TX Prosecutor Punished For Wrongful Conviction Of Innocent Man

Ken Anderson, a former prosecutor who then went on to become a judge, will suffer the consequences (though not much) of having intentionally sent an innocent man to jail for 25 years.

Today in Texas, former prosecutor and judge Ken Anderson pled guilty to intentionally failing to disclose evidence in a case that sent an innocent man, Michael Morton, to prison for the murder of his wife. When trying the case as a prosecutor, Anderson possessed evidence that may have cleared Morton, including statements from the crime's only eyewitness that Morton wasn't the culprit. Anderson sat on this evidence, and then watched Morton get convicted. While Morton remained in prison for the next 25 years, Anderson's career flourished, and he eventually became a judge.

In today's deal, Anderson pled to criminal contempt, and will have to give up his law license, perform 500 hours of community service, and spend 10 days in jail. Anderson had already resigned in September from his position on the Texas bench.

What makes today's plea newsworthy is not that Anderson engaged in misconduct that sent an innocent man to prison. Indeed, while most prosecutors and police officers are ethical and take their constitutional obligations seriously, government misconduct--including disclosure breaches known as Brady violations--occurs so frequently that it has become one of the chief causes of wrongful conviction.

What's newsworthy and novel about today's plea is that a prosecutor was actually punished in a meaningful way for his transgressions.

Meaningful? Not really. I don't think that 10 days in prison, 500 hours of community service or the loss of a law license can ever make up for the quarter of a century an innocent men lost while languishing in jail. But it's something.

This needs to happen more often.

The rest of the story.

Man Owes $30,000 Child Support Court Costs Though He Isn't The Father

A woman lies about a man being the father of her child, twenty years later he's ordered to pay $60,000 in back child support. And even though he now does not owe $30,000 worth of child support, he owes the state of Michigan $30,000.000, and if he doesn't pay up, he could go to jail.  Talk about travesty of justice.

According to court records from 1987, Carnell Alexander's girlfriend put his name on a form as the father of her child when she applied for state assistance.

In the late 1980s, a process server told the court that he delivered the notice to Alexander.

That did not happen, however, as Alexander was incarcerated at the time for an unrelated crime.

It was during a traffic stop in 1991 that Alexander found out for the first time that he owed $60,000 in back child support.

The rest here.

Judge Orders Deployed Sailor Attend Custody Hearing Or Lose Daughter- ACTION ALERT

Another judge that has no right adjudicating.

U.S. Naval Petty Officer Matthew Hindes won full custody of his young daughter Kaylee in 2010. Child Protective Services actually removed the child from Hindes' ex-wife Angela due to neglect. He is now remarried and the young girl is living with her step-mother Benita-Lynn in Washington state while Hindes is serving aboard a submarine in the Pacific Ocean.  In spite of the fact that he is out of the country on a ship in the middle of the ocean, Michigan Circuit Court Judge Margaret Noe has said that if Hindes does not appear in court this coming Monday, he will lose custody of the child.

He should be protected by the Service Members Civil Relief Act, but Noe doesn't seem to care. She believes:

 “If the child is not in the care and custody of the father, the child should be in the care and custody of the mother.”

According to Benita-Lynn, Noe has also ordered an arrest warrant for Hindes if he does not appear.

This is one judge who needs to step down.  You can help by signing a petition demanding Noe's resignation.

Sign the petition.

H/T: Topright News

Iranian Soccer Players Nosrati and Rezai Face Lashes and Imprisonment For "Immoral" Celebration

Two Iranian soccer players are in beaucoup trouble for conduct unbecoming, well, soccer players- in Iran, that is.

Mohammad Nosrati and Sheys Rezai both face 74 lashes and jail time for committing “ an act against public morality.”  What might that be, you ask?  What possibly could warrant a whipping and a prison sentence?  Well,  according to the Soccer Federation the two players committed an "inappropriate and shameful" act. Criminal court judge Valiollah Hosseiny claims they engaged in "inappropriate and immoral acts", all caught on camera.  And since thousands of people were privy to this horror, they should be punished.

As a result,

The two have been banned from attending any games with their team. Nosrati has been banned indefinitely and received a 15-percent cut in his pay, while Rezai has been banned from two games and received a similar pay cut.

See for yourself exactly what happened in the video below.

Only in Iran!


UPDATE: 11/5/2011
Sheys Rezai received a whopping $300,000 fine, and will not be allowed to play for the rest of the season.
Nosrati was fined only $250,000 and gets to start playing again mid-season.  The judge apparently is still trying for the flogging and jail time.

UPDATE: 11/6/2011
From the Tehran times (thanks Robert) Rezai was fired and fined $230,000. Nosrati $194,000 and will sit out 6 games. And still no word about lashings and/or jail time.

Bottom line, whatever the final outcome is-  the fact that these two are being punished so severely for simply celebrating a victory goal (along with the rest of the team) is totally ludicrous. But, so typical of the Iranian mullah mindset.

