conservatives, surely it is OK. We know that the Democrats are the party of civility in politics (many of them told us so in the wake of the Giffords shooting) so it MUST be OK!

See here for background. Excerpt:

[Olbermann] may have gone too far today when he suggested that conservative commentator S.E. Cupp is a prime example of why the world needs Planned Parenthood (PP). Translation, she should have never been born.

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Woman Accused of Murdering Pregnant Friend to Steal Newborn

(Bowling Green, Kentucky) A 33-year-old local woman, Kathy Michelle Coy, was accused this week of killing her pregnant friend and stealing the newborn. Coy faces charges of kidnapping and murder.

Authorities were initially notified after hospital staff became suspicious when Coy arrived with a newborn and claimed the boy was hers. Apparently, Coy didn't look like a woman who had just given birth.

On Thursday, the body of 21-year-old Jamie Stice was found in a wooded area adjacent to a local highway.

Stice was set to give birth on May 24. Authorities would not comment on the condition of her body, fueling speculation that the baby was extracted early.

Coy was booked into custody at the Warren County Regional Jail without bond.

Illinois Teacher Accused of Sex with Male Student

(Chicago, Illinois) A 24-year-old Spanish teacher formerly at Nazareth Academy, Angelica Rangel, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old male student.

Eight to ten sexual episodes reportedly occurred between October and March at Rangel's home and in a car.

In addition, the victim’s cell phone contained photos of he (sic) and Rangel together at her home, and a photo of Rangel in a bathtub with her breasts partially exposed, prosecutors said in court Friday.[…]

The victim was in her Spanish class for two years, court records show.

Rangel has been fired by the school, where she worked with the Just Us group, a student peace and justice organization inspired by the Congregation of St. Joseph’s commitment to creating a global neighborhood.

Rangel was booked into custody with bail set at $150,000.

Arizona Coach Gets Probation in Sex Case - Updated

(Pima County, Arizona) Former volleyball coach at Desert Sky Middle School, Iman Hamdan, has been sentenced to three years probation for aggravated assault of a 15-year-old boy with sexual motivation.

Hamdan told Pima County Superior Court Judge John Leonardo during the sentencing that she was “very sorry for my actions and I do regret it.”

Hamdan had no criminal record and Leonardo called the incident with the boy “a lapse of judgement.”

He said if Hamdan violates her probation conditions she could face jail time.

Judge Leonardo is pretty accommodating, eh?

* * * * *
Arizona Coach Guilty in Sex Case - Updated
[Previous 3/8/11 post]
(Pima County, Arizona) Yesterday, 21-year-old former volleyball coach at Desert Sky Middle School, Iman Hamdan, pleaded guilty to inappropriately touching a 15-year-old boy.

Hamdan was an assistant volleyball coach at Desert Sky Middle School, but the teen was not a member of the team and did not attend the school, school officials said. She is no longer employed with the district.

Hamdan's conviction on one count of aggravated assault of a minor with sexual motivation carries a penalty from probation to two years in prison.

Sentencing by Pima County Superior Court Judge John Leonardo is scheduled for April 14.

* * * * *
Coach Accused of Sex with Minor
[Previous 9/15/10 post bumped]
(Vail, Arizona) Last month, a 21-year-old girls volleyball coach formerly at Desert Sky Middle School, Iman Hamdan, was arrested for allegedly performing a sexual act on a 15-year-old boy.

The boy's mother found text messages on her son's phone and alerted authorities.

According to Vail Schools Superintendent Calvin Baker, Hamdan was let go immediately after allegations arised.

"This is a former student at the district, many people know her well. She, to the best of my information, was studying and intending to become a teacher," Baker said.

Hamdan has been charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor.

Those heartless Israelis

Wait for it



Is there anything lower than a Palestinian?

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

School Counselor Accused of Sex with Student

(Sardis, Georgia) A 34-year-old guidance counselor at Burke Middle School, Heather Newman Hart, has been accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy.

Hart faces charges of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, sexual assault and providing false information to law enforcers.

Special Agent in Charge Mike Ayers says Sardis police asked the GBI to become involved in the Heather Hart investigation Monday night.

Sardis police allegedly caught Hart in a car in a local neighborhood acting inappropriately with a 14-year-old boy.

"They had reason to believe there was a possible sexual relationship that was ongoing between Ms. Hart and the high school student," Ayers says. He says he can not expand on the investigation in detail before it goes to trial, but his agents uncovered evidence which they believe proves the sexual relationship existed and had existed for quite some time.

Hart was booked into custody after turning herself in on Tuesday. A bail amount wasn't reported.

Taxi Dancing in Pakistan




It appears that a group of Pakistani men pay two women, dressed in red, for dances. About 12 seconds in, one woman is seen taking money.

