Women With Troubles - October 2007

Reported in the news during October 2007, here is the compilation of the women with troubles. Each name is linked to a blog entry displaying details. For a more comprehensive listing, check the Women With Troubles category link.

(AZ) Rebecca Lee Kelley, 24,
teacher - Sentenced to hand slap for sex with male student,

(CA) Michelle Antoinette Rossi, 36,
teacher - Guilty of sex with female student, 14. Sentencing in November,

(CA) Meredith Johnson Vincent, 40,
teacher - Arrested for molesting male student, 14,

(FL) Christina Butler, 33,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student, 15,

(FL) Colleen N. Grear, 23,
cheerleading coach, school asst. - Gets year in jail for sex with boy, 14,

(FL) Jennifer Romero, 30,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with 16-year-old neighbor boy,

(FL) Charity Sato, 23,
babysitter - Gets 20 years prison for molesting boy, 11, and girl, 13,

(FL) Elaine Turner, 36,
teacher - Sentenced to 180 days for sex assault and battery of student,

(FL) Brittany Veres, 16,
babysitter - Arrested for oral sex with boy, 5,

(IL) Meredith A. Sharp, 35,
neighbor - Arrested for falsifying son's death,

(IN) Jennifer Jacobi, 35,
teacher - Gets 66 years prison for child sex crimes,

(LA) Kaylar White, 29,
neighbor - Arrested for leaving her six kids home alone in filthy house,

(MA) Yarelis Cruz, 26,
neighbor - Arrested for dope farm in son's room,

(MN) Franchaska Hogan, 23,
neighbor - Pinched for prostitution and child endangering,

(MO) Teresa Engelbach, 21,
teacher - Charged with rape of boy, 14,

(MO) Angela D. Harris, 26,
neighbor - Gets 10 years prison for risking HIV to others,

(MO) Melissa Mason, 39,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of neighbor boy who impregnated her,

(MT) Rachel (aka Rachael) O'Brien, 24,
neighbor - Gets five years in prison for abandoning her toddlers for nine hours in filthy house,

(NC) Lesia Marie Gunn, 37,
PTA President - Arrested for alleged embezzlement,

(NC) Johni Michelle Heuser, 25,
neighbor mom - Arrested for murder of baby,

(NE) Krista Crosby,
teacher - Sentenced to treatment for heroin found at school,

(NE) Kelsey Peterson, 25,
teacher - Accused of kidnapping, sex with male student, 13,

(NJ) Victoria Blevins, 23,
teacher - Arrested for sex with female student,

(NY) Wanda Edkins, 26,
neighbor - Gets 1 to 3 years for sex assault of girl, 16,

(NY) Jennifer Hastings, 32,
child psychologist - Accused of raping boy, 14, she was counseling,

(NY) Carol C. Tello, 26,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 14,

(OH) Erin Baker, 25,
girls' basketball coach - Arrested for sex assault of female student,

(OR) Barbara Trotta, 38,
teacher - Arrested for providing drugs to students,

(PA) Carrie L. Dana, 28,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 11,

(PA) Samantha Jo Heckman, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(SC) Judy Kistler, 30,
neighbor - Arrested for flashing young children,

(TN) Holly Hatcher, 25,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student, 17,

(TN) Mersadie Minton Pankey, 22,
neighbor - Arrested for pimping teen girls,

(TX) Lauren Cosgrove, 29,
teacher - Arrested for tampering with witness in child sex case,

(TX) Alison Mosbeck, 32,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student, 14,

(TX) Shawna Dickerson, 33,
neighbor - Indicted for sex assault of boy, 14,

(UT) Christy Anne Brown, 33m
teacher - Sentenced to hand slap for sex with male student, 16, on 50 occasions,

(UT) Cris Morris, 29,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student.

As always, thanks to the tipsters.

SC Woman Arrested for Flashing Children

(Columbia, South Carolina) A 30-year-old local mother-of-three, Judy Kistler, was arrested last Sunday by Richland County sheriff's deputies for allegedly exposing herself to young children. Kistler was charged with several counts of indecent exposure to children.

One mother says her 8-year-old son was playing in the yard when Kistler drove up wearing only fishnet stockings.

She grabbed her breast and simulated licking it.

The victim's mother said Kistler then said to the boy "if you want to know what it's like to be with a real woman, let's go."

Another concerned parent, who didn't want WACH FOX News to use his name, says his children were approached at the neighborhood park.

"A couple of the kids in the neighborhood were at the park a lady was trying in the car and wasn't wearing anything. Then we hear bits and pieces. The neighbor's kid is only in 3rd grade," he said.

Kistler was booked and released on $10,000 bond.

Tip: RG

Woman, 20, and Boy, 15

(Hamburg, Pennsylvania) A 20-year-old local woman, Samantha Jo Heckman, was arrested last Friday for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Heckman with charged with statutory sexual assault, indecent assault, indecent exposure and corrupting minors.

Detectives said Heckman had sexual intercourse and indecent contact with the boy in a residence in Hamburg in early August.

Heckman was released on her own recognizance.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Armed Robber Fatally Shot

(Miami, Florida) An armed, ski-masked man has been shot.

It happened Tuesday evening. The would-be robber pointed the gun at the store clerk at Diaz Groceries at the corner of Southwest 268th Street and 135th Avenue, according to Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS4.

The grocery store owner, who was nearby, pulled out a firearm and shot the man, according to police reports.

The man died on his way to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Uh, that's a shame. Hey, just because he was a scum-of-the-Earth armed robber doesn't mean he had to die. After all, Robin Hood was an armed robber and he's trumpeted as a legendary hero.

USS Cole Bomber Freed

It's more than outrage, my cookies are viscerally frosted by the fact that the Yemeni government has freed Jamal Al-Badawi, the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing. The reason he has escaped suitable punishment is that the Yemeni government is intimate with al Qaeda.

Jane Novak, America's often-overlooked expert on Yemeni politics, writes:

Jamal Al-Badawi was originally sentenced to death in 2004 as the lead planner of the USS Cole bombing. The sentence was reduced to 15 years. He escaped twice, the last time in February 2006. He has been on the loose since. He spent less than three years physically inside a jail, where, by the way, he was very well treated. One of the FBI's top ten most wanted terrorists; he is currently at home receiving well wishers.

Yemeni President Saleh says openly that he has a truce with al Qaeda. However, it's more than a truce; it's a mutual support pact. That pact is long standing, mutually beneficial, and responsible for much of the carnage around the world, including the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

There's more to the story at The Weekly Standard. Go now, read and you too can have frosted cookies.

Missouri Mom Gets Pregnant by Neighbor Boy, 15

(Rolla, Missouri) A 39-year-old married mother, Melissa Mason, was arrested last week for engaging in a long-term sexual relationship with a 15-year-old neighbor boy. Ultimately, the boy impregnated Mason.

On Friday, Phelps County prosecutors charged Mason with second-degree statutory rape.

According to the Phelps County Sheriff's Department, Mason and the boy were mixing it up for 18 months before she became pregnant.

Mason's husband has petitioned the court for protection of his three children from his wife.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Kucinich on W's Mental Health

From Breitbart:

Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich questioned President Bush's mental health in light of comments he made about a nuclear Iran precipitating World War III.

"I seriously believe we have to start asking questions about his mental health," Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, said in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board on Tuesday.

"There's something wrong. He does not seem to understand his words have real impact."

Remember, Kucinich is the lawmaker who proposed legislation to ban mind-control weapons from outer space, so he probably has some experience with mental health issues.

I haven't heard a response from the White House yet. I'd anticipate something simple and short -- possibly a colorful verb and a pronoun.

Tip: Moustache Charley

Short, Left-Handed Losers Likely Pedophiles

The Canadian Center for Addiction and Mental Health conducted a study which found that pedophiles are more likely men who are short in height, left-handed, low in IQ, poor students and have suffered head injuries.

Sounds like profiling to me.

Tip: Wicked Thoughts

Cambodian PM Jettisons Lesbian Daughter

(Phnom Penh, Cambodia) And so, we see a real life application of "not that there's anything wrong with it."

