text:
Everyday thousands of children are being sexually abused. You can stop the abuse of at least one child by simply praying. You can possibly stop the abuse of thousands of children by forwarding the link in First Time Visitor? by email, Twitter or Facebook to every Christian you know. Save a child or lots of children!!!! Do Something, please!
3:15 PM prayer in brief:
Pray for God to stop 1 child from being molested today.
Pray for God to stop 1 child molestation happening now.
Pray for God to rescue 1 child from sexual slavery.
Pray for God to save 1 girl from genital circumcision.
Pray for God to stop 1 girl from becoming a child-bride.
If you have the faith pray for 100 children rather than one.
Give Thanks. There is more to this prayer here
Please note: All my writings and comments appear in bold italics in this colour
Tuesday, 12 February 2019
3 Cops; Beth Moore on SBC; Youth Pastor lead Today's USA PnP List
Missouri man accused of sexually motivated burglaryHarrison Keegan, Springfield News-Leader
A Springfield man has been accused of entering a home without permission and inappropriately touching a preteen girl.
Demarius Marshall, 36, was charged last week with first-degree burglary and attempted enticement of a child younger than 15.
According to a probable cause statement, a girl recently disclosed to authorities that Marshall came to her home in July while she was in bed, laid down next to her, kissed her and touched her legs.
The girl said Marshall left after she told him to stop, according to the statement.
Authorities say the girl knew Marshall, but not well.
The girl's mother told Springfield police she went on one date with Marshall and then he started showing up to her home uninvited, so she told him before this incident to stay away from her daughter, according to the statement.
When confronted by police about the July incident, Marshall allegedly said he was at the house that night cooking steaks and it was normal for him to be there. As for the contact with the girl, he said it was a friendly "peck" and a "pat," according to the statement.
In a bond recommendation document, prosecutors wrote that Marshall entered the victim's home knowing he was not welcome and his actions on the bed "can only be interpreted as attempting to entice or initiate sexual contact" with the child victim.
Marshall does not have an attorney listed for this case. Online records indicate a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The burglary charge carries a possible 15-year prison sentence.
NY State’s high court upholds conviction of
child sex abuser in horrid case
Amanda Purcell Columbia-Greene Media
ALBANY — The conviction of Jeanine Van Alphen of Hillsdale was upheld by the state’s highest court in a child sex abuse case in 2016, according to the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office.
Van Alphen, 34, filed an appeal of the Columbia County Court decision with the state Appellate Division, Third Department. The appeal was denied Feb. 7, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Columbia County District Attorney’s office.
Van Alphen and three other defendants — her former husband, Goliath Van Alphen, 49, of Claverack; William Wendover, 31, of Cairo; and Eugene Shackleton, 63, of Copake – were convicted by a 12-person jury on Aug. 9, 2016 in Columbia County for sexual abuse of four children that lasted for years.
The four were found guilty of sexually abusing several young children under the age of 11 between June 2009 and February 2011. All the children testified at the trial.
Columbia County Judge Richard Koweek sentenced all four to life in prison for crimes of predatory sexual assault against a child, a class A-II felony, and other charges. Goliath Van Alphen, who was found guilty of 11 felony charges in the case, was sentenced to 124 years to life. Jeanine Van Alphen was given 50 years to life. Shackleton was given 71 years to life, and Wendover was given 69 1/2 years to life in prison.
Jeanine Van Alphen maintained her innocence at the sentencing, saying she was “not the monster” she was made out to be. Koweek quoted one of the victims who wished to be a baby again so as not to suffer abuse at the hands of sexual predators.
“You were a participant in some of the most vile acts I have ever seen,” Koweek told Jeanine Van Alphen at her sentencing Oct. 18, 2016. “You abused the trust that is placed on an adult by a child, and I cannot ignore that. These young children have appeared to have suffered greatly.”
The other three defendants are in the appeals process. “The co-defendants have yet to perfect their appeals,” according to the DA’s office.
Jeanine Van Alphen is being held in the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County, the state’s only women’s maximum security prison, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty, prosecuted the 12-day trial in August 2016. State police Senior Investigator Eric Barnes led the investigation into the five-year case.
“I honestly believe they [the child victims] needed other adults to believe that what they said happened, really happened,” Czajka said at the time the defendants were convicted. “The children have been very, very brave. I don’t know that there will ever be closure for them, but I think this will help.”
Columbia Co., NY
Window Would Open For Child Sex Abuse Victims To Sue With Proposed Bill in Indiana
By BRANDON SMITH
Jancy Thompson was a USA swimmer whose coach abused her in her early teens. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)
The Indiana Senate will consider a bill giving victims of child sex abuse a limited window to file civil lawsuits against their abuser – even if the statute of limitations has expired.
Forget the window and open the damn door!
Victims of child sex abuse can sue their abusers in civil court. But they can only do so within either seven years of when they were abused or four years after they’re no longer a dependent of their abuser.
Jancy Thompson says that’s often not enough time. She was a USA swimmer, abused by her coach in her early teens. And she says she didn’t come to terms with that until her 20s.
“I may not have the physical scars of the abuse but I endure deep, emotional ones that will last me a lifetime,” Thompson says.
A proposed bill would open a three-year window – through 2022 – when the victims can sue, regardless of whether the statute of limitations expired.
Kim Compton says the bill will empower victims. Her son Chris was abused by a priest when he was 9 years-old but didn’t tell her – or anyone – for decades.
“It’s a chance for them to speak up loud and clear," Compton says.
The bill is set for a Senate committee hearing.
Ex-Baltimore cop resumed trysts with
child-sex victim after prison release
Caution: Descriptive details in this story
Liz Evans Scolforo, York Dispatch
The child sex victim of a former Baltimore County cop — who has already served time in York County Prison for sexting her photos of his penis — recently told police they continued their sexual relationship after he was released from prison, investigators said.
County officials claim Nicholas Bonsall "groomed" the vulnerable orphan to be his victim when she was 15 and started having sex with her when she was 16.
York County Detective Dana Ward filed new felony charges Monday, Feb. 11, according to court records.
Bonsall was arraigned Tuesday afternoon by District Judge Jennifer Clancy, who set bail at $100,000. He can't be released even if he posts bail because he's being held on a probation-violation detainer.
He is charged with the felonies of disseminating sexually explicit material to a minor/second offense, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography, as well as misdemeanor corruption of a minor, according to court records.
None of the charges is for having Bonsall allegedly having sex with the teen, since the legal age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16. Rather, each charge is tied to Bonsall allegedly possessing explicit photos of the girl and encouraging her to send him those photos, according to court documents.
Bonsall has been in York County Prison since Aug. 16 for allegedly violating his probation by continuing to see the underage girl and for allegedly committing new crimes against her, according to court documents.
Promised marriage? One of his sexual-offender probation conditions was that he have no contact whatsoever with his victim, prosecutors have said.
"Bonsall promised (the teen) they would get married and have children," Ward wrote in charging documents. "(She) feels manipulated and used by Bonsall and is suffering emotional trauma from the incidents."
After his release from prison in April, Bonsall — previously of Jackson Township — moved into an apartment in West York without his wife or kids.
After being found in that apartment Aug. 15, the teen told investigators that Bonsall contacted her after his release and they resumed their relationship, according to his new charging documents. She was 17 by that time.
"They had numerous consensual sexual encounters and Bonsall told (her) to send him sexually explicit photos of herself," Ward wrote in the new documents.
Bonsall and the teen sent each other nude photos, including of their genitals, as well as sexually explicit texts, the documents allege.
Police said Bonsall had two cellphones — a phone with no Internet access that was permissible under his probation conditions, and a phone that could connect to the Internet, which Bonsall wasn't allowed to have.
Surprise visit: The York County Detective Bureau began investigating Bonsall after probation officers went to Bonsall's apartment in the 1400 block of Monroe Street for an unannounced visit on Aug. 15 and found the teen there.
"The victim's clothing and personal belongings were scattered throughout the apartment — including in the defendant's bedroom," according to a probation/parole petition seeking to have Bonsall's parole revoked. A hearing on that petition is set for March 25.
He was committed to prison on a probation-violation detainer Aug. 16.
Bonsall, 41, was living with his wife and children in Jackson Township when Northern York County Regional Police learned he was having sex with a local girl and had sexted her photos of his penis and a video of him masturbating.
At the time, he was a detective first-class and had been with Baltimore County Police for 15 years. After the charges were filed, he was fired, that department has said.
He pleaded guilty Jan. 29, 2018, to the third-degree felony of disseminating sexually explicit materials and was sentenced to three to 23 months in York County Prison plus three years' probation.
Faulty memory: During that hearing, he told the presiding judge he couldn't really remember what explicit photos he had texted to the girl but said they came from the internet.
He neglected to mention that some of the photos were of his own penis, which is made clear in court documents.
The probation-violation petition notes the girl is an orphan and states Bonsall "took advantage of that emotional void and abused his position of authority" by targeting her for sex.
The petition also notes that while Bonsall has attended court-required sex-offender treatment, he "had not yet made any notable progress" at the time of his arrest last summer.
Before being arrested again, he worked as a truck driver, was allowed only supervised visits with his children and needed his father to pay his rent, court records state.
Nebraska inmate gets 10 years in Iowa child sex case
SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) - A former football coach and teacher already serving Nebraska prison time for child sex offenses has pleaded guilty in an Iowa case.
