Steff

Zach.. you just reminded me of something from when Jim and I were in Florida last week.. on.. what is that.. 95 that takes us from 528 into Melbourne...? Anyhoo.. on 95 it's soooo damn dark. No streetlights like here in Chicago along 55, 355, 294, etc... and we saw a ton of cars just sitting along the side of the road. I wondered to myself.. why don't the cops stop and check them out (saw a ton of cops with their radar going.. )..? We saw a bunch just parked on the side of the road near KSC also. People just leave there cars wherever down there I guess..

:puke http://www.nbc4.tv/news/5450440/detail.html Guilty: Man Tapes Friend Who Died Having Sex With Horse Man Died Of Perforated Colon POSTED: 5:50 am PST December 2, 2005 SEATTLE -- A man who was videotaping a friend having sex with a horse when the friend died pleaded guilty earlier this week to trespassing at the Enumclaw, Wash., farm. The 54-year-old man, James Michael Tait, was given a suspended jail sentence and fined $778. The man told police he and others often sneaked onto a neighbor's farm to have sex with animals. Kenneth Pinyan suffered a perforated colon July 2 and died from his injury. The King County prosecutor's office said no animal cruelty charges were filed because there was no evidence of injury to the horse.

I was driving back from getting a sammich from Carms for lunch when I saw a strangely disturbing sight. There was a lady crossing Wolf Road just before Roosevelt by the cemetary. She got to the other side, and then went back out into the street to pick something up. I slowed down so that she wouldn't make a dent in my front bumper (don't ya hate it when that happens) and I saw that the "package" she was picking up was actually a dead squirrel!! She had it by the end of it's fuzzy little tail and it was swinging around like a pendulum. When she got back up on the curb, she threw the squirrel down on the ground and stared at him like she was gonna jack him for his fur coat, but maybe she was just looking for some ID so his family wouldn't have to identify him. I didn't get to see the end of the saga because I had to turn and it's not nice to gawk at accident scenes anyway. So my little melodrama made me wonder: What weird things have you seen today?

http://www.suntimes.com/output/couch/cst-spt-greg022.html Couch with a little twist.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...ol=968350116467 Homolka ruling appalls victims' families Nov. 30, 2005. 06:35 PM CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL — The mother of one of Karla Homolka’s teenage victims said she felt “kicked in the stomach” today after a judge ruled the schoolgirl killer can come and go with no restrictions. The families of slain teenagers Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy reacted with horror to news that Homolka no longer has to report to the police and can even contact them and her ex-husband Paul Bernardo. “The shock and disbelief and anguish that they expressed to me on the phone this morning was very painful to hear,” Tim Danson, the families’ lawyer, said in Toronto. Danson said Debbie Mahaffy, Leslie’s mother, told him `I feel that I have been kicked in the stomach.’ ” Justice James Brunton of Quebec Superior Court acknowledged in his ruling the possibility that Homolka, who now goes by the name Karla Leanne Teale, could reoffend one day. “However, her development over the last 12 years demonstrates, on a balance of probabilities, that this is unlikely to occur. She does not represent a real and imminent danger to commit a personal injury offence. . . The appeal should be granted.” Homolka left prison in July after completing a 12-year sentence for manslaughter in the sordid sex slayings of French and Mahaffy in the 1990s. The restrictions under Criminal Code provisions were handed down in June after another judge ruled Homolka still posed a risk to the community. The restrictions included having to report her whereabouts and travel plans to police on a regular basis. She was also to provide a DNA sample when she left prison but it was not clear if that was done. Lawyers for Homolka were not available for comment. Niagara Region police Insp. Brian Eckhardt, who worked to help impose the restrictions, said he feels powerless to protect the community of St. Catharines, where the killings took place. “We have no idea now whether or not she is coming to this area,” Eckhardt told Global TV. “So our ability to protect the citizens of this area are diminished and certainly our ability to protect her has been eliminated.” Danson described Brunton’s decision as “very serious and thoughtful” but said the judge made legal errors. Danson said the families believe the application for the restrictions was bungled and they should have been allowed to intervene. He also suggested the current federal election campaign is a good time to start a public debate about Sec. 810 of the Criminal Code, which grants the restrictions. Joanne Marceau, a spokeswoman for the Quebec Justice Department, said several options are being considered, including an appeal and an attempt to seek another set of conditions. “We will take a decision very, very promptly,” she said, although she did not rule out letting Brunton’s decision stand. “We have to consider that this woman is free since more than six months,” Marceau said. “The information we have since she was released (is) that she has always respected the conditions that were imposed on her. She seems to have been a good citizen for now.” Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant said he hopes the decision will be appealed. “Believe me, this is not over,” he said. “It’s not over in Quebec, it certainly is not over in the province of Ontario,” said Bryant, adding he would contact the Quebec attorney general. Bryant said the Ontario government had been confident the restrictions would be upheld. “To say that I’m disappointed would be an understatement,” Bryant said. “I am urging an appeal of this decision. “And furthermore, we will continue to do everything we can to protect the public under these circumstances.” Under Brunton’s ruling, Homolka can go where she pleases and see anyone she wants. The ruling also means Homolka – if she wants to – can contact Bernardo, who is serving a life sentence for the schoolgirl killings. Brunton suggested the lower court decision granting the restrictions lacked balance in that there was not much favourable to Homolka presented at the hearing. “This was a complex case which called for the analysis of the development, or lack thereof, of Ms. Teale over a period of 12 years. The proof presented was not exclusively negative from Ms. Teale’s point of view.” Homolka and Bernardo took the surname Teale from a movie in the 1990s. The character with the name Teale was a serial killer. Several media initially reported eight of the 14 conditions were struck down but Brunton confirmed he had voided them all. Ontario Conservative justice critic Bob Runciman said he believes the conditions on Homolka were valid. “From our perspective and the perspective of most Ontarians, we felt the conditions, the restrictions placed on her were reasonable and were justified,” he said in Toronto. “I think it’s going to be of great concern to victims’ families for sure.” Runciman criticized the Ontario government for not paying to allow the families of Homolka’s victims to attend the appeal hearing. “If the families were there I think it would’ve elevated the issue with respect to the decision being taken by the judge.” Homolka is believed to be living in the Montreal area.

