Prostitution Now Decriminalized in Canada

Wow! I am floored. Three sex workers filed a suit with the intention of overturning prostitution laws in Canada and they actually succeeded! It couldn't happen in the US of A though – that is for sure. Congratulations to Valerie Scott, Terri-Jean Bedford and Amy Lebovitch!

Yes, I know that this is too many exclamation points for such a short paragraph, but I am really floored…. Prostitution is now decriminalized in Canada! Read the court opinion HERE. I realize that the laws were more liberal than ours before, but this is an entirely new ballgame. Read the complete article on CNN HERE.

Why can't the US offer such freedoms? Why is prostitution illegal in this country except under the heavy hand of a Nevada brothel? I was born and raised in Europe, but really grew-up in Germany. I also frequently visited Amsterdam to go to the coffee houses and clubs, but I have stated all of this before on this blog. I have lived with systems that actually work - as opposed to the US system that does not work at all.

There is no reality based reasoning in the world that marijuana and prostitution should not be legal. Once again I am left with only a disgust for the stupidity that I encounter in this place (Florida) that I'm stuck in. 

Teen Court: Positive Results

A fourteen year old sits on the stand as he is questioned fiercely by the defense and the prosecution. He is regretful and sorry for his actions and his choice to use drugs. He admits that the drugs were not only a waste of his money but also the drugs have destroyed parts of his life.

Teen Court Programs are designed for first time drug offenders between the ages of nine and eighteen to teach them, to learn from their mistakes of drug abuse, without having to serve jail time. The teen court programs work just like juvenile justice programs, where the teens go on trial in front of a jury and receive a punishment. However, this jury is not full of middle aged adults, but teenagers, some of them who have either gone through the program themselves or are currently completing the program. Also the teens must admit their guilt before they are allowed to enter the teen court program, therefore the trial is not in place to find out the truth but to evaluate the situation and apply the appropriate consequences. Part of their sentence is to come back and be a juror.

Most teen courts are molded after the original teen court which was formed in 1983 in Texas. The purpose is to reform the misbehaved teen through positive peer pressure. Since this process has been a success, other countries have taken interest. Such countries include Japan, France and Australia. Around 130 teenagers are pushed through the program a year with only a twenty percent recidivism rate. That is lower than the teens that go through juvenile court instead. Teen court provides more attention for the individual and has more to offer than rehabilitation.

We at Inspirations Teen Rehab understand that occasionally, teens who are struggling with behavior issues, oppositional defiance, or substance use or abuse issues, act out in ways that cause them to encounter problems with the legal system.

Inspirations provides a teen addiction treatment program and services in response to a teens and families needs to adhere to specific court orders, juvenile probation, or a juvenile diversion program. Court orders must not involve circumstances or charges, in which a teen was violent or a threat to others.

The mission of Inspirations Teen Rehab Juvenile Services Program, is to assist in the prevention of juvenile delinquent conduct, prevention of continued disruptive behavior, and the prevention of adolescent drug abuse, and to provide for the care and rehabilitation of teens.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Teen Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug dealers move over, there is a new boss taking over your business, medicine cabinets. That is right. More often now, teens are resourcing to their family medicine drawers and cabinets for their drug addiction. Prescription drugs are legal, however they are ending up being consumed by kids and not the designated prescribed person, leading many times to death.

In Seattle, a father mourns over his son who died from an overdose 6 weeks before his eighteenth birthday. Now the father is working with a drug prevention foundation, urging parents to intervene with the youth drug problem. For this father and his son, it is unfortunately too late, but for other parents and their teens there is still time to get help.

Since 3 in 5 teens report that they can easily get prescription drugs from their parents medicine cabinets, US officials are pushing for legislation, The Safe Drug Disposal Act. This act, if passed, will allow for parents to have a safe legal way to dispose of left over prescriptions, preventing teens from getting a hold of them. The office of National Drug Control reports that prescription pills are the second leading drug abuse next to marijuana, also known as pot, weed, or trees.

A survey revealed that by 12th grade ten percent of students have tried a prescription pain killer. The truth is that teens are taking these pills and they are highly addictive. Other side effects besides overdose, death, and addiction, are withdraws, mood swings, trying other drugs, and physical harm to the body.

