Mark Levy, Washington DC-based counsel and chair of Kilpatrick Stockton’s Supreme Court, Appellate Advocacy Firm, Commits Suicide in his Office

The law offices of Kilpatrick Stockton had laid off 24 lawyers yesterday and this morning, police and firefighters responded when Mark Levy, Washington DC-based counsel and chair of Kilpatrick Stockton’s Supreme Court and Appellate Advocacy practice, shot himself at the DC office. What a selfish SOB. He was reportedly one of the attorneys terminated this week.

His listing on the firm’s web site states that he was a Yale Law School grad, a former member of the Clinton Department of Justice and a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Virginia School of Law. The firm employs more than 500 attorneys in ten offices globally: Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; New York, New York; Washington, DC; Dubai, UAE; London, UK; and Stockholm, Sweden.

I have written pretty extensively about the recent rise in murder-suicides and a common thread is the inability to deal with financial problems. Most of us are struggling to make ends meet right not, but there is no problem that is insurmountable. As I said before, when the going gets tough, we see the true character of many of these people who kill themselves and members of their families.

Georgia Latest State to Confirm Swine Flu Victim, 30-Year Old Female Recently Returned from Cancun, Mexico

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed a case of swine flu today at West Georgia Medical System Hospital in LaGrange. I have been on pins and needles wondering when it would come to my neck of the woods. Well, it has arrived. A 30-year old female, who is from Kentucky but visiting relatives in LaGrange, returned from a trip to Cancun, Mexico on April 21. She has been hospitalized in LaGrange since April 26.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Jeff Dore interviewed Jerry Fulks, CEO of West Georgia Medical System Hospital, live on Action News at Noon and Fulks said the patient was put into isolation on April 26 and was still there Thursday.

"The staff that works with her are using masks, gowns and other protection devices," said Fulks. He said the hospital is not under quarantine. "Our hospital is open; there has been no lockdown," Fulks said. "We continue to serve the needs of our patients." Fulks said the patient's family in LaGrange has been checked and tested negative for swine flu. Source: WSBTV

The CDC lists cases of swine flu in at least 11 other states including Arizona, California, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Meanwhile in Alabama, officials shut down schools for about 31,000 students in Madison County because of two probable cases of swine flu. We are all bracing for more cases in the state and have to stress that people need to exercise proper hygiene -- wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze.

Four People Pronounced Dead After Car Careens Into Crowd at Dutch Queen Beatrix and her Family's Motorcade in Apeldoorn

There are some really crazy people living in this world. At least four people were reportedly killed and several hurt in the Netherlands after a car careened into spectators watching a royal motorcade Thursday. A photographer said the car appeared to be deliberately driving at high speed toward an open bus carrying Queen Beatrix and her family in the western Dutch city of Apeldoorn.

Prosecutors said that they believe the incident was deliberate, but not an act of terrorism. They did not indicate a motive or say why the popular queen might have been a target. The driver was a 38-year-old white Dutch male with no police record or history of mental illness, police said and they declined to release his name.

Still developing......

Minnesota's Freeborn County Crisis Response Team and Rose Olmsted Defend Coloring Book With Smoldering Twin Towers

Once again, FEMA is entangled in another scandal. Rose Olmsted, the coordinator behind a children's coloring book that was pulled from FEMA's Web site last week is defending her work, despite its controversial and insensitive cover, which shows a child's drawing of New York's Twin Towers on fire with a plane flying toward them.

Minnesota's Freeborn County Crisis Response Team developed "A Scary Thing Happened," downloadable coloring book, which was designed to help children cope with disaster, following a local tornado in 2003. It was posted on The Smoking Gun Web site after FEMA took it down last week. Ms. Olmsted said the coloring book has been distributed to "thousands" of children as a way to help them deal with disasters. Even children in Australia colored its pages following that nation's recent wildfires, she said in an interview with Fox News.

"I stand firm that it was a very well thought-out and useful resource for kids," Olmsted told FOXNews.com. "But it's obviously being misinterpreted by a lot of people."

Olmsted, who acknowledged that no 9/11 victim groups were contacted prior to the release of the 25-page coloring book, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent a letter to her organization six year ago to recognize a job well done.

"It's not distributed to just any child — it's intended to be used in a number of ways, with parents reading it, pastors, Boy Scout leaders," Olmsted said. "Kids of coloring age have a difficult time speaking about their experiences. When they’re drawing, it's much easier for them to speak about their experiences, and it's very useful in that context." Olmsted suggested that the controversy over the book was linked to Monday's flyover of Lower Manhattan by a presidential plane and an F-16 jet. Source: Fox News

Why am I not surprised that nobody from FEMA realized that picture was very insensitive to the victims of September 11 and their families. Teaching kids how to handle traumatic events should be done in a toned-down manner, not with something as violent as the terrorist attacks that crippled this country for weeks, with the effects still lingering today. I don't think the idea of using that depiction was malicious. It was just not done in good taste.

Click here to view the coloring book.

Vice President Joe Biden Says He Would Tell His Family to Avoid Subways, Planes after Swine Flu Outbreak

Vice President Joe Biden is at it again. He's stirring up a hornet's nest and that's not what we need right now. Unless, of course, he has information the general public is not privy to, or I am inclined to believe, he's just up to his usual tricks. He said that he would not recommend taking any commercial flight or riding in a subway car “at this point” because swine flu virus can spread “in confined places.” A little more than one hour later, Biden rushed out a statement backing off.“I would tell members of my family – and I have – I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now,” Biden said on NBC’s “Today” show. These comments were clearly ill-timed and not smart. Of course, he said that would be in response to if asked by a family member. He has surpassed even his most outlandish gaffe with these comments.

“It’s not that it’s going to Mexico. It’s [that] you’re in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft. That’s me. … “So, from my perspective, what it relates to is mitigation. If you’re out in the middle of a field when someone sneezes, that’s one thing. If you’re in a closed aircraft or closed container or closed car or closed classroom, it’s a different thing.” he added.

Aren't his comments a direct contradiction to the more restrained advice from President Barack Obama and the federal government? Isn't the last thing the White House needs at this moment is Joe Biden startling people enough to cause mass hysteria across this country by shutting down the airline industry and big city subways? All I can say is that every American should practice proper hygiene. Keep your hands washed, cover your mouth when you cough and cover your nose when you sneeze.

Elizabeth Marie Grube, 70, and Sister, Elaine Volkert, 65, Arrested On Drug Heroin Charges

Sisters Elizabeth Marie Grube & Elaine Volkert. CBS

Talk about grannies gone wild! Elizabeth Marie Grube, 70, and her 65-year-old sister, Elaine Volkert, from Monroe County, Pa., have been arrested for allegedly distributing heroin and are facing drug charges after being arrested on April 14. According to CBS 3, investigators seized 400 bags of heroin with a street value of $8,000 and more than $2,000 from the home of Grube in the 1000 block of Ehler Street. On the same day, a task force seized 988 bags of heroin with a street value of $20,000 and approximately $1,600 in cash from Volkert's home also in the 1000 block of Ehler Street. Whoa. This is heavy-duty stuff!

Police reportedly also seized quantities of Oxycontin and marijuana during the search. According to investigators, both Grube and Volkert had been selling between 500 and 1,500 bags of heroin every two weeks for the past two months. Police said that prior to selling heroin, the sisters had been selling crack cocaine.

Two days after the sisters were arrested, their supplier, Julio Cesar Checo, was taken into police custody. Grube and Volkert have been charged with possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (heroin) and criminal conspiracy. Bail was set at $20,000.Checo was charged with Possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (heroin), criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility (cell phone). He is being held on $75,000 bail. Source: CBS3.com

This is major and these two women, if found guilty, should be locked up for a long time. Wait, a long time won't really be that long now, will it? The last thing one would expect to see are senior citizens being a part of the drug trade.

