The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

World’s Youngest Blogger: Resist This, Rachel Maddow!

Posted on | June 1, 2013 | 6 Comments

Category: World's Youngest Blogger

You Stay Classy, Cleveland!

Posted on | June 1, 2013 | 23 Comments

My wife’s family is from northern Ohio, where the nightly local news is like a continuing education lesson on Reasons to Avoid Cleveland:

. . . what happened at a kindergarten graduation in Cleveland. What started as two teens fighting over spilled juice led to the families getting involved and eventually turned into a riot. Police were called when one participant pulled out a hammer and another pulled out a pipe, though authorities are unsure whether they were brought to the graduation or found while the riot was happening.
In the end, eight people were arrested and charged with aggravated rioting. . . .

More — including video — at Viral Read.

 

Category: Crime, Ohio

‘Honey, I Blew $200 Million’

Posted on | June 1, 2013 | 11 Comments

Halsey Minor and his second wife, Shannon, in 2008

CNET founder Halsey Minor files for bankruptcy
— Los Angeles Times

CNET Founder Halsey Minor Bankrupt
5 Years After Firm’s $1.8 Billion Sale
— Daily Finance

How Halsey Minor Blew Tech Fortune on Way to Bankruptcy
— Bloomberg

Famous Tech Entrepreneur
Halsey Minor Declares Bankruptcy
— ViralRead

The headlines pretty much tell the story, but the details are interesting: Halsey Minor is a Virginia aristocrat of such illustrious heritage that at his alma mater the University of Virginia, two campus buildings — Minor Hall and Halsey Hall — are named for his ancestors. Where did everything go wrong for the dot-com bad boy?

In 1999, Fortune magazine’s list of “40 Richest Americans Under 40? had Minor at No. 31 with an estimated net worth of $354.1 million. He divorced his first wife in 2006 and quickly re-married to the ex-wife of Hollywood producer Marc Gurvitz. A 2008 profile showed Minor with the blonde second wife, Shannon, leaning on his shoulder and called him “The Baddest Boy in Silicon Valley.”
In 2008, Minor sold the company he founded, CNET, to CBS in a deal valued at $1.8 billion, from which Minor’s haul was reportedly $200 million. Minor then went on a spending spree — he called it “investment” — that looked an awful lot like a mid-life crisis. He bought hotels and mansions and race horses. He also frequently found himself in legal disputesover unpaid bills, hassles that included losing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit to Sotheby’s auction house. It was reported last year that he and his new blonde wife owed the state of California more than $10 million in unpaid income taxes. . . .

Read the whole thing (and watch the video) at Viral Read.

 


Category: Economics

Local PFLAG: ‘The Cry of Discrimination …Does Not Seem to Apply’ in Hunt Case

Posted on | May 31, 2013 | 49 Comments

Feb. 16 mug shot of accused sex offender Kaitlyn Ashley Hunt

The local chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) refuses to support accused sex offender Kaitlyn Ashley Hunt:

PFLAG of Vero Beach has received questions and comments regarding the controvery involving the two young ladies in Sebastian.
We have been watching the developments in this case since it was brought to our attention. PFLAG of Vero Beach cannot enter into the controversy for the following reason. We have not been able to find where the charges brought against this unfortunate young lady are inspired by homophobia, or are in any way anti-LGBTQ. . . .
The cry of discrimination, unless more facts come out, does not seem to apply here. Some very simple research yields cases where heterosexual kids have been arrested and prosecuted under the same law.

When this news was reported online Friday by South Florida Gay News, the article was quickly deleted, but the Google cache still exists. Probably this is evidence of the kind of pressures for movement solidarity that were reported earlier this week by a local TV station:

Two local gay men who “held high ranking positions in a Treasure Coast LGBT advocacy group” quit over the issue, according to a report Tuesday by WPEC-TV’s Peter Schaller, who quoted one of the men: “Some folks in the community, in that organization, were supporting Kate and would not hear the voice of reason… . I resigned as a result of two members in particular who referred to this matter as nothing more than a teenage love story, it is not a teenage love story.”

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Hunt’s attorney has sought and been granted a delay in the case, saying she needs more time to prepare.




 

UPDATE: Kinda related:

A government website designed for girls ages 10 to 16 offers health advice and information on a wide range of topics, including homosexuality, anal sex and “mutual masturbation.”
The Health and Human Services’ girlshealth.gov includes tips on fitness and nutrition and an “environmental health” section where girls can read about leading a “green” lifestyle. . . .
“Our tagline is ‘Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You. Beautiful. It focuses on the idea that being yourself — finding what makes you smile and how to live well — is what makes you ‘you.’ And that is beautiful!”