Cambodia's prime minister said that his adopted daughter is a lesbian and he was severing ties with her, but he urged the country not to discriminate against gays.

"My adopted daughter now has a wife. I'm quite disappointed," Hun Sen said.

Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany adopted their daughter when she was an infant. Now she's a lesbian and he doesn't want anything to do with her.

However, speaking to a graduating class at the National Institute of Education, he said it's wrong to discriminate against homosexuals.

"Most of them are good people and are not doing alcohol, drugs or racing vehicles" like the members of youth gangs, he added.

Too bad, "the racing Cambodian lesbians" kinda nicely rolls off the tongue.

Cleveland Imam Throws in the Towel

(Cleveland, Ohio) To replace Fawaz Damra, the former and now-deported imam of the Cleveland Islamic Center, 38-year-old Ahmed Alzaree, the former spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Omaha, was selected and hired. But that's old news.

Fresh news is that Alzaree has resigned his new position a mere three days before he was scheduled to start.

But no sooner did the mosque announce his hiring than bloggers posted part of a 2003 "end times" sermon in which Alzaree quoted the Prophet Muhammad saying one sign of the approach of the Day of Judgment is that "the Muslims will kill the Jews." Bloggers also reported that Wagdy Ghoneim, a controversial cleric, spoke at the Omaha mosque.

Alzaree said last week that the sermon gave many examples of Islamic teaching on the Day of Judgment and that it was clear that Muslims in the present were required to "strive and struggle in the world doing the good." He also said the administration of the Omaha mosque invited Ghoneim to speak.

As of Thursday afternoon, Alzaree had been planning to come to Cleveland, vowing to make an extra effort to reach out to Jewish and Christian leaders.

But as Web sites such as Central Ohioans Against Terrorism and Jihad Watch continued to probe, using such terms as "two-faced jihadist," Alzaree said he and his wife concluded they could never have a good beginning in Northeast Ohio.

"I leave the field" to the bloggers, he said Monday. "I have peace now."

Therefore, the bloggers did the actual research to determine Alzaree's spiritual underpinnings and he says as much. Note that it wasn't the Cleveland mainstream media who checked out Alzaree. Nor was it the Islamic Center of Cleveland, represented by General Secretary Zahid Siddiqi and President Zuhair Hasan. On the other hand, maybe they're not irritated by "monkeys, pigs and kill the Jews" sermons.

Interestingly, Alzaree was reportedly hired because of his reputed interfaith accomplishments. I guess, in some type of compartmentalized thinking, "kill the Jews" and interfaith peace and tolerance can occur without schizophrenia. But, I'm just guessing. Alternatively, I'd suspect mendacity.

Patrick Poole of Central Ohioans Against Terrorism and Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog should be commended for their work in exposing the skeletons in Alzaree's closet. Go check out their research.

By the way, Alzaree says he's weighing a number of other opportunities. Let's hope his new neighbors do an Internet search on his name.

Others covering the Alzaree story: Little Green Footballs, Jihad Watch, Right Angle Blog

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Dog Shoots Man

(Somewhere in Iowa) Tipped by WW.

A pack of hunting dogs shot an Iowa man as he went to retrieve a fallen pheasant, authorities said.

The victim, 37-year-old James Harris, was hit in the calf and transported to an Iowa City hospital.

In other news, Vice President Dick Cheney was hunting in New York at the time of the Iowa incident.

Texas Teacher Accused of Sex Acts on Boy, 14

(Spring, Texas) A 32-year-old Dueitt Middle School teacher, Alison Mosbeck, was arrested Friday for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old male student. Mosbeck faces three cases of sexual assault of a child and one case of an improper relationship between an educator and a student.

Authorities were alerted after a friend's mother saw a text message that Mosbeck sent to the boy, allegedly asking if he knew where she could get some marijuana.

Court documents said that Mosbeck started a sexual relationship with the boy in November 2006, when Mosbeck took the boy to Pioneer Days, a festival in Humble.

"The defendant was taking the complainant home from Pioneer Days and while in the car, the defendant performed a sex act on the complainant," the court document said.

The affidavit also said, "Mosbeck performed another sex act on the teenager in the cell phone lot on Lee Road near Intercontinental Airport."

She also allegedly drove the boy to two motels where they had sex as recently as March 18, officials said.

Three weeks ago, Mosbeck was placed on administrative leave by the school system and, today, she resigned. A court appearance is scheduled for November 29th. Until then, Mosbeck is free on $80,000 bond.

Condemned Bali Bombers Get Last Family Visit

(Jakarta, Indonesia) The three Bali bombers on death row have exhausted their appeals and, so far, have refused to be considered for a presidential pardon.

Therefore, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim (aka the smiling assassin), senior Jemaah Islamiah figure Mukhlas (aka Ali Ghufron) and Imam Samudra were visited by their families for, presumably, the last time yesterday.

The families of the terrorists visited Batu Prison, on Nusakambangan Island, dubbed Indonesian's "Alcatraz", for four hours yesterday.

Their lawyer, Achmad Michdan, said the children of Amrozi and Samudra started to cry when they saw their fathers for the first time in more than a year.

"Mukhlas said the family don't need to be saddened by the execution because what they have done is something they truly believe is right," Mr Michdan said.

Amrozi was even more defiant. "People ask me, why am I smiling? I am happy because I will be united with 72 angels in heaven," said Amrozi in an interview.

"In the past I have killed many with my bombs. I have been tested by spending time in this prison, but if you make infidels angry you will (be) rewarded. And soon I will enjoy the fruit of my deeds, if I get executed, God willing."

Amrozi, Mukhlas and Samudra deserve execution. Let us all hope that the Indonesian government follows through. Historically, the legal system has shown a reluctance to carry out meaningful punishment of terrorists.

The actual executions, when and if they occur, won't happen for at least a month. In the interim, the condemned can still request a presidential pardon. I pray that they continue to be smilingly defiant and continue to reject any thought of pardons.

Public Support for the Military

Check out this story from a combat veteran.

"...I wasn't prepared for what happened today.

As my flight from Cincinnati to Atlanta was beginning its descent, the flight attendant began her normal spiel about landing and gates, and assistance finding your connecting flights and so on. Then she announced that I was on board and on my way back to Afghanistan after spending two weeks with my family.

The plane erupted into applause. I was stunned."

But it doesn't stop there....

"They formed us into a line upstairs at the USO, probably 200 or more of us, and took us downstairs in two long lines. Soldiers and Marines paired two by two in a long line snaked through the airport towards the Army Personnel Command desk to do our formalities. As we wove through the airport, the throngs of travelers began to applaud.

I wasn't prepared for that, either. Again, I struggled not to lose it. It was like cracking the seal on a warm, freshly shaken coke. All the bubbles rush towards the cap, bringing the contents of the bottle along. That's what it felt like. I managed to keep all my fluids contained; but it was another close call."

Heh.

Tip: John Ray

No Survey Needed

You don't need a survey to know that the emergency medical field is infected with the humpy-jumpies. Just watch a few television programs.

If romantic fiction is any guide, any doctor looking for love would be advised to be an emergency room surgeon or deliver babies rather than practise colon resection or remove in-grown toenails.

So says Irish physician Brendan Kelly, who -- with a bravura contempt for the effect this endeavour could have on his mind -- has probed at length into the burgeoning literary field of medical romance.

Now, I'm just guessing here, that colon thing might just have some individuals perking.

Budget Flying

(Hong Kong) Oasis Hong Kong is a budget airline that flies cheap flights to Vancouver and London from Hong Kong. As an example, the Hong Kong-London route costs around $160.

The airline's founders, Priscilla and Raymond Lee, are Christians who are trying to facilitate the exchange of cultures, they say. Consequently, they have offered reduced fares for teachers and the elderly and called their business model a "mission."

Raymond Lee says their model has succeeded because they make their planes work harder, with less time on the ground.

They have also improved fuel efficiency and the long-haul, point-to-point model actually reduces their maintenance costs.

"Make your planes work harder, but working safe," he said.

An investment firm recently plunked down $30 million to help Lee buy 14 secondhand Boeing aircraft to bolster the current fleet of five, which are 10 years old on average.

