Hillary Wins???

Clinton Wins Florida Primary; No Delegates Awarded

By Julianna Goldman
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg)

Senator Hillary Clinton won Florida's Democratic presidential primary, according to network and Associated Press projections, in a contest that was largely a popularity poll because no convention delegates were at stake.

Clinton had 48 percent of the vote to 30 percent for Illinois Senator Barack Obama, with 19 percent of precincts reporting. Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards had 14 percent.

Florida violated party rules when it moved its voting contest ahead of Feb. 5, the date sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. The DNC allowed four early contests: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

While Obama, Edwards and Clinton agreed last September that they wouldn't compete for Florida because of the party- imposed penalty, Clinton, a New York senator, last week announced she would press to have Florida's delegates seated at the Democratic convention in August. Florida is a crucial swing state in the general election.

complete article

Compromise???

Has McCain and Giuliani come to an agreement? Will Giuliani back out of the presidential race to back McCain?

It appears as though Jim Moran has become another islamofacist apologist.

Israeli Warmongers?

By Mike Soraghan
September 18, 2007

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) went after fellow Democrat Jim Moran of Virginia Tuesday, calling on him to retract his comments about the Israel lobby.

“His remarks were factually inaccurate and recall an old canard that is not true, that the Jewish community controls the media and the Congress,” Hoyer said at a news conference in the Capitol.

In an interview published in the September-October issue of Tikkun magazine, Moran said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, “has pushed this war from the beginning … They are so well-organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful — most of them are quite wealthy — they have been able to exert power.”

Asked if he considered Moran’s remarks anti-Semitic and if he should apologize, Hoyer reiterated that he found them “factually inaccurate” and said Moran should “retract” them.

In a statement issued by Moran’s office, the congressman admitted that the tone of his remarks were “unnecessarily harsh” but stood by his statements that AIPAC does not represent “mainstream American Jewish opinion.”

MoveOn.org Hearings?

By Klaus Marre
September 18, 2007

The ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wants to convene a hearing on whether The New York Times violated campaign-finance laws when it granted a discounted rate for MoveOn.org’s “General Betray Us” ad.

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) asked committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) Tuesday to convene a hearing on the issue, saying that any rate change “for political advertising could constitute an unlawful campaign contribution.”

According to media accounts, the “open rate” for the ad should have been $181,000. The liberal group said it paid $65,000.

“The difference between the ‘open rate’ and the actual rate paid by MoveOn.org raises the possibility that The New York Times, as a media company not subject to campaign-finance restrictions for its own messages, unlawfully subsidized the message of MoveOn.org by giving it a discounted rate for its advertisement,” Davis said.

The lawmaker wants the panel to investigate the newspaper’s advertising rate structure, whether others had been offered the same rate as MoveOn.org, why the group had to play significantly less than the “open rate” and whether this constituted a violation of campaign-finance laws.

I'm baaaccckk

Ok so I took a little bit of a vacation and there are a few things within the cage that needs a little bit of attention nothing too difficult to take care of. Things are very different now and have changed a lot. We'll get this party started shortly mean while make yourself at home and I'll be catching things up again sooner than later.

Target Boots Marines

Is there any reason to shop at Target after this situation occurred?

I spoke w/Jack Dorsey this morning at 9:30 a.m. who related to me that he had not only spoken to both Marines whom he had no reason to disbelieve, he as well spoke with parents of these Marines whom were just as unhappy.

Target doesn't need a pass on this situation and this time unlike the last time it's time to drop the hammer right on Target, perhaps it's time to pressure them financially to the point they never disrespect another service member.

If you would like to call this store to leave a comment in regards to the treatment these Marines received their number is 757-421-6640.

Two Marines say Target store booted them for recruiting

By JACK DORSEY, The Virginian-Pilot © April 7, 2007

CHESAPEAKE - Two Marines in their dress uniforms - the ones with white hats, khaki shirts and blue trousers with red stripe - say they were accused of recruiting at a Target department store here and told to leave.

"We weren't recruiting," according to Cpl. Carlos Rodriguez, 22, who said he returned in October from his second combat tour in Iraq. "I just popped in to say hi to a guy I went to high school with. He works there."

But an assistant manager who saw Rodriguez and the other Marine apparently thought otherwise and showed them the door, according to both servicemen.

Manager Brian Sherman, who was not in the Chesapeake South store Monday when the alleged incident happened, denied Friday that the Marines were ordered out. But he said he was told they were talking to employees.

"They were not asked to leave, in fact they walked around the store and continued to shop," Sherman said.

Target has a strict no-solicitation policy, he said.

Rodriguez said he and the other Marine were in the Target about 10 a.m. Monday, when they had some slack time from their duties. The second Marine, a private, asked not to be identified because he's new to the Corps, but he affirmed Rodriguez's account.

Rodriguez, who is getting out of the Marines in June, and the private, who just completed boot camp training at Parris Island, S.C., are both on temporary duty back in their hometown of Chesapeake.

