WE MOVED. We now have our own domain. We are excited to improve our blog and we now have the ability to offer tile ads and community ads on our new site.
Thank you to the hundreds of readers who have shown up to support our site. Here is the address of our new blog home. www.bsotpond.com
Thanks. Both Sides of the Pond Admin.
This article from Maxim Magazine on Colton Harris-Moore –
“Looking back, it seems obvious that the authorities wouldn’t keep Colton Harris-Moore cooped up for long. The gangly teen giant from Camano Island, 25 miles north of Seattle, had been in and out of trouble since before his teens and was convicted of his first crime at age 12 (possession of stolen property). By 15, he went on an islandwide burglary spree with an older boy named Harley Davidson Iron-wing. When they weren’t being carted off to juvie, they worked their way through the opulent—and empty—summer homes of Washington State’s elite, then disappeared into the surrounding forests.
Ultimately, Harris-Moore spent seven months on the lam as the most notorious fugitive in Puget Sound before cops discovered him holed up in a vacant home. Foolishly, he’d left a light on. Now the boy called Colt found himself in a minimum security facility in Renton, Washington on the outskirts of Seattle. He was smart, a quick study…” read the article here:
Post by: rz
Does anyone want a camper? Its FREE.
If so, its yours so come and take it home.
Your camper can be picked up anytime at
1940 Harbor Sands Ln, Freeland, WA. [South Whidbey Island]
Death Row inmate Darold Stenson, the exotic bird guy from Sequim, who was scheduled to be executed could get a new trial based on evidence contamination.
Seems the Deputy was playing ‘dress up’ wtih the evidence. OUTRAGEOUS. Good thing Monty got his photo taken contaminating these clothes or no one would have known about it. After seeing this photo we wouldn’t trust any evidence found on those pants. We wonder why this didn’t come out during the trial?
The story from the Peninsula Daily News:
In this photograph taken in 1994, Clallam County Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Monty Martin wears jeans said to have been worn by Darold Stenson the day of the murder of his wife and business partner. Stenson’s lawyers are arguing that Martin might have contaminated the evidence used in Stenson’s conviction
PORT ANGELES — A picture is said to be worth a thousand words.
For the attorneys representing convicted double-murderer Darold Stenson of Sequim, who is fighting a death sentence, the gravity of one photograph taken in 1994 can be summarized in just one word: retrial.
The picture, which shows the lead investigator in the 1993 murders wearing Stenson’s bloodstained jeans, points to possible evidence contamination, the attorneys argue. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATED: 4:30 pm. Colton Harris-Moore escaped capture yet again, as police scale back the massive search for Colton down to investigation status. From the San Juan Journal here.
Police are all over Orcas Island this morning in search of Colton Harris-Moore.
The following from KOMO4 news website:
ORCAS ISLAND, Wash. — Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies have converged on part of Orcas Island where Colton Harris-Moore is believed to be hiding.
San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming said sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and a dog-tracking team are on the ground, and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter is helping with the search.
The search began about 1:15 a.m. on Thursday.
“Harris is believed to be in a very isolated, very rugged area on the west side of the island,” Cumming said.
Harris-Moore has long been a thorn in the side of police, taunting investigators with his brazen crimes.
Each time police have gotten close, Harris-Moore has managed to disappear into the woods without a trace.
He has garnered considerable media attention and was nicknamed the “Barefoot Bandit” after allegedly committing some break-ins without wearing shoes.
Since he escaped from a halfway house in April 2008, Harris-Moore has been sought in scores of break-ins around Western Washington and is suspected of stealing four small planes and crashing each one.
Police suspect he’s also stolen boats and luxury cars, and broken into dozens of homes and businesses, including several on Orcas Island. His total haul may top $1.5 million, officials say.
It’s believed Harris-Moore may have returned to Orcas Island on Feb. 10, when a stolen plane landed on the island after dark and a local grocery store was broken into and burglarized.
His exploits have garnered national media attention, and a Facebook fan page for the teen burglar has attracted thousands of fans. A local business even started selling T-shirts with the teen’s likeness.
UPDATE: This from the San Juan Journal.
News conference update expected at 4:30 pm. today.
The ‘answer them nothing’ defense of the FLDS polygamists seems to have ended. The FLDS have now answered.
FLDS are defending themselves by claiming they don’t practice polygamy but rather they practice adultery. We don’t know which is worse. Looks to us they have just thrown their wives and children under the bus.
If these Mormons honestly believed God ordained them to practice polygamy, then why not stand up, tell the truth and trust God to take care of them?
The following from Brooke Adams ‘The Plural Life’ blog
Here are excerpts, quoted from Michael Emack’s Motion to Dismiss his bigamy charge:
1. In the purely religious unions at issue in this cause, there is no holding out that the cohabitating parties are “married,” nor is there any intention by any participant to be “married,” in anything other than a purely religious sense.
2. It is well settled that fraud is the gravamen of bigamy, and no fraud or deception of any kind is involved here.
3. The strict scrutiny required by the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act prohibits the state from criminalizing that religious practice as “bigamy,” with the attendant substantial burden on defendant’s religious and associational rights, unless the state can meet its burden to show it has a compelling interest and is using means narrowly tailored to further that interest.
4. The state’s prosecution in this cause arises out of and is based on a label defendant and his church apply to a religious ordinance he considers essential to his salvation. To criminalize such religious conduct violates defendant’s rights of religious conscience and freedom, equal protection and association.
5. The FLDS do not believe they become legally and civilly married by engaging in celestial marriage.
6. Defendant is legally and lawfully married to Sarah Hammon.
7. While legally and lawfully married to Sarah Hammon, defendant has cohabited with one Ruleen Johnson Jessop, a person other than his spouse Sarah Hammon, in this state.
