Daily Thoughts Turn to Daly Thoughts on Filibuster Brouhaha

Daly Thoughts provides crucial numbers on the hijacking ("filibuster") by Liberal Democrats on President Bush' judicial nominees via through the Library of Congress search engine. Historical numbers on Judicial nominees since President Truman can be seen here with much comparison on numbers (percentages) on nominee confirmations.

But the final fact remain is that Clinton had zero filibusters while President Bush had ten and counting so far. More here on filibuster facts.

Gay Resorts to Fake Hate Crime

What a shame. What people do to get attention for all the wrong reasons.

A 17-year-old top wrestler at an area high school here faked a series of gay-bashing incidents that prompted a police investigation, authorities said.

The rash of gay-bashing incidents at Tamalpais High School was the work of a student gay leader who claimed she was the victim of hate crimes, according to Mill Valley Police Capt. James Wickham.

The teen, who heads the school's Gay-Straight Alliance, admitted to authorities that she was the perpetrator of the incidents, which included vandalizing her own car with derogatory graffiti, police said.

Other incidents involved teachers who received threatening telephone messages.

"It has been determined that all the incidents have been committed by a single individual,'' Wickham said.

The student was not identified by police.

The girl has been suspended and could face expulsion, said Bob Ferguson, district school superintendent.

"She confessed to everything," Ferguson said. "She did admit to police that it was basically for attention."

Reminds me of how 12 year olds act playing into the "victimhood" game.

Oh woe is me.

Lime Sherbet anyone?

How Mentally Impaired One Must Be to Escape the Death Penalty?

The death penalty is carried in the state of Pennsylvania. The recent murders by Simich Jr in Freedom, Pennsylvania was possibly triggered from a family discussion of wanting to sell the house of 50 years where Simich Jr. resided since 1986. There are questions as to the validity and extent of his brain injuries and whether his action was the result of past head injuries and drug involvement.

Hudock (Simich Jr's cousin) said that Simich Jr. was beaten up and mugged about 20 years ago, while he was living in California and suffered brain injuries. He later "got involved with the wrong people and he got addicted to drugs," he said.

When his marriage ended in 1986, Simich Jr. moved back home with his parents. Hudock said he last saw Simich a few weeks ago but said Simich did not recognize him.

He had been going to therapy and was taking "lots of medication," Hudock said. Simich's parents told Hudock the doctor recently changed his dosage. "His dad (Simich Sr) thinks that's what caused [the shooting]."

Hudock said he believes the possible move from his boyhood home was too much for his cousin. "I think it actually hit Tommy that they were going to move."

"I honestly don't think he understands what he did and how bad it is," Hudock said.

This will be an interesting (and sad) case to watch. How will the Pennsylvania Judicial system work regarding a Deaf murderer who murdered his Deaf sister and Deaf brother-in-law and had a history of medication use along with past brain injury but never, supposedly so, showed any signs of aggression until last week. What will the legal concerns be over mental incompetency?

There was a legal case raised a few years ago involving the murder of six adults and seven children who were shot dead in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 1982. Psychiatrists agreed that there'd be a stay of execution due to George Banks' extreme mental unbalance and delusions:

After the shootings, police found George Banks barricaded in a friend’s house. Although apparently having only a limited recall of events, he told the police that he had killed his children to spare them from the racism he had experienced as a child. George Banks was born in 1942 to a white mother and African American father. Growing up, he was reportedly subjected to racial prejudice by both communities. He joined the army at 17, but left 19 months later, saying that he had been racially abused by a white officer. From 1976, he became convinced that a race war was looming and began stockpiling supplies in remote mountain locations and purchased a military assault rifle, the weapon later used in the shootings. In 1980, George Banks took a job as a prison guard. On 6 September 1982, he told fellow workers that he wanted to kill himself and was relieved of duty. He was assessed as depressed and suicidal and given medication. The shootings took place not long afterwards.

In the course of pre-trial proceedings, George Banks was examined by psychiatrists. They raised evidence that he was incompetent to stand trial, namely that he was unable to assist in his defence because of his fixed delusional beliefs. At the trial, psychiatrists for the defence and prosecution agreed that he suffered from mental illness, but disagreed whether, as a result of this psychotic disorder, he had been able to distinguish between right and wrong at the time of the shootings. George Banks consistently refused to cooperate with his trial lawyer in the preparation of an insanity defence because he insisted on presenting a claim of innocence or partial innocence. In court, he alleged that there was a conspiracy, which included the prosecutor, the judge, the coroner and police, to frame him for some of the murders. He claimed that some of the victims were killed by police, and he insisted on using gruesome autopsy photographs to prove his conspiracy theory. A state psychiatrist testified that George Banks was psychotic and delusional when he insisted on cross-examining witnesses, over the objection of his lawyer.
.

.

A psychiatrist, Dr Richard Dudley, who has reviewed his case, has reported that "Mr Banks has an extensive history of psychiatric hospitalizations, commitments and treatment during the course of his incarceration. The records of those hospitalizations provide insight into the chronic nature of his mental illness."

That was an extreme case of insanity and suicidal depression.

Now, those of you may remember the Joseph Mesa's case. Joseph Mesa's lawyer tried to use the insanity case where Joseph had "talking hands" tell him what to do which is pretty much in the same vein in a hearing person who hear voices telling him/her what to do:

The prosecution turned back efforts by Mesa's attorney to portray the Guam native as a mentally ill man who thought a pair of black hands were telling him to do bad things. "An insanity defense doesn't work if you're not insane," said Boasberg.

