The Hinterland Gazette

Chicago Bears' Tommie Harris Ejected 65 Seconds Into Game For Punching Cardinals' Deuce Lutui

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:56:00 +0000

More athletes acting badly. Chicago Bears' defensive tackle Tommie Harris managed to break a record today. He got ejected four plays into the game. That was the quickest ejection in NFL history in recent memory. He earned his record by punching Cardinals' offensive tackle Deuce Lutui.

At the end of an Arizona running play, Harris and Lutui ended up on the ground and a replay showed Harris hitting Lutui near the face. The Bears got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

African American Group Slams Obama in Protest Outside White House, Dubs President as "White Power in Black Face"

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:09:00 +0000

"White power in black face" was the rallying cry of hundreds of African Americans who marched on the White House Saturday to protest policies of the first African American U.S. president and they demanded that he bring the troops home. More than 200 people gathered for the first public demonstration by African Americans against the Obama administration and they slammed the president for continuing what they described as Washington's "imperialist" agenda around the world. Charles Baron, a New York city councilman and former member of the Black Panthers, a Black Power movement in the mid-1960s and 1970s, attacked the president for turning a cold shoulder to the plight of African-Americans. The notion that President Obama can wave a "magic wand" and fix all the problems in the black community, some self-inflicted, is just insulting on so many levels. They are missing the point that he isn't only the president of black America, but of the entire United States.

"We recognize that Barack Hussein Obama is white power in black face," civil rights activist Omali Yeshitela, chairman of the Black is Back coalition which arranged the protest, shouted into a megaphone as the group marched outside the mansion's gates. "He is a tool of our imperialist enemies and we demand our freedom. And we demand that Obama withdraw all the troops from Afghanistan right now." Did they stop to realize as Gen. Colin Powell stated, "if you break it, you own it" is at play in both Afghanistan and Iraq? We certainly cannot walk away from both countries because it would result in disaster and lead to a regrouping of Al Quaida and the Taliban. Protesters also called for Obama to order troops out of Iraq and to scrap Africom, the controversial year-old United States Africa Command, and demanded "hands off" Venezuela and ends to the Cuba embargo and the Zimbabwe blockade.

"We are glad that Barack Obama broke up the white male monopoly on the White House, but we were not looking for a change in the occupant of the White House from white to black, we were looking for change in foreign policies and domestic policies," Baron told the AFP. "To have a black person exploiting me just like a white person, that's no easier pain." Sorry, but African Americans can't have it both ways. President Obama isn't the cure for what ails the black community. Let us debate him on the issues that confront us as a country -- high unemployment, lost of educational parity with other countries, health care reform, weakening dollar, skyrocketing deficit, high foreclosure rates, among other things. As Michael Jackson said in his "Man in the Mirror" song "I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I am asking him to change his ways, and no message could have ever been clearer, if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change."

Photo credit: African American group protesting before White House (AFP)

Controversy Erupts as Malcolm X Outed as Bisexual Man During Britain's Black History Month Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:37:00 +0000

England celebrated Black History Month in October and it was not without controversy. As you will note, Black History Month is a celebration of the important and valuable contributions blacks have made to popular culture and humanity. This time, the British celebration focused on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered blacks who contributed in a big way to the arts and politics. Most notable on this year's list was black liberation icon Malcolm X, who has been called a bisexual man. This reportedly sparked a great deal of controversy among black leaders. To be honest, this was the first time I have ever heard any rumblings that Malcolm X was bisexual and it seems that it was common knowledge then. Many black activists have made tremendous efforts to deny his same-sex relationships and suppress recognition of the full spectrum of his sexuality. But do we really care about his private life or does this revelation diminish his reputation and contributions to civil rights?

Malcolm X, despite the obvious downside of his anti-white rhetoric, black separatism and religious superstition, he was a leading spokesman for black consciousness, pride and self-help. He was a fierce advocate for black upliftment and freedom. His complex and changing sexuality remained hidden until Bruce Perry published, Malcolm – The Life of a Man Who Changed Black America. Perry wrote the facts, based on interviews with over 420 people who knew Malcolm personally at various stages in his life, from childhood to his tragic assassination in 1965. Some black critics have characterized his book as a hatchet job. Based on interviews with Malcolm's closest boyhood and adult friends, Perry suggests the US black liberation leader was not as solidly heterosexual as his Nation of Islam colleagues and black nationalist acolytes have always claimed.

Perry documents Malcolm's many same-sex relations and his activities as a male sex worker, which spanned at least a 10-year period, from his mid-teens to his 20s. Malcolm X later married Betty Dean Sanders, known as Betty Shabazz, and as far as we know, he abandoned sex with men. Some have argued that because Malcolm X abstained from gay sex after his marriage, it didn't change the fundamentals of his sexual orientation and did not mean that he was wholly straight. Journalist Peter Tatchell, of the UK Guardian said that Malcolm X "engaged in a myriad of gay, sexual relationships and was bisexual." He also wrote that several black activists, whose names were not disclosed have tried to cover up the gay history of this leader. School friend Bob Bebee told biographers about his own liaisons with a young Malcolm and how he liked oral sex with other men. He also said Malcolm had a tumultuous relationship with his wife, Betty.

