
(Here's also wishing that the idiots who inhabit my city will bang some pots and pans at midnight, instead of the usual: firing their guns into the air. You live in Philadelphia, morons, not Beirut!)
CALL IT 'KILLADELPHIA'? Despite progress, the city's murder rate is No. 1 among big cities. Figures tell the story, but don't nail the solution.No, it hasn't always been this bad. When former incompetent mayor (now current incompetent governor) Ed Rendell was in office, we averaged 423 homicides a year. Hell, in one of Rendell's stellar years at the helm, the count exceeded 550! Yet, for some reason, Rendell is revered as one of this town's greatest mayors.
AS Philadelphia approaches the new year and a new mayor, the murder rate remains an appalling blight on the city's reputation and a threat to our quality of life.
While shootings and other violent crimes are down from last year, there's only slight improvement from the 406 homicides recorded in 2006. As of last night, the city had suffered 391 murders in 2007, the highest rate per 100,000 residents among the nation's 10 largest cities.
It hasn't always been this bad. (H/T - The Philadelphia Daily News)
VINTON, Iowa - It's one thing for Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign to turn down interview requests for the candidate's daughter, Chelsea. But can't a 9-year old reporter catch a break?
Sydney Rieckoff, a Cedar Rapids fourth grader and "kid reporter" for Scholastic News, has posed questions to seven Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls as they've campaigned across Iowa this year. But when she approached the 27-year-old Chelsea after a campaign event Sunday, she got a different response.
"Do you think your dad would be a good 'first man' in the White House?" Rieckoff asked, but Chelsea brushed her question aside.
"I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute," Chelsea told the pint-sized journalist. (H/T - Yahoo!)
The Recipe For Wyatt |
![]() 3 parts Courage 2 parts Grace 1 part Recklessness Splash of Drive Finish off with whipped cream |
GARLAND, Texas (AP) -- An essay that won a 6-year-old girl four tickets to a Hannah Montana concert began with the powerful line: "My daddy died this year in Iraq."And that, Priscilla is exactly why you are the biggest scumbag in American history. The sponsor is threatening to revoke the tickets. Considering? The tickets should have already been revoked! I realize that it's not the girl's fault that her mother is a despicable, disgusting, slob - who appears to have no remorse, by the way - but the girl should not be rewarded for a lie.
While gripping, it wasn't true -- and now the girl may lose her tickets after her mom acknowledged to contest organizers it was all a lie.
The saga began Friday with company officials surprising the girl at a Club Libby Lu at a mall in suburban Garland, northeast of Dallas. The girl won a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig, as well as the grand prize: airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana concert on January 9.
The mother had told company officials that the girl's father died April 17 in a roadside bombing in Iraq, company spokeswoman Robyn Caulfield said.
"We did the essay and that's what we did to win," Priscilla Ceballos, the mother, said in an interview with Dallas TV station KDFW. "We did whatever we could do to win." (H/T - CNN)
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- A customer who was upset over his tab fired several shots into a Hooters restaurant, leaving a manager and another patron in critical condition Saturday, police said. Police were searching for the man, who left on foot just after midnight, Lt. Kenny Miller said.Bastard! I mean, it's Hooters. Who would want to hurt anyone in there? Frakkin' coward. I hope he is brought to justice quickly.
Managers asked the man to leave after he refused to pay his bill, according to Miller. The man went outside and started firing shots from a .40-caliber handgun at the building, Miller said.
A customer leaving the restaurant and a manager inside were in critical condition Saturday at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. (H/T - CNN)
As the final days of 2007 wind down, many folks are dreaming up their New Year’s resolutions for 2008. Whether it be joining a gym to lose some of those holiday pounds or quitting smoking to clear up their lungs, everyone has something about themselves they would like to improve upon.You can read the rest of the (hopeful) hilarity HERE.
Politicians are no different.
Sure, most politicos are black-hearted swindlers bent upon separating you from your money (and your vote), but they are people, too. Of course, the term “people” in this case only refers to the fact that they are carbon-based life forms; these folks have no soul. Nevertheless, many of our friends in Washington are jotting down their self-improvement projects for the election year.
SAN ANTONIO —Texas A&M apologized to Penn State after a student leader mocked Joe Paterno by telling a crowd that the 81-year-old coach needs "a casket."Okay, first of all, the casket remark is funny. Does anyone remember when America had a sense of humor? It's college football for cripes' sake! The point of a pep rally is to fire up the home crowd at the opponent's expense.
Paterno and his Penn State team face A&M on Saturday night in the Alamo Bowl.
