Society's ChildS


Crusader

Freed Palestinian prisoners return home from Israel

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© REUTERS/ Suhaib SalemA freed Palestinian prisoner gestures upon his arrival near Erez crossing, between Israel and northern Gaza Strip, August 14, 2013
Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners who were pardoned by the Israeli government earlier in the week have returned home, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.

According to the agency, several buses left the Ayalon prison in central Israel late on Tuesday night carrying inmates, most of whom had been jailed for attacks on Israeli citizens.

Eleven of the 26 released prisoners were met in Ramallah, in the West Bank, by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while 15 others were greeted by crowds in the Gaza Strip.

The long-term prisoners made up the first group of 104 people whom Israeli authorities pledged to release as an act of good will in regard to the Palestinian authorities.

Road Cone

New Zealand woman drives for hours sending texts while asleep at the wheel

A New Zealand woman drove for hundreds of kilometres while asleep at the wheel, sending texts from her mobile phone along the way, police said.

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© Alamy
Police said they received an emergency call just after midnight Wednesday from a friend concerned the woman had gone out in her car after taking sleeping medication.

Told that the woman had been sleep-driving 10 months previously and had a fondness for the beach, police ordered patrol cars to keep a lookout for her silver hatchback and began tracking her via her mobile phone.

They said data showed the phone was on and she was sending texts as she drove from her Hamilton home to the beachside town of Mount Maunganui via Auckland, a distance of almost 300 kilometres (190 miles).

Bad Guys

Judge refuses to dismiss suit against Feds who arrested former Marine for his controversial Facebook posts

 Marine Brandon Raub
© n/a Marine Brandon Raub
Almost exactly a year ago, former Marine Brandon Raub was taken from his home by federal agents and involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward, all because of some controversial postings to his Facebook account, including some 9/11 conspiracy-related articles and violent song lyrics.

On August 16, 2012, Raub was visited by local police, FBI agents and Secret Service personnel who questioned him about his Facebook posts. Raub was cooperative and discussed his activity with the officers, despite their not having a warrant. At some point, one of the agents made a call to Michael Campbell, a psychotherapist retained by the county who decided, despite having never met or observed Raub, that the former Marine was "potentially dangerous" and should be detained.

At that point, the collected officers cuffed Raub and took him to the local jail before having him committed to the mental hospital. Government officials later claimed Raub wasn't arrested, but the video taken of his "not being arrested" looks for all the world to the un-government-trained eye like an arrest.

Pistol

Officer's record cleared after shooting death of 5-year-old

Not a single day passes that Jack Haley doesn't think of his little boy. There are pictures on every wall and a glass case with all his favorite toys.

Six years ago, 5-year old Austin was accidentally shot and killed while fishing with his grandfather at a family pond. Grandfather, Jack Tracy said, "The 2nd bullet hit him in the back of the head and came out here in his forehead. It was horrible. Blood and brains everywhere."


It was August 3rd, 2007. Two Noble police officers were called to a home on a report of a large snake, dangling from a birdhouse.

Paul Bradley Rogers fired two shots from his 357. The bullets missed the rat snake, but one struck Austin, who was in the woods directly behind the home.

Austin's dad, Jack said, "I hate to dredge this up again. But here we are six years later, and we're finding out the shooter, Brad Rogers, his records have been expunged."

Both officers pleaded "no contest" to second degree involuntary manslaughter. And it's true. Officer Roger's record has been cleared, but it was legal under Title 22 Section 991 C.

Passport

92-year-old black woman sues just hours after North Carolina gov. signs voter ID law

Mrs Eaton
© n/a
Just hours after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a sweeping voter ID measure into law, a 92-year-old African-American woman has sued the state claiming that her constitutional rights had been violated.

At a bill signing with no formal ceremony on Monday, McCrory quietly signed the Republican bill that will require a voters to present a government-issued ID, cuts early voting days, stops same-day registration, ends "straight ticket" party voting, makes it harder for students to vote and gives poll watchers new powers for challenging voters.

The first lawsuit, filed by the NAACP, says that 92-year-old Rosanell Eaton will be disenfranchised after voting for 70 years.

Magic Wand

Mystery priest who showed up at a crash scene then vanished is identified - and here's the unlikely way he came forward

Rev. Patrick Dowling
© Diocese of Jefferson CountyRev. Patrick Dowling
The mystery priest who recently showed up at a crash site, anointed a victim and then vanished has been identified - and he came forward by posting his identity in the comments section of a Catholic news site. The story began on Aug. 4, after Aaron Smith, 26, struck Katie Lentz, 19, in a head-on car crash. In the days that followed, the tale of a faith leader who disappeared went viral.