8. Defendant and Ruleen Johnson Jessop participated in a “celestial marriage” on or about August 5, 2004.
9. Defendant also engaged in “celestial marriages” to two other women prior to his “marriage” to Ruleen Johnson Jessop.
10. The definition of “marriage” is set forth in the Texas Constitution: “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.”
11. Defendant and Sarah Hammon do not, however, hold themselves out as being only in a union of one man and one woman, nor does either party intend to be only in a union of one man and one woman.
12. Those who do not seek the state’s imprimatur, and who do not hold themselves out as having done so, do not cross the threshold that would subject them to criminal punishment for what would essentially be an abuse of or affront to the state’s power and prestige (as well as a fraud on one or more other parties).
13. The principal purpose of these unions is to bind generation to generation for spiritual purposes unique to FLDS faith and practice, such that the entire community is strengthened and edified and the participants’ hope in exaltation is advanced.
14. Those who choose, for religious or other personal reasons, to refer to themselves as “married,” even though they know the law does not so regard them, should be free to do so within their private sphere.
15. Imposing criminal penalties on such a basis would be equivalent to disciplining an individual who goes by the name of “Doctor W,” but who is not, in fact, a licensed physician, for violation of state licensing requirements even though he has never held himself out as, professed to be or intended to be a legally licensed doctor or to have the medical expertise that licensed status is designed to ensure.
16. The statute cannot extend to criminalize an individual’s entry into a religious union where there has been no attempt to elicit the state’s recognition of marital status or to procure the attendant benefits of this status under the law, where neither party has held himself or herself out as having done so, and where neither party to the union believed it to have such legal import. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: 3/19/10 @1:50pm
The jury has sentenced Merril Leroy Jessop to 75 yrs in prision, and a $10,000. fine.
The Verdict was determined in one hour!
Merril Leroy Jessop “kept a pleasant face while 51st District Judge Barbara Walther read the jury statement and pronounced the word “guilty.”
You’ve got to admire Merril Leroy’s keep sweet attitude.
Following from the San Angelo Standard Times – website.
SAN ANGELO, Texas — A Tom Green County jury has found Merril Leroy Jessop, 35, guilty of sexual assault of a child in connection with allegations he illegally married an underage girl.
Jessop is a member of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
He kept a pleasant face while 51st District Judge Barbara Walther read the jury statement and pronounced the word “guilty.”
Jurors heard closing arguments this morning and left at 11:30 a.m. to deliberate.
Attorneys were summoned back to the courtroom at 12:30 p.m. upon hearing that the jury had reached their verdict.
Even more from the Salt Lake Tribune –
#4 – Texas you rock!
Learn more about the FLDS here and here.
Post by: rz
This from the ACLU Washington website:
Harking back to the days of Mark Sidran, the Seattle City Council is considering an unnecessary ordinance that gives law enforcement new powers to fine poor people, vendors, and people promoting political positions. The new law would empower the police to give out $50 tickets to people who ask for money for any reason within 15 feet of a parking pay station or ATM – even if the solicitor is not threatening or harassing.
Tell the City Council that poor and homeless people need services and support, not ineffective laws.
Read more at ACLU of Washington here.
We say- Doh? If people are asking for spare change can they afford to pay a fine? No. Can we, the tax payer, afford to pay for the adjudication of these tickets? No.
Post by: rz
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing. ” – Edmund Burke; Irish orator, philosopher & politician.
So true.
Post by: ss.
The amazing and resilient mushers in the Iditarod Race are just over half-way to Nome, the finish line. Follow the race in realtime here. The photo slideshow is a must watch.
3/14/10 – [4pm] The first mushers are now arriving in Shaktoolik, on Norton Sound. This is the section of the race where the hurricane-velocity winds and ground blizzards can cut visibility to zero as the trail crosses Norton Sound to Koyuk. Once in Koyuk the racers travel over land for another 171 miles to Nome.
3/16/10 – 2:59 pm – Nome, AK. Congratulations to Lance Mackey for his 1st place 2010 Iditarod win.
2nd – Hans Gatt @ 4: 04 pm – Nome, AK.
3rd – Jeff King @ 5:22 pm – Nome, AK.
Posted by: rz
“No man can purchase his virtue, for it is the only thing whose value must ever increase with the price it has cost us. Our integrity is never worth so much as when we have parted with our all to keep it.” – Ovid. Author Nationalities, poet.
Meet Merrill Leroy Jessop. Mr. Jessop is a member of the polygamist cult the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS. Merrill Leroy Jessop is one of 12 [the Dirty Dozen] who were charged with child sexual assault as a result of evidence gathered during the raid on the Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas.
His trial began Monday. He is #4 of the 12 cases in the trial lineup. Merrill Leroy Jessop, 35, is charged with a first-degree felony, punishable by five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Following are the criminal penalties handed out to the first 3:
Raymond Merril Jessop was tried over 12 days on charges of sexual assault. The jury returned a guilty verdict and imposed a sentence of 10 years in prison and an $8,000 fine.
Allan Eugene Keate was sentenced to 33 years in Texas state prison after the jury deliberated for only five hours. He was found guilty on a charge of sexual abuse of a child.
Michael George Emack pled no contest to sexual assault charges and was sentenced to seven years in prison. This came about because he married a 16-year-old at YFZ Ranch on August 5, 2004. She would give birth to a son less than a year later.
Just 8 trials to go, including Dr. Lloyd Hammon Barlow, the cult’s doctor who is charged with failure to report the child sexual abuse, and the leader of the FLDS, Warren S. Jeffs.
To learn more about the FLDS go here or here.
Thank you Texas for having the guts to go where Utah and Arizona would not. After 150 years of these Mormons practicing the ‘lots of young chicks’ doctrine to create a Celestial Kingdom, Texas has stepped up to prosecute these crimes and human rights violations. The new FLDS compound: The Cell O Steel Kingdom.
