Chimpanzee Research Should Be Banned!

Photo from Rock Center website

NBC's Rock Center aired a story last night about Ken (pictured above in his enclosure) and Rosie, two 30-year-old chimpanzees who have lived in captivity their entire lives. During that time, they have undergone various experiments, all in the name of helping humans with their sacrifices. Both have been sedated over 100 times and have never lived in the manner of their lucky relatives who still live in the wild.

The longer I watched this piece, the angrier I got. Texas Biomedical Research Institute allowed Rock Center access to its facility in San Antonio so that it could film the chimpanzees in their environment. Dr. Robert Lanford has conducted experiments on chimps for 27 years and defended that research throughout his interview. At one time, he had the gall to say he would rather see chimps suffer the consequences of failed research than human volunteers. Was that supposed to endear him to the public and make him appear magnanimous? It did exactly the opposite. He came across as arrogant and out-of-tune with modern views on animal research.

The United States is one of only two countries in the world--in the entire world--that still experiments on primates. These animals share 98% of their DNA with humans. That makes them the prime target for animal researchers to use in their studies. Dr. Jane Goodall commented that the research center could, at the very least,  retire Ken and Rosie and allow them to live out the rest of their existence in a sanctuary that would allow them to to roam free. Goodall likened the invasive procedures done in research to torture and their caged environments to prisons. When she spoke about research chimps as powerless, I hope Dr. Lanford was watching. Humans have experienced enough torture and unwanted experimentation in their lives to empathize with chimpanzees on some level. The lessons learned from the past must have escaped Lanford.


Modern science has a plethora of alternatives to animal testing, and I support using other means of research instead of making chimpanzees a science experiment. Are we so unevolved in this country that we must choose actions that summon the Dark Ages? Dr. John VandeBerg, who oversees the research center, proudly stated that the animals are treated humanely and have outdoor facilities in which to live. I was not impressed. Even though the conditions are an improvement over the cramped quarter of previous labs, the chimps still have no choice in the matter.


When VandeBerg defended the decision to keep Ken and Rosie as research animals, in case they might be needed for future experiments, I had an urge to throttle him. He continued by comparing the two aging chimpanzees to library books, saying that the books were not constantly in use but were there when you wanted them. That sealed the deal for me. To compare an intelligent living creature to an inanimate, man-made object reveals exactly the problem with his viewpoint. 

The story included footage of the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Shreveport, Louisiana. After working as a behaviorist at the research center for 16 years, Dr. Linda Brent built the sanctuary with funding that came, in part, from the federal government. The chimps, who have been retired from research and sent to "Chimp Haven", as it has been dubbed by locals, live the way that those in the wild do. Brent said that her years in Texas touched her deeply and gave her an appreciation for what intelligent, sensitive creatures chimpanzees are.

Rosie and Ken should be set free immediately! They have suffered enough in the name of science. Dr. Lanford and Dr.VandeBerg should submit to a research study or two and live in a cage for awhile to understand what those animals must feel. Ham on Wry believes that no matter how much the appearance of a lab has changed, its purpose hasn't. It's time for the United States to join the 21st Century and the vast majority of the rest of the world by banning chimpanzee research.

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China Loses World Trade Organization Appeal

China lost its appeal to the World Trade Organization Monday, which ruled that China must halt export taxes on raw materials, a much-heralded decision according to its western trading partners. The United States, European Union and Mexico filed W.T.O.  legal cases in 2009, challenging China's right to restrict exports of materials including bauxite, coke, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

The Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization, reviewing an earlier decision by a W.T.O. dispute settlement panel, said that the overall effect of China’s export restrictions was harming international trade and those policies must be dropped. The ruling supported a previous finding that export duties, quotas and other policies China imposed to limit the foreign sale of nine raw materials were not justified on environmental or self-sufficiency grounds.


This finding will likely impact moves to impose similar restrictions on the export of a rare earths, a category of 17 elements used in myriad high-tech products. The United States ordered a thorough investigation relating to China's support for its renewable energy industry. China produces in excess of 90 per cent of rare earth minerals. The country that generously loans its pandas to to other countries has acted aggressively to restrict its supply of rare earth minerals.


United States trade representative Ron Kirk made the following statement about the investigation. "The Obama administration will continue to ensure that China and every other country play by the rules so that U.S. workers and companies can compete and succeed on a level playing field."

The European Union touted today's decision as a significant recognition of the interdependence among all World Trade Organization members pertaining to non-discriminatory access to raw material supplies as a fundamental principle underlying the global trading system.

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Gingrich and Romney Stoop to New Low

Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Here we go again! Gingrich and Romney continue hurling accusations at one another in the fight for Florida's pledged delegates. Florida is a winner-takes-all state, so the stakes are high in this race for the Republican nomination. Ham on Wry expresses its disgust at the over-the-top ads that permeate the airwaves and will whoop for joy after January 31st when the primary election is over. Floridians will have some reprieve until after the August Republican National Convention held in Tampa. Hurrah! I can't wait for the political deluge of drivel that will arrive then.

Okay, boys. Since you've chosen to point out the worst in your opponents, Ham on Wry joins the fray. One of the biggest roadblocks to an effective government occurs in the gridlock of negative actions against opponents, be it in a race for a party nomination or voting on legislation. Gingrich has labeled Romney a liberal, changing his earlier categorization of moderate. Only someone who is entrenched in extremism would think Romney is a liberal. Liberals tend to populate the independent category more than those of Democrat or Republican. Hey, Newt, have you forgotten your record as a member of the House of Representatives? If Romney is a liberal, you would fall into the uber-liberal category. You claim that you'll educate poor people and teach them how to get a job. What held you back over the last 13 years? Perhaps you were too busy capitalizing on your grasp of history, since you claim Freddie Mac hired you as a historian. Right! I'm certain your acceptance had nothing to do with the lucrative compensation.

