Montana Woman Guilty of Sex with Boy

(Billings, Montana) In October 2006, 29-year-old Tara Moler telephoned the Billings Police Department and said she wanted to turn herself in for engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy. It's not clear why, however, I assume that there was a warrant for her arrest. Subsequently, she was booked and released on $20,000 bond.

Yesterday in District Court, Moler pleaded guilty before Judge Russell Fagg to having a sexual relationship with the boy.

A plea agreement in the case calls for prosecutors to recommend a sentence of 10 years with the state Department of Corrections with all but 30 days suspended. Moler may choose to spend 90 days of house arrest in lieu of the 30 days in jail.

Defense attorney Jay Lansing will ask for a lesser penalty of a deferred sentence. The 30 days in jail or 90 days of house arrest are part of a joint recommendation by the prosecutor and defense attorney. Moler must also complete sex offender treatment.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 10th.

Okay, readers, put your handicapper's goggles on and predict what Moler's sentence will be. Ten years prison or 90 days house arrest? Too easy, eh?

Bar Girl Fingers Absconding Brit Client

(Pattaya, Thailand) This report is amusing, I think.

From Pattaya Daily News:

An Englishman tricked a bar girl into going for a "short time" in a Pattaya hotel, then beat her up and stole her cash and a gold bracelet. The bar girl, initially "played possum", pretending to be dead and then got up to pursue him, clad only in a towel.

Hearing the commotion, a "Good Samaritan vigilante motorcycle taxi driver" joined the chase, caught up with the Brit and stopped him. Police then arrested him. Neither the bar girl nor the Brit were named in the report.

The Brit claimed he had no money but police found 10,000 Thai Baht in his pocket. Checking the current exchange rate, 10,000 Thai Baht equals about $300.

One would imagine that ripping off a bar girl for a "short time" and risking time in a Thai prison is pretty stupid.

Teacher Sends Love Letter to Boy

(Clayton County, Georgia) A 42-year-old teacher at M.D. Roberts Middle School in Jonesboro, Tonya Johnson, has been accused of inappropriate conduct with a 12-year-old boy. Additionally, the boy's mother found that Johnson had written the boy love letters.

When approached, Johnson was given the option of being fired or resigning. She chose the latter.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is investigating the allegations.

Undoubtedly, Johnson is psychologically and emotionally off center if she's falling in love with a 12-year-old.

Professor Dumped for Insulting Veil

(Tehran, Iran) An Iranian fine art professor at Tehran University, Nureddin Zarrinkelk, was fired and banned from teaching at any university for insulting the dignity of a veiled woman.

Zarrinkelk apparently was holding a classroom discussion over an image of a bald angel drawn by a student when the professor asked the woman if she wore the full veil because she herself was bald.

Although the question seems rather inconsequential, Science Minister Mohammad-Mehdi Zahedi declared that Zarrinkelk had shamelessly insulted the Islamic hijab which is a direct insult to Islam. Zahedi then fired Zarrinkelk.

As is typical, students protested, "bearing banners that urged Zahedi to act against such actions or resign."

Frankly, I'm perplexed as to how the dignity of a woman could be insulted when she, or any other woman, is unidentifiable behind the veil. Not only that, but evidence indicates that Muslim women are stigmatized as subordinate humans from cradle to grave. Just how much dignity is left to insult?

On the other hand, I can see how asking a question about the Muslim veil would insult Islam. It seems virtually anything can insult Islam.

Grand Rounds

The cutting edge of medical ponderings this week is at The Blog That Ate Manhattan. Go visit. You may learn why that ugly thing on your thigh won't go away.

NJ Terror Plot

Breaking news! Six men were arrested last night for a terror plot to kill soldiers at Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

From NBC10.com:

Investigators said the men planned to use AK-47s to storm Fort Dix and open fire on soldiers and civilians stationed at the New Jersey base, noting that other military locations were scouted by the terrorist cell.

Three of the unnamed suspects are brothers who are all believed to be Islamic radicals, according to sources. Some of the six arrested men were also born in Albania and the former Yugoslavia, but have spent a significant amount of time living and training in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to authorities.

All six men were expected to face terror conspiracy charges Tuesday in federal court in Camden, N.J.

Living and training in New Jersey and Pennsylvania!


[Update 05/08/07, 0845 EDT]

CBS reports that officials believe the plot was "homegrown" with no ties to al-Qaeda or any other international terrorist organization. Documents in the case are currently sealed. Also, I need to add this salient point made by Rusty Shackleford.

[F]ocusing on whether or not a particular terrorist cell is being directed by Ayman al-Zawahiri unintentionally misleads the public into thinking our only global enemy is "al Qaeda". It's not. It's the global jihad network.

You can take that to the bank.

Interestingly, the suspects were hoisted on their own petard, so to speak. The Star-Ledger of Newark reported that:

[T]he men had videotaped their training sessions in the Poconos. The video eventually led to their arrests as the men brought the tape to a retail store seeking to have it burned to a DVD, the newspaper reported, citing its source.

A store employee watched the tape and informed the FBI, the newspaper reported.

A news conference has been scheduled for 2:30 PM at the U.S. District Courthouse in Camden.


[Update 05/08/07, 1245 EDT]

The six men under arrest are identified as Dritan Duka, Eljvir Duka, Shain Duka, Serdar Tatar, Agron Abdullahu and Mohamad Shnewer. According to reports, one is from Jordan, one is from Turkey and the rest are ethnic Albanians. Three have been identified as illegal aliens.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Woman Arrested for Theft From Blind Deli Owner

(Mount Healthy, Ohio) A 19-year-old female, Mary Cayze, allegedly tried to rip off a blind deli owner and was caught.

From The Enquirer:

At about 8:13 a.m. this morning a citizen in the Courthouse Deli saw a woman buy a soft drink from Kent Parker, who run the deli. The suspect handed Parker a $1 bill but told him it was a $10 bill, receiving the soft drink and change, the sheriff's office said.

The citizen immediately notified Sheriff's Court Services Officers of the offense. Cayze was located in the hallway outside courtroom 140, where she was arrested.

The theft was also captured by surveillance video at the deli stand.

Normally a misdemeanor, the theft is elevated to a felony when one steals from a blind person. In any event, it's obvious that Mary Cayze was suffering from a severe case of the stupids this morning. For nine dollars, she may end up with a felony on her record.

Man with HIV Gets Life in Teen Sex Case

(Dallas, Texas) An HIV-positive man, Willie Atkins, was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to entice a 15-year-old boy to engage in sex acts.

Atkins secretly videotaped his unprotected sexual encounters and prosecutors obtained 90 hours of video indicating a total of over 100 sexual partners, none of which apparently were warned by Atkins of his HIV. One tape even showed Atkins having unprotected sex with an unconscious man.

From DallasNews.com:

Mr. Atkins' family left the courthouse without commenting, but their pastor, Alex Horton, said the family felt Mr. Atkins was punished for being a promiscuous gay man.

"The family knows William Atkins has some problems," he said. "At the same time, they think the judge turned this into a video case . . . If Mr. Atkins did not have those videos, if those videos had not been allowed, I don't think the punishment would be as great."

Boy, there's a nugget of wisdom. Pastor Horton believes that the punishment would have been lenient if there were no evidence. Can we have a communal DUH?

Atkins became eligible for a life sentence since he's a three-time loser who was previously convicted of aggravated robbery and firearms possession. Seriously, let's all agree that Atkins shouldn't be free to plant his infected fluids in more members of society. As it is, no one knows who Atkins has already infected and what has happened to them.

Tip: slwlion

Taiwan - Live-Fire War Exercises

Just yesterday I posted about the Chinese being puckered by the nation of Saint Lucia because it recognized Taiwan. Imagine how puckered they are about Taiwan holding live-fire war exercises.

TAIPEI - Taiwan will stage a series of live-fire military exercises next week aimed at demonstrating how the island's armed forces would fight off an attack from arch rival China, the Defence Ministry said on Monday.

