Why lower bail for an accused pedophile?

California Superior Court Judge Clifford Anderson lowered the bail on accused rapist and pedophile pastor Louis Joseph Bristol, (Profiled here). Judge Anderson Bristol's bail to $500,000 after listening to Bristol's attorney, Larry Powell.

Powell argued that there isn’t a public safety risk since no new, current victims came forward during law enforcement’s investigations.

Some women came forward who knew Bristol in the past, but “whether or not the allegations are true, they’re very old,” he argued.

Source: Judge Lower bail for pastor accused of molestation, rape by Giana Magnoli

Powell's rationale seems terribly weak, and the risk here is significant. Why would Judge Anderson knowingly put a pedophile back on the street after such a superficial argument. Let me see if I can paraphrase. We can let pedopastor Bristol out because no other kids have come forward claiming abuse and those women are old lying hoes. Is that about right?

Anderson ran unappeased for re-election in 2012, it looks like we are stuck with him. 

 

Alejandro Cartagena - Car poolers

Now this is a cool photography project. Alejandro Cartagena - car poolers 2011-2012

The Naked Silhouette Alphabet

As photography projects go, this one is interesting. The Naked Silhouette Alphabet by Anastasia Mastrakouli is NSFW, but I like it anyway.

I'd show a photo, but then my blog would be NSFW and we can't have that. So, trust me on this and click the link from home. It's not porn. In fact, you'll need to use your imagination to see the nudes in the various letters.

Enjoy

The new Pope, not like the old Pope

As I read the news about Pope Francis, I am struck by his un-Pope-like behavior. He recently washed the feet of a female Muslim prisoner. Who does that?

While popes have for centuries washed the feet of the faithful on the day before Good Friday, never before had a pontiff washed the feet of a woman. That one of the female inmates at the prison in Rome was also a Serbian Muslim was also a break with tradition.

Pope washes feet of young Muslim woman prisoner in unprecedented twist on Maundy Thursday. 

I live on hope. I have hope that this Pope will make a difference. That this Pope will end clergy sexual abuse and a host of other problems. I have hope. I am not optimistic and time will tell.

What the hell Antonin Scalia?

When I read this story I had to verify that it was not really faux news. Sadly, Antonin Scalia actually had a bigoted meltdown over marriage equity.

As Justice Anthony Kennedy questioned whether it was appropriate for the Court to hear a case about same-sex marriage at this time, Mr. Scalia stunned observers with an emotional outburst.

“O.K., could we just stop talking about this stuff right now?” Justice Scalia snapped at Justice Kennedy. “I’ve told you all how I feel about this topic, and I don’t understand why we’re going on and on about it unless you all hate me.”

As the courtroom froze in dead silence, Justice Scalia seemed to gather steam, shouting, “For two days, it’s been gay this, gay that. You’re all just talking about this stuff as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. Well, it’s not, O.K.? It’s weird and it’s wrong. And just talking about it like it’s O.K. and whatnot is making me angry beyond belief.”

Source:Scalia Furious He Has to Hear About Gay Couples All Week by Andy Borowitz

Am I proud to be an American? No… not at the moment. 

Scalia has a long history of bigotry from the bench. How much longer can it last? How much longer until he is irrelevant? One can only hope. 

A picture story - Choosing Kadence by Griffin Moores

Photography is a powerful medium, but photography mixed with video and good story telling… Wow. Well done Griffen Moores.

Photographing love

I came across this link in the New Yorker while reading an excerpt of a new David Sadaris book. It is a photography article called, Photographing Love, which posted back in February.  The article links to works by Angelo Merendino, Anthony Barboza, Araki, Jason Nocito, JoAnn Verburg, Lee Friedlander, Man Ray, Mustafah Abdulaziz, Nicholas & Sheila Pye, Nicolai Howalt, Sally Mann, Trine Sandergaard. 

I found the work of Nicolas & Sheila Pye odd. I've always been a fan of Lee Friedlander, so it was nice seeing his work represented. Araki is amazing. I'm a huge fan. 

Fair warning - some of the photos are not safe for work. 

Enjoy

I would get so fired

If I did this, create a webcomic catalog the funny moments from my job in IT, I would get fired after the first post. Todd Balthazor manages to keep his. Go figure. 

Modern Movement: It Is What It Is!

Todd Balthazor is a satirical, often anthropomorphic illustrator, fine artist, muralist and children’s art instructor from St.Paul, MN, with a BFA in illustration from the College of Visual Arts (CVA).  He has done artist residencies at Jackson Elementary and the St. Paul University Club, and his work has been displayed in venues both locally and abroad, including: illustrations in the Altered Esthetics Gallery (Minneapolis), the Walker Art Center blog, and multiple Red Leaf Press publications (St. Paul); visual narratives at the Adugyama Art Exhibition (Ghana, Africa) and the Save the Children Nepal Project (Nepal, India); and murals at an orphanage in Jaurez, Mexico.  Samples of his work can be found at toddbalthazor.com and toddbalthazor.blogspot.com.

