Jeremiah Scott Being Held in Lieu of $1 Million Bail After Daughters, Ages 11/2 & 18 Months Found Beaten, Bound & Gagged

Jeremiah Scott arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder, torture of his two young daughters. Being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Jeremiah Scott, 23, has been arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder and torture of two girls, ages 1 1/2 and 18 weeks old. According to the Press-Enterprise, Scott's young daughters were found beaten, bound and gagged in a house near Rubidoux in Riverside County, Calif. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Sgt. Steve Brown told the Press-Enterprise that sheriff's deputies went to the house just after 1 p.m. Friday after another adult there had found the girls tied up and left on a bedroom floor. The girls reportedly had visible injuries on their faces and heads. Scott fled the scene but was later found in the neighborhood and arrested.

The girls had non-life threatening injuries to their faces and heads and were taken to a local hospital, the police said. A motive is unknown. This dirtbag doesn't deserve to see the outside of another prison.

Photo credit: Jeremiah Scott, Press-Enterprise

Singer Marie Osmond's Son, Michael Blosil, Commits Suicide After Lengthy Bout with Severe Depression

Marie Osmond's son, Michael Blosil, commits suicide Friday night, after lengthy bout with severe depression.

Marie Osmond's teenage son, Michael Blosil, has committed suicide by jumping to his death Friday night in Los Angeles, according to Entertainment Tonight.  According to Entertainment Tonight, Michael left a note explaining he intended to end his life after a lengthy battle with severe depression that left him, he said, feeling as if he had no friends and could never fit in.

I recall during an appearance on Larry King's show, she got very defensive when she was asked about Michael. He entered a rehab facility in 2007 for an undisclosed reason. His mother said at the time, "My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him."

Michael is one of eight children Osmond has raised with ex-husband Brian Blosil. Last March, Marie Osmond told PEOPLE magazine that her son seemed to be turning his life around and was finishing up his senior year of high school while living with his mom in Las Vegas, where she and her brother, Donny, headline a show.

Powerful 8.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Chile, Tsunami Sirens Sounding in Hawaii as Wave Nears

Powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake hits offshore Maule, Chile, death toll at 122 and rising.

 URGENT: Chile has been hit by a catasthropic earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter Scale. There is going to widespread devastation and loss of life. Tsunami sirens are sounding in Hawaii. This is the most powerful earthquake to hit Chile in half a century. There have been conflicting reports about the death toll, with some placing it so far as high as 122. The quake struck offshore Maule, Chile at a depth of 21.7 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake was only three miles from shore.

According to Fox News, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's tsunami warning monitors reported a wave measuring nearly eight feet hit near Talcahuano, Chile, about 90 minutes after the quake hit. Other waves of up to four feet hit other coastal areas. The NOAA has placed its alert on the highest level — severe.

The U.S. Geological Survey said a  number of aftershocks continue to hit Chile, the largest one registering at magnitude 6.9. There have been reports of a tidal wave that destroyed many buildings. The information coming in is very fluid.

Guatemala, Panama and Costa Rica also affected. The west coast of the United States and Canada are under a tsunami advisory.

More details to follow......

URGENT: 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan's Ryukyu Islands, Tsunami Warning Issued

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Japan's Ryukyu Islands, a tsunami warning has been issued.

URGENT: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Japan's Ryukyu Islands early Saturday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

According to CNN, Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory, recommending that people on the Okinawa Islands evacuate from the seashore. The advisory also affected the Amami Islands and Tokara Islands.

The quake struck at a depth of  six miles and occurred about 53 miles from Okinawa.

Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary Resigns, to be Replaced by Julianna Smoot

DRAMA: Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary, at the heart of the party crasher scandal, resigns. ABC News is reporting that she will be replaced by Julianna Smoot, Democratic fundraiser.

Rogers reportedly told the Chicago Sun-Times: "As we turn the corner on the first year, this is a good time for me to explore opportunities in the corporate world." Right. That sounds convincing enough. There's more to this than her desire to re-enter the corporate world.

The buzz is that she has been at odds with Valerie Jarrett. Not sure how true that is, but this woman just didn't get an epiphany to return back to the corporate world.

Jennifer Paulson, a Teacher at Birney Elementary School in Tacoma, Wa., Shot to Death, Male Suspect Killed by Police

More gun violence erupts at a school. Teacher Jennifer Paulson, 30, was shot and killed at Birney Elementary School in Tacoma, Wash., according to KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. The station is reporting that there were just a few kids at the school when it occurred. She was killed by Jed Waits, 30.

The teacher reportedly arrived at 7:30 a.m. and a man was already there waiting for her. Police said she knew the man. She had an anti-harassment order against Waits because he was infatuated with her. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime.

The suspect, fled the scene and was pursued by Tacoma police and Pierce County sheriff's deputies. He was fatally shot by sheriff's deputies a few blocks from the school, KIRO reported.

Still developing. More to follow.

Ethics Committee Says Rep. Charlie Rangel Violated Rules Over Hidden Financing, Rangel Digs in

House ethics committee says Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) broke the rules when he accepted Caribbean trips in violation of House rules.

BREAKING: The Associated Press is reporting that the House ethics committee has found that Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee broke the rules. He knowingly accepted Caribbean trips in violation of House rules that clearly forbids hidden financing by corporations. Er, shouldn't he be forced out of his position as chairman of this committee? He won't leave because House leader Nancy Pelosi won't make that a reality. How do you keep a tax cheat in the No. 1 position on the committee writing the tax laws? This is a mockery of the system. Nancy Pelosi said she would run the most ethical House of Representatives, but I beg to differ on the basis of the Democratic Party's continued coddling of Rangel.

A congressional source familiar with the findings but not authorized to be quoted by name said at least four of members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the trips in 2007 and 2008 have been exonerated.

Rangel is one of the most influential members of Congress because the committee he chairs writes laws setting tax rates and oversees Medicare and Social Security benefits. The decision is certain to raise questions whether he can continue that role in an election year in which Congress must deal with several expiring tax laws.

Charlie Rangel said, in a press conference Thursday evening, that the finding defied "common sense." Of course, he attempted to kick the can down the road to someone's else house. He said the probe found he did not know the trips in 2007 and 2008 were underwritten by corporations, but that two of his staffers did. Right. He further added, "Common sense dictates that members of Congress should not be held responsible for what could be the wrongdoing or errors of staff, unless there's reason to believe that the member knew or should have known -- and there's nothing in the record to indicate the latter." "I think right now I have to let the general community make its own judgment," Rangel said. So, now here's my two cents as a member of the general public, it's time for Charlie Rangel to step aside as chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee. Heck, it's high time for him to be voted out of office because he hasn't served the people of his congressional district with honor and dignity.

Still, let us be mindful that the ethics probe continues. The panel, which is composed of three Democrats and three Republicans, is still looking other issues, including his use of a rent-controlled apartment and his fundraising for the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service in New York City. This will, undoubtedly drag on for another year before we are able to entertain the prospect of this leech being kicked out of his leadership role. It's amazing that the members of the Congressional Black Caucus thinks anyone takes them seriously when they have a tax cheat and a pimp of the system in their ranks, among other issues.

BREAKING: Body Found in Vancouver, Thought to be Actor Andrew Koenig

BREAKING:  A body has been found in Vancouver. It is thought to be that of missing "Growing Pains" actor Andrew Koenig. According to the Vancouver Sun, the body was found at noon in Stanley Park. 

Koenig had a long history of depression and was last seen by friends on February 14th, Valentine's Day. The park was reportedly a favorite place of the actor since he lived there three years ago. The police had searched the park, but did not find his body at that time.

Depression is such a serious illness that people ought to take it more seriously.

Still developing. More to follow.....

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) Displays Total Ignorance in Meeting with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) displays total ignorance about two key economic concepts during Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's meeting with House Committee on Financial Services.

