Happy New Year to All Our Readers & Supporters

The Hinterland Gazette wishes all our readers and supporters a happy, prosperous and safe New Year. We urge you to make volunteerism a part of your resolutions for 2011. Be a mentor to a child in need of help. Believe in yourselves and go after your dreams. If you are fed-up with your current employer and feel you aren't living up to your potentials, don't let fear hold you back from pursuing your dreams. Here's my favorite singer, Patti Labelle, singing her signature song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Follow your dreams. It will pay off!

честита нова година...

Отмина дванайстият час,

граница на старата и новата.

Нима е граница реална,

че мечтите си й ний даряваме,

желанията смело си изричаме,

или пък прошепваме със тишина...

Новата с надежди е богата,

и щедро ги раздава в часовете,

първите за днес и за година,

а аз си ги прегръщам силно

тез надежди топли и добри,

да си ги имам все до края.

В някой ден със облак,

ще извадя и усмивка,

скътана от днешен ден

с надежда пременена

и слънцето ще си изгрее

да стопли ни във този ден.

.

Loinell Dangerfield, Then Father, Christopher Dangerfield Accused of Killing Two Small Children

Loinell Dangerfield accused of killing girlfriend's baby Zhi Binford, and now father Christopher Dangerfield accused of killing his son, Tyrese Short.

SHOCK: A Cincinnati father and son have been accused of the worst possible crimes -- killing two children. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tyrese Short, 3, was killed by Christopher Dangerfield, 48, and Zhi Merah Binford, three months old, was killed by son Loinell Dangerfield, 26. Zhi wasn't even his biological child. It was his girlfriend's daughter with another man. Talk about the fruit not falling far from the tree.

Tyrese was pronounced dead Tuesday at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Zhi was discovered dead on a couch in South Fairmount on May 31. Her skull had been fractured and her ribs broken. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters has recommended the death penalty for Lionell Dangerfield, 26.

That case could go to trial in March. "Like father, like son," Grace Dangerfield, Christopher Dangerfield's stepmother, said Tuesday evening. Grace Dangerfield, 77, said Tyrese was a happy child and appeared to be no trouble for her stepson, who had been arrested three times in the year leading up to a court awarding him custody of Tyrese. His 12 other arrests include drug trafficking, assaulting a police officer and theft. Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

Why would the Juvenile court have awarded custody to Christopher Dangerfield, a habitual criminal? Some people just can't be rehabilitated. Besides, where was Tyrese's mother? She also has a hand in his untimely death. Some people just don't deserve the honor of being parents. According to the Enquirer, ever since Tyrese was born, caseworkers with the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services had been involved in his life. That is such a tragedy. If it's any consolation, these two animals won't be out on the streets again because the a judge, specifically Judge Heather Russell, has ordered Christopher Dangerfield to be held on a $500,000 bond. His son, Lionell Dangerfield, is being held on a $1 million bond.

Ex-Con Mona Yvette Nelson Facing Capital Murder Charges in Death of 12-Year-Old Jonathan Foster

Ex-convict Mona Yvette Nelson charged with capital murder in death of Jonathan Foster, who went missing on Christmas Eve.

SHAME: Mona Yvette Nelson, a 44-year-old ex-convict, was charged with capital murder Wednesday in connection with the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster, Houston Police Department sources told the Chronicle. Nelson served as a maintenance worker for several different apartment complexes in Houston. She was taken into custody Wednesday morning. Why, why, why, would this woman do this to a child? Why? This woman was a child predator, nothing less. She dumped his badly burned body not far from her home, reinforcing the point that a perpetrator never strays far from his or her home to commit crimes or dispose of evidence. Jonathan was last seen alive by his stepfather on Christmas Eve.

Investigators said the suspect met Jonathan’s stepdad two weeks before the boy vanished, and witnesses said they’d seen her around the apartment complex, near 43rd Street and Shepherd, where the stepfather lived. Police said they were led to the woman by surveillance video captured near where the body was dumped, at East Hardy and Schilder Road. They first went to her home Tuesday night, then returned Wednesday to take her into custody and collect what they characterized as a “boatload” of evidence.

Searching court documents 11 News Reporter Jeff McShan discovered Nelson’s most serious crime was a robbery she committed back in 1984. She served a 10-year probated sentence. Records also show the woman's criminal background includes arrests for marijuana possession and making a terroristic threat. Source: KHOU

This is such a tragedy and I hope the boy was not sexually molested by this woman. It is such a rarity to hear of women committing such heinous acts against children. This little boy, like other children killed by a parent or a total stranger, have all gone too soon. I am so enraged by this act of violence against this little boy that words can't adequately express my true feelings. This incident raises all kinds of red flags in my mind. I would venture to say Mona Yvette Nelson has a dirty little secret that's about to be exposed. Texas is known for death penalty cases. I hope the prosecutor will use it for this POS.

UPDATE#1:  Here's the latest news from Houston's KHOU.com:

Jonathan’s mother, Angela Davis, said she’d met Nelson only once, on the night of her son’s disappearance. Nelson was friends with Davis’ roommate, Sharon Ennamorato, who frequently babysat for Foster. Police said Ennamorato described Nelson as a friend who used to work in maintenance at an apartment complex across the street. Davis had moved into the home with Ennamorato on Dec. 14, after she and Jonathan’s stepfather split up. Since both Davis and Ennamorato had to work on Christmas Eve, Foster was to stay home by himself until his mother returned. While at work that morning, a colleague told Davis her son had called the office and was asking for Ennamorato’s number.

It should be noted that Nelson admitted to burning and dumping the child's body, but said she did not commit the murder. Right. There are a lot of inconsistencies in what really happened to this little boy, but if you have the guts to burn and dump a child's body, you have the capacity to murder that child as well. The police have said they collected a "boatload" of evidence from Nelson's home.

UPDATE#2: Mona Nelson is actually a mother. Fancy that. She was married and the couple reportedly have a set of twins. It should also be noted that she is also a grandmother. Dropped out of high school and later got her GED for a community college in Texas. She is a plumber, welder, boxer and yes, a career criminal and now a murderer.

Tucker Carlson Says Michael Vick Should Have "Been Executed" For his Role in Dogfighting Ring

Fox News analyst Tucker Carlson says Michael Vick should have been "executed" for his role in dog-fighting ring.

I try not to comment on much of the vitriol being spewed by Fox News and its band of idiots as much as I can, but Tucker Carlson's comments that Michael Vick should have been "executed" for his role in a dogfighting ring, takes the cake. Er, one look at Tucker Carlson should pretty much sum things up. He is such an accomplished journalist and political authority. Of course, I am being facetious. I thought America was the land of second chances for people who fell on their faces once, not repeatedly. I can't seem to recall hearing Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson dogging out Bernie Madoff (a Ponzi schemer), Charlie Sheen (a woman abuser) and Martha Stewart (who lied under oath). You see, Charlie Sheen is still one of the highest paid actors on television and Martha, what can I say? She's still on television and a force to be reckoned with. I can't seem to recall hearing the upstanding and morally superior clan at Fox News calling for her head.

What had Carlson riled up was President Obama's statement that he was glad Vick was given a second chance by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Carlson was guest hosting for Sean Hannity's show on Fox News Channel on Tuesday night when he made the remarks. He led a panel discussion about President Barack Obama commending the owner of the Eagles for giving Vick a second chance after his release from prison. Vick served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring. Carlson says, "Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did (it) in a heartless and cruel way." He added, "I think personally he should have been executed for that." Source: AJC

Er, I personally think Tucker Carlson has a girl's body, as evident from his attire during his miserable stint on "Dancing with the Stars" but you didn't hear me dogging him out because of that. He's a self-righteous punk whose day of reckoning is coming. Many in this country have fallen short, but have paid their debt to society, pulled themselves up and have become productive members of society. Michael Vick is not a repeat offender. He broke the law and served his sentence and now it's time to move on. If Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes had any decency, they would repudiate this horrific choice of words uttered by Tucker Carlson. What about all the white murderers out their who prey on little kids?

пред новата година

Пред новата година се изправих,

и мислите си подредих във ред,

желанията свои не изрекох,

защото чувствам ги във мен.

В опит думи да си наредя,

пред мен си ти със обичта,

и всяка дума губи смисъл,

щом ти си в мойта мисъл.

В онзи час дванайсти,

в който ще си ти далеч,

от чашата си ще отпия

с мисълта за мен и теб.

И тази мисъл ще е силна,

в годината ще бъде с нас.

С пожелания за здраве,

за обич и за наш късмет,

за работата нова и успешна,

за щастието в наште дни...

