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Syrian blogger gets five years’ jail

AFP February 14, 2011

Syrian woman blogger Tal al-Mallouhi has been sentenced to five years in prison by a state security court, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement on Monday.

“The state security court in Damascus today condemned blogger Tal al-Mallouhi to five years in prison after finding her guilty of divulging information to a foreign country,” it said in a statement received in Nicosia.

Mallouhi, a 19-year-old high school student, had been accused of spying for the United States embassy in Cairo, a charge denied by Washington which called for her “immediate release” on Saturday. Read more at www.infowars.com

 

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Atlanta police agreed to back off citizens who videotape Read more at www.infowars.com

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Nathan Diebenow Raw Story February 13, 2011

The Atlanta police force will no longer tangle with citizens who videotape their actions in public, according to a recent settlement between citizen activists and the city.

“We commend the city for resolving a long-standing problem of police interfering with citizens who monitor police activity,” Gerry Weber and Dan Grossman, the lawyers for the activists, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday.

The settlement involved Marlon Kautz, a 27-year-old volunteer with a group that films police activities called Copwatch. Two officers, upon taking his camera phone, told Kautz last year he was not allowed to record them making arrests after a raid of a local business. The police later returned his device without the pictures.

“The APD has shown time and time again that they do not want the public to see what they’re doing,” Vincent Castillenti, Copwatch organizer, said in an advisory.

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PFA order against local judge

Daily Record/Sunday News

Judge Thomas H. Kelley VI (Daily Record/Sunday News - File) A York County judge has denied he caused any injury to an assistant public defender with whom he had a relationship. Janan M.E. Tallo was granted a temporary protection-from-abuse order against Judge Thomas H. Kelley VI Monday during a video hearing with Adams County Judge Thomas R. Campbell. Tallo requested that the hearing be closed to the media. Campbell denied the request. A hearing for a permanent order is to be held in Adams County within 10 days. Tallo, 30, of Hellam, alleges that, during an argument, Kelley, 47, of York Township, picked her up and slammed her to the floor of his home, breaking her right elbow. Suzanne Smith, Tallo's attorney, told Campbell they were seeking the PFA order - a no-contact order - Click here to read the Petition for Protection From Abuse because Tallo and Kelley both work in the York County Judicial Center. Kelley was not required to be present for Monday's hearing but should appear at the Adams County hearing, York County PFA coordinator Norma Lopez said. Kelley was not required to be present for Monday's hearing but should appear at the Adams County hearing, York County PFA coordinator Norma Lopez said. At this stage of the process, a judge does not hear from the person who is accused. President Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh said Kelley had previously informed him that he and Tallo "had some type of relationship." In her PFA request, Tallo checked the box that said she is a "current or former sexual or intimate partner" of Kelley. Kelley's attorney,