I liked Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) for her tenacity and her spirit, but I must say, I was taken aback by her complete ignorance during a meeting of the House Committee on Financial Services during which she resoundingly proved she has no clue about economics in any sense of the word. She questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke about why he was raising the federal funds rate, which he clearly stated he  was not raising. Her confusion stemmed from a misunderstanding of two completely different economic concepts -- federal funds rate and the discount rate, the latter of which Bernanke said was actually going up.

To be totally honest, most people don't have a clue what those two concepts mean, but if you sit on the House Finance Committee for about 20 years, you ought to know what that means. She should also understand key economic concepts that govern the Federal Reserve.

Ms. Waters' position was that Bernanke's "suggestion" to raise the federal funds rate would cause mortgage rates to rise, which is correct, but he isn't raising the federal funds rate. The discount rate has no bearing on mortgage or any consumer borrowing rates. It is the rate the Federal Reserve charges banks to borrow money directly from the Fed. The federal funds rate is what banks charge one another for overnight loans. This has a direct effect on borrowing rates for consumers.

You would think that Ms. Waters, at the very least, know the difference between the two. She probably will come out of this unscathed for the moment because all eyes are on the health care reform summit being held by President Obama. The reality is if she can't grasp two key economic concepts that play a role in the committee on which she sits, then one has to wonder how effective she has been for her constituents.

Here's a video of Maxine Waters' argument with Ben Bernanke.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Sprite Backpedals After Naming Members of White Sorority Winners in its "Step Off" Competition

Sprite backpedals on winner of "Sprite Step Off" competition in which all-white Zeta Tau Alpha sorority won. Claim a discrepancy was found and said there was a tie with black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Sprite just made a colossal capitulation to political correctness. The winners of the National Finals Competition held by Sprite in Atlanta were members of a white sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, who won $100,000. But now comes word from Sprite that they made a mistake. Sounds like backpedaling to me.
 
From Sprite.com

After the National Finals Competition this past weekend in Atlanta wrapped, we got together to do our post-competition review and found a scoring discrepancy in the sorority results. After looking at it and looking at it AGAIN, we determined there isn’t a definitive resolution.

Sprite is all about preserving the honesty and integrity of this competition. Because the scoring discrepancy can’t be resolved and due to the really tight margin between the first and second place sorors, we feel that the only right thing to do is to name both Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Chapter & Zeta Tau Alpha, Epsilon Chapter, co-first place winners of the Sprite Step Off.

With these revised results, we’re gonna increase Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Chapter’s scholarship prize to $100K, consistent with what Zeta Tau Alpha also got for their first prize winnings. Thanks again to everyone who helped make The Sprite Step Off happen. And to one last stroll in the name of unity...

Okay, I didn't pledge a sorority and I really don't pay much attention to their activities, but I am baffled as to why the fact that a white group won has riled so many blacks. We all know that "stepping" is a deeply rooted tradition in historically black fraternities, but has moved into the mainstream in recent years. Do we have an automatic pass on everything we claim to have started? Sounds very hypocritical to me because many whites have embraced many facets of our culture.

Below is the video of Zeta Tau Alpha's routine, as well as videos of performance from the AKAs. Judge for yourselves. Shouldn't the original decision stand? Or was Sprite forced to change its ruling days after the competition?

Single Black Women, It's Time to Look Outside Your Race for True Love

Author Karyn Langhorne Folan encourages single black women to look outside their race for Mr. Right and embrace interracial dating.

I came across a very interesting article in the Washington Post about single black women and going outside of their race to find love. According to writer Karyn Langhorne Folan, "black women are in market failure." She adds, "the solution is to find a new market for your commodity. And in this case, we are the commodity and the new market is men of other races." Mrs. Folan, who is the author of "Don't Bring a White Boy: And Other Notions that Keep Black Women from Dating Out," encourages black women to date and marry outside of their race.  The author has joined the debate, which has been raging for a long time, about the state of marriage for single and highly educated black women. According to a 2008 population survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, single black women with college degrees outnumber single black men with college degrees by almost 3 to 1. In short, there's gold in the hills, just look.

My views on the subject is people are free to date whomever they wish. I am not against interracial dating. There is good in everyone and if your Mr. Right is a white or Hispanic man, then so be it. Follow your heart. But I must caution by saying that there are many good black men out there looking for love as well. The reality is that it's time single black women divest and look elsewhere. Black men have been doing that for years -- Sidney Poitier, Taye Diggs and James Earl Jones, for example. A survey shows that about 73 percent of black/white marriages are between black men and white women. According to the Washington Post, there is strong evidence out there -- empirical and anecdotal, that show that an increasing number of black women are expanding their horizons.

I don't view an interracial relationship between a black and white as a sell-out by the black person. I grew up in a family where one's self-worth wasn't based on the color of one's skin, but on the content of your character and your ambitions. I have dated outside my race and it wasn't because I was a sell-out. It was because I genuinely connected with this man on so many levels. Our relationship lasted for about two years before we broke up. Our relationship ended, not because of pressures from people who just couldn't deal with an interracial couple, but because we grew apart. I met my husband, a black man, shortly thereafter. We dated for two years and then we got married in 1994. I must also interject that I spent my formative years in Jamaica and I strongly believe in the island's motto -- "out of many, one people." For me, it's never about the color of one's skin. We are all the same people. We just come in different "flavors." Our differences should not be a deterrent. It should be an asset to be embraced.

Here's my favorite singer, Patti Labelle, singing her hit song "Right Kinda Lover" that is so appropriate for this subject.

London Mayor Boris Johnson Drastically Cuts Funding for Black History Month Celebrations

London mayor Boris Johnson cuts funding for Black History Month celebrations, sparks outrage along racial lines. He increased funding for USA Day instead.

Britain's Notting Hill riot, 1958

As we approach the close of America's Black History Month, it is interesting to note that similar celebrations in England have recently come under fire. Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has cut funding for Black History Month, which is held in October. He has slashed funding for a series of high-profile multicultural events, but he spent £100,000 into a new venture to celebrate America, that's the problem I have with his actions. The Guardian states that he cut spending for Black History Month from £132,000 to £10,000, though city hall insists the previous figure was £76,000. It should also be noted that he made similar cuts for Jewish events as well, so let's just keep it real that this doesn't seem to be a deliberate dig at blacks.

Some have said the actions of Mayor Johnson are "outrageous." But are they? Shouldn't black history be incorporated in schools yearlong? I have asked this question repeatedly about the celebrations here in the United States. Black History Month as it is portrayed now in the media seems to be of little cultural value. I would venture to say that 10 years ago there were more celebratory activities that were broadcast in some capacity. Today, the opposite is true.  It is becoming a divisive issue along racial backgrounds because some say it re-opens old wounds and actually fans the flames of racism all over again. Personally, the contributions of our brave black ancestors must to told to our young people. I suspect that in London, the contributions of people of color have largely been absent from history books.

There seems to be a growing backlash in London that feeds into the notion that multiculturalism has encroached on the rights of white Britons. The reality is that it's time for black Britons to stand up and have their voices heard. They should get off the sidelines, where they have become increasingly disengaged from politics for past decades. Celebrating Black History Month isn't a fix by any stretch of the imagination. They need to fight to be included in everyday life in the United Kingdom, particularly in London. The celebration and commemoration of black contributions shouldn't be relegated to a month. It should be included in school year-round.

The "black experience" is woven into the fabric of the essence of England because if its involvement in colonialism and the slave trade. There are approximately 1.5 million people of African and Caribbean descent living in the United Kingdom.  Even decades after the "Notting Hill Riots," which occurred in late August and early September of 1958, many people of African descent still experience racism in some way in England. For example, the Jamaica Sunday Gleaner commissioned a poll among Jamaicans in Britain in 2007, and found that the respondents believed there is a staggering level of racism.  The survey found that a majority of Jamaicans in Great Britain believed the scourge of racism had intensified in recent years. On that basis, the drastic cuts in funding can be viewed through the lens of racism, thought I think that's a notion without roots. It is obvious that there are real race relations issues in Great Britain, but I don't see how Black History Month will dispel the flawed views some whites have of blacks.