The drills, set to start on May 14, would include demonstrating fighting off waves of landing vessels, defending bases and airfields against airborne assaults and repelling a special forces attacks, the ministry said.

The military also planned to land fighter jets on a section of closed-off freeway, a ministry officer said, practising for the possibility that air bases were knocked out by enemy attacks forcing jets to refuel and re-equip elsewhere.

With a smokin' economy, the Chinese have been pumping up their military and I'd speculate that right after the 2008 elections, they'll seriously consider the option of invading Taiwan. Any foreign observer of the world geopolitical scene believes that the Americans are a bunch of wussies who won't have the will to protect Taiwan. Remember, they get their news from the mainstream media.

Of course, if the Democrats win the White House and retain Congress in 2008, they may be right.

Cameroon Plane Crash

The Saturday crash of a Kenyan Airways plane killed 114 people, mostly African. However, passengers from 27 nations including China, India and Europe also perished. Using chain saws and machetes to make a path, rescuers reached the crash scene today and reported no survivors.

"The plane crashed into mangrove swamp surrounded by forest and the explosion made a crater, creating a mini lake filled with water, mud and kerosene, full of clothes and debris," said medical doctor Patricia Ngamga, on her way back from the site.

"The nose of the plane plunged into the mud and the tail had blown off and there isn't any more," she said before being whisked away by soldiers who kept journalists behind a police cordon marked with yellow tape.

Red Cross workers laid down white plastic sheets while some of their colleagues went towards the crash site carrying stretchers, and helicopters and planes buzzed overhead.

"There are no chances that there will be any survivors because almost the entire body of the plane was buried inside the swamp," Jean-Pierre Nana, director of Cameroon's civil protection department told Reuters.

The cause of the crash has not been determined. In my estimation, the possibility of terrorism has to be considered, especially in light of the fact that the plane was virtually brand-new. In terms of usable aircraft life, the Boeing 737-800 was in its infancy at six months old.

ChiComs Puckered About Saint Lucia

Taiwan is an issue on which China refuses to compromise. If a nation recognizes the island of Taiwan, expect China to be troubled and take action such as suspending diplomatic relations with the small Caribbean island-nation of Saint Lucia.

BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhua) -- China on Saturday suspended its diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia.

Chinese Ambassador to St. Lucia Gu Huaming on Saturday lodged solemn representations and strong objection to the government of St. Lucia after the Caribbean state resumed so-called "diplomatic relationship" with Taiwan.

Gu, on behalf of the Chinese government, announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with St. Lucia and the cessation of fulfilling all agreements between the governments of the two countries.

The Taiwan authorities announced Tuesday that it has resumed "diplomatic relations" with St. Lucia.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement that the resumption of "diplomatic relations" between St. Lucia and Taiwan was a flagrant violation of the declaration on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and St. Lucia.

Heh.

Sarkozy Wins French Presidency!

(Paris) Conservatives win and socialists lose. The final result of the French presidential election has yet to be reported, but early counts indicate that conservative Nicolas Sarkozy beats socialist Segolene Royal 53% to 47%.

In central Paris, stone-throwing rioters supporting Royal had to be dispersed by tear gas as Royal conceded the election to Sarkozy.

"I gave it all my energy, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop."

She expressed the hope that "the next president of the Republic" would accomplish his mission at the service of all the French people.

A strong turnout of 85% of the voters is reported.

Having a conservative leading France is a step in the right direction, despite the fact that Sarkozy is a global warming scamee.

Venezuela Socialist Party Registration Period

(Caracas, Venezuela) Do not tarry, comrades. There is a time limit to register and become an enlightened socialist revolutionary.

From Prensa Latina:

Registration of applicants to become members of Venezuela's Socialist United Party (PSUV) entered its second phase on Saturday with collection of signatures in the states of Zulia, Cojedes and Miranda.

Today, President Hugo Chavez registered in Caracas and Vice President Jorge Rodriguez followed suit in Zulia.

The registration process, to run for four consecutive weekends, started last Sunday in Lara and Caracas.

Vice President Rodriguez called on the people to sign the registry en masse to join the new political organization of the Revolution.

In other news from the revolutionary paradise, Venezuelan Agriculture and Land Minister Elias Jaua denounced talk of food shortages and radical rises in the prices of staples. Jaua also called on Venezuelans to "fight hoarding."

Interesting. When the government identifies hoarding as a problem, not all is well in utopia. The citizens are obviously preparing for shortages despite what the government contends.

There's no guarantee but it's possible that membership in the Socialist United Party will help people avoid being rounded up when the executions start. As a general rule, it's better all around to have "Party Member" stamped on your socialist police-state dossier than not.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Plastic Containers Are Hazardous to Health

(Dubai) This is likely news to many people. The government in Dubai is considering a ban on plastic water bottles and plastic food wrappers because they are hazardous to health. Reportedly, plastic causes cancer.

As K. Sukumaran, a doctor at Al Rafa Hospital said, "Plastic can be very dangerous for humans. Plastic consists of two chemical compounds, namely, phalates and bisphenol. Phalates are meant to give flexibility to plastic. This is carcinogenic by nature. It can also cause birth defects and infertility in the case of women. Bisphenol can cause enlargement of prostrate in males. There are other serious problems, too, like a decrease in sperm count and cancer," he said. "Plastic, when in contact with fat and heat releases dioxins which again are highly toxic to human cells. Many people pack food items in plastic packets. This carries the risk of cancer," he added.

"Plastic is toxic. We are particularly concerned about the labourers who pack food items in plastic bags. If kept for long, the food tends to get stale. The use of plastic needs to be stopped immediately," said Zohur Al Alam, paediatrician at Al Majid Clinic in Deira.

So, even though the use of plastic in water bottles and food wrappers has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, doctors in Dubai say it should be banned because of the risk of cancer.

Their argument, however, is weak. I'd like to think that research was conducted where lab rats were forced to drink Evian or had to eat bologna sandwiches from Zip-Lock bags and they subsequently developed cancer. If research was conducted, it hasn't been reported (or I haven't found it).

I'm a little suspicious. There must be a global warming or save the planet angle to the assertion that plastic should be banned. Either that or some people want to beef up the market for glassware.

Paris Hilton Jailed, Debra Lafave Not

Unless you live in a cave, chances are you've heard the latest story about Paris Hilton. She was sentenced to 45 days in jail for repeatedly driving while her license was suspended, a probation violation.

My only comment is that Paris Hilton's lawyer should have used the Debra Lafave defense. Lafave, you may recall, was convicted of repeatedly mixing it up with a schoolboy in a rather licentious fashion and got no jail.

According to Lafave lawyer John Fitzgibbons:

"To place an attractive young woman in that kind of hell hole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions."

Now see, if Paris Hilton had asserted that she was "too pretty for jail," maybe she would have walked as Lafave did.

On the other hand, some might contend that Paris Hilton doesn't meet the Debra Lafave standard of attractiveness and, therefore, she's "not too pretty for jail."

 
Too Pretty vs. Not Too Pretty
Readers can make the call.

But, then again, beauty likely isn't the only factor to consider. The offenses committed by these two criminals are considerably different. Paris Hilton was jailed for driving when she shouldn't have. Debra Lafave wasn't jailed for riding in the back seat of a car and engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy.

Therefore, if one is confronted with the dilemma of driving under suspension versus having sex with a 14-year-old boy in the backseat, by all means, let someone else drive and get in the backseat.

Babysitter Amy Lynn Scott Gets Life for Murders

(Phoenix, Arizona) At different times during 1989, Amy Lynn Scott was babysitting Shauna Cunnington, 2 months, Zachary Mann, 8 months, and 4-month-old Jordan Whitmer and they all died.

Officials originally blamed Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. However, upon further review of the cases and through the work of Tempe Detective Tom Magazzeni, authorities came to believe that the infants were murdered.

In February, Amy Lynn Scott went to trial to face three counts of first-degree murder. In March, Scott was convicted.