Post by: ss
WARNING –
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Poem by Jenny Joseph
Learn more and join the Red Hat Society here.
post by: rz
Sign the petition to end criminal penalties on marijuana. Learn about the initiative, I- 1068, where to sign it and how to collect signatures at Sensible Washington.
Sensible Washington is a political committee dedicated to ending marijuana prohibition in Washington State and to enacting sensible civil regulation of marijuana in Washington State. Sensible Washington is sponsor of a proposed initiative for the November 2010 General Election that would remove criminal penalties from the adult use, possession and cultivation of marijuana in Washington State. [from the Sensible Washington website]
We think this is way past due. We have long advocated using this substance to raise revenue rather than having it drain the coffers of the criminal justice system. Additionally, we are advocates of changing the laws to again allow hemp to be grown in the United States and stop out-sourcing our hemp industry.
Post by: rz
First, we want to say how sad that Dawn Brancheau, 40, the trainer at SeaWorld lost her life today. Ms. Brancheau was a veteran trainer at the Orlando park who was apparently standing on the edge of the pool when one of the killer whales grabbed her and dragged her underwater. Actually, it was much more graphic than that, but you can read the whole story at the link below.
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Watch Tilikum in captivity above. Imagine – being smarter than you are, and doing that all day for 18 years.
Second, we want to say, if it weren’t for folks duped by the marine theme park propoganda, caught up in the slave entertainment of marine mammals, this type thing would never happen.
The killer whale is named Tillikum. Now a serial killer whale. Today’s death is the third homicide Tillikum has committed. Two other people lost their life in the 90’s. SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs said Tillikum was one of three whales blamed for killing a trainer in 1991 at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia. And a man’s body was also found draped over Tillikum at Orlando SeaWorld in July 1999. Tillikum, a male or bull whale, has lived at the park since 1992, and is one of eight killer whales forced to perform at SeaWorld.
Obviously, there is so much profit value to these killer whales that money overruled safety concerns with the decision to keep this whale performing tricks for humans. Never mind concerns of empathy for the Orcas, if anyone had any empathy these places would be closed down due to compassionate loss of business.
Killer whale expert Nancy Black told WKMG television that the killing could have been an accident, with the whale thinking it was playing a game. “They are very intelligent creatures,” Black said. “They have emotions, and feelings. Maybe it was unhappy in the situation. Maybe it was bored. “
Doh. Maybe Tillikum was tired of captivity and he had a rare lucid moment. Seriously folks, can’t you just entertain yourself? Go hiking, something!
Read much more detail about the tragic situation here.
Join in efforts to FREE THE ORCAS et al, here.
UPDATE: Killer Whale Tillikum …
Post by: ss
Congratulations to J.W. Desserts of Clinton – for winning the TLC Ultimate Cake Off and the $10,000. prize for their ‘ the Nutcracker’ cake.
Watch the whole show here.
Photos from J.W. Desserts Facebook. Become a fan of J.W. Desserts here.
Visit J.W. Desserts website here.
Post by: ss
Click here for great info from the Olympic Peninsula.
Olympic National Park plans a 240-acre expansion near Ozette.
A proposed addition of 240 acres near Lake Ozette would change the boundary of the North Olympic Peninsula’s national park for the first time in at least 20 years.
Olympic National Park, which covers 922,650 acres, is accepting public comment on the proposal until March 22.
The deal would not be completed for perhaps another year
The park plans to buy land just north of Lake Ozette’s Umbrella Bay, between the lake and Hoko-Ozette Road, from the Cascade Land Conservancy, Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman, said Friday
The park is prepared to purchase it for about $663,000, which is the amount the conservancy paid for it, Maynes said.
The conservancy, which is based in Seattle, bought the property when it was advertised for sale in March 2008 with the idea of adding it to the park, Maynes said. Maynes said the land was sold by Rayonier, Inc. Read the rest of this article and view the map at the Peninsula Daily News here.
For more information about the proposal, phone 360-565-3004. Written comments may be sent to the attention of Wayne Hill at National Park Service – Columbia Cascades Lands Resources Program Center, 168 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104.
To learn more about Olympic National Park history and all trail information with maps and historic photos go here.
Post by: ss
No big deal, but what is it?
Click photo for larger image.
The above photo was taken in July, 2009, along Lummi Shores Road, in the Lummi Nation near Bellingham Washington. Digital camera. The ‘mist’ was not visible to the eye during the photo shoot.
The best guess for the ‘mist’ in the photo is something called ghost orbs. Our research led us to the following from Ghost Study
Orbs are believed by many to be ghosts in the form of balls of light.
They are life forms that travel in groups and are believed to be the human soul or life force of those that once inhabited a physical body here on earth. Psychics claim to talk to them on a regular basis, and ghost hunters encounter them quite frequently. It is said that they are those spirits that have willingly stayed behind because they feel bound to their previous life or previous location for whatever reason. Because of this obsession they tend to become similar to a psychotic human beings. It should be said that the majority of us when we die proceed gladly and willingly to the next level of existence after saying our quiet good-byes, which means we’re off to the spirit world. Then again, as stated, a select few elect to stay behind because of a refusal to move on. Apparently the longer they stay behind, the harder it is to find their way to the next level, which again, is the spirit world.
Ghostly orbs are the most photographed anomalies caught on film by ghost hunters and are quite photogenic (when they want to be). They can be completely transparent or display themselves in a bright solid form. It is not hard to capture them on film in their circular form. It is theorized that ghosts prefer the form of an Orb (ball of light) because it takes less energy thus being the mode of choice among the ghosts. The consensus is that small orbs take up the least amount. And learn more at ghost study.com
Post by: ss
“Every man is entitled to his own opinion, but no man is entitled to his own facts” – Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965)
The stone spires off Victoria’s coast are called the Twelve Apostles -Photo by R. Ian Lloyd -National Geographic
While the Haitian relief efforts are forefront in the news, this disaster has gone un-noticed and is in desperate need of some advocates.