Let me revisit the issue of increased funding by Mayor Johnson for USA Day. He defended his decision to increase the outlay of funds to £100,000 ($150, 000) on the grounds that it will attract more American tourists to the capital. Really? This is just a ploy to subsidize the wealthiest Americans. We all know that the recession has taken a tremendous toll on the middle class, so it's safe to say he's intention isn't to attract that group. So, on that basis, I call his decision to cut funding for Black History Month a real shame. He should cut funding for USA Day as well.

I will close by stating that it is obvious that the celebration  of Black History Month, in the United States and Great Britain, continues to be a hot-button issue. The contributions of our ancestors shouldn't be celebrated one month and then forgotten for the rest of the year. The historians need to tell the truth and not omit the contributions of blacks, Latinos, American Indians, and others from our history. If you want to bring people together, you have to tell the truth and not deliberately deny every child the right to learn about their country's history and the contributions of great men and women.

TERROR: Dubai Mall's Glass in Giant Shark-Filled Aquarium Cracks

SHOCK: Dubai Mall's shark-filled aquarium glass cracks as people walk around the mall. Tank is home to 400 sharks and other species.

Terror as Dubai mall shark tank cracks. This comes on the heels of the tragic death of Dawn Brancheau, an experienced trainer at SeaWorld, by a killer whale, Tilikum. Dubai has been pushing the limits of innovation for a long time and it seems that the wheels are literally flying off. According to the Sun, a Dubai Mall official said that the viewing platform of a giant shark-filled aquarium, where the glass is 75cm thick has cracked.

The tank is located on the mall's ground floor. Witnesses said the crack in the glass was visible and a lot of water had leaked on the floor.

The tank, which is dubbed an "indoor ocean," is one of the largest in the world. It reportedly contains more than 33,000 living animals, from 85 species, including 400 sharks and stingrays, the Dubai Mall's website says. The mall, which was opened seven months ago, is operated by Emaar Properties.

Sorry, but there is a limit to the madness. Who wants to have a giant aquarium at a mall?

Photo credit: Dubai Mall giant indoor aquarium, REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Patti Labelle Says Some 'American Idol' Judges Aren't Qualified

R&B legend Patti Labelle says some American Idol judges aren't qualified.

R&B legend Patti Labelle told it like it really is about "American Idol." She said, in an interview with the Associated Press, that some "American Idol" judges aren't qualified to judge. I wonder who her comments were directed at? Ms. Labelle declined to identify the judge(s) with whom she took offense. I find it hard to believe it would be Randy Jackson or Simon Cowell. Could it be Ellen DeGeneres, who has NO experience in the music business? Simon Cowell has been very mean to contestants and I have to wonder if her comments were directed at him. Ms. Labelle was very upset about the nastiness of some of the judge's comments. She said, “the comments that were made, they could make you, like, want to kill yourself.”“If you believe in yourself, just go for it,” she said of her advice. “What do you have to lose? And when people tell you, ‘You can’t,’ you have to say, ‘I can.'" Amen sister! Patti Labelle is a class act and I am glad she told them like it really is!

Dawn Brancheau, Animal Trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, Killed by Killer Whale Named "Tilikum" in Shamu Stadium

Dawn Brancheau, animal trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, killed by killer whale, Tilikum, after falling into the whale's tank. She reportedly drowned.

Dawn Brancheau, an animal trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, was killed Wednesday afternoon during an accident at Shamu Stadium, law enforcement officials said. Brancheau, 40, has extensive training experience and has worked at the park since February 1994. According to the Orlando Sentinel, park officials said she was in a whale holding area when she apparently slipped or fell into the tank and was fatally injured by one of the park's killer whales.

Two witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel that one of the park's whales had the woman by the upper arm, tossing her around in its mouth as it swam rapidly around and around in the tank. Brancheau was bleeding from the face or mouth, according to eyewitness reports to the Sentinel, and the whale turned her over and over as it swam.

This is, indeed, a sad turn of events. It seems as though that whale, named Tilikum, has been involved in at least one other accident in the park.  The whale was sold to SeaWorld as a stud in 1992, and was involved in an accident when authorities found the body of a naked man lying across his back in July, 1999, the Orlando Sentinel said. Authorities concluded that the man had either entered the park after hours or was hidden in the park until it closed and died from hypothermia in 55-degree water. Additionally, the whale was blamed for the drowning of one of his trainers in 1991 while he was performing at Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia. This begs the question of why in the world this whale was part of the show since he has displayed troublesome behavior in the past? The management of SeaWorld saw dollar signs, instead of protecting the welfare of their trainers.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Ms. Brancheau. SeaWorld has suspended its killer whale show in the aftermath of this terrible accident. What's sad is that these animals and others in zoos and aquariums across the globe are taken out of their natural habitat and forced to live in confined spaces and fed by humans. I have always found this to be quite inhumane and a little abhorrent, if you ask me. I know some people will blame the whale, but it's called a killer whale for a reason. Take Roy Horn, one half of Siegfried & Roy, who was mauled by a Bengal tiger in 2003. He had been around this tiger for a long time and the animal just snapped for whatever reason and left him fighting for his life. People it is not normal to domesticate these animals.

UPDATE#1: Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators said today that Dawn Brancheau died from "multiple traumatic injuries and drowning" after a killer whale pulled her underwater by her long pony tail near the theme park's Shamu Stadium.

U.S. Missile Defense Agency's New Logo Causes Uproar Online, Stark Resemblance to Obama Campaign Logo

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency's new logo causes uproar online, with its close resemblance to Islam's crescent moon and star.

What's in a logo? Well, apparently the right wing seems to see the Islamic symbols, the crescent moon and star, in the lastest logo unveiled by the Missile Defense Agency. What is also interesting is the correlation between then-candidate Barack Obama's campaign logo. See for yourself.

Here are President Obama's campaign logo:

Here is the Islamic crescent moon and star, that has riled so many people because of terroristic acts:

So, here we are again, dealing with the notion that President Obama is somehow tied to Islam. I guess I could ask who was the genius behind the design of this new logo. Surely he or she should have known it would cause an uproar of sorts. What I find absolutely mindboggling is the fact that we are in a recession and the government continues to waste money. I am pretty sure it cost a lot of money to change the logo on its stationery, website, office buildings, etc. Shameful. Absolutely shameful.

Rhode Island School District Fires 88 Teachers at Poverty-Ridden Central Falls High School for Next School Year

Central Falls School District decides to fire all 88 teachers at poverty-ridden high school, effective for the 2010-2011 school year.

The educational system in some pockets of the United States continues its downward spiral. The school board of Rhode Island's Central Falls School District has voted to fire all teachers at Central Falls High School, which has been struggling for years. The school is located in a poverty-ridden district.

On Tuesday night, the board approved the plan by Frances Gallo, superintendent at Central Falls School District, to discharge 88 teachers at Central Falls High School. The firings come over the district's concern that teachers refused to spend more time with students to improve test scores.

But a teachers' union spokesman called the firings "drastic" and cited a 21 percent rise in reading scores and a three percent hike in math scores in two years. Source: CNN

It is such a sad commentary that the welfare of the students lie in the balance, while each side thinks only of its welfare in this matter. The terminations will go into effect for the 2010 - 2011 school year. The reality is that there should be a pay structure based on performance for teachers. All too often we hear stories of some teachers not being able to pass their continuing education courses. It is amazing that the poorest areas are often the recipients of drastic cuts in education and social services.

It's Time to Stop the Violence in Our Communities

I am saddened by the recent murder-suicide which took place in Queens, New York. Once again we are reminded that violence is a scourge on our community. Make no mistake about it, domestic violence crosses all ethnic, socio-economic lines and transcends all barriers.

