Dwight McKenna Launches Gruesome Body-Parts Ad Orleans Parish Coroner's Race Against Frank Minyard (VIDEO)

Shocking body-parts ad airs in New Orleans in coroner's race as Dwight McKenna challenges longtime Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard.

From New Orleans Times-Picayune

In a TV spot that began airing this week, Dwight McKenna, the lone challenger to longtime Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard, is trying to grab voter attention with allegations of organ theft -- illustrated by a psuedo-Dr. Frankenstein and his impish assistant standing around an operating table.

The masked doctor and his hunched-over assistant poke and prod at a body covered with a white sheet. A tag on the foot reads "DOA," and, when turned over, "For Sale."

The campaign voice-over intones, "It's unconscionable: body parts sold out of the Orleans Parish coroner's office. Families filled with grief. Lawsuits and settlements at taxpayer expense."

 To read more of this disgusting television spot:  http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/coroner_race_commercial.html

Off-Duty Fairfield, NJ, Police Officer Gerald Veneziano, Shot Multiple Times by at Least Two Men in Black Dodge Magnum

Off-duty Fairfield, NJ, police officer Gerald Veneziano, in drug-induced coma after being shot multiple times by at least two men in Dodge Magnum station wagon.

It is a real shame that another law enforcement is clinging for his life after being shot in the abdomen Saturday night. Fairfield, N.J., police officer Gerald Veneziano was shot by at least two men in a Dodge Magnum station wagon, which was parked a few blocks form police headquarters, in an industrial park on Fairfield Road, according to The Star-Ledger. Veneziano, 26, before he was shot, gave a colleague at the station the car's license plate number to run a plate check because it seemed suspicious. He was found shortly thereafter partially conscious and suffering from multiple gunshots.  He was reportedly shot after he approached the vehicle. This is a truly sad turn of events and it is my hope that the perpetrators will be caught and brought to justice.

Veneziano, a three-year police veteran, came upon the car at 300 Fairfield Road around 6:15 p.m. Saturday,acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino said. The patrolman rang headquarters on his cell phone, but the officer he reached was unable to run the Magnum’s plate at that moment because of an unrelated emergency. Veneziano got out of his silver Volkswagen Passat and approached the Magnum, the acting prosecutor said. Beyond saying "there was some type of motor vehicle incident,’’ Laurino would not detail what prompted Veneziano to become suspicious or why he approached the vehicle.

After the shots were fired, 911 calls came in, the prosecutor said. Officers arrived to find their co-worker on the ground, but Laurino would not say how many times Veneziano was struck. Authorities initially said he was hit multiple times in the abdomen, leg and torso. Veneziano was not wearing a bullet-proof vest. The also prosecutor declined to say how many shots Veneziano fired or whether he struck his assailants. Laurino said besides providing the plate number, Veneziano gave police a description of the car, noting it had tinted windows and was occupied by at least two men. He would not say whether the Magnum’s license plate was a New Jersey tag or if authorities were able to track down the vehicle’s owner. Source: Star-Ledger

It is a real shame the members of the law enforcement community across this country seem to be under siege by armed thugs bent on inflicting as much harm as they possibly can. Authorities have launched a massive manhunt for the gunmen. A $40,000 reward, including $10,000 provided by the New Jersey State Policeman's Benevolent Association, is being offered for information leading to an arrest, according to 1010WINS.

Photo credit: Officer Gerald Veneziano, The Star Ledger

Thomas Kent, Six Other Youths, Arrested & Cops Injured in 100-Person Street Fight in Northwest Chicago

Thomas Kent, six other youths ranging from teens to early twenties, arrested in 100-person street fight in Northwest Side, Chicago. Cops injured in melee.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, police have arrested seven people and several police officers were injured during an early Saturday morning street fight that involved more than 100 people on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Thomas Kent, 18, was charged with felony aggravated battery to police, one misdemeanor count of reckless conduct and three counts of resisting/obstructing a peace officer. Yeah, I can hear his mother now, "Thomas is a good boy, who wouldn't harm a fly!" Six other youths, including a female, ranging from teens to early twenties were also arrested.

Police responded to the large disturbance near the 5600 block of West Grand Avenue around 1:45 a.m., and several officers sustained “non-life threatening injuries” while trying to break up the fight, police News Affairs Sgt. Antoinette Ursitti said.

Several of the suspects refused orders to quit fighting and verbally and physically assaulted officers responding to the disturbance, Ursitti said. Police also used tasers and pepper spray to quiet the disturbance, she said.

George Jernigan, 20, of the 1800 block of N. McVicker Ave., was charged with reckless conduct, three counts of resisting/obstructing, and battery. Jeremy Reed, 18, of the 5700 block of W. Ohio St., was charged with reckless conduct and two counts of resisting/obstructing a peace officer. Aramie Kent, 20, of the 2100 block of S. 11th Place, was charged with reckless conduct and two counts of resisting/obstructing a peace officer. Keisha Lemon, 21, of the 700 block of N. Menard Ave., was charged with reckless conduct. Orlando Edwards, 21, of the 5700 block of W. Ohio St., was charged with reckless conduct, battery, and two counts of resisting/obstructing a peace officer. Dishai Reed, 20, of west suburban Bellwood was charged with reckless conduct. Source: Chicago Sun Times

This is shameful and is disgraceful how little regard some of our young people have for law enforcement. Absolutely shameful.

Photo credit:  Thomas Kent, Chicago Sun Times

Terri Chilton, 41, Accused of Drugging One-Year Old Granddaughter With Blood Thinner

Terri Chilton, 41, Jefferson City, MO, grandmother charged for drugging one-year old granddaughter with blood thinner.

Terri Chilton, 41, a Jefferson City, Mo., grandmother, has been arrested and charged with first degree endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly feeding a blood thinner to a one-year old girl. According to the News Tribune, Chilton, who resides on 720 Route T, committed the crime on January 12.

Chilton reportedly engaged in a series of attempted deceptions, between Dec. 28, 2009, to January 12, to make the parents believe the baby had ingested a rodent poison, with the active ingredient being a blood thinner. This reportedly caused the child to bleed uncontrollably from her mouth, nose and two minor scratches. She survived, but it's not yet known if there was long-term organ damage.

She claimed she did this in the hopes of having the child's parents, who are in the process of getting a divorce, to reconcile due to the child being ill.

Did Former President George W. Bush's Grandfather, Prescott Bush, Help Adolf Hitler's Rise to Power?

Did former President George W. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush, help Adolf Hitler rise to power? Well, an article in the U.K. Guardian seems to make that claim. Here's an excerpt from the article, entitled "How Bush's Grandfather helped Hitler's Rise to Power."

George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany. The Guardian has obtained confirmation from newly discovered files in the US National Archives that a firm of which Prescott Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism.

His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave laborers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy. The evidence has also prompted one former US Nazi war crimes prosecutor to argue that the late senator's action should have been grounds for prosecution for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

The debate over Prescott Bush's behavior has been bubbling under the surface for some time. There has been a steady internet chatter about the "Bush/Nazi" connection, much of it inaccurate and unfair. But the new documents, many of which were only declassified last year, show that even after America had entered the war and when there was already significant information about the Nazis' plans and policies, he worked for and profited from companies closely involved with the very German businesses that financed Hitler's rise to power. It has also been suggested that the money he made from these dealings helped to establish the Bush family fortune and set up its political dynasty.

Read more:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

SHOCK: Puerto Rico Launches Investigation After Photos of Aid Mission Doctors Drinking, Brandishing Firearms Cause Uproar

SHOCK: Photos surface of Puerto Rican aid mission doctors drinking, mugging for the cameras and brandishing firearms amid suffering Haitians, causes uproar.

Puerto Rican aid mission doctors brandishing firearms (Facebook/CNN)

Puerto Rico, which is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States, has launched an investigation into a group of its doctors in Haiti who posed for pictures with guns and earthquake victims, according to BBC News.

Health Secretary Lorenzo Gonzalez said ethical guidelines prohibited taking pictures of patients or operations other than for medical purposes. Some photos showed the medics with guns, smiling and drinking during what appeared to be an operation. The pictures were posted on Facebook, but were later removed from the site. Other photographs showed a doctor holding a saw next to a victim's leg.

