Elizabeth's Hot Topics & News

Corruption in New York State - Two NYS employees create a man cave - Schenectady School Facility Supervisor falsifies overtime earns over $50,000 in one year

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:29:12 PST

With the economy lately, it seems as if finally people who have been stealing from the taxpayers are finally being weened out little by little.

For those of you who have been following the Bruno case, we now also have a few that were caught.

Two former employees of the Office of General Services, Marciano, 50, of Rensselaer, and Gary Pivoda, 48, of Latham, a janitor, pleaded guilty Nov. 12 in Albany County Court to low-level felonies. They admitted watching television, taking drugs and sleeping on the job this year in the hidden party lounge in the state's Madison Avenue parking garage.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=869419&category=REGION#ixzz0Y0F46cMY

These two man are pleading not guilty, even from the evidence of the video that they where doing something wrong. The video may not show if they where smoking marijuana or sniffing cocaine. It does show them slacking off on the job, and the obvious man cave they created for themselves.

So if you take away the drug charges, you still have two man that did something wrong on the job!

SCHENECTADY -- There is no evidence that former city schools facilities supervisor Steven Raucci worked hundreds of additional hours that resulted in $50,836 in overtime payments for the 2007-2008 school year, according to an audit released Monday by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=869389&category=REGION#ixzz0Y0FM3WPo

Should these men get a stricter punishment? Do you think that they are getting off with a light sentence?

Who also thinks that Bruno should be penalized for his accused crimes, but probably will not?

Unemployment on the rise - and so is the stock market?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:41:21 PST

As we all have heard, the unemployment rate has jumped over 10% in October and is predicted to jump to 11% by the end of the year. The biggest mystery is, why are stocks doing so well?

In October 203,000 people where layed off so can we assume that is 203,000 more people receiving Welfare benefits? If you watch the stocks you will notice they they seem to do well at the beginning of the month and than drop as the month moves on. A few stocks that seem to being doing quite well are the utility companies, of course, who wants to be without electric or telephones, so this makes sense.

If more people are receiving public assistant benefits could this be partly the cause of the stocks going up? The way public assistance works in most states is that the person receives a payment in the beginning of the month, usually the first nine days of the month. The largest during the beginning because Foodstamps are included. The people who receive a full benefit may recieve a second payment at the middle of the month. So would this mean that although more people are jobless they are using these benefits to pay their bills, at the bigging of the month, showing a rise in stocks?

Can this type of system be healthy for our economy? Of course we know that it will probably raise our taxes higher, so when will things get better? For now the public assistence system may help, but for how long? When will everything come to a horrible crashing hault? Could this be the fall of our goverment? It is said that no government has been able to last more then 200-years, so what makes us think ours is any different? Are we finally seeing the end of our democracy and could this be the great 2012 apocalypse that we have been wondering about?

We must not forget when the next Presidential election is -- 2012

11 bodies found in Cleveland Home - More on Anthony Sowell

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:36:59 PST

Five more bodies were discovered in the home of Anthony Sowell. The 50 year old convicted sex offender was able to hide his seceret for an unknown number of years since his release from prison four years ago.

Residents are saying that police never did anything when they reported their loved ones missing, and even said that when the drugs are gone they would return. Some neighbors on occasions complained about an odor coming from Sowell's home, even one caller said it smelled like a dead body, but a nearby pork plant was blamed for the stench.

Click to read more on MSNBC.com - Nightmare hid in city block short on dreams

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Jonathan Safran on Ellen Degeneres - Eating Animals (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:28:17 PST

Examples of our farms in America

On November 4, 2009 Jonathan Safran appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show about his newest novel, Eating Animals.

Safran spoke about some things he points out about risks American's have when eating meat. One topic that piqued me interest was regarding the swine flu. He said that with much research it has been found that the Swine Flu originated from a farm in the US and not in Mexico - First American Pig Confirmed with H1N1

Safran spoke of how our idealistic animal farms are not what we picture. As you can see from the photo's I have posted, this is what an actual farm in America looks like. So can you honestly say eatting Animals that are living in cramped pens, defecating on one another and eating it is healthy? We have water sources shut down when e-coli is found in the water. E-coli is caused when human or animal feces is mixed in. How can this be any healthier?

