So would it be okay for my kid...say I am a Whambattian (made up religion) that feels it glorifies God to be nude...to attend school unclothed?

That would be as potentially injurious to the child as the over zealous mother in this case I think but honestly...why not?

What extremes are okay?

How about this thought...

Miss America is suppose to represent all Americans right? This country is pretty divided on the subject.

She didn't have the intelligence, poise and where with all to answer in a way that would include all Americans and in doing so missed a golden opportunity to say that what makes this country great is that it is a country that allows us to disagree, to voice that disagreement and to pursue happiness (mostly...if gay marriage is made legal) in the ways that are in accordance with our own conscience.

As a home brewer off and on for twenty-five years I wanted to share Beer Day with you all. Beer is truly the staff off life grain, malt, hops and yeast it is brilliant, sustaining and a terrific hobby.

Like Ben Franklin said, "Beer is proof God loves us, and wants us to be happy."

So, have a beer today. Or better yet...say to heck with the big brewers stop by your local brew pub and after a beer look into home brewing!


German Beer Day was started in 1994 to pay tribute to the founding of the country's famed purity law, or Reinheitsgebot, in 1516, which decreed that beer could include only water, malt and hops. Only centuries later did brewers discover yeast was also required to ferment their amber nectar.

German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner acted as “beer ambassador” in Berlin on Thursday, celebrating the hoppy occasion with the German Brewers Federation (DBB) and the DIRB beer purity institute by honouring the industry’s most engaged players.

While the DBB reports that Germany has the world’s most diverse beer market, a shrinking number of large brewers threatens this variety, Brauen.de said on Thursday.

“The beer variety shrank significantly in recent years, which also has to do the great market power of some large breweries,” the company said.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, high-calorie beer was considered a diet staple in Germany. But now large breweries filter beer to increase shelf life, decreasing its nutritional value.

“It’s no wonder that the trend is turning back to beer brewing like the mothers of old,” the company said, adding that home brewing could save Germany’s manifold beer tradition.

“More households in Germany are brewing their beer themselves,” home brewing supplier Dirk Oschmann said. “What often begins as a gag or a gift turns into a serious hobby combined with a multifaceted taste experience.”

The words "under God" are not part of the original pledge but were in fact added in the 1950's.

There is extensive information on this available on the net so I won't go on.

Why is she a nutjob? Because she is acting in the extreme.

Can you imagine what sort of adult that kind of over zealousness will produce? One shudders to think. This child is seven...and her mother feels an untucked shirt that allows the outline of her buttocks to be seen through a skirt or pants is offensive, revealing or obscene?

Oh...and I have a question. Are you defending this woman because she identifies as a Christian? Because I have seen many attack Muslim parents when they wanted their children to wear head scarfs to school.

Like Winxter I feel damned sorry for this child.

Everything is more fun with a monkey!

"True, Just think about the Fact that We Have only Examined Our Arm (the Orion Arm) of the Milkyway. to think there's no other Life in the Milkyway Little Lone the Universe is Absurd."

Sorry...I have to ask about the seemingly random capitalization in your posts.

Are the words capitalized important words? Are you hoping to emphasize some aspect of the post and I am just not seeing it? Or do you just have a sticky keyboard?

I ask this because in some of your posts you do this and in others you do not. I find it somewhat perplexing.

"It's lovely to see how many times God is mentioned in the documents of our founding fathers and gay in not mentioned once"

Get out the documents in question.

If this country was intended to be a Christian nation ruled by the Christians in accordance with the Bible...why did the founders bother with a Constitution or a Bill of Rights?

What it does not say is as telling as what it does say.

Women aren't mentioned in the Constitution. Humm must be women are not entitled to rights.

Gee...the unborn aren't mentioned once in the Constitution yet you would extend...logically in your mind anyway, the same rights to the unborn as you would to fully functioning citizens.

Funny...imagine...reading a document then picking and choosing what to believe and support...ummm...much like so many do with scripture.

Amazing really...I have to wonder how some people get through the day...

That no matter what you do some nutjob will be alarmed by it or offended by it.

Really...haha...and we(not me)think the headscarf is wrong?

Once again...proof that religious fundamentalist of any stripe are extreme, scary and scared.

Mother uses Bible verse on modesty to fight Irving ISD dress code requiring tucked-in shirts

11:41 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 22, 2009

By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
kunmuth@dallasnews.com

Dyker Neyland says she fought for her daughter's right to attend Irving's Thomas Haley Elementary School wearing an untucked shirt because of her religious beliefs as a Christian.