While they are assigned to a local recruiting office, they are not recruiters and work only as assistants, Rodriguez said.

He said he was talking to his high school friend in Target "briefly and then we were walking toward the CDs when this guy comes out of nowhere. He was the shift manager, or something, and the first thing he started saying was, 'You guys are recruiters, right?' "

Sherman declined to identify the assistant manager because he had not talked to him yet.

The assistant manager said he couldn't have the Marines in the store soliciting workers for the military while they were on the company's clock, Rodriguez said.

"I didn't want to make a scene," Rodriguez said. "We were representing Marines anyway just by wearing the uniform, so I kept my mouth shut."

Then, Rodriguez said, "this retired Navy SEAL came up behind us and he said, 'You forget what... country this is,' and he goes off on (the assistant manager) saying, 'You have no right to throw them out of Target just because they are talking to one of your employees.' "

"He got everything out in the open that I was thinking, so I kind of left with a grin," Rodriguez said.

George Rodriguez, the corporal's father and a former Navy officer, said in an interview that he told his son, " Now you know how I felt the first time I came back from Vietnam because it was like that all over the country."

A Marine Corps official based in Norfolk, Col. Jenny Holbert, said Friday that while the uniform the Marines were wearing is typical of those worn by recruiters, Rodriquez and the private were not recruiters.

"Were they recruiting? That's inconsequential really," Holbert said.

Sherman said no one had filed a formal complaint.

He said he believed the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"We have a no-solicitation policy," Sherman said. "It has been in the news before. It's the same thing we went through with the Salvation Army and we give a lot of money to them. But we don't necessarily allow them to solicit on our property."

Target banned the Salvation Army's Christmas-time kettles from all its stores in 2004.

Sherman provided Target corporate statements that say since 2002, it has been "the victim of a misleading e-mail campaign, which grossly misrepresents our support of veterans and our soldiers."

"Target supports many charitable causes, including veterans' organizations," according to a statement. "For years we have donated funds and volunteer hours to local and national veteran and military organizations around the country."

Bradley Speaks to Defendants in Rape Case

I understand this comes from CBS and let's hope that Ed Bradley can keep this straight. There are still many unanswered questions in this situation.

Bradley Also Speaks To Defendants In Rape Case

Duke Dancers Give Different Accounts

Oct. 12, 2006
(CBS)

The dancing partner of the woman who accuses three Duke Lacrosse players of raping her refutes a key part of her partner’s account of the alleged crime.

Kim Roberts, who danced at the same party where the alleged rape took place, makes the revelation in an interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley this Sunday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Roberts' answer to Bradley’s question directly contradicts a crucial statement the accuser gave to police. Bradley asks whether she, Roberts, who goes by the stage name "Nikki" when she performs, was holding onto the accuser at the beginning of the alleged crime.

Says Bradley, "In the police statement, [accuser] describes the rape in this way: 'Three guys grabbed Nikki,' 'That's you,'" says Bradley, "'Brett, Adam and Matt grabbed me. They separated us at the master bedroom door while we tried to hold on to each other. Bret, Adam and Matt took me into the bathroom.' Were you holding on to each other? Were you pulled apart?"

"Nope," replies Roberts, who says she was hearing this account for the first time.

Roberts also denies the accuser's statement to the police that after the alleged rape, Roberts came into the bathroom and helped one of the rapists dress her.

When pressed by Bradley about whether she saw signs of rape from the accuser, such as complaining about pain or a mention of an assault, Roberts says, "She obviously wasn't hurt...because she was fine."

Bradley's report also contains interviews with the three defendants, Collin Finnerty, Reade Selligmann and David Evans, all of whom proclaim their innocence, and others involved in the case.

Russia, China cast doubts on quick N.Korea vote

Everyone repeat after me Russia and China are our friends who want to help stop this crisis, this is how the democrats do it they keep repeating the above line until they've said what is typically a lie long enough they believe it to be the truth.

Russia, China cast doubts on quick N.Korea vote

By Evelyn Leopold and Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China and Russia on Thursday cast doubt on the chances for a quick vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution imposing economic and weapons sanctions on North Korea for its reported nuclear weapons test.

"I think that of course people are talking about a possible vote tomorrow, but I'm not sure," China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said. "There are many common grounds that members agree. But there are some disagreements."

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton formally introduced the new draft resolution to U.N. Security Council in hopes of securing a vote on Friday but said he was open to further discussion and changes.

But the measure still retained some elements that China has objected to.
Asked about a Friday vote, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, "I don't think so" and indicated one should wait for results of the latest flurry of diplomatic activity.

"We think there should be a strong reaction but a cool- headed reaction," Churkin said.
He pointed to diplomatic meetings in Asia and in the United States and Russia. Tang Jiaxuan, a Chinese state councillor and former foreign minister met President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the White House on Thursday and then was travelling on to Moscow.

China has used forceful language to condemn North Korea since it announced it had conducted a nuclear weapons test on Monday, a change of tack towards Pyongyang. Wang again on Thursday said Pyongyang's action was "irresponsible." Continued...