U.S. House passes 'Matthew Shepard Act' Hate Crimes Bill, as GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx Calls his Murder a "Hoax"

After steep opposition from the Republicans in the House of Representatives, the Matthew Shepard Act was passed. The bill will now make its way to the Senate, who will come up with its own version. I have no doubt that it will pass here as well, but I am sure with a great deal of opposition from the GOP.

The “Matthew Shepard Act.” The bill, which was introduced in 2007, was named after Matthew Wayne Shepard who died on October 12, 1998. He was twenty-one at the time of death. His killers are currently serving life behind bars. During the trial, witnesses said that Shepard was attacked because of his sexual preferences, which was a travesty and a hate crime.

The real drama came from GOP Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina who referred to Matthew Shepard's hate-motivated murder as "a hoax." Voters in her district need to note her incendiary comments about the bill and vote accordingly when she comes up for re-election. She owes the family and all other victims of hate-crimes an apology. This is a disgrace and she should be called out on it.

According to Reuters, , the vote passed through the US House by 249-175. That means one-hundred and seventy-five House Representatives had given their opposition to the bill, of which the Republicans had a large number of detractors. Opponents of the bill have said that it is discriminatory. In this piece, GOP Representative Trent Franks of Arizona said the bill puts equal protection in danger. He added that it destroys equality of protection amongst all groups. Really Trent Franks? So, I guess my question to him is what really constitute a hate crime?

Franks gave the argument that this bill if signed into law would undermine equal protection. He made the argument that handing out justice to perpetrators of a crime will end up depending on gender, ethnicity, sexual preferences, and so forth. So, I am guessing that the whole notion of a hate crime is moot to him and we should just sit by and watch people get hurt or even killed and just shrug our shoulders. Contrary to the flawed argument from the Republicans, this bill will strength civil rights protections.

Fox Broadcasting Will Not Air President Obama's Speech

The Fox Network is not showing President Obama's speech tonight. Fox is the only major network not airing the speech. Fox's sister channels, Fox News and Fox Business channels will both air the speech. The speech is said to cost the networks an estimated $21.5 million dollars in revenue for the prime time slot of 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM according to Nielsen.

The other networks are airing the speech commercial free and in its entirety on its regular TV channels as well as its news channels. So is this a financial decision for Fox or is this Fox's way of "sticking" it to the Obama administration?

I think it is fine. In the day of satellite and cable television, I think it is OK for a non-cable channel to offer something different for the many Americans that are completely clueless to the fact that the country is in a deep recession, war is threatening on every front and that there could possibly be a pandemic going on. Provide them with something else to watch. They need it.

23-Month Old Boy in Texas 1st Confirmed Casualty of Swine Flu Disease in the U.S.A., Edgar Hernandez, "Patient Zero," Identified in Village in Mexico

There is some very sad news to report this morning. We have our first death from the swine flu. Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a two-year old child from Texas has become the first fatality from the swine flu in the United States. As a parent, my heart goes out to the family of this child and I am very concerned for what the near future holds for each of us across this nation. Besser said on CNN this morning that the CDC is not changing its recommendations as a result of the confirmed swine flu death. Watch Besser assess the situation »

"I expect we'll see more cases," Besser said. "And as we do, we'll learn more about this, and if there needs to be more stringent or less stringent recommendations, we'll be making those."

The only other confirmed swine flu deaths have been seven in Mexico, out of more than 112 confirmed swine flu cases worldwide. "Given what we've seen in Mexico, we have expected that we would see more severe infections and would see deaths," Besser said. However, he stressed that people should maintain their perspective on the swine flu outbreak.

"Seasonal flu each year causes tens of thousands of deaths in this country -- on average, about 36,000 deaths," Besser said. "And so this flu virus in the United States, as we're looking at it, is not acting very differently from what we saw during the flu season." Source: CNN

It is really scary how this outbreak has spread across four continents in a short period of time. Health officials reportedly said they think they may have found "patient zero," Edgar Hernandez, 5, in the global outbreak in the village of La Gloria in the mountains of Mexico, where he resides with his family.

As of Wednesday morning, the World Health Organization said at least 112 cases have been confirmed worldwide. On Tuesday it listed 105 cases, including those in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Israel, Spain and the United Kingdom. Additional cases have been reported in Germany and Costa Rica.

Separately, U.S. pork producers have discovered that the name of the virus is bad for their business. U.S. officials want the name changed from swine flu. At a recent news briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack took pains to repeatedly refer to the flu as the "H1N1 virus." "This is not a food-borne illness, virus. It is not correct to refer to it as swine flu because really that's not what this is about," Vilsack said.

According to Reuters, Israel has already rejected the name swine flu, and opted to call it "Mexico flu." Jewish dietary laws forbid eating pork. The World Organization for Animal Health also objected to the name, saying the virus contains avian and human components and no pig so far has been found ill with the disease. There is growing sentiment in the farm sector to call it the North American virus, though, according to Reuters, disease expert Anthony Fauci told a Senate hearing the "swine flu" designation reflected scientific naming protocol.

To read more on Edgar Hernandez, CLICK HERE.

Michelle Malkin, Neal Boortz, Glenn Beck, Other Right Wing Commentators Using Swine Flu to Promote Racism against Illegal Mexican Immigrants

The conservative right wing nutjobs like columnist Michelle Malkin, radio show hosts Neal Boortz and Michael Savage, as well as the lunatic Glenn Beck need to be put in check sooner rather than later for spewing racist hatred by stating illegal immigrants are responsible for carrying swine flu across the Mexican border and infecting innocent Americans. Lost in all Michelle Malkin's babble is the fact that she is the product of an immigrant family and her lack of empathy for immigrants is insulting and hypocritical, to say the least. These people have sunk to a new low and that's just pitiful. There is no evidence to support such scurrilous claims but this has not deterred these morons from spreading these accusations faster than the contagion itself.

Here is a sampling of the racist accusations:

"Illegal aliens are bringing in a deadly new flue strain. Make no mistake about it," blares Michael Savage.

"I've blogged for years about the spread of contagious diseases from around the world into the US as a result of uncontrolled immigration," writes Michelle Malkin.

"What happens if there's a rash of deaths in Mexico... and if you're a family in Mexico and people are dying and Americans are not, why wouldn't you flood this border?" announces Glenn Beck.

There is more. These idiots are also trying to convince their audiences that Islamic terrorists have somehow been able to do what has eluded scientists elsewhere in the world, the ability to concoct a deadly new flu virus, and then miraculously introduce it into the Mexican population.

"What better way to sneak a virus into this country than to give it to Mexicans....then spread a rumor there there are construction jobs here, and there they come," says Boortz.

Savage — "make no mistake about it" — believes that radical Islamic countries planted the virus in Mexico knowing that humans make the "perfect mules for bringing the strain into America." Source: The Huffington Post

Their comments are idiotic and deeply divisive at the same time. They owe the Mexican people an apology. Why would the terrorist groups single out Mexicans instead of Americans if they were able to create this new bio-terrorist flu? Geez, I guess these morons didn't bother to think of that little detail. Here's another gem. Isn't Mexico City, the epicenter of this outbreak, hundreds of miles from the US border? Lastly, didn't the eight students from New York City contract the disease after a trip to Cancun, Mexico? Who are the real idiots now? Michelle Malkin, Neal Boortz, Mike Savage and Glenn Beck are spreading something far more vile than swine flu -- deep-rooted hatred and that's a very dangerous thing.

Senator Arlen Spector, Longtime GOP Member is now a Democrat

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector has announced today that he is switching to the Democratic Party. This move will give the Democratic Party the 60 seat filibuster majority needed in Congress pending Al Franken wins the disputed Senate race in Minnesota.



"Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right," Specter said in a statement posted by his office on PoliticsPA.com.
"Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans." Cnn.com




I can only imagine what the right wing conservatives are saying about this move. I know Rush and Hannity will have a field day with this one. I think that it is good in American politics where a politician can freely change political parties. It shows a lot about our democracy here in the US. Yet, I have to mention a concern when it comes to the Democratic party having a majority filibuster. I think it is dangerous for any party to have that much power. The checks and balances throughout the political party system is what has kept this country on track thus far. One party having complete control can be dangerous along with scary.


