How to ruin a teenager's life forever.

I don't know.... This is really bothering me. And I will explain why and we will see who agrees.

Here is the story from the breaking news on the P-G today:

Teens charged with sending, getting nude photos by phone

Here is the story:

Three teenage girls who allegedly sent nude or semi-nude cell phone pictures of themselves and the three male classmates high school who received them are charged with child pornography in juvenile court.

Police in Greensburg say the girls are 14 or 15 and the boys charged with receiving the photos are 16 or 17. The juveniles were not identified.

Police say Greensburg Salem High School officials learned of the photos in November. That's when a student was seen using a cell phone during school hours, which violates school rules. The phone was seized and the photos found on it. When police investigated, other phones with more pictures were seized.

OK. I understand they were using their phones when the were not supposed to. But What I don't understand is why they were looking thru the kid's phone pictures.

The phone was seized and the photos found on it.

I don't know that they had a right to do that. I have a real problem with that. New phones can be rather complicated. You don't just accidently "find" questionable pictures. You have to LOOK. But maybe I am wrong about this. Does the school rules say that when the phone is seized it will be searched? Doesn't that violate a right? If it's not the school's phone do they still have the right to look at everything on it? I would feel upset if someone who was not my parent looked thru my phone or looked thru my child's phone. As a parent, that is my job. (and when Julia gets a phone, look thru it, I will.) In my book, you take it, lock it up and they get it back after school or the parent has to come get it. Simple enough. This just really doesn't sit well with me.

The second part of this is the reason I looked at this:

Three teenage girls who allegedly sent nude or semi-nude cell phone pictures of themselves and the three male classmates high school who received them are charged with child pornography in juvenile court.

I will tell you that at 15. At 16. At 17, I did not understand what child pornography encompassed. At those ages, I never would have known that sending a racy pic of myself to my boyfriend would be something that I could go to jail for, or have to register as a sex offender for. SRSLY. I don't expect that these kids understood either. That bothers me too. This whole thing feels like "lets make an example of someone" situation. It really does. Did they hurt anyone? It doesn't sound like it. It sounds more like someone was snooping thru a teenager's phone found something and decided to make a big deal.

This bothers me alot. It feels wrong to me. So anyone have a different opinion here?

Dumb Questions *updated*

I feel bad for the Penguins. I really do. They are struggling so bad. I think that they need a team building event. Something to bond them. I am talking stuck in a 2 room shack with 12 inches of snow where you have to get along or everyone is gonna die, type of Something... (LOL) but these kinds of stupid questions are NOT what they need:

From the PG: Therrien still feels secure despite 7th loss in past 8 games

Penguins coach Michel Therrien has watched his team lose seven of its past eight games and tumble to 10th in the Eastern Conference standings.

He knows as well as anyone that something has to change -- dramatically and quickly -- if the Penguins are to salvage their season.

But, when asked in the wake of the Penguins' 5-3 loss to Colorado at the Pepsi Center yesterday if he felt his job security is an issue, Therrien made it clear that he doesn't believe it is. Or should be.

"No," he said. "Why? I'm not worried about that."

No coach has complete control over his fate, of course, but general manager Ray Shero repeatedly has said that replacing Therrien is not on his radar.

UM. HELLO!!! The last thing the players need is to worry their head coach is going to get fired because they can't get their act together. And also... do you really want your head coach to be all "Yeah, I think I'm getting canned after this season. Sorry, I am a shitty coach guys."

WTF? NO, you don't!

I don't want my NHL head coach to be some sissy boy panzy worried about himself more than his team! Therrien is NOT a sissy boy panzy. He will call out a player. The problem is we are playing so poorly he has to call out almost the whole damn team right now. And a Team problem it is... make no mistake. A coach can't go out there and play for them. These losses are not all his fault.

So Reporters, quit asking stupid questions.

Fans, Stop emailing the same stupid questions.

Penguins (Like any of them read this stupid little blog of mine right?), sit down, take a deep breath, forget the season so far and start playing like the talented pros that you are.