For help with teen prescription drug use and abuse call Inspirations for Youth and Families aka, Inspirations Teen Rehab We are here to help you and your family through this difficult process.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

K2/Spice - Teen's New Drug of Use

The average people knows about the number one drug, marijuana. The street names are weed, pot, trees, crippy, fire, and grass. However, there is a new drug posing as marijuana. A legal drug spice or K2 mimics the effects of marijuana and has gained popularity for such copycat abilities. The use of this drug to get high, has caused states such as Texas to ban K2.

Spice or K2 has a strand that mimics THC the active ingredient of marijuana. However spice is a more dangerous drug than marijuana. K2 is the brand name and can be bought online or in smoke shops. The legal pot was really created by a medical scientist and it was supposed to help a medical condition, however it was deemed to dangerous. The mimic THC, is a hundred times more potent than weed. The higher potency is cause for concern.

The drug affects the heart, brain, and respiratory breathing. The spice drug can cause effects such as paranoia, hallucinations, and a person could become minor psychotic. Signs of a change in a teen’s behavior can identify possible usage. Signs are if the teen becomes restless, paranoid, erratic, can’t seem to stay in the house, or breathing rapidly; something is wrong.

K2 has become a highly problematic substance among teens. Worst of all it is legally sold so it is readily available and accessible. K2, like marijuana, can be a gateway drug, starting with using spice (K2), to smoking illegal substances.

If your teen or someone who know is abusing the new substance called K2 and or is struggling with addiction and other destructive behaviors, call Inspirations Teen Rehab. Inspirations teen addiction treatment programs are flexible featuring both teen residential addiction treatment and teen non residential addiction treatment with interactive and experiential learning therapy. The owners have been featured on the DR. Phill show featuring their successful teen addiction treatment programs. Teens from all of U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada have recovered from addiction at Inspirations Teen Rehab.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Prescription Drugs Are Stealing Lives

There is a misconception with overdoses; drug users are no longer just minorities, delinquents, or people from low-income neighborhoods, specially, when it comes to the new drug trend of abusing prescription pain killers. This abuse is leading to overdoses and the overdoses are killing teens coming from all levels of income with caring and loving parents. According to a nationwide study in comparing car crash deaths to prescription drug overdoses, 45,000 die due to car fatalities while 39,000 die due to prescription medication overdose.

The main sources of teen overdoses are opiate prescription pain killers. The major problem is the teenagers’ lack of understanding of the addictive side of prescription drugs as well as its danger. Pain killers are highly addictive and create problems besides overdoses. Attitudes and behavior change, grades start to drop, and worst of all, they lead to other drugs. It is common for prescription medications to be gateway drugs. Often when the price of buying these prescription pills on the street gets too high, people turn to heroine, since pain pills mimic a heroine high.

In fact recently 30 teens in a treatment facility for addiction to opiates have admitted to turning to heroine as a cheaper solution to their addiction. When asking the experts, one Oxycontin pill costs about $80, a gram of cocaine is $50, and heroin is even cheaper at about $10 a bag. Prescription opiates are easily available in medicine cabinets and through friends. The addiction and overdoses are problems in addition to death which can be easily caused by mixing the pain killers with other drugs and or alcohol. The mixing of substances is not uncommon and more than often lead to negative effects.

Do not wait! Death from prescription drugs are becoming very common. After the death of a 17 year old teenager who ingested a pain killer pill at a party, many people started to pay attention. Parents be aware of your teens’ party. The 17 year old teenager who died was attending a high school party when offered the prescription drug. These parties are called “Pharm” Parties which are parties where prescription drugs are offered to guests. Teens are not just abusing prescription pain killers but also, anti-anxiety medication, and over the counter cough medications.

If your teenager or someone you know is abusing prescription drugs or struggling with any other addiction or any other destructive behaviors, please call Inspirations Teen Rehab. The one of a kind program which is very successful and well known; featured on the Dr. Phill Show. The team of professionals at Inspirations Teen Rehab is always available. Call before another teen suffers an overdose or death.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237
http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

More Escort Business Arrests in South Florida

This case is a State of Florida case and not federal. A tip from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) started the investigation in December of 2007 and the four defendants were arrested on September 7, 2010.

The business used the name of All Perfect Ten Escort Service and operated in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County. I have seen their ads or website in past, though I'm not sure where or the circumstances. The corporation name is RDP Enterprises of South Florida.

