Beth normally doesn’t like memes, but when I saw she did this one, and she asked me to participate threatened me to within an inch of my life, I agreed. 

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Overview: This post is a community experiment with two broad purposes. The first is to create publicly accessible data about bloggers’ personalities, which may have sociological value in addition to being just plain fun. The second is to track the propagation of this meme through blogspace. Full details and explanation can be found on the original posting: http://pixnaps.blogspot.com/2005/06/meme-worth-spreading.html

Instructions (to join in the experiment):

1) Take the IPIP-NEO personality test and the Political Compass quiz, if you have not done so already.

2) Copy to the clipboard that section of this post that is between the double lines, and paste it into your blog editor. (Blogger users may wish to use ‘compose’ mode to preserve formatting and hyperlinks. Otherwise, be sure to add hyperlinks as necessary.)

3) Replace the answers in the “survey” section below with your own.

4) Add your blog information to the “track list”, in the format: “Linked title - URL - optional GUID“.

5) Any additional comments should go outside of the double lines, including the (optional) nomination of bloggers you wish to pass this experimental meme on to.

6) Post it to your blog!

Survey:

Age: 36 (younger than Beth!  :::ducking:::)
Gender: Female
Location: Nebraska, USA
Religion: Catholic
Occupation: A Manager of Supervisors with a comfy chair in a cubicle
Began blogging (dd/mm/yy): 23/12/04

Political Compass results

Left/Right: 5.38
Libertarian/Authoritarian: 3.18

IPIP-NEO results

EXTRAVERSION: 93
Friendliness 77
Gregariousness 89
Assertiveness 90
Activity Level 82
Excitement-Seeking 61
Cheerfulness 88

AGREEABLENESS: 37
Trust 76
Morality 45
Altruism 52
Co-operation 64
Modesty 40
Sympathy 0 (like Beth says ”suck it up”)

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: 63
Self-Efficacy 89
Orderliness 22
Dutifulness 72
Achievement-Striving 81
Self-Discipline 43
Cautiousness 67

NEUROTICISM: 15
Anxiety 14
Anger 7
Depression 19
Self-Consciousness 29
Immoderation 72
Vulnerability 16

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: 14
Imagination 53
Artistic Interests 0 (doesn’t listening to Metallica count?)
Emotionality 44
Adventurousness 61
Intellect 47
Liberalism 0

Track List:

1. Philosophy, et cetera - pixnaps.blogspot.com - pixnaps97a2
2. Majikthise - 6ea37d10-e9b9-11d9-8cd6-0800200c9a66
3. Ezra Klein - http://ezraklein.typepad.com
4. Rox Populi - http://roxanne.typepad.com
5. Verbatim - http://verbatim.blogs.com
6. Black Currant Jam - http://blackcurrantjam.blogspot.com/ - black7currant7jam5
7. TypeBlogs - http://typeblogs.com (offshoot of marlaswoffer.com)
8. Ramble Strip - http://www.ramblestrip.com/blog/ - kal97ramblestrip
9. basil’s blog - http://www.basilsblog.net/ - basilandhisblog
10. My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy - http://bamapachyderm.com/ - ctide12×1
11. Merri Musings - http://www.merrimusings.typepad.com - merrimusings

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Oh, what poor victims to pick on?  Well, since Beth already picked on my hubby, I need to find someone else…soooooo….

Raven

Jo

Seth

tee bee

Certainly there’s no pressure to participate - I just thought it was fun!  Wheeeee….I actually liked this one!

The NY chapter of the ACLU, NYCLU- is barking up that tree of selfishness again, putting at risk the lives of people who live in NYC.

The New York Civil Liberties Union will file suit against the city Thursday to keep police from searching the bags of passengers entering the subway, organization lawyers said.

The suit, which will be filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, will claim that the two-week old policy violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection and prohibitions against unlawful searches and seizures, while doing almost nothing to shield the city from terrorism.

It argues that the measure also allows the possibility for racial profiling, even though officers are ordered to randomly screen passengers.

“While concerns about terrorism of course justify — indeed, require — aggressive police tactics, those concerns cannot justify the Police Department’s unprecedented policy of subjecting millions of innocent people to suspicionless searches,” states the suit, a partial copy of which was provided to Newsday.

