Teens charged in fatal beating of Mexican immigrant

PORT CARBON, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Three white teens were charged Friday in what officials said was an epithet-filled fatal beating of an illegal Mexican immigrant in a small northeast Pennsylvania coal town.

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Brandon J. Piekarsky, 16, and Colin J. Walsh, 17, were charged as adults with homicide and ethnic intimidation in the July 12 attack on Luis Ramirez.

A third teen, Derrick M. Donchak, 18, was charged with aggravated assault, ethnic intimidation and other offenses. All are from Shenandoah, where the attack occurred.

Ramirez, 25, was beaten to death after an argument with a group of youths that police said included high school football players. Authorities could not immediately say whether any of the suspects were members of the team, but they confirmed that all three used ethnic slurs during the fight.

"As a result of this crime, a young man has lost his life. Many other lives have been devastated, and the borough of Shenandoah has been filled with tensions between many ethnic groups," Schuylkill County District Attorney James Goodman said.

"Now that the criminal charges have been filed, we must let this case be handled in the criminal justice system," he said.

Police said that as many as six teens were involved in the fight, which ended with Ramirez in convulsions and foaming at the mouth. He died July 14 of head injuries.

Crystal Dillman, the victim's 24-year-old fiancee, who is white and grew up in Shenandoah, has said Ramirez was often called derogatory names, including "dirty Mexican," and told to return to his homeland.

"I plan on moving out of this town as fast as I can. Not because I'm scared. I just don't want to see my children have to deal with what their father dealt with," Dillman said.

Piekarsky and Walsh were being held without bail, while Donchak was held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Lawyers for Piekarsky and Walsh said that their clients were not guilty and that there was no evidence to support the homicide charges. They also said they would try to have the case removed to juvenile court.

Donchak declined comment.

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U.S. boy rats on mother to police over counterfeiting
		14:49 | 01/ 08/ 2008

NEW YORK, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - A woman in the U.S. state of California faces charges Friday over counterfeiting money and identification cards after her 10-year-old son turned her in to local police, local media reported.

The boy gave authorities phony money that his mother, Jessie Reed, 30, of Bakersfield, allegedly created. The child also told police that she used a computer to make fake identification cards, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

During a search of her house, officers seized computer disks, scanners and printers.

The woman, who faces several charges, including possessing equipment to commit forgery, was arrested July 4 and was released on $50,000 bail the same day.

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Договор Госдепа с Караджичем перестал действовать через 13 лет

Слушать     Отправить ссылку

Из квартиры Радована Караджича изъяты документы, которые он готовил для защиты в Гаагском трибунале. Это произошло еще во время обыска, поделился с прессой брат бывшего лидера боснийских сербов Лука.

Речь идет о ноутбуке и 50-ти дисках с документами. При этом брат сербского политика заявил, что в течение 13 лет Караджич жил в соответствии с тайным договором, который с ним заключил Госдеп США. Накануне это подтвердил и сам Караджич, выступая в гаагском трибунале. Госдеп эту информацию опровергает.

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412:

U.S. boy rats on mother

well, this is one thing we all have to get used to if we wanna be good, decent, law abiding citizens in this country:-)

Ratting is america's soul. 

We already talked bout this before; the logic runs like this:

             - we trust our authorities (cuz we vote for them), so whatever happens, we let THEM sort out all our problems (instead of simply punching the lights out of perpetrator's face, as it's usually done in Russia).

Life is easier that way....

If you were brought up with parents constantly telling you that ratting is good (or PC equivalent of that), you'd be ratting on your mother too:-)

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Camouflaged Gunman Opens Fire on Swimmers in Wisconsin; 3 Dead

Friday, August 01, 2008

NIAGARA, Wis. —  A man wearing camouflage clothing and carrying an assault rifle walked out of the woods and gunned down four young people who had gathered at a river to go swimming, killing three of them and wounding one.

More than 100 law enforcement officers from at least 10 agencies searched Friday for the gunman, a middle-age man who was last seen near the town of Niagara in northern Wisconsin, across the state line from Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Officers set up roadblocks and evacuated an unknown number of homes.

Nine young adults had gathered near a railroad bridge on the Menominee River when the gunman came out of the woods and opened fire about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Sheriff Jim Kanikula.

Authorities have not determined a motive. The sheriff said there was no communication between the gunman and his victims.

The shooter was only 7 to 10 feet away from one victim when he fired, the sheriff said.

On Friday, two of the bodies remained at scene about three miles west of Niagara because of fear that the shooter was still in the area.

The dead were identified as Tiffany Pohlson, 17; Anthony Spigarelli, 18; and Bryan Mort, 19. A fourth victim, 20-year-old Daniel Louis Gordon, was wounded.

Niagara is about 210 miles north of Milwaukee.

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Alaska legislator charged with bribery, conspiracy

Thursday, July 10, 2008

By RACHEL D'ORO, Associated Press Writer

ANCHORAGE, Alaska —  A grand jury indicted an Alaska legislator on bribery and conspiracy counts in a federal investigation of corruption that already has led to convictions against three former state lawmakers.

The two-count indictment against state Sen. John Cowdery was announced Thursday after being issued late the day before. Federal prosecutors allege that Cowdery conspired with executives of oil field services company VECO Corp. to bribe another unnamed state senator for votes to support oil and gas legislation.

Cowdery, a 78-year-old Anchorage Republican, was in Juneau on Thursday. His lawyer, Kevin Fitzgerald, said his client had not been arrested and maintains his innocence.

"The claim is that the government misinterpreted the few comments he made," he said.

Two former VECO executives, Bill Allen and Rick Smith, have been convicted of bribing Alaska lawmakers and are assisting the government in the continuing investigation.

Two former lawmakers, Pete Kott and Vic Kohring, are serving federal prison sentences following their convictions on corruption charges. Another former lawmaker, Tom Anderson, was convicted of bribery in another case, and former lawmaker Bruce Weyhrauch awaits trial. All four are Republicans.

GOP Gov. Sarah Palin said it was disturbing to learn that another public official had been charged with violating the public's trust.

"I urge Sen. Cowdery to step down, for the good of the state," Palin said in a prepared statement.

VECO had stood to gain lucrative contracts if the Legislature in 2006 passed a new oil tax. The government alleges Allen and Smith worked with Cowdery to offer the unnamed senator $25,000 _ characterized as campaign contributions _ to vote in favor of the legislation.

The 16-page indictment against Cowdery is filled with snippets of incriminating conversations over a period of months in the spring and summer of 2006.

One exchange recounted in the court document has Allen, Cowdery and the unnamed senator at an Anchorage restaurant discussing the latter's need for money for an upcoming election campaign.

"I think we can make this work if you vote the way me and (another unnamed senator) were to vote," Cowdery is quoted.

References in the indictment to portions of the conversations being unintelligible suggest they had been recorded, but the indictment does not explicitly say that they were. Department of Justice spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said she could not comment beyond what is in the indictment.

The FBI nearly two years ago raided the offices of six Alaska lawmakers, including Cowdery and the others who have been charged. At the time, Cowdery said he didn't know why he was included in the raid or why agents seized items "unrelated to anything," including the stubs of his legislative salary checks. "I certainly haven't done anything wrong," he said.

Smith has testified in earlier trials that he bribed Cowdery but did not give details. Allen has testified that Cowdery was a part of his inner circle.

If convicted of both counts, Cowdery faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. His first court appearance was scheduled for Aug. 11.

The retired contractor has been in ill health and missed much of the last year's legislative sessions. Cowdery, who is in his third Senate term and previously served three terms in the House, is not seeking re-election this year.

State Sen. Donny Olson, a Nome Democrat whose office was raided by the FBI but who has not been charged, testified before a grand jury last month.

"Certainly I'm not afraid of what's going on," Olson said Thursday. "I've been cooperative with the FBI and I've been cooperative with the U.S. attorney's office, as well."

U.S. Rep. Don Young and U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, both Alaska Republicans, are under scrutiny for their relationships with VECO executives. Neither has been charged, and both deny wrongdoing.

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Uptick

Gloomy End to July: Dow Sinks 205

Today’s Market

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 205.67 points, or 1.78% to 11378.02, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 16.88 points, or 1.31%, to 1267.38 and the Nasdaq Composite Index lost 4.17 points, or 0.18%, to 2325.55. The consumer-friendly FOX 50 fell 13.00 points, or 1.43% to 893.21.

The action highlights the back-and-forth nature of trading that has taken ahold of Wall Street, including five triple-digit moves on the Dow in either direction over the past six trading days. Wall Street continues to debate whether or not the worst of the bad news on the economy and the financial sector is over -- or whether another shoe will drop, sending the market into another tailspin. 

“We’re in a real bad spot going into August here. The valuation says to buy but from a sentimental standpoint, [investors] can’t buy. Nobody’s sold on the market being totally done” with its downturn, said Frank Davis, director of sales and trading at Lek Securities. "There's no real conviction in the market."

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pomidorchik:

412:

U.S. boy rats on mother

well, this is one thing we all have to get used to if we wanna be good, decent, law abiding citizens in this country:-)

Ratting is america's soul. 

Have you forgotten about this Russian boy - Pavlik Morozov? Or your generation blissfully have forgotten how good it was to rat on everybody around?

---

So, you are now work as s substitute for a news cast? Thanks.