Christopher Ferro, released a statement Monday afternoon on the judge's behalf. "We categorically deny the unfounded and false allegations that are contained in the recently filed, one-sided PFA petition," the statement said. "Judge Kelley has too much respect for the judicial process, however, to address these baseless allegations in the media. We prefer to address the matters in the proper forum and in an appropriate manner. "We believe that once the true facts are brought to light, the Judge will be cleared of all wrongdoing. Judge Kelley is a great public servant who deserves nothing more than the benefit of the doubt and nothing less than, the all too quickly forgotten, presumption of innocence." Ferro declined further comment. Linebaugh said he spoke with Kelley several times Monday and informed him he would be taken off all criminal cases. Kelley is one of four full-time judges to preside over the county's criminal cases. Linebaugh explained the purpose is to not have Kelley ruling on any cases being represented by the public defender's office. He said at this point it would be "too monumental of a task" to comb through Kelley's cases to determine which ones are represented by public defenders. Linebaugh said he is in the process of transferring Kelley's cases to other judges. He said it may require bringing in another judge to help with the caseload. As of now, Linebaugh said, Kelley remains a judge and will continue working on other matters. He said Kelley has a number of cases on which he needs to research, write and issue opinions. Linebaugh said he not aware if the allegations could result in censure or discipline by the Pennsylvania State Disciplinary Board. "Other than reading the allegations in the petition, there is really nothing more than that - allegations," he said. "As in all cases, there are two sides to every story. "If he is found to have done the things that are alleged, I expect the judicial disciplinary board would then have to determine if there has been any violation of the canons of judicial ethics." At Monday's hearing, Smith asked Campbell to order Kelley to surrender any firearms he owns. Smith said she was unaware if Kelley owns any firearms. In Tallo's PFA application, she stated that Kelley has a handgun and a rifle. THOMAS H. KELLEY VI Age: 47 Residence: York Township Occupation: York County Common Pleas Court judge, elected 2003, up for retention 2013Legal experience: Deputy prosecutor; special prosecutor in the Child Abuse Prosecution unit; general practice attorney; first assistant district attorney Education: Dickinson College, 1988; JD degree, University of Richmond School of Law, 1991 JANAN M.E. TALLO Age: 30 Residence: Hellam Occupation: Assistant York County public defender Legal experience: Criminal defense attorney; deputy prosecutor; prosecutor in Special Victims unit; assistant public defender Education: University of Scranton; JD degree, Penn State University Dickinson School of Law, 2006 AT A GLANCE The allegations: York County assistant public defender Janan M.E. Tallo alleges that, about 11:30 p.m. Feb. 8, Judge Thomas H. Kelley VI began an argument with her over the phone. She drove to his York Township home, and he invited her in. Kelley continued to yell at her, and the argument escalated. Kelley then grabbed Tallo, who was seated, by her coat, lifted her off the ground and slammed her to the floor. Tallo said she landed on her back and arms, resulting in a broken right elbow and bruises on her back, thighs and arms. She went to a local emergency room to be treated. Also, in November, Tallo alleged that Kelley grabbed her arm during an argument, according to the temporary protection-from-abuse. The latest: An Adams County judge granted Tallo a temporary protection-from-abuse order Monday afternoon. Through his attorney, Kelley denied the allegations. York County President Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh said he has reassigned Kelley's criminal cases to other judges to preclude Tallo's fellow public defenders from appearing in front of Kelley. Linebaugh said Kelley had previously informed him he and Tallo were in a "relationship." What's next: A hearing for a permanent one-year PFA order will be held within 10 days in Adams County. Read more at www.inyork.com

 

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'Gay conservative' is oxymoron

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'Gay conservative' is oxymoron

Star Parker - Syndicated Columnist

CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, has been an annual gig for me for years. But this year I concluded it was not my place and I declined to participate in the various venues at the event for which I was invited.   Yes, the reason I declined was the inclusion of GOProud, a group identifying itself as representing "gay conservatives and their allies," as a sponsor of the event.

And it's the reason why some of the nation's most important conservative organizations -- the Heritage Foundation, the American Family Association, Concerned Women of America, Family Research Council, Media Research Center, and the National Organization for Marriage -- did not participate.   The founder and chairman of GOProud removed any doubt on my part that not participating was the correct decision by dismissing these groups as "losers," "clowns," and "not relevant."   I, of course, have been accused of being worse than a clown. The barrage regularly comes in from the left. But this is a first that I've had to listen to this kind of stuff from a group that postures as "conservative."   I became a conservative in church. I thought I was doing okay in my previous life -- scamming the welfare system, going to the beach, soaking in my welfare-subsidized hot tub, treating sex as a hobby, and abortion as birth control.   In our culture today that views material prosperity as the ultimate barometer of success, the truth is becoming unfortunately lost that the evil man can prosper. And if there is nothing more than what is before our eyes in this world, what does it matter?

