Just When You Thought You Heard It All News (5-31-2014)

Hmmmm tacos!

Only a fool would waste perfectly good tacos by throwing them across the room.

A fool or a teenager in a food fight.

High school students in Lebanon, Tennessee are facing criminal charges after a food fight they allegedly started in their cafeteria on "Taco Day,".

????Assault with a deadly tortilla! Who knew?

"We all stood up and said 'food fight!' And just started throwing food," Daren Romkee a senior at Wilson Central High School said. "This is going down in the books." 

It started as a senior prank, but the food fight got so crazy that students were throwing chairs and turning tables over.

Some of the seniors involved are also not going to be allowed to walk during graduation, a punishment that senior John Davidson says is too harsh. 

"I think everything else we got is tolerable. You gotta do it. But walking the line, that's taking away something that's once in a lifetime," he said.

So far, eight students have been charged with vandalism and disorderly conduct, but Sheriff Robert Bryan said that "there are probably more charges to come." 

Some groups, like the American Civil Liberties Union, are concerned that the over-criminalization of students in schools leads to something they call the schoolto prison pipeline that, they argue, hurts students and their families and does little to increase safety.

Let me just preface this story by saying that YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES!

Griffin Furlong, from Jacksonville, Fla., has faced more trials than your average high school student, and yet he still managed to triumph over adversity and succeed.

The teen lost his mother to cancer when he was a child, leaving him with his father and older brother. Soon after the death of his mother the three found themselves living in a homeless shelter for two years, . 

When Furlong was in sixth grade, his family finally moved into a home butmoney was scarce and they often went hungry. Then, just a few weeks before graduation, Furlong found himself without a home once again. 

"At some point I wanted to quit" he told the local media. "It was horrible. A kid should not have to go through that."

Furlong spent a couple weeks at his girlfriend's house before moving in with an aunt and uncle yet managed to keepup his incredible 4.65 GPA through all the turbulence of moving from place to place.

"I try to accomplish everything I need to do," he said. "I know that I have everything to lose. So I just push myself. School is all I have, family is all I have. I am doing it all for me and what I have been through. I am doing it for my mom."

On June 4th, he will graduate as his high school's valedictorian with plans to attend Florida State University and study civil engineering. 

Even after all that Furlong has overcome, he still faces obstacles. The formerly homeless valedictorian can't afford the cost of tuition and has not had any luck with academic scholarships yet.

However, thanks to the generosity of strangers, this story has a happy ending. A GoFundMe page that was started for Furlong last week has already exceededits goal of raising $20,000 so that this determined teen can go to college debt-free. 

A truly inspiring story made possible by sheer will to overcome, and by the generosity of people all over the world. 

Were you a six year old hero?.....No, me neither. But when I was six years old I probably ate me first hero.....Don't judge me!

If it weren't for the intervention of a brave 6-year-old boy, this story might have had a very different ending.

But instead, Kaylen Woodard's quick thinking is being credited with stopping the attempted abduction of the youngster's 10-year-old neighbor on Chicago's South Side. 

Kaylen was playing with his next door neighbor, Marcy, in front of their homes in the city's Chicago Lawn neighborhood when a stranger grabbed Marcy and tried to pull her into his car. Kaylen reportedly kicked the stranger in the leg, giving his friend a chance to escape.

When Marcy's mother, Tracey Edwards, looked out the window to check on the kids, she saw her daughter running toward the house. She ran outside to try and find the man who attempted the abduction, but he was already gone. A police investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"We call Kaylen our little hero," Edwards told local media sources. "We are blessed he was there."

This is proof that anyone can be a blessing at any age.

PR

Feeding The Firefighters.

There are more good, honest, generous people in the world than we think.

Firefighters in Vacaville, Calif. were shopping at a Costco over Memorial Day weekend and had to leave the store on an emergency call before they could reach the cashier. When they returned later, however, they not only found their goods waiting for them, they also found a receipt: Someone had footed their $123.25 bill.

"Thanks for being there for us," the good Samaritan wrote. "Have a good weekend."

It was signed, "Air Force Wife."

The firefighters didn't get the chance to meet their benefactor, so they took to Facebook to offer their thanks.

"Whoever did this, we are forever grateful and your kind gesture will not be forgotten," the firefighters posted. "Meals at the firehouse come out of our own pockets and this was beyond generous."

