The mayor of Duncanville, Texas had a member of the city council arrested last Tuesday for speaking out against the use of red light cameras during an official meeting. The incident took place during the discussion of whether the city should spend $59,000 to make street repairs. Mayor David Green recognized Councilman Paul Ford to speak on the contract item.
"Thank you," Ford said. "I want to let you know that earlier this evening during briefing, Mayor Green threatened me that if he told me to stop talking and I didn't, he'd have me arrested, and I want to let you know what I told Mayor Green."
Green became outraged and shouted, "Mr Ford, you are out of order. You are not recognized Mr Ford. You need to cease right now."
While Green yelled, Ford continued his brief statement without stopping.
"Unlike those thousands of people who are getting red light camera tickets, I will have the opportunity for a jury trial. It will be a jury of my peers and I will confidently put my fate in their hands. And now I'm going to discuss agenda item number three. I will vote against it, and here's why."
Before he had a chance to explain that the city could find the money for those necessary street repairs by cutting the city manager's salary from $179,000 to $160,000 and reducing payments to local chambers of commerce by $40,000, Police Chief Robert Brown grabbed Ford. Ford repeated several times the statement: "Chief Brown, I will not leave voluntarily, but if you believe I am violating the law by discussing this agenda item, I will submit to arrest."
Brown did not respond. Mayor Green had the audio of the city council video tape turned off as Brown dragged the councilman out of the chamber. Ford ended up hospitalized from injuries sustained during the arrest.
#1
Just twenty minutes from Fort Worth. (Is that Heimlich County?)
Interestingly, the city's website shows the April 21st COuncil Meeting as "*CANCELLED*". Wonder why?
The local news apparently got on their case about a local couple cited for Red Light cam violations. The city put the videos on their site in response to the news.
Must have been a bit of touchy subject.
Oh, the city's website has a phone number with an answering service, in case you're concerned about the whereabouts of Mr. Ford. Be cordial.
#2
We have these cameras in our city. It is an easy cash cow for the city. Some guy shot one of them out a year or so ago. The police frowned on this and he is now going to have to answer for this. I'm not sure how he was caught.
SANTA ANA, Calif. - He was the ultimate dark-horse politician, a school board member who murmured about conspiracies, refused to talk with colleagues, wore coal-black sunglasses during night meetings and survived a recall attempt.
But former Orange school trustee Steve Rocco may finally have met his match in a half-full bottle of ketchup. Rocco is being tried for stealing a 14-ounce Heinz bottle from a dining area outside the cafeteria at Chapman University, a charge he claims is bogus because -- in his calculations -- the ketchup was worthless.
If Rocco made for an awkward and often mute politician when he served a four-year term on the school board in Orange, he seemed light, gregarious and engaged as his petty-theft trial opened Tuesday, jotting things down in a spiral notebook, asking detailed questions and laughing with his public defender.
Told he would have to adhere to courtroom etiquette and go without his standard knit beanie cap and dark glasses, Rocco showed up in a plaid shirt with a black tie and flip-up sunglasses and had a white bandage the size of a slice of bread affixed to his head.
Superior Court Judge Jacki C. Brown's courtroom has become the latest stage for Rocco, a 58-year-old unemployed recluse known for espousing shadowy conspiracy theories about a powerful, secret cabal he calls the Partnership.
He made national headlines in 2004 when he won a school board seat in Orange, listing himself as a "teacher/writer" on the ballot.
Now a different panel will be asked to pass judgment on Rocco and decide whether he stole the plastic squirt bottle of Heinz from a table at a dining area in September and put it in a paper bag before speeding off on his bicycle. Or did he just take it, thinking it was trash and in need of recycling?
The case seems straightforward, if not a bit mundane and, well, cheap. According to prosecutors, the bottle had a value of $1.20 -- well below the $15 each juror is being paid a day for their civic service.
So while Deputy District Attorney Lynda Fernandez asked jurors to "focus on the conduct of the defendant rather than the value of the item," public defender Erica Gambale simply jingled two quarters and a dime in her palm.
"This is it, ladies and gentlemen, this is it: 60 cents," she told jurors. "At best, half that ketchup was left."
#4
this guy is truly deranged..how he got voted in republican orange county i do not know. this is what happens when people ignore their civic duty...and now we have bo at the highest level because people ignored thier civic duites -- change for the sake of change is not the answer
Posted by: Dan ||
04/15/2009 21:18 Comments ||
Top||
The federal government is waking up to the growing nightmare of bedbugs.