Pakistan Doctor Who Helped CIA Find Bin Laden Charged With Treason

Instead of being hailed as a hero, the Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA in its hunt to kill Osama Bin Laden will be  charged with 'high treason'.  So says a government commission assigned to investigate the U.S. operation that ultimately killed Bin Laden. Dr. Shakil Afridi, who set up a vaccination programme that was tasked with trying to get DNA samples from Bin Laden family members, could face the death penalty for ridding the world of the most wanted man on the planet. But it's quite obvious the Pakistanis see things quite differently. 

I'm sure a lot of the anger has to do with the fact that the Bin Laden raid was a covert operation that took the Pakistanis by surprise, and the panel was more than likely set up to save face for their monumental ineptitude.  But had the government been apprised of the situation, Bin Laden would probably still be alive somewhere today.  Pakistan's spy agency- Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has oft been accused of supporting the Taliban's Haqqani Network, and I would venture to say it was well aware of Bin Laden's residency in Abbottabad. His fortified mansion was smack dab in the middle of a military town, and approximately 75 from Islamabad, the capital. And yet he lived there for five years!  How could they not have known?  We finally caught up with him after ten long years,  but rest assured  it took that long to find him because the Pakistanis wanted it that way.

Thankfully there are some, like the good doctor, willing to put their lives on the line to rid the world of terrorism.  But most Pakistanis are perfectly content to live alongside the violence, embracing their backwards Sharia law and their Blasphemy law, and taking steps back into the dark ages alongside their Afghan brothers. 

They are not our friends, and yet we continue to send them aid, and that's not likely to change any time soon.

Who knows what will happen to Afridi and his family. The U.S. has been attempting to pressure the Pakistanis into letting them come to the U.S. but,  so far, they'd rather charge him with treason.

Sources: Al Jazeera, CNN, GuardianUK

British Singer Arrested For Racism After Singing "Kung Fu Fighting" Song

I used to love the Carl Douglas song "Kung Fu Fighting". Brit Simon Ledger (34) still does; he sings the disco classic as part of his set at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown, Isle of Wight. But who knows if he'll continue singing the funky, 1974 'Number 1' song after being arrested for racial abuse. Yes,  some 32-year-old guy of Chinese descent took offense to the song as he passed by the pub with his mum. According to Ledger the guy called them "..w*****s and did the hand sign", then took a cell phone pic of Simon, called the police and Ledger was arrested at a Chinese restaurant. He is now being investigated for "...an allegation of racially-aggravated harassment."

Racially aggravated harassment?  Good grief.

And now, because of some bizarrely oversensitive individual, and a country that is way over the top when it comes to political correctness, Ledger could wind up with a criminal record for no valid reason whatsoever. Simon claims this is the first time anyone of Chinese descent has ever been offended by the pretty innocuous song, and that people usually love it.

At first he thought "it was a joke"  but no, the police were very serious.  Ledger added that  "They seemed pretty amazed but said the law is the law and it was their duty. It's political correctness gone potty."  What amazes me is that the police even bothered to investigate an obviously dubious allegation.  So now singers have to be aware of offending others with lyrics to the songs they sing?   Where will it end?  Will they start arresting actors for offending people, too?  Simon put it very well: "There are plenty of Welsh people at our shows - does it mean I can't play any Tom Jones?"

Simon has been out on bail, but is now due to speak to police about the whole fiasco. Hopefully, he won't face any criminal action, but in England, who knows.

One has to wonder if there is any hope at all for the UK.



Source: The Sun

URGENT: Stop The Execution Of Farzad Kamangar

"On 25 February 2008, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Farzad Kamangar to death on charges of "endangering national security" and "enmity against God" (moharebe). The death penalty was confirmed by the Supreme Court on 11 July. "

A teacher, former member of a Kurdish teacher's union (until outlawed) and human right's activist, Farzad Kamangar was scheduled to be executed today! Thankfully, according to one source (International Campaign For Human Rights In Iran), he was not, although 10 others (including a woman) were, and there is still the likelihood that Kamangar will be hanged, at some point.

In a letter from prison, Kamangar describes the details of his arrest, and the torture he has endured while incarcerated:

In July of 2006 I came to Tehran to follow upon my brother's medical treatments. My brother is a Kurdish political activist. Upon my arrival in Tehran I was arrested and taken to an unknown place, it was a very small, dark basement. The cells in this place were empty, there were no blankets or rugs or sheets. They took me to a room and as they were interviewing me they asked me about my ethnicity. When I told them that I was of the Kurdish Ethnicity they lashed my entire body. They also lashed me because of the Kurdish music which I had saved on my mobile phone. They would tie my hands, make me sit on a chair and put pressure on the sensitive areas of my body. They would also strip me naked and threaten me with rape by various objects such as wood.

His trial was a farce. According to Khalil Bahramian, Farzad’s lawyer:

“Nothing in Kamangar’s judicial files and records demonstrates any links to the charges brought against him.” He described the trial as “lasting no more than five minutes, with the judge issuing his sentence without any explanation and then promptly leaving the room.” {snip} the closed-door trial violated the Iranian legal requirements that such cases must be tried publicly and in the presence of a jury.

