MADsMom's Blog

PITTSBURGH - A McCain campaign volunteer made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in a politically inspired attack, police said Friday.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, admitted Friday that the story was false and was being charged with making a false report to police, said Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division. Police doubted her story from the start, Bryant said.

Todd, who is white, told police she was attacked by a 6-foot-4 black man Wednesday night. She now can't explain why she invented the story, Bryant said.

Todd also told police she believes she cut the backward "B" onto her own cheek, but she didn't explain how or why, Bryant said.

Todd initially told investigators she was attempting to use a bank branch ATM when the man approached her from behind, put a knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade to her throat and demanded money. She told police she handed the assailant $60 and walked away.

Todd told investigators that she suspected the man then noticed a John McCain sticker on her car, became angry and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground and telling her "you are going to be a Barack supporter," police said.

She said he continued to punch and kick her while threatening "to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," police said. She said he then sat on her chest, pinned her hands down with his knees and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife.

Todd told police she didn't seek medical attention, but instead went to a friend's apartment nearby and called police about 45 minutes later.

The Associated Press could not immediately locate Todd's family.

Bryant said somebody charged with making a false report would typically be cited and sent a summons. But because police have concerns about Todd's mental health, they are consulting with the Allegheny County District Attorney.

Todd remained in custody, and police were preparing to charge her with making a false report to police.

"We had some serious cases going on, and this wasted so much time," Bryant said. "Our detectives have been working through the night just to verify the information we suspected was false from the beginning."

Todd worked in New York for the College Republican National Committee before moving two weeks ago to Pennsylvania, where her duties included recruiting college students, the committee's executive director, Ethan Eilon, has said.

Eilon declined to comment on the investigation Friday or to help The Associated Press contact Todd.

Earlier Friday, police said they had found inconsistencies in Todd's story. They gave her a lie-detector test, but wouldn't release the polygraph results. Investigators also said bank surveillance photos did not back up the woman's initial story of being attacked at an ATM.

Police interviewed Todd after she contacted police Wednesday night and again on Thursday, Bryant said. They asked her to come back Friday, ostensibly to help police put together a sketch of the man. Instead, detectives began interviewing her.

"They just started talking to her and she just opened up and said she wanted to tell the truth," Bryant said.

Bryant said it doesn't appear that anyone else put the woman up to the false report.

Police suspected all along that Todd might not be telling the truth, starting with the fact that the "B" was backward, Bryant said.

"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that," Bryant said. "They just take the money and run."

(This version CORRECTS that police were preparing to charge Todd, not arraigning her.))

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

Associated Press/AP Online

My husband told me when he saw the news this morning that he KNEW it was a lie because no assailant would have carved a "B" into her face backwards.  Dont even talk to me about "stooping" to a new low - the McShame camp has just taken that award.    

 She must be Sarah Palin's cousin - too stupid to know that you cant stand in front of a mirror, carve something on yourself and NOT have it come out backward.  Priceless!!

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?  What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class? 

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said "I do" to?  What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

 What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?  What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard Law? 

 What if Obama were a member of the "Keating 5" (The Savings & Loan Banks demise)?  What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

 If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

 I also find it interesting that everyone has "glossed over"  Sarah Palin and her daughter's pregnancy.  I'm not held to the "let's not touch it" edict of Barack Obama or John McCain, so here goes.

This woman wants to legislate that the only sex education that may be taught in schools is abstinence.  Clearly that didnt work in her own household.  Not only was her daughter having pre-marital sex, she was having unprotected sex, thereby making her susceptible to not only the pregnancy that she got, but disease as well.  Someone didnt (or apparently was not clear if they did) talk about the consequences of unprotected pre-marital sex in the Palin household, and look what they got. 

 She wants to legislate the overturning of Roe v Wade.  Religious attitudes aside, I have my own feelings about abortion, but I would not pre-suppose to tell another woman what is best for her, and no other woman, or man, should.

Lipstick on a pig?  Barack Obama wasnt even talking about anything that day that would have been remotely attributed to a comment about Sarah Palin.  John McCain, George Bush, Bill Clinton and others have used that phrase countless times in the same context.  Lets stop with the smoke and mirrors.

It is expected that the usual suspects will use this blog to lodge personal attacks, stereotypical references to one race over another, descent into the use of improper grammar while posting a response and calling it Ebonics (of which there is no such thing, its all improper grammar) designed to attempt to get a rise out of someone who thinks they are offending , etc.  I'm telling you out front that I am ignoring those comments completely.  Anyone posting who wants to have a reasonable discussion about the blog is more than welcome.

Visiting from time to time to say hi to friends and post a funny or two - here's one for today, I was in tears.  Have entered these contests before, actually won one or two, but these folks are SERIOUS about their chili!  Posting it on NEWS since thats where most of you make your posts.