След ден ще те прегърна,

ще усетя твоите ръце,

а устните ни ще се търсят

за целувка нежна, страстна.

И пожеланията пак ще завалят

защото имаш празник личен

и най-щастлива ще съм аз,

че ще го споделиш със мен...

.

Black Arlington TX Police Officer Jillian Michelle Smith Shot & Killed Responding to Domestic Violence Call at Apartment

A black rookie Arlington, TX, police officer, Jillian Michelle Smith, shot and killed after responding to domestic violence call at apartment complex.

Officer Jillian Michelle Smith, 24, was shot and killed Tuesday night, after responding to a domestic violence report at an apartment complex in Arlington, TX. Kimberly Deshay Carter, 29, and Barnes Samuel Nettles, 38, were also found dead at the scene. This is such a sad turn of events. Very rarely you hear of a female police officer being murdered. Smith was a rookie officer, who had graduated from the Arlington Police Academy in February and completed her field training on Dec. 13th. She graduated from Seguin High School in 2005 and received a bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of Texas at Arlington in August 2009, the Star-Telegram said. Such a sad end to a promising life.

Officer Jillian Michelle Smith, 24, had been dispatched about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night to take a domestic violence report at the Arbrook Park Apartments in the 3800 block of Mahonia Way, near Interstate 20 and Collins Street.

Police spokeswoman Tiara Richard said the suspect in that reported offense was not expected to be at the apartments. After a second call reported shots at the complex about 8 p.m., police found the officer and two other people — a male and female — dead inside an apartment, Richard said.

Arlington Police identified the other two involved as Kimberly Deshay Carter, 29, and Barnes Samuel Nettles, 38.They also did not say whether the assailant was among the dead. Source: Dallas Morning News

I guess the question that is pressing for me is why this officer was sent to a domestic violence scene alone? Shouldn't there have been another officer present? Not that it would save her life, but it would mean she had some back-up. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Jillian Smith.

UPDATE#1: Just as I had expected, the killer has a lengthy criminal record. According to the Dallas Morning News, Nettles, who is black, is no stranger to a prison cell.

The newspaper said there were prior incidents with Carter's family. He was arrested by Arlington police on Sept. 27 on two warrants for allegedly assaulting Carter's sister and her mother on Sept. 14. There was also a call to the apartment in August regarding a threat. A court date was pending, police said.

In 1997, Nettles pled guilty and was convicted of second degree rape of a child in Tacoma, Washington. No details were available about the offense but court records note that it is defined as a “kidnapping offense.” In 2008, he was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in Washington State. In June 2010, he was released from supervision by the department of corrections though he was still required to register as a sex offender. He registered as a sex offender in Arlington on Aug. 17, according to Richard. Source: Dallas Morning News

Barnes Nettles is a real POS and a scumbag rolled into one. Again, why any judge let this man out on the streets to terrorize this woman is beyond me. He was a threat and not in any shape or form rehabilitative.

Sun-Times Columnist Neil Steinberg Under Fire for "Racist" Column Mocking Carol Moseley Braun

Supporters of Chicago mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun call commentary written by Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg, racist and demands his firing.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg is under fire for a recent article he penned, entitled,  "Carol, I Miss You Already," mocking the possibility of a Carol Moseley Braun administration as mayor of Chi-Town. Talk about stifling free speech. A group of protesters gathered outside the newspaper's office to voice their complaint that the article was "racist."  Steinberg wrote, "she represents the egomaniacal muddle that Chicago black leadership has slid into, where calls for imaginary and self-destructive racial solidarity trump minor concerns like reason or history." Er, isn't that a fact? We now have a bigger moron Rep. Danny Davis, who considers himself a longtime friend of Bill Clinton, warning him that his "long and fruitful relationship" with the black community will be jeopardized if he campaigns for former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. So, it's okay for black leaders to pull the race card, but when a white person takes offense to a black candidate or elected official then he or she is branded as a racist? Give me a break.

We all know that Carol Moseley Braun is a joke and not worthy to represent the city of Chicago as their mayor. Let's not forget her one-term as a senator was riddled with scandals and controversy. She was no Mother Teresa.  Her Senate tenure was highlighted by a dust-up over whether she misspent $249,000 in campaign donations. She was never charged with any crimes, but it left a bitter taste in the mouths of many who remember her quite well.

Moseley-Braun had some close calls with the law. The first occurred during her 1992 Senate campaign, when it came to light that three years earlier, she had deposited a check for $28,750 into a personal money-market account. The check in question actually belonged to Moseley-Braun's mother, who owned a property in Alabama on which she'd sold the timber-harvesting rights; the $28,750 was a royalty payment. Edna Moseley was staying in a Chicago nursing home at the time and relying on Medicaid to cover her expenses, something ostensibly reserved only for the near-indigent—not people with $28,750 checks to their name. The royalty should have been used to reimburse Medicaid; instead, Moseley-Braun divvied up the money with her two siblings. When the situation came to light, she apologized and paid Medicaid $15,240. The Illinois Department of Public Aid declined to launch a criminal probe.

Moseley-Braun's post-victory honeymoon was brief. Even before she arrived in Washington, she was blasted for rewarding several campaign workers with cushy jobs at her old office, the Cook County recorder of deeds. Her campaign manager and then-fiance, Kgosie Matthews, was accused of sexual harassment by several Moseley-Braun campaign staffers; the newly minted senator stood by her man, to whom she'd been paying a salary of $15,000 per month. To celebrate their '92 victory, the pair jetted off to Matthews' native South Africa on a 27-day vacation, making use of the Concorde for one leg of their trip; several aides, meanwhile, complained that they hadn't been paid. Source: Slate

For all her supporters who want to give Neil Steinberg grief over his column, please do some research on your girl. She isn't the person she's now portraying herself as. If she couldn't free herself from all the scandals that marred her senatorial tenure, what exactly will she do for the people of Chicago, particularly the people living in the inner cities whose children attend schools with horrible records? Newsflash -- not every white person who criticizes a black politician, celebrity or business leader, is a racist. That woe-is-me attitude is getting really old.

Arlington Police Officer Shot To Death Responding to Domestic Violence Call

Arlington, TX, police officer shot and killed after responding to domestic violence call at apartment complex.

Another police officer has been killed in the line of duty. He was responding to a domestic disturbance call in the Arlington area. Two others were dead at the scene.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the officer, who was working alone, had been dispatched about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night to take a domestic violence report at the Arbrook Park Apartments in the 3800 block of Mahonia Way, near Interstate 20 and Collins Street.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this fallen officer. How many more of our law enforcement agents will be killed by criminals? Who is protecting the police and state troopers across this country?

UPDATE#1: A new article about the officer (Jillian Michelle Smith) killed last night is found here:  http://blackpoliticalthought.blogspot.com/2010/12/black-arlington-tx-police-officer.html

Arkansas Teen Holden Hedgepeth in Serious Condition After Bull-Riding Accident

Arkansas teen Holden Hedgepeth in serious condition after being stomped in bull-riding accident, is it a safe sport for kids?

Holden Hedgepeth, 18, of Greenbrier, Ark., is in serious condition after being injured Monday afternoon during a bull-riding accident on the opening day of a youth rodeo at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson, the Clarion-Ledger said.

Holden Hedgepeth, 18, of Greenbrier, Ark., was rushed to the University of Mississippi Medical Center after his ride on a bull turned chaotic in a matter of seconds. Lee Cooke, vice chairman of the Cowboy Christmas Youth Challenge, said he did not believe Hedgepeth sustained life-threatening injuries. Seconds after Hedgepeth began riding the bull, he was bucked off, struck in the head by the bull's horns and stomped.

Clay Smith of Broken Bow, Okla., who witnessed Hedgepeth's accident from the stands, said bull riders wrap a rope around one hand to help them stay on the bull. Usually, a rider is able to let go of the rope once thrown off, but the way Hedgepeth fell, he was unable to open his hand, Smith said. The bull jumped around in circles, swinging Hedgepeth in the air with each turn. Source: Clarion-Ledger

Is bull riding really a sport or past-time for kids? I blogged about another incident some time ago in which the child died. Many have said it is too dangerous for kids but is it any more dangerous than other sports? I hope Holden Hedgepeth will recover from his injuries.

Five Teens Found Dead in Hialeah, FL, Motel Room, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Running Car Likely Cause

Five teens found dead in South Florida motel room from what authorities say is likely carbon monoxide poisoning from running car in garage.

Birthday celebration turn deadly at Hialeah, FL, motel when five teens found dead from what authorities believe is carbon monoxide poisoning after running car found in garage next to room. According to the Sun-Sentinel, a Hialeah fire spokesman says a maid called 911 Monday after seeing people unconscious through a window.