The insanity plea didn't work and Joseph Mesa received a life in prison sentence. But even with this sentencing the attorny for Mesa tried to question the interpreter's skill and whether Mesa properly waived his rights when interviewed of the murders.

Defense attorney Ferris R. Bond indicated he would appeal based on circumstances surrounding Mesa's four-hour videotaped confession and the use and accuracy of interpreters who worked with police. Bond also questioned whether Mesa properly waived his right to legal counsel before talking to police.

So, you could probably see what's coming down the road for Mr. Simich Jr's defense should he get the death penalty or life in prison.

Although, there are limited studies regarding the psychosis of deaf individuals compared to hearing people where multitudes of studies exist. Questions range from how to access the validity of such a deaf person experiencing psychosis "talking hands" to language dysfluency. This is a relatively new and unknown area involving deaf and hard of hearing individuals regarding psychosis.

And in United States v. Joseph Mesa, the trail stemming from the two murders that took place at Gallaudet University in 2000-2001, the case hinged on the defense's assertion that Mr. Mesa (who is deaf) experienced psychotic symptomatology that supported a not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) plea whereas the prosecution asserted that Mr. Mesa's claims were not consistent with psychotic illness at all, much less a valid NGRI defense. Dr. Pollard, examiner and expert witness in the case, was left trying to explain the above complications regarding the manifestation and assessment of psychosis in deaf vs. hearing people, but without the advantage of a valid tool for making such an assessment of Mr. Mesa (other than his clinical interview skills and experience), and simultaneously refuting the use of invalid psychological tests that the defense put forth as supporting Mr. Mesa's claimed psychosis. (It is well known that the use of psychological tests designed and normed for use with hearing people typically make deaf subjects appear more disordered than they actually are. (Brauer, et al, 1999; Leigh & Pollard, in press; Rosen, Vernon & Andrews, 1990) references). One juror later remarked to the press, "If this case does anything, I hope it does provide the initiative for more research to be done in the areas of psychological testing for deaf people."

Again, how will the Deaf community react should a death penalty be handed down? Or even life in prison? And how does the Deaf community feel about the death penalty for a Deaf person? What are their rationale for their opinions? What excuses would they use? What new conspiracy theories will come up thinking it's a "hearie" plot against Deaf people?

There are always people who favor the death penalty and those who are against it whether they're hearing people or not. However, this time it is a family affair gone bad. There are exceptions for a truly insane person. But, is this a case of a person gone bad due to insanity or mental incompetency?


See my past blogs on the Simich Jr case here, here,and here.

Sgt. Earl "Jay" Beatty Finally Meets Deaf Penpals at KDES

Recently Sgt. Earl "Jay" Beatty met up with students of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School located on the campus of Gallaudet University this Tuesday, May 3.

Students at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at Gallaudet University had used e-mail and a school Web log to get first-hand accounts of the insurgency in Iraq and the daily survival of a U.S. Marine stationed there.

I covered this unique story in my blog recently detailing examples of what Sgt. Beatty had to go through while in Iraq. But what was never covered was how this penpal relationship got started.

The correspondence with Sgt. Beatty began when Kendall teacher Philip Bogdan, 46, heard that his good friend was being deployed to Iraq last August.

"I freaked out when I found out he was being deployed," Mr. Bogdan said. "I wanted to know how we could support him, how I could help. Then I thought of the kids at school."

What began as a way to keep in touch with a friend blossomed into a seven-month lesson in culture and world affairs for the students.

The 6th, 7th and 8th graders who are deaf or have partial hearing loss, used their signing via interpreters to say "thank you" to a very humbled and teary-eyed Sgt. Beatty and his wife, Donna, 30, for including them in their lives while corresponding with the students of the successes, horrors and hope in Iraq. Sgt Beatty had this to say:

People who went to Vietnam didn't get thanks. Just to see how important this was to these kids means a lot. But to have a young man come up and give me a hug who has a hearing impediment and may not get the chances I have, and have him thank me for what I'm doing -- wow!

The kids at KDES learned to appreciate their U.S. troops serving in Iraq with the help of Sgt. Beatty's e-mails and the pictures he sent home. What they have earned is a new friend.

Semper Fi, Sgt Beatty! The people of Kokonut Pundits salutes you for your efforts and gallantry.

Please pray for our troops in Iraq. My 22-year old nephew is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq as a homegrown U.S. Marine. Everybody in my family, including his Father (my brother) who was also a Marine, are proud of him.

When Haloscan Is Your Buddy

Just to get your attention folks about the neat features of Haloscan!

Now, suppose some Yahoo or cyberstalker plan to use one of the library computers to try and harrass you by making odious comments in your blog comment section via Haloscan, what can you do? Well, Haloscan can allow you to make a blanket ban by putting in a wildcard asterisk at the end of an IP address number (e.g. 234.23.45.*) rather than a specific IP (e.g. 234.23.45.435) where the original offending computer came from (btw, I'm making up the IP address number as I go). For every computer connected to the internet, each computer has a unique IP address identifier (e.g 234.23.45.435). By designating an IP address number with a wildcard asterisk in place of "435" at the end, for example, will allow a whole slew of library computers (or other locations where roomful of computers are connected to the internet) to be automatically banned from that particular location. If somebody goes to a different library or a different location and do the same dumb cyberstalking nut job, Haloscan can let you designate a blanket ban. Pretty soon, your offending Yahoo will find him/herself running out of libraries or locations with roomful of internet connected computers. Sweet. Thank you Haloscan.