Couple arrested for steeling 1,000 bags of luggage from airport

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:08:58 PST

Wilson King, 61 and Stacy Lynne Legg-King, 38 were arrested on Monday after police found 1,000 pieces of luggage in their suburban residence.

"A piece of luggage here, a piece of luggage there, I would imagine gets stolen out of airports all the time," Phoenix police Detective James Holmes said Tuesday. "This is a livelihood. There's a lot of luggage and there's a lot of victims."

Legg-King also was arrested on suspicion of tampering with evidence. It was not immediately clear how the two are related. Police noticed King getting out of his car and taking a piece of luggage than getting back in. He was than followed to his home where police discovered their home in complete disarray from the 1,000 bags of luggage they had stolen from the airport over time.

One neighbor had told FoxNews that the Kings had yard sales all the time, and even bought a few bags of luggage himself at one time.

Click for the entire story on MyFox.com

Forklift causes $150,000 liquor to collapse (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:59:32 PST

We remember the drunkest man in the world who tried to buy a 12 pack of beer, now watch as $150,000 of liquor collapse when a forklift drives into one shelf. This caused a major domino effect.

If you look at the second forklift on your right of the video, you will notice that whoever is driving that forklift takes off before he gets burried. I'm just wondering if the guy who caused the accident is okay? I do not think steel toe boots would come in very handy in this situation.

New details on Cleveland serial killer-rapies

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:55:06 PST

New details on Anthony Sowell, 50 who was arrested after 6 bodies where found in his Cleveland home has been released. Sowell, a registered sex offender, was always trying to lure or force woman into his home. When authorities arrived at Sowell's home to question him about another rape they noticed a stench coming from the house that nobody ever reported.

Here is more from MSNBC:

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"Crazy" Rapiest in connection of 6 bodies found in home in custody

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:53:10 PST

CLEVELAND - 50 year old Anthony Sowell has been found and now is in custody in connection of the six bodies that were found in his home, decomposing, last week. Sowell was released four years ago from prison for a rape conviction, according to authorities.

Sowell was spotted walking on the east side of Cleveland when authorities spotted him and took him into custody, Stacho said. Initially Sowell denied he was the man authorities were looking for but admitted his identity as officers began fingerprinting him, he added.

Two bodies were identified by county Coroner Frank Miller as black females and one had died of a violent death ruled a homicide. Friends and families of other missing loved ones have been gathering at Sowell's home searching for any information that Sowell may be responsible for those missing within the past year.

When is daylight savings time?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:33:17 PST

New York

Now the new daylight savings is the first Sunday in November, we need to set our clocks back an hour. Today is the day that daylight savings ends until next spring. Since 2007, when the time changed because of the change of weather, there has been alot of confusion as to when daylight savings is now.

This years daylight saving is: March 8 - November 1

The date now has changed a week - what was once the First Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October is now the Second Sunday in March to the First Sunday in November.

You can also view past and future years by visiting this website. The website also has useful information about when to change the time on your clocks and what exactly is daylight savings time.

Chaz Bono says his GF supports the transition - Video and Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:23:15 PDT

During an interview with "Entertainment Tonight", Chaz Bono said his girlfriend of four years, Jennifer Elia, has been completely supportive of his sex change to become a man. Now, he says, his gender reassignment surgery allows the couple to physically have what they’ve always had emotionally: a heterosexual relationship.

Bono stated: “She’s been amazing", during the second part of a two-part interview, airing Friday. “I feel really grateful to be going through this with a partner.”

Bono also said that Elia knew about his intentions from the start. “I didn’t just spring this on Jennifer recently. This was something she knew about shortly after we met.”

He adds: “Our relationship always modeled a heterosexual relationship, emotionally and intellectually. So now it does physically as well.”

Bono has said he felt male from the time he was a child. “I feel like I’m living in my body for the first time, and it feels really good,” he tells “ET.”

Chaz Bono admited that his voice was changing and that his body was pretty much going through puberty. While listing to Chaz speak during the interview with ET, you can hear his voice cracking the same way a boy of 12-14 years old does.

