Zimbabwe - Good News and Bad News

(Harare, Zimbabwe) First, to accentiate the positive:

Tourism

Zimbabwe has launched an international tourism fair to promote its largely deserted resorts. Business at the once-popular destinations has evaporated in the last six years. The government blames bad Western press.

Whites May Farm

President Robert Mugabe's government has announced it is considering allowing some interested whites to return to farming. This is an odd announcement since the government hasn't completed its confiscation of white-owned farmland started six years ago.

Inflation Decreased

In September, Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate decreased to 1,023 percent. Zimbabwe can claim world leadership in the category of inflation rate.

And then, there's the bad news. Astute readers will notice that the good news from Zimbabwe was presented with a bit of sarcasm. Smiley faces can't hide a collapsed economy.

Stratospheric Inflation

Although the rate of inflation decreased from 1,204 percent to 1,023 percent in September, it's still a major negative.

Stratospheric Interest Rate

Zimbabwe's Central Bank raised the nation's accommodation rate, the lending interest rate to commercial banks, to 500 percent for secured loans and 600 percent for unsecured loans.

Food Shortage

It's estimated by the UN World Food Programme that 1.4 million Zimbabweans will need food aid in the next six months. Prior to President Mugabe taking power, Zimbabwe was the "breadbasket of the region," exporting maize and cereal grains.

Massive Power Outages

Zimbabwe suffers from persistent widespread power outages due to breakdown of generating and transmission equipment. The cash-strapped nation can't afford to perform repairs nor replace equipment and there has been rampant theft of cable from the transmission lines bringing power from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There has also been a shortage of coal for the generating plants. No funds are available to mine the coal nor to purchase fuel to transport already-mined coal. Notably, families in cities are resorting to gathering wood for cooking and heat.

No Blood for Hospitals

A recent fire has prompted the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) to halt supplies of blood and blood products to Zimbabwean hospitals. Locations with proper refrigeration are being sought.

And so, we have a snapshot of the economic turmoil in Zimbabwe. For those leftists that believe a government run by a thug dictator can achieve utopia may have to wait a while for Zimbabwe to come around.

Teacher's Aide Accused of Sex, Lewdness with Boy

(Fernley, Nevada) A Fernley Intermediate School teacher's aide, Tracie Nelson, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy. Nelson's age is variously reported as somewhere between 26 and 37, inclusive. Apparently, Nelson had sex with the boy in a car while his teen buddies watched.

Naturally, the school district suspended Nelson, with pay, of course.

A criminal complaint has been filed charging Nelson with sexual seduction, lewdness and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Before police could arrest her, Nelson allegedly attempted suicide by drug overdose and was rushed to the hospital. She'll be arrested upon her recovery and release from the hospital.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 10/28/06]

Nelson waived her preliminary hearing and is expected to accept a plea deal on Monday. The 37-year-old reportedly will plead guilty in exchange for dismissal of the contributing to the delinquency charges. Since her arrest on October 19, she's been held in the Lyon County Jail on $10,000 bail.


[Update 03/22/07]

Nelson sentenced.

Quakers Evict Homeless

(Seattle, Washington) Even the Quakers realize that there is a limit to charity. For years, a homeless camp was welcomed on Quaker property in the University District of the city. Not anymore.

From Seattle Times:

Quakers bearing coffee, doughnuts and bagels told those still around the building on Ninth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 40th Street to leave -- for good. They posted notices that Seattle police would be patrolling the area and that trespassers would be prosecuted.

The Quakers finally saw the danger of appeasing vagrants, many of whom are substance abusers. Children in a preschool on the same property were considered particularly at risk.

Female Teacher Guilty of Rape, Sodomy

(Poplar Bluff, Missouri) A 49-year-old former New Madrid Central Middle School teacher, Susan Sharp, pleaded guilty to two counts each of second-degree statutory rape and second-degree statutory sodomy resulting from engaging in sex with underage teen boys.

The sex occurred on October 17, 2004, at Sharp's home in an evening of kissing, oral sex, intercourse and pill-popping.

From Belleville.com:

Information in the case emerged after a 15-year-old boy tried to kill himself with an overdose of an anti-anxiety drug.

During a routine follow-up by the sheriff's department, the teen disclosed that he and Sharp had had sex the week before he attempted suicide. He said he'd struggled with suicidal thoughts and gone to Sharp's home, taking more of her pills and, he believed, having sex with her again.

Sharp's prosecution was moved to Butler County from New Madrid County where the Sharp family is prominent. The Missouri Attorney General's Office is handling the case and has recommended a seven-year sentence on each count, to run concurrently.

Susan Sharp will be sentenced on December 19.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 02/07/07]

Sharp sentenced.

Teacher Accused of Sex with 11-Year-Old Boy

(Smithfield, North Carolina) A 30-year-old former fifth-grade teacher at Polenta Elementary School, Rebecca Withrow, was arrested yesterday for engaging in sex with an 11-year-old boy. The sex allegedly occurred in the classroom between February and June 2003.

School officials only recently were made aware of the allegations and alerted police. It's unknown why it took so long to expose the alleged behavior. Withrow was suspended from her teaching position and subsequently resigned.

Withdrow faces charges of rape of a child, indecent liberties with a child and sex with a student. She is in custody at the Johnston County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bond.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 10/18/06]

Whoa! Momma!

From Winston-Salem Journal:

A schoolteacher accused of raping an 11-year-old student in 2003 also had an affair with the boy's father, officials said.

Rebecca Withrow, a fifth-grade teacher at Polenta Elementary School, is charged with rape, indecent liberties and committing a sex offense against a student.

The plot thickens.


[Update 06/15/07]

Withrow pleads no contest and is sentenced.

FAA Bans Fixed-Wing VFR Over East River

Announced earlier.

From 7Online.com:

The Federal Aviation Administration laid down some new rules for fixed-wing planes flying in Manhattan.

Those fixed-wing planes have been banned from the East River corridor in New York unless the pilot is in direct contact with air traffic control.

Little late, don't you think?

Bangladeshi Banker Wins Nobel Peace Prize

It's logical that banking practices and world peace are related. Right?

(Dhaka, Bangladesh) Known as the banker for the poor, Muhammad Yunus has devoted the last two decades to building a business by giving tiny loans known as microcredit to impoverished people who could not qualify for loans from conventional lending institutions.

As a result of his achievements, Yunus has been awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

From Guardian.co.uk:

Mr Yunus lent the villagers the money to buy their own materials and cut out the middleman. They all paid him back, day by day, over a year, and his impulsive gesture slowly became a fully fledged business with the founding of Grameen Bank in 1983.

"In showing that poor people could be productive and make money he broke with the old mindset that all aid should be about providing services like education and health," said Kevin Watkins, director of the UN human development report office.

Yunus' efforts are credited with allowing millions of people, primarily women, to achieve higher standards of living.

In keeping with his creative and charitable nature, Yunus announced yesterday that he would donate his prize money, about $1.4 million, to "good causes."

Yunus said he would use his share to fund a project to produce low-cost, nutritious food for the poor, an eye hospital, a drinking water project and a health care scheme.

"I will donate all my money to these enterprises. These will be purely social business enterprises, ie not-for-profit organisations," he said.

Congratulations are appropriate.

Taliban Collects Ransom

(Kabul, Afghanistan) Two kidnapped Pakistani engineers were released yesterday by the Taliban after somebody paid ransom. It's anyone's guess who paid.

From PakTribune.com:

The two engineers, who were working for a road construction company, were freed after Taliban militants were paid a big ransom of 60,000 U.S. dollars, said Haji Aqha Lalei, head of the reconciliation commission in Kandahar.

He didn't say who had paid the ransom, but said local elders and government had negotiated with the militants for the hostages' release.

Apparently, there was a skirmish during the kidnapping on Sunday and two Taliban were killed. However, it didn't stop the abductions.