Enjoy!

Apparently Tunisian Islamists don't like breasts

Alami Adel, a Tunisian Salafi preacher, does not like breasts. What other reason could a member of the Religion of Peace have for calling for the stoning death of a young woman who showed her breasts in protest on Facebook?

Tunisian newspaper AssabahNews quoted Salafi preacher Alami Adel, who heads the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, saying: “According to God’s law, she deserves 80 to 100 lashes, but what she committed is worth much more than that. She deserves to be stoned to death and she must be quarantined because what she did is an epidemic.”

“She is like someone suffering from a serious and contagious illness and she must be secluded and treated,” he added.

The young Amina, who is part of a feminist movement and group called FEMEN can be seen smoking a cigarette topless with Arabic words written across her chest in black that reads in English “My body belongs to me.”

Source: 'Quarantine her!' Top Tunisian Islamist says topless girl need stoning

To borrow a phrase from Bill Maher, New Rule: If a Muslim man calls for a woman to be stoned, then the stones should be thrown at him, and it does not matter if he is a preacher or Imam. 

This is a link to the NSFW topless photo of 19-year-old Amina.

Humanizing Pope Francis

As atheists we tend to forget that the Pope was once a normal guy, and may still be. It's easier to think of him as an adversary. When I read stories about him calling a newspaper kiosk owner to cancel his deliveries, it reminds me that up until a few days ago, he was just another face in the crowd. An important face to some for sure, but not to many others. 

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mar 21, 2013 / 12:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis surprised the owner of a kiosk in Buenos Aires with a telephone call to send his greetings and explain that he will no longer need a morning paper delivered each day.

Around 1:30 p.m. local time on March 18, Daniel Del Regno, the kiosk owner’s son, answered the phone and heard a voice say, “Hi Daniel, it’s Cardinal Jorge.”

Source: Pope calls Argentine Kiosk owner to cancel paper delivery

I still think of the Pope as an adversary, but an adversary that returns rubber bands. it keeps things in perspective. 

Three photography links

I found three interesting photography links surfing Reddit.

A soldier's eye: Rediscovered pictures from Vietnam. A collection of rediscovered photos of daily life during the war.

Things neatly organized via My world through a camera. A portrait project that I might try one day. What do you have in your pockets?

Mujeres Guerreras - historic photos of female soldiers. 

Enjoy

27 year sentence for serial pedophile youth minister

Eric Michael Manuel, profiled here, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for using a child to make child pornography and other charges.

Eric Michael Manuel, 23, of Lafayette, La., was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2012, with 18 counts of production of child pornography and two counts of using a facility in interstate commerce to persuade a minor to engage in criminal sexual acts. During a change of plea hearing held October 5, 2012, Manuel pleaded guilty to one count of using a facility in interstate commerce to persuade a minor to engage in criminal sexual acts.

In the factual basis for the guilty plea filed with the Court, Manuel admitted that he would text underage boys in an effort to convince them to engage in sexual acts with him. As a result of the enticement, two boys engaged in sexual acts with the defendant.

Source: Lafayette man pleads guilty to enticing a minor to engage in sexual conduct by Melissa Canone

This man was a youth pastor, which in this case was the easiest way he could find to work with kids. His life's work was to have sex with children and to profit from the experience by making pornographic videos. Be careful in church folks. This could have been your youth pastor. These could have been your kids.

Youth pastor Walter Yocum pleads guilty

Former youth pastor Walter Harrison Yocum pleaded guilty to third degree sex offense. The victim was a teenage girl.

At the time of his arrest, Yocum had been serving as a youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Bel Air, according to the charging documents in his case. The church's senior pastor initially suspended Yocum, but then terminated him after learning the charges against Yocum involved a minor.

According to the charging documents in the case, a 16-year-old girl told officials with the Harford County Child Advocacy Center last August that Yocum had touched her inappropriately while she was attending a vacation Bible school at the church. She told investigators the alleged improper contract occurred when she was 15.

Source: Ex-Harford youth pastor pleads guilty to sex offense.

Let's hope Yocum's plea deal included a significant stretch in prison.

Iphoneography via Flickr - kaki - leg

My favorite iPhone photo for today is from Flickr. Kaki - leg was created by photographer antoudewo. I am fascinated with photos that do not tell the whole story. Here we have a young woman exiting a taxi, but nothing more. Our minds tend to fill in the blanks. Photos that cause you to make up a story stick. 

In honor of World Poetry Day II - Salma Rajathi

This is a powerful story. I can't wait to watch it.