The policy does nothing to sheild the city from terrorism? How do they know that? Based on what happened in London (and Madrid, and over 2000 other places since 9-11) it doesn’t take a PhD to see that had the terrorists been caught before the bombs went off, lives would have been saved.
I haven’t been around to keep up on too much of this story, but I would have read about any alledged racial profiling carried out by the NYPD. They have searched old ladies and kids; not the young, angry, nervous, sweaty and sultry Muslim men. I would have searched the very people who appear to be likely to carry out an attack. Racial profiling or not- it has to be.

Names of the plaintiffs — subway riders who object to the searches — were redacted in the copy, but are expected to be released Thursday morning.

A city Law Department spokeswoman said that since officials had not yet received the suit, she could not yet comment.

The city is named as a defendant, along with the police department and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Thursday, before the suit was released, Kelly said that the searches were “just one more layer, one more tool.”

“No one thinks that will be the solution, but it does give a potential terrorist something more to think about,” he said.

And I bet these plaintiffs were hired by the ACLU/NYCLU to stand in and do this. I bet they purposely drew attention to themselves to warrant a search. That’s how these civil liberty groups work. It’s all a play, complete with actors who are willing to play these stupid roles. It’s a symptom of a much bigger issue- toying with the safety of the American people in general. Coughing up big lawsuits with lots of media coverage; the MSM will attach itself to this and promote it on all the AM talk shows. The NY Times will place this on it’s front page…There is a pattern.

The civil liberties union has criticized the searches as over-reaching since Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the measure on July 21, after terrorists targeted London’s mass transit system for the second time in two weeks. It also calls the stops ineffective because terrorists can walk through entrances where police are not screening.

You mean to tell me that if the police did their searches outside the entrances of the subway stations, these groups wouldn’t be putting up such a fuss? Yeah right.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the right of law enforcement to conduct random searches, said Barry Kamins, a professor of criminal procedure at Fordham and Brooklyn law schools. But it found that those checks can be considered unlawful if their primary purpose is for law enforcement, such as searching for evidence of a crime. Rather, police must use the stops chiefly to preserve public safety, he said.

The suit comes as elected officials continue to tussled over racial profiling. Nine City Council members Thursday asked Bloomberg to direct officers to note the racial or ethnic identity of people searched.

The call came after a city councilman and a state assemblyman suggested young Arabs should be targeted for searches to prevent terror attacks.

Robert Lawson, a Bloomberg spokesman, said that the police already have adequate safeguards. “The mayor has repeatedly stated since the start of this policy that there would be zero tolerance for racial profiling,” Lawson added.

Zero tolerance wouldn’t be my policy, but I’m not interested in being in charge of this. Those in charge need to, they must have the safety of the public in sight when they decide upon this stuff. Civil liberties are important; but we must never forget the enemy is not interested in being civil with us.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A convicted sex offender suspected of murdering three people in Idaho and abducting two children, one of whom was later found dead, is under investigation in the 1997 kidnapping and killing of a 10-year-old Beaumont, Calif., boy, the Riverside County sheriff said Wednesday.

As furious as I am, I can’t say I’m surprised that this evil, heartless heathen, Joseph Edward Duncan III, would be connected to another child murder.  He is linked by a single fingerprint to the scene of the killing of 10-year-old Anthony Martinez. 

For the sake of little Anthony’s family - I hope that they are able to find some relief in knowing their child’s killer has been identified and that he is not wandering the streets. 

I personally do *not* find any comfort in the fact that this man was a repeat offender, who "served his time" only to come out of prison and not only molest children, but kill them as well.  Laws need to be tougher, and these sick, child-molesting murdering slimeballs should not be out on parole, protected by laws that don’t take a victim’s welfare into account.  It has been proven time and time again that these types of criminals are NOT rehabilitated, and they tend to come out and commit crimes of an even more egregious nature.  When will this lesson be learned - when the cemeteries are full of children whose lives were stolen when they had barely just begun?

Susan Torres, a 26-year-old researcher for NIH, who kept alive through life-support with hope of delivering her child, passed away today.  Susan had melanoma, which spread to her brain and caused a stroke, leaving her clinically brain-dead.

Her family decided to keep her alive to give her fetus a chance. It became a race between the fetus’ development and the cancer that was ravaging the woman’s body.

Doctors said that Torres’ health was deteriorating and that the risk of harm to the fetus finally outweighed the benefits of extending the pregnancy.

