California Girl Is Gang Raped At High School

A 15-year-old girl in Richmond, Ca. was sexually assaulted to the point of unconsciousness outside a California high school on homecoming night.

According to investigators, the young girl was attending the homecoming dance, and at some point went outside, or was taken outside.  She was found unconscious behind the high school, in a dimly lit alley, under a bench, later that night.

The girl was allegedly raped by at least 4 suspects, who committed multiple sex acts on her. She was flown by helicopter to a local hospital where she was admitted in critical condition, and now remains there in stable condition as of the last report.

One nineteen-year-old boy, a former student of the high school, was arrested the same night of the incident after he was spotted fleeing the scene.  He was charged with rape, robbery, and kidnapping.  Another boy, 15 years of age, was later arrested and also charged with one count of felony sexual assault.  The police have stated that more are expected to be arrested and charged soon.  

After police did some investigating, they have come to the conclusion that this was most likely a two and a half hour assault on this young girl.  Not to mention, they claim as many as 20 people could have been involved or stood and watched the incident take place.  There is now a $20,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with information that will lead to arrests and convictions.

One member of the school board feels as if the school district bears some responsibility.  He claims the administrators were not watching the area and the students as they should have.  I have to agree with him.  This had to be a very noisy commotion going on outside.  Granted, the administrators were probably inside where the dance was taking place, but you would think someone in charge would keep track of the students coming in and out, and pay attention to what they were doing outside.

The article didn't make reference to whether there are any houses around the school, however, for this to go on for two and a half hours without anyone hearing anything seems unbelievable. This poor girl will most likely never want to set foot in that school again.

I can't imagine this happening to my own daughter.  Having to explain to her that there are just really horrible people out there that do these unspeakable things for nothing more than to seek pleasure. But, what is more disturbing is that there were people, probably students, just standing around watching this happen.  And I bet every one of them had cell phones! We really need to teach the our children to help those in need.  

The school did hold a safety meeting on Wednesday night for parents and students to address the assault that took place.  Hopefully, they will make new policies that will keep staff members more aware of what is going on at the school, ways to deter students from making bad choices like these boys did, and most importantly helping students know how to stay safe when they're attending school functions, or anywhere for that matter.

We need to have safety meetings like these in all schools across the nation, but rather, safety prevention meetings, to catch this before the fact instead of after.  I was proud, however, to know that MSSU has held these types of classes.  Classes that are designed to give self-defense techniques that will help in these kinds of cases.

In the junior high and high school levels, they do need more safety precautions enforced by staff members that is backed up by parents.  Unfortunately, things like this happen before we notice there is a real problem.

Scientists Close To Making Artificial Babies

This article by CBN News claims that scientists are within 5 years of being able to produce sperm and eggs mature enough to create an actual embryo.  According to some American researchers at Stanford University, they have found a way to make embryonic stem cells develop into what they believe are the only two components needed to make a baby.

This research was intended to help families struggling with infertility and genetic diseases, along with extending menopause in women. The secret to this breakthrough appears to be, using embryonic stem cells from human beings, and treating them with certain proteins that stimulate the growth of germ cells.  They do claim, however, that in order to use this process in the United States, there will be several safety, and not to mention ethical hurdles to conquer.

These scientific breakthroughs are definitely what science fiction movies are made of.  It is unbelievable to me that there is research going on to figure out how to "make" a human being. To me, personally, I feel as though these scientists really are trying to play God here.  Human beings have a conscience and a soul that would be impossible to create in a lab.

To put aside all of the unethical issues and just to look at the physical aspect, why would we add more confusion to our world?  There are so many neglected children, starving children, and young people becoming so desperate and taking their lives, why on earth would it make sense to bring more children into this world in this way, when we would have no way of knowing the long term results until it was already done?  Even if there was a small chance of physical or mental disabilities, I don't understand why we as a nation would risk that.

I honestly think we would be playing with fire on a scientific experiment such as this one.  No matter what angle you look at this subject, it seems obvious that there would be so many more risks than advantages.  There could be things that would only come out later in these "factory-made beings" that could be dangerous to society as a whole.  

