You’re welcome, everyone.

Houston Crime Watch, episode 5,782:

A minor traffic infraction this morning led to the arrest of a man wanted on a murder warrant in Houston.

Noe Vences, 19, was charged with felony evading arrest and other charges.

The deputy caught up with the suspect, who allegedly had a handgun, on Fargo Wood Circle.

The owner of the vehicle that the suspect was driving said the car had been stolen during a carjacking on Old Spanish Trail in Houston about 7:15 a.m. today.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that the suspect admitted to being in the United States illegally.

Murder, carjacking, illegal gun possession, swerving all over the road and evading arrest — I guess those are “the jobs Americans aren’t doing.”

Good work, Deputy!

That may well come to pass. Insurance Billionaire Maurice “Hank” Greenberg is currently buying large blocks of NYT stock in an attempt to wrest control of the corporation from the Sulzberger family. NYT’s corporate bylaws are odd in that they allow the Sulzberger family to hold only 10% of the stock while still being able to name more than half the board of directors. He is joined by other discontent stock holders such as Morgan Stanley investments in wanting to halt the dual class stock structure.

Ladies and gentlemen, this could get ugly.

(Hat Tip: Right Wing News)

Chris Peden, the LST-backed Friendswood city councilman, wants to make English the official language of that community:

City Councilman Chris Peden said the proposed measure would be a safeguard for Friendswood and compared it to the city’s ordinance prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of places where children gather.

“We do not have, in my opinion, an illegal immigration issue in the city of Friendswood, but I don’t want to pass legislation after we get one,” Peden said.

“What I will ask is that our charter review committee put on the ballot that our charter include a clause stating that English is the language of the city of Friendswood,” he said.

And of course, the usual suspects are standing in the way:

But Mayor David Smith said he has no interest in considering ordinances targeting illegal immigration.

“When we talk about representing the citizens of Friendswood and sending a message to Washington on a particular issue, I think we have to be careful,” he said. “We have to be cautious about that, because we represent everybody in Friendswood.”

That would be the same Mayor David Smith who opposed a tax refund for the hard-working citizens of Friendswood earlier this year.

John LeCour, another LST-backed councilman (and BrewHaHa attendee), is on board:

Friendswood City Councilman John LeCour said he might be interested in similar laws for Friendswood.

“(Our borders) need to be controlled, and maybe it’s something we can start here, a movement here that the state and the federal government should see that the citizens are serious,” LeCour said.

Go get ‘em, guys!

Can you tell which one of these men is the City Slicker?

Hint– The one wearing nylon cross-training hiking shoes (instead of boots) and no cowboy hat.

Click here for full article.

To learn more about the Eyes on the Border project (or to donate), click here.

There are some misunderstandings and myths and outright distortions that are being bandied about in the media, and unfortunately even KSEV’s Edd Hendee is not immune to the misinformation. Polonium 210 (not plutonium 210 as Edd was saying this morning) , the radioactive heavy metal that the former Russian spy was poisoned with, is primarily a heavy metal toxin, the fact that it is radioactive is really just a bonus. In fact it’s effects on the body are very similar to another heavy metal toxin which was originally thought to be the cause of death: Thallium.

Yes, Polonium 210 poisoning is almost certainly a deliberate act, most poisonings, be they accidental or deliberate usually use other, easier to obtain poisons, such as commercially available insecticides or cleaning products. They do so for two reasons, it is much easier to get, and therefore much harder to identify the source, and the perpetrator generally has not thought the issue through very well anyway.

Esoteric poisons, of which there are many, generally are harder to obtain, or are more tracable. Polonium 210 is more difficult to obtain than a bottle of Drano, or even a syringe full of Potassium Chloride, which would most certainly do the job much quicker, but it is not as difficult to obtain as Edd and others in the media would have the public to believe.

Most large universities, and many large hospitals, at least in the US, have the means to manufacture polonium 210 in the quantities needed. All you need is a research/medical radioisotope production reactor (which are far more common than most people realize, Texas A&M has one for instance.) and some bismuth. Bismuth (as well as lead) in fact is a low temp melting point metal that is used to fabricate custom radiation shields for radiation treatment of cancer. And bismuth is even more common in Europe since lead has been banned for most applications. When put in the neutron flux of a reactor, the bismuth transmutes to Polonium 210. But that is not the only way to obtain it, you could simply put it near a gamma ray source such as Cobalt 60 or another gamma ray source. Such sources are far more common than most people realize and are used in industry every day.