Personally, I sense a corrupt coziness between the government, the tribal elders and the Taliban in this incident and it's all about money. The quick business-like manner in which everything occurred suggests it was preplanned.

Tip: George R.

Illegal Alien Traffic Trashes Nature Area

(Phoenix, Arizona) Federal authorities have closed the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge which shares the border with Mexico for 5.5 miles. Security and decimation of the environment are noted as reasons that "the land will be indefinitely inaccessible to the public."

Notably, the refuge is not the first federally-protected area closed to the public. Previously, a third of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was closed for the same reasons. Anyone surprised?

From AZCentral.com:

Originally established as a haven for the meek-mannered masked bobwhite quail, the 118,000-acre [Buenos Aires] refuge has been ravaged by illegal-immigrant traffic in recent years.

More than 250,000 illegal immigrants entered the refuge in 2004 and 2005. Their footsteps and vehicles have cut more than 1,300 miles of trails through the native grassland, some of which could take more than a century to recover. The landscape is dotted with rusting, abandoned vehicles and tons of clothing and trash.

Additionally, major emphasis is on security since smugglers and traffickers are regularly shooting at and sometimes killing law enforcers. So far two large tracts of land have been closed to the public and I assume there will be more.

Given that the natural environment is being trashed by the illegals with recovery seen as a long-term project, it's curious to me that the leftist environmental crowd can support continued, if not wide open, trespassing on the land. I haven't heard one peep about protecting the national refuges from the interlopers. But the enviros will broadcast megaphonic peeps when the suggestion is made to drill oil on a few acres of frozen tundra in Alaska. Somewhat hypocritical, don't you think?

And what about the meek-mannered endangered masked bobwhite quail? Poor thing. It's been forgotten.

English Teacher Accused of Sex with Boy

(Daytona Beach, Florida) A 22-year-old 9th-grade English teacher at Matanzas High School in Flagler County, Seneka Arrington, has been accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy.

Arrington has been terminated from her teaching position since she was still on probation as a new employee. She has not been charged with a crime, however, the Daytona Beach Police Department has opened an investigation.

Tip: Jason Cann

Suburban Marijuana "Grow Houses"

(Cleveland, Ohio) Area law enforcement agencies are raising the alarm on the existence of indoor marijuana farms, called "grow houses," in suburban neighborhoods. According to Michael Barnhardt of the Medina County drug task force, recent raids indicate that the grow houses may be operating in many communities.

From Cleveland.com:

The raid on the Baywood Drive residence, three other homes and four apartments in Brunswick and Brunswick Township netted 600 marijuana plants and $60,000 worth of plant-growing equipment. The bust led to a raid in Lorain County on a house in Avon.

Agents located the houses in Brunswick after another grow house in Wadsworth caught fire earlier this year. Information gathered after that led to the other raids.

Twelve people were arrested and charged with growing marijuana with intent to distribute. They are scheduled to go to trial Nov. 27 and each faces eight years in prison if found guilty.

The pot farmers taken into custody were Vietnamese, however, there's no evidence that they are linked to the Vietnamese gang problem moving into the U.S. from Canada. Logically, since Vietnamese-speaking people are a minute segment of the population in North America, I would suspect some sort of connection.

Notably, grow houses are very large consumers of electricity due to the lighting required for the plants and consumption can be an indicator of an indoor farm. However, electric power distributors typically "would not alert police if they saw a huge increase in electrical usage" even though it's evidence of a crime being committed.

I don't understand. Possession of child pornography is a crime simply because it's evidence of child sexual abuse being committed and it's viewed as furthering the crime of child sexual abuse. Why shouldn't it be a crime to withhold evidence of a drug farm and shouldn't the utility be considered complicit if electricity continued to be supplied in massive amounts after it became known that usage was for criminal purposes.

I'm not advocating new law, rather, just pointing out an apparent disparity in reasoning. Customarily, I'm in favor of fewer laws. Nonetheless, to be a good business neighbor, I'd suggest that prudent managers adopt guidelines to notify somebody when electricity consumption at a particular residence increased ten or twenty fold above historical usage for the neighborhood without a reasonable explanation.

Merry Studies

It's not necessary to be merry to get a masters degree in Robin Hood studies. Just studious.

From Ananova.com:

Nottingham University will provide the course to students, reports the BBC.

During the one-year course students will work with 15th century manuscripts in looking at the outlaw's place in English society.

The course will also use stories, songs and plays to investigate the medieval world of the Nottingham legend.

I understand that tights are optional.

Female Teacher's Aide Accused of Sex with Male Student

(Cashiers, North Carolina) A 39-year-old first-grade teacher's assistant at Blue Ridge School, Elizabeth Conley Solomon, has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student.

According to Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe, the alleged sex occurred off school grounds and was reported by a parent who overheard students discussing the relationship.

Solomon was suspended from her position.

Tyler Stanger and Cory Lidle

Yesterday's plane crash in New York City has saddened many people. Two remarkable lives were lost.

Tyler Stanger, 26, led a life of substance, purpose and responsibility. In addition to being a devoted husband, a doting family man and a successful businessman, Tyler was a former Eagle Scout and strong supporter of scouting. Tyler leaves a wife and two-year-old daughter.

Cory Lidle, 34, is best described as focused, perseverant and accomplished. Cory too was a devoted husband and family man and he succeeded in the world of every boy's dream, as a major league baseball player. Cory leaves a wife and six-year-old son.

Both men can be characterized as "All American" solid citizens. Both will be missed. Both will be remembered.

Condolences to the families and friends of Tyler Stanger and Cory Lidle.

Homemaker Arrested Again for Indecent Acts

(Allen, Texas) Last April, 38-year-old female homemaker, Regina Bowling, was arrested by Allen police for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy. She was booked and released on bond.

From last night comes the report that Bowling has been arrested again for alleged indecency with a different boy. She has been released on bond, again.

Maybe the authorities ought to reconsider their position on having Bowling out of jail.


[Update 06/30/07]

Bowling indicted.

Parasite in Mom Promotes Birth of Boy

Here's a line of thought.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

A single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis.

And, the infection by Toxoplasma gondii in humans is caused by:

Accidentally swallowing cat feces from a Toxoplasma-infected cat that is shedding the organism in its feces.

Given those two scientific nuggets, check out this report from The South Asian Women's Forum (SAWF).

While expecting mothers may hardly have any preferences for blue or pink researchers have now found that the presence of a particular parasite called Toxoplasma gondii can increase the likelihood of a woman having a baby boy.

Consequently, I've been toying with the idea of opening up a shop. Kitty's Tea & Dumplings might be a success if sandwiched between the bridal shoppe and Lane Bryant. The location would guarantee some traffic from mothers-to-be and also mothers-in-law wanting grandsons. Seeking venture capital.

It's not necessarily a good line of thought.

Link: STACLU

Religion of Inhumanity

Express your own disgust.

From AINA.org:

Mosul, Iraq (AINA) -- On Monday, October 9, a prominent Assyrian (also known as Chaldean and Syriac) priest, Fr. Paulos Iskander (Paul Alexander), was kidnapped by an unknown Islamic group. His ransom was posted at either $250,000 or $350,000. This group had demanded that signs be posted once again on his church apologizing for the Pope's remarks as a condition for negotiations to begin.

Father Alexander was beheaded on Wednesday.

Frankly, I don't know how some people can completely absolve Islam from being responsible for this atrocity and many, many others. A thorough statistical analysis of the causes of terrorism and related violence would likely find Islam as the root.

Dow at Record High

Just announced. Intraday record high for the Dow Jones index at above 11914 and rising.

Pardon me if I wait until the elite media tells me why I should believe this news is bad and an indication of the conspiratorial powers of the Republican Party. In the meantime, I'll feel good enough to have a doughnut.

Armed Homeless Man Shoots, Kills Attacker

(Seattle, Washington) A 52-year-old homeless man with a concealed weapons license shot and killed a mentally ill man who attacked him.