When I first saw this article, I was in shock.  I had to read it a few times before it sank in that this was real, and it's going on here, in this country.  To know that something as huge as this is going on as research is strange enough, but to know that the scientists are possibly only 5 years from this happening is very scary to me.  I really don't see any advantages at all.

People were created the way they were for a reason.  I personally believe that we need to leave the creating up to God and God alone, anything else is like playing with fire.  This is the first I had heard about this experiment.  However, I wonder how soon we will start seeing information about this on TV.  I also wonder if the politicians who were against using any embryonic cells, knew more than what we ever imagined.  Maybe the thought was, although diseases could be cured, if we stopped the process of making artificial babies, it might serve a greater purpose to society.

New Leads In Haleigh Cumming's Disappearance

Police in St. Augustine, Fl. have received video and an envelope from a local newspaper, the St. Augustine Record, claiming a woman, featured in the surveillance video, walked in their office in blue scrubs and sunglasses to deliver an envelope containing what she claimed to be information that would lead investigators to the perputrator of the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings.

The 5-year-old little girl disappeared from her father's trailer on February 9, 2009, in Putnam County, Florida. The girlfriend of Haleigh's father, Misty Croslin, was apparently watching Haleigh and her 3-year-old brother on the night of the disappearance while Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, was working a night shift at a bridge manufacturing company. Misty Croslin claims she put Haleigh to bed at approximately 8 pm on February 8th, and checked on her at 10 pm, saying she was fine, then went to bed herself between 10:30 or 11:00 pm. She then claimed she woke up at about 3 am to realize the back door was propped open with a brick and Haleigh was missing. Mr. Cummings arrived home about that time and Misty called 911. Misty Croslin has been under suspicion since the early morning 911 call. However, she has not been arrested as of yet.

Ronald Cummings has appeared on the Nancy Grace show, along with Haleigh's mother, on separate occasions. Neither have been named as suspects, and both seem to love Haleigh very much.

There was a surprise twist in this story shortly after Haleigh's disappearance. Ronald Cummings married his young girlfriend, Misty Croslin, and seemed to be confident in her innocence. Shortly after getting married to Misty, she allegedly failed a polygraph test. Mr. Cummings spoke about this on an episode of Nancy Grace, in which he spoke as though he wanted desperately to believe in his wife's innocence. He stated something to the effect that would work with investigators no matter who it hurt, he just wanted to find his daughter.

Now, there is news of Mr. Cummings divorcing his new wife recently. There are no details as to why he chose this. However, it does make you wonder if the mystery woman on the surveillance video gave some information that pointed to Misty Croslin being involved in the case. To my knowledge, the investigators in this case haven't released what details they have about what was in the envelope, or the reasons they have for continuing to refer Misty as a suspect. Although, it does look suspicious for Misty.

There have been far too many cases lately involving missing children. This is so heartbreaking to say the least. My heart goes out to the families that experience these horrific tragedies. I can't comprehend going through something as devastating as this. My children are a little older now, and the fear of them being taken is not as bad as it was, but you never know what could happen. At least we have some happy endings, for instance, the case with Elizabeth Smart. We can only hope and pray they will find little Haleigh soon.

Pet Turtles Blamed For Salmonella In Children

In as many as 34 states, there has been an outbreak of .salmonella. The main cause has been due to pet turtles being handled by children.

There has been a ban since 1975 on selling small turtles as pets, but despite the ban, they're continuing to be sold illegally all across the country. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that the number of pet turtles has doubled nationwide from 950,000 in 1996 to approximately 2 million in 2006.

The original reason for the ban was the findings that concluded salmonella in turtle feces can end up on the turtle's shells and bodies, and it can spread to people who handle them. The outbreak is thought to originate from the vast majortiy of turtles being shipped together, and it only takes one turtle to spread this so quickly.

The majority of these turtles carrying the salmonella strain were sold in pet stores, flea markets, street vendors, and customers buying turtles online. The Food and Drug Administration has contacted several retailers involved and their investigation is still in progress. They are making efforts on both state and federal levels to make the ban known nationwide to protect the public's health.

