High-Speed Chase of Illegals From China

(Corpus Christi, Texas) A truck packed with illegals from China led Sheriff's deputies and Border Patrol agents on a high-speed chase across southwestern Nueces County Friday morning. After about a hour, the truck was ditched and the driver bailed. According to Nueces County Sheriff Capt. Vidal J. De La Cerda, the illegals just gave up. No numbers were indicated.

From KRISTV.com:

"They appear to be from China. They hardly speak any English at all. We did find the majority of them have about $50.00 on them ... a little food, a little water, so apparently they were trying to make it up north somewhere." Officials said in the last six months or so they have seen quite a few illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico and they say that is a big concern.

"That raises an alarm to us in law enforcement where we have to be more careful as to what kind of individual we're going to pull over. We don't know if these guys were terrorists, if they had weapons on them or if the were just trying to find a job in the country. It could go either way, so it's getting a little dangerous," Capt. Cerda said.

Authorities are still searching for the driver.

Hunting the Wild Huckleberry

(Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington) Fruit pickers, be advised that the wild huckleberry season starts tomorrow in Eastern Washington. The aromatic and succulent berries are rare and highly desired, so get your gloves and bucket and don't forget to get a permit. The Forest Service tries to make sure that enough are left for Yogi and Boo Boo and also the Yakama tribe, which uses the berry in religious ceremonies.

All In A Week's Work

(El Paso, Texas) As you read this story, think about trying to stop flood waters using a shovel.

From the El Paso Times:

Last week, Customs and Border Protection officers at El Paso's bridges caught 25 fugitives, 19 people who made false claims of citizenship, 22 people who used papers that belonged to others, three people using counterfeit documents, two people who tried to avoid inspection and three people who overstayed their visas, agency officials said Friday.

Authorities also stopped 17 drug smuggling attempts and 16 attempts to smuggle foods and plants. And, all this happened in one week at an official border crossing.

If these numbers are multiplied by the weeks in a year times the number of border crossings along with the addition of an estimate of the number of crooks that don't get caught, the result is disturbingly high. It's beyond me how this is allowed to continue. The ship of state won't sail smoothly for very long with a big damn hole in the hull.

MS-13 Gangster Arrested for Murder

(Starr County, Texas) A band of illegal aliens, including six Mara Salvartruchas or MS-13s, were led across the U.S.-Mexico border by a smuggler who ended up dead.

From Team4News.com:

It is a first for the U.S. Border Patrol -- a case where an alleged smuggler has ended up dead at the hands of the reputed Salvadoran gang known as the Mara Salvartruchas or MS-13s.

Border Patrol spokesman Roy Cervantes says, "This is the first case that we've seen where MS-13 has resulted to this type of violence."

Border Patrol agents say that early Wednesday morning 25 illegal immigrants were crossing through ranch land north of Roma in Starr County when a fight broke out.

The smuggler was beaten to death using rocks because he left one MS-13 gangster behind in Mexico. Police are searching for three other suspects, also MS-13 members, in the murder. The victim's identity is unknown. He's 20-ish and Mexican.

Quick-Strike Counterterrorism Commands

Separate, synchronized special operations combatant commands ready on short notice to go after terrorist cells sounds like a very good idea. Mac Powell has the details.

'Desperate Housewives' in China

Somewhat inconsistent with recent government efforts to restrict American motion pictures and television shows in China, the prime-time comedy-drama-soap, Desperate Housewives, is set to explode in the world's most populous nation.

From Variety:

The ABC sudser will premiere this September at 10 p.m. on the Everyday Jiayi block of primetime programming, which airs on state-run CCTV-8. Zone Vision operates the one-hour block, which airs seven nights a week on the broadcaster's countrywide cable system, reaching a whopping 700 million eyeballs, or about 180 million TV households.

Whether any scenes or dialogue will have to be cut from the racy show remains to be seen, but even so, Chinese viewers will be exposed to a new level of Western-style sizzle.

Announced Thursday, details are lacking in the Zone Vision Networks deal with Disney's foreign sales arm, Buena Vista Intl. Television -- Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP). Nevertheless, excitement from timely press coverage of the deal is everywhere as the Chinese anxiously await seeing and hearing American suburban housewives speak Mandarin.

Trackback to Wizbang.

Teacher's Aide Accused of Raping Boy

(Great Falls, Montana) When she found out that the police wanted to arrest her for rape of a 14-year-old boy, 41-year-old middle school teacher's aide Michele Malady skipped town.

From the Billings Gazette:

Michele Malady, a mother of three, was in jail on $75,000 bail awaiting extradition from Whitefish to Great Falls, police said.

She fled Thursday after learning police were looking for her and was arrested in the northwestern Montana community without incident, the Cascade County attorney's office said.

Malady apparently met the boy through one of her teenage children, not through her job with the Great Falls School District, Detective Eric Baumann said.

Court documents indicate that Michele Malady told her husband that she was in love with someone who was 27 years younger than herself and the husband told police that he heard his wife and the boy having sex. The relationship was also confirmed by the 14-year-old.

The most bothersome aspect of this case is that Malady used her kids' peer group as a dating pool. How sick is that?


[Update 8/13/05, 0930 EDT]

From The Daily Inter Lake:

Great Falls Police notified Whitefish that they believed Michele Evonne Malady, 41, was on her way there, armed with a shotgun and possibly suicidal.

Fortunately, she was arrested without incident. Bond has been set at $75,000.


[Update 07/19/06]

Malady sentenced to two years in prison.

American Parents of An American Soldier

(Quad-Cities) Not everyone allows personal grief to be used as a propaganda tool by anti-American zealots. At a wreath-laying ceremony yesterday at Arsenal Island, the parents of MIA Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin spoke.

From The Quad-City Times:

Matt Maupin was taken prisoner April 9, 2004, when a fuel convoy he was guarding came under attack. Unlike the mother of a fallen soldier who is camped outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, the Maupins do not blame the government for whatever has happened to their son.

"We don't blame anyone for Matt," Carolyn Maupin said. "No one likes war, but we have to support our troops who are there."

[ ... ]

"He knew what he was doing and he knew the possibilities," Keith Maupin said of his son's decision to enlist. "I told him, 'If you can't do what you have to do, you don't need to go.'"

Maupin said he asked his son, "What the hell are you going to do in Iraq?"

His son replied, "I'm an army of one, Dad."

Two salient points need emphasis. First, Matt Maupin made the decision to become a soldier and defend and protect the constitution of the United States. And second, his parents supported his decision and continue to be supportive of that decision. This is in stark contrast to the blabber being heard from Cindy Sheehan and her radical left handlers outside President Bush's ranch.

Maupin is officially listed as missing in action by the U.S. Army.

Teacher Wants Porn Charges Dropped

(Worcester, Massachusetts) Remember Shepherd Hill Regional High School English teacher Amber Jennings who was charged with engaging a minor in sexual intercourse and distribution of pornography to a minor? While teaching English, she was caught going around the world with a 16-year-old male student. That was a year ago.


Amber Jennings
Yesterday, 31-year-old Jennings asked the Worcester Superior Court to dismiss all charges against her, which include posing a minor in sexual conduct, posing a minor in a state of nudity, and disseminating obscene material to a minor. Prosecutors contend that Jennings videotaped and photographed nudity and sexual activities and even sent some images to the student via email. There's no word yet on the judge's decision.


[Update 9/14/05]

On Monday, Worcester Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman denied the motion to dismiss charges on Amber Jennings. Consequently, English teacher Jennings awaits trial on charges of depicting a minor in sexual conduct, posing a minor in a state of nudity, and dissemination of material harmful to minors.

Her lawyer, Peter Ettenberg, thinks she's being "selectively prosecuted." I think he's right. Criminals are selected from the general population for prosecution. It's a good thing, Ettenberg. Smell the coffee, pal.