I grieve for the families of Dionne, Yonique and Yolon. The surviving family members will need grief counseling in oder to cope with the magnitude of their loss. But the question I ask is, could this have been avoided? What were the warning signs? It is important to note that the wife had left the home due to a separation some weeks before. The story becomes even more sinister as the husband acquires a gun when his wife moved back home.

The wife, Dionne Bailey, is an educated individual pursuing a doctoral degree, while the husband, no offense to anyone, is a bus driver. It is clear the emotional and tense fights and differences these dissenting careers bring to the household. What becomes even more clear is that Dionne's sister, Dorrett Combs, immediately suspected something was wrong when Dionne didn't answer the door Monday morning. This is a sign that domestic violence was present in the home.

Domestic violence can be emotional, financial and physical. It usually starts as mental and emotional pressure, quarrels, arguments, insistence on doing things his way and you are a bad person if you don't, which progresses to choking, pushing, shoving, slapping, then becomes full blown physical violence. The lessons learned here should not be ignored. If you know someone experiencing these signs, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline @1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or 1.800.787.3224 (TTY). I pray for the survivors of this family. I pray for their strength during this time.

If you are a professional woman, and successful at what ever your occupation is, be careful of the men you invite into your life. Some characteristics to look for are, charming, seductive, wants to make a good impression on you, flirtatious, seems to be the answer to your dreams. My advice to you is to give it some time, the charming veneer usually wears off and the real person starts shining through. But because you have been seduced by his charms, and have fallen victim to his seductive behaviors, you don't see the freight train coming at you. This is why when you are dating, you engage in group activities, bring the person to meet your relatives and friends.

Spend time with him to observe and learn his ways and behavior patterns. Does he insist on getting his own way, charmingly at first. When you go out to a restaurant, does he insist on ordering for you? Ignoring your wishes and making decisions on what is best for you based on what he thinks you should have or does he tell you what you should wear? When your phone rings does he ask who is calling? Don't ignore the signs. Anyone who tries to control whom you spend your time with or whom you speak to on the phone or controls your hours of work, does not love you. Educate yourself on the profiles of abusers. For more information visit the national domestic violence web site : http://www.ndvh.org/.

It is time to stop the violence. We must work to end violence against women and children.

U.S. Unveils Plan for $1 Billion London Embassy, Complete with a Moat to Act as a Deterrent from Terrorists

Coming soon, the most expensive U.S. embassy built, will be on Battersea wasteland in London, complete with a moat. Where is the fiscal oversight President Obama promised us?

While millions of workers in America continue to lose their jobs and their homes, the best thing the American government could do is to spend $1 billion on a new embassy in London. According to the U.K. Times Online, the embassy is one of the most expensive ever built.  It is absolutely unfathomable that the powers that be could sit aside and let this occur, when education is on the chopping block in so many states. For example, in Dekalb County, Atlanta, four schools will most likely be shuttered and the school week and year reduced to cover  budget shortfalls. This is crazy.

The embassy will be built on the Battersea wasteland as a crystalline cube surrounded by a moat. It will be designed by Kieran Timberlake, a Philadelphia architect. So, is this the best use for our money? Of course, the moat is being touted as a deterrent for would-be bombers by separating the building from the road and would reportedly remove the need for the blast barriers. Still, isn't this a colossal waste of resources, considering we are in the midst of an economic quagmire?

The State Department sought to play down the cost of security measures, noting the expense of London building work. But the price puts the London embassy above the US’s most fortified missions, including the Baghdad embassy, which cost $600 million (£390 million) but required a further $100 million of work on air conditioning, and the Islamabad embassy, still under construction, which has cost more than $850 million. Source: Times Online

I continue to be dismayed at the actions of the Obama administration. There is a serious disconnect in what then-presidential candidate Obama said and what he has done since ascending the presidency. Where's that budgetary oversight that would eliminate waste? Why do we need to build a new embassy at this juncture, all things considered?

Darrell Issa (R-CA) Indicates Openness To Probing Saudi Ownership Stake in Fox News

Top Republican investigator, Darrell Issa (CA) indicates openness in probing Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's stake in Fox News.

Well, what do you know, Fox News just got in a king sized bed with the Saudis. According to Financial Times, Rotana Media, the broadcaster and music group owned by Saudi billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has agreed to sell a $70 million to News Corp. The global media empire, headed by Rupert Murdoch, agreed to purchase a 9.09 percent stake with an option to purchase up to 18.18 percent.  This is News Corp.'s largest foray so far in the Middle East and it has caught the attention of an elected official, namely Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). who serves as the top Republican investigator as the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.

The love affair between Murdoch and the Saudis have gone on for quite some time. Prince Alwaleed's Kingdom Holdings owns seven percent of News Corp.'s class B stock and is the largest shareholder outside the Murdoch family, according to the Financial Times. This is all very interesting. Talk about fair and balanced.

Issa told Think Progress that said he was troubled in particular by foreign investors buying up American broadcasting companies. Prince Alwaleed is also a major shareholder in Citigroup and his Kingdom Holdings is the parent of the Four Seasons Hotel chain.

Here's the exchange with Think Progress during CPAC:

NAACP Comes Under Fire Over Upcoming Image Award Honor to Former Green Czar Van Jones

The NAACP comes under fire for upcoming Image Award honor to former Obama administration Green Czar Van Jones over his "extremist" past.

Former White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs Van Jones will be awarded one of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's (NAACP) highest honors, the President's Image Award. This has sparked some controversy because, Jones resigned under a cloud of suspicion over his history with extremist groups and the website 911Truth.org rallied a conservative movement that cost him his job in the Obama administration despite his stellar track record as an advocate for the environment. Jones, who is the founder of Green For All, was literally thrown to a pack of rabid conservatives by the White House. You would think that the vetting process would have uncovered his so-called extremist associations. The White House was slow to react and the right wing, led by Fox News nutjob Glenn Beck, hammered away incessantly, until Jones was forced out of his job. The right wing painted him as an evil mastermind, who conspired to make the United States a communist country.

Well, the NAACP hasn't exactly shied away from controversy in recent years, so I am not terribly surprised that they would honor Van Jones. Todd Jealous, NAACP President, said Jones deserves the award and "may be the most misunderstood man in America." Really? I have no doubts about Jones' body of work, but it seems that the extra baggage he has been carrying around is a real problem for many. Todd Jealous calls Jones a "national treasure." Wow. That will certainly rub the right wing the wrong way.

Van Jones also may be the most misunderstood man in America. He resigned from the White House last year after some sought to discredit him for missteps, such as political statements made years ago. However, we can never afford to forget that a defining trait of our country is our collective capacity to practice forgiveness and celebrate redemption. This is a nation built on second chances.

In America, we ultimately judge people on what they are doing today for tomorrow, not for what they did yesterday. When former Alabama Governor George Wallace embraced integration, we forgave him for having championed segregation. When West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd embraced civil rights legislation, we forgave him for having defended racist organizations. Source: CNN

To be fair, this is a country of second chances and shouldn't Van Jones be afforded the same treatment? Yes, the decision by the NAACP to honor this man may be a controversial one, but hasn't he done enough to redeem himself in the eyes of his critics? He has fought tirelessly for the environment and didn't become the "father" of the green jobs movement by accident. He did so through hard work, tenacity and dedication to a cause he believed in. He helped to initiate the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, which was one of the first job training programs in the nation that targeted low-income people for work in the solar and green industries. The reality is that this program has become a model that has been emulated across the United States.

Gee, let's see. Did Glenn Beck ever do something in his youth that he wouldn't do as an adult? He was a drug addict and an alcoholic. I bet he has some Kodak moments from his drug and alcohol binges. I bet he would have done things differently if he had the chance. I don't hear anyone castigating him because of his missteps or even for comments he has made in the past and still continues to this very day. He has made a name for himself demonizing people. The same holds true for Rush Limbaugh, who found himself in a scandal involving doctor-shopping and Viagra.

