I was recently touched by the story of Anna He, a beautiful 9 year-old girl who was the subject of an 8 year long custody battle between her American foster parents, the Bakers, and her biological parents, the Hes in China.On one end, her biological parents, who came into hard times when she was a baby and decided to put her in temporary custody with the Bakers so that she could have medical insurance and so that she could be properly cared for until they got back on their feet. On the other hand, the Bakers, a couple who opened their home to Anna and took care of her from the time she was a baby, then fought for permanent custody, claiming that her biological parents had abandoned her.

It’s a case that is difficult to call, and one that any of us can at least empathize with, on both accounts. Should she have stayed in America with everyone she grew up with and family who has known and loved her most of her life? Or should she have been sent back to her parents, who always intended of having her home and loved her so much they made a painful decision for her sake? A Tennessee judge decided to go with the latter, and Anna was sent to China, a homeland she has never been to, with a language she doesn’t speak, and with family that adores her, but that she doesn’t know. [click to continue…]

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A University of South Alabama professor of economics was caught by police in a sex sting for attempting to send obscene pictures to a 13 year-old girl who turned out to be an FBI agent. The professor, who apparently was sending pictures and asking the “girl” if she wanted him to visit her, was hoping for a meeting and mentioned that he had already set up visits with another girl who was between 14 and 15 years old. When asked by the undercover agent, who was posing as the girl in a Yahoo! chat room, if he planned on having sex with her, he replied, “yep”.

Okay, this should go without saying. However, given the fact that there are so many disgusting perverts out in the world right now, perhaps it bears repeating: soliciting sex from a minor is BAD. Having sex with a minor is VERY BAD. Anyone who goes on chat rooms–or anywhere online for that matter– with the intent of hooking up with a teenage child is beyond lewd and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. [click to continue…]

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How’s this for shopping craze? People being injured and, in some cases, killed over holiday bargains.

Yes. I said killed.

“Black Friday” in America is pretty much the busiest shopping day of the year. On the day after Thanksgiving, thousands upon thousands of people go out in the wee hours of the morning to shop around for early bargains, get the best prices on holiday presents, or simply get that DVD player they always wanted at a killer price. Literally. Folks in New York, for example, may have taken that phrase quite literally, as a mob of thousands of desperate shoppers rushed through the doors of a Wal-mart when the store opened, trampling an employee to death. Meanwhile, in California, gunshots were fired inside of a Toys R Us and, although it is not yet known whether or not the shots fired were in relation to an argument over a toy (go ahead and take in the ridiculousness of that for a moment — I’ll wait), I think it can safely be assumed that given these sorts of incidents, just about anything goes on Black Friday. It didn’t earn its moniker for no reason, after all. [click to continue…]

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The numbers were updated today regarding the horrific attacks in Mumbai yesterday, with 119 people confirmed dead and 288 people injured, as Indian troops searched hotels room by room and besieged a Jewish center where a band of terrorists was believed to be holed up with hostages.

The Mumbai attacks have shaken the world, as a group of militants organized a series of attacks that began Tuesday and continued well into Wednesday. According to some witnesses, the attackers targeted Americans and Britons; still, victims from all over were claimed by the group, and hostages held at the two luxury hotels that they targeted, the Oberoi and the world-famous Taj Mahal. They also attacked a popular restaurant and a crowded train station. Wire reports say that at least three Americans were confirmed victims in the attacks, but no word on how many Britons might have been victims. [click to continue…]

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