Oops...

Texas Child Protective got a wake-up call from the state supreme court over their handling of the FLDS compound raid and removal of hundreds of children. Child Protective now admits that out of the 31 underaged mothers they had removed from the compound, at least 15 of them (the one's they've now verified the age of) are adults. There's also no evidence that underage children are being sexually abused. Rather reports now are admitting that the younger girls are involved in "spiritual marriages" that don't involve any sexual contact what-so-ever.

With the total lack of evidence, Child Protective has overstepped it's bounds in the raid. While the state ruling only applies to about a quarter of the children removed, it's expected that it will be expanded to include all of the children once the mess Child Protective created is unraveled.

Once again, it appears that the raid of the compound was based more on religious intolerance than on concern for the welfare of children.

[Reuters Report]
[Associated Press]

You Decide:

John McCain with the famous quote by Cicero (1st century BC)

available now on Dorid Designs.

life photo meme #1

Is anyone surprised that I'm starting with a nudibranch? This one is Tritonia Diomedea, taken at the Cabrillo Aquarium on Feb 11, 2006.

It's a sad day when...

I finally get to the computer and realize I haven't blogged in nearly 5 days...

I haven't even slapped up some memes.

My only excuse is that the move this weekend, and all the subsequent unpacking and fiddling with paperwork, address changes, post offices, and so on, has precluded any real thought. I have no clue what's going on in the world today, and it has me feeling a little adrift. Vaguely I'm aware that two more primaries were held recently (was it yesterday?) and that I need to catch up on the political situation.

Today I'm dealing with the end of school, finances, and PERHAPS a couple different government agencies (I may leave that 'till tomorrow). I'm catching up on my reading between things, sneaking in books and blogs like snacks throughout the day, a little guiltily and attempting not to leave any sweet crumbs behind.

Perhaps in the end I'll have a whole series of "living poor" posts... but that isn't what I really want to blog about here. The thoughts I'd put down have already played themselves out in my mind so often these past days that I consider them done to death even before they reach the screen.

Shared Planet

PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP TO THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN CAUSED EXTINCTION: Between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London. Populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says. Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says. Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed. [SOURCE]

OR MAYBE NOT... The United States has listed the polar bear as a threatened species, because its Arctic sea ice habitat is melting due to climate change. US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said the government had made the decision on the advice of scientists, but he suggested the impact of the move would be limited. "While the legal standards under the Endangered Species Act compel me to list the polar bear as threatened," he said, "I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting." Mr Kempthorne also said he was taking measures to make sure the listing was not "abused" to make policies on climate change which would cause "harm to the society and the economy of the United States". [SOURCE]

Another CNN WTF moment:

The article was written to show that among all the tragedy there were moments of joy that stood out in stark contrast... but couldn't they have come up with a better headline?

What's Hot This Month at Dorid Designs?

This month's hot sellers:
Tay's Design (autism awareness T-shirt) and Not Ashamed to Be Related to a Monkey shirts.

NEW ON DORID DESIGNS:

Embroidered designs on denim shirts, mens and women's dark polos, and performance jackets. Cafe Press has added some new products, and they're available in Obama election products and in the "home of the colossal squid" design on my shop. Look for new products coming soon!