I'm sure Specter has a personal agenda behind the whole thing. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Slavery Mural in Georgia State Dept. of Agriculture Questioned, Some Express Shock at its Placement in a Government Building

The Georgia State Department of Agriculture has stirred up a hornet's nest on its own. Personally, I don't see it as a black mark, but as a reminder of how we have come as a people, with blacks in some of the highest positions in this country. Of course, there are many who beg to differ. The mural, part of a series by artist George Beattie dated 1956, is hung in the lobby of the building. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, some visitors were taken aback, some confused and some angry. Some have expressed shock that the slavery mural was so prominently placed in a government building.

The AJC recently inquired about the mural was was told that the mural is one of eight original paintings on two floors that were commissioned to create a visual timeline of agriculture in Georgia. So, that makes sense. We can never wipe the slate clean where slavery is concerned. But we can grow from the experiences of our fore parents and tap into the extraordinary strength they possessed in the face of such odds. However, our contribution to agriculture in this state should not be limited to slavery. I wonder why the mural has flew under the radar for so long. I guess the reason lies in the fact that about 200 people work in the building and it averages about 12 to 15 visitors daily, according to department officials.

There are four murals in the lobby, including the one at the reception desk. Two represent Native American and Colonial times; two depict slavery. Upstairs are more contemporary scenes — a farmers market; truck farming, with a black man and a white man working side by side; and researchers in a lab. An eighth painting that showed a farmer consulting with his county Extension agent was removed when a hallway was reconfigured, Arty Schronce said.

The murals were commissioned for the building that was completed in 1956, the year Georgia’s state flag was changed to incorporate the controversial Confederate flag. They were painted by the late George Beattie, a noted local artist who was executive director of the Georgia Council for the Arts from 1967 to 1975.

The new handout describing them includes a quote from Beattie, who acknowledged in a 1995 article that his slavery murals were troubling to some. “As a human being, I am vehemently opposed to slavery, as anyone should be,” Beattie was quoted as saying, “but it was a significant epoch in our history; it would have been inaccurate not to include this period.” Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

I am not offended by this because it is factually based. We cannot magically snap our fingers and wish slavery didn't happen. Some have felt that it reinforces the image of blacks' subservience to white people. Must we always walk around with an inferiority complex? Though slavery is a blood stain on America's history, we can learn some valuable lessons about the tenacity, determination and unity among our fore parents. In the face of adversity, they never gave up hope that one day things would be better. We just can't block the portion of our heritage from plain view when it suits us.

FDA and CDC Warn Against Eating Raw Alfalfa Sprouts Due to Salmonella Outbreak in Several States

News alert. According to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans should not eat any raw alfalfa sprouts, or sprout blends containing alfalfa sprouts, until the origins of a salmonella Saint Paul outbreak has been determined. The warning is most important for the elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems, who are at high risk of serious complications from a salmonella infection.

So far, 31 people have taken ill since mid-March in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia, and federal investigators warned that illnesses may be present, but as yet undiagnosed in other states.

Federal investigators said that the seeds of alfalfa sprouts may be the source of salmonella, since multiple sprout growers in multiple states all appear contaminated. Additionally, according to the FDA and the CDC, the widespread outbreak also suggests that growers have failed to adhere to voluntary sanitary guidelines because best practice guidelines call for disinfection with calcium hypochlorite before planting, and routing testing to detect salmonella or E. coli contamination before sprouts reach consumers.

"Because suspect lots of seeds may be sold around the country and may account for a large proportion of the alfalfa seeds currently being used by sprout growers, and cases of illness are spread across multiple states, FDA and CDC are issuing this general advisory."

FDA Sprout Consumption Recommendations

In general, the FDA recommends these guidelines for those who continue to eat sprouts, even though it strongly recommends not eating alfalfa sprouts at this time.

• Cook all sprouts thoroughly before eating to significantly reduce the risk of illness.
• Sandwiches and salads purchased at restaurants and delicatessens often contain raw sprouts. Consumers who wish to reduce their risk of food borne illness should specifically request that raw sprouts not be added to their food.
• Homegrown sprouts also present a health risk if eaten raw or lightly cooked. Many outbreaks have been attributed to contaminated seed. If pathogenic bacteria are present in or on seed, they can grow to high levels during sprouting even under clean conditions.

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, which may be bloody, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare instances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses, such as meningitis and bone infections.

If you are like me, you love alfalfa sprouts, but the we must tread cautiously because compromising our health is not worth it. Green News Beat will keep you posted on the latest developments.

Jayson Williams, Ex-New Jersey Nets Star, Tasered by NYPD After Suicidal Outburst at Manhattan Hotel

Jayson Williams, Photo: O'Boyle/Pool

Jayson Williams, ex-New Jersey Nets player, went berserk early this morning in a New York City Hilton Embassy Suites. You will recall that he beat the rap for shooting his chauffeur, Costas "Gus" Christofi, in 2002. The cops were called to the hotel at 4 a.m. after a female friend called security to report disturbance in his suite. He was reportedly rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital in handcuffs after cops found suicide notes and empty bottles of pills in his hotel room.

"He was barricaded, drinking, taking pills. He was overwhelmed," a police source said. "It all came crashing down." Williams, 41, trashed his room, forcing Emergency Service Unit officers to subdue the former All-Star with a Taser gun, sources said.

It took two sets of handcuffs to restrain the husky star, cops said. Cops found several suicide notes, including a message scrawled on the wall. They said he was distraught over his divorce, his parents' illnesses and his impending retrial in the chauffeur-shooting case. Source: NY Daily News

Isn't this an eerie reminder of O.J. Simpson and the fact that he just couldn't find peace with himself after beating the murder rap for his wife and Ron Goldman?

Williams was cleared of the most serious charges in the murder trial. The jury deadlocked on the count of reckless manslaughter. In 2006, a New Jersey appeals court ruled Williams could be retried on that charge. No trial date has been set. The hoop star paid Christofi's family $2.75 million to settle a wrongful death suit.

Swine Flu Outbreak

The recent outbreak known as the "Swine Flu" has killed in Mexico and has at least 40 confirmed cases in the United States and rising. Fourteen high schools in New York have shut down due to one student being confirmed has having symptoms of the recent outbreak.

President Obama says the Swine flu outbreak is no cause for alarm. Stock trading is down and believed to be a result of the Swine flu outbreak. Oil prices drop 5% due to concerns of a possible outbreak. Dr. Richard Besser, the Acting Director of the C.D.C. says that 11 million doses of anti-viral drugs from a government stockpile has been sent out to states with confirmed cases including New York, Texas and California.

Some organizations are concerned that the name "swine" flu may cause people to think you get the flu from eating pork. This actual strain of virus is a respiratory disease found in pigs and has spread by humans handling infected pigs.

As the world braces to stop or slow the spread of this virus, everyone is being reminded to wash their hands and not to bog down emergency facilities unless truly necessary. These precautionary measures are in place due to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 which killed 50 million people world wide.

Michael J. Mitchell, African American Teen, Shoots Dan Azeff Because he Wore Hat with Confederate Symbol and Carried Confederate Flag

Wearing the Confederate Flag as a fashion statement may not be a good idea. Well, at least not to Michael J. Mitchell. According to the Sun Sentinel, Mitchell and a group of friends were hanging out at a popular nighttime gathering spot in Sarasota, when they ran into Dan A. Azeff, who was also hanging out with his buddies. Azeff, however, wore a hat with the Confederate symbol and carried a Confederate flag, which reportedly measured about five feet by three feet. Mitchell reportedly shot Azeff in the chest as a result of the confrontation.

Michael J. Mitchell and a friend asked Azeff about the hat and flag and then asked if he was a racist. Azeff told them no, he was just exercising free speech. The fight escalated and the groups exchanged racial slurs. Mitchell reportedly pulled out a handgun and shot Azeff once in the chest, then ran off, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Azeff was fascinated by the rebel flag, his grandfather said. "But he did not know what it truly meant. To him it was just a flag."