Romney's campaign has aired an ad that captured archival footage from a 1997 NBC New broadcast in which Tom Brokaw discussed Gingrich's ethics violations and an overwhelming vote to impose a hefty fine. No one can dispute the truth of that claim because it's a matter of public record. However, it was chosen in poor taste and Tom Brokaw said that he feels uncomfortable having part of that broadcast used for political purposes. Romney claims a deep faith and yet resorts to the basest form of campaign tactics. Take the high road, Mitt. You have the Republican machine behind you and don't need to go for the jugular. Remove the ad and get on with it!

I'd like to think that people who want to lead our country during a difficult time nationally and internationally would display more statesmanship and behave like adults rather than junior high boys. My advice--grow up and tell voters what you can do, not what someone else can't!

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Judge Gives Connecticut Killer Death Sentence

AP Photo

Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, pictured above right, will die for his role in killing a woman and her two daughters during a home invasion that turned in a night of horror unequaled in the suburban area where it occurred. Steven Hayes at the left of the photo teamed up with Komisarjevsky andt tormented  the Petit family at their home in a suburb of New Haven. 


After raping and strangling Jennifer Hawke-Petit, the convicted felons tied 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela to their beds and doused them in gasoline before setting the house ablaze. The girls eventually died of smoke inhalation. Hayes received the death penalty in December of 2010 for committing the crimes with such brutality. Komisarjevsky was convicted of the killings and of sexually assaulting Michaela, but he blamed Hayes for most of the crime.


Dr. William Petit, the only survivor, called that night his own "personal holocaust." When the two intruders entered his home, they beat him with a bat and tied him to a pole in the basement, rendering him incapable of rescuing his family. He spoke of his wife as a wonderful woman and confidante and referred to his children as "jewels."


That crime brought the momentum to abolish the death penalty in Connecticut to a halt and inspired tougher penalties for repeat offenders and burglary. Ham on Wry can offer no wry twist to this story. No excuse can mitigate the level to which Hayes and Komisarjevsky stooped in killing Jennifer Petit and leaving her daughters to dies a slow death with no means of escape. These two will never "rest in peace."

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Sixteen Costa Concordia Passengers Still Missing

Italian Navy Photo Provided to AP

Little time remains for divers to locate the bodies of the 16 people still missing aboard the wreckage of the Costa Concordia. Sixteen deaths have been confirmed  in the disaster, although three people's remains have not been identified to date. The luxury liner grounded January 13, so officials doubt that more survivors will be found after this much time has passed.

On Tuesday, searchers found the body of a woman on the deck. Franco Gabrielli, head of the national civil protection agency, told reporters Wednesday that recovery operations would continue as long as the ship could be safely accessed.  Crews set off more explosions on the ship's third floor deck Wednesday to provide the divers better access. 

Salvage experts made preparations Thursday to set the stage for pumping fuel off the ship, which will begin Saturday. Officials and Giglio residents have concerns that escaping fuel could cause an environmental catastrophe. 

Jerry and Barbara Heil, a Minnesota couple on their dream vacation, are the only American passengers who haven't been found. Two members of the Heil family have flown to Italy to claim the bodies and take them home, once they have been located and identified. They expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the divers who are working in dangerous conditions as they search for all those unaccounted for.

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Republican Candidates Lack Fresh Ideas

Getty Image Chip Somodeville

The two sparring front runners in the Republican nomination process have provided absolutely nothing that could be labeled innovative to move this country forward in the second decade of the 21st century. Instead, they focus on portraying each other and President Obama in a negative light. The word Republican has become synonymous with the word "no".  The President's State of the Union address last night was delivered with optimism and ideas about moving this country in a positive direction. In fact, he included a few ideas that I had suggested in a note to him--ideas that many others had suggested as well, I'm sure. Obama mentioned taxing companies that outsource jobs overseas and rewarding companies that hire and maintain a workforce in this country.

Let's review some facts about where the United States stands today, as compared to what existed when Obama was elected in 2008. The financial meltdown occurred in September 2008, leaving a legacy of economic chaos when Obama took office in 2009. Much of the bailout plan was started under the Bush administration, although the Obama administration provided bailout money to the auto companies after he took office.The financial institutions that received money under Bush continued business as usual and paid large bonuses to executives, despite having borrowed astronomical amounts from taxpayers. I leave it to the reader to draw conclusions, but I place my vote on GM and Chrysler and remind readers that Ford did not take bailout money.

When Obama moved to the White House, al Qaeda was thriving and Osama bin Laden was alive. Today, bin Laden no longer exists and many other al Qaeda leaders have been killed, thus weakening the terrorist organization. During Libya's internal strife in the wake of Arab Spring, Obama chose a measured approach that relied on NATO forces on the ground and did not commit American forces to lead the charge. In January 2009, we still had a huge number of troops in Iraq. Obama ended that in December 2011.

I could wax on with additional information, but I now turn to Romney and Gingrich. Romney worked for the financial establishment, and, as his 2010 taxes show, paid a 13.9% tax rate because much of his income came from investments, which are taxed at a much lower rate than earned income such as many of us pay on our salaries. For particulars, Romney's tax forms can be found online.

Gingrich paid a 31% rate for 2010 income, but that doesn't reflect wealth that he accrued in previous years, and his taxes are a bit involved because of his foundation. Suffice it to say, both candidates are among the 1%. I remind readers that Warren Buffett has repeatedly stated that millionaires should pay a higher tax rate than those earning less than a million, and Patriotic Millionaires group agrees. Most Americans in a similar age bracket to the candidates have not earned $1 million in 10 years, let alone one tax year.

