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Encore Presentation: Interview With Mary Kay Letourneau
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Mary Kay Letourneau, in her first and only live interview since she finished serving seven and a half years in jail for having sex with her 13-year-old former student. Mary Kay Letourneau, the mother of his two children, and she says she's still in love with him and she's here for the hour. And we'll take your phone calls. Mary Kay Letourneau is next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We are in Seattle, Washington. Mary Kay Letourneau is our guest. She served seven and a half years in prison for what was termed child rape of her former student Vili -- how do we pronounce his last name?
MARY KAY LETOURNEAU: Fualaau.
KING: Fualaau. I met him the other day. Very nice young man. He's 21 years old now, huh?
LETOURNEAU: Yes.
KING: What's life like for you, Mary? What is life like for you? You've been out of prison two months.
LETOURNEAU: Right now...
LETOURNEAU: ... it's not much. It's not very normal. I'm not in my own place. But I have been blessed to be taken into a house right now.
KING: What kind of a house?
LETOURNEAU: Oh, it's a couple that owns a house. And I am able to stay there right now until I can get my own place. So I feel very fortunate, but it's hard to get into a normal routine of life when you're in somebody else's home.
KING: And they're allowing you just to be their -- their guest?
KING: I see, it's not by law. You could have your own place?
LETOURNEAU: I could and I will, hopefully soon.
KING: Are you going to go to work?
LETOURNEAU: I hope so. KING: What do you want to do?
LETOURNEAU: Well, soon, and hopefully very soon, I'm going to be -- well, for sure, I am going to be interviewing this week for a volunteer program that helps incarcerated women.
KING: Is that part of your community service, or you're not required to do that?
LETOURNEAU: Actually, it is a requirement, either to be working in a volunteer manner, or actually working. So but even if it wasn't a requirement, I like to stay really productive, and so I'm anxious to interview with this woman and get busy.
KING: Do you get to see your children with Vili?
LETOURNEAU: We see our children together, mostly.
KING: How often?
LETOURNEAU: Oh, at least a few times a week.
KING: But there's no restrictions placed on that?
LETOURNEAU: No. But we are working right now with family courts to make things easier for all of us.
KING: And the children are with his mother?
KING: What's that like for him, for you, for them? I mean, they're not with their mother?
LETOURNEAU: I'm sure that as much as an adjustment as it is just for me to be out, it's -- I'm sure an adjustment for the little girls. All of my children. This is a really -- it's a hard time for all of us. It's new.
KING: For everybody then, right?
LETOURNEAU: Yeah. It's really, really hard.
KING: Did you know that this -- I mean, couldn't you read in advance that this was going to be a big problem?
LETOURNEAU: In advance? When the relationship started?
KING: When -- yeah, when the relationship started, did you say to yourself, this could be trouble?
LETOURNEAU: I thought this could be trouble, because it's not really a social norm, but I didn't -- I didn't have an idea -- I didn't believe that it was a felony. It just -- I knew it just didn't -- just wasn't normal.
KING: You never thought you were committing a crime, though, to yourself?
LETOURNEAU: No.
KING: Maybe it wasn't the social norm, but you didn't say to yourself, I'm a criminal?
LETOURNEAU: No, not at all. If anyone had ever said, hey, this is a felony, regardless of who initiated the relationship, you're the adult, and this is a felony, there isn't any -- any way that I would have got involved. It's not that I wouldn't have still had feelings, or that he wouldn't still have feelings, but -- I don't know -- I don't know how anyone -- I don't know how anyone does something knowing something's a felony.
KING: OK. Explain, I guess, to people, the hardest thing that anyone would have to understand is, when you have this feeling, you were how old? He was 13, you were?
LETOURNEAU: Thirty-four.
KING: Thirty-four. And you were divorced or separated from your husband?
LETOURNEAU: Separated, and knowing a divorce...
KING: Was imminent, right?
LETOURNEAU: Right.
KING: And you had how many children with him?
LETOURNEAU: Four.
KING: Four children. So you were unhappily married, but a loving mother, loved your children, you're teaching class. You first met Vili when he was younger, right? He was in second grade?
LETOURNEAU: I did. I don't remember him very much.
KING: And then you were teaching him when he was at what, seventh grade, I guess?
LETOURNEAU: It was sixth grade.
KING: Sixth grade. All right. When you had those first feelings, how you do explain them to yourself? Not that we've ever been able to understand love, but when it's someone that much younger, who's still a young boy, how do you explain it to yourself?
LETOURNEAU: I didn't think about the age. I thought about running, far and fast, just because I didn't want -- I didn't want to be in love at that time in my life.
KING: So when you were attracted, you wanted to run away from the attraction?
LETOURNEAU: Well, yeah. I thought, well, this is -- this can't be, not now in my life, just -- yeah, I did want to.
KING: So how did it start?
LETOURNEAU: The relationship?
KING: Yeah. You wanted to run away. Did he come to you? I mean, what happened, Mar?
LETOURNEAU: A million moments that just kept building something very beautiful and scary at the same time.
KING: Were you teaching him every day? Was he in your class every day?
LETOURNEAU: He was in my class every day and he was very disruptive. So I don't know that I can say I was teaching him.
KING: He was disruptive to your mind or a disruptive kid?
LETOURNEAU: He was disruptive to the class.
KING: He was? You would have failed him?
LETOURNEAU: Yeah, I would have.
KING: By disruptive, you mean he didn't work and play well with others, he spoke out of turn, he was a bad student?
LETOURNEAU: He just wasn't -- he's not really -- he doesn't learn in a standard way, so it's hard to -- it's hard for him to stay focused.
KING: Right. So you've got this disruptive student who you're also attracted to, right?
LETOURNEAU: I didn't actually even recognize it as an attraction at first.
KING: But what happened?
LETOURNEAU: Well, we just became very close. It seemed -- we had a really compatible sense of humor. And just our perspective on life and...
KING: When was the first time you were alone?
LETOURNEAU: Alone? You mean, in a...
KING: In anywhere.
LETOURNEAU: ... in an intimate way?
KING: Yeah, I mean, did he come to your house? Did you go to his -- I mean, how does a 34-year-old and a 13-year-old get together? What do they do? LETOURNEAU: Well, all the normal things, except obviously, you know, we don't go to a place that's like a bar, a drinking establishment...
LETOURNEAU: ... because there's a 21-year-old...
KING: But I mean, did you go to dinner? Did you go to eat? Did you -- how did the relationship develop?
LETOURNEAU: OK. After he -- after he wasn't a student of mine, summer started, and we were both in an art class at the community college, so we were attending the art class. It's an interest we both have. And we also -- we already had a very close relationship, and so we had many summer days and evenings together, centered around, just well, for one, we wanted to be with each other, just in the company of each other, and also, then we had this art class that...
KING: And he paints now, right?
LETOURNEAU: He draws. He doesn't just do one style of art. He's just an artist, all-around.
KING: We'll go to break, we'll be right back. We're in Seattle with Mary Kay Letourneau. We'll be taking your phone calls at the bottom of the hour. Don't go away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She served nearly seven years in prison for raping her former sixth-grade student. Now, as Mary Kay Letourneau is about to walk free, her former victim, Vili Fualaau, is still professing his love.
What is your emotional reaction to Mary getting out of prison?
VILI FUALAAU: Kind of nervous. I don't know what my feelings are right now, but I know I do love her.
LETOURNEAU: Your honor, I did something that I had no right to do. Morally or legally. It was wrong. And I am sorry. I give you my word that it will not happen again. Please, please help me. Help us, help us all.
KING: Welcome back to LARRY KING LIVE. We're in Seattle. Laura Bush tomorrow night when we're live in Phoenix. Our guest is Mary Kay Letourneau. Tell me about that time when you were first intimate, what did it feel like to you? Was it all on your mind his age? Was that a conscious thing?
LETOURNEAU: There wasn't anything -- no. There wasn't anything in my mind like that. We were already so connected, just as people.
KING: So -- let's say after the first time you have sex, do you say to yourself, do you look in the mirror and say, what am I into now? This is a young man, I'm approaching middle-aged woman. Did you question yourself? Forget legality.
LETOURNEAU: Probably. It was just -- we were so much in love, I think I was thinking about a lot, about the situation I was in with my marriage, and the divorce, and I definitely was thinking, this is not the right time, but...
KING: But the power was too great?
LETOURNEAU: When you have someone in your life and you have that type of oneness, it's...
KING: The feeling was so overpowering?
KING: That it took control of logic, which is what love often does, right?
LETOURNEAU: Well, probably. I mean, I still felt it -- I still felt I was logically working through the situation.
KING: What about...
LETOURNEAU: All of the situations.
KING: What about Vili? How was he dealing with it? It had to be, for want of a better term, weird to him, right?
LETOURNEAU: Probably. I think he was -- I'm sure he was taken, as well as, you know, as I was. And I knew that he needed to be in school and focused on school, and I wanted him -- I wanted him to be, and he was so insistent that this isn't what his life is about, that that isn't what his life is about. So I did a lot of convincing to...
KING: Get him to stay in school?
LETOURNEAU: Get him to stay in school. I also wanted him to have experiences with people his own age...
KING: Did you at any point plan a life together?
LETOURNEAU: I was really pushing for give me some time to get my -- to get my life together, which would be to finish the divorce, and to get settled in another career.
KING: And he didn't want to do that?
LETOURNEAU: No. He didn't want to do that at all. KING: Did you get pregnant at this time?
LETOURNEAU: Right about that time, yes.
KING: What did that do to you? How did you react to that? Did you think about an abortion?
KING: Not at all? Because of Catholic upbringing or just you wanted to have his baby?
LETOURNEAU: No. I didn't think about an abortion and neither did he. That's one of those things that just got twisted in the media somehow. But neither of us were considering that. I felt that I was -- was a competent mother. I knew it would be difficult. I would now have five children and not four, but I was going to be a single mother, and...
KING: But what prospects would he have as a father at that age?
LETOURNEAU: Years down the line, I knew how interested he was, and I expected -- I know the heritage, culture that he comes from, I knew that he would always be interested. I didn't -- I wasn't counting -- I also wasn't counting on -- I loved him so much, I just, whatever was best for him in his life if...
KING: If he'd have wanted an abortion, you'd have had one?
LETOURNEAU: No. I'm talking about the direction of his life. If it wasn't with me after a time...
KING: You would have accepted that?
LETOURNEAU: Oh, I would have definitely accepted that. Whatever -- I just had so much respect in him and his future that...
KING: How were you, for want of a better term, caught? What happened? How did this come to public light?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I was pregnant. And my plan was to take maternity leave toward the end of that next school year, and get into a new career.
KING: You didn't have to tell anyone who the father was, right? That was your business.
LETOURNEAU: I felt it was my business and I didn't know -- I didn't know it was a felony like I said I didn't...
KING: So how did the public find out about you and him? Did you then...
LETOURNEAU: That would have been my husband.
KING: He revealed it to the press? LETOURNEAU: Well, he very much did not want me to continue the pregnancy, regardless of the fact that we were not going to be together. And I believe that would have been the case no matter what age the person I was with. He just did not want me to have another person's child.
KING: So when charges were brought against you, can you say you were shocked?
LETOURNEAU: At that time, no. Because I did find out -- I did find out during the pregnancy that -- that the adult in the situation, in the state of Washington, no matter what the circumstance, who the aggressor, who the initiator, the adult is always held responsible in the law for the relationship. So, I just -- I still didn't know it was a felony, like prison. I knew it was against the law and I didn't find out the time frame on a felony like that until I met with an attorney, which was after the charges were brought. So...
KING: And it fit the time frame?
LETOURNEAU: No. The time frame, the prison term, I didn't find out...
KING: That you would have to serve? You thought it was a misdemeanor or something, like a fine?
LETOURNEAU: Honestly, I didn't know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony. I found out it was a crime.
KING: Then they plea bargained this, right? You agreed to a small sentence, right?
LETOURNEAU: No. That's not correct.
KING: What did happen?
LETOURNEAU: The charges -- OK, first, I'm pretty knowledgeable in a lot of areas, but in the legal arena I really knew nothing, and I learned a lot. And anyhow, I got -- I was given the charges, and they went through my attorney. He could have plea bargained. He didn't know a lot about that particular -- those particular types of crimes.
KING: So the result was what?
LETOURNEAU: The results -- the result was a felony charge. And they title it -- they title it rape of a child. It doesn't -- the elements to be convicted are just, one was a minor, one was an adult, and they were not married, so it doesn't really fit the title. But...
KING: But you didn't get a long sentence from that, right?
LETOURNEAU: I did, I got 89 months, but it was suspended with the condition that I go into a treatment. I was going to get a short jail term. Jail is different from prison. I was going to get a short jail term, and then go into a treatment and...
KING: And not see him?
LETOURNEAU: Yes. But I did not -- I did not know what that treatment entailed until...
KING: We'll find out in a minute. We'll be right back with Mary Kay Letourneau, where we'll be taking your calls. Don't go away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Letourneau, you are being granted the opportunity for treatment in the community, rather than in prison. Whether you stay out of prison is completely within your hands. It will not be easy.
KING: We're back with Mary Kay Letourneau. What treatment did they want you to do?
LETOURNEAU: Well, it's called sex offender treatment. And I didn't -- at first, I didn't care what it was as long as I stayed -- as long as I didn't go to prison and I could be with my children.
KING: So you'd agree to anything.
LETOURNEAU: Oh, yeah, I figured I could take anything.
KING: Did you start the treatment?
LETOURNEAU: No, I didn't.
KING: How much time did you serve?
LETOURNEAU: I served some -- I served my jail time. And after I was sentenced, the man that was going to be in charge of the treatment, he came to see me for the first time -- this is after the charges, the plea and the sentencing, after I had made the deal. And I met him for the first time, and he said that I would not see my children. A minimum -- well, at that time, it would have been eight months, not any contact, not even a message through my mother, that I love you, through my mother to my children. And it was...
KING: So you didn't agree to that?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I didn't tell anyone at the time. I thought, I'm going to prison because I felt like I had been deceived (UNINTELLIGIBLE) process.
KING: So you got out, you weren't supposed to see Vili, and then you saw him again, right? That's what threw the whole apple cart out, right?
LETOURNEAU: Oh, it didn't matter, because I had already had contact with my children, which was against the rules anyway. KING: I see.
LETOURNEAU: So I wasn't -- I just wasn't -- I wasn't going along with it.
KING: You were caught with Vili in a parked car? Who -- somebody saw you?
LETOURNEAU: Well, what happened is I was -- I was getting things from the back seat to the front seat. I was just about to go in the house, but I had put the bags on the floor. And one of the bags was pushed onto the brake pedal, so an officer just doing a routine -- I was in front of my own house, so it didn't -- there was nothing going -- there was -- and we weren't -- you know, we weren't doing anything.