They also posted an image of the receipt:

"During Memorial Day weekend when we should be honoring the military members and their wives and here she is honoringus as firefighters," Jeff Ryder, battalion chief of the Vacaville Fire Department, told CBS Sacramento.

The firefighters pay $25 each per shift for meals, but they told KTVU they're not going to keep the money they saved. Instead, they plan to pay it forward. When they encountered an elderly couple buying flowers for Memorial Day, they covered the bill; and, they said they're planning to host a 90-year-old World War II veteran for dinner soon.

PR

In Her Memory

In memory of Dr. Maya Angelou

One of my favorite poems.

Alone

Lying, thinking Last night How to find my soul a home Where water is not thirsty And bread loaf is not stone I came up with one thing And I don't believe I'm wrong That nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here alone. There are some millionaires With money they can't use Their wives run round like banshees Their children sing the blues They've got expensive doctors To cure their hearts of stone. But nobody No, nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here alone. Now if you listen closely I'll tell you what I know Storm clouds are gathering The wind is gonna blow The race of man is suffering And I can hear the moan, 'Cause nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here alone. Maya Angelou

Did This Father Go Too Far ?

Police have arrested a father in Douglasville, Georgia on child cruelty charges after the man punished his 16-year-old son by making him carry a 23-pound landscape stone for several miles.

Charlie Mayes, a 40-year-old military veteran with no criminal record, told police he used military-style punishment because his son watched too many videos and didn't do his chores and school work. Douglasville Police charged Mayes with first-degree child cruelty.

"This was done multiple times over a three-day period, sometimes as early as 3 o'clock in the morning," said Police Sgt. Todd Garner.

Garner said the diminutive teen, who is only 4'2" tall, was also punished in between the 3-mile hikes.

"In between that time, he was at home having to move rocks and stuff from one side of the back yard to the other and then being taken right back out to the same location and dropped off and made to walk back again," Sgt. Garner added.

The boy's trek would begin on Kings Highway and end at the family's home in the Fairways subdivision.

A pizza delivery driver alerted police to the teen's punishing walks, one of which was captured in the background of a police dash cam video during an unrelated traffic stop.

Douglasville police have yet to make the video available, but say the father freely admitted that he administered the punishment.

"He did not feel that this was inappropriate at all and neither did his wife," Sgt. Garner said.

A woman who answered the door at the family's home said that they have no comment.

Meanwhile police alerted DFCS about the case and Mayes got out of jail on $3,500 bond Memorial Day.

A judge ordered the father to get family counseling.

In case you were wondering, yes, I am going to inject race into this equation. Simply because I feel that it plays a pivotal role in this particular narrative.

The storied lives of young black men in America seem to be the key theme in an unending tale of disenfranchisement. The sources of the aforementioned displacement vary according to the teller and the point of view. But there is one major component that the majority of us can agree on. There are not enough African-American men raising their children or being the patriarch's of their homes. Part of child rearing is discipline, and while I don't condone Mr. Mayes particular brand of discipline, the fact that the government is becoming increasingly intrusive disturbs me even more. What amazes me is the fact that the same government that arrested this African-American father for attempting to discipline his son, in a non violent way, will think nothing of sentencing this young man to excessive jail time in a violent correctional facility as a form of punishment should he run afoul of the law.

When Black men are not a part of their children's lives there is excessive pity for their offspring, followed by a town hall meeting. 

When Black men love their children enough to discipline them, they are arrested under the guise of child protection. It almost seems as if we are damned if we do and damned........

But I can guarantee you that there would be much less murder in Chicago if some of those young men had father's who loved them enough to discipline them.....in any way.

PR

One Brother Killed Another.

The story of Cain and Able is perhaps one of the most famous and tragic stories in the Bible. Cain murdured his brother able simply because he was jealous of him, committing the first known case of fratricide, and depraved indifference that is no less shocking today. While it is not known exactly how Cain murdered his brother. The means that he used to do so really doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that he followed through on his evil intent, and murdered his own flesh and blood.

Genesis 4:8

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

 A community came together for a candle light vigil Monday night to remember teenage brothers killed in an apparent murder-suicide.

Family says  Steven Odeus, 14, shot and killed his brother Stanley Blanc, 16, then turned the gun on himself. According to relatives, the boys were fighting over clothing.

Officials said the shooting occurred just after 11 p.m. near on NE 71^st Street and 2nd Avenue in Little Haiti.

