THE LEGISLATURE BLOWS ANOTHER CHANCE FOR ADVANCEMENT FOR HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTIES!

AND THE MEMBERSHIP IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT!

Apparently, the Harris County Deputies organization is not too happy with the state legislature. The groups chance to get meet and confer was apparently blow this session. Here's an open letter from the secretary/treasure of the group Robert Goerlitz:

Apparently something that was overlooked in this report was SB 1744 that came before Rep Coleman's County Affairs Committee that would have given us meet and confer in Harris County for the Sheriff's Office. The democrats on the committee were all in favor of this but not a single republican committee member would cross the aisle to help us. This was a major blow to employee relations between Harris County Commissioners and our organization since we have the doors slammed in our faces regularly when trying to meet with them. With the failure of the legislation, once again, we are doomed to collective begging for at least another 2 years.

Robert Goerlitz

Secretary/Treasurer

Harris County Deputies Organization


What is Meet and Confer? A meeting between opposing sides of a dispute at which the parties attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.

CARRADINE'S FAMILY: IT WASN'T SUICIDE!

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE HAPPENED?

David Carradine's wife and his manager disputed suggestions that the actor's death was a suicide, while a source in Bangkok, Thailand, said the actor's neck and genitals were found bound with rope.

Carradine, 72, became famous in the 1970s, when he portrayed the traveling Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the television series "Kung Fu."

Bangkok police said Carradine was found hanging by a nylon rope in a Bangkok hotel room closet Thursday morning.

A member of the emergency crew who was called to the hotel after a maid found Carradine told CNN that a yellow nylon rope was tied around the actor's neck and a black rope was around his genitals. The source asked not to be identified.

"I do not know if you want to call it accidental," Chuck Binder, Carradine's manager, told CNN's Larry King on Thursday. He said Carradine's career was on a roll and his life was on a resurgence.

Binder said a producer of the movie, "Stretch," which Carradine was to act in, called him from Thailand to tell him what was happening there.

"I do not want to get in the middle of this whole investigation, but this guy said to me for sure there was foul play," Binder said.

Actor Michael Madsen told King that the one thing Carradine's wife, Annie Bierman, wanted everyone to know is, "David was not suicidal."

WANT TO BUY A HDTV FOR YOUR HOME OR OFFICE?

IT GOES PERFECTLY WITH YOUR PLACE!

It's finally going on the auction block.  The Insite's 26 inch High Definition television.  It's a 720p with HDMI connection.  The television is in excellent condition (like new) and shows like a champ.  I'm getting rid of it because I want a bigger tv for the bedroom.  I'm thinking maybe a 37 inch.  The last time I had such a big tv in my room I got headaches.  But we'll see what will happen.  Back to the Element television.  I bought it last year from Circuit City or Best Buy can't quite remember.  But it works well.  It will go great in your home or office.  (remote included) For more details email the Insite at: isiahcarey@gmail.com  - Asking price: $300 or best officer!

Curretnly this television sells for $450 on the market!

Note: If you'd like to add 3 more HDMI's to the television remote available for $30

Description: 720p (1366 x 768) resolution / 800:1 contrast ratio / HDMI input / NTSC/ASTC tuner / Widescreen aspect (16:9) / PC connectivity 

Link: http://www.daddyodeals.com/phpBB/element-26-inch-lcd-hdtv-flx2611b-449-99-w-free-shipping-was-549-99-t54615.html

TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: B.P. IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER!

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GOES AFTER B-P!

DOZENS OF VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE COMPANY!

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has charged BP Products North America, Inc. with violating state health, safety and environmental protection laws, including the Texas Clean Air Act, the Texas Water Code, and the Texas Health & Safety Code. The state’s 97-page enforcement action cites 46 separate unlawful pollutant emissions at BP’s Texas City refinery--including the emission linked to the March 2005 explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 170.

“BP Products is charged with polluting our environment, concealing information from authorities and harming Texans,” Attorney General Abbott said. “In recent years, more than 45 unlawful pollutant emissions occurred at BP’s Texas City facility. This enforcement action holds BP accountable for failing to comply with environmental, health and safety laws that are intended to protect Texans from harm.”

Court documents filed by the state indicate that BP’s Texas City refinery caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of unauthorized pollutant emissions. The Attorney General’s enforcement action cites a “pattern of unnecessary and unlawful emissions”--which led the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to file 15 enforcement orders against BP between 2000 and 2007. Among the improperly released air pollutants were volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

According to the state’s enforcement action, the unlawful emissions stemmed from poor operational practices and inadequate maintenance at BP’s Texas City refinery. Court documents indicate the defendant’s conduct jeopardized its employees’ safety--as well as “human health.”

Under Texas law, BP was required to report unlawful emissions to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and take corrective action to prevent future emissions. However, BP not only failed to report emissions to environmental regulators within the legally mandated deadlines--but also did not take the necessary measures to prevent additional unlawful emissions in a timely manner.

On March 23, 2005, an explosion at BP’s Texas City facility killed fifteen people and injured 170 workers. That explosion led to the unlawful release of contaminants for more than 160 hours. An investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found that the event was “avoidable” and stemmed from the defendant’s “poor operations practices.” The 2005 explosion was one of the 46 incidents cited in the Attorney General’s enforcement action.

BP’s Texas City refinery produces gasoline, distillates, fuel oil, sulfuric acid, petroleum coke and petrochemical feedstocks.

The state is seeking an injunction requiring the company to implement all necessary measures to eliminate future unlawful emissions. The enforcement action seeks to require that BP install additional air quality monitors that will ensure future compliance with emissions restrictions. The state is also seeking civil penalties, fines and attorneys’ fees.

A hearing on the state’s application for temporary injunction is scheduled for June 29 at 9 a.m. in a Travis County District Court.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH IN CAIRO!

JINDAL IS NOT EVEN ON THE RADAR ON ANY MORE!

NOT LIKELY A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE!