KING: You weren't making love?
LETOURNEAU: No. I was just getting -- we were just talking, I was getting my things together. But he circled around and he came around again, he saw the brake lights were still on, and so he thought it was a little suspicious. So -- and then he -- hello, Ms. Letourneau, you know.
KING: He knew you.
LETOURNEAU: Yes, and who's this young man next to you? And of course, that was not right.
KING: And then you spent seven and a half years in prison, right?
KING: What was that like?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I never expected to spend that much time there. I thought I would be there long enough for my appeal to go through. And I did have one appeal go through. And it was a success, but it didn't have anything to do with the length of my time. There were other issues.
KING: Did Vili come to visit you, or wasn't allowed to?
LETOURNEAU: No, I had a no-contact order with him.
KING: So you didn't talk to him or see him for seven and a half years?
LETOURNEAU: I did, and I got in trouble. So we had contact...
KING: How?
LETOURNEAU: Well, people helping us to...
KING: You'd write a note, someone would get it to him?
LETOURNEAU: Yeah. He sent a message into me about where to contact him and where to write to.
KING: So the love never faded?
LETOURNEAU: There was a time period, after the civil trial, it was really hard for me, and we didn't have contact. And the reason -- what -- see, if I would get in trouble talking to him, then I wouldn't be able to see my children and -- at the prison, and so...
KING: Too big a risk.
LETOURNEAU: Yeah, it was. So I didn't take that.
KING: So the children would come to visit you in prison?
LETOURNEAU: My older children and the younger ones. The younger ones were very close, I saw them quite a bit.
KING: The younger ones are how old now?
LETOURNEAU: They are -- our youngest will be 6 next week or this week, on the 16th. And our oldest is seven and a half.
KING: Do they know this story?
LETOURNEAU: Pretty much. I mean, the story is that their mother was away at prison. And now, finally, their mommy and daddy are back together. And that's the story. And I've told my oldest one, at least, that, you know, mommy's doing a time-out.
KING: And what about the older children from the first marriage, have they handled this well?
LETOURNEAU: I'm sure that me going to prison was as hard as death of a parent, so.,
KING: Do you see them now?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I'm hopefully going to see my youngest -- in my first family, my two youngest. And my son is set to come this Wednesday, my oldest son. He can come whenever he'd like, and I've already seen my oldest daughter. She was here the first weekend I was out.
KING: Mary Kay Letourneau. We'll be right back. We'll include your phone calls. More to come. Don't go away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than three months ago, you were given the opportunity, Miss Letourneau, for treatment. Within weeks of your release from jail, you purposely violated the conditions of your sentence. These violations are extraordinarily egregious, and profoundly disturbing. This case is not about a flawed system, it is about an opportunity that you foolishly squandered. The suspended sentence is hereby revoked, and the original sentence that I imposed, not long ago, of 89 months is imposed. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're live in Seattle with Mary Kay Letourneau. A couple of other things. We'll take some calls. You're not allowed to leave Washington?
LETOURNEAU: I can, with a special trip permit. It'd have to be for a really legislative reason.
KING: You've had an extraordinary life. You lost a younger brother who was just 3, right?
LETOURNEAU: Did. I didn't like how that was -- It was really misrepresented on the Barbara Walters show. I wasn't watching my brother baby-sitting. I don't know where that came from. That's like a tabloid version of...
KING: You weren't responsible for his death is what you're saying?
LETOURNEAU: I'm not sure where that came from, except there just a lot of --
KING: Were you there when he died?
LETOURNEAU: I was. The whole family was there. It's tragedy that I have no intention of taking the sacredness from my family history and talking about it, actually.
KING: Your father ran for president on the American Independent Party, right, in 1972, very conservative, passed away recently. He had a second family, right?
LETOURNEAU: Huh.
KING: Do you ever look in a mirror and say, my life has been tumultuous?
LETOURNEAU: No, I think my life has been blessed and...
KING: Blessed?
LETOURNEAU: It is. I'm healthy. My children are healthy. And I still have a mother. And I come from a very loving family. And I have Vili.
KING: You have Vili.
LETOURNEAU: I mean, it's tragic, that things that have happened, but...
KING: Would you be open...
LETOURNEAU: I don't think any negative thoughts about my life. There's sorrow there for -- you mean a lot of grieving in spots definitely, but I know how to bring joy and peace inside here, just doing my best everyday.
KING: Would you be open if one of your younger children got involved with an older person?
LETOURNEAU: Would I be what?
KING: Open to it?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I would be listening to my children for sure. I would take the time to listen and see what's going on.
KING: And being involved? You would be involved?
LETOURNEAU: I would be surprised.
KING: Lets take a call.
Philadelphia for Mary Kay Letourneau. Hello. Hello.
KING: Yes. Go ahead.
CALLER: Hi, Larry. I would like to ask is there any kind of training a teacher goes through to define the difference between appropriate and inappropriate relationships with children. And also, I'm just want curious to know where Vili's parents were or what they thought he was doing during the time he's was meeting with Mary Kay. Thank you.
KING: Two good questions, thank you. Are teachers taught about appropriate and inappropriate behavior with students?
LETOURNEAU: Teachers are -- they are taught. One of the things that we're also instructed, particularly during that time, is what to do when a student is inappropriate or sexually aggressive. We're taught what to do in that situation, too. And I didn't handle that very well.
KING: What about Vili's parents, during all of this?
LETOURNEAU: Vili's parents, Vili's father, right now is in Samoa. At the time I believe he was in prison. And he hasn't been with the family for a while.
KING: But the mother has...
LETOURNEAU: The mother, she's very hard working...
KING: She was the children with her, right?
LETOURNEAU: She -- well, she was working two jobs, and...
KING: Do you have any relationship with her? LETOURNEAU: I do. And I'm hoping after that long estrangement, me being away, that we will have a better relationship, a closer relationship.
KING: Was she angry at you?
LETOURNEAU: At first she was mainly angry that something like -- something like this was taken to the state to handle, when the families could have handled it.
KING: You feel that, too, right?
LETOURNEAU: I feel that, yes.
KING: Las Vegas, Nevada, hello. Las Vegas, hello.
CALLER: Hi. My question is, how do her four older children and her mother and siblings feel about her relationship with Vili?
Do they support her?
KING: The older children.
LETOURNEAU: My older children and my mother and immediate family?
KING: Uh-huh.
LETOURNEAU: I would say that -- that they accept it, my immediate family. They accept it because they pretty much have to. And I know they're very interested in -- in my happiness, and reunification of the entire family. My older children, we have a lot -- we have a lot of healing, just from the separation. And...
KING: Don't they have -- don't they have awkward feelings that their mother was involved with such a young boy? Just society. That society might look at it. Societally.
LETOURNEAU: I know that my children and I are going to work very closely through this, and use as many resources as we have to to make sure we grow through this in a healthy way. I'm very -- I'm very sensitive to each of my older children's developmental level and their understanding right now. I'm -- I'm there for them right now. They're in Alaska, but I stay very close in touch with them. And it's not -- it hasn't been appropriate to talk with my 10 and 12-year-old right now. I'll do that with their father, knowing, you know, that -- of course, I'll answer questions that they directly -- and I have answered questions.
KING: Do you talk to their father at all?
LETOURNEAU: Of course I do. We're working with our children.
KING: Do you have a cordial relationship?
LETOURNEAU: We do. We can talk about the children. KING: Do you and Vili want to get married?
LETOURNEAU: Yes, we do. Yes.
KING: Are you going to?
LETOURNEAU: Yes, we are.
KING: Nothing stops you, right? You can get married. He's of age, you're of age.
LETOURNEAU: Yes. It's our plan.
KING: I asked you before (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Is this a wedding ring, an engagement ring?
LETOURNEAU: This is my first ring before -- before I went into prison, during the relationship. This I recently got.
KING: This second ring looks like a wedding ring.
KING: Is it?
LETOURNEAU: That is an engagement ring.
KING: You're engaged?
LETOURNEAU: Uh-huh.
KING: Do you have a date?
LETOURNEAU: Not that we're talking about, no.
KING: You mean publicly? Do you have one non-publicly?
LETOURNEAU: We have a time frame but not a specific date.
KING: But you are going to get married.
KING: We'll be right back with Mary Kay Letourneau. Don't go away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clear the way. Clear the way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you be able to talk for a moment here?
KING: Before we take the next call, what's Vili doing now?
LETOURNEAU: Vili's helping to take care of me,
KING: Not working?
LETOURNEAU: Not now. It's hard for him to have a job right now, as it is for me. It's a big transition.
KING: How are you supporting yourself?
LETOURNEAU: Well, another blessing. My family -- my mother...
KING: Has some money?
LETOURNEAU: Came down. Well, it's not...
KING: I mean, it will help you?
LETOURNEAU: Yes. She came down and filled my refrigerator with a couple months worth of food, and...
KING: That's good. Before I ask about prison, San Diego, hello. San Diego, hello.
CALLER: Hi, Larry. Hi, Mary, how are you? My question to you, Mary, is that do you feel that this was a very deep spiritual bond between you and Vili because I believe it was and truly is a deep spiritual bond for this all to happen to you.
KING: Thank you. Do you think it was deep spiritual bond?
LETOURNEAU: I don't think it was, I know it was and it is. And that's why we are -- it's not just a chemistry...
KING: Not just physical?
LETOURNEAU: Oh, not at all. And it always has been a deep spiritual oneness.
KING: Even from the start, when it was very physical, it was also very spiritual?
LETOURNEAU: No. It was spiritual first. And emotional and intellectual before anything ever went.
KING: Before you ever made love?
KING: Little Rock, Arkansas, hello.
CALLER: My question tonight is we often hear about how male sex offenders are treated so badly often that they have to be segregated from the general population. How was she treated by the other inmates? Was she treated as a common sex offender or were they more kind to her? Thank you. KING: Thank you.
LETOURNEAU: At the prison? I think that when people meet me and even not meeting me, a lot of people have read through -- read between the lines on what was maybe fed through the media. And I have very, very many friends, still some close friends at the prison, friends that I have a lot of respect in, and they do with me. I worked in many leadership capacities at the prison with -- in the school. I ran a math lab there. There's a Toastmaster Club there that I worked on a team, you know, throughout the years. Wonderful choir. Just the bonding of the women. I've never felt any segregation...
KING: Never treated like -- male sex offenders get treated pretty poorly in prison. That's the general word we hear. You were not treated...
LETOURNEAU: Probably if there was some child abuse, I would imagine that...
KING: You weren't treated as a sexual predator?
LETOURNEAU: No. Because I'm not and I don't think anyone -- I don't think anyone ever believed that I was.
KING: Did anyone in prison ever come over to you and say, you're nuts or what were you doing, or you're crazy, or why did you do that?
LETOURNEAU: I think there were people that were curious. It's a community inside of there. Everybody is living and supporting the community in different job capacities. And it's women. It's mothers in there. They're -- we're bonded and supporting each other. And it's very emotional for the women in there of course. Everybody's estranged from their families. There is volunteer groups that come in, and they would like to get the women productive, because everybody's healthier when they're productive, but then the prison system is not -- doesn't really support being productive. They want to just push, push, push and submissify (ph) everyone.
KING: How did the authorities treat you, poorly?
LETOURNEAU: They had their -- they had some very clear objectives pretty much all the way through my time there.
KING: They were physical with you?
LETOURNEAU: Never physical but I think there are worse ways to treat people besides physically abusive so...
KING: Psychologically abusive? Cruel to you?
LETOURNEAU: It was pretty bad. But there are some decent staff members there. Some really decent staff members. And there's a very -- there's a wonderful superintendent there right now. But it hasn't always been like that.
KING: What prison was it? LETOURNEAU: Washington Correctional Center for Women.
KING: You were a celebrity there though. Did that make a difference?
LETOURNEAU: I never considered myself that and...
KING: They did. They knew you. You were celebrated.
LETOURNEAU: People would sometimes say, oh, you're famous. I would say, no, infamous. There's a difference. And...
KING: Yeah.
LETOURNEAU: So I never felt...
KING: You never looked at yourself that way?
LETOURNEAU: No. I have never looked at myself that way. I just -- I actually appreciated being part of the community there and helping wherever I could. And I know that my closest friends just felt me as one of them, just one of their good friends.
KING: Back with our remaining moments with Mary Kay Letourneau here in Seattle. Laura Bush tomorrow night. Don't go away.
KING: One more quick call in. Lowell, Massachusetts. Hello. Lowell, Massachusetts, hello.
CALLER: Hello. Hello?
KING: Yes. Go ahead. Yes. Go ahead.
CALLER: OK, I'm wondering how she feels about supporting herself, her family, and how her family feels about this whole situation. It must be traumatic...
KING: We've asked about family feelings. But what are you going to do?
LETOURNEAU: To support myself, I would, well, as I said earlier in the show, I'm going to start volunteering with an organization, aid to incarcerated women.
KING: They will pay you?
LETOURNEAU: No. But that will -- it will get me into the work groove. I would again -- I'd like to work, not really as a paralegal, but as a strictly as a legal research assistant.
KING: You're not allowed to teach again, right?
LETOURNEAU: I can teach, I just can't teach in the public school system. I certainly could teach at a college level. In fact, I considered working in a math lab, teaching algebra at a community college here, just to start.
KING: That's what you did in prison?
LETOURNEAU: Yeah. What I did in prison.
KING: What was it like when you got out and you first were with Vili?
LETOURNEAU: I have to say that Vili right now, our relationship, and even right when we saw each other, it's the least stress in my life right now. Vili and I are just...
KING: Soulmates?
LETOURNEAU: Well, I think that's just an overused word. But we -- what it felt like -- and I know I have a -- one of my best friends in Chicago, I can go for a couple of years without talking to her, and I talk to her again or see her again, and it's just like there was no time in between. And it was like that. We were -- we are that close.
KING: So you're seven and a half years apart, and it was like...
LETOURNEAU: But at the same time, he left for a couple of days to California, and it was horrible. So it was just...
KING: So you miss him when you're not with him?
LETOURNEAU: Yeah. And you have to do what you have to do when there's a forced separation. So now, there isn't. And I can emotionally miss him, and I do when he's not there.
KING: Good luck to you, Mary.
LETOURNEAU: Oh, thank you, Larry. Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Mary Kay Letourneau.
KING: Hope you enjoyed the interview with Mary Kay Letourneau. Coming up this week, we're going to get you ready for the elections with a slew of great shows. But now, more news coming. It's coming your way from the most trusted name in news, CNN. Good night.