“It started off as a small petty argument over clothes that escalated into a fight,” said Marc Blanc, the victims’ brother.

“Stanley wanted to wear Steven’s clothes, Steven didn’t want him to,” said Kedner Louis, a family friend.

The argument, according to Blanc, began inside the family’s apartment. He said family members separated the two, but the fight flared-up again outside.

“Right before my eyes my brother just shot my other brother,” said 18-year-old Mark Blanc who says he witnessed the shooting. “I heard my second brother die because he shot himself,” said Blanc.

After Odeus shot his brother, Blanc said he ran across the apartment complex and took his own life in the parking lot.

Dozens of family members, friends and neighbors prayed for the boys at a vigil Monday, they set up two memorials with teddy bears and balloons at the spots where the two teenage brothers died.

“I feel like a part of me is missing.. they were like little brothers to me,” said Tyquane Williams, a friend of both boys. “I love Y’all, you will always be in my heart and I will never forget y’all.”

Stanley’s girlfriend said he was attending an alternative school in Miami and loved to play football. Family said Steven was scheduled to graduate from junior high in a promotional ceremony at Horace Mann Middle School next month.

“In my mind, I think he didn’t really mean to” said Blanc. “That’s blood, nobody wants to kill their own brother. At the same time I got mixed feelings about a lot of stuff right now.”

Blanc said he feels grief and guilt, saying he wishes he could have done more to save his brothers.

“I’ve been crying a lot,” said Blanc. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I want people to know, love your kids, love one another, don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Blanc said he does not know how his 14-year-old brother got a hold of a gun........

Guns give a deadly sense of power to those who possess them. For many they become an extension of aggression rather that a tool for protection. A fix all, an end all, a be all, and a cure all for all of life's little annoyances. But even when used in self defense guns don't always make everything better. There is always a price to pay.

PR

This Memorial Day......

This Memorial Day honor the one who gave his life for you.

PR

Run, Don't Walk!!!!!

As an African-American man in America I am keenly aware that there are certain things that can be hazardous to my health.

Simple things like walking down the street while wearing a hoodie, or driving while black could  spell demise. But recently there has been another addition to the list of concerns things that seem routine to the rest of the world. Crossing the street.

A recent study finds that drivers show a clear racial bias against black pedestrians, failing to yield for them at crosswalks. Seems like a minor racial microagression? Well, the researchers suggest that this treatment of black pedestrians might lead to fatalities. 

Conducted in downtown Portland, the joint Portland State University and University of Arizona study found that twice as many drivers failed to yield for black pedestrians than those who were white. Meanwhile, black pedestrians typically had to wait a third longer for cars to stop for them when they had the legal right of way.

With fewer motorists yielding for them, minorities are more likely to take greater risks to cross the street, which might factor into why they’re disproportionately represented in U.S. pedestrian fatalities, the study concluded.

“In a fast-paced activity like driving, where decisions may need to be made in a fraction of a second, people’s’ actions can be influenced by these subtle attitudes,” the study said.

Nationally, African-Americans have a 60 percent higher rate of pedestrian deaths than whites, the Smart Growth America study shows. Meanwhile, it's 43 percent higher for Hispanics.

For their study on racial bias at crosswalks, PSU researchers Kimberly Barsamian Kahn and Tara Goddard and Arlie Adkins, of the University of Arizona, chose an unsignalized but clearly marked crosswalk near Southwest Park Avenue and Clay Street.

It's one of downtown's most used midblock crossings, where yielding isn't influenced by cross traffic or turning. Those who are black and dared to do something as simple and mundane as cross this busy intersection in Manhattan, were practically ignored, and were forced to make there task a dangerous game. Something like dodge ball with balls that happen to be tons of steel flying down the street at upwards of 50 miles per hour.

PR

As A Man Thinketh.....

Living this life means that there will always be "something". Something to do, something to worry about, something to be angry about, something to think about, and most importantly something to be happy about.

The one thing that all of these feelings and emotions have in common is that they all depend on your mind set. Your mind or you way of thinking can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

No matter what obstacles we face in life, the greatest battles will always be within our minds. 

I know it seems quite philosophical but scientific studies have proven that the way we feel can actually affect our physical well being.

Anger weakens your liver, grief weakens your lungs, worry weakens your stomach, stress weakens your heart and your brain, and fear weakens your kidneys.