Second-hand, aging aircraft working harder is an interesting approach. What possibly could go wrong?

G.I. Joe No Longer American

Wanna get steamed? I am.

In the world of political correctness and anti-Americanism, G.I. Joe gets a new identity.

The show biz newspaper Variety reports: "G.I. Joe is now a Brussels-based outfit that stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, an international co-ed force of operatives who use hi-tech equipment to battle Cobra, an evil organization headed by a double-crossing Scottish arms dealer."

Kinda "trips off the tongue" says the Cracker Barrel Philosopher.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Housekeeping

Slow going, readers. I'm still on a borrowed computer through a dialup with no current access to my files. And, blogging time is being restricted since I'm helping with the Weblog Awards at Wizbang.

I'll do my best.

No Thanks, They Give Me Gas

I believe that sustainability is a worthwhile goal, but I wouldn't want to have my shoes eaten. Nonetheless, someone liked the idea enough to put edible shoes on the market.

Two Americans Found Dead in Hong Kong Hotel

Here's a mystery for you. Two American businessmen were found dead by hotel staff in a room at the luxury $600-per-day Grand Hyatt Hotel on Friday.

The English-language Sunday Morning Post cited a police source as saying the investigation was looking at the possibility the two were drugged, possibly using flunitrazepam, better-known by the brand name Rohypnol.

Other reports have said the men -- only named as Paul and Richard -- were found by cleaning staff with white froth coming out of their mouths and that they returned to the hotel accompanied by two women.

The Standard also said credit card checks had found the two men had visited a number of bars in Hong Kong's red light district Wan Chai the night before they were discovered.

Another source names the victims as Richard Victor, 51, and Paul Cherry, 45. It's not known where they are from in the U.S. A 20-year-old Filipino woman was arrested as a suspect.

The Filipino woman, who had overstayed her visa, was arrested eight hours after the discovery of the men's bodies after police studied closed circuit television footage from the hotel, the newspaper said.

It was not clear if the woman was being held in connection with the killings but the newspaper said the men returned to the hotel before their deaths with one blonde woman and one Thai or Filipino woman.

Police are understood to be investigating whether the two men died after being given lethal doses of the "date rape" drug flunitrazepam, or Rohypnol in a botched robbery.

There was no sign of injuries on the men or ransacking in the room and one was found slumped partially on a chair while the other man was found dead on a bed.

It's not uncommon for Rohypnol, prostitutes and robberies to be linked in Hong Kong. Murder is less common. However, one unsolved case from 2003 where Rohypnol was a factor is the death of a senior Finnish police officer, Kari Juhani Koivuniemi.

I bet Charlie Chan could solve the mystery. Well, any fictional crimefighter could.


[Update 10/30/07]

A Filipino woman and alleged hooker, 20-year-old Michelle Balinigit Callejas, has been arrested in connection with the deaths of Richard Victor and Paul Cherry.

After a credit card trace, she was apprehended at the ShowBiz Club in the Wan Chai entertainment district.

An early post-mortem report showed that Victor died of a heart attack. The cause of death for Cherry is still to be established.

Tests are being conducted to establish whether the men had taken any drugs.

There is a possibility that the men were the victims of an attempted robbery using a date rape drug.

There have been a number of cases in Wan Chai in which escorts have robbed their clients, using drugs to make them unconscious.

Yesterday, Callejas appeared in Eastern Magistrates' Court before Principal Magistrate Garry Tallentire and was charged with breaching her conditions of stay. Apparently, Callejas was only approved to stay through October 26th. She was remanded in custody until November 19th pending further police investigations.

Meanwhile, police are actively searching for another young Filipino woman.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

California Wildfires and Rare Species

Debris, ash, toxins and smoke are what remains after the wildfire destruction of rare species habitat. Scott Morrison, a scientist with the Nature Conservancy in San Diego, blames it on people.

"These areas have a tendency to burn too frequently because urban development introduces more and more frequent types of ignition."

At risk is the Thorne's hairstreak butterfly which lives in a tree, the Tecate cypress, that is also at risk.

Geoffrey Smith of Wilderness4all says the risk to the butterfly and its tree can only be eliminated when civilization is kept apart from the habitat. Smith is pushing for 2.5 million acres to be designated as federal wilderness.

Just what we need. Less civilization and more government.

Japanese Schoolgirls Selling Panties

Sen. Larry Craig's alleged restroom malfunction focused attention on public bathroom etiquette. Reportedly, particular stances and toe-tapping are lead-ins to illegal public sex. And, you may recall that singer George Michael also had a restroom malfunction a few years ago.

However, besides Craig's and Michael's alleged malfunctions, there are other types of negotiations occurring in public facilities. Check out this story from the Japanese-language magazine Spa!

Safety and easy accessibility is increasingly transforming toilets for the disabled at Tokyo's railway stations into marketplaces for schoolgirls' panties, according to Spa! (10/23).

Large numbers of high school girls are often seen going into the roomier johns and those in the know say the kind of business they're getting up to is not what normally goes on in public conveniences.

"They're actually engaged in burusera trading inside there," a writer specializing on the adult entertainment world tells Spa! Burusera, of course, is the name given to the panty trade, with the term derived from the manufactured English phrase "bloomer seller."

"Recently," the writer continues, "many of the contact points specified for meetings on burusera sites have been the disabled toilets at railway stations. Girls selling their panties prefer it this way because they don't have to go through burusera shops and can therefore increase their margins."

That's been precisely the case for 17-year-old Maki, a schoolgirl who has been using a disabled toilet at a suburban Tokyo railway station for the past two years as the place to sell her soiled underwear.

"Customers prefer it this way, too, because you never know for sure if the panties you buy at a burusera shop are the real thing. There's always that doubt. And on top of that, buyers pay extra if they see you take off your panties in front of them. We can barter together and I can get somewhere from 5,000 yen to 7,000 yen if I strip off my panties in front of the buyer," Maki tells Spa!

Maki also says it's safer to sell her panties in a public restroom since she can call for help if a scary weirdo shows up.

Frankly, I'd say that all of her customers are weirdos. Nonetheless, you've got to applaud the Japanese schoolgirls, apparently as young as 15 years old, for their entrepreneurship. Buy panties for a couple dollars and sell them for 50 dollars or more is a helluva business.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Female Teacher Gets 66 Years for Child Molestation

(Corydon, Indiana) A 35-year-old married mother-of-two and substitute teacher for the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated Schools, Jennifer Jacobi, pleaded guilty to multiple child sex crimes last week and was sentenced to 66 years in prison.

Judge Roger D. Davis accepted a plea agreement and sentenced Jacobi to 76 years in prison and suspended 10 of those.

The conviction against Jacobi was for her performing oral sex upon and fondling a child under age 14, said Harrison Deputy Prosecutor Michelle MarQuand. Jacobi had a long-term relationship with a known pedophile incarcerated in Maine and procured a child for him during his visit to Harrison County, MarQuand said. The man, Richard Prado, later committed suicide.

"Her crime in and of itself was terrible, regardless of who did this," MarQuand said. "It was truly a very horrible situation."

MarQuand declined to identify the child's gender or give further details, but said it had nothing to do with Jacobi's former substitute teaching.

"I don't want people to feel alarmed and quiz their kids about what happened," MarQuand said.

Jacobi's attorney, Nicholas Haverstock of Corydon, said that he and his client were satisfied with the outcome considering the situation.

"This sentence gives her a chance to get out of prison before she dies," Haverstock said.

Jacobi still faces sentencing on child molestation charges in federal court. As part of the plea agreement, she will be sentenced to 35 years to run concurrently with her Harrison County sentence. A federal judge must first approve the agreement for it to be valid.

With confidence, I predict that she won't do the full 66 years in the slammer.

Mom Gets Prison for Abandoning Toddlers

(Kallispell, Montana) In September 2007, a 24-year-old local woman, Rachel (aka Rachael) O'Brien, was arrested for abandoning her two young children in squalid conditions for nearly nine hours.