Several months ago, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was the toast of the Republican Party. He was invited to speak at events across the nation and was given the prime spot on national television delivering the party’s official response to the President’s State of the Union message.

Jindal’s GOP speech was a bomb and he was widely panned for his delivery and mannerisms. In fact, it was so bad that people did not think of Jindal as presidential material, but compared him to the comical character “Kenneth” from the show 30 Rock.

The speech exposed Jindal’s flaws to the nation. He is not a very impressive speaker and tries to cram in to his speeches too many facts and anecdotes. He does not convey passion, only statistics and figures. He is too young, does not have enough experience and does not have the requisite communication abilities.

Of course, Jindal is a remarkable individual and very well educated. He has accomplished a tremendous amount for a 37-year old man. Eventually, he may have a good track record in Louisiana and be able to seek higher office. At this point, it is too early to tell how Jindal will do as Governor. The jury is still out, so talk of a presidential run is ludicrous at this point.

So, in the latest CNN GOP presidential poll it is no surprise that Jindal is nowhere to be seen. After showing well in presidential polls several months ago, Jindal does not even register in this latest survey. Leading the pack are former Governors Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin with approximately 20 percent support each. The three leaders are followed by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Other candidates looking at the race include South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

JOIN MIKE AT THE HURRICANE TOWN HALL MEETING!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT BIG ONE!

You are cordially invited to attend a Hurricane Preparedness- Education Town Hall hosted by

Fort Bend Citizens for Action and Awareness and in partnership with The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, and CenterPoint Energy. The purpose of the town hall is to educate citizens on hurricane season and provide helpful tips on hurricane preparedness. There will be presentations and discussions on the role of the Fort Bend OEM, power restoration efforts by CenterPoint Energy, and weather phenomena by FOX 26 News meteorologist, Mike Iscovitz.

Details of the time and location of the event are below:

What: Hurricane Preparedness Education Town Hall

When: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:30- 8:30 p.m.

Where: M. R. Massey Building FB MUD #23 1570 Rabb Road Fresno, Texas 77545 (Teal Run Subdivision)

For more information on the Hurricane Preparedness - Education Town Hall, please contact:

Fort Bend Citizens for Action and Awareness (FBCAA) www.fbcaanow.org

Questions can be directed to fbcaacsecretary@fbcaanow.org

WARNING: THIS COULD MAKE YOU THROW UP!

A MOTHER WHO FORCED HER CHILD TO EAT WHAT WAS IN THE GIRL'S DIAPER!

The case is almost inconceivable: Austin police have charged a 23-year-old mother with repeatedly feeding her 3-year-old daughter her own waste. Emily Beth McDonald is free on bond after a surveillance camera at Dell Children's Medical Center caught her placing waste from her daughter's diaper in her feeding tube Sunday. The girl's been hospitalized for serious infections caused by bacteria found in feces. McDonald faces up to life in prison if convicted.

POLICE BELIEVE A HOUSE FIRE WAS STARTED TO COVER UP A MURDER!

ONE BODY WAS FOUND INSIDE!

 

A house fire in northeast Houston is now being investigated as a possible homicide.

Houston firefighters were called to a home at Manitou and McCarty about 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Once the fire was put out, firefighters found a victim inside. They say the body was burned so badly they could not tell if it was male or female.

Investigators had reason to believe the fire was intentionally set.

"They talked to a couple witnesses, and we went ahead and called HPD out here," said HFD Dep. Chief Herman Gonzalez. "Part of this is suspicious."

Investigators say it may take some time to identify the victim.

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF THE MEAT WAGON ON TELEVISION!

THEY USED TO CALL THIS THE MONEY SHOT IN TV NEWS!

At one point it was a regular practice on television.  Video of the dead body going into what some call the meat wagon.  But boy have things changed in local news.  If you haven't noticed most newscasts never show bodies of dead people being placed into the Medical Examiner or Coroner's van any more.  Managers in tv news decided it was insensitive to families and just in poor taste.  This decision came after thousands of families wrote and complained to local stations about the practice. Back in the day those who covered murders everyday considered the body going into the van the money shot. Now, in a more sensitive time it's called a no no.  We don't even show bodies at crime scenes. Have you noticed that?  Do you agree with the policy of newsrooms when it comes to showing dead bodies and why? 

Note: I used this shot because you really can't see anything.  The Insite is sensitive to your concerns as well!

WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE HANGOUT AND WHY?

YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE COUNTRY CLUB!

I was in the East End of Houston on Wednesday and while there I ran into a bar.  That's right a bar on the clock.  No, I didn't hit the Jack Daniels.  But I did buy bottled water for $1.  The place was very old and it smelled of old beer.  It was cool.  I'm told it's been on Harrisburg at Milby for the last 15 years and it started out as some kind of store.  But now it's the hangout.  A lot of the workers from the Maxwell House Coffee plant hang there after work.  It's a blue collar type of place.  Don't even think about asking for a martini or mojito.  Beer and liquor is all you'll get. However, there is quite a selection of chips behind the bar.  The place is called the Country Club. But by no means is it a country club even though there are automatic hand dryers in the restrooms.  Working there is an old Asian guy who cooks the food in between his smoke breaks just outside the bar.  There's also a very friendly middle-aged Hispanic woman who handles the bar.  I think old spots like this have lots of flavor and are very cool.  One day I may just go hang out there and load up on dozens of stories for the Insite.  What is your favorite hole in the wall or hangout?  I just haven't found mine yet in Houston.  But the Country Club could be it!  

INSITE'S BAD HUSBAND OF THE WEEK!

I KNOW, I'LL TAKE OUT AN AD TO HAVE MY WIFE RAPED!

A North Carolina man is accused of arranging to have his wife raped through personal ads on the Web site Craigslist, police said Wednesday.

The 25-year-old man, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was arrested in connection with the incident that occurred at his home early Sunday, police said in a statement.

