Mother of Lexie Glover Taken into Custody and Charged

MoonHowler

The mother of Lexie Glover was taken into custody by PWC police around 10 pm this evening. She was charged with felonious child neglect and filing a false police report. Police were shown on channel 4 news walking away with several items from the home. And you can also see them on channel 9:

This is a sad story which will probably have an even sadder ending. Is there a mechanism to return adopted children if it turns out to be more than a person can handle? Surely there are ways that adoption doesn’t have to be a forever situation if it isn’t working out for either the child or the parent.

What about social services? Can more be done to provide assistance to families with special needs children before the situation becomes overwhelming? Social services is often the first place a jurisdiction cuts funding when times are tough. Is Prince William planning on doing the same thing?

Is President Bush an illegal alien aider and abettor?

Elena

Oh no, President Bush is a liberal left wing illegal alien apologist, aiding and abetting the enemy?    Although I am no fan of President Bush’s, I wonder, how do all the Republicans get past this idea of “compassionate conservatism” as it relates to illegal immigration?   In this most recent article, the Washington Post demonstratesthat President Bush clearly sees the future of the Republican party on the precipice of a downward spiral unless a new inclusive dynamic is implemented. 
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Meet James ‘Little Man’ Presley

MoonHowler

James ‘Little Man’ Presley can’t wait to see Obama inaugurated. He never thought he would see the day where someone who ‘came up like him’ would be elected President of the United States.

This is a bitter-sweet story that actually came out of CNN.com’s Wayne Drash family story. Little Man was hired by Wayne’s grandfather as a little boy around age 6. His father had died and he had become the man of the family. Drash explores some very touchy subjects as he fights off tears. .

In the film, you will see an unsung hero and some CNN news folks on the brink of tears. It explores the symbiotic relationship that blacks and whites have always had in the south that somehow outlived the bad. It isn’t all an ugly story…not by a long shot.

And the News Gets No Better…

MoonHowler

The moratorium on bad news is over, I am sorry to say.

Yahoo News:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israeli ground forces made their deepest foray yet Sunday into Gaza’s most populated area, with tanks rolling into residential neighborhoods and infantry fighting urban warfare in streets and buildings with Hamas militants who kept up their rocketing of southern Israel.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said residential neighborhoods in Gaza are riddled with homemade bombs and booby traps, including mannequins placed at apartment entrances to simulate militants and rigged to explode if soldiers approach.

Well, that doesn’t sound too nice. A nice way to end the hostilities would be if Hamas stopped firing rockets into Southern Israel. Anyone else see a different solution?

CNN: More reserves called up by Israel. Thousands more on both sides of the issue rally in US streets.

More Yahoo News:

Human Rights Watch said Sunday that Israel’s military has fired artillery shells with the incendiary agent white phosphorus into Gaza and a doctor there said the chemical was suspected in the case of 10 burn victims who had skin peeling off their faces and bodies.

Researchers in Israel from the rights group witnessed hours of artillery bombardments that sent trails of burning smoke indicating white phosphorus over the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. But they could not confirm injuries on the ground because they have been barred from entering the territory.

The chief doctor at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza said he treated several victims there with serious burns that might have been caused by phosphorus. He said, however, that he did not have the resources or expertise to say with certainty what caused the injuries.

The substance can cause serious burns if it touches the skin and can spark fires on the ground, the rights group said in a written statement calling on Israel not to use it in crowded areas of Gaza.

Is this what is meant by disproportional force? Is there a military reason for using this substance? When does a weapon on war become ‘overkill?’

[UPDATE MONDAY JAN 12 LINKS FROM NYTIMES]
As Troops Enter Gaza City, Israel Sees an Opening

FEAR OF CONFLICT SPREADING PLUS TIME TABLES
Crisis in Gaza Imperils 2 State Plan

Biggest Full Moon of the Year on Saturday

MoonHowler

It has been a long week full of events. Look at the number of posts! Time to take it down a notch, just for a few hours. Let’s turn towards one of nature’s events rather than political events.

If you think things look brighter this weekend, it won’t be your imagination. Saturday, January 10, will be another perigee full moon. The perigee moon is 14% wider and 30% brighter than lesser moons.

What is making this happen? The moon is actually closer to the earth because its orbit is an ellipse. We are now coming up on the ‘short side.’

According to NASA:

Johannes Kepler explained the phenomenon 400 years ago. The Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a circle; it is an ellipse, with one side 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other. Astronomers call the point of closest approach “perigee,” and that is where the Moon will be this weekend.
Perigee full Moons come along once or twice a year. 2008 ended with one and now 2009 is beginning with another. It’s the best kind of déjà vu for people who love the magic of a moonlit landscape.
January is a snowy month in the northern hemisphere, and the combination of snow + perigee moonlight is simply amazing. When the Moon soars overhead at midnight, the white terrain springs to life with a reflected glow that banishes night, yet is not the same as day. You can read a newspaper, ride a bike, write a letter, and at the same time count the stars overhead. It is an otherworldly experience that really must be sampled first hand.