A car used by the group was found running in a closed garage underneath the room. Friends say the car had needed a jump-start earlier and could have been left running to preserve the battery's charge. A door leading to a staircase up to the room had been left open, and high levels of carbon monoxide were found inside. The group rented the room Sunday to celebrate one of teens' 19th birthday. Source: Sun-Sentinel

It should be noted that no no alcohol, drugs or suspicious items were found in the room. This is just so sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these teenagers. If carbon monoxide was indeed the culprit, this could have been avoided.

UPDATE#1: According to the Miami Herald, the bodies of the teenagers -- Juchen Martial, 19, Evans Charles, 19, Jonas Antenor, 18, Peterson Nazon, 17, and Jean Pierre Ferdinand, 16 -- were found on or around their beds at approximately 2 p.m. Monday.

UPDATE#2: So, we now have a mother, Immacula Nazon, 38, screaming that they killed her son, Peterson. Who killed her son? The person or persons who left the vehicle running all night? Clearly the motel isn't at fault for this tragedy, unless of course, management should have realized there was a car running in the garage. Besides, who in their right mind would keep a car running all night in a closed garage? According to the Miami Herald, friend Richard Dalce, 26, said the group decided to leave the car running to keep the battery charged."They didn't want to cut the car off," Dalce said. Really? Didn't any one of those teens or their friends with whom they spoke, realize that they were asking for trouble? Woulda, coulda, shoulda is all we are going to hear now. The reality is that parents, if your teenage children own cars, at least make sure they are in good running condition so he or she won't have to resort to such actions.

Hassan Malik Arrested & Charged with Murder in Death of Betty Williams, Woman Whose Body Found in Suitcase

Military vet Hassan Malik arrested and charged with second degree murder in death of Betty Williams, woman whose body was found in a suitcase outside Rao's restaurant.

Military veteran Hassan Malik, 55, was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree in the death of Betty Williams, whose body was found in a suitcase on a New York City street last week.

The victim, 28-year-old Betty Williams from the Bronx, was found Wednesday -- strangled and then stuffed into a dark-colored piece of luggage, authorities said. Blood was leaking from suitcase when it was found, police said.

Shortly after the find, police released a surveillance video that showed a man dressed in a dark knit hat and leather jacket with light-colored pants, pulling a suitcase near a stoop in East Harlem. The man pauses as three people walk by before hauling the suitcase past a dark-colored sport utility vehicle and out of the camera's sight. On Friday, police released a second video that showed a man, wearing a black winter hat and a heavy jacket, at a store. Source: CNN

The NYPD did a good job in solving this case so quickly. Surely Hassan Malik must have realized he was a marked man and it was a matter of time before he was caught, particularly since there were people who he encountered as he pulled the suitcase behind.

GA State Trooper 1st Class Chadwick LeCroy Shot & Killed Following Chase, Unidentified Suspect in Custody

Georgia state Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy shot and killed in Marietta following chase, suspect, Gregory Favors, apprehended after leaving scene in trooper's patrol car.

Another law enforcement officer has lost his life chasing a criminal. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy, 38, of Marietta was shot and killed in the line of duty late Monday night. LeCroy was the first trooper to be killed by gunfire since 1975, and the 27th trooper killed in the line of duty since the GSP was organized in 1937, according to the AJC.

Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy, 38, of Marietta was shot twice in the face by a suspect he had tried to pull over, the GSP said. Atlanta and Cobb County police arrested the suspect shortly after the shooting.

The incident began shortly after 11 p.m. when LeCroy tried to pull over a 2007 Mazda, on Bolton Road near James Jackson Parkway, for having a broken headlight, the GSP said. After a brief pursuit, the Mazda crashed at St. Paul Avenue and Hightower Road.

LeCroy approached the Mazda, and at some point the driver opened fire, GSP spokesman Gordy Wright told WSB Radio, adding it is unclear whether any struggle preceded the shooting. Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

The officer died en route to Grady Memorial Hospital. The suspect, who was eventually arrested, reportedly drove off in the trooper's patrol car after the shooting. The nerve. LeCroy is survived by a wife and two children, ages eight and 21. This is a tragedy and I am sure the prosecutor will seek the death penalty in this unspeakable act. I'm pretty sure the thug who shot LeCroy has a long rap sheet. We'll hear soon enough.  In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. LeCroy.

UPDATE#1:  The suspect has been named Gregory Favors, who is black. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Vernon Keenan, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, said Favors was served with arrest warrants for murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer almost 16 hours after Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy was shot and killed around 11 p.m. Monday.  Why am I not surprised this thug has a lengthy criminal record? Keenan said Favors had been arrested 19 times and many of those were on felony charges, according to the AJC.

UPDATE#2: Gregory Favors was released from prison two weeks ago and just couldn't even fathom living like a decent person. He had to break the law. This man cannot be rehabilitated and he should not have been released from prison.

Ten of those 19 arrests have come in the last four years, with charges including heroin trafficking, possessing a firearm while committing a felony, fleeing police and prowling. Favors was last detained Dec. 11, charged with cocaine possession and obstructing a law enforcement officer. He was released on bond three days later.  Source: AJC

The judge who let this scumbag out of prison should be kicked off the bench. Gregory Favors isn't the only habitual criminal given a slap on the wrist for repeat offenses that should have kept them behind bars. I am all for giving someone a second chance after one offense that doesn't involve murder, rape or child molestation, but the line should have been long drawn in this case. Gregory Favors should have received a lengthy prison sentence after the second offense. Not after the 19th. It is clear that the justice system is in terrible disarray if a POS like this could be released on bond three days after being charged with a serious crime.

Break-in at Tyler Perry's Atlanta Home, Chloe Ware Charged with Prowling & Criminal Trespassing

Chloe Ware arrested fro prowling & criminal trespass of Tyler Perry's Atlanta home on West Paces Ferry Road.

Chloe Ware (WSB-TV)

SHOCK: Break-in at the home of Tyler Perry on the West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, caught on surveillance video and Chloe Ware, 18, was charged with prowling and criminal trespass and released, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution. Police are still looking for two people who were with her. What a fool!

Juan Williams Denigrated by Breitbart Commenters for Saying "Sarah Palin Can't Stand on Same Intellectual Stage as Obama"

Juan Williams says "Sarah Palin can't stand on same intellectual stage as Barack Obama" and the critics lambast him along racial lines.

Juan Williams, who was kicked to the curb by NPR for making a statement about Muslims, is now coming under fire from the fringe of the GOP for saying Sarah Palin can't stand on the "same intellectual stage as President Barack Obama." Er, he told the truth. Sarah Palin went through a few colleges to get a bachelor's degree. She doesn't have a professional degree, such as President Obama, and let's keep it real. No-one on the international stage takes this woman seriously. Picture her in a high-level meeting with world leaders. LOL, as they say. I visited Andrew Breitbart's website to read some of the racist comments some readers have left about Juan Williams. This is the same person, Breitbart, who smeared former USDA director Shirley Sherrod.  You know, I don't agree with much of what Juan Williams says, but to denigrate this man, who has accomplished far more than Sarah Palin ever could as a journalist, is just despicable. Well, what do I expect from the race-baiting Andrew Breitbart? Here's a sampling of some of the comments:

Rough Rider: Sarah Palin is much smarter than Obama. It won't matter. The Negroes have the numbers now, and they will re-elect the communist dictator. The reason being is that they are the direct beneficiaries of his socialistic wealth seizure. He's their Robin Hood.

Whackajig: Sarah Palin is not only very intelligent, she has a quality which the blacks (J. Wms and obungle) totally lack. That quality is common sense

LizardAZ: Juan, Juan, Juan...they throw you under the bus, and you still want to carry the water.

JamesB: It's waaaaay PAST TIME to blow up this MYTH concerning Obama's supposed intellectual prowess. I see NO EVIDENCE to support that liberal media meme - dreamed up to somehow "contrast" him with the previous president. It's a LIE.

I bet he has a "ghost writer" for his "children's book."

Remember the media in the run up to the 2004 election? OHHHHH, John Fitzgerald Kenn,,,ER, Kerry was SO MUCH SMARTER tha Bush - UH, until college transcripts and military testing was reveled. Bush - Harvard MBA - arguably a tougher degree than either Kerry's law degree

OR Obama's "law degree" - and Obama is a FAILED lawyer - he hasn't held a law licence in YEARS and Momma Sasquatch had her law licence TAKEN AWAY.

Bush was smart enough to FLY a FIGHTER JET - SOLO (which means "alone" for you libs) Kerry was "smart" enough to game the Navy and spend two cups of coffee in Vietnam, get two or three band--aids and get home and eventually marry a SUGAR MOMMA who finances his "toys" and "hobbies."