Ham on Wry urges voters to avoid using just one issue to elect a president in 2012. We don't need same ole, same ole mentality when approaching the complexities of modern living and global issues. That admonition applies to Congress  as well. President Obama rightfully chastised them last night for their inaction this session, and voters must remember that at the polls later this year.

Neither  Gingrich and Romney offer inspired leadership.The Republican Party's only hope is an unannounced, dynamic candidate with a track record of accomplishment in the last few years. If the current candidates reflect the best and brightest Republicans have to offer, we're doomed. Gingrich has already failed his leadership test and Romney doesn't appeal to many of the voters looking for a candidate to whom they can relate.

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Republican Presidential Candidates Fail to Impress

Getty Image

Ham on Wry gave up hope that a qualified, knowledgeable Republican candidate would emerge when Jon Huntsman withdrew from the race for the nomination. Monday night's debate did nothing to provide evidence that a trustworthy candidate still exists on the Republican side.

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney currently vie for the lead in the race. Neither impresses this blogger. Gingrich has demonstrated a character flaw that runs through much of his life. He married both his second and third wives after having affairs with them while he was still married. That doesn't affect his work necessarily, but it does indicate someone who lacks ethics in personal relationships. Maybe many Republicans who enthusiastically cheered him on his tirade at the debate directly prior to the South Carolina primary forgot that he already served as Speaker of the House in the 90's and resigned in disgrace. Fellow Republicans accused him of a failure to lead. Do we really want to revisit that in a time when so much turmoil exists globally? He also seems a bit fuzzy on what he accomplished during his time in Congress and attempts to distance himself from some of the bills he supported as a representative.

Mitt Romney has shown faithfulness and dedication in his personal relationships, but his success as a businessman comes with mixed reviews. The results of his tenure at Bain Capital show that some companies were created and others destroyed in his efforts. He amassed a great deal of wealth during that time, and he's not the only person to run for President who came from wealth. However, his reluctance to release his taxes until recently defies logic. One is left to wonder whether he truly understand the majority of citizens he wants to govern. He often seems ill at ease at the debate podium and appears out of touch with mainstream America. He accomplished some noteworthy aims as governor of Massachusetts, but now disavows some of the legislation he supported during his term in office.

The Republican Party has lots its way during the past quarter century and bears little resemblance to the party that existed several decades ago. It is characterized by intransigence and obstinance with a heavy dose of a "holier than thou" attitude. Candidates chant the mantra of no new taxes without offering a means of producing much-needed revenue to the federal government. The United States Constitution was not written to protect businesses or corporations; it was established to protect its citizens.

Registered voters have a duty to study all available information about candidates and then vote in the election. That requites more than watching political ads on TV or believing forwarded e-mails that attack a candidate without checking the facts purported in the ad. South Carolina evangelical Christian voters chose Newt Gingrich, a man whose infidelity is public knowledge. That directly conflicts with the marriage vows people often recite at their church weddings and illustrates a variance from stated principles.

Rick Santorum and Ron Paul do not have the background serve as global leaders or hold their own on the G-8 or deal directly with the issues in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, and other world hot spots. Do the homework Republicans.

The race for the Republican nomination resembles a wild ride on a roller coaster, and, when it ends, I foresee a no-win outcome.

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Fifteen Costa Concordia Passengers Now Confirmed Dead

Italian search teams discovered two more female bodies on the Costa Concordia cruise ship after divers set off more explosives. The death toll from the disaster now stands at 15. Chief Franco Gabrielli of the Civil Protection Agency spoke at at a press conference on Giglio Island today and said 7 of the victims have yet to be identified.

The divers searching the Costa Concordia cruise liner today revealed that the decomposing bodies inside the stricken ship have created a noxious smeell. Naval officers and firefighters confirmed that the air aboard ship makes breathing almost impossible



The number of passengers still missing presents a moving target. Some reports set the current estimate at 24, although Gabrielli said a few unregistered people might have been on board when the ship hit the reef. Silvia Coronica, one of the ship's senior officers, claims Captain Francesco Schettino was distracted by guests he had invited onto the bridge of the Costa Concordia in the crucial moments before his cruise liner rammed into rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio. She said the captain panicked after the collision and ran from one area of the ship to the other. He did not give the order to abandon ship until an hour passed.


Reports accuse Schettino of taking his computer with him when he left the ship before many passengers had safely been evacuated. An attorney from Costa Crociere allegedly took the computer from Schettino when he reached the hotel where he was arrested, but the operating company denies that any of its employees has the computer.


As evidence mounts against him, Schettino emerges as a man who did not follow the protocols set for sea captains. His eventual trial should prove a media favorite.

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Joe Paterno Dies at 85

Joe Paterno, lovingly called "JoePa"by adoring fans and all who knew him, died Sunday morning at a State College, Pennsylvania hospital. After a coaching career at Penn State spanning 62 years, 45 as head coach, he was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer in November. Son Scott announced the news on November 18 last year. Two weeks later he broke his pelvis when he fell. Complications from cancer treatment caused his hospitalization January 13th.

His family released the following statement earlier this morning. "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled. He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."

Paterno has been recognized as the greatest coach of all time. His record of 409 wins, 136 losses, and 3 ties tells the story in numbers. He won national titles in 1982 and 1986 and achieved four additional undefeated seasons. The Nittany Lions played in 37 bowl games and Paterno's coaching prepared more than 250 players for their ascension to the NFL.

Paterno built a program based on the credo of winning with dignity. His players behaved with integrity and sportsmanship under his leadership, a testimony to his belief that character came first and championships second.

