I can’t help but sympathize to this response to the lowlifes who destroy property with their “artwork”.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has suggested that those who deface freeways with graffiti should have their thumbs cut off on television.

Goodman, appearing Wednesday on the ``Nevada Newsmakers'' television show, said, ``In the old days in France, they had beheading of people who commit heinous crimes.

``You know, we have a beautiful highway landscaping redevelopment in our downtown. We have desert tortoises and beautiful paintings of flora and fauna. These punks come along and deface it.

``I'm saying maybe you put them on TV and cut off a thumb,'' the mayor added. ``That may be the right thing to do.''

And I must say I wouldnÂ’t mind seeing this restored in schools.

Goodman also suggested that whippings or canings should be brought back for children who get into trouble.

``I also believe in a little bit of corporal punishment going back to the days of yore, where examples have to be shown,'' Goodman said.

``I'm dead serious,'' said Goodman, adding, ``Some of these (children) don't learn. You have got to teach them a lesson, and this is coming from a criminal defense lawyer.''

One of my colleagues used to teach in Singapore. She tells me discipline was so much better thereÂ…

Posted by: Greg at 02:36 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 235 words, total size 2 kb.

I tell these kids something like this could happen if they are sagging.

A man suspected of stealing discs from a video store was tripped up by his baggy pants, falling twice before police captured him, authorities said.
James Green, 30, of Detroit, took about a half-dozen DVDs on Sunday night, and initially made his getaway on a bicycle, police said.

Officers spotted him in an alley, and he abandoned the bike and ran, but his pants fell to his ankles and he tripped, Ferndale Detective Sgt. Patrick Jones told The Daily Tribune of Royal Oak. "Finally, he kicked off his pants and shoes" and then jumped a fence into the backyard of a house where he was captured, Jones said.

On Monday, Green pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and retail fraud and was ordered jailed for 30 days.

Maybe the old urban legend is correct – perhaps undercover cops did start this trend to make it easy to catch the criminals.

Posted by: Greg at 02:34 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I’ll concede that dead teenagers are usually a tragedy, and I have a certain amount of compassion for the families who lost children in this accident – but when they are dead because they wrecked the stolen car they were riding in, I find the outpouring of public grief to be unseemly. I’ll explain later.

In the two days since four teens died in a car crash, sadness blanketed Huber Heights. Children cried in their classrooms at Wayne High School, parents wept in their houses and on a rural road in western Clark County where the bodies of the victims were found, more tears were shed.

The sadness was palpable. Cars drove by on Old Troy Pike with the boys' names on their windows. A restaurant put a sign up front praying for them to Rest in Peace. And Monday night at a candlelight vigil on the high school's football field, the sobs of about 250 students filled the air as they held up candles and prayed. They had gathered there to remember their friends, and many of them hugged each other as they wept.

Ian Bailey, Joseph Bruce, Joshua Flemming and Dustin Van Hoose were killed when the stolen Ford Crown Victoria they were riding in hit two trees on Lake Road early Sunday . A fifth teen — possibly the driver — was taken to a hospital in Dayton on Sunday morning and questioned there by police. He remained in the hospital Monday night, in the custody of Montgomery County Children Services.

The car was stolen from Mozart Avenue in Huber Heights, where police found broken glass on the street, Officer Mark Bruns said.

Now the story goes on to stir up sympathy for the driver who survived and a sense of loss of these boys – none of whom was old enough to drive the car they stole. They all get presented as good kids – even though they were out well after curfew joyriding in a stolen car. I have no evidence of possible drug or alcohol use, but I won’t be surprised if it turns out that the boys were drunk or high – it would fit with what we do know from the article.

As you may have figured, this story doesn’t sit well with me. It takes me back in time to my seminary days, and another tragic accident involving teenagers. In that case, the girls had been drinking, and were driving too fast on a hilly road. They crossed the center line and hit another car, killing all four girls and the other driver. The local press made a big tragedy out of the deaths of the girls – and ignored the death of the father of three who was the only innocent victim. His son was one of my fellow seminarians. The lesson learned by the young people of the community? No matter how irresponsible the decisions, no matter how grave the consequences, you end up a tragic hero to your peers and the community at large.

Posted by: Greg at 01:57 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
Post contains 515 words, total size 3 kb.

I’ll concede that dead teenagers are usually a tragedy, and I have a certain amount of compassion for the families who lost children in this accident – but when they are dead because they wrecked the stolen car they were riding in, I find the outpouring of public grief to be unseemly. I’ll explain later.

In the two days since four teens died in a car crash, sadness blanketed Huber Heights. Children cried in their classrooms at Wayne High School, parents wept in their houses and on a rural road in western Clark County where the bodies of the victims were found, more tears were shed.

The sadness was palpable. Cars drove by on Old Troy Pike with the boys' names on their windows. A restaurant put a sign up front praying for them to Rest in Peace. And Monday night at a candlelight vigil on the high school's football field, the sobs of about 250 students filled the air as they held up candles and prayed. They had gathered there to remember their friends, and many of them hugged each other as they wept.

Ian Bailey, Joseph Bruce, Joshua Flemming and Dustin Van Hoose were killed when the stolen Ford Crown Victoria they were riding in hit two trees on Lake Road early Sunday . A fifth teen — possibly the driver — was taken to a hospital in Dayton on Sunday morning and questioned there by police. He remained in the hospital Monday night, in the custody of Montgomery County Children Services.

The car was stolen from Mozart Avenue in Huber Heights, where police found broken glass on the street, Officer Mark Bruns said.

Now the story goes on to stir up sympathy for the driver who survived and a sense of loss of these boys – none of whom was old enough to drive the car they stole. They all get presented as good kids – even though they were out well after curfew joyriding in a stolen car. I have no evidence of possible drug or alcohol use, but I won’t be surprised if it turns out that the boys were drunk or high – it would fit with what we do know from the article.

As you may have figured, this story doesn’t sit well with me. It takes me back in time to my seminary days, and another tragic accident involving teenagers. In that case, the girls had been drinking, and were driving too fast on a hilly road. They crossed the center line and hit another car, killing all four girls and the other driver. The local press made a big tragedy out of the deaths of the girls – and ignored the death of the father of three who was the only innocent victim. His son was one of my fellow seminarians. The lesson learned by the young people of the community? No matter how irresponsible the decisions, no matter how grave the consequences, you end up a tragic hero to your peers and the community at large.

Posted by: Greg at 01:57 PM | Comments (34) | Add Comment
Post contains 524 words, total size 3 kb.

1 you a dumba.. , sure this kids were in the wrong for driving a stolen car, but in your estimationg everyone that makes a bad choice and dies has no room for sympathy. Do you realize if everyone paid the ultimate price for a bad decision there would be no one left including you........

Posted by: don at Fri Nov 4 09:32:28 2005 (cn7Im)

2 How dare you judge these boys that you do not know. Only ONE of them had been drinking, only ONE of them stole that car and went around after a footbal game picking up other kids. The truly sad thing is, is that the ONE who did these things is the ONE still alive. Those four boys were someones children, brother, grandchild and friend. The kids and adults that are mourning their passing have that right, how dare you judge them.

Posted by: teemu at Fri Nov 4 09:53:06 2005 (cBhyf)

3 I don't say they "deserved" to die -- I did not indicate that had no sympathy. I indicated that I found the presentation of these boys as tragic heroes to be unseemly. I don't question anyone's right to mourn. And teemu -- since you seem to have such a strong objection to my judging people (I'm not -- I'm judging their presentation of the boys as "only the good die young" heroes) -- how dare YOU judge ME. But then again, I guess hypocrisy is a strong suit on your part.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Fri Nov 4 13:26:32 2005 (X/70j)

4 "Now the story goes on to stir up sympathy for the driver who survived and a sense of loss of these boys – none of whom was old enough to drive the car they stole. They all get presented as good kids – even though they were out well after curfew joyriding in a stolen car. I have no evidence of possible drug or alcohol use, but I won’t be surprised if it turns out that the boys were drunk or high – it would fit with what we do know from the article." Do you know who stole the car? Do you know if all of the boys were aware if the car was stolen? We don't and we're family. "Tragic Heroes?" What the hell is heroic about suddenly losing your child? Hero?? They aren't being porojected as heroes, the community has gathered in sympathy for loss of life at such a young age. My condolences to your experience during your seminary days, but what gives you the right to comment on something YOU don't know the facts about? Ian was my nephew, his mother is my sister, and you, Mr. Rhymes with right, are an ass. Seminary???

Posted by: Suzy at Tue Nov 8 12:00:29 2005 (cUSQ4)

5 i cant believe you can sit here and judge these four lost souls. they are family to everyone and if you ask any body they would sit here and tell you that they love each and every one of those kids. its not there fault. they didnt know that if they made that decision to get in the car that later that night they would reck it and die. i believe not one of them should of died or even got hurt but for you to sit here and tell me that they were all drunk and high is an outrage to alot of people. i think that you should really get your facts straight. i can say that these kids being killed taught us a lesson about our selfs and the decisions made by teenagers these days. but i really didnt believe the ones who everybody loved had to go out and die like that.