Please send an email to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requesting, at the very least, that Kamangar get a fair trial. You can email him directly at: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

or via the Education International website by clicking here, which has a pre-written letter

Being sentenced to death for being Kurdish, a human right's activist or trade union member, or all of the above, is outrageous.

Please take a moment to do this. That moment could save an innocent man's life.

Bloggers Unite For Human Rights: The Junta and The Dying People of Burma

What is happening in Burma is unconscionable! Cyclone Nargis made landfall on May 2, carving a path of destruction throughout the country, and yet here we are 13 days later, and little has been done. The Burmese people are starving, disease is now setting in, the world is trying desperately to help, and yet a corrupt government, that failed to warn its people of the impending disaster, is refusing most help. With tens of thousands dead, as many missing, and over a million displaced persons (which could result in even more deaths), the perverse Myanmar regime, continues to thwart the global community's efforts to bring desperately needed aid to the people. Why? Politics, greed and paranoia.

Horror stories abound. The little aid that is being allowed into the country is being confiscated by the military, more than likely for their own use. The food that is being distributed is usually rotten, and most are not receiving anything at all. People are being forced to leave the monasteries, where they have sought refuge and received help, even though they have no place to go. Foreign aid food, rather than being given to the people free of charge, is being sold at commercial prices, as are zinc sheets for roofing. Supplies are being given in return for "yes" votes in the national referendum. Child traffickers are targeting children in the refugee camps.

The useless U.N. keeps begging, but getting no results, because countries like China refuse to meddle in what they believe to be internal domestic affairs.

This week, Beijing blocked a proposal to have the U.N. humanitarian chief brief the Security Council on Myanmar, saying governments should not politicize the issue.

I wouldn't expect any other response from China. They don't want other countries meddling in their affairs, considering their blemished record on human rights, so why would they deign to interfere with Burma?

So, we sit in the comfort of our living rooms, watching a group of people die before our very eyes; the result of a sick government's gross negligence. A people whose rights were violated prior to the tropical cyclone, and whose lives are being threatened now. We sit silent and mute, doing nothing, perhaps reaching for our checkbooks knowing full well that what we donate will probably wind up filling the coffers of the military generals rather than aiding those in need.

And there are many who feel the same way as the Chinese government. But I ask you this:

If your neighbour was abusing his wife and children, would you call the police or allow the abuse to continue because you refuse to meddle in their domestic affairs?

Failure to act, on a global level, has led to much unnecessary death in the past few centuries. WWII, Darfur, Rwanda. And the sad and pathetic thing about Burma is that much of the death was and is avoidable. What harm is there in allowing the world to help your country? Any reasonable nation would have welcomed the help, and Burma would be well on its way to recovery. But, government officials are far too preoccupied with profiting from this disaster than helping their citizens. In fact, there is another storm on its way, and the populace has not been warned, yet. More devastation and more inaction.

We are all brothers and sisters. We are each other's caretakers.

Why don't we act as if!


Burmese Bloggers with out Borders.

Free Speech Takes a Dive In Canada- Richard Warman Sues Conservative Bloggers

Major trouble is brewing for our conservative, Canadian brother and sister bloggers to the north. For those of you who might not be aware, one twisted Richard Warman is on the war path. Formerly employed by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC), he has turned into a one-man vigilante force bent on depriving people of their rights to free speech. To date he has filed at least 26 complaints against various respondents, utilizing the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) Section 13.

The Commission has a unique role in combatting hate on the Internet. Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act empowers the Commission to deal with complaints regarding the use of the Internet to transmit hate messages.

What was initially a quest to silence the neo-nazi voice in Canada, has turned into an attack on the conservative blogosphere, as a whole, and anyone that Warman (and his CHRC cronies) happen to disagree with. Warman has been instrumental in the demise of many bloggers who did not have the resources to fight back.

Since the introduction of CHRA, Section 13, those critical of Islam have been targeted as well, including conservative Mark Steyn. Publisher Ezra Levant, was also targeted for publishing the Danish Mohammed cartoons. Whether one agrees, or not, with the message that certain individuals put forth in their blogs, (and personally I find the neo-nazi agenda abhorrent) UNLESS it directly encourages violence against others, it is NOT a hate crime. And, frankly, if people choose to consider mere words as hate crimes, should not those calling for death to those who insult Islam be liable, as well?


The conservative blogosphere has been highly critical of Warman and the CHRC's less than ethical behaviour and, as a result, Warman has added another suit to his long list of complaints. This time he filed a mammoth Libel Suit against some of the most prominent Canadian bloggers, plus a Canadian newspaper:

Ezra Levant, Connie & Mark Fournier of Freedominion, Kathy Shaidle of FivefeetofFury, Kate McMillan of Small Dead Animals, and Jonathan Kay and The National Post.

Unlike others, who have fallen prey to Warman's warped, litigious nature and given up, these people intend to fight back, in the name of freedom of speech. They have various defense funds you can donate to via paypal on their various blogs. If you have a few spare dollars, donate to their funds, or blog about this.

The Canuck conservative blogosphere is in a fight for its very existence, battling both Warman and the CHRC's thought police.