The Irving school board agreed with her this week and overturned decisions by the principal and district administrators, who had told Neyland that her daughter, Javé, must attend school with her shirt tucked in.

Neyland says Javé, a 7-year-old second-grader, has the right to wear her shirttail out because of a Bible verse, 1 Timothy 2:9, which dictates that "women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing."

"I don't want her behind showing," Neyland said. "I don't want her body being exposed."

It's all a matter of interpretation. Many private religious schools enforce tucked-in shirts as well.

The school board's waiver for Neyland raises an important question: Does anyone who cites Scripture get a pass on the dress requirement?

"I feel I am being persecuted for being a Christian," she told the board before the vote. "There will be a day of reckoning, and you will have to answer to God."

School board president Jerry Christian supported her request and said the student handbook for parents doesn't even mention anything about tucking shirts in. Therefore, it's unclear, he said

"Thank you, Jesus. God is good!" Neyland cried out.

The school board agreed with Neyland on a 6-1 vote. Board member Randy Stipes provided the lone vote against Neyland. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Neyland said she was raised Baptist in Louisiana but does not attend church regularly since she cannot afford to buy a nice dress. She is a single mother. Melba Jackson, who cited the same verse in getting Irving's Barton Elementary to allow her daughter to wear her shirt untucked, helped her with her argument.

The school district has a dress code but allows individual campuses that require uniforms the flexibility to adopt their own dress requirements for students.

All Irving elementary and middle schools require uniforms. According to the district's Web site, elementary children are required to wear collared shirts or blouses tucked in with khaki or navy pants or skirts. Shirts are allowed to be white, light and navy blue, hunter green or an authorized school shirt.

The district's attorney, James Deatherage, said that in Texas, parents may get exemptions to uniform rules if they cite religious beliefs.

Christian, the board president, said the rule is in place mostly so students appear neat and not "sloppily in dress" at school.

Irving assistant to the superintendent Ralph Diaz, who represented the district's side in the hearing, said the dress rule is "consistent with all students."

"It's part of a dress requirement similar to a belt," he said.

Neyland has repeatedly clashed with the school's new principal, Lisa Molinar, at one point wearing a sign accusing her of being a dictator. Molinar said she had no comment on the situation.

Several board members mentioned their religious beliefs before voting, though their interpretation of the Scripture differed from Neyland's.

"I'm a Christian," said trustee Valerie Jones. "There could be a Christian who believes it might be more modest for their child's shirt to be tucked in than not to be tucked in. ... There is room for interpretation even amongst Christians."

Funny...how some cry out in support of the Constitution from one side of their mouth while ripping it to pieces from the other.

But...any way the wind blows eh?

Umm and our founding fathers fears that the majority would trample all others...dare I once more mention the tyranny of the majority our founder mentioned more than once.

But...if you insist on majority rule as you trumpeted it in California then take note in New York state the majority favors gay marriage.

The new Siena poll in New York State shows that a majority of registered voters here favor legalizing gay marriage -- a push that currently has the support of Gov. David Paterson and others, but is not guaranteed passage in the state Senate.

The numbers: 53% favor, 39% oppose, with a ±3.8% margin of error. The internals show all regions of the state (New York City, the suburbs and Upstate) support it by various margins.

Among religious sub-groups, only 41% of Protestants favor it to 53% against, Jews favor it 64%-32% -- and Catholics favor it by a 49%-41% plurality. In the racial cross-tabs, Whites are in favor 56%-36%, Latinos are for it 57%-31%, and African-Americans oppose it with 44% in favor to 49% against.

I would dearly love to address this comment to a few individuals here but I will not...still you know who you are right? Rest easy, you will not be required to marry a person of your same sex if gay marriage is legal.

Will you be required to see gay people daily? Why yes you will just as you are now. Gay people are your neighbors, politicians, plumbers, police, pharmacists, family members, children, teachers, students....

Gay marriage being legal might undermine the institution of marriage that's true. But only because when your gay neighbor, family member, cop...whatever...manages to make a success of his or her marriage when you cannot is going to force people to reexamine just what marriage means.

Straight people have crapped all over marriage with abuse, neglect, indifference and selfishness...you cannot argue that when looking at the divorce rate. Wouldn't it be grand to see people who crave the right to marry make a success at it? Oh...and wouldn't that really make you haters mad?