Pat Buchanan, who was reportedly suspended from college for punching a police officer over a traffic ticket, is another person who comes to mind. He played an integral role in the administration of President Richard Nixon. It has been said that he was involved in Nixon's "dirty tricks," including -- his suggestion to use IRS audits as a weapon against peace activists, left-leaning organizations and other Nixon enemies. I have often wondered how he emerged from the Watergate scandal unscathed. It has been said he frantically urged President Nixon, as the scandal intensified, to burn secret White House tapes, which were later found to have an inexplicable 18-minute gap. There's more on Buchanan. His tenure in the Reagan administration came to an end after he urged the president to pay his respects at a German military cemetery where Nazi soldiers were buried. Oh no, all that gets swept under a rug and Pat Buchanan's political analysis is often sought after by the media.

Don't get me wrong, Van Jones isn't above admonishment for his past associations or comments, but when should the criticisms end? It will be very interesting to see how the NAACP wades through the rising waters of criticism and fierce opposition to this honoree and if they will buckle under the weight of this controversy. It is a controversial choice, but the NAACP's Image Awards have made some controversial choices in the past.  For example, in 1994, Tupac Shakur was a nominee for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for the movie "Poetic Justice," even though he had been charged in December 1993 with sexually abusing a woman. Singer R. Kelly's "Chocolate Factory" was nominated for Outstanding Album even though he was under indictment for charges related to child pornography. So, where was the outrage at the NAACP then? Seems a little disingenuous.

Actor Charlie Sheen Enters Rehab, Takes Break from Show "Two and a Half Men"

Actor Charlie Sheen enters rehab for undisclosed cause and decides to take a break from CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men." Isn't this a little too late?

Actor Charlie Sheen has entered rehab and has taken a break from his show, "Two and a Half Men." Gee, I wondered when the pressure for him to step aside was going to manifest itself, since other "celebrities,"  most notably black ones, are always forced out. CBS has also announced that it is temporarily halting production of the show. So, here's my question -- who's taking care of the couple's kids since they are both in rehab? Wow. This is golden. Can you imagine if this scenario was playing out for Denzel Washington, for example? Talk about a double standard.

Sorry, but I have no pity for Charlie Sheen. He has been portrayed as a verbally abusive man by former wife Denise Richardson and Brooke Mueller, as well as by past girlfriends. He should have been forced to take a break from the show when the news first broke that he was arrested last year for allegedly assaulting his wife in Aspen, Colo. He was charged with felony menacing and misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault and criminal mischief.

It is also interesting to note that this move comes after Los Angeles child protective services visited the actor and the couple's infant sons last weekend. Some people just shouldn't have kids. The network should have forced Sheen off the air when the news broke that he assaulted his wife. Chris Brown was black-listed for his fight with Rihanna, as he should. The same treatment should be meted out to Charlie Sheen, who is no stranger to being in trouble with the law. Domestic violence is nothing to be taken lightly and Charlie Sheen has been given a pass to re-offend.

Gun Fire at Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, CO, Two Students Shot, Man in Police Custody

URGENT: Shooting at Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Co. Two students shot and suffering from non-life threatening injuries. Alleged gunman identified as Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood.

Two students, Regan Webber and Matt Thieu, were shot at Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Co., by Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, 32, Tuesday afternoon. He faces two counts of attempted murder, according to the Jefferson County sheriff's office. According to CBS4 Denver, the injuries are" non-life threatening." Still, I can't help but remember the massacre at Columbine High School, also in Littleton, in 1999. The suspect, in this latest incident, is an adult male who is in police custody.

The incident reportedly occurred shortly after classes ended at 3:05 p. m.  Deer Creek Middle School is located at 9201 W. Columbine Drive and is 78 percent white and eight percent Hispanic. According to the Denver Post,  Mark Techmeyer, spokesman for the sheriff's department, said the two juveniles have been transported to a hospital. He said one victim was shot inside the school, while the other was shot outside. He said the perpetrator used a "high-powered weapon" in the shooting. The alleged perpetrator has had a history of mental illness and gun violence.

The gun violence is escalating in this country and something drastic has to be done. Too many innocent people are losing their lives or being seriously injured. Yesterday I reported about a heinous act committed by Mark Bailey in which he killed his wife of 19 years and their two children, before turning the gun on himself. This is unconscionable.

One Killed, Another Injured in Shooting at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona

URGENT: One person was killed and another injured in a shooting that occurred at Luke Air Force Base, located in Litchfield, AZ, which trains pilots to fly F-16s, according to MyFox5.

Capt. Gonzales, a spokesman for the base said at 11 p.m. Monday night two individuals ran the main base entrance gate with their car.

A security forces officer reportedly confronted two men inside the car, previously reported stolen, said Officer Karen Gerardo, the public information officer at the Glendale Police Department.

When the officer got out of his car to try to make contact with the two men, the car drove directly at him. The officer shot at the car, which then crashed, said Gerardo. One of the occupants of the vehicle was killed. His cause of death has not been determined. The other person in the car was injured and transported to a hospital.

Terrorism isn't suspected in this incident and it is being reported that the impression is that these men were just car thieves.

BREAKING: Former VP Dick Cheney Hospitalized with Chest Pains

SHOCK:  Dick Cheney has been hospitalized with chest pains. According to the Huffington Post, a spokesperson has confirmed the report to multiple news outlets.

You would think that since he has a history of heart problems, he would try to stay calm and be a much nicer person, instead of spewing all this unfounded vitriol against President Barack Obama.

More information to follow shortly.

Mark Bailey, NY Bus Driver, Kills Wife, Dionne and Daughters, Yonique and Yolon, in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Mark Bailey, a bus driver, shot his wife, Dionne and two daughters, in apparent murder-suicide in Springfield Gardens, Queens.

Mark Bailey, a Nassau County bus driver, shot and killed his wife, Dionne, who is an assistant principal at Philip Randolph High School, and their two daughters before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide Monday morning in Queens, NY. According to the NY Post, he left a note behind saying he was "sorry for committing the gruesome crime." The couple was reportedly experiencing marital problems, which led to Dionne Bailey moving out of the home for a few weeks before recently returning. It is being reported that she was scared of her husband of 19 years because he had a gun.

Cops reportedly discovered the four bodies at 145-20 230th Place in Springfield Gardens after he shot his family in their bedrooms. All four had gunshot wounds to the head and Bailey used a 9mm pistol to carry out his cowardly and horrific act.

His daughters, Yonique, 19, who was a student at Stony Brook University and the other, 14-year-old Yolon, a student at Cardozo High School, did not deserve the hand they were dealt. This horrific crime hits home because the family moved from Jamaica, the land of my birth, 10 years ago.

Law enforcement was called when Dionne, who was supposed to get a ride from her sister, Dorrett Combs, at about 7 a.m. never showed up and no one answered the door or telephone at the home, according to the NY Post.  Dionne's brother-in-law reportedly peeked through on open window and saw one of the dead bodies, then the cops broke down front door to gain entry into the home.

Dionne Bailey was finishing her doctoral thesis in education leadership. I hate to be callous, but it is obvious she married beneath her. No man who loved and cared deeply about his wife and children would ever commit such a heinous act.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victims. Mark Bailey was a coward for taking the lives of his wife and children. This is no justification for this heinous crime.

NYPD Officers Accused of Sodomizing Michael Mineo in Brooklyn Subway Station Acquitted on All Charges

NYPD officers accused of sodomizing Michael Mineo in Brooklyn subway station acquitted on all charges.

Three cops with the New York Police Department were acquitted of sodomizing Michael Mineo and covering  up the incident. Officer Richard Kern was accused of assaulting the man inside Brooklyn's Prospect Park subway station on October 15, 2008, while Officers Andrews Morales and Alex Cruz were charged with covering up the attack, after they caught the accused smoking marijuana. The incident flew under the mainstream media's radar for a while until Mineo's lawyers and Rev. Al Sharpton went public with the accusations against the police. This certainly doesn't rise to the same level as the Tawana Brawley case, but many will make the argument that Rev. Al jumped the gun and went to bat for this man.

