When A Mountain Lion Attacks

This is an amazing story about "courage" and "loyalty".

A 65-year old woman, Nell Hamm, has been credited with saving her husband's life (Jim Hamm - 70) in San Francisco - when a vicious mountain lion pounced on Jim and wrestled him to the ground while they were both hiking in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The mountain lion opened its mouth and put Jim's head between its powerful jaws - and locked down.

"He didn't scream. It was a different, horrible plea for help, and I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground", said Nell - later at a hospital where her husband was being treated.

Nell picked up a 4-inch wide log and started to relentlessly beat the mountain lion - but to no avail. While Jim's head was still inside the lion's jaws, he spoke to his wife - telling her he had a pen in his pocket that she can use to poke the lion's eye. Nell reached for the pen and to her surprise, the pen bent after a few jabs into the lion's eye! She then picked up the log again and continued to beat the lion.

Eventually, the lion let go of its powerful jaw-grip on Jim's head. Having tasted blood, the lion stood there and looked at Nell - who was screaming and waving around her log in the lion's direction. The lion then simply walked away - leaving Nell and her badly wounded husband.

The couple would be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary next month in New Zealand and before this horrific incident, neither of them had seen a mountain lion - even though they were both experienced hikers.

Nell strongly encouraged her husband to get up and walk away from the bloody scene. She gathered more logs and branches around them, in case other lions were in the area. They waited until a Park Ranger came around and they were rescued. Game Wardens then closed off the Park and released the hounds to track the lion. They were unsure how long it would take to actually locate the lion, but instead of coming across one lion, they came across two! The pair of lions were spotted not far from the scene of the incident and they were both shot and killed. Their bodies will be flown to a State Forensics Lab in hopes of determining whether any of them were directly responsible for Jim's brutal attack.

Jim has since undergone surgery for multiple lacerations on his head and body. His lips had to also be stitched back together and he has suffered puncture wounds as well as a torn scalp.

If Nell had ran away screaming for her life when the lion attacked her husband, there would have been no way he would have survived - but she stuck by her husband's side and fought hard to save his life. Nell displayed immense "courage" and "loyalty". In an age where marriage is usually short-lived and generally treated as "just something fun to do" (remember Britney Spears and Jason Alexander's 55-hour marriage?), this is a truly wonderful story and really highlights what marriage is supposed to be about.

Here's wishing all the best to Nell and Jim Hamm.

Who Is To Blame In The Tragic Nintendo Wii Contest?

"No Big Deal - Drink Water For A Nintendo Wii". That is exactly what 28-year old Jennifer Strange (mother of 3 kids) probably thought when she entered the "Hold Your Wee For A Wii" contest at Radio Station KDND 107.9 on January 12th in Sacremento, California. She wanted to please her kids by winning the much-sought-after Nintendo Wii Video Game Console. ("Wii" is pronounced as "We").

The premise was simple - win a water-drinking contest without having to use the bathroom and take home a Nintendo Wii to your family - "simple" that is, until she died.

About 18 Contestants were initially given 8-Oz bottles of water every 15 minutes to drink. "They were small little half-pint bottles, so we thought it was going to be easy," said fellow Contestant James Ybarra. He quit after only 5 bottles. "My bladder couldn't handle it anymore", he said. "They told us if you don't feel like you can do this, don't put your health at risk." After quitting, the remaining Contestants, including Jennifer Strange, were provided with even larger bottles of water to drink.

Eventually, she gave in and settled for the second-place prize: tickets to a Justin Timberlake concert. By that time, she may have consumed as much as 2 gallons of water (7.5 litres).

Assistant Coroner Ed Smith stated there was evidence "consistent with a water intoxication" in the death of Jennifer Strange. Shortly before she died, she told one of her Supervisors that her head was hurting really bad and she was also in tears.

Has anyone over at KDND 107.9 ever heard of a "small" search-engine named "GOOGLE"? Then why didn't anyone PROPERLY research the effects of water intoxication - or take the results of that research seriously? One of the top 3 results for "water intoxication" in Google shows "Too Much Water Can Kill You"! Try the search yourself. They should have also commissioned a doctor for medical advice on carrying out such a contest and have the doctor present during the event. Obviously, neither were done.

There is however, clear evidence that the on-air disc jockeys DID in fact know about the possible fatal nature of drinking too much water - a listener even called into the radio show to warn them. "Yeah, we're aware of that," one of the DJs responded. Another DJ said with a laugh "Yeah, they signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK." At one point, the DJs even alluded to a college student who died during a similar stunt in 2005! The Radio Station said its Staff were "stunned" to hear the tragic news that Jennifer Strange had died. Really? "Stunned"? Were they "stunned" during their on-air jokes about "signed releases" or afterwards?

KDND's Parent Company, Entercom/Sacramento, has since fired 10 employees involved with the fatal contest, including 3 of the DJs. The morning show that hosted the contest was also discontinued. No doubt this was all done as "damage control" - in an effort to keep their operating license.

So where exactly does the blame lie for this woman's death? With the Radio Station itself? With the DJs? With the woman who willingly allowed her body to be poisoned with too much water? Ultimately, the blame (to various degrees) lies with everyone involved - sadly, that also includes Jennifer Strange. Contestant James Ybarra could have also quite possibly ended up suffering the fatal consequences of water intoxication - had he not listened to his body in time, saying "enough water!".

In a world where publicity, sales and ratings rule, simply listening to your favorite Radio Station and participating in a contest to win a "fabulous" prize, can lead to your death.

An Attorney for the family of Jennifer Strange is now seeking to have the license for the offending Radio Station pulled. So much for "damage control".

Why Bill O'Reilly Is Right About Vermont

Bill O'Reilly is once again fuming about Vermont's lack of sufficient justice when little kids are molested and sodomized. Here is why he is right.

Last year, Judge Edward Cashman in Vermont delivered a sentence of only 60 days in prison to a man who sodomized a 6-year old girl over 4 years! 60 days behind bars for mentally and physically scarring an innocent girl, possibly for life. Would you rest peacefully if this was your daughter or relative? - knowing in just 2 months' time the perpetrator would be out on the loose again - living life? Of course not. Neither did most Americans.

When the news broke about this blatant injustice, mounting pressure forced Judge Cashman to up the sentence to 3 years - an improvement, but nonetheless far too lenient when you consider the repeated crime that was committed against this little girl.

Flash forward now to Judge David Howard, again from Vermont. This Judge has recently sentenced a man who molested a 4-year old boy - at least 10 times - to "probation and mandatory treatment". This child molester already had a violent criminal history and was previously sentenced to prison for only 30 days for using a screwdriver in an attack on his own wife - in plain view of his own kids.

Sadly, this child molester is now "free" to do as he pleases - with no prison time. Thanks to Judge Howard and Prosecutor Andrew Costello - who cut a deal with the child molester so he could plead "guilty" to the charge and receive the "watered-down" sentence. There was so much "water" involved that it is hard to believe no one drowned!

Both Vermont and Minnesota practise what is known as "restorative justice" - meaning that it is better for society when both the accuser and the accused is "healed". Well what about "punishment should fit the crime"? Why has that been conveniently left out? Is "probation" the proper punishment for molesting an innocent 4-year old boy - at least 10 times? The phrase "restorative justice" should really be cut down to a single word - "restorative" - because there is NO justice done for those who have been violated and scarred for life.

Needless to say, Vermont has NOT approved "Jessica's Law" - which was passed in Florida in 2005 and ensures first-time child sex predators are sentenced to prison for a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of life.

Until all states pass a version of Jessica's Law and get really serious about putting away child molesters for a long time - your children remain in harm's way.