Marc Lamont Hill said because Malcolm X was constructed as a “reformed queer,” as opposed to a gay/bisexual hero, he squandered a valuable opportunity to reimagine Black masculinity and help expand the realm of political possibilities for Black gays and lesbians. Let us be real, had Malcolm X openly admitted that he was bisexual during his fight for civil rights, he would have been ridiculed. Of course, gay relationships were a dirty secret back then. He most certainly would have been shunned by the Nation of Islam and quite possibly would not have been allowed to become a part of the movement. So, for those who claim his sexuality would not have tarnished his legacy, well, it may have in the eyes of some people. I much prefer to see Malcolm X in terms of his accomplishments and his contributions to civil rights. Politically, he gravitated to the left and after his trip to Mecca, he began to embrace a non-racial mainstream Islam. He was becoming open to new ideas and new values. His personal life, including his sexual preferences, does not change how I feel about him and the contribution he made to black empowerment and civil rights.

Photo credit: Malcolm X, Wordmag & Estate of Malcolm X

Orlando Police Searching for Jason Rodriguez, Suspect in Shooting Rampage at Office Building that Left One Dead, Seven Injured

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:42:00 +0000

SUSPECT IN CUSTODY!!!

What in the world is going on? More gun violence erupts, this time it has occurred in an office building in Orlando, Florida. The police is reportedly trying to find Jason Rodriguez, the suspect in the shooting at Gateway Center, that has left one person dead and several injured. Local high schools are also on lockdown as the police search for the suspect. He is a former employee in the building.

The shootings took place on multiple floors of the office building. The Gateway Center is a 16-story building near Lake Ivanhoe and Interstate 4.

Still developing. More to follow....

Black Kids on Class Trip from Rea View Elementary in Union County, NC, Asked to Play Slaves Picking Cotton During History Lesson at Plantation

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:37:00 +0000

A controversial history lesson at Rea View Elementary school in Union County, North Carolina, has left parents and teachers upset. The teachers plan to write letters to leaders at the historic Latta Plantation about their disapproval of a hands-on history lesson during a class trip Wednesday. What irked the students and teachers? Tour guide Ian Campbell made black students pretend to be slaves in front of their white classmates. He picked out the black kids to play slaves picking cotton. Whether it was an innocent act on his part or not, it was insulting, to say the least. Sorry, but in case Mr. Campbell hasn't noticed, there is lingering bitterness about that horrific chapter in America's history.

Campbell said he's been a historian for more than 15 years. "I am very enthusiastic about getting kids to think about how people did things in 1860, 1861, even before that period."

One parent said Campbell took his enthusiasm too far when he picked three black elementary school children out of a group of mostly white students to play the role of cotton picking slaves during a his hands-on history lesson. The parent says the students were also made to wear bags used to gather cotton around their necks. Campbell said, "I was trying to be historically correct not politically correct." Source: WSBTV

How can we move into a post racial America when we have incidents such as this occurring? Campbell defends his actions, but said that in the future
he will take a different approach.

Northwestern University Students in Blackface Spark Outrage

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:44:00 +0000

The issue of blackface in America continues to rear its ugly head. The latest comes from two white Northwestern University students who wore blackface for Halloween, which sparked campus-wide outrage after the pictures surfaced on Facebook. What's equally insensitive is the fact that one of the students covered himself in blackface and wore a T-shirt with the word "Jamaica" on it. The other dressed as a female tennis player in blackface, a stuffed bra and toting a tennis racket. The fact that this idiot could be so ignorant about Jamaica and its ethnic makeup is mind boggling. For those people who don't know, Jamaica is ethnically diverse, with Asians, people of African descent, Caucasians, Jews, Greeks, Arabs, Latinos, Indians, you name it, we have it. Many Jamaicans are of mixed ethnicity. So, to imply that all Jamaicans are black is just wrong. We can also recognize that the female tennis player is a dig at the Williams sisters.

Blackface was not meant to be a tribute to people of African descent in this country. It was meant to denigrate us, but it seems to have gone mainstream and I don't know if many of the people who wear blackface really understand the implications. I am hesitant to call them racists, but I would state that they are insensitive.

For the ignorant among us, blackface became very popular during the 19th century and was associated with certain archetypes of American racism, such as the "happy-go-lucky negro,""the dandified coon" and "the bumbling idiot." It was an important performance tradition in American theater for about 100 years, commencing around 1830 and quickly became popular overseas, most notably in Great Britain, where the tradition lasted even longer than in the United States. In minstrel shows, white blackface performers used burnt cork, greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips, wore woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats or even tattered clothes to complete their racist transformation. What is sad is that later, blacks even performed in blackface. Bert Williams was the only black member of the Ziegfeld Follies when he joined in 1910. He wore blackface and was the highest paid African American performer of his day. Most notably in recent years, Spike Lee explored blackface in his movie "Bamboozled."