When I understood how the culture of welfare state materialism was destroying not just my life, but also all of black America, there was no dividing line in my mind between "social issues" and "economic issues." The only dividing line I saw was between right and wrong, good and evil.   The idea of "gay conservative" is an oxymoron.   "Gay" is everything that "conservative" is not.   The foundation of the worldview that so-called "gay conservatives" embrace has far more in common with liberalism than with conservatism.   It's a worldview that is man-centered rather than God-centered. It is a worldview that rejects eternal truths passed on from the beginning of time. Although the worldview that "gay conservatives" choose to invent may diverge from the worldview of liberals, their common ground is they make it all up.   And it is here where "gay conservatives" and "liberals" fundamentally depart from conservatives.   Conservatives believe that there are objective and eternal truths, not of the product of any individual human mind, that are transmitted through the generations. Culture is not like HDTV or iPhones where the newest model is the best.   These eternal truths provide the light in the fog that keeps us from crashing on the rocky shores where our base instincts lead us.   "Gay" is liberal, not conservative, regardless of what their stand may be on government spending or taxes.   It's why, like all liberals, they use language to create reality, rather than appreciate that words have meaning that reflect reality.   So they have re-invented the word "gay," re-invented the word "marriage", and now they want to re-invent the word "conservative."   Finally, we will re-invent the word "freedom" and we'll put the final stamp on the idea that a free society, rather than being the path to truth, is the path to meaninglessness.   What individuals choose in private, and for which they bear personal responsibility, is separate from what we sanction publicly for which we all must bear responsibility.   A value-neutral government is impossible. The central battle in our country today is about values and how we understand freedom. It is a battle for our very soul. And, as we learned from CPAC, it's not a struggle that is just between Democrats and Republicans.

Other Stories in Perspectives 'Gay conservative' is oxymoron The polygamists make their move De-fund the predatory Planned Parenthood A model for tea party A depraved, dangerous display The 'judicial activism' ploy The Constitution lives to fight another day How about more freedom at home first? Joel Osteen tells it like it is - finally The Egypt lesson Success breeds contempt Iran revisited Spilled milk Obama disgracing his racial ancestors No more debt until spending is cut Preach it! Signs of the end times? A new wave of persecution Waivers for favors Obama's State of the Union 'dream' speech Other stories from Star Parker - Syndicated Columnist Archives for Star Parker Read more at www.onenewsnow.com

 

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Beware of the Doghouse

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BBC - Earth News - Bizarre mammals filmed calling using their quills

URL:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_939200...

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Dolan denies hiding $130 million from victims of abuse

"Dolan said a portion of the disputed money went to help several parishes."



Here is the rub. The diocese gave this money to parishes so the diocese could avoid paying victims of abuse. To add insult to injury the diocese then proceeds to declare bankruptcy. One can see how the dumbest prosecutor would see that he has a real strong case here. It will be very interesting to see the breakdown of that money and what necessity it covered in the chosen parishes. And who were the pastors and other persona involved. Dolan inherited a diocese (NY) which is notorius for its lack of transparency. Seem Rome knew who to choose to succeed the arrogant Egan.

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Dolan denies hiding $130 million from victims of abuse

Kevin Clarke

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan blasted as "ludicrous" an attorney's claim that his former diocese in Milwaukee moved $130 million to avoid paying sex abuse settlements.

See more at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41560967/ns/local_news-new_york_ny/ Read more at www.americamagazine.org

 

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Is a Catholic College Really Catholic? Is Baylor Really Baptist?

Manhattan College claims to be a Catholic institution, and the Archdiocese of New York lists the school as a Catholic college. Nevertheless, all this has not impressed the National Labor Relations Board, which recently ruled that the college could not prevent adjunct faculty from unionizing because, as G. Jeffrey MacDonald of Religion News Service reports, “the school’s core purpose isn’t religious enough to trigger a labor law exemption.”