UPDATED: links to DONATE Emergency Assistance
Donate to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Storm Relief
Native American Heritage Association
The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) is in midst of an emergency disaster from major snow and ice storms. They have been out of power and water since Thursday (Jan. 21st). They are in need of money, supplies and volunteer efforts.
Power outages began with a storm in December knocking down around 5,000 power poles, and has been accelerated by an ice storm Jan. 22 knocking down another 3,000 power lines on the reservation. Cheyenne River is part of a broad area in northern South Dakota that lost electricity during the storm. The South Dakota Rural Electric Association said 15,500 customers lost power at some point, including 3,800 with the utility that serves the reservation and surrounding area.
Utility crews have continued working through snow and below-freezing temperatures [ -15 degrees!] to repair power lines. The power company estimated about a week and a half ago that it would take five weeks to get power back up throughout the area.
Tribal officials are going door to door to assess needs on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, where many residents are without electricity and running water.
The following was posted on a CNN’s iReport.
by: wanbli iReport —
The Pine Ridge Reservation has been devasted by winter storm .. No fuel . Not electric to many. Elders with no food. You focus on eveything but that . Lend a hand you have the pwer to help our people. wanbli
The situation is especially urgent because this area has the highest poverty rate in the nation.
The one thing that would make us happier about this legislation is when it passes the Senate to become law.
By a vote of 55-41 the House voted to ban the deliberate feeding of seven types of wildlife: bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, deer, elk, and raccoons. It has moved to the Senate for consideration in Washington’s 2010 legislative session.
Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D–Sequim) sponsored the bill in 2009, but it did not reach the House floor before last year’s session ended. He brought it forward again this year.
“In my district, which is mostly rural communities, certain types of wildlife are becoming extremely aggressive toward humans because they are being regularly fed,” Van De Wege said in a press release. “This bill is about keeping people and communities safe from potentially dangerous animals, and it’s about keeping the wildlife safe, too.”
Besides the risks of wildlife attacking people, feeding presents a public health risk because of increased manure on the property where animals are coming to feed. It also leads to the greater presence of the predators who prey on the wildlife being fed. And some species, like raccoons, can carry deadly diseases like rabies.
State Fish and Wildlife officers would enforce the law, with the first violation resulting in a warning. A subsequent violation would result in a natural resources infraction. There are certain exemptions for zoos, wildlife refuges, and wildlife rehabilitators, and protections for farmers who may inadvertently feed wildlife on farms.
“The course of action that has to be taken is that you have to intentionally be feeding wildlife,” Van De Wege said from the House floor shortly before the vote. He explained that infractions wouldn’t be issued simply because deer were feeding on the apple trees in a person’s yard.
The bill number is House Bill 1885. You can find your State Senator here, to email your request for passage of this legislation.
Raccoons become more aggressive and less fearful of people if you feed them. Its a bad combination, not like feeding chipmunks but more like feeding bears. On South Whidbey there is a big raccoon problem, or should I say, a big problem with people feeding the raccoons. Click here to learn all about raccoons, why feeding raccoons does not help them, and why this legislation is needed. 
The FLDS have a new leader. Wendell Nielsen, 69, has been appointed as President of the FLDS. He will take the place of Warren S. Jeffs who, as you know, is serving a long prison sentence for practicing his ‘lots of young chicks doctrine.’
Wendell Nielsen was first counselor to Jeffs, as well as to his father Rulon T. Jeffs, who was the faith’s president until his death in September 2002. Nielsen started Western Precision, a high-tech machining company now located in Nevada, and numerous other businesses. Nielsen, lives at the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado, Texas and is said to have 21 wives, currently
Now, if that’s not enough for him to worry about, here’s more. Nielsen is one of the 13 men with pending criminal charges resulting from the raid on the Yearning For Zion ranch.
Texas authorities have charged Nielsen with three counts of bigamy based on evidence found at the ranch during a 2008 investigation. The charges are related to Nielsen’s spiritual marriages to three women. Nielsen also allegedly witnessed other marriages that are the subject of criminal charges in Texas, including at least one involving one of his underage daughters.
So, Uncle Wendell, as his followers will call him, might not be president for long.
Also, it is unclear what status Jeffs now holds. It is likely he remains the sect’s prophet, a position the FLDS consider appointed by Jeffs God. But could this be the beginning of the end for the ‘one man rule?’
Post by: ss
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Click photo to learn more about the ‘slum tour’ industry. True!
Click photo. Purchase this Florida house for …. $15.5 million
A bikini barista stand has brewed up a new way to make money. Peek-a-Brew Espresso has installed video cameras in their coffee stand and the video is streamed live online at brewistas.com
We think they’ll be $uccessful.
Those interested in a live peek at the latest “sexpresso” business plan can watch for free for 48 hours, but after that you’ll need to shell out $3.99 each month.
There seems to be no shortage of interest, as news coverage drove so much traffic to the site that they had to shut it down briefly Friday morning to deal with the server overload.
Well, it is one solution to help enforce the new un-dress codes. The county inpectors can just log in : )
Post by: ss
We sure hope this is a sign of GOOD things to come.
Friday afternoon – Holmes Harbor: Looking North from Freeland.
Post by: ss
There’s some great music coming to Whidbey Island starting Feb 20. The Mukilteo Coffee Roasters will host a series of concerts this spring. First up will be a great Seattle musician – LeRoy Bell.
LeRoy Bell – check out his music here.
