Following Entry Posted 11/09/2009 08:24:00 AM

Blogging in peril

We read:

"It was a safe bet something was up when Obama refused to discuss — for ‘national security’ reasons, of course — the terms of the forthcoming Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (a secret copyright treaty). Now the Internet chapter has leaked, according to Cory Doctorow, and ‘It’s bad. Very bad.’

Among other things: It requires ISPs to ‘proactively police’ user-generated content for copyright violations. This effectively puts the legal onus on hosting services for enforcing digital copyright, resulting (according to Doctorow) in liability issues that will destroy the business models of services like Blogger and YouTube.

This ‘proactive policing’ means, in particular, requiring DMCA-style ‘takedown notices’ as standard practice in all signatory countries, and requiring automatic takedown and cutoff of Internet service on accusation — not conviction. As we’ve already seen in the U.S., takedowns are a virtually 100% effective form of censorship, since ISPs typically respond immediately and with a complete lack of due process.”

Source

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 11:06:00 PM

Muslim Action Plan on the Environment

(London, England) At a conference last week, representatives from over 60 religious organizations met to discuss their commitments to work on the environment. Organized by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) and the United Nations, the gathering was a forum for each religion to announce its plans to save the Earth.

According to Martin Palmer, Sec-Gen of ARC, the event was a "huge success" with the Muslim plan being "perhaps the most astonishing." Mandating that saving the environment is a religious duty, the seven-year Muslim action plan was unveiled by Sheikh Ali Goma'a, Egypt's Grand Mufti.

“First and foremost, it establishes a new purchasing program for Muslims. So if you follow the traditional law of what you can or cannot eat, it has to be free range, organic, local. If you're going to use energy, it should now come from renewable sources," Palmer says.

"And it was announced that the 10 most sacred cities in Islam will become green within the next five years. I could go on. It's enormous." [...]

The Muslim plan envisages eco-labeling systems for goods and services, ranging from organized pilgrimages to printing Korans on environmentally friendly paper, since as many as 15 million Korans are printed each year. Under the plan, the training of imams would include compulsory teaching on environmentally friendly practices and programs.

An umbrella organization, the Muslim Associations for Climate Change Action (MACCA), is to monitor the action plan, which was earlier endorsed by more than 50 Muslim scholars in Istanbul in July.

One must logically suspect that a whole raft of new environmental regulations will be created with violations subject to punishment under Sharia law. That's not good news for the public. Frankly, it's imaginable that people could receive flogging or jail for improperly sorted trash or for using the wrong light bulb.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 10:18:00 PM

Urine Wardens


(Ennis, Ireland) A local town councilor has proposed the formation of pee police to counter the proliferation of inebriated people urinating around town. According to Councilor Paul O'Shea, two urine wardens should be empowered to issue on-the-spot fines to people caught relieving themselves in public.

However, other councilors in the town argue that becoming a urine warden may not be the safest career choice.

"If our traffic wardens are getting spat at during the day in carrying out their duty, I believe any urine warden would be in a lot of danger at 3am," said Councilor Frankie Nealon.

The problem of public urination prompted one shop owner to install an electric device to shock people taking a whiz on his storefront.

Regarding the sign, it's not clear what the message is.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 01:16:00 PM

Woman Accused of Throwing Child's Body in Trash

(Mobile, Alabama) A 21-year-old local mother, Christian Woods, is accused of killing one of her children, throwing the body into the garbage, and neglecting two other children.

Woods faces a murder charge and counts of child cruelty.

Investigators say she left her three children home alone for three days, with nothing but a few cups of jello to eat.

They say her 18 month old daughter Myleahya died of malnutrition, then Woods threw her body in the trash.

Investigators also say the two other children, Mykayla and Jeterius were found extremely malnourished and dehydrated.

Woods pleaded not guilty in court yesterday while a crowd of family members and friends attended to demonstrate their support. Aunt Ernestine said, "She is a very good mom, very good." Heh.

Woods is being held at the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $250,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 08:50:00 AM

Frank and Ready

(Boston, Massachusetts) In August 2007, James Ready of Ogunquit, Maine, was arrested for possession and cultivation of marijuana and use of drug paraphernalia. Mr. Ready is widely recognized as the same-sex partner of Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank who yesterday admitted he was present when Ready was arrested.

