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Pray They are Safe

We can only pray that two missing children, eight-year-old Shasta Groene and her brother Dylan Groene, 9, are okay.  Unfortunately, other members of their family, including their mother and 13-year-old brother were found slain in their home.  An Amber Alert has been issued for little Shasta and Dylan.

COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho - Authorities said on Tuesday afternoon that they have no leads in the murders of three people found slain in an Idaho home. Earlier they issued an Amber Alert in the search for two children who lived at the house but were no longer there when the bodies were discovered.

"We have no leads, no persons of interest," said Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson. "We’re just doing everything we can early because time is of the essence."

They were last seen getting off a school bus at their house Monday afternoon, the Web site for the Spokesman-Review newspaper reported Tuesday.

Watson said that finding the children was law enforcement’s main concern at this point. He said the county sheriff’s office was working with the FBI and other agencies and had dogs searching in the area near the home, which is about eight miles from town.

Authorities have said that while the cause of death remained undetermined, there were "suspicious circumstances" reported by a neighbor and the deaths were obvious homicides. 

At least in this case, as it stands, the father of the children has been ruled out as a suspect.  There have been entirely too many situations of late where children are being killed by their own father or mother.  That being said, it doesn’t bring any comfort to those impacted by these senseless murders.  I pray that Shasta and Dylan are found and that they have family and friends that can support them during this painful time.

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Around the Blogosphere in 8 Minutes

I do have to say that it’s been a pretty busy day for me today.  I’m just now sitting down at my computer (other than the "blog fly-by" - you all know what I’m talking about!).  Work was crazy, our daughter had a fever, I went and got dinner, got the kids to bed and went to the grocery store.  Why the hell does that real life stuff always want to get in the way of blogging?  Heheheh…glad I bought some cheeze to go with my whine…

Anyway, since I don’t have a chance to spend enough time writing some posts tonight, I thought I’d lean on my blogging friends (plus we all love linky love, don’t we?)

Sex Offenders, Child Murderers and Assholes, Oh My!

My dear hubby, Eric, brings you yet another reason to hug your children extra tight (but yet another reason for me to RANT about getting child murderers out of prison and placed 6 feet under)…MiniVan Mom lets us know to be on the lookout for a pedophile/sex offender who is on the loose…and, well, this guy is just an asshole, but Buckley F. Williams gives us the down low on his upcoming "tell all" book!

Ahhh…Nooseweek. 

Those irresponsible MSM whizzes at Newsweek who apologize (in their shallow, "have to" kind of way), but won’t hold themselves responsible.  I would have loved to write about this, but why, when we have such amazing stories already out there here, here, here and here.

Fun Stuff!

Wuzzadem and the Clippy chronicles.  You’ve GOT to go look.  OMG!  Lastly, stop over at Beth’s new place and Sadie’s new digs.  They’ve changed the wallpaper and the paint and they are ready for some visitors.  Check them out!

I hope I’ll be back in action tomorrow - this work thingy has just *got* to slow down!  Indeed.

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…Death Penalty, Expedited!

Here is yet another reason to expedite the death penalty for these sons-of-bitches:

TAMPA, Fla. — The convicted sex offender accused of killing a 13-year-old girl, then dumping her body in a pond was caught trying to dig out of his jail cell, officials said.

David Onstott, 36, was found scratching on the concrete wall near the floor of his cell early Saturday with a metal towel holder he had apparently pried off a desk, said Hillsborough County sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter.

He had only scraped about a quarter of an inch into the concrete, she said. He was later moved to another cell in the jail.

I wonder what this scum was thinking when he did this?  Did he want to harm another child?  Or was he worried that Bubba was coming to see him later?  Or just worried that he’d be dying in a matter of time for the horrific crime he committed?

Police said Onstott confessed to choking Sarah Lunde after getting into an argument with the girl at her Ruskin home in April. Her partially clothed body was found a week after she disappeared in an abandoned fish pond about a half-mile from her home.