What's equally insensitive is the fact that Hollywood has embraced the negative connotations of blackface. Robert Downey Jr. played a blackface character in Ben Stiller's comedy "Tropic Thunder." There was no widespread outrage over that. Two of the Wayans brothers played whiteface females in "White Chicks," again no outrage. Eddie Murphy played a Jew in "Coming to America," again no outrage. The problem for me is that these negatives stereotypes embodied in the characters of blackface minstrelsy played a significant role in proliferating racist images, attitudes and perceptions that continue to dog us globally. The stereotypes that dog us today include a propensity to violence, stealing, fascination with material wealth and so on. The use of the word nigger is no longer taboo among many blacks. It's a part of their vocabulary. If you were to take a look at rap music in America, you will see that it has some elements of blackface. There are many rappers such as KRS-One who do not perpetuate negative stereotypes, but there are many others who do. The reality is that people like KRS-One don't appeal to the masses, others who perpetuate the negative stereotypes do.

It is unfortunate that blackface continues to dog us and that many who appear in such a costume don't realize how insensitive and offensive it is. I wrote about the recent case of a Commack High School senior dressing up as Aunt Jemima for Halloween and while I found his actions offensive, I didn't think it was racist. We must be of one accord in denouncing this horrible reminder of America's dark past. We have to work together to dispel these images, Hollywood included. It is not acceptable for anyone to engage in such a behavior -- white or black -- for the sake of hilarity or otherwise. It is offensive and borders on racist.

URGENT: Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, Kills 13, Wounds 30, During Shooting Rampage at Fort Hood, Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:46:00 +0000

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, was identified as the gunman who went on a shooting rampage that killed 11 and wounded 31 at Fort Hood today. Hasan, who is still alive and hospitalized, is a psychiatrist who previously worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center but more recently was practicing at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, according to professional records. Two other soldiers have been detained. Ten of the other deceased were also soldiers, with the remaining casualty a civilian police officer who was working as a contractor on the base.

Hasan is of Jordanian descent. There will, undoubtedly, be some backlash against the Arab world, there are some ideological issues seeping out. He reportedly shouted out "Allahu Akbar" before he started shooting. His home was raided last night by law enforcement. I am glad that he did not die, but will stand before a military court for these unspeakable acts against his fellow soldiers. He was going to be deployed to Iraq and was quite upset about that. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech University, where he was a member of the ROTC and earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry in 1997. He received his medical degree from the military's Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001. He worked at Darnall Army Medical Center, which is in Fort Hood. At one time he served at Walter Reed Army Hospital. This is just tragic and a horrific burst of violence.

It is being reported that he had two handguns. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) said she was told that the soldiers at the readiness facility "were filling out paper processing to go to Iraq or Afghanistan." Before Thursday's shooting, he reportedly gave away all of his furniture along with copies of the Koran to neighbors.

Fort Hood is adjacent to Killeen, and 60 miles northeast of Austin. The complex is home to at least 4,929 active duty officers and 45,414 enlisted and it employs nearly 9,000 civilians. This is a shocking turn of events and the situation is still fluid.

Michael Laws, New Zealand Regional Mayor, Says Pay "Appalling Underclass" Not to Have Children

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Today, in my search for news to bring to my readers, I came across a very insulting story coming out of New Zealand. Michael Laws, billed as an outspoken Kiwi regional mayor, has proposed a new solution to the country's child abuse problem - pay the "appalling underclass" not to breed. This is coming from the same person who called the late Tongan King a "bloated brown slug." It isn't so much that he expressed concern over the problems confronting his country, but why did he have to call the poor people in his country "appalling underclass?"

"That there is a group within our society who give their children no hope nor opportunity from the moment that they are born," the regional mayor wrote on the New Zealand radio website where he broadcasts as a talkback DJ. "That these ‘parents’ are known to authorities ... and yet the authorities can only intervene after children have been harmed."

Mr Laws goes on to write: "it would be far better for this appalling underclass to be offered financial inducements not to have children, given the toxic environment that they would provide for any child in their care."

I've been saying this sort of thing for 15 years! Something has to change- it is not a right to have children. If you're not going to be a good parent there's no point..." The mayor believes "the consequent financial and social savings to our community would be considerable. "There are too many people who should not have children."