The Jerry Sandusky sex scandal signaled the end of his career at Penn State. The stress he endured after the university fired him and the questions surrounding the handling of accusations against Sandusky which occurred years before must have affected his failing health. Ham on Wry believes his reputation as a coach of principle will remain at the forefront of his legacy.

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Tampa Bay Most Stressful Metropolitan Area

City-data.com Photo of Downtown Tampa

Ham on Wry reported in a previous blog post that St. Petersburg, Florida was the saddest city in America. Evidently, when sadness morphs to stress, it affects the entire Tampa Bay Area negatively and earns it the number one spot for most stressful metropolitan area of the fifty studied by Sperling's Best Places.

The study considered many factors that contribute to stress, such as divorce rate, commute times, unemployment, violent crime, property crime, suicides, alcohol consumption, mental health, sleep troubles, and the annual amount of cloudy days. This blogger had no idea that the area experiences 127 cloudy days per year and has a suicide rate of 15.5 per 100,000 residents. In a populations of 2,780, 818, that equates to 434 suicides each year.

Listed in order Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater ranked as the most stressful metropolitan area; Las Vegas/Paradise, Nevada ranked second (Paradise might want to reconsider its name); Miami/Miami Beach/Kendall, Florida placed third; Jacksonville, Florida was fourth; and Detroit, Michigan came in at fifth.

Ham on Wry challenges local and state politicians to weigh in on this study and the one of saddest cities. As Ricky Ricardo frequently said to Lucy, "You got some 'splain' to do.

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Indian Teacher Billionaire for a Day

Parijat Saha, who earns a monthly salary roughly equivalent to $700 US teaching in West Bengal, India, checked his bank account online Sunday night, expecting to see a balance of approximately 10,000 rupees ($200). Instead, his account reflected $9.8 billion in available funds.

After the initial shock, Saha realized  that his billionaire status must have been a mistake, so he checked at an ATM that showed the same balance. He called the State Bank of India Monday to report the error. Bank officials had no explanation for what happened, but assured depositors that he couldn't have withdrawn the money because it hadn't cleared.


When BBC contacted Subhashish Karmakar, chief manager of the bank's branch in Balurghat near Saha's home, he declined to speak about the source of the funds or how the money got into Mr Saha's account, stating, "I have been specifically asked not to comment on this issue."

Saha revealed his sense of humor when he told the press, "I called up a friend in the bank and joked, maybe money is overflowing in your bank, that's why your system has remitted so much money into my account."

Oh well, "easy come, easy go," as the aphorism states. Maybe the bank will reward him for his honesty, but I doubt it will make him a true billionaire.

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Should Animals Win Oscars?

Getty Image of Uggie at Golden Globes Sunday

Uggie accepts a Golden Globe along with his human counterparts for The Artist, a French-directed movie that won best musical/comedy, best musical/comedy actor and best musical score Sunday at the ceremony. Uggie won the unofficial dog Palm Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for the same movie.

Uggie, a nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier, lived in an animal shelter before his trainer Omar Von Mulle rescued him as a puppy. He also appeared in Water for Elephants and Mr. Fix It.

Rabid fans have begun a facebook campaign, Consider Uggie, in an effort to promote consideration for an Oscar in the upcoming Academy Awards.

War Horse cast 10 different horses in the role of Joey, a thoroughbred trained as a plow horse to earn his keep on an Irish farm.in 1914. Horse trainer for the film Bobby Lovgren's own horse Finder; a horse called Civilon that did most of the riding scenes; and Andy, a two-year-old who played the younger Joey were among those featured in the film.

Director Stephen Spielbeg supports adding animals in awards categories created for them. Animal trainers draw a distinction between human acting skills and animal skills learned in training.

Ham on Wry has been a fan of animal films since childhood and can attest that the horses in War Horse captured emotions that illustrated the utter futility of battle, a theme the young adult book's author intended.

Joey and Topthorn, a black horse, go to war at the same time, have grueling scenes throughout the movie, which reveal why so many horse died during World War I.

Tai, the elephant that played Rosie in Water for Elephants deserves recognition for her performance in the movie. She is a 42 year old female Asian elephant, 8’ 8” feet tall and weighs close to 9,000 pounds.  Gary Johnson and his wife, Kari  founded and own Have Trunk Will Travel, Inc. He is Tai’s head trainer, and they have been together for 34 years. According to Kari Johnson, Tai has a sweet disposition and works well with actors.

Readers can see why these animals deserve their own award category by viewing the films in which they've starred.  So, in answer to the question posed in the post title, yes, animals should win Oscars.

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Damning Evidence Mounts Against Costa Concordia Captain

nydailynew.com photo

Transcripts published in two Italian newspapers contain damning evidence against Captain Francesco Schettino whom the operating company Costa Crociere blames for the death of passengers and a delay in evacuating passengers from the ill-fated Costa Concordia last Friday, the 13th of January.

Newspaper Corriere della Sera released a recording of ship-to-shore radio communications that it claimed captured coast guards emphatically ordering Captain Schettino to return to the ship. One coast guard is heard saying, "Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea, but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit, go back on board!" (from a Reuters report by Antonio Denti and Gavin Jones).

Il Fatto Quotidiano, another Italian newspaper, provided this account of what transpired. Quoting a local fire brigade commander, ten minutes after the Coast Guard asked Captain Schettino how many people remained on board, they called again to check the evacuation's progress. By then, he had left his ship and was on the rocks at Punta Gabbianara. Schettino replied that he had called the ship owners who said that 40 people remained. 

"So few? How is that possible?" asked the coast guard, before adding: "But you're on board?"

"No. I'm not on board because the bows of the ship are coming up. We've abandoned her."

"What do you mean? You've abandoned ship?"

