Voting for the 2014 Shiitake Awards NOW until Feb. 1, 2015

To vote, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5DGKT85

It is time once again to vote for the 2014 Shiitake Awards!
Vote on the dumbest sex offender stories and the worst among those who exploit sex offenders for person game. Vote and share the awards with fellow activists! Voting ends February 1. It is free and fun. Most of all, you get to stick it to those who stick it to Registered Citizens.

For a full list of finalists to review before taking the survey, go here: http://shiitakeawards.blogspot.com/2014/12/time-to-vote-for-2014-shiitake-awards.html



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Emily "The Misguidance Girl" Roberts is in need of a fact-check

Her website claims "You've got questions, she's got answers." Personally, I think her answers should begin with the same three words-- "I don't know."

Emily Roberts is an alleged psychotherapist who refers to herself as "The Guidance Girl," but after dealing with this brain-dead bimbo on HLN's "Dr Drew on Call" show back on Dec. 11th, I find the Guidance Girl to be in need of some guidance.

The topic was on the Registered Citizen who won the lottery in FloriDUH. Once Fallen was asked to be in the segment as well. At the end of my segment, Emily Roberts stated that not only should registrants suffer, but we also have a 75% recidivism rate.

You can read the entire segment if you want by clicking the link (I made some good quotes), but I am focusing on Roberts's words here:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1412/11/ddhln.01.html

PINSKY: Al right, Derek, thank you. I want to hear from Emily. I have not yet heard from her. I know you are dying to say something there. Go ahead. 

ROBERTS: Well, they should have to suffer. I mean they have ruined someone is life forever. This child will forever harmed. This child will never be the same again. And, the other children, because it is pretty likely that he offended and hurt other children, as well beside these two children, because around 75 percent of people who offend do it again. So, we do not know. He could have done it again. 

PINSKY: All right, we got to go. Next up, a stranger gets involved in the life of a pregnant woman and her male companion and social media is having a field day with this one. I will explain it. We are back after this. 

Michelle Duggar uses Predator Panic as a weapon against a gay rights bathroom issue in Arkansas

This story puts the "loo" in loony.

Put an ultra-conservative Christian family on TV whose only claim to fame is having more kids than the cast of Glee, you can be assured that eventually, they will do something stupid, maybe even Shiitake-worthy. I've never watched their Duggar show. All I know is with 20 kids to deal with, you'd think she'd be too busy to worry about stuff like which bathroom transgendered persons prefer when relieving themselves, but then you'd be wrong.

But it's better to be pissed off than pissed on, especially when the shit hits the fan (you have to love a little toilet humor).

But remember, to be considered Shiitake-worthy, it has to be sex offender-related. Well, in her push to overturn a law allowing transgendered persons to decide with lavatory they should use, she invokes Predator Panic and the old standby "innocence of a child" crap. No matter what gender you are, THAT is Shiitake-Worthy!

http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2014/08/18/michelle-duggar-and-the-family-council-try-to-torpedo-fayetteville-non-discrimination-ordinance-with-lies

Michelle Duggar and the Family Council try to torpedo Fayetteville non-discrimination ordinance with lies
Posted By Lindsey Millar on Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 5:54 PM

On Aug. 19, the Fayetteville City Council will consider an ordinance to prohibit discrimination in public services, housing and employment that adds sexual orientation and family status to the familiar list of categories generally protected by federal law. 

It's expected to pass, which is probably why the Arkansas Family Council has ramped up its opposition campaign. After pushing a list of nonsense consequences should the measure pass, the Family Council has now enlisted the help of reality star Michelle Duggar to spread lies about it. Her voice can be heard on a robocall that started making the rounds on Monday in Fayetteville. 

Here's an excerpt (hear the whole thing below) of Duggar's message:

"I don’t believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls. I doubt that Fayetteville parents would stand for a law that would endanger their daughters or allow them to be traumatized by a man joining them in their private space. We should never place the preference of an adult over the safety and innocence of a child. Parents, who do you want undressing next to your daughter at the public swimming pool’s private changing area?" 