Anal sex for 10-year-olds. Your tax dollars at work.

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Category: Crime, Florida, Gays, Kaitlyn Hunt, Sex

The #FreeKate Meltdown Continues

Posted on | May 31, 2013 | 26 Comments

Got some important work to do today, so there’s only time for a bit of quick aggregation right now. R.J. Reidhead continues to be disturbed and fascinated by what she sees as indicators that Kaitlyn Smith is a victim of something worse than homophobia.

Jeff Goldstein sarcastically invokes the Ghost of Victims Past. Is sarcasm appropriate? The alternative — taking seriously the reality that young people can be and often are victimized “consensually” —  is probably depressing enough to make you do drugs.

A blogger notes an obvious contrast:

Legally, the case is about an 18 year old seducing a 14 year old. In the media, it’s about whether the parents who are prosecuting the 18 year old are motivated by anti-homosexual sentiment.

But don’t you dare accuse the media of having an agenda — one that has nothing to do with the best interests of these teenagers, or the best interests of Indian River County, Florida — because only hateful bigots would ever call attention to the media agenda.

Da Tech Guy points out that the “Free Kate” agenda will have its own day Saturday at Disney World. IYKWIMAITYD.

Speaking of contrast, Christine Rousselle finds a nearly perfect one:

Let’s compare the two cases: both involved sex acts on school property (a locker room, and a bathroom stall), a “consenting” underage partner (who cannot legally consent to sex), statutory rape charges, and oral sex. Yet there was no outpouring of support for the members of Milton’s hockey team—or the girl.
The only difference between the two cases is that the Milton Academy scandal involved one 15-year-old girl and five 15-to-18 year-old males, and the Sebastian River High School scandal involved two female students. Apart from that, the two cases are essentially identical.

You should probably read the whole thing, and follow Christine Rousselle on Twitter, you sick freaks.

Kaitlyn and her mom get matching tattoos? You stay classy, Hunt family.

Speaking of classy, Matt Ross notices increasingly desperate attempts by #FreeKate fanatics to suppress negative information about Kaitlyn and her family, which is doomed predictably to fail. What is happening here is an attempt to decontextualize Kaitlyn’s crime: We are supposed to accept without question her mother’s testimony as to what a “model student” Kaitlyn is, and how this was just a harmless “romance” between two teenagers. But who is Kelley Hunt Smith to offer this testimony as a character witness?

Is Kate’s mother trustworthy? Is she a good judge of character?

As soon as you start asking questions like that — “Hater! Bigot!” — you’re going to start finding answers that weren’t what the Hunt family had in mind when they decided to make their daughter’s criminal case a nationwide crusade for “equality.” Your skepticism toward The Story Too Good to Be True, rather than being seen as an interest in knowing the full story before rendering judgment (which is what responsible people do), is to the #FreeKate mob evidence of your bad faith (mala fides), because True Believers must believe.

This exposes the real truth, namely that you are dealing with a religious phenomenon: Saint Kate of the Blessed Finger, whose rituals occur within the Shrine of the Sacred Toilet Stall.

Someone calls to our attention this heretical account describing the Hunt family as “horrendous people,” and the reader may also wish to examine Booking Number 2012-00001721 at the Indian River County Jail. (What is it with these people and tattoos, huh?)

 

Category: Kaitlyn Hunt

LIVE AT FIVE: 05.31.13

Posted on | May 31, 2013 | 1 Comment

– compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
After Introduction Of Vocabulary Test, Spelling Bee Gets A Champion

Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., one of the semifinalists

Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., one of the semifinalists

Arvind Mahankali of New York takes the cup this year; finished third last year

Arizona Mother Jailed In Mexico Released
Accused of drug smuggling, Mormon mom free after Mexican cops fail to get bribe

More Tornadoes Hit Oklahoma
Nine injuries, some damage



POLITICS
Attempted Recall Of Sheriff Joe Arpaio Fails

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Opponents of controversial sheriff fail to collect enough signatures