Above: The perigee full of Dec. 2008. “A cold wind was blowing as the Moon set over a neighbor’s farm,” says photographer Eric Ingmundson of Sparta, Wisconsin. “Next time (Jan. 10th) I plan to use a tripod.”

Another magic moment happens when the perigee Moon is near the horizon. That is when illusion mixes with reality to produce a truly stunning view. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. This weekend, why not let the “Moon illusion” amplify a full Moon that’s extra-big to begin with? The swollen orb rising in the east at sunset may seem so nearby, you catch yourself reaching out to touch it.

Click ‘story’ to hear the audio.

story

Mideast Conflict Competes With Economy and Obama for Public Interest

MoonHowler

A few of us have been revisiting the Powder Keg thread for several days now discussing the fighting on the Gaza Strip. The Middle East just scares me and I am one of those rare birds who see 2 sides to the Palestinian/Israeli on-going issue. Basically I want to scream at both and say STOP DOING THAT!

Usually a war that involves Israel gets top billing on the news. Many people stayed glued to their televisons during the Hezbollah/Israeli conflict 2 years ago However, so much else is going on that the current battle in Gaza is often is taking a backseat to the financial crisis, the Inauguration, and Blagojevich. The Pew Institute provides us with the following chart:

Fewer people are interested in the conflict with Hamas than they were with the conflict with Hezbollah 2 years ago. Now that Hezbollah is firing missiles on towns in northern Israel, perhaps the interest will ratchet up some. It makes for a very dangerous situation in that region.

Blogger Gainesville Resident has referenced 2 very good reading resources on the current conflict. One is from Time Magazine and the other is from The Jewish Voice and Opinion. Don’t be mislead by the title on the later. It gives a variety of points of view. Neither are quick reading but are highly recommended.

Can Israel sustain a 2 front war? What should the United States role be in this conflict? Is our position weakened by a change in the Presidency? Are America’s enemies waiting and watching to see what President Obama will do? When a conflict is going on involving Israel, are we more vulnerable for a terrorist attack? What do you all think?

Click for more information from the Pew Institute on current events.

Meet Creigh Deeds

MoonHowler

I have had several folks on me about endorsing Terry McAuliffe. Actually, I haven’t. I don’t even have an opinion on the 3 gubernatorial candidates. I want to apologize for appearing to have a favorite. I believe I was bowled over by McAuliffe’s announcement and I do know that in politics, money talks. If fund raising is going to win Virginia, it seems that McAuliffe has an edge.

So, to dispel all rumors, here is our final Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, Creigh Deeds. PWC, Alanna is going to do a blurb on McDonnell. Gently remind us if you don’t see something in the near future.

Senator Deeds is from Bath County but is currently serving as the Senator from Charlottesville. That gives him an edge with me. The text will be from his website:

Meet Senator Deeds

Senator Deeds has spent the last two decades serving constituents from all walks of life–from his start as Bath County prosecutor to his current position as a State Senator representing the City of Charlottesville and a district that stretches to the West Virginia border. Whether he was working to clean up one of Virginia’s largest Superfund sites, fighting for economic development, or writing some of the toughest legislation to keep our families safe and secure, Deeds has built his career as a consensus builder who delivers results.

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Missing Child Information

Alanna

Let’s keep our eyes open for this little girl, Alexis (Lexie) Glover.

INFORMATION WANTED MISSING PERSON
Alexis (Lexie) GLOVER
DOB: 02/26/1995
Missing 01/07/2009
Age Now: 13
Sex: Female
Race: Black
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
Height: 5 ft 3 in
Weight 87 lbs
Missing From: Manassas, Virginia United States

Last seen, in the vicinity of Mathis Avenue, Manassas, Virginia. Subject was
walking away from a vehicle at the time of the loss.

Subject was wearing a green/beige sweater and blue jeans with rhinestones on the
front pockets. The subject was wearing white socks and sneakers. The subject wears
pull-up style underwear. The subject has a pronounced limp and suffers from mild
autism and bi-polar disorder.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY POLICE AT –
(703) 792-6500

[UPDATE 11:15 PM 1/8/09 THIS CHILD IS STILL MISSING AND MIGHT BE HIDING UNDER DECKS, TARP, BUSHES, ETC, ACCORDING TO HER MOTHER]

[UPDATE 2:00 PM 1/9/09 FROM INSIDENOVA– SEE BELOW]

The body of a child has been found in the area of Old Hickory Golf Club off Asdee Lane near the Pfitzner stadium.

Police are on the scene and have set up a command post at Asdee and Greatbridge Road. There is no word yet on whether the body is that of missing 13-year-old Alexis Glover, who ran away from the Central Library in Manassas on Wednesday. An intense manhunt has been under way for the last two days.