The recent scare started in September 2007, in North Carolina, when two young girls were swimming in a backyard pool with two pet turtles. Both girls started having symptoms such as, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and stomach cramps. One of the girls also developed kidney failure and spent 8 days in the hospital.

Eventually, the salmonella bacteria found in the pet turtles was traced to 3 other North Carolina children and eventually more cases turned up across the country. Apparently, some of the children were kissing the turtles and even putting them in their mouths.

This article is very disturbing to me. However, I'm so thankful the media is trying to get this information out there. I don' t know if anyone out there has a pet turtle, but if so, you might want to do some research of your own. It does help to know that a professor from the University of Illinois has taken the initiative to consult with Louisiana turtle farmers in order to make a way to raise salmonella free turtles.

One effort has been made to cleanse the turtle eggs with antibiotics. The only problem they found with this is a possible antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, another attempt to resolve this issue is to cleanse the eggs with disinfectants similar to bleach. At least there are efforts being made to prevent this from going any further. Hopefully they will find a solution to the problem soon. Possibly there will be more done to prevent salmonella and other strains in our food as well, or maybe the Food and Drug Administration will be more apt to pursue the prevention of outbreaks such as these.

Firefighter Suspended For U.S. Flag on Locker

A story from Myfoxphilly.com reports the firefighters' union in Pennsylvania warned 11 members to remove personal items from lockers or they would face a suspension without pay.

James Krapf of Chester, PA. was accused of violating the department policy when he placed a sticker of an american flag on the outside of his locker.  The department claims the ban on personal items began after an incident occurred with certain firefighters complaining about a cartoon being posted in the firehouse that caused some to be offended, claiming it was racially offensive.

Krapf is intending to meet with the fire commissioner and the mayor to discuss the matter, stating, "I shouldn't have to remove the flag of the country I believe in.  I love my country, I love my job.  I love helping people.  I've been doing this 11 years in the city of Chester, so this is something I love to do."  The fire commissioner was reported as saying that banning all materials from locker doors was the simplest was to solve the problem.  Apparently Krapf is refusing to remove the sticker and was the first firefighter to be suspended without pay.

I can understand Mr. Krapf wanting to display his patriotism, especially after the 9/11 tragedy. And with his firehouse being in the northeast, they were most likely involved directly. However, I can understand the department needing to stick to the overall policy.  

The issue, according to the commissioner doesn't seem to be about the sticker being an american flag,  more that if he let Mr. Krapf place personal items on his locker, he would have to let all the firefighters put up personal items and run the risk of offending someone, which is the reason the policy was put in place to begin with.

Mr. Krapf seems to be taking this very personally and making the issue more with what is on the sticker as opposed to the issue being about his personal items in general going against the policy.  

I think its wonderful to have firefighters in our country that are so patriotic.  However, patriotism can be shown in so many ways that don't go against policies.  If it comes down to possibly losing your job, I think taking the sticker down, then talking to the commissioner would make more sense.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in standing up for what you believe in.  I just think there might be better ways to approach a situation like this.  We do have freedom of speech in this country, and arranging a meeting to put a new policy in effect that would allow only displaying american patriotic logos could be one way to resolve this matter.  I can see both sides of the debate here and hope this can be resolved in peace.

Jaycee Dugard Finally Gets To Speak Out

According to a story from BBC News, the victim of the 1991 kidnapping, Jaycee Dugard, in South Lake Tahoe, close to the Nevada border, has finally had a chance to speak out about what happened 18 years ago.  Mr. Phillip Garrido, along with his wife Nancy, are now charged with kidnapping, rape, and false imprisonment.  They have denied all charges.

Jaycee is now living in seclusion with her mother, Terry Probyn, along with Jaycee's two daughters, Angel and Starlit, who are believed to be fathered by Mr. Garrido.  

People magazine has now come out with the full story, according to Jaycee.  I am curious to read her side of what happened.  It sounds like, just from the small amount of information that has been circulating, that she has been through such an ordeal the last 18 years.   Since the police uncovered what appeared to be a "compound" at Mr. Garrido's residence, Jaycee has cooperated with the investigation fully and completely.