Isn’t religious enough? Manhattan College does not require its faculty to profess Catholicism. Actually, it is unclear just how the school functions as a Catholic institution. As the NLRB found, the college’s “stated purpose does not involve the propagation of a religious faith, teachers are not required to adhere to or promote religious tenets, (and) a religious order does not exercise control over hiring, firing, or day-to-day operations.”

That finding — that faculty “are not required to adhere to or promote religious tenets” — seems particularly important.

Michael Broyde, a church-state expert at Emory University, told MacDonald, “There are more and more — particularly Catholic institutions — that are broadening their missions profoundly so that you’ll have an institution where neither the students nor the faculty are Catholic.”

Meanwhile, The Baptist Standard reports that the board of regents of Baylor University “voted Feb. 11 to amend the university’s bylaws, allowing members who are active in Christian—but not Baptist—churches to comprise up to 25 percent of the board.” Even as that announcement drew protests from the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the explanation offered by Dary Stone of Dallas, regent chairman, is even more revealing.

As Marv Knox, editor of The Baptist Standard reported: “Changing our governance is in great part an accommodation to obvious demographic changes in church labels and affiliation,” he said. For example, the composition of the freshman class is slightly less than one-third Baptist, and the majority of the overall student body is non-Baptist. I wonder how many Texas Baptists knew that the student body of Baylor reflected such a minority status for Baptists?

The secularization of religious colleges and universities is now an old story, but it does have interesting new developments. Though no one should celebrate a government entity acting to classify colleges according to relative religiosity, the government must be able to detect something legitimately religious about a religious college or university that claims religious exemptions. The bare fact that an institution was founded by a religious group can be totally irrelevant to the way the school now operates. The American landscape is littered with institutions that were once distinctively Christian, but certainly are no longer.

This paragraph from the RNS report is particularly interesting:

Religious colleges are being warned, observers say, to show their core purpose is to “propagate religious faith” or else be treated as a secular enterprise. That could pose a special problem for liberal religious organizations, which seldom require students and faculty to endorse specific creeds or doctrines.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

G. Jeffrey MacDonald, “Catholic College Faces Crisis of Faith, Labor Laws,” USA Today, Friday, February 11, 2011. Religion News Service release.

Marv Knox, “Baylor Regents Vote to Allow Non-Baptists on Governing Board,” The Baptist Standard, Friday, February 11, 2011.

Related Posts Designer Babies — Gender Selection Experiment at Baylor College of Medicine The Baylor Same-Sex Marriage Controversy: What’s Going On? The Baylor Same-Sex Marriage Controversy: What Now? Four Views of God? Another Look at the Baylor Study Where Did the Boys Go? Missing Males on the College Campus Read more at www.albertmohler.com

 

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Adultery Incorporated — The Infidelity Industry

It seems that many human beings will abandon their moral principles when faced with the opportunity to commit adultery. Ashley Madison exists to create even more of those opportunities.

“Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment.” That is the declaration of Noel Biderman, a Toronto businessman who wants to sell you an adulterous affair. As the current cover story of Bloomberg Businessweek reveals, Mr. Biderman is doing a great deal of business.

The magazine describes AshleyMadison.com as “the premier ‘dating’ website for aspiring adulterers.” Biderman says he came up with the idea after serving as an agent for professional athletes. That job required him to negotiate around the adulterous affairs of his clients. Biderman came to the conclusion that adultery could be big business.

Now, Ashley Madison grosses $60 million in yearly revenue and produces $20 million in annual profits. Biderman himself is making millions of dollars a year, and adultery appears to be a growth industry.

The idea behind Ashley Madison is easy enough to understand. Biderman’s plan was to create a website that would appear to cater to women seeking an adulterous partner, while actually attracting men seeking the women for an adulterous liaison. Clients of the site establish a personal profile, check off their “availability status,” and mark their personal preferences. The real money flows to the site when men connect online with women and then have to pay rather steep fees for the privilege of continuing the conversation. If all goes according to plan, adultery soon follows.