The children, a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old, were home alone from 11AM on August 4th, when O'Brien went to work, until after 8PM even though she finished work at 4:30PM. Authorities found the home to be filthy and in dangerous disarray for toddlers. O'Brien claimed that she knew her children would be a mess and need baths so she didn't go home. O'Brien was charged with two counts of felony endangerment.

In the latest development this week, O'Brien has been convicted and sentenced.

O'Brien pleaded guilty in September to two counts of criminal endangerment for neglecting her daughters, ages 2 and 3. She was sentenced to two 10-year prison sentences, both with five years suspended, to run concurrently.

In a plea agreement, she also pleaded guilty to felony theft for stealing jewelry while she was employed as a housekeeper in 2006. She received a concurrent five-year term for the theft.

Her guilty pleas also revoked her probation on a 2004 conviction for writing bad checks. She was re-sentenced to a five-year prison term on that charge, also to run concurrently.

So, if my math is correct, O'Brien will be working off four five-year sentences at the same time. Shucks! She's probably upset that she didn't rob a few banks while she was at it.

Neglect of a two-year-old -- five years. Neglect of a three-year-old -- the same five years. Felony theft -- the same five years. Probation violation on bad check conviction -- the same five years. It appears that the Montana justice system has instituted a five-year plan to minimize prison populations.

By the way, the toddlers are with their father.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Genital Piercing Case Concludes

(Collier County, Florida) Sometime between August and October 2004, a woman became so frustrated with her 13-year-old daughter's sexual behavior that she had the girl's genitals pierced.

The intent was to make the girl's sexual relationships with two adult men, one of which was the mother's 30-year-old boyfriend, much more difficult or impossible. The hope was that she would stop doing it. The piercings consisted of a post and a connected hoop. The mother faced charges of aggravated child abuse with a possible sentence of 30 years in prison.

The mother's trial has concluded and she was acquitted.

A woman who had her 13-year-old daughter's genitalia pierced was acquitted of aggravated child abuse Thursday.

The 39-year-old Naples woman wanted to curb her teen's sex life and the piercing was intended to make intercourse uncomfortable. She also had her daughter's head shaved to make her unattractive to boys.

The five-man, one-woman jury deliberated for about three hours before deciding the woman's actions didn't involve punishment, malicious intent or cause permanent damage or disfigurement.

Judges, on the other hand, had previously rejected two proposed plea agreements as too lenient.

Jurors said they understood what the mother was enduring and decided that she shouldn't be punished for trying to do the right thing. On the other hand, Tattoo Tammy Meredith got a year in jail for doing the piercing. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of the mother's boyfriend for engaging in sex with the girl.

Tip: slwlion

Florida Woman Arrested for Sex with Boy

(Jacksonville, Florida) A 30-year-old Clay County woman, Jennifer Romero, was arrested this week for allegedly engaging in sex with a 16-year-old neighborhood boy. According to the 16-year-old, he and Romero were boyfriend and girlfriend.

According to the police report, the boy told officers officers he and the 30 year old have been having "consensual" sex for the last two weeks.

Police say the two were to meet at a gas station in Clay County Tuesday night and run away together.

Police found Romero at her home before the alleged meeting took place.

"It's crazy, just two doors down. This neighborhood is full of kids of all ages," says Tiffany Levalley, Romero's neighbors.

Neighbors say police have been to Romero's home before and they say teenagers have been hanging around the house.

Romero is in custody with bond set at $25,000.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Mom Arrested for Home Alone Children

(Shreveport, Louisiana) A 29-year-old local mother of six children, Kaylar White, was arrested yesterday on child cruelty charges after police found that she had left her children alone in a deplorably-maintained home.

A police officer who was monitoring traffic in a school zone found the children home alone this morning after he heard a child crying and went to the house to investigate.

He knocked on the door of the dingy frame house and one of the children answered, police said. The house had no heat, food or water, it was messy and there were dirty diapers all over the place, police said.

The children, who range in age from 1 to 10, were given food by police and a child protection agent arrived and took them into state custody.

Twenty-nine years old with six kids living in filth. Depressing.

Erie Woman Accused of Sex with Boy, 11

(Erie, Pennsylvania) A 28-year-old local woman, Carrie L. Dana, has been accused of repeatedly engaging in sex with an 11-year-old boy between March and August of this year.

During arraignment before Erie 5th Ward District Judge Joseph Lefaiver, Dana was charged with multiple sex crimes including rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

It's reported that the Children's Advocacy Center alerted the authorities of the alleged offenses.

Dana was booked into custody at the Erie County Prison with bond set at $50,000.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 7/21/08]

Carrie Dana convicted of sex crimes. Sentencing in August.


[Update 10/31/08]

Carrie Dana sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.

One Tough Woman

(Pinjarra, Western Australia) A 31-year-old local "skimpy" barmaid at Pinjarra's Premier Hotel, Luana De Faveri, pleaded guilty to violating license conditions under the Liquor Control Act by exposing her breasts on two occasions.

Police say a mobile phone video was obtained that showed De Faveri remove her top, rubbed ice on her nipples and attempt to hang spoons off her breasts on the night of June 7.

On a second occasion in late June, alcohol and drug officers observed De Faveri again expose her breasts when she performed the can-crushing trick.

She was also observed to crush a can between her buttocks.

De Faveri was fined $1,000.

U.S.-Mongolia Shipboarding Pact

The United States has signed a shipboarding pact with Mongolia which allows Mongolian ships to be boarded and searched if they are suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Since Mongolia is landlocked and calls the Gobi Desert home, the pact might seem unnecessary. However,

[I]ts tiny merchant marine is recognized as one of 32 "flag of convenience" countries by international maritime authorities.

The U.S.-Mongolia shipboarding pact, the eighth signed between the United States and usually coastal or island nations, is designed to cover those Mongolian-flagged ships in international waters that might be used by other countries, notably North Korea, to disguise cargos of illegal weaponry, U.S. officials said.

Makes sense to me.

Saudis Behead Two Pakistanis

(Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) With a wide sweep of a sharp and heavy sword, the Saudis regularly behead those convicted of rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking.

Earlier today, the Saudi Interior Ministry announced that two Pakistanis got lopped.

Bakhityar Khan was executed in the Red Sea city of Jeddah for drug smuggling, while Shahid Jameel was also put to death in the city for murder, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Their executions took to 126 the number of people put to death by Saudi Arabia this year, outstripping the previous record of 113 during all of 2000.

Last year 37 people were beheaded.

Meanwhile in the U.S., legal proceedings are pending or in process regarding the inhumanity and cruelty of inserting a needle in a condemned criminal's arm.

Naked Hotel Sleepwalkers

Well, I guess it's an affliction.

Workers at a chain of budget hotels are being given advice on how to deal with naked sleepwalkers.

It follows an increase in the number of guests found wandering around in the night with no clothes on.

A study by Travelodge found there had been more than 400 cases in the past year, almost all involving men.

Sleep experts blame stress, alcohol abuse and lack of sleep for the disorder.

The research, conducted in 310 Travelodge hotels, found sleepwalkers wandered all over the building.

More than 400 naked men walking around 310 hotels means each place has at least one, on average. I think I'll stay at the Holiday Inn.

Texas Teach Pinched for Tampering with Boy Witness

(Denton, Texas) In July 2007, a 7th-grade English teacher at Strickland Middle School, Lauren Cosgrove, was arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual relations with a 13-year-old male student of hers that she was also babysitting.

Married and the mother of two, Cosgrove faces two counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child. She was booked into custody at the Denton City Jail and released on $20,000 bond. The Denton County grand jury is expected to review the case soon.

Meanwhile, it seems that 29-year-old Cosgrove has been attempting to contact the boy which is contrary to the terms of her release.

Detective Shane Kizer said Cosgrove was admonished not to contact the boy. But two days later, one of the boy's friends called him and began trying to talk to him about the case. The victim handed the telephone to his mother, Kizer said, and she learned from the friend that Cosgrove had asked him to set up a three-way call so she could talk to the boy without her number appearing on caller ID.

"She wanted to tell him what to say to make things better for her in court," Kizer said.

Because the victim and his family were suffering from intense publicity in the case, they agreed it would be better not to file more charges just then, he said.