Kern faced as many as 25 years in prison on a charge of aggravated sexual abuse. Morales and Cruz faced up to four years in prison on charges of hindering prosecution. During the trial in Brooklyn Supreme Court, a defense expert testified that Mineo could not have been sodomized.

"Do I have an opinion on it?" asked Dr. Frank Sconzo, a colorectal surgeon. "Yeah, I don't believe it happened." Sconzo testified that Mineo should have had severe bruising, muscle damage and even a fractured tailbone, if he was, as prosecutors claim, sodomized by Kern.

The defense also argued that DNA found on the baton did not conclusively belong to Mineo. At first, the NYPD questioned Mineo’s account and allowed the officers to stay on duty. Source: NY Daily News

It should be noted that the officers did not arrest Mineo. According to the NY Daily News, Kern said the officers decided  not to arrest him because collars for marijuana possession were a low priority for the department. I find that troublesome since there was an open warrant for this man's arrest. Still, one's past transgressions shouldn't be used to disqualify him on the spot. He, too, can be the victim of police brutality, which was not proven in this case. The officers were acquitted by a jury comprised of six women and six men.

Gerard Depardieu Plays Role of France's Cultural Icon, Alexandre Dumas, a Man of Color

French actor Gerard Depardieu's starring role in movie about French novelist Alexandre Dumas sparks controversy over why a white man is playing a black man.

The story of Alexandre Dumas, the famous French novelist, has made it to the silver screen, but not without its share of controversy. You see, Alexandre Dumas was a man of color. So, why is Gerard Depardieu playing him in the new film "L'Autre Dumas" or "The Other Dumas?" Dumas is the author of such famous novels as "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers." He was the grandson of a freed Haitian slave and a French nobleman. Still, that didn't deter the producers of the movie from enlisting Depardieu, France's busiest actor, from taking on the role. The blue-eyed, blond-hair actor had to darken his skin and don a curly wig for his starring role as Alexandre Dumas. Depardieu has reportedly called the hotly debated issue over his role as "ridiculous" and "unnecessary." Gee, are there no light-skinned black men who could have played this role?

So, am I to assume that Denzel Washington will play Marlo Brando in a movie about his life? Black actors are not chosen to play white roles, as far as I can remember. France's Representative Council for Black Associations also echo my sentiments. They have vehemently objected to Depardieu's role, saying black actors are not chosen to play white roles in French cinema. "It's very shocking and it is insulting," Patrick Lozes, president of the council, told the London Daily Mail. "It is a way of saying that we don't have any black actors who have the talent to play Alexandre Dumas, which of course is not true." He added, "In 150 years' time could the role of [U.S. President] Barack Obama be played in a film by a white actor with a fuzzy wig?" he added. "Can Martin Luther King be played by a white?"

Dumas, who was born in Villers-Cotterêts in the department of Aisne, in Picardy, died in 1870. He was one of a handful of national cultural figures of color in France. I would venture to say that many people of color have no clue who this man is or even about his black ancestry. By casting a white man in the role to play Dumas furthers the notion that there is a mechanism of permanent discrimination by silence in our society.

Georgia Counties Considering Four-Day School Week to Fill Budget Shortfall

It is amazing that the first thing on the chopping block in many state governments is education. According to WSB-TV, due to looming budget cuts, more Georgia school systems are considering reducing the school week. Great. Georgia already ranks close to bottom of the list, in terms of test scores and graduation rates, among all the states. It is amazing that politicians hold the key to the quality of our children's education in the public school system. The government continues to fail our kids and that is a dangerous trend. "No Child Left Behind" really did leave children behind. It wasn't the success the Bush Administration had hoped.

One county already took that step. Peach County decided to hold classes Tuesdays through Fridays last fall. It was their answer to filling a nearly $800,000 budget shortfall. County officials have estimated they saved $313,000 in transportation and utilities costs by making the schedule change, according to WSB-TV. Teachers in Peach County work on Mondays, but they hold no classes. The move came after Gov. Sonny Perdue announced last year that the state's teachers should take three unpaid furlough days and public school systems must slash three percent from their budgets.

According to a press release issued by the school board, school hours were changed to 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. for elementary students and 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. for middle and high school students from Tuesday through Friday of each week. In addition, all school staff members will have to take a three day furlough. Peach County schools consistently rank lower than the state average in test scores, so one has to wonder if a four-day school week, with hours not increased by much, will be in the best interest of the students.

It is amazing that President Obama is touting the benefits of a longer school year and county officials, in Georgia at least, want to cut the school week. The Obama Administration's vision for our students is stated quite clearly on Whitehouse.gov. President Obama says he is committed to ensuring that America will regain its lost ground and have the highest proportion of students graduating from college in the world by 2020. How can we get to that position if counties are cutting education budgets year after year? He also believes that investment in education must be accompanied by reform and innovation. Then it's clear that there is a terrible disconnect between his vision and reality. Really? Well, the governors and school boards of many states and counties are singing a different tune. Go figure.

L'Officiel Hommes' Latest Issue Dedicated to Arthur Sales Marred in Controversy Over Blackface Photos

Menswear magazine L'Officiel Hommes under fire for white models, including Arthur Sales, in blackface in "Keep It Goin' Louder" photo shoot.

Arthur Sales in blackface in latest issue of  L'Officiel Hommes magazine

First French Vogue created ripples with its October issue, when it featured Lara Stone in blackface. The backlash was huge. You would think the French would backtrack from that fanning the flames of controversy, but no. French menswear magazine L'Officiel Hommes just did the same exact shoot with a bunch of white male models in its "Keep It Goin’ Louder" spread. It's surprising, to say the least, that after all the furor the blackface pictures in French Vogue caused, L'Officiel Hommes would even dare to take the risk. Milan Vukmirovic was the photographer. The issue was dedicated to a significant career highlight in the life of Arthur Sales, but this honor is tainted with controversy -- blackface.

Sorry, but these photographs are demeaning on so many levels. First of all, the French didn't commit the same atrocities against blacks as American history has shown us, still, the publication, or any other for that matter, shouldn't play dress-up with the identity of others. When you step into that realm, you are walking a fine line between being daring and being plain racist.

Sengalese President Abdoulaye Wade Suggests Repatriating Haitians to Africa

Senegal's president Abdoulaye Wade has made a controversial suggestion about Haiti. He has called for Africa to make room for victim's of the island nation's massive earthquake to restart their lives on the "continent from where their ancestors were snatched as slaves."

"The repeated calamities that befall Haiti prompt me to propose a radical solution -- to take measures to create somewhere in Africa... the conditions for Haitians to return," President Abdoulaye Wade told France Info radio. "They did not choose to go to that island," he added, referring to the mass deportation of African slaves to Haiti, then a French colony, from the 16th century.

"It is our duty to recognize their right to come back to the land of their ancestors."His spokesman Mamadou Bamba Ndiaye gave further details of the proposals."If it is just a few people, we will offer them a roof and a patch of land," he told the radio station. "If they come in large numbers, we will give them a whole region."

"It wouldn't be the first time that former slaves or their descendants were brought back to Africa," said Wade, citing similar measures taken in Liberia. "Now the problem is to know how, and who will bear the cost." Source: AFP

Well, I know he means well, but I seriously doubt repatriating to Africa is the solution for what ails the Haitian people at this juncture. Personally, I think, though his intentions are basically good, this is a recipe for disaster, but what do you think?

Negrohead Mountain Renamed After John Ballard, Black Pioneer Who Settled in the Peak in 1880s

Negrohead Mountain renamed after John Ballard, black pioneer who settled in the region after winning freedom from slavery.