The tiny reddish-brown insects, last seen in great numbers prior to World War II, are on the rebound. They have infested college dormitories, homeless shelters and swanky hotels from New York City to Chicago to Washington.
They live in the crevices of mattresses, sofas and sheets. Then, most often before dawn, they emerge to feed on human blood, leaving bites that can cause allergic reactions and infections.
The growing problem is the subject of a first-ever bedbug summit hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday and Wednesday in Arlington, Va. Let me guess. This will require that the EPA regulate the entire hospitality industry.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
04/15/2009 11:56 Comments ||
Top||
#3
While you are at it how about looking into the Chinese wallboard problem. Isn't this the problem of the hotels, universities, and homeless shelters. How about cleaning out the infestations of tax and spenders in Washington. Nothing like focusing on minutiae. Conjurs up the image of people frantically rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
#4
When I woke up this morning
And looked up on the wall
The cooties and the bedbugs
Were havin' a game of ball
The score was fourt to twenty
The bedbugs were ahead
The pitcher pitched a beanball
And knocked me out of bed
Posted by: Mike ||
04/15/2009 14:47 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry
Momma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true
Momma's gonna put all of her fears into you
Momma's gonna keep you right here under her wing
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sink
Momma's will keep Baby cozy and warm
How does one make the argument that missile-defense systems are unproven? Dont allow it to get tested. Despite having plenty of lead time to the North Korean missile launch, the Obama administration refused to permit the US Navy to deploy its most sophisticated missile-tracking radar during the launch. The reason? It might have annoyed Kim Jong-Il...
Why the master of America's new First Mutt is no longer in good odour with President Sarkozy
France has been cooing along with everyone else over the arrival of Bo Obama at the White House, but the master of America's new First Dog is no longer in good odour with President Sarkozy.
Mr Sarkozy is pouring cold water on President Obama's efforts to recast American leadership on the world stage, depicting them as unoriginal, unsubstantial and overrated. Behind leaks and briefings from the Elysée Palace lies Mr Sarkozy's irritation at the rock-star welcome that Europe gave Mr Obama on his Europan tour earlier this month.
The American President's call "to free the world of the menace of a nuclear nightmare" was hot air, Mr Sarkozy's diplomatic staff told him in a report. "It was rhetoric not a speech on American security policy but an export model aimed at improving the image of the United States," they said. Most of Mr Obama's proposals had already been made by the Bush administration and Washington was dragging its feet on disarmament and treaties against nuclear proliferation, the leaked report said.
Personal pique and French politics are also behind the souring of Mr Sarkozy's self-promoted honeymoon with the United States. On the personal side, the French President is needled by the adulation for an unproven US leader whose stardom has eclipsed what he sees as his established record as a world troubleshooter. "The President is annoyed by what he sees as the naivety and the herd mentality of the media," said a journalist who is privy to Elysée thinking.
Mr Sarkozy has put out a version of the proceedings at the London G20 economic summit which casts him as hero, in the classic French role of intransigent defender of principle in the face of the American steamroller. This is to counter last week's reports of Mr Obama saving the day by persuading President Hu of China to accept Mr Sarkozy's demands for naming tax havens.
According to the leaks, Mr Sarkozy shamed Mr Obama into intervening: "You were elected to build a new world. Tax havens are the embodiment of the old world," he is quoted as saying. He also reprimanded Mr Obama for setting US goals for climate change that were inferior to Europe's, according to his staff.
Again, according to the Sarkozy version, at the Nato summit in Strasbourg, Mr Obama was meekly yielding to Turkey's refusal to endorse Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the alliance's new Secretary-General. It took pressure from Mr Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel of Germany to stiffen him up and change his mind, say the French.
Mr Obama's favour for Ankara has irked but also helped Mr Sarkozy as his Union for a Popular Movement campaigns for European Parliament elections in June. Mr Sarkozy slapped down the US President on French TV after he publicly called for Turkish entry to the European Union.
Permanent refusal of Turkish membership is one of Mr Sarkozy's policy planks and one of his most popular with voters. Mr Obama's venture into EU affairs has enabled Mr Sarkozy to make political capital. He has shown that France can still stand up to the United States despite rejoining the Nato command last week.
It sounded like old Franco-American business as usual this morning when Bruno Le Maire, Mr Sarkozy's Europe Minister, accused Washington of backing the northern and eastern EU members by wanting to turn the union into a mere free-trade zone. France and Germany are sticking to their vision of the "political" Europe that others do not want, he said.