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Burger King enters into IPO formation as plan for expansion develops
Last modified: December 1, 2020
On December 2, Burger King India's 810 Crore IPO will open for bidding. The fast service restaurant chain's primary business offering will be open for three days, until December 4. The shares will likely be listed on the bourses on December 14. The Burger King IPO includes the QSR Asia promoter's new equity shares worth around 450 Crore and a bid to sell around 360 Crore. The company has already raised 91 Crore from Amansa Investments in a pre-IPO placement for 58.50 per share. For a minimum of one lot of 250 equity shares and multiples afterward, up to 13 lots, retail bids for the public offering may be placed.
Burger King has been a part of India's quick restaurant service for the past recent years. Thet have been growing to popular demand ever since. From reviews ranging from best to worse, it's fair to say the potential Burger king has against its competitors who are a part of the QSR (1) in the long run. Burger King's entry into India might have not just started the American food chain movement in India. Still, with the modernizing youth, the struggle to keeping the brand atop the ranks is a far-fetched thought in today's competition. The competition that Burger India faces is a strict patronization of brand identity that comes from their father, "The BURGER KING Corporation" in the United States. The company demands India open at least 500 Burger King stores by December 2026.
Rajeev Varman – Indianizing Burger King
Real estate costs are one of the most daunting aspects of establishing a presence in India. "If you look at properties in Indian metro cities, the prices are comparable to markets such as New York, LA, San Francisco, and Chicago,"
says Rajeev.
"It's pricey real estate. India's food and beverage industry are much smaller and shallower than its counterparts overseas. To raise sales while also covering real estate expenses, you're left with a complicated situation. But Rajeev has successfully opened more than 148 restaurants since coming to India and looks forward to launching many more. I want to establish a good company, a good culture, and a good customer value, and I want to do all of that at the right rate,"
he says."
"I've seen in India that you can't run any faster than the speed you can run in the environment. You could make the wrong choices if you try to outpace the world or purchase your buildings all at once". (2)
Burger King's IPO growth
For its 810 crores, initial public offering opening on December 2, Fast Service restaurant chain Burger King India (3) on Friday set a price range of 59-60 per share. The company will sell to the public new shares worth about 450 crores. In contrast, the promoter entity QSR Asia(4), held by the private equity company Everstone Group (5) and its limited partners, will sell up to 60 million shares at the upper end of the price band worth about 360 crores. The promoter party would retain 52.9 percent of the enterprise after the IPO. In its Red Herring Prospectus, Burger King India said it would use the funds to repay existing debt and finance capital investment for new company-owned stores.
The company has received Pre-IPO funding of 92 crores from public market investor Amansa Investments (6) at 58.5 per share. Burger King India said it holds a master franchise agreement that gives it the freedom to adapt its menu to Indian tastes and decide on promotions and pricing. The IPO arrives in some states when a new wave of covid infections is raised, raising fears that local authorities could implement new restrictions.
In India, most Burger King outlets are now open. CEO Rajeev Varman said that shifting demand from the unorganized industry to the organized and easing real estate prices would open up opportunities for the business, which is well-financed and has a strong team. When the Covid-19 pandemic ruined his plans, the company was close to releasing its IPO in March. Burger King India's food and beverage revenues for the first six months of fiscal 2021 stood at 134 crores, down sharply from 420 crores at the same time last fiscal year.
The December IPO launch – the season of bidding
Following the SBI Card's IPO at the beginning of March, the primary market's mood was hit due to the coronavirus outbreak and the consequent effects on economic activities and the secondary market. From January highs, benchmark indices crashed 25 percent each in March. Because of COVID consequences. A few dozen companies want to catch market sentiment companies such as Kalyan Jewellers, Suryoday Small Finance Bank, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Nazara Technologies, to tap investors' mood. But he claims that in December, Burger King India, Kalyan Jewellers, Nazara Technologies, and RailTel Corporation can only be possible IPOs and not all.
"The number of IPOs in 2020 may be comparable to 2019, when there were 16 mainboards IPOs if the planned IPOs start in December. "Sensex and Nifty touched all-time high and trading above pre-coronavirus level. Thus, it is the right time to bring an IPO into the market, which would provide a better valuation. As we advance, we expect a new IPO in the market,"
said Amarjeet Maurya, AVP – Mid Caps at Angel Broking (7).
It is anticipated that the strong momentum seen in the last few months will also continue in the coming year, although some consolidation could occur in the near term.
We believe that the Indian stock market rally will continue to move in 2021 and that the primary market will also reflect the same story. Looking ahead, continued improvements in global risk appetite and expected improvement in domestic economic activity would further boost Indian equities to perform well, reflecting an increase in GDP growth,
"We believe the Indian stock market rally to continue its movement in 2021, and the primary market will also mirror the same story. Looking ahead, continued improvements in global risk appetite and expected improvement in domestic economic activity, reflecting a rise in GDP growth will further boost Indian equities to perform well,"
said Prashanth Tapse. (8)
Trades and value at Burger King's IPO
Jubilant Foodworks' Burger King peer is currently trading on the Financial year 2020 basis at 8.7 economic value. We believe that Burger King will not earn such a premium valuation as Jubilant Foodworks as it does not have a record of profitability like Jubilant; its outlets are young. We believe that most Indians prefer Jubilant – Pizza over Burger King's burger,
"Burger King peer Jubilant Foodworks is currently trading at 8.7 EV/sales on FY20 basis. We believe Burger King won't get such a premium valuation as Jubilant Foodworks as it does not have a profitability track record like Jubilant; its outlets are young. We believe most Indian people prefer Jubilant – Pizza over burger sold by Burger King, "
– associate equity analyst.
Its food and beverage selling revenue rose from Rs 376 crore in FY18 to Rs 836 crore in FY20. However, at the end of FY20 and in the six months ended September 2020, the COVID-19 crisis had a significant effect on its operating output, resulting in a decrease in food and beverage sales revenues to Rs 134 crore in the six months ended September 2020, compared to Rs 419 crore in the six months ended September 2019.
The business will use new issue proceeds for the roll-out of financing for new Burger King Restaurants operated by the company; and general corporate purposes. Burger King had more than 259 restaurants and nine sub-franchised restaurants, of which 249 were operating, plus two sub-franchised Burger King Restaurants, as of November 25, the filing date for the red herring prospectus. Under the Master Franchise and Growth Agreement, at least 700 restaurants (including Burger King Restaurants and Sub-Franchised Burger King Restaurants) are established and opened by the company by December 31, 2026, recently extended by one year from December 31, 2025, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Comparision to other brands IPO's
In India, the QSR sub-segment is mostly dominated by Domino's Pizza, which had a market share of approximately 19 percent of the number of outlets as of September 30, 2020. The Indian market has reacted positively to American cuisine restaurants' entry, such as McDonald's, Subway, Burger King, and KFC, especially burger, chicken, and sandwich companies.
The total number of Domino's outlets in India is 1,354 (9), led by Subway (10) with around 54 branches, McDonald's (11) with around 480, KFC at 454 (12), Wow! Momos at 370 branches, and Burger King (13) at 460 branches. Against Westlife Development's (McDonald's) 17 percent and Domino's 12 percent over the same period, Burger King saw revenue growth of 56.3 percent over FY16-20. Between fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2020, the number of outlets for existing foreign brands increased at a rate of 1.1 to 1.5 times. During the same period, according to the company's Red Herring Prospectus, Burger King, a relatively new entrant to the Indian market, expanded at a rate of 21.6 times.
Risks and factors Burger King accounts for
In its red herring prospectus, Burger King India reported that since the last week of March, the COVID-19 outbreak had significantly impacted its operations. At the end of March 2020, 201 restaurants were temporarily closed by the company. However, 130 restaurants have re-opened for service by April 1, 2020. The company had a total of 261 restaurants operating throughout the nation as of September 20. Burger King claimed in the Red Herring Prospectus, "As of the date of filing of this Red Herring Prospectus, we had 259 Company-owned Burger King Restaurants and nine sub-franchised Burger King Restaurants, of which 249 were operational, including two sub-franchised Burger King Restaurants," (14)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the six months ended September 30, 2020, the company's revenue decreased to Rs 133 crore compared to Rs 420 crore in the six months ended September 30, 2019. As a QSR restaurant operator, the organization's sector is vulnerable to health problems resulting from foodborne diseases, health epidemics, and other events linked to harmful food.
The exclusive right of Burger King to establish, operate, and franchise in India depends on the Master Franchise and Growth Agreement, which imposes on its operations certain limits and other obligations. Besides, the Master Franchise and Development Agreement's termination will also have a material adverse effect on the company, operating results, and the financial condition of Burger King.
In Fiscal 2018, 2019, and 2020, Burger King announced a restated loss of Rs 83 crore, Rs 38 crore, and Rs 77 crore, respectively. It also announced a loss of Rs 18 crore and Rs 120 crore. Besides, as of September 30, 2020, it had negative retained earnings of Rs 461 crore, leading to the depletion of a large portion of its other equity. The credibility of Burger King India depends in part on its brand's continued international success and reputation globally. Any negative impact on the brand of Burger King can also adversely affect our business, operating outcomes, and financial condition in India.
SEBI's documentation on the IPO Placement
The SEBI prospectus (15) of Burger King's placement has indicated a lot about the IPO of the QSR. Here is a cut from the 320+ paged document –
"Our initial public offer price will be decided by agreement between the underwriters and us and may not, after this offering, be representative of the market price of the equity shares. You will not be able to resell them at or above the initial public offering price if you buy the equity shares in our initial public offering. We cannot guarantee you that the initial public offering price of our equity shares or the market price after our initial public offering would be equal to or greater than the prices of our shares in privately negotiated transactions that may have occurred from time to time before our initial public offering."
The holding in one venture capital undertaking of any individual VCF or FVCI registered with SEBI should not exceed 25 percent of the VCF or FVCI corpus. Using a subscription to an initial public offering, VCFs and FVCIs can invest only up to 33.33 percent of the investable funds.
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On Superbowl Sunday my wife and I gave birth to Declan Dennis O'Keefe. We are all beside ourselves with joy. See photo.
After leaving this blog entry I came across this tumblr comment. I am glad I am not the only one experiencing Explorer and HTML5 problems. This tumblr comment was rather funny.