This from Mukilteo Coffee Roasters website:
We hope everyone has had a healthy and prosperous new year. We want to let you all know what is going on here. Our ca’buni cafe’ is packing them in with Chef jess’s healthy,organic,incredible dishes she creates. We are now open on Wednesday evenings for dinner, wine, games and anything else that you can think of to have fun. We have our farm direct coffees on the water in route as we write this. Thanks to Jim Stewart for helping us out. We have some great music lined up for this early spring:
Sat. Feb. 20th – LeRoy Bell and his only friends.
Sat. Feb 27th Lloyd Jones and the struggle.
Sat.April 17th Rory Block returns
Sat. May 22nd Willie “Big Eyes” Smith
Tickets available at Brownpapertickets.com
Call 360-321-5270 for info All shows are 7pm. to 9:30 so you can be home early! Tix are 20 bux each. no refunds!
Mukilteo Coffee Roasters, Inc.
5331 Crawford Road
Langley, WA 98260Post by: ss [Hat tip to LL]
More about the ICC here.
Champaign, U.S.A./The Hague, Netherlands (19 Jan 2010). — Professor Francis A. Boyle of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, U.S.A. has filed a Complaint with the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (I.C.C.) in The Hague against U.S. citizens George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice, and Alberto Gonzales (the “Accused”) for their criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” perpetrated upon about 100 human beings. This term is really their euphemism for the enforced disappearance of persons and their consequent torture. This criminal policy and practice by the Accused constitute Crimes against Humanity in violation of the Rome Statute establishing the I.C.C. Read the rest of this entry »
Punxsutawney Phil, America’s most famous rodent prognosticator, saw his shadow Tuesday. Translation: six more weeks of winter.
The tradition behind the famous groundhog goes back to medieval times when there was a superstition that all hibernating animals emerged from their caves and dens to check the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March. Seeing their shadows would mean winter would go on for another six weeks, and they could go back to sleep. The tradition came to America with the early German settlers who arrived in Pennsylvania.
Post by. ss
We’ve seen most of the articles and news reports about Colton Harris-Moore, but the worst spin we’ve seen was on the TV show ‘Inside Edition’ last night.
Let’s dissect the text version of the show –
Cops say 18-year-old Colton Harris-Moore is on a one-man crime spree in the Pacific Northwest. They say he broke into more than 50 homes and businesses and even stole three airplanes, and he doesn’t even have a pilot’s license. He crash-landed them all before vanishing into the woods. [So far, Colton has been charged with one break in. The rest is speculation. If your pet dog went missing, Colton would be blamed. The planes were crash-landed: one near an airport, one in the desert, and one in a clear-cut. Vanishing into the woods? Hardly.]
Colton challenges the cops to try and capture him, almost like a scene from Leonardo DiCaprio’s Catch Me If You Can. But unlike DiCaprio’s charming character, cops say this thief is armed and dangerous. The manhunt is centered on the islands off the coast of Washington. [Actually, Colton stays in hiding, runs away if seen, and doesn’t want the cops to capture him. There have been NO indications that Colton is armed or dangerous. There have been NO reports of violence, never.]
INSIDE EDITION reporter Jim Moret drove around Camano Island checking out all the places where Colton has been spotted [That would be one stop. Colton has only been ‘spotted’ once – when he ran away after a stolen car caper almost two years ago.] Camano Island isn’t very big but it’s big enough for Colton to elude authorities. [No one, except Inside Edition, believes Colton stays on Camano Island.]
Camano Island is 40 square miles and, except for a small village, is mostly wilderness. [Wilderness? Compared to Seattle perhaps, but actually its a rural residential and beach community.] Many people think that Colton is now on the run living in the wild. [Not. Many people would guess he’s staying in a vacation house or with a friend. Have you ever stayed outside in the rain overnight, try 650+ days.] He leaves clues wherever he’s been, taunting authorities to find him. [Actually, Colton hasn’t left enough clues and he runs fast when police get near. Hardly taunting.] One clue Colton left for the police was a photo he snapped of himself using a stolen camera. [Found during the same stolen car caper mentioned above]
Cops say Colton hit Belinda Landon’s restaurant twice. He broke in through a door and cracked her safe containing $10,000. INSIDE EDITION asked Landon if she worried Colton would come back. “Oh I know he is,” she said. To add insult to injury, Landon says Colton used her computer to order how -to videos to learn to fly and even had them delivered to her restaurant. [If the videos were delivered to the restaurant, then obviously Colton never got them.]
Colton’s mother lives in a trailer at the end of a dirt road where there are no trespassing signs along it. One says, “Notice: If you go past this sign you will be shot.” [Colton’s mother has been inundated by reporters, and Inside Edition, and by police. Last we knew she had the right to her private property.]
Rivers is one of Colton’s alleged victims. He owned one of the three planes Colton allegedly stole to fly over the islands, casing the homes he intended to break into. [Casing homes from the sky! lol. If Colton is smart enough to fly a plane without lessons; he’s smart enough to ‘case’ potential houses via close-up Google satellite images, or from any online real estate listings, most of which have panoramic photo views of the inside of your house.]
It’s a bizarre series of crimes and the many victims say they hope he will soon be brought to justice dead or alive. [Now that’s ugly. These are property crimes and even his victims hope he will be brought to justice ALIVE. ]
Post by: ss
Road crews will begin work on safety improvements to Highway 525 and Highway 20. The work will begin this spring, officials with the state Department of Transportation said Friday. Workers will replace guard rails, add rumble strips along the centerline and shoulders and remove roadside hazards such as trees from Highway 525 north of Bush Point Road to the end of the highway where it meets Highway 20. The work will continue on Highway 20 from Coupeville to Highway 536 in Skagit County.
Here’s the catch – The state has awarded the $558,000 contract to Coral Construction Company of Wilsonville, Oregon. So the jobs will all go to the Oregon company.
We have one question for the DOT. Why can’t we employ a Washington company to work on Washington’s highways?