Here is the full video from CBS' Entertainment Tonight:

Watch CBS News Videos Online
Click to watch the full interview on the CBS News Website

Photos of Chaz Bono and his girlfriend, Jennifer Elia:

Who thinks he looks like somebody you know? A teenager in your neighborhood? How about somebody you went to school with? Chaz now has that familier face.

Personally I think he looks like one of those teenage boys from a movie I have seen. Although which one I can't place but you know the one, overweight, clumsy kid that gets bullied all the time.

Chasity could not have known what it was like for that kid, otherwise, do you think she would have gotten better plastic surgery on the face?

Video - Morgan Harrington Press conference

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:06:57 PDT

In a press conference Wednesday morning, Virginia State Police spokesman, Lt. Joe Radar, released a timeline of what they believe is Morgan Harrington's whereabouts leading up to her disappearance on the evening of October 17.

Lt. Radar said the missing Virginia Tech student was last seen on the Copeley Street Bridge at 9:30 p.m., near Ivy Road, in Charlottesville on the night she disappeared.

In the press conference Lieutenant Joe Rader, who declined to answer questions from reporters about the case that's drawn national attention, says 20-year-old Morgan Harrington was first seen outside of John Paul Jones Arena about 8:20 p.m. on Saturday October 17th.

Rader says Harrington then made her way through the University Hall parking area, towards University of Virginia's Lannigan Field, and then up on the bridge that leads back towards the main part of the University Grounds.

Here is the timeline that Radar gave at the Press conference:

8:20 - 8:48 PM: Someone matching Morgan Harrington's description was seen outside John Paul Jones Arena parking lot by the ticket office and on the University Hall side.
8:48 PM: Morgan calls a friend inside the arena, discusses trying to get back in. Tells her friend that she will get a ride home from friends around Charlottesville.
8:48 - 9:00 PM: Morgan is still spotted outside the arena. Police say they have no indication she re-entered the building.
9:00 - 9:10 PM: Someone matching Morgan's description was seen walking through the University Hall parking lot. Nobody saw her with someone, but there were other people walking in the same direction.
9:10 - 9:20 PM: Someone matching Morgan's description was seen in the Lannigan Field parking area near the track. This parking lot is used for overflow parking for arena events. The person matching Morgan's description had limited interaction with people who were at the parking area.
9:20 PM: The people who witnesses the person matching Morgan's description left the area.
9:20 - 9:30 PM: The person matching Morgan's description was seen on the Copeley Road Bridge near Ivy Road. The last spotting of Morgan Harrington was at 9:30 PM near the intersection of Copeley Rd. and Ivy Rd.

Rader says investigators need more detail, no matter how small, from anyone who may have seen Harrington after she left the arena. They're hoping to put together a mosaic of her movements during that 70 minute period and extend it from the point where they can last pinpoint her whereabouts.

There is a tip line set up for anyone who may have any information on Morgan. That number is 434-352-3467. A $150,000 reward has been offered for information leading to her discovery.

Link to video

Chaz Bono is happy he is now a man!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:22:41 PDT

Now that he’s finally in the body he always felt he belonged in, Chaz Bono says he’s enjoying something that took decades to accomplish.

“It’s a long process going back almost a decade. I got clean and sober in 2004 and I couldn’t have done this before that,” Bono, formerly known as Chastity, tells, “Entertainment Tonight” in an interview airing Thursday and Friday.

Born the daughter of Cher and Sonny Bono, Chaz, 40, has been undergoing a female-to-male sex change since March, a process that has already had significant physical changes on his body.

Michael Jackson - "This is it" hits $2.2 in theaters on opening night!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:06:42 PDT

NEW YORK - North America box office estimates that Michael Jackson's "This is it" has reached $2.2 million dollars on the first night of opening.

Sony, the distributor of "This is it", calls those numbers "unprecedented" for a Tuesday in October. The film shows Jackson preparing for the 50 comeback concerts in London that never happened.

99 countries have opened "This Is It" and will be expanding its release Wednesday. Sony has already called Wednesday box office numbers "explosive" and says matinees alone have doubled Tuesday night's haul.