The police spotted Mr. Garrido in August, as he was handing out religious literature at the University of California Berkeley, with two young children.  Mr. Garrido is a convicted sex offender, and was ordered to report to his parole officer.  He did meet with the officer, and he brought his wife, children, and a young woman, who turned out to be Jaycee Dugard.  There hasn't been too much more information, other than this, out there until now.  So, as I mentioned earlier, it will be interesting to read the story from her point of view.

After hearing about several cases lately that deal with the kidnapping and rape of children, for example, Shaun Hornbeck, Elizabeth Smart, and now this case, along with others over the years, maybe some laws could be changed regarding sex offenders.  If someone is charged with and convicted of a "high degree" sex offense, than perhaps the criminal justice system could demand an automatic life imprisonment sentence.  If this saves one person, especially a child, than it would be worth it.  Maybe it would cut down on the issues with sex offenders having a hard time finding a place to live.

What surprised me most with this case in particular, was that Mr. and Mrs. Garrido are denying the charges.  Perhaps I need to read the entire case before jumping to conclusions, but Ms. Dugard was found physically with the Garridos'.  Besides the fact they can prove this is Jaycee, they can also prove, pretty easily, that these two little girls are his biological daughters. So, that evidence, along with Jaycee testifying against the Garridos', will most likely result in a conviction(s).

This brings up another point, Jaycee will need to testify to get the full story across to jurors. Therefore, she is going to need our thoughts and prayers, along with her poor daughters, and her entire family for that matter.  I wish them the best.

Mom Flees To Japan With Children

This story comes from the Associated Press.  It tells of a Mom, Noriko Savoie, fleeing with her children to Japan after bitter divorce proceedings in the U.S.   Noriko was awarded $800,000 in cash, as well as other support, to start a new life in Tennessee.  

Christopher Savoie, the father, went to Japan in order to bring his children home.  When arriving in Japan, he found his children walking to school and snatched them away from their mother.  As a result, he was arrested and jailed.  Christopher had been issued full custody of the children by an American court, and since then, the courts have issued a warrant for Noriko Savoie's arrest on charges of custodial interference.

When I first heard of this story, it was on the Today Show.  They had an interview with Christopher's new wife.  It was such a sad story, and I could not understand why a mother could do this to her children.  I felt so sorry for the father of these poor children.  I was under the impression that the couple lived in Tennessee, or at least in the U.S, most of their married lives, and that the children were born and raised there.  It sounded like the mother just decided to leave her husband and took off to a foreign country with her kids.  After reading further into it, however, it sounds as though things were more complicated than it was portrayed on television. 

Miiko Crafton, a native from Japan, befriended Noriko during her short stay in Tennessee.  She claims Noriko tried to get a divorce while still in Japan, but her husband refused and persuaded her to move to the U.S.  Noriko had no income when they moved in June, 2008, and was solely dependent on her husband, who was, according to court records, involved with another woman. The new wife must have been the "other woman", due to Christopher getting remarried within one month of the divorce.  Also, Christopher wasn't a poor father going into a foreign country trying to find his children in a culture he didn't know anything about. The couple lived in Japan for several years. Mr. Savoie has Japanese citizenship and speaks fluent Japanese.  Therefore, when they moved to the U.S. and was served divorce paper, Noriko must have felt scared and alone.  As her friend Miiko put it, "Everything was provided so she could begin a new lifestyle, but right after that he gave her divorce papers," she goes on to say, "So basically, she was trapped."

Even after reading both sides of this story, it doesn't look like there are going to be any easy answers.  The father moved the mother and their children to a foreign country, he had an affair on her, then the mother flees to her hometown, resulting in an arrest warrant.  Meanwhile, the father goes after the children in an illegal manner and is arrested as a result.  The poor children are really the ones who suffer here.  They have obviously been through some traumatic experiences and will need a great deal of care emotionally.  Hopefully, this situation will be resolved quickly, and they can all go on with their lives in a peaceful manner.

My personal opinion, after reading both sides, is that the mother should now be able to raise her children in their native country, and the father should be granted visitation.   

