Moronic and Bloodthirsty

Howie poses questions at The Jawa Report (via Dennis Prager) to the presumed rational Muslim majority seeking to know why they tolerate terrorist evil being perpetrated in the name of Islam. Folding nicely into the post by Howie is the substance of the following piece by a Muslim writer who addresses the same subject. The writer, Hassan Al-Haifi, contends that terrorists, which he calls 'hypocrites,' are an insidious Fifth Column and enemies of Islam.

From the Yemen Times:

One will also find that the leaders of these modern day Moslem hypocrites never themselves partake in "suicide missions" or direct confrontation, but rather send misguided converts to their corrupt renditions of Islam to do the dirty work for them, while claiming credit on internet web-sites that are mysteriously availed to them with ease.

And, then there's this:

In fact these moronic bloodthirsty hypocrites have killed more Moslems than any enemies of Islam and thus will be relegated to the bottom levels of Hell, just as the Qur'an tells us and deservedly so, because of all the animosity they have raised against Moslems everywhere.

Hassan Al-Haifi calls on all decent Muslims to curse the "outrageous deviation from the true teachings of Islam" and admonish the terrorists and, in particular, those that support them financially.

I think that Al-Haifi is boldly courageous. For an unarmed Arab journalist to criticize radical Islamists in an Arab newspaper on the Arabian peninsula takes the testicles of a thousand camels. More followers of Islam need to express their outrage at the terrorists.

Al Qaeda Targeted Intel Meeting in Amman Blast

DEBKAfile reports that the al Qaeda bombing at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Amman last Wednesday specifically targeted a secret intelligence meeting. The attack wiped out the entire group of senior Palestinian, Jordanian and Saudi intelligence officers. With the arrest of the unsuccessful fourth bomber, Sajid Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, Jordanian investigators have a possible lead to identifying who leaked the time and place of the secret meeting.

Agreed, DEBKAfile sometimes comes across as a little loosey-goosey in its assertions. In my opinion, that doesn't seem to be the case with the latest report.

Muslim Women Wearing Makeup

An article in the Arab News discusses the permissibility of Muslim women wearing makeup and it appears that scholars' opinions are divided between 'none' and 'essentially none.' Both groups of scholars derived their opinions from the same verse in the Qu'ran. To wit:

"Tell believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms except what may ordinarily appear thereof.

Let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms and not display their charms to any but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or those whom they rightfully possess, or such male attendants as are free of physical desire, or children that are as yet unaware of women's nakedness.

Let them not swing their legs in walking so as to draw attention to their hidden charms."

Man! That's a set of restrictions. I wonder how a young Muslim man would select a woman for courtship without being given a hint of her 'hidden charms.' He wouldn't be allowed to see much of her except for the clothes which, of course, have limitations.

Although some societies impose certain colors on women's clothes, such as black, dark blue or gray, the fact is that Islam does not require such restrictions. All decent colors are permissible.

What we mean by decent is that which is considered to be decent in one's community. A woman’s clothes must be such as not to be eye-catching or inviting criticism or a hard gaze. Otherwise, there is no particular restriction on color.

Taken together, the restrictions on women's appearance seem to prevent females from expressing any individuality or being noticed as feminine in any manner. As a result, the catalog of Muslim mail-order brides couldn't be more than a brochure with one picture in it.

A Frenchman Explains the Riots

A Frenchman named Simon sent an email to Digger at Diggers Realm in an effort to clear up what he sees as misunderstanding on the part of Americans regarding the rioting in France. Any prudent student of politics needs to read the email, posted at Diggers Realm, in its entirety. In total, it describes how France got itself into the current situation, going back to decisions made after World War One. Here's an excerpt, slightly groomed while retaining Simon's original, albeit somewhat choppy, English.

Most of the rioters were known by the police for many acts of serious delinquency. Some spent few years in jails others were probably relaxed by a Justice poisoned by Marxists ( Syndicat de la Magistrature - union of leftist lawers ). In my opinion, those gangsters were monitored by the Mollas who pushed them to provoke the authorities, expecting any flaws that could be used to upsurge the whole Muslim Mass.

Those Muslim bastards never come and put the mess in French countryside villages where most of people are deer-hunters and have hunting guns. Should they do it, be sure that they will be welcome by the same kind of "welcoming committee" that in any USA village. They know it.

Unfortunately, these riots didn't spread in well-standard living areas where the so-called "bobo" live. Should it happen, that it would wake them up from their mental anesthesia.

The 'bobo' is comparable to the liberal elite in the U.S. The bobo have acquired wealth and status and believe that the world should be led to utopia through socialism.

Another excerpt:

My father ancestors were Austrian and migrate in 1715 while my mother's parents were Italians and migrate in 1919. I was at school with the French native sons of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish Hungarian immigrants. Their parents came in France with a snotty nose and nothing even a bundle. They work hard: to build a House, and to give a welI education to their children.

I grew up with their children. Never saw them rioting, selling drugs, burning cars. THEY worked hard at school, they wanted to learn and get a job. Bloody hell! There was a kind of gentle competition between us to be the best at School!

The "Bobo" and Politicians, who both never grew up with European immigrants, are so blinded by their shit "Republican Values and Laicity" [Ed. note: Laicity = secularism] that they ignore what made the fusion possible: CHRISTIAN VALUES and GRECO-ROMAN VALUES. Believers or not believers, most of European immigrants were educated at home through a remaining of CHRISTIAN VALUES.

I am not a believer, my Mum is a strong one. Even ignorant about religion, I was educated with mother's Christian values and I can tell you that I know all the benefit of them! Like it or not: These values are the Key success in both USA and Europe.

Go read the rest at Diggers Realm. And then, pass it on. People need to know Simon's first-hand, nuts-and-bolts assessment of what occurs when a country is infested with socialists.

Amman Suicide Bomber's Wife Arrested

(Amman, Jordan) Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister Marwan al-Muasher announced that a woman, Sajida Mubarak al-Rishai, who failed to blow herself up during last Wednesday's hotel bombings in Amman, has been arrested.

From Albawaba.com:

"I just heard from our intelligence services that there is a fourth bomber, a woman, who failed to blow herself up and she's in custody," he [al-Muasher] told a group of media representatives in the Jordanian capital.

Al-Muasher added the woman would appear tonight on Jordanian television to explain details of the operation. He also showed pictures of the explosives belt worn by her. It should be noted that the woman's husband blew himself up in Amman's Radisson SAS hotel.

Sajida Mubarak al-Rishai, 35, is said to be the sister of Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, a Zarqawi lieutenant who was killed by US forces in Falluja.

In a related report from Aljazeera.com, the four Amman hotel attackers were identified.

An armed group in Iraq posted a statement on a notorious website naming the four people who carried out the bombings, including a husband and wife.

The names of the four, according to the statement, were Abu Khabib, Abu Muaz, Abu Omaira and Om Omaira.

The validity of the Aljazeera information appears to be in conflict with this BBC report:

The three Iraqi bombers, who died in the attacks, were identified as Ali Hussein Ali al-Shamari, from Anbar province, Rawad Jassem Mohammed Abed, 23, and Safaa Mohammed Ali, 23.

The 'notorious website' statement also conflicts with this Reuters report:

All four bombers were from Iraq's western desert province of Anbar, bordering Jordan, he said adding they had avoided contact with Jordanians apparently in an effort to avoid Jordanian security forces which have foiled previous attacks.

Muasher named the three dead men as 23-year-olds Safar Mohammed Ali and Rawad Jasim Mohammed Abid and Ali Hussein al-Shimeri, who was born in 1970 and so probably aged 25.

Shimeri's wife is the same age, he said, naming her as Sajida al-Rishawi, the sister of Samir Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi. Rishawi, he said, was one of Zarqawi's lieutenants and was killed at Falluja, in western Iraq.

Evidently, the 'notorious website' statement is either erroneous or aliases are used.