Each and ever one of these feelings are controlled by your mind. We must tell ourselves that it's not that bad and try to make it better. We must remember that the battle is not ours, and program ourselves to put our problems in Gods. If we truly begin to believe in victory through Jesus Christ in our hearts and minds nothing can stop us. 

Proverbs 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

PR

Wasting Money.

We don’t think much about the things that we waste money on on a daily basis . . . but we should. There are so many places in our daily routine where money can be wasted without us knowing it. It’s ridiculous enough to make a list. So here are 10 things we waste money on in America today.

1. Credit card interest

The only thing stupider than buying something you can’t afford is buying something you can’t afford at (insert huge interest rate here). You don’t get anything for the extra money you fork over.

2. Deal websites

Hey, remember that time we bought a laser hair-removal deal for 78% off from that startup place all the way across town and used it for the full amount and within the specified time limit? Neither do I.

3. Appetizers

Restaurants already have lunch and dinner portions so big you need a box to bring home the leftovers. Why pay an extra six bucks to get something that will take up more room in your stomach before the main meal is even brought out?

4. ATM fees

When you use a bank that is not ours, it charges us. Then your bank charges you again. Don’t think that it’s just two bucks here or $3 there. It adds up, and don’t even get us started on the overdraft fees that could result from bounced checks. Speaking of which . . .

5. Overdraft fees

For these, there’s just no excuse. If you add correctly and spend less than you make, you’ll never pay a dime of overdraft fees. Fees result from sloppiness, pure and simple.

6. Speedy shipping

Seriously? Do you think that book or those clothes you ordered online are so important that you can’t bear to wait four to 14 days for a package to arrive? With priority shipping, the only thing that moves faster than the package toward you is your money away from you.

7. Designer baby clothes

Also known as “glorified stain gatherers.” Why do we spend $20 on a “Feed me or no one sleeps” T-shirt that is three ticks away from being covered with breakfast? On top of that, they’ll wear it two or three times before either outgrowing it or the season changing.

8. Unused gym memberships

How is it that so many people join a health club around the New Year's Day resolving to lose weight and there are so many empty treadmills come January 15? Unlike the commitment, the monthly dues don’t stop.Besides, you can run around the block for free.

9. Premium cable packages

Not only do we not watch 90% of the channels that are on, but with so many “reality” shows and specialized stations, TV as a concept is about as rich as a person who lives paycheck to paycheck.

10. Daily coffee trips

Back before coffee shops started popping up on every street corner, people brewed it themselves. We as a culture seem to have gotten away from that. And you don’t need the caffeine to get your heart thumping—just take a look at how much money you dish out for that sugary brew over a month or two.

Think !

PR

Man Takes Out Restraining Order On 5 Year Old

When I heard this story initially I was shocked. I thought that this was nothing more than over reacting from an over protective parent. But as I read the details I began to see things a little differently.

A Wisconsin father has filed a restraining order against a 5-year-old boy he says has been bullying his daughter.

Brian Metzger whose daughter attends kindergarten at Prairie Lane Elementary School in Pleasant Prairie, told the local media that the boy has been harassing his daughter the whole year.

The girl claims the boy said to her "I want to slit your throat and watch it bleed," according to Metzger.

Metzger said he filed a police report and filed for a restraining order  after the boy kicked the girl in the face and threw rocks and sand at her.

The father says that he took out the restraining order because the school was not doing enough to help his daughter.

"They've kept him in the same classroom with my daughter throughout this until recently because I showed up with a restraining order."

Metzger also said other students in the school were having trouble with the same boy.

Kenosha Unified School District spokeswoman Tanya Ruder told WISN she could not comment on the specifics of the case, but stated, "There's always two sides to every story."

Metzger says that he's received some criticism for his decision, and that people have asked him why he didn't just contact the boy's parents.

"If they knew the facts, they'd know the parents have been contacted by the school," he said.

If this little boy really did threaten to slit a little girls throat, and attack her, this concerned father had ever right to get a restraining order. This child is clearly disturbed, and the fact that the school system was slow to respond speaks to the rampant ineptitude within that system. God help those who will have to deal with this unhinged little boy if he goes untreated and grows into an unhinged full grown man.

PR

Just When You Thought You Heard It All News (5-24-2014)

Like notorious funk legend Rick James once said, "Cocaine is a hell of a drug!"