Classified as a Dangerous Mentally Ill Offender (DMIO) after release from prison on an arson conviction, 25-year-old Daniel Culotti died from one shot to the abdomen from a .357-caliber handgun. He was under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Seattle Mental Health agency.

The 52-year-old homeless man was questioned by police and released. His name was not made public.

Okay, one question. I know that the Pacific Northwest is quite liberal but I can't fathom how someone could get a concealed weapons permit without having a permanent address. Anybody? It's also somewhat unnerving to know that people who customarily reside in cardboard boxes may be legally packing heat.

Female Molester Gets 3 Years in Prison

(San Mateo, California) Last we heard, 35-year-old daycare operator Dedra Ann Archini was in jail on $500,000 bail after getting caught violating her bail conditions established during a previous release. As a reminder, Archini had previously pleaded no contest to molesting her 13-year-old stepsister's son.

Today in San Mateo County Superior Court, Archini was sentenced to three years in prison.

From CBS5.com:

At today's sentencing hearing, Judge Craig Parsons, noting the episodes of sexual intercourse and oral sex with the 13-year-old victim, declared that "probation would not be appropriate in this case."

In addition to her three-year prison sentence, Archini will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.

A three-year stretch may help recalibrate Archini's thinking. Noticeably missing in the disposition of this case, however, is any mention of her future as a daycare operator.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Convicted Molester Gets No Jail

(Toledo, Ohio) In early September, 33-year-old mother of three Dawn M. Fisher pleaded no contest to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in accordance with a deal offered by the prosecution.

As a reminder, Fisher engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy, became pregnant and gave birth. She denied all allegations until DNA testing of the newborn proved the boy was the father.

Yesterday, Judge James Bates sentenced Fisher to five years community control and no jail time. She had faced a possible five years in prison. Surprisingly, Judge Bates admitted that he would have ruled differently for a man in similar circumstances.

From WTOL.com:

Judge Bates told Fisher, "If I had a male in front of me that would have had sex with a 14-year-old female, I think everybody in the courtroom would know what I would do to that particular offender. They would be going to a state institution for a very lengthy period of time."

Judge Bates' admission can be added to the statements of inequality recently voiced by Utah District Judge Mark Kouris as he sentenced a female sexual offender to probation. According to Judge Kouris:

"If this was a 29-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, I would be inclined to order some incarceration."

My friends, we've got two cases in different parts of the country where sitting judges have openly admitted a gender bias in the American justice system.

Consequently, I suggest we won't have to wait too long before a handful of incarcerated male sex offenders files a lawsuit claiming denial of equal treatment under the law. Then I suspect the Supreme Court will be asked to rule on the systemic gender bias in the judicial system. My guess is that some convicts will ultimately be set free.

Think about it. Female sex offenders are regularly getting little or no punishment while men are treated harshly. The disparity will ultimately have to be addressed by the highest court in the nation.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 07/26/07]

Fisher violates probation.

Trial Set for Alleged Molester

(Farmington Hills, Michigan) A married mother of three, 41-year-old Jami Lee Knox, was in Oakland County Circuit Court yesterday for a pre-trial hearing to determine a trial date. Judge Rae Lee Chabot set the trial for November 27.

As a reminder, Knox has been charged with criminal sexual conduct for engaging in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy who is her son's friend. Knox is accused of luring the boy into numerous sex sessions and sometimes even posed as the boy's mother and called the school to get him released.

Knox faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Conviction carries 45 to 75 months in prison.

A final pre-trial hearing is set for October 30. The defense and the prosecution are still in discussions seeking a mutual understanding of the case and options for sentencing if she pleads guilty. The prosecutor said he would not offer a plea bargain. In the meantime, Knox remains free on $50,000 bail.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 11/14/06]

Knox takes deal, pleads no contest.


[Update 01/02/07]

Knox sentenced.

Two Muslims Convicted in Terrorism Trial

(Albany, New York) Two Muslim men affiliated with the Central Avenue Mosque, Yassin M. Aref and Mohammed M. Hossain, were convicted yesterday of dozens of terrorism-related charges in U.S. District Court. A jury deliberated for four days before handing down the verdict.

Aref, the local imam of the Central Avenue Mosque and a Kurdish refugee, was found guilty on 10 counts. Hossain, a 51-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant and pizza shop owner, was found guilty of 27 counts.

From TimesUnion.com:

Yassin M. Aref, the religious leader, and Mohammed M. Hossain are accused of taking part in a fictitious plot to help launder money from the sale of a shoulder-fired missile to terrorists plotting an attack in New York City.

Aref faced separate charges for allegedly lying on a green card application and while being interviewed by FBI agents about his ties to a Kurdish political party.

Attorneys for both men have stated their intentions to appeal. Sentencing is scheduled for February 12th.

Elephant Vasectomy

(Lake Buena Vista, Florida) Dr. Mark Stetter, a veterinarian at Walt Disney World, is going to Africa to perform vasectomies on elephants. Stetter explains the process in not too technical terms.

From WFTV.com:

The two biggest challenges: elephants are the size of semi-trucks, and their testicles -- the size of a "respectable cantaloupe," Stetter said -- are behind 2 inches of skin, a foot of muscle and 4 inches of fat.

"What we want to do is get to the middle of something that's in that semi-truck, and we want to do it without emptying out everything that's in the truck," Stetter explains.

Using the tools doctors use for arthroscopic knee surgeries on humans -- a laparoscope and a video monitor -- Stetter can perform what he says is a two-hour procedure to sterilize male elephants without disrupting their important testosterone production.

The elephant must first be shot from a helicopter with an anesthesia dart, guided to an open area, and propped up by a crane truck so that he can stand while sleeping.

Stetter said field tests, as recently as July in South Africa, have revealed no postoperative complications for the elephants.

Now, it seems to me there could be some real breakthroughs in science if Dr. Stetter started to perform a vasectomy on Mr. Nose, the talking elephant, and showed the beast the 5-foot contraception tool. Imagine cute Mr. Nose saying, "No! No! No! No!"

Sex in Mosque

(Nairobi, Kenya) A guy and a girl have sex in a mosque and get sentenced to prison. Peter Kimani and Jennifer Wairimu got 18 months.

You know it wasn't a Sharia court since the Islamos will behead people for cartoons and a Sharia court would have definitely cut something off for jiggy-jiggy squirt-squirt in a mosque.

Twyana Davis - Monster Sex Predator

(Columbus, Ohio) Here's a case that has been festering for over a decade. Let's review.

Eleven years ago, Twyana Davis dumped her newborn daughter in a trashcan. Subsequently, she was charged with child endangerment and given probation. Astonishingly, the authorities returned the previously-dumped daughter to Davis. Then she became a spokeswoman for unwed pregnant teenagers, wrote a book about it, appeared on The Oprah Show and ultimately admitted to raping a 12-year-old boy.

Davis eventually pleaded guilty to one count of rape and today, in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Judge Michael Holbrook sentenced her to 10 to 25 years in prison. Holbrook called Davis a sham manipulator and labeled her as a sexual predator.

Davis' attorney believes she was treated leniently saying she could have been prosecuted for at least 100 counts of rape. Even so, Davis plans to appeal the sexual predator label part of the sentence.

I'm obviously too uneducated to understand but could someone tell me why she wasn't prosecuted for attempted murder of her daughter? Also, maybe someone could enlighten me on how the jello-brained authorities could return the baby girl to Davis after she attempted to murder her? And another thing. What on Earth qualifies Davis to counsel unwed pregnant teens? I guess I'll have to watch Oprah to understand why complete, criminal idiots are trumpeted. Someone, please remind me to put it on my schedule.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Jet Diverted on Bomb Threat

(Cleveland, Ohio) Last night, a Cincinnati to Newark flight was forced down at Cleveland Hopkins Airport after a bomb threat by a 45-year-old man from New Jersey. No bomb was found nor were there any injuries. The man likely faces federal charges of disruption of a flight crew.