In summary, four Iraqis went to Amman on suicide missions and one survived, a woman. She was arrested and will appear on television tonight to explain the operation. In a way, I can understand why she would be forthcoming. Her husband and her brother are dead and, at best, she's going to prison. What does she have left to lose?

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Jacko Caught Impersonating Arab Woman

(Dubai) This report is just too odd not to pass along.

From KhaleejTimes.com:

When she went to the ladies washroom in the Egyptian Court of Ibn Battuta Mall at 9.30 last night, 37-year old Latifa M. never imagined that she would come face to face with pop icon Michael Jackson, who walked in dressed in a T-shirt and trousers, with his head covered with the Emirati women's traditional head scarf Sheila.

The Tunisian, who is a teacher in a private school in Dubai, screamed in shock and ran out of the ladies room when she realised that the woman-like person was a man. She went back in to photograph the pop singer with her mobile phone, while he was busy fixing his make up.

This time it was the turn of Michael Jackson who ran after the Ajman-based teacher, to retrieve the pictures. The scene attracted the security of the mall, who tried to take the phone from Latifa, but she refused and asked for compensation, while the two women accompanying Jackson tried to convince her to sit in private and settle the issue.

Latifa wanted to be paid for the pictures but Jackson refused. Police got involved and informed her that UAE laws do not entitle her to any financial gain from the situation. Consequently, she gave up her mobile phone but only after erasing the pictures out of fear that she might be penalized.

Without a leash, Jackson is liable to do anything. Why he would dress up as an Arab woman is beyond me.

Jordan's King Abdullah Vows to Get Zarqawi

(Amman, Jordan) Here's some strong language from an Arab leader.

From ABC News Online:

Jordan's King Abdullah has vowed to track down the militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, after officials announced they hold Zarqawi's group "Al Qaeda in Iraq" responsible for the blasts in Amman that killed 57 people.

In addition to Jordan, it would be nice to see some other mid-eastern countries aggressively pursuing Zarqawi.

Woman Arrested for Child Molestation

(Gainesville, Georgia) Hall County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 37-year-old Lisa Lynnette Clark on allegations that she had sex with a 15-year-old boy. Clark has been charged with child molestation and is being held without bond at the Hall County Detention Center.


[Update 11/14/05, 1400 EST]

Whoa! The plot thickens. It's now alleged that Lisa Clark not only had sex with the 15-year-old, she also got pregnant and married him.

From AccessNorthGA.com:

Dawson County probate officials confirm the Tuesday marriage of a 37 year old Gainesville woman and the 15 year old neighbor she's accused of molesting.

Members of the boy's family said over the weekend 37-year-old Lynnette Clark is pregnant with the boy's child and that they were married last week in Dawson County.

Dawson County probate officials have confirmed that the marriage took place last Tuesday, but declined to provide additional comments, saying Judge Jennifer Burt who did not marry the couple would release a statement on the marriage Monday afternoon.

Judy Hayles, the boy's grandmother, said she received a notice of the marriage from Dawson County because she is the boy's guardian.

Also according to Hayles, the relationship between Clark and the boy has been going on for two years.

"A piece of garbage, pure garbage," Hayles said about Clark. "She is a pedophile, plain and simple. That's exactly what she is, scum of the earth."

Hayles said she found love letters from the woman to the teen and when she confronted the boy, he confirmed that they were having an affair, according to the report.

Hayles is working to end the marriage.


[Update 11/16]

Changed state to Georgia from Florida. Thanks to a commenter for noticing the error. I apologize.


[Update 11/30]

On 11/29, Lisa Lynnette Clark was indicted by a Hall County grand jury on child molestation charges. See follow up report.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.


[Update 02/09/06]

Boy-husband runs away, gets caught.


[Update 02/24/06]

Lisa Clark rejects deal offered by prosecution and pleads not guilty to all charges.


[Update 02/25/08]

Lisa Clark released from prison.

Mom Arrested for Pimping 4-Year-Old Daughter

(Martinez, California) A 22-year-old woman, Shannon Nicole Woods, was arrested Tuesday on allegations that she attempted to sell her 4-year-old daughter for sex over the Internet. She has been charged with offering a minor under 16 for lewd and lascivious acts.

From MercuryNews.com:

The National Center for Exploited and Missing Children contacted Martinez Police after receiving a tip two weeks ago that Shannon Nicole Woods was soliciting her child, Sgt. Gary Peterson said Friday.

"She denies that she offered up the child," he said. "But we have records of online activity that shows she did."

Woods solicited men for prostitution through a posting on Craigslist, Peterson said.

Woods is in jail at the Contra Costa County Main Detention Facility with bail set at $50,000.

Since it was through the CyberTip line of the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children and not Craigslist that authorities were notified, one has to assume that Craigslist postings are not monitored effectively to preclude it from being used as a vehicle for commission of crimes. Some people may regard the apparent lack of oversight as negligent.

Jacko Is Tapped Out

According to this report, Michael Jackson is having significant financial problems. He shut down his web site and fired two close confidantes. His insurance premiums are going unpaid and he is believed to be in default on $270 million worth of loans. Meanwhile, Jacko lives off the Prince of Bahrain.

Jackson has been out of the headlines lately and it's fine with me. However, I do anticipate that he'll be back at some time, once again reminding everybody of the problem of pedophilia. Despite the fact that he was acquitted of child molestation, I think there's little doubt of Jacko's proclivities.

On a different note, with Jackson currently languishing close to the heart of Islam and given that he's a man of questionable fiber, would it be unreasonable to foresee him re-emerge as newsworthy, if and when it occurs, with an announcement that he has adopted Islam?

Gina Purvis Strikes Back

(Peoria, Illinois) To refresh readers' memories, Gina Purvis is the former high school biology teacher who was tried and acquitted of criminal sexual assault. She had been accused of mixing it up with a 15-year-old student.


Gina M. Purvis
(Photo - Gonzo)
Apparently, the ordeal of the investigation and trial has soured Gina Purvis to the extent that she has now filed suit in U.S. District Court, alleging that her civil rights were violated. The lawsuit claims that the school board, former superintendent Daniel Oest, principal Patricia Lunn, and dean of students Gary Vicini did not follow procedures in her case. The city of Spring Valley and police chief Douglas Bernabei are also named in the lawsuit which seeks $40 million in damages.

Motel Owners Charged with Harboring Illegals

(Phoenix, Arizona) The sheer number of illegal aliens entering the United States yearly indicates there must be many people helping them. This story suggests that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is actually going after people who aid and abet smuggling.

From AZCentral.com:

Thirteen owners of six Mesa motels are accused of harboring undocumented immigrants after a nine-month undercover operation, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday in Phoenix.

Authorities also are seeking forfeiture of five of the six motels, all on Main Street and valued at several million dollars. The sixth motel was sold and the new owners were not involved, officials said.

Take their property. That will do it. Few people are dumb enough to risk most of their wealth for the sake of illegals. But wait, maybe they weren't really helping the border jumpers all that much.

Federal agents raided the Mesa motels Tuesday and discovered 23 undocumented immigrants at the Majestic Guest Inn, according to records.

Owners of the Kiva Lodge, HiWay Host, Majestic Guest Inn, Westernaire, Centebar Suites and Apartments and the Roadrunner rented rooms, often at higher rates than regular customers, to undercover agents posing as human smugglers, according to the indictments. One owner offered to "take out all of the White people" if the undercover agent needed more room, records show, and another offered to sell soda to immigrants for $5 per can. Some owners allowed 10 people per room and one agent was charged $170 even though he only needed the room for a few hours.

So, apparently the motel owners were not acting out of altruism. Instead, they were screwing the illegals out of what little money they had.

Furthermore, of the 13 motel owners indicted, eight are named Patel and five are named Bhatka which I believe are Indian names. Consequently, Indian-Americans have been scalping illegal aliens smuggled from Mexico. Nonetheless, what they were doing is illegal and now they're shut down.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.

