Teacher's Aide Arrested for Sex Assault of Boy

(Racine, Wisconsin) A 33-year-old special education teacher's aide, Lisa Myhre (aka Lisa Street), was arrested Monday and charged for alleged sexual assault of a boy over a two-year period.

From the JournalTimes.com:

The sexual contact began when the student was just 14-years-old and in the eighth grade at McKinley Middle School. The relationship ended on or just before January 2005, according to the complaint.

Myhre allegedly performed oral sex on the boy, touched him sexually, and kissed him throughout the course of the relationship.

The victim, now 17, told his mother on Oct. 24 who then informed police on Oct. 25.

Myhre works at Knapp Elementary School as a special education assistant working with special education students, said Linda Flashinski, director of communications for Unified [Racine Unified School District].

The boy's mother is distraught.

"We were like sisters. She figured out how to manipulate me. I still can't believe she did it."

Myhre was booked into the Racine County Jail with bond set at $10,000.


[Update 09/17/06]

Myhre sentenced to seven years.

Women Arrested in Suspected Hijack Plot

(Damascas, Syria) Reporting on this story is choppy. It seems no two sources agree.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Four Australian women have been detained while trying to board a plane in Syria, reportedly after gun parts were found inside a child's toy.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said two women from Victoria and two from NSW were with two Iraqi women when they were detained at Damascus airport on Tuesday.

All six were of Iraqi origin, the department said.

A DFAT spokesman would not confirm media reports that the group was detained after a disassembled gun was found inside a toy being carried by a child with the women.

Syrian authorities are investigating whether the women might have been involved in a plot to hijack the plane between Damascus and Bahrain, where the plane was due to stop over, or between Bahrain and the final destination in Australia.

From ADKNI.com:

Seven Iraqi women have been arrested in Syria after trying to board a plane with a gun, a Bahraini diplomatic source has told the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. The Gulf Air plane to the Bahraini capital, Manama, eventually took off late from Damascus International Airport. The gun was hidden inside a toy in the bag of one of the women.

Initial investigations indicate that a man had been expected to accompany them but did not show up for the flight. All seven women and the man had Australian passports. Earlier on Tuesday there were reports that a man had tried to board a plane with a concealed gun.

For some reason, Syrian officials have not revealed much which would explain the apparent conflict in reporting.

U.S. Retains Control of Internet Traffic

(Tunis, Tunisia) Some members of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society wanted to transfer control of Internet traffic from the United States to the United Nations. They failed.

From Reuters:

The United States will keep control of the domain-name system that guides online traffic under an agreement on Wednesday seen as a setback to efforts to internationalise one of the pillars of the Internet.

Negotiators at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society said they had agreed to set up a forum to discuss "spam" e-mail and other Internet issues and explore ways to narrow the technology gap between rich and poor countries.

But oversight of the domain-name system will remain with the United States, a setback for the European Union and other countries that had pushed for international control of one of the most important technical aspects of the Internet.

The European Union said in a statement that the agreement would lead to "further internationalisation of Internet governance, and enhanced intergovernmental cooperation to this end."

This is good news. I'm at a loss to even imagine what would happen if the UN or the EU were put in charge.

Open Source Media

From Rusty Shackleford:

OSMTM (Open Source Media), a new online venture designed to bring together top online writers, journalists and commentators under a single umbrella, officially debuts today at a New York City launch event that features a discussion on the future of blogging and journalism, details on the company's content and the official launch of the new portal to the best of the blogosphere.

The Jawa Report is one of 70 top blogs now a part of Open Source Media.

Today's launch event will include comments by Instapundit blogger Glenn Reynolds and Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Judith Miller, who will discuss the "Shield Law" bill currently before Congress and broader issues facing bloggers and journalists alike.

There's more at the link.

Just guessing, but I suspect the launching of Open Source Media will ultimately be viewed as a landmark occurrence in the burying of the mainstream media into dark insignificance.

Here's Some Crack, Now Pick Up Some Garbage

(Kelowna, British Columbia) Here's a politician, Andrew Uitvlugt, running for the mayor's office who has proposed a very creative solution to the problem of litter.

From EdmontonSun.com:

Andrew Uitvlugt says crack cocaine could be used as a reward for drug-addicted homeless people to pick up garbage.

"So what I propose to do is to possibly motivate people with drugs to do constructive work, like get them out there picking up garbage, and then we'll give them some crack," he says on the website www.okbc.tv in a wacky video campaign pitch.

"Now what'll happen here is, after they're done picking up their garbage, they're going to feel somewhat good, they're going to think to themselves, 'You know, I did a good job today.' And they're going to maybe need less crack."

You can see Uitvlugt's campaign video here.

Besides not having a clue on how to pronounce his name, I strongly suspect that Uitvlugt hasn't considered that his proposal would likely result in an increase in garbage along with an increase in people desiring to pick up garbage.

Man Cuts His Testicles Off

(Wales, UK) A 31-year-old Welsh rugby fan, Geoffrey Huish, is finally speaking of the bizarre incident where he cut off his testicles with a pair of blunt wire cutters. It took an agonizing ten minutes.

From Ananova.com:

Then he put his severed parts in a blue plastic bag and staggered to a social club to tell fellow Wales fans what he'd done.

Jobless Geoffrey finally collapsed with blood pouring from his groin as horrified drinkers put his testicles in a pint glass of ice.