Posted by: drew at Sat Dec 17 09:47:26 2005 (5QTR3)

6 I don't judge their souls -- I judge their actions. As for the "It's not their fault" line, then whose fault is it? Were they forced into the car at gunpoint? I didn't think so -- they made a choice to engage in reckless and illegal activity that had, sadly , their deaths as a consequence. By the way, I don't tell anyone they were drunk and high -- I speculate that they might have been, but i do not in any way shape or form assert that such was the case. In fact, i make a specific point that we have NO evidence in the story to support the speculation. One of my former students was stabbed to death a couple of weeks ago. He went to a party where he was not invited, got into a fight, followed the folks he fought into their home to continue the fight, and was stabbed to death by one of them. For me to say that the young man made some bad choices that resulted in his death would be to make an accurate statement. For me to try to make a hero of him because he died as a result of those choices would be wrong, no matter how much I cared for him.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sat Dec 17 12:26:30 2005 (E4lNa)

7 you know what? two months later, it still feels like yesterday. i lost my brothers, my best friends that day. and you have the GALL to sit here and judge their actions, their souls, whatever. it doesnt matter whos fault it is. the point is two months ago we lost four amazing people to stupid mistakes. and two months later, we still mourn. so get off your damn high horse and be a human. for crying out loud. fault, actions, and motives dont matter now. think about this, and remember them. -cassie.(the head doctor)

Posted by: Cassie at Sun Jan 8 11:59:00 2006 (htes/)

8 I guess what gives me the "GALL" (see, I can use all caps, too) to judge the actions of these boys is that I have some moral values -- it seems to me that you don't. And actually, fault and actions do matter now -- expecially after folks in your community held these boys up to be some sort of tragic heroes. There was no heroism in what happened to them -- only tragedy. As a teacher, I've seen too many young people die after making a series of bad choices. I've seen them held forth as "only the good die young" heroes, despite the fact they were killed dealing drugs, robbing gas stations, driving drunk, or engaging in gang activity. Such kids are not heroes, and we do the young people of our communities not one ounce of good by memorializing them as such. Am I saddened by the deaths of thes kids? Yes, I am. Do I feel for you and have compassion for your loss? Yes, I do. If you wee here, I would take you in my arms and cry with you, as I did the Monday after Thanksgiving with a student whose brother (a former student) was killed in a fight with opposing gang members. There is nothing right or fair about the way your brother (or hers) died, and I would never tell you there is. Your brother and his friends did not deserve to die. But I also have compassion for all the kids who are not hearing the message that needs to be spread after deaths like these -- bad choices have bad consequences, and those who lose their lives under such circumstances are models of "what not to be," no matter what redeeming qualities they had. And if you are still too close to this deep personal loss to accept my words, I hope that one day you can understand what I am trying to say.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sun Jan 8 14:42:56 2006 (PGZ7z)

9 hey one of my friends were friends with all these kids which would make me friends so dnt say bad stuff bout them if it hurts her then it hurts me

Posted by: caras friend at Thu Feb 9 08:41:05 2006 (sjD9Q)

10 You need to learn to read more closely -- what I said was that they should not be celebrated, not that they were evil or should not be mourned. Their deaths are sad and tragic, and I know they cut very deeply, but they were the result of bad choices they made. Look at the comment above yours to understand what i am trying to communicate.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Feb 9 10:33:46 2006 (h9417)

11 Put yourself in the situation. Think of the person who means the most to you. Now, put them in of of the four boys' postitions. No disrespect. But, you cannot tell me or anyone else you would not show even the least bit of emotion. We are human. We all make mistakes. It is in our nature. And nobody, not even you, is perfect. Whether you want to believe it or not. Oh and they weren't the ones who wrecked the car. The driver did, obviously, so you cannot blame it on those four. But, don't diss the driver either because he has to live with killing four of his best friends for the rest of his life. That is enough punishment. I also take it very offensively that you say these kind of things. Everyone of those boys were loved and cared so much about by many many people. One of them happened to be one of my best friends I've ever had. I'm sure everyone else takes your bullshit offensively too. I don't see why they wouldn't. I know this is going to sound really screwed up, but I do not nuder any circumstances mean anything by it. I hope your (most important person in your life) dies in a horrible car accident the same way these boys did. Do you take that offensively at all? You can't even deny that you do. But, once again, it was an example, nothing was meant by it.. If your going to keep on saying this shit, your making yourself a bigger ass than what you already have. This here shows you are a very self-centered person who cares about himself/herself and hi/her self only. Your not right about everything. Obviously, you think you are. But, really your not. Now, if you want to say anything else to this, I'll be more than happy to listen cause I am a bitch and I will say whatever I want to no matter how screwed up it may be. So, dear. Try me. And don't pull a you-don't-know-me, because you deffinately didn't know any of those boys. Thank you and have a nice fucking day.

Posted by: Paige at Thu Jun 29 16:14:46 2006 (Ffvoi)

12 How can you call yourself a teacher. i mean with you being a teacher i though you would understand more then most people. I mean you as a teacher see how kids can make mistakes and clean up. or see thing because kids mess up its not always there fault. What about if something has a bad homelife. Or if the kids parents dont care. For the kids to be out that late the parent didnt care what there kids did. I mean yea its thier fault for gettin in the car, and all that. But i mean all kids make mistakes at one time. With each mistake people learn. I believe all things happen for a reason. But i kno what you are doin is wrong. I mean these boys should be remembered for there whole lifes not for the one thing they did wrong. I mean for you to call ur self a teacher makes me sick. how why And one of those boys was my friend. And you kno what dont believe everyhting you hear. Because this boy was in some trouble.. but he was gettin better.. he was a sweet kid. ALOT of people liked him. I just think these boys should rest in peace and be remembered for the good and the bad.. i mean have you done ur homework..did u even try to learn who these boys were... fuck no you didnt.. then you shouldnt post anything with out the facts.. What you are sayn is your opinion and you are aloud to have it. But you kno what u have said has hurt alot of people. i wanted to cry after all that reading. all of us have been threw enough. and with what you said doesnt help. in fact it brings all back and pisses me off.. i hope you are happie.. you have hurt alot of people....

Posted by: Myranda at Thu Jun 29 16:30:54 2006 (eXQVK)

13 Oka, Paige is very correct. And so are all these other people. I believe there is a God. You may not. I really don't give two shits about what you think right now. God forgives each mistake a person makes if you follow his footsteps. One of these boys was among the greatest guys every. I'm sure they all were. I'm pointing out one in particular. He was a very great friend of mine.He used to live in my old city and then when I moved, he returned to the same city i moved to also. They didn't deserve to die, whether their actions were wrong or not. Do you have no soul? How dare you say those God-awful things about these boys. I know, they would have grown up to be amazing young men. You need to fuck off and grow a heart. As what Paige said before, I also am a bitch at heart and will tell you what it is. These boys deserve gratification for the things they have accomplished. I can't get over the fact how someone that probably didn't even know these boys at all can come off saying such hurtful things. One day, someone will realize that it was you that wrote this and you will be faced with horrible tribulations. You will, get what you deserve for writing this. And making it public. I guess I will end here. By the way, Fuck Off And Die

Posted by: Lenia at Thu Jun 29 16:32:27 2006 (Rpzfx)

14 Oh by the way Get bent you sorry so-called sick ass "teacher"

Posted by: Lenia at Thu Jun 29 16:34:59 2006 (Rpzfx)

15 Listen, you little punk, I don't give a shit that you are offended. In fact, your expressed desire that the most important person in my life die in such an accident indicates that you are a screwed-up little child with no moral values who will no doubt be making equally irresponsible choices soon -- probably ones resulting in you becoming a serial baby-mama spawning fatherless little brats that you expect gainfully employed taxpayers like myself to support. Let's look at the situation from an OBJECTIVE point of view. Five kids went joy-riding in a stolen car. Four were killed when the driver wrecked it. Their deaths were the direct result of the inappropriate and irresponsible behavior of each and every one of them. That does not make them heroes to be celebrated -- that makes them bad examples to be rejected. As I said in some of the comments above, i don't have a problem with your mourning these boys -- Lord knows that grieving is healthy and there is much to be mourned in the deaths of these boys. I even feel bad for you, since no one should have to lose friends so young in such a senseless manner. What I am saying is that they should not be celebrated, for it gives the wrong message. That you cannot see that is an indication of your own moral blindness. Oh, you are right about one thing -- I didn't know these boys. However, my years teaching high school give me a pretty good sense of what they were like, and I have probably had similar young men walk through my door over the years. If anything, that CONFIRMS my views.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 16:38:47 2006 (1zEfi)

16 Ah, looks like the rest of the gang is out to spew profanity and ignore my point. When folks die as a result of their own poor choices and criminal behavior, they are not heroes. To treat them as such is irresponsible. Some years ago, a student from my school tried to rob a gas station. The clerk fired three shots with the gun under the counter, hitting the kid twice and killing him dead on the spot. When asked if I felt any sadness, I lied to my students -- I told them no. Actually, I did -- I felt it was a terrible waste of the bullet that missed him. Do I judge these boys nearly that harshly? No , I do not. They did not deserve to die (I think the young man in the story above did). But I do not believe they should be treated as celebrated -- indeed, they should be held up as examples to be rejected by the community. Maybe when that starts to happen, we will begin to see reductions in crime, violence, and illegitimacy in your neighborhood.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 16:49:23 2006 (1zEfi)

17 Ok... all i have to say is that YOUR A FUCKING ASSWHOLE, YOU DIDNT EVEN KNOW THESE BOYS!!! keep your damn thought to yourself!!

Posted by: Kayla Lee at Thu Jun 29 16:57:37 2006 (i0TrF)

18 And you, Kayla, appear to be ignorant and semi-literate. If you could read at grade level, you would see that my point is more about your community and its messed-up values as it is about these boys. If you didn't get that out of my original post, you would have gotten it out of the comment thread. And since you don't know me, keep YOUR damn thoughts to yourself. By the way -- the word "asshole" does not have a "w" in it.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 17:05:44 2006 (1zEfi)

19 well I THINK YOU SHOULD GET UR ASS KICK FOR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I THINK YOU SHOULD KEEP UR SHIT OT URSELF NO ONE GIVES FUCK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND IF I EVER SEE YOU BELIEVE I WILL KILL YOU B/C I KNEW ALL OF THEM VERY WELL BESIDES ONE AND THAT WAS DUSTIN SO FUCK YOU

Posted by: bethany hearrell at Thu Jun 29 17:24:06 2006 (q8cMy)

20 You have crossed the line "Rhymes with Right." Or "teacher." I'm not sugar coating anything anymore. Here is the real deal. So you knew of students just like these four boys. HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU POSSIBLY SAY THAT IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEM? You can't. Leave them be. It's none of your God Damned business. You don't have to butt your self into shit just so you can fucking amke it about your damn self. You know what, for this, I hope you go through the same exact thing with one of the most important people in your damned life as we all fucking did. I hope to God it does. Infact, I'm going to pray that it does. THAT IS WHAT YOU FUCKING NEED. Experience it your fucking self. Then try and take someone saying that about your loved one. MAYBE you'll get it through your thick head. Or maybe you'll be the one who dies in a random car accident because of some other drunk driver. Maybe you'll be in the wrong place at the wrong time JUST LIKE THEY WERE. No one deserves to die. Not even you. But, you do deserve to carry on a guilt for the rest of the life you have left. You deserve to be fuckin pushed around and disrespected. You don't deserve any respect after you fucking disrespect the dead?! Your so ignorant!!!! Damn. Do you not have any feelings at all? THIS MATTER DOES NOT CONCERN YOU. Your intitled to your own damn opinion. But no publicly. Stay the fuck out of their business and worry about your own damn problems. Did you get everything you wanted as a kid? Were you rich and handed everything? Could you do and say whatever you wanted and there would always be someone there to get you out of it? Or were you the lil sorry ass girl who has grown up to be so bitter because everyone made fun of her and stated their opinions so you have to get someone back? Thats how your coming off to me. Your a very insecure bitch, you know that. Focus on your own damn problems, not everyone elses across the fucking world. Oh yeah... God, its me, Paige. So, you know about Rhymes With Right. I think the teacher talking all that talk needs to experience a tragedy herself, first hand. Could you please have something terrible happen to someone she is really close to? I think it would do her a lot of good.