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Homily — Good Friday 2017
Homily — Good Friday MMXVII 4/14/17
In my Palm Sunday Homily this year I talked about a book I recently read about the beginning of World War II, for our country at least; and in this my Good Friday homily, I'm going to talk about another book I recently read, about the end of World War II.
The book is called A Song for Nagasaki, and it's all about a man named Takashi Nagai, who today is still considered a great hero by the people of Japan, and who currently is being considered for Canonization by the Church (I highly recommend reading the book, it was one of the most inspiring books I've ever read).
Nagai grew up an atheist, and graduated from medical school the top of his class. In the early years of World War II, Nagai served as a military doctor. Like many young Japanese men of his day, Nagai went on Saki binges, and paid visits to the Geshia girls for hire.
But at the same time, he felt drawn to Christianity, and by Divine Providence he ended up teaching radiology in Nagasaki, the home of the biggest Catholic community in Japan, living in the home of a very devout Catholic family, converting to the faith, and marrying a devout Catholic woman.
On the morning of August 9, 1945, Dr. Nagai was at the college hospital he worked at, his wife was at home, and his children were out of town with their grandmother, when the Atom Bomb dropped on Nagasaki, immediately killing his wife but sparing all his children.
The concrete hospital was a half mile from the epicenter, but the bomb still killed 80% of the staff and patients, destroyed all the hospital equipment, and created a tornado of window glass and debris inside and outside the building.
Dr. Nagai found himself alive but buried under the rubble, and bleeding profusely from his head which was very cut up by the flying glass.
He was rescued by a nurse, and going outside with the few doctors and nurses still alive, they looked down the hill the hospital was on, and saw the giant mushroom cloud, the dead bodies everywhere, and the total devastation left by the nuclear bomb as far as the eye could see.
Then a few minutes later, they saw something even more distressing: badly burned and wounded people began pouring in from the city below, hoping to get help from the hospital, many of them crying "Mitzu! Mitzu!" Water! Water!
One of the nurses later said that the entire medical crew almost mentally broke down at that point, they were all themselves badly wounded and shell shocked, with no medical equipment whatsoever, and here were hundreds of victims looking to them for help.
When suddenly, Dr. Nagai did something: He yelled to a young doctor "Quick! Find a Hi no Maru — a Japanese Flag."
The man couldn't find one among the rubble; So then, Nagai took a white sheet, cut it into a rectangle, and pressed his badly bleeding head into the center of it, and they had their Japanese Flag, a solid red circle in the middle of a white background.
Nagai mounted the flag, and everything changed. As one of the nurses recounted 42 years later "Suddenly we had a headquarters to rally around, a center that put order back into the picture." The medical crew helped the wounded, one by one, and managed to get through the worst ordeal mankind has ever experienced, by centering themselves around that flag which Dr. Nagai made with his own blood.
And today, we recall that day when, in the midst of this chaotic world, filled with violence, and hatred, and injustice, Our Lord Jesus pressed a wooden Cross to his broken body, which was bleeding from head to toe from the scourges, the crown of thorns, and the nails,
and saturating that Wood with his precious blood, Jesus placed that Cross in the center of His Church.
And now in the midst of this chaotic, violent, unjust world, we Christians find our "headquarters to rally around", our "center that puts order back into the picture".
Through the Cross of Christ, we can find strength to get through any ordeal this world can throw at us.
The Cathedral at Nagasaki was also destroyed, and three months after the bombing in November of 1945, the bishop had an open air Mass for all the victims, and asked Dr. Nagai to speak at it. After praying deeply about it, what he ended up saying was very provocative.
Nagai said that day: "On August 9 at 11:02 am, an atom bomb exploded over our suburb. In an instant, 8,000 Christians were called to God . . . At midnight that night, our cathedral suddenly burst into flames and was consumed. At exactly the same time in the Imperial Palace, His Majesty the Emperor made known the decision to end the war.
"On August 15, the Imperial Rescript, which put an end to the fighting, was formally promulgated, and the whole world saw the light of peace.
"August 15 is also the great feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is significant, I believe, that (our) Cathedral was dedicated to her. We must ask: Was this convergence of events, the end of the war and the celebration of her feast day, merely coincidental, or was it the mysterious Providence of God?
"I have heard that the atom bomb . . . was destined for another city. Heavy clouds rendered that target impossible, and the American crew headed for the secondary target, Nagasaki. Then a mechanical problem arose, and the bomb was dropped further north than planned and burst right above the cathedral. . .
It was not the American crew, I believe, who chose our suburb. God's Providence chose it, and carried the bomb right above our homes. Is there not a profound relationship between the annihilation of Nagasaki, and the end of the war? Was not Nagasaki the chosen victim, the lamb without blemish, slain as a whole burnt offering on an altar of sacrifice, atoning for the sins of all the nations during World War II?"
While many in the congregation and those who read it afterwards found Nagai's speech very moving, others were furious that he would be so insensitive as to say it was the will of God that their loved ones perished. But Nagai continued to give the same message to his fellow countrymen in the many best selling books he wrote, until his death in 1951, saying it was the only way he as a survivor was able to find peace.
And perhaps there's a lot of truth in his words. For every year in Japan there's a ceremony on the anniversary of the two atomic bombings, one in Nagasaki, and one in Hiroshima.
A person who attends both is quoted as saying that the one at Hiroshima is "bitter, noisy, highly political, and anti-American. its symbol would be a fist clenched in anger. Nagasaki (in contrast) is sad, quiet, reflective, non political and prayerful. it does not blame the US but rather laments the sinfulness of war, especially nuclear war. its symbol: hands joined in prayer."
And perhaps that is the difference between those who do not accept the Cross of Jesus Christ, and those who by God's grace come to embrace it: one is a fist, clenched in anger, the other are hands, joined in prayer.


