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7 million dollar babies
Removing 460 children from a polygamist sect compound and then reuniting them with their families will cost Texas $7 million, according to the state Department of Family and Protective Services.
The children were ordered returned to their families this week after the Texas Supreme Court found that the state did not have enough evidence to show that abuse was happening at the Yearning for Zion ranch near Eldorado.
The price tag includes costs from fighting a court battle to retain custody of the children, attempting to determine their parentage through DNA testing and reuniting the children with their parents.
The $7 million does not include more than $500,000 in estimated costs incurred by local governments whose law enforcement agencies were involved in the April 3 ranch raid, according to a budgetary presentation given to Texas lawmakers last month.
The raid was prompted by an anonymous caller who claimed that men at the ranch were involved in sexual relationships with young girls.
For comparison, $7 million would pay for 137 police officers in the city of Mesquite, Texas, at a salary of $51,060, according to a figure from a job posting. It would also pay for 180 new teachers at the average statewide salary of $38,857 given by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification and would more than double resources available for a state program aimed at children of incarcerated parents, according to the state's budget for fiscal 2008-09. In that budget, the program receives $5 million.
The removal of the children was thought to be the largest child protection case in the nation's history. If they had remained in state custody, Hawkins told lawmakers, the estimated monthly cost for their care would have been $1.3 million.
(story from CNN ... follow link for complete story) Removing 460 children from a polygamist sect compound and then reuniting them with their families will cost Texas $7 million, accordin... more -
British Teenager Faces Prosecution For Calling Scientology A Cult
A British teenager faces prosecution after displaying a sign which called Scientology a "cult" during a protest against the church.
The un-named teen was participating in a May 10th protest organized by the web-based Anonymous anti-Scientology group. Within minutes of joining protesters outside Scientology's London headquarters, which are located near St. Paul's Cathedral, the teen was approached by a police officer who warned that "the word" was not allowed. The teen refused to remove his sign and was the formally cautioned by a female police officer. After again refusing to take his sign down, he was served with a court summons.
The anonymous teen posted an account of the incident on a forum on the anti-Scientology Enturbulation.org website the following day. "I was read the Section 5 Public Order Act of 1986, and was told I was strongly advised to remove the sign," writes the teen. "I was given until 11:30 to remove the sign. At around 12:05 the police caught up with me, I was given a Court Summons and my details were taken down."
The police also confiscated the sign, claiming it contravened Section 5 of the Public Order Act which outlaws "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior or disorderly behavior in a public or private place...with intention or awareness that such behavior may be threatening, abusive or insulting within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress."
In a statement released to The Register, the City of London Police said they "had received complaints about demonstrators using the words 'cult' and 'Scientology kills' during protests," and that "following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service some demonstrators were warned verbally and in writing that their signs breached section five of the Public Order Act 1986. One demonstrator, a juvenile, continued to display a placard despite police warnings and was reported for an offense under section five. A file on the case will be sent to the CPS."
It should be noted that the City of London police have come under fire for their association with The Church of Scientology. A Freedom of Information Act inquiry by The Guardian revealed that more than 20 high and low ranking police officers had been plied with lavish entertainment and hospitality that was laid on by the church.
Freedom of speech and civil liberties advocates are up in arms over the possible prosecution. "This barmy prosecution makes a mockery of Britain's free speech traditions," said Shami Chakrabarti, the director of U.K. human rights organization Liberty. "After criminalizing the use of the word 'cult', perhaps the next step is to ban the words 'war' and 'tax' from peaceful demonstrations?"
In his own defense, while being cautioned (as seen in the above video), the teen quoted from a 1984 high court ruling in which Justice Latey described the Church of Scientology as a "cult." The judge also said, "Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious," and went on to call the church "corrupt, sinister and dangerous."
Meanwhile the teen is contemplating his legal defense, and writes in his Enturbulation.org post, “What's the likelihood I'll need a lawyer? If I do have to get one, it'll have to come out of my pocket money...”
http://www.dailymantra.com/
A British teenager faces prosecution after displaying a sign which called Scientology a "cult" during a protest against the church. ... more -
Will the last Clinton supporter please turn out the lights on your way out
The Democratic nomination is decided by delegates garnered through a number of processes. When all is said and done, by any measure you use Sen. Barack Obama as earned the vast majority of these delegates. It is all but mathematically impossible for Sen. Clinton to over come this sizable advantage. At this point Diebold couldn't help her beat him. The only thing that could possibly give her the nomination is the so called super delegates giving her the nomination completely alienating the Obama Nation. Go and find the politicians with the stones to upset that constituency. While you at it bring back Big Foot, Jimmy Hoffa and a snap shot of the Lockness Monster. The Democratic nomination is decided by delegates garnered through a number of processes. When all is said and done, by any measure yo... more
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Polygamist women speak-out
Mothers separated from their children as part of a wide-ranging abuse investigation within a polygamist retreat accuse state officials of misleading them before taking their children into custody.