Frankly, I think this guy should be charged with a terrorist act and face at least 20 years in federal prison without a prayer for parole. It's time that society take a strong stand against bomb threats on airplanes, or anywhere else, for that matter.

School System Sued for Not Protecting Students

(Bayonne, New Jersey) Some readers may recall the case of Bayonne High School guidance counselor Diane West, 52, who pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a 15-year-old male student and received probation.

The lenient sentence resulted from West's defenders convincing the court that her offense was only a single lapse of judgment in an otherwise stellar career in education. However, new information concerning Diane West indicates otherwise and the school system is being sued for neglecting to protect students.

From NYTimes.com:

It was not until 2001, when relatives of the boy, Christopher Castlegrande, filed a complaint with the police of statutory rape against Ms. West, that she left her $74,000-a-year job and lost her unfettered access to Bayonne High School's students.

After Ms. West was arrested, school officials insisted for more than a year that the allegation was the only accusation of misconduct in a sterling 24-year career. They allowed her to take an early retirement package that fattened her pension, and gave her a farewell party with cake and ice cream. When Ms. West pleaded guilty in 2005 to sexual assault charges, glowing references from co-workers, supervisors and friends helped persuade a judge to sentence her only to probation. She was also spared the ordeal of having to register as a sex offender.

Now, with Mr. Castlegrande suing the school district for failing to protect students from a woman with a sexual appetite for under-age boys, this city of 62,000 has been forced to examine how little was done to stop her earlier. Even as the news media were saturated with coverage of teachers like Pamela Smart and Mary Kay Letourneau who slept with their students, Bayonne averted its eyes for years.

Details of the lawsuit are not known but the Times article describes a history of inappropriate behavior by West that was apparently ignored by the Bayonne School System. Notably, West married a former student after she became pregnant and gave birth to his child while he was still a student. Also, early in her teaching career, West was seen pawing a 13-year-old student at an eighth-grade dance.

With the lawsuit, the Bayonne School System will likely be forced to reexamine its entire philosophy regarding inappropriate behavior by teachers.


[Update 10/24/06]

The school system has settled with Mr. Castlegrande.

From The Jersey Journal:

A settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit filed against the Bayonne Board of Education and eight current and/or former school employees by Christopher Castlegrande, the former Bayonne High School student involved in a sexual relationship with his then-guidance counselor, Diane Cherchio West.

Castlegrande's Bloomfield attorney, Robert Bianchi, said that as of yesterday, the case is "completely resolved" and "dismissed with prejudice, meaning that nobody can go after anybody."

Bianchi declined to disclose the financial terms of the settlement. "My client has instructed me not to release the numbers," he said.

Rumors were that Castlegrande wanted $400,000 so, with the attorney's fees, the school's insurance company likely ponied up about a half million dollars. It's rumor, though. However, it's not rumor that Diane West walked away from court with a hand slap for her inappropriate and criminal behavior.

Show's over, folks. Move along, there's nothing else to see here.

NAACP Losing Clout

The oldest American civil rights organization, the NAACP, has been suffering from diminishing membership since the loud protest days of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. As an example, in South Florida the black citizenry has ballooned while the local branches of the NAACP has seen plummeting membership.

From Miami.com:

The Miami-Dade NAACP, which boasted 5,000 members in the late 1980s, now has 500 to 600, said Adora Obi Nweze, the state NAACP president who founded the branch.

Membership in the Fort Lauderdale branch was about 2,000 in the mid- to late 1980s, said Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Carlton B. Moore, who was branch president then. As of last month, membership was about 250, according to one member.

Jeez! That's about an 80 to 90% decrease in South Florida. Nationally, NAACP leaders say the membership is down to 300,000 from one-half million several decades ago.

Reasons cited for the decline are that: 1) Activists from decades ago are dying of old age and 2) There is a lack of interest in young people toward community activism. However, corrective measures are planned. Membership campaigns targeting young people and young families will be conducted in the near future.

Just a thought, maybe the contemporary black community doesn't have near as much to complain about and protest against as blacks did in times past. It's generally recognized that, over the years, the NAACP has been quite successful in helping address many grievances regarding equality and discrimination.

Mohammad Cartoons on YouTube

(Copenhagen, Denmark) Holy moly! It appears that the world may see another flare-up of Muslim indignation. Danish television has aired video of images mocking Mohammad which were drawn by members of the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party (DPP) during summer camp.

From Reuters.com:

The foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that footage of the cartoons was first posted on the video-sharing web site YouTube, which is not hosted in Denmark.

"Danish television channels TV-2 and DR later aired extracts," it said. "The intention of airing the extracts was not to provoke Muslims but to illustrate the matter in an interview on DR with the chairman of the DPP Youth Organization, who distanced himself (from) the video clips."

The ministry issued a strong advisory to Danes against travel to the Gaza Strip and cautioned against travel to Israel and the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.

"A militant group in Gaza has made threats against Danes in the Palestinian areas in connection with the (cartoon) matter on October 9," the advisory said. "We urge Danes to use caution as the matter could lead to negative reactions."

Yeah, that's what it says. There could be some "negative reactions" from the followers of the religion of peace. Excuse me! It seems that all their reactions are negative ... uh, that is, except when infidels are murdered. Then, they rejoice.

Reuters Editor Booted, Wrote Coulter Smear Book

Nobody is talking details but it seems that Reuters editor Joe Maguire lost his job just as he submitted the final version of his smear book on Ann Coulter.

From NYTimes.com:

On Tuesday, Joe Maguire, one of two editors in charge of markets coverage at Reuters, handed his bosses the galleys of his new book, "Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter." On Wednesday, Mr. Maguire discovered he would have plenty of free time to promote his book, which comes out this week. Neither side in this dispute would say that he was fired.

Maguire was granted approval to write the book but the approval was apparently withdrawn after Reuters management saw the content. In a company statement:

"Our editorial policy and The Reuters Trust Principles are prominently displayed for all to see on www.about.reuters.com. Mr. Maguire's book will soon be available. Both speak for themselves."

The Trust Principles are "integrity, independence and freedom from bias."

Now I haven't read nor do I plan to read the Maguire book. With confidence, I expect it's full of false premises and avoids facts like all the other leftist screeds in the marketplace. Given that, I find it interesting that Reuters has standards of objectivity. The company has often been pejoratively called al-Reuters for its reliably leftist slant and let's not forget the recent controversy over "doctored" Reuters photos of the Israeli-Hezbollah War. Maybe Reuters management has adopted a new strategy of reporting facts as opposed to opinion.

Just don't expect me to hold my breath. Reuters is light years distant from objective journalism.

Iraqi Policemen Poisoned

(Numaniya, Iraq) According to police sources, hundreds of Iraqi policemen were poisoned during their Ramadan meal yesterday. Fatalities have been reported but numbers vary. Whatever the cause, it sure seemed to act quickly. Some men collapsed after standing upon completion of the meal.

From Reuters:

At least seven policemen died and hundreds of others fell ill after suffering food poisoning on Sunday evening in the town of Numaniya, south of Baghdad, police sources at the base said on Monday.

It was not clear if the poisoning at an Iraqi military base was deliberate but police sources said they arrested four cooks on Monday suspected of tampering with the food.

But the spokesman for the commander of the Iraqi armed forces said no one had died.

"Three hundred and fifty to 400 people were poisoned, they were given medical treatment instantly and four were taken to a nearby hospital and everyone has returned to normal," spokesman Brigadier Qasim al-Musawi told a news conference.

Aljazeera.net reports that "policemen began bleeding from the ears and nose after the meal." The policemen are attached to the 4th Division, National Police, nicknamed the "Karrar" division, after a title of Imam Ali, the 4th Muslim caliph.

The food and water have been sampled for testing. Almost all the victims are Shi'ite Muslims from southern Iraq. They blame a Sunni contractor providing food for the base. Wasit Province Governor Hamad al-Latif stated that the food and water are provided by an unnamed Australian contractor working through Iraqi subcontractors.

