Saturday 10-23-10

What happens to tolerance?

Cafe owner ordered to remove extractor fan because neighbour claimed 'smell of frying bacon offends Muslims'
A hard-working cafe owner has been ordered to tear down an extractor fan - because the smell of her frying bacon 'offends' Muslims.
Planning bosses acted against Beverley Akciecek, 49, after being told her next-door neighbour's Muslim friends had felt 'physically sick' due to the 'foul odour'.

Councillors at Stockport Council in Greater Manchester say the smell from the fan is 'unacceptable on the grounds of residential amenity'.
Planning row: Cafe owner Beverley Akciecek has been ordered to tear down an extractor fan by the council because the smell of cooked bacon 'offends' Muslims
The fan has been in Beverley's Snack Shack takeaway in the Shaw Heath area of the town for the past three years.
Mrs Akciecek and her husband Cetin, 50, - himself a Turkish Muslim - work more than 50 hours a week buying, preparing and cooking hot and cold sandwiches and hot-pots for their customers.
Today mother-of-seven Mrs Akciecek said she plans to appeal against the decision.
She said: 'I just think it's crazy. Cetin's friends actually visit the shop, they're regular visitors, they're Muslim people, they come in a couple of times a week.
'I have Muslim people come in for cheese toasties. Cetin cooks the food himself, he cooks the bacon.
'When we go to a cafe my husband wouldn't be offended by the smell of bacon. His friends are not offended by it, we have three visitors who come here for a sandwich, friends of my husband, and the smell doesn't offend them at all.
'My brother-in-law doesn't flinch if he comes and we've just taken out three trays of bacon.
'I'm going to find a local councillor. I'm waiting for the letter so I can appeal.'
The couple took over the take-away in 2007 from the previous owner and replaced the existing extractor fan, which had been there for six years, with a new modern one.
They claim they received no complaints about the cafe which is open from 7.30am-2.30pm six days a week, until around 18 months ago when they received a letter from environmental services to say their neighbour Graham Webb-Lee had complained about the smell.
Fan dispute: Mrs Akciecek outside their cafe in Stockton. She is planning to appeal the council's decision to remove the extractor fan which can been seen in the top left corner of the picture
Mrs Akciecek said: 'We've never had a problem about the smell because everything is pre-cooked. We cook it in the oven so there's no foul smell.
'It's pre-cooked so the smell isn't as strong when we're frying it off. It's like living next to someone who's cooking a Sunday breakfast but it's not constant it's just in the morning.
'It's been a sandwich shop for about eight years, cooking exactly the same stuff. The lady before me did double because they were actually building new houses across the road so she was really busy. She was here from 6am-4pm because they were so busy.
'They were there before me but they were also there when the lady who owns the business was here and she was doing double what we are. She had five staff, you can imagine how bust that shop was and they never complained at all.'
They say that the council's environmental services had been out to inspect their property after their neighbour complained about a foul odour last year, but they ruled that the smell was not causing a problem.
Mrs Akciecek said: 'Environmental services said everything is ok. They kept coming back and guaging it and said there was no problem and because they didn't take any action (the neighbours) complained again.'
The couple had never applied for planning permission as they had simply replaced an existing extractor fan with one of the same size and in the same position, but, following further complaints from their neighbour, they were informed by the council they would have to apply retrospectively as an objection had been raised.
They applied for planning permission in May this year, but the application was refused at a meeting of Stockport Area Committee on October 14.

Mr Webb-Lee objected to the aplication - complaining that his Muslim friends refused to visit him becase they 'can't stand the smell of bacon'.
Mrs Akciecek, who also attended the meeting, said: 'He said he had a daughter with an eating disorder, the Muslim friends, and the bad smell all the time is making his clothes smell.