Yesterday, 39-year-old Scott was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years.

The mothers of all three infants were at the sentencing as well. Andrea Cunnington called Scott a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Jill Shumway, the mother of Zachary, brought a picture of her son two weeks before he died.

"When a child dies, a universe of possibilities dies with them," Shumway said. "Amy's had the privilege of raising her children, I only have the memories of my son."

Raechel Whitmer cried throughout her speech to the judge. She told the judge that she often thinks of what her son, Jordan, would be doing right now if he were still here.

"The hardest thing a mother can do is bury her child, especially one that hasn't even begun to live," Whitmer said.

On Scott's behalf, her parents and siblings spoke at the sentencing. They apparently failed to garner any sympathy.

Amorous Flyer Guilty of Disrupting Flight

(Wilmington, North Carolina) In November 2006, Carl Warren Persing and Dawn Elizabeth Sewell were on a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Raleigh with a stop in Phoenix. After consuming a few Jack Daniels and Coke, they became amorous and refused to stop their public display of affection even when directed to by the flight attendant.

According to an affidavit by FBI agent Michael Sutton:

From Phoenix to Raleigh, the pair sat next to each other.

While in the plane on the ground in Phoenix, the couple was kissing, embracing and "acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable," Sutton wrote in his affidavit.

"Persing was observed nuzzling or kissing Sewell on the neck, and around the collarbone in the vicinity of her breast," Sutton wrote. Persing was also observed with his face pressed against Sewell's lower body.

At first, the couple complied with a request from a flight attendant to stop their behavior. But they soon resumed during the flight.

When asked again, according to Sutton's affidavit, Persing told the flight attendant: "I'm going to give you one warning to get out of my face."

Persing, of Lakewood, CA, and Sewell, of Huntington Beach, CA, were met by federal agents in Raleigh and arrested.

In the latest development, a jury in U.S. District Court in Wilmington found 41-year-old Persing guilty of interfering with a flight attendant, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. An August 6th sentencing date has been scheduled by Judge James C. Fox.

The prosecution portrayed Persing as a bully who impeded flight attendant Frank McCabe from doing his job. Defense attorneys Deb Newton and William Peregoy claimed that Persing was irritable from medication he took for severe liver damage (perchance from the Jack Daniels?). They also claimed that McCabe harassed Persing. Despite the defense's argument, Persing was convicted.

Newton expressed considerable disappointment at the verdict and said an appeal is planned. She claims that the whole episode was caused by a gay flight attendant not wanting to see a man being amorous with a female, therefore, he aggressively tried to stop perfectly innocent behavior. In response, Newton said Persing became rude and rudeness is hardly a reason for a possible 20-year prison sentence.

In a related development, all charges against 40-year-old Dawn Elizabeth Sewell, Persing's girlfriend, were dismissed.

NC Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Pender County, North Carolina) A 35-year-old Pender County woman, Emily Willis, is in custody for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Willis surrendered herself to the Pender County Sheriff's Office on Thursday. She has been charged with five counts of statutory sex offense and five counts of indecent liberties with a minor.

A relative of the victim alerted the authorities of the alleged crimes.

Willis was booked into custody and is being held on $500,000 bail.

[Ed. note: The NC Emily Willis is different from the Katy, TX, Emily Willis, a teacher accused of mixing it up with a boy.]

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Crimes

(Downey, California) Last month, a 53-year-old special ed teacher's assistant at Downey High School, Jean Panzo-Montalbano, was arrested for engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy.

Panzo-Montalbano worked for a county-wide special program which placed her in contact with the boy whom she allegedly raped at various locations, including his home. The Downey Police Department was alerted to the situation by the victim.

Yesterday, Panzo-Montalban pleaded not guilty in Downey Superior Court to six felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one felony count of oral copulation of a person under 18. She remains free on bail with a court date scheduled for June 5th.


[Update 08/30/07]

Panzo-Montalbano sentenced to probation.

Doing Jobs Americans Won't Do

(New York City) Almost 10,000 illegal alien child predators have been arrested by Operation Predator in the last four years. Reportedly doing jobs Americans won't do, the illegals came from Belize, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Trinidad.

Working the math, 10,000 in four years equals 2,500 each year, or more than 200 per month, which solves to about seven illegal alien child sex offenders being arrested every day, day in and day out, for four years. Seven per day! And these are the ones who were caught! It's anybody's guess how many continue to infest society, lurking for the opportunity to molest a child. Makes me sick.

In the latest roundup of alien child sex offender suspects, 23 were found to have prior convictions. It's not known whether any were previously deported but it really doesn't make much difference, does it? After all, with an imaginary U.S. southern border, deportation is merely a vacation back to the homeland with return to the U.S. a certainty after only weeks.

Psychiatrists Create "Presenteeism"

(Queensland, Australia) The Queensland Center for Mental Health Research conducted a survey which found that five percent of Australian workers display symptoms of "presenteeism." Unlike absenteeism where employees don't go to work, presentees show up but are out of sorts because of stress, depression or anxiety.

Presentees do their jobs but don't function at 100 percent. Therefore, according to Project Director Dr. Michael Hilton, hundreds of millions of dollars are lost to the economy every year.

Since this is the first time I've heard of mental health professionals being concerned about workplace efficiency and the state of the overall economy, I'm suspicious of the motive. I don't think they really care about the stated concerns. But wait, there's clarification.

"Five per cent or one in 20 people had very high levels of psychological distress with symptoms consistent with anxiety or depression but the really, really scary part about that was that only 20 per cent were in treatment, which means that 80 per cent were not in treatment."

Ah hah! There's the really, really scary rub. The psychiatrists want more clients. So, they came up with a phony survey as evidence that more tax dollars are needed to treat workers who are slacking off on the job.

Frankly, I think that most employers would be thrilled to have 95 percent of their workers doing a bang-up job. About workers being stressed, depressed or anxious, wouldn't that be everybody at one time or another? Crikey! That's life. Get a divorce, have a traffic accident, experience a house fire -- all those and other life experiences cause stress, depression and anxiety. And, most people recover.

Of course, the psychiatrists' survey ploy is common. They see a big pie of Aussie tax dollars devoted to the socialized health care system and they want a bigger piece.

Disclaimer: Ten thousands miles from Australia, what the hell do I know?

Gunowner Shoots Intruder Dead

(Augusta, Georgia) A 29-year-old intruder, Errol Lavar Royal, entered the home of U.S. Army Captain Barre Bollinger Wednesday afternoon to steal guns.

Unfortunately, one gun was being operated by the homeowner and two loads of lead were pumped into Royal's stomach from an SKS rifle - a weapon similar to an AK-47 assault rifle.

Royal was pronounced dead at Medical College of Georgia Hospital about 6:45 p.m.

According to Richmond County Sheriff's Investigator Thomas Johnson, there are no plans to file charges in the shooting.

The moral of this story? If you are going to steal guns, avoid American soldiers.

Youth Counselor Guilty of Corrupting Boy

(Fargo, North Dakota) Last January, a 28-year-old teen counselor, Kimberly Nack, was accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old boy she met at the Luther Hall Treatment Center in Fargo. Nack was also employed as a truant officer for the Morehead School District in Minnesota. Nack was charged with felony sexual assault and harboring a runaway minor.

In accordance with a plea agreement, Nack pleaded guilty yesterday to a misdemeanor charge of corruption or solicitation of a minor. In return, the prosecution dropped the charge of felony sexual assault.

East Central District Court Judge Wade Webb ordered a presentence evaluation before Nack is sentenced. The sentencing date hasn't been established. Nack may be required to register as a sex offender.

The charge of harboring a runaway still has to be adjudicated. Nack pleaded not guilty to that charge.

In the meantime, Nack is free on $10,000 bond.


[Update 09/12/07]

Nack sentenced.

Is That a Fire-Extinguisher in Your Pocket?

(Coventry, England) You'll find it hard to avoid chuckling at this story. In summary, a man named Dick faced the sack by fire-extinguisher employer Chubbs for having an erection.