"But there are circumstances that point to her trying to contact him on the Internet," Kizer said. "And about two weeks ago, she called his cellphone."

Kizer said the call upset the boy, who no longer wants to be contacted by Cosgrove. At that time, Kizer decided to file the charge of tampering with a witness.

As a consequence, Cosgrove surrendered to police early yesterday to face the new charges. Around 4PM, she was released on $5,000 bail.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 12/9/08]

Cosgrove arrested again for tampering with a witness.

Lose Child Custody for Not Teaching Homosexuality

The United Kingdom has officially jumped the shark in assuring the welfare of foster children and, by logical extension, all children.

According to the new Sexual Orientation Regulations of the Equality Act 2006, foster parents are required to sign a formal contract with the government which specifies that children aged 11 and older will be taught that homosexuality is equivalent to heterosexuality. Also included are provisions for adolescent teens to attend homosexual association meetings.

Foster parents who refuse to sign the contract will be expelled from the register of approved foster parents and custody of their children will be taken away. Therefore, the furtherance of the homosexual agenda in society is more important than giving children the best possible care.

One might think that the UK has an overabundance of foster parents waiting for children and qualified people can be easily jettisoned. Untrue! In fact, there's a gaping shortage of foster caregivers.

But it doesn't make a difference. In 21st Century Britain, homosexuality trumps everything, even the well-being of children.

Tip: Travis Evans

Boozing Elephants Electrocuted

As fiction, no one would find this story plausible.

GAUHATI, India -- Six Asiatic wild elephants were electrocuted as they went berserk after drinking rice beer in India's remote northeast, a wildlife official said Tuesday.

Nearly 40 elephants came to a village on Friday looking for food. Some found beer, which farmers ferment and keep in plastic and tin drums in their huts, said Sunil Kumar, a state wildlife official.

They got drunk, uprooted a utility pole carrying power lines and were electrocuted in Chandan Nukat, a village nearly 150 miles west of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya state, Kumar said.

"There would have been more casualties had the villagers not chased them away," said Dipu Mark, a local conservationist.

The elephants are known to have a taste for rice beer brewed by tribal communities in India's northeast. Four wild elephants died in similar circumstances in the region three years ago.

As non-fiction, one has to wonder how much beer it takes to get 40 elephants drunk. Not only that, but what does one do with six rotting elephant carcasses in a village with no electricity? Well, I don't know but if you answer correctly, you're automatically accepted into the Peace Corps.

Tip: Charlie N.

Peruvian Woman Accused of Child Rape in NY

(Akron, New York) A 26-year-old Peruvian woman, Carol C. Tello, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in a long-term sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy. Tello was charged with five counts of rape, one count of sexual criminal act and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Last week, she was arraigned in Akron Village Court. Tello was then booked into custody at the Erie County Holding Center with bail set at $100,000. She was also ordered to surrender her passport.

Tello reportedly married a U.S. citizen only recently and is living on a visa. Call me cynical, but I would question the level of death-do-us-part attachment she has for her newlywed husband. If a 14-year-old has been giving Tello the warm and fuzzies, it's hard to imagine that there would be time or inclination for a courtship, engagement and marriage to another. But, then again, some people have been known to marry simply for a green card.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Microwaved Baby Case

(Galveston, Texas) In May 2007, a 19-year-old father, Joshua Mauldin of Hermitage, Arkansas, was indicted for allegedly placing his two-month-old daughter in a microwave oven and inflicting third-degree burns.

Mauldin later told police he and his family had just arrived in Galveston, where he had hoped to enter the ministry. Left alone with the infant, he reportedly punched the child, placed her into the hotel-room safe and then into the refrigerator before putting the baby in the microwave for at least 10 to 20 seconds.

Mauldin was charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily harm, a crime punishable by a possible 99-year prison term upon conviction.

Doctors had to take skin from the back of the child's head and graft it onto the left side of her face, which suffered third-degree burns. The baby girl has been placed with relatives and is recovering. Joshua Mauldin and his wife, Eva, are barred from having any contact with their daughter.

In the latest development, defense attorney Sam Cammack III said Joshua Mauldin, now 20, will seek to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. A notice of intent to plead insanity has been filed.

Mauldin has previous arrests for battery and violation of a protective order. A high school acquaintance characterized Mauldin as the perennial loner.

Mauldin is scheduled for trial in March 2008.

Woman, Sex, Drugs, Girl, Videotape, Prison

(Orleans County, New York) Last week, a 26-year-old Waterport woman, Wanda Edkins, was sentenced to one to three years in prison for sex crimes committed against a 16-year-old girl.

Along with her fiance, 44-year-old Michael Sands, Edkins plied the girl with drugs and alcohol and then proceeded to jump her bones. Being seemingly unencumbered by moral or legal technicalities, Edkins and Sands also videotaped the sex acts on the girl.

Sands will be sentenced at a later date.

Judge Bars Fingerprint Evidence in Murder Trial

(Baltimore, Maryland) Well, here's a case where someone has decided to throw sand into the gearbox. With a couple of botched cases as her bases, Judge Susan M. Souder has barred fingerprint evidence from being used to convict a suspect in the murder of Warren T. Fleming.

A Baltimore County judge has ruled that fingerprint evidence, a mainstay of forensics for nearly a century, is not reliable enough to be used against a homicide defendant facing a possible death sentence - a finding that national experts described yesterday as unprecedented and potentially far-reaching.

Baltimore County Circuit Judge Susan M. Souder's order bars prosecutors from using at trial the partial fingerprints lifted from the Mercedes of a Security Square Mall merchant who was fatally shot last year during an attempted carjacking at the shopping center. Prosecutors say the fingerprints - as well as those found in a stolen Dodge Intrepid in which witnesses said the shooter fled the mall parking lot - link a 23-year-old Baltimore man to the killing.

In her ruling, Souder outlined the long history of fingerprinting as a crime-solving tool but says that such history "does not by itself support the decision to admit it." In explaining her reasoning in a 32-page decision, the judge leaned heavily on the case of an Oregon lawyer mistakenly linked through fingerprint analysis to the 2004 Madrid train bombings.

Granted, there have been mistakes. Hopefully, incidents are proven to be extremely rare. Generally, Judge Souder is known to be critical of fingerprinting methods and testing of examiners. She explains her decision to disallow the fingerprints in a 32-page ruling.

Power Blackouts in Zimbabwe

(Harare, Zimbabwe) One has to wonder how much longer the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe can survive before there's a total loss of control.

Some suburbs in Harare have gone for 10 days without power in one of the worst cuts to hit the Zimbabwean capital for months, reports said.

The blackout has hit the traditionally more affluent northern suburbs including Avondale and Belgravia, where many embassies are located. Hospitals, including the main Parirenyatwa Hospital and the private Avenues Clinic have been badly affected, separate reports say.

The official Herald newspaper said the areas were cut off after a massive fault on a high-voltage cable and warned the blackouts could last until the weekend.

Couple the massive fault with the fact that Zimbabwe hasn't been paying its debts to South Africa and Mozambique, so those supplies of electricity have been severed. To get by, firewood is being used for cooking and heating and perishable foodstuffs have been thrown out and not reordered.

Not surprisingly, police-state socialism has produced the usual and expected result -- evenly-distributed abject poverty.

First Malaysian Submarine Launched

(Cherbourg, France) Malaysia's first submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, was launched today in the port of Cherbourg. Named after Malaysia's first prime minister, the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is the first of two Scorpene-class submarines to be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy.

In keeping with maritime tradition, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor broke a bottle of water against the submarine's sail to signify the official launching and naming of the vessel.

The Deputy Prime Minister's wife then unveiled a plaque with the submarine's name and called upon "Allah to bless her and all who serve and sail with her".

The reportedly stealthy Scorpene-class submarines are diesel-electric propelled with a crew of 31. The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is expected to begin service in early 2009.

Frankly, that maritime tradition of breaking a bottle of water is news to me. I thought a bottle of champagne was customarily used.