So, Azeff just accessorized with the Confederate flag oblivious to its meaning, good and bad? Wow. That's akin to wearing a swastika without a clue who Adolf Hitler was? Kid, do yourself a favor and take up a history book some time. His grandfather made reference to the fact that he seem to be hanging around the wrong crowd, hence the Confederate symbols and to many, that is considered race baiting. Well, his actions fall within the freedom of speech clause in our Constitution, and though totally disgusting, his actions were legal.

To Michael Mitchell, would you like someone to shoot you in the chest because of a flag? This young man is a student at the Sarasota Military Academy and his coach, Sgt. Major Mike Collis, said that Mitchell's involvement in the scuffle was "completely unexpected and completely out of character." Really? Why is this teen running around with a gun and why would he carry one to hang out with his friends, unless of course, he was looking for trouble? He needs to be held accountable for the shooting of this man. Pulling the trigger on a gun is no way to solve conflicts and I guess this begs the question of whether or not his parents knew he had a gun to begin with.

President Barack Obama Terminates Washington D.C.'s "Opportunity Scholarship Program," Which Allowed Poor Black Kids to Attend Better Schools

It's not often that I agree with the views expressed by Fox News, but this time I have to say, I agree with Juan Williams' assessment and anger over President Obama's decision to terminate Washington D.C.'s "Opportunity Scholarship Program," which would have allowed poor black children to attend the same distinguished schools as his two daughters. He called his decision one based on having greater choice in education. He basically capitulated to the school unions and has killed any efforts to allow parents to shop for better schools for their tax dollars. President Obama is slowly going back on some of his key campaign promises.

Writing in his Fox News blog, Williams, who recently called for ending the private ownership of all guns, blasted Obama for doing the bidding of school unions and cutting off any efforts to allow parents to “shop” for better schools with their tax dollars.

“As I watch Washington politics I am not easily given to rage,” Williams writes.“But over the last week I find myself in a fury.”

“The cause of my upset is watching the key civil rights issue of this generation — improving big city public school education — get tossed overboard by political gamesmanship. If there is one goal that deserves to be held above day-to-day partisanship and pettiness of ordinary politics it is the effort to end the scandalous poor level of academic achievement and abysmally high drop-out rates for America’s black and Hispanic students,” said Williams.

Williams cites that not only did the program not drain tax money from D.C. public schools, but it improved the test scores of black and Hispanic children who otherwise likely would have failed. The program was so popular and demand for scholarships so high, recipients had to be determined by lottery.

But Obama then terminated the very “hope” he promised to bring, because school unions told him to. So much for ending “politics as usual.”

“This reckless dismantling of the D.C. voucher program does not bode well for arguments to come about standards in the effort to reauthorize No Child Left Behind. It does not speak well of the promise of President Obama to be the “Education President,’ who once seemed primed to stand up for all children who want to learn and especially minority children,” he continues. “And its time for all of us to get outraged about this sin against our children,” Williams concludes. Source: Fox News Forum

I agree with Juan Williams because education “the key civil rights issue of this generation.” I fully embrace choices in education and I support giving parents the ability to pick the best schools for their children by using their tax dollars or through scholarships. In case the President hasn't noticed, he went to the best schools and got a first-rate education, all the way to college, so why would he go back on a campaign promise that was so central to his candidacy? There must be greater choices for parents in the education marketplace.

As a parent, I want the best education I can get for my two children and I am sure, many parents in Washington D.C. want the same things for their children -- a better life through a solid eduction. The government-run schools in D. C. are living proof that the one-size-fits-all mentality harms our children. The crime and drop-out rates are higher than graduation rates in these public schools. You don't empower the kids by taking away a program to help them, while you throw billions of dollars at mismanaged companies such as General Motors and Chrysler, or even bail out banks that have little interest in loaning money to Main Street. Come on President Obama, shame on you!

George Zinkhan III, University of Georgia Professor, Accused Of Shooting, Killing Three People Including Ex-Wife Marie Bruce, Wounding Two Others

UPDATE

The body of Professor Zinkhan has been found. This man was mean-spirited to the very end. I have never heard of someone partially burying their body before committing suicide. This man was a nutcase to from the start. Cadaver dogs found his body in the north Georgia woods Saturday, two weeks after police say he shot his wife and two other people to death outside a community theater, then vanished.

Searchers found two guns near the body of marketing professor George Zinkhan, 57, but police wouldn't say how he died. They did say it appears he buried himself in brush and dirt. What a dirtbag -- literally and figuratively.

It seems that we just can't get through an entire weekend without some gun violence. Athens police are searching for George Zinkhan III, 56, a professor at the University of Georgia. They believe he shot and killed three people and reportedly injuring two others, this afternoon at an off-campus location. Killed were Zinkhan's ex-wife, Marie Bruce, 47, Tom Tanner, 40, and Ben Teague, 63.

The shooting happened at about noon Saturday at a community theatre behind The Taylor-Grady House, a National Historic Landmark located in the 600 block of Prince Avenue.

The Clarke County Coroner’s Office confirmed the deaths with the Channel 2 Action News assignment desk. Athens-Clarke Assistant Police Chief Alan Brown told The Athens-Banner Herald that there is "some indication Zinkhan may have had multiple weapons." Authorities said they do not know what triggered the shootings. Source: WSBT TV

UGA's website lists Zinkhan as a Coca-Cola Co. professor in the department of marketing and distribution at the Terry College of Business. This is, indeed, a shock and it is deeply troubling that the gun violence continues to escalate across the United States. If you see Mr. Zinkhan, please contact the police immediately. This man needs to be taken off the street.

More to come, still developing.....

Arthur Dowdell, Black Auburn Councilman Removes Confederate Flags From Graves of Several Civil War Soldiers

UPDATE

Arthur Dowdell has apologized for pulling up small Confederate flags from four graves, but he said he still doesn't "feel bad" about what he did. He read a statement at Tuesday night's council meeting apologizing for what he said was a misunderstanding about the flags that had been placed in honor of Confederate Memorial Day. This apology was made to members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

"If I as a city councilman I had known that the Daughters of the Confederacy had put those flags out, maybe we would have a different outcome," he said. "As far as feeling sorry about that flag and if I feel that I did something remiss, I do not feel bad."

This begs the question, why didn't he find out what was going on before he decided to play judge and jury by pulling up the flags from the grave? What an idiot!

Councilman Arthur L. Dowdell poses with Confederate flags

he removed from graves. William White | Opelika-Auburn News

The last thing I would ever do is desecrate a grave, but Arthur Dowdell, an Auburn city councilman did just that. Four Confederate flags placed on the graves of Civil War soldiers were pulled up by Dowdell, who called them symbols of racism and hatred. He's free to have his own opinion, but he clearly crossed the line when he reportedly engaged in this behavior. He said that he would return on Monday to get the rest of the flags on the other graves. Mary Norman, who is white, said he pulled up the flag from her great-grandfather's grave, snapped it in two and put it in his car. That speaks to a deliberate action on his part, though he "claims" he did not mean to break the flag stick. Yeah, right... Dowdell, who was elected to the City Council in 1995, said that the flags are offensive to him and represent the Ku Klux Klan.

Dowdell said he was motivated to act when he went to pick up his daughter Thursday afternoon from her school near the cemetery. He said some parents complained to him about small Confederate battle flags being on graves throughout the cemetery in downtown Auburn.

Dowdell said he drove to the cemetery and saw it decorated "like a Klan rally or a skinhead rally." "It's intimidating to black folks, and it's intimidating to me as a civil rights leader," he said. Dowdell said he pulled up four flags and left. Source: AL.Com

Apparently the flags were placed on the graves because Sunday is the official day for Confederate Memorial Day and Monday is the state holiday for it. Okay, understandably, that in and of itself is an insulting notion to many blacks, but that still doesn't give Mr. Dowdell the right to uproot them. He's seeking to be both the judge and the jury. That's just plain wrong. The argument is being made that the celebration of these Confederate soldiers have been observed for over 100 years. So, here's my position, why is Mr. Dowdell just standing up in protest against this now? Shouldn't he have been fighting against this before now? You don't remove things from a grave without permission from the family of the deceased. That is desecration and it is wrong on so many levels. There may be some people buried in that cemetery who have a racist past, but it is just plain disrespectful to touch anything on their graves. Shame on you Arthur Dowdell!