From The Sun:

Salesman Richard Carter fears he's facing the sack -- after struggling with a seven-year erection.

Richard, 34, developed the rare condition priapism after taking panic attack medication.

It left his manhood almost constantly stiff and he needed eight hospital operations to reduce it.

Richard's bulge also left him in agony as he drove vans selling fire extinguishers for Chubbs.

He was forced to take so much time off that bosses have told him they may need to "reassess" whether he can still work for them as an on-the-road salesman.

After eight operations, Carter's condition has improved and Chubbs may find him an alternative job. Since Carter put his junk up for slicing and dicing eight times, I think he deserves some special consideration, maybe a medal from the Queen or something. And, frankly, I wonder what the National Health Service (NHS) doctors were doing that required eight sessions with scalpels. Jeez, you'd think they were doing piecework.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.

What's That, Gator? You're Emotionally Distressed?

(Los Angeles, California) In a story from last month, celebrated dog whisperer, Cesar Millan, was sued by television producer Flody Suarez who alleged that his pet Labrador, Gator, suffered injuries leading to complications while training at Millan's Dog Psychology Center of Los Angeles.

The lawsuit claimed breach of contract, negligence, fraud and deceit, and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Apparently, a whispering staff member placed Gator on a treadmill, overworked him and the dog collapsed. As a result, Gator had several surgeries. I don't know how one easily gets from the treadmill to surgery but that's what the report indicates.

Nevertheless, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kenneth Freeman cancelled any further proceedings since a settlement has been reach between Suarez and Millan. Terms are undisclosed. Neither the lawyers nor Gator have whispered a word.

In related news, it's believed that Timmy's still in the well.

Teacher Gets Probation for Sex with Boy

(Pascagoula, Mississippi) A 36-year-old former science teacher and cheerleading coach at East Central High School, Jennifer Joel Wilder, agreed to a plea bargain last month, giving her probation in a sexual battery case. Wilder had been accused of engaging in sex with a 16-year-old student in 2004.

According to Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence, Wilder received no jail because of a request from the victim and his father.

"They have always indicated they do not want jail time for Mrs. Wilder," Lawrence said at the sentencing before Circuit Judge Robert Krebs. "They have always indicated to me that they want her to surrender her teacher's license, and they want her to have to register as a sex offender so she will never be placed in a position of having this occur again."

Wilder had sex with the teen while she was in a position of trust or authority over him. However, he was not one of her students at the time. Lawrence added, "There is no doubt that the sexual relationship that existed between Ms. Wilder and (the boy) occurred as result of (them living next door to each other)."

Lawrence pointed out that the teacher and student did not have sex on school property and both readily admitted the relationship when police first questioned them.

Well, it's obvious that teachers should be prohibited from living next door to students.

Kidding aside, Wilder received five years probation, permanent loss of her teaching license, $1,000 fine and was ordered to register as a sex offender. A "no contact" with the victim or victim's family order was also handed down. Violation of the terms of her probation could mean 15 years in jail.

Idaho Coach Arrested for Sexual Battery of Girl

(Boise, Idaho) A 22-year-old assistant softball coach and substitute teacher at Centennial High School, Lauren Kathleen Palmer, was arrested this past weekend for alleged "inappropriate touching" of a 16-year-old female student.

An Asa County Sheriff's Deputy investigated a parked car about 1:00 AM Saturday and found Palmer and the girl on a blanket outside the vehicle. Inappropriate contact was suspected and Palmer was arrested.

Palmer has been charged with sexual battery of a minor with bond set at $10,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 14. Palmer has been placed on administrative leave from her position with the school system.

Arizona Teacher Arrested for Sex with Boy

(Phoenix, Arizona) A 26-year-old English teacher and cheerleading coach at Paradise Valley High School, Jennifer Mally, was arrested today for allegedly engaging in sex with a 16-year-old male student. Mally faces 29 counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

The parents of the student alerted school authorities of the allegations and they immediately notified the police.

Mally has been placed on administrative leave from her teaching position.

Companion post at Conservative Thinking.


[Update 03/14/08]

Mally pleads guilty.


[Update 05/10/08]

Mally sentenced.

Teacher Indicted for Theft of Child's Coat

(Hillsboro, Oregon) A 41-year-old first-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary School, Elizabeth Logan, was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly stealing a third-grade student's jacket and trying to sell it on eBay.

Logan faces charges of first-degree theft and felony unlawful use of a computer. She is on paid leave from her teaching position.

Logan claims the whole episode is a misunderstanding and I tend to agree. If Logan is rational, it's inconceivable that she would risk her career for the gain from the sale of a child's jacket.

From KPTV.com:

The mother of the child, who is known only as Nancy, said she was outraged when her daughter's missing Columbia Sportswear jacket appeared on eBay.

Nancy said she checked the lost and found and put up fliers around the school. She eventually began shopping for a replacement jacket on eBay and said that's where she found the missing coat.

The mother brought the information to the attention of the school and Hillsboro police, who took over the investigation.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday in Washington County Court.


[Update 11/04/07]

Logan trial underway.

Teachers Arrested for Booze Parties with Kids

(Pueblo, Colorado) Last March, a 35-year-old language arts teacher at Pueblo South High School, Amanda Tilley, was placed on paid administrative leave for allegedly providing alcohol to students.

This week, Tilley and security guard Joseph Borjon, 24, were arrested after surrendering to authorities. Warrants had been issued for each of them on two felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.

From KOAA.com:

Tilley and Borjon are accused of throwing parties at Tilley's house and supplying alcohol to dozens of high school students. So far, 54 charges of providing alcohol to minors are filed against 3 school district employees, 18 charges each. The other employee is Corwin Middle School teacher Daniel Zufall, 24. He has since resigned.

According to Pueblo District Attorney Bill Thiebaut, additional charges may be filed after interviews with students are completed.

Teacher Booked for Carnal Knowledge of Boy

(Hornbeck, Louisiana) A 39-year-old teacher at Hornbeck Junior High School, Maurna Thornton, was arrested Monday for alleged inappropriate behavior with a 14-year-old male student. Thornton faces one count of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

The victim's parent alerted the school and the Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office last week.

Thornton was booked into the Vernon Parish Jail and released on $25,000 bond.


[Update 08/08/07]

Thornton resigns teaching position.


[Update 05/12/08]

Thornton pleads guilty. Sentencing in July.

Absolutely Bizarre

Tell me that this isn't the most bizarre, absolutely outlandish and stupid thing you have ever heard. I don't think anyone can. I'm stunned. Follow the link.

Strawberry Flavored Methamphetamine

This report is troubling. To make methamphetamine more palatable to new users, drug makers and dealers are mixing it with candies and drink mixes.

"Strawberry Quick" came to prominence in January, after the Nevada Department of Public Safety issued a bulletin describing the type of meth there, said Steve Robertson, a Washington-based spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA agents have since heard reports of flavored meth appearing in Missouri, Texas, Washington state and Wisconsin - though Robertson stressed it is not a nationwide phenomenon.

"Traffickers are out there and are trying to sell it to customers - whether they are young customers or older, brand-new customers - by changing the color or the taste or just giving it a less-intimidating name, they are trying to make it seem less dangerous and lure this new customer base," Robertson said.

"Strawberry Quick" uses a powdered drink mix to give the drug a pink coloring. The sweetness of the powder can make meth more palatable.

Keep an eye on your kids, parents.

Scandal in Iran - Ahmadinejad Touches Woman

(Tehran, Iran) Scandalously, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was photographed stooping to touch the hand of a former female teacher. The act is forbidden by sharia law which prohibits contact with a woman to whom a man is not related.

"The Muslim Iranian people have no recollection of such acts contrary to sharia law during Islamic rule," seethed the ultra-conservative Hezbollah newspaper, on its front page.

"This type of indecency progressively has grave consequences, like violating religious and sacred values."

And this isn't the first time that Ahmadinejad has upset hardline Islamic elements.