Torres gave birth to a daughter, Susan Anne Catherine Torres, by Caesarean section on Tuesday at Virginia Hospital Center. The baby was about two months premature and weighed 1 pound, 13 ounces. She was in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Dr. Donna Tilden-Archer, the hospital’s director of neonatology, described the child as "very vigorous." She said the baby had responded when she received stimulation, indicating she was healthy.

Following the birth of her daughter, Susan was removed from life support early Wednesday with the consent of her husband, after she received final sacrament.  Even in the midst of his grief, Jason Torres, Susan’s husband, thanked everyone who has prayed for and supported his family.  Susan’s courage, as well as Jason’s courage is amazing.  I imagine their wee one will be a fighter, too.   

A Web site was set up to help raise money for the family’s mounting medical bills, and as of two weeks ago, people from around the world had donated around $400,000. The family said it must pay tens of thousands of dollars each week that insurance does not cover.

May God bless this family and give them strength.  I’m certain Susan is one of the most beautiful angels in Heaven watching over them.

In my quest to provide my audience with a true depiction of white trash living, I have failed to point my beloved readers to a place that has chronicled and recorded a veritable smorgasbord of white trash personalities - the television.  I now take you on a journey through years gone by and hope to bring to you fond memories of our white trash past…

Who could forget the ever lovable cast of "WKRP in Cincinnati" - that adorable Les Nessman, the guy who brought you the news.  Or your general manager and mine, the "always in charge" Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson.  …and the most fabulous representation of trashiness, receptionist Jennifer Marlowe.  Who could forget all the mayhem of running this radio station in Cincinnati.  What a hoot!

Meathead, Archie, Edith - what an amazing cast of everyday folks in the early 70s.  Who better to epitomize that era than "All in the Family" - a family full of love, respect and affection for one another - well at least as much love, respect and affection that Archie could muster.  Archie also drank beer in a bar where people were smoking.  Yes, smoking was allowed on TV in the 70s.  See why this White Trash history is so important?

Ahhhhh…remember Schneider?  He truly made this show, "One Day at a Time."  What other show made light of guys who were always breaking into women’s apartments without their permission?  Who else ran around the set with a jean vest and cigarettes wrapped in his t-shirt sleeve?  …and what about his sage advice to these two young girls?  A memorable quote from Schneider to Barbara (persuading her to not lose her virginity):  "Always remember, and please never forget: A man is like a bow-and-arrow, and a woman is like a target. Bow-and-arrow needs practice. Target doesn’t."  Pearls of wisdom, I say!

Mel or Flo?  Who would YOU vote for the best representation of white trash?  I find it hard to decide.  You’ve got Mel, with his greasy, disgusting white t-shirt and crazy hat (but he can cook!).  Then you have the ever out-spoken Flo and her famous "Kiss my grits" one liner.  But she was usually saying it to Mel.  Do you ever wonder if they got together in the end?

The Ropers just had to get mentioned.  Not only did they take care of Jack, Janet and Chrissy’s apartment complex, but they were the hippest, best-dressed couple in the place.  Mr. Roper’s polyester vests paired with wide collared shirt were history-making.  …not to mention Mrs. Roper’s perm.

Last but not least, the king of white trash sitcoms and best representation of society as   we know it "Married…with Children."  Al, Bud, Kelly, Peggy "Wanker" Bundy….and Marcy, her first husband Steve and second husband Jefferson.  Hell, even Buck the dog was white trash.  This series covered the very heavy hitting topics of shoe salesmen, strippers, parental bedroom action (or the lack thereof), acne, bills, and old cars.  You name it, we learned it from the Bundys!

I hope I brought you some fond memories of your past, and that you will hold a special place in your heart for these, our most revered, white trash families and friends!

Please go visit all the other trailers in the park - and bring your Mad Dog 20/20:

The party is almost over and our amazing hostesses had some shindig!  Please stop by The Cotillion and link to some great posts by some extraordinary ladies!

Thanks so much to our hostesses this week:  Sisu, Portia Rediscovered, Ilyka Damen, and KelliPundit.  You all did an oustanding job!

Legislative Bill 117 was passed in Nebraska, and brings with it harsher penalties for those convicted of methamphetamine related crimes. 

The meth crackdown comes from the passage and signing of Legislative Bill 117, which included store display and age restrictions for the purchase and sale of products containing pseudoephedrine, a key component of meth. The law goes into effect in September.