(I don't think all gay marriage will work but if more than 50% did wouldn't that give gay marriage a better grounding than traditional marriage?)

HA HA HA

WOW...if this isn't an eye opener???

"If we wanted to keep violence down, we would have a one world religion, a one world government, one race, we would all wear uniforms and shave our heads, and we would be medicated at all times."

How about this...

To keep violence down...

Educated yourself.

Respect others.

Embrace difference.

Reject fear.

Oh..and maybe try this, "Do unto others as you would have them do onto you"

The idea that the way to keep violence down is to make us all the same is disturbing and disgusting. It supposes that people are too ugly and fearful to not be violent to anyone who is different. Heck it goes beyond that and seems to justify violence against anyone who is different.

That is very sad.

I hesitate to post this because...well...

Here it is. I bet some of my favorite posters will be attending.


The militias are on the march again: 'Million Man Militia' event planned in July
By David Neiwert Wednesday Apr 22, 2009 12:00pm

Calling Glenn Beck! Here's another "frustrated Americans" event for you to champion!

David Weigel at the Windy happened to catch the latest idea from the militiamen who are starting to see their paranoid ranks rising:

A peaceful demonstration of at least a million — hey, if we can 10 million, even better — but at least one million armed militia men marching on Washington. A peaceful demonstration. No shooting, no one gets hurt. Just a demonstration. The only difference from any typical demonstration is we will all be armed.

As Weigel says, lotsa luck getting a permit for that.

It's all very reminiscent of Linda Thompson:

n 1994, Thompson declared herself "Acting Adjutant General" of the "Unorganized Militia of the United States" and announced plans for an armed march on Washington, D.C. which was to be held on September 19 of that year, in which an ultimatum demanding the repeal of such laws as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Brady Bill would be delivered to members of the United States Congress, and those members refusing to comply with the ultimatum would be arrested and tried for treason. The proposed march was almost universally denounced by groups on the right wing, from the John Birch Society to the militia organizations. Thompson canceled the march, claiming publicly that the announcement was never anything more than a publicity stunt and the march was never intended to actually happen, while claiming to her supporters that operatives in the Federal government had plans to detonate a small nuclear device in D.C. and blame her organization for the act. Publicity stunt or not it effectively spelled the end of her time in the limelight.

It may have ended her time in the limelight, but Thompson's legacy is still with us; a video she shot in the 1990s has been one of the primary sources of the "FEMA concentration camps" conspiracy myth.

Still, there's no doubt militias are bubbling back up to the surface these days.

In Stockton, California, the militia being organized in the event of a police shortage this summer is sounding increasingly scary:

I was most interested to hear from Alan Pettet himself. Pettet, 66, is the organizer of this group, which he said numbers 270. Pettet said he has a rainbow coalition (my words, not his) of rifle-wielding men and 11 women ready to be sworn in by an unidentified federal judge on the steps of Stockton City Hall on July 1.

That's scary enough, although you have to question why any judge would participate in this ceremony.

Now here is a turn that sounds even more ridiculous. But don't take my word for it, here it is in Pettet's own words:

"Five minutes after we're sworn in, we oust the mayor and City Council and then we can declare martial law."

Over in Michigan, militiamen are preparing for the depredations of the evil Obama administration too:

"Am I angry?" asked the unemployed commander, with a semi-automatic rifle strapped across his pectorals. "Yeah, it sets you off a little bit."

Come to a Michigan Militia picnic and you realize the commander is not alone. The farm where they rallied was chockfull of people like him, people boiling on the back burner, struggling to make ends meet, carrying around a knapsack of resentment for a government that they claim has taken almost everything from them and given nothing in return.

"Liberty," says the commander, 33, whose Christian name is Matthew Savino, of Adrian. "You cannot take my liberty. Eventually a man draws a line in the sand."

Why, he sounds just like Glenn Beck!

Indeed, doesn't all this seem right up Beck's alley? That's how you make those dire prophecies conveniently self-fulfilling.

I often use the phrase "so called Christians" when referring to that judgmental group of people who often loudly proclaim their religious positions and who seek to impose their religous standards on all the rest of it.

I think, in terms of the posts here, when "Christians" is used most adults reading these posts understands the group to whom the poster is referring. It would simple take to long to name individuals or organizations in each post unless that post is specifically geared towards say...Jerry Falwell or some other specific entity. To whine and say "And why do you keep saying this as if it were every Christian on the planet?" is childish, simplistic and basically an attempt to redirect the conversation.