Onstott is charged with first-degree murder and attempted sexual battery. He has pleaded not guilty. He served 5 1/2 years in prison for a 1995 rape and was arrested in March on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.

Here’s another loser, a child predator, a sex offender who ADMITTED that he killed a child (and trying to escape prison!!).  But he’s allowed to enter a plea of not guilty?  I think when they admit they did it, someone should take them around back and shoot them in the head - no prison escapes, no threat to society after that.  And no more tax dollars spent on low life scum loser assholes who do not deserve to live after snuffing out the life of a child.

<soapbox> Based on the outcomes of cases and cases of repeat offenders, they cannot be rehabilitated.  Why do we continue to allow these damaged goods to get out of jail the first time?  …the second time?  Does it truly take the death of a child for our society to learn of the dangers these monsters possess and to take them off the street? </soapbox>

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Every Day with Rachael Ray & Other RR Musings

Launching August 30, 2005, Rachael Ray’s new magazine will be distributed on newsstands!  "Every Day with Rachael Ray" will be published by the Reader’s Digest Association in partnership with Rachael Ray.  When in full publication in 2006, the magazine will be published 10 times per year.

What, might you ask will be in her magazine?  Okay, most of us would presume recipes and food, right?  Right.  But the publication will incorporate recipes, entertaining and food destinations. The cover price will be $3.99.

Kitty Morgan, former senior editor at American Express Publishing’s Departures will serve as editor, while designer Lucy Sisman, who worked on Condé Nast’s Allure and Fairchild Publications’ Details, will be design director. Overseeing the business side will be Reader’s Digest vp, publishing director Laura McEwen.

"Rachael’s high-energy style, down-to-earth approach and passion for food attract millions of fans to her TV shows and cookbooks," said Eric Schrier, president of Reader’s Digest North America and Global editor in chief. "Couple that with our publishing know-how and expertise in food, home and family, and we have the recipe for an exciting breakthrough food magazine. "

Ray is best known as the host of the Food Network program, 30 Minute Meals, and is the author of several cookbooks, including Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals and Rachael Ray Best Eats in Town on $40 a Day.

I, for one, am looking forward to her magazine - I’m a magazine junkie by nature, and this will be no exception to that.  I’m always looking for new, simple recipes and she seems to have this mastered.  I also like the way her cookbooks are written, and I’m pretty certain she will have a lot of creative input in order to leave her mark.  It’ll be something to settle into Fall with.

Two other tidbits I’ve read about with regard to Rachael Ray:  I heard her dog, Boo, died while at the vet’s office.  She was very attached to her dog, so I’m sure it hit her pretty hard.  Lastly, I heard that her wedding to John Cusimano of the band "The Cringe" will more than likely take place in the Fall, in Tuscany.  I just had to get those last couple of items in here for you die hard RR fans! 

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How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

Okay - I took the test…I think I’m definitely conservative….don’t ya think?

Your Political Profile

Overall: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Social Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Personal Responsibility: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Ethics: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
H/T to Beth at Yeah, Right, Whatever.  I love these test thingys!

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Beth’s Blogiversary

Beth of My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is celebrating a full year of blogging today!  Beth’s blog was one of the first ones I ever read, other than, of course, the one owned by my most significant other.  Beth has become a close friend of ours and we appreciate all that she does to make the blogworld a better place!  Oh, and we really like that she swears…all the fuckin’ time!

Of course, Beth has no opinions, and she never will tell you what to do.  Most importantly she enjoys all asshats, moonbats and liberals…

…only so she can kick their asses to the curb!

Please stop over at Beth’s house and wish her the best Blogiversary ever! 

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You Know You Are a Blogger When…

Mr. Cranky puts you in his Quick Guide to Good Blogs

Thanks for the priviledge, Mr. Neocon.  I feel as though I’ve grown up now!

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Carnival of the Recipes #39

Be sure to check out this week’s Carnival of the Recipes, hosted over at Boudicca’s Voice.  I was really impressed by the number of desserts this week - including a couple with strawberries - strawberry tarts and strawberry baked Alaska….yum, and strawberries are in season and taste sooo good right now!