Florida Air Base Attacked

(Homestead, Florida) A 22-year-old mentally-ill math teacher at Miami Central High School, Tahmeed Ahmad, was arrested by federal authorities after attacking Homestead Air Reserve Base guards with butcher knives and vodka bottles while yelling "Death to America" and "I want to kill soldiers."

Strangely, despite his rather aggressive and unfriendly actions, Ahmad is not considered to be a terrorist.

Rather, the Miami Central High School math teacher wanted to "commit suicide by cop" when he attacked military policemen stationed at the west gate just before midnight Sunday, the FBI said.

Ahmad did not get his wish. One officer fired his handgun at Ahmad. He missed.

"We take security very seriously at the base, but this was quite an unusual event," said Lt. Col. Tom Davis, a base spokesman. "Our security forces are well trained and responded appropriately."

Police quickly arrested Ahmad, 22, whose mother says is mentally ill and had recently been in a mental institution. The FBI charged him Monday with assaulting a U.S. government employee.

It appears that the authorities want to downplay the importance of the incident because poor Ahmad was depressed and sad and has mental problems.

Frankly, I would disagree with that approach. Ahmad is a young man of Arab descent who attacked an American military installation with weapons and explosives and a desire to commit suicide in the process. How's that different from any other terrorist?

The fact that Ahmad was inept in his first attempt at inflicting "Death to America" doesn't mean he should be given another chance. He should be watched closely for a long time and not given an opportunity to demonstrate any newly acquired skills.

Human Flesh Tastes Like Pork

(Kassel, Germany) On March 10, 2001, Armin Meiwes, a 42-year-old computer technician, killed Bernd Juergen Brandes, a 43-year-old Berlin engineer. Then Meiwes consumed Brandes after preparing him with salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg. By the time Meiwes was arrested, he had eaten more than 40 pounds-worth of Brandes.

Meiwes admitted that he killed Brandes and was convicted of murder in Kassel County Court. However, he maintains that he is innocent because Brandes wanted to die. Both were involved in a cult-like cannibalism group on the Internet where the suicidal meet the hungry.

Police estimate that around 10,000 people in Germany alone share Meiwes' fascination with cannibalism -- either eating human flesh or being eaten.

Meiwes, serving his sentence in a prison in Kassel, central Germany, could be eligible for parole after serving a mandatory 15 years in jail.

A psychiatric examination conducted ahead of his trials concluded that he is not insane but has a "severely disturbed soul."

Last week, Meiwes, now 46, gave a television interview and revealed that human flesh tasted like pork. He also described his life-long fascination with the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel" where a witch cooks and eats Hansel.

"You wouldn't believe how many Hansels are whizzing around the Internet," he said.

Holy moly! You really have to wonder how people can get so screwed up.

I also wonder what the Islamosplodies think about their pieces parts taking on the characteristics of pork after experiencing the flames and high temperatures in a suicide belt detonation. Maybe they don't know that a cooked jihadi tastes like pork.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

No Altering Birth Cert After Sex Change

(Manila, Philippines) The Philippine Supreme Court says that birth certificates will not be revised to accommodate biological changes resulting from elective surgery.

The high tribunal issued the ruling following a plea by a 45-year-old Filipino man to alter his birth records after becoming a woman through a sex-change operation in Bangkok five years ago.

The petitioner wanted to change his gender and name in his birth certificate to reflect her transformation so she can marry her American boyfriend.

The Supreme Court, however, ruled that the man's request was not possible at this time in the predominantly Catholic Philippines.

"Under the Civil Registrar Law, a birth certificate is a historical record of the facts as they existed at the time of birth," the court ruling said. "Thus, the sex of a person is determined at birth, visually done by the birth attendant by examining the genitals of the infant."

Makes sense to me. The birth certificate is a snapshot at a point in time. What the transgender types need is a rebirth certificate which could be appended to the actual birth certificate. That would also allow for those cases where people decide to change their sex more than once.

Decomposing Baby Found, Mother Charged with Murder

(Spring Lake, North Carolina) A soldier, Ronald Earl Creech II, returned home last Friday from deployment in Iraq to find his baby daughter missing. The mother, 25-year-old Johni Michelle Heuser, said the last time she saw 11-month-old Harmony Creech was on Thursday. Authorities were notified and an Amber Alert was issued.

The alert was called off after the body was found.

When officers arrived at the home of the girl's mother, they found the window of the baby's room open, the screen on the ground and most of Harmony's clothes missing.

But after authorities found Harmony's remains, Heuser changed her story and said she found the infant dead several weeks ago but didn't tell anyone and panicked.

So, for weeks the body of baby Harmony was decomposing in the attic and the mother was silent. Heuser was charged with first-degree murder.

Heuser's neighbors say her daughter Harmony's disappearance sounded fishy from the start. "Initially, I felt there was foul play involved but I felt also that it was someone they knew," said Stacie Siebert. "I felt it was an inside job from the beginning."

Siebert says Harmony's death is shocking. She says finding out the missing girl was dead all along, during the extensive search for her, is mind boggling. "She could have stopped it at anytime," Siebert added.

Sad, sad story. A father returns from duty in Iraq to learn that his baby girl is dead, possibly murdered by her mother. He enjoys none of the anticipated warm hugs and kisses, just the feeling that his guts have been ripped apart.

NC PTA Embezzled

(Cumberland County, North Carolina) A 37-year-old former Parent Teacher Association President, Lesia Marie Gunn , was arrested today for allegedly writing and forging checks on the account of the Warrenwood Elementary School PTA.

In a press release from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, a school audit found that a total of $9,255 could not be accounted for.

Gunn was booked into custody at the Cumberland County Detention Center and released on her own recognizance.

One source reports that the money was used for cocaine buys.

The End of the World

(London, England) Put the government in the health business and this is what happens -- parents get officially warned about their fat kids.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said last week that obesity in Britain could lead to a "potential crisis on the scale of climate change."

Presumably, parents who ignore the warnings will be fined or have their pictures posted on a national obesity registry or something. Since the government is involved, continued infractions of the fat standards may lead to parents losing custody of their children to state-run behavior and nutrition camps.

Nonetheless, it seems odd that British obesity is being linked to climate change. The only thing I can figure is that the fat kids in Britain will cause a gravitional anomaly which affects weather patterns and changes the climate. Maybe the Earth's rotation would adopt a wobble. In any event, it's logical to speculate that now we'll see television commercials admonishing fat kids to quit eating or the polar ice caps will melt.

And, of course, as soon as the British Obesity Registry is published, individuals listed will be subjected to public ridicule and discrimination by business and government. But discrimination isn't an important issue when obesity rivals climate change.

From a personal perspective, it would be nice if all the end-of-the-world alarms came with some guidance on how to react. I was planning on moving to northern Canada to avoid the ash and dust soon to be blasted into the atmosphere by the Yellowstone Super Volcano. Prevailing winds will carry the volcanic effluent right to my Ohio doorstep. But the global warming alarm sounded and I figured I needed a boat even if I went to northern Canada. Glaciers and ice caps are melting and everything will soon be flooded.

Even so, I can't forget that the pandemic bird flu is coming so I have to consider that there likely won't be any prompt medical care in northern Canada. Therefore, I figured that I have to stockpile adequate medical supplies to fight the bird flu and also for the new bacteria set to wipe out mankind, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). It seems I'll need a large supply of disease-fighting drugs.

Finalizing my plans has been complicated by the fact that there's a monster tsunami set to totally destroy the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The island of La Palma in the Canary Islands off of Africa is predicted to split in two and create a mega-tsunami with waves up to 300 feet high. This tells me that I must stockpile foodstuffs. Three-hundred foot waves will wipe out New York, Boston, New Orleans, Houston and other centers for production and distribution of food.

I've additionally revised my plans after learning that a few dinosaur-killer chunks of space debris are predicted to possibly impact the Earth in the next decades. Now, with space chunks sized at a few football fields and traveling at tens of thousands of miles per hour, my thinking is that I need a cave to survive. Along with the global warming and the mega-tsunami, I need a cave fairly high up on a mountain.

Consequently, I'm looking for just such a cave and it must be big enough for my boat and tons of stores. I'm thinking that canned goods along with pallets of sacked wheat and corn should last a few years. I might have a problem getting enough corn since it's now being used for fuel instead of food. Prices are high.