Police responded to the home at about 2:45 a.m. after receiving a 911 call indicating a male armed with a knife appeared in the couple's bedroom and sexually assaulted the man's wife, authorities said.

The man was present at the time of the assault, and two young children were in the home, but were unharmed and unaware of the incident, the police statement said.

"During the investigation, investigators interviewed the victim and her husband," the statement said. "Investigators became suspicious when they noticed there was no sign of forced entry to the home. Investigators also developed information that led them to note specific inconsistencies in the initial statement provided by [the man]."

But on Tuesday, police found that the man "had responded to at least two personal ads on Craigslist.com in an effort to arrange for someone to come to his home and have sex with his wife using some type of scare tactic."

"Investigators believe [he] arranged this incident without the knowledge or consent of the victim," the police statement said.

The woman was taken to a hospital after the assault, where she underwent a forensic examination and was interviewed, police said. She suffered no serious physical injuries and was released shortly afterward.

Police did not release the identity of the victim. CNN is not naming the victim's husband in an effort to avoid identifying her. The incident remains under investigation, police said.

The man faces charges including first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sexual offense and one count of attempted first-degree sexual offense, according to the police statement.

Kannapolis is about 26 miles northeast of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

JUDGE SAMUEL KENT: I'M THE LION KING!

GROWL: HEAR HIM ROAR!

He called himself the Lion King, the emperor of Galveston, and more simply, "the government."  At 6-foot-4 and more than 250 pounds, he was impossible to escape in the close quarters of an office. And his alcohol-laden lunches could foreshadow vulgar, racist language and sexual assault.

That was the description of U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent at a hearing Wednesday before a House Judiciary Committee task force considering his possible impeachment. The stunned hearing room was silent as two victims of Kent's sexual misconduct detailed their personal ordeals that lasted years.

The Texas judge pleaded guilty in February to one count of obstruction of justice for lying to investigators about the sexual misconduct in his Galveston, Texas, courthouse. It was the first case of sexual abuse against a sitting federal judge.

Though he acknowledged in his plea that the events had occurred, the charges covering the sexual misconduct itself were dropped as part of the plea agreement. He had previously insisted the sexual events were consensual.

Kent, who turns 60 this month, was sentenced in May to 33 months in prison and ordered to surrender on June 15. He also was ordered to undergo treatment for alcoholism while in prison.

Both Kent and his lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, declined to appear at Wednesday's hearing. A statement from Kent accepted in the record said he was unable to travel to the hearing due to physical and mental problems. In the statement he admitted to nonconsensual sexual contact with the two woman, which he said may have resulted from difficulties in dealing with the death of his first wife and other issues.

"Judge Kent and I refuse to be part of the circus," DeGuerin said in the statement, sent by e-mail, calling the hearing an unnecessary spectacle. "All sexual misconduct allegations against Judge Kent were dismissed in court. The highly exaggerated, yet salacious and scandalous testimony of his former personal secretary and his former case manager is irrelevant to the grounds for impeachment and served no purpose other than to allow a few politicians to posture publicly."

If impeached, Kent would lose his judicial salary and pension. His letter to the task force noted that would leave him "penniless" and without health insurance. Kent also submitted a letter Tuesday to President Obama in which he said he will resign as of June 1, 2010, effectively extending his salary for a year that he is scheduled to spend in prison.

Committee members expressed outrage over Kent's request.

"Judge Kent and his lawyer are banking on the fact that impeachments take time, literally," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. "Judge Kent receives $465 of his taxpayer-funded salary every day he remains in office. We are here today to put an end to Judge Kent's abuse of authority and exploitation of American taxpayers."

But it was the emotional and sometimes halting testimony of Cathy McBroom and Donna Wilkerson that provided the most powerful evidence. The two Texas women sat side-by-side at the witness table, never smiling, and recounted events that Kent's guilty plea acknowledged had occurred. 

PORT ARTHUR PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC MANAGER PAID HIMSELF $4 MILLION WITH NO MEDICAL EXPERIENCE!

IT'S A GOOD GIG IF YOU CAN GET IT AND STAY OUT OF PRISON TOO!

U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 37-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the closure of a pain management clinic in the Eastern District of Texas.

ASHLEY COLIN WALKES pleaded guilty to Misprision of Health Care Fraud today before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

On June 2, 2009, KRISTI ROSE, 30, of Bridge City, Texas pleaded guilty to Conversion of Health Care Benefit Program Funds before Judge Crone.

According to information presented in court, Walkes was the manager of 4500 Gulfway Medic Management, which operated primarily as a pain management clinic in Port Arthur. Under Walkes' direction, the clinic generally saw up to 100 patients a day, most receiving Hydrocodone, Soma, and Xanax for pain management. Walkes, who had no medical training, ordered Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance patients to attend physical therapy sessions in order to receive their prescription refills. However, cash patients were not required to attend those sessions. Rose was employed as office manager of Medic Management from March 2004 until the clinic's closure in January 2009. Walkes directed Rose to bill the physical therapy sessions as if a physician had performed them, but, as Walkes and Rose were both aware, they were actually performed by untrained, unlicensed, unsupervised personnel. Further, Medicaid, Medicare, and BCBS were billed for multiple physical therapy sessions each time the patient attended. Additionally, Rose, under the direction of Walkes, billed Medicaid and Medicare for thousands of physician office visits as a code indicating the patient spent 25 minutes with the physician, when the physician actually spent five minutes or less with each patient.

In total, Medic Management was fraudulently paid $4,315,280.21 by Medicaid, $514,390.24 by Medicare and $70,585.55 by Blue Cross Blue Shield. Walkes, who worked three days a week, paid himself over $4 million in cash and personal expenditures. As part of his plea, Walkes agreed to pay $4,900,256 in restitution and forfeit three bank accounts containing approximately $500,000.

Walkes faces up to three years in federal prison and Rose faces up to one year in federal prison at sentencing. Sentencing dates have not been set.

This case is being investigated by the Texas Attorney General's Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Rawls.