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Bridgwater Town Team
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Home » News » Northgate Yard taking shape
Northgate Yard taking shape
Monday 22nd November, 2021
Northgate Yard, Bridgwater's brand-new leisure and dining hub, has reached a landmark moment in the development. The first terraced seating structure for the 7-screen Scott Cinema's complex has been installed, allowing both residents and visitors of the town to see Northgate Yard come to life.
The pre-cast concrete for the cinema's auditoria seating has been manufactured offsite by the development's supply chain partners, Cornish Concrete Products, based in Bissoe, West Cornwall.
Alongside the erection of the cinema's steel framework and the commencement of the terraced seating structure installation, work is now beginning on the construction of the steel framework for the five restaurant units and for the ten-pin bowling alley and sports bar, which will be operated by regional company Allstars. Local supply chain partners, W. Haley Engineering, based at East Brent has provided the steel for the framework.
Doug Bamsey, Deputy Chief Executive of Sedgemoor District Council says: "We're really pleased to see this exciting development in Northgate Yard's construction. The installation of the cinema's framework and seating structure is a positive step forward and a brilliant, physical sign of what Northgate Yard will look like."
The next phase of construction will see preparation and installation of the cinema's roof and first floor steel deck, and further work on the rejuvenated Brewery Field scheme.
Northgate Yard is the culmination of many years of planning for a central entertainment and dining hub for Bridgwater. The development will provide restaurant space for five high quality restaurant units available to let to a mix of dining brands. Sedgemoor District Council have worked closely with the community to create and deliver a vision reflecting what the people of Bridgwater want to see and now is an important time to gather information for the dining element of the development.
Sedgemoor District Council are asking residents and visitors of Bridgwater to share their dining preferences in a short survey to aid the Northgate Yard team in making informed decisions for occupiers of the restaurant units. Those that complete the survey can choose to be entered into a prize draw to win a Scott Cinemas' family voucher. The survey closes on 19 November 2021, and can be completed by typing the following URL into your web browser's address bar: https://bit.ly/NGY_Survey
Northgate Yard is due to open in Bridgwater in autumn 2022.
For more information on Northgate Yard and its construction progress, visit www.northgateyard.co.uk
Next step for Bridgwater Tidal Barrier
The £100m Bridgwater Tidal Barrier - designed to protect some 13,000 homes and businesses from tidal flooding - is one step nearer. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), George Eustice, approved the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO), which was submitted in December 2019 and grants powers to construct and…
Congratulations to the Finalists in the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards 2021/22
The Finalists have been announced today for the 2021/22 Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards. They will now have to wait until the online Awards Day on 17 February to learn whether they have won Gold, Silver, Bronze or a Special award. A further two businesses received Commended status. The 6th year of the competition…
HMRC reminds Businesses to Declare COVID-19 Grants on Tax Returns
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging tax agents and accountants to remind their clients that COVID-19 support grants or payments are taxable and should be declared on their company tax returns. The deadline for customers or agents filing company tax returns (CT600) is 12 months after the end of the accounting period it covers.…
Covid Recovery Grants - Update from Sedgemoor District Council
Guidance has now been issued to Local Authorities with reference to the new grant scheme announced by the Government on the 21st December 2021. Sedgemoor are now analysing and processing the guidance and will shortly be launching an application process for businesses who met the criteria to apply for a grant payment. This scheme will…
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"Big Pharma Tycoon" Dr. Barry Sherman Ph.D., 75, and his wife Honey, 70, were found dead in their Toronto, Canada on December 15, 2017.
Media initially reported their deaths as a "murder-suicide," but Sherman's children all emphatically disagree with the initial police assessment.
Apotex Pharmaceutical Holdings, Inc., is Canada's largest maker of generic drugs, earning the Sherman's a fortune estimated at $4.7 billion, placing Barry Sherman as the 12th wealthiest person in Canada, according to Forbes Magazine.
Apotex was founded by Sherman in 1974 and grew from a two-person operation to employing over 11,000 people. The company sells approximately 300 generic drugs within 120 countries.
Dr. Sherman had a Phd. in astrophysics from MIT and had formerly been the Chairman of former Cangene Corp., a Canadian biotechnology firm specializing in hyper immunes, contract manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and biodefense. It has been reported the company had several bioterrorism contracts with the United States before the company sold in 2014.
Honey Sherman had been active in service to the community and had been awarded a "Community Service Award" from Canadian senator Linda Frum.
"I am gutted by the loss of Honey and Barry Sherman. Our community is steeped in grief. I am heartbroken," Frum posted on Twitter.
Described as "incredible philanthropists" and beloved members of Canada's Jewish community, their deaths have shocked their neighborhood of North York, along with medical and political circles throughout the world.
Sherman's Children Issue Press Release
Sherman's four children say a murder-suicide made absolutely no sense and proceeded to issue a statement.
"Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community is totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths, the statement read.
"We are shocked and think it irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true," the Sherman children said in the statement. "We urge the Toronto Police Service to conduct a thorough, intensive, and objective criminal investigation, and urge the media to refrain from further reporting as to the cause of these tragic deaths until the investigation is completed."
The full story of what happened is not known but according to sources in various reports, the last time the couple was heard from was the evening of December 13th. They both arrived at their Old Colony neighborhood residence home in two cars Wednesday evening after meeting with an architect for a home they were planning to build in Forest Hill, about a 20-mile drive south.
Barry, a self-admitted "workaholic" didn't show up at his office the following day but this didn't cause immediate concern. The couple was found deceased in the downstairs indoor pool area of their home tied to a sturdy railing with two men's leather belts, each around their necks. It is said they still had their winter coats and boots on.
A murder-suicide just didn't correspond with their activities or mindset prior to their deaths. They were building a new home and celebrating the birth of a new grandchild. They were planning a wedding and booked airline tickets to fly to Florida for the holidays. Barry was about to become a member of the Order of Canada, an honor he valued.
Family Hires Criminal Lawyer and Private Investigators
According to Business Insider "The mysterious death of billionaire Barry Sherman remains unexplained – and the family's lawyer has criticized the police investigation," the Sherman children immediately hired a criminal attorney.
Powerful criminal attorney Brian Greenspan has disapproved the police handling of the investigation, demanding a second autopsy. The autopsy was conducted by a forensic pathologist on December 20, 2017, producing shocking results.
The forensic pathologist and former Toronto homicide detectives found markings on the victim's wrists consistent with being tied with cord or plastic zip ties. However, when the bodies were found their wrists were not tied and no cords or rope were found at the scene.
The forensic pathologist also conducted a toxicology report, concluding no signs of drug use.
The Shermans were buried on December 21, 2017.
Greenspan has hired a private investigation team to include former homicide detectives, to ensure "no stone is left unturned" and work alongside police.
The team has concluded the couple had been strangled to death with two men's leather belts around their necks and attached to the sturdy bar.
Initial police theory debunked
The Sherman's real estate agent discovered the deceased couple in the basement of their $5.4 million home.
In a Business Insider article "Mystery still shrouds the death of Barry Sherman, the Canadian billionaire found strangled in the basement of his $5.4 million mansion," reports police have now marked the deaths as "suspicious" and a homicide – but not murder.
Toronto Sun cited "sources close to the case" stated Honey may have been killed in another spot in the house, then moved to the lower level of the home where their bodies were found.
Thomas Lauth, CEO of Lauth Investigations International, has 20 years' experience working alongside police agencies and prosecutors on unsolved murder cases. "In any homicide case, one must look at the circumstances from every viewpoint, even what may seem inconceivable," Lauth said. "In addition to a thorough forensic examination of the crime scene, it becomes crucial to be able to analyze a crime scene for the unseen, and for anything that may create an "at risk" circumstance where someone is at higher risk to become a victim of crime be it their personal lives, business acquaintances, political activities, wealth – or all of the above."
Political Lobbying
August 6, 2015, Barry and Honey hosted a private $1,500 per-head fundraiser for the Liberal Party at his home. The lavish event was attended by "movers and shakers" and dignitary Justin Trudeau, who became the Canadian prime minister two months later.
Reported in New Canadian Media "JDL protesters greet Trudeau at private fundraiser," about 30 protesters organized by the Jewish Defense League of Canada, gathered outside the Sherman home to voice their displeasure of the reception given to the Liberal leader despite the Liberal party endorsing the nuclear deal with Iran.
"It is unprecedented to protest at the home of a Jewish leader," said Meir Weinstein acknowledged. But if the Liberal party hadn't backed an agreement deemed by the government of Israel to be dangerous, "we wouldn't be here."
As Trudeau pulled up in his black van, protesters shouted, No Iran deal!" and the protest seemed to frighten attendees and community residents.
The Defense League was criticized for their protest and Weinstein eventually apologized for a "personal inconvenience" in a civil phone call to Sherman, the damage had been done.
A government watchdog group Democracy Watch filed a complaint had been filed against Sherman and Apotex, and in January 2017, an investigation was initiated by Canada's federal lobby commissioner to see if the fundraiser had violated government rules stating "a lobbyist cannot lobby officials they assisted in getting elected."
Sherman sued the Lobby Commissioner to shut down the investigation and called the investigation an "unanchored fishing expedition pursued in bad faith."
Despite Sherman's death the lobbying commission, Karen Shepherd, confirmed the investigation would proceed.
Could the Sherman's be victims of a professional hit?
The Toronto Sun newspaper asks that question in "WARMINGTON: More questions about deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman."
From all accounts, the couple was adored by family, friends and the community. Their relationship was solid and their life together peaceful and loving.
However, everything needs to be considered when a murder occurs.
Barry had been sued by his cousins, the children of Lois Winter, who had helped him build his "pharma empire" in the early days. Kerry, Paul, Dana and Jeffrey Winter are four brothers who made allegations Sherman owed them 20 percent stake in Apotex based on sign contracts and verbal agreements signed when Sherman acquired their father's company, Empire Companies, during the 1960s.
The case dragged on for nearly a decade, but a judge dismissed the claim against Sherman, in the months preceding the Sherman deaths.
The Sun article poses several questions that are certainly not out of the realm of possibility when one is worth over $4 billion, and your professional life deals with the "cut-throat" business of pharmaceutical sales and even bioterrorism contracts.
As a pharmaceutical company, Sherman made his wealth by reverse engineering patented drugs from established drug companies. Sherman was also known as a "bulldog" who was not intimidated by others.
Motives? Maybe.
Former Toronto Police homicide detective Tom Klatt of Klatt Investigations has been brought on board to work in tandem with police and ensure "all out-of-the-box possibilities are looked at." Klatt is a police veteran with more than 70 homicide investigations under his belt. Described as a consummate professional, very smart and a straight shooter.
Attorney Greenspan felt it necessary to hire a team of distinguished law enforcement officers to ensure the family's concern no murder-suicide occurred as originally reported in the press.
The examination of Sherman's death has now risen to the largest homicide investigations in Toronto history.
"Sometimes, it is necessary for a family to advocate for their loved ones," Thomas Lauth says, reflecting upon his own experience working with police and prosecutors. "Hiring a team of investigators ensures everything that can be done is being done. It is necessary in the pursuit of justice."
The Sherman home, sewers have been swept for possible evidence, vehicles were removed and surveillance within the home and neighborhood has been secured. Again, sources have said a second crime scene within the home has been carefully analyzed.
Speaking at the funeral, Jonathan Sherman says of his parents, "Our parents never left anyone behind."
Still so many questions remain but one thing for sure is the couple died of ligature neck compression. They were found sitting with legs out straight and sources describe them both wearing jackets that were around their arms and pulled down behind their backs.
"A private investigator is a second set of eyes and ears in a murder investigation and we must remain cognizant that whoever murdered Barry and Honey Sherman, remains on the street and a danger to others, not to mention the importance of justice for the family," said Lauth. "I am convinced if anything was missed in the initial police search, Klatt with his investigative skills, will find it!"
#BarrySherman #HoneySherman #ShermanMurder #unsolvedmurder #PharmaceuticalBillionaire #UnsolvedHomicide #Apotexmurder


