Green Beret Who Confronted Afghan Boy-Rapist To Stay In Army

Weasel Zippers found this story and passed it along.  Besides their source, Fox News, I found two other outlets reporting this latest development.  In reversing a previous decision, the U.S. Army will not kick out Sergeant 1st Class Charles Martland, a Green Beret who roughed up an Afghan police commander who allegedly raped a boy and beat up the boy's mother.

Read more at the above-mentioned Fox News, Army Times and The Washington Times.

Man In "Panda Suit" Makes Bomb Threat At TV Station

According to several reports, a man wearing a panda suit entered the Fox News affiliate in Baltimore, threatened to blow the place up, and was later shot by police.  The building had been evacuated in response to his threat.  The suspect's condition is not yet known.

UPDATE:  The suspect is reportedly in "serious but stable" condition, and is expected to survive.  I have a feeling that his explanation for his actions, if he chooses to give one, is going to be interesting.

Read more at WMAR, FOX5, CBS News and FOX45 (the place which was threatened).

UPDATE 2:  Hot Air has some more recent information on story.  They cite Reuters, who report that the suspect thought that the world will end this coming June 3rd, and CNN, whose affiliate interviewed the suspect's father.  Looks like I was right.  The guy's reported explanation is certainly interesting.

Wednesday Links

A few stories out there in the news:

China has successfully tested a hypersonic glider.

The U.S. Air Force will have its own hypersonic weapons.

A mushroom cloud is seen coming from Area 51.

A British MP is suspended for her pre-membership comments about Israel.  (H/T Kel Fritzi & Catstrangler, for mentioning this on their BTR show)

An OECD official likens the possible Brexit to a tax.  (Another H/T to Kel & Cat)

The Republican and Democrat Senate primary winners in Maryland are....

Although the media won't say, among the losers of the Democrat House primary is....

The DOE is worried about anti-Muslim bullying.

The Austrian "far right" is angry about alleged sex attacks by refugees.  (Does being against sexual assault make you "far right"?)

This particular example deserves some Austrian anger, I'd say.

According to the Austrian presidential frontrunner, only about 1 in 5 of the migrants in Austria is a "real refugee".

In France, a Muslim shopkeeper is fined for having different hours open for men and women.

In France, a synagogue will be converted into a mosque.

In Denmark, Muslim girls attend girl-only swimming lessons.  (via here)

In Delaware, three girls involved in a fight in which a schoolmate was killed are suspended from their school.

President Obama will visit Flint, Michigan next week.

Donald Trump (R-NY) promises an "America first" foreign policy, which draws some criticism.

The current election may be one of the craziest ever, but at least the technology is improving.

Ted Cruz (R-TX) announces his VP choice.

And finally, a Pennsylvania state representative hires casting extras.

Augsburg, Germany Installs Traffic Lights In Sidewalks

"German engineering" is pretty much a cliché, but the German city of Augsburg has engineered a way to accommodate people who like to walk and look at their smartphones at the same time, while seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.  The city has installed traffic lights in its sidewalks, so that smartphone addicts don't have to look up.  I first read this story at IndiaTimes, because it had been put on Twitter, but after a bit of Googling, found some corroboration at The Washington Post and the Daily Mail.  The earliest publication, however, appears to be at TheLocal(dot)DE - a source from Germany.

LGBT Magazine Editor In Bangla Desh Killed In Machete Attack

If you're an American, and your attitude toward homosexual conduct is critical in any way, you might be accused of hate.  You don't have to do anything to harm a gay person, you merely have to have a politically incorrect opinion, such as opposition to gay marriage.  At the same time, if your attitude toward Islam is critical in any way, you might be accused of Islamophobia or even racism (even though Muslims can be members of any race).  But ironically enough, these two demands of political correctness are inherently at odds, since homosexuals in Muslim-majority countries can face dangers far worse than not being allowed to marry.  For example, in Bangla Desh, an editor of that country's first LGBT magazine was hacked to death by machete earlier today, along with a man who worked at the U.S. Embassy, in an act that by any objective standard, is far more hateful than refusing to sell a cake for use at a gay wedding.

Read more about the reported machete attack at the Independent, Fox News and CNN.

