Glenn Beck: 2009 Misinformer of the Year
Glenn Beck named by 2009 Misinformer of the Year by Media Matters. 80 corporations can't be wrong!What do you think of Glenn Beck's words and actions in 2009?
Taser Autopsy: Douglas Boucher (Mason OH)
Douglas Boucher, 39, died earlier this month after being approached by two Mason police officers (Daniel Fry and Sean McCormick) about his efforts to flirt with female clerk at local gas station. Boucher flirted ... clerk complained to local cops ... local cops tased Boucher ... Boucher died. Boucher was a loving father, son and musician. He had a full life ahead of him. He was not a substantial threat to the two police officers. Now he is dead. [SOURCE]
Butler County coroner said an autopsy revealed the cause of Boucher’s death was a skull fracture, which he received when he fell face forward after Officer McCormick pumped his body with 50,000 volts of electricity.
No drugs or alcohol were found in Boucher's body.
I'm curious to see what, if any, action will be taken to discipline the two police officers? They are both on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation of the incident.
Butler County coroner said an autopsy revealed the cause of Boucher’s death was a skull fracture, which he received when he fell face forward after Officer McCormick pumped his body with 50,000 volts of electricity.
No drugs or alcohol were found in Boucher's body.
I'm curious to see what, if any, action will be taken to discipline the two police officers? They are both on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation of the incident.
Blogger Activism to Stop Taser Torture
This blog spent a good deal of energy last year to publish information about the incidents of taser torture that were taking place all around the country. For example, we joined with African American Political Pundit and others to support a day of blogging against taser torture; shared information on taser-related deaths whenever possible; supported a petition seeking congressional hearings; and updated villagers on taser autopsy results and taser lawsuits.Our efforts helped create an atmosphere for recent appeals court ruling that police cannot use their tasers unless the suspect poses an immediate threat. No more casual taser-related killings from lazy cops!
The growing protest against taser torture has been joined by many other bloggers such as those shown below. Please let me know if we're missing a blog ... or if the linked post should be updated with one that is more current.
- African American Political Opinion
- African American Political Pundit
- All About Race
- Ancestral Energies
- Antoinette's Point of View
- A Political Season
- BlackPerspective.net
- Black Women in Europe
- Blogger's Unite
- Character Corner
- Columbia Tribune
- Daily Kos
- Dallas South Blog
- Eddie Griffin (BASG)
- Electronic Village
- Electrocuted While Black
- Equality Central
- Excited Delirium
- From Austin to A&M
- From My Brown Eyed View
- Gangsters in Blue
- Independent Political Report
- Intersection Between Madness & Reality
- It All Goes Here
- Jack and Jill Politics
- Jonathan Turley
- LA Times Pressmen
- Living Life Abundantly
- MyDD - Direct Democracy
- News for Greens
- Now Public
- Observer-Reporter
- On the Black Hand Side
- Pam's House Blend
- Righteouschoice's Blog
- Sojourner's Place
- Tasered While Black
- The 'D' Spot
- The 'D' Spot Redeux
- The Duck Shoot
- The Seminal
- TNT - TRUTH ... not Tasers
- UltravioletUnderground
We saw taser-related deaths happening more than once per week in 2009. Will they continue at this same frequency in 2010 or will something change?
What say u?
What say u?
Federal Court Ruling is Victory for Taser-Torture Opponents
Hallelujah! A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled that police cannot zap someone with an taser gun unless the suspect poses an immediate threat. [SOURCE]The ruling sets police standards for use of the Taser, saying stun guns must be used only when "substantial force" is needed."It's a significant use of force, not like cuffing someone or using pain compliance or pepper spray," said Eugene Iredale, a lawyer for a San Diego-area man who was Tasered by a police officer who had stopped him for not wearing a seat belt. "It's not to be used promiscuously or lightly."
Though stun guns may offer a valuable, nonlethal alternative to deadly force in defusing dangerous situations, Judge Kim Wardlaw (one of the 3 judges in this unanimous decision) said, they inflict a "painful and frightening blow" and must be used only when substantial force is necessary and other options are unavailable.
Officers are now prohibited from using a Taser on a person simply for acting erratically or
disobeying orders, according to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.This is great news for those of us that have been beating the drums against taser-torture in America! Most of the 58 taser-related deaths in 2009 could have been avoided if this court ruling had been in effect at the beginnng of the year. I suspect that the number of taser-related deaths should slow down considerably if police abide by this court ruling.
What say u?
Tune In Tuesday: Coko
Soulclap to Carla Nix for pointing me to Coko. Coko is a young R&B singer who is now focused on sharing her musical talents with gospel tunes such as 'The Winner in Me'.
Had you heard of Coko before today?
Had you heard of Coko before today?
The last DVD Tuesday of the decade!
At least 2009 goes out in style, giving us a few DVD goodies to send it off with. From best to worst, here are this week's notable releases.
9 is an excellent little animated post-apocalyptic flick, that you need to see. Keep in mind that it might give the kids nightmares though before letting them watch it, which I totally support, so give it a go!
Paranormal Activity may be the highest profile horror release of the year thanks to its genius marketing strategy. Though it may not be the scariest thing you've ever seen (as its been billed), it's definitely creepy and worth a watch. Alone, and in the dark of course.
Carriers was another fun little post-apocalyptic movie, that was better than I expected it to be. Plus, I really like the hot chick from Everwood, so it was destined to be a movie that I liked.
Vampire Killers aka Lesbian Vampire Killers... Why the title change? Seriously America, are we to the point where a frigging movie title is going to get people to whine and picket? It's a dumb horror comedy that involves lesbian vampires being killed, so can't we just call it what it is? Geesh.
Jennifer's Body sucked for the most part, save for the slick texture of it all, and the hot chicks making out with each other, and you can thank Devil Coby for said suckage. Watch it on mute, and you may actually enjoy it.
And finally we have A Perfect Getaway, which underwhelmed me, but wasn't all that bad. Confusing, I know. Rent it maybe, but don't expect much.
So until 2010, see you in 2010! That didn't make much sense, but you get the gist.
Skjult (Hidden) (2010)
SKJULT (HIDDEN)
Sub-Genre- Supernatural/Backwoods Horror
In Attendance- Me
Cast Members of Note- Kristoffer Joner, Cecile A. Mosli and Karin Park.
What's it About?- Kai Koss ia a creepy guy with an even creepier past; it seems as if his evil old mom used to lock him in a secret room in the basement, torture him and... well, torture him. After years of said abuse, Kai escapes his dungeon home, runs through the woods, and kills another kids parents. The kid runs off into the woods, and falls off of a cliff, making Kai responsible for his death too. Or was he?
Years later, Kai is called to the morgue to identify the wizened old corpse of his mom, and bid her good riddance. He gives her a creepy, lingering kiss, she jump scares him, and he runs. He heads back to his old family home, presumably to close it up and sell it, but instead comes across a creepy ghost that like to play dodge ball with him. Naturally, instead of running like the wind, he stays and looks around the poorly lit house saying things like "who's there?" and "are you there?" Who wouldn't do the same?
Soon enough, people start going missing in the woods around the house, prompting the police to start a manhunt and look at Kai for the creepy s.o.b. that he is. Or might be. Did something more sinister and "hidden" happen to the little boy in the woods that night? Is Kai Kross insane? Will anyone remember this movie after seeing it once? Yes, yes, and not likely.
The Good- Skjult (Hidden) is a suspenseful, creepy little movie that delivers the visual goods and mood in spades. It's beautifully shot and edited, making the skin crawl just by the way the scenes are set up and unfold alone. he acting is a highpoint here as well, with Kristoffer Joner and Cecile A. Mosli (both stars of the equally creepy Naboer) doing a solid job of making you believe/feel what is unfolding on screen.
The Bad- As gorgeous as this film is, I was sadly let down by the bland story and obligatory twist at the end. It absolutely gripped me in the early going when I thought it was a ghost story, but then lost me when it changed gears and became an "alone in the woods" stalk and slash movie instead. I think that movies like this tend to out-clever themselves instead of playing it straight, which only hurts the film's good points in the end.
The Downright Horrendous- Jump scares? Really? With all of the attention to atmosphere and mood that the filmmakers put into this movie, why in the world would they ruin it all with cheesy, lame jump scares?
The Gory- We get some blood and gruesome images, but Skjult is filled with far more jump scares than it is good kill scenes. For shame.
The Naked- No.
Best Line- Sorry, don't speak Norwegian.
What did we learn?- Norwegian forests are very dangerous. Also, I really am starting to despise twist endings.
The Master Says- C (5.0/10) Everything was great about this movie except for the story, which really makes the whole thing not so great. It's not a bad movie going experience, just one that made me roll my eyes and walk out feeling unsatisfied and a bit bummed. When it hits American theaters in January as a part of this years AD Horrorfest, I have a feeling that many of you will feel the same.Final Thoughts- Naboer was a better Norwegian horror flick, and it wasn't really a true horror flick.
Good News Tuesday: Zeinab Eyega - The Immigrant Advocate
President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize this year. There is no question that America's standing in the world is better since Obama took over the presidency from George W. Bush. That being said ... the Obama administration has not been very visible in efforts to end the crisis in Darfur. That is one of the reasons that this blog continues to point out some powerful examples of people that are working hard to save Darfur.
Today we honor Zeinab Eyega, the founder of the Sauti Yetu Center for African Women. Born in southern Sudan, Zeinab has advocated for African women immigrants since she immigrated to the US herself. In 2008 alone, Sauti Yetu, a small organization, helped 165 women who spoke 57 African languages to successfully access and work with social services agencies in New York City. As a board member of the Save Darfur Coalition, Zeinab works to end the crisis in Darfur by organizing advocacy events and sharing her knowledge with others.
I encourage villagers to connect with a refugee assistance organization near your home or the Sudanese Diaspora group in your area. Don't see your city or state on the list? Connect with the Save Darfur Regional Organizer for your area.
What say u?
Taser Lawsuit: Brett Elder (Bay City MI)
The father of a Bay City teen who died after police used a stun gun to subdue him has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court. Eugene E. Elder Sr. figures police killed his teenage son unjustifiably with a Taser, and he plans to fire back with a lawsuit. [SOURCE]"I'm going after the city. I don't care," said Elder, 55, of Bay City. "There's no reason for killing my boy. He didn't do nothing wrong."Brett "Dewey" Elder, 15, stood 5-foot-6 and weighed about 140 pounds ... he was no match for three Bay City Police Department officers who encountered him in Cindy Hernden's apartm
"He didn't like cops because he knows the rest of us don't, but he wasn't out to get them," Elder said.
ent.Elder came to Ms. Herndon's apartment early Sunday morning ... he had been drinking alcohol.
"Brett's been coming to my house regularly since he's been 3 years old, and his mom (the late Jodi Elder) died in September of last year and since then Brett has been in daily contact with me," Hernden said.Police came to the apartment to quell a reported fight. Hernden said police managed to calm Brett Elder - temporarily.
"When his mother died, I was like his surrogate mother."
Cindy Hernden said six people were spending the night at her apartment, and one of them told Brett Elder to quiet down, "and at that point he kind of grabbed her and put her in a headlock."
Hernden said she then dialed 911, and believes the boyfriend of the woman also called police.
"The other people in the apartment were trying to subdue Brett and calm him down," Hernden said. "Three police officers came in the door and asked what was going on. Everybody at this point was screaming and yelling at each other, and it was getting out of hand."
"The officers had calmed Brett down and he was sitting on a couch, and then one officer said something to him, and Brett stood up like he was maybe going to lunge at the police," Hernden said.Hernden said Brett Elder wasn't armed when he moved toward officers inside her apartment. Brett Elder's aunt, Dorothy A. Hendrix of Bay City, said Brett Elder was "devastated" by the death of his mother in September.
"And right then and there is when they put the handcuffs on him. They knocked him on the ground and that's when they Tasered him."
Hernden said Brett Elder vomited "immediately" after police used the Taser.
"I told the police 'He's not breathing, he's not breathing,' and I told them I know (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and one of the officers told me to shut up," Hernden said.
"They told me to stand back and wait for a medical professional to arrive, so that's what I did."
"He didn't even weigh 150 pounds," Hendrix said. "They Tasered a little kid."In May, Bay County prosecutor Kurt Asbury said officers w
ould not be charged in Elder’s death, citing that "there isn't evidence that officers committed any criminal act that caused or contributed to the death of Brett Elder."An autopsy performed by Dr. Kanu Virani, a forensic pathologist, found a two-part cause of death for Elder: "alcohol-induced excited delirium" and "application of an electromuscular disruption device," or Taser.
Am I Not Human? al-Qaeda and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
I'm about sick and tired of al-Qaeda and this continuous effort to kill Americans. What did America do to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a privileged 23-year old Nigerian, that built enough hate in his heart to attempt a suicide bombing of a plane headed to Detroit?This young man is the son of a banker. He lived in a posh West London apartment. He studied mechanical engineering there between September 2005 and June 2008. Where does this guy have time to develop such a hatred for America?
We're told that Abdulmutallab is a member of al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda is an international terrorist network led by Osama bin Laden. Established around 1988 by bin Laden, al-Qaeda helped finance, recruit, transport and train thousands of fighters from dozens of countries to be part of an Afghan resistance to defeat the Soviet Union. To continue the holy war beyond Afghanistan, al-Qaeda's current goal is to establish a pan-Islamic Caliphate throughout the world by working with allied Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes it deems "non-Islamic" and expelling Westerners and non-Muslims from Muslim countries. [SOURCE]
In February 1998, al-Qaeda issued a statement under banner of "The World Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders" saying it was the duty of all Muslims to kill US citizens—civilian or military—and their allies everywhere.
In an al-Qaeda house in Afghanistan, New York Times reporters found a brief statement of the “Goals and Objectives of Jihad”:
- Establishing the rule of God on earth
- Attaining martyrdom in the cause of God
- Purification of the ranks of Islam from the elements of depravity
Hey, Farouk (and other al-Qaeda sympathizers) ... Am I Not Human?
Roots of Humanity feels that each of us can fight against human rights abuses in the world. We simply need to do something. Protest. Meditate. Pray. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to blog on the 27th of each month. Just share information on behalf of our human siblings in all suffering areas who are either barred from communication by their governments, or lacking in technology to ask: Am I Not Human?
SCLC Protest Taser-Killing of Derrick Humbert
The powers-that-be in Bradenton want us to believe that 38-year old Derrick Humbert's death was 'accidental'. One moment Humbert is riding his bicycle home from a trip to the neighborhood store. The next moment he is pounced on by two undercover police 
officers in an unmarked car ... they chase him ... taser him with 50,000 volts of electricity ... and he dies. Where is the accident in this scenario?That is one of the questions raised by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during their weekend march in downtown Bradenton to protest the Taser death of Humbert and to raise awareness of the Bradenton Police Department's "quality of life" policies.
The chairman of the SCLC Florida chapter, Arthur Rocker, met with Police Chief Michael Radzilowski to discuss Humbert's death.
"The chief of police says it's 'quality of life.' He stops people for small crimes so they don't commit bigger crimes, such as riding a bicycle without lights or walking on the wrong side of the road," Rocker said.More than 60 people took part in the weekend protest march. "We all feel that it was an unfortunate situation but it gives us the opportunity to make some changes," Rocker said.
"We talked with him yesterday and asked, 'If a person in one of these communities was wearing a suit, would he be stopped for riding a bicycle or walking?'We believe these things are happening in low income communities and the reason that people walk and ride bicycles is because they have no other way to get around," Rocker said.
Rocker would like the Bradenton Police Department to start sensitivity training for its officers. "We must respect people's cultures and allow them the opportunity to understand them more," Rocker said.
The department of Justice is investigating Humbert's death. Rocker said there is no timetable set. "We're not in a hurry. We just want a quality and thorough investigation."
This blog joins with SCLC leadership around the country whenever they stand up to protest taser-related deaths. These deaths are happening on a weekly basis in America. More of us need to stand side-by-side with SCLC.
Taser Death: Preston Bussey III (Rockledge FL)
Rockledge (FL) police officers thought it was a good idea to use two taser guns to pump 50,000 volts EACH into 41-year old Preston Bussey III in their efforts to subdue him at Wuesthoff Hospital. Bussey died on the spot. [SOURCE]Bussey was being involuntarily admitted to the Wuesthoff Hospital for psychological examination. He didn't want to be admitted to the hospital and expressed his displeasure to hospital officials. The hospital contacted Rockledge police for support in getting Bussey to his room.
Several police officers unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Bussey to follow a doctor’s directions. Bussey refused, and after repeated warnings to comply "two officers then deployed their electronic control devices (Tasers)."
It is not clear whether Bussey was shocked with both Tasers at the same time.
The taser-happy police officers are on administrative duty while the investigation continues.
Bussey's cousin Counselo Cotton said Bussey was a slender 6-foot-4 man who could have been subdued by two or three officers.
"Regardless of his mental state, regardless of the injuries, they didn't have to Tase him," Cotton said. "It wasn't like he could have wrestled those cops to the ground."After being shocked with multiple taser guns, Bussey was restrained in the emergency room. He w
as administered medication by hospital employees and placed on a gurney, police said in a report. Shortly thereafter, personnel noticed that Bussey was not breathing. He was taken into a treatment room where he was pronounced dead.The state of Florida felt Preston Bussey III needed their help to deal with mental illness issues. Instead of being a positive force for good ... the police killed this 41-year old man. Police don't appear to have any ability to subdue people without pulling out their taser guns. Bussey was unarmed. Why did the police need to kill him?