text:
Cudzojazyčná literatúra Angličtina ELT Zjednodušené čítanie
Oxford Bookworms Library 2 (Playscript) Importance of Being Earnest
od Hedge, T. (Ed.) - West, C. (Ed.) z vydavateľstva Oxford University Press 2007
Autor: Hedge, T. (Ed.) - West, C. (Ed.)
Viac o knihe Oxford Bookworms Library 2 (Playscript) Importance of Being Earnest (Hedge, T. (Ed.) - West, C. (Ed.))
This famous play by Oscar Wilde is one of the finest comedies in the English language. Algernon knows that his friend Jack does not always tell the truth. For example, in town his name is Ernest, while in the country he calls himself Jack. And who is the girl who gives him presents ´from little Cecily, with all her love´? But when the beautiful Gwendolen Fairfax says that she can only love a man whose name is Ernest, Jack decides to change his name, and become Ernest forever. Then Cecily agrees to marry Algernon, but only if his name is Ernest, too, and things become a little difficult for the two young men.


text:
Aux échecs, le gambit kozul (code ECO E98) est une variante d'ouverture de la défense est-indienne qui s'obtient après les coups :
 1. d4 Cf6 2. c4 g6 3. Cc3 Fg7 4. e4 d6 5. Cf3 O-O 6. Fe2 e5 7. O-O Cc6 8. d5 Ce7 9. Ce1 Cd7 10. Fe3 f5 11. f3 f4 12. Ff2 g5 13. Tc1 Cg6 14. c5!?.
Il a été nommé après le grand maître croate Zdenko Kožul qui l'utilisa en 1991 lors d'une partie contre John Fedorowicz pendant le tournoi de Wijk aan Zee en 1991.