Chariot of darkness
The children’s daybreak always
waits until I have opened my eyes.
Every day, with their petitions,
they draw out my dawn
from the night’s heavy darkness.
The elder boy, tearful eyes sparkling,
claiming his prerogative for the first bath,
waits for my consent, while the younger one
who swallowed the last drop of my breast milk
clamours loudly, voicing the privilege
of the very young. The very house shudders.
A monstrous picture of my neglect
lies stagnant, immoveable, always
in my eldest son’s heart.
It disturbs the impartiality of my love;
tilts it momentarily.
Their tender hearts churn my motherhood
with their tears,
and measure out their share
of the massing love.
Though they plant only seeds
of weariness, yet
with my sons help
I will take hold of the tow-rope
and haul away the darkness always by my side
like an unmoving chariot.

by Salma Rajathi

In honor of World Poetry Day

Poet Felix Dennis!

World Poetry Day, March 21, 2013. 

Pastor Arthur Schirmer sentenced to life in prison

Rat bastard former pastor Arthur Schirmer was convicted of the murder of his loving wife and sentenced to life in prison. May he live long and suffer every day for the rest of his miserable life.

How do I really feel? This man is a monster. He killed his second wife, after allegedly killing his first. His second wife's first husband killed himself at the Schirmer's desk after finding out his wife was having an affair with rat bastard. 

Arthur "A.B." Schirmer, 64, was sentenced in Monroe County Court nearly two months after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder in the death of Betty Schirmer. The conviction brought an automatic life sentence.

"My mom is finally able to rest in peace," Betty Schirmer's son, Nate Novack, said after the sentencing. "We do have some closure and it's a great day overall, even though the life conviction isn't going to bring my mom back."

Schirmer is charged separately with killing his first wife, Jewel Schirmer, in 1999. He awaits trial in that case.

He was a pastor. Can you believe it?

Dark Side of the Moon selected for National Recording Registry

I love this song.

Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was selected by the US Library of Congress for the National Recording Registry! 

The recording that received the highest number of public nominations for this year's registry was The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd's groundbreaking 1973 album.

The library said it was an example of "brilliant, innovative production in service of the music".

I still remember the first time I listened to it, with my hip little sister of all people. Damn, that was a long time ago. 

Photo: Plant boy

I ran into this little fellow while shopping for Easter bling.

Thoughts on INTJ personality Type

I took a Meyers Brigs Type Indicator MBTI personality type assessment a few weeks ago. The results confirmed that I am a solid INTJ. I've taken the assessment at least five times over the last 20 years. I've always been an INTJ. While talking about INTJs with a few friends today, I though it would be a good idea to see what famous people shared by personality type. The results were great. Several of my personal heroes shared my personality type. Who knew? I was happy and laughing until the end when I came to the people framed in black. It appears INTJs have a dark side…

• Vladimir Lenin (Dictator) 
• Anders Breivik (Terrorist) 
• Ted Kaczynski (Terrorist) 
• Varg Vikernes (Murder, arsonist)

Of course, these bad actors are offset by three of my heroes! Friedrich Nietzsche, Isaac Asimov and Christopher Hitchens!

Yay for INTJs (except the bad guys). 

My current theme song

So much to Say by Dave Mathews Band.

Covering the arrest of pastor Gregg Davison

Pastor Gregg Davison was arrested on March 8, 2013 for driving under the influence. It was a minor story in a small town and only covered by Times-Republican, a small newspaper from Central Iowa. I would have noted the arrest, but I don't think I would have covered it as a lead story. It would have ended up in one of my periodic bad pastor round-ups. The arrest of a pastor for DWI is news, but for me, it is not major news. Here is the story:

Local pastor charged with OWI

Iowa State Troopers arrested a local pastor for operating while under the influence Saturday.

Gregg Davison, 57, of Marshalltown, appeared through his attorney Wednesday after posting his $1,000 bond following his arrest.

Davison is a pastor at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and is the chair of the Human Rights Commission.

Police also cited Davison for failure to obey a stop sign and an improper tail light, both traffic violations. His arraignment is set for 1 p.m. March 19.

There may have been a more significant post in the print addition, but the online story was a simple tale. Still, I picked it up in my news filter and two people sent it to me as a tip. What brought the incident to my attention today is the editorial posted by reader Pat Christensen; Coverage of pastor arrest was unfair. 

I am writing in the response to the article which was printed March 8, regarding the coverage of Pastor Gregg Davison's OWI arrest.

I am extremely disappointed with the Times-Republican and how they handled the coverage of the incident and feel Pastor Gregg was treated unfairly. Every other citizen in the Marshalltown area that has been arrested/charged with an OWI, has a small notification in the Times-Republican included under the Marshalltown Police report section. There was absolutely no reason Pastor Davison's charge should have been treated any differently than any other citizen. The written article along with the picture of Pastor Gregg was totally out of line...