Osceola County District Court records show 40-year-old Kyle Ewinger entered the plea Monday to sexual abuse and was sentenced to 10 years.
The records say the former Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found him sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in October 2015.
Last April Ewinger was sentenced to 55 to 85 years in a Nebraska prison after an Omaha jury found him guilty of sexual assault of a child. Prosecutors say he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating in 2012 and 2013.
Mississippi man to spend 40 years in prison for
sexual abuse of children
By Lindsay Knowles
GREENE COUNTY, MS (WLOX) - A Lucedale man will spend the next 40 years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing children.
Roger Holliman, 62, was sentenced Monday to two counts of sexual battery. Prosecutors say the victim was eight years old when the abuse began. During the course of the investigation, authorities also discovered two other girls who had been abused by Holliman. Holliman confessed to the crimes, said prosecutors.
“The sexual abuse of these children...is unimaginable and these children should be commended for bravely coming forward," said district attorney Angel Myers McIlrath. "One cannot fathom the courage it takes for a child to tell about being abused. Our children, the most innocent and vulnerable members of society, deserve to be safe... Childhood sexual abuse steals youthful innocence and affects the child for the rest of their life. The depravity of the abuse in this case warrants this 40 year day-for-day sentence. I hope this sentence sends a message to child predators that they are not going to get away with abusing our kids. My office will continue to prosecute child predators to the fullest extent of the law.”
Judge Kathy King Jackson sentenced Holliman to serve concurrent sentences for a total of 40 years, which will be served day-for-day. Holliman was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine, as well as $100 to the crime victims compensation fund and all court costs.
He will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life upon release from prison.
“I hope the knowledge that the defendant will never be free to hurt another child aids in the healing process," said assistant district attorney George Huffman. "I commend the bravery of these young victims in coming forward with their abuse. I also commend the efforts of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office to see that justice was served in this case.”
Greene County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Beth Moore Sends Strong Message to SBC, Grieves with Other Sexual Abuse Victims
Author, evangelist and sexual abuse survivor Beth Moore is speaking out about an investigation by two Texas newspapers revealing that hundreds of sexual predators have lurked in Southern Baptists Churches for years.
The "Abuse of Faith" article, published by The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News, reports that in the 10 years since 2008, "more than 250 people who worked or volunteered in Southern Baptist Churches have been charged with sex crimes."
The article also states that over a 20-year period, more than 700 people were victimized by Southern Baptist Church leaders.
Moore said on Twitter that repeated abuse is allowed to occur when no one takes action.
"It's monstrously common for victims to be abused again by one they thought safe to tell. 2nd wave abuse occurs when those told are either scandalized (backs off, "don't tell me more") or tantalized (moves in, "oh tell me more"). Both heap shame upon shame," she tweeted Sunday.
Moore then posted a picture of herself as a child with a message to church leaders who ignore abuse, "We understand how you feel. We didn't want to know about sexual abuse either."
Then, dozens of sexual abuse victims responded to Moore's tweet by posting pictures of themselves as children, saying they too didn't want to know anything about sexual abuse when they were children.
"At 5 years old I'd already known for years. But I don't understand how they feel because I don't know what it is not to know," one Twitter user said.
We understand how you feel. We didn’t want to know about sexual abuse either.
⚡Wonder Woman is my hero 🦸🏻♀
At 5 years old I’d already known for years. But I don’t understand how they feel because I don’t know what it is not to know. pic.twitter.com/ozRoxsVT5z
I didn't want to know either. Bless you and your ministry. pic.twitter.com/UkYNIwOL1B
I certainly didn't want to know. pic.twitter.com/86L8thao1C
I’m the girl in the middle. I was 7-10 years old when I was molested by my cousin. I thought it happened to everyone. I thought something was wrong with me. It drove me to Jesus and Scripture. I told no one until my 20s. pic.twitter.com/BtkHoAYZqf
Moore responded to each image with a message of sorrow and grief.
In tears scrolling through childhood pictures of sexual abuse survivors thinking
*utterly precious each one is, how innocent and worthy of valuing and protecting.
*most victimizations are never reported.
*many victims who reported got blamed.
*some victims don’t survive.
She acknowledged the abuse survivors who have yet to come to the light and asked the Lord to change the Church.
"Also thinking how many pictures of little boys could've also shown up in that thread. Our darling brothers, we know you were among us. We know this doesn't just happen to girls. You count. We weep for you, too. It was not your fault either," Moore wrote. "Jesus, redeem. Raise up. Reform us."
SBC President J.D. Greear said church leaders should have listened to earlier warnings about abuse and promised to use all the spiritual and financial resources of the denomination to stop predators.
He also called for care for survivors, saying, "The safety of the victims matters more than the reputation of Southern Baptists."
Former youth pastor charged with
child sex crimes in South Carolina
By: WSPA Staff
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC - Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said a former youth intern pastor from Alabama has been charged after an investigation revealed he had sexually abused two minors back in 1976.
According to a sheriff's office news release, the sheriff's office's investigators in their special victims unit received a call from a Robertsdale Police Department investigator in Alabama who said they had received information from a Spartanburg County resident who said she was the victim of sexual abuse in their jurisdiction back in the 1970s.
Loana Cooper Benton identified herself to 7 News as the accuser who went to police in Alabama. The suspect of the alleged abuse was identified as Peter William Cooper, of Elmore, Alabama. Benton said Cooper is her uncle. She told 7 News Cooper molested her in Alabama when she was four years old.
"When I tried to tell my mom what had happened, I didn't even know the right words to describe what had happened," Benton said.
In an incident report, one victim -- who was under the age of 14 -- said Cooper grabbed her in an inappropriate area while playing piano at a Bible study in her home located in Spartanburg County.
Additional witnesses confirmed the events and details of the incident, and other victims came forward who said similar acts happened to them as children.
Benton said she thought she was the only victim until years later when a friend of hers said she was also a victim of Cooper's. Then, Benton said her friend connected to a third victim on social media.
"When the Kavanaugh hearings were taking place and a lot of people were talking about sexual assault and those type of issues, the other victim had made a post on social media that was the hashtag "Why I didn't tell. "My friend saw that and knew her and put things together and then got us all three connected."
According to Benton, the three thought there might be more victims. "When we saw postings on social media of him at events with children nearby, we felt it was necessary for us to come forward and report so that if he was continuing to behave this way, it would be stopped," she said.
According to the release, Robertsdale Police said the first victim in the case had spoken to two other victims of Cooper's on social media.
Spartanburg County investigators called all three victims involved and learned that one alleged offense by Cooper happened in Spartanburg County, and the other offense against the other victim happened in Greenville County.
The three victims told investigators that they had reached out to Cooper on social media, who had apologized to them. Spartanburg County investigators then went to Alabama and interviewed Cooper, who said he didn't remember all of the details, but did say he apologized to the victims.
An investigation revealed that Cooper was a youth intern pastor at Central Church of Christ in Spartanburg in 1976 and that the offense happened at the home of one of the victims during a Bible study.
According to the release, Spartanburg County investigators learned that Cooper was primarily employed by churches in Alabama after a short time in Spartanburg County.
Once back in Spartanburg County, investigators discussed the case with the solicitor's office and then a magistrate, who approved a warrant charging Cooper with a lewd act on a minor, which was the applicable law in 1976.
Cooper was arrested in Alabama last week and was extradited back to Spartanburg County on Sunday.
Cooper's daughter-in-law told 7 News that she thinks it's possible that he had more victims. "He's been at so many different churches," said Cooper's daughter-in-law, Kiet Cooper.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office has also informed Greenville County Sheriff's Office officials of the offense that may have happened in their jurisdiction, and their investigation remains active.
Sex-Trafficking: Stop Victimizing The Victims
One Survivor's Heart-breaking Story
A bill in the Hawaii Legislature would allow greater discretion in sentencing sex-trafficked minors convicted of assaulting their abusers.
By Sara Jessimy Kruzan / Honolulu Civil Beat
My name is Sara Jessimy Kruzan. Before I became a human rights advocate, I was known by my inmate number: W-59700.
In 1995, at the age of 17, I was sentenced to die in prison for killing the man who had been trafficking me for more than five years. I was only 11 years old when the man who exploited me began to groom me for the underage selling of a child within the dark shadows of our communities. Yet, during my trial the abuse and complex trauma I experienced throughout my childhood was not admitted into evidence and I was not allowed to speak of it.
The prosecution, the judge, and the media depicted me as a sophisticated monster, the worst of the worst and sentenced me as such. The so-called “justice” system sentenced me — a child sex trafficking and rape survivor — to life imprisonment without parole, plus four years, for killing the man who stole my childhood and victimized me for nearly a third of my young life.
Twelve years into my sentence, I was interviewed by Human Rights Watch where I was finally able to speak about some of the traumas and abuses I experienced. As a result, I received national and international attention from individuals, celebrities, and judicial reform groups, who advocated for a new trial. Not too dissimilar from what recently happened with Cyntoia Brown.
Rep John Mizuno Chair Health and Human Services Comm Briefing on Homeless solutions.
Hawaii state Rep. John Mizuno is the lead sponsor of Sara’s Law.