One A& M yell leader, during a pep rally Thursday night, told the crowd that Paterno was "on his death bed" and "someone needs to find him a casket." The remarks drew boos from the crowd. A&M team spokesman Alan Cannon said Friday he did not know the name of the yell leader, though the student has been sent home.
The yell leaders - similar to cheerleaders - are A&M's official "spirit" organization and lead fans' cheers during games and other school events. They are elected by the student body.
Paterno, at a news conference Friday at the Alamodome, said he was backstage with Aggies interim coach Gary Darnell when the comments were made, but did not hear them.
"I think everybody has to take things with a grain of salt," Paterno said. "Some young guy went up there, trying to be funny. Maybe he's accurate, I don't know." (H/T - Rivals.com)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Senate was called to order for 11 seconds on Wednesday as the last political scuffle of the year between the White House and the Democratic-led Congress played out.If you were wondering why Congress has lower approval ratings than President Bush, here it is in blue and white. Shenanigans, chicanery, and tomfoolery are running wild on the Senate floor, all because the Democrats refuse to allow the President to make recess appointments - appointments that have been made by almost every President in modern history. Seems a little juvenile to me, but what do I know?
Nearly all the senators left the Capitol for the Christmas holiday last week, but Democrats are keeping the Senate in session to block President Bush from making any recess appointments -- a constitutional mechanism that allows the president, during congressional recesses, to fill top government posts for up to one year without Senate confirmation.
Sen. Jim Webb, D-Virginia, opened and then immediately gaveled the Senate session to a close. He spent 57 seconds in the chamber.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced December 19 that he would keep the Senate open with a series of "pro forma" sessions through mid-January. (H/T - CNN)
On December 26th, Washington's Army crossed the Delaware and surprised the British at Trenton. The main attack was made by 2,400 troops under Washington on the Hessian Garrison. Washington's troops achieved total surprise and defeated the British forces. The American victory was the first of the war, and helped to restore American morale.(By the way, I also have a decent rant going on over at First In!)
Despite Washington's defeats in New York, he was not willing to sit idly by while the British occupied all of New Jersey. The front lines of the British were occupied by Hessian troops who held positions along the Delaware River opposite Washington's troops in Pennsylvania. On Christmas Night, Washington surprised the British by leading a group of 2400 troops across the Delaware. At the same time, James Ewing was to seize the ferry just south of the city. Despite the ice floating down the river, Washington succeeded in crossing the river and leading his men and their artillery ashore.
At a few minutes before 8:00, Washington and Ewing's troops converged on Trenton. The Americans set up artillery that commanded the streets of the city. As the Hessians who had been up late celebrating Christmas took to the streets, they were struck down. The British commander, Colonel Rall, was soon killed. Within an hour, the battle was over, 22 Hessians were dead, 98 were wounded and almost a thousand were being held prisoner. Only four Americans, however, were wounded. Washington returned with his triumphant forces to Pennsylvania.
The next day, Colonel Caldwater who had failed to cross the river the day before, crossed the Delaware with his troops and occupied the empty town of Burlington. Two days later, Washington followed with his men. As the year ended, Washington had 5000 men and 40 howitzers in Trenton. (H/T - American Revolution)
BOISE, Idaho — A state police academy leader has disavowed the slogan of the most recent graduating class urging one another to "go out and cause" post-traumatic stress disorder.Okay, so it was probably not appropriate, but it was damned funny!
Each class at the Idaho Police Officer Standards and Training Academy is allowed to choose a slogan that is printed on its graduation programs, and the class of 43 graduates came up with "Don't suffer from PTSD, go out and cause it."
According to the Veterans Association, tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers suffer from PTSD, which causes nightmares, flashbacks and physical symptoms that make sufferers feel as if they are reliving trauma, even many years later. Crime, accidents and other trauma can cause it in civilians.
Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney, who attended the Dec. 14 graduation, pointed out the slogan to the academy's director, Jeff Black, minutes before the ceremony began, Raney said. A photograph of the program was e-mailed anonymously to news outlets throughout the state.
"That's not something we encourage or condone," Black said. "It shouldn't have been there. It was inappropriate." (H/T - FOXNews)
The highest-ranking woman in the Philadelphia Fire Department has never battled a blaze. Then again, how many firefighters studied at the London School of Economics or have a photographic memory or saved a runner's life at the Philadelphia Marathon?That "save" is complete and utter fiction. Trust me, I know the real story, but I'll expand upon that in a minute.