WOULD YOU BUY THE HOUSTON BATTERY?

BELIEVE IT OR NOT?

Forget Duracell, Eveready, Die Hard, or even AC Delco.  You need the City of Houston battery.  It's guaranteed to run a lifetime and pull your car out of the murkiest of bayous.  It keeps your car going even in outer space in the Space City.  The cost is cheaper as well.  Get the city of Houston battery and you're guaranteed to keep driving for life!

Note:  This is just a joke.  I spotted this battery at the Houston Fire Department.  Apparently, the city's mechanics slap a label on some of the batteries they but for the department.  It's likely a Die Hard under that label!

WHY DO THEY KEEP ADDING ON IF BUSINESSES ARE SHUTTING DOWN?

A LOOK AT THE WOODLANDS MARKET STREET!



First, if you've never been to Market Street in the Woodlands you really need to go.  It's quite an attraction up north with all the shops and restaurants.  It's perfect for a family outing.  It even has a movie theatre.  

But The Insite's problem with the shopping excursion is that while a half dozen shops or more have closed since it opened, management is still expanding the center.  Major businesses like Sharper Image and Bombay are now gone while there is new construction underway. 

I've also seen smaller locally owned shops close their doors at the Market but they keep building. 

I know the Woodlands is a growing community but I personally don't believe expansion should continue without the current structure being filled with tenants.  

As I walked down the neatly paved sidewalks on Monday I noticed a lot of storefronts that were empty.  

It's almost like those hospitals that never stop expanding.  But hospitals will always have customers.  I'm not quite sure in a tough economy if Market Street can expect the same.  What do you think? 

THE READERS HAVE SPOKEN AND THE WINNERS ARE...

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE RESULTS OF THE INSITE POLLS?


There have been a few polls here on the Insite over the last two weeks. It was a chance for Houstonians and or the readers of the Insite to tell me about who they like and what you consider important in the year 2009. One of the polls asked you who should be the next Police Chief at the Houston Police Department. The votes have been counted the next Chief should be Captain Bruce Williams. We also gaged your feelings on the next Mayor of our city. That vote went to City Controller Annise Parker. When asked what your political affiliation was most of the readers said Democrat. That's despite the Insite hearing more from the Conservative readers when it comes to posting comments. Finally, I wanted to know which issue you thought was more important. A large majority said it's the economy stupid rather than the environment. What do you think? Do you agree with all the choices on here and what would you change if you could?

TWO HOUSTON STORE CLERKS MURDERED IN ROBBERY!

KEYPAC PRESENTS THE LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP AND RECEPTION!

AND YOU'RE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS EVENT!
















(Click the flyer to enlarge for details)

HOW COOL: HISTORY RETURNED TO THE ISLAND NATION!

ANGUILLA GETS ITS TREASURES BACK WITH THE HELP OF THE FBI!

The FBI today returned more than 100 bronze medallions to the Government of Anguilla in a ceremony during the island’s 42nd national holiday, or Anguilla Day, celebrations. The medallions were presented to The Honorable Mr. Osbourne Fleming, Chief Minister, by Samuel Bryant, Jr., the FBI Legal Attaché in Bridgetown.

“We are pleased to return these national treasures to the Government and people of Anguilla,“ said Bryant. “This is an excellent example of the enhanced international cooperation that is essential in today’s war on transnational crimes that have extended their wings across the globe.”

Through a series of investigative leads, the FBI assisted Anguillian authorities with the recovery of these religious medallions, considered to be originally the property of Franciscan friars. In the summer of 1772, these friars made their way from Spain to Mexico in the 990-ton warship El Buen Consejo. Sailing in a fleet of more than a dozen ships, the warship was one of two vessels that veered off course and ran aground off the coast of Anguilla. The remains of the shipwreck, which is of international archaeological significance, reside within Anguilla’s Marine Parks system.

“It gives me great pleasure in communicating to the FBI our thanks and appreciation on this special occasion,” said The Honorable Mr. Fleming. “We look forward to our continued participation as the world turns.”

In addition to The Honorable Mr. Fleming, today’s event was attended by a number of dignitaries from Anguilla and neighboring islands, including: His Excellency Alistair Harrison, Governor; The Honorable Mr. Victor Banks, Minister of Finance; The Honorable Mr. Wilhelm Bourne, Attorney General; The Honorable Mr. Stanley Reid, Deputy Governor; and, Mr. Keithly Benjamin, Commissioner of Police, Royal Anguilla Police Force.

The FBI has made possible the return of a number of cultural treasures in recent years, including more than 100 pre-Columbian artifacts to the government of Panama; two 15th century Ptolomaic maps to the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard; President Theodore Roosevelt’s Colt revolver used in the Battle of San Juan Hill to Sagamore Hill; a 25th Indiana Volunteer Regiment Civil War battle flag to the Indiana War Memorial Museum; three 19th century Heinrich Burkel oil paintings to the Pirmasens Museum in Germany; a 1933 edition of Pearl Buck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Good Earth; eight stone cylinder seals to the government of Iraq; and, more than 180 pre-Columbian artifacts to the government of Ecuador.

NANCY RETURNS TO THE WHITE HOUSE!

THE RONALD REAGAN 100TH BIRTHDAY RECOGNITION!

With former first lady Nancy Reagan by his side, President Obama today created a commission to plan events that will honor former president Ronald Reagan on what would have been his 100th birthday.

Signing the bill in the Diplomatic Room of the White House, Obama was effusive in his praise of Reagan, even though the former Republican president's economic philosophy set the government on a radically different course from the one Obama is pursuing.

"President Reagan helped as much as any president to restore a sense of optimism in our country, a spirit that transcended politics -- that transcended even the most heated arguments of the day," Obama said. "It was this optimism that the American people sorely needed during a difficult period -- a period of economic and global challenges that
tested us in unprecedented ways."

In his four months in office, Obama has steadily assailed the economic principles that Reagan stood for. But there are times for partisanship and policy -- and today was not one of them.