'Unfortunate events'

"My main concern is the transmission of a pictures of a patient not knowing whether there was an attempt for informed consent," Mr Gonzalez was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. The Puerto Rico Association of Physicians and Surgeons said in a statement that some Puerto Rican doctors "displayed behaviour... that did not meet the highest standards of the medical profession".

"We wish to respectfully ask forgiveness... for the unfortunate events described and widely disseminated, which we are sure added pain and sadness to the enormous suffering," the statement added. It said that more than 60 doctors had been sent to Haiti to treat the victims of the devastating earthquake on 12 January. However, the association did not say how many doctors had appeared in the photos. Source: BBC News

This is a major embarrassment in Puerto Rico and the doctors' behavior can be considered as reprehensible. The ethics committee is investigating whether the doctors involved should be disciplined. Er, yes they should! Some of the pictures were reportedly taken in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic after the group had operated on 70 patients who were in critical condition.

SHOCK: Bellport School Bus Driver Fired After He Used Duct Tape to Quiet Unruly Student

SHOCK:  A Bellport school bus driver has been fired for using duct tape to quiet an unruly and loud student.

The incident occurred two weeks ago on a bus serving Frank P. Long Intermediate School in Bellport, NY. The names of the driver and student have not been released.

The school district terminated the driver last Friday. Board of Education President Gregory Miglino Jr. said, in a media interview, that the driver was not being malicious. He just used poor judgment.

Is it Time to End Black History Month? Has It Lost Its Relevance?

Has Black History Month ran its course? Some claim it is outdated because President Barack Obama was elected as the first black president of the United States.

Is it time to end Black History Month? As you know, February is Black History Month and the debate still rages on whether it's time to end the celebration and incorporate it into a year-round education. Claims that Black History Month is outdated has gained new potency since Barack Obama ascended the presidency, which many feel signals a new chapter in the racial journey of America. Some people believe ending "paternalistic" observances such as Black History Month would lead not only to a reduction in racism, but would encourage whites and other ethnic backgrounds to embrace our differences, enjoy our traditions, without feeling that sense of guilt that inhibits frank and open dialogue, as well as acceptance across different cultures. The reality is that Black History Month, and Hispanic Month for that matter, feels to some like it's only for blacks and Latinos, therefore fail to educate the masses of non-blacks. I can honestly say I haven't paid attention to Hispanic Month activities and history any more than I have in the past. The history of blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, etc., should be year-round.

So, what is the history behind Black History Month? Black historian Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926 (there goes that politically incorrect "negro" word again!), seeking to build self-worth in an oppressed people, to preserve a marginalized subject and to prove to a nation mired in racism, that children of African descent played an integral role in modern civilization. Woodson, only the second African-American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard (W.E.B. Du Bois being the first), chose February because it was the month Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass celebrated their birthdays. Woodson’s organization, now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), expanded the observance to a full month in 1976. Black History Month has now become a fixture in American education and culture, not to mention the commercial aspect. President Barack Obama released an official proclamation on February 2, 2009, in which he lauded “National African American History Month” and called upon “public officials, educators, librarians and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities and programs that raise awareness and appreciation of African American history.”

The reality is that racial attitudes can vary greatly from person to person and from place to place, therefore, the feelings on whether Black History Month has run its course will differ vastly. We are tottering on the brink of a post-racial America, but that is still afar way off. My position is that black history should not be relegated to one month and then swept under a rug until the next year. It is American history. Which month is White History month? All hell would break loose if we had one. The reality is that the divisions between white and blacks are not as cavernous or horrific as they were once were. The contributions of famous black Americans, such as Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Elijah McCoy, among others, are well known. We have a black president, for whom millions of whites voted. We should strive to move away from the over-reliance on stereotypes and explore the complex racialized issues that continue to dog us.

Woodson's reasons for creating Black History Month, to rebut the inaccurate, hateful and insulting stereotyping of blacks that have been passed off as knowledge about blacks -- such as canards that blacks are not as intelligent as other races, more prone to criminal behavior, love dancing, love fried chicken and so on -- are still with us to this very day and many people still hold true to those beliefs. That's after nearly one hundred years and a strong civil rights movement. If we are going to have a Black History Month, it should be measured against how accurately it tells our story and serve as a stark reminder of the work yet to be done. While I can fully understand the need to do away with Black History Month that is often portrayed as a catalog of our complaints, rather than as a reminder of our place in American history, it should be embraced. "Absent, too, would be the need for that tragic knowledge which we try ceaselessly to evade: that the true subject of democracy is not simply material well-being but the extension of the democratic process in the direction of perfecting itself," as Ralph Ellison writes in "What America Would Be Like Without Blacks."

We need to be included, not assimilated in American history. When Black History Month returns to that mindset, toward that noble, heartfelt and patriotic goal Carter Woodson intended, then it will no longer be as irrelevant as it is fast becoming today. The wounds of Jim Crow, slavery, overt racism, lynchings and denigration will never heal if we keep picking at the scars. American history has to acknowledge the contributions of blacks and other ethnic backgrounds in a truthful manner and not deliberately excluding the contributions we have made, starting in our classrooms. Only then will we have truly outgrown the need to have Black History month each year.

Harriet Cammock to Feature "Violence Against Women" on the "Faith Hour" Radio Show on Sunday

Hinterland Gazette guest contributor Harriet Cammock hosts a must-listen show on WPON at 4 p.m. E.S.T. on Sunday. Her topic this week will be "Violence Against Women and Immigration." Her featured guest will be an immigration lawyer, who has some amazing stories to share. Tune in to the "Faith Hour" with Harriet Cammock on AM 1460 WPON, streaming live at WPON.com, & Wednesdays @ 6:00 PM @ blogtalkradio.com/The-Faith-Hour.

SHOCK: TSA Launches Probe of Orlando Air Marshal Field Office After Derogatory "Jeopardy" Board Discovered

Transportation Security Administration launches probe of Orlando air marshal field office over derogatory "Jeopardy" board discovered.

SHOCK: According to CNN, the Transportation Security Administration has launched an internal probe into an air marshal field office in Orlando, Florida, where supervisors allegedly used a crew assignment board to poke fun and keep score on women, gays and minorities. The board, which resembled TV game show "Jeopardy," reportedly included categories such as "pickle smokers," "our gang," and "creatures," names used by managers for gay men, blacks and lesbians, according to CNN.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Laura Sillsby, Nine Other Americans Arrested Taking 33 Children Out of Haiti, Had No Documents to Prove Clearance for Adoption (REUTERS)

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haitian police have arrested 10 U.S. citizens caught trying to take 33 children out of the earthquake-stricken country in a suspected illicit adoption scheme, authorities said on Saturday.

The five men and five women were in custody in the capital, Port-au-Prince after their arrests on Friday night. There are fears that traffickers could try to exploit the chaos and turmoil following Haiti's January 12 earthquake quake to engage in illegal adoptions. One of the suspects, who says she is leader of an Idaho-based charity called New Life Children's Refuge, denied they had done anything wrong. The suspects were detained at Malpasse, Haiti's main border crossing with the Dominican Republic, after Haitian police conducted a routine search of their vehicle.

Authorities said the Americans had no documents to prove they had cleared the adoption of the 33 children -- aged 2 months to 12 years -- through any embassy and no papers showing they were made orphans by the quake in the impoverished Caribbean country. "This is totally illegal," said Yves Cristalin, Haiti's social affairs minister. "No children can leave Haiti without proper authorization and these people did not have that authorization."  But Laura Sillsby from the Idaho group told Reuters from a jail cell at Haiti's Judicial Police headquarters, "We had permission from the Dominican Republic government to bring the children to an orphanage that we have there."

READ MORE: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60T23I20100130

Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saint Running-Back, Graces Cover of Essence Magazine, Irks Some Black Women

Reggie Bush graces cover of February issue of Essence Magazine. Irks some black women, including Philadelphia Daily News Columnist Jenice Armstrong because he is in a relationship with a white woman, Kim Kardashian.

