Cold-Footed / Cold Hearted Bride

Fox News reports that missing bride Jennifer Wilbanks was never abducted and merely got "cold feet" - hopping on a bus and ending up in Albuquerque, NM.  It was apparent she knew everyone thought she had been abducted, as she even told her husband-to-be (or former husband-to-be, perhaps?) that her abductors let her go and didn't know where she was (authorities traced her collect call to a pay phone in Albuquerque).

Fox News calls it cold feet - I call it irresponsible.  In this day, when so many women and children are truly being abducted and killed, this is playing with fire.  Tax payer money and fear are heavy costs paid for a fleeing bride's "cold feet." I hope there will be consequences for her actions. 

UPDATE:  On MSNBC yesterday, they interviewed one of the police officers regarding the case, and when asked if any charges will be filed against her, he said there would not be.  False reporting, here....false reporting here...lots of money spent with 100 officers out looking for her.  I'm not surprised, though.

Happy Blogiversary to my Hubby!

I wanted to wish my dear hubby, Eric at Vince Aut Morire, a Happy one year Blogiversary!

I started my blog because of him, just to get into his head and find out what this "blog stuff" was all about.  Because of him, I've been doing it myself since December.  I only wish I could be half as good at touching the lives of others - I've been amazed at how many people he has touched.  Most of us have been hit with rolls of laughter at his deranged sense of humor, but many have also been touched because what he wrote about had directly impacted their lives and they want to thank him for writing about their loved one, when it seemed everyone else - ahem, note "MSM" - had forgotten.  He also has a way with the French, and I mean that with only the utmost respect...hee hee.

Honey - Happy Blogiversary!  I know I can't say that I was supportive 100% of the time because I've always been trying to pull you away from the 'puter to spend time with me (other than via email...hehehehe), but I am very supportive of why you do what you do and will always admire and respect your talent and straightforwardness. 

That being said, I wanted to give you a special gift.

Drum roll, please......

NAMBLA & the ACLU - A Match Made in Hell

NAMBLA states that they are on an important, historic mission.  They state that their mission is simple - abolition of age-of-consent laws that classify sex with children as rape. NAMBLA is the North American Man/Boy Love Association. 

Charles Jaynes, 25, reportedly viewed the group's web site shortly before the killing of Jeffrey Curley, a 10 year old boy, slain in 1997.  Jaynes also had in his possession some of NAMBLA's publications. Also convicted in the killing was 24-year-old Salvatore Sicari.  Sicari, convicted of first-degree murder, is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.  Jaynes' second-degree murder and kidnapping convictions enable him to seek parole within the next 20 years.  Was this a case of misunderstanding?  Does this fit with NAMBLA’s philosophy of man/boy love that is non-violent?  Hardly.  Prosecutors said Jaynes and Sicari were sexually obsessed with the boy, lured him from his Cambridge neighborhood with the promise of a new bike, and then smothered him with a gasoline-soaked rag when he resisted their sexual advances. They then stuffed him into a concrete-filled container and dumped it into a Maine river. Non-violent?  No.  Loving?  No.

The ACLU is a supporter of NAMBLA, representing the organization in the civil case related to the aforementioned murder.  The ACLU is representing NAMBLA PRO BONO.  Their official position:  “In representing NAMBLA, the ACLU does not advocate sexual relationships between adults and children. What we do advocate is robust freedom of speech. This lawsuit strikes at the heart of freedom of speech. The defense of freedom of speech is most critical when the message is one most people find repulsive.â€�  I am repulsed.  Repulsed by the idea that my children may not be able to say “…one Nation, under Godâ€� in school some future day - thanks to the ACLU - but this disgusting, vile organization is supported due to freedom of speech?

In February 2005, the FBI arrested three NAMBLA members at Harbor Island as they waited for a boat that undercover agents told them would sail to Ensenada for a sex retreat over Valentine’s Day with boys as young as 9.  The FBI also arrested four additional NAMBLA members in a Los Angeles marina where they also planned to set sail to the same bogus retreat.  These men are a cross-section of people you and I might interact with regularly:  a dentist, a special education teacher, a substitute teacher, a handyman, a flight attendant who is also a psychologist, a paper company employee and a personal trainer.  How horrific to know that a number of these men had daily interactions with children!  As noted in court papers, most of these men told the undercover agent they had been sexually involved with children historically, including boys they met on the Internet and others.  Looking more closely at these men, at least one of the men is a member of NAMBLA’s national leadership, a second organized their national convention in 2004 and a third has been a NAMBLA member since the 1980s.  Thank God these criminals have been discovered so no more boys are harmed.

So what of Charles Jaynes?  The Boston Herald reports that Jaynes is now battling efforts by his victim’s mother to uncover whether NAMBLA is bankrolling Jaynes’ prison canteen.  There were court affidavits from two inmates claiming Jaynes engages in sex acts in the prison without discipline, shows off his victim’s autopsy and has a fat canteen account courtesy of NAMBLA.  While one of these inmates has now recanted their story, questions are still present about what NAMBLA is doing for Jaynes while he is in prison.  I won’t link to NAMBLA’s disgusting site, but they do have a Prisoner Program for those convicted of pedophilia.  The program on their website clearly states that they do not financially support prisoners, but provides instruction on what type of information should be sent to these criminals.  Here’s what NAMBLA says about those incarcerated for, what they believe, are unfounded criminal acts:  “Incarceration is a terrible thing. For a boy-lover ground into the criminal justice system, it is an especially harrowing fate.â€�  What about the fate of that 10 year old boy whose lifeless body was stuffed into a container and tossed away into the river? 

Cross-posted at The Wide Awakes

Damned of the West IV - The Jawa Report

A must read!  Part IV of the interviews Dr. Rusty Shakleford had with the family of abducted American Roy Hallums.

Evil Poetry Meme

Okay....so I got tagged to be a part of this Evil Poetry Meme by Raven and Beth.  So here's my work of art:

Turd in a punchbowl

Shoot it out your blowhole

Turd in a punchbowl

How did I get in this meme roll?

So before you think I'm more crazy than I already am, I had to put "turd in a punchbowl" in the first & third lines of the poem.  I hope you like it Beth and Raven...I don't have three blog friends who haven't done this already, so I don't think I can pass this along, but I will certainly encourage everyone to go read yours and to read Vinnie's award winning contribution!

White Trash Cooking - Stuff in a Jar

All righty ya'll.  I know you've done heard of those meals in a jar that wimmin-folk make at Christmas time.  You know.  Cookies in a jar, soup in a jar, hot chocolate in a jar.  You know the stuff....gotta follow the directions, add the water or hot milk and all of that.  Well, I find them things nice to get at Christmas time, but not all that convenent simpul oh hell, easy to do.  Me and my old man Cletus, we done come up with a new "in a jar" product that don't need nothing added, don't need no mixin' and will make life just a little bit more interesting for us all.  Moonshine in a jar.  A-yup.  Just crank 'er open and toss 'er back.  That's all it takes.

