130 Lashes for Two Beers

(Drammen, Norway) A 35-year-old Kurdish man, Mamand Mamandy, was visiting his mother in Baneh, Iran, when he was caught drinking beer by the police.

"We were on an outing with family and friends, six or seven in the evening, and were having a barbecue and enjoying ourselves. Altogether I drank two beers. The police happened to drive by," Mamandy said.

He said that he was immediately arrested and taken to the police station where he was sentenced to 130 lashes. This sentence, for beer drinking, was carried out publicly according to news agency Iran Focus.

Mamand Mamandy - After 130 lashes for drinking beer

"I received 130 lashes on the back of my body. Police whipped me," Mamandy said. He came to Norway as an asylum seeker in 1999. He lives in Drammen with his wife and they are awaiting Norwegian citizenship.

Mamandy is recovering back in Norway, likely satiated with tolerance for the religion of peace.

Idiot Creatively Shoots Self

(Lake Luzerne, New York) Today's stupidity award goes to this guy.

Damion M. Mosher, who put bullets in a vise and whacked them with a hammer to empty the brass shell casings, was hit in the abdomen by one of the shots, authorities said.

Warren County deputies said they were called to Mosher's home in Lake Luzerne on Saturday afternoon after one bullet went about a half-inch into his abdomen. He was treated at Glens Falls Hospital and was released. No charges were filed.

Mosher, 18, told authorities he was trying to empty the .223-caliber rounds to collect the brass casings for scrap.

And just think, at 18 Mosher is old enough to vote. Unnerving, I think. It does explain, however, why some morons get elected.

Miss Universe Pageant 2007

Hubba-hubba and more!

Dig in.

The Ho-Hum Mexican Drug War

(Cananea, Mexico) A violent gun battle yesterday between drug traffickers and Mexican police resulted in at least a dozen or many more, according to various reports, deaths.

Armed men abducted and killed four Mexican policemen on Wednesday about 20 miles south of the Arizona border, and police later killed eight of the gunmen after tracking them into the hills with a helicopter.

During a gunbattle with 40 armed assailants -- which continued for hours in the mountains south of Cananea, Sonora near the U.S. border -- state police were able to free four other people abducted by the gang, including one police officer and three Cananea residents, said state prosecutors' spokesman Jose Larrinaga.

Another report says 22 deaths resulted.

Two things. First, it's newsworthy that a gun battle took place and it has been reported, however, it's significantly more newsworthy, while getting scant attention, that an ongoing and bloody drug war is being fought throughout Mexico and, particularly, along the U.S. border. The war has endured for years with frequent gun battles, kidnappings and murders.

Secondly, according to estimates, somewhere around 800 or 900 people have been killed so far this year in the drug war. Given leaky governmental loyalties and inconsistent bureaucratic record-keeping, Mexico may have tallied many more deaths in the drug war than have been estimated.

Even so, projected for one year, the total number killed in the Mexican drug war is well over 2,000. And well over 2,000 deaths can reasonably be presumed to have occurred for the last few years. Therefore, basic arithmetic estimates that at least 10,000 people have been killed in the Mexican drug war since 2003.

My question? Where is the mainstream media reporting on the Mexican drug war? Based on the number of deaths alone, it appears that fighting in Mexico generally parallels the fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. Okay, that's a bit of a stretch but it's not a stretch to assert that the MSM largely ignores Mexico.

Contrasting the reporting on Mexico, the MSM eagerly awaits the approach of milestones in the number of deaths in the Middle East and South Asia. It's a drumbeat on the nightly news.

"Ten more American died today in Iraq, bringing the total to ...."

"Another bloody day in Afghanistan with 12 Americans being ambushed and killed, bringing the total to ...."

At any moment, editors, reporters and producers can likely tell you the exact total number of Americans killed and can generally give estimates of enemy deaths. All the while, the media will have pencils at the ready to chalk up the tally to the next celebratory milestone.