Islamic Extremist Camps in Britain's Parks

According to West Yorkshire Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn, Islamic extremists are running indoctrination camps in the Lake District and other national parks in the United Kingdom.

"Wherever there's a national park, you'll find them - the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, the West Highlands."

Constable Cramphorn expressed frustration at the inability of the police to combat the extremists' efforts to radicalize young Muslims. He argued that more powers are needed.

In the meantime, "All we can do is track them," said the constable.

Women Lose Weight Eating at McDonald's

According to this report, Merab Morgan of Raleigh, North Carolina, ate nothing but McDonald's fast-food for 90 days and lost 37 lbs. In another test, Soso Whaley of Kensington, N.H., ate nothing but McDonald's fast-food for 90 days and lost 36 lbs.

I suspect the obesity alarmists will try to poo-poo these data.

Latvian Debauchery

(Riga, Latvia) Arguably, the face of European nightlife has changed dramatically and Riga is the real deal.

From The Baltic Times:

With accession to the European Union and the arrival of discount airlines, Riga has become accessible to every last lad in London. The economics are straightforward: A pint costs three quid in dear Albion, but in Riga it can be had for a third of that price. Ditto that on bed and breakfast. And then there's the bonus: in distant lands one can behave like a lunatic and not worry about the consequences. For many that alone is reason enough to hop on board a plane - inexpensive or otherwise - and head east.

[ ... ]

In essence, this sex tourism phenomenon should not come as a surprise. Riga is inexpensive, attractive and, to put it bluntly, fun (all relative, to be sure, but true nonetheless). These are its advantages, so the city's leadership should use them. It may be politically incorrect to say it, but Latvian women are beautiful; those who think otherwise should ask a representative of any international modeling agency.

Beautiful women, inexpensive nightlife, what's not to like? So, gather up your kavorka and revise your travel plans accordingly.

Jacko Now Bahrainian

Michael Jackson has found life after Neverland.

From the Bahrain Tribune:

Popstar Michael Jackson has decided to make Bahrain his permanent home, a report in Asharq Al Awsat newspaper said yesterday.

Jackson, who has been staying in Bahrain for nearly two months now, has described Bahrain as a surprise compared with all the cities he has stayed in so far and plans to bring his family over to stay with him, the paper said.

With Jackson's flair for finding new and innovative ways to be controversial, it will be interesting to see how he behaves himself in a Muslim country. Also, if the Islamic fundamentalists consider normal, everyday American citizens to be infidels, it's hard to imagine Michael Jackson being anything but a lightning rod for their hatred.

Salman Rushdie's New Novel

(Amsterdam) There will certainly be headlines about this story.

From Deutche Presse Agentur:

Salman Rushdie strikes a blow at Islamist extremism and terrorism in his new novel, "Shalimar the Clown," published in Dutch Thursday, a month before the English version is due to appear on the bookshelves.

In a simultaneous article in the Times of London and Dutch daily Volkskrant, the author, himself a Muslim who lived under sentence of death from a fatwa issued by the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, calls for an Islamic reformation to bring the faith into the modern world.

Though the fatwa was lifted in 1998, Rushdie continues to live under guard.

Frankly, Mr. Rushdie better beef up his security because his new novel calls for an Islamic reformation and there is no aspect of the religion that doesn't get harshly criticized. I predict fatwas on top of fatwas.

Seven Years Jail for 9-Year-Old Girl

(Ranchi, India) In 1998, nine-year-old Rupa Kumari (aka Aneeta) was caught riding a train without a ticket and a magistrate jailed her when she couldn't pay the fine. Rupa was supposed to be in jail for nine days but, due to bureaucratic bungling, she ended up spending seven years behind bars. Fortunately, a visiting high court justice heard her story and she was released.

This story seems to stretch the limits of believability but, in a country of a billion people, it's imaginable.

Female Muslim Comedian

The following produced a few belly laughs for me. It's a column with reviews of stand-up comedy acts making the rounds in Britain. Here's a snippet about Shazia Mirza - female, Muslim, and funny.

From the Independent Online:

"My name is Shazia Mirza. At least, that's what it says on my pilot's license."

And ...

"I always wanted to be like my white friends, who had abortions, herpes and chlamydia. And my mother would say, 'Wait until you are married, your husband will give you all of that.'"

And ...

"I'm terrified I'll die a virgin. Not because I'm obsessed with sex. I'm not, I don't think it's that big a deal. But I don't want to get to Paradise and have to sleep with one of the suicide bombers."

It's refreshing to see some humor from the Muslim community. There's more at the link.

Mirza also has a website.

NARAL's Lie Machine Stalls

Sufficient pressure was applied to the National Abortion Rights Action League regarding its patently false accusatory ad against SCOTUS nominee John Roberts that it was pulled. Good.

Mac Powell has all the details at In The Bullpen, including Lou Dobbs' lame attempt to defend it.

Criminal Sex With Student

(Kingston, Michigan) A 27-year-old English teacher at Kingston High School, Kristen A. Margrif, has been charged with eight counts of criminal sexual contact with an eighth-grade student. Apparently, Magrif confided in her pastor that she was intimately tutoring the 16-year-old over a period of weeks at several locations. In accordance with state law, her pastor notified the authorities.

Magrif is scheduled to appear in court on August 22. She is currently free on a $45,000 personal recognizance bond.


[Update 8/12/05, 1745 EDT]


Kristen A. Margrif
According to this report, Magrif is having problems in her marriage and is going through a divorce. Consequently, it appears that she has an excuse for her behavior.


[Update 06/04/06]

Margrif sentenced.

'Gorgeous' Teacher Gets 9 Months for Child Sex

(McMinnville, Tennessee) Last February, Centertown Elementary School teacher Pamela Rogers Turner, 27, was arrested and charged with 15 counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and 13 counts of statutory rape of one of her students, a 13-year-old boy.


Pamela Rogers Turner
Today, Turner pleaded no contest as part of an agreement with the prosecution and received 9 months in jail and loss of teaching credentials in a ruling by Judge Bart Stanley. After the jail term, Turner will be subjected to supervised probation for seven years and three months.

In summary, a 27-year-old teacher plays hide the sausage with a 13-year-old student for three months, gets charged with 28 felony sex crimes, and is sentenced to a paltry nine months in jail. You can check my math, but that figures out to be about ten days behind bars for each sex crime. In my opinion, there's a world full of pedophiles who would volunteer for that kind of punishment. As a deterrent to potential future child rapists, Judge Stanley's ruling isn't. One can only assume that Judge Stanley conferred with Judge Ollie prior to sentencing Turner.


[Update 8/12/05, 0445 EDT]

From another report, the court also ruled that Turner will be required to register as a child sex offender and the terms of the plea agreement prevent her from realizing monetary gain from the case.

Kevin Aylward at Wizbang has a couple of photos of Pamela Turner (aka Pamela Rogers, Pamela Rogers Turner) in court.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.


[Update 02/27/06]

Pamela Rogers released from jail.

Birth Without Pregnancy

(Long Beach, CA) It is apparently not unheard of for a woman to give birth without experiencing the wonder and joy of pregnancy.

From NBCSandiego.com:

Annice Allen said she went to [sic] hospital thinking she was having severe menstrual cramps. Three hours later, she found out she was 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and gave birth to a 1-pound, 4-ounce girl she named Jimice.

"The doctor says, 'Ok, the fetus is 23 weeks,'" Allen said. "We said, 'The fetus?' We went back and forth with that, and he said, 'How old are you?' I said, 'I'm 37.' So, he puts his hand on me and says, 'A fetus is a baby.' I said, 'I know a fetus is a baby, but I didn't know I was pregnant.'"