I find that these make good gifts at weddin's so the bride and groom can get all drunk and see what that married thang is all about.  I reckon it also is a nice baby shower gift.  The ma will need some of my majic joos once that youngun starts squallerin.  Hell, this would even be a nice item to have at your uncle's funeral.  All them crying people - we all need a drink during those times.  It's also great for momma's day comin' up.  You know yer momma wants some of this, doncha?  Hell, just shoot me a note and I'll getcha set up.  Iffin I get too many requests, I may have to buy me another tub to set up more distillin'.  Yeee doggies!

Don't fergit all my inbread friends and cuzins in the trailerpark:

Damned of the West III - The Jawa Report's Continuing Series

This is an important read.  Rusty Shakleford brings you part three in his series of interviews with Roy Hallums' family.  Roy is an American who is being held hostage in Iraq - he was captured on November 1, 2004.  This interview is with Roy's daughter, Carrie.  Please stop by The Jawa Report and learn how the family is handling this tragic situation.

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

This is an awesome recipe!  I need to make it more than I do.  The flavor is just amazing!  Some people are a bit apprehensive about cooking with anchovies - I used to be one of them.  In this recipe, the anchovies actually do "melt" and you would never know they are in the pasta.  You would definitely know if they weren't there, though!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tin flat fillet of anchovies, drained, 6 or 7 fillets
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, 4 or 5 sprigs stripped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup clam juice or chicken stock (I do some of each)
1 can (15 ounces) fancy whole baby clams
1 lemon, zested
1 pound linguini, slightly undercooked, about 6 to 7 minutes
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Lots of black pepper and some coarse salt
Crusty bread, for mopping

Instructions:

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan in a slow stream, red pepper flakes, garlic and anchovies and cook until anchovies melt into the oil. Add thyme and wine. Reduce wine 1 minute. Add clam juice or stock, clam juice will give the dish a stronger clam flavor, chicken stock will give it a buttery personality. Stir in clams and lemon zest. Drain pasta. Add to skillet and toss with sauce 2 to 3 minutes, until pasta is al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce and flavor. Add parsley, pepper and salt, to your taste and serve with bread for mopping up remaining juices.

recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

A Difference is Being Made in Afghanistan

Sally Goodrich, a mother who lost her son in the second plane to hit the World Trade Center on the September 11 attacks, had an opportunity to see the Afghan school being built with money she raised in the U.S.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Sally Goodrich, whose son died in the Sept. 11 attacks, kept a grip on her grief as she surveyed the foundations of the Afghan school being built with money she raised in the United States.

But the 59-year-old, who lost her son in the second plane to hit the World Trade Center, has been overwhelmed more than once as she surveyed the striking landscape of mountains and plains where al-Qaida honed its plot.

"How could it possibly have come from a place of such reverence and tranquility?" she told The Associated Press in the Afghan capital this week, the thought bringing fresh tears and a determined smile.

Goodrich, a native of Bennington, Vt., and an administrator for schools in nearby North Adams, Mass., has helped raise about $180,000 for the new girl's school in Surkh Abat, about 30 miles south of Kabul, in Logar province.

On Wednesday, she visited the site in a fertile valley edged by jagged mountains. Teachers and pupils gave her jewelry and a penholder made of colored beads. Later, they sang songs of welcome.

"All I had to do was maintain my composure, which was the most I could do," Goodrich said in an interview in a government guesthouse in Kabul, wearing a black headscarf even indoors out of respect for the country's deep-rooted Islamic customs.

A childhood friend of Peter Goodrich, Sally's son, wrote to Sally and Don Goodrich about the poor state of schools where he was stationed in Afghanistan.  What started as an effort to raise money for supplies turned into a much larger mission.  Supplies were sent to another school in Logar run out of a private home, but the Goodriches and others decided that Afghan children needed more than just supplies. 

Local churches, schools and family friends helped raise the funds for the school, paying some into a memorial foundation. Some of the money also came from compensation paid to families of the victims of the 2001 attacks.

The site for the new school was identified with the help of an Afghan deputy interior minister who once worked as an assistant to David Edwards, a professor at Williams College, in Williamstown, Mass., who also is involved in the project.

Haji Malik, the 60-year-old foreman of the construction site, said the people from seven nearby villages were delighted about the new school and the generosity of the "kind foreign lady."

"I condemn what happened on Sept. 11," Malik said as about 20 men heaved chunks of stone onto the foundations and smothered them in cement. "We are all part of humanity, we are all brothers, even if we have different religions."

One laborer, Ghulam Dastagir, said his three small daughters jumped up and down for joy when they heard about the school, which will serve elementary and middle grades.

Bibi Hawa, a 10-year-old girl minding four cows nearby, said she also would like to come to the school, "but my father won't let me," suggesting conservative Muslim traditions would deprive some local children of a chance for education.

Sally Goodrich said her visit was heartwarming and that the 10 female teachers had made clear their sympathy for her loss.

"You see it in they eyes, that they understand suffering," she said.

Sally and her husband plan to return to see the first classes in the completed building, which will fall around the fourth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. 

Truly this story transcends politics and all of the critical fingerpointing we have seen since September 11.  Girls, who just 4-5 years ago would never have had an opportunity to go to school, will be attending a brand new school built because of the generous outpouring of Americans - those who were greatly impacted by the attacks that were planned on the very soil the school's foundation now stands. 

Domestic Strangulation Gets Probation

Nebraska has a new law that went into effect in Mid-April that classifies domestic strangulation as a Class 4 Felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. 

The first conviction has made its way through the court system (emphasis mine): 

LA VISTA, Neb. -- What may be Nebraska's first felony strangulation conviction has made its way through the courts, but the victim's family isn't happy with the outcome. The new classification of domestic strangulation as a crime is punishable by up to five years in prison, but Daniel Chumley, of La Vista, got probation. The victim's family believes the system let them down, but the Sarpy County Attorney feels differently. 

Memorial weekend 2004, Tiffany Johnson's ex-boyfriend, Daniel Chumley, showed up at her apartment and strangled her with his hands.  "She was choked, basically, to unconsciousness," said Christi Adams, Johnson's mother.  Chumley ran and hid at his mother's house. He staged a four-hour standoff with police, which ended when tear gas finally forced him out.

Adams said her daughter lives in fear of Chumley. When Chumley pleaded guilty to a felony charge under Nebraska's new strangulation statute she had hoped he would be sentenced to one to three years in prison.  "So, it was quite a shock when she got a phone call on the morning of sentencing that there was a possibility this judge would give him probation," said Adams.

Chumley was not sentenced to one to three years; he received probation, even though he's in jail now for violating DUI probation.  Sarpy County District Judge William Zastera sentenced Chumley to 30 months probation. He must refrain from alcohol use and complete an inpatient treatment program. Zastera declined to comment on the case.

Chief Deputy Sarpy County Attorney Tricia Freeman, who helped draft the strangulation legislation, said without the new felony law, Chumley may have gotten off on a misdemeanor.  Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov believes the system worked.  "A felony conviction is a serious condition," said Polikov. "It's a defendant who's going to have to jump through some significant hoops. And if he doesn't, I'm sure he'll do time."

I certainly appreciate the fact that this case didn't turn out to bring with it a misdemeanor offense, but instead of writing a law to segment this type of crime out from others, I think it would have been a more valuable effort to strengthen the law to charge these types of criminals more heavily, more aligned with attempted murder, not merely assault.  I'm finding it hard to understand why strangling someone to unconsciousness wouldn't be considered attempted murder, carrying with it a much stronger penalty.  It seems to be that laws are written to err on the side of the criminal with the questionable behavior versus protecting the victim.  This man should be serving time in a facility, not on probation.

