Hermaphrodite…in Paraguay it means freedom…

On the day hundreds of same sex couples got married in California, the authorities in Paraguay were busy releasing a same sex couple from jail who also decided to get married. Well…kind of a same sex couple.

Prosecutor Jose Planas ordered the couple jailed after their civil wedding Friday, when the priest scheduled to perform the religious ceremony the following day said he received a call saying the groom, Jesus Alejandro Martinez, was actually a woman.

Same-sex marriages are illegal in Paraguay, and news of the arrest became the talk of the nation.

 A bit further down the article:

But the couple was released Monday. A doctor who inspected Martinez in jail ruled that he is a hermaphrodite, with atrophied female genitals and well-developed male genitals, according to the couple’s lawyer, Jorge Cantero.

“Conclusion: He is a man,” Cantero said.

Reaction from Mr. Martinez:

“I always felt like a man, with no feminine inclination,” he said.

That a boy, Jesus.

 

Halloween comes early in Florida…beware of nurses & ninjas on the loose

Drudge has posted link about a group of female bandits who mug elderly people in central florida. Naturally, I clicked on the link in search of pictures and videos and to my surprise this wasn’t the only story on costume-related crimes in the area.

Check out the one about the crouching ninjas who rob banks.

President Bush commutes Scooter Libby’s sentence…no jail time

Reactions:

CNN’s Political Ticker:

Barak Obama: “This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. ”

Joe Biden: “It is time for the American people to be heard — I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls tomorrow expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law.”

John Edwards: “In George Bush’s America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences.”

Bill Richardson: “It’s a sad day when the President commutes the sentence of a public official who deliberately and blatantly betrayed the public trust and obstructed an important federal investigation,”

From this AP story:

Fred Thompson: “While for a long time I have urged a pardon for Scooter, I respect the president’s decision. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life.”

Rudy Giuliani: “After evaluating the facts, the president came to a reasonable decision and I believe the decision was correct.”

Hillary Clinton: “This commutation sends the clear signal that in this administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice.”

George W. Bush…times are bad when even the editor of Us Weekly feels safe enough to take a cheap shot at you

Writing in Slate.com, Janice Min of Us Weekly, took a chance to explain the reason why she banned Paris Hilton from her magazine and couldn’t resist comparing her to president Bush.

 A prominent and rich family. A drunk-driving arrest. Serious doubts about intelligence. A misspent youth. Sudden inspiration through the Bible. It’s interesting how two of the most unpopular and divisive figures in America today—George W. Bush and Paris Hilton—have so much in common.

Click here for the full piece in slate.com

Quote of the week

 “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”

John Roberts, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the United States 

See article, Court Limits Use of Race to Achieve Diversity in Schools
 

Immigration bill dead

Senate Blocks Immigration Bill

How did your senator vote? Click here to find out.

Bye bye Tony…Gordon Brown new British Prime Minister

Gordon Brown has become the UK’s prime minister.

His predecessor, Tony Blair, who recently finished his ten year stint as Great Britain’s Prime Minister, will now be a special envoy to the middle east.  This may mark the first time in quite a while that has made both Mr. Blair’s supporters and critics happy, as they both see it as a sufficient reward and/or punishment.

Dead wrestlers

The suicide of Chris Benoit is causing people to raise their eyebrows at the death rate among wrestlers and former wrestlers. About.com has an article on wrestling’s dirty secret, and TMZ has put together some images of wrestlers who have died relatively young.

Immigration reform bill moves forward in Senate

From this AP article:

The Senate voted Tuesday to jump-start a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants. President Bush said the bill offered a “historic opportunity for Congress to act,” and appeared optimistic about its passage by week’s end.

The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation. It still faces formidable obstacles in the Senate, including bitter opposition by GOP conservatives and attempts by some waverers in both parties to revise its key elements.

Click here to see who voted Yes & No today.

Wrestler kills family…violence all too real.

The AP is reporting pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son to death before taking his own life. Authorities are claiming its still too soon to determine why he did it, but among the theories:

Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son. Steroid abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as “roid rage.”

Chris Benoit wrestled for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).  Today they released word that they are concerned “… with the sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media following the press conference held by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney. “

Read their full statement here.