"No. No way have I abandoned ship. I'm here," Schettino replied.

Later, the transcript reveals the most strident of the conversations from the coast guard.

"Captain, This is an order. Now I am in command. You have declared the abandoning of a ship and are going to co-ordinate the rescue from the bridge. There are already dead bodies."

"How many?"

"You're the one who should be telling me that! What do you want to do? Go home? Now, go back up and tell me what can be done, how many people there are, and what they need."

"All right, I'm going."


Tuesday, rescue divers used explosives to blast through the hull of the ship and found five more bodies in the ship's stern. The search for 24 people who remain on the list of missing people continues.

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Costa Concordia Captain Blamed for Causing Crash

Max Rossi/Reuters Photo

Pier Luigi Foschi, CEO of Costa Crociere, the company that operates Costa Concordia, assigned  Captain Francesco Schettino responsibility for the tragic accident January 13th that tore a hole in the ship's hull off the Tuscany coast. Foschi said the liner had passed all safety and technical tests in its 2011 evaluation and further stated Costa ships have programmed routes with alarms that sound when they deviate off course.

Foschi explained, "This route was put in correctly.The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a maneuver by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorized and unknown to Costa." His emotional statements included assurances to passengers that their safety and well-being take top priority with the company.

Prosecutors have accused Schettino, who was arrested Saturday, of leaving the ship before many of the passengers had escaped. He purportedly stood on shore watching the evacuation, although members of the crew said he stayed aboard for a long time. Coast Guard officials reported that he had refused to return to the ship when requested to do so.

Schettino's delay in executing an "abandon ship" command prevented passengers from boarding lifeboats in a timely manner, adding to the confusion that occurred when the ship slammed into a rock. Passengers interviewed later said the crew didn't have control of the situation and credited wait staff with providing assistance during the chaos.

Rescue divers abandoned their efforts to find the 29 people still missing earlier today, but  resumed their search hours later. Two Americans from Minnesota have been confirmed among those unaccounted for. Six people have been found dead.

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Costa Concordia Sinks After Hitting Rock off Italy's West Coast

gadailynews..com photo

The Costa Concordia, a luxury liner owned by Carnival Corporation, struck a reef, rolled on its side, and sank off of the small island of Giglio, Italy, early Saturday. The ship was carrying 4,324 passengers, many of whom were dining when the ship hit a rock that ripped a huge gash in the hull.

Network news aired interviews with passengers who said that crew members told passengers them that a technical problem caused the ship to list, hurtling dishes, meals, and glasses to the floor. Approximately an hour later, passengers learned the truth that the ship was sinking. The delay in evacuation orders caused chaos, producing an "every man for himself" attempt to flee to safety.

Investigators believe the ship was traveling too close to the shore when it hit the rock. The captain of the ship, Francesco Schettino, insists the rock was unmarked. He is being held by authorities who could charge him with manslaughter and abandoning his ship.

In the first reports about the disaster, forty people were reported missing. By this morning, that number had decreased to seventeen. Five people have been found dead and three were recently rescued. Rescuers found a South Korean  honeymooning couple in their cabin, and a crew member was hoisted to safety by helicopter this morning.

mirror.co.uk photo

Comparisons can be drawn between the Costa Concordia disaster and that of the Titanic. The similarity in delaying "abandon ship" announcements definitely caused unnecessary chaos and loss of lives. While few survived the sinking of the Titanic, most passengers from the Costa Concordia are alive today. Eventually, crew member error might account for the ship hitting a rock, which would also compare to the truth about the Titanic revealed last year by Louise Patten, an author whose grandfather was aboard on its maiden voyage.

She said her grandfather, Charles Lightoller, was Second Officer on board the ship and told his wife, Patten's grandmother, an order to steer the ship away from the danger was misunderstood. At the time, different steering systems were used for steam ships and sailing ships, and her grandfather claimed it produced confusion when an order to turn the ship to starboard was given. Patten explained the two steering systems operated exactly opposite of one another. A "hard a-starboard" command meant turn the wheel right under one system and left under the other. The steersman turned the wheel the wrong way, which put the Titanic on a collision course with the iceberg.

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Joran van der Sloot Finally"Gets His Due"

A panel of three female judges sentenced Joran van der Sloot Friday to 28 years in prison for killing Stephany Flores in Peru May 30, 2010 and ordered him to pay the Flores family 200,000 nuevos soles (approximately $75,000 US) in civil damages. No smug smiles appeared on his face during this hearing, unlike his past appearances in court. Instead,  he was visibly shaken and wiped away tears, as the stark reality of his fate settled on the somber-faced 24-year-old.

Van der Sloot said he would appeal the decision that will keep him locked up until June 2038, although he could be released sooner for good behavior.

Prison authorities told the AP after the hearing that Van der Sloot had been transferred to the high-security Piedras Gordas prison in northern Lima to serve his sentence. The Flores family loudly complained that he had enjoyed privileges like television, internet access and a cell phone in Castro Castro prison. In his new home, van der Sloot will enjoy the company of other violent criminals, including organized crime bosses and terrorists.

Spokesperson Janeth Sanchez stated that he will have his own cell at Piedras Gordas and will not have access to the same type of facilities or privileges he had when in Castro Castro prison. Van der Sloot can no longer manipulate his way out of punishment. Ham on Wry doubts whether he will use his incarceration to rehabilitate himself. He has never shown signs of remorse for killing Flores or in his actions in the Natalee Holloway disappearance and seems incapable of doing so.