Hanoi Jane At It Again

Traderrob gives us an update of that wacky gal, Hanoi Jane, and her antics.  In a nutshell, she's up to her old tricks, disrespecting our men and women in uniform (hmmm...not to mention America, the country that has afforded her the opportunities to pursue her life-long dreams and make her lots of money). 

Piss on Jane Fonda.  No, really, you can!  Go here to get Jane Fonda urinal stickers.  Get those and you can literally piss on her.  If she hates the American way so much, she should pack up her exercise tapes and her unsold books and leave.  Jane, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act

Every once in a while, human beings attempt to place at least some value on human life.   

The Bush administration told doctors and hospitals on Friday that they must make every effort to save the lives of premature babies born after failed abortions.

The administration's directive said such efforts were required by a 2002 law known as the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. Michael O. Leavitt, the secretary of health and human services, said the federal government would "aggressively enforce" the law.

Under the law, the administration said, a fetus that survives an abortion procedure is no longer a fetus, but a person entitled to emergency medical care and protection against child abuse and neglect.

I'm very appreciative that this step is being taken.  While this type of situation doesn't happen frequently, I cannot fathom a decision being made to allow an infant who survives such a situation to die without an attempt at life saving measures. 

In signing the bill in August 2002, President Bush said, "This important legislation ensures that every infant born alive - including an infant who survives an abortion procedure - is considered a person under federal law."

At hearings of the House Judiciary Committee in 2000 and 2001, a few hospital employees testified that infant "abortion survivors" had been allowed to die, the committee said.

Mr. Smith (Dennis G. Smith, director of the federal Center for Medicaid and State Operations) cited the Congressional testimony as a reason for the administration's concern. After one attempted abortion, he said, "the child was breathing, the heart was beating and the child continued to live for several hours."

But Richard H. Wade, senior vice president of the American Hospital Association, said Friday: "These occurrences are extremely rare. The only evidence is anecdotal."

That's okay, Richard H. Wade, if only ONE infant is saved from death following an abortion procedure, I'll take your "anecdotal" evidence and raise you a human life.

By its terms, the law protects "every infant member of the species Homo sapiens" who "breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles" after expulsion or extraction from the womb as a result of normal childbirth, a Caesarean section or an induced abortion.

So now there is a law in place that protects babies following explusion or extraction from the womb.  It's too bad these whackos and these whack jobs can't see that for a baby to be alive once it is "extracted" from the womb, it had to be alive INSIDE the womb as well.  Murder is what we call killing a live human being - their "surroundings" shouldn't matter.  Instead, these extremists use words such as "potential human being" or "parasite" to describe the miracle of a baby in the womb. 

I think stronger enforcement of this law is one step in the right direction.  You can read the full article here.  Also stop at Raven's place to read more about how the whack jobs try to justify the murdering of babies in the womb.

They Don't Deserve Another Chance

There has been a lot in the news recently regarding registered sex offenders who had been in prison for their crimes and were sent back into society.  Their next crime was taking the lives of innocent children.  Most recently, we have all heard of the Jessica Lundsford case.  Over at Parrot Check, Craig posted about this tragedy, and the horrific news that Jessica had been buried alive.

Yes folks, she was bound, wrapped up in plastic trashbags, and then buried. I can not stomach the horror that this beautiful little girl must have gone through. I can only imagine the fear, the pain. I can imagine the feeling of being unable to breathe. The gasping struggle for air. And then imagine it happening to Jessica. I feel a fury only a parent can feel. If it were my child that was tortured and murdered, the person or persons responsible had better watch their backs for the rest of their lives lest they meet a fate less than pleasant.

It is a known fact that sexual predators are rarely, if ever, "rehabilitated."  Why do we let these monsters back on the street?  In an article on Fox News:

Criminologists say it’s all too frequent that the perpetrator is a pathological sexual predator, as in the case of Jessica’s alleged killer in Florida, John Evander Couey, and Roger Paul Bentley, who Iowa police say murdered Jetseta.

“It happens all the time,� said Louis B. Schlesinger, a forensic psychologist specializing in criminal behavior and sex crimes at John J. College of Criminal Justice in New York. “The dangerous ones have a high recidivism rate.�

According to data from the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, there are 381,967 entries for sex offenders in the NCIC Sex Offender Registration File — though not all states require sex offenders to be registered in the same way and some offenders are entered into the database for more than one state.

There have been multiple cases by which these sex offenders don't end up registering when they move, and a significant number of these criminals end up moving in right next to schools.  The laws vary by state, the burden to register is largely left up to the offender (are the nuts running the asylum here?!?!?!?) and there are multiple loopholes these freaks find.  In many states, a police department can't even act.  If they discover that a sex offender has moved too close to a school, AKA violating the terms of their release, they can only be told to move - no arrest!  So in effect, the very laws that were supposedly designed to keep our children safe are, in fact, doing the exact opposite - "cocooning" the criminal!  More on the Fox News article:

The Jessica Lunsford case so outraged her Florida community that a state representative, Charles Dean, said he’s introducing a bill called the "Jessica Lunsford Act" that would, among other things, require convicted sex offenders to wear electronic tracking devices.

“It’s a matter of us doing the job right. We need to find the loopholes, find the cracks,� Dean told FOX News.

As I stated previously, these criminals should not be given another chance and turned lose in society:

The reason many convicted sex offenders go out and molest more children, say sociologists and criminologists, is similar to why alcoholics continue to drink.

“Their sexual preference is for children. They have a compulsion to molest children,� said Keith F. Durkin, a criminologist at Ohio Northern University and an expert in the study of pedophilia. “Many, if not all, will molest children until the day they die. They’re dangerous and they’re going to reoffend.�

But there aren’t accurate numbers about the rate of recidivism among child molesters, since many of their repeat offenses go unreported.

Not only are they almost certain to continue sexually abusing children, but some eventually kill their young victims — more often than not for the purpose of keeping them quiet.

“Usually it’s to cover up the crime so the victim won’t say who he is,� Schlesinger said.

Which is more than likely what happened to Jessica Lunsford.  The thing that gets me, though, is the court's unwillingness to LISTEN TO THE CRIMINAL and act appropriately (emphasis below is mine): 

But a number of sex offenders do know they can’t be trusted around kids. Couey reportedly was so aware of his problem that he’d pleaded for help in the past, saying he was a danger to children because he couldn’t stop himself from sexually abusing them. That compulsion is what makes it next to impossible to “cure� chronic child molesters.

“They’re basically untreatable,� Schlesinger said. “They’re predatory, compulsive, repetitive offenders. These are very dangerous people, aroused by children. That’s part of their sexuality. It’s very, very difficult to change that.�

In spite of that reality, many still are only serving fractions of their sentences — which often are light to begin with.

“The bottom line is that almost all these offenders will get out because they don’t have any laws barring them fro m getting out,� Schlesinger said. “They’re allowed back in the community because the court system is following the law.�

If someone had listened to Couey, and taken action, this little girl would still be alive.  Wouldn't you think that common sense should prevail in these cases?

