So I’m scanning through my various news sites and come across an article discussing Jack Kevorkian’s scheduled June 1, 2007 parole date.

LANSING, Mich. — Assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian will be paroled in June, state Corrections spokesman Leo Lalonde said Wednesday.

Kevorkian, who claimed to have assisted in at least 130 deaths in the 1990s, was imprisoned in 1999 for his role in the last of the deaths.

The ailing former pathologist has promised he would not assist in a suicide if he was released from prison. He is 78, and has been eligible all along for parole on June 1, 2007.

The state parole board has turned down four of Kevorkian’s requests for parole.

Lalonde did not reveal any other details and directed calls to Russ Marlan, another spokesman for the department. A message seeking comment was left with Marlan Wednesday afternoon.

If Kevorkian is released on June 1, he will have spent close to 3,000 days, or a little more than eight years, in prison since being sentenced in April 1999.

I can remember those cases and the strong media attention. I felt back then that his role in the death of the elderly who was suffering was inappropriate. I wasn’t quite sure, though. There was always this lingering doubt about whether his clients felt that he was helping them get out of the painful, miserable situation they were in. I’ve got to tell you, though, a lot has changed for me in the last eight years.

I’m the proud mother of two little ones. Life is a precious gift. Who should feel it is within their reason and power to take that away from another human being - no matter the reason, no matter the request?

Terri Schiavo. This was a woman full of life, who was being provided care. But could smile, knew who was around her, could interact. And her ex-husband had her starved to death….all to be “compassionate” to her. His decision to quit feeding her killed her and her death should weigh heavily on his shoulders, as well as the judge’s.

Ailing family members. My mom died of cancer coming up on two years ago. My hubby’s mom has Alzheimer’s. His dad has cancer. I can speak mostly of my mom. She made the choice to accept hospice. Hospice care truly delivers on a commitment to help a dying patient be comfortable the rest of their life. And they are there for the family. I couldn’t have ever imagined my mom, even if the most painful part of her illness calling some so-called “mercy” doctor up and saying “please kill me.” Did she want to be comfortable? Absolutely. But she wanted to spend as much time with us as she could, too. Because my mother-in-law has alzheimers and might not remember things from moment to moment and requires around the clock care does it make her life any less valuable? NO!

Kevorkian’s approach to life was to snuff it out - at a time when a patient is so vulnerable they cannot always make a clear, well thought out decision. So that being said, I now, after these 8 years, have no doubts. The guy honestly should rot in prison. But we should feel sorry for him, right?

Kevorkian is being held at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, about 100 miles west-southwest of Detroit. Morganroth said in June that Kevorkian’s weight had dropped to 113 pounds and that he was suffering from hepatitis C and diabetes.

Kevorkian appeared before the parole board Dec. 7 at the Lakeland facility. The vote to parole him June 1 was unanimous, Morganroth said Wednesday.

As he did in previous hearings, Kevorkian told the parole board he would not assist in any suicides if released, Morganroth said. The Southfield attorney also repeated arguments that Kevorkian’s multiple and worsening health problems have left him with less than a year to live.

“I think they believed him — that he would never do it again. I think they understand he is not well, that he should be treated at a proper facility outside prison,” Morganroth said.

How ironic that we should feel bad for a guy who is in jail for his crime of killing vulnerable people. Now that he is vulnerable and in ill health they think he should be treated at a “proper facility.” We should be compassionate, no? Thank God I’ve never been as compassionate as Kevorkian is.

Iran Opens Holocaust Conference
Monday, December 11, 2006

Why in the hell are these Jewish leaders giving this sawed-off little bastard (Ahmadinejad) the time of day? The Jews have nothing to prove to him! Anyone in their RIGHT mind knows the truth.

“It is just to provide an appropriate scientific atmosphere for scholars to offer their opinions in freedom about a historical issue,” Mousavi said.

He said the conference provided an opportunity to discuss “questions” about the Holocaust away from Western taboos and the restrictions imposed on scholars in Europe.

Western taboos and restrictions? This whole damned regime is INSANE!!! Is this the SAME regime the “Iran Study Group” wants us to sit down and play nicey, nicey with? I’d talk with them. Two words; Bombs Aweigh!