The case is being prosecuted by Florida's Office of Statewide Prosecution (OSP). As many readers of this blog know, the OSP is not my favorite group of prosecutors in Florida and they prosecuted me. They are not the usual State Attorney's Office (SAO) and only prosecute cases in which the alleged crimes cross jurisdictional boundaries. In Florida the state courts are divided into circuits and some circuits have one or two counties and others have more. Miami-Dade is in the 11^th Circuit. Palm Beach is in the 15^th Circuit, and Broward is in the 17^th Circuit. So if you're operating an escort business in Miami-Dade and Broward you are crossing a jurisdictional boundary. Here is a Circuit list by counties: Circuit Courts

In my own racketeering case I operated in Orange and Osceola counties – both in the 9^th Circuit – but also sometimes sent escorts to Seminole County which is in the 18^th Circuit, though they couldn't actually prove that, even by having their informant, Terri Isaacs, riding around with agents in cars attempting to locate clients in Seminole County. Yes, the MBI actually put this bimbo in a car and drove her around with the hope that she would recall where alleged clients resided. Can you even believe that? I couldn't.

Regardless of their freaky informant's bad memory of the few calls she went to for me, the main case agent (Brant Rose) claimed that he dialed a Daytona Beach escort service number in the Yellow Pages and reached my voice. Daytona Beach is in Volusia County – in the 7^th Circuit. Rose lied and there was no ad in Daytona and I never sent any escort to Daytona, but this is the lie that allowed the OSP to prosecute the case. No matter how many times I, and later my attorney, demanded a copy of this Daytona Beach ad they never turned it over because it didn't exist. For that I say fuck you to the liar agents and prosecutor, John Craft. Liars; nothing but fucking liars. They never even had jurisdiction in my case, but took it anyway. Screw law – they sure as hell do not care about law, so don't let them pull your leg on that one.

You are probably wondering what the difference is, right? Well I will tell you: The OSP has all the power of the feds and all the money available to prosecute, or rather over-prosecute, anyone for anything. It is the main reason that I recommend anyone in the escort business in Florida stays with one area in one county. Even my research site states that escorts are only available in Orange and Osceola counties – both are in the 9^th Circuit. I will soon be going into the party booking business and trust me; I won't be venturing out of any one particular jurisdictional circuit in this state.

According to the FDLE: "David Naftaly, 42, of Parkland; Rachelle Pelletier, 44, of Pompano Beach; Elizabeth Smodey, 27, of Wilton Manors;and Mike Mitchell, 49, of Wilton Manors were arrested and charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, and money laundering.

The charges are the same as my own, except that I was not charged with money laundering and I was charged with "Conducting Illegal Financial Transactions" which is also a felony, but the charge was not actually filed. Only "Racketeering" and "Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (RICO)" were filed and the jury acquitted me on both counts. Each is a 1^st degree felony and punishable by up to 30 years in a Florida prison for a total possible prison sentence of 60 years. Let's pretend they murdered someone, right? Hell, Casey Anthony will end-up with less time than that.

In this case there is a claim by FDLE agents that at least one escort was underage, but I'll take such a claim with a grain of salt. They initially attempted to paint such a picture of me using a photo from my website of an escort in a cheerleader outfit, but Michelle gave me the photo and she was 28 years old and a married mother of two children when it was taken. It was the only photo that she gave me wherein she had clothes on and anyone that viewed my website would know that everyone was dressed or covered appropriately. We were very conservative and there was no nudity.

The four defendants were booked in the Broward County jail. The case # is 10016359CF10 and it is a Broward County case. The State Reporting Number is: 062010CF016359A88810, though I am not sure yet what a "state reporting number" is and will post when I find the information. Something new that was invented to make investigation more complicated, no doubt.

If any of these defendants or their attorneys would like to speak with me they should initiate contact through this blog and we will go from there and confirm our identities before we speak. My help is free and I am the only defendant to win such a case in this state. I would prefer that their attorneys made the contact, if each has an attorney.

What is Robo Tripping or Dexing?

In our adolescent addiction treatment facility, Inspirations Teen Rehab, we seen teens abusing almost anything that has the ability of altering their mind and produce a quick rush. We are treating teens addicted to huffing or sniffing house hold chemicals and teens trying to asphyxiate themselves by putting a plastic bag on their head and removing it just before passing out.

You may consider these acts strange and bizarre. Unfortunately, this is the reality and many of these acts are prelude to a full blown teen drug addiction.

ABC News, on September 14, in a report called Robo Tripping or Dexing, introduced the new fad which teens and young adults overdose on over the counter cough medicine to get a quick rush. The culprit causing the desired effect for the abuser is the active ingredient Dextro Methorphan or DXM.