It's still kind of hard to believe that she was totally oblivious. Of course, my involvement with pregnancy has been limited to operating the starter pistol and watching from the bleachers. Oh yeah, and decades ago I was a voyager in the process.

Woman Sues Because Rescue Was Late

(New London, Conn.) Barbara Connors, 75, was saved from drowning by a rescue crew of divers in Saybrook, Conn. Having lived, she is now suing the city for being rescued too late to prevent brain damage. It's a helluva way to thank the rescuers who risked their lives to save hers.

Just a guess, but I'd wager that Saybrook has no shortage of avaricious trial lawyers.

Another Police Officer Killed in Nuevo Laredo

(Nuevo Laredo, Mexico) In the battle for supremacy between the Gulf Coast drug smugglers and those of the Pacific Coast, regular citizens and police officers are regularly targeted. Such was the case yesterday when two "very young" gunmen pulled alongside Maria de la Paz Rangel's car and opened fire. Rangel was wounded while her passenger, policewoman Adriana de Leon Martinez, was killed.

Of 110 murders in Nuevo Laredo this year, 15 have been police officers, and almost all the killings have been gangland style. Last Friday, City Councilman Leopoldo Ramos, was killed by three gunmen wielding automatic rifles only blocks away from City Hall. As a result, hundreds of additional federal police were sent to Nuevo Laredo over the weekend. Nevertheless, nobody is optimistic that the violence will end soon.

Learning English in Thailand

From the Bangkok Post:

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng has set a one-month deadline to revamp English language teaching nationwide by switching from learning by rote and grammar to English language for communication, after tests revealed that Thais have the second-worst English language skills in Southeast Asia.

On Tuesday, the Higher Education Commission's English proficiency development centre revealed Thais came eighth and fourth in the nine and six Southeast Asian countries rated by TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) and TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), scoring on average only 201 on a cumulative scale of 300 and 524 of the full 990 score respectively.

This has promoted the drafting of a special English-language curriculum for workers in six major industries.

Also, with China becoming an economic powerhouse, the Thais have started teaching Mandarin, now important in trade and investment negotiations.

It's interesting that SE Asians are placing paramount importance on learning English at the same time that at least one group in the U.S. is trying to delete the subject as a requirement for graduation from American schools.

More Child Sex Charges Against Teacher's Aide

(Crown Point. Indiana) As a follow up to a previous report, 23-year-old teacher's aide Amber Kay Marshall faces new charges of felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and child seduction. The new charges were filed in Lake County and are in addition to the charges filed in Porter County even though they involve the same two special education male students, ages 14 and 16.

Marshall faces a possible 31 years in prison if convicted. She remains free on $75,000 bail.


[Update 07/10/07]

Marshall sentenced.

Bomb Makers Blow Themselves Up

(Istanbul, Turkey) This probably happens much more regularly than is reported.

From the Turkish Daily News:

Turkish police said on Tuesday that two men killed in a blast in an Istanbul flat were Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members in the process of making a bomb.

An additional five people were injured.

From a fundamental Islamist perspective, would a man be given martyr status and 72 virgins if he never completed the suicide mission because he blew himself up while making a bomb?

Istanbul Al-Qaeda Bombing Suspects Arrested

(Istanbul, Turkey) A 21-year-old Syrian, Hamed Obysi, has been arrested by Turkish police on charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda. Another Syrian, 32-year-old Luai Sakra, was apprehended by Turkish police for suspected involvement in the November 2003 bombings in Istanbul.

From TurkishPress.com:

The two Syrians were apprehended as part of the same operation, launched upon the discovery of two forged passports in a flat in Antalya, Anatolia [Turkish state-run news agency] said.

Suicide bombers detonated explosive-laden trucks outside two synagogues in Istanbul on November 15, 2003, and the British consulate and the British-based HSBC bank five days later, killing a total of 63 people.

Seventy-one people were charged in connection with the bombings, the deadliest such attacks on Turkish soil.

In a nutshell, two Syrian al-Qaeda members operating in Turkey are behind bars. Splendid.

Supervising Counselor for Homeless Arrested

(Jacksonville, Florida) A lead counselor for the I.M. Sulzbacher Center, Michael Collins, 39, has been arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking.

Imagine that! Illegal narcotics trafficking at a homeless shelter! It can't be the norm because the media keeps telling us that homeless people are primarily women with children and Vietnam veterans who have been forgotten by the Veterans Administration. Surely, drugs at a homeless shelter must be an isolated incident. Jeez! What's next? Is a convicted sexual predator going to sneak into a homeless shelter?

Boy, I hope not. We sure wouldn't want the public believing that vagrants are most likely to be alcoholics, junkies, or ex-cons.

Terrorist Bombings in Southern Philippines

(Zamboanga City, Philippines) Two bombs detonated and wounded 26 in this port city Wednesday night. Muslim terrorists of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) are believed to be responsible.

From ABS-CBN Interactive:

The first bomb, which exploded along Campaner Street, damaged shops and wounded 14 people. The second, in a room of a nearby hotel on Climaco Avenue, wounded 12.

Four people in the first blast were identified as Abdurahim Asdali, 55, Jimmy Timpong, 25, corn vendor Fermina Ehe and Frederico Batocloy, 32.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Batocloy said he saw a white multicab passed by a copra warehouse where he was employed as a security guard when it suddenly exploded. It happened at 7:20 p.m.

The explosion wrecked the multicab and partially damaged a house, reports said.

While police and military bomb disposal personnel were looking for evidence, the second explosion rocked the second floor of St. Ann's Pension House on Climaco Avenue past 8 p.m.

The second blast was only two blocks away from the first explosion.

"These explosions appear to be terror attacks," military spokesman Lt.Col. Buenaventura Pascual said, adding that a third bomb was found in the area but did not explode.

The Abu Sayyaf is a guerrilla group linked to Jemaah Islamiah, a southeast Asian Al Qaeda affiliate. Thus far, no group has claimed responsibility for the Zamboanga explosions.

BOLO - George & Jennifer Hyatte

(Kingston, Tennessee) Be on the look out for escaped inmate George Hyatte and his wife, Jennifer Hyatte. The wife pulled a gun on Correction Department Officer Wayne "Cotton" Morgan who later died.


George & Jennifer Hyatte
A large amount of blood in the abandoned getaway vehicle is believed to be from a wound on Jennifer. She may seek medical help or, based on the quantity of blood, she may have died. FoxNews is reporting that the sheriff in Tennessee believes he knows the location of George Hyatte. The story continues to develop.

George Hyatte is a black man, 34 years old, five feet five inches tall and and weighs about 140 pounds. Jennifer Hyatte is a white woman, 31 years old, with red hair, about five feet four inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.

Anyone with information, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND. The Hyattes are considered armed and dangerous.


[Update 0300 EDT, 8/11/05]

(Columbus, Ohio) George and Jennifer Hyatte were apprehended about 10pm EDT at the Best Value Inn, located at 4875 Sinclair Road on the north side of Columbus.

From NBC4i.com:

According to the U.S. Marshals Office, a SWAT team surrounded the Erlanger, Ky., Econo Lodge after investigators spotted a gold van used by the couple. The van was spotted Wednesday at about 4:30 p.m.

The pair then took a cab from Erlanger, located outside of Cincinnati, to Columbus, according to U.S. Marshals. Investigators said the cab driver called police and gave a description of the pair. An undercover Marshal searched the motel and found the Hyattes' room, on the motel's second floor.

Investigators said they called the motel room and Jennifer Hyatte answered the phone. Then they said they told her and her husband to surrender peacefully, Ivanic reported.

Police officers and a SWAT team were outside the room when they surrendered, Ivanic reported.