Are we headed down that same road if Hillary or Obama are elected? Remember the attempt to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, by the liberal Democrats?

Freedom of speech is worth fighting for, wherever it's threatened.

Also blogging:
Michelle Malkin
The Nose On Your Face


Via Blazing Cat Fur

Persecuted Christians Flee Iraq

Christians lived in Iraq long before the Islamic Caliphate first began spreading its imperialistic tentacles throughout the region, in the 7th century AD. And yet, centuries later, they are being systematically persecuted, mutilated, raped, killed or forced to flee what was once, historically, their home. Considered, at one time, the Cradle of Civilization Iraq is far from civilized these days, as we daily witness the senseless violence perpetuated all in the name of religion.

Aside from the typical Muslim killing Muslim atrocities, they are also targeting the few Christians who have refused to leave a country they have every right to call their own. Although every man has the God-given right to worship as he pleases, Christians are being threatened, killed, kidnapped for ransom, or forced to convert, against their will. According to one man, originally from Baghdad but now living in Northern Iraq,

"I had a choice: Convert to Islam, pay the tax, or give away one of my daughters."

2 years ago, this same man was kidnapped and only released after he paid a large sum of money. This so-called "ransom" is, in effect, the "Jizyah", a tax that all non-Muslims must pay, according to the Koran 9:29.

YUSUFALI: Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Churches and schools are being bombed; priests, men, women and children are being murdered; families are being coerced into paying the Jizyah. If unable to comply, family members are forced to convert to Islam. Those who refuse are given 24 hours to vacate their homes. With all this hatred and violence heaped upon them, Iraqi Christians are leaving the country in droves. Although no-one knows the exact number, it is estimated that of the small 3% of Iraqis that are Christian, at least 50% have left or been killed. That leaves a paltry few. Tragically, this signals the beginning of the end of an ancient Christian culture that has its roots in ancient Mesopotamia.

Thankfully, the Europeans are stepping up to the plate. France has decided to take in 500 Christian Iraqi refugees. Germany has offered to take in others. Churches are working with Germany's Human Rights Commission to resettle at least 20,000 to 30,000 Iraqi Christians. And, although it is a very noble endeavour, the fact that they have to leave, in the first place, is despicable. That there are religions that still exist in this modern, so-called civilized 21st century, that are so intolerant of other religions, and even other sects within their own, that they find the need to kill, bully or dominate, is truly pathetic.

We are all GOD'S children- which means we are all brothers and sisters. Stop killing each other in the name of GOD.

"Muhammad" Bear Lands Brit Teacher In Jail

"Hello, my name is Muhammad!"

Imagine being jailed simply for calling a stuffed animal "Jesus" or "Buddha". It would never occur in the west, but change locales and switch the name to "Muhammad" and that's exactly what happened to a British schoolteacher in the mess of a country called Sudan.

Gillian Gibbons, a teacher at the private British International, Unity High School in Khartoum (where both Christians and Muslims are taught an English curriculum) was arrested on Sunday for insulting Islam. Her crime: allowing her pupils to name a fuzzy little teddy bear Muhammad.

For a school project about bears, children were asked to choose a name for a teddy bear that one 7-year-old girl brought in to share with the others. They would each be allowed to take home this adopted stuffed animal on weekends, and were asked to write a diary about what they did with it. The 6 and 7-year-olds chose 8 commonly used names including Hassan, Abdullah and, yes, the infamous Muhammad. 20 of the 23 students fancied the latter, so the bear was duly named Muhammad. A compilation of the diary entries were bound together, and a picture of the bear with "My name is Muhammad" graced the cover of the book.

This was back in September, and according to a British Embassy spokesman the parents had no problems with the bear being named Muhammad at that time. And there is no indication as to why, months later, several parents decided to complain to the authorities, which then led to Gibbon's wholly, unwarranted arrest.

Rabie Atti (a Sudanese government spokesman) has said:

"If she is innocent, she will be set free."

adding

"I hope she didn't mean what the people thought."

In other words, that she willfully, and consciously chose to insult Islam. As though someone would be stupid enough to offend "the Prophet" in a predominately Muslim country. I think not. He does concede that she might not have meant to offend Islam, but that if she did, she will be punished.

For this innocent infraction of an absurd Islamic law, she could receive a 6 month jail term, a fine or 40 lashes!

Don't you just love a civilized, modern justice system!

UPDATE 11/27:

There is now talk that a fellow teacher (from a conservative family in Khartoum) filed the complaint. Was someone jealous of this new teacher? Gibbons just started the 1st of a 2 year stint in Sudan, and was apparently well liked by all.

UPDATE 11/29:

Gillian Gibbons has been charged with inciting hatred towards Islam! Ironically when the Muslim world does these kinds of things, they do exactly that! She faces 4o lashes.

The Jena 6- or racism is alive and well in the U.S.

It's hard to believe that here we are in the 21st century, living in a progressive, supposedly civilized nation, and yet racism still runs rampant in many parts of this great country we call the United States of America. Small, provincial minds still harbour deep hatred for those who are different, finding it virtually impossible to live integrated and harmonious lives with people of different skin colours.