QUOTE(JimH @ Dec 2, 2005 -> 11:27 AM) Nice thread title Josh. :rolly Seriously. :headshake

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ Dec 2, 2005 -> 11:17 AM) He was 39, his daughter's name is Kayleigh. I'm 35, my daughter's name is Kayleigh. The man was a fan of Marillion I'm betting. Nobody my age uses that spelling and isn't a fan. I don't know why I just felt an odd connection with him. I saw that spelling and it welled up the tears. Sad...very...very sad. Hopefully the little girl can cope. Wow.. eerie coincidence.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 2, 2005 -> 09:24 AM) the letter should have been kept private Hindsight, perhaps. Sadly the bigger problem I have is that this little girl NEVER should have had these thoughts in her head that afforded her to write such a letter. Soxy.. I'm with you.. I hate people.

Yikes goldy.. frightening I'm sure. Glad you're ok, which is what matters most.

QUOTE(mreye @ Dec 2, 2005 -> 06:48 AM) Would Konerko count for you, Steff? I think I'd feel better seeing an actual "homegrown" do it, but I think Konerko has a "homegrown" feel. Hmmm.. I suppose he would qualify. I'd probably be excited to see him get there. If he can keep his damn mouth shut.

Yesterday, Fort Worth police officer Henry "Hank" Nava, 39, died from a gunshot wound to the head he received as he and other officers were trying to serve a warrant for a probation violation on Tuesday. He leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 9 and 4. Please remember Officer Nava's family in your thoughts and prayers, and also the thousands of other police officers across our country who strive to keep our cities and streets safe. As Fort Worth police chief Mendoza said, "too often we take them for granted."