Maybe Duggar, mother of 19, got some coaching from her eldest son, who works for the legislative arm of an anti-gay hate group. Mama Duggar, by the way, lives in Tontitown, not Fayetteville. 

The Fayetteville city attorney's office has already swatted such claims. But what's fear-mongering to bigots?

The claim that this ordinance would provide predators with access to women's restrooms in order to assault or leer at girls or women is nothing more than fear-mongering. This ordinance does allow transgender people to use the bathroom in which they feel most comfortable and physically safe. Transgender people — who are far more likely to be the victims of harassment and violence if forced to use a bathroom that is inconsistent with their gender identity or expression — deserve to have the ability to use the bathroom in peace and safety. Using the bathroom is a basic human function and denying that to a person is inhumane. This ordinance has nothing to do with the concerns and examples Ms. Nichols provided — the acts perpetrated by the criminals in those stories will continue to be criminal acts.

Could this be the craziest consequence of sex offender legislation EVER?

I'm not going to get into a pro-choice vs pro-life debate. However, when legislators look to sex offender residency laws as a foundation for passing restrictions in other areas of life, THAT is Shiitake-worthy. It apparently has the support of the guv'nuh.

http://www.christianexaminer.com/article/pro.life.group.seeks.buffer.law.for.abortion.clinics.similar.to.sex.offender.requirements/47689.htm

Pro-lifers seek to shut abortion center using sex offender buffer provisions
by Vanessa Garcia Rodriguez | 26 November, 2014
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Christian Examiner) -- Despite strong efforts of Alabama pro-life supporters to shut down North Alabama's only abortion clinic, a court ruling last week has allowed the Women's Center in Huntsville to remain open. Now the group will seek to establish new legislation instead of filing an appeal.

In September, James Henderson, executive director of the Christian Coalition of Alabama and 18 other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the Huntsville Board of Zoning Adjustment asking for a preliminary injunction to stop the clinic from operating while the case goes through the court system.

Madison County Circuit Judge Alan Mann rejected the efforts on the grounds that none of the plaintiffs were directly affected by the location of the clinic. The lawsuit, had argued that the clinic should not be allowed to operate on a previously granted building variance initially intended for a Huntsville Hospital outpatient facility before it closed in 2013.

According to Al.com Henderson would not seek to appeal the court ruling, but instead try to establish a new law requiring abortion clinics to establish themselves at a 2,000 foot distance from schools. The 2,000 foot buffer is similar to the minimum distance requirement as is placed on sex offenders and schools.

"If you look in terms of cost effectiveness, new legislation is a better way to go," he said. "There will be a lot of public input and I know it's something Republican legislators will support."

Henderson, a member of the Alabama Republican Party executive committee, claimed that a buffer zone law has been encouraged by Gov. Robert Bentley's office and that Chief Legal Advisor David Byrne Jr. offered assistance with the legislation, though he could not do legal work for a private entity.

Should the law pass, the Alabama Women's Center would have to shut its doors or relocate because its current campus is almost directly across from a middle school which is being remodeled.

The center opened at this location in October after clinic owner Dalton Johnson purchased the facilities from Huntsville Hospital. He previously relocated his abortion service because that plant did not meet the standards of the Alabama Women's Health and Safety Act of 2013.

Hey Sun-Slantinel, trim the fat and hold the Mayo

It seems the Sun-SLANTINEL has a penchant for hiring the worst writers for their birdcage-liners posing as newspapers, and Michael Mayo is no exception.

If the government can stop Nazis from getting Social Security, they can stop yellow journalists from writing this drivel.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/michael-mayo-blog/sfl-mayo-lottery-sex-offender-20141211-story.html

Mayo: Easiest bill for 2015 - No jackpots for sex predators

By Michael Mayo,
Sun Sentinel Columnist

Looks like the Florida Legislature has its first bi-partisan slam-dunk bill for 2015: Banning lottery jackpots for registered sexual predators.