Irish Teen Helps Homeless With Invented Sleeping Bag

A teenage girl in Ireland has come up with a sleeping bag for the homeless in her country, and with the help of the charity Mendicity Institution, has given some homeless Irish an employment opportunity.  From ABC News:

It all started Jan. 9, 2015, when [Emily] Duffy entered the Irish "BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition." There, she presented a waterproof, fireproof sleeping bag and was noticed by the Mendicity Institution, a homeless charity in Dublin.

Mendicity manager Charles Richards offered her a deal: They would set up a workshop where service users would learn how to make their own sleeping bags and get paid for it.

"I knew straight away that there was going to be a use for my product and it would become something more that I could even imagine," Duffy told ABC News. "They tested them out, made a few modifications to fit what they wanted and that's how the Duffily bag came to be."

I'd say that what Emily Duffy has done is a perfect example of the best way to help the less fortunate among us - give them a chance to work.  Perhaps her sleeping bag might also be good for camping.  But before you go out and get your Duffily bag, laddies and lassies, read the full story.

Codorus Furnace

Codorus Furnace is located along Corodus Creek, about 8 miles northeast of York, Pennsylvania.  According to the sign standing in front of it, the furnace was built in 1765 by William Bennet, and is "the oldest remaining landmark of the iron industry in York County".  In 1771, James Smith, who later signed the Declaration of Independence, purchased the furnace and continued its operation.  It was finally shut down in 1850.  Today, a road passes in front of the furnace, between it and the creek.  There is a small parking area just off the road.  Behind the furnace is a hill.  As seen in this shot of the furnace and the sign, the furnace comprises three sections: a short trapezoidal base, a circular stone section tapering upwards, and an upper section made of brick.

In the front of the base, made mostly of stone, is this niche lined with bricks, leading to an inner stone wall.

This is the west side of the furnace, taken after walking slightly uphill.  The path to the right leads further up the hill.  Note how the upper brick section is very much off-center with respect to the middle circular section.

From further uphill, this is the southern face of approximately the upper half of the furnace.  The adjacent road and Codorus Creek are in the lower background.

In this view looking up from the front and east side of the furnace, the upper brick section sticks out from the central stone section.

Here's just a bit of Codorus Creek, across the road from the furnace.

More about Codorus Furnace may be found at Waymarking and the official site of Hellam Township, Pennsylvania.

Links For Saint George's Day

Here are some things going on, as our friends across the Pond celebrate Saint George's Day and mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare:

From The Age, Australian troops in Iraq are finding "entire suburbs" wired with mines.  (via Topix and Terrorism Headlines)

From SBS, the Grand Mufti of Australia is reportedly suing News Corp for defamation.

From The Jerusalem Post, Iran accuses ISIS of conspiring against it.

From UPI, ISIS claims to have downed a Syrian plane and captured its pilot.

From Business Standard, a professor in Bangla Desh is "hacked to death", for which ISIS claims responsibility.  UPDATE:  There's more on this story from CNN.  (via Bare Naked Islam)

From D.C. Clothesline, a look at a Time article about Islam, from 1979.

From Hürriyet Daily News, 12 police officers and three civilians are wounded in a bomb attack by the PKK.  (via Turkish Weekly)

From CNS News, according to Turkey's prime minister, migrant crossings from Turkey into Greece have dropped.

From Fox News, according to South Korean defense officials, North Korea has fired a ballistic missile from a submarine.

From The Times Of Israel, a look at Melania Trump's Slovenian home town.

From National Review, Donald Trump's accusation of "stolen delegates" and "rigged" elections are nothing new.

From Townhall, America's "most predatory victims".

From Yahoo News, tens of thousands of Germans protest against a proposed transatlantic trade deal.  (via TeaParty(dot)org)

From YNetNews, suicide in Israel is decreasing.

From Farandu Life, world leaders sign the latest U.N. climate deal.

From the Express, a man in Gillingham, England allegedly exposes himself to a woman at a pool.

From Re/Code, how to binge on Prince.

And from CNet, headphones for people who love hearing bass.

Scared Yet?

Why should you be scared?  Consider this:  At the same time more illegal alien families than ever are entering the United States, ISIS (according to a man accused of trying to join them) is trying to open routes from Mexico into the United States.

Prince Rogers Nelson 1958-2016

The musical artist known as Prince, whose full name appears in the post title, was found dead earlier today at his Paisley Park compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota.  He was 57.  He had recently been suffering health problems, including an episode which forced his private plane to make an emergency landing.