One caller was concerned about it’s use in a dirty bomb, the caller was right to be concerned because as radioactive poisons go, Polonium is about as bad as it gets. What is worse is that there are three types of radiation, Alpha: which can be shielded by a sheet or two of paper, Beta: which can be stopped by an inch or two of wood, and Gamma: which may take several feet of concrete or several inches of lead to shield. Polonium 210 is an Alpha emitter which means that it would be relatively easy to shield the bomb so that it is difficult to detect. AND it would be relatively safe to manufacture if proper precautions were taken since rubber gloves and a tyvek suit and respirator such as that used in mold or asbestos remediation would be all that would be needed in the way of protective gear.

Polonium 210 even occurs naturally and can be found in trace amounts in tobacco that has been grown with fertilizer for instance. So the claim that it must come from a government is a bit disingenuous. It must come from an industrialized country with access to radioisotopes, but that list is quite long. Most industrialized countries have access to such things.

Far more telling proof comes from motive and opportunity, not means. The former spy was about to reveal a great deal of sensitive information about Putin’s actions as the former head of the KGB. That supplies a very strong motive, one far stronger than any other suspect at this point in the investigation. I am not saying Russia did not do it, in fact, I think it is plain that they did, although finding definitive proof will be a difficult job. But the media is focusing on the wrong aspect of the investigation if you really want to find proof of wrongdoing. Focus on the motive, and the opportunity, not the means.

Given the Houston Chronicle’s well | documented | peculiarities when it comes to identifying “sensitive” information concerning criminal suspects, we can’t help but be amused by the following sentence, emphasized in bold by LST.

Adnan Mirza, 29, and Kobie Williams, 33, have been charged with conspiracy to aid the Taliban by training with weapons with the goal of fighting U.S.-led forces in the Mideast. [snip}

Williams has pleaded guilty, admitting to firearms training and to handing over $350 to support the Taliban, a fundamental Islamic movement identified by the FBI as a global terrorist group.

Federal authorities also arrested Mirza's cousin, Shiraz Syed Qazi, charging him with the unlawful possession of a firearm. He is also expected to appear in court this morning.

Mirza, Williams and Qazi, 25, are all Muslim.

No kidding?

I guess that's to clue in those readers who hadn't yet picked up on that subtle yet vital nuance.

One interesting wrinkle to the story is that it appears that the native born African-American suspect (see how easy that is?) in all likelihood turned himself (and the Mirza's) in.

Williams' lawyers, John Floyd and Alamdar Hamdani, described him an a contrite man who realized the error of his ways and took steps to make things right.

"He came to me and (Hamdani) with the express intent of reaching out to the government so he could come forward with what he knew," Floyd said. "This all began as frustration with the current war that is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was something that, due to his frustration, he acted out in a way that now he sees was improper. And, quite frankly, he's expressed to us over and over again that he is committed to renouncing violence of any sort and going forward in a peaceful and nonviolent struggle for his beliefs."

Both lawyers representing Williams said they could not comment on whether their client knew federal officials were watching him or whether Williams led investigators to Mirza. Floyd said that Williams had been communicating with federal investigators for some time before he surrendered to U.S. marshals Tuesday.

"He came to a point when he knew what he was doing was wrong. He decided to step up and take responsibility knowing the repercussions are so serious. It could have been a lot worse had he not come forward," Floyd said. "But I can't tell you how the process worked. I will be able to tell you in the future."

Neither lawyer would comment on how helpful Williams may have been to prosecutors.

But Tuesday, after Williams' plea hearing ended, he was handcuffed by marshals. For a few minutes, he stood around, smiling and nodding his head as he had a brief conversation with his lawyers.

Then, Williams had what appeared to be a pleasant exchange with Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Cook.

And, just before Williams was led away, Cook stepped forward and gave him a pat on the back.