They were handed to paramedics who rushed him to hospital - but surgeons could not sew them back.

Geoffrey, of Senghenydd, spent several months in a psychiatric unit as experts tried to fathom his actions.

He said: "I'd told my pal Gethin Probert before the game that Wales didn't stand a chance. It wasn't a bet, but I said I'd cut my balls off if we won...

"So I started hacking away at my tackle. It took about ten minutes and there was quite a lot of pain -- but I just kept going.

"The cutters were blunt so I had to keep snipping. I cut my penis as well. There was a lot of blood but not as much as you would expect."

I've heard that a man is only as good as his word. Geoffrey Huish is a man who kept his word and, as a result, came out less of a man. Pretty screwy logic, I'd say.

Navy Searching for Brig Escapee

(Bangor, Washington) Be on the lookout for escapee James Tait Praefke, a 37-year-old U.S. Navy Aviation Electrician's Mate who was court-martialed, convicted, and sentenced for possessing stolen ammunition and attempting to smuggle explosives. Praefke was helping a guard provide lunches to other inmates when he disappeared.


James Tait Praefke
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Praefke is trouble. He has used the aliases James Walter Praefke and James Tait Krueger and has a history of weapons use, domestic violence and drunken driving; espouses pro-militia, anti-government views, and is experienced in making bombs. Praefke's wife Keran stated that he's a terrorist and she's afraid of him.

Praefke is unpredictable, on the lam, and likes to play with explosives. He needs to be caught. Anyone with information should call the Naval Criminal Investigative Service or the FBI.

Michelle Malkin Profiled

For those that enjoy Michelle Malkin's writing and thinking, today's New York Sun has an up-close-and-personal profile piece on her by Meghan Clyne. Take a look.

Chirac Orders End Of Malaise

(Paris) Two weeks of rioting in France has prompted President Jacques Chirac to take action to reach out to angry youths. Chirac believes that the rioting is caused by a "profound malaise" brought on by the "poison" of discrimination in French society. Consequently, he ordered the creation of a corps of volunteers to train 50,000 young persons by 2007.

The report of Chirac's speech was naturally translated from French so I might be misinterpreting the meaning, but it sure sounds like he's saying "Don't worry, be happy."

Frankly, Chirac is not exhibiting the strongest of leadership skills. Right now, he's got a law enforcement problem and he needs to clamp down on the rioters first. Then, and only then, should he focus on the touchy-feely "malaise" thing.

As an aside, I recall that President Carter gave a "crisis of confidence" speech to America in 1979 to explain double-digit inflation and double-digit interest rates. It has been described as his "malaise" speech. The "malaise" angle didn't work for Carter but maybe it'll work for Chirac.

Yeah, and maybe I'll win the lottery.

The 2005 Weblog Awards - Nominations

The 2005 Weblog Awards competition comprises 37 categories and nominations are now open. Nominations will close on November 26 and voting begins on December 1. The nominations link is here.

Go now and nominate your favorite blog(s).

Sex Trafficking Ring Busted

(Houston) Eight suspects of El Salvadoran origin have been charged for allegedly conspiring to smuggle Central and South American girls and women into the United States for prostitution. According to federal authorities, a sweep also resulted in approximately 100 Central and South American women and girls being taken into custody in connection with various immigration issues.

From HoustonChronicle.com:

The defendants allegedly enticed the victims from their homes in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and smuggled them into the country through the Mexican border, then forced them to work at the suspects' businesses to pay off their smuggling fees. Authorities said the victims were coerced into sitting and dancing with customers, as well as submitting to their sexual demands.

Arrested Sunday were Maximino Mondragon, 57; Victor Omar Lopez, 38; Oscar Mondragon, 47; Walter Alexander Corea, 39; Kerin Josue Silva, 19; Olga Mondragon, 45; Maria Fuentes, 35; and Lorenza Reynosa.

All eight are charged with conspiring to recruit and transport young Central and South American women and girls for purposes of prostitution. If convicted of conspiracy, each faces a possible five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Interestingly, the federal bust of the El Salvadoran sex trafficking operation was reported at the same time it was announced that illegal aliens from El Salvador have become the largest other than Mexican (OTM) group in the U.S. This is particularly troublesome since convicted violent criminals, including notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members, are in the mix of those being smuggled into the country. To illustrate, an October 31 deportation load was comprised of 13 Mara Salvatrucha gangsters and 57 other convicted criminals, all from El Salvador.

Since illegally sauntering across the border is a crime without punishment, I imagine every one of the convicted and all of the MS-13 gang members will be back in the U.S. soon. And, adding to everyone's frustration, they'll probably bring along their buddies. After all, crossing the U.S.-Mexican border is like having an all-day pass at Disney World. There's no charge to take the ride over and over and over.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.

Cool Mom Johnson Sentenced to 30 Years

(Denver, Colorado) Last July, 'Cool Mom' Sylvia Johnson pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor sex-assault counts and nine felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Today, Cool Mom Johnson was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

For the full story of Cool Mom Johnson, see the following:

09/05 - "Cool Mom" in Serious Car Crash with Four Youths

07/05 - 'Cool Mom' Pleads Guilty

01/05 - 'Cool Mom' Has Sex-Drug Parties for Teen Boys

Thirty years in the cooler will give Sylvia Johnson a lot of time to think about the value of being cool.

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.