Posted by: Paige at Thu Jun 29 17:40:32 2006 (dnUjv)

21 Come and get me, Ms. Hearrell -- just remember that Texas is a concealed carry state and that using a gun to repel an assault on one's person won't even result in an arrest, much less a conviction. And that is not a threat -- that is just an observation about the way we do things down here. By the way -- you and your little girlfriends here are doing a fine job of honoring the memories of your friends and showing off what constitutes "community values" in your neck of the woods.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 17:41:57 2006 (1zEfi)

22 Actually, I am a "he", Paige. If you had bothered to look, my name is Greg. And by the way, I've shown no disrespect for the dead. I've said they should not be honored as heroes, not that they deserved to die. I've said that because of the manner of their deaths they should be seen as examples of what not to become. Oh, and that's a great little bit of blasphemy there at the end of your post -- clearly you have no relationship with the God of the Bible, for if you did you would know that we are to bless those who curse us, not beg God to curse those we disagree with. Now why don't you run along to the street-corner and get back to work, you foul-mouthed little gutter-snipe.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 17:50:39 2006 (1zEfi)

23 Okay, I'm going to take the ininative and be the bigger man here. Your a teacher. You've been through college. So your an adult. You atleast in your 20's. Your argueing with teenagers!!! Most of which are 16!!! Wow, your not showing yourself much maturity. You should be the bigger man. But, I beat you to it, sucka. THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY MATTERS IN THIS WHOLE ARGUMENT BETWEEN ALL OF US WHO DID KNOW THEM AND WERE FRIENDS WITH THEM AND YOU IS THAT WE ARE STILL, EVEN AFTER THEY PAST, PROVEING OURSELVES GOOD FRIENDS. YA KNOW, THAT ACTUALLY MAKES ME FEEL PRETTY DAMN GOOD ACTUALLY. WE ARE STANDING UP AND SPEAKING OUT FOR THEM. WE ARE STILL STANDING BESIDE THEM. THEY AER STILL OUR FRIENDS. MAYBE THEY AREN'T HERE IN PERSON, BUT THEY ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN OUR HEARTS. NO MATTER WHAT YOU FUCKS SAY. Oh, I don't know about anyone else. But, they ARE hereos to me. Everything happens for a reason, and because of them, so many people have discovered how precious life really is and how much to often they take people for granted. We've all realized that your best friend may not be back to school the following Monday because of an unexpected accident. Or any day for that matter. Ya know, it really sucks that it had to be them... But, because of them everyone has been more cautious about what they are doing. I'm not saying I'm happy this happened. No way. But, I'm glad there was good that came out of it. We all learned something that day. Something we will never forget. In my heart and mind, they are hereos. Our hereos.

Posted by: Paige at Thu Jun 29 18:27:52 2006 (dnUjv)

24 Actually, Paige, try 40s. And why am I arguing with you? because I have enough respect for teenagers to believe it is a worthwhile and important thing to do. Because I spend my days surrounded by kids your age, I know that you are capable of rational thought and moral reasoning. And if I had to (metaphorically speaking) bop you girls over your noses with a rolled up newspaper to get you to drop the crazy talk, so be it. And so that meant that I had to push you past the emotion and into the intellect -- so you didn't beat me, you joined me, which means we have finally met as equals. Welcome to a little bit of adulthood, my dear. If you notice, I'm not suggesting any of your friends was evil, or that they deserved to die. They didn't -- and I've said that in comments above the ones tonight. Their deaths SUCK, and offend me deeply, because kids are not supposed to die. But they do, and we are all left to make sense out of it. We are all left to learn from it, in cases like this one -- and it sounds like maybe you and some of your friends have. But you finally acknowledged a big part of my point without realizing it -- if they are role models, then they are negative role models of what not to do and how not to make decisions. Any good that comes out of their death is good that comes from NOT following their examples. Do you not see where we are saying very much the same thing? The problem with celebrating these boys as heroes is that it leads to minimizing their wrong decisions and the fact that wrong choices led to their deaths. Several years ago a kid from my neighborhood died when he ran his car into a ditch while trying to outrun the cops going 90 MPH. Lat fall a former student died in what was essentially a gang fight. I mourned them both as kids with potentially who would never meet it -- and as kids of whom I was particularly fond (Adam, the second boy, was 18, recently married to another former student, and the father of a new baby). Neither boy "deserved" to die -- but they didn't deserve to be whitewashed and canonized as if their wrong actions were irrelevant to their deaths. And so I say to you, as I have been saying this whole thread -- mourn them, miss them, love them in your heart forever. Just don't make them out to be innocents gone too soon and positive models of what other young people should strive to be, for the choices that led to their unfortunate deaths necessarily serve to define them. You want examples of that? Benedict Arnold was a great general and a hero of the American Rebolution, until he decided to sell-out the 13 colonies -- and that decision will ever define him. So, too, will Judas' betraying kiss define him -- even though he was the disciple who was trusted by Jesus to control the money they all shared in common. Their wrong choices and theconsequences define them. Can we agree on that?

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Thu Jun 29 19:03:35 2006 (1zEfi)

25 Go play in traffic you fucking moron rhymes

Posted by: proxima at Thu Jun 29 22:38:09 2006 (OLMLi)

26 Your a fucking moron rhymes, go play in traffic

Posted by: proxima at Thu Jun 29 22:38:33 2006 (OLMLi)

27 Proxima -- I have the wisdom not to play in traffic, or in stolen vehicles.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Fri Jun 30 00:51:16 2006 (1zEfi)

28 I can somewhat see what you are trying to say. But, the way you have worded it in your articles above bring everyone to understand it in a comlpetely different way than you do. Will you consider that? And no, they weren't innocent. Not one of them. But, I guess we don't look at their guilty roles in the whole situation because of the drver's mistakes. I do have to say that I have come to realize, most of us are focusing on Jeremy, the driver. We are focusing on all the wrong he did because he was simply the only one that survived, the fact that he was the one driving and lost control, and the fucked up things he did that night. Trying to put one of the boys in the drivers seat. Trying to get away and not call for help so it would look like he wasn't involved. The four boys were the victims of those selfish and inconsiderate ways. That is all we are focusing on. We do though, need to look at the fact that it was indeed their choice to get into that car, and take it into consideration. Every one of those boys knew the possiblities of drinking and driving. We all do. They took their chances, just as may of us do today. I know that if we could talk to them, they would take their part of the blame. Atleast, I know Dustin would. Each one of them knew what they were doing was wrong and was very risky. The did have a choice in that matter. They made the wrong choice, and instead of it being temporary and tmie taking it away, it's permanent. They didn't mean for it to happen. I hope that Jeremy really did loose control and didn't purposely wreck the car. He didn't mean for it to happen. I think that we all just need to leave them at reat and quit argueing about it. I know I argued somewhat, so don't call me hypocrite. I am now realizing. I mean there is nothing we can do to change what has happened. What is done is done. I believe in God. He is the most importnat thing to me. All I know is, they are in a better place. It was their time to go. I believe it was in God's plans. Not to kill them, but to bring them home. With that said and done, can we all just quit argueing about this. Let the four boys Rest In Peace. Quit with all the negative feelings and words, it isn't helping. I know I said things. I apologize. Rest In Peace *Dustin Shane Van Hoose* December 14, 1989 - October 30, 2005 *Joey Bruce* *Joshua Flemming* *Ian Bailey*

Posted by: Paige at Fri Jun 30 07:25:41 2006 (y6n8O)

29 While I don't agree with you in all that you said, please know that I respect all of what you said in that last comment. It shows the better angels of your nature, and your reach towards true maturity. Well done, dear girl, and know that you (and even the ruder folks above) have always had my deepest sympathies in your time of loss. I have no qualms about saying that all of you were innocent victims. In truth, my criticism was less directed at these boys than at an attitude that is all too prevalent in our society. May your friends rest in peace, and may their friends be comforted.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Fri Jun 30 08:04:04 2006 (J7UgM)

30 Thank you I appreciate it. Now, to anyone else who comes across this. Do Joey, Josh, Ian, and Dusitn a favor. Just let them rest in peace.

Posted by: Paige at Fri Jun 30 11:35:11 2006 (HXqNL)

31 OK let me start by saying, i know what you mean. No They shouldn't be labeled as heros because they were kids, they should be labeled as heros because of who they were at heart. Good People Fuck Up Too. There is no point for anyone else to get on here and cuss "Greg" out. It's Dumb. We're all getting worked up for nothing...just don't read this dumb shit anymore. He has stated his opinions and thats just grand. Theres noway we can change it, and by "fighting" with this "Teacher" will do nothing positive for your greiving process. Move elsewhere and forget about this dumbass site. If we all tried to protect the ones we lost then we would never truly be happy. Kiddos it comes down to this, cussing at him...praying that he feels the same pain we do...tring to say his opinion is wrong....Its all pointless and a complete waste of time. This guy will never truly know anything about who these kids were. Never smile with them. Never tell crazy ass jokes with them. Never get into trouble with them. Never talk to them. Never know what kind of hell some of them went through at home. Never feel guilty for his death when he shouldn't. Never have nightmares about the inccident. Never have to see the faces of loved ones crying as they stare down at the cold, lifeless, broken, body that barely resembled the real sweetheart you once held. No, he will never know any of those things...so theres no point in trying to teach the teacher. All i can say to reverse the damage thats already been done is to tell you guys to stay strong and keep moving on with life...live life to the fullest, but be cautious, live it as if you were living to make up for the life they will never get to finish. Love you guys so much. Clearly you are amazing friends... As For You "Greg" Start A Journal Sweetie, Really, What Kind Of "Teacher" Deals With Students Mourning All The Time And Claims To Know What They Are Going Through Would Write Such Strong Opinions? You Had To At Least Have An Idea That It Would Offend People Mouring. I Mean, Would You Post This On The Bullitin Board At Your School For All Your Kids In Griveing To Read? Use That Collage Leveled Brain Of Your To Think About Others. Why In Gods Name Would You Call Teenagers "Punks" Or Comment That They Should Be On A Corner Working Is Above And Beyond A Dumbass Move On Your Part. Clearly You Need To Take A Break From Working To Help Kids And Find A Better Job...Like A Police Officer. Then Let Me Know How You Feel When You Have To Tell The Familys That Someone Died. Tell Them How You Really Feel About Them. Hopefully You Dont Get The Reaction From People You Deserve.... Killing An Officer Is Highly Frowned Apon These Days Darlin... Ok, Now I'm Back To Being The Brittany I Was At The Beginning, Forget Him Lovelys And Stay Strong...

