Bum-F*** Bomber From Iowa

He did choose the name “The Bishop.’’

"Accused bomber says devices not destructive" Associated Press, May 04, 2012

CHICAGO - A former Iowa letter carrier accused of sending dud pipe bombs and taunting letters signed “The Bishop’’ called himself to the witness stand and gave his own closing arguments Thursday, admitting he sent the devices but insisting they never would have gone off.

John Tomkins, who has represented himself throughout the trial, began the sometimes bizarre spectacle of questioning of himself Thursday by announcing that he was calling “defendant John Tomkins’’ to testify. He then walked to the witness stand and a legal adviser read aloud questions that Tomkins himself written.

Tomkins, 47, repeated what he said earlier this week: that he sent the threatening letters to investment advisers in a scheme to boost the value of his stocks. But he quickly added he intentionally constructed fake bombs that would not explode.

Tomkins is accused of sending letters threatening to kill recipients, their families, or neighbors unless they took steps to raise the price of 3COM Corp. and Navarre Corp. stocks, in which he invested. The letters, sent from 2005 to 2007, were signed, “The Bishop.’’

Packages included notes reading, “Bang! You’re dead,’’ and a message that declared the receiver was still alive only because one wire was intentionally not attached.

Prosecutors say the bombs would have exploded had all the wires been attached. The letters included a demand to act by a deadline or bombs that explode would follow. They ended with the words “Tick, tock’’ or “Time’s up.’’

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"Iowa paper devotes Page 1 to fight bullying" Associated Press, April 23, 2012

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - In a rare and forceful act of advocacy, an Iowa newspaper devoted the entire front page of its Sunday edition to an antibullying editorial after a gay teen committed suicide.  

I don't think anyone should be bullied for any reason.

Relatives have said 14-year-old Kenneth Weishuhn Jr. suffered intense harassment, including threatening cellphone calls and nasty comments posted online, after coming out about a month ago. He died April 15 from what the local sheriff’s office described only as a “self-inflicted injury.’’

The Sioux City Journal’s editorial called on the community to be proactive in stopping bullying and urged members to learn more about the problem by seeing the film “Bully,’’ which documents the harassment of a Sioux City middle-school student. It notes that although many students are targeted for being gay, “we have learned a bully needs no reason to strike.’’  

See: Sunday Globe Special: Butler vs. Bullies

“In Kenneth’s case, the warnings were everywhere,’’ the editorial said. “We saw it happen in other communities, now it has hit home. Undoubtedly, it wasn’t the first life lost to bullying here, but we can strive to make it the last.’’

Editor Mitch Pugh said the newspaper has run front-page editorials before but has never devoted the entire page to one.

“A lot of newspapers shy away from putting editorials on the front page, but we feel we have to be a strong advocate for our community,’’ he said. “And if we don’t do that, we’re not sure who else is.’’

That's one reason newspapers are dying. They have abandoned that duty.

Weishuhn’s mother, Jeannie Chambers, told the Journal last week that she and the rest of the family knew he was being harassed but did not realize to what extent. His sister told a local television station that Weishuhn, a freshman, had many friends and was popular at school until he came out. Then students turned on him.

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Just wondering when someone is going to be proactive when it comes to confronting the EUSraeli bully, because it sure isn't my war-promoting AmeriKan media.