It's never been more obvious than in Jena, Louisiana where 6 young black teens face up to 80 years in jail for a school yard brawl that has deepened the racial divide, and was precipitated, to begin with, by racism.

Although the actual details vary, according to different sources here, here, here, and here, what we do know is that predominately white Jena High School, in Jena Louisiana, still practices (unofficially) segregation. There was a shady tree (now burned down) known as the "whites tree" because it was (unofficially) off limits to blacks. It seems that blacks and whites at Jena High School don't integrate. The whites congregated under the "whites tree" and the African American students would gather elsewhere. Sometime late August or early September, 2006 during a school assembly, one or more black students decided to challenge the status quo and asked the Principal if they too could sit under the tree. The response was that they could "sit wherever they wanted."


The next morning 3 nooses were found suspended from the tree, although it's unclear whether this happened prior to or after the black students happened to exercise what was rightfully theirs to do. The Principal of Jena High School recommended the 3 white students responsible be expelled, but Superintendent Roy Breithaupt (and the Board of Education) chose to suspend the culprits for a mere 3 days, claiming it was just a childish prank. This, of course, angered the black community and set into motion a series of events which eventually led to the beating of a white boy and the reason the Jena 6 are on trial.

It's important to follow the series of events to recognize that this case is truly an example of the racial inequality in our justice system.

First of all hanging nooses on trees is not an adolescent prank, as Breithaupt intimates, it's as much a hate crime as burning crosses on lawns or painting swastikas on Synagogues. These children need to know it is not okay to do things like that, and that they will be punished for flagrant racist actions. They should have been expelled, or at least suspended for a much longer period of time. Perhaps this would have lessened the tensions between whites and blacks that ensued after the the 3 day in-school suspension was meted out.

As far as I can cobble together from the various sources linked above this is what happened:

Fall of 2006: As tension mounts, fights erupt between black and white students at Jena High school. Unknown arsonists set fire to the campus in November, both sides blame each other. A black student, Robert Bailey, trying to enter an off-campus, all-white party is beaten up by a white male. Bailey claims he was hit on the head with a beer bottle. Justin Sloan is charged with battery and placed on probation. Several days later, at a convenience store, a young white male (who was at the party) pulls a rifle on 3 black students(including Bailey). The gun is wrestled away from the white male and Bailey takes the gun home. Their stories contradict each other but, ultimately, Bailey is the one charged with theft of a firearm, disturbing the peace and 2nd-degree robbery. The white male who pulled the gun on the black youths- gets nothing!

December 4, 2006: Again, the details are sketchy and vary, but it appears that 17-year old Justin Barker (white) is beaten by a group of black students (including Bailey) after Barker, earlier that day, allegedly taunted Bailey for having been beaten up at the party. Barker was left unconscious with some cuts, bruises and a swollen eye, but was well enough to be released from the hospital after only a few hours, and able to attend a school function later that evening.

The Six Students: Robert Bailey, Jr. (17), Mychal Bell (16), Carwin Jones (18), Bryant Purvis (17) and Theo Shaw (17). 14 year old Jesse Ray Beard is the only one being charged as a juvenile, the others are being charged as adults, and the D.A. upped the assault charges to attempted 2nd degree murder!

What I find appalling about this whole situation is:

1. That the kids had to even ask for permission to sit under that tree.
2. None of the white's involved in any of the altercations received punishment appropriate to the crime, and some received none at all.
3. The black teens are being charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder which is a blatant and gross miscarriage of justice.

I will be the first to dismiss the 'race-card', but in this case, no way. This is not fair, by any means.

It just demonstrates how racism still exists not just in rural Louisiana but in our justice system, as well, and when young lives hang in the balance, this is not right.

First of all, why are schools still segregated in that way? It's not like we speak 2 different languages. You might not be able to change how families pass down, from generation to generation, their biases and prejudices, but we can do something about it in our schools. I think we should insitute some kind of race relations workshops and classes in the school systems, this way we can teach our kids how to get along with others. Their futures (and ours) depend on that.

Photo Credit above: StrangeFruit- lynching of Rubin Stacy 7/19/1935 Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Click on link for story.

Egyptian actor faces ban for acting with Israeli

I had always thought that in Sports and the Arts, participants were somehow able to transcend all their bigotry and hatred, at least for the duration of the event. The Olympic Games brings together so-called enemies for friendly, competitive sports, and the transformative power of the Arts also allows people to bond in quite amazing ways, without friction (other than the usual personality problems one might encounter). So, when I read that an Egyptian film actor faces being banned by his union, because one of the other stars in the film is Israeli, it sickened me. When those in the Arts, people who are usually a little more enlightened and inclusive than others, are just as backward and intolerant as much of the rest of the Arab Muslim world, then there truly is no hope for that region.