Only the sychophantic media believes this "we're smarter that you" GARBAGE anymore - results are PROVING otherwise.

Obongo2012: Racist Tea Party clicks off all blacks on TV. They are also boycotting all Black NBA. NFL, Movies, Music, anything black is clicked off immediately. Why is that?Who the hell is Juan Williams? Is he relevant? We love Sarah Palin and support her everyday more and more. We Know liberals are at the service of the Black race only and are genetic defectives brainwashed robots for Obama.

Most reputable websites have a comment policy that is upheld to the fullest extent, not Breitbart. He thrives on race-baiting. So, suddenly it's a crime to be black in America and support Barack Obama. Let me set the record straight, I am a black centrist, who isn't beholden to the Democratic or Republican parties. I didn't vote for Barack Obama just because he's black. I voted for him because John McCain and Sarah Palin were two train wrecks waiting to happen.

Watch the video:

Well-Known Dallas Pastor, Sandy McGriff, Caught Breaking into Church Member's House on Christmas Eve

South Dallas pastor Sandy McGriff arrested for breaking into home of church member Serita Agnew & stealing fur coats & laptop computers Christmas Eve.

SHAME: Another snake in the pulpit has been revealed after South Dallas Pastor Sandy McGriff, was spotted breaking into the home of Serita Agnew, one of her parishioners, on Christmas Eve. McGriff, who has a criminal record, has been accused of stealing fur coats and laptop computers from Ms. Agnew's home. What's terrible is that this wasn't the act of a random criminal on the street. It was her pastor, who she revered and looked up to.

Some people wonder why church membership across the United States is falling. Well, here's a prime reason why. This do-as-I-say but not-as-I-do mentality is etched in the minds of many pastors who mean their congregants no good. The excuse McGriff, who is from a well-known religious family in Dallas, used when police caught her red-handed is comical:

"My biggest mistake was going through... going through the window," McGriff told WFAA, KENS 5's sister station, explaining that she was checking on Agnew on Christmas Eve and she caught two men breaking in. McGriff said she climbed through the window so she could protect Agnew's property. She said she couldn't find the key to the house. But why not just call the police? "My mistake," she said. "I should have." Source: KHOU-TV

Well, Ms. McGriff is a long-time con-artist, who has a lengthy criminal record and goes by several aliases, according to KHOU.com. You see, everyone deserves a second chance when they fall down, but dang, how easy was it for this woman to plant a church somewhere? What's equally amazing is the incredible level of hubris this woman displays in saying she plans to plead not guilty to the theft.

Watch the video:



UPDATE#1: Here is another video with Mrs. McGriff being interviewed. She is lying through her teeth. A real con artist.

11-Month-Old Baby Found Shot & Wounded in Minivan with Mother on Street in Dallas, TX

11-month-old baby, with its mother, found shot and wounded in bullet-riddled minivan in Dallas, TX.

SHOCK: Dallas police said an 11-month-old baby was found shot and wounded early Monday morning near Fair Park, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The child was in a bullet-riddled minivan with its mother at Malcolm X Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after midnight. Investigators said the shooting occurred almost nine miles away at Cheyenne and Bruton roads.

The child was taken to a hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Its name and condition were not available. The woman in the van was not injured. Police said they were searching for a man who may be an acquaintance of the baby's mother. Source: Dallas Morning News

This is a disgrace and such a reprehensible act of violence against a baby. Why? Why? Why? Only a POS would do this to an innocent baby. Seems to me like the mother of the child has some questionable friends. Glad the baby will be okay.

UPDATE#1:  According to the Dallas Morning News, Carlos Cordova, a gang member has been arrested in the shooting late Sunday of an 11-month-old boy in which a gunman opened fire on a minivan in the Pleasant Grove area, authorities said. Cordova, 31, who is being held at the Dallas County Jail, faces a charge of injury to a child and aggravated assault.

Baltimore Ravens Rookie Sergio Kindle Career Takes Another Blow After Latest DUI & Speeding Arrest

Baltimore Ravens rookie Sergio Kindle continues to send the wrong message to young people after being arrested for DUI & speeding.

Baltimore Ravens rookie Sergio Kindle was arrested Sunday morning and charged with drunk driving in Howard County, Md. According to the Baltimore Sun, this is another blow to the player's troubled season. Realizing he is in deep sh*t, he now calls this latest incident a "mistake." He was also ticketed for speeding and failure to obey traffic control devices. Another professional athlete behaving badly. Clearly he is sending the wrong message to his fans, many of which are young people.

Reached Sunday night, Kindle said he was driving home with friends, one of whom had to catch an early flight. He said he had informed one of the team's security personnel about the arrest, and apologized to the team.

"I just want to apologize to the organization, because I don't want to bring a negative light to the team," he said. "It was my mistake. I can't take it back now. I don't know what's going to happen from here." Source: Baltimore Sun

The problem is that this isn't Sergio Kindle's first DUI. You see, two years ago he apologized for the same thing, so when can one reasonably expect that he will realize that driving under the influence is dangerous and can take the lives of innocent people? Will he get it when he kills someone or when the Ravens say enough is enough and cut him?

Police Officer Shot & Killed in Woburn, MA, During Robbery at a Kohl's Store

Woburn, MA, Police Officer John Maguire shot & killed during gunfire with armed robbers at a Kohl's Department store.

A police officer was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with armed robbers at a Kohl's Department store in Woburn. One suspect,  Dominic Cinelli, 57, is dead and a second was arrested without incident. The officer's name has not been disclosed pending notification to family.


UPDATE#1: The officer has been identified as Officer John Maguire, 60. He had been a police officer  with the Woburn Police Department for 34 years. 

UPDATE#2: Scott Hanwright, 19, and Kevin Dingwell, 51, both of Wakefield, were detained in connection with the robbery.

Rick James Protégé, R&B Singer-Songwriter, Teena Marie Dead at Age 54

Motown's first white act, R&B singer-songwriter & Rick James protégé, Teena Marie, dead at age 54.

SHOCK: Singer-songwriter Teena Marie has died. She was 54 years old. According to CNN, Marie was found dead by her daughter. Her manager, Mike Gardner, told CNN, she apparently died in her sleep. Her publicist, Lynn Jeter, said she suffered a grand mal seizure a month ago. Teena Marie, who was born Mary Christine Brockert, is best known for her duets with Rick James, who died a few years ago. According to the NY Daily News, Marie tweeted a Sarah Vaughan song lyric: "May you never grow old, and may I never die." That's eerie!

"Luckily, someone was there," Jeter said of that seizure. "The ambulance took her to the hospital, and on the way she had another seizure." The publicist said that she had a "great" conversation on Saturday with Marie, who told her that she was excited about heading to Atlanta to perform this week (with Frankie Beverly & Maze) -- in what would have been her first performance since the seizure." Source: CNN

Teena Marie released 13 studio albums over the course of her career, which included the 1984 mega-hit "Lovergirl." Among her songs were "Lovergirl," "Portuguese Love" and "I'm a Sucker for Your Love." Wow. This is a shock indeed. We have lost another great singer, who didn't get the props she was due. Marie joins Gerald Levert, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Rick James and other famous singers in the great hereafter. Seems like we have lost a singer around Christmas-time pretty often -- James Brown & Eartha Kitt come to mind. Rest in peace Teena Marie, rest in peace. You are among the few white singers who could cross over to R&B effortlessly -- including Dusty Springfield, who died in 1999 after battling breast cancer. You did your thing girl!

Teena Marie told Essence.com, during an interview last year, that she's "a black woman artist with white skin." I am pointing this out because CNN spoke with Radio One's Cathy Hughes, who said she was "a black woman trapped in a white body" and some commenters aren't taking it too kindly. Er, Teena Marie said it herself, so I hope the haters will stop trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

ESSENCE.COM: You've enjoyed many blessings, especially with cult classics like "Fire and Desire," your duet with the late great Rick James. How has his death affected you? 

TEENA MARIE: After his death I became addicted to Vicodin, which I had been taking for my physical pain because I'd had a lot of accidents. Once I realized that those pills not only took away my physical agony by masking my emotional pain I really became addicted. When I was on the medication I never cried about him, but then I went cold turkey and I cried so much and have been for the last three years. He was my musical soul mate. We were like an extension of each other. I miss all our talks. We were like family; only family can talk about family, not anyone else.

ESSENCE.COM: Many people were shocked to discover that you were a White woman after that song topped the charts. Were you ever criticized?