Timothy Poole, 43, a registered sexual predator (which is worse than your garden variety registered sex offender), recently claimed a $3 million scratch-off jackpot from Florida Lottery headquarters.

Poole, whose lengthy arrest record includes a charge of sexual battery on a victim under 12, took home a lump sum payment of $2.2 million. Here's hoping he doesn't spend it on candy.

Naturally, this has many people up in arms. But there is no law on the books banning sex predators from winning big Lottery prizes. I bet that changes this upcoming legislative session.

Some might say: If a sex predator is willing to gamble away his money in the Lottery, shouldn't he be entitled to win?

Uh, no.

It seems just as ridiculous as a Nazi who came to America after the war and worked long and hard and paid into the system, and then got discovered, getting to keep his Social Security benefits after leaving the country under a controversial deportation program.

As distasteful as it is, there doesn't seem to be an easy way logistically to prevent sex predators from playing the Lottery or winning smaller prizes. What are we going to do, have merchants conduct background checks every time someone plays PowerBall or redeems a scratch-off prize of $100?

But there is one easy fix: For any big prize, the ones that require redemption from Lottery offices, registered sex predators (and perhaps all convicted violent felons) should be disqualified.

Because there's nothing more embarrassing than having a guy who molests kids smile for the cameras with his ceremonial oversized million-dollar check.

Your move, Legislature.

Mike DeForest (Gump) tries to ruin a Registrant's life, instead gets to witness the registrant's good fortune

December is usually the time things go quiet here as the annual Shiitake Awards nominees are collated and handed over to our own Shiitake Awards Playoff Selection Committee. But it seems a run of last minute entries look to throw a monkey wrench into our playoff scheme.

Today's entry is Mike DeForest (Gump) from WKMG Local 6 in Orlando, reminding us that stupid is as stupid does.

DeForest ran a sweeps week "Sex Offenders who have jobs and we get one fired" story, which featured a number of Registered Citizens trying to make a living. DeForest bragged about getting one fired. A couple of months later, one of the targets of his first story wins $3 Million from a scratch-off ticket, and DeForest runs a nasty story on the lotto winner.

It seems pretty obvius that DeForest is trying to bring as much bad publicity as possible to a man who asserts his innocence and has kept his nose clean in the near-decade since his release.

In the first story, the lotto winner received only a passing mention:

Despite being a convicted sex predator, ***** is allowed to drive a cab for his family’s taxi business, ****, since there are few regulations governing vehicles-for-hire in Lake County.  “It may be hard for some to believe, but sometimes people are wrongly accused,” said Poole, 43, who insists he poses no risk to his passengers.  In 2002, as part of a plea agreement, Poole pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery against a child.

In the follow-up article, DeForest drags out lengthy details of the man's past:

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/convicted-sex-predator-wins-3-million-lottery-jackpot/30144204

Convicted sex predator wins $3 million lottery jackpot
Lake County man purchased scratch-off ticket at Mount Dora 7-Eleven

Author: Mike DeForest, Reporter, mdeforest@clickorlando.com
Published On: Dec 09 2014 05:46:17 PM EST   Updated On: Dec 10 2014 06:22:04 PM EST
Print
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Video: Sexual Predator wins $3M
Show Transcript
MOUNT DORA, Fla. -
A convicted sex predator who served 3 years in prison for a crime involving a young child is now a multi-millionaire. *****  won $3 million on a Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket he purchased at a Mount Dora 7-Eleven store Saturday night.

"He was flabbergasted. He couldn't believe it," said **** , a friend who was with **** when he hit the jackpot. "It was quite a remarkable thing. My heart is still beating."

**** was among the subjects of a recent Local 6 investigation that examined where convicted sex predators are employed.  **** is driver and dispatcher for ***** , a Mount Dora taxi company owned by his mother, records show.   