It’s a thankless job, especially during times of war. Especially with a media hell-bent on tarnishing the concept of the war, making it seem as though it should be as easy as a trip through Burger King’s drive through.

I’ve always admired Secretary of Denfense Donald Rumsfeld’s tough, no-nonsense approach to all things post 9/11. We don’t need some pansy-assed “let’s throw an olive branch at the terrorist leaders of the world” kind of approach to terrorism. Did you ever watch one of his press conferences?

Rummy is in Iraq - his 15th visit since the war began.

Rumsfeld’s trip follows an emotional farewell Friday at the Pentagon, where the defense secretary defended his record on Iraq and Afghanistan.

He said Friday that the worst day of his nearly six years as secretary of defense occurred when he learned of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse.

His last full day in office will be on December 17. I only wish him the best.

Mr. Rumsfeld - thank you for your service. Thank you for how much you have done for our soldiers, for this country. Godspeed to you!

Another story of condom arguments gone wrong:

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A Cambodian man has been stabbed by a sex worker in a brawl, after he refused her request to wear a condom, police said Friday. Suon Da, 25, was knifed twice in the abdominal area by Sa Rida, a 24-year-old sex worker, during the fight at a brothel in Battambang province Wednesday, said Koam Roeuy, a deputy police chief from the area.

Not meaning to diminish the seriousness of a fight that caused bloodshed, I can’t help but wonder if this is the bigger story:

Koam Roeuy said Suon Da had paid Sa Rida $1.20 to have sex with her.

$1.20 for sex? Holy cow!!! I’m not certain that would cover the cost of a condom here in the U.S.!

So…what is it about this statement that is a bit ominous?

The New York City Board of Health has voted unanimously to prohibit restaurateurs from cooking with artificial trans fats - setting a precedent for US public health agencies eager to take on unhealthy eating.

I’ll be the first one to say there are a lot of overweight people in this country - me being one of them. Should I eat better? Sure. Should I exercise? I really do need to. Should the Board of Health or other related agency prohibit business owners from using an ingredient to cook food I might purchase in their establishment? That’s what’s ominous. There’s a particularly compelling trend setting up here - one I don’t particularly like.

I’ll go back to smoking bans. The city I live in recently put a smoking ban into place. Now, I’m not a smoker, but if an establishment wishes to allow people to smoke in an effort to attract various customers, I think they should have the right to do so - it is *their* business. But in Omaha, there could now be fines if you choose to light up in a restaurant. While I much prefer to sit in a smoke-free area while I’m eating, I can’t help but get irritated that such a law would be put into place…isn’t this a free country?

Now that everyone is quitting smoking, they are throwing caution to the wind and gaining extra weight because they are going to these restaurants that serve them food with artificial trans fat…er, uh…you get what I mean.

I may not be a rocket scientist, but I know when I’m eating something unhealthy. When it is fried, has breading of any kind, is oozing butter or other various fats, I know it’s not good for me. I have a brain and can 1) choose to eat such foods, knowing that they aren’t good for my body in excess and 2) choose to eat the food that is better for me, such as salads, grilled foods, veggies, etc. Most restaurants carry both, and if they don’t….you normally know this just by looking at their menu (many of which are posted on a website or outside the door of the establishment, etc.). Why does a Board of Health think that New Yorkers are stupid? ..and why are other health agencies so keen to help the rest of us stupid Americans not eat stuff that’s bad for us. What’s next…Twinkies? Doritos? Little Debbie Nutty Bars? Dean’s French Onion Dip? Before you know it, they’ll be charging us extra tax on “bad foods” or they’ll make the manufacturer of said food change the ingredients. Next thing you know pop will be off the market, replaced by Red Bull and water bottles (with spring water that likely just came out of a tap somewhere).

Don’t get me wrong, I do believe there are a lot of issues with the increased weight we are seeing on average in America. Health costs go up, but so many of us - and our employers - pay for that. Let US make decisions on what we want to eat and let’s be wise on the next steps here. If someone wants to eat a donut, or a package of M-n-M’s…that’s their choice as a consumer. Don’t play overlord and dictator by telling us what we can cook with or purchase.