Frank said he was sitting on the porch when the police came but was unaware that his best-friend-forever had marijuana plants. Congressman Frank contends that he wouldn't recognize a marijuana plant because he's "not a great outdoorsman."

In addition, Rep. Frank said he didn't live with Mr. Ready and he only smoked cigars. Even so, it's not unreasonable to suggest that Rep. Frank's close physical and emotional proximity to Mr. Ready would have made it virtually impossible not to know of the cultivation and use of marijuana.

Furthermore, circumstances alone could lend justification to suspect that Rep. Frank might have occasionally been tempted to puff on a joint himself. Therefore, I suggest there's reason to be skeptical about Rep. Frank's professed complete lack of awareness.

To be fair, though, I recall allegations in the past about a call-boy prostitution service being run out of Barney Frank's house and he claimed not to know anything about that either. Maybe the Congressman really doesn't know what's going on around him.

In any event, James Ready ultimately paid a fine for marijuana possession while the other charges were dropped. And, curiously, Rep. Frank authored legislation to decriminalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes.

Tip: Charley Nestor
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 08:15:00 AM

Bloodless President Barack Obama makes Americans wistful for George W Bush

Further to the comments below note that the Fort Hood shootings happened in the early afternoon of 5th. George and Laura Bush made a private visit to Fort Hood to offer condolences and comfort to those affected on the evening of 6th. Obama has yet to visit. He doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself

During the election campaign, Barack Obama's cool detachment was a winning quality, the "No Drama Obama" a welcome contrast with the "Mr Angry" John McCain, never mind the hot-headed "I'm the decider" President George W Bush. A year into his presidency, however, Mr Obama seems a curiously bloodless president. If he experiences passion, he seldom shows it. It is often anyone's guess as to whether an event or issue truly moves him. He has spent more than two months considering a troop increase but do we know how he really feels about the Afghan war?

In a sign that the Obama honeymoon truly is over, I began to hear this week the first stirrings of a wistfulness about Mr Bush. "I never thought I'd hear myself say it," one Democrat told me. "But Obama makes you feel that at least with Bush you knew where he was on something." When Mr Bush's Republicans were defeated in the 2006 mid-term elections, it was the President himself who stepped up and declared that his party had received "a thumpin'". The Democratic defeats on Tuesday were not on anything like the same scale but Mr Obama acted as if nothing at all had happened.

Mr Obama had campaigned for Jon Corzine, New Jersey's Democratic governor, five times, twice just last Sunday. But when Mr Corzine lost by four points in a state Mr Obama won by 15 last year - a 19-point swing to Republicans - White House aides just shrugged. In Virginia, which Mr Obama won by six points last year, prompting Democrats to declare an historic political realignment in the state, the Democratic candidate went down by 17 points in the biggest landslide since 1961 - a 23-point swing to the Grand Old Party.

It took Senator Mark Warner of Virginia to admit that his party "got walloped". For three days, Mr Obama maintained a studied silence about the results while his aides blamed them on local factors that had nothing to do with the President. And to think that it was Mr Bush who was always accused of being "in denial".

More serious perhaps was Mr Obama's strange disconnectedness over the Fort Hood massacre of 13 soldiers by an Army major and devout Muslim who opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, had praised suicide bombing and shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he opened fire. Maybe Mr Obama had been reading the American press, much of which somehow contrived to present the atrocity as a result of combat stress due to soldiers going on repeated war deployments (though Major Nadal Hasan had not been on any) and therefore, no doubt, Mr Bush's fault.

When the television networks cut to the President, viewers listened to him spend more than two surreal minutes talking to a gathering of Native Americans about their "extraordinary" and "extremely productive" conference, pausing to give a cheery "shout out" to a man named Dr Joe Medicine Crow. Only then did he briefly and mechanically address what had happened in Texas.

On Friday, when most of the basic facts were available, Mr Obama tried again. It was scarcely any better. He began by offering "an update on the tragedy that took place" - as if it was an earthquake and not a terrorist attack from an enemy within - and ended with a promise for more "updates in the coming days and weeks". Completely missing was the eloquence that Mr Obama employs when talking about himself. Absent too was any sense that the President empathised with the families and comrades of those murdered.