But now the individual, who brought calm upon the situation and who rescue workers have been hoping to find and thank, has been found. A press release provided to TheBlaze from the Diocese of Jefferson County confirmed that the Rev. Patrick Dowling, one of the priests who works with the diocese, is the individual whom they have been seeking.

While some assumed the mystery priest was an angel or a deceased Catholic saint coming back to shower goodwill upon mankind, it seems these individuals' theories were incorrect; it was, in fact, a caring bystander and faith leader who took the time to help a young woman in crisis.

The statement, provided to TheBlaze by spokesperson Deacon Dan Joyce, head of communications for the diocese, reads (Joyce also confirmed these details with TheBlaze, noting that he has spoken with the priest about what unfolded):

Sheriff

Student group sues cop as infiltrator

United Students Against Sweatshops sued the District of Columbia and an undercover police officer they claim has been posing as a protester, handing out flowers, carrying banners and chanting - to keep tabs on the student labor organization.

United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) sued the District of Columbia and Metro Police Department Officer Nicole Rizzi, who allegedly works undercover as a protester called "Missy."

USAS claims to have chapters on more than 150 campuses, on its Internet home page. It claims Rizzi participated in three of its protests this year, all of which were planned to be peaceful.

"MPD has used one or more undercover officers, including defendant Nicole Rizzi, in connection with plaintiff's engagement in First Amendment activity," according to the complaint in Superior Court. "Defendant Nicole Rizzi has infiltrated USAS protests including actions on March 11, 2013, March 15, 2013, and June 29, 2013."

Under the name Missy, Rizzo hands out flyers, helps carry banners and chants along with the group, USAS claims. But it say she's really there as a spy. Their protests took place at retail stores The Gap and The Children's Place, according to the complaint.

Comment: Ahhh, there's nothing like the smell of freshly outed stool pigeon first thing in the morning. Hopefully suing snitches will become a popular trend?


Info

Indian Navy submarine catches fire, 18 sailors feared trapped


Mumbai: A huge explosion accompanied by a fire rocked an Indian Navy submarine docked in the high security Naval dockyard early on Wednesday, officials said. At least 18 people are feared trapped in the vessel.

The blast followed by a fire occurred shortly after midnight on the INS Sindhurakshak submarine. Many sailors on board the submarine reportedly jumped off to safety.

"There is likelihood of some personnel being trapped inside. The details are being ascertained," an official defence ministry statement issued at 3.15 a.m. said.

Phoenix

Indian submarine explodes, sinks at naval dockyard

submarine explosion
© VHikalp Shah/Twitter
At least 18 people are believed to have been on board the submarine that caught fire, exploded and partially sank at the naval dockyard in Mumbai.

The blast happened on the INS Sindhurakshak around midnight and was shortly followed by a massive fire. Many of the sailors on board the submarine reportedly managed to jump off to safety, but more than a dozen are feared trapped inside the hull.

"There are some people who are trapped on board, we are in the process of trying to rescue them, we suspect it to be in the range of 18," navy spokesman PVS Satish told Reuters.

The vessel partially submerged after the fire. "We will not give up until we get to them," Satish added.

Smiley

Catholics believe liquid from 'miracle' tree is god's tears - Arborist says it's lice excrement

People pray at tree outside St. Johns Cathedral in Fresno, California, say tree weeps God's tears
Experts: Tree drips with bug excrement, not tears



As the mid-day sun beat down, a group of parishioners huddled under a tree looking for shade, but seeking a miracle.

Rosemarie Navarro, a parishioner at a Fresno, California Catholic Church says, "I said my prayer and asked the Lord to give me a miracle cause I'm really, really sick."

Navarro counts herself among the believers, a small but growing group that thinks the liquid dripping from this Crape Myrtle tree is the tears of God.

Parishioner Maria Ybarra says, "When you say 'glory be to God in Jesus name' the tree starts throwing out more water."

On close inspection, arborist Jon Reelhorn agrees, something is falling from the tree in front of St. Johns Cathedral. But it isn't water.

"The aphides will suck the sap, the sap goes through the aphid and then it is a honey dew excrement from the aphid and it gets so heavy in the summertime that it will drip down," Reelhorn says.

Comment: Just goes to show that one person's divine miracle is another person's bug poop.