Humm so, given there's money here now other than the big pharmacy money wonder how this will turn out. Oh...see related measles story below it.

Whatcha think ladies and gentlemen? Should vaccines be optional? Oh and if you opt out of vaccinations and your kid dies or is forever compromised by a preventable illness is that okay? Maybe it's Gods will eh?

Of course now that there is a vaccine that can prevent some kinds of cervical cancer I know the neocons want them to be optional because you know...they so love that death and wages of sin bunk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Major GOP political donor Gary Kompothecras backs bill to alter Florida's vaccine rules

TALLAHASSEE — Gary Kompothecras, parent to two autistic children, believes early-childhood vaccines containing ethyl mercury are to blame for their condition. Other parents of autistic children share his belief.

But Kompothecras, a millionaire chiropractor best known for his "1-800-ASK-GARY" lawyer-medical referral service, is not just any parent. He is a major political donor whose connections and influence are helping him push controversial legislation that would change childhood vaccination requirements.

Critics say the proposal would endanger vaccine supplies in Florida and expose too many young children to preventable diseases and illnesses. But bill sponsors say they are just trying to give parents more choice and oversight in their children's health care.

The proposal went before its final Senate committee stop Tuesday, where senators tweaked the bill to appease some medical groups. But lawmakers ran out of time before voting, and the bill's fate is up in the air.

Bill sponsor Jeremy Ring hopes to get it sent right to the Senate floor for a vote, and the House can take up the measure after that. Or the Senate Ways and Means Committee could hear it again during one final meeting, yet to be scheduled. Committee Chairman J.D. Alexander said he'll take 24 hours to think about it.

"The biggest first say parents can get with their children is vaccinations," said Ring, D-Margate. "And right now they don't have enough of a say. They just go in and the doctor gives all these shots, boom, boom, boom."

A self-made millionaire, Kompothecras is a well-connected contributor and fundraiser to candidates, including Gov. Charlie Crist, Rep. Kevin Ambler, Senate President Jeff Atwater and Sen. Mike Bennett. In a recent interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Kompothecras called himself "the rainmaker."

Now he is using his position to push a vaccine bill that plenty of medical groups and health experts oppose.

SB 242 would give parents more authority to delay the pace at which their children are vaccinated against illnesses like measles, mumps and polio — as long as they are up to date with their shots by the time they enter the public school system. (Florida law already provides for exemptions from school vaccine requirements in the cases of religious beliefs or medical risks determined by a physician.)

The proposal, sponsored by Tampa Republican Rep. Kevin Ambler in the House, also would prohibit the use of vaccines for pregnant women and young children if the vaccines contain even a small percentage of ethyl mercury. Better known as thimerosal, it is used as a preservative in some vaccines, including flu and tetanus shots that are made in advance and in large quantities. Some people, including Kompothecras, believe thimerosal is the vaccine ingredient that makes their initially healthy children become autistic.

Kompothecras' son Bronson, 12, is severely autistic. Kompothecras blames "the nine vaccines he got in one day" at 18 months old. His daughter, Sarah Alice, 11, has a less severe form of autism.

The overwhelming opinion of doctors, including Judy Schaechter, an associate professor of pediatric medicine at the University of Miami, is that there is no "credible scientific link" between thimerosal and autism. Schaechter, in a lengthy letter to Sen. Nan Rich, a bill opponent, said the bill's limiting of thimerosal is unrealistic — well above levels approved by the FDA — and would prevent the use of flu vaccines.

Senators on Tuesday tweaked SB242 to appease powerful medical groups, including the Florida Medical Association, adding a provision that allows for the use of vaccines such as flu shots containing thimerosal if there is no readily available alternative.

Senators also added language to make clear that physicians who don't agree with a parent's desired vaccine schedule are not obligated to continue treating the child.

Kompothecras dismisses criticism from health officials.

"We're not against vaccines," he said Tuesday. "All I'm saying is, take the mercury out and don't give them nine shots at once."

He says pharmaceutical giants like Merck and Wyeth use donations to influence groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics into supporting their profitable vaccines.

Kompothecras knows a thing or two about donations. In the 2008 general election, he donated a total of about $40,000 to individual candidates, including Ambler, Atwater, Bennett, and the Republican Party of Florida. And he gave more than $110,000 to the campaign for passage of Crist's property tax cut plan, Amendment 1.