The investigation continues.

North Korea Splodes Nuke

(Pyongyang, North Korea) There's nothing good about this news.

From Xinhuanet.com:

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Monday that it has conducted a nuclear test, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

So, now what does the rational part of the world do?

STACLU also has the story and reports that a 3.58 Richter seismic tremor was detected by South Korean intelligence a few hours ago (Monday morning Korean Time).


[Update 10/08/06, 2350 EDT]

As a result of the announced test, the South Korean government has called an emergency meeting of foreign and defense ministers.


[Update 10/09/06, 0015 EDT]

Robert Koehler in S. Korea indicates that the seismic tremor occurred about 10:36 am Korean Time.


[Update 10/09/06, 0045 EDT]

From Mainichi Daily News:

North Korea said Monday it has performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test. The country's official Korean Central News Agency said the test was performed successfully and that there had been no radioactive leakage from the site.

"The nuclear test is a historic event that brought happiness to the our military and people," KCNA said. "The nuclear test will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and surrounding region."

A value system must be somewhat askew for happiness to be defined by a nuclear bomb. Most folks would be happy with a puppy. Oh, darn! I forgot. There are no puppies in North Korea.

Two German Journos Murdered in Afghanistan

(Baghlan Province, Afghanistan) In a generally calm area northwest of Kabul, two journalists working as freelancers for Deutsche Welle, Karen Fischer, 30, and Christian Struwe, 38, were murdered in their tent early yesterday morning.

According to Said Ekramuddin Massumie, governor of Baghlan Province, about six people are suspects believed to have been directly involved in the murders. A motive has not been revealed.

A Taliban spokesman, Kari Yussuf Ahmadi, stated that they didn't do it. "We only attack Americans and their supporters," he said. He didn't mention infidels so I think he's lying.

Condolences to the families of Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe.

Blade Endorses Anything Non-GOP

I swear. The editors of Toledo Blade must have had to check their endorsement for governor piece several times to make sure they put someone's name in. Today's ridiculous rant against the Republican party is thinly veiled as an endorsement for Democrat Ted Strickland. I counted about 900 words in the piece and 750 are devoted to blasting Republicans.

Of Strickland, little is mentioned other than that he's "worthy" and that he's not a Republican. Some space is devoted to reminding us that Strickland went to school and that he was a congressman. The Blade also considers it important that Strickland doesn't come from a big city. However, no mention is made of any true accomplishments by Strickland nor is there any hint of what he plans for the future.

Strangely, the Blade emphasizes that Strickland is a psychologist. He's taught psychology and was a psychological counselor for prison inmates. Now, someone please tell me. Which great accomplishments of civilization can psychologists take credit for? If one were looking for generals to fight a war, if one were seeking project leaders to build a canal or a railroad or a skyscraper, or if one wanted someone to lead millions of people in a positive direction, I cannot imagine that one would be perusing the roster of available psychologists. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Strickland's psychology background as a positive. If anything, psychologists don't make decisions. They sit, ask people what they think and say, "Uh huh."

In summary, the Toledo Blade endorses Strickland not because he's a better man for the job, but because he's not a Republican. The newspaper has an agenda. It really didn't make any difference which Democrat was chosen to run for governor.

PD Endorses Dolt

In my mind, it's actually embarrassing. The Cleveland Plain Dealer criticizes Democrat Ted Strickland as a man who possesses "apparent passivity" and "lack of boldness," a man who is also "stunningly free of vision."

In comparison, while paraphrasing and ignoring the ugly political spin, the Plain Dealer sees Republican Ken Blackwell as dynamic and bold, a man who would freely engage in the exploration of ideas.

The two candidates are described correctly as "starkly different." Yes, very much so. Blackwell is seen to possess leadership qualities. Strickland is seen to have no leadership qualities, a virtual dolt. However, the newspaper attempts to compensate for Strickland's glaring lack of leadership talent by asserting relative confidence that he will have smart people around him.

So, who did the Plain Dealer endorse? Strickland, astonishingly!

I'm certain that everyone has heard the cliche that a "grand jury could indict a ham sandwich." Well, the Plain Dealer has proven that a supposedly objective group of journalists can endorse a dolt for governor when voters have a clear choice to vote for a leader with a vision for the future.

In summary, northeast Ohio's liberal house organ, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, is opposed to dynamic and visionary leadership , therefore, a dolt is endorsed to run the state. How pathetic?

Mr. Nose, The Talking Elephant

(Yongin, South Korea) This is unimaginable.

From The Seoul Times:

A 16-year-old Asian male elephant surprised his trainer and other people because the male elephant speaks the human language, said the elephant trainer Kim Jong-Gap.

Kim, 39, who works at Everland Zoo in Yongin, South Korea's Gyeonggi Province, said on Sept. 7, 2006 that he heard his elephant named Mr. Nose speak words of the human language. It happend while he was working.

Kim said that Mr. Nose is able to pronounce eight words including "Good," "Lie Down," "No," "Not Yet," and "Turn Around." The elephant's pronunciation of the Korean language is nearly the same as any Korean person.

Good! That means only Korean-speaking people have to be nervous if Mr. Nose tells them to turn around and lie down.

International Breast Milk Shipments

Last April, the International Breast Milk Project (IBMP) shipped the first quantity of American breast milk to South Africa to feed babies orphaned by AIDS. Thus far, 180 liters of breast milk have been donated.

More donors are sought.

Reported Terrorist Plot in Prague

(Prague, Czech Republic) Islamic extremists, suspiciously linked to a planned attack in Oslo, Norway, two weeks ago, plotted to murder dozens of Jews in Prague.

From Haaretz.com:

Islamic extremists planned to kidnap dozens of Jews in Prague and hold them hostage before murdering them, the daily Mlada Fronta Dnes reported on Friday.

According to Czech Chief Rabbi Ephraim Sidon, the central Prague Jerusalem Synagogue was the target. Intelligence sources say the terrorists planned to kidnap the Jews and make unreasonable demands followed by blowing up the building, killing everyone.

Armed guards were dispersed around buildings in the city after a security service warning of an imminent attack. Authorities are neither providing nor confirming any details.

Via Pirate's Cove which cites leftist blogosphere skepticism on the validity of the reporting. It's suggested the story was planted.

Egypt's Coptic Christians Under Attack

Islamic terrorists and Egyptian state police are being implicated in the isolation and persecution of the nation's seven million Coptic Christians.

Catholic News Service:

The Catholic News Service reports that the American Coptic Union (ACU) claims in a recent letter that human rights abuses against the Copts have been escalating since September 11, 2001, and the Egyptian government has not responded with any protection. ACU is a nonprofit organization that represents Coptic people in the US and Egypt.

"The daily horrors of shame-rape, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and forced conversion, particularly in the southern part of Upper Egypt, are seriously eroding the Copts' economic, social, and religious existence," says the letter to the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ahead of her meeting with the Egyptian government.

[ ... ]

"While the Egypt government continues to isolate its Coptic population, it has never discussed the constitutional rights of Egypt's Christians nor has it legislated any new laws or presidential decrees to ensure human rights for the Copts," it reads. "In fact, human rights activists are often harassed, attacked and falsely imprisoned."

As I recall, the international community took action to to stop ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. Why is it allowed to occur in Egypt? Also, given the enormity of millions of Egyptian Coptics being persecuted by the religion of peace AND Egyptian state security, why are we not seeing front page headlines about it?

Furthermore, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch should worry less about how fat Gitmo detainees are and focus serious emphasis on real human rights violations.

Strickland Not Strict on Child Sex Issues

Okay, Ohio voters. Listen up. With the putative sex offenses of a congressman in the news, it's an appropriate time to revisit the dubious record of Ohio candidate for governor, Democrat Ted Strickland. Fortunately, Matt Hurley has researched Strickland's history and collected some of the highlights regarding child sex issues.