As an aside, more than one grandpappy was put in jail for making fuel out of corn. They were called moonshiners in the past but, really, they were pioneers in alternative fuel technology. Somebody should sue.

All in all, however, the scarcity of corn may have its positive side -- an abundance of drinking alcohol.

In summary, if your kid is chunky in the UK, expect a warning letter from Big Brother. Don't expect any of the end-of-the-world alarmists to provide guidance on what to do first or what's the most scary. Everyone is competing in the annihilation business.

Lastly, suckers, when all is said and destroyed. After the globe has warmed, tsunamis have waved, super volcanoes have kaboomed, diseases have decimated, world water has dried up, ocean fish stocks have depleted, all the oil is gone, all the corn has been turned into liquor and the predicted Katy-bar-the-dinosaur asteroid has hit Earth, I can be reached at Big Cave, High Mountain, Far North, Canada. I'll leave a light on.

Teacher Accused of Giving Drugs to Students

(Klamath Falls, Oregon) A 38-year-old special education teacher at Mazama High School, Barbara Trotta, was arrested this week for allegedly providing drugs to students. Investigators believe that Trotta provided prescription pain pills to at least three students over a two-year period. A student alerted the authorities last Wednesday.

Investigators said they believed Trotta facilitated the purchase of additional drugs by excusing at least one student from class and allowing the student the use of her car.

Trotta is lodged at the Klamath County Jail on charges of delivery of a controlled substance to a minor and within 1,000 feet of a school, criminal mistreatment, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a minor.

Trotta's bail has been set at $100,000.

History shows that sex can sometimes be obtained from teachers and here we have a case where it appears that drugs can also be obtained. Next I suppose we'll see rock and roll.

Racist Rednecks Elect Indian-American as Governor

(Baton Rouge, Louisiana) The secular liberal progressive leftists have to be scratching their heads. A male Republican, non-white, first-generation descended from ethnic immigrants, was elected governor of the deep-south, presumably redneck and racist, state of Louisiana.

Congratulations! Governor Bobby Jindal!

By winning more than 50 percent of the primary vote against a field of 12 candidates, Jindal became the first candidate to win an open gubernatorial seat since Louisiana adopted its nonpartisan primary system in 1975. Buddy Roemer was elected governor in 1987 when incumbent Edwin Edwards dropped out after trailing in the primary. Jindal also is the first member of an ethnic minority to become the state's chief executive since Reconstruction.

The 36-year-old Jindal becomes the nation's youngest governor and the first chief executive of any state who is of Indian-American descent. When he officially takes over from Gov. Kathleen Blanco in January he will be the second-youngest person to serve in that office after Huey P. Long, who was 35 when voters first elected him in 1928.

I predict that Jindal will do plenty of good for Louisiana.

Woman Gets Prison for Risking HIV to Others

(St. Charles, Missouri) In February 2006, a 26-year-old mother of four, Angela D. Harris, was arraigned before Circuit Judge Jon Cunningham on three felony counts of recklessly risking another person with HIV infection.

Harris became HIV-positive around the age of 14 and has since had many sex partners. Harris' mother, Cathy Lenceski, estimates that her daughter has had sex with as many as 100 people in the last few years. It's not clear how many knew they were at risk of acquiring HIV.

Lenceski fears that Harris will continue infecting people is she's not stopped. Not unexpected has been an increased number of inquiries regarding HIV testing since the Harris story hit the media.

Last month, Harris, now 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly and recklessly risking infection of another person with HIV. Although Harris' mother said her daughter may have infected as many as 100 men, Harris later claimed it was more like 20 to 50 men. However, Harris was only able to provide 10 names and the authorities could only find three, one being HIV positive but no way of proving how he acquired it.

Nevertheless, this week Harris was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 10 years in prison. According to defense attorney Deborah J. Alessi, Harris could be paroled in as few as four years.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.

Home-School Teacher Accused of Molesting Boy

(Van Nuys, California) A 40-year-old home-schooling teacher, Meredith Johnson Vincent, was arrested this week for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old male student. The molestation allegedly occurred over the last few months.

Vincent is associated with a private home-schooling group so it doesn't appear that the alleged molestation involved a child related to her.

The District Attorney's Office said it has filed 14 felony counts of child molestation against Vincent, consisting of seven counts of sodomy of a person under 16, four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and three counts of sending harmful matter.

Vincent, a married mother of three, was booked into custody with bail set at $550,000.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Florida Babysitter and Boy, 5

Lee County, Florida) A 16-year-old South Fort Myers girl, Brittany Veres, was arrested this week for allegedly engaging in oral sex with a five-year-old boy.

The boy's mother reported his claims last week to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, sparking an investigation that included interviews with the boy and his teenage babysitter, Brittany Veres, authorities said. Veres, of [DELETED], was arrested Wednesday after her interview.

Veres faces a charge of sexual battery.

Just curious, but does anyone think that this case deserves inclusion in the Bill Clinton legacy? It should be if one believes that oral sex isn't really sex at all but rather an alternative babysitting style.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 10/21/07]

Revised to incorporate comments and concerns regarding Veres' address and pic.

Saudis Name Streets, Put Up Mailboxes

(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a program which will place the country in sync with most of the globe. Streets will receive names, buildings will be numbered and mailboxes will be installed.
The head of Jeddah's Naming & Numbering Department, Husain Al Hijari, said the system will remove confusion and allow for home mail delivery.

Al Hijari explained that under the new system, main thoroughfares are called 'roads' and smaller routes will be 'streets'.

Some major streets have been renamed. For example, Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Street (more commonly known as Tahliah Street) is now Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Road. The same change was made to all major routes, such as Prince Majed Road, Sari Road and Palestine Road.

"According to the plan 16 'streets' around the city have been changed into 'roads', which are also being numbered and tagged with different signs. Each sign, which is decorated in traditional Hijazi (western Saudi Arabian) motifs, will have a number that will indicate what section of a particular stretch of road is located in what part of the city.

Each road will get its own distinct logo that will also be on the sign to help drivers know the street and the part of the city they are in. Numbers with two digits will grace roads running parallel to the coastline (roughly north-south) while numbers with single digits will be used on roads running perpendicular to the coastline (east-west).

"This would make it easy for everyone to locate the geographical path that they are driving on," he said.

The city will be divided into four quarters that will meet at the Al Bai'ah roundabout in downtown Jeddah. Each quarter will be divided into four sub-sections. Residences will get a more formal numbering system that will ascend out from the city centre. This will make it easier for residents, especially in apartment buildings, to know their residential mailing address once the new Saudi postal system goes into full swing.

Everybody got that? Frankly, I think it's confusing.

Interestingly though, at about the same time that snail mail is being replaced by email, the Saudis are getting mailboxes.

Another Teacher Gets Hand Slap for Sex with Boy

(West Valley City, Utah) In July 2007, a 33-year-old former English teacher at Cyprus High School, Christy Anne Brown, was arrested after allegedly being caught in flagrante delicto in a parked car with a 16-year-old student in the wee hours one morning.

After investigation, it was found that Brown had sex with the boy nearly 50 times.

In August 2007, Brown pleaded guilty to three counts of felony forcible sexual abuse before Third District Judge Tyrone Medley.

Today, Christy Anne Brown was sentenced to probation.

A former Utah high school teacher avoided jail time on Friday, instead being sentenced to serve three years of probation for having sex nearly 50 times with a 16-year-old boy.

Christy Anne Brown, 33, had pleaded guilty to having sex with one of her students while she was an English teacher at Cyprus High School in Magna. But despite a recommendation for some jail time by Adult Probation and Parole officials, the judge decided that a probationary term was enough.

"What is of primary importance to me is that [the boy] is doing well," said Third District Judge Stephen Henroid, who added that the punishment Brown is putting herself through is a sufficient consequence for her actions.

"Now, now, little lady! Don't you go being too hard on yourself, ya' hear? Move along now and take care."

Boy! Did I call this one or what? I said it would be historic if Brown got anything more than probation and nothing historic happened. It appears that the justice system in Utah is edging closer to dispelling any pretense of punishing female child sex offenders. Hell, in this case, it appears that the court just stepped aside and allowed Brown to punish herself.