I cannot even begin to understand the grieving Jessica's family has had to endure, and certainly can't even fathom the horror this innocent girl faced when buried alive.  But I am a Mom.  And I know what I would do to any son-of-a-bitch who comes anywhere near *MY* children.  As my good friend Raven said: "FURY wouldn’t be the word I would use to describe how I would feel."  It goes way beyond that.

Part 2: Interview With Susan Hallums on The Jawa Report

Please visit Dr. Rusty Shackleford's site to read part two of his multi-part interview with the family of Roy Hallums, an American citizen held hostage in Iraq since November 1, 2004.

We must never forget all of the brave men and women in Iraq and serving abroad, whether in uniform or not.

WTW - Parts is Parts?

Okay, ya'll.  Here is a real White Trash Candidate.  This here guy dun decided that he wanted to practice his cutting technique on body parts - parts not his own, mind you.  I reckon he done thought no one would never know since they was just parts.  Here's the story:

WOODLAND, Calif. (AP) - A morgue assistant accused of stealing body parts from a medical school so he could practice dissections at home was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

David Lawrence Beale, 47, was arrested in 2003 after more than 150 pounds of decomposing body parts, including two heads, were found near his Davis home. He pleaded no contest Monday to stealing human remains from the medical center at the University of California at Davis and possessing methamphetamine.

"This is a crime involving a great deal of callousness," said Superior Court Judge Michael Sweet.

Police initially suspected homicide when a tip led them to human remains in the trash at a trailer park where Beale once lived. Lawyers for Scott Peterson traveled to the area to search for evidence that Peterson's wife, Laci, had been killed by a cult.

Beale allegedly told investigators he had been taking remains home for more than a decade. The parts were from cadavers donated to the medical center for research.

There just ain't something right about a man takin' body parts home.  How do you plan for somethin' like that?

Be sure to check out my cuzins on the WTW blogroll on the right side of this page!

Interview With Susan Hallums on The Jawa Report

Please stop by Dr. Rusty Shackelford's site to read the first in a series of posts regarding an interview he had with the family of Roy Hallums, an American civilian contractor who was abducted from his temporary home in Iraq on November 1, 2004.  The maintstream media has not been focused on this story, one that needs our attention.  The Hallums family is still facing this situation on a daily basis and can use our support and prayers.  Roy particularly needs our prayers to get him through what has to be an experience none of us can even comprehend. 

Please stop by the Free Roy site and lend your support to Roy and his family.

Another Kerr(e)y Flip-Flopper

In an effort to emulate his idol, John Kerry, former U.S. senator and Dem presidential hopeful Bob Kerrey can't seem to make up his mind about running for New York mayor:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bob Kerrey said on Monday it was "unlikely" he would run for New York mayor, backing off comments he made in recent days.

FLIP FLOP ALERT!

Kerrey, who is president of New York's New School University, mused in an interview with The New York Times on Saturday whether he should enter the race for City Hall because he was so dissatisfied with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"This past Saturday I answered a question from a reporter who asked if I was seriously considering becoming a candidate for mayor of New York City, and I said I was," Kerrey, who was a member of the national commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, said in a statement.

FLIP -

"It is unlikely I will enter this race as a candidate."

- FLOP!

But the man who admitted four years ago that a unit he led in the Vietnam war had killed unarmed civilians left the possibility of a run open, saying, "I intend to make a final decision and announcement later this week."

In other words, there's a special on FLIP-FLOPS at Wal-Mart.

The possibility of a nationally-known Democrat running against Bloomberg had New York's political establishment aflutter over the weekend.

Bloomberg's Democrat rivals have been dogged by criticism they lack the vision to challenge the billionaire mayor. The leading Democrat -- former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, who leads in some polls -- has been relentlessly dogged over controversial comments he made that the 1999 police shooting of an unarmed African immigrant was not a crime.

Other Democrats seeking a run against Bloomberg have performed poorly in polls.

Kerrey told The New York Times on Saturday that he was disillusioned with Bloomberg's efforts to gain federal funding to guard the city against another attack and that the mayor was spending too much time trying to get support for a new stadium as part of the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

FLIP FLOP ALERT, FLIP FLOP ALERT!

"The political analysts were starting to yawn at this race and (Kerrey) added a little juice," said Douglas Muzzio, Baruch College professor of public affairs. "None of the four Democrat candidates have offered anything approaching a compelling vision to get rid of the mayor."

He said Kerrey's announcement that he was unlikely to run showed "sanity had prevailed."

Sanity and Democrat in the same article.  I'd acquiesce and say that I would agree that sanity had prevailed, but I'll log on tomorrow and Kerrey will be running for sure.  FLIP FLOP!

Bloomberg's campaign manager Stuart Loeser said Kerrey had previously praised Bloomberg's tenure in City Hall.

A spokesman for Ferrer did not return phone calls.

I think my hubby's right.  It's time to shred this guy's "Nebraska residency" card!  No doubt, and no flip-floppin' here!

10 Years Ago: The Oklahoma City Bombing

Ten years ago, on the morning of April 19, 2005, Timothy McVeigh parked a rented Ryder truck with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and, at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people. The site now houses a memorial to those who lost their lives due to this senseless tragedy. 

The numbers truly speak for themselves:

168 people killed

19 children killed

1 rescuer killed

850 people injured

85 rescuers suffer minor injuries

30 children orphaned

219 children lost at least one parent

462 people left homeless

7000 people left without a workplace

12,384 participated in rescue, recovery and support

387,000 estimated number of people in OKC who knew someone killed or injured in the bombing (roughly a third of the population)

190,000 estimated number of people attending funerals for bombing victims (19% of the population of OKC)

Over 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed

More than 1000 people survived

Source:  Governor Frank Keating's office, 1995

Hopefully those whose lives were altered forever have been able to heal some over the last 10 years.  It is evident, when you look around the Internet, there are still many supposed "Americans" who empathize with the likes of Timothy McVeigh and blast the very ideals this country was founded upon.  May what we learned this tragic day keep us on an ever-ready watch for this kind of hatred and may we stop it before the hatred turns into another bloodbath.

Cowboy Poetry Week

You heard it first, right here, ya'll.  This week is Cowboy Poetry Week.  You think I'm like a horse needin' to go out to pasture?  Not me.  Take off your hat and kick off your boots because Cowboy Poetry Week is here!

And to honor this celebration, I bring to you a most amazing poem that I'm sure will bring back fond memories for many of you regarding baths as a youngun.  I especially like the part about the squealing hog.  Reminds me of the movie "Deliverance."  Enjoy, ya'll!