 

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jkash:

pomidorchik:

412:

U.S. boy rats on mother

well, this is one thing we all have to get used to if we wanna be good, decent, law abiding citizens in this country:-)

Ratting is america's soul. 

Have you forgotten about this Russian boy - Pavlik Morozov? Or your generation blissfully have forgotten how good it was to rat on everybody around?

What do you know about Pavlik ?

If only what propaganda had, then you know nothing.....

---

- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....

Men and Women's Experiences with Hazing in a Male-Dominated Elite Military Institution

Jana L. Pershing

San Diego State University

Numerous studies have documented the prevalence of hazing rituals and other rites of initiation in predominantly male organizations, including the military. However, little is known about how gender is related to hazing, specifically in male-dominated institutions where women are a relatively newpopulation. This case study draws on survey and interview data to examine both differences and similarities in men and women's experiences with hazing in an elite military institution: the U.S. Naval Academy, which is the U.S. Department of Defense's service academy for training Naval and Marine Corps officers. Although women have attended the Naval Academy since 1976, they comprise only 10% of the student population. Despite attempts to eradicate hazing, findings reveal that not only is hazing pervasive but that men and women are equally likely to experience it during their first year at the Academy. This suggests that one's status as a plebe (freshman) overrides one's gendered status. Men and women's attitudes about hazing, however, vary on some issues. Men are more likely than women to agree that certain types of hazing should be allowed at the Academy and are less likely to perceive negative consequences of reporting hazing. In contrast, men and women are equally likely to agree that the rigors of plebe year should be used to eliminate students who are not committed to the military. In addition to calling for an expansion of hazing research to include an examination of gender, a primary implication of the findings presented here is that future studies take into account the impact of men and women's shared experiences as initiates or new members of formal institutions.

 

Key Words: hazing • U.S. Naval Academy • gender differences • gender similarities • military training • military socialization • total institution

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- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xufKLUSvL9s

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- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....

Abu Ghraib: Fraternity 'Hazing', a.k.a. 'Not as Bad as Saddam'

From SourceWatch

This article is part of SourceWatch coverage of Abu Ghraib

Main article:

Abu Ghraib

Sub-articles:

Accountability Bush administration reaction (including damage control and cover-up) Bush administration and torture Charges Against Military Personnel Congressional Investigation Fraternity 'Hazing': "Not as Bad as Saddam" Ghost Detainees Interrogation Methods and Legal Issues Media Coverage Photographic Evidence of Brutality private military contractors sexual abuse The Rumsfeld Factor What Did "They" Know and "When" Did They Know It? Articles & Commentary on Abu Ghraib Additional SourceWatch Resources related to Abu Ghraib Afghanistan detainee abuse scandal Iraqi detainee abuse scandal

The alleged acts of brutality, abuse, and torture at the Enemy Prisoner of War Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq apparently have failed to sound a serious note--or appeal to the humanity within--with some, who see these events equal to a Fraternity 'Hazing', a.k.a. 'Not as Bad as Saddam'."

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From the headlines

In a May 26, 2004, press release, Media Matters for America announced that Media Matters President and CEO David Brock had "sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld requesting that Secretary Rumsfeld consider removing radio host Rush Limbaugh from the American Forces Radio and Television Service (formerly known as Armed Forces Radio). Limbaugh, whose program is broadcast for one hour per day to U.S. troops overseas, has spent the past four weeks condoning and trivializing the abuse, torture, rape and possible murder of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at the Abu Ghraib prison--gross misconduct that Rumsfeld has described as 'fundamentally un-American'."

MMFA has posted an online petition which visitors to its web site may sign and send "urging Secretary Rumsfeld to remove Limbaugh's show from the network."

The MMFA web site also provides "Gore to Dubya: Condemn Limbaugh," a May 26, 2004, commentary by Al Gore which includes an audio transcript (also in print) of Limbaugh's comments, as well as full transcripts of shows dating from May 3-14, 2004, with Rush Limbaugh's Iraqi prisoner torture comments.

• Rush Limbaugh: "It's Not About Us; This is War!" from May 4, 2004, show.

"Hours before President George W. Bush announced plans to address the Arab world to condemn the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. military personnel at the Abu Ghraib prison, Rush Limbaugh justified the U.S. guards' mistreatment of the Iraqis, stating that they were just 'having a good time,' and that their actions served as an 'emotional release'."

• "On CNBC: Iraqi prison abuses likened to fraternities ... again," Media Matters for America, May 5, 2004:

"On May 4, the same day that Rush Limbaugh described U.S. military personnel abusing Iraqi prisoners as 'having a good time' and 'blow[ing] some steam off,' Weekly Standard online editor Jonathan V. Last said on CNBC's Dennis Miller that he believed worse things happen in fraternity houses: "I hope these guys are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law ... but at the same time, let's not get too crazy and call them Nazi-like. ... Worse happens in frat houses across America ... bad pictures with some guys playing naked Twister. It's bad, but we don't want to get too crazy."