Yesterday's Dominion-Post newspaper quotes him as saying: "If we gave $10,000 to certain people and said 'we'll voluntarily sterilize you' then all of society would be better off, "he told the. "There'd be less dead children and less social problems." News Au

His comments came as a result of the latest death of a toddler, two-year-old Karl Perigo-Check, who was the son of a convicted murderer and gang member. According to UNICEF, New Zealand is placed third among OECD nations for child deaths due to maltreatment, four spots ahead of Australia. The country is ranked fifth for both child beatings and sexual abuse, again several places ahead of its antipodean neighbor. Sorry, but there is a correct way to voice one's concern without sounding condescending and racist. If the truth be told, Mr. Laws is no Greek Adonis himself.

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Whitney Isleib Comes Under Fire for Halloween Costume -- Lil Wayne in Blackface

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Whitney Isleib has stepped in a hornet's nest with her blackface costume for Halloween. I read about this on several celebrity websites last weekend, but deliberately chose to wait and see how the drama would unfold. She reportedly dressed up as the soon-to-be incarcerated rapper Lil Wayne in blackface. I find this offensive, but not racist.

What are your thoughts on this latest blackface portrayal? Was this offensive or was it just plain fun? The Dallas Cowboys have not issued a statement to-date about the matter.

Three Missing College Softball Players From Dickinson State University, ND, Found Dead in Stock Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Another tragedy has occurred at another university. This time, three softball players from Dickinson State University in North Dakota, have been found dead in a Jeep Grand Cherokee submerged in a stock pond northwest of Dickinson. The bodies of Krysten Gemar, 22, Ashley Neufeld, 21, and Afton Williamson, 20, were recovered from the vehicle.

Police said the three women were reported missing late Sunday night after calling a friend for help at 11:17 and 11:18 p.m. During the scratchy call, the women mentioned a lake. Air searches were conducted yesterday and today by the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the Civil Air Patrol and the North Dakota National Guard.

Dickinson Police Lt. Rod Banyai said in at a press conference that it was too early to consider the incident an accident, though foul play was not suspected. Banyai said autopsies will be conducted. He said it is unknown who was driving the vehicle when it went in the water. It is believed the girls were on a star gazing trip. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these young ladies.

Andrew Williamson-Noble, 20, a Junior at New York University Commits Suicide By Leaping from 10th Floor of Bobst Library

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Andrew Williamson-Noble, a New York University junior committed suicide this morning by leaping from the 10th floor of the main library. The student reportedly used an NYU-issued card to swipe himself into the Bobst Library, where he committed suicide around 4:30 a.m. One student reported hearing a "loud thud" when the student's body hit the marble floor in the atrium of the library. Police found him unconcious and unresponsive in the lobby of Bobst Library. He was then removed and taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, minutes after 5 a.m. The medical examiner is determining the cause of death.

This isn't the first time the Greenwich Village-based university has had to deal with such a tragedy. It has endured a rash of suicides in recent years and had installed eight-foot plexiglass walls on the floors facing the atrium in 2003 after two other students killed themselves. Many students have said in media interviews that they recently had midterm exams and they were feeling stressed out. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

NYU president John Sexton confirmed the suicide in an e-mail sent to students around lunch time. He did not identify the victim. The email read:

“The death of a College of Arts and Science junior early this morning in Bobst Library is a matter of great sorrow for the NYU community. In a close-knit community of young people such as ours, the death of a fellow student is always keenly felt. While the cause of this death is still being determined, indications are that he took his own life."

“Suicide among college age men and women is a national problem and a leading cause of death. In spite of the extensive systems NYU has in place to support the health and mental health of students - a highly-regarded 24-hour hotline called the Wellness Exchange; a model health center with doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors; constant reminders to students on the availability of help - we are not immune to this national challenge.

We have reminded all students again today of availability of counseling and other types of assistance through NYU’s Wellness Exchange at 212-443-9999 (or 999 from any campus phone), and we have reinforced that as a community we need to look out for one another and never hesitate to offer a helping hand or attentive ear.

The University has been in touch with the family to convey the condolences of the NYU community; our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and loved ones of this young man. The family has asked that it be accorded the greatest possible privacy and sensitivity in this time of mourning, and we would hope that everyone would respect its wishes.”

This latest suicide sheds light on an issue that occurs all too often on college campuses. Suicide is becoming a serious problem among college-age students. It is the third leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 86 percent of these suicides were male and 14 percent were female. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicidal thinking and behavior among college students can result from a wide variety of problems including drug and alcohol abuse, mood disorders, problems in social relationships and physical health problems. Some research has suggested that a tendency to avoid unwanted emotions and negative thoughts can contribute to the problems that lead to suicide. Even though these resources are available, many college students who die by suicide never seek help within their institutions.

Photo credit: Andrew Williamson-Noble, Facebook

Billy Maxwell, Jr, Fayetteville, NC Businessman, Murders His Wife, Kathryn and Two Teenage Children, in Apparent Murder-Suicide

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:29:00 +0000

Police said Billy Maxwell, Jr., a prominent Fayetteville, N.C., businessman, shot and killed his wife, Kathryn, and two teenage children, Connor and Cameron, Monday night before killing himself. One of the victim's in-laws discovered the bodies and called 911. Friends of the family described Billy Maxwell as a good family man who was highly involved in Snyder Baptist Church and his community. Kathy was a member of the Junior League of Fayetteville.