Ma's Old Galvanized Washtub

Did you ever take your Saturday Bath
An' try to wash an' scrub,
While squattin' down on your haunches
In a galvanized washing tub?
If not, then you ain't missed a thing.
But now I'm telling' you what's right.
I done it 'til I wuz almost grown
An' every doggone Saturday night!
In summer it was bad enuff
But, in winter it was rough.
Spreading papers, buckets and kettles
An all of that sort of stuff.
Getting ready for that ordeal
Was only half the rub
Of takin' a bath on Saturday night
In a galvanized washin' tub.
Did you ever stand there stripped to the skin,
A wood stove bakin' your hide,
A dreadin' to put your dern foot in
Fer Fear you'd be burned alive?
Finally you'd git th' temperature right
An' into th' tub you'd crawl.
That cold steel 'ud touch your back
An' you'd squeal like a fresh stuck hog!
Then you'd get outa the tub next to the stove
And stand there drippin' and shakin'.
The front of your body is freezing to death
While the back of your body is bakin'.
Shiverin' 'n' shakin', burnin' 'n' bakin',
That's the awful price I had to pay.
That awful ordeal'll haunt me'
Until I'm old and gray.
I ain't done yet?there's something' else
That I've been wantin' to say.'
I wuz the youngest of all us kids
Who bathed on Saturday.
We all bathed accordin' to age
And I fell last in order,
Which meant I had to wash myself
In their dad-blamed dirty water.
Now, I'm a guy (gal) o'clean habits
And believe in a bath a week.
It helps to keep me healthy
And freshen my physique.
But if I had my druthers,
I'd rather eat a bug
Than to take my Saturday bath
In a galvanized washin' tub!

Author Unknown

The Iraqi Civil War? Nah, Just In Asshatland

From the Washington Ho's:

BAGHDAD, April 16 -- A group of masked, armed men believed to be Sunni extremists reportedly is threatening to kill a group of Shiite Muslim hostages in a central Iraqi town unless Shiite residents leave their homes, according to a police officer and Shiite Muslim officials.

Many details of the apparently still-evolving situation in Mada'in, a town about 30 southeast of Baghdad, remain unclear, including the number of alleged hostages, how and when they were seized, and how Iraqi police and armed forces are responding.

Abu Musab Zarqawi and his merry band of goatfuckers are once again trying to foment inter-denominational violence in hopes of sparking a civil war in Iraq.  Unfortunately for Mr. Zarcameljockey, the vast majority of Iraqis aren't buying his particular brand of chickenshit.  Now, you have choices.  You can believe what you are fed through the media, or you can believe what is being written by someone who actually lives there.

Via Iraq The Model:

I'm sure that some "experts" will celebrate this incident and consider it a spark that will ignite the civil war fire they have been hallucinating about.
What such "experts" always fail to notice is that the conflict in Iraq is taking place between the people, the government and the coalition on one side and the extremists and remaining Ba'athists on the other side. It is NOT a people vs. people conflict; it never had and it will never be like that.

I really don't blame people who live outside Iraq for believing the "experts"; they didn't live here and they depend on the news to build their opinions.
But I live in Iraq and seen almost every city in it, so I know how thinks work and I know what the people think.
This time, the pathetic terrorists are trying to make it look like a sectarian conflict; it is NOT.

The Iraqis are free.  The Useful Idiots of the world can choose to believe that they are being brutalized at the hands of the Coalition, and that the new, freely elected Iraqi government is a puppet of the U.S.

But not a damn one of them will ever bother to read the likes of Iraq The Model.  Nor would a single one of them have the guts to go to Iraq and see for themselves.  They will, however, march in the streets with megaphones.

And call it courage.

cross posted at Vince Aut Morire

LaCabanna Lodge

Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids

Anyone who knows me also knows how much I enjoy watching Rachael Ray's show "30 Minute Meals."  While I was shopping with my kids, my son saw her book "Cooking Rocks!  Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals for Kids."  He actually talked me into buying it.  Okay, so he didn't have to talk long, but he convinced me that it would be a good idea to get it and we could cook together.

The book is very simple, and its approach is very appealing to kids (cartoon images of Rachael Ray for one).  It's divided by age group, so it is easier to determine which meals you should pick out to prepare.

I asked my son to pick out his favorite recipe for me to share.  Here it is:

Cheese Fries

1 sack frozen french fries, any brand or shape, prepared to package instructions

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 + 1/2 cups whole milk

2 + 1/2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese (approx 10 oz)

1/4 cup ketchup (about 3 squirts)

Read the package directions to see what temperature to set the oven at, and have your GH (Grown-up Helper) preset the oven.

Have your GH put the fries on a cookie sheet and put that in the oven.  Read the package directions to see how long to cook the fries and set the oven timer.  While fries are baking, have a GH place a saucepan on the stove and heat it over medium heat.  Add butter and melt it.  add the flour and stir.  Cook butter and flour together for 1 minute or so.  This is called roux (sounds like Roo, Tigger and Pooh Bear's friend), and it helps to thicken up sauces.

Use a whisk to stir as you pour the milk into the pot.  Keep stirring until the milk gets thicker.  Use a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula to stir in the cheese.  When all of the cheese melts, take the sauce off the heat and stir in 3 squirts ketchup.  This is your SECRET ingredient.  when everyone asks what you put in your cheese sauce that makes it taste so good, just say milk and cheese, you can NEVER tell what secret ingredients you add!  Tell your GH to keep the secret, too, or they can never help you again!

Pour the cheese sauce over the fries or serve the sauce on the side if you like dipping better.

Bradley rates this recipe at 4 out of a possible 5 frying pans.  To quote Alton Brown, he says "These fries are good eats, Mommy!"

Musing My Patriotism

As I was driving home from work today, bumper-to-bumper traffic making that drive a bit longer, my mind started to wonder.  It started when I saw a bumper sticker on the truck in front of me - a simple one.  "Proud to be American."  I would say to anyone today that I've always been proud to be American and extremely patriotic.  But today I just had to think back at some of the milestones in my life that paved my trip here.

The first memory I have of patriotism was in Mr. Dvorak's second grade class.  This boy kept getting into trouble because he would remain seated and refuse to say The Pledge of Allegiance with the class.  He told Mr. Dvorak that his mom told him he couldn't participate because he was a Jehovah's Witness.  At this point, Mr. Dvorak promptly sent him to the principal, thinking it was merely an excuse.  Mr. Dvorak got to keep his job (although he would have promptly been fired today, I'm sure) and we watched this kid sit on the floor during the Pledge of Allegiance every day for the rest of the school year.

I also remember very vividly my dad telling me about life in the military.  He told me a story of fate, about not being able to go on a communications interception mission he was assigned to do (the reasons escape me now) and how the entire team was killed in action within the first 48 hours.  I remember being so proud of my dad and how lucky I was to be born because of fate, not because he was afraid to fight for his country.

I remember when Ronald Reagan got shot.  I was in the library at school when it happened and some of the teachers running in with a look of horror on their faces.  I remember watching the TV the whole library period and I especially remember the teacher yelling at some students who were making fun of the President's situation.  I was mad, too, and was happy that someone shut them up.

I remember being asked to sing the National Anthem at a basketball game in high school.  I think back to how nervous I was (it was just me - no piano, no music), and clearly remember choking up toward the end.  I was slightly off key for one or two notes, trying not to cry.  A couple of kids made fun of me.  I didn't tell them why I missed those notes because it was something 16 year olds didn't really brag about.  Except to one of my mentors - my music teacher.  He listened and said he was proud of me, but looked very sad.  He said something my father said before.  He said that kids in my generation didn't know anything about war.  That it almost seemed that they needed a war in order to understand what being an American is all about.  A very prophetic discussion, I would say, and one I'm sure my son or daughter will never have with a school teacher.