Yet, ask the average news-consumer about the total carnage in the Mexican drug war and I'm confident you'll get a blank stare. Logically, the millions of Hispanics in the U.S. and elsewhere would like to know how many of their friends, neighbors, relatives and countrymen have been slaughtered in the Mexican Drug War. A sad statistic, for sure, but a necessary one because it establishes relevance.

As it is, the shooting war in Mexico is barely on the public's radar thanks to the MSM's "Ho-Hum" attitude toward spilled blood in Mexico. Figuratively, the MSM broke out party hats and noisemakers when deaths of Americans in the Middle East reached 3,000. Watching them do something similar when the number of dead Mexicans reaches 12,000 or 15,000 would be enlightening. It would also be objective reporting of the facts, not necessarily a strong attribute of the MSM.

Aliens Injure & Destroy Young

(Sacramento, California) Eight San Francisco Bay area counties are being invaded by aliens from the Southern Hemisphere.

The light brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana, is an exotic pest native to Australia and New Zealand which has also become established in Hawaii. Authorities are now mobilizing to control the moth in California.


Light Brown Apple Moth

The host range for LBAM is broad with more than 250 plant species know to be susceptible to attack by this pest. Major domestic hosts of concern are stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots), pip fruit (apples and pears), grapes, cherries and citrus.

The pest destroys, stunts or deforms young seedlings; spoils the appearance of ornamental plants; and injures deciduous fruit-tree crops, citrus and grapes.

LBAM has the potential to cause significant economic losses due to increased production costs and the possible loss of international and domestic markets. However, these impacts can be effectively mitigated through production-level management practices. State and federal officials are working together to take appropriate regulatory action to prevent the spread of this pest in association with the movement of host commodities.

It is not surprising that the alien Australian moths have taken to infesting San Francisco since Mayor Gavin Newsom has declared the city a sanctuary for alien border-crossers.

Intruder Takes Gunshot to Chest

(Indianapolis, Indiana) After previously being burglarized, a homeowner was prepared to defend himself and his property.

Police say 61-year-old Wilbur Carson shot and killed a suspected burglar in his north side home at 3114 North Park Avenue.

The shooting occurred around 11:27 Sunday night. When police arrived on the scene, they found 42-year-old Wilbur Copeland dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Apparently, the police consider it a clear case of self-defense.

GOP Presidential Candidate Ron Paul

It would be difficult to surpass Chad Evans of In The Bullpen in his comprehensive coverage and insightful commentary of all things geopolitical, therefore, I'll link to his succinct analysis regarding Ron Paul's candidacy for the presidency and performance at last night's GOP debate in South Carolina.

For what it's worth, I agree with Chad's crisp conclusion.

Teacher's Topless Cell

(El Reno, Oklahoma) A teacher for the El Reno School System, Angela Flick, took a topless picture of herself at home on her cell phone and , somehow, a student viewed the picture and passed it around the school. Now, the parents of the students want Angela Flick fired.

From KTHV:

"All the students have her picture on their cell phones," said parent Ray Coat.

The rumors of a topless teacher, parents say should not be covered up.

"She should be held to a higher standard because she's around all these young people, and she's very influential to these children," Coat said. "There's no reason she should be around these kids."

According to El Reno Police Chief Fred Savage, complaints from parents have been received and are being looked into.

This is pretty much a non-story, an embarrassing incident and that's all. However, it does indicate that it's not a good idea to put nekkid pics on your cell phone. Sooner or later, unwelcome eyes will see them.

The entire episode is somewhat similar to those cases where criminals videotape their crimes and are caught only because they documented their stupidity. Hey, if you don't want to be caught with your pants down, or your top off, then don't take the picture.

Female Teacher Arrested for Sex with Female Student

(Franklin, Tennessee) A 34-year-old art teacher at Franklin High School, Heather Thorsby, was arrested yesterday for allegedly engaging in a sex with a female student. The student's parents discovered the relationship and notified the school on Friday.

According to Williamson County Sheriff Ricky Headley, Thorsby admitted to having a sexual relationship with the student since last December. Reportedly, it was a friendship that became sexual.