Here it is first thing in the morning and I’m drooling!

Oh - did I mention that my recipe for Sausage & Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce Pasta is in the Carnival this week? 

Enjoy!

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Preston, We are Here for You!

I was really going to take a night off from blogging tonight, really.  But then I saw this tragic news that made me immediately feel as though I needed to ensure that your blogging friend and mine, Preston at Six Meat Buffet is okay now that the news is out.  I think I now understand why Preston was off yesterday…

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) - Rock Hill police are looking for a hot hot dog. Someone appears to have stolen a sign featuring a giant wiener in a bun from the Ebenezer Grill after it closed Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators think the suspects should be easy to spot.

"It’s tough to hide a 10-foot weenie," Rock Hill police Lt. Jerry Waldrop said.

Um….no.  I just can’t bring myself to comment on that last quote.

The smiling hot dog has welcomed customers to the restaurant for the past 18 months, after owner Loyd Ardrey bought it to replace the aging dog that sat atop the roof for years.

When Ardrey arrived around 6 a.m. Wednesday, the 30-pound aluminum sign was gone.

"I figured, well, maybe it blew off because we had some storms last night. We looked around, and it wasn’t in any yards next door or across the street or anything," Ardrey said.

Ardrey suspects some college or high school students took the sign as a prank or fraternity initiation.

The thieves had to work for their prize, Waldrop said.

"That thing had a lot of screws in it, and it was evident that the screws had been taken out," Waldrop said.

If he has to, Ardrey said he will buy another sign. The stolen sign cost about $600 dollars. He is thinking about offering a reward, but isn’t sure if he should give out money or hot dogs.

…and something that I’m certain has, at least once, resonated throughout the House of Meats:

"I just want my weenie back," Ardrey said.


Preston, just know that we are all here for you should you need an ear or a shoulder, but alas, not if you need a weiner.

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Stop the ACLU! Blogburst

There have been a number of issues in recent days that have come up that the ACLU has had their grubby little hands in.

Poor Little Sex Offenders

Hawaii’s sex offender listing has been very busy as of late, due to the enactment of a new law, Act 45, that "…gives the public immediate Internet access to information on registered sex offenders who are repeat offenders, whose crimes are punishable by at least five years in prison or who have committed certain other aggravated offenses.  The new guidelines resulted in the immediate posting of 1,416 convicted sex offenders, up from 74."

Unfortunately, Hawaii now has one of the most restrictive laws in the country, and there’s no evidence to suggest that it will increase public safety," said ACLU attorney Lois Perrin.

Hmmmmm…and just how does the ACLU proclaim to know this?  I would bet that if Lois Perrin knew about the sex offender next door, the kids would be under lock and key versus visiting said sex offender’s house, away from those prying parent eyes.

Defense attorney Bill Harrison said:

…one of his clients was convicted of date rape in 1986, went to prison and successfully completed sex offender treatment.  The man is now married and a law-abiding citizen who is a heavy equipment operator.  "Today, he saw his picture on the Internet, and it was shocking for him," the attorney said.

Awwww…poor Mr. Sex Offender.  And does anyone wonder how "shocking" it was for the girl when he raped her?  And how *does* Bill Harrison know that this man is rehabilitated…did he merely ask him?  I’m sooo certain his client would tell an attorney that he was out on a raping and pillaging rampage last week.  C’mon now.

ACLU Finds Rise in Wyoming Prison Violence

Innocent title by itself, isn’t it (emphasis is mine)? 

CASPER - Violence is rising at the Wyoming State Penitentiary, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which is closely monitoring the investigation into a disturbance last month that may have been motivated by racism.

"There’s been an escalation of violence recently that is very concerning," said Steven Pevar, an ACLU attorney from Hartford, Conn., who represented an inmate attacked at the Rawlins prison six years ago.

