HANNA OVERTON – STILL GUILTY????

“This case boils down to a woman who, basically, tortured a child,” said prosecutor Sandra Eastwood, “becoming so enraged she forced him to have 23 teaspoons of hot pepper and then watching him die in agony.”

 

This much talked about case has put everyone in dilemma if this 29 year old pregnant women, a mother of four, could kill a four year child, who was convicted in Aug’06.

 

“Something was wrong with Andrew. I don’t know exactly how or what happened to him,” said Overton. “Something caused his sodium levels to rise, and it wasn’t me.” JuJu Chang’s report airs on “20/20,”

 

Hanna Overton and her husband Larry, were on the verge of adopting this foster child. Supposedly, that day she had fed Andrew the whole meal. But sometime later he started throwing a tantrum to get more food, so she gave him few dashes of Creole seasoning in a sippy cup of water. But that didn’t calm him, he started vomiting and fell on the floor. Larry and Hanna rushed him to the hospital after an hour and a half, they realised it wasn’t a regular flu. Blood tests soon revealed that he had salt poisoning, or hypernatremia. Andrew’s levels were off the charts — almost double the norm and among the highest ever recorded. The Overtons’ story aroused the suspicions of doctors and investigators. The next day Andrew died and the devout Christian couple, which had no criminal history, became murder suspects. As the investigation continued, authorities developed a theory that Andrew’s death was an intentional poisoning.

 

“We were just waiting for someone to look at it and say ‘This is just an accident,’” Larry Overton told “20/20.” “Instead, we were arrested.”

 

But, backed by a community of fervent supporters they claimed there was a rush to the judgement and the authorities had never considered alternate version of the case. The Overtons said that in the four months Andrew had lived with them, he had exhibited excessive tantrums and obsessive eating. Hannah says she started noticing that Andrew was hoarding food, stealing off the other children’s plates and throwing tantrums after meal time was over. At times, they say, they caught him trying to eat things that weren’t even edible.  The Overtons believe this unexplained behaviour might have been linked to Andrew’s death.

 

The investigators questioned their children and revealed that Andrew was given unusual forms of punishments. Also, when Andrew was rushed to the hospital, the Medical staff testified, he had bruises and scratches on his body, which suggested, it could be a sign of struggle or abuse.

“Could it be that you held his nose, held his neck and made him drink this horrible concoction?” prosecutor Sandra Eastwood asked at trial.

“Absolutely not,” Hannah Overton testified.

 

Andrew’s former foster mother Sharon Hamil testified that the boy seemed perfectly healthy and never exhibited odd or excessive eating. Also, the prosecutors said she could have called the 911, when she saw the little boy in that horrible state.

 

“I think he was in one of his feeding binges, he was having a tantrum, and he was unsupervised for a brief period of time, and I believe that he ingested a large amount of salt.” Moritz has written extensively about salt poisoning and its connection to pica. “When I pulled all the cases of salt poisoning, they all fit the same profile,” he said. “Children within that age group of two to six years of age, in foster care from abusive homes but with behavioural problems, who had history of pica, who by all accounts appeared to have voluntary ingested large amounts of sodium.”

For his part, Moritz doesn’t believe Hannah Overton knew Andrew was dying.

 

To find Hannah guilty, jurors had to believe either of two scenarios — that Hannah force-fed Andrew Burd salt knowing it would kill him or that she neglected to get medical help fast enough knowing that he was dying.

 

Larry Overton also faced a charge of capital murder, but pleaded no contest to negligent homicide in return for five years’ probation.

 

Since Hannah Overton’s trial concluded, Larry Overton has been a single father of five. Once a month, he packs them into the family van and heads north. It’s a 300-mile drive, but no one complains, because for two hours the Overton children visit their mom at a Texas prison, where she hopes her case will be overturned.

For detailed story visit : http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Story?id=6098673&page=1

AMERICAN GANGSTER – LARRY DAVIS

 

 

 

 

Nov. 19, 1986, 20 police officers attempted to raid an apartment in the Morrisania section of the Bronx where Mr. Davis, a suspect in the murders of at least five drug dealers, had been staying.