New Orleans Saint running back Reggie Bush will be on the cover of Essence Magazine's February issue and that has rankled some readers. Why? Well, a high-profiled black athlete is in a relationship with a white woman -- Kim Kardashian -- and many feel that he does not embody what Essence Magazine is all about. According to Philadelphia Daily News columnist Jenice Armstrong, there is a big problem with the picture because that particular issue was "supposed to be all about black men, love and relationships." She also stated that Kim Kardashian's claim to fame, besides her reality-TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" is a pornographic sex tape with former boyfriend Ray J, who is the brother of singer Brandy. Personally, I could care less if Reggie Bush is in a relationship with a white woman, let alone Kim Kardashian, who has no talent,  no real job and couldn't hold a conversation about current affairs with anyone. Is this the best Jenice Armstrong could do? Aren't there more important things to focus on than Reggie Bush being on the cover of an issue of Essence Magazine?

The reality is that interracial relationships have unnerved some segments of our society for years and this will not end with this issue of the magazine. She claims that Bush, who looks smoking-hot with his wide-open shirt exposing his impeccable abs, probably thought he was increasing his brand and possibly name recognition among black women, who are the primary target market of Esssence Magazine, but it backfired. That's how Ms. Armstrong sees it at least. Really? Let's be bluntly honest, Reggie Bush is certainly not the first black man to date a white woman and he certainly won't be the last. I scarcely think Bush's decision to pose has hurt or improved his brand. I guess the real question for me is what brand?

I wonder how many black women wrote to Ms. Armstrong in support of her position. We are all aware of the fact that there is an age-old debate in the black community that frowns upon the relationships of high-profile black men and their preference for dating or marrying white or light-skinned women. Sydney Poitier, James Earl Jones, Ahmad Rashad, Bryant Gumbel, Taye Diggs, Charles Barkley, Seal, Ice-T and the most famous one, Tiger Woods, come to mind. I have been married to a black man for over 14 years and prior to my relationship with him,which started two years before we wed, I dated outside my race. That wasn't because I felt another race was better. I just clicked with this person because we had a lot in common. When my husband came along, I saw him as a man and not as a black man. So, in my view, it's not all about race. It's about what each person brings to the relationship and what they put into said relationship.

Instead of focusing on Reggie Bush dating Kim Kardashian, why not look at the abysmal marriage rates of single blacks in this country. A recent study, aired on ABC's Nightline show in December, found that 42% of black women have never been married. That is double the number of white women who have never married. Lost in that revelation was the fact that a 2000 Census found that 41% of black men have never been married. Still one has to look at the reasons why each group's percentages are so high. For what it is worth, eligible black men,who are not incarcerated, unemployed or high school dropouts have more choices and will date outside their race, while black women generally do not. Maybe it's time for sisters to start looking beyond the color of their skin and just look for love, which in its true sense, knows no color. Halle Berry and Alfre Woodard are two black women who are in relationships with white men and they seem to be rather happy. Come on Ms. Armstrong, start a debate about something that really matters in the black community, how we can uplift our race instead of tearing it down.

I found some of the comments left in response to Ms. Armstrong's column interesting. Here's a sampling:

beansdale1
when does the magazine lifting up white woman come out? what an outrage there would be if white people were coming out saying they are angry that white people are not dating their own kind. essence mag is racist by definition.

XmarksTheSpot
So let me get this straight. If the Clarence Thomas' & Seals were with black women that would make black women more desirable to high profile black men or black men period? Hmmm, The President of The United States of America is married to a black woman. Doesn't get more high-profile than that. Men don't want insecure women. A woman needs to be strong and a lot of black women seem to mistake that strength with attitude. Not all, so don't go jumping down my throat wit ya attitude. Honestly, this is racism. Seriously it is. Why should who Reggie Bush, Seal, Clarence Thomas or whatever brother that decides to date or marry a woman of another color than them have any kind of effect on women who have no shot in the world with these rich dudes anyway? Don't you think that insecurity would push more brothers away? Maybe, right? Sisters need to worry about their own life and not some rich athletes dating preference because it has absolutely nothing to do with them. Nobody is stressing them to marry within their race. Is it that high-profile brothers marry outside the black race or brothers period that offends them? If it's the high-profile brothers and not brothers period then in essence (no pun intended) you're painting yourself as a gold-digger. Regular brothers don't like gold-diggers let alone high-profile ones. Please. If Reggie Bush was dating Regina King the cover would be all good & tasteful. But since he's with an Armanian woman it's a slap in the face. Another classic example as crazy being acceptable & down-right commendable. That's why y'all don't get married. My mom & my sister are married and many sisters are. But you know what I mean Ms. 42% instead of Mrs. 22%.

Shimmy
People who admire Reggie Bush should be bent out of shape because Kim Kardashian is an idiot, not merely white.

emanuelmntgmry
I can’t presume to speak for the Reggie Bush's of the world, but IMO, opinions like the ones in this article do a disservice to all of us. Just because they date or marry outside of their own race, they're not good representations of "Black love". They're still black men, right?? And they’re in serious, committed relationships, right? And frankly, if white women were voicing opinions like this, we would be screaming “racism” from every message board on the internet. To those complaining ladies: instead of blaming “ACBB” – and for the record, that’s a sad and embarrassing acronym to have in 2010 - for your problems with “black love”, why don’t you start looking at and taking responsibility for the criteria you use for choose mates (read: stop picking the same losers over and over again), look at whether we’re raising our young men to become “marrying men” and open your mind to consider that dark skin is not going to guarantee you a good mate. Sorry angry ladies, but this isn’t Reggie Bush’s issue- it’s yours.

JohnKing
To quote Gladys Knight "Our misunderstandings are too well understood." We are not a monolithic people, and we must be accountable to our contradictions. For years (years) Essence along with Ebony have profiled narratives about women of African descent seeking white men due to the so-called African male shortage. They have had Halle Beery spread from cover to cover, celebrating the fact that she not only settled on a White male to father her offspring, but a younger white male at that. Sisters, you can't have it both ways, either we're all going to accept each others selection in the affairs of the heart and be adult about it, or leave the entire issue alone. It is as if certain African women expect to have the choice to choose whomever they like to be with based on the so-called shortage, but don't want men of African descent to have the same option. grow up.

Pastor Joe Colquitt Slapped with Order of Protection After he Pulls Gun on his Son at Church

Joe Colquitt, pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Alcoa, Tenn., slapped with order of protection after he pulls gun on his son Michael Colquitt during heated argument about church attendance.

Alcoa, Tenn., pastor, Joe Colquitt, was slapped with an order of protection by a member of his congregation -- his son, Michael Louis Colquitt. The younger Colquitt, 32, claimed his father threatened him with a gun during an argument over his lack of church attendance. According to the Daily Times, Michael Colquitt told officers that his father, pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, called him to the church "so they could talk." Pastor Colquitt reportedly expressed his displeasure his son was not attending church like he should and the argument escalated to the point where he pulled out a handgun. A hearing is set in Blount County General Sessions Court for Feb. 4.

“(Michael) Colquitt stated (Joe) Colquitt pulled out a handgun and stated he would kill him, his wife and family,” the report said. “(Michael) Colquitt stated (his father) was upset because he cussed him.”

In the order of protection filed by Michael Colquitt — which was served to Joe Colquitt Tuesday — the allegations made by the younger man go one step further, as he claims his father “pulled out a gun and loaded it ... he pointed it at me numerous times ... he also punched me in my face.”

When officers contacted Joe Colquitt, he reportedly admitted that he did pull out a handgun during the argument, but said he pointed it at the ceiling, not his son. The pastor denied threatening his son's wife and family, but said he told the 32-year-old that “because he cussed his father, God could kill his wife and family.” Source: The Daily Times

Wait, there's more. The Daily Times states that Joe Colquitt does not currently have a permit to carry a handgun. At least that is what they state the Tennessee Department of Safety has disclosed. That's a whole other can of worms. The Hinterland Gazette has called the church to get some comments on the situation, but our call was unanswered.