Thorsby has been charged with sexual battery by an authority figure. The school system has suspended her without pay. Thorsby was booked into the Williamson County Jail. A bond hearing is scheduled for today.

In a related story, the Williamson County Sheriff's office is investigating another alleged teacher-student relationship at the same school. Insufficient evidence has been gathered thus far to file charges.


[Update 05/16/07]

From Dickson Herald:

Having spent the night in jail, Independence High School teacher Heather Thorsby was released after posting $10,000 bail this morning.

Thorsby, 34, is charged with sexual battery by an authority figure for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a female student. The art teacher appeared before Williamson County Judge Denise Andre who set her bail at $10,000 and added provisions to her release. Thorsby is to remain with her parents, who live in Franklin, and is not to leave the state. Her parents were instructed to notify the court if they suspect she has made an attempt to flee.

Okay, but I wonder what allows the court to dictate instructions to the parents. I don't think they have been charged with anything and they don't seem to be party to the alleged criminal behavior on the part of their daughter.


[Update 11/13/07]

Thorsby indicted.

Lawyers Needs Drug Testing

Well, Crikey! Is the Aussie political pot being stirred or is there a real problem?

A prominent Melbourne lawyer says there is a drug problem in the legal profession and random drug testing should be introduced.

Melbourne QC and former chairman of the National Crime Authority, Peter Faris, says he has information suggesting there is a drug problem in the legal profession in Victoria and NSW.

"The information I get from other lawyers, and anecdotally, is that there has been quite a problem with high flyers in the legal profession in NSW and Victoria using cocaine for a number of years," Mr Faris told ABC radio.

I don't think the idea of testing lawyers will get much support.

Meth Teacher Fails Drug Test

(Grand Junction, Colorado) The story of former first-grade teacher Tammie Liberty Lee (formerly Tammie Lee Reed) has become ridiculous. Two days after she appeared in court last month and pleaded guilty to drug and check fraud charges, Tammie Liberty Lee failed a drug test. Two freakin' days! So, she was arrested ... again.

Forty-two-year-old Lee has been arrested five times in the last 19 months for methamphetamine possession and various other charges. It appears that all she does is go into jail, gets bailed out and then, apparently immediately, goes and gets more methamphetamine.

All the while, it seems the law enforcement community and prosecuting attorneys explore every conceivable way to avoid punishing her. Time and again, words of probation and treatment and supervision are uttered, but not prison. It's exasperating follow the story.

On Sunday, Lee was arrested on a warrant issued after her failed drug test and today she appeared in court. Judge Richard Gurley set bond at $20,000 and recommended a drug treatment program be included in her sentence.

It's unclear what's going to happen next. Possibly, Lee's plea agreement will be voided because of the new charge. If the plea agreement holds, however, a ruling in expected on June 18th.

Previous posts on Tammie, the Meth Teacher:

04/29/07 - Accused Meth Teacher Accepts Plea Deal

01/10/07 - Accused Meth Teacher Pleads Not Guilty

09/26/06 - Teacher Busted for Meth, Again

10/11/05 - 1st-Grade Teacher Busted for Drugs

I'll continue to monitor the case. Hopefully, the authorities will give her what she needs. My suggestion would be a significant amount of time to think while in a tightly-structured environment.


[Update 06/19/07]

Tammie Liberty Lee (formerly Tammie Lee Reed) sentenced to probation.


[Update 04/10/08]

Reed convicted again. Sentencing in May.

NYC Public Arabic-Language School

(Brooklyn, New York) The focus will be on Arab language and culture at the Khalil Gibran International Academy, a New York City Public School on Dean Street in Brooklyn. In September, 60 students will start sixth-grade. The goal is to teach half of the classes in Arabic.

School official Debbie Almontaser said the school was planned with a multicultural group and the intent is to promote tolerance and bridge-building. So, American taxpayer dollars will fund the teaching of Arab culture in the Arabic language in New York City.