Gerald Hall, 36, and his Brother Glen Hall, 46, Charged with Burning Six-Year Old Child with Blowtorch as Punishment

This is by far one of the most disturbing crimes committed against a child that I have heard in recent weeks. Gerald Hall, 36, and his brother Glen Hall, 43, are accused of punishing a six-year old boy by burning him with a blowtorch. The dirtbags are scheduled to be in court May 5. The two men face a preliminary hearing in Judge Joshua Farrell’s 80th District courtroom in Harrison to determine if there is sufficient evidence for the two to stand trial on first-degree child abuse charges. They were charged on Wednesday.

The police said two are accused of burning Gerald Hall’s son’s buttocks on at least one occasion. According to the Morning Sun newspaper, Clare County, Michigan, Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis put the elder Hall on habitual offender notice, meaning he could be sentenced to one and a half times the maximum if convicted.

Glen Hall is on parole after serving time in prison for a drunken driving causing serious injury conviction in 2003 in Isabella County, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records. He also was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in Clare County in 2008, according to MDOC records. Both men remain in the Clare County Jail on $150,000 cash bonds, according to court records.

Troopers from the state police post in Mt. Pleasant launched an investigation into the two in October, following a referral from the state Department of Human Services, Sgt. Del Putnam said.

Warrants were issued for the mens’ arrests based on one specific incident but police believe that the blowtorch was the “main act of discipline used” on the boy, who has recovered physically and is currently in protective custody, Putnam said. Source: Morning Sun

These scumbags need to get a dose of the same punishment they meted out to this kid.

Rev. Timothy Wright, Grammy-Nominated Singer and Composer, Dies at 61

A true gospel legend has departed this life. Rev. Timothy Wright, Grammy-nominated gospel singer and composer has died at age 61. You will recall that he was seriously injured in a car crash that killed his wife, Betty Wright, 58, and grandson, D. J. Wright, 14, last July. The driver of the wrong-way car, John Pick, also was killed, while a passenger in a third car was injured. The Wrights were returning from a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit.

Timothy Wright was the pastor at Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ, located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. He released more than a dozen gospel recordings, writing many of the songs. His latest album, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," which was released in 2007.

His record "Come Thou Almighty King," with the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, was released in 1994 and made the Billboard Top 20 charts for gospel albums. It was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional soul gospel album.

The latest album, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," features the New York Fellowship Mass Choir. The title track, written by Wright and his wife and recorded live at a Church of God in Christ convocation. The song expresses the plight of a woman displaced during Hurricane Katrina: She encourages herself and others by calling the name of Jesus. Hurricane Katrina remains a black mark on American history.

We have lost a true legend and may his soul rest in peace as he joins his beautiful wife.

Five Philadelphia Officers, Including William Thrasher, Donald Swan, Anthony Ferriola Fired, Three Over Racial Slurs

Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
File photo, (Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff photographer)

Five Philadelphia police officers were fired yesterday for alleged misconduct, including two incidents in which officers were accused of using racial slurs. William Thrasher, 24, allegedly called African Americans in his 22nd district "animals" and is quoted as saying worse. Officers Donald Swan and Anthony Ferriola were also dismissed on allegations that they used racial epithets on the job. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the remarks allegedly were made toward students while the two responded to a fight March 13 inside Audenried High School in South Philadelphia. Additionally, officers, John Safarowicz and Sgt. Paul Seeger, were terminated for alleged conduct in separate off-duty incidents. They also were criminally charged yesterday. The five officers were officially suspended 30 days with intent to dismiss.

Thrasher's downfall came when Shannon McDonald, a Temple University journalism student, who rode with him on patrol for a class assignment, overheard these comments. She posted an article on www.temple.edu/murl, which was picked up by local media and led to calls for the officer's dismissal. According to the newspaper, during the ride-along, Thrasher allegedly referred to the violence in his predominantly African American district as "typical n- s-" or "TNS."

This is indicative of the level of insensitivity that permeates police departments across this country. All too often the story for African Americans is the same -- racism at the hands of cops, the very people who are there to protect us, no matter your race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. I applaud the Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey for taking this step to show that the city will not condone racism at the hands of its cops. I must state that there are many decent and respectable police officers protecting us, but then there are some like these officers who should not have even made the cut to become cops in the first place.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Jamaican Army Deployed Ahead of Tax Increases on Gasoline, Cigarettes and other Consumer Items, Violence Would be a Deathknell to Tourist Season

Motorists flock a Total gas station in Kingston yesterday.
(Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Now this is news that the Jamaican government certainly doesn't need to make the international mainstream media, especially on the heels of Stephen Fray's hijacking of Canada's CanJet airlines earlier this week. More negative publicity does not bode well for the tourist season. Apparently the government has put police and the army on alert to prevent violent demonstrations as it prepared to announce tax increases on gasoline, cigarettes and other consumer items yesterday. According to media reports, police and soldiers were deployed at what the government called "strategic" locations across the Caribbean island to quell any violent protests. Finance and Planning Minister Audley Shaw was expected to announce the tax increases during a budget debate yesterday. From what I have read in the Jamaica Observer newspaper, it seems that people are taking this in stride, but we'll have to wait to see how it will play out today. At JA$8.75 per liter gas tax will be a hard pill to swallow, but I guess it's a necessary one.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding told the nation during a national broadcast Wednesday night that Jamaicans should brace for tougher times because the island could not continue to borrow money to fill holes in the budget. Yes, he too inherited an enormous mess from Portia Simpson's reign of terror. Of course, I am sure she is foaming at the mouth to start those very protests across the island. Portia Simpson Miller should be encouraging her constituents and others across the island to protest peacefully, not violently.

"There is speculation about the likelihood of tax increases and that there could be disturbances. But what purpose would that serve? Would it close the budget gap. Jamaica can no longer borrow to fill the gap in the budget," Golding said. Source: Reuters

Jamaica has had a terrible past with protests, from my recollection growing up on the island. I recall in the 1980s leading up to the general elections that Eddie Seaga won by a landslide, there was so much violence that one was afraid to disclose one's party affiliation. I also recall during my high school years at Mt. Alvernia that there were at least two protests over gasoline price hikes and I had to start a 10-mile walk home, from which I was rescued by my father. Nine people were killed during riots that broke out when a gasoline tax increase was announced in April 1999. I know the economic times are tough and those countries on the fringe, like Jamaica, will feel the excruciating pain, but I would caution that violence isn't going to solve the ills that dog the country. It will have an adverse effect on tourism and the island's image, that has suffered because of crime and unemployment. What ever little is left of the tourist season ought to be preserved.

Freda Payne, Thelma Houston, K.C. Casey Embarass Themselves on American Idol

I liked Freda Payne's song "Band of Gold," but I am sad to say her performance on American Idol last night was a total disgrace. Her performance was sub par and she wasn't in sync with the band. She seemed out of breath for most of her rendition as well. Freda, what happened girl? Back in the day you could sing that song with your eyes closed and not miss a beat!

But, the drama wasn't over. Next up was Thelma Houston, another singer I liked. I don't want to diss her, but her yellow dress was too small. She sang "Don't Leave Me This Way," another old-school hit. But Thelma, what happened? When Jennifer Hudson and Kanye West performed, they hit the right notes and exceeded expectations. You two women have been in the business for way too long than to befuddle your songs on national television. You could have resurrected your careers, but you essentially killed any chances of making a good impression on the younger generation.