Post by: ss
Ray Manzarek, the keyboardist for the 60’s group The Doors, will play two shows at the Upstage in Port Townsend this weekend: Friday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. Manzarek, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will play Doors’ classics and other great music. The Upstage is located at 923 Washington, Port Townsend, WA. Admission is $35; Call 385-2216. Read an article at the Port Townsend Leader here.
Post by: ss
We’ve got our cooler full of cold ones and we”ll get the popcorn ready too because Obama’s ‘State of the Union’ address is Wednesday.
And we’re sure this game will make the reality go down a whole lot easier.
Event Instruction
Obama says “let me be clear” Do one shot
Obama says “change isn’t easy” Do one shot
Obama says “make no mistake” Do one shot
Obama says “Let me be clear, change isn’t easy, make no mistake.” ….
For the rest of the game rules go the Huffington Post here.
Post by: ss
This crocodile was in the yard across from the Freeland City park. We’re not so sure if this is an alligator or a crocodile. But we know alligators prefer fresh water while crocodiles prefer brackish water. And this is brackish water.
Post by. ss
Giuliano Mignini, the Italian prosecutor in the Amanda Knox case, was himself convicted in an Italian court on Friday. His conviction was for abuse of office.
The charges and conviction against Mignini and his ivestigator Michele Giuttari, related to their investigating activity on policemen and journalists during the ‘Monster of Florence’ investigation and the subsequent death of a Perugian doctor Francesco Narducci..
The ‘Monster of Florence’ refers to a serial murder case back to the 1980s. Seven couples were killed in the Tuscan hills and the killer was dubbed “The Monster of Florence.” The case went unsolved. Then in 1985, a Perugian doctor was found dead , in Mignini’s jurisdiction.
Mignini believed the doctor had been killed as part of a cover up involving the “Monster of Florence” killings. Mignini opened his investigation on the theory that the doctor was involved in a satanic cult, the same satanic cult responsible for the ‘Monster of Florence’ killings.
Mignini, received criticism from others because of his relentless and unfounded theory about those cases. So, Mignini proceeded to wiretap and collect information about some Florence officers who were against his investigation tacits and some journalists who dared to criticize him.
The judge ruled Mignini crossed the line when he wire-tapped police and journalists in his zeal to find the killer. Mignini was sentenced to 16 months in jail. His sentence is suspended pending appeal and he will be able to continue in his current position as prosecutor.
And the original cases? A Perugia judge ruled later that the doctor’s death was not murder but rather a drug abuse related death. The serial killings were eventually attributed to a farmhand and two accomplices. No satanic cult involved.
Do we see a pattern here?
If I remember correctly, a satanic sexual ritual was Mignini’s theory of how Amanda Knox’s roommate was killed.
And Mignini is still going after his critics. Back in February, Mignini told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he is bringing a defamation lawsuit against a West Seattle community newspaper for its coverage of unflattering comments about him made by Knox’s supporters. Giuliano Mignini told the BBC he has started a legal action against the West Seattle Herald for reporting in an online story that some of Knox’s supporters have said Mignini is “mentally unstable.”
Mentally unstable? Don’t know about that, but we think he’s obsessed with Satan and revenge.
An American crime writer, Doug Preston ,came up against Mignini while living in Italy and researching a book about the “Monster of Florence” case. Preston said that when he and his co-author, Mario Spezi, disagreed with Mignini’s investigation, the prosecutor accused them of being involved in a conspiracy with the killers. “Mignini decides right up front with almost no evidence, based on his gut feeling or intuition, that you’re guilty and then sets out to prove it,” Preston said in an interview last June.
Where does this leave Amanda Knox? Sitting in an Italian prison for the next 26 years, after conviction based on questionable evidence presented by a very questionable prosecutor.
Post by: ss
UPDATE: LAWSUIT EXTRAVAGANZA
Olympic Mtn view from the Keystone side of the Pond.
Post by: ss
The new ‘Welcome to Whidbey Island’ sign has landed.
We’re not too impressed with the looks of the thing. And it seems we’re not alone in that opinion. 
Sue Fause at the Seattle PI thinks the sign looks like it could have been crafted from the old WSF Steel Electrics that were hauled off to Mexico for scrap. Her description was by far the kindest of any we’ve heard.
In online comments many expressed complaints that not only is the sign ugly, but a huge waste of money. Some complained that spending money on a new sign was irresponsible; especially now, when schools lack funding, law enforcement budgets are being cut, and people lack basic health care. One commenter wrote that in these hard times, the only sign needed on Whidbey Island is at the Deception Pass bridge reading ‘Do Not Jump.’
This new sign came about via ‘the Gateway Monument Project’ which was initiated back in 2006. The Gateway monuments also are scheduled to be built at Deception Pass and the Keystone ferry landing. The project has a $98,000 federal grant administered by the state Department of Transportation. According to Island County Commissioner Helen Price-Johnson, the sign approval process included public hearings, a public comment period, a volunteer committee, and obtaining permits, and the contract process. So add all the hours spent by the Island County Commissioners for the discussion and approval process to the final tally of costs.
Photo: New sign at Keystone
Helen Price- Johnson said “Each sign was individually designed to reflect the scenic beauty of Whidbey Island,” We don’t think the new signs reflect the beauty of this Island. We haven’t found any information on who created this sign, but we doubt it was created by a local resident or anyone who visits much.
We do want to give a huge thank you for the efforts of a group called Save Our Sign. Without them, the old sign would have been moved and probably destroyed. The group organized in September when it was announced that the old sign was to be moved up the hill from the ferry dock to make way for the new gateway monument. Save Our Sign members argued that the fragile old sign wouldn’t survive a move and that its rotting parts could be easily repaired at the sign’s current location. After collecting 1500 signatures, county commissioners allowed the old sign to stand.