7 Ways To Beat Back Swine Flu

Dr. Bernadine Healy gives us this report concerning the swine flu; otherwise known as H1N1.  The article talks about how this flu pandemic has spread across almost every country in the world and how it is being compared to a pandemic outbreak that occurred in America in 1918, which was caused by an H1N1 strain also.  The article then goes on to explain how this strain may not be quite as horrific as it is being portrayed, and Dr. Healy gives us 7 ways to that might help get America and other countries through this crisis.  She sums them up with:  

1) Confirm the case; referring to the medical community making guesses that are causing an uproar.

2) Figure out what makes people susceptible; priority vaccinations or antiviral drugs could be more targeted, sparing resources.

3) Intense treatment of severe pneumonia; the flu kills mostly by bringing on a severe pneumonia.  They are coming up with new ways to treat pneumonia with something called an ECMO, which gives the lungs more of a chance to rest and heal, so ultimately the flu will not take so many lives.

4) Vaccine technology needs to improve; the new vaccines are out in circulation too slowly.

5) Provide medicines to poor countries; the U.S. needs to donate 10% of the vaccine supply to the World Health Organization to help less fortunate countries.

6) Public-health emergency powers should be flexible; there is a debate going on concerning whether the 2009 pandemic is actually more benign than what they originally thought.

7) Vitamin D may play a role; there is evidence to show that individuals with adequate vitamin D in their systems are immune to the seasonal flu.  There needs to be more tests to see if the same is true for the swine flu.  

And finally, Dr. Healy suggests the same as what you hear everywhere, just wash your hands frequently, use sanitizer, and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

There is so much said through the media concerning who should get the vaccine, and the overall scare of this virus.  It is so nice to read something about the flu that isn't scaring us.  It actually looks as though the swine flu isn't quite as serious as it was originally made out to be.  This article was very informative, and the you can read in more detail the seven steps Dr. Healy suggests. 

I did not realize the 1918 pandemic claimed over half a million lives.  That is so much worse than what we are dealing with now.  Also, the 1918 outbreak was classified as a category 5, the worst category known, even among today's standards.  However, as miserable and contagious are the symptoms of our recent strain, it is classified as a category 1.  That is apparently similar, according to the article, to what we know as the ordinary seasonal flu.  Very surprising isn't is?

I personally have never gotten a flu shot of any kind, neither has my husband or children.  We didn't have anything against the vaccine, we just haven't had the initiative to do so.  However, after reading the article, and realizing the tendency in the medical community is to overuse the antivirals and antibiotics, causing a resistance to antiviral drugs such as, Tamiflu and Relenza, it doesn't make me want to rush out to get the vaccine at all.  It makes you wonder if building a natural immunity to all different types of strains are the better way to deal with this. Especially if you are not at high risk.  

One step in the article that caught my eye in particular, was step #4; vaccine technology must improve.  Dr. Healy points out that both the flu vaccines that will be available this fall will not likely have much of an impact.  She states, "the seasonal flu vaccine we have in hand doesn't work for the swine flu, which accounts for about 90% of what's circulating, and the vaccine that will protect against H1N1 won't be distributed in time to make a difference."

The medical community seems to be going in circles, and the media is causing communities to run in circles, not knowing what to do about this outbreak.  Hopefully, there will be some answers and these issues can be solved very soon.

 

Titanic Anniversary Cruise

A cruise line based in the United Kingdom, which is Norwegian owned, is getting ready to set sail in a little over two years on a Memorial Cruise to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the sailing and ultimately the sinking of the Titanic that occurred in 1912.

The new ship, titled, Balmoral, will set sail on April 8th, 2012, from South Hampton, England, and make its way to the location of the spot where the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic by April 15th.

This would be a chance of a lifetime.  I've always been so in awe by the ship, the people who were on the ship that fateful night, and their stories.  Even before the movie came out, my daughter brought a book home she had gotten from her school library about the Titanic and I could not put it down.  It was full of facts about the people aboard the ship.  Then, of course, when the movie came out, it put a huge romantic spin on the whole incident, which made it that much more intriguing.  Just as Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of CruiseCritic.com, phrased it, the irony of the Titanic is "the boost that the tragedy has given to contemporary cruising.  The fact that a ship sank and lots of passengers lost their lives has paled in the face of the romantic image that it portrays."