The order of protection, which was filed Monday, prohibits Pastor Colquitt from contacting his son or his family, and seeks to have a judge order the minister to “attend available counseling programs that address violence and control issues or substance abuse problems,” as well as prohibit him from owning, possessing, transporting or using a firearm or ammunition, according to The Daily Times. The last thing this "hot-head" Bible toter need is a gun in his possession. I hope the church board will sanction Pastor Colquitt instead of giving him a slap on the wrist and forgetting the whole matter. It would seem that he is the last person anyone in his congregation should go to for religious counsel.

• Daily Times PDF: Colquitt -- Order of protection
• Daily Times PDF: Colquitt -- Alcoa police report

Jamaican Pastor Garnet Roper Decries CNN's Coverage of Dead Bodies in Haiti, Says 911 Coverage Showed no Bodies

Jamaican Pastor Garnet Roper decries CNN's coverage of the dead in Haiti. Says "thousands died in 911, but we never saw a body."

Are you suffering from Haiti earthquake burnout from the constant media coverage? Well, Jamaican pastor Garnet Roper is protesting aspects of CNN's coverage on the earthquake ravaged island nation. According to Caribbean Net News, Roper, who heads the Portmore Missionary Church in St. Catherine, Jamaica, appealed to his congregation to publicly register their displeasure with CNN’s extensive coverage of those who died in last Tuesday’s earthquake on the their website. I found the images of all those dead bodies shocking and gut-wrenching, but I understood why they were portrayed in the aftermath of the earthquake so that viewers understood the gravity of the situation. In the same vein, the government of Haiti needs to do a better job of disposing of the remains of the decedents. We should not see an arm or a leg sticking out of a mound of dirt. That is barbaric, inhumane and to put it simply, a downright disgrace. I might add, that had it not been for CNN and Anderson Cooper we would never have seen these deplorable actions.

Reverend Roper contends that the coverage was too much. “Thousands died in 911, yet we never saw those bodies! It’s wrong! It is cruel and it must stop!” he declared. Alas, many of the bodies of the dead in the World Trade Center were reduced to ashes and there was nothing to see. The comparison is an unfair one, given that fact.

“It is disturbing for those images to be constantly bombarding us!” Reverend Roper said at the beginning of a special ceremony to mark Portmore Missionary Preparatory School’s 34th year. The school is a private primary educational facility operated by the church. “I don’t know how many of you can watch it for more than 10 minutes. But I have to turn if off after a few minutes.” His comments received nods and murmurs of acknowledgement from members of the congregation. “Go on their website! That same website that they are asking people to register missing relatives and let them know how you feel,” he continued. “It is cruel and robs those people of the final dignity that should be accorded in death.” Source: Caribbean Net News

Haiti has been dealt on unspeakable and unfathomable blow. Nothing of this magnitude has occurred in our backyard in recent years, so I understand the rush to cover it thoroughly. I would also encourage Pastor Roper to also speak out about the criminals raping women and children in the tent city in Port-au-Prince and the ever present threat of child-trafficking. I would also encourage him to address the issue of the Haitian government poor disposal of the bodies of the deceased. I have never in my life seen such little regard for the dead as I have seen in Haiti. The bodies are being disposed like garbage and many just dumped on the ground. The stench of death is one that can never be forgotten and I can well imagine the trauma even the journalists are experiencing. We can't just sweep the horrific events in Haiti under a rug and wish it would go away.

The latest figures from the European Union has estimated that the earthquake has killed 200,000 people injured 250,000 and has left 1.5 million homeless.

Photo credit: Pastor Garnet Roper, Caribbean Net News

Dale Robertson's TeaParty.org Sends Out Email with Offensive Picture Portraying President Obama as a "Pimp"

Dale Robertson's TeaParty.org sends out email with offensive portrayal of President Obama as an African American "pimp."

President Obama portrayed as a "pimp" in TeaParty.org email (TPM)

The Tea Partiers are at it again. TeaParty.org, founded by Dale Robertson, who is no stranger to controversy, having held a sign that referred to taxpayers as "niggars" has pulled out another stereotypical "gem" from his bag of tricks. According to Talking Points Memo, yesterday the group sent an email fund-raising solicitation, headlined "Obama Pimping Obama-Care, One Last Time!" As you can see from the picture above, President Obama is shown as a stereotypical black pimp, sporting a pencil-thin mustache and a zebra-striped, fur-brimmed fedora and they didn't forget to add the feather.

The email goes on to explain that Democrats still plan to pass health-care reform despite Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts. It asks readers to send faxes to Congress, and to donate to TeaParty.org. And it contains an exhortatory quote from Robertson, identified as the group's so-called President/Founder: "I am greatly encouraged with the progress of the Tea Party, but our work has just begun!" Source: Talking Points Memo

Sorry, but if this is the voice of the Republican Party, then they are in worst shape that I had imagined. I am aware of the horrible portrayals and caricatures of President George W. Bush, but they were also in poor taste and offensive. It seems to me that the portrayals of President Obama play upon racist stereotypes of African Americans and that is racist and a disgrace. So, Obama is a pimp now? Wow. That's clearly an act of desparation.

Bloomberg: Haiti Earthquake May Have Exposed Gas, Aiding Economy

From Bloomberg

Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- The earthquake that killed more than 150,000 people in Haiti this month may have left clues to petroleum reservoirs that could aid economic recovery in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, a geologist said.

The Jan. 12 earthquake was on a fault line that passes near potential gas reserves, said Stephen Pierce, a geologist who worked in the region for 30 years for companies including the former Mobil Corp. The quake may have cracked rock formations along the fault, allowing gas or oil to temporarily seep toward the surface, he said yesterday in a telephone interview.

“A geologist, callous as it may seem, tracing that fault zone from Port-au-Prince to the border looking for gas and oil seeps, may find a structure that hasn’t been drilled,” said Pierce, exploration manager at Zion Oil & Gas Inc., a Dallas- based company that’s drilling in Israel. “A discovery could significantly improve the country’s economy and stimulate further exploration.”  “Haiti, from the standpoint of oil and gas exploration, is a lot less developed than the Dominican Republic,” Pierce said. “One could do a lot more work there.”

To read more, CLICK HERE.

J.D. Salinger, Author of "The Catcher in the Rye" Dead at Age 91

BREAKING: Author J. D. Salinger, who wrote "The Catcher in the Rye" and other books, dead at age 91.

More to follow.

Six Rutgers University Students in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Charged with Felonies After Horrific Hazing of Pledges

Six students at Rutgers University charged with felonies after Sigma Gamma Rho hazing incident uncovered. University suspends chapter.

Sorority Sigma Gamma Rho has been suspended by the Rutgers University after a horrific discovery of hazing disclosed. Six students were charged with putting pledges through a horrific nightmare, lasting eight days, that included beatings and starvation, authorities said yesterday. According to the NY Post, the Sigma Gamma Rho Six are: Llana Warner, 20, of The Bronx; Vanessa Adegbite, 21, of Jersey City; Joana Bernard, 21, of West Orange; Kesha Cheron, 20, of Newark; Shawna Ebanks, 21, of East Orange; and Marie Charles, 21, of West Orange. They have been charged with felony aggravated hazing. The chapter was also suspended by the national organization, which is based in North Carolina. Sorry, they shouldn't simply be suspended. They should be banned for life from the campus.

But one of as many as seven alleged victims described a frightening nightly ritual of paddlings, saying she'd been struck 201 times between Jan. 18 and Monday, The Star-Ledger reported. Others told cops they'd been denied food.

"They told us there was no hazing, that they didn't believe in it," the pledge said, telling the newspaper she wanted to join Sigma Gamma Rho because of its history of community service. She said the group was told the beatings would "humble" them and get them to rely on one another."At the end, we were supposed to be helping each other," she said.

By Monday, however, she said she couldn't lie down without pain, and called her family to take her to a hospital. Trevor said she's been released. Source: NY Post

I attended Ohio University and there were several Greek organizations on campus and I consciously decided against joining one of these organizations after I saw what happened to my roommate who pledged with Delta Sigma Theta. I found the process utterly ridiculous. She was placed on social silence, meaning she couldn't talk to anyone other than the girls she was pledging with and the other members of the sorority. Her grades suffered and she lost a lot of weight. Then there were the fraternities that engaged in hazing. I recall an incident involving Omega Psi Phi, in which a student lost one of his kidneys because he was beaten. In my opinion, one does not need to join any organization that engages in physical assault and violence.