Posted by: Brittany Lynne at Fri Jun 30 13:03:24 2006 (tPVRw)

32 Well, Little Miss Bitchy (that is your My Space name, I see), might I suggest that you learn a little bit of respect for your elders and not presume to give us career or other counseling. Develop some basic literacy skills first, you spoiled child. And as i have said above, my goal WAS to offend people -- that is usually the response you get when you tell the unvarnished truth. But what people ought to be offended at is turning a bunch of kids who died breaking the law into a heroes and role-models, not my criticism of those who make that mistake. As for my more pointed comments, they were directed at what I perceive as the level of morality of the person involved, bivven the insults, profanity, and threats directed my way. You don't like it -- don't talk to me that way. I'm usually a much more accommodating host. Want an example? Notice the different way I engaged Paige when she decided to apply a little bit of intellect rather than the initial insulting barrage. I respect her -- but your response merits no respect at all.

Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Sat Jul 1 05:45:05 2006 (ZjpIs)

33 AAAlllllrrrriiight People. Lets drop it. No matter what we say or how much we agrue it's not going to change the fact that they are dead and are never coming back. They made a mistake, we all do. We just need to accept the facts. Lets respect eachother's opinions and be done with this. You may not agree, but everyone is intitled to thier own opinion. Now can we all agree to drop this? I mean come on. Its been exactly 8 months and a day. Let's just drop this arguement.

Posted by: Paige at Sat Jul 1 11:22:05 2006 (vyJ4U)

34 *nods in agreement*

Posted by: proxima at Sat Jul 1 23:03:36 2006 (OLMLi)

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Few men or women become an icon during their own lives.

Rosa Parks did.

It is therefore fitting that she lie in state in the Rotunda of the US Capitol .

Rosa Parks, the African American seamstress who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Ala., 50 years ago and lent a spark to the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement, will make history again as the first woman ever to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, after the House today passed a resolution permitting the tribute.

The Senate approved a resolution last night. U.S. Capitol Police and the staff in the office of the Architect of the Capitol already had begun working on logistics for the event, which the resolution said would take place Sunday and Monday. Details are still being worked out and will be released later today.

Her former boss, Congressman John Conyers, strongly supported the idea.

After looking at the list of tributes he envisioned since her death -- " a statue, a stamp, a resolution, a memorial service" -- Conyers said it occurred to him that only the vigil reserved for statesmen or warriors would be right. He authored the resolution to permit Parks to lie in honor inside the Capitol.

"We think having her body lie in honor in the Rotunda is probably the most expressive way that we in government can let everyone know that the legacy of Rosa Parks is embraced by the federal legislature," Conyers said yesterday. "I must say that the bipartisan support has been excellent."

I cannot help but agree with Conyers -- the historical significance of Rosa Parksis such that she merits this rare honor. I can imagine no person, of either party, finding this objectionable.

It is approrpaite that Rosa Parks will break another barrier in death.

It would be the first time a woman has been so honored and one of the few occasions for a citizen who did not hold an elected office. Americans have quietly shuffled past the coffins of presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, among others. They have mourned the unknown soldiers of both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam. In 1998, a Rotunda vigil was held for U.S. Capitol Police Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective Mike Gibson, who were shot to death in an ambush inside the Capitol. Chestnut was the first African American to be honored; Parks would be the second.

Rosa Parks served her nation well in life. Now we will honor her in death with a special tribute.

Posted by: Greg at 01:59 PM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
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I'm told this did not come as a surprise to anyone who has followed this womanÂ’s career and personal life over the last several years.

Calling life in the closet "miserable," three-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes announced she is gay in an exclusive interview in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine.

"My reason for coming out isn't to be some sort of hero," Swoopes, a forward with the Houston Comets, says in the article. "I'm just at a point in my life where I'm tired of having to pretend to be somebody I'm not. I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about. About the person I love.

And, of course, about the big endorsement deal you just signed.

Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes, the WNBA's 2005 most valuable player, will announce today that she will become a spokeswoman for Olivia, a cruise line dedicated to lesbian travelers, and that she is a lesbian, according to a person close to the three-time Olympian.

"The talk about the WNBA being full of lesbians is not true," Swoopes says. "There are as many straight women in the league as there are gay.”

Uh – if there are, then there is a serious overrepresentation in the league, and the concerns the WNBA has had to deal with about being a league for lesbians are very real. After all, don’t the studies show that lesbians account for no more than 5% of the American population, not 50%? Is there perhaps a need for an affirmative action program for straight women in the WNBA?

Personally, I’m not interested in Swoopes’ personal life. I’m really not even a fan of her sport (in the male or female leagues), though I hear about her from my colleagues who coach and watch basketball. But I do hope that her career is not harmed – or helped – by her sexual orientation.

UPDATE: What do you make of this?

"Do I think I was born this way? No," Swoopes said. "And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are."

Does that mean that she made a choice to be a lesbian -- exactly the opposite of what the professional homosexuals tell us is the case?

(Hat Tip -- Safety for Dummies and Brothers Judd)

Posted by: Greg at 01:48 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Yes, this is an overindulgence of a child – but I’m not nearly as offended by that as I am by the neighbor’s complaints and the government’s intervention. After all, it’s only a treehouse.

When Les Firestein, a television producer, and his wife, Gwyn Lurie, a screenwriter, wanted to do something really special for their daughter, Sydney, they enlisted their friend Roderick Wolgamott Romero.

Romero is a renowned builder of elaborate treehouses for such celebrities as Sting and Donna Karan. His work can be found in the "fantasy gift" section of this year's Neiman Marcus holiday catalog. Beginning price: $50,000.

In the backyard of the Firestein-Lurie home, which sits on a tree-studded half-acre north of Sunset Boulevard, Romero and his buddies built a roughly 10-foot-by-10-foot structure of reclaimed wood, salvaged windows and vintage stained glass from Buenos Aires that would quicken the heart of any fun-loving child or parent. The treehouse includes a viewing deck bordered by a railing crafted from tree branches from the backyard.

In return, Romero asked for a week's worth of lodging and all the Baja Fresh meals he could eat. With his tattooed arms and braided, knee-length hair swept up under a tweed cap, Romero and his pals worked for days, even in the rain.

Richard Fleming, the couple's next-door neighbor and a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, was not amused.

He feared that children could perch in this aerie and look in on him and his wife in their backyard pool and hot tub. He suspected, also, that city codes had been violated.

Enter the city of Los Angeles. As the treehouse neared completion last Thursday, city inspector Thomas Sze arrived on the Firestein-Lurie doorstep, responding, he told them, to an anonymous complaint.

"Oh, that's big," Lurie said he told them after looking at the treehouse and the much larger platform on which it rested. Sze also expressed concern about the structure's safety. On Friday, he delivered a written order that all work be halted.

"We're requiring plans and permits if [they] want to continue," Dave Keim, the city's chief of code enforcement, said in an interview Tuesday. "We'll work with them to try to legalize thisÂ…. It's not going to be easy."

The morals in this story?

1) There is too much government when even treehouses are regulated structures.

2) Some folks need to learn that their property rights end at their property line.

3) Kids are not allowed to be kids today – we either coddle them so much that they never experience the simple joys of childhood, or we overindulge them so much that they never experience them as simple pleasures.

Posted by: Greg at 01:45 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Every little girl has a stuffed teddy bear – but eight-year-old Sierra Stiles will have one that is a little bit different than most. She just shot and killed hers – a 211-pound black bear – with a .234 rifle in this year’s Maryland bear hunt, becoming the first hunter to score a kill in the state.

After winning one of 200 bear-hunting permits granted by lottery this year -- and acing the required safety test with a score of 98 -- Sierra recalled being rousted out of bed by her mother at 4:58 a.m., wolfing down a bowl of cereal and heading outside, to a field on her granduncle's farm. They waited two hours in the bush under a steady, cold rain.

"I was dragging," Sierra said.

It got a bit brighter as the sun glowed sullenly through a thick blanket of clouds, she said. Sierra's granduncle, Robert Harvey, saw a dark shadow in the distance, but he didn't know what it was. Her father thought it was a bear.

"I froze up," she recalled. Regaining her composure, Sierra stood behind a tree, waiting until the bear was about 50 yards away, she said. Then she took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck the bear behind the shoulder.

Unfazed by the rifle's light recoil, she said, she ejected the casing, reloaded and fired another round.

It hit. The bear ran about 150 feet before collapsing.

"I was really, really, really happy," Sierra exclaimed. "They won't eat now. They won't eat a thing."

Well done, little girl! That will be a heck of a story to tell your kids and grandkids – and one heck of a family heirloom, too, when you bring it back from the taxidermist!

Posted by: Greg at 01:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Of all the incredibly dumb ideas!

The city of Rome has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights activists say are cruel, and has made regular dog-walks mandatory in the Italian capital, the town's council said on Tuesday.

The classic spherical fish bowls are banned under a new by-law which also stops fish or other animals being given away as fairground prizes. It comes after a national law was passed to allow jail sentences for people who abandon cats or dogs.

"It's good to do whatever we can for our animals who in exchange for a little love fill our existence with their attention," said Monica Cirinna, the councilor behind the by-law.

Good grief! we're talking about goldfish.

The newspaper reported that round bowls caused fish to go blind. No one at Rome council was available to confirm this was why they were banned. Many fish experts say round bowls provide insufficient oxygen for fish.

And we know this because...?

Clearly some folks have too much time on their hands -- and Italian lawmakers are among them.

Posted by: Greg at 02:02 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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If you find pictures of me from the early 1980s, odds are you will dee me wearing a White Sox cap. I had a sentimental attachment to the team ever since I had the opportunity to meet that wonderful old man and baseball legend, Bill Veeck, when I was in high school.

While time and distance have weaned me from that loyalty, I have never been ashamed of the team or its fans . Until now.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen issued a public apology on behalf of his organization to Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, whose wife was slapped by a fan in the stands at U.S. Cellular Field.

"I feel like it's our fault, and I talked to (Biggio) about it, and he knows we're sorry," Guillen said. "He knows it was something we couldn't control. It wasn't like a fight. (The fan) hit the lady and left."

The incident occurred on Sunday night during Game 2 of the 101st World Series at Chicago's ballpark, where several members of the Astros' traveling party were harassed.