TEENA MARIE: Black people would always say, "I didn't know you were White." But people like good music. Back in the forties and fifties they made the race records where a group like The Temptations wouldn't appear on the cover of the album. Mr. Gordy used the same concept with me for my first album. He said that is was so soulful that he wanted to give the music an opportunity to stand on its own merit. Instead of my face, they put a seascape, so by the time my second album came out people were like, Lady T is White? Omigod? Overall my race hasn't been a problem. I'm a Black artist with White skin. At the end of the day you have to sing what's in your own soul. Visit Essence.com to read entire interview.

Watch one of Lady T's videos -- Ooo la la la



Another video:

Arizona GOP State Rep. Frank Pratt Beaten & Bound in his Swimming Pool Store on Christmas Day

SHOCK: Arizona State Rep. Frank Pratt was found unconscious and bound at his swimming pool store in Casa Grande, police said. According to CNN, he reportedly went to check on his store when he was confronted by a person already in the establishment, who severely beat him and left him unconscious in the building, a police statement said. His wife, Janice Pratt, said she went to the store after one hour but left when she didn't see his 2007 GMC Yukon, which the suspect allegedly stole. She then went back three hours later and heard him calling out for help. Pratt is said to be in stable condition after being flown to a Phoenix-area hospital. He sustained multiple bruises and at least one fracture, police said.

Georgia Police Lt. Cliff Rouse Shot & Killed While Attempting to Arrest Robbery Suspect & Convicted Felon Dontravious Raynard Thomas

Georgia Police Lt. Cliff Rouse shot and killed by convicted felon, Dontravious Raynard Thomas, as he attempted to arrest him for robbing Pitt Stop convenience store.

Dougherty County, Ga., Police Lt. Cliff Rouse, 39, was shot and killed Thursday night by Dontravious Raynard Thomas, a career criminal. According to the Albany Herald, Rouse was killed by gunshots fired from a 9mm Glock handgun as he attempted to arrest Thomas for robbing the Pitt Stop convenience store. It should be noted that Thomas is currently on felony probation stemming from a burglary conviction for robbing the same store last year. It is a sad turn of events. Two children and a wife lost their father and husband at the hands of a thug, who has been charged with three felonies -- murder, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a certain crime, the newspaper said.

The case remains under investigation, and more charges could be filed, said Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards. After the evidence is collected and reviewed, Edwards could ask for the death penalty against Thomas.

According to police reports and Cheek, who spoke at an 11 a.m. press conference Friday at county police headquarters, Rouse responded to an armed robbery emergency dispatch to the convenience store at 3225 Sylvester Road. When Rouse arrived, he saw a man running with a gun. Rouse an 18-year, seasoned veteran officer, did not hesitate to follow the gunman into the nearby Nob Hill mobile home park.

Shots were exchanged, and Rouse suffered a wound to the leg and a probably fatal shot to his abdomen just below his protective vest. He radioed that he needed an ambulance. Multiple police agencies scrambled to the scene. Uninjured, Thomas hid under a trailer at another nearby mobile home park, B&S Estates, where he was found by a county police officer, arrested and taken to jail. Source: Albany Herald

It is a shame that this Dontravious Thomas had the effrontery to think he has a right to rob innocent people of their possessions. What is equally reprehensible is the fact he was let out of prison and given probation for robbing the same store. It is obvious he has not been rehabilitated or remorseful for his actions, instead he graduated to murder. The murder of an innocent man who was just doing his job as a police officer. It is my hope that the district attorney seeks the death penalty to send a message to other dirtbags out there who think they have a right to rob others. Rouse is the first officer in Dougherty County killed in the line of duty in 80 years, the police chief said during a press conference.

в нощ...

В нощ с тишина и святост изпълнена,

в нощ за размисли и уроци премислени,

в нощ за мечти и надежди събудени,

аз сама съм, макар и сред други...

С мисли топли и с обич поени,

с усмивки  денят ми премина,

празник гласих аз за всички

и чаках само по дума добричка...

Опитах и всичко направих,

за да сме близо до другите,

да чувства се духът на дома, 

да усетиш се част от семейството...

А сега съм сама с тъгата си в мен,

поредният опит ми бе провален...

Дали пък животът ми не е

ден след ден провален...

Не, не искам мисли такива,

искам само доброто за всички,

които са част от моя живот,

а сега изтривам потекли сълзички...

Чудеса се случвали на Коледен ден,

така го казват по-умни от мен.

И искам да вярвам, че чудото

е все още предстоящо за мен,

че в дните напред ще ме стигне

и с усмивка ще го прегърна...

С надежда и обич в сърцето,

мечтите ми напред ще са с мен...

Честита Коледа!

.

Cornel West, Cynthia McKinney, Cindy Sheehan & Others Calling for Protests Against President Barack Obama's Policies

Cornel West, who has been very critical of President Obama, joins campaign to protest his policies saying he is worse than George W. Bush.

Is President Barack Obama really bad for America? Well, Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Glen Ford of Black Agenda Reports, Cynthia McKinney, Cindy Sheehan (surprise, surprise), Immanuel Wallerstein and others have signed a letter calling for protests against President Barack Obama's policies (protestobama.org). Here is an excerpt from open letter to the left:

With the Obama administration beginning its third year, it is by now painfully obvious that the predictions of even the most sober Obama supporters were overly optimistic. Rather than an ally, the administration has shown itself to be an implacable enemy of reform.

It has advanced repeated assaults on the New Deal safety net (including the previously sacrosanct Social Security trust fund), jettisoned any hope for substantive health care reform, attacked civil rights and environmental protections, and expanded a massive bailout further enriching an already bloated financial services and insurance industry. It has continued the occupation of Iraq and expanded the war in Afghanistan as well as our government’s covert and overt wars in South Asia and around the globe.

Along the way, the Obama administration, which referred to its left detractors as “f***ing retarded” individuals that required “drug testing,” stepped up the prosecution of federal war crime whistleblowers, and unleashed the FBI on those protesting the escalation of an insane war. Obama’s recent announcement of a federal worker pay freeze is cynical, mean-spirited “deficit-reduction theater”. Slashing Bush’s plutocratic tax cuts would have made a much more significant contribution to deficit reduction but all signs are that the “progressive” president will cave to Republican demands for the preservation of George W. Bush’s tax breaks for the wealthy Few. Instead Obama’s tax cut plan would raise taxes for the poorest people in our country.

Er, how can you possibly compare Barack Obama to his predecessor George W. Bush? Hell would have frozen over before Bush would have signed any document to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It would have been a cold day in hell if he had pushed for an extension of unemployment benefits for the millions of unemployed workers in the United States. It would have even been a long-shot for him to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the timetable this group is calling for. Covert operations overseas is nothing new and why this group of people expect it to end under Obama's watch is ridiculous. Sorry, but this is an enormous waste of everyone's time and amounts to the whining of a bunch of disgruntled supporters who felt the president, once in office, was to live up to the true meaning of the word Socialism.

Capital Murder Warrant Issued for Cedric Burks in Murder of Memphis Elementary School Teacher Maggie Wright

West Memphis police issue warrant for arrest of Cedric Burks in murder of Memphis elementary school teacher Maggie Wright.

Have you seen Cedric Burks? If so, a capital murder warrant has been issued for his arrest in the murder of Maggie Wright, a first grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Memphis. According to the Commercial Appeal, Ms. Wright's body was found in West Memphis on Sunday and the Arkansas State Medical Examiner said she died of blunt-force trauma. Why am I not surprised to learn that Burks is a parolee on active supervison?

Wright, 58, who lived in Southaven, was last seen at Harrah’s Casino in Tunica on Sunday in the early morning hours. The Southaven Police Department, Tunica Sheriff's Office, Memphis Police Department and West Memphis Police Department are working together on the investigation, with West Memphis as the lead agency.

Wright was driving a white 2000 Lincoln LS with Mississippi license plate DFN374, and authorities believe Burks may be driving her car. Authorities say Burks, who is a parolee on active supervision of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, should be considered dangerous. Source: Commercial Appeal

Cedric Burks should never have been let out on the streets to terrorize innocent people. There's no hope of rehabilitation for some criminals and they should be left in prison for the rest of their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Maggie Wright.

Haley Barbour's Brother, Jeppie Barbour, During Tenure as Yazoo City Mayor Said Blacks 'Not Listenin To White People Like They Used To'

Jeppie Barbour, brother of MS Governor Haley Barbour, said during his tenure as Yazoo City mayor, "blacks not listenin to white people like they used to."