People all over the world began advocating for my freedom. Due to the tireless work of my legal team and community advocates, my sentence was commuted and reduced. On Oct. 31, 2013, I was paroled from Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla after serving 19 years and seven months. Despite having been free for more than five years now, my heart continues to ache at the injustice of locking up child victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse who commit crimes against those who have abused and exploited them.
What happened to me was not justice. What happened to Cyntoia, despite her sentence being commuted, was not justice. And what has happened to Alexis Martin, another child sex trafficking victim currently serving a life sentence for participating in a crime that resulted in her trafficker’s death, is not justice. None of us should have been sent to prison in the first place — a far too common response for girls of color in our country — especially for actions they take against their rapists and traffickers.
Being silenced, sexually assaulted, raped, trafficked, and degraded creates deep wounds, especially for children. Every day, these wounds require courage, grace and an undefined strength to overcome. Imagine if Cyntoia, Alexis, or I were your own daughter, how you might respond to the vile men who exploited and abused us? Is it so difficult to understand then how a 16-year-old girl, who was raped and abused and exploited from the time she left elementary school, would end up killing the man who harmed her so? What should we do with her? Our answer to this question says a lot more about us than it does about her.
When I was silenced, I felt invisible. I felt my voice and life experiences held no value. That I, as a person, had no value. It was only my act of violence which seemed to matter to the justice system, not what led up to it or what the person I had harmed had done to me. Instead, I was labeled a “Child Prostitute,” “Murderer,” “Convicted Teen Killer,” and “Teen Prostitute Who Killed Her Pimp,” and was left to die in a cage after being told by a judge that I lacked “moral scruples.”
“Girls like us deserve to be protected by the system, not traumatized by it.”
Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” What does it say about our soul then if we allow our children, who have been abused, raped, and exploited, to be sentenced to decades in prison for having committed crimes against their abusers, rapists, and exploiters?
I have been working alongside the survivor-led nonprofit organization Human Rights for Kids on a policy solution to make sure that what happened to Cyntoia, Alexis, and me never happens again. Under our proposal, judges will be given greater flexibility in cases like ours and urged to keep us in the juvenile or child welfare system to provide us with services and care, and not to keep us in cages and silenced. Girls like us deserve to be protected by the system, not traumatized by it. Sara’s Law, as we are calling it, will make sure that happens.
Sara’s Law has been introduced as House Bill 932 by Hawaii state Rep. John Mizuno so that none of Hawaii’s children have to suffer like I and so many other sex trafficked, exploited, and abused children have had to.
Let’s not allow the justice system to take anything else away from child sex trafficking and sexual abuse victims. We’ve been forced to give away too much already. Let’s do better so that the next Cyntoia Brown, Alexis Martin, or Sara Kruzan is met with empathy, compassion, understanding, and love. That is the more humane way; that is the Hawaiian way as defined by the aloha spirit. Call your legislators and tell them to support HB 932 — Sara’s Law.
Five arrested in Idaho child sex abuse crackdown
By: Steve Bertel ABC6 KIVI
BOISE — Five men have been arrested in connection with a joint law enforcement operation that targeted child sex abuse in northern Idaho over the weekend.
The project, titled “Operation Lonely Heart,” was a cooperative effort between federal, state and local agencies. The Department of Homeland Security led the operation with assistance from the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)Unit.
Of the five arrested, three are Washington residents and two are from Idaho. All were booked into the Kootenai County Jail.
Thomas R. Cartwright, 54, of Post Falls
Richard Peterson, 24, of Rathdrum
Carl E. Ness, 54, of Spokane
Tyrel M. Clark, 37, of Spokane
Kilian J. Hoyne, 20, of Spokane Valley
All are charged with enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
More than 60 police officers, investigators and federal agents were part of the operation, including the Post Falls Police Department, the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, Washington State Patrol, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Thanks to law enforcement’s cooperative efforts, we are able to push back against sexual predators who wish to victimize young people. Children in the region are safer today as a result of ‘Operation Lonely Heart,’” Wasden said.
No details of the investigation were released.
Kansas AG moves to block judges from labeling
child sex abuse victims as an ‘aggressor’
By Tim Carpenter
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt proposed legislation Monday to block state judges from lowering prison sentences for adult sex offenders while labeling child victims the “aggressor” who contributed to the crime.
Schmidt said the bill resulted from a December decision by Leavenworth County District Court Judge Michael Gibbens who reduced the prison sentence on a 67-year-old man convicted of a sex crime against a teenager. Gibbens relied upon discretion available to judges, using it to find the teenager proactively contributed to the crime.
“No matter the child’s behavior, child victims are not responsible for the criminal conduct of adults who commit sex crimes against them,” Schmidt said. “In my view, the law should reflect that simple principle.”
Gibbens made the determination in the case of Raymond Soden, who was found guilty of using social media to solicit sex from minors. Soden communicated with two sisters under the age of 15 and offered cash in exchange for nude photographs of them.
During a sentencing hearing for Soden, the judge said he considered “victims in this case, in particular, were more an aggressor than a participant in the criminal conduct. They were certainly selling things monetarily that it’s against the law for even an adult to sell.”
Existing Kansas statute allows judges to depart downward from standard sentence guidelines by ruling the victim contributed to the criminal conduct.
Under the bill proposed by the attorney general, judges would no longer be able to rely on aggressor terminology in the law to make a downward adjustment if the victim was under the age of 14 and the offender was an adult. In instances of human trafficking, regardless of age, judges would be prohibited from making downward departures for any reason.
In Leavenworth, County Attorney Todd Thompson opposed the reduced sentence but didn’t appeal the ruling because the judge acted with discretion allowed by current law. Thompson said he supported the legislation advocated by the attorney general and “working with us to immediately take action to fix it.”
“When appealing a case we must remove the emotional component and focus solely on the legal argument. In this case, we do not have the legal argument,” Thompson said.
Soden was sentenced to five years in prison, which was less than the standard 14 years in the state’s sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors had requested a 13-year sentence.
You might have some difficulty with this whole situation. The girls were certainly proactive in in their exchanges with Soden and probably qualified as 'aggressive' as the judge stated. But these girls were under 15 and one has to wonder what kind of environment they lived in that would prepare them to do such things. I suspect there was some sort of abuse prior to the episode with Soden, but who knows what. What we do know is that it is not natural for <15 year olds to behave like that.
Oregon police officer charged with child sex abuse
IAN CAMPBELL The News-Review
A Myrtle Creek police officer has been arrested after forcing at least six children to send him sexually explicit photos and sexually abusing a seventh, according to court documents.
However, an agent with the Oregon Department of Justice wrote in his report that he “anticipated that there are a large number of additional victims.”
Alexander Marcus Salterio, 33, was arrested Friday and initially charged with 15 felonies, including multiple charges of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct and first-degree encouraging child sex abuse.
According to court documents, Salterio was involved in filming six children on six different days in September and October of last year. He then duplicated the sexually explicit videos, according to court documents.
Salterio is also being charged on suspicion of two counts of coercion for threatening to disseminate the explicit material if the children did not comply with his demands.
On Monday afternoon, Douglas County District Attorney Rick Wesenberg added two additional charges to Salterio’s name: first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree unlawful penetration.
Court documents say the victim was under 12 years old.
Police were able to arrest Salterio after the Department of Justice received two tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a police affidavit.
Investigators quickly secured multiple search warrants and determined that Salterio had been contacting the victims, who ranged from 12 to 17 years of age, on Facebook.
After developing a rapport with the children Salterio would request photos of the girls. In return, he would send a photo of a male teen in order to convince the victims he was under the age of 18, according to court documents.
As the conversation continued, Salterio began requesting images of the victims’ private parts in exchange for sexually explicit videos.
Salterio directed the victims to take photos of particular parts of their bodies, according to court documents and threatened the post any previously-shared photos if they declined.
The investigation remains ongoing as agents with the Department of Justice search Salterio’s home, vehicle and office, according to court documents.
Salterio was hired by the Myrtle Creek Police Department in August 2017 after working with the Roseburg Police Department.
According to the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Salterio completed a course on cyberstalking on Feb. 3.
Salterio was lodged at the Douglas County Jail in lieu of more than $3 million bail.
Alabama police sergeant arrested on
child sex abuse charges
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A police sergeant in Alabama has been arrested on child sex abuse charges.
Birmingham police told news outlets that Sgt. Randy Manuel Martinez of Kimberly was arrested Friday.
The 20-year veteran is charged with three counts of first-degree sodomy and two counts of felony sex abuse.
Sgt. Johnny Williams said Birmingham police officials were told about criminal investigations being conducted by outside agencies and immediately placed Martinez on administrative duty. He was arrested at police headquarters while working in the burglary division.
The investigation was led by Fultondale and Kimberly police officers and began last year.
Kimberly Police Chief Ricky Pridmore said a woman told investigators the crimes took place several years ago when she was a teen.
It was not known if Martinez has an attorney yet.