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Troy New York - Undercover Police drive around and search suspects

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:12:15 PDT

In this area of Troy, mostly during summer months and warmer evenings, the Troy Police have undercover officers drive around and look for suspects. If the person comes across as a drug dealer or prostitute they will jump from their car and search them.

Every day my favourite activities is taking a long walk on a daily basis, whether it is 95 degrees out or snowing but not usually on rainy days.

Last night during my usual walk I was frightened twice, the first time when a truck appeared to be following me. After a few moments I realized that the driver was problem having mechanical problems. A few blocks later a white sports car with tinted windows that could not be seen into from the outside stopped in front of me near a parking lot playing loud rap music. Being a bit frightened and unable to keep walking straight, I made an annoyed face and walked around the back of the car instead of showing fear or anger. When I did this the driver gunned the engine and pulled into the parking lot.

At home I told my son the story and he explained that it was probably an undercover police officer. He said that they drive around, as stated above, and look for suspects. So if I where to say, yo what up homey or knocked on the window, they would have jumped from the car and have frisked me.

This made me a bit angry and insulted. For one, they scared me, another problem with this is, I feel like my freedom is being compromised just because I like to walk. It seems as if they are saying, unless you are up to no good, why would somebody be walking by them self at 6:300pm in the evening. Never before have I felt afraid walking by myself, nobody has ever bothered me, except now for the police.

So if you are from Troy, you look like you could be a prostitute because you are attractive looking, you may want to think twice before taking a stroll alone.

YouTube video is not missing 20-year old Morgan Harrington

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:08:17 PDT

A YouTube video emerged shortly after the disappearance of Morgan Harrington, age 20. Morgan disappeared during a Metallica concert over a week ago. She left the concert arena and was unable to return. The arena rules stated that if you left the arena, you may not return.

During an interview with CNN Morgan's parents said that it appeared to be Morgan, but they were pretty sure it was not her at the concert.

Here is the YouTube Video that CNN spoke of:

On Facebook you can visit the Links on "Help find Morgan Dana Harrington". The person who posted the video on FaceBook stated: "

"Charles Walton Help Find Morgan Dana Harrington.: Look between 4:50 and 5:04 on the video below. You will see what looks like the girl and guy arguing and then his arm swings towards her. This is in one of the first videos that I viewed it was posted on youtube by the same guy that shot the video of them leaving the arena. Charles"

Officer pulls gun at Haunted House Employee

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:21:02 PDT

Essex Maryland - A Baltimore Police officer had the crap scared out of him when an employee, Michael Morrison, at the House of Screams followed him and others out of the Haunted House on Sunday night. Morrison's job is to follow the patrons from the Haunted House reving his chain saw for one last final scream.

When Morrison followed the off duty police officer, Michael Eric Janik, the officer's 9 year old daughter, four others and another off duty Baltimore police officer. The officer pulled a gun out on Morrison. Documents charging Janet say that it appeared that he was intoxicated and other patrons at the House of Scream said they could smell alcohol on his breath. Janik has been suspended over the incident.

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Get over it FoxNews - O'Reilly tries to make criticizm over FoxNews better

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:47:13 PDT

Since Obama criticized FoxNews last week, many other news programs and columnists have stood up and agreed.

When I first started doing this blog, I was using FoxNews as a source most of the time, until the Obama checking out a French girls behind video appeared. Before making sure the tape had not been edited or was 100% the truth, FoxNews jumped on it. They made their snide comments, nasty opinions and even criticized Obama for looking at a minor's behind.

Than ABC turned around and said, hey we where there and this is what really happened. Instead of making an apology and showing the real tape, they just removed it from their site and never said a word about it again.

That was it for me, that and a few other things they did that seemed more like a tabloid source than a news source. Sure people love FoxNews, but many of these same people love reading "The Star" and "The Enquirer".

Now every time somebody makes a comment on the way FoxNews reports, they criticize them. Whether it is a small columnist for "Time" magazine, or a large source for MSNBC. They keep trying to find an excuse as to why they are a news source and not a tabloid.