Obama praised Nancy Reagan, describing her as a first lady who redefined the role and praising her work for stem cell research.

"There are few who are not moved by the love that Ms. Reagan felt for her husband -- and fewer still who are not inspired by how this love led her to take up the twin causes of stem cell research and Alzheimer's research," he said. "In saying a long goodbye, Nancy
Reagan became a voice on behalf of millions of families experiencing the depleting, aching reality of Alzheimer's disease."

Obama escorted Nancy Reagan through the door of the room. Reagan was wearing a bright red pant suit and walked with a cane in her right hand. She stood by his right shoulder as the president signed the bill with his left hand.

DISPATCHER DONNA PAUL AND HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS SAVE MAN!

SEAN ROBERTS MAY RUN FOR CONGRESS!

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE MAN WHO MAY GIVE SHEILA JACKSON LEE A RUN FOR HER MONEY!

Over the past year I’ve been asked by many community and business leaders to consider serving our community in a more official and public way. As a Houston attorney and one who has served on various boards and community projects, and as an individual who has worked within the Democratic process to help elect the most qualified candidates to represent us, I take elective office very seriously. Serving our community is a responsibility that no one should take lightly or feel entitled to. It shouldn’t be used as a bargaining chip for private interest or as a tool for media exposure. It is the most noble of aspirations that requires hard work, dedication, vision, and a plan to improve the quality of life for those you serve. So before committing family and friends to this journey, I want to make sure my decision is not just right for me, but also for the people of the district in which I graduated from college and law school, where I first worked as a new associate at Vinson & Elkins, and where I’ve invested in the economic revitalization with the formation of my own law practice.

Last year this time, like so many of you, I was doing my part to change the direction of politics in this country. Like so many in our community, I too felt a shift in both the direction that this country needed to go, and also the mindset needed to take us there. The candidates for whom I worked the hardest - threw fundraisers for and campaigned with, including President Barack Obama, all had one thing in common – a keen awareness that old school politics and divisive tactics no longer have a place for the new challenges we face. Instead, a call was made for a different type of community, an inclusive style of politics, and a progressive minded leader. Someone who can set an agenda, and work with people of all backgrounds to implement policy that puts people first – even when the cameras aren’t there to capture the hard work necessary to get it done.

The contributions from those present and past, that have led to this revolutionary change in psyche should remain a source of inspiration and hope as we move forward; and as I’ve spoken to many who work and live in the district that’s given me so much, I’ve been struck by how eager we all are to take make sure those contributions produce actual results - things that we can see and quantify – community revitalization, economic development, educational advancement, policies that protect the vulnerable and those needing a helping hand - single parents, seniors, those suffering from mental illness or other disabilities, and those who desire equity on the job and in society. So like President Obama, I’ve also spent time thinking how I could advance the kind of change and progress we so desperately need.

The leaders of our past were needed for the circumstances that we faced in the past, but now we face new decisions that require a new temperament, vision, intellect and ability to work with various entities and individuals, even those that don’t always see us eye-to-eye, in order to bring progress and the change we all desire, back to our neighborhoods – back to our own door-steps.

The times we face are challenging, and we can not move forward on healthcare, lost pensions, college tuition, employment, and global issues such as energy dependence, with those who support and continue to proffer small-minded politics or political opportunism.

And that’s why today I’ll be filing papers to create an exploratory committee for 18th Congressional District. In the next several weeks I’m going to continue talking to people within the district. I will listen to the ideas of those who are vested in seeing the 18th Congressional District improve and grow, and I will encourage all those who want a candidate who can set an agenda and deliver on more than rhetoric, to join with me in seeing that we are part of the movement that can deliver real opportunity and real progress. And in a month’s time, after listening to your input and considering your advice, I intend to share my plans with each of you.

In the meantime, I encourage you to contact me and invite me to join you, as we move forward to restore integrity, a hard work ethic and a real sense of unity and progress to the 18th Congressional District.

JUDGE IS RESIGNING BEFORE HE GETS IMPEACHED!

THE PRESIDENT HAS HIS OFFICIAL LETTER!

A 59-year-old convicted federal judge in Texas today informed President Barack Obama that he'll resign next June.

U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent, who served in Galveston, will step down nearly one year after he goes to prison for lying about the sexual abuse of two female assistants.

Kent must report June 15 to begin serving 33 months. Defense attorney Dick DeGuerin says Kent will draw a full salary of about $169,000 a year and benefits until the resignation takes
effect.

DeGuerin says Kent decided on the delay so his wife, who recently had a brain tumor, could retain her medical benefits.

The resignation was submitted a week after denial of Kent's request to retire on disability due to depression -- which would have meant full salary for the rest of his life.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee scheduled a hearing for tomorrow.

DeGuerin says there's no reason to continue with impeachment of Kent.

But Congressman Lamar Smith of San Antonio says Kent's own actions "continue to prove that he is unworthy of public service."

THEY'RE BEGINNING TO FIND THE WRECKAGE AT SEA!

A RECOVERY EFFORT IS NOW UNDERWAY!

Brazilian military pilots spotted an airplane seat, an orange buoy, and other debris and signs of fuel in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday as they hunted for a missing Air France jet that carried 228 people.

Brazil's Navy said three commercial ships in the area were joining the search and France said it would send a ship capable of deep-water exploration.

The pilots spotted two areas of floating debris -- but no signs of life -- about 60 kilometers (35 miles) apart, about 410 miles (650 kilometers) beyond the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, near Flight 447's path from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, said Air Force spokesman Jorge Amaral.

"The locations where the objects were found are toward the right of the point where the last signal of the plane was emitted," Amaral said. "That suggests that it might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha, but that is just a hypothesis."

Amaral said some of the debris was white and small, but did not describe it in more detail.

Two commercial ships that joined the search late Tuesday morning reached sites where the debris was found, said a Navy spokeswoman. They were searching for the items spotted by the plane while the third was still en route, said the spokeswoman who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department rules.