text:
A Manhattan woman has been appointed by the Kansas Supreme to the state’s Continuing Legal Education Board for the next three years.
Tracey Lee’s term began July 1 and ends June 30, 2023. The board oversees continuing legal education requirements for lawyers licensed to practice in Kansas. Attorneys must earn a minimum of 12 credit hours each year.
In addition to being a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Lee is also the pre-law advisor at Kansas State University.
She succeeds David Moses, a Wichita lawyer who served on the board since 2014.
Other members of the board are:
- Jennifer Cocking, chair, vice president and associate general counsel for Capitol Federal Savings Bank, Topeka;
- Aida Alaka, law professor at Washburn University School of Law, Topeka;
- Joslyn Kusiak, a lawyer at Kelly & Kusiak Law Office in Independence;
- Susan Norton, director of adult learning at Wichita State University;
- Charles Peckham, a lawyer at Brown, Creighton & Peckham in Atwood;
- Meredith Schnug, associate director of the Legal Aid Clinic at the University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence;
- Megan Walawender, senior associate general counsel at the University of Kansas; and
- District Judge Wendel Wurst, who serves in the 25th Judicial District, composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.
The post Manhattan woman appointed by Supreme Court to state board appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

domain: law


text:
Bars that had their liquor licenses suspended due to COVID-19 shutdowns may have gotten a reprieve, thanks to a deal announced by the head of the House ABC Committee and the chairman of the state ABC Commission.
In a news release issued Friday, Jan. 22, Rep. Tim Moffitt, R-Henderson, chairman of the House Committee on Alcoholic Beverage Control, said he received assurances from ABC Commission Chairman Zander Guy that private bars will have their liquor licenses reactivated when those establishments can reopen. More than 120 bars across North Carolina lost their licenses because they hadn’t paid fees to the state. Most fell behind on their fees because they were out of money; Gov. Roy Cooper had shut down all private bars as part of his COVID-19 regulations.
The General Assembly had passed a law delaying the deadline for paying license fees for 90 days, but that period passed and private bars — unless they had outdoor seating — remained closed. The ABC started suspending or revoking permits Jan. 4.
In his news release, Moffitt said he thought the ABC Commission’s actions were unlawful. But he praised Guy and Deputy Commissioner Terrance Merriweather “for working with me so quickly to resolve the issue.” As part of the agreement, bar owners not only will be able to keep their licenses but also will have any late-payment penalties waived.
Moffitt also said he plans to introduce legislation letting bar owners defer any fees and payments until Cooper lets bars reopen fully.
Private bar owners have filed two lawsuits challenging Cooper’s use of his emergency powers to treat private bars differently than other establishments selling alcohol.

domain: economics


text:
A suspected Tamil Tiger bomb blast destroyed a passenger bus on the outskirts of the Sri Lankan capital on Saturday, wounding 18 people, but no one was killed.
The military said deaths were averted after a female passenger spotted a suspect parcel on the bus and informed the driver and conductor, who then evacuated the bus in the town of Mount Lavinia, just south of Colombo.
It was the latest in a series of bombings in recent months blamed on the rebels, who want a separate state in the Indian Ocean island’s north and east.
A Reuters witness saw the charred, mangled wreckage of the bus, its rear blown completely apart.
”One lady has seen a suspicious parcel and informed the driver and conductor. They got everyone off the bus, and then the driver moved the bus 10m to 15m away from the bus stop,” said military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.
”They should be commended. No one was killed,” he added, saying the wounded included an eight-month-old child. ”It was definitely the Tigers.”
The Tigers were not immediately available for comment on the blast, but routinely deny involvement in attacks increasingly focused on civilians as a 25-year civil war enters a new phase.
The attack came a day after the Tigers, notorious for tit-for-tat attacks, said Sri Lankan government fighter jets killed eight civilians, including three young children, in an air raid on their northern stronghold.
Fighting between the military and Tigers has intensified since the government formally pulled out of a six-year-old ceasefire pact in January, though a renewed war has been raging since 2006.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government argues the Tigers used the truce to re-arm and were not sincere about talking peace. It has vowed to crush them militarily, and has captured large swathes of rebel-held territory in the east.
But analysts say neither side is winning, with the Tigers regularly hitting back with suicide attacks and roadside bombs.
The violence hurt tourist arrivals last year, which fell by 12% from a year earlier, while the stock market slid nearly 7% in 2007, with some businesses shelving investment plans. — Reuters

domain: news


text:
Commiserations to Miss Rosie Cooper who has had a difficult week organising a Tribute to Bear Costumes in Contemporary Visual Arts, due to be shown in the New York City Art Parade, to-day Saturday 6th September.
Rosie made bear suits and a poster in plenty of time to be shipped off to an address in New York. Two models were waiting to wear them for the said event. To Rosie's horror, the bear costumes did not arrive. Telephoning the airport, Rosie discovered they had been seized by customs and she was expected to pay ransom money of two hundred pounds, for no apparent reason. Haggling in her best English Rosie accent, she reduced the ransom and persuaded her friend to waste an day at the airport waiting for the bears to be released.
The bears were set free last night, and then Rosie received the sad news that the Art Parade has been cancelled due to a hurricane.
Prick Your Finger is saddened by this news, but delighted to pay tribute to bear costumes in contemporary visual arts, right here.

domain: artistic


text:
My Open Library
Due to COVID19 restrictions, My Open Library service is not currently available and induction sessions are temporarily suspended also until further notice.
Prior to COVID19 restrictions, members of Banagher, Ferbane and Tullamore Library enjoyed access to the library on a self-service basis 7 days a week. The Library is open on a self-service basis outside of normal opening times. Available from 8am - 10pm 7 days a week.
During My Open Library hours you can : Borrow & Return items, Print, Photocopy, Use the Internet, Have access to Free Wifi and use our study space.
Become a My Open Library member today! Call in to Banagher, Ferbane or Tullamore Library and complete an enquiry form.
You can also download the Banagher Library Enquiry Form, Ferbane Library Enquiry Form or Tullamore Library Enquiry Form and drop it in to Banagher, Ferbane or Tullamore Libraries to complete the registration process.
Members must be over 16. Photographic ID required. Terms and conditions apply.

domain: library


Distances of more than 1000 yards on the road
If a fork lift truck is to be driven on a public road for distances of 1000 yards or more or if due to frequency of use or some other reason standard licensing is considered to be appropriate, then registration and licensing reverts to standard practice. The special dispensations for "Works Trucks" no longer apply. The two following descriptions may be of assistance:
Gross vehicle weight in excess of 3500 Kgs.
(Including the load being carried). This would need to be licensed in the HGV class. To be licensed in this class the vehicle would normally have to comply with the road vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Fork lifts in general would not comply as they are constructed and therefore they cannot be used on public roads. This is a specialised area and in all cases it would be a good idea to seek advice. Such advice should be available from:
The Vehicle Standards and Engineering Division
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
Gross vehicle weight under 3500 Kgs.
(Including the load being carried). This would need to be licensed in the Private/Light Goods taxation class. To be licensed in this class its type approval position must be established. Again it is best to seek specialist advice. In this case contact:
The Vehicle Inspectorate
91-92 The Strand
Tel: 0870 6060440
Fax: 01792 454313


text:
so get a cheap pair of black shoes that fit. not patent or fabric just normal ones. i started out by drawing an initial design on the shoes with a white water colour pencil. the design on these are the iron fist wolf beater :)
now i actually made a mistake here, the grey is too light. get a grey like slate grey or darker and paint around the shoe(and over the eye) if you make a mistake like the one i made just leave to dry and paint over. leave the area around the teeth black for the moment
while the grey is drying i started on the teeth, which is kind of tricky but not too hard. start by painting in the teeth(skull white) waith for it to dry then paint daps of red not too precise just where you think it needs. while it dries paint a light grey outline around the teeth like i did. then with your black paint little bits of outline in and around the teeth and gums. if you want gently flick your paintbrush with red onto your shoe to make it look more gruesom :)
so i fixed my mistake and made it darker this is the shade that you should have started out with.
this is pretty straight forward. draw your "fur" with your pencil if your worried about making a mistake leave a gap in the middle of the shoe for the eye. make your strokes loose not precise.
when its all dry paint in your eye on both sides. put in as much detail as you can to the eye as you can to the eye
this is what it should look like. paint in eye, then paint in the red pupil, the the black iris when its all dry paint in tiny white circles to look like moisture in the eye
paint your heels red :) this took a good few laters as it was very streaky for me. so say 4 layers
( im not sure why is orange in this picture but its actually very dark red lol)
and this is the finished piece :) hope you like it and hope the tutorial was helpful :) dont forget to varnish the shoes as when they get wet the paint my fade