Witnesses said Jennifer Hyatte was carried down the motel's steps. She had apparently been wounded from Tuesday's shootout, Ivanic reported. Police said Hyatte, a former prison nurse, was shot.

Both are in custody. Splendid.

When 'Dumbing Down' is Not 'Dumbing Down'

(Topeka, Kansas) Kansas Senate Vice President John Vratil told the Kansas Board of Education that students should be exempted from meeting proficiency requirements in math and reading because it's unrealistic. Almost in the same breath, Vratil insisted he's not trying to 'dumb down' the education system.

Apparently, someone much smarter needs to explain this. In my opinion, Vratil contradicted himself in successive statements. To me, eliminating requirements in education is the definition of dumbing down.

Animal Activist Arrested for Cruelty

(Lawrenceville, Georgia) A veteran animal rescue activist and president of All Dog and Cat Rescue Angels, Patricia Siems, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. She left her terrier in her locked car for 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the day. According to veterinarian Mike Miller of Duluth Animal Hospital, "the dog could well have been dead in an hour."

Oops!

Female School Bus Driver Accused of Molesting Boy

(Villa Rica, Georgia) Carroll County School District bus driver Jennifer Deanna Harbuck was arrested last week and charged with child molestation for having sex with a 15-year-old boy. Harbuck admitted to having sex with the boy, who is related to her, over a time period dating back to the Fall of 2004. The molestation became known when the boy told his parents.

Woman, 38, Accused of Child Molestation

(Carrollton, Georgia) Police arrested a 38-year-old Carroll County woman, Natalie Pike, and charged her with aggravated child molestation and child molestation for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy. The boy's mother found a love letter sent by Pike to her boy and alleges that local church members knew of the molestation and didn't report it in accordance with state law.

Suicide Bomb on Chinese Bus

Rusty Shackleford has the story with photos at The Jawa Report and it illustrates nicely how the Chinese government is hiding problems. Apparently, suicide bombings happen regularly in China but seldom are they reported in any media.

Military Bans the Term 'Warrior'

(Colorado Springs, CO) The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) whose chief is U.S. Adm. Timothy J. Keating has decided that the military jargon is insensitive to American Indians. Although there have been no complaints, Adm. Keating has banned the use of certain words, including warrior, brave, and chief, from the military lexicon.

According to a NORAD spokesperson, Master Sgt. John Tomassi, the military is following the lead of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in prohibiting the use of Indian names.

Just think. With one stroke of a pen, Adm. Keating changed my perception of the North American aerospace defense network from a high-tech and reliable weapons and intelligence command into a bunch of whimpering pussies. After learning of this latest politically correct infestation at the commanding officer level, I immediately felt less safe.

It's also disturbing that Keating's irresponsible edict folds all too nicely into Osama bin Laden's propaganda to al-Qaeda terrorists and recruits that the American military is weak and cannot win. The U.S. military can't be expected to intimidate an enemy when it's viewed as sensitive and cowardly, bending over for every whiny complaint in society.

Rumsfeld should send out a war party to bring back Keating's scalp.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Woman Sentenced for Unlawful Sex with Boy

(Salina, Kansas) A 27-year-old woman, Carol M. Hurley, was sentenced to 29 months in prison for unlawful sexual activity with a teenage boy on many occasions between October 2003 and May 2005. Prior to sentencing by District Judge Daniel Hebert, Hurley apologized to the court and her family. She said she did it because she had trouble with her marriage, apparently for a long time. No comment was received from her husband.

Woman, Two Boys, and An Infant

(Creal Springs, Illinois) A 23-year-old woman, Brandi Thompson (maiden name Horn), will go to trial on December 6 to face four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for allegedly engaging in sex with two boys, ages 14 and 16. Judge Phillip Palmer had ordered paternity testing on Thompson's son, born in the Spring, and the results have been filed under seal with the circuit court. It's suspected that the infant was fathered by the 16-year-old.

A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for November 28. Thompson faces a possible three to seven years in prison on each felony count.

Bhagwan Rajneesh Resurrected

(Kathmandu, Nepal) More seasoned readers will remember Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh as the cult guru who accumulated a fortune and thousands of dope-smoking, free-love followers at a compound outside The Dalles, Oregon. He's probably best known for his fleet of Rolls Royces and his ultimate deportation resulting from allegations of murder, arson, and attempting to infect an entire town with salmonella.

Well, that's all old news, as is Bhagwan Rajneesh who died in 1990. However, his memory endures as do his disciples. Apparently, there are Rajneesh centers still around and, according to this report, an attempt is underway to open cult conclaves in Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and Tashkent. Consequently, for those of the Bhagwanian persuasion, your hedonistic pseudo-religious cravings can soon be satiated in travels through Russia, Uzbekistan, and the Ukraine.

Unidentified Green River Victims

From The Seattle Times:

When Green River killer Gary L. Ridgway was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2003 for the murders of 48 Seattle-area women, four of his victims were identified only as "Jane Doe."

Yesterday, more than 1-1/2 years later, investigators made a plea to the public to help identify the four victims, known only as bones 10, 16, 17 and 20. They are asking individuals who may know about people who went missing in King County in the 1970s and 1980s to contact them.

The number to call is 206-296-7575.

Saudis Imprison and Deport AIDS Infected Foreigners

Foreigners who are unlucky enough to be in Saudi Arabia when they learn they have AIDS or are HIV positive will be jailed and deported without treatment. There seems to be a lack of compassion. Of course, regarding Saudi citizens, they may be stoned or beheaded for committing adultery or engaging in homosexual acts.

Update your travel itinerary accordingly.

Pakistani Swaps Daughter for Election Win

(Islamabad, Pakistan) It's illegal to treat women and girls as property but it happens all the time.

From the Indo-Asian News Service:

A candidate in Pakistan's Northwestern Frontier Province gave away his 11-year-old daughter to his opponent in exchange for latter's withdrawal from next week' local elections, a news report said Sunday.

Daily Times quoted an unnamed election official as saying that Ajoon, a resident of Kohistan district, more than 120 km northwest of here, made the offer considering his opponent Vilayat Noor politically stronger.

The two men were the only candidates for the post of nazim, or chief administrator.

Ajoon also paid his opponent 200,000 rupees (about $3,300) to sweeten the deal.

This incident exemplifies the ineffectiveness of the national government in establishing and enforcing laws on remote regions of mountainous northern Pakistan. The thousand-year-old religious and societal customs endure despite legislative actions taken in the capitol of Islamabad.

Focus on Migraine Gene

(Queensland, Australia) Recent findings from research conducted by a team at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) may lead to relief for sufferers of migraine headaches.

According to Dr. Dale Nyholt, lead researcher, "We've identified a chromosome, chromosome five, which harbours a gene which is implicated in the common form of migraine headaches. Hopefully we'll be able to identify that gene which will lead immediately to diagnostic tests, then a few years down the track to more total treatments hopefully."

Splendid.

Honor Killing

(Buner Valley, Pakistan) Two young lovers, 16-year-old Zahida and 18-year-old Sajjad, were caught being intimate in the corn field about 7km from the city of Daggar.

From The Frontier Post:

Khan Bahadure 20, shot them with 12 bore gun in the near by maze crops field and went to police station Daggar along with the gun on Monday.

The Daggar police brought the dead bodies to headquarter hospital Daggar for autopsy where the locals poured to see them.

As per the statement recorded by the assailant, he early in the morning saw both of them in objectionable condition in the nearby maze crops field and shot them dead on the spot. Police have registered the case and investigating.

Disregarding the poor English, one must suspect that Khan committed two murders then turned himself in to the police with an apparent air of nonchalance. He saw something objectionable, took care of it and, without trepidation, told the police. Notably, honor killings are usually not spur of the moment actions so it's probably reasonable to assume that Khan was directed by tribal elders to commit the killings or, at least, had their tacit approval. Such is life under Sharia law in the remote Buner Valley, flanked by some of the world's highest mountains, in the Northwest Frontier Province.