What am I missing here? Are diplomas going to be written in Arabic?

American taxpayer dollars should be used to teach public school students American culture in the English language in New York City, not Arab culture in Arabic. For that matter, we shouldn't be teaching Dutch culture in Flemish nor Philippine culture in Tagalog nor Persian culture in Farsi nor Brazilian culture in Portuguese.

And there's a multitude of other cultures and languages that shouldn't be draining public funds when U.S. schools, in many cases, and New York City schools, in particular, are doing an odious job of teaching students even the basics in reading, writing and arithmetic. In some school systems, only half of entering students complete the requirements for graduation and, of the ones who graduate, it's dicey as to whether they will be able to read their diplomas.

In my estimation, the public funding of an Arabic school is a dangerous precedent. What's the Department of Education's argument when a different immigrant community wants a public school teaching students in the Albanian language? Or the Somali language? Or Lao? Or Hmong? Or Hindi?

In the latest development from last night, parents of students at the New York City Public School on Dean Street in Brooklyn gathered at an "emergency" meeting to voice their objection to using their facility for an Arabic language school.

For 90 minutes, NYC Education Department officials and Khalil Gibran Principal Debbie Almontaser (right) said it was a done deal and made the parents feel they were being railroaded by the system.

Said parent Cherry Carter, "[T]hey're throwing it down our throats."

Now we know the practical definition of multiculturalism. It's the process of someone entering your neighborhood and shoving something unwanted and unpleasant down your throat.

Previous (05/10) post.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Teacher's Aide Guilty of Sex Crimes

(Valparaiso, Indiana) In June 2005, a teacher's aide in a special education class at Hebron High School, Amber K. Marshall, was charged with multiple felonies for having sexual intercourse and performing oral sex on two male students, ages 14 and 15.

Marshall, who was hired and employed by the Porter County Education Interlocal, was arrested June 10 [2005 - ed.] on charges of sexual relations with two of the students in her learning-disabled class.

Police reports state that one of the students said he and Marshall "made out" and had intercourse several times between Feb. 1, 2004, and June 1, 2005. The boy, who was 14 when the relationship allegedly began, also said Marshall performed oral sex on him.

The second student, who was 15 at the time of the incidents, told police Marshall performed oral sex on him as well. The boy, who said the pair didn't have intercourse, told police the incidents happened between July 1, 2004, and June 1, 2005. He told police Marshall didn't want a relationship but wanted to be "friends with benefits."

According to Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Polarek, Marshall's troubles are a direct result of becoming a teacher's aide at Hebron High School immediately after graduating and not distancing herself from the student social scene.

In the latest development, 24-year-old Amber Marshall pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of felony sexual misconduct with a minor as part of a agreement with the prosecution. If the plea deal is accepted by Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford on July 9th, Marshall will face probation but no jail and she will not have to register as a sex offender.

In conclusion, Marshall now awaits finalization of the proceedings in Porter County, however, it won't be the end of her troubles. She also faces sex crime charges in adjacent Lake County.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 07/10/07]

Marshall sentenced.

Carolina Woman Jailed for Sex with Boy, 14

(Marion, North Carolina) A 24-year-old local woman, April Nicole Chrisawn, was arrested for alleged inappropriate sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy. Chrisawn has been charged with felony statutory rape and second-degree trespassing.

According to Detective Dan Shook of the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, Chrisawn got to know the boy through his family and ended up having sex with him twice in April.

Chrisawn was booked into custody with bond set at $175,600.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Homeowner Blasts Intruder Dead

(Avondale, Louisiana) About 11 PM on Sunday night, a 61-year-old homeowner, Cornelius Sims, grabbed his gun after being awakened by an intruder. Sims then pumped several shots into the trespasser.

Deputies found the lifeless carcass of Ronnie Wells, 34, in a side yard near the home.

According to Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the shooting has been ruled a justifiable homicide.

The boo-hoo crowd might say that the intruder picked the wrong house. I'd disagree. He picked quite well, I think.