 A 43-year-old Anchor Point man is expected to make a full recovery after initially treating a gunshot wound to the head for five days with an antibiotic ointment.

Alaska State Troopers say the gun went off as James Doppler was handling it last weekend. Troopers say his girlfriend urged him to go the hospital but he refused, believing at the time he didn't need outside help to tend the wound.

However, in the following days, troopers say he began experiencing symptoms associated with a head wound. Agency spokeswoman Beth Ipsen in an email declined to detail the symptoms, because of health privacy laws, but said it was a "serious, but non-life threatening" wound.

The symptoms prompted him to seek treatment at the Homer hospital, where troopers took a report.

Awwwe, come on. This guy had to be on Coke, meth, crack, or some kind of narcotic!

SIDE BAR:.....Oh my!!!!

A middle school teacher in Humble, Texas has been charged with DWI after authorities said she was swerving all over the road while she was on the way to teach class........But.....wait for it.....

Driving drunk shows that she has no class ! Rim shot !

Investigators say Patricia Almond, 48, even grazed a highway retaining wall on southbound Highway 59 before they pulled her over shortly before 8 a.m. on a Thursday morning.

Investigators said Almond was disoriented with bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol and was swaying from side to side.

Almond was arrested on suspicion of DWI, but the charges haven't stopped her from teaching class. She has began teaching class while leaning against her desk to keep herself from falling. PROBABLY.

The Humble Independent School System released this statement about the arrest:

“The incident is being addressed through the court system, as it happened off campus, outside of school hours, and did not involve students. Human Resources will be reviewing the police report and then meeting with the staff member to discuss options.”

Parents at Timberwood Middle School, where Almond teaches art and drama are concerned about the arrest.

“That is very unfortunate; especially that she was on her way to school. Thekiddos are young and impressionable", said Beth Birge.

Some people like coke with a slice of pizza. But most don't like to snort it up their noses..........

A dumb son and a dumber father face drug charges after police said they sold powder cocaine from their Moline, Illinois pizzeria.

Police searched Adriana's Pizzeria and two residences May 14, and arrested 44-year-old David A. Curtner, Sr. and his son, 22-year-old David A. Curtner, Jr. The men face charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine.

Investigators said they kept an eye on the shop because a lot of people visiting the business walked away without pizza. 

"They weren't coming-out with pizzas," Kevin Winslow, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group director, told the Quad-City Times. Winslow also said that drug dealing at the pizza parlor got so brazen that investigators witnessed transactions conducted out in the open. 

The Curtners were described by Winslow as mid-level dealers who had peddled coke from their pizzeria for two to three years. 

The suspects also sold cocaine at nearby bars, police said.

The investigation was launched after police heard complaints from neighbors. Vicki Pearson, who owns a bookstore and gift shop across the street from the pizzeria, said that she'd heard rumors about the drug deals.

"Well, it was good pizza, darn it," Pearson told the station. "But as far as running drugs, that's terrible. I don't want that across the street from my business."

Both suspects were held at Rock Island County Jail.

PR

Just When You Thought You Heard it All News (5-17-2014)

It looks like man may needs to choose a new best friend. Because his old one is a punk !

A cat has been hailed as a hero after saving a four-year-old boy from a dog attack in California.

Surveillance footage posted on YouTube,

http://youtu.be/54ewMbYsa9E

shows the moment that Supercat (not the singer), comes to the toddler's rescue after a neighbor's dog attacked him in their driveway in Southwest Bakersfield.

The attack on four-year-old Jeremy Triantafilo was captured on video by the family's surveillance cameras and posted on YouTube on Wednesday by his father Roger. In it, the toddler is shown playing on his tricycle in the family driveway, when the dog runs at him and grabs his leg with his teeth. 

Within seconds, Supercat, bolts to his owner's rescue and chases the dog away. Jeremy's mother Erica, who was also bitten, is seen chasing the dog away.

In an interview with the local media, she said: "He was just playing outside and I was watering the plants. Next thing I know the dog was just there and it was shaking him.

"Before I could even get there, my cat clobbered him. She saved the day, chased him away and then came back to him after the dog was gone.

"It was truly amazing, she's my hero."

By Thursday, the video had amassed more than four million views and has been featured on news websites worldwide.

Following the attack, Jeremy was taken to hospital where he had 10-stitches to his leg. According to reports, neighbors voluntarily quarantined their dog after the attack. Police in California said the dog would be quarantined for 10 days and then put down.