Crist, a friend to Kompothecras, named him to the Governor's Autism Task Force last year. Crist did not take a stand this week on the legislation.

Staff writers Steve Bousquet, Alex Leary and Marc Caputo contributed to this report. Shannon Colavecchio can be reached at scolavecchio@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

A sixth case of measles has been reported in the Washington Area, this time in Prince William County, the first sign of the disease in Virginia this year.

The Virginia Department of Health announced the case yesterday, a day after D.C. officials reported finding the highly infectious disease in a District man who contracted it during a recent three-week trip to India. There is no known link between the Virginia case and the others in the region, health officials said. The source of the measles virus in the Virginia resident has not been identified.

Denise Sockwell, the Virginia Department of Health's epidemiologist for Northern Virginia, said the man "did not have a history of travel outside the United States."

The Prince William resident works at the Harris Teeter in Tysons Corner, said Jennifer Thompson, director of communications for the supermarket chain.

"The person is fine now," Thompson said, adding that the store sent voice mail messages yesterday to 1,074 customers who had shopped at the store during the man's shifts April 10-14, alerting them to possible exposure. She said no other employees have contracted the disease, and the man has not returned to work.
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The man also visited several places where unimmunized people might have been exposed, including a Safeway and 7-Eleven in Woodbridge, an IHOP in Falls Church, and a CVS in Fairfax Station. People who think they might have measles should contact their doctor's offices before going in, Sockwell said, so that precautions can be taken to prevent others from being exposed.

Measles germs can linger in the air for up to two hours, putting at risk people who have not been vaccinated. In the United States, that includes babies younger than 1 year old who are too young for the vaccine, people who have moved to the region from countries where the vaccine is not prevalent, and people who decide against getting it for religious or other reasons.

People born before 1957, when the vaccine was not available, are generally considered to be immune because they are assumed to have contracted the disease as children, health officials said. "In those days, it was thought of as a disease of childhood," Sockwell said. According to the 2007 Virginia Immunization Survey, 94 percent of kindergarteners and 98 percent of sixth-graders in Virginia are vaccinated, she said.

The virus spreads through coughing and sneezing. Most people fully recover, but it can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia and death. Symptoms include a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, which can start seven to 21 days after exposure and last about a week.

Six cases in a region in a short period is rare, Sockwell said, noting that before one reported case last year, the state had not had a case in six years.

Excellent Dragoness!!!

Heads up for what may be a must see conversation.

Clinton, Bush booked for joint Toronto appearance
Event next month billed as a 'conversation' between the two most recent U.S. presidents

JOHN IBBITSON
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

April 20, 2009 at 5:15 PM EDT

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will appear together in Toronto next month on a public stage for the first time since Mr. Bush ended his presidency, in a remarkable twist on the cultural cold war that Barack Obama and others are trying to lay to rest.

The two will be appearing at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 29 for a moderated "conversation" that is expected to last about two hours.

It is odd to think of the two presidents seated side by side, chatting amicably about the events of the past 16 years, as they are expected to do, and about the global and domestic challenges facing the United States and Canada.

Full story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090420.wibbitson21/BNStory/International/home?snap

So...domestic terrorist...eh?

Dumb ass domestic terrorist are dangerous too even to their unborn children it seems.

Sweep targets gang
Seven arrested in two-county skinhead bust
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/20/2009 06:11:21 PM PDT

Photo Gallery: Skinheads busted

A sweep of skinhead lairs throughout the Inland Empire on Monday twice took sheriff's deputies to maternity wards where pregnant women were trying to bear babies on Adolf Hitler's birthday.

Seven members of the Inland Empire Skinheads, including the leader, were arrested during the two-county sweep that took a team of 20 deputies to Hesperia, Perris and Winchester.

The white racist street gang has been responsible for murders in the High Desert, drug trafficking, home invasion robberies and countless assaults, officials said.

They reportedly used MySpace to recruit children and forced prospective members to assault strangers outside nightclubs and bars in an effort to prove their worth and loyalty.

First documented by Riverside police in 2002, the "IE Skins" ranks are now estimated to include 30 active members and up to 70 associates, including high school children.

"The most disheartening and alarming thing is that their only purpose is racial violence," said San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops.

Arrested were brothers Thomas Mason, 24, and Joseph Mason, 20, both of Hesperia; Mark Goslyn, 33, of Hesperia; Carrie Goodwin, 24, of Hesperia; Raymond Williams, 33, of Perris; Jeremy Brower, 32, of Winchester; and Ronald Proffitt, 27, of El Monte.