"He slapped her and ran," Biggio said of the fan who struck his wife, Patty. "She ran after him. My brother-in-law ended up putting him against the wall. That's pretty sorry."

Asked if Patty had been hurt, Biggio said his New Jersey-raised wife held her own.

"You don't slap a New Jersey girl and get away with it," he said. "That happens sometimes. It's terrible. It's over."

Added Guillen: "I wish she would have grabbed something and broken his head. If that happened to my family, it would have been a big problem. ... People should just go to the game and not bother people next to you, or you're not a White Sox fan or a baseball fan. Just enjoy the game. Drink if you want to drink; just respect the people next to you."

No criminal complaint was made against the fan, according to Chicago police.

I hope that charges are, eventually pressed. There is no need for stuff like this. I'm pleased that the White Sox are responding as they have -- and particularly respect Ozzie Guillen's comments.

Hopefully this will stirr up the Astros and their fans as the World Sseries moves to Houston

Posted by: Greg at 11:12 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As most of you realize, Paula and I had to trave 400 miles to Oklahoma when we were threatened by Hurricane Rita. Why so far? It was the closest place that we could get a hotel room that welcomed our four-legged family member, Carmie.

I wish that this place had been on our way -- our canine companion was much better behaved than the screaming, stomping kids who lived above us and who ran up-and-down the halls at irregular but frequent intervals. The Winnipeg Star's columnist, Lydia Lovric, talks about the place.

An Austrian hotel owner fed up with rowdy young patrons has made headlines for deciding to ban kids. Dogs, on the other hand, are still welcome.

This may sound odd coming from someone who currently has the proverbial "bun in the oven," but I think kid-free hotels are a fabulous idea. Hopefully, an enterprising Canadian chain will soon follow suit.

Roland Ballner, 38, says he is tired of dealing with badly behaved children and will no longer allow kids under the age of 12 to stay at his hotel.

"My guests have a right to quiet and relaxation without the noise of children," insists Ballner.

Dogs will still be permitted because Ballner claims the four-legged guests are far better trained than most children. The furry guests also don't vandalize the hotel rooms, unlike certain pint-sized patrons.

He blames bad parenting, explaining that many moms and dads turn a blind eye to their child's transgressions. The parents "seem to feel they are here to relax and wash their hands of their children's bad behaviour."

Carmie is all we have in the way of family down here. We can't have kids and love them, but really could have used a quiet spot to bug-out during the evacuation. This would have been nice.

Oh, and by the way, I love the observation at the end of the column on why a hotel that bans kids could never open in Canada.

This is, after all, Canada -- where the only things we're allowed to ban are common sense, conservative professors and politically incorrect jokes.

Zing!

Posted by: Greg at 12:35 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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What can I say – I live just a few miles from Johnson Space Center. How could I not be interested in space stuff like this?

Venus Express, the European Space Agency's first mission to explore Earth's closest neighbour, will be launched next Wednesday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The ESA gave the prospective launch time as 0443 GMT.

The 1.27-tonne unmanned spacecraft, which will be taken aloft by a Russian-made Soyuz-Fregat rocket, is expected to arrive at Venus on April 6.
Venus Express, equipped with seven instruments, is intended to map the Venusian surface and weather system, looking at temperature variation, cloud formations, wind speeds and gas composition.

Its main goal is to help understand why Venus fell prey to runaway global warming.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is similar in size, mass and age to Earth, but the two planets are otherwise quite different.

The so-called Morning Star has clouds of suffocating gas driven by hurricane-force winds, as well as a surface pressure and temperature high enough to crush and melt steel.

Venus Express is a sister to Mars Express, an orbiter that is now circling the Red Planet

More info at www.esa.int

Posted by: Greg at 11:33 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I've watched them blow it every which way the last several years -- now they lead the NLCS 3-1. Could it be that pitching beats hitting?

Willy Taveras wasn't in the game from the start, but he was the difference-maker in the end.

Houston and St. Louis were locked in a tight 1-1 battle in today's NLCS Game 4 until pinch-runner Taveras broke the deadlock, scoring in the seventh on Morgan Ensberg's sacrifice fly to give the Astros a 2-1 victory. Houston now leads the series, 3-1. Game 5 is here on Monday.

Good luck, Astros. You just need one more.

And as an ex-Chicagoan, I'd love to see the World Series played here and Chicago.

Posted by: Greg at 02:31 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Now you all remember my post about the fact that PETA kills most of the animals brought to its shelter. One would have to assume that there are some truly sick and twisted souls working there to kill animals at the rate shown by the statistics -- which outstrip most American shelters.

You may also recall that some of the employees of PETA's Virginia shelter were arrested dumping dead animals in a dumpster at a shopping mall. Well guess what -- those disgusting human beings were just indicted on 25 fellony counts related to the incident!

The cats and dogs two PETA employees have been charged with euthanizing and dumping in an Ahoskie garbage bin were killed by injections of pentobarbital, a barbiturate commonly used to put down animals, according to new warrants issued and served on Friday.

Additionally, the two employees were charged with three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. The charges allege that they euthanized three cats from an Ahoskie veterinarian after promising to find the animals new homes, according to the new warrants.

PETA employees Andrew B. Cook, 24, of Virginia Beach, and Adria J. Hinkle, 27, of Norfolk, were served with warrants on 22 felony charges of animal cruelty and the three felony charges of obtaining property by false pretense in court on Friday.

A grand jury is expected to consider formal indictments Oct. 31, Assistant District Attorney Donnie Taylor said.

The new animal cruelty charges replaced 31 previous animal cruelty charges, which were dismissed.

The new warrants now include more information, such as descriptions of animals investigators found, the causes of death and – in some warrants – photographs of the dead dogs.

The new information was added to clarify the charges, which previously did not have such information as the cause of death, Taylor said.

The two employees are still charged with eight misdemeanor counts of illegal disposal of dead animals and one count of trespassing.

Both have been released on $35,000 bail, and PETA is paying their legal fees. PETA suspended Hinkle for 90 days and did not discipline Cook.

Yeah, you read that right -- PETA still employs these creeps, and is paying their legal bills. Yeah, one got a 90 day suspension (which is a slap on the wrist), but the other was not punished at all.

So the next time teh folks from PETA start going on about the "ethical treatment of animals", point out that their own organization fails to engage in ethical activity when confronted with animal cruelty in their own midst.

Posted by: Greg at 01:26 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I donÂ’t have much sympathy for those who drive while intoxicated. But at the same time, I do have a problem with a policy that throws common sense and statutory law out the window. Take the practice of the Washington, DC police and prosecutor regarding DUI cases

Elizabeth Wingo, chief of the criminal section in the D.C. Attorney General's Office, said her office prosecutes cases regardless of blood alcohol level, as long as there is sufficient evidence of impairment.

"We have zero tolerance for drunk driving. It doesn't matter what your blood alcohol level is," Wingo said. "If you blow .02 and officers can tell you're impaired, you'll be arrested for DUI."

The law says people can be found guilty if they drink enough alcohol "to appreciably disturb or interfere with their normal mental or physical faculties."

Now that sounds perfectly reasonable – .07 and .08 are mighty close, and the impairment level is insignificantly different. But DC police and prosecutors are bringing charges against folks with a BAC of .03, .01, and even .00, based upon breathalyzer results, on the basis that their alcohol consumption had impaired them. In one case, the basis for a determination of impairment was the driver’s failure to turn on her headlights soon enough in the twilight to suit the police officer. Another case involved a woman who answered her cell phone while driving.

Drunk and drugged driving is a serious offense. LetÂ’s not trivialize it by making every driver who has had a single glass of wine guilty of a criminal offense.

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You just have to love some headlines. Take this one.

400-500 gallons of Halliburton acid spills on Colorado highway

Not just acid – it is Halliburton acid. Is that really the most important point to the story? Couldn’t you have instead informed your readers of what sort of acid it was – a matter of no little import – so that they could take appropriate precautions?

No, it is much more important to inform us that the acid belongs to a major defense contractor with ties to the Vice President.

Posted by: Greg at 02:10 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This will certainly raise the hackles of the professional homosexuals in this country.

A debonair New York socialite filed a $5 million legal notice against the Catholic Church yesterday — claiming his molestation at age 7 at the hands of a young priest led him to become gay.

J. David Enright IV — a scion of Albany's renowned Van Rensselaer and de la Grange families — told The Post he was repeatedly sexually abused by the Rev. Joseph Romano, a seminarian counselor at upstate Camp Tekawitha on Lake Luzerne, in 1961 and 1962.

"I believe that my life would be very different now," said Enright, 51, dressed in a custom-made English suit and French cuffed shirt. "I'd probably be married, living in Greenwich, with four children in boarding school.
"Romano bent my life."

The story, of course, is a tragedy. But for Enright to win, he has to establish that homosexuality if not a genetic trait. Instead, homosexuality has to be a trauma-induced defect – call it post-traumatic sexual disorientation. If the latter is the case, then homosexuality is a disorder to be treated and overcome, not a condition to be accepted and normalized.

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As much as I believe in organ donation, and as much as I lament the lack of transplantable organs, I have to oppose this proposal.

Look, I'm not saying we need more body-snatching, obviously. What we need is a policy - already law in 20 countries - called "presumed consent."

Presumed consent simply presumes that once you die, you consent to have your body parts given to the living, unless you have specifically indicated otherwise.
From Singapore to Spain to Sweden and Italy, it's a done deal. Anyone who does not want to donate simply joins a national registry of those "opting out." They get "opt out" cards to carry.

Here in America, however, our posthumous policy is exactly the opposite: The government presumes you don't want to donate. If, however, you do, you have to "opt in" by signing a space on your driver's license and/or talking about it with your next of kin. Since most people don't bother to sign anything and are disinclined to discuss the disposal of their bodies in any event, we don't have the 98% participation rate that presumed-consent countries like Spain have.

The short answer is that my body belongs to me. It is not government property, to be disposed of by government dictate after I die. If I choose to donate my organs (and I do – I signed up for organ donation when I got my first driver’s license, and have signed every renewal since then), that is my decision – but if I choose to take them to my grave I should be permitted to do so without having to overcome some government hurdle.

And in this case, unlike in the case of abortion, the mantra of “my body, my choice” is actually accurate.

Posted by: Greg at 02:05 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Again, words fail me in the face of such a disaster.

Up to 40,000 people have been killed, at least 60,000 injured and two-and-a-half million left homeless by the devastating south Asia earthquake, according to latest figures.