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Alabama Judge Declares Natalee Holloway Legally Dead Thursday

Photo of Natalee Holloway and Father Dave Provided to AP by Beth Twitty

Natalee Holloway's parents, Dave and his former wife, Beth Twitty, attended a hearing in Birmingham, Alabama, Thursday to witness Judge Alan King signing the declaration of death for their daughter. Natalee Holloway disappeared on May 30, 2005, during a high school graduation trip to Aruba. Despite massive search efforts, Holloway's body was never found.

Dave Holloway petitioned the court in September to declare Natalee dead, saying he believed she had died. He explained to Judge King that he wanted to stop payments on her medical insurance and use the money in her college fund to help her younger brother.

King ruled that Holloway had met the legal presumption of death for his daughter and the burden of proof lay on someone to prove that she hadn't died in Aruba. Several months passed, but no one came forward with new information, clearing the way for Judge King to act on Holloway's petition.

Joran van der Sloot remains the prime suspect in Natalee Holloway's disappearance. As I write this post, he is attending his sentencing hearing in Lima, Peru. Dave Holloway expressed his desire to see van der Sloot receive the maximum penalty of 30 years.

Van der Sloot  faces federal charges accusing him of extorting $25,000 from Beth Holloway to reveal the location of her daughter's body. Prosecutors said the money was paid, but nothing was disclosed about the missing woman's whereabouts. Both parents desperately want him to appear personally in the Birmingham court where the case would be tried.

Ham on Wry hopes that Natalee's parents can find some degree of closure after Thursday.

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Joran van der Sloot Pleads Guilty to Murdering Stephany Flores

Karen Navarro/AP

Joran van der Sloot finally entered a guilty plea for the murder of Stephany Flores last year Wednesday morning. The trial, held in Lima, Peru, was postponed after van der Sloot asked for more time to consider his plea at a hearing last Friday. Victoria Montoya, the presiding magistrate of the three-judge panel who will decide his sentence, said they will reconvene Friday.

Prosecutors have asked for the maximum sentence of 30 years for the charges first degree murder and theft , although van der Sloot and his attorney, Jose Jiminez (no relationship to the Bill Dana character), hope that he will receive a reduced sentence because of the guilty plea. Jiminez contends that the correct charge should have been manslaughter with a shorter 5-year sentence, because the murder was not premeditated. Police forensic experts claim the crime scene evidence rules out manslaughter.

In Ham on Wry's post last Friday, I identified Joran van der Sloot as a sociopath, but in conducting more research on his background, I would agree with the Flores family lawyer that he is a psychopath. He doesn't fit the description of a loner. Whatever term one uses, he belongs in jail for as long as possible. He has shown no remorse, has behaved disrespectfully in the courtroom, and has created a media circus around a terrible tragedy for the family of Stephany Flores.


His demeanor in the photo above reflects the he finally grasps the consequences of his violence. Natalee Holloway's parents might never have the satisfaction of learning the truth about their daughter's disappearance, but his incarceration for his crime in Peru might give them some sense of satisfaction.

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Iranian Nuclear Scientist Killed

bbc.co.uk file photo

Mostafa Ahmadi Rashan, a nuclear scientist and university professor, died earlier today in a bomb blast that also killed his driver. State TV reported that Rashan served as director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. IRNA, Irans's stated news agency said Roshan had "organizational links" to Iran's nuclear agency. His connection to that agency provides a possible motive for the murder.

Two assailants on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to the car. immediately killing 32-year-old Rashan and his driver. A passenger later died in the hospital of injuries sustained in the attack, and a passerby was injured. The photo at left show the car's removal from the scene.





The United States and its allies are demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment, because they suspect that it has an ultimate goal of producing nuclear weapons. Iran has long insisted that it has peaceful intentions for the nuclear enrichment program to generate electricity and use for medical treatments.

Tehran has accused Israel's Mossad, the CIA and Britain's spy agency of engaging in an underground terrorism campaign focused on activities related to uranium enrichment. Iran also blames those agencies for at least three slayings since early 2010 and the release of a malicious computer virus known at Stuxnet in 2010 that temporarily disrupted controls of some centrifuges on those agencies.

With Iran's tough stance on the Straits of Hormuz, Ham on Wry wonders whether Rashan's murder will provoke further threats.

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Laptop Won't Power Up? Try this first.

If you press the power button on your laptop and nothing happens, unplug the power cord, remove the battery, press the power button, and wait about sixty seconds...  (Nothing should happen yet...)

Then plug the power cord back in, re-install the battery, and press the power button.  If the laptop still doesn't power up, call me.  There is a significant problem that I will have to look at in person.

If it does power up, the most likely cause is either (1.) the laptop got "stuck" in Sleep (Stand-by) Mode, or (2.) it shutdown due to overheating.  

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Beyonce's and JayZ's Excessive Birth Precautions

Kevin Mazur/Wire Images

Ham on Wry congratulates Jay Z (Shawn Carter) and Beyonce on the birth of their daughter Ivy Blue Carter by Cesarean section Saturday night at Manhattan's Lenox Hospital. However, I take them to task for the extravagant security they demanded from the hospital, which prevented other parents from having access to their newborns.

The couple reportedly paid $1.3 million to occupy a lavish suite at the hospital located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Beyonce used the pseudonym Ingrid Jackson there and capitallized on her star status to make unreasonable security demands during her stay. Hospital staffers had to surrender their cell phones and cover the floor's security camera lenses with tape. Windows in the nearby NICU were blacked out with tape and temporary curtains hung so that nobody could see the comings and goings.

The demands for privacy didn't end with those measures. Other new and expecting parents said they were essentially held in abeyance and forced to leave the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because it of its location on the same floor as Beyonce's delivery suite. The couple wanted to ensure that friends and family could come and go freely, with no fear of encountering curiosity seekers.