text:
Pollutants still flow into river in stormwater
So why fork out millions to dig out polluted mud on its bottom, some ask?
Say you're walking your dog on Cherry Street just east of Seattle University and fail to pick up the pooch's poop. The mess can ultimately find its way to the Duwamish River, clear on the other side of Safeco Field.
Suppose you park your car near Rainier Avenue South in Rainier Beach, and it leaks oil. That, too, can find its way past Sea-Tac Airport and into the Duwamish.
You don't have to be anywhere near the Duwamish to pollute it. About 32 square miles of this city and Tukwila drain into the Duwamish, including Beacon Hill, the International District, parts of Interstate 5 and Boeing Field.
When it rains, pollutants are carried to the Duwamish in stormwater that flows off streets and roofs and parking lots and lawns -- at the rate of about 3 billon to 5 billion gallons a year. Anything that's on the ground washes toward the river. So much polluted water is involved that one tunnel carrying it beneath Beacon Hill is 9 feet wide.
This is a key problem in cleaning up the Duwamish -- as long as contaminants keep running into the river, why fork out millions to dig out polluted mud on its bottom?
"Why would we spend the money to do a cleanup and get a partially healthy Duwamish River?" asked Heather Trim of the environmental group People for Puget Sound. "Why would we only partially restore the health of our system?"
But holding off on removing decades' worth of pollution in the river doesn't make sense, said state Ecology Department official Dan Cargill.
"That's like dropping a car battery in your garage and not cleaning it up because you know you are going to spill some oil later," Cargill said.
Seattle has launched an aggressive campaign of business inspections to keep pollutants out of stormwater. But environmentalists say it fails to strike at one of the most vexing classes of pollutants, phthalates. Cleanup officials don't even know where they are coming from, or how they are getting into stormwater.
Pronounced THAL-ates, these chemicals appear to cause malformed penises, undescended testicles and reduced testosterone production in laboratory rats exposed to large doses.
In the bloodstream of pregnant women, even at much lower levels, phthalates correlate with impaired testicular function and subtle genital changes in baby boys to make them a bit more like baby girls. One of the most common phthalates also has been associated in humans with shortened pregnancies, and recently phthalates in adult men were found to be correlated with bigger midsections and a prediabetic condition.
Children are particularly vulnerable, scientists reported this year after reviewing numerous studies. They said tests show that "tolerable intake (in) children is exceeded to a considerable degree, in some instances up to twentyfold."
Phthalates have many uses, but they are most copiously employed to soften vinyl and other plastics. From the shower curtain you push aside in the morning to the toys your kids play with in the tub at night, consumers are confronted with phthalates all over. Worldwide, some 4 million tons are produced each year.
Phthalates don't build up in humans or animals, but they are so widespread that everything is constantly bombarded by them, scientists say.
Recently a consortium of local government officials studying the problem concluded that they can't really do anything about phthalates as far as the Duwamish River is concerned. The levels there violate state standards, they said, and they may continue to pour in, but they stressed the need to get the PCBs out first and come back to this problem later.
Environmentalists are concerned that later could mean much, much later.
Trim says a much more aggressive approach is needed, starting with a major research effort in the next few years, before the Duwamish cleanup plan is finished in 2009, to find the source of the phthalates. Early this month City Councilman Richard Conlin secured $100,000 for a phthalate study, but Trim figures she needs five to 10 times more.
"If this is such a significant input into the Duwamish River," she asks, "what about in your home?"
What does Seattle Public Utilities stormwater inspector Ellen Stewart have to fight stormwater pollution? In her back pocket she carries a flashlight and gloves. A camera is slung over her shoulder, and she sometimes brings along a long pole with a metal circle on the end -- to hold a cup to get samples of the gunk down in the pipes that carry away the stormwater.
Those are fine tools -- but they are not going to help in the fight against phthalates, environmentalists point out.
But still, Stewart believes the inspection program is worthwhile. She's found places with buckets of antifreeze, oily parts, partially full waste drums and much more, all exposed to the weather where they could leak onto the ground and, ultimately, into the Duwamish.
And she finds some businesses fail to clean their catch basins, meaning pollutants get whisked toward local waterways instead of settling out of the water.
"We do inspections because education is a big part of (pollution) control," Stewart said between inspections of a sidecar manufacturer and the School Board's repair shops. "We never have the same day twice. There's so many different types of businesses in Seattle."
Environmentalists, though, call for a coordinated look at every drainage basin to find the source of pollution, with technicians working their way up drainage pipes taking samples and tracing the source of chemicals coming out the end of the pipe. That would be even more expensive than the intense inspection program, though.
Trim points to the tens of millions spent already on planning the cleanup of mud in the river.
"They have not put an equal amount of effort and money into pollution prevention and trying to track down where the chemicals are coming from, and part of that is because Ecology doesn't have a budget to do this," she said.


The Solo C3 carbon monoxide (CO) detector tester spray is designed for use in conjunction with the Solo 330 dispenser. Used in this controlled manner, the canister safely tests a CO detector by introducing a measured amount of CO gas to the sensor, whilst maintaining concentration levels below the toxic threshold. The Solo C3 tester is non-flammable and is supplied in a non-hazardous pressurised canister.
This is the technical data for the Solo C3 - Carbon Monoxide Detector Tester.
|Available Sizes||250ml canister|
|Manufacturer Part Number||SOLOC3|
The following technical data sheets are available for this product:
|Product Code: NCSOLOC3||
2 in stock
£15.99 ex VAT
£19.19 inc VAT
1 customers have rated this product and it has an overall rating of 4 out of 5


Mastrangelo spent 12 years total with Wenner Media. His firing comes after first-quarter ad page numbers showed an increase of 17 percent from last year.
“It is what it is,” Mastrangelo told Adweek. “It’s the right of the owner to make those decisions.”
Wenner joined Rolling Stone from Men's Journal, where he was publisher, the New York Observer reported.


text:
Having acquired a development site in Heybridge, Maldon, obtained planning consent on appeal, and commenced the development of 30 much needed affordable homes, Colne received an application made by a local resident to register the site as a village green under the Commons Act 2006 in July 2011. The application had much local support. If successful the development could not proceed, and the financial loss may have exceeded 1 million. Pending the outcome of the application the build contract had to be put on hold.
Having served Colne’s objection to the application in September 2011, and having collated strong evidence in opposition to the application, the application was referred to be heard at a Public Inquiry.
Any undue delay in the resolution of the application could have rendered the development unviable. It was vital that we secured for Colne the earliest possible Inquiry date. Under threat of judicial review proceedings Essex County Council made an additional slot available in January 2012. The Public Inquiry was held over 4 days and resulted in a positive Inspector’s report recommending that no part of the site should be registered as a village green.
A final decision on the application from the Development and Regulation Committee of Essex County Council is expected at its next meeting scheduled for 27th April 2012.
“Lee Pearce has helped us to resolve a number of property related disputes. His no nonsense, clear and reliable advice coupled with his understanding of our requirements as a modern housing association has ensured the best possible outcomes for us on each occasion.”
Mark Powell Davies, Chief Executive, Colne Housing Society.


General Motors’ Chevrolet division launched the very first Chevelle for sale in 1963, and they remained to manufacture it through the 1977 design year. In the muscle car period of the late 1960s, the Chevelle was an amazing success. It even offered the basis for the reintroduced El Camino, and it offered the platform upon which Chevelle would base the Monte Carlo for 1970.
Chevy Chevelles For Sale
Chevrolet developed that very first Chevelle to take on the incredibly popular Ford Fairlane. For this reason, the Ford Fairlane would initially offer the inspiration for the Chevelle’s specific size along with many of its visual cues. However, the Chevelle would rapidly handle a life of its own, and Chevrolet would desert the function of competing with the Fairlane in pursuit of even greater success.
During the 1960s and in the early 1970s, there was a lot of range for each design year of the Chevelle for sale in Elizabeth CO 80107 offered to consumers. This was the very first time the American car market had seen a model that aimed to be all things to all individuals. There were convertibles, economy-oriented sedans, station wagons tailored for the households, and naturally, the muscled coupes. The Chevelle for sale was likewise readily available through special nameplates throughout the years, such as Wanderer, Wanderer Customized, Greenbrier, Concours Estate, and Concours.
Each vehicle in the A-body series boasted a pony vehicle offering called the Super Sport (SS). In many cases, it was a distinct model, but in other cases, such as the El Camino, the SS was just a trim bundle, the focal point of which was a huge block engine. The SS design offered with the first Chevelle for sale in Elizabeth CO 80107 was the primary of these Super Sport designs, and it marked Chevrolet’s first severe entry into exactly what had rapidly become an extremely competitive muscle car segment. Two years into the model, there is an unique change to the automobile, as GM was presenting the Coke-bottle body shape anywhere it made sense to do so.
Throughout this period, GM had a limitation in place for all of its departments that avoided mid-size or smaller sized vehicles from consisting of a 400 or greater cubic inch displacement. However, this was a period when every muscle car buyer wanted the greatest engine they might perhaps get. It had not been that much more pricey, and fuel and insurance coverage were still fairly cheap. There was fantastic need for these huge engines, so a dealer beyond Pittsburgh Pennsylvania utilized the unique equipment fleet purchasing system as a loophole to meet the demand. A lot of these “special” 425-horsepower Chevelles for sale in Elizabeth CO 80107 took on their own name such as the Berger Chevelles, the Sunico Chevelles, and a lot of famously, the Yenko Chevelles.
In 1973, the Chevelle for sale brought with it the biggest redesign in the reasonably brief history of this model. One of the other major changes of that 2nd generation came in 1977 when Chevrolet replaced the SS as the high-performance Chevelle for sale with the Laguna S3 coupe. This took place for a variety of reasons, however maybe the primary one was that the image of the SS designation had actually lost much of its appeal in addition to progressively shrinking engines of the 1970s. Not long after this decision, the Chevelle simply wasn’t selling well any longer, and Chevrolet combined it, together with all other similar mid-size designs, into the Malibu.


