congrats on the Olympics, by the way.

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The horizon is not my boundry - rather an ever-expanding destination. Enjoy the ride!

Thanks!!!
At least one good thing happened
And its a joy to think that at least one child I saw dancing at the school disco today may be a part of it!!!

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Yeah, but nobody can hug a mic like you!

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The horizon is not my boundry - rather an ever-expanding destination. Enjoy the ride!

LINDSEY GERMAINE, FROM AYLESBURY, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE


Police sources have said the fourth suicide bomber was a Jamaican-born British resident named Lindsey Germaine.

He is understood to have been living at a house in Northern Road, Aylesbury that police raided on Wednesday night.

Little is known of his background and sources say confirmation of his identity may depend on DNA analysis.

He is thought to be responsible for the Russell Square Underground bomb, where 21 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds more injured. Some of the remains of the dead are still to be recovered.

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Seattle man dies after sex with horse
Police say death was accidental, investigate farm on cruelty suspicions

SEATTLE - A Seattle man died after engaging in anal sex with a horse at a farm suspected of being a gathering place for people seeking to have sex with livestock, police said Friday.

The horse involved in the incident was not harmed, and an autopsy of the unnamed man concluded that “the manner of death was accidental ... due to perforation of the colon,” a police spokesman said.

“The information that we have is that people would find this place via chat rooms on the Web,” said Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department.

Although sex with animals is not illegal in Washington state, Urquhart said that investigators were looking into whether the farm, located in Enumclaw, 40 miles southeast of Seattle, allowed sex with smaller animals that resulted in animal cruelty, which is a crime.

“If you’re talking about sheep or goats, there could be some issues,” Urquhart said.

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'Rape, Lies and Stereotypes'



A young girl who claimed she was raped by a black man at her home in Basildon, Essex has admitted that she fabricated the incident.





The young child, said to be between 5 and 10 years old, sparked widespread panic and paranoia when she made her claim to Essex police that she was raped earlier this year on 23rd March.



Despite the police being aware of inconsistencies in the girl's story from the start, they went on to question several Afro-carribean British men and released information to the media including an artist's impression of the phantom attacker. Shockingly, the public responded to the artist's impression of a black attacker who did not exist by ringing a hotline in their hundreds to offer information.



The police have been criticised for their investigative procedures and their decision to go to the media despite there being no sign of forced entry. In addition, the police were initially aware that it was unlikely that a rape could have occurred without anyone else in the house knowing.



Media whiteout



Predictably, media coverage of the dramatic and racialised lie concocted by the young girl has been rather lack lustre in light of the hysteria and mass coverage of the original story. Indeed, there has been a near whiteout of the story in the mainstream television news outlets and much of the press coverage has failed to highlight the worrying fact that a girl as young as 10 had internalised racial stereotypes to such a degree that she described her attacker as a 'scruffy black man' with 'scruffy Afro hair'. Even the Essex police have failed to mention this significant development on their website.



Also shocking is the sexualisation of the young girl who was able to give vivid account of the fake attack. Police say that she was 'very sexually Aware' and had witnessed sexual encounters in the home 'on more than one occasion'.





Comment



It is always revealing to watch the eagerness with which the media report crime involving Afro-carribean people as perpetrators. More telling though, is their marked lack of enthusiasm in reporting news that contradicts and counters the social stereotypes. The media have categorically failed to address the racial issue at the heart of this incident. Even the so-called liberal and left wing newspapers and news programmes have failed to cover this story effectively and honestly. Presumably, many of those behind the hype of the initial story are now faced with the fact that they got it very wrong in their willingness to believe that an Afro-carribean 'beast' and 'monster', as the fictitious man has been described, was on the loose.



The excuse bandied around by the police and further propagated by the media is that the police have to investigate any reported case of rape, particularly where the alleged victims are children. Of course, this would be a valid excuse if it wasn't for the glaring inconsistencies in the child's original statement.



On first hearing the allegations against this non-existent man, our first instincts were to question the obvious; how can a man get into a house with several other people in residence, rape a young girl sleeping in a room she was sharing with two friends and apparently leave no sign of forced entry. Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear to us as lay people and yet the Essex police were eager to push the story into the media without resolving these fundamental issues. Indeed, not only did the police fail to address these issues until it was too late but the media also failed to query them and instead fell head first for this disgraceful lie.