Websites Leak Black Friday Bargains

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the year's busiest shopping day and retailers go to great lengths to offer attractive bargains to lure holiday crowds to their stores. Typically, discounted sale items are kept secret until Thanksgiving Day, however, websites have emerged which are publishing Black Friday sales information beforehand. Consequently, prudent shoppers can now peruse the Internet, days or weeks before Black Friday, and learn about which stores will be selling which items at deep discounts.

Certainly, the websites that specialize in disseminating sales information obtain the data from many sources. For example, GottaDeal.com encourages readers to submit breaking news on sales and, also, hosts a reader message board where visitors can jot down the latest hot shopping tips. Black Friday 2005 also publishes reader submitted information.

Another source of information is advance Black Friday ad copy, presumably obtained surreptitiously by people involved with printing or distribution and published significantly before the flood of holiday newspaper and television advertising. Legal questions have been raised about the practice of leaking Black Friday ad copy without permission since it's customarily copyrighted material. Nevertheless, leaks are apparently happening regularly.

My take is that it's ludicrous to think that anyone would ever be prosecuted under copyright law for leaking Black Friday sales information. Maybe, just maybe, if a particularly grievous offender is identified, an individual could be fired, but nobody is going to end up in court for leaking doorbuster bargain ads.

So, in a nutshell, those folks that don't mind elbowing their way through churning throngs of myopic shoppers on Black Friday (and, you know who you are), check out the best bargains listed on leaker websites before the alarm goes off at 4AM on November 25. Then put on comfortable shoes and race to get that 42-inch plasma television for less than $1,000, knowing full well that it will be a 'sold out' item before the day is over.

The New Red Crystal

Next month, representatives from 192 signatories to the Geneva Conventions are scheduled to meet to discuss adding a new emblem to represent the Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations. The new emblem is called the "Red Crystal."


Red Cross - Red Crescent - Red Crystal
The Swiss government is attempting to introduce the new emblem for use by national groups that reject the current Red Cross or Red Crescent. The Red Crystal would have no national, religious, or cultural connotations.

If adopted, it's believed the new emblem would also clear the way for Israel's membership. However, despite the good intentions of the Swiss, I'm convinced that Israel's membership won't occur easily and without controversy.

All that said, my thinking is that the new emblem looks more like a red square or a red diamond, not a red crystal.


[Update 11/11/05]

It's worth noting that the 'Red Crystal' is already being used in a completely contrary application.


Firing Range Target
(Photo - GunsmokeEnterprises.net)
One has to wonder whether the geniuses in Geneva considered the fact that the 'Red Crystal' is used for firearms training. As such, displaying a 'Red Crystal' may not be the wisest choice since it could be troublesome in the din of battle.

Russia Offers Football Fans to Quell French Riots

The Deputy Speaker of the Russian Duma, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, sent a telegram to France with an offer to provide football fans to quell the ongoing riots throughout the country. Zhirinovsky indicated that hundreds of volunteers are ready.

"We are ready with volunteer units of football fans and activists who have served in military combat hot spots.

"I am convinced that our initiative would restore total order and calm the rioting within 48 hours."

Obviously, Zhirinovsky is having some fun by implying that Russian football fans are more capable than the French police. Or, maybe not.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Boobs Catch Fire

(Augsburg, Germany) In Augsburg County Court, 22-year-old flame blower Marc Miszler was given a 10-month suspended jail sentence for setting a woman's breasts on fire.

From Ananova.com:

Dancer Maria Leeb, 27, was tied to a pole wearing just her g-string while her fire-eating partner blew flames at her.

But the hot new act in a lap-dancing club in Augsburg, Germany, came to a painful end when her naked breasts went up in flames.

I can't even imagine what they were trying to do.

21st Century Bastilles


Liberte, Equalite et Fraternite
Via Speed Of Thought...

Woman Plots to Meet Boy for Sex

(South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania) A 31-year-old mother of two, Melissa Arnold, has been charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor for allegedly plotting to lure a 13-year-old Australian boy, via the Internet and by telephone, for sex. State police said that Arnold had offered to arrange for the boy to travel from Australia to Pennsylvania so the two could have sex.

Authorities were alerted to the scheme when the boy's father contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Internet. Arnold's computer was subsequently seized by detectives who found implicating evidence in numerous emails to the boy's email account.

From CBS 3:

"Communications were sexual in nature, instant messages, email and telephone communications,” said Trooper Paul Iannace of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Arnold posted $50,000 and was released from custody. If convicted, she faces a possible seven years in prison.

In an interesting side development, Arnold's husband, John, pulled a gun on the media crew when they went to interview Melissa.

When CBS 3 was leaving, Melissa's husband John Arnold came out of the house and followed us to our truck. He was repeatedly asking us what we were doing there and we told him we were leaving.

As he was walked away, he pulled a 45-millimeter handgun out of his pocket clearly showing us he had a gun. We called police and Arnold was seen showing them his gun permit.

WOW!  That is one monster pistol!


[Update 01/13/07]

Arnold sentenced.

Al Qaeda Claims Amman Blasts

According to a an unverified statement on an Islamist website, Al Qaeda in Iraq takes responsibility for the triple bomb attacks on Amman hotels.

From ABC News Online:

"A group of our best lions launched a new attack on some dens," the statement said.

"After casing the targets, some hotels were chosen which the Jordanian despot turned into a backyard for the enemies of the faith, the Jews and crusaders."

The statement was signed by a spokesman for Al Qaeda in Iraq.

The admission comes as no surprise since al Qaeda was suspected from the very beginning. That said, it is odd that many hours transpired before they claimed responsibility.

Female Teacher Arrested for Sex with Boy

(Centerville, Maryland) A 32-year-old English teacher at Kent County High School, Kimberly Cordrey-McKinney, was arrested today by Maryland State Police and charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old male student. Cordrey-McKinney faces two counts each of sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse from a custodian, unnatural/perverted sexual practice and second degree assault.

Cordrey-McKinney remains in custody until a bond hearing is held in District Court.


[Update 11/14/05, 1500 EST]

According to this report, Cordrey-McKinney is married to a Queen Anne's County sheriff's deputy. I bet he's embarrassed and humiliated. Also, added photo.

Two Men Indicted for Missile Smuggling Conspiracy

(Los Angeles) A federal grand jury indicted two men today for conspiring to smuggle shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles into the United States.

From Reuters.com:

Chao Tung Wu and Yi Qing Chen became the first defendants indicted under a federal smuggling law enacted last December, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

They were charged with conspiring with unnamed foreign nationals to smuggle into the United States missile systems designed to destroy aircraft, charges that carry maximum penalties of 25 years in prison.

Wu and Chen were already being held without bail on charges related to a conspiracy to smuggle counterfeit money, cigarettes and drugs into the United States and distribute methamphetamine and ecstasy.

The two will be arraigned next week.

Wu and Chen were initially arrested, along with 85 others, during a federal undercover investigation called Operation Smoking Dragon. In my opinion, this case illustrates the value and need for undercover anti-terrorism operations.

Companion at In The Bullpen.

Explosions in Jordan

(Amman, Jordan) Eighteen people are reported dead from explosions at three major Amman hotels about two hours ago. Suicide bombers are suspected. More than 120 are reported injured.

From the JPost:

"The attacks carry the trademark of al-Qaida," one police official said on condition of anonymity in line with police regulations. "However it is not certain. We are investigating."

The explosions struck the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels. A police officer at the Radisson site said it was caused "apparently by a bomb."

The hotels, in the commercial Jebel Amman district, are frequented by American and European businessmen and diplomats. The Radisson, in particular, is popular with Israeli tourists, and was a target of several foiled al-Qaida plots in the past.

Developing ...


[Update 1625 EST]

From Reuters, at least 23 people are now reported dead from three suspected suicide bombers in the three hotels.

The explosion at the Radisson Hotel occurred in a banquet room where 300 people were attending a wedding reception. The room was adjacent to a bar which security sources believe was the intended target.

The stone entrance to the Grand Hyatt was completely shattered. Hyatt General Manager Otto Steenbeek stated the explosion was in the bar area and caused many casualties.