I was so excited when I was old enough to register to vote.  I did so within days of turning 18.  I was a senior in high school.  I could share my excitement with my "geek friends" (yeah, we all had our noses buried in books), and they were jealous that I could vote and they couldn't.  I also clearly remember that I registered as an Independent (gak!).  As I look back, my parents - who were registered Democrats - probably kept me from taking the full step over to the Republican party.  It didn't take me long, though, once I moved out. 

I remember Desert Shield....then Desert Storm.  I remember the Heartland Heroes celebration that commenced when our troops came home.  It was at Rosenblatt Stadium and it was filled to capacity.  I remember being there with the company I worked for.  I also remember being incredibly intoxicated, but weeping openly while they played all the patriotic music.  I saw a lot of patriots that day.  But many were fair-weather patriots.  People that you would see a week later who were blasting the war, the troops, and pretty much anything else they could bitch about.  I was pissed.  Especially at my parents for their opinions on the war.  But they were Democrats and I wasn't.

The White Trash ABCs

Hi ya'll,

I figger I'd share with you the learnin' I gave my cuzins Beulla Mae and Sadie Lou.  Theyze both have trouble amemberin' their letters and I need to help them so they can figger out the menu at McDonald's without askin for that special menu with the photos of the food on it.

Anyhow...hopin' this helps you learn your letters and that it takes you up that memery lane about your heratige:

A - Al Bundy

B - Bolonie

C - Crimpin Iron (for those white hot date nights!)

D - Dungarees

E - Eight Track (I dun spelled it out so you'd get it)

F - Fluffernutter

G - Goober Grape

H - Headcheese (with Wonder bread and mayo..bodatious!)

I - Inbread (my cuzin's dark secret..no, my other cuzin)

J - Joey Buttafucco (he has a butt in his name)

K - Kool-aid

L - Lita Ford (Sadie Lou's faverite singer)

M - Mad Dog 20/20 (my favorite bevirage)

N - Nuckle Head (my dumass dog's name)

O - Outhouse

P - Pork Rinds (mmmmmmm!)

Q - aQua Net (cain't figger a Q word out - but we know 'bout Aqua Net)

R - rollers (hot or not)

S - Spears (Britney, that is...all preggers and all)

T - trailer - my dream home!

U - Under the trailer (where we go when we see a tornado)

V - Vaseline (white trash loob)

W - Weenies and Beenies (alright, the B was used already)

X - X-ray vision glasses (my ole man Cletus says they works)

Y - Yeti (my ex-ole man!)

Z - Zingers (a right tasty end to a meal)

Visit all my other white trash folk and ya'll come back now, ya hear?

The White Trash Wednesday Blogroll:

The Fire's a Burnin'

Beth is making me eat vegan food for a week due to my post on a woman with a tiger-suckling mission.  So, are Twinkies considered vegan?  How about Diet Dr. Pepper?  heheheh

Don't Just Stun that Criminal, Mr. Policeman, SHOOT HIM, it's SAFER!

So I'm listening to the morning radio show as I'm getting ready for work this morning, and they were talking about a meeting taking place in Omaha tonight regarding the police's use of taser guns and an open discussion regarding safety concerns.  My first thoughts were "um, okay..." and then it suddenly made sense.  The radio guys stated that Nebraska's ACLU president Tim Butz (no, really, that's his name!!!) would be there to present the ACLU's concerns about whether tasers were safe to use in police interactions.  Of course, the Nebraska ACLU hid behind their Momma's skirt and touted the event as "A Powerful Conversation:  Community Forum in Omaha on Police Use of Tasers."  How politically correct.

Apparently police department taser use is somewhat of a hot topic here in Nebraska.  KHAS-TV out of Hastings, NE reported just yesterday on the subject.

I do think there's a bit of confusion on what the police think about the use of tasers, at least in this article.  Here's paragraph one:

Tasers are the topic of conversation across the nation. More police departments use them and said they are saving lives, but many people say they are lethal.Taser technology is shocking the nation.Touted as one of the safest non-lethal use of force options, police say they are saving lives.

However, toward the end of the article, the author writes:

One reason gun shops like Old Market Firearms do not stock them. Even some police departments are not convinced they are safe.

The Hastings Police chief shares that they have seen a significant decrease in the numbers of injuries to police officers caused by subjects who were combative or resistant.  During training, Hastings police officers are encouraged to take a hit so they understand how the taser works and what a person will feel when hit by the taser's 50,000 volts. 

Grand Island's taser trainer Sergeant Steve Rathman said most officers opt to experience it.

"If they know what it feels like when they are exposed to it, I feel they are less likely to use it haphazardly," said Rathman.

There have been no deaths linked to tasers in Nebraska. 

"They are designed to save lives and prevent injury, and that is what they are doing," said Chief Thoren.

In 2004 the Hastings Police Department has used the taser 50 times, but no one has required medical attention.The Grand Island police said they have used the taser more than 20 times.

It is apparent, however, that there is some national knee-jerking going on (courtesy of the ACLU, perhaps?).  Last week, a man died in California, prompting the police department to suspend the use of tasers. 

The ACLU in Nebraska states that they are receiving complaints about the tool.  Hmmmmm....I wonder if these complaints come right after the "subject" posts bail?

Here's where the ACLU's uncovers their agenda (not surprising):

It is incapacitating for 5 seconds, but other than the possible slight redness and itch there is no further injury. Yet the A.C.L.U. in Nebraska questions the safety.

"We have received complaints from several places across the state about the inappropriate use of tasers," said Nebraska A.C.L.U. Executive Director Tim Butz.

Under fire is when police are calling on the tool.

"Police departments that have tasers are allowing their use at a low level of involvement," said Butz.

Police are trained that the use of a taser is at the level of chemical mace - just below striking a subject. 

"These things are potentially lethal," Butz said.

The ACLU said they will continue to gather information supporting their concerns and may present their concerns to the legislature next year.

I dunno, maybe it's just me, but if the use of tasers in law enforcement lowers the incident rate of police injury and allows a policeman to gain control over a combative "subject" I'm all for it.  For safety's sake, would Mr. BUTZ rather have the police officer use their gun?   

You can read the entire article here.

National Library Week

The week of April 10-16 is National Library Week.  Back in late February, I posted a story about our Omaha Public Libraries on Eric's website and their decision to allow any child, of any age, to check out movies without parental knowledge, even if they are rated "R."  Here's the article:

Want your 7-year old to watch R-rated movies? Come to Omaha!

I live in a Red state, but appear to live in a Blue City...sometimes.  On February 20, 2005, the Omaha World Herald printed an article outlining a new policy the Omaha Public Libraries initiated allowing all children to check out any movie they wish, unless the parent placed a "block" on their card.  This is a departure from the original policy of only allowing those children 8th grade and younger to check out material marked "juvenile."  The Library Board made this decision, stating that it is "up to the parents" to decide what their children can or cannot watch. 

Fast forward to the Omaha World Herald on 2/26/05...."Library to Revisit Policy on Kids, R-rated Films." 

Here's what the Library Director, Rivkah Sass, had to say: 

"Sass expressed concerns Friday about putting too many restrictions in place, particularly on the basis of a private movie rating system."