Parties
 Kozul-Fedorowicz, 1991, ½-½
 Le gambit Kozul a été utilisé par Wesley So en 2015 pour battre Ding Liren au tournoi d'échecs de Bilbao.

Références

Kozul
Défense indienne

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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Home » Tech Bit #36 by Gregg Marshall
Tech Bit #36 by Gregg Marshall
Almost everyone knows about computer viruses, those little nasties that frequently come attached to emails. Hopefully you have a good anti-virus program running on your computer.
There are other kinds of nasties called malware that may not come as a virus. They are often installed when you download that nifty free utility you found on the Internet. Some, such as the now infamous Sony rootkit they tried to keep their music from being shared, are installed by "legitimate" software (I think installing anything the user isn't clearly told is being installed should be punishable by a long time in a small room with bars).
Malware is responsible for things like slowing your computer down, annoying pop-up windows when you are surfing the Internet, spyware which sends information about what you are doing, even "bots" - programs that take over your computer (frequently used by spammers to send millions of emails).
So if malware is a given, which I think it is, what do you do about it? Get rid of it!
I use two programs to remove malware, largely because even with frequent updates no one program seems to find it all.
The first program I use is the free version of Ad-aware (www.lavasoftusa.com). I first ran into this program almost 10 years ago and have been using it ever since. I found it can detect and usually remove almost all the malware on my system (including tracking cookies, which may be good or bad, sometimes they hold your log in information when you check remember me).
The other program I use is Microsoft Defender (www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx). The price is right (free) and it seems to find and remove anything Ad-aware doesn't. You can also set it up to either run on demand or as a continuous scan like your anti-virus.
Don't let malware make your computer run "funky." It's easy and free to fix.
Contact Supply House Times
Recent Articles by Gregg Marshall
At The Consumer Electronics Show 2010: My Ideal Portable Computer
At The Consumer Electronics Show 2010: A Difference Point of View
Gregg Marshall, CSP, CPMR, is president of Rep Connection Inc., a consulting company that works to help maximize the effectiveness of manufacturers and their professional outsourced field sales forces (reps), especially in the areas of electronic commerce and partner results optimization. He is a past president of the Association of Industry Manufacturers' Representatives (AIM/R) and has served on the Manufacturers Representative Education Research Foundation (MRERF) and Institute for Professional Advancement executive committees. He was chairman of the AIM/R Technology Committee, the AIM/R EDI Task Force, and a member of the American Supply Association Center for Advancing Technology Steering Committee. He can be reached by e-mail at gmarshall [AT] repconnection.com, by phone at (303) 475-6634, or visit his LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com/in/greggmarshall.
Tech Bit #2 by Gregg Marshall
Winsupply promotes two to lead vendor relations division
12 comparisons between hydronic and VRF/VRV systems
Obituary: Frank Laudino Jr.
Winsupply acquires Minnesota distributor
AD buying group and SafetyNetwork announce intent to merge
Do You Know Everything You Need to Know About North American Drinking Water Laws?
On Demand Protecting drinking water is of paramount importance. The last decade has seen the enactment of safe drinking water laws that safeguard our water for consumption. These laws can lead to confusion in determining which applications are regulated and which materials are safe to be installed in these applications.
Reduce System Downtime with Differential Pressure Measurement
Pressure gauges reduce operator headaches by providing information necessary to keep a process operational. Installing gauges on either side of an orifice allows operators to identify unexpected increases or decreases in pressure and schedule maintenance with minimal system disruption. Now, one differential gauge can replace the need to install pressure gauges on either side of an orifice, simplifying pressure measurement.
Valve Handbook, 3rd Edition
Revised to include details on the latest technologies, Valve Handbook, Third Edition, discusses design, performance, selection, operation, and application. This updated resource features a new chapter on the green technology currently employed by the valve industry, as well as an overview of the major environmental global standards that process plants are expected to meet.
Check out the December issue of Supply House Times featuring our 2019 PVF Ring of Honor Inductee, Midland Industries. Other features include the 2020 B.I.G. Book, the newest PHCP-PVF products, and much more.
PM Engineer


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Publics in the Asian countries surveyed express mixed views about their neighbors, and the divide is deepest between traditional rivals. About seven-in-ten Chinese (69%) express an unfavorable view of Japan, and even more in Japan (84%) dislike China. In India, nearly three-quarters (73%) hold negative views of Pakistan, while 57% of Pakistanis have similar views of India.
With the exception of the Chinese, as well as the South Koreans, whose opinion of Japan is mixed (47% favorable vs. 51% unfavorable), Asian publics express positive views of Japan. Fully 77% in Australia and Indonesia have a favorable view, as do six-in-ten Indians. India is also generally liked by its neighbors – majorities in Australia (71%), Indonesia (63%), Japan (60%), and South Korea (52%) hold positive views.
Views of Pakistan and South Korea are more mixed. A solid majority in Japan (60%) and pluralities in China (49%) and South Korea (42%) express negative views of Pakistan, while the Australians are split (45% favorable vs. 41% unfavorable). Only in Indonesia does a majority have a positive view of Pakistan; nearly six-in-ten in that country hold a favorable opinion (58%). South Korea receives positive ratings by majorities in Australia (64%), China (56%), and Japan (57%), and by a plurality in Indonesia (43%). In India and Pakistan, however, more express negative opinions than express positive opinions about South Korea (41% vs. 31% in India; 28% vs. 18% in Pakistan).
Opinions of Asian countries are mixed in other parts of the world. Japan and India are generally viewed favorably, while views of Pakistan and South Korea are more mixed. Publics in 15 of the 17 countries surveyed in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East rate Japan favorably. Only in Jordan is Japan viewed negatively by a majority (53%), while South Africans are evenly split (39% favorable and 39% unfavorable).
The balance of opinion about India is also favorable in much of the world, but publics in Middle Eastern countries largely dislike the Asian nation. Majorities in Egypt and Jordan (55% in each country) hold negative views, as do half of Lebanese and a 42%-plurality in Turkey. Opinion of India is most positive in Europe. Fully three-quarters in Britain express favorable views and about seven-in-ten in Russia (71%) and France (70%) express favorable views of the former British colony.
The British also hold positive views about another country that once belonged to the British Empire – a 56%-majority offers favorable ratings of Pakistan. Egypt is the only other non-Asian country where a majority (51%) shares that view. Opinions of Pakistan are divided in the rest of the Middle East – 49% favorable vs. 45% unfavorable in Jordan, 48% vs. 45% in Lebanon, and 36% vs. 38% in Turkey. Americans are also split; 37% view Pakistan favorably and 39% view it unfavorably. The French, German, and Spanish respondents are the most negative about Pakistan; 69%, 64%, and 58%, respectively, have an unfavorable view.
Overwhelming majorities in China and South Korea believe that Japan has not apologized sufficiently for its military actions during the 1930s and 1940s. This view is expressed virtually unanimously in South Korea (96%) and by about three in four (76%) in China. The Japanese are split – 42% think their country's apology to its neighbors has been sufficient, while 41% disagree.
Japanese men and women are about equally likely to say their country has not apologized enough for its role in World War II – 40% of women and 42% of men share that view. The percentage of Japanese women who think their country's apology is not sufficient has declined somewhat since 2006, when 47% thought that was the case. The percentage of Japanese women who think their country has either apologized sufficiently or that no apology is necessary is virtually unchanged, but fewer now offer an opinion on the matter.
While the Japanese are divided about whether their country's apology for its military past has been adequate, a clear majority opposes changes to Article 9 of the Japanese constitution that would allow the country to establish an official military. Nearly six-in-ten (58%) oppose the changes, including a majority of men (55%) and women (60%), as well as majorities of all age groups. However, opposition to the measure is lower now than it was two years ago, when 67% of Japanese respondents were against changing Article 9.


Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems was founded in 1978 by Myron Mueller with the mission of providing superior security services to the Rancho Santa Fe area and surrounding communities. Over the years, there have been many changes in the security industry, such as the vast improvement in security technology, which Rancho Santa Fe Security systems strives to keep abreast of.
At Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems we have maintained a focus on providing superior customer service for our clients. Since 1978 we have added many valuable services for our customers, including our own local monitoring, 24-hour service department, alarm response, long-range radio-frequency back-up monitoring, guard and patrol services.
In 1992 Myron's daughter Denise Korenek, who had been active in the business for many years, took the helm. While maintaining the same customer service focus as her father, Denise has continued the success of Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems.
In 1996 Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems purchased its own building in the Encinitas area which allowed for a completely upgraded and state-of-the-art central monitoring station. As a result of its successful growth, in 1997 Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems split off its patrol, guard and alarm response division into its own entity, Rancho Santa Fe Protective Services.


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Q: Как правильно вывести данные из БД в listbox используя combobox? Создал вот такую таблицу для вывода данных. подключил программно базу данных.

хотел чтобы при выборе Item'a из этого combobox выводились именно те данные которые соответствуют названию Item. но ничего не выводится. если делаю через кнопку то выводится вообще вся таблица и то не в правильном порядке.После даты нули еще какие то появляются, хотя везде в настройках изменил формат даты.

namespace HomeTest
{
    public partial class statistics : Form
    {
        string income = "Доход";
        string expense = "Расход";

        public static string connectString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=d:\\User\\Desktop\\Домашнее задание\\База данных.mdb";

        private OleDbConnection myConnection;

        public statistics()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            myConnection = new OleDbConnection(connectString);
            myConnection.Open();
        }

        private void comboBox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
        }

        /*private void listBox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e) //ТАК НЕ ВЫВОДИТСЯ НИЧЕГО
        {
            string query = "SELECT Тип, Категория, Дата, Сумма  FROM Accounting ORDER BY Id";
            OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(query, myConnection);
            OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
            listBox1.Items.Clear();

            if (comboBox1.Items.Contains(income)) // ТАК НЕ МОГУ ПОЛУЧИТЬ ВЫВОД В LISTBOX
            {
                listBox1.Items.Add(reader[0].ToString() + "  " + reader[1].ToString() + "  " + reader[2].ToString() + "  " + reader[3].ToString() + "  " + reader[4].ToString() + "  " +
                    reader[5].ToString());
            }
            reader.Close();
        }*/

        private void statistics_FormClosing(object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
        {
            myConnection.Close();
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            string query = "SELECT Тип, Категория, Дата, Сумма  FROM Accounting ORDER BY Id";
            OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(query, myConnection);
            OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
            listBox1.Items.Clear();
            while (reader.Read()) // так выводится вся таблица но в неправильном порядке.
            {
                listBox1.Items.Add(reader[0].ToString() + " " + reader[1].ToString() + " " + reader[2].ToString() + "  " + reader[3].ToString());
            }
            reader.Close();
        }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Alabama Republicans call for Biden's resignation or impeachment
"It is abundantly and agonizingly clear that drastic changes are needed throughout this Administration – beginning at the top," Congressman Barry Moore said calling for Joe Biden to resign.
Published on August 27, 2021 at 7:11 am CDT
President Joe Biden delivers an address to a Joint Session of Congress on April 28, 2021.
Thursday, Congressman Barry Moore, R-AL02, released a statement calling for President Joe Biden (D) to resign following the killing of American Marines in Afghanistan. Several other prominent Alabama Republicans, including Congressman Mo Brooks, R-AL05, have also released statement calling on Biden to either resign or be impeached.
"Today is a painfully dark day in our nation's history, and we are all experiencing a whirlwind of emotions as we helplessly watch the deadly situation in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate," Rep. Moore said. "I ask all Americans to join me in praying for our countrymen and allies still trapped on the ground in Afghanistan. The United States has been delivered through many crises in our history, and I believe we will be again."
"Unfortunately, President Biden's stubborn refusal to take accountability for this deadly crisis and his inexplicably cavalier attitude toward this low point in American history gives me no confidence that this Administration possesses the leadership or priorities necessary to salvage this disastrous retreat and rescue either our stranded Americans or global reputation," Moore added. "It is abundantly and agonizingly clear that drastic changes are needed throughout this Administration – beginning at the top. President Biden must acknowledge that he is not up to the task of serving as Commander-in-Chief of the greatest country in the free world, and he must step aside and allow new leadership to guide the United States through these perilous times."
Congressman Mo Brooks, R-AL-5, voiced similar views.
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"President Biden has embarrassed America with his botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Now his decisions have led to dead Americans in Kabul. Biden should take responsibility for this disgrace and resign immediately," Brooks said on social media.
Brooks is a 2022 candidate for U.S. Senate.
Fellow Senate candidate former U.S. Ambassador Lynda Blanchard expressed a similar opinion on the President's future after his mishandling of the Afghanistan situation.
"As Ambassador, I saw Marines guarding our embassy every day," Blanchard wrote. "Their service is something I never took for granted, and it's why today's casualties are so difficult for me to hear. Our thoughts and prayers are with our injured, our fallen heroes and their families, who support them."
"Our enemies never sleep. This is why we must have strong leadership like we had under President Trump," Blanchard explained. "Joe Biden has the title but certainly does NOT have the skills to protect us from our enemies. The Afghan disaster is the sad result of Biden's ineptitude. It is time for Congress to act now. We must #Impeach Joe Biden. #BidenCrisis #Afghanistan #Marines #Trump #alpolitics."
"Judy and I are praying for the families of the Marines who were killed today as well as for the Americans who are still trapped in Afghanistan," said Alabama Republican Executive Committee member former state Rep. Perry O. Hooper Jr. "The most pitiful pathetic humiliating moment in American history is occurring, the absolute debacle in Afghanistan. The man responsible Joe Biden must be impeached or removed under the provisions of the 25th Amendment."
"We knew bad things were in store for our Country the moment Joe Biden was elected," Hooper added. "We knew especially that he would be an absolute disaster as Commander in Chief. When Biden selected the architects of Obama's apology tour to lead his foreign policy team, we knew that President Trump's policy of peace through strength was coming to an end. When Biden put woke Generals in charge of the Pentagon, we knew that teaching critical race theory would become the top priority instead of strategic readiness for the world's most elite military. We knew our enemies were going to take full advantage of Biden's follies. It was beyond our wildest dreams however, that he would give into the threats made by the Taliban. They drew a line in the sand. American forces must be out of by August 31 or face the "consequences". Joe Biden blinked and said yes Sir Mr. Taliban. This even after publicly stating he would stay pass the 31st if necessary."
Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth (R) accused Biden of cowardice and demanded that he be impeached.
Ainsworth said, "The situation in Afghanistan erodes by the hour. Biden's cowardly surrender to the anti-Christian Taliban endangers our nation and its citizens. Terrorists will soon be using our own abandoned weapons against us. Biden has failed as commander-in-chief and should be IMPEACHED."
Republican Andy Blalock is running for Congress in Alabama's Fifth Congressional District.
Blalock said in a statement, "Alexander Hamilton wrote that impeachment is "a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men" accused of violating the "public trust.""
"This ridiculous Biden administration has abandoned and stranded U.S. citizens and left millions of military equipment and weapons to be used by the Taliban," Blalock said. "More military than was previously there has been deployed because of Biden's recklessness."
"Kamala Harris proclaims to be for women's rights, but she cannot give so much as a straight answer to what we are doing to insure women and children are taken care of," Blalock continued. "Impeach Biden and Impeach Harris! They have divided this country with election, with covid, with racism, and they bring this country together to agree with one another ONLY with a crisis In Afghanistan that is killing Americans, allies, and our Military service members."
Outspoke Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, has already introduced three impeachment resolutions against Biden for his dereliction of duty in Afghanistan, his violations of immigration law causing a national security crisis on our Southern border, and his usurping of the Constitutional balance of power by ignoring the ruling of the Supreme Court.
"In seven short months, Joe Biden has caused America to lose the respect of the entire world," Greene said. "The evidence is clear and his actions are so egregious that he must be impeached."
"In Afghanistan, Biden's woke generals tucked their tail and ran," Congresswoman Greene stated. "He dishonored the sacrifices made by every American soldier who fought in the 20-year war, especially those who gave their life for the cause. Biden left behind over 10,000 American citizens to face the terrifying rule of the Taliban as they impose Sharia law across the country. No commander-in-chief should leave Americans behind in the aftermath of a failure."
It is unlikely that the Democratic led Congress will act on impeaching Biden. Impeachment historically is just a political tool used by the party in charge of the House to investigate and embarrass the President of the other party.
Suspicious letter at ADOC HQ ruled harmless after building evacuated
A powder inside the letter was later determined to be cellulose powder, a harmless food additive.
Opinion | We have to be smarter than this
We continue to elect people based on nothing more than party affiliation, and the resulting stupidity is absolutely killing us.
Josh MoonSeptember 21, 2022
Opinion | Governor's race down to the wire
It will be a close race to see who finishes second. However, finishing second only counts in horseshoes.
Steve FlowersMay 18, 2022
Lindy Blanchard receives American Conservative Union endorsement
Blanchard is one of seven Republicans running against incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey.
Eddie BurkhalterApril 7, 2022
Blanchard comes out against gas tax; urges governor, lawmakers to repeal it
If elected governor, Blanchard said would work to repeal the 2019 gas tax to combat rising inflation and oil prices affecting Alabamians.
John H. GlennMarch 30, 2022
Opinion | A trip down memory lane
Over the decades, scaring voters has been a hallmark of Alabama campaigns for governor or the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, even for...
Joey KennedyMarch 13, 2022
Opinion | Lindy Blanchard, candidate for governor of Alabama
There's no time for empty words or gestures. We need action. We need decisiveness.
Lynda BlanchardMarch 7, 2022