In 1999, Orange County authorities arrested **** following allegations that he sexually battering a 9-year-old boy.  According to an arrest warrant affidavit, **** was a friend of the victim's family who once lived at their home.  The victim also spent some weekends at ***'s home, according to investigators.

************************

**** denied the allegations, according to the report.

As part of a plea bargain, **** pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery and was sentenced to the 13 months he had already served in jail. The judge also ordered **** to serve 10 years of sex offender probation and register as a sexual predator. A judge can designate someone as a predator if the defendant used physical violence, preyed on children or had repeat violations.

In 2003, a judge revoked **** probation and sent him to prison for 3 years.  According to court records, Poole was kicked out of his mandatory sex offender counseling because he failed to attend 4 group sessions.

**** , who has had no other legal troubles since being released from prison in 2006, insists he is innocent. 

"It may be hard for some to believe, but sometimes people are wrongly accused," **** told Local 6 in November.

"I've known him for years and I've never seen any inclination of anything like that with him," said ****, who believes his friend should enjoy the $3 million lottery jackpot.  "He's a very positive person. Very kind. Giving. I think that's why he won.  It's Christmastime and the dude deserves a break."

*****turned in his winning Super Millions scratch-off ticket at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee on Monday.  Lottery officials said he chose to receive his winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment of $2,219,807.90. 

Florida law does not allow the lottery to withhold payments from winners based on their criminal records, according to spokeswoman.  However, before a winner receives a check, Florida Lottery officials conduct a background check using their Social Security number to ensure they do not owe child support or any outstanding debts to a state agency.

**** could not be reached for comment following his lottery win, so it is unclear what he plans to do with his millions.  According to Snyder, **** will be pouring some of that money into his mom's small taxi cab company.

"He's going to invest in the business," said ****. "He's going to expand."

Hetty Johnston wants to be the Australian Grinch who steals Xmas

G'day, mates! We have another international offering to the Shiitake awards today. This is Hetty Johnston, an Australian victim industry spokeswoman. Victim industry advocates aren't exactly known for rational discussions on this topic, but Johnston wants to end the tradition of sitting on a mall Santa's lap out of fears of Predator Panic. Krikey!

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/parents-warned-of-dangers-of-santas-lap/story-fnn8dlfs-1227147152740?nk=dd7a6317090300eff124dc378b4ce628

Parents warned of dangers of Santa’s lap
THE COURIER-MAIL DECEMBER 07, 2014 12:00AM SHARE
    
THE traditional Christmas family souvenir is under threat with parents and child protection advocates arguing Santa’s lap should be off limits to kids.

Child protection activist Hetty Johnston this week backed the concerns of Queensland parents worried the time had come to stop their children sitting on the lap of shopping centre Santas for Christmas photos.

“What we would like to see is shopping centre owners updating their child protection policies,” Ms Johnston said.

“The directive would be for children to stand beside Santa, unless parents or children request to sit on his knee. Shopping centres have duty of care to protect children on premises.”

The Santa debate came to light on social media, with Queensland mothers at odds as to whether the practice should end – provoking a strong reaction from Ms Johnston. Many mothers back her stand.

“We teach kids ... it’s okay to say no if they don’t feel safe,” she said.

“This means not having to sit on anyone’s lap, including family members, if they don’t want to. So why should we make them sit on the lap of a person they don’t know dressed as Santa?”

Ms Johnston emphasises that she does not want to be a grinch and said the simple changes would not spoil the experience for children.

Queensland’s Mark Overell has been a Santa for 24 years and is a Santa trainer for Promoworks, which supplies hundreds of Santas to shopping centres across the state, including mega precincts such as Indooroopilly, Carindale and Garden City. He says all job applicants go through stringent background checks.

“I understand where the fear is coming from but the idea that Santa should be lumped in with everyone else is extreme,” he said.