Prince was born to parents who were racially mixed and musically talented.  He could play several instruments, recording most if not all the instruments on many of his albums.  Although often marketed as a solo artist, he also fronted bands called The Revolution and The New Power Generation.  By combining influences from rock, R&B and new wave, Prince helped to create the Minneapolis sound.   In 1984, he starred in the movie Purple Rain and won an Oscar for its soundtrack.  As a result of a dispute with his record label, Warner Bros., he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993, reverting back to his given name in 2000.

Read more at Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, CNN, The New York Times and TMZ.

Harriet Tubman To Replace Andrew Jackson On $20 Bill

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is expected to announce the that Andrew Jackson will be removed from the $20 bill and replaced by Harriet Tubman.  The replacement of Jackson by a woman was expected, but until now, the particular female historical figure was unknown.  Meanwhile, Alexander Hamilton will remain on the $10 bill.

Read more at Politico, the New York Post, The New York Times, CNN Money and Vox.

The removal of Jackson from our currency has already been welcomed by the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, who during Jackson's presidency endured the Trail of Tears.

Trump Talks About "7/11" Attacks

While speaking in Buffalo, New York, presidential candidate Donald Trump (R-NY) experienced a bit of foot-in-mouth disease, confusing the date of the deadliest terror attack on America with the name of a convenience store.  Or has Hillary Clinton (D-NY) might say, he misspoke.

Read more at Fox News, The New York Times, The Hill and Gothamist.  I'd also say that there are some pretty good comments over on the video's YouTube page.

Links For (This Year's) Tax Day

Here are some stories going on while there's still (a very small amount of) time to mail in your tax return:

Jordan says "not so fast" to putting cameras on the Temple Mount.

Israel has arrest three people for allegedly paying people to harass visitors to the Temple Mount.

A Chinese military aircraft has landed on an artificial island.

A backhoe hit by an Amtrak train had the right to be on the track.

According to a prosecutor, Italy could fight ISIS by decriminalizing marijuana.

Muslim leaders in Germany condemn a proposal to ban minarets and burqas.

Contrary to the idea that joblessness contributes to terrorism, most ISIS fighters have held jobs.

Iran's capital has 7,000 undercover "morality crime agents".

According to one Op-Ed, the hidden truths about 9/11 involve more than Saudi Arabia.

When asked if she had seen the 28 classified pages from the 9/11 Commission's report, Hillary Clinton (D-NY) won't say.

Presidential candidate Ted Cruz (R-TX) claims victory in five "landslides", but only one of them involved any popular votes.

A reporter in Houston rescues a man from floodwaters, while on camera.

Seven things have been found offensive at the White Privilege Conference, and it's all the fault of Christianity.

While illegal aliens and their enablers protest, the Supreme Court appears divided over President Obama's executive amnesty.

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) reminds us that when it comes to immigration policy, "no one is above the law".

A man released after five years of wrongful imprisonment will sue the state of Illinois.

The military allegedly misled Congress on sexual assaults.

Here are some scenes from a Lebanese festival in Alabama.

Why Minecraft is popular and good for kids.

According to DHS, if you've got Quicktime, you should get rid of it.

To finish:  That's no moon.  It's a speaker.

Maryland House Race Becomes County's Priciest

If you have a problem with money in politics, my adoptive home state will really get under your skin.  From The Baltimore Sun:

A competitive contest for the Democratic nomination - and a huge investment by a self-funded candidate - has made the fight for Maryland's 8th Congressional District the most expensive House race in the nation, new data from the Federal Election Commission show.

Candidates competing for the seat, left open by Rep. Chris Van Hollen's decision to run for Senate, have spent nearly $14 million since last year.

That's right.  The most expensive seat in the House is right here in Maryland.  The Senate seat Van Hollen is running for is currently occupied by Barbara Mikulski (D), who has decided not to run for reelection.  For what it's worth, I don't live in the 8th District, so I have no say in who replaces Van Hollen in the House.  Read the full story.

Monocacy Battlefield Monuments

In July of 1864, a Civil War battle took place near the Monocacy River, about three miles southeast of Frederick, Maryland.  Today, the area of "the battle that saved Washington" is a National Park Service unit named Monocacy National Battlefield.  It includes a visitors center, a few hiking trails, and some monuments along or near Maryland state highway 355.  This monument to the Pennsylvania 87th is located on Araby Church Road, both ends of which run into MD 355.  Note the Swiss-style cross on the ball at the top.