text:
Scotsman Mark Meechan trained his girlfriend’s pug to respond with a Nazi salute to phrases such as “Heil Hitler”, and “gas the Jews”. He filmed the process of training the dog and posted it on YouTube — as a joke. The clip received over three million views. Meechan was convicted on a charge of being “grossly offensive” under s 127 the UK Communications Act 2003. He is facing a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment.
At trial, Sheriff O’Carroll found that the video was grossly offensive as it was “anti-Semitic and racist in nature” and was aggravated by religious prejudice. Mr Meechan says he only intended for the video to be circulated to a few friends, in order to annoy his girlfriend.
The issue here is a fundamental one: “how should freedom of speech be reconciled with the prohibition on hate speech?”
The right to freedom of expression and thought is one of the most important and fundamental rights. It is a cornerstone of modern society. But it comes with a very important corollary. Critically, if you believe in the right of freedom of speech than you must also believe in a person’s right to say something that is “grossly offensive”. You can’t have one without the other.
However, section 127 of the UK Communications Act appears to limit the right of freedom of expression.
At trial, the prosecution submitted that context and intention were irrelevant in assessing the offensiveness of a Nazi pug. The Judge agreed. The case deals with humour and offence — both concepts which are subjective and which will change over time.
In the UK there is other legislation which specifically targets hate speech. But could a similar case take place in New Zealand?
Currently in NZ we do not have specific hate speech legislation as such, although we do have the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015. This Act covers communication where there is an identifiable victim but would not cover hate speech. Section 22 requires the following elements of an offence:
a) The person posting a digital communication with the intention that it cause harm to the victim; and
b) posting the communication would cause harm to an ordinary reasonable person in the position of the victim; and
c) posting the communication causes harm to the victim.
This legislation is intended to cover extreme scenarios such as revenge porn, not satire. Crucially, the Act requires the intention by the person posting it to cause harm to the victim.
In this case of the Nazi Pug, there is no identifiable specific victim. This means that there is no “ordinary reasonable person” who can be considered as being in the position of the victim, and also that no actual harm occurred.
The right to freedom of speech and expression is one of the most important and fundamental rights in New Zealand society, but it is not an absolute right. Section 14 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act provides the right to free speech and expression. On the other hand, section 61 of the Human Rights Act deals with behaviour involving publishing threatening, abusive or insulting words that would excite hostility to any group of persons on the basis of colour, race or ethnic origins.
While some may see this clip as having satirical value, the clip may not be to everyone’s taste.
Let’s ask the lawyers’ question: “Where do you draw the line?” Nazis have long been the target of comedian’s sketches. Take Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks, or the fictional musical Springtime for Hitler, as depicted in Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” for example.
Context is essential. The intention of the person posting the information and the context surrounding the posting are highly relevant — not just simply the words that they say, or the specific act of communication. In the present case, there was no racist intent. Indeed, if any anything the clip should be considered anti-Nazi.
Bruce Hall, Thomas Harré and Craig Tuck


EVERY now and then people, organizations and government come together in ways that exceed all expectations.
That appears to be what is happening with the redevelopment of Bob Bangert Park as a natural area. When the Mississippi Valley Hunters and Fishermen's Association and Quincy Park District reached an agreement last summer, it looked as if it would take three years to complete work on restoring part of the 26-acre park to wetlands, restoring prairie and developing savanna, planting some trees and putting in a water control system. Now it looks like the project could be completed a year earlier than planned.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Association President Glenn Sanders.
"It's not just the government agencies that moved so fast to help us on this. Various industries here in Quincy are saying: ‘We want to be part of this. We can see the value of this for enhancing not just the environment but enhancing the people's ability to interact with the wildlife.' "
In a city already blessed with an abundance of beautiful and varied parks, Bob Bangert Park will be unique. A series of levees will create a trail system. A wheelchair-accessible observation deck is planned. Wildlife is expected to return to the area near Bonansinga Drive and Quincy Bay.
The ultimate goal is to allow the park to be used for ecological and environmental programs.
"We want to make this a showcase-type wetland that demonstrates the value and educational purposes of wetlands," Sanders said.
The agreement approved in July calls for the association to make the improvements to the park, with the association and the Park District seeking grants to help cover costs. The district retains control of the land.
In addition to the Park District and Mississippi Valley Hunters and Fishermen's Association, the partners or supporters include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Craig Industries, Tracy Family Foundation, the Stammerjohn family and Rees Construction.
Sanders and Park District Executive Director Rome Frericks believe that work on the park can begin soon.
There's more work to be done, and there's time for more supporters to step forward.
Quincy's history is so intertwined with the Mississippi River that restoring Bob Bangert Park to a wetland and wildlife haven looks like a natural fit.


Christian Disability network (CDN), an umbrella body for Non- governmental Organisations (NGOs) advocating for rights of people with disabilities in Chikwawa, has complained of being sidelined in the electoral process ahead of next year’s tripartite elections.
Coordinator for the network, Beaton Masamba, said in an interview that people with various forms of disabilities in the district are not being involved in the electoral activities such as the voter registration exercise.
Masamba pointed out that during voter registration exercise in the district, people with disability were finding it difficult to get to places where the sensitisation meetings were taking place which were mainly along the roads and in markets instead of reaching to them also in the remote areas.
“Most of our members have difficulties in walking and could not walk to places where these meetings were taking place. Those who cannot hear could not get the massages and even those who cannot read,” said Masamba.
On her part, Elizabeth Khumbanyiwa who is the Assistant Rehabilitation Officer for MACOHA in Chikwawa, called on electoral stakeholders in the district to identity representatives from people with disabilities to work with in order to reach out to more people.
However, Simone Munde who is the programs Manager for the Federation for Disability Organisation in Malawi (FEDOMA) which is the mother body of all disability organisations in the country said that the Malawi Electoral Commission’s (MEC) decision to introduce tactile ballots in next year’s elections is commendable and will encourage more people with disabilities to vote.
He added that MEC has put voter messages on braille to allow people with visual impairments to access them.


text:
Scientists from all over the world work very hard to effectively treat this incapacitating and deadly disease known as cancer. On the road to develop one such therapy, a set of scientists headed by the University of East Anglia (UEA) has seemingly found a brand new group of molecules. This may aid in combating the spread of cancer and other diseases.
The new molecules are claimed to be synthetic derivatives of a natural product called UDP-Galactose and obstruct the activity of a group of enzymes named glycosyltransferases. Glycosyltransferases are believed to be used by biological cells to convert simple sugars into extended sugar chains and branched structures.
The discoveries could result in noteworthy therapeutic progress in the treatment of cancer, inflammation and infection. Several biological cells counting cancer cells and bacterial cells are said to be accurately covered by a coating of sugar. This sugar coating may impact the way cells interact with their environment and with each other.
Lead author Dr Gerd Wagner of UEA, commented, “This exciting discovery of a potent enzyme inhibitor with a completely new mechanism of action has considerable therapeutic potential in cancer, inflammation and infection.”
The expert added, “Our results also provide a general strategy for how to design and improve such inhibitors in the future. The ‘snapshots’ we have taken of one of these enzymes, together with the new inhibitor itself, can provide very valuable guidance for the development of new anti-cancer and anti-infective drug candidates.”
For instance, when a cancer transmits through the body or a bacterium penetrates its human host, several of the contacts the rogue cells make with other cells are supposedly via these sugars on their cell surface. To develop the complex sugar structures that adorn their surface, cells depend on gylcosyltransferases to attach individual sugar building blocks together.
The UEA study authors have discovered that synthetic UDP-Galactose derivatives obstruct these enzymes efficiently. These molecules can thus likely be used to obstruct with injurious biological processes like cancer metastasis and bacterial infection.
The study was published online by the Journal Nature Chemical Biology.