I recall the nickname for Sigma Gamma Rho at Ohio University was Sigma Gamma Who because no one really wanted to join that organization. Well, that's how they should be viewed now. This is unacceptable and I am glad criminal charges have been filed. The chapter shouldn't be suspended. They should be banned for life from Rutgers University.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Mouthed "Not True" to President Obama's Scathing Criticism of Campaign Finance Decision

Did we have a "You lie" moment during President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech?  Well, Politico is reporting that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito mouthed the words "not true" when the president criticized the Supreme Court's campaign finance decision.

" Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said. "Well I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong."

I purposefully watched the faces of the Supreme Court justices during that segment and they were stone-faced. It was absolutely a sight for sore eyes. According to Politico, Chuck Schumer stood up behind the justices and clapped vigorously while Alito shook his head and quietly mouthed his discontent. Did Justice Alito come close to heckling President Obama?

Black Students at Hocking College in Ohio on Alert after Note Scrawled in Bathroom Threatens to Kill All Black Students

Racial threats have put some students at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, on alert. According to media reports, at least two students have withdrawn from the technical college and several have decided to move because of a note scrawled in a men's bathroom by a coward threatening to kill all black students on February 2.

The threat was made at the Hocking Heights residence hall last week. It is being reported that there have been simmering racial tensions at the college for quite some time. The two-year college is located in the Appalachian foothills, 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The college has a student body of approximately 6,500 students, of which about 400 are black. The school's student body, during the 2007 - 2008 school year had 84% whites, six percent blacks, one percent Hispanic, one percent foreign students and seven percent unknown.

The college has reportedly provided temporary housing for students who are too scared to stay in the dorm where the threat was found. Hocking College has also installed more security cameras and increased foot patrols. A measly $5,000 reward is being offered.

I wish the punk who scrawled that note would show his or her face instead of hiding. I would urge the black students at Hocking College to stand up and say "enough is enough and I am not fleeing the school." Rosa Parks, Johnnie Carr, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and other civil rights leaders didn't run from the racist thugs that terrorized blacks, they stood up and fought against a system rife with racism.

If you have any information, contact either the Hocking College police at 740-753-6598 or the Cincinnati Division of the FBI at 513-421-4310.

Winnie Mandela Threatens to Take Legal Action Against Makers of Biographical Film About Her Life

Winnie Mandela, former wife of Nelson Mandela, has threatened to take legal action against the makers of a biographical film about her life.

According to the U.K. Telegraph:

Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie is threatening legal action against the makers of a biographical film about her starring Jennifer Hudson.

The film is likely to detail the fraud, kidnapping and murder controversies that have surrounded the anti-apartheid leader’s former wife.

Mrs Madikizela-Mandela, as she has been known since her divorce from Mr Mandela in 1996, is one of South Africa’s most controversial and divisive figures.

She is revered in some quarters as the “Mother of the Nation” for her role in the struggle, the harassment she suffered from the white authorities, and her populist rhetoric that still appeals to South Africa’s poor.

But for others she is reviled. She once notoriously declared that “with our boxes of matches and our necklaces, we shall liberate this country”, referring to the preferred way of killing suspected informers in the townships, setting fire to a petrol-filled tyre around their necks, so ensuring an agonising death.

Under apartheid she was convicted of kidnapping Stompie Moeketsi, 14, who was later found beaten to death in Soweto, and long after the advent of democracy, she was convicted of more than 40 charges of fraud in 2003 – her prison sentence was replaced with a suspended term on appeal.

Read the entire article

Alexandra Nuñez Dies After Artery Inadvertently Severed During Abortion in Queens, NY Medical Facility

Alexandra Nuñez dies after an artery is severed during a botched abortion at A1 Medicine in Queens, New York.

Alexandra Nuñez, 37, told her family she was going to the doctor to have a cyst removed. It turns out she went to A1 Medicine in Jackson Heights, NY, for an abortion that went terribly wrong. According to the NY Daily News, she began bleeding heavily during the procedure. One of her arteries was inadvertently severed and she went into cardiac arrest and she later died at Elmhurst Hospital Center, according to the police.

A1 Medicine was accredited in July to do office-based surgery that requires moderate or deep anesthesia, which includes abortions, according to a spokeswoman for the state Health Department told the NY Daily News.

An investigation has been launched and detectives have interviewed the staff at the clinic. So far, no charges have been filed. Police said Nuñez, a single mother of four who lived in Plainfield, N.J., underwent the procedure at 3:30p.m. Her death has come as a shock to her family. While I don't believe in abortion, I won't criticize her for reportedly seeking one. What I will say is that had she told the truth to her family, then the outcome might have been vastly different. The moral of this story is that it doesn't pay to lie. It could be your last day.

Photo credit: Alexandra Nuñez, NY Daily News

Jamin Dumas, Former Prison Guard gets Probation for Assault on White Prison, Judge Refuses Measure 11 Sentence

Jamin Dumas was spared a tough sentencing under Oregon law, known as Measure 11, and Circuit Judge Albin Norblad gave him a sentence of two years probation for assaulting an inmate on May, 2008. Dumas was convicted of second-degree assault in the case. Dumas, faced with criminal charges, waived his right to a jury trial. Judge Norblad found him guilty after a two-day trial in December. The reality is that this measure will keep more black males in prison. Don't get me wrong, if you are a repeat offender or a violent criminal, you belong behind bars, but it is obvious that Mr. Dumas doesn't fit that profile. This case is a throw-back to the Jim Crow days in America when blacks had no rights, no matter if they were innocent.

Dumas, a black corrections officer at the Oregon State Correctional Institution in south east Salem, entered the cell of a defiant inmate who repeatedly subjected him to racial slurs. He used physical force to subdue to subdue the inmate in a racially-charged fight, who suffered a broken collarbone. According to the Statesman Journal, Dumas was placed on leave during an investigation of the incident. He received a letter March 9, 2009, notifying him that he was being fired.

Norblad invoked rarely used judicial discretion in deviating from Measure 11, approved by voters in 1994 to toughen punishment for violent offenders. Senate Bill 1049, passed by the Legislature in 1997, allows judges to depart from the mandatory sentences prescribed by Measure 11 in certain cases of assault, kidnapping and robbery. Judges typically use such latitude only when offenders, such as Dumas, have histories clear of prior criminal conduct.

Norblad said at Tuesday's sentencing hearing that he remained convinced that Dumas assaulted the inmate. "You kind of broke and did the wrong thing," he told Dumas. However, the wrongdoing fell short of the punishment called for by Measure 11, Norblad said. "This case is not one that belongs in Measure 11," he said. "Measure 11 is not in proportion to what he did." Source: Statesman Journal

Measure 11 applies to all defendants over the age of 15, requiring juveniles over 15 charged with these crimes to be tried as adults. Measure 11 is another way for prosecutors to exploit and essentially take power away from elected judges. There are many people who believe that this law will be unfairly used to keep more young black males in prison.

Personally, I don't believe Mr. Dumas should have even been charged because of the nature of this incident. It was a racially-charged brawl that was instigated by a white inmate who had a big problem taking orders from a black man. The reality is that this incident smacks of Jim Crowism. Judging from the so-called victim's tirade during the incident, this was a throwback to a dark period in America's history. According to Salem-News, the inmate said, as Dumas reportedly tried to reason with him, "I hate all you f*cking niggers. I hate all you nigger bitches." Dumas says the man continued by saying, "If my granddaddy were around he would take a whip to all of you and beat the skin off your backs," adding that the man said, "I hate all niggers."

Dumas contends the he did nothing wrong and acted in the scope of his job as a corrections officer. According to the Statesman Journal, he maintains that he should not have been fired from his job or have been criminally charged. Dumas, a father of eight, was a 19-year veteran at the facility.

Will We See a "New and Improved" President Barack Obama During His State of the Union Speech?

Will we see a "new and improved" President Barack Obama during his first State of the Union speech Wednesday night?