SOURCE

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2009 07:55:00 AM

Blogger Arrested for Libel

(Tunis, Tunisia) A 34-year-old college professor and blogger, Fatma Riahi, was investigated last week by Tunisian authorities for suspected criminal libel against President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI.

On Wednesday, she was arrested.

Riahi, known as "Arabicca" online, has been accused of being the person behind the blogger Blog de Z, a popular Tunisian cartoonist renowned for being critical of President Ben Ali. Blog de Z's cartoons portray Ben Ali as corrupt, surrounded by thugs and not in the least bit interested in the Tunisian people who are depicted as blind, useful idiots.

In the examples below, one doesn't necessarily have to be fluent in French to understand the point of the cartoons.




According to a statement by Reporters Without Borders (RSF):

"The Tunisian authorities are using the pretext of her arrest in an attempt to discover the identity of anonymous Tunisian bloggers.

"We demand the authorities drop the charges against Fatma Arabicca and release her immediately."

Yesterday it was reported that Fatma Riahi was released but not before authorities had confiscated her computer and hacked her online accounts. Notably, Riahi deleted her blog Fatma Arabicca three days before her arrest.

Fellow bloggers have launched a Free Arabicca campaign blog and a Facebook page.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2009 05:54:00 PM

Ft. Hood Mosque Member Defends Major Nidal Hasan

It's reported that alleged murderer and Islamist terrorist Major Nidal Hasan had at least one disciple in the local mosque.

Eighteen-year-old Duane Reasoner Jr., who was interviewed by the BBC and Stars & Stripes, stated that he regularly had dinner with Major Hasan and he wouldn't condemn the killings because the victims were soldiers being sent to Iraq and Afghanistan to kill Muslims.

Frankly, it's not surprising that Major Hasan has supporters within the radical Muslim crowd. And, although I've yet to hear any reports, it would not be a shock to hear that some Muslims were high-fiving each other after the Fort Hood massacre.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2009 10:17:00 AM

Woman Gets 40 Years in DUI Deaths

(Tupelo, Mississippi) In August 2009, 31-year-old Carrie A. Nichols pleaded guilty to charges stemming from driving drunk and having an accident. The offenses occurred in 2008.

In Lee County Circuit Court this week, Carrie Nichols was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Authorities say Nichols' vehicle collided with another at a Tupelo intersection.

Killed in the accident were 19-year-old Adrian Cannon and 20-year-old Julius Dozier, both of Tupelo.

Three other people were injured, including one of Nichols' children.

If Nichols serves the full stretch, she'll be released as an old woman at age 71.

Tip: JT
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2009 07:57:00 AM

"Bud" now racist?

We read:

"Is "bud" the new "boy"? As a black man -- even in a "post-racial America," where a black man now occupies the White House -- I still wonder. Usually the way it happens is I'm somewhere out here in the Windy City, or near my home in the south suburbs, minding my own business, going about the daily fare, when suddenly I hear the annoying call -- "Bud" -- or some similar moniker, dangling from the end of some salutation: "Thanks, bud." "How can I help you, bud?" "What's up, bud?"

Sometimes I am running errands near home -- buying tires, searching at a home improvement store for a toilet flapper valve; or near my office on Michigan Avenue, purchasing a new mailbox; or on a Loop elevator, or in a downtown lobby. And whether it is bud, buddy, boss, pal, pimp, or playa, all of it offends. For I am none of these.

The offenders most often are white, sometimes younger than me and almost always in service or blue-collar positions. Most often it is the "b" word that is used. It feels too informal a title for perfect strangers, especially when I suspect they call other full-grown men sir.

Source

Such forms of address can have genuine intent. The equivalent term among Cockneys (and Australians) is "mate". Cockneys are working-class Londoners. When I bought a newspaper off a Cockney street vendor in London, how I was addressed depended on the paper I bought. If I bought a working-class paper such as the "Sun" or "Mirror", the vendor would say as he took my money "Ta mate" ("Ta" means thank-you). But if I bought the "Times" or "Telegraph", he would say "Ta guv", in recognition of my being one of the "bosses". So "mate" actually conveyed the friendly message "You are one of us". So I think that the black guy above is not considering all the possibilites.