Preliminary reports indicate that a neighborhood resident found the body in a creek around 12:45 p.m. Police divers are on the scene.

The area is about 10 miles from where Alexis disappeared

Brian Moran heads back to NOVA armed with endorsements

MoonHowler

A friend emailed me and asked me about my supposed political affection for Terry McAuliffe after the weekend post here. I had to explain that I had none, no more than I had to Moran or Deeds. McAuliffe just came on the scene with a sonic boom. Today I received some literature on Brian Moran that is full of his endorsements. He touts his Northern Virginia roots. I will attempt to post material from all three major candidates for Governor of Virginia as more material becomes available.

More on Brian Moran from the Sungazette 1/8/09


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Corey Stewart Gives State of the County Address, Disseminates Misinformation

MoonHowler

Rod Stewart tells us that the ‘First Cut is the Deepest.’ Corey Stewart tells us that cuts will be ‘deep’ and ‘painful’.

The News and Messenger highlighted part of yesterday’s BOCS meeting but concentrated on Chairman Stewart’s State of the County Address. Excerpts include:

As part of his “state of the county address,” Stewart talked of Prince William’s unusual circumstances in comparison with surrounding jurisdictions.
“Last year, when other major localities in the region hoped for the best, we prepared for the worst,” he said.

And as a result, Prince William differs from other communities in that budget shortfalls were not felt in this current fiscal year, and taxes are not planned to increase in the coming fiscal year. Still, he said, challenges are coming.

“[Our] work has just begun,” Stewart said, “[and] 2009 will present the toughest fiscal challenge this board or this county has ever faced. Declining home values and
shrinking sales tax and other revenues means a projected shortfall in the next fiscal year of $190 million. This problem is compounded by the substantial cuts expected from the General Assembly.”

The work for the upcoming budget season will focus mainly on cuts: “The cuts will be deep. The cuts will be painful. But the cuts mean that … this board shall deliver a tax cut to all of you at home,” he said.

Stewart touted some of the county’s perceived successes of the past year — deporting more than 1,300 illegal aliens; implementing an illegal immigration policy that’s being copied by other communities; building roads in the face of transportation budget shortfalls and cuts; creating a housing assistance program for government employees that “helps reduce the oversupply of unsold homes” and foreclosures.

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Middle Eastern Powder Keg: Israel and Hamas

MoonHowler

There is probably no bigger immigration issue than the one involving Israel and Palestine. Currently both of these sides are engaged in open warfare. I have said ‘sides’ because there is no state of Palestine. Obviously, there is a state of Israel, formed May 14, 1948. Much of the deep seated bone of contention is that Israel was formed on former Palestinian lands.
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WP: Stay at Home Moms (featuring Elena, Katherine & Myself)

Alanna

In today’s edition of the Washington Post entitled – Prince William’s Mothers of Dissension, an article about Stay-at-Home Mom’s, featuring Elena, myself and Katherine Gotthardt with quotes from Kris Nohe as well. Honestly, I started to doubt whether this story would ever appear, you can tell by the photos, which were taken in the early fall that this story has been in the making for quite some time.

A Fond Farewell to Senator John Warner: Virginia Gentleman

MoonHowler

Today begins Senator John Warner’s first day as a civilian in many a year. Graduate of Washington and Lee University, Senator Warner’s connections run far and wide. The 81 year old senator is a former fraternity brother of Virginia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Governor Lynwood Holton. Holton’s daughter is married to VA Governor Tim Kaine.

Confused yet? Senator Warner served as Navy Secretary under Richard Nixon. He and Lynwood Holton remained friends when they both competed in the Republican Senate primary in 1978. Senator Warner was married briefly to Hollywood movie star Elizabeth Taylor who just didn’t take too well to Virginia political life.

Senator John Warner has been a US Senator for 30 years. He is known for being bi-partisan and putting country and state before party politics. He refused to endorse Ollie North in his bid U.S. Senate because he felt he was unfit for office. He opposed the Iraq War after a trip from the Middle East. He said the war was adrift.
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Robb Pearson Joins AntiBVBL Discussion of Anti-immigrant Psychology — Rick B. and Michael Beg to Differ

Elena

Update: Today Robb Pearson, featured in the videos below, joined the conversation and answered a host of questions and comments from Anti posters. Thanks Robb for your insights into anti-illegal immigrant psychology.

For those not familiar with Robb Pearson’s story, you should watch the Part 1 before Part 2.  In Part 1 Robb tells us how a hunger for attention prompted his transition from popular blogger to infamous anti-illegal immigrant activist.  His honesty here sheds some light on the psychology of Greg Letiecq, whom he briefly references in this part of the interview.

But Part 2 contains a surprising revelation about the anti-illegal immigration mindset.  If you think you understand the mindset now, you will understand it differently after watching this.


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