Will we see a "new and improved" President Barack Obama tonight, during his first State of the Union speech? He will reportedly try to reconnect with the middle class and concentrate his efforts on creating more jobs. Well, I don't want to add salt to an open wound, but I have lost the little faith I had left in the Democratic Party and I am disappointed thus far with President Obama's performance. It seems that the Democrats just can't seem to get it right and the president wants to be everyone's friend and doesn't seem to have a backbone.

His war on the big banks has gone nowhere. The massive health care reform, which would cost taxpayers over a $1 billion has exploded like a firecracker and not to mention the fact that Main Street is literally hemorraghing. President Obama's policies so far have sent a loud and resounding message to the United States that Washington doesn't give a damn about the middle class. But alas, the president wants to change that. At the urging of Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), President Obama will use his speech tonight to throw us a bone -- child care and elder care tax credits and student loan deferments. Is that all? What about all those people losing their homes to foreclosure? Geez, how can I forget that his mortgage modification program (HAMP) was such a resounding success. Yes, I am cynical about Washington's moves and what it will mean for the middle class.

"The middle class feels beleaguered, and I think the message of Massachusetts, which I believe the president is now heeding, was pay attention to our plight. We're not as worried about changing the health care system as we are about getting by week to week," Sen. Charles Schumer said.  Source:  WCBS-TV

Excuse me if I take the president's new found concentration on the plight of the middle class with a grain of salt. There's that pesky little detail about rising unemployment rates and skyrocketing foreclosures, while Wall Street is experiencing a boon of sorts. Wait, how could I forget to mention the two wars we are currently engaged in, plus our new mission in Haiti (albeit a needed one), plus the president's decision to try terrorists in civilian courts, which will cost New York City millions. I could go on, but I'll give President Obama a chance to sell me on his proposals tonight.

Photo credit: The Drudge Report

Bill O'Reilly Compares Chicago's South Side to Haiti (VIDEO)

Bill O'Reilly has outdone himself with his recent comments comparing Chicago's South Side to Haiti. Granted, there are a myriad of problems on the South Side, but to compare it to Haiti and the devastation they just suffered is just downright insulting and insensitive.

From HuffingtonPost.com:
 
In a comparison likely to offend both parties, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly compared the South Side of Chicago to Haiti during a January 23rd stop on his “Bold Fresh Tour,” accompanied by Glenn Beck.
President Obama is constantly pushing government as the solution to every problem, O’Reilly argued, despite there being no evidence to support this idea:

And I’m going, I don’t know how that’s possible. If you’ve ever been to the South Side of Chicago, I mean, it’s a disaster. Alright? It’s like Haiti. it’s like — I’ve been to Haiti a couple times, and I support some charities there, but Haiti just never gets better no matter how much money you put in there because they don’t have a system.

Rev. Steven Poole, Roman Catholic Priest, Arrested & Charged with Two Felonies for Shoplifting at Wal-Mart Store in Illinois

Roman Catholic priest Rev. Steven Poole, arrested and charged with two felonies for shoplifting at Wal-Mart store in West City, Ill.

I am sure the Vatican will be quite upset that a Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Steven Poole, 41, has been arrested for shoplifting. Rev. Poole, who is based in West City, Ill., forgot to take the Ten Commandments to heart when he broke one -- thou shalt not steal. He was arrested last Friday for allegedly stealing butter and a sofa cover at a local Wal-Mart store. Poole has been charged with two felony counts of theft.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Poole had brought his items to a self-checkout aisle but did not scan a $3.22 container of butter nor a $60 sofa cover, according to investigators. This could be dismissed as forgetfulness, but I think it was a deliberate act because of what reportedly transpired next.

Rev. Poole then, according to the Chicago Tribune, allegedly walked to the store's bedding aisles, chose a memory foam mattress, and switched its pricing barcode with the barcode of a significantly-lower-priced item. The $145 mattress now rang up for $31. Poole is also accused of having a stolen laptop computer power pack in his possession.

This is a shame and Pope Benedict XVI should be really ticked off about this. Thou shalt not steal, Rev. Poole. Poole is the priest for St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Christopher and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sesser. I wonder how his parishioners feel about his extracurricular activities?

Lloyd Woodson, 43, Arrested After Investigators Seize Grenade Launcher, Weapons Cache in N.J. Motel Room

Lloyd Woodson, 43, arrested after investigators seize grenade launcher, hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his motel room in Branchburg, N.J.

Lloyd Woodson, 43, was arrested Monday after investigators seized a cache of weapons including a grenade launcher and hundreds of rounds of ammunition he had in his possession at the Red Mill Inn on Route 22 in Branchburg, N.J.  He also had maps of a U.S. military facility and an out-of-state civilian community, according to The Star-Ledger. Woodson, whose previously lived in Reston, Va., faces a battery of charges, including second-degree unlawful weapons possession and fourth-degree possession of prohibited weapons. It gets worse. At the time of his arrest, Woodson was wearing a military-style ballistic vest with a reinforced steel plate and he was carrying a .223-caliber assault rifle that had been altered to fire .50-caliber ammunition and he was also carrying four loaded magazines with hollow-point ammunition, according to The Star-Ledger.

Branchburg police confronted Woodson at 3:55 a.m. at the Quick Chek convenience store on Route 28 after receiving a call reporting a suspicious person. Branchburg Patorlman Steven Cronce noticed a large bulge beneath the green, military-style jacket that Woodson was wearing, which was later determined to be the assault rifle with a defaced serial number, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said.

Woodson appeared "extremely nervous" as Cronce questioned him, and he ultimately ran from the convenience store toward the Regency Trailer Park on Route 22, Forrest. Officers found Woodson hiding in the bushes and he attempted to run, Forrest said. Officers tackled him and used pepper spray to subdue Woodson, Forrest said.

Detectives later searched Woodson’s room at the Red Mill Inn on Route 22 and found weapons including a .308-caliber semi-automatic assault rifle with a defaced serial number, a grenade launcher, hundreds .50-caliber and .308-caliber rounds, a police scanner, and the maps of a U.S. military installation and an out-of-state civilian community, Forrest said. Investigators also found Middle Eastern red and white traditional headdress, Forrest said. Source: The Star Ledger

The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information, contact the Branchburg police at 908-526-3830 or Crime Stoppers of Somerset County at 888-577-TIPS (8477). Another homegrown terrorist has been taken off the streets before he could inflict harm to innocent people.

Photo credit:  Lloyd Woodson, Star-Ledger

5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Pucallpa, Located in Peruvian Jungle Region of Ucayali, No Damages Reported Yet

BREAKING: An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Pucallpa, which is located in the Peruvian jungle region of Ucayali. The quake was reportedly felt in several cities along the country, including Lima.

The earthquake struck 5:52pm local time. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter was registered 10 miles from Pucallpa city, at a depth of 93.5 miles.

No damages or injuries have been reported yet.

Robert Peterson, Teacher at Obama Girls' School, Sidwell Friends, Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Robert Peterson, a teacher at the prestigious Sidwell Friends school where Sasha and Malia Obama attend, has been charged with sex abuse of a minor and was released on a $250,000 bond. Peterson, 65, taught seventh and eighth grades at the private school, where many children of Washington D.C.'s elite attend.

According to CBS News, the school reportedly announced on January 20 that it had placed Peterson, who resides in Silver Spring, Md., on leave before the school year commenced and dismissed him January 14.

CBS states Montgomery County charging documents allege Peterson repeatedly invited a male student to his home, showed him pornography and touched him inappropriately. According to the case information, Peterson is charged with sex abuse of a minor and a fourth-degree sex offense. The incidents allegedly occurred from June 1, 2008 to August 1, 2009. His criminal nightmare won't be over for a while. He also faces charges in Queen Anne's County, where he reportedly was the director of the Sidwell Friends' summer camp.

CLICK HERE to view court documents.

Washington Wizards Player Javaris Crittenton Charged with Firearm Possession Over Locker Room Argument with Gilbert Arenas

Washington Wizards player Javaris Crittenton has been charged with weapons violations following a plea deal. He was charged with two misdemeanors -- possession of an unregistered firearm and carrying a pistol without a license. Crittenton's deal comes 10 days after teammate Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty.