National Health Care: Waiting Lists for Waiting Lists

Sure, national health systems, or socialized medicine, provide care for everybody for nothing, but there's a significant downside. Readers of Interested-Participant know that providing everything to everybody for nothing results in depletion of resources and, with health care, this culminates in patient waiting times that are unhealthy. In fact, Canada Care provides computer-generated death condolences at the same time that patients are informed of their waiting times for procedures or appointments, just in case they died while waiting.

The subject of the long waits for medical care is a hot issue in Britain, Canada, and Australia, three nations with national health care which have failed miserably in tackling the problem. Hardly a week goes by without loud public complaints about the long waits. Check out the latest from Australia.

From The Courier-Mail:

WAITING lists at a major Queensland hospital have blown out to 10 years due to underfunding within the state's public health system, a doctor has told an inquiry.

Dr Jason Jenkins, a vascular surgeon at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), today gave a savage critique of Queensland's public health system, accusing the state Government of running hospitals like businesses as patients were dying waiting for surgery.

He said waiting times for non-urgent surgery at RBWH had blown out to 10 years and the situation had become so critical there were "waiting lists for waiting lists."

Got a boo-boo? Get in line.

Iraqi News Agency

The announcement that Iraq is to have it own news agency, Aswat Al-Iraq (Voices of Iraq), staffed and managed by Iraqi journalists, was most welcome. However, my enthusiasm was tempered somewhat by the realization that Aswat Al-Iraq is a project being overseen by the Reuters Foundation and the United Nations, two organizations that frequently exceed the threshold of reasonableness in avoiding use of the words 'terrorist' and 'terrorism.' Frankly, I'm sickened when a murdering, thug terrorist is referred to as a militant or an insurgent or a freedom fighter.

Consequently, my expectations are that reporting from Aswat Al-Iraq will be accommodating to the terrorists while displaying a bold anti-American bias. This belief is supported by the fact that the journalists themselves will become targets for the terrorists. They will be reporting in an environment of fearfulness. I hope I'm wrong.

Hooters in Germany

(Saarbrucken, Germany) Good food, beautiful women, and really cold beer have been promised in the announcement that the first Hooters restaurant will open in Germany in October.

From the Stars and Stripes:

Sort of bad news: The well-known American sports bar/restaurant won't open in Ramstein, as previously reported, but rather in Neunkirchen.

The location change isn't devastating news, considering that Hooters and all the perks that come with it will be within a 30-minute drive for the nearly 54,000 Americans that live in the Kaiserslautern area. As an added bonus, Hooters officials are exploring the possibility of having weekend buses run from Ramstein Air Base to the Neunkirchen Hooters.

While Hooters is best known for its mouth-watering, um, chicken wings, the company isn't shy about flaunting its most valuable assets, having flown two Hooters girls to Germany for Friday morning's news conference.

"Why would you want to go to Hooters?" asked Harry Grindrod, director of Hooters franchise operations in Europe. "I think I have two very good examples standing right next to me."

So, the military is going to provide bus transportation for servicemen to go to Hooters. I wonder if the feminista crowd will weigh in on this.

At Least It Wasn't 'Epidural'

(Namas, Saudi Arabia) Here's an odd story.

From the Arab News:

The woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy in the emergency room. The baby was transferred to the newborn section of the hospital and the mother taken to the post-natal care unit. The father in appreciation of the emergency department employees decided to name his son 'Emergency' after the emergency department.

The surname wasn't disclosed.

Peter Jennings Dies

(New York City) At his apartment yesterday, ABC news anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer at the age of 67. He is survived by his wife, two children, and a sister. Rest in peace.

PETA Protest Increases KFC Business

(Logan, Utah) John Ray posts a report of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protest that backfired. KFC realized a significant increase in business when the PETA crowd was outside complaining about unhappy chickens.

From KUTV.com:

A protest against the manner in which chickens are slaughtered for fast-food chain KFC drew additional customers rather than drive them away from the local outlet in this northern Utah city.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protest against KFC drew 10 sympathetic people, including someone dressed in a chicken costume, on Monday. But at one point, around lunchtime, more than 30 people stood in line to order chicken to eat.

"I think there's a place in this world for all of God's creations ... right next to the mashed potatoes," said Rusty Smith, a KFC customer who sat on a patch of grass outside the restaurant with a group of co-workers, watching the protest.

I love chicken and, frankly, I couldn't care less how they are slaughtered. I probably need some sort of chicken sensitivity training. Unfortunately, it will have to wait for me to finish my sensitivity training for the Patagonian toothfish, the desert tortoise, the Great White Shark, the Preble's deer mouse, and the Norwegian gray rat.

The Cause of Unemployment?

Here's an interesting data point that appeared yesterday in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Nearly a third of adults in Cleveland are illiterate, meaning they can't fill out a job application or read a simple story to a child.

This would explain why Cleveland has an unemployment rate higher than the national average. A third of the workers can't fill out a job application.

Gay Inmates Abused

Apparently, the California Constitution guarantees the right of people to not be called names.

From the SacBee:

About 20 gay inmates were forced to remove their clothes in a busy hallway July 19 at the Men's Central Jail while being called names and taunted with vulgar sexual language by some deputies, the ACLU said in a letter to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, citing inmates' claims.

"Such behavior by staff demonstrates a level of immaturity, lack of professionalism, and sadism, which tarnishes the reputation of the entire department," wrote Ricardo Garcia and Jody Kent, who monitor jailhouse issues for the ACLU of Southern California.

The ACLU wanted anti-discrimination training for all deputies.

The same thing happened to me. I went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, and was called names and taunted with vulgar sexual language everyday. It's nice to see the ACLU devoting resources to the dangerous problem of name-calling. What a bunch of dicks.

Mom Put Drano in Baby's Bottle

(Medina, Ohio) Several weeks ago, 22-year-old Tasha Michl went to court to face charges that she attempted to poison her 9-month-old baby by putting toilet bowl cleaner in the baby's bottle.


Tasha Michl
Yesterday, Michl was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by five years probation. She stated that her actions were a "cry for help."

This case is sickening. Hopefully, she'll continue crying for the entire three years she resides in Club Concrete. Of course, being whiny and exceedingly stupid are usually not attributes which mitigate the stresses of the slammer.

Law Schools Don't Teach Common Sense

(Salt Lake City, Utah) The story is simple. A 14-year-old female babysitter encourages an 8-year-old boy to play the game Truth or Dare which results in sexual contact. The boy tells his mother, the mother tells the police, then both the babysitter and the boy are arrested and charged with lewd conduct with a minor.

From KUTV.com:

Prosecutors say that, while the babysitter initiated the contact, the young boy was a willing participant.

Therefore, in some sort of recto-cranial logic, the district attorney's office decided that the 8-year-old boy was equally responsible for the criminal sexual contact and charges were filed.

I'd like to know the name of the rocket scientist that filed the charges against the boy. People who have the courage to make their stupidity public should be recognized.

Today's Bogus Study

Make up your own mind.

From CNN/Money:

Women who cross their legs provocatively, wear short skirts or massage a man's shoulders at work get fewer pay raises and promotions, according to Friday's USA Today.

The newspaper, citing a Tulane University study, said 49 percent of MBA graduates polled admitted that they have tried to advance in their careers by sometimes engaging in certain sexual behaviors, including sending flirty e-mails and wearing revealing clothing.

If this is true, then Jessica Simpson is starring in the Dukes of Hazzard movie because she normally dresses like an Amish librarian and has years of experience as a thespian. If this is true, Monica Lewinsky was involved with a secret government underdesk operation not because she flashed her thong, but because she had a puritanical and professional demeanor.