In a letter to the Casper Star-Tribune, Christopher Pullie and Darrell Booker identified themselves as two of the five black victims of the April 20 attack, which they contend was racially motivated.

Pullie and Booker said 15 to 20 officers and administrative officials did nothing to stop the "mob beating" by 30 to 40 prisoners.

The two main groups of attackers, they wrote, were Hispanic and American Indian inmates who were joined by white prisoners.

My concerns are simple.  Why are we jumping to conclusions that this "attack" was racially motivated?  Who were the attackers? This article mentions that the two main groups of attackers were Hispanic and American Indian with some white prisoners.  So were there any black attackers in the group? 

Incarceration rates in Wyoming clearly show that per 100,000 population, the highest rate of incarcerations (and thereby the highest percentage of the prison population) occur with black, non-Hispanic people.  It is entirely possible that this was not an attack based on race, but merely due to the fact that the majority of prisoners are, indeed, black.  This is one of many issues I have with the ACLU.  There tends to be an immediate jump to judgment that situations occur due to racial motivations.  This can be dangerous. As a society, we regularly seek to ensure that there is not discrimination, but isn’t jumping to these conclusions discrimination in and of itself?  I think knee-jerk reactions such as this tend to set us back versus moving us forward.  I support efforts to discourage discrimination, but we should be prudent and cautious in our approach.  Prudent and cautious are words absent from the ACLU’s glossary of terms.

The ACLU Seeks to Protect ILLEGAL Activities

The U.S. Senate voted 100-0 to pass the "Real ID Act" and President Bush is expected to sign this new act this month (again, emphasis mine). 

The law’s backers, including the Bush administration, have said it will make the country’s borders safer by stopping illegal immigrants from obtaining driver’s licenses. The hijackers who attacked U.S. targets on Sep. 11, 2001, carried valid driver’s licenses, they added.

I haven’t forgotten the 9/11 attacks, have you? 

‘’Giving state driver’s licenses to anyone, regardless of whether they are here legally or illegally, is an open invitation for terrorists and criminals to exploit,'’ Sensenbrenner said.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), and other groups countered that the bill represents a crackdown on immigration and rolls back asylum laws.

‘’The Real ID Act won’t make America any safer,'’ said Wade Henderson, the LCCR executive director. It ‘’will open the door to widespread discrimination, create bureaucratic nightmares, and undermine public safety by increasing the number of unlicensed drivers on our roads.'’

I find it irresponsible to continue to attempt to extend protection to people who, increasingly, are in our country ILLEGALLY.  They are breaking laws and should not be given access to the same services that those immigrants who follow all of the rules and enter this country legally as well as those who are currently US citizens.

The act would give states until May 2008 to make changes requiring applicants for a driver’s license to prove they are in the country legally. Those able to do so would be issued with licenses accepted as a form of federal identification for purposes including traveling by rail or air and opening a bank account.

Why is this a bad thing?  If they aren’t in this country legally, why should they be able to take advantage of what our great country has to offer?  I don’t think this is rocket science, those of you who are card-carrying ACLU members - again, THEY ARE HERE ILLEGALLY, BREAKING THE LAW!

Groups that sought to mobilize members and the public against the measure ran the gamut from LCCR and the ACLU to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Amnesty International and the Hispanic National Council of La Raza, to online activists concerned about privacy and technology.

What infuriates me is that eleven states allow immigrants to obtain licenses regardless of their legal residency status (aiding and abetting a known criminal?).  The argument is "for public safety."  This supposedly ensures a higher level of safety in that drivers have passed tests and are insured.  Would we have had more population in NY and in DC if the terrorists had been snagged when applying for a driver’s license? 

This, of course, just screams "ACLU"

Some state officials and civil libertarians are weighing challenging the new law in court.

No, really? 

Please be sure to visit http://stoptheaclu.blogspot.com to learn more about the ACLU’s attempts at putting more and more Americans into harm’s way.

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Sausage & Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce Pasta

This recipe is simple and a real treat.  Left overs are divine!