Each blogsite usually comes with a rule (it may be posted or not) by the owner who have a certain amount of tolerance for trolls. But for me, all I ask is for you to follow MY rules. Be courteous. You can be stern or adamant in your opinion but making vindictive or offensive comments toward me will not win you anything. Debate and argue, yes. Whining and cursing with vindictive comments or call names like an insolent little girl or boy? No. If you get banned, don't despair. Just move on with your life and lick your wounds.

Now, you must be wondering if I banned anybody after writing this. Yes. One person who was foolish to disregard my rules posted at the top of my blog. I believe in 2nd or 3rd chances, but after that...sayonara. You get my drift.

Now, guess who win the coveted Darwin award thinking that the library strategy with a roomful of computers connected to the internet was a brilliant idea?

Well, somebody knows.

The Saga of Murderer Simich Jr

Googled up on the Simich Jr's murder of a Deaf couple to check up on any updates and now they're saying he had a history of mental problems and drug abuse.

DeLuca said that when Simich's father was asked why his son shot the Bergmans, a bewildered Simich indicated he didn't know why.

Piccinini said as far as police could determine, officers reported to one minor domestic disturbance at the house several years ago, but did not have additional information on the incident.

Simich Jr. has only one criminal case in Beaver County. In 1994, he pleaded guilty in a case involving the illegal sale of a prescription drug. The details of that case, and Simich's sentence, were not available Tuesday.

Siget said that Simich told police he was a custodian at an area car dealership and had graduated from a Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (Corrected by a reader on where Simich graduated from - see Alumni page).

Simich's cousin Rich, 38, of Monaca said that the whole family was still in shock Tuesday. Hudock said that while he knew Simich was taking medication to treat mental illness, he hadn't shown any signs of aggression in the past.

Police believe Simich Jr was upset when his sister suggested that he should move out of their parents' house. But

(Sgt. DeLuca) police said that all indications were that no matter where the Simiches would have moved, they had always planned to take their son with them, DeLuca said.

"He loved that spot," DeLuca said, "and he obviously didn't want to
leave."

Does Simich Jr fit this description of mental illness by anti-capital punishment groups? For more information on different types of mental illness check out the website of the National Alliance on Mental Illness organization. We'll know more exactly what kind of "mental illness" Simich Jr has while this saga continues to unfold.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Would Like to Hear Inputs From Deaf Community on Murdered Deaf Couple by Simich Jr. (Deaf Murderer)

Received an email from Gabrielle Banks, who reported the double homicide in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper yesterday, after seeing my blogsite referencing her article.

Hi Mike,

Saw my story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette referenced on your site about the double homicide of a partially deaf couple in Freedom. I'm doing a followup specifically about reactions in the deaf community.

Wondering if you could tell me how much word has spread in the deaf community about this incident? Can you quantify it--how much people are emailing about it? How many times a day?

Is it on chatrooms/boards, otherblogs? Does word spread faster/differently within the community? Is it primarily school mates of the victims, or has it touched a wider circle of people?

I see you're in NM, how far has word spread beyond the Pittsburgh
area?

Also, what are people saying? Are there important issues being overlooked that people in the deaf community would have to deal with in a situationlike this? I'd love to hear your thoughts and talk to anyone else you've been in touch with.

If you would forward this along to any others concerned about the incident (or post it for that matter), it would be great. Anyone who has thoughts, please feel free to email or call me at the number below.

Thanks very much,

Gabrielle


Gabrielle Banks
Staff Writer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(412) 263-1370
gbanks@post-gazette.com
http://www.post-gazette.com/

If you are Deaf and have something to say about the double homicide, please contact Gabrielle Banks. This is a shock to everybody in the Deaf community, reliving another double homicide that took place a few years ago involving a Deaf person murdering two Deaf people on the campus of Gallaudet University.

I would like to thank Deafreedom in helping spread the news of the murders. Tragic. Prayers to those affected.



UPDATE II: Gabrielle Banks asks more questions for the Deaf community in an email to me and granted permission to post it here:

This is fantastic.

Thank you.

A few more questions:

-Besides the issue of Simich Jr.'s sentencing, has the event raised other new issues of discussion?

-Can you quantify how much buzz there has been compared to other news around the two communities?

-Can you name where some of the farthest locations you've seen emails on the Simich shootings from--cities in US or beyond?

-Are there unique issues that deaf people might encounter dealing with an incident of this nature?

-Finally, have you heard about a recent incident involving a partially deaf man stabbed by his girlfriend, also deaf, near Detroit?

very best,

gabrielle

Please give Gabrielle a response. She informs me that she is planning to write up another article on how the Deaf community responded to the murders in a few days from now in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Deaf Man (Simich) Kills Deaf Sister and Deaf Brother-in-law. Silent Murders.

Freedom, a town about 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh had a shocking day of discovery when a Deaf man (Simich) murdered his Deaf sister and Deaf brother-in-law at the family's home in Freedom.

Rochester police Sgt. Joe DeLuca said Simich became upset while family members were discussing the possibility of selling the family home so the parents could move to another location.

"It was about selling the house, and he wouldn't have it," said DeLuca.

DeLuca said an argument began and Simich Jr. grabbed a 20-gauge shotgun and, from close range, shot his sister in the back and his brother-in-law in the chest.