I'm unconvinced.

It appears to me that the Tulane survey had a predetermined agenda-driven outcome. The polling was merely a search for consenting opinions. My contention is somewhat supported by the author of the study, Tulane professor Arthur Brief, who stated that women shouldn't allow men to be chivalrous because it represents "benevolent sexism." This indicates to me that Professor Brief has bought into the radical feminist ideology about society where all feminine wiles are eliminated and unattractive women have a chance at success.

In my opinion, feminine allure can be a key factor in a woman's professional success and it will take a lot more than this bogus Tulane survey to convince me otherwise. (H/T Country Store)

Condemned Killer Gets Presidential Award

Here's the scenario. A man forms a gang of murderous thugs and infests every major city in the United States with crime. Oops! Along the way, he gets convicted of four murders and is sentenced to death. That was 24 years ago, but no worry.

From The Mercury-News:

Convicted murderer Stanley "Tookie" Williams has received an award for his good deeds on death row, complete with a letter from President Bush praising the notorious gang founder for demonstrating "the outstanding character of America."

Williams, co-founder of the notorious Crips street gang, has been an anti-gang activist during his many years on death row at San Quentin State Prison, where he was sent after being convicted in 1981 for killing four people.

"Good deeds on death row!"

This is wrong and it sends the wrong message to other condemned killers. And, since when does death row symbolize just another opportunity to queer the system? The only communication ever permitted from death row should be, "BZZZ-ZZZ! Next! We have an opening."

No mail, no pencils, no paper, no opportunity for good deeds and, above all, no Presidential Awards!

Ontario Brownout

The Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) was forced to decrease the voltage supplied to users by 5 percent yesterday, creating a rare brownout. It lasted until 8pm last night and was blamed on lack of generation. Four generating units (totaling 3,000MW) were unavailable due to repair or maintenance.

Jeez! I hope people aren't planning maintenance shutdowns for the first week in August. If so, they should fire someone.

Jordanian Al Qaeda Cell Smashed

(Amman, Jordan) After last month's attacks at Sharm el-Sheikh and in London, the Jordanian Security Forces have been more vigilant and aggressive in protecting the kingdom.

From the Indo-Asian News Service (Deutsche Presse Agentur):

Jordanian authorities have broken up a terror cell of 17 suspects who belonged to Al Qaeda branches in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the pro-government al-Rai daily reported Thursday.

"The suspects planned to stage attacks on intelligence personnel and foreign officers inside the country," the paper quoted State Security Court Public Prosecutor Fawaz Otoum as saying.

They were also involved in recruiting terrorists and collecting donations for Al Qaeda groups in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, he added.

Otoum expected the suspects to go on trial before the state security court at the end of this month.

The terrorists, ages 22 to 27, were arrested in Amman's western neighborhoods. The courts in Jordan are currently trying several groups suspected of plotting acts of terrorism inside Jordan. One group planned the country's first chemical attack in coordination with the Jordanian fugitive Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. Notably, those convicted of terrorism can be condemned to death.

This is good news. Anytime a pocket of evil is cleansed, it should be heralded. Unfortunately, the MSM ignores good news in the GWOT since they are busy checking on the adopted children of SCOTUS nominee, John Roberts.

Child Sex Offender Sentenced to Needlework

(Edinburg, Texas) Hidalgo County State District Judge Rose Guerra Reyna sentenced Robert Thompson to 320 hours of crocheting after he pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a child. Apparently, the sexual assault charge came about as part of a divorce proceeding and there was no evidence to support it. Nevertheless, Thompson was conned into pleading no contest to make everything go away. Unfortunately, he'll have to register as a sex offender for life and cannot see his kids for five years.

Some deal.

Russian Mini-Submarine Trapped by Nets on Seabed

Breaking news from the Far East.

From ABC News Online:

A Japanese ship is racing to help the crew of a Russian mini-submarine trapped on the seabed.

The Priz mini-submarine was carrying out a routine exercise in the Bay of Kamchatka in far eastern Russia when it ran into trouble.

Military officials say its propeller is tangled in fishing nets.

"The net has wrapped around the propeller and the vessel has got caught in the net's anchor wire," Navy chief Alexander Dygalo said on Russian television.

Russian Priz Mini-Submarine
The boat is about 40 feet long and carries a crew of seven. It's at a depth of about 600 feet. Current estimates are that the crew has from one to five days' worth of oxygen.


[Update 0200 EDT, 8/07/05]

From CNN International:

A Russian mini-submarine that had been trapped at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean since Thursday surfaced Sunday, and all seven of the crew members on board are alive and in satisfactory condition, officials said.

Authorities had been concerned about the amount of oxygen available to the crew after the mini-submarine became entangled and trapped on the ocean floor, nearly 190 meters (625 feet) below the surface in Berezovaya Bay -- 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on Russia's far eastern coast.

"I would like to thank our British colleagues for their aid in saving the crew," said Vladimir Pepelyayev, deputy head of the Russian navy's headquarters, as reported by the Russian news agency Interfax. "The crew's condition is satisfactory."

Following a request for assistance from Russia, U.S. and British rescuers had responded to the scene.

A British crew lowered into the water an unmanned rescue vehicle called a Scorpio 45, which cut the items pinning the sub underwater.

The sub was raised about 0320 GMT.

More Women With Boys

Last March, I compiled a listing of names (Women With Boys) of women that had been accused, convicted, or sentenced for various sexual offenses during the preceding calendar quarter. The following is an extension of that listing. It is comprised of women who have been in the news due to sexual offenses against minors since March.

(CO) Nicole Andrea Barnhart, 35,
teacher, married, 2 children - Sex assault of boy, 16,

(KY) Pamela Charles, 35,
teacher's aide - Rape/sodomy of male student, 14,

(MI) Laura L. Findlay, 30,
band teacher - 1st degree criminal sex with boys under 16,

(CA) Elisa Kawasaki, 25,
biology teacher - Statutory rape of male student, 16,

(ME) Deborah Lepkowski, 44,
girls' athletics coach - Unlawful sexual contact with female student,

(CA) Catherine Rose, 47,
teacher's aide - Unlawful sex with male student, 17,

(CA) Margaret De Barraicua, 30,
teacher, married, one child - Rape of male student, 16,

(AR) Michelle Sikes, 34,
school interpreter, married, two kids - 1st degree sex assault (pleaded guilty) of boy, 15,

(NY) Joann Hernandez, 27,
teacher, married, three kids - Sex abuse of male student, 15,

(AL) Tiffany Elkins, 36,
teacher, two daughters - Rape/sodomy of two boys under 16,

(NY) Samantha Solomon, 29,
guidance counselor - Affair with student,

(NY) Rhianna Ellis, 25,
teacher - Had child fathered by 10-grader,

(VA) Dana V. Snyder, 24,
teacher - Sex with male student, 14,

(AL) Christy Lynn Chapman, 31,
teacher - Rape/sodomy of two boys under 16,

(CA) Elizabeth Stow, 26,
teacher - Sex/oral sex with three 17-year-old male students,

(CO) Gwen Anne Cardozo, 33,
teacher, married, four children - Sentenced to probation for sexual assault of male student, 17,

(IN) Desiree Lawrence, 26,
guidance counselor - Sex with male student, 17,

(TX) Michelle Dawn Sewell, 27,
teacher - Performed sex acts on male student, 16,

(OH) Maria Rose White, 27,
mother - Rape of boy, 12,

(PA) Amber Holland, 21,
mother - Had child fathered by boy, 14,

(AL) Harriet Laquette Gordon, 30,
teacher - Rape of special education student, 13,