The blasts came without warning or any hint from intelligence. Thus far, no claims of responsibility have been received.

Television news reports that suicide bombers are believed to have walked into the hotels. Videotape surveillance footage should be available. Similarities are being drawn to last month's bombings in Bali where suicide bombers walked into restaurants.


[Update 1640 EST]

Fox News reports that a Jordanian security force spokesman has confirmed that there are 53 dead. The explosions are believed to be the first organized simultaneous terrorist attacks in Jordan.


[Update 1700 EST]

From Lawhawk, it seems there may have been some warning that Jordan was a target for an imminent attack. Check out Hammorabi who posts an alert that Zarqawi has been planning an attack in Jordan. The source of the information is not clear.


[Update 1745 EST]

(via television newscasts) The Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher said there were two suicide bombers and a car bomb. The Hyatt and Radisson were attacked by suicide walk-ins, the Days Inn was attacked with a car bomb. The death toll has increased to 57.

The AP reports approximately 300 wounded. The borders of Jordan have been sealed and a search is underway for collaborators.

Jordan's King Abdullah blamed a "deviant and misled group" for the attacks. The Jordanian cabinet is in an emergency session.

2005 Durex Global Sex Survey

Recently released, the results of the 2005 Durex Global Sex Survey indicate that people worldwide have sex an average of 103 times per year. The survey of 41 countries by condom-maker Durex contains many interesting nuggets for conversation. Here's a few.

- Greeks have sex 138 times per year and led the world.

- France led in 2004 at 137 times per year but fell this year to 120. Sacre bleu!

- Americans have sex 113 times per year, up two from 2004.

- Australians and Canadians have sex 108 times per year.

- Asians, in general, are the least active sexually, taking nine of the bottom ten slots in the ranking of countries.

Least Active

China - 96
Sweden - 92
Taiwan - 88
Vietnam - 87
Malaysia - 83
Hong Kong - 78
Indonesia - 77
India - 75
Singapore - 73

And the most frustrated country for the second straight year, getting less than half the average action, is:

Japan - 45

It's a little perplexing that the Asians are ranked so low ... uh ... there being so many of them.

Arguably, there's more frivolity than substance in the survey, yet it provides some important demographic statistics regarding safe sex practices and promiscuity. It doesn't explain, however, why the Swedish bikini babes get less action than hot Canadian women.

Trackback to Samantha Burns.

Complaint About Big Breasts, Small Butts

(via John Ray and the Sunday Mail) Check out a recent feminist complaint from Australia.

A beer advertisement championing females with large breasts and a small behind has been slammed as portraying Australians as "a bunch of crude, sexist yobbos." The Foster's beer ad has been seen extensively throughout the Russian Federation. It depicts a bikini with a small top and a large bottom above the caption "the law of life." Below that is a bikini with a large top and a small bottom captioned "the law of Foster's."

The ad has prompted an angry response from Australian women. Women's Electoral Lobby Australia chairwoman Eva Cox said: "It is bloody stupid. "Why would they bother antagonising a whole pile of women who could drink Foster's? "Companies have got to get a bit smarter about this sort of stuff." (more)

Now, excuse me for being dense about this, but why would women be antagonized for being physically attractive? One could easily believe that Eva Cox wants women, in general, and any reference to female physical attributes, in particular, to be excluded from all advertising. Why? I don't know, but I'd suggest that this woman named Eva Cox would benefit from a day of stiff homonyms. She needs to lighten up.

Blogging Made Easy

Occasionally, a blogger will complain about the difficulty in putting together one of the multitude of carnivals in the blogosphere. From now on, I won't listen. Not when John Bambenek, the Part-Time Pundit, can put together two carnivals in a week. In fact, he's hosted two carnivals in three days, The Carnival of the Capitalists and, the granddaddy of carnivals, The Carnival of the Vanities.

John, you da' man!

Telling The Truth To Bobby Mugabe

(Mutare, Zimbabwe) United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Christopher Dell, told a gathering of academics and students at Africa University that Zimbabwe's disastrous economic decline was caused by gross mismanagement and corruption by the government of Robert Mugabe. Dell said that neither drought nor western sanctions caused the country's problems. Truer words have never been spoken.

Mugabe was not amused and, via state radio, he said, "Mr. Dell, go to hell."

Meanwhile, over 150 people were arrested throughout Zimbabwe by riot police for trying to demonstrate against the worsening economic crisis. The entire leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) was detained for calling on its membership to march without getting permission, contrary to strict security laws. The union leaders said they just wanted to remind the government that they were "hungry, angry and tired."

I believe Mugabe already knows quite well that his citizenry is hungry, angry and tired and it's a condition he wants to continue.

Same-Sex Marriage Outlawed in Texas

(Austin) With over 472 thousand votes counted, Texas voters have overwhelmingly passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Called Proposition 2, voters came out in favor by a 3 to 1 margin.

Although same-sex marriage is already prohibited by state law, supporters of Proposition 2 believed constitutional guidance was necessary to prevent political subdivisions from creating or recognizing any legal status identical to or similar to marriage, including such legal status relationships created outside of Texas.

I think 'created outside of Texas' means Massachusetts right now.

Therapist Accused of Sex with 15-Year-Old Boy

(Waukegan, Illinois) A juvenile counselor and therapist, 26-year-old Tiffany Daddino of Chicago, has been charged with criminal sexual assault for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy in a residential treatment center. Daddino is being held in the Lake County Jail on $500,000 bail.

When authorities started investigating Daddino in October, she was suspended from her position. Later, she resigned. It appears that Daddino was wrongly assigned to give therapy when, in reality, she should have been receiving therapy. As a care-giver, Daddino should have known better.


[Update 11/09/05, 0900 EST]

(Lake County, Illinois) Daddino went before a judge who refused to lower her bail.

From SunTimes.com:

Lake County prosecutors opposed lowering Daddino's bail, saying they are concerned she might try to flee to escape prosecution on the felony charges, which carry a maximum 15-year prison sentence.

"She's a flight risk,'' said Assistant State's Attorney Patricia Fix, adding that when Daddino was arrested Friday at her Chicago apartment, she already had packed up many of her possessions.

Daddino also allegedly scrubbed and cleaned her apartment, bedding and car in a possible attempt to destroy evidence, Fix said.

Whoa! So, by all indications, Daddino was planning to run. Also, Daddino is being investigated to determine if she might have helped the teen escape from the residential treatment center in August. There may be more charges filed against her.



[Update 10/05/06]

Daddino sentenced to four years in prison.

Woman Accused of Sexually Abusing Little Boys

(Flagler County, Florida) This report is unnerving. If the alleged charges against Sandie Yentis are true, the woman is despicable.

From News4Jax.com:

A Palm Coast woman was arrested late Monday, accused of forcing a 10-year-old boy to perform oral sex on her while she was engaged with phone sex with her boyfriend in prison.

A Flagler County Sheriff's Office detective said Sandie Alyse Yentis, 31, masturbated in front of another 7-year-old boy while she was on the phone with her boyfriend.

Yentis told investigators her boyfriend got on the phone with one of the boys and made arrangements to perform oral sex on Yentis.

Yentis was is charged with 15 counts of capital sexual battery on a minor and 10 counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition on a minor.

The incidents allegedly occurred this past summer and authorities were tipped by Florida Department of Corrections officers who had intercepted a call between Yentis and her boyfriend, Mario Ferryman, 44. Ferryman is doing a 30-year stretch for burglary and grand theft. The relationship of the boys with Yentis and Ferryman is unknown at present.

Thirty years sounds about right for Yentis if she's convicted of the charges against her. Yentis is being held without bond until she appears before a judge.

Companion Post at Conservative Thinking.

Another Saddam Trial Lawyer Killed

(Baghdad) Last month, a defense lawyer in Saddam Hussein's trial, Saadoun Sughaiyer al-Janabi, was abducted and later found dead. Janabi was one of 13 defense lawyers in the opening session of court, representing one of Saddam's seven co-defendants. His death is being investigated.