"Once they come across the objects, they will be analyzed to determine if they are parts of the plane or just junk," she said.

CAN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY BE TRUSTED TO REDUCE COSTS TO AMERICANS?

THE FIRST PROGRESS REPORT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PRESIDENT!

Health industry officials sought Monday to make good on a $2 trillion savings proposal announced with great fanfare at the White House, but they came up short by several hundred billion dollars.

Nevertheless, the officials claimed success in producing solid proposals in time for a deadline set by President Barack Obama after a White House photo op May 11 where they promised to curb their own costs to help his health care agenda.

Obama asked for a progress report by early June and the five industry groups and one labor union delivered it on Monday. They sent the White House a letter along with a series of cost-savings proposals they said could total $1 trillion to $1.7 trillion in savings over a decade.

"What you've seen is the coming together of some really unlikely bedfellows and it really is very important," said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, president of the American Medical Association. "This is a very serious collaborative effort."

The groups identified three big areas for savings: $150 billion to $180 billion from more-efficient use of health care services, $350 billion to $850 billion from better managing chronic diseases, and $500 billion to $700 billion through administrative and business improvements such as standardizing claim forms.

The groups -- insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug makers, medical device manufacturers and a leading health care union -- contended that the savings could be even bigger because they were conservative in their estimates and some of the ideas in their proposal hadn't been studied enough to be quantified.

White House health spokeswoman Linda Douglass said the White House was reviewing the proposals.

"It is important that these groups, some of which opposed reform in the past, are now at the table with the president acknowledging that we must reform health care this year," Douglass said. "Clearly, they agree with the president that it is possible to significantly reduce the growth rate of health care spending that is crushing families, businesses, governments and is stifling economic growth."

Leaders of the groups shrugged off the failure to hit the $2 trillion target that Obama initially announced. Some said the savings announced Monday were just the beginning, while others contended they'd never agreed to reach $2 trillion on their own in the first place, but only had said they'd participate in a larger effort to slow projected increases in health care costs by 1.5 percentage points a year for 10 years, on average.

IT'S BEEN 3D MANIA AT INSITE HEADQUARTERS!

IT'S COOL WEARING THE GOOFY GLASSES TOO!


I just can't believe just how good 3-D movies look now that I have a High Definition television. It has been just one big 3-D party at Insite headquarters with the recent release of several Blue Ray movies. I have purchased Night of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th Part III, and My Bloody Valentine. If you're a horror movie fan make sure you go out and pick up these flicks and watch them on HD. Jason is coming at you. And it's absolute fun wearing those goofy blue and red glasses!

BATON ROUGE YOUTH STARTING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE STIMULUS PACKAGE!

I COULD NEVER GET ONE OF THOSE SUMMER JOBS FOR YOUTH IN MY HOMETOWN!

The first drop of the federal stimulus program has hit Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission, in conjunction with the Summer Youth Employment Program, will look to employ 700 youngsters in Baton Rouge.

Organizers say this is not your typical summer youth program as it has been in the past here in metro Baton Rouge.

This year's participation is double the number from past years and it's all part of the huge federal stimulus program.

Mayor Kip Holden kicked off Monday morning's orientation by saying this year's youth program will be the largest in a decade.

"It allows us to put a lot of young people to work and a lot of these young kids would have a difficult time trying to make it through the summer, difficult times dealing with the basics of getting a breakfast lunch or dinner," Holden said. "This puts them together and allows them to earn money allows them to learn job skills that can take them into the future."

The stimulus for this program is about $1.7 million dollars. Seventy percent of that will be spent this summer on the youth program and the remainder over the next couple of years, the mayor said.

Note: When the Insite was a teenager in Baton Rouge I could never get one of those coveted summer jobs handed out by the city. But I think that was a good thing because I spent most of my time volunteering at the local television station which eventually paid off. I was ultimately hired while still in high school to work at a local radio station. So kids if you don't get one of those city summer jobs it doesn't mean the end of the world!

FOX 26 NEWS HAS A NEW TOY JUST IN TIME FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON!

INTRODUCING THE STORM TRACKER!

It's big and ready to roll through any hurricane. It's FOX 26 News' new Storm Tracker. It's a Hummer retrofitted to serve as a live unit and satellite truck. That means we can go live from Humble to Canada in the vehicle. The big vehicle can also be used in any major storm and it has room inside for reporters and weather folk to bring you the information you need to keep your family safe. If you see the Storm Tracker on the road make sure you honk your horn!

IS IT TO GENERATE REVENUE OR KEEP DRIVERS SAFE?

BIG BROTHER WILL BE WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE UP NORTH!

As I was driving around the Woodlands on Friday I noticed a lot of work crews out. Men in those safety vests busy installing what some residents don't want to see. Red light cameras. I ran into three separate crews installing the big brother cams around the northern community. This isn't the first set of red light cameras in the Woodlands. It was last year when the community began installing the watchful eyes on roadways. The latest installation cane be found on Kuykendahl and Woodlands Parkway. Do you think the cameras are for safety or to generate revenue? The Insite would like to hear your opinion!

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO THE AIR FRANCE FLIGHT?

TWO OF THE PASSENGERS WERE FROM THE WOODLANDS!

The disappearance of an Air France jet en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Sunday evening left seasoned crash investigators with a mystery to plumb and very little data to work with.

The Airbus A330-200, carrying 228 passengers and crew members, is believed to have vanished in a towering thunderstorm with no word from its pilots that they were in crisis.

The plane had beamed out several signals that its electrical systems had malfunctioned and, according to one report, that it had lost cabin pressure. The signals were sent not as distress calls, however, but as automated reports to Air France’s maintenance system, and were not read for hours, until air traffic controllers realized that the plane’s crew had not radioed in on schedule.

As a search for wreckage began over a vast swath of ocean between Brazil and the African coast, experts struggled to offer plausible theories as to how a well-maintained modern jetliner, built to withstand electrical and physical buffeting far greater than nature usually offers, could have gone down so silently and mysteriously.