I don't want to throw cold water on the family of the victims, but what in the world could have driven this man to take the lives of his wife and children? He is being described as a devout Christian. Well, doesn't the Bible speak against suicide and murder? It is plainly stated in Exodus 20:13 -- "thou shall not murder." That includes his family and himself. It is painfully obvious that this man had some demons and there was a second entity in his walk with God.

Photo credit: The Maxwell family, Fayetteville Observer

Fight Breaks Out on New York City D Train Between Two Women Over Swine Flu Fears

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Swine flu fears caused brawl in New York City D subway train Monday. According to The Business Insider's Lawrence Delevingne, two women got into an argument on the train yesterday morning over one woman's refusal to cover her mouth while coughing. The altercation ended with her spitting on the other woman and the second woman dragging her by the hair to the floor of the train car. I have long maintained my disgust with people who cough and not cover their mouths or use the rest room and not wash their hands. That is just downright unhygienic, especially when so many of us are exposed to the threat of H1N1.

Here's the play-by-play account, as written Lawrence Delevingne:

Another woman, roughly 5'2", stocky, with her blond hair in a slicked-back bun, was nearby, clearly displeased. She made a curt comment to the first woman, something to the effect of "you need to cover your mouth -- I don't want swine flu." The second woman continued to yell at the cougher, berating her until she reacted, beginning to curse back. It escalated, and the accosting woman yelled "get the conductor!"

No one got the conductor -- it just seemed like a shouting match -- but as the train pulled into 42nd Street, the coughing woman spit on the other, provoking what sounded like a punch from the reaction of the crowd (we didn't directly see it). Then the cougher attempted to exit the train as the doors were open, but the second woman grabbed her by the back of the hair, violently yanking her down to the floor.

The last action happened directly in front of us. The cougher got up, yelling and cursing, but was escorted out of the train by what appeared to be a friend. Your correspondent, who had been sleepily reading about CIT's bankruptcy filing, held the shorter woman back, who kept screaming as the second woman left the train.

This is just absurd and this woman deserves the beat-down she received. Sadly, there are more people like this woman coughing without covering their mouths out there.

Reyana Santiago, 17, Stabs Father, Sgt. Roberto Santiago, 39, After He Scolded Her For Talking Too Much on her Cellphone

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Reyana Santiago, 17, allegedly stabbed her police-officer father, Roberto Santiago, 39, with a knife after he scolded her for talking too much on her cellphone, authorities said. She didn't like the fact that her father expressed his concern over her actions. There is a serious loss of respect for parents and just plain decorum in this country. We are slowly losing our value system and failing our young people in the process.

Sources said Reyana didn't like it when her dad, an NYPD sergeant with more than 15 years on the force, turned off her cellphone. They started arguing about it Halloween morning, they said. The quarrel escalated into a shouting match, with the petulant daughter shoving her father, sources said.

She then stormed off into the bathroom while her father prepared for his afternoon shift, law-enforcement sources said. But, moments later, she stealthily emerged from the bathroom, grabbed the sharpest knife in the kitchen, and allegedly attempted to carve her pop like a pumpkin. "We were fighting. I stabbed him twice with a knife," Reyana confessed to cops, according to court papers. "He wasn't doing anything before I stabbed him. I was angry." Police recovered a bloodied knife left on the kitchen counter. Source: NY Post

Roberto Santiago reportedly suffered two deep picture wounds on his upper left arm and was treated at Jacobi Medical Center and released. His daughter has been charged with misdemeanor menacing, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. She faces up to a year in prison if convicted. There is a propensity for violence among many of our young people and it is baffling. Not a day goes by when we don't hear about some teenager engaging in such violent act.

Concern over Canned Foods: Consumer Reports Tests Tind Wide Range of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Soups, Juice, Tuna and More

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Consumer Reports' has released data on its latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contain measurable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA). The results are reported in the December 2009 issue and also available online. BPA, which has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners, has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states and municipalities because it has been linked to a wide array of health effects including reproductive abnormalities, heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE

Hardley Lewin, Jamaica's Police Commissioner, Resigns Over Frustrations with Rising Crime Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

As if things couldn't get any worse for Jamaica, it's police commissioner Hardley Lewin has resigned, as the island struggles to reduce it's murder rate, that is one of the highest in the world. I am pained by this because Jamaica is such a beautiful place, but it has been dogged by so many social and political issues over the years that I have to take the position that if it was still actively governed by the British government, things would be far different. This news comes as the island has balked at the U.S. Justice Department's request that reputed Jamaican drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke be turned over to the U.S. to face charges filed in New York.