As the officers stormed the apartment with their guns drawn, Mr. Davis, in blazing fashion, grabbed a pistol and a shotgun and fired at them from a darkened bedroom. At least six of the officers were hit, and two were wounded seriously. The fusillade left the apartment bloodied and littered with spent cartridges, yet Mr. Davis managed a narrow escape through a window.

His escape sparked a nationwide manhunt that ended 17 days later after a standoff at a Bronx apartment building. Mr. Davis took a family hostage in a 14th-floor apartment and gave himself up only after police officers assured him he would not be harmed.

 

 

The story of Larry Davis, is some kind of an action movie. Davis became a kind of anti-hero in the South Bronx after he wounded six NYC police officers in a shootout when they came to arrest him on charges of murdering five drug dealers. Davis maintained at trial that he had been recruited by corrupt police to deal drugs and that the raid was actually a murder attempt to silence him. But the twist to this action story became a thriller, when Larry told the media the cops were looking to kill him because he was about to make it public knowledge he was selling drugs for a group of rogue cops.

 

But after, some interviews with some of his friends, people in the neighborhood, and even a few police officers who didn’t want to go on the record, the story wasn’t made up and we had to believe him.  And so did a Bronx jury that acquitted him in the shootout with the cops on November 19th, 1996, and the murder of 4 drug dealers on March 3, 1988.

According to the state Department of Correctional Services, Luis Rosado killed Davis at 7:30 p.m. last night while prisoners were out for an evening recreational session at Shawangunk Correctional Facility. Rosado stabbed Davis on his arms, head, back, upper thigh and chest. The assailant reportedly has a long history of assaulting other inmates and was arraigned today.

According to one of the commentors “Larry Davis aka “loco Larry” in the Bx. was a legend  in my eyes until I found out why he got killed in jail. He was trying to defend a rapist. The rapist didn’t even defend Larry while he was getting jigged. Larry should have known rapist are cowards”

The Rim and New Jack City writer added “Larry was convicted of another murder in 1991, and was in prison for over 20 years. In February of this year he not only wanted American Gangster to do his story, he wanted me to produce it. A week before I was to interview him, he was murdered in prison. Needless to say, it is something that haunts me to this day, and I hope people tune in and watch tonight’s episode. The Larry Davis story is tragic and compelling.“

MAGNIFICENT “CIRCUS” BY MANISH MALHOTRA

Glitz, style grace, elegance….was all there in Wills India Fashion Week, in Oct’08. Manisha Malhotra  had his extraordinary idea at his dispense and showed us “Circus”.  No its wasnt where the jokers danced and tried to make us all laugh. It was the desinger with his imagination showing circus in his clothing designs with frills, shapes and vibrant colors. Here is a quick look at some of this “circus” collection :

WISECRACKS ON US CRISIS !!!!!!!!!

“I want to warn people from Nigeria who might be watching our show, if you get any e-mails from Washington asking for money, it’s a scam. Don’t fall for it” — Jay Leno

“Do you have any idea how cheap stocks are now?
Wall Street is now being called Wal-Mart Street” — Jay Leno

The difference between a pigeon and a London investment banker?
The pigeon can still make a deposit on a BMW

Q: What’s the difference between a guy who just lost everything in Vegas and an investment banker?
A: A tie

What does AIG stand for?
American Innocence and Greed The problem with investment bank balance sheets is that on the left side nothing’s right and on the right side nothing’s left

I went to buy a toaster and a bank was given free with it!

Some Great Definations :

BULL MARKET — A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.
BEAR MARKET — A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, there are no new cars, and the house is foreclosed upon.
VALUE INVESTING — The art of buying low and selling lower
P/E RATIO — The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.
BROKER — What my broker has made me.
STANDARD & POOR — Your life in a nutshell.
STOCK ANALYST — Idiot who just downgraded your stock.
STOCK SPLIT — When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.
FINANCIAL PLANNER — A guy whose phone has been disconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION — The day after you buy stocks.
CASH FLOW– The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.
YAHOO — What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share.
WINDOWS — What you jump out of when you’re the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.
INSTITUTIONAL INV ESTOR — Past year investor who’s now locked up in anuthouse.
PROFIT *– An archaic word no longer in use.*

Its the “Hullu” Day !!!!!!!!!!!!

Boxee Adds Support                                                                                                                             Yet another alpha has been released that adds a long sought-after feature: internet flash video playback for “Hulu, CBS, Comedy Central and MySpaceTV.” This naturally opens the door to considerably more content for your Boxee device, whether it be a Mac, Apple TV, or even, perish the thought, an Ubuntu Linux machine.

 

Boxee, the free media center software that you can easily install on your Apple TV via a USB patch stick (as well as any other recent OS X machine), now supports Hulu streaming, as well as CBS and Comedy Central (for South Park and Daily Show/Colbert). It will also play videos of myriad codecs stored on networked drives, and lots of other tastiness. A quick try on my Intel Mac yielded a nice stream of the most recent episode of the Office—not bad at all.

 

Unfortunately, Boxee remains invitation-only. However, you may register at the Boxee site to receive a future invitation

Watercooler Teams Up with Hullu                                                                              Watercooler is branching out in its partnership with Hulu to bring us our favorite television shows via TVLoop. This partnership will enable you to view 40 top shows with Hulu’s standard full-screen, high quality viewing experience. It also uses the social aspects of TVLoop to connect users who watch the same shows. Watercooler’s TVLoop has over 25 million users and is already featured on social network sites like hi5, Facebook and more. This should give television shows added exposure in this new age of digital content delivery.

Hullu Captures Sarah Pallin On SNL                                                                                                       To check on Sarah Pallin on Saturday Night Live, we first peeked at Hullu and here’s what I saw :

http://www.hulu.com/watch/39704/saturday-night-live-governor-palin-cold-open

Or Check out this site : http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/10/hulu-nails-sarah-palin-on-saturday-night-live-snl-

 

 

 

 

Obama’s Grandmother Sick, Lets all Pray !!!!!

 

Madelyn Dunham, Obama’s ill grandmother, is seated at the right, next to his grandfather Stanley and his mother Ann:

Here she is on the right, next to Obama and his grandfather, while Obama was attending Columbia:

 

Madelyn Dunham, grandmother of Illinios Senator Barack Obama, has pretty much raised him. This 86 year old women has, Mr. Obama has cancelled all his campaigns and rushed to Hawaii to be at her grandmother’s side.  Obama last visited Hawaii in August, when he spent a week on vacation after clinching the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama events originally planned for Madison, Wis., and Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday will be replaced with one in Indianapolis before he makes the long flight to Hawaii.

 

Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday that Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, who helped raise him, was released from the hospital late last week. But he said her health had deteriorated “to the point where her situation is very serious.”

In a campaign ad this year, Obama described his Dunham as the daughter of a Midwest oil company clerk who “taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland” — things like “accountability and self-reliance. Love of country. Working hard without making excuses. Treating your neighbor as you’d like to be treated.” She’s also the “white grandmother” he referred to in a speech on race.

 

The latest daily tracking poll of registered voters by Gallup showed Obama expanding his lead to 11 points nationwide. The daily Rasmussen survey, however, had McCain narrowing the race to four points, trailing Obama by 50 percent to 46 percent of voters nationwide.

 

So lets all pray that He preserves Madelyn Dunham at least long enough to see her wonderful grandson become the US president. Whether or not she will see him elected President, she surely receives much happiness knowing that he has grown up to be a man in whom many good people are able to have much confidence.

DAVID PRICE – THE SHINNING STAR

WATCH EXCITING VIDEOS…………….

Dibble: Red Sox force Game 7

Jon Lester allows an RBI single in the fifth inning, then settles down to retire the next three batters

David Price gets the final four outs to close Game 7 of the ALCS, helping the Rays advance to the World Series for the first time

 

HERE ARE SOME GREAT PICTURES :

 

David Price emerged as a shinning star in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series by recording the final four outs to defeat the Boston Red Sox, 3-1. He is the first overall pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Bay Rays after a remarkable career at Vanderbilt. His fantastic gaming spirit has left great memories in the first season of the Big League.

 

David Price proved his worth when The Rays had a 3-1 lead in the series and were seven outs from clinching in Boston with a 7-0 lead in Game 5. The Red Sox staged an amazing comeback, scoring eight runs to win and followed up by winning Game 6 in the Rays to force the series to seven games.

To his credits, he also has 14 regular credits under his belt. He jumped ahead of the count 0-2 and struck out Drew on a 97 mph fastball to protect the lead. In the ninth, he walked Jason Bay on a full count, struck out Mark Kotsay looking on a 96 mph fastball, struck out Jason Varitek on an 87 mph slider and got Jed Lowrie to ground into a force out. Price has always had the talent to be a major star; And that’s when this outstanding star was born.

 

Price’s save was a nail-biter, with every fan at Tropicana Field on edge, many of them looking terrified with every pitch. After winning the game catcher Dioner Navarro gave Price a huge hug and wrestled him down with a mob of teammates rejoicing their winning.

 

Price, who recorded his first career major league save, got the win in Game 2 of the ALCS by recording two outs in the 11th inning and watching his team win it in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

For the series, Price worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and allowed no hits and two walks, while striking out four.

RFK Jr. Gives “The Warning” in New Film -Trailor

Robert F. Kennedy Jr along with Naomi Klein, Joe Conason, Chris Hedges, and Naomi Wolf, can be seen in the new independent film, “The Warning,” 

 

Here’s the trailer, check it out :

 

These five authors stood up and spoke truth to power, exposing shocking trends towards a police state, an accelerated corporate integration with the state and the blatant subversion of the Constitution.

These five mavericks asked questions the mainstream media refused to ask, and looked into the dark corners of a closing democracy, a changing economy and growing empire.

They exposed the forces at work in the transformation of our democracy into a Unitary Executive that uses fear, emergency powers and the supremacy of military command to gather power into the office of the Presidency. (A classic military dictatorship by any technical standard.) Something unprecedented has happened in America. Since 2001, the country has taken a radical turn. Illegal surveillance and suppression of dissent, controlled mass media and unchecked corporate power, fraudulent elections and a Unitary Executive that sanctions torture: all these threaten our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and our basic freedoms.

At a historic moment when the next election could well determine the fate of the Republic, The Warning traces the dangerous path America has taken toward a new, un-democratic form of government.

 

 

JOHN MCCAIN ROCKS THE HOUSE AT ALFRED E. SMITHS DINNER

Here’s the video and the pictures !!!!

Obama-McCain Last Debate on 15 Oct-2008

It was Wednesday, the 15^th of Oct 2008 the two final Presidential Candidates,  Barrack Obama and John McCain, came face to face and debated last time before the elections. This third debate had an agenda to talk about the state of the economy, and what needs to be done to get out of the hole. In which Obama was expected to focus on his $60-billion four-point plan, this is to encourage job creation as well as penalties for dipping into an IRA or 401(k). Obama would also like to postpone some foreclosures, and also lend money to some states who are strapped for cash. On the other hand, McCain had an agenda about his five-point, $52.5 billion plan. This plan hoped to be able to cut capital-gains taxes, ease taxes on unemployment benefits and up to $50,000 of retirement-account withdrawals. The plan would also deduct more investment losses from income.

 

THE POLL

Over at CNN, a separate poll of several hundred debate watchers again favored the Democrat by large margins: 58 percent for Obama to McCain’s 31 percent. Perhaps more importantly, McCain’s favorable rating dropped 51 to 49 while his unfavorable rating increased from 45 percent to 49 percent. Obama ended up with 66 percent favorable rating.

Digging into the details the news is even worse for the Arizona Republican.

Asked who “expressed his views more clearly” 66 percent said Obama, 25 percent said McCain.
“Who spent their time attacking his opponent:” 80 percent said McCain, seven percent said Obama. “Who seemed to be the stronger leader:” 56 percent for Obama, 39 percent for McCain. And who was “more likeable:” 70 percent for Obama to McCain’s 22 percent. CNN also conducted a smaller focus group of 25 undecided likely voters in Ohio, and Obama won that too, 15-10. Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, meanwhile, conducted some polling before and after the debate and here are his findings.

Before the debate:

McCain: 54 favorable / 34 unfavorable

Obama: 42 favorable / 42 unfavorable

After the debate:

McCain: 50 favorable / 48 unfavorable

Obama: 72 favorable / 22 unfavorable

For Voting news visit : http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/Maps/Oct15.html

 

THE DEBATE

This debate held, had far superior questions and had interesting arguments where the two had their contrasting view. Here’s some highlight of the final Presidential Debate.

 

Taxes

McCain – Obama’s taxes will move some people into a higher taxes. I will not stand for small business tax increases. Obama will raise taxes on small business. Obama will spread the wealth around by taxing the wealthy and creating more spending on others. Why increase anyone’s taxes at this time? We need to cut business taxes.

Obama – McCain will cut taxes on the wealthiest. I will cut taxes on the 95% of Americans under that wealthiest group. Small businesses, vast majority would receive tax break. I will increase taxes on Warren Buffet to give Joe the Plumber a tax break.

Deficits

Obama – I will insure the financial system rescue bill will result in that money being returned to the tax payers. Eliminate subsidies to insurance companies. Provide health coverage lowering Medicare costs. When economic slump is over, insure balancing of expenditures and revenues. Across the board spending cuts not appropriate, we need to cut programs that don’t work and fund those that strengthen economy. McCain voted for 4 out 5 of Bush’s budgets. I didn’t vote for tax increases on those making more than $42,000 per year. Fox news disputes that claim of McCain’s.

McCain – Energy independence will reduce deficits, creating millions of jobs. Across the board spending freeze, then selectively reduce spending programs. Reduce defense spending, subsidies for ethanol, eliminate tariff on ethanol from Brazil. I will fight for line item veto. Cut out all pork. Obama voted for budgets that taxed Americans making $42,000 per year. Obama voted for pork filled energy bill.

 

Leadership in Campaign

Obama – The American people by 2/3 say in polls that McCain’s ads are negative to 1/3 saying the same about Obama’s ads. I don’t mind being attacked for the next 3 weeks, but, we cannot afford another 4 years of leadership like the last 8 years. Let’s talk about the issues.

Lewis’ remarks have no connection with my campaign. American people want politicians to focus on the serious issues that affect them, not the tit for tat political rhetoric. Lifting wages and creating jobs requires we disagree without being disagreeable. We can’t characterize each other as bad people.

Ayers has been focus of McCain’s campaign for 3 weeks. I have roundly condemned Ayers Weatherman acts. We sat on a board at the same time with many known respectable Republicans. ACORN has no connection with the Obama campaign. I represented ACORN on a case for motor voter law many years ago.

McCain – Been a tough campaign, and negative campaign is Obama’s fault for not engaging in 10 town hall debates. Lewis’ statement regarding McCain and Palin, and Obama did not repudiate Lewis’ remarks. McCain says he has repudiated false claims against Obama everytime.

Campaign financing, Obama lied. Obama has highest spending ever. Obama is spending unprecedented money on negative ads against him. We need to know the full extent of Obama’s relationship with Ayers and ACORN. My campaign is about this tough economy.

 

Cabinet

Obama VP Choice. Biden is finest public servant. Best foreign policy credentials. Biden never forgets the little guy and working families. Shares Obama’s core values and need to invest in Middle Class and working families, Energy Independence and Education. It is up to the American people whether Palin is up to the job. Across the board spending freeze will harm programs supporting special needs children.

McCain – Palin is a reformer. Cut the size of government, fought the oil companies and returned tax dollars to the people. Palin is a breath of fresh air amidst cronyism in D.C. She is a champion of special needs children, and united people all over America. Biden opposed 1st Gulf War. Biden had idea of partitioning Iraq.

Energy and Climate Change and First term progress

McCain – We can eliminate energy dependence with new nuclear power plants. Reprocess nuclear fuel. With all other technologies developed as well we can easily within 7,8 or 10 years, eliminate our dependence on hostile exporting nations.