1 pound ziti pasta
4-6 Italian sausages (sweet or spicy), cut into 1/4 in. slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
red pepper flakes to taste
course salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1 cup half and half
2 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (or mozzarella)
1 to 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I use Hunt’s Light)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Get a large pot of water to a boil, generously salting, and cook ziti to al dente, about 8-9 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, place sausage in single layer, cooking until there is a nice brown layer on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.  Return pan (with all the tasty bits on the bottom!) to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms (optional). Season to taste with red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are lightly golden (if you don’t use mushrooms, cook until the garlic is soft, but not browned).

Preheat broiler to high.

To garlic/mushroom combo, add flour and stir, cooking until you smell a nice nutty aroma. Whisk in chicken broth and then whisk in the half and half. Bring mixture to a gentle bubble.  Stir in 2 cups cheese and a small handful of the Parmesan. When the cheese melts, it will look like a very smooth sauce.  Let it come to a bubble, then add the marinara sauce, mixing well.  Bring the sauce up to a bubble, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and remove from heat. 

Return the sausage slices to the sauce, mixing them in.  Add the cooked ziti pasta and mix until well coated.  Transfer to an oven safe baking dish (I use a glass one).  Sprinkle remaining cheese, and Parmesan on top of the mixture.  At this point, I add a bit of fresh ground pepper as well.  Place in broiler until cheese is golden brown.

This recipe is AWESOME and not difficult to cook for as tasty as it is.  Enjoy!

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WTW - This Criminal is a Chicken

Just when you thought crime wasn’t high enough, even animals have to get in the act:

RIDGECREST, Calif. (AP) - Linc and Helena Moore may have finally learned the answer to that age-old question: Why did the chicken cross the road? Because the chicken doesn’t know jaywalking is illegal.

Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy J. Nicholson does know, however. The deputy issued a ticket March 26 because one of the couple’s chickens allegedly impeded traffic in Johannesburg, a rural mining community near Ridgecrest, some 220 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

The Moores were in Superior Court on Friday to plead not guilty. A trial was scheduled for May 16.

Nicholson has declined to discuss the matter, but sheriff’s Sgt. Francis Moore said chickens on the roadway have been a problem in the community of 50 residents. Officials didn’t believe it could be resolved by simply issuing the couple a warning.

"Sometimes you have to let people talk to the judge," Moore said.

The chicken’s owners say they believe they were cited because they were among several people who complained that sheriff’s deputies haven’t done enough to control off-road vehicle riders who create dust and noise in their neighborhood.

Sheriff’s officials say that isn’t so, adding they are doing what they can to keep off-roaders away from homes.

"The chicken thing has nothing to do with the motorcycle thing," Moore said.

I, however, discovered the truth regarding why the chicken really did cross the road…

(more…)

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Face of a Child Murderer?

Is this the face of a child murderer?

God, I hope not.  Yes, that place in my heart that holds out that people are generally good wants to believe this man did not kill his own daughter and her best friend.  But police have arrested him and filed murder charges according to Fox News.

The ex-con father of a little girl who was beaten and stabbed to death with her best friend on Mother’s Day is under arrest and will be charged with first-degree murder.

Jerry Hobbs, who has an extensive criminal history and was released from a Texas jail just last month, stabbed his daughter, 8-year-old Laura Hobbs, and her 9-year-old schoolmate, Krystal Tobias, repeatedly in the neck, Illinois state attorney Mike Waller said Tuesday.

Jerry Hobbs has a lengthy record and a rocky relationship with his daughter Laura’s mom. 

Hobbs has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1990 in Texas, including prior arrests on assault and resisting arrest charges, according to records kept by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Records also show Hobbs had a rocky relationship with Laura’s mother, Sheila Hollabaugh. Hobbs had been arrested in 2001 after arguing with her, grabbing a chainsaw and chasing other residents around the Texas trailer park where they lived, according to Wichita County Assistant District Attorney Rick Mahler. Someone eventually subdued Hobbs by hitting him in the back with a shovel, Mahler said.