• *** Meyer, "Rush: MPs Just 'Blowing Off Steam'," CBS News, May 6, 2004:

"There is one proud and satisfied place where the pictures and accounts of the abuse endured by some prisoners at Abu Ghraib cause no consternation and no outrage: Rush Limbaugh's America, pop. 20 million."

• Alan Wirzbicki, "No Rush," The New Republic, May 6, 2004. (Requires subscription).

• "Hannity & Colmes (April 30, 2004) guest (former U.S. Army sergeant and former interrogation instructor David Robinson) compared U.S. soldiers' maltreatment of Iraqi POWs to 'frat hazing'," Media Matters for America, May 3, 2004.

• Rush Limbaugh, for totally inexplicable reasons, outdid himself on his May 6, 2004, radio show with comments framed in stupidity and obviously calculated to enrage. Some excerpts from that show are: [1]

"All right, so we're at war with these people. And they're in a prison where they're being softened up for interrogation. And we hear that the most humiliating thing you can do is make one Arab male disrobe in front of another. Sounds to me like it's pretty thoughtful. Sounds to me in the context of war this is pretty good intimidation -- and especially if you put a woman in front of them and then spread those pictures around the Arab world. And we're sitting here, "Oh my God, they're gonna hate us! Oh no! What are they gonna think of us?" I think maybe the other perspective needs to be at least considered. Maybe they're gonna think we are serious. Maybe they're gonna think we mean it this time. Maybe they're gonna think we're not gonna kowtow to them. Maybe the people who ordered this are pretty smart. Maybe the people who executed this pulled off a brilliant maneuver. Nobody got hurt. Nobody got physically injured. But boy there was a lot of humiliation of people who are trying to kill us -- in ways they hold dear. Sounds pretty effective to me if you look at us in the right context."

• Richard Goldstein, "Don't call it torture. It's just a broomstick up the butt. Stuff Happens!," Village Voice, May 5, 2004.

• Matthew Yglesias comments on May 2, 2004:

"Why do I keep hearing people point out that what went on at Abu Ghraib under U.S. command wasn't as bad as what Saddam did? Not that it was as bad, but to even raise the comparison bespeaks a very telling insecurity. Gerhard Schroeder doesn't respond to criticisms of his policies by replying: 'Look at what Hitler did!' This is moral relativism of a very strange sort. Where have our standards gone off to? There are many, many, many people sitting in jail in the United States for conduct that doesn't even begin to approach Saddam Hussein levels of badness. And yet I don't see George W. Bush commuting peoples' death sentences to the words, 'hey, it was just murder, not genocide.' "When you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you."

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- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....

jkash:

Have you forgotten about this Russian boy - Pavlik Morozov? Or your generation blissfully have forgotten how good it was to rat on everybody around?

 

how could i?:-)

here's what wikipedia says...:

      "There is very little original evidence related to the story, much of it a hearsay provided by second-hand witnesses. According to modern         research, the story (denunciation, trial) is most likely a fictional tale, although Pavlik was a real child who was murdered. "

 

you have more "examples"? 

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Продолжаем тему неуставных отношений в армии США - данные за 2007

Опубликован отчёт "Контрольной палаты" (U.S. Government Accountability Office) по программе предотвращения изнасилований в армии и береговой охране.

Судя по цифрам, инциденты не очень-то предотвращаются - 30-40% женщин в армии подвергается насилию.

Краткое содержание (внутри ссылки на ПДФ с полным отчётом):
http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-08-1013T

Выжимки:
Опрос ГАО производился на 14 базах, 103 в/с сообщили о фактах секуального насилия над ними в течение последнего года. Из них 52 никак (есть вариант анонимного рапорта - прим.) не доложили об этом.

Всего за 2007 финансовый год рапортовано 2688 случаев насилия по линии Минобороны (оба варианта рапорта - анонимный и именной). Береговая охрана - 68 случаев (только именные рапорты).

Оригинал:

...At the 14 installations where GAO administered its survey, 103 servicemembers indicated that they had been sexually assaulted within the preceding 12 months. Of these, 52 servicemembers indicated that they did not report the sexual assault.

... In fiscal year 2007, DOD received 2,688
reports of alleged sexual assault, brought with either the restricted or
unrestricted reporting option.

The Coast Guard, which did not offer the
restricted reporting option during fiscal year 2007, received 72 reports of
alleged sexual assault brought with the unrestricted reporting option
during that time period.

===> dic duc fac <===

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- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....