HOLY BEFORE AND AFTER BATMAN !!!

Who in their right mind would want to go back to High School ? Having to go through that awkward phase, trying to find yourself, trying to be the next rap superstar. Oh....maybe that was just me. I guess the key phrase is, "In their right mind."

Charity Johnson claimed she was a 15-year-old girl and attended classes at a Texas high school for nearly the entire year.

The 31-year-old woman used the name Charite Stevens to enroll as a sophomore at a Texas school.

Johnson claimed that she was abused by her biological father who passed away when her mother died, Lincoln said.

Lincoln, who maintained relationships with the Charite’s teachers, said she recently became curious of the 10th-grader’s identity and called police.

Investigators soon determined that Johnson used a fake name and birthday to enroll at the school. The woman even had a bogus Facebook account, Lincoln said.

Johnson was ordered held at Gregg County Jail in lieu of $500 bond after she was arraigned on several charges that included giving false, fictitious information, authorities said.

School officials told the news station that they would be sending a notice about the arrest to parents.

Lincoln said teachers and students at the school, located about 140 miles east of Dallas, were stunned.

“Teachers were crying and students were crying,” she said." And her best friend just couldn’t believe it.”

It was not immediately clear why Johnson conned Lincoln or the school. Or how school officials could have been stupid enough to let a grown woman enroll in High School.

Officials said Johnson posed as a 15-year-old sophomore to attend classes for nearly a year at New Life Christian School.

“I just don’t know why she did it," Lincoln said. “Why put yourself and others at risk to do something like this?”

Hey coach! Drop and give me... my money back!

Investigators say physical education teacher, and thief, Rodney Barnes stole $950 from students in the boy's locker room at New Smyrna Beach High School in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

These high school boys have more money in their pockets than some working people I know.

Authorities first began investigating the locker room thefts in April when students reported cash missing from their wallets.

Volusia County deputies were unable to put surveillance cameras in the locker room, so they stashed $141 worthof decoy money, covered with an invisible ultralight powder in a students wallet.

Although "Operation Sticky Fingers" was run numerous times in April, Monday was the first time that a student helping with the sting finally noticed missing money. That same day, deputies checked the hands of students and faculty using an ultraviolet light. But the powder only showed up on Barnes' hands.

BUSTED !!!!!

Upon questioning, Barnes admitted to taking a $50 bill from the student’s wallet and admitted to several other thefts totaling $170, cops say.

Barnes, was quoted as saying, "That's what those little jerks get for bringing so much money to school. What do they think, they're better than me."

Deputies said Barnes told them he would check lockers for any that were unsecured and go through the wallets, looking for cash. He stated that he would never take all of the money.

Barnes said, "I made a mistake." He also said that he wouldn't teach again at the school even if he were allowed because he realizes staff and students have lost respect for him.

Barnes has been accused of mishandling student money in the money in the past.

According to employment records obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Barnes was reprimanded in September, 2012, for collecting $1,200 from students for P.E. uniforms without turning in the money.

Who would have thought that he was a thief ?

Barnes was charged with grand theft and burglary, and released on $3,000 bail on Tuesday. He resigned from his job Wednesday, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Whether Barnes loses his teacher certification is up to the Florida Department of Education, BayNews9.com reports.

PR

Was It Okay For Jay-Z To Catch A Beat Down ?

Earlier this week grainy elevator footage surfaced of Solange Knowles beating the snot out of Jay-Z before being subdued by one of his bodyguards. No one really knows why. But the general consensus is that he must have said or done something awful enough to warrant Solange having to open up a can of "whip a&#". 

But no one seems to care about the fact that Jigga man was the victim of a violent attack, and no one seems to care about the fact that Beyonce's little sister jumped on him like he stoled something.

But, all jokes aside, the double standard is undeniable. If Jay-Z had hit her back there would have been an unending public outcry, demonization, and calls for an arrest, prosecution, and persecution. But because the attacker is a rather diminutive woman, nobody takes it seriously. Not even me. But right is right, and violence is never ok, unless it is a case of self defense.

PR

       Side Bar: OUUUCH!!

He Shot Great Grandma.

The first time I read this story I was torn. On the surface it seems like a case of an inept trigger happy police officer. But as I analyzed the details I realized that this may not exactly fit what is normally defined as an open and shut case.