The victims were identified as Marilyn Bergman, 43, and her husband, Steven, 46. Like Simich and his parents, they could not hear or speak. They were visiting from Palm Bay, Florida.

A sad, sad chain of event. Simich's anger resulted in the calculated murder of his sister and brother-in-law simply because they disagreed with him on selling the family members' house. So, Simich made sure to make an example of them for disagreeing with him because of he happens to live in his parent's house with little income to live on.

Looks like he may get the death penalty since Pennsylvania carries the death penalty.

Now, this was a Deaf family, like any other typical hearing family where there is no misunderstanding because of communication problems, who have gotten into a heated argument where one "snapped" to ensure others won't "get away with it" having their say in the decision.

Sad.

But I'm predicting that the Deaf community will rise up in defense of Simick to ensure that he doesn't get the death penalty as a favoritism issue because he's Deaf. The hope to get pity from the hearing community as a result. Much like the Mexicans who oppose the death penalty for Mexicans who commit serious crimes in the United States when some polls find that a majority of Mexicans support the death penalty for Mexicans who commit serious crimes in Mexico but at the same time they oppose the death penalty for Mexicans who commit serious crimes in the United States. Only this time maybe some Deaf people favor the death penalty for hearing people but when it comes to their own people, the Deaf people, then they just might oppose it.

We'll see. The saga starts now.

UPDATE: Well, the saga started sooner than I thought. Though he still read my "boring" blogs. Nice. Though I reported this shocking murders yesterday while some reported it today. Interesting. Am I complaining? Nah. Just......interesting (with heavy German accent).

Anyway, I was hoping for somebody to bring up the Joseph Mesa case where a Deaf Gallaudet University student (Mesa) murdered two Gallaudet University students in a robbery attempt. Finally two did respond about it. This case was in the national spotlight because of the uniqueness of the unfortunate event at a well known university for deaf and hard of hearing students. Something that nobody wanted. Entirely understandble.

Now, about the Mesa case. Joseph Mesa committed two murders in Washington D.C. on the campus of Gallaudet University where there is NO capital punishment in D.C.. While Pennsylvania does carry the death penalty punishment, Mr. Simich Jr stand to face a possible death penalty. So, there is reason to believe that there will be a divide (on opinion) among the Deaf community should a death sentence ought to be carried out. This was a brutal and vicious act of murder. Mesa is so lucky.

People need to realize that many states (or district as in this case for D.C.) do not carry the death sentence, while other states do.

Yes, there will be a divide on this issue within the Deaf community should a death sentence be carried out rather than life in prison.

This is no different in the hearing community regarding death sentencings of convicted hearing people where there is always a divide among those who support the death penalty to those who do not.

Next time, please use the Google if you're not sure. I leave the 'tard to somebody else.

Check out Larry's website on the murders, too. A sad, sad turn of event that is beginning to soak in around the Deaf community.

The Minuteman Project Update.

Check out the latest statistics on the Minuteman Project's successful results:

Minuteman Project statistics for April, 2005, as of 8am April 27:

857 MinuteMan Project volunteers have completed a 4 hour training session and have spent at least one 8-hour shift in the field. Many are spending the entire month.

335 Border Patrol apprehensions have been directly facilitated by MMP volunteers observing and calling the Border Patrol.

The Minuteman Project claims a 98% reduction in border crossings in the area monitored from April 1 through April 26, 2005. See more statistics.

And these were dangerous guys? Yesterday the Minuteman Project wrapped up their month long "controversal" project that netted well over 300 hundred aprpehensions reducing the flow of illegals in one particular stretch of the Arizona and Mexico border.

"We have proven that ordinary citizens sitting in lawn chairs on the border can shut down illegal border traffic. We will not stop; we will not be deterred. We will continue to secure our borders until relieved by our military and National guard."

Now, we have the greatest faux pas of the CBS memo, NBC gaffe, and now the MSM are experiencing eggs on their faces when they portrayed the MP as a dangerous one. Hardly. As I have said earlier, this is just like a neighborhood watch program. Nothing illegal about that, either.

Check out this website called the "Civil Homeland Defense" where

The Mission of the Civil Homeland Defense Corps, headquartered in Tombstone, Arizona, is to report suspicious illegal activities to proper authorities and deter, by legal means, illegal aliens, drug traffickers and terrorists from entering the United States by physical presence along the immediate U.S. Mexicanborder. Citizen groups along the Canadian border and coastal areas are encouraged to operate with the same level of vigilance.

The Civil Homeland Defense was around before the Minuteman Project.

Civil Homeland Defense volunteers have recorded 4,112 peaceful, non-violent assists with Border Patrol and Customs agents of people illegally crossing our border with Mexico since November of 2002.

Since June 1, 2003, CHD Volunteers have made 157 Rescues of men, women and children who were provided life-saving water, first aid, blankets and food while volunteers waited for Border Patrol agents to arrive on scene to deport groups.

And why didn't the MSM and liberals scream back then? But thanks to them, the exposure to the border problem is now even more exposed.

63 Days Until Impact with Comet Tempel 1 - say your prayers.

The world is coming to an end!! 63 days til we make a direct impact on comet Tempel 1. Well, to put it more accurately it is NASA's spacecraft that will make an impact on comet Tempel 1 exactly 63 days from now. The flyby spacecraft is almost as big as a Volkswagen Beetle where it will make touchdown on Tempel 1 about the size of a living room coffee table in order to take samples of the comet's make up and relay the information back home to earth. The speed of the comet is traveling at approximately 23,000 mph.