Most notable to me was Strickland's refusal to condemn a bizarre study which found that sexual abuse is not always bad for children. In my mind, anyone who feels strongly about protecting children would not agree with Strickland's lack of condemnation of the study. Despite party affiliation, Strickland's capricious attitude toward defending the youngsters in society should be a deal-breaker at the voting booth.

Let's all be strangely appreciative that Ted Strickland is not seeking to run a daycare center.

NYCLU Sues for Islamic Garb on Officers

(New York City) The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) has filed suit in Manhattan federal court to allow a Muslim corrections officer to wear a traditional Islamic kufi hat as part of his uniform.

According to the lawsuit, Abdus Samad N. Haqq must wear the kufi to have taqwa, the consciousness of Allah, at all times. The kufi also demonstrates religious devotion during the five-a-day prayer sessions.

The Department of Corrections has opposed modifying prison uniform regulations for reasons of religious practice.

It's probably predictable that a win in this case by the NYCLU will lead to the ACLU filing suit to change the uniforms of the U.S. military.

This has been a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us, please email Jay@stoptheaclu.com or GribbitR@gmail.com. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 200 blogs already on-board.

Woman Seeks Child Support, Gets Arrested

(Warrensburg, New York) It's probably safe to assume that today, more than any other, Kimberly A. Baker remembers that math class was hard.

From TimesUnion.com:

Police charged a 22-year-old woman with rape Thursday after she went to County Court hoping to receive child support from a boy who was 13 when he impregnated her, authorities said.

Kimberly Baker became pregnant in October 2003, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Department, but authorities were unaware of the illicit sexual relationship until she filed for the child support this August from the father, now 16.

Baker was booked and remanded with bail set at $10,000.


[Update 10/18/06]

Baker found to have had sex with a different boy, age 14, in 2003.


[Update 03/16/07]

Baker pleads not guilty to eight counts of rape.


[Update 02/12/08]

Baker pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in August 2007 and was sentenced to probation. Last week, Baker pleaded guilty to violating her probation and was sentenced to two to six years in prison.

Sun Info on Blog?

This little nugget furrowed my brow.

Sun Microsystems Inc. chief executive Jonathan Schwartz has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to let him announce news about his computer networking company on his personal blog.

I must be missing something. It seems like an odd request.

Woman Allegedly Rapes Boy, 14

(Lyons, New York) A 34-year-old mother of six children, Tara Gravino, was arrested for allegedly raping her daughter's 14-year-old male classmate. Gravino faces charges of second-degree rape, unlawfully dealing with a child, and endangering the welfare of a child.

A concerned parent notified authorities that Gravino was allowing underage drinking of alcohol in her home. Gravino was booked and released on bail.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

New Jersey Teacher Arrested for Sex with Student

(Perth Amboy, New Jersey) A 32-year-old teacher at McGinnis School, Amy Burke, was arrested yesterday for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old student.

Burke has been charged with official misconduct, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

The relationship is reported to have started last spring and was brought to the attention of authorities by another student's parents.


[Update 11/29/06]

Burke pleads guilty.


[Update 03/31/07]

Burke sentenced.

Earth Liberation Firebombers Plead Guilty

(Tacoma, Washington) Two members of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) terrorist group, Lacey Phillabaum and Jennifer Kolar, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to arson and "other crimes" in accordance with a plea agreement. Both admitted their responsibility in the May 2001 firebombing of the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture. They caused $7 million in damage.

The prosecution will recommend for Kolar, 33, to receive a federal prison sentence of five-to-seven years. A three-to-five year term will be recommended for Phillabaum, 31. Each faced a minimum of 30 years if convicted at trial.

It's not known when sentencing will occur but, in the meantime, both Kolar and Phillabaum have committed to assist the feds in their investigations of the ELF and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).


[Update 03/08/07]

Without being officially sentenced, Phillabaum goes to prison.

Counselor's Sex Crimes Net 4 Years in Prison

(Waukegan, Illinois) In November 2005, juvenile counselor and therapist, Tiffany Daddino, was charged with criminal sexual assault for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy in a residential treatment center. Daddino was suspended from her position and later resigned. She was booked into the Lake County Jail with bail set at $500,000 since she was considered a flight risk.

Yesterday, 27-year-old Daddino was sentenced in accordance with a deal to four years in prison in return for pleading guilty to predatory sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and conspiracy to commit escape. Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras concurred with the plea agreement. Daddino admitted to sex with a 15-year-old boy and aiding his escape while he was on furlough from the center.

Daddino was also ordered to complete three years' probation after release from prison and to register as a sex offender. She will also be required to donate $20,000 total to Crimestoppers and a children's help group.

ASU Profs Assault Caucasian Club Rep

(Tempe, Arizona) Following up on a previous report, it's alleged that two ASU professors have assaulted one of the supporters of the Caucasian American Men of ASU (CAMASU).

From The Arizona Growler:

Emily Mitchell, a field representative for Leadership Institute, reports via email that two Arizona State University professors assaulted, injured, and harassed her yesterday over her support of Caucasian-American Men of ASU, an officially-recognized campus group. Unfortunately for the assailants, she has video.

Mitchell filed a hate crime report describing the assault by two female professors from the College of Fine Arts. The professors refused to state their names. The assault left Mitchell quite shaken, with a bloody hand and damaged video equipment.

Now, I've watched the video and, frankly, I don't see a hate crime. Of course, since 'hate crime' is so ill-defined and subjective, what do I know? However, I do see disagreement between the professors and Mitchell which allegedly escalated to assault. The video doesn't capture the actual assault but it's easy to believe that it occurred. To be fair, though, the conversation leading up to the assault could easily be interpreted as Mitchell goading the professors into reacting dramatically. Even so, the professors are not justified in assaulting Mitchell.

Nonetheless, in an effort to identify the assaulting professors so formal charges can be filed, CAMASU students distributed "Wanted" posters (link - pdf file) around campus but were told by ASU Police to stop because there were "some complaints." Consequently, Emily Mitchell is struggling to find the names of the two professors while the ASU Police appears to be running interference.

All in all, Emily Mitchell was promoting CAMASU when she was engaged by two liberal professors and the result was a skirmish. The alleged assault was wrong and the perpetrators should at least buy Mitchell a new camera and pay for any medical bills.

Judge Complains of Light Sentence to Woman

(Danville, Pennsylvania) Last June, a 20-year-old Williamsport woman, Melissa Janine Mitch, was arrested and charged with statutory sexual assault and corruption of a minor for engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy. Apparently, the hormone-charged boy was persistent so she "gave in" to him. Mitch was booked and released.

Today, it's reported that Judge Scott W. Naus sentenced Mitch to nine to 23 months in jail and then complained about his sentence.

From The Daily Item:

Melissa Mitch pleaded guilty to corruption of minors after she had sex with the boy while staying with him and his mother.

Judge Naus felt she was getting off with a lighter charge because she was a woman.

"I don't think this gives you enough time," he said. "It's atrocious that you're only charged with corruption. I'm going to give you every day because I don't think what's here is enough."

I don't know all the details. Maybe his hands were tied to a particular outcome. Presumably, the judge has the authority to impose a stiffer sentence. Nonetheless, it's unusual for a judge to complain about his own ruling while accusing the system of treating Mitch leniently because she's a woman.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Woman Indicted for Sex with Two Boys

(Steubenville, Ohio) In August, 26-year-old Crystal McGrath, aka Crystal Stewarz, was arrested for allegedly engaging in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, ages 13 and 14. Later, she was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Yesterday, Crystal D. McGrath was indicted on the charges.


[Update 01/17/07]

McGrath pleads guilty.

Amber Childs Pleads No Contest to Reduced Charges

(Provo, Utah) Well, the enduring case of alleged sex crimes against a 5-year-old boy by Amber Childs is coming to conclusion. As of July 2006, Childs faced felony charges of aggravated sex abuse of a child, sodomy on a child and tampering with a witness or juror.