Today, gunmen opened fire on a car carrying two other defense lawyers, also representatives of Saddam's co-defendants, killing one and injuring the other. The attack occurred in western Baghdad and resulted in the death of Adil al-Zubeidi. Attorney Thamer Hamoud al-Khuzaie was wounded.

The entire defense team is understandably edgy and has called for a change of venue to somewhere outside of Iraq. The defense stated that they refuse to cooperate with the court until their members' safety can be assured.

Al Jazeera television attaches blame for the deaths to "an armed group using government vehicles." There have also been accusations by Sunni Arabs that "ministry forces or Shiite militias" are responsible for the murders. I'd say it's currently unknown who committed the killings.

Ohio Voter Guide

Today is Election Day and Ohio citizens will be asked to decide on five controversial statewide issues. Having reviewed each of the five issues, Interested-Participant recommends the following:

ISSUE 1 - Vote NO

- Issue 1 would allow the bureaucrats and politicians to spend $2 billion from a bond issue on roads, bridges, and R & D. I see it as another spending scam, costing the taxpayer at least $2 billion. Before voting, think about just how much more of your money you want the state to piss away.

ISSUE 2 - Vote NO

- Issue 2 is nothing more than a scheme to allow for new and innovative ways to queer the voting system. Presumably, it lets voters mail in absentee ballots for any reason up to 35 days before an election. This is ludicrous. Election Day is the day people should cast votes unless there's a good reason for having to vote absentee.

ISSUE 3 - Vote NO

- Issue 3 would amend the state constitution to delineate the dollar amounts allowed to be contributed to political candidates. Tellingly, Issue 3 contains more words than the Declaration of Independence and would be more suitable as a state law or regulation than a constitutional amendment.

That said, it's bad either way. Unions could take members' dues and give to political campaigns without consent of the member. It places restrictions on advertising, who can contribute, and when contributions are allowed. In its entirety, Issue 3 is a solid promise that near every politician and contributor will end up in noncompliance and, possibly, in court. The measure is a nightmare and it doesn't belong in the constitution.

ISSUE 4 - Vote NO

- Issue 4 would amend the Ohio Constitution to create a redistricting commission to determine legislative districts. This commission would be unelected and stuffed with political appointees. Voters would have no recourse if the commission acted inappropriately or unfairly. Essentially, redistricting would be in the hands of bureaucrats. Do we need more bureaucrats in Ohio? Bureaucrats that spend and spend and are unaccountable to the voters? I think not.

ISSUE 5 - Vote NO

- Issue 5 would change the constitution to eliminate a significant part of the Ohio Secretary of State's job. Issue 5 would create a commission of political appointees to oversee elections. Consequently, if the measure is passed, no longer will a person (Secretary of State) be responsible for the integrity of the election process. Responsibility will be with a bunch of people pointing fingers at other people. Therefore, nobody will be accountable for election problems.

Listen, when the founders of the constitution assigned responsibility, they knew what they were doing and, so far, their decisions have worked well for over a century. There's no overriding reason to restructure the constitutionally mandated government. What's next? Do we replace the governor with a commission?

Any prudent observer of politics knows that Issues 2 through 5 are attempts by Democrats to influence the outcome of elections without getting additional people to vote for them. That's the problem these four (Issues 2 through 5) measures are addressing. Being unable to win elections in the old fashioned way has proven to be too big a hurdle, so the Democrats are trying to change the system in their favor.

Issue 1, on the other hand, is simply a tax and spend implement. No rational thinking voter would believe that the government needs more money nor more leeway on how they spend it. Anyone voting for Issue 1 should accompany his/her ballot with a power of attorney document to allow the state to confiscate all assets. Issue 1 is advertised as a "jobs" measure. Don't believe it. Issue 1 is a "spending" measure.

In conclusion, despite the fact that all of these five statewide issues are bad law, they don't belong in the Ohio Constitution. The Ohio Constitution is the upper-tier, controlling document for governing the state of Ohio. It should not be the document to dictate day-to-day operations of state agencies which is what Issues 1 through 5 do. Everyday operations of the state should be mandated in rules, laws, and regulations passed by the legislature. A state worker shouldn't have to consult the Ohio Constitution on a daily basis to do his/her job.

Remember, vote NO on State Issues 1 through 5.

Post neighborly disseminated to:
Conservative Thinking,
Diggers Realm,
In The Bullpen, and
The Jawa Report.

Taser Cam

Taser International Inc. has developed a Taser Cam to provide evidence of Taser usage and hopefully deter irresponsible use by officers.

From KansasCity.com:

The Taser Cam is an audio and video recorder that attaches to the butt of the gun and starts taping when the weapon is turned on. It continues recording until the weapon is turned off. The Taser doesn't have to be fired to use the camera.

[ ... ]

Unlike dashboard-mounted cameras in patrol cars, which capture the action only if it transpires where the lens happens to have been directed, the Taser cameras always face where the gun is pointed, to capture what is said and done in the moments leading up to a suspect being jolted by the device's 50,000 volts.

[ ... ]

The Taser Cam records in black and white but is equipped with infrared technology to record images in very low light. The camera will have at least one hour of recording time, the company said, and the video can be downloaded to a computer over a USB cable.

The Taser Cams are expected to be on the market by March. The camera attachment will add about $400 to the typical $800 to $1,000 Taser.

Terrorist Attack Thwarted in Australia

Breaking news! Overnight police raids in New South Wales and Victoria have foiled a terrorist plot and new anti-terrorism legislation has been credited as making the raids possible.

From ABCNews Online:

Sixteen people have been arrested in raids conducted by more than 400 police on a number of suburbs in Sydney and Melbourne.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says a terrorist attack has been foiled.

"I am satisfied that we have disrupted what I would regard as the final stages of a terrorist attack or the launch of a terrorist attack in Australia," he said.

"We will continue our investigations both at a Commonwealth and state level to identify those that may be related to those persons now under investigation."

Victoria's Police Commissioner, Christine Nixon, agrees that police have prevented a major terrorist attack from occurring.

In Melbourne, an Algerian-born Muslim Imam Abdul Nacer Benbrika, also known as Abu Bakr, was among those arrested. Abu Bakr is the spiritual leader of some of the terrorist suspects. Nevertheless, members of the Australian Muslim community expressed surprise at the raids.

In my opinion, the passing of tough, albeit controversial, anti-terrorism laws has to be recognized as the key element which allowed the thwarting of the suspected plot.

Google Page Rank

Check out Nicholas Roussos for more on this Google page rank retrieval tool.

Future PageRank Tool © SEO Chat™

Valid URL

Try it yourself. Just put in a URL and find out how high in the hierarchy a particular web page ranks in Google search results. The higher the number, the closer to number 1 a page appears in a given search. I'm sure other factors are considered since many web sites are ranked the same.

Naturally, I checked my own and others. Google.com is at Rank 10, Yahoo! and AOL get a Rank 9, and Instapundit came in at Rank 7. Interested-Participant is a Rank 6.

Jesus Juice

(Los Angeles) Being grossly irreverent towards Christianity apparently comes easily to Dawn Westlake and Bruce Rheins, who are attempting to market a wine called "Jesus Juice" that bears a label showing a Michael Jackson-like figure appearing to be crucified.

Westlake, an actress, and Rheins, a CBS news producer, created the logo featuring a barely clad man with a sequined glove, shiny loafers, stringy hair, and a black fedora that hides his face. An application to trademark Jesus Juice was filed in January 2004, concurrent with Michael Jackson's arrest for alleged molestation and supplying minors with alcoholic drinks he called "Jesus Juice."

This is another example of Christianity being attacked in America and I doubt if anyone would be stupid enough to do something similar in the name of Allah. If I were in the trademark office, I'd find a reason for rejection of the trademark application. Comparing Jesus Christ to Michael Jackson in any manner is not only sacrilegious, it's obscene, offensive, and the epitome of bad taste.