"This astonishing act by the president comes as the faithful have yet to forget his decision to allow women to watch football," noted the Hezbollah newspaper. [Ed. Note: The newspaper is not affiliated with the terrorist group of the same name.]

It's beyond me to understand how the feminists can tolerate the way Islamic fundamentalists treat women. There should be global outrage from the sisterhood. Yet, not a peep do we hear for fear of offending the religion of peace.

If women can devote their energy to saving African and Asian orphans, one at a time, and if they can save the polar bear, the wolf, the harp seal and just about every other conceivable cute furry animal, and if they can save Earth from global destruction, one toilet paper square at a time, then they sure can unite to forcefully and continuously protest the treatment of Muslim women as second-class human beings.

Regarding football? Of course women should be able to watch football, provided that they don't yack too much and interrupt the game.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Juvie Guard Gets Probation for Sex with Boy

(Fort Wayne, Indiana) In December 2006, a former corrections officer at the Northeast Juvenile Correctional Facility, Margaret A. Wiley, was arrested and charged with felony sexual misconduct and trafficking with a 16-year-old male inmate.

Last month, Wiley, 28, pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct in accordance with a plea deal. In return, prosecutors agreed to drop the trafficking charge at sentencing.

On Monday of this week, Wiley was sentenced.

After hearing from more than a dozen witnesses, including Wiley's husband, Allen Superior Judge Kenneth Scheibenberger ordered Wiley to serve 18 months on probation and to participate in the One Church One Offender mentoring program.

Because of the type of charge, Wiley does not have to register as a sex offender.

Though Scheibenberger had the ability to treat Wiley's conviction as a misdemeanor charge, he declined to do so. Instead, he convicted her of the felony.

"It's just not right under these circumstances," he said, referring to the misdemeanor treatment.

So, Wiley walks. She gets probation but has a felony on her record. Interestingly and for the sake of comparison, it was only about a week ago that a female corrections officer at a juvenile facility in Colorado, Heather Rose Robbins, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex with a 16-year-old boy. Therefore, in a totally nonsensical extrapolation, boffing boys in Indiana is better than boffing boys in Colorado.


[Update 02/12/08]

Wiley Violates Probation

She has been in jail since December after she was accused of violating her probation by having what prosecutors Monday deemed "incidental" contact with a child younger than 18.

As part of her probation, Wiley was prohibited from having contact with children.

Allen Superior Magistrate Robert Schmoll ordered Wiley placed back on probation after she admitted the violation, but under a "zero tolerance policy," and extended her probation by two months.

One must suspect that Wiley has friends in high places because the Indiana justice system is doing everything possible to keep her out of jail.

Garlic Festival Dress Code

(Gilroy, California) The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that it is constitutional for the Gilroy Garlic Festival to impose a dress code which prohibits gang attire. The court concluded that gang colors are not protected speech at a garlic festival.

The case came from the Top Hatter motorcycle club which was asked to leave the garlic festival in 2000. The club sued in federal court, lost, appealed and, now, lost the appeal.

Although it's recognized that people are pungently noticeable after visiting the Gilroy Garlic Festival, be apprised that people can be offensive upon arrival.

Social Worker Guilty of Sex with Boy

(Bay County, Michigan) A 46-year-old former social worker at the Bay County Lutheran Home, Annette J. Belonga, pleaded no contest to criminal sexual conduct related to engaging in sex with a 16-year-old detained juvenile in 2004.

According to the plea bargain, Belonga faces between 29 and 57 months in prison when she is sentenced on June 18th. However, if Bay County Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt imposes a higher sentence, Belonga may withdraw her plea.

Prosecutors allege that Belonga had sexual intercourse and oral sex with the boy in her office at the Lutheran Home at 304 N. Tuscola Road in June 2004. The home, operated by Lutheran Child and Family Service of Michigan, provides housing and counseling for young offenders.

The victim also claims the two had sex in the woods near Tawas City after Belonga drove him to Grayling to obtain an ID card.

Although the victim was 16 at the time of the alleged sexual incidents - the legal age of consent in Michigan - state law allows teachers and counselors to be criminally charged for having sex with students or residents under their authority who are 16 or 17 years old, even if it is consensual.

Belonga's social worker license was suspended in March 2004 for "lack of moral character." She resigned from the Lutheran Home in August 2004 after being counseled on "professional boundaries." Lutheran Home administrator Colleen Gorman alerted authorities after discovering love letters from the alleged victim.

Belonga is free on bond awaiting her sentencing.

Major Oil Discovery in Kuwait

(Kuwait City, Kuwait) With an estimated 10 percent of the world's oil reserves already, Kuwait now, apparently, has even more. Oil Minister Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah announced yesterday that a significant deposit of oil and gas has been discovered in the north of the country.

"Initial tests indicate the presence of large quantities of light and high quality oil and huge quantities of associated gas," the minister told the official KUNA news agency.

The minister gave no estimates for the size of the find and no indication of when production might begin. The find was made in the Dhabi area, south of the Rawdatin oilfield close to the Iraqi border. It is the sixth oilfield to be discovered in the area, the minister said.

Isn't that nice? They found six oilfields in one area. Why? Because they were looking for them, duh. The U.S. hasn't found anything similar because, thanks to the leftists, we have largely just quit looking.

Abu Al-Masri Reported Dead

(Baghdad) Unconfirmed breaking news! The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, is dead.

From an Interior Ministry spokesman:

"We received intelligence reports of al-Masri getting killed in clashes between al-Qaeda in Iraq and other militant groups, at dawn today, in al-Niba'ie in Taji, north of Baghdad," Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said.

According to Khalaf, the reports are based on "very strong intelligence," but he added al-Masri's body has not been seen and stressed that the reported battle was an internal fight between rival militant groups -- no Iraqi troops were involved.

The Egyptian who is also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, assumed the leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq after Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in June. Al-Masri has a $5 million bounty on his head.

Unfortunately, bogus reports regularly surface regarding the demise of al-Qaeda leaders so, keep your fingers crossed. Al-Masri is among that evil group of murdering thugs who should be awarded 72 virgins as quickly as possible.

More later ...

Women With Troubles - April 2007

Here is the compilation of more than 60 women who had troubles reported in the news during April 2007. Each name is linked to an Interested-Participant blog entry displaying details.

(AR) Kelly Campbell,
neighbor, police chief's wife - Convicted of multiple counts related to corruption, gets 20 years,

(AZ) Rebecca Lee Kelley, 28,
Catholic school teacher - Pleads not guilty to sex with boy, 17,

(AZ) Judith Wallace, 37,
teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(CA) Jean Panzo-Montalbano, 53,
special ed teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 16,

(CA) Rebecca Rogers, 24,
teacher - Arrested for inappropriate sex messages to male student,

(CA) Kelly Christine Spaich, 28,
teacher - Arrested for six-month sexual relations with boy, 16,

(CO) Tammie Liberty Lee, 42,
teacher - Accepted plea deal specifying probation/work release for meth possession,

(CO) Carrie McCandless, 30,
teacher/principal's wife - Guilty of unlawful sexual contact with boy, 17,

(CO) April T. Robertson, 32,
teacher - Arrested for sex with male student, 15,

(CO) Heather Rose Robbins, 30,
jailer - Sentenced to 10 years for sex with boy, 16,

(CT) Tricia Coccomo, 34,
teacher - Sentenced to 12 years in prison for deadly crash while drunk,

(FL) Sherry Nicole Fowler, 31,
neighbor mom - Sentenced to 7 years prison for drug-induced sex with girl, 14,

(FL) Janet Lea Hughes, 32,
teacher - Arrested for unlawful sex with male student, 16,

(FL) Jennifer Leigh Manuell, 25,
teacher/coach - Suspended from teaching while under investigation for sex with student, 17,

(FL) Allison Reopel, 26,
teacher/coach - Accused of sex with female student, 18,

(GA) Sandra Lewis, 43,
neighbor - Arrested for cruelty to children,

(IL) Francine Cordova, 32,
teacher assistant - Pleads not guilty to sexual assault. Trial set for June.