A refresher.. Jeanine was 10 years old, home sick from school in February 1983. Someone kidnapped her, raped, sodomized and murdered her and left her naked body on the Prairie Path. Two men, Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez were sentenced to death row, but later exonerated. Now, the man who was originally suspected and confessed, Brian Dugan, is charged with the crime. Dugan is already serving 2 LWOP sentences in IL. Will justice come for Jeanine's family? The prosecutor, Joe Burkett, may be running for office again (not such a problem for me, I like him enough) Is that the reason for all the new activity? http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=126977

QUOTE(Soxy @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:26 PM) Oh yeah, I've gotten better about not wanting to pick a fight, but once in the Walmart an ex of mine literally had to drag me away from this woman. Literally, pullling both of my arms and dragging me away (probably the closest I've ever come to getting arrested). I've found I get much more satisfaction saying something nice to the kid, although I sitll get physically ill after watching that. I hate people. I tossed and turned all night.. :headshake

QUOTE(Soxy @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:06 PM) When I see something like that happen I usually try to compliment the kid. I either say to the "parent" (loosely defined) what a cute kid or something of that nature. I wish I would have thought of that.. although, she was frisking the kid at warp speed and the entire thing happened in I would guess no more then 40 seconds. I might have been the one to get the verbal lashing... that would have been bad... for the mom.

QUOTE(Middle Buffalo @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 09:42 PM) I was thinking it before you said it. ESPn...

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 09:39 PM) I think it's everybodies business when someone is treating a child that way. Anyways, steff that's a very tough situation to react to. You almost have to train yourself to be prepaired for a situation like that, if that makes any sense. I think a lot of people would have done what you did and just froze, I think that's the normal reaction to something like that. I don't know what happened.. I couldn't move. I'm sure it will come as no shock to anyone here.. I am rarely at a loss for words.. The other customer said after the woman left that if she had hit the child they were going to step in... I think I would have called security or something. Had them follow her. I don't think I could have confronted her.

QUOTE(Middle Buffalo @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 09:38 PM) I'm pretty sure that woman won't be too receptive to any parenting tips you might give her. More than likely you'd just make her angrier and she'd treat the kid worse when she gets home. Unless it gets physical, stay away. Pretty sad. Say a prayer for the girl - and her mom. As I said above.. those were my exact thoughts as it all went down.

I had to run to the mall tonight, specifically to Sam Goody's to get a few gift cards... I saw the most uncomfortable thing I'm sure I have ever seen in my life... A woman walked through the entrance - where they have those sensor things that beep if people try to steal stuff - her little girl, maybe 4 possibly 5, was walking behind her. For whatever reason, the beeping thing goes off. Poor thing obviously scared from the noise just began crying. The woman heard her, turned around, walked over to her and rather than scooping up the child and trying to calm her she yanked her by the arm and said "what did you do now you little b****" Me and another customer just stood there with our jaws dropped... She proceeded to grab at the poor thing looking for whatever made the thing go off. The clerk, who saw that they had just walked in, went over to assure the woman that it was not a theft issue, and the woman went into a verbal attack that would shame a truck driver. It just broke my heart, made me livid, shocked me and I don't know even know what else. Yet I stood there frozen, doing nothing. Not ever seeing something like that but reading about the horrible offenses against children I always thought I would interject if I ever did see something like that. The woman was SO angry I thought, good grief she might take me out if I open my mouth and that's not going to help the child, will she go home and do even worse??? They say that many times what happens in public is not even close to the treatment behind closed doors... What could I have done.. no idea. But I'm sitting here thinking I did nothing.. and I'm scared for that little girl...

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 05:04 PM) I think we're gonna splurge and get the 4d ultrasound. It's $180. for 30 minutes and they give you a DVD and all sorts of stuff. Do it!!! The detail is absolutely amazing!!!

QUOTE(Steff @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:14 AM) My sister is having an ultrasound today.. I'm so excited to see my little nephew.. Yea!!! It's a future Southpaw!!!

Nice Jon.. way to ruin a good week. Hopefully they work something out.. I do think Jon would get about $7 million in arbitration.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 11:52 AM) the b****/name calling fest wouldn't be official until I got the finger from Stef!!! Bring it on, sista...

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 11:40 AM) I would say that there's another issue in that thanks to AIDS drugs, that disease is at least under some level of "Control" in this country - it's not growing exponentially any more, and only certain groups, which the media doesn't care about anyway, are really still having problems (see above post). Surreal..

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 11:49 AM) Just got back from Walgreens, y'all. I start on monday as their new Pharmacist! who knew it was that easy!!!!! :finger

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 11:39 AM) Southsider, It's not cause he's an anti-semite. It's cause he hates black people. Doesn't anyone listen to Kanye West anymore? Seriously... POTM.. Hands down.