Two Bloggers Receive Investigative Journalism Award

(via Right Truth) Those familiar with the intricacies of Rathergate know that Buckhead saw the original 60 Minutes II episode and raised a flag on FreeRepublic.com about the authenticity of Dan Rather's evidence. TankerKC followed with a web posting that prompted additional scrutiny. Ultimately, Dan Rather resigned and Rathergate will forever live in the annals of journalism.

Recognizing Buckhead and TankerKC (Harry MacDougald and Paul Boley, respectively) for their efforts, Accuracy in Media (AIM) has honored them with the first annual Reed Irvine Investigative Journalism Award.

Congratulations! I raise my coffee cup in tribute to Harry MacDougald and Paul Boley.

Union Issues Fatwa to Quell Rioting

That's right. The rioting in France has prompted a declaration from above. Mac Powell has the details at In The Bullpen. Evidently, the unions are so powerful in socialist France that they have the authority to issue religious edicts. What's next? Maybe we'll see labor relations disputes adjudicated before an ayatollah instead of a judge.

I suppose it's unreasonable to imagine that an ayatollah would impose a death sentence in a labor relations case. Or, maybe not.

Nevertheless, according to the Telegraph, the fatwa was issued because of "official suggestions that Islamist militants might be organising some of the protests." As far as "official suggestions" go, this one appears to be one of the better ones to come out of France in a while.

My Congressman Voted Against Online Free Speech

Thanks to The Unrepentant Individual, I discovered that my Republican Congressman from Ohio, Steve LaTourette, voted with the Democrats to defeat H.R. 1606, the Online Freedom of Speech Act. As I understand it, the Act would give "online communications," such as blogs and websites, the same protections regarding political speech as is given to other "communications" defined by the Federal Election Commission (i.e. newspapers, television).

Sometime this week, LaTourette's office can expect a call. Why in the world would any Republican side with the Democrats against free speech? I believe an explanation is warranted.

Tornado Death Toll At Least 18

(Evansville, Indiana) Updating a previous post, Reuters reports 18 people have died and more than 100 were injured in last night's tornado.

From IndyStar.com:

- The tornado developed in a line of thunderstorms that rolled rapidly eastward across the Ohio Valley during the morning.

- The National Weather Service posted severe thunderstorm warnings for sections of northern Ohio.

- The damage path through Newburgh, eight miles east of Evansville, was about three-quarters of a mile wide, and extended for roughly 20 miles, Assistant Fire Chief Chad Bennett told CNN.

- He said emergency sirens sounded, but most people didn't hear them because it happened in the middle of the night.

- No deaths were reported in Kentucky, said Michelle King, a dispatcher with the Henderson County sheriff's office.

- At the Ellis Park racetrack, between Evansville and Henderson, Ky., the Henderson County Sheriff's department said about half of the track's grandstands had been destroyed, along with horse barns and housing units.

- There were conflicting reports of injuries at the track. Paul Kuerzi, the track's vice president and general manager, said several people were injured, but Larry Koerber of the Henderson County emergency management office told MSNBC there was one minor injury.

- Koerber said four or five horses were dead.

- Mike Roeder, a spokesman for utility company Vectren, said 25,000 homes were without power, mostly in Warrick County.

- There also were reports of natural gas leaks.

Rescue workers continue to sort through the debris. Both FEMA and the National Guard have been activated and Gov. Mitch Daniels is on his way to Evansville. Indiana state officials are gathering at the scene.

Deck O' Bloggers 2005

I got a tip from A Person in Florida that Aaron's:cc is putting together a "Blogopoly-style playing card in a commemorative end-of-year blogger alter-ego meme." Make sense? I'll let Aaron explain:

I'm taking nominations via trackbacks to this post. I'll be seeding the nominations with some of the obvious candidates.

Yes, you can self-nominate via a single trackback, but give a good (based on merit or humor is best) reason why you should be in the running. "My blog [your blog name here] should be eligible in the [suit name] suit poll because [reason here]." Something that may give me a visual idea to riff on is best.

If you can get a Higher Being, Mortal Human or Playful Primate to nominate you, 10 votes will be added to your vote total.

Link-whoring? Yeah, a bit. But how much are a piece of custom photoshopping unique to your blog, a good laugh and bragging rights worth?

The sample Queen of Hearts and King of Diamonds are NOT the final drafts. Final photoshops will be a complete unique card.

Nominations end at 9pm PDT the night before each poll.

More details on the process are here.

I'd like to see Interested-Participant get a card but I think I'm drawing to an inside straight. There are many people holding better hands. However, there's hope. I recall a Jamaican bobsled team and an Olympic ski jumper from England and, of course, there's that little ole' ant who thought he'd move that rubber tree plant...

Overnight Tornado in Indiana

(Evansville, Indiana) Although media reports are understandably sketchy, it's known that a killer tornado slashed through portions of Henderson County, Kentucky, and Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties, Indiana. Loss of life is at 11 people, unconfirmed. Heaviest hit areas include Boonville, Ind., where a modular home community was devastated.


Tornado IND/KY 11/06/05
(Map - CNN)
From WTHR.com:

Police report severe damage at Ellis Park race track in Henderson County, Kentucky, at the Eastbrook Mobile Home Park near Evansville's southeast side, and in the Warrick County town of Newburgh.

Authorities said about 80 people had been taken from the ruins of the mobile home park to hospitals.

It's estimated that 25,000 homes are without electricity, mostly in Warrick County. The tornado is believed to have been about 3/4 of a mile wide.

From CNN.com:

An overnight tornado killed at least 11 people and injured 160 others in southwestern Indiana, officials said Sunday.

A dispatcher for the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office confirmed seven fatalities at a mobile home park and said officials were planning to activate the National Guard to assist with the disaster.

Chad Bennett, an assistant fire chief in Newburgh in neighboring Warrick County, said authorities reported four deaths there.

[ ... ]

"Extensive damage" was reported at the Ellis Park horse track, a dispatcher with the Henderson County Sheriff's Department said.

With daylight, video images are being released and commentators generally are in agreement that the area "looks like a war zone."

JDL Activist Killed in Prison

(Phoenix, Arizona) A former dental assistant and West Coast coordinator for the Jewish Defense League was killed in prison when attacked from behind with a cement block.

From azcentral.com:

A Jewish Defense League activist, convicted in California plots to bomb a mosque and a congressman's office, has been killed at a prison in north Phoenix, authorities said Saturday.

Earl Leslie Krugel, 63, was fatally assaulted about 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Federal Correctional Institute, near Interstate 17 and Pioneer Road, said Richard Murray, an FBI special agent in Phoenix.

Murray declined to disclose assault details, but said a joint investigation has been launched by the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Krugel pleaded guilty in the plots to bomb the King Fahd Mosque in Culver City and a San Diego-area office of Rep. Darrell Issa, a Lebanese-American, and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

NY Post Reported to be Mobbed Up

According to a recently-filed court document, the Bonanno crime family has allegedly put a mobster into the New York Post newspaper organization. The information came from a conversation secretly taped by a mob associate wearing a wire.

From NYDailyNews.com:

In a January jailhouse conversation, former Bonanno acting boss Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano boasts, "The Post we still have 'cause Vinny Bionics (is) there."

Sources said "Vinny Bionics" is a Bonanno soldier still employed at the newspaper.

Basciano - unaware that then-Bonanno boss Joseph Massino was wearing a hidden wire - blabbed: "(Vinny Bionics) said the Westside was trying to move into The Post. I said, 'Junior, we can't give up the Post.'"

"The Westside" is a reference to the Genovese crime family.

In preparation for Basciano's upcoming racketeering trial, federal prosecutors filed papers containing a portion of the taped conversation. The Post hasn't commented yet.

If this allegation is true, it should surprise no one. I'm definitely not surprised. The mob has, at one time or another, tainted every business operation in the Tri-State area. Mob involvement in the newspaper business is even mentioned in the Godfather. Consequently, the only reason mob involvement with a newspaper is news is that it's become part of a court proceeding.