The gang's emblems are two crossed battle axes and the number "95," which stands for Inland Empire. Daily gear includes red suspenders and black boots with red laces.

The local skinheads have national affiliates and one man - Williams - is on the National Terrorist Watch list.

Deputy Eric Ogaz, who led the investigation, declined to give specifics on crimes committed by the IE Skins because it is an ongoing investigation.

More arrests are expected to be made in coming weeks, including two more women suspected in robberies and assaults.

But he did say the gang targeted its victims based on ethnic backgrounds.

"They believe our country is going in the wrong direction and that the white people need to come together," Ogaz said.

Gang paraphernalia seized during the raid was spread across three tables at sheriff's headquarters on Monday. On display were belt buckles, brass knuckles, T-shirts with skinhead logos, about $1,000 cash, two shotguns, banners with swastikas and a copy of Hitler's book.

Fliers advertising the gang's annual barbecues insisted that "unity is strength" and a homemade photo album gave a peek into the skinheads' lives. There were shots of men bloodied from fights, members guzzling alcohol from horns, tattoos being inked on their skin and even a small child holding two guns.

One official said Monday's arrests will likely "dismantle" the Inland Empire skinhead clan. Yet, both pregnant members brought their children into the world on Hitler's birthday.

The first mother, Goodwin, was taken into custody afterward. The second woman, who has not been identified, was being guarded at the hospital late Monday but was expected to be booked into Central Detention Center in San Bernardino along with her fellow gang members.

Yes..I know...why state the obvious? Well in this case this guy may escape trial and that's a problem.

Make note the KKK Imperial Wizard's son is too stupid to stand trial for murder with his dad according to a judge. Behold, the master race!!

Humm good thing this guy isn't on trial in Texas where they execute....well everyone they can it seems whether they or even their lawyers understand the law.

Looks like a way to let this guy walk to me. People with limited legal understanding and even those who are "mildly mentally retarded" are tried all over the place. Especially by law and order types.

Amazing...just amazing...

Alleged Ku Klux Klan member found incompetent to stand trial
Posted by Benjamin Alexander-Bloch April 21, 2009 4:13PM

A state judge today found an alleged Ku Klux Klan member incompetent to stand trial for obstruction of justice in connection with the killing of a Oklahoma woman who tried to back out of a Klan initiation ceremony in a remote part of St. Tammany Parish.

State Judge Reginald "Reggie" Badeaux ordered Shane Foster, 21, to get tutoring in the St. Tammany Parish Jail for the next 90 days by a court-appointed forensic coordinator with the hope that it would "restore" Foster's competency and make him ready for trial.

Dr. Michelle Garriga, who was appointed by the court to examine Foster and did so on March 16, testified on the stand today that Foster does "not have a factual understanding" of the law or its procedures.

She said he has "cognitive deficits," "an ignorance of legal understanding," and that he is "mildly mentally retarded or a little above that."

Garriga, who works in Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System's forensic division, said Foster does not understand the role of judges, attorneys, jurors or defendants; does not comprehend the difference between guilt and innocence, and is not aware of his legal rights.

He is the son of Raymond "Chuck" Foster, the alleged imperial wizard of a Bogalusa Klan group who is facing second-degree murder in the shooting death of Cynthia Lynch in a remote area of St. Tammany Parish on Nov. 9, after she reportedly had told him that she wanted to go home.

While his father is not scheduled for a hearing until May 18, today two other alleged Klan members, Frank Stafford and Danielle Jones, also appeared for hearings in front of Badeaux.
Stafford also is facing an obstruction of justice charge, while Jones is facing accessory after the fact.

Nothing further happened in Stafford's case, but Jones' bond was reduced from $300,000 to $25,000, an amount her attorney said her family could afford.

Badeaux agreed to the bond reduction because the initial bond had been set when Jones was facing an obstruction of justice charge. The grand jury instead decided to charge her with accessory after the fact, allegedly for giving authorities false information immediately after the murder.

The obstruction of justice charges carry a maximum of 40 years in prison, while with the accessory after the fact charge, Jones is now only facing a maximum of five years.

http://blog.nola.com/tpnorthshore/2009/04/alleged_ku_klux_klan_member_fo.html

Excuse me?

The pageant approved the question.

The question was chosen at random.

The pageant was not decided by one judge.

