Monthly archives: July, 2010

Al Gore Will Not Face Prosecution

July 31, 2010
Crime and PunishmentDemocratic News
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Due to numerous inconstincies in the story of the unknown "red-haired masseuse," Al Gore will not be prosecuted:

Former Vice President Al Gore won’t be prosecuted over allegations by a masseuse that he groped and assaulted her in his Portland hotel room in 2006, the county prosecutor said Friday.

District Attorney Michael Schrunk said the case has numerous problems and isn’t appropriate for a criminal prosecution.

Among the difficulties that Schrunk cited: Although the red-haired masseuse said she was terrified of Gore, she also said she called him after their encounter and told him to "dream of redheaded women."

Schrunk also said the woman – Molly Hagerty – told the hotel she appreciated the business referrals it had given her, and didn’t mention any problems with Gore just two nights earlier.

Gore denied the charges, including under questioning July 22 by local detectives. His aides welcomed the news.

I’ll bet they welcomed the news.

No one is beyond temptation. But, come on. Al Gore? Really?

Al’s about as up front and honest as you can find.

We’re Going to Bat For This One: Can You Locate Phoenix Peraza?

July 29, 2010
Cook County
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Phoenix Peraza

Phoenix Peraza, age 5. (Photos: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)

According to ENEWSPF, Phoenix Peraza is safely in the custody of Park Forest Police.

From ENEWSPF:

Park Forest Police confirm that they have arrested Daaiyah Manning, sought in connection with the abduction of a 5-year-old child from Arizona, Phoenix Peraza.

Mr. Emiliano Peraza, who has legal custody of the child, says in an email, "The police said they got a tip that is how they found her." However, Mr. Peraza adds, while Mrs. Manning has been arrested, "Phoenix was not with her and is still missing."

Park Forest Police confirm this.

If anyone does know the whereabouts of 5-year-old Phoenix Peraza, or if they have him in their care, Park Forest Police have told ENEWSPF that they can "turn him over to any manned Fire Department, hospital or church, and they will not be sought or arrested."

ENEWSPF will continue to update this story.

Related: Warrant Issued for Park Forest Woman In Connection With Abduction of 5-Year-Old Arizona Boy

We are simply reporting what is in the public record.

Justin Bieber Latest Target of Flamingly Anti-Gay Westboro Baptist Church

July 28, 2010
AmericaConservativesEntertainmentEthicsGLBT
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From AOL News:

The 16-year-old Canadian pop star, who teenagers either undyingly love or massively loathe, has been singled out for protest by the notorious Westboro Baptist Church, just like his top-charting rival Lady Gaga.

When Bieber plays the Sprint Center on Wednesday night in Kansas City, fans can expect to see Westboro church members holding signs and issuing taunts. The church is known for picketing the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan with signs reading "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates Fags" — because they believe that as long as America countenances sin, American soldiers deserve to die.

Earlier this month, they protested at Lady Gaga concerts in St. Louis and Oklahoma City. They plan to picket her again at her Kansas City concert on Aug. 3.

The group certainly gets around. A few days after their Gaga gig in St. Louis, they picketed Al Gore and the hugely popular Comic-Con convention, both in San Diego. At the latter, they were greeted by an array of unique protesters — "robots," magical anime girls, Trekkies, Jedi and even kittens. The comic book hero wannabes chanted at Westboro: "What do we want? Gay sex. When do we want it? Now!"

Neither Bieber nor his fans are a genuine threat to humanity — not to anyone’s knowledge, anyway. But Westboro strongly disagrees. Church members say they are picketing the pop star "to remind all of those in attendance that America’s destruction is imminent!"

They add via their website, "There are no jobs, homes, money or hope, but you’ll pay big bucks to attend rock concerts by the thousands."

I’ve only heard Justin Bieber perform one song, unless he did more than one the night he hosted Saturday Night Live. Sounds good, not a lot of depth, but then, he’s only 16. I have no idea what his nascent political views are.

I don’t know a single song Lady Gaga sings. Unless I don’t know that I know.

Still, no one deserves Fred Phelps and his church of loons. They are vicious.

More here.

Illinois’ National Disgrace Almost At At End: Blago Case Finally To Go To Jury

July 27, 2010
ChicagoChicagolandCrime and PunishmentEthicsIllinoisLegalPhilosophicalRant
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Our national disgrace is almost over, Chicagoland. Illinois. Blago’s case is finally going to the jury.

From the Sun-Times:

The prosecution finishes its rebuttal and Judge Zagel adjourns court for the day.

‘Members of the jury, you’ve heard all the evidence and the arguments,” he tells them.

He tells the jury it is especially important now that they avoid news reports and not talk about the case, and asks them to return in the morning for jury instructions.