 Officials in Hearne,Texas voted Saturday to fire a police officer who shot and killed an armed 93-year-old woman during a confrontation at her home.

The city council’s unanimous vote to dismiss Officer Stephen Stem came after a meeting that lasted less than 30 minutes.

Mayor Ruben Gomez said that he would recommend the termination of Stem, who shot and killed Pearlie Golden. Gomez promised demonstrators who marched to city hall protesting the shooting of “Miss Sulie,” as many residents called her, that he would seek the officers termination.

Hearne police have said in a statement that Golden “brandished a gun” when Stem arrived, but have declined to comment further. Stem was on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigated the shooting.

But Golden’s nephew, Roy Jones, told the TV station in the Bryan-College Station area that his aunt became upset when she was denied a driver’s license renewal and armed herself when he refused to return her car keys. Jones said he called 911, and he said Golden fired two shots before the officer who responded shot her.

Authorities say a revolver believed to be the weapon Golden had at the time of the shooting was found at the scene.

Robertson County District Attorney Coty Siegert said because the case is still under investigation, he could neither confirm nor deny that Golden fired her gun. He said a preliminary autopsy shows Golden was shot twice in the body and grazed by a third bullet.

Stem’s attorney, Robert McCabe, said he believes his client’s actions were justified under the circumstances and called the mayor’s comments inappropriate and unprofessional.

“He probably knows less facts about what occurred than I do,” McCabe said.

Hearne is home to about 4,500 people and is surrounded by cotton farms and railways. Friends say Golden still shopped at the grocery store and greeted friends with a jubilant “Hey, baby!”

The fatal shooting was the second involving Stem since he joined the department in 2012, Siegert said, but the circumstances surrounding Stem’s first one were different. Siegert said a group of officers had responded to a call in the middle of the night and wound up chasing several suspects through an unlit area before Stem fired. He was cleared by a grand jury.

Does the fact that Miss Golden is 93 years old make her less dangerous with a gun in her hand? I don't think so. No matter what the age the individual is, if they decide to use deadly physical force. It is only logical that the reaction is deadly physical force. 

Tragic but true.

PR

Grateful

Some of us spend our lives worrying about what we don't have, and not nearly enough time thanking God for the blessings that we do have. 

Until we learn to be grateful for what we have. We will not be blessed with what we want.

The fact of the matter is, there are thousands if not millions of people in the world who would not only love, but cherish the life that you complain about.

Of course, gratefulness may be a hard concept to embrace, especially in times of trouble. But  as difficult as things are they could always be far worse.

If nothing else be grateful that they're not.

PR

Everybody Wins ?!

If life sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Both make us stronger.

Both are a part of life, and both help us grow into mature, well adjusted adults. But in many schools children are given a false sense of hope and accomplishment because they are all being allowed to win. New initiatives, and incentives like an A,B honor role have been put in place to spare the feelings of both children and sensitive parents alike. Children are now being rewarded, and given certificates just because they participated in an activity.

Don't get me wrong. I get it, and I understand. Nobody wants a sad child or a pissed off mother on their hands.

 There is nothing more exciting in the world to me than to pick up the best 7 year old girl in the world, (my daughter), from school and have her whip out a class participation certificate while smiling from ear to ear. Because after all, she is only 7. However it is my job to prepare her for the real world, and as a gradually introduce her to small doses of reality I realize that she is smart enough to handle it, and strong enough to accept it, as much as a child her age can.

My teenage son has an in depth grasp and understanding of what winning and losing is because we have taught him that both failure and succession are both a part of life. Unfortunately it seems as if our educational system has become one that reinforces reality.

PR

A Twisted Sense Of Accomplishment

One of the biggest stories in the media over the last few weeks has been the fact that Michael Sam became the first openly gay player in the NFL. But that wasn't enough. The news stations have been looping perverse video footage of Sam giving another man a "full on kiss" in celebration of being picked up by a team. Sam is now being hailed as a hero. So much so thatThe President even went so far as to congratulate, and praise Sam for his courage. But the attributes of courage, and accomplishment have been woefully misapplied in an attempt to validate Sam's behavior, and pasify the queer bullies, also known as the gay community. 

It begs the question. Where is the courage and heroism in letting ones sexual preferences, and or proclivities be known to the world?