Well, the fruit certainly doesn't fall far from the tree, so to speak. While Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was defending a racist organization, the Citizens Council in his hometown of Yazoo City, and portrayed himself as being oblivious to the hell blacks went through during the civil rights movement. Enter his older brother, Jeppie Barbour, who was very aware of what happened during that dark period in America's history while he was mayor for several years beginning in 1968. According to the Talking Points Memo, that meant homeboy was in office during the court-ordered integration of the city's schools, an integration the elder Barbour saw as inevitable. Here's an excerpt from TPM:

While mayor, Jeppie Barbour became a central figure in reporter Willie Morris' 1971 book about the integration of Yazoo City. The book largely portrayed Barbour as a relative moderate on race.

But during one interview for the book, Barbour told Morris that he was having trouble working with the town's biracial commission, complaining that whites could no longer appoint black commissioners of their choosing. From the book, as quoted at length by HuffPo's Amanda Terkel:

"Maybe five years ago," he said, "you could've appointed a colored man yourself. Now you simply can't get away with it. They're goin' to have to pick their own leaders. You could've gotten on radio five years ago using these very words, 'George Collins is this ni**er we've appointed,' and could've gotten away with it. I guess they're just goin' through a state of being rebellious and hard-nosed and not listenin' to white people like they used to."

So, blacks aren't listing to white people like they used to. Wow, now I am pretty convinced that Haley Barbour's comments and admiration of the Citizens Council came from his heart. Neither he nor his brother really give one hoot about what blacks went through during the civil rights era. With all this racist rhetoric emanating from the lips of Haley Barbour, the same standard that was applied to then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in the hot mess over Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments, should be applied to Haley Barbour. We don't want someone who trivializes the black experience in this country and adores a racist organization to ever get the chance to even run for the presidency.

Fox News' Shep Smith Calls Out Republican Who Wouldn't Discuss 9/11 First Responders Bill with Him

Shep Smith is the only on-air personality at Fox News who is truly "fair and balanced." Kudos to him for hammering Republican senators who wouldn't pass the 9/11 first responders bill. According to Talking Points Memo, this time, Shep Smith went as far as calling out by name those who wouldn't appear on his show to discuss the issue. The names are as follows:  "Senators Alexander, Barrasso, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Grassley, Kyl, McConnell, Sessions, Baucus, Gregg, and Inhofe. No response from Bunning, Coburn, Ensign, Graham, Hatch, and McCain," he said. They don't want to talk about this because they don't give a shi*t about people on Main Street, much less 9/11 first responders. contrary to the con-job they pulled off in the midterm elections last month. I bet Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity couldn't care less what the Rethugs are doing. They have been blowing off steam on the wrong issues.

Watch the video:

NAACP & LULAC Accuse Texas Board of Education of Seeking to Implement "Racially or Ethnically Offensive" & Historically Inaccurate Curriculum

Texas Board of Education accused of trying to implement "racially or ethnically offensive," as well as historically inaccurate curriculum minimizing slavery.

Surprise, surprise. Texas is in the news again over school text books. According to the Houston Chronicle, the NAACP and the Texas League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, are crying foul over a school curriculum teaching children about violent Black Panthers while playing down Ku Klux Klan violence against blacks is not only inaccurate but discriminatory. Both groups have filed a joint complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

The complaint asks the department's Office of Civil Rights to review Texas' new social studies curriculum standards approved by the State Board of Education and to take legal action if the state tries to implement the standards the groups call "racially or ethnically offensive," as well as historically inaccurate.

The new standards also balance the speeches of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis and attempt to point out positive aspects of slavery."It is our contention that the SBOE curriculum changes were made with the intention to discriminate, and the SBOE curriculum and other areas raised in this complaint were either the result of unnecessary policies that have a disparate or stigmatizing impact on African Americans and Latinos, or reflect disparate treatment or neglect," according to the complaint by Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Joey Cardenas Jr., state director for the Texas League of United Latin American Citizens.

A review of the new social studies curriculum standards by historians and college professors indicates that 83 percent of the required historical figures and notable persons for students to study are white. Only 16 percent are African American or Latino. Source: Houston Chronicle

Yeah, talk about the mis-education of black and Latino youths. Sorry, but for anyone to downplay slavery and the impact the Ku Klux Klan had on blacks in America is a disgrace. Take Christopher Columbus, for example. All through high school in Jamaica it was taught to us that he discovered the New World. Really? Weren't there already inhabitants on all those islands? Taino Indians? We would have been better served had the text books said Christopher Columbus was the first European on the island. Back to the U.S. We have Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour trying to downplay and shrug off the integration process in his state by saying the "it wasn't so bad." Though he claimed he went to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak but couldn't remember a word of what was said. For whom? Certainly not blacks, who lived in hell in Mississippi for decades. Remember Rev. Jeremiah Wright and the headaches he caused then-presidential candidate Barack Obama for incendiary comments he made about whites? Shouldn't Haley Barbour be held to the same standard for his association with this racist group?

Bishop Eddie L. Long & Gary Hawkins Linked to Controversial Mortgage Venture that Ripped Off Church Members

Megachurch pastors Eddie L. Long & Gary Hawkins linked to mortgage venture that ripped off congregants and forced them into foreclosure and bankruptcy.

The embattled Bishop Eddie L. Long is in the news again. This time Long and another local megachurch pastor, Gary Hawkins, are linked to a questionable mortgage venture -- Matrix Capital -- being investigated by federal agents, according to CBS Atlanta. Let's see if Long is going to say he's "like David and five stones but hasn't thrown one yet." Hawkins is the senior pastor of Voices of Faith Ministries with churches located in Stone Mountain and Conyers. Yeah, ripping his congregation off at both locations.

The company promised to lower people's mortgages for $1,500 upfront. Police say thousands of homeowners paid Matrix money, but according to investigators, most of them ended up in bankruptcy and losing their homes.So many people trusted Matrix Capital front man Fred Lee because he made promises of lowering people's mortgages in the sanctity of their local church.

CBS Atlanta first tracked down Fred Lee on the campus of New Birth, Bishop Eddie Long's church."You are not licensed, are you?" reporter Wendy Saltzman asked Lee."No not at all. But hold on, stop, stop, stop stop," he said.On Wednesday nights, New Birth is where Lee convinced church members to pay him instead of their mortgages. That is where people started the process that would eventually cost many their homes.

"Where is Eddie Long? Because we would like to talk to him about why he is holding these seminars on his property here," Saltzman asked the security guards at New Birth. "You have to leave the property," the officer responded.The case against Lee is now being investigated by DeKalb County police and the Secret Service. Source: CBS Atlanta

Well, it seems that we get hit with an Eddie L. Long story Fridays or Mondays. You will recall he is now in mediation with four young black men -- Maurice Robinson, Spencer LeGrande, Anthony Flagg and Jamal Parris -- who accused him of sexual coercion. Why is Bishop Long still in the pulpit at Newbirth Missionary Baptist Church? Has he no shame or a conscience?  As for Bishop Hawkins, people need to think twice before giving him and his church their hard-earned money.

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin: It's Time to Move Forward on Issue of Net Neutrality

Shirley Franklin says preserving open Internet while focusing on priorities of Americans such as restoration of economy & solution to job creation paramount.

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin has penned another riveting article about net neutrality and says it is time to move forward. It should be noted that an important vote is coming up tomorrow, December 21st. Here's the article in its entirety:

It's Time to Move Forward
By Shirley Franklin

Recently Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Genachowski announced a compromise on net neutrality that will be voted on at the agency's December 21 meeting. After months of contentious debate, the proposal reflects a middle ground solution that upholds the Commission's commitment to preserving the open Internet while maintaining a focus on the priorities of the American people: restoration of our economy and a solution to create jobs. My hope is that this compromise will provide the necessary closure to this debate that will increase certainty in the marketplace and spur investment needed to drive us forward.

The Internet has proven to be a transforming technology – connecting people to school, work and commerce and providing communication from anywhere, at any time. Today's broadband holds unprecedented possibilities for the future, particularly for low-income Americans and communities of color that have traditionally been left behind. Unfortunately, the protracted debate over net neutrality has served as a roadblock to connecting more Americans to this great tool, standing in the way of real opportunity at a time when we need it most. With a vote to support the compromise the FCC can move to settle the issue, putting it behind us to shift focus to implementing a key component of the National Broadband Plan – making affordable broadband available to 100 percent of Americans.

As the FCC Commissioners consider this proposal, my hope is that the commissioners will reject the partisan bickering and find a middle ground solution, in this case a compromise, that settles the debate and moves our attention to getting Americans back to work. Now is the time for us to come together on an issue that will benefit the future of America.

Having considered all sides of the debate, Chairman Genachowski has proposed a workable and reasonable solution that promotes private investment and will spur job creation.

Shirley Franklin is a Senior Advisor to the Alliance for Digital Equality and is the former mayor of Atlanta.