The Corrections Department says the tougher meth law could put into prison most of the roughly 400 offenders who otherwise might have entered treatment programs.

The department also says LB 117 could help double prison ranks by 2025.

And even without LB 117, as soon as next year the prison population could reach 140 percent of capacity.

Have you ever seen a person who is an abuser of meth?  This is the progression, in this woman’s case, over 10 years:

Have you ever seen a meth lab?  Here’s a rather clean one:

I grew up in a small town in Nebraska, which now carries the reputation of "Meth Capital of Nebraska."  There have been meth labs built in homes, such as the one above, or in the trunks of cars.  There have been cases where meth labs are set up on an unsuspecting farm owner’s property, only to be discovered when the foul smell creeps up to the farmhouse, putting the family living there in danger.  There are even cases where houses once containing meth labs are sold to new owners, who have become sick once they move in due to the lingering toxic chemicals. 

I think the lawmakers are doing the right thing passing this law.  I’ve heard of too many people dying due to meth, seen parents put their children at risk due to meth use, seen people threatened, assaulted and almost murdered because of what this drug does to people.  There have been a couple of incidents that have touched me personally and I’ve seen what the drug can do to a person’s life.  I honestly don’t find anything wrong with putting most of the offenders in prison versus rehab.  This isn’t pot, people.  This drug is bad and it changes people in a bad way and they cause harm.

Our nice little local newspaper, the Omaha World Herald, notes that it is possible that the governor could parole inmates if the capacity percentage gets too high.  Please note the COULD portion of that sentence.  Methinks the OWH writer could be a bit biased and perhaps not happy with the passing of this law, perhaps even overreacting a bit.  Not that I *ever* thought that nice little paper could ever be biased outside their opinion page [intentional sarcasm here].

Nebraska prisons are sitting at 134 percent capacity, according to Steve King, Corrections Department spokesman. 

"The philosophy of incarceration being a significant solution to the problem is obviously contrary to community corrections being a solution," said John Icenogle, district court judge for Buffalo and Hall Counties. "But the Legislature has said this problem is so severe they don’t trust it to community corrections, and we have to accept that."

That’s right, John, accept it.  I think they are right.  I also believe that because prosecutors will still have discretion on charges, the alarm being sounded is somewhat premature.  The affect on the prison population was also a consideration when reviewing the bill says Aaron Sanderford, spokesman for Gov. Dave Heineman.

In the back of my head, I can’t help but wonder how often the "affect on the prison population" is considered and causes law makers and/or judges to not do the right thing by taking criminals off the street.  If laws don’t have any teeth, i.e. prison time, how can a person who is considering the manufacture or delivery of meth be positively influenced?  If we saw a 50% increase in murders, would we just give them parole because of prison overpopulation?  Or set a pedophile free from prison to make room?  Maybe those criminals who were sentenced to death should actually have that penalty delivered versus spending their life in jail - those criminals seem to be taking up a good deal of prison space.  If need be, build another prison.  People know the law, and there should be consequences.  If we actually took criminals off the street, we may actually have safer parks and neighborhoods, and cities, and small towns - including the one this small-town girl was born and raised in.

I always breathe a sigh of relief when I read a story that a child abducted is found:

RENO, Nev. (AP) - An 8-year-old girl was abducted by a convicted sex offender who took her to Mexico, where the two were found staying in a shelter, authorities said.

Officials in Mexico and the United States said the girl was sexually assaulted by Fernando Aguerro, who is accused of kidnapping her from her home near Reno on July 22.

The girl’s mother, who was reunited with her daughter Saturday, said she had a romantic relationship with Aguerro.

Authorities found the sex offender and the young girl in a low-income Ensenada shelter, and the mother was flown to San Diego to be reunited with her daughter.   

It was not immediately known when Aguerro may be extradited to the United States. He remains in the custody of Mexican authorities, who want to charge him with rape and kidnapping, NBC TV affiliates in Reno and San Diego reported.

If convicted in Mexico, Aguerro could serve up to 38 years in prison.

Aguerro - who was convicted in Los Angeles in the 1980s of lewdness with a child and served a year in prison - could receive life in prison without parole if convicted of kidnapping in the United States.