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2009 12:54:00 AM

Same-Sex Ballroom Dancing

(San Francisco, California) Dance studios in the Bay Area are responding to requests from same-sex couples for lessons in ballroom dancing but only partly as a political statement for the gay and lesbian community. Dancers are practicing for "California Dreaming," one of the largest same-sex competitions in America.

As one student opines:

"Same-sex dancing has increased our visibility and I think as much as we become more visible, the mainstream culture gets more exposed to same gender love, and hopefully that will contribute to people changing attitudes."

Unfortunately, the governing body for ballroom dance competitions, USA Dance, doesn't allow homosexual couples so they have formed their own national association.

Men compete against men, women against women. The rules are a little different. Instead of male and female parts, there is the leader and the follower. Also, the lead can change back and forth.

Event organizer Jeff Chandler says, "It's becoming so popular it feels like it's the future of ballroom dancing."

The future, eh?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 09:13:00 PM

Teacher Gets No Jail for Underage Booze Party - Updated

(Bennington, Vermont) Earlier today, former teacher and dance instructor at Arlington Memorial High School and librarian at Fisher Elementary School, Allyson Hoffman, pleaded guilty to enabling underage people to drink.

Hoffman was originally charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and enabling underage drinking. The drug possession charges were dropped in accordance with the plea agreement.

For enabling underage drinking, her sentencing was deferred for nine months and she was given probation.

In court, 38-year-old Hoffman tearfully read a statement.

“I want to publicly apologize to the parents of these young men and women (who were at Hoffman’s home in August) and to my community for my poor judgment and for allowing these young people to put themselves at risk. I am ashamed and embarrassed and very sorry and nothing like this will ever happen again,” she said.

If Hoffman is a good girl for nine months, her criminal record will be expunged.

Notably, there was no evidence that Hoffman was aware of the cocaine and marijuana in her house and she denied any knowledge. Consequently, those charges were not prosecuted. Frankly, I'm skeptical. If someone was using drugs in my house, in particular smelly marijuana, I'd know about it.

In conclusion, even though it appears that Hoffman will ultimately skate on the criminal offenses and end up with a clear record, she was fired from the Arlington School System for "conduct unbecoming."

* * * * *
Vermont Teacher Accused of Hosting an Underage Drinking Party
[Previous 8/18/09 post]
(Sunderland, Vermont) A 38-year-old teacher and dance coach at Arlington Memorial High School, Allyson Hoffman, was arrested last Friday for allegedly hosting an underage drinking party at her home. According to Vermont State Police Sgt. John-Paul Schmidt, Hoffman was cited to appear in court.

Schmidt said police went to Hoffman's home on Friday night after receiving a late-night tip about a possible party where underage people were believed to be drinking alcohol.

When police arrived, they found what Schmidt called a "moderate gathering" with "loud music" and a bonfire.

Police said they believed several underage people fled when they arrived, but others who were found outside had been drinking alcohol.

Schmidt said Hoffman let police enter her home and cooperated with their investigation..

Once inside, police found many open alcohol containers and several underage people, several of whom were hiding in various locations inside, who had either been drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana or both, the press release said.

The Arlington Rescue Squad took one underage girl for treatment because of concerns that the amount of alcohol she drank could cause medical problems.

Police found marijuana in the house and powders they believed to be cocaine and crushed prescription drugs.

Yesterday, Hoffman claimed she is innocent.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 08:05:00 PM

U.S. Serviceman Murdered in Mexico

(Ciudad Juarez, Mexico) U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. David Booher was murdered yesterday when gunmen entered a bar and started shooting. Six people died and a seventh was wounded. The attack appears to be the work of drug cartel assassins.

Sgt. Booher was attached to the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base outside Alamogordo, New Mexico. He was off-duty at the time of the shootings.

Rest in peace.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 10:52:00 AM

Texas Teacher Protests Fingerprinting

(Dallardsville, Texas) A 22-year veteran teacher with the Big Sandy Independent School District, Pam McLaurin, has filed suit against the Texas Education Agency claiming that mandated fingerprinting violates her First Amendment right to practice her religion. McLaurin considers fingerprinting the "Mark of the Beast."

The latest case is the first in which a teacher is refusing fingerprinting on religious grounds, the woman’s lawyer said. The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to decide whether the First Amendment is implicated in fingerprinting, especially at a time when states, local governments and civic organizations are increasingly making them mandatory for anyone wanting to drive a car or coach a youth basketball team.