So now we have two welcome signs, What’s your sign? Which do you like and was the new sign worth the money?
Post by: ss
My father recently lost his long battle with cancer. He lost his health insurance when he became ill and was no longer able to work. In the end there was the looming cost of his cremation… Mind you that he and his wife had just about ran out of money due to the cost of treatments and medical expenses. We were told about this service that was available to us through his hospice workers. Medcure is an agency that you can donate your whole body to science. In return for your gracious donation, your loved one will be cremated free and returned to you within 3 weeks inside of a heart-shaped biodegradable box. Of course we asked for more information. Dad was very interested, being the great man that he was. He had always been an organ donor. And always helped anyone he could even if it meant giving up something for himself. After hearing about what Medcure does with your body samples he was proud to be able to give even after death. You should check out the site.
There is no replacement for the human body when it comes to teaching and research. Your donation provides the ability to find cures for many debilitating conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s. Donations help develop new medicines, study human anatomy and perfect new surgical procedures.
Each donation is highly valued and treated with the utmost humanity, compassion and respect. Most people are eligible for donation regardless of their age, disease, or state of health.
The generous gift of body after death is a compassionate alternative to a traditional funeral. MedCure covers all costs associated with donation including: transportation, cremation, two certified copies of the death certificate, return of cremated remains to family in a heart-shaped urn within three weeks or a memorial scattering at sea.
Posted by DF
The results of our bad choices stare us squarely in the face, and I wish I had the grace, that of Martin Luther King, I would move men to move mountains and sing of freedom fountains, that rain justice upon us.
Only through the realization that we have struck out on the wrong course can we begin to turn our ships and head for opposite shores.
The time that is upon us now is a repeating of history as I see it, a thousand different ways but we have yet to be defeated.
You see a time has come when silence is betrayal again. This time comes for us all to stand and overcome complacency and send a message of movement through the masses.
A revolt is what we need, a revolution of all the classes. This unrest has lead to a Zeitgeist to take a stand. To move these mountains together and band as brother and sister against the man. It is our duty to do so or we reap the rewards of society’s spiritual death.
We must speak, to have our voices heard, we must move on past the mesmerizing uncertainties and see again this world. Life and history give eloquent testimony to these facts.
The facts that we must have, as King did, compassion while maintaining the conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. For the love of all that live, for the compassion of all that strive to give. For all of those who suffer from our political puppetry and violence.
I myself cannot sustain silence. I feel moved to move, obligated to overcome, pushed to appeal to you. Let’s make a stand and stop the hand that takes. Let’s make something we can be proud of.
Say something…say something. Speak and they might not listen, but don’t stop.
-Spilling words by Cameron LaBaw
The Haitian people are suffering. If you can afford to help , even $5, it all adds up.
Here is a complete list of charitable relief organizations active in the Haitian relief effort with contact info and information on how to help.
People line up to receive aid from the Dominican Republic in Port-au-Prince, on Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti Tuesday.
Post by:ss
Enjoy what you pay for.
If you haven’t viewed the new improved Hubble photos here’s your chance.
1.The Cartwheel galaxy as seen by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer’s Far Ultraviolet detector, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory
2. The Crab Nebula, one of the most studied objects in the sky. X-ray data from Chandra provide significant clues to the workings of this mighty cosmic “generator,” which is producing energy at the rate of 100,000 suns
3. Stephan’s Quintet, a compact group of galaxies discovered about 130 years ago and located about 280 million light years from Earth
4.The large galaxy with well defined spiral structure is NGC 5194. Its arms and dust lanes sweep in front of its companion galaxy, NGC 5195. The pair are about 31 million light-years distant
See all the NASA Hubble pics here. The NASA site has free screen savers of the images.
Post by: ss
So I’ve been thinking up Islander jokes. Please feel free to comment or add to it…
You know you‘re an islander when….
1. Your townie friends comment that they almost got jumped coming to visit because they cut into the ferry line.
2. You have more cars in your yard than one person needs yet you take the transit because none of them drive.
3. You know the precise time to leave home to catch the ferry.
4. You remember laughing at townies who would climb into their friends car trunk to avoid ferry fare; when you could have told them passengers get off island for free.
5. You know the real reason it’s nickname is “THE ROCK”.
6. You know you’re an Islander when…. Your power goes out more than you do! [Hat tip for this reader submission]
Posted by DF
Over the last year there has been an increase in the number of bikini barista stands; especially in Everett and surrounding Snohomish County. Some of these coffee stands are near school bus stops and parents are concerned about what their children will be exposed to. There are complaints about the increased traffic and problems with traffic safety due to the visual distraction of the stands. Neighbors complain that numerous men ‘hang out’ near the barista stands at night which brings in more crime.
The many citizen complaints have pressured lawmakers to enact new laws to regulate these stands. The HeraldNet published the new regulations in their January 7th 2010 issue. The new regulations don’t prevent workers from wearing bikinis in public, but do prohibit more revealing attire that doesn’t fully cover certain body parts.
But parents and neighbors are worried that these new regulations will not be enforced.
According to The HeraldNet article, the county doesn’t have the staff to inspect these stands. County officials said they will rely on the public to report problems and rely on the community to watch the situation, adding that should make an impact on enforcement.
Maybe some tint on the windows facing the street near the bus stop….
What do u think?
Posted by: DF
UPDATE:
1/8/10 Everett police photos show baristas’ lewd behavior
1/22/10 R-rated stands an embarrassment
Now that Colton Harris-Moore has earned his own listing on Wikipedia we figure a movie deal isn’t too far behind. Ok, someone needs to find him first but, what we want to know is who should play Colton Harris-Moore in the movie.
We came up with a few suggestions.
Robert Patterson as Colton Harris-Moore
Taylor Lautner as Colton
Michael Cera as Colton
Send in your photoshop suggestions and we’ll post them.
