Archive for November 27, 2022

Is media’s deep interest in fatal Illinois car accident explained by the driver accused of murder pleading guilty to January 6 riot crimes?

Posted: November 27, 2022 by John Ruberry in crime, media, News/opinion, opinion/news, politics
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By John Ruberry

On the evening of November 8, a woman from Skokie, Illinois, which is the town just east of where I live, was tragically killed in an automobile accident on Interstate 55 just south of Springfield, Illinois. 

The victim, Lauren Wegner, 35, by all accounts a wonderful woman, was fatally injured when a GMC Sierra, according to police officials driven by Shane Woods, 44 of Auburn, Illinois, drove the wrong way on the interstate.

The Chicago media and other sources in the Prairie State have been repeatedly reporting on this story. And a primary reason for its deep interest in it appears to be because Woods, also known as Shane Castleman, pleaded guilty in September to assaulting a Capitol Police officer and a media photographer during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. He is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in January. Woods faces up to eight years in prison for those crimes. Woods of course faces much more serious prison time if he is found guilty of killing Wegner–from 20 to 60 years. He has been charged with first degree murder, eluding a police officer, aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, and aggravated fleeing. Woods is being held in the Sangamon County Jail, bail has been denied.

Once again, and probably not for the last time, I feel it is important that I unequivocally denounce the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Those people who stormed the Capitol on that sad day, including Woods, who destroyed property and attacked people deserve to be punished.

But just like MSNBC, the Illinois media can’t let go of obsessing over January 6. In regard to the Wegner death, the worst example of that obsession in regard to the Woods story is a State Journal-Register article from November 16 that was as much about the Capitol riot and Donald Trump as it was about the victim. The piece even mentions two men from Springfield who also allegedly participated in the riot–both of whom have no connection to the accident that killed Wegner. Was that necessary?

Absolutely, the January 6 angle is a valid part of the story of the fatal accident, as it appears Woods may have been trying to commit suicide when he started his SUV on the evening of November 8.

Here are some of the Illinois media headlines of stories that I found about the deadly car accident after a Google News search. Yes, some national outlets picked up the story too.

Also, Shia Kapos’ Politico Illinois Playbook newsletter linked to January 6/Woods stories on November 14, 16, 17, and 23.

Media obsession over January 6? I believe so. But I expect the drumbeat to continue. As for Woods, he is a despicable person.

Memorial contributions in the name of Lauren Wegner can be made to Community Animal Rescue Effort of Skokie (carenorthshore.org).

John Ruberry regularly blogs at Marathon Pundit.

The Ultimate Ukraine Irony

Posted: November 27, 2022 by datechguy in war
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Something hit me today concerning Russia with it’s army and reputation it the worst position it’s been in since Japan rolled over them at the turn of the last century.

Poland, Romania and Hungry along with the Baltic States all have a grievance with Russia over a half century of enslavement under communist rule not to mention their invasion from the east while they were trying to fight off the Nazi’s in the west. The wounds are still there and the fear of Russian Invasion after the fact never really left.

Ironically now the Pols have one of the most modern tank forces in the world, they are well trained, highly united as a country and very invested in a Ukrainian victory but there is one fact more.

If Poland decided to use it’s army and take revenge on Russia it is very likely that the Russians would not be in a position to stop them from going deep into their territory and there is no longer a US ready to provide lend lease to supply them in the event of such a war. Particularly if the other states who all own Russia a bloody nose decided to join in under the theory that there will never be a better chance to end the danger from Russia once and for all.

Now it’s my opinion that the Pols have no interest in doing so and are happy enough with the knowledge that Russia has has to fear them, but if they did decide they wanted to go after them only two things would stop them

  1. Russia’s Nukes
  2. NATO

That’s the ultimate Irony, right now NATO is the single strongest guarantor of the territorial integrity of Russia in the west.

Who woulda thunk it?