Chili Cook-Off
If you can read this whole story without laughing, then there's no hope for you. I was crying by the end. This is an actual account as relayed to paramedics at a chili cook-off in Texas .
For those of you who have lived in Texas , you know how true this is. They actually have a Chili Cook-off about the time Halloween comes around. It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the San Antonio City Park .

Greetings to all my blogging friends:

Have a wonderful holiday season, whatever holiday you may celebrate.

I have decided to leave the blogs at Fox5.  I have made some wonderful friends here, and you will all hear from me going forward, but via email for those whose email addresses I have.

Well wishes to all of you, and enlightenment to several of you who desperately need it.  And if not that, get out and interact with those who are unlike you ( in appearance and/or  expression).  Some of you could use it, you might not be so quick to accuse and assume.

Will miss you Starr, buggy, grandad, beagle and believe it or not, ex-mpd........

Be well in 2008 and always

MADs

Enjoy!!!

A farmer named Clyde had a car accident.  In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning Clyde.

Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, "I'm fine," asked the lawyer.

Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened.  I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into the..."

"I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer interrupted." "Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?

Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road...."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine.  Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client.  I believe he is a fraud!  Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie"

Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other.  I was hurting, real bad and didn't want to move.  However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.

Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.
Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun in hand, looked at me, and said "How are you feeling?"  "Now what would you say?"

Just couldnt resist y'all......a colleague sent this one to me, I thought it was funny so I'm passing it on.  And its posted in the news category because thats where we all usually chat.

Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never
been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.
One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea. As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom!
When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer
resist.
'Miss Beatrice', he said, 'I wonder if you would tell me about this? pointing to the bowl. 'Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Isn't it wonderful? I was
walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little
package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ,
keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter.'

Friends:

No editorializing, I just want to take a straw poll for this.  Write in candidates are fine, but dont put in people like Howdie Doody and other silly folly.  Im just curious about who you would vote for if you had to decide today, mainly because I cant answer the question for myself.  I dont know WHO I would vote for if I had to decide TODAY.

Okay group, we have another DOLT on the blogs who deletes responses to their blogs if they dont like what you say - go look for the blog "What has he done for others" that was posted by someone who calls herself "beautiful lipstick."

Read this disjointed, disrespectful, misspelled, grammatically inept, and darn near unreadable blog and pay real close attention to the outrageous claims that she wants you to believe - that she earns 6 figures and wants a well educated,  well traveled man who speaks two languages (a word which she by the way couldnt spell).  I bet you do want one honey,  this kind of man would probably get you out from whatever rock you live under.

Anyhoo, she didnt like what another blogger and I had to say in response to her blog and she deleted our responses.  Well, you guys know me, and you know that I dont take kindly to that kind of thing so......

here goes, Im about to post my OWN DAMN BLOG with what I said to her so that she CANT delete it.  As a matter of fact, I've changed my mind.  What you will see first is that ridiculous mess that she posted (so that you dont have to go find it).  What follows is the best re-telling to the best of my recollection of what I said to her in response.  All my fellow blogger buddies with whom I blog everyday, you know I must be really ticked off because I dont respond like this, but this time, she really made me blow my top, for a BUNCH of reasons.

I have watched the news everyday, and all I can hear is about how the late Mr. Taylor had changed after having his little girl.  First and far most I said a PRAYER for his family and that is all I can do since I did not know him nor his family and I am not a Redskin Fan but I do have love for all of God's children,now with having said that let me tell you what's on my mind!! What did this man do for OTHERS?  I tell you what he did not DO.  Where was he when the Redskins were handing out food for those in need at Thanksgiving time it does not matter that you were hurt the fans and thoses poor people would have loved to have seen you there,since they can not by a ticket to the home games. Next hed did not do anything for the Katria homeless people, for the poor people right here in the dc area, go around and feed the hungry at the soup kitchens, pay for chioldren who need to have surgrey and there parents could not pay for it, help the old people who have to choose between medicene and food each month. All he did was what just about every black man does when he gets to the NFL or the NBA start acting like a N**ger.  Now if he where Dr. Rice a strong black women who has done something with her life, alone with Miss Winfrey,who gives back to others Former President Clinton our (first) black president and the list can go on and on.  All i have heard is how he changed after having his little girl, Not enough to marry his high school sweetheart with by the way Is White and is Andy Garcia's niece, he did not even what A Black Sista ,why because he thought that she would want his money well what do you think that a white women wants?  We sisters are doing it for our selfs, and I for one am i make 6 figures and I would not have givin him the time of day.  I like a man who can speak 2 different langeges very well educated well traveled, no brades, mature, and has a goal in life because in football you are only one hit away from having it all ending, So you have to educate yourself and allways have something else you can do besides run up and down on the field or the basketball court . Thanks for reading !!

here's a re-telling of what I said in response, as close as I could remember:

where is it written that anybody who gets a job that pays them a lot of money (because star or not, thats what it is, a job) has to rescue everybody else?  some black people are the only ones that you always hear talking about our own having to rescue other people just because they have money.  get your own damn job and help yourself.  as for Dr. Condoleeza Rice and Oprah Winfrey ( I suspect that you didnt use their first names because you cant spell them), what exactly is it that they have done over and above others who decided that they would help?  I'm all for helping people, but it's not a requirement.  Sean Taylor's REQUIREMENT was that he take care of his daughter.