And what of the black British men who were subsequently questioned? A spokesperson for the police said 'We would also like to thank all the men interviewed who resembled the description of the suspect for their cooperation.' But where is the apology? And shouldn't that be the 'non-existent suspect'?



No doubt the buck will be passed endlessly regarding the responsibility for allowing this matter to get out of hand but let's stop the buck somewhere; Why were the police so inept? Why are the media so quick to report the allegations and so unwilling to report them as a lie? Why does a young child associate black men with rape and finally, how can the lie of a child's imagination prompt hundreds of people to call a helpline with information about a man who doesn't exist?



Fear + stereotypes = racism = injustice. But of course, British society isn't racist, is it?

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Man set his girlfriend on fire after she broke off engagement


(Court TV) — Police in Macon, Ga., arrested a man Monday who allegedly doused his girlfriend with gasoline and set her on fire after she broke off their engagement.

Jomekia Pope, a 29-year-old who has a history of domestic abuse, faces charges of aggravated assault and arson stemming from a horrific assault Sunday at his ex-girlfriend's home.

Latosha Taylor, 26, was in critical condition undergoing her third surgery Wednesday, her stepfather Harold Banks said. Taylor suffered second- and third-degree burns on more than 95 percent of her body.

Taylor, who has two children, Jada, 4, and Elicia, 8, worked two jobs, one as a nurse's assistant in Macon, and also took classes during the week to provide for her family.

Macon City Police Sgt. Cornelius Pendleton said the couple got into an argument Sunday regarding their relationship. Pope then poured gasoline on Taylor and the bed before lighting the fire, Pendleton said.

"She is a devoted and fantastic mother. Every day she's breathing is a good day," Banks said. "We are people of faith and we are going to get through this."

Banks said the argument began after a birthday party for Elicia. Pope was angry because Taylor had broken off their engagement, Banks said.

But this was not the first incident between the couple, police said. Banks said his stepdaughter called off the engagement because of earlier abuse.

Arson investigator for the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Lt. Tom Musslewhite said because of the extent of Taylor's burns, it was difficult to tell what position she was in during the attack.

"She was probably lying on the bed after a long day of taking care of her kids, and that's when she was sloshed with gasoline," Musslewhite said.

Police said Taylor fled from the fire and ran an eighth of a mile to a neighbor's house for help. Although she was no longer on fire, witnesses said they saw billows of smoke trailing behind her.

Pope reportedly chased her down the street, shouting, "Her husband did it." He then fled the scene before police arrived.

As soon as he left, Taylor told a 911 dispatcher that Pope had set her ablaze, according to police.

"She told officers that he tried to kill her," Pendleton said.

A friend later reported Pope's location to police, and arranged for Pope to turn himself in Monday.

Pope has not confessed to the crime, but police say it is obvious he is responsible.

"He won't outright say anything," Pendleton said. "He's being extremely evasive during the interviews. However, it's quite clear he is at fault."

Musslewhite said he is still investigating the fire for more evidence. After police were notified, he said officers found an opened gas can outside the house, which they believe was the source of the fire. The door to the storage area where the can was normally stored was wide open, he said.

Late Monday, doctors told Pendleton Latosha had a 5 percent change of survival. By Tuesday, after more surgeries, her chance of survival rose to 10 percent.

Banks said he hopes this tragedy will raise awareness about domestic violence.

"This isn't just about my daughter," he said. "It's about everyone who has a daughter, and trying to make them more aware about this kind of abuse."

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having sex with animals is wrong they r too sick!!!

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Woman Brawl Over Microwaving Soup
From the Associated Press:

A Walgreens employee allegedly stabbed a co-worker in an argument over who could microwave her soup first, authorities said.

Both women wanted to use the microwave in the employee break room Wednesday afternoon, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office.

While they were fighting over who could use the microwave first, Mellesia Grant grabbed a large kitchen knife off the counter and stabbed Merloze Tilme in the abdomen, the sheriff's office said.

"They didn't get along to begin with. Who could use the microwave first became a major issue," Broward County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Leljedal said.

The two women then wrestled for the knife, each cutting their hands, before the store manager could stop the fight, Leljedal said.

Tilme, 20, was hospitalized early Friday in good condition, officials said.

