11.18.09
Oldest US person dies at 114
Written by Janet
The oldest person living in America, and third oldest in the world, has reportedly died in New York City. It’s reported Olivia Patricia Thomas died Monday in the St. Francis Home of Williamsville, near Buffalo. She had lived there since 2004. She’s being remembered as a dedicated gardener who loved to travel the world.
The Gerontology Research Group tracks supercentenarians and says Thomas was the oldest person born in the United States. She was born June 29, 1895.
The oldest person in the world is believed to be Kama Chinen of Japan, who was born one month and 19 days before Thomas. Mary Josephine Ray is one week younger than Chinen. She was born in Canada and now lives in Manchester, N.H.
11.15.09
Gitmo Terrorist Trials
Written by Janet
Apparently the idea of bringing those accused in the Sept. 11 attacks to New York for trial would increase the security threat to the city and give radical Islamists a platform to propagate their ideology, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Sunday.
Giuliani’s view that the Obama administration is erring in trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others near the site of the World Trade Center was echoed by other Republicans on the Sunday news programs.
Democrats defended the decision of Attorney General Eric Holder to try the five in New York where more than 2,000 civilians were killed on Sept. 11. If someone murders Americans in this country, they should be tried in the U.S., said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Republicans argued that the five are war criminals and should be tried in the military tribunals where other Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainees will be judged. They disputed administration arguments that these five were conspirators to a crime committed on American soil.
“What the Obama administration is telling us loud and clear is that both in substance and reality the war on terror from their point of view is over,” Giuliani said. Moving the case to a civilian court, he said, “seems to be an overconcern with the rights of terrorists and a lack of concern for the rights of the public.”
The former mayor was similarly critical of the administration’s handling of the shooting spree at Fort Hood last week. President Barack Obama, he said, “doesn’t get the fact that there is an Islamic war against us.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a former senator from New York, said she had no problem with Holder’s decision to try Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the others in the state.
Clinton also noted that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and law enforcement officials in New York “believe that New York City can not only handle this, but that it is appropriate to go forward in the very area where these people launched this horrific attack against us.” New York Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said holding the trial in the city most devastated by the 2001 attack is appropriate, and he pronounced the Police Department prepared to meet any security challenge.
What do you think? Should the trials be held in New York?
09.29.09
New York Teen Injures Self After Building Possible Bomb
Written by Janet
Just how low can the intelligence scale go, when it comes to teenagers? A 17 year old boy was injured in an explosion inside him home in New York, he may have been building or playing with a bomb. Police on Long Island, N.Y., said it wasn’t clear if the boy was building an explosive device or playing with one when it went off Monday night in the basement of his house in North Babylon.
The teen’s hand was severely injured in the 8 p.m. explosion and he was taken to the hospital. A police arson squad and federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were called to the house and remained there through the night conducting their investigation.
The family declined to comment….
09.23.09
Epileptic NY Driver Guilty Of Brit Murders
I am not sure whether this was murder, he didn’t premediate that, but he is guilty of having stopped his medication to control epilepsy and was driving a heave truck when he lost control.
As for not telling his employer, wellllllllll, there are those who will not accept such illness because of the dangerousness.
What say you?
hexie
Skynews - 10:14am UK, Wednesday September 23, 2009
An epileptic who had a fit at the wheel of a New York dustbin lorry and ploughed into a British couple has been found guilty of murder.
Jacqueline Timmins, 47, and Andrew Hardie, 48, of Yeovil, Somerset, died instantly when they were struck by the vehicle Auvryn Scarlett was driving.
The couple had been in the Big Apple for a romantic Valentine’s Day break.
Grainy CCTV footage showed the pair walking along a pavement near Madison Square Garden to their hotel, after visiting a nearby restaurant.
Scarlett’s truck can then be seen mounting the walkway and driving into the couple and a third pedestrian.
The 54-year-old driver had stopped taking drugs to control his epilepsy and failed to tell his employer about the condition, Manhattan Supreme Court heard.
Chris Ryan, prosecuting, said Scarlett had behaved with “depraved indifference to human life”.
Driving six days a week for the refuse haulage company, he knew he could have a fit at any time “on some of the busiest streets on earth”, Mr Ryan continued.
The prosecutor was quoted as saying: “It is the equivalent of Russian roulette, but the gun isn’t pointed at him (the defendant), but pointed towards the people in the street.”
The jury rejected the lesser charge of manslaughter, finding Scarlett guilty of two counts of murder in the second degree.
He was also convicted of assault in the first degree relating to the third pedestrian, who survived the crash on February 12, 2008.
Sentencing was adjourned to October 15 and Scarlett was remanded in custody.
09.09.09
School Bans Diabetic Boy’s Service Dog
Written by Janet
The officials at a school in New York City refused to allow a diabetic student to bring his service dog to school. A school district official stopped 8-year-old Anthony Spataro, his mother, and his dog, Dash, from entering a Yonkers school on Tuesday.
The boy’s mother, Samantha Spataro said her son was told that he was welcome at Paideia School 15 without his dog. The Westchester school’s spokeswoman said the dog is too young to have been properly trained as a service dog to detect glucose levels.
But here’s the catch ~~~ the district also barred Anthony from coming to class when he had a different service dog, a 2-year-old german shepherd to monitor fluctuations in his blood sugar levels.
School officials said in August, that Anthony had an aide assigned to him and his dog, which the family got for him is barred from the school…what is your opinion? So the first dog was trained, yet not allowed in so the family got the second dog, now the school says it’s not properly trained…where’s the logic here?
04.27.09
Compassion should dominate over proposed medical marijuana
Written by Janet
New York State has the opportunity to demonstrate the compassion shown by 14 other states in legalizing medicinal use of marijuana. But lawmakers also must ensure tight controls to avoid simply making marijuana easier to get for nonmedical uses, and must review serious scientific studies to avoid basing this kind of law only on anecdotal evidence.
The use of medicinal marijuana has been the topic of debate across the country, with the federal government still staunchly opposed. But states have carved out their own laws to help people in pain from diseases such as multiple sclerosis or experiencing nausea from undergoing chemotherapy.
Now, New York’s law stands the chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate and Assembly before the end of this legislative session in June. Gov. David A. Paterson reportedly has concerns about the issue, and rightly wants to ensure marijuana doesn’t simply become more available to anyone, he has been known to be supportive of the concept of legal medical use.
Those against say, that the notion in the past that medical marijuana could develop into an illegal side business. That is a valid concern, but one that calls for careful monitoring and not for the outright denial of relief to people who are suffering. In a recent report, News Albany chief Tom Precious cited the experience of Joel Peacock, enrolled in the Conservative Party, who used marijuana during a construction job in Louisiana several years ago, and then in Florida, in order to relieve pain from an accident. Peacock is following the law—he does not use it in this state, where it is illegal. But he shouldn’t have to make the choice between expensive medications and limited medicinal use of marijuana.
Under state laws that are enacted now, and this measure that is proposed, there are restrictions to discourage illicit trade. Patients deciding to grow their own marijuana have to keep it in a locked, enclosed area, such as a greenhouse or closet accessible only to the patient or caregiver. The bill also would allow the state to charge a fee to dispensers, from pharmacies to hospital clinics to registered marijuana producers. Insurers can rest easy, as the bill does not require them to cover the treatments.
These provisions are expected to quell the debate, but opponents also argue that the use of marijuana exposes the user to such additional medical threats as psychosis, memory loss and cognition problems. And, they insist, it’s an addictive drug that provides a gateway to other, harder drugs.
So that’s why all solid, scientific studies should be brought into this debate. Clarity on risks and benefits still is needed. Although the therapeutic use of marijuana has a history spanning 4,500 years, gathering data on usage for the wide range of diseases marijuana is claimed to alleviate remains a challenge.
With the right controls, though, compassion for those suffering extreme pain and discomfort should prevail.
01.21.09
Caroline Kennedy reportedly withdraws Senate bid
Written by Janet
Caroline Kennedy is withdrawing from her effort to join the U.S. Senate in the seat once held by her uncle, slain Sen. Bobby Kennedy. The New York Times and New York Post reported Wednesday that Kennedy has ended her monthlong bid to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was confirmed as secretary of state.
The Times didn’t say she withdrew out of concern for her uncle, but an unidentified source said she dropped out because she learned Gov. David Paterson had decided not to choose her.
The move appears to clear the way for several other candidates including Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who Paterson confirmed Tuesday is under consideration. Cuomo surpassed Kennedy in statewide polls last week as the favorite of New Yorkers who were surveyed.
Paterson has said he hopes to make an appointment by this weekend.
There are other contenders for the Senate seat, including, Reps. Carolyn Maloney of New York City and Steve Israel of Long Island, along with a strong upstate candidate, Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, whose district runs along the Hudson Valley. Other hopefuls among the 10 or 20 Paterson said were under consideration include Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Brian Higgins and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
The reports came hours after Maloney, some Democrats’ top choice, was named chairwoman of the Joint Economic Committee in Congress. That’s a significant move because Paterson had made it clear the next senator’s top job should be to help land a federal stimulus package to help New York out of its budget crisis.
01.20.09
New york Poll: Many prefer Cuomo over Kennedy as senator
Written by Janet
Most New Yorkers prefer Attorney General Andrew Cuomo over Caroline Kennedy for the U.S. Senate seat, according to a poll released Tuesday.
When Senator Hillary Clinton’s senate seat is vacated, a recent poll shows that many new yorkers prefer Attorney General Andrew Cuomo over Caroline Kennedy .
The Quinnipiac University poll finds New York voters prefer Cuomo 31 percent to 24 percent over Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy.
Earlier, Kennedy was a favorite among the voters.
Although none of the hopefuls for the appointment by Gov. David Paterson have managed to win a majority of support in the polls.
The poll consisted of calls to 1,664 registered voters from Jan. 8 to Monday and has a margin of error of just more than 2 percentage points.