Was the coverage out of line? I don't think so. Pastor are community leaders. When they fall, coverage is required. Parishioners have a right to know. The public has a right to know. Why? Because it speaks the the pastor's character. How are we to judge others if their behavior is hidden behind pastoral privilege? The argument posed by Pat Christensen is the same argument used by people who want to keep clergy sexual abuse quiet. When a pastor falls, the event must be covered. 

Some readers may counter that the coverage was one sided. Well yes, by the nature of police blotter reporting, the coverage was one sided. The pastor has a pulpit from which he can respond, or, he can respond here by leaving a comment. My bet is that he will not respond here, and will color his arrest in his favor from the pulpit because that is what people do. 

A final note. We get to she Pastor Gregg Davison's character on display through how he handles the arrest and aftermath. If he is a good man, he will own up to his alleged poor behavior, own the source of the problem, and get help. If he is a bad man, we will see the excuses fly. If we see excuses, why follow this man t all?

A story of sexual abuse by an Imam

Nabila Sharma is a Muslim woman who was sexually assaulted by her Imam as a child. She tells her story in, My Imam abused me nearly every day for four years at the local mosque.

I WAS abused almost every day between the ages of seven and 11.

My abuser was the leader of my mosque, the Imam.

One day, he asked me to come to his room, as he lived at the mosque.

I found this strange, but he said I could read to him and get ahead with my prayers before the others arrived.

Inside his room, he began touching my face and stroking my hair, telling me what a pretty little girl I was.

I was only seven, I didn’t understand what he was doing other than I knew I didn’t like it. It made me uncomfortable.

He began singling me out for little jobs. People thought I was teacher’s pet but he was actually isolating me from everyone else.

Sharma's tale is not that different from the young baptist girls I write about here. Her Imam singled her out, treated her special and was able to molest with impunity because he was protected by his position in the community and at the Mosque. Clergy sexual abuse is not limited to Christian sects.

iPhoneography via Flickr - juega! es divertido!

My favorite iPhone photo for today is from Flickr. juega! es divertido! was created by photographer chaiNisse. I can't help but like a good shot of a child. I'm a new grandpa and loving every shot of my grandson. Kids make me smile.

Pastor Schaap demonstrates how to polish a shaft

Of course, Baptist pastor Jack Schaap also went on to molest a young girl. This is what passes for the word of God in one of the nations largest churches. The First Baptist Church of Hammond is a cult.

I found this strange video after reading, Let Us Prey: Big Trouble at First Baptist Church, by Bryan Smith.

The sermon was called “The Polished Shaft,” and in the many times that Jack Schaap, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, had delivered it, it was the kind of showstopper that made him a rock star to his flock. (Or would have, had Schaap not habitually railed against the evils of rock music.)

As with most of his sermons at the northwest Indiana megachurch—the 14th largest in the country and the biggest Independent Baptist house of worship in the nation—the message struck as bluntly as a pounded nail: Submit to God’s plan for your life or be snapped like a twig and flung away (as Schaap would demonstrate by cracking a stick over his head, tossing it aside, and barking, “Next!”).

The article is worth a read. I am confused as to why anyone would subject themselves to this brand of intrusive and abusive religion. It is hatred and hypocrisy all blended together into a message that has no resemblance to love. I don not understand who people fall for this tripe.

Pastor Jack Schaap awaits sentencing for raping a underage girl, told his victim that God sanctioned the relationship. How sick is that?

Federal prosecutors included letters former First Baptist Church pastor Jack Schaap wrote to his victim in their sentencing memorandum filed Wednesday in federal court in Hammond.

The Post-Tribune reports the 55-year-old Schaap wrote in the one letter to the 17-year-old girl that their relationship "is exactly what Christ desires for us."

Close the church. Erase its foul memory for our country. The church is not holy, nor are its leaders men of God. It exists to take your money, molest your wives and children and spread hatred and lies. The least we can do is end it and the whole Independent Baptist movement too. It spawns people who abuse others. It must end. 

Rusty fire hydrant planets because...

Because Reddit is amazing.

And this is a link to a few wallpapers.

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier speaks nonsense

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier claimed that pedophilia is a psychological illness and not a "criminal condition".

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, the Archbishop of Durban, told BBC radio that people who become paedophiles after being abused as children should be treated by doctors.

His comments come as Francis, the first pontiff to hail from Latin America, takes the helm of a Catholic Church rocked by thousands of cases of child abuse by paedophile priests…

…“I don’t think you can really take the position and say that person deserves to be punished when he was himself damaged.”

Source: Catholic cardinal says the pedophilia is not a 'criminal condition'

I'm not qualified to comment on if pedophilia is a psychological illness, so I went to Wikipedia for enlightenment. 

As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia, or paedophilia, is a psychiatric disorder in persons 16 years of age or older typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest toward prepubescent children (generally age 11 years or younger, though specific diagnosis criteria for the disorder extends the cut-off point for prepubescence to age 13).[1][2][3][4] An adolescent who is 16 years of age or older must be at least five years older than the prepubescent child before the attraction can be diagnosed as pedophilia

Source: Pedophilia

Since it is true the pedophilia is a psychological condition, then is the behavior also a crime? Yes. The Cardinal's assertion that it is not 'criminal behavior' is dead wrong, but then again, some of the Cardinal's friends are likely to be pedophiles.