Behind the policy argument, it is easy to detect disappointment over Mr Obama's failure to respond to the Sarkozy charm offensive that began when he befriended the junior senator on a visit to Washington in 2006. Mr Obama showered compliments on France's "hyper-president" in Strasbourg, but the one that has stuck was double-edged: "He is courageous on so many fronts, it's sometimes hard to keep up with him."
As expected, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Monday vetoed legislation that would have allowed the construction of two 700-megawatt coal-burning power plants in southwest Kansas. She vetoed three similar bills last year. On Monday, in her newest veto message, Sebelius said of the legislation, "What was a bad idea last year, is an even worse idea today."
"President Barack Obama is moving toward regulating carbon dioxide emissions, and Kansas doesn't need the plants for its own energy needs," she said. And, she said, the Legislature's attempt to marry renewable initiatives to the bill was a failure because many of the so-called "green" provisions ended up watered down.
"Once again, as the rest of the country moves toward a renewable energy future, the Legislature is intent on darkening Kansas' energy future with new coal plants that will provide energy we don't yet need," she said.
The veto sets up a showdown with lawmakers when they return for the wrap-up session on April 29. A two-thirds majority is required to overturn a veto. Reading the comments from the Berkely-on-the-KawLawrence Journal World shows just how unpopular the veto is. Thought you all might like to know a little more about the potential HHS Secretary. Also, apparently she accepted an admitted donation of $17,000 from currently notorious abortion doctor (who IMO was unfairly tried as the procedures were legal at the time) but may be as much as 3x that amount "Which I (Sebelius) will look into". It is known that part of the job is accepting donations but this case has been all over the news. For her to not know that bit of information is telling. $17,000 is a lot of money out here folks; $51,000 is a decent chunk anywhere especially from an individual.
She began her professional public office career as the Insurance Commissioner and kicked out many companies, most of which rightfully so, but with the credible talk of federal insurance this is a good tidbit to keep in mind. She would make a great face IMO for such a move at the federal level kinda like Mom (from Futurama).
Also, I don't know if the rest of the world got to see the botoxed interview process (no problem there, seems to be in vogue, right Mr. Kerry?) but it was a hoot to watch the potential HHS Secretary handwipe her nose before shaking hands with the interview panal.
#2
Who cares? As Americans it should be our goal to allow every citizen the right and ability to cheaply light every square inch of their property like downtown Tokyo at midnight. Until we can offer that opportunity for a few cents per day we won't have reached a point where we can say to those willing to build new generating plants, "That's nice but we just don't need any more energy ...."
#5
Oh what wonderful Green world the future will be. The government will pay for every community to build farms of humongous wind turbines to re-charge the batteries of our electric cars. We will then all ride-share together down to the mass transit hub. (If your lucky I may even share some of my homemade Trail mix.) From there we can travel to our organic gardens or to the co-ops to barter for handcrafted goods. Golly along the way we may even see a unicorn or maybe even
#7
Everyone; Kansas could sell it to Colorado for starters. As I understand, electricity is a tradable commodity; adding power to the grid adds power to the entire grid as well as adjusting your S&D graph. Would help charge the golf carts and electric combines. Can't wait to see the battery powered cattle truck...it'l be HUGE!
#8
What was not mentioned is that she has been effectively excommunicated from the Catholic church, and it was done so in such a way that any Priest who offers her communion anywhere in the country will be in contention with his Bishop.
It was a major breakthrough in the Catholic church clamping down on pro-abortion politicians. To make things even more dramatic, the recent Notre Dame hubbub has galvanized bishops all over the US, and any arguments about powerful political allies have gone right out the window.
There are currently about 155 Catholic congressmen and senators right now. Many are of the opinion that there needs to be a LOT fewer of them calling themselves Catholic.
#9
I work for the company trying to bring in the two plants. We're a co-op and for those not acquainted with the process.....we are non-profit. We sell the power for what it costs us to generate it.
Weblink to the project: http://www.holcombstation.coop/
Our corporate website:
www.sunflower.net
Also checkout the link for the bioenergy center we plan also:
http://www.sunflowerbioenergy.com/
As much as I'd like to see her gone from Kansas, I still reel from the thought of her at the FEDERAL level.
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. John Murtha cannot be sued for accusing U.S. Marines of murdering Iraqi civilians "in cold blood," remarks that sparked outrage among conservative commentators.