(IL) Akela J. Dillon, 26,
teacher - Faces battery charge for slapping student,

(IL) Tiffany Hall, 25,
neighbor - Accused of murdering five, including four children,

(IL) Monica Tai, 23,
dance teacher - Pleads guilty to sex with boy,

(IN) Julie A. Singleton, 29,
corrections employee - Accused of sexual misconduct with male inmate, 16,

(IN) Margaret A. Wiley, 28,
corrections officer - Pleads guilty to sex with male inmate, 16,

(KY) Jeni Lee Dinkel, 51,
makeup artist - Accused of rape and sodomy of boy, 15,

(KY) Melissa Melugin, 31,
teacher - Suspended from job for sending sexually explicit messages to a male student,

(LA) Jamie Lynn Armstrong, 23,
teacher - Arrested for sex assault of female student, 16,

(LA) Adora Sondi Anne Ramirez, 20,
neighbor - Arrested for Internet solicitation of girl, 15,

(LA) Stephenie Simmons, 35,
teacher - Arrested for giving alcohol to and smoking dope with students, ages 14 to 17,

(LA) Brondywn Wright, 32,
teacher's aide - Arrested for possession of cocaine,

(MA) Donna S. Giguere, 38,
teacher - Charged with multiple child sex counts regarding boy under 14,

(MD) Amanda Mae Beavers, 25,
youth counselor - Arrested for aiding escape by inmate, 17,

(MD) Tiffany Gwen Weaver, 29,
neighbor - Arrested for identity theft,

(MN) Lori Michelle Andrist, 32,
neighbor - Accused of sex with boy, 15,

(MO) Sandra Batte, 60,
charity fundraiser - Sentenced to 37 months in prison for child porn,

(NC) Andrea Bussey, 21,
neighbor - Accused of indecent liberties with boy, 13,

(NJ) Michelle L. Adams, 36,
babysitter - Indicted on 14 counts of sex and endangerment crimes regarding two boys, both 13,

(NJ) Tracy Booth, 31,
teacher - Arrested for sex assault and endangerment of boy, 13,

(NJ) Lisa Anne O'Neill Ryan, 45,
unlicensed psychologist - Sentenced to probation for sex with patient,

(NY) Misty Burns, 28,
neighbor - Accused of first-degree sodomy of boy, 5,

(NY) Joan M. Donatelli, 59,
teacher - Pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine,

(NY) Lina Sinha, 40,
Montessori teacher - Sentenced to up to 14 years in prison for sodomy of boy and witness bribery,

(NY) Amy Washburn, 29,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with person "under 17,"

(OH) Melissa Bare, 35,
teacher - Indicted for sex with male student, 16,

(OH) Renata Carter, 26,
neighbor - Sentenced to 6 years for rape of boy, 12,

(OH) Anjanette Castonguay, 34,
juvenile counselor - Sentenced to 6 months jail for sex with two boys, both 17,

(OH) Angela Angus-Koppes, 38,
special ed teacher - Sentenced to 6 months for sex with teen,

(OH) Christine Stephen, 31,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with teen boy,

(PA) Krystal Gehret, 20,
neighbor mother - Sentenced to 11 to 23 months prison for sex with boy, 14,

(PA) Jennifer A. Ostile, 30,
teacher - Arrested for stealing student's medicine,

(PA) Angela Nicole Rudy, 23,
neighbor - In 9th month of pregnancy, Rudy pleads not guilty to sex assault of boy, 14,

(PA) Nancy Smith, 47,
neighbor mom - Sentenced to 26 to 90 months prison for sex with boy, 14,

(TN) Jennifer Evelyn Allenby, 35,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 17,

(TN) Theresa Holloway, 28,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of boy, 10,

(TN) Marquita Jett, 25,
Daycare teacher - Arrested for drug possession at strip club,

(TX) Laura Lee Cole, 45,
neighbor - Indicted on counts of sexual assault of two boys, 13 and 15,

(TX) Shavon Silvia Frederick, 22,
neighbor - Arrest warrant issued for failure to register as sex offender,

(TX) Melanie Lynn McGuigan, 34,
teacher - Arrested for methamphetamine possession,

(TX) Renee Skinner, 36,
married mother - Sentenced to probation for sex with boy, 16,

(UT) Leslie Baird, 42,
teacher - Sentenced to probation for sex abuse of boy, 17,

(WA) Lorelei Josephine Corpuz, 30,
neighbor - Accused of molesting girl, 14, while posing as teen boy,

(WA) Dawn Marie Welter, 38,
teacher, divorced mother - Accused of illicit relationship with girl, 16,

(WI) Sarah Wallin, 18,
neighbor - Accused of sex assault of boy, 14. Boy is suspected father of Wallin's recent child,

(WV) Heather D. Hughart, 25,
neighbor - Pleaded guilty to sex with girl, 12,

(UK) Jenine Saville-King, 29,
teacher - Accused of long-term relations with boy, 15,

(UK) Karen Wiltshire, 36,
married mother of two - Gets 9 months jail for sex with blind boy, 14.

As always, thanks to all the tipsters.

French Muslim Women Hymenizing

(Paris, France) Apparently, it's the latest trend. Muslim women are having their hymens stitched to become, technically, virgins again. Prompting the trend is a rise in religion among the five million Muslims in France.

From AlertNet:

This 30-minute outpatient procedure, called "hymenoplasty" and costing between 1,500 and 3,000 euros ($2,000-$4,000), is increasingly popular among young women of North African descent in France.

No exact figures exist to say how many such operations are done, but the woman's surgeon says he gets three to five queries and performs one to three hymenoplasties each week. Demand has been rising for the past three or four years.

It's reported that the women are subjected to enormous cultural and family pressure to be virgins when they marry. I'd like to know how many are virginating (virginizing?) themselves in preparation for the afterlife and joining their 71 sisters.

Frankly, $2,000 - $4,000 seems like an awful lot of money to put a wrapper back on a package.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Woman Guilty of Sex with Girl, 12

(Lewisburg, West Virginia) A 25-year-old Rupert woman, Heather D. Hughart, was indicted last February on charges related to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in 2002. On Friday of last week, Hughart pleaded guilty to counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse and admitted to engaging in oral sex with the girl.

Hughart sobbed as she answered "guilty" to Circuit Judge Jim Rowe's questions concerning counts one and two of the indictment. Hughart also admitted to drug abuse problems in court.

"If this case had gone to trial, I would have expected to prove the defendant engaged in and performed oral sex on (the victim) and she knew the victim's age," assistant prosecutor Steve Dolly told the court. "The child came to her residence and stayed with her and drank alcohol and became intoxicated."

Dolly also said Hughart, after initially denying the charges, confessed to police. Public defender Steve Paragamian told the court the plea was in the best interest of his client.

Hughart is free on $5,000 bond. Sentencing is set for June 25th. Hughart faces a possible five years in prison for sex assault and 90 days for sex abuse.

Tip for pic: Anonymous in OH

Border Patrol Morale

Check out this report on last week's Border Patrol union vote expressing no-confidence in its management, specifically, Chief David Aguilar. Nobody cares for the guy, nor his management, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) boss, Julie Myers.

I pay attention to the rumblings within ICE and the Border Patrol although I rarely post on the subject. However, it sure seems that ICE executive and management officials are either terminally incompetent or thrusting an obscene charade on the American public. ICE and Border Patrol agents bust their bottoms to do the right thing only to be countermanded and overruled and even prosecuted by the mucky-mucks.

Border Patrol agents, in particular, feel abandoned by management, isolated to fend for themselves, swinging in the wind. One week it's round up the illegals, the next week it's don't round them up. Some illegals are arrested and then just let go because there is no place to put them. Illegals who are successfully deported return within weeks to the same area where they were arrested. Morale is low and sinking. Resignations have ballooned and more are looking for ways to escape.