Amr Waked, a young and up-and-coming Egyptian film actor, shooting a joint BBC/HBO docudrama in Tunisia about Saddam Hussein, faces censure by his union, and a ban from ever working in Egypt again if he doesn't drop out. Waked plays Hussein's son-in-law, and the Israeli (who is said to be of Iraqi origin), Yigal Naor, plays Saddam. Waked claims he had no idea that Naor was an Israeli when he signed the contract, and has told his union reps (in an obvious effort to dissuade them from forcing him to quit) that the film is pro-Arab and anti-U.S. foreign policy. Not surprising, considering the production companies involved.

Although quitting would constitute a major breach in contract, and the actor has told his union that there would be severe consequences, the union is not backing down, and has said it would help him financially if he did quit. I'm going to assume that most actors just want to act, they could care less about politics or anything else (except for the few of us who do care), and being forced to make a decision like this is despicable. Either way, whatever he decides, he's committing artistic suicide. If he quits the film, this young actor (who was also seen in SYRIANA, with George Clooney and Matt Damon) faces being blackballed in Hollywood. If he doesn't, he faces never being able to work in Egypt again.

And why unions involve themselves in such matters, in the first place, is a bone of contention for us, in this country as well. That is one of my major gripes with my unions. They should concern themselves with matters only related to actors, not dabble in politics. I resent having my dues being doled out to political causes that I do not agree with. But at least our unions don't dictate who we can or can not work with. Ashraf Zaki, head of the Egyptian Union for Actors said

"The position of the union is clear in its rejection of normalization [with Israel] and requires that members abide by this position."

In spite of the 1979 Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel, there is still great antipathy for the Israelis and reluctance to expand and normalize relations.

How pathetic and sad, when religion and nationality become factors in artistic endeavours.

The Clinton connection: InfoUSA Bilking the elderly with corporate assist

There is nothing more despicable than bilking the poor, elderly and/or infirm. And it happens all too often. People are suckered into giving out information to unscrupulous telemarketers who deplete their bank accounts and leave them with barely a cent to their name. And where do these crooks find their potential victims? From publicly traded companies that sell them lists of potential dupes, like InfoUSA that has advertised and sold databases of "Elderly Opportunity Seekers" (with names etc of 3.3 million older people "looking for ways to make money"), and "Suffering Seniors", a list that contained info on 4.7 million people with cancer or Alzheimer's disease. There was also one called "Oldies But Goodies" that included the names of 500,000 gamblers over the age of 55 (which sold for 8.5 cents per name), and one that claimed: "These people are gullible. They want to believe that their luck can change."

Telemarketing sales have increased, substantially, in spite of implementing the federal "do not call" registry 3 years ago. Telemarketers grossed more than $177 billion in 2006, and it's estimated that 30% of those sales were to seniors. The elderly are easy prey because "they are often at home, rely on delivery services, and are lonely for the companionship that telephone callers provide." According to an FTC ( Federal Trade Commission) lawyer, C. Steven Baker, “Criminals focus on the elderly because they know authorities will blame the victims or seniors will worry about their kids throwing them into nursing homes. Frequently, the victims are too distracted from dementia or Alzheimer’s to figure out something’s wrong.”

One of the many ways these 'thieves' dupe unsuspecting seniors into divulging information about their bank accounts, is by posing as Social Security Administration officials or pharmacy employees claiming that computers have crashed or prescription records are incomplete and then threatening that their medication or checks will be delayed without it. With the pertinent information, in hand, they then rely on banks like Wachovia and others to "create unsigned checks that withdraw funds from victims' accounts. Such checks, once widely used by gyms and other businesses that collect monthly fees, are allowed under a provision of the banking code. The difficult part is finding a bank willing to accept them." Wachovia obviously had no problem complying with that kind of criminal activity, because over the years, the bank has accepted over $142 million worth of unsigned checks and collected millions of dollars in fees from those scam companies. And, in spite of thousands of warnings from the victims' banks and various attorney generals, they continued to do business with those companies until the government filed a law suit in 2006.

InfoUSA, is one of the largest "list brokers" in the U.S. and claims, on its website, to have data on 210 million consumers and 14 million businesses, and although some of its clients are legit (including Reader's Digest and Conde' Naste) they have no compunction dealing with the criminal fringe and have sold thousands of lists to companies that have scammed the elderly.

You might have noticed InfoUSA (owned by Vinod Gupta) in the news recently. Apart from their dubious dealings with scammers of seniors, which has only recently come to light, some angry shareholders filed a law suit last year claiming, among other things, that "Mr. Gupta wasted the company’s money trying “to ingratiate himself” with his high-profile guests." And who might those "high-profile guests" be? None other than La Hillary and Bill Clinton! Gupta, a major fan and supporter, flew the Clintons to Acapulco, Mexico in 2002 (for a family vacation) on his private jet at a cost of $146,866. "During the next four years, infoUSA paid Mr. Clinton more than $2 million for consulting services, and spent almost $900,000 to fly him around the world for his presidential foundation work and to fly Mrs. Clinton to campaign events." Although Hillary's people insist she "complied with all the relevant ethics rules" (i.e. reimbursement of the equivalent of a 1st-class ticket) they refused to share what that amount might be. And though the law suit doesn't specifically mention the Clintons, no-one (on either side) disputes the fact that it does refer to them.