Akbar Gets A One Trip Ticket to Hell

Finally. My cousin's death is vindicated! After two years a sentencing was handed down earlier today on Hasan Akbar for the murder of two officers, Army Capt. Christopher Seifert, 27, who was shot in the back, and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, who suffered 83 shrapnel wounds. Akbar also attempted to murder 14 other soldiers who were injured. Major Gregory Stone is my cousin and his death has been vindicated today.

A military jury sentenced a soldier to death Thursday for a grenade and rifle attack on his own comrades during the opening days of the Iraq invasion, a barrage that killed two officers and that prosecutors said was driven by religious extremism.Sgt. Hasan Akbar, who gave a brief, barely audible apology hours earlier, stood at attention between his lawyers as the verdict was delivered. He showed no emotion.

The 15-person military jury, which last week took just two and a half hours to convict Akbar of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, deliberated for about seven hours in the sentencing phase. After jurors reached a verdict, they voted on whether to reconsider the decision after one juror asked that they do so.The sentence will be reviewed by a commanding officer and automatically appealed. If Akbar is executed, it would be by lethal injection.

It's not quite over yet but this sentencing is encouraging in its finality should there be no more reconsideration. What's more apalling now is Akbar's feeble attempt at an "apology" -

"I want to apologize for the attack that occurred. I felt that my life was in jeopardy, and I had no other options. I also want to ask you for forgiveness," Akbar told the jury before it deliberated in the sentencing phase.

Forgiveness? I don't think Islam believes in foregiveness of a crime involving murder. A little too late for that limp apology.

"He is a hate-filled, ideologically driven murderer," chief prosecutor Lt. Col. Michael Mulligan said. He added that Akbar wrote in his diary in 1997, "My life will not be complete unless America is destroyed."

He's not getting my sympathy. What's more, Akbar has destroyed the lives of families of the murdered officers.

"Hasan Akbar has robbed me of so many things," Tammie Eslinger, Maj. Gregory Stone's fiancee, said after the sentencing. "He stole my love, my family, my dreams and my future. But he could never steal my spirit."

Seifert's widow, Theresa, said she was satisfied with the military justice system. She called Akbar "a non-entity to me."

A non-entity. Do you know who else is a non-entity? Michael Moore .

"A maggot that eats off the dead" - quote by Greg's Mom, Betty Lenzi in reference to Michael Moore's filming of the military funeral without the family's permission for his wanker of movie. I'm sure she's satisfied with the verdict as well. I'll give her a call soon.

Thanks to Michelle Malkin in keeping a vigilent eye on this important matter.

When ACLU Supports the "Teaching" of Islam and Not Christianity in Schools

Texas School Board Adds Bible Class

ODESSA, Texas -- The school board in this West Texas town voted unanimously to add a Bible class to its high school curriculum. Hundreds of people, most of them supporters of the proposal, packed the board meeting Tuesday night. More than 6,000 Odessa residents had signed a petition supporting the class.Some residents, however, said the school board acted too quickly. Others said they feared a national constitutional fight.

Barring any hurdles, the class should be added to the curriculum in fall 2006 and taught as a history or literature course. The school board still must develop a curriculum, which board member Floy Hinson said should be open for public review.

The board had heard a presentation in March from Mike Johnson, a representative of the Greensboro, N.C.-based National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, who said that coursework designed by that organization is not about proselytizing or preaching.

But People for the American Way and the American Civil Liberties Union have criticized the council, saying its materials promote religion.

Johnson said students in the elective class would learn such things as the geography of the Middle East and the influence of the Bible on history and culture."How can students understand Leonardo da Vinci's 'Last Supper' or Handel's 'Messiah' if they don't understand the reference from which they came?" Johnson said. The group's Web site says its curriculum has received backing in 292 school districts in 35 states.

In Frankenmuth, Mich., a similar proposal led to a yearlong controversy before the school board voted in January not to offer such a course.

Wait! It gets better....Go here. And you can see the ACLU's double standard and hypocrisy when it comes to "teaching" Islam in middle or high school! Proof that ACLU is nothing but a front bent on fulfilling Liberal agendas by discriminating against Christianity outright.

ACLU is simply not thinking here. Courses on Christianity shouldn't be a controversy at all to the ACLU if they accept the same premise about Islam courses being "taught" in middle or high schools.

ACLU doesn't have A CLU.

Many HIV-positive Gay Men Unaware They're Infected

Many young gay and bisexual men who are HIV-positive may not know they have the virus, according to U.S. health officials in a report released this April.

Their study of more than 5,600 men between the ages of 15 and 29 found that more than three-quarters of those who tested positive for HIV were unaware they were infected. Moreover, before being tested, a majority of these men thought themselves at low risk of having the AIDS virus, and half had had unprotected sex with another man during the previous 6 months.

Don't be that ostrich with the head in the sand.

Randi Rhodes Apologizes Profusely

Check it out. Randi Rhodes apologized profusely about the comedy "gun" skit toward President Bush that I covered earlier yesterday. At least she knows a difference between a comedy and making (she said she didn't "know" that skit contained the gun reference) threat (no matter how veiled) against the President of the United States. From the skit:

The announcer said: "A spoiled child is telling us our Social Security isn't safe anymore, so he is going to fix it for us. Well, here's your answer, you ungrateful whelp: [audio sound of four gunshots being fired.] Just try it, you little bastard. [audio of gun being cocked]."