Businessweek’s reporter, Sheelah Kolhatkar, describes Noel Biderman as “a lone genius — possibly evil and certainly entrepreneurial.” He serves as chief executive officer of Avid Life Media, the parent company for Ashley Madison. He is also the married father of two young children. In his office the computer monitor flashes his company’s promotional message: “Life is short. Have an affair.”

Biderman’s wife, Amanda, seems unconcerned about both the business and her husband’s chosen role as the captain of the adultery industry. In a statement of almost complete moral evasion, she says: “Really, the business itself doesn’t match who he is as a person — it’s not our lifestyle or value system or any of that.” Well, here’s a clue: if you conceive, establish, and run the business, it is your value system. When “Life is short. Have an affair.” is your motto, adultery is “who you are as a person,” even if you never have an actual affair.

She went on: “I mean, yeah, I’d love it if he were working on a cure for cancer. But it’s a business, and that’s how we look at it.”

The same could be said for a house of prostitution, of course, and at least some observers suggest that prostitution is basically what Ashley Madison is all about. After all, though almost all of the men registered at the site are married, about 20 percent of the women are not.

Interestingly, since adultery has now been transformed into a major business, certain metrics become available. Reporter Sheelah Kolhatkar explains that 20-40 percent of heterosexual married men and 20-25 percent of heterosexual married women will have an affair during their lifetime. She cites University of New Hampshire economist Bruce Elmslie, who claims that men and women commit adultery at about the same rates until the ages of 35 or 40. After that, women are more reluctant to have an affair, and the men surge on.

Biderman explains that women are most likely to have an affair in the workplace with a “work husband” or with the husband of a friend. Men commit adultery under a far wider range of circumstances. Ashley Madison is “drowning in husbands,” Biderman reports.

Biderman launched the site in 2010, but he founded the company back in 2002. He named it Ashley Madison by combining the two most popular names for baby girls that year. He claims just to be meeting a need and rejects the idea that he is actually expanding the numbers of affairs. Nevertheless, anthropologist Helen Fisher accuses Biderman of “preying on human frailty.”

At least in economic terms, Biderman’s idea is paying handsomely. Ashley Madison has already made him a millionaire several times over. David Evans, publisher of Online Dating Insider, remarked that Biderman and his company “certainly own that cheaters’ market.” He added, “It’s quite lucrative and successful.”

Amazingly enough, Biderman actually complains that his business is the target of discrimination. After all, Fox turned down his proposed Super Bowl commercial. As a matter of fact, Biderman seems to complain rather constantly about the opposition his company engenders. On the other hand, some suspect that he is also fueling the opposition, stirring up his own publicity.

Sheelah Kolhatkar describes the company in these terms:

What Ashley Madison does is legal. It’s also illicit, in that it helps users violate their marriage vows and engage in deception and secrecy. This presents enormous branding challenges as well as financial ones: How many fund managers want to go home to their wives and announce, “Honey, I found the perfect investment opportunity!”

It is hard to imagine how this company and its founder would not face “enormous branding challenges.” With understatement, Kolhatkar expresses the obvious: “He is running a budding empire built on an activity that most people would say is wrong.”

That last statement is revealing in more than one sense. It does seem that most people believe that adultery is wrong. Even so, it is rampant. It seems that many human beings will abandon their moral principles when faced with the opportunity to commit adultery. Ashley Madison exists to create even more of those opportunities.

It undoubtedly says a great deal that Bloomberg Businessweek chose this topic for its Valentine’s Day cover story. Why did they run a cover article on a man who declares, “Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment”? Does this represent the magazine’s agreement with Mrs. Biderman when she says, “…it’s a business, and that’s how we look at it”?

I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbertMohler.

Sheelah Kolhatkar, “Cheating, Incorporated.” Bloomberg Businessweek, February 10, 2011. [Warning, the article contains sexually explicit language.]

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Crazy Lady Gets Naked Thanks God After Car Crash in Philly 2011

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