I have no problem treating pedophiles. If believe pedophiles should get help, but I also believe in accountability. Pedophiles hurt children. They should be held accountable for their crimes and treated for their condition.

What I find most disturbing is when Bishop asserts that pedophile priests do not know the difference between right and wrong, yet they are priests. How does that make any sense?

Photo - Graffiti on a pipe

Seriously now… who writes graffiti on a pipe?

iPhone photo of the day - Standing and Sitting

My favorite iPhone photo for today is from Flickr. Standing and Sitting was created by photographer 24goltham. His photostream is worth a visit. When I try shots like this, I usually end up with somebody in my face.

Photo - A family funeral

My aunt passed away a few weeks ago. Last weekend was her funeral. Her daughter asked that I shoot the funeral and graveside. I don't normally do this for people unless they are close friends. I'm glad I did though. I think this photo and a few others managed to capture the love that my family and community felt towards this wonderful woman. 

Pastor George Spencer arrested

The FBI arrested former associate pastor George Spencer for statutory sodomy, forcible sodomy, thee counts of child molestation, and two counts of sexual misconduct involving a child. Spencer worked at Greater Works CME Church in Kansas. The alleged victim is 13-year-old. 

If the story is true, Spencer is a horrible human being. 

The woman, who was at the church for a Bible study, said that Spencer had wanted to counsel her daughter in his downstairs office earlier that evening about pictures she had posted on Facebook. They returned upstairs later, and mother and daughter went to a relative’s house, where the girl began vomiting.

The girl alleged that Spencer groped her and made her take off her shirt and bra. He put his hands down her pants and sodomized her with his finger, the girl alleged. Spencer also displayed his genitals to the girl, according to the charges.

Source: Former KC Minister is arrested in New Orleans on molestation charges by Mark Morris

And here's the thing… The idiots at Greater Works CME Church hired a convicted sex offender as a pastor with access to children. 

State correctional records show that Spencer served sentences in the Kansas prison system, including Lansing, after convictions in March 1993 for aggravated sexual battery and in April 1999 for taking aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Who would hire this man? I mean, aw fuck man… they might have well have molested the child themselves. I guess they thought that becoming a Christian in prison washes away your evil. Shame on you Greater Work CME Church. 

The Kansas City Star article goes on to say that Spencer may have tried to kill himself after the crime. I commented to my wife that it is a shame we don't have somebody like Judge Dread to take care of these pedopastors, she wants Dexter. 

Photo: Homeless dude digging for plastic

I talked with this guy. He wanted a book of matches. Drug addiction is horrible. There was nothing I could do for him.

I shot this with my iPhone. 

iPhone photo of the day

This is my favorite iPhone shot from Flickr for today. The photographer is CarlMilner. The photo is titled Snowy Trees. 

 

I get comments

On a recent post about former youth pastor Greg Sweeney, a confused friend of the pastor Greg left this jewel of a misguided comment on my post.

Well I saw some naked guys at the YMCA in the locker room and there were young boys around. Lets get a posse and hang those guys. How dare they be naked. You better pray that you don't get caught masturbating or making love to your wife by your kids. You'll be thrown in jail with those guys at the gym. If you know Greg pray he goes free or we'll all be victims of this police state liberals are creating. The church fired him, they had too, but the first few posts on this blog suggested this was a scandal of the church. This is an individual with a problem that a huge portion of our population has. Everyone take a deep breathe and worry about your own freedom. In the meantime figure out a way to get politicians to stop Internet porn and don't rush to judgement. The press loves to undermine faith, morality, and family. I would trust this guy over almost anyone in the liberal media.

Sweeney is accused of serial masterbation in front of a child… presumably his child. The official charge is performing sexual conduct in front of a minor. My anonymous critic tries to make a point, but I think he might be too dim to understand the difference between normal behavior and deviant behavior. I'm pretty sure seeing naked men in the show is normal, but a fat man masterbating to internet porn while under a blanket is deviant behavior when a child is involved. It's not an offense in private, but when you add a kid and perform said act a few times, well that makes you an asshole and pervert. It is pretty simple.

From there Mr. Anonymous goes down the teabagger trail… like most of these types do. Talk about deviant behavior. 

Photo: Flickr This!

I was prowling around an alley tonight looking for shots when I found this. Somebody has a sense of humor and good printing. 

LAPD - Give the ladies a truck and pay the taxes

Back when every cop was searching for Christopher Dorner, two old ladies were pulled over by the LAPD. The cops fired 102 bullets into a truck containing Emma Hernandez, 71 and her daughter, Margie. How the cops though they posed a treat is anyone's guess, but I'll throw my guess in just for grins. I guess incompetence.