Neil Coulon, the father of premature twins expressed his anger about the disruption of his efforts to see his newborn babies. "They (Beyonce and JZ) just used the hospital like it was their own and nobody else mattered. They locked us into the NICU and would say, 'You can't come out to the hallway for the next 20 minutes.' When I finally was able to go back out, I went to the waiting room and they'd ushered my family downstairs!" he complained.

Money can't buy you love, but it certainly counts when one wants special treatment. Ham on Wry understands the couple's desire to protect their newborn from prying eyes, but it's egotistical to assume other parents would care more about the birth of Blue Ivy than their own children. Many other famous people have babies without all of the hoopla. Being part of the 1% doesn't mean you have entitlements that other citizens don't. Get real, Jay Z and Beyonce!  Your actions went far beyond necessary precautions.

As for the name, the stars have every right to choose a name that they want for their girl. That said, can you imagine carrying that name into a professional setting? Parents must consider all aspects of a name because it affects a person throughout a lifetime. It seems their egos dictated the choice.

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Rick Santorum Forgets "Separation of Church and State"

Ham on Wry reminds readers of the "separation of church and state" concept on which this country has operated for well over two centuries. Historians and legal professionals credit that term to verbiage found in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote on the first day of January, 1802, also published in a Massachusetts newspaper. He wrote the letter to the Danbury, Connecticut Baptist Association, which stated, "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."  Roger Williams, the founder of the Baptist Church in America, had referred to a "hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world". in 1644. Rick Santorum's platform for President of the United States includes ideas that cross that line.

In an interview with Bill O'Reilly January 4th, Santorum faced questions about his views on social issues. O'Reilly cited a statistic that 98% of Americans support the freedom to use contraceptives. Citing the Vatican's restrictions on the use of contraceptives, Santorum said he believes states have a right to ban them.and states that approved of them should have the right to legalize them as well. O’Reilly then responded, “It’s not a dogma; it’s a doctrine made by man." O’Reilly also questioned him about his anti-gay marriage views, saying most Americans would not be particularly keen on revoking marriage licenses to couples already wed.

Ham on Wry fervently supports Santorum's right to hold any views he deems correct; however, America faces a grave danger when a candidate expresses the need to legislate morality. I have published this several times in the last two months, but it can't be overstated. The Preamble to the United States Constitution states, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Those words emphasize justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, general welfare, and the blessings of liberty (note the words capitalized in the original document of which defense is not one).

True liberty comes with both rights and responsibilities and allows for citizens to choose a religion or to eschew any form of religious affiliation. A candidate for President of the United States must operate from a paradigm that allows for that freedom. America has no established national religion because of "separation of church and state." Ham on Wry doubts that Santorum can make choices that conflict with the Catholic Church, as President John F. Kennedy, also a practicing Catholic, did.

Aside from his religious stance, I find his statement that US soldiers should return to Iraq reprehensible. This country has more than its share of casualties from that ill-advised war and certainly doesn't need to place any more of our young men and women in harm's way. Perhaps you should volunteer to spend a year in Iraq, Mr. Santorum.  First-hand experience can teach a person many lessons, and you have many to learn.

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Wayward Cat Found 2000 Miles from Home

AP Photo Taken at Foothills Animal Shelter

Waylon, an orange and white tabby, rivals Houdini as an escape artist. The one-year-old cat chewed through a dryer vent and escaped from Daniel Johns' home just hours after he was adopted last summer.

Waylon's wanderings took him to Colorado, almost 2000 miles from his Naples, Florida home. A woman found him while walking her dog December 21st and took him to the Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden, Colorado. No word on whether he made a stop at the Coors Brewery during his stay.

Shelter workers traced the feline's microchip and alerted his owner that he was safe. Johns traveled to Golden to retrieve him January 4th.and take him back to Naples. I guess that makes him a Golden Retriever (I just couldn't resist the urge to write that pun).

Since Waylon can't tell Johns about his journey, it will probably remain a mystery, although a Florida vet speculated that someone from Colorado probably found him in or near Naples and thought he'd make a great pet. Ham on Wry hopes that Johns has repaired the dryer vent and blocked all exit paths.

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Ham on Wry Award-Jaron van der Sloot Trial Postponed in Peru

Joran van der Sloot's trial for the murder of Stephany Flores began today and ended just as quickly, when he told a Lima court Friday that he wanted to make a "sincere confession" in the killing of a young Peruvian woman but didn't agree with the deal offered. He said he needed "more time to think" when asked to enter a plea, so the case was adjourned until next week.

Van der Sloot is charged with murdering Flores on May 30, 2010 in his hotel room. Her murder occurred exactly five years after 19-year-old Natalee Holloway of Birmingham, Alabama, disappeared in Aruba. Police suspected van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, of killing her, since he was the last person to see her alive, but he escaped trial there because no physical evidence was ever found.

According to Peruvian authorities, van der Sloot confessed to killing Flores when she discovered his connection to Holloway, prompting him to murder her in a rage. Prosecutors dispute his version of what happened and seek a 30-year prison sentence on murder and theft charges. The Flores family believes their daughter's murder happened with extreme violence and will testify at the trial.

The defendant, who has described himself as a pathological liar, has given several media interviews while in jail. Natalie Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, traveled to Peru in September 2010 with a Dutch television crew, determined to learn exactly what happened to her daughter. No new information emerged. Van der Sloot has been indicted by U.S. officials for allegedly extorting $25,000 from Twitty when he offered to lead her lawyer to Holloway's body.

Van der Sloot has managed to capture media attention for close to seven years and strikes me as a classic sociopath. Like Ted Bundy, his handsome features and apparent charm make it easy for him to lure unsuspecting females. I have followed Holloway's case since her disappearance in May 2005 and have never heard him express remorse about her loss or that of Stephany Flores. Once again, he is playing games by asking for more time to think. He's had more than enough time to strategize in the period since his arrest! Van der Sloot's delaying tactics prolong the Flores family's heartache and waste time. He obviously has not repented for his cruelty. If nothing else, van der Sloot is a master manipulator.