If this turns out to be the case, then, well, good. Young men in college sometimes get swept up, lose touch with the "real world," and get involved in things they regret upon maturing.

[Note to future oppo-researchers-- I never did anything as stupid as engage in paramilitary training with the intent of waging war against America, so don't get too excited.]

Still, it looks like Williams had a pang of conscience, and decided to to the difficult (but right) thing.

I’ve got no problem with that being taken into account during sentencing.

Solutions for Schools and Families– Genia Development provides intelligent, sensitive and practical solutions to parents and educators, including parent coaching, counseling, staff and parent workshops and both home and classroom environment design. All services can be customized to fit your needs. Let us help you meet the challenges of caring for children. Contact us at 832-286-3308, or learn more at geniadevelopment.com

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Stand by for an amazing news flash from the Associated Press via our beloved Houston Chronicle:

Britney’s crotch shots show a good girl gone bad

NEW YORK — Britney Spears is behaving more like her soon to be ex-husband, Kevin Federline, than a pop princess on the verge of a career comeback.

That is right ladies and gentlemen, Britney Spears’ recent running around displaying her dignity is proof that she is now a “bad girl.” All this time, through the drunken Vegas wedding, the annulment, the trailer-park second husband, the two children who keep getting almost-dropped, the slovenly living, the divorce, and now the “partying, panty-free, smoking, and drinking soon-to-be-single young mother of two” act, we all thought this child of twenty-four years was a “good girl.” Take a moment to genuflect to the media gods who have thus enlightened us all.

In case you were not sufficiently bemused, there is more:

“She’s a beautiful girl and now that she’s single and she’s having fun, I think she’s just trying to express herself,” said New York-based celebrity image consultant Amanda Sanders. “Unfortunately, it’s the wrong message that’s coming across. And the shame is she was really such a role model.“

Sure she was. A model for how to dress like a slut, choose idiots for husbands who are then quickly discarded, treat your children like pets, and generally live your life like you call a trailer your home despite millions of dollars in the bank. Has anyone seriously looked up to this living soap opera in recent years? Prostitutes may have taken fashion cues, and divorce lawyers may salivate over her Liz Taylor-like marital proclivities, but otherwise the oft-paunchy and raunchy pop star has done nothing but make a laughingstock of herself with her pathetic behavior.

Browsing through the open comments I see the vestiges of the boycott Citgo movement. Some things you may not know and the store you boycott may not deserve that treatment……

Petro Express Inc is a Charolette N.C. company that is dropping Citgo gas in light of the Chavez comments. They are not affiliated with Chavez of Citgo. In fact Petro Express is joining the 7-11 chain of stores dropping Citgo fuel.

(NPNweb.com) Petro Express Inc., Charlotte, N.C., is phasing out Citgo Petroleum Corp. gasoline. By next year, the company will no longer sell the brand, The Charlotte Observer reported Oct. 17.

Citgo, the refining arm of Venezuelan national oil company PDVSA, has become the subject of a growing boycott in the United States since Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez referred to the president as “the devil” last month in a United Nations speech.

Petro Express hasn’t cited global politics as the reason for the change, but the brand is disappearing from 45 of its 66 locations this year. The company joins convenience store giant 7-Eleven, which this month dumped Citgo at its 2,100 locations.

Dallas-based 7-Eleven said it had a change in the works for several years, but noted in a written statement that “regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans’ concern over derogatory comments about our country.”

Petro Express announced last week an ongoing remodeling of its locations and called the changes “renewed emphasis on the Petro Express brand.”

“We have chosen to market the Petro Express fuel brand in lieu of any national brand,” the company said in a written statement. The statement did not mention Citgo. Petro Express spokesman Simon Moye didn’t return repeated telephone calls from the Observer.

And in further news Circle K is no longer selling Citgo gas. They are now selling Valero gas.

Valero is putting its name on the fuel stations, the popular Circle K store names will not change, only the Citgo signs will come down. The brand change is expected to begin immediately and you will see the Citgo signs coming down as early as September. The new signage could take up to a year to complete because of the large number of stations involved, but Valero reports to the industry that the changes will be made fast. Valero reports the deal is the largest single agreement with a single distributor in Valero history by fuel volume and number of sites, making Valero the No. 1 fuel marketer in Texas with a total of 1,900 locations. With the addition of the stations run by Susser, the largest independent convenience-store operator in Texas, Valero will have a total of about 5,500 sites in the U.S. and Canada.