Please share your thoughts on this subject and the upcoming vote Tuesday. Job Creation is paramount in this tough economic climate and I urge each person to pay close attention to how this plays out.

Jermaine Jackson Files Police Report Claiming Bag with Valuables Stolen from His California Home Three Months Ago

Michael Jackson's big bro, Jermaine Jackson, reports alleged theft Sunday of bag containing nearly $200,000 in valuables that allegedly occurred three months ago.

King of Pop Michael Jackson's older brother, Jermaine Jackson, has reportedly filed a police report Sunday stating a "mysterious" thief stole a Louis Vuitton bag with nearly $200,000 in valuables from his California home. Er, one problem. Jackson claimed the bag -- allegedly containing furs, jewelry and clothes -- was stolen from the home in Calabasas on either September 17 or 18th. Why three months late? Besides, this is coming from the same person who cried poverty over paying his ex-wife $3,000 monthly in child support payments. According to the NY Post, he claims to have returned home from vacation on September 17, but didn't immediately unpack. It gets better. He told cops he woke up the next morning and found an open door that he had left unlocked, that's when he noticed the bag missing. Right Jermaine and there's really a Santa Claus. Of course the cops have no suspects or leads at this time and they aren't going to either.  Wait, doesn't he live with his mother? So, the statement "his mansion" is laughable, just like the so-called theft.

Canadian Armenians Join Protest Sunday Over Kobe Bryant's Endorsement Deal with Turkish Airlines

Basketball star Kobe Bryant is under fire for inking a deal with Turkish Airlines to become their new global brand ambassador. Many in the Armenian communities across the globe have called on Bryant to question Turkey's human rights record. He faced a demonstration in Toronto Sunday during a game at the Air Canada Centre. According to CP24, about 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the Turks around the time of First World War. The deaths have been called the first genocide of the 20th century by scholars, though the Turks have vehemently denied the characterization saying the killings happened during a time of civil war and political unrest. According to CP24, Canada recognized the mass killings as genocide in 2004. What has rubbed the Armenian community the wrong way is the fact that Bryant has been a vocal human rights supporter through the years.

Sen. Kay Hagen's Office, Government Buildings Vandalized in NC with Swastikas, Other Symbols (VIDEO)

Sen. Kay Hagen's office, government buildings in NC vandalized with swastikas & other spray-painted slogans, white males seen on surveillance video.

The racist freaks in Greenville, NC, couldn't help themselves -- the office of Sen. Kay Hagen (D-NC) was spray-painted with phrases such as "Criminal Government," "blind follow blind," and "what good is justice if the scales are bent." Swastikas, lightning bolts and other symbols were also painted on several buildings in the area. Police say a “white male with a thin build,” wearing a long coat and a backpack, approached her office and several other government buildings around 2 a.m., according to Think Progress. All this racist behavior was in response to legislation members of Congress were voting on -- DREAM Act, a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the tax cut package President Obama negotiated with the Republicans. Watch video of the criminal mastermind in action, via WNCT:

Rise of Sarah Palin, Paris Hilton & Kim Kardashian Proof of America's Poisonous Celebrity Love-Affair with Vulgar & Lame Behavior

American glorification of Sarah Palin, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton & others part of of a poisonous celebrity culture where shameful, lewd & vulgar behavior rules.

The U.S. culture has a dirty little secret -- it glorifies and rewards lewd and off-the-cuff behavior --  shame & lame is the U.S. way to fame.  Let's not stop at Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. I might also add Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, Ray J, Lil Wayne, Lindsay Lohan and Snookie to the mix as well. Bad behavior trumps decency. Sarah Palin has never been involved in vulgar and lewd behavior, but she's not presidential material and it's unfathomable why she commands such media attention. She's lame, plain lame. I came across an interesting commentary written by Stanley Crouch in today's edition of the New York Daily News bolstering my statement:

In a more civilized age, Paris Hilton would've remained sequestered while doing charity work in order to redeem herself and be forgiven for drunkenly performing sex acts on tape, along with other lewd behavior.

But forgiveness moves in the express lane now. No penance was required, and Hilton never felt the deep shame Mark Madoff experienced.

In fact, Hilton inspired childhood friend Kim Kardashian to make her own sex tape. It led to a reality show, and now Kardashian is more popular than Hilton. And just as shameless. That's how our culture works. Fame next found the perky Sarah Palin, one of whose great gifts is the unwillingness to ever admit a significant mistake. She has a reality show, too.

Palin's outlook is no different from that of Enron executives who pretended nothing was wrong until their financial house of cards came crashing down.

That investigation into Enron's hanky-panky was followed by the suicide of Cliff Baxter, who had a high position in the company's command chain. Baxter was troubled in the way that Madoff's son was. Unlike the Paris Hiltons of this world, he could feel shame - and did.

We don't expect that from the men who brought Wall Street to its knees in 2008, but are now thinking once again about where they would spend their huge, undeserved bonuses. Source: NY Daily News

It is a sad commentary that vulgarity to the maximum is a ticket to fame and wealth in this country. Hey, take a look at Vanessa Williams? She walked into fame and fortune after relinquishing her Miss America crown in 1984. She was the first black woman to be crowned Miss America and the first Miss America to relinquish her crown. You will recall she was forced to resign 10 months into her reign on July 23, 1984, the same day Penthouse magazine published nude pictures of her. The only differences between Ms. Williams and Paris Hilton she has talent -- singer and actress -- and the pictures weren't taken during a sex romp.

While I wouldn't compare Sarah Palin to Paris Hilton, because she's far more decent and educated, I can;t ignore the fact that she is an empty-suit just blabbing about whatever sounds good to her followers. Palin could not even finish her term as governor when she decided to kick the people of Alaska to the curb. She couldn't keep her commitment to be their leader, in much the same way as it took her a few colleges to get a bachelor's degree and nearly left Wasilla bankrupt during her term as mayor. Could someone please tell me why anyone would even entertain the thought that this "empty-suit" is presidential material? At the end of the day, the more lewd, wacky, shameful and vulgar your behavior, the more admiration some in America will have for you.

Whites Now a Minority in Macon, Ga., as Educated & Highly Skilled Move to Suburban Areas

Whites are now a minority in Macon, Ga., as many educated and highly skilled whites & blacks leaving the city for suburban areas.

Whites are taking flight from Macon, Ga., in droves. According to the Sun Times, U.S. Census Bureau estimates suggest that one of every six whites living in Macon has left since 2000, essentially relegating the white community to a minority in Bibb County. Not to knock Macon, but as a black person, it doesn't exactly appeal to me to work, much less to live. From a purely economic standpoint, there is absolutely nothing to keep an educated and highly skillful person in Macon, except perhaps medical and government personnel, as well as some forms of entrepreneurship. Still, one has to look at the climbing crime rates in Macon to answer the question of the exodus of whites. Not a day goes by when one doesn't hear about some criminal activity jumping off there, with the NAACP mysteriously silent on the black-on-black crime in their community. Take the murder of seven year old Jalen Griffin by Vonn Gibbons Jr., 19, on Saturday, for example.

The latest estimates, from 2005-09 of the American Community Survey, suggest Macon lost about 5,700 white residents since the 2000 census. The city’s population overall dropped by about 4,000 people, to an estimated 97,255.

In the 2000 census, whites -- including white Hispanics -- made up 50.1 percent of Bibb County’s population. In the latest estimates, whites make up 46.5 percent, giving up their majority status. Blacks make up 49.7 percent. Source: Sun Times

The statistics are interesting, but scarcely surprising. In any country or state, the suburban areas hold the greatest promise for many and there is always an exodus to the cities and the suburbs. So while the Macon Telegraph bemoans whites leaving its city, the New York Daily News published a weepy commentary about "working class whites unraveling before our eyes."

Could Brand Clinton be Just What President Obama Needs to Cruise to a Second Term in 2012?

COMMENTARY: Could a close association with Bill Clinton be a driving force to a 2012 election win for President Barack Obama?

Could Brand Clinton be President Barack Obama's savior in 2012? Well, The Telegraph's columnist, Toby Harnden seems to think so. He opines "throughout most of 2010, Obama has shown a disastrous combination of vain smug self-belief and peevish lassitude that must have sent his press handlers into deep depression." He adds "to cap it all, at a bizarre White House press conference on December 10th, he ceded the floor to Bill Clinton, leaving the former Democratic president talking away as the current one left to go to a Christmas Party, explaining that he would face the wrath of his wife if he stayed." Personally, I thought it seemed as though President Obama was more worried about what his wife thought, than to talk to the American people honestly about the tax cuts, inside, opting to let someone else do the talking. The problem is, Bill Clinton is a consummate public speaker who is a brilliant politician and knows how to take a centrist position to work with Republicans, Barack Obama is just learning how to do that. While I find it absolutely hypocritical for a British newspaper to be so critical of President Obama, considering they are plagued with a myriad of economic woes, notwithstanding the student protests that nearly turned violent, Harnden makes some valid points.