California Appeals Court Upholds Moratorium On Executions

Former Mexican President Praises US Pot Businessmen

Chicago Sun-Times Cuts Entire Photography Staff

Feds Settle With Wikileaker Supporter

SecDef Hagel Takes Questions From The Ranks In Hawaii

1930s Subway Train Makes Rare Uptown Trip

As Foreclosures Fade, Ham-handed HAMP Keeps Going

Zumba Instructor To Be Sentenced For Prostitution



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Brent Slips, WTI Rises As Stockpile Increases Offset By Softer Dollar: NYMEX $93.49, Brent $102.06
Ex-Microsoft Manager Plans To Create First US Marijuana Brand
Stocks Rise As Lackluster Reports Ease Concern Over End To Fed Stimulus
Asian Stock Markets Choppy After Lukewarm US Data
Average Families Still Far From Regaining Wealth
Japanese Investors Grow Wary, But Not Abandoning “Abenomics” Yet
Jobless Claims Climb 10,000 In Latest Week
Roku Gets $60 Million In New Funding To Expand Streaming
Start Button Returns In Windows 8.1
HTC Said To Cancel Large Windows RT Tablet On Weak Demand
Razer Unleashes “World’s Thinnest Gaming Laptop”
D11: Android Head Calls For More Consistency Across Devices
Dell Wins Out As Global Server Market Slides
EA Ditches Online Pass For Existing Titles



SPORTS
With Words And a Look, James Lifts Heat 90-79

LeBron James defends against Paul George

LeBron James defends against Paul George

Heat rally in third quarter to win game 5, lead series 3-2
Flopping still a problem in the post-season

Tigers’ Bats Still Cold Against Bucs; Pirates Win 1-0 In 11th


Tim Duncan Divorce Reminds Magic Of Their Broken Home

McNabb Finds Criticism Of Griffin “Disappointing”

Angels Gain Split Of Freeway Series Behind Vargas, Kendrick

Gordon Gee’s Mouth: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

King Felix, Rookie Franklin Lead M’s 7-1 Rout Of Padres

Nationals Suffer Seventh Shutout Of Season In Loss To O’s



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Tard Gets Movie Deal

Like Garfield, only actually funny

Like Garfield, only actually funny

Iconic Grumpy Cat gets “Garfield-like” movie deal


Woman Claims She Got Herpes From Lipstick At Rihanna Concert

Amanda Bynes Has Great Time Alone At Buffalo Trampoline Park

Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj Officially Leaving “American Idol”


Ashley Madekwe Departing ABC’s “Revenge”

Demi Moore Remains Silent On Failure To Attend Daughter’s Graduation

Elon Musk Spending Time In LA With Cameron Diaz

Patrick Stewart Clarifies His Pizza History

Johnny Depp Exits Whitey Bulger Biopic In Salary Dispute

Shakira: I’m Going To Breastfeed Milan Until He Goes To College



FOREIGNERS
American Woman Killed Fighting For Syrian Rebels
Panic Spreads In Iraq As Security Forces Unable To Contain Spreading Violence
Nigerian Lawmakers Pass Anti-Gay Marriage Bill
Administration Report Says Iranian Support For Global Terror Surged In 2012
Ugandan Police Fire Tear Gas At Journalists Protesting Crackdown
“French Kiss” Finally Enters French Dictionary
UN Mulls Ethics Of “Killer Robots”



BLOGS & STUFF
YUval Levin: Obamacare In California
Hit & Run: California Regulators Hide Obamacare Rate Shock With Misleading Comparison
Hot Air: “If You Like It You Can Keep It” Update – ObamaCare Set To Trigger Insurance Policy Cancellations
NRO Corner: Ezra Klein Can’t Bring Himself To Mention The Benefits Of Cost Sharing
Riehl World News: Salute Our Dominant Female Overlords – Just Not In The Bedroom, Please!
American Power: Four In Ten Households Now Have Women As Primary Breadwinner
Erick Erickson: The Truth May Hurt, But Is Not Mean
Legal Insurrection: Cincinnati IRS Workers To Be Questioned By House Investigators
Gateway Pundit: A Job Well Done – IRS Goon Who Wrote Threatening Letters To Conservatives Is Promoted
Ed Driscoll: The Moses Of Our Time Explains The Memory Hole As Only He Can
Protein Wisdom: “Lerner Intrigue Goes Back To ’96 Durbin/Salvi Race
AmSpecBlog: HuffPo – Sean Hannity Who?
Atlas Shrugs: Obama’s DOJ Sharia Offensive – Social Media Posts Trashing Muslims May Violate Civil Rights
Jim Geraghty: Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Runs Away From Reporters
VodkaPundit: So That’s The Other Thing In It
Jammie Wearing Fools: Obama’s IRS Stooge Visited White House At Least 157 Times


Submit your links for the FMJRA by midnight tonight!
Rule 5 links are due tomorrow!


Category: Live at Five

Hiroshima for #FreeKate? Younger Sister Praises Her Mother as ‘F–king Badass’

Posted on | May 30, 2013 | 45 Comments

Honestly, I had to think a while about this one: Is it fair?

People have been throwing stuff at me on Twitter so fast I can barely keep up with it all. On Tuesday, the “Free Kate” controversy was actually addressed by Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:

“What we have here is an open argument made that same-sex sexual relationships should not even be seen as merely equal with opposite sex-relationships . . . but in this case, even legally privileged such that the statutory law or second-degree felony issues at stake in a heterosexual relationship of young people of the same ages would not apply to a same-sex couple.”

That was Tuesday and today is Thursday, and I’ve been focused so hard on the developing story that I didn’t even have time to notice it until a couple hours ago. Meanwhile, I came across some things on social media that would tend to seriously undermine whatever remaining credibility the “Free Kate” cause still has.

Kelley Hunt Smith has praised her daughter, accused sex offender Kaitlyn Hunt, as “wonderful . . . respected and well liked . . . the model student and child.” Similarly, Kaitlyn’s attorney told reporters that the 18-year-old is “a model citizen.” This depiction of Kaitlyn was contradicted by a fellow Sebastian High student who posted a video in which Kaitlyn can be heard inciting her younger sister in a fight with another girl: “Beat her f–king ass, Emily! Beat her ass! Get that bitch!”

Wednesday, after hurling obscenity-laced messages in all directions, Emily Hunt switched her Twitter account status to private. Before she did, however, many of the Emily’s more incriminating messages were screen-capped, including this from March 30 (click image to enlarge):

As I say, I had to think whether it was fair to post this. After all, Emily is a minor and not really competent to . . . Oh, wait.

Yeah, I had to think about it, but I really didn’t have to think long.

Nor was there any question of whether this is relevant, seeing as how (a) it indicates where the Hunt girls get their penchant for obscene language and violence; and (b) the quoted text messages from Kelley Hunt Smith to her minor daughter tell you a lot about the woman who praises Kaitlyn as a “model student and child.”

“Hunt Family Values,” as it were.

Given what we see here and given what we can learn about Kaitlyn Hunt’s value system from the arrest affidavit that describes a sexual affair with a 14-year-old that began in a school toilet stall — what kind of home environment is Kelley Hunt Smith providing for Emily and her other children? Does it seem like these children are the products of a wholesome upbringing? And what else are we likely to learn — what further evidence might prosecutors bring forth — if Kaitlyn and her supporters insist on taking this case to trial?

According to Kelley Hunt Smith, the only reason James and Laurie Smith (whom she named nine times in her May 17 Facebook post) objected to Kaitlyn’s involvement with their 14-year-old daughter is because they are “full of hate and bigotry.”

But would you want your daughter mixed up with trash like that?

And there is more to come, my friends.

Did I mention the Hunts’ lawyer hired a P.R. firm? They should have lots of work to do. Just wait until they see Nagasaki . . .

 

 

Category: Kaitlyn Hunt

New Defense by #FreeKate Defender: ‘But It Would Be Perfectly Legal in Canada!’

Posted on | May 30, 2013 | 42 Comments

Having previously discussed the role of Liberal Logic™ in justifying the actions of accused sex offender Kaitlyn Ashley Hunt, it’s time to expand a bit further on their methodology.

You must understand, when arguing with these people, that no fact or logic can ever persuade them that they are wrong. You might as well try to convince me that Auburn University is superior to the University of Alabama as to attempt to convince a #FreeKate fanatic that this deliberate violation of Florida law should be punished as a felony.

They’ve made up their minds, and further debate is useless.

They began their argument by reaching a conclusion and are now merely hunting around for “evidence” to justify whatever emotional prejudice inspired their initial fact-deficient rush to judgment.

Before we move on to the matter of Canadian “Free Kate” apologist Kristin Ireland, let me remind you of The Story Too Good to Be True:

So, if we can believe a word Kaitlyn’s mom says (a necessary caveat, as she has been caught in multiple lies already) precious Kate was a happy, popular heterosexual until her senior year in high school, when she met this irresistibly hot freshman girl and — boom! —  Instant Lesbian.

What’s wrong with that story? I mean, besides everything?

S.J. Reidhead voiced her own dark suspicions, and it doesn’t matter whether you share those particular suspicions or not. My point is that there is something distinctly weird in this story — something that doesn’t quite add up, some element of implausibility — which should have been obvious to any reasonably intelligent person the moment they encountered Kelley Hunt Smith’s account of this case.