She fumbled for an answer.

She knew she might be asked this question.

Hilton was not the only judge.

No one blindsided her, no one set her up and her playing the poor persecuted good Christian girl now is enough to make me throw up.

Check out this little exchange on FOX news where she says she thought she would be 4th runner up and then in the same interview says the question cost her the crown?!? What is that? haha

Oh and...I should add how amusing it is that FOX who rails about celebrities commenting on politics and how that isn't news is now so tenderly concerned about how some piece of meat...'cause let's face it a beauty contest isn't much different from a dog show or cattle call..feels? Did you cry? HA HA HA

* Carrie Prejean Says Answer to Gay Marriage Question Cost Her Miss USA Crown

FOXNews.com: How are you feeling today?

Carrie Prejean: Honestly, happy. This happened for a reason. By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith. I'm glad I stayed true to myself.

FOXNews.com: Have a lot of people been trying to get in touch with you?

Carrie Prejean: Yes, lots of phone calls. I've gotten over 500 facebook friend requests, hundreds of messages from people I don’t know, saying how proud of me they are that I stood my ground. That made me the real winner of the night.

FOXNews.com: Did your stomach sink when you first heard you picked Perez Hilton's question?

Carrie Prejean: I had a gut feeling. I knew he was controversial, and so was the question. Out of all the topics I studied up on, I dreaded that one, I prayed I would not be asked about gay marriage. If I had any other question, I know I would have won.

FOXNews.com: Did you think right away your answer may have killed your chances of winning?

Carrie Prejean: Yeah, I thought I was going to be 4th runner up for sure. I was surprised I made it to first runner up!

FOXNews.com: Before "the question," did you think you would win Miss USA?

Carrie Prejean: There was a lot of talk about me, people saying I was the frontrunner. During the whole two-week experience leading up to the pageant, I was very confident and relaxed. Not too nervous.

FOXNews.com: Were you sad you didn't win? Did you go to the party afterwards, or go home and cry?

Carrie Prejean: No, I got together with my family. I ate my first hamburger in a long time!

FOXNews.com: Has the Miss Universe organization contacted you at all? What about your Miss California USA directors?

Carrie Prejean: I haven't been told anything. I didn't even see the Miss California directors after the pageant.

FOXNews.com: Are you upset that Perez Hilton called you a "b**ch" in his blog rant?

Carrie Prejean: Yes, but I have no regrets about answering honestly. He asked me for my opinion and I gave it to him. I have nothing against gay people, and I didn't mean to offend anyone in my answer.

FOXNews.com: So what about Perez's offer to take you out for coffee to "talk"?

Carrie Prejean: No comment!

I find this odd.

In a case where say results from an autopsy are used in court the methodology of the autopsy along with the labs past record and other factors are fair game for the defense.

Here in Michigan we recently saw a bunch of convictions throw out because of sloppy and perhaps corrupt lab procedures.

Programmers write bad code right? Even the most intelligent ones make errors at times right? What if these errors lead to false positives?

We have seen not just errors leading to DUI convictions but outright fraud by police who seek to beef up their conviction records occurring all over the country. That alone seems reason to me to make this information available to the defense.

So, what if the issue was not DUI but voter fraud? In the code lays the evidence. Should it be unavailable to both sides?

Thanks for the do it yourself tip on the containers quiet_2008.

If you all are interested in growing stuff here's another neat idea
for potatoes in a limited space. It's a great site by the way for all kinds of do it yourself solutions and strategies.

http://lifehacker.com/5202849/grow-100-lbs-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet

Potatoes seem like the kind of plant you'd need a substantial garden for—the kind your grandparents had, right? Actually, tubers aren't all that picky, and you can harvest a whole lot from almost any yard.

We're big fans of growing delicious food in little spaces. We've shown you how to grow tomatoes in a self watering planter, turn your fence into a vegetable trellis, and start a container garden. Now we've got a great tip to share, courtesy of The Seattle Times, on how to grow a lot of potatoes in a rather small space.

The Times' guide for building a potato growing box yields up to a 100 lbs. of potatoes in a mere 4 square feet. By planting your potatoes in layers within a tall box, as seen in the diagram here, you're essentially building a potato growing high rise. You can wait until the fall for a full harvest or if you're getting antsy for some garden fresh potatoes you can pop a board off the bottom and steal some of the mature potatoes. For more details and tips on getting a great yield, check out the full write up at the Seattle Times.