"Let's not do that while I'm here in Florida," Rhodes, who broadcasts from West Palm Beach, said laughingly following the item. "Let's not arm the old people until I leave. What is with all the killing?"

"Let's not do it." ? "

"Let's not arm the old people until I leave." ??

"What is with all the killing." ???

Rhodes maintains the skit was created by producers at Air America without her knowledge, and she would not have aired it had she heard it in advance. Still, she says it's her show, and she takes full responsibility.

She could've apologized right then and there on the air. Why the long excuse?

Err America Errs Grievously with Two Nuts Behind a Long Microphone.

Sgt. Earl (Jay) Beatty Corresponds with Deaf Children at KDES While in Iraq

Sgt. Earl (Jay) Beatty agreed to do a visual literacy project with deaf and hard of hearing kids at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) located on the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. He agreed (and his wife) to blog about his experience while in Iraq (and the pains of being away from his wife and son) and correspond with the KDES kids beginning August 29, 2004. His blogging days ended in late March 2005 after his 7 month tour of duty was up returning to the United States where his wife and son were waiting for him.

This was a risky move by the KDES visual literacy project knowing that Sgt. Beatty could get killed when the students have come to known, love and cherish him to experience the trauma of losing a friend in war never knowing what psychological impact such a death might incur. However, KDES students had the chance to learn about the war, the people and get to know Sgt. Beatty and his wife up close and personal. A valuable life's lesson at work here for the teachers and KDES students.

Sgt. Earl Beatty tells the tales of war in Iraq with the 4th CAG Marines outside of Fallujah battling insurgents who at one time fired upon his Marine unit and they returned fire hitting the insurgents hard. He also told his special blog readers that he had to struggle ("hand-to-hand combat") with one insurgent but said he won (which means emphemistically speaking probably killed the sucker) and said that it was his first taste of combat. He also talked about losing some of his Marine buddies he met over there. He was also transferred to Al Ramadi to work at Abu Ghraib and protect the prison from terrorist attacks (et it be known that this transfer was done after the scandal). Sgt. Beatty even wondered if he would ever get out alive in one letter:

I am sorry for the delay in my response. Things here have been pretty sporty, if you know what I mean. I hope I can make it out of here alive. I am keeping my Marines safe and alive to the best of my ability. The hard part is determining who is friend and who is foe.

But Sgt. Earl Beatty blog response to KDES students was polite even while things have gotten dicey in his "I hope to God..." piece:

I am sorry I have not been able to write everyone. A couple of days ago I went out on a mission in support of Operation Phantom Fury (the offensive in Fallujah). We did a cordon search (an encircling line - as of troops or police) of this town called Kendari. Normally it is a busy town, but when we entered it was practically deserted. Things were peaceful, but at times my Marines and I got into hellacious firefights.

Sometimes Sgt. Beatty's Marine unit had to learn about the quirks of the Iraq war:

Sometimes I hand out candy to the kids, but other times they throw rocks at us. Sometimes they curse at us. This is a really strange country. Many of the Iraqis are somewhat shady. In Fallaujah the Marines knew who was into “bad stuff”. The Tanks really saved us. The Marines will never forget the names of the tanks “Lionheart” and “Maximus”. Insurgents tried to fire an RPG at the tanks, but the RPG just bounced off. What I saw next was amazing. The tank turret turned where the RPG came from and leveled the abandoned building. I would have to say the United States has the best tanks in the world hands down (the M1 Abrams). They are quiet too because they’re powered by a turbine engine.

Thank God for the M1 Abrams.

So, sit down and read through Sgt. Earl (Jay) Beatty's blogs and his correspondence with the KDES students.

Sgt. Earl Beatty, you did good! We're proud of you. I'm proud of you of how you served America and the efforts you did to help children at KDES learn about Iraq, the tragedy of war, the successes and photos of nice Iraqis and wonderful children you met over there. You're a source of inspiration for America.

Semper Fi!

When America's Icons Proved A Winning Combination in World Cup of Baking Against France

I didn't know a "World Cup of Baking" existed. Now I do. Sure, there are "baking contests" but "World Cup"? But this gets better. The "World Cup" event took place recently, in all places, Paris, France. Oui. Oui. Mon Dieu!

The U.S. Bread Bakers Guild team won 1st place against the French team who took 2nd, while a Japan team placed 3rd. Beating out 11 other countries. Winning 1st place was simply a masteful "coup de grace" for the U.S. Bakery team against the French team. How humiliated they must feel. *slap* *slap* Zut alors! Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!

The U.S. team, as well as others, competed in three categories: baguettes and specialty breads; viennoiserie, including pastries and savory sandwiches; and artistic design. The U.S. team won an "outstanding" rating for all three categories.

Among the backs of men and women who died before us in past wars to help keep America free Americans were able to build world famous American icons on American soils recognized around the world. The U.S. Bakery team used these American icons for their bread winning sculptures such as Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty with a flaming torch of wheat, and the orange/red (using Paprika) Golden Gate Bridge with small savory rolls as automobiles on the bridge. What an inspiration! And probably a slap to those Frenchies as well. Those American icons represent freedom, truth, and the American way.

Oh, yeah, a little known secret. I love to cook. Should try my chicken kiev or smoked grilled salmon with Virginia egg sauce someday.

Gotta get out more and learn about these events.