Henry Wayne "KC" Casey took the crown. He sorely needed his Sunshine Band. He wore a ridiculously loud red shirt. He looked like a relic of an age long gone and gave a vocally-weak rendition of "Get Down Tonight," a song I jammed to in high school. What record company actually backs these three people? There were far better singers American Idol could have booked -- Patti Labelle, Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, James Ingram and I could go on and on.

American Idol is heading for a sure death as the show has become boring and predictable. It pulled in its lowest ratings ever on Tuesday. I guess Simon Cowell's Midas touch is wearing thin. I would give anything to hear his critique of the train wreck tag team's performance last night. Scathing would be an understatement.

Aimee Michael Confesses to Fatal Hit-And-Run That Killed Five, including Robert and Delisia Carter and their Two Kids, on Easter Sunday

Aimee Michael has reportedly confessed to causing a terrible hit-and-run accident near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that left five dead. She was charged with five counts of homicide by a vehicle, failure to maintain a lane, one count of causing serious injury by vehicle and hit-and-run. She wreaked havoc on the families of Robert and Delisia Carter, their newborn son, Mrs. Carter's nine-year old daughter Kayla. The chain reaction also took the life of Morgan Johnson, 6, and seriously injured her month Tracy Johnson. When the dust settled, Aimee Michael was no where to be found. She had fled the scene of the accident and the carnage she caused.

What Ms. Michael failed to realize was that you can run, but you can't hide. Rumors have surfaced that she took the car to a bodyshop for repair and someone from the shop called the cops. Well, SWAT officers converged on a home in south Fulton yesterday and impounded the vehicle in the driveway. Police spokeswoman Sgt. Melissa Parker said officers went into the home but found no one there. Police later said they were questioning three women in the case. According to WSB-TV, at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday two of the women were released, but shortly after that, Michael was charged. The two other women should have been charged as well. They knew what happened to the car and did not have the decency to pick up the phone and call the cops. The dirtbag will make her first court appearance at 11 a.m. this morning.

UPDATE#1: BOND DENIED. Judge says she would consider bond had Aimee Michael come forward from the start. She is an irresponsible young lady and her mother and grandmother are no better. They enabled her by not reporting that the car was involved in the horrific accident. They should also face some charges for deliberating obstructing justice.


UPDATE#2 (11/01/10): Aimee Michael has been found guilty on all charges against her in the vehicular homicide of a family on Easter Sunday. According to the AJC, she has been found guilty on five felony counts of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, one felony count of serious injury by vehicle and six felony counts of hit and run.  Each of those counts is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. She was also reportedly convicted of three misdemeanor traffic charges – reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, and tampering with evidence, which could each bring another year behind bars.

UPDATE#3 (11/04/10): Aimee Michael has been sentenced to 36 years in prison and her mother to eight. What a wasted life! All she had to do was stay on the scene of the accident, not run away. Had she stayed her punishment would have been substantially less. 

Rev. Brad Braxton, New Riverside Church Pastor Lavish $600K Compensation Prompts Congregants' Lawsuit, Is this a Corporation or a Church?

I must be in the wrong line of work, because Rev. Brad Braxton, a new pastor at Manhattan's Riverside Church, has just hit paydirt -- manna from the people -- $600,000 annual compensation. According to the NY Daily News, that's twice what his predecessor James Forbes got after running the church for more than 18 years. But there's more. A group of church dissidents have claimed that the members were never told about the lavish package. They filed suit in Manhattan Supreme Court last week to stop Braxton's installation, revealing a growing divide among the church's 1,500 members. There is no reason why a pastor, especially in these tough economic times, should walk away with such a package, especially when the church stresses that tithing is important. Rev. Braxton isn't on Wall Street, he's on Main Street. This lavish pay package seems to be at serious odds with the church's long history of advocating social justice.

Braxton was selected in a vote of the congregation last fall and is to be officially installed Sunday. Church sources say it includes:

$250,000 in salary.
$11,500 monthly housing allowance.
Private school tuition for his child.
A full-time maid.
Entertainment, travel and "professional development" allowances.
Pension and life insurance benefits.
An equity allowance for Braxton to save up to buy a home.
On top of that, Braxton immediately hired a new second in command at more than $300,000 a year.

"Where's the social justice in this?" said Diana Solomon-Glover, a member of the church choir and one of the petitioners in the suit. "We have an economic crisis in the country, and none of the church staff are getting raises this year, but a few people at the top are getting these huge salaries?"

In a hearing Tuesday, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Lewis Bart Stone denied the dissidents' request to delay Sunday's installation. The judge urged church leaders to provide the opposition a fair chance to be heard by the church membership. He adjourned the case until after a special meeting of the congregation scheduled for May 3. The two sides should find a way to achieve "some form of fellowship and reconciliation between members of the church," Stone said, to "prevent a split."

"They [the dissidents] don't want to accept that the majority has already spoken," said Sarah Conly, who backs Braxton. The vote last fall to appoint Braxton was overwhelming, his supporters say. "I don't know why they even brought this case into court," said Jean Schmidt, vice chair of the Church Council, one of the key officials who brought in Braxton. Source: NY Daily News

It seems that some of the congregation have a big problem with the way this pastor came by his pay package and this should not be the case. Doesn't the Bible speak against things being done in secrecy? Why isn't there more transparency about issues concerning the church's finances and the pastor's salary? The church isn't a corporation that is selling a product. It is there to win souls for Christ and help people in their spiritual journey, as well as to provide social services within the communities they serve. There is no way that a pastor should walk away with such a package, especially in light of the economic hardships we are facing as a country. No wonder Senator Chuck Grassley wants to know about some of these churches finances. The last thing this church needs is for their dirty laundry to be aired in public.

David Kellermann, 41, the Acting Chief Financial Officer of Freddie Mac, Apparently Committed Suicide

Here we go again, another suicide, but this time it's a high-level one. David Kellermann, 41, the acting chief financial officer of Freddie Mac, has apparently committed suicide, Fairfax County Police tell WTOP. According to media reports, Fairfax County Police spokeswoman Mary Anne Jennings said Kellermann was found at his Hunter Mill Estates home this morning. The police responded to the home after family members called police around five a.m. He reportedly hung himself.

"We were called from inside the house to come investigate an apparent suicide," Jennings says. Because of legal ramifications, Jennings says she can't describe the nature of the suicide. Police on the scene tell WTOP Kellermann's body was found downstairs, but would not say exactly where. "We're not to give you details of the condition of the body, except to say it was an apparent suicide," Jennings says. Source: WTOP News

Kellermann has worked at Freddie Mac for more than 16years. He was named acting chief financial officer of the agency in September 2008. He took over after Anthony "Buddy" Piszel resigned. In his position he was responsible for the company's financial controls, financial reporting and oversight of the company's budget and financial planning. Yeah, something smells fishy here. It is going to be very interesting to see what led him down this path of self-destruction.

You will recall that Freddie Mac has been widely and sharply criticized for its reckless business practices that some have argued played a big role in the housing and financial crisis. Freddic Mac is a government-controlled company that owns or guarantees about 13 million home loans. CEO David Moffett resigned last month. Freddie Mac and its big sister Fannie Mae, which together own or back more than half of the home mortgages in the country, have been weighed down by skyrocketing loan defaults and have received about $60 billion in combined federal aid.

Stay tuned, this is still developing.....

William Parente, Wife Betty, Two Daughters Stephanie, 19, and Catherine 11, Found Dead in Baltimore Hotel in Apparent Murder-Suicide

UPDATE

William Parente was reportedly under FBI investigation to determine if he was running a shady investment operation, like fellow New Yorker Bernie Madoff, that robbed investors. According to the NY Daily News, Parente wrote nearly half a million dollars in bad checks to at least one of his bilked investors in the days prior to Sunday's murderous rampage.

Bruce Montague, a Bayside, Queens, lawyer, invested hundreds of thousands of dollars with Parente over six years. When he asked for his money back in recent weeks, Parente wrote him more than $400,000 in checks that later bounced. Source: NY Daily News

It is also being reported that his family all died from multiple blows and asphysiaxtion. He then cut himself and bled to death. The man is clearly scum and his family did not deserve this. What he did to them is unforgivable.