Nevertheless, Christy Anne Brown won't be Utah's problem anymore. She's moving to Texas. And, as a shout out to female teachers in the other 49 states, if you like to diddle with those who are little, pedal yourselves to Utah. You too can mix it up dozens of times with youngsters, punish yourselves for being bad, bad teachers and then skip to another state. What a country!

Tip: Don Morgenstern

California Teacher Guilty of Sex with Schoolgirl

(Aliso Viejo, California) In March 2007, a 36-year-old former middle school teacher, Michelle Antoinette Rossi, was arrested for allegedly engaging in a year-long inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old female student nine years ago.

The molestation occurred between September 1998 and August 1999, when Rossi was an Arrowview Middle School math teacher and the student was 14 and 15, according to court records.

The former student alerted San Bernardino investigators of the inappropriate relationship and Orange County deputies made the arrest. Rossi was charged with 12 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child and booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Yesterday, Rossi pleaded no contest to two counts of lewd acts on a child in accordance with a plea deal. In exchange, the prosecution dropped 10 other counts of lewd and lascivious acts.

Under the agreement, Rossi, now 37, must serve 180 days in jail plus five years probation. Rossi also permanently loses her teaching credentials and must register as a sex offender.

Dressed in a black pant-suit, a subdued Rossi quietly answered "yes" and "no" to Superior Court Judge James Dorr's questions as he went over the plea agreement in court.

Dorr told Rossi she could serve her jail sentence on weekends or at home with an electronic monitoring device.

So, after all is said and done, the 180 days in jail turns out to be 180 days at home -- for engaging in a year-long sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Jeez, I just can't help but think that a male teacher would have been hammered for that specific offense.

Formal sentencing is scheduled for November 2nd.


[Update 11/21/07]

Rossi sentenced.

Drunken Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Lubbock, Texas) A 33-year-old local woman, Shawna Dickerson, was indicted by a grand jury this week on one count of sexual assault for allegedly performing oral sex on a 14-year-old boy.

According to court documents, the boy was visiting his aunt when he was sexually assaulted.

The boy went to a party with his aunt, whom he said he was not close to, and said he was served alcohol and given marijuana.

His aunt, according to court documents, mixed him at least three drinks and allowed him to take "several hits" of a marijuana cigarette at the July 28 party.

In the early morning hours of July 29, the boy, his aunt, Dickerson and an another woman left the party in a red Chevrolet Blazer.

The boy said he passed out in the back seat and when he came to, Dickerson was performing oral sex on him.

Dickerson said she was so drunk that she doesn't remember what she was doing.

On Being Equal

Here are some remarks from a noted scientist.

LONDON - London's Science Museum canceled a Friday talk by Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson after the co-discoverer of DNA's structure told a newspaper that Africans and Europeans had different levels of intelligence.

James Watson provoked widespread outrage with his comments to The Sunday Times, which quoted the 79-year-old American as saying he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really."

Heh.

Tip: slwlion

Michigan Teach on Trial for Molestation

(Cheboygan, Michigan) In May 2007, a 31-year-old former private school teacher, Deana Louise Luedtke, was arraigned for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old male student at Cornerstone Christian School. Luedtke was charged with multiple counts of third-degree and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The boy victim told police he and Luedtke had a sexual relationship between December 2002 and March 2003.

Yesterday at trial, before a jury of seven women and six men, the prosecution presented its case.

Luedtke was characterized as "beautiful, a hot woman among the guys at school" by the student, who baby-sat for Luedtke and visited the teacher's home - since his mother was friends with Luedtke - and used her hot tub.

During testimony before 53rd Circuit Court Judge Scott L. Pavlich, the alleged victim, now in basic training with the Armed Forces, described several instances of physical contact with the teacher that ranged from "kissing and a lot of rubbing" to sexual intercourse.

The man said the first occasion of alleged impropriety occurred when he was invited by a friend to attend a dance at Cheboygan Area High School and was dressed up for the occasion. He said that Luedtke came to his house to check on him at the request of his mother, who was out of town at his sister's hockey tournament. He said that he had music playing and subsequently asked her to dance. When she complied, he said they began kissing and it led to caressing and rubbing of each other's genital areas. He said that Luedtke then asked him to expose himself, and he complied. He said that Luedtke stopped him and said that she was on her menstrual period, adding that her children were out in the car.

The plaintiff told the court that on another occasion she invited him and one of his female friends to clean a cabin that she owned.

"She kept trying to kiss me and her husband came back that night and scared the holy crap out of me," he testified. "I was afraid he would find out. She kissed me in the bedroom and it didn't go any farther than that. When her husband got there, I sat next to my friend because I was so nervous about him."

However, the man said that Luedtke later took both students home, and after dropping the friend off first, the pair mutually participated in sex acts while her children slept in the back of the car.

So far, there's nothing to indicate that Luedtke suffered from an unfortunate lapse in judgment, rather it appears she engaged in a planned cascade of child-sex episodes.

The defense is expected to present its arguments today. Reportedly, attorney Mitchell H. Nelson will call Luedtke to testify.


[Update 10/22/07]

Luedtke acquitted of all charges. The jury apparently believed the boy was not completely truthful in his testimony.

"The jury was able to see that he (the plaintiff, who is now 18 years old) was not speaking the truth - it was fantasy," said defense attorney Mitchell Nelson. "I thought the key was the jury's decision on the two counts that he said took place in the car. Once you began questioning those the rest of it didn't make sense."

Heh.

[Correction: Luedtke was acquitted of four out of five charges with the jury deadlocked on the fifth.]

Counterfeit Tequila

(Mexico City) The popularity of tequila has exploded in the last couple of decades and caused a flood of counterfeiters. Currently, the Mexican government only allows the tequila name to be used for 735 brands of blue agave liquor from 118 companies in Mexico. Anything outside that realm cannot be called tequila or political, legal and law enforcement action can be expected.

Unfortunately, the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council has had to chase fake tequila-makers throughout Mexico and the world.

Tequila makers said they also are spotting knockoff liquors in other countries.

Complaints from the Mexican government forced a South African company, Agave Distillers Limited, to stop using the tequila name for the Agava liquor it began producing in 2002. The company acknowledges Agava is a tequila look-alike.

"The final product is virtually indistinguishable and in some ways superior to its Mexican counterpart," the company's Web site boasts.

The council said it has found fake tequilas across South America, Europe, Australia and the United States. In Britain, one company even put the tequila name on bottles of paint thinner, the council said.

To fight counterfeiters, the tequila council has hired detectives to comb bars and grocery shelves worldwide, he said. When they find knockoff tequila, the council contacts Mexican embassies, foreign governments and law firms to put pressure on the producers.

Paint thinner! Crikey!

"Have a go, mate?" (cough, cough) "It's SMOO-O-OOTH!"

Former Cheer Coach Gets Jail in Sex Case

((Jupiter, Florida) In September 2006, 22-year-old cheerleading coach and Christian school assistant, Colleen N. Grear, was arrested and charged with sex assault of a 14-year-old boy she seduced through MySpace.com.

Grear was charged with one count of using a computer to seduce or solicit a child and three counts of sexual assault of a child under age 18.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Grear allegedly met the boy at least three times and had sex with him at least once. The inappropriate behavior was discovered by the boy's mother who alerted the police.

In the latest development,

On Wednesday, Grear, now 23, pleaded guilty to lewd and lascivious battery, agreeing to spend a year in the county jail followed by two years on house arrest and then 10 years on sex offender probation. She faced a maximum prison term of 15 years.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Krista Marx ordered Grear to register as a sex offender.

Being placed on sex offender probation carries special conditions regular probationers don't have, such as being prohibited from living within 1,000-feet of a park, school or playground and barring contact with children under 18.

Grear cannot have a job where kids regularly congregate and she cannot own or view pornography. She must submit to an HIV test and undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation and complete any recommended treatment. If she violates her probation, she faces 15 years behind bars.

Grear's attorney, Jason Weiss, said, "She relates on an immature level."

Really?