Why? On the same day and at the same time these poor women were facing execution,  I was pulled over by three cops on the 5 freeway near Sylmar. They eyeballed me with their hands on their guns and determined that I was not a big black man wearing body armor. They let me go a few minutes after the initial stop. I had no idea that Dorner was killing cops at the time, so the whole incident was unsettling and scary. I was in a gray Toyota Tundra with a camper shell. Dorner was in a gray Nissan Titan. I don't get how the mixed it up in my case. The woman were in a blue Toyota pickup. Everything about the case was off, yet the cops still opened fire anyway. 

LAPD officers unloaded on the truck in an attempt to kill the driver and passenger; all without any provocation. The LAPD offered to buy a new truck to replace the truck they shot up in the big "shootout" (Is it a shootout if only one side shoots?). The women rejected the offer because they would have had to pay federal taxes on a $30,000 gift. I'm thinking the right thing to do is buy the ladies a truck and pay all the taxes or trade them a new truck for an old one. Anything is better than having the woman fork of $15k in taxes. Plus, the city can deduct the difference from the 10 million dollar settlement that will one day settle this mess. 

We must remember that the LAPD began shooting with no warning. LAPD - please fire all six of the police officers who opened fire on the truck. We don't want their "help". 

iPhone photo of the day

This is my favorite iPhone shot from Flickr for today. The photographer is eggiepooh. I like her work.

I've always been fascinated with graffiti. It can be beautiful, or the definition of urban ugly. 

In Tennessee, we love everyone… except those LGBTs

Is this America or the land of nonsense? Sometime I wonder. I expect equality and freedom, not hatred and bigotry. I read this story today: Tennessee bill allows Christian counselors to reject suicidal LGBT students. 

Before I read the story, the headline blew my mind. How is it possible that any Christian would want the legal right to reject giving another human being help in their darkest hour? Is this what Jesus taught? That… help is offered for the sick, the blind, the poor and lepers even, as long as they are not Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered. What! The! Fuck!

What kind of an idiot would dare to damage the Christian brand in such an antithetical way? Our misguided crusader is named Senator Joey Hensley and you can send him your love at Sen.Joey.Hensley@capitol.tn.gov. 

After reading the article, my opinion is that Joey Hensley and the Family Action Council of Tennessee need to go read about Jesus and then reflect on service. If necessary, I know this little old lady who has been feeding the homeless. I'm sure she can teach them a few things. After reeducation, take a few years to study what we expect as a society from our doctors. Consider it remedial punishment.

What Hensley is offering is a perversion of principles of Christianity and a complete misunderstanding of the Hippocratic Oath. 

The best quote of the day….

“The concept of so-called ‘religious liberty’ as it’s being (mis)used is faulty,” Badash wrote on Tuesday. “If anti-gay people want a reason to not help gay people, they should have the personal courage to do so, and accept the consequences.”

Um… yes, that makes perfect sense to me. 

I spoke to a homeless man recently. He asked me if I were a Christian. I told him no. He looked disappointed. When I asked whey, he told me that Christians always help. I'll offer the following comeback the next time I'm asked a similar question, "…not if you are LGBT."

Notes from Baptist hell

If there is one thing I know, it is that I would never drink the Kool Aid at a Baptist church. I read two stories yesterday that played to my worst fears.

Pastor Marc Monte: Satan Called. Loves your work. by John Shore

This is “Dr.” Marc Monte, the lead pastor of Indiana’s Faith Baptist Avon, an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church. (The quote marks around “Dr.” are because Monte is a doctor like I’m an astrophysicist. He has nothing but one of those “honorific” faux-doctorate degrees that IFB leaders hand out to each other like little boys playing Now you knight me!—except, of course, these pretentious, potato-headed potentates then use their fraudulent titles to bolster the authority they wield over their churches with such impunity. Interesting, isn’t it, how leaders so passionate about remaining “separate from the world” at the same time so avidly co-opt the signifiers of power from that world—such as the title Doctor?)

A Christianity to make Satan proud by John Shore

About four months ago the below was left as a comment to my post The Fundamentally Toxic Christianity. For some reason I didn’t see it until yesterday. I know it’s long. But once you start reading it, good luck stopping.

I was raised Independent Fundamental Baptist; my family lived and breathed it. My mother graduated from Bob Jones University. All of my aunts and uncles attended Bob Jones University. My grandfather is a well-known IFB pastor who is also a graduate of Bob Jones University. From elementary school on I knew that I would attend BJU too, or be literally kicked out of the family on my ear.

Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) churches sound horrible. I did not develop an opinion based on two stories. I've covered dozens of IFB abuse cases over the years. These people are on a different plane of existence; one where truth does not exist. Reality is twisted by the IFB worldview and by a maniacal need to do damage control whenever a case of child sexual abuse surfaces. However,  whenever I think its bad something worse comes along. Christa Brown, of the outstanding but now shuttered blog Stop Baptist Predators, pointed out that something foul is living inside a Southern Baptist megachurch. Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas has a unholy scandal on their collective hands. Leadership failed to alert authorities to credible allegations of child abuse, and then they did everything possible to bury the issue, including retaliating against a member who questioned leadership. Christa writes…

…Its senior pastor, Jack Graham, is a former two-term Southern Baptist Convention president, and he heads a ministerial staff of about 40.

You’d think there would be somebody in the mega-sized-leadership of this mega-sized-church who would do the right thing, wouldn’t you?

You’d be wrong.

So far, they have not only failed to do the right thing – over and over again – but they have affirmatively done the wrong things – over and over again. For two decades, Graham and other Prestonwood church leaders kept the allegations against their former minister under wraps, and in doing so, they allowed many more kids to be placed at risk of sexual predation. And now, they try to bully a member who simply seeks to ask some questions.

I know Prestonwood from former pastor Joe Barron's attempted molestation of a 13-year-old girl, played by a smelly old cop… Prestonwood distanced themselves from the arrest by claiming they knew nothing. The current scandal involves John Lanworthy, who allegedly abused children at Prestonwood back in 1989 before behind passed off to other Baptist churches where he continued his abuse unchecked. Prestonwood did not comply with the Texas state law that mandated reporting cases of abuse, instead, the church exiled the man who questioned why Prestonwood was not following the law. He had been a member in good standing until he spoke up. 

It's enough to drive Baptists to drink… Or… signal the end of another Baptist megachurch. 

Photo: Do not steal! God is watching.

I shot this while walking in Hilo recently. I think the store is a little too trusting.

Best iPhone photo of they day

I find myself spending a lot of time browsing Flickr for good iPhone photos. I've decided to post the best examples here on my blog. I hope you like it. This beautiful photo was produced by antoudewo. 

There will be more to follow. 

Pathetic youth pastor Sweeney arrested

I can tell you how this case will end… a jailhouse suicide.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A South Bend youth minister was charged with sexual misconduct for allegedly touching himself in the presence of a 14-year-old between March 9, 2008 and April 8, 2010.

The 14-year-old victim said Sweeney walked around his home naked. The victim witnessed Sweeney masturbating under a blanket or cover while looking at a computer, according to court documents.

Sweeney admitted to walking around his home naked. He also said he is addicted to pornography and has been for approximately 20 years, according to court records.

Source: Youth minister accused of sexual misconduct. by Jason Aubry

I should add that the reporter on this case neglects to mention the first name of pastor Sweeney. It's quite frustrating really… Does anyone know this perverts first name?

Sweeney worked at Christ the King Catholic church in South Bend. There are no comments about the case on the church website, nor is Sweeney mentioned. 

*** Update 3/12/2013

By the power of Twitter and the Internet, we now have a name! GREG SWEENEY. I'd like to thank the anonymous tipster who left Sweeney's first name in the comments, and the 14 other people who sent me an email. Youth Pastor Greg Sweeny will forever be linked to this blog post. Now, on to his trial.

A better summary of the alleged crime was posted as Former South Bend youth minister accused of sex offense by Madeline Buckley of the South Bend Tribune. 

The worst thing anyone could call another human being

I grew up thinking that the term "rat bastard", was the worst thing anyone could call another human being. Use of the term was reserved for the worst of the worst. Like the man you kicked your dog or dirty old man who always chased you from his yard. They were the rat bastards of my youth. I was five of course, so worse terms would enter my vocabulary a few years later.

At five, hearing my dad call somebody a rat bastard was powerful. It scared me. I remember crying at its use to describe a neighbor and my dad trying to comfort me. I even thought it a horrible curse word and avoided saying it within earshot of my mom or little sisters.

I'll use the term now though, but I only use it sparingly as it is still a powerful and emotional phrase. It has been supplanted in my vocabulary by another horrible phrase; "child rapist". I use this term much more frequently.

Rat bastard and accused child rapist Louis Joseph Bristol (28), a youth pastor at Carpinteria Community Church, was arrested and charged with raping two teen girls.

Bristol was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with multiple counts of child molestation, child rape, lewd acts upon a child and furnishing an illegal substance to minors, authorities said. Bristol sexually molested and raped the teens, authorities allege, after he met them at church and sent inappropriate text messages and photos. The crimes took place late last year and early this year in vacant rooms at the hotel, authorities say. Bristol also gave and sold marijuana to the teens and to others in the youth group, authorities said.

Read more:Carpinteria youth pastor accused of molesting teens

Bristol had a perfect setup. He had access to young girls as youth pastor, and access to private hotel rooms as a hotel manager. How did his church miss this obvious conflict of interest?