/PSA. Heh.

Mark Goudeau, who is a suspect in a sexual assault case has potentially been linked to the Baseline Killer deaths, a string of deaths that occurred around Phoenix between August 2005 and June 2006. It seems as though the world may have become just a tad bit safer.

Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris said investigators are recommending that Mark Goudeau be charged with 71 criminal counts, including murder.

Goudeau has been in custody since September, when he was arrested in connection with the 2005 sexual assaults of two sisters — one of whom was pregnant — in a south Phoenix park.

The assaults were among the crimes linked to the Baseline Killer case, one of two serial killer cases that had been unsolved in the Phoenix area. Two men were arrested in connection with the other group of shootings earlier this year.

The Baseline Killer case originally included 23 shootings, rapes and robberies that left eight people dead between August 2005 and June. The dead, seven of them women, ranged in ages from 19 to 39. They were killed going about their daily activities: leaving work, washing a car or waiting at a bus stop.

They’ve also recently added a ninth murder to the list of those who died at the hands of this predator.

Of course, the police’s interest in him as part of this case doesn’t go without criticism:

After his arrest, Goudeau’s wife, Wendy Carr, criticized Phoenix police and the mayor for their handling of the case, saying accusations “have been spilled into the streets with complete disregard for the truth.”

Let’s just see what the evidence tells us, ma’am. And then perhaps the jury and the judge.

So, the finalists of the 2006 Weblog Awards have been announced and I’m proud to say that Merri Musings is a finalist on one of the categories. Check it out here!

HOWEVER….

This fella got nominated, too. In the same category. Who gets to sleep on the couch each night may actually be a regular conversation once the voting begins. Heh.

I’ll let you know when voting begins, if ya think my blog is worthy of your vote.

…to be continued!

UPDATE:

In all fairness, I feel a need to confess. While Hubby and I are in the same category competing, he DID nominate me, so THANK YOU my darling for nominating me for this category! [insert much smooching and hugging here…are you still watching? Perverts! Heh!]

So here’s the official badge (soon to come to my sidebar!).

Once the polls open, Now that the polls are open, you’ll be able to click on the image and it will take you to the particular category Merri Musings is in and you can vote, vote, vote (even every day if you’d like!!!).

I would also add that Nancy seems to forget she’s my partner in crime and should be as excited about this nomination as I am. I don’t know what I’d do without her posts - especially when *real life* kicks in!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. THAT is a picture of Rachael Ray get a certificate from a very smart looking woman. The certificate authenticates that “EVOO” is now in the Oxford Dictionary.

“In order for a word to get into the dictionary it has to be useful to people. It’s not just enough to be a fabulous celebrity to get your word in. You have to make a word that people like to use. There are words that are connected with celebrities that are not going to make it in the dictionary anytime soon; we’re not going to put in “Brangelina.” But “EVOO” we see people using. We have a big database of about a billion and a half English words. In that database we found evidence of “EVOO” being used and in more than half of the examples, “Rachael” is also in the same sentence.”

How cool is that?

Sorry for my little absence from the blogging world. Things have been rather crazy at the House of Merri!

We just got back from a road trip to Kansas City to watch our beloved Husker team get handed a sound loss. Was it fun? Absolutely! Was it cold? Oh, boy, it was cold! Was the traffic bad? Well, I’ve never taken almost 3 hours to go 5 miles. Really. It was bad. Guys running from their cars and peeing on the side of the road in front of everyone since they couldn’t hold it any longer. It was insane. I hope it isn’t that way for every Chiefs game because I’d never hold season tickets if that were true. We thought we had it made leaving for the stadium around 3:50 from our hotel (kickoff was at 7pm). Yeowza. We barely got inside before kickoff (and hubby had to go back to the car…a whole OTHER story). I am sad to see the Huskers lose, but their performace was clearly off last night. Cotton Bowl, here they come! I’ll post pics of the little ones once I have the energy to connect camera with computer. I’m WIPED!