Behind the raw and rising statistics, the dreadful human cost of the tragedy was emerging in ruined towns across Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

The mountainous province of Kashmir was the worst hit, but the effects of the quake were felt in a 300-mile belt from Jalabad in Afghanistan to Srinagar in northern India. The earthquake struck at 0450BST on Saturday and is the worst to hit South Asia in a century.

"It is a whole generation that has been lost, the maximum number affected was schoolchildren," Major General Shaukat Sultan, Pakistan's military spokesman said.

"Rescuers are pulling out dead children in Muzaffarabad [the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, and the epicentre of the 7.6 quake] but there is no-one to claim the bodies. The parents, too, are dead."

The United Nations ChildrenÂ’s Fund (Unicef) said today that between 30,000 and 40,000 people had died. The figure is likely to rise further as rescue teams reach isolated towns and villages whose water supplies, power and road links have been wiped out.

The numbers are mind-boggling.

Please offer prayers, and help, to the survivors.

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Mary Mapes claims in her new book that there was a "vast right wing conspiracy" to get her, Dan Rather, and CBS News in the wake of the use of fake documents to accuse President Bush of failing to complete his Texas Air National Guard service.

But the revised edition of David Blum's book on 60 Minutes provides a different take on the scandal.

Dan Rather’s future on CBS News certainly looks less than assured, just as the updated paperback edition of David Blum’s 60 Minutes tell-all, Tick . . . Tick . . . Tick . . . , hits stores this week. Among Blum’s new revelations: The night before last fall’s controversial National Guard piece aired, Rather called 60 Minutes Wednesday executive producer Josh Howard from the anchor desk to find out why he wasn’t running promos for the story. When Howard told him he couldn’t promote it—CBS News president Andrew Heyward hadn’t seen it yet, nor had the lawyers, and they hadn’t even contacted the White House for comment—Rather threatened to take the story to the Times that night. (Rather later backed down.) The anchor was feeling a good deal less of a cowboy after the story blew up in his face. According to the book, on the night before his on-air apology, Rather confessed to Howard that he’d had doubts about the veracity of the memos all along. “I knew when I did the [document consultant Marcel] Matley interview that something wasn’t right with all this,” Rather confessed to Howard, belying his stalwart public position. A CBS News spokesperson, Sandy Genelius, said, “I have no way of verifying this, these were private conversations,” before noting that they weren’t in the 224-page report of the CBS investigation. Rather was overseas and unavailable to comment.

Rather, it seems, was much more interested in getting it out fast than in getting it right -- and was even willing to hand the story to the New York Times to do so.

So, Mary, are we talking about a vast right wing conspiracy to smear you, or simply shoddy journailsm by folks more interested in bringing down another Republican President?

Posted by: Greg at 12:18 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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How else can we explain the pregnancy of a young woman who publicly vowed not to wait for her wedding night to have sex?

APPARENTLY Tom Cruise had it in him after all.

The Hollywood superstar and Scientologist has announced he is expecting a child with Katie Holmes, the 26-year-old actor who swore she would remain a virgin until the pair married.

I won't speculate on what role Scientology played in getting Katie pregnant now.

But I will ask one question -- did anyone think about the implications of the first sentence of this story? I mean seriously, I don't think it is an issue of whether Tom "had it in him", at least not as I understand the biological process involved.

(And yes, before anyone objects to my use of the term "Immaculate Conception", I do know the difference between the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the virgin birth. The joke just worked better this way. If you are offended, you are cordially invited to get over it.)

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When the County Commissioners in Hillsborough voted down an ordinance to ban discrimination against homosexuals in public and private employment, they did something much worse -- they made it more difficult for the people to speak directly on the issue.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor said she was only trying to repair Hillsborough's reputation as unfriendly to gay rights when she asked commissioners Wednesday to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation for private and public employees.

But the request backfired when commissioners, led by Ronda Storms, not only refused Castor, but voted 5-2 to make it harder for voters to decide the issue.

They required that the workplace protection of gays can't be put on a referendum ballot unless at least five commissioners approve it. Before Castor's request, only four votes were needed. Castor and Tom Scott dissented.

The decision by the commissioners was wrong, at least in part.

The non-discrimiantion provision in public employment should have been adopted, but the private employment provision was properly rejected as intruding upon the civil rights of employers (for the record, I oppose all non-discrimination laws that target private individuals and entities, as opposed to government). And under no circumstances should the commissioners have made it more difficult to get a measure on the ballot, The voice of the people should always be heard, not stifled!

I've condemned those legislators in Massachusetts who have refused to put homosexual marriage on the ballot. I've spoken against legislators in Massachusetts who have ignored the state constitution and the vote of the people on the definition of marriage. I've objected when courts have tossed-out the vote of the people on gay marriage and gay rights flimsy constitutional grounds that do not stand up under scrutiny. Honesty and principle require me to condemn Hillsborough County for this action as well -- for it isn't the result that is important nearly so much as it is the process.

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It sure looks that way, over the next few months.

High-quality crude oil fell below the psychologically significant $60 per barrel mark Thursday in London trading.

So-called Brent crude on the International Petroleum Exchange fell 67 cents to $59.45, the Financial Times reported.

In New York, a barrel of similar crude oil fell 1.4 percent to $61.90 per barrel.

Gasoline on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped about 2 percent to $1.87 per gallon, and heating oil drifted down slightly to $1.9833 per gallon.

Natural gas, however, rose 1.6 cents.

The generally downward movement in energy prices reflects the slow resumption of production and refining operations from storm-battered sites in the Gulf of Mexico, analysts said. Chevron Corp., for example, said Thursday it had begun restarting its 325,000 barrel-per-day Pascagoula, Miss., refinery.

Now if we could just do something about the nearly $1.00 a gallon in gas taxes that push the pump price so high.

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I love this interpretation of polling data regarding the Hurricane Rita evacuation.

About 70 percent of those who left were afraid of the storm — fearing for their safety from wind and flooding — as Rita seemed poised for a near-direct hit. Only one in five listed evacuation orders as the primary motivation for taking flight, according to the poll of residents in Harris and seven adjacent counties.

Now I live in one of the mandatory evacuation zones, but if asked I would have said I left because I was afraid of the storm. Hell, I live four blocks from Galveston Bay, halfway between Houston and Galveston. All the models showed that my entire house was going to be under water. Damn straight I was afraid – that’s why I got ou I didn’t need someone to tell me “Greg, there is an evacuation set – you’ve got to leave” before I decided it might just be a good thing to get out of Dodge. I had already made the decision to go because I didn’t want to be one of those people trapped in an attic drowning. The fact that the government was telling me to go was simply an additional spur that determined when I left, not if I was going to go. I suspect the same mindset was at work for many others in the mandatory evacuation area.

What shocks me is that there were actually 20% that wouldnÂ’t sufficiently concerned to leave if we were getting a storm like was predicted in the days before the evacuation.

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One would think that a citizen of the United States would be able to engage in the intended use of a bench in a city park without finding him or herself in trouble with the law.

Not in New York City, apparantly, where good intentions combined with lack of common sense on the part of law enforcement recently.

It's an only in New York story. A woman was given a ticket for sitting on a park bench because she doesn't have children.
The Rivington Playground on Manhattan's East Side has a small sign at the entrance that says adults are prohibited unless they are accompanied by a child.

Forty-seven-year-old Sandra Catena says she didn't see the sign when she sat down to wait for an arts festival to start. Two New York City police officers asked her if she was with a child. When she said no, they gave her a ticket that could bring a one thousand dollar fine and 90 days in jail.

As one might imagine, the laudable goal of the law was to keep pedophiles away from the playground. Unfortunately, these good intentions were supplemented with an utter disregard of common sense by cops who couldn't see that the better option was to ask Ms. Catena to move along.

If we have at last reached the day when sitting by a playground is a criminal offense, then we to recognize that government has gone too far in micromanaging our daily lives "for the public good".

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Mary Mapes got caught doing shoddy journalism. Now she claims to be the victim of a “vast right wing conspiracy”.

She is convinced she was the victim of a group of loosely associated Internet bloggers "with a harsh political bent" who pounced on CBS News minutes after the airing of the now-infamous Texas Air National Guard story on "60 Minutes 2" in September 2004.

The story purported to have proof that George W. Bush received preferential treatment while serving with the Guard during the Vietnam era. The story was based in part on alleged "newly discovered" memos about his attendance record that were later discredited.

"Within a few minutes, I was online visiting Websites I had never heard of before: Free Republic, Little Green Footballs, Power Line," writes Mapes in the first chapter of her new book about the reaction to the story.

"They were hard-core, politically angry, hyperconservative sites loaded with vitriol about Dan Rather and CBS."

Uh, they were loaded with vitriol about the airing of disproven claims using documents of questionable provenance. They were upset that such accusations were broadcast so close to election day. That does not make it a conspiracy – and the fact that the CBS story fell apart within hours is proof enough that this was not a conspiracy. Instead, what you saw was a confluence of expertise and knowledge used to debunk false claims made by a discredited media sources and unethical journalists with an ideological agenda.

Or do you have some actual evidence – not obtained from a secret source and photocopied o prevent examination – that demonstrates you were set up?

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I bet my pooch wishes I could have gotten one of these.

Honda Motor Co. has designed a car that's friendly for dogs — part of the Japanese automaker's ongoing effort to create vehicles that are easy to use and comfortable to ride in.

The W.O.W. Concept, which stands for "wonderful openhearted wagon," shown to reporters recently, is an exhibition model with no plans for commercial sale that will be exhibited at the Tokyo auto show later this month.

A special crate for dogs in the glove apartment allows owners to interact with their pets while driving. A bigger crate pops up from the floor in the back seat area and can be folded back into the floor when it's not needed. For even bigger dogs, just buckle them up with a special seat belt to the floor.

I wonder when and if they plan on marketing this car in the United States. I suspect that they would be quite popular with people like me, with no children but a spoiled pet. It certainly would have come in handy during the evacuation.

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1 Bow WOW.

Posted by: mcconnell at Thu Oct 6 07:45:39 2005 (o58ig)

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Well, sex toys have moved out of the porn shops and into the chain stores.

Sex toys are moving out of the novelty shops and into your local drug store and big-box retailer.

Minnesota-based Target is one of the national chains that will be carrying a new line of women's products that includes a vibrator.

Elexa by Trojan spokeswoman Cassandra Johnson says the products will be discreetly packaged and sold in the feminine care aisle.

Formerly the domain of sex shops, such products have been brought out of the shadows by popular television shows like "Sex and the City."

Johnson says the Elexa by Trojan line should be in stores everywhere by the end of the month.

Is this a healthy development, or is it a sign of our societyÂ’s further obsession with sex?