Near the above monument is this marker to the 67th, 87th and 138th PA volunteers.

The Vermont monument is also along Araby Church Road.  Unfortunately, the inscribed cross-shaped plaque was in shadow.

The New Jersey Monument is just of MD 355, northwest of the Monocacy River.  Again, the front of the monument is in shadow.

This stone wall is the north boundary of the lawn surrounding the New Jersey monument.  Behind it and the trees is a railroad track.

The track splits into two branches under this bridge, over which MD 355 passes.  It looks like some repair work might be in order.

More about the Battle of Monocacy may be found at Civil War Album, Exploring Off The Beaten Path, Historical Army Foundation and Civil War Trust.

Video Shows Migrants Fighting Near Paris Métro Station

A YouTube user with the channel name Arnault CHENE posted this video, of a fight between migrants in the street below the Stalingrad Métro station.  (Yes, the Paris Métro has a station named Stalingrad.)

I say "between" to translate the French word entre.  If you go to the video page itself, the date given for the fight is "14 avril 2016" (April 14, 2016).  More on this story has been reported by the Daily Mail, the Mirror, Russia Today (who call this incident the "brawl of Stalingrad") and The Telegraph.  Depending on which source you go to, the fight was either between various migrants or between migrants and vigilantes.

Links For (Faux) Tax Day

April 15 is normally the deadline for filing your federal tax return, but this year, we have until April 18.  With that in mind, here are some things still happening today:

From The Guardian, a German comedian faces prosecution for joking about the Turkish president.

From the Brisbane Times, an Australian accused of racial discrimination over a Facebook post faces a huge legal fee bill.

From Reuters, in a YouGov poll over the possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, "In" has a slight lead.

From the Daily Mail, London Mayor Boris Johnson has some harsh words for President Obama.

From Breitbart's Big Government, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) wants Puerto Rico bondholders to be treated in the same way as Chrysler bondholders were in 2008 and 2009.

From The Washington Times, Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) vetoes a bill that would end permanent alimony.

In an audio program, WUIS asks, "Should movie theaters allow texting?"

From TownHall, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants the United States to be more like Europe, but apparently overlooks European unemployment.

From Catholic News Service, Sanders says that his visit to the Vatican was not a political endorsement.

From The Hill, health insurance companies are warning about their losses from Obamacare.

From the Evening Standard, two Muslims in Britain draw flak for praising a Pakistani man for killing a provincial governor.

From India.com, a Muslim man in India divorces his wife for voting for the wrong political party.

In an Op-Ed, Arutz Sheva asks, "Is Islam senselessly targeting Muslims?"

From FrontpageMag, how the mullahs of Iran spread Sharia outside their country.

From National Review, why sitcoms don't mention abortion.

From AOL, a college student allegedly killed her newborn baby in a bathroom.

From The Times Of Israel, the Academy of the Hebrew Languages announces several new words relating to computers and technology.

From Fox News, a judge rules that a lawsuit can go forward against the makers of a gun used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

From CNN, the Czech Republic announces a shorter version of their name.

And from The Verge, the future of food in theaters could get weird.

Anti-Trump Protesters Attack Police

As CBS Pittsburgh reports, some violence broke out near a rally for presidential candidate Donald Trump (R-NY).  If you read the first paragraph, you would think that the Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters were equally culpable.

Three people were arrested and four officers suffered minor injuries during a clash between Donald Trump supporters and protesters.

Note the phase "between Donald Trump supporters and protesters", which does not distinguish between the actions of each side.  In the fourth paragraph, however, the story becomes more specific.

According to the criminal complaint, several officers were working a “skirmish line” between Trump supporters and “anarchist members in masks” and protesters.  At one point, the anarchists/protesters began using pepper spray on the officers while trying to get to the Trump supporters.

Here you see what really happened.  The violence was initiated by anti-Trump people, who attacked the police, "trying to get to the Trump supporters".  This would mean that there was no actual clash between the the pro-Trump and anti-Trump sides, but violence by anti-Trumpers against the police.  Thankfully, the cops were able to defend themselves, and by doing so, defend the pro-Trumpers, who were merely exercising their right to peacefully assemble.  One lesson that might be learned from all this is that when I say "read the full story", the emphasis should be on "full".

Canadian Veteran Deals With The Paperwork

(H/T to Gulf Dogs, who Tweeted this one.)

This story comes via DownTrend, from the Edmonton Journal, which reports:

Retired Master Cpl. Paul Franklin lost both of his legs from just above knee when a bomb hit the vehicle he was driving during a Canadian Forces tour in Afghanistan in January 2006.

Ten years later, he is getting ready to fill out yet another set of forms to tell the Canadian government that, in fact, his legs are still missing.

I've heard about problems that some American military veterans face, when dealing with the VA, for example, but it looks like our northern neighbors who have fought for their country have likewise had to deal with the bureaucratic red tape.  You'd think, that once you've shown that you've lost a good part of both legs, the relevant information would be in your permanent record.  But as Corporal Franklin has found out, you might be wrong.  Read the full story.

"Trump Hates Pierogies"

When Donald Trump (R-NY) visits Pittsburgh today, he might encounter protests, such as food-themed signs on the lawn of one local resident.  As Salena Zito writes in TribLive:

While two protests are planned in response to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's visit to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the one on Eric Rickin's Fox Chapel lawn is the most uniquely Pittsburgh.

Homemade signs at his home read “Trump Likes Hunt's Ketchup,” “Trump Hates Pierogies,” and “Trump Moved My Parking Chair.”

The significance of pierogies is explained by Professor Alice Julier of Chatham University, who is quoted by Zito:

“I had pierogies growing up in New York, but here it is so different - it is such an emotional attachment. It is what brings us all together and gives us that identity,” she said.

A pierogi is a roughly semicircular pocket made of pasta, and filled with such things as potatoes or sauerkraut.  Like the professor, I ate pierogies growing up in New York.  They are very popular in parts of Pennsylvania (among other states), having been imported by Polish immigrants over 100 year ago.  Due to brands such as Mrs T's, I've been able to find them in supermarkets here in Maryland.  The word "pierogi" is derived from the Polish word pieróg, which means "dumpling".  In the nominative plural, the word becomes pierogi.  But before you go out and try some, read the full story.

"Bloody Islam" Billboard Inspires Controversy

A major tip of the hat to Kel of Red Fox Blogger, who reported this story on her BlogTalkRadio show.

A few media outlets have reported that a petition has been created objecting to a billboard in St. Augustine Beach, Florida, which reads "Islam Bloody Islam, doomed by its doctrine!"  In my opinion, the real story is that someone had the cajones to put the billboard up in the first place.

Read more at Action News Jax, First Coast News and WND.

Believe It Or Not, Postage Stamps To Cost Less

For the first time in a century, the price of a first-class U.S. postage stamp goes down, as of today, from 49 cents to 47 cents.   The price cut was ordered by the Postal Regulatory Commission.  The USPS anticipates a resulting decrease of $2 billion per year in their revenue.

Read more at AOL, The Economic Times and USA Today.

Saturday Links

Today, as winter makes one last gasp (we hope), here are some things going on out there:

From BBC News, the United States warns about threats in two Turkish cities.

From The Sun, a gay British cop is murdered, and treated in a gruesome manner afterwards.

From Rudaw, Kurdish migrants in Europe struggle to learn European languages, and 1300 Yezidis receive military training to defend Shingal.

From Townhall, the top 7 ways in which liberals wage a war on women.

From CNN, Senator Bernie Sanders (R-VT) looks for a win in the Wyoming caucuses.

From The Daily Caller, Ohio State students occupying an area outside the university president's office are told to get out or get arrested and expelled.

From the Independent, in London, about 5,000 protesters call for Prime Minister David Cameron to resign.

From The Hill, a congressman from North Carolina strikes back at Bruce Springsteen, who recently cancelled a concert in response to the state's new bathroom law.

From Fox News Latino, a painting by a Kazakh artist has been given to President Obama.  (Since Kazakhstan is not part of Latin America, I can only wonder how this story got into the "Latino" section of a news website.)

From WUIS, North Korea claims to have tested an engine for an ICBM.

From the Associated Press, Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Afghan leaders.

From The Manila Times, the leader of the Afghan Taliban consolidates his power.

From the International Business Times, a group linked to al Qaeda claims responsibility for the death of a Bangla Deshi secular activist.

From Breitbart London, a former feminist writes "Islam kills women".

From Yahoo News, a man arrested in Belgium has admitted to being the "man in a hat" seen in surveillance video at the Brussels airport.

From National Review, a look at Donald Trump's border wall plan.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Tech's spring football practices are getting "fast and furious".

And from Re/Code, there really are smart cows.

Greek Seaport Sold To Chinese Company

(H/T LSU Jeff for Tweeting this story)

The Greek capital city of Athens has long been served by the nearby port of Piraeus.  Due to a deal signed today, control of Piraeus will be transferred to China.  Under the terms of the deal, the Greek government will sell a 67% stake in the port for 368.5 million Euros to the shipping company COSCO, which is owned by the Chinese government.  Workers at the port have staged a protest march.  COSCO was the sole bidder.

In my own travels, I've sailed out of Piraeus twice, most recently almost ten years ago.  Back then, I could never have imagined the port being sold to a Chinese company.  But due to more recent developments, I can understand why the Greeks might want an infusion of cash.

Read more at Russia Today (which Jeff Tweeted), Reuters and AP The Big Story.

Hillary Clinton's Subway Adventure

Writing in Investor's Business Daily, Andrew Malcolm writes about Hillary Clinton's recent ride on the New York subway, which apparently included a photo-op.  As he tells us:

If not run right, however, photo ops can suddenly turn on a politician and bite their South Side — in front of the same leering cameras. Ask Hillary Clinton after her awkward Thursday experience attempting to enter the New York City subway.

Clinton’s had Secret Service chauffeurs for 23 years now. She hasn’t driven a car this century. She prohibits traveling press from photographing her boarding chartered private jets.

But with the New York primary just 11 days away and another elderly ex-New Yorker undermining her sure-fire, now lame nomination campaign by winning six of the last seven contests, millionairess Clinton wanted to look like a regular person. So, she shunned the limo and charter jet.

Just think.  Sixteen years after carpet-bagging her way into New York to become their junior Senator, Hillary Clinton finally decided to take a ride on the NYC subway.  But just getting into the system proved to be a challenge.  Back to IBD:

So, Clinton walked up to the subway turnstile holding the MetroCard someone bought for her. She swiped it at the fare reader. And…….nothing. Again. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Again. Nothing.

Cameras captured the painful scene as the woman who jokes about wiping her private email server with a cloth looked like a puzzled yutz.

Finally, on the fifth try Clinton gained entry, confident in the knowledge her straight face would appear in this photo, not her five tries.

I don't recall anyone having that much trouble with the Washington DC Metro, but if someone does, he won't be alone.  Read the full story, and as Malcolm warns, do so "before the media buries it".

New Yankees Player Sets Record

Here's a Castro I can root for.  From NBC Chicago:

Starlin Castro spent the first six seasons of his baseball career with the Chicago Cubs, but after being traded from the team this offseason, he is already setting records at his new home in the Big Apple.

Castro, who was sent to the New York Yankees during the offseason, has already racked up eight runs batted in through his first three games with the team, making him the first player to ever accomplish that feat in the long and storied history of the franchise.

In getting 8 RBIs in his first three games as a Yankee, Castro has outdone players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Thurman Munson, Don Mattingly and Alex Rodriguez.  Read the full story.  Note that the source is from the city where Castro played last year.  Go here for Castro's individual statistics.

Details About Dennis Hastert's Alleged Misconduct Emerge

This story comes via WGN.

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), now facing sentencing for skirting banking laws and lying to the FBI, has been accused of sexual abuse by four people, who had attended the high school where Hastert was a teacher and wrestling coach.  From the Chicago Tribune:

For months, federal authorities have hinted at the motive behind the hush-money payments former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert has admitted to making: the sexual abuse of a teenage boy when Hastert was still a suburban high school teacher and wrestling coach.

But now, a Tribune investigation has uncovered new details of the case — at least four people have made what law enforcement sources say are credible allegations of sexual abuse against Hastert.

The Tribune has determined the identities of three of them, all men, whose allegations stretch over a decade when they were teenagers and Hastert was their coach. One is dead. The Tribune has approached the other two — described in federal court records as Individuals A and D — and confirmed their roles in the case.

The Tribune has not learned the identity of the fourth accuser.  Read the full story.

Merle Haggard 1937-2016

Country music legend Merle Haggard died this morning at his home near Redding, California after a months-long battle with pneumonia, on his 79th birthday.  He had spent some time in a hospital and under hospice care.

After his parents moved from Oklahoma, Merle Ronald Haggard was born in Oildale, California in a house which his father had converted from a railroad boxcar.  He taught himself guitar after one had been given to him when he was 12.  During his teen years and early twenties, he spent time in jail for a variety of offenses, but was able to earn the equivalent of a high diploma while incarcerated.  After his release in 1960, he launched his music career.  Some of his earlier hits included Okie From Muskogee and The Fightin' Side Of Me.  Haggard has been married five times, and had four children with his first wife and two with his fifth.

Read more at Taste Of Country, TMZ, Entertainment Weekly and Variety. The TMZ article includes videos of Haggard performing the two songs mentioned above, the first as a duet with Willie Nelson.

Cruz And Sanders Win In Wisconsin

In yesterday's Wisconsin primary, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) each easily won his respective party's vote.  For some details and commentary:

From The Guardian, county-by-county results.

CNN presents "5 takeways".

Conservative Review presents "9 observations and outcomes".

From The Hill, Sanders "wins big", but "barely dents" Hillary Clinton's lead in the delegate count.

And from National Review, conservatives have started to rally around Cruz.

Tuesday Links

Some things in the news:

From Russia Today, Turkey imposes a curfew on the Kurdish town of Silopi.

From Wired, Turkey gets hacked.

From The Local AT, in Styria, a recent Muslim convert fatally stabs his wife and her sister.  (That's Styria, not Syria.)

In FrontpageMag, Daniel Greenfield discusses "the religion of colonialism".

From Asian Image, a Muslim scholar who toured mosques in Great Britain in 1993 is accused of preaching hate.

From the Express, the same Muslim scholar is believed to have helped inspire the terror attacks in London in 2005.

From Breitbart London, a Muslim migrant allegedly raped a teenage girl during his second day in Sweden.

From The Sun, a Sharia-run "no go zone" appears to have been established in a British jail.

From the International Business Times, a suicide car bomb explodes near a school in Afghanistan.

From BBC News, the government of Azerbaijan and separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have agreed to a cease-fire.

From CBS Sports, in the NCAA men's basketball championship game Villanova defeats North Carolina on a three-point shot in the final seconds.

From the Detroit Free Press, Ford will invest $1.6 billion to build a new plant in Mexico.

From The Washington Post, the DHS has allegedly misused administrative leave.

From Fox News, scientists try to determine Carthaginian general Hannibal's route through the Alps by analyzing horse manure.

From WGN, Air France stewardesses who object to wearing head scarves on flights to Iran have been given the choice of opting out of those flights.

From Health, how having a baby affects women's hair.

And from the New York Post, the borough of Brooklyn will soon have its first cat cafe.

Byzantine-Era Ruins Found In Gaza

This story comes from Reuters via The Times Of Israel.  From Reuters:

Construction workers in Gaza have discovered ancient ruins that archaeologists say may be part of a Byzantine church dating from around 1,500 years ago, the Palestinian tourism and antiquities ministry said on Monday.

The findings include segments of marble pillars with ornate Corinthian capitals, one nearly three meters (yards) long, and a 90 cm (35 inch) foundation stone bearing a Greek symbol for Christ. Fifteen pieces have been uncovered, with excavations continuing.

The workers were preparing the ground for a shopping center, when they came upon the ruins.  Read the full story.

Stanford Newspaper Sets Forth Demands

This story comes via The College Fix.  The independent student newspaper at Stanford University, The Stanford Review, has come out with a set of demands for the university's administration, just in time for April 1st.  The first few are:

1. WE DEMAND that Stanford builds a wall around El Centro Chicano, and makes MEChA pay for it.

2. WE DEMAND that Stanford expels Panda Express from campus, since its food is culturally appropriative, and celebrates the harvesting of the endangered panda bear.

3. WE DEMAND that Stanford renames White Plaza to Black Plaza. Naming a central plaza after a race is hateful.

Wait a minute, there.  Isn't "black" just as much as a race as "white"?  And why not use the more PC term "African American" instead?  The next one, in any event, would have to be my favorite.

4. WE DEMAND that Stanford recognizes that half-lives matter, and establishes a committee to fund the Chemistry and Physics Departments accordingly.

Due to my own scientific background, I could definitely get behind the "Half-Lives Matter" movement.  I can also think of an appropriate historical figure to be used as a symbol.  To learn the entire list of demands, read the original article.