Rapist Gets Probation

(Auburn, New York) Teenager Christopher Phelps was sentenced by Cayuga County Judge Peter Corning to 10 years probation for the rape of a 15-year-old girl. Defense attorney Emil Rossi stated that Phelps, 16, has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and it was a factor in the sexual assault. On the other hand, Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelmann said that Phelps has "impulsivity issues" and there's no guarantee that he won't commit another sex crime.

If ever there were a sure bet, I'd say it's that Phelps will commit another sex crime.

Recalled Consumer Products

Without any fanfare, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced a record number of product recalls for the fiscal year 2005. In protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from consumer products that cost the nation more than $700 billion annually, the CPSC recalled 397 products in 2005.

Okay, readers, name one. Extra credit for anyone who can name ten dangerous products recalled.

To be fair, most Americans could likely name one or two or maybe even a handful, but I'm certain that there's not one consumer who could name all 397 products deemed to present unreasonable risks of serious injury or death. Now, agreed, not every product represents a risk to every individual, but it would seem appropriate for the average consumer to be familiar with the list of 397. After all, each is a risk of injury or death.

Of course, the information is available, but you'll have to search for it. Presumably, Recalls.gov is a comprehensive source, but I seriously doubt whether most people would consult the list prior to buying, selling, giving away or using a product. I don't know what people consult if they don't use the Internet.

More disturbing, though, is the fact that I thought all along that I was a knowledgeable consumer when, in reality, I'm totally unaware of 396 dangerous products recalled by the government last year. The other one, a child's car seat, I remember being reported on television, but not the problem that makes it dangerous nor the manufacturer.

Maupins Release Statement

As reported previously, soldiers of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division have been searching an area west of Baghdad for indications of Sgt. Matt Maupin, listed as captured. Items found during the searches were analyzed and determined not to belong to Maupin.

Sgt. Maupin's parents, Keith and Carolyn Maupin, traveled to Washington to meet with Pentagon officials today. After the meeting, they released the following statement.

Today we met with Lt. Gen. James L. Campbell, the Director of the Army Staff, who provided us with a progress report on the search for our son, Sgt. Matt Maupin.

The information we received was helpful and it showed the Army is actively following up leads concerning his whereabouts.

We will not discuss the specifics of the update because it is an ongoing operation and saying anything could be detrimental to Matt's safe return and the safety of those involved in the search.

It has been more than 18 months since he was captured and we pray every day for him and the soldiers who continue to search for him.

We ask the American people to do the same.

Amen.

Tammy Imre Gets Six Years for Sex with 8-Year-Old

(Bridgeport, Connecticut) In September, 30-year-old Tammy Imre pleaded guilty to a charge of risk of injury to a minor in accordance with an agreement which eliminated the need for the 8-year-old victim to have to testify in court.

Today, Imre was sentenced to six years in prison and ten years probation along with being required to register as a sex offender.

From NewsDay.com:

Imre admitted engaging in sexual acts with the boy but said it stopped short of sexual intercourse.

"When this was first in the paper, it was almost a joke, because of the role reversal," prosecutor Cornelius Kelly said. "It conjures up thoughts of, 'Oh, that's a young man's dream.' But as we stand here today, we still don't know what damage this will have on the young boy's self-esteem, his interpersonal relationships. We don't know what damage the young girl suffered."

Imre's daughter, who witnessed some of the acts, is now in foster care, authorities said.

"She has hurt a lot of innocent people, including her own daughter, who not only lost her mother, but her best friend, who was my son," the boy's mother told the judge.

Imre said she was truly sorry.

Is six years enough? Turn it around to be a 30-year-old man mixing it up with an 8-year-old girl. Now, ask if six years is enough. In my opinion, six years is not even close to being enough. Frankly, though, given the customary leniency that courts show toward female pedophiles, I'm surprised she got that much.

'Breasts Not Bombs' Group Seeks Protection

(Sacramento, California) In an effort to translate ogling into support for a political cause, an anti-war group is seeking court protection.

From the SacBee.com:

Mendocino County women who have been baring their breasts at various venues to protest the war in Iraq are in Sacramento federal court seeking an order prohibiting the California Highway Patrol from arresting them during a planned noon demonstration Monday at the Capitol.

The women's group, Breasts Not Bombs, is suing CHP Commissioner Mike Brown and two of his officers over a warning that if the women demonstrate while topless, they will be arrested and charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.

The group claims it also was warned by the CHP that if its members are convicted of indecent exposure they may have to register as sex offenders.

In its motion before the court, the group's San Francisco attorney, Matthew Kumin, stated that, in essence, if they can't take their shirts off, nobody shows up and listens to the women. U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. will rule on a temporary restraining order preventing the arrest of Breasts Not Bombs members.


[Update 11/05/05]

U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. ruled that there is "no First Amendment right to bare breasts on the grounds of the state Capitol" and refused to restrain California Highway Patrol officers from arresting the 'Breasts Not Bombs' babes if they take their shirts off. Sherry Glaser, a member of BNB and its spokeswoman, said the group would have to discuss what they'll do now that their arrests are possible.

Lesbian Teacher and 15-Year-Old Student

(Lecanto, Florida) A 36-year-old business education teacher at Lecanto High School, Amy Gail Lilley, was arrested Tuesday at school and charged with one count of lewd or lascivious battery for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student. Lilley is a divorced mother of two.

During an interview with investigators, Lilley acknowledged the relationship with the girl. After posting $5,000 bail on Wednesday, she was released from jail. If convicted of lewd or lascivious battery, Lilley faces a possible 15 years in prison.

Note: Lilley is the second lesbian teacher-student sex case reported from central Florida in the past week. The first was Jaymee Wallace.


[Update 11/10/05]

At a School Board meeting on Tuesday (11/08), it was announced that Lilley submitted her resignation from her teaching position at Lecanto High School.

Lilley's next court appearance is scheduled for November 21.


[Update 01/20/06]

Lilley sentenced.

Teacher Gets 20 Years for Sex with Student

(Ridgeland, Mississippi) Former English teacher at Ridgeland High School, Nancy Heindl Lewis, 47, was sentenced by Madison County Circuit Judge William E. Chapman III to 20 years in prison for improper sexual activity with a 16-year-old male student. Ten years of the sentence were suspended. She also received five years probation.

Suspected Human Trafficker Freed

(Bangor, Maine) From a previous report, 39-year-old Canadian mother of three, Savita Singh-Murray, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to smuggle three South American illegal aliens into the United States. On Monday (10/31), she was freed.

From the BangorNews.com:

Only because the government couldn't prove that a Canadian woman was involved in human trafficking when she brought a man and two teenage females into the country illegally was she free to return to her husband and children, a federal judge said Monday.

Savita Singh-Murray, 39, of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, wept as U.S. District Judge John Woodcock sentenced her to time served, or 132 days in jail.

[ ... ]

He sternly admonished Singh-Murray for her involvement with what prosecutors suspect was a plot to bring young women into the country to be forced to work as prostitutes.

Woodcock said that Guyana is on an international human trafficking watch list.

Singh-Murray initially told officials that she was the aunt of Awad Hansraj, 21, Lalita Depaul, 18, and a 16-year-old girl, and that she intended to take them to the Calais McDonald's restaurant, according to court documents.

Later, she admitted that she was not their aunt and was forced by a former boyfriend in Toronto to smuggle the three into the U.S. and drop them off at the Calais Motor Inn.

Consequently, although it is strongly suspected that Singh-Murray was involved with human trafficking, there was no proof. I don't understand how this could be since she confessed and she was caught at the border. Nonetheless, the judge lets her go with the stipulation that she be barred from entering the U.S.

Awad Hansraj and Lalita Depaul each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to enter the U.S. by making false statements to border agents and got to spend four days in jail before deportation. Immigration authorities took custody of the 16-year-old girl, identified as Sheliza A. in court documents.

U.S. Senator Cindy Sheehan?