Mom & Young Son & Marijuana

(Murfreesboro, Tennessee) A 28-year-old mother of two, Christina M. Sawyer, has been arrested for allegedly smoking marijuana with her sons, ages 5 and 10.

Authorities acted on a cpomplaint received by the Department of Children's Services.

Both Sawyer and her 10-year-old son tested positive for marijuana, according to Police Officer Chris Waters.

The mother picked up the marijuana from an end table and handed it to the officer. The bag contained marijuana cigarettes.

"Due to the nature of a child testing positive for marijuana that's 10 years of age and the drugs and contents being in plain view for the children to have access to, Mrs. Sawyer was placed under arrest for child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, simple possession of Schedule VI (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia," Waters reported.

Sawyer was booked and is being held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Her children are with the Department of Children's Services.

Sawyer has a court appearance scheduled for July 3rd.


[Update 06/07/07]

Sawyer offered diversion.

Female Teacher & Female Student

(Norman, Oklahoma) A science teacher and former girl's basketball coach at Norman North High School, Lynn Lewallen, has been suspended from her teaching position for alleged inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old female student. Lewallen's suspension started on May 4th.

According to Norman Schools Superintendent Dr. Joe Siano, officials notified the Norman Police Department, Department of Human Services and parents of the 16-year-old student involved in the accusation.

Notably, as a girl's basketball coach, Lewallen's teams achieved considerable success, even national ranking. Lewallen's age wasn't reported.

Lewallen will be paid during her suspension.


[Update 06/13/07]

Rape and sodomy charges filed against Lewallen.

Upskirt Videos of 3,000 Women and Girls

(New South Wales, Australia) This is pathetic. High school teacher Robert Ian Drummond videotaped images up females' dresses and was caught because a 14-year-old girl, while shopping at the mall, saw his camera in a bag near her foot.

From Brisbane Times:

Drummond, 41, of Harbord, a teacher at Cromer High School, was charged in Manly Local Court with committing an act of indecency, allegedly filming up the skirt of a 14-year-old girl with a camera hidden in a plastic bag, at Warringah Mall on May 1.

He was arrested at the school on Friday.

A search of his home revealed indecent film of up to 3000 females made over two years, police said, but it was unknown whether it was Drummond who shot the footage.

Further charges may be laid after the footage, some of which appears to feature girls in school uniform, has been reviewed.

Drummond was identified from a mall surveillance video capture published in the local newspaper. He was suspended by the school system.

Since he was charged with only a single count of indecency. a magistrate allowed Drummond to be released on $20,000 bail with the stipulation that he move in with his mother and not leave the house alone.

The police department now has to review over 3,000 upskirt videotapes to see if other charges are warranted. Frankly, because of the quantity I think the police will find that Drummond was in the business of selling the videos.

Drummond is due back in court on June 12th.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.

Gorgeted Puffleg

For years, with tongue in cheek, I've mentioned that the main reason there are so many animals and plants on the Endangered Species List is because the universities are graduating too many biologists.

Regularly, new science graduates eagerly head off into the wilderness and find something that has never been seen before and, automatically, the plant or animal is declared rare and in need of protection.

Therefore, this news is not surprising.

A NEW hummingbird species discovered in a cloud forest in Colombia already needs protection from humans, according to the experts who found the bird.

Called the gorgeted puffleg, the new species, with a blue and green throat, measures between 90 and 100 millimetres.

The bird was found in Serrania del Pinche, in southwest Colombia, by scientists looking for new amphibians. Already, there is discussion of necessity for a protected habitat.

By the way, the bird is called gorgeted because of the little colored patch displayed on its throat.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the under-recognized child-bearers and rearers of America and the globe, Happy Mother's Day! May you all experience a pleasurable celebration.

To all the mothers who have lost a child defending freedom and the rule of law, whether Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere, hopefully the following is appropriate.

Executive Mansion
Washington
Nov. 21, 1864

To Mrs. Bixby
Boston, Mass.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln