This and That

Homeschooler flees Germany’s state custody

Melissa Busekros, the schoolgirl taken by police and placed in a psychiatric hospital because she was diagnosed with a “school phobia” and was being homeschooled, has fled state custody to make a midnight trip back to her own family, according to Joel Thornton, president of The International Human Rights Group. “At 3 a.m., in Erlangen, Germany, Melissa reached her home to the surprise of her entire family,” Thornton told WND. “Earlier in the morning Melissa left a note with the foster family where she was being held and began the journey to her family. She left of her own volition.” Thornton said April 23 is Melissa’s birthday, and on turning 16, “this gives her broader rights than it does in America. It gives her more of a voice in her own custody. So, she decided to return home.”

I use hilarity only because I couldn’t think of a better word beginning with h.

Anyway, sometimes I get a kick out of headlines. Other times, they make me scratch my cranium. And at times, they make me sigh or roll my eyes.

So . . . these were the first headlines I saw two mornings ago on April 17:

#1 — Questions remain, huh? No kidding.

#3 — In the PR campaign, you wouldn’t expect the Al-Qaeda to say Iraq is the “morgue of terror” would you?

#6 — Needlessly??!! Are there any children (poor or otherwise) that are needfully ravaged by AIDS or any other disease?

Oh well. I’m sure I would write some strange headlines also. 🙂

Professor killed saving students at Virginia Tech

A 75-year-old Israeli professor and Holocaust survivor was killed in the massacre at Virginia Tech on Holocaust Memorial Day, Monday when he leaped between the gunner and his students. According to eye witnesses the heroic action of Liviu Librescu, a lecturer in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, saved the lives of an unknown number of students in his class. Asael Arad, an Israeli Virginia Tech student told Army Radio that “all the students lived — because of him,” The Jerusalem Post reported.

May God sustain his family and comfort his students.

And may those students never blemish his sacrifice by how they choose to live their lives from here on out.

HT: comments at WizBangBlog

I missed this piece from the Postal Service Newsroom on Thursday, April 12:

If it could ring, it would resonate freedom and independence from using one or two-cent stamps to mail letters when stamp prices change in the future. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) today introduced its latest consumer innovation by dedicating the Forever Stamp next to the patriotic icon it depicts. Featuring the Liberty Bell image and the word “forever,” the Forever Stamp — available nationwide today — is good for mailing one-ounce First-Class Mail letters anytime in the future — regardless of price changes.

The Forever Stamp will always be available at the price of a First-Class Mail stamp in effect at the time of purchase. To introduce the stamp to the public, the Postal Service is offering the stamp today at 41 cents. Customers may use the stamp as soon as they wish, but stamp prices will not change until May 14. When prices change in the future, the Forever Stamp will sell at the new one-ounce, single-piece First-Class Mail price.

As one who mails lots of stuff, I’m glad to see this stamp. Very glad.

But when the current first class rate is still 39 cents, why would I purchase these at 41 cents?

Since I like stamps, I expect to buy some in another month or so. But I don’t plan to stock up on them until there’s another price change looming. 😀

Mexican magnate becomes world’s second richest man

A Mexican telecoms tycoon has become the second richest man in the world, pushing US investment guru Warren Buffett into third place and breathing down the neck of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Fine. But what about this?

He has derided Gates and Buffett for giving away so much of their wealth, reportedly saying: “Poverty isn’t solved with donations,” according to Forbes. Building businesses, he reportedly said, did more for society than “going around like Santa Claus.”

Is he onto something?

You like my headline? I thought it up all by myself earlier today!

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will not participate in a Democratic debate co-hosted by Fox News Channel this fall, campaign aides indicated Monday. The decision by the two Democratic presidential candidates follows an announcement last week by John Edwards, another White House contender, that he would forgo the Fox event. The Sept. 23 debate, set for Detroit, is co-sponsored by the cable news network and by the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute.

Maybe they remember that you’re supposed to keep the fox out of the chickenhouse.

😉

Or how does that old adage go?

Maybe the new version is keep the chickens out of the fox house?

I don’t know.

I don’t care either.

It seems there a lot of “gross violations” going on out there.

I checked into the matter after hearing about the story at the end of this post.

In India

The DGCA has said this was a gross violation of rules as low-cost airlines cannot overbook.

In Arizona

“This appears to be a gross violation of attendance keeping,” Rowe said, adding that the board voted after an eight-month investigation of thousands of pages of enrollment and attendance documents. Earlier this year, board staff found Franklin Arts had an overstated enrollment of at least 267 students.

In Vermont

“This weekend, I had been informed that certain private individuals have obtained information from my personnel file,” Sullivan wrote. “This is a gross violation of the law and my rights as an employee of the city.”

In Nigeria

“This deliberate act of omission/negligence/ignorance is a gross violation of the provisions of the Public Order Act which requires Political Parties/Groups to obtain permit upon application to the Commissioner of Police within 48 hrs before the date of such meetings.”

In Iran

The Chatham House report ignores the very obvious fact that the Iranian regime has suppressed the Iranian people for more than 25 years and has a very horrible record in human rights in Iran, and has already been condemned more than 51 times by various United Nations bodies for gross violation of human rights.

In Pakistan

They said the attack on The News and Geo offices was a gross violation of people’s right to free expression.

In the Philippines

Barias said the actions of the Cafgu detachment personnel amounted to gross violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In Germany

“Feeding by hand is not species-appropriate but a gross violation of animal protection laws,” animal rights activist Frank Albrecht was quoted as saying by the mass-circulation Bild daily, which has featured regular photo spreads tracking fuzzy Knut’s frolicking. “The zoo must kill the bear.”