Bill Clinton's appearance with President Obama was a shrewd move on his part. Why? Despite all the personal mess that tainted his presidency, he was able to work with Republicans to get things done for the American people. He left a balanced budget and a surplus. People had jobs and many were making money in the stock market. Life wasn't perfect during the Clinton years, but it was mostly good for many people. I hope President Obama realizes the terrible predicament he has found himself in. After all, the American people, like myself, have little faith in his electability in the 2012 general elections, unless he changes course and moves to the center. According to a recent poll, 29% of Americans think he will be reelected. That's nothing to ignore and I suspect he is beginning to realize that. To echo Toby Harnden, Clinton now symbolizes centrist deal-making and not letting liberal principle stand in the way of getting something done. That has long been my position where President Obama is concerned. You cannot govern from the left and get anything done in this country. Most Americans are conservative by nature and don't want to see a Socialist agenda creeping into their daily lives.

I think it's safe to say that even though President Obama is moving to the center, most Liberals will vote for him in the next general elections, despite their anger towards him right now. I am sure they don't want to see a Republican president in the White House. Though some Democrats have found the recent $858 billion tax-cut and unemployment extension bill grating, Obama pulled off a major bipartisan win. Coupled with the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," he isn't doing too badly for a president who was "shellacked" in the November midterm elections. If anything, President Obama realizes that he must govern from the center if he wants to be victorious in 2012, as long as Brand Clinton is the ace in his back pocket as well. Al Gore made a terrible mistake when he largely ignored Bill Clinton during his run for the White House. I think Barack Obama realizes Bill Clinton is an asset because he allays the fears of many on both the right and the left.

Macon Teen, Vonn Gibbons Jr., Fatally Shots 7-Year Old Boy, Jalen Griffin, Then Commits Suicide

Black teen Vonn Gibbons, Jr. and seven year old Jalen Griffin of Macon, Ga., dead in apparent murder-suicide.

SHOCK: Vonn Gibbons Jr., 19, reportedly fatally shot seven-year-old Jalen Griffin, who his mother was babysitting, and then committed suicide at his Macon, Ga., home Saturday. It seems like the motive for this heinous act will go to the grave with Vonn. His mother, Cheryl Cole told WMAZ-TV she was asleep when the shooting occurred and didn't know her son had a gun.

Authorities said they weren't sure what caused the outbreak of violence. But Bibb County coroner Leon Jones told WMAZ-TV it appeared Gibbons shot the young boy intentionally. "We have no idea why," Jones said. "We probably will never get the answers, the truth about this. We just don't know." Cheryl Cole, said, "I just want my baby back. I just want my son and Jalen back, that's all I can say."

No matter how you view this situation, it is a sad one. One has to wonder what could possibly have driven Vonn Gibbons to murder a 7-year-old child and then kill himself. This will be a sad holiday season for both families.

American Tourist, Christine Logan, Brutally Stabbed by Pair of "Arab Men," as she & Friend Hiked Near Jerusalem

American tourist, Christine Logan, stabbed to death as she and friend, Kaye Susan Wilson, hiked near Jerusalem.

SHOCK: Christine Logan, an American tourist in Israel, was brutally stabbed to death as she hiked with a friend, Kaye Susan Wilson, who said they were attacked by a pair of Arab men. According to the NY Daily News, Israeli authorities found her body Sunday morning, after she went missing in the Beit Shemesh-Jerusalem area, the Jerusalem Post said. She was reportedly bound and stabbed multiple times. Wilson, who is from England, has lived in Israel for decades. She was also bound and stabbed but managed to escape.

She said they had been hiking in a mountainous area between the southern Jerusalem suburb of Tzur Hadassah and the nearby town of Beit Shemesh on Saturday when the men approached. "Two Arabs passed and asked, 'Do you have any water?'" she said. "I felt something was wrong. I turned to [Christine] in English and told her something doesn't feel right and that we should return to the path." Wilson said she pulled out a small knife, but the men followed and quickly gained the upper hand. Source: NY Daily News

The killers are still at large and no terrorist organizations have made any claims about the incident. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim.

Michelle Obama Becomes1st First Lady to Wear Vintage Dress to Public Event

New York Post is hating on Michelle Obama for wearing a thrift-store dress to the "Christmas in Washington" concert, set to air on TNT Friday night. The black-lace overlay dress, reportedly costs $2500 and is a 1950s piece. According to the NY Post, it is believed to be the first vintage dress worn by a first lady to a public event. It was made by American designer Norman Norelli, who died in 1972.

The store's owners would not say how much the first lady paid for the dress, but prices for vintage clothing have risen dramatically as quality pieces have become wildly popular among celebrities and on the red carpet. One estimate for this hand-me-down was $2,500.

Obama's fashion choices frequently make headlines. In the past, her outfits have immediately become hot sellers at department stores and specialty retailers -- even leading to long lines and waiting lists for specific pieces. Source: NY Post

Well, call it what you want, the right wing is hating on Mrs. Obama's dress and there's really no reason to. So what if the dress cost $2,500? The Drudge Report and others have forgotten that the Obamas were fairly wealthy when he ascended the presidency. I can't seem to remember them bitching about the expensive taste of Republican first ladies -- Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush, to name a few. I guess one has to be mindful of the fact that you will always have detractors and haters when you are famous.

To see a picture of the dress, CLICK HERE.

Daily Mail Newspaper Says President Obama & Wife Snubbed by Royal Family, Won't be Invited to Prince William's Wedding

The Daily Mail is out with a story today saying President Barack Obama and wife Michelle won't be invited to Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton next year. They say that since the prince isn't heir to the throne yet, his wedding isn't classified as a "state occasion" and therefore they are not compelled to invite the Obamas. The newspaper also cites the invitation of President Ronald Reagan to the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981, which Nancy Reagan attended in his place. It's funny that the Drudge Report could run with this ridiculous assertion by the newspaper. Who really cares?

But the decision to exclude the American premier and his wife Michelle from the celebrations marks a break from tradition. A senior courtier said: ‘It is certainly not the case that all foreign heads of state will be excluded. The guest list is still being drawn up and could change, but as things stand it’s right (to say Mr Obama will not be invited).’ Source: Daily Mail

I'm pretty sure President Obama and his wife aren't losing sleep over a perceived snub by the royal family. I would hope that the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be as solid and loving as the Obamas, since the royal family is batting a horrible record where that's concerned. To the Daily Mail, why don't you worry about how the British government is going to foot their part of the bill in the wake of massive student demonstrations over tuition increases and other economic woes thrashing your country.

UPDATE#1: I spoke to a good friend earlier today and she thinks this was a snub, considering President Reagan was invited to Prince Charles and Diana's wedding in 1981. For her, this snub goes deeper. She believes President Obama stands for everything the aristocracy does not. He pulled himself up by the boot straps and became the president of the most powerful country in the world. That's quite the opposite of what the royal family stands for. While I don't particularly agree with her assessment, I respect it nonetheless and I welcome the dialogue. I believe this wasn't a snub for another reason. From what I have read, Prince William and Kate Middleton are inviting people who worked in his charities, so that could shed some light on why the Obamas won't be invited. Share your thoughts on this so-called snub.

Customs Agent Devon Samuels Facing Laundering Drug Money, Smuggling Cash & Other Charges in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Scheme

Isn't ironic that the person charged with enforcing the customs laws is charged with breaking the law? Customs agent Devon Samuels was charged with laundering drug money, smuggling cash and attempting to bring weapons onto an aircraft. If found guilty, Mr. Samuels, will never see the outside of a prison for decades. Samuels and 13 others were accused of being involved in a large-scale drug trafficking scheme.

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said Thursday that authorities seized 700,000 tabs of Ecstasy worth more than $2.8 million at a house in Chamblee as part of the bust. Prosecutors said an officer posing as a drug money launderer gave the 45-year-old Samuels $22,000, which they said he smuggled to Jamaica. Samuels is also charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Authorities said he was paid $900 to help a couple in a sham marriage deceive customs officials. Source: WSB-TV

Seems to me like Devon Samuels got caught in something really crazy and the charges he faces are massive. If he is convicted, his life is literally over. Is he from Jamaica? All the Samuels I know are from the Caribbean.

CLICK HERE to read more about this case from the Jamaica Observer.