domain: chemistry


text:
Muhammad ibn Isma'il
|Born||Muhammad ibn Isma'il
≈ 740 AD
≈ 813 AD
|Resting place||Salamiyah, Syria|
|Parents||Isma'il bin Jafar (father)|
|Post||Seventh Ismāʿīlī Imām|
| Part of a series on Shīa Islam
Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl was the son of Isma'il ibn Jafar and an Ismāʿīlī Imam. The majority of Ismāʿīlī follow his descendants through his son Wafi Ahmad (Abdullah ibn Mohammad). His descedants further founded the Fatimid Empire, also called the Nizari and Mustaali.
Muhammad was born on 12 th Rabi' al-Awwal 128 AH/746 AD. His early childhood was spent under the protection of his grandfather Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq in Medina. Throughout his time in Medina he wore a disguise to protect his identity, with only selected missionaries and loyal members knowing about his true identity. The Abbasid caliph of the time, Harun al-Rashid, was investigating Muhammad's whereabouts and had forces deployed throughout Medina in search for him. Due to Harun al-Rashid's wife, Rabaida, and her loyalty to Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl, Muhammad was able to evade enemy forces and migrate to Kufa. He remained in Kufa for an extended period of time and completed his Imamate, which lasted 45 years. He died on 11 th Shawwal 193 AH/27 July 809 AD in the region of Farghana.
His father Imam Ismāʿīl died during the lifetime of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq. He was succeeded by his son Abdullah ibn Mohammad (Wafi Ahmad), who became the 8th Ismāʿīlī Imam. The 8th, 9th and 10th Ismāʿīlī Imams are believed to have gone into seclusion because of the constant threat of death from the Abbasid dynasty.
Some of his ancestors, relatives and the tree of the Ismāʿīlī Shia Islam
Muhammad ibn Isma'il
of the Ahl al-Bayt
Clan of the QuraishBorn: 122 AH ≈ 740 AD Died: 197 AH ≈ 813 AD
|Shia Islam titles|
Ismail ibn Jafar
|7th Imam of Ismailism
740 - 775
- Öz, Mustafa, Mezhepler Tarihi ve Terimleri Sözlüğü (The History of madh'habs and its terminology dictionary), Ensar Yayıncılık, İstanbul, 2011. (Turkish) (Muhammed ibn Ismā‘īl ibn Jā’far disguised himself under the name of Maymūn’āl-Qaddāh or later used his trainer name. He had established the principles of the Batiniyya Madh'hab, later.)
- Öztürk, Yaşar Nuri, En-el Hak İsyanı (The Anal Haq Rebellion) – Hallâc-ı Mansûr (Darağacında Miraç - Miraç on Gallows), Vol 1, Yeni Boyut, Istanbul, 2011. (Turkish) (Chapter on Qarmatians says that Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl disguised his true identity under the name of "Maymūn’āl-Qaddāh".)
- MUHAMMAD BIN ISMAIL (158-197/775-813)
- Encyclopaedia Iranica, "ʿABDALLĀH B. MAYMŪN AL-QADDĀḤ"
|This Islam-related article is a stub. You can help Infogalactic by expanding it.|

domain: history


text:
Forgot your password?
Not a member yet? Join us!
A beautiful idea perfectly realized! 5$!
beautiful, I feel it so $5
â— â€¿â— âœ¿
wonderful! Love the placement $!
I LOVE this!!!! I'll definately be giving this one $5....
Might even do without the tiny violin playing silhouette, because the image is clever enough without it. Great combination of flower and note cliches to make something anew.
awesome image, very clever concept. gets my $5!
I agree with Friskinawesome - Its a great idea but the little violin player might be overstating something so easily simple and beautiful.
nice $5!!! ~ \ (^ v ^) / ~
NICE! .... a bit sad, though, but beautiful nonetheless $5
love it $5
Simply beautiful! Lovely placement too.
Very nice, if a bit generic


text:
"In economics, the Dutch disease is the apparent relationship between the increase in exploitation of natural resources and a decline in the manufacturing sector (or agriculture)".
The people living in the Dutch province of Groningen totally had it, this January 2014.
Groningen, the Northern province of The Netherlands and host of formerly the largest gas field in the world (the Slochteren gasfield of 900 km2), is sick and tired of the Dutch government and the way that it treated the natural resources in this province.
|Overview of the gas fields in The Netherlands |
and the Dutch territory
Picture courtesy of: nl.wikipedia.org
Click to enlarge
Groningen has been used as an ATM (i.e. cash machine) by the Dutch government for more than 65 years, while getting very little in return for it, from an economic point of view.
In the meantime, the houses of the people in Groningen have been hit by more than 222 earthquakes with a magnitude of 1.5 or higher, during the last 20 years alone.
|The annual number of earthquakes |
in Groningen since 1995
Picture courtesy of: www.nlog.nl
Click to enlarge
What also outraged the people from Groningen, is that their companies lose the competition with German companies, due to the high energy prices in The Netherlands. And that in spite of the fact, that Groningen still has massive gas fields with an annual production of 49 billion cubic meters.
Latest victim of this energy inequality between The Netherlands and Germany was Aldel (i.e. Aluminium Delfzijl), an aluminium producing plant, which perished one week ago. Het Financieele Dagblad wrote:
[…] It is different for metal plant Aldel: the energy costs account for 40% of the production price. When these costs increase, they can’t simply be processed into the sales price of their product. In such case, the higher energy bill leads to a competitive disadvantage.
This was indeed what happened and it led to the end for Aldel, substantial loss of jobs and also a loss of millions of euro’s for Groningen Seaports, the company behind the Port of Groningen.
Last week, in a conversation with Minister Henk Kamp of Economic Affairs, the inhabitants of Groningen demanded that their complaints about the drawbacks of gas drilling would be taken seriously and that the gas production of Groningen would be strongly diminished, in order to stop these earthquakes.
And they wanted serious compensation for the damage done to their homes. The Cabinet Rutte II, represented by Henk Kamp, gave in… a little.
The following snips came from BNR news radio:
The cabinet decided to reduce the drilling for gas in the Loppersum gas field in Groningen with 80% during the next three years.
And during the next five years, €1.2 billion euro will be added to the budget for Groningen, in order to reinforce the houses in the province and increase the quality of live in Groningen. At least during the next three years, the cabinet will drill up less gas in Groningen.
On Friday 17 January, Minister Henk Kamp (Economic Affairs) addressed these decisions to the officials of Groningen. In 2014 and 2015, not more than 42.5 billion cubic meters of gas may be drilled up in the province and not more than 40 billion m3’s in 2016. After that, the drilling of gas will be under scrutiny again. This will lead to a loss of income for the treasury of respectively €0.7 bln and €1.3 per year. These amounts are exclusive the state payments for damage redemption and preventive measures and the economic and life quality programs.
Although a 80% drilling reduction of the Loppersum field sounds spectacular, the total reduction in Groningen will be no more than about 15% in 2014 and 2015 and 18% in 2016, based on an average annual production of 49 billion cubic meters during the last few years.
|The annual gas production |
in Groningen since 1965
Picture courtesy of: www.nlog.nl
Click to enlarge
As a consequence, the inhabitants of Groningen were not really pleased with the aforementioned measures of Minister Kamp, as there were still too many loose ends in it – especially when it came to:
- Structural ways and measures to reduce the future number of earthquakes in Groningen;
- Arbitration in order to set the real damage done to their homes, caused by the gas drilling-induced earthquakes;
- The size of the whole area in which the people can claim damages, caused by the gas drilling in Groningen;
- The economic situation in Groningen, which has deteriorated above average since the start of the crisis in 2008; also as a consequence of the mounting energy inequality between The Netherlands and Germany
- Heavy taxed, expensive energy coming from fuel (The Netherlands), versus heavy subsidized, cheap energy coming from wind (Germany) is not an equal battle.
So although the acute situation in Groningen has now come somewhat at ease, due to Minister Kamp and his measures, the next outburst of public outrage is only one earthquake or large default of a Groningen-based company away.
I hope that such a future earthquake will not be ‘the big one’ with a magnitude of 4 and higher.
From an economic point of view this is a very interesting development, however: it forces the Dutch government to think about a situation, in which the yields from gas drilling are not certain anymore.
Gas drilling in Groningen made a slow start in 1946, which lasted well into the first half of the sixties. Only a few million cubic meters of gas were drilled up per year.
The Finance Minister at-the-time, Jelle Zijlstra (1958-1963), didn’t even bother to put the money – which came from this Dutch gas – in a special reserve, as he reckoned ‘that the gas would not yield very much money in the future’.
Zijlstra was dead wrong: from the second half of the sixties on, the NAM (Dutch Oil Company; the official exploiter of the Dutch gas) drilled themselves dizzy and the Dutch gas production soared to no less than 95 billion cubic meters in 1976 (see the following chart).
|The total gas production in The |
Netherlands since 1946
Chart by ernstseconomyforyou.blogspot.com
Data courtesy of: www.cbs.nl
Click to enlarge
The proceeds from the gas drilling in the seventies and eighties were so high that they led to a rockhard Dutch guilder, but at the same time also to enormous inflation rates and massive interest rates of 12% and higher.
These circumstances killed productivity and industrial production: people called this phenomena ‘stagflation’ and the Dutch Disease (see the aforementioned Wikipedia description) became a known concept in the whole economic world.
You could state that the same what happens now in Russia with the proceeds of Rosneft and Gazprom, happened in The Netherlands during those days.
Since the drilling started in 1946, the estimated proceeds from the gas drilling have been between €400 and €500 billion until now. And although the massive drilling of the seventies and eighties has been reduced to lower levels, the high energy prices still turn the Dutch gas into a massive cash cow for the Dutch government.
The worst thing is that, due to Minister Jelle Zijlstra’s refusal to create a special off-balance reserve, the gas money simply disappeared into a financial black hole through the actions of subsequent cabinets, unlike what happened in Norway.
The gas money has been used for royal unemployment benefits, high state retirement benefits, extravagant disability payments and high welfare payments. And also for a project or two or three all over the country (“bridges to nowhere”). And now it is gone without a trace…
For me, the reduction in the annual Dutch gas production is therefore a blessing in disguise: it puts the focus again on productivity improvement and innovation in the agricultural, manufacturing, service, storage&distribution and trade industries.
These are the industries that deliver the real jobs and that should deliver true, sustainable prosperity for the inhabitants of The Netherlands in many years to come.
Still, I doubt whether Cabinet Rutte II and its successors are really willing to structurally reduce the future gas production. The gas yields are an easy fix for the financial drug addicts in The Netherlands: ‘if you get rich for free, why bother to work for it?!’
So I expect that – after the current damage is redeemed and the situation in Groningen has come really at ease again – the Dutch gas production through Groningen and other gas fields will be back at record levels within 5 or 6 years. And that is something to be really ashamed about.