“Our Santas are trained to do everything by the book. The hands with white glov
es are only allowed on the children’s shoulder or around the tummy, nowhere else. We are very proud of how we have conducted ourselves over the years and have had very few complaints.”

Jenna McCarthy, who is mum to two-year-old Aaliyah said: “I wouldn’t force her to be held by a random stranger so Santa is no different to me. I can understand the fear. We hype up Christmas so much and we give kids the idea that Santa isn’t a stranger. What if they come across someone outside the shopping centre dressed as a Santa?

Social commentator David Chalke believes the debate is ludicrous.

“While I recognise the fine work that Bravehearts does, this is another symptom of our hyper-vigilant, risk adverse society,” he said.

“Surely it’s better to teach children to recognise and report inappropriate behaviour if it occurs than to issue a needlessly draconian blanket ban on any human contact — just in case.”

Don Lehman, let me show you how the Shiitake Awards works

Not every candidate who lands here is a big name or works for a big name company. This is Don Lehman from the Glen Falls Post-Star, serving the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. Since he is likely ignorant on the process by which he landed on the Shiitake-Worthy blog, I will give him some insight.

The Shiitake-Worthy blog processes nominations for the Shiitake Awards, which spotlights those who misuse sex offender hysteria for personal gain. In the story on an auto-accident, Don Lehman made it a point to bring out the past of one of the accident victims, who is a Registered Citizen. it is fairly amazing that a number of individuals rebuked Lehman; Don Lehman himself proclaims, "there seems to be inexplicable sympathy for sex offenders in some circles."

The following blog post is the reason why he lands on our Shiitake-Worthy blog. Not only did he feel the need to defend himself in a separate news article, his bias is showing. And that, my friends, is Shiitake-Worthy.

http://poststar.com/blogs/don_lehman/how-it-works/article_e730b3ec-7aeb-11e4-bf07-3f76340665c0.html

How it works
December 03, 2014 7:57 am

The first abrasive email of the day came in early Wednesday morning from a guy who was upset that the final version of the article on Monday night's tragic car-pedestrian accident in Argyle included background on the driver's criminal history.

The guy (a local church pastor, believe it or not) thought that I added that to the story "to get attention" and questioned my "character," believing that I just write whatever I want and throw it in the paper and online.

Since many readers seem to be ignorant about how the newsgathering and publishing process works, here is some insight.

Everything that gets in the printed version of the paper is reviewed by at least two editors, sometimes as many as four or five. So a reporter here can not just write what they want and get it published.

Not everything that we put online is read by an editor before it is published, occasionally breaking news items where we are posting from the field or after hours will go up without editing. Most of it is though, as Online Editor Doug Gruse manages our online content.

When we got an inquiry Tuesday afternoon from a reader wondering if the driver in the Argyle accident was the same ******* who is a Level 3 sex offender from Salem who served 14 years in prison for raping two young girls and sodomizing a third, I checked it out and found out it was.

Because there seems to be inexplicable sympathy for sex offenders in some circles around here, I brought the information to the attention of Editor Ken Tingley and City Editor Bob Condon to find out if they believed it should be included.

Both said the information should be included in the story, as it is background information on the driver in a highly publicized case. If he had been a vice president of General Electric, a professional badminton player or a clerk at Cumberland Farms, we would have included that instead.

As the reader whose initial email questioned whether the driver was the sex offender **** pointed out, in many states what **** did would have resulted in a life sentence in prison. In fact, NY state law has changed since his conviction and he could receive a life sentence for predatory sexual assault against a child.

He finished parole last year, and has to register his address every 90 days. He has not been charged in the fatal accident.

-- Don Lehman

Johnson City TN Salvation Army denies shelter to teenager because of "pervert" fears

Here is something to consider when you see those annoying bell-ringers this holiday season. Apparently, the Salvation Army has a policy of denying teens ages 12-16 primarily due to Predator Panic, and this policy was quietly instituted about a decade ago, according to this article.