We stayed at Harrah’s and the hubby and I decided that we would take turns going down and gambling for a little bit (little ones were sleeping in the hotel room so we both couldn’t go). They required that before you entered the casino that you get one of their reward cards or they wouldn’t let you in. WTF?!?!? Sign up is free and you can go right around the corner was the advise of the Harrah’s employee. So I go around the corner and am faced with a line of no less than 50 drunk people, all wanting to fill out their handy, dandy application before gambling. I threw my hands up in defeat and went back to the hotel room. I think that was the icing on the cake. Hubby tried as well, and got the same thing. I guess Harrah’s would rather do their demographics collection on their gamblers versus letting them in to spend their money. I’m not sure it’s a nationwide policy now of Harrah’s, but we never had that problem at the Harrah’s across the river from us (but it’s been quite a while since we’ve gone). It’s likely I won’t be gambling with them any time soon. Sometimes a person just wants to slide a couple of quarters in a slot machine without being hassled. Oh well, I’m a winner in the end as I didn’t blow the money to start with, right?

So Christmas is coming and I don’t have a thing done. No decorating, no cookies, I have one teeny-tiny bit of shopping done and that’s it. I’m such a slacker this year. I suspect things will start clicking this weekend so we can enjoy the decorations, etc.

It’s been flipping COLD here, but I’m glad we missed the awful weather that hit Missouri and Illinois. I feel for those folks and hope everything gets warmed up and fixed up soon!

Anyway, please don’t think I’m neglecting you all….it’s just been a hectic time for me. I’ll be back in the groove soon!

Father dies after allegedly killing daughter

YORK, Va. It started with a Virginia man allegedly killing his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

It ended with the father committing suicide by walking into traffic on a busy interstate — but not before he was involved in two wrecks and a carjacking.

The sheriff of York County has pieced together the deaths of 49-year-old Michael Lowe and his daughter, Mali.

Sheriff J.D. Diggs says Mali was strangled and struck in the head over the weekend and her body dumped outside a vacant home.

Lowe then drove the wrong way onto a highway early Sunday, hitting a car head-on. Diggs says Lowe assaulted a woman who had stopped to help and stole her Ford Explorer.

Lowe then drove onto busy Interstate 64, where he ran the Explorer off the road. Then he walked onto the roadway, where he was struck by several vehicles, including a tractor-trailer.

Cool! Self-inflicted death sentence! While I feel bad for the drivers who bounced this scumbag all over the highway, I’m pleased that no tax dollars had to be used to prove this guy insane in the death of his daughter only to be “set free” in a couple of years when he’s cured.

Aren’t you shocked?

Baywatch beauty and “Borat” love interest Pamela Anderson has filed for divorce from Kid Rock.

Pam wrote this shocking announcement on her website:

11/27/2006
Divorce

Yes, it’s true.
Unfortunately impossible.

Poor Pam and Kid. These were the tales being told after one of their three weddings:

Soon after her wedding, Anderson wrote, “I’ve never read or heard so much misinformation on this whole wedding fiasco…..We’re super happy newlyweds. That’s all I can say……we have a lot of love for our family and extended families.”

Er….well…..about 4 months of love, right?

This turkey was a rebel…he wanted to join Thanksgiving dinner!

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Thanksgiving turkeys usually get carried in through the front door. But this one came crashing through the dining room window.

On Thursday, Sandy Cobbs she was in her kitchen in Bloomington, Minnesota, preparing sweet potatoes and vegetables when she heard a thunderous crash.

Her husband tried to shoo the bird back outside, but it bounced off more windows and tried to hide in a big pot of orchids. Police finally herded it onto the deck.

The crazy thing is that this had happened to the family once before, on Christmas Day in 2004. That break-in cost them more than $10K. Wonder if the turkeys were in the same gang or somethin’?

I hope each one of you has a wonderful holiday!

I usually take time each year to reflect on what I have to be thankful for. There are so many things. I feel so blessed!

I have two amazing children and an amazing husband. We’re celebrating our 11th Anniversary on Sunday. Our kids are healthy, happy and life would never be the same without them.