The Sun-Times’ Blago Blog is really spectacular, providing the best coverage of the trial.

Except for my friend Cait, who actually went to the court today, and said Rod “had the most miserable depressed look ever on his face” when she saw him in the cafeteria.

Yes, Cait and a friend went to Chicago today to see Blago. And the Sox.

Enjoyed the Sox more.

Sorry, Rod.

Another Child Shot in Chicago – Do We Care Anymore?

July 25, 2010
ChicagoChicagolandCrime and PunishmentEthicsgun controlIllinoisViolence
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From ABC 7 News in Chicago:

A teenage boy was shot and critically wounded Sunday afternoon in the city’s Roseland neighborhood.

The 14-year-old, identified by his family as Kionn Rogers, was shot in the chest in the Far South Side area at approximately 1:45 p.m. in the 10700-block of South Wentworth.

He reportedly is visiting from Springfield amd [sic] was riding his bike at the time of the shooting.

Riding on his bike at the time of the shooting.

Have we grown numb in Chicago to these reports? Seems they happen every day.

Are we ready to take a look at why these shootings happen? It’s not about "them," or "those people," after all. Somehow, it’s about us.

"They" are "us." "We" are "them."

How can we all get that? Understand that?

Report: Nancy Pelosi Joins Tea Party Caucus

July 25, 2010
Humor
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From the Weekly World News:

WASHINGTON –  Several days after Michele Bachmann won approval for The Tea Party Caucus in the House, Nancy Pelosi has announced she will join.

Speaker of the House Pelosi made this statement, “Even though there are many cross-dressers, nail-biters and bedwetters in this Republican caucus, I think by joining I can finally get them to think straight.”  She explained that Republicans have a long history of  closeted sexual behavior and the “best way to win over Tea Party members is to go their caucus meetings, tie them up and beat them.  That’s what they want, and that’s what I’ll give them.  Really, it’s very similar to the way I work with every other Caucus.”

When Jake Tapper  of ABC asked her why she was dressed as dominatrix for the press conference, Pelosi said “Oh, I just forgot to change.  I’m tired of being subtle and many Republican House members love it, particularly Representative Pete Sessions of Texas… he’s a bad boy, a really bad boy.”  Pelosi snapped her whip toward Rep. Sessions, who then barked like a dog.

This cracked me up. And there’s more.

My favorite line comes from Rep. Gary G. Miller of California.

Enjoy.

Rod “The Mouth” Blagojevich Decides Again To Not Testify When It Matters Most: At Trial (With Video)

July 21, 2010
ChicagoChicagolandCook CountyCrime and PunishmentDemocratic NewsEthicsLegal
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Governor Rod Blagojevich did not testify in his own defense when the Illinois Senate put him on trial and eventually threw him out of office. The man who never passed up a camera or microphone while in office decided to refrain from testifying before the Illinois Senate, and then showed up to speak before that same Illinois Senate just before they tossed him out.

Now, after his lawyers promised he would testify and would set the record straight, Blago has decided to snub the court once again.

Rod Blagojevich, now former governor, will not testify in his own defense.

Why? The best we can gather comes from the Chicago Tribune:

A defiant Rod Blagojevich defended his decision Wednesday not to take the witness stand at his corruption trial by declaring the government had not only failed to present a strong case against him, but actually proved his innocence.

But like many things the former governor has said over the years, the choice was more complicated.

While his lawyers publicly backed Blagojevich’s view that he didn’t need to respond to the government’s case, sources said the defense team was worried the former governor could be headed toward a beating on the stand that would only undermine his case and weaken his standing with the jury.

I’m going with the beating-on-the-stand-would-undermine-his-case explanation. This is my favorite:

The sources said the former governor had difficulty wrapping words around the concepts he wanted to use to defend himself.

After all this time, the former governor was at a loss for words? After showing up on The View?

I don’t think so.

G.O.P. Myth #1: The Unemployed Don’t Want To Work

July 19, 2010
Barack ObamaDemocratic NewsEconomyEducationElectionsEthicsHomelessnessJobsRepublicansWhite House
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Who are the unemployed in America? Do they really not want to work, as the Republicans have been arguing?

Had a bit of a chat tonight with someone on Facebook who I haven’t seen since 1981, when we graduated high school in Pittsburgh. He still lives in Pittsburgh, went to college in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is someplace special, but it’s good to gain perspective.

I love Pittsburgh, but, for a number of reasons, I’m glad I moved years ago. Pittsburgh is still very, very segregated, racially and socio-economically. My former high school classmate is stuck in Supply-Side Voodoo Economics land, “Imagine how good our economy will be when everyone is out of work! Reduce government spending, cut taxes, encourage entrepreneurship. That’s how to create jobs. Unemployment checks…please!”