Grant, 23, of North Lauderdale was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after being treated at a hospital for her wounds, officials said. She was being held on $50,000 bond.

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DARAIN HOUSEN HAS not taken off his hat for the last 20 years. He bathes, he sleeps and does everything possible in it. It is a perfect fit.

But unlike other hats, his is not made of cloth but from the very hair on his head which is why it cannot be removed.

Housen has been sporting his 'natural hat' hairstyle for the last 20 years. The 40-year-old barber who lives in Somerset, St. Thomas said he came up with the idea after some of his friends decided to wear hats to a party but he could not find one to wear.

"Mi an dem fi go a di party but di three of them had caps an' mi had none so mi get two mirror one behind mi and di other in front of mi an' mi trim mi hair like a cap an' go a di dance," said Housen.

Housen said his hairstyle created such a stir that he got a crate of beer to share between he and his friends.

"Dem did love it," he said smiling. "Mi friends an' some of the girls said I win di hairstyle contest and buy mi a box a Guinness," he said.

Housen said the morning after the dance he clipped the rough edges and then for six months he kept growing the 'peak' but since then he has not made major changes to his 'hat'.

FLIRT WITH DANGER

The 'hat' has shocked and awed everyone including policemen, tourists and judges. It has even caused him to flirt with some danger. Housen said that he was once stopped by a policeman while coming from a dance early one morning who insisted that he removed it.

"Him shine di light pon mi an' look. When him see it seh a mi real hair him frighten an' seh mi mus come check him a di station di following morning. When mi go him shake mi han' an' seh mi have talent an' mi fi keep it up," he said.

On another occasion Housen said he was ordered by a judge to take off his 'hat' while on jury duty.

"A di policeman have to tell him seh is mi hair. Him congratulate mi an' tell mi seh mi have talent," he said smiling.

Housen said people from all over the island have taken photos with him but while he has become quite an attraction he has never charged a fee to touch his hair or have a photo of it taken. There is no doubt about Housen's fame as when THE STAR was searching for him in order to do the interview the team only had to mention 'the man with the hair hat' and we were pointed to where we could find him.

The barber does not have a permanent shop but instead moves through communities in northern St. Thomas cutting his customers' hair. He said he has had requests from other persons to cut their hair in a similar style but the texture of their hair has not made it possible.

Melbourne Horne, Housen's friend for the last 13 years said the barber once sported a felt hat.

"When mi jus' know him is a felt hat him did a beat. So, nex ting mi know him change to dis type a hat. Di only ting him do now a colour di front in a yellow or some other colour," he said. If at some stage he loses his hat Housen says he would be quite uncomfortable. "I would a feel light without it because a long time mi have it so mi would a feel a way without it," he said.

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Prostitute mom sparks storm with book

By Alpana SarmaThu Dec 15,10:54 AM ET



Her long, wavy, black hair tied loosely in a knot, 50-year-old Nalini Jameela looks like any other Indian housewife. But this attractive, largely uneducated mother of two is a best-selling author and prostitute whose outspoken views of sex work as a career choice have stirred controversy in conservative India.

Her "Oru Lyngikathozhilaliyude Athmakatha," or The Autobiography of a Sex Worker, dictated to a social activist because she can't write, has angered both feminists, who say it glorifies sex work, and conservatives, who think prostitutes should keep quiet.

"I have written this book for other sex workers. I wanted to talk about it to remove the stigma," Jameela told Reuters through a translator over the phone from her home state of Kerala.

"People think we are bad because we have sex for money. Nobody understands our grief."

Jameela was forced into prostitution 25 years ago when her first husband died, leaving her with a child to support. Sex work paid more than she was earning as a factory worker. She charges her clients between 500-1,000 rupees ($11-$22) per visit.

Her first customer was a policeman. When she came out of the room the next morning, she was beaten up by police on orders of another policeman she had turned down.

"I felt humiliated, but I had no option but to continue."

Jameela estimates she has had sex with more than 1,000 men since then -- she took some time off after her later marriages -- and feels her work is an important social service.

"If there is no sex work, it would lead to a situation comparable to a pressure cooker with its safety valve locked on. The truth is that sex workers are doing a great service," she says in her book in the southern language of Malayalam.

It's a view that angers some feminists.

SEX TALK TABOO

"Prostitution is considered as work" in the book, said K. Ajitha, president of Anweshi, a Kerala women's group. "I don't accept that. Women in prostitution have only the right to sell their bodies, they don't have the right to choose."