Overdosing on this over the counter drugs, like abuse of other prescription drugs have major side effects. In this case, DXM causes hallucination and produces a temporary sensation of being drunk.

Additionally, it causes fast heart beat with changes in the vision, difficulty in breathing and in rare instances can cause death.

Last year alone, according to FDA, prescription drug abuse sent over 8,000 people to emergency rooms, mostly teens.

The hidden danger in these kinds of teen drug use is that the parents or guardians have no clue of the actions of their loved ones. The teens themselves don’t see any danger in this particular drug abuse either. They don’t consider abusing a product that is legally sold and can easily be found in every cabinet in the house an illegal or dangerous action, thus minimizing the taboo aspect of their action.

As a therapist with over 10 years experience in dealing with teen addictions and teen drug abuse, I can only say that we have not seen the extent of the damage caused by this new fad yet. And my advice for the parents and guardians of teens; don’t ever let your guards down and be always vigilant in knowing how your teens are spending their times when they are not at school or at home in front of you.

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug abuse or addiction and is in need of help, Inspirations Teen Rehab offers a flexible and affordable teen addiction treatment program. Our aim is to treat the whole person, and not just an isolated symptom. During the addiction treatment process we will work with the teen to identify the factors that may have contributed to you drug abuse – home, friends and medical history. We also believe that families have a vital role to play in the recovery process, and each addiction treatment program has a place for family participation, to educate them in the treatment process and to equip them for their role as supporters.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Pennsylvania Involuntary Teen Drug and or Alcohol Addiction Treatment to Help Parents

Pennsylvania Involuntary Teen Drug and/or Alcohol Addiction Treatment Drug to help parents/guardians - Addiction is becoming an alarming problem amongst our young generation. Parents report that they do not know what to do or that they cannot do anything to control their teen. Now, the parents of addicted teens in Pennsylvania have a choice.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has upheld an act that allows parents and/or guardians to have their minors involuntarily committed for drug and/or alcohol addiction. It is the parents’ right to make the choices in the best interest of the child. The parent of the minor is able to receive treatment as a form of medical treatment in hopes of recovery and a brighter future for the child. The act that allows constitutionally for a parent to commit their minor involuntarily is known as Act 53. Although there are some concerns of how the minor will be assessed for the need of inpatient treatment and for the duration of the addiction treatment, the Supreme Court ruled in majority vote six to one in favor of Act 53. There was a question of violation of due process for the minors, guaranteed by the fourteenth amendment, however, the court felt that there is no violation of the minors’ due process when weighed against the goal of providing them with addiction treatment.

So a parent who suspects their minor of abusing drugs and or alcohol can file a petition under the Act 53. Then a medical professional will conduct an assessment, followed by a formal hearing before the court, with the minor being represented with counsel before the court will involuntarily commit the minor. However the Supreme Court pointed out that there is no constitutional right to a formal hearing for the minor if the parent of the minor believes that the child is in need of medical treatment for their addiction, where in such a case, a minimal informal hearing will suffice.

Drugs in general are highly addictive and addiction is a medical condition. A user is trying to achieve the same high that they felt on their first use, however, a user can never get the same high. It only takes one use of a drug to become addicted. It only takes one use to overdose or die. Like all medical conditions, treatment is necessary.

If you are a teen struggling with drug abuse or addiction or know someone who needs help, call Inspirations Teen Drug Rehab. Inspirations offers a one of a kind program that is flexible to fit the needs of each teen. Inspirations teen addiction treatment program has been featured on the Dr. Phill show, so call today! It is never too late to prevent and/or stop an addiction.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Drug Rehab Helpline: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

The Challanges Teens Face When Going Back to School

Is it safe for our teens to return to school? It's becoming harder to keep our teens away from drugs during the middle and high schools years. Some of the interesting challenges teens face when returning to school is making choices about who to be friends with and facing peer pressure in an environment where drug use is only increasing. If you are a concerned parent wondering what you can do to intervene, there are some ways you can help your child. There are pamphlets, books, dvds, and drug education booklets available online as well as websites with plenty of information. Talking with your teen and making sure that they are aware of the effects and consequences associated with drug use and abuse can help them make informed decisions when approached by their peers. When they are educated on what drugs are, what they look like, and what they can do to a person, they are less likely to be conned into taking drugs. Independent studies show that teens and children who have received education from parents, books and pamphlets report a significant decrease in drug use or in the potential to use drugs.