P.S. See, I'm not *totally* crazy about the team bonding thing... Dave Molinari Agrees with me. A little anyway:

Q: I think everyone would agree that the Penguins are missing something, whether it's chemistry, grit or lack of production from some guys who are counted on for production. My question is, do you think not being able to attend their boot camp at West Point has been a factor in their lack of chemistry or grit this season? I think going through that allowed them to get comfortable and rely on each other in tough times.

Brian Finnigan, Boardman, Ohio

MOLINARI: Not spending a few days at the U.S. Military Academy had zero impact on the Penguins' grit -- it not as if, say, Miroslav Satan would have been transformed into a win-or-die-trying warrior if he'd been able to put in a few quality hours on the obstacle course -- but there's no question the team-building time they spent there in 2006 and 2007 contributed to exceptional camaraderie the Penguins had.

Even so, a visit to West Point does not come with a guarantee of success. If it did, 30 teams would be booking a trip there every autumn.

Oh and Marty from Windber, PA... Since Dave couldn't say it, so I will: Your a MORON. Nobody wants an ASS like Avery. Come on, the NHL suspended him! How often does the NHL suspend players? SRSLY!!!! Dumb ass.

Welcome to my cult... LOL

Welcome AJ!! I see you have joined the Rant Followers as cushy number 5... YAY!!

:-)

Ok its 3am... my crazy ass is going to bed!

Word from the Wise...

Consider this my public service announcement.... Don't get ripped off by Tax Refund Anticipation Loans. Please.... See This Article from the Red Tape Chronicles:

Bailout money used for tax refund loans?

I will quote you the most important parts in case you don't have time to read it:

Refund anticipation loans, or RALs, are a lucrative business for the tax preparers. In 2006, 9 million consumers obtained such loans, paying $1 billion in fees.

DAMN! Now that is some $$$ !!!
And In case you don't know what an RAL is:

How refund anticipation loans work
RALs work like this: When customers of storefront tax preparation companies learn that they have a tax refund coming, they are offered the chance to get the money almost immediately. For a fee, the tax preparer arranges a bank loan for the refund amount. The bank then keeps the refund when it arrives from the government.

Here is how the rip off works:

The loan fees are steep when viewed through the lens of a traditional bank loan. Expressed as an annual percentage rate, as required by Truth in Lending requirements, (Jackson Hewitt's Bank) Santa Barbara charges customers an effective annual percentage rate of 113 percent.

Consumers usually are not sensitive to this fee, however, because they don't pay it directly; it is simply deducted from their refund. Fees vary based on the size of the refund, but a consumer expecting a $2,600 refund could expect to pay about $95 in interest charges plus nearly $40 in processing fees, Fox said. Most must wait a day or two to receive their funds.

That is over $100 of your money just in fees. That is crazy. It is as bad as payday loans. Legal Loan sharks...

And a drum roll Please:

Refund anticipation loan consumers may not realize that taxpayers who file electronic returns get their refunds – for free -- in an average of 11 days.

I understand people need help with their taxes. I pay a someone to do my federal. But don't let these places talk you in to getting a LOAN for money your entitled to anyway. I want all my money. I can manage to wait 10 days. That gives me time to plan what I am going to do with it anyway. :-)

Ok. That is the end of this public service announcement.

Stupid news

I saw this story... and I just HAD to post it....

Boy, 6, Misses Bus, Steals Family Sedan

First... WHO was in-charge of the 6 year old? Who was supposed to get the kid up, ready for school and out the door. Not MOM apparently:

The boy, whose name wasn't released, missed the bus, took the car keys and drove
nearly six miles on Route 360, about 61 miles east of Richmond, while his mother
was asleep.

Well.... this explains it all:

The boy told police he learned to drive playing Grand Theft Auto and other
video games.

Lovely. 6 year olds are not supposed to be playing GTA for goddness sake. Its an ADULT Game!! I'll give the kid some props though for how close he got:

Police said he made at least two 90-degree turns, passed several cars and ran
off the rural two-lane road several times before hitting an embankment and
utility pole about a mile and a half from school.

It ended like this:

Northumberland County Sheriff Chuck Wilkins said 26-year-old Jacqulyn Deana
Waltman is being held without bond. Forty-year-old David Eugene Dodson was
released on a $5,000 bond. The boy and his 4-year-old brother were placed in
protective custody.

I hope they make them take parenting classes. Dumb asses.