The Clintons have a long (and more recently for Bill, 'profitable') history with Gupta. "Before leaving office, Mr. Clinton appointed Mr. Gupta to the board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Earlier, Mr. Clinton had nominated him for two minor ambassadorships, which Mr. Gupta declined because of business commitments." Bill received $2.1 million in quarterly payments from July 2003 to April 2005, for his consulting services. His contract was renewed, in October 2005, for another 3 years for 1.2 million, with an option to buy 100,000 shares of company stock. No-one is very forthcoming about what Billy boy actually does for the company, but someone at infoUSA said that Clinton was expected to make appearances at several company events per year, because his presence "adds a lot of credibility."

Stormy Dean, CFO of infoUSA insists that Bill has no affiliation with the data collection aspect of the business, and (to be fair) their exploitative business practices were not uncovered until Iowa authorities started investigating questionable telemarketers in 2005. However, infoUSA was found to have helped provide lists to companies that had already been prosecuted for fraud, or were under investigation, dating back to, at least, 2001. Someone must have known. And why did it take the recent New York Times article (about the Iowa investigation in 2005!) to arouse the interest of the FTC? They stated they might start investigating infoUSA themselves, but what took so long, and will they actually follow through? And surely, Presidents and Presidential candidates would want to make sure that those they affiliate with (and accept donations from) are above reproach. I would assume they have the resources to research the backgrounds of potential donors, particularly the high profile ones.

And I find it doubly ironic that the Clintons would cozy up to a company that collects personal data and information on millions of individuals and businesses (from various sources, both legit and questionable) when Senator Clinton has sponsored legislation protecting consumers' rights to privacy.

But I guess it's just politics, as usual. And more hypocrisy from the liberal elite.

Travesty of justice: Vegan couple sentenced to LIFE, for death of their child

A vegan couple, charged with willfully starving their 6 week old infant (Crown Shakur) to death, was sentenced to life in prison by a Georgia Superior Court Judge.

Apparently, Jade Sanders (27) and Lamont Thomas (31) fed their newborn son mostly soy milk and organic apple juice, in addition to the breast feeding and soy formula he was given, which the mother later acknowledged during the trial. The couple seemed totally unaware that their son was malnourished, and had no idea he was on the verge of death until they took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, weighing in at a paltry 3 1/2 pounds. But the parents, who birthed Crown at home, because they feared germs in hospitals, claim he was a tiny baby, born prematurely. Their defense attorney (per The Atlanta Journal Constitution) "said he believes they unintentionally starved their child by feeding him apple juice that may have acted as a diuretic and blocked the absorption of nutrients from the soy milk, soy formula and breast milk." And so do I!

Before you rush to judgement regarding this case, as so many in the blogosphere have done, let me explain why I don't believe they deserved such a harsh sentence.

The jury found the couple guilty of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. I can understand involuntary manslaughter, but malice murder? "Malice murder", as defined by the Georgia State Penal Code, (O.C.G.A. 16-5-1) occurs when an individual unlawfully and with malice aforethought causes the death of another person. Malice aforethought is defined as an intention to kill another human being. Therefore, in order to be convicted of malice murder, the state must prove that the defendant had the specific intent to kill the victim. This intent may be found in the defendant’s actions toward the victim (i.e., threats, etc.), in his use of a deadly weapon, or in the defendant’s acts which exhibit a reckless disregard for human life.

If they had truly intended to 'murder' their child, in cold blood, would there not have been other tell-tale signs of abuse? Yes, the child was skinny, but every Vegan I know looks malnourished, so the parents probably thought nothing of it. Ignorance yes, murder, no. And Apple juice is a diuretic? How many of you knew that? I certainly didn't, and I am extremely health conscious. Both grandmothers remember a laughing, smiling grandchild who didn't cry any more than any other baby. And if we are going to hold ignorant parents liable, what about parents with an obese child who feed him/her junk food? That kid is going to eventually have serious health problems, that may or may not contribute to an early death. Should they too be convicted of murder?

A life sentence for 'ignorance' is a gross injustice. And for bloggers to condemn without knowing the absolute truth about these people, is truly hateful. Many people erroneously jump to conclusions about Vegetarians. One blog I came across implied that Vegans were greenies or idle rich. Vegetarianism (in all its various manifestations, including Veganism) is not exclusively the purview of the idle rich. People of all ethnicities, ages, political affiliations etc. embrace vegetarianism for a plethora of reasons, running the gamut from health to spiritual and everything in between. Did Jade and Lamont feed their baby soy milk and apple juice with the express desire of killing Crown Shakur? I think not. We probably will never know why they chose to be Vegans, or to not visit doctors, but those are personal choices, which people often keep hidden, for fear of ridicule. I have no faith in western medicine and for 20 plus years never saw a doctor, until some health issues forced me to, but I still look to alternative medicine for healing. And whether it was right or wrong (and that's debatable) for them to have subjected their child to their dietary limitations, they did not deserve a life sentence.

