Columnist Molly Ivins passes

At the request of Rikyrah, I have written the following recollection of a great woman.

Columnist Molly Ivans was gifted writer and storyteller that could make a Vulcan laugh.  She possessed a singular gift to needle the powers that be with her lacerating wit.  She revealed their manifold sins and unfathomable ignorance.   She once mocked GOP House Majority leader Dick Armey by saying, “If ignorance ever goes to $40 a barrel, I want drillin’ rights on that man’s head.”   

She had special contempt for the ignorant patrician in the White House that she dubbed “Shrub.”  She has said of him, “Let me say for the umpteenth time, George W. is not a stupid man. The IQ of his gut, however, is open to debate. In Texas, his gut led him to believe the death penalty has a deterrent effect, even though he acknowledged there was no evidence to support his gut’s feeling.  When his gut, or something, causes him to announce that he does not believe in global warming — as though it were a theological proposition — we once again find his gut ruling that evidence is irrelevant. In my opinion, Bush’s gut should not be entrusted with making peace in the Middle East.” She was right on target and I think thirty years from now, when I am the same age as she was, historians will bear out her harsh judgment of this President’s basic ineptitude. 

I have been regaled by her stories for years.  I enjoyed her so much that I bought two of her books on tape when I traveled.  She could caress you with a story and teach you something profound in between the side splitting laughter.  I read with dismay several months ago that she was again ill with Cancer.  I sent her an e-mail and prayed for her recovery.   

My saddest realization upon her passing is that she died during the Bush Administration that she so effectively lampooned, that to me is quite disheartening.  Every time I post I try to channel a bit of her irreverence and sometimes I succeed. May God Bless her and keep her in his arms forever and may he give comfort to those who loved her and deeply miss her wit and wisdom.

 

Pregnant sistah sues police after loosing baby

The video is sickening, have you ever heard of this happening to a white woman?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman whose premature baby died the day after she was arrested has sued the Kansas City Police Department and two officers who repeatedly ignored her pleas for medical help while they were arresting her.

A police videotape released Tuesday shows Sofia Salva telling police officers numerous times on Feb. 5, 2006, that she was pregnant, bleeding and needed to go to a hospital. After the ninth request, a female officer asked: “How is that my problem?”

Salva, a Sudanese native, was held overnight on traffic violations and outstanding city warrants. After being released the next morning, she delivered a premature baby boy who died after one minute, according to a lawsuit Salva filed Friday in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Salva sued officers Melody Spencer and Kevin Schnell and the Police Department for wrongful death, personal injuries and failure to provide medical assistance. Salva is seeking actual damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages to punish and deter such conduct in the future. “The officers went into this with a preconceived idea of who and what they were dealing with, and they were wrong,” said Salva’s attorney, Andrew Protzman.

“It’s tragic.” The videotape was released to the media after The Kansas City Star requested it under Missouri’s open records law. Police have opened an internal investigation to determine exactly what happened, department spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart said. “It’s a matter of trust. … We want to make sure the community trusts us to get to the bottom of this regardless of the way it reflects on the police department,” Lockhart said.

The officers stopped Salva after they saw her affixing a fake temporary tag on the back windshield of her car. After the officers tell her why she was arrested, Salva is seen telling the officers she is having a miscarriage and is bleeding. “Do you want to check me?” Salva asks on the tape. “I’m bleeding. I have a 3-month baby inside.”

Schnell, who has worked for the department for less than two years, walks away from the car and tells his partner: “She just gave me a line of excuses. She said she’s bleeding. She said you can check her.” Salva said: “I’m three months pregnant and I’m bleeding.” Spencer, a four-year veteran, replied: “OK. Why are you driving to the store and then putting a fake temporary tag in your car?” “I took it because I want to go to the hospital,” Salva said.

The officers made Salva sit on the curb as they searched her car, purse and grocery sacks. Salva again tells the officers that she is bleeding and asks them to check her underwear and says she wants to go to the hospital. “Well,” Spencer said, “that will be something you can take care of when we get done with you.” After a drawn-out process to get Salva’s identifying information, Salva is clearly upset. “I have a baby in my stomach and I’m bleeding and I open my underwear for you to see.” “Stay seated!” Schnell yelled. “If I die here, will you take care of me?” Salva said. “If I die here?” “Fair enough,” Schnell said.

Officers are then told Salva has outstanding city warrants for mistreatment of children, trespassing and several traffic violations, with bonds totaling $4,600. After Salva is handcuffed, she again tells Schnell she is bleeding. “I don’t doubt that you’re possibly bleeding, but you got a lot more problems with us,” Schnell said.

Brandy sued for $50 mill

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Singer-actress Brandy was sued for $50 million Tuesday by the family of a woman killed in a four-car freeway crash which police have blamed on the 27-year-old performer.

The wrongful death lawsuit by the parents of Awatef Aboudihaj, 38, was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court a day after police recommended that prosecutors charge Brandy with a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter.

The California Highway Patrol found that the entertainer, whose full name is Brandy Norwood, was at fault in the December 30 accident for failing to prevent her Land Rover from hitting the car in front of her when traffic suddenly slowed, CHP spokesman Leland Tang said this week.

Aboudihaj was killed when her vehicle slammed into a third car, careened into the freeway’s center divider and was hit broad-side by a fourth automobile, police said.

The lawsuit, filed as a three-page form complaint, says her death was caused by “reckless driving” by Brandy. It seeks $50 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Investigators have ruled out alcohol and drugs as factors in the crash and say there was no evidence that Brandy was using a cell phone or was otherwise distracted. She was in her car alone, Tang said.

Brandy’s spokeswoman, Kelly Mullens of the 42West agency, said in a statement “the accident was a terrible tragedy and Brandy’s heart goes out to Awatef Aboudihaj’s family. But for legal reasons we cannot comment on this lawsuit.”

The Highway Patrol referred the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for further review with the recommendation that the former star of the TV comedy “Moesha” be cited with a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter.

A misdemeanor offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.