However, the case took a turn yesterday and all her charges were reduced to misdemeanors in accordance with a deal from the prosecutors.

From NewsNet.byu.edu:

A woman from Palmyra in south Utah County pleaded no contest Tuesday to three charges relating to an incident of sexual abuse of a young boy that happened four years ago.

Amber Childs, 30, was originally charged with aggravated sex abuse of a child, sodomy on a child, and tampering with a witness or juror in 2002, according to court records.

On Tuesday in 4th District Court, all three charges were reduced to class-A misdemeanors resulting in two charges of lewdness involving a child and one charge of attempted tampering with a witness or juror.

Childs pleaded no contest to the reduced charges but will be sentenced Nov. 6 as if she pleaded guilty.

The charges were changed to lewdness with a child and attempted tampering with a witness. I speculate that she'll receive no jail time when sentenced.


[Update 12/26/06]

Childs sentenced.


[Update 12/18/07]

Childs gets 30 days for probation violation.

Teacher Janelle Bird Gets Two Years in Prison

(Pensacola, Florida) Last December, Escambia High School reading teacher Janelle Marie Bird was arrested for allegedly having a two-year sexual relationship with a student that started when he was a 14-year-old.

In July, Bird was convicted by a jury of two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and two lesser counts of unnatural and lascivious act. At the time, it was reported that she faced a possible 30 years in prison and, notably, she had previously rejected a plea deal which would have given her eight years. I predicted she would see a sentence of ten years.

Boy! Was I wrong?

Today, Escambia County Circuit Judge Nick Geeker sentenced Bird to a mere two years in prison. I'm a little surprised. The nature of her crimes, two years of sex with a boy starting at age 14, were such that I thought she would surely see a handsome stretch in the slammer. However, I can be faulted for forgetting the first rule of American jurisprudence, females are never as guilty as men in similar circumstances.

Child Molester Lives in Hole Behind School

(St. Marys, Georgia) Man! Of all the things a community has to worry about, I wouldn't think that this is one of them.

From Local6.com:

A sex offender wanted by the Virginia State Police was arrested after he was found in a wooded area behind Mary Lee Clark Elementary School, where he was apparently living in a hole, according to a WJXT-TV report.

Timothy Primrose, 50, of Virginia Beach, was being held and expected to be extradited back to Virginia.

Primrose is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 1996 of attempted rape, forcible sodomy and taking indecent liberties with children in Virginia, according to the report.

The hole measured 4 feet by 8 feet with a depth of 6 feet, ironically, about the size of a grave. Police are continuing to investigate since it appears someone has been supplying Primrose with provisions.

No Fishing in Danube

(Belgrade, Serbia) A ruptured oil tank at a crude processing plant near the Romanian border is being blamed for a 980-foot wide oil slick in the Danube River.

From UPI.com:

A 62-mile-long waste oil slick is moving down the Danube River from Serbia, threatening to pollute waters in Bulgaria and Romania.

Mayor Ivan Tsankov, of the western Bulgarian town of Vidin, said Wednesday local authorities banned using water from the Danube and fishing in the river, the Serbian B92 Belgrade radio reported.

Bulgaria's ecology ministry has demanded an investigation into the pollution by all European countries through which the Danube flows.

Heavy financial losses and ecological damages are expected.

On a totally unrelated note, just what was Johann Strauss looking at when he composed The Blue Danube Waltz? I've seen the Danube. It's not blue, it's brown. Strauss must have been blind.

Girl Killed for Family Honor

(Gaziantep, Turkey) A 22-year-old Turkish man, Selahattin Sezgin, has been sentenced to life in prison for the "honor killing" of his pregnant sister, 16-year-old Meryem. To restore family honor, Selahattin tracked down his sister after she ran away from home and shot her in the head and chest.

Selahattin claimed he killed his sister in anger during an argument. The court didn't believe him.

Caucasian-American Club on Campus

(Tempe, Arizona) Presumably, there will be considerable opposition to this idea by Arizona State University sophomore Matthew Jezierski. The group is known as CAMASU, Caucasian American Men of ASU, and its purpose is to give Caucasian males recognition.

From ASU Web Devil:

The student group of more than 40 members plans to become an official organization by registering with the Student Organization Resource Center today, Jezierski said.

"As soon as we become an official group, we can be taken more seriously," Jezierski said. "It won't be like we're preaching on campus."

After Jezierski learned of the group last month from Leadership Institute field representative Emily Mitchell, he said he immediately became involved.

After spending time on campus talking with students who said they wanted more representation for white males, Mitchell decided CAMASU was needed.

Feminists are opposed. Imagine that.

The group is sending a negative message to the campus, Feminist Organization member Cali Kahlman said.

"The group sounds like it consists of white men who cannot comprehend how ... much easier they have it than the majority of society," Kahlman said.

I suppose that when it comes to defining the adversary, feminists pretty much have their minds made up. Nonetheless, the group includes some women and it's not restricted to Caucasians.

Oregon School Requires Islamic Garb on Students

(Nyssa, Oregon) The courts and the ACLU make sure that Christian prayer and the Ten Commandments are removed from public schools and, all the while, we've got Islam being shoved down our kids' throats. How can a person not get heartburn?

From Local6.com:

Officials at a public school in Oregon are defending a seventh-grade social studies unit on Islam that included students dressing in traditional Islamic dress.

Kendlee Garner of Nyssa told the Ontario Argus Observer that she objected to the amount of time dedicated to the unit on Islam -- four weeks -- as well as the wearing of religious garb and the lack of parental notification. She said her son told her about the activity, and when she objected, he got an alternate assignment in the library.

School officials say that students have to understand the rise of Islam and the interaction with Europe. And yesterday, the good old trusty Supreme Court decided not to pursue the issue of Islamic indoctrination by passing on the opportunity to rule on a California case.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

North Korea Announces Nuke Test

Today, North Korea indicated that it will conduct a nuclear test. This news has to be troublesome to everyone.

From AP:

The statement from Pyongyang gave no precise date as to when a test might occur.

"The DPRK will in the future conduct a nuclear test in a condition where safety is firmly guaranteed," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, using its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Seoul quickly announced that it had raised its security level.

Expect a flurry of diplomatic wrangling.

Teacher Jennie Overstreet Pleads Guilty to Sex Crimes

(Canon City, Colorado) According to a previous report, sixth-grade teacher Jennie Overstreet, 33, faced 21 charges related to allegations of sexual assault of children under the age of 15. The specific charges included sexual assault on a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and distributing the drug dextroamphetamine.

Yesterday, Overstreet pleaded guilty in accordance with a deal struck with the Fremont County District Attorney's Office.

From KOAA.com:

She admitted guilt on two counts of sexual assault on a child. In exchange 17 other charges against her will be dropped. Authorities arrested Overstreet last spring just after she resigned her job as an elementary school teacher. She will be sentenced next month.

Under her plea deal, she's looking at anywhere from two years to life in prison.

Offhand, I'd guess she'll be sentenced to seven years in prison with half of it suspended. With good behavior and credit for time served, she'll see three years maximum behind bars. I hope my guess is wrong. Unfortunately, that's the way the female teacher cookie crumbles.


[Update 11/24/06]

Overstreet sentenced.

Teacher's Aide Schmeca White Convicted

(South Bend, Indiana) In May 2005, former aide at Greene Intermediate Center, Schmeca White, 27, was arrested on felony charges of inappropriate sexual activities with special education students between the ages of 11 and 15.

Specific charges included two counts each of child molestation and sexual misconduct with a minor, along with sexual battery, criminal deviate conduct, and battery.

Last week, White's trial concluded with convictions on three of eight charges she faced.

From WNDU.com:

All the charges filed against Schemeca White were serious charges, felony charges, and these three convictions are enough to land her a maximum sentence of 19-years behind bars.