There must be an amazing amount of people as fascinated as I am about this, due to the tourist attraction in Branson, and now a memorial cruise in 2012. It speaks volumes.

The cruise ship, Balmoral, which is owned by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, holds 1,350 passengers and will have a crew of 510 people with 710 cabins.  The prices for the 12-night trip start at $3,900 for an inside cabin, including taxes.  However, all the lower grade inside cabins and some suites are already sold out.  It's hard to believe a ship that is set to sail a little over two years from now is almost sold out.  It just shows what a fascination people have with this story.

The article also stated that an actual memorial service will be held onboard the ship exactly 100 years to the minute the Titanic hit the iceberg and run until the time the ship sank.  They will start the service at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 2012 and finish at 2:20 a.m. on April 15th.  The cruise is going to serve food that was originally on the menu from the Titanic. They will also have music and dancing from that era, and historians will present lectures.

During the cruise, the passengers will be taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they are going to visit three cemeteries, in which some of the Titanic victims are buried.  For the final destination, the ship will arrive in New York, which was the original destination for the Titanic.

Another ironic twist to the story is Fred Olsen's parent company, Harland and Wolfe, actually built the Titanic ship.

Americans wanting to travel from the U.S. are in luck; a Minneapolis-based company named, Borton Overseas, is handling reservations for U.S. residents wealthy enough and lucky enough to go on this voyage.  

Hope this time it really is an unsinkable ship! 

Judge Accused of Sex With Inmates

According to a story from BBC News, former circuit judge, Herman Thomas has been accused of having sex with male inmates in exchange for leniency in Mobile, AL.

Mr. Thomas is no longer a circuit judge due to his resigning in 2007, in regards to charges alleging Thomas spanked inmates in his private office with a paddle. Since that time, several prisoners have come forward with far more serious allegations, including sexual assault, sodomy, extortion, and even kidnapping.

When I first read the headline link from BBC News, I assumed this was surely not a judge in the United States. But to my surprise, when I clicked on the link, this took place, allegedly, right here in our country. Mr. Thomas has denied any charges. Therefore, this case will go to trial. If he is found guilty, maybe there can be a more strict form of hiring judges and watching them more closely. Judges have an extreme amount of power and that can be a very good thing, but put in the wrong hands can be a tragedy.

Of course, Thomas's lawyer, Robert Clark, defends his client by stating these alleged victims were only trying to ruin his client's career. Also, that this is a form of "high-tech lynching" that is politically motivated.

I have a hard time believing that approximately 15 former and current prisoners would just make up a story like this. What would they really have to gain? Especially the former prisoners. The abuse took place they claim, in exchange for leniency. So if they report this, they could face the possibility of this turning on them, even though they are agreeing to testify against Thomas.

These prisoners will have to get on the stand and speak in detail about what they claim occurred. It certainly wouldn't be an easy thing to do. They will also have to face cross-examination and with all the prisoners involved, I don't think the prosecutor would risk that if he didn't honestly believe Thomas performed these acts. And for the prisoners to do all this to ruin someone's career? It seems a little hard to believe. Besides, Thomas already resigned in 2007 due to the incidents that happened in his private office. I think the prisoners are doing this for the principal of the matter.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, otherwise known as NAACP, which deals with civil rights, claims that Mr. Thomas is being prosecuted because of his race. Do they really think Mr. Thomas's rights are being violated? Don't get me wrong, this can be a wonderful organization. We have come a long way in this country due to the efforts of organizations such as these. However, I really don't think turning our judicial system into the bad guy is really necessary.

Looking at the small information from the news story, there seems to be enough there to understand why the prosecutor would choose to go through with this case. So before the NAACP jumps the gun, and decides that this is a racial issue, maybe they should wait until the case goes to trial to hear all the evidence. Then let an impartial jury decide if he is guilty.

The trial is set to last several weeks.