Here is O'Reilly, yet again, criticizing somebody for taking FoxNews down another notch.

If he is such a small unimportant columnist for the "Time" magazine O'Reilly, why the big deal?

Girl missing during Metallica concert

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:58:49 PST

Morgan Harrington, a Virginia Tech student has been missing since a Metilica concert last week. Thomas went out to her car and was unable to return to the concert. She phone friends from her cell phone to tell them she was unable to get back in. Nobody has heard from her since than, her parents reported her missing the following morning when she did not return home.

Metilica has posted missing posters and is working with the FBI in search of the girl.

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Since when did the FBI look for missing adults? Here is a list of what the FBI investigates, and missing people are not on that list, unless it is human trafficing (prostitution) or crimes against children. Morgan Thomas is 20-years old, so it can't be the crime against children...interesting.

Unless of course it's another pretty white girl from a rich white family, than this is something for the FBI and media to jump onto.

Man arrested with half a beard

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:54:04 PDT

A man's mug shot was taken with only half his beard shaved off. Nobody knows why he did it, and he never explained why.

Maybe he was doing one of those shows where one side is a woman and the other is a man?

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Grandma beats man with Newspaper!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:05:33 PDT

A 63 year old British grandmother became angry over a long time argument regarding a parking space. During another argument over the parking spot, she started beating a 37 year old man with the newspaper.

The video is now a YouTube sensation.

Obama signed declaration - H1N1 now a national emergency

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:44:45 PDT

WASHINGTON - Last night the White House has announced that the swine flu is a national emergency, President Barak Obama signed the proclamation on Saturday.

"In keeping with the administration's proactive approach to H1N1 Flu, President Obama last night signed a proclamation declaring 2009-H1N1 Influenza a national emergency," it said in a statement. "The proclamation enhances the ability of our nation's medical treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by allowing, as needed, the waiver of certain standard federal requirements on a case-by-case basis."

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Brother's sell Marijuana to pay for their College Tutition

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:42:03 PDT

Two brother's were arrested for selling Marijuana from their home. In Saratoga authorities removed plants that where worth $3,000 each. Nobody knew, nor smelled, that plants even existed.

The brothers used the money they made from the Marijuana to pay for their college tuition and even some of their parent's mortgage payments.

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SURVEY - How many non pork eaters have caught Swine Flu (H1N1 virus)?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:44:02 PDT

A Google search did not give me much of an answer on how many non pork eaters have contracted the H1N1 virus. A search about how many Muslims have contracted the Swine Flu, what percentage of non pork eaters have caught the swine flu and what are the chances of non pork eaters will catch the H1N1 Virus does not give much information.

Here is a survey I have created because this is a good question. We are told by medical web pages, and doctors that it has nothing to do with pork. What I would like to know,and probably a large number of people who have been arguing this debate. A Google search does find a blog, The Arab Observer, debating about whether or not if Muslims are able to catch the swine Flu because they do not eat pork.

MSNBC reported that H1N1 was hitting young people the hardest, 90% under 65, and most under the age of 25 have been hospitalized. Okay, so how many of them eat pork?

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Working moms role in the household

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:24 PDT

Woman in the household do have to pick up alot of the slack when it comes to their children. If the child is ill at school, she has to leave work to pick them up. Most woman attend the parent teacher conferences and other school activities.

If the father is in the picture, he will usually be the one who attends sporting events for their sons, but if it is a single mother, than she does the father's roles as well as the mother's roles when it comes to school.

As a single mother myself, and the father out of the picture most of my son's life, I know what this is like. We have to work, but it's tough when you first start a job, and there is that rule, the three month rule. Do not miss, or leave work early for the first three months, or you will probably lose your job.

I took a job readiness class in school, and one thing the teacher suggested is to have a back-up plan...easier said than done. Most people work these days, even our children's grandparents, aunts and uncles. When you are working underneath a man, or most often, a woman who has not had children yet, they get upset when you have to leave work all the time.

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Body found in Georgia Landfill has been identified

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Nesbitt) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:41:57 PDT

A body of a small child was found in a landfill 55 miles from her home lastnight. It was identified as 7-year old Somer Thompson.

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