Meet Diane Schweizer, first female chief in the history of the department, founded in 1736. "I never had an interest in being a firefighter," says Schweizer, 39, who joined the department as a paramedic in 1995. "I didn't feel a passion for it."Then riddle me this, Batman: what gives her the right to make Fire Chief ahead of many, many more deserving officers?
One month into her tenure as chief of Emergency Medical Services Operations, Schweizer oversees the city's 300-plus paramedics and 45 ambulances.Oh, how convenient. She's the Chief, and she can't comment on how her medic system is in shambles? Right.
Meanwhile, the EMS Division came under blistering attack in a yearlong performance audit by city controller Alan Butkovitz released Thursday. The report said that EMS personnel were taking too long to arrive at accident scenes and that the department didn't have enough ambulances. Schweizer says she doesn't have permission to comment on the audit.
Schweizer, an emergency medical technician since she was a high schooler in Whippany, N.J., made an impressive medical run herself at the Philadelphia Marathon last month. After a marathoner collapsed on Kelly Drive near the Art Museum, Schweizer, on patrol there, was summoned for help by the crowd.Ah, yes, the "save" story. Complete and utter bullshit. Yes, she was there when the runner collapsed, and yes she did start compressions, but another person did mouth-to-mouth until the medics arrived, and when they did, the medics saved the runner's life.
When she got to the fallen runner, a man in his early 40s, "he was blue. Unconscious. Not breathing. No pulse," Schweizer says calmly, as though reciting a grocery list.
She immediately started chest compressions as an onlooker continued mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. When the medic unit arrived a few minutes later, the man was breathing on his own.
That's just in the field. Higher up on the, well, ladder, "she can hold her own with the boys, no doubt about it," says Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. "When issues need to be debated, she's in the debate."A woman with no firefighting experience - who happens to be married to a Deputy Chief - makes Chief at the age of 39? Hmm . . .
Sometimes the debate includes Deputy Fire Chief Bill Schweizer, 54, her husband of seven years. A 33-year department veteran, he was tagged "Fireboy" at his first firehouse because he wasn't even shaving yet.
(CNN) -- In unusually stark language, the newspaper in New Hampshire's capital calls former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney "a phony" and tells its readers Sunday that he "most surely must be stopped" in next month's first-in-the-nation primary.I wonder if they wanted to finish that sentence with the phrase "with extreme prejudice?"
With "an athletic build, ramrod posture, Reaganesque hair, a charismatic speaking style and a crisp dark suit" along with "a beautiful wife and family, a wildly successful business career and just enough executive government experience" Romney espouses "some old GOP bromides -- spending cuts and lower taxes -- plus some new positions for 2008: anti-immigrant rhetoric and a focus on faith," the editorial says.You mean to tell me that that son-of-a-bitch has the audacity to be good-looking, physically fit, financially successful, and qualified to be the President of the United States??? Hang him!!!
The Concord Monitor editorial page is considered to be liberal.Really? You don't say?
But Romney's record makes him "a disquieting figure who sure looks like the next president and most surely must be stopped," the editorial added. (H/T - CNN)Look, if The Concord Monitor wants to decry Romney for his flip-flopping - and they do, later in the editorial - I have no problem with that. The man has undergone more than a few policy "revisions." However, after reading the excerpts from the editorial, I believe that the Monitor looks pretty foolish. Re-read the second highlighted paragraph. They make Romney's case for him. Romney is a successful businessman with serious political experience; something that many candidates - from both sides of the aisle - are sorely lacking.
How dare you talk about Ned Flanders like that. He's a wonderful, kind, caring man -- maybe even more so than me. There have been times when I lost patience with him -- even lashed out at him! -- but this man has turned every cheek on his body.Happy Blogiversary, A.D.!
If everyone here were like Ned Flanders, there'd be no need for heaven: we'd already be there.
NEWPORT BEACH, California (AP) -- Former child star Danielle Fishel, a teen heartthrob on ABC's "Boy Meets World," was arrested this week on a drunken driving warrant from Los Angeles County, police said.Cripes, I could lose 20 pounds, too, if I were drinking my lunches and dinners!
Fishel was arrested Thursday just before 5 a.m. after officers stopped a car she was in, said Newport Beach Sgt. James Rocker. She was released from jail shortly after her arrest. Fishel grew up in Yorba Linda and spent more than seven years playing Topanga, the love interest of "Boy Meets World" star Ben Savage.
In 2006, Fishel became the spokeswoman for NutriSystem after she announced on The Tyra Banks Show that she was so thrilled about losing 20 pounds with the diet program that she wanted to be the company's spokeswoman. (H/T - CNN)
Although we are still a few days away from Christmas, there have already been reports of Christmas miracles around the world. The U.S. Navy rescued a 14-year-old girl after her appendix burst on a cruise ship. A family that had gone missing in search of a Christmas tree was found alive. And a young Iraqi amputee walked again with the help of prosthesis.You can read the rest of the article HERE.