However, despite money changing hands, it presumably is a look-but-don't-touch circumstance and one guy breaks the rule by grabbing one of the women. He gets attacked.

Heh.

Housemaid Severs Her Employment

(Dubai, UAE) An Ethiopian woman employed as a housemaid has been charged with assault for allegedly chopping off her Emirati boss' winkie.

Police responded to a call from the man and "found him bleeding badly. His housemaid had chopped off his private parts using a knife", a Dubai police official quoted by 7DAYS said.

"She claimed the man used to abuse and harass her. On the day of the incident, she claims he asked her to give him a massage. She got angry, went to the kitchen to get a knife and attacked him," the official said.

High-pitched moans are presumably being heard coming from the hospital room where the Emirati man is recovering.

Indiana Teacher Accused of Battery

(Yorktown, Indiana) A 34-year-old language arts teacher at Yorktown Middle School, Dawn Renae Murray, was arrested this week on charges stemming from an altercation with her boyfriend.

Murray faces charges of residential entry, domestic battery with injury and criminal mischief.

According to a police report, Murray entered the house of another woman by "going through the locked front door," and then began to argue with a guest in the home, Murray's former boyfriend, Sam Marlett.

The report states that Murray then "struck Marlett in the head with a flashlight she had with her, causing injury to Marlett's forehead."

Murray, either "before or after" leaving the residence, slashed all four tires on Marlett's vehicle, authorities allege.

Murray was booked custody at the Delaware County Jail and released on $10,000 bond. It's assumed that Murray's middle school students have learned to turn their homework in on time.

Update on British Koran burner

Apparently the pigs realized that the original charge against him would not stick (How can something done in private be an offence against public order?) so they had to let him go. They now seem to be searching for something else to charge him with.

"The case has been withdrawn against a BNP candidate for the Welsh assembly election who had been accused of being filmed burning a copy of the Koran.

Sion Owens, aged 41, was charged with a public order offence on Saturday. When he appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court the Crown Prosecution Service said it was withdrawing the case against him.

CPS prosecutor Bryn Hurford told Mr Owens to be in "no doubt" that investigations into his actions were continuing and that "almost certainly other proceedings will ensue."

Source

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).

Texas Teacher Arrested for Drugs

(Aransas County, Texas) A 30-year-old teacher at the Live Oak Learning Center, Courtney Michelle Durbin, has been accused of possessing "less than two ounces" of marijuana on campus.

She was arrested in the parking lot of the learning center on April 17. She was presumably booked into custody.

Durbin resigned her teaching position immediately and reportedly won't return to the school next year.

Reporting on this story has been sketchy.

Motorcycle Remote




Tip: Charley Nestor

Utah Woman Gets Community Service in Sex Case - Updated

(Provo, Utah) Local proctor mom Ashley Nicole Cloward, 32, successfully negotiated away multiple counts of rape and sodomy in exchange for a no contest plea on two counts of obstructing justice.

Consequently, Cloward was reluctantly sentenced by Fourth District Judge Lynn W. Davis to community service and probation.

If Davis had his way, Cloward would not have been the only person accused in a sex abuse case. The state Division of Child and Family Services would have been right beside Cloward, he said.

"The state of Utah should be indicted," said an exasperated Davis during Cloward’s sentencing hearing. "Why is it a 29-year-old single woman was allowed to serve as a proctor mother for troubled teenage boys? Can you imagine [DCFS] having a 29-year-old single man as a proctor father in a house for troubled teenage girls? It’s absurd."

Davis followed the recommendation of Deputy Utah County Attorney Donna Kelly and defense attorney Michael Petro in sentencing Cloward to probation, community service and a $740 fine. Davis also suspended a one-year jail sentence as part of the agreement.

After the sentencing hearing, it was revealed that the state's case was weak because there were no witnesses, somewhat explaining the leniency in the plea deal.

* * * * *
Utah Woman Guilty in Sex Case
[Previous 3/3/11 post bumped]
(Provo, Utah) In December 2009, a local proctor parent (similar to foster parent), Ashley Cloward, was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with her proctor son.

Cloward faced charges of first-degree felony rape, first-degree felony sodomy, first-degree felony object rape and second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.

This week, 32-year-old Cloward pleaded no contest to reduced charges of obstruction of justice in accordance with a plea agreement.

Deputy Utah County Attorney Donna Kelly said her case was hobbled by a missing witness — a boy who was a fugitive from the juvenile justice system.

She said other witnesses could not be located, and the victim — who was 17 at the time of the alleged sexual encounters — was homeless and difficult to contact.

Cloward faces a possible year in jail on each of two counts when sentenced on April 13.