Air America = Dumbest of them all

A Drudge Report came up that caught my eye:

AIR AMERICA RADIO INVESTIGATED AFTER BUSH 'GUNSHOTS' **Exclusive**The red-hot rhetoric over Social Security on liberal talk radio network AIR AMERICA has caught the attention of the Secret Service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.Government officials are reviewing a skit which aired on the network Monday evening -- a skit featuring an apparent gunshot warning to the president!

The announcer: "A spoiled child is telling us our Social Security isn't safe anymore, so he is going to fix it for us. Well, here's your answer, you ungrateful whelp: [audio sound of 4 gunshots being fired.] Just try it, you little bastard. [audio of gun being cocked]."

The audio production at the center of the controversy aired during opening minutes of The Randi Rhodes Show."What is with all the killing?" Rhodes said, laughing, after the clip aired. "Even joking about shooting the president is a crime, let alone doing it on national
radio... we are taking this very seriously," a government source explained.

Death threats against the U.S. President are a Federal crime.

Arrest the people responsible for this airing. This wasn't the first time Randi Rhodes did something like this when she mimicked a gun shot in the Godfather movie scene:

Rock bottom came when she compared Bush and his family to the Corleones in the "Godfather" saga. "Like Fredo, somebody ought to take him out fishing and phuw," she said, imitating the sound of gunfire.

Like I said, Err America is the dumbest of them all. They rather make crude jokes all day long than to make actual, valid discussions and arguments. Anybody who "jokes" on taking out a President, whether a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, what have you, ought to get jailed for making suggestion via incitement to a crowd (over a radio, television, in public, whatever) to get them charged hoping somebody nutty enough will do this. The same goes for people who make suggestions on firebombing churches or Walmart stores. And people will report these things to the FBI as we have already seen. People who makes these veiled threats of violence to harm, injure people or, in this case, the President in order to make a political statement are nothing but nutty people who have nothing better in their life.

These people have zero intelligence when they say these things but blithely comment that "Oh, I'm only joking." Poor excuse to make a joke over a public arena hoping to incite somebody to actually kill a U.S. President. Very dumb, indeed.

FBI, go get Randi Rhodes.

UPDATE: From Drudge Report - AIR AMERICA HOST RANDI RHODES APOLOGIZED WEDNESDAY FOR THE NETWORK'S AIRING OF A SKIT WHICH APPEARED TO TIE A GUNSHOT THREAT TO PRESIDENT BUSH... 'IT WAS A LAME ATTEMPT AT HUMOR, I APOLOGIZE... IT WAS BAD'...


Tis a bit late, Randi. I hope Err America gets its FCC radio licence yanked. And yanked hard. Don't know how many lefty loonies will take your advice on assassinating the President over the Social Security issue. Nice going you twit. Twice in a row, too.


Disclaimer: Should this blog piece appear similar to your blog piece and yours was done first, it was only a coincidence. If you get into a hissy fit because of this coincidence, please contact your local psychiatrist for further information on how to rectify your problems (yeah, if you have A problem, then you have problemS). Try and have a nice life, and get real. Good day.

The Kokonut Pundits Blog Administrator.

ACLU = Dumb, Kyrsten Sinema (D) = Dumber

Dumb and Dumber, revisted.

This is a riot. Clever radio talk show host Sean Hannity had Kyrsten Sinema (D), an Arizona House of Representative, up in arms when Sean Hannity tried to make a point about illegal aliens crossing into the U.S. by stepping over a fence putting his feet on the one side of the border fence facing Mexico and then back on U.S. soil. When Kyrsten Sinema (D) got wind of this from ACLU watchers she sent out a News Release on April 20, 2005 using Arizona taxpayer's money to falsely accuse Sean Hannity of a Federal crime:

Mr. Sean Hannity, a well-paid commentator for Fox News, climbed over a barbed wire fence separating the United States from Mexico yesterday at about 3:15 p.m. A few minutes later he climbed back over the fence, breaking federal law by reentering the U.S. illegally.

Mr. Hannity's border violations were videotaped by ACLU Legal Observers. The Border Patrol was contacted, but they chose not to arrest or cite Mr. Hannity for his willful violation of federal law. Likewise, Minutemen in the vicinity of the incident did not take the opportunity to turn Mr. Hannity over to federal officials, as they have allegedly done with all other illegal immigrants apprehended on the border this month.

Federal law, specifically 19 U.S.C. Section 1459(a), requires all "individuals arriving in the United States other than by vessel, vehicle, or aircraft [to] enter the United States only at a border crossing point designated by the Secretary; and immediately report the arrivals and present themselves, and all articles accompanying them for inspection; to the customs officer at the customs facility designated for that crossing point."

Sean Hannity was prepared for this by knowing about the Federal law in the first place by knowing exactly where the TRUE Mexican border lies. Hannity had Sheriff Larry Dever explain it to viewers Tuesday night about the "3 feet" beyond the fence is still U.S. territory.

Hannity pointed this out later on when he interviewed Sinema after she issued the press release by taking a little known fact that Mrs. Sinema and the ACLU failed to see that Sean Hannity NEVER broke any Federal laws when:

U.S. territory extends for three feet beyond the fence!

Sean Hannity was careful to stay on the U.S. side when he was doing his story. And yet in Hannity's interview of Sinema, she never answered his question of why she put out a news release, funded by Arizona taxpayers, saying he broke a Federal law.