This case brings to mind a similar one, a few years back. Lamoy and Joseph Andressohn (a raw- foodist Miami couple) who were acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in the death of their 6 month old girl, Woyah. They were, however, convicted of 4 counts of child neglect, for feeding their other children a raw foods diet. Woyah had been diagnosed, at birth, with DiGeorge Syndrome (a rare disease with an 86% infant mortality rate), so the child would probably have died anyway, and no-one can ascertain, one way or another, whether her death was a direct result of her disease or being fed raw foods. The Andressohns were jailed for 99 days, while awaiting sentencing, but a judge, in December 2003, sentenced them to 15 years probation and ordered the parents to keep the children on a nutritionist's approved diet and to immunize them. Formerly home-schooled, they are now being forced to go to public school. There was never any question about the amount of food the children were being fed, they weren't starved, it was just the fact they were being fed raw-foods that the courts took issue with. They felt the children weren't large enough, and although they were first considered malnourished, that notion was quickly disproved and eventually dismissed.

I know many people who have raised their children as Vegans and Vegetarians, and they are healthy and strong. Many illnesses are diet related and though I don't follow a Vegan or Raw Food diet (I'm primarily a Vegetarian), it has been proven to help alleviate many diseases. In fact the AMA, in 2002, published an article claiming that "Adolescents who eat a vegetarian diet are more likely to meet the Healthy People 2010 objectives by, on average, consuming less total fat and saturated fat, and eat more servings of fruits and vegetables than their nonvegetarian counterparts." The AMA journal has also stated that 90 plus % of heart disease can be prevented with a Vegetarian diet. So, naturally, there are parents who feel that a meatless diet is in the best interest of their child. Can you fault them? And we've discussed this issue before, but I still believe parenting classes for parents-to-be should be mandatory, including classes on nutrition. Many first-time-parents have no clue, whatsoever, what to expect. They need to know whether a newborn is thriving or not. How do you know that if you aren't taught?

I think what troubles me most, about the life sentence (besides the whole government dictating how we raise our children and what we feed them issue), is this couple received a far harsher punishment than people who have inadvertently (or not) left their children to die in cars, in 90 plus degrees heat; or pedophiles who have scarred for life the children they have abused, or individuals who have beaten and tortured 3 year olds to death. The average jail sentence for someone who actually punches or stabs a child to death is 11 years! Pedophiles have been released on probation! Compare that with a life sentence for a couple who thought they were doing what was best for their child, and tell me if that is justice!

Execution buses- China's justice system at its best

This is an eye-opening video from Sky News about the 'execution buses' that China has established to facilitate the execution process for death penalty cases. Equipped with lethal injections, they are also set up for easier organ harvesting. As it turns out, China has a "booming organ transplant industry", and with the excessive amount of executions per year (ranging anywhere from 3,500 to 10,000 yearly) there are plenty of organs to be had. In fact, they are so plentiful, one can be arranged with just a few weeks notice. According to the Sky News report, there are more executions in China, per annum, than the rest of the world combined. So it begs the question, are the inordinate amount of executions a direct result of the demand for human body parts?

Unfortunately, as in this country, many people have been unjustly sentenced to death for crimes they did not commit. However, in the U.S., as a result of our slow judicial process, chances are those 'innocents' might eventually be released, as they have been in the past. Not so in China. They are often sentenced, without due process, and executed within a very short period of time. And so the Chinese government continues down the same rosy path.

To view, click here.

Rape, Lies and LaCrosse players- a travesty of justice

Remember the 3 white Duke University LaCrosse players who were accused of raping Crystal Gail Mangum, a black 28 year old university student moonlighting as an exotic dancer? Well, finally, after a year of scandal (which included a recant, major inconsistencies in the accuser's story, concealment of exculpatory evidence by an overzealous D.A. and allegations of racism), several sources involved in the case, have indicated that all charges are to be dropped, in the very near future.

Originally indicted for rape, that charge was dropped when the 'victim' suddenly decided, many months later, that maybe she wasn't raped, after all. Didn't help matters when the DNA they found on her underwear (and elsewhere) proved to be from other individuals, not the 3 accused men. And, in spite of her very questionable past (including another rape accusation that she did not follow through with) the 'assault' and 'kidnapping' charges remained, until now. The players have always maintained their innocence.

Even though Mike Nifong, the D.A., is facing charges of unethical behavior and possible disbarment, (and the 3 young men might consider filing civil lawsuits), their lives have been irreparably damaged. They will carry, throughout their lives, the stigma of having been accused of rape, even if acquitted of all charges.

So why did she accuse these men of rape to begin with? Did she think she could make some quick money by suing them? Was she so drunk (and apparently she was) she didn't remember anything? We'll probably never know, but whatever her twisted reason, what distresses me most is that this female's blatant lies have set back the woman's rights movement decades. It's hard enough proving rape to begin with, or getting women to even come forward (because of the general scepticism surrounding rape allegations), but this travesty of justice is going to make it even more difficult to prove. Way to go Crystal!

Though her actions are unforgivable, and she needs to take responsibility for them, the men have some share in that responsibility, as well. If you play with fire, you just might get burned.