Hobbs was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 10 years probation, but he failed to appear for his required meetings, so his probation was revoked in 2003 and he was imprisoned until his release on April 12, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

It distresses me that a man like this, striking the fact that he probably murdered his own daughter, could be the father of a child.  Hell, he is no father - more like a sperm donor.  Keanu Reeves’ character in the film “Parenthoodâ€� says it best. 

"You need a license to drive a car, even to fish, but any asshole can be a parent."

A place in my heart wants to hold out hope that this father did not ruthlessly slay his own daughter and her best friend.  Kids should be able to play together on a warm day, having fun, no worries in the world.  The LAST thing they should worry about is their own parent wishing to inflict harm on them.  What has this world come to?

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Two Little Girls Lost

Anyone who reads my blog knows how I feel about crimes against children, in particular murder.  As Beth and Jody say, why?  Beth also talks about how difficult, border-lining impossible it is to blog about such a tragedy.  I personally feel compelled to blog about these innocent lives lost.  Even though I have but a little spec on the web, I feel like I need to play my part to keep this story in the public eye as much as I can so the evil soul(s) who did this will be caught and so their story isn’t buried under the Michael Jackson trial or baseball season. 

These are INNOCENT HUMAN LIVES lost at the hand of a sadistic, psychotic, evil, disgusting pig of a human being.  Did this vile creature actually rationalize making the decision to slaughter these mere babies?

ZION, Ill.  — Police on Monday said they had few leads in the murders of two northern Illinois second-graders found dead from multiple stab wounds.

The bodies of Laura Hobbs, 8, and Krystal Tobias, 9, were discovered Monday morning by an area resident on a stroll in a heavily wooded area at 6:03 a.m. CDT. The girls, who attended the same elementary school and were described as best friends, had not been heard from since going out to ride their bicycles together Sunday afternoon.

"This is a heinous crime. It was a crime not only against those kids but against all of us," Police Chief Doug Malcolm said.

Look at these beautiful, innocent faces.  These girls each had a full life ahead of them…lives filled with boys, prom, borrowing the car, marriage, children.  How could anyone, no matter how down and out, no matter how bad their day was…how could they make a conscious decision to end their lives???

The parents of one of the girls had reported her missing about 8:50 p.m. Sunday, about two hours after she was expected home, Malcolm said. The parents of the other girl called shortly afterward, and authorities with rescue dogs began searching.

Malcolm said no weapons were found and there was no evidence of sexual assault. A girl’s bicycle was found nearby. He said police had not identified any suspects and that there were "no solid leads that we’re focusing on."

The killings stunned this town about 45 miles north of Chicago, prompting police and school officials to escort children directly onto buses at the end of the school day. Dozens of anxious parents waited until their children emerged from the front doors of the school, then put their arms around their kids or clutched their hands as they walked to their cars.

Fifteen-year-old Albert Tobias said he didn’t know why someone would want to attack his sister. "But I would like to know what happened," he said in a brief telephone interview.

Constance Collins, superintendent of the Zion Elementary School District 6, said the girls were in the same second-grade class at Beulah Park Elementary School.

"They were best friends," said Laura Unrein, who lives near the park. "When one left, the other left. They were always together."

They are still together - in Heaven.  And they feel no more fear or pain.  I pray for the families and the friends of Laura and Krystal - I hope they find the strength to make it through this tragic and heart-wrenching time.  I also pray that they find the evil, sadistic, vile, disgusting pigs that did this to Laura and Krystal.  I want them to be found, tried, convicted and fried.  In one quick and evil moment, they decided to take the lives of these innocent girls and they do not deserve to breathe another breath of life themselves.

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V-E Day

(Cross posted at Vince Aut Morire)

"Those who can win a war well can rarely make a good peace and those who could make a good peace would never have won the war."

- Winston Churchill

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God bless all those who made the sacrifice, from all the nations who rose up to confront the Nazi horde.  God bless those who waited for them.  God bless all those that saw the horror of war and returned to give me what I have today. 

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