domain: finance


text:
Not a member?
Already have an account?
Please go to the mailbox and click the activation button in the mail to activate the account.
glass lab research flask experiment liquid medicine beaker happy glassware substance scientific bottle sample rainbow chemistry science laboratory
erlenmeyer glass lab equipment flask experiment chemicals chemical analysis glassware scientific bottle chemistry science laboratory solution
experiment chemist characters scientist tube test comic science chemicals
microscope magnification lab medical research equipment symbol experiment medicine scientist isolated scientific technology science laboratory
glass lab equipment flask experiment chemicals chemical beaker glassware chemistry science laboratory solution
student work development technician chemical sample chemicals equipment discovery chemist analyzing medicine test science laboratory glass lab tool research genetic experiment tube scientific biotechnology technology chemistry biochemistry liquid scientist biological pharmaceutical biology
media communication www computer symbols networking science glass worldwide experiment digital search network chemistry world wide internet course social online web teaching
double dna microbiology rna spiral genetics evolution human virus molecule medicine life science medical research experiment helix scientific biotechnology technology chemistry biochemistry molecular bio biology

domain: medical


text:
This Drink Dispenser is made of food-grade PP material, so you can pour boiling water directly without fear of falling. Easy to clean, large capacity, with a lid on the top, sealed to keep fresh, equipped with a faucet, convenient and practical.
The Wear-resistant Equipment Cover does not warp, and it is easy to open and clean with water and ice cubes. Make a variety of refreshing drinks to keep you cool all summer. The kettle can be easily inserted into the cooling chamber without taking up any space. This kettle is widely used in water, fruit-soaking water, cold ice coffee, ice tea, hot tea, lemonade, cucumber water, fruit soda, homemade beverages, sangria, alcoholic fruit drinks, Wine, cocktails, and juices.
- Material: PP
- Feature: Eco-Friendly
- Drinkware Type: Water Pots & Kettles

domain: food


text:
Virtual injection well meeting canceled
ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A virtual meeting on Good Friday was ruled insufficient to allow public input on a proposed wastewater injection well site west of St. Clairsville.
The project at the intersection of Interstate 70, U.S. 40 and Ohio 331 would include a pair of injection wells that would accept waste from natural gas drilling and fracking sites. The material to be deposited there would contain a variety of chemicals, raising concerns among residents and business owners in the area. Those people also have expressed concerns about heavy truck traffic and noise that might come with the wells..
On Thursday, the eve of the proposed meeting, Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra reviewed a motion to halt the meeting and granted a temporary restraining order in the case. The restraining order is in effect for 14 days with a status conference on the matter set for April 17.
Attorney Michael Shaheen filed the motion on behalf of Robert E. Murray, chairman of Murray NewCo which was formed to acquire the assets of Murray Energy Corp. while it is in bankruptcy proceedings. Murray has long maintained operations in the area with a corporate headquarters on National Road near the proposed well site.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources had intended to hold a virtual public meeting using WebEX and teleconference options to hear from the public before deciding whether to grant a permit request from New Jersey-based Omni Energy Group.
Officials including the Belmont County Board of Commissioners and Richland Township Board of Trustees submitted letters of opposition to such a meeting to ODNR this week, pointing out the virtual format and its limit of 200 participants at a time was a barrier to many participating — especially elderly residents and those lacking an internet service. They said the timing on the Good Friday religious holiday was another reason the timing was inappropriate. Prior Richland Township meetings have seen hundreds turn out in opposition.
“Judge Vavra clearly recognized how such a proposal would negatively affect the interests of residents of the local community, when considering the public outcry against these wells,” Shaheen stated after the ruling was handed down. “We know that conceivably thousands should be allowed to attend a true ‘public meeting.'”
Vavra ruled the virtual format did not assure Murray’s right to be heard.
“Plaintiff has shown that the format of the proposed virtual meeting fails to protect and, consequently, violates that right guaranteed to Plaintiff. The Court, of course, is mindful that ODNR has tried its best but has limited options due to the pandemic,” Vavra states in court documents.
“Our virtual public meeting will not proceed on Friday, in accordance with Judge Vavra’s ruling. The Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management is working to understand the implications of this ruling as it relates to their review of the two pending Class II Injection Well Permit Applications,” Sarah Wickham, chief of communications for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said in a press release.
She said she could not comment on what ODNR’s next course of action might be, since the decision by Vavra came late the day prior to the meeting.
In ODNR’s memorandum of opposition to Vavra, the department states that ODNR is not mandated to provide a public meeting as part of the permit process. Another spokesperson had said virtual meetings have become an accepted practice during the pandemic.


text:
Every dog has his day…
…and so does every killer.
Amy’s story is like so many of ours. She gave up her heart to the wrong guy, and then she got it broken into horrible little shards. But Amy’s a fighter. So when she gets dumped, she flies home to Southern California and opens a gorgeous pet salon with her grumpy granny, Petunia.
Petunia’s a card shark, willing to bet on anything. This time she bets on her granddaughter and it pays off.
Family is everything.
From Golden Retrievers to German Shepherds, Amy’s pet salon is a must for every dog owner in Southern California. But when the body of a washed up rock guitarist is discovered down the road — just after writing a bad review of Amy’s shop — doggy do’s and pet perms are the least of Amy’s worries.
The killer was good, and he framed Amy for the crime, so Amy and Granny have no choice but to solve the murder. If they don’t, Amy might end up in jail for a crime she didn’t commit. Or worse.
You’ll love this cozy because everyone loves mysteries with cute animals and plenty of suspense.

domain: pet


text:
VARYSBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) – On a back road in the Wyoming County Town of Orangeville is a burial place for people marked only by numbers.
“This is sort of a lonely place. The people buried here, they were left alone. They were forgotten,” said Shawn Cunningham, chief financial officer for Suburban Adult Services, Inc. (SASI)
More than 300 people who lived at the old Wyoming County Home and Insane Asylum, which opened in 1843, died there.
“They were usually ones that didn’t have any family member either able to or willing to bury them,” said Wyoming County historian Doris Bannister.
Up until the 1950s, some residents were still buried at the cemetery by number. Through the 1970s, 80s and 90s you would barely have been able to tell people had been buried there.
“It was in really bad shape… overgrown, you could hardly see anything. There was garbage in here,” said Cunningham.
About 10 years ago, he started turning this forgotten resting place into a project for the his clients, adults with developmental disabilities.
Mark Cordz also works for SASI.
“We came out here and worked rain or shine cutting weeds, cutting trees down. There were woodchuck holes throughout that we filled in. Wherever there were pieces of headstones, we would make a new stone out of concrete.”
It took them almost three years to get it in shape. SASI client Larry Bobbitt says, “We [did it] like a team.” Brian Chadwick learned to use a power mower here, and now has a paying job as a landscaper.
“I think it’s great, and I think it’s great that SASI’s able to do it because there’s a correlation there,” said Bannister.
The correlation is how society deals with the developmentally disabled now compared to a hundred years ago, when even state records referred to some of those in the Wyoming County Home as “feeble-minded or idiots.” It went on to say, “these defectives are distributed through the county…their presence is always undesirable.”
Cordz says society has progressed quite a bit.
“Some of the individuals that as we’ve come out here over the years have made comments about that you know like, ‘Wow, 100 years ago I might’ve been here.'”
The Wyoming County historian has been sifting through old records to try to match names to the numbers on these headstones. She believes most of the them correctly match up, but not all of them. Bannister says there are still quite a few discrepancies.
“I don’t want somebody to say Joe Smith is buried in grave two when Joe Smith is buried in grave 12.”
Cunningham says he has considered putting up a bulletin board of some type with the list of names on it.
“The ultimate goal we would love to do is to erect some sort of monument and have the names engraved. It would take grants and some fundraising and community support for us to do that.”
For now they’ve created their own sign, marking the burial place that they’ve landscaped for everyone to see.
Cunningham summarizes the effort this way:
“The first time that we came out, they said, ‘Why are we doing this?’ And my response was, ‘We’re doing this because these are people that have been forgotten, and we’re doing this because people shouldn’t be forgotten, and maybe someday people will remember that we did this.'”