A quick check of the church website shows no indication of the arrest of Bristol. There are no statements, no press releases, and no updates for parents. The website is also missing the obvious call for more victims. The police believe Bristol has abused other girls. I would think that Carpinteria Community Church would use its website to help bring this situation to light. I guess not though. It looks like it is better to erase Bristol's image and footprint,  and then soldier on. My guess is that Rev. Jarrett Johnson is worried about his church's image (and culpability).

Why Christian evangelist? Why?

I had an encounter this morning with a Christian evangelist who wanted to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I was alone and intent on enjoying the busy stillness of an early morning coffee in a Simi Valley Starbucks. While sipping my coffee, I was writing in my notebook to prepare for a long day of meetings. I was not sending out the 'talk to me' vibe.

A young man with a long glorious beard approached and asked if he could talk to me. I nodded yes and motioned the chair opposite of me. With no preamble, he sat down and launched into his sales pitch. It was as if he were working the Christian sales funnel and I was call six of ten. I was polite. I told him that I was not interested in his product, but that if he would like to sit and talk about another subject, I would be happy for the company. I also told him that one of my employees would be coming along soon, so the conversation would have to end then. 

He agreed, but immediately disregarded my offer and started talking about how much it meant for him to be a Christian. I politely asked him to leave. After another 20 seconds of inane attempts at Jesus talk, I insisted that he leave. He stood up and walked away, but the returned and tried to leave a pamphlet. I declined. He then attempted to leave it on the table. Ostensibly,  for the next guy. I pushed it off the table and on to the floor. He got my message and eventually moved away to bother another customer.

The thing is, this young Christian hipster did not even buy himself a coffee. He was simply there to sell. How crazy is that approach?

My question for you Christians out there is this: Why can't you talk a polite no and let it go? 

I expect justice

There is a fundamental principle of honesty that is supposed to run through our "Christ-based" county. It's an honesty I expect, but almost never experience. Especially when the government is involved. If most people in this country are really Christian, then I would expect honesty to be score value, but it is not. Everybody lies. Case in point: Sgt. Richard Jones of the NYP allegedly lied under oath in order to convict an Occupy protester. Michael Premo, the Occupy protestor in question, was acquitted of all charges when a video surfaced that directly contradicted the testimony of Sgt. Jones.

Nick Pinto of Village Voice reported last week that Occupy Wall Street protester Michael Premo was acquitted of all charges against him in the trial following his December 2011 arrest near Duarte Square in New York City. He was testified against by a Sgt. Richard Jones (transcripts will be posted when available), whose recounting of the events was severely disproved by Jon Greberg's eyewitness video of the incident, showing Premo being knocked to the ground, then tackled by officers as he tried to stand. Sgt. Jones claimed under oath that Premo "charged" at an officer, which is clearly repudiated by the video.

Source:Exclusive: Identity of NYPD Office Who Lied Under Oath to Convict Innocent Occupy Protester Has Been Un-Reported… Until now. Via Disruptive Liberties.

This is a clear case of misconduct. It should be criminal case. The lie Jones told would have put Premo in prison for a long time. Sgt. Jones attempted to damage another American His attack might as well have been with a club or knife. He was trying to hurt an innocent man. He lied to the court. Justice demands that he be fired and prosecuted. 

Thankfully, we are not a "Christ-Based" country. We are a nation of laws. Right? Not in this case though. I doubt Sgt. Jones will be held accountable for his crime. I doubt he will be disciplined in any way. People like Jones are immune to the laws the govern the rest of us. They prey on us under the guise of protecting us. How is that right?

Beware the cloud

Catholic deacon William Steven Albaugh was arrested for storing child porn on his Verizon Online Backup and Sharing account. Verizon identified the offending material during some kind of content sweep and notified the authorities.

Verizon detected the pornographic images stored in Albaugh's Verizon Online Backup and Sharing account. The company reported his account to Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who in turn passed the information to Baltimore County law enforcement. Police investigating the case found files both on his Verizon account and on a flash drive, and authorities seized two PCs and an iPad. Albaugh said he used the iPad to view "nudist websites that include pictures of children," The Baltimore Sun reports.

Source: Verizon turns in Baltimore church deacon for storing child porn in cloud

I'm conflicted. I'm happy with that another Catholic pervert was captured. I'm unhappy the privacy aspects of the story. Is somebody watching what YOU load up in that happy place called the cloud? What do you keep in the cloud?

The amazing Amanda Palmer Ted Talk

A corrupt "pastor" speaks

I get comments. This time from pastor Alterry Henry on my post: It's all about dumb.

It wouldnt mount up to a hill of beans what you think about me but, you better respect the words of God that he has comming out of my mouth - i pray that 10 pleges be placed upon your lives and you suffer a slow hurt for the stones in your belly's. May God have mercy upon your souls from this day on. Pastor Henri

Well pastor Henri - I'll keep an eye out for those very serious "10 pleges". Geebus…