Cheerleader Upgraded to Serious Condition After Shooting

Cheerleader Upgraded To Serious Condition After Shooting
Police: Teen Was Part Of Group Looking For Thrills

POSTED: 9:45 am EDT August 30, 2006
UPDATED: 9:56 am EDT August 30, 2006

WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- Family members of a Worthington teenager who was shot have encouraging news to report about her recovery.

According to a family pastor, Rachel Barezinsky was upgraded from critical to serious condition, NBC 4 reported.

The pastor said that Barezinsky is able to whisper words, write some words and has even smiled.

Police said Rachel was shot after she and some friends approached a house across the street from a cemetery.

Rachel is a senior honor student and varsity cheerleader at Thomas Worthington High School, NBC 4 reported.

Detectives said that when the girls ran around the house, a person who lives inside the house, Allen Davis, fired the shots.

Rachel was struck in the shoulder and head with rounds fired from a rifle, NBC 4 reported.

The five teens then ran to their car and drove away before they flagged down an officer on High Street.

Davis, 40, appeared in court last week where more details were released about the incident.

"(Davis) admitted he fired his rifle at least eight rounds at the vehicle driving north on Milton Avenue, near Sharon Springs," said Worthington police Detective Dick Tennant.

Davis said the teens in the car were trespassing and he fired the shots to protect his property.

Police said the girls were on a thrill ride and drove by the Davis' home across from the cemetery, honked the horn and even took a few steps on the property to get a scare.

http://www.nbc4i.com/newsarchive/9761109/detail.html

Worthington Teacher's Receive a 72% Raise

The information below is directly from the Union contracts from 2000-2007.

For a teacher with a Master's degree starting with 5 years of experience in 2000:

Year - Salary
2000 - $39,162
2001 - $42,726
2002 - $46,614
2003 - $50,853
2004 - $53,880
2005 - $58,637
2006 - $62,784
2007 - $67,386

That is a 72% increase from 2000

Does the Worthington Board of Education really get it???

Board of Education nixes August ballot, sharpens ax

news:www.snponline.com/NEWS5-10/5-10_wolevyloss.htm

The above headline was seen in the current issue of the SNP Worthington News and after the last school board meeting it will be interesting to see just how sharp the ax really is & where these cuts will take place.

There was an obvious look of disbelief and confusion upon the faces of this board of education, gone were the partisan remarks that typically seems to come from board president Gary Tyack (who recently won the democrat primary nomination for the 10th District Court of Appeals) concerning coming to the left side of politics which is absolutely out of place considering the business that takes place during this time shouldn't be partisan to begin with.

"Voters will not see a levy request from Worthington City Schools on a special August ballot."

The presidents of the certified and non-certified employees where seen actively engaged in conversation with board members. Information delivered from within the unions is that at least one board member has given the unions a strong committment to deliver another levy request on the November ballot. The certified and non-certified employees of the district have a fresh 3 year contract with the certified members receiving an average raise of 5.43% for the duration of the current contract, the Deparment of Labor cites the typical worker receiving a 2.9% annual raise .

Recent information released showed that in 1995 the district's enrollement was 10,818 with an annual expenditures of $67.9 million and while in 2006 the district's enrollement was 9,562 with an annual expenditures of $105.5 million. This shows there has been a loss of 1256 students while spending has increased by $7.9 million. There also is a well documented past of the district requesting a new levy every 2 years.

While there was some recognition from some board members that perhaps it was time to actively engage the public in finding a financial solution to the situation at hand it was apparent from at least one board member there was a rather eagarness to begin cutting programs within the district. The district spends an average of $12,000 to get the word out concerning the passage of levys. Those who oppose the levy are left to their own devices to spread the word of why a levy shouldn't be passed.

While board member Bob Horton recognized there was no organized opposition to the last levy that failed perhaps it would benefit him to realize that the voters merely sat down and did simple math to know they couldn't afford what the board had asked for.

While alot of the these taxpayers work hard long hours day in and day out there is also the segment of the population of retirees who are on a fixed income of which many are past employees of the school district that had attended the previous public forms (which ran 4 to 5 in opposition of the failed levy in their remarks) to request the board reconsider posting the failed levy.

There as well was a certain amount of whining from the board concerning the taxpayers believing their voices weren't heard in opposition to the failed levy. To better understand what the voters are complaining about you need to look no further than the comments there were made election night such as "I call that a mandate. People don't want to pay more taxes and are taking it out on the Worthington Schools" Dr. Bob Horton This Week Worthington May 4th, 2006.

I believe that more accurately the taxpayers are sick and tired of being sold out to the unions at the bargaining table by the school board they elected to look after the taxpayer's money. All except one board member (Marc Schare) gave the unions that represent the district's employees what was asked for. I understand there was a game of 3 card monty when it came to the increase in health care yet in the end the district lost money and the unions once again walked away with their pockets full of the taxpayer's cash in the form of their 5.43% raises.

The big question now is what's the plan and how will this not impact the students of the district?