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Well, Breanna Zipf will at least have to do a bit more time in jail. Judge Brock Thomas used his authority to tack six months of real jail time on to the 10 years of probation the jury gave her for murdering Gwendolen Davey -- and refused to count the 14 months served while awaiting trial towards the jail time.

State District Judge Brock Thomas told Zipf that, though he is required to follow a jury's recommendation of 10 years' probation, he is going to hold her accountable for Davey's death. "It should have never happened," the judge said. "And you're responsible for it."

Investigators said Zipf, then 17, passed out at the wheel of her mother's rental car July 23, 2004, before it struck and killed Davey as the 38-year-old teacher was walking her dog.

In addition to assessing the 180-day sentence, Thomas imposed other conditions.

Zipf must complete a nine-month drug-rehabilitation program; perform 500 hours of community service; obey a curfew allowing her to attend only school or work; and pay restitution to the teacher's family. The amount will be determined later.

Thomas also ordered Zipf to submit to drug and alcohol testing and forbade her to drive while on probation.

Still, the arrogant, spoiled girl is paying a a pretty cheap price for willfully engaging in self-indulgent conduct that resulted in the death of a productive member of society.

Good job, Judge Thomas.

Now we just need to get the legislature to close down the option of probation for murder.

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Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has been declared "rude" for calling upon Hamas to disarm.

The political leader of the radical Palestinian Hamas militant group said Sunday that calls by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for his group to disarm were "rude" interference in internal Palestinian affairs.

In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Khaled Mashaal also accused the United States of conspiring with Israel against the interests and rights of the Palestinian people.

Rice said last week that Hamas cannot participate in Palestinian politics if it remains armed.

"You cannot simultaneously keep an option on politics and an option on violence," she said in a speech at Princeton University.

So I guess that Hamas is made up of polite terrorists who fire make sure their pinkie is extended as tehy engage in the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.

Tell me -- is there a polite way to deliver a smart-bomb to Khaled Mashaal's house? Or should we be rude and have the Israelis drop it by unannounced?

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When Paula and I evacuated for Huricane Rita, we headed to Ardmore, Oklahoma. People have asked why, given that there may have been spots closer for us to stay.

The answer is simple -- we were not going anyplace that we could not be certain that we could take Carmie, our beloved Beagle/Chow/Lab mix who serves as our surrogate child.

That is why I completely understand the point of this article.

All along the Gulf Coast, many people who didn't evacuate for Hurricane Katrina say they stayed because of their pets.

"You couldn't take the dog to the shelter, and I wasn't leaving my dogs," Wendy Morgan said two days after Katrina's Aug. 29 landfall. Morgan's husband, Clint, stayed in their Slidell, La., home with two dogs, braving chest-high storm surge.

Similar stories can be heard from New Orleans all the way to Mobile -- people who remained with animals that they view as family members, instead of abandoning them.

While it's unclear how many of the storm's 1,000-plus casualties died because they stayed behind with their pets, the question of how animals influence potentially life-or-death evacuation decisions is among the troubling issues Katrina spotlighted.

"People are literally dying because they won't leave their pets," said Anne Culver, director of disaster services for the Humane Society of the United States, based in Washington, D.C.

No, we were not going to stay behind and die. Hurricane Rita was going to put our house under at least 15 feet of water if she didn't turn (I thank God she die). But we had to find the closest hotel room which would take a pet -- and that was 400 miles away in Ardmore. We simply could not be sure that any of the designated shelters would take Carmie, and we were not going to leave her in a kennel or the local ASPCA shelter. At a stressful time, we needed her with us. She is our family.

What can be done to make sure people do not die saving their animals? Here are some options.

For those who stay in public shelters, emergency managers and animal groups have begun creating a parallel network of pet shelters.

That solves the problem of people who arrive looking for a refuge with their animals, only to get turned away. For example, a four-person family from Metairie, La., camped in a tent outside the Bayou La Batre Community Center shelter for a while after Katrina because their rat terrier Spot wasn't allowed.

"He's not just a dog; he is family," Larry Harris said.

One option is for owners to stay with their animals, Culver said, maybe separating cats in one room and dogs in another. More common, though, is an arrangement where a pet shelter is set up in a building a short distance from where the people are staying. Owners check their pets in and come back to tend to them during their stay.

Culver teaches a course on how to set up a shelter, encouraging emergency managers and animal groups to make plans well in advance.

Like a shelter for humans, a pet shelter starts with a safe building. It needs plenty of clean water and parking for people to drop off and visit their pets. Also key is a floor that can be cleaned easily, and for areas that could lose power, a generator is suggested.

Beyond that, Culver urges volunteers to gather a cache of pet supplies, including cages, food, bowls and leashes. Owners are urged to bring that equipment, but many don't.

"Inevitably, someone will evacuate and they will have a cat in a pillowcase, because that's all they can handle," Culver said.

Volunteers man the shelter, checking in pets. But owners are supposed to come and feed their animals and walk their dogs, meaning that large numbers of people aren't needed to care for the animals.

In many places, plans are already in place for pet shelters. A Web site tracking pet-friendly shelters found at least 20 counties in Florida have designated them.

In Charlottesville, Va., the local SPCA opened a pet-friendly shelter during Hurricane Isabel in 2001, said Nancy Hartman, an SPCA volunteer. Hartman said the group has a storage unit with cages, food and other supplies ready to go if the shelter is needed again.

Paula and I will evacuate when we have to -- but Carmie has to come with us. There are many like us. Disaster planning officials need to acknowledge that reality.

Posted by: Greg at 01:56 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Remember my July report about the discovery of the solar system's tenth planet? You know, the one the discoverers wanted to name Xena after the Lucy Lawless character from the TV show?

Well, the tenth planet has a moon. And in keeping with the theme, the discoverers have informally named the newly discovered sattelite.

While observing the new, so-called planet from Hawaii last month, a team of astronomers led by Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology spotted a faint object trailing next to it. Because it was moving, astronomers ruled it was a moon and not a background star, which is stationary.

The moon discovery is important because it can help scientists determine the new planet's mass. In July, Brown announced the discovery of an icy, rocky object larger than Pluto in the Kuiper Belt, a disc of icy bodies beyond Neptune. Brown labeled the object a planet and nicknamed it Xena after the lead character in the former TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess." The moon was nicknamed Gabrielle, after Xena's faithful traveling sidekick.

By determining the moon's distance and orbit around Xena, scientists can calculate how heavy Xena is. For example, the faster a moon goes around a planet, the more massive a planet is.

You know, the naming thing has gotten a bit silly. As I said in July, I think that there remail a number of gods from Greco-Roman mythology that could be so honored without breaking the naming pattern that is in place.

And just think -- if they name it "Vulcan", we could call the moon "Spock".

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Finally, some more media coverage of the case of Seabrook City Councilman Rick Sammons' arrest on weapons charges back in July. All charges have been dropped.

During City Council's Sept. 20 meeting, Sammons, 36, who is not eligible for re-election in May because of term limits, made his first public comments about his arrest.

Reading from a prepared statement, he said he was awakened by the sound of a man's voice in Sammons' home on July 23 about 12:30 a.m., which prompted him to grab a gun to "protect my family and my property."

Sammons said the man's voice was that of his neighbor, who told him there was a situation at the man's home he was "unable to control."

Sammons said he went to the neighbor's home, where he discovered a domestic dispute between his neighbors.

He said he then left the residence to return to his home and in doing so, encountered the sister of one of those involved in the squabble.

"I (informed) her I had a gun and I was going back into my house," Sammons said in his statement.

Shortly thereafter, he said, Seabrook police arrived.

He said he walked out of his home to talk to them about the situation, but was quickly arrested.

"The officer immediately read me my rights and put me in the back of the squad car and explained I was being charged with deadly conduct," Sammons said in his statement.

Now this is all well and good,, but I am still quite concerned about the media coverage -- or, more accurately, the lack thereof -- of this situation.

Other than scanty coverage in a couple of locations, there was no coverage of the arrest. There were no follow-up stories about the case in any media source. It was as if a great curtain of silence had descended around the incident.

It lead me to wonder what other stories are not being covered in the Houston press.

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This is not good news.

Hurricane Rita intensified into a Category 4 storm today with winds of 135 mph, deepening concerns that the storm could devastate coastal Texas and already-battered Louisiana by week's end.

Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered for New Orleans and Galveston today, one day after Rita skirted past the Florida Keys as a Category 2 storm, causing minimal damage.

I'm halfway between Galveston and Houston proper -- this is not good at all.

NOTE: The Houston Chronicle is operating two very good blogs dealing with Hurricane Rita -- Sci Guy and Huricane Rita. How long they reamin up is, of course,an open question, givent he coming of the storm and its intensity.

UPDATE DURING LUNCH (2;30 PM) -- In light of current projections, Paula, Carmie and I will pull the trigger at midnight, regardless of what is left undone. It is eight hours -- at least -- to Huntsville, and that is only about 100 miles from here. Hopefully traffic will thin out then, but who knows?, given the mandatory evacuations kicking in.

Traffic crawled along Houston's freeways today as officials ordered the mandatory evacuation of vulnerable areas in advance of Hurricane Rita, which was chugging toward the Gulf Coast as a dangerous Category 4 storm.

Mayor Bill White and County Judge Robert Eckels said today that some mandatory evacuations would begin at 6 p.m. They encouraged residents to leave voluntarily if possible before the evacuations become mandatory, and it was clear that thousands of residents were heeding the advice.

Traffic was especially heavy on the south end of Interstate 45, the main evacuation route from Galveston and the Clear Lake area, moving somewhat faster north of Loop 610. Speeds averaged about 20 mph on I-45 through Houston.

Although evacuees departing during rush hour this morning reported arriving in Dallas in the usual five hours, as of 1:30 p.m., it was taking at least two hours just to get from Galveston to Houston on I-45, AAA reported.

One reason so many residents were trying to get out of town before they had to: Once a mandatory evacuation begins, residents will no longer get to choose their own evacuation routes. Roads will be blocked off to funnel traffic to evacuation shelters in designated cities further inland according to a resident's zone.

Michelle Malkin has a good piece on some differences from Katrina.

Posted by: Greg at 01:18 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Is she coming to visit?

We donÂ’t know, yet, but she may stay to the south of us, which means tropical storm-like weather instead of a Category 3 storm that would require evacuation.

Keep packing that suitcase and hold off on a sigh of relief, but the National Hurricane Center's latest official forecast names the stretch of coast just north of Matagorda Island as Hurricane Rita's most likely target instead of Galveston.