When Democrats say the voting public has overwhelmingly spoken about getting out of Iraq, they're wrong. It's crap like the Bush administration's handling of border issues that kept Republican voters at home in 2006. Keep it up, Mr. President, and we'll have a Democrat in the Oval Office.

Of course, Mr. President, there's always the option of getting rid of incompetent administrators and enforcing existing laws. America is purported to be a nation of laws, is it not?

George Tenet's Tenet

It's all over the news media, so google your own link but I understand that George Tenet states in his new book that there was no serious debate within the Bush administration prior to deciding to go to war with Iraq.

Therefore, by the authority vested in George Tenet's opinion, if he wasn't invited, a debate didn't occur or, if one did occur, it wasn't serious.

Of course, I haven't read Tenet's book and he may cite that the "serious debate" clause in the Magna Carta, or something, was violated. After all, Dennis Kucinich wants to impeach the Vice President for violating the Declaration of Independence.

I think someone needs to test the drinking water supply in Washington.

UK Bomb Plotters Guilty

(London, England) This just in. The fertilizer bomb crew arrested in 2004 has been found guilty of plotting terror.

From CNN International:

Five Britons have been found guilty of plotting to carry out al Qaeda-inspired bomb attacks across Britain on targets ranging from a nightclub to a shopping mall.

The gang planned to use 600 kg (1,300 lb) of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to make explosives to be used in bombings in revenge for Britain's support the United States in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, prosecutors said.

Details of the case -- previously kept secret to ensure a fair trial -- reveal previously undisclosed ties between the five men, the suicide bombers who attacked London's transport network in 2005, and other al-Qaeda linked cells. (Full story)

Omar Khyam, Waheed Mahmood, Anthony Garcia, Jawad Akbar and Salahuddin Amin were convicted of conspiring with Canadian Mohammed Momin Khawaja to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.

Garcia and Khyam were found guilty of possessing an article for terrorism -- the fertilizer, and Khyam was also convicted of having aluminum powder -- an ingredient in explosives.

So, since these characters were cozy with the 7/7 bombers, MI5 had all the terrorists under surveillance in 2004, well before the July 2005 attack on London. Consequently, MI5 is being accused of incompetence. For those who don't know, the British MI5 is roughly equivalent to the American FBI.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for seven weeks before finding the five men, all British citizens, guilty.

From BBC:

The group had bought 600kg of ammonium nitrate from an agricultural merchants and kept it at a storage unit in Hanwell, west London.

This fertiliser was to be the key component in the massive bomb - similar to those used in other terrorism attacks around the world.

But unbeknown to the men, some of them were already on MI5's radar while, at the same time, staff at the storage unit tipped off police.

They replaced the ammonium nitrate with a harmless substance and kept the group under surveillance before swooping in a series of raids.

David Waters QC, prosecuting, said the bomb, or bombs, would have been used "at the very least to destroy a strategic plant within the United Kingdom, or more realistically to kill and injure citizens of the UK."

The Old Bailey heard the defendants had had at least two fellow conspirators.

One of them, an American called Mohammed Junaid Babar, admitted his role in the plot after being arrested by the FBI and became a vital prosecution witness.

The other was Mohammed Momin Khawaja, awaiting trial in Canada.

All five face life sentences in prison.

Babies Die From Hospital Bacteria

(Montreal, Canada) According to the medical services director at Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal, the deaths of six premature babies about three years ago have been attributed to bacteria in the plumbing system. Dr. Isabelle Amyot identified the bacteria as Pseudomonas aeruginosa found to fester in sinks with poor drainage.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is ubiquitous in soil and water and an opportunistic invader in humans. "The bacterium almost never infects uncompromised tissues, yet there is hardly any tissue that it cannot infect if the tissue defenses are compromised in some manner." And, of course, premature babies have undeveloped immune systems which cannot adequately fight the bacteria.

Hospital authorities have been accused of hiding the details of the infants' death, however, officials say they were just obeying the law regarding the release of information.

Accused Meth Teacher Accepts Plea Deal

(Grand Junction, Colorado) Since October 2005, former first-grade teacher at Lincoln-Orchard Mesa Elementary School, Tammie Lee Reed, has been arrested twice for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. Note that Tammie Lee Reed legally changed her name since her arrests to Tammie Liberty Lee.

In January, 42-year-old Lee entered pleas of not guilty in Mesa County Court to all charges filed against her.

This month, Tammie Liberty Lee agreed to a plea deal which results in probation and work release for two years while dismissing 11 felony counts, including drug possession, check fraud and tampering with evidence. In exchange, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of check fraud. The plea agreement is apparently okey-dokey with Judge Thomas Deister.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 18th. In the meantime, Lee is free on bond.

Interestingly, Lee's story to date reads like an episode of the Cops television program with methamphetamine addiction being the lead actor and an elementary school teacher playing a strong supporting role. Given the irresistible lure of methamphetamine to addicts, it will be a challenge for Lee to not indulge while she's free.


[Update 05/15/07]

Tammie Lee was arrested for failing a drug test.

Unlicensed Psychologist Convicted of Sex with Patient

(Morristown, New Jersey) A 45-year-old unlicensed psychologist at the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, Lisa Anne O'Neill Ryan, was sentenced Friday by Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto to probation and forfeiture of her job for engaging in sex with a patient in her care.

Ryan also was ordered to complete 250 hours of community service, to pay a fine of $200 and to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation. Ryan apparently had sex with the patient on and off hospital property in 2004 and 2005.

As an aside, having a "psychologist" undergo psycho-sexual evaluation is not the same as having a lifeguard undergo swimming classes. Uh -- or maybe not. Of course, since Lisa Anne O'Neill Ryan is not licensed as a psychologist, she may need some evaluation.

O'Neill Ryan declined Ahto's offer to speak in her own defense. The thin woman, with short spiky red hair and an assortment of earrings and rings, stood quietly as her attorney, Paul Selitto, spoke on her behalf.

Selitto said the criminal case has had a "tremendous mental and physical impact" on his client, who is married and has a 10-year-old son.

O'Neill Ryan was a $65-000-a-year "staff clinical psychologist," but she did not have a psychology license. An exemption in the law for federal, state and county government facilities allows unlicensed people to serve as clinical psychologists and counselors.

While the sentence does not bar her from trying at a future date to obtain such a license, Selitto said she has voluntarily agreed not to ever pursue a license.

It's strange that the law exempts government facilities from needing to employ licensed people. Logically, any experience dealing with the public, whether as a fast-food worker or a taxi driver or a stripper, would appear to qualify an individual for a clinical psychologist position.

One must wonder just how successful government mental hospitals are in curing diseased minds. At the same time, one might suggest that the cure rate would increase dramatically if the hospitals employed people with actual credentials. Of course, Lisa Anne O'Neill Ryan won't be one of them. The "unlicensed clinical psychologist" has promised that she won't even try to get a license.

TIP: Don Morgenstern

Woman Gets Fed Pen for Child Porn

(St. Louis, Missouri) A 60-year-old officeholder with a national charity organization, Sandra Batte, pleaded guilty in February to possession of child pornography and, on Friday, U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton sentenced her to 37 months in federal prison. According to U.S. Assistant District Attorney Hal Goldsmith, her position with the charity had no link to the crime.

Batte admitted her home computer had three images of a naked boy under 12, one showing him in a sex act with a nude adult male, the plea agreement says.

Authorities were alerted to Batte's involvement during investigation of a Texas lawyer named Stuart L. Manley who is serving 30 years for child porn.

She admitted discussing dominance and "daddy-daughter" fantasies and receiving child porn from him via e-mail. She met him in San Antonio, where they had "some sexual contact," and met again in Dallas, the documents show.

Goldsmith, the prosecutor, said that in the correspondence, Batte discussed having sex with Manley and an 11- or 12-year-old boy he was abusing. She knew he was abusing the boy, "and she did absolutely nothing to stop it," Goldsmith told the court.

Defense attorney Art Margulis said Batte was vulnerable to Manley because she battled cancer and was exhausted from fundraising. Weak argument, I'd say.