Reduce government spending — okay, but what government spending? Cut taxes? How will we pay for everything President George W. Bush spent, especially when we’re still paying for everything President Ronald Reagan spent?

Want to get to know the unemployed a bit? Read what they’re writing here, at Unemployed-Friends. Unemployed Friends is a busy, busy forum. These are real people out of work because Republicans trashed the economy. Pure and simple.

And they want to work.

The G.O.P. is wrong wrong wrong for the economy. Always have been. Always will be.

Mad Tea Party Kicks Out Mark Williams (Video and Commentary)

July 18, 2010
Anti-ScienceBarack ObamaConservativesEthicsLegalRaceRantRepublicans
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I was so disgusted by this I just wanted to stay away. Plus, I don’t trust early news reports that attempt to sensationalize stories. Then, I read more, and finally forced myself to read Mark Williams’ letter to Abraham Lincoln, where he reveals his incredible lack of depth on race in America. To say the least.

I didn’t want to give Williams at press. He sounded juvenile, and, to tell the truth, this is the first I’ve heard of him, although apparently he has been riding the Tea Party tidal wave for a while, even perceived by some as a leader in the movement.

But all waves, tidal or otherwise, come to an end. And, while many in the Tea Party may in fact laugh secretly at his callow contribution to the national dialogue on race, they must disown Williams as the new face of the G.O.P. slouches forward with ever-vanishing credibility.

So, for posterity, here is Mark Williams’ attempt to enter the national debate on race in America, a letter to Abraham Lincoln:

Dear Mr. Lincoln

We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don’t cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!

In fact we held a big meeting and took a vote in Kansas City this week. We voted to condemn a political revival of that old abolitionist spirit called the ‘tea party movement’.

The tea party position to “end the bailouts” for example is just silly. Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn’t that what we want all Coloreds to strive for? What kind of racist would want to end big money welfare? What they need to do is start handing the bail outs directly to us coloreds! Of course, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the only responsible party that should be granted the right to disperse the funds.

And the ridiculous idea of “reduce[ing] the size and intrusiveness of government.” What kind of massa would ever not want to control my life? As Coloreds we must have somebody care for us otherwise we would be on our own, have to think for ourselves and make decisions!

The racist tea parties also demand that the government “stop the out of control spending.” Again, they directly target coloreds. That means we Coloreds would have to compete for jobs like everybody else and that is just not right.

Perhaps the most racist point of all in the tea parties is their demand that government “stop raising our taxes.” That is outrageous! How will we coloreds ever get a wide screen TV in every room if non-coloreds get to keep what they earn? Totally racist! The tea party expects coloreds to be productive members of society?

Mr. Lincoln, you were the greatest racist ever. We had a great gig. Three squares, room and board, all our decisions made by the massa in the house. Please repeal the 13th and 14th Amendments and let us get back to where we belong.

Sincerely

Precious Ben Jealous, Tom’s Nephew NAACP Head Colored Person

The Tea Party, the group that purports to finally represent all Americans, finally expelled Williams, if that means anything.

Nowhere to go but up for Williams now, if that’s possible.

Smile! You’re Being Charged With Aggravated Battery!

July 17, 2010
ChicagolandCrime and Punishment
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Matthew W. Moustis

I’ve never seen such joy in a mug shot. And, the thing is, if the kid didn’t have such a wide grin on his face, I never would have taken notice.

Above is Matthew W. Moustis, and the photo is courtesy the Will County Sheriff’s Department. Mr. Moustis is being charged with aggravated assault.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A Mokena teen was in good condition today at a hospital, recovering from stab wounds allegedly inflicted by the son of the Will County board chairman during a dispute over a girl, authorities said.

Matthew W. Moustis, 17, of the 7500 block of West Windmill Drive in Frankfort Square is charged with two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Wednesday night stabbing at a school parking lot on the 20900 block of South Frankfort Square Road, law enforcement officials said.

Will County sheriff’s police arrested Moustis around 11 p.m. Wednesday. He was in the Will County Adult Detention Facility this morning and was scheduled to appear at a 1:30 p.m. bond hearing, Will County State’s Attorney spokesman Charles Pelkie said.

Sheriff’s Police spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said deputies dispatched to the school parking lot found the injured 18-year-old man being treated by Frankfort Fire Protection District paramedics.

The teen told deputies he had been driving north on 80th Avenue when he realized Moustis was behind him in a larger vehicle, Hoffmeyer said. The man said he avoided attempts to force his vehicle off the road and pulled over in the school parking lot to confront Moustis, Hoffmeyer said.

Moustis is the son of Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis, the Tribune reports.