Hardley Lewin leaves (NY Gleaner cartoon)

The statistics are damning for such a small island. More than 1,200 homicides have been reported in Jamaica through September, and officials have said homicides have risen dramatically in recent weeks. Gang violence is blamed for 90 percent of the slayings on the island of three million people. Lewin was appointed commissioner in 2007 after 30 years in the Jamaican military. He resigned Sunday night and Vaz said Monday that Lewin's successor will likely be named this week.

Equally damning for the island is that fact that Lewin is the second high-level person who has resigned in a short period of time. The sudden resignation of Bank of Jamaica governor Derick Latibeaudiere, plus the Triple C (with a negative outlook) downgrade by Standard & Poor's of the island's long-term foreign and domestic currency ratings yesterday can't possibly help the cause of Prime Minister Bruce Golding. The S&P said it's reason for taking such a drastic move was based mainly because of the resignation of Latibeaudiere, who was the country's lead negotiator for the International Monetary Fund standby facility.

This latest development with S&P, Lewin and Latibeaudiere, also comes with the recent disclosure that the Jamaican government has balked at the U.S. request to hand over a suspected crime boss, Christopher "Dudus" Coke," with ties to Jamaica's governing party amid reports that he is stockpiling weapons in his Kingston stronghold to prevent arrest. Coke, the alleged leader of the "Shower Posse," has been identified by the U.S. Justice Department as one of the world's most dangerous drug kingpins and allegedly controls a band of gunmen inside Tivoli Gardens, a rough neighborhood in Kingston.

Coke, the son of the late "Shower Posse" don, Lester Lloyd Coke, aka ‘Jim Brown,’ has been charged in the U.S. Southern District of New York with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms. Coke, 40, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. U.S. authorities allege, that under Coke's direction, "Shower Posse" members have sold marijuana and crack cocaine in the New York area and elsewhere and funneled profits back to him. It seems that the government is deliberately stalling by requesting more information about the gun and drug trafficking charges against this man. Prime Minister Golding & Co. need to remember that America is one of the island's staunchest supporters and there is a mutual extradition treaty in place.

There has been a culture of corruption in certain pockets in Jamaica, especially in the ranks of the police department where there have been frequent allegations of corruption, that must be eradicated if the country wants to reduce its crime rates. Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and ineffective. The vast crime majority of the crime occurs in impoverished areas, but the violence is not confined. The crime rates of Jamaica are higher than Guatemala, Venezuela, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.

Jamaica has given the world so much -- reggae and its ambassadors such as the great Bob Marley; tourist areas second to none; native dishes that are unrivaled, trailblazing athletes such as Usain Bolt, Donald Quarrie, Merlene Ottey, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelley Ann Fraser and so many others. Surely we cannot allow this island to sink into the depths of economic chaos. We must all rally behind the prime minister and say enough is enough. It is take to take back Jamaica from the thugs running around. It is time to implement programs that will help its citizens find gainful employment. It is time to change the mindset of the government and end the culture of corruption that emboldens criminals to run things.

Former President Bill Clinton: I would've stayed in White House 'until I was carried away in coffin'

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Reuters: Former president Bill Clinton said Monday that, without term limits, he would have stayed in the job "until I was carried away in a coffin, or defeated in an election."

"I loved doing the job," Clinton said at a conference in Istanbul. "I loved being president, but I like my current life too. ..... I'll leave the politics to my wife and to President Obama."

Clinton was elected twice to the presidency, the maximum under the Constitution, and served from 1992 to 2000. His wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is now secretary of state under President Obama.

Clinton said he enjoyed his current position as chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative, which raises funds to address issues ranging from health care to poverty to climate change.

Despite his personal stumbles, President Clinton will always be associated with America during a period of economic growth, low unemployment, rising stock market, government surplus. Some may say he had nothing to do with such growth and surplus in our coffers, but he was the president under whose administration this occurred.

Supreme Court Declines to Hear 1960s Racially Motivated Murder of Two Black College Students at the Hands of KKK Member James Forde Seale

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:06:00 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up the cause of James Forde Seale, a former cropduster and deputy sheriff in his Mississippi home town of Roxie, who was involved in an infamous racially motivated crime on May 2, 1964, that led to the deaths of black college students Charles Moore and Henry Dee. As a result of the court's action, his conviction will stand. Justices John Paul Stevens and Antonin Scalia said the court should have taken up the case. They said that it was "an important issue, that may well determine the outcome of a number of cases of ugly racial violence from the 1960s."

Charles Moore, James Forde Seale and Henry Dee (UK Times Online)

A little background on the case:

The FBI accused Seale and other Ku Klux Klansmen of kidnapping two black college students in 1964, beating them in a forest, and dumping them, still alive, into the Mississippi River. Seale and another man were arrested at the time, but local authorities declined to prosecute them for killing the students, Charles Moore and his friend, Henry Dee. Moore's brother, Thomas, helped get the case re-opened, and Seale was re-arrested in 2007, this time on federal charges, and later convicted.