Written with I. Gopinath, an activist who works with sex workers, the book has sold more than 10,000 copies in less than six months in a market where 5,000 in a year is a best seller.

Jameela has so far earned 84,000 rupees ($1,830) from book sales.

But in India, public displays of affection are frowned upon and talking about sex publicly is still taboo.

One popular south Indian actress has been pelted with sandals, tomatoes and rotten eggs and hauled before a court for suggesting women might have sex before marriage and telling men not to expect their brides to be virgins anymore.

Protests over her comments lasted more than a month.



Prostitution is outlawed, but India has more than two million sex workers living on the fringes of society. They have few rights and abuse by both customers and the police is common.

Commercial sex is one of the main drivers of the spread of HIV/AIDS and India has more than 5 million reported cases of people living with the virus, rivalling South Africa as the worst hit nation.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency estimates more than 20 million people could be infected with HIV in India by 2010 and economists warn it could undermine India's rise to economic superpower status.

Alarmed by the rising numbers, the government's Planning Commission has recommended prostitution be legalized to help fight AIDS.

Many prostitutes are pushed into the trade by traffickers and by poverty and some, including thousands of girls smuggled in from Nepal each year, are held as sex slaves for a decade or more.

Against this backdrop, some women activists accuse Gopinath of interpreting Jameela's words in a way that glorifies prostitution.

"They cannot imagine that a woman on the street can say such things. I cannot imagine all this. These are Jameela's ideas, not mine," Gopinath says.

Says V.C. Harris, a professor at Kerala's MG University: "This is not a victim's book. One of the most striking things about the book is the confidence and inner strength that exudes from it."

Like many women in India, Jameela's education is minimal. She finished school after third grade, which is roughly about 7 years old. Over the years, she married three times and has two grown daughters, now both housewives.

Autobiography of a Sex Worker has brought a degree of fame, money and respect. Jameela's 24-year-old daughter Seena, married and pregnant with her first child, is happy with her mother's fame.

"Earlier, people used to say that because my mother is a prostitute, I must also be one. But now when they call me Nalini Jameela's daughter I feel very good," Seena says.

Neither Seena, nor her sister Latha, have followed their mother's footsteps, although Jameela says that she would not have stopped them from becoming prostitutes if they had wanted to.

"It is not just my daughters. I will tell other women also about the hardships of sex work and then if they want to get into it, I won't stop them," Jameela says.

For her part, Jameela intends to continue with sex work as long as she stays healthy, saying she has had more freedom as a sex worker than she has ever had as a wife.

"Looking back, I find life as a sex worker more enjoyable. As a wife one has to listen, to always be dominated by someone," Jameela said. "I like being a sex worker. Some become lawyers, doctors. It was my choice to become to a sex worker."

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SAO PAULO, Brazil - A baby girl found inside a plastic bag floating on a lake in Brazil was released from hospital Sunday in good condition, doctors said.

The girl, apparently two months old, was rescued Saturday afternoon by a couple who heard her crying in the Pampulha Lagoon in Belo Horizonte, a city about 300 miles northeast of Sao Paulo.

Amateur footage broadcast on Brazilian TV showed rescuers using a long tree branch to pull the black plastic bag out of the water. They opened the bag and found the girl inside, dressed in a pink dress.

"I heard what sounded like a cat," Jose da Cruz told Globo TV. "Then the noise was increasing and it caught my attention."

A small wooden board inside the bag apparently kept it from sinking.

"She is in good condition," Dr. Claudia Guimaraes said. "It's a miracle she survived the heat and somehow didn't drown."

Authorities arrested the mother of the baby later Sunday, but she denied throwing the girl into the lake, Globo reported. The mother said she gave the baby away to a group of homeless people because she didn't have enough money to raise the child.

The Pampulha Lagoon is located in downtown Belo Horizonte, in one of the city's most famous parks, often crowded with weekend visitors.

WHY WHY WHY would you give your baby to HOMELESS PEOPLE if YOU as the baby's mother can't even take care of it? why couldn't the mother just relinquish the baby somewhere safe like a hospital? what are some homeless people gonna do with a baby? i guess they thought if moses survived it then it was worth risking this poor kid to it as well. STUPID!