Witness the Left cannibalize each other. The buzz is Cindy versus Hillary for U.S. Senator in 2006.

You watch. The Clintonistas will likely have Sheehan squashed like a bug long before there is a real chance of a contest.

New Tax Proposed by Democrat

(Jefferson City, Missouri) Missouri State Representative Jeff Roorda was so humiliated by the St. Louis Cardinals' defeat in the Major League Baseball Playoffs that he has decided to take action. Blaming the Cardinals' losses on the umpires, Roorda wants to punish them where it hurts, in their wallets.

"I think if they're not going to pay attention, they ought to at least pay taxes," Roorda said Wednesday."

As a result, Roorda promised to introduce legislation in December to tax umpires and referees.

So, fans shouting the rhetorical 'Kill the ump!' will be replaced with the real-life 'Tax the ump!' And, I'm sure the politicians won't allow deductions for favorable calls.

Or, will they?

Soldiers Search for Sgt. Matt Maupin

There is a new development regarding missing U.S. Army Reservist, Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin of Batavia, Ohio. The 20-year-old remains the only American soldier listed as captured in Iraq.

Enemy forces attacked Maupin's convoy west of Baghdad in April 2004 and took him hostage. Maupin may have been killed on a stretch of land between two highways in the Abu Ghraib area and, based on a recent tip, a search for his body has been launched.

From The Post-Standard:

To the soldiers of the Army's 10th Mountain Division, who have studied his picture and read his story, finding Matt Maupin has become a quest that transcends war and peace; it is a mission that defines their values as soldiers.

[ ... ]

Thirty-two soldiers went out Saturday, 30 the day before, and 28 on the day before that. The soldiers formed a line and inched forward, scouring the ground for clumps of hair or bones or subtle mounds that might suggest movement of dirt 18 months earlier.

"The physical search is the key," Sanford said. "It's all hands-on. It's picking up every rock, it's looking under every bush, it's turning over every piece of clothing or trash that we find out there. And we've found many indicators."

They had dug 45 holes and bagged and tagged 10 items that could hold the answers to Maupin's fate a scrap of military clothing, a clump of hair and several pieces of bones. Each will be shipped to a lab for analysis.

No one is giving up until Matt Maupin is found.

Escapees At Large in South Carolina

(Columbia, South Carolina) Be on the look out for these two men. They escaped from the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia.


Johnny Brewer & Jimmy Causey
From WISTV.com:

Authorities say 39-year-old Johnny Brewer was serving time for murder and 35-year-old Jimmy Causey was serving time for a home invasion involving prominent Columbia attorney Jack Swerling. The two escaped Tuesday morning.

Both men were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. Authorities believe they escaped in a garbage truck which left the facility at 0600 EST Tuesday.

Causey is white, six feet, two inches tall and weighs 179 pounds. He has blue eyes and brown hair and has a scar on the left side of his chin. Causey was last seen in a white shirt with blue lettering spelling "Abercrombie & Fitch," blue jeans, and black boots issued by the Corrections Department.

Brewer is white, five feet, eight inches tall and weighs 136 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair. Brewer was wearing a dark blue pullover, blue jeans and the same kind of Corrections Department boots.

Both are considered extremely dangerous. They have nothing to lose. Anyone with information, call 911, the Richland County Sheriff's Department at 803-576-3000 or the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at 737-9000.

Companion post at Backcountry Conservative.

Bin Laden Lieutenant Escaped U.S. Custody

(Fort Bliss, Texas) This report is disturbing. It's tough enough to have to fight and capture the enemy once. Having to do it over is exasperating.

From the Star-Telegram:

A man believed to be the top al-Qaida operative escaped from a U.S.-run detention facility in Afghanistan and cannot testify against the soldier who allegedly mistreated him, a defense lawyer said Tuesday.

Omar al-Farouq, considered Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant in Southeast Asia, escaped from a U.S. detention facility in Bagram, Afghanistan, on July 10, a Pentagon official confirmed Tuesday evening. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

An Army lawyer for Sgt. Alan J. Driver, a reservist accused of abusing Bagram detainees, asked Tuesday where al-Farouq was and what the Army had done to find him in time for Driver's pretrial hearing.

Capt. John B. Parker, a prosecutor, said al-Farouq and three others escaped from the Bagram detention center and have not been found.

In a nutshell, Farouq escapes in July and we find out about it today because the prosecutor wanted him to testify in the trial of an American serviceman. Uh ... what's wrong with this picture?

First of all, the idea of having a senior al-Qaeda terrorist offer testimony under oath is ludicrous. The murdering scum terrorists are coached in prevarication so there should be no basis to believe a damn thing that comes out of their mouths. And, secondly, as I recall, the escape of a number of detainees from the Bagram facility was reported back in July but they weren't named. What happens next? It's a mystery.

Companion at In The Bullpen.

Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Rape of Boy

(Westford, Massachusetts) Following up on a previous report, former Blanchard Middle School teacher Susan Clickner, 47, was arraigned today on one charge of rape of a child. The rape allegedly involved a 14-year-old boy and occurred last April. She pleaded not guilty and remains free on $5,000 cash bail. Clickner returns to court on Nov.30.

Teacher/Coach Accused of Affair with Girl Student

(Tampa, Florida) A 28-year-old math teacher at Wharton High School, Jaymee Wallace, turned herself in to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for booking on one felony count of lewd and lascivious battery. Wallace, who is also the girls' basketball coach, is accused of having a two-year sexual relationship with a female student, now 17. After posting $7,500 bond, Wallace was released.


Jaymee Wallace
According to Tampa Police Department spokeswoman Laura McElroy, investigators have notes indicating that Wallace and the student started the relationship when the girl was 14. Police investigators became involved in June after being alerted by a relative of the student.


[Update 11/02/05, 0745 EST]

From a different report, we see a different picture and, frankly, it's hard to tell that both images are the same person.

It's also reported that the alleged affair started in December 2002 and ended in 2004 when Wallace broke off the relationship to get married to a fellow Wharton High School teacher.


[Update 12/06/07]

Wallace sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty and putting herself at mercy of the court.

Note: Second picture above removed by substitution of image host.

Russian Prez Putin Won't Run for Third Term

(Moscow) I guess it's time to try and figure out which ex-communist will be allowed to take President Putin's place.

From The Moscow Times:

President Vladimir Putin said Monday that he would not seek a third term in 2008, but vowed not to allow "destabilization" in Russia following the vote, leaving the door open for drastic action in the event of a crisis.

In an interview with Dutch media on the eve of a visit to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Putin reiterated that he opposed changing the Constitution to prolong his time in power -- a possibility that has been widely discussed because of his popularity and control of the parliament.

But Putin said that the 2008 presidential election would be a "serious, difficult test for Russia" and stressed that full power and responsibility for the fate of the country would remain in his hands until the new president has been sworn in.

It seems to me that he is keeping a trump card. If Putin doesn't like the way Russia is being run, he takes "drastic action" to straighten things out. This is probably because of the fact that Russia has little experience with the peaceful transfer of power. Historically, someone customarily had to die or have been murdered.

U.S. Military Bases in Romania

(Bucharest, Romania) From the standpoint of geopolitical strategy, this is an important reshuffling of players in the region.

From Xinhua:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to visit Romania by the end of the year to sign an agreement setting up US military bases in Romania, Romanian Foreign Minister Razvan Ungureanu said on Monday.

The military deals are close to be completed, Romania's Mediafax quoted Ungureanu as saying.

The foreign minister made the remarks after meeting with his US counterpart Rice in New York.

Romanian President Traian Basescu told visiting US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley on Oct. 23 that possible locations for the bases might be Babadag, close to the Danube delta, Constanta, on the Black sea, and Fetesti, 200 km east of Bucharest.

If a Black Sea naval base is included, which seems to be the case, the U.S. will be capable of easily projecting regional influence. Any prudent student of international affairs would deem the expansion of U.S. influence in eastern Europe and western Asia a major development.