The Texas Education Agency indicated that McLaurin's teaching certification will be deactivated if she fails to comply with the fingerprinting requirement by November 7.

The fingerprinting requirement was enacted in 2007 by Texas lawmakers seeking to ensnare teachers who have a history of preying on children.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 08:00:00 AM

Fascist Russia

Obamaphiles aren't the only statists who long for mandatory absorption into a scary collectivist herd. Yesterday was Russia's Day of People's Unity. While the Ditherer in Chief loses the war in Afghanistan and maneuvers our economy toward eventual collapse with unsustainable spending, this is what's going on in Russia, which has the firepower to blow up most of the solar system:





It's a scary world out there. Too bad our government is more interested in "fundamentally transforming" America than defending it.

SOURCE

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 06:11:00 AM

Elephant Story

(Enid, Oklahoma) A 4,500 lb. elephant escaped from the circus.

"Didn't have time to hit the brakes. The elephant blended in with the road," driver Bill Carpenter said Thursday. "At the very last second I said 'elephant!'"

Carpenter, 68, said he swerved his SUV at the last second and ended up sideswiping the 29-year-old female Asian elephant on U.S. 81 in Enid, about 80 miles north of Oklahoma City.

"So help me Hanna, had I hit that elephant, not swerved, it would have knocked it off its legs, and it would have landed right on top of us," he said. "We'd have been history."

The couple, who own a wheat farm, weren't injured. But the 8-foot, 4,500-pound elephant was being examined Thursday for a broken tusk and a leg wound. A local veterinarian said it appeared to have escaped major injury.

The elephant's tusk punched a hole into the SUV's sheet metal.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2009 05:54:00 AM

Oklahoma Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Healdton, Oklahoma) A 37-year-old local woman, Diana Kay Mills, has been accused of drugging, liquoring up and engaging in sex with a 13-year-old boy. The boy's mother alerted police of the alleged offenses.

Mills faces charges of first-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Police said Diana Kay Mills confessed to having sex with the 13-year-old, but not with a 15-year-old who police said she also supplied with drugs and alcohol.

According to Healdton Police Chief Gus Handky, more teen victims could be involved. In any event, Mills claims she thought the boy was 16 the first time they had sex. Unfortunately, the claim carries little weight since she continued to have sex with him after learning he was 13.

Healton is a small south-central Oklahoma community in Carter County.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 11:20:00 PM

Ft. Hood Shootings - Updated

At approximately 1:30 CDT, one or more men went on a shooting rampage in Fort Hood. Twelve people reported dead thus far. Thirty plus wounded.

Preliminary reports. One detained suspect identified as Major Malik Nadal Hasan. One suspect at large. One suspect neutralized by Killeen cops.

Rumors are that it was a terror attack by three people. No confirmation of anything yet.

Per KUSV radio in Temple: Schools on lockdown, soldiers' families are being notified.


[Update 6:02 PM EDT]

All victims are adults. Three suspected shooters were U.S. Army soldiers, one dead id's as Major Hasan, two in custody. Handguns used in the attack. Ft. Hood on lockdown -- identifying victims and notifying their families.

CNN breaks news on Hasan's name (5:52 PM EDT). FoxNews holding back until name confirmed by Pentagon.

Hasan, aged 39 or 40, reportedly was quite vocal about his disagreement with deployment of troops to Afghanistan.

Fort Hood still on lockdown at 6 PM EDT.


[Update 6:25 PM EDT]

Per CBSNews, Major Malik Nadal Hasan is a psychiatrist. An MD trained at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Latest from Fort Hood source, two suspected shooters have been cleared and released. Search continues for at least one more shooter.

Wounded taken to Scott and White Hospital in Temple, TX. No info on condition yet.

President Obama gives news conference on Fort Hood incident. Begins like it's a campaign speech, complete with a "shout-out" to one of his supporters.

Early reports indicate the shootings were pre-planned, methodical.


[Update 6:45 PM EDT]

Pic of Major Nidal Malik Hasan from here.



[Update 8:00 PM EDT]

Paraphrased from FoxNews:

Col. Terry Lee (Ret.), a former colleague of Hasan's, said the Major was agitated by the U.S. policies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hasan was known to make comments regarding Muslims rising up against the aggressors.