We have a nice home, a beautiful yard (other than the newly dug holes thanks to the dogs I should also be thankful for!), stable transportation and all kinds of gadgets and thingys to keep us busy and entertained.

I have a great job, of which I should be extremely thankful for!

I know how to cook - and the turkey will be awesome this year!

I have my health…at least for the moment.

We have my dad for another year. And we have hubby’s dad, too. Thank God!

We have many wonderful friends online and in “real life.”

We have Nebraska football on Friday…and Nebraska will kick Colorado’s ASS!

Jack Bauer will be returning for another season of “24″ in a couple of months!

We have freedom in this country of ours. We aren’t ruled, we aren’t dictated, we aren’t killed because we don’t share the same belief as others. We have brave men and women who put their lives on hold and on the line to protect this freedom and give it as a gift to others who desire it.

God Bless each of you on this holiday!

Oh, and if you plan on waking up for the early bird specials on Friday, please be sure to load up on the Starbucks and carry a large handbag or other objects to protect yourself with if needed!

I haven’t posted much on Rachael Ray as of late…not that I don’t want to, but mostly because I haven’t had much time to spend on my little blog.

The first piece of news isn’t new for any Rachael Ray fan. Last week, Rachael was on Iron Chef America, paired with Mario Batali, while competing with Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay. It was clear when watching the show that Bobby Flay had better things to do (he maybe spoke 2-3 words and seemed rather put off by the whole thing). Rachael Ray and Mario Batali seemed to enjoy what they were doing - Mario even made some drinks for the judges using the food they were battling with…cranberries! Of course Rachael couldn’t be on a show without the famous “carry” she always does on her own shows:

So who won? Which reigned supreme?!? I honestly expected Bobby and Giada to win (Bobby is a regular winner on teh show and Giada is touted as a “chef” compared to Rachael’s self-proclaimed “cooker.” Well, surprise…Rachael and Mario won! …and the snooty look from Giada when it was announced was a classic moment.

I also have to say I’ve been faithfully watching her talk show on DVR every day…I’ve really grown to like it! I LOVE one of her features every week (Mystery Taster)! This week, Dennis Leary was on the show - he was hilarious! Granted, it is usually very mindless entertainment, but it isn’t the crap you see on other talk shows (pregnant teens, drama, murder, paternity tests). She also brings people together to solve every day issues (she paired a woman who had to buy Thanksigiving dinner to serve 20+ with a lady who is a coupon guru, saving her quite a bit of money). It makes it seem “real” to me. Her ratings seem to be fabulous - she’s beaten some Martha Stewart ratings as well as Ellen (at least one time I’ve heard). Keep it up, Rachael!

Lastly…I got a new toy (I LOVE new Rachael Ray stuff!). I got one of her new cast iron pots (the 5.25 quart one). I grew up on food in my mom’s cast-iron pot so it was a bit of a walk down memory lane for me. Here it is:

I can’t wait to use it - It’s perfect for stews, pot roasts, soups and stoups. YUM-o!

Granted, this is an isolated incident, but…

Khalid Chahhou, who was in his first year of teaching in Johnston County, gave students a worksheet in which they were to translate words and find them within a word-search puzzle.

Some students started uncovering strange words in the process.

“There were words like ‘kill,’ then I saw it said ‘destroy America,’” Eric Herrera said.

Not to mention:

“Allah help destroy this body of evil making humanity miserable.”

In his defense, the teacher says:

Chahhou, who also teaches Arabic at a religious school affiliated with the Islamic Association of Cary, told WRAL in a telephone interview that students got the wrong message from the assignment.

“When I made the assignment, I was upset and angry about a story I recently saw on the news. If any message appears, it is more of a message to myself, not to my students. I never meant to hurt or upset any students or parents,” he said.

Yeeeeeeah, right, Mr. Chahhou. Most teachers insert messages to themselves into school assignments when they’re upset over a news story.

What’s most troubling about this to me isn’t that he pulled this with his public school students, it’s that he teaches at a Muslim school as well.

God only knows what he’s teaching them in Arabic.

I urge you to listen to the words of an American citizen calling for shari’a law.

Stein hoist: Tim via the Sandcrawler