When the crime was committed in 1964, a kidnapping that resulted in harm to the victim was punishable by death. And that is true today. But for more than two decades, violating that law was not a capital offense. There's no statute of limitations for crimes that carry the death penalty, but there is for others. Accordingly, Seale challenged his conviction, arguing that when the death penalty was taken off the books, only a five-year statute of limitations applied to the crime. Once that period elapsed, he could no longer be charged, even though the death penalty was later revived, he claimed. A federal appeals court disagreed and upheld Seale's conviction, but it urged the Supreme Court to straighten out the law. Today, the justices declined to do so. Source: MSNBC

Justices Stevens and Scalia are right, that this matter will rear its head again in other cases of this nature. The reality is that there are so many other unsolved cases from that dark period in American history and I applaud those who are tirelessly fighting to bring justice to our brothers and sisters who were lynched by the KKK for no other reason but the color of their skin.

Brief Background on the Ku Klux Klan

The 19th-century Klan was originally organized as a social club by Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee. They apparently derived the name from the Greek word kyklos meaning circle.

It was presided over by a grand wizard in a hierarchy of grand dragons, grand titans and grand cyclops. Members wore robes and sheets to frighten black people, believed to be superstitious, and to prevent identification.

The 20th-century Klan was organized in 1915 in Georgia by Colonel William J. Simmons.

It reached its peak in the 1920s, when its membership across the US exceeded four million.

To the old Klan's hostility towards black people, the new Klan added bias against Roman Catholics, Jews and foreigner.

There are an estimated 6,000 members of Klan chapters in the US today.

To read more about Charles Moore as told by his brother Thomas Moore, CLICK HERE.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Says "Health Care Reform is a Bigger Threat than Terrorism"

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:24:00 +0000

There are some real idiots on both sides of the political aisle who managed to get elected, but Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) is on par with Michele Bachmann. She claimed that "health care reform is a bigger threat than terrorism." Really Ms. Foxx? Is this bill is worst than Osama bin Laden. You know, the ringleader of Al-Quaida who we still have not been able to catch. The same one President Bush said was "not a top priority use of American resource," just months after he said he wanted him "dead or alive." You see, she's no stranger to making incendiary comments. She referred to Matthew Shepard's hate-motivated murder as "a hoax," on the floor when the hate crimes legislation bearing his name came up for a vote. She uttered patently ridiculous comment about health care reform while speaking on the House floor:

Everywhere I go in my district, people tell me they are frightened. ... I share that fear, and I believe they should be fearful. And I believe the greatest fear that we all should have to our freedom comes from this room -- this very room -- and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country.

She's not the only Republican who has made incendiary comments of this nature. Her attack comes days after Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) said that the health care reform is an issue more important "than the impeachment of President Clinton or even 9/11 and the decision to go to war." All I have to ask is if she really represent the will of her constituents? I have no issue if you disagree with health care reform, especially what the Democrats are proposing, but to say that it is a far bigger threat than terrorism is just insulting to all the men and women in harm's way fighting to keep the United States safe from Al-Quaida and any other terrorist groups out there.

Abby Johnson, Director of Bryan Planned Parenthood in Texas, Resigns Position After Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Abby Johnson, the director of Bryan Planned Parenthood in Texas, has resigned from the position after she watched an ultrasound of an abortion procedure. She has worked for Planned Parenthood for eight years, with the last two being as a director. She said that Planned Parenthood was struggling due to the challenging economy and its changing business model from one that pushed prevention to one that focused on abortion. Most Americans do not want to donate to a non-profit that is encouraging abortions. The money should be for prevention and planned parenthood, not abortion. I, too, have a big problem with that.

According to KBTX, Johnson said she was told to bring in more women who wanted abortions, something the Episcopalian church goer recently became convicted about. She now supports the Coalition For Life, the pro-life group with a building down the street from Planned Parenthood.

I applaud Ms. Johnson for taking a stand for what she believes in. Government funding to Planned Parenthood should cease if her allegations about pushing for more abortions than prevention are true. I don't want my tax dollars going to fund something I don't agree with, especially if this is being used by some women as a form of birth control and not due to serious health risks to both the mother and the fetus. This is a hotly debated issue and, while I tend to agree with Pro-Lifers, I still don't think the government should get involved in such issues. It's amazing that the mainstream media outlets, like CNN and MSNBC, didn't bother picking this story up, but they had no issue running with the "balloon boy" hoax.

H/T to Deanna Berry, my Facebook buddy!

Florida Gator's Brandon Spikes Suspended For First Half of Next Game for Eye-Gouge Incident

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:57:00 +0000

During Saturday's victory over Georgia, Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was caught by TV cameras eye-gouging Georgia running back Washaun Ealey. Florida is No. 1 in the country and to think this idiot was be so heartless and classless. He has been suspended for the first half of next week's game.