Sometimes in the world of politics, Christmas miracles pop up in the strangest places . . .
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Mars could be in for an asteroid hit. A newly discovered hunk of space rock has a 1 in 75 chance of slamming into the red planet on January 30, scientists said Thursday.To quote Tommy from Tommy Boy: "That. Is. AWESOME!"
"These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long odds when we track ... threatening asteroids," said Steve Chesley, an astronomer with the Near Earth Object Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and is similar in size to an object that hit remote central Siberia in 1908, unleashing energy equivalent to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb and wiping out 60 million trees. (H/T - CNN)
A priest who led the largest Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia stole $900,000 and used some of it to ply a student he had molested with drugs and alcohol, prosecutors said Thursday.This story is despicable on its face, but even more so for me, because Newman taught at my Alma mater. Both my wife and I had classes with Newman while at Archbishop Ryan, and we both knew him well. Newman was the moderator of the school play while my wife was in the cast, and he was the moderator of the school newspaper while I was the editor-in-chief.
The Rev. Charles Newman became president of Archbishop Ryan High School in July 2002 but was fired 15 months later when questions arose about his handling of school finances.
Forensic audits show he stole $331,000 from the school and more than $550,000 from his religious order, the Franciscan Friars, District Attorney Lynne Abraham said. Newman, 57, gave $54,000 to a former student, who later sued over what he described as a sexual relationship with Newman that started when he was a high school junior.
The pair would meet at Newman's office or residence and often used drugs together while having sex, prosecutors said. The indictment unsealed Thursday charges Newman with six counts of felony theft and one count of felony forgery, the latter stemming from his alleged use of another friar's signature stamp on a $32,000 check. (H/T - CBS3)
ENTREPRENEURS are making a fast buck off the cop-slugging bust of Philadelphia anchor-babe Alycia Lane . NB2 Apparel is hawking T-shirts and hoodies with the phrase, "I'm a [bleep]ing TV Reporter, Bitch!" with 20 percent of proceeds going to the Police Athletic League. Meanwhile, CafePress.com has a line of shirts, teddy bears, dog coats, hats, bumper stickers and buttons showing Lane with a big grin on her face and the words, "Free Alycia!" (H/T - Kitty)God, I love this country!
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (CNN) -- In an Internet chat shortly after the May 30, 2005, disappearance of Natalee Holloway on Aruba, one of the three main suspects in the case said the Alabama teenager was dead, the island's chief public prosecutor told CNN on Thursday.
The chat, retrieved from a computer hard disk, was among new evidence prosecutors used to justify re-arresting the three in November, Hans Mos said.
Judges, however, ruled the new evidence was not enough to keep the suspects -- Joran van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe -- behind bars. Mos' office said Tuesday they will not prosecute the three in Holloway's disappearance, effectively closing the case unless new evidence comes to light.
Other chats occurring before May 30 were also found, in which the suspects discussed "picking up American girls and what they plan to do with them," Mos said. Such chats gave authorities an idea of how the suspects operated, he said. (H/T - CNN)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has received a $500 campaign donation from a white supremacist, and the Texas congressman doesn't plan to return it, an aide said Wednesday.Does anyone else see the irony in a white supremacist named "Black?"
Don Black, of West Palm Beach, recently made the donation, according to campaign filings. He runs a Web site called Stormfront with the motto, "White Pride World Wide." The site welcomes postings to the "Stormfront White Nationalist Community."
"Dr. Paul stands for freedom, peace, prosperity and inalienable rights. If someone with small ideologies happens to contribute money to Ron, thinking he can influence Ron in any way, he's wasted his money," Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said. "Ron is going to take the money and try to spread the message of freedom." (H/T - Yahoo!)
SPOKANE, Washington (AP) -- A man dressed as Santa Claus was knocked unconscious by a thrown object that hit his face while he was riding on the back of a truck decorated as a sleigh.What a bunch of lightweights. In Philly, we would have killed the guy! Curiously enough, this is exactly what triggered Robot Santa's murderous rampage.
Kevin Smith says he never saw what hit him Saturday. Whatever it was, it broke his nose and gave him a concussion and two black eyes.
"One second I was up there waving to people, and the next minute I wasn't," Smith said.
He was taking part in Santa Run, sponsored by the firefighters union, which features off-duty firefighters who dress up as Santa and ride through residential areas handing out candy to children. (H/T - CNN)