Just look at the justification here. If the teen stays with the ladies, he'd be leering at ladies in PJs because he's likely a little "pervert." But if he stays with the men, then some "pervert" is likely to molest him.

Soup, Salvation, and Stupidity!

http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/27481410/salvation-army-revisiting-shelter-policy-after-family-turned-away-due-to-age-of-son

Salvation Army revisits shelter policy after family turned away due to son's age
Posted: Nov 25, 2014 4:35 PM EST
Updated: Dec 01, 2014 9:49 AM EST
By Nate Morabito, Investigative ReporterCONNECT
  
JOHNSON CITY, TN (WJHL) - The Johnson City Salvation Army is reviewing its emergency shelter policy after the organization turned away a homeless family with a teenage son on a cold night earlier this month, all because of the boy's age.

Tim Lejeune says on one of the coldest nights of the year, despite the organization's white flag waving outside the shelter, the Salvation Army turned his family away, because his son is 15 years old.

"They said he's too old to stay on the women's side, because of the women running around in their pajamas and they said he's too young to stay on the men's side in case some pervert wants to do whatever," Lejeune said.

Lejeune says his wife, their 15 year-old son, 16 year-old daughter and five year-old son, all down on their luck, have been living in their car for the last several weeks.

Lejeune says it was so cold one night earlier this month he took his family to the Salvation Army. Noticing the organization's white flag blowing in the cold air, generally a symbol that all are welcome due to hazardous weather conditions, he says he expected the organization to welcome them with open arms. Instead, he says the shelter told them there was no way they could stay there with a 15 year-old boy.

"He said, 'I'm sorry, your son, y'all can't stay here, because of his age,'" Lejeune said. "I said, 'Are you kidding me?'"

"It was just heartbreaking," 15 year-old Dustin Lejeune said late last week.

Prepared to return to their cars to sleep in 18 degree weather, Johnson City police officers came upon the family and took up their cause. However, that proved unsuccessful.

Certain the family should not be expected to sleep in their car on one of the coldest nights of the year, the officers brought the family to the Johnson Inn and then did something remarkable. They pooled their resources and were prepared to pay for a motel room for the family with money out of their own pockets.

"They collected money to put the family up and when they were at the Johnson Inn, the clerk that was working there that night realized what was going on, so they themselves comped the room for the family," Maj. Garry Younger said. "In return, the officers took the money they collected and went and bought groceries that they gave to the family. I'm very proud that we employ people with that fortitude that care about the citizens."

Police officers AD McElroy, Justin Jenkins, Toma Sparks and Robert McCurry were not the only ones to help this family with a selfless act. Along with police, Washington County-Johnson City 911 dispatchers on shift two helped raise enough money to buy this family groceries, dinner and leave some cash behind for them. 

Salvation Army Captain Michael Cox says the organization has a longtime policy that prohibits boys ages 12 to 16 from staying at the shelter. According to Cox, the policy is in place for safety reasons; ultimately to protect children.

Cox says space limitations at the shelter do not allow the building to house maturing boys. He says that policy has only been an issue once before in the last decade or so. That said, he says the Salvation Army is now revisiting its shelter policy.

"It was an unfortunate situation altogether, because we did not have the facilities to put that family in place," Cox said of the situation. "We did offer further assistance and that was denied."

In the moments after we first met the family we shared their contact information with the Salvation Army. Monday their car was parked outside the organization. The organization has filled up their gas tank and even let them spend a couple nights at the shelter, but not because of any change of heart. Lejeune says their 15 year-old son is now receiving mental help at an area hospital.

"He ended up having a breakdown and ended up at Woodridge and felt it was all his fault that we were homeless that we couldn't go anywhere, because of him," Lejeune said.

While the family awaits the release of their son, they say they are now trying to get their kids enrolled in school and find a permanent housing solution.