For those parents that are already struggling with a teen who has experimented with drugs or who is addicted, there is help available. Rehabilitation/drug addiction treatment is proven to be successful in helping teens with drug abuse problems. The most important part is acting before the problem gets worse and selecting the right addiction treatment facility for your teen. Parents need to make the right choice for their children, especially when they see that their teens are making the wrong choices and turning to drugs. It is tough and intimidating to confront your teen about their drug problem, but the dangerous effects of drugs are far worse than those personal fears. Keep in touch with your teen.

Drugs in general are highly addictive and addiction is a medical condition. A user is trying to achieve the same high that they felt on their first use. However, a user can never get the same high. It only takes one use of a drug to become addicted. It only takes one use to overdose or die. Like all medical conditions, treatment is necessary.

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug abuse or addiction and is in need of help, Inspirations Teen Drug Rehab offers a flexible and affordable teen addiction treatment program. Our aim is to treat the whole person, and not just an isolated symptom. During the treatment process we will work with the teen to identify the factors that may have contributed to you drug abuse – home, friends and medical history. We also believe that families have a vital role to play in the recovery process, and each addiction treatment program has a place for family participation, to educate them in the treatment process and to equip them for their role as supporters.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Treatment Helpline: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Maine Underage Drinking Crackdown

What is been a continuous problem with teens? That’s right. No matter what year it is or what the government sets as the age standards, underage drinking has always been a widespread concern with our youth. However for cities such as South Berwick and York, in Maine, things are about to change. Thanks to the increase funding things are about to change in Maine for teens who defiantly break the law with underage drinking.

The department of Health and Human Services, a part of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse was responsible for the extra funding grant. They recently provided fifteen law enforcement agencies with grants that will run for two years, until September 30, 2012. The grants were between $5,000-$10,000 dollars and were specifically to help enforce the underage drinking laws. These grants allow for extra patrol on the roads and special assignments on target nights like DUI check points on Halloween for example. The chief of police said that the end of the school year events like homecoming, sport events, and Friday nights are when the department will increase the surveillance on juveniles. Some of the funds will also be used to supplement their awareness programs for the local community. Research shows that alcohol kills more children than all the illegal drugs combined. This is a community problem and they hope to also prosecute those who are providing minors with alcohol.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction and is in need of help, Inspirations Teen Drug Rehab offers a flexible and affordable teen alcohol addiction treatment program. Our aim is to treat the whole person, and not just an isolated symptom. During the addiction treatment process we will work with the teen to identify the factors that may have contributed to you drug abuse - home, friends and medical history. We also believe that families have a vital role to play in the recovery process, and each alcohol addiction treatment program has a place for family participation, to educate them in the treatment process and to equip them for their role as supporters.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Help: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Prescription Drugs Are Stealing Lives

There is a misconception with overdoses; drug users are no longer just minorities, delinquents, or people from low-income neighborhoods, specially, when it comes to the new drug trend of abusing prescription pain killers. This abuse is leading to overdoses and the overdoses are killing teens coming from all levels of income with caring and loving parents. According to a nationwide study in comparing car crash deaths to prescription drug overdoses, 45,000 die due to car fatalities while 39,000 die due to prescription medication overdose.

The main sources of teen overdoses are opiate prescription pain killers. The major problem is the teenagers’ lack of understanding of the addictive side of prescription drugs as well as its danger. Pain killers are highly addictive and create problems besides overdoses. Attitudes and behavior change, grades start to drop, and worst of all, they lead to other drugs. It is common for prescription medications to be gateway drugs. Often when the price of buying these prescription pills on the street gets too high, people turn to heroine, since pain pills mimic a heroine high.

In fact recently 30 teens in a treatment facility for addiction to opiates have admitted to turning to heroine as a cheaper solution to their addiction. When asking the experts, One Oxycontin pill costs about $80, a gram of cocaine is $50, and heroin is even cheaper at about $10 a bag. When people are addicted to getting high, they do not focus on how they are getting high as long as they are somehow somewhere. These prescription opiates are easily available in medicine cabinets and through friends. The addiction and overdoses are problems in addition to death which can be easily caused by mixing the pain killers with other drugs and or alcohol. The mixing of substances is not uncommon and more than often lead to negative effects.

If your teenager or someone you know is abusing prescription drugs or struggling with any other addiction or any other destructive behaviors, please call Inspirations Teen Rehab. The one of a kind program which is very successful and well known; featured on the Dr. Phill Show. Call before another teen suffers an overdose or death.