(PA) Amy Livingston, 27,
mother of four - Sex assault of boy, 15,

(IN) Schmeca White, 27,
teacher - Sex with special ed students, 11 to 15,

(FL) Kelly Lynn Dalecki, 28,
teacher - Pleaded guilty (and not guilty) to lewd/lascivious acts with boy, 13,

(CA) Rebecca Ann Boicelli, 33,
teacher - Pleaded no contest to lewd act, had child fathered by boy, 16,

(IL) Gina Purvis, 29,
teacher - Sexual assault of male student, 15,

(OH) Kelly L. Smith, 33,
neighbor - Sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with three boys, ages 13 to 15,

(NY) Karlie Hall, 31,
teacher's aide - Forgery, child endangerment/lewdness with male student, 14,

(SC) Crystal Fischer, 26,
school bus driver - Criminal sexual contact with boy, 15,

(CO) Donna Sue Lopus, 39,
teacher, married - Sexual assault of mentally disabled male student, 16,

(NC) Nicole Pomerleau, 31,
teacher - Pleaded guilty to indecent liberties with male student, 16,

(MA) Jennifer L. Marshall, 34,
neighbor - Statutory sexual seduction of boy, 15,

(PA) Tina Knoble, 35,
neighbor - Involuntary deviate sex with boy, 14,

(MI) Suzanne (Susanne) Eble, 35,
teacher's aide, two kids - Pleaded no contest to criminal sexual conduct with boy, 14,

(AL) Sarah Louise Nelson, 41,
neighbor - Misdemeanor sexual abuse of several young boys,

(CA) Tanda Rucker, 31,
teacher, girls' basketball coach - Unlawful sex with several teenage girls,

(TN) Kristi Dance Oakes, 32,
teacher - Statutory rape of boy, 16,

(WA) Lucrecia Martinez-Rowe, 38,
neighbor - Rape of two boys, both 14,

(VA) Melissa Michelle Deel, 32,
teacher, married - Sentenced to 14 months for oral sex with male student, 13,

(IL) Taylor A. March, 21,
babysitter - Child porn and fondling child under 24 months,

(OH) Leslie Thrasher, 35,
neighbor - Sentenced to 8 years after pleading guilty to rape of boy, 12,

(KY) Shannon Yager, 36,
school administrator, daughter - Rape of boy, 15,

(TX) Charlya Hill, 38,
teacher - Sexual assault of male student, 16,

(CT) Beth Raymond, 31,
athletics coach - Sexual assault of juvenile male learning disabled student,

(CA) Christel Puentes Ochoa, 23,
school secretary - Rape/molestation of boys,

(NH) Rachael True, 18,
neighbor - Felony sexual assault of boy, 13,

(NY) Peggy Goble, 28,
neighbor, one son - Sexual abuse of boy, 13,

(PA) Lisa Marie Cope, 40,
pimp - Prostituted two girls, 14 and 15, for drugs,

(TX) Stephanie Burleson, 35,
teacher - Sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to molesting female student, 16,

(NC) Katherine B. "Katy" Tew, 30,
teacher - Pleaded not guilty to taking indecent liberties with male student, 17,

(IN) Amber K. Marshall, 23,
teacher - Sexual abuse of two male students, 14 and 15,

(NJ) Robin Gialanella, 26,
teacher - Sentenced to 364 days after pleading guilty to child endangerment,

(MN) Tammy Lynn Schleeter, 33,
divorced - Criminal sexual conduct with boy,

(MI) Elizabeth Miklosovic, 36,
teacher - Sentenced to 5 to 25 years for sexual assault of female student, 14,

(TX) Rosa Amelia Lara, 27,
neighbor - Sentenced to deportation for sexual assault of boy, 15,

(PA) Elizabeth Berthoud, 23,
teacher - Inappropriate sexual relationship with students,

(MI) Stephanie Elizabeth Bissell, 34,
mother of four - Sentenced to two to 15 years for criminal sex with boy, 14,

(FL) Tammy Lee Huggins, 36,
teacher's aide - Sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to sex offenses againsts students aged 12 to 17,

(VA) Shelby Sue Shelton, 49,
teacher - Charged with carnal knowledge of female student,

(TX) Dawn Reiser, 30,
teacher, married - Convicted of sexual assault of male student, 13,

(PA) Virginia Ellen (Dolly) Johns, 25,
neighbor, married - Rape of boy, 12,

(CA) Joan Marie Marquez-Sladky (aka Joan Marie Sladky), 27,
teacher - Unlawful sex with male student, 16,

(OH) Jodie Lyn Drake, 35,
neighbor - Extended-term sexual relations with boy, 15,

(NJ) Diane West, 50,
guidance counselor - Sentencing date of 10/21 set for sexual assault of boy, 15,

(IL) Jennifer Brummett, 25,
teacher - Sentenced to probation for criminal sexual abuse of male student,

(FL) Debra Lafave, 24,
teacher - Trial in Dec. for sex with boy, 14,

(CO) Sylvia Ann Johnson ("Cool Mom"), 40,
neighbor - Pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency, sentencing on 9/26,

(MN) Carrie Parker, 33,
neighbor - Sentenced to 33 months for sex with boy under 16,

(CA) Renee Biggel,
teacher - Molestation of student under 18,

(NY) Sandra "Beth" Geisel, 42,
teacher, married, 4 kids - Rape of male student, 16,

(NJ) Maria Saco, 28,
teacher - Sentenced to one year in jail for sex with male student, 14,

(CA) Marci Marie Calarruda (aka Boughton), 32,
neighbor - Rape of best friend's son, 13,

(KY) Ashley Hubbard, 18,
neighbor - Rape/sodomy of two boys, both 12,

(FL) Lauressa McClure, 39,
neighbor - Unlawful sexual activity with boy, 16.

Unless specified otherwise, all offenses noted are alleged.

[Update] There are over 70 names on the list and, when coupled with the list posted in March, well over 100 females have been implicated in incidents of inappropriate sexual behavior with minors over a period of about nine months. Each is different and each is serious. Nonetheless, the prevalence of the predatory sexual behavior may be even higher than is reported in the news since I speculate many cases are hidden from the public. In any event, the frequency of the incidents seems to go unnoticed by the media.

Note that I didn't go searching for stories about women with boys. They popped up in general reading, usually while looking for something totally unrelated. All I did was document the occurrences with a post and then compile the list after a period of time. All the while, I tried to keep abreast of legal proceedings so the posts could be updated to reflect their ultimate disposition. I'm hoping to be able to collect enough data to support or dispute the contention that female predatory behavior is treated less harshly by the judicial system than male predatory behavior. Thus far, it's too early to tell.

Roadside Bomb Kills 14 Ohio Marines

From Reuters:

Insurgents blew up a U.S. assault vehicle in western Iraq Wednesday, killing 14 Marines and a civilian interpreter in the deadliest roadside bomb attack against American forces since the war began.

From WKYC.com:

According to U.S. Central Command, 14 Marines and a civilian interpreter, assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), were killed in action early Wednesday morning when their amphibious assault vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device (IED).

The victims' names have not been released. Over the last three days, 20 U.S. Marines from the same unit have been killed in action.

Meth For Bail Scheme

(Lincoln, Illinois) This story indicates that some people just don't understand the old saying that "once you find yourself in a hole, quit digging."

From Pantagraph.com:

A 24-year-old Lincoln woman was charged with trying to make methamphetamine to raise bail for her mother, a former police officer facing her own drug charges.

Authorities said Brianna Strohl's mother, Diana Short, 46, asked her collect materials to make meth because Short needed to post another $7,500 to get out of jail. Short, who had been a Lincoln police officer until her arrest, previously was accused of growing marijuana plants in her basement.

Strohl and Short both were charged Tuesday with several felony counts related to making meth. Short now needs $25,000 to get out of jail, and Strohl needs $10,000.