It was nice of Mrs. Kyrsten Sinema, who is also a Green Party person (read this link where she laments about "dirty politics" thrown at the Green Party...look what she did to Hannity!) at one time, to chase after Sean Hannity thinking he broke a Federal law. He never did. And it was also, doubly nice, for Mrs. Kyrsten Sinema to cite the Federal code regarding what people must do to enter into the United States....legally. Which is richly ironic considering the lacking gumption by President Bush to do something about the border problem.

Even though USC Title 19 Section 1459 addresses the reporting requirements for individuals as those requirements relate to customs or tariffs. The Arizona Democratic Caucus would do well to read the proper title of the U.S.C. before publishing a press release.

And USC Title 8 Section 1324 and the INS Act 274 deal with illegal immigration and illegal aliens crossing the border.

I hope Mr. Sean Hannity sues Mrs. Sinema for false reporting and slander.

Mrs. Sinema and the ACLU earned the coveted Darwin Award.

And you want dumb? How about when the ACLU hires "ACLU watchers" for the Minute Man Project (wildly successful!) who are nothing but pot smokers caught in the act?

Duhhhh. Welcome to the Pot Gang where dumbness reigns.

Exactly.

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin

Disclaimer: Should this blog piece appear similar to your blog piece and yours was done first, it was only a coincidence. If you get into a hissy fit because of this coincidence, please contact your local psychiatrist for further information on how to rectify your problems (yeah, if you have A problem, then you have problemS). Try and have a nice life, and get real. Good day.

The Kokonut Pundits Blog Administrator.

HEMP: High-Altitude Electronicmagnetic Pulse

Description of High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse

HEMP is produced when a nuclear weapon is detonated high above the Earth’s surface, creating gamma-radiation that interacts with the atmosphere to create an
intense electromagnetic energy field that is harmless to people as it radiates outward, but which can overload computer circuitry with effects similar to, but causing damage much more swiftly than a lightning strike. The effects of HEMP became fully known to the United States in 1962 during a high-altitude nuclear test (code named “Starfish Prime”) over the Pacific Ocean, when radio stations and electronic equipment were disrupted 800 miles away throughout Hawaii. The HEMP effect can span thousands of miles, depending on the altitude and the design and power of the nuclear burst (a single device detonated at an appropriate altitude over Kansas reportedly could affect all of the continental United States), and can be picked up by metallic conductors such as wires or power cables, acting as antennas to conduct the energy shockwave into the electronic systems of cars, airplanes, and communications equipment.

Yes, even New York City would be prone to this even from a HEMP explosion high above (hundred of miles) above Kansas. The break down of civility and control would be almost immediate when cars, trucks, planes and trains outfitted with computer chips will become fried and the ensuing chaos would reign when cell phones, police radios, security features, alarms, lights, etc will not work. In other words, large and mid-sized cities would become a morass of violent, heaving throbs of gangs and hoodlums taking over. Smaller sized towns would fare much better in controling the violence than large uncontrolled ones.

A HEMP attack directed against the Unites States continent might involve a one-megaton nuclear warhead, or a smaller one that is specially-designed, using a burst several hundred miles above the mid-western states to affect computers on both coasts. However, creating a HEMP effect over an area 250 miles in diameter, an example size for a battlefield, might only require a rocket with a modest altitude and payload capability that could loft a relatively small nuclear device. If a medium or higher range missile with a nuclear payload were launched from the deck of a freighter at sea, the resulting HEMP could reportedly disable computers over a wide area of the coastal United States.

Reportedly, several potential U.S. adversaries, such as Russia or China, are now capable of launching a crippling HEMP strike against the United States with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile, and other nations, such as North Korea, could possibly have the capability by 2015. Other nations that could possibly develop a capability for HEMP operations over the next few years include United Kingdom, France, India, Israel, and Pakistan.

Read the rest of the disturbing HEMP report. United States and other allied countries are at serious risk for this sort of thing. See what the U.S. is doing to protect ourselves from a HEMP or HPM attack.

Better start buying antique cars that run without computer chips and buy a couple of Glocks and rifles once your city gets out of control with loonies. Well, it's kind of out of control with loonies anyway but you get the picture.

Read more how Al Qaeda and Iran are attempting to do this using an HEMP approach rather than destruction.


Hat tip: G. Gordon Liddy over the radio while I was driving to work.


Disclaimer: Should this blog piece appear similar to your blog piece and yours was done first, it was only a coincidence. If you get into a hissy fit because of this coincidence, please contact your local psychiatrist for further information on how to rectify your problems (yeah, if you have A problem, then you have problemS). Try and have a nice life, and get real. Good day.

The Kokonut Pundits Blog Administrator.

A Classic Reverse Psychology Mugging

Here's a classic setup when a hapless "Frenchy" mugger (a la' terrorist) with a dweeby knife gets himself into with self-conscious, self-protecting Americans. Good ole NRA and our American right to bear and keep arms according to the U.S. Constitution.



See more of Day by Day cartoon by Chris Muir.



From The Right To Keep and Bear Arms:
The right to bear arms is a tradition with deep roots in American society. Thomas Jefferson proposed that "no free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms,"

and

Samuel Adams called for an amendment banning any law "to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms."

The Constitution of the State of Arizona, for example, recognizes the "right of an individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State."



Disclaimer: Should this blog piece appear similar to your blog piece and yours was done first, it was only a coincidence. If you get into a hissy fit because of this coincidence, please contact your local psychiatrist for further information on how to rectify your problems (yeah, if you have A problem, then you have problemS). Try and have a nice life, and get real. Good day.

The Kokonut Pundits Blog Administrator.