Inspirations for Youth and Families aka, Inspirations Teen Rehab is here to help your teen and your family through this difficult process.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:

Teen Addiction Treatment Helpline: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Sham Prosecutions and War Crimes

This is one case in which I appreciate the informant involved. According to Hal Bernton of the Seattle Times, twelve soldiers from a Western Washington-based Stryker infantry brigade face Article 32 hearings for war crimes committed in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan earlier this year. Five of these freaks in uniform formed a "kill squad" for the purpose of murdering Afghan men and the other seven allegedly participated in cover-up and retaliation against the informant. They kept body parts as souvenirs of the war crimes.


The 12 soldiers face sentences that range from life in prison to death. The real question is how many more did they murder during the year they were in Afghanistan representing the United States? No way that there were only three murders with these whacko boys running loose for an entire year. I do not buy it for a New York minute. Do you?

On the other side of the equation we have Omar Khadr, taken into U.S. custody in July of 2002 and still awaiting his sham trial by military commission. Read The Show Trial of Omar Khadr for the specifics. The day that I published the article, Omar's attorney collapsed in court and the trial is now postponed until October 18th.

Omar Khadr is only guilty of defending himself and his family from invading and occupying forces such as the murderous 5 + 7 from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (since renamed). Would you believe that Omar and his family should have died for the likes of these war criminals from the land of the free and the home of the brave? Would you teach your 15 year-old to die willingly for them?


I know who the war criminals are in this picture. Do you?

Censorship by False Light

I have to wonder what horse Amber Lyon of CNN has in the race to selectively target and paint Craigslist in a false light. Was the show backed by competitors angry at Craigslist's low price for an ad in the adult services category or free ads in the adult gigs category? I have never placed an ad in adult services, but recall the cost being $5 to $10 when the name changed from erotic services back in May of 2009. This is discussed: In Pursuit of Craigslist.

Surely Amber Lyon is aware that there have always been women exploited in the prostitution business as long as it has been a trade. This sure didn't start or end with Craigslist. As long as women need money and men want sex, prostitution will exist. The great majority of women involved in the prostitution business today are in control of their own destinies – some work with agencies and some work on their own doing their own marketing and booking, but it is a rare occasion that one is coerced or trafficked in any way whatsoever.

Actually, Craigslist enabled true independence. It served to allow a single woman to place her own ad for little money. She no longer had to work with an agency or come-up with a large sum of money just to send herself to a call. It also took many hookers off the streets and highways across the U.S. – I wouldn't imagine that Jim Buckmaster or Craig Newmark would appreciate that reasoning though, but it is the truth. The usual advertiser in the Craigslist adult services category was truly independent.

So two women spoke to CNN's Amber Lyon about their own plight in the world of prostitution and suddenly Craigslist is the target du jour once again. There really are no winners in the demand to censor by removing an entire category and there are plenty of losers – the women that posted their own ads and worked for themselves. Sure there are other places to post ads – no doubt – so will those other publications (print and online) be the next targets of CNN or was this selective and malicious targeting of a company that offered low cost advertising? This targeting was described in Revenge of the Publishers and is not new to me.

It is un-American to ridicule a company into censorship and Amber Lyon wins my censor of the year award.

Craigslist Censorship Disturbing

For the time being it looks like the critics of Craigslist's adult services category have won. If you look on the Craigslist main page for any U.S. city, you'll see a block that states CENSORED where it used to state adult services. Being a longtime resident in the Orlando area, I am used to censorship, but most people in this country think that it's something that transpires in China. Welcome to my world. Read the article in WIRED.

From a legal standpoint the Craigslist critics didn't stand a chance – Jim Buckmaster proved that during the last bout with the state attorney generals that targeted the company. Still, the stories of two women that came forward stating that they were trafficked (marketed) by pimps on Craigslist shamed the company into eliminating the category for now. If the critics have their way, adult business will not exist in the United States.

One online ad publisher down and how many to go? If you're an independent escort or an escort business that survives by posting ads online, it is time to get your ducks in a row. I won't even state what the next target for censorship will be – if you're in the biz, you already know the answer. The good news is that sheriffs around the country, like Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, Florida, won't have anywhere to post their sting ads or search for targets.

It won't be too long before the industry goes underground in the U.S. as law enforcement officials around the nation rejoice and celebrate their victory. They don't realize what they've done yet, but then the ignorant parties are often the last to recognize what they've really accomplished in any situation. I'm sure not going to tell them.