Short instructed her daughter to make the meth via the jail house telephone despite warnings that calls were monitored. Before that, she asked the other, less than tight-lipped, inmates how to make the meth.

I'm convinced that drugs make people stupid.

Woman Puts Child Porn on Web

(Peoria, Illinois) Updating a previous post, Taylor A. March, 21, has been examined by psychological experts and declared competent to aid in her own defense. As a reminder, she was the woman arrested in May for fondling an infant in a broadcast to an Internet chat room, "Preteen Sex on Camera." March is scheduled to be back in court next week.

Brit Arrested with 452 Passports

(Bangkok, Thailand) An Algerian-born Brit was arrested at Bangkok International Airport for trying to smuggle 452 phony European passports out of Thailand.

From The Courier-Mail:

The suspect, identified as Mahieddine Daikh, 35, was arrested as he tried to board a China Airlines flight bound for Amsterdam carrying fake Belgian, French, Portuguese and Spanish documents.

"At first we found 138 forged passports in his carry-on bag," Colonel Chanatpol Yongbanjerd of the airport's immigration command said.

"Then we found another 314 in his checked luggage."

The man was en route to Scotland, Chanatpol said.

Thailand has been known as a source of forged documents.

How Much Is That Doggie on the Menu?

The Marmot reports that a growing number of restaurants in downtown Moscow are serving dog meat dishes at their customers' request. Some wonder where the dog meat is coming from since there is no dog meat industry around Moscow to supply the product. There is no reason to wonder, though, since it's been noticed "that the stray dogs that used to run around outside the restaurants are now nowhere to be found."

On the menu tonight, we're having bok choy, kim chee, and Rin Tin Tin. Mmmm! Yummy!

American Journalist Shot Dead in Basra

American journalist Steven Vincent was found shot to death after being abducted Tuesday evening by five gunmen in a police car in Basra.

From The Globe and Mail:

"I can confirm to you that officials in Basra have recovered the body of journalist Steven Vincent," said embassy spokesman Pete Mitchell. "The U.S. Embassy is working with British military and local Iraqi officials in Basra to determine who is responsible for the death of this journalist. Our condolences go out to the family."

Vincent had been investigating and writing about police corruption and abuses of power in Basra. In a New York Times opinion piece four days ago, Vincent was critical of the rise in Shi'ite Islamist fundamentalism in Basra.

Woman, 39, Naughty With Boy, 16

(Brooksville, Florida) Hernando County Sheriff's Deputies have charged 39-year-old Lauressa McClure with one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor for having sex with a 16-year-old boy. If convicted of the second-degree felony, McClure could be sentenced to 15 years in state prison.

Fuzzy Science Alert: Cows Pollute More Than Cars

(Sacramento, CA) With the latest announcement from the California envirocracy, the price of milk is sure to go up.

From The Mercury-News:

Dairies are the No. 1 source of smog-producing pollution in the San Joaquin Valley, producing more than even cars and light trucks, according to a report released by air regulators.

The San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, in a report released Monday, has determined that a cow annually emits 19.3 pounds of volatile organic compounds, the gases that contribute to smog. That is 50 percent more than currently thought, the report said.

At that new rate, dairies in the San Joaquin Valley produce more than 50 tons of VOCs a day, exceeding the amount released by cars and light trucks in the region by nearly 20 tons a day, district officials said.

If I believed that this is a good idea, which I don't, then I'd also believe that it surely was a wise act to slaughter all the hundreds of millions of bison that used to roam the Great Plains. Just think of the level of volatile organic compounds emanating from their exhaust pipes. And what about the massive herds of caribou in Canada? Or wildebeest in the Serengeti? Shouldn't they be slaughtered, or culled, or taxed?

The country of New Zealand instituted a similar nanny-state scheme to tax flatulence of livestock a couple years ago and it was met with vigorous opposition from the sheep herders. I think the idea was ultimately shelved or ameliorated.

Nevertheless, the pollution control district relied solely on data from Great Britain and a feedlot in Texas to conclude that California dairymen needed more government regulation.

"We've been cautioning them that a large component of their estimate is something for which there was very little California data," said Charles Krauter, a researcher at California State University-Fresno.

Michael Marsh, head of Western United Dairymen, said his group will ask the district's Governing Board to review the findings.

"If they don't and our farmers are caught being forced to rely upon on an emission factor for regulation that's not based on science, we will, of course, review all our legal options," he said.

I tend to believe that oftentimes problems with the environment have less to do with the actual conditions and more to do with the number of agenda-driven biologists out to find data to support their preconceived notions. At first glance, the 'cows pollute more than cars' contention appears to one of those notions.

ICE Sweeps Target MS-13 Gang Members

Authorities conducted a sweep of 27 states, targeting more than 80 violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), 18th Street Gang, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Asian Boyz, and the Jamaican Posse. Over the past two weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested 582 gang member and associates.

From The Washington Times:

"We have a message for violent street gang members in America: Stopping your violence and criminal activities is high on ICE's list of priorities," said Marcy Forman, the agency's director of investigations. "We're backing up our resolve with results ... and we're just getting started."

Ms. Forman said at a press briefing yesterday that 11 gang leaders, 490 members and 81 associates were arrested on charges related to violent crimes, immigration violations and possession of fraudulent documents.

She said 261 were identified as foreign nationals with criminal records.

According to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, more than 1,000 gang members have been apprehended since March and more than 90 percent were illegal aliens. The anti-gang initiative originally targeted the violent MS-13 gang and, in May, it was expanded to include all criminal prison and street gangs. The sweep, part of ICE's ongoing "Operation Community Shield," covered large urban areas and smaller cities known as gang havens throughout the nation.

Federal authorities estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 MS-13 members live in 31 states -- the majority of them in the country illegally.

Co-Gestion in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has implemented a new plan for business called co-gestion where workers participate in the executive management of companies. Chavez has stated that the country will soon be free of "the capitalist perversion" while the weekly Veneconomia described co-gestion as "a death warrant for private enterprise."

The Venezuelan constitution guarantees the right to private property, but Chavez isn't paying much attention to it. The co-gestion scheme is being forced on businesses one by one and essentially requires that the business owner hand over the company to the government and the (wink - wink) workers. The business owner presumably should be paid for his property, however, that's not a certainty.

From Herald.com:

Nacional de Valvulas was declared by the Congress to be of "public utility" after a strike paralyzed its operations. The government took control and plans to give the workers a 49 percent stake. Owner Andres Sosa has threatened to sue, saying the government has yet to offer him compensation for the factory, valued at $30 million.

For this to work, Chavez needs to implement a tightly controlled police state and then it's still doomed to fail. Socialism brings poverty.

Two things I'd watch for are people leaving in droves, no less than when Castro took power in Cuba, and the theft of the national wealth by those in power.

Parents of Good Students Could Get $1,000

(Porterville, CA) Here's a novel idea which I believe would create all manner of unintended consequences.

From the SacBee:

Billie Jo Aldrich-Fallert wants kids to do better on the California Standards Test - so much so that she's willing to pay if they improve.

Aldrich-Fallert, a special education teacher at Porterville High School, believes scores would improve if the state were to give $1,000 to parents whose children score proficient or higher on all sections of the annual test administered in grades 2-11.

Legislative analysts say the measure could cost more than $1 billion.

With enough support, the idea could make the June statewide ballot.

The subject of school grading systems is already a ballistic button of contentiousness nationwide and Aldrich-Fallert's idea won't lessen the controversy.

"My goal is to give students and families a reason to do good on this test," said Aldrich-Fallert, 44, who is married and has two grown stepsons.

Indeed.

Catherine Bosley For Hire

Former reporter and anchorwoman Catherine Bosley is looking for work. Inquire here.