"Mr. Crittenton brought a lawfully owned, unloaded handgun into Washington, DC, only because he legitimately feared for his life," said his lawyer Peter White. "The government's proffer of facts to be filed today acknowledges that his handgun was not loaded and that he never threatened anyone with it. The gun was legally purchased, but bringing it into the District, even for self-defense, violated the city’s strict gun control laws." Source: NY Post

Arenas has been suspended indefinitely from the NBA without pay. He pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to a felony gun charge connected to a locker-room argument over a gambling debt that is believed to have involved Crittenton. Prosecutor Chris Kavanaugh revealed new details of the case during his court hearing, including that during a Dec. 19 team flight, Arenas and Crittenton argued about a card game, and Arenas said he would "burn" Crittenton's Cadillac Escalade or "shoot him in the face." Crittenton retorted that "he would shoot the f- - - out of Arenas" and "shoot Arenas in his" surgically repaired knee, according to the NY Post. Aren't these guys such an asset to the Washington Wizards? Of course I am being facetious.The reality is "if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig." No amount of money in the world will change the mentality of these thugs.

Nazi Party of Colorado Adopts One-Mile Stretch of Highway 85, Claims It's a Good Recruiting Tool

 

The Nazi Party of Colorado has adopted a one-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 85, south of Bromley Lane in Brighton. The members of the group call themselves the National Socialist Movement and claim they are inspired by the teachings of Adolf Hitler. According to Fox 31, they believe interracial relationships and homosexuality should be crimes. They also want to start a sovereign Aryan country. In other words, an all-white country.

The group claims the Adopt-a-Highway program is a good PR move for them and a recruiting tool, according to Fox 31. The group's initial request was denied by the Colorado Department of Transportation, but the Denver Anti-Defamation League advised the state to approve the application based on their Constitutional right to freedom of speech. It's a sad commentary when hate speech is protected in this country.

Well, let's just go ahead and grant terrorists the right to adopt a stretch of highway in any U.S. city they so desire.

Mark Kerrigan, Brother of Former Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan, Arrested in Suspicious Death of Father, Daniel Kerrigan

Former Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan's brother, Mark Kerrigan, has been arrested in the suspicious death of their father, Daniel Kerrigan, 70. According to NECN, he will be arraigned today on criminal charges. There are reports surfacing that he has been "charged with assault, plus battery on an elder, serious bodily injury in connection with his father's death."

Mark Kerrigan is 45 years old. MyFoxBoston also reports that a "struggle" between Mark and his father occurred before Daniel's death yesterday in his Stoneham, Mass., home.

"He [Mark Kerrigan] stated that he wanted to use the phone and his father would not let him,'' according to a Stoneham police report filed in court. "He said that he struggled with his father and put his hands around his father neck and his father fell to the floor. He said that his father was faking it.''

In the police report, police said that Mark Kerrigan appeared intoxicated and was belligerent toward officers as they tried to help his father. Police said in the report that pictures were knocked off the walls and that there appeared to be some blood near where Daniel Kerrigan was found. Source: Boston Globe

The cause of Mr. Kerrigan's death is undetermined, pending an autopsy by the state's medical examiner's office.

More to follow.....

Mia Landingham Sentenced to Three Years Probation, Community Service for Killing Boyfriend by Sitting on Him

Mia Landingham gets three years probation, 100 hours community service after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter for killing boyfriend by sitting on him.

Mia Landingham, an obese woman who killed her boyfriend, Mikal Middleton-Bey, by sitting on him August 2009, was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours community service, after she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, according to CBS affiliate WOIO.

Landingham, reportedly weighed over 300 pounds at the time of the incident when she sat on Middleton-Bey as he was face first on the couch. Her lawyer said there was a history of domestic abuse between the two. The victim, according to media reports, was 5'10" tall and weighed 126 pounds.

Ethiopian Airlines Crashes into Sea After Take Off From Beirut, French Ambassador's Wife Marla Sanchez Pietton was On-Board

An Ethiopian Airlines flight from Beirut, Lebanon to Addis Ababa crashes into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off. French ambassador's wife Marla Sanchez Pietton was on-board the plane.

Ethiopian Airlines (airlinersgallery.wordpress.com/.../)

BREAKING: An Ethiopian Airlines plane crashes into the Mediterranean Sea after taking off from Beirut, Lebanon early Monday morning. All 90 passengers and crew feared dead. According to Reuters, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens shortly after take-off. The flight from Beirut was bound for Addis Ababa. The plane is a Boeing 737 aircraft.

About 51 passengers were reportedly Lebanese nationals, 23 were Ethiopians, two Britons and citizens from Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Canada, Russia and France, Ethiopian Airlines said. The French ambassador to Lebanon, Denis Pietton's wife Marla Sanchez Pietton was on-board the flight.

According to state-run Lebanese National News Agency, by midday Monday, crews had recovered 23 bodies, but found no survivors. The plane reportedly crashed about 2.1 miles west of Na'ameh, which is nine miles south of Beirut.

UPDATE#1: The pilot flew in the opposite direction from the path recommended by the control tower after taking off from Beirut in thunderstorms, Lebanon's transportation minister said Tuesday.

Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi said the pilot initially followed the tower's guidance, but then abruptly changed course and went in the opposite direction.(NY Daily News)

Marijuana Could be Coming to a Classroom in a School Near You

Marijuana could be coming to a classroom near you.  According to the Christian Science Monitor, medical marijuana legally prescribed to young people is showing up in classrooms. This is literally putting teachers and principals in a predicament of sorts. What's troubling to some is that these students don't have to tell their teachers about having "weed" in their possession. Some doctors are now more inclined to prescribe marijuana (as an alternative to Ritalin) for children diagnosed with ADHD.

It’s a controversial trend among medical practitioners. “It’s safer than aspirin,” Dr. Jean Talleyrand told the New York Times. Dr. Talleyrand is a marijuana advocate who founded a network of 20 clinics in Oakland, Calif. which dispense medical marijuana – including to teenagers diagnosed with ADHD.

But Stephen Hinshaw, the chairman of the psychology department at the University of California, Berkeley, calls it “one of the worst ideas of all time.” He cites studies showing that the active ingredient in cannabis disrupts attention, memory and concentration – already issues for people diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder. In addition to being at the forefront of medical marijuana law, California now is considering legalizing and regulating the general use of marijuana.

A proposed bill would remove marijuana and derivatives from existing statutes defining them as controlled substances and make it legal to possess, sell, and cultivate marijuana by those 21 and older, reports the Monitor’s Daniel B. Wood. It sets up wholesale and retail sales regulation with special fees to fund drug abuse prevention programs. And it bans local and state assistance “in enforcing inconsistent federal and other laws.” Source: Christian Science Monitor

This is very interesting. What are your thoughts on this latest trend?

5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Vanuatu, No Damages or Injuries Have Been Reported

URGENT: 5.8 magnitude earthquake hits Vanuatu this morning. The quake has a depth of 41 miles and was located 61 miles SSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu.

No damages or injuries have been reported.

Still developing. More to follow.

Sharon Barnes Sutton, Commissioner in Dekalb County, Ga., Plagued by Bad Checks, Foreclosure, Unpaid Bills

Why is Sharon Barnes Sutton still a commissioner in Dekalb County, Ga? Ms. Sutton, who is charged with the task of overseeing a $600 million budget is a hot mess. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, she has written several bad checks, lost her home to foreclosure and has had her wages garnished. What's shocking is that Ms. Sutton had four outstanding warrants for writing four bad checks, for $300 to $400 each, to a Costco warehouse in Gwinnett county in 2007. She was involved in a minor traffic accident Wednesday night and the police officer did not see that she had these open warrants. Why was she allowed to leave the scene of the accident? She has since paid a little over $1,000 to satisfy the checks and a judge has recalled the warrants. She said, in an interview with the AJC, that she has made some mistakes, but her financial struggles help her better relate to taxpayers. Really? How many people have a history of bouncing checks and have had warrants out for their arrest because of such acts?

She claims that she can't remember writing the checks to Costco and further, she said she has contacted her attorney to look into the matter for her. Here's my two cents. If this was the first time this happened to her, one could give her a pass, but this isn't the first time. According to the AJC, she pleaded no contest in 1996 for writing a bad check to West Building Supply in Stone Mountain and she received a citation for writing another bad check to Advance Income Services in Lawrenceville.