There were no suggestions on Monday that a bomb, a hijacking or sabotage was to blame. Whatever of the plane’s final minutes was recorded in its black box may never be known, because it is presumably at the bottom of the Atlantic. As is common with trans-ocean flights, it was too far out over the sea to be tracked on land-based radar from Brazil or Senegal. Whether its location was captured by satellite or other planes’ radar is not known yet.

The plane, Flight AF 447, was scheduled to arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport at 11:10 a.m. local time. Stricken relatives descended on Terminal 2D, where the airline established a crisis center. A black-robed priest was making his way past hordes of police officers and journalists to comfort relatives of those on the flight.

Note: Two former residents of The Woodlands were aboard an Air France flight believed to have crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. They're identified as Anne Debaillon Harris, 54, and her husband, Michael Harris, 60.

DID THE OKLAHOMA PHARMACIST GO TOO FAR?

JEROME ERSLAND IS NOW ON TRIAL FOR PROTECTING OR POSSIBLY OVER PROTECTING HIS STORE!

An Oklahoma City pharmacist who killed 1 of 2 robbers during an attempted stickup 10 days ago has been charged with first-degree murder.

Prosecutors say it was wrong for Jerome Ersland to pump five more bullets into a teenager he'd already shot in the head, as the teen lay on the floor. Security video shows Ersland chasing the other robber out of the store, getting another gun, then firing the extra five rounds.

The case has stirred a lot of debate about whether the murder charge is justified. 1 of Ersland's supporters says when your adrenaline is going, you're just thinking about survival. The pharmacy is in a crime-ridden area of south Oklahoma City, and has been robbed before.

If convicted, Ersland could get life in prison with or without parole, or possibly the death penalty.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO: HE SHOOTS THE SUSPECT IN THE HEAD THEN GETS ANOTHER GUN AND SHOOTS HIM AGAIN!

DO YOU AGREE THAT TEXAS SHOULDN'T GIVE TAX CREDITS TO MOVIE MAKERS WHO MAY HURT THE IMAGE OF THE STATE?

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS ON THE SILVER SCREEN!

Movie producer Emilio Ferrari vowed last week to move ahead with his $30 million screen depiction of the deadly 1993 clash between federal agents and Branch Davidian cultists, even though the Texas Film Commission says the project could taint Texas’ image and is unworthy of taxpayer support.

The movie, Waco, would be the first feature-film treatment of the 51-day federal siege of David Koresh’s Central Texas compound that led to the death of four federal agents and more than 80 cult members.

Ferrari, whose production credits include Baby on Board, starring Heather Graham, called the incident the “nation’s biggest tragedy, after 9/11.”

“And this was by Americans against Americans,” he said. “It’s been completely swept under the rug. I think people have a right to know what happened. I’m not a political guy at all. I’m making a story from every point of view.”

The Texas Film Commission’s director, Bob Hudgins, said the movie would not be eligible for a state rebate of up to 15 percent on in-state production costs because the movie doesn’t “accurately portray Texans.” In language creating the stipend, lawmakers specified that Film Commission grants should be denied movies that distort facts to make Texas look bad.

Hudgins said he consulted media and law enforcement sources and determined that the movie’s script compresses and simplifies the historic event. Actions that were taken by several individuals during the standoff are attributed to a single character in the movie, he said.

Dispute over facts

The extent of a movie’s factual distortion isn’t a factor in determining its eligibility for funding, Hudgins said. “Either it is (accurate), or it isn’t,” he said.

“Show me where in the script there is anything against Texas,” Ferrari said. “Those are his two points: It’s against Texans, and it’s inaccurate. Neither is correct.”

Among production staff, he said, is Mike McNulty, who co-wrote the 1997 Oscar-nominated documentary, Waco: The Rules of Engagement. “Thousands of hours of research went into this project,” Ferrari said. “Every expert on Waco worked for me.”

Hudgins’ decision, Ferrari said, “affects my credibility and the credibility of everyone involved.”

The producer said he had planned to begin filming the movie near Houston in August.

Now, he said, he is scouting for a new location, but — if the state would modify its stance — he still would like to film in the Lone Star State.

“The movie should be filmed in Texas, where it actually happened,” Ferrari said.

More at www.chron.com

GM FINALLY GOES UNDER!

DO YOU OWN A GM CAR AND ARE YOU CONCERNED?

General Motors Corp filed for bankruptcy at 7:57 a.m. today, submitting its Chapter 11 petition to a bankruptcy clerk in New York and starting what it hopes will be a quick 60- to 90-day court restructuring.

The 24-page filing came after a GM-owned dealership in New York filed for bankruptcy protection, starting a wave of court filings as the 100-year-old automaker begins its historic reorganization and shedding billions of dollars in liabilities.

"The General Motors Board of Directors authorized the filing of a Chapter 11 case with regret that this path proved necessary despite the best efforts of so many," said Kent Kresa, chairman of GM's Board of Directors. "Today marks a new beginning for General Motors. A court-supervised process and transfer of assets will enable a new GM to emerge as a stronger, healthier, more focused and nimbler company with a determination not to just survive but to excel."

GM listed $82.3 billion in assets and $172.8 billion in debts and confirmed its naming of a chief restructuring officer. The case was assigned to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber, with many of its initial legal filings due by June 16. Gerber, a bankruptcy judge since 2000, has overseen big bankruptcies including Global Crossing, Adelphia Communications Corp. and Ames Department stores.

Its documents list the company's largest creditors, including a trust company that holds more than $22 billion in bond debt, and the United Auto Workers union, which is owed $20.6 billion. Those debts are for a UAW health care trust fund that is to take over hourly retiree health care next year. Another large union, the IUE-CWA, is owed $2.7 billion.

Other big debtors include its spinoff supplier, Delphi Corp. — which is owed $110 million — and other large banks that issued a total of $5 billion in debt. Many other large auto suppliers are among its 50 largest creditors.