New York Public School Nurses Give Swine Flu Vaccine to Kids Without Parental Consent, Nikiyah Torres-Pierre Ends Up in Hospital

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:32:00 +0000

A School nurse at Public School 335 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, mistakenly gave the swine flu vaccine to two students who didn't sign up for it and one student, Nikiyah Torres-Pierre, who suffers from epilepsy, ended up in the hospital. Her mother, Naomi Troy, was visibly upset in an interview with the NY Daily News and said her daughter had a possible allergic reaction to the shot. The child, who was immediately taken to the hospital, said, "My stomach was hurting, and I was itching." This error also occurred at a Staten Island school on the first day of the city's in-school H1N1 vaccination program. Most parents, including me, have some serious reservations about this vaccine, despite some doctors saying that it is safe.

Troy was waiting for advice from her family doctor on whether Nikiyah should get the shot since she takes medicine to control her epilepsy. When the nurse called for a student Thursday morning, Nikiyah's teacher misunderstood and sent the wrong student, Troy said.

The error was compounded when the nurse didn't check Nikiyah's name before sticking her in the shoulder, the mother said. "The school made a horrible mistake," she added. "They never asked for her name. They have no paperwork....How do you make a mistake like this?" After the mistake was discovered, officials summoned Troy to the school, she said. Troy said the nurse - a Department of Health employee - tried to get her to sign a consent form, after the fact. Source: NY Daily News

The Health Department has launched an investigation into this horrible mix-up. There must be better safeguards in place to ensure that this does not occur again. So parents, watch out, the H1N1 vaccine may be coming to your child's school. What is the purpose of the consent form? If a teacher does not receive one from the child's parents, then that simply means you do not administer the vaccine to that child. Isn't that easy to comprehend?

The Drudge Reports Dubs President Obama "Barack 'N Bones," in a Shameful Dig About His Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:18:00 +0000

With all the issues confronting the United States today, the best Matt Drudge of The Drudge Report could come up with as the main story on his website is "Barack-n-Bones," a dig at the president's weight loss. Didn't President George W. Bush seem to have aged 20 years in front of our eyes? He didn't leave office looking like a Greek Adonis. The same holds true for President Bill Clinton, so what's the big deal if the guy lost some weight?

The article on The Drudge Reports continues to state:

Eyebrows raised over the weekend as President Obama walked out of the gym at Fort McNair -- appearing thin as a rail! Rigorous workouts and high-stress basketball games are said to be behind the dramatic weight loss.

"No, he's not chain smoking," claims an insider. "He's working non-stop for the country... yes, he does occasionally skip meals." The president explained in Miami last week: "Just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough."

Sorry, but this isn't the first time President Obama has made reference to his size and who's this insider that Drudge claims divulged this information? This is nothing but hogwash and typical right wing smear.

Rudy Giuliani Miffed Over Being Ousted from Prized Seats at Yankee Stadium for First Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was recently displaced from his prized seat at Yankee Stadium by First Lady Michelle Obama and in classic Giuliani style, he was none too pleased about it. This is the same man who had so little regard for his former wife Donna Hanover that he announced his decision to file for a divorce from her at a press conference and cheated on her with his former jump-off, now wife Judith Nathan.

According to Page Six, Giuliani, who always sits near the Yankee dugout, was relegated to behind the photographer's box for Game 1 of the World Series because Michelle Obama was given the seats instead. The paper said that it was the White House that didn't want Giuliani near Obama, but considering that this is coming from an arm of News Corp., which owns Fox News Channel, I take this with a grain of salt. The First Lady did not even occupy the seats because of the weather and they remained empty for the whole game. So, I am guessing he would have had the same reaction had it been Laura Bush instead of Michelle Obama? I seriously doubt that. Once again, Giuliani thinks the whole world revolves around him.

Drama Continues as Republican Scozzafava Endorses Democrat Bill Owens After Exiting N.Y. Congressional Race

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Shan) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:14:00 +0000

The upstate New York 23rd Congressional District seat drama continues as Republican Dede Scozzafava endorsed her former Democratic opponent Bill Owens, just one day after she exited the race under pressure from the GOP and after Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman experienced a late-stage surge in the polls. The move was widely expected to consolidate GOP voters behind Hoffman, but that may not be a forgone conclusion at this point.

Scozzafava backed Owens in a statement put out by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which read,

"I am supporting Bill Owens for Congress and urge you to do the same," she said. "In Bill Owens, I see a sense of duty and integrity that will guide him beyond political partisanship. He will be an independent voice devoted to doing what is right for New York. Bill understands this district and its people, and when he represents us in Congress he will put our interests first."

The seat formerly held by Republican John McHugh, who was lured away by the Obama administration to be Army secretary. Though it is not clear what impact her endorsement will have on the outcome of the election, it is interesting, nonetheless to see that drama continue to play out, even after Sarah Palin openly endorsed Hoffman over Scozzafava. She was criticized by members of her party for being too moderate on social issues.