I have to say, perhaps we should leave the sicko in Mexico.  He was already a convicted sex offender walking the streets in the U.S.  Perhaps Mexico would actually *keep* him in prison.  Oh, and Mexican jails aren’t known for their amenities either.  However, he could receive life in prison without parole if convicted of kidnapping here in the states.  I’m not convinced that’s realistic, given the rash of sex offender cases that have popped up where a child (or children!) ends up dying because a sex offender, even with multiple instances of molestation, is still walking the streets.  It seems as though some in the judicial system are somewhat sympathetic to these criminals.  I’d almost rather bet my money on a 38 year sentence in Mexico.  By then, the guy would be elderly and hopefully out of commission if he didn’t die in prison first.

The girl’s mother said she did not know that Aguerro was a convicted sex offender until he and her daughter disappeared. "I’m glad everybody prayed" for the girl’s safe return, she said.

So I went to the state of Nevada’s Sex Offender Registry page, and of course this guy isn’t listed.  But further looking at the definitions at the site, if they deem a convicted sex offender low risk, they won’t even list them in the database.  I don’t know if this particular criminal registered or not, but this certainly brings to light for me, yet again, the problems with the state-by-state registry system.  As long as we put the responsibility into the hands of the criminal we cannot rely on this system.  Additionally, protecting the criminal by choosing not to list them on the registry is dangerous.  If Aguerro actually is registered and considered "low risk" - which is entirely possible given his conviction was in the 80s - it proves to me this system is flawed.

I’ve done a bit of reading tonight, but I’ve not come up with anything to write about!  A bit of linky love is way overdue, so what better time to do it when I have writer’s block, huh!

Jane Asks For Our Assistance…

Jane at Armies of Liberation tells us about a 14-year-old boy held in a prison in Yemen.  This young man, Ibrahim al Saiani, has an urgent need for medical attention.  Please see Jane’s post here and take the time to sign the petition here.  The petition asks for the boy to get medical attention and, if innocent, his release from prison. 

Beth Has the 411 on PETA Hippie Freaks…

That Beth at MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is at it again, keeping us informed.  She shares a warm tale of PETA yarn spinners and their comparisons of the plights of animals to slavery.  What a bunchacrap.  They’ll never get that lunacy doesn’t win over people.  Well, except the looney Hollyweird crowd.  Excuse me while I go flip my medium rare, cooked to perfection porterhouse steak, please.  Did I tell you I hate PETA even more than the ACLU?

Visit Basil, You Must!

With all the linky love Basil has sent to me, I can never seem to send enough his way.  So please, I beg you, go visit his site.  He has awesome articles, including this one, and this one.  Oh, and Blogroll him, because you will want to go back.

Plan to be Outraged…

Stop over at Hyscience and read "The MSM War On Christians ‘And America’ - They’ve Gone ‘Off The Charts’ In Bias." Oh, and plan to be outraged.  Here’s a sneak peak:

My Husband Vinnie….

Oh, look!  My hubby has BlogAds on his site.  Take a look, and be sure to sign up - he has a great deal going on right now! [this plug brought to you by da wifey poo]

Hanoi Jihad Jane…

Michael, I couldn’t have said it better.  She’s gotta go. 

No, We Don’t Want Her in Office…

Raven reminds us that we’ve got some work to do…unless we want Hillary in office.  Oh my.  I think I need a Tums.

…and As Always….

Please come back here for more.  Hehehehehe

Rich Lowry has a great post up at National Review regarding Cameras and Terrorism.

The four would-be suicide bombers of the botched July 21 attacks in London have a big problem. They were caught on videotape. Their images have been broadcast in Britain and around the world, making their apprehension astronomically more likely than if they had escaped undetected.

And, as Rich says, "we have security cameras to thank."

London has half a million of them. According to one estimate, a person wandering around London will be filmed 300 times in a day. The city is a pioneer of a trend toward video surveillance that is also sweeping the United States and provoking howls from civil libertarians whose internal clocks are set to make a reference to 1984 every 15 minutes or so. Given the choice, apparently, they would prefer not to have the video of the July 21 bombers, which is an indication of the suicidal otherworldliness of ACLU-style civil libertarianism.

The biggest complaint from those who do not want security cameras is the argument that it would be an invasion of privacy, that it would be intrusive.  Rich hits it smack dab on the head… How is it an invasion of privacy when you are in a public place, where a dozen or more witnesses can see your every activity, every move?  There are security cameras at ATMs, in banks, in many businesses (including the building I work in).  If we had them in more public areas, not only would it deter crime, but those criminals dumb enough - or on a suicide mission (i.e. TERRORISTS) - could at least be caught on tape, which would make it easier to spot them, arrest them and convict them.