DeKalb court records show she was sued by Atlanta Gynecology & Obstetrics in 1995 for not paying $1,817. She also had suits filed against her by a Tucker dentist and Atlanta Addictive Disease & Psychiatric for not paying bills.

Her wages were garnished for the Addictive Disease bill, but that case has since been closed, according to court records. The case with the dentist is ongoing.

Sutton is now paying $6,950 to Primus Automotive Financial Services after defaulting on payments for her Lexus. Since 2008, Primus has been garnishing her wages from DeKalb public schools, where Sutton teaches business and career technology. Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

The reality is that due to the challenging economic conditions, most of us are struggling to make ends meet, but Ms. Barnes seems to be the extreme. She needs to step down from her job as a commissioner.  She is clearly not the best person to represent Dekalb county in these tough economic times. If she can't handle her own finances, how in the world can she manage the county's budget? She basically ignored the parties to whom she wrote those bad checks and forced them to seek redress from the courts. That is bad and she does not deserve to be sitting in such a job. Ms. Sutton was elected in 2008 to represent District 4.

Please, email Ms. Sutton at sbsutton@co.dekalb.ga.us to express your concern with her fiscal responsibility. You may also contact her at 404-371-4907.

Neal Jacobson, Former Mortgage Broker, Confesses to Shooting his Wife, Twin Boys to Death

Neal Jacobson, reportedly confesses to shocking triple homicide of wife, Franki Jacobson and their twin boys, in exclusive gated community in Florida.

Franki Jacobson, 53, and her twin boys, Joshua and Eric, were found shot to death Saturday morning in their home in an exclusive gated neighborhood in Wellington, Fla. According to The Palm Beach Post, Neal Jacobson, 49, confessed to paramedics, after crashing his car near Delray Beach, that he killed his family. The boys were reportedly set to celebrate their seventh birthday with a party at their home in the Isles community, neighbors told the Palm Beach Post.

County records show the house is owned by Neal M. Jacobson, 49, and his wife Franki Jacobson, 53, who bought the 5,149 square-foot home in 2005 for $765,798. Jacobson, a former mortgage broker who moved to Florida from New Jersey, is listed as president of HGH Organics Corp., a newly formed company that sells human growth hormone over the Internet out of a Wellington suite, records show. He also sat on the board of the Wellington Jewish Community Center.

Franki Jacobson, a writer and illustrator, published her first children's book, "Green Bean's Birthday Party," in December. The book, which incorporates sign language into the storyline, follows Josh and Eric, two boys modeled after her twin sons. Joshua and Eric Jacobson are in the first grade at Binks Forest Elementary School. Source: The Palm Beach Post

No matter how you view this situation, it is a tragedy. There are some reports that the family was struggling financially.  Still, no matter what problems you are experiencing, you don't get a gun and kill your family. That will certainly not solve anything. How could a parent turn around and shoot their children to death? That is just incredulous and unfathomable to me. I am glad Mr. Jacobson is alive and he will most certainly face charges for these crimes he is alleged to have committed. Thankfully, Florida has the death penalty and he should get the same treatment he meted out to his family.

Costa Rica Hit by 5.0 Magnitude Earthquake, Second in One Day

Costa Rica hit with second earthquake in one day. The latest earthquake hit 40 minutes ago and measured 5.0 on the Richter Scale. Costa Rica and Boliva were hit by two earthquakes earlier today that measured 5.0.

Still developing.....

Body of Montana Lance, 9, Found Hanging in Bathroom at Elementary School in Texas

Body of Montana Lance, 9, found hanging in bathroom at Stewart's Creek Elementary School in Texas. Police suspect suicide.

Police found the body of nine-year-old Montana Lance was found hanging in a bathroom at Stewart's Creek Elementary School in Texas Thursday. According to WKRG, police is suspecting it to be a case of suicide. An autopsy will be performed, though the police in The Colony, which is about 20 miles north of Dallas, are reportedly said they don't expect to file any criminal charges.

Friends and those who knew the boy said that he was often teased. "He was just bullied too much," Blackwell told KTVT-TV. "Some of the things that people would say were harsh." The school district denies that. Source: WKRG

It is imperative for parents to impress upon their children that it is important for them to discuss their feelings. I ask my kids frequently if they are being bullied at school, so that we can address it. Though the suicides among young children are rare, it is troubling nonetheless. According to statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were on average just 10 suicides a year among 10-year-olds between 1999 and 2005.

Photo credit: Montana Lance, WKRG

YaVaughnie Wilkins, Dumped by Married Man, Charles E. Phillips, Oracle President, Takes Out Billboards in Retribution

Jilted mistress YaVaughnie Wilkins plasters billboards across the U.S. after being dumped by married man, Charles E. Phillips, President of Oracle.

Hell hath no fury like the rage of a scorned woman. Well, this jump-off is taking retribution to a higher level. YaVaughnie Wilkins, who dated a married man, Charles E. Phillips, president of Oracle and a member of Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, for eight and one-half years, is fuming because he dumped her and reconciled with his wife. Girlfriend took out several billboards across the country that show her nuzzling Phillips. According to the NY Post, one of the signs, posted prominently at the corner of West 52nd Street and Broadway, near Times Square, declares "Charles & YaVaughnie," and shows the couple beaming. What an idiot. Besides, she could have given the money she paid for the ads to help some orphans in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Three signs have popped up in the city, as well as one in Atlanta and one in San Francisco -- where Wilkins lives, Phillips owns a home and Oracle's world headquarters are located.

The very public humiliation campaign may have cost Wilkins upward of $250,000, at an estimated $50,000 a pop.

Court records show that Phillips' wife, Karen, filed for divorce in February 2008, but no action has been taken on the filing since that year. The couple recently made up, and Phillips kicked Wilkins to the curb, a source said.

"I had an 8½-year serious relationship with YaVaughnie Wilkins," Charles Phillips said through a spokesman. "The relationship with Ms. Wilkins has since ended, and we both wish each other well."  Source: NY Post

Besides the fact that this woman made a fool of herself, Mr. Phillips got what he deserved. Too bad his wife has been dragged into this hot mess. Why are these jump-offs so bold as to think they should be treated like the spouse is amazing. Looking at the skanks Tiger Woods has sexual relationships with. Of course, Mr. Phillips is not without blame in this mess. He got what he deserved. Ms. Wilkins is clearly a mental case. Besides the billboard, she has a website(www.charlesphillipsandyavaughniewilkins.com), a shrine if you will, dedicated to Phillips. The site features eight years' worth of photos of the pair canoodling around the world, dating to 2001. The only way I can sum this mess up is to reference the movie "Fatal Attraction," starring Glen Close. This is a hot mess.

Photo credit: NY Post

Comic Strip in Delta Collegiate Newspaper Sparks Controversy Over 'Racial Undertone'

A cartoon published in the Delta Collegiate newspaper has sparked controversy because of its negative portrayal of Saginaw, MI. The cartoon, which was published on January 15 and is entitled "Should've Stayed in Flint," is a dig at the violence in the Tri-Cities, particularly in downtown Saginaw.

The comic strip shows a man going from pleasant trips in Midland and Bay City to Saginaw where he is handed a bag of drugs by a masked man, who then pulls out a knife and demands his cash and the drugs back. In other words,“Welcome to downtown Saginaw. We have the most violent crimes in the U.S.” Below is the comic strip that was published:

The reality is that truth always rubs people the wrong way.  According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's statistics, Saginaw ranked as the number one most violent city in America from 2003 to September 2008, when the most recent statistics were released. This ranking is based on violent crimes per person for cities with populations greater than 40,000. The definition of violent crimes include murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. According MLive.com, Police Chief Gerald H. Cliff states that for 2008, violent crime jumped 1.9 percent even as the national average dropped eight percent. Cliff also said the police department recorded 4,376 "violent" offenses that include homicides, robberies, felonious assaults, larcenies and arsons last year compared to 4,293 in 2007, including a rise in murders to 23 from 21 in 2007. This cartoon rings true and it is a shame that people are upset about the cartoon, rather than the problems in the city.

Watch: College Paper Stirs Up Controversy With 'Edgy' Cartoon