Post by: ss
Meet Warren Steed Jeffs.
Uncle Warren, as his followers call him, is the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS church. The FLDS follow the original beliefs and teachings of the Book of Mormon and LDS church. To clarify, that means the FLDS still practice polygamy.
Warren Jeffs has gotten into some serious legal trouble because of his church practices. Now, the FLDS would tell you, the church and their prophet are being persecuted for religious beliefs. FLDS believe they have a right to practice their religion, and that includes their polygamy. .
But are Warren Jeff’s legal problems about religion and polygamy?
Warren Jeffs is currently being held in an Arizona jail awaiting trial. Jeffs was transfered there from the Utah State prison, where he is serving a 10 year sentence on his 2007 felony conviction. Once his Arizona trial is over, Jeffs will be transfered to Texas to face more criminal charges based on evidence located during the 2008 raid on the FLDS compound, the YFZ ranch.
But Warren Jeffs has never been charged with polygamy.
The charges against Jeffs, are for marrying underage girls, and lots of them, to himself and to other FLDS men. Seems the FLDS practice the – “lots of young chicks doctrine.”
We give you Exhibit 2 & 3, in the case of State of Texas vs. Warren S. Jeffs.
Exhibit 3
This is the happy couple on their ‘First Anniversary’
..eew
Exhibit 2 – Wedding Day photo. another child bride for Warren. 
This is not photoshop. Warren Jeff’s’ brides were 12 & 13. Each girl had a baby within one year. The DNA tested out to show Warren Jeffs as babydaddy.
These are two of many marriages performed at the YFZ ranch while Warren was still on the FBI’s ’10 Most Wanted’ list.
Now, we think Warren Jeffs is definitely a false prophet. But regardless of what form of “Twistianity” he preaches, we think it is his criminal actions that are of issue. While overdue, some 175 years, we’re glad the government has finally stepped up to prosecute these crimes and criminals. But will it stop the FLDS from the delusion of thinking they can do this shiz and hide it behind some cloak of religious freedom? While Warren Jeffs is in jail, and probably always will be, his followers still think of him as their prophet, so business as usual.
But our question is – Freedom of religion or creeptacularly pervball?
Post by: ss
It seems Sir Elton John is one of many, who years ago, joined in the cause to retire Lolita. Still, after 39 years of slavery to the entertainment world, Lolita lives in a tank. Lolita, or L-pc25, is the only surviving orca from the brutal Penn Cove orca capture.
The Penn Cove Capture. For those who don’t know, there were several brutal attempts to capture orcas in Penn Cove for the purpose of selling and transporting them to marine parks. Several of the orca died during capture attempts and were eventually weighted down with rocks and sunk into the depths of Penn Cove.
During the 1971 orca capture, Don McGaffin, a King5, reporter just happened to be on vacation in Coupeville. He ended up documenting the fiasco along with a King5 cameramen. These news clips recently resurfaced, and includes the whales being captured, commentary by Don McGaffin, and interviews with a diverse cross-section of politicians, biologists, and marine park personnel from the 1970s.
And Lolita? Lolita was captured and transported to the Miami Seaquarium where she lives in a tank and has been performing daily for 39 years. For anyone who may be duped by the marine theme park propaganda, this award winning documentary about her life, ‘Lolita, the Slave to Entertainment’ is a must watch.
“I wish to add my voice to those seeking her retirement.” ~ Sir Elton John
L-pc25, “Lolita” – photo by Peter Pijpelink – October 30, 2007 – Performing at the Miami Seaquarium
L-pc25, “Lolita” – photo by Peter Pijpelink – October 30, 2007
“Lolita’s” pod members, photo taken by Howard Garrett on June 21, 2009
LL-pc25’s, Lolita’s” presumed family: members of the L-12 subpod and L-25 who is believed to be Lolita’s mother. Photo by Dave Ellifrit
Join in the efforts to ‘Free Lolita’ Click on photos or text links for original source about info on how to help.
Post by: ss
Is Colton Harris-Moore a Ninja? Snips from Wikipedia about the Ninja have us wondering:
“… With the aid of disguises, the ninja gathered information on enemy terrain, building specifications, as well as obtaining passwords and communiques.” and “Superhuman or supernatural powers were often associated with the ninja. Some legends include flight, invisibility, shapeshifting, the ability to “split” into multiple bodies, the summoning of animals, and control over the five classical elements.”
Techniques of the Ninja –
Hitsuke – The practice of distracting guards by starting a fire away from the ninja’s planned point of entry. Falls under “fire techniques” (katon-no-jutsu).
Tanuki-gakure – The practice of climbing a tree and camouflaging oneself within the foliage. Falls under “wood techniques” (mokuton-no-jutsu).
Ukigusa-gakure – The practice of throwing duckweed over water in order to conceal underwater movement. Falls under “water techniques” (suiton-no-jutsu).
Uzura-gakure – The practice of curling into a ball and remaining motionless in order to appear like a stone. Falls under “earth techniques” (doton-no-jutsu)
Even when police are on his heels he just slips away. According to one deputy, “The teen glanced over his shoulder, and then vanished into the woods. He virtually vaporized in front of me,” deputy Jeff Patterson recalled.
If not Ninja then what?
UPDATED!!
We have all read reports that suggest Colton Harris-Moore wears no shoes during his escapades, earning him the moniker of ‘BareFoot Bandit.’ But does Colton run without shoes? A reader sent us this pic as his theory for the ‘foot prints’ Colton leaves behind; Ninja shoes. Seems the shoes come with tree climbing apparatus.
Post by: ss
Welcome to our new blog for Whidbey Island and the surrounding both sides of the pond.
We invite you to join the discussion. Keep the civility but don’t keep silent.
Both Sides of the Pond Admin
Both Sides of the Pond 