Babu Mann Live in Jalandhar on 26th Dec 2009
Entry ticket 500/- per
The 10 Best Movies of 2009- 1-5
#1- Trick r' Treat- Yes I know, this movie was made a few years ago, and other horror sites named it as one of their best back then, but it wasn't released until this year, so shush. I can't remember the last time that a horror flick captured me, enraptured me, and left me wanting more, more, more like TrT did. Don't just take my word for it either; everyone in the club, and everyone that they made watch it, raved about it just as much. TrT captured the essence of Halloween and all of its atmosphere, and took us on a clever and near perfect journey through it all. I don't know that I've ever seen a movie that captured the spirit and atmosphere of Halloween this well, and it instantly becomes mandatory yearly watching for the creepy month of October. I hesitate to give a movie a 10/10 score, because to me that implies a sort of perfection, but after watching this movie, I had no other choice. Ignore the few internet naysayers that will say "it was OK" or "it didn't come close to living up to the hype", and own this movie. Own it and love it. Unless of course you don't like awesomeness, then feel free to ignore this one altogether.
#2- Zombieland- I have one thing to say, and one thing only: any movie that plays For Whom the Bell Tolls over the opening credits is aces in my book. Ok I lied, I have more to say... This movie is fun as hell and, aside from the annoying actions of the main chicks throughout most of the movie, is easily one of the best of the year. Woody Harrelson is brilliant as Tallahassee, the zombie-ass kicking southern boy with a penchant for awesome one liners. I mean no disservice to the other actors in the movie, but he carried this one on his back, and even pressed it over his head a few times. Everyone else performed admirably too, but Woody definitely stole the thunder. As horror comedies go (especially of the zombie variety), dare I say this is better than Shaun of the Dead? That's totally up for debate but it is absolutely as good, if different, and I can only pray that we get a sequel at some point. See it, and if you already have, see it again.
#3- The Children- The best creepy kid movie I've seen in ages belongs to the British. Dread and unease permeate this movie and never really seem to let up, and are eventually joined by some vicious violence and gore; when mixed together, they basically have a square dance on your nuts until you end up hiding in your closet and crying like a small child. Ok, I may be exaggerating just a bit, but this is one taxing movie, and that's no joke. This movie is profoundly disturbing, and left me feeling a bit numb at the end. Only bits and pieces of the reasons for the children turning on their parents are given to us, and maybe that's the worst part. Actually, the worst part is probably the fact that 6 and 7 year old kids are hell bent on killing their parents. The ending was one of the best I've seen in quite a while too. It came out of nowhere, and chilled me to the bone. It also left me with questions which I wish I had definitive answers too, but hey, at least it made me think.
#4- Drag Me To Hell- A return to horror form for Sam Raimi, Drag Me to Hell is jsut a hell of a lot of fun to experience. I love the dry wit on display here, as too many Hollywood horror flicks seem to forget to be fun these days; the "we used to have a cat" bit kills me every time I see it. The look on Alison Lohman's face is just priceless. Even the ending goes against popular convention in some ways, which I loved. This movie definitely reminds me of campy 80's horror; It's fairly linear, over the top, a bit tongue in cheek, creepy, gross, tension filled, and we know exactly where it's going and we can't wait to get there with it... or rather for the movie to take us there. Aside from "the fire dance" and one obvious plot twist (you'll see it coming from miles away), this movie made me smile the whole way through. Unfortunately, it didn't kill at the box office as I had hoped it would, but it looks really good on Blu-ray. If you haven't seen it yet, go grab a copy on DVD or add it to your Netflix que now. I promise it's fun.
#5- District 9- This one really isn't a horror movie per-se, but as a genre picture it has to be counted on even horror lists as one of the years best. What Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp pulled off here with the tiny budget of around $30 million is nothing short of pure genius. Gorgeous, action packed, bloody, messy, and engrossing, D-9 reminded me that sometimes the good guys can win, and that smart, well made movies can stand far above their dumber, more expensive popcorn flick brethren, and shine brightly. Heart and soul count, and this is one crazy movie that delivers those goods while kicking your ass at the same time.
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