So, in other words, even though every other venue offering R-rated movies restricts viewing or checking out of said movies for those under the age of 17, the library feels like it is above that because the rating system for movies is private?  I thought the library was a place that kids were supposed to go to in order to explore and learn, not a place where they are exposed to violence, bloodshed, profanity and nudity.  What this comes down to is a misuse of funds and laziness.  The library system is looking for ways to cut costs and what better way than to put children into harm's way and blame it on parent's inability to monitor their children 24/7.

Interestingly enough, the reason they are "revisiting" this policy (not reverting to the old policy, mind you) is due to the public outcry regarding their decision.  My hope is that the heat is turned up enough that they are required to return to the original policy of restricting checkout.

One thing I will say about the Omaha Public Library - they have not yet bowed to the American Library Association's recommendation to pull Internet filtering programs off of juvenile computers within libraries.  Here's an excerpt from the ALA's statement on filtering:

"The use in libraries of software filters to block constitutionally protected speech is inconsistent with the United States Constitution and federal law and may lead to legal exposure for the library and its governing authorities. The American Library Association affirms that the use of filtering software by libraries to block access to constitutionally protected speech violates the Library Bill of Rights."

Here's the policy in the Omaha Public Library.  In a nutshell, it states that computers in the areas designated for minors would have filtering on them, in order to reduce the amount of exposure juveniles would have to content that they should not see (they are clear that it wouldn't eliminate the material entirely, which anyone using filters understands), but greatly reduces the risk of juveniles seeing pornographic material.  In light of their position on audio-visual, I wonder how long it will be before the library board in Omaha decides that they should conform to this recommendation?  They are allowing full access for children to any audio-visual materials, even if it is inappropriate, why not porn on the Internet?

It will be interesting for parents here in Omaha to follow this story.  One thing still troubles me, however.  If the Omaha Public Libraries revert to their original policy of restricting access to audio-visual materials for those 8th grade and younger, it still allows a 9th or 10th grader to check out material a parent may want to view prior to their child checking it out.  I think I have the best solution of all - no library card in our household.  I'll buy off of Amazon.com before I subject my children to the lax, non-family focused values of the Omaha Public Library.

As it has been awhile, I wanted to provide an update on the actions of the Omaha Public Libraries.

Buy A Gun Day!

Now this is a holiday I can groove on.  The artist formerly known as Aaron the Liberal Slayer is promoting Buy a Gun Day on April 15th.

I like that, I like that ALOT!

So take that money you loaned the gubmint for a year with no interest, also known as a "tax refund" and get out purchase some firepower. 

As for us, we have our babies:

Not pictured are the hunting tools, two rifles and a shotgun.

cross posted at Vince Aut Morire.

Happy Anniversary, Mr. NeoCon.....

...Happy Anniversary, to you!

Congratulations, Gordon, on a GREAT milestone! 

Murder Continues...

We have all been following the Terri Schiavo case very closely in recent months, but Raven points out in a recent post that euthanasia has been occurring regularly in this country - multiple cases have also been logged that allow family members to make decisions that are against the wishes of the patient.  In Raven's post, it is a case of a granddaughter wanting to kill off her grandma due to what seems to be "inconvenience."  And the judicial system favors her. 

In a country where convicted murders get to live out their life awaiting punishment, you would think every day citizens who want to live would have it easy.

Ironic, isn't it?

Update:  ...an update courtesy of Beth.  I'm so sensitive to the subject I felt compelled to post on it, but am with Beth - I don't think there's anything else to say about this particular case. 

Happy Birthday Momma

Momma...now you can have that piece of cake you've missed for so long, or maybe a big slab of pecan pie. 

Happy Birthday, Momma.  I miss you!

I Stand Corrected...and Greatful!

A great reader happened to shoot me an email today to let me know that I had inaccurate information in an article on my prior blog (www.rachaelrayredux.blogspot.com) about Rachael Ray's newest knives she started using during the 2005 season.  I appreciate the correction, as I want to be sure I'm providing the most accurate details. 

The newest knife she uses is Rachael Ray's Furi® Coppertail Knife and it appears it is exclusively offered at Sur La Table.  For those of you interested in this knife, she uses the larger of the two (there are 5" and 7" versions) and they are reasonably priced.

On Sur La Table's website, Rachael says "...a traditional Santoku knife has a very straight edge , which makes it difficult to use in a rocking/sliding motion, as with most traditional chef’s knives. The Füri® RR features both a sharp, scalloped Santoku blade and a rounded edge. So I can still slice through a tomato easily ...and can julienne through a bushel full of carrots in no time at all!�
 

While I can't personally endorse these knives, I'm sure any Rachael Ray fan would want to visit www.surlatable.com and check this out!  Apparently this is an exclusive offering by Sur La Table.

Thanks for the update, Jackie.  I truly appreciate it!   

Thursday is a Great Day of Observance

Okay.  This is exciting news!  Tomorrow, April 7, 2005 is "No Housework Day."  I'm very excited about this, because Lord knows I do housework every other day!

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

WTW Linky-Love

Ya'll,

Just so'in ya know, I got me all screwed up on dat home brew my hubby Cletus made.  Shoot.  I damn near missed WTW.  It's already dang near my bedtime.

Soooooooooooooooo....afore this hangover gets the best of me, I figger I should shoot out some linky-love to my WTW cuzins...

Preston tells us much ado about some movie guy who thinks that sandwiches are more 'portant than anything.  Somebody dun thought he looked like the KFC Kernel Colonel.

Sadie Lou is ponderin' her music awhile Beullah Mae stole her damn Lita Ford 8-track.  Beullah Mae looks all done up in her new South Park Trailer Court portrait...It's incredibul what they done with her eyes after the accident.

This here cuzin Piled On the trash for us.  Lastly, Cuzin Red talked about some beach and a taxi driver, but I didn't know the guy. 

I'ze gonna get back on dat papa son chair (why the hell do they call it that - there ain't no menfolk ever wanna sit in that kinda chair) and pull my Mad Dog 20/20 up real tight.

Rae Dawn

I Can't Help But Believe PETA is Involved....

The London Telegraph reports that a woman is breastfeeding two endangered tiger cubs.

A Burmese woman has been breastfeeding two Bengal tiger cubs, according to the London Telegraph.

Hla Htay, 40, a mother of three apparently began feeding the cubs at a zoo in Rangoon after they were removed from their “aggressive mother,� the Telegraph reported.

The mother tiger apparently killed a third cub from her litter.

Here's the part that made me sick...

"I felt sorry for them so I decided to feed them before their teeth grow," she told the privately-owned English-language paper Myanmar Times, the Telegraph reported.

Before their teeth grow.  Hmmm....I wonder how she will be alerted to their teeth growing?  [insert loud piercing scream here]

The Bengal tiger is listed as endangered on the World Conservation Union's red list, with the global population estimated at fewer than 2,500, according to the paper, which reported that a tenth of them live in Burma.

The tigers are apparently threatened by poachers who kill them for medicines and trophies.

...and this message brought to you by PETA.  Save the tigers and don't forget to have your pets spayed or neutered.

It sucks to be him...

The Associated Press reports that a man was stuck in an elevator for 3 days following delivery of Chinese Food.