There has also been questions about the Susser brand otherwise known as Stripes. Stripes is divesting itself from Circle K and again Stripes is NOT AFFILIATED WITH nor are they selling Citgo gas.

(The Monitor)  Stripes are in. Circles are out.

Or so you may have noticed on your recent trip to a Circle K store. Nearly six dozen Circle K convenience stores are being outfitted with a new name.

“Very simply, we are re-branding from Circle K to Stripes,” said Otis Peaks, a spokesman for Corpus Christi-based Susser Holdings, Texas’ largest convenience store operator, running 320 Circle K stores in Texas and Oklahoma - including the 71 locations in the Upper Valley. (SNIP)

The new Stripes brand is Susser’s own creation.

There is an email going around about a Citgo name change. This email is bogus. I understand that we all want to direct our anger at Hugo Chavez for his statement. The convenient and most direct way to do this is through a boycott. According to the stories I have cited above, the franchising corporations have “gotten” the message. Also consider that many Citgo “stores” are mom and pop operations. They sunk their money into a store and agreed to sell Citgo gas through a franchising opportunity. See Autoblog for more information on this problem. I have no problems with boycotts but I feel we have to be careful because the person we hurt the most might be our next door neighbor.

Sciguy posts today about research sponsored by Bausch & Lomb, that tries to calculate the effect of beer consumption on the general improvement in appearance of the opposite sex. Now, this research has not been independently verified. I suspect our very own Beer Scholar Matt Bramanti will need to do much in depth research to verify their findings.

Time for the inevitable “He was such a nice, quiet boy,” reactions from friends and neighbors, courtesy the Houston Chronicle.

Kobie Williams left Ramadan baskets packed with chocolate-laced trail mix on his neighbors’ doorsteps and wistfully spoke of going to Egypt to study the Quran. Adnan Mirza was active in Muslim groups and spent his Sundays at a Houston soup kitchen feeding the homeless.

To their friends and families, Williams, 33, and Mirza, 29, were enthusiastic college students dedicated to God and family.

But Justice Department officials presented a shockingly different view of the men Tuesday, branding both as Taliban supporters — one contributing $350 to terrorists — who conspired to train with weapons with the goal of fighting U.S.-led forces in the Mideast. [snip]

[Ali] Qazi [Mirza's cousin] said the accused man has been very active with Islamic community groups, and routinely collects spare food from restaurants to feed the homeless.

In the past year, Qazi said, Mirza had developed an interest in hunting.

Hmm, hunting what? Jew?

At the nearby Masjid el-Farouq mosque that Mirza attended, members Tuesday night expressed surprise at the federal accusations.

“He’s the kindest, sweetest person,” said one, who identified himself only as Mohamad because he feared retaliation from authorities. “He would not harm a fly.”

Masjid el-Farouq mosque… Masjid el-Farouq… where have we heard that name before?

Oh yeah–the Freedom House report on Wahabbist hate-ideology in American mosques (pdf, 95 pages).

There are many excerpts I could quote, but here I’ll only reproduce the one I think is the “best” (pages 58-60):

Read more

Solutions for Schools and Families– Genia Development provides intelligent, sensitive and practical solutions to parents and educators, including parent coaching, counseling, staff and parent workshops and both home and classroom environment design. All services can be customized to fit your needs. Let us help you meet the challenges of caring for children. Contact us at 832-286-3308, or learn more at geniadevelopment.com

——————–

Christians United for Israel– Learn more from Pastor John Hagee about this unique opportunity for you to stand with the Jewish People and invoke God’s blessings on America; | 210-477-4714 | website |

——————–

Get paid to tell us what you think– Register to participate in one of our focus groups; earn money telling us what you think about politics, your community and consumer goods. Click here to learn more and sign-up!

——————–

——————–

Dawn Wolf Design– LST’s full-service graphic designer of choice. Talented, professional, competitively priced; a generous LST volunteer, we could not recommend her more highly. | 713-781-8900 | website

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