GM's bankruptcy marks the fourth-largest case in U.S. corporate history — and the largest industrial bankruptcy. GM's board of directors approved the filing Sunday in a resolution that was attached to GM's bankruptcy case. GM will remain privately held and under government control for at least six to 18 months, while taxpayers are unlikely to recover at least $20 billion of the money loaned to GM.

DPS KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE ON BIG RIGS!

IT'S TIME FOR ROADCHECK 2009!

Commercial motor vehicles such as 18-wheelers will come under extra scrutiny this week during Roadcheck 2009, a 72-hour intensive inspection program that runs from June 2 through 4 throughout North America.

DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement troopers and noncommissioned inspectors, along with Highway Patrol troopers who have received specialized training in commercial vehicle inspection, will stop thousands of commercial vehicles to inspect safety equipment and check driver log books, driver licenses and endorsements. Inspectors will also look for possible drug or alcohol use.

“We are concerned about the safety of all commercial vehicles traveling through Texas,” said Highway Patrol Chief David Baker. “We will be looking for trucks and drivers who aren’t complying with safety requirements, and will place them out of service if necessary.”

During Roadcheck 2008, DPS inspectors examined 5,824 vehicles in Texas. As a result, troopers removed 1,435 vehicles and 178 drivers from service because of the serious nature of their safety violations.

The Roadcheck program, which stretches from Mexico to Canada, is designed to reduce commercial vehicle highway fatalities through increased vehicle safety. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), which sponsors Roadcheck, reports a significant decrease in the commercial vehicle crash rate in North America since the program’s start in 1988.

Vehicles passing inspection receive a CVSA decal exempting the vehicle from inspection for a 90-day period, unless they have an obvious safety defect. Troopers issued 2,054 decals during Roadcheck 2008.

IS MOM JUST AS GUILTY AND SHOULD BE PROSECUTED?

ABORTION DOCTOR KILLED!

GUN DOWN WHILE AT CHURCH!

 Dr. George Tiller, who remained one of the nation's few providers of late-term abortions despite decades of protests and attacks, was shot and killed Sunday in a church where he was serving as an usher.

The gunman fled, but a 51-year-old suspect was arrested some 170 miles away in suburban Kansas City three hours after the shooting, Wichita Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz said.

Long a focus of national anti-abortion groups, including a summer-long protest in 1991, Tiller was shot in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church, Stolz said. Tiller's attorney, Dan Monnat, said Tiller's wife, Jeanne, was in the choir at the time.

Johnson County sheriff's spokesman Tom Erickson said Scott Roeder was the man whose car was stopped on Interstate 35 on Sunday, about three hours after the shooting of George Tiller.

Earlier in the day, Wichita police said the suspect was a 51-year-old man from Merriam, Kan., but they refused to identify him by name.

Roeder has not been charged in the slaying, but he was expected to be taken to Wichita for questioning.

WET WET CAR WASH IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

STOP BY AND KEEP A SMALL BUSINESS GOING!


If you're on the north end of Houston and your car needs a quick wash then you may want to stop by Wet Wet car wash.  It was just opened by Michael Washington.  He says he has the best rates in 

Acres Home.  Washington says business has been slow and he's washing friends cars to make it appear he has some business.  But it's only been two days since the doors opened.  He's charging $12 for cars, $15 for trucks, and $20 for all you gas guzzling SUV drivers.  So if you're in the area make sure you get a wash from Washington and his team of detail experts.  It's located in the 2500 block of W. Little York!

WHERE'S THE LOVE FOR SHEILA AND ANNISE IN THE HOOD!

THE LADIES HAVE BEEN DUMPED!

This is just one of those random shots the Insite takes from time to time.  While I was in Acres Home on Friday I noticed some campaign signs dumped in the ditch. Others in the area were still standing but these were de-yarded.  Not quite sure why but those who work with the Annise Parker and Sheila Jackson Lee campaigns may want to go collect them.  I know in these tough economic times every sign counts.  It's located in the 2500 block of W. Little York!

WHO KNEW IT WAS SO POPULAR!

EVERYONE IS GOING TO THE RED BOX!

I usually buy my movies because I know if I rent by the time they're returned I could have purchased the release.  But because I wanted three cheesy horror movies I decided to rent from the Red Box at my local McDonald's.  When I got the movies it was a quick in and out.  When I returned the movies 7 days later there was a long line.  I had no idea so many people used the vending machine.  I actually had to wait about 15 minutes before it was my turn to return the movies.  Who knew it was so popular.  Have you ever rented from the Red Box and what was your experience?

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SNACK TO BUY AS A KID FROM THE CORNER STORE!

HOLSUM HONEY BUN AND A STRAWBERRY COLD DRINK!





As a kid I used to love going to the corner store before school.  I'd load up on candy and a soft drink.  While I was in Acres Home I saw a store that brought back those memories.  It's called Rose store.  It's located on W. Little York.  It had everything I used to buy before heading to McKinley Middle Magnet each day.  They had Now & Later candy, pickles, Slim Jims, and who could forget Kool Aid.  This story had every flavor under the rainbow.  The only thing I didn't see was my ultimate favorite after school and that's a Holsum honey bun and Faygo Strawberry soday.  Back in Louisiana I'd actually say Faygo strawberry 'cold drink'.  What were your favorite snacks to take to school and after school?  

MONDAY COULD BE THE BIG DAY!

IT MAY BE TIME TO RISE AND SHINE WITH YOLANDA ADAMS AGAIN!

The Insite hears rumblings that Yolanda Adams will be returning to the airwaves on Praise radio Monday morning.  Sources say after some behind the scenes talks between the Grammy award winning artist and management at Radio One the two parties are putting aside their differences.  I've been told there was a rift between management of the urban radio company and Adams about HR 848.  It's the piece of legislation that would require radio stations to pay the performing artists when their songs are played on the air.  That's the latest, I will keep you updated!