NEW YORK — A deliveryman who vanished after taking Chinese food to a Bronx high-rise apartment building was found alive Tuesday after apparently spending more than three days trapped in an elevator that had become stuck between floors.

This poor guy must have been having a 3-day streak of bad luck. 

• First he gets stuck AFTER he delivers the food
• No one found him even though he repeatedly cried out and pushed an alarm button in the elevator (yes, it was determined that the security camera and the elevator alarm were both working...um, I would beg to differ, wouldn't you?)
• Authorities conducted a door-to-door canvass of the complex over the weekend specifically looking for him and DIDN'T FIND him
• Most notable:  "Even maintenance workers who were called to check out the disabled elevator on Monday missed Chen, police said."  WTF?!?!?!

So, this guy was stuck on the elevator between the 3rd and 4th floors for 3 days.  This was a 38-story building.  Either there was more than one elevator, or all of the tenants, police, security team members and other delivery people must have taken the stairs!

Those questions aside, Mayor Michael Bloomberg marveled at Chen's good luck.

Don't know that being stuck in an elevator and being missed by everyone who lives there, has a beat there, delivers food there and REPAIRS ELEVATORS there would constitute good luck, but I suppose we could agree to disagree.  Luckily the poor guy ended up being okay.

I will bet that Mr. Chen takes the stairs for awhile.

A Point to Ponder...

Tomorrow, April 6, 2005 is "Paraprofessional Appreciation Day."  I got confused, as Administrative Professionals Day is usually toward the end of the month of April.  So upon further research, I discovered that "Paraprofessional Appreciation Day" is on April 6th and "Administrative Professionals Day" is on April 27th this year.

Just to be sure I was being politically correct and recognizing all levels of people related to professionals in my ever politically correct work environment, I decided to investigate the differences between these two iconic days of recognition.  Webster's Dictionary helps us define the differences between these two professions:

Administrative Professional:  A person employed to handle correspondence, keep files, and do clerical work for another person or an organization  (for those of you in a non-politically correct setting, this would translate into the word "secretary").

Paraprofessional:  A trained worker who is not a member of a given profession but assists a professional.

Hmmm....I wonder where fetching coffee or washing the car fits in?  Of course I'm kidding, but when *I* was a secretary Administrative Professional, I did take care of the house and the cat for my boss. 

For me, I always need to understand things visually, so thought I would include a hypothetical organizational chart in a hypothetical situation:

So here are my points to ponder:

Since Fred has "professional" in his title, wouldn't it seem natural to have paraprofessionals report to him, since they are required to work for a professional?

1. Would Jack or Jill be able to report to Merri, or are they unable to since she truly isn't professional? 

What is the point of this post, really?

Anyway, what I've concluded is that the florists, gift shop owners and Hallmark all got together and came up with another day in which to send cards, flowers and gifts.  Oh, and the restaurants - let's not forget them either!

Don't forget to hug your paraprofessional on Wednesday!  They truly do need a hug, as they aren't really a member of any profession, but have to work anyway.   

Algore - the Father of the Internet

Algore, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the Internet, is now broadening his scope.  The Associated Press reports that he is launching his own cable television channel.

Associated Press — Al Gore has a plan for luring the Internet generation back to television: make it more participatory by having viewers contribute their own video.

You wait and see...some time in the future, Al's resume will also broaden its scope.  I'm sure if you turn to page two - buried somewhere in between inventing the hubble telescope and launching the first mission in space - will be Al's most amazing feat:  the invention of television.

UPDATE:  Read more at Preston's site...you won't be disappointed!

Tomorrow is National Workplace Napping Day!

I wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow, April 4, 2005 is National Workplace Napping Day!

Apparently, there are many places that celebrate this annual holiday, which occurs on the first Monday following Daylight Savings time.  When I scoured the official website of National Workplace Napping Day, I found it to be extremely informative and wanted to share it with all of you. 

National Workplace Napping Day is designed to make more people aware of the health and productivity benefits of napping. It is the perfect day for workplace nappers to lie down and be counted.

I would be interested in hearing how the masses are celebrating this day - please share in my comments.  I, personally, won't be celebrating this holiday because I own a Select Number Bed and will be fully rested, of course!

One Bad Republican Momma!

This is how we arm ourselves when we go out on the town in Omaha - especially on the North side...hehehe

h/t to Beth....what fun!  I had a blast creating my own Southpark character!

Shameless Bragging Here!

So we had parent teacher conferences for our 2nd grader, Bradley.  He's very smart - he started proving that at oh, around birth.  I love to go to conferences for Bradley because the teacher always has something great to say about him.  He does great in reading, spelling and math (he comes by this honestly - my hubby and I have been avid readers and both started reading early).  He actually blows my mind as he does addition and subtraction in his head while we drive around on errands. 

So, at conferences this week, we saw the usual outstanding grades.  But in particular, the teacher wanted to show us Bradley's latest spelling test.  He had gotten all four bonus words right and was amazed that anyone at the age of 7 could get them right.  Here they are:  Archaeologist, Archaeology, Paleontology, Paleontologist.  Hell, I had to get spell checker heated up to be sure *I* was spelling them right.  What an awesome kid!

On a different note, our three year old daughter Emily declared today "Butterfly Day."  She says that tomorrow is "My Little Pony Day."  You should all be prepared for such monumental events...we sure are!

Pope John Paul II 1920-2005

                          John 3:16 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

An Anniversary With No Celebration

Today would have been Mom and Dad's 49th Wedding Anniversary.  Dad says "today is just another day to me."  I'm not certain I believe him fully, but he has been doing well in the recent months since Mom passed away. 

Mom and Dad got married 6 weeks after they met.  They met in El Paso, Texas.  Dad was a GI stationed down there, and met Mom when she was a car hop. 

Dad thought his Air Force buddy needed a wife, and tried to set them up.  Dad happened to slip and tell someone he liked Mom and they were together ever since. 

Their marriage survived many ups and downs - military life takes you so many different directions in terms of travel, tours of duty without the family, war.  They survived it all - a little bumped and bruised at times, but they made it.  I loved to hear their stories about their life while in the military - boy it was a wild ride!

He stuck by her side as their vows said, through sickness and in health.  When sickness came, and consumed Mom, Dad was at her side, helping her every moment of the day, putting his own needs off indefinitely.  I admire my dad, seeing what he endured and what he very willingly sacrificed.  I really loved my Mom, but she was a bit "feisty."  Dad took the brunt of her pain and her ire as she got sick (okay, he also took the brunt of her feistiness even when she was well..ha!).  I can't even begin to imagine the challenges he had, seeing the woman he loved for almost 50 years slowly and painfully leaving this world. 

Dad has now entered another station in life and he's doing well.  He's starting to make things at home and in life "his" instead of "hers" or "theirs."  He's enjoying some of the changes - he just bought his first computer ever, at the age of 72!  He's going to get to go on his fishing trip this summer, and go deer hunting in the fall, both things he was unable to do last year due to Mom's illness. 

Happy Anniversary, Dad.  I know you said it's "just another day" for you, but the date on the calendar is one I'll remember every year.   

Jane Fonda Says North Vietnam Visit Was Betrayal

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that this has GOT to be an April Fool's Day prank.  Then I realized that Hanoi Jane just wants to sell her book (her memoirs come out next week).