Many people seemed to have an emotional predisposition to believe the “Free Kate” narrative which overpowered whatever mental defenses they had against such a dubious tale. Something was being left out of the story, and I still don’t think we know exactly it was, but if what Kaitlyn’s mom says is true (a necessary caveat) we’re talking about a hitherto unknown disorder: Sudden Onset Lesbian Jailbait Syndrome.

Having often scoffed at those who play the Internet Detective game — people who think they’re super spies, uncovering Hidden Truth through Google searches — I will not speculate further as to what it is we don’t know, except to say we don’t know everything yet, or otherwise my Bullshit Detector wouldn’t be going off like a fire alarm.

Twenty-seven years in the news business, my friends.

Don’t ever try to run this kind of dishonest hustle on me. I once drove all the way to Kentucky to prove Andrew Sullivan wrong, and friends tell me that Vero Beach is lovely this time of year.

Let’s compare and contrast, shall we? Kaitlyn’s mom:

Anyone who knows my daughter Kate, knows how wonderful she is. . . . She has always been a wonderful student, respected and well liked. . . . She has never been in trouble, ever, she truly is the model student and child.

Teen who says he’s a Sebastian High School classmate of Kaitlyn:

I can tell you that the way the media is portraying her is far from reality. . . . [F]rom personal experience I can say that she is not a good person and is not ‘innocent’. She is known as a whore throughout the school, constantly starts high school drama, gets in school suspensions, and is overall not well liked at all. . . . It’s just that my whole school knows she’s not a good person and don’t think it’s fair the media is portraying this otherwise.

It is impossible to reconcile these accounts. Alternatives:

  1. The teenager is lying, except that he offers his testimony while providing video that shows Kaitlyn (identifiable by her telltale tattoo) shouting obscenities while inciting her younger sister in a fight against another girl at the beach;
  2. Kaitlyn’s mother has been deceived by her daughter;
  3. Kaitlyn’s mother is deliberately lying to defend her daughter;
    or perhaps
  4. A little bit of both #2 and #3.

It’s up to you what to believe about all this, but unless you altogether lack any common-sense skepticism, the one thing you can’t do is to accept Kelley Hunt Smith as a trustworthy witness. Even while I was writing this, someone called my attention to evidence that would tend to make me lean toward explanation #3.

We’re talking about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, folks, and there is no public relations firm in the world that could fix this problem. It may be too late for the ACLU, Equality Florida and the Purpose Foundation to rescue their credibility except by complete repudiation.

But we were talking about Canada, and I digress . . .

Kristin Ireland describes herself as an advocate of “LGBTQ-supportive” parenting, an interesting term in this context, and further says:

Of course, we all know that facts are subjective . . .

Uh, no, ma’am, they’re not. One thing that facts never are is “subjective,” but never mind. Let’s get to where you comment on your own post:

I’ve seen the affidavit. But I have no idea if it’s legitimate or not. I don’t care if she was 17 or 18 when the relationship began. We are talking a matter of months here. My point is that it should not be a crime. And being illegal it certainly should not be a felony. That anyone would think it should be amazes me.

“I’ve seen the affidavit,” she says, which leads me to suspect that this is how “LGBTQ-supportive” parenting operates:

“Kaitlyn, I’m running to the store. Be back in an hour.”
“OK. . . . Hey, Mom?”
“What, dear?”
“Can you bring home some batteries?”
“Sure, honey. What size?”
“D cells. And, hey, Mom, while you’re at it –“
“Yes, dear?”
“Looks like I’m running a little low on lubricant, too.”
“Sure. Sounds like you’re having another slumber party tonight. Guess I’d better pick up some wine coolers while I’m at it.”
“Thanks, Mom — you’re the greatest!”

What kind of parenting is this? If you’re “supportive,” what is it exactly that you are you supporting? Equality? Do we expect parents to be so blithely accommodating of their teenagers’ heterosexual activity under all conditions? (Emory University student David Giffin easily dismantles this equality-based argument, by the way.)

Yet Kristin Ireland professes to be amazed that in Florida the parents of a 14-year-old should have the power of the law helping them protect their child against corrupting influences. And I was amazed at her amazement until I found out she lives in Ottowa:

All sarcasm aside, let me quote what the mother of the younger girl said when she learned Kaitlyn Hunt had rejected the plea deal, and that this case would be headed for trial:

“I think all the mothers and parents that know this is wrong, I think they will stand by us. I think parents — any parent will protect their child. That’s what we do as parents. So, I think that they will say, ‘Hey — lets stand with those people.'”
— Laurie Smith

We must pray that she is right. This is not Canada . . . yet.




 

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Category: Canada, Crime, Florida, Kaitlyn Hunt
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