Negrohead Mountain, formerly known as Niggerhead Mountain, located in Southern California's Santa Monica range, was officially renamed Saturday in honor of John Ballard, a former slave who bought land on the mountain in 1880.  The mountain, located near Malibu, is the highest peak in the area topping out at 2,031 feet. The original name, Niggerhead Mountain, appeared on federal maps but was changed to "negro" in the 1960s. According to the L.A. Times, about 90 people including two dozen Ballard descendants attended the renaming ceremony Saturday at the site where Ballard owned a 320-acre homestead near what is now the community of Seminole Hot Springs.

So, who is John Ballard? He was born in Kentucky and moved to Agoura in the Santa Monica Mountains after winning his freedom from slavery. He set up a new home in the mountains and continued with his trade, as a blacksmith. His family joined the 60 other black residents in Los Angeles county, which back then had a population of just 4,000, a far cry from today. Ballard is an unsung pioneer. He survived the physically challenging rigors of slavery, traveled across the country in a wagon and purchased a lot of land, founded the town's first African Methodist Episcopal church, sold lumber and still plied his trade as a blacksmith. He is a man worthy of admiration and his story should be told because he overcame insurmountable odds to triumph and leave an indelible mark on the fabric of American life.

John Ballard's story is very interesting and riveting.

The arrival of the railroad triggered a land boom in Los Angeles in the 1880s, boosting property values and bringing the city its first sense of class structure and the beginnings of segregation. Ballard packed up his family and moved about 50 miles west to the snug valley in the middle of the Santa Monica range. He settled first on 160 acres -- space that eventually doubled in size when one of his seven children, daughter Alice, claimed an adjoining plot. Besides raising livestock and a few crops, Ballard collected firewood in the nearby mountains and sold it in Los Angeles.

"The Ballard house was something to behold. It was built of willow poles, rocks, mud and Babcock Buggy signs ("Best on Earth"), Maier & Zobelein Lager Beer signs and any other kind of sign the old man picked up. Hardly a Sunday passed where there were not several buggies, spring wagons and loads of people going down the canyon to see the place," he wrote.

Ballard fought against some serious odds. The newly arriving white settlers wanted to have no part of living with a "negro." They forced him and his family out, by burning his house and harassed him until he moved 50 miles away and purchased 300-plus acres of land. The new settlers thought they won a major feat. They named the area Niggerhead Mountain in his honor, which, in my opinion, was another way of celebrating their racist victory. The reality is that good always conquers bad, even if it takes decades. John Ballard has finally gotten his due. He is a pioneer and his story should be told in schools. He was a visionary in his own rights, who was a major landowner during the dark days of America's history. He has shown us that you can succeed against all odds.

Oncoming Train Kills Three Teenagers in Melbourne, Fla., as They Walked Across Trestle

Three teenagers fatally struck by southbound train in Melbourne, Fla., as they walked across trestle. Fourth teen escapes injury.

SHOCK: Three females, thought to be teenagers, were fatally struck by a southbound train in Melbourne, Fla., early Saturday night as they walked across a trestle that spanned the Crane Creek. The police have not released their names and ages because they are in the process of notifying the next of kin. According to Florida Today, a fourth juvenile was walking with the girls, was ahead of the group when the train struck. He reportedly called out to his friends to run from the oncoming train, but they were unable to get out of the way in time. The victims were reportedly pronounced dead at the scene -- just off Prospect Avenue.

This is a very unfortunate accident and a real tragedy that three young lives were taken away, but it is important to note that it is against the law to trespass on the railroad tracks. The Florida East Coast Railway, which operates 351 miles of mainline track along the east coast of Florida, has "no trespassing" signs posted in clear view, warning pedestrians to stay off the tracks. Still, people ignore these warnings until something terrible occurs. The trestle is estimated to be about 20-30 feet over water. I know that some people will blame the train operator, but the reality is these kids had no business walking on railroad tracks and the trestle. This is a very painful lesson that you must follow instructions -- no trespassing means just that.

Portuguese Island of Madeira Hit by Deadly Mudslides Due to Torrential Rains

Deadly mudslides hit Portuguese island of Madeira due to torrential rains, with death toll rising to 40 and 120 injured. An unknown number of people are reportedly missing.

The Portuguese island of Madeira has been suffered loss of life and injuries from mudslides and flash floods. According to reports, the death toll has risen to 40 people and more than 120 were injured, while an unknown number of people are missing. Torrential rains lashed the island resort Saturday, literally turning some streets in the capital of Funchal into raging rivers of mud, water and debris, according to the Associated Press.

Sadly, the death toll is expected to increase, as echoed by the regional social services spokesman, Francisco Ramos. This was the worst storm to hit the island since 1993. The weather has reportedly improved Sunday, essentially making it easier for rescue workers to move around the devastated areas. The communications system has been damaged as floods ripped out phone lines. The Army is expected to mobilize rescue teams and will provide two helicopters.

Madeira is the main island in a Portuguese archipelago that bears the same name. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of Africa. It is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal and is distinguished by its low population density. The archipelago is considered by the African Union as part of the African continent. The island is a popular year-round resort and is known for its Madeira wine, flowers and embroidery artisans. It is a popular tourist destination for many British tourists. According to media reports, the British Foreign Office said Sunday some Britons were hospitalized on the island.

Sarah Palin's Hypocrisy Rears its Head as Grandson, Tripp, Has Federally Funded Healthcare

Sarah Palin's hypocrisy rears its head once again. It seems her grandson, Tripp Palin Johnston, has federally funded health care.

I had sworn off writing about former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, but I found this latest revelation on Huffington Post about her grandson getting "socialized" health insurance just downright hypocritical. According to Shannyn Moore, an Alaskan blogger who has been a "thorn in Sarah Palin's side," Sarah Palin explained the dangers of "death panels" on her Facebook page, but her grandson has "socialized medicine." This information was discovered in recently released court  documents from the custody battle between Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin.

Tripp Palin Johnston has socialized health care through Indian Health Services and the Alaska Native Medical Center, according to Moore. They are taking from the government the very thing Sarah Palin has been ranting about on her Facebook page. I am surprised that Bristol Palin, who recently started her own Public Relations firm would feel the need to get government health care for her son. Typical Palin hypocrisy. Do as I say, but not as I do.

Avatar Accurately Mirrors Real Life Experiences in 3D

Recently, I took my family to see the movie, Avatar. I have read the critics reviews and comments about the movie. Some have said it is a movie about the environment, how it depicts humans as inferior to 'the blue people,' that it highlights worship of trees, etc. However I am of the view that we miss the point of the whole movie. You have to look at the big picture and see it to the end, than to take it apart bit by bit. It sounds much like the way we see life. Before you give up, look at the big picture and don't engage in looking at parts to make a determination of the end product. To watch Avatar, you need special glasses, just like life, you need special equipment to survive. In order to see the movie clearly, you have to wear 3D glasses, otherwise your vision will be blurred. 

The movie has a story. The hero is disabled and uses a wheelchair to get around. Because of his disability, he is treated as if he doesn't matter.  He had been a marine and had not studied formally. He was considered of no value to the system. He lacked the intellect and formal training, such study brings to do the job they needed him to do. They overlooked his natural intelligence that was hidden, because they focused on his obvious disability. This to me was a parody of today's life. People are judged based on their natural attributes, rather than on the content of their character and the potential they have. They (the leaders) wanted someone who could interface between the humans and the indigenous people of this faraway planet.

As the humans, or 'earth people' as they were later referred to, had conquered this planet, they wanted something valuable which the inhabitants had. They devised a scheme to infiltrate and over power the citizens or 'the blue people.' They were blindsided by their obliviousness to what happened next. The hero, Jake Sulley, developed a bond with the people and started to see things from their perspective. Whether it was his disability which gave him an insight into what it feels like to be conquered,  ignored or overlooked, is left up to your interpretation as you watch the story unfold.

It became clear to me that this was a satire on history as recorded from one perspective. We know for instance, that we have gone and conquered other peoples' land. We go in the name of love, and took away whatever they possessed, once we befriended them. Just because the blue people look different from humans doesn't mean that they are not valuable. Don't disregard someone just because he is different from you, nor overlook them because they sound different, look different, or practice different customs, etc.