The answer to this rhetorical question is, there isn't any. Describing Michael Sam's personal choices with such positive attributes in nothing more than a sad attempt to legitimize homosexuality. An all out marketing campaign to sell an image, or a lifestyle. The product (homosexuality), is being sold not only as something that should be accepted as the norm, but preferable because of the adjectives that are now being associated with being gay. In reality it is nothing more than a sexual orientation championed by those on a constant mission to ram it down our throats. Either you swallow it, you choke, or you stick to your right as an American to have an opinion.

Watching Michael Sam kiss his "boyfriend" on the 5' o'clock news is no different than watching pornography on the 5 o'clock news as far as I'm concerned. The only difference is that people recognize porn for what it is.

PR

Just When You Thought You Heard It All News (5-10-2014)

When Annette Larkins goes out with her husband of 54 years, people assume she is his daughter.

The image of health, vitality and youth with a petite size four frame and a line-free face, Mrs Larkins is in fact 70 years old.

She may not have a 70 year old face. But she definitely has 70 year old hair.

The resident of Miami-Dade County, Florida, attributes her youthful looks to her raw vegan diet and grows almost everything she eats in the garden she refers to as her 'fountain of youth'.

During a visit to her home, If you explore her back yard, you'll see that every inch is covered in plants and trees that grow the fruits and vegetables Mrs Larkins eats.

During a visit to my home. If you explore our back yard you'll see that every inch of my grill is covered in sizzling meat that we eat.

She told reporters: 'My diet consists of fruits, nuts, vegetables and seeds. I do a lot of sprouting of seeds and as you can see from my garden and of course, these are the raw foods that I eat.'

The sprightly septuagenarian did not always eat this way. Husband of 54 years, Amos, owned a meat factory in the 1960's and it was around this time that his wife decided to go vegetarian.

27 years ago she went one step further by turning vegan and now everything she eats is raw. Nothing cooked or processed every passes her lips.

Recognising how positively she could influence others, the formidable 70-year-old has already written two booklets titled: Journey to Health and produced a DVD about her nutritional regime.

'I am very vibrant, I have lots of energy, as I told you before, I am up no later than 5:30 in the morning as a rule, and I am ready to go' she told ABC.

Her husband agreed, gushing: 'She's an amazing person though. Oh man, I mean really. She does everything- build computers, make all her own clothes, grow her own food, speaks three languages. It's amazing.'

More power to her. I neither have the desire or the will power to give up meat.

All of the band aids in the world can't fix this "boo boo"!

A man being treated for a minor urological problem woke from surgery to discover he'd been given a vasectomy instead.

Ouch!!

Doctors at the Royal Liverpool Hospital have "apologized unreservedly" for the mistake, and are working to see if it's reversible.

According to the hospital, the man went into surgery for treatment for a minor urological disorder. Somewhere along the lines, though, the surgeon becomes confused and performed the operation on the "wrong site."

"We can confirm a patient who was scheduled to have a different minor urological procedure was wrongly given a vasectomy," Dr Peter Williams, the hospital's medical director, said in a statement. "We have apologized unreservedly to the patient and we are offering him our full support. We greatly regret the distress this has caused him... This is a serious incident and we are investigating this fully to understand why it occurred and how we can ensure it does not happen again."

The apology might not be enough, though; one lawyer told the local media, the mistake could cost the hospital as much as $170,000.

"In a worst-case scenario, sterility in a younger man with no children – the trust might be liable for a figure in excess of $1 million in compensation," Ian Cohen, a clinical negligence lawyer at Slater & Gordon, said.

It's a trailor park tragedy! Or is the tragedy the fact that some people still live in trailor parks......JUST KIDDING !

 Authorities say a northeast Florida woman who didn't like her neighbors had their mobile home demolished.

According to an arrest report, Ana Maria Moreta Folch of St. Augustine told a heavy equipment operator that she owned the trailer and wanted it and its septic tank destroyed.

Wow, the septic tank too?!

St. Johns County Sheriff's deputies were called when the trailer's real owner arrived Monday and found the demolition underway.

The arrest report says Moreta Folch wanted the trailer bulldozed because she thought its occupants were unsavory and she suspected they had broken into her car.

Well if that ain't the pot calling the kettle......Take a good look at that face⬆️

Moreta Folch was charged with criminal mischief, a third-degree felony. She was released Wednesday on $10,000 bail. Jail records did not show whether she had an attorney.

PR