I am a free trader. Must have worker re-training. Exports to Columbia cost us a billion dollars. But, their exports come into our country free. Columbia will be a market for our products. Obama opposed to Columbia free trade. Obama wants to restrict trade and increase taxes like Herbert Hoover.

Obama – In 10 years we will no longer import oil from Middle East. Must stop borrowing from China to pay Middle Eastern nations for oil. To the oil companies on oil leases; use them or lose them. Can’t drill our way out of the problem. Alternative energies, American made hybrid vehicles have to be part of the plan.

Believes in free trade but any trade agreement is NOT a good trade agreement. Trade agreements must have conditions that insure equal playing field. Free trade must advantage American workers and consumers, not just American corporations. Trade agreements must contain human rights provisions insuring. Loan guarantees to auto makers but only on condition they make vehicles that help America become less oil import dependent and clean up our environment.

 

Health care

Obama. Must expand health care coverage and reduce health care costs. Bankruptcy should not be the cost of receiving medical care. Cut average families’ premiums by $2500 per year with private insurance companies, or provide the same health insurance Congress persons receive. Manage chronic illnesses and prevention in a big way for the long term health of the budget, health care system and people. Small businesses are exempt from penalty I propose for large business. Uninsured raise costs for everyone and tax payers. Insure everyone, eliminate ER visits for minor health care and insure minor health issues don’t become major illnesses. Employers will abandon providing health care under McCain’s plan.

McCain. Costs must come down. Put health care records online, more local clinics, physical fitness in school, reward employees for health club membership. Obama’s plan will fine small businesses who don’t provide health insurance to employees. Obama’s proposal is a single payer system. 95% of Americans will receive more money under my plan. Average cost of health insurance is $5800 and I will give them a $5000 tax break.

 

Roe V. Wade

McCain will not impose litmus test on Supreme Court nominees. Roe v Wade is state issue not federal. I will consider Court nominees on their qualifications and strict adherence to Constitution. Obama votes present on difficult abortion issues. Government must help women facing the abortion choice.

Obama. No litmus test. Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance and I believe Roe V. Wade was rightly decided. It is a private choice, not a government choice. Constitution has privacy rights implicit in it, and should be observed. When people are unfairly treated, statute of limitations can be unfair. We can find common ground in seeking to minimize the number of abortions by supporting alternatives.

 

Education as threat to national security

Obama – Economic importance of education is huge. More money or reform? We need both. Early childhood education pays back in improved performance and lower drop out rights and delinquency. Higher standards and accountability for grades a must as well as lower college costs. Tuition credit for public service necessary.

Parents are essential and must shoulder more responsibility for promoting their children’s education. Federal government needs to provide assistance to school districts that operate at inadequate funding levels. For Charter schools and competition with public schools. Vouchers won’t solve the problems. McCain said he won’t give money to college student special interest groups. College students are our future not special interest group.

McCain. Failed public schools offer no choice to parents and students. Charter schools provide choice. Find poor teachers another line of work. Competition in schools is important. Throwing money at the problem is not the solution. Reward teachers, and teachers without certification will help.

Adjust student loan eligibility to inflation. No Child Left Behind was great beginning to solve education problem and it must be reauthorized. Head Start is great program. But, it doesn’t work. Let’s reform it and then fund it. We will spend the money to care for special education through private sector. Reform however is needed and money won’t help without reform.

 

Closing remarks

McCain – New direction. I have record of reform. Affordable health care, education, spending cuts, and all our promises will be based on whether you trust us in office. I spent my entire life serving this nation and putting this nation first.

Obama – Government unwilling to tackle tough problems. Failed politics of the past will not better our future. Brighter days are still ahead if we invest in the American people, lift wages, and broaden the middle class. Bi-partisan effort is necessary and I will work for that and to improve our future.

 

Debate can be viewed at : mydebates.org

 

Watch the Video : http://indiedesign.typepad.com/inspire_emotion/2008/10/obamamccain-thi.html