After being released from prison, Batte will have to register as a sex offender.

Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Rochester, Minnesota) A 32-year-old Byron woman, Lori Michelle Andrist, faces one count of criminal sexual conduct for allegedly engaging in a four-month sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy.

Andrist claims she met the boy at a graduation party in the summer of 2006 and he told her he didn't have a place to stay so she let him move in with her. Contrary to what the boy contends, Andrist denies having sex with him. She said he told her he was 23, not 15.

Andrist has been issued a summons to appear in Olmsted District Court on May 31.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 08/21/07]

Charges dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Toledo Woman Gets 6 Years for Rape of Boy

(Toledo, Ohio) Last month, a 26-year-old Toledo woman, Renata Carter, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape of a 12-year-old boy in December 2005.

Yesterday, Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Stacy Cook sentenced the mother of two children to six years in prison.

Without emotion, Carter apologized to the victim's family and the court.

Teacher's Aide Nabbed for Drugs

(Bossier City, Louisiana) A 32-year-old teacher's aide at Plantation Park Elementary School, Brondywn Wright, has been arrested on drug charges.

Police were alerted by a call that someone was seen smoking drugs in a car with children as passengers. Police stopped the car and found Wright in possession of a crack pipe and small bag of suspected cocaine. Wright had her 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old niece in the car with her.

In addition to three outstanding bench warrants, Wright faces charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drugs in the presence of children and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wright also faces termination from her position with the school system.

Teacher Suspended for Sex Messages to Student

(Bellevue, Kentucky) A 31-year-old social studies teacher at Bellevue High School, Melissa Melugin, was suspended Wednesday as police and school officials investigate whether she exchanged sexually explicit messages with a male student.

According to Bellevue Police Chief Bill Cole, the allegations largely center around one 12th-grade student and Melugin.

"The one student's name that keeps coming up is 18, so even if there was (sexual contact with him), there may not be any violation of the statutes," Cole said.

"But, without a doubt there was inappropriate communication between the teacher and at least one student. Some was sexual in nature, while some of the other communication was very dark, with references to suicide and other dark things . . . that parents certainly wouldn't want taking place."

Bellevue High School Principal Mike Wills acted immediately by sending out a letter of explanation to parents of Thursday.


[Update 05/05/07]

From WCPO:

Social Studies teacher Melissa Melugin is accused of having inappropriate contact with a senior and perhaps others outside of school.

The student was 18 years old, so criminal charges will not be filed.

However the school's investigation continues, and it's not clear if it will take disciplinary action.

Tip: Don

Philippines Honor Slain Peace Corps Volunteer

Updating a previous report, the suspecteded killer of murdered Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell has surrendered, Campbell's remains have been cremated and flown back to the U.S., and Campbell is being decorated by the Philippine government.

The House of Representatives will honor martyred US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell with the Congressional Medal of Achievement, its highest decoration, in recognition of her invaluable services and personal sacrifices for the Filipino people, especially the poor.

Speaker Jose de Venecia initiated the tribute to Campbell and said the Award for the well-loved volunteer teacher cum social worker was "accepted with gratitude" by the US government and the US Peace Corps.

De Venecia said the Award -- the highest decoration from the House -- will be presented in June to the US Peace Corps, represented by its director, Ronald Tschetter in Washington, and a representative of Campbell's family, in ceremonies expected to be graced by the top Philippine and American officials and leaders of civil society in Manila.

Honoring Julia Campbell with a Philippine Congressional citation is significant. It indicates that not only was Campbell well-liked and effective in her capacity as a Peace Corps volunteer, but also that the Filipino government wants to make sure that her murder doesn't aggravate relations with the Peace Corps nor the United States.

Understandably, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Peace Corps are concerned about the adequacy of existing security measures. Almost 140 Peace Corps volunteers are currently in the Philippines and their safety requirements are being reviewed. Note that the PNP has not completed its investigation into Campbell's murder. There continue to be unanswered questions.

To conclude:

The Congressional Medal of Achievement citation honored Campbell for having "brought light and joy into the lives" of many Filipinos.

"She epitomized the ideals of the Peace Corps and of the American people," the citation read.

For the light, the joy and the ideals, Julia Campbell will be remembered.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Bloggers Get Results

Received the following regarding the "Hold Their Feet to The Fire" lobbying initiative this past week. Check it out.

BLOGGERS SCORE AT HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4:30PM 4/25/2007 EST
CONTACT: Agentramos.com, Rita Bonilla, Dan Amato, William Gheen

The family members of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, and bloggers, participating for the first time in "Hold Their Feet to The Fire" have scored a legislative success.

On Monday April 23rd, three members of the agent's families, visited the office of Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA). The family members were mistreated by Nunes' staff member, Andrew House to the point of tears. When they returned to the Phoenix Park Hotel, which is the home of Radio and Bloggers Row and "Hold Their Feet to The Fire", blogger Dan Amato interviewed them about their encounter and quickly posted to the web.

Bloggers and online activists from across the country immediately distributed this information and the phone lines in Nunes' office rang off the hook, as angry Americans rebuked the actions of his staff. This led to Congressman Nunes scheduling a meeting to apologize.

"When we heard that they wanted a new meeting, I contacted their office and they were very receptive and they rolled out the red carpet for us," said Rita Bonilla of the organization "You Don't Speak For Me."

When we arrived for the new meeting, Nunes' staff member, Andrew House apologized four times and informed us that Congressman Nunes would sign HR 563, which provides a congressional pardon to free agents Ramos and Compean. This makes Congressman Nunes the first member of the Hispanic Caucus to sign this bill. Mr. House then stated that Congressman Nunes would probably speak with other members of the Hispanic Caucus about signing this bill.

Blogger Dan Amato quickly interviewed Raymond Herrera, Ramos' Aunt Gloria Olson and Ramos' father Ignacio and had the report on the web within thirty minutes, at which point bloggers across the country picked up the story, which resulted in many angry calls to Nunes' office.

"I was thrilled upon hearing about the signing of the bill, and I was glad to have helped," said Dan Amato of DiggersRealm.com.

"This is the 'New Media' in action," said William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC. "The rapid and massive feedback to Nunes office is an example of what the fusion of the internet and talk radio can do."

Monica Ramos who was not present at either meeting was thrilled that Congressman Nunes will sign the bill and truly appreciative of the support she has received. ###

Digger met with the Ramos family and "they are thrilled."

Kudos need to be extended to Digger for his efforts. He has devoted his time and resources to become a leader in the fight against illegal aliens, lax immigration law enforcement and porous border security. Those of us who wish we could do more should thank him.

I do.

$100 Laptop for Kids in Developing Countries

Readers may recall from back in 2005 the announcement of a campaign to send $100 laptop computers to deprived children in developing countries around the world. The machines would be designed to have low electricity consumption, hand-generated power supply, built-in wireless networking and a screen for indoor and outdoor use.

Well, considerable progress on the initiative has been achieved with seven nations committing to purchase the boxes -- Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Thailand, Nigeria and Libya -- and two nations inquiring about purchase, Peru and Russia.

So, they raised the price to $175.

I reject the idea that this is price-gouging. Remember, it's for the children.

Intruder Plugged by Homeowner

(Augusta, Georgia) A 19-year-old home intruder, Justin "Brent" Haynie, is hospitalized from being shot when he broke into a neighbor's house. About 3:30 AM yesterday, 56-year-old Theresa Wachowiak was startled by the presence of Haynie.

"She was initially, but she's a strong lady," said Sgt. Calvin Chew of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

Sgt. Chew says what she did next may have saved her life: "She had a gun in her nightstand, and she was able to retrieve the gun during the assault and ended up shooting the suspect."

Plugged Haynie in the chest, she did. He left, trailing blood, getting only as far as another neighbor's picnic table.

Haynie is recovering in the hospital, lucky to be alive. He has been arrested and faces charges of burglary, aggravated assault, kidnapping and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.