The appeals court in Washington dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a Marine who led the squad in the attack. The judges agreed with Murtha that he was immune from the lawsuit because he was acting in his official role as a lawmaker when he made the comments to reporters.
Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., claimed Murtha damaged his reputation by saying the squad he was leading engaged in "cold-blooded murder and war crimes" in Haditha, Iraq, on Nov. 19, 2005. On to Scotus
Murtha will win this if it goes to SCOTUS. Once the court decides that Murtha was acting within his official duties it has no choice but to dismiss the suit.
Suing Murtha isn't the best way to go. Finding a suitable opponent, funding that person and seeing Murtha lose in 2010, now that my friends would be revenge ...
#1
Some folks depend on technicalities to survive. Since when is making unfounded accusations against the armed forces a lawmaker's duty? Ponder the ramifications here.
#2
Wow - what this is basically saying is that a congressman is above the law. They can make any claim, any accusation, any slander at all anywhere and for any reason and have it part of their 'official role'.
Remember Sack-o-Shit was on a national television show - not on the senate floor. It was expressing Its opinion and not speaking for the Senate.
This sets a very bad prescient for future campaigns and give the incumbent an immense advantage.
As for finding a replacement. Good Luck. He can call them rednecks and they will still vote for him.
They have. It doesn't make any difference. The votes in his district want the income it brings in and doesn't give a crap about the quality of their representative. They have no shame. They're tribal. He'll die in office. Then the payback will begin as their rep won't have a day of seniority and all the business flees to the district of the next rep with the key seat in Congress.
"Official role" in on the floor of the House. Nothing more, nothing less. Just as lawyers get way with outlandish accusations within the confines of the court. Anything else violates the base concept of equality before the law. Four legs good, two legs better.
#5
Just more evidence that convinces me we're at the point of a "governmental singularity" - a point beyond which we, the people, can no longer constrain out government in any meaningful way.
#7
Murtha will not lose an election, because he is a master cheat. Because they have an open primary, in previous elections, he has had Democrats run on the Republican primary ticket, then told his followers to vote for them instead of the real Republican. The winning Democrat would then not campaign against Murtha.
He also believes in unlawful cheating as well.
A though he hates the military, he fully supports the defense contractors in his district as a quid pro quo for them supporting him. Any who refuse he puts out of business.
No, the only ways he will ever be put out of office is either if he is financially ruined, convicted of a felony, or they have to scrape his decaying carcass out of the chair.
#10
The rule is actually a good one, even if slime like Murtha get to hide behind it. Think of all the scurrilous lawsuits the left would have filed against Bush.
[Jakarta Post] legislative candidate from West Javan town of Banjar was found dead allegedly after committing suicide by hanging Tuesday morning, kompas.com reported.
Sri Hayati, 23, of the National Awakening Party (PKB), was found dead at a hut in the middle of a rice field just seven kilometers away from her inlaws after she was reported missing for two days. Hayati, who was five months pregnant, was thought to have committed suicide after securing marginal votes during the legislative elections on April 9.
According to Lankaplancar police officer Adung, Hayati went missing Sunday evening.
Adung said Hayati's husband, Mastur Maulana Yusuf, went to look for her and filed a missing persons report at the police office Monday evening.
No signs of violance or injuries were found on the body when she was discovered by a tree sapper on Tuesday morning, leading the police to suggest that Hayati's death was connected to her failed candidacy for the regional council. Hayati was said to have secured a mere 10 votes within the Banjar I constituency, which included Banjar and Purwaharja.
PKB Banjar representative Zaenal Muttaqien, however, denies police allegation. "There was no pressure. Hayati was just a party supporter, she wasn't a party functionalist or member of the party's steering committee. She was only added to the party's list of candidates in order to fulfill the 30 percent quota for women," Muttaqien argued.
Meanwhile in Central Kalimantan's Palangka Raya, two legislative candidates and three political party supporters were admitted into the Kalawa Atei Assylum (BKJM) on Tuesday.
According to BKJM chief Wineini Marhaeni Rubay, one of the legislative candidate arrived on April 10 suffering severe mental distress and had received emergency treatment prior to being transferred to the Joint Adulam Ministry Foundation mental hospital. Two other legislative candidates displayed signs of similar stress and have been undergoing intensive treatment, she added.
"The legislative candidate who suffered severe mental distress was said to have acted strange after the election, he declined to shower, eat, and would keep laughing everytime he saw the vote tally of his party," Rubay said while declining to mention the name and political party he belonged to.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/15/2009 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under:
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