Another family falls victim to murder-suicide, just like that. According to media reports, four people found dead in a hotel room near Baltimore were members of a New York family, the police said they will continue to investigate the case as a murder-suicide. The deceased were staying at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel. Staff at reportedly found the bodies yesterday afternoon in a locked guest room after the occupants didn't check out as expected.

The Baltimore County Police Department said those killed were identified as William Parente, 59; Betty Parente, 58; Stephanie Parente, 19; and Catherine Parente, 11; all of Garden City, N.Y., on Long Island. Stephanie Parente was a sophomore at Loyola College. She lived on campus at the college, according to Courtney Jolley, a school spokeswoman in an interview with the Baltimore Sun. School officials issued an e-mail announcement this morning to students announcing the woman's death, Jolley said.

Police said the victims were related, although they did not say how. Next-door neighbor Mary Opulente Krener said in a phone interview that William and Betty Parente were a couple and Stephanie and Catherine were their daughters.

"I can't tell you how heartsick I am," she said. "This is the most wonderful family, the most kind and loving family. I'm astounded."

She said William Parente was a real estate attorney in New York. A call to his office was not immediately returned. Betty Parente was on the board of the Tri Town Auxiliary of United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau and volunteered with the Girl Scouts and the American Cancer Society, said Lucille Messina, auxiliary president. Source: Baltimore Sun

I have no doubt that when the dust settles, this will be another tragedy that could have been avoided. I have never heard of so many murder-suicides in such a short period of time as we are hearing lately. I suspect, if economic conditions don't improve, there will be more tragedies of this nature being reported in the mainstream media. This is a travesty.

Missing Teens Fitzgerald Phillips and Calyisse Perkins Found Dead in Abandoned House, Kenneth Barnes Arrested for Kidnapping, Possessing Stolen Goods

Fitzgerald Phillips and Calyisse Perkins, FNC

Police have charged scumbag Kenneth Barnes, 22, in the weekend kidnapping of Fitzgerald Phillips and Calyisse Perkins, whose bodies were sadly found yesterday inside an abandoned house in the Gert Town section of New Orleans. According to media reports, the pair had been dead at least 24 hours before their bodies were discovered at 1:30 p.m. after police received anonymous tip.

Barnes was booked with aggravated kidnapping, possession of stolen items and other crimes after investigators discovered property belonging to the victims, the police said. Police were looking for at least one other person in the case. Barnes reportedly told detectives he and Phillips, a student at Southern University at New Orleans, sold marijuana together. Phillips, however, did not appear to have any criminal history in the city, police said. Perkins, who had volunteered as a literacy tutor with AmeriCorps at a local charter school, "was at the wrong place at the wrong time," the police said.

Police said the victims were in Perkins' apartment when two men got inside, ransacked the residence and forced them to go to Phillips' house, where more was stolen. According to investigators, Phillips' family later received a ransom call. A car owned by Phillips was found Sunday afternoon near the French Quarter, several miles from where the bodies were found.

Autopsies were planned, and Crimestoppers offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of whomever was responsible for the crimes. "There is no indication that these two young folk were involved in anything illegal," Deputy Police Superintendent Marlon Defillo said. Source: Fox News

It is sad that these scumbags could murder two promising young people for no apparent reason. I hope the long arm of the law has caught up with them and the other dirtbag will be found soon.

Philip Markoff, Pre-Med Student at Boston University, Dubbed the "Craigslist Killer" Arrested for the Murder of Julissa Brisman

UPDATE

According to ABC News, a police source close to the investigation of the Boston man charged with robbing two women he met on Craigslist and killing one says a search of Philip Markoff's house turned up guns and plastic ties, and police believe his motive in the crimes was to pay off gambling debts.

His fiancee Megan McAllister told ABC News the police are wrong.

"Unfortunately, you were given wrong information as was the public," McAllister wrote to ABC News in an e-mail. "All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly! A police officer in Boston (or many) is trying to make big bucks by selling this false story to the TV stations. What else is new?? Philip is an intelligent man who is just trying to live his life so if you could leave us alone we would greatly appreciate it. We expect to marry in August and share and wonderful, meaningful life together."

Well, she is sadly mistakened if she thinks the police arrested him on a whim.
On first glance, Philip Markoff, the 22-year old pre-med student dubbed the "Craigslist Killer" doesn't fit the bill -- a murderer and a thief. Some say he's too clean-shaven. He's too decent. He's engaged to be married to Megan McAllister. He has way too much going for himself to resort to such behavior. But wasn't Scott Peterson clean-cut and suave too? Of course, a person is innocent until proven guilty, but I have to wonder if the cops could have made such a terrible mistake and arrest the wrong guy? What do you think?

Last night, Boston cops named Markoff the cold-blooded "Craigslist Killer," who murdered New York masseuse Julissa Brisman and attacked at least two other escorts in hotels. Markoff attends Boston University, which I sure does not welcome this sort of publicity, and lives in Quincy, a harborside town 10 minutes south of Boston. He will be arraigned on murder charges today. According to media reports, the brainy blond doctor-to-be grew up in upstate Sherrill, N.Y. and attended SUNY Albany for his undergraduate studies. He has no rap sheet, but they believe he has been preying on sex workers for quite some time. Yes, they are branding him as a predator. He was arrested after cops tailed him for several days. Markoff will also be charged with kidnapping and robbery in an attack four days earlier in another luxury Boston hotel on an exotic dancer who advertised online.

I don't condone what he did by any means, but people who advertise their services on the Internet, whether it be as an escort or a masseuse, are asking for some serious trouble. You are opening yourself up to potential criminals bent on doing bodily harm, as this man has been accused of doing.

Markoff seems to have grown up with a great deal of privilege, which makes his alleged actions seem incredulous, but not impossible. He is the son of a Syracuse dentist and engaged to marry Megan McAllister, a fellow med student he met while they were at SUNY Albany. According to the NY Daily News, a Web page devoted to their planned wedding later this year recounts how they volunteered together at an area emergency room and enjoyed their first date on Nov. 11, 2005. McAllister could not be reached for comment. Still, that doesn't mean this man couldn't have been leading a double life. Think the BTK Killer, for example, who terrorized people in Kansas City for many years, but was a seemingly upstanding member of the community and a family-man.

Residents of the sprawling 800-unit High Point apartment complex where Markoff rented a third-floor flat earlier this year mostly described Markoff, who was on the golf and bowling teams in high school, as an average Joe, but several said there was something not quite right about him.

"The guy was friendly enough. He'd say hello when you saw him and he supposedly had a girlfriend," said John Uva, who has lived in the building for two years. "But he was never really around much, and there was a creepy factor to it." Source: NY Daily News

For now, it seems that his girlfriend and his close friends are sticking by him. I can't say I blame them at this stage, but somewhere in the back of their minds a seed of doubt should be taking root that maybe they ought to revisit their interactions with him to see if there has been any inconsistencies in his behavior or his statements. If he's in fact proven to be the killer, there had to have been signs that his girlfriend, especially, should have seen. For those who think this man has too much going for him to commit such a crime ought to revisit history and take a look at "Preppy Killer" Michael Chambers, Michael Skakel, a Kennedy offspring, Kansas City's "BTK Killer" Dennis Rader, Scott Peterson, O.J. Simpson and I could go on and on.

President Barack Obama Makes Cover of The Washingtonian Magazine's May Issue "Shirtless," Magazine Motivated by Money

We are about to see President Obama shirtless on the cover of the May issue of The Washingtonian magazine. Some folks will do anything to hawk their wares. Never mind that fact that it is totally inappropriate, especially in light of the fact that we are in the throes of an economic crisis of untold proportions and two wars, one totally uncalled for. The last thing we need to look at are President Obama's pecs. According to ABC News' Jake Tapper, the magazine's excuse is that the pec pic illustrates the #2 reason (out of 26) to love living in the nation’s capital: “Our New Neighbor is Hot.” The monthly style and culture magazine is motivated only by money. Why couldn't they have shown him clad in a suit? This picture was taken during the then president-elect's Christmas vacation in Hawaii last year.