Im not going there with you regarding your use of the n-word, it's another good example of your ignorance

His girlfriend "which is white."  That would be "who" is white.  And she's actually Cuban. But what the hell difference does that make?  He got to a Cuban girl that he fell in love with before he got to a "Sista." (your word, I dont use it).  You however, and the comments that you made here, are the POSTER CHILD for why some black men dont choose black women.  You cant spell, cant write, and I'll go out on a limb and bet that you talk just like you type.  EWWWWW....who would want you?

And you earn six figures?  yeah right.......you  must be swinging from a POLE seven nights a week if you do.  (gosh, that was mean, and I'm not usually mean, but oh well....)

Newsflash - Bill Clinton wasnt and still isnt "black."

The only well educated, well travelled,  mature man with no braids (spelling again) who speaks two languages (spelling again) that you will ever meet will order a burger and fries from you for lunch one day when he decides to go slumming. (oops, mean again, but what the hell....).  And you can bet your last dollar that he won't be asking you out in the same breath that he's ordering with.

May God sustain and hold his family and friends in His loving care during this trying and tragic time.  You were one of the BEST.........

I'm sure that many of you will be out and about, traveling, cooking and otherwise preparing for Thanksgiving over the next fews days so...........

This isnt news, but thisis the category that must of us who have developed a relationship with each other blog on so.......

I wanted to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all of you and your families and I hope that you all travel safely wherever you are going, eat too much, watch too much football, and enjoy your family and friends as much as you can.

Make sure you take a walk after that BIG dinner....it will be good for your digestion, your heart and the weather should be lovely.

MADSMom

Based on what I read, I find this hard to believe.  She said she was subjected to verbal insults and sexual advances, but did not bring it up until she was fired from her 260,000 a year job, she says she was fired for bringing it up.  I dont recall her publicly speaking about anything until she sued.  Thomas and MSG (Madison Square Garden) say that she was fired for incompetence.  The jury consisted of 4 women, 3 men.

MSG will be paying the punitive damages, to be decided by a jury, as well as Thomas' figure whatever it is.  Both Thomas and MSG will appeal.  I know I'm going to catch it for this...but did you all see her? (and yes I KNOW sexual harassment and a woman's looks dont necessarily go hand in hand).  If he did it, what was he thinking?

I first posted this blog in June 2007, on the entertainment pages.  A little lightheartedness for a Friday, its been a far too serious blogging week. Hope you all have a good weekend, and that you try this, its interesting.  Well, off to PA this afternoon for a spa weekend with my girlfriends, hope you all have a good one!

Hey all!  This is a website where you can enter certain information about yourself, both personal and health related (there are no ultra-personal questions, things like are you a smoker/drinker, family history of diabetes, are you married), and the "calculator" will give you an age projection up to 100 years old.  You do need to know a few things about your family history as well.

I thought it was pretty neat, but you have to be honest about your answers (for instance, it does ask you how much you weigh and how tall you are).  I just did mine, and it projected my longevity to 92.

I hope so....that would probably be fun, and its probably not too far off base.  My parents are both living and well at 85 and 75, and both of my grandmothers lived to 100 years of age, grandfathers were 64 and 80.  We will see....try it and tell what number you got.

Something a little less serious for all of us to blog about today.....sometimes we are all far too serious.

Did anyone hear this morning that Jack azz Johnson is now trying to distance himself from Washington after it was found out that a psychiatrist indicated that he had previously been in treatment for internal rage, homicidal and suicidal tendencies? (heard this on the local radio news station this morning on the way to work)

None of the diagnosis surprises me and Johnson's sudden "distance" doesnt either.

Watched the news on another network last night and saw this interesting story:

A Fort Lauderdale FL man was working at a restaurant and happened to look out of the window and see a woman being carjacked.  He ran out of the restaurant, apprehended the carjacker and held him until police arrived. Fort Lauderdale hailed him this week as a hero for doing so.

However, he was FIRED from his job that night after close of business for LEAVING the restaurant during his shift.  How stupid is THAT restaurant owner/manager?

Not to worry, he now has a job with the electric company, brought about after the city was made aware that he was fired for helping the woman.