What changed the hero's mindset? He started to see the people not as the conquered but that thy deserved to live the way they think they should in their own land. For Jake had to put on 3D glasses to see them, but once he did his vision was no longer blurred. he could see clearly what was being taken from them. With all the violence and mayhem going on around us. We need to stop and take a look at ourselves. What if we could see ourselves in 3D? Would we like it? I don't think so. We mistreat one another, we overlook people, because they are too black, too white, too brown, disabled, speak a different language, have different customs, different religions, different beliefs. Oh and just in case you were thinking that this movie is a political commentary of sorts,  it was written by a white man capturing his overview of recorded history. Perhaps he is right, just maybe. But I do know this. It is time to start looking at life with the right perspective. Wear glasses if you must. As long as your vision isn't blurred by whatever prejudices you have been raised to believe, you will just like in the movie, need your glasses put on.

This is the best movie I have seen in thirty years. It was like watching the first Indiana Jones, E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, all rolled into one. Good old-fashioned Hollywood movie. One that has a plot and a story to it. Go out and see it for yourself. You, too will enjoy life in 3D.

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President Barack Obama Takes on Global Warming Deniers, Explains Climate Science During Nevada Town Hall Meeting

President Obama has stepped into a hornet's nest, in terms of addressing climate change. The anti-science crowd has been out in full force trying to kill the myth that the recent big snowstorms undercut the whole premise of global warming. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), conservative hypocrite Sean Hannity, and yes,  Donald Trump have taken great pleasure in mocking former VP Al Gore, with Trump taking a shot at his Nobel Peace prize. Friday, during a town hall meeting in Nevada, President Obama took a direct shot at the global warming deniers. In my opinion, he explained in straightforward language how record snowstorms in Washington D.C. are connected to manmade climate change, but, of course, many will beg to differ with his interpretation:

First of all, we just got five feet of snow in Washington and so everybody’s like-a lot of the people who are opponents of climate change, they say, “See, look at that. There’s all this snow on the ground, you know, this doesn’t mean anything.” I want to just be clear that the science of climate change doesn’t mean that every place is getting warmer. It means the planet as a whole is getting warmer. But what it may mean is, for example, Vancouver which supposed to be getting snow during the Olympics, suddenly is at 55 degrees and Dallas suddenly is getting seven inches of snow. The idea is that as the planet as a whole gets warmer, you start seeing changing weather patterns and that creates more violent storm systems, more unpredictable weather. So any single place might end up being warmer. Another place might end up being a little bit cooler. There might end up being more precipitation in the air. More monsoons, more hurricanes, more tornadoes, more drought in some places, floods in other places.

 Well, your interpretation of his comments will be squarely based on where you fall on the global warming debate. Many feel it's hogwash and just another ploy by some to deflect from the real issues affecting the American people.

Alexander Haig, Top Adviser to Three Presidents, Dies at Age 85

Former secretary of state and presidential adviser Alexander Haig has died. He was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Friday. 

Haig, who was a four-star general, served as a top adviser to three presidents. He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as White House chief of staff in 1973.

Haig helped Nixon prepare his impeachment defense and handled many of the day-to-day decisions normally made by the chief executive. It has been said he played a key role in persuading Nixon to resign in the wake of the Watergate scandal. He served under President Gerald Ford and suggested to him that he should pardon his predecessor for any crimes committed while in office. That pardon is widely believed to have cost him the presidency in 1976. He stayed with the Ford administration for six weeks after Nixon's resignation. He then returned to the military as a commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces in Europe and supreme allied commander of NATO forces.

In 1979, he briefly explored a run for the White House, but decided he did not have enough support. He then took a job in the private sector, as president of United Technologies. He later served as secretary of state under the Reagan administration and declared himself the "vicar of American foreign policy."

He is survived by Patricia, his wife of 60 years; his children Alexander, Brian and Barbara; eight grandchildren; and his brother, the Rev. Francis R. Haig.

Ian Uro, a 6-Year-Old Boy Dies in Manhattan After Bungled 911 Call Sends EMTs to Brooklyn

A six year old Manhattan boy may have lost his life Thursday because of a horrifying 911 call mix-up. According to the NY Post, firefighters and medics rushed to answer call of a child in cardiac arrest at 277 Ave. C at 9:04 a.m. It turns out they were sent to Avenue C in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan. By the time they found the right address and got to the apartment at 9:22 a.m., the child was dead. The FDNY has launched an investigation.

The NYPD said it received a 911 call from a hysterical woman who had given her address, but not the borough. Cops said that the operator tried to establish the cross streets, but the caller was too distraught to respond.

EMTs arrived at the Brooklyn address at 9:10 am -- and determined they were in the wrong place. A dispatcher called the incoming number back and asked the mom where she was. "She said, 'I'm here, I'm here . . . he's bleeding from the nose," and pleaded with them to hurry," a source said. The dispatcher finally determined she was in Manhattan. The NYPD said the woman called 911 again at 9:16 a.m. and told them where she was. Source: NY Post

I thought the emergency system had an automatic call tracking device that would tell them where the call was coming from, especially if it was made from a landline? The NYPD was quick to state that the bungle wasn't due to problems that has plagued it with the controversial Unified Call Taking system, which was implemented last year, according to the NY Post. Under the new system, callers can speak only to 911 operators and not to fire dispatchers.

UPDATE#1: It is being reported by the New York Post that operator error led to the delay in helping getting to the child. The NYPD operator who sent an ambulance to the wrong borough mistakenly hit "the wrong button" on the dispatch computer, officials acknowledged yesterday.Yeah, I see a lawsuit against the city in the very near future. I wish they would release the name of the operator, instead of keeping it under wraps.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/wrong_button_fatal_euj0aMvXpWcqw3MYO4RwAM#ixzz0g5gd3AZ3

Northern Illinois University Student Shot & Injured, Suspect in Custody

There has been a shooting at Northern Illinois University in northwestern Dekalb and appears to be an isolated incident between two individuals. One student was injured and a suspect is in police custody.  According to the Chicago Sun Times, the student was injured and taken to Kiswaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb, the site said. A condition was not immediately available.
The campus was originally on lock down, but is now open and classes will be held as usual. This is the second shooting at NIU. Last week marked the two-year anniversary of a shooting rampage at the university after former NIU student Steven Kazmierczak opened fire, killing five students and injuring 12 others before taking his own life. The five students killed were Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace and Daniel Parmenter.

Rajaan Bennett, Vanderbilt University Football Recruit, Shot & Killed by Mother's Ex-Boyfriend

Rajaan Bennett, 18, Vanderbilt University football recruit, shot and killed in murder-suicide by mother's ex-boyfriend Clifton O'Neal Steger.

 

Rajaan Bennett, Fox Sports

Rajaan Bennett, a McEachern High School senior and football standout, was shot and killed early Thursday in an apparent murder-suicide at his home in Powder Springs, Ga. Bennett, 18, had recently committed to play running back for the Vanderbilt football team this fall. Police identified the decedents as Rajaan, who had recently signed to play football in the fall at Vanderbilt University and shooter Clifton O'Neal Steger, the former boyfriend of Bennett's mother. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a third person was wounded in the shooting.

Police were called to the Bennett's home around 2:30 a.m. Thursday after a caller to 911 whispered they needed help. Officers arrived about four minutes later, and "as they approached and knocked on the door, they heard several gunshots," Powder Springs Police Maj. Charles Spann told the AJC. Immediately after the four or five shots were fired, Narjaketha Bennett, 37, and her brother, Taiwan Hunter, 32, ran from the house,  police said. Hunter had been struck by at least one gunshot, Boyd said. Shortly thereafter, two juveniles emerged from the home uninjured. Source: AJC

The AJC said Bennett was an all-state running back in Class AAAAA and was number 25 on the AJC's "Fab 50″ list of recruits published earlier this month. He also earned three letters in track. What a sad turn of events for this young man.