Hasan was also trying to stop his deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan scheduled for next month. He appeared to strongly believe in Islam as a recent convert. It's believed he was investigated by the Army regarding his political and religious beliefs.

An unconfirmed report says that the shooter was specifically targeting individuals, i.e. it wasn't random.

It's reported that Major Hasan received a poor performance rating while serving at Water Reed. Witnesses say the shooter was shouting something in Arabic while shooting.

Lockdown of Fort Hood lifted.

Fort Hood Family Hotline activated: 254-288-7570 or 1-866-836 2751.


[Update 10 PM EDT]

Now reported that Major Nidal Hasan is ALIVE and in custody with multiple gunshot wounds.


[Update 11 PM EDT]

General Cone press briefing:

- Evidence indicate only one shooter,

- Major Hasan is out of surgery and in stable condition, death is not imminent,

- Casualties are 12 dead and 31 wounded,

- FBI is assisting in investigation.

Ten of the wounded, taken to Temple's Scott and White Hospital, expected to survive. Four have been through surgery.

Other wounded are being treated at the medical center in Killeen and at facilities on Fort Hood. No information on their condition.

Background researchers found that Major Hasan had posted praise for suicide bombers on the Internet.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 10:16:00 PM

Pennsylvania Woman Accused of Sex with Boy

(Pittston Township, Pennsylvania) A 25-year-old local woman, Janelle Olisewski, has been accused of engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy. She faces charges of statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor.

The boy’s mother told police her son’s friend supplied her with e-mails sent by the MySpace social networking site to her son about Olisewski having sex with the teen.

Police said the mother talked to her son, who admitted he did have sex with the Olisewski.

The teen told police he was using his mother’s phone to text message Olisewski. The next day, the boy received a message from her stating they would have sex in the near future but he would have to keep it a secret.

After a football game in Duryea, the boy and Olisewski took a ride up to Suscon Road and parked in a dirt lot to have sex, police said.

Olisewski was booked into custody at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $10,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 10.

[Add.] Olisewski is the mother of two and works in a daycare center.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 09:42:00 PM

Indiana Woman Accused of Sex with Four Boys

(Mishawaka, Indiana) A 26-year-old local woman, Sara Smith, has been accused of engaging in sex with four boys. The ages of the boys are 14, 14, 15 and under 14.

Smith has been charged with child molestation and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor.

A report made to the Mishawaka Police Department Oct. 14 indicated that several juvenile boys were spending an "unusual amount of time at the residence of Smith," according to charging documents.

In particular, one boy came into contact with police at the Mishawaka Police Department and appeared to be under the influence of some type of illegal substance, police said. The boy reportedly told police he had been at the house with Smith that day with other individuals and that Smith supplied them with alcohol and marijuana.

When officers asked about the incident and went to Smith’s home, they found three other boys there, according to court records.

Police also said they determined the three juveniles were under the influence of alcohol.

A separate report coming into police Oct. 13 reported that a boy was missing and that Smith’s address was a possible place to find him.

Some of the boys later admitted during interviews at the CASIE Center in South Bend that they had sex with Smith, authorities say. One boy told authorities he had sex with Smith with several of the other boys present.

Both boys who were interviewed reportedly said Smith encouraged multiple boys to be involved. Police are still determining the identities of those boys.

Sara Smith was booked into custody with bond set at $5,000.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 09:12:00 PM

Iranians to Obama: "With Them or With Us?"

(Tehran, Iran) President Obama has been noticeably silent regarding the reform movement in Iran. Protesters on the streets yesterday made it an issue.

Thousands of young people took to the streets in many cities, using the 30th anniversary of the United States Embassy takeover to keep their "green movement" alive. [...]

But in a new phenomenon, demonstrators chanted to Mr. Obama: "Either you're with them [the ruling Muslim clerics], or with us."

By coincidence, a pronunciation of Obama in the Persian language ("oo-ba-mast") happens to mean "he's with us."

If only that were more true.

As I've suggested previously, I think Obama confronts controversy by sitting on his thumbs. Sadly, it appears to be his policy towards Iran.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 08:07:00 AM

Climate change?