About three dozen of the women who returned to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ranch spoke out Monday, after 11 days in temporary shelters. They said in interviews that police surrounded them Monday and gave them a choice between returning home, or relocating to a women's shelter.
"It just feels like someone is trying to hurt us," said Paula, 38, who like other members of the sect declined to give her full name. "I do not understand how they can do this when they don't have a for sure knowledge that anyone has abused these children." Mothers separated from their children as part of a wide-ranging abuse investigation within a polygamist retreat accuse state officials... more -
That Crazy Cult: Five Misconceptions About Those "Weirdo Mormons"
A lot of people hear bad things about the Mormon religions. They get misinformation. I just wanted to make a few things a bit clearer. Hope you enjoy. Love feedback and opinions. A lot of people hear bad things about the Mormon religions. They get misinformation. I just wanted to make a few things a bit cleare... more
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Polygamist found ... and freed!!!!
Texas Rangers on Saturday met with -- but did not arrest -- the man accused by a teenage girl of physically and sexually abusing her at a polygamist compound.
An affidavit says "Sarah," 16, said Dale Evans Barlow, shown in 2005, beat her and forced her to have sex.
Arizona probation officials said the meeting with Dale Evans Barlow, 50, happened just across the Arizona state line in St. George, Utah.
"The Texas Rangers met with him. He was allowed to go, and no arrest was made," said Friend Walker, director of the Mojave County, Arizona, probation office.
Barlow's attorney, Bruce Griffen, said the meeting was voluntary.
He said he and Barlow are working to gather evidence that his client could not have been in Texas when the crimes are said to have happened.
Texas Rangers on Saturday met with -- but did not arrest -- the man accused by a teenage girl of physically and sexually abusing her a... more -
400+ kids taken from Polygamist compound
More than 400 children, mostly girls in pioneer dresses, were swept into state custody from a polygamist sect in what authorities described Monday as the largest child-welfare operation in Texas history.
The days long raid on the sprawling compound built by now-jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was sparked by a 16-year-old girl's call to authorities that she was being abused and that girls as young as 14 and 15 were being forced into marriages with much older men. More than 400 children, mostly girls in pioneer dresses, were swept into state custody from a polygamist sect in what authorities desc... more -
Apple's branding makes you more creative?
A new study suggests that just looking at the Apple logo might have an impact on people's creativity. Participants were shown the Apple logo for an imperceptible fraction of a second, then asked to think of as many uses for a brick as possible. They came up with 30 percent more uses than other participants who were shown the IBM logo.
I'm sure it's not conclusive evidence, but what the heck, here's the Apple logo. Gaze into it. Now go. Be creative. A new study suggests that just looking at the Apple logo might have an impact on people's creativity. Participants were shown the App... more -
Tom Cruise Madness: The Tom Cruise Scientology Indoctrination Video
Many people didn't get to see the terrifyingly creepy Tom Cruise video yesterday before the Scientologists yanked it off YouTube. I've managed to get a copy of the Tom Cruise Scientology Indoctrination Video that they don't want you to see. You can watch it here in all its technicolor glory, a truly bizarre must-see.
Do not pass go without watching this video!! Many people didn't get to see the terrifyingly creepy Tom Cruise video yesterday before the Scientologists yanked it off YouTube. I'v... more -
Germany Prepares to Ban Scientology
Germany's interior ministers announced on Friday that they considered Scientology to be unconstitutional and said they would seek to ban the organization. Germany's interior ministers announced on Friday that they considered Scientology to be unconstitutional and said they would seek to b... more
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Russian Cult waiting for World to End inside of Cave, will Commit Suicide if Polic...
The 29 member cult say they will detonate a gas tank if authorities come too close.
The leader has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and sleeps inside of a coffin.
"After decades of state-enforced atheism under Soviet rule, many Russians and other ex-Soviet nationals have come under the influence of homegrown and foreign sects."
Do you have any experience with cults?
Are they inherently a bad thing? The 29 member cult say they will detonate a gas tank if authorities come too close. ... more -
George Harrison's Temple
The producer has gained access to the iconic Hare Krishna temple slap bang in the middle of London UK's trendy Soho Sq. The prestigious address was given to Hare Krishnas by George Harrison in his will, and the temple is a notorious landmark as the group fascinate, irritate and inspire the locals in equal measure... The producer has gained access to the iconic Hare Krishna temple slap bang in the middle of London UK's trendy Soho Sq. The prestigiou... more
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