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Obama Appoints Richard Cordray as Chief of CFPB

Photo-Doug Mill, the NY Times

President Obama used the congressional recess period to his advantage Wednesday when he appointed Richard Cordray the Chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Board. The former Attorney General of Ohio officially accepted the nomination before a crowd of supporters in a Shaker Heights, OH, high school gym near Cleveland, Cordray's hometown. Republicans responded immediately, crying foul and accusing Obama of abusing the recess privilege. Cordray received majority support in the Senate, until his nomination was blocked by a filibuster.

Cordray brings impeccable credentials to his new role. He earned an MA from Oxford University with first class honors as a Marshall Scholar, and a law degree with honors in 1986 from the University of Chicago. He then clerked in the Supreme Court serving Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy in the late 80s and later represented the US government before the Court three times--once for George H. W. Bush and twice for Bill Clinton.

Cordray first entered public office as a Democratic politician, serving one term as an Ohio state representative in the early 1990s, but chose not to run again after district lines changed. Eventually, he served as treasurer and most recently attorney general of Ohio. As attorney general, he built a reputation for successfully winning cases against large financial services institutions, such as Bank of America and AIG, for misleading the state's pension funds. Cordray also pursued cases against financial institutions that used falsified documents to expedite foreclosures on consumers, ultimately bringing suit against Ally Financial in 2010.

Business Insider spoke with Cordray about his case against the BofA/Merrill Lynch Merger in 2009, in which he accused BofA of hiding billions in Merrill Lynch losses from their clients prior to the merger. He stated, "My understanding of a bonus is that it's a special reward for superior performance. There wasn't any superior performance for special reward; nonetheless, they wanted the bonuses. They ultimately, as best we know, got approval to pay out somewhere between $3 and $4 billion in bonuses, which was a very material element to the value of the merger. That was not disclosed to investors."

Clearly, Cordray presents a formidable opponent to those firms that exact fraud against American consumers, a protection long overdue. The CFPB will address unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices by payday lenders, private student loan providers, debt collectors, and other non-bank lenders, as well as oversight of banks with deposits in excess of $10 billion.

Ham on Wry raises a question for the Senate Republicans. Why did you schedule the pro forma sessions in the first place?  Was it not with the express intention of blocking Cordray's appointment? I am fed up with this kind of nonsense.  We need action, not posturing.

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Romney Wins Iowa by 8 Votes; Bachmann Withdraws

AP Photo

Results for Iowa Republican Caucus (U.S. Presidential Primary)
Jan 03, 2012 (100% of precincts reporting)
Mitt Romney	30,015	24.6%
Rick Santorum	30,007	24.5%
Ron Paul	26,219	21.4%
Newt Gingrich	16,251	13.3%
Rick Perry	12,604	10.3%

Mitt Romney's slim victory over Rick Santorum yesterday ensures his status as front runner in the race for a Republican Party presidential nominee. With Santorum just eight votes behind him, Romney must light a fire under voters in other states as the primaries continue, in order to firmly establish his momentum.  

Until recently, Romney expended little energy around campaigning in the Corn State, because it usually leans toward a conservative Christian candidate, as it did last year with Mike Huckabee. Winning in Iowa means that Romney has leaped that hurdle despite his Mormon faith and could bode well as he continues his journey on the campaign trail.

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, has built support in the campaign's next stop, New Hampshire, for the nation's first primary January 10th.  Romney has a large advantage in public opinion polls in his adopted home state, known for its progressive culture. That alone, could hamper Santorum's chances of a win and allow another candidate to move up in the polls behind Romney.

AP Photo/Brandon Pollack

In related news, Michele Bachmann announced her withdrawal this morning, a move that political pundits have predicted for months. Several of her staff members defected over the course of the past several months, and her sixth place finish in the Iowa caucus made her bid for Republican presidential nominee impossible, especially since she was born in that state.

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Iran Threatens US with Military Actions

Reuters Photo

General Ataollah Salehi, Iran's army chief, issued an ultimatum  promising swift action if the USS John C. Stennis, pictured above, returns to the Persian Gulf.  His threat came at the close of 10 days if Iranian navy exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, where 35% of seaborne traded oil and 20% of the world's oil passes daily, according to http://eia.gov, which cites Clarkson's statistics.

Iran's hardline stance appears connected to the precipitous fall of Iranian currency against the  US dollar.The value of Iran"s rial has decreased 40% against the dollar over the last month and hit a record low earlier today. President Barack Obama has signed into law tough new sanctions that would ban dealings with Iran's Central Bank, although the law has not yet been enacted.  By the end of January, the EU is expected to impose sanctions that could include a ban on oil imports and a freeze of central bank assets.

China refused to support global sanctions against Iran, but has taken action to protect its financial health. It has demanded discounts on the purchase of Iranian oil.and reduced January's Iranian crude imports by over 50%.  China bought crude from Russia and Vietnam at a premium to offset the decrease.

Many Iranians have responded to the rial's decline by exchanging them for US dollars, forcing some currency trading offices to close.

Ham on Wry wonders what other oil-producing nations in the region plan in the event that Iran carries out its threats. The United States can't act alone in mitigating Iran's negative attitude toward the West, and other Middle Eastern countries stand to suffer losses with Iran's increasingly hostile stance. If ever the need for alternative fuel sources has reached a critical stage, it is now! Iran would have few options, if it faced world sanctions and a growing demand for vehicles powered by something other than gas.  Just saying.

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