'The councillors agreed with him without even asking me what I thought. It was as if they didn't even realise I was there.
'This cafe is our only source of income. There are only two of us working, we haven't got any staff anymore. We work seven hours in the shop and my husband goes to the cash and carry and has all the prep work to do. We're working long hours. He does about 50 hours a week easy and I'm working about the same and we work Saturdays.
'The shop will be a lot harder work. It will be a good hour a day washing the walls down, I will not work anywhere with the grease falling down the walls. We can't move it anywhere.
'I'm not going to accept it and we're going to fight it.'
Mr Webb-Lee said: 'The vent is 12 inches from my front door. Every morning the smell of bacon comes through and makes me physically sick.
'I have a lot of Muslim friends. They refuse to visit me anymore because they can't stand the smell of bacon.'
A spokesman for Stockport Council said: 'The retrospective application was rejected on the grounds of residential amenity, as the committee felt the odours given off from the vent were unacceptable for neighbouring residents.
'We will ensure that the cafe complies with this decision and removes the extractor fan.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322435/Cafe-owner-ordered-remove-extractor-fan-case-smell-frying-bacon-offends-passing-Muslims.html#ixzz136parRTj

Republican congressional candidate says violent overthrow of government is 'on the table'
WASHINGTON – Republican congressional candidate Stephen Broden stunned his party Thursday, saying he would not rule out violent overthrow of the government if elections did not produce a change in leadership.

In a rambling exchange during a TV interview, Broden, a South Dallas pastor, said a violent uprising "is not the first option," but it is "on the table." That drew a quick denunciation from the head of the Dallas County GOP, who called the remarks "inappropriate."

Broden, a first-time candidate, is challenging veteran incumbent Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson in Dallas' heavily Democratic 30th Congressional District. Johnson's campaign declined to comment on Broden.

In the interview, Brad Watson, political reporter for WFAA-TV (Channel 8), asked Broden about a tea party event last year in Fort Worth in which he described the nation's government as tyrannical.

"We have a constitutional remedy," Broden said then. "And the Framers say if that don't work, revolution."

Watson asked if his definition of revolution included violent overthrow of the government. In a prolonged back-and-forth, Broden at first declined to explicitly address insurrection, saying the first way to deal with a repressive government is to "alter it or abolish it."

"If the government is not producing the results or has become destructive to the ends of our liberties, we have a right to get rid of that government and to get rid of it by any means necessary," Broden said, adding the nation was founded on a violent revolt against Britain's King George III.

Watson asked if violence would be in option in 2010, under the current government.

"The option is on the table. I don't think that we should remove anything from the table as it relates to our liberties and our freedoms," Broden said, without elaborating. "However, it is not the first option."


Reactions

Jonathan Neerman, head of the Dallas County Republican Party, said he's never heard Broden or other local Republican candidates advocate violence against the government.

"It is a disappointing, isolated incident," Neerman said. He said he plans to discuss the matter with Broden's campaign.

Ken Emanuelson, a Broden supporter and leading tea party organizer in Dallas, said he did not disagree with the "philosophical point" that people had the right to resist a tyrannical government.

But, he said, "Do I see our government today anywhere close to that point? No, I don't."

Emanuelson said he's occasionally heard people call for direct action against the government, but that they typically do not get involved in electoral politics.

That Broden is "engaged in the election and running for office shows he's got faith in the system as it is," Emanuelson said.


Other statements

Also in the interview, Broden backed away from other controversial statements he has made at rallies and on cable news appearances.

In June 2009, he described the economic crash in the housing, banking and automotive industries as "contrived" and a "set up" by the Obama administration.

Asked Thursday about the validity of these, Broden said they were "authentic crises facing this nation."

Broden also retreated from other remarks last year that chided Americans for not being more outraged over government intrusion, comparing them to Jews "walking into the furnaces" under the Nazi regime in Germany.

"They are our enemies, and we must resist them," he said of government leaders.

Broden said Thursday that he wasn't trying to compare President Barack Obama to Hitler and he mistakenly linked the U.S. in 2010 to Nazi Germany.

In the uphill campaign against Johnson, Broden has sought to capitalize on her misuse of scholarship funds from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a nonprofit entity.

In late August, The Dallas Morning News reported that Johnson provided 23 scholarships over five years to two of her grandsons, two children of her nephew, and two children of her top aide in Dallas. None of those recipients were eligible under the foundation's anti-nepotism rules or residency requirements. She has repaid the foundation more than $31,000.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-broden_22tex.ART0.State.Edition1.33278a9.html

Neighbors Wake to Headless Animals Halloween Mystery

A gruesome Halloween mystery came to a Miami neighborhood Thursday morning when residents awoke to find dozens of dead, headless animals dumped down their street.

About a dozen goats, cats and different types of birds were laid out on nearly two blocks between 16th Terrace and 15th Terrace on 34th Avenue in Miami, leaving residents scared at what might be next as Halloween approaches.

"Nothing had a head," said Marioly Perez, who was awakened by screeching tires as a car peeled out down the street. "I have never seen anything like this. It's scary."

Miami Police believe the dead animals might have been part of a religious ritual like a Santeria, but those don't usually involve cats. There was also a "very large" animal that no one could identify, residents said.

It all started when something went bump in the night outside. A loud boom woke residents and the sounds of a fast-moving car caused them to come outside.

When they walked out, the scene resembled something from a nightmare - a trail of headless animals with body parts strewn everywhere.

Perez said the smell was suffocating and that it seemed like the animals had been dead for some time.

"We all love animals here. This is very, very depressing. You don't know what kind of crazy people are around your neighborhood," resident Josefine Pita said. "It's very, very scary because you don't know if they are going to steal your animal."

The City's Sanitation Department cleared away the animal carcasses, while the Fire Department hosed down the Street. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Miami Police Department or call Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/weird/Neighbors-Wake-to-Headless-Animals-in-the-Street-105460693.html?dr

Killer Bees Responsible for Georgia Death

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed on Thursday that Africanized honey bees -- more commonly known as "killer bees" -- were responsible for the death of an elderly man in southwest Georgia last week.

The Dougherty County man disturbed a colony of the bees with his bulldozer, and received more than 100 bee stings.

Africanized bees are a hybrid of African and European honey bees. The Africanized bee and the more familiar European honey bee, which is Georgia's official state insect, look the same. They both are only able to sting once, and there is no difference between the venom produced by each variety.

The difference is that Africanized honey bees are extremely defensive and are likely to defend a much wider area around their nest. They are also very aggressive, and will sting individuals in large numbers.

Africanized bees first appeared in the United States in Texas in 1990. They have since been found in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, and now in Georgia. Experts have been expecting the arrival of the killer bees in Georgia for several years. A breeding population of the bees have been in Florida since 2005.

"Georgia beekeepers are our first and best line of defense against these invaders. They are the ones who will be able to monitor and detect any changes in bee activity," said state Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin in a statement.


More facts about Africanized honey bees:


•Are very defensive of their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive).
•Respond quickly and sting in large numbers.
•Can sense a threat from people or animals 50 feet or more from nest.
•Sense vibrations from power equipment 100 feet or more from nest.
•Will pursue a perceived enemy ¼ mile or more.
•Swarm frequently to establish new nests.
•Nest in small cavities and sheltered areas.

Possible nest sites may include empty boxes, cans, buckets, or other containers; old tires; infrequently used vehicles; lumber piles; holes and cavities in fences, trees, or the ground; sheds, garages and other outbuildings; and low decks or spaces under buildings.


General Precautions

•Be careful wherever bees may be found.
•Listen for buzzing - indicating a nest or swarm of bees.
•Use care when entering sheds or outbuildings where bees may nest.
•Examine work area before using lawn mowers and other power equipment.
•Examine areas before penning pets or livestock.
•Be alert when participating in all outdoor sports and activities.
•Don't disturb a nest or swarm - contact a pest control company or your Cooperative Extension office.
•Teach children to respect all bees.
•Check with a doctor about bee sting kits and procedures if sensitive to bee stings.
•Remove possible nest sites around home and seal openings larger than 1/8" in walls and around chimneys and plumbing.

As a general rule, stay away from all honeybee swarms and colonies. If bees are encountered, get away quickly. Do not stand and swat as this will only invite more stings. If you are stung, try to protect your face and eyes as much as possible and run away from the area. Take shelter in a car or building, and do not worry if a few bees follow you inside. It is better to have a few in the car with you than the thousands waiting outside. Hiding in water or thick brush does not offer enough protection.


What to Do if Stung

•First, go quickly to a safe area.
•Scrape - do not pull - stingers from skin as soon as possible. The stinger pumps out most of the venom during the first minute. Pulling the stinger out will likely cause more venom to be injected into the skin.
•Wash sting area with soap and water like any other wound.
•Apply an ice pack for a few minutes to relieve pain and swelling.
•Seek medical attention if breathing is troubled, if stung numerous times or if allergic to bee stings.

Don't Forget!

Hives of European honeybees managed by beekeepers play an important role in our lives. These bees are necessary for the pollination of many crops. One-third of our diet relies on honeybee pollination.

People can coexist with the Africanized honeybee by learning about the bee and its habits, supporting beekeeping efforts and taking a few precautions.

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=159260&catid=40