Ohio teacher accused of preaching in class sues district

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio school teacher fired over accusations that he preached Christianity in class says in a $1 million lawsuit that his free speech and civil rights were violated.

John Freshwater, an eighth-grade teacher, also says he was harassed because of his religion, was defamed and suffered a hostile work environment.

The Mount Vernon school board created a work situation that allowed Freshwater "to be harassed by both administrators and co-workers on account of his religion," according to the lawsuit against the board and school administrators filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Columbus.

A message was left with Superintendent Steve Sharp on Wednesday seeking comment.

The Mount Vernon school board fired Freshwater last year, citing an internal investigation that found he had preached his Christian beliefs in class, in violation of the traditional separation of church and state.

Freshwater was also accused of using a scientific device to burn a cross image onto a student's arm and of keeping a Bible on his desk.

Freshwater says other teachers were permitted to keep Bibles on their desks.

Freshwater is seeking $500,000 in lost wages, pension pay and lost opportunity costs and $500,000 in punitive damages.

Freshwater also said he was discriminated against because of his involvement with the student group, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The lawsuit said an outside consultant's report that investigated Freshwater was incomplete and contained "scandalous allegations," which the lawsuit does not detail.

O'Reilly apologizes to Hot Air, sort of

Dixie Carter's "Exorcise" Video

Sleeping pills, alcohol a bad mix for unruly United Airlines passenger

United Airlines diverted a recent flight bound for London after an incoherent and disruptive passenger, apparently woozy from a combination of pills, alcohol and lavatory hand soap, allegedly tried to bite a flight attendant in the leg.

Galina Rusanova, a British citizen, was charged with interference with a flight crew and assault for allegedly disrupting United Flight 934 from Los Angeles to London Heathrow Airport on April 29, forcing the plane to land in Maine.

She could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In a Monday hearing in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine, Rusanova agreed to be detained pending trial.

Rusanova is described by the British press as a Russian-born artist, actress and author who rubs elbows with the rich and famous. She was returning home to the United Kingdom after traveling to California to visit a man she had met over the Internet, according to court documents.

"What wasn't disclosed through the affidavit is that Ms. Rusanova is a very intelligent, charming woman," said her attorney, Matthew Erickson. "This comes as a shock to her."
Erickson added: "Her mistake was to mix prescription drugs with alcohol. After that, all bets were off."

Drunken and unruly passengers are an unpleasant fact of life for flight attendants.

Waterboarding Mancow

Sis Finds Long-Lost Brother Across Street

Embedded video from CNN Video

Cannes

How Cannes went down the pan: Attendees no longer care about movies - just drink, drugs and (naturally) sex.
Onlookers whoop appreciatively as she writhes around wearing only a huge diamond Chanel pendant around her neck.

Ogling men step forward to pour more champagne over her head and into her mouth while women flock round excitedly.

If you thought the Cannes Film Festival was the height of French glamor and celebrity sophistication, think again. Gone are the days when this event was renowned for its understated chic.

Where Hollywood's greatest names - from Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck to Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis - once strolled along the beach, freeloading Britons and uncouth Eurotrash now congregate, united in their desire to get high on sex, drink and drugs.
Many have no connection to the film industry - and no interest in it either.

Tornando

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?from=email&bcpid=823425597&bclid=877032950&bctid=23538161001

Great News: Abducted Boy Reunited With Mother

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (May 17) - A 3-year-old boy kidnapped nearly two weeks ago was in good spirits after he was found in Mexico and reunited with his mother, the sheriff said.

The boy, Briant Rodriguez, underwent physical and emotional evaluations at a local hospital Saturday after returning from the Mexican border town of Mexicali, where he was found wandering the streets. He was expected to return home after the checkup.
The reunion earlier in the day between Briant and his mother, Maria Rosalina Millan, ended an ordeal that began May 3 when two armed men who burst into his family's San Bernardino home and tied up his family, authorities said.

Whoopi Goldberg Does It Again

New in her New York Times bestselling chapter-book series, Sugar Plum Ballerinas, Whoopi Goldberg’s second installment is entitled Toeshoe Trouble. Here are the further adventures of six girls attending ballet school in Harlem, NY. In this one, Brenda Black — hilarious and poignant — faces her spoiled cousin and gets herself in a real mess in the doing.