If they can’t brandish the Fourth Amendment, civil libertarians get down to practical policing and claim that cameras don’t really do anything to prevent crime; they only occasionally help solve crime after the fact. Even if this were true, solving one terror attack alone — and therefore perhaps unraveling networks that would attack in the future — makes the cameras worth it.

Cameras won’t deter suicide bombers — what will? — but they can tamp down other criminal activity. Cameras in Britain are credited with discouraging the IRA bombing campaign in the 1990s. On a less serious front, San Francisco — one of many jurisdictions, including New York, Houston and New Jersey, that have cameras in their train systems — saw vandalism drastically decline on subway cars after the installation of surveillance cameras.

Reducing crime takes the parks and the cities away from the criminals and gives it back to the citizens.  I think of our own "Central Park Mall" here in Omaha.  It is overrun by vagrants, criminals, sex offenders and the like.  More security cameras in strategic places would deter these criminals from setting up virtual residence in the park and more residents could actually enjoy the amenities the park promises.  I certainly don’t go down there after dark and I especially wouldn’t be there alone after dark or take my children there.  Sad, isn’t it? 

Then there is the last resort of civil libertarians. When no real harm can be demonstrated, they always discern a subtle “chilling effect.” “When citizens are being watched by the authorities,” says Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties Union, “they are more self-conscious and less freewheeling.” But urban areas, where the cameras are proliferating, are not notably bastions of inhibited behavior. City Journal’s Heather Mac Donald, who is nation’s foremost critic of the excesses of the ACLU, writes, “The only people whom public cameras inhibit are criminals; they liberate the law-abiding public.” When they move a camera out of a troubled neighborhood, Chicago police now get complaints from neighbors, who want pimps and drug dealers to be decidedly inhibited.

You are spot on Ms. MacDonald.

It’s very easy to see (as emphasized in the quote above and in looking at the ACLU’s website) what their opinion is on surveillance cameras.  In a hearing to discuss enhancing D.C.’s security camera network, mere months after 9/11, Johnny Barnes, the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of the National Capital Area, testified.  He cited the following reasons why a stronger surveillance camera network should not be deployed in D.C.:

1. Surveillance cameras are not effective at fighting crime.

Hmmmmm….there seem to be many instances that this is proven false (Rich names at least one instance in San Francisco as well as complaints when cameras were moved in Chicago, apparently causing the return of criminal activity once the camera was removed).

2. Surveillance cameras reduce resources for placing police officers into neighborhoods where they are needed. 

They state that putting more cameras in would cause a need to pull officers off the street; therefore, decreasing police presence which would increase potential for crime.  Huh?

3. Surveillance cameras undermine individual privacy and are inimical to the American way of life.

Typical ACLU.  So, they bring up cameras at stop lights.  They say that while that has its own problems, at least the cameras are used to focus on one type of offense.  A network of cameras would be too intrusive as it would "track daily routines" versus specific criminal activity.  They say it would also undermine individual privacy and could deter, as an example, a citizen’s desire to demonstrate on the mall.  So if they aren’t breaking any laws, why worry?  It’s a public place that a person’s activities can be observed by numbers of people!  Besides, isn’t the point of demonstration for a cause to stand up and BE NOTICED?

4. Surveillance cameras should not be contemplated without obtaining the explicit permission of those they impact. Permission was not granted in the District of Columbia. 

I can’t help but quote directly from their testimony:  "Americans value the right to be anonymous in a big city. We value the right to go about our business without the sense that the government is watching us as if we were going to break the law."  Um, excuse me please.  I value feeling safe in my own country.  I’ll bet criminals value the "right" to be anonymous in a big city.  Why do you think we have so many "Wanted" posters, or Crimestopper segments on TV?

5. Surveillance cameras are subject to great abuse.

That’s why you put policies and procedures in place - DUH.

So what came of the DC security camera situation 3 years ago?  Security cameras had been installed, but guidelines and procedures were established that limited the use of the cameras. 

Those guidelines, which the council approved, call for the cameras to be used only to monitor traffic, large demonstrations and city emergencies. The regulations also say that the cameras can be installed only in public spaces where people would have a reasonable expectation of being videotaped, and they bar police from using the devices to watch for street crime. that did not allow the police to operate them 24/7.