Long before that, in February 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama complained that a different beach pic got the media's attention instead of his policy positions, which he blamed on the meme that he was a lightweight.

“The problem's not that the info's not out there," Mr. Obama said. "The problem is that that's not what you guys have been reporting on. You've been reporting on how I look in a swimsuit."

Garrett Graff, editor-at-large at The Washingtonian, told ABC News the idea for the cover came during a discussion among the magazine’s staff about how, with the arrival of the Obamas, came a “celebrity aspect that has brought energy to the city and the attention of the paparazzi.”

“The Obamas are the center of attention here and the whole world is looking to Washington now in a way we haven’t seen in years,” Graff said, calling it “a real golden age of Washington.”

Graff demurred on that question but acknowledged it was a different type of cover than the magazine usually does. He said they were trying to “capture the energy and excitement” over the Obamas in Washington and “have a little fun.”

“It’s a unique time in Washington and this photo helps capture all of the reasons why,” Graff said. “It’s not a normal way to look at a president of the United States but this is not a normal president.”

Graff said the magazine used the photo to illustrate two things: first, the president himself is hot – “you have a buff president and the paparazzi like taking shirtless photos of him,” Graff said – and second, the Obamas’ presence in Washington is “really hot.” Source: ABC News' Political Punch

As you will recall, the Obama transition team was not pleased when the pictures were taken by paparazzi photographers during the family's vacation on Oahu and appeared on the celebrity gossips sites such as TMZ. But it doesn't seem that his team is upset over this latest use of the picture. Maybe they welcome the diversion since the president has come under heavy criticism for his interactions with Venezuelan nutjob Hugo Chavez last week in Trinidad and Tobago. We also had to live through the mainstream media's nauseating coverage of Bo, the president's new dog. I guess they have more fodder to literally make us sick to the stomach with for another week -- President Obama, Pec in Chief!

Perez Hilton Calls Carrie Prejean, Miss California, A "Dumb Bitch" for Saying Marriage Should be Between a Man and a Woman During Miss USA Pageant

I cannot understand why gays and lesbians feel that they must push their sexual orientation in our faces. I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. They can't seem to respect the rights of others to feel that way. Did Perez Hilton, who asked the question about gay marriage to Miss California, Carrie Prejean, have to video-blog on his website calling her a "dumb bitch?" Was that really necessary? Don't we have a right in this country to our own opinion? Personally, I could care less what gays and lesbians do, but don't expect me to change my position that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. As a Christian, that is my belief, but that doesn't mean I don't want inclusion for all gays and lesbians. I guess the bigger question is did she lose the crown because of her response? Smells fishy to me.

Last night Kristen Dalton of North Carolina was named Miss USA 2009, but no one really cared about that. The night belonged to Miss California, who gave a response from her heart. She was questioned by judge Perez Hilton, I am still trying to figure out how he was asked to serve in such a capacity, about gay marriage. Here is the transcript of the exchange:

PEREZ: Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?

CARRIE: I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be between a man and a woman. Source: Huffington Post

She said what she believed in with conviction and that is her right. So, for all the gays and lesbians out there who feel that the whole world should roll over every time you want your voices heard, think again. Perez Hilton took a gamble in asking that question and got what he deserved.

Separately, a group of gays and lesbians in New York City are boycotting Jamaica for its so-called treatment of gays and lesbians on the island. What I found absolutely laughable was that they poured out bottles of Red Stripe beer and rum as if that could make a statement and bolster their position. I believe that they should be afforded rights under a civil union and not in the true sense of a marriage.

Let me end by saying that Perez Hilton is a weasel for thinking he can get away with calling this woman a "dumb bitch" because she does not agree with his position as a homosexual. Donald Trump and his organization tried to be inclusive but were insulted by the lack of professionalism of Perez Hilton. That's not how you get someone to see your point of view. They ought to take a chapter from the civil rights movement to see how blacks achieved some of the rights they were due in this country, even though the struggle for equality continues.

Justin Reed, US Marine, Arrested at Logan Airport, After Gun, Bomb-Making Materials, Ammunition Found in his Check Baggage

Corporal Justin Reed, 22, was arrested yesterday at Logan International Airport after TSA screeners found a gun, bomb-making materials and ammunition in his checked baggage. How smart! Reed, was reportedly booked on US Airways Flight 877 to Charlotte, N.C. and had arrived from a flight in Las Vegas yesterday morning. So, did his baggage go through security in Las Vegas and this was not detected? If that is the case, it is very troubling. He has been charged with possession of an infernal machine and possession of a concealed weapon and is being held in lieu of $50,000 bond.

TSA screeners in Terminal B called State Police at 7:10 a.m. after a screen discovered the following items in his checked baggage: a locked handgun box containing a semi-automatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, several boxes of 9 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition, three model rocket engines containing an explosive mixture, military pull-type fuses, switches, electronics kit boxes with various components, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator.

Reed was charged with possession of an infernal machine and possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport. He was booked at the State Police barracks at Logan and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. He will be arraigned at East Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday. Source: Boston.com

Let me preface this by saying that according to the Boston Globe, it is legal to have a firearm in checked baggage but that it must be declared to security officials. Reed apparently did not do that in this instance. Again, this brings me back to me previous question, how did his treasure trove get pass security in Las Vegas, since all checked baggage on domestic flights must be screened by TSA on originating flights?

Stephen Fray, a "Mentally Challenged" Gunman Holds Hostages on Canadian CanJet Flight 918 at Jamaica's Sangsters Int'l Airport

UPDATE

The gunman has been removed from the CanJet airline and is in police custody. Thank God this nightmare is over. According Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz, the "mentally challenged youngster" was apparently upset over a failed relationship.



Well, this is indeed a first for Jamaica -- an airplane being hijacked. I was dozing off last night and the last thing I recall hearing was that an airplane had been hijacked in Jamaica, but I thought to myself, that can't be. I was mistaken. According to Fox News, Stephen Fray, a mentally challenged 20-year old man, hijacked CanJet Flight 918, a Canadian charter plane on the tarmac at Donald Sangster International Airport, located on the outskirts of Montego Bay. He is currently holding the flight crew hostage, after setting the passengers free, having robbing several of them first. All I can say is, he'd better step off the plane peacefully. The Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper is in Jamaica for a one-day visit and that's certainly not the way Prime Minister Bruce Golding wanted him to be welcomed to the island.

Television Jamaica reports Prime Minister Golding, along with national security ministers, have flown in by helicopter to oversee negotiations with the gunman. The hostage situation began at 10:30 p.m. local time when the man breached security systems, possibly using an airport staff entrance, and providing several fake identification cards.

Flight 918 was carrying 182 passengers and crew. All passengers have been safely removed from the aircraft, but CanJet crew and the armed man remain on board. The motives of the gunman are unknown at this time and officials say the situation is ongoing. Source: Fox News

This incident begs the question of how did this man gain access to a restricted location within the airport building? According to the Gleaner, an official said that the man threatened personnel in the terminal before proceeding to the aircraft. He was still not restrained because there were no armed security personnel in the terminal. The Gleaner further states that a senior official at MBJ Airports Limited said armed security personnel are not usually in the terminal and that it is an internationally accepted practice. Really? That seems strange that you have a man issuing threats and no-one bats an eye, let alone approach the man to ascertain his state of mind.

It’s reported that as soon as the man boarded the flight he issued orders that he wanted to go to Cuba. Though this is an isolated incident, nonetheless, it raises some serious concerns about security at the airport and heads should roll for this. Unfortunately for Jamaica, which depends heavily on tourism, this incident will have some fallout and may hurt the country's image. Considering the economic challenges the island is facing, this is the last thing they needed, but the damage isn't irreparable. They need to bring this to a close sooner, rather than later. The longer this drags on, the longer it stays in the news and could have an effect on the country's image.