What happened to Schemeca White in the courtroom was somewhat of a comfort to those who had children in her classroom. Debra Walker, mother of a victim said, "I was a little disappointed, but justice have been served. So I'm okay," with it.

Although jurors returned more verdicts of not guilty than guilty in general, they believed the testimony of six special education students who talked about the unbelievable things going on at the school.

Deputy Prosecutor Liz Hurley stated, "She was convicted of vicarious sexual gratification, which means she directed students to perform sexual acts with each other in the classroom. She was convicted of battery to a child under fourteen for choking a student."

White's sentencing has been scheduled for October 25.


[Update 10/26/06]

White sentenced.

Boy Claims STD From Teacher's Aide

(Mishawaka, Indiana) A mid-thirties teacher's aide at Grissom Middle School, Teresa Getz, was arrested for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male student.

From WNDU.com:

Court documents allege about a dozen separate sexual encounters took place, between June of last year, and July of this year, and mention times when the boy would spend the night.

Getz gave a statement to police denying any wrongdoing.

The documents indicate the boy was able to identify very private tattoo on Getz body, furthermore, the boy claimed he received a sexually transmitted disease from Getz.

WHOA! Intimate tattoo and an STD! The case is not stacking up well for Getz.

She was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail and released on bond. A December trial date has been scheduled.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 01/07/08]

Getz goes on trial.


[Update 01/12/08]

Mistrial declared in Getz case.

From WNDU:

Jurors could not come to an agreement about if Teresa Getz had sex with an eighth grade student, or not.

The case was handed over to the jury Wednesday afternoon, and jurors spent several hours deliberating, before telling a judge they could not come to an agreement.

During the trial, jurors heard from the alleged victim Tuesday, and Wednesday Getz took the stand in her defense.

She refuted all the student's claims; that they had sex and oral sex many times throughout the summer of 2006.

Getz was hit hard in cross-examination, as the attorney went through all the details of the student's story, but Getz refuted it all consistently and stayed calm.

Getz admits the student spent a lot of time at her house, even staying the night, but says he was helping with chores, and playing with her three children.

Inconsistencies in both Getz and the student’s stories from when they were first reported until now were brought up on both sides in the closing statements.

It's not known whether the prosecutors will retry the case. Since it appears to be a he said - she said situation, they may not.

Mom Nabbed for Giving Booze, Drugs to Kids

(Virginia Beach, Virginia) A 41-year-old mother, Amy Davis, has been accused of providing drugs and alcohol to minors. A girl told her mother that Davis provided marijuana to her and the mother alerted the police. An investigation determined that the activity had been occurring for several months.

Davis was charged with distributing drugs to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was booked and released on $1,500 bond.

Wounded Soldiers at Risk in Brit Hospitals

(Birmingham, England) The socialized health care system in the United Kingdom has been criticized for many things but this is the first I've heard that they cannot protect wounded British soldiers from Muslim radicals.

From Telegraph.co.uk:

A paratrooper wounded in Afghanistan was threatened by a Muslim visitor to the British hospital where he is recovering.

Seriously wounded soldiers have complained that they are worried about their safety after being left on wards that are open to the public at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.

On one occasion a member of the Parachute Regiment, still dressed in his combat uniform after being evacuated from Afghanistan, was accosted by a Muslim over the British involvement in the country.

"You have been killing my Muslim brothers in Afghanistan," the man said during a tirade.

Because the soldier was badly injured and could not defend himself, he was very worried for his safety, sources told The Daily Telegraph.

Arguably, the most serious indictment of the British National Health Service (NHS) is the following:

Soldiers on operations say they would rather receive a more serious injury and go to the top American military hospital in Ramstein, Germany, than end up in a NHS hospital.

Imagine the ridiculous scenario of a Brit soldier saying, "Please, shoot me again. I don't want to go to the NHS."

Tip: Hot Air

Hugo Chavez Mole in White House?

Yep! That's according to this report. Of course, Hollerin' Hugo's putative mole can't even compare with the stinking rash of anti-American saboteurs who feed the elite media.

Mohammad Cartoons to Air in Norway

Check out this report from News From Norway. Norwegian television is scheduled to broadcast a program with images of the Mohammad cartoons today.

Presumably, we can expect some 'peaceful' commentary from the followers of the religion of peace.

Tip: OpinionBug.com

Hamster Abuse

(Janesville, Wisconsin) A 23-year-old woman, Lisa R. Gaiser, was arrested Saturday for hamster abuse. She faces 78 criminal counts total for neglecting her pets. Gaiser's rat roommate squealed on her and police found six dead hamsters in her home.

Gaiser was booked into the Rock County Jail with bond set at $13, 836. Notably, she faces charges from a previous complaint that she didn't feed her dog.

It's worth noting that the State of Wisconsin takes hamster neglect quite seriously. As an illustration, bond for Gaiser was set almost $5,000 higher than bond for a woman recently arrested in Delaware for sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy.

Video of 9/11 Murderers

A copy of a videotape depicting a pre-9/11 party attended by the key players in the hijackings has surfaced.

From TimesOnline.co.uk:

It is the first time that a videotape has appeared of Mohammed Atta -- who flew an American Airlines plane into the north tower of the World Trade Center -- at a training camp in Afghanistan. It fills in a significant gap in the timing of the build-up to the attacks on the United States.

Dates on the tape show Atta was filmed on January 18, 2000, together with Ziad Jarrah, the pilot of United Airlines flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after the passengers apparently stormed the flight deck.

[ ... ]

The high quality, unedited film shows Bin Laden addressing his followers at the mud-walled complex near Kandahar. One of the main figures in the September 11 plot, Ramzi Binalshibh, is identifiable in the crowd, as is a bodyguard whose task was to kill Bin Laden with two bullets to the head if he faced capture.

Dating on the tape indicates that the Al-Qaeda leader was filmed on January 8, 2000, 10 days before Atta and Jarrah recorded their wills.

There's no soundtrack on the tape and it's reported that lip readers have been unable to interpret the content of the conversation.

Watch the video.

Companion post at The Jawa Report. The Jawa also has a pic of the Mohammad Bobblehead.

Illegals in Toolbox

(Sarita, Texas) Imagine a good old boy arriving at a job site for work. The first thing he does is break out his equipment by opening the toolbox in the bed of his pickup truck.

And, Voila! A matching set of amigos.

From Team4News.com:

Border Patrol Agents find two people hidden in a closed toolbox.

The couple was sweating profusely when they were rescued from the toolbox.

The driver, a 41 year-old United States citizen and another person, a 31 year-old United States citizen were arrested and charged with alien smuggling.

Actually they weren't exactly matching, one of the illegals is four-months pregnant.

Congressman Resigns Over Emails to Teen

Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) has resigned from Congress amid concerns and questions regarding emails and instant messages he sent to a teen boy. The communications have been described as worrisome, inappropriate, overly-friendly and sexually suggestive. In one instance, Foley requested that the boy send a picture of himself. However, scant details have been reported about the communications themselves but they must be damning enough. Congressman Foley skipped town as a result.

Current status of the scandal is that the Democrats are pointing fingers at the House Republican leadership for allegedly knowing about and trying to cover up Foley's indiscretions. The Foley event will surely be rolled into the Democrat campaign attack on a supposed Republican culture of corruption. Also being attacked is the inability to protect House pages. House Speaker Hastert will likely have to answer a slew of questions as investigations are conducted.

The impact of Foley's stunt on the November elections will hurt the Republicans. How much remains to be seen. However, since there are five weeks until the elections, plenty of time remains for all kinds of political mischief on both sides. Fasten your seat belts, voters. It will be a thrilling ride.

That said, I think it's odd that there have been no indications of Foley having a history of immorality. Without warning, a 52-year-old man develops a predeliction and decides to communicate with a teen boy in a lascivious manner? I don't think so. If all the allegations are true, there likely would be a track record of previous licentious behavior by Foley. Therefore, I believe Foley's past should be thoroughly examined.