With landfall on the Gulf Coast not expected until Friday night, meteorologists caution that predictions remain unreliable: Long-range forecasts such as this are typically off by hundreds of miles, and different computer models call for different landfalls. Morever, the overnight course shift is small, so preparations continue in the danger zone from Brownsville to Lake Charles, La.

"We're definitely not out of the woods yet," said Kent Prochazka, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in League City.

If Rita does in fact hit closer to Matagorda than Galveston as a Category 3 hurricane, the Houston area would be in for high winds, heavy rain and possibly tornadoes, but that wouldn't be as dangerous for Houston as a direct hit on Galveston, Prochazka said.

Instead of devastating Galveston and then moving over downtown Houston still packing the 100 mph winds of a Category 2 hurricane, a hurricane making landfall near Matagorda would to be expected to roll over Houston with tropical force winds in the 70 mph range.

"The difference between that and making landfall in Galveston is huge," Prochazka said.

I made hotel reservations for our evacuation tonight, and the closest I could get was in the Ardmore, Oklahoma. – “only” 400 miles from home. Here’s hoping I get to call and cancel them rather than bugging-out.

Oh, and by the way – only four more storms until they run out of names for the year – meaning we could see “Hurricane Alpha” in the event we get five more this year.

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IÂ’ve never figured out why this guy in a costume enrages so many mouth-breathers out there.

The taunts, nasty gestures and occasional Frisbee or soda can tossed his way don't ruffle Kyle Lincecum's feathers. But days like Sunday, when he was pummeled and sent sprawling into the path of busy Fry Road traffic, make him feel like an endangered species.

Lincecum, 20, is the guy inside the oversized green and orange bird suit whose loony antics lure the weekend crowds to the Mattresses for Less store at Fry and the Katy Freeway. The Sunday afternoon attack, which pitted a young assailant against Lincecum in his 12-foot-tall Citrus bird suit, brought traffic to a screeching halt.

The assault was the second time in his 2 1/2 -year career as an advertising bird that Lincecum has been pitched into traffic. But there have been other attacks; in January 2004, he was featured in the Houston Chronicle after being assaulted by a gang of skateboard-riding teens.

"Like every job," Lincecum said Monday, "this one has its ups and downs."

Uhhhh—yeah. Folks trying to kill you while you are trapped in a 12-foot-tall aluminum mesh and fake-fur costume certainly qualifies as a down-side in my book. Is the up-side the opportunity to stand out in Houston’s often-unbearable heat and humidity while wearing the costume?

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You have to wonder if the lack of hurricane and flood preparedness in Louisiana might have had something to do with state and local government corruption. After all, charges were already pending before the Katrina hit. It seems that$60 million in FMA funds granted to the the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness are missing -- and the federal government had requested the return of $30.4 million back in March.

Much of the FEMA money that was unaccounted for was sent to Louisiana under the Hazard Mitigation Grant program, intended to help states retrofit property and improve flood control facilities, for example.

The $30.4 million FEMA is demanding back was money paid into that program and others, including a program to buy out flood-prone homeowners. As much as $30 million in additional unaccounted for spending also is under review in audits that have not yet been released, according to a FEMA official.

One 2003 federal investigation of allegedly misspent funds in Ouachita Parish, a district in northern Louisiana, grew into a probe that sprawled into more than 20 other parishes.

Mark Smith, a spokesman for the Louisiana emergency office, said the agency had responded to calls for reform, and that "we now have the policy and personnel in place to ensure that past problems aren't repeated."

He said earlier problems were largely administrative mistakes, not due to corruption.

But federal officials disagreed. They said FEMA for years expressed concerns over patterns of improper management and lax oversight throughout the state agency, and said most problems had not been corrected.

They point to criminal indictments of three state workers as evidence the problem was more than management missteps. Two other state emergency officials also were identified in court documents as unindicted co-conspirators.

I wonder -- if that money had been properly spend, might we be seeing significantly fewere problems in Louisiana in the aftermath of this horrific storm? And if the waste, mismanagement and fraud came at the state and local level, isn't that again where much of the blame belongs for the inadequacy of the disaster preparedness and response that we have seen?

ANd please note some of the examples of how this money (what can be traced) was spent.

The report also said the Louisiana agency had misspent $617,787 between May 2000 and September 2003.

Questionable expenditures identified by the inspector general included $2,400 for sod installation, several thousand dollars for a trip to Germany by the deputy director, $1,071 for curtains, and $595 for an L.L. Bean parka and briefcase. The inspector general also challenged unspecified spending for camera equipment, professional dues and a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria.

And we won't get into the fact that 97% of disbursed funds from one of the FEMA grants have no receipts at all to account for spending.

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This comes as no surprise to me -- I've alread had one of the Katrina kids at my school tell me his family is staying.

Fewer than half of all New Orleans evacuees living in emergency shelters here said they will move back home, while two-thirds of those who want to relocate planned to settle permanently in the Houston area, according to a survey by The Washington Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health.

The wide-ranging poll found that these survivors of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath remain physically and emotionally battered but unbroken. They praised God and the U.S. Coast Guard for saving them, but two weeks after the storm, nearly half still sought word about missing loved ones or close friends who may not have been as lucky.

However, I do have a methodology question about this poll. So does the Post, but they bury that nformation deep in the article.

A total of 680 randomly selected evacuees living temporarily in the Astrodome, Reliant Center and George R. Brown Convention Center, as well as five Red Cross shelters in the Houston area, were interviewed Sept. 10 to 12 for this Post-Kaiser-Harvard survey. More than 8,000 evacuees were living in these facilities and awaiting transfer to other housing when the interviewing was conducted.

More than nine in 10 of these evacuees said they were residents of New Orleans, while the remainder said they were from the surrounding area or elsewhere in Louisiana. The margin of sampling error for the overall results is plus or minus four percentage points. Potential differences between these evacuees and those not living in shelters or those who lived elsewhere in the affected Gulf Coast region make it impossible to conclude that these results accurately reflect the views of all Gulf Coast residents displaced by Katrina.

Most of the evacuees never resided in our big public buildings or the Red Cross shelters. Those who were in those public buildings were among the poorest of the poor, according to reports. Those left there are often among the hardest-luck cases. And more importantly, theey are likely very unrepresetative of the 70-80 thousand who never lived in any of those locations. After all, those who never went to the shelters would have self-evacuated and are therefore less likely to be hard-core chronic poor.

But we will live this and see what happens.

(More from Captain's Quarters, Neo-Neocon, and Publius Rendevous)

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New Orleans teachers are receiving their last paycheck from before Hurricane Katrina -- and are being informed that they will not be paid again util schools reopen.

he paycheck issued this week to teachers is for the last pay period before the storm hit, said Bill Roberti, a director with the restructuring firm of Alvarez & Marsal, which runs the school system.

"This is the last payroll we will be able to issue for the time being," Roberti said in a briefing. "We were not able to move forward with the $50 million financing we were pursuing to keep the district afloat. We are very low on cash at this time."

The 7,000-employee, 116-school system was already in dire financial shape before Katrina hit, which is why the firm was pursuing the $50 million finance package.

A total of $13 million in payroll is available at Western Union branches across the country for teachers to pick up, Roberti said.

The state's schools superintendent said Tuesday he will ask Congress for $2.4 billion in aid for teacher benefits and salaries, and Alvarez & Marsal sent a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush as well, asking for help.

I pray for these teachers, since I know what terrible shape I would be in if the school where I teach closed and my salary were to be cut off.

And I am thankful that my district has found places for a few teachers, as have most of the other districts in the Houston area. Houston ISD itself held a job fair last week to try to find teachers for the 3000 extra students thay have taken in.

And while some of you may have seen the awful story from Jesse Jones High School, that is not typical of what is going on around here. Most of these kids are being welcomed with open arms at their new schools. I know the two in my classes are simply outstanding young people, and none of my colleagues have had a negative word to say about the evacuee kids in their classes, either.

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Could it have been the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a 40 -year-old underutilized channel funnelled the storm surge into the New Orleans Industrial Canal and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway -- and from there into New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish and beyond?

Authorities have not yet concluded what caused the drowning of New Orleans, and most attention has focused on two breached floodwalls near Lake Pontchartrain, to the city's north. But now experts believe that the initial flooding that overwhelmed St. Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans came from the Gulf Outlet, a channel that was an ecological and economic disappointment long before Hurricane Katrina.

Satellite images show that levees along the outlet were severely damaged by storm surges. Flyovers by the Army Corps of Engineers have revealed a path of destruction consistent with Mashriqui's theory that the Outlet provided a pathway for storm surges from the Gulf and neighboring Lake Borgne.

Mashriqui had warned that the confluence of the MRGO and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway created a funnel that would direct storm surges into the New Orleans Industrial Canal and on into St. Bernard Parish. On the Friday before Katrina made landfall, the parish's state senator, Walter Boasso, complained at a congressional hearing that the federal government was "playing Russian roulette" with his constituents.

Katrina's first storm surges apparently shot up the Gulf Outlet and neighboring Lake Borgne from the southeast, then overtopped levees along the Outlet and the Industrial Canal. The floodwaters eventually breached the Industrial Canal's levees, and officials believe a large portion of the Outlet's levees have been destroyed as well.

"That funnel was a back door into New Orleans," said G. Paul Kemp, an oceanographer at the LSU Hurricane Center. "I don't think there's much doubt that was the initial cause of the disaster."

In other words, it may have been a failed attempt to create an efficient port that caused the flooding and the levee breakage, not the storm itself.

Oh, and by the way, please note this.

Before Katrina, the Corps was already studying whether to close the canal. The initial conclusion was no, but the Bush administration ordered the agency to redo its analysis.

The main advocates for the channel were the Port of New Orleans and its supporters in the Corps of Engineers and in Louisiana's congressional delegation. "You had the people of St. Bernard Parish against the Port of New Orleans," Boasso said at a community meeting Monday. "And the Port of New Orleans had the clout."

* * *

John Paul Woodley Jr., the assistant Army secretary who oversees the Corps, said the Bush administration had to instruct the agency to restart its study of whether to close the channel, because it hadn't taken into account the channel's destruction of wetlands, even though it was conducting a separate study of a $14 billion project to restore Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Woodley said there was also concern that further erosion could merge the channel with Lake Borgne -- which happened after Katrina.

So, whose priorities resulted in this catastrophe? Sounds like those local congressional delegation, not the president.

More at Strata-Spere and Liberal Common Sense (the title of this blog is the only way you'll ever see those three words adjacent to each other on RWR)

Posted by: Greg at 07:06 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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