IT'S ALL HAPPENED BEFORE (1)

An email from Wayne Richards [theamazingrichards@gmail.com] below:

I've reached my own personal tipping point. I've heard once too often that the Arctic ice melt of 2007 was unprecedented, that it's going to happen again, only worse, and that we're all doomed. Including the polar bears. Never before in history...etc.

Less than a half mile from my home in Vancouver, B.C. sits the RCMP Vessel Saint Roch. She's been declared a national monument or some such designation, and for good reason. In the early 1940's she traversed the Northwest Passage. Then she did it again. Then again, in the other direction. Three times, three times.

She's a small thing, but sturdily built. At a little over a hundred feet long, she displaces about 325 tons. She was powered by some small auxiliary sails and a piddling 150 hp.diesel engine. And she's not steel. She's built of good British Columbia Douglas fir, externally sheathed with Australian gumwood (thank you, Aussies). Mind you, her bow had some metal on it, whether iron or steel I do not know.

This small, woefully underpowered vessel was the first to traverse the Northwest Passage west to east, was the first to traverse it more than once, was the first to traverse it in both directions, and was the first to circumnavigate North America (using the Panama Canal at the small end).

But she was not the first in recorded history to traverse the Northwest Passage. In 1906 Roald Amundsen ran it from east to west in his even smaller (76ft) sloop "Gjoa". It may have been all sail; if it had an auxiliary motor I do not know of it.

The log books of neither the Gjoa nor the St. Roch record any drowning polar bears.





IT'S ALL HAPPENED BEFORE (2)



Note that there is a slight rising trend but that it was happening long before the late 20th century and the era of widespread industrialization

Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 06:16:00 AM

Stabbed to Avoid Work

(Edgewater, Colorado) A 27-year-old Blockbuster Video employee, Aaron Siebers, tore his work uniform while skateboarding yesterday and to avoid being written up by his boss for not wearing his approved uniform, Siebers came up with a story.

And, it is a whopper.

Instead of just calling in sick, he stabbed himself in the leg and showed up at work claiming to have just been attacked by three Hispanic males.

Siebers, who told cops he was assaulted as he walked toward the Blockbuster in Edgewater, had a deep stab wound in one leg and several other minor cuts on his face and stomach.

As investigators began hunting for the assailants, they reviewed surveillance video from outside a Target store where Siebers claimed the attack occurred. The footage, however, showed no such assault.

When questioned by the police, Siebers admitted that he had stabbed himself to avoid losing his job. As a result, Siebers was arrested and charged with filing a false report and obstructing police.

Given that Mr. Siebers is 27 years old, working at Blockbuster, spends his time skateboarding, and has a self-inflicted stab wound in his leg, I'd say he's having a run of bad luck.

Tip: C. Nestor
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2009 12:05:00 AM

Michigan Teacher Guilty of Enticing Student - Updated

(Oakland County, Michigan) Former teacher Michelle Simonson decided to accept a plea deal instead of going to trial, scheduled for today.

Simonson pleaded guilty before Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Mark Goldsmith to distributing sexually explicit material to a minor and enticing a minor for immoral purposes. She admitted to sending a topless photo of herself and sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old special education student.

In exchange for her guilty pleas, Simonson will receive a maximum of 90 days in the Oakland County Jail. Reportedly, Judge Goldsmith will sentence her to a lesser term.

According to defense attorney Michael Manley, Simonson is remorseful.

“And she is paying the price. She’s lost her reputation, her profession, and she could lose her freedom.”

No explanation has been offered as to why an attractive, 20-something career woman would do something so irresponsible.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 10.

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Michigan Teacher Accused of Enticing Male Student
[Previous 8/14/09 post]
(Oxford Township, Michigan) A 28-year-old special education teacher at Sashabaw Middle School, Michelle Simsonson (aka Simonson), has been accused of sending sexual text messages and partially-nude photos to a 14-year-old former student.

Simsonson has been charged with enticing a minor for immoral purposes and distributing sexually explicit material to a minor.

She had exchanged about 50 text messages, some which were sexually explicit, and sent him partially nude photo of herself, police said.

The two never had any physical contact, nor direct conversation that was deemed inappropriate.

Police said Simsonson began texting the boy because she wanted to help him progress as a student, but as the messages became more explicit, the boy became uncomfortable and asked her to stop.

Simsonson resigned her teaching position and is free on $1,500 bond.
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