When the London bombings occurred, the question came up "What are we doing to prevent terrorist activity in DC?"  Again the recommendation has come up to increase the use of security cameras in order to deter varying levels of criminal activity, and again, the "issue" of privacy has resurfaced.  Let the games begin again.

*****

Please stop by "Stop the ACLU!" for their weekly Blogburst!

Cheryl is a 17-year-old girl missing since the beginning of June 2005.  She was last seen in Marin County, CA.

Anyone who has seen this 17 year old girl please call 415-472-2994.  This is her mother’s phone number…please do not call unless you have information that would be helpful.

Or call the San Rafael police dept. @ 415-485-3000 or www.srpd.org
Any information or help would be greatly appreciated by her family.

Disclaimer:  Since there were no photographs associated with this news article, one cannot be completely sure the individuals in this story truly qualify as "White Trash" Wednesday candidates.  Please humor me, however. 

Okay, I apologize in advance to anyone who thinks it is acceptable for a 22-year-old pedophile to "marry" their 13-year-old victim.  NOT!  No apologies here and the only thing I’d do differently is go after the girl’s PARENTS for allowing the "marriage" to start with:

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A 22-year-old man faces criminal charges in Nebraska for having sex with an underage 13-year-old girl, although he legally married her in Kansas after she became pregnant.

The man’s lawyer said the couple, with their families’ support, "made a responsible decision to try to cope with the problem."

Ahem…allowing a 13-year-old child to attempt to raise a baby is a "responsible decision?" 

Matthew Koso, 22, was charged Monday with first-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 50 years in prison. He was released on $7,500 bail pending an Aug. 17 preliminary hearing.

After the girl became pregnant, her mother gave permission in May for Koso to take the young woman to Kansas, which allows minors to get married with parental consent. The girl is now 14 and seven months pregnant.

"The idea … is repugnant to me," said Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning. "These people made the decision to send their … 14-year-old daughter to Kansas to marry a pedophile."

EXACTLY!  He’s a pedophile - not a responsible father-to-be.  What a sick-o. 

He said the marriage is valid, thanks to the "ridiculous" Kansas law, "but it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to stand by while a grown man … has a relationship with a 13-year-old - now 14-year-old - girl."

Bruning, who has said he will seek a second term in 2006, has aggressively prosecuted sex crimes against children since he was elected in 2002

The couple were married in May by a judge in Hiawatha, Kan., just across the state line from Falls City.

Nebraska requires people to be at least 17 before they can marry.

Kansas law, however, sets no minimum marriage age, although case law sets the minimum age at 14 for boys and 12 for girls. The marriage must be approved by both parents or guardian, or by a district court judge, said Whitney Watson, spokesman for Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline. A judge also must approve if only one parent approves.

Sounds to me like a law in Kansas should be reviewed and amended, perhaps? 

Koso’s lawyer, Willis Yoesel, said the girl’s mother and Koso’s parents approved of the marriage. He said the girl’s father has not lived with the family for some time.

"It seems to me like they, as much as they could, made a responsible decision to try to cope with the problem," Yoesel said.

"The families are all united in this effort," Yoesel said. "I don’t know who is complaining. … What benefit is there to anybody in the prosecution of this young man?"

There was no comment from Koso, who does not have a listed telephone number.

My question is this.  Kansas has convicted pedophiles in prison.  Why, then, do their judges allow and endorse the marriage of victims of pedophilia to their assailants?

Please visit our fine WTW participants around ye ole trailer park (and a special callout to Mr. Neocon, who certainly can see into the future!):

Did they think they wouldn’t be recognized?  And who did their hair and makeup?  Wow….these guys sure needed a lesson or two before they decided to shop lift disguised (?) as cross-dressers.  Perhaps they needed some new makeup, or new tweezers?  Or a new wardrobe?

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 

This week, the Cotillion officially moves to its new home!  New design, new home - what more could you ask for?  How about a housewarming party?!?

Well, even if you didn’t ask, I’m telling you that this week’s party is being hosted by four amazing conservative women:  Fistful of Fortnights, Who Tends the Fires, e-Claire and My VRWC.  Please be sure to stop by and thank them for such a great time!

I hate writing this, but a good guy is grieving. Ron G., who writes the hilariously funny blog The Therapist, lost his father today.

Please send him your best, no matter what side you’re on.