I admit I don’t know all the facts in the case of the alleged rape that took place at a Duke Lacrosse team’s party. What I do know, however, raises enough questions that I’m skeptical there’s a case here.

First and foremost, DNA testing was done on samples taken from the suspects and turned up negative. If a rape did take place, it’s a given that there will be DNA evidence. Fingernails, hair, fluid – something. It’s highly suspicious that no evidence of rape was found if it occured the way the alleged victim claims.

Lawyers for the suspects claim to have pictures showing the alleged victim arrived with cuts and bruises. If true, that would torpedo the case right there.

The thing that really got me wondering was the 911 call preceding the alleged attack. An anonymous caller (allegedly the second dancer) called 911 to report that someone used a racial epithet. Say what? There are a lot of reasons to call 911 but a racial epithet isn’t one of them. What did the caller want – the cops to cordon off the block and question everyone? Put someone in jail for using the N word?

Or … maybe the caller was trying to set the suspects up, perhaps to make this a racial thing.

I certainly don’t condone sexual assault. If the kids are found guilty then they need to go to prison. But the kids haven’t been proven guilty of anything and the strongest evidence – the DNA – backs them up.

Let’s see what Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong can prove. He should either get this case quickly to court or drop the charges. Until then, I’ll be inclined to believe both the alleged victim and Durham’s grandstanding DA are playing the people of Durham for suckers.

I’ve been really saddened by the story of Sean Paddock, the 4 year old Smithfield kid who apparently was fatally abused by his adoptive mother, Lynn Paddock. There is evidence that this mother tied him up, beat him, withheld food from him, and other sick things.

The kid had a tough life. According to the Wake County Child Protective Services statement, Sean was born into a family of domestic violence. He and his three siblings lived in a filthy, often unheated home. Sean’s father was accused of sexual abuse of one of his siblings. Occasionally they would have to stay with relatives, moving in with Sean’s uncle’s family in January 2003.
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Raleigh’s offering a two-for-one deal on mulch loads with this coupon. For people like me who are itching to get their yards into shape, this is a pretty good deal.

Here are the details:

From March 15 to April 29 while supplies last, the city’s Yard Waste Center is offering customers coupons to receive a free pickup-load size of mulch or leaf mulch if they purchase a load for $12. The coupons will be available at the Yard Waste Center and in kiosks at the City’s six recycling drop-off centers (locations listed below). The coupons also are scheduled to appear in advertisements in the March 13 editions of The News and Observer and The Carolinian and in the March 14 edition of La Conexion.

The Yard Waste Center is located at 900 N. New Hope Road off of Highway 64 East. It is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call the Yard Waste Center at 250-2728.

DROP-OFF RECYCLING CENTERS

The City’s six drop-off recycling centers, where the mulch coupons will be made available, are located at:

• Jaycee Park at 2405 Wade Avenue
• North Boulevard Plaza at Mini City on Capital Boulevard – behind the Taco Bell, adjacent to Food Lion
• Solid Waste Services Administrative Office at 400 W. Peace Street ( 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday only, mulch coupons will be available inside the office)
• Plaza West Shopping Center at the intersection of Western Boulevard and Jones Franklin Road
• Brennan Station Shopping Center at the intersection of Creedmoor and Strickland Roads. The drop-off recycling center is behind the shopping center off of Brennan Drive . Follow the large white water tower
• City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center at 900 N. New Hope Road (open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. only).

Fellow TriLUGger Jeff Tickle has some fun dissecting blogger spam. Give it a read.

The paper brought news this morning about the America’s Sail event which is coming to Beaufort, NC at the end of June. It’s a race of tall sailing ships as well as a celebration of the rich maritime history of North Carolina.

Speaking of rich, some of the sponsors are from the high end. Quotes in the article like “It’s on the scale of the U.S. Open” make me wonder if how many dubloons we’ll need if we decide to go.

Still, those tall ships should be fun to watch, even from the cheap seats. This sounds like one event I just can’t resist.

N&O reporter Ryan Teague Beckwith wrote the article Sunday I’ve been meaning to write for years now. It was a look back to the days Raleigh was trolley town. From the 1880’s to 1930’s, tracks ran throughout downtown, serving Cameron Park, Glenwood Avenue, and other destinations.

Problems Beckwith cite with the service include it being too hot or cold at times. Well, duh! It’s not like your horse-drawn buggy had a heater in it, either. People made do.

I also don’t like how Beckwith blames the trolley for feeding segregationist policies. While segregation is wrong, I think the blame lies on the segregationists, rather than the trolley. The trolley did far too much good.

In 1933, the tracks were shut down and public transportation gained all the charm of “taking the bus.” City development changed drastically as a result. Think of how people-friendly the city would be if we still had those tracks.

I first became interested in the old trolley system when working on my shrine to the old Raleigh Municipal Airport. I found the old pictures of trolleys I found in the N.C. State Archives and History to be captivating. Perhaps one day I’ll create a page about the trolleys similar to my RaleighMuni pages.

The Triangle Tech Journal is reporting that Google‘s plans for RTP are simply to open a sales office. The TTJ quotes a source who told him Google’s sales office will initially be staffed with 9 employees.

This jibes with what my Google sources have told me. With that, I’ll move on to other topics.

I’ve heard enough evidence to say that Google is indeed coming to RTP. I’ve confirmed that executives from the company have been here.

I’m thinking that ChannelAdvisor will be snapped up soon. You heard it here first.

There will be a “shred-a-thon” at Crabtree Mall today until 2PM. The public is invited to bring sensitive documents to be shredded.

This is a great way to avoid identity theft. It’s sponsored by the N.C. Attorney General’s office